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

[eolasemah]

Sina spends most of her time asleep, her small body conserving what energy it can while she's so compromised.

Of course, due to her close proximity with Korrin, they can see one another's dreams. More than once while Korrin is having an especially vivid dream, Sina will blush and smile amorously in her sleep. That, or she'll curl into a tighter ball, hide her face with the blanket, and whimper despairingly.

And then Korrin can see hers, as well. The black beach, the green water, the vast expanse of sky, with its floating islands; that's all there really is to it, apart from Sina wandering up and down, occasionally sitting.
There are spirits clustered in the shadows near her at all times, in the Fade and in this world as well. They are drawn to her shard, but kept at bay by her will as a well-trained mage.

[foxsays]

It had been good fortune, or something like it, that she'd used rooftops by the gardens as part of her shortcut to the library. Not that she'd forgotten about Sina but seeing Korrin like that when she could do so little, when she couldn't see or hear whatever it was that plagued the Vashoth woman so had her feeling helpless enough that simply confining her to the tent between runs back to their rooms, the library or the kitchens was enough. If the healers needed someone unafflicted who could move faster than most, she'd volunteered until she'd found Sina.

Strangely she's beyond tears at this point, and she doesn't know if that's to be commended or not, perhaps she's too tired but she ducks back into the tent with Lux stationed outside, as much as a runner as she is with simple messages.

"Sirena, try to rest," she murmurs for what feels like the thousandth time as if she too is moving through a dream, bending to brush her lips across her forehead before she comes to settle by Sina. Korrin is stronger, that isn't as much of a worry and her warm hand settles on the elf's brow, lips twisting this way and that but she has no knack for this but just sitting when she isn't needed is driving her mad.

"I brought water, and some tea, a few light things to eat to keep your strength up, but even the kitchens seem more quiet of late." She's careful when she brushes her right hand across Sina's cheek to remind her she's here, mindful that she's still healing from before, that whatever this is could set her back further again. "You should sit up for a moment, I'll help."

[gatheringstorm]

Those despairing whimpers are sometimes enough to rouse Korrin, enough to scoot closer and make sure the covers are still on, or that Sina has enough pillows, or just offer herself as a sturdy pillow. Whatever irritation she has is with the spirits and her own helplessness, not Sina. She doesn't have the energy for much more, though, reluctantly letting Araceli do the bulk of the care needed.

When Korrin's alert enough, she'll keep a wary watch on any spirits drawn to Sina and that shard. Where spirits roam, demons might as well, and she's not about to let one of those prey on her friend. She periodically glares at them, but it's not like that accomplishes much.

Araceli's words sink in and she sighs. Resting is so much easier said than done, when none of her can remain comfortable for long. Her smile is a grateful but exhausted one. "Tea sounds good, though I can't say I have any appetite. I'll try." She isn't too hopeful, but if forcing down something helps her to get through this, so be it. Her gaze shifts back to Sina, unable to hide her concern.

"...want me to reach Adelaide on the crystal? She had Compassion shush nearby spirits earlier. It worked for a little while."

[eolasemah]

Sina is in and out. Her fever is still high, and going on perhaps longer than it should, but can anyone really be surprised by this? Her hazel eyes are glazed when she opens them to Araceli, and they shift toward Korrin as languidly as though she's still dreaming.

"I'm all right," she says breezily, breathes in as if to say more, then lays her head down on Korrin's leg and goes back to sleep.

[foxsays]

There are odd moments when she almost wishes she saw what they saw, because surely she would be less use to them but how do you help when you don't know what's there? Spirits are things she doesn't understand well at the best of times and she doesn't really know what she can actually do to help at all beyond running the errands and making sure neither of them lapse so deep into sleep that she can't rouse them.

"I would like to say that I wouldn't force you but I might." That would sound sweeter if much of her voice hadn't deserted her from the strain of trying to be her usual self, from not sleeping properly. "The tea has honey in it, the sugar will be good, and Sina, Sina," she manages to croon, manages to move with a thief's grace because that never leaves her, stroking her fingers over the elven woman's hair as if she's made of spun glass and some days Sina might be, she tries for a stern smile.

It might look more like she's about to cry, she certainly feels that way.

"You especially need some tea. As for Adelaide...I swear I saw her but I just listen to whatever person needs something fetched or carried and keep out of the way, if you think it's needed--" Her throat constricts painfully tight, one hand balling into a fist, how can she help when she doesn't know what's there? "I can't see or hear them, you'll need to help me with some of this too, I'm sorry."

[gatheringstorm]

Aw, Sina. Korrin manages a small smile, drawing the blanket back up for her. As much as the frail elf woman could benefit from the tea as well, she doesn't have the hart to rouse her. It's a good thing Araceli feels differently. That expression of her kadan's causes her heartache, and her expression is apologetic as she glances back up from Sina. As hard as this is on them, she doesn't want to cause Araceli any more grief than can be helped.

"We'll both have it, then, taking it slow." They certainly don't have the energy for any other pace. "It doesn't have to be Adelaide, specifically. Any Spirit Healer might help, through their spirit friend. Sam or Christine, if they're around. Not Anders." If there's one person she'll never trust near her, even like this, it's him. "...and I'll try. But there isn't a lot to share. Mostly, it's just snippets of things. Glimpses. Not much to go on."