faderift | OPEN ↠ HEART LIKE ICE

OPEN ↠ HEART LIKE ICE

WHO: New Rifters & Inquisition Members
WHAT: A journey south to make new friends and kick some ass
WHEN: Drakonis 15-25
WHERE: Sunless Lands
NOTES: Violence and language assumed. Warn for anyting else. OOC post.

The Sunless Lands are not, in fact, sunless. This time of year there can be as many as eight hours of daylight, some of it blinding where it reflects off of snow and ice that stretches from the southern edge of the Kocari Wilds as far as anyone can see, broken only occasionally by rocky masses of land jutting out of the snow cover or barren tundra peeking out in patches where constant, unforgiving wind has pushed it aside. You'll be traversing this span primarily on foot—there are sleighs, too, pulled by hardy dogs, but they're carrying essential supplies rather than spare people. The only way to get a ride is to successfully feign passing out.

Beyond the dogs, the area isn't devoid of native wildlife: white fennecs hunt rodents underground, and a herd of excessively fluffy wild druffalo is seeking out whatever vegetation it can find. But hunting down a meal or two early and preserving rations for further south would not be a bad idea, because the further south the team travels, the more inhospitable the terrain grows, and the less life can be seen. And sometimes not much of anything can be seen, when clouds roll by and burst with snow thick enough to halt progress entirely for hours.

The nights are cloudy as often as clear, but when they are clear the sky is split by green and purple ribbons of light.

I. THE RESCUE

Two days' journey south, the monotonously icy horizon is broken by something new: smoke rising in interrupted puffs, an intentional signal. Someone is out there. Chances are, it's the rifters, with or without their first group of intended rescuers. But there's no way to be sure. And approaching with caution is wise either way. Rifters have strange powers (and strange personalities), and they've been out here for days now, dealing with demons and Maker knows what else on their own. For all anyone knows, they could be the reason for the rescue team's disappearance. Orders are to approach carefully.

Then, once contact has been made and initial concerns have been allayed, make sure those poor people have something to eat, and try to figure out where their original rescuers disappeared to.

II. THE STORM

After the rifters are recovered, there's still the matter of the red lyrium mine to address. Another two days' journey south will put the group within good range of the mine: not so close as to be seen, but close enough to be able to get there in a couple of hours as needed.

Halfway there, however, in the middle of the day, progress comes to an abrupt half when the darkest clouds yet gather suddenly on the horizon and barrel down on the group, bringing with them a glut of snow that reduces visibility to only a few feet and wind that roars so loudly you have to shout to be heard. Magic can help some with heat, but the storm shows little sign of quickly abating and with hours of deadly cold conditions to deal with, digging in and getting cozy for a few hours might be the most feasible solution for everyone.

III. THE VILLAGE

Shortly before the point everyone is aiming for—one marked by an enormous stone carving of an owl, several times taller than a man, that's inexplicably been left by the ancients in the center of the tundra—something else appears not far to the west. On closer inspection, it turns out to be a circle of low-sitting animal-skin tents pressed down into the snow to protect them from wind, rocky fire pits, and abandoned sleighs. Overall, it's a cross between camp and village indicative of a nomadic group that's staying a while but not forever.

It's empty now, with a coating of snow on most of the structures that indicates it's been at least a few days since anyone was here. Closer inspection reveals personal belongings inside the tents, including toys and clothing belonging to children—and, in many tents, chunks of red lyrium in the center or beneath the skins that form the beds, each piece emanating heat. They probably thought it was safer than fire.

Wherever they went, they don't come back while the Inquisition is there. But the activity does get noticed. A few hours after arrival, enormous white bears apparently moving in a pack come within a hundred yards of the camp and pace at a distance, watching the interlopers with wary interest. Some of them are wearing collars or harnesses decorated in the same style as the tents. For enough food, they may come closer, and they'll turn out to be abnormally tame.

IV. THE BATTLE

The red lyrium mine that Corypheus' followers built when their operations were crippled in Emprise du Lion is nestled in an icy canyon, with massive scaffolding built up the sides of the cliff and too many cages to count, though few of them hold living prisoners anymore. It's a massive operation, but one that's been crippled by its distance from civilization. It's sparsely guarded compared to its size, and other than the cliffs, it has minimal natural protection. The enemy has magic-silencing Templars, enormous behemoths, and a chained white-furred giant, but they are clearly not prepared to be attacked.

