(For Esquie and Verso)

[lost_and_foundry]

Barcus Wroot is not lonely. That would be absurd. If anything, he's surrounded by too many people, mostly gnomes, mostly deep gnomes, all of them clamoring for his attention and guidance and advice. He is the leader of a powerful laborer's guild, which is firmly in alliance with an equally powerful church, and he has the ear of Ravengard and all the other gentry. Not to mention their coin, any time he wants to undertake a project for them. Never in his life has demand for his attention been so high.

It feels so empty.

But maybe he's just tired. Burnout happens. He absolutely does not miss Wulbren. Good riddance.

Getting drunk, or even tipsy, is not his style, but he's skirting the line tonight, having had enough whiskey that his ears are ringing slightly. He's not so dazed he doesn't notice the strangeness of the two...men? Talking to the tavernkeeper. One is clearly human, but the other is bigger than an Orthon and the gnome gets distracted wondering how on earth they made it through the doors...

Comments

[amourpeint]

Esquie's likely doing the lion's share of making them seem like nice weirdos to be fair. And thankfully again, no one questions how he fit in the place as he was, by some strange happenstance managing to not knock anything over or into anyone no matter how distracted he seems by everything going on. Verso's more than willing however to be amicable and charming as they chat with Thulla. No need to make anyone's life difficult, and she seems to be looking out for Barcus.

They find one more rock in the city. Dorrie with their pink and orange inside just sitting pretty as one pleases in the fountain outside of a colorful pastry shop, which encourages them all to stop for a bit and have a snack- Verso and Barcus at least, while Esquie sits happily with them before declaring that he doesn't sense the others here. Verso is pleasantly surprised when Barcus agrees to venture out of the city to search with them, but then... Esquie is always strangely good at finding friends willing to go on adventures with him. He's definitely not displeased, though with a teasing smile he chalks it up to not wanting to have to go scare up a new guide.

This close to the city, there's not overmuch trouble to be found. Most bandits are more interested in the main roads where travelers and merchants are to be found, and the wildlife is somewhat intimidated by Esquie's size. Out farther in the wilderness proper that might change, but for now, as the sun sets on another day and Verso is busy getting a campfire lit, they're unbothered by anything more dangerous than an opossum trundling by the clearing they've claimed, babies clinging to her fur.

/pets the fictional possum

[lost_and_foundry]

It surprises Barcus how much enjoyment he gets out of just walking around the city with them. Seeing things with new eyes, happily pointing out projects the Ironhands have helped with recently, and trying not to allude too hard to the disaster with the Netherbrain and the cults. Not a good idea to scare off the tourists, but anyway, there are plenty of other people they can get that news from.

He compliments Dorrie's coloring as if praising a living animal for its bright eyes and glossy coat. He has some speculation about the geologic forces that might have formed her, too, and in fact ends up talking about parallels between baking and volcanic shaping of types of stone as they snack on pastries. Ridiculous nerd that he is, but these two don't seem to mind.

Barcus knows how to backpack, but after his goblin experience he always travels light. There is nothing specifically wrong with camping directly under the stars, or crawling into undergrowth or rock crevices, and this is more or less what he's come along anticipating. Except as they set up for the night, he looks over at Esquie and it occurs to him there is no undergrowth deep enough to shelter him.

"You know, I didn't think to bring a tent," he says slowly. "But then, I'm not sure they make any in the Gate that are sized quite right for you, Esquie. Are you going to be all right in the open?"

/fictional hissies for your trouble ma'am <3

[amourpeint]

Esquie is pleased by the compliments and assures Barcus that Dorrie is pleased as well- which she might very well be, as it's hard to tell what a rock is thinking for most. He does let the gnome get a proper look at her this time, letting him turn her over in his hands, examine the glowing sigil in her bowl, a thing that looks to be painted on, for all the dunk in the water had done nothing to make the marking fade or chip. Only once Barcus was done with his examination did Dorrie go to join Florrie as the conversation meandered on.

"I like to see the stars," Esquie hummed from where he'd plunked to sit, masked face turned up towards the sky. "They are different here!"

"I don't know that he actually sleeps, to be fair," Verso comments with a wry chuckle. "At least not that I've ever caught him at. He's managed to let himself into my tent a couple times when I bother with it."

