faderift | Open Log

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Open Log

WHO: Inessa, Garahel (her mabari) and OPEN to anyone.
WHAT: A new Warden arrives.
WHEN: Beginning to mid-Solace.
WHERE: Camp Shady, Skyhold. Specifics in prompts.
NOTES: I'll match formats!

Mabari nonsense included at all stages. Weisshaupt and what went on there will likely be referenced, so blood magic/demon-summoning/coup warnings in effect.

I. Camp Shady

There's a new arrival at the Grey Warden camp below Skyhold...well, actually two. Inessa arrives mid-morning, a pale, petite elven woman with a staff on her back and clad in what is unmistakably Grey Warden battlemage attire. Sometimes at her side is an adult mabari who in all honesty isn't that much shorter and considerably more muscled, adorned with kaddis markings. Faced with new surroundings and new people, he's regularly running off to have a look around but always returns to his mistress, perhaps with a new friend?

After setting up her tent wherever there's space (and perhaps double-checking to ensure that particular space won't be needed), Inessa could rest...but she's not going to. Instead, the young woman can be found looking for the nearest campfire to join or starting her own, just wanting to sit down and relax with Garahel and perhaps catch up on recent events. Or she can be found wherever the griffons are kept, observing them with quiet awe. Having seen them at Weisshaupt, they're not exactly a new sight and yet she can still scarcely believe they're real. A small smile forms on her lips as she looks them over, mindful not to get too close or make sudden movements. "Hello again. My, you've grown...."

II. Rotunda library and frescoes

The Grey Warden camp is nice, but there's one thing it doesn't have; stacks upon stacks of books. Inessa's a devoted Warden, but she was also raised in the Circle and if there's one thing she misses, it's the library at her tower. For the first time in over a year and a half, she actually has the time and opportunity to indulge, so she does...with Garahel in tow, of course. Having been instructed previously, the mabari actually behaves himself in this area, no running or barking or running over to harass the ravens in the rookery. Instead, he plops down somewhere reasonably out of the way to nap while Inessa inspects the stacks. No one topic is off limits to her, and soon she accumulates a sizable crooked tower at her table. Much of it involves magical theory or history, but lighter subjects are definitely possible. Varric's books were known even in the Circle.

At some point, because of her petite stature and a dearth of ladders, she'll swallow her pride and look over to the nearest (undoubtedly taller, unless they're a dwarf) person, and smile apologetically. "Excuse me, but could I borrow you for a moment? I need a longer pair of arms to reach a book for me."

Some time later, Inessa descends with a sated mind and a lighter heart. Upon reaching the rotunda below the library, she pauses to inspect the frescoes painted there. They had been noted before, but now that her greatest priority has been tended to, she can spare a little time for such things. The Siege of Adamant Fortress particularly captures her attention, unsurprisingly, and she lingers there, gazing solemnly upward.

III. Battlements

In what will become part of her routine, Inessa takes to strolling the battlements with Garahel before heading back to the Grey Warden encampment. It's a chance to savor the mountain view and stretch her legs, and let her attention-needy mabari get some petting from friendly soldiers and scouts. The direction isn't important, just the chance to clear her head and enjoy the brisk winds, a sharp contrast from the oppressive heat of the Western Approach.

IV. Wildcard

Catch her nearly anywhere. Perhaps she's discovered the vault library (and Garahel abandons her for the kitchen, since he can't fit) or is getting treats for Garahel at the kitchen. Curious Warden is curious and will want to see everything Skyhold has to offer that's not off-limits.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No. Forgive me... I won't... ow... I... [Ow ow ow everything hurts hold on.] I won't ask... you to... compromise your moral code or anything... promise...

[He reaches out, wincing at the motion, to pet Garahel in turn. Kain's breathing eases finally once that healing hits him. It's definitely an improvement, but he's still struggling a bit, and definitely feels overall worse than before he'd gone out. Ugh, the healers are so going to lecture him about this...]

Y- you at least won't tell them, though, will you?

[It's less a moral code and more a sense of pragmatism. Inessa can heal battle wounds, but diseases and such are beyond her. If she falls ill, she'd rather not be tended by irritated healing staff. Garahel licks Kain's hand, his way of telling the dragoon to calm down. Once Inessa's done, she smirks a little.]

