OPEN: Cloudreach Event

[faderifting]

WHO: Anyone at Skyhold
WHAT: Cloudreach showers bring weird shit.
WHEN: Cloudreach 15 onward
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: For information about the illness, its effects, and its cure, please make sure to also read the OOC Post.

This high in the mountains, snowstorms are to be expected. But this one is large and lingering, hanging over the valley and the fortress for days. In Skyhold, with its eternal spring, the snow becomes rain before it hits the ground, leaving inhabitants and visitors to wade through puddles and mud in the courtyards. In the valley, snow and ice accumulate under cloud cover—and worse, when the clouds finally thin, a whole winter's accumulation of snow begins to melt in the sunlight.

Within a day, the ground is sodden and mucky enough to give the survivors of the Fallow Mire (or Ferelden in general) unpleasant flashbacks, and those who live in tents are issued additional hastily-constructed wooden pallets to raise their floors above the mud. It is worse outside the fortress: streams and rivers have overflowed their banks, rapids run twice as fast as normal, and flash flooding has made even road travel treacherous.

On Cloudreach 17 a mudslide buries the pass into Skyhold from the west, and on the 19th a sheet of snow loosened from a mountainside collapses into the shadowed passage from the east. An Inquisition supply caravan is caught in the latter, scattering wagons and goods across the hillside and leaving a dozen people and horses in need of rescue and medical care.

Healers may find themselves stretched thin, as in addition to the usual rash of blisters and sniffles that come from days of rain and flooding, an illness begins to sweep through Skyhold's ranks from around the 16th onward. It's marked first by climbing fever, then by flashes at the edges of vision—green light and jagged formations that aren't there, beings of light and shadow gathering around people or clustering in corners—and distant voices, coherent for brief moments if you're quiet and still and not trying too hard to listen.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

Her request is enough, but the tear says all the more. Anders takes a seat next to her and puts his free arm around her shoulders gently. He's been on his feet working for some time, and this is still a form of healing.

"Of course." The wall behind them is kindly supportive, and he relaxes against it for a few moments before looking over at her again. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about or hear? I don't know a lot of stories, but I could come up with something. Or we can sit here in quiet." He's not good at quiet for long, except when there's a reason for it.

[bookish_lioness]

Hermione has no idea how mages actually come to acquire their staves, though she'd always assumed that, like wands, they generally came from a shop run by someone considered to be a master in his or her field. It's part of why she'd agreed to work with Adelaide, really. She doesn't need much in the way of food or proper shelter considering her year of largely going without, but if she could pay a staff-maker to fix what basically amounts to her tiny staff, she'll feel much more comfortable wielding her magic for more than just basic spells.

"Back at home, the wand chooses the wizard, as they say. Every wand is a unique match to the person who wields it, and many people generally believe you can tell what sort of person a witch or wizard is based on their wand. Do staves work the same way here? Because it might be a bit difficult finding a match, in that case."

After all, how can a staff match up with a person who doesn't even get her magic from the Fade? It seems counter-intuitive, which is part of why Hermione hasn't actively gone out looking for a staff, despite the repeated suggestion of it.

[dreadinquisitor]

As if he'd expended all the energy he'd had on trying to make Jamie understand, Maxwell put no further fight nor argument. When they reached the cot, he dropped down onto it like a sack of soiled laundry - just as sweat stained, just as energetic.

The only sound he made was low and soft, something torn between a groan and sigh as Jamie turned away and the shades moved in again, green and uncertain.

Whispering and shifting, in and out.

[amygdalae]

Well, when she put it like that, it was more or less impossible to turn down the display of gratitude.

"I do whatever I can," is what he does say after a pause, carefully watching her as she presses a hand against her forehead. He's pretty sure she would be alright with a bit more rest, but he could never be too sure...

Although its not like she'd appreciate anybody hovering around like this, he's sure. Bruce nods at the words and inclines his head once more.

"If you are feeling better, I will take my leave then."

[lettersfromhome]

Mia shakes her head at that, as though still disbelieving despite the circumstances. But she's trying to relent here, to admit when she does finally need help and be gracious about taking it. It's not an easy thing to unlearn.

One hand settles lightly on Ellana's shoulder, though no weight is put upon it as of yet. It's simply a way to keep her steady as they walk, and might look to anyone else like a friendly gesture.

"I can't even recall the last time I let myself fall ill, truth be told."

[ancarrow]

She wished there weren't quite so many willing to risk themselves like that, and that the work of a healer was obsolete, but one thing the Inquisition guaranteed was steady work.

