[open]

[eolasemah]

WHO: Sina Dahlasanor and you!
WHAT: Sina has a shard in her chest and has been told the rifters have similar ones in their hands. She wants to seek out rifters and investigate this further/compare marks/find out if they're demons or not.
WHEN: Frostfall
WHERE: Around and about Skyhold
NOTES: Please feel free to join if not a rifter! People on surveillance duty are also encouraged.



The diminutive elf resembled a deer as she made her way through the scattered crowds of Skyhold: dignified and alert, but ready to bolt at any sign of danger. The shard in her chest glinted conspicuously beneath the light shawl she wore, and her careful grey eyes scanned the area for any glowing that matched it. It was like a homing beacon, and for the first time since she'd acquired it, Sina wasn't trying to hide it.

[The Herald's Rest]

She'd never been in here before, having been warned off over raucous drunken humans and sword-happy Templars. She had a mission, however, and hoped she was right to assume the tavern would be less frightening in the daytime.


[The Healing Tents]

It was a wild guess, but surely some of the newcomers would need healing? She wandered along the rows of tents, seeking out the telltale green glow.


[The Dungeon]

The very act of going into this dismal place of stone walls made her feel ill, but perhaps there were still prisoners here, those accused of being demons. She steeled herself and made her way down.


[Wherever!]

Anyone who wants to be found somewhere else is welcome to post in! She's being very thorough.

Comments

The Herald's Rest

[gatheringstorm]

[Since it's early, Korrin's more interested in people-watching and relaxing than anything alcoholic. She's stretched out by a table, feet propped up on a spare one in front of her. Various letters are open beside her, as well as unfinished letters of her own, to be completed and sent when she can focus. Which isn't now.

Glancing over, she catches sight of the Dalish elf...and that glow in her chest. She beckons the elf over, sitting up properly and snapping to attention now that she has something else other than procrastinating.]

Excuse me--can I have a moment of your time?

[eolasemah]

It took Sina a moment to realize she was being addressed, and her eyes widened when she saw the qunari-- a qunari!!-- beckoning to her. In a moment of obliviousness, she pointed at herself, as if to say 'me?'

[gatheringstorm]

With more patience than Korrin usually has about anything, she nods at that self-pointing. "Yes, you. I don't bite, I promise." Just because she's relatively tall and horned doesn't mean she intends any harm, and hopefully that small smile indicates as much.

[eolasemah]

After another moment's hesitation, Sina lowered her hand and approached the large woman, her expression guarded but inquisitive.

[gatheringstorm]

"I wanted to ask, about...that." Korrin doesn't hide her interest in the shard, blunt as she is, though doesn't stare at it the entire time. "All of the people that came through the rifts have had the same mark, though not located there. Are you alright? Has it changed at all?"

is the garden okay?

[serannas]

Ellana was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades (and master of none) when it came to her place in the clan. Officially, she was hearthmistress, but it hadn't been the type of occupation that took all her attention every waking moment. She'd tended the fires, gathered wood, and then sat around bored while the First and Second had learned all their Dalish history, how to lead, and the Keeper specialization. Ellana just kicked around, feeling like she didn't belong.

But here in Skyhold, things could be different. The roles in the clan didn't apply here, and she could carve out a place for herself. And so she was trying her hand at everything. She never was taught any healing spells, nor how to make poultices. But she wanted to learn more to help people, so she entered the gardens, hoping someone who knew their herblore was around. When she spotted the other Dalish elf with the glow in her chest, Ellana knew she'd found the right person.

"Hello," she said, coming up beside her. "I think I met your clan mate already. She said you liked to garden?"

The garden is always okay 8V

[eolasemah]

Sina was weeding, a seemingly unending task with the garden in its current state. She had paused to wipe her brow when she heard a voice, and turned with a look of mild relief when she saw that she was being hailed by one of the People.
Steadying herself on the wall as she got to her feet, Sina nodded timidly. "Aneth ara," she replied, "that's me." Her smile for the other elf was genuine, and her eyes caught on Ellana's for what might have been a second or two too long before she looked aside and blushed. "I.. are you of clan Ashara?"

[serannas]

"I am," she replied, smiling gently. She was by no means shy, but she wasn't the type to try and force others who were shy out of their shells in one fell swoop. "My name is Ellana. I came into the garden hoping to learn about plants used for healing. It feels like something I should know." Every group sent out to scout or on other such missions should have a healer among them, or at least someone who could stop bleeding and pain temporarily, until they reached someone better qualified to handle all that.

