forgeabettertomorrow: (Don't fail me now beautiful wings)
Darin Altway ([personal profile] forgeabettertomorrow) wrote in [community profile] escordvi2024-10-04 11:29 am

The Light is Off But I Still Work

Who: Darin Altway and You!
Status: Open
Where: Eltrut and Nogard
What: MANTA quests and general catch-all
Warnings: Will Mark As Needed



-SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE-
[Darin sure as hell has no idea where this Tapir plushie craze came from but the markets are absolutely inundated with stalls selling tapir themed wraps and goods. A few days ago, that wouldn't have been a problem. He wasn't all that interested and fads come and go. He's a tradesman, he knows how it is.]

[But then he heard about what the tapir plushies do. And considering that someone precious to him is in some sort of sleep coma, he decided to go out and grab one. How hard could it be?]

[Hard enough that every stall is showing they're out of stock. And when one pops up with stock, they're overwhelmed within minutes.]

[So now, Darin's camping out one of the lesser known corners of the market on Eltrut. He's been out here all night and it's now 8 AM. Someone in this corner of the market is going to have a plushie and dammit he's going to get it. Trouble is...he's not the only one looking to get a plushie here.]


...Is it bad form to use your god-gifted superpowers to snag a plushie ahead of a bunch of crazed, entitled shoppers? That's bad form, right?

[He's talking to himself but hey, you're free to be there to help him.]

[Or compete with him.]

-PAINTED SKULL-O-LANTERNS-
[Coming from a world that usually has harvest festivals this time of year, hearing about all of the spooky happenings and upcoming events doesn't have Darin especially thrilled. He's got enough on his mind as it is! And while Darin might not be the most superstitious sort, he'll tend to try anything once. Especially if it means warding off scary monsters or even death itself.]

[Besides, decorating the forge could be fun.]

[So, he's sitting out front of the Starmetal Forge with a basket of (hopefully) fake skulls. He's got a small table set up and a whole bunch of paints and...a potter's wheel? Darin places a skull down on the center of the wheel and begins to spin it, then selects a color of paint and carefully drips it on the spinning skull, creating wild, circular designs. He's also making a big mess and he has more paint on him than he does the skull.]

[But there's plenty of room for someone to join him! And plenty of skulls and paint to go around. Hopefully you have a smock of your own if you're worried about making a mess. Because you probably will.]

-STARMETAL SPARRING-
[Darin has had a lot of nervous and anxious energy to get out. He hasn't had the focus to work on any projects at the forge. He's got too much on his mind to sit at home and work on personal projects. And with his body healing up nicely after crossing paths with Ganondorf, he's itching to start training. Problem is, how does he start? Well, if there's one thing he's learned is that riftfarers seem to have all sorts of crazy powers. And learning to adapt to their abilities would not only give him some valuable training, but it'd allow him to blow off some steam as well!]

[He's fashioned a small sparring area behind the Starmetal Forge. Nothing inherently fancy but enough room to move around in. He mostly uses it to test some of his projects but...well, today he's repurposing it. Finally, he hangs a sign out front that reads:]


Feelin' Frustrated? Come On In For a Pounding!

[Does Darin understand the connotations of that sign? You be the judge!]

-INFILTRATE AND LIBERATE PART 2-
[After the recovery of the tragic cargo last month, Darin's been keeping abreast of the situation regarding the victims' treatment. Since it looks like the victims can be saved after the crystals are painstakingly shaved off, Darin is currently researching and engineering a way to make the process even the slightest bit less arduous.]

[He's hunched over his workbench at the Starmetal Forge, toying with some precision tools. There's a small pile of elemental stones nearby that he's currently rummaging through.]


Gotta be a way to magically enhance the edge of a knife or scalpel...my first instinct is wind but...ice could work too. Or fire? Heating the crystal might make it easier to remove...

-UNDERWATER RUINS- HIDDEN CHAMBER
[Somehow, checking out these ruins without a certain somebody by his side isn't as fun as he was hoping. How is it he's gone on two expeditions and he's gone alone each time? He heaves a despondent sigh as he wanders into the large chamber. He wouldn't be surprised if someone was already here...these ruins have been around for over a month now. But he had to get off Eltrut for a bit. Even for a day. And being able to examine ruins would at least give him something to distract himself.]

[Darin stops and takes a careful look around the room. All of the mirrors had to serve a purpose, right?]


Why so many mirrors? They're just going to reflect themselves...

[Darin drops to a sitting position and pulls out his notebook. He starts to sketch the room in its entirety as he puzzles out the...well, the puzzle.]


(OOC: Please feel free to top-level with something else if these prompts don't work for you! And if you want to double check an idea with me, hit me up through PM or on [plurk.com profile] bitterbearface)
thearchangel: (Dreamt of nothing.)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-11 05:03 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, you've noticed too. The same ones? Over and over again? Once or twice is a coincidence.

