video; not tech savvy

[weisshappened]

Type: Video
Sender ID: weishappened (Davrin)
To: Public
Subject: figuring out the shellphone
Warnings: possible Veilguard spoilers, please let me know if you'd prefer to avoid them and I will! None in the original post.

[The post is really... more a series of quick mini-videos. Remember Vine? A little like that. But with less purposeful comedy.]

[A video of streets in Eltrut, the person moving along, camera pointed down for a good while, until it swings up so the holder can peer into it. At his heel is a flurry of feathers before the video stops.]

[A couple of the shops - the bookstore, general goods shops. A man's voice can be heard speaking, asking after general supplies. Complete with a squawk in the background as the man's voice asks after a... Bestiary?]

[And finally, the inside of one of the stater apartments, filmed like the phone's owner has just come home. He's speaking to someone not visible, but there's a patter of feet that definitely don't belong to a biped.]

- I know, boy. I know. No convenient way back, far as I can see. [Something trills, avian-like.] We'll keep looking. But for now? Let's get settled.

[And thus, the phone is set down, on a low table. Showing further images of the man, and - and a big grey, griffon face peering into it intently.]

Assan.

[This tone of voice.]

Assan, do not -

[Too late. The griffon has grabbed the camera. Ironically ending the feed there, but not before the sound of a chase is heard.]

Comments

Voice | un: inherlight

[inherlight]

[A tingle of deja vu ran down Kolnatha's spine as a series of random accidental videos flashed across her still alien device. The memory of her first time trying to figure out how to operate it was fresh in her mind. She was about to flick on her own video fed to inform whom ever it was that they were live. However, right before she was able to work out how she did it before, an image of the strange man caused her to hesitate.

It wasn't a long glimpse but her sharp eyes honed in on his pointed ears. An.... elf? If he was also from Faerûn like her... she began to think twice about showing her face. She didn't want to jump scare the poor fellow with a sudden image of a drow on his screen.

But now she found herself watching the clips with an amused smirk on her face. Right up until some creature with a beak popped its little face into frame. There wasn't enough time to make out what the animal had been before chaos struck, darkening her screen. Though, it would appear the audio was still running.

The the midst of the clamber, a female voice emitted from the stranger's shellphone.]

Is everything alright? No body is hurt, are they? Sounds like quite the mess.

[Her tone was a mix of light-hearted and concern.]

[weisshappened]

[The voice is enough to startle Assan into dropping the phone. It bounces a couple times, before Davrin can grab it up again. Right. People uses these things like sending crystals.]

[Ugh... where's Bellara when you need her?]

No, we're fine. [The phone stays viewing the floor for a little while longer. Don't worry, he'll get it sorted out.] Just a little roughhousing. Nothing we can't...

[He trails off, turning it over so he can actually look into the camera. Behold the man's face in all its mildly confused glory.] Handle.

[Is the screen supposed to be this dark? Did Assan actually break it?]

[inherlight]

[Another soft chuckle hummed through the device. While the silence was filled with her quiet laughter, Koh took this opportunity to study the man's features in more detail. Now that the image was purposely angled towards his face, there was no mistaking those long finely tipped ears. Everything about them screamed 'elf' to her. Though she had been wrong before.

What drew her curiosity however were the marks on his skin. They mirrored her own down to the very placement. Though hers extended down the bridge of her nose and down the curves of her neck. Was it religious? There were a few faiths that came to mind. Perhaps a druid? He did have an animal companion after all... Hmm...

Still choosing to hold off on turning on her video, Koh spoke again.]

Sorry if I interrupted your playtime. I only wanted to inform you that you have been recording yourself while you were wandering around town. They are a bit tricky to handle if you're not used to them. [There was a soft snort.] Are... you alright? You look surprised.

[weisshappened]

[Davrin would be the first person to say he wasn't something like a druid. But that's for later. Not now.]

Don't worry. You didn't interrupt anything other than Assan getting a lecture. [The griffon trills, bobbing his head. Yes, he's very grateful about that.] He should know better by now than to go running around with magic whatsits.

[Assan's not allowed in Bellara's room for that reason.]

