faderift | [open] Drunken Trap Obstacle Course and Chill

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[open] Drunken Trap Obstacle Course and Chill

WHO: Anyone who didn't go to Tevinter and wants to join.
WHAT: Beleth polled everyone asking them what they wanted to do, this is the result
WHEN: Nowish
WHERE: Gallows Courtyard
NOTES: If you die, don't blame Beleth

I. Set-Up

The Courtyard is a whirlwind of activity as volunteers flit about, setting up what appears to be an obstacle course, and throwing traps on it, around it, and just kind of everywhere in general. By the side of the work, there's a particularly smelly bucket of dye, to be used to make sure that whoever fails to escape the tracks are marked, just not with blood. People are free to help with the traps, setting up the obstacle course, or to just sit back and watch.

One section of the Courtyard has been roped off from that maddness, and here, chairs and tables, food and drink are being set up. You can help out, or just steal a chair and take a seat. You might get chased off by the Scoutmaster, though.

II. The Party

The party itself is as shapelessly chaotic at the set-up. There's not much in the way of rules or procedure for how things are to go, save for the guideline of 'Try not to get injured / injure anyone else'. In the center of the courtyard is the obstacle course, laden with traps for anyone feeling particularly brave. Around it is a field of similar traps, for those who would prefer not to tango with the obstacle course, but still want to practice maneuvering.

If you fail, the traps have been carefully adjusted to make sure that they don't seriously injure anyone. You'll end up with a bruise, and covered with dye, but the only thing you risk really wounding is your pride.

Not helping with the pride thing is the part of the Gallows that has been sectioned off to serve as a nice, relaxing place to drink, chat, and watch people struggle with the obstacle course. The area has been (sparsely, thanks Salvio) decorated, with little tea candles, and plenty of food and drink available. The alcohol is, for better or worse, available for people who want to attempt the obstacle course as well, if they are really dedicated to almost dying.

There might or might not be a rogue one-eyed elf shooting sponge arrows at people, as well. Watch out for that.

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I

During the set-up, Beleth weaves through the various people working, stopping to check up on everything. She orders people around on occasion, but for the most part seems fairly hands off with what the others are doing. This is their party, after all, and she's just making sure it's enjoyable for everyone--which is why most of the checking she's doing is to make sure that no one is making any traps or anything that'll actually maim people.

She can be approached for questions, comments, or judgments on how she's doing things (thanks, Salvio), or she might approach anyone who looks like they could use a hand.

II

There are a few people here who have watched Beleth preside over events before, all solemn occasions that she observed with a hawk eye and no room for mischief. The Beleth that observes the events of this party is, however, an entirely different animal.

She doesn't seem keen to try the trap-laden obstacle course herself, but is content to relax off to the side amidst the chairs and tables, a glass of wine in her hand. Relaxed and possibly just a little buzzed, she watches the party with a calm smile on her face. The only time she'll bother to get involved is if it looks like either tempers are getting heated, or someone is at risk of getting their fool self killed.

She's happy to approach anyone who looks like they need a partner for chattering, and she's just as open to being approached.

Thinking he might as well lend a hand, Aro is currently in the Courtyard, trying to put an obstacle course together. The traps are easy enough for him; he's done that sort of thing while traveling, to protect his campsite. Getting it all arranged in a system that people can actually play on, and not just be fooled by, is a bit more challenging. He leans back, critically assessing his handiwork, when he sees Beleth passing by, and he quickly stands.

Behind him, the section he'd been putting together falls back to the ground. Aro winces. That's brilliant.

Maybe she won't have noticed.

"Ah, Scoutmaster! Hello. I was hoping I'd see you here. This was a brilliant idea."

When Aro stands for Beleth's approach, she turns to face him, right in time to watch his section gracelessly clatter to the ground. A prolonged silence follows, but before it can get too awkward, Beleth glances back to him. There's a telltale amused smile playing across her lips, but fortunately for Aro, she shows no other signs of having noticed.

"I can't take credit for the idea itself, I just kind of...tried to toss together everything that other people suggested. I was actually rather surprised." She glances around, with a small gesture at the work going on around him. "I thought people would just go for some kind of generic get together, where they all awkwardly hug the walls and pick at some food."

There's a pause, and then she glances at him from the side, still with an amused smile in her eyes. "Though, if I may confess, I rather like this better. It's far more interesting, I think. And, of course, I must thank you for your help." She politely, and pointedly, doesn't look at his fallen handiwork.

