[ The emphasis on doing a good deed… well, it makes G’raha hesitate. If it were truly a good deed, would Astarion need to work to convince him to do it?
Tilting his head, he gives Astarion a skeptical look. ]
Nab more than what they stole from you and I imagine we’ll have them right outside our campsite in a few days’ time.
[ Ugh—this is the annoying part about trying to manipulate someone intelligent. They always have some smart thing to say. Astarion rolls his eyes and waves his hand as if G'raha is being ridiculous. ]
That's only if they knew it was me. Any bandit could have liberated their coin from their pockets in the night.
[ Would they suspect him? Sure. But they wouldn't have any proof, save for G'raha's testimony that he did it. And G'raha wouldn't squeal on a teammate like that, would he...? Surely not, as long as the theft was pure-intentioned. ]
It's just that— [ He sighs, melodramatic. ] I'm so worried about dear Gale. At this rate, we won't have the coin to keep up with feeding him those artefacts he needs.
And as such, your sole solution is to be an invisible thief, poised to take from those intrepid adventurers. If my impression of this realm is as accurate as I suspect it is, they'll undoubtedly conclude that it was you.
[ The man they took from stealing back what was ripped from him, and then some. It's a tale as old as time, and something that happens frequently in G'raha's world and he's certain it happens just as often here. They won't care if they're right, choosing to abide by their grudges instead. ]
I daresay you would have more success taking on various tasks, such as dispatching unruly creatures or ridding the area of a threat.
[ Ideas that are essentially the exact opposite of what Astarion wants to do. While he isn't against petty revenge and getting back what was taken, the consequences worry him a lot more. If he can avoid a fight, G'raha would very much like to do that. Besides... how much more is Astarion planning on stealing?
The corners of his lips turn up into something mildly amused. ]
Or... we could explore ruins we happen upon. Mayhap we would find an artefact for Gale and coin to replace what you've lost.
[ G'raha (who my phone keeps autocorrecting to Graham so that's his name now) may be amused, but Astarion might as well look like a cat that's had its tail stepped on. Gods!!! Could he be any more of a killjoy? By the time those adventures realize what he's done, they'll be far away with coin burning holes in their pockets. There won't be any consequences to this action! ]
A ruin?
[ He sounds incredibly fucking dubious, eyebrow raised in distaste. ]
G’raha leans back on one hand, tilting his head at Astarion. He didn’t think Astarion would be particularly inclined to a foray in some ruins, but his distaste is… funny, honestly. ]
Indeed I do. In fact, my thesis was on ancient arcane magic.
[ It’s even worse than Astarion thought—he has a fantasy PhD in that sort of thing. ]
[ If he'd shown distaste for the ruins, the thesis is even worse. ...Then again, it could be useful to have a nerd knowledgeable in ancient magics on his side, so he schools his expression back to neutrality after a moment. ]
Of course it was, [ still sounds like he wants to roll his eyes, though. ]
—Regardless, it would be silly to wait until we stumble across a ruin. If we even will.
[ A beat, before he makes his eyes very round and innocent. ]
[ Can’t believe Astarion hates nerds… Anyway, G’raha’s eyes light up with amusement at the distaste. He was right, Astarion would dislike the fact that ruins are his main area of study. ]
You have a point that we should be more proactive. We are on a time limit when it comes to the matter of Gale’s condition.
[ Because, yes, he very much does care if he explodes, even if he doesn’t buy that innocent look in Astarion’s eyes. ]
That said… are you certain we could even manage to purchase a magical artifact? I wonder if the likelihood of finding ruins as opposed to a shopkeep is higher.
[ He knows he’s being difficult here, but still. ]
[ Graham Tia, sleep with one eye open. He is going to kill you. Astarion lets out the biggest, most exasperated sigh in the world, sounding not unlike a child about to throw a temper tantrum. (That's exactly what he is, in fact.) Then— ]
There's no time to argue, G'raha! Gale is dying now!!!
[ G’raha merely looks at him for a long, long, long moment.
And then, he stands, stretching his arms up in the air as his tail straightens with the movement. ]
My apologies, but I do believe I will need to refuse your request. I tend to stray from such things like thievery.
[ Unless it’s for a universally good cause, like saving the world.
But he moves towards his own little camp setup, putting his book away and arranging the items in his pack, including his short sword and staff. They’ll be set up here for a few days, so this does give him plenty of time… He looks up at Astarion. ]
However, I see no reason why I cannot simply win back the coin that was taken from you. [ A pause. ] For your sake and Gale’s.
