[Player Plot] Protecting Val Gamord from Darkspawn - Pt 1

[sunshinethroughgrey]

WHO: Bethany Hawke, Teren von Skraedder, Ciri, Merrick, Inessa Serra, Kain Ventfort, Aleron Darton, and Amelie Durand
WHAT: The Marquise of Val Gamord has called to the Inquisition for help, and the Inquisition has answered.
WHEN: Last week of Harvestmere, first week of Frostfall
WHERE: Val Garmond, in Orlais.
NOTES:Based off the war table mission. OOC details are here

Val Gamord is a small village in rocky hills, surrounded by walls, and presently very cold. Outside the walls, a sizable and semi-organized force of darkspawn has gathered. Reaching the village without passing through the darkspawn requires traveling along a narrow path to reach a small opening in its gates. The main road and entrance to the town are blocked and being battered by darkspawn on a nightly basis.

As noted in the original War Table Operation from DAI, Marquise Bouffon has already committed her handful of personal soldiers to the Inquisition's cause, so the town's only defenses at the moment are its walls and the efforts of the farmers and merchants who have taken refuge there. They'll all be exhausted and incredibly grateful for help. Several will be quarantined and suffering from blight sickness. (Note: They can't be saved; if the team does attempt to put through the Joining, they'll die during the ritual.)

Marquise Effiloche Bouffon will be a gracious host and very thankful for the team's efforts. She will call everyone involved noble a lot, and refer to herself as humble and devout; there will be some apparent truth to that, as her personal home is small and sparsely decorated, for an Orlesian noble's estate. She'll allow the team to stay there if they desire and feed them well. Once the darkspawn have been driven away, she will be particularly eager to see the team leave the town without lingering or asking any further questions. She will permit them to stay at most an additional day before insisting that they leave.

Comments

Up The Narrow Path - Into the Village

[sunshinethroughgrey]

The path itself is nothing to sneeze at. Barely wide enough for a horse, one tip to the right and one might find themselves tumbling down a rather steep ravine to the river below. Not to mention having to look out for any darkspawn that might have just wandered off from the main attack to see what was coming up around the bend.

Once they reach the inside of the village, safety is guaranteed, but the people inside are more than just worse for wear. Gratitude shines through exhaustion, and any help that can be given with someone guarding the front gate, or seeing to healing those not affected with the Blight? Would be most welcome.

[circleprodigy]

As soon as they reach the village, Inessa will do her best to see to any healing. She isn't more than a battle healer, with her magic and basic knowledge of poultices, but hopefully it will be enough. Garahel will remain quietly at her side or try to raise morale through being adorable, depending on the energy level of the patient. Only after all are tended to will she offer to help guard the front gate. The villagers haven't seen rest and neither will she while the Inquisition's presence is needed.

[ichaer]

Ciri is happy to reach the village after the slow trek up the narrow path. She makes sure Kelpie is happy and fed before heading out to look over the village. Although tired, she can see the gratitude on the faces of the villager despite the fear and it helps to bring back her energy.

Not having much in the way of healing magic or anything beyond simple first aid means she is happy to guard at the front gate. Her hand rests atop the hilt of her sword as the other idly plays with a flask of one of her alchemical mixtures, bright blue and almost icy in appearance as she paces.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Some of the village boys, those with barely enough whiskers on their faces to be men, are standing guard as well. One fellow, egged on by the others, edges towards Ciri and gives her a crooked mouth smile.

"Hello, miss. Are you - are you a Grey Warden?" It is respectful, to say the very least.

[ichaer]

It wasn't hard to notice the chattering of the young men. Quietly, Ciri glances at them from out the corner of her eye but returns to her watch quickly enough. When one approaches, she doesn't look at him immediately but glances over amused.

"Got it in one." Because she certainly isn't wearing this armor covered in griffons because she likes them.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

The young man gave her a buck-toothed smile, before he wrapped his hands around the spear in his hands, "Is it true? Have you came to kill all the darkspawn here? Just like in the tales?"

[ichaer]

"That is certainly the idea. We won't leave until we are sure you and village are safe from these threats." There is a unnoticeable hint of determination in Ciri's voice when she speaks but she gives the young a grin, adjusting the weight of her sword and turning her gaze forward.

"We're more than just bedtime stories and tales."

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"See, I toleja." The young man stated to his friends, beaming from one ear to the other, before his gaze became more serious, "We're awful glad you're here, m'lady. We've been under siege for near two weeks now."

[ichaer]

Ciri leans forward slightly, glancing to the other young men standing off from them with a slight raise of her brows and grin. She was never the best of Grey Wardens but held on to the belief that they protect the innocents if possible. It was the least they could do after literally everything that had gone wrong this year.

