Life in Camp Shady Fuckers

[unbrokenoath]

WHO: Everyone living in or visiting the Warden camp
WHAT: Just some low-key action-spammy stuff for a bunch of sketchy losers who got tossed into the camp for sketchy losers. And the people who come to hang out because sketchy losers are the coolest losers.
WHEN: Vaguely stretching around Cloudreach?? Nothing is set in stone, time is an illusion
WHERE: Camp Shady Fuckers The Warden camp
NOTES: Just throw whatever warnings necessary in the heads of your threads

Just throw opens or whatever up this is a low-key general mingly kinda thing for hanging out and shouting at each other. Feel free to interrupt other threads or whatever and idk man this is basically like a network post but in real life.

Comments

Kaisa

[unbrokenoath]

Campfire

Okay, I'm not saying that we should try to trade Loghain for Hercules, but I am saying that I think that the other Wardens would totally go for it, if we did. He's the most famous out of all of us, so, I mean, he makes the perfect choice, more than any of us.

[ It's spoken in a low, conspiratorial voice, which is completely ruined as she starts cackling, throwing another log onto the fire. ]

Just saying.

River

[ Kaisa will, if asked, say that she didn't feel like walking to Skyhold just to take a bath. But considering that she's still dressed in pants and a loose shirt, and that she's splashing around and paddling around with Puppy at her side, that's kinda suspicious. Who needs to grow up anyway. Approach at risk of being dunked. ]

Shrine???

[ Yall fuckers need Andraste. Which is why Kaisa has attempted to at least make something resembling a proper shrine for praying. It's rudimentary at best, a little wooden structure with walls on two sides and a roof, to keep the elements out. Inside is a wooden carving of Andraste, with a bunch of candles lit up. Once Kaisa has finished setting it up, she steps back to inspect it with a critical eye. Then she bends down, plucks a wild flower, and throws it in as well. Perfect. ]

campfire

[byblow]

[ Alistair purses his lips and looks entirely too thoughtful, while Kaisa is laughing. Or the right amount of serious. ]

The only problem I see is that he may already be dead. Unless someone's heard from him and not told me.

[ His voice lifts at the end to include anyone in earshot. ]

Shrine (??!)

[doneisdone]

Your piety is inspiring.

[Teren stands behind her, one hand on her skinny hip, observing Kaisa's handiwork. Of course, she didn't miss the last addition of the flower.]

What's this for? Afraid she'll forget about us?

river!!

[bunko]

Ah, I see. You are wearing your clothes because the water is cold.

[--Scipio observes, with the air of a man having reached a conclusion after some debate. Also, he observes from a safe distance. That water looks cold.]

Bethany

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Tent

If you're looking for Bethany early enough in the day, or late enough in the evening, you can usually find her in front of her own tent on a log, her bag of knitting beside her and some skein of yarn in her lap. Gamlen is perched at her feet, usually, curled up into his tiny black and white ball of 'faint grumpiness'.

Rather like the real Gamlen, actually.

River

Bethany prefers bathing in the actual hot springs, whenever she can get a chance, but sometimes it's been too long of a day and she doesn't feel like trekking back up. So a metal tub is taken out down by the river where she can wash her hair in water she's warmed herself -- or she's taking a freezing dip into the river's waters themselves, with a blanket laid out so she can wrap it around her the moment she gets out, her clothes neatly hung near by.

The rock by the river

Even Bethany needs time to brood - or just listen to the Song pounding through her head. There is a rock by the river, not far from camp, where she sits with her knees drawn up to her chin, staring out into the water. Looking more pensive than cheerful, if that can be believed.

Tent

[justice_is_blond]

[Yarn in laps is appealing to some people. Or some things. Like kittens. Specifically, like a kitten that's just jumped out of a certain mage's belt pouch and dashed over to Bethany to help.

Or not help.

Not help, really.]

Why are no other cats like Ser Pounce-a-lot?

River

[byblow]

"Not looking," Alistair announces; he is, true to his word, not looking, with a hand held up like a blinder and his head turned slightly away from Bethany, who may not be completely naked but is also not completely clothed. "Need water."

He wiggles the jug in his hand. See?

But he also cracks the fingers of his blinding hand just a little, enough to squint through the sliver at her—not sneakily, not trying to hide it, and not really looking anywhere but her face. He's a good lad.

"I keep trying to tell Zevran the river is fine for bathing."

Ellana

[serannas]

{ during the day }

[ The Wardens are probably seeing a lot more of Ellana now that she's with Felix. She's usually at their camp at some point every day, or every other day. And usually she has a stuffed satchel of food, because Wardens have huge appetites, right? All right, it's mainly for Felix, but if she runs into anyone else, she's soon rummaging through her bag. ]

Are you hungry?

