the kids'll blow dandelion fuzz

[eviscerates]

WHO: The Righteous Snow Teams & anyone who wants to watch (and laugh, and judge.)
WHAT: A GIANT SNOW FIGHT.
WHEN: 13th July or whatever the IC equivalent is.
WHERE: In the valley near Skyhold.
NOTES: ooc post 1 and also ooc post 2. The snow fight itself is closed to those that signed up, but the observation/chilling afterwards stuff is open. No warnings to add here, please put any that come up in the subject lines!

Also we have room for one more last minute sign up!

Wrap up warm! It probably goes without saying that certain medical personnel will be less than sympathetic to those who come to them with colds after this.

The valley near Skyhold has never really completely defrosted, given how high up they are in the Frostbacks, and Adelaide's students have found themselves working with an environment very receptive to the reintroduction of cold, even in the summer months.

The battle field is impressive. Each of the six teams has their own fortress, forming a rough circle on a thick blanket of snow. Each fort has one flag flapping over all others, the only one each has that cannot be stolen (or, at least, would be very challenging.) Their other seven flags are considerably smaller, and where they are depends entirely on how the team opts to defend them. The vast majority of the snow is white, but there are generous patches within and around each fort that matches that Team Fort's colour. Each fort is a little different, but comes with a catapult build inside it, and scattered around the field are large snow drifts, some battering rams, and a trebuchet. (No trebearchet, sadly. We can always dream.)

Every team member is given a sash of their team colour, and a round wooden shield that is so padded that hurting someone with it would actually be quite an accomplishment.

Far enough away to be spared the fighting, but not to entirely escape the chill that has been renewed in the valley, are some benches. There is warm cider and some food being served, and people are welcome to come and watch (and laugh, and judge) and/or hang out with the noble warriors once the fight has wound down.



Recap of OOC & IC Info;

ADELAIDE	BLACKWALL	CASSANDRA	MERRILL	NORRINGTON	OBI-WAN
violet	apricot	seafoam	raspberry	goldenrod	periwinkle
Andra	Zevran	Eirlys	Sabine	Sadira	Vasran
Alistair	Samouel	Church	Ruby	Clarke	Anders
Cosima	Rydia	Korrin	Martel	Mal	Aleron
Daenerys	Cullen	Sherlock	Ciri	Hermione	Ingrid
Bellamy	Kas	Aveline	Bruce	Taashath	Katniss
Pel	Ellana	Velanna	Lexa	Cyril	Merrick
Anakin	Jeannot	Emma	-	Val	Kirk

Plus Teren as a wildcard and liferiner. No other wildcards on the field!

IC-ish RULES AND STUFF.
1. NO WEAPONS, NO MAGIC.
Assume there is unlimited snow - some dyed to match team colours - so there are snowballs galore! Every person also gets an extremely well padded round shield as a chance to defend themselves. Don't use the shield as a weapon, pls and ty.

2. FLAAAAGS.
Each team gets seven flags that match their team colour. The IC goal is to capture as many flags as you can, but OOCly this is flexible and timey wimey and you don't need to worry about keeping track of flags bc who has time for that?

3. NO VIOLENCE.
Or, more accurately, no going out there to hurt people - it is a snow fight and there is siege equipment, let's not kid ourselves. That said; no tackling anyone smoller than you. If you hurt someone, apologise and don't be an ass. Don't make an NPC referee come after you.

4. BASICALLY JUST HAVE FUN.
Characters can't be eliminated unless they're being a big jerk, but no one wants that to happen because friendship is magic, or something. If it's fun and its awesome then odds are it's totally fine, unless it'd put a character in danger.


There will be an IC prize for winning, which will be ICly due to happen after Orlais since that opens up so soon after the snow fight.

A quick recap on how the winners will be determined OOCly - in three weeks time I will do a tally of points based on comment count and tagging around done per team. Three weeks will hopefully allow everyone a chance to dive in even if unexpected RL things happen, as they are wont to do, and not put on too much pressure with the Orlais plots opening up.


How to get points:
1. Open starters! Every team will get 2 points per team member that posts an open starter.

2. Tag around! Every team will get 2 points every time a team member tags a new person. (If character A tags characters B, C & D they will get 6 points total for tagging around - three different threads with character A and character B would still only result in 2 points.)

3. Keep threads going, hop around and have fun! Every comment by a team member will be worth 1 point. (Multi-comment responses ie. one tag split over two or more comments will still only count for 1 point.)

4. Be hilarious, do something awesome, idk persuade me that something is worth an extra point. NO SERIOUSLY, TELL ME I love excuses to reward people for puns and/or being absurd.

5. IC rule breaking may result in points being taken away because how rude.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

It's about halfway through that Anders comes over to check on Nate. He looks a little bedraggled, hair wet and stuck to his face, nose red, eyes bright, robes soaked.

