faderift | [Closed] The Road to Jader ...

Entry tags:

[Closed] The Road to Jader ...

WHO: Bethany Darton, Aleron Darton, Carver Hawke, Fenris, Alistair, and Inessa Serra
WHAT: Looking for the Champion, high and low
WHEN: Mid-Harvestmere
WHERE: The fine Orlesian city of Jader, and small town just outside of Jader.
NOTES: Warnings for ...well. The DA2 Crew. You know how these guys are.

For weeks, Bethany Darton had been searching for some hint of her older sister's whereabouts since she had heard about the demise of the Hero of Fereldan. Her determination only mounting when Carver returned home with Dog, she remembered one of Marian's last letters, sent from a trader in Jader. She rounded up some people who were actually willing to track down Marian again, and as soon as she had returned from the Island of Red Lyrium, she gathered them all up and headed down to the docks as quickly as she could manage it, to Jader itself.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The trip itself is barely more than a day - but it is a day to sit and talk amongst yourselves if you like. Ocean travel does give one more time to catch up than you might realize, or even make new friends.

At least this trip is more stable and pleasant than her last sea journey. Inessa basically agreed to it, since it's one the way to other matters on this side on of the sea. She's never entirely comfortable on the water, but with Garahel to steady her and people as a distraction, the young Warden can manage just fine.

Often, Inessa can be found leaning on the railing and staring outward, lost in thought. But if she hears footsteps approaching, she'll turn and smile. "And how are you doing?"

Of course Fenris had been very willing to come along. He wants to find out Marian's whereabouts as much as anyone, as she'd been one of the first and few mages to ever earn his respect. He feels like he owes it to her. Now he can only hope they find some sign of her.

As he approaches, he greets Inessa, always one to give Garahel a bit of attention as well, reaching to pet his head. "I'm glad we're no longer stuck on an island surrounded by tentacled abominations. Not that Orlais is always that much better." Still, it's an improvement... ish. It's good to get out of Kirkwall every so often too.

Inessa smirks at that while Garahel nuzzles into that hand. Hi, friend. "If the weather holds, I'll be content. That last voyage was...unpleasant. I don't care for a repeat, in any fashion."

She pauses and looks at him, thoughtful. "What do you think of this lead? Is there a decent chance at finding her?"

Fenris nods agreement to that. If they can avoid a repeat incident, all the better. It had taken some serious, careful negotiations with those Qunari... not to mention fighting all of those red lyrium sea beasts... Yeah, any voyage without those complications will be a success, most likely.

He shrugs, continuing to lavish Garahel with attention. "With the Hawkes... you never know what to expect. I came to accept that long ago." Then there's a sigh. "Some lead is better than none at all. It's a far better chance than we've had so far... but it doesn't mean I don't have my doubts anyway."

"I wonder what has kept her incommunicado all this time. Surely she would have wanted to keep in touch with family at the very least, though I suppose Kirkwall itself doesn't impart many good memories." Not if what Varric had written was more truth than exaggeration. Hawke's poor mother....

It really says something about Fenris and his past that the memories of Kirkwall are... objectively better? Although that's really not saying much, because they really did See Some Shit, as Varric would probably put it. Some awful shit. How Hawke had kept it together through the things she'd personally witnessed is a mystery. Her sense of humor probably helped.

"It doesn't, but Hawke isn't one to let that stop her. She would come if she knew she was needed... So there must be a very good reason for her absence." It's just a question of whether it's her own reason, or if... something else is preventing her from coming. He hopes not the latter of course, that she's captured somewhere or worse.

Inessa nods, not able to counter that and trusting him to know Hawke's mind far better than she herself could. "I heard that Seeker Cassandra and Sister Nightingale wanted her to lead the Inquisition, or they did after searching for Warden-Commander Cousland, and being unable to find him. Do you think she would have accepted?"

That gives him pause, for only just a moment. He can hear well what she'd say, some sarcastic comment wherein she makes it clear just how much she doesn't need to be involved in this. But then... He knows what she'd do.

"She'd grumble and make a few comments, but in the end... in the end she would do it. She may not have always stuck to the letter of the law, or enjoyed being in her position all the time, but she did the right thing, in the end." And made all of her allies want to join her in her causes. "The Inquisition could use charisma like hers."

"That we could. Perhaps it would be enough to truly unite us, as the Herald might have done." Is that why they're not making more progress in their cause, because they don't have the central leader that they truly need? Inessa has to wonder.

"I regret that I never met this Herald myself. It seemed she was an inspiring leader..." He pauses, thinking about the adventures he'd had with their little group. Somehow, Hawke had kept them all together, even when some of them couldn't stand each other. "But Hawke would be as well. Maybe that is what the Inquisition needs. I don't know."

For the most part, Fenris is content to keep to himself, more or less. As long as this journey doesn't pose the difficulties of the last one, everything ought to be fine. While the trip is underway, he finds a quiet spot out of the way of most others on deck. He darts a glance around, and then finally takes out the book that he's currently working on attempting to read. He hadn't had time to get back to it during the last voyage, so... maybe this time. A short, uneventful trip is a good thing.

It's one of the nice things about Fenris. He's quiet. Most of his sister's friends liked to talk. A lot. Incessantly. With the occasional exception, Fenris just kept quiet. Carver respects that.

And really, he'd have been fine to leave the elf to it. But since Fenris hoped for an uneventful voyage, well, he just tempted the fates. They hit a patch of choppy waters at one point, which of course is making the ship sway. Carver's trying to help tie up a barrel to make it more secure. Naturally, something goes awry. One of the ropes snap, and the barrel breaks free, bouncing its way across the deck...