"I am sure those two weeks have felt like a lifetime. We will put an end to these horrors through whatever way possible and they will wish they had kept to the Deep Roads once we are done with them."

[doneisdone]

From several yards away, a much older and less pleasant Warden watches the boys like a hawk. They're gripping those poles a little too tightly.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

The other boys notice Teren, and they all start to swallow nervously. She's ... well. She's downright scary, that one is.

The one who is talking to Ciri is chattering along though, ignorant of what's happening behind him. "They must have come from the old mines, then. Don't know why, though. Those have been closed for years."

realized them interacting is overdue! they'd probably know each other from weisshaupt/griffon wing!

[in_death_sacrifice]

Kain has no place with healing at all, and once he's sure there's no danger in the village itself, he heads off toward the front gate to see what guarding might be needed. There may yet still be darkspawn out there just waiting to attack, after all.

As he approaches, he sees that Ciri has had the same thought. "I take it that it's been quiet out there so far?"

[ichaer]

Despite the approaching steps, Ciri does not move from her spot nor take her eyes off the far distance. There is slight movement as she shifts her weight between feet in her own way of acknowledging his presence until she speaks:

"Deathly quiet as it were." A mutter. "Aside from those coming from the village with questions or expressing their thanks."

[in_death_sacrifice]

"That's a relief." Darkspawn would overwhelm the village if they were to attack, if enough of them got through... But Kain tries not to think of that worst case scenario too much. They'll fight them off. That's what they're here for.

He doesn't stop being tense and on guard, though, knowing that anything could happen, anytime. "They're saved... more or less. Though... there are those who won't make it." Those tainted by the darkspawn. Still, they've done all they can, and it would have been worse without their intervention.

[ichaer]

She idly kicks a rock at her foot, sighing. Relief, perhaps but she would rather know where her enemies were instead of sitting around blind like she was. Raising her hand, Ciri rubs at the back of her neck with another needed sigh.

"It's a shame but we can at least keep them comfortable until the end." Because there was no way, even if they had the ability, she would ever imagine making those tainted into Wardens.

[in_death_sacrifice]

Kain stares off into the distance for a moment, watching and wary. He's always on edge somehow, and this sort of situation, moreso than usual. He nods, finding it unfortunate, but what can really be done at this point?

"That's the most we can do, for now. I would like to add to our forces, but... it looked to be too late, in most cases." Plus, they'd have to make preparations for the Joining. He sighs. "We can't save them all. It's one of those unfortunate truths we come across all too often."

[doneisdone]

Teren brings up the rear, knives out, her senses on high alert for any encroaching darkspawn. She's quick to react to any small sound, and is, on the whole, very cranky about having to traverse a path so small, so it's quite a relief when they reach the village.

There she proceeds to help stand guard, mostly silent and ever watchful.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany mentally sighs as Teren ... well, is very much like Teren. Once they've arrived, she has her horse taken care of, speaks briefly with the Marquise herself, then moves to join Teren on the wall.

From there, she whispers, "You're scaring everyone more than the darkspawn."

[doneisdone]

"Good," Teren says without pause, "then they should be more than ready to fight them."
She angles her head to look Bethany over, her dark eyes flicking up and down. "And you, you're ready? Your spirits are intolerably high, as usual." This is said without rancor-- she accepts this about Bethany and would fight anyone who had a problem with it.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"I just don't want them to accidentally stab someone because they think you are going to sneak up on them." Bethany stated wryly, before she frowned briefly, "Well - I am not sure if I would say high spirits but ... I am trying to keep focused and positive?"

[doneisdone]

"Well," Teren intones, "...that's hardly my fault." If they're so stab-happy, they deserve what they get.
"All you can do, I suppose. We expect that of a fearless leader." She curls her fingers, beginning to clean under her nails with one of her recently-sharpened stilettos. "We'll be moving out soon, I expect?"

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"... it is when you make them wonder if you are going to eat them." Bethany countered dryly, before she beamed, "I shall be one, then."

A moment of silence, as she looked over the wall, "Tomorrow we'll get started. We need to start looking into how to push them back away from the gates and finding their source. So we can seal it -- or clear them out and then seal it."

[doneisdone]

"Not knowing is good for them," Teren decides, then falls silent as Bethany explains the plan. "I expect you'll need a team for diversion," she remarks, "and perhaps one for ambush?" She almost sounds hopeful on the second part.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

"I will. It's the only way we're going to get them away long enough to stop them attacking the front gate." Bethany paused then gave her a wry little smile, "Do you want to lead that team?"

[doneisdone]

Though she puts on a show of considering it, Teren eventually shrugs. "Aye, I suppose I could." Severed jugulars for everyone! Hooraaay!