faderift | Player Plot: I will call you home

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Player Plot: I will call you home

WHO: Beleth, Cyril, Merrick, and Ellana Ashara, Thranduil, Sina Dahlasanor, Metaari, Sam Gareth, Kallian Endris, Alistair and Ruby i think??? whoever wants to go
WHAT: Keeping Up With The Asharas, the reality tv show
WHEN: Backdatedish, around mid-kingsway
WHERE: The Heartlands of Orlais
NOTES: OOC post

Tel'enfenim, da'len
Irassal ma ghilas
Ma garas mir renan
Ara ma'athlan vhenas
Ara ma'athlan vhenas

Never fear, little one,
Wherever you shall go.
Follow my voice--
I will call you home.
I will call you home.

Clan Ashara currently resides in a small valley nestled into the mountains, that seems idyllic for a Dalish clan. A stream runs through the valley, descending into a waterfall with the steep cliffs on one side, and sheer mountain walls going straight up on two other sides. The only way in and out is through a gap big enough to lead several aravels through. It's a defensible position, safe from any threats.

Except the fade rift that has opened up just a little ways from the gap.

The hunters can handle the demons spewing from it well enough, and there are always a couple stationed there to pick off whatever appears. But it's too dangerous to lead the aravels and noncombatants through, and thus, they are forced to wait.

To compound the issue, there's a village close to where they're currently staying, and while both sides have kept to themselves, neither are pleased with the current situation. They've helped get a message to the Inquisition in hopes that someone will come take care of the problem, and now both are tensely waiting for something to happen to change the situation, for better or worse.

And so the members of Clan Ashara, with their friends in tow, return back to their clan.

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[[ A catchall for the journey to the Heartland! Fight bandits or bears, chat with your neighbor, deal with the crushing existential dread of facing your family, or whatever you want! ]]

[[ This will be one thread, for the purpose of greeting the Keeper and First, and having a chance to introduce yourself or introduce others with you. ]]

The fade rift looms in front of the gap that leads to the valley where Clan Ashara are staying, but can be skirted around for the moment by the small group. When they do, the hunters that are standing watch for demons notices, and calls to them. After a quick conversation, one darts off towards where the clan is gathered. As the group progresses into the valley and towards the clan's camp, a figure in mage's robes can be seen moving towards them.

Beleth lets out a loud cry, and jumps off her hart, face lighting up in delight. Still yelling, like a mature adult, she runs at the figure, showing no intentions of actually stopping when they meet.

Clan Ashara is on the larger size for a Dalish clan, numbering over a hundred elves. Unsurprisingly, there are a wide variety of temperaments and opinions to be found, particularly regarding their new visitors, who have been allowed to explore the camp. As the Inquisition pokes around, they can meet the various elves and get an idea of how they feel about the current situation. Or, you can just keep to yourself and refuse to talk to anyone, if you want. You might get bothered anyway, though.

Deheune is a middle-aged Dalish elf, the Keeper of the Ashara Clan, and held in regard among the Dalish clans as one of exceptional competence. She may not always be the most friendly person, but she leads the large, tumultuous Ashara Clan with a skill few others could manage. Despite her stringent expectations on the members of her clan, Deheune is fairly progressive for a Dalish, more open than many Keepers to interacting and trading with outsiders.

Sure enough, she's politely amicable to any of the visitors to her clan, and if asked, will step aside with anyone who wants a private conversation with her.

[[ Placeholder for right now beep boop ]]

Once they get settled, fed, and rested, they are politely (but firmly) asked to get around to closing that damn rift, please. Other hunters from the clan join them as they travel to the rift to finally close it and allow Clan Ashara to move on. As soon as the group approaches the rift, it crackles with magic, and sends out the little tendrils of light that mean that demons are coming.

[[ Another catchall! The Inquisition will be allowed to stay for a few days and then the clan will decide it's time to get a move on. This can cover anything from the time of actually leaving to the journey back. ]]

As the rest of the party approaches at a more sedate pace, the figure seems to stop, as if he's heard something, then just as abruptly he is running towards Beleth. They meet in the middle, shouting, laughing, and swearing. It's pretty much the absolute picture of manners and maturity, right up to and including the part where Sorrel practically tips them both ass over teakettle trying to both lift and whirl Beleth at the same time.

He's definitely going to get an earful about spoiling the dignity of the moment, and you could ask him if he cares, but it's clear enough: he doesn't.

Beleth seems to have little care for dignity, maturity, or the potential of tipping right over as Sorrel does his very darndest to twirl her around. She does not, in fact, seem to particularly care about anything, at all, except trying to babble excitedly at Sorrel, while also shouting and laughing and giving him kisses right on his dumb face. She's exuberant, that feeling that she's had since leaving the clan, like missing a limb, is finally gone, replaced with the familiarity of her constant companion since birth.

