faderift | Open | Building Plot

Entry tags:

Open | Building Plot

WHO: The Inquisition
WHAT: Building!
WHEN: 28th of Cloudreach, through the first week of Bloomingtide
WHERE: The river valley below Skyhold
NOTES: See here for details.

Welcome to the Great Building Project of 9:42, Dragon! So you've come to help construct some living structures and barracks? Excellent, there are several areas in which everyone's help is needed.

Clearing

The Mage Council themselves have dedicated themselves to clearing out the valley, and flattening it as well, so buildings can be constructed. They'll need all the magical help they can get, honestly, and even that will include people to help clear away the wood to be used for building, as well as the stone and other materials. It will be a lot of heavy lifting, carrying, or being able to drive a cart.

Building

Of course there is the building. Holding up walls, hammer and nails, thatch on the roofs, cutting out awkward window where necessary. Putting together fireplaces and firepits. The deft of hand and light of feet are the ones who can climb the roofs, move around without any problems to haul up sod and other things to plug the holes on the roof to make for a snug small hut, or a long and clean barrack hall.

Healing

And of course, there are accidents. Someone accidentally hammers their own hand, falls off a roof, gets a splinter in their finger. The healers themselves are going to need fresh water and herbs brought in, as well as food brought to keep them going.

Fetching/Carrying

Messages need to be brought back and forth between the builders. Water needs to be brought to the thirsty, as well as food. There are a million little things that need to be done to complete this great endeavor, so feel free to help out whatever little way you feel you can.

Katniss

Katniss is everywhere.

There's not a place you won't see the slender young woman, dark hair pulled back in a braid that is coming out in wisps. Dirt smudges her face and hands, but there's a faint smile on her face and no matter what she's doing, she's humming softly. At her heel is the wolf pup, who trots along beside her faithfully, and stands guard while Katniss is up atop a roof, hammering.

She's carrying water to give to people who are building, as well as food. Lifting bundles of stick and rock out of the way, or walking with a builder, murmuring softly over the plans.

Need to talk to her? Just snag her. She'll be glad to stop and talk to anyone who is helping out here.

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"Smart and handsome." Korrin leans down to pet him, because she can. "You should get in a break, Katniss. You've been at this non-stop ever since it began. A few minutes to sit down won't kill you."

Katniss sighed, as she wiped sweat from her brow, before getting her hands back into the thatch. "Just let me ... fix this." A few more minutes of grunting, and tying, and she exhales another sigh.

"There."

She climbs down to the edge of the roof, and as so well taught, jumps down like a cat. "We've got to get these done before the next rain, Korrin."

See? Good excuse to working herself into exhaustion.

Korrin just crosses her arms and stares, not buying it. "A short break won't make a significant dent in that, you know. Don't worry, we'll get it done. There are more than enough hands pitching in around here to ensure that."

She reaches to the canteen at her hip and offers it. "It's just water. I wasn't about to bring alcohol to a building party."

Katniss rolled her eyes, but she couldn't deny it, they had enough people to get this done. So she reached over and took the canteen, before dropping down on the ground. The pup ran over to her, bumping against her legs and she scratched his head.

"Yeah, save it for when we're done." One corner of her mouth lifted. "Which ... isn't such a bad idea."

Once Katniss is on the ground, Korrin plops down to join her, taking the opportunity to stretch out since there's room available. No one needs the area directly before them, so she'll claim it until that changes. Watching the pup for a moment, Korrin smiles and once again there are idle thoughts of mabari pups as pets, but that's all they are.

"I think we can swing that. A lazy night at the tavern, with some drinks and maybe a game or two. Nothing wild, just a chance to unwind. I'd say we deserve it after all this."

Katniss stretched out her own long legs, smiling a little as the pup hopped over both of their legs. Making himself a little game of it, probably. She stretched her arms above her head, thinking about it.

"I would agree. In fact, I'd kill for a good game. Haven't just ... spent time with anyone for awhile."

Her expression tightened. "I could stand some time with people who aren't tits."

Noticing that expression, Korrin doesn't dance around the subject. "This is about our trip, isn't it? Want to vent about it? I can take it, you know." She did for Sera and Twisted Fate, and would for the others. Even Nerva might merit a moment of listening, as her ties to Twisted Fate make Korrin more apt to give her a chance than usual.

Katniss looked up at Korrin, opened her mouth - and then closed it. She frowned, before she shook her head a little.

"I don't even know how to put in words." Is her simple statement. "All I know is -- this place is the only home I have now."

