[ In life and death, Douman's always been methodical; call it cowardice, call it misplaced studiousness, call it the chip on his shoulder. He listens to the terms of their little game, and counts his odds the way he would count cards, stacks his chips and considers, with distant disdain, what he or others would do to add or subtract from the pile.
His conclusion: it's a zero-sum game. He simply doesn't have enough intel or resources to play the field the way he'd want to, and thusー
ーhe's stuck fiddling with building blocks. Creating a foundation on which he can strategize later. Putting some of his cards on the table, while keeping some of them obscure. Flaunting usefulness for now, lest someone get it in their heads that he needs to be put to ice.
So: here's Douman, crouched on the edge of a deep pool leading down into what seems to be a recordkeeper's study. He's poised with the ends of his long priest's robe lapping at the surface of cold water, a paper doll hovering above his outstretched hand: he flicks a long index, and the vaguely human-shaped paper dives gracefully down into the depths, remaining curiously intact and sharp for a few impossible seconds before disintegrating into flickers of shadow.
Hm, he hums, and looks over his shoulder. The bells at the ends of his hair chime and echo in the cavernous space of the room. ]
Mmー water so cold that it repels shikigami! How vexing, how vexing. [ He laughs, sounding utterly unbothered. Come on Douman, at least Try. ] It seems that we may not be able to cheat our way through this one!
b. EATING PARLOUR.
[ Another attempt here, much like the attempt at the underwater room, to use ingenuity for intel: Douman, watching from a distance as one of his Unseen Servants approach one of the Blighted plants and lets it fragment into pieces. Hmm.
Doesn't look promising. Allowing his spell to dissipate, he moves to inspect the pile of shattered glass with distant interest before deciding that it seems, in fact, Sus; something he'd leave at that, if not for the third party in the garden now, who he notes with even vaguer interest.
His smile stays, preternatural. He motions to the mess he's made. ]
Another trap for us hapless Shard-bearers to stumble upon. Creative culling methods, to be sure! Mm, there's no shortage of them in this place.
c. HALL OF MIRRORS.
[ The custom starter prompt! Give me a blank comment to this toplevel with "C: HELPING" or "C: NEEDS HELP" in the subject and I'll write something custom for your character and Douman. ♥ ]
d. WILDCARD.
[ Another "nudge me for a custom starter" prompt!! If otter conspiracy crew wants to pull up, I can make a starter for library conspiracy chats; if we want to do first intros here too, I'm happy to finagle something! PM me or poke me on Plurk/Discord, I don't bite! ]
(( ooc; also, belatedlyー i do have an opt-out post for Douman, given the generally unpleasant nature of his character! please feel free to opt-out, no questions asked. your comfort and fun is the most important thing! ))
ashiya douman | zenith | savant
[ In life and death, Douman's always been methodical; call it cowardice, call it misplaced studiousness, call it the chip on his shoulder. He listens to the terms of their little game, and counts his odds the way he would count cards, stacks his chips and considers, with distant disdain, what he or others would do to add or subtract from the pile.
His conclusion: it's a zero-sum game. He simply doesn't have enough intel or resources to play the field the way he'd want to, and thusー
ーhe's stuck fiddling with building blocks. Creating a foundation on which he can strategize later. Putting some of his cards on the table, while keeping some of them obscure. Flaunting usefulness for now, lest someone get it in their heads that he needs to be put to ice.
So: here's Douman, crouched on the edge of a deep pool leading down into what seems to be a recordkeeper's study. He's poised with the ends of his long priest's robe lapping at the surface of cold water, a paper doll hovering above his outstretched hand: he flicks a long index, and the vaguely human-shaped paper dives gracefully down into the depths, remaining curiously intact and sharp for a few impossible seconds before disintegrating into flickers of shadow.
Hm, he hums, and looks over his shoulder. The bells at the ends of his hair chime and echo in the cavernous space of the room. ]
Mmー water so cold that it repels shikigami! How vexing, how vexing. [ He laughs, sounding utterly unbothered. Come on Douman, at least Try. ] It seems that we may not be able to cheat our way through this one!
b. EATING PARLOUR.
[ Another attempt here, much like the attempt at the underwater room, to use ingenuity for intel: Douman, watching from a distance as one of his Unseen Servants approach one of the Blighted plants and lets it fragment into pieces. Hmm.
Doesn't look promising. Allowing his spell to dissipate, he moves to inspect the pile of shattered glass with distant interest before deciding that it seems, in fact, Sus; something he'd leave at that, if not for the third party in the garden now, who he notes with even vaguer interest.
His smile stays, preternatural. He motions to the mess he's made. ]
Another trap for us hapless Shard-bearers to stumble upon. Creative culling methods, to be sure! Mm, there's no shortage of them in this place.
c. HALL OF MIRRORS.
[ The custom starter prompt! Give me a blank comment to this toplevel with "C: HELPING" or "C: NEEDS HELP" in the subject and I'll write something custom for your character and Douman. ♥ ]
d. WILDCARD.
[ Another "nudge me for a custom starter" prompt!! If otter conspiracy crew wants to pull up, I can make a starter for library conspiracy chats; if we want to do first intros here too, I'm happy to finagle something! PM me or poke me on Plurk/Discord, I don't bite! ]
(( ooc; also, belatedlyー i do have an opt-out post for Douman, given the generally unpleasant nature of his character! please feel free to opt-out, no questions asked. your comfort and fun is the most important thing! ))