[network] @Bowman; day 005 9:24 PM; Dramatic Irony [open] [eventual death]

[pointnshoot]

[It was only a matter of time before Bard's habit of packing his tablet up with everything else during the day came back to really bite him in the ass, and it looks like today is that day. If he'd had it out, he might have caught the warning to get inside; why, if he'd even remembered to check it last night after that excitement running into a whole two other people, he might have seen Clayton's own post about getting locked out and thought to travel more carefully today.

But no. Bard doesn't have the right set of habits for either of these warnings, so when he got back to the house he'd thought to spend the night in, the door refused to open. So, too, had those windows he could reach, so before long Bard retreated to the first pile of rubble he remembered that had an actual corner to sit in. With a little effort and judicious application of force, he was able to break the boards he'd been carrying into smaller pieces; it wouldn't be enough firewood to get him through the night, but it would last him long enough to put together the day's notes for Stephanie and get his thoughts in order.

Which brings us to now.]

[Video]

[So. Here's an old(-ish) guy, lit by the blue light of his tablet screen and a bit of amber light that might be from a small fire off-screen. A couple of you might recognize him, but for the most part he's been keeping to the metaphorical shadows so far. Tonight that's not really an option. The vaguely displeased look on his face--well, it's actually pretty normal for him, but in this particular instance it's appropriate.]

I suppose it's going to be unreasonably cold yet again tonight. Perhaps I will endure it to see the morning come, but if I should pass, there are things I would say. First: I am wearing a hauberk and have with me a knife. Struck together, they make a reliable enough spark for starting fires, and anyone who needs such a thing is welcome to them when I no longer do. If you would prefer to use the knife for other things only, I'm by the northern wall of snow next to a house with many boxes full of rocks, some of which should be small enough to use as part of a flint and steel.

Second: if any of you get out of here and find yourself able, please take a message to my children. They can be found in the city of Dale, south of Erebor, and their names are Bain, Sigrid, and Tilda. I would have them know that I died here, and that I would have returned to them if I could.

[He pauses for a moment, thinking things over, before continuing.]

I suppose that's really all I have to say. If anyone wants to try to keep me company through the night, you'd be more than welcome, but don't feel obligated to sacrifice what rest is to be found here.

Comments

[pointnshoot]

[A world shrouded in darkness... sounds like the worst points in some of the old tales to Bard. Good always triumphed in those, though.]

It does indeed "suck", as you say. I was in council with a king and a wizard and I still don't even know why much of it happened.

[melodiouspacifist]

[That would be the unfortunate part.]

I could see that. There's a lot of things I don't get why they happened either, but once it's come around then...what can you do except deal with it?

[He sighs lightly.]

You know a king and a wizard? [Definitely a hero-type then.]

[pointnshoot]

[Bard nods in agreement, for all the good it does when they can't see each other: too often the explanation, if there is one, only comes after, and there's rarely time to sit around waiting for it.

But. He suddenly feels like he shouldn't have mentioned that last bit.]

I would not call either of them my dearest friends, but we did go to war together.

[melodiouspacifist]

[It's just interesting, that's all, kings and wizards are things he's familiar with even though he's not exactly friendly with them.]

That probably makes you pretty close though, doesn't it? Usually people you fight with tend to be on friendly terms. It can get pretty complicated though.

[He hums thoughtfully.]

I still wish I had my magic. For some reason it isn't working here. I could have my sitar anytime then!

[pointnshoot]

We were allies, first against a common debtor and then against a greater enemy, which the wizard came to warn us about. [And also he used to be part of the production chain in getting the king drunk, but that's not particularly relevant right now. Wondering about this other guy, however, is.]

Are you a wizard as well?

[melodiouspacifist]

Allies can be friends, so I hear.

[That would be the way more interesting story though!]

I wouldn't say that. I'm a...um, maybe you'd call me a mage. I have a mastery over one element, that's it.

[pointnshoot]

[Why the sudden obsession with friends? It's almost like he comes from a place where it's a major theme of reality or something.]

That's still more than most men can boast. [...Assuming that mages are Men and not something altogether a little different, as wizards seem to be.] Is this "sitar" particularly useful, then?

[melodiouspacifist]

Possibly, but magic can be a pretty common thing where I'm from, at least, everyone I know has some form of it.

[He doesn't really know a lot of non-Nobodies, so however widespread magic is he actually has no idea.]

It is to me! It's my baby Arpeggio! [This makes him sound excited.] It's a musical instrument and it would really cut through the silence here. I also use it to do control my water.

[pointnshoot]

Some music certainly wouldn't go amiss, magical or otherwise. [Which is true, but he probably would've said it anyway considering how enthusiastic Demyx seems to be all of a sudden.] Can you control only water as it is, or also the ice and snow?

[melodiouspacifist]

I know, I really wish I had my sitar with me but for some reason none of my powers are working for me and I can't summon it.

[He sighs, this is a very strange thing, like he's missing another part of himself.]

No, at this point I wish! Vexen could do that. If he were here...well he probably wouldn't turn the snow off anyway, he'd conduct an experiment or ten.

[pointnshoot]

[Magical powers not working sounds like another point in favor of dark magic in Bard's book. He very much doesn't like it. It's getting colder out here, too, and his fire smaller, so there's a little shifting sound as he puts another chunk of board in.]

I take it this Vexen is the scholarly sort?

[melodiouspacifist]

If you mean in the mad scientist kind of way, then yeah, scholarly. [He snorts a little.]

He was anyway, but he fell a long time ago. It's just that all this show makes me think of his power.