intro | day 104

[tacosgay]

Listen.

[The voice that comes over the public channel is... odd, and new to most folks here. He pauses for a bit, as if that's the entire thought-- but, sure enough, he follows it with an obviously annoyed question.]

So we're just kind of... here, because they say so? Like... this can't be legal, can it? Has anybody tried talking to the fuckin' police about this?

[As he speaks, he gets increasingly irritated, his voice breaking.]

I'm gonna be real with you guys: I've got half a mind to just kinda magic my way out, except I'm pretty sure the Ringleader or whatever would come after me. Is that a thing?

Comments

[kingsroads]

That sounds wonderful!

[ and really, based on the smile and grin in Strange's voice, he 100% means it. ]

My name is Jonathan Strange, by the way. I should at least introduce myself before we start talking shop!

[tacosgay]

Good, good, then it's a date, hmm?

[Taako is actually, likewise, delighted to've met somebody with something IMPORTANT to say here.]

I'm Taako. I would say "from TV," but I assume you probably have different programming in your neck of the planar system.

[kingsroads]

[ what the fuck is a planar system. Still, Strange has enough to make a slight guess at what Taako's talking about. ]

I'm afraid my problem is more temporal than spacial. When I'm from, there is no television—there is no electricity to begin with! Not like the carnival has, at any rate.

[tacosgay]

Yeah, no, I mean, it wasn't really an electric thing, actually... it was more like a traveling cooking show.

[kingsroads]

When I'm from, there's not any of those either. Traveling shows...I suspect the closest thing to that I've ever encountered is the carnival itself.

[tacosgay]

Wow, sounds like you came from a real party dimension, huh? I mean, goddamn.

[kingsroads]

[ regency England is the pinnacle of getting crunk except for the fact where it ENTIRELY ISN'T. ]

We had balls and dances, [ said as if that's explanation enough. ] And, I'm a member of a club. While my England might have been lacking in some forms of entertainment, we still made do.

[tacosgay]

A club? Like... just, a club? You guys don't have any kinda theme or hobbies or something?

[kingsroads]

We play billiards. I assume that counts as a hobby.

[tacosgay]

Wow, how very thrilling.

[Oh boy. The mocking tone in his voice is not at all hidden.]

Tell you what. Sometime, I'll have to show you how we have fun back on Faerun.

[... is he flirting with Strange? Maybe a little.]

[kingsroads]

[ SORRY BUD, Strange is 100% married.....and also 100% not picking up on the flirting in the first place ]

And I'll show you how to play billiards. Obviously you're disparaging it because you've never played before!

[ or he just thinks it's hella boring, either/or. ]

[tacosgay]

[Whatever, he's honestly just having fun with him, anyway.]

How do you know I've never played it before, huh?

[kingsroads]

Because it's fun. And, if you had played it before, I've a feeling you'd use a different tone to describe the game.

[ he'd be a bit less sarcastic, for one. ]

[tacosgay]

Okay, okay, fine, you caught me. But, you've gotta agree with me, the name sure doesn't scream excitement, does it?

[kingsroads]

I'll grant you that, [ Strange admits, with a little laugh. ] Billiards. It is a bit of a dull name, come to think of it.

[tacosgay]

Right! Maybe I can think think of something better, once I actually know... how the game works and all.

[kingsroads]

Oh! [ And then Strange realizes he hasn't explained the concept of billiards at all. Whoops. ]

Well, it's a game involving balls, played on a table with a pocket at each corner. You've got a long stick, that's a cue, and the goal is to use the cue to knock one ball into another ball, thereby knocking the second ball into one of the pockets. I don't think the Ringmaster actually has a billiards table in the carnival, but it wouldn't surprise me if the next place we stopped to visit had one that we could use.

[tacosgay]

... so, hold on a second here, you guys fuckin' play pool? Huh, go figure. Guess you might not be that boring after all.

[kingsroads]

You think I'm boring? [ but he's more amused than offended. ] I can think of many things people have called me, but none of them were boring!

[tacosgay]

Well, I meant more, like... your universe or whatever, you know? You seem pretty chill so far, actually.

[kingsroads]

Again, that's a first. I suppose I must have somehow learned to make a good impression during my stay here!

[tacosgay]

Hey, I haven't met you in person yet, so who knows. Maybe we'll meet up and you'll be a total dickbag in reality.

[kingsroads]

I'm a madman, not a 'dickbag.' [ this is literally the first time he's ever said the word 'dickbag'. ] I'm certain we'll get along fine.

[tacosgay]

Yeah, that sounds real promising.

[Annnd he's being a smartass again.]