riverviewlogs | [april catch-all]

[ Just about anything can be a weapon around here, but Jim approaches this under the assumption that the guy isn't planning on attacking him. Otherwise he probably would have done that already.

He raises an eyebrow at the greeting, smiling faintly in amusement. Some fantasy world, alright. ] Good. I'd hate getting jumped on before I even do anything. [ Not that he's going to do anything, but still. ]

Nice to meet you too. I'm Jim, by the way.

I mean, I can only speak for myself, but if you're planning something I'd definitely prefer you get jumped beforehand.

[But he's obviously not very worried that Jim is actually going to do anything.]

Taako, it's a pleasure. You with the perimeter guard or just taking a stroll?

[A stroll, in the potentially monster infested forest.]

[ Jim grins and chuckles at that, ducking his head a little. ] Fair enough.

[ But no, he's not going to do anything. He hasn't had a reason to draw out the dagger Loki lent him yet and he'll consider himself lucky if he can keep it that way for as long as he's out here. ]

Perimeter guard— surveyor. And you? I don't remember seeing you around.

[ Doesn't seem like a very friendly place for a stroll, but hey sure, why not. Jim would definitely do it, if he weren't part of the guard. ]

Just visiting a friend.

[His grin is a little playful, making it clear that he's joking even if it's not exactly one that makes sense, especially when he makes a sweeping gesture towards.... the river.

Wizards are weird.]

[ Jim actually makes his way over to the river and peers inside, almost expecting to find some little creature hiding underneath the surface. Takes him a moment for it to click in his head. ]

... you mean the river. [ Well he doesn't know about wizards —plural—, but this one at least is. ]

Spirit of the river, if you wanna technical.

[Witch if they're getting extra technical, but he's realising that "spirit" tends to go over a bit more smoothly.]

Decided to try this whole offering thing, not my usual wheelhouse, magic wise, but it's not gonna hurt.

[He thinks.]

Right, then. Excuse the semantic slip.

[ One or the other, though, it all goes a little over Jim's head. Not that he's unwilling to accept that magic might be real in other worlds and universes, but it doesn't exist in his, so. ]

Well, you never know. Even as a spirit, I wouldn't like getting whacked in the head by an offering.

I'll let it slide.

[The words are teasing rather than genuine; he's gotten used to people who have no clue about magic, and he's starting to let go of the annoyance about it.

No point getting snippy at people just because their world works differently.]

I'm not just throwing shit in there, my dude! The hard part is making sure it's not gonna end up garbage.

[So: things that can be broken down or eaten.]

[ Jim's not so intolerant and dispassionate that he can't believe in magic. He's always been a follower of science, but that's in his own world, not a place where he gets to meet gods and witches and all kinds of people with amazing powers and abilities that science alone can't possibly explain. Not his science, anyway.

The same way he doesn't talk magic down or mocks anyone who has lived with that concept or belief their whole lives, he appreciates not being judged or mistreated for what is the truth in his own life; what has been the truth for him since the moment he was born.

He can still believe in miracles. And magic, yes— a dash of it. ]

Degradable stuff. Very conscientious of you. [ He teases a bit. ] I'm afraid I don't have much to offer, myself. Your friend will just have to let it slide this one time.

I mean, there is always blood, everyone's got that. [Taako looks serious for all of two seconds before he grins.] Nah, I'm fucking with you, I'm just here cause she did me a favor, figured I should make sure we're even.

[Sometimes that's important with spirits, before they decide that they're owed something.]

Mm, yeah, I'm not overly inclined to share that. [ He's not crazy. Nor a Klingon. Thank you very much.

He raises an eyebrow, curious at the last bit of information. ] What did she do for you?

Answered some questions, maybe helped me out with a tricky spell. Hard to say how much was her and how much was me being my usual awesome self, so I'm covering my bases.

[He's so full of it.]

Sure. Better safe than sorry.

[ Well not like Jim knows enough about magic (more like nothing) to know one way or the other. Doesn't sound entirely legit, but at least he takes one thing away from all that. ]

So you can do magic or something?