{ evening }

[ Sometimes she shows up in the evenings with her lute, and she sits by the fire playing a tune or asking for stories of the places the Wardens have been. She loves travel stories. The funnier, the better, because there are enough awful things in the world and they don't need reminded of them. ]

And then what happened?

[ She always looks riveted by these tales. ]

During the day!

[byblow]

Always, [ Alistair says, and reaches down to take the satchel by the strap—he's joking, though. Sort of. ]

Alistair

[byblow]

BREAKFAST

Who ate all of the eggs? [ His tone, here, is more wounded than accusatory. Directionlessly betrayed. Groggy. He's still shirtless and draped in a blanket, because he has his priorities in order, and food comes before clothes. ] Those were my eggs. I listened to someone compare me to her dead son for a whole hour to get those eggs. Someone has to pay.

[ No one has to pay. ]

LOUNGING AROUND SOMEWHERE OR CUTTING FIREWOOD IDK

Say we are going to die. [ Hypothetically, for the sake of this light and pleasant conversation. He's probably talking to a fellow Warden, but it isn't out of the question that he could be asking the same thing of anyone else. There's still Corypheus, and all those rifts, and not a Hero or Herald or Hawke in sight. ] What's your biggest regret? Or the second biggest if the real biggest will make this awkward.

THE MIDDLE OF THE BLIGHTED NIGHT

[ Alistair isn't actually holding himself together very well. He's mostly being held together by other people. So at three or four in the morning, when he can't bring himself to wake anyone, he can occasionally be found out of his tent, being a weirdo—standing at the edge of camp and staring at one of the moons, maybe rhythmically striking flint to steel to make sparks with no aim or turning his pendant between his fingers. Humming, usually. Or talking to himself under his breath to stop himself from humming. But he does that even when he isn't being driven mad, so. ]

WILDCARD

[ Exist in his proximity while he's bored and he'll come visit you whether you want him to or not. Except Nathaniel. ]

The Middle of the Blighted Night

[doneisdone]

[Teren likes to keep watch at night. Usually nobody fights her for the shift, so she tends to spend it alone, though there is the occasional instance in which Alistair comes trundling out, fidgeting or making little sounds like an insane person.
On one such night she trails after him until she's several yards behind him, watching him stare at the moon(s), then she clears her throat.]

Would you like some coffee, [she inquires, with the unasked question of 'what in the Maker's name are you doing up, you ridiculous boy'.]

Middle of the blighted night

[ombranera]

[ Zevran has a new roomate, hurrah. Mia is kind and warm and takes exactly none of his bullshit which is a marvelous change of pace from the rest of the applications-

But she is not Alistair. And on occasion, more than on occasion, he worries. And thus in the darkness and the chill he wanders down to the camps for another of their infuriatingly pointless conversations. What is said doesn't matter half as much as that it is being said at all.

And he misses the man. More than anything else, more than he'd expected. Zevran shuffles around to peer into the tent- which is empty. Grumbling and bundled in a fur lined cloak he continues to wander until he finds Alistair.

Not one word, just a half asleep shuffling until he's got his head butted up against Alistair's back. ]

Middle of the blighted night

[justice_is_blond]

Is this when I tell you it's a nice night for an evening? I hear that's a very popular pick-up line.

[He's awake sometimes, this time of night, stressing to no end, and tonight playing with Purrelden hasn't helped. Walking around the camp is clearly in order until he runs into Alistair.]

[arlathvhen]

[ It takes a little bit, but the lack of familiar warmth at her side rouses her from sleep, and when he hasn't returned after a few minutes, she frowns and gets up. She pulls a blanket around like an impromptu cloak, and heads out. When she finds Alistair staring at some pendant, she plops across from him, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. ]

I thought I didn't snore.

[ Her tone is light, but her face concerned as she watches him. ]

LOUNGING AROUND SOMEWHERE OR CUTTING FIREWOOD IDK

[failedfirst]

[Velanna has a lot of regrets. However she doesn't start listing them off, instead she gives Alistair a cool look.]

This conversation.

[unbrokenoath]

[ Kaisa is doing the lounging, at least, and if Alistair wants to work or whatever, that's all good for him. She looks up at his question, and raises an eyebrow. ]

Do you want a light-hearted and amusing answer, or do you want the real one that's all...dark and super personal? I mean, I can tell you, but, I just want your permission before I grab your hand and drag you into 'deep shit' land.

the most important thing, breakfast (not family)

[bunko]

I saw it happen.

[Scipio takes a big bite of bread and chews, gravely, delaying further elaboration. In fact, he looks very grave indeed. Don't you want to know more.]