...and right at Fenris.

"Elf, incoming!"

Better duck or dive.

Why can't sea voyages just be calm, boring affairs? Just once, Fenris would like to have a journey that didn't end up with something going awry. But that's definitely not to be this time. As the sea turns rough, he grumbles to himself in frustration. It figures.

He definitely doesn't notice the barrel until it's almost too late. But thanks to Carver's shout, his head snaps up and he catches it rolling right toward him...

He moves fast. Swiftly, he goes into a roll, tumbling away to the side, narrowly avoiding a collision. The barrel meanwhile smashes right into the spot he'd just left, spilling its contents all over. It smells suspiciously fishy, which is never good. "Thanks for the warning. I didn't want to spend the day covered in... whatever that is."

The sailors start bickering, accusations being tossed around and swears hurled at each other. Carver chalk it up to an overused rope and calls it a day, leaving the sailors to hash it out as he goes over to check the barrel. And okay yes, Fenris too because that was pretty damn close. Not that he would admit to worrying about the elf. Nope.

"Close call. Figures it would go for one of the only other bloody person on deck." Carver gives him a once over, and after determining Fenris seems unharmed, bends down and examines the wreckage. He reaches in and pulls out a less than appetizing looking fish. "Fish guts."

Nope, we definitely don't need to start worrying about each other. That's just too much, now, isn't it? Still, Fenris can definitely feel the aftermath of a sudden burst of adrenaline, that relief that comes after a sudden burst of panic. Phew. Definitely too close of a call for his liking.

Fenris gets up, brushing himself off and stretching his arms and back. "Lovely." He makes a disgusted face, lip curling as he views the full extent of those contents spilled on the deck. "Although perhaps it's better off this way." Better than being forced to eat that, anyway. He sighs. "I was looking forward to a boring voyage, just this once."

Carver barely contains his laughter at his face, though a snort does manage to sneak out. Sorry Fenris, he has no idea how much you hate fish. "What, you prefer having fish spilled all over the deck? That was probably going to be dinner. Not like there's a whole lot else to eat out on the sea."

Though the smell is kind of rancid, with it being mixed with the ocean air and the other unpleasant smells tied to a ship. Urgh. "Anything remotely tied to Marian winds up more complicated and very not boring. Hasn't that sunk in yet?"

What can he say? It has a horrific smell, and he'd had more than his fill after the last sea trip. But indeed, they'll have to deal now.

"Fortunately, this part is going to be relatively short... or we may well find ourselves in charge of hauling the nets out soon enough." It would be just their luck, to be put to fishing duty to make up for what was lost. He sighs, shaking his head. "Just once, your sister ought to try doing things the easy way." But she wouldn't be Marian any other way. After a pause, he wonders aloud, "Any chance of this lead actually bringing us to her?"

"For what we're paying them to cart us over, we better damn well not be." It's not like it's their fault the ship didn't have decent rope. And really, this won't be a long sea voyage so he hardly thinks it'll be necessary.

He snorts softly at the mention of his sister. "You've met her, haven't you? Since when has she ever done that?" It would probably break her mind into tiny little pieces if she did. "I... don't know. Bethany found the lead. It's the last place Marian sent a letter from, so she was here at some point for certain. It's just finding her trail."

He'll be fine with this, as long as they don't suddenly come up against red lyrium-krakens, and this little incident here is the last of the, uh, "excitement" of this trip. They really have more important things to be focusing on right now. The whereabouts of Hawke... if they can figure out anything, it'll be worthwhile.

"Never. She's never made it easy, and I'm assuming it was like that growing up, as well. Bethany has told some stories." She wouldn't be Marian if she didn't do things in her own way. He nods slowly, still concerned that they may not find much at all, that she may already have moved on. "I'm assuming she's keeping a low profile and being hard to find for a good reason. But... maybe we have a chance of finding something, with the two of you here." She'd make contact with her family, right?

If sea monsters show up, and if they ever find Marian later, Carver will ensure she never hears the end of it. Not that it would do much good. Marian would just laugh it off, probably, or call it another day ending in "y".

"There's a reason my mother's hair went gray so early, and it's only partially because of me." Hey, he'll own up to it. Then again, worrying incessantly about the mages in their family being caught by Templars and having to be on the move all the time likely did nothing to help. "Well, that and having three-fifths of the family be apostates." He shrugs, trying to appear less worried than he is. Once upon a time, he hardly would think anything could happen to his sister. But now? Now he's older, wiser... and more aware of how mortal they all are. The joys of growing up. "It's a long shot, but it's the only shot we have. My sister knows a thing or two about hiding, but to go this long without word..." It's not like her.

Fenris understand all too well what it's like to be on the run, to be unable to send word to anyone else. Not that... he'd really had anyone to send word to at the time, but even so, he understands. There could be so many reasons holding her back from making contact... so many things happening that they don't know about.

"Yes... she knows what she's doing. Which means it's entirely possible she's just taking extra precautions right now." But is it that she won't make contact... or that she can't? It's hard to say. "At least we have a lead to go on. That's... better than nothing."

Carver does, too, in a way. But a lot of his being unable to had to do with him being in the Deep Roads for long stretches of time. Hard to send messages from in there. Even during his brief forays out to the surface, getting out messages wasn't always possible. Not that it stopped Bethany from scolding him...

But taking precautions from what? The Chantry's in no shape to be going after her right now, not really. Unless she's tangled herself in this business with Corypheus and the red lyrium. She would, too. "What do you think she's gotten herself into?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Closed] The Road to Jader ...

The Journey There

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject