Return to the Blackmarsh

[circleprodigy]

WHO: Inessa, Anders, Kain, Myr, Melys, Loghain
WHAT: Searching for the orb of the First and dealing with Veil issues.
WHEN: Mid to later October
WHERE: The Blackmarsh
NOTES: Sign-ups here.

As for content mention, violence and references to Awakening.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

"I hope so. I hope it was worth this." He reaches out and perhaps unwisely pokes the orb, but at least he's not casting and nothing goes wrong. "The Mother was nowhere on his level, but she didn't make this, only found it. And yet she figured out how to use it."

He's glad she's dead. But that doesn't keep him from wishing they could ask her a lot more questions. ...Without having to look at her, that is, look at her and wonder who she was before that horrible transformation.

"Maybe this was once his, or maybe he only found the other orb and figured out how to use that. It's a shame there's no artist's mark carved into it." He's mostly joking. Someone had to have made this.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa doesn't flinch when Anders pokes the orb, partly because she did it earlier and nothing happened. Whatever needs to be done to reawaken the artifact, they've not found it yet. "An intelligent broodmother...I absolutely do not envy you that hair-raising experience. It's a shame we can't learn just where it was found, but we'll make do with what we have."

Another sip of wine and she can almost feel it chasing away the cold and damp of the marsh. Almost. The note about an artist's mark may be a joke, but it has Inessa looking thoughtful. "None that we can see with the naked eye, though perhaps with enough research and resources, we'll find a way. If we could unlock its past, we could unlock its potential with that knowledge. I can only hope that's not an entirely unrealistic goal."

[justice_is_blond]

"Her army is long dead, along with whichever one of them found it for her. I suppose..." He closes his eyes and sighs heavily. "We could have a team of Wardens go through the area she controlled and try to search for it, but Andraste's asscheeks would that be a slog. The Blackmarsh was bad. Those sections of the Deep Roads were worse and I would literally, actually pay to not be on that trip."

He regrets bringing her up already.

"And I'm not going to poke at the orb with magic to see what I can find out here, because I hate going in the Fade, too. I would truly like a mission where I get to go somewhere nice that doesn't involve Corypheus' forces trying to murder us in the middle of the night, because the Anderfels trip was nice until that point." And now they get to go back to Kirkwall. Traveling with the Inquisition, and Hawke, and Jonas, has always been so luxurious.

[circleprodigy]

The thought of such a mission, far more unpleasant than what they'd just faced, has Inessa grimacing briefly. "Trust me, I will avoid such an outcome at all costs. What we have now is more than enough to keep us occupied, I believe." She pats Garahel, who whines at the notion of going to such a place. Even brave war hounds have their limits.

Swirling around the remaining wine in her glass, she nods sympathetically. Anders has already done so much for this project, and pressing more on him isn't going to happen. He deserves a reprieve. "Perhaps another will surface before long? Or you can always try suggesting a mission that just happens to take us to such a place. I have a feeling there are plenty of us who would not refuse."

[justice_is_blond]

"Mm." The noise is thoughtful, a little amused, and a little aware of this not likely happening.

"I shouldn't. Not because it would be a waste of resources, which it might be, but because any missions I suggest are approved by a biased authority and I don't want to come close to possibly taking advantage of that. He'd let me go if I asked and..." Anders shakes his head. "I don't want to ever have to fear that I may have used him."

He'd used Hawke. She'd used him in return, yes, it had been mutual, but it's something that will always make him question the feelings he'd had for her and how true they were. This relationship is special and precious to him.

"If something comes up I'll volunteer for it. Until then, I'll get to enjoy Kirkwall, and the Deep Roads, and every other hellhole that is sinking deeper into the mire thanks to Corypheus or Darkspawn or bandits or, I don't know, everything."

[circleprodigy]

Inessa nods, expression softening a little as considers that's said. "That's a fear I would rather not live with as well, so I understand." That he's self-aware is a good sign, but if he's not comfortable she won't push for it. Besides, the whole idea is a great what-if, right now.

"There are an overabundance of locations which have been rendered hellish or already were, it's true. We go where we're needed, but saying that doesn't make it any easier to deal with one such area after another." She glances around the inn, pleasantly lit and lacking in blight wolves. "I have no complaints about what I've seen of Amaranthine, though. Does Nathaniel's sister still live here?"

[justice_is_blond]

"She does."

That's another area with memories, some of them good, some of them painful. He looks through Inessa for a moment before shaking his head.

"I... I don't know if she'd want to see me again. Considering everything." Kirkwall. "But I'll call Nate on the crystal, and see what he thinks. There's a chance she still has... Well. It's been a long time. Probably not."

He realizes, on reflection, a large part of that probably made no sense to Inessa and he looks down. "Sorry. The Wardens made me give up my first cat, said it was making me too soft. I think he went to her. But he'd be old now, and I don't know if he's still around."

[circleprodigy]

Inessa shakes her head, not needing an apology. She smiles warmly, unable to resist encouraging a reunion if the cat is indeed alive. "If he is, I'm certain he would enjoy seeing you again. It's an opportunity worth investigating, isn't it?" At the very least, it will give Anders some closure, one way or another. "If you don't feel comfortable going alone, I'm willing to accompany you. At any rate, we won't be departing for another day, so there is time."

[justice_is_blond]

"I'll ask him. Thank you, Inessa." It's worth finding out, at least. With that settled, Anders leans over and gives Garahel a pat on the head. "I'll go call him now. And... Thank you for the offer, but I'd like to keep a low profile if I do go."

He stands with a nod to her, preferring to make the call in private because he knows the answer might not be one he wants anyone to overhear.