escordvi | AUGUST CATCH-ALL

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AUGUST CATCH-ALL | OPEN TO ALL

Who: Darin Altway and You!
Status: OPEN
Where: The Starmetal Forge and around Eltrut and Nogard depending on the quest!
What: The Starmetal Forge Grand Opening and MANTA Board quests!
Warnings: None!

-STARMETAL FORGE GRAND OPENING-

[It took longer than he would have liked but after months of hard work, he's finally managed to do it. He'd saved up enough money and made enough connections to rent out and properly refurbish a big enough workshop then applied for his formal business license. And now, finally, after all of that and months of preparation, he can finally say:]

Welcome to The Starmetal Forge! Whatever your wish may be, with this hammer, I'll forge it into reality!

[The workshop isn't massive. It's actually rather modest, but Darin's invested all of his time into preparing for this day. The forge is fired up and he has two very meticulously organized and cleaned workstations ready to go with pristine tools. There's plenty of space for people to come and watch him work and even a sizeable storeroom for more rare materials; including the small horde of elemental gems he'd recovered from the Abyss.]

[But the crown jewel of this endeavor is the sign above the door. A sign bearing his personal emblem; a shooting star whose tail curls into a perfect circle with the handle of a smith's hammer coming from the comet itself, as if the star was the hammer's head. It's an emblem he'd kept ever since he took up the hammer. One he'd hoped would adorn his own forge some day. And now, the day has finally arrived.]

[He'd placed a MANTA board request specifically for this month. Anyone with any rare materials and wish for new items or equipment could bring it to him and all he'd charge is a small labor fee. He can't wait to see what people bring in!]

[When you come to check the place out, he's already tinkering with something or other. But you'll catch his attention soon enough and he lifts his head, smiling.]

Hey, welcome to The Starmetal Forge! Name's Darin Altway, Master Smith and Forgemaster! What brings you in today?

-GEMSTONE RESEARCH-

[With an abundant supply of Gemstones at hand, Darin has already been tinkering with ideas. But first, he needs to see just how powerful these stones are and if their various elemental effects can be combined.]

[Darin has had in mind a variation of a grappling hook for some time now. Something that can be fired with some sort of propulsion mechanism and retracted with a small motor. But he'd like to incorporate some of the gemstones as a way of magnetizing the grapnel. Something that will allow him to grip metal surfaces as well as wooden or stone.]

[So he's in the testing area, working on a glove with an elemental gem of wind and lightning slotted into the back of the hand to see if he can create some sort of magical, magnetic effect. This surely won't end poorly for anyone who wants to look over his shoulder.]

-TRAILING DAWN-

[Darin doesn't spend as much time on Nogard as he should. Honestly, being a Corsair never really sat right with him, but it was better than being a Paladin. Just another instance of never seeming to fit anywhere specifically. But since he's on Nogard doing some testing of his gear, he's decided to take some time and wander the beaches like he used to do back home in Kenmore.]

[When he finds the large, deepwater fish dead on the beach, Darin finds himself kneeling and examining them.]

What the hell are these doing way up here...? Deepwater fish don't usually wash up on shore...

The hell is going on...?

(OOC: I am open to other threads and quests so feel free to ping me on Discord at bitterbearface or Plurk (

bitterbearface)if you'd like to do something else!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There is definitely a look of surprise at that. He knew Darin has inhuman strength, but whether it was latent, some sort of unique power, or perhaps granted to him was left unclear.

Yet he still remains calm...again more contemplative than anything. How similar is this "Archfiend God" to the Eikons? Or is it more akin to Ultima?]

What is this "Archfiend God" and how did you and your brother come to have half of its soul?

...Born with it.

I didn't even know what it was for most of my life.

[He huffs a little, almost mockingly at himself.]

Apparently...our mother didn't live through the birth. And when I was a kid...monsters attacked my home. My father and my brother were both killed and I survived because...well, because I tried to run.

They cut me down and I hid under my father's body and played dead. I survived but...

[He shakes his head. No, no point getting into the survivor's guilt.]