I won't, this time. But if I catch you in a similar situation, I make no promises.

You won't.

[Won't catch him, ha ha ha... Except he's back to being in too much pain to think of it. Stupid injuries, stupid infection. That's the part that's really got him knocked out and suffering a longer recovery than usual. The healers can only mend so much. That and his chest was a horrific wreck when they brought him in. He's definitely made progress... too slow for him though.]

I... I regret... that this is how we have to meet... I'm normally... much stronger... [He sort of needs to keep reminding himself of that. It's hard to feel like himself when confined to bedrest.]

You needn't prove yourself to me. I believe you.

[She smiles a little, perhaps wistful.]

It's almost a shame you're not a Grey Warden. We could have used that strength in Weisshaupt. Though in all seriousness, I'm not advertising taking such a path lightly. There are severe downsides, especially now.

[Garahel huffs and nudges her, not wanting her to focus on that. She affectionately scratches behind his ears.]

I always have to prove myself.

[That manly pride of his won't let him back down. Well. It's more like a prideful Highwind thing... or probably just more of a Kain thing.]

Nor do I care about downsides, everything comes with a downside.

[He really doesn't expect he'll last long anyway, and after the gods' war he's prepared for it to be inevitable. In a way the reaver thing is him embracing this inevitability. May as well make the most of fighting during whatever little time he'll have to live.]

[Some Wardens might look to what Kain said and agree, but 'I don't care about downsides' reads too much like 'the ends justify the means' to Inessa. The young Warden is already very tired of that extremist mindset, considering what it's done to the order as of late. She simply sighs.]

You might, if you knew the cost. Regardless, you're proving anything in your current condition. It's best to accept that and be patient with yourself.

[Garahel wuffs in agreement. Don't make him sit on you, Kain.]

[Kain is a very "ends justify the means" kind of person, which makes him fit right in among their kind, probably. He shakes his head. He's often having to pause, whether to cough or gasp for air, but he manages.]

I'll pay any cost. Any. Cost. You've no... idea the cost I've... already paid. I'm willing... to face that... again...

[He pouts. Those mabaris are too clever for their own good aren't they? He's not so sure he's willing to argue with one.]

I proved I could make... it quite far, well ahead of when they... said I could... and I got the fresh air I was seeking...

[No, it's really no accomplishment at all, especially now that he's suffering a real set-back. He feels like he'll never get out of here.]

Do you value your own life so very little?

[Her tone isn't scolding, just curious and perhaps a little sad. Even she valued what she had, even as giving up some of its length seemed a worthy trade to help rid the world of the darkspawn scourge.]

Yes, you gained some fresh air. But thanks to this excursion, you might be forced to remain in the healing tents a bit longer.

My life already ended, where I came from. Whatever I'm doing here, I don't belong among the living.

[So no, he doesn't value it, not anymore. The demons in the Fade had only reminded him of as much recently too... and let him know he doesn't have all that long to live here, either. Sure, what they say is mostly mockery, but there are truths among the things they'd said. They knew all about his betrayal of his friends, after all, things that had really happened. They'd reminded him of his darkness, of his being forever a traitor. That along with his technically undead status and looming mortality... means he has a lot of dark things clouding his mind these days.]

...ugh... I'm sure it's not... that... bad...

[But it is that bad. He can hardly move without pain, or intense difficulty, can hardly breathe without a severe ache in his chest.]

I'm sure the healers would disagree, on both counts. You are very much alive, but you won't be if you don't allow yourself time to heal.

[Once she's able to focus again, he'll get another round of Heal.]

Past this point, you're really better off with an actual healer.

But I died where I came from. I fell in battle, against an endless stream of enemies... this may as well be the afterlife. Sometimes I'm not so sure it isn't.

[At least the healing is helping against the worst of the aches and pains. It does nothing for his mental state, for the impending sense of dread about his future. He sighs heavily.]

You've helped a great deal, though. No need to drag a healer in right now... I'm... it's fine.

You seem remarkably alive for someone who's passed away.

[Yeah, Inessa doesn't entirely believe him. Not that she thinks he's lying, exactly, but he's unwell and it's not unlikely that he could be 'not all there'.]

And did you ever notice that the more times you say a phrase, the less meaning it has?

