Walter C. Dornez (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
angel_of_death) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
isleofavalon2021-02-18 01:16 pm
angel_of_death) wrote in isleofavalon2021-02-18 01:16 pm
February Catch-All
🧙 WHO: Walter C. Dornez and anyone!
⚔️️ WHAT: Closed and open prompts. Open prompts include training, healing ingredient collecting (nuts and poliwag grass), and (eventually) battle-oriented quests for February.
🕒 WHEN: Throughout February for most open prompts!
🗺️ WHERE: Red Spring (Training), Camelot, Brocéliande (gathering nuts), the hills southeast of the Red Spring (poliwag grass), Camelot -> south beach (Save a Beast, Kill a Man)
⚠️ WARNINGS: Allusions to WWII (an ongoing thing for this character), references to systemic cultural and religious homophobia in the closed thread/prompt 2, references to rape and related themes in the Save a Beast, Kill a Man prompt.
1. Red Spring’s Training Grounds (Open to All)
Even though he had trained rigorously before, King Arthur’s words have given Walter extra incentive to put his all into the effort. To not only regain what abilities were lost, but to keep what they have gained so long as they become ‘entrenched enough’… he wants to believe it is possible. If he could keep both, he would have a fair chance of overcoming the challenge that awaited him back in his world.
He runs the obstacle course, pushing himself harder, augmenting his speed, forcing his leaps higher; the usual routine. But, this time, he adds something new.
After running the course through ten times, he heads over to the target range. Though his weapons are the two lengths of wires Emet-Selch transformed his rings into, he picks up a handful of rocks, scattering them about and throwing a few so hard into the ground and targets that they become embedded into the soil and target faces. However, it is only preparation for what he intends to do next.
A few moments later, Walter is on the ground, palms and shoe-tips pressed into the dirt as he faces the targets. Then, in focused movement, he pushes himself up, from low against the ground and nearly a foot into the air. He repeats the act several times over, getting high enough into the air to bring his knees up and his feet underneath him before going back down—training for a quick recovery from a prone, face-down position. It’s strenuous enough work, but to this he adds one more manoeuvre. Clothes sticking to his body from the sweat on his skin, he focuses his mind, channelling his magic as he pushes off the ground to dislodge stone after stone from the assorted surfaces he drove them into before, sending each of them at a different target from their original position.
It is as he is nearing the end of this first test run of the regimen that he picks up on the presence of another—perhaps approaching, or perhaps finally taking note of someone who has been watching him. Either way, he stops, pushing himself all the way to his feet and coming to a proper stand to address the other person.
“Do you need to use the range?”
2. A Little Chat (Closed to Gu Yun)
Walter has had a lot to think about since the tournament. That little prank the clowns had done with those balloons had ended up bringing an aspect of his friend to the forefront of his attention. He hadn’t brought it up then, but having had some time to think over it, he is certain; Li Min is attracted to Gu Yun.
It was more than the prank that clued him in. Li Min’s demeanour has always been slightly different when it comes to Gu Yun. He is both warmer and gentler when speaking of the man, even for such a placid temperament such as his. Li Min had also asked Walter to look out for Gu Yun—or more precisely, to watch his back when he could, as the man was better at taking care of others than seeing to his own safety. And if there were any possibility for doubt with those two things, his words during the bravery trial they participated in together cleared them up entirely. There is a man Li Min fears harming—that he would rather die than come to harm.
’ I will choose to die before I hurt him.’ The phrasing reminds Walter so strongly of Mina Harker’s sentiments towards her husband that, in combination with all else he has pieced together, he can only conclude that Li Min’s sentiments towards Gu Yun are much the same.
But how does Gu Yun feel…?
The water in the kettle is hot enough now, he observes, not acknowledging the feeling of heat upon his cheeks as anything other than a product of standing over the stove. He takes it off the burner, allowing it to cool slightly. The optimal temperature for steeping green tea is lower than that of black tea, he has read. Due to the war, he hasn’t had much experience with preparing green teas, what with Japan having invaded China. Naturally, he’s trying his hand at one processed in the style more affiliated with the latter nation, and given that his friends are both from Great Liang, he very much wants to get this right.
