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

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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

At The Walls - Bethany, Inessa, Kain and Merrick

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It is before the sun rises, that Bethany sends out Teren and her team through the narrow passage. She only waits a few minutes, because they need to engage the darkspawn fully to give them as much cover as possible. As she turns to those left with her, she gives her orders firmly but quietly.

"Kain, I want you and Merrick on the moving barricade ... and Merrick? If you have any tricks up your sleeve, now would be time. I will give you the signal once Inessa, the archers and I have managed to push back the darkspawn enough to get you through the gate without them overwhelming you both."

She pulled her staff from behind her back, looking over at Inessa. "You to the left flank, I to the right. I will be hitting them with fire and ice, so whatever else you have up your sleeve? Today is the day to use it."

No smirk passed her lips - in fact she seemed utterly focused as she climbed up the ladder to the top of the walls. She nodded to the archers waiting for her, as she took her place on the right flanking wall around the gate.

Lifting her staff high, she looked down into the near gloom at the darkspawn who continued to clamor at the door, and she slammed her staff down, to send a fiery inferno crashing right at the front of their lines. With a whoop, the archers opened fire, moving to take those on the front out of the way of the front gates.

The battle had begun.

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"Garahel, go with Kain. He'll need you more." There's a soft whine from the mabari, but some brief pets seem to reassure him and he heads over to join his friend.

Inessa casts Barrier over everyone as Bethany finishes giving her instructions and nods solemnly to the suggestion. They can return to friendly banter later; for now, there are darkspawn to defeat. At the left flank, she takes advantage of that fiery inferno, concentrating on her rift magic and creating a tiny rift to yank darkspawn into the flames with painful speed.

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Now is definitely the time that Kain falls into serious battle mode, completely focused on the task ahead. He nods agreement to Bethany’s orders, prepared to get out there and start pushing back their forces. He looks toward Garahel, glad to have the mabari at his side- even if he’ll always worry that Inessa should have his help more. Still, he’ll be needed out there, she’s right.

“We await your signal.” He glances toward Merrick next, to ensure that he’s also ready to head out as soon as they others have done their part. Getting into position near the barricade, he awaits that next order to get them moving.