I've got my kit bag, my heavy boots

[hlif]

WHO: Asher Hardie; open
WHAT: Asher arrives in Skyhold, John Cena's theme plays in the distance
WHEN: mid-late Wintermarch; feel free to just bump into him later than his arrival
WHERE: Skyhold, by the healing tents and the stables but if you want to wildcard bumping into him then go for it
NOTES: language most likely, if you'd like to assume past CR then hit me up.

The rest of the Boneflayers make for the tavern almost immediately, a collection of rogues and one annoyed mage abandoning their leader with a pouch of coin to leave Asher alone, just through the main gates of Skyhold trying to coax a tired grumpy bronto to the stables, the wagon behind it groaning with supplies. Meat, vegetables, leather, wool, some wheels of cheese, even some home-brewed ale, all packed high and lashed into the wagon, a gift of support from his family they've all been complaining about since they rumbled through the Hinterlands and up. He might be a big guy but he can't do everything himself, not when there's also a grizzled looking mabari plodding along too.

Most of the people he makes eye contact with seem to be looking away quickly, which y'know, rude but unsurprising when you're Asher's height and tend to look half-feral.

"Look if someone will just point me to the bloody kitchens so I can get rid of this I'll be grateful." Only no one is helping, please help him before someone gets punched.

Comments

[hlif]

"That's still not an excuse, you can repurpose anywhere you know, instead of having kitchens up the stairs, no one said I'd need to actually fling half a cow over each shoulder and hope I don't smack my head off the doorframe on the way in." Of course his mother would say it's his own fault, blah blah blah, he was joining up for prestige, not to be her mule for hire to send a wagon as a gesture of support but he's trying to be a good son for more than five minutes at a time, once every decade.

Watching her go, he sighs, letting his mabari lean on him and well, more flies with honey than vinegar is truly a thing so he flashes her one of his very rare big, sincere smiles that doesn't look as though he's about to commit murder.

"Cheers for that but me? Carta? I'm at least three times too big for Carta, no, two of the crew are ex-carta but they still call themselves that, they're usually game for everything but I think the mountain defeated them. We're mercenaries, make no mistake, soldiers of fortune, but even they cut ties with their former employers."

Kirkwall was pretty rough for all parties involved, what can you do?

[aceso]

"The mountains can be a trial for anyone," she replies, taking a small crate of something light. "But it makes Skyhold look very welcoming at the end of the journey." It's a beautiful place. Ancient and full of secrets, she's sure, but after being on two missions outside of it, coming back made her realize that she was coming home. Skyhold is home now. She likes that.

"Were you hired by the Inquisition to bring these supplies?" she asks, moving towards the kitchen stairs.

[hlif]

"It really shouldn't be, not if you've gone up to any of the Holds." Now they know how to do a welcome because there's nothing like a big loud reunion that basically cracks your ribs or having to prove yourself worthy of being a guest of the hold.

Laughing, he shook his head, following her up with supplies, the first trip of many. "I wish, I might already be getting paid. They're from my family, a gesture of support and I just happened to be passing through for a visit on my way here. Two birds, one Asher to deal with them."

[aceso]

"I haven't. I doubt many have. Without a good reason, I cannot fathom why the Avvar would want us there." She knows little of the Avvar, being Orlesian as she is. She knows there was a group of them in the Fallow Mire, but she didn't see any.

"That's very kind of them. It's good to see the Inquisition gaining support." She gives him the once over as they approach the kitchen door. "Asher. I am Christine." Then, balancing the crate on one knee, she opens the door to allow them all in.

[hlif]

"They're not so bad, some of them come down to trade and we all came from the Avvar and they came from the Alamarri. Well, all us humans anyway, besides, have you seen them fight? Nothing can stand in their way." Or next to nothing but you never bet against the home team now do you?

"We cut through the Hinterlands coming back, the last time it must have been that bad it was the Blight and, bad as it sounds, at least those things are mindless. It's not actual people who should have some sense just burning houses and fields as they please." He hefts several wheels of cheese up in his arms, following and leaning against the door to adjust his hold on the cheeses so he doesn't crush his fingers setting them down. "A pleasure to meet you Christine, full name's Asher Hardie of the Boneflayers."

[aceso]

Christine's lips twitch, but she doesn't answer for a moment. Of course they all came from the barbarian tribes, but the Avvar were the ones who still lived that way. She likes to think Orlesians have become a bit more civilized since then. Then again, the Game is its own type of vicious warfare, so maybe not. It's why she doesn't partake in it.

"I have not had the pleasure of seeing them fight." Odds are, she'd be horrified at the brutality.

She sets her crate down on a table, and sets her hands on her hips, watching him. Those cheese wheels look too heavy for her to help him by taking one.

"Boneflayers? I thought skin could be flayed, but bone?" Maybe she doesn't wish to know. She shakes her head. "I really have no affiliation myself, but I am one of the healers here."

[hlif]

"Best way to make them not think you're a peasant."

He's only teasing but she's Orlesian, he knows exactly what they'd think of her if they didn't decide to go for outright hostility and really, Asher has the same instincts when it comes to some Orlesians. Usually when they've given him dirty looks for putting his boots up on the antique furniture when he's about to go solve all their problems.