“There’s an illness going around right now. It’s not listed among the top quests for people like us, but they’re asking people to help gather ingredients so the healers have enough supplies to cure all the patients coming in. I was thinking of going out and bringing some extra back here.”
He definitely wants to bring some back for them. Li Min has been working on his magic, but Walter thinks it could also be beneficial to branch out into multiple facets of the discipline. It might even help enhance his already-developing talents.
Yet in the end, it’s also a means of broaching conversation and transitioning into what he really wants to say.
“…I… also wanted to talk to you about something. But I’m a little embarrassed to ask.”
3. Ingredients Three: The Second Ingredient (Open to All)
This isn’t the first time Walter has been in the Brocéliande by a long shot. Nor is it first time Walter has gone out for the star-shaped nuts. But he has a friend with healing magic that has taken on clinic work, so he’s more than happy to go out to gather supplies. Yet, having frequented the Broceliande, he is familiar with the threat posed by the Bear Firs. Which is why, when another appears to join him in his task, the first thing he does is give them a good look to see whether or not they are someone he knows.
OPTION 1:
If they turn out to be a new face, he asks: “What sort of magic do you have?”
OPTION 2:
If, indeed, he does know them, and knows them to have elemental magic, he asks: “How comfortable are you with fire magic?”
OPTION 3:
If, as it turns out, he knows them, and knows that they possess something other than elemental magic, he comments idly: “It’s a pity they specified that magical fire was necessary for fighting off those Bear Firs. If only normal fire would do the trick…”
4. Ingredients Three: The Third Ingredient (Open to All)
House and yard work is nothing for Walter. He’s a butler, and he is more than accustomed to doing the simple tasks the trolls request in exchange for their assistance in acquiring the poliwag grass. Dusting the house from top to bottom? Done. Washing dishes? Done. Stripping the floor of wax and rewaxing? Done. Sweeping, mopping, trimming trees and shrubs? It’s all in a day’s work for him, and he progresses through each, save for the waxing, which simply requires time, at an impressive speed.
He’s in the yard tidying up the trimmed branches when he spots another person approaching. He calls out to them while picking up sticks.
“If you’re here to find the grass for the healers, be prepared to work for it. I’m guessing they’re not friends with any Brownies here.”
5. Quest; Save a Beast, Kill a Man (Combat Quest, Open to All)
Once again, Walter is checking the listing of quest, and once again he is greeted with the description of something not quite right.
I'm a selkie. Years ago, my husband stole my pelt and forced me to marry him. I would like to go back to the lake, but can only do so if my pelt is returned. If you have to kill him to get it back, I won't complain. He's on his own quest right now to slay a fresh-water kraken that's been hanging around the south beach. It's making people nervous, but hasn't harmed anyone, so I'll double your pay if you get there before the kraken is slain.
The quest for the pure of heart and the call for the testing of Cupid’s arrows had both rubbed him the wrong way, but this one leaves him angry in a completely different way. A stolen pelt, a forced marriage; he’s familiar with the lore, and while he doesn’t have definitive proof that the quest-giver is speaking the truth, he has every intention of finding out what that truth is.
“So he’s headed to the south beach, hmn? Isn’t that where those little elves have been parading around lately?”
⚔️️ WHAT: Closed and open prompts. Open prompts include training, healing ingredient collecting (nuts and poliwag grass), and (eventually) battle-oriented quests for February.
🕒 WHEN: Throughout February for most open prompts!
🗺️ WHERE: Red Spring (Training), Camelot, Brocéliande (gathering nuts), the hills southeast of the Red Spring (poliwag grass), Camelot -> south beach (Save a Beast, Kill a Man)
⚠️ WARNINGS: Allusions to WWII (an ongoing thing for this character), references to systemic cultural and religious homophobia in the closed thread/prompt 2, references to rape and related themes in the Save a Beast, Kill a Man prompt.