"Not presently, at least not regarding our current situation." There was plenty she wanted to ask her, regarding the Inquistion and the alienages, and what sort of guarantees she could promise Eirlys' people. But with the sickness raging, she knew that wasn't a priority for either of them right now. "Although I strongly recommend an investigation of the water sources. And I'm very grateful to you, for hearing me out."

[laurenande]

"Skyhold?"

The dream had frayed, had strained beneath the weight of her waking memories. When this time, this place, came into conflict with the present, everything had begun to fray--now, with the weight of that word cast between them, the air was all but caught in flux. The youthful phantom of Galadriel was replaced, overwritten as her expression fell.

The eldar were truly immortal but it was easy to spot the weight of years, even on an immortal face, when they all came crashing in at once. Like the breaking of a wave against the shore, tens of thousands of years swept over Galadriel's face. Her smile fell and, though she was still arrayed as she had been, the change was distinct.

"Of course," she answered and moved, drawing her weight from the glaive at her side. "I would not ask you to die, mellon nin."

Above them, the sky grew dark as pitch and, as she walked toward Merrill, the grass fell away, froze, and was as ice. The spirits lingered, even as Valimar fell away, and there was a strange similarity in the great darkness above them and the grinding sense of metallic laughter. The phantom Galadriel was still just that, a dreamy figment, and her gaze was listless, but the concern that settled on her face was more solid than anything else in this place.

"What do you need of me?"

[sistertohermen]

"Maybe next time find a dummy or a partner to spar with instead of...these." She can't suppress a shudder. But it could be from the rain. Or the fever. Or both! They make it through the massive archway into the hall, out of the rain. There are plenty of people huddled up, looking tired, aching, scared, miserable. It does love company after all.

"There, better already. At least it isn't snow. We'd be buried."

[el_tybs]

Honestly she was being ridiculously stubborn, but Sam wouldn't say that he's disappointed. There are too many of his friends doing the same thing, and besides it wasn't like he wasn't doing the same thing. Difference we he was being careful and considering it.

"You know, telling me not to worry just makes me worry more." He smiles slightly at Hermione, even if she isn't looking at him, and he continues to hold that look until she actually does. When it doesn't look like she's going to move right away, Sam lets himself lay back on the floor, getting comfortable. "Just... let's just take some minutes to get back up to speed, alright?"

[serannas]

"Let yourself?" she asks, an edge of amusement to her voice. "I didn't realize it was a matter of allowing the illness in. But I can understand how no little cold would want to trifle with you." Ellana walks slowly, allowing Mia to set the pace and lead them to her room, but the former is careful to watch for any signs of faintness.

[doneisdone]

"When you're sleeping," Teren retorts, not likely to give up until Anders at least concedes that this is what he should be doing.

"Experiment on yourself, then. Tell me what you think would help, and we'll see if you feel better after." She's not leaving until he's in bed.

[justice_is_blond]

"Unique match." He echoes that before answering her question, blinking. That's going to make it very hard indeed to reproduce wants if it turns out they're needed for her schools of magic. He doesn't know any spells that are attuned to people except phylacteries, and that's not just a horrific spell he doesn't want being used again, it's blood magic.

"I mean, no. They don't. Anyone can use any staff." He jerks a thumb toward his, resting in the corner of the tent. "If you pick mine up it will generally be as useful to you as any other. I did say generally, though. Staves can be attuned to various schools of magic and elements. If you're stronger in fire, you'd carry one that enhanced that, and so on. Mine's made to help me recover from heavy spellwork more quickly. I've been contemplating getting a backup one, lightning-attuned. But that's not the point right now. Feel free to pick it up and see if you like the feel of it."

[justice_is_blond]

She gets a level look at her comment.

"Teren." Anders respects her. She carries herself with a great deal of authority, and he knows that what she's saying, she's saying because she cares. Preparing to argue, Anders finally shakes his head instead and exhales.

"There's a blend I've made, but it has deep mushroom. It could help Wardens, potentially, but if it does there's still more work to do as we can't go around giving blighted potions to the general populace. I'd have to find a substitute. Of course, it could also simply knock me out. With what else I've got in it that's the worst that could happen, but I suppose for you that would be a perk, wouldn't it."

[dragoon_pride]

"Well... they seemed like good targets at the time." The moment he's somewhere out of the rain, some cover, Kain breathes a sigh of relief. He hadn't realized just how awful it had all felt until just now. He ends up placing a hand against a wall to steady himself, to keep balance. Ugh. The fever really seems to have spread too, from the look of it. He can see similar signs in the others, and as he glances at Rachette he's not so sure she's been spared either.

"Much better. It figures that all of this would happen at once." Dreadful weather and an illness on top of that. Just. Great. "I only hope it passes soon."

