Salamandridae | Open To All

[writteninblood]

WHO: Sorrel, Beleth, and anyone at Kirkwall
WHAT: Sorrel power-slides into Kirkwall like a 3AM anxiety attack, with a couple of prompts to that effect
WHEN: Mid-to-late Kingsway
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: tba

Kirkwall, approached from land, sat in the delta of the bay like a fat, squalid salamander. It clung to the hills, mottled and shining, just barely dipping its tail into the sea. Closer on, the walls seemed taller, more daunting, Sorrel's first impression of the City of Chains was much less painful. The city seemed like a reluctant amphibian; something caught awkwardly between, and failing in both directions.


i. Neurergus
He'd written ahead, to let Beleth, to ask her to meet him, at the gates. If she couldn't, he knew that she, faster than anyone, would be able to find someone to meet him in her stead-- the sending crystals, those fantastical devices, might not be available for common use among the Dalish, but he knew the Inquisition handed them out to every member, and quite a few hangers-on. And, as he drew nearer down the road, as the city grew larger and more noxious in his senses, Sorrel could only hope that someone would be waiting. Or would see him.

It wasn't as if he'd never seen a city, nor been inside the bounds of a human settlement, but this was one elf alone; dangerous enough even on familiar ground. He had no idea who-- what to expect. He's actually probably making any perceived danger more real, come to think of it. Nothing says noticeable quite like someone who's trying to take a nervous glance in every direction at once.


ii. Cynops
Sorrel had been ingrained from his youth with the habit that when one is nervous, anxious, or worried, one should do something with one's hands. There's always something, in an active Dalish clan, mending, sewing, carving, cooking-- in Sorrel's case, his hands fall on tea. He's not entirely sure where he is. The Gallows, he knows that much, and it's an apt name for a building as sharp and stained as this one. Some apartment he had been led to, small and sparse but there was a kettle, and a box with tea, and a jar. He hadn't looked in the jar yet. He wouldn't be much of a mage if he couldn't make tea with just that much.

So, if you're around the gallows, perhaps you'll smell it, and come knocking. That'd be just nice and neighborly of you, wouldn't it? Of course it would.


iii. Ommatotriton
Perhaps you've met Beleth? Beleth Ashara? Well, she's certainly happy to have met you-- as evidenced by the way that she's stopped you on your path and shoved her twin in your face. Ah yes, Sorrel and Beleth, inseparable as always; and that means, you get to meet the other half of Clan Ashara's own personal Dynamic Duo. (Choose this if you want Beleth to join the thread!)

Comments

[nadasharillen]

At Sorrel's trailing half statement half query, the lighthearted exuberance on Nahariel's face dims into somber acknowledgement, her smile faltering. "She's... not well," she responds, "and it's not getting better.

"I'll let her tell you, though," the smile flickers again, tinged with sorrow and resignation, and she beckons for Sorrel to follow her into the city.

[writteninblood]

"Beleth wrote to tell me so," He says, quiet under the sound of the city as they walk, "I know I probably can't make a difference, but I'm here all the same."

Or, at least he had been told as much. Repeatedly. At a crushing volume. Sorrel sighs and runs a hand through his hair, first mussing it, then putting it back in order. No, no, it'll be alright. It has to be alright.

"But it's not all gloom, is it? I get to see my family again, it's been too long."

[nadasharillen]

"No," she agreed, "not all gloom." In fact, the market stalls they passed on their way through Lowtown and down to the docks were quite bright; sun glinted off of steel, roamed over apples and a few less identifiable fruit, and lit a gaggle of laughing children who ran after an unlucky fellow chasing a hen. She was making quite good time despite her short legs, which led to no end of swearing from her pursuer and no end of glee to the children.

"Despite some misgivings about us, the Inquisition did bring an entire new set of people to sell things to, and--" she interrupted herself briefly to turn and exchange a grin and rude gesture with a fellow carpenter as they passed each other and then returned to Sorrel, "--those with things to sell are glad of it."

[writteninblood]

"That'd be more of a comfort if I had much coin," Sorrel replies, a little uncertainly. It's... Not the strangest exchange he's ever seen, but neither is it anything like comfortable. Part of him is quite sure Nari knows precisely what she's doing, and is safe in it.

The other part wants to grab her hand back and plead with her not to antagonize them. He finds the happy medium by doing nothing more than a brief but fierce bout of silent fretting.

"So, the Inquisition itself is welcome, then? That's good."