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

[kremdelacreme]

So he has a history of monster-baiting. He holds no fear of the corpses here either. So, into the water Krem sloshes, making as many ripples as possible, whistling loudly just once then clambering back out again as the dead rise up and start to lumber toward them. He passes by Korrin, grabbing her arm to get her going as he does so, ducking an arrow as it whistles by him.

"The house!" he shouts, then when he reaches it he pounds on the door. Behind them, the corpses are gaining.

It's all an act, a very loud, messy one, and when the people open their door up, Krem pushes inside, stammering about their having to leave now. There are too many to hold back, enough that they could shove the sagging boards and stone of the walls in and get at the people, destroy them and their belongings, and soon, panic ensues. People are grabbing belongings and heading for a back way. Krem is victorious, and looking smug after giving the little family directions to the nearest camp.

Now it's just a matter of disposing of the corpses outside.

[gatheringstorm]

Making noise and attracting trouble is what Korrin does best, so she doesn't hesitate to splash along, firing off her staff into the distance a few times to attract even more attention. Never let it be said that she goes by half-measures, not in a mission. When Krem reaches the door, she lets him do the talking while doing her best to ensure that the undead don't come too close, but still encouraging them so they linger. It's a fun balancing act.

Once people are out of the building and their backs are turned, Korrin shoots Krem a grin. "That worked out well. Time for the next part!" And now that she doesn't have to worry about the family getting in the way, Korrin finally lets loose, unleashing chain lightning and a powerful explosion to take out as many as possible.

[kremdelacreme]

Krem beams at her when he joins her back outside. He quickly dispatches a pair of corpses that have somehow made it past Korrin's onslaught of magic. He doesn't kill every last one though, just letting them stagger up to the pair as he encourages Korrin to turn and run with him, crashing through the water once more to attract more of the dead. There were more houses in the distance, and this had to continue to be convincing, after all.

[gatheringstorm]

Having a similar train of thought, Korrin doesn't cast further spells. She's more interested in thinning the ranks a little, so they don't have a more sizeable horde than they can handle together. Resisting the urge to destroy more of them, the Vashoth mage then follows suit, deliberately speeding through as much water as possible on the way. Her feet and legs are already soaked, so no complaints from her.

[kremdelacreme]

They're probably both going to have to deal with soggy smallclothes when they're done here, but it's a small price to pay to be able to efficiently get the stragglers of Fisher's End to safety.