faderift | what is a man [OPEN]

The Wounded Coast is no different than any description that one Varric Tethras would have described in any of his adventures regarding the Champion; the smell of the sea impossible to ignore, the weather far from fair and drizzling cold water. Mist threatens to climb up from the rocks below as crashing waves claw up furiously from the ocean. Just as charming as one might aniticpate from the name of such of a location.

Perhaps you are here because the Inquisition has requested it of you; a sighted Venatori camp has placed itself here somewhere, and you've been asked to investigate. Or, perhaps you are simply on your way back to Kirkwall and happen to notice something is odd and you decided to observe it out of curiosity. No matter the reason, you are here now:

The rocks do well to obscure the camp mostly from vision, but it's the distant noise that no doubt gives it away: the sound of shouting echoes from the open mouth of a cave. One without magic cannot pass, but one who is a mage will notice that the entrance is blockaded by a barrier.

Once that has been bypassed, if you are all careful, the inside shows the camp: tents and torches all arranged. Some of them are working, frowning at the noise and working conditions, but most of them are jeering and yelling enthusiastically as a fight is taking place in the center of the gathering. A Qunari woman and man are fighting each other. Though the man is armed, she is only fitted with a pair of gauntlets -- yet, she does well for herself.

In the end, she disarms him, throwing him down before grabbing him by the horns and forcing his neck to snap with a loud CRNCH that echoes the cave.

The crowd cheers, blind to your arrival.

Requested by the Inquisition, Skadi isn't one to refuse when it involves two of her favorite things. Namely, killing Venatori and getting out of the city for a while. She'll dismount from her hart upon reaching the mouth of the cave, then frowns as the barrier prevents her passage.

"Shite." She sighs and glances over to whoever has decided to join her either out of assignment or curiosity. "Can you undo this, or do I need to head all the way back to Kirkwall for someone who can?" That would be well and truly annoying, but if that's what it takes....

He gives the woman a slightly confused look before he senses what's stopping her. It's... designed to let only mages through? That's fascinating, and at any other time he'd want to have time to study it but the party needs to pass.

"I can dispel it," Anders says, pulling the staff off his back slowly as he does as much sensing of the thing he can. It's not enough to truly figure the spell out, but at least he has a vague shape to go off of by the time he's casting and removing the barrier.

"There we go. You can pass now."

The barrier comes away at Anders' casting.

Within the cave, there are guards posted, but they seem distracted by the humbly sized arena that they've arranged for themselves.

"Does anyone else wish to pit one of theirs against my ox?" one of the Venatori asks mockingly.

"Tiberius, some of us are working," another sneers by one of the tents. "Perhaps you should do the same."

"Thanks."

Skadi takes point, grateful that neither of them are in heavy armor, as they aren't loudly announcing their presence. That gives them a moment to listen in before it's time to deal with their enemies. She listens in with a small frown, realizing they have a captive or slave, if not more. Well, that's all the more reason to take down the lot of them. She draws her greatsword, expecting trouble sooner than later and quite willing to cleave her way through it.

He nods to her, though his shoulders slump a little as she pulls her weapon.

"Oh. Good. It's another day ending in y, then." There's always a fight. Why? He's not sure. At least she's got a big sword, though. He prefers to have one of those on his side when they're not joined with a certain flame.

Inevitably, a fight initiates; that's usually how these things go, after all.

The Venatori, whether mage or soldier, react swiftly and are prepared to fight back. What is not entirely anticipated is the enormous Qunari woman who slams her clawed gauntlets into the back of one man's skull, and she snarls as she leaps into the fray.

"TIBERIUS!" she roars, charging in, running by the lot of you. Presumably the named man freezes in place when his name is howled in such a way, then he frantically spins out his staff to prepare to fight her.

Better get fighting, Inquisition.

Skadi almost wants to stand back and watch the magnificent qunari woman at work, appreciating the sheer power of her strikes. It's a thing of beauty, in her opinion, and were it not for concern that a distraction could be deadly, she wouldn't be shy in sharing that.

As it is, the Avvar warrior woman goes with her usual routing and activates her fade cloak, the purple energies shimmering around her and serving as much-needed protection. Then it's time to heft her blade of ice and slam it downward for an earthshaking strike. She grins all the while, perfectly in her element and enjoying a good throw-down.

Anders personally steps back. He's not wearing armor and there are a lot of people here. After a beat he's throwing barriers up around allies while trying his best to make sure his back is to a wall and he can't get circled around.

Right now he's waiting for the charge and attack, because there's still a chance there are civilians here and he'd like to not wind up setting them ablaze this time.

You do what you do best: the Venatori are dealt with, no man left alive, your inexplicable ally assisting as she strikes down any that faces her until she reaches her goal. You do well for yourself; it's what you're here for, after all.

