Two | Oak and Iron

[nobroth]

WHO: Alistair Theirin
WHERE: Southwest of the South Village
WHEN: Feb 6
OPEN TO: OTA
WARNINGS: Probably some Thedosian cursing.

---

There were many things Alistair was. An idiot, according to quite a few. A bastard, according to quite a lot more. Few credited him with determination, and maybe that was true once. Years of living at the edge of being caught and killed, though, had kept him literally and figuratively on his toes, and his pursuit of knowledge about Corypheus? He had been determined to see it through.

And that was why, even though it was damned cold and he could feel snow coming in the air, he had trekked out into the woods and, armed with only an axe, had brought in a few trees. Not big ones - not like he'd prefer - but ones he'd found in overcrowded patches in the woods that would never grow bigger with the canopy as thick as it was. One by one, he'd hauled them to the southwestern edge of the village and had begun work once he'd gathered them there. He hacked off branches, the smaller of which would make good firewood and kindling, the larger of which could actually do well for smaller projects. He already had a mental list. He could do... enough with the axe. Not a great amount, but enough. Enough to build a few sawhorses, which would be absolutely necessary, and then to start work on some carts, which would be just as needful as the sawhorses. Provided he could find someone better at marking circles than him, anyway.

He'd already hung his coat on a branch that had a smaller, strong branch sticking up - his swinging the axe was making him sweat, and he knew that when it came time to stop, he'd have to go in quickly to keep from getting sick. But as it was, there he stood, with one log already nicely shaped, a pile of brush nearby, as he worked at hacking branches off the next, a quiet song keeping time with every axe swing.

Comments

[ataashihunter]

The Iron Bull had been out on his usual patrol and was just about heading back when the sound of an axe against would draw his attention. Was it Bobo again? No, pretty quickly he realizes the tune that goes along with it is one he knows. At least has heard plenty of times, back home in Thedas.

As he makes his way close he recognises the face, even if he hasn't met him. "Well hello there." He grins as he looks Alistair over.

[nobroth]

That voice - from that height - wasn't one that people tended to forget. And Alistair ... Well, he hadn't forgotten. He paused for a second, axe settled to rest on its head as he half-turned and greeted, "Bull! I'd heard there was a version of you around here somewhere."

Lifting an arm, he wiped the sweat from his forehead onto his sleeve, then came over to offer his hand. "Probably smell horrible to you, but at least it's honest work, right?"

[ataashihunter]

Bull smiles and takes the hand giving it a firm shake. "That would be me." He grins. "Is it King Alistair still or?"

"And it is good work, I do a bit of wood chopping myself, I need it for the brewery."

[nobroth]

"Never was king," Alistair answered. "Exiled instead. And yes, it's..." He motioned toward his small harvest. "We need lumber. While I was in the Marches, I worked with some woodsmen and learned enough that I can do what they did. There's been talk about a barn, and I know we need carts and I think there's a house or something that needs replaced? But. It all has to start somewhere."

[ataashihunter]

"You weren't? Huh, sounds like we are from different versions of Thedas then." He frowns at that. "Lumber we can do, I can help when I am not out on patrols. Have you talked to Foggy? He has some woodworking tools"

I'm Sorry for Yellowified Reeve.

[plate_builder]

The intention had, of course, been to return to Mark's work in the South after he took a day to adjust to the power he'd opted to acquire. The intention hadn't lasted very long. Even as he had felt the rush of calling forth fire again for the first time something had happened with his wrist-device. A clear bit of error or bugged screens, blue, and then inexplicably the band was... well, it was yellow. That was something that clearly needed some consideration, especially since he had learned enough to know that different colors meant different powers. He'd been intending to head back south with the new firepower to protect him and his blue powers to guide him. Which, of course hadn't worked.

So while he waited to find someone to serve as an escort just in case, Reeve had seen nothing wrong with the idea of checking in on some people of interest in the village. Which in this case meant approaching where Alistair was working, one hand held out before him palm up with a plump tongue of fire dancing over it to keep him warm. It had no sound to it, which was a bit disturbing, but what would make it crack and pop without fuel?

