Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

[pinprick]

WHO: Anders, Nathaniel, and invitees!
WHAT: Fancy birthday party in Camp Shady
WHEN: Harvestmere 27, evening
WHERE: Camp Shady
NOTES: Will update.

Since many Wardens moved into the Kestrel House, there is plenty of space in the camp for a big top tent. Finding enough candlesticks, tables, and chairs required a lot of time and a number of bribes to pull off. The tables are nicely draped with fabric lent by one of Anders' patients, and each is decorated with flowers. The tent is alight and smells like good food--more donations from grateful patients.

One of the Wardens is known for her fiddling, and she plays lively dances and crooning ballads. In the center table is an ice sculpture of a cat chasing a butterfly (you guessed it--donated by a mage patient). It glitters spectacularly in the candlelight.

On the menu is a slow-roasted pig, spiced hot cider, spectacular salads, jams, cakes, delectably seasoned vegetables, a lamb-flank, and your choice of wine. There is even a hard-won bottle of Antivan brandy Nathaniel had to win several card games to achieve.

Relax, enjoy, greet the birthday boy, and mingle. The nights will be cold soon, but under this tent, life glows.

Comments

[circleprodigy]

As a mabari-owner and a Grey Warden, there can never be enough food in Inessa's vicinity. The Grey Warden (for she made that evident enough with her signet ring even out of armor) returns for some more hot spiced cider and lamb-flank for the every-hungry war hound at her side. Trying to keep Garahel from sniffing at everything else, Inessa nearly bumps into someone before she can't stop herself.

"Oh, sorry--" And then she looks up...and up, at the man over two feet taller than her.

[conqueredhearts]

It could be rather amazing for people to miss him and end up nearly running into him but he just had a smile for her. That and a merry laugh. It wasn't like she would have hurt him or anything with just a mere bump. Besides, he was probably more likely to be the one causing damage due to his enormous size!

"It is no trouble at all. Did you drop anything?" Might as well see to that first. It would be a shame to lose some food while dodging.

[circleprodigy]

"I did...but it's of no concern, now." She smiles wryly, gesturing to her mabari who's happily doing clean-up duty. That piece of lamb is practically inhaled, as though it never was. "I'm Inessa and this is Garahel. Say hello, Garahel."

The mabari barks and offers a paw. Shake?

[conqueredhearts]

The large man easily went down onto his knee to take the paw so he could give the dog a shake. He even laughed a bit, delighted by what he was doing with the animal. Honestly he'd love to have one of his own just so he could train it to do this sort of thing.

"An honor, Garahel. And to you as well, Inessa! I am Iskandar."

[circleprodigy]

Garahel is pleased at the response and shows it by bumping up against the large man affectionately, licking him. Inessa sighs, but as long as Iskandar doesn't seem to mind the attention, she won't urge Garahel back.

"You don't sound Avvar...so I'm going to venture that you're a rifter, given that shard. Am I correct?"

[conqueredhearts]

Well that just meant Iskandar had to sit down to keep giving him attention and to make it easier to receive those kisses! Laughing, he scratched the dog's ears, obviously delighted with the moment he was sharing with Garahel.

"I am! I hail from another world and was born in a land known as Macedonia. Actually I was the King of that land."

[circleprodigy]

That gets Inessa to raise her eyebrows. "We seem to have a fair amount of royalty coming through the rifts. Interesting...though potentially troubling, for the lands left behind." But maybe she shouldn't have mentioned that, for his sake. "So, how do you know Anders?"

[conqueredhearts]

"I would not say it is so troubling for my lands. They were swept away with the years after my death." He gave the dog another pat before finally getting up and brushing himself off like he hadn't just dropped that kind of a bomb in the conversation. "I met Anders when he was setting up for the tightrope thing. I moved some seating for him to allow him to prepare for it and extended the hand of friendship at the same time."

[circleprodigy]

"Your...death." That takes a moment to sink in and those eyebrows raise again. "It is said that the souls of the dead return to the Fade. That yours found its way here, despite its origin, is most interesting...and I hope, welcome."

