{ OPEN } The mood it changes like the wind

[serannas]

WHO: Ellana and open
WHAT: Getting acclimated to Kirkwall
WHEN: Bloomingtide 4-11
WHERE: Gallows, dock, the city
NOTES: Nope.

{ the gallows }
It doesn't take much convincing for Ellana to take one of the free rooms available for the Inquisition's use. She's grown used to having her privacy and especially a nice bed, so when she comes with the second group in late Cloudreach, she's quick to claim a space. That said, there are times when she's amenable to company, even when not seeking it out, and she leaves the door to her room open so anyone passing can stop in. Sometimes she's reading cross-legged on her bed, other times she's playing her lute, the sounds of a bad note occasionally slipping through followed by a frustrated sigh.

{ the docks }
Ellana sometimes stops by to see friends who don't want to live in the Gallows, or to meander around the stables. Other times, she sits on the edge of the docks with her legs swinging, eating an apple or bit of bread as she watches the boats in the harbor. There's often a thoughtful look on her face and from time to time she'll look up at a passerby to ask: "How far do you think it is to Antiva by sea?" or "Have you ever been to Rivain?"

{ lowtown }
She doesn't expect a warm welcome at the alienage, but she mentions she's a friend of Merrill's and some elves are willing to talk to her. The fact that Ellana doesn't lecture them about how wonderful life would be for them in a clan helps, and when she mentions she's voluntarily left hers, there's a smug satisfaction on the faces of the others. But Ellana just shrugs and moves on, asking them about the city and knowing better than to show any pity for their lot. They make do, and she respects that.

When she leaves, it's still light out, but she has heard of the dangers of Lowtown even during the day. So with a wave of her hand, she sets the stealth spell she created on herself and slips back towards the gates at the docks. Maybe you're making your way back as well, and suddenly the space beside you that you swore was empty a moment ago is occupied by an elf with a smile.

"Hello. Heading back? Mind some company?"

{ for felix }
The Gallows is a big place, but there are some areas that Ellana frequents and it's not too difficult for Felix to find her when he needs her. Like now. She's just left the walled in herb garden and is walking across the expansive courtyard when she sees him after he's already spotted her. Her face brightens and she lifts her hand in a wave, moving to meet him.

Comments

Lowtown

[circleprodigy]

Inessa's resigned to the Gallows as a place of work and residence, at least for now, but that doesn't mean she'll never step outside it. Making the excuse of restocking the nearest kitchen to her room with some favorite herbal teas and snacks, she takes her time at the market stalls. A small elven woman might usually be an easy target for lowlifes, but the large mabari at her side means she miraculously avoids attention. Pleased to avoid freezing anyone in place, Inessa has decided it's about time to return, when a few steps later Ellana's voice interrupts her thoughts.

Garahel barks in surprise as Inessa tenses automatically, but that soon becomes friendly barking as he well remembers Ellana from the Warden camp. Wagging his tail, he happily nuzzles the other elven woman. Relieved at the non-hostile company, Inessa relaxes and smiles back.

"Indeed. You're welcome to join us, of course. It's good to see you again, Ellana. I didn't realize you had arrived." Had it really been a month already?

[serannas]

Ah, note to self, Ellana: don't use your stealth spells around a big, war hound. At least he's quick to recognize her. But it's an interesting tidbit of information to have. If the enemy has guard dogs, they probably won't notice her if she stays downwind and invisible. Neat.

"Hello, Garahel," she greets, rubbing her fingers underneath his chin. Sadly, she has no food on her to offer at the moment, so chin scritches will have to do. Falling in step beside Inessa, she returns the smile and nods.

"And same to you! Garahel too, of course. I'm pretty sure all of us who were assigned here have turned up, besides the extra stubborn." Mainly she's thinking of Morrigan, who is coming in her own good time. Technically the woman can get away with it, since she's a liaison to the Inquisition and not a full member.

"It's definitely a change from Skyhold, isn't it? I already miss the grass. But I'm looking at it as a new adventure, and new opportunities will arise to help us win this war." So it's not that bad.

[circleprodigy]

Chin scritches are definitely acceptable, and Garahel rumbles happily in response before he stops pestering so they can move onward. With him moving to take point and remaining alert, they're free to relax and converse. "That's a good attitude to have...and a rare one, in my experience. Many I've spoken with are a lot more cautious, if not outright pessimistic. Though given the state of the Veil here, I can't blame them overmuch. It can be...distracting."

