Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening

[the_effect_she_has]

WHO: Katniss Everdeen, Samoel Gareth, Korrin Ataash, Christine Delacroix, Cremius Aclassi, Kain, and Merrick Ashara
WHAT: Various missions in the Emprise du Lion
WHEN: Second week of Haring
WHERE: Emprise du Lion - Saharain, The Bone Tower, the Mines, then lands surrounding.
NOTES: Warning for Violence, Death, possible NPC

death, and grumpy elves


Enjoyed the trip from Skyhold to even colder Emprise du Lion? Good, because now, it's time to get down to work.

1. He will not see me stopping here - The Bone Tower

The lay of the land is important here - the Inquisition Forces need proper mapping and a good idea of where the Red Templars might be dug in like ticks. The best place to get a vantage point? The Bone Tower.

Which ... just happens to be crawling with Red Templars, but luckily for this scouting party, they have their own fair share of rogues. Merrick and Katniss plan on climbing the tower, undetected, so they can better map the area. With Sam as back-up, what can possible go wrong?

2. To watch his woods fill with snow - The Mines

Yet the Bone Tower is not the only place with a heavy concentration of Red Templars. There's been speak of them in large numbers in the local mines -- and many a family member has disappeared through those wooden gates and not returned. Korrin is off to see what she can find there, and she's going to drag along some protection as well. Will you be joining her, to see just how far the Red Templars have gone?

3. My Horse Must Think Me Queer - The village of Sahnaria

And in the midst of all this, the snowy little village of Sahnaria, with what few survivors there are to the suddenly harsh weather, and those who are traveling to the mines, and never returning. Should you travel here, information is key. Who knows, you may find yourself beset with demons, who have been preying on the survivors here. Perhaps you should speak to Mistress Poulin, about their recent troubles.

4. To stop without a farmhouse near - The Red Templar Camps

Yet the road beyond the village is beset with dangers - of the red lyrium kind. Red Templars have camped up the entire road, all the way to Suledin Keep itself. It is important not to be seen, as to not give away the mission. Christine believes she can get close enough to get a better idea of what they are doing here - but she cannot do this alone. Who will go to find out the Red Templar's secrets?

5. Between the woods and the frozen lake - DRAGONS

The name says it all. Are you trying to keep hidden from the winged beasts? Are you staring up at them in wonder? Are you wondering how they would taste in a stew? Consider talking to your other teammates about the winged threat...

6. The darkest evening of the year - Attack at the Camp

They have all been as careful as they can be, but even 'peaceful' looking camps get curious eyes on them. Especially ones with an eye for violence. There is a crunch of snow behind them, and the sound of a branch breaking. Arm yourselves, scouts. Something is out in the woods, and it is coming for you...

7. The woods are lovely, dark and deep - Sulevin Blade

Katniss and Merrick now spend a great deal of their time together, trekking through the snow and setting traps, so they can get a better idea of the scope of the forces here. Their defenses, and their like. That doesn't mean that they don't find the interesting side journey, now and again ...

8. But I have promises to keep - The Warden Fortress

This particular ruin is right between the Bone Tower, and one of the largest camps of Red Templars. Still, the Inquisition Command would like to know what is inside. Do you dare find out?

9. And miles to go before I sleep - open slot for whatever!

See the description! For camping nights, for talks on patrol, for shenanigans. Post it under the heading of 9.



The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Comments

[the_effect_she_has]

She watches him tense, and goes still, as if she is dealing with a wild animal that might suddenly turn on her and fly away. Sam looks up at her, and she's never seen this in his gaze. There was something close to ... despair? If not that, it's closest cousin.

Another squeeze to his arm, and she asks quietly, "I don't know ... well, anything about the Circles. Are there different ways, outside of the Harrowing, to test mages? The Dalish don't do anything like that."

[el_tybs]

"Not that I'm aware of. The Harrowing is the Chantry's sure-fire way of seeing if a mage can withstand a demon. If there are other methods it is probably considered the ways of apostates."

Sam's not sure what to do with himself. There's little he can do from out here and leaving to go back now wouldn't help anyone. And then there was-

He didn't know what to expect once they returned to Skyhold.

[the_effect_she_has]

"Well, I hate to point this out - but aren't you all technically apostates now?" Katniss moved a step closer, "Maybe it's time to start thinking outside the box."

She sighed, "I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do that will make this any better. But - I will tell you that the mages I know who are still in Skyhold? Are not going to throw your rights away. That they are going to do the best they can, so you all still can be free."

[el_tybs]

"You're preaching to the choir, Katniss. We don't have the Circle anymore and we should be trying to get away from it, but too many - mage and none mage - are set in their ways, mostly out of fear, to consider anything but what we have now."

There was no easy answer for this, and what Katniss says only has Sam sighing again and his shoulders drooping more. "I know, but they're going to be fighting a steeper uphill battle, since half the mages and the rest of Skyhold are going to be damned set on locking us up again."

[the_effect_she_has]

"Well ... I know most of the people, my kind of people, are only going to care if there's 'something being done'. That's all the common folk really care about - and that they know what that is." She looked thoughful, "If you all got a plan ...then you'll only have to really worry about the templars and the other mages."

She snorted softly, "And frankly no common folk is going to side with the templars right now."

[el_tybs]

"Maybe they wouldn't before. After an abomination though? I wouldn't be surprised if a mass number goes flocking behind them for protection." Sam sighs again, bringing up a hand to rub at his eyes. He wasn't trying to be negative, but he's been in the middle of all this for so long...

"We'll have to see what they decide after all this." The attack was still happening, but he was certain that they'd take care of it.

[the_effect_she_has]

"And they'll go right back to the middle the first time a templar gets fresh with a serving girl. Although honestly that's not really saying anything comforting about anything." She sighed, before she moved to stand in front of him.

