borntobebard: (002)
Julian "Jaskier" Alfred Pankratz ([personal profile] borntobebard) wrote in [community profile] maskormenacelogs2020-01-08 07:03 pm

open | We venture through time blind

WHO: Jaskier
WHERE: All over
WHEN: Throughout early and mid Jan (pre-2020 plot)
WHAT: An open log of boy toy bard from a far away land who decides to adapt and overcome, or maybe just go cry in a corner
WARNINGS: Maybe some rudey words...

i. heropa; new bard on the block

[ It had barely been half a minute since the poor bard had been handed his information pack and communicator, given back his lute, and shoved out into the warm winter day of Heropa to fend for himself. There's a few odd stares spared for the fellow in a fetching red ensemble and knee high boots, but for the most part the locals leave him to it, a little too used to seeing the weird and wonderful characters that come through the Porter each month.

His eyes lift skyward for a moment, observing the unfamiliar streaks of contrails amongst the striking blue, before they slip shut and he stutters out a sigh. Composing himself before a big performance, that's all this is. Just another step towards a brand new adventure, out into the great, wide world and... almost straight into the path of a car that swiftly blares it's horn in passing.

With a soft squeak he scutters off down the sidewalk, staying on the path like every normal person should because those carriages sure are fast. Throughout the afternoon he can be found drifting, curious and clueless as he peers into stores, vigorously questions street vendors, homeless folk and just about anyone he can corner, and gives baffled stares at the shop fronts adorned with gadgetry and bright lights.

He is most definitely a fish out of water. ]


ii. everywhere; song requests!

[ Location doesn't matter all that much to a travelling bard, especially one who has plenty of new towns to explore. He may not be quite over the shell shock of it all, but he perseveres as best as one can. He's travelled to far away lands before, seen mages and monsters, dragons and devils, met Witchers and witches... this? This is no different, he just needs the tether that's always kept him going; music. Throughout the first weeks of the month he can be found dotted around the different towns, in cafes, bars, parks and anywhere with a perching spot, picking softly at his lute, notepad and pen in lap. He mumbles out words at seemingly random, hums and strums chords, and slowly drags out sentences as the creative process takes shape. ]

... endure and withstand amidst a far away land,
where perception overwhelmed, I stand powerless at the helm,
wrecked betwixt reverence and wonder...

[ A moment of quiet contemplation, and then without much regard decides aloud: ] Nah, that's shit.

[ Other times, when he's not savagely scribbling out his own work, he'll be found busking around towns in front of crowds of various sizes, revelling in the attention as he plays stripped down, exceptionally acoustic versions of various songs, feet stamping and crowd clapping providing his percussion. Another song finished, he loudly proclaims to anyone that catches his eye: ]

A request! What do you wish to hear? Anything at all!

[Literally anything. It would appear this bard knows every song the crowd has thrown at him so far, lyrically and musically. ]

iii. maurtia falls; working hard or hardly working

[ Mob Tours, they'd told him. That's where he'd have to show up for his first week of work, tasked with keeping well paying tourists and locals enraptured with tales of gruesome murders and bloody feuds. He wasn't exactly sure what a mob tour was exactly, but when given a script to learn he was happy to oblige, studying like any professional actor should, and acing every damn performance he showed up to.

The 'uniform' was a little unusual by his expectations, but most would easily recognise the mob reference in getting their tour guides to wear 1920's inspired pinstripe suits. Not quite his familiar peacock standard of wear, but with the added blood red pocket square and two tone shoes, he at least felt dapper enough to ooze the usual confidence.

He also now blended in far better with some of the more choice bars around town, slipping into the high end cocktail bars at the end of work to rub shoulders with some of the rich and powerful. Jaskier was at least tolerated in some of the circles for now, innocent as he was in cheerfully chatting to anyone who'd listen. ]


You know, I think I could get used to a world such as this.

[ Decided dreamily as he cradled a strong whiskey sour, sucking at the peel of his orange slice. ] I feel truly pampered. Like a Lord amongst his devoted serfs.

iv; wildcard!

[ Make up something new! Give me a poke if there's any starters you fancy. ]
adamantlyardent: (Default)

[personal profile] adamantlyardent 2020-01-11 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
In the middle of the street?! [she lets out an exasperated sound, furiously scrubbing at her eyes with the heel of her hand before she remembers-- oh no. oh no her mascara gods DAMMIT!!!

she quickly turns around while she wipes the smudges off her hand.]


