exsilium | video; dated to about an hour after everyone returns

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video; dated to about an hour after everyone returns

[Koltira just doesn't know what happened. One minute he was sitting down, taking a break, peeling an apple--and then, suddenly, abruptly, he was here. He had not even heard someone mutter a spell, though he could see Merriel practicing on the lawns just beyond the temple's terrace. Perhaps something had gone astray. Something had definitely gone awry.

He's in some kind of woods, that much is clear, but he has no sense of them as he does in Quel'thalas. The trees feel foreign, damaged, sick. The dark sky roils with clouds, and the wind is a sharp, cold bite on his neck. He takes a few steps in one direction, then a few in another, and then he finally notices the other Koltira's tablet--blinking and murmuring on the ground. Koltira picks it up, presses some buttons.

The video eventually clicks on. The face it shows the network is familiar, but still markedly different than what anyone might remember of Koltira Deathweaver. His skin is healthy, sanguine tone; fair and free of cracks. An easy smile (albeit somewhat bemused) marks his handsome features, and while his eyes are still blue, they lack the cold fire of undeath. This is the blue of summer morning, warm and inviting.

His armor is something else, too. The video shows part of it--it's polished plate, pale blue and worked with ornate gold filigree. He has a broadsword strapped to his back, and the jeweled hilt mimics a stylized set of phoenix wings. A far cry from the dreadplate, from the ominous Byfrost.

When he speaks, his voice is friendly and smooth, lacking any of the guttural scratch it suffered from in undeath. Because, of course, this is Koltira before all of that.]

I have to say, this is the strangest scrying device I've ever seen. If it even is that; I suppose I could very well be talking to myself. But it does seem like something is transmitting.

[he shrugs. Well, anyway.]

If anyone can hear me on this, could you let me know? My name is Koltira, by the way. I'm usually guarding the temple An'owyn, but I think my friend Merriel may have tried a teleportation spell on me and gotten it a bit wrong.

[He beams, winningly.]

I'm sure it will all sort itself out eventually! But, in the meantime, I need to find my way out of these dreadful woods. Any help would be most appreciated.

[ooc: PRETEND HIS EYES ARE BLUE in these icons ...

ALSO LIZ TOLD ME TO POST THIS. SO I DID.]

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[Cheerfully.] Not quite yet! I know the forests of Quel'thalas like my own hand, but there's a different character here entirely. Still, if I know one thing about trees, it's that they do eventually end.

keep heading eastwards if you're looking for the city proper. one of the cities. There's another if you head northeast. only ruins if you go in just about any other direction.

Understood! Might I know the name of my mysterious benefactor?

barian

[ IMMEDIATELY AFTER ]

bariyan. sorry.

[He moves as he responds, heading in the direction that Bariyan specified. Although he doesn't have his unholy speed as a living man, he's still an elf, and he still knows how to navigate wilderness quickly. It's not long before the city comes into sight.]

You should let me thank you for your help, Bariyan! I'm sure there are taverns in this city, yes?

[ If Bariyan weren't drunk, he would be absolutely not ready for that and turn it down as politely as possible.

But as things stand, he's drunk, the refrigerator is empty, and he finished his last bottle approximately ten minutes ago. And... he wants, a little bit, to see this new Koltira in-person. ]

yes. i'll take you up on that. tell me when you reach the city proper and i'll come find you

[Koltira has been to human cities before, but he's certainly never seen anything like this. He wanders the streets in a daze for a while before he attempts to message Bariyan again.]

I ... I found it! By Anasterian, I found it.

[Having realized that this tablet transmits images as well as sound, etc., he holds it up to show the specific area--somewhere near to the Hold building, in fact.]

[ Well, that's much closer than Bariyan expected -- someone's evidently taken it upon himself to wander a bit first. Not that Bariyan can blame him. ]

on my way.

[ It takes him ten, fifteen minutes to show up. He stops at a distance -- he stops as soon as he turns the corner and sees Koltira, in fact. The man's not hard to miss. But seeing him like this is... almost horrific, actually.

WHATEVER, BARIYAN. Can't back out now!! ]

Koltira?

[He tries to clear some of the bemused wonder from his expression when he turns to greet Bariyan, but it's not easy. This place is just too strange, too amazing.]

Hello, friend! Good to put a face to the text!

[He trots over, his silvery blond hair streaming in the wind, and eagerly extends a hand for shaking.]

[ sir please get your hair under control

Bariyan stares at the hand -- then back at Koltira again -- yes, the very much obviously alive Koltira. Nevertheless, he takes Koltira's hand and shakes. Very briefly. Hoping that Koltira won't notice or question the clamminess. ]

Hello. It's good to meet you too, Koltira.