A brief, considering moment. "I wasn't planning on pulling it out, but if you'd feel better for it I could."

He tended not to bother unless the weather was looking like it would turn, or they were staying in one place for longer. But if his companion would feel better for some canvas overhead while sleeping, it was hardly a large ask. Even if he didn't look to be carrying anything large enough to hold all the parts needed for a tent.

[lost_and_foundry]

"When I first came up from the Underdark, the sky terrified me," Barcus says. "Especially during the day. The night feels...a little friendlier. The stars are small and cool and distant."

He wanders over to sit next to Esquie, and even leans lightly against him, before thinking better of it and straightening. "Well, if that's what's comfortable for you, far be it from me to object. I just would hate for either of you to get cold."

He looks over at Verso, sheepish. "My plan was to creep under that little overhang in the rock just behind you." He points. "I didn't bring a tent. I travel as light as possible, in case I have to run and hide. Habit."

"But now I have to ask, are you saying you have a tent in your pack somewhere? It hardly looks big enough."

[amourpeint]

"The sky is big, and it can be scary. But nighttime is like a nice warm blanket to snuggle under." Esquie replied, certainly not minding that lean. He was big and comfy and absolutely designed to be perfect to rest against, for all Barcus was unaware.

"Not in my pack, no." Verso replied breezily as he finally was certain the fire would be alright without his monitoring for the moment, pushing easily to his feet. "As good an example of a Picto to start with as any, I'd think-"

A hand held out towards an empty patch of ground, and in the evening dim Barcus would spy how one of the glyphs painted on the rough-hewn armguard Verso was wearing glowed briefly as a wrapped bundle of tent gear shimmered into view in a swirling ripple of air, an identical glyph on one of the straps keeping the canvas rolled snug around the tent poles.

[lost_and_foundry]

Barcus considers explaining about how he never saw the sun until he came to the surface, and how bright it was at first...but somehow he doesn't feel like he needs to explain. Esquie isn't questioning his experiences or feelings, just acknowledging them and offering reassurance.

That's kind of nice.

Anyway, whatever Verso's doing is also equally interesting. At the mention of a Picto, the gnome perks up a little, rising again and coming to stand near Verso. "...That's lovely, but...is it storing something for you, or materializing it?"

[amourpeint]

Esquie wasn't one to question others in that way. Not when it wouldn't help anything. Barcus felt like he felt, and beside that he'd clearly adjusted to life on the surface.

"It's storage- one of the first things most people learn to do with them given it's pretty easy so long as you can copy a glyph twice, and is pretty practical no matter who you are." He comments as he's kneeling to undo the straps, passing the one with the Picto painted on it to the gnome so he could get a better look. "Obviously the more permanent the glyph the better it works, but a daub of mud on a finger in a pinch'll do at the bare minimum. Just got to be able to leave a mark."

[lost_and_foundry]

"That's so clever! There are bags and chests that can store nearly infinite amounts of things here, but they're not so...discerning." And they're also hard to find and insanely expensive.

He takes the strap and looks the glyph over with wide-eyed interest, tracing the shape with the pad of his thumb. "How did you learn to do this? Can it be done by anyone, or do you have to have a connection to the Weave?"

[amourpeint]

"It's... easier if you have a connection. You're working more on intuition then, you can do a bit more guesswork. For me, and for most others, there's a lot more science involved. Math and logic. Every angle and length of line has a purpose, and where you place it on a Picto adjusts what it does. So long as you're within the boundary of size, you can put as many lines as you can fit- and you can make pictos that work in tandem for more difficult projects."

Barcus might notice that edge of animation that slips into Verso's voice as he's explaining, a similar thing to his own interest in his own work.

"Holding pictos like this... this one is fairly simple. The lines here," He traces out the top part of the symbol. "Describe what it's main function is- holding, the general dimensions possible both minimum and maximum, if there's any specific needs like temperature. The lower half is that it also includes what the wrap is tied around. A box would be simpler, as it would be 'the box and it's contents' which is a bit easier to define. Or 'this rock I painted the picto on' would be all the simpler."

[lost_and_foundry]

Barcus perks up visibly at Math and Logic. If he were a cat or a fox you would see his ears perking and swiveling forward, but as a gnome they're not quite that mobile. Still, his eyes brighten and he wanders close to Verso, holding the strap out so he can make the visual comparison as Verso explains the part of the Picto. "So every part of the diagram means something? Do things like the angle of the lines make a difference?"