[bookish_lioness]

She's about to apologize for telling him not to worry, in that case, but then she notices him lying back, and she's a little surprised. The floor might be good enough for her if she happens to doze off, but if Sam has the means to get a more comfortable sleep, he should go do that.

Hesitating for a moment, Hermione awkwardly moves to lie besides him, a hand reaching out for his arm. "You don't have to take care of me, you know," she tells him, though given the wry quirk of her lips, even she understands that it isn't as though he's the sort to abandon anyone who looks to be in trouble. "Besides, spending all this time with a sick person just makes it more likely you'll get sick. So either you should take care of yourself, or you have to admit that I'm not as sick as you're making me out to be."

[bookish_lioness]

She's a little surprised, though undeniably comforted, at the idea that any staff would work for just about any mage. That must mean they really do help to channel magic specifically from the Fade rather than from an individual, if that's the main source of magic here, and so can help her tap into that sort of thing. Unless, of course, the staff doesn't recognize her as a mage in the way it would Anders or Adelaide; then it would be about as useless to Hermione as a very large stick. A pretty stick, in most cases, but still just a stick.

Looking towards Anders' staff for a moment, she eventually murmurs, "Thank you, but I'd... rather not. At least not right now." She's usually much more ambitious than that and would welcome the opportunity to practice with such a thing, but as she looks back at Anders, she explains, "If I'm going to so much as touch something like that, I'd rather do it out of doors, preferably away from any people. Just in case. I'm used to a much smaller magical focus, so even if I might end up having trouble getting anything at all done with a staff, I'd prefer to make sure there's no chance of anyone accidentally getting hurt. Enough people distrust rifters and mages without an accident making things worse."

[fightingale]

"I will inform the advisors. Might I request that you take this information to Councilor LeBlanc, as well? I believe she has been corraling some research efforts of her own. This will doubtless be invaluable."

A scout, looking rather run down and worse for wear (like so many in Skyhold) reaches the top of the staircase and moves forward with a message in hand.

"If you'll excuse me," she says to Eirlys with a nod of farewell, before retraining her focus on the message in hand.

[unharrowed]

"Vasran," she offered in turn, and nodded at the offer of the tincture, lifting a hand to accept it.

She would thank Kallian again, when all was said and done, apostate or no.

[aggregiopavali]

"Sleep is good." He glanced down at her, stroking her hair softly in an attempt to calm her. Something he would never normally do, but this episode had him scared. "Where is Teren's tea?" he asked, trying to remember if he knew the name.

[colecomfort]

He felt the disturbance: a flutter of breeze on otherwise still air, a shimmer of heat. No more than a whisper when compared to others' pain.

Cole always hoped that he could do more, but Solas' pain was not always easily broken down into pieces. And the few times he had tried already...

For now, he could accept that this wasn't the time.

"Should we get back to work?" But he was still going to give Solas a chance to open that door.

[colecomfort]

His head tilted downward to look at her hand, but he did not flinch or pull away from the touch.

And, well. Of course he wasn't a reflection of someone she'd ever seen. She'd never met him.

"He was someone, once." A wistful, mournful note in that. "Nobody saw him. They all wanted to forget."

[bookish_lioness]

"... why would they want to forget?"

She didn't know who "he" was, or who "they" were, but she knew that it didn't exactly sound hospitable to want to forget someone. If that was what they were forgetting, anyway.

Whatever he was talking about, he sounded sad as he talked about it, so she shifted a little closer, turning her inquisitive touch to his arm into what was intended to be a comforting one.

[colecomfort]

"... I don't know."

He just knew they must have, to have forgotten him so thoroughly. He could piece together some idea from what he knew of the Spire and its Templars in general.

"Templars didn't like to think about the mages they put down in the dungeons. The ones that did, didn't think nice things."

[el_tybs]

Sam gives a hum in response to the touch on his arm, signalling that he was listening. The floor wasn't his preferred place to rest, but it was warm by the fire and he's slept out in the woods and the like before - he'd live.

"I've been spending days around sick people, Hermione. I don't think spending time with one more is going to change that." He doesn't look at her, eyes closed, but there is a grin pulling at his lips tiredly. Not going to get out of it so easily, but good try. "And I do take care of myself, but I just go about it differently. It's a little bit more demanding for me though, as it is for a few others. Being a Spirit Healer, you have to push yourself more than others. So it's easier if everyone takes care of themselves, and doesn't push themselves too much, because then there is less for us to take care of." He's trying to tell you to get some sleep and get better, Hermione.

[arsebiscuit]

"No," there's a small sigh in that. She could go for her. And her huge...assets. "Figured you'd have gone of that one, yeah? There's this...pirate. But that's all...that."

Clever turn of phrase will appear when body has rested. But she gives a vague wave of her hand and snuggles back up into his shoulder.