OPEN ↠ FALSE GODS, GREAT DEMONS (PART II)

[faderifting]

WHO: Everyone in the Dark Future
WHAT: Doom and gloom
WHEN: ALTERNATE FUTURE, 25-28 Cloudreach 9:48
WHERE: The Thaigs, Jader, the Frostbacks, and Haven
NOTES: This is the second open log and second plot log, combined, for False Gods, Great Demons.

ORTAN THAIG has been buzzing since the time travelers arrived—with gossip, skepticism, resentment, hope. The Herald traveled through time once before and brought back a blueprint for victory that might have worked if she’d lived. Maybe they can do the same. The now-Tranquil Dorian seems to think so, passing along an amulet and spells to a group of mages. If they can return to Haven, if they can recreate the magic—

Discussions of strategy and timing are underway when reports arrive from Orlais that Tevinter is on the move. Units of mages, corrupted Red Templars, and Tevinter foot soldiers are cutting east toward the passes through the Frostbacks; more are swinging north to cross through Jader without braving the mountains.

A dragon is with them.

There’s one day to wonder what’s happening, to try to plan or prioritize, and then the decision is made for the Inquisition: they have to leave. They have to leave because the passage of the dragon over the Deep Roads brings with it an underground wave of darkspawn, nearly crawling over one another as they swarm over the barricade and toward both the thaigs. Ortan will fall first. Then Orzammar. There is no if. And there are Tevinter troops blocking the main doors.

Get out alive. Get the time travelers out with you. Take one of the narrow tunnels that opens up into the mountains or woods outside of Tevinter's reach. Or stay behind to hold the line.

Elsewhere, in JADER, Tevinter forces march through the city streets on their way south. They have somewhere to be. But they also have to sleep and eat, and the Inquisition has people in the city—spies, traveling scouts, maybe a ship nearby—and this one last chance to cut their numbers. Burn bridges. Burn inns. Slip poison into what glasses you're able. Every man you kill here is a man who won't make it to the mountains. In THE FROSTBACKS there are fewer options, a larger force, and a dragon overhead. But dropping an avalanche on them worked once. It might be worth it to try again. Anything to keep them from reaching HAVEN.

If you’re unlucky, no one will remember that you died a hero. If you’re lucky, this will never have happened at all.

For their dreams had been devoured
By a demon that prowled the Fade
As a wolf hunts a herd of deer.
Taking first the weakest and frailest of hopes,
And when there was nothing left,
Destroying the bright and bold
By subtlety and ambush and cruel arts.
Exaltations 1

Comments

[amygdalae]

Surprisingly (at least, in these times, and considering his present track record with so many other people), Bruce waits, giving Kaisa whatever time she needs and stays silent when she does finally speak. He doesn't say anything to cut her off while she speaks, doesn't speak show any signs of agreement or disagreement - doesn't respond beyond blinking and looking at her, his gaze unflinching.

It's only after she's done speaking, when she tries to brush off everything she just said does Bruce finally actually speak. "Dae--Kaisa," he corrects himself there. No more reason for formalities at this point in time. Not when perhaps soon, none of this will matter any more.

Nothing here will matter soon enough.

He waits for her to respond to his call before he continues to speak. "I know I'm not the best person for this, but trust me when I say that your life matters. You matter." If she didn't then she wouldn't be here right now, doing something not many other people would, or even could. And that mattered.