That's a mild way to put it, when restless spirits vie for attention and statues come to life. At least the worst of it is over...or seems to be. But she can't deny that the general feeling of the area fills her with unease, wondering if they can ever truly cleanse it.

She tilts her head, curious. "That was an interesting use of magic, just now. An attempt at echoing rogue techniques?" Do tell, Ellana. Even though Inessa has less interest in physical-oriented magic, it's still something to nerd about.

[serannas]

Ellana doesn't respond straight away to Inessa's observation on the current climate. It seems insensitive to be so at ease when others are so upset about the move. And her friend is right in saying the Veil's state is distracting. Luckily Ellana's current attitude is upbeat and positive; not really the sort that lures in demons anymore. It's come from having a purpose in the Inquisition and feeling free from her former life in the clan. With that past had come insecurities, but now she's shedding them all to be the best version of herself she can be.

The topic shift is one Ellana is happy to discuss, because she can't really think of a sensitive way to respond to the former.

"It is, actually! I initially became a shapeshifter to blend into nature and spy on people, but obviously if our enemy is holed up in the middle of a city, most of my forms won't work." And the sparrow will only work if she can get up to a window and peek in, or find a hole into an attic. If their enemy is hiding documents in an interior room, a bird would be noticed. "Sister Nightingale saw potential in me to help scout, but insisted I needed stealth lessons. I really enjoyed them, but felt like I could take it further as a mage. So these last few months, I've been studying and experimenting." When she's had free time, of course. Maybe it was a dangerous thing to engage in, but she likes to think she had either the Creators or luck on her side, because she didn't blow herself up experimenting with spells.

"I've formed a spell set that can work for infiltration. There's the stealth that rogues do, and then there's my stealth, which uses magic."

[circleprodigy]

Listening with genuine interest, Inessa smiles at Ellana's ingenuity. It reminds her of her Circle days, among those with similar talent and ambition. She refrains from saying so, uncertain it would be taken as the compliment it is, and the Circle always being a contentious issue. The focus ought to be on Ellana's accomplishment anyway, not her brief moment of nostalgia.

"That would seem to suit Sister Nightingale's needs perfectly. If Garahel were not at my side, you would have caught me completely off-guard." Garahel looks back and barks happily, not holding a grudge for being startled. If anything, he would be thrilled if she made a game of it. "We were alert for trouble, of course, but nothing of that nature. What else does your spell set contain?"

[blightedson]

The Gallows make Felix feel uncomfortable deep in his stomach, but he can't imagine it's easy for Southern mages to be here either. That's actually what he wants to talk to someone about, and now when he wants to talk to someone he doesn't think of his father or Dorian first - instead, his mind automatically goes to her.

When he sees her face brighten he can't help but feel like the weight is lifting off of him. He comes over to her and puts his arms around her. "Are you busy today?"

[serannas]

To be honest, Ellana takes a more philosophical approach to things. Bad things happen everywhere don't they? The Dales may have its sleepy villages and grand chateaus now, but they've been built on the battlefields of elves and humans, haven't they? And Kirkwall was the site of the last great battle between the elves and Tevinter before it became a slave port, before it became a center for blood magic and the abuse of mages. Clearly, no one has forgotten any of that, but it's not like they can go back in time and fix things, right? (Well, clearly people can move forward in time and then back, but her point still stands.) All they can do is try to build something good here for the future. Ellana thinks about that a lot: the future. Giving the elves a brighter future, adapting to a future without Felix. She's working on it. But first they need to defeat this immediate threat of Corypheus so that they can all have a future in the first place.

Hugging Felix back, she strokes hands down his back and shakes her head no.

"Not really. It seems like people are just settling in to their everyday duties, and I really don't have much if there are no missions to go on." The elven research will come a little later, once more information about what Corypheus is doing comes to light. Then she'll have a little more on her plate. "What about you? The Wardens keeping you busy?"

[blightedson]

"Most of the work has been settling in as well," he admits. He pulls back just enough to take her hand. "I would like something to distract me, if I'm honest."

Then, after a moment, "Do you want to go on a walk with me? We could go see the dock and watch the water for a bit." There were some parts of the dock that were less busy than others.