You have a whole world of spirits and you find this hard to believe? It's true though, I should be dead... and that's where I should return, someday. I remember it all so vividly, up to the end...

[Sure, he's still a bit feverish from the infection, but he's being as straightforward as he can about it all. He's pretty much accepted that's why he didn't go home, he probably can't. Instead he'd ended up here, diverted from the afterlife somehow.]

Wait which phrase? I- I did say you helped, didn't I?

You also said 'I'm fine' so many times that I'm fairly certain it's more about convincing yourself than your actual state.

And yes, we have spirits. However, we don't have people return from death. Even Andraste died at the pyre and went to the Maker's side afterward.

Did I? Oh, I... didn't notice. [He looks a bit moody and disappointed about that being pointed out.] I figured if I give in and admit defeat... it'll all only become worse... [So he's 'fine' all the time, even when he's not.]

Anyway, who's to say we aren't all revived on other worlds? [That's his belief these days, death has no meaning. So he's really not too bothered about the possibility of dying soon enough. Who knows what may come of him next?] Who knows? I know what I experienced in the gods' war. I wish some of the others ended up here with me, they could support my claim.

Perhaps they will. I don't mean to seem disrespectful, but I've had little exposure to rifters until now, let alone know much about their origins. I would be happy to correct this.

[But she still looks rather skeptical at the notion of everyone being revived elsewhere. She'll stick with the Chant of Light.]

There's no shame in admitting you need assistance or time to recover. The better soldiers of my order are those who accept that and don't endanger themselves or others through denial.

Well, I don't know how many others are also dead where they came from, I've not thought to ask. Between that and the dragons, it's not something that's easily brought up.

[He doesn't know where he'd expected to end up after he faded away... but... not in another world entirely, like this. It was a lot to take in and he's still processing it in many ways.]

I'm not used to asking others for assistance. Nor comfortable with it. I've always done things on my own... But what you're saying reminds me of things the white mages always would tell me, back home.

No, I imagine it's not a polite topic of conversation.

[The image of asking someone if they'd ever died is too lucidrous for Inessa to contemplate.]

...white mages? Those are your healers?

[Her brow furrows, wondering where the color designation comes from.]

None of it is. It's hard enough being from some other world...

[Everything is so different and yet similar from what he knows, it's always been an odd mix of that. But he's never felt more like an outsider as he does around this world sometimes.]

They are. We've different forms of magic where I'm from. Black magic is usually offensive, much of it draws from the elements like a lot of your magic here. White magic tends toward the defensive and healing. There's also summoning, which isn't what it sounds like at all, there are no demons involved, only Eidolons.

Eidolons? Those are spirits?

[Inessa's still a little wary, knowing that working with spirits can still be dangerous if one isn't careful.]

It doesn't sound that different to me, at least those forms of magic. The names, yes, but I know elemental magic and healing magic alike. Granted, the latter is not my forte.

They're more like... magical beasts, intelligent ones who have their own underworld beneath ours. They can be called upon to fight beside summoners in battle. They can be tough and require summoners to prove themselves by fighting them... But there's nothing malicious about them, unless the summoner themselves is that way.

[With Rydia here he really feels like he has to defend the Eidolons a little bit.]

They appear very similar to me as well, but that's as someone who has no skill in magic whatsoever.

They sound interesting, though I don't know if I would be able to let down my guard around them. As you say, their summoner can determine their hostility. At any rate, summoning them here would be highly unwise. Even mages might assume they are some new form of demon.

Undoubtedly, they would. I've explained about them to a few others and anyone native to this world has expressed those same reservations about them.

[He sighs, taking a moment to catch his breath again, grimacing until the latest wave of pain is over.]

But as far as I can tell, that connection isn't possible here, at least according to the summoner who's here from my world.

[That gets her attention and she raises an eyebrow.]

Oh, they're actually here? I would be interested in conversing with them sometime, then. Comparing and contrasting magic across the world would be very enlightening.

[Garahel doesn't care about that, though, and noses at Kain with a soft, sympathetic huff.]

Yes, her name is Rydia... she has green hair, so she's hard to miss. I'm sure she'd be interested in talking about magic with yourself and others here.

[Kain feels the same way about dragons, after all, and is always eager to hear about those of other worlds. He looks toward Garahel, reaching over slowly to pet him.]

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