June catch-all

[withermarked]

Who: Faulkner + you
Status: Open & closed prompts
Where: Various
What: Manta quests, learning magic
Warnings: Nothing yet!


Glory in the Hole

Faulkner is doing his best to keep busy by trying new things. In theory, making something sounded like it might be a fun one.

In practice, he’s not actually sure if it is. He’s very warm and he’s remembering how much he doesn’t actually love physical labour and he’s just generally having trouble.

He’s pretty sure it shouldn’t be this hard to get the glass to both heat evenly and also not overheat and drip off the pole. There’s some muttered swearing as he tries.

Paint the Town ROYGBIV

“This sort of thing would be… very foolish, back home,” Faulkner muses, to whoever happens to be listening. But he sounds almost amused.

“You never know what unforeseen thing you might call up, drawing shapes and marks you’re unfamiliar with.”

But supposedly that’s not how anything works here, so he’s holding a paintbrush and idly fidgeting with it, tapping the handle against his chin as he tries to decide what he actually wants to try painting.

Ink it Till You Make it

For better or worse, Faulkner spent the majority of his childhood running around the forest, finding his own ways to keep himself entertained.

Digging around for neat looking rocks and plants and interesting bugs is not unfamiliar territory.

At one point, he spots one of the insects he’s looking for and tries to grab it. It’s too fast for him, scurrying into a tangle of roots.

“Hey, get back here you little—”

As he reaches again, the roots twist and part in front of his hand and he blinks in surprise. Was that his own plant magic?

Wildcard

Feel free to hit me up at badgirlcoven or discord (strixoid), or just throw me a starter! He’s generally around the Conservatory a lot, and this month he’ll be trying to get the hang of his plant magic.

Comments

Magic Lessons | closed for Turo

[withermarked]

Faulkner is pacing, as he waits for Professor Turo in the Conservatory gardens. He’s not entirely sure why he’s anxious; he’s pretty much past his original worries as far as the tattoos are concerned, and actually getting the damn thing went fine.

Bits of said tattoo can be seen, little curls of vines over his collarbone and down part of an arm.

Perhaps it’s just that prayer-marks were the only real talent he ever had, and he doesn’t know if there’s any way that’s going to translate to the magic here. He’s not sure he wants to find out he’s bad at something new.

He has a little slate and chalk tucked away in his backpack, since that’s what he’s used to using for the only similar things he’s done. Though he’s not sure whether there’s any way to make the same kind of approach work here.

For the moment, he waters a few plants, and pinches off some dead leaves here and there.

[fractales]

There was the sound of the gate opening- and Turo speaking softly to someone- which would be very clear as to who the moment Faulkner looked up.

On his shoulder, and no bigger that two decently sized rose blooms, was a plantbeing sitting on his shoulder with a pleasant smile. Two thorn covered 'tails' swaying behind her form of green leafs and various shades of pink petals, two ear-like leafs there on top of her head as leaf-like limbs for arms/hands rested in a petal-skirt lap.

Turo lifted a hand to wave- "Sorry I am late, Rosie here wanted to come in with me today; she is one of the native creatures of my crew's island, and happened to stow away on our return trip."

Mariposa had parted to go investigate the few creatures resting within the medical building, and likely finish settling there with the pups once more.

[withermarked]

He looked up, before looking a little surprised at the new creature; though he probably shouldn't really be surprised by new creatures at this rate, he supposed.

"Oh, that's—that's perfectly alright," he said cheerfully enough, before coming over to get a better look at the little rose-thing.

Faulkner looked her over curiously, before giving a little wave.

"Hey, Rosie." He wasn't sure if this was one of the things that would understand his actual words at all, but he may as well be friendly.

[fractales]

There was a little wave from one of those leaf arm-like limbs, and a tilt of head as well as the visible 'eye' opened and was a darker shade of pink. That smile still there.

"She was something of a surprise I did not know of until we were well on our way back to Eltrut," and it wasn't as if he minded much by the sound of it. He did lift a and that she stepped onto, lowering her down onto one of the tables as she dusted petals neatly.

