faderift | CLOSED: The Abyssal High Dragon

WHO: Rachette, Metaari, Vivienne, Alejandro, Norrington
WHAT: Slaying the Abyssal High Dragon!
WHEN: 20 Bloomingtide
WHERE: The Western Approach
NOTES: There are two top-level comments below: one to (optionally) talk to and potentially run some errands for Professor Frederic of Serault, the other for the fight itself. The dragon will not by GMed; control it yourselves, have fun, and let us know if you have questions or need help!

Waxing poetic about the majesty of a high dragon or considering one a good omen is all well and good when one of the beasts isn't actually in the vicinity, out in the open, hunting. (They only do it every hundred years, so of course they're all doing it now.) By the time the team is sent in search of the dragon's resting place, it has already taken three horses and one soldier from one camp and set half of another on fire. Preventing it from doing more harm or taking an interest in the Keep is of paramount importance.

They know it breathes fire. They know it's hungry. They know it's a bloody dragon. The tricky part here--other than killing it--is finding it. As the group heads out, one soldier jokes that the beast might be residing in the Abyssal Reach itself, at the bottom of the seemingly bottomless gorge, surrounded by the corruption that's creeping up the cliffsides. Unfortunately, he may be right.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Not far from one of the Inquisition's camps, there's another camp site that's slightly less impressive in the size and organization of its tents, but slightly more impressive in its accumulation of books, inexplicable knickknacks, and animal bones--especially given that it's currently occupied by a single masked man and a single skinny horse. It's nestled into a craggy outcropping of rocks, but at this time of day there's no shade. The man has a single visible jug of water. There's not a weapon in sight. Even setting the harsh landscape aside, how he's survived the raiders and Venatori this long is a mystery.

He's talking to himself, something about quillbacks and someone named Etienne, though between the mask and the wind it's impossible to hear without coming close enough to catch his attention. "Oh, thank the Maker," he says in a mild Orlesian accent, coming forward out from beneath the open canopy he appears to be living beneath, with his horse. Walking away from the poor man, at this point, would be a little rude. "I have not seen anyone for days."

They had just established the camp on the bluff, and Norrington had sent his men to do a sweep of the area north of them to see if they could track down any of the Venatori that were still skulking about. It was mere chance he heard the whisper on the wind.

He rides down himself on Dauntless, pulling up in front of the man's ... moving University library, both eyebrows raised.

"Ser, you should not be out here." He stated, climbing off his horse, to come closer to the Orlesian man. "It is not safe here." He looked around, "Especially not alone."

"If the raiders and the odd Tevinters have not taken issue with me yet, I do not think they will." Despite the heat he remains upright and unruffled, mask buffed to a clean finish. Priorities even in the face of science and times of strife, he has them.

"Ah, but I am not alone! Jean-Peirre is here with me." He says with great affection and cheer. The skinny horse wickers at the sound of his name.

"Yes, well, I would not make a firm bet on that one." Norrington stated, his mouth curving wryly. Still, he had to admire the man's determination. He glanced over at the horse, he let his eyebrow lift a little higher.

"I am not sure the horse will be good protection either. What are you doing out here, ser?"

"I," He offers with a sweeping gesture to himself and his camp. "Am a scientist. I have come to study the many fascinating creatures that dwell in the approach- the phoenixes, drakolisks- and of course the marvelous Abyssal High Dragon herself. The trouble has been finding her hunting pattern, alas. With the raiders and Tevinters wandering around, diverting her usual prey? It has been difficult to establish. But I do have some bait if a brave soul could, perhaps, lay it out?"

And this man, of course, seems very brave.

"I see ... " He was just going to take a wild stab in the dark here. "From the University of Orlais, then?"

A pause, then his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. This could actually be a very valuable man - if he studied creatures like this. Not to mention dragons.

"I would be pleased to assist, if I can." He said, thoughtfully, "Although I will have to warn you, if I am close enough to lay the bait, the dragon will probably attack me. I will probably have to kill it, if that is the case."

"But of course!" Who else would be so smart, so suave, so dedicated to the cause but a professor of that illustrious establishment? "Ah, truly? I would be most grateful. The Dragon has been keeping her distance for want of a proper meal- and for traps set by raiders that I think your agents have already cleared out for me."

A beat.

"I compensated them appropriately, of course." He would never dream of expecting interns to work for free.

James felt his mouth twitching again, but he managed to keep his expression completely clear of any amused expression. He nodded his head slowly. "Yes, I believe they have ... and I will be delighted to assist you in setting them again, the right way."

Here, he paused again. "What I would not want is payment - but for you to perhaps consider joining our Inquisition?"

"If the dragon is slain and I am able to observe, from a safe distance of course, and am given the right to observe the remains before anyone else wishes to claim it's parts- and so long as I am able to continue my studies and, perhaps, share what it is that I learn with the Inquisition and receive funding for future ventures? I think so." That would be most beneficial to both him and the Inquisition.

"I think we can have that arranged for you." James stated simply, because he is more than certain that people were going to be interested in what this man had to say about dragons than anything else. If he wanted to take on his own studies then far be it from James to stop him. "Especially if your findings help us with the current trend of dragons appearing ... everywhere."

"It is the Dragon Age, Ser, for all that it was named so before we had quite so many awake and hunting at once. I wonder if there was not something that stirred them to wake..." Frederic loses a few moments murmuring, writing down possible reasons on a notepad held in his hand. "...suppose that would not be unreasonable- ah. Yes? Yes. If you lay out the bait that I have in these barrels- carcasses, truly, of her favored prey, and set them in the places I have marked on this map? She should come out to hunt."

He turned so he could look at the map, before he nodded his head. "Yes, that will be do-able. I will have to get a cart to haul them out there, but I can lay them myself once I gather some companions to come with me, just in case the creature attacks."

Which it would. Because it was a dragon.

"I shall be ready and waiting to observe! But- could you attempt, in your slaying of this marvelous creature, to provoke her to spit fire more than once? I have observed her swooping to capture her prey and goring it- but never flaming." It was a most reasonable request, of course.

"... Well, I am not sure if we can quite manage that - " Hah. Hah. Hah. "But we shall certainly endeavor to have him - her shoot flames at us. And not kill us."

Just to make that clear. He isn't willing to die for one man's curiosity.

"No risk is too great in the name of science- but take care if you must." He steps back to allow Norrington to take the barrels of bait- only when cracked open later will the stench truly come to full, festering bloom.

"... Hmmm, I shall have a philosophical debate on that particular statement later, Professor." Norrington stated dryly, before he gestured to his men up the slope to go get the cart.

Already, this smells like something that he would prefer to leave where it was - forever - but dragon hunting is quite serious business.

CLOSED: The Abyssal High Dragon

(Optional) Professor Frederic of Serault

Re: (Optional) Professor Frederic of Serault

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