OPEN: this will be a better year

[faderifting]

WHO: Everyone
WHAT: First Day
WHEN: Wintermarch 1 (forward-dated)
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Scouts from both the Western Approach and Emprise du Lion are welcome (but not required) to have returned to Skyhold in time for this event.

There have been better First Day feasts, and less crowded ones, and cheerier ones. It isn't a good year for many to look back on, and this one isn't starting any better. Reports from both Eastern and Western Orlais are grim. Many in the Inquisition can't afford to take more than a few hours away from their work, if that.

But for those who can, the ambassador does her best. At lunchtime some tables, hot food, and finery are reserved for visiting nobility and wealthy pilgrims--cause for grumbling in some quarters, perhaps, but they're the people filling the Inquisition's coffers, and allowances must be made--but there's plenty of stew, bread, and ale for everyone, even with the soldiers and refugees who stay outside the fortress invited inside for the holiday. The recently repaired garden and its carefully tended plants aren't off limits, but anyone noisy and holding a drink will be stopped at the door; the battlements, with their potential for deadly falls, are blocked by Inquisition guards. But the courtyards brim with people, most of them happy despite the possibility that the world might end before another First Day arrives.

If the courtyards are too full of tipsy visitors for comfort, there's also the valley beyond the fortress, expansive, barren, and covered in snow. By the river the soldiers help the refugees make a bonfire larger than would ever be allowed inside Skyhold's walls, and some lend their shields to use as sleds down the embankments. A group of scouts start the most intense game of hide and seek Thedas has ever seen, with snowballs to the face for whoever is found first. In the camp, a refugee girl with her hand wrapped in a green scarf chases other children around the tents, shouting raaar, I'm from the rifts!

Comments

Garris Vakrie

[middle_of_calibrating]

[Courtyard]

While he tolerated crowds well enough when he had to, Garris preferred having a bit of elbow room, so his time in the courtyard was minimal to gathering food and drink. If someone started up a friendly chat at the food table, or caught him moving through the crowd, he wouldn't mind sticking around to converse.

[Bonfire]

For the most part Garris sticks to sitting around the bonfire, enjoying the dance and music from where he's at. He's more interested in snuggling under the surplus of blankets he's gathered - don't ask how he got them - and drinking, as well as chatting. Kind of a wall flower when it comes to dancing, but if pressed enough and convinced he'd be willing to leave his cocoon for perhaps a dance.

[Wildcard]

[Got something else in mind?]

[Bonfire]

[gatheringstorm]

Done with dancing for a while, a tired Korrin seeks a good spot to rest her feet until she's recovered enough to do it all over again. That spot happens to be next to Garris, and though she doesn't recognize the man, her lips twitch as she notices the multitude of blankets he's buried himself under. "That looks comfortable."

[middle_of_calibrating]

Garris thinks little of someone sitting down next to him since it's one of the few spaces open and close to the fire. At hearing a woman's voice he grins. "Did you want to join..." He should learn to look before he starts talking, because half way through saying the line as he tilts his head to look at whom he was speaking with, he pauses. "...me?"

The fact that she's taller then him isn't an issue. The dark skin is lovely. The thing that gets him is the horns.

Qunari.

Well shit.

[gatheringstorm]

That pause and eyes lingering on her horns is noticed, though she doesn't take offense at his surprise. Korrin's kind aren't very numerous in the area, so they tend to stand out. If she took offense every time someone was caught by surprise, she wouldn't have time for anything else. So, she responds calmly.

"I don't know, are you still offering? Yes, I'm 'qunari'. More accurately a Vashoth. I have nothing to do with the Qun."

[middle_of_calibrating]

The surprise is not because he's never seen a Qunari - he's seen too many actually - but rather because he had been making a point of staying clear of any them. So much for that seeing as one had literally sat down next to him. The only reason he doesn't up and just leave is because he's noticed a number of them in Skyhold, though this is the first time he's seeing her.

