faderift | WAR TABLE: wtf is happening in the anderfels

A shallow river runs south from Hossberg and feeds a lake that the royal family often retired to in the summers. The fortress is presently occupied by a few Venatori, their slaves, and Prince Baldewin, the only surviving member of the royal family. Prince Baldewin is three years old and likes wyverns. Getting to the Prince will require getting into the estate quietly to prevent the Venatori from killing or moving the prince. Should the Venatori be alerted, they--and their slaves, on orders--will put up a great deal of resistance.

Thankfully, the team will get some help by the way of secret passages and escape tunnels built for the Royal family. Hopefully the team will be able to reach the Prince and escape without the lose of another life.

Ciri honestly did not think she could ever go tripping her way through something darker than the Deep Roads yet here she is. They were lucky, very lucky to have been tipped off about the old secret passages built into the fortress for the royal family but even said secretiveness meant wandering in literally blind.

But that meant going in blind to a fortress that was filled to the brim with Venatori and their slaves. After what happened to Hilde she does not what a repeat especially when their target was a three-year-old.

"So..." Ciri begins, breaking the uneasy silence. "How much trouble do you think we'll be in for kidnapping the heir to a throne?"

"Maybe a little less," Alistair says, "if we stop calling it kidnapping. 'Rescuing' is a good word. I like 'rescuing'--Merrill?"

Where's Merrill, with her elf eyes? He puts both hands straight out in front of him in case the answer is right there. Rachette also has her dwarf eyes, but Alistair thinks she's a lot less inclined to let him touch her. But he is going to fall down and make noise and possibly die if someone doesn't do something.

"Can I hold your hand? I won't tell Mal." Or--"or someone glow, please."

"'Rescuing' seems more appropriate, I concur." There's a small smile in Inessa's voice even if it can't be seen. Though after a moment, she comes over, staff in hand and deliberately tipping it downward so that the humans of the group can see a little more than absolutely nothing. "Better?"

There's a little 'oof' as one of Alistar's hands collides with her ear, and Merrill turns around (hi, glowing elf eyes) to take one hand in hers. Even with Inessa's glowy staff, it's best to stay together. It's difficult to split up if some of the group is attached to each other.

So. Hand-holding.

"It's not as though we'll be holding him for ransom or turning him into a puppet ruler." Pause. "Let's all agree now to not let those happen."

"Okay, okay but someone is still going to use the 'K' word at some point and I agree. We have to get him out and away from this mess."

Immediately there is a grin on Ciri's face as soon as turns to the source of light chasing away the shadows of the tunnel and what has allowed her to actually see. She isn't grinning about the light though and more about the staff or rather what sit atop the staff.

"Nessa, I had no idea. You'll have to tell me where you get your staves, I want one of those for the hilt of my sword." She winks, holding in a laugh but reaches out to whomever is behind her because whatever. She'll hold hands with someone. "This is turning out so much cuter than I thought a dark tunnel could ever be."

Inesa slips her smaller hand into Ciri's, shaking her head with a smile as she figures that would draw attention sooner or later. It's a fairly new staff, her old one being far less eye-catching. "It was given to me at the Circle in Perendale. The irony of an elf wielding a Tevinter staff was too good to pass up."

I didn't see any matching sword hilts, but if any exist, be comforted in the knowledge that I shall inform you immediately." If not directly purchase it for Ciri herself, because then they can match. Or just laugh about it.

There's a joke to be made about wanting one of those for his sword, too; get it, swords, etc. But Alistair is not the man to make it. He's only the man to imagine if Zevran were here to make it and to make a strangled, huffy noise in his throat without any explanation while he holds Merrill's hand for guidance.

"No ransoms, no puppet rulers," he says. If anyone's going to Not Be A Fan of politically maneuvering orphaned princes, hello, he's here. "Maybe hand puppets. Is three years old enough to like puppets?"

They're going to be the best five moms in all of Thedas.

