faderifting: (Default)
Fade Rift Mods ([personal profile] faderifting) wrote in [community profile] faderift2016-04-17 01:31 am

OPEN: Cloudreach Event

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.
arsebiscuit: (pic#10065033)

[personal profile] arsebiscuit 2016-05-20 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"I do, so...yeah?"

Sera makes a vague shooing motion. C'mon, Cass, move along. They're both sick and in need of the healing power of drunk.
sunshinethroughgrey: (Little Smile)

[personal profile] sunshinethroughgrey 2016-05-21 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
"In the Warden camp, down below Skyhold." She murmured, wavering on his arm. She tipped backwards a little, before trying to hold on.
justice_is_blond: (Actually let's go with that idea)

[personal profile] justice_is_blond 2016-05-21 09:04 am (UTC)(link)
"That's a fair point." He considers the staff for a moment before shaking his head. "When this fever's passed? I'll have gotten some rest, you will as well, and there will be no greater danger that we're ignoring." Other than Corypheus, and wakened dragons, and rifts, but those things aren't going away.

"We'll go outside Skyhold and be prepared with potions just in case. Adelaide as well? There's little doubt that she'd be interested to see the results."
bookish_lioness: (About to cry)

[personal profile] bookish_lioness 2016-05-21 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Slowly linking her arm with his, Hermione leaned in closer, almost resting against his shoulder but somehow managing to keep herself from getting quite so familiar. She still had her sense of propriety, after all. Sort of.

"They put mages in dungeons? I thought they were supposed to take care of them."

Granted, she'd already heard enough to know that not all Templars cared all that much about taking care of mages. Snippets of stories she'd heard from various people make their way through her head, the Rite of Annulment literally being the stuff of nightmares for her.
stabsbooks: (pic#9976403)

[personal profile] stabsbooks 2016-05-22 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
She nods, doing her best to look as well as possible. No doubt he - any healer - would eagerly encourage her to rest longer, an hour at least. They are overly cautious, the lot of them. She does not have time, not when there is so much to do.

And the healer - Bruce - has as much to occupy his time as anyone. There is simply no reason for him to waste any more time on her.

"I will be fine." She gives him what she hopes is a reassuring look. "Return to your duties."
stabsbooks: (pic#10231027)

[personal profile] stabsbooks 2016-05-22 06:20 am (UTC)(link)
Cassandra resists a moment more, automatically, and then pauses as something occurs to her. If she refuses to move, Sera will only remain here, distracting and bothering her - perhaps for hours - in an attempt to get Cassandra to go along with her. If she agrees, however, Sera will leave the room. Her attention will no doubt be caught by something or someone more interesting than Cassandra, and then she can slip away, back to work.

"All right," she agrees, with a heavy sigh, trying to sound resigned. It isn't difficult. "One drink."
amygdalae: in the heart of the sun (night and the storm)

[personal profile] amygdalae 2016-05-22 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Seeker Pentaghast would most certainly benefit from a bit more rest, but he knows well enough that she's probably too stubborn to stick with that advice. The best he can hope from her is that she won't push herself to the brink of collapse. That's the last thing they need right now.

"As you command." He inclines his head again, out of respect and understanding more than anything else. "But please don't hesitate to find any of the other healers should you need assistance."
chainlightning: (❧ watch)

[personal profile] chainlightning 2016-05-22 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Close, now. Closer than they were, at least, and Merrill outstretches a hand for Galadriel as she walks closer.

"This will sound strange," she starts, shifting her weight slightly on bare feet before settling, centering herself. "There is strange magic that is pulling people into dreams, making spirits visible from beyond the Veil, even though it isn't any thinner. I'm one of the people who is sick."

This close, maybe Galadriel can see the sheen of sweat, the way her vibrant green eyes look paler, duller.

"I need you to wake up with me."
ancarrow: (007)

[personal profile] ancarrow 2016-05-22 07:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"I can get on that," Eirlys replies perhaps a little too eagerly. It was a relief to find a task that was familiar to her, amongst all this talk of magic. "I'll have to plant a great deal more herbs after all this - I don't want to rely on outside shipments if it turns out we need to quarantine Skyhold, after all."
justice_is_blond: (A small atonement)

[personal profile] justice_is_blond 2016-05-22 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
He nods, knowing how it feels to have something you can do all too well. "Even if we don't need to quarantine Skyhold, even more supplies in case of things going wrong will not hurt. We have storage space for dry herbs, and plenty of use for fresh. We'll not have more than we can use for a good, long time."
bookish_lioness: (By the lamplight)

[personal profile] bookish_lioness 2016-05-23 01:12 am (UTC)(link)
Hermione's hand slips away, mostly out of petulance as she turns to lie on her back. "I'm not sick," she insists once again, though even she can't help but notice the childish tinge to her voice.

