OPEN ↠ HEART LIKE ICE

[faderifting]

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.

Comments

[iceblade]

"Good! Hold on!" Skadi greatly approves, at least if he's talented at keeping himself alive. She's not here to babysit, after all. Urging the bear to circle back to their giant friend, she prepares another vicious swing, hoping to strike well enough to knock it down to its needs.

[somethingwild]

Newt nods, holding on tight. He's endured quite a lot over the past few days; he's determined to keep enduring, no matter what this world throws at him. His stubbornness, at least, has yet to adjust to his new surroundings. He grits his chattering teeth, pulls out his wand. There's a good chance his magic won't work properly, and an even better chance that using as spell will exhaust him. Still, he told his companion he would fight, and fight he shall.

There's the matter of keeping hold of his companion and aiming his wand, of course, as well. Still. He doesn't let that stop him.

He calls out the stunning spell, aiming for the middle of the giant's chest. While his spell doesn't quite hit its mark, it at least causes some damage and provides adequate distraction.

[iceblade]

Hey, it's something. Skadi grins as the spell provides her a window of opportunity, and she wastes no time in taking advantage of it. Letting out a blood-curdling cry, she puts in all her effort into one great swing. The blade cuts deep, leaving behind a frost-encrusted wound.

The giant isn't just going to stand and let this happen, though. Even wounded as it is, the creature is relentlessly aggressive. Snarling, it raises a club to knock that bear back and perhaps lay waste to the riders as well. Seeing it descend toward them, Skadi recoils and nudges the bear with her feat. "Go, go!" And if that's not enough, she'll try to shield the mage just behind her. Mages tend to be squishier, after all.

[somethingwild]

The blade cuts deep, leaving a significant wound, but, of course, it would be too easy to hope that such an injury would simply kill it without fuss.

Indeed, Newt's reminded of trolls and their tendency to grow angrier the more they're provoked as the giant snarls, lifting his club and aiming directly for the pair of them, it would seem.

"Merlin, please work," he mutters for himself as he raises his wand once again, determination in his gaze. This will likely be the last spell he will be able to attempt for a good amount of time, he thinks. So he has to make it count. And pray it works, of course.

"Expelliarmus!" He shouts, aiming directly at the giant's club. He feels the energy as it leaves him, swaying a bit behind his companion. But the spell seems to work, at least, as the club flies from the giant's hand, much to his displeasure. Newt, now, feels ready for a nap. A long nap.

[iceblade]

Skadi has no idea what he's shouted but the result is certainly impressive! Her eyebrows raise as the giant is suddenly disarmed, and she's quick to grin. "Ha! Take that, you piece of shite!"

She urges the bear back around in a wide circle and stands up, eyeing the giant carefully. Then she leaps high, enough to make sure that Newt and the bear aren't in range of what she wants to do next. The energy surrounding her suddenly bursts outward in all directions from her, and the giant is caught in the blast. An angry roar as it falls to one knee is a satisfying result, and she lands onto its other knee, intending to drive that ice blade into it.

[somethingwild]

Newt smiles, glad he is able to at least prove of help even as he barely has strength enough left to hold onto his companion. Her choice of gloating seems appropriate, he thinks.

And then she's standing up and leaping off the bear itself; Newt barely has time to gape as he scrambles forward to find purchase in polar bear fur as he watches the energy burst out from her and hit the giant directly. It's very much impressive, and Newt might actually cheer if, in that instant, it didn't look as though the giant were preparing to swat his companion like a fly.

"Look out!" He shouts, voice hoarse and raw. Leaning forward, he makes an attempt at urging the polar bear towards her. He might be exhausted, but he'll be damned if he doesn't try and help.

[iceblade]

Skadi's strike is true, but so is the giant's. She looks up just in time to see it swat her, and she only has time to grip her weapon so that her sword isn't lost in the snow. Flying back, she's prepared for a hard landing, but the bear seems to catch up just in time and blunt some of that impact. Still, all the air rushes out of her lungs and she can only spend the next moment trying to right that.