He had known G'raha was a wet blanket, but he hadn't expected him to have a backbone. To say no. Astarion is about to get up and stomp off to try his luck convincing Gale, instead—with a lot more lies, now that he's learned from this obvious mistake—when G'raha suggests winning the coin back fair and square.
A laugh escapes him, high-pitched and mocking. ]
You? Oh, that's adorable. Have you ever even played Talis before?
[ That mocking laugh doesn’t seem to bother G’raha, simply rolling off of his shoulders as he continues to take his inventory. ]
I have not, but I simply need to learn the rules. Learning how to play should be relatively easy once I’ve accomplished that. Victory isn’t assured, but I like to believe I’m at least somewhat talented when it comes to playing games.
[ He tilts his head. ]
Should I be unsuccessful, I will go seek out ruins.
[ Astarion links his fingers in his lap, thoughtful. ]
Hmm.
[ Honestly, he doesn't believe that G'raha can learn to play well enough to beat some seasoned adventurers, not this quickly. Sure, he's intelligent, but he hasn't even seen a Talis deck before. At least, if his wacky story of being from another plane is to be believed. ]
...Should you be unsuccessful, you'll turn me invisible and I'll steal our coin [ and more, but he decides not to mention that now ] back.
[ He raises his eyebrows, expectant. ]
If you're so confident of your success, it shouldn't be a problem.
[ Yeah, he noticed that sidestep. But Astarion does like being the One Who Knows Things talking down to the One Who Doesn't Know Things, so he readily takes the spot of Talis teacher. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a deck handy, but G'raha's smart! He'll remember without the visual aid, surely. ]
There are four regular suits: flames, stones, waves, and winds. And then there's the trump suit. That's the major arcana.
[ Is G'raha keeping up? ]
There are quite a few games you can play with a Talis deck, but... mm. Perhaps poker might be your best bet.
[ An exasperated sigh. He'd thought G'raha only avoided deception due to some misguided ethical complaint, not because he was incapable of doing it well. Well, that's going to make any card game Astarion is good at far more challenging. ]
What is it, the ears? Maybe we could cover them up with a jaunty hat.
[ And at the mere mention of his tail, it flicks behind him a couple of times. ]
A hat would certainly help, though… I am not skilled at concealing my expression either. I have lied successfully in the past, but I fear something as trivial as a card game may prove, well… troubling.
[ Not that Astarion’s money is trivial or anything, but. You know. He can’t help that he’s earnest to a fault, something he’s never been able to grow out of. Even when he had to conceal his motivations in the past, it was a trial and a half.
He tilts his head, considering Astarion. ]
I should like to see what you have in mind in terms of headwear.
[ Well, he doesn't have something in mind, as such, but— he runs through a mental list of the party's accessories, then comes up with, ] Wyll had a rather dapper little hat.
[ One that was looted from a goblin corpse, but still! ]
And it's not like he needs it anymore now that he has those pesky horns.
[ Not that he'd care if Wyll did plan on using it, because his needs are far more urgent, but it does make it a bit easier to rid him of it if he isn't currently wearing it. Sure, it's Wyll's property, and perhaps he'd planned on selling it when they reached the next town, but... too bad! ]
[ A dapper little hat, huh. G’raha wonders how well that will pair with his own garb, but surely it won’t clash too terribly much. ]
Hm, I suppose not.
[ They’re not unlike Au Ra horns, now that he thinks about it. Are most hats here unsuitable for him now? Plenty of hats back home have room for horns and Miqo’te ears both.
Much to think about. Later.
He fixes Astarion with a look, an amused sort of sharpness in his eyes. ]
Will you nab it from his belongings while he’s distracted or kindly ask him?
( I'M SO SORRY i have no excuse except i got in a funk and scared to scroll down in my inbox... i'm still v enthusiastic about this thread but totally understand if you want to drop ❤️ )
Kindly?
[ Astarion actually laughs at that, a little shrill. It's his signature you just said something dumb laugh. A little mean for the sake of it, because G'raha is already irritating him with his stupid goody-goody principles. This would all be so much easier if he would just agree to help Astarion steal his money back! ]
Oh, and I thought you weren't funny!
[ A shake of his head. ]
'Asking nicely' won't get you anywhere in life, little kitty. Obviously, we're going to steal it.
