[ Astarion follows, rather disgruntled at being tugged along, though it's not like there's much alternative with the short chain linking each manacle. Somehow, he gets the sense that Kim isn't the sort to have thieves' tools on hand, but as it turns out, the supplied alternative is familiar to Astarion all the same: a sewing kit, and quite a comprehensive one at that. Astarion gazes at it with something between surprise and envy. It's a shame his hands are literally tied at the moment—otherwise, he'd pocket the kit in an instant.
Ah, well. Another day, maybe. He takes the proffered needle, assessing it with a glance. It's no lock-pick, but it should still serve his purposes well enough. ]
I'm quite sure that won't be necessary, [ Astarion says disdainfully, ] But thank you for the additional motivation.
[ As much as he himself would love to be rid of this awful costume, he doesn't relish the thought of trying to remove it while cuffed to another person. All the more reason to make sure he takes care of these manacles himself. ]
Come along, then, [ he sighs impatiently, tugging them back towards the bed, where he perches on the edge and motions for Kim to do the same. He lays their linked hands between them. In truth, Astarion has never seen manacles like these before and for a few moments, he simply examines them, trying to understand their construction. The metal is thinner and lighter than what he's accustomed to, and the opening mechanism much less obvious: a tiny key way, which Astarion is pleased to discover is drilled into the cuff attached to his unwilling compatriot's wrist. That will make reaching it much easier. ]
Lay your wrist here, like this. Good. Don't move.
[ With his free hand, he angles the needle into the key way and begins to explore, searching for slides, pins, or levers. As strange as these manacles may be, there are only so many ways to build a lock, and Astarion likes to think he knows them all.
Which is why it's so mystifying when he can't find any of them. He feels around with the needle, searching for a structure of any kind, but all he finds are the edges of the key way and the flat metal on the other side of the cuffs. It's as if there are no internal mechanisms at all, as if the key way is nothing but a decoy. And maybe it is. After a few minutes of fiddling, Astarion withdraws the needle and begins to turn the handcuffs over again, frowning fiercely as he searches for another opening. He feels a bit of hope when he finds what seems to be an aperture for a double lock, but more exploratory prodding reveals the same results as the first: it's as if the cuffs have been simply welded into place around their wrists, with no actual mechanism to unlock them at all. ]
Blasted things, [ he hisses, brow furrowed in concentration. ] There's nothing inside! Nothing I can find, anyway.
[ Judging by the way Astarion keeps turning his wrist—and by extension, Kim's own—this way and that looking for another key way, he isn't ready to give up just yet. Or maybe he's just stalling the part where he might need a stranger's help to undress... ]
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Ah, well. Another day, maybe. He takes the proffered needle, assessing it with a glance. It's no lock-pick, but it should still serve his purposes well enough. ]
I'm quite sure that won't be necessary, [ Astarion says disdainfully, ] But thank you for the additional motivation.
[ As much as he himself would love to be rid of this awful costume, he doesn't relish the thought of trying to remove it while cuffed to another person. All the more reason to make sure he takes care of these manacles himself. ]
Come along, then, [ he sighs impatiently, tugging them back towards the bed, where he perches on the edge and motions for Kim to do the same. He lays their linked hands between them. In truth, Astarion has never seen manacles like these before and for a few moments, he simply examines them, trying to understand their construction. The metal is thinner and lighter than what he's accustomed to, and the opening mechanism much less obvious: a tiny key way, which Astarion is pleased to discover is drilled into the cuff attached to his unwilling compatriot's wrist. That will make reaching it much easier. ]
Lay your wrist here, like this. Good. Don't move.
[ With his free hand, he angles the needle into the key way and begins to explore, searching for slides, pins, or levers. As strange as these manacles may be, there are only so many ways to build a lock, and Astarion likes to think he knows them all.
Which is why it's so mystifying when he can't find any of them. He feels around with the needle, searching for a structure of any kind, but all he finds are the edges of the key way and the flat metal on the other side of the cuffs. It's as if there are no internal mechanisms at all, as if the key way is nothing but a decoy. And maybe it is. After a few minutes of fiddling, Astarion withdraws the needle and begins to turn the handcuffs over again, frowning fiercely as he searches for another opening. He feels a bit of hope when he finds what seems to be an aperture for a double lock, but more exploratory prodding reveals the same results as the first: it's as if the cuffs have been simply welded into place around their wrists, with no actual mechanism to unlock them at all. ]
Blasted things, [ he hisses, brow furrowed in concentration. ] There's nothing inside! Nothing I can find, anyway.
[ Judging by the way Astarion keeps turning his wrist—and by extension, Kim's own—this way and that looking for another key way, he isn't ready to give up just yet. Or maybe he's just stalling the part where he might need a stranger's help to undress... ]