[somethingwild]

Newt surges forward trying to help her get steady on the polar bear. The giant lets out another angry roar, very much making towards their direction. They at least have the advantage of speed now, given that the giant is severely injured. Still, it couldn't hurt to try and slow him even further down. Newt, being on his last leg for energy, he suspects, decides to try something; something that could potentially get him thrown from the back of the polar bear and render previous attempts at survival null and void, but something, nonetheless.

He leans forward, hanging a bit off the side of the polar bear, using his experiences with riding his mother's Hippogriffs to keep him stable. Or, rather, somewhere in between stable and falling on his face in the snow. He scoops up a couple of handfuls of snow, crafts them into balls. He twists, wincing at the strain, and throws his ammo directly for the giant's eyes.

Now he has to only hope they land.

[iceblade]

Newt's assistance is without a doubt lifesaving, and Skadi's able to gets herself situated again, readying her blade once more. When she glances back to see what Newt's doing, an idea and smirk simultaneously form. When at least one of the snowballs strikes its eyes, she takes the moment of blindness to urge the bear forward again. The cuts she made before were effective, but a little ways over and she could have gotten the creature to bleed out. It's time to make that happen.

[somethingwild]

Newt pulls himself back up onto the polar bear, shoulders sagging and his entire body slouching forward as he concentrates his remaining strength into keeping hold of the bear. He's glad to see that Skadi has righted herself once more, holding on tight as she urges the bear forward once more.

The giant itself doesn't cease in its yelling, a sign that they have truly pissed it off.

Now Newt only hopes for Skadi to finish it off the next chance she gets to strike a blow.

[iceblade]

Ugh, that giant is going to make her deaf if she doesn't shut it up soon. Fun's fun, but it's time to put an end to this. Planting her feet firmly as the bear charges, she lets out a cry as she puts all her strength into one great, precise, swing.

[somethingwild]

Newt watches Skadi, fierce warrior that she is, clinging to hope as much as he clings to the bear itself. He doesn't know if ferverant hoping will lend her any additional strength or help for her blade to aim true, but he does it all the same. If need be, he'll use the very last of his strength to assist her in any way that he can.

[iceblade]

A large spray of blood is the result of her effort, and the poor polar bear is now red on one side. Still, the result should be worth it. As she urges the bear onward, a roar and a thundering crash that can be felt even where they are provokes a sharp laugh as she glances behind. The giant has finally fallen.

"About bloody time!

Ah, the poor bear. Don't you worry, lass, we'll get your fur cleaned up good as new."

[somethingwild]

Newt visibly sighs with relief at the sight of the blood, which might seem like an odd reaction, except that he felt the giant would never actually stop. He shudders at the crash that he can feel, even astride the polar bear.

He especially feels bad for the blood staining the polar bear's lovely white coat.

"Yes, we will," he agrees, glancing down to find that he, too, also has blood covering parts of him. Oh well. It's not as though people fight giants for the sake of cleanliness.

[iceblade]

"You alright back there? Need me to drop you off further on? The battle seems to be dying down, but I want to make another pass just to be sure." Compared to the giant, almost anything else would be easy pickings...but Skadi would still only rather take the willing.

[somethingwild]

"You should probably drop me off," Newt answers, eyes fluttering as he tries to keep himself awake and holding on to the polar bar. "I think I'm fairly useless deadweight for the time being." One of his least favorite aspects of Thedas already: how much it drains him to use his magic.

[iceblade]

"Fair enough! Hold on." Skadi urges the bear onward without complaint. Only when she finds a suitable spot, sheltered from the chill winds, does the Avvar woman bring the bear to a halt.

"We'll be back soon enough. Here, take a healing potion just in case." She slips one out of her satchel, quickly offering it before nudging the bear back into the canyon. With any luck, they won't be long.

[somethingwild]

Newt does as he's told, not wanting to find himself face first in a mound of snow in the midst of a battle that is still on going.

He manages to get himself off of the bear, though he stumbles a bit. He's surprised but grateful when she offers him the healing potion. "Oh," he says, taking the bottle with care. "Thank you. Thank you very much."

He will certainly make good use of the potion, as he watches them turn back into the canyon.