faderift | THE SEAS SHALL RISE & DEVOUR, Part I

THE SEAS SHALL RISE & DEVOUR, Part I

WHO: Any Inquisition members + all rifters
WHAT: A semi-involuntary tropical island vacation
WHEN: Kingsway 20 onward
WHERE: The sea and an island east of Rivain
NOTES: OOC post.

I. THE JOURNEY

Two ships depart from Kirkwall on the morning tide, sturdy vessels crewed by veteran sailors--but a mere skeleton crew, as it turns out, or so a few of them would have you believe. They're prone to assigning tasks to anyone who happens not to look busy, shoving ropes into hands without a care for station or experience, barking out instructions and expecting to be obeyed. With plenty of work to do the journey seems quick, and besides the unexpected chores it's otherwise smooth sailing through the Waking Sea. Some claim to've spotted the Windline Marcher one night, but it could just as easily have been clouds on the horizon, and that's it for excitement until the ships round the island of Brandel's Reach and out into open ocean, the ever-present coastline finally falling away behind.

The sky is bigger out there and the waves are too, especially when a storm strikes a few days out, dark clouds and driving rain sending any inexperienced sailors below decks to wait it out. The worst of it being the pitch of the ship rolling up and crashing down the massive waves, and the way the hold fills with the stench of people being sick. But the next morning dawns calm and clear and with no lasting damage done.

The group is bound for a desert island, drawn on maps with a big deep cove like a bite chomped out the side it, and a narrow channel through the surrounding reefs to reach it. That's the only moment of true tension on the voyage: as soundings are taken every few feet and the helmsmen adjust and readjust in response, carefully threading the needle to avoid running aground on ship-killing banks of sharp coral.

Both ships make it, and anchor offshore in the bay in the sheltering lee of a cliff, safe from future storms. The first party ashore reports back that Qunari are present in the area, but while they've displayed a palpable wariness, hostility does not seem their aim today, and they retreat back up to the hills above the beach as Inquisition forces arrive. Anyone able-bodied is tasked with assisting in unloading, and those less hale with helping the quartermaster's assistants track the process to make sure nothing goes astray between hold and shore.

Camp is to be a collection of tents: large ones beneath which makeshift facilities for cooking, eating, and working are set up, and many small ones designed to hold 2-4 Inquisition agents. They're still hammering stakes into the sand and tying off ropes to the sturdier palms when a shout goes up, though anyone present who possesses an anchor shard will not need to be told: a rift has opened nearby, a couple hundred yards out into the bay, a knot of shapes splashing about it. Better hope the rifters can swim.

II. ARRIVAL

Rifters

You were asleep--deeply or fitfully, for the last time or just resting your eyes for a moment-- and then you were not. And wherever you were was not, anymore, replaced by nothing but the sensation of falling, tumbling into endless, bottomless nothing. If this were still a dream, you would wake before you hit the ground. You can't die in a dream, they say. In some worlds.

In this world, when the afterimage left by a flare of too-bright, greenish light fades, you will find yourself at sea. Not metaphorically (though perhaps that too) but literally: dropped into what is unmistakably the ocean, from the salt in your mouth and the incessant slosh of waves into your face, the squawk of gulls circling overhead. You had better start treading water.

Thankfully, if you can keep your head above the waves long enough to make a quick inspection, it turns out that land is in sight, only a few hundred yards off. Unfortunately, between you and it is a strange slash of greenish light. It sticks up out of the water but seems to continue beneath as well, turning the otherwise-turquoise waters the same pale greenish shade of a man gone seasick. The cluster of demons emerging from the rift are tall, spindly stick-things with too many eyes who flail about like stickbugs dropped in pond, but use the long reach of their arms to attack. Some are hunched and hooded with no eyes at all, their shrouds sodden and draped in seaweed. Others are mere wisps of greenish light that float easily over the surface. While you might get the impression they are as surprised as you to find themselves in the drink, any humor that might bring is probably outweighed by how angry it seems to make them.

If that were not enough to contend with, there is also the narrow splinter of light the same sickly green as whatever brought you here that now glows out of the palm of your left hand. It aches, a bone-deep pain that gnaws even through all the distractions. But there is some good news: from the beach over yonder boats are launching. Perhaps they'll save you.

Rescue

As if rescuing rifters from drowning and demons weren't hard enough work, all the commotion in the water inevitably draws the attention of the local predators. But what arrives isn't the usual eel or ray or even a shark: it's something much bigger and much...redder?

Slinking through the water comes the flash of a fin and the glint of a scaly back, so quick and sinuous it's hard to say how many of the sea serpents there are. As wide around as the circle of a man's arms, with snapping jaws lined with an unnatural number of curving teeth, but what should be smooth snakey curves are instead jagged with the jut of brilliant red crystals that catch the light and make the sea seem to be already splattered with blood. They're studded all over its body, making any even glancing blow carry twice the danger: there's not just the stunning force of the strike to worry about or the possibility of being coiled in a crushing grip, but also being sliced and gored by red lyrium.