It's just typical; the one time Aro actually wants to make a good impression, it comes crashing down on him. He tries very valiantly not to have burning cheeks throughout this conversation, but he fails.

"I like it better too, it avoids all those awkward silences." You know, such as the ones Aro would have with almost everyone. "This will…obviously look a lot better when I'm finished."

He hopes. He suddenly wishes he'd learned how to mend with magic; that would make all of this so much faster. At any rate, he needs to do better with his own hands for now.

"I thought about everything you said, Scoutmaster, and. Well after I heard the results of the phylactery negotiations, too, I thought it was time to join your Division after all. I thought you should know."

"I have every confidence you'll make everything look perfect. But if you need my help--Well, I'm not the Master Builder, but I can give it a shot." She's never actually built anything, but two people with a vague idea of what they're doing is...probably better than one?

Or it just means two idiots with splinters. Either/or.

When Aro mentions that he's joined Scouting, that amused smirk turns into a genuinely pleased smile. "That's excellent! I said I'd be glad to have you--have you in Scouting, that is, and I am. We can always use more capable hands, and there are plenty of scouting assignments for you, so you can do your exploring."

Aro gives her a wide, pleased smile. It's in no small part due to Beleth's own attitude that he felt he should do it. She'd been understanding instead of judgemental, and welcoming instead of treating him like a traitor for having itchy feet. He'd liked her when they spoke; he still likes her now.

"I'm keen to get started. I hope I'll be able to do some good here."

Anyway, he means to do his best. Eager to do it here, too, he turns halfway back to his collapsed work.

"And I won't say no, if...if you've time. I know you must have a lot to do today."

I: It's Dangerous to Go Alone, Here Take This

Nari is running the set-up crew with brisk and cheerful efficiency, setting tasks for any and everyone who will take them at levels of complexity appropriate to their skills—including those who have to be drafted into taking them. If people are going to be drunk on the obstacle course, she's going to have it set up voidcursed properly.

"Here!" she says, thrusting something into your hands (a bucket of water for the 'moat' under the bridge, extra padded bolts for the crossbows, a stack of straw-stuffed pallets to be set around the entire thing in case someone manages to fall off it inventively) with a friendly grin, "Take that..." she pauses to look around, and then points. "There!"

II: COURSE RUNNING, FOR ALL YOUR OBSTACLE COURSE NEEDS!!

(check the link, set your difficulty, and she'll run it for you. look, there she is now, waving from the first section!)

Edited 2018-08-01 22:30 (UTC)

Aro finds himself with a bucket thrust against his chest, and ends up with half of it slopping all over his clothes. He groans and looks up, sheepish.

"Sorry. I'll get another one. Where do you need me after this?"

The course is starting to come together, at least.

"Oh!" Nari looks just as sheepish, running a hand back through her hair with a lopsided grin as she surveys the damage, "I uh... I didn't think I'd pushed that at you so hard. My fault. Those're for filling the moat. Pool." She shrugs and indicates the area beneath the bridge. "Plenty left to do on that front, and when you get tired of hauling, just bring it back.

"I'll uh... throw it on someone else."

He waves off the apology, an easy enough thing when he's midway through shaking water off his sleeves. He grins, shaking his head.

"No no, my fault. I'm the one half crashing into you."

If he wasn't in such a hurry, he'd be less clumsy. He readjusts the bucket in his arms.

"It's starting to come together. I had trouble with that drawbridge trap earlier, so the more water the better. I've a feeling that one's on something of a hair trigger."

"Did you? Huhn! I'd better take a look at it. As much as I want to fling half the Inquisition into water from a spinning bridge section, I don't want anyone to get so discouraged that they miss the chance to get roundly shot by padded crossbow bolts," Nari grins. It's just verging on wicked; after all, this course is her baby. Proud mother and all that.

"Thanks for the tip on that—" and here she searches her mind to thank him by name and fails to find it, frowning slightly, "I don't know if we've met! Nahariel. I'd clasp your hand, but," Nari gestures. Bucket!

"Er...Oh. Yes, sorry."

A bit more juggling happens while Aro hefts the bucket briefly into one arm. He stretches out with the other to offer his hand.

"I'm Aro. Nice to meet you."

She'll probably see a flash of green in the hand he offers her; there's not much he can do about that, sadly. He'd be even clumsier with this construction if he were wearing gloves.

"Where are the crossbow bolts coming from? I could probably make a few more of those after I'm done."

It's not the first time Nari's reached without hesitation to take a Rifter's hand in her firm sure grip in greeting, and it won't be the last; although shards lodged in places other than hands still give her pause. May always. As far as she's concerned, though, they're welcome here.