"Alistair. I am quite pleased to see that you're getting some start on your project," he called as he approached. Better not sneak up completely on a man with an axe.

With an axe and no shirt. Reeve couldn't help but eye the man's body. The log wasn't the only thing here that was nicely shaped in Reeve's opinion.

Never apologise.

[nobroth]

"Reeve."

He stopped both singing and swinging to look over, the voice easily enough recognised. "Yes, I still need a few tools to really get it going, but with an axe, I can at least get started. I've been marking the trees I can find around here - which ones are safe to harvest and all that."

Alistair left the axe behind, wiping sweat from his forehead and eyebrows with the back of his hand. "You look like you've been busy, what with the fire and all."

If You Insist

[plate_builder]

The fire. Yes, in a way that could be considered keeping busy. Between it and his new gear, there was much that he had been up to. Not as much as he would like, but enough for him to feel pleasantly busy without being overwhelmed. And for once it felt like he could make progress, what with reasonable enough tools. Though he did nod in clear approval at Alistair's explanation.

"I'm very glad to see that you took the idea of lumber working to heart. It will be valuable when I get work started here. And I admit I am glad to see you putting yourself to this task. Your eagerness for it in the times we've discussed it before has been comforting."

With Alistair approaching Reeve let the fire above his hand kick a little higher, though he held it more off to the side. Without the strenuous work he might start to cool down some, and Reeve did not wish to be responsible for him growing sick.

"I felt powerless on the return from the mountain shrine," he answered after a moment. Far less dancing around that admission than he normally would have done. Just a simple fact. "Stephanie had no shoes, and none of the girls had coats on. The fact that I did was pure luck. We were also severely under equipped were trouble to arise. The only thing we did have going for us was that 7 and I were both blue, so we could guide the group safely. I have resolved not to be powerless again. While it is not the same as home, and it is not an element I have a particular fondness for, fire is a good enough tool."

[nobroth]

He glanced at the fire and then gave Reeve a little smile of thanks. He knew what that was for - and he was grateful. "If there's any mage in this village I think I'd trust with magic, even here where you probably won't just explode into demons, I think it'd be you. You're pretty levelheaded."

But then he was exhaling as he looked over the flame again. "It... would've been handy to have something like that. I went out with a few people to meet friends on the way. I think I probably made a few very angry at me, but I take a few things personally now that I didn't, once."

[plate_builder]

"I'll take that as a compliment, and promise not to explode into demons," Reeve smiled, his own eyes looking to the flame he controlled. He'd had a brief instance of working with this specific manifestation of magic not long after he'd arrived. Ultimately this level of fine control had taken some serious practice over the last few days. Yet it came easier than he'd originally feared.

Perhaps it was because, as he had said to Alistair, he was a mage at heart. Sure, this had little to no resemblance to his natural magic or the magical forms of Gaia, but he could work with it.

Still, there was something that the man said that snapped Reeve's attention back to him.

"Why would a rescue operation make people angry with you? I've seen my fair share of them, and except for the one that ended with quite a mess for the Shinra Tower cleaning staff to deal with, people were usually respected for it."

[connatural]

For a girl raised in a massive city, as well as within the restrictive confines of the Sanctuary, there are times when Ashley finds the village constrictive. Most of it is mental rather than any sort of physical restraint, and a lack of the combat that she had never realized before this place she needs to maintain a calm she's good at faking.

So she finds herself on long walks, going out further than she likely should on her own, until the air is tight in her lungs and her muscles begin to ache, and then making her way back. Mostly meandering, just trying to get lost enough she has to push away her thoughts for the path needed.

Or that she finds herself following the rhythmic sound of a blade against wood, and turns her course to head that way. Pausing when she sees the person, realizing that while she thinks she's seen them about, she doesn't even have a guess at a name to put with the face, keeping her distance and leaning her shoulder against the bark of a tree. It catches against the fabric of the peacoat a bit, reminders of nature that she isn't as familiar with as she is brick and mortar and steel.

"Okay, I'll bite," she says after a bit, raising her voice slightly. "Is the singing for you, or the trees?" Wouldn't be the first person she knew offering tribute to what they took. Just the first here.

