nysalogs | incredibly open....

Entry tags:

incredibly open....

Who: Merlin & yall
What: general catchall for January with some open prompts
When: allllll month
Where: around, possible Wyver bias
Warning(s): he'll probably make a bad decision somewhere

A. (WYVER) hangin out

[Merlin lives in Wyver in a tiny single room and works at the dragon stables! He spends most of his time out and about with his... pet....... which is a Duldrum he took home from the jungle, but don't judge him and his beautiful child. It's a little taller than knee high at its full height now and follows him everywhere, trilling pleasantly. Feel free to find him...]

I. [In and around town, with the Duldrum, which he has to occasionally lift entirely over his head to not lose it in crowds where it gets super distracted. This is probably when he'll bump right into someone else, with, you know, a bird-thing raised up in the air. Uhh.]

—Hi, excuse me, I'm just- just trying to get through, before— no no no, what did I tell you about that? [This last part as he looks up at the Duldrum, which is clawing gently at his sleeves with its clawed feet. Now, for you,] Can you do me a favor and roll up my sleeves? Or down, technically, from this angle if you want to be picky— please?

II. [At work! Where he tends to the dragons with affection and gentleness, and deals with many visitors with the complete opposite. He's probably yelled at someone for trying to pet a dragon when they aren't supposed to and it's probably startling. While he works, anyone he hasn't seen here before miiight be getting a suspicious look...]

Don't put your hands in their mouths, please. [Like, obviously? But still.]

B. (AROUND) aggressive helping

[When word starts to spread about deserters, Merlin is compelled not to desert with them, but to go out and see what's going on. Plus, he gets to borrow a wyvern mount, so the correct choice is obvious. He and his borrowed steed, a glittering blue wyvern that seems responsive to his occasional murmuring to her even if she doesn't understand (he's working on that), can be found exploring the land between Olympia and Wyver. What could he be doing?! Well:]

I. [Just generally exploring, he can be found doing anything from having a picnic with his beautiful wyvern friend to loitering outside the Edrathe Ruins, trying to listen to that spooky noise while also keeping his wyvern calm. If you approach him while he's havig a cool picnic he'll offer some food, and if you come up while he's by the ruins, he'll turn and ask,]

Do you hear that or am I finally losing my mind?

II. [Quite literally running around a camp of deserters he's wandered into, helping as many people as he can at once. He has healing magic, sure, and a ring affixed with a stone that calms people down, but it's still his habit to put most of his efforts into actual medicine: bringing water, bandages, helping make and apply simple potions and pastes for wounds... He will exhaust himself with taking on every task and occasionally slapping down some magic before long, but calming down and taking a break? What a concept. That's not happening. In fact,]

Hand me that canteen, will you? There's about six more thirsty people here who can't fetch water by themselves, so let's get a move on.

[So, you're coming? Yeah???]

C. (OLYMPIA) it's stupid

[It's hard but not impossible to get into Olympia after settling in Wyver these days, but thankfully Merlin has a solution! A passport? An excuse? No, a really good disguise of an old man who has definitely lived in Olympia for years, thanks a lot. Catch him:]

I. [Arguing with a member of the Guard about this very thing, something that involves Merlin getting louder and louder and starting to draw a few more Guards' attention, concerned that this old man is going to start making trouble...

He may actually use magic to smack two Guards' heads together, and at that point he's going to need a hand getting out of there. What he does do instead of looking around to help is shout, louder, and climb up onto an awning overhanging the gatehouse checkpoint at this entrance to the city. Oh. Oh there he goes.]

Can't catch an old man, can you?! What are they feeding you rascals that makes you so slow and lazy?!

[Merlin....]

II. [When he's not questionably being arrested, he's doing something even worse: standing between two debating civilian parties and making his own commentary, loudly and to no one. It seems each time one of the sides says something about how to best attack Wyver, this old man is compelled to pipe up loudly with something like "You think that will work?" or "Oh, yes, that's brilliant."