"She enjoys the air here."

[withermarked]

Faulkner watched the little creature wave, mirroring her head tilt as he got a closer look.

"Well, I sure don't mind her comin' for a visit. She seems lovely."

He was curious to learn more about the plant creature, but he had other priorities right now. For the moment he turned his attention back to Turo.

"Was your trip alright aside from your little stowaway?"

[fractales]

"You may see her around here more often than not while I am in, at the very least." There was one part of the garden that had gotten just a little 'greener', and would probably continue to do so the more often Rosie was around. Possibly why parts of the island had been like that-

Turo nodded, setting is bag down as well, also taking his jacket off to hang on the back of a chair. Left him in one of his turtlenecks and slacks, comfortable as the temperature within the shielding remained pleasantly warm at least.

"It was, yes- easy a trip as it could be. Just a bit more exploration and further establishing a base there. There are quite a few others like her, but based on different plants, and quite a few animals."

[withermarked]

"Seems like that'll be nice for the garden." At least, Faulkner had to assume that was an effect of the little rose thing.

"Oh? Sounds like an interestin' place to me." He hasn't really done much exploring of any of the other islands, spending more time in Eltrut than anywhere else, but he was getting increasingly curious.

For the moment, though, he just set his own bag down and took a seat at the table.

[fractales]

A nod- "Likely will be, and perhaps she will be able to tell when some animal brought here may be happier where she would call home. Someone brought up the idea to me, so perhaps..." It was an idea that he had agreed with, some places suitable more than others.

"Oh, it certainly is- and difficult for anyone to get to if they do not know the safe path. A nice place to be when... time is needed away, as well."

A big reason that the crew of the Phantom Moon, and the previous Captain, had likely decided to take it in part when they discovered it. So much to offer, and so many mysterious of its own.

Turo picked up a trough-like 'pot' to place on the table, getting a few items together, the soil within it dark.

[withermarked]

"That sounds like a good sort of place to have," he agreed. A part of him was curious to ask if he could go at some point, but he decided against it for the time being.

Besides, he was effectively distracted the moment Turo actually started setting something up.

"Alright, so... where do we start? I haven't really tried to do anythin' yet."

Possibly because he was worried about discouraging himself if it didn't work, but either way he seems tentatively excited now.

Sorry it took me a bit to swing back here 🩹

[fractales]

"Indeed- and this place serves a similar purpose at times given the amount of space." A reason he often walked the grounds, even if this place also had the caveat of him needing to be on call should some emergency come up.

There was a pat to the trough of soil, fingertips brushing along it-

"Get a feel for the soil, it does not hurt to grow a little more familiar- but have in mind, of course, that this is only one place plants can grow from." A start from the ground up, more or less.

"It can help to get the literal feel of something solid to better grasp for the magic one can move within."

No worries!!

[withermarked]

"Alright."

After a moment, he dragged his fingers along the surface of the soil before picking up a handful. He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be noticing, in particular, so he largely focused on feeling the textures.

"I guess that makes sense when you put it that way. The only thing I'm used to using are sigils, and that's mostly about... being precise, getting the patterns right, knowing the language."

Things that having talent help with, but still something very concrete in a way.

💟

[fractales]

"You could say it is grounding- how warm the soil can be after being in the sun, if it's still moist or dried out, perhaps hard with whatever deposits can be found throughout..."

Turo's voice was soft, dusting his hands off after a moment while bringing up a little bag of assorted seeds; opening it to take a palm full out- "It is less about precision and more about feel- for me at least. This is how I taught myself the level of control I gained, along with simply studying books on plant life so I could keep what was needed in the back of my mind.

"It can become an extension of yourself, given it is your own energy being used to reach out with this magic."

[withermarked]

He nodded as he listened. If nothing else, those were the kinds of things he was used to noticing when it came to gardening through normal means. Perhaps he was simply focusing on translating the wrong set of skills.

He leaned a little closer, seeing if he could recognise any seeds in particular.

