THE FALLOW MIRE

[faderifting]

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.

Comments

[mythalenaste]

"It's writing. It's meant to communicate, like any writing. Only in this case, it's not just a word or a sound that you get from it, like with letters. There's feeling, memory, sometimes sights and sounds, or so I've read. It's a brilliant and beautiful lost magic from the time of Arlathan, and we've only scratched the surface of it since. I want to bring one back to Skyhold, if we can. I want to study it closer."

[nofury]

"If it's connected to the Mire, it's likely better off remaining here."

But the torch doesn't move and Maria's focus remains on the area around them, just waiting for a demon to be attracted once more. She doesn't like the idea of any new unknown magic coming back to their only safe location- the rifts and shards were really enough for her just now, but it's not enough to make her reply sharply. Only an idle observation as she keeps watch.

"But that would be Commander Cullen's decision to make. I have the feeling we'll be here more than long enough for you to ask him one night."

[mythalenaste]

"Is this his call to make? I didn't think the Commander took interest in arcane matters. Anyway, they were made by the ancient elves." She lowers the tracing and touches the rune reverently with her fingertips. "We don't know why these ones were left here, yet. But the magic itself is important, as is their context. I'd need access to both a rune and the Inquisition's library at the same time to decipher as much as is possible."

[nofury]

"He's ranking member of the Inquisition in charge of Skyhold's defense."

Which made whether unknown artifacts were allowed inside well within his influence, as far as she was concerned. So far, it had shown a remarkable skill in bringing forth demons- but so did everything in this Marker forsaken place. It was hard to guess if any connection actually existed.

"Poke and prod it all you like here, but a message is a small enough thing to send. Or scout Harding may have been given more direct orders on bringing back unique items."

[mythalenaste]

"It's the fire that attracts the demons, not the writing. Maybe it reminds them of home."

Pel steps back and to the side, beginning her detailed examination of the pillar.

"I wonder why they put them here. Do you suppose this was even a bog when these were erected?"

[nofury]

"Hard to imagine this place as anything else."

But she gives a long look at the area, trying to imagine it. And failing, only able to see it as the endless dead and wastes it was now.

"But change is about the only constant we have left. There must have been something worth writing about, if they bothered to leave a trail."

[mythalenaste]

"Exactly. It's beyond imagination. We can only guess, and delve deeper into history."

It's almost a kind of high she feels, when she can do this.

"But I'm guessing whatever the pillars were erected for, the runes...they almost seem like someone was frantically writing down bits of information as they came, using whatever was at hand. Maybe the emotions transferred from the runes were the emotions the writer felt at the time. They all seem pieces of a puzzle someone was desperate to finish, like they were on the verge of some breakthrough. But I don't think the pieces will be cohesive till we've seen them all."

[nofury]

It was a good thing the other woman was experiencing the thrill of discovery as it counter balanced Maria's wariness as to just what could make ancient elves frantic in a place such as this. But finding out was part of the mission now, she supposed.

"I'll make this location on the map. Time to press on to find the rest?"