Zevran & Kestrels

[ombranera]

Service with a Smile

[ The little shack that had been set up on the first day for shaving, trimming, massages and generally attempting to make the Wardens a little less grizzled has been expanded upon and built up enough to have actual walls, a door, and a makeshift sauna by way of a tent, a brazier, and the liberal application of snow over the coals. It's not Antiva, but it's a start. Zevran and his fledglings swap out on who does what work. ]

Actual meals for Actual Wardens

[ Not Lamb Stew. Not fish chowder either but- beef and root vegetables and rice, quite a bit of it, stirred in a spiced sauce that actually tastes of something. Flatbread baking on the back of a shield (alternative uses for coal and metal, extra points for creativity), and a few bottles of actual wine and a cask of half decent ale make for a solid meal. If asked sweetly, the Kestrels will be happy to share. ]

Grownups get Real Houses

[ Huddled groups are often planning something. In this case the six Kestrels and Zevran are scratching designs into the dirt and speaking amongst themselves rapidly in Antivan. Anyone that wanders by can note the blueprint of something better than a mere log cabin- a healthy portion of the drawings dedicated to a proper Antivan bath- and the odd phrase in common that gets bandied about is 'heated floors'. Dare you poke your head in to ask? ]

grownups get real houses

[byblow]

[ Alistair doesn't ask, exactly, but he does step into the huddle like he was invited and belongs there, arms crossed and eyebrows skeptically puzzled. He looks at the dirt drawings first, then at Zevran. ]

[justice_is_blond]

In the Still of the Night

Stop. Stop it. You--

[There's rustling that comes after Anders' muttering, an 'ow' that isn't as quiet as he'd like, and then dead stillness.]


Trees for Days yo

[Near Nate and Anders' tent is a little circle, a tiny round drainage ditch and a protective wall that's maybe two inches tall, dirt that looks like it's been messed with, and the tiniest sproud. Someone told Anders that plants need to be spoken with to grow well, so he's here semi-often, reading books to a plant and a cat.

At least the plant is attentive.]


The River

[Out here he's quiet. No cat, no jokes, just watching the water run past and breathing. Out here, he's not a danger. He's not hurting anyone. And sometimes he needs this, to sit on a rock away from talk and questions and injuries, while trying to center himself.

It never works, but he tries anyway.]

In the Still of the Night

[doneisdone]

[As previously mentioned, Teren likes the night watch, and she is often alone in doing so. Whatever nefarious things she does in the nighttime, they seem to be limited to wandering the camp and sometimes practicing embroidery by candlelight. Tonight she has heard a noise.

Holding her lantern, she strolls over to its source and clears her throat loudly.]

Is everything all right, [she asks, knowing full well that it probably is.]

Velanna

[failedfirst]

Community Campfire

[Velanna is attempting to socialize. This results in her sitting awkwardly at the fire where others are gathered, her shoulders hunched as she stares at the flames and sometimes at anyone talking.

She looks kind of like she wants to run.]

Camp Grumpy Elf

[If anyone is brave enough to get close to Velanna's camp, whether to ask for magic help, mystery roots for pranking friends, or to borrow a book, she'll be a little bit more receptive than when she's out of her element.

She might smile even, but don't get your hopes up.]

Chores!

[Velanna is carrying a very heavy bucket of water up from the river to be put on the fire. It is the third such bucket she's lugged in the past hour, so she is sore, and grumpier than usual. So when she comes across someone in her path, she doesn't even try to be polite she just glowers.]

Move.

Community Campfire

[justice_is_blond]

You know, you're far more pleasant than other brooding elves I've known.

[It is, on second thought, not the best opening ever.]

By a great deal.

[That probably didn't help.]

Beleth

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth just kind of appeared in the camp one day, moving into Alistair's tent with no explanations. Alistair's tent now looks like the inside of an aravel, with various decorations sent by her brother, including a halla antler pendant, and a bunch of various coal sketches of forest scenes and more halla. ]

Gardening

[ Any place anyone plans on staying for more than a few weeks needs a garden. Beleth enjoyed helping with the garden in Skyhold, and now she's going to take a special pleasure in starting a garden up from scratch. She's got the area she has designated lined with large rocks, and now is taking a shovel to the ground, trying to turn over the soil. She heard about this once, she's got this. ]

Warning: Climbing Elves

Velanna's tree wall is pretty good protection, but it's also a perfect way for someone to keep an eye on the camp, if you are someone who can climb pretty well. Beleth is, in fact, pretty good at climbing, and can occasionally be seen perched on the top of the wall. She watches people coming and going from the camp like a particularly large squirrel, climbing down when someone catches her attention. ]

I love you so I got you a dead thing.

