now we get a rude and a reckless

[inconstantly]

WHO? John Constantine and Dorian Pavus
WHAT? WINE HEIST!!!
WHEN? some vague time between the brag parties and arena stuff
ANYTHING ELSE? Decisions fueled by alcohol to get more alcohol. What could possibly go wrong?

[The idea had come from one of the many nights of recovering from the daily posturing. Sure, John could play the game and play it well, but the proper type wasn't who he was in the slightest. Wouldn't it be nice, he'd mused aloud idly, if most nights could be like the current one: enjoying company at his leisure, taking to the wine as if there were no need for rations.

That's when it struck. With a much larger supply, rations wouldn't hold nearly as much weight. So the solution was simple, restock their storage spaces with as much alcohol possible. While at the House Jankeh party John had been careful to keep his ears open for any chatter that might be useful. One of the select details he'd overheard involved an Aranean with an extensive cellar. Simply breaking to steal the wine wouldn't do. They'd be sniffed out, caught instantly. But if the spiders were otherwise distracted even two magic types might be able to slip in and out undetected.

Thankfully the creatures always seem to be hosting parties of some sort, which means an open door, swifter access through hallways, but far more beings to avoid. The idea was impulsive on John's part, and he was almost surprised that Dorian had agreed to it. Yet here they both stand, outside the Aranean's residence in the shadows of a side wall.]

You ready to do this, mate? [John grins with excitement, giving Dorian a swat on the side of his arm.] If you want to turn around now you can still say no. [It would be the wrong answer, but he could.]

Comments

[inconstantly]

[As Dorian helps John to his feet John thanks him with an easy "ta." It's a vocalization of gratitude for something as simple as standing but not a word for the actual rescue. On his way up he grips Dorian's hand tightly, gaining further leverage as he braces his opposite hand against Dorian's shoulder. After solidifying his stance on both feet, John detaches himself to stand on his own. From within the barrier he glances to his surroundings, taking in the space and watching the conjuring of the glyphs.

It's then when hindsight comes to rear its head. If he'd bothered to stop for long enough to carve the correct symbols around the entryway the spiders wouldn't be able to come down the stairs and into the cellar even if they wanted to. He readjusts the cross body strap from the sack he has brought to carry some of the loot away. They're here for a reason and spiders or not, neither man was going to leave without some ill-gotten alcohol.

John then lifts his hands between them, directing one open palm to himself and one toward Dorian.]

Operiet nos.

[A swirl of black smoke seems to envelop both men, the cloud coiling from foot to head. Then in a flicker they blink out of sight of one another, completely invisible. John reaches for Dorian in the void, remembering the previous touch to his shoulder. When he makes contact he turns himself to face the other mage, even though they can't currently see each other, and touches his hand to the opposite shoulder. As he looks toward where he remembers Dorian's line of sight to be, they both flicker into a faded images of themselves, visible only to each other.]

To anyone and anything else, we're completely invisible. I realize that the spiders can still smell and hear us, but we've got to take any advantage we can, right?

[The first pointed steps begin to make their way down the stairs.]

Are you ready?

[excelsus]

[Hindsight was 20/20 and as neither of them could have anticipated using magic or why anyone would want to lay down traps in a wine cellar, then they had to make the best of the situation at hand. Although it was a curious thing, usually traps were reserved for things of importance or things that were quite valuable...so unless this was important wine or valuable wine Dorian couldn't help wondering if there wasn't something else down here worth protecting. He's not about to think too hard about it, especially when they had other, more important matters to attend to -- like incoming spider people and how they were going to grab their wine and get out of this...and once they have where were they going to hide it?

Details to be discussed later. Right now he was interested in the spell John was working on the both of them, not something he'd seen mages do...but rogues had a talent for temporary invisibility. What really caught his attention were the words, granted now wasn't the time to have a long-winded chat, but he would have to see how much of this language John knew later.]

Well, with any luck they'll be too concerned with not dying by magic to put much effort into their other senses. [Dorian offered John a crooked half-grin, and with any luck the magic would also mask their movement, it does make some noise after all.] More importantly, how long does this spell hold? If we take down the spiders, get what we came here for, and get back to our quarters without being seen well that would make things easier.

[Also...they probably wouldn't have needed to sneak around quite as much, but hindsight and not using magic and all. Dorian was more concerned with getting the both of them out of this and if they managed to get off with some wine all the better.]

I'm as ready as I'll ever be. [He pulled his staff off of its shoulder strap and spun it singlehandedly like an expert with a bo, after all a staff was as much of a weapon as it was a conduit, the stabby bit on the bottom wasn't exactly a show piece.]

[inconstantly]

The spell will hold until I release it. [John winces a little, likewise knowing that a cloaking spell would have been beneficial to have even before they stepped foot into the house.] I'm usually much better prepared than this.

[Even with the steps growing more and more near John can't help but return return Dorian's crooked smile. Even through mistakes and missteps, it was going to be alright. Both mages were smart, talented, and quick to adapt to a situation. This was only a minor obstacle in their plan. A... minor obstacle with multiple legs and a desire to consume them, but still. Minor enough. When this is all over they'll have more wine than they know what to do with and an almost unbelievable story to tell.