[ A pause, and he sighs, exasperated. Right, G'raha is going to be a killjoy about this, too. ]
( honestly i totally understand because that's happened to me before. happy to continue, though! 💞 )
[ That laugh causes the corners of his lips to turn down into a frown. Rude!! He has thoughts about Astarion's little philosophy, and it shows in the way his brows furrow and his eyes seem to narrow slightly, but he doesn't voice it. Not right now.
He needs to focus on the game rules that are still settling in his mind, needs to tease them apart and put them back together into different strategies he could utilize.
So, he reaches down to fasten his pack, looking up at Astarion. ]
Is that an intent to return it? [ A flick of his tail. ] Borrow his hat while I finish gathering my things, will you?
[ Yes, he's leaving Astarion to be the sole one to blame if he gets caught here. ]
[ Astarion blatantly doesn't respond with whether he plans to return the hat. Who cares!! It's just a hat. He frowns at the semi-order G'raha gives after, scoffing. ]
Well. I'm borrowing it now because I want to.
[ Not because G'raha told him to! He stands, dusting off his trousers. ]
Do hurry. I'd like to have my coin back within the next few hours.
[ Not that he feels very confident about G'raha's ability to win it back by playing fair, but they'll cross that bridge when they get to it. Once they get there and G'raha sees how futile it is, surely he'll change his mind about the whole 'stealing is bad' thing. ]
[ That scoff gets G’raha to look up, and he has to bite back his amusement. He’s beginning to learn a little bit about the way Astarion works, he thinks.
It is, after all, pretty obvious that Astarion likes to get his way. G’raha doesn’t mind it, though. It’s amusing in its own way, even if this is the sort of personality he has the least amount of experience dealing with.
An adventure on its own, perhaps. An interpersonal adventure. ]
The trek towards that camp may take an hour on its own… a mere few hours’ time may not be enough.
[ But he could always amp up his walking speed if need be. ]
Even so, your coin will be back in your hands by morning, I assure you.
[ With most of his things assembled, he starts buckling up his pack. ]
All the same, Astarion slips away to take care of his own task: that is, stealing from Wyll. It's easy enough, because Wyll is far too trusting, and therefore doesn't even bother hiding his belongings. The hat is jaunty indeed; brown leather with a wide brim and a dapper little feather. He plops it on G'raha's head, right over those kitty ears. ]
Now you'll just need to control that tail.
[ He's noticed it's rather expressive, too. Sort of cute, honestly—if you find that sort of thing cute, which obviously he does not!!!—but unhelpful in this situation. ]
[ Oh. Astarion has taken care of the hat quite quickly and it's now resting upon his head. G'raha adjusts it, taking ahold of the brim and lifting it so that it rests above his eyes. ]
I would much rather not!
[ His tail sticks up rod-straight behind him, eyes widening with shock at the very thought.
... ]
Ahem. That is, sitting on it would be a danger, were it to slip out from underneath me. I can hide it well enough underneath my clothes.
[ It won't explain the cutout in his jacket for his tail, but... his pants are loose enough that all he needs to do is loosen his belt and shove his tail back in his pants. It creates an odd shape in the seat of his pants, but it's nothing he can't hide with his clothing anyway. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Tilting his head, he gives Astarion a skeptical look. ]
Nab more than what they stole from you and I imagine we’ll have them right outside our campsite in a few days’ time.
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That's only if they knew it was me. Any bandit could have liberated their coin from their pockets in the night.
[ Would they suspect him? Sure. But they wouldn't have any proof, save for G'raha's testimony that he did it. And G'raha wouldn't squeal on a teammate like that, would he...? Surely not, as long as the theft was pure-intentioned. ]
It's just that— [ He sighs, melodramatic. ] I'm so worried about dear Gale. At this rate, we won't have the coin to keep up with feeding him those artefacts he needs.
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[ The man they took from stealing back what was ripped from him, and then some. It's a tale as old as time, and something that happens frequently in G'raha's world and he's certain it happens just as often here. They won't care if they're right, choosing to abide by their grudges instead. ]
I daresay you would have more success taking on various tasks, such as dispatching unruly creatures or ridding the area of a threat.
[ Ideas that are essentially the exact opposite of what Astarion wants to do. While he isn't against petty revenge and getting back what was taken, the consequences worry him a lot more. If he can avoid a fight, G'raha would very much like to do that. Besides... how much more is Astarion planning on stealing?
