[video, backdated to earlier in the month, from un:whitewolf]

[northerndragon]

[Somehow, Jon looks even worse than he did in Alem: pale, maybe even a touch greenish, his lips pressed together firmly. Back then, everyone looked terrible, underwashed and underfed and tired. Now, he's clean, but it's clear that something disagrees with him.

After a moment, he spits out his question.]

Is this a normal way to travel where you all come from?

[Perhaps it is only his sense of balance that has been under siege in recent days. Anyway, he's asking the important questions.]

Comments

@taken for granite | video

[rumorate]

[Oh no, poor Jon Snow, motion sick in a world without Dramamine. Allison's face is sympathetic as she responds.]

It can be? Most people drive cars which are much much smaller versions of this that don't need a track and can only hold a handful of people. Are you feeling nauseous?

[Maybe the bar has some ginger ale. She'll go ask while waiting for him to answer.]

[northerndragon]

A little. [Plenty!]

Do the cars lurch about like this does?

[Well, it's more of a small shift than a lurch, but it's constant, isn't it?]

[rumorate]

What car are you in? I'll bring you some ginger ale.

[For a start. She has other tricks but she has to find him first.]

And actually this is pretty smooth. I've been on ones that have been way worse than this.

[northerndragon]

Worse?

[That's a bleak prospect.]

We're in first class. I could use a glass of ale.

---> action

[rumorate]

Be right there.

[She takes the glass of ginger ale and slips through the cabins until she finds Jon. She offers him a small smile before handing over the glass.]

It's not ale-ale, but the bubbles and ginger will help settle your stomach a bit.

[Then she'll take in how he's sitting. Is he near a window? Is he facing the direction the train is going? She knows the lurching is a big part of the problem, but sometimes the little tricks can help your brain.]

[downswing]

Some partake of large carriages.

The crippled, the sick.

[northerndragon]

Aye, we have litters and wheelhouses, but they're not like this. Not like a kettle boiling on a hearth. Anyway, I've ridden ahorse since I was a boy.

[downswing]

You require a healer's touch.

oh hey pretend that last one was text

[northerndragon]

I require solid ground or a horse under me. A ship, failing that.

But aye, a healer's touch might do. Better than nothing.

[downswing]

Ginseng. Strong salts. Perhaps stench of drink.

[northerndragon]

What's ginseng?

[downswing]

Root. Healing.

You are still against motion. Align.

[nachocheese]

[Ignores Jon's question entirely in favor of one of his own.]

You okay, man?

['Cause buddy, you ain't lookin' so hot.]

[northerndragon]

[Even if he hadn't picked up by now that "okay" means something like "all right," the way it's said makes the meaning clear.]

Aye. No. I'll be all right in the end.

[He always is, isn't he?]

When we're on solid ground again. Maybe before, if the gods are good.

[nachocheese]

[ So. Another one of those old timey people. Probably not used to this kind of thing. They had horses and shit back then, right? This train shit must be as weird for him as the existence of magic (!) and dragons (!!) and gods (!!!) have been for Nacho.

Jon seems smart enough to understand him from context, though, so Nacho feels no need to change his manner of speech, at least for now. Which is good, because he also doesn't want to. ]

Motion sick, huh? I have some weed if you want.

[ Anticipating that this guy probably has never heard of "weed" before, he clarifies before he can be asked. ]

"Weed" is... like a medicine where I'm from. Sometimes it helps people with this kind of thing.

@jensenackles

[cholesterol]

( it feels like this is real high fantasy larping, and were Dean not so existential about it, he'd like it a lot more. )

Long distances, across cities, and bodies of water. Not through whatever's out there.

( some kind of dreamscape? )

[northerndragon]

Don't think any of us have traveled through much like whatever is out there.

Sailors get used to the sea. In truth, I'm no sailor, but I've never had much trouble finding my sea legs. But this train --

[A dismayed little shrug.]

Don't know why I'm not managing yet.

[cholesterol]

Could it be the sleep deprivation?

( He just assumes most of their party isn't sleeping. But, the train ride isn't bumpy and it's not choppy waves. It's pretty consistent. )

How'd you travel where you're from?

[northerndragon]

I don't think that it is.

I am used to riding on a journey. A horse. My lady rides a dragon; no one else does. Some might ride in a wheelhouse or a wagon or a litter, or you might take to the river or the sea in a barge or a boat.

The only train is a train of wagons on the road.

[cholesterol]

Did you say, dragon?

( Seriously? He'll get back to the train of wagons. Or a litter (kittens? no. cats?) later. )

video — un: starburst.

[valeas]

( Jon has already been asked of his nausea, and by several people at that. But she does privately wonder if she has the herbal ingredients to make a remedy of sorts. Something that will last longer, as they're nowhere close to arriving at their destination. )

It was on its way to becoming so. They've kept adding miles of railway throughout the continent as iron replaced wood, but I'd never been on one myself. Certainly nothing like this.

( At least... she does not think. It's difficult to trust her memory, these days. )

It's a bit dizzying, isn't it?

[northerndragon]

Aye, dizzying.

[His expression is briefly helpless, but he musters a facade of nauseated normalcy a moment later.]

They replace the roads with it? With iron?

[valeas]

The track along which the train runs, more specifically. Steel is preferable, particularly for the weight it can carry, but more expensive. I believe that was the next step. ( Improving the quality of steel and reducing its cost.

She decides to make the next part of her missive private, in case he might appreciate it. )

If you've need for an herbal remedy, I believe I could help.

private

[thebrideoffire]

I would rather have my Silver.

[northerndragon]

I don't doubt it.

I'm outside, in the corridor. Didn't want to wake you. People are bringing things that they hope will ease the journey.

un: cat's cradle; video;

[wantshappiness]

It's pretty common where I'm from. Anyone travelling between cities usually will take the bullet train and you can get almost anywhere in the cities by taking the subway.

[She can tell though, that this seems to be a case of motion sickness.]

It's usually a smoother ride than this one though.

voice; un: owllady

[traaaaaash]

Uh, no. Saw it in some human movies, though.

... you good there?