{ OPEN } I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard

[aceso]

WHO: Christine and OPEN
WHAT: One more mage with an unaccounted for phylactery is suffering.
WHEN: mid-Guardian
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: OOC notes and a general warning for pain and torture.

For those who take notice of such things, the usually busy Knight-Enchanter Delacroix has all but disappeared from public view. Every day, some spell is cast upon her, and because several have an area of effect, no one is safe if they're near her. She stays holed up in her office, trying to sort through paperwork and hoping it doesn't catch on fire. Her work in the infirmary and her research lab has ceased completely; she can't risk what she might do to the area or those within range.

But Christine still needs to eat, talk to collegues, and return home to Lowtown at the end of the day. And so she can be seen several times experiencing the affects of a terrible spell. The question is, will others be caught in it too?

{ ⚡ shock (aoe) ⚡ }
Avoiding as much of the Gallows as possible should be an easy task because she has an office, but Christine finds that runners are in short supply at the moment, and she has to deliver certain messages and reports herself. All is going well until she finds herself nearing the infirmary on the second floor. She merely wants to pass on some notes to people like Carlos and Sam before leaving again, but before she gets to the door a blast of electricity hits her body and arcs across the walls and floor. Her body goes rigid as the spell runs its course, finally releasing her (and anyone else unfortunate enough to be caught up in it) and causing her to hobble to the wall to lean against it for support. She mumbles an Orlesian curse word and closes her eyes. How much more of this can her body take?

{ ❄️ blizzard (aoe) ❄️ }
Anyone that has reason to be on the seventh floor of the central tower where the project offices are might be feeling a little frosty, and on following the chill, they might just freeze solid for as long as eight seconds before the spell ends. Once it's over, the hallway is still a little slick with ice, and following it will lead one to the Red Lyrium project head's office. Knocking on the door will result in a voice calling out, "Enter!" and the sight behind the door is an office covered in frost, with one very cold mage throwing kindling into the fireplace and lighting it.

"Were you caught in it?" Christine releases a sigh. "This is ridiculous. We can no longer sit here doing nothing about this issue."

{ 👊 stonefist 👊 }
Christine peers outside her office to make sure the coast is clear before she leaves for the day. Her gait is brisk and with purpose as she tries to escape back home as quickly as possible. Of course fate would be cruel, and as she's descending the stairs to the first floor of the central tower a large stone materializes in the air and slams into her ribs, sending her flying down the steps to land in a battered heap at the bottom. For a moment she's still, but then she makes a pained sound that at least alerts those nearby that she's still alive.

{ 🃏 wildcard 🃏 }
The other spells affecting Christine are Sleep (AOE), Paralyze, Fireball (AOE), Chain Lightning (AOE), Earthquake (AOE), or Entropic Cloud (AOE). If any of those tickle your fancy, hit me up via PM, plurk (megoom), or discord (megoom #2520) to hash out details and get a custom starter.

Comments

[aceso]

Once seated, Christine continues working on her injuries. The Stonefist only hit her ribs, but the tumble down the stairs did more. The magical healing energy penetrates her body, slowly mending muscle and bone. She makes a vague noise of pain as a rib bone is repaired, but she grits her teeth and continues.

"I suppose they will want to know, but at this point, I worry about my loved ones being anywhere near me." There's a pause before she says, "Sam has, yes." It's already dangerous for Christine and Inessa to be in the same place at once, but it will grow even more so if Sam arrives too. Christine hates this. As speculated, whoever is causing this probably wants them to feel isolated and alone.

[circleprodigy]

"We need protection runes, to be sure. It won't stop this, but it will mitigate the worst of it. It would also help for every mage to know Dispel...." Inessa looks Christine over anxiously while speaking, ready to contribute with more healing if the assistance is required. "I have the same concerns; I don't want to harm those I care about, or random civilians. This will only lead to isolation, which may be just what they want."

