[OPEN] Smoke and Mirrors: Perendale

[minrathousian]

WHO: OPEN!
WHAT: The Inquisition's forces fight against the Venatori to prevent Corypheus from seizing power in Perendale.
WHEN: Early November.
WHERE: Perendale, Nevarra
NOTES: Violence.

On the edges of Corypheus' territory, Perendale is the site of a major Venatori offensive--a push by Corypheus' forces to take control of the city and push his influence further across Thedas. The Inquisition's forces have rallied to answer the Nevarran governor's desperate plea for support. The battle for Perendale will decide the fate of hundreds within the city's walls.

Comments

Outside Perendale; the Inquisition's camp

[minrathousian]

The Inquisition forces have eked out a camp beyond the rocky hills that overlook the city of Perendale, a Nevarran city that has been under siege by Venatori forces for several days prior to the Inquisition's arrival. The city's great Orlesian gate depicting the Lions slaying of the Dragon have been closed tight against the siege engine currently lodged against it, and scattered around it is evidence that the Venatori are here in earnest; to carry this metaphor forward toward its inevitable conclusion, it seems the Dragon is well on its way to winning, this time.

However, the Inquisition's arrival may have tipped off the Venatori that the balance of power in this particular engagement has just shifted. The bulk of the Venatori's forces have retreated enough to indicate that they're regrouping, though enough troops remain to guard the siege engine to make sabotaging it overnight implausible. The fighting will have to happen in the morning.

For tonight, you have time to prepare yourself for the fight to come by whatever means you prefer.

[OOC: This thread is primarily an opportunity for establishing and developing CR; any tactics for the assault to come have already been hashed out.]

Teren

[doneisdone]

Having left a note on her door explaining what's happening and having asked Loghain to look after Boots, Teren assumes her bases are covered and no one back home in the Wardens will make any assumptions about defecting (or abandoning). Those who know her well know how protective Teren is of Nevarra, how enraged she would become to find out that anyone, Orlais or Tevinter, has overrun it yet again.
So she's here, sharpening her knives outside her tent and being her usual glowery, taciturn self. Rather than take control of organizing the camp, she's very much keeping herself to herself and letting the others do as she please. She'll sneak in and assassinate every last Vint if she has to.
She makes a formidable impression, particularly with her newly-procured eyepatch that covers all but a line of scarring above her brow and on her cheek.

[exequy]

Kostos is being his usual glowery, taciturn self, too, albeit in more mobile form, walking around the camp in a path that circles so wide perhaps no one will recognize it as pacing. The staff in his hand has a blade at one end that could do with sharpening, but it hasn't occurred to him to try to keep himself busy that way. He's a worrier. And a prayer. His lips are moving soundlessly—you have grieved as I have; you, who made worlds out of nothing—but they stop mid-syllable when he nearly walks straight over Teren and her knives.

Whatever words Teren has deigned to speak on the journey here, they were enough for him to combine her accent and her look and hazard (key word) a guess as to her origins, with sufficient confidence to slip into his well-educated dialect of Nevarran and say, "This is not how I wanted to come back."

[limier]

Courage is fine, preparation better, but neither sinks or soothes the certainty of danger. Why should it? The brave, the prepared — they die too. That’s just how a battle works.

Eventually there’s nothing left to sharpen, no joints or plans to check and double-check; no reason to tread the ground any further to mud. She finds her way to Teren, drops down to sit a short distance beside.

"Some good the future does," Her hands fold, fingers knit on reflex (can’t fidget if they’re locked in place). "When it only changes on you."

It's been on her mind, that final flight to Haven. To mark by that place, everything should have gone wrong by now. Everything might have already.

Skadi

[iceblade]

Now, this is more like it. Skadi came for action and it seems she's finally going to see more of it. The Avvar woman is eager and restless at camp, checking and rechecking her supplies to see that all is accounted for and in peak condition. Either that, or she's often seen pacing and going through combat drills, keeping her muscles active and her wits sharp. This is also where her Spirit Warrior abilities can be witnessed, for those who haven't before. Around her well-muscled form is a cloak of arcane energy, the mark of one in touch with the Fade.

Once she's gotten that out of her system, Skadi will join those by the fire and settle down, offering a bottle to the nearest person. "Care for a swig? I've plenty to spare, thanks to Satinalia."

Re: Skadi

[judgemewhole]

James is also walking around - but that is mostly to check in with most people he knows and make sure the troops - his own people and the Inquisition soldiers - are feeling confident and are ready for the battle on the morrow.