[ is it?? Unaware of what his own face is doing, Bariyan smiles, sadly. ]

[Koltira's got a strong grip--though it lacks the unnatural strength of his undead incarnation--and he shakes Bariyan vigorously for as long as he's allowed. He doesn't miss the strangely cool temperature of Bariyan's body, or the line of stitches around his throat, but hey. This is clearly a new world, with new kinds of people in it. And he doesn't reek of Scourge, so his broad, easy smile stays right in place.

In fact, he claps an arm around Bariyan's shoulders.]

So! Where are we off to?

[ Bariyan winces at the arm slung so casually around him, his shoulders tensing, his eyes flickering towards Koltira's hand as he grimaces. ]

Well-- [ Bariyan starts walking, while trying to shrug Koltira off as gently as possible. ] There's only a few places open as early as this-- here. There's a bar by the clinic that's mostly transports, anyway. I'll take you there.

[Koltira squeezes Bariyan's shoulder. Come on, bro, be a bro.]

Ah, I suppose it is light out yet. Well then, lead the way!

[And only after that pronouncement does he let go.]

[ GUHHHH he can't feel it but he can see it and

and that's kind of nice he guesses. It's nice that Koltira's so happy and oblivious....

Still, Bariyan's shoulders sag in relief when Koltira withdraws. Yeah, he's definitely not drunk enough for this yet. ]

So... what do you know about this place, so far?

Not much! It's full of humans, though, that much is clear. [He's perfectly cheerful about this, given that he's from a time when his own people were still allied--albeit somewhat loosely--with the human kingdoms.] And ... a number of people have asked me about my memories. But they never tell me what I'm meant to remember.

There was someone much like you here before. I mean... [ frown. how to put this delicately. ] He likely was you. He shared your name.

[ The clinic's not too far and, therefore, neither is the bar. They get there quickly. ]

But-- I wouldn't worry about it, not yet. [ He looks up at Koltira as he holds the door open. ] That sort of thing has happened here before.

Has it? This must be a more wondrous place than I first surmised. [He goes in, looking 'round for a good place to sit. He speaks absently as he searches.] I hope the other-me comported himself well enough.

Very well. [ All things considered. ] Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[ He instead steers Koltira straight for the far end of the bar, and waves to the bartender, holding two fingers up. He's been here often enough -- without getting into trouble -- that he's established himself as a regular now. ]

[Now he's wondering why they would, but the prospect of trying this world's alcohol distracts him. He leans forward against the bar counter, eagerly, and offers a winning smile to the bartender.]

I'd love to try anything this one recommends. [He jabs his thumb at Bariyan.]

Already there. [ Koltira's barely finished his sentence before the bartender's back with two glasses. It's whatever beer's on tap tonight -- what Bariyan usually starts off with. Before he goes on to straight vodka.

Bariyan swings himself into a seat and pulls his glass to him. But he doesn't drink, not yet, his eyes still on Koltira. That smile. Damn. Bariyan doesn't think he's ever seen Koltira smile like that. ]

I can't say I have many recommendations, though-- I stick to the same thing. And it's boring.

[Koltira shrugs.]

Well, sometimes it's best to go with what works, eh?

[He lifts his glass, as though in toast, and drinks. It's not a delicate sip, but it's nowhere near the bottoms-up gulp that his other self usually takes.]

Hmm ... not bad. [He swirls the liquid around a little, grinning.] Earthy.

[ oh GOD this one can taste and everything

Bariyan would be drinking at the speed of goddamn light, but he's taking it slow instead -- busy staring blankly at Koltira over the top of his glass.

Eventually he sets his glass down, shaking his head. ]

I guess I should introduce myself properly. [ He laughs. ] Sorry. Like I said, I knew you before, when the other you was here. We were good friends. [ He thinks they were. He'd like to say so, anyway. ] I understand if that's strange for you....

I'm glad I had friends here, at least. [His tone is just as friendly as ever, but he's still not entirely sure he believes anything that's going on right now. If he was here before, that suggests that Merriel's misguided spell is not to blame for his current predicament--which means it would also be impossible for her to rescue him. Not something he's ready to entertain.

Still, Bariyan's been kind to him so far, and he appreciates that. He winks.]

Especially a friend who's willing to buy me a drink.

[ What is he supposed to make of that wink?? Or any of this? So different from the Koltira he knows, entirely too different; Bariyan doesn't know how to compose himself.

He just stares back, and then hurriedly picks up his glass again. ]

Not a problem.

So... is there anything you want to ask? Or anything that you need? [ speaking of: Bariyan waves the bartender back, pushing his now-empty glass across the counter for a refill. ] I've been here a while, so I should be able to help with most anything you'd want.

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video; dated to about an hour after everyone returns

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