And the serpents aren't alone. While all eyes are on the churning water and the incredible sight of demons battling it out with sea monsters (because everything in that water is fair game to the beasts, not just the Inquisition), one sailor is suddenly plucked out his boat and carried screaming down into the depths by a great, crystal-encrusted tentacle. Cleansing runes are effective, but the monsters are canny enough to avoid capture, falling back into deeper water before attacking again. The arrival of a red lyrium-tainted kraken is just about the final straw for the ship's crew, and after seeing the monsters come dangerously close to cleverly flipping one of the longboats, they insist that the Inquisition row back for shore.

If flight is hard to stomach, consider it a tactical retreat: in shallower water the great bulks of the monsters become a liability, thrashing about among the rocks as they try to give chase. Escape back to the beach is possible, and surely the safer course, but it may be possible to lure one of the sea serpents into a tide pool or to beach itself up on the sands. The rest continue to prowl the bay, visible circling the ships at anchor and making any return impossible for the time being.

III. STRANDED

Once everyone is safely on land and out of the monsters' reach—after any wounds have been seen to, with particular attention given to any that may have been exposed to red lyrium—it's obvious that there's no way to leave for the time being. There isn't much to do but to try to make the most of things and try to accomplish what you came here for.

Some of the team will be tasked with continuing to set up camp. Now that the stay might be longer than a single night, it needs to be a little sturdier. The beach and cove are protected from harsh winds and exposure by a half-circle of rocky cliffs, and the Qunari communicate in grunts and one-word answers that large predators make sleeping in the jungle itself a bad idea. They've only been here a few days (that much can be gleaned despite their reticence), but some of the untamed jungle has been cut through to make clear paths to fresh water and fruit sources.

Penetrating the rest of the island is slow, difficult work—though magic may make it easier. The goal is near the top of the formerly volcanic peak in the island's center, but hacking through the growth to create a path may abruptly become a waste of time when it gives way to a steep drop-off or an equally steep incline and forces everyone to double back and try another route. If there was ever a clear road to the top, it's gone now, grown over during centuries of abandonment. But there are signs of past habitation: the lower portions of the island are spotted with crumbling ruins, chunks of moss-coated wall rising out of the forest floor, the occasional pillar looming up amongst the trees. Some have architecture and faded murals that are distinctly elven. Others, more recent, are clearly human, including a statue of Andraste in the center of a clearing. Others are harder to identify.

The predators the Qunari were trying to warn everyone about turn out to be real--they're large, jet-black cats about the size of a height of a mabari but longer, with short manes, near-scaley skin, and horns almost like the Qunari's. And before anyone gets any ideas about keeping one, they're fiercely territorial—always likely to try to eat your face, but doubly so if you come near their adorable kittens. Feeding them may buy a moment or two for escape, but nothing is going to win them over.

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It was in this moment that a loud voice was heard over the throng. Even in all of this, his voice still carried. "Do not let the fear take you! Aim for them! Release your arrows!"

The large man came forward and had three injured people that he was carrying. Three injured people and he was still bellowing orders and even holding his sword steady. His mabari was at his side, ready to take on this fight should he be given the order but was loyally staying by his master for the time being.

Seeing Beleth, he actually smiled through all of this.

"To the waters, huh?" He gave a laugh and finally set his charges down somewhere safe then grabbed some free rope. "Tie this round you. I will make sure you get back!"

Cade has been using his bow as well, the one weapon he's allowed to have (and maybe kind of probably just snuck away from the armoury since it's his after all), and has been standing at Beleth's side while both of them shoot at serpents and try not to scream.
When she starts removing her shoes he's caught by a surge of panic, and grabs her arm with a yelp of "BELETH NO!"
It's quickly interrupted by Iskandar urging her on, and Cade looks at the man like he's insane. Which... he kind of is. As far as Cade's concerned. DO YOU SEE HOW SMALL SHE IS

There's a lot going on here. Besides the rift, the rifters, the demons, the horrible red lyrium leviathan spawned out of someone's deepest nightmares. --But oh, hey. There's Iskandar. And he's shouting orders, too. Great, he's louder and shoutier than her.

Except now Cade is also shouting, and grabbing her arm. She stops her shoe removal, staring at him with a perplexed expression. But then she realizes it--Cade is worried about her. She's as moved by the gesture as she is aware that she probably shouldn't find the act of not wanting her to die that stirring.

