CSI KIRKWALL: A Bad Case of Crabs || closed

[staysail]

WHO: Korrin, Darras - and then their new friends Tessa, Alex, and Alistair
WHAT: an assignment for the Naval Presence project turns into ye olde CSI, and then turns into ye olde crab brawl, and then (if we're lucky) becomes a delicious crab dinner
WHEN: vaguely during Harvestmere - Firstfall
WHERE: Lowtown and then the Wounded Coast
NOTES: mission is split into two parts, one for investigation and one for fighting a crab on the shores and in the surf. otherwise nothing else except I think this monster is... a little crabby.

Comments

[gatheringstorm]

Normally one to find sailor tales fascinating no matter how off-track, Korrin merely raises an eyebrow at mention of ghosts and nods to the barmaid in quiet than ks. They don't need to be sidetracked, not right now anyway. "It's always something, and right now that something is our problem. We should get going and deal with it, yeah?" Her gaze slides over to her companion, does he think they're done here was well or is there more to add? "When we come back this way next, we'll tell you who was right."

[staysail]

"Yeah," Darras says, but that thoughtful look is back on his face. His own cup of ale is still mostly full--he's been talking too much to make any sort of a dent in its contents--and when he picks it up, it's only to give it a turn on the tabletop, restlessly changing the direction its handle is facing.

"A shipwreck?" he says, to the barmaid. She nods, distracted now, as she picks up two empty mugs from the table adjacent.

"Look for where the water gets sudden dark," she says. "That's all I've heard."

She sets off, back toward the bar, determination in her step. Darras looks back at Korrin. "That one seems a decent enough lead, I'd reckon. Don't know about ghosts having stripped a man and killed him, but..."

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin shrugs at that. "It could be a spirit, if the Veil's thin enough. If that's the case, it wouldn't hurt to have an anchor-bearers if we need to seal a rift." She keeps her voice quiet, not wanting to set anyone on edge with mage-talk. Spirits aren't her forte anyhow, but that doesn't mean she hasn't picked up on a few things in her time.

"But my bet is on something more mundane, if no less annoying."

[staysail]

Truth be told, it is none of it precisely what Darras is comfortable with, either. He's seen magic done, hasn't got any real aversion or prejudice. More a healthy apprehension. Rifts, anchor shards, those are beyond him. Spirits are in stories, somehow easier for him to accept. Call it a sailor's superstition, maybe. Odd lights glimpsed out over the water in the dead of night, in the middle of the Amaranthine.

Still, wise of Korrin to keep her voice down. Implies a lesson that was learned, maybe the hard way. Darras nods, steadily, and casts another look over the tavern at large, as if maybe the true answer will be written across someone's face.

"Mundane would be only fitting, given the assignments I've had so far. Least I'll be ready for it, with all that practice I've had."

[gatheringstorm]

Most lessons are learned the hard way, at least in Korrin's experience, but the point is she's still here. A few additional scars won't slow her down. "Remind me to buy you another round, when we're done with this mission. You sound like you have a few interesting tales under your belt, and I wouldn't mind a good swap. I've plenty of my own that don't include the weirder shit, if you're not into that."

[staysail]

The offer gives Darras another reminder: that he's got a round to finish here and now. He picks up his cup and gives it a pull, polishing off a good bit before he sets it down again. He gives Korrin a wry little smile.

"Before the Inquisition? Plenty. With a different sort of weird shit, I'm thinking. Now, with the Inquisition, there's less to tell. Don't know if they always start new recruits on courier tasks, or if it's pure luck for me. That or someone's said a bad word against me."

He goes for another drink, as if to wash down the thought. Nearly finished with the ale now. "Been around here long yourself, or are those tales of yours outside the Inquisition?"

[gatheringstorm]

"Yes and yes." Korrin flashes a crooked smile. "It's been just over three years now, since I first joined up right after the Conclave exploded. I've seen plenty since then, too...but also before, with my company. Granted, the craziest stuff has been in the last few years, but I think that goes for a lot of people."

The sky splitting open, spilling out rifts and demons, and people from beyond with blazing lights in their hands or elsewhere? Yeah, nothing has quite compared to that.

"And hey, at least you didn't get a rift closure on your first try. That's always an experience, whether or not you're one of the people sealing it."

[staysail]

Three years is a long time to be committed to the Inquisition, and Darras grimaces--a slight grimace, mind, and mostly to himself. Wouldn't exactly think it right to say what he's really thinking, which is something along the lines of, if I'm still here in three years, put me out of my misery. Not to someone who has been here that self-reported three years.

Instead, he drains the last of his ale and gives a half-shrug. "Could be for the best as I don't know how useful I'd be at closing a rift. Perhaps that's why I get the shit jobs. They take a look at the skills I've got and think, well at least he can carry a bit of parchment from one place to the next. Like a simpler and more open form of smuggling, y'know?"

[gatheringstorm]

The grimace doesn't go unnoticed, of course, but Korrin just shrugs back. She didn't plan on the Inquisition taking over her life for as long as it has...but some things can't be helped. As long as Corypheus is around, she has a place here.

"Eh, it takes all kinds. And Araceli always needs smuggler-types in her project, as much as she needs qunari-shaped battering rams. Stick around, and I'm sure you'll get a chance on some of those less-shit jobs." Once Korrin gets a chance to see what he's like on the field, there's a good chance she'll recruit him herself if the skillset matches what she needs.

[staysail]

"Araceli. She's heading up all the Inquisition's sea-faring interests, yeah? Suit me quite a bit better to be doing something with that. And I'd say that I'd drink to that, but," and he pushes away his empty mug and flashes his hands, as if he's done a magic trick, "I've just finished my drink. Keep that sentiment in mind until the next tavern, eh?"

Either now, if they need to go off and collect more intelligence on whatever's murdering ancient fishermen, or later, after they've defeated whatever's murdering ancient fishermen. Darras isn't picky.