faderift | THE FALLOW MIRE

THE FALLOW MIRE

WHO: Open to all
WHAT: The Inquisition sends forces to the Fallow Mire to deal with undead, plague, and missing scouts.
WHEN: Firstfall
WHERE: The Fallow Mire: Inquisition camps, Fisher's End, The Tavern, etc.
NOTES: For more information about the setting and RP opportunities in it, check out the OOC Post.

The trip down the mountains from Skyhold is no walk in the park, and south of the Hinterlands the land turns wet and miserable, subject to seemingly endless storms. Villagers have tried to carve out a meagre existence in the Fallow Mire, but their lives are under constant threat by a tidal wave of undead rising from the murky waters flooding much of the region.

The Inquisition has sent a sizeable force, and travel back and forth between the Mire and Skyhold happens as often and as quickly as conditions allow. The camp is a neat patch of tents on the largest bit of dry land to be found. "Dry" is relative; everything's still pretty muddy. There are several clusters of tents, tucked between rock outcroppings and abandoned buildings, the least leaky of which are being used to store what supplies the Inquisition has managed to haul in over the difficult terrain. Campfires are numerous and fill the area with a constant smouldering glow and low-hanging cloud of smoke that mingles with the morning and evening fogs. It's lovely, really.

Fisher's End barely even counts as a village-- just a haphazard handful of ramshackle buildings perched on the edge of the swamp-- but it does have a single tavern. It's a dreary-looking wooden shack like every other structure in the area, distinguishable only by the lamp still lit above the door and the sign that swings creakily in the breeze. Whatever was painted on it has long since worn away and been molded over. The place is just known as "the tavern" because it is literally the only tavern for miles and miles around.

Inside is dim and smoky from peat-burning fires in the two grates. There are a half-dozen tables with benches, none of which ever seem quite level on the uneven floor. The bar is tended by Thorolf, a grizzled bearded fellow with a local accent so thick he's almost unintelligible. No matter the time of day he serves a simple fisherman's meal of hard bread, salted fish, and a hunk of strong cheese. His cellar is stocked with exactly three varieties of alcohol: one ale, one wine, and one spirit, all of which are strong and dark. There aren't many locals left, but there are usually a few hunched over a mug or huddled around the fire.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Korrin doesn't know the exact details behind Gavin's leaving or his rescue, but she certainly aware of what he's doing now. No one ever wants latrine duty, and the fact that her accident-prone friend had been assigned it certainly spread around. And while she isn't eager to go anywhere near that particular area, the Vashoth mage nonetheless feels the need to check up on him.

Spotting Gavin ahead, Korrin makes her way over and does her best to stand downwind, though the entire Mire stinks anyway. She crosses her arms, staring at him for a moment before speaking up. "Gavin, what the hell happened? I heard you almost got yourself killed out there." She sounds more annoyed than sincerely angry, but there's an undercurrent of concern as well.

Gavin looked up - a premature wince on his face at 'what the hell happened', but when he saw that it was Korrin behind the question he relaxed slightly. Probably not as likely to get another lecture? (Probably. Maybe. Nah, who was he fooling.)

"Well, I'm not dead, so that's a start, at least?" He asked, offering her a sheepish look as he leaned on his shovel, ankle deep in gunk. At least the gunk, at the moment, was only mud.

"I ah - I got a little too eager and came out before ah... I was supposed to. Tried to find Ned and the others and got lost. Undead, rain, near starvation - it was fun."

"I'll bet." Korrin rolls her eyes, sighing. "Coming to this terrible place alone, on purpose, how could it be anything else? I'm starting to think you really do have a death wish."

You know, aside from wanting to try qunari brews and leaning far over railings not meant to bear that much weight. She means what she said about not being his babysitter, but Korrin's starting to wonder what will happen to him next. It's enough for her to wonder if she should at least ask to be assigned near him...when he's not on latrine duty.

"You wouldn't be the first," He replied wryly, but offered her a smile. "No I - got ahead of myself. I do that."

It wasn't the whole truth - or anywhere near it, really - but the shame was more than enough to keep an explanation at bay.

"It's good to see a friendly face, though I'll refrain from offering a hug, unless you want to be able to scare off any and all suitors for the next three days."

Korrin's not sure an explanation would make it better anyway, or just expose her to more convoluted logic. But she does offer a small smirk at that last part, with a noise that isn't quite a laugh. It's hard to find much amusement in their current situation, though that isn't to say he shouldn't try.

"I think just being here puts a dampener on such thoughts. In case you didn't notice, the whole Mire stinks. I'll probably lose all sense of smell before long...or at least I hope so. How long are they making you do this?"

"I believe the exact phrasing was: 'Until I saw otherwise. Now get out of my sight.'" He gave a sheepish grin at that, before moving to climb out of the pit to join her. (Staying downwind, of course).

"And you get used to the smell, soon enough. Not so much the undead. You couldn't spot me a fire, could you? I haven't been able to feel my toes for this past half hour, at least."

Downwind is definitely appreciated, Gavin. "Getting used to it...I don't know about that. As it is, I'm sure my armor is going to smell of swamp forever. It'll just be more noticeable once we leave here, ugh."

She nods at mention of fire and glances around for something to set alight. "I can't say it'll last long in all this, but if you have an unlit torch or something that's dry enough, I can make an impromptu campfire."

He chuckles about the smell of swamp, because it's unfortunately true.