She glances from Iskandar, to the offered rope, then back to Cade. Then, slowly back to the sea, where there is still a rift and demons and horrorterror creatures of the deep. "I'm supposed to be a leader. I can't ask other people to take risks I'm unwilling to." Her voice is quiet, and not nearly as sure as she'd like. She wants to be brave, she wants to be a courageous, admirable leader.

But what Beleth wants rarely has a habit of working out.

"I would go in myself but I doubt the two of you could pull me and another out of the water." He frowned at that, wanting to be the one to go in. But he knew better than to have people so much smaller than him help out back out.

"We don't have much time. Someone needs to go in. If I have to I'll go without a rope."

Yes, he was serious.

Cade grips her tightly, that familiar distant look in his eyes from every time he's had an episode, but at least this time he isn't attacking anyone. Just... holding really tight.
"Don't, please don't," he pleads, barely aware of Iskandar. "You can't-... it's right-..." Somewhere along the line, this veteran of the Mage-Templar War, the Battle of Kirkwall, became a quivering mess, and it's never been more evident than now: he looks like he's about to burst into tears, barely holding himself together.

James had finished his quiver of arrows on the beasts - something he was fairly useless at but he had to try. He stepped back, looking around wildly for something else to shoot, or at least throw, when he saw the three of them talking hurriedly on the edge of the ship. He ran to the railing, saw the flash of the Rifter's hand, then over to the three of them. Iksandar had the rope, Beleth looked like she was about to jump in with her small, SMALL body and Cade was trying to talk her out of it --

And the Rifter was getting further away.

"FOR THE LOVE OF THE MAKER!"

So he ran up to them, growling as he's stripping off his armor, pushing his shield into Cade's arms, "Hold that."

He snags the rope from Iskandar's hands, then looks over at Beleth. "You have the best eyes. Tell them when to pull me up." He tightens his sword, and then prepares to dive in.

Beleth glances between Iskandar and Cade, trying to weigh her options--but really, she knows there's only one choice she can make. Cade needs her right now, and there's no telling what he'd do if she left. She can't just abandon him, not when he has that gut-wrenching terror written on his face.

She puts a hand over his, and is just trying to think of how she can explain this to Iskandar, when Norrington runs up to them, already stripping. Which is not a sentence that Beleth thought would ever occur in her life, but there you go. For a moment, she just stares dumbly at him, baffled beyond words. But then it clicks, and a relieved smile replaces the confusion. Thank the Creators, she could kiss Norrington right now.

On the hand. In a dignified manner.

"I will. And--thank you."

Then she glances over to Cade, to make sure that this is more satisfactory.

The rope went immediately around his adviser's waist and then he looked at the man again. "Swim fast and hard, my friend. No matter what happens I will pull you out of those waters."

Even if that meant going in himself.

For now though, Iskandar just wrapped part of the rope around his own waist because he was going to be the best anchor they had when it was time to pull James back. Grinning at all three of them, he gave the nod. "Go! I have you!"

Cade is still way too out of it to really process what's going on, but he takes the rope as prompted and holds fast to it until Iskandar repurposes it. He watches dumbly as the scene unfolds, and as an afterthought fumbles with his bow again, peering over the railing with a newfound terror. It's not Beleth, but James isn't much better. It was a good call to go over as quickly as he did.

And quickly he goes over - with a nod to Iskandar and a brief press of his hand to Beleth's, before he dove over the side in one smooth motion. A lifetime by water had made him an excellent swimmer -- he just wasn't sure if he was going to be able to manage swimming, saving someone else's life and avoiding giant sea monsters.

Andraste guide me ... was his thought as he hit the water, and dove down, looking for the green flash of light. Seeing it, he kicked through the churning water as quickly as he could to reach the Rifter, but there was a demon swimming his way in the same direction. James managed to get to the Rifter first, wrapping one arm around the creature, while Blessing the demon with the backslash of his sword through the water.

Well he certainly didn't expect Andraste to guide him into this - salt water being spit out as he broke the surface with the Rifter in tow, trying to battle off a demon one-armed and in water.

Andraste may not be here to guide Norrington, but Beleth is.

She takes another moment to glance at Cade, and reassuringly pat his arm. "Hey, it's okay, alright?" She murmurs quietly, leaning in. "I'm safe. And Norrington will be, too. He's a skilled fighter." ...As long as they help him out. With the time restraints, that's all the reassurance that she can offer him, before fetching her bow from where she'd discarded it.

"Cade, with me. Fire at that demon. Iskandar, he has the rifter. Pull him up, as quickly as you can. NORRINGTON!" Here, she leans over and tries to shout in his direction. "Try to get some distance between yourself and that demon, if you don't mind!"

He wasted no time in doing exactly what she asked. Powerful muscles pulled them fast through the water as if the pair weighed nothing at all. Still, he was keeping an eye on things and...

