faderift | (open) one foot on the ledge

WHO: Ciri and YOU!
WHAT: Arrival, settling and other general shenanigans catchall log for the month.
WHEN: Pre-Orlais, Solace.
WHERE: Skyhold, various
NOTES: None, currently but will update if needed.

✖ a. camp

Ciri's arrival comes not long after the arrival of the first new Warden from the Western Approach and she is dressed in equally unmistakable armor. After the long ride across Orlais and the trip through the Frostbacks, she arrives thoroughly exhausted in every sense of the word. With some direction from staff within Skyhold proper, she finds the camp and gives it a once over with a tired sigh. She ultimately finds a quiet place, open and hopefully not in use. It is nice to have solid ground under her feet once again, hardly missing the sand of the Approach and the black mare clearly seems to share the feeling as she trots around the small area.

She finally has to call Kelpie back over to pull the saddle, saddlebags and reigns from her. Everything is left on the ground is a messy heap as she pulls her hood down, running a calloused hand through messy white-grey hair and pondering on where to start with it all. Where to start besides passing out horse treats but that was a given and Kelpie seems delighted by it nonetheless. She's glad at least one of them has energy because eyeing her mess of supplies, equipment and other such leaves her feeling even more exhausted. Carefully, she unlatches her sword belt and slips the weapon onto the ground which she soon follows.

Despite her exhaustion, she cannot sleep and instead takes to caring for her sword. The whetstone, a gift and one of the few things she took from Weisshaupt, is slowly run along the blade in rhythmic motions. It would almost be relaxing if not for a certain horse and her determination for attention. It's adorable, honestly and she'll happily trot over to anyone within range for some extra attention as well.

✖ b. skyhold

It's been a few days since her arrival but it has been hard to settle into a routine. At Weisshaupt, she had kept a routine. At Griffon Wing Keep, she had kept a routine. Rountine kept her hands busy, her mind busier and kept her from wandering into memories that were not wise to dwell on for long periods of time. So, although it might not be routine, she is glad to wander and take it the groups milling about that were not wearing armor like herself. After all, she has nothing bad to say about the other Wardens gathered here but she has spent far too much time in the company of just Wardens to be healthy.

She does not stay in Skyhold proper but that does not stop her from exploring the grounds. The library does not hold her interest for long but she follows the rotunda, curiously gazing at the books present before slipping down a nearby stairwell. The kitchens are found by mistake, wandering down the wrong stairwell and likely following her nose without thought. Still, Ciri does not miss the opportunity to ask for apples or carrots that would not be used for a treat for her horse.

Time is spent in the tavern, enjoying music that is not like the one she had been hearing in her head before it thankfully stopped and a needed drink. Although usually not the most talkative Wardens, she takes interest in her neighbors and asks of their origins or reasons for traveling to some keep in the mountains. Again, it is simply nice to have the noise around her. She wanders near the courtyard later, watching anyone that might be practicing with a careful eye and sometimes with noted interest. After all, t was always good to keep an eye out for things she could incorperate into her own work outs.

✖ c. battlements

It has been close to a week now. After close to a week of mostly sleeping, eating and more sleeping, she is already to get back to work. She disapproves of the soft ground underfoot at camp so she makes her way up into Skyhold. Here, there is more space but although they have all of this space it is terribly overcrowded. It is tough to find a place train with the entire event almost becoming a game as she searches. Almost every space is taken up and taken up for hours afterwards with some eager recruits waiting on the sidelines, waiting patiently for space to free-up.

It is what ultimately drives Ciri upwards, up onto the battlements and to where she only has to worry about guards passing by on their rounds. It is exactly what she is used to but she makes use of the flatter areas of the battlements' wall and falls into a familiar work-out. There is no pendulum to strike but she imagines one, slicing her blade through the air as she moves along the length of the wall in an almost dance-like and graceful manner she certainly does not give off in her everyday interactions.

If anything this is easier than the logs, blindfold and giant log threatening to throw her several stories to the ground at any moment. Yet she still twists, flips, cartwheels and jumps as if it was no different from her old training days in the woods with the Rats.