"Thanks, Korrin," he replies, giving her a warm smile as he starts poking around for something that would work. Eventually he finds a dead tree branch that had helpfully fallen under a rocky outcrop, which meant that it was dry. Sort of. He brought it over.

"'Dry Enough' might be a little difficult, here, but I hope this will work?"

As he pokes around, Korrin does the same, turning up some semi-dry bush branhes for her effort. Setting it where there aren't any puddles -because that's the best she can do for dryness- she then unleashes a small burst of flame to ignite them. It's not much, but in this place they have to take what they can get.

"It should, at least for a little while. If you need more, I'll snag something from the supply wagons. You may be stuck with this assignment, but that doesn't mean you can't get warm in moments between."

Gavin immediately bent down around it, hovering closer than what was probably safe, but he didn't care.

"Thanks, Korrin," He said, looking up with a grateful smile. "I'm pretty sure most of my friends are quite happy to see me suffer, for running off." He wet his lips a little nervously, as he realised that he'd referred to her as his friend without actually making sure that was the case. He had no idea how Vashoth worked, when it came to that. But they certainly felt like friends. "I appreciate it, is the point."

If Gavin catches fire, at least she can trust in the drizzling to put it out, or the muck or any number of ways. Dampening fire is not at all a problem around here, unfortunately for the most part but fortunate enough for him.

Noting that nervous tic, Korrin responds to that smile with a warmer one of her own than she might have given due to her overall mood. "Yeah, well. I don't really care to see my friends suffer, even if they deserve it. Besides, all this would be overkill. So, you ran off. Not smart, but that doesn't mean you should have to suffer every second while here...no more than the rest of us, anyway."

The desire to give her a hug was suddenly much greater, but for her nose's sake - and her clothes - he didn't give in.

"This place is pretty miserable for everyone, isn't it," He admitted with a small chuckle. "But ah- you'll find, I'm afraid, that none of my plans are particularly intelligent, in the light of day. The patience is more than appreciated, trust me."

Gavin can ambush her with a hug later, she would accept it far more readily without the additional assault to her nose. Korrin shrugs, not especially fazed at his assessment. "We all do stupid things from time to time. If you do them more often, I can't say I'll always be around to drag you out of them, but I will if I am...and you'll just have to listen to me afterward."

Depending on what he does and what she has to do to rescue him, listening to her in that aftermath might be an ordeal in itself. She yells because she cares, Gavin. But dealing with the latrine seems punishment enough, and she's not going to add to it when all she wants is a partner in griping.

"Deal," He agreed easily. "Are you going to give me a lecture this time? Because I should tell you, I've had a few already, you might want to wait until the next time I fuck up and then you can get in first."

Korrin crosses her arms and shrugs. "Nah, I'm too tired for that. Besides, if others have gotten to it then I don't feel the need. Whatever happened, and you don't have to tell me, you're spared yelling on my end this time. Though if you make me worry later, all bets are off. Just telling you now."

He laughed, rubbing a hand sheepishly through his own hair.

"Alright, duly noted. I appreciate the rain check, at least."

"'Rain check', funny. That's so hilarious I'd toss you into the mire, if I had the energy for it, you know." Well, maybe. Korrin's not sure she wants to deal with more muck and undead than she must, but both as a constant seem inevitable at this point.

Gavin grinned. "Are you tired?" He asked instead. "Sore? I could give you a massage, you know." Massages were good to keep people from throwing him in a bog, as much as he half wanted to experience it. It was less the throwing and more the undead that kept him from telling her to try.

"Such bribery is...really tempting, don't offer unless you mean it." Korrin's increasingly less worried about the scent when everything here is awful enough to kill her sense of smell for the most part. Whether he can truly rid her of that relentless soreness is another issue but hey, it's the thought that counts.

"Absolutely one hundred percent meant," He said, the grin widening. "I'll even wash my hands, first! You're not likely to find as magnanimous an offer this side of the mire."

"So generous! Alright, fine. Have it your way, Gavin." Korrin certainly wasn't expecting any pampering at all in the mire, but shirking it when it's offered? Nah, she can't bring herself to do that. Her lips twitch. "If you can get me to forget how horrible this place is for a few seconds, I'd be in your debt. That doesn't mean you can fall on me again, though." Ribbing him about that is never going to get old.

"Ooh, to be owed a favour by a Vashoth," Gavin cooed, offering a grin as he stepped over to where he had a bucket of water on hand. He washed his hands and arms quickly, but thoroughly, and motioned for Korrin to take a seat.

"Save using you as a cushion again. Got it. I think I can remember that." He rolled up his sleeves. "Maybe I can even manage two favours, out of this..."

Korrin takes a seat, flashing him a smile. "Oh, you can use me as a qunari pillow if you want. Just please avoid the landing part, if you would. And what would you even do with two favors, hm?

...that's not enough for me to take your place in latrine duty, just so we're clear."

He stood behind her, taking her shoulders in his hands and slowly began to press his thumbs in against the fabric. Wow, but Qunari were... well... built. The difference in musculature was very, very evident as he began to massage her shoulders.

"No? Alas... Probably something magic related, I'm sure. I can muddle my way through most things, but magic is not one of them."

Korrin's not even the very best example of qunari musculature, though she's seen more physical training than most mages and it shows. Slowly, she begins to relax under his touch, as much as anyone can when in such surroundings. Every bit helps, though, and it's appreciated.

"Fair enough, and that I can do, at least if it's battle magic. I'm not a healer, you know. I should probably learn how to do that some day, but there always seems to be something else I want to learn first."

THE FALLOW MIRE

Latrine Duty

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