She can't imagine what it's like to cross back over from death, let alone to an unfamiliar land. "That was kind of you, regardless. I had attended, but Garahel took the bulk of my attention as he tends to, distracted by all the food." Said mabari just wags his tail, completely shameless.

[conqueredhearts]

"I can see why he would." He laughed and leaned down to give the dog's head another scratch. He quite liked him already and knew he would enjoy seeing him again in the future. If only to play with him some more. He'd learned that even war dogs loved to have a good time through fun and games. Just like any sort of person might.

"How long have you had him? He has bonded to you well."

[circleprodigy]

Inessa glances down fondly at the happily rumbling Garahel, who loves all the attention. "I've had him since he was a pup, a couple of years ago. Shortly after I joined the Grey Wardens, I was introduced to the kennel master...and Garahel promptly imprinted on me. We've been together ever since. It's probably the most Fereldan thing about me, honestly."

[conqueredhearts]

"Ahhh. Yes my dear friend Bucephalus bonded with me quickly as well when I took on the challenge of training him. Though he really only is as friendly as your Garahel with me." He patted the dog on the head as he referred to him, already quite wanting one for himself. Now that he'd had the chance to meet one he just couldn't stop that desire! Ah well. He could keep it in check for the time being. "So you are a Grey Warden as well? It seems I just keep running into your people!"

[circleprodigy]

That gets a soft chuckle from Inessa, always glad to see people enjoying the presence of her mabari companion. Garahel, a good judge of character if there ever was one, is perfectly at ease with his new best friend. "It's not surprising, we do tend to cluster together." Those who are sane and not given to blood magic, at least. "Life as a Grey Warden has been far from easy these past few years, so it's easy to remain with those who understand. That is not to say we are unwelcoming, however."

[conqueredhearts]

Well, he was just too drawn in by the dog to remain standing. Obviously this meant his attention was to be divided. To make that easier, he gladly sat himself down on the ground so he could scratch the dog all over while he looked up to continue to speak with the woman. "Yes I can see you are very welcoming. I have not met one of you who wasn't. Still, I am pleased you have companions to share your woes and joys with. That makes life much richer no matter what the times are like."

He knew that well from having been close to his own army. To some of his generals. To Hephaestion.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa crouches down but doesn't sit exactly, since this way they're more even. Garahel happily wiggles, stretching as though to point out just what needs scratching most right then. Smiling, the elven woman nods.

"It does, indeed. Between the Circle and the Grey Wardens, I have never been lacking for company. The concept of non-communal living is a bit of an alien one to me, since that is what I've have most of my life."

[conqueredhearts]

"The Circle. I have heard of this. It was a place for mages, yes?" He was still learning a lot about the world here but he'd been picking up on some of the terms. Especially when people kept using them repeatedly like that particular one.

"That would make you one of the mages then!" Yes. That had to be the obvious conclusion here.

Oh and he just had to give that dog a nice scratch to the chest since it had been presented so nicely to him.

[circleprodigy]

Garahel's eyes are nearly closed as he's so contented, though he moves too much for anyone to assume he's dozing. Inessa watches this with a chuckle, nodding. "Indeed. Though my allegiance is now with the Grey Wardens, before then I was a Circle mage had had been nearly all my life. The world inside the tower was all I knew, until a couple of years ago. I like to think I have caught up with the outside world since then."

[conqueredhearts]

"You certainly seem to have managed well enough!" Plenty enough to be doing alright in his eyes anyway. He offered her a bright and easy grin before he realized he did have a question he was curious about. It hadn't fully been made clear to him yet and here was a Grey Warden right here before him. "Ah, would you mind if I asked how you were chosen to become a Grey Warden?"

[circleprodigy]

"Not at all, though I wasn't chosen. I volunteered. Grey Wardens came to my Circle tower during the Fifth Blight, seeking mages to aid them against the archdemon. However, my tower had its own internal crisis at the time. Because of the Wardens' actions, we survived when otherwise we would not have done so. I wished to repay that debt."