People are starting to get annoyed.]

D. WILD CARD

Hit me up on plurk at jojoveller if you want to plot something! Or you can just hit me with whatever!! Merlin lives and works in Wyver, so he's around... chillin... if u wanna adventure with him, let's DO IT!!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There's a crazy old man climbing a building?? This is by far the best entertainment Mephisto has had all week. He's been watching from a distance for a little while now, though not quite long enough to know what, if anything, started this little charade. But the guards seem awfully insistent on capturing this odd fellow... perhaps Mephisto should him lend a hand!]

[...or make things worse for him. Which is exactly what he's going to do, waiting until Merlin's said his peace at the soldiers before using his own magic... to knock their heads together again. And maybe sweep them off their feet and onto the ground while he's at it.]

[And now they're really mad! But can he tell where that magic came from? Mephisto's safely out of sight from the guards, but from his higher vantage point, Merlin might notice the odd looking man dressed in white, perched on the corner of a rooftop like a goddamn gargoyle.]

[Watching him. And laughing.]

[...Well, that's not Merlin's magic. He blinks down at the guards as they try to rally up arms against him again, then looks around for the other source of magic—and ah, there's someone who probably isn't sitting on a rooftop laughing at him for any other, unrelated reason...

However, Merlin is surprisingly petty, and so his response is not to do anything to point out Mephisto... but to do something equally petty to the guards in turn. This time he uses magic to knock over a barrel of water (why is there an open barrel of water? because), which muddies the ground under the guards' feet surprisingly quickly and sends several of them slipping and sliding around the area, shouting.

Yes, this is the mature thing to do. Good job, Merlin.]

[And with that, Mephisto decides he needs to meet this crazy old man. But first--]

[It's taking a very strong, concentrated effort not to cackle at the sight of the guards sliding around -- made funnier as the ones who fell previously try and stand too quickly, only to be knocked back down by their flailing comrades like something out of a Three Stooges short. Such competency, such grace...]

[But what would be funnier still? How about if a nearly rope (which was conveniently placed by whoever left that barrel of water behind for similar just-because reasons) suddenly shot out and stretched across the ground at just above ankle-level, finishing the job of knocking down the remaining guards. But before any of them have the chance to recover, the rope swings around here and there, knotting their legs together in some kind of bizarre chain-gang situation.]

[They're gonna start calling in reinforcements at this rate! All over one little old man... how embarrassing.]

[This is not the best day to be a guard. Merlin has to hold back a laugh when the remaining ones trip, wincing when they're all suddenly tied together and getting louder, calling more attention to themselves and also him— So that's his cue to get out of there.

He gestures at the muddy ground and it dries up in an instant and then some, picking up a cloud of dust that masks the guards' view just long enough for Merlin to shimmy his way down from this awning and bolt. Or bolt as fast as he can with these old bones, this is really not a convenient spell.

He's making his way towards the building Mephisto has perched on, more to duck into the alley between it and the building next door than to try and climb a whole building when he's this old. He'll just be down here, hastily pulling the bright and unfortunately eye-catching robe over his head and grumbling about having too much beard. He's dressed under there, it's fine, don't worry about it. It won't be long until guard reinforcements arrive back there to untie their fellows...]

[Well, it sure is a good thing he's dressed under there, because he won't be staying in the privacy of that little alleyway for long. As he pulls the robe down from over his head, he'll suddenly find that his surroundings have changed! And now he too is standing on a rooftop -- but on the nice, flat part as opposed to balancing on sliding like Mephisto was... er, is. Because here he is, grinning and giving a polite, golfer's clap.]

My, that was quite the show you put on! But your exit strategy could use a little work.

[Oh, lord—this is not the first time he's ever been abruptly teleported-or-whatever-that-was, not even the first time this week, but it still makes him startle slightly and look around just to see where he is before he looks at Mephisto.]