"It sounds similar to alchemical diagrams, although those are more like shorthand, they don't hold power in themselves. They're just a clean, rather sacred way to describe the processes. But I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this in practice before!"

[amourpeint]

"Aye, you've the right of it," The pique of interest was... it was charming, that was for sure. "Placement and angle carry information, as well as the boldness of the lines- you can see where the lower lines aren't quite as thick a stroke as the upper, which in this case allows the upper to be the main thrust of the thing. More emphasis is one of the simpler ways to establish priority in the rules you're laying in."

A soft, thoughtful hum as a hand went to his pocket, bringing out what looked to be a heavy stone disk, pictos carved into it, with a carefully cut crystal set in the middle- Barcus would know enough to see that it was cut to direct light, not so much for aesthetic sparkle, but more purposeful. Which would be explained as he traced a finger around the edge and the pictos light briefly before the gem lit as well, casting a little halo of light above, in which there hovered what looked to be a mess of lines at a variety of angles in the light bubble. "This is... well it's another storage picto for something else, but this is what they look like altogether. Looks a mess, right? But if you just do this..."

He holds it so it's at the gnome's eyeline, turning it in his hand, letting Barcus see the angle at which all of those disparate lines and angles came into alignment, looking quite like what Verso had shown him on the strap.

"Voilà, a picto! You don't need one of these things if you're just using pre-existing pictos- it's more for editing or creating them. But all of that is still there even if you're just daubing a shape on a bit of paper with a brush."

[lost_and_foundry]

The prospect of learning something utterly new is always going to put a spring in his step. Verso clearly has his full attention as he explains the pictos, and then takes the disk out of his pocket to show off. Immediately, the gnome has a dozen questions: what makes the light? What's the power source? Are the pictos themselves running this device? What kind of crystal--

But he holds his tongue for the moment, letting Verso explain. He looks like he wants to reach out and touch the light, but refrains, nodding his understanding. "Like a camera lucida. I've seen painters use similar devices for projecting images on paper or canvas."

"Verso, this is remarkable, it's like you're showing me a whole new world!"

[amourpeint]

"You can touch it," Verso encouraged, giving one of the lines a little push with a fingertip to demonstrate, which set the whole lit array rotating slowly on the base. "It feels a little like static to the touch. Not so much the jolt as just the hum."

And honestly, he'd be happy to explain, answer the questions he can see all but bubbling over in his new companion. That wonder in the face of something new was... helping perk him up a bit more too. No wonder Esquie had lost his rocks this time.

"Hmm... I suppose it is, isn't it? I'm just pleased it seems to excite your curiosity so."

[lost_and_foundry]

"As long as I'm not going to damage it," Barcus is delicate when he reaches out, testing the feel of the projection, then running a fingertip along the edge of the disk.

"I have so many questions they're all running into one another," he says with a laugh, and his hand drops to rest on Verso's forearm, with a warm, excited squeeze that he doesn't even realize he's giving him. "I'm afraid if you let me get started you're going to find out exactly how precise and pedantic a gnome can be when sharing information."

"We should probably have something to eat and drink while we talk it over, assuming you're willing to indulge me."

[amourpeint]

"Oh no, it's not editable without a little adjustment, it's quite safe to fiddle with right now."

The projection turns lazily when nudged, feeling like a faint warm tingle- as if Barcus' hand was moving from the cool shaded air behind a curtain to the warmth of mid-afternoon sun-warmed air. The feel was similar while tracing the disc. Verso smiled at the response, that laugh. Attention zeroing in on the feel of that light squeeze to his arm, though not visibly- he still smiled at Barcus, nodding his agreement.

But it did spark a pleased little curl in him, that little bit of affection.

"Tell you what. We can set up, get some food, and get ridiculously precise and pedantic with this little discussion, how's that sound?" Verso offered cheerfully. "It'll be like the time I almost shoved a research partner into a hay pile because he insisted that a point-two degree error on the angle of one of the lines he was editing was within tolerance, and could not possibly have caused the whole thing to fail."

It had not been within tolerance, Barcus. Not in the least.