[ CLOSED ] WAR TABLE: INVESTIGATE COMTESSE DE VELONEY

[comtessedevelony]

WHO: Herian, Anders, Issana, Velanna, Pam, Malcolm
WHAT: A series of disappearances in the Orlesian countryside has culminated in the vanishment of some of the Inquisition's own scouts. A team has been sent to investigate the estate of one Comtesse Eléonore Vaillant de Veloney.
WHEN: Over the span of 4 days in the 2nd week of Harvestmere.
WHERE: Estate of Comtesse Eléonore Vaillant de Veloney
NOTES: Trauma, gore, dark themes, homicide, pretentious wine usage, other things not labeled as to avoid spoilers.

Welcome to the Estate

It is a terrible misfortune, all these disappearances- but with a civil war on and all this strange Venatori and Red Templar activity- with the rifts in the countryside? People simply not appearing where they ought is a sad reality. Nothing to be done for it. That such an esteemed noblewoman has found herself unjustly accused simply due to her wealth and prosperity? Cannot stand. Comtesse de Veloney invited the Inquisition herself to investigate her manor and put the matter to rest- they are to be afforded all the cooperation and respect imaginable.

Even the mages. Even the elves.

They are met at the gate by a veritable delegation of footmen led by the Gardener and Tanner to see them inside and out of the stormy, dreary weather. Packs are secreted off to rooms (a lovely set of suites in the east wing if the Steward does say so herself), baths drawn (The Comtesse insists, it's been just dreadful and they've come all this way), and a lavish banquet prepared.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

They might be bright enough, but he's nearly certain these two aren't all who were involved. Thankfully, Anders has some of his mana restored by now and he can cast a few thin sheets of ice over the fire, trying to contain it and put it out.

They sputter and subside, drowned by the melting water, and Anders glances at their new arrivals as he leans back against the wall and pretends he's totally not bleeding, nope, he's fine.

[anacardiaceae]

Now that things have calmed, somewhat...or at least the two major enemy combatants are down, Pamelia takes a moment to deal with Anders' arm; Narcisse looks like he is in the middle of a verifiable crisis (understandable...poor man needs a drink and Pamelia has decided she is firmly in the "fish is the only meat I'll eat" category from now on, fine foods be damned) and the chevalier took a dagger to the shoulder but appears otherwise fine.

She gives Anders' shoulder a squeeze once his arm is better, and then envelopes him in a hug because. Hugs are necessary. And everyone in the room probably needs one, but she's starting with the person she knows the best.

[justice_is_blond]

He gives Pam a grateful look for healing his side; even with the lyrium potion, he's still not fully back to normal after the smite. There's pain in the whole of his everything and his magic is trickling back in. The squeeze turns the look into a smile, though the hug has him startled for a moment before he's returning it.

"Thank you. And I'm glad for the timing that all of you have." Narcisse, Velanna, Pam, and Mal. He hadn't counted on someone at the estate having templar training, and that could have been the end of things for him.

"We should..." Anders breaks off, looking back at Narcisse. The butcher meant something to him. He gets up to go over to Narcisse and sit down, putting an arm around the butler. "Thank you," he repeats quietly. The butler had known at least some of it, but despite his relationship with Gabrielle, he's a large part of the reason Anders is still drawing breath.

[tactical_alert]

He can let the rest recover and celebrate, but Malcolm's still at work. For his Rally cry, he has to hold back some of the scouts with a motion, because as much as they deserve to die, they need to be interrogated first. He's sure the Valet is part of this yet. And they need to know why.

He has witnessed some pretty horrible things from Templars and mages alike, but this is something horrible and new.

So naturally, he'll ignore the horrible for now and rip some of the chains from where they hang. Many are still slick with blood or caked in it. Hooks glisten on the ends, a few still with scraps of skin, hair, skull, meat that he hesitates to touch before picking off and setting down with care. The masks are torn away and thrown at the nearest wall. And then he gets to work on tying the offenders up in their own chains. Milady circles, still wound up from the fight, all the people and the smell of meat and death, her fur flecked with blood from shattered bottles, and despite all of that she is a comfort.

They'll need to gather the bodies, or what's left of them, and burn them. But one step at a time.

[comtessedevelony]

Bear and Hawke go limp under the Sleep spell, leaving the bloody room oddly silent. The saved Inquisition agents (plus wounded chevalier) huddle just outside and Narcisse-

Covered in blood, eyes locked to the prone figure of the Butcher, shudders. Oddly silent and somber for the first time since their arrival, likely sober for the first time in years, he jerks a little at Anders' approach. Tilts into the embrace, pushing his face into his shoulders as the trembling settles in. "I couldn't-"

Let her kill you. Couldn't say anything. Couldn't do anything to stop it.