...Fast forward to a few weeks before I wound up here. I'd been framed for an assassination and it turns out the man behind it was Dromas, my brother. Back from the dead. That's how I found out. That we were both halves of a Demonic God. His soul had been brought to the Archfiend Realm where they put him in a new body. Trained up his power. He was going to be a weapon until he escaped. He made it back to Anmaral and decided that he wanted us to fulfill some grand prophecy.

[Darin grabs his pint and downs the rest of it in one long series of gulps before dropping it heavily on the table.]

Apparently, we're prophesied to end my world.

[Darin's almost afraid to look at Cid. The only other person who knows this truth is Zelda and she was horrified. And though that turned out to be a huge misunderstanding...it still hurts when he thinks about it.]

[His expression has definitely hardened upon hearing everything, and there will be a few moments of silence as Cid sits there, a hand slowly stroking his chin as if in thought.

...Prophecies.

Fate.]

And?

[Yet his voice is again calm, almost probing.]

Do you want to fulfill that prophecy?

[Darin shoots him a look.]

The hell do you think? Of course I don't! But my brother made it very apparent that my 'want' isn't a factor. That I'm a ticking time bomb! A catastrophe waiting to happen!

Hell, this world's probably in danger because of me for all I know!

[There's just the slightest quirk of a smile as he waves a hand.]

Calm down, I needed to hear it from your own mouth.

Now, how exactly is this "end" supposed to happen? Does this half soul of yours need to be activated? Does it need the other half? A certain ritual?

I don't know. Dromas was intentionally vague and was pretty clear he was going to make my life miserable until I joined him.

So odds are, we need to be together. Two halves and all that crap.

...Doesn't change what I'm supposed to be able to do. Dromas leveled an entire city as a show of force. Wiped it off the map then...transformed it. All the buildings. The people. Made it into some kind of spire.

Thousands of people, Cid. To send a message to me.

Aye, that's what your brother did.

[Which is truly horrific, it is, but in a way, also a distraction. He looks at him pointedly.]

But not you.

Edited 2024-08-23 05:41 (UTC)

No, I didn't. But that doesn't mean I'm not capable if I train myself.

Something I've never done before because...well, I didn't want to. People already saw me as a monster just from looking at me. The last thing I needed was to give them more to be scared of.

There's a lot I don't understand about myself, Cid. And that makes me dangerous.

[To that, Cid just lets out a small breath that almost sounds like a laugh as he shakes his head. He can already see so much of Clive sitting right there before him, circumstances both different yet similar.]

You're right—not knowing what you are capable of may be a dangerous thing. Suppose you lose control or someone else manages to manipulate you, take control of your mind and abuse your powers against your will. Given what you said, it makes sense that you would try to hide it all under lock and key.

[A small tap of his finger.]

However, that path is no better than allowing fate to play out as it wishes.

[Darin rocks back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.]

Yeah? How do you figure?

[Just a casual shrug.]

Besides what I just said? It's essentially giving up.

Instead of protecting the people you do not wish to harm, you're setting yourself up to do exactly that.

Not sure I follow. The way I see it, if I don't use my power, it doesn't get any stronger. If something does happen and I lose control, people can stop me.

[He just looks at Darin and quietly laughs with a slight shake of his head.]

Unfortunately, that's not how "powers granted by higher powers" work.

[Well, this may be a bit...alarming to hear, but it's likely something he needs to consider.]

For someone so cautious, you aren't thinking of the absolute worst case scenario. That "training" your brother was talking about isn't about training power. It's training you on how to use it. Not just for activating, but also controlling it to bend to your whims.

You see, power granted from any otherworldly being will always be more than a human can fathom, and always more than we can take without proper training.

Not only that—you're relying on other people to deal with your problems.

[Darin seems unconvinced until the very last line.]

["You're relying on other people to deal with your problems."]

[It's frank and to the point and while it causes Darin to visibly wince and grimace, he can't deny the truth of it. He prefers blunt honesty, even if the truth hurts because it means he's being taken seriously. He's being seen and acknowledged.]

[Darin looks into his empty mug as he turns Cid's point over in bis mind.]

I gotta say, you're taking this a lot better than I thought you would. I honestly thought you'd rescind your offer once you knew you asked a world-killer to join your crew.

[He sees that brain working and his words finally sinking in. So there's just a small shrug before he picks up his pint of ale.]

