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

[arlathvhen]

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."

[nadasharillen]

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."

[arlathvhen]

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."

[nadasharillen]

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?"

[arlathvhen]

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.

[nadasharillen]

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.

[arlathvhen]

Well, shit.

Beleth worriedly watches the scene play out from the spot that Nari had just left behind, and she doesn't like what she sees. But there's only one way to make sure things don't go south, and it depended on her. So she draws her bow, sinking to a knee to make sure that her aim is steady and sure.

Maybe if she were better at firing off multiple shots, this wouldn't be so chancy. But here they were. She aims for the back of the knee, where Nari had indicated. Sure enough, it looks free of any armoring. Hopefully it's not covered with red lyrium, too. Is that possible? She's going to hope not.

And then she lets the arrow fly, unwilling to take more time and put Nari at more risk to debate it. Another arrow follows quickly afterward, sloppily aimed on purpose. It flies past the Templar's face, making sure Beleth has his attention. That should give Nari enough time to reposition and harry the Templar from a better angle.

cw: rolling a 1

[nadasharillen]

Beleth's first arrow hits home, the Knight's knee buckling. The second tears the air close enough to its face to graze its cheek; it gets the attention that the Scoutmaster wanted. Both of these things together, however, make Nari realize she's going to have to dodge farther than expected as the torque of the knee changes how that red lyrium studded fist is coming at her. She braces at a different angle and re-places her foot-- directly onto a patch of ice laid slick over the rock and covered by the snow.

With a startled yip, her planned movement goes awry, and the blow connects with the animal might that makes these once-human creatures so threatening on the field. Nari hears the sickening crack of a rib (two? she doesn't know) before she feels it, the main force of the impact knocking out any air she might have had for a yell and throwing her light frame several feet to the side before she hits the ground in a roll.

Thank June for chainmail. She's pushing herself off the ground again-- or trying to-- so she's not down for the count, but despite its now hampered movement, the Templar again has Beleth in its sights.

[arlathvhen]

Fuck shit damn, this was bad. Beleth lets out a loud gasp when Nari’s hit, wincing at the sound of cracking—nearly feeling it in her own chest. At least she’s got the thing’s attention, which is... not good, but better than it focusing on Nari.

She just has to figure out how to keep it’s attention, without winding up like Nari. Or worse. The former part is easy enough, Beleth hops to her feet, starting to back up as the Templar approaches, firing off a few more arrows. Most plink harmlessly off it’s armor, but at least it’s focusing on her. Now, to try to figure out another plan, without putting either of them into more danger.

After a few moments of thought, she pulls out a particular arrow, coated in a foul-smelling oil. It’s launches at the Templar, and while it only lodges in its shoulder, the arrow does manage to promptly explode.

[nadasharillen]

Despite only lodging in the Templar's shoulder, it was the correct shoulder for the job. Opposite its already pierced leg, keeping its footing would require support it no longer has, and it falls heavily to one knee with a grunt of pain. A brief glance from Beleth, if she spared one, would show that Nari has disappeared in the wake of the blast. There's a disturbance in the snow where she'd landed, but the elf herself is gone.

Suddenly the Templar roars, an arc of blood flying wide from the back of its now buckling other leg to spatter vivid in the snow. Massive as the thing is, only Nari's head and shoulders show as she stands behind it with a pained but determined grimace on her face. She's stowed her blades and is hooking her fingers into the Templar's helmet, jamming her knee between its shoulder blades, and pulling backwards. In the horrifying way that the creatures have, the helmet is somehow fused with its corrupted flesh; that's an asset in this case, as it means Nari has all the grip she needs to pull back the head and expose the full of its throat from collar to the eminently vulnerable space beneath its jaw.

"Beleth!"