I have moved and I've kept on moving, proved the points that I needed proving

[mythalenaste]

WHO: Pel Ashara, Morrigan, Salem Ghilain, Katniss Everdeen, Mal Reynolds, Sam Gareth, Merrill, Sina Dahlasanor (via sending crystals)
WHAT: Studying elven ruins in the Hinterlands
WHEN: End of Wintermarch
WHERE: The Hinterlands
NOTES: Some fighting, altogether Indiana Joneslike archaeology. Meaning it's not really archaeology, it's just fighting and mystical weird ancient places.

Starters below. Or make your own WILDCARD!

Comments

Journey

[mythalenaste]

The trip to the Hinterlands is cold; hope you packed your warm clothes. The trip there is cold but clear, with foothills evening out into long, grassy fields for a time before they begin to roll again.

On the way back, a light snow begins, and about halfway to Skyhold it becomes thick and heavy. Pel springs for a room at a local tavern that night, though you'll have to provide your own meal. There are plenty of trail rations.

[mythalenaste]

Pel seems a bit distant during the trip. She eats and sleeps alone unless tackled down, and only socializes when it's about the research. She's animated, in fact, any time she's discussing the research. Any other time, she tends to grow quiet, almost melancholy, but not cold. Bug her any time.

[aintwejust]

"Jayne leave her alone." It's more exasperated than angry- she don't have food for him to steal so the Mabari's less look'n for a meal and more sitting next to and oozing into her space in the vain hopes of ear scratches.

[mythalenaste]

Not so vain; Pel relaxes and starts giving him those ear scritches, deftly avoiding slobber.

"He's fine. Or she." She's not sure which it is. Wait. She takes a peek underneath. "He," she confirms immediately and easily. She looks up at Mal with a smile. "Thank you for coming."

[aintwejust]

"He." Mal props his spear against his shoulder, peer'n down more at the dog than the Dalish. "He's a sucker for pretty girls. Keeps think'n if he's cute 'nuf they'll feed him."

A beat and he shrugs, settling down to sit next to her. "Me? I'm a sucker for work. Long as I get paid and what needs do'n gets done? I'm happy. Been 'round similar ruins 'nuf to know it ain't gonna be a walk in the park."

[mythalenaste]

"That bridge can't be crossed till we get there." Pel pats Jayne on the side. "I'm sorry I can't pay you more. The Inquisition is barely funding my research. Maybe that'll change, once we've brought back something they find useful."

[aintwejust]

"Coin's coin. It'll keep me fed for awhile, that's all I need. Him-" He nudges Jayne with a boot. "He finds his own food whether I want him to or not. Ain't no skin off my nose. Long as I don't end up neck deep in 'spawn or demons, we'll be fine."

[mythalenaste]

Pel delicately touches her nose at that turn of phrase. "Skin off your nose? Where does that come from? What would take skin off your nose?"

[aintwejust]

"I think it's somth'n close to putt'n your nose to the grindstone, but you do that when you care a whole lot. Not los'n skin means sure, you'll work, but you don't rightly care one way or t'other." He shrugs. "Least best way I can figure."

Katniss gets personal

[the_effect_she_has]

"Is it all right if we make a detour?" Katniss suddenly says, as Pel falls into one of her silences. They are traveling through a familiar valley, and Katniss has been carefully hiding something inside her cloak since they had started back.

The look on her face is ... strange. Tight and sad, but quietly resigned. As if she is both looking forward to, and dreading this particular detour.

[mythalenaste]

"How far?" They don't have a lot of time or money, but if it only puts them off a few hours, it should be fine.

[the_effect_she_has]

"Not far ... just up that hill there." Katniss stops, and doesn't look around at anyone. In fact she doesn't even look at Pel. She just looks at the hill.

"I want to go say hello -- to my sister. Makes sure she is ...resting easy."

[mythalenaste]

Pel nods. "Of course. We can wait here for you."

