faderift | The Blood of the Dalish

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The Blood of the Dalish

WHO: Cyril Ashara, Merrick Ashara, Pel, Samouel Haines Gareth, Taashath, Galadriel, Kallian Endris, Bruce Banner, Eirlys Ancarrow, Anders, James Norrington, Beleth Ashara, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Iskandar
WHAT: Summary of content
WHEN: Sometime near the start of Umbralis
WHERE: From Skyhold to along the Serpentine River.
NOTES: OOC post for this plot is here.

The Inquisition has been here before. They visited to ease the tensions between Clan Frandruil and the human village Kaladoun. As they left, peace had seemed to be reached. The Clan's Keeper, Shoshanna, has not kept up her part of the treaty. The Clan was meant to leave and give the village space, but it seems there's always a good reason to stay in place. The Clan's First, Janna, has put aside her pride to reach out to the Inquisition for help. As she has been regularly communicating with the Dalish liaison for the Inquisition, Cyril has agreed to put together a team and help the clan vacate.

While they are there they will break into two groups, one will help the Clan pack up and the other will go into the village and ease tensions there. Once the Clan is ready, all members of the Inquisition who came will reunite and help the Clan move to a new location and settle, to help them get back into the spirit of the nomadic lifestyle.

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[The journey back to the village is a pretty easy one, nothing super dramatic happens along the way and the group is free to mingle!]

The group has a rather easy time getting back to the village. It helps that Cyril has traveled there before and goes out of his way to make sure people are as comfortable as can be during their journey.

Most of his time is spent trying not to appear to fuss over Pel while still fussing over Pel or with Sam or Taas, but he can also easily be found either at the head of the group or tending to fires at the night. He seems almost cheerful, to a point, and is happy to have a conversation with anyone who approaches him.

[The village is in the middle of preparing for winter, and dealing with a light illness that has affected the mayor and other members of the community. Nothing serious, but several people are suffering from cold like symptoms. The Chantry sisters have been doing their best to ease people's spirits but the changing weather and the appearance of a cold bug has put people on edge. People being on edge leads to the possibility of more violence.

Cyril has requisitioned extra supplies to give the village - to be delivered by the group who goes there - and has lightly suggested to the human healers in the party that they should choose to go to the village.]

[Clan Frandruil has lived in this valley for years and it shows. Structures that should be easy to pack up and travel have been made far more sturdy and permanent. They have made this place their home, and have done things to make it easier to stay.

There have been efforts to pack, and a lot of the clan's belongings seem in disarray because of it. It became clear the more that they tried that this was a monumental task. Even the halla seem to want to stay.

They need clear heads to help them get things uprooted and discard things that aren't really needed. Cyril expects that most of the Dalish who have come along will want to help, but wouldn't put it against them if they would prefer to go to the village. He knows it's going to be a lot of hard work.]

Everything has gone surprisingly well. With so many hands helping, they're able to get the Clan packed up in one day. The healers being sent to the village helped ease tensions that the humans felt. There were no attacks, no real hitches in Cyril's plan to get the Clan moving.

The Inquisition members meet up the next day and travel with the Clan far from the valley that had been their home for so long. There's some singing and story telling along the way to ease the hearts and souls of a people not used to leaving the valley behind.

Once they find a good place to settle the group helps the Clan unpack again, with the Dalish elves especially show everyone what needs to be settled in and what can stay out of sight. It's still hard work, but in the end everyone feels accomplished.

Cyril has the Inquisition members set up camp a little ways away from the Clan that night. He feels it's important to give the Clan space to get used to being in a new area but to be near enough that they feel secure.

The party sets up their own tents and fires and then settles in for the night. It's during dinner that the First of the Clan appears and asks Cyril if they can speak. He easily gets up and goes with her. They take a walk in the surrounding woods, surveying the area and talking.

He's gone only about half an hour and when he returns he appears visibly shaken but unharmed. He settles by the fire and is quiet for a moment before abruptly telling everyone what just happened.

"She asked me to marry her."

It should be a simple thing to say no to. It should be something that he can smile and laugh off, but he can't. There have been too many things lately to make him doubt his place when it comes to the future of his people. The elves are a dying, desperate people and deep down he's always believed he would eventually have to find a wife and settle down. He had thought that wouldn't be for a few more years, but perhaps now is the time for him to think seriously about accepting that future.

Isn't it better to do that now, rather than get in too deep with the two people he cares so much about? Isn't that better when he's working so hard to secure a good future? Shouldn't he accept that as his fate?

He isn't sure that he can make that choice on his own.