Thanks, I appreciate the criticism. Hold on, the beard's still stuck— [And it is, he needs a minute to tug it out of the robe, which he then dumps unceremoniously on the ground before patting his pants pockets for something else: a vial of blue liquid, which he uncorks and then stops before drinking, looking at his... audience.

Meh, why not.] Now, I don't know what this looks like from the outside, but don't do anything... rash?

[Which is all the warning he gives, figuring that someone who can do magic won't be too surprised by this potion reversing the aging spell he's cast over himself. It's almost instantaneous, the transformation from 85 back to 21. Merlin is left making a face like he's just tasted something sour, and- he coughs. Ack.] Alright. Can't arrest me while they're looking for an old man.

[It's not too often that Mephisto finds himself genuinely surprised, and even now, it doesn't quite show on his face just how surprised he is. But he definitely did not expect to see the crazy old man casually transform himself into a young man.]

[...though it does explain why he thought scaling that building was a doable task. Unless is was actually the opposite, and this was the real disguise?? itsamystery.mp3]

Well now! That's rather handy! But goodness, just what did you do to earn their ire in the first place? I'd hate to think I just helped Olympia's Most Wanted walk away free.

[He'll never know... no, this is definitely just some skinny young guy. Possibly seen in vague glimpses back when he lived with Jae-Ha, but definitely Not Actually Old.]

I don't have a passport. Well—the old man doesn't. Me, as the old man. I've been calling myself Dragoon the Great which gets plenty of impressed looks, somehow.

[But why is he sneaking around without a passport when he already has an Olympian passport as himself...] I live in Wyver, so I don't really want all the bother.

[The recognition will no doubt come once he gets a name -- he's heard of him more than he ever actually saw him, for all that Mephisto enjoyed spying on his "friends".]

I'd say any man so bold as to call himself "the great" is sure to attract all sorts of looks, I'm sure. [Impressed looks -- but for all the wrong reasons, possibly.] But you've chosen a poor time for a vacation. Anti-Wyver sentiments are rather wide-spread among the native Olympians these days... why, you might just find that old face of yours slapped onto a wanted poster after all that ruckus.

[Ruckus that he helped make worse?? smh]

That's alright, I don't really need it.

[His old face... He's got an old woman disguise to spare and he can probably think of something else! An old man without a bear? It wouldn't be that hard.]

Besides, one bothersome old man won't cause that much of a stir in a place like this. [...Although, hang on, he is a Wyver boy, so-] Are the people... well, what are the people doing?

[The anti-Wyver sentiments, he means. He just wants to know, to keep it in mind-- he wanders now over to the edge of the roof to look down at the street below, like that will tell him something useful.]

I haven't seen anything too blatant myself, though I've heard rumors of poor service and businesses refusing sales for those who advertise their alliance with Wyver. But considering all the talk, opinion polls, and wild debates in the streets... why, you could almost say they're practically itching for a war to break out!

[Maybe someone else would sound a little concerned about all this, but not Mephisto. He almost sounds excited himself, really.]

[Ew, how unpleasant... Merlin hums, peering down at the street in thought.]

They aren't doing all that in Wyver. Polls and debates, I mean—seems like everyone already agrees that they want to start fighting, and anyone who doesn't ought to leave.

[Merlin isn't clamoring for war, himself. He's been out to help deserters despite what might happen to him as a result - but he still goes home to Wyver at night, and he feels more than a little uneasy about it.]

I think it's just a bunch of meatheads desperate to prove how tough they are, like those guards. They're going to make things dreadful for the rest of us.

Oh? And just what is it that makes you disagree with your countrymen? Though perhaps it shouldn't be too surprised, given you're here in Olympia of your own volition.

[Unless he's a spy or something; the ones who know how to act dumb are oftentimes the most successful.]

[He'd be a terrible spy, he can't keep the sarcasm out of his face at any given time. It'd be terrible.]

Well—I don't like war. [He says this like it's weird, that he has to keep specifying this basic concept. Calm down, everyone...] And most of my friends are here in Olympia, so anyone who wants me to take up arms for a king I don't know won't have much luck.