When Dorian readies himself, so does John, conjuring a fireball in hand and fueling it to grow larger and larger in size. When the first Aranean makes its way down the steps, John takes aim and hurls the flame squarely in the middle of the spider. When it drops the spider's company filters down the stairs and into the cellar, stepping over and around the dropped spider. Including the now dead one there are eight in total. How cute.

Though the spider on the stairs seems to be (at least for now) neglected by its friends, but John hasn't forgotten. He points his hand toward the dead Aranean, declaring in a loud, almost booming voice:]

Reconcilio recuperatio, vivet. Vescaris.

[The necromancy spell causes the spider to rise with a shudder, before moving directly toward one of its former friends. The reanimated spider raises a sharp front leg, aiming to drive it directly toward the other spider's innards.]

[excelsus]

So am I. Considering how much I enjoy living. [Dorian offered, knowing their concern with reward left them both a little unprepared, but even as unprepared as they are they are still quite good on their feet.] Besides, we vowed not to use magic unless necessary...so it cannot be helped.

[Being consumed would make it more difficult to wine, that's true, probably best they they both has some modicum of talent. Talent that Dorian is keen to quickly observe. He's impressed, naturally, though mages in his homeland rarely use any sort of incantation John's use of magic is still as impressive as any and perhaps even most mages he knows. Not all mages have confidence in their abilities and not all mages had the talent for magic. This mostly applied to southern mages who were taught that there was something inherently evil about their magic and about who they were in general.

He could appreciate another mage with a flare for magic proudly using their skills, especially when those skills involved killing their enemy and reanimating the creature to use against their own allies. So necromancy was it? It was a lonely specialization in his world as even most mages thought of it as taboo. So seeing necromancy expressed in John was momentarily distracting, but only momentarily, as there were more problems heading their way and each one had eight legs.

Dorian hasn't had the opportunity to fight one of these creatures before so gauging their strengths, their weaknesses, and how well they stood against magic would be a matter of trial and error. At least they were about to find out as the room would soon become a war zone for magic. And it would be as Dorian cast his next spell to control the crowd, he was careful to assure that a good number of the spiders were crowded together and that John was well out of the way before casting it otherwise he would get sucked in by the spell as though it had its own gravitational force. In a way static cage did have its own pull. An electrical sphere that shot out tendrils of electricity pulling nearby enemies in and holding them in a single space while they were repeatedly shocked. It was a drain on his mana, but fortunately Dorian's staff came with a spirit rune so he could still fire spirit energy as well.

Coupling blasts of energy with this electrical attack would, hopefully, have the damaging effect required to incapacitate most of their enemies while John dealt with the rest.]

[inconstantly]

[John's never had an issue with feeling anything close to shame or hesitancy when it comes to his talents as a mage. Ever since he first discovered magic as a teenager he dove headfirst into anything he could study, learn, or perfect. He likes his talents and isn't above showing off.

The shame that does arise isn't from his abilities, but what he's done with them. Astra. Newcastle. The crew. Everything was wrecked beyond repair and John was the only one to blame.

There was no time to dwell on that now. For now John was enjoying himself working side by side with someone who had similar yet noticeably different talents. He holds his controlled spider still as Dorian fires his attack. It's a spectacular show, and thankfully one that resulted in electricity rather than direct magic in itself. The spiders vibrate, legs curling in on themselves within the static cage. While not completely dead they are disoriented open targets, rolling on the stone floor like oversized misshapen marbles.

With the four spiders incapacitated John charges the one under his control forward. Leaving nothing to chance he uses the commands the reanimated spider to use its teeth and front two legs to tears the heads off of those left helpless.

Three to go, ones that scurried away before they could be caught by Dorian's spell. John conjures another fireball left from the glowing remains of the last and holds it atop his fingers, bouncing it above his hand with a light motion as if it were nothing more than a balloon.]

What do you say in finishing the lot together?

[excelsus]

[Dorian should, by some, exhibit some degree at shame in the use of his magic--at least according to Blackwall--but that was how Southerners thought about things in his world. Ignore it, lock it up, bring it to heel...dangerous, shameful thing this magic is. Like urinating in public....except no one condemns you or attempts to drive you into a prison for it, they just look at you like you smell of boiled cabbage.

He didn't feel that way in Tevinter, but Tevinter only mitigated this outsider feeling to a degree, with John he didn't feel like an outsider at all. He could be proud of being a mage and he was free to be himself. Feeling like he belonged while still having a since of camaraderie he felt he couldn't get anywhere else. Even if they were, presently, being a couple of naughty mages, but he felt understood in that regard as well.

In spite of the circumstances Dorian couldn't help feeling a bit showy around John as they took out the spiders individually and in groups, Dorian pulling the ones attempting to escape back into his field of power while John continues hacking away at the others with his reanimated friend and fire. On the outside they might just seem merciless, the spiders were trying to run, but then they would tell and a couple of mages like John and Dorian...well they were considered snack food here. Dorian saw little reason to be merciful given his present status in this world, he was first and foremost a survivor.

