[Closed] The Wrong Road

[wontforgetyou]

WHO: Kallian, Adelaide, Hermione, Ruby, Eirlys and Merrick with special guest appearances by Anders and Norrington
WHAT: Gathering supplies. What could possibly go wrong?
WHEN: Backdated to the beginning of Cloudreach
WHERE: The Hinterlands
NOTES: Warnings for demons, violence, injury and mages being outed, will be updated as needed.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to travel to the Hinterlands in search of supplies and rare herbs. Royal elfroot, in particular, is something that would be more than welcome, although extra supplies of regular elfroot, and blood lotus wouldn't go amiss. The air is warmer than it has been, carrying with it the promise of spring and renewal, and the journey there is easy, allowing for pleasant time spent enjoying a break from winter. The Hinterlands still aren't without their dangers - rebels and outlaws, packs of mabari and thin and hungry bears just waking from hibernation. You never know what you might find...

Comments

Hunting, Gathering and Camping

[wontforgetyou]

So far things have been fairly uneventful. Even with the early spring weather, there's still places where herbs can be found, some having gone to seed but tucked into places where animals haven't been able to get at them, young shoots of others poking up through the soil and the water - and in places, full grown, easily harvest-able herbs. They're not the only supplies that can be gathered, though. Animals can be hunted, minerals can chipped out of rocks, and even if there's nothing right around them, people can meet up at camp and relax or try and figure out where to go next.

[eviscerates]

Gathering.

Ruby is in her element. Not the snow so much, but the searching and gathering and hunting. The cold air is crisp, and the fresh smell of plants starting to peep up over it is kind of invigorating. She bounds over the snow, moves quick and light, and seems to find things pretty fast.

Experience, she says. Experience means she can find plants from another world easily in the snow, yeah. Sure. That's how that works.


Camp.
Alternatively she can be found murmuring to herself at camp, carefully putting together devices and occasionally stopping and sucking her thumb when she catches it on a sharp element in the spike grenades. And if she's not doing that, she's fletching some arrows.

Camp

[wontforgetyou]

While it could be said that Jamie's adjusting to his new life here well enough, there's some old habits that he hasn't quite managed to give up just yet. One of those is poking his nose in when he spots something unfamiliar and asking questions. Gadgets in particular are sure to get his attention, and while the ones here may not be as high-tech as the ones he's seen the past few years, the devices that Ruby are working on are interesting enough that it's not too long before he winds up drifting over to investigate, winding standing maybe just a little bit closer than he probably should in the process.

Personal space isn't something he's always good with, unfortunately.

"What're you doing?"

[eviscerates]

Thank God for wolf hearing and generally being aware of when people draw closer, or she might have jumped. As it is, Ruby looks to Jamie with a bit of a smile. "I'm trying to figure out these elemental mines. Electric-- uh, lightning ones. I think I've got the mechanism down mostly, but this is a little more combinated than the spike traps."

And, to clarify, "I've been working on training as an Artificer. I figured I may as well make myself more useful for stuff like this, you know?"

[kallian_endris]

Even in spring and unseasonable warmth, the Hinterlands are still chilly, and Kallian wraps her cloak more tightly around herself against the wind. The little elf is on the lookout for herbs to bring back, and seeds so that they might grow their own in Skyhold's garden. Elfroot is plentiful, at least the normal kind, and embrium dots the countryside, but she keeps hoping to stumble across rarer plants.

Sometimes she sings softly to herself while she gathers the plants, but she will sing for the group if asked to do so.

At camp, she carefully bundles the herbs together and hangs them to dry.

[wontforgetyou]

Jamie hasn't noticed the chill quite as much as Kallian has, thanks to most of a lifetime spent in a similar climate. Even though he knows that it's all changeable - especially around here - he's enjoying the faint briskness that the air holds and not worrying about it too much. That is, until he happens to spot Kallian pulling her cloak just a little bit tighter around herself, something that gets him to frown slightly before picking his way over the rocks to her.

"Hey, you're not cold, are you? You can borrow my plaid if you like."

[kallian_endris]

Her cheeks color a little.
"The wind feels different coming off the lake than it does off the sea," she explains softly. "I'll be all right. I should have just brought clothes that aren't quite so thin."

She glances up at him from under her hood.
"It's sweet of you to offer, though."

[ancarrow]

Gathering
It had seemed like a fairly straightforward supply run, and Eirlys had been eager to sign up. What wounded there had been in Skyhold under her charge were in a good enough state that she felt confident leaving them for just a little while, and she knew it would do her some good to get back out in the world. Anders had rejuvenated her physical strength, but she knew that mentally she was still exhausted from the long winter trying to save as many in her alienage as she could from the ravages of fever, and she'd continued in the same mindset on her return to Skyhold. This felt like something of a holiday to her, and she relishes the wide open spaces of the Hinterlands, looking as though the weight has lifted off her somewhat as she walks along through the fields and across the brooks, and looking positively delighted as she finds a thick growth of crystal grace, stooping to pick the dainty flowers and trying to get them into the pouch on her belt without crushing them.