[aceso]

Christine makes a vague displeased noise as she hears this. "I despise Dispel. I have had my friendly magic dispelled before, but one of your fellow Wardens, in fact." And the fact that he didn't understand how utterly terrifying and insulting that was to her had been a thorn in her side for quite some time, until she realized he treated everyone with the same utter disregard. At least he wasn't targeting mages specifically.

"Probably," she adds, moving from her hunched over position to carefully sit more upright, testing to see if all the damage to her ribs is now gone. Feeling much better, she now moves to her neck and head, the latter of which has a bump forming.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa pauses from inspecting the forming bump that Christine is taking care of herself anyway, and frowns at mention of an unwanted Dispel on her friend. It's not something she remembers hearing about before, but with everything that's happened a use of Dispel wouldn't exactly surprise her. "I...what? Did this happen recently?"

[aceso]

She wouldn't have heard of it, since everyone who witnessed it thought nothing of it but that Christine was being hysterical for her reaction of simply walking away from the group to get away from Alistair. Only Bruce had cared enough to come check on her.

"No, it was ages ago. At least over a year. But I do not forget such things. When a Warden with Templar abilities waves away your protective barrier with a hand like how dare you think you have the right to protect someone, you do not forget the insult. Nor the fear."

[circleprodigy]

A Warden with Templar abilities.... "Alistair."

Her lips form a thin line, not pleased at hearing about any of this. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Christine. I did not see it, but I don't condone it in the slightest."

She sighs, looking down. "But the fact remains that others might be in need of it, nonetheless. If I experience Crushing Prison again, for the love of the Maker, dispel it or get someone else to do so." She shudders at the very thought, then looks her over again. "...how are you feeling now?"

[aceso]

"If only all Wardens had as much sense as you." Or maybe Alistair's mind has just started to go. Isn't that what happens to all of them? She's certainly not going to ask Inessa.

"Crushing Prison," she says, a brief wave of nausea hitting her at the very thought. It's a spell she's never even learned, because she couldn't fathom doing that to a person. Sure, she's fine with shooting elemental spells at someone, but Crushing Prison goes too far. It's why she doesn't use entropy spells either.

"Now? I am still sore, but that will fade." She tenderly pokes at her head, feeling the bump has receded, but there is still a vague soreness there. Her neck gets a brief rub with a healing spell, because something was pulled when she landed. The ribs and ankle still hurt a bit, but not enough for her to worry about. She tolerates a little pain every now and again, and with how much she and Faith have worked on healing, she wants a break from having to concentrate on it.

"Thank you for helping me. I cannot say how I would have started healing myself, had you not started for me."

[circleprodigy]

Not in the mood to go on a defense of the Grey Wardens even if she had the energy (she doesn't), Inessa takes that comment in stride. Christine has every right to feel the way she does, and right now there are far more urgent matters than what her fellow Wardens have done. She might complain to Ciri or Kain in private, though.

A small, tired but genuine smile forms at that. "You're welcome, of course. How could I not return the favor, after that fireball? Since this pattern shows no signs of ending, we have to look out for each other. It's the only way we'll get through this." If they get through this, but she keeps that dark thought to herself. Voicing it aloud makes it seem worse, and they have enough horror to deal with as it is.

"Don't stand before you're ready, though."

[aceso]

"True. I would prefer it if as few people as possible were drawn into our woes. We mages can support one another." One more rub to her neck and she slowly rotates her head, feeling only a little pull.

"I think I am ready to go home. I promise I will not exert myself there." So Church is on dinner duty.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa nods and offers a hand as she stands. "At least allow me to help you to the ferry. It's not a long walk, but still. I'd rather see you off with my own eyes, if you don't mind."

[aceso]

Taking the offered hand, Christine rises to her feet, giving a grateful smile. "I welcome the company." Were it someone she wasn't as friendly with, she'd be annoyed and feel like she was being babied. That's her job, though she never looks at things in those terms. She's being concerned, that's all! But Inessa is a dear friend and so the offer is taken easily enough.

She walks slowly so as not to strain her ankle, and soon they're out in the light of the setting sun.