[open] Drunken Trap Obstacle Course and Chill

[arlathvhen]

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.

Comments

II

[onlyhymns]

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.

[nadasharillen]

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.

[onlyhymns]

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.

[nadasharillen]

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.

[onlyhymns]

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.

[nadasharillen]

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?

[onlyhymns]

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.

[nadasharillen]

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.

[onlyhymns]

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.

[nadasharillen]

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.

[onlyhymns]

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??????

[nadasharillen]

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.

[onlyhymns]

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.

[sorcerised]

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."

[onlyhymns]

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.

[sorcerised]

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?"

[onlyhymns]

"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.

[sorcerised]

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."

[onlyhymns]

"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

[sorcerised]

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."

[onlyhymns]

"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.