video;

[withermarked]

Type: Video
Sender ID: WitherMarked (Faulkner)
To: Public
Subject: Introductions, and a question
Warnings: trans healthcare/unaffordability thereof, mild references to mood swings/mental health issues, reference to history in a cult

[The video takes a moment to come into focus, before you see a young man wearing an awkward, lopsided grin as he seems satisfied with figuring out what buttons to push. He has soft features, freckles, and messy blond curls in a cut that looks suspiciously like a grown-out mullet. He looks friendly, if more than a bit stressed and sleep deprived. When he speaks he has a notable rural-American accent.]

Hey, folks. Name's Faulkner, and I'm new around here. As you can... probably see, I'm still getting used to all this electronic message business.

You sure we don't have to offer up a hosanna to the Wirebitten Child to keep using this stuff?

[There seems to be some sheepish humour there, leaning into how much he's not from around here, but some genuine confusion, too. He doesn't really believe people don't owe some kind of a higher power for their fancy tech.]

Anyway, I've got a question. Tried askin' uh, a friend here, but they didn't know. Does anyone here take... testosterone? Do you have that kind of treatment, here?

[More genuine uncertainty: there's both more and less technology than he's used to. Beyond being a little awkward, he doesn't seem concerned one way or the other about outing himself.]

It's weird enough getting used to a brand new world—could do without missin' my shot, too.

[A pause. He really would rather avoid that—his mood is shaky enough as it is.]

At least... if I'm gonna be able to afford it? I don't know how these things work, here. Haven't exactly gotten signed up for insurance.

[And he doesn't exactly have the Parish of Tide and Flesh here, with 'uncle' Mason and all his less than above-board deals with local doctors and pharmacies, taking care of the kids who joined the Trawler-man's faith in a way said kids couldn't find anywhere else.]

Comments

Video | un:refantasma

[refantasma]

You can buy testosterone?

[Nico is only vaguely aware of what testosterone is due to his limited schooling. Thanks to amnesia and not completing fourth grade. But he knows it's a hormone associated with male puberty.]

[withermarked]

Yeah. Well... where I'm from you can, at any rate. You can buy it from doctors and pharmacies, the good ones at least. It's easier in big cities, and it's not cheap.

[refantasma]

Why's it so expensive? Don't like, most men make it? Can't they like donate some?

[He looks thoughtful.]

I've only been here like two months, so I don't know if they sell it.

[withermarked]

[This gets a laugh, but not an unkind one.]

Wish it was that easy. Pretty sure they have to make mine out of plants or somethin'.

[Science is not his strong point. He gets a little more serious for the next comment, either way.]

But... it costs that much cause they can charge that much. Anything people need, they can charge whatever they damn well please.

[He gives a tired shrug. There's a lot of reasons he wanted to wipe the rich bastards who control that sort of thing off the face of the earth.]

text UN: 🖕nunya🖕

[telepathicignorance]

We're not friends, Dick.

(Obviously, this is the most important part of the post.)

[withermarked]

I was being polite. You really can't just use Faulkner?

[Because clearly that's the most important part of this conversation.]

text | un: astudyinviolet

[astudyinviolet]

I have not heard of that ingredient. However, there are numerous apothecaries and magical healer who might be able to provide something comparable.

If it is easier to understand, there is a text function which you can liken to passing notes.

[withermarked]

[There's something a little funny to him about knowing something other people don't. It's not like he his education went past highschool, and even then he spent most of his time skipping class. Then again, he supposes it's truly not a relevant fact for a lot of people.]

It's the male hormone. Well, everyone has some, but the one they've got more of. I guess I could try that, if it's safe.

[He's... wary of transformations that involve magic, because he's used to those being horrific.]

We've got this kind where I'm from, too. The text kind. Just never really took off where I grew up. The Saint Electric prefers radio, and she's the one we mostly rely on for everything out there.

[astudyinviolet]

[ What exactly is a "hormone"? Is this yet another thing that hasn't been discovered yet? Or perhaps it is called something else? At least he knows what a radio is; someone had explained that technology roughly around the time he first arrived a year ago. ]

Ah, so your world is further ahead in technological development even if you do not use it on a regular basis.

I've had some of my injuries healed by magical means with no ill effects. While it is strange at first, healing magic does have a certain convenience to it.

[withermarked]

We have healing magic, too. There's Pox Monks, who can take on your physical injuries from you.

[He was surprised when Chris hadn't heard of those.]

But magic that changes you is usually... different.

[It's so weird having to explain something that's such common knowledge where he's from.]

Where I'm from, that's when a God makes you a Saint. And Saints aren't much like people, anymore. It can be a blessing, of course, if you want it. But it's not for things like this.