Alistair is the new favorite, and Merrill helpfully squeezes his hand. Maybe he'll get more of those "coughs" out.

"And no nude women around the prince in public or else Cassandra might make that noise where it sounds like she can't breathe." Probably because she's wishing whoever made that choice couldn't breathe. "But hand puppets should be fine -- I think he'd like them, at least. Oh, and little toy griffons! And a pony!"

Beat. Maybe they should start moving.

"Everyone holding hands? Inessa, do you want to go first so everyone can see? I can go last."

"We probably shouldn't spoil him too much." A beat. "But he is definitely getting a pony and some really nice art supplies like the fancy ones in Orlais. Kids love drawing, right?"

Moms of the age right here. Also she might raise her free hand, wiggling her fingers and chuckling.

"I still got a free hand open."

"And dog rides, don't forget. He should still be small enough for Garahel." The mabari at her side agrees, letting out a quiet wuff. Make that six moms, Alistair.

Merrill's plan is a sound one, and Inessa nods, picking up the pace a little but then she's used to keeping up with significantly taller people anyway. "I'm in position. If anything approaches from either direction, we should be prepared."

"Ancestors guide me," Rachette mutters, grabbing onto Ciri's other hand, "I haven't lost my Stone sense yet. We could have sent someone to scout ahead and warn anyone of any rocks or roots to trip over."

Not that she's not a fan of going in the sneaky way. It's just that the sneaky way usually involves less talking? Usually. And holding hands is for kids grumble mumble.

"At least someone's got an idea how to treat kidnapped rescued child princes. I'm a little more worried about what happens when he starts growing up. Or when people realize their prince is gone."

"We'll have this mess cleaned up before he's old enough to know the difference," Alistair says. Does he sound confident? Hopefully he sounds confident. What he feels is tired and disappointed and wearily determined, but maybe that sounds kind of like confidence.

And then he's quiet. Listening. Elves probably have better hearing in addition to better eyesight, but it can't hurt to try to contribute to the whole not-getting-caught thing.

Alistair's hand gets a little squeeze. "We will," Merrill confirms, and she's definitely filled with confidence. "And you could have gone ahead, but what if you were captured?"

Better to do it all together, Merrill thinks. Especially if the prince has also been enchanted to explode. They're going to need a support network.

Which reminds her-

"Inessa or I should cast Dispel on the prince before we move him, if that's okay with everyone."

Other than that, time to be quiet and keep moving.

Trying to listen as well, Inessa snaps back to attention upon being mentioned and nods. Then realizes it's too dark for her nod to probably be seen in the back, anyway. Oh, well.

"I can do that. It's no trouble at all, and a good idea considering. We don't know what we're walking into, not exactly."

"We will all do well not be captured. Who knows what they'll do to him if they realize what is happening."

She's already witnessed the death of one child, one she had a hand in killing and will not stand to lose another if they can stop it. The thought alone has her squeezing Inessa's hand briefly before focusing back on the now.

"Right, well... we know we'll come to a fork and we need to go up some stairs. That should put us in the King's old study near the apartments where the royal family stayed. It's just a matter of figuring out which door our Prince is hiding behind."

There is a part of Ciri that is surprised they pulled off retrieving the Prince and making it out of the fortress without Venatori swarming down on them. It's obvious that everything is still on edge since the events that happened in the market the other day involving their source of information out of the Anderfels literally exploding into a mess of blood and giblets.

Now there is another issue. They were treking back toward their camp, trying to avoid bringing any attention to themselves when it hits her. It is a feeling that has been itching at the back of her head like a disgusting poison seeping in and it comes from an unmistakable source. It's worrying that there is darkspawn on the surface out here in the middle of nowhere but it's becoming obvious that the small group isn't moving as they draw closer.