[Come on, he'd be the spy who intentionally blows his own cover to shield the other spies from suspicion -- it'd be perfect for him!!]

A king you don't-- ahh, you must be one of the refugees! [Usually he was pretty good on picking up who was and wasn't one, but sometimes it was hard to tell. Plenty of natives were capable of rather flashy magic too, after all.] I thought perhaps your face looked a bit familiar... have we met?

[He knows they haven't -- but he's fishing to see if he can get the guy to introduce himself first.]

[Merlin blinks, then makes a face, briefly - he probably should be more careful about giving away that he's a refugee, if only because he doesn't have anything to use as explanation of where he came from. None of the natives really ask, since he's usually unassuming and harmless...

But okay, moving on.]

I don't know, I'm a little bit all over. I'm Merlin.

Ah, Mr. Merlin! Now I recognize you. Though I suppose this is our first time meeting properly.

[And he bows.] My name is Mephisto Pheles. I'm an associate of Mr. Jae-ha, and a professor at the Simwe Institute-- your former place of employment, yes?

[Which is probably the only place he's ever seen him, if only in passing -- whenever he's been with Jae-ha, all he'd heard was how fervently Merlin was working at the institute in search of a cure during the plague outbreak.]

[Also look at this guy, calling Jae-ha an associate as if they aren't dragon-married and banging on the regular... smh.]

[Oh- oh, he's bowing, why is he doing that? Merlin does not bow in turn, but he nods. Another one of Jae-Ha's friends or whoever they are... These guys are coming out of the woodwork lately, huh.]

No, I didn't— I didn't actually work there. I delivered packages back when I lived around here. [He did work to help find a cure, but it was entirely sneaking in the back door and using all the abandoned supply rooms he could find to tinker with potion ingredients.

But, details.] I don't think he ever mentioned you.

[........]

He didn't? Not even once?

[RUDE???]

[Shrugs???]

Not that I can remember.

[So either never, or not interestingly enough for Merlin to remember, so.]

[...i-it's not like he cares if Jae-ha says anything about him, b-baka.]

[But okay, shrug it off, this is fine--]

Well, he's not exactly the gossiping sort, I suppose. He certainly never mentioned you were such a skilled magician!

[But he kinda assumed, cause of the name. But considering his own aliases, he won't bother to mention it.]

It's a shame you've chosen to reside in Wyver. With skills like those, I'm sure you could make a rather comfortable living doing research here in Olympia.

I'm not sure he figured it all out, to be honest. [Jae-Ha has seen his potion work and has experienced first hand his particularly unique ability to tell dragons what to do, but the old man spell is pretty taxing and he does most things without magic out of habit still, anyway. Or Jae-Ha is just a dingus, whichever.]

But research? [He makes a face, skeptical but amused. Ha... no thanks.] I'd rather stay with the dragons in Wyver than be shut up in a room taking notes all day.

[Votes Jae-ha for dingus tbh]

[The mention of dragons tho... does he knows about Jae-ha's dragon heritage? Suddenly them being roommates makes more sense--]

Oh? A dragon fanboy, are you? [HEH] Ah, but I do agree! Field work is much more rewarding than sitting around reading the research notes of others, for all that it might be necessary.

Why, incidentally-- that's what I was doing before I happened upon your little encounter with the guards!

[Fanboy... that's degrading but it's not untrue, so he'll allow it...]

You were just trying to make things harder for me, so I can't imagine your field work was really that interesting. What were you doing before that?

What a cruel accusation!

If I had wanted to make things harder for you, I would have simply severed the lines holding up the awning that you were perched on and dumped you right into the guards hands!

[He says this so casually??]

Ah, but I was actually on the search for a certain magical beast that I'd heard reports of in this area quite recently. Considering they're said to bring misfortune wherever they go, I thought perhaps one had latched itself onto you for all the trouble were you causing.

incredibly open....

C1 Makes it stupider tbh

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