[ Oh, probably most of them, unless something dire is happening.
In any case, Declan looks ready to burst with excitement. Whatever he’s managed to cook up for V must be quite impressive if he’s this eager to show it off. ]
Well, I’m happy to report that I’ve gone above and beyond. It took some time to get things right, but I have full confidence that nothing will blow up in your face.
[ But V doesn't need to wait for very long. Declan reaches into the Bag of Holding at his hip, and in a way that is quite reminiscent of Mary Poppins, pulls an entire cane from the bag. He gives it a little twirl in his hand before offering it to V, handle first. It's a finely made thing, all silver and onyx and freshly polished. (There is a notable lack of blade at first glance, though.) ]
I present to you Raven's Cry. I daresay it's some of my best work to date!
He watches as he pulls this new cane out of a hammerspace bag; his brain would be very ??? at the sight if it didn't register at the lower end of "weird" in V's vast array of weird experiences.
The cane itself, though... It looks beautiful, well-crafted. Shiny and polished. His fondness for weapons makes him take it almost delicately, turning it over in his hand, examining the handle first.
No, there's no blade that he can see. But he knows that many weapons hide their true potential -- in fact, the best ones do.]
Raven's Cry... it's beautiful, Declan. [His turn to give it a twirl, assuming he doesn't set something off and kill them both with it.] Already something of an upgrade, hm?
[ No, nothing goes off when V gives his new weapon a twirl. Declan just stands back to watch, looking rather pleased that he seems to like it already. ]
I’m flattered you think so. You’ll need to attune to it to unlock its full potential – that basically means you must form a bond with the weapon. Sit and meditate with it a bit, or practice with it. So long as your focus is on it, the attunement should take.
But, for now, give the handle a twist and see what happens!
[ And doing so will cause the entire shaft of the cane to transform into a blade with a sharp click. Twisting the handle the other way will cause it to revert. ]
[Bond with the weapon? Sit and meditate with it? Maybe to someone else's ears, this would be funny. But to a DMC, this strange idolatry of weaponry runs strong through one's veins.
He'll ask more about attunement in a bit. For now, he wants to see what happens when he gives the handle a twist.
Click! The shaft turns into a nice, shiny blade, and V grins at that. This is a man who loves a good sword, clearly. Bafflingly.]
Oh, you can skewer a man without warning like this.
[Now he gives the bladed cane a twirl, and maybe Declan's standing too close for that to be truly safe, but V seems weirdly familiar with handing of this kind of weapon. He isn't bothered, and the sharpened edge doesn't meet anything but air.]
Some blades skewer more easily than others. This is a nicely balanced weapon, and light. Straight through the heart with its point, and none would be the wiser until it was too late.
[ Declan is giving off big "oh good I get to explain this to you" vibes, though in this case the subject matter is very much of V's interest. ]
Your new cane has four... magical charges, let's say, and the capability to cast two different spells. The first, Sword Burst, is a smaller spell that costs one charge. With it, you will create a circle of spectral blades around yourself that might ward off nearby enemies.
Secondly, you have Thunderwave, which costs two charges. Raven's Cry will emit a... well, a thunderously loud noise, which will cause damage to anyone in a certain radius of you, and may even push them away.
[ It's very clear that he thought his fellow beanpole might be in need of some crowd control. ]
The weapon will regenerate expended charges on its own at the beginning of each day, though I have no control over how many. You may get one back, you may get them all back, or anything in between.
[Good thing that V is very interested and listening quite closely. When it comes to weapons and their neat little tricks and traits, it’s very serious business.
Even though something about the first explanation makes him actually laugh faintly.]
Spectral blades? Really?
[You mean like the exact thing he used to do as Vergil? Spectral blades, encircling him… Oh, the irony. But the familiarity too!]
And Thunderwave sounds very useful, but I daresay it’s like you’re afraid of something getting too close to me.
[Which, valid.
But right, the charges regenerate everyday. He’ll commit that to memory.]
[ He’s not sure what’s so amusing about that. Perhaps he’s inadvertently stumbled upon a private little joke? Whatever it is, V doesn’t seem keen on explaining right now. ]
I’m something of a— [ vague hand motions ] –glass cannon myself. Having skills that allow me to gain some distance from an attacker are quite invaluable. I thought perhaps you might benefit from the same.