"There's darkspawn up ahead..." She mutters softly if only for the two members of their group that wasn't connected to the darkspawn hotline and she reaches for the hilt of her sword. "Small group, thankfully but they've just been standing around for awhile now. Maybe they're out enjoying the fresh night air and a game of Wicked Grace?"

Of the same sentiment regarding the prince, Inessa refrains from starting that discussion until she knows they're safe. Unfortunately, she picks up on that sensation approximately the same time as Ciri does. She stiffens, Garahel snapping to alertness upon seeing her usual reaction.

"I can dash their hopes with a blizzard before they even realize it." Alistair is the senior Warden in this mission, though, so she's not acting without his leave. And they also have two non-Wardens to protect as well as the prince. She doesn't want anyone infected with the taint that doesn't want to partake in the Joining.

"How small's 'small'? Small like I'll just run in and take them out?" Because you're damn right she's already drawn her weapons at the word 'darkspawn'. "Or just throw snow at them and run?" They do rather want to get away quickly, though she'd argue taking care of the issue before they can maybe set their sights on the town and quickly taking them down might work out better for everyone.

"It's hard to get a good number from here."

Which was honestly rather odd but it feels like there's something else there that is not quite right. Raising her hand, she presses a finger to her lips and points toward a nearby outcropping some feet away that offers a decent view from the top.

"I'm going to see if I can get eyes on them. Stay on guard." She says, taking off before any one had a chance to protest and pulling herself up the outcropping of rocks with little issue once she reaches it.

The issue doesn't come until she's up top, small spyglass out and peering out toward where the source of this feeling is coming from. What she sees isn't anywhere close to what she expects. There was darkspawn, yes but Wardens too. Venatori and giants make up the rest of this party with her cursing up a storm in her head. What's worse is the shimmers of red. She wastes no time climbing back down, leaping once she reaches near the bottom and hurrying back to the group.

"We need to change our movement now to get away from this route. It's not just darkspawn up there but Wardens and Venatori. Oh, I can't forget about the giants either." And then she cuts her eyes toward the other two Wardens present. "Want to know what our dear brothers and sisters in arms are doing with the Venatori? They're infecting darkspawn with red lyrium. Infecting Wardens too from what I saw."

About to volunteer to go with her, Inessa nods as Ciri slips away and remains alert to any sign of trouble, along with Garahel. When Ciri rejoins them, she listens intently, a scowl quickly forming at mention of red lyrium. After that cave, she despises it even more than before, and the thought of Wardens succumbing.

"Then they need to be stopped, before they can do more damage. I know there's too much in the Anderfels for us to take on ourselves. We can't match the strength of Corypheus' dragon, but this...." Please tell her they're not just going to turn their backs on this horror.

As both not-a-Warden and not-someone-who-needs-two-hands-for-one-weapon, Merrill is currently holding the young prince. This means there has been, for a while, everything from quiet singing to silly faces. Now, blessedly, the prince has dozed off against her shoulder; still, Merrill hikes him up a bit more as soon as Darkspawn are mentioned, grip tightening both on the toddler and her staff.

"If we fight them, the dragon is likely to come and join. And we can't expose a child to red lyrium. As soon as they realize we have him with us, there's no way they won't try and snatch him back or kill him." If she had a free hand, she'd rest it on Inessa's arm. As it is, there's a pleading look. "We can't stop them all, not like this. But they'll leave tracks; we can send scouts back, find where they're going."

"...I'm sorry, did you say giants?" A lot of things are giant to a dwarf, relatively. But giants are new. Actually very new. A few darkspawn one or two of them could dispatch. All together, without a child, they could take on darkspawn and some Wardens. But darkspawn, Wardens, Venatori, red lyrium, giants--she can calculate the odds without even knowing the numbers.

Still, she isn't about to sheathe her weapons. "Yeah. Scouts back. Or a nice sized army. We know where they are, and they probably aren't going all that far, and if they do--giants. I imagine that's hard to miss."

WAR TABLE: wtf is happening in the anderfels

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