Her attempts to carry on a conversation could well simply be a sign of her stubbornness, but more likely than not, Sam just keeps making the mistake of telling her things that incite her curiosity, even under these less favorable conditions. "Why does being a Spirit Healer make things more demanding?"
bookish_lioness: (Daring to be hopeful)

[personal profile] bookish_lioness 2016-05-23 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
Hermione blinks, somewhat surprised by the offer. "Really? You'd go out and help me practice with your staff? I-... I'd been trying not to bite off more than I can chew, but...."

Actually, it makes sense that Anders wouldn't exactly warn against biting off more than she can chew, given his past. This likely isn't going to put her in that Seeker woman's good graces, but if Adelaide can agree to it, too....

"I'll be careful. I promise. Besides, it could well turn out that nothing at all will happen, but it doesn't hurt to prepare for the worst."
laurenande: (2)

[personal profile] laurenande 2016-05-23 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
"Wake up?"

The question was strange and, even as she spoke it, Galadriel's expression twisted. Her gaze drifted over Merrill, careful and forcibly focused, and then slipped away as she turned and looked back, above and behind her. She hadn't seemed to notice the shifts within her own dream, the way the trees vanished or Valimar had faded away, but now she sought them out. They were gone and, as she realized what Merrill was saying, a look of profound longing settled on her face.

"So we did not make it home," she stated with a note of distant finality.

The phantom seemed weaker, less solid, as she turned back and looked down at Merrill's hand. It was outstretched and waiting and, after a few lingering seconds, Galadriel reached out and toward her. Her hand, settled on Merrill's but, as she tried to curl her fingers, it slipped through and the shock of that, of that simple failure, was finally enough to shatter the dream around them.

All at once the darkness lifted, evanesced and curled away, like fog eaten by the morning sun. The library took the place of the void and, in the candlelight, the spirits that had gathered seemed so much farther away.
justice_is_blond: (No compromise)

[personal profile] justice_is_blond 2016-05-23 05:17 am (UTC)(link)
"This is Thedas. There's always more going on than can be completely handled, if one's eyes are open." There's always something wrong, always someone being hurt. "Getting better equipped for this world will pay off, whether you're here for some time or only a little. It doesn't hurt to prepare at all. But for now... Tea, and then it's back to working on this plague, I think."

No rest for the wicked, really.
arlathvhen: (55)

[personal profile] arlathvhen 2016-05-23 09:54 am (UTC)(link)
She stares at him for a few moments, apparently expecting--she doesn't know. Something. But she is given nothing but that strained smile--though it suits him better than that constant nervous look that he wore far more often. She decides that the smile will have to do, and nods in turn, standing up.

"Please be careful to dry off and change into clean clothes when you can, or you'll catch what's going around." Beleth warns him, wiping her hands on her already rather muddy scarf. She'd offer it to him, but she recalls just how much he recoiled when she tried to do that for him in the snow. It felt--wrong, to offer something with good intentions that she had done previously with ulterior motives.

"Have a nice day, Cade. And remember, please talk to me if anyone gives you trouble. I've made my decisions, and I will have them respected." And with that, she nods to him again, and takes off, sneezing into her arm. Ugh. As neat as the ability to see spirits were? This cold sucked.
arlathvhen: (45)

[personal profile] arlathvhen 2016-05-23 10:12 am (UTC)(link)
His questions is a valid one, one that warrants mulling over, and Beleth does just that. "Probably not bursting into tears in the middle of the gardens just because someone said something that struck a nerve, for one. That would be a good start. Being...calmer. Being less anxious about everything, being smarter. More independent." She lists it out slowly, thoughtfully.

"I know I can achieve it. I mean--I know when I've failed, that means that I can manage to...not fail. Probably." She hesitates, then slips onto the ground next to Cole. "Maybe...be more like you? I think that you're smart. And you're very kind."
arlathvhen: (49)

[personal profile] arlathvhen 2016-05-23 10:22 am (UTC)(link)
"You know," Beleth starts out, and her tone is hushed, and the way that she glances around as she leans in closer to Anders means that whatever she assumes Anders knows, she probably doesn't want the rest of the healing tents to know. "If there wasn't a Veil, if spirits walked freely in the material world--Well. Isn't that what demons want? Why they possess people, things, animals? They want to be in this world?" What about this world is so great to them, she isn't sure, but that's what she's been told.

"If there wasn't a Veil, would they even possess people? Why bother, when they're already where they want to be?"
arlathvhen: (41)

[personal profile] arlathvhen 2016-05-23 11:13 am (UTC)(link)
Not being released immediately suits Beleth just fine, because she's not quite ready to let go of Galadriel. The panic and fear had escalated too far to simply be stopped by the disappearance of the monstrous creature, and even with it gone, she clings to Galadriel, struggling with her breathing. She considers it a personal victory that she doesn't just hyperventilate right then and there, but it's a small comfort when she's in tears, whole body shivering.

