faderift | A SEA OF DEATH

A SEA OF DEATH

WHO: Anyone/Everyone
WHAT: A trip to sunny Nevarra
WHEN: Mid-Firstfall
WHERE: Nevarra City
NOTES: Undead cw. OOC post. We highly encourage using the OOC post for plotting and especially for coordinating strategy among characters participating in Part III.

Following the successful defense of Perendale, the Nevarran crown has extended an invitation to the Inquisition to send representatives to Nevarra City to enjoy its hospitality and gratitude. Most signs point toward an uneventful, perhaps even pleasant, stay, one that could foster a closer relationship between the Inquisition and the Northeast's premier military power. Other signs, however, point toward trouble. The Inquisition has previously addressed early Venatori attempts to influence the king, but reports from agents embedded in Nevarra City indicate that these attempts have resumed. While no immediate danger is expected, everyone will be advised to be on their guard during the visit and keep an eye out for potential enemy activity.

I. TRAVEL & TAVERN

The swiftest route to Nevarra City is to first travel by sea to Cumberland, an uneventful voyage followed by half a day to rest and eat before heading up the Imperial Highway toward the capital. It isn't a large group, consisting only of staff from Kirkwall's outpost who volunteered or were ordered to make the journey, so once on land they're able to move swiftly with horses and carts and spend only one night sleeping aside the road in tents. If there are bandits along the highway, the sight of a uniformed, armed, and relatively organized force on the horizon makes them disappear long before they're reached, and the Inquisition is troubled by nothing but bad weather along the way. The paved highway makes for quick travel despite the rain, except for those who are tasked with detouring off the main road to collect a new party of rifters.

Still, the Inquisition reaches the Nevarra City well after nightfall on the second day, with no time to explore before heading straight to the tavern and inn where they'll be residing during the visit. The Crooked Bone is a large establishment near the center of the city and built for crowds, though it is clearly unprepared for quite this large a number of overnight guests, and the staff may be heard debating the wisdom of taking such a contract, having to cancel and refuse other guests to fit the whole Inquisition contingent, but apparently making a pretty penny and earning favor with some unnamed royal courtier in exchange. Even though the Inquisition has been granted exclusive use of the inn for its stay, it fills up the available rooms without anyone, no matter how high-ranking, permitted a room of their own.

But it isn't an altogether uncomfortable arrangement, and definitely preferable to sleeping in tents. There's hot food downstairs at nearly any hour, not to mention ale and wine, served at long tables in a large room with space at the center for dancing—when there's music, which there won't be now unless someone among the Inquisition wishes to provide it—and a cheery sort of atmosphere lingers despite the decor, which tends toward dark wood and skeleton motifs. It's warmed by the proliferation of lanterns of all shapes and sizes, and the fire burning merrily in every grate, which combined with the full house lends the place a surprisingly cozy feel. Plus, the Inquisition's takeover of the inn means it can maintain its own security and thus genuinely relax indoors, something that won't be so true upon venturing out into the city.

II. NEVARRA CITY

Nevarra's capital city sits on the banks of the Minanter, where the river winds down through the hills that mark the border between Nevarra and its rival Orlais. The city is tucked into a high valley, surrounded by sharp cliffs and studded with rocky spires. The few tributaries of the Minanter that once flowed through have been rerouted into a central channel that tumbles down a fake falls into a large reflecting pool in the city's main park, feeding a fountain in the shape of a trio of water-spewing dragons. The City is renowned for its art and culture, grand buildings and meticulously manicured landscaping, unusually clean cobbled streets and soaring halls carved with intricate adornment. Though no longer as large or as busy as Cumberland, it is a wealthy city, and the immaculately dressed majority will not hesitate to stare at the Inquisition interlopers in their midst. They are frank about their curiosity and also about their suspicions: Nevarra has no love for Orlais, and the Inquisition has far more close ties to the southern Empire than anyone here is comfortable with.

Originally a Tevinter stronghold, the oldest parts of the city are distinctly Imperial in style, all polished, seamless black marble, like the columns that line the boulevard leading from the heart of the city up to the Castrum Draconis, where King Markus holds court. The way to the royal fortress is lined with statues, the finest examples of the hundreds of figures that exist throughout the city, likenesses of every hero and dragon-slayer, kings and generals. At this time of year, each noble family honors its famous ancestors with processions, marching through the city to drape their family's statues in the house colors.

These parades take many forms, from the loud and gaudy to the solemn and torchlit, attended by thousands or just a handful. The richest houses hire troupes of actors to man the streets beside the statues of their predecessors, costumed and acting out the most famous triumphs of their subject's life. This year, as the king's health declines, the competing efforts of the Pentaghasts and Van Markhams and their respective supporters take on a new urgency. Every theater in Nevarra has been emptied and some further afield too, to fill the long, black marble boulevard before the castle with players staging elaborate recreations of dragon hunts and historic battles. Accusations of sabotage, petty turf wars, or players making impromptu cameos in their rivals' shows raise tempers ever higher and the unlucky or unwary may be caught in the midst of a street brawl as tensions threaten to spill over.

