OPEN: this will be a better year

[faderifting]

WHO: Everyone
WHAT: First Day
WHEN: Wintermarch 1 (forward-dated)
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Scouts from both the Western Approach and Emprise du Lion are welcome (but not required) to have returned to Skyhold in time for this event.

There have been better First Day feasts, and less crowded ones, and cheerier ones. It isn't a good year for many to look back on, and this one isn't starting any better. Reports from both Eastern and Western Orlais are grim. Many in the Inquisition can't afford to take more than a few hours away from their work, if that.

But for those who can, the ambassador does her best. At lunchtime some tables, hot food, and finery are reserved for visiting nobility and wealthy pilgrims--cause for grumbling in some quarters, perhaps, but they're the people filling the Inquisition's coffers, and allowances must be made--but there's plenty of stew, bread, and ale for everyone, even with the soldiers and refugees who stay outside the fortress invited inside for the holiday. The recently repaired garden and its carefully tended plants aren't off limits, but anyone noisy and holding a drink will be stopped at the door; the battlements, with their potential for deadly falls, are blocked by Inquisition guards. But the courtyards brim with people, most of them happy despite the possibility that the world might end before another First Day arrives.

If the courtyards are too full of tipsy visitors for comfort, there's also the valley beyond the fortress, expansive, barren, and covered in snow. By the river the soldiers help the refugees make a bonfire larger than would ever be allowed inside Skyhold's walls, and some lend their shields to use as sleds down the embankments. A group of scouts start the most intense game of hide and seek Thedas has ever seen, with snowballs to the face for whoever is found first. In the camp, a refugee girl with her hand wrapped in a green scarf chases other children around the tents, shouting raaar, I'm from the rifts!

Comments

[eolasemah]

The individual responsible for stopping revelers at the door is one Sina Dahlasanor, who has parked herself on a blanket directly in front of the entryway from the main hall with a cup of tea in her hands and a few lyrium potions within reach. A thick barrier of roots and branches has miraculously grown up over the opening, a spell for which she recasts in perpetuity, though she graciously relaxes it for those who have business here or make a compelling case for wanting to escape the hubbub.

Anyone deemed too drunk who tries to argue their way in is met with a calm and silent shake of her head. She'll have none of it.

Before he's dragged to Socialize ...

[judgemewhole]

Norrington doesn't have a drink on him, and is as sober as a magistrate when he appears at the garden door. Which is, well, blocked by a giant tree. More of the Keeper magic Pel had told him about, and he looks at it in wonder, before he calls inside.

"Lady Pel? Are you within?" He called out through the tree roots. If he could get a quiet moment alone with her, he would not complain.

[eolasemah]

Sina narrowed her eyes when someone approached-- someone she didn't recognize, though she could tell by his voice that he was reasonably sober.

"She's not," she said matter-of-factly, then took a sip of her tea. She wasn't sure where Pel was, or she would offer further information.

[judgemewhole]

"Oh." Well, the disappointment is rather clear in his voice, now isn't it? After a moment, he looked at the roots and stated, "Is this the Lady Sina, then?"

Because Pel said there was one other who was a superior at this sort of plant magic.

[eolasemah]

Sina gave a small snort at the honorific, but smiled a little. "It's Sina, anyway," she said easily. Lady? Probably not, at least not by human standards.

[judgemewhole]

"Right. Sina." He nods his head, tapping on the roots. "Lady Pel was correct - your magic is truly impressive. I understand you are protecting the gardens. I was just looking for escape ... will that not be possible this evening?"

[gatheringstorm]

As Korrin approaches, she raises an eyebrow at noting the barrier in place. The Vashoth mage doesn't seem irritated so much as curious, as it's not a form of magic she's familiar with. She carries a small bag in one hand, wanting to drop something off before she forgets.

"Nice work. I don't suppose anyone's been stupid enough to try and breach that, have they?"

[eolasemah]

Recognizing Korrin, Sina smiles cheerfully and shakes her head. "They couldn't if they tried," she assures her. What good is a Keeper if she can't conjure a decent root barrier?
"Do you want to come in?"

[gatheringstorm]

"Sure, I haven't seen the garden since I left. Speaking of which, here." Korrin hands the bag to Sina, shrugging. "It's just seed packets. Some herbs and the like, but a trader we passed had some various flower types as well. They should all be labeled."

[eolasemah]

With a gesture from Sina, the roots collapsed off to the side of the doorway to allow Korrin's entry. She stood to receive the bag, intrigued. "Oh, thank you!" she gasped.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin pauses in the doorway to smile back at Sina, certain that the seeds will find a good home with her. "You're very welcome. I'm just sorry I couldn't be here to defend it, but if that helps with the rebuilding, then at least some good will come of having been away."

[el_tybs]

It's the branches that catch his attention first, having not remembered those being there when they had left for Emprise du Lion. At seeing the Dalish sitting in front of them, he's less worried, though no less curious. This was that Keeper magic that he had seen Pel use once, right?