Camping
It was still a novelty to her to sleep out in the wilderness, covered only by the wide open sky. Eirlys sits a little way from the fire, legs crossed in front of her, leaning back with her head craned high, humming to herself a little, enjoying the magnificence of the starry tableau above them and the peace she feels inside her for the first time in a long time.

Gathering

[wontforgetyou]

It's good to be out in the open again. As large as Skyhold is, there's times where it felt somewhat crowded, and it's not as easy to get away as it'd been when he'd been traveling with the Doctor. So a supply run seems like a perfect chance to get away for a bit - and it appears he's not the only one that's thinking that way. Eirlys looks happier than she did the last time he saw her, and while it could be for some other reason than being out here, as far as he's concerned whatever's happened to get to look that way is a good thing.

He's not right next to her when she finds the crystal grace, but he's still close enough to see her stoop and pick something, and given all he's found for his troubles so far are some tree branches and small piles of not-yet-melted snow he doesn't have to feel overly guilty about giving into his curiosity. So it's not long before he pops up by her side, craning his head as he tries to see what she's doing.

"Find anything good?"

[fleurdesel]

Gathering

With a list in mind that's longer than she'd like, Adelaide picks about the herbs and seedlings around camp. Minerals aren't her first priority but anything that could lend itself to the stores of the healing tents is worth gathering while she is escaping a day or so of her mother's tricks. The Attache expressed intent to join until Adelaide showed him the tent where she'd be sleeping. Wisely- he declined. All the better to ignore it for a short while. Where there are plants? There is Adelaide, pruning or sketching for future reference.

Camp

Scrapes, bumps, bruises, twisted ankles, etc. Adelaide peers about the group at the end of each day to ensure they aren't ill or injured, mending what she can with magic before resuming her notes on the shards. If she is not grinding poultices or brewing potions? She's writing.

camp

[eviscerates]

"Here."

The light is dimming, and while there might have been enough for the fire and the dimming daylight to suffice when Adelaide started writing, it sure doesn't seem like enough right now. Ruby sets down a couple of candles, already lit, and a cup of tea.

"Spare yourself the eyestrain headache."

[bookish_lioness]

Hermione isn't much of a hunter, and she's had more than enough of camping to last her a lifetime. Anything that will get her away from the campsite and any dangerous animals is more than welcome, and so she spends the majority of her time looking from the vegetation to her notebook, trying to identify whatever herbs she might come across that would actually be useful.

When she hears something behind her as she crouches by some elfroot, she turns and expects it to be a member of her group. When she catches sight of large horns, however, and too much fur to be associated with a friendly Qunari, she gasps and loses her balance, scrambling backwards until her back hits a tree. Even as she fumbles for her wand, though, she realizes that the ram - that is a ram, isn't it? - seems more interested in the elfroot than in her.

Right. Herbivores. It's nice to know that those exist even in a place like Thedas, even if Hermione feels a little humiliated and can't help looking around to make sure no one is watching.

[dalishious]

Unfortunately, someone is. Merrick has had his eye on the ram for a while, watching from the shadows and waiting for the perfect time to strike. Shortly after the girl scrambles backwards he emerges, sliding silently towards the beast before he can stab it in the side of the neck with his dagger.

His other dagger comes around and he slits the ram's throat with it, quick and clean. It all happens in a matter of seconds, and afterward he glances at the girl as if noticing her for the first time.

"Help me drag this back."

Finding The Rift

[wontforgetyou]

The Inquisition may have a strong presence here, but the Hinterlands are large enough that there are still areas that hold surprises. The first warning of one comes when the three rifters with the group feel a stab of pain, the marks in their hands starting to spit and spark a second or two before flaring with light - something that comes with all too familiar hum and crack of sound from a rift opening not too far away. While it can't be seen - yet - it can be felt by the rifters, and Jamie, at least, is familiar enough with the sensation that he knows what's going on.

"There's a rift around here somewhere!"

And then they follow a turn on the path, and it's there - the green glow overhead casting an eerie light on the gathering of demons that have suddenly sprung into being in a clearing, the all too familiar sight of wraiths and shades and the spindly form of a terror demon promising a fight ahead.

(OOC: An open fighting thread for the first or second wave of attacks. Make your own starter or tag other people and have fun killing demons!)

Eirlys | Open!

[ancarrow]

Eirlys pales at Jamie's words, a bad feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. She'd known that she'd have to face another rift eventually, it was part and parcel of rejoining the Inquisition, but she hadn't been prepared for it to be so soon. She knows there's little she can do to help the others - she's a healer, not a fighter, and she curses herself for not having learned more than basic self defense, which was only good against a drunken shem and not against a horde of demons.

As a couple of wraiths make their way toward her, she grabs for her belt, her hand closing around a confusion grenade, and for the first time she feels grateful that Araceli had persuaded her to make offensive potions as well as ones that heal. She lobs it toward the wraiths, which immediately stop heading for her and turn on each other, and then without a second thought, she runs.