Inessa's tone while she speaks is calm and measured, glossing over the horrific details but wanting to make it clear just how much the Grey Wardens had been needed. The only hint that there's more to the story rests in the darkening of her eyes for a moment, but she remains stoic.

[conqueredhearts]

There was something more to the story than she was telling him but he knew now was not the time to be asking for that story. This was a night of celebration and he would not mark Anders' special night like this. So he just smiled at her, letting that part go. It was something he could ask her another time to see if she was willing to answer him. And if not then he wasn't meant to know and that was fine.

"Then I'd say that you repaid them well. Perhaps I know nothing of your talents but I'd say you must be very useful to them. There are not many that can say the would volunteer for such things. Isn't that right, my friend?" That last part was directed to the dog who he vigorously scratched then as if to punctuate his point.

[circleprodigy]

There's a slight easing of tension in her shoulders as he doesn't pursue details; Inessa would rather not mar Anders' party with such dark memories anyway, only wanting to state bald facts. She's never lied about why she has joined the Grey Wardens and won't start now, but the rest can wait for a better time. Or until she knows him better, but so far her impression is that he will react well. Time will tell if that impression is correct.

Garahel responds to the scratching with happy rumbling and closed eyes. Inessa's lips twitch. "If he becomes a furry puddle on the floor, then I hope you're prepared to carry him back for me. I can't possibly do it myself.

And...I like to think I am. My main talent is ice, but I know a little healing and other schools of magic to round myself out. Any mage worth being named such is always perfecting their skills."

[conqueredhearts]

"Ah I can do that." Besides it would be his own fault for creating a dog puddle in the first place. The least that he could do was make sure that he helped to carry him back to wherever she lived so she couldn't have to be concerned about trying to figure out how to get him there herself. Of course he was sure the dog would happily go on his own given his bond with her but that wasn't something he would comment on.

"Ice? That is wonderful! What can you do with ice?" Magic as a fascinating topic to him. Yes some part of him was always taking into consideration how one could use the magic in so many ways but the rest of him was just in wonder over the discipline that mages had with it. It was truly impressive to him and made him want to learn all about it as a result.

[circleprodigy]

"You would have my thanks, though perhaps it won't need to come to that." Perhaps, though given Garahel's bliss, Inessa wouldn't rule out the possibility entirely. He might even go limp just for the purposes of being carried for once.

That enthusiastic curiosity gets a surprised, warm smile out of Inessa, who isn't used to non-mages reacting in such a manner. "I can manage a variety, much of it combat-related, but some of it not. Walls or rings of ice, blizzards to slow down enemies, ice mines that will explode and encase others in ice when they are crossed, encasing them without mines...that is what I often do on the battlefield. As for non-combat uses, ice can be very useful in creating walkways or alleviating pain...or for artistic reasons, such as ice sculptures." She gestures to the ice sculpture of a cat chasing a butterfly. "Not my work, but the general principle remains."

[conqueredhearts]

"I had no idea that ice could be used in so many ways! Sometime may I see a demonstration of what you can do?"

She was welcome to refuse him, of course. It wasn't like she had to demonstrate anything because mages shouldn't be something for display. At least those were his thoughts. Really he just loved to see the gifts of a person, see them using them to such great potential. Of course this was probably because he was often so willing to put himself on display for others.

[circleprodigy]

Glancing around for a moment, Inessa looks back to him and nods. She doesn't mind a demonstration, able to discern genuine interest from those who would merely see her as a source of entertainment. "Of course. I would demonstrate now, but I would not wish to draw attention from the focus of our gathering. One other effect I have done -and that Garahel enjoys- is to create a slick surface on the ground, for him to slide upon. I've seen him take a running start and then flop on his stomach to slide down. He's even rolled onto his back just so he can do so with all his paws in the air, silly thing."

Garahel huffs and wags his tail at that, in full agreement though of course distracted with all the attention.