November newbie intro log

[emet_sulk]

Who: Emet-Selch and anyone
Status: Open
Where: Generally around Eltrut since he's new and wouldn't be doing too much exploring just yet
What: Emet-Selch has an exhausting first few days trying to acclimatise to this new land
Warnings: None at the moment

(Will match format)


1. MANTA board - Claws and Companions

Ever since he disembarked from the Royal Fortune, he cannot fail to notice a small, white tag-along.

The bold little creature - one white-furred feline - has been eyeing him for a while. Emet-Selch doesn't know if it's hungry, belligerent, or simply curious, but he had noticed that it was particularly good at catching rats. Assuming it to be someone else's pet, however, he had mostly ignored it. But he can't ignore it now.

It finally boldly marches up to him and twines around his ankles as he pauses by a market stall. He tuts and stoops to pick the cat up. Almost immediately, it wriggles out of his grip and crawls on to his shoulders where it seems quite content to sit indefinitely.

"...I don't have the means to feed an extra stomach, you know."

But he doesn't try to shoo the cat away. Instead, he sighs, and continues on his way. He still has a few other places to visit for supplies - and he also needs to find that buried chest with all his original clothes.

2. Inkwave Tattoo Parlour

First on the agenda has to, of course, be to regain his magical abilities. Emet-Selch's mouth turns down at the corners when he sees the means by which it will happen. Tattoos (and other body markings) are not really something he likes. Mostly because of the pain or bother which accompanies their upkeep. But he heads inside regardless because the thought of living here without his magic is even less desirable.

There are a few options here:
a) You see him waiting his turn for a tattoo, deep in thought over the design he wants for his own.

b) You hear him arguing with the tattoo artist over the location of the mark. ("--And I'm telling you that I don't want it above my crotch!")

c) You see him outside afterwards, unhappily and self-consciously rubbing his backside. Seems like the artist did accept a compromise of a sort...

d) Some other equally amusing scenario???

3. MANTA board - Spellbound Circuitry

"No, no, this is incredibly inefficient. What incompetent fool has been teaching you this?"

Emet-Selch sits at a table, shaking his head firmly at a strange (or perhaps not so strange) design. His raised voice is difficult to miss should one wander by.

"You have the right idea for foci, yes, but you can't expect the user to power their own contraptions all the time. What do you expect those lacking in magic to do, hmm?"

He waves away protest and starts pulling bits and pieces towards him, starting to assemble something that looks almost like a staff - only it's one made of metal with a gem focus.

4. Wildcard

Any other ideas? Feel free to DM me or plot with me.

Comments

2-A

[cursedwords]

[ Toge is in to get his tattoo refreshed and he's happy to look over the stranger's shoulder at what selections he's seeing.

He offers an unsolicited opinion, pointing to one of them. ]

Tuna, tuna. [ How about a skull? Very piratey. He has no idea if this man is a Corsair or a Paladin, but what does that matter? ]

[emet_sulk]

[ Emet-Selch usually minds having people up in his personal space, but it's busy enough that he has to resign himself to having other patrons browsing over his shoulder as Toge does. ]

...That isn't tuna, that is a skull.

[ And of course, he misunderstands Toge completely. He flips to the page with fish designs on it and points to one. ]

This is tuna.

[cursedwords]

[ He's just being nosy really. Toge smiles a little bit behind his mask. He pulls out his shellphone and types into it and Emet-Selch is treated to the AI voice of the text-to-speech function. ]

You should get a skull.

[emet_sulk]

[ He stares at the phone (and at the young man) in what could best be described as mild surprise. Perhaps there are a few obvious questions that many would ask at this point. Emet-Selch, having heard, learnt, and spoken more languages than the average mortal, pauses in thought.

The boy clearly understood him (granted, everyone seems to understand one another here) - enough to reply in a way the older man DID understand to correct the misunderstanding. However, Emet-Selch knows he very clearly heard them say 'tuna'. If they aren't non-verbal and aren't speaking a foreign language...

He gives himself a mental shake. What does he care? (But he is intrigued nonetheless.) ]

A skull would be boorish. Besides, I'm not a pirate. Corsair. Whatever you call it here.

[ Maybe he will draw his own design. Something meaningful to him. ]

...When you say 'tuna', is that how you're forced to speak or does it relate to what you intended to say?

[ Aaand he ended up asking anyway. Godsdamnit, he just really wants to know. ]

[cursedwords]

[ Functionally, Toge probably could be described as non-verbal, but really it's more like he's invented his own language and everyone else unfortunately has to figure out what he's doing for him to communicate. The shellphone seems like the perfect solution - but Toge finds it cumbersome to deal with and awkward when he's having a face to face conversation. He doesn't text his friends when he's sitting with them.