Her name dimly registers, and it's a few gasping breathes until Beleth can try to acknowledge the elven queen that she was clinging to. The first thing that registers is a deep, profound embarrassment. Once her breath is under control enough to speak, she immediately begins to apologize.

"My lady," And, slowly, her hands free themselves from Galadriel. "I am so, so sorry, my lady. I know it was a dream, but it felt so real. I could feel the heat. I could hear it."
bookish_lioness: (Happy and nonchalant)

[personal profile] bookish_lioness 2016-05-23 11:38 am (UTC)(link)
The idea of actually having someone willing to help her with her practice rather than simply tell her she should practice gives Hermione a renewed sense of energy, and she smiles as she recalls the tea. The urge to hug Anders is strong - not for the the first time, really - but she resists it as she busies herself with readying the tea as she talks a mile a minute.

"I wish I'd studied more science at home. I was very focused on magic - which makes sense, really, given that I hadn't even known it existed until I learned I was a witch - but even after mostly immersing myself in the magical world, I still preferred the non-magical world for a lot of things, including healing. Oh, knitting some minor injuries was never a big deal, and there are some potions that can speed up the process immensely. But I haven't seen mention of most of those herbs and other ingredients here, so I wouldn't know how to begin with that. At least with science, well, that's universal, isn't it? The equipment readily available here wouldn't be the same as what would be available to a medical professional back home, but at least I'd be able to help when it came to more than just guesswork with old wives' tales and making sure the sick are comfortable."
qunari: (pic#9843626)

[personal profile] qunari 2016-05-23 01:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Usually is."

Isn't that usually the way? Complications tend to arise, something he still doesn't quite understand. It's all much easier when everyone's on an even field, knowing what they're after and what they're willing to give. Everything past that point is...nebulous.

But he's guilty enough of that himself. Got no room to judge even if he cared to. Instead, he smirks down at the snuggly elf.

"Got my eye on someone else, anyway. So you want a shot at her? She's all yours. Might want to wait until you're a little less snotty, though."
colecomfort: (you killed me)

[personal profile] colecomfort 2016-05-23 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"They're supposed to. It doesn't always work like that."

Hesitant, like he didn't want to admit it. Or like he was trying to explain something delicate to a child. Then, in the next second, his voice changed: a low mutter, words almost running into each other. Repeating something he'd heard.

"Dangerous, ripe for demons. Don't turn your back until they're broken."
colecomfort: (eye to eye)

[personal profile] colecomfort 2016-05-23 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
His head moves. It isn't a nod, not exactly, but it has the sense of one.

"We all have work to do." Himself, Sam, and Fortitude... the two of them together. He smiles a little at the end of that, just before he vanishes.
Edited 2016-05-23 14:05 (UTC)
colecomfort: (from a distance)

[personal profile] colecomfort 2016-05-23 02:20 pm (UTC)(link)
In the pause before he answers, Cole turns, begins heading back toward the healing tents. Anders will want to get to back to work soon. They all will.

"Pieces. Parts. One thread at a time, until I started to see the picture." He has to think back, to before the Herald, before the Templars, before Rhys. It does seem that it came to him in stages.

"I was almost me by the time the Herald came, but only almost. I'd thought I had to follow the Templars so they could kill me if I went wrong again. She opened the door to something different. I think it was always there, but I hadn't seen it."
bookish_lioness: (You're pissing me off)

[personal profile] bookish_lioness 2016-05-23 03:43 pm (UTC)(link)
She frowned at that last comment, beginning to pick up the vague pattern in the way Cole spoke. Sometimes he said things, and sometimes he said memories, memories of things other people had said or thought. It should be disconcerting. She didn't have the energy to find anything disconcerting at the moment.

"We're not all like that," she breathed out. "Smashing something to pieces when it never had to be broken in the first place just makes people angry."
laurenande: (pic#9667149)

[personal profile] laurenande 2016-05-23 07:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Galadriel stared at the elf, at the top of her head, as she shook, until she understood what she was speaking of. If she hadn't been half in dreams, herself, she would have never realized.

"You saw the demon?" Galadriel asked, quietly and, before Beleth could answer, turned and drew the dalish woman into a proper embrace.

Of all people, Galadriel knew well the horror of such creatures, the dread that they inspired. To see one in Thedas? That must have been jarring. She could not imagine how she would have reacted to such a fright, even knowing what she saw. That Beleth had been reduced to trembling was nothing to be ashamed of.

"Av'osto, Beleth," Galadriel said, softly. "It is terrible to behold, but it was not real. They do not walk these lands."