Hazy Shade of Winter

[tyrants_son]

WHO: Lord Felwinter and others
WHERE: Around Temba
WHAT: The warlord keeps busy.
WHEN: Mid to late January
WARNINGS: TBA
NOTES: Will match pose format



The Forge (for Tony)
It was not without some resignation that the warlord made his way towards the edge of the city where the man Tony Stark had laid claim to the local forge. But with such a specific need, one could not be picky, and the man did decent work so far as he could tell. The snowmen out front were however another story.

The trio of shapes seemed haphazardly packed together from the pink snow, heads listing to the side, barely balanced but somehow still remaining in their places. Twigs, rocks and leaves made up the barest of details. Felwinter regarded these strange snow beings that stood sentry not far from the mostly hidden path winding off towards Tony's domain, his Ghost giving a shrug as she floated beside him.

They continued onwards, listening for the telltale sounds that would verify whether Tony was present and at work or not, although Felspring would be able to detect any presences soon enough.


Security Station (Open)
Given how rare it appeared anyone else ventured to the station and its adjacent tower, the snow coating the road out front was hardly traversed, and depending on the most recent snowfall, bore perhaps only one set of fresh tracks.

It wasn't as though the warlord made it well-known where he had chosen to shelter, but he did not expect to receive any guests either- not that it was an easy feat considering the elevator to the topmost floor where he dwelled was non-functional. Despite Wanda's suggestions, he had only gone so far as to fix up one of the offices just below as a more privately enclosed space to rest, although he still hadn't bothered with a bed. He felt better with a wall at his back.

One might catch him coming or going from the station, usually early or later in the day.


Diner (Open)
This wasn't a place Felwinter tended to frequent. It however seemed an ideal place as any to stockpile firewood should anyone need it, and since he was unfamiliar with the methods of how people cooked here, he might also think that they were restricted to cookfires as those back home. There was a neat stack of wood set up just outside the door, and some stacked within against a wall where it wouldn't be in anyone's way.

If one didn't come across the warlord as he carried a fresh load on his back as he returned from the woods, then they might find him piling the logs outside or within.

Comments

for ME??

[in_extremis]

The snowmen were not doing a good enough job keeping security around this place tight. People had been wandering in far too often, Tony was beginning to expect them, and this had to change. The most common culprit, Catra, wasn't even herself anymore, invaded by a parasite prone to cutting the limbs from Tony's friends and due for a whole system reboot before Tony could let her help herself to his stuff anymore. Especially with the Iron Man functioning, a weapon ready to be abused, and not behind nearly enough locks.

While Tony was unaware of his important first line of defence, the one set up to follow was the curious, spidery D.A.T.A. unit, picking its way through the snow on its spindly legs and abruptly stopping when it spotted movement, lowering itself into the pink powder to rigidly watch. It would be far too fantastical to think that it tracked Felspring's effortless flight with a sense of longing. The next layer of armor was supposed to be the door, though for the moment it was a glaring weak point as there didn't seem to be a door in the side of the building at all, just an open arch with on broken hinge swinging noisily with the chilled breeze. The door that definitely had been there at some point was laid in the roughly mounded snowbank nearby, looking battered and clearly not having been removed with patient care. More like the heel of a boot.

What Tony intended to put between the forge and the elements was not clear, as he approached this open passage at the D.A.T.A. unit's prompting with what looked like a long, weighted stick in his hand that came to about his shoulder as he propped it on its end and cocked his head at this unexpected visitor. He rarely saw Felwinter around town, never mind trudging all the way out here. "There's not much past here," he warned, voice carrying easily with the sound around them dampened by the snow. "Just the mine, and I don't know if anyone's been down there since it got cold. Probably shouldn't go on your own."

[tyrants_son]

The door had it been in place and properly secured wouldn't have done much to keep Felwinter out if he'd had to put an arm to it. Regardless, it was an effort that wouldn't be wasted for lack of presence, and so the warlord met the forge master without further hindrance.

He stopped at Felspring's internal alert, looking towards the doorway until movement soon revealed Tony Stark. He wasn't sure what the man intended with the stick although it put Felwinter instantly on his guard. When Tony had said his piece, he gave an up-tip of his helmeted head.