[ Strahd took him from full down to 9 HP in one hit once. Shit’s scary!! ]
[They'll broach that subject one day. Bringing up old abilities threatens to dredge up a whole host of entangled tales that come part and parcel with them; he thinks maybe now is not a good time to expound upon the whole "who I used to be" deal.
But where glass cannons are concerned, he feels you, buddy. For as bold V is in the middle of battle, he still has to remain at a distance. And when a demon does manage to get a hit in? Boy, he sure goes flying.]
You can say what you're thinking. You believe a stiff wind would bowl me over.
[But he's grinning, delighted by his new weapon, so it's clear he's not offended.]
...You're right, though. This is more practical for someone like myself. I'm indebted to you for this.
Edited (i will never spell cannon right ever again) 2023-06-06 19:28 (UTC)
Well, yes. That is indeed what I was thinking. I know it’s probably not easy for you to be unable to fight as you used to, so… it was my goal to give you a bit of oomph, as it were.
[ Whether V is offended or not, Declan looks a little apologetic. He’s not sure how much of a sore spot V’s current, oh, condition is to the man himself. ]
Please, you don’t owe me anything. Getting the privilege of making it is payment enough.
[There's no need to look apologetic. He's the human form; he is supposed to be weak and yet utterly enduring. V accepted this the moment he came into proper existence.]
Nonsense. You say that, but I'm not satisfied leaving it at this. [This is a huge gift? Please.] I'll find a way to return the favor.
If you want to consider it an IOU, I certainly can't stop you, but please understand that I personally find no greater joy than pushing my limits.
[ The smile he flashes V is a little wistful. For a second it looks like he wants to say something in particular but he changes tracks at the last moment. ]
Getting to share my achievements with a friend is a nice bonus, though.
[Oh? And what was that look, he wonders? V makes sure the cane is no longer a blade before he tucks it beneath his arm.]
...You're doing well, at least, with that. Pushing your limits. Glad am I to be considered a friend if this is how you treat them. The ones back in your world must be very spoiled, indeed.
Oh, yes! Sophia is masterful with a sword and shield. She's also about this tall— [ He holds up his hand somewhere in the realm of 5'2". ] —so it is absolutely hilarious to watch her destroy her opponents.
I bet she's underestimated often. That's what I like to see the most -- those who have their expectations flipped on its head in the middle of a fight.
[It's so satisfying to see! He's sure this Sophia would agree.]
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He offers him a grin as he approaches, finally within conversational distance.]
That's right. [His eyes spark with clearer interest. Maybe he can see where this is going.] A cane with a blade.
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In any case, Declan looks ready to burst with excitement. Whatever he’s managed to cook up for V must be quite impressive if he’s this eager to show it off. ]
Well, I’m happy to report that I’ve gone above and beyond. It took some time to get things right, but I have full confidence that nothing will blow up in your face.
[ That’s… reassuring? ]
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...Full confidence. I expect nothing less.
[Please don't kill him, he's weak like this.]
I admit, I'm even more interested to see what qualifies as "above and beyond" for you.
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Just you wait!
[ But V doesn't need to wait for very long. Declan reaches into the Bag of Holding at his hip, and in a way that is quite reminiscent of Mary Poppins, pulls an entire cane from the bag. He gives it a little twirl in his hand before offering it to V, handle first. It's a finely made thing, all silver and onyx and freshly polished. (There is a notable lack of blade at first glance, though.) ]
I present to you Raven's Cry. I daresay it's some of my best work to date!
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He watches as he pulls this new cane out of a hammerspace bag; his brain would be very ??? at the sight if it didn't register at the lower end of "weird" in V's vast array of weird experiences.
The cane itself, though... It looks beautiful, well-crafted. Shiny and polished. His fondness for weapons makes him take it almost delicately, turning it over in his hand, examining the handle first.
No, there's no blade that he can see. But he knows that many weapons hide their true potential -- in fact, the best ones do.]
Raven's Cry... it's beautiful, Declan. [His turn to give it a twirl, assuming he doesn't set something off and kill them both with it.] Already something of an upgrade, hm?
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I’m flattered you think so. You’ll need to attune to it to unlock its full potential – that basically means you must form a bond with the weapon. Sit and meditate with it a bit, or practice with it. So long as your focus is on it, the attunement should take.