[eolasemah]

This was a topic Sina could talk about for days on end, but she was feeling a little flustered and thus stilled herself for the moment. Just be cool.

"I could... help you," she said, still blushing, fiddling anxiously with the shawl around her shoulders. "Salves and poultices are easy to make, once you know how." She smiled again, paused, then realized something and added, "Sina. I'm Sina. Siuona." She pursed her lips and squinted for a moment. "...of clan Dahlasanor."

[serannas]

"I would love any help you would be willing to offer me," Ellana said sincerely. Most people she'd met here were so friendly and good, that it more than made up for the few bad she'd encountered. Those people she could ignore, and focus on the good ones.

"It's good to meet you, Sina. You know, the only nickname I've ever had was given to me by the children of the clan. To them, I'm Lala." And though Ellana loved getting out to see the world, she did miss the children. She had often entertained them with her magic.

[Outside the Herald's Rest]

[lennethvalkyrie]

Coming down from the battlements near the tavern, Lenneth noticed the furtive young woman--and the eerie green glow that was becoming familiar. Another Rifter, then? She'd told the Knight-Commanders she would make an effort to know more about the others of her ilk... and truth be told, she was curious herself. Perhaps there was some reason besides happenstance they had all been pulled to this world.

The Valkyrie raised her left hand in greeting to show the mark they both bore, and attempted a smile of welcome--which while softening her expression a bit did very little to alleviate the stern air of duty about her.

"Good afternoon."

Re: [Outside the Herald's Rest]

[eolasemah]

Sina paused when she saw the familiar mark, and she turned to face the formidable woman with as much bravery as she could muster.

"Hello," she replied, the word sounding strangely practiced coming from her, and she raised her hand in greeting.
"May I--..." she faltered, realizing she hadn't rehearsed an actual conversation starter on the subject. "Are you from the rift?"

Re: [Outside the Herald's Rest]

[lennethvalkyrie]

Lenneth took a breath to answer, and then paused with full lungs, looking suddenly confused as she parsed the question. Had she been mistaken? But no, a second examination of the young woman did in fact reveal the same glow held by those who'd come from other worlds.

"I thought... Are you not?" she asked, finally. Being caught off guard did more to soften her appearance than the attempted smile had. Now she looked more maiden than soldier, despite the armor.

[eolasemah]

Sina blinked at her, and shook her head. "I was.. struck with this when a hole opened in the sky near me," she explained, cupping her hand over the shard. "But I... I understand it may be the same as what those from the rift acquired." She eyed the woman's hand uncertainly.

[lennethvalkyrie]

Lenneth frowned thoughtfully. "How... curious. I had assumed that only those who came through the rifts would bear such a mark," she said, continuing down the steps towards the young woman. She held out her hand again, palm up, to allow Sina to examine it.

"Is it the same? Does yours pain you as well?"

[foxsays]

If there's a universal truth, it's that taverns are the place to go when you want to get the gossip and so that's where Araceli is, settled in a corner where she can see the door and the stairs. There's rum in her cup, watered down because it's early yet, and she's almost as content as any otherworlder as a right to be she supposes.

Her eyes have always been drawn to shining things and well, the glow is one that's close to familiar now and she waves the hand carefully, whistling through her teeth.

"Madam! A moment if you will!"

[eolasemah]

Sina heard a voice and turned her head to it, the glow from the woman's hand catching her eye first thing. Though she hesitated to look from Araceli's shard to her face, she then found herself trailing over to approach the human. She smiled uncertainly.

[foxsays]

“Sorry, I would have come over but this is a good table and I didn’t want to lose it.” The apology came easily enough with a smile, the fox beneath the table peering out at the newcomer before returning to whatever kitchen scraps she scrounged up for him earlier. “I couldn’t help but notice that we match only you have the same-” a hand extended to indicate the face markings she’d spied on many of the elves about Skyhold, “as the others when most of us marked folk seem to be not of this world. “Araceli Bonaventura, at your service, can I get you a drink?”

[eolasemah]

Sina was predictably distracted by the small face peeking from under the table, and while Araceli was midsentence, she gave a small gasp and stooped to offer the fox her hand to sniff. "Aneth ara, da'halaan!" she whispered, only to realize she was being rude and look back up at the human. Her head and neck were visible over the side of the table, but she showed no intention of not communing with the fox.

Her hand followed Araceli's gesture to touch her face, and her lips formed a small 'oh' in understanding. "Vallaslin," she supplied, and looked down slightly as Araceli continued.

"I... I'm not sure I should," she fretted, "..but I'm Siuona, of Clan Dahlasanor. As far as I've seen, there aren't any others from this world who have what I have."