Korrin nods along with that, a small understanding smile on her lips. "It's not a bad place to be, all things considered. I don't really belong anywhere, either, but I'm used to it. It's weirder to have a stable place to return to, honestly. But I know it's not the same when you've had a home and life elsewhere."

"Yet here we are again." She sighed, again, looking at her fingertips. "You're right, I had a home. A family. But it's gone. I can't ever have it back. I don't know if I'll ever feel that safe again."

Leaning over, slightly, Korrin reaches out and curls her fingers around Katniss' smaller hand and gives a gentle squeeze. "You never know, Katniss, it could happen. Our future isn't set, good or bad. Thedas isn't destroyed yet. We still draw breath. Anything is possible."

"It's not possible to make my mother come back, Korrin. Or for people to accept me for who I am, both sides." She sighed as she squeezed her friend's hand back tightly. "Might be possible I find a few like you who don't care, though."

"Exactly." Korrin darts a small smile as Katniss seems to understand what she was aiming at. "No, you can't regain what was lost. But that doesn't mean you can't make a new family for yourself, blood-related or not. A lot of people on my company have done just that; those that stick around, we're as tight-knit as any you'll find. It makes that lack of acceptance on the outside a lot easier to bear when you have people at your back, trust me."

Katniss shot her a half smile, squeezing her hand again. "I will have to look for more ... family, honestly. I just wish - eh, if wishes were horses."

"I prefer nuggalopes, to be honest. They have to be badass." But despite that momentary silliness, she nods, understanding how difficult it can be to make good on that wish. "I hope I'm right in saying that you might find more of that here. If there's ever a good time and place to find out what people are really like and whether or not they're worth your time, let alone devotion, it's when we're all depending on each other to keep the world from falling apart."

"Listen, I already have a cat, a horse, and a wolf ... if I get a nuggalope they're going to start charging me rent for all of them." She smirks wearily, before she looks up at the other woman. "I can't argue with that. I just ..."

She waved her hand, frustrated again. "Don't I have the right to have a voice of my own? Doesn't every half-blood? Why do we have to hide in the shadows and pretend to be something we're not? Why can't we accept both sides of our parentage, instead of having to deny one for the other?"

Korrin looks on in sympathy as Katniss vents, though she's hard-pressed to give actual advice. "Good questions and they deserve real answers. I haven't spoken to many elf-blooded that would admit to being one, and then not in depth. Not like with you. You're pretty brave admitting what you are, given the risks. Maybe in time, others will see your example and also make themselves heard...though I can't say it'll get easier from there."

People fear change, and that fear can lead them to do nasty things. But she doesn't want to discourage Katniss completely. It'd be cruel to snuff out any hope, and Korrin's not a full-on pessimist, anyway.

She sighed, rubbing her face a little with her free hand. "I suppose so. I don't mind being someone who stands up - I just wish I didn't have to. I'm so angry I could grind bones with my teeth."

She looked up at her friend, "I know I have people who care about me, who don't care who my parents are. I shouldn't have let this get to me. No matter how much both sides get under my skin."

"Hey, it happens. Sometimes our emotions get the better of us, whether we like it or not. At least you're aware of it, and that might make it easier to handle next time." Because let's face it, the Inquisition goes everywhere and the chances of interacting with another clan are not excessively low. But even if the elves don't accept her, Katniss' insight could still be needed. "If you still need to work out that anger after we're finished here, we can always take a hunting trip around the area afterward."

She smirked down at her knees, before she shook her head. "If I can't exhaust it out of me, doing all this ... my anger is going to just hang out there for as long as possible."

She'd just have to find another outlet.

Korrin nods, not judging or disappointed. It is what it is. "Maybe it'll exhaust itself, in time. Or you'll find some other way that hasn't come to mind yet. In the mean time, make use of it how you can." She trusts Katniss to handle that better than she would herself. If it were up to Korrin, the training dummies would be splinters, and there would be dead bears for miles around. Or something just as dramatic and destructive.

"I will." She quoted, and with a fairly decent impersonation of Zevran's voice, "'Channel your rage. Smile, nod, and then find an outlet for all your frustration.'"

She smirked faintly, pushing a sweaty strand of hair out of her face, before taking another swallow of water. "Words from the master himself."

That impression gets Korrin to chuckle, as she nods approvingly to the impersonation's accuracy. "Well, he would know. If you can manage that, more power to you. Maybe he'll have some suggestions on that, too."

"Maybe he will ... I'll have to track him down first. He's Zevran, and Zevran likes to be mysterious and -- probably in bed with someone pretty." She smirked faintly, but it wasn't a bad idea. She'd have to see if Zevran had some ideas.

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Open | Building Plot

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