It's awkward, but considering he's meeting all kinds of new people and they don't understand him, it's the best he can do.

He smiles a little bit behind his collar and answers, both verbally and then with the shellphone. ] Tuna mayo.

[ For the millionth time, he's considered he just needs to save this message somewhere, alas. ]

I can't speak normally due to the power of cursed speech, but I understand and hear you fine.

[ It's not uncommon for people to assume he can't hear him, so he's just putting that out there. ]

[emet_sulk]

I see.

[ Cursed speech, hmm? He's never heard of that before. It doesn't affect their ability to speak but forces them to speak in obscure ways instead? ]

Then would it be simpler for you if I asked 'yes' or 'no' questions?

[ Emet-Selch is a blunt man but he's not entirely insensitive. ]

[cursedwords]

[ Toge smiles and shrugs at that, tilting his head. ]

Perhaps simpler for you to understand me, but I mean if there's something you want to know that isn't yes or no, it's fine, I don't mind.

[ He just likes to talk to people in general. ]

[emet_sulk]

Well, if you insist...

[ Back to the subject of WHAT TATTOO TO GET, then -- ]

I don't think I like any of the options presented in this booklet. I may just have them use my sigil.

[cursedwords]

I came up with my own design.

[ Toge helpfully tugs on the bottom of his shirt to pull it up, just above his navel he has a katana entwined with a snake. ]

[emet_sulk]

[ He looks over the young man's tattoo curiously. A snake entwined with a katana? He wonders about the significance it holds to them. ]

Is that your preferred weapon?

[cursedwords]

[ Toge shakes his head and taps the snake. ] Tuna. [ That's him in the design. ]

My best friend Yuta uses a katana. They call my curse marks the snake and fangs.

[emet_sulk]

[ That is...rather more sentimental than he was expecting. Huh. ]

How touching. I don't think I'll do the same however.

[ It wouldn't feel right. For reasons privy only to himself. Instead, he draws a hand down his face and an elaborate looking symbol sigil appears over his face. It hovers for a few seconds before fading. ]

The symbol of my office. I've nothing else of note to use.

(ooc: backup image link in case the first didn't work.)

[cursedwords]

[ He nods his approval. Toge doesn't judge whether or not it's a good choice, if it's what Emet-Selch wants, then he should get it. ]

Looks kinda intricate, but you'll be glad to know they use magic. Needs refreshing, but there's no needles and it doesn't hurt.

[emet_sulk]

[ The sigil vanishes quickly. Emet-Selch looks...relieved? It's kind of hard to tell on a face that seems to be permanently set in a frown. He is frowning less maybe. ]

They use magic to apply a mark that itself allows the user to perform magic? What would happen if all the mages of this world were to lose their abilities then?

[cursedwords]

I'm sure we'd all be screwed.

[ Well that's a cheerful thought, isn't it? Toge shrugs, he doesn't really know. If he didn't have his curse he'd be fine, probably. ]

[emet_sulk]

How comforting.

[ This seems like a very large oversight. Oh well. It's not going to be a problem until it is and Emet-Selch doesn't have the faintest idea how one would prevent it from eventuating anyway. ]

Anything else I should know about these tattoos then? I'd hate to learn of a hidden side effect that the locals neglect to tell hapless new arrivals about.

[cursedwords]

It's hard to say. It restored my abilities, but it also gave me another kind of magic. Some people already have magic like that and I don't think they got new magic. I'm not sure if that applies to you or not.

[ Toge smiles but he holds out his hands and makes a little ice snowflake out of thin air. It's great for picking up supplies and keeping them cold. ]

[emet_sulk]

[ He watches the snowflake hover over the boy's hand. Emet-Selch doesn't think there is any sort of magic they could possibly add to what he can already do but... ]

...As long as it isn't Light-aspected, I suppose, [ he mutters - still quite audibly for Toge. ]

[cursedwords]

Fish flakes. [ It definitely is not, just the ice thing here. He closes his hand and it disperses into a cool mist. ]

Good for keeping food fresh without a refrigerator.

[emet_sulk]

[ He huffs a small laugh at that. ]

Given the primitive level of technology here, I'm sure that's very welcome.

[ One of the workers approaches him at this point and asks him if he's chosen his mark. Emet-Selch nods and stands. ]

Well, 'tis a relief to know it won't be done with a needle, even if that means it will lack permanence. My thanks, boy.

[cursedwords]

Mentaiko! [ He believes he's got this. He believes in him!

Toge gives a little wave as he goes to wish him well. He'll probably come back later anyway to deal with his own since the artist is busy right now. ]