✖ d. wildcard

For literally anything else around Skyhold and nearby locations. Feel free to hit me up at kaldwin or through PM if you'd like for me to set something up.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The sun is just starting to set when Blackwall works his way over to one of the tents he'd seen a new Warden claim. He does at least wait to come by and introduce himself until the day after her arrival, hoping by then she's had a decent chance to settle in. As one of the most senior Wardens it meant it was his job to be a welcoming comittee of sorts. These first meetings were always nerve wracking though.

He clears his throat loudly outside of her tent and pauses a moment.

"Warden Ciri?"

The tent she shares with Inessa is still rather bare but small touches, she decides, could make it more homely. It was certainly more homely than the quarters she shared at Weisshaupt could ever be despite being a tent in some cold valley. After a long day and even longer trip beforehand, she's settling in for the night when an unfamiliar voice calls out to her.

Really, she should have returned to using Cirilla professionally. Warden Cirilla flowed together so much nicer or maybe she should have gone for a complete name change? Falka could have been nice.

Names aside, she curiously one of the tent flaps and peeks out. "You've found her."

"Ah, good. I was hoping you'd be around," He offers her a warm, beardy smile, "I'm Warden Blackwall. Been trying to make my rounds among the newcomers. Just wanted to welcome you to our humble little camp. Another name you'll want to learn, if you haven't already met her, is Warden Skraedder. She's the Warden liaison to the Inquisition.

How're you settling in?"

"Mm, I heard about you from Inessa. As I told her, I'm glad to see someone of your rank managed to escape from all that nonsense since so many others..."

She sighs, shaking her head. "Anyway, I'll keep the name in mind and as for settling? Well, I'm just eager to get to work and help however I can."

"Uh... yes," He clears his throat a little awkwardly, "I was off deep in the back woods of the Hinterlands. Maybe there was a messenger who got lost that was supposed to get to me, but it never happened. Apparently, I was luckier for it. I don't envy what you, or anyone in Weisshaupt went through."

He gives her an approving nod at her eagerness, "I'm sure you'll find plenty to apply yourself to around here. There's certainly no shortage of things that need doing."

"I didn't think about running off into the woods until after everything went ball's up. My loss but I guess it worked out for the best. I'd rather have been there with Inessa and the other mages."

They needed someone to stand up for them while everything else was blowing up in there races. Carefully, she rubs at her new scar and sighs.

"Good, I can't stand just idly hanging around. There's too much to do for the ones that are not here anymore."

"Well, it wasn't actually intentional, but, uh, yes, it seemed to have worked out alright," He chuckles, but nods when she decides it was likely for the best that she was there for her fellow Wardens.

"Like I said, almost anything you want to do will likely end up being a benefit to the Inquisition. Even if it's just research or hunting or gathering herbs for the healers.

While I have you though, is there anything you've found you're lacking while you were getting settled? Bedrolls? Blankets? We have some communal pots and the like for cooking."

"Hunting would be nice. There isn't much to the Anderfels besides heat, heat and more heat."

It would be nice to get Kelpie out and about too. She had been too cramped up, forced on these long walks and at a hurried pace. It would be nice to just go out and ride without worry.

"We'll likely need more blankets in the future. Inessa and I were packed for warmer conditions after being stuck the Anderfels and then the Western Approach."

"Well, you've made your way to the exact opposite. We're a little high up here in the mountains, so it's snow, snow and snow. If you're wanting to go hunting, I'd suggest heading further into the valley. The Hinterlands has a good variety of game, just mind the bears. And the wolves. And the bandits," Yep.

"Blankets won't be a problem. I'll either bring a few by later, or have someone come by, if that's alright with you," He makes a mental note to get that done before nightfall. There was no reason for them to end up shivering cold through the night when they had plenty of blankets to go around.

"Maker, do not remind me. I remember across the Frostbacks when I was barely fifteen. Up until then I had actually thought winters in Denerim were bad but that's rather mild compared to up here." Ciri grins a little, glancing up toward Skyhold. "Still, despite the cold, this place is worlds above Weisshaupt."

She's probably a little better at handling herself now compared to then and she wouldn't have to remain on edge so much. There was not (hopefully) anyone here that could threaten to bind any of them to some asshole darkspawn from the dawn of time.

"Sounds good, it would be nice not waking up in the middle of the night because my teeth are chattering"

(open) one foot on the ledge

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