Or something.

[Taako clicks his fingers and casts prestidigitation, creating a shower of sparks. It's the easiest spell he knows, but it tends to get the point across.]

Lemme guess, you're from Earth and there's no magic?

[Jim looks human, so he's drawing some conclusions.]

[ Yep, it definitely gets the point across. Although after what he's seen in this place so far, it doesn't draw much of a shocked reaction out of him, just a hint of surprise and awe. It's still pretty amazing to him that magic really does exist. ]

Two for two. I mean, there's no magic that I know of at least, but it's a big universe. One can never know for sure.

[ But yes, he's more science-oriented, even if he does keep an open mind. ]

I'm gonna go on a limb here and say you've only heard of Earth since you got here?

[Wait until he turns into a dinosaur.]

A-yup, I'm from a planet called Toril, not that I've seen a whole lot of it outside of Faerûn, unless you count a couple peeks into the astral plane.

[He gives the explanation without prompting, since most people tend to ask once they determine he's not from Earth or a variant of it.]

[ Okay, that would be seriously awesome. ]

Can't say I've ever heard of it. Sorry. [ He does appreciate being told, though, since he would have definitely asked. ] I'm headed to the abandoned city— thought I'd take a look around. Want to come with? I'd like to hear more about your world, if you feel like sharing.

It's cool, my dude, no one has.

[Mostly it doesn't bother him; sometimes it gets a bit lonely, but "lonely" is a well-worn jacket, for him.]

And hell yeah, I'll come for a poke around, maybe there's some cool shit to loot. [Taako no.] You just gotta tell me something at least a little bit cool about Earth in return, so far it sounds boring as hell.

[Clark is cool because he's an alien from Earth, and that's about it.]

[ Um, Taako yes? What do you think Jim's gonna do if he finds some sweet piece of tech or an old relic, just leave it there? Yeah, no. Also he's pretty sure bringing back anything relevant is also part of his job. ]

Alright, well— my Earth has tens of different alien species living there, these days. We don't have currency— major difference from here. We've got these machines that can just materialize whatever it is we need or want. Does that count?

[ Kind of hard for him to know what counts as cool for Taako, as he has very little idea of what kind of world he comes from. ]

[Taako grabs the umbra staff from its spot on the branch, hefts his pack back onto his shoulders and starts forward, assuming Jim will keep up.

As for whether that counts as cool, alien species actually gets a little fist pump from him.]

Yes! Thank god, finally somewhere with a little fucking variety. What are the aliens like? Can they do cool shit?

[ Jim's already stepping after Taako once he grabs his staff, shifting his own backpack so it sits comfortably and he can move fast and unhindered. ]

Well, some aliens can do cool shit. Then again, so can some humans. Or do you mean, like— powers and the sort?

Liiike do they have eyes in weird places or, uh, hm. [Give him a second to consider this, because "aliens" aren't really a big trope in Fearun's literature but he's watched some sci-fi in Riverview.] Wait, shit, have you met any with tentacles?

[ :DDDDD ]

[ Jim has to snort and laugh at that, shaking his head a little. ]

Yes, actually. But they weren't exactly humanoid so I'm not sure if that counts. [ He looks thoughtful for a moment. ] I have met some with antennae, though. Oh, and cat ears. There was also this pair of twins with really, really nimble tails... [ Jim, focus. ]

[It totally counts, though he wonders if maybe when he casts his tentacle spell it's summoning them from some alien planet. That'd be awkward.

The tails makes him laugh, though.]

If any dragonborn or tieflings show up I'll have to introduce you, they've got the whole tail thing going on.

[ Yep, talk about weird. For what it's worth Jim hasn't ever heard of tentacle species vanishing into thin air or getting swept up by some interdimensional portal, so there's that. ]

Oh, really? Well, they sure sound interesting, at least. [ Not that he has some tail kink. Or does he. ] Hopefully they're as friendly as the Caitian twins. [ Well okay, maybe not as friendly. ]

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