shellphones | video; not tech savvy

Entry tags:

video; not tech savvy

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.]

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[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.

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?

The guy who's got to return everything he steals. He like shiny things.

[And bones. Which is kind of a problem when you have a necromancy professor around.]

Yeah. Someone said it shows the person on the other end. That's what I've seen, too. [He'd been looking at the network a bit.] Ahhh... that makes sense then. Glad I don't have to find someone to fix it right when I get here.

[Hey, if someone just wants to talk, that's fine. Not a big deal. He'd honestly just worried it was broken.]

[Then the video kicks on and he... blinks. She looks? Like a qunari? But in an elf's body. Is that what happens when you've got one parent of each? Huh. Either way, his reaction is a bit of a confused expression, before he wipes it away.]

Yeah. I see you loud and clear. [Haha he's funny.] Nice putting a face to a voice.

You would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't like things that have a little sparkle. But you still got to teach good manners.

[The grin on her face widens slightly, feeling a bit relieved that their connection was suddenly cut off. Was that a hint of confusion she saw flicking behind his eyes for a moment? Confusion she could work with. Koh chalked it up to him not expecting to see a friendly drow staring back at him.

But Gods help her, that corny joke got a hardy snort out of her.]

Oh? I didn't realize what I was wearing was that offensive to the eyes. [The drow teased back. ~~Loud... bold... You get, right? Ha. She got jokes too.~~] Allow me to complete the image. I am Kolnatha Shavval. But no one uses my full name unless I'm in trouble. Simply Koh is fine. I may not be able to help fix your magical device if it brakes, but if you are ever in need of a healing hand, I am at your service.

[She raised one of her hands in view to wiggle her fingers for emphasis.]

We're doing our best. Teaching, I mean. He's still just a baby.

[Why does it feel like he's had this conversation before. But with Emmerich.]

Hah. I've seen a lot worse. I've seen the Lords Of Fortune. [Okay some of that was eye candy. He has to admit it. He's just a man, not a spirit of chastity.] That's not a Dalish name. [It doesn't come out as anything accusatory, just an observation. He doesn't know enough about Qunari names except for Taash to comment on that part, though.] You mind if I ask where you're from?

Davrin. Not a drop of magic, but if you need a darkspawn killed or a monster hunted, I'm your man.

[Lords of Fortune? Dalish? Darkspawn? Those where not words she was familiar with. Since fleeing the Underdark, Koh had been a lavish reader of historical and religious texts, but not once had she come across those topics. So now it was her turn to blind back confusion.]

That would be because 'Kolnatha' is a drowish name. [The little gears in her mind began to turn.] You're not from Faerûn, are you?

[Click. Everything suddenly fell into place. The odd look he gave her wasn't because she was a drow, she must has just looked strange to him if he was not familiar with her kind. Which was probably for the best, actually... All that worry over nothing. Koh lets out a heavy sigh, shaking her head at her own foolishness.]

No, of course you're not. Apologies, I made a snap decision thinking that you were. Please tell me at least I got the elf part right.

Edited 2025-01-12 01:58 (UTC)

Drowish? [Now they're on similar ground. Confusing each other! That's definitely not something familiar to him.] No. Never heard of it.

[But... fortunately, someone had given him a crash course in "different worlds". So it starts adding up. That must be her world. Like Thedas is his and Assan's. He shakes his head, though.]

Nothing to apologize for. Made a similar mistake when we first showed up here. [Then a chuckle.] Now that part, I can't deny even if I tried. Guilty.

I am belong to a race known as drow. It's akin to... [Koh hesitates, trying to find the simplest terms to explain without delving into the messy origins of her people.]... an elf? Like same tree, but two very different branches. I won't bore you with a history lesson for it is long and sorted.

[That is, unless he wanted to sit there and listen to her prattle on for hours. Koh was showing him mercy to save himself from her tendency to chatter.]

So I at least got something right. You look just like the elves back home. [The drow expression brightens, giving him a small bow of her head.] Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Davrin. Where is home for you?

You uh. I'll be honest, I thought you were qunari when I saw you. The hair and skin tone - they're really similar.

[Also said without a trace of heat or irritation. He doesn't have a problem with the big horned people, more often than not. The Antaam were a whole other thing. But in general? Not a bad bunch.]

[Taash's blunt questions aside.]

But if I don't know 'drow', I'm guessing you don't know 'qunari'. [He inclines his head back.] Home is - complicated. A lot of places and nowhere. You?

[What with Weishauppt being... what it is now.]

The 'qunari'? That's a pretty sounding name. You much tell me more about them later, if you would indulge my curiosity.

[His answer to her question got another chuckle out of her. Not even a month ago she had told a wizard the exact same line he just gave her.]

I couldn't have said it better myself. Home for me is everywhere, yet no where. Don't tell me that you are also branded as a traitor of your people and can never step foot back 'home' without fear of death too?

I don't know how many people would consider them "pretty". Nothing against the ones I know, but as a whole, they've got a nasty reputation for taking over cities and other countries. By force.

[RIP Treviso.]