"Cade, fire three arrows to just to the left of James!" Though it seemed like an insane request, like Cade would hit James with an arrow, Iskandar was paying attention to the winds that were around them. To fire there would mean striking the demons and the tentacles while missing the people they were trying to save.

"JAMES! HOLD THEM WITH BOTH ARMS!" Not that he didn't trust him to swing his sword but he was about to haul him right out of the water and he wanted to make sure there was a firm grip on that Rifter. And to the people behind him...

"Get ready to get this one to safety! We have to pull back as soon as we have them!"

Edited 2017-09-14 03:38 (UTC)

Giving a hasty nod to Beleth, Cade very briefly appears to come back to himself-- and then disappears again when Iskandar starts shouting. His bow is raised, arrow nocked, and Cade does exactly as instructed, a machine forged by military discipline and an inclination to snap to attention when an authoritative voice gives him a command.
He's a pretty good shot, and between Beleth and Iskandar giving command, Cade's nerves have subsided slightly. Just do as you're told, Harimann, and everything will turn out fine.
Never mind that it's his former commanding officer down there.

James would have nodded but that would have meant swallowing another mouthful of salt water, so instead he kicks out the demon with his booted foot as he puts his sword back into his sheath, gripping the Rifter as if he was James's own shield. His other arm went around the Rifter, and he gripped tight, trying to kick himself up above the waves as much as possible so Beleth could keep an eye on him --

And Cade's aim wouldn't strike him in the bloody head.

Beleth's shoulders twitch, just slightly, when Iskandar starts shouting, and a wave of irritation overtakes her. She had just gotten Cade back to himself, and now Iskandar has not only ruined that, but he went and superseded all of the orders Beleth just gave out. Even if the other two were in Forces it was just...poor etiquette.

But she can contemplate and deal with Iskandar trying to overrule her later. Instead, she glowers at the water, which is a perfectly normal place to glower at, considering it's currently full of horrible monsters.

At least Norrington has seemed to manage to listen to both of them, and she continues to keep a sharp eye on him as he's pulled towards the boat. She notches an arrow herself, firing it at the demon trying to pursue him. "Almost there, just hang on!" She calls out, before taking a moment to glance at Cade. "See, it'll be fine."

There was no time in that moment for gentleness and Iskandar hauled the pair up as fast he could. Between the water, the swaying of the ship, the fact that his impressive strength was no longer godly... Well he was doing exceedingly well but even then there was still some more to go.

"Good, Cade!" Noticing blankets being pulled out to the side, he grinned. "And good to you as well, my friend!"

With yet another heave, he called to his man in the water. "HOLD ON TIGHT! YOU WILL BE IN THE AIR SOON!"

It would only be for a moment but he would vulnerable and not as able to attack then.

Cade is a good shot, especially when he's in murderbot mode, but even he can't account for things like people thrashing around in the ocean. He fires for the demon and instead the arrow grazes Norrington's shoulder, just enough to tear his vest and perhaps leave a little cut, a scenario which would normally cause great panic in Cade but currently doesn't seem to phase him.
Another arrow hits the demon squarely, and Cade casts the briefest glance at Beleth to acknowledge her reassurance. It's what he needs, and it's working.

The slice to his arm nearly makes him drop the Rifter back into the water, but he knows he doesn't have time to be fumbling around on him, so he grits his teeth and holds on tighter.

Which is good because that first yank out of the water thuds him against the side of the ship momentarily, and then he's heaved overboard with the Rifter still in his death grip.

"...Nice ... shooting...."

Beleth stops firing when Cade manages to graze Norrington, eyes wide as she watches Norrington just barely keep his hold on the rifter. It's only after he's pulled out of the water by Iskandar that Beleth looses another arrow at the demon, and then turns away to inspect the ships' new cargo. Let the kraken deal with the rest, might as well have it do something useful.

"See, Cade? It's okay, everyone's on the ship and safe." She tells him quietly, giving his arm a little pat. "And you did well with the shooting, don't worry. Those were difficult conditions to get a straight shot, so you managed pretty well, all things considered."

Having reassured Cade, she steps away to Norrington. "Good job, Iskandar, that was some fast work. Ser Norrington, are you quite alright?" And she offers her hand to the rather waterlogged man. "That was very impressive. I think it'll be safe for us to retreat now."

"Good work, everyone."

He left the care of the people to Beleth's hands since he had to manage getting them back to shore. So he waved his hands and called out orders, his voice easily heard above all. This was a man used to taking charge as well as someone who knew what to do with that power.

As soon as they were pulling away, he looked back to the beasts.

"Keep firing towards those creatures if you have a bow! We cannot let them pull us back!"

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THE SEAS SHALL RISE & DEVOUR, Part I

II

THREADHOPS HELO 2 U BOTH

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