"I have no business in the mine," he stated. "My business is with you."

[in_extremis]

That might have been the next most likely explanation for Felwinter's appearance, but it still felt hard to believe, making Tony glance over his shoulder like there could be anyone else in a 10 mile radius that Felwinter was talking about, then looking to the Ghost hopefully for some explanation. "Very ominous, sweetheart, I must admit, bravo," he said, reflecting some of that tense energy back at Felwinter now. While Tony couldn't immediately think of what he might have done to get his ass kicked by Felwinter in particular, he had no doubt that it was something and Felwinter didn't need much of an excuse.

[tyrants_son]

The warlord let the silence again well up between them, hanging there to soak in the awkwardness for just a beat longer than might be comfortable before he strode forward. Felspring offered nothing by way of explanation, drafting after Felwinter. Certainly it did nothing to dissipate the ominous intensity that the warlord tended to carry himself with, although there was perhaps just the slightest bit of...well, perhaps it might be amusement. He wasn't well acquainted with such emotions to really pin them down.

Brushing past Tony as though taking the man's words as an invitation, he stepped right through the gaping entryway, taking a look around. Someone order a workplace inspection?

[in_extremis]

It wasn't entirely Tony's fault that he didn't expect this social visit. It was just fundamentally difficult to be fast friends with someone who would stare at him like that and didn't seem at all interested in a companionable greeting that really could have gone a long way to making Tony feel more secure in his ass integrity. Tony did attempt to be the one to break the silence, a beat too late trying, "Uh, so--..." just as Felwinter started to come at him, and he tensed up again, stepping aside to let the maybe-Exo by with his chin tucked to his chest and the stick he carried skipping along the floor where he dragged it.

"That'll be the consultation fee to start with, then," he said, apparently taking 'business' very seriously and used to charging to let people in the door. The door itself, the one that wasn't languishing in the snow, was a wide slab taking up much of the floor space near the entrance, heavy metal and with a panel pushed aside to one side of it with components spilling out and into the shadowy edge of the room. A work in progress. To get around it, to the workbench or the fire itself, some navigation around the solid legs of a table and what looked like a glittery carpet would be necessary, and that wasn't easy, either. Scattered among these components were a few solid orbs, large enough to fit in the hand and smooth enough to slip on. Tony raised his eyebrows, asking of Felwinter was really committed to dealing with this, starting to juggle his stick restlessly like he might a baseball bat.

[tyrants_son]

Felwinter wasn't really that great at social. It was difficult when you expected someone was always out to kill you, after all. He'd thought he'd made some headway here- most people in the city being pleasant enough, but Kaz had reminded him that things were not safe and not everyone could be trusted here.

"If you need someone to realign the doors, I will offer my assistance," he said, not even sparing them another look once he'd navigated past. He was perfectly willing to return the favor should the service he sought be done. There was of course pause as he looked down at the glittering mess. A trap, or an accident? He shared but the faintest look with Felspring before glancing back at Tony. No explanation then? He wasn't sure he wanted to know anyway.

Turning his head forward again, Felwinter noted the workspace beyond and simply took a small hop, vanishing in a blink, reappearing over by the workbench. Felspring looked to Tony before floating off after the warlord.

[in_extremis]

That was not exactly the offer that Tony had put on the table, but to be fair, the table was in parts and he could use the help putting the door in place, so he gave a thoughtful pout down at the half-finished slab. Okay, if this was an ass-kicking, it was a very courteous one.

The jump over to his workbench made Tony close his eyes briefly in irritation, magic, then give a nod because he did know that Felwinter could do that, kind of, if that was void stuff, because Ikora had shown him that one and he should have been more prepared. No preparation would save him from being the one picking daintily through the mess he had made to catch up. He really should have focused on finishing the door to keep people out. "Don't touch my stuff," he commanded, pointing the stick meaningfully. "The fire's right there, I could turn your helmet into a litter box."

[tyrants_son]

At least his uninvited guest didn't laugh as Tony carefully made his way through the glittery ground zero to join him. Patience was something Felwinter had in spades.