"I think I see what you mean, even if it's not how I'm used to doin' things."

But isn't that part of the reason he said he wanted to do this? Wanting something that was his instead of calling on something borrowed? Shouldn't he want it to feel different?

ROYGBIV

[telepathicignorance]

"So some dipshit teen could be drawing dicks and summon up a penis monster?"

They ask, snorting, as they sip a brush in the paint.

"Think if I draw enough strawberries I can summon a strawberry shortcake monster?" Or a strawberry ice cream one. That'd be pretty awesome, even if they couldn't eat it.

[withermarked]

Faulkner can't help wrinkling his nose at the first mental image, because he really could have done without it.

"Prayer-marks aren't usually that straight-forward. Except for some of the commercial gods. Representational art is... safer." He gives a little shrug.

"But let's say—for the sake of argument—you did call up some forgotten god of harvest or fruit or hunger or whatever. There's a good chance it'd end really bad for ya."

He thinks about making up some particularly unpleasant fate as an example, but leaves it there for now.

[telepathicignorance]

"What, like being eaten by a god?" They scoff a little. It's not that the idea isn't frightening, it's just... they've already been though worse.

Humans are scarier.

After a moment's contemplation, they start painting a strawberry. It's not a very good painting of a strawberry, being blobby and overly simple, but it is at least recognizeable as one. That's an achievement for them.

[withermarked]

"Or worse." His tone is mild, but not joking. His world is rife with fates worse than death, after all. But he decides not to elaborate. While he hasn't strictly been dishonest in telling people about his world, he's tended to leave out a certain degree of the horrors.

"But it sounds like that doesn't happen here."

He watches for a moment, before finally beginning to actually paint something. It's an attempt at a viney pattern sort of similar to his new tattoo, since plant magic is on his mind.

[telepathicignorance]

"Already had worse."

Not that they're gonna clarify that statement. They frown deeply as they work and they frown deeply at the blobby sad strawberry they've painted. It looks weird, all alone like that, but they can already tell anything they try to add isn't going to make it look any better.

[withermarked]

And he's honestly... not sure what to do with that statement, or if he's supposed to ask. That seems like prying, so probably not the best idea.

He works on his own attempt at art quietly for a bit; it's not coming out quite as nice as he'd like, because as much as he has a very steady hand, he's also not really used to paint as a medium.

"...You alright?" He leaves it vague if he means anything to do with what they said, or just the fact they seem to be glaring at their strawberry.

[telepathicignorance]

"Fine." Not asking was a good choice, probably.

And just to show they're fine they'll start to work again, painting... something.

[withermarked]

Faulkner picks at his design a bit more, trying to make the curves smoother. After another pause he decides to just change the subject.

"Maybe I ought to grow some strawberries," he muses. He hasn't really planted anything specifically of his own at the Conservatory yet, but that's one he both knows how to grow even without any magic involved, and sort of misses growing.

[telepathicignorance]

They're just as grateful for the subject change, honestly.

"They're better grown than bought." The memory of a fresh wild strawberry on their tongue. Back before Heartbreak. Back when they were still Sidestep.

They doodle some curly green lines around the strawberry.

[withermarked]

"They are," he agrees, lightly.

Chris may or may not sense some nostalgia of his own. Even before the man left, Faulkner's father was rarely home. But when he was, it was generally the garden he maintained more than anything else. There were strawberries every summer, back then.

There were strawberries the last time he was home, too.

He wonders if they actually bothered to burn the house.

He wonders if the fire spread that far—

"You can have some if I do." His tone is still light; he's good at keeping things out of his voice. It's hard to say if he's actually being generous, per se. But he likes to make people like him and it's an easy enough thing to offer.

[telepathicignorance]

"Thanks." Robotic. None of their usual food enthusiasm.

"Ever had them dipped in chocolate?"

[withermarked]

...Huh. He was expecting at least a little bit more.

The next question pretty effectively distracts him, though.

"I haven't." But the idea does sound very, very good. He's easy to win over with chocolate.