[foxsays]

Upon realising that yes, that's a young lady giving you attention, the fox sniffed for half a second before butting his head up into her hand, eyes wide and pleading, as if he’d never been shown even a scrap of kindness. Araceli rolled her eyes, poking him with the toe of her boot.

“He’s a pest, sees anyone but especially ladies and acts the poor orphan as if I haven’t let him sleep in my bed all my life. Shameless.” All of it fondly said though and honestly, he’s been very good all things considered. “I don’t think either of us understood those words though, I mean I’m one to talk, I think only the Antivans around know what I’m saying when I speak my own language but I should make the effort when there are so many of you about.”

Especially when she’s had a few elves at her climbing lessons thus far.

“I can get water too, dilute it a bit, I like my drink strong.” Catching the eye of a passing serving girl, she smiled, leaning up to make the request before settling comfortably again. “That’s what caught my eye, I confess. I think for most of us it was the same story because it was the same place: we were taken from wherever we were, spat out from a rift in Haven and we had a glowing mark and I think most of us have marked hands. I wondered how it came to pass with you.”

Courtyard

[wontforgetyou]

The first thing Jamie had noticed when he'd been brought through the gates of Skyhold was how it looked. It was a grand structure, to be sure, but one that could use some help. Even with the Inquisition working around the clock, there were still places that needed to be cleaned out, things that needing repairing, and plenty of work for anyone who cared to pitch in. It'd become clear early on that he and the other Rifters weren't going anywhere any time soon, and his options on what he could do were limited. He wasn't a healer or a mage, and while he could fight, finding a place with the soldiers of the Inquisition was going to take some time. So rather than sit around and do nothing, he decided to work.

Right at the moment, he was helping to haul wood, specifically timbers that had been split into boards, things that would be used to help build scaffolding to assist with repairs. Occasionally a glint of green could be be seen between them, the glow in his hand masked by the wood but not entirely obscured by it, even when he shifted his grip to better hold onto the timbers. It was when he had finally set down the last of the boards at the pile that had been set aside for them that it finally became visible, the mark completely visible to anyone who happened to be watching - and when he happened to spot a similar green glow not too far away, and it wasn't long before he made his way over to where Sina had been wandering, lifting his hand a bit to try and get Sina's attention.

"Ah, hello there. Can I help you with something?"

Re: Courtyard

[eolasemah]

Sina had been aware of his mark since she'd passed the scaffolding, but never one to make a fuss, she hadn't interrupted anyone from their work and had instead gone about other tasks.
When the human approached her, she steeled herself as she'd grown accustomed doing, but let her guard down enough to give a faint smile when she saw him raise his glowing hand.
"Hello," she said, with the practiced formality of someone adjusting to a new dialect, "I..'m sorry if I distracted you. I was..." She gestured to his hand, then, self-consciously, to the glowing shard in her sternum. "...I'd heard those of you who came from the sky had these. I wanted to see them." She pursed her lips, worried she'd been too forward.

[wontforgetyou]

"Look, I'm not from the sky, I'm from-" He broke off, giving his head a small shake. "Och, never mind. It's a long story."

Which was true, but not entirely why he'd stopped himself just then. Mostly he'd done so because he didn't want it to seem like he was truly upset with her, which is why he added in a friendly smile.

"You're not distracting me, though. I was just about to take a break, so if you needed to take a look too, it's alright. You'd not be the first one who wanted to do so." He paused for a second, eyes flicking over to the shard in her chest a bit curiously. "Mind, you might be the first one that's had a shard of her own that wanted to take a look at mine. How'd you wind up with one there, of all places?"

[eolasemah]

At first worried by the correction, Sina relaxed slightly when the human smiled. "I... have wondered how they might be connected. I was pierced by this when the sky opened above me." She lightly touched the injury. "I am... surprised that I'm not alone, and at the same time, I wonder at my connection to... well," she hesitated, looking him over. "...you."

[wontforgetyou]

Not a rifter then - although he suspected as much already, given that he didn't remember seeing her on the trip back to Skyhold. Still, the fact that she'd gotten pierced by a shard too was almost worse, given where it was, and he couldn't quite help the worried look he sent her way.

"Are you alright? I remember how it felt when I first turned up here with it in my hand. It-It's not hurting you, is it?"

Which...didn't really touch on her statement at all, did it? He grimaced, briefly, then gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry, that's not really helping. Wish I knew what the connection was, beyond 'we've all got glowing things in us.' Thought maybe it was because we were from other worlds, but...well, you're from here, I'm guessing. So that won't really work as a theory."