It takes her a bit to be able to be composed enough to actually speak more than an incoherent babbling mix of Common and Elvhen, but after a little bit, she turns to the group. "This is Sorrel! My twin! The one I told you about!" As opposed to all the other twins that she's been keeping secret. Then she turns to Sorrel, still grinning. "I told them about you! Look at you! You're a First!"

Deheune can be seen making her way to the group, at a much more dignified pace than her son.

"Don't believe anything she says, they were all lies," He tells them, calling right past Beleth in a flush of enthusiasm, grinning like the damned fool he is, "I know! I'm the First, who let that happen? It's a miracle the whole clan hasn't caught fire."

Ah, and he is the First, he abruptly remembers. Nothing can stop the smile, or the vibrating energy of being reunited with his twin, but he straightens his robes, and his spine, as Deheune makes her approach.

Right.

"Excuse me, I should do that again," Right, right, he's the First, he ought to be dignified about it, right? Right, "I am Sorellean, First of Clan Ashara. This is Keeper Deheune, who leads us in both word and deed. We welcome you."

He's undermining himself considerably by holding Beleth's hand, but it'd take raging dragons to pull them apart, and then the Dragons might be given a run for their money.

Beleth opens her mouth, poised to give him some kind of sass, when Sorrel remembers that he's an adult, which coincides nicely with Deheune finally reaching them. She gives Sorrel a Look, but doesn't bother to get after him at the moment. Instead, she turns to Beleth, reaching out to her.

"Look at you. You've changed, da'len. Does your mother get a hug?"

Beleth gives a sidelong glance to Sorrel, because raging dragons are one thing, their mother is another, and she reluctantly pulls away and commences to give Deheune what might possibly be the most awkward, perfunctory hug in Thedas. They part quickly, and Deheune turns to the rest of the group with a polite smile, while Beleth and Sorrel stand behind her, murmuring to each other.

"Andaran atish’an, Inquisition. I see many old faces--though some seem to be missing. You'll have to tell me how they fare." Beleth winces in the background, but Deheune continues, oblivious. "And new faces as well. As my First has stated, we welcome you to our clan. This is the first time we've allowed outsiders into the camp proper, I believe. Please, tell me your names."

Ellana dismounts from her halla and gently strokes his ear, nervousness pooling in her stomach. She doesn't know when or how to bring it up, but she'll be telling the Keeper at some point during this trip that she won't be returning to the clan on a permanent basis once her work with the Inquisition is done. However, that is not the main reason she's here. The clan is in danger and she wishes to help however she can.

Nudging the halla, she encourages him to go make friends with the other halla at their pen and then steps forward after the racing Beleth.

"Aneth ara," she says politely to the Keeper. And not wanting to waste anymore time, she says no more, allowing the others to speak.

Atisha is in her late twenties, with shrewd golden eyes and a near permanent frown on her face. She can often be seen standing in the background, arms crossed and a bow at her back. Eventually she moves closer to examine the newcomers, her expression very judgy. But if anyone comes to talk to her and tells her their name, chances are she says, "Right. Ellana's mentioned you." This is Ellana's best friend, though the two women seem as different as night and day.

Sulahni is a woman nearing fifty with white blond hair and fine lines around her mouth and across her forehead. She stays close to the halla enclosure, which is fitting because she is the clan's halla keeper. She can be seen tending to them, but at times she wanders away towards where the Inquisition is keeping their mounts. She might make a comment about "good breeding" or "healthy flanks" and it takes her awhile to get talking about any topic besides animals. If a non-elf comes too close to the halla enclosure, she quickly steps forward.

"Andaran atish'an. Ir abelas, but you may come no closer."

Sorrelean is a relatively young elf, with no reputation greater than that he is the Keeper's only son, and one of a pair of twins that includes the Inquisition's own Beleth Ashara. He's friendly enough, but has a tendency towards sarcasm that sometimes gives him an irresponsible impression. Although he follows the progressive politics of his Keeper and clan, Sorrel makes no secret of his very Dalish isolationist bent.

Despite his outspokenness and quick-barbed tongue, he has good intentions, and is quite kind, at heart. If you have time to distract him from the family reunion, he's perfectly willing to step aside and have a chat.

Ellana wriggles her fingers in a wave at Sorrel. They grew up together, were taught magic together, but at one point Ellana's training ended and she was set loose to be the hearthkeeper while Pel and Sorrel were taught how to be Keepers. It's always stung a little, and Ellana can admit to a bit of jealousy too. In recent years she hasn't had much reason to hang out with Sorrel at all, but since she's here, she may as well reach out.

"Those robes suit you."

At some point, Ellana and he met the fork in the branch and went their own ways. When that branch diverged, it only put them further apart, put everyone further apart. He's too delighted, just to see the familiar faces, to care about time or distance, and he waves back, grinning. Playful Ellana is fun Ellana: this much, he's missed.