He turns only because he hears some 'ooohs' and 'aaaaahs', and he shifts through the crowd to see what the soldiers are staring at. A smirk passed his face, before he quietly shifted through the crowd and pulled his sword, silently saluting the spirit warrior with it. Then he arched an eyebrow, asking her silently if she wanted to spar, or was she content with having everyone gape at her.

Either way, he'll hang around afterwards to get a swig of wine.

[tactical_alert]

Milady's furry head rests on Malcolm's lap, snoozing the evening away, occasionally blinking blearily at all these potential friends before yawning and shifting back to sleep. Malcolm looks less content, staring hard in the dark in the direction of the city. But the Avvar woman makes for a good distraction. He's aware of her--hard to miss her, really, though also for being stablemaster.

"Cheers," he says by way of thanks before taking the offered swig. "Shame to fight so near the holidays, but war rarely takes a break."

Inessa (Open)

[circleprodigy]

Inessa is typically quiet as she lingers at the firepit near her tent, polishing her gear and making some potions and tonics while there's downtime. Maker knows they won't have any of that before long, so she'll take advantage of that now. While she's busy, Garahel is plopped down by her side but will instantly perk up whenever someone approaches, tail wagging. Before Inessa can stop him, he'll grab a twig and drop it down at their feet, looking up hopefully.

"I hope you don't mind being recruited for a game of fetch? My hands are occupied, at the moment."

[judgemewhole]

"Only if he doesn't mind a little competition."

James drawled, as he and Interceptor walked over. Interceptor ran up to Garahel, happily sniffing his friend and hopping over to Inessa to give her a 'Hello friend!' lick, then turned around to bounce at James as he picked up the stick.

He eyed the both of them, lifting one finger. "No fighting. Whoever gets there first gets to carry it back."

Eying the distance, and open space, he tossed it off into the darkened field, glancing over at Inessa. "I have done that myself at least five times in the past few hours. I do not think my sword has ever been so sharp or my greaves so well oiled in a long time."

[in_death_sacrifice]

"Have you ever known me to refuse a game of fetch with Garahel?" Kain smirks a little as he approaches, noting that she's definitely well occupied. They'll undoubtedly need it, too, so it's best she has enough time to finish.

He turns his attention to Garahel now, reaching down to pet him fondly, before going for that twig. "I hope you're ready for a challenge, you know I throw farther than Inessa."

Fenris

[lyriumcarved]

Being so close and yet so far from the presence of Venatori has Fenris understandably on edge. He's of half a mind to go there now, to attempt doing something on his own... but he knows better than that. The numbers alone are enough to dissuade him. There's just too many of them for anyone to handle alone. So, he'll wait.

That doesn't stop him from pacing around the area, generally unable to simply settle down at the moment.

The initial assault; entering the city

[minrathousian]

Whatever tactics were determined the previous day are laid to waste as the Inquisition troops wake to the smell of fire and the sound of fighting below the hills: the Venatori have engaged the Perendale city guard, and whatever forces the Nevarran capitol could spare, in a fierce skirmish. The reason no alarm was sounded is determined quickly by the bodies of dead Inquisition scouts beyond the camp periphery. No time to squabble or pass the blame around now--it's time to act.

The Venatori's siege engine has managed to penetrate the iconic gate leading into the front of the city, but this is also where the combat is concentrated most thickly, creating a bottle-neck that prevents the Venatori from flooding into the city in earnest. However,
they have begun to roll another siege massive engine up towards a different gate, with the intention of providing another entrance into Perendale.

The Inquisition's troops must enter the city, but it is imperative that the additional siege engine be destroyed before it can create another weakness in Perendale's defenses.

[OOC: There are opportunities to kick Venatori butt at both gates, and on the battlefield that stands between the soldiers and the siege engines. There are lots of Venatori zealots as well as enchanters on the field, in addition to Inquisition forces from Skyhold as well as Kirkwall, and the Perendale city guard--this is a major battle.]

for kostos

[galvanising]

It's not the end, just the end of the beginning. The siege engines have been destroyed in a crash of flame and shrapnel, a casualty of the Inquisition's vigorous defense of Perendale. Those Venatori and soldiers that survived the assault on the walls and the bottlenecking before the gates and the explosion of the battering rams have either made their way into the city already or are fleeing now, only a few stubbornly refusing to retreat.

"Left, they're behind the carts," Nell spots movement, robes and the flash of armor nearly hidden by the wreckage of a merchant caravan. She shifts her staff back up into a ready position, low at her side but the end topped by a glowing spirit blade angled up and out, off hand just skimming along the leather wrapping on the shaft, now slick with blood. "I can't tell how many. Scare them out for me?"