I'm just wondering if he damaged it. Don't the front parts light up? [The screen, he means the screen. And will absolutely tap it with a fingertip.] Because I... don't know how to fix this kind of thing.

Voice -> Video

[inherlight]

Awww, hopefully not a too stern lecture. How could you be mad at such a sweet face?

[It was no secret that the drow had a bit of a weak spot for animals, which was made evident at her cooing.]

The front of the device is dark? [Koh lets out a thoughtful hum.] That might have something to do with me. I think there is some sort of anti-scrying enchantment where the party can choose if they want to be seen or not. Right now, I am only using it to speak.

[There was a pause she chewed on her lip. Part of her was starting to feel guilty making him worry. He seemed nice enough, but what if his mood towards her soured after finding out what she was? Although, she did ran into two other people from Faerûn and they both had treated her with kindness. Maybe he would be as open minded...


Well, she was about to find out. I mean... the worst that could happen is that he severs their connection. After fumbling a bit with the controls, an image of a smiling woman flickered to life.]

There, is that better?

Video | id: fractales

[fractales]

[... Turo had not meant for this to be Video, but judging from the odd metallic creature with brightly glowing blue LED eyes? Bundle had meant for it to be, sitting there at the desk the shellphone was sat on while Turo was just out of frame-]

I hope you manage to get the device from your friend there. It seems they have quite the bit of energy.

[By the tone of voice? He's had to deal with the same thing far too many times.

One culprit very apparent.]

[weisshappened]

[The voice is enough to startle Assan intro dropping the phone. And the sudden appearance of the bright glowing eyes has him put his feathery hackles up, like a griffon-shaped Halloween cat.]

Easy, boy. It's the crystal.

[Phone. He'll pick the term up in a bit. For now it's a sending crystal. And Davrin is stepping over to calmly pick it u again...]

[... and pull his head back slightly, in surprise.] Hello...?

[fractales]

[Hm...? Ah-

Turo picked the shellphone up, patting the top of the odd metal creature's head as he did.] Than you, Iron Bundle. I shall take it from here.

[So there was a sort of brief apologetic smile from the face shown.]

Hello, and my apologies. I had not realized my friend here had turned the camera on as well.

[weisshappened]

Makes two of us.

[What. Is he looking at. It's not like anything he's ever seen before, which is saying something, given the way his life's gone lately.]

What kind of animal is that?

[fractales]

Iron Bundle- something also known as a Pokémon from my world. We have many species and Types, and a few of my own arrived here with me.

Part of my work back home is studying and caring for them.

[Another pat to Bundle's metallic head which- well.

Those sure were a series of happy dial-up noise beeps and trills from it.]

voice;; un: bountyfull

[bountyfull]

[ Oh. Vash huffs out a laugh almost immediately. It's clear, to him at least, what's happened here. It's kind of endearing? In that way that large animals are. Vash may not be familiar with what a griffon is, but it's close enough to a Thomas that he finds the antics immediately charming. ]

Uh oh. Hope you get it back! Looks like you've got your hands full, huh?

[ Who knows if his message will get heard or not. ]

[weisshappened]

[That gets Assan to drop the phone, in surprise. Squawking, then hopping around where he dropped it, before Davrin can scoop it up.]

Easy. It's just a voice. [A beat or two, while he determines where to speak into the thing...]

Sorry. He's a little wound up in a new place.

video | un: professor

[lecturer]

[ you know how during the pandemic everyones parents had to learn how to use zoom/facetime/etc and they held the phone at weird angles. that's cyrus at this moment because he is also not really that tech savvy yet and also ]

-- My word, is that a griffon?!

[ like REALLY excited ]

[weisshappened]

[SQUAWK says the griffon.]

Yeah - [Says the man, who has managed to grab said griffon's adorable head in his hands, stopping the frolicking.]

He definitely is.

[lecturer]

My goodness - and it is so friendly, as well! Your companion, I take it? I've read tale of griffons, but I've never once seen one live and in the flesh! Or, well, feathers, I should say. Hahaha.

[ the delight doesn't fade for a second, though he laughs at this wrangling... cute! ]

[weisshappened]

He's...

[And the hesitation. Around the others, it's one thing. Or yelling it in defiance. But a relative stranger? That just feels a little weird to announce you're a griffon's father.]