Almost as soon as the cheese is down, a couple of kitchen staff appear and well, maybe having the family stamp on things is actually a good idea except he's not going to tell them that.

"Company names don't need to be practical, people know what the flay bit is right, and their mind goes and does the rest. I had enough of a reputation in the last company I was in that most of them didn't put it past me and now I've got word of mouth and references." After all, a mercenary lives and dies by his reputation and Asher has put the time and effort in with his own to make sure people know of it. "Well you'll get your hands on me sooner or later, I like to get up close and personal in a fight, see the fear in someone's eyes." Reavers are the worst.

[aceso]

"I am far from an expert on mercenary companies, so you'll forgive me for not knowing your reputation." There's a bit of a smirk along with her words as she moves to get a second load.

"Do you care whether or not you receive magical healing? I am a mage, and some refuse to have magic used on them."

[hlif]

"You'll learn about us soon enough," he replies with the cocky confidence of a man almost begging for someone to come along and try to knock his feet out from under him.

Hefting a load, he shrugs and shakes his head. "I'd be dead without magical healing, I might not care about any of your politics but I've got a mage in my company. True we had to badger her into learning any healing magic and it feels like a punch but she's good. I mean, I'm still here aren't I?"

[aceso]

"That you are." She glances sidelong at him. "Healing shouldn't feel that way. It's gentle; the absence of pain. If she ever wants to learn a different way, I would be happy to teach her." Though she has no doubt that this is the sort of man who doesn't mind the punching feeling. He looks like his day isn't complete without getting in a fight.

"And while you are here, I will tend to you as well. Since it sounds as though you anticipate needing healing."

[hlif]

"Thing is, we had to bribe her to learn healing spells. For a while it was a smaller crew, me, my second Melisende, Amalia our mage, and people who drifted in and out. She’s always been an apostate, both her parents left different Circles and so she grew up roaming around with mercenaries - Amalia likes setting things on fire, that’s maybe her favourite thing to do in the world but we needed a healer and magical healing is quicker than chugging potions." A potion involves more fiddling around and sometimes Asher’s barely on his feet, reeling and laughing with blood everywhere so he’s grateful for something that hits him right away. And he loves Amalia, her complaints and all, loves her like a little sister. "I think she does it that way as a dare - you lot asked me to do this, so it’s your own fault.

I suppose it’s something the Circle teaches well though, that’s got to be the biggest thing mages have going for them. Or had. Don’t know how the dust’ll settle now. But if we get the work I'm hoping we'll get, you won't be short of work."

And no he doesn't sound as though he's relishing that prospect, that would be absurd.

[aceso]

"Oh, Maker!" Christine laughs. "If only you had had me. I know every healing spell there is. But then I could hardly take the place of your fire mage. She sounds suited for combat." And it may be that Christine has a bit of a chip on her shoulder. While she believes mages should be free, she also thinks they should get the proper training they need, without being locked away. The excuses that it was to protect them from the outside world hardly holds up when there is story after story of the Templars' corruption from within. But maybe this Amalia isn't an ill-educated apostate. If her parents were in the Circle system, they probably taught her well enough. She hasn't been taken over by a demon, at any rate.

"Why do I get the feeling you will become a familiar face at my healing tent, hmm?"

[hlif]

"We're always looking to expand though it's a group decision, the last few joined us back in Kirkwall when the Arishok lost his temper and had a rampage so it's been a while." But seriously, they're always up for new people though the jobs and places Asher drags the crew to are often less than savoury, hence why they've lost folks over the years. Usually whenever Asher takes them to a hold to do some trading and hang out. Another mage wouldn't be a bad idea to balance them out though mages that aren't blood mages? Thin on the ground.

"Well at least it's a handsome face and not an ugly mug you'll be stuck with, and one like yours'll get me on my feet faster."

[aceso]

"You know, you are not the first to claim I have a face that heals," she replies, picking up her second load. It's honestly fine with her if others want to compliment her appearance. She can't say she isn't a little bit vain about it. But she hopes that's not all she is to people. Christine wants to be seen as a hard-working, competent healer too.

[hlif]

"Just the most rugged, right?" Not one to be backwards about coming forwards is Asher, not with the sort of life he's lived because he's never given a shit what anyone thinks of him. If she laughs it off, rolls her eyes, wrinkles her nose with disgust? He'll brush it off and get on with it. "You'll want to punch me before you can send me on my way, if I don't try to escape first. I hate lying around doing nothing."

[aceso]

"As a matter of fact, you are." The last to say something had been Gavin, and elves have no facial hair.

Oh, no, he's one of those patients. The kind that make her want to tear out her hair. "I am a healer. I would not punch you." But she shoots him a look that's a bit proud. "I would just hold you in place with a force field."

[hlif]

That only makes him grin more, giving his beard a scratch because yeah, until a full-blooded Avvar male shows up, he gets to strut around.

“You’d want to punch me.” Or scream at him maybe as he still tried to get out of bed but a forcefield? Well that’s just downright intriguing. “I’ve never been held down by those before. Ropes and people, but not that, you never know I might quite fancy that.”

[aceso]

"If you fancy that, then you'd be a good little patient and not one I would wish to punch," she points out, heading back towards the kitchens once more. "I suppose we will have to test this the next time you find yourself under my care." Not that she wishes harm on people, but he seems certain he'll get into some trouble sooner or later.