faderift | Not Quite Damsels, Definite Distress

As the party enters the small village, people start slipping away until only a handful are left out on the main road. After some glances back and forth, a younger man with light brown hair steps forward, crossing his arms over his chest. There's no attempt to hide he's a mage as he's wearing heavy brown robes and with a staff in a holster on his back. Glances around will show anyone in sight is wearing a staff, and that the man who stands in front is the youngest of those still present.

"Can we help you?" he asks.

Teren strides right up to the mage, whom she seems to tower over, regardless of whether or not he's actually shorter.
"I think you know quite well that you can," she replies, her tone flat and brusque. "Whether or not you do, however, will determine many things. Such as, how long you shall continue to live, and with how many holes in your person."
She hasn't, thus far, made any moves to draw any weapons. Perhaps she doesn't have to. Her gaze bores directly into their host's, daring him to make a quick move or shout for assistance.

From behind Teren, Merrill very literally facepalms. Unlike the Warden, she's short and also has dismounted from her horse, who is much, much larger. He's led by the reins as she pushes forward to try and be a bit more gentle about the situation, Honeysuckle (her horse) taking a spot next to her side. Her staff is on her back as well, smile friendly and a bit hopeful.

"That is- two people we know came here to help take care of some Darkspawn, and now they seem to be missing. Assuming you're not like the last people I met who kidnapped someone and aren't experimenting on them and torturing them, I'm sure we can work something out, if they happen to be imprisoned somewhere. Which we're pretty sure they are, based on the lack of messages. They both like to talk so it's not like them, you see."

When the diminutive elf appears beside her, Teren's eyes cut down to the side and then back to the man's. This... will considerably alter their first impression.

"..yes," she grunts in grudging agreement. damnit Merrill

"Two Wardens." Nathaniel casts a stern look at Teren. "Two Wardens are missing. Two men, one thin and blond, the other tall and broad and ginger. This is an official inquiry, so please be brief and honest. As you can see, my compatriot is in no mood to bargain."

There's no telling whether the first people they meet will be in on the disappearance. It could go higher up. Either way, it's no bad thing to play a little good knight/bad knight with Teren.

He's physically able to look Teren in the eyes, but that doesn't mean the mage is actually managing it. Instead, he's looking around for support that shows up in the form of an older, plump woman who looks fairly friendly. She comes up and pats him on the shoulder.

"It's all right, Kian." Then her attention turns to the party and she smiles at Teren without any actual warmth. "I'm sure you didn't mean to walk in here and start threatening. Sometimes we elders have something to learn from our younger friends, like this lady here." She points with her chin toward Merrill before looking at Nathaniel.

"They were here," she continues. Kian blinks, giving her a startled look. "And they took care of our little problem, or so we assume, because the Darkspawn haven't attacked in days. I can point you to the hole we pointed them to if that helps you, Ser Warden."

"Merrill!" chirps Merrill, merrily. Just pretend she didn't call you elderly, Teren, keep your knives sheathed. Let Merrill be a nice little unintimidating sparkle that can blow them up. "You didn't see them leave at all?"

Because they've either then been killed by Darkspawn (possible, but unlikely, as the village isn't leveled or still being attacked), have been Conveniently Unconscious for a while, or are not able to get their sending crystals to send a message -- as one wouldn't be able to do if they had been imprisoned.

"They really would have sent a message, you see. I'm sure whatever's going on is all just a big misunderstanding, but they're either stuck somewhere on accident or on purpose, and that's very concerning. One of them helped end the Blight, you know."

Merrill is not above namedropping either herself or Alistair. Sorry not sorry.

The look Teren gives the woman in return can't quite be called a smile. It's what might happen if, say, a velociraptor tried to smile. The corners of her mouth rise, but somehow it just makes her look more predatory than before.
Then, her gaze slides to the mage, whose sudden motion has caught her entire attention. "A twitchy one, he is," she observes, "when did you last see them, boy?" Her bearing is deceptively calm for a velociraptor.

All right, maybe it's good knight/bad knight/manic sunberry forestchild knight. Hopefully it works.

Nathaniel gives a polite nod to the mage woman and begins a separate conversation with her, quietly, as if they are the two adults in the vicinity. Teren has a notable effect on the boy, so. Divide and conquer.

"My lady," he says softly, trying to find the switch to turn on the noble-born charm some people claim he has, "you understand we have to ask certain questions out of protocol before continuing forward. I'm certain my...overzealous comrade will do your boy no harm in the meantime. Can you tell me when and what time of day you first saw these men?"

Kian looks like he'd really like to be invisible right now, caught between Merrill and Teren. He reaches up to tug on an earlobe, glancing at Ashton. "Four days ago?" It sounds more like he's asking them than simply being unsure. How he's feeling isn't helped by the tightening of the other mage's hand on his shoulder.

"Four days ago," he repeats with more confidence. "They headed in then, once they'd, they'd rested for the night. I didn't see them afterward." There's some sincerity to his voice, some of that might be true, but he looks stiff and nervous.

In the meantime, the grandmotherly looking mage is patting her hair and looking like she has all the time in the world. "Maker bless you, dear boy, but we don't exactly hold with protocol around here. If we did, we would have invited Templars to our little village... but I'll answer nonetheless. I first saw Wardens Albert and Garrett around midday five days ago."

Velanna appears at Nathaniel's shoulder, having made her way to the front of the group. Unlike the others, her staff is unholstered, and she plants it in the ground like a walking stick. The mages will certainly know that this is a passive battle stance, one usually taken if one needs to suddenly start throwing fireballs.

"Where did they stay while they were here?"

