( video; ) un: aeacinos

[illusionistic]

[ So there's only so much training Aeacinos can do on his own, which is why you all get a video of a half human half snake man curled up and lounging near what appears to by the perimeter guard barracks. ]

Would anyone care for a spar? Weapons and magic are both acceptable to use. I feel myself restless without much to do in terms of fighting. It is strange to go so long without having a war to think about.

[ And his tail mimics his own thoughts on the matter, restless and...just impatient seeming. Though his expression turns thoughtful as he pauses to think on something. ]

Back at home I did not have many...hobbies either. So perhaps if you have any ideas on some that would be most appreciated. I am not sure what to really do to pass the time here. But fighting is always something that is enjoyable for me. I am curious to know what you all do to keep yourselves entertained here, if it is not too much trouble to speak of.

[ How many people is he going to get shit posted by...we just don't know. ]

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video; un: ragnar

[storradr]

I think we may have discussed sparring. Regardless, I am happy to, though I am merely human with no magic to speak of.

[A smirk. He hadn't taken offence to the comment. In fact, he knew Aeacinos was right. Compared to many of the people he'd sparred with here, he was 'just' a human. No super strength and, more importantly, no healing or super durability to speak of.]

Hunting beasts outside the fence is always a possibility as well if that is what you would prefer.

[illusionistic]

[ Oh another familiar face. Aeacinos will just smirk when Ragnar replies, tail swaying a little behind him in amusement. ]

Perhaps we could but it would not be fair for us to do so I don't think. [ He's without powers and a regular human he's not sure how much of a spar they could have? He doesn't want to hurt the other man of course, and he's never been very good at holding back either. But the other suggestion does pique his interest quite a bit. ]

A hunt? Now that is something we could do. [ His smirk turns into a fanged grin. ] The beasts in the wilds here are quite formidable, I would not mind doing so with you.

[storradr]

[Ragnar raised an eyebrow in tempered annoyance. Being deemed too weak to be a 'fair' opponent was a frustratingly common occurrence in this place. Something he'd never really had to deal with before. He tried not to let it wound his ego too severely but was a little bitter about agreeing to hunt.]

When would you like to go? This afternoon? Tomorrow?

This place will never complain about the beasts outside the fence being slain.

[illusionistic]

You are...disappointed that I will not fight you, yes? Your expression says as much. [ He'll let out a small huff as he crosses his arms over his chest. Sorry Ragnar. He means no offense but he knows that their strength is...world's apart and he rather not hurt the other by accident. ]

It is not that I do not wish to, given what you have told me of your people. But if were to do so...it would be challenging for myself to hold back that much. [ He can't exactly stop his inhuman strength after all. ]

I will give it some thought while we hunt. And as for that, tomorrow is fine. I have fought some of these creatures with your son before. Given you are his father I don't expect this hunt to any less enjoyable.

[storradr]

Only that you think I am too weak to fight you. [He waved as if trying to wave away the topic at hand. He understood why Aeacinos didn't want to spar but that didn't mean he had to like it. He definitely seemed keen to move on.]

Tomorrow then. We can leave in the morning.

[He paused, raising an eyebrow.] You have gone on a hunt with Ivar?

[illusionistic]

[ He would have continued to speak of it but it's clear that Ragnar did not wish to. He hadn't meant to insult the man however but perhaps that will have to be a discussion for another day. ]

That is fine. Shall we meet at the barracks then? [ Or by the wall whichever is easier. ]

It was more of a...relocation of beasts from beyond the wall. They were causing trouble in the farmlands and a group of us were sent to deal with them.

[storradr]

Relocation? You all just... moved them? And did not kill them? [He scratched his fingers through his beard, brow furrowing.] Why? Will they not just return? Or attack the perimeter in another spot?

[It seemed like a waste of time and effort when they could just eliminate them and be done with it.]

The barracks a little after dawn? [He agreed with a nod.]