[ooc; I'm going to make one sub-comment under this that is for Taas and Sam only, but otherwise feel free to reply and Cyril will have a conversation about what he should do with your character. Everyone's input and opinions here will change what choice he makes, depending on how compelling they are. I'll post a finally comment basically with an epilogue and travelling back to Skyhold summary so we can finish this plot up! Thanks everyone!]

Edited 2016-11-12 23:27 (UTC)

It is a lot of work. They have to dig out structures and pack up things that have been settled in their spot for many seasons. There's a lot to sort through and organize and a lot to do.

People might have assumed that Cyril was the fussy type to ignore a lot of hard work, but when needed he's right there among them rest, doing his part to get things done.

He ends up spending a lot of time with the Clan's First, as together they take charge and get things organized, and the Clan's Crater, helping him find creative ways to pack up everything he needs, but he can also be found alone helping out others when needed.

Sam is thankful that the journey is rather uneventful considering he's decided to bring along his new friend, Conan the Nuggalope, along for the journey. It was a good way to bound with his new mount, and honestly Conan seemed like he needed to get out and stretch his legs. He was a rather easy going nuggalope, but Sam does remind people to not suddenly walk up behind him or make any sudden, loud noises - no injuries please?

He does spend a lot of his time with Cyril and/or Taas, but as always Sam wanders around seeing if anyone needs anything and tending to any packing and chores that need to be done. There is also some time that he spends feeding Conan, and then chastising the nuggalope for trying to eat his shirt from time to time. When he isn't he is often enjoying a cup of tea by the fire.

Edited 2016-11-06 02:46 (UTC)

James is of course, along to make sure that everyone is kept safe while they are fussing over Pel or in fact, spending time with one another. Someone had to have a sword out and ready to kill bears, and wolves, and ... wild mabari ... honestly they really had to do something about helping the animals calm down.

He takes point once and awhile, and at camp he takes first watch. Coming to second watch, he takes off and goes to find Cyril. "Hello there, friend. How close are we, so I can start keeping an eye out for the clan?"

Despite herself, Galadriel has traveled little in Thedas and the places she has been sent have, more oft than not, been dreadful and dreary, drowning in death. To travel with friends, with the promise to see a clan of Dalish outside of the high walls of Skyhold, that is a gift. Despite the task ahead of them, Galadriel is excited.

There is always a surreal lightness to her steps but, as she treks alongside the party, there is a certain, tangible joy to her gait. If she were capable of it, she might be floating. It is a great salve, the open, unhindered sky and she relishes it.

Indeed, she is so delighted in the travel itself that she often slips into song. It is not a tradition the people of Thedas share, she expects, but singing while one walks is too ingrained in her to avoid. The songs she sings are sometimes mournful and sometimes upbeat, but are always in elvish--if she knew any in this common tongue, perhaps the others would sing along. For now, she contents herself by singing of days long passed and places far from these lands, and watches the slow passing of the scenery as they walk the freemarches.

Eirlys is in remarkably good spirits, between the high she's still riding on after Satinalia and her excitement at finally getting to see a Dalish Clan for herself. She can be found in the middle of the group as they travel, still looking a little unsteady atop a horse though managing not to fall, listening to the chatter of the others and humming to herself, breaking off from the party when she spots a rare herb or plant to gather. In the evenings she sits near the fire, keeping one eye on dinner as it cooks and the other on grinding herbs.

She soon wishes she'd gone to the village instead, not least because the bits of the elven language that Ellana has spent so long patiently teaching her seem to vanish from her memory as soon as she's faced with Clan Frandruil. She just about manages to stammer out a greeting, hoping that her pronunciation isn't too terrible.

She's also very wary of the possible connotations of a city elf packing up a Dalish camp, and doesn't want to seem as though she's advocating that she wants to pack up their way of life entirely -- quite the opposite, in fact. She shrinks back into herself a little, trying to be as helpful as she can while remaining as inconspicuous as possible.

Cyril ends up asking Eirlys to help him pack up some supplies, mostly as an excuse to spend some time alone with her.

"You seem nervous. Are you all right?" He knows city elves have a lot of good reason to be wary of the Dalish and wants to make sure she's comfortable.

"Less than a day now," Cyril offers. He gives James a smile. "I'll let you know when we get close." He enjoys feeling protected by James. He knows the man is good with his sword.

"Thank you for coming along."

"Cy." Pel jerks her chin toward a collapsed tent she is holding, all the stakes, poles, and ropes already packed away. She needs help folding and rolling this thing.

Cyril comes over and starts to help her without asking what she needs. "How are you feeling?" he asks instead. He's still fussing while trying to pretend he isn't.