But, for now, give the handle a twist and see what happens!
[ And doing so will cause the entire shaft of the cane to transform into a blade with a sharp click. Twisting the handle the other way will cause it to revert. ]
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He'll ask more about attunement in a bit. For now, he wants to see what happens when he gives the handle a twist.
Click! The shaft turns into a nice, shiny blade, and V grins at that. This is a man who loves a good sword, clearly. Bafflingly.]
Oh, you can skewer a man without warning like this.
[HEH HEH.]
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I’m no expert in swordsmanship, but I do think that’s the point [ (heh) ] of a blade.
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Some blades skewer more easily than others. This is a nicely balanced weapon, and light. Straight through the heart with its point, and none would be the wiser until it was too late.
[V calm down.]
So what does attunement do, exactly?
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Attunement will allow you to wield the magic I've built into the weapon, of course!
[ Duh! ]
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"Of course." [That's not how weapons work in his world!] And what magic is that?
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[ Declan is giving off big "oh good I get to explain this to you" vibes, though in this case the subject matter is very much of V's interest. ]
Your new cane has four... magical charges, let's say, and the capability to cast two different spells. The first, Sword Burst, is a smaller spell that costs one charge. With it, you will create a circle of spectral blades around yourself that might ward off nearby enemies.
Secondly, you have Thunderwave, which costs two charges. Raven's Cry will emit a... well, a thunderously loud noise, which will cause damage to anyone in a certain radius of you, and may even push them away.
[ It's very clear that he thought his fellow beanpole might be in need of some crowd control. ]
The weapon will regenerate expended charges on its own at the beginning of each day, though I have no control over how many. You may get one back, you may get them all back, or anything in between.
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Even though something about the first explanation makes him actually laugh faintly.]
Spectral blades? Really?
[You mean like the exact thing he used to do as Vergil? Spectral blades, encircling him… Oh, the irony. But the familiarity too!]
And Thunderwave sounds very useful, but I daresay it’s like you’re afraid of something getting too close to me.
[Which, valid.
But right, the charges regenerate everyday. He’ll commit that to memory.]
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[ He’s not sure what’s so amusing about that. Perhaps he’s inadvertently stumbled upon a private little joke? Whatever it is, V doesn’t seem keen on explaining right now. ]
I’m something of a— [ vague hand motions ] –glass cannon myself. Having skills that allow me to gain some distance from an attacker are quite invaluable. I thought perhaps you might benefit from the same.
[ Strahd took him from full down to 9 HP in one hit once. Shit’s scary!! ]
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But where glass cannons are concerned, he feels you, buddy. For as bold V is in the middle of battle, he still has to remain at a distance. And when a demon does manage to get a hit in? Boy, he sure goes flying.]
You can say what you're thinking. You believe a stiff wind would bowl me over.
[But he's grinning, delighted by his new weapon, so it's clear he's not offended.]
...You're right, though. This is more practical for someone like myself. I'm indebted to you for this.
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[ Whether V is offended or not, Declan looks a little apologetic. He’s not sure how much of a sore spot V’s current, oh, condition is to the man himself. ]
Please, you don’t owe me anything. Getting the privilege of making it is payment enough.
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Nonsense. You say that, but I'm not satisfied leaving it at this. [This is a huge gift? Please.] I'll find a way to return the favor.
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[ The smile he flashes V is a little wistful. For a second it looks like he wants to say something in particular but he changes tracks at the last moment. ]
Getting to share my achievements with a friend is a nice bonus, though.
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...You're doing well, at least, with that. Pushing your limits. Glad am I to be considered a friend if this is how you treat them. The ones back in your world must be very spoiled, indeed.
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I try my best. That repulsion shield I made for Sophia has come in quite handy.
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Repulsion shield? And how does that work?
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[ Duh! ]
More specifically, when the shield absorbs a blow, the user can expend that energy to repel the attacker backwards. Sophia is quite brilliant with it.
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Oh, so you mean that it's a literal shield. Still, those require strength to wield. This Sophia must be very impressive.
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I bet she's underestimated often. That's what I like to see the most -- those who have their expectations flipped on its head in the middle of a fight.
[It's so satisfying to see! He's sure this Sophia would agree.]
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