faderift | [OPEN] Welcome Back! Now Take a Bath.

WHO: Blackwall and you!
WHAT: Blackwall returns to Skyhold after being away for a few months
WHEN: Current?
WHERE: Around Skyhold, mostly the stables and the tavern
NOTES: none that I can think of... his intro is over here. prose or brackets are fine

i. Just arrived
It's midday when Blackwall and the small group of scouts and soldiers who'd been with him in the Storm Coast are spotted by one of Skyhold's lookouts making their way back up the mountain road. They're definitely not in a rush, but getting inside of the fortress' high walls and out of the whipping mountain winds is a relief. After weeks in the constant drizzle of the Storm Coast, dry clothing felt like an unattainable fantasy.

Muddy, damp, and worn out, Blackwall was looking even more unkempt and wild than when he'd first arrived in Haven. The Storm Coast seemed to have that affect on people; the others with him didn't look like they'd fared much better. He's a little surprised at how glad he is to be back, but why wouldn't he be? A change of clothes into something that isn't already soaked through with rain and a proper place to enjoy a drink, what's not to love?

ii. Sparring/Beating up practice dummies close to the stables
It doesn't take Blackwall long at all to fall back into a routine, which means getting some time in with a dull sword and a stuffed potato sack on a stick meant to look like a person. It's unusual for him to be in anything less than his full armor, which includes the puffy gambeson he always wears, but it's still hung up to dry by the fire in the stables, so this morning he's settled for a loose tunic and trousers.

Unlike some of the others whacking away at the dummies, his movements are calm and devoid of emotion, simply going through training exercises and focusing on form and technique. Training exercises are all well and good, but if someone actually offered to spar he'd be hard pressed to turn them down, especially after fighting nothing but bears and spiders in the mud for the past few weeks.

iii. Tavern
"Oh, pardon me," Blackwall offers, managing to sound completely genuine while fighting back a chuckle. It's late evening and the tavern is apparently the place to be. It's surprisingly easy to misjudge how close you are to someone after a few drinks and Blackwall misses the mark as he leans over the counter to signal for another pint, bumping a few people.

"Ale, like the last one," He tells the barkeep when he gets their attention before offering a slightly intoxicated smile while waiting.

iv. or choose your own adventure!
[Walking around Skyhold or find him in the stables... demand he come tour the Warden encampment and watch him squirm, or comment about how much he needs a haircut. I'm down for all the things :3]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Good to hear it. Suppose I probably should've asked about that before making light of things," He takes a more somber, contemplative drink despite not losing anyone... this time. Things could have easily gone another way.

He shakes his head hearing about Emprise du Lion. "It sounds like a fucking mess. At least it's slightly better off now. It's a start, right? That's the one thing we managed to avoid having to deal with in the Storm Coast. No destroyed villages, no destroyed lives. ... no one's daft enough to live there."

"Nah, it's alright. Sometimes we need a laugh, especially when horrible shit happens. It's how we keep going. Well, it's how I keep going." After all they've been through, they should be entitled to make as many horrible jokes as they want.

"It's a start; the villagers are freed, and we got to be involved in some epic dragonslaying. All good things." Her smile widens as he mentions the Storm Coast, knowing she would have felt much the same way, but for two reasons. "But it doesn't have undead-filled water, right? I'd take it. Especially if that story that one scout passed on about a giant and dragon fighting each other was true. I'd so pay to see that."

"No undead at all actually. And no plague. Hard to have a plague or undead when no one was living there to begin with though," He chuckles, downing more of his ale. He has to agree with her, if they weren't allowed to laugh at the absurdity of their situation sometimes, they'd probably all crack.

"We did get to see a giant fighting a dragon though. There was that. Great vantage point too. They were down on the beach and were up on a path through the cliffs."

"You actually saw that? Awesome." Korrin leans forward, all excited now. "What kind of dragon was it? How quickly did it stop that giant into paste? It couldn't have lasted that long, right?" Giants are powerhouses, but they aren't high dragons. She can't imagine it having lasted for long, if its opponent was at all invested in killing it.

"Aye. It was something. An impressive show from far away. Surprisingly, the giant seemed to be holding its own. It didn't really seem too interested in fighting, honestly, more like it thought the giant might make an easy meal, but then the thing proved too much trouble to bother with.