[Of course, he's assuming Sherlock understood 'hormone,' or else this might be... a very confusing train of thought.]

[telepathicignorance]

You mean to tell me you named yourself that without intending to make that joke at every opportunity?

(Playing ignorant. They know he didn't.)

Besides, I already know multiple bird people.

(Making a joke about Faulkner now too. You will never escape.)

[withermarked]

I told you, people call me Rich. When they don't have the sense of humour of a twelve year old.

[Okay, he has to ask. Unfortunately.]

People who keep birds, or people who are birds?

[telepathicignorance]

Rich people suck too.

(And they're full of stupid jokes today, apparently.

Hilariously, after being gifted a necklace of blood rubies, multiple bounties, several robberies... they're actually kinda technically rich themself?

Though they'd probably argue that that proves their point if they thought about it.)

I did say I know a duck woman.

[withermarked]

I'll admit we agree on one thing.

[Look, he can't actually argue that. He started going off about capitalism bad further up on this very post, after all.]

I've been trying not to picture the duck woman.

Video; un:ohwowzers

[ohwowzers]

[Oh hey, someone with an accent not unlike his own. But there’s a few things in this message that Kieran’s kind of confused by.]

Uh… is that some kinda medicine?

[withermarked]

[There's something nice about that, if not about the rest. The amount of people who don't seem to know what he's talking about is not especially reassuring.]

Yeah, it's... it's some kinda medicine. For trans folks?

[Which isn't something he sees a problem explaining, but he's not entirely sure if he has to yet.]

[astudyinviolet]

[ Taking someone else's injuries upon themself sounds like the worst and most abusive way to do healing. Sherlock is glad to have yet to encounter such a manifestation of magic. ]

The healing magic I experienced accelerated the healing the body does naturally rather than a radical and lasting change. Once the magic was no longer in use, my ability to heal returned to normal.

No god was at play, and I am no god's saint.

Yet, I understand the desire for caution. You wish for something more medicinal with dosages you control, correct?

[withermarked]

I can tell you're no Saint.

[A sentence that would, you know, sound insulting in a lot of contexts. But the Faulkner is picturing definitely can't type. So... that's points towards trusting the 'magic' in this place, he supposes. Even if he's not convinced there aren't still higher powers at play.]

Yeah, that's the other side. You can mess yourself up if you get the doses wrong.

un: headhunt // text

[headhunt]

i'm not sure what it is that you're taking, but you'd best go to talk to the old harpy at under her wing.

you can find her in eltrut. she's got plenty of supplies and potions. knowledgeable too but strict. so pay attention to what she tells you. she's the kind of person you wanna be on good terms with.

but she'll have what you need or will help you get it.

[withermarked]

[And at this point he's just happy for a specific lead, even if it's magic!]

Thank you, guess I'll try my luck there.

[A pause, before he sends a second message. 'Harpy' conjures half-remembered local legends about the Dusk-Mother's Angels... but they can't mean something that monstrous. Right?]

Do you mean an old woman or... a bird woman?

[headhunt]

don't worry, she'll take care of you. you'd be surprised at what she's capable of.

hm! uh!
both probably.
she looks older.

[withermarked]

Guess I've still got a lot to get used to.

The only 'harpies' I ever heard folks talk about at home weren't the shop running type.

[More like the reasons not to keep playing in the woods all the time type.]

[headhunt]

( she cannot help but laugh. "guess i've still got a lot to get used to". )

do you ever! welcome to life on the back of these huge leviathans, newbie. we've got all types here. big, small, feathered, furred, scaled, horned, you name it. we've got it.

know it can be overwhelming if you're not used to it, but most people are friendly here. and they've got great stories to tell!

some like you'll never hear anywhere else.

[withermarked]

Overwhelming is right, but I'll try and take your word for it.

Can you tell me more about these leviathans? I keep hearing the name, but it's all been... well, like you say.

Back home we have Gods. And that's what we'd call something like this. Well, a God or the biggest Angel I ever heard of. But everyone keeps saying all these things are something else.

[headhunt]

( that makes sense to her. she could easily understand why someone would see them as gods. )

nothing so divine
they're just big animals! eltrut is a turtle, elah is a whale, and nogard is a dragon that's sometimes flesh or sometimes all bone.

most things are on eltrut. elah is for the paladins and nogard for the corsairs.

these guys are alive so you gotta keep that in mind. since we've got settlements on them, we make sure to keep them fed and clean. er, well, living on nogard is mostly about keeping it clean. i don't think it eats?

the turtle and whale are easy to feed, they like the same stuff as their smaller versions. eltrut really likes some crisp cabbage. nogard tends to beach itself on an island and turn itself into a skeleton. like some weird lazy cat.