[illusionistic]

It was not my choice. I was more towards killing the beasts myself. But they were more or less turned towards this approach after realizing they had cubs. [ He shrugs on his end. Not his problem, really. He was practically double their size and strength so they had posed little threat to him. He never understood the reasoning behind it. But he's glad Ragnar is in agreement. ] If that happens then I will help dispose of them, seeing as how I did not the first time.

[ He smiles and nods. ] After dawn then. I look forward to it.

~~action! (around dawn the next day!)~~

[storradr]

[Ragnar had plenty of axes and knives and he'd brought his shield, but he was a little bit late since he'd needed to swing by the barracks to grab a bow and a quiver full of arrows. As far as armor went, he was in his usual leather cuirass and bracers, minimalistic and simple.

He raised a hand in greeting when he spotted Aeacinos, honestly a little taken aback by how large the naga actually was. He'd known before, but he'd only seen him while half submerged in water. Seeing all of him was a bit of a shock, though he hid it well.]

Aeacinos. I hope this morning finds you well. [He gives him a friendly smirk.]

24 hours remaining

[illusionistic]

[ Meanwhile Aeacinos has just...brought himself and his halberd, which glows with an icy blue hue. His own armor is pretty much his scales since those are practically impenetrable by tooth or claw. He'll give a curt nod and flash a fanged grin back at the other. ]

It has. Any morning I get to go on a hunt cannot be that bad. I hope you're rested. We're going to go in deep towards the abandoned city. [ His tail will rise and undulate behind him as he flicks it in anticipation. ]

You have everything, correct? If so shall we be off?

Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go I wanna be sedated- wait...

[storradr]

You know that could be any morning you wished? [Ragnar threw a teasing smirk at the naga.] There is nothing keeping you from doing as much, if you wished to.

[He gestured towards the 'gates' with a nod, glad now that he'd thought to pack some basic rations and supplies. When people said 'hunting', he was never sure whether that meant actual hunting or if it meant 'going outside the quarantine to fuck shit up for a few hours'. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that they might actually be hunting.]

Have you been there before? [He meant the abandoned city that Aeacinos had mentioned, asking while strolling through the gates of the fence and out into the wilds.]

that brings me back to the old days tbh

[illusionistic]

[ Aeacinos snorts as he shakes his head, hair falling over his shoulder as he does so. ]

True but it is not as fun when it is done alone.

[ He'll follow suit shortly afterwards tail trailing behind him. ]

Yes but it was not to hunt and more to help...carry things for a man named Tony Stark. He had needed assistance is transporting large machine parts. It was easier than hunting, especially in my other form.

[ But transforming into his other form isn't as fun to hunt in. He could literally take on anything beyond the wall but this form gave him more of a challenge, sort of. ]

hehe yus

[storradr]

Carry things? [Things? How cryptic.] To the ruins? Or from them?

[He can't help but wonder what the person Aeacinos had helped was doing.]

Your other form? [He knew Aeacinos could take on a completely human form and idly wondered if that was the one he was speaking of, though he wasn't sure why being human versus being naga would make any difference when it came to simply carrying things.]

[illusionistic]

To them. He is apparently trying to restore electricity to the abandoned city. I was there to help carry some of the heavier objects he needed transported there.

[ But he'll look back at Ragnar as he continues forward an amused smirk touching his lips. ]

A giant snake. Perhaps you will get to see it today, if we run into anything particularly dangerous.

[storradr]

... What? Why... would he start with electricity? [Finally, he just shook his head, sighing.] Sometimes this place confuses me. Maybe if I was from a world similar to this one, I would understand why someone would go through all that effort before basic defences.

[He nodded casually as if being able to turn into a giant snake wasn't all that strange. Honestly, there were plenty of tales of gods and heroes who could transform into mighty beasts so the idea wasn't completely farfetched to him.]

Ah. Then I can see why you did not take such a form to help carry things. [He snickered softly.]

[illusionistic]

Electricity is an important element for any civilization in this day and age to have. Even my own world has it all over, it is convenient and it might not look impressive but it can prove to be a basic defense as well.

[ He smirks as he crosses his arms over his chest, moving along the ground with a practiced ease despite the long tail trailing behind him. ]

It is a form I only use in drastic and dire cases. But in this case I could not lift was what expected of me in this form. [ He shrugs there and then. ]

As long as there is room for me to move it is no use.