[nobroth]

He stopped mid-everything to look up and then, with the lift of one shoulder, he said, "It's more for rhythm than anything else. ...And it makes work a little less repetitive. Really helps when you've got one of those two-handled saws? So both people can know when to push and when to pull. That kind of thing."

They'd not met before. He knew it. But he also didn't have a reason to be anything but conversational. After all, it wasn't like this was amazingly pressing. If it was, he'd have more tools onhand, he thought. Working logs with just an axe was going to be interesting.

"Plus it's... a little bit of home."

[connatural]

"Oh. Gotcha," she says, smirking and nodding, because she did. "It's like singing Staying Alive or Another One Bites the Dust while doing CPR. Makes sense."

Not that she should be giving him grief. Not that she's chopped a lot of wood while she's been there.

"I've only ever seen those saws on television, but I bet they would come in handy here," she says, thinking that not everyone is basically the second cousin to a giant like this guy is.

She winces at his comment though, feeling bad for being a bit of a brat. "I'm sorry," she says, meaning it. Missing home sucks. She knows. "Where's home?" Pausing a moment, then adding. "Also, if I remembered I have manners and was raised by a brilliant Victorian scientist? I would remember to say Hi, I'm Ashley."

[nobroth]

"Seeing as I'm working on getting us a lumber supply, I'm going to need one of those saws eventually," he said, "and someone for the other handle. I'm Alistair."

And after wiping his hand off on his pants, he offered it over for a greeting handshake. "Nice to meet you. I have no idea what those songs are, or what CPR is. I'm from Thedas."

He paused.

"Specifically, Ferelden."

[connatural]

"Well, you get one, I'm more than willing to try and help. I'm sure it's obvious that I can easily do such a thing and not get slammed against a tree when you pull on the saw," she says, smirking at him. She may be able to kick ass but part of that is no one expects it from her.

"Okay, well... I have no idea where that's from," she admits, not having a clue where those were. "Is that from outer space or anything? Which, I mean, I guess from your world it's not outer space or anything if you're in space."

[clouded_heart]

Foggy goes trekking out to find Alistair.

He's started working on some pieces, little ones, things that it doesn't matter if he screws up, things that might make Matt a little less stressed when he's ready to not deal with what happened up the mountain.

When he finds him, he drops down to sit on some of the wood, to avoid getting his butt wet with snow. "I think I hate this place. How are you, aside from looking fine?"

[nobroth]

"I'm sweaty and probably smell bad," Alistair answered, glancing up. "What's it done to make you hate it now, besides stealing people and showing them the worst moments of their lives? I think it only left me because I don't have a one worst moment."

[clouded_heart]

"You're probably sweaty but how bad sweat smells depends on a lot on person and diet." In other words, Foggy doesn't seem to mind or notice much. "And I've been assured I might as well not have a sense of smell for the sensitivity of it."

He picks up a twig, too small for anything much. "I was left behind. I think because nothing that interesting has ever happened to me. And it wasn't just worst moments, though it mostly seems to have been."

[nobroth]

"I... followed. Zev was taken and he's... Well, I knew him before I ended up here. You're my first new friend, he's my first old friend, and I'm more durable than he is. I can take more hits." And Zev was...

Well, at the moment, he was held together with twine and thick paint, Alistair thought, especially after what he'd been shown - and what he'd shown Alistair in turn. Maker's balls but he was glad that... Tali whatever his name was was dead in both Thedases he knew of.

Asshole.

"I still have a tendency to watch over my shoulder, anyway," he admitted as he chopped off another branch in one blow. "It feels a little weird to be... settled. But none of that was an answer. Why are you hating this place now? I'm sure it deserves it-- Oh wait." He stopped mid-motion. "Is it something I shouldn't ask about?"

[clouded_heart]

Foggy didn't know Zevran well enough to really comment, physically or emotionally. He knew how different those things were. Maybe he meant both.