Ahead of the onslaught, traps are set and any surviving prisoners are evacuated under cover of darkness. Everyone else sent to fight either creeps down shortly before dawn, rappelling quietly to avoid notice in the dark, or waits at the top for the first surprise strike to provide enough distraction for them to descend more openly. If anyone has been particularly nice to the bears (see above) then it is entirely possible they'll allow themselves to be ridden into battle.

Once their presence is known, their orders are pretty simple. Destroy it all. Leave no one behind and nothing worth returning for.

Fire is a good strategy. Red lyrium doesn't do well in heat.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

III.a

[ This was extremely worrying. Beleth had been one of the first to start inspecting the makeshift village, and the more she sees, the less she likes it. The personal belongings left about mean that wherever the villagers had gone, they hadn't intended on it being long-term. And yet, the snow hinted that it was.

The deadly cherry on top of it all is the red lyrium. Beleth kneels down inside one of the tents, and cautiously examines the crystals. ] Just hope I don't get accused of smuggling it again. [ It's a low mutter, as she picks one up from under a bed. Said a little louder: ]

They had no idea what they were dealing with. Those poor people.

III.b

[ To say these bears were big would be the understatement of this age. She'd thought that the grizzly bears in the Hinterlands had been large, having half a foot on her when on all fours. These ones were...bigger. Way bigger.

Beleth does not attempt to tempt the bears with food, instead observing them from a distance. A safe distance. Others may be braver, but they aren't as snack-sized. ]

Did the villagers really keep them as pets? I suppose they would make good security, but--I can't imagine trying to ride one.

IV.

[ During the battle, Beleth stays away from the bulk of the fighting. That doesn't mean that she doesn't participate, of course. A large boulder has proven an excellent perch, and from there she fires her electric arrows into the fray.

Each one takes time. She has various vials, from which she pours foul-smelling liquids onto her arrows. She gets on one knee, lines up the shot, and lets the arrow fly. It may not be a quick volley, but each arrow hits its mark or close to it, with a clear impact. Electricity dances across her bow and the arrows, and each one that hits its target sends a harsh shock to them, shortly followed by the poison she's put on them.

It's careful work, that takes her full concentration. Which is probably why she doesn't notice one of the red templar knights approaching her from the side. ]

Jang follows Beleth into one of the tents. "So...what is that stuff anyway? Seems useful...Nice and warm in this wasteland." Jang picks up a shard, letting it warm her fingers.

"It's a corrupted stone that kills anyone who's had prolonged contact with it, and turns them into mutated monsters with the stuff growing out of their very skin." Beleth replies calmly, watching the other woman hold it. "But if you'd like to keep it, by all means."

Jang looks over at Beleth and carefully sets the rock back down. "You know, I realize I'm new here, and maybe you have a procedure or a orientation that I missed. Not ungrateful, just, you know, a note. For next time, take it or leave it, maybe lead with that, perhaps a helpful list, something like 'These things look harmless but will in fact kill you horribly.'"

Jang looks at Beleth, sarcasm dripping from every word. "Just a thought."

Edited 2018-03-20 22:15 (UTC)

They seem well suited to the climate, at least.

[ Solas is not particularly keen on the bears himself, if he's to be honest - he'd rather not engage with something that, historically, he and his travelling companions have been trying to kill - but they do not seem to be too much of a threat as it stands. Shaking his head, he moves to stand at Beleth's side, watching the beasts from a distance. ]

Could they not also be useful as a form of transportation? To carry their items, their homes, their supplies? [ And, aha, his lips twitch just a little. ] It is almost comparable to the Dalish.

[ Beleth offers a sideglance to Solas when he approaches and begins speaking, before turning her gaze back to the bears. His assessment is met with a small hum, as she studies them. The comparison to bears isn't met with any vitriol--mostly because she didn't know enough about the place these bears had in the society. Were they simply pets? Or were they companions, partners, as the halla are to the Dalish? ]

There's a Dalish man--currently away on a mission--who once convinced multiple people that halla were carnivores and the Dalish regularly fed trespassing shemlen to them. [ Snort. ] As if we'd let them eat something so unhealthy.

I suspect that such a tale would be easier to pull with these beasts. They might even be true. I hope that we get to meet the people who live here. I'd like to speak to them about the bears.