The corners of his lips turn up into something mildly amused. ]
Or... we could explore ruins we happen upon. Mayhap we would find an artefact for Gale and coin to replace what you've lost.
[ You know. Since he's deeply worried for Gale. ]
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A ruin?
[ He sounds incredibly fucking dubious, eyebrow raised in distaste. ]
Sure, if you like musty, dusty, old things.
[ He pauses, then sighs at the realization: ]
Oh, gods. You do like those things, don't you.
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G’raha leans back on one hand, tilting his head at Astarion. He didn’t think Astarion would be particularly inclined to a foray in some ruins, but his distaste is… funny, honestly. ]
Indeed I do. In fact, my thesis was on ancient arcane magic.
[ It’s even worse than Astarion thought—he has a fantasy PhD in that sort of thing. ]
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Of course it was, [ still sounds like he wants to roll his eyes, though. ]
—Regardless, it would be silly to wait until we stumble across a ruin. If we even will.
[ A beat, before he makes his eyes very round and innocent. ]
Or don't you care if Gale explodes?
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You have a point that we should be more proactive. We are on a time limit when it comes to the matter of Gale’s condition.
[ Because, yes, he very much does care if he explodes, even if he doesn’t buy that innocent look in Astarion’s eyes. ]
That said… are you certain we could even manage to purchase a magical artifact? I wonder if the likelihood of finding ruins as opposed to a shopkeep is higher.
[ He knows he’s being difficult here, but still. ]
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There's no time to argue, G'raha! Gale is dying now!!!
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And then, he stands, stretching his arms up in the air as his tail straightens with the movement. ]
My apologies, but I do believe I will need to refuse your request. I tend to stray from such things like thievery.
[ Unless it’s for a universally good cause, like saving the world.
But he moves towards his own little camp setup, putting his book away and arranging the items in his pack, including his short sword and staff. They’ll be set up here for a few days, so this does give him plenty of time… He looks up at Astarion. ]
However, I see no reason why I cannot simply win back the coin that was taken from you. [ A pause. ] For your sake and Gale’s.
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He had known G'raha was a wet blanket, but he hadn't expected him to have a backbone. To say no. Astarion is about to get up and stomp off to try his luck convincing Gale, instead—with a lot more lies, now that he's learned from this obvious mistake—when G'raha suggests winning the coin back fair and square.
A laugh escapes him, high-pitched and mocking. ]
You? Oh, that's adorable. Have you ever even played Talis before?
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I have not, but I simply need to learn the rules. Learning how to play should be relatively easy once I’ve accomplished that. Victory isn’t assured, but I like to believe I’m at least somewhat talented when it comes to playing games.
[ He tilts his head. ]
Should I be unsuccessful, I will go seek out ruins.
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Hmm.
[ Honestly, he doesn't believe that G'raha can learn to play well enough to beat some seasoned adventurers, not this quickly. Sure, he's intelligent, but he hasn't even seen a Talis deck before. At least, if his wacky story of being from another plane is to be believed. ]
...Should you be unsuccessful, you'll turn me invisible and I'll steal our coin [ and more, but he decides not to mention that now ] back.
[ He raises his eyebrows, expectant. ]
If you're so confident of your success, it shouldn't be a problem.
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Well. He’d be a fool to back down now and to downplay his confidence. There’s a beat of silence. ]
Would you care to teach me the rules?
[ Yes, he’s avoiding giving a direct answer right now. He isn’t saying no… but he isn’t agreeing either. ]
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There are four regular suits: flames, stones, waves, and winds. And then there's the trump suit. That's the major arcana.
[ Is G'raha keeping up? ]
There are quite a few games you can play with a Talis deck, but... mm. Perhaps poker might be your best bet.
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Any reason you suggest poker specifically? I must confess I am quite easy to read, so any game involving obfuscation is difficult…
[ Remembering the rules? Not a problem. Pretending he doesn’t have a bad hand?
A huge issue. ]
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You can't lie?
[ An exasperated sigh. He'd thought G'raha only avoided deception due to some misguided ethical complaint, not because he was incapable of doing it well. Well, that's going to make any card game Astarion is good at far more challenging. ]
What is it, the ears? Maybe we could cover them up with a jaunty hat.
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[ And at the mere mention of his tail, it flicks behind him a couple of times. ]
A hat would certainly help, though… I am not skilled at concealing my expression either. I have lied successfully in the past, but I fear something as trivial as a card game may prove, well… troubling.