"I see you over here," he says without preamble, plopping down on to the ground next to the chair. He's already cold and wet, this won't hurt. "Are we amusing you?"

[judgemewhole]

Merrill is the best. The very best.

[He smiles down at her cheerily, before he turns abruptly towards the opening of the fortress and then heads off running. For a few steps, at the very least.

...before he realized that she, had, in fact, lied. And now he held his shoulders because he knew he was about to take snowballs to the back of his head.]

[judgemewhole]

And I am going to succeed.

[James bats off the snowballs, one by one, and then he is going to state calmly.]

Jut long enough for my people to take your fort.

[judgemewhole]

Oh, but you offered the treat, Merrill!

And now you got the treat, before he goes to leap on Merrill, and then the shield comes after him and all the snowballs.

[thecookery]

There are no words. There are seriously no words for this. Avery just turns away and sighs very loudly, before having a swallow of her own cup of cider.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa's lips twitch. "Too much nonsense to handle at once? At least this hardly seems to be the makings of a regular event." Now that she's said that, though, someone might get the brilliant idea to suggest otherwise.

[eviscerates]

"Hey, no way. It might look like a simple line, but I'm pretty sure it's an art."

With a little grin, she raises her glass. "To our impending victory?"

[eviscerates]

"Hey, the teams were nothing to do with me. Fate dictated that."

If by 'fate' you mean 'pulling names out of a hat.' Although, actually, if she'd asked to borrow one of Twisted Fate's hats for the job then there might have been a little more plausibility to the saying, even if it wasn't strictly accurate. Ruby shrugs easily, shaking some snow out of her hair. "I guess destiny dictated that beautiful colour combination."

Ruby grins at Kieran, waving a little as he approaches. "Thank you. You know, if you aren't exclusively here for Apricot and Violet I can get you an honourary one." With a glance to Morrigan, smile quirking the corner of her mouth, "so long as your mom doesn't mind."

[eviscerates]

After sororitising with the enemy, Ruby was either sent off the field, or sent herself off for a time out. She's not entirely certain, herself, just that she feels annoyed for reasons unknown as she shakes snow out of her hair.

"Hey," she says softly, not quite so bright and bubbly as usual, though she attempts a tired smile. "Thanks for doing all this today. It's awesome."

But also please give her cider oh my god.

[eviscerates]

"You made it!" Ruby jogs over, taking a break from the festivities, and flops down on the ground near Beleth - very careful to avoid her little snow army. "Are those for suggesting tactics?" Her tone is teasing, as she nods to the little snow elves.

[thecookery]

"You sure?" Avery grumbles as she checks on all the food and drink. It's not really needed right this second, but it makes her feel a little better having something to do besides... chatting. "Up here, not even the seasons could stop them if they wanted."

[thecookery]

Sure, sure. As she prepares a fresh, warm cup, because this one definitely looks like she needs it, Avery just shrugs off the thanks with an, "I'm just keeping a few things warm."

Hardly awe-inspiring. Especially when there are literally buildings magically formed out of ice and snow right in front of them.

a. it's a defensible structure!

[glandival]

[ Windows would probably have been too much, which means if Bruce wishes to see what is behind that sudden thump-crush of stampeding footfalls headed right his way, he'll have to peer out of the entrance, but by then, it's much too late.

The world closes in. Two warm bodies slam into packed snow, and those beneath it.

From Bruce's perspective, it might be genuinely hard to tell what the fuck is happening immediately, but from an outsider's perspective; there's Alistair, running, a raspberry-dyed piece of cloth in his hand. There's Sabine, at a dead run, wild-haired and wild-eyed and having a better time of running through snow due to being tinier, but not so tiny than when she suddenly launches himself at Alistair's back, they wouldn't go crashing into the igloo that was minding its own business.

Because they do. Her laughing is hoarse and crackling with energy. ]

a. does dropping people on it count as siege warfare

[byblow]

[ Alistair wasn't laughing before. He's only so coordinated, and not falling in the snow takes enough concentration that the most he can muster is a winded grin. But the tackle knocks something loose. A yelp, first, very dignified. Then actual laughter. In a strangled sort of way.

On the landing he's vaguely aware that something that isn't ice or snow is beneath him--on account of the moving and possibly the protesting--but he's even more aware that something that isn't ice or snow is on top of him, trying to steal the flag he worked very hard for. Priority number one is twisting around, one hand extended past his head to try to keep the flag out of Sabine's reach, the other on her head or face or whatever is necessary (except her chest, he's a gentleman) to try to slow any potential pursuit.

So whatever is underneath him will just have to deal. ]

pre-battle

[levered]

[ It may not be the intended effect, but any nervousness Clarke felt over this whole "keep your enemies closer" plan of Bellamy's is put on hold at the sight of James Norrington, Person In The Inquisition She Is Probably Most Afraid Of, giving a terrible inspiring speech in front of a dick flag. She'd previously been hovering near the back; now she steps forward and raises her hand, just a little. Not all of the way. This isn't a Circle lesson. And the hand is going right back down anyway, into the front of her tunic, to extract a small flask.