Three days in a row is a pattern. And I think you know that.

[His shoulders roll, and he makes a show of flexing his hands. Oh, huh. He needs to get his talons filed, damn.]

It'd be a real shame if local authorities found out about it. I'm sure they'd be really interested.
thearchangel: (REAPER NOISES in the bg)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-12 10:27 pm (UTC)(link)
You're going to care for it a lot less if you don't start talking.

[A glance around. Sure enough, the patrons are studiously looking the other way.]

What's the deal here? You certain people in first, get first dibs - and then they resell, sure. A lot of fuss for a toy.

What is this really? Smuggling?
thearchangel: (give him a smooch)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-14 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
I know how it is. Oh, do I ever know how it is. I know... you know more than you're letting on.

[Okay, we're getting right in his face, then. All teeth and plating and leashed energy.]

Why so many in stock? Why always the same people in front? Everything I'm seeing here is screaming smuggling. And when I see crap like that, I get really tired of people lying.

All I have to do is ask my friend to look the other way, and we have a little heart to heart alone.
thearchangel: (you make my face twitch)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-14 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Then you won't mind if we inspect the merch. Will you?

[Yeah, he hears you, Darin. But he's not going to take his eyes off the guy.]

Go on, Darin. [Okay, he'd have preferred they figured out something better to call each other just in case, but now, thinking about it, they probably should have done that ahead of time.] If he really wants us to back off, he'll let us look.

Won't he.

[From the tone he's taking, there's no way that's a request.]
thearchangel: (give him a smooch)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-15 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
That's better. Cooperation always ends better for people involved.

[Not that he was actually going to, you know, hurt the guy. But the shopkeeper doesn't need to know that. He doesn't budge while Darin steps forward. Keeping the man blocked in against the wagon and Garrus himself. He's big and bulky even out of armor, so it works. Not as well as someone like Wrex, but oh well.]

[And he doesn't even bother trying to hide the amusement on his face while the man fidgets.]


Well... you were right. It's not smuggling. [Wow he sure sounds smug.] Question is now. What do we do with you? Hm?

Darin, how about you go alert the crowd? I think I want a private word with this "businessman".

[I'm going to kick his ass.]
thearchangel: (How stupid ARE you?)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-15 05:38 am (UTC)(link)
[He's silent for a long moment. Just staring the shopkeeper down. Waiting to see if the man is going to crack, and waiting just long enough to sell the "decision".]

... Fine.

[A sharp exhale. And he steps backward, giving the man breathing room.]

You're lucky my friend has a conscience. I hate letting criminals off the hook. If I ever hear about this kind of crap again, and he's not around...
thearchangel: (it exploded??)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-16 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
[He does not look away from the shopkeeper. Not even once. Just waiting while Darin does his thing. Even when his friend grasps the merchant's hand. He keeps his eyes on him. Not that he really thinks this guy is going to do anything stupid, now, but it sells the effect for sure.]

[Only when indicated does he move away from where he's boxed the guy in. Watching him out of the corner of one eye until they walk away. Until they're physically too far to be seen, or heard.]

[Deep breath.]

[And then he puts a hand on the nearest building and promptly doubles over. Is he sick? What's he doing? Is he wheezing - ]

[Nope. This fool is laughing.]


I - damn, I thought he was going to just lose it right there. His face... !
thearchangel: (Why yes I am hotter in this game.)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-16 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
[He glances up, sees the look on Darin's face. Sees the counterfeit. Sees the shellphone.]

[And then promptly doubles back over again.]


Oh - damn it, my face hurts.
thearchangel: (Did I leave the gas on?)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-16 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
[You got some long ass arms boy - ]

Ah - yeah. I don't do anything by halves. Besides, that's old hat.
thearchangel: (garrus telling a bad joke dot jpg)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-19 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
[Quit using his pointy bits as handles.]

Why not? But it better not take long. I think I have a bet to collect on, don't I?

[Garrus is this really the time.]
thearchangel: (Look at your drell.  Now back to me.)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-20 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
You... have to admit something embarrassing.

[He even points at Darin as he says it. Just to be an ass.]
thearchangel: (Why yes I am hotter in this game.)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-22 06:10 am (UTC)(link)
Wow. That's it? I expected more of you, I really did.

I guess if you don't want to talk about it sober, we can work on that.

[This asshole.]
thearchangel: (garrus telling a bad joke dot jpg)

[personal profile] thearchangel 2024-10-22 06:17 am (UTC)(link)
From the guy who didn't think radiation would kill him?

I assume catching on fire is a normal afternoon.

(no subject)

[personal profile] thearchangel - 2024-10-22 07:03 (UTC) - Expand