Lots of electricity, dark coloring, and considering where we were... my guess would be a Vinsomer. Lots of dragonlings, too."

Korrin chuckles, just taking it all in. "Maker, that must've been an amazing sight. Worth the risk just to watch the giant get feisty with it. At least all that noise and dick-waving meant you went unnoticed. Not that there's anything wrong with a good dragonslaying, but no reason to be suicidal about it."

"We probably could've taken them, but we weren't exactly outfitted for a military operation. We let them beat the piss out of each other and kept to the cliffs. I think, the scouts were happy just to watch the show from afar, less broken bones that way," He pauses to take a drink, "I'm sure Cullen will be deploying a group of eager dragon slayers her way soon enough."

That gets a quick smile out of her, always eager to see dragons in action. "I'll try to be on that group list, then. Ever since learning Knight-Enchanter magic, fighting them has gotten a lot easier." She pats the hilt of her spirit blade, damn proud of reaching that goal. "Would I see you on it? From what I've heard, you're a damn good warrior to have on a team."

Qunari and their hard on for dragons.

"Congratulations. That's a difficult discipline, isn't it? I'm not... really all that familiar with all that," He says apologetically, but at least he knows it is an accomplishment.

"Eh. Maybe. If I was needed," He says hesitantly with a smile, "I could take or leave dragon fighting honestly. Seems like most of the time, they're just trying to survive. Like any of us. I'd definitely take demon or darkspawn fighting over dragons."

Look, dragons are cool. That's all there is to it.

"Darkspawn require not being tainted by them in the process, though I suppose you don't have to worry about that. As for dragons, sure, those that live in the middle of nowhere...but Redcliffe had one in the next valley over. It wouldn't take much for it to decide it wanted human appetizers and head over here to roast them all. I don't mind taking out the ones that park their asses nearby, hoping to pick us off."

She takes a sip from her drink and smiles. "And thank you. It is, though part of that difficulty was convincing Vivienne to take me on. We couldn't be more opposite in our views, when it comes to mages. But she must have figured strange times demand strange solutions. It's made me realize how much I prefer being on the front lines, too. No more hanging back."

She was right. He didn't worry about getting infected, but not for the reason she was thinking. He had, after all, pledged his life to the Grey Wardens, in the end it didn't matter.

"True, settlements need to be protected, but when you hike for two weeks up a nearly impassible mountain trail to find and kill something living off mountain goats, it just seems... I don't know, like a waste," He shrugs and takes a drink

Madame Vivienne? He arches an eyebrow. "I'm surprised she gave you the time of day... I didn't think she spoke to anyone who wasn't in the very least a Comte. But I am happy for you."

Korrin nods, more or less agreeing with him on the waste part. Dragons are glorious creatures; it's always a shame when they have to die, no matter how much she might enjoy a good battle. Still, she doesn't regret the dragon tooth necklace she's now wearing or what it means to her to have gotten it herself.

That arched eyebrow gets a chuckle out of her. "I was surprised, too, figured it was a long shot. I guess she likes a challenge. If she thought to 'tame' me, though, she must be disappointed. I still don't give a nug's ass about the Game and I still disagree with almost everything she says during Council meetings."

"The Game," He echoes, sighing with disdain. "Surely, all that political garbage doesn't have anything to do with training new Knight-Enchanters.

Anyway, I prefer the way Lady Josephine plays, all polite, gracious smiles. Vivienne is just a viper."

Maybe he sounds a little too fond of the ambassador, but it was obvious he has no love for Vivienne.

As much as Vivienne's a mentor and has her gratitude for teaching her a new form of magic, Korrin can't say she has any great love for her personally. So she just nods at the 'viper' comment, unable to deny it or disagree. Hell, knowing Vivienne, she might even be flattered.

And she response with a small grin at mention of the ambassador. "Lady Josephine is rather lovely, I'll give you that. We don't run in the same circles, I'm no diplomat, but I doubt the Inquisiton would run half as well without her. She needs to learn to have fun every once in a while, though. Even when she's not at her desk, she always seems to be working. Someone should help with that."

[OPEN] Welcome Back! Now Take a Bath.

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