It's meant for extracts. It currently contains a single shot of whisky. Not her first shot, though--she has that excuse, at least, for continuing to peer down at her own chest. ]

I can fit some flags.

[byblow]

Midway through the fight, Alistair--winded and multicolored--stumbles and skids out of bounds, narrowly avoids crashing over someone's artful snowman, and swings around to collapse face-first behind Morrigan, Kieran, and the dog. This is mostly for show. Maybe 65% for show. He could stay on his feet if something serious were at stake. But it isn't, so he's content to lie in the snow, head pillowed on his arm and padded shield and the other hand held theatrically out toward toward Kieran, as if imparting very dramatic final words before his death.

"If you see a girl with red hair," he says, "or a girl with silver hair--" a breath, he's not faking the winded bit "--or basically any girl at all, I need you to tell them I'm not here." And then: "Hello, Doghren. Hello, Morrigan."

In order of importance.

[el_tybs]

Or you mean someone else's fort.

[Highly likely your whole team left to go to apricot, James. He's onto you.]

Which is heavily fortified thank you. And it's good to know since this distraction makes this whole thing worth while.

[He didn't go charging at forts on his own, James. Come on.]

THE BATTLE PLAN

[byblow]

It's a good speech. It's a good plan. Alistair contains himself for most of it, but containing himself entirely would be too much to ask. At the end, he leans to one side to give his entire body a questioning tilt.

"Not even a little mercy?"

[el_tybs]

That was a good look, and Sam cannot help but grin more, lips turning up ever so slowly. No, he really isn't going to be stopping any time soon. Just don't make it so easy, Ellana.

"You mean if they hear or see it in time. Actually do you know what the sound of a catapult sized snowball sounds like in the air?"

02

[byblow]

Alistair ducks the snowball. It would have missed if he hadn't ducked, too, but don't tell him that; he gets that one brief moment of satisfaction, ha, before he straightens up to find the source, possibly planning to say that ha out loud, and discovers that said source is heading toward him at full speed.

He has time to lift his padded shield and say, "Can't we--" before impact. The last word would have been negotiate.

[ichaer]

Agility is Ciri's main power in this event because her tallness could easily work against her so when she isn't on guard duty, she's out in the field looking for targets. In a way, it's a like a fight and she has to keep moving to avoid anyone getting the surprise on her.

It's hurrying toward an enemy base when the flash of gold catches her attention and she slows, bending down to roll a snowball up in her hands. Carefully, oh so carefully, she approaches Hermione until the other young woman is in range. A breath and then she moves, taking aim and launching the snowball toward her target.

[ichaer]

A part of her is trying REALLY HARD not to hurt the mabari in any way, wildly wondering if this was even in the rules and if she could call out for Kelpie. A horse couldn't tackle a man, sure but she could break that damned vaulting pole with ease.

Instead, Ciri reaches down and pushes a handful of snow into the mabari's face before hurrying to her feet. She had two options: chase the guy down and likely be tackle by his dog again or head back to high ground. She choose the latter and with one quit motion, she pulls the shield hanging from her back and drives it into the snow wall to help boost her over.

Sure, she loses the shield but she's where she needs to be. No mid-air tackling this time, no -- let him get over and hit their ice field courtyard. If not, they always had the black sheep in the fort itself.

[byblow]

Some things Alistair is not doing: choosing his path carefully, looking dead serious or keen, or intending to win. Having been doing what he does best--taking hits, sometimes to the face, while continuing to grin--he's already an impressive array of colors. A combination of seafoam and raspberry snow has turned his hair a bit brown. In plain view he might still be unmistakably Alistair, but he's not in plain view. He's trying to retreat sideways and backwards around a wall of ice, shield lifted to protect against snowballs from an unseen and unimportant assailant.

And then suddenly an elf.

a. why wouldn't it be

[amygdalae]

[The matter of fact is that Bruce didn't think about windows - its not like the igloo the shelter was very big; its mostly space for himself and some room to move, with one opening for an entrance. Said entrance also happened to be facing away from where the roof (and the rest of the shelter) had promptly caved in when something decided to crash into it, which meant that Bruce had absolutely no warning at all before finding himself being pressed down face-first into the snow.

Pressed down hard, even, because there was a lot of weight on top of him and he's pretty sure there's moving too and--]

Ow. [Bruce supplies, very unhelpfully against the ground.]

[amygdalae]

Surprisingly its not even Anders's presence that has Bruce pausing, though it does register soon enough afterwards. No, what really gets his attention is--

"'Maker's sweaty ballsack'?" It's probably kind of dumb to repeat it but of all the Maker-related curses he had heard, that one was pretty new for him.