There wasn't a flinch to the threat nor the stick that he had not yet figured out the actual use of, a puzzle as much as the rest of the mess, he supposed. "I assure you, I want nothing to do with...whatever it is you're doing there," he said, gesturing loosely back towards the shimmering walkway. He instead pushed back his coat, bringing forth a rather sturdy looking firearm in gold-trimmed black, casually pumping the forend in a not at all comforting manner.

[in_extremis]

Tony had to pause on his way through it to look baffled that Felwinter had somehow noticed the mess. It might have been thoroughly in the way, but it was clearly not the valuable stuff that Tony was worried about, look, it was all over the floor, and he gestured emphatically toward the workbench that Felwinter had made a straight shot for to make sure they both knew what Tony would know if it went missing. That was about as far as his correction went, though, because he was quickly dropping his arms again, the stick hitting the ground with a ringing thud, gone much more still and pale at the appearance of the shotgun. No wonder Felwinter wanted to get him inside.

The one move Tony did make after this gesture of surrender was the slightest tip of his head, eyes locked on the gun narrowing briefly. The model was entirely unfamiliar to Tony, but Felwinter was kind enough to pump it for him, letting him listen for the click of the chamber, and Tony might have only had the most general impression of the approximate strength of an Exo and a professional hypothesis of what this weapon might weigh, but Tony could tell that he was favouring that slide somewhat, so it could be a little light in the chamber. If he had a shot, it wasn't a full round. "I am willing to wave the consultation fee in extenuating circumstances," he opened.

Security Station

[plate_builder]

It was coming that Reeve caught the man at, late in the evening. Well, in all fairness it was not Reeve alone who caught Felwinter, for he had not entirely been looking. No, it had been Mini stalking around to the best of his ability to try and find the Exo, and once he'd figured out where the man was staying, he'd fetched Reeve back to wait, in the cold, for Felwinter that day.

When he approached Reeve was shivering a little, but Mini was there, tail lashing in the air looking quite agitated.

"Oy! Felwintah!" Mini called as the Exo approached. "Been lookin' for yah!"

[tyrants_son]

Entertaining visitors, while something that Wanda had suggested as a possibility when fixing things up, had never really been a notion Felwinter thought would actually come to anything. Needless to say, he was surprised when he saw the two there, apparently waiting for him.

"Were you?" He sounded surprised, coming up the rest of the way. With Reeve shivering, there really was no hesitation. The warlord waved the two inside.

[plate_builder]

Oh yes, waiting for him. And while Reeve was clearly cold and shivering a bit, Mini was bouncing in excitement. With the gesture inside Reeve was thankful to do so. And then there was Mini, racing after his partner.

"Yah, ever since that prick-"

"Mini!"

"-decided tah mess with yah. Ah wanna crack him right onna jaw!"

[tyrants_son]

Felwinter stepped inside after the two. Unfortunately the difference within was only the lack of snow and exposure to the open chilly air. He paused at Mini's words despite Reeve's scolding.

"Ah." No, it didn't take too long to work out whom Mini spoke of. "I had spoken to him well before that. Perhaps if I had not, he might have let it go." But even he wasn't too certain about that. Kaz Brekker seemed to care too little and too much, simultaneously.

[plate_builder]

The lack of snow and exposure did count for enough, and Reeve didn't mind even that minor change.

"Mini wanted you to know that we both felt that what he did was very wrong," Reeve said, his voice soft. "It wasn't his business to talk about, and I don't think it matters. We wanted you to know that."

Because Reeve had seen how dismissive Cobb had been of Mini and Felspring in the mines, so he wanted the man to understand that people really didn't stand by that here.

[tyrants_son]

If something further was expected of him, Felwinter wasn't sure what. The woman who brought him tribute from the settlement at the base of his mountain only expected him to take up the responsibility of protecting them, but then she never traversed all the way up to the keep so there really wasn't anywhere to offer her to come in even if the warlord had thought to. But he felt that Reeve needed something, cold as he'd looked.

"...he'd said as much, you know. When he'd learned such things, when the darkness fell upon the city. But even before then, I knew most people here weren't like those of my world."