[ At some point in the early morning, Beleth disappears. She reappears with a clutch of partridges, which are taken to the campfire and dumped in an unceremonious pile, and then she locates a pan, and puts it on some coals from the fire, and produces eggs from a pouch, and breaks them into the pan. She plops down next to her pile and the cooking eggs, looking very pleased with herself. Look at her!!! She's a good hunter!!! ]

Gardening

[justice_is_blond]

[He comes back from a long day of healing and stops at the sight of her working, watching for a few moments. The camp is growing, slowly but surely, becoming more than a soft exile, more like a home base. After a short time, Anders approaches.]

Would you like me to to thaw the ground up some?

Teren

[doneisdone]

Provisions

Teren has more or less appointed herself the quartermaster of Camp Shady Fucker, which means she takes inventory of their supplies, requests new ones, and maybe perhaps periodically smuggles things in that maybe Skyhold wouldn't know they have, but just be quiet about it or she'll destroy you with a stare.
Whatever the case, she has a knack for acquiring creature comforts, in exchange for silence and the occasional assistance.

Sewing

Also the resident Patcher of Uniforms, Teren can sometimes be found sitting by the fire and stitching up a burst seam or reinforcing a hole in someone's trousers. This is separate from her duties as a Warden, and because she is providing a service that normally people would have to do themselves, she generally asks for recompense in the form of a favor.
She will also teach fellow Wardens to mend their own clothes, and is a competent but unforgiving instructor. Prepare to feel bad about yourself.

Night Watch

For whatever reason, Teren prefers to keep watch at night. If you do something untoward, she will know about it.
She can usually be found strolling the perimeter of the camp with her lantern, making very little sound and often with a mug of coffee in one thin hand. She is not unreceptive to socialization at these hours, and will periodically approach for a chat if she sees someone out and about.

Night Watch

[arlathvhen]

Beleth isn't exactly hard to spot at night. Or, more accurately, those creepy shining purple circles that happen to be her eyes aren't too hard to spot. She's sitting outside of her and Alistair's tent, long thin strips of leather in her hand, which she's in the process of braiding. At Teren's approach, she glances up, those weird elf eyes reflecting what moonlight there is to be found.

She vaguely recognizes the woman. Alistair said that she was scary. But he's said that he didn't know who Velanna was in the same conversation, so who knew.

"Hello," She greets the woman politely. "A boring shift, I hope." Interesting watches were usually a bad thing, in Beleth's experience.

Nathaniel

[pinprick]

Cooking

Nathaniel is a decent cook, and he knows how to get things done over a fire. He's using an iron hook to pull off the ash-covered lid of a campfire oven. Inside is a golden-brown loaf of bread. If you startle him before he puts the lid down, he could get ash on the bread. Which. It will still get eaten.

Smoking

Sometimes, he sits back against a tree and brings out his pipe. There's a sort of soothing ritual to cleaning it out, filling it up, putting away the tobacco, and lighting it up. He's fairly at peace during these times, so it's a good time to bother him.

Physical Therapy

Occasionally, he is seen performing exercises and stretches with his right arm, and scowling. Though scowling common on him, so it might not be obvious he's in pain.

Physical therapy

[justice_is_blond]

He's come over to talk, but watching Nate tells him there might be two purposes to serve here.

"You've a friend who can help with that, if you've forgotten. I can at least ease the muscles with heat, loosen the tightness some. And it would give us opportunity to discuss something."

SURPRISE it's hercules hansen.

[twelvelabours]

You know what, he's had a pretty bloody rough month. In a dungeon, staged an escape, traipsing around a desert. Parts of him are broken and he's holding himself up mostly from a decent meal in his gut and that Warden determination that is so damn persistent - the stuff that gets them through Blights, and makes them insufferable when they haven't got darkspawn to fight, according to most people.

Arrival.
He's blinking at it when the Orelesian nobles that offered him a ride (up with the driver, not in the carriage, because he reeks and they all know it) drop him off. Tents, Warden uniforms, the sound of someone complaining loudly - there wasn't much doubt this is where he was meant to be dropped, so far as they were concerned, but he has no idea where he is, and he stares at the little pop-up camp. Herc's got a rough beard, he's still dehydrated despite the skin of water he had on the way up here, sunburned and generally looking about as good as you'd expect a man who's been in a dungeon for a long while to look.

"Interesting," is all he has to offer, blinking against the sun, and rubbing his jaw.


Tent.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SOMEONE BRING THIS MAN A BEER.

Wild??? Card???

[pinprick]

Nathaniel's heavy footsteps can be heard as he races for Herc, mouth open wide enough to catch flies. He slows to a stop in front of him, reaching for his hand for a manly handshake-with-a-one-armed-hug.

"Ser," he says in a daze, a relieved laugh bubbling in at the end. "You're alive!"