[ It's not a difficult assessment to make, at least, and Solas speaks not to fill the silence with idle words but to hear more of what this woman thinks. He's started to learn a little more about her over the last few weeks and he can admit, at least to himself, some curiosity. ]

People know so little of the Dalish that any fairy story will be given merit. [ Which is foolish, because anything the Dalish tell other people tends to be a fabrication; they have no true knowledge of their own history. At least he appreciates that it was intended as a bit of humour and offers Beleth something like a smile. ]

It does beg the question of how they were tamed. Perhaps they were raised into domesticity, or they were captured and trained... Whoever carried out that task must have been brave indeed.

Well, plenty of us have put in significant effort to ensure that. [ There's a pause as she contemplates--She has her own opinions about that, but it's something she's only talked about with a trusted few outside of the People. Better to present solidarity, than to let her thoughts show any conflict within the clans. ] I suspect that some of us joining the Inquisition has...had some impact on what outsiders know of us.

[ Negative or positive, she doesn't say. Some, like Cyril, will probably just leave the impression that they're just as thirsty and easy as the rumors say. Or Merrick, though she loved him dearly, prone to violent outbursts. But, again: solidarity. ]

The best method would be to take them as cubs and raise them, but that would necessitate dealing with a very displeased mother bear. It is brave, but I would have called it reckless as well, had it not clearly worked out in their favor.

...I hope that we find the villagers safe. I'd love to ask them about it. [ There's a pause, and in a softer tone than the politely pleasant one she uses for dealing with Solas: ] The bears must miss them, as well.

It would be impossible for that to not be the case. The rumours of elves dancing naked in the moonlight will now fall into distant memory. A shame. [ It's obvious that there's something of a tease in it, some kind of joke or jest, but he doesn't go out of his way to do anything as silly as laugh along with it. It's there to judge the moment, to see how she reacts to it.

For all that the Dalish have become a natural part of the Inquisition, Solas still doesn't feel any desire or inclination to bond with them whatsoever. He tends to keep his distance, only speaking to those who approach him first, time scored and shamed from the numerous rejections he has felt in his time.

Breathing out, he closes his eyes for a moment. ]

Perhaps it is the same as taming any other beast. A bear is the same as a wolf, and dogs were bred from those, were they not? They clearly know something that we are not quite privy to.

[ Quietly, gently - ]

We will bring their people home. I am certain of it.

You assume that we aren't already doing that where they can see. [ She glances at him with a small smile tugging at her lips, the absurdity of the idea making it hard to keep her face still.

But this certainly isn't bonding, and Solas definitely didn't approach her first. Whatever makes him feel better. ]

I suppose you're right about the dogs. Even the Dalish have a few legends about owning them, [ Like the one that chased Fen'Harel around forever. #rekt ] so it must have been a thing for a very long time. I've never heard of bears before, though.

[ Solas has similar confidence to her mother--or the Arda elves. The way that they say something, and seem to broker no room for alternatives. Solas has proved that his certainties aren't always right, but--she's willing to believe this one. ]

...Good. I'm glad.

Perhaps that is why the Dalish always turned me away. I interrupted their midnight rituals. [ Look, he can joke too! Sort of. He's doing his best, really, especially since he does hold some level of respect for Beleth and what she stands for even if he might never admit it aloud.

Besides, keeping people on his good side, and him on theirs, is an entirely beneficial exploit. At least until they do something to prove they're unworthy.

(Also, rude.) ]

There may not be many dogs this far north. I'm sure if the opportunity arose for those in the South to tame and own bears there are many who would take it up quite happily.

[ He turns to look at her properly, hesitating for a moment, but... He tilts his head up and feels himself relaxing, a smile settled on his face. ]

I do not promise it will be easy, but we will do it.

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arlathvhen - 2018-04-10 20:44 (UTC) - Expand

[ The good news is that Beleth isn't the last person he'd want to be trapped in the snow with. She's not even on the bottom half of the list. The bad news is that she also isn't in the top ten, and he's extremely fucking cold, which makes even a much better than it could have been scenario feel like the worst case. ]

I am never going anywhere again, [ he says, reasonably, hunched over in the small space and awkwardly contorted while he pulls off his boots and damp, ice-crusted socks. Snow got into them, and then melted, and now it runs the risk of freezing again. ]

[ Beleth isn't sure which is weirder--that she's stuck sharing a tent with Kostos, or that Kostos isn't acting like it's weird. Because it is. But if he's acting like it's normal, then she has to, as well.

She still turns to look away when he starts pulling off clothes, because--well, that's just polite, probably. ]

You mean to live here from now on? It will be a shame to lose your warm smile and cheery demeanor around the office, but I'll respect your choices. [ But seriously: ] Do you want to borrow some socks? Or--anything that'll help?