Hah, no. Nothing that dramatic. Sorry - I'm a Grey Warden. We live on the move, a lot of the time. [It's fine though, he's used to it.] That sounds like a hell of a story on your end.

I see.... [Koh squirms a little.] Your qunari sound a bit like my people, if I'm being honest. My kin doesn't have a 'glowing' reputation either. Not that I would blame anyone for having such a low opinion upon my Sisters or myself.

[You know, centuries of her kind raiding the Surface to steal and enslave people tends to leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth.]

A Grey Warden? Is that like a mercenary of sorts? You mentioned you were a fighter, correct? [There was a small pause as she chuckled to herself, shaking her hand with a wave of her hand.] Sorry, that sounds more dramatic than it actually is. If you grew up in drow society, you would understand why I fled.

They're complicated, from what I understand. Which, I admit, isn't much. Worked with one though - they were an expert on dragons, so no complaints there. [Plus Taash was a great workout partner.] "Sisters" as in... blood relation or organization?

[He chuckles a bit.]

No, not mercenary. Warriors, soldiers, I'd say. An order created to protect the rest of Thedas from the Blight - from darkspawn. [Which is a long explanation in itself.] It's fine. I've heard of, and met, plenty of people who needed to get away from bad situations.

I feel that in every society that there is a darker side, some more well hidden that others. [A little snort.] Oh Gods, no. Not by blood. My people are a matriarchal culture and we commonly refer to eachother as 'Sisters'. The men however, there is no kind term for them. They are seen as second class citizens and are treated like pawns.

[Momentarily sadness clouded her eyes as if remembering something. However the look was quickly blinked away as she lifted her glaze.]

Thedas... I assume that's your 'Faerûn'. By name alone, this blight doesn't sound pleasant. Being a soldier to protect the less fortunate is a very noble cause. You must have some interesting tales of your travels. [That soft look returned to her face, bowing her head slightly.] To make a long story short, I never saw eye-to-eye with what I was taught growung up. They.... took something from me and staying alive was the best course of action. If showing compassion makes me a traitor to my kind, then so be it.

[Well that's. Different. But he's got to be diplomatic here-] I can't say I've heard of anything like that in Thedas. Closest is probably the Chantry, but that's... religion. Guess it's pretty matriarchal but, I'm not a follower.

[He's pretty agnostic, all things considered. And when your peoples' gods decide to end the world, that turns out to be a pretty damn good thing.]

Yeah, I'd say so. And it's not. It's messy, rotten, and thankless work. But all Wardens know that, going in. [And they're the shield, the weapon, against the dark, all the same.] As far as reasons to be a 'traitor' go... there's definitely worse ones out there. For what it's worth.

I'm glad you don't have something like that where you are from. It all rather nasty business. Religion also runs deep with my people. Even if you don't 'worship' the Spider Queen, you are expected to be loyal to her will. She is the reason why drow society the way that it is. I have no love for her.

[Raising her head back up, she offered him a kind smile.]

All the more worthwhile in doing it, in my opinion. If not for the sacrifices of brave people like your order, then where would be the rest of us?

Sounds like a nightmare. Guess it's a good thing you ended up here, then? Where random elves think you're qunari.

[He's pretty funny. Or at least, trying to lighten the mood a bit, after that information.]

[But, then...]

Blighted, turned to darkspawn, or dead, if they were lucky. [Then Davrin has to go and be all blunt.]

[A light chuckle accompanied by a faint grin.]

Being mistaken for a qunari is much preferable than the truth. This place does have its benefits. No one looks at me as of I might stab first and ask questions later if it suits me. Though.... I have been living on the Surface for fifteen years now, so it's not that bad. If you don't mind the stares, that is.

[She didn't need to understand what he was talking about to hear the serious tone in his voice.]

I'm sorry.... that sound truly awful. I wish that there is something I could do. I'm an adventurer of sorts too.

Stares? Not a lot of elves here, I take it? [He hasn't seen any. Nor dwarves, either. But maybe they live in some kind of shell cavern or something. On the other hand, surface dwarves are a thing. Like...] Dwarves, either, from what I've seen.

[Ah, right. Maybe too blunt.]

We Wardens knew what we signed up for. All of us. Nothing to apologize or help - and that's fine.

Adventuring, though. That's better than fine.

You are the first real elf I've met here. [The first man she saw with pointed ears did not that the mistaken identity kindly...] But I meant back home, in Faerûn. Drow are rarely seen above ground. Let alone one walking about in broad daylight. It's strange being in a place where I don't get stared at as much. I chalk it up to more interesting things to look at.

[She offers a slight shrug of her shoulders. Even with her travels both deep beneath the earth and above, this place hold wonders she has never seen.]

Still... I wish that I could. I think it's a worthy cause that I would fight for.

I say adventurer since it's the easiest way to describe what I do. You see... I am a cleric of Eilistraee. She is the daughter of Lolth, the Spider Queen. Unlike her mother, she is a kind and gentle goddess who seeks to set the drow free. Apart of my faith teaches us to spread joy and freedom amongst all races in order to refordge bridges that the drow have burnt so they we my return to the Surface. So when I hear about people suffering.... I cannot help but to feel obligated to lend a hand.

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video; not tech savvy

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