"Aro," she repeats with a brief nod, and then it's back to work. "Bolts are..." she rubs her nose with a thumb as she thinks, and then points to the area behind where the crossbows themselves are set up. "In a crate there. Fletched, mostly, but they need the heads replaced with sponges and set to soak in dye."

Aro smiles as he shakes her hand. In fairness, he was fairly used to not being welcome even before he was a rifer in a different world. He's glad she doesn't seem offput. Still eager to make a good impression, he glances up to see where she's pointing.

"I use a crossbow myself. I think I can manage that."

The dye is an interesting addition too, and he lifts an eyebrow at her.

"So let me see if I have this right, we'll have them dropping into the water and then getting covered with dye, and that's before they get into the crawlspace?"

A pause.

"We aren't putting anything strange into the crawlspace, are we?"

"Nothing but Inquisition members, so there'll be plenty of strange heading into the crawlspace," she says it with a cheeky grin. "You've got the gist of it with the rest."

Nari pauses for a moment, looking at Aro consideringly. "If you like this sort of work, I'll be assembling a small team soon for things like this. Keep it in mind, if you haven't got enough on your plate yet. Or if you do, but tend to overstuff like I do."

In fairness, she has a point, and Aro grins. He's about to move off in the direction of the moat, then, but looks back at her with interest. He wouldn't say he's been exactly good at this today, but he has no doubt he'd get better. Doing things has always been the best way to learn, in his experience.

"I've actually only just signed up, you know, officially." He'd been around for some months, but joining a Division had taken a while. Being sure it was the right thing to do had taken a while. "I joined Beleth's Division. What...will your team do? I mean, I'm assuming you don't just mean building obstacle courses."

Surely they can't do that all the time.

"No, not just obstacle courses," she laughs. "But enough like it that this was a good exercise. Working on adapting the knowledge that Rifters bring with them, and the construction of weaponry and defenses to both siege and withstand sieges." Nari's eyes twinkle with amusement. "And fixing the chairs that break in the dining hall."

"Oh, well I could fix chairs, I'm sure." He smiles. He's less sure about Rifter technology and siege weapons. Gods, siege weapons? Really? There's a thought that fills him with dread. He looks somewhat uncertain, despite the smile.

"I'm a Rifter myself, obviously, but the weapons I'm used to are more or less the same as what's here. They're magically enhanced, sometimes, but...I'm assuming hats not the sort of thing you mean."

"Don't let anyone downplay the importance of fixing chairs to the war effort," she says with a grin. "Frees those of us who'd rather be playing with trebuchets and emplacements from having to do it," Although, honestly, Nari enjoys simple fixing. Work she doesn't have to think about overmuch is soothing. Her grin widens a touch. "Plus, you show me a soldier who isn't happy to sit down and I'll show you a Rifter without a shard."

Although Aro has downplayed it, she actually looks excited by the idea of magical enhancements. "Actually, I'm working with Myr on magically enhanced ammunition. Maybe you'd like to join us for an idea session sometime? Fair warning, they get long and we end up subsisting on only coffee."

"Oh. Well, yes, all right. I might be able to help with that."

Experience with crafting is not in his wheelhouse. Experience with magic, however - that's a different story. His smile seems easier.

"I'm quite good with lightning. It might come in handy. I can tell you about the kinds of enhancements we'd find at home, too, if you like."

None of those are common or easy to make, and Aro would not likely have the skill to produce one. These people might, though, if they knew what they were aiming for. He'll see what he can bring to the table.

"Excellent," Nari replies with a wider smile, "I'll be sure to let you know as soon as—" she's interrupted by a loud crash and a stream of swearing somewhere off on the other side of the course. She cranes her neck, and then chuckles. "Five silver says that was a section of the moving wall moving suddenly and unexpectedly in a downward direction. I'm off to help with that, if you've no other questions?"

Well, that was alarming. Aro looks wildly around, while hoping the thing that crashed down wasn't anything he'd been a part of. That would be just his luck. He hastily adjusts his water bucket.

"No, of course! I should get going with this anyway. I'll speak to you later about this, yes?"

He makes to move away and let her deal with what's hopefully someone else's mistake.

He thought he'd be a big man and do it on the most difficult setting. After all, Beleth's here, and being heroic in front of her has always been important to Cade; even moreso, Nari's here, and... well, feelings on that are complicated, but let's just say it wouldn't suck to look amazing while she's watching.

Unfortunately, that's not what happens.

