Caspian

CASPIAN / THE CURSED ARCHAEOLOGIST / HE/HIM

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Caspian's academic upbringing did little to prepare him for the curse unfolding around him.

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“Here,” Caspian said, claw outstretched with a chunk of golden-brown stone, shimmering bands painted across it. “There was a bunch near the digsite. Figured you’d like some.”

Kaidu peered at it curiously. “And this one is…?”

“Tiger’s eye. Made of quartz and limonite.”

Kaidu admired it, turning it over in his bony claws. “It’s beautiful.”

“Some think it helps with inspiration, too.”

He gazed at it with fascination. “So it will be useful?”

Caspian shrugged. “Only if the superstitions are true.” He squinted at the horizon. A frown came over his face. “We should head back to town. Wouldn’t be a good idea to let the sun set on us out here if we can help it.”

Kaidu hummed absently in agreement, staring at the stone. “Perhaps we will discover more pretty stones on our way?”

“Maybe.”


“Is this the same stone?” Kaidu asked, holding out a banded orange rock.

“Hmm…” Caspian regarded it carefully. “Nope. I think that’s sardonyx.”

“Oh. Well… it is also very pretty.”

“Is this a stone?”

“They’re all stones, Kaidu.”

“Yes, yes,” he said, impatiently dumping the stone in his claw. “But does this one have a name?”

“They all–” Caspian sighed. “This one looks like an agate.”


“And what’s this one?”

“…Kaidu, where’d you find that!?”

“In that pit over there.”

“That’s… That’s a nest.” He winced. “You found an egg.”

“...I will put it back.”


It was a quiet evening on the Churnscar Wharf, and Caspian had decided to use the peace to study. He lifted the gem he’d been trying to identify up to his lens, and held it steady, scribbling notes on what he saw and theories on what it could be, when suddenly–

‘FWEE-E-E-E-ET!’

A loud, screeching whistle blared out from right outside his hut. He jumped, almost dropping his sample in the sand below as he looked around for the small room for the source of the sound. Nothing was there except the supplies they’d picked up. Then–

‘FWEE-E-E-E-E-EET!’

Louder, longer, and importantly, locatable. It was coming from right outside the window. Which meant…

‘FWEE-E-e-E-e-E–’ “Oh– Drat. Almost had it!”

It had been a quiet evening. But now, Kaidu was practicing. Caspian heard a deep breath, and braced himself for the next assault of sound, when suddenly–

"Hey!" An agitated voice approached.

"Hmm? Yes?"

"Are you the one blowing on that flute? We could hear you from the Plateau!"

"Oh… My– My apologies…" Caspian sighed in relief. Quiet at last.

"’Apologies’?" The visitor guffawed, and the squawk of a strange instrument filled the air. "I came here to join you! You don’t mind some company, do you?"

He groaned.

...

Kaidu had been listening to Caspian indignantly chatter about a new challenge to one of his theories for almost 5 minutes now, and for some reason, he was getting shorter.

“Obviously, my theory about the new ruins in the Shrieking Wilds is the most sensible,” he said, sinking.

“With the utmost respect to my contemporaries, none of them are really considering the diversity of architecture,” he continued, still sinking.

“My theory is just… more holistic. More thorough.” He sank a bit more. “Let me explain–”

Kaidu glanced at his feet as he droned on about the differences between Light- and Shadow-borne architecture. They were half buried in the bank of the Worldedge Wetlands, slowly becoming more and more obscured. Caspian had stepped into a pool of quicksand, and had yet to notice. It occurred to Kaidu, suddenly, that he likely would not have stepped in this mud at all, had he been able to feel his legs. He felt uneasy. Caspian went to great lengths to insist that his curse was not his fault; he had long since forgiven him, he said, and besides, it was just the bad luck of the draw. Yet still, he struggled to forgive himself. His awakening had changed his life so much, and not much for the better. Indeed, Caspian would have been better off had they never met at all.

“Kaidu?” He blinked. Caspian was now up to his knees in quicksand. “Little help?”

Kaidu smiled. “Of course.” He went over to help. Perhaps they truly should have never met. But they had. Why complain?

...

On a small clearing in the middle of the Flintlock Fumaroles, Caspian starts supper. He’s not a good cook, and having little feeling in his limbs doesn’t make him any better, but he manages to wrap some meat up and put it in the mouth of one of the nearby geysers. The extra heat will give it a kick. He sits back down, and takes out his notes to study, listening closely for the telltale hiss that’ll warn him of an eruption. Not far from where he sits, back at their tent, he hears the sound of Taps on a horn, as Kaidu practices his most recent attempt at music. Sometimes it’s comforting to know he’s there. Caspian inhales the thick smoke of home, and smiles. All is well.

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Caspian is an archaeologist, and although archaeology was his dream job ever since he was a hatchling, it hasn't quite been what he expected. Short on funds, Caspian chased grant money to excavate the site of an ancient battlefield in the Icefield alone. In the process, he unearthed Kaidu. However, in unearthing and reanimating Kaidu, he was cursed by the lingering ice that surrounded him.

Personality-wise, Caspian is inquisitive and disciplined, although he can be pompous and a bit selfish at times. He has quite a few lofty theories surrounding Sornieth's various archaeological inconsistencies, and he has a hard time seeing any potential alternatives. Even so, he's still somewhat open-minded when it comes to things that aren't archaeological, and his time with Kaidu has certainly served to open his mind even further.

There's nothing Caspian loves more than a good book or studying a nice sample. He's gotten more into gemology lately-- mostly just because it pays well, but also for the pleasure of learning. He'll sometimes bestow uncut stones or little artifacts here and there on Kaidu, who absolutely adores each "honored gift". Caspian just rolls his eyes and moves onto the next sample, but on some level he does enjoy being appreciated so thoroughly.

Speaking of Kaidu, at first, Caspian did actually briefly blame Kaidu for the curse. However, that was more of a short-term lashing-out type of thing, and he got over it pretty quickly. Losing feeling in his extremities has been disheartening, although he's gotten over it to an extent. It's made him a bit of a target among the Archaeological Society members, though. Aside from grant meetings, he's largely excused himself from talking with any of his fellow archaologists. Kaidu-- and his loyal Hainu, Tiber-- are practically his only friends.

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