"You get a vote, yes? You all get to choose what you'll do?"

[el_tybs]

Did he get to vote? "I'm not... sure? I could probably say something, but I think the vote is actually up to the council. If they left the voting up to every individual there would be too many choosing one particular thing, wouldn't you think?"

[the_effect_she_has]

She bit her lip for a moment, before saying quietly, "What they're asking is for every single mage, in the future of this moment, to agree to send someone into the Fade to face a demon and hope they survive, and kill them if they don't. I think everyone should get to decide their own fate. Some might choose to face their demons literally, others might choose to become Tranquil. And maybe, just maybe, those who are worried, who are scared ... will feel like they can tell someone they need more help, and more time."

[el_tybs]

"Become Tranquil, take the Harrowing and hope that you are stronger then the demon you face lest they kill you if you fail, or... they'll kill you on the spot," he says sternly, not looking up at Katniss. "Those had been the choices you were given when in the Circle."

There's a pause before Sam rubs the back of his neck. "No one should be given those choices - they aren't real choices - or that they have to go through a Harrowing at all. I trust Lady LeBlanc though that if the Harrowings are indeed picked that such severe choices will be taken away. Which would probably leave the choice of taking the Harrowing or not. If you don't... there will obviously be a consequence."

[the_effect_she_has]

"I can't believe there isn't another option -- why do you have to take the Harrowing anyways? Just to be allowed out of the Circle?" Katniss frowned for a moment, because that didn't make any sense, "All right, so ... why not just keep training them until they can handle it? Why does there have to be a cut-off time for 'when you're ready'. And how does facing a demon prove that?"

She stopped, guilt flashing over her face, "I am sorry, Sam -- I am speaking without thinking again."

[el_tybs]

Sam sighs, running a hand down his face; this was obviously not a favorite subject of his. Eventually he shakes his head in a 'no' response. "Well good thing I'm not easily offended, and you're speaking up for mages." At that he does offer a small smile.

"The Harrowing doesn't allow a Mage access to roaming outside the Circle. At least in Ostwick it didn't, we never left; only Senior mages that were given missions did that and that was rarely. Pretty much sending an apprentice mage into the Harrowing was their way of seeing if they could withstand a demon's temptation. If you failed... well... But if you succeeded, you were registered as an official mage and could continue your studies. The cut-off time was probably mostly for the idea that if a mage went without testing too long their chances of them being possessed increased, and they would rather that happen under guidance."

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss leaned on the stone next to Sam, pressing into his side so he could share her warmth, her grey eyes troubled. "Sam ... as I have already put my boot in my mouth multiple times already -- I like it when mages know how to use their powers and are not going to end up accidentally or otherwise purposefully killing people for their own amusement. But ... it's sort of stupid, isn't it? I mean it doesn't stop mages from becoming abominations. It just means that that time, they resisted."

She sighed, folding her arms over her chest, "I don't know what it's worth, but the common folk probably won't be happy with Harrowings going on anyways. That's what made the mages mad in the first place. No one wants another war inside our own house. I'll tell Commander Cullen that too, if you want, and anyone else that you like."

A crooked, sad smile, "I'll even punch a templar for you lot."

[el_tybs]

"You know I say the same thing, but I suppose that's why Templars ended up turning into prison guards just waiting for us to 'mess up'." There's a smile on his face, but it's not exactly a happy one. He can't particularly feel her warmth through the furs and leathers, but the thought was there, which he appreciated.

"Still don't know about that. A lot of the common people are for the Chantry and might be for it. They'd just not want it done near them is all. And that isn't the only thing that made mages mad in the first place."

The mention of Katniss punching a Templar for them does actually make him chuckle a bit. "What, you would? That's very touching."

[the_effect_she_has]

She pressed her lips together, "You can't judge someone of a crime they haven't even committed. That's a lesson I've had to learn the hard way. You'd think after a thousand years the Chantry would know more than a country girl."

She opened her mouth, then closed it. He was right, of course. There was going to be those who didn't want the possibility of abominations to occur - that only felt safer when mages were locked up. "One day, Sam, I'm going to sit down with you and Adelaide and get the whole story about this ... because I think if I spread that around you might get a little more sympathy. Tonight though ... yeah. I would totally punch a templar for you."

She mimicked tossing a punch. "Bam. Right in the kisser."

[el_tybs]

"Honestly, Katniss, a lot of it is simply just fear. Some of which is reasonable, but... as you've seen, very complicated."

At the punch, Sam leans to the side a bit, chuckling at how dead set Katniss is about doing so. "Well tonight there aren't any Templars here, so save your punch." Leaning back over he grabs her arm a aims it a bit higher. "Just make sure you clear the armor."

[the_effect_she_has]

"I suppose so. I almost miss the days of childhood, where everything was black and white. Being adult has me seeing grey everywhere." She lets him adjust her aim, before she smirks and mocks another punch appropriately. "I will. If I need to."

[el_tybs]

Sam continues to chuckle, eventually calming down and leaning a bit against Katniss. Enough for her to feel his weight, but not having to support him. "Yeah. Good and bad seemed pretty clear back then. Now? Don't know if I'd want to be a kid again though."

[the_effect_she_has]

She could handle the weight. She was a lot stronger than she looked, after all. "I'm not sure either. I just know that with a world of grey, we're the ones who have to decide what is right, what is wrong, and what we're willing to fight for."

[el_tybs]

That was the hard part though wasn't it? The world was grey because so many people thought themselves right? Sam gives another sigh at that thought, purposefully not bringing it up; wasn't quite the time for a discussion about the rights and wrongs of the world.

"Thanks... Katniss."