He recognizes her, too, from that one Mage meeting, though it takes a few moments for him to remember her name. "You're Sina, right?"

[eolasemah]

"Yes," comes the small voice from inside, pleasantly enough. She narrows her eyes slightly to see past her own spell. "Oh-- you're Nari's friend, aren't you?"

[el_tybs]

He smiles at the recognition, bending down a bit so that she can see him a bit better. "I am. I'm Sam."

[eolasemah]

"Sina," she replies easily. "You're not drunk, are you?" The question is asked matter-of-factly and without judgment.

[el_tybs]

That's an amusing question to be asked, though he does take a moment to consider it. "I've had a little, but I'm not drunk. Is that what the roots are for?"

[harthad_uluithiad]

Sam's warm and pleasantly fuzzy with ale, though still able to focus his eyes and walk in a (mostly) straight line. It occurs to him that the garden might look lovely this time of night, as well as providing a bit of fresh air and a break from the crowd.

He makes his way over through the throng of people, only to stop short at the door to the garden. It's blocked, and he blinks in confusion at the tangle of branches before he spots Sina sitting quietly nearby and his face splits into a shy, but happy smile of recognition.

"Oh!" he says. "Hello."

[eolasemah]

Although she can't see him well through the tangle, Sina recognizes Sam's familiar voice. "Hello," she greets amiably, "are you having a good night, Samwise?"

[harthad_uluithiad]

"Oh yes; the best so far, I think," he replies, and means it. It's been a long time since he's been to a real celebration like this, even before he arrived in Thedas, and it's much needed. "And what about you? Is your," he gestures vaguely to his own chest, and drops his voice a bit for privacy, "your shard still paining you?"

[eolasemah]

She smiles at his response, gladdened by his enjoyment. Parties may not be her thing-- she's not ready for that many people yet-- but she's pleased by the cheer in the air.
Noticing where he's gesturing, Sina looks down and sighs mildly. "Not much tonight," she says, with a grateful smile.

[harthad_uluithiad]

The hobbit looks honestly pleased to hear it, smiling in return. "I'm glad," he says, and then glaces up at the greenery blocking the entry to the garden, face creasing in confusion. "But what's happened here? It looks as if the garden's decided for itself that it's had enough of us all!" He pauses, struck by a sudden thought. He'd been joking, but - was such a thing actually possible? Certainly he'd seen similar, back in the Old Forest.

[arlathvhen]

Beleth isn't drunk, per se, she would prefer the term buzzed, thank you. That is why, when she meets the wall of plantlife blocking her from the garden, she doesn't scream, or shout, or carry on. In fact, she doesn't speak to Sina at all while she studies the barrier. After some contemplation, it is decided that the wall is simply another part of life that must be accepted, and Beleth instead plops down in front of the door, craning her head to look at Sina.

"This is better than the funeral," She addressed the other elf for the first time, having apparently not quite linked her and the magic of the door in her mind. "No one's shouting or being mean. At least, that I've seen. No one's bothered you, have they? If they did, just let me know, alright? I'll..." Threatening violence seemed like a bad idea even to Beleth's slightly inebriated mind. "...Have a very stern talk with them. Don't doubt me! I've listened to my mother enough times." If anyone could scold someone to the point you wish they'd just hit you instead, it was Clan Ashara's Keeper.

[eolasemah]

Sina sits in silence, her smile growing as Beleth talks. ...and talks. She waits until Beleth has finished wishing violence on her nonexistent aggressors and then cheerfully offers "aneth ara, Beleth," through the barrier. She won't be opening it, since she has a feeling the other elf won't be as careful as she'd like, but she feels no ill will toward her.

"No, no one's bothered me. It's been very quiet in here, actually."

[arlathvhen]

"Aneth ara," Beleth replies back, peeking around the vines to look at her. "I'm glad to hear it. Maybe it's because of, um. This." She gestures to the plants, taking a moment to prod one of the vines a little. As this had as much of an affect as her blank stares did, she stops, pulling back. "Those are plants. In the door." She informs Sina, just in case the other was, perhaps, pondering this vast mystery as much as she was.

"You know, I don't think plants would make very good doors," She paused as she thought this over, and gave a firm nod. "It's all the holes. It'd let wind in. And you have to water them. Or they would just...you know." She wiggled her fingers, miming what could be confetti falling down, but probably was supposed to be some kind of show of leaves wilting and dying. "It'd be super ugly, dying plants lying around Skyhold. I mean, it looks nice right now, though."

The idea that this isn't a door, and indeed, if it was, it would be a very poor door, as it didn't allow her to the other side, apparently hasn't quite occurred to her.

[eolasemah]

"Probably," Sina answered good-naturedly, smiling into her teacup as she took a sip and Beleth rambled about doors. "Most doors are made from plants, aren't they?" she asked, "at least when they're wood." This was an important conversation to have.