1. Red Spring’s Training Grounds (Open to All)
Even though he had trained rigorously before, King Arthur’s words have given Walter extra incentive to put his all into the effort. To not only regain what abilities were lost, but to keep what they have gained so long as they become ‘entrenched enough’… he wants to believe it is possible. If he could keep both, he would have a fair chance of overcoming the challenge that awaited him back in his world.
He runs the obstacle course, pushing himself harder, augmenting his speed, forcing his leaps higher; the usual routine. But, this time, he adds something new.
After running the course through ten times, he heads over to the target range. Though his weapons are the two lengths of wires Emet-Selch transformed his rings into, he picks up a handful of rocks, scattering them about and throwing a few so hard into the ground and targets that they become embedded into the soil and target faces. However, it is only preparation for what he intends to do next.
A few moments later, Walter is on the ground, palms and shoe-tips pressed into the dirt as he faces the targets. Then, in focused movement, he pushes himself up, from low against the ground and nearly a foot into the air. He repeats the act several times over, getting high enough into the air to bring his knees up and his feet underneath him before going back down—training for a quick recovery from a prone, face-down position. It’s strenuous enough work, but to this he adds one more manoeuvre. Clothes sticking to his body from the sweat on his skin, he focuses his mind, channelling his magic as he pushes off the ground to dislodge stone after stone from the assorted surfaces he drove them into before, sending each of them at a different target from their original position.
It is as he is nearing the end of this first test run of the regimen that he picks up on the presence of another—perhaps approaching, or perhaps finally taking note of someone who has been watching him. Either way, he stops, pushing himself all the way to his feet and coming to a proper stand to address the other person.
“Do you need to use the range?”
2. A Little Chat (Closed to Gu Yun)
Walter has had a lot to think about since the tournament. That little prank the clowns had done with those balloons had ended up bringing an aspect of his friend to the forefront of his attention. He hadn’t brought it up then, but having had some time to think over it, he is certain; Li Min is attracted to Gu Yun.
It was more than the prank that clued him in. Li Min’s demeanour has always been slightly different when it comes to Gu Yun. He is both warmer and gentler when speaking of the man, even for such a placid temperament such as his. Li Min had also asked Walter to look out for Gu Yun—or more precisely, to watch his back when he could, as the man was better at taking care of others than seeing to his own safety. And if there were any possibility for doubt with those two things, his words during the bravery trial they participated in together cleared them up entirely. There is a man Li Min fears harming—that he would rather die than come to harm.
’ I will choose to die before I hurt him.’ The phrasing reminds Walter so strongly of Mina Harker’s sentiments towards her husband that, in combination with all else he has pieced together, he can only conclude that Li Min’s sentiments towards Gu Yun are much the same.
But how does Gu Yun feel…?
The water in the kettle is hot enough now, he observes, not acknowledging the feeling of heat upon his cheeks as anything other than a product of standing over the stove. He takes it off the burner, allowing it to cool slightly. The optimal temperature for steeping green tea is lower than that of black tea, he has read. Due to the war, he hasn’t had much experience with preparing green teas, what with Japan having invaded China. Naturally, he’s trying his hand at one processed in the style more affiliated with the latter nation, and given that his friends are both from Great Liang, he very much wants to get this right.
“There’s an illness going around right now. It’s not listed among the top quests for people like us, but they’re asking people to help gather ingredients so the healers have enough supplies to cure all the patients coming in. I was thinking of going out and bringing some extra back here.”
He definitely wants to bring some back for them. Li Min has been working on his magic, but Walter thinks it could also be beneficial to branch out into multiple facets of the discipline. It might even help enhance his already-developing talents.
Yet in the end, it’s also a means of broaching conversation and transitioning into what he really wants to say.
“…I… also wanted to talk to you about something. But I’m a little embarrassed to ask.”