Who says you're the first?

[Siiiiiiiiip.

(Okay more like an actual drink but can't write driiiiink or gluuuuug and have same effect now can I—)]

Edited 2024-08-23 20:44 (UTC)

...Okay, you're going to have to explain that to me. What the hell are you actually looking for, Cid?

Because Joshua tells me you want to destroy all magic in your world and while I get that your world's circumstances are different, that's a hell of an ambition.

So, I laid my cards out on the table. I'm half of a demonic god prophesied to end the world.

Your turn.

[He just calmly sets down his drink and leans back in his chair.]

All I want from you are your smithing skills. As I told you before, you have talent, and I just want to see it grow and develop while also benefiting from the results.

[A small half shrug. While he genuinely likes Darin, it would be a lie to say there wasn't something a little transactional and seeking some benefit in return. It's true of all things, really, so he'll be honest.

However, knowing that Joshua has told him a bit about himself does make the next part a little easier.]

Now if you're asking what my overall goal here is, well. To be frank I intend to live out the rest of my days here if possible. A retirement, if you will. My days of disrupting the social order to save the burdened and change the world are behind me, something to leave with my successors, and I see no reason to go on such an endeavor here. Especially not with the world being one I had hoped for my own.

[Not that it doesn't have its flaws, but there is a notable lack of slavery and abusing certain people as tools, so you know, that's a big plus. Even with its use of magic, it's completely different and as far as he can see not draining or damaging the world. Helps that there isn't a god trying to suck out the life of the world just for one spell.]

As for your power—I don't need it, if that is what you are worried about. Not only do I have my own in spades, I know of several others I could call upon instead.

Enough power that should you ever lose control, I'd say we'd be strong enough to handle it. Benedikta already gave you quite the run as proof—and I'm the one who took her down after.

[Yes, he's heard about that. And he has more to say, and is hinting a little bit of it, but this should be enough for now.]

Edited 2024-08-23 21:15 (UTC)

[Hearing that Cid was interested in Darin for his skills and not his power was comforting and it shows in the large man's mannerisms. His muscles relax and he doesn't look like he's about to fly out of the bar.]

[If there's one thing Darin's always wanted, it was being relied upon for the things he knew how to do rather than be perceived to do be able to do things he didn't. Darin was happy as a smith (even though certain people seem to think he has to potential to be something greater). And Darin truly enjoyed talking shop with Cid. It reminded me of his days with Acteon, his adopted father, who imparted his years of smithing knowledge onto him.]

[The Benedikta revelation draws a surprised look from him, though. Not to mention the insinuation that more people on his crew could do what she did.]

[Apparently, Cid included.]

You did?

[He leans forward to make sure his voice doesn't carry.]

...You're one of those...what'd she call it? Eikon-bearers...?

[He's a little amused at his attempts to keep the conversation quiet, but also appreciative. While the general topic of Dominants and Eikons is fine given that that particular coeurl has long ran out of the proverbial bag, he still won't mentioned their Eikons' names directly to be safe.]

A Dominant, aye.

[And there will just be a small trickle of his levin around his finger to hint at his element.]

And the oldest one here so I know quite a bit. Now, I know us being vessels of Eikons may not be the same as your little guest, but it is similar. If we lose control, the Eikon can completely take over and have enough power akin to the gods, to level lands and armies and be a destructive force that no normal man could dare hope to fight against.

Not only that, the Eikons were originally made to serve a greater "god"—[Can definitely hear the bitter sarcasm there.]—and we all had our own "fates" that would lead to effectively destroying the world.

Not that we knew it at the time, however.

But regardless, I know what it's like to have your power be either revered or despised, as well as used for someone's own purpose.

Edited 2024-08-23 22:27 (UTC)

[Darin's eyes almost fall out of his head with the way they widen. For the first time in his life someone actually seems to understand the burden placed on his shoulders. His fears and concerns. The trauma. That little spark around Cid's fingers leaves Darin fumbling for words— his jaw going slack and then clenching again like a fish gasping for air.]

[Instinctively, he goes to his mug which is sadly empty as his thoughts jumble and knock around in his head.]

[I'm not alone.]

I...well...

