[Victor] A Houseful of Guests

[sinanju]

Who: Victor Kruger
When: July 1, shortly after In the Rain
Where: The Rowland House
Invited: Everyone in the house, folks arriving from In the Rain
Status: Complete

Comments

[Akkarin]

[nohatmatt]

Akkarin looked around the house curiously as he took off his coat, boots and waterproof overtrousers. It was odd, but he'd become used to that on this world. Everything was dimly lit by a lamp on the piano.

He greeted Victor and hung up his coat, then brought forth a little magic. Everyone's clothes billowed as in a gust of wind, and were left dry and warm as Akkarin's power ran through them.

"Were you playing the music?" he asked. "I heard when we were outside. It was beautiful."

[Alexei]

[cupnjava]

Wet or not, Alexei wasn’t going to take off his cloak while Akkarin’s alliance was still in debate. To most, it looked like a simple cloth cloak. Alexei knew better. He knew how fighter-mage cloaks were made. Every stitch a spell. Every weave an incantation. If Akkarin went stupid, Alexei’d need every advantage he could claim

[Akkarin]

[nohatmatt]

Akkarin backed up, spreading his hands in the face of Alexei's sudden anger, although anybody who knew the first thing about him would know that showing empty hands didn't inhibit his magical potential one single bit.

"Calm down," he said. "I just dried everyone off."

Twitchy, this one, he thought.

"I'm not a threat to you. At least... not unless you do something stupid."

[ginnyvos]

Behind them, a soft knock, too soft to be heard over Alexeis sudden outburst, sounded. After a moment, a second knock sounded, harder this time

[Victor]

[sinanju]

"Nobody's threatening anybody here," Victor snapped.

Akkarin's simple gesture, followed by the fluttering of everyone's suddenly-dry clothes was quite a surprise. A shock, even. And Alexei didn't take it well.

"You're all guests here," Victor said. "And that comes with certain rights--and responsibilities. As your host, I'll defend you from threats, including other guests. You, meanwhile, have an obligation to refrain from threatening other guests, or your hosts

[Aleila]

[ginnyvos]

Aleila's head snapped up as the door was opened.
"G- good morning," she answered, lowering her head again. "If... If that's ok?"
It was strange to talk to an actual person again. She didn't even know him... Suddenly the realisation stuck her that no less than a year ago, this would've terrefied her. She probably wouldn't even have dared to go to the house, let be speak. Damien... She had so much to be thankful for with him.
She dared a peak at the boy in the doorway, he didn't seem that much older than her.

(OOC: I take it that Victor looks about 18, if I'm wrong please tell me :) )

[Victor]

[sinanju]

(OOC: Yes, Victor is 18 on the outside, 86 on the inside....)

"Certainly it's okay. I wouldn't have invited you in otherwise," Victor said. She seemed rather skittish, but if she'd heard the raised voices on the other side of the door that wasn't too surprising.

"Please," Victor said, moving aside to clear the doorway. "Come in. We've got towels so you can dry off. I'm pretty sure we can even find you some dry clothes. I'm Victor, by the way."

[Llaeseaf]

[2metaldog]

Llaeseaf watched Alexei confront the magic user, Akkarin. As soon as Alexei had closed in on Akkarin, the fight or flight instinct was decided for the Djinni. He would not abandon his lover, so fight it was. Llaeseaf hung back, not wanting to get in Alexei's way for whatever the Warrior might unleash. Orange-blue flames crawled over Llaeseaf's skin and covered his fists, waiting for the right moment to release Djinni fire

[Marie]

[marieindeluge]

Marie was paying close attention to things going on, for she knew that in this battle, she was seriously outclassed. Any of the three mages in the room could deflect her puny abilities, and not for the first time, she wished she didn't have them.

If Akkarin, Alexei, and Llaeseaf got in a fight, the best she could do was dump a cup of water on the combatants, and probably that would get her killed.

So she attempted to blend into the house's woodwork and stay forgotten and out of sight.

[Alexei] Looking for any reason to stay mad. LOL!

[cupnjava]

They were right-sort of. Alexei did react a little too strongly-maybe.

But! Just who did Akkarin think he was with that “unless you do something stupid” crap. Something stupid, like casting magic in a roomful of strangers while not knowing the sensibilities and sensitivities of those people? That kind of stupid? Well, that would be and was stupid. The change over the land also changed people. What if someone had developed a magic allergy or became extra sensitive to it? Perhaps, that was stretching a little bit. Just…just a little

[Llaeseaf]

[2metaldog]

"I'm... fine. A little shaken but.... I'm fine, Alexei. Let it go," Llaeseaf said quietly.

Alexei was still agitated and Llaeseaf wasn't sure how to calm his lover down that would be socially acceptable. Somehow, hugging Alexei tight to him while stroking his fingers through the Warrior's hair seemed a little bit much to spring on the people they'd been slowly coming to know. A hard sparring match to work out that agression wasn't an option at the moment either. Re-direction was probably the best course of action.

"Are you alright, Aleila, was it? You look like you've been through a bit of a rough go," Llaeseaf said, tugging on Alexei's arm and turning his lover to face the newest arrival.

[Michelle] Bread and salt--and corn!

[sinanju]

The impromptu ritual of sharing bread and salt might have helped. But only a little. Lleaseaf seemed ready to leap out of his skin, clearly made terribly anxious by the presence of Akkarin. Alexei looked calmer but Michelle was certain he was tensed to act in lleaseaf's defense.

The tableau reminded Michelle of nothing so much as a meeting between an elder Immortal and a newbie. She'd been there and done that. It was a nerve wracking experience to know that you lived only because that ancient predator chose to let you live, that your continued existence depended on his whim

[Ami]

[fikgirl]

Ami spent a moment torn between staying in the room, rift with a few emotions that buffeted against her shields, or joining Michelle in the kitchen. Quite suddenly she felt protective and the need to shield herself from the emotional tide won out over remaining politely in the room.

With the bread and salt ritual out of the way, Ami leaned over and gave Victor a soft kiss on the cheek. Her lips lingered against his skin a moment longer than necessary as she inhaled the scent of him.

"I'm going to lend Michelle a hand," Ami explained. With a polite smile and nod, she followed the other woman into the kitchen.

EXIT AMI

[Kayla]

[fikgirl]

Kayla frowned at Akkarin's words and pondered over them silently. She just didn't understand it: in a world devoid of life, why would he want to wander off alone?

"Move on?" Kayla asked the man, "Move on to where? Or what? Most of us traveled for weeks before finding Haven and other people. This is pretty much the end of the line."

[Alexei]

[cupnjava]

“And to what purpose?” Alexei shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “The last mage I knew who focused on gathering power destroyed the world.” Power without intent was worthless. All that led to was magic consuming the soul.

Oh, but that wasn’t the end of Nyx’s story, was it? The end of the world was merely the beginning. Alexei sighed. “Then he came back to try it all over again.” And damn near succeeded. Thinking of Nyx as the bad guy left a bitter taste in Alexei’s mouth. Had Nyx always been psychotic or had the power made him that way? He certainly didn’t seem psychotic in Shroud City, but that had been a ruse, hadn’t it? A demon of darkness painted as an angel of light. Wretched.

How many stains could be cleaned from a soul? It felt like none.

[OOC: Metaldog is away for a few days, I'll play Llaeseaf if needed.]