3. Ingredients Three: The Second Ingredient (Open to All)
This isn’t the first time Walter has been in the Brocéliande by a long shot. Nor is it first time Walter has gone out for the star-shaped nuts. But he has a friend with healing magic that has taken on clinic work, so he’s more than happy to go out to gather supplies. Yet, having frequented the Broceliande, he is familiar with the threat posed by the Bear Firs. Which is why, when another appears to join him in his task, the first thing he does is give them a good look to see whether or not they are someone he knows.
OPTION 1:
If they turn out to be a new face, he asks: “What sort of magic do you have?”
OPTION 2:
If, indeed, he does know them, and knows them to have elemental magic, he asks: “How comfortable are you with fire magic?”
OPTION 3:
If, as it turns out, he knows them, and knows that they possess something other than elemental magic, he comments idly: “It’s a pity they specified that magical fire was necessary for fighting off those Bear Firs. If only normal fire would do the trick…”
4. Ingredients Three: The Third Ingredient (Open to All)
House and yard work is nothing for Walter. He’s a butler, and he is more than accustomed to doing the simple tasks the trolls request in exchange for their assistance in acquiring the poliwag grass. Dusting the house from top to bottom? Done. Washing dishes? Done. Stripping the floor of wax and rewaxing? Done. Sweeping, mopping, trimming trees and shrubs? It’s all in a day’s work for him, and he progresses through each, save for the waxing, which simply requires time, at an impressive speed.
He’s in the yard tidying up the trimmed branches when he spots another person approaching. He calls out to them while picking up sticks.
“If you’re here to find the grass for the healers, be prepared to work for it. I’m guessing they’re not friends with any Brownies here.”
5. Quest; Save a Beast, Kill a Man (Combat Quest, Open to All)
Once again, Walter is checking the listing of quest, and once again he is greeted with the description of something not quite right.
I'm a selkie. Years ago, my husband stole my pelt and forced me to marry him. I would like to go back to the lake, but can only do so if my pelt is returned. If you have to kill him to get it back, I won't complain. He's on his own quest right now to slay a fresh-water kraken that's been hanging around the south beach. It's making people nervous, but hasn't harmed anyone, so I'll double your pay if you get there before the kraken is slain.
The quest for the pure of heart and the call for the testing of Cupid’s arrows had both rubbed him the wrong way, but this one leaves him angry in a completely different way. A stolen pelt, a forced marriage; he’s familiar with the lore, and while he doesn’t have definitive proof that the quest-giver is speaking the truth, he has every intention of finding out what that truth is.
“So he’s headed to the south beach, hmn? Isn’t that where those little elves have been parading around lately?”
no subject
[Another text follows.]
And remind me to share some stories about the fair folk with you later.
[Two minutes later, he emerges from his loft-space fully dressed, his shorter hair sticking out at odd angles, mussed from tossing and turning during his sleep, and immediately sets to preparing the tea.]
no subject
[He is not commenting on the 'going off on his own' bit. When Walter comes down, Chang Geng had prepared a light breakfast for both of them.]
Good morning.
no subject
[Walter pauses at the foot of the stairs, staring at the small spread, wondering if his friend had planned on bringing him from start.]
Ah.
[And then, exactly one second later--]
Could this be a secret ploy to get me to adjust to daytime hours?
no subject
It's important not to skip meals. [Is the only explanation he gives.]
no subject
I know.
[He remembers what it was like to go hungry. It is a common problem for the families of London in his day. He'd been able to eat more since joining the organization, but it is still a pervasive problem in cities where people do not have the land that those of the countryside do.]
It smells wonderful.
no subject
[Just some noodles with a simple, fragrant soup. Vegetables had been cut and boiled in the soup and laid out on top. He thoughtfully provided a fork for Walter.]
While I appreciated that the food in the hotel was free, it's good to be able to cook.
[Though perhaps they should try growing some vegetables in the, mostly overgrown, garden.]
no subject
[One day, one day Walter is going to get the hang of those chopsticks.
He'll probably practice when no one else is around.In the meantime, he is glad to have the fork. Soup noodles are slippery.Sitting down, he silently gives thanks for the meal before looking up to his friend.]