[exequy]

There are times Kostos may joke about feeling used and times he may make unhappy noises about this particular sort of magic, but those times are not this time, when his blood is still rushing in his ears and someone else's is spattered down his front and his commander (former, but old habits, etc.) is giving commands.

He steps sideways until he can see one of them. A lingering wisp trails after him—a bright spot of pure curiosity, unbothered by the carnage—and where the invaders are hiding he reaches through the Veil and drags out something larger, more powerful, and not any less pure of purpose. Fear, this time. Whatever they see, with that spirit falling on them, it's enough for them to scatter, shouting.

Kostos' breath snags, too. The difference between him and every other mage who tosses that spell around is that he can feel it. But he was expecting it, so that's the only sign. He raises his staff and, so steeled, sounds dry and a little distantly bored as he points out what's now obvious: "Five."

For Inessa and anyone else who wants to tag along with them

[judgemewhole]

"You men, take the Venatori from behind!" James yelled as he slammed his helmet on, whistling for the kaddis covered Interceptor, knowing he would come to his heel as they focused on the other siege engine. "You over there - with me and Warden Serra!"

He started to run towards the other siege engine, preparing his first charge, yelling over the wind to Inessa as they moved as one deadly Inquisition wave, "You know, I should have figured the Venatori would cheat!"

[circleprodigy]

"They always do!" Inessa had anticipated as much, and it would have been stranger to be proven wrong, in this instance. She casts Barrier over herself, James and the dogs, then pauses for one more bit of supportive magic. Haste; that globe of golden light spreads rapidly, slowing the enemy forces down significantly, by comparison. It won't last too long, but enough to give them an edge. Garahel charges forward eager to taken down those nearest.

Open

[iceblade]

To say that Skadi is a force of nature on the battlefield is rather apt. The tall Avvar woman in her war paint armor races through the area, slicing her blade at every Venatori in sight. There's no hesitation and no stopping her, and her war paint becomes blood-splattered before long. Even the times a Dispel takes down her cloak of Fade energies, she summons it back as soon as possible and just keeps going. The slicing of her blade is only interrupted by the blasts of Fade energy she triggers, and if an ally seems in genuine need of assistance. Despite her battle-lust, any calls reaching her ears will snap her out of that long enough to assist.

Single post!

[judgemewhole]

"Skadi!" James called out, from Inessa's side, before gesturing to the siege weapon. "She's made it brittle! Hit it with all you've got, then pass the word down the line! We're cleaning up and moving in!"

[tactical_alert]

"We need our heaviest fighters to take out that siege engine!" It's imperative to get in, yes, but if the Venatori make another entrance, the city will be overwhelmed. Malcolm readies his bow and, with Milady racing at his side, storms ahead to start making a path.

The nice thing about having a bow that has been so nicknamed 'Punched by the Maker' is that even when he doesn't land a killing blow, he does tend to knock people off their feet. He's more than a fair shot, but with magic flying and a lot of bodies, it's still chaos. He goes for heads when he can, knees when he can't. Milady is no mabari, but she is as fierce as one when she tackles into a robed menace and seeks to sink her teeth into their throat, or barring that, doing a little herding with other dogs.

Reaching the Venatori commander; inside Perendale

[minrathousian]

Whether the siege engines have been destroyed or not, some Inquisition soldiers have managed to fight their way through the skirmish transpiring outside the main gates. What they discover is a city, once beautiful and historic, aflame and on the cusp of ruin. The streets are filled with pedestrians desperate to find shelter in the section of the city still under the control of the Perendale city guard, their flagging ranks now bolstered by Inquisition and Nevarran soldiers.

A bloodied young Inquisition captain is giving directions to the wounded and able-bodied alike, and it is she who informs the newest arrivals that the Venatori were able to smuggle a number of their forces into the city by nightfall. The Inquisition's arrival has made them wild and desperate--clearly, the added opposition was not expected--but that desperation has made them formidable, too. The Venatori are led by a magister commander who has set up his base of operations within Perendale inside the city archives, well on the other side of a field of urban combat. Kill or capture him, the captain says, and their numbers will fall apart from disorganization.

There is also the Perendale governor's offices to consider, though the bulk of the city's defensive forces are concentrated around that building to prevent the officials from being captured or killed. Nevertheless, there is doubtless an effort being put forth by the Venatori to break their ranks; another potential place for you to exert your strength and lay waste to Corypheus' minions.