[ It's easy for Merrick to autopilot his way through this, using his own survivalist instincts to help the Dalish make practical decisions. His hard and unapologetic demeanor is actually an asset, forcing the elves to adapt quickly to what will be the rest of their lives. ]

You don't need that. [ He advises--or bullies, however you want to see it--a nearby woman for attempting to pack an ornamental vase. ] Unless you plan to use it as a weapon, throw it out.

Unlike the other elves in his clan, Merrick has not made his admiration for Galadriel very obvious. He's as fleet-footed as ever, often scouting ahead of the group to watch for threats, but when he falls back he'll subtly (or not-so-subtly) drift toward Galadriel so he can listen to her song.

He can't help it; he's drawn to music, and hers seems to calm his ever-present anxiety, at least for the moment. At one point he even hums along with her, though he doesn't seem to realize he's doing it.

The rest of the party isn't as moved to song as she is, save perhaps for Merrick. He joins her from time to time, once he is done scouting and ahead and has withdrawn to the main body of the group. Whether he does it intentionally is something even she cannot divine, but she welcomes his voice alongside hers as she sings.

"In my land," she starts, as she finishes a song about the star-kindler. "Rare is the journey that passes without constant song. Are the Dalish similar? Do you all hum while you walk?"

It is when Cyril is tending the fires, just after the first fall of night, that Galadriel takes a seat alongside him. While in Skyhold she exuded light, it was not something she could avoid by conscious effort, but it was dimmed. In the free night air she was herself again; bright and shining as starlight--and here, with Cyril, she is openly curious in a way she rarely expressed in Thedas.

"Do you know this clan dearly?" she asks softly as the fire crackles under his care. "Are they kin to you?"

"Relax, kadan," Taas says when Cyril tries to hide his fussing over Pel, reaching out to touch his shoulder and steady him. "She's not going to explode."

He knows shit about pregnancies, but he doesn't want the elf to wear himself out before they reach their destination. He's fairly sure expecting women don't explode, though.

Taas hasn't really seen Galadriel before, and damn if it isn't a sight he will never forget. As gorgeous as she is, however, she's definitely not in anyone's league except maybe Andraste's.

He's missing out on her singing, which is a shame - but it seems to put everyone else in a good and relaxed mood, so the warrior is still enjoying it in his own way.

"You seem happy, ma'am."

Taas is easy-going during the journey, the big draft horse he usually borrow for trips moving easily under her burden. The warrior keeps an eye on their surroundings, shoulders stiffening a bit every time they pass a good ambush area.

...yet nothing happens. Everything is nice and calm. It's almost surreal.

He's open and happy when they rest, however, happy to get to know the new people. After the mission in Orlais, he's happy to socialize outside of a prison wall.

Taas is there to lift the heavy things, and he definitely does. Aravel needs a new wheel? He'll jack it up for the elves. Heaps of packing? He'll lift that up into the cart. Anything needed breaking? He's your man.

Stubborn halla, however? He'll... leave that to the elves. Those things were dangerous.

Bruce isn't exactly giving the best impression of the Inquisition in general, what with his somewhat fatigued state and the fact that one of his arms is now currently in a sling - a souvenir from the fight against Samson. Though all things considered a fractured arm is getting off lightly when he had been suddenly thrust into a battle against the leader of the Red Templars.

And now after all that fighting he had to do, it was nice to just come back to what he originally had come to the Inquisition to do in the first place - helping people. Granted, lacking the use of one arm did limit what he could do quote a bit, but it wasn't as if he hadn't had to deal in situations like this before. He manages most tasks just fine, though with the more complex things that need to be done he has to give it to others to handle. Though if there is nobody around nearby to help, Bruce will try to handle it himself to most likely varying degrees of success.

Galadriel knows few Vashoth and, being as tall as she is, rarely has to look up to respond to anyone. The tall warrior at her side had not gone unnoticed in their travels but she does not expect him as she turns. There is a moment where she is staring at his neck before she realizes his face is not present there. Fortunately, she is far too old for embarassment and in its stead a smile bloooms across her face.

"Indeed I am," Galadriel says and pulls both her gait and gaze in line with his. "It is a pity that walking songs are oft so mournful; the land and sky are too lovely for laments.

"Will you sing with me?"

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The Blood of the Dalish

TRAVELING THERE

Cyril Ashara OTA

THE VILLAGE

THE CLAN

DECISION TIME

Cyril Ashara OTA

Samouel Gareth OTA

Re: Cyril Ashara OTA

Galadriel OTA

Eirlys Ancarrow, OTA

Eirlys Ancarrow, OTA

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Merrick, ota

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Taashath | OTA

Taashath | OTA

Bruce, OTA (feel free to make up whatever and I'll roll with it)

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