With less than a handful of spiders remaining, all that was left to do was to clean up and while John reinvigorated some flames into a ball of fire, Dorian conjured his own ball of magic, holding it like a child in the middle of a serious dodgeball match, pondering where best to let it loose.]

We do make an excellent team, but it does seem a bit unfair that the odds are five to one in our favor. [And he wasn't bragging either, he lobbed the ball of electricity in the middle of the remaining spiders, corralling them together so that John could finish them off with fire.]

[inconstantly]

Unfair in our favor is exactly how I like my odds.

[John throws Dorian a cocky wink. He too feels at ease. He probably shouldn't. This is still a residence deep within enemy territory. John is not only a tasty snack to these spiders but also an enemy of a very powerful house. It would be just as easy for him to be captured for a bounty if not eaten. Caution needed to be taken. But that was before.

Fuck it.

The electricity makes a dazzling display. Once the spiders are in place John hurls his fireball and soon after manipulates the flames to spread outward, expanding to each of the Araneans and consuming them from the feet up. Their legs curl inward and some roll onto their backs without the support while others simply fall face first into ash.

Once dead John doesn't give them a second thought. They don't deserve a second thought. Giving the strap of the bag a quick tug with one hand John turns to Dorian and gives the other man a solid pat on the chest with the other. His expression is nothing short of beaming.]

Nice work. Time to take what we came for.

[Again John takes off in a run toward the area containing various barrels and bottles. This time he activates no traps and there are no spiders to speak of charging after him. Once he reaches the shelves he immediately retrieves one of the bottles, popping off the cork and taking a long swig. It's strong and thick, slightly sour, just like the wine he had tasted previously. With an alcohol content that high the taste didn't much matter.

After his drink he holds the test bottle aloft in offering.]

No sense in bringing back a mystery. Cheers!

[excelsus]

[Still arguably more cautious than John, Dorian watches both bemused and aware as John sprints off towards the alcohol--like watching a child in a sweet shop. He's not worried that John will be assailed by anything, they'd stepped all over this cellar after all, if more traps were going to be triggered then they would have been during that fight. Still, it doesn't hurt to be the one on look-out after all...and it does make it easier for John to be more reckless if someone is watching his back.

Besides, the view from Dorian's perspective is still captivating and he's honestly not one to stray too far behind, he wants to assess their goods after all and it's clearly trap free so within moments he's joining John and taking the offered bottle. If it was anyone other than John he might have second thoughts about swapping spit with another individual, but they've been quite personal in that experience and so, without hesitation he takes the offered bottle and samples it deeply. It's certainly wine, maybe not the top shelf wine, but Dorian's has had worse in Skyhold...and there was plenty to choose from.]

You have no problem with escalation, do you? [It wasn't admonishment, but the opposite, Dorian sounds impressed and there's something exhilarating about sneaking around unfamiliar places and killing creatures that would kill you back if they could.

Raising the wine bottle slightly in toast to their victory.] Mmmm...to the thrill of getting into trouble and more wine than either of us can carry!

[inconstantly]

And to the thrill of getting out of trouble before anyone has the chance to reach us.

[John raises an invisible glass in return of the toast, grinning as he mimes taking a drink. After the excitement of clearing away the spiders he can't say he's relaxed entirely, but something else is setting in. Satisfaction of success maybe?

He begins looking through the various selections in the cellar, making certain to drop a variety of the different selections into his bag. The walk down the length of the stores is leisurely, as are the paces back to its start. With the sack now full John sets it to the ground when he reaches Dorian again, intent on carrying it again once they leave. Now that he's closer and properly face to face with Dorian he can't help but notice a certain facial feature.]

Might want to be careful with that wine, stains your lips a little. [John lifts his hand and with a single finger playfully traces one side of Dorian's mustache, as if painting it.] Can't have the same happening to your mustache.

[excelsus]

[Normally Dorian would balk at the notion of anyone touching his face in any respect, but John had the special privileges that most people didn't have when it come to where he could touch the altus and when he could touch him. So instead of his usual reaction Dorian's lip quirked into the direction of John's finger, grinning at the touch instead.

Dorian could see right through the ruse, a reason to touch him perhaps, not that John needed a reason, they'd just victoriously secured wine for themselves and felled some spiders in the process. For any man this was cause for wine and ...well...other things, but that would have to wait]

Oh I'm well versed in keeping my mustache safe from the perils of wine, my dear. [Dorian tipped his head just enough to press his lips to the bad of John's thumb.] I'm more intrigued by your observations and how keen they are.

[inconstantly]

My observations are incredibly keen. I've also noticed that your walk has changed now that we've been successful. A smug saunter, the kind you adopt when I meet you in the evenings. Though I can't fault you for either.

[John gives a slight hum at the kiss to his thumb before moving his hand to trace the other side of he mustache. Better not to leave a job half finished.

With a deft hand John plucks the wine from Dorian's grasp, taking his own long swig. When he finishes he holds the bottle in a circular grip between thumb and forefinger, resting his hand and the side of the bottle by extension on Dorian's hip.]

I do have more observations I could share, but it's only prudent that you have a go.