[ Not that Astarion’s money is trivial or anything, but. You know. He can’t help that he’s earnest to a fault, something he’s never been able to grow out of. Even when he had to conceal his motivations in the past, it was a trial and a half.
He tilts his head, considering Astarion. ]
I should like to see what you have in mind in terms of headwear.
no subject
[ One that was looted from a goblin corpse, but still! ]
And it's not like he needs it anymore now that he has those pesky horns.
[ Not that he'd care if Wyll did plan on using it, because his needs are far more urgent, but it does make it a bit easier to rid him of it if he isn't currently wearing it. Sure, it's Wyll's property, and perhaps he'd planned on selling it when they reached the next town, but... too bad! ]
Shall we liberate him of it?
no subject
Hm, I suppose not.
[ They’re not unlike Au Ra horns, now that he thinks about it. Are most hats here unsuitable for him now? Plenty of hats back home have room for horns and Miqo’te ears both.
Much to think about. Later.
He fixes Astarion with a look, an amused sort of sharpness in his eyes. ]
Will you nab it from his belongings while he’s distracted or kindly ask him?
no subject
Kindly?
[ Astarion actually laughs at that, a little shrill. It's his signature you just said something dumb laugh. A little mean for the sake of it, because G'raha is already irritating him with his stupid goody-goody principles. This would all be so much easier if he would just agree to help Astarion steal his money back! ]
Oh, and I thought you weren't funny!
[ A shake of his head. ]
'Asking nicely' won't get you anywhere in life, little kitty. Obviously, we're going to steal it.
[ A pause, and he sighs, exasperated. Right, G'raha is going to be a killjoy about this, too. ]
Ugh, I mean 'borrow without permission'.
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[ That laugh causes the corners of his lips to turn down into a frown. Rude!! He has thoughts about Astarion's little philosophy, and it shows in the way his brows furrow and his eyes seem to narrow slightly, but he doesn't voice it. Not right now.
He needs to focus on the game rules that are still settling in his mind, needs to tease them apart and put them back together into different strategies he could utilize.
So, he reaches down to fasten his pack, looking up at Astarion. ]
Is that an intent to return it? [ A flick of his tail. ] Borrow his hat while I finish gathering my things, will you?
[ Yes, he's leaving Astarion to be the sole one to blame if he gets caught here. ]
no subject
Well. I'm borrowing it now because I want to.
[ Not because G'raha told him to! He stands, dusting off his trousers. ]
Do hurry. I'd like to have my coin back within the next few hours.
[ Not that he feels very confident about G'raha's ability to win it back by playing fair, but they'll cross that bridge when they get to it. Once they get there and G'raha sees how futile it is, surely he'll change his mind about the whole 'stealing is bad' thing. ]
no subject
It is, after all, pretty obvious that Astarion likes to get his way. G’raha doesn’t mind it, though. It’s amusing in its own way, even if this is the sort of personality he has the least amount of experience dealing with.
An adventure on its own, perhaps. An interpersonal adventure. ]
The trek towards that camp may take an hour on its own… a mere few hours’ time may not be enough.
[ But he could always amp up his walking speed if need be. ]
Even so, your coin will be back in your hands by morning, I assure you.
[ With most of his things assembled, he starts buckling up his pack. ]
no subject
All the same, Astarion slips away to take care of his own task: that is, stealing from Wyll. It's easy enough, because Wyll is far too trusting, and therefore doesn't even bother hiding his belongings. The hat is jaunty indeed; brown leather with a wide brim and a dapper little feather. He plops it on G'raha's head, right over those kitty ears. ]
Now you'll just need to control that tail.
[ He's noticed it's rather expressive, too. Sort of cute, honestly—if you find that sort of thing cute, which obviously he does not!!!—but unhelpful in this situation. ]
Maybe you can just... sit on it.
no subject
I would much rather not!
[ His tail sticks up rod-straight behind him, eyes widening with shock at the very thought.
... ]
Ahem. That is, sitting on it would be a danger, were it to slip out from underneath me. I can hide it well enough underneath my clothes.
[ It won't explain the cutout in his jacket for his tail, but... his pants are loose enough that all he needs to do is loosen his belt and shove his tail back in his pants. It creates an odd shape in the seat of his pants, but it's nothing he can't hide with his clothing anyway. ]