The way she says the introduction makes it obvious that this isn't the first she's had to give it. Hearing that she isn't part of the Qun helps settle him a bit, but it doesn't stop him from keeping up his guard. Last time he had done that he had been nearly run through.

Slowly, Garris grabs one of the extra blankets and slides it towards her. It's not exactly what he was been offering before he realized what she was, but their current distance was close enough.

"What's the difference?"

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin takes the blanket, not about to push the implied earlier offer given his discomfort and wanting something to take off the chill. Trekking all over Emprise du Lion didn't give her an immunity to the cold, but it did wear down her desire to put up with it when she doesn't have to do so.

"It's simple; Tal-Vashoth are those who leave the Qun, and when they have children those are the Vashoth, who are born completely outside it. We have our own names and can choose our own path in life without it being dictated to us. Though more often than not, we're mercenaries."

[middle_of_calibrating]

That was a thing? Weren't they Qunari because... well the Qun? "So not all Qunari are in love with the philosophies of the Qun?" And here he was led to believe that was all they knew. "That's acceptable? To be a Qunari but choose to leave the Qun?"

[gatheringstorm]

That makes her snort softly as she shakes her head. "Not to the Qunari proper, no. They at least try to hunt down whoever defects and 'reeducate' them, but outside their own lands, that's an uphill battle. My parents were hardly in love with the Qun, even less so when one of their friends turned out to be a mage. So, they left and smuggled him out."

[middle_of_calibrating]

"What's wrong with being a mage? Qunari... er... ones under the Qun-" Jeez this was a lot more complicated than he thought and it was making conversation a bit rough. He knows nothing of the Qunari besides what's been said or what he's witnessed. "Is it like the Chantry where they're kept in a Circle or something?"

[gatheringstorm]

"They're called 'saarebas', which means 'dangerous thing'. That alone speaks volumes, doesn't it?"

Korrin frowns, staring at the flames of the bonfire. This isn't exactly typical celebration chatter, but he asked. And if there's one thing Korrin is always willing to do, it's educate people on the horrors of the Qun.

"They aren't seen as anything other than weapons, and they're even more tightly controlled then normal Qunari. The Circle is a horrible system, but this makes it seem tame by comparison. Being chained and masked, lips sewn shut, constantly under the supervision of a handler who can kill them if they even think they've had contact with spirits or demons...and that's only what I've been told. I'm sure there are horror stories beyond that."

[middle_of_calibrating]

'Dangerous thing'. That didn't sound too different than how most people saw Mages in general. Though before he could comment on that, Garris finds himself finding out a bit more then he had bargained for. By the end of it all, Garris is frowning, one side of his nose scrunched up in disgust.

"Well that's... lovely." He's being sarcastic, not really able to come up with anything better to say about that. "I can see why you wouldn't want to live under the Qun."

[gatheringstorm]

That brings out a wry smile as Korrin's glad that someone gets it. "I know, such a lovely topic for First Day bonfires, isn't it? I don't care if you forget the more accurate term and call me a qunari; most people do. Just as long as you don't mistake me for one of them."

[middle_of_calibrating]

"Lovely topic for any day really, don't see why First Day has to be any different. Starting the year off knowing something new." Well he's certainly going to reconsider some things, but it was still going to take a while before he was comfortable being around anyone with horns.

"Well so long as things don't end up like they did in Kirkwall, think I can differentiate Vashoth from Qun-ari."

[harthad_uluithiad]

Though Sam had been comfortable enough when he first wandered out of the keep proper to the bonfire, the night has grown colder as it's progressed, and eventually he finds himself huddled close to the fire, shivering. He glances around, half-toying with the idea of abandoning the valley entirely for someplace warmer, when he spots someone who looks to be nearly as cold as he.

He stalls for a bit, studying the stranger cautiously and doing his best to warm his feet by the fire, before he finally gives in. The hobbit shuffles closer, taking a deep breath for courage before he speaks.

"Pardon me, but might you be willing to share a few of those blankets?" He pulls his cloak in around his shoulders as he speaks, trying to block out the wind, but it only reaches down so far, and his bare ankles knock together as he shivers.