He strode past them a ways, folding his arms across his chest. "He did not think it much of a secret, and perhaps here in this place, it may not be." His next words bore a sharp edge like the cold blade of a knife. "But it was not his to divulge."

[plate_builder]

"All tha more reason tah deck 'im!" Mini mumbled, bouncing after Felwinter and boxing at shadows.

"Forgive him. He took this personally because, well, Mini sees you and Cayde both as something like older siblings. He's defensive of family."

[tyrants_son]

Family... Felwinter reflected silently on this, turning as he watched Mini hop about.

"Cayde?" Ah, the other Exo. The difference between them was day and night. How would he have handled the situation? But then he would probably have something to actually correct in terms of fact. Given he'd been here longer, Felwinter wondered how much was known of Exos and their usual origins.

He looked from Reeve and back towards Mini, finding some amusement in the little cat's spirit. "I have never had anyone who would act so in defense of me," he admitted.

Diner

[doubled_speed]

Tommy spent so much time in the diner these days. It was easier to keep himself warm when he was in the kitchen. But fire was always a must, and some of the work he did needed the wood. So when he came back over the course of a few days and saw more and more wood... Oh man, he was excited.

So when he heard someone outside piling up logs, Tommy abandoned some chopping in the kitchen and came outside to look at them.

What he wasn't expecting was Felwinter.

"So you're the mysterious benefactor. I wanna make you a cake. Too bad I don't know how."

[tyrants_son]

Felwinter looked up from the log he'd been setting into place, almost feeling guilty for being caught before his Ghost assured him within his helmet's comm that he had no reason to be. Forcing himself to resume the task with the last few logs he had brought, the warlord offered a faint shake of his head.

"I do not usually eat anyway, but the offer is appreciated. Has this been enough?"

[doubled_speed]

"Nope," Tommy answered. "But it's wood that I didn't have before, so it's a hell of a good thing. Thanks."

He didn't know how to show gratefulness very well. But that comment...

"You're the one Kaz was shit over, right?"

[tyrants_son]

The warlord froze visibly at the mention of Kaz's name, his shoulders tensing before he forced himself to ease up onto his feet.

"...yes," he admitted with some reluctance. "I do not understand his intent. I have done nothing to him, nor spoken to him before...that strange occurrence that overtook the city."

[doubled_speed]

"Yeah, people did that to my dad sometimes too, when he was passing as human," Tommy answered with a shrug. And then he just let that go. To him what was revealed was, well, nothing at all. It's just another normal day.

"So you chop a lot of wood?"

[tyrants_son]

If it was merely what Kaz had said on the network, then Felwinter wouldn't have been too much more concerned. Simply saying that he was a robot was no great secret, and he didn't hide his face behind a helmet all the time. It was the questions that were potentially sparked because of the hinted insistence that the matter was secretive in some way that the warlord was anxious about. It was as Kaz had mentioned in some of his responses- it was more for those who did not outright say anything that the message was truly for. Of course, it also seemed to do no great favors for Kaz and his personality.

The matter here however seemed dropped simply, and Felwinter was grateful, feeling his shoulders relax. "Only lately. It seemed like something that was needed. Perhaps an actual ax would make the task easier, but the tool I made from scrap metal and wood suffices, and what they do not fully cut, my hands can break."

[doubled_speed]

Who even cared about questions like that. They were stupid. Kaz, Tommy had decided, was an idiot and not trustworthy. Still, the news that he lacks a proper axe has Tommy thinking.

"I'm guessing you don't wanna ask Tony for one either. A proper axe. Not sure if he'd make one. But if you wanted, I could ask. We can all use the wood, and those willing to do that work are fucking awesome. There's always so much that needs done."

[tyrants_son]

Felwinter looked out away from the town square, his tone almost dry. "I probably should not ask him another favor at the moment." He'd accidentally frightened the man already and felt he should probably be thankful Tony still agreed to repairing his shotgun. Asking for something else weaponlike would probably make him more paranoid.

"It may or may not make a difference. If he can sharpen what I have already made then that might be all needed." But hearing that what he was doing was appreciated made him feel something. Useful? Pleased, perhaps.

"What else is needed?"