[ It isn't weird because Kostos has not, in face, ever seen Beleth in any state of undress. He's never seen her at all. What is a Beleth. What is Scouting. What is the Inquisition.

He is very cold. ]

No.

[ His favorite word. But he means it. He has his own socks, which she would see shortly if she were looking at him at all, which isn't advisable, maybe, because his trousers are also ice-encrusted and increasingly damp at the cuffs and also coming off to be replaced. He doesn't care--because, legitimate question this time, what is privacy. ]

I am going to die, and you would either lose your socks forever or forever know that they were once on a corpse.

Edited 2018-03-30 17:41 (UTC)

[ Beleth turns to comment on that whole dying thing, catches him starting to remove his pants, and makes a startled noise in the back of her throat, before whipping her eyes away from him. She’d be weirded out even if he were just another dude. There are five different things piled on top of each other that make it even weirder, which is impressive, even for her.

Maybe he’s doing this on purpose. Punishing her for dragging him up here in the first place.

It takes a little bit for her to manage an appropriately witty reply, then voice it. ]

You’d get to keep the socks, in that case. I suppose you could consider it a severance package. [ She gives a little snort at her own joke. ] But if you die, I’ll be left with only Val for an advisor. And while I’m sure he’d be happy to talk enough for you both, [ A joke aimed both at Val’s love of talking, and Kostos’ distaste for it. ] I’m not sure I’d want to listen that much.

[ She says, to the tent flap. ]

[ Beleth's throat-noise briefly gains his attention, and he notes her discomfort without especially giving a damn. Not enough of a damn to be sorry. But he does generally try to use his thighs to entertain rather than alarm, so he isn't proud, either, or amused, or anything short of efficient in finding another set of pants in his bag.

It's a good thing she isn't looking, though, for multiple reasons. He can't make the little fuck it's cold dance he does in the meantime look remotely dignified. ]

Should have thought of that, [ he says, between jerky movements, ] before.

Is this going to be a thing? Are you just going to complain the entire time? [ That's a rhetorical question, because Beleth has very little doubt that Kostos is not only capable but willing to do exactly that. ] Because if so, I can just kill you off quickly, right now. It'd be merciful, really.

[ Deciding that she's spoken with the tent flap long enough for him to be dressed, she risks a quick glance back over at him. ]

I would prefer not to, for the record. There are plenty of ways to stay warm. Or...warmer, I guess. I'd rather that than killing you. But far be it from me to not give you a wide range of options.

[ She's in luck. He isn't naked. He's still working on a button, fumbling in his gloves, but he pauses that to spread his arms at his side, waiting for the offered mercy. Please kill him. He's ready to die. His extended hands tremble a little, because it's cold, if that hasn't been mentioned yet.

But she'd rather not kill him. Apparently.

Bummer. ]

I do not do fire, [ he warns. ] Not unless you want the tent to burn.

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arlathvhen - 2018-04-12 04:02 (UTC) - Expand

Not what you'd call a front line fighter by any means, Nahariel is back guarding the retreat of any wounded who might come off the field and listening tensely to the sounds of the pitched battle nearby. Beleth is visible from here, the Scoutmaster silhouetted against the sky on her perch as she takes careful aim and fires one arrow after another with near mechanical regularity.

Then there's another spot of darkness, growing slowly and laced with sickly red crystalline veins that pulse with internal light as well as reflecting the sun. Unable to form the words for it fast enough, Nari lets out a wordless shout of warning and looses an arrow of her own at the approaching Templar. She's no great shot; it skids across the knight's pauldron with little effect save that it provides both a brief distraction to the creature and the sound of metal striking metal that will tell Beleth that something's near and where.

The noise is enough to break Beleth's concentration, and make her look over at the noise--and thus, the approaching Red Templar. Well, shit, that's sure a thing. Quick to react, she pulls out an arrow, firing it in an electric arc at the Templar, while DOING A COOL BACKFLIP BECAUSE CAMI BULLIED ME INTO IT, amazing.

Amazing backflip successfully accomplished, she's far enough back now that it's easy to see who had fired the shot in the first place. "Nari!" Not that Nari is much better equipped for this fight, but two of them are better than one, and Beleth runs over to her side. "Thank you for that--I owe you. Here, let me--"

A few moments of digging through her pouch, and she pulls out a vial, throwing it at the approaching Templar. It explodes into a noxious mist, far enough away from the two Dalish to spare them its foul fumes. "That won't get rid of him, but it'll slow him down."

