Video | Un: Lockwood

[recklessenough]

[OOC: Hey guys, please read this note before responding to this post!

I talked with Ruxi about this, and we're going to try something different here.

Rather than waiting until we finished the thread between the Lumberjack and Lockwood for me to post up the highlights of the conversation, I'm going to put up a network post while Lockwood is still with the Lumberjack.

This is because, while he may insist he's the smartest in the room, Lockwood is feeling out of his depth with all this talk of Time and Magic and he's thinking that maybe someone more experienced with these things, or just this world in general, knows what questions should be asked.

So he's asking for help while he's still ICly with the Lumberjack, rather than trying to make assumptions and hope for the best after the fact.

A few housekeeping details that Ruxi asked me to pass along.

1. The Lumberjack may respond directly on some of these threads, but it will be selective and very brief because he's incredibly shy.

2. After July 15 there will be NO responses from the Lumberjack.

If anyone has any OOC questions, please feel free to hit me up via PM! ]




[ Lockwood was in way over his head and the sinking feeling in his stomach told him as much.

He hated being out of his depth. Hated having to admit that he didn't have all the answers, wasn't the smartest in the room. It was always a blow to his considerable ego and left him feeling sulky for days. That said, ego or no ego, he had at least matured to the point where he could recognize when he was floundering and needed assistance.

This? Was one of those times.

The more 'Jack' talked, the more Lockwood could see the pieces of the puzzle being laid out on the board. He just couldn't see how they all fitted together.

Magic. Obviously

Time manipulation. Well ... that creepy woman Hatisse had said on the network that the ladies of the lake were amateurs. That they needed more significant sources of power, or abilities to perform the feats they were claiming as their own. 'Jack' seemed to fit that bill.

But there were still pieces missing and Lockwood had hit a wall in terms of what he could bluff through in regards to his inexperience with this world and the struggles of the group to this point.

He needed help. He needed help, and perhaps even help that could also help 'Jack'. Speaking calmly to the skittish man, Lockwood spooled up his device. Ensuring that 'Jack' would stay where he stood, the younger man took a step away and as soon as the device began recording, spoke. ]

Hello, everybody.

I understand we're all busy, quite busy but I am hoping that there might be someone available who can help me unwind a bit of a knotty problem. The Lumberjack that some of you might have heard Wrath and Wei Wuxian mention, uh ... back when we were in the future, well I've found him here in the flesh and blood.

He's just as shy, innocent and well honestly quite submissive as his writings suggested. I'm having a bit of a hard time drawing answers out of him, but I have managed to suss out that he is linked, somehow to the way this village is moving back and forth through time.

That his magic is maybe being harnessed some how, maybe? I don't know, I don't know enough about magic, but I remember what Hatisse said about the ladies of the lake needing someone to help with Time.

He was headed into the forest when we met. I've brought him back out of the forest, I didn't want the Huntress to come across him, but he's scared to go back to the village. He keeps saying they'll hurt him there. [ Lockwood glances off towards where the man is standing, arms wrapped around himself and the youth's normally sharp expression softens. ]

He says that there is a curse, and that they are "running in time." I'm not sure what other questions I should ask him, or what I should do with him. Does anyone have any thoughts? Should I let him go back into the forest?

Comments

[aprescoup]

But... but they say it's — it's the way. It's the only way. They say it so.

[inferus]

( Wrath briefly considers leaning into that, stating that the ritual has already happened and they were bought time for their group to arrive, but he thinks it might be too much for this young man to wrap his head around. He doesn't know that the group fully understood what they were doing with buying more time, and he has not lived it. Instead Wrath decides to lean heavily into his role here. ) That is because they did not know, they did not even ask me. Can you believe that? Who am I? The Curse Breaker. I can break this curse from the Huntress by removing her magic anchors in the forest, and the dead will stop. I have powers far greater than theirs.

[aprescoup]

( A long, protracted pause, then hesitantly: )

You... you do? ( Then hastily: ) I know you're... I've heard you're... a curse breaker, but... you wouldn't. You wouldn't lie. You must... it must be that... you do?

( A sliver of hope, then. ) I'll... tell them. I'll tell them.

[inferus]

I have no reason to lie about this. I want the village saved as well. ( That much is true - the father of lies has no reason to lie in this particular case. Lies are more effective when they are not overused as it is. Being a curse breaker is his given role (as ironic as that may be), and his priorities are to both stop the Huntress and prevent the moon from being wielded. If they cannot be convinced, there are many other ways to disrupt their ritual - his wife and he intend to see to it. )

If it would be helpful, I can accompany you to tell them and outline the plan.

[aprescoup]

...no. I'll - I'll speak. Speak to them. I'll tell them. The Curse Breaker, I'll... I will. And I'll take you, if they... want to see you.

[inferus]

Thank you. Please, do let me know if they wish to speak to me directly.