The situation in the court itself is no less fraught, though the simmering anxiety is more successfully kept behind closed doors. The King is old, and that he is failing is no longer a secret. His mind has not gone, but his strength has, and he is only capable of brief spates of sharp attention before the effort exhausts his resources and he begins to drift or doze. He is constantly attended by a rotating trio of Mortalitasi, his most trusted companions. He holds court for roughly an hour a day, perhaps two if he is feeling especially hale, and courtiers are in constant competition to be among the few blessed with the king's personal attention. All other business is handled by a handful of advisors, most of long standing. While the Inquisition's representatives are welcomed, and official gratitude expressed for the assistance at Perendale, they may find the reception rather cool overall. The nobility is particularly wary, of Orlesian influence, foreign or Chantry factions meddling in the succession, of the potential threat to Nevarra if the sleeping dragon of the Imperium is poked too hard. It will take careful and strategic mingling indeed to begin to truly win anyone here over.

III. THE NECROPOLIS

Toward the end of the Inquisition's stay, a rare invitation will be extended to its members: an opportunity to tour the Grand Necropolis outside of Nevarra City, proffered out of awareness that its customs are seen as barbaric to outsiders and in hopes that a better understanding of Nevarra's customs will facilitate a better working relationship. The Inquisition will not require any particular person to attend the tour. It is a delicate subject, and one that may rightly make many people squeamish or afraid. But it would be rude not to send representatives, so those who are willing and curious enough to agree will be sent to meet Tivadar Nancollas, one of the Mortalitasi, at the entrance.

Within the walls, the Necropolis is nearly large enough to be a city of its own, were any of its population alive. It is divided into a warren of countless crypts, wound through with passageways. Those maintained by Nevarra's ancient families are enormous and ornate, paths as wide as real streets leading through a maze of oversized statuary and gilded rooms fit for living nobility. Others are smaller and simpler. Some belong to families that have since died out entirely and have fallen into disrepair, though the Mortalitasi see still to the remains within. There are vast public crypts as well, where the inexpertly mummified bodies of Nevarra's poor and nameless are housed en masse if delivered to the Necropolis from outlying communities. The one constant is the smell: the pervasive spicy-sweet aroma of the incense burned in censers throughout the Necropolis, heavy enough to cling to clothes and hair for hours afterwards, and give headaches to those unused to the scent.

As the group passes each crypt, Tivadar names its owner and perhaps some of the better-known figures residing within. The Pentaghast crypt is particularly enormous, and he guides the group inside, past the crowd of still and staring dead, for a brief glimpse at King Caspar still and silent on his throne, crown atop the wispy remains of his hair, finery conspicuously new yet crafted in the style of ages past, the blade of the sword laid across his lap still razor-sharp.

In contrast to the enraged corpses that may have climbed out of bogs or emerged from caves to attack Inquisition agents in their past travels, these possessed corpses are remarkably sedate. They do move: they may blink or turn their heads to watch someone pass, eyes (or eye sockets, depending on the age and wealth of the deceased) glowing with the presence of something otherworldly. But they seem content with watching, until—

(There's always an until.)

—deep in center of the Necropolis, where some of the oldest crypts are falling into ruin and even the Mortalitasi's careful work can't keep all the skin on the corpses' bones, Tivadar disappears—magic, perhaps, or a trick door, or some combination of the two—and the sealed door to a nearby crypt creaks open.

The corpses that lurch out of it are not sedate. They're rabid and grasping, red-eyed, and ready to claw and bite and pursue the Inquisition through the Necropolis' streets. These first enraged mummies count among the poor and poorly kept—they're numerous, but unarmed, brittle. As they push the Inquisition back through the streets, however, their presence seems to awaken the mummies that had previously sat or stood calmly elsewhere. Some of them retreat deeper into their crypts as if frightened. Others do not retreat, but join the swarm in attack. And the further the fighting progresses toward the doors, with the red-eyed corpses stirring each crypt they pass too close to to action, the better preserved and better armed the dead become, until they are wielding swords with names and clad in the dragon-scale armor of the royal houses themselves.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I. Tavern

Thank the Six, they're finally out of the rain. And in a cozy inn, no less. Prompto's glad, almost to the point of giddy, to be dry and warm. His wet clothes are hanging to dry in his room (which he shares with Kirk, Sam, Gareth and Saoirse - damn it do not blush about that again!!) and now he's sitting down in the tavern proper, scarfing down a hot meal and a pint of cider to go with it. It's the simple pleasures like this and being off his feet that make a difference, and he finds himself humming along to whatever song is being sung at the moment.

Looking around, he nods appreciatively at the decor. It reminds him a bit of Insomnia, with the darker themes. "This place certainly lives up to its name, no bones about it." Ahahahahaaaaa... feel free to shove him off of his chair for that pun.