Hot diggity shit, that was a sweet flip.

Nari is very briefly envious that Beleth can manage to not only land the shot solidly--even the arrow loosed in reaction finds a home in the crystal torn flesh of the once-human knight; it howls as the electricity rips through it in its mad race through muscle to the ground--but to do so mid-air.

It wasn't really the time to reflect on her shortcomings, however. The mist wouldn't choke it out forever, especially with the way the wind raced across this land.

"Ideas?" Nari asks as Beleth reaches her, her eyes trained hawkishly on the fetid fog that had swallowed the knight, "We can't afford to lead it back--it's just the healers and wounded on this side."

Two squishy elf rogues against one red templar doesn't spell out success to Beleth, especially since Nari was right--it'd continue approaching soon, and they can't keep retreating to keep their distance. One sweet flip and trick shot isn't going to make up the difference between them and their enemy.

But Nari had asked Beleth for ideas, and she's supposed to be responsible, and good at all this planning and leading stuff.

Finally, defeatedly, Beleth glances over at her. "The only thing that's coming to mind is 'yell and hope for the best'. Perhaps praying. If we could get someone who could engage it in melee, we could hammer it with arrows." But that would involve getting someone's attention in the middle of a pitched battle. And making them ditch whatever they'd been doing to help them. "I guess we could just try to lead it around in circles and pepper it with arrows whenever we get enough distance. It'd take a while, but it beats letting it catch up to us."

When Beleth mentions engaging it in melee, Nari frowns thoughtfully. Is she fast enough? She wouldn't be able to manage much more than attempting to keep the knight's attention engaged, trying to turn it to angles that the other woman could take advantage of. Well, that and hopefully not getting stabbed, slashed, or taking a heavy plate gauntlet to her unarmored face [that sounds painful ¯\_(ツ)_/¯]. After all, there's only so much even Dalish-made leather can turn, and the horrific crystal studded monstrosities aren't going to be pulling any blows.

Shit, the cloud's dissipating. Executive decision time.

"I'm going to try to turn it," Nari says, thrusting her bow down into the snow and pulling the twin daggers crossed at the small of her back, squinting at the reappearing figure, "It looks like the mail under the plate is mostly torso, and it's not a full set. You'll most like be able to take out its knees through the back. [Enjoy a Nari spec bonus to more effectively kicking armored things asses!] Do that and there's no way it'll be able to chase us down; I can disengage, and you'll have free reign to take it down from afar."

She braces her feet to get a running start. "Ready?"

Beleth is...remarkably unsure about this plan. Not because she doesn't trust Nari, but. Neither of them are exactly built for taking heavy blows, and that is exactly what the Red Templar has to offer them. But it makes sense, and it's better than any plan she's come up with.

Beleth takes a moment to squint at the figure--shooting him right in the back of his knee is a pretty solid way to take him down, but. That relies on Beleth actually managing to shoot him, which...Well. One way to find out. Standing here and worrying isn't going to help anything.

So she gives a nod, and takes up her bow again, notching an arrow. "Alright, Nari. I'm ready. But...be careful, please." She's met her quota of friends dying or getting grievously injured, and she's not eager to go over. But she squares her shoulders, and stares ahead with a solemn look.

She can do this. They can do this.

Honestly, Nari's not sure about it either, but the other options mean maybe letting it charge them, or maybe letting it into the back lines, and neither of those are good. It's bigger than she is, but it's heavier than she is, and it's slower than she is, so if she's close to it and not giving it a chance to pick up speed, that seems best. She'll just have to... not get hit. So she looks at Beleth with a brief nod and a tight smile, says "Andruil'enaste mala bor'assan," tries not to think too much about what she's going to be sprinting towards, and then turns and does it.

The ankle-deep snow doesn't make for the greatest footing; it slows her down a bit, but at least it isn't ice.

Shit. It's big. At least it's still shaking its head from the last of the miasma, so it sees Nari late enough for her to be able to dart in close before it raises its guard and feint flashily for its open face in an attempt to to get its attention, continuing past it with a quick slash at one unarmored (but intimidatingly beefy) arm. She wasn't looking, it barely lands, but hopefully it's enough of a sting to make it deem her a threat.

It does turn, but it's a pivot; faster than she anticipated, and it's already pulling back an intimidatingly crystal spiked fist.

OPEN ↠ HEART LIKE ICE

Beleth Ashara

III.a

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IIIB

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II, which is not on your list.

hdu

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IV

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cw: rolling a 1

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