[He shifts awkwardly and for the first time Cid might find Darin's confident and cocky facade crack a bit. He's only about 25 years old and he's been put upon to act like so many other things and never who he truly is.]

[He shakes his head, seemingly rattling his thoughts back into their respective order.]

You and Benedikta...are you the only two?

[He seems to realize what he'd just asked and puts a hand up quickly.]

Actually...no. That's...That's not fair. If there's others that's up to them to tell me, I won't...I wouldn't want what I am exposed like that.

[He exhales deeply and slumps back against the back of his seat.]

Sorry I...I've never...

Where I come from, people who look like me [He gestures to his hair.] ...we're called tainted. Monsters. Demonkin and Beastkin. I've never met another person who looked like me aside from my brother and never known anyone who could do the things I can.

I've...hidden it. My whole life. I worked and worked and worked just so people would think I was normal. As normal as I could be looking the way I do.

I've never had to not hide it before.

[There's just a small smile at his backtrack. Should he join he'll know soon enough...as well as their current problem, but one step at a time.

Really, Darin's story was something he had not expected, just believing the boy had unnatural powers that made him be perceived differently from others. To have it more similar to their own situation is truly extraordinary, yet it also helps because he can relate and, hopefully, give him somewhere to feel safe around, whether he joins or not.

So there's just a nod of understanding.]

Aye, same as my world. Dominants are more respected, yet those who wield magic are called Bearers. A talent that should also be respected, yet they are seen as different. Monsters. When a child is discovered to have the knack, they are discarded by their families and taken away either to serve as slaves, expendable soldiers, or even experiments. And all are branded in an ink lethal enough to kill should one try to remove it. So they, too, will go into hiding if they can.

[His expression falls and is a bit more pained here before he takes a breath and looks back at Darin.]

And I led the movement to change that. Because we can't just stay hidden under the yolk of another forever. That's no way to live, or die.

Heh...it's the opposite for me. Children in Alvale are tested at a young age for magical aptitude and mana type affinity. The greater your potential, the more avenues available to you. You get to go to school and have no shortage of opportunities.

If you're like me, born without elemental affinity then your options are to basically hope you come from a rich family who can afford a private education or a trade school.

Since I'm an orphan, if I hadn't been taken in by Old Man, I was bound for conscription into the military. And I don't think I need to tell you why someone who can do what I can do shouldn't be anywhere near some kingdom's border conflict.

[He laughs sadly. He truly is fortunate that Acteon adopted him. If not for him...he'd probably be a weapon for Alvale to use as it saw fit by now.]

"Can't just stay hidden" huh...?

[He crosses his arms over his broad chest.]

...It's scary, you know. I'm always afraid of the looks people might give me when they see what I can do. But...I admit.

There's been some looks I've gotten that made me feel good. Thankful, happy looks.

...I'd really love to see more eyes like that for a change.

[It's strange to here the opposite happening in another world, yet it still seems there is that discrimination. Perhaps had things were flipped and the Bearers won the war long ago, things would be more like that.

Which really wouldn't be any better.

So he looks at Darin for a moment.]

At the end of the day, it is your choice. There is merit in keeping at least the source of your powers hidden, but at least here you do not need to be afraid to do so. Regardless of where or came from, it is your power to wield and control and it is you who can make the decision of what to do with.

And also...

[Darin reminded him of Clive, but he also reminded him of someone else. Those Rosfield brothers, really...]

Have you considered doing something about that soul?

[A small nod at towards his chest.]

[Darin gives a puzzled look down at his own chest.]

...I'm not sure there's anything that can be done.

[He does spare Cid a glance...because from the sound of it, it seemed like Cid might have had an idea.]

Admittedly, I've been considering those cuffs that we were shackled with on that prison island. The one that sealed powers. They worked on me and...nothing's ever been able to do that. I've been wondering if it could be replicated to possibly seal something comparable away. A preventative measure...in case something happens like when your friend went to the birds.

Not a bad option, but you can't always bank it either being there or not breaking. And unless you're always wearing them, how to get them on.

[He rubs his chin.]

Before I continue—this soul. Is it separate from yours? Whether it's by sealing it or removing it from you computer, we wouldn't you to be harmed, either.

AUGUST CATCH-ALL | OPEN TO ALL

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