"Ma serannas, they uh..." It's awkward. After a moment, he stops dithering and just laughs at himself, "It's still kinda weird. I never thought it'd be me, this was supposed to be Pel's thing."

And where is Pel? He hesitates, and the question hangs for a moment, but he doesn't ask.

"You look good too. They must be treating you pretty good over there, yeah?"

"To be honest, I like that it's you. Keeping it in the family." Not a lot of clans can say that, with the way mages are often traded.

His question makes her smile, because she doesn't expect it. On returning to the clan, she figured everyone would be scoffing about how she's opened herself up to ridicule and harassment in the "humans' Inquisition." But it's not the case at all.

"It was a rocky start, and not everyone is kind, but I've found so much there that I could have only hoped for. So many are good to me, and I've made plenty of friends. Some of them are here. But how have you been? Beyond the whole rift situation, of course."

"C'mon, Ellana, give me a break," Keeping it in the family, he makes a face at that. Geez, "Don't remind me tha-- Don't remind me."

Don't remind him that his mother, and her impeccable reputation, will be looming over him until the day she dies, if not longer. But if she were to overhear that.... He risks a glance, but no, she's not listening, she's engaged in deep conversation with one of the strangers. Thank the creators.

"We've been alright. There was a Halla dropped twins this year, you shoulda heard the fuss. Hunting's been a little thin, but nothing we haven't got through before, it should be well enough. Same as it ever is-- it's just strange, being on my own I guess. But don't worry, the Keeper's keeping me in line."

"Oh, I knew about the halla." It's not that Ellana asks to be kept abreast of any and all news, but the two people she writes to in the clan are Atisha and Sulahni, and of course the latter told her of the twin halla in her letter back. "The Inquisition was gifted with halla for helping a clan up in the Marches close a rift and smooth things over with the local village. One of them took a shine to me, so I figured he wouldn't mind me giving him a name. I call him Mirthadra."

It takes Ellana a moment to understand how Sorrel must feel. Being surrounded by mages at Skyhold has been a wonderful experience, but here it's only him and his mother. Yikes.

"I hope it feels more natural to you in time."

"Natural must be relative," Ellana, after all, seems quite comfortable in Skyhold, surrounded by templars and shemlen and who knows what else. If that's what natural looks like to her... He shrugs, one-shouldered, "I'll survive. What else can anyone do?"

Case in point: Halla in the frostbacks. Will wonders never cease?

"That's a gift? Must've been some kind of mess you fixed. Imagine if you weren't there to help," Though the idea of a bunch of outsiders trying to cope with a sudden Halla residency was a little funny, now that he thinks about it, "Mirthadra's a good name."

"Well, I wasn't a part of that mission, but I'm happy to help care for them back at Skyhold." It takes up a good part of her day now and she doesn't mind at all. Sulahni may not have trained her to be a halla keeper, yet Ellana's picked up more from her than the woman realizes.

"Ma serannas. I think so too." She pauses, trying to think of something to say to keep the conversation going. "It must have been quite the journey here."

"Yeah, well, we might not be fancy Inquisition Dalish, running all over Thedas to save the world, but you lot don't have to pull a dozen aravels behind you or feed all the da'len along the way," He says, with a showman's false bravado, "I was surprised the Keeper agreed to come, to tell you the truth. But it was the easiest way we could've met with Clan Dahlasanor, and been somewhere convenient to the Inquisition, so... maybe I shouldn't be."

On the other hand, when was the last time Deheune changed her plans for the sake of anyone's convenience? Never. That would be, precisely never. Not even once, until now.

"Listen, though, these Rifts... Can the strangers really close them? I mean, does it work?"

"Anyone with a shard can close them," Ellana explains, her smile fading a little. "The rifts have been known to throw out shards at natives to Thedas, as well as bring people in from other worlds. But I've witnessed rifters close them firsthand. They're the only ones who can do it."

He listens intently, head cocked in that particular listening pose that meant he has focused all of his attention on what he was looking at. The effect was not inconsiderable.

"Good," He says, heavy-voiced, "I'm sure the world looks different, when you can count on these things going away. But it's not so easy, for us."

"There are many who still believe the rifters are demons since they fell through the Fade. The Inquisition is doing their best to protect them, but as you can imagine, the Inquisition doesn't speak up about them and what they can do often. It'll stir up those fears again. But that does make it harder to get this information out there, and to have reports of rifts given to us in response. No one wants so-called demons to come to the local rift. They probably think rifters will open it further." Thankfully the clan reached out to them. She doesn't want to think what would happen if the Keeper tried to keep this under wraps.

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Player Plot: I will call you home

Traveling to the Heartland

Reaching the clan

Clan Ashara

Keeper Deheune

Clan Dahlasanor Emissaries

Closing the Rift

Back to Skyhold

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Atisha and Sulahni

Keeper's First Sorrelean

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