Perhaps he's a little out of shape or just not used to quite this manner of complexity in his military exercises, but either way Cade bricks it from start to finish. The truly amazing thing about his course run is not the skill or valor with which he faces it, but the fact that he doesn't stop, instead picking himself up each time and continuing forward like his whole sense of self-worth depends on it. The man is a glutton for punishment, and that's no joke: by the time he weakly waves the flag, he is covered head-to-toe in different dyes and probably some blood. But he's smiling, because he did it.

So that's nice.

Nari is here, watching, and also quite literally the architect of Cade's destruction. Leaning against the rail near the beginning of the course, her eyes sparkle with anticipatory mirth when he chooses his difficulty. After all, she knows what it can do.

She'd never insult him by questioning that choice, nor by going easy on him, so... do it it does. Down he goes, often—she's glad for the extra work Aro put into making the moat—but he always gets up. And moreover, she trusts him to always get up.

And so, she is thoroughly enjoying herself mercilessly shooting dye-sponge crossbow bolts en masse at the man she loves. From the smile that spreads across Cade's face as he appears at the top platform to heft the flag, it seems he'd enjoyed it just as much.

Nari's piercing appreciative whistle cuts easily through the applause and good-natured laughter of the onlookers, and she waves, grinning, when he looks.

Despite being covered in dye, it's quite apparent that Cade is blushing when he meets Nari's gaze, ducking his head in his telltale way as he waves back. He did abysmally, this he knows, and already his whole body is sore, but on the whole it feels like a positive thing.

It's a bit later that he finds her at the party, and though some of the dye remains, mostly around his arms and legs, it looks like the rest was forcibly removed by way of a water bucket from the nearest well; he's toweling off his sopping curls as he approaches, and when he lowers the cloth they spring out every which way. His smile is sheepish, but he at least wanted to say hello before he runs and hides from the social side of the activity.

Nari is smiling and opening her mouth to say something to Cade as he nears, but whatever it is, it's entirely obliterated by the absolutely darling combination of self-conscious smile and the tousled poof of his hair that he's almost certainly unaware of and she instead ends up reflexively clapping a hand over the (frankly goofy) grin of helpless adoration that springs to life on her face.

Give her a minute.

As he nears her, Cade slows to a stop, holding the towel and watching Nari quizzically. His smile dwindles but doesn't fade entirely, as he's clearly become a big more aware of how he must look. The minute is given, since he hardly knows what to say anyway, just blushing down at the towel instead.

The reach to take the towel from him is hesitant, but Nari does it all the same. Just as hesitant, although it is accompanied by a sure half-smile and the overt glow of care in her eyes, is her movement towards him to take over the task. She'll pause before she does so to tilt her head in question.

May I?

Though he hesitates briefly, it isn't too long before Cade concedes and allows Nari to take the towel. He even bends his head down toward her so she won't have to reach-- he's not an especially tall man, but elves are known to be diminutive, and... well, he's interacted often enough with Beleth and Myr that it almost comes naturally at this point to make himself smaller for them.

Nari accepts it, and sets to finishing toweling Cade's hair dry with the careful brisk efficiency that characterizes most everything that she does. It's still a little damp when she's done—there's only so much a towel can do, after all—and definitely still unruly, so she tosses the towel over her shoulder to rest and reaches out to finger-comb the mess of curls back into some semblance of order.

All this is done without sparing even a quick glance around to see if anyone is paying attention to them.

It's that same thing as before that always strikes Cade right in the heart: the physical affection that manages to be so gentle and innocent, parental even, and it's always like having a small bite of rich food after weeks of going without any at all. The tiniest sense of being cared about and doted on is enough to fill him with emotions he isn't entirely certain how to control, so after a moment he just straightens again, his smile polite and a bit anxious, his face red as can be.
He'd let her continue, but it's probably best to keep things professional. Well. "Professional."

"Have you eaten?" he asks, after an awkward clearing of his throat, and glances toward the food table. It's a safe subject, and a reliable one.

She'd not been quite done when he straightens, so there's a palm sized patch above Cade's ear that's still sticking out that makes her grin again. Despite her wanting to fix it, he'd moved back, and so she just coughs quietly and taps the area on her own head.

"I—" she starts in response to his inquiry, intending to say that she had, but would happily accompany him, and then frowns thoughtfully as she realizes she can't actually remember the last time she'd eaten anything. What with set-up, testing, and actually running the course, she'd been working solidly for most of the day and can only really recall breakfast. "Huh. Haven't."

Suddenly the table is very interesting.