[the_effect_she_has]

She nodded, before she started to walk up the hill. She paused a few steps further on, before she looked back at the group, her expression tight and a little strange.

She put her gaze on Pel, and on Salem, her voice quiet. "You two ... can come too, if you want." She didn't want to exclude the others, but they didn't know her like Pel and Salem did.

[mythalenaste]

Pel nods, and glances over at Salem for confirmation. "I'd be glad to come."

[fortheloveoffalondin]

Salem looked from Pel to Katniss at that, then nodded solemnly. "As would I. Lead the way."

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss nodded her head once, in almost a jerky fashion, before she looked at the others. "We'll be back soon."

Then she started to trudge her way up the snowy slope, up the hill, and around the scope of fir trees that were covered in snow, to an oak tree that looked out over the valley of snow and snugly closed in cottages. Under the tree, two large lumps stuck out, and Katniss moved to sweep the snow away from the two stone headstones, so the names could be seen clearly.

Hermann Everdeen was the stone on the right, and she put her hand briefly over the stone letters, before turning to the one marked Primrose Everdeen.

Reaching into her coat, she took out the small bundle of elfroot and emerbrium, and put it atop Prim's grave. She let her fingers linger over the stone letters, as she whispered, "Hey ducktail. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you prettier blooms ... but it's cold out here. You know how the snow piles up in winter. I was lucky to find these."

She's quiet for a moment, before she speaks again, "I hope you're keeping Father company - I know he's missed his two girls. I'm ... sorry, I won't see the two of you for awhile. I bet you're happy about that though, so ... you'll be happy to know I'm not alone, either. I know you always worried about that. Me being alone. This is Pel, and Salem. They're Dalish, like our mother. Siblings, just like us. They're putting up with me now, so, you just rest easy. I'm taken care of."

She bit her lip, hard, feeling her teeth catch on the dried skin of her lips. Her voice became hoarse. "I miss you. I miss you and I miss Father. I miss you every day. I wish you could see Skyhold. I wish you could see all the things I have seen. You would have loved the temple, Prim. You would have made everyone tell you everything about everything. When it's warmer, I'll come back, and tell you about all the other old ruins we've found."

She falls quiet again, closing her eyes, before she whispers, "Ma da'vhenan."

[mythalenaste]

"O Falon'Din
Lethanavir--Friend to the Dead
Guide my feet, calm my soul,
Lead me to my rest."

The prayer is murmured, barely audible. This feels very strange, intrusive, and Pel can't quite bring herself to look at Salem. She knows this is what siblings are supposed to be like. It's something she's never been allowed to give Salem. After a moment, she comes close to him and wraps an arm around his shoulders as if capturing him.

[chainlightning]

On the way there or on the way back, Merrill is -- at least -- wearing shoes and being careful not to get in the way. Her staff marks her as a mage, while her vallaslin marks her as Dalish. There is one oddity that doesn't quite point to anything, though: a small rag doll, well-loved and clearly made for smaller hands. Every so often while they're at camp, Merrill will pull the doll out to look at it and smile.

scouting ahead, watchful eyes.

[glandival]

[ Sabine is an unknown quality for most in this little band of adventurers. They'd needed some muscle, and got it in the form of someone who moonlights as a kitchenhand in Skyhold when she's not whittling down arrows for the Inquisition's archers, if only for virtue of the fact that she is pushy that way.

She keeps her hair roped back into a thick braid of red, and has traded out servant skirts for light leathers. Her bow is Inquisition-standard issue, but her knives are her own.

Although she does not have a reputation for being quiet, she keeps to herself. At night, she takes watch. During roads once known for bandits or bears, she sneaks ahead, and heralds when the coast is clear. After they've rested for supper, she can be found having scaled one of the sturdier trees they've camped beneath, lounging belly-down like a cat with ankles hooked in place, more comfortable than watchful, but that, too. Every now and then, light-reflecting eyes flash as it grows darker. ]