She tries to tell herself that it's the sensible thing to do, that she can't fight off these demons nor close the rift, and that she'll only get in the way if she stays in the thick of things - they'll need their healer whole herself to tend to their wounds afterwards, after all. But she knows that voice is lying, that she'd bolted in her own terror as soon as she saw the lava-like rage demon slither out of the Fade. It made her think of the one that had killed Wellow - that she was still sure her own bitter anger had summoned, not understanding one bit how demons and rifts work - and she wondered whether it could be the same one, following her, ready to kill her or take her as a vessel.

She screws her eyes shut, head pressed into her knees, hearing the fighting go on and hating herself for feeling so cowardly and weak.

/non-combatant brofist

[kallian_endris]

Kallian also hangs back, anxiously watching the rest of the group. Watching the green light and the swarming of demons, and the earth seeming to bubble under their very feet.

"I've not seen this many demons at once before," she breathes. The smaller elf paces back and forth, wringing her skirts in her hands, trying to ignore the prickling in her palms. She glances down. Only the very faintest of light along her veins, easily hidden in the sunlight.

"If we don't attract their attention, we should be OK..."

Adelaide | OPEN

[fleurdesel]

That thin, lingering whine scrapes at the back of Adelaide's mind- she cannot quite pick out where she knows it from until the rifters hands start to sputter and flare. Aside from that initial landing in Haven months ago and the incident with Sina, rifts are unfamiliar and strange to her- more than enough to set her teeth on edge. Something unknown and dangerous, something that grinds across her senses of the veil;

All over the discordance of demons as they snap into being.

Her reaction is immediate and instinctive- a barrier cast about everyone present with a flare of blue light and murmured words. Something to protect them from the demons and all their horrors.

[wontforgetyou]

That flare of blue light is something that's more than welcome right now, the barrier giving Jamie a chance to pull his sword from its scabbard and ready it as the demons start towards the group. His eyes flick over towards Adelaide, remembering the first time he'd stood with her facing down a group of demons. He might have a proper weapon this time and not a large chunk of slightly burnt wood, but there's a part of this that's all too familiar, and the expression on his face shows it.

"Och, that's just great. Just what we needed, more demons. So much for a quiet trip."

Norrington | Later in the Rift

[judgemewhole]

It was the sound of yells that grabbed Norrington's attention from where he and his troop were taking care of a left-over cell of Red Templars who were, of all things, trucking around more red lyrium.

He finished wiping off his sword, frowning as he gestured to the rest of his people to follow him through the brush. He had heard there was another Inquisition group out here, and by the flash of green in the sky they might have just found another rift.

That ... was clearly more obvious as a terror demon burst through the brush, and Norrington let out a curse as he lifted his sword and called out to his troop.

"People! On me! Kill the creature and then fan out, we might have an open rift!"

Closing the Rift (Closed to the Rifters and Kallian)

[wontforgetyou]

The fight is going well so far, but that rift isn't so easily closed. So far the small group of rifters have managed to disrupt it, but it's far from actually being closed. And as it opens again, the second surprise of the day comes with the arrival of more terror demons, something that's never a good thing.

[eviscerates]

Ruby's never tried to close a Rift before today. And in terms of letting the Wolf out and having her on display, that's definitely not something for so many strangers. She'd had a chance to get to know people a little when she did so during the mission for Morrigan, and so far she's been sticking to arrows and explosives.

"Oh come on," she murmurs under her breath, and Ruby hurls a collection of elemental grenades towards the terror demons. "Heads up!"

She's about ninety-five percent sure she has the timing on those perfected, by now. Well, ninety-three percent. Everything should be fine.

[kallian_endris]

One wave wasn't enough? There had to be two? Kallian isn't getting close to the fight if she can help it, but she hovers around the edge, watching out for green bubbles rising up out of the ground, and trying to see if anyone's gotten hurt so far.

Aftermath

[wontforgetyou]

The rift has been closed, but one of their own has been injured, and the arrival of Norrington and his templars may very well have complicated things - especially given what's happened to keep their injured party from dying. The question is, what happens next?

(OOC: After the fight, for the aftermath and for Anders's arrival. Multiple threads welcome, just state if your thread is open or closed!)

On the Run

[kallian_endris]

Kallian isn't even looking where she's going as she flees. Branches and shrubs and rocks scrape and catch at her as she runs, adding her blood to what's already staining her clothes. Pure adrenaline keeps her moving--right up until she trips over a root and twists her ankle.

She bites back a cry and crawls over to a nook between a rock and a fallen log, curling into a ball. Her face feels hot, from running and the tears she can't seem to stop.

The shock on the faces is still etched in her mind. The blood from the injuries. The anguish between a secret and a death. And now... maybe her death if the wrong people hear of this. She's on the run now, and only the fact that she physically can't run any further right now means she has stopped.

Her whole body shakes as she buries her face in her knees and sobs.

[justice_is_blond]

He hears something crashing through the woods near where he's gathering herbs and grabs his staff, turning, bracing for an attack, when the motion seems to cease. Did it see him? Was it out there waiting?

Another noise comes, and by the time he hears it a second time he's identified the sound - a sob. Someone ran and is crying.

Anders walks in the direction it came from slowly, trying to make sure he wasn't taken as a threat by someone who was already upset.

"Hello? I mean you no harm."