He watches Alistair chopping for a little bit longer. "No, just- all that. That's pretty much exactly why I'm hating it right now. It took just about everyone I know up there. Not you, but Matt, Elektra, Karen, Frank, Bobo, Anne..." He shrugs a little. "And I couldn't even go out to help with the rescue. Ended up staying back, tending animals." He looks at Alistair's face. "Is Zevran recovering?"

if you don't mind a later dated one! :)

[capturetheworld]

Leonardo was settled into the village now and feeling centered, although the cold was still terrible and he wore warm clothing from head to foot. He had a terrible time when everyone was trapped elsewhere, because he hated feeling helpless and with so many capable people also feeling helpless, it seemed there was not much he could do. He helped Mark and took care of the animals, and then was delighted when a surprising several boxes appeared in his chosen home, filled with items that would help him in his forge questing. So that was an unexpected help.

Still, he had another project he was working on that required wood, and while Bobo kindly offered help on that front, he also wanted to go out and gather what he could. Small sticks and things that even his normal bodied self could handle. He was walking back from that trip when he heard a distinct sound of wood chopping and curiously went to see it, recognizing the man in question instantly.

"Signore Alistair!" Leo smiled brightly and came over, setting his rather pathetic pile in comparison down for the moment. "Hello!"

I don't mind at all and you know it! q:

[nobroth]

Only one person sounded that happy, in his experience. "Leonardo," he greeted, half-turning and setting down his axe - which had become something of a constant companion. "Out gathering wood in this cold? I hope you found a good coat. Mine's over there if you need to borrow it. I've worked up a sweat."

And then he remembered--

"Oh, and I've been going out into the woods and cutting a ring of bark off some of the trees. Those are fair game for harvesting."

[capturetheworld]

"I've found several coats," Lenard admitted with a laugh. He does seem perhaps a little over dressed even for a chilly day, but layers were what kept him from getting a cold so far. "One of these days you might go where is Leonardo, is he under that big pile of fabric, oh he is that pile." On a colder day? It was very accurate.

"I see, that is helpful, thank you!" His blue eyes were warm, glancing in the direction and then back at Alistair. "I am hoping to get a fire starting at my own forge, although until I have materials to create weapons, I have no active projects. Outside of patching up boats." It kept his hands busy, and Leonardo was more than happy to have something simple to focus on. He came closer and pointed at the axe. "I admired this before but did not ask if I could see it, is it yours or did you find it here?"

[nobroth]

"Hm-- Oh, the axe?" Alistair turned to pick it up and then placed it in front of Leonardo, taking his hands off of it so he could do what he wanted. A little less threatening than just shoving an axe in someone's face, he figured. "I found it here - in the inn. There's usually a few things in there, I've found. But hey, your own forge?"

It took him a moment, but then he remembered - the north village. Right. He'd heard of it but hadn't gone looking. That there was a forge up there wasn't surprising. "D'you need a hand getting it started? It's gonna be too cold to do a lot of work down here, but a walk and starting a fire? That, I can probably do. Besides, I might need to make friends with our forge people. We're gonna be needing a lot of nails. Maybe metal bands to go around some wheels."

Not that it was much of a secret that he was planning to make carts, but he was still trying to work out how he was going to get the wheels to turn. He knew, very basically, how to do it, but a basic knowledge wasn't enough.

[capturetheworld]

Leonardo took the axe carefully. Even if it was found here, it had value, and he respected that. He was no warrior and he didn't hold it like one, but he was familiar with weapons so he knew how to handle it. "Yes, my own. Tony and his people most certainly do great work, from what I've heard, but it seemed crowded in there. And generally I am used to doing my own projects." He was an excellent collaborator ... when required. He liked the freedom of being independent.

His eyes brightened instantly. "Yes I could use help! I am only getting started now. I am taking stock of what is available in town. I plan on sharpening the blades in the communal space, at least that will make it easier for people to pick up." Leonardo wanted to be of help, and it was one of the things he knew. "I am an artist with no art to do, so my back up is inventor and blacksmith." Something he picked up more than had years of formal training. "Thank you, it means a great deal to me!"

He was curious to hear that. "Wooden wheels should be doable, but the right carving is where the challenge comes in." It took effort and expertise. Leonarto thought he would probably do it, given the chance. "Have you seen the books? There may very well be an explanation of how to do one in there!"