[serannas]

"Of course. I've enjoyed watching the water, and you really do get used to the fish smell." She smirks up at him and swings their hands as they walk in that direction. She's passed time staring out at the water, wondering where these ships are coming in from and where the ones going out are going to. It makes her want to hop aboard one heading to Rivain, because she hasn't found a land yet she likes even half as much. She's so safe there in that country where humans and elves get along. Of course, the Qunari in the north mean that safety might not always be on that land, but she hopes they leave and let the Rivaini live as they choose.

"I suppose we'll still be sleeping apart?" she asks without any bitterness. The Wardens have their place, and she has hers.

Lowtown

[wontforgetyou]

Jamie may have come over with the first group, but that doesn't mean that he's had all that much time for exploring. As a result, he's maybe gone and gotten himself a wee bit lost. It's not something he's likely to admit to any time soon - but it does mean that he's more relieved than surprised by Ellana's appearance, and doesn't stop himself from letting it show.

"Och, am I ever glad to see you. This place is a maze. Ah...where did you come from, though? Thought I would've noticed you sooner."

[serannas]

Well here's a friendly face in a sea of despondent ones! It's good to see Jamie again after so long! She's sure that even back at Skyhold, their paths hadn't crossed in some time. But that's the way of things. They're doing important work that pulls them in many different directions all the time. It's lucky that they ran into each other here and can now catch up.

"Oh, I came from that way." She waves a hand over her shoulder. "The alienage is that way." But now her eyes sparkle a little with excitement. "Or did you mean how I just seemed to appear? That's a fun little secret. Want to see?"

[wontforgetyou]

"Oh."

She's come from the alienage, then...or somewhere near there, at any rate. If she'd just left it like that he might have simply accepted that and dismissed her sudden appearance as some sort of coincidence, but that twinkle in his eye makes him wonder if there's not something more to it.

His eyes narrow thoughtfully for a moment, the tip of his tongue darting out to moisten his lip as he considers what she's asking. However, it's not long at all before curiosity wins out - and the moment it does he starts nodding.

"Aye, now that you mention it, I think I would. Is it some sort of trick?"

[serannas]

"It's magic," she whispers excitedly, looking around them and gesturing for him to slip away with her to a shadowed spot where no one can see her go into her version of stealth. Plus it gives her a chance to replenish her mana.

"Rogues are very good at slipping around unseen, and Sister Nightingale had one of her agents teach me. But once I learned ways to not be noticed, I wondered if there was a way to do it with magic, to make it foolproof. And I figured out a spell that can do it. I'm going to go invisible for a moment, all right?"

The Docks

[eolasemah]

To prevent getting murdered by any of the shenanigans in the Gallows, Sina and her anchor have been biding their time at the docks, within the Qunari compound with Korrin, Araceli, and Nari. She's felt out of place, having trouble with the coldness of the stone and the busyness of the city, but spotting a familiar face is always a relief.
She comes to sit carefully by Ellana, letting her own feet dangle over the side. "You look like you belong here," she says with a smile. Ellana is adaptable, something Sina has always envied about her.

[serannas]

Smiling, Ellana splits her bread in half, offering the bit she hasn't been nibbling on to Sina. For awhile now, it's been hard to know just where she stands with Sina. There's no doubt she's very traditional in her beliefs, and Ellana has gone almost the completely opposite way. Not as vocal in her disapproval as Twisted Fate has always been, but lately Ellana's never been happier, and that's because she has the freedom of her whole life ahead of her with no clan to return to. There are plenty of ways to be an elf, and Ellana's found hers.

"It's strange, in a way," she admits, taking a glance around them. "A city of stone doesn't seem like a great place. No grass under our feet, for starters. But it has potential." Potential for her plans. The best way to get skilled at something is to practice, and Kirkwall is the perfect location for her training.

[eolasemah]

If nothing else, her long stint in Skyhold has taught Sina that there are ways to love the People that involve loving others as well, instead of shutting them out entirely. There's still much caution to be exerted, but being friends with Korrin and Araceli, and Jamie, and however many other humans has convinced her that there is common ground to be found. A part of her will always find it tragic that so much of Skyhold's Ashara defected, but based on what she's heard, it's more a fault of the clan than of its individuals.
Perhaps it was just too big.
...and it's about to get bigger.

"Potential," she repeats, a bit shyly, "I suppose so. I don't know anything about building."