I'm his bodyguard. [NAILED IT.] Since he hatched, pretty much. Sometimes I think he likes people a little too much.

And shiny things.

[lecturer]

[ bodyguard............ ]

I see. [ well that kind of makes sense he'll take it ] It seems a griffon's not so different from a toddler.

[ said with a laugh. ] Is he young...?

» video | un: tilfrosset

[tilfrosset]

[On Jill's end of things, that flurry of feathers gets a response that's more of a ekekekekekeke than anything actually coherent. You see, a certain warrior cat knows a bird when she sees the feathers of one and Bluetooth is ready to call it into her mouth.

But the feed ends quickly and starts again elsewhere and before Jill can say much more, there's a quite a large beak staring at her and then some shenanigans are taking place to which she can only say:]

Uh... hello?

[weisshappened]

[SQUAWK says the griffon. One fluffy ear flops to the side, as he drops the phone, still peering at it.]

[Which just gives Davrin opportunity to pounce. And grab the device.]

- Got you!

[... Sorry Jill, all you can see for the moment is his hand, until he rights the phone.] Sorry about him. He's a little... too interested in shiny things.

[tilfrosset]

[With a long look at the bird's face, it's clear that Bluetooth won't be getting this prey in her tiny mouth anytime soon.

On the other hand, there's a large hound with an even bigger mouth that makes his way over and shoves his curious snoot under Jill's arm to give a little boof. Who are you, strange sir? And did you bring any snacks?]

Considering what he is, I'm not surprised. [She laughs softly and politely.] It seems griffons are no different than magpies.

[weisshappened]

[Oh?? Another friend?? Assan shoves his head forward too, blocking most of Davrin's own face. No, he has no snacks but he also likes snacks.]

I was hoping he'd be more eagle than magpie. [Finally, he juggles things around until both he and Assan can get a good look at the screen.] You look like you've got your hands full too.

video | sender id: netherese

[netherese]

[Gale takes great care to get out most of his laughter before turning his own video feed on. This man's efforts remind him a bit of his own earliest attempts at managing these shellphone devices, but fortunately for him, Tara had never grabbed it away from him in such a manner— she tended to ask for her turn quite politely, instead.]

Your feathered friend seems quite excitable and high-spirited! Is he a griffon, by chance?

[He doesn't look exactly like the griffons of Faerun, but certainly close enough, and he is younger. Perhaps he'll grow to appear more eagle-like.]

Welcome, by the way— if I'm not mistaken? You appear to be finding your way.

[weisshappened]

[Assan squawks. Shoving his beak at the camera again. Why yes, he is! He is a griffon! Are you a new friend?]

He is - Assan. Down. [Miraculously, he listens, and sits obediently as Davrin picks up the camera.] He's a griffon. A very young one. I'm hoping he mellows a bit in the future.

[That's a lie, he loves you, Assan.]

Thanks. And no, you're not mistaken. We just got here. Figured exploring, figuring out the lay of the land was a smart move.

[netherese]

[He chuckles warmly as Assan's beak clacks against the lens.]

Friendly little fellow, isn't he? I'm certain he will; we all mature with age, regardless of how many legs we may walk on. I imagine that he's rather excited to be somewhere new— he hardly has to think about the nuances of such a situation, unlike ourselves.

[There's a lot to take into consideration when one has been tugged through a rift and has to quite literally find their land legs shortly afterwards.]

There's certainly plenty to see, as far as exploring is concerned. I hope whichever armada welcomed you at least pointed you towards food and lodging? They're usually good about such things, but occasionally it gets lost in the shuffle. A port town never rests!

[weisshappened]

Very... very friendly. Surprised me - they're supposed to be aggressive, territorial. But you'd never know it, looking at him.

[The little booger in question has his head lolled to one side, beak gaping with his head bobbing. He's laughing.]

They did. Got lucky - one of these places had a balcony for him, and everything. We're all right. [While he's talking, Assan has held up a stick - which Davrin casually grabs the other end of, tugging absently.] They didn't give us much of an explanation, though.

[... Partly because he'd been shouting at them to release the griffon, but still.]