Unlike the others, Jamie hasn't made his way to the front of the group. He's further back, ostensibly watching over the horses of those who dismounted further back. However, that's not the real reason he's back there. Not entirely, anyway. While he is keeping an eye on the horses to a certain extent, he's also keeping an eye on the situation itself. Too many people have slipped away for his liking, and while talking seems to be working for now, he's not convinced it'll stay that way. Better that someone stay back and keep an eye out in case something goes wrong.

And if not? If nothing else, maybe he'll be able to get a better idea of what's really going on here. So while the others ask questions, he keeps quiet, not saying anything even though he's just as interested in the answers. Sometimes a little observation can go a long way.

Edited 2016-12-13 03:43 (UTC)

Ciri has, much like Jamie, held back with the horses. She stands beside her black mare as Kelpie huffs, digging a hoof into the ground and shakes her head slightly. The youngest of the Wardens in this little odd ball party pets down her mane, cooing gently before returning her seemingly idle game of turning a small knife over in her hands quietly. Although she appears to not be listening to the on-goings of the group, it is further from the truth and simply wishes to appear non-threatening unlike some in the party though she cannot totally blame them considering the situation.

But they are noticeably outnumbered as it stands and she does very much notice this.

Yet she keeps a passive expression as she listens to the exchanges with their group but glance around to those still idling around in the road doing the same as them. It is not hard to notice that all of them are armed in some way which causes Ciri to hum thoughtfully before she cheerfully waves at some of those that are lingering outside of the main group talking. Might as well try and make friends with some of the others if the immediate party proved too sour for those they are speaking with.

Ashton's gaze lingers on the staff pointedly before she raises an eyebrow at Velanna. There's no question about what she thinks of the manners of some of the people in this group, but after that pause Ashton gestures toward one of the houses to the side.

"We have a guest house for the occasional visitor, or those who have come in and haven't had time to make one of the former houses livable again. They spent the night in two of the rooms there."

As she speaks, another mage approaches the group, this one from the side. She's middle-aged, approach slow and leisurely, with short-cropped red hair and a liberal covering of freckles. The new arrival waves back at Ciri, coming over to join her and Jamie.

"More visitors? We haven't had this much excitement since three Templars decided they could take all of us on." Her smile is a faint thing, voice calm despite how the words are their own sort of test, and she holds out her hand. "Vidal. Vidal Marsh."

"My apologies, my lady," Nathaniel says again to Ashton, though he feels bolstered with Velanna at his side. This is a bad knight he is long familiar with, and he can predict exactly the kind of good knight he needs to be. He does not say what or who he is apologizing for, but he wants the lady to feel like she has an ally in him. "You understand we have to ask certain questions so we can file our paperwork properly. Velanna and I are very concerned for our comrades. When was the last time--day and time of day, when you saw them, and did they stop in the village on their way out?"

"Let's take a look, then," Teren says, nudging her head toward the guest house, glancing between the mages and then back over her shoulder at the rest of the party. She is becoming increasingly anxious with the light stepping, which manifests as impatience and irritability in her demeanor.

"Have someone show us the room while you lot work this out, perhaps there'll be a sign of them." She's doing her best to not start stabbing people outright and demanding answers. Howe, damn him, is being a rube as always, but he still outranks her.

Ashton sighs and shakes her head before giving them a saccharine smile, though there's something in her eyes for a moment when Velanna is named and as she looks at Nathaniel again.

"Of course. Come with me and Kian. You can all call me Ashton, by the way. I've got the name of one of you, but I haven't heard the rest."

Ashton looks off to the side to meet the gaze of a younger, scowly mage, and she raises an eyebrow at him before turning and heading to the house. Kian, shoulder no longer held hostage, walks along with her.

Following the pair is ideal, instead of turning her back to them, but Teren isn't stupid enough to go off alone, outnumbered by two mages. She looks back to the group comprised of Ciri, Jamie, Zevran, and Cyril, and nudges her head in the direction Ashton is leading her. Her expression is subtle but communicates: backup would be nice.

This is a diversion. Nathaniel glances about for any clues, because the direction they are being led in is the one direction he knows they won't find Anders and Alistair.

Fine. He's bringing out the big guns. He squirms, swinging his pack off his back and opening it.

"Go on," he says into the bag, calm as anything.

Out leaps a pent-up miniature mabari, who delivers a couple of happy slurps to his shoe before starting to familiarize herself with her surroundings, sniffing and meeting people. But her sniffing has purpose. She knows Anders' scent as well as Alistair's.

Kian's face lights up at seeing the dog. Ashton's goes very still. There's a few moments of silence before she nods slightly as if she's come to a decision, then she takes a breath.

"You'll want to be careful with that. We have a few mages who work as chandlers; I hear some scents can damage a dog's sense of smell." Her voice is pitched as if to carry past their immediate group, but she doesn't look around. Kian's expression becomes dismayed as he looks at her before he's schooling it to stillness.

"Keep your dog with our group," he suggests. "He, she, nothing will hurt them in the house."

Ashton doesn't comment on that, simply turning her back to them and leading the way.

What a peculiar thing to say. Of course Ashton is trying to keep Lady from doing her job, but of all the excuses to make, it is rather far-fetched.

Nathaniel gives a smile to Kian that crinkles the corners of his eyes. "I've heard that one. It's basically a myth. Anything strong enough to do that she won't get too close to. She'll be fine."

Lady noses on for a bit before starting off at a trot in a new direction. Nathaniel permits it. Clearly the dog makes the mages nervous, and a shake-up of whatever they have prepared would be a good thing.

Arrival

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Group going inside

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Group staying outside

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