( closed. ) there is no crime in being kind.

[fightingale]

WHO: closed to Araceli, Ariadne, Beleth, The Iron Bull, Isabela, Legolas, Solas, Teren, Zevran, with possible sending crystal appearances by Leliana if necessary and a collection of nps.
WHAT: Antiva Mission; freeing slaves, dealing with a Merchant Prince, capturing an Orlesian noble and maybe recruiting some Antivan chefs.
WHEN: Roughly 1st - 5th May, with a gentle touch of timey wimey
WHERE: Antiva City, Antiva (and thereabouts)
NOTES: Plotting post & ic recruitment log (if you want to thread Leliana approaching your character to come along just lmk and I'll get to it asap.)
Themes of slavery, all the terrible things Venatori do that could be mentioned, the existence of Zevran and Isabela, and general carnage. (Please add any surprise warnings to subject lines, bruhs.)

Starters being added in the comments :]b

Comments

feel free to chat to her over the crystal or to have tagged along

[foxsays]

[Growing up in a country so very much like Antiva, right by the docks, volunteering to take the harbour is a given to Araceli; others on the team can vouch for her climbing, she knows the sea, and Zevran can confirm if needed that she can speak his native tongue too. You play the hand you're dealt, and fortunately Araceli was dealt a good one.

Climbing aboard the ship is easily done when she's small as she is, hugging tight against the wood, feet almost skimming the water as she's careful to keep out of the line of sight of the other ships. She waits only long enough to get the guard rotation on one ship before she moves to the next, dipping down as far as she can to report back, the lapping of the water covering her soft voice.]

Guards on the ships. [A long pause follows, heavy steps above her, the laughter of two guards or crew. She holds her breath until they walk away. If anyone has decided to come with her, she'll have a frown hidden by shadows for them.] How do we wish to proceed? They won't be moving quickly but they can still move if we don't.

[demonicbeauty]

[Ariadne didn't know Araceli. Barely even knew her name. And her scent was wildly foreign.

But none of that mattered.

When she saw the way Araceli moved, the way she was able to climb, she felt an instant kinship. The other girl could very well have been an Alastrian. If Alastrians existed anywhere outside of her own home world. And following her from point to point felt just like jumping through the canopy with her sisters, back in Deleo. If Ariadne wasn't careful, she might very well forget that she no longer had her wings.

For the most part, Ariadne followed. She wasn't much of a leader. But when Araceli asked her how they ought to proceed, she paused to give the question careful consideration. And it was in that pause that she caught a faint pulse, fluttering like the wings of a hummingbird.]

There's someone else here. Someone afraid.

[ombranera]

Afraid? How can you...mm. Well, it is likely the slaves.

That depends- are we killing the guards or tying them up and leaving them for their employers to find? I myself am for the former.

[ Zevran took an alternate approach to the house, sticking to the shadows so he could handle whatever guards might raise an alarm. Thanks to the common gardening habits expected of most Antivan manors he has plenty of cover, plenty of time to settle into the shadows and mind the guards and their wandering rotations- irregular but not actively contacting one another.

Sloppy.

Whether he went for the sap or the garrote to start taking them down depended upon the girls answer. ]

Either way- I can handle those on the estate or we might each hit one of the ships at the same time and give those men less of a chance to raise alarm. At this distance and time of night I think we might be able to pull it off without the men here noticing.

[fightingale]

( The guards on the ships move in pairs, so there are two people at either end of the ship and two looking over each side. Or, at least, there should be - the ship where Araceli and Ariadne are some are more attentive in their duties than others, and one of the men is leaning against a barrel in drunken slumber, his partner ignoring him in favour of enjoying a drink of his own. All are heavily armed, each equipped with at least three blades.

For Zevran there is an ever looming risk of peacocks as well as guards, one of the men making a sound of irritation as a wave of colourful birds run past. The man is carrying a crossbow, while another nearby him is muttering about upgrading traps and having to make them bird proof. )

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth had elected to tag along with Zevran, and sinks against the bushes, small and silent as they try to decide what should be done. She reaches behind her, fingers trailing along her bow as she considers their options. Zevran has noted before that Beleth doesn't have a taste for assassination, but--this was different. Guards guarding slaves. Different enough that she could do it. ]

I see two right now. I could get them, but I think the peacocks might cause a fuss. Although--We could use them. Make them cause a ruckus. That'd hide any sounds from the guards.

[ She considers the birds carefully. Maybe she could take one home with them, after this. ]

Too bad Twisted Fate isn't here. He could speak for us to his kindred souls.

[demonicbeauty]

Peacocks?

[Ariadne turns her head from one side to the other, making it look like she's trying to catch a glimpse. But her nose turns up just slightly, as she attempts to pick up a scent.

Definitely peacocks. As incongruous as it seems, she's immediately upset with herself for not picking up the scent sooner.]

I don't know if they're anything like the peacocks from my homeland, but if they are, they should run away from any source of heat...

[ombranera]

...Iron Bull. [ Suddenly inspired, Zevran smirks. ] In all your travels have you ever seen a stampede?

[ How would THAT be for a distraction? ]

[foxsays]

[Moving enough to stop her muscles from cramping or seizing up from the cold carrying up from the water, it's all Araceli can do to stop herself from making a noise somewhere between a laugh and a curse. As it is, she manages a quiet 'basta' for his benefit.]

Maybe if you all make enough noise some of our guards will pay attention but one is drunk and another is getting there, take them out first, give ourselves more space to move. Drunk men fall overboard after all.

[And she also has the benefit of a borrowed amulet from her kadan, enchanted to make it more difficult for hostiles to focus on her though she's never worn such a thing until today. Up she goes, looking for the drunkard until she's able to see the deck, her heart loud in her ears until she can reach out to grab for his ankle, a sharp tug that should send him splashing into the water below. Quick as she can, she swings herself out of sight again, pressed flat against the ship where no one can peer down or around to see her until the guards dismiss it.

It's what lazy shits get when they drink on the job.]