[middle_of_calibrating]

For a moment he thinks it's a kid approaching him, but by the looks of it the person is a grown man. Just... really short. Not even a Dwarf. The Inquisition certainly had some interesting people here - after all they had a bunch of Qunari, too.

Raising his brows in curiosity, Garris looks to his side where he had a small pile, before holding up a couple for the man to take. "Doesn't look like you're made up for the winter."

[harthad_uluithiad]

The hobbit takes the blankets gratefully, settling down on the ground beside the Man and tucking them firmly around himself.

"I guess not," he agrees as he tucks the blankets under his bare feet. "The cloak's warm enough, but I'd thought I was done with winter for a while, and looking forward to seeing warmer places." He shakes his head. "Look how wrong I was!"

[middle_of_calibrating]

Bare feet. So... was he some kind of elf? He's having a hard time trying to place what the small fellow is.

"Well you're going to have to leave Skyhold for that to happen. These are the mountains, it's going to stay relatively cold regardless of the season."

[harthad_uluithiad]

"Yes," Sam says with a long, drawn-out sigh. He's seen some shit. "Don't I know it! But at least these mountains seem safer than the last - and we've got a nice big fortress to keep us warm!" He gestures to Skyhold, and then pauses, seeming to reconsider. "Well - a far sight warmer than we'd be without walls and doors and fires, anyhow."

[middle_of_calibrating]

Well it seems like it's a bit more than just that, but Garris is inclined to nod in agreement for the most part. "Wouldn't do so well if they were simply camping in tents up here. Glad to see that they have something fortified."

[harthad_uluithiad]

"Yes indeed," Sam agrees. "But pardon my manners, I haven't introduced myself! Samwise Gamgee, at your service, and much obliged for your kind loan of these blankets."

[middle_of_calibrating]

"Garris Vakrie. And you can keep the blanket. I just kind of borrowed them from a storage room. Figured they'd be of more use out here then sitting in a room."

[harthad_uluithiad]

Sam looks surprised, like he's about to protest, but even he can't argue that the storage room needs the blankets more than he does. He burrows in a bit further, instead, giving Garris a smile.

"Well then I'm doubly obliged," he says. "I'll be glad of them, of a cold evening! Isn't there anything I can do for you in return?"

[middle_of_calibrating]

Garris honestly expects Sam to protest by the look he's giving him, and Garris can only grin a bit, waiting to hear what the small man has to say. When nothing comes and instead Sam burrows further into the blankets, he gives a small chuckle. Couldn't argue much when you're trying to stay warm.

Garris hums thoughtfully at the question, raising his arms a bit as he looked around himself. He had a drink, blankets to keep warm, and there was the fire. "Nothing in particular comes to mind. I'm used to getting myself well supplied before going out to do anything, as you can see, so I'm pretty set for the time being."

Making sure to keep the blanket around himself, Garris takes a drink, making a noise as he thinks of something. "So where are you from, Sam? Orzammar?"

[harthad_uluithiad]

Sam nods vigorously in understanding, though the enthusiastic movement may have been spurred by a desire to stay warm as much as anything else. Though this is the hobbit who'd dragged a full set of cookware halfway across Middle-earth, so then again, maybe not. "Oh yes," he agrees at once. "Never leave home unprepared: that's what I say. You never know what you might be wanting, and it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I only wish I'd known I'd be wanting blankets!"

He shakes his head at the question, curling his toes up under the blankets. "Not at all - though with how many people have asked, it's starting to feel like a second home almost. But I'm no dwarf, nor from any underground city: I'm a hobbit, and I'm from the Shire."

[middle_of_calibrating]

He's never heard of the Shire, but then again he hasn't heard of a lot of places, so that isn't all that surprising to him. The bit about not being a dwarf though is. "What's... a..." Garris stops at that since asking seems a bit redundant. Sam was 'what's a hobbit' obviously.

"Aaaahuuum... Exactly where is this... Shire?" It has to be someplace north right? A place that he's never seen or heard about, with these new hobbit things?