[storradr]

I am not arguing that it is important. I have seen how much this place relies on it.... Mm... 'runs' on it, is probably a better way to say it, yes?

If it is common in your world, then you will know better than I, but would you focus on that before all else if you were trying to reclaim the ruins of a city overrun by dangerous beasts?

[He honestly wanted to know, sounding more than open to Aeacinos' answer.]

[illusionistic]

Not without repairing walls in the process. Focusing entirely on something like that is of little consequence when it comes to keeping beasts at bay. Unless there are things like electric fences already in place to stop the creatures.

[ He'll pause idly as he looks around, listening for anything before they continue on. ]

Erecting walls would be for the best in terms of this place.

[storradr]

Then we are in agreement.

[Ragnar slowed as well when Aeacinos paused to look for any signs of their prey. He'd been keeping an eye out as well, tracks, droppings, marks on trees that might indicate an animal claiming its territory, but he hadn't seen anything yet.

He waited to continue speaking until it seemed as though Aeacinos was done listening for their quarry.]

Do your people hunt very much?

[illusionistic]

Yes it is a bit of a sport back home. But it is also treated seriously when we do it during wartime or training.

[ Nothing yet but he could smell something different in the air as they moved closer towards the abandoned city. He'll look over his shoulder back at Ragnar. ]

Yours do as well, I take it? Given your preparedness I cannot imagine they you do not.

[storradr]

Sport? [His brow furrowed slightly.] Do you still... eat it? And skin it?

Well... yes, we do, but most of our food is from fishing and farming. It is still possible to survive by hunting though.

[Ragnar continued strolling along as he spoke, thinking of home and prodding the undergrowth and trees here or there with the butt of his axe whenever he wanted to get a better look at anything.]

[illusionistic]

Of course some of us do. I enjoy a hard caught meal. But us not having to eat makes many of my fellow comrades discard them. [ Of course not having to eat because of what they were makes sense. But Aeacinos finds it a waste honestly. ]

It's a good way to live. Instills discipline, patience it's not just for surviving, which is why I take my men on frequent hunts back home.

[storradr]

You do not have to eat at all? Ever? [Ragnar remembered the story Aeacinos had told him about his peoples' creation, how they came to be, but not having to eat was still a surprise.] And what about using the animals' hides or bones?

[Ragnar nodded, then paused as he brushed aside some ferns and found a muddy spot, half of a track pressed into it.]

I agree. It does instill patience. [He'd lowered his voice and motioned at Aeacinos to get his attention and point out the print. A predator of some sort by the look of it. Whatever it was it had claws. He scanned the surrounding trees, looking for rub or scratch marks on any of them.]

[illusionistic]

That is correct. We do not but just as in sex it was a gift given to us regardless. We may choose to act on it or not and some of us do enjoy to indulge ourselves from time to time. [ he states with an amused little smirk touching his lips. ]

Mm nothing is wasted. We use those for jewelry and other things as well. But with the technology in my world it's hardly useful as weaponry anymore. Hundreds of years ago we used such things...but now it is different.

[ It's telling how old Aeacinos is by the way he so casually says hundreds of years ago.

But he does pause when Ragnar motions his attention towards the print. There's a sharp smile as he looks up through the trees, spotting the claw marks on one deeper in where the trail of prints leads towards. ]

It is close. [ His voice is barely above a whisper as he moves further into the trees. ]

[storradr]

[Ragnar shrugged a little.] Well, then you are not hunting for nothing. It seems a waste to kill if you do not plan to use the animal.

Unless it is a predator. One ready to attack you or your livestock. Like the beasts out here.

[Ragnar didn't actually assume that Aeacinos had lived for hundreds of years, rather that he had knowledge of the way his people had lived hundreds of years ago.

He looked from the print to Aeacinos, smirking as well, and gave him a nod. He slid his bow off his shoulder and pulled an arrow out of his quiver, laying it loosely over his bow as he silently crept forward.]