Well, I'll...I'll have you know I. I don't appreciate that! Drawing so much attention like that, being. Being ogled like that, it! It's awful! Great for you, being all talented and handsome or whatever! But not for weirdos like me, okay?
adamantlyardent: (ugh whyy yy yy)

[personal profile] adamantlyardent 2020-01-11 11:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't--!

[she tenses up, shoulders drawn to her ears. once she's swallowed back a more passionate rebuttal, she exhales, energy starting to train out of her.]

Don't...make fun of me. You don't know anything about me, so. So saying things like that is...

[utterly moot. she wipes at her face again, knowing full well that her makeup is ruined and there's not much to be done about it now. with a sigh, she turns around, eyes downcast, and walks over to take the books from him.]

I'll get you to the Porter. It can get you to Maurtia Falls. Just-- [her eyes wince, feeling a sick pit in her stomach, and she starts back toward the street.] Just don't...make a big production out of it. It'll just make a laughingstock out of me.
adamantlyardent: (come again)

[personal profile] adamantlyardent 2020-01-12 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
[he needn't speak loud at all to be heard by her ears -- all the more reason she was so startled by him breaking out into song like some cartoon prince. it would've been rather darling if it had been on TV, since there's no consequences of foolishness in make-believe.

but this is reality!!! she's learned that such stuff only leads to trouble; it's partly why those words she writes in her journals won't see the light of day -- sometimes even finding themselves burned to cinders for their trouble.

the knife of guilt really twists at his words, and she sighs again, her own voice almost a mumble.]


I know. It's my own fault, not yours. I mess up a lot of things like that all the time, so.
adamantlyardent: (um ok)

[personal profile] adamantlyardent 2020-01-12 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[honestly? this guy's living the kind of life Cecelia wants; she'd love to be more open and unashamed of her feelings, the way she is in the privacy of her journals. but concepts hardly play out according to plan, and she's too self-aware of her flaws to truly embrace such openness.

she double-takes and hesitates before shifting her hold on her books to take the handkerchief, murmuring a thank-you while dabbing at her eyes and cheeks.]


You...you ought to be careful, though. Pick your stages, I mean. In Maurtia Falls especially; there's a lot of people who hate folks like us.

[a beat.]

People from other worlds, I mean. You might get targeted by unkind sorts.
adamantlyardent: (come again)

[personal profile] adamantlyardent 2020-01-12 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
[there's plenty of old sayings about how if no matter where one goes things seem to run afoul, to check their own shoe for the source?

yeah, neither of these two are very familiar with that sort of self-awareness, it seems.]


I don't get myself in the thick of things if I can avoid it, so I mostly read about the more harrowing cases. [didn't stop her from getting nearly abducted or attacked or whatever.

she frowns at the spotty makeup on the handkerchief. maybe...maybe she'll go home and wash this before returning it...yeah...

she slows down as she catches sight of the building where the downtown porter is housed, checking the street up and down before making a hasty crossing to it.

she stops at the door, nodding up at it.]


All of the buildings that take you city to city look like this one. Try and keep it in mind, should you get turned around.
adamantlyardent: (anime drama)

[personal profile] adamantlyardent 2020-01-12 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
It's more what's in the building that can do it, but...like, I just mean remember what the place looks like so you have a waypoint, you know?

[she shrugs, opening the door and heading inside. from the distance they're at, she stops to just gesture to the equipment further inside.]

That look familiar? It's like what you arrived upon. These ones interconnect a handful of cities, including the one you're meaning to go to. You just tell the attendant and they'll do all the setup and such, and you just stand there, and... [vague hand gesture.]
adamantlyardent: (kinda nice actually)

[personal profile] adamantlyardent 2020-01-12 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
[she smiles -- not much of one, but it is something. a little admission of gratitude, because even if he almost ruined her life by being seen like an idiot by complete strangers, he's been kind and earnest and charming and...almost? what she imagines proper bards to be?

almost.

his hair should be flowier.]


When you figure out how to use the phone to send messages, please do. [a slight nod.

then:]
And...I'll have to return your handkerchief. Once I've cleaned it. So.