Catching the gesture, Cade makes a silent 'oops' face and smooths his own hair down, for all the good it does him (very little). It's the thought that counts.
The smile he offers at her realization is fond-- he's hardly one to throw stones, but he's glad she's not fighting it. "Perhaps you should," he suggests, gently, "...before you faint in the middle of terrorizing the next person." Was that....

.............a joke??????

The fondness in Cade’s smile is enough to make Nari duck her own head slightly with a sort of pleased embarrassment similar to what he’d showcased on top of the course. She has to look up again to check his expression just in case the joke (???) wasn’t in fact a joke, but whatever she sees there is reassuring, so she grins back at him.

“We can’t have that,” she replies seriously, even though her smile immediately gives her intonation the lie, “There’s so much dye left that isn’t covering people and I have a solemn duty to distribute it.”

Even though she’s made an agreeable response to the proposition, she’s still loathe to turn to walk over there. Cade had suggested it and would almost certainly follow her over, but he’s looking at her and he’s smiling and interrupting this just doesn’t seem worth—

Nari’s stomach interjects with an insistent grumble, now that it’s been awoken. She looks a mix of surprised, amused, and self-conscious and ruffles her own hair with a rueful grin. Still, although she obediently moves toward the food, the first few steps she takes are backwards, and her gaze lingers when she eventually turns.

He watches her with a pleasant expression, giving a nod when she looks at him, following behind so as to take part as well. It's not that he thinks he can boss her into eating-- not that he'd even want to-- but he's seen how intent Nari can get on her tasks, and it might help to have a reminder there to not go flitting off to something else before she can raise her blood sugar.

Aro waits at the end, watching Cade's progress with the occasional wince. There's at least a couple of times when he thinks the run will end early, only to cheer loudly when Cade pulls himself back up instead.

When he's finally done, he goes over with a towel in hand. One towel, which in fairness, is probably not going to be enough. But it's better than none, yes?

Yes, surely.

"Here. Sorry about all the arrows. You did really well! Sorry about all the dye."

Cade is unfamiliar with the person standing with a towel for him, but he isn't about to say no to one when he's got dye running into his eyes. He mutters a sheepish thanks and pulls the cloth to his face, rubbing it up and over the front of his hair, which... really only smears it, but at least he can see again.
"Thank you," he says again, this time acknowledging the actual compliment, even though he still seems embarrassed. Perhaps he's just like that.

Aro smiles at him. The towel didn't really help at all, and now it's covered in dye, too. He reaches to take it back, holding it gingerly to avoid getting covered in it. This is his only shirt, all right?

"I think I'd better find you some water before it stains, actually." This is going to involve buckets, probably. It doesn't really seem like a fitting reward for going through all that. "You're a very good sport. Which Division are you with?"

"Sorry," Cade says quickly, noticing how gingerly the man takes the towel-- naturally he ruined it, how stupid of him.
"I'm-- thank you, it's fine," he insists, glancing around for the nearest source of water that isn't already soiled, and deciding he'll find one when there's less chance of being witnessed dumping it on himself. "Um. Forces. Sort of." More research now, but that's neither here nor there.

Aro immediately shakes his head at the apology. If anyone should be apologising, it's him - he helped to set this up, after all. And he still thinks the whole idea is funny.

"No no, that. Really, don't worry. I'm sure Salvio will be delighted with you." That's assuming their noble Seneschal is paying any sort of attention to this. "Listen, you can always help us pelt everyone else with those arrows! Might make you feel a bit better."

"Oh, I... I shouldn't." He pushes a hand through his hair, trying to shake some of the water out, for all the good it does. Technically he probably would be allowed to man the "siege" weapons, but firing them at other people, with his history, might be... a mistake.
"I ought to... I've... got to meet someone anyway." He rubs the back of his neck, blushing. Sommmebody has a cruuushhh

Aro is about to say that there's absolutely no reason why he shouldn't, and encourage him up there. He seems quite shy; maybe he could use the encouragement.

It seems that will need to wait for another time.

"Oh, right. Well, I'll not keep you. Er, you might want to...I'm sure there's somewhere you can wash that off. I mean, unless you'd like them to see your marks of battle, that is."

"Thank you," Cade says again, his smile sheepish, "I'll... I'll manage. Thank you." It's the new 'I'm sorry', in that it doesn't matter how many times he says it, he just wants to keep saying it. With a respectful bob of his head, he makes his departure.

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[open] Drunken Trap Obstacle Course and Chill

Beleth Ashara

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Nahariel Dahlasanor

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faire's finally over! @_@

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