But when she finally reaches the man named Tiberius, she reaches out and grabs the hand holding his staff, crushing it in her armored fingers.

Though he cries out in pain, he grits his teeth and hisses at her, "I am your master! You will kneel!"

"No," the woman says coldly. "I kneel before no one again."

With her other hand, she slams her clawed fingers into his jaw, growling as she rips it messily off before she drops him to the ground. Lifting up a foot, she proceeds to stomp his face in, hardly paying much heed to anyone else around her just yet.

...well. Skadi,covered here and there with the blood of the Venatori she helped kill, straightens and looks in the direction of Notas. The Avvar woman stares in awe, more openly now since the Venatori are no longer a threat. She steps over the corpses, placing her ice blade on her back once more.

"Now that was a fight! Where's your fucking Elder One now, arseholes?" She kicks a corpse with a booted foot, before striding on over to pause and admire the qunari woman's handiwork. Crossing her arms, she smirks down at the mess. "What a piece of shite. At least he finally got what was coming to him, eh?"

As the woman approaches -- Avvar, she thinks, but certainly Inquisition -- Notas stops. What remains of Tiberius and his skull is a mess of meat, and somehow that is not quite enough. Still, it will have to do.

She turns to face the human woman, addressing her.

"My only regret is that it was not sooner." Notas lifts her chin, then gestures to the metal collar locked around her throat.

"I need assistance in having this removed."

Right, talking about revenge and bloodlust can wait in light of that collar. She narrows her eyes at it before crouching down to the mess that is Tiberius.

"He'd have a key on him, aye? I'll check...."

If there's one to be had, his bloody mess isn't likely to turn her stomach. She's seen far worse, in her time.

Quietly, Notas watches Skadi, silently approving of her lack of disgust or judgment. The help, of course, is also appreciated. These people owe her nothing. It does make her somewhat suspicious inherently, but she isn't writing them off just yet.

"You are Inquisition. Are you not?" she asks, tilting her head slightly.

Eventually, Skadi will find a notable key that's chained to Tiberius' belt. With a cut of a knife, the belt will come away neatly and allowing Skadi to take the key.

"Aye, that I am. I'm Skadi Iceblade, formerly of White Wolf Hold in the Frostbacks. We were told about the Venatori here, and came to wipe the buggers out."

Snagging a knife from her own belt, she slices Tiberius' and takes the key, and leans in to get to work on that lock. She can't help but appreciate that this qunari woman is only a few inches taller than herself, making it easier to aid her.

"Then I am grateful."

Though she does eye Anders and any other mages present with wariness, but they have technically assisted her. She will say little else about it right now.

The lock eventually pops open, and Notas is quick to take it off and throw it to Tiberius' corpse. "Ebadim vashedan Vints, ebra-hissal eva-lok defransdim!" she snarls, spitting at what remains of him. There is the irrational, angry part of her that desires to further desecrate his corpse, but there's no point. The deed is done, and she is free. Likely.

"I am Tal-Vashoth. Though I have no name, Tiberius and the others began to call me Notas. It will do." She pauses, then narrows her eyes. "I would like to assume my freedom. If not, I will kill you and your friends."

...well, now she has a reason to learn Qunlat. Skadi just raises her eyebrows at the shouting, and then again at Notas' bald statement. She shakes her head, quick to reassure.

"I would never work to take away another's freedom, Notas. That's not what the Inquisiton's about and if it was, I'd leave. Freedom is everything to my people. You're welcome to join us on the way back to Kirkwall, but you're free to go wherever you'd like. I'd not think to stop you." If she even could; that muscular frame of the qunari's is giving even her doubts.

There is a pause as Notas considers. Though she knows little of the Avvar, it sounds correct to what she knows. More importantly, the Inquisition has been an enormous thorn in the Venatori's side -- also a good point. Though she is less than thrilled at the sight of the mage with this woman, they both had done well to ensure none of the slaves were killed in the crossfire.

Though wary, Notas speaks regardless, "If I go with you, will I see more Venatori?"

At that, Skadi chuckles and nods. "Oh aye, without a doubt! I swear we killed piles of them in Nevarra. But they're like roaches, you know; there's always more somewhere else. Don't worry, there'll be plenty of fun to go around."

At this news, Notas chuckles and smiles sharply. "Then I will go with you to your Inquisition. Many more Venatori to slay. To you and your mage friend, you have my thanks."

"I should be thanking you, it's not often I get to see fury like that. It was a thing of wonder." Skadi's smile is genuine, still a bit dazzled. Then she glances around the area. "Is there anything we should take with us? A potion stash, schematics that can be useful?"

what is a man [OPEN]

ARRIVAL

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FIGHT

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AFTERMATH

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and she's not turned on any less by that

BEAUTIFUL

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