II. Nevarra City

A. Photog

It's not easy taking pictures in stealth mode. In fact, it's really, really difficult. Often times he has to hide the camera under something, leaving just enough room for the lens and hope no one notices as he takes shots of the scenery and people. Needless to say, he doesn't take terribly many: film is limited, after all. But he's always willing to take pictures for people! ...for a price. Nothing unreasonable. In fact, perhaps you saw a flyer he put up in the tavern offering his services. For just a few silver, you get to have yourself immortalized forever in a still shot.

B. Parades

While Prompto does miss Kirkwall a bit - mostly the familiarity with it, and not to mention his cat - Nevarra City has plenty to entertain. Despite the tense undertone in the festivities going on - something about a dying king and successors - Prompto does his best to ignore it as he grins and watches the parades go by. At some point he winds up with a colored cloth draped around his shoulders. Colors of some house or other, he doesn't know. He's too busy soaking in the atmosphere and watching everything take place.

He leans over at one point during a play and whispers, "Uh, is that supposed to be a dragon?" Clearly someone in the props department did a rush job. It doesn't help that Prompto has little idea what the play is about or what it's supposed to be commemorating.

III. Necropolis

It sounded good in theory, seeing this underground crypt city. Creepy, maybe, but still interesting. It reminds him of the tombs of the kings Noctis had to visit to gain the royal arms. Just... much bigger. And apparently with mummies and zombies.

At least he came armed, per the recommendation of a few people. He's got a short sword strapped to his side and a dagger hidden away. Not his usual go-to weapons, but bringing a bow and arrows seemed a bit much. Hopefully they wouldn't be needed and his leather armor would just be for show.

So naturally, that didn't wind up being the case.

"Hey, where'd that Tivadar guy go? Did we miss a-" And that's when he sees it further down a ways: a pair of red eyes, followed by another, then another, all shambling towards the group. And boy do they look unhappy. Prompto draws his sword. "I think they forgot to mention the interactive portion in the program."

Garahel growls loudly even before the pair of red eyes and more are spotted. He's all alert tension now, ready to strike when they come closer. Recoiling from the sight, Inessa is nonetheless too well-trained to freeze up at the first sign of trouble. Almost automatically, she casts Barrier spell over them, and sets an array of ice mines just before herself. Then she assumes a defensive position, staff raised.

"A trap, lovely. Let's show them we're not so easily caught, hm?"

He could argue they got caught rather easily, but that doesn't mean they're gonna go down without a fight. But now is so not the time for a semantics battle. It's time for a real battle. With weapons and what's sure to be icky zombie guts everywhere.

It's like a bad horror movie. "Here goes nothing." Prompto wishes he had his bow and arrow so he could pick them off from a distance. But of course not, he's doomed to be a walking zombie meat explosion. As soon as the first one draws near, Prompto swings his sword, cutting through the first undead rather easily. But it doesn't take long before more show up, ambling towards him.

To try and take some heat off Prompto, Inessa casts Pull of the Abyss, carefully placing it so that she can draw in some of the undead to each other without harming either on her side. She then casts Veilstrike to knock them to the ground, weakening them and buying a little more time.

Not all of the undead are caught in her spell, though. One manages to reach an ice mine before being encased in it, while Garahel overwhelms another with his weight and jaws. The undead doesn't go down easily, though, and it's all Garahel can do to keep it from wriggling out of his hold.

Prompto shouts a "thanks!" over his shoulder to her before he goes after the undead on the ground. Taking advantage of them being exposed, he brings his blade down on their necks, cutting off the heads. It's like in the horror movies: only sure way to kill them is to lop off the head. He manages to do this to a few of them before he hears Garahel attacking one.

Turning around, he sees some swarming towards Inessa, and Garahel struggling with one. He abandons the rest of the undead and runs back towards them. Just as the zombie in Garahel's jaws begins to wiggle free, Prompto swoops in with a hard slash, cutting across its chest and staggering it.

Before the undead encased in the ice mine manages to break free, Inessa casts Stonefist to slam into the creature, shattering it. Garahel lets out a bark of thanks, then turns and growls at more approaching.

"Stand back a moment!" Not wanting anyone else but undead to be caught in her most potent offense spell, Inessa strikes the ground and unleashes Firestorm. If flaming meteors pelting the swarm of undead doesn't thin out their numbers, she's not certain what will.

Oh no not this again. Prompto has a brief flashback to that rift they closed, when they all first arrived in Kirkwall. Once again, he finds himself sprinting out of the area of attack before the fireballs rain down. Even from a distance, he can feel the heat.

Once it's over, the herd does seem to be thinned out, at least for now. But distant groans and the sound of more fighting elsewhere indicate it won't stay peaceful for long. "We should try and make a break for the exit while there's a lull."

Inessa and smiles briefly over at Prompto, gesturing for Garahel to stay in close. "Right. Let's keep a lookout; at the first sighting of anything, I'll cast Haste to speed us up." She'd prefer to be sure they absolutely need it, not knowing how much strength they'll need to conserve just to get out of here.

"Oh wow, you can make us go faster?" he inquired in fascination as he began to move, keeping his sword out just in case as they begin to head for the exit. Or, at least the way that seemed like the exit.

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tavern;

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parades

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