I'm glad we have a proper kitchen. I can hardly begin to tell you how frustrated I was with that little box they put in our hotel rooms.
[Taking up the fork, he spears into the mix of noodles and twists them once around the tines.]
no subject
[And oven. The oven is fascinating and he's going to enjoy experimenting with it.
He picks up a bite of noodles and starts doing just that without batting an eye at how Walter is eating with the fork.]
no subject
[That box ruined the texture of so many things. He much prefers the stove and oven.]
We didn't have things like that where I am from. When I am from.
[Maybe it was one of those devices from the future like the phones they were all given here. But, while he's getting used to the phones and has found multiple uses for them, he doesn't ever think he'll have much use for the microwave boxes.
At least, not for cooking.
With that lingering thought, he starts eating. Letting such a nice soup go cold would be terrible.]
no subject
[Which was why he was a little fascinated by it.
And there wasn't much more to add to that conversation so he focuses on eating. It's a simple meal that doesn't take him long to finish. The company is good and so is the food, but even though he seems calm he still has concerns about the request given by Morgana.]
no subject
Since you cooked, I'll wash up. You can tell me more about what you want to do about this quest while I do.
no subject
[So he hands over the dishes. Then his smile fades. He doesn't seem overtly concerned, continuing to look calm.]
I want to go see the man the potion is for. [And he pulls out the vial and places it on the table.] Whether this is poison or not, I have no doubt that he's either involved or is a victim. [They won't know though, until they actually go.] Given that the bridge involve those pure of heart I feel as if it's more likely to be the latter.
no subject
Where do we find him? Across the bridge?
no subject
[He folded his hands his smile is as it always is: calm and mild but there's no warmth in it.]
I can only assume that the chances of there being a witness is low.
[It's so obviously a trick that someone would have to be blind to miss it...but what the trap was was muddled and difficult to spot.]
no subject
I'll have to find a way across...
[Reaching for a towel, he spares a glance in the direction of the table to see what had been placed upon it.]
Did you check with anyone else about that vial?
no subject
With time we could probably get an answer but I do not trust that we have time to research things at the moment.
[It doesn't feel like he's being given time to think and that could mean they're just being rushed for no reason but it could also mean the man's life is in danger.]
You don't think the bridge will form for you.
[It's not exactly a question but he does wonder at your reasoning for this.]
no subject
You're right. I don't.
[He supposes this is how it feels for someone to have the uglier parts of themselves exposed to the light. He doesn't regret that part of himself, but he knows, by all conventional standards of purity, it would be considered a deep flaw.]
I'm a bit warped by my experiences.
no subject
I see.
[He pockets the potion again.]
Warped or not, pure-hearted or not, I suppose I'm not in a position to say which you are. But if you do not think you can get over the bridge then we can find another way across.
[Because it's 'we'. Because if they're doing this together then that means they go together or not at all.]
no subject
I haven't scouted the area much. I doubt there's an easy crossing near the bridge... so it might take a while to find a good point to cross. Unless we got our hands on some really long rope.
[Ah, if only he had his wires...]
I've been practicing my magic, so I can make a decent leap, but I haven't tested how far I can go yet.
no subject
[Because he's not entirely sure it will appear for him, but he's not quite sure it won't either.]
If we're going to test how far you can go it won't be over such a long drop.
no subject
If only I had the abilities I had back home...
[Such a small drop wouldn't be a problem then. But he isn't reinforced as he once was. And there's no use wasting time in wishing for something that probably won't happen at his convenience. Better to plan for his current situation, and perhaps someday be happily surprised.]
We should test your idea out carefully before attempting it in earnest. I would hate to be the cause of you falling if you occupy your arms with me.
no subject
[He doesn't exactly want to fall either if it could be avoided.]
If the first step doesn't feel solid then we'll try something else. Of course, this is assuming the bridge appears at all.
no subject
[While Walter has the feeling that the bridge will appear for his friend, he won't judge him if it doesn't. He trusts the man implicitly.
He takes a moment to put the dishes away, walking back to the table after.]
Shall we go?