[closed] eyes to pierce the darkness

[heda]

WHO: Lexa, Alistair, Teren, Kaisa, Norrington, Saoirse
WHAT: Helping the Avvar take care of some Venatori and darkspawn sniffing around the Frostbacks
WHEN: End of Justinian
WHERE: Tower Hold and the Frostback Basin
NOTES: (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

Towerhold sits high in the Frostbacks, though not so high as Skyhold. They are met along the road by a party of Avvar, painted white and blue and black like a winter forest. An escort, to lead them safely to Lexa's capital along tracks no map depicts. The journey winds along the edge of a deep but narrow gorge and up steep ridges to a hold tucked into the lee between two rocky spires. It's a surprisingly large village, with homes of wood and stone and grassy roofs, smoke curling from chimneys, traffic bustling along mud and gravel paths. A wider road leads out of the valley in the opposite direction, busy with visitors, and many of those with packs or carts of goods for market.

The Tower in Towerhold is a half-restored ruin of a watchtower, built into the peak itself and jutting above to look down on valley and gorge below. It looks at least partially Tevinter in construction, but may have older bones and certainly has had other uses since. At present, the highest floors are home to the thane, and the party is led to her throne room on arrival and greeted with polite formality by a bald, sour-faced augur who apologizes for the empty throne up on the dais, twisted wood and antler backlit by wide open windows. Thane Stone-heart has led a scouting party to observe the intruders, and the Inquisition's representatives are to meet her there.

Comments

[byblow]

Alistair shakes his head, but he's thinking while he does it. "Spreading the Blight intentionally," he suggests, in a hesitant sort of way that says I have no idea, just a guess. It wouldn't make sense for them to do that in the middle of nowhere—or not nowhere, this is Avvar country, but still. "Or Red Lyrium. Or darkspawn can sense things. Other darkspawn. Maybe they're looking for a nest."

If there is a broodmother down there, Alistair hopes they can just drop something heavy on it. Zero pity for the darkspawn here. He gets lower while straining harder to see.

"The ruin—what is it? I mean, what was it?"