[OOC: The primary objective here is to fight your way through the city to the Perendale Archives. At certain stages, there will be DM tags indicating obstacles ahead of you that will need to be overcome.]

for wren - heading for the archives

[galvanising]

By the time she reaches the city's main boulevard, Nell is covered in blood. It's spattered across her forehead and smeared across a cheek, the contrast of it--true, brilliant crimson--making her hair look more orange than usual. Darker blood drips steadily down one sleeve and the side of her ribcage, invisible against the black of her blouse except for where the light catches, and soaked patches lacquered to skin by the steady but sluggish flow glisten in the sun. Blood dries on her hands, beneath nails, cracking where knuckles bend. It sprays in artful arcs as her staff is thrust and spun, the bladed ends, one steel and one spirit, slicing through air and flesh alike with deadly precision.

She's just tugging the true blade free from the body of a soldier, a shove with the sole of her boot required to send him off to join the other corpses littering the ground at her feet, a pocket of enemy resistance summarily dispatched.

Or so it seems. There's one more, a mage tucked just out of sight behind the rubble torn from a stately home and the remains of a carriage. Nell doesn't see him until it's nearly too late, some small noise or maybe the prickle of magic being drawn or just the sixth sense of a survivor alerting her at the last possible second. But that doesn't save her either: she turns so abruptly that her boot slips on blood-soaked cobbles, tumbling onto her ass, the barrage of energy bolts she'd aimed spraying uselessly into the sky, no time to raise a barrier.

Inessa, Kain, and Carver

[judgemewhole]

Interceptor had made the path into the city for them, and James was in right after his mabari, shield up as he took in the situation. With Inessa, they had both gone quickly to their own Inquisition Captain, and gotten the gist of the situation. James pointed to where they had taken out the siege engines as places to make sure the Venatori didn't escape - and that civilians could get out to, before he and Inessa took off once more.

He called out to a few others, looking like they were ready to move out, "Come on, this way!"

Then he turned to Inessa, "What do you think? To the archives or to the governor's office?"

Capturing the commander; the Perendale Archives

[minrathousian]

You have successfully cut a swath through the Venatori forces within the city of Perendale, and have managed to enter the Perendale City Archives, a beautiful building replete with cultural and municipal memory that is now the stage of a major fight to wrest control of the city out of Corypheus' reaching grasp. The archives' interior is beautiful, full of wood paneling and marble statues, arching doorways and cavernous corridors; it is easy to imagine it full of researchers, on another day.

You don't have much of an opportunity to enjoy the view, however, as you are immediately set upon by Venatori zealots and mages intent on preventing you from reaching the commander.

[OOC: This section should be contained to ONE THREAD and will involve light DMing! Once the opponents in the entrance have been dealt with, another tag will be provided with guidance as to how to proceed next. This will continue through confronting and capturing (or killing) the Venatori commander.]

The aftermath; putting the city to rights

[minrathousian]

In the aftermath of the most intense parts of the battle, it is the responsibility of the Inquisition and Perendale city guard to chase out the last remaining vestiges of the Venatori, either capturing or killing them as is most efficient. There are also many fires (literal and figurative) burning throughout the city; helping the civilians caught in the midst of this traumatic event would do much to ingratiate the citizenry with the Inquisition.

Perendale's governor at last comes out to address all the soldiers who fought to protect his city from the Venatori, heaping praise and thanks upon all who fought and shed blood,
and lost their lives, in the fighting. He invites the Inquisition to accept what little hospitality Perendale is able to offer in the aftermath of the fighting, suggesting that whatever inns and public houses are still functioning might do well with receiving a bit of business.

[OOC: The threads under this header are effectively the denouement of the Perendale leg of the plot, and you're free to have your characters pursue whatever interests them here. Find some Venatori stragglers? Smite them! Find a tavern accepting patrons? Get drunk and hook up (or don't)! Rescue a little lost dog from a burning home?
Gain a new pet! Etc.]

[circleprodigy]

Thanks to her talent with ice magic, Inessa is rather busy putting out those literal fires for a while. Garahel is right at her side, being a faithful watchdog in case any remaining Venatori take advantage of her focus. Rest can wait until she's certain all that can be done for the time being has been accomplished.

Sooner or later, she returns to the Perendale City Archives. Given that it was the sight of a battle, it seems only natural to offer aid in restoring it...or at least energizing away any rubble. Admittedly, there is another motive; who knows when she'll have another chance to investigate its contents? The young Warden will undoubtedly spend a great deal of time within unless needed elsewhere, looking for anything that might help either of her projects...and anything else of interest.

[ooc: Either scenario is open for RP! I want her to find rune schematics, either way.]