[serannas]

"Oh, well that makes two of us," she replies with a soft laugh. "I meant potential with me running around, trying to be stealthy. It's a new thing I'm doing, so I can contribute more with scouting." She never got her feet wet with this sort of thing back with the clan. The furthest she was allowed to wander was just out of earshot of the camp in order to gather firewood. She wasn't like the hunters perched in the trees, spying on hapless shems coming through. All she's learned about stealth, she learned from one of Sister Leliana's scouts, who trained her. And now she's expanded on it with magic.

"A crowded city with narrow paths is perfect to try and get around without being seen."

lowtown

[sulena]

Saoirse finds familiar comforts in Kirkwall's alienage. After all, it was the city elves of Kirkwall that protected her in the torment that followed the Chantry explosion and fall of the Circle. They had helped tend to her wounds, feed her with the little amount they already had and kept her safe as the world around them seemed to burn. In the end, she helped many leave Kirkwall for other cities in the Free Marches and find new homes away from the horrors left within the City of Chains.

Most of her time there is spent singing or playing instruments for those that gather to listen. Most songs are in Common but she sneaks in a few that are sung in the language made up with the walls of Starkhaven's alienage. It is a pleasant way to pass the time and help her to forget about the Gallows along with all the memories that have haunted her over the years.

As she returns to the docks and the housing that has been set up there, she continues to hum and certainly does not expect any company. Needless to say, Saoirse is surprised by Ellana's sudden appearance but ultimately smiles softly.

"Just as far as the dock's barracks, I'm afraid."

[serannas]

"That's all right by me. I need to go that way to take a boat back to the Gallows anyway." She smiles back with a friendly expression she bestows upon any fellow elf she sees. "I saw you at the alienage, but you're Inquisition, right?" Saoirse may recognize Ellana from the prison cells of future Kirkwall -- albeit with more intact body parts here -- but Ellana isn't sure if she's seen her around Skyhold or not.

[sulena]

There is a moment of pause at the mention of the Gallows but she ultimately smiles, her memories of that terrible dark future coming ahead of the darker thoughts that had been born in this city years earlier. Saoirse bows her head though in greeting, nodding.

"I am though the Free Marches are my home. I am originally from Starkhaven but Kirkwall was my home for some time too." It is said lightly, a sigh almost. "They are almost a second family to me in the alienage."

[serannas]

"The Free Marches are my original home too!" Ellana smiles, excited to meet someone from Starkhaven. So that's what their accent sounds like. "The clan moved all over, but never close to Kirkwall. Now I consider the whole world my home. I can travel all over and see what feels the most cozy." She juts a thumb over her shoulder in the direction from which they both came. "I've just met the elves there for the first time, but they know Merrill, so I really wanted to meet them too. I'm really looking for a community of elves who, well--" Here she lowers her voice a little and gives a little wince. "Aren't judgmental about who is an elf and who isn't."

the gallows

[universal_charm]

Just the name was enough to turn a person off, and Kirk was no exception to that. He very much disliked the place, something about it making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He almost thought he imagined the sounds of the lute drifting through the halls, and would have scoffed at the notion of the place being haunted except, well, this was Thedas.

Curiously (but cautiously), he followed it until he came to Ellana's room. For a brief moment he thought of turning away, recalling the last length of time they had spent together and the sour taste it had left in his mouth. But the song she played was nice, lovely even despite the occasional bad note, and he couldn't very well walk away from that.

"I don't think I've ever heard you play," he commented from the doorway, giving her a smile with one upturned corner of his mouth.

[serannas]

Looking up, Ellana smiles back and gives one long strum of the strings with her thumb before setting her hand flat against them to silence the sound.

"There's a reason for that," she says in a joking tone, looking down at the instrument. "I go through these long periods where I don't practice, and then I'm not very satisfied with my performance when I pick it back up again."

[universal_charm]

"Practice makes perfect as they say," he agreed. "But for what it's worth, even rusty, you play well. I'm sure once you shake the last of it off, you'll be holding concerts." He moved a little further in since he was not being turned away, glancing around briefly before focusing once again on Ellana.

[serannas]

The compliment has a rosy glow coming to her cheeks, and she sets the lute beside her on the bed as she watches him glance around. Her room is a former enchanter's quarters, but either they weren't very high in the pecking order, or all enchanters in the Gallows were given standard rooms and nothing fancy. Her room houses a large bed, a trunk at the foot of it, a bedside table, a shelf on the wall along with a mirror, one window opposite the door, and an armchair. It's the armchair she gestures to when he looks back at her.

"Would you like to sit?"