To what end, though? That's the part he keeps getting caught on. Those with power don't hide themselves, in his own experience. They bend the world around them.
Not that he cares about Astarion worrying about it. Cazador is not Astarion's to worry about, other than as a danger and thankfully not now.
He turns away, walking along the waterfront, letting John see the boats in
the water. At the end of the dock is a temple, mostly open to the elements;
at its heart is a statue of a horned woman with tentacles from the waist
down, commanding a pack of huge sea serpents.
The Water Queen's House. The oldest temple in the city. I told you about
Umberlee, didn't I?
[Hmmm. I think so? She's one of the gods who fucked off on helping you, right?]
He will take a long time to look at the statue and Astarion might feel the enjoyment of a beautiful thing, the way he's examining all the facets of the statue itself.
There tend to be a few torches lying around the city in any given spot, either to light the streets from wall sconces or for Flaming Fist patrols to pick up. He finds one not far away and lights it with another fire mote, casting a flickering glow around them.
He starts a meandering path along the waterfront, intending eventually to circle back around to where they started.
This is the city I was familiar with. When we returned here and I saw it in daylight for the first time in centuries, it was...almost confusing. I was so used to seeing it in shades of grey that I'd forgotten there was so much colour.
That's a bit of a tricky question, darling. Most of the places I think of fondly, I grew fond of because they made for easy hunting. The taverns, the brothels.
He didn't really have the luxury of liking a place just for its own sake.
I tend to like outside places with a lot of green growing things. It's almost like I can smell it, the way plants look when the light shines through the leaves and the branches. I can't, but I can imagine it. Inside, I like warm colors, like the hosting room I brought you to in my cabin. ]
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Re: oops wrong tense
Not that he cares about Astarion worrying about it. Cazador is not Astarion's to worry about, other than as a danger and thankfully not now.
[I'm glad you didn't lose your home, then.]
That's all he can say about that.
Re: oops wrong tense
Likewise.
He turns away, walking along the waterfront, letting John see the boats in the water. At the end of the dock is a temple, mostly open to the elements; at its heart is a statue of a horned woman with tentacles from the waist down, commanding a pack of huge sea serpents.
The Water Queen's House. The oldest temple in the city. I told you about Umberlee, didn't I?
Re: oops wrong tense
He will take a long time to look at the statue and Astarion might feel the enjoyment of a beautiful thing, the way he's examining all the facets of the statue itself.
But he's also thinking of something else.
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They all did. But she's the only one I dressed as for a Halloween party.
Brief amusement.
What's on your mind, John?
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Why not? Might as well ask.
[...wanna blow it up too?]
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Astarion laughs, but there's a note of confusion in it.
Why would I want to do that?
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...we can put some fake guards in so you can be sneaky. ]
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Ha. No, no thank you. Though I didn't realise you could create other people for this place. Illusions, I assume?
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Interesting. They can't hurt us?
That feels like it'd take a lot of the challenge out of it. A lot of the motivating nature of a physical threat.
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Probably to keep things interesting.
Hard to fight something you can't collide with. ]
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Not impossible, though. Maybe I'll come back here for target practice sometime.
He turns away from the temple, heading back inland.
Can you still make much out? I assume you're working with human vision.
And elves have a much easier time seeing in the dark.
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And Astarion might feel the trepidation at that. He doesn't like the dark.
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Ah. One moment-
There tend to be a few torches lying around the city in any given spot, either to light the streets from wall sconces or for Flaming Fist patrols to pick up. He finds one not far away and lights it with another fire mote, casting a flickering glow around them.
Better?
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[Yes. Thank you.]
Fondness comes a moment later. Small kindness is still kindness.
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He starts a meandering path along the waterfront, intending eventually to circle back around to where they started.
This is the city I was familiar with. When we returned here and I saw it in daylight for the first time in centuries, it was...almost confusing. I was so used to seeing it in shades of grey that I'd forgotten there was so much colour.
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He means that. If there's anything he can empathize with, being really fucked with by things that most people take for granted is it.
[Do they have anything like movies in your world?]
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Just the theatre. I've seen certain forms of magical projection, but that was - happening in the moment, not a recording. Why do you ask?
They pass another building which has not exploded but has definitely been extremely on fire. A charred sign declares it to be Felogyr's Fireworks.
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Re: the burnt building. He shakes that off after a moment.
[Some of the movies have so much color. When you're interested, we should see one together.]
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...Yes. All right.
A flicker of curiosity. Anticipation.
The firework shop was our handiwork as well. They were stuffing toys with explosives and donating them to refugees outside the city.
Which seemed grotesque even to him, and he's not overburdened by...ethics.
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[What the fuck?!]
A low growl and then-
[Good that you burned that place down. That's horrific!]
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Dealing with people who planned to blow up children for the crime of losing their homes did seem like it was worth the detour.
And that isn't something he'd say about a lot of the idiot errands they'd gotten distracted by.
His route takes them back uphill, past the newspaper offices and the Elfsong Tavern, the gates of the graveyard.
I was buried in there. Haven't been back since, for reasons I'm sure you can guess.
He doesn't go inside now, either.
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[Were there any places you liked around here?]
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That's a bit of a tricky question, darling. Most of the places I think of fondly, I grew fond of because they made for easy hunting. The taverns, the brothels.
He didn't really have the luxury of liking a place just for its own sake.
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I tend to like outside places with a lot of green growing things. It's almost like I can smell it, the way plants look when the light shines through the leaves and the branches. I can't, but I can imagine it. Inside, I like warm colors, like the hosting room I brought you to in my cabin. ]
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