Skyhold

[faderifting]

WHO: Anyone & everyone
WHAT: Open post for business as usual around Skyhold
WHEN: The first couple weeks of Harvestmere, 9:41 (aka October)
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Please mark any necessary content warnings in thread subject lines. Also, make sure to check out the other log posts already made!

Far from the glamorous adventurous world-saving people signed up for, most of the hustle and bustle in Skyhold at present is cleaning. The Great Hall is a disaster, and crews are assigned to haul out the cracked and rotting planks fallen from the wide-open roof, and tear down the vines covering the walls. Ivy encrusts the main staircase outside and many of the fortress walls and is cleared in section while other groups assess or begin shoring up the stonework as it's revealed. There are scaffolding to build, materials to sort, crates to unload, tents to stitch together or set-up, and on and on and on, endless mundane chores vital to the survival of the organization.

When not hard at work, people cluster around fires across the courtyards. Many mingle freely, going about their business, running errands and messages, planning scouting missions, tallying up supplies, distributing or playing with the sending crystals that were found in a basement vault and which a group of mages have just today finished preparing for use. Once a good number have been passed around and the first Inquisition-wide transmission made messages start being broadcast; maybe you can help someone out.

The rebel mages and renegade templars mainly keep to themselves at opposite sides of the complex given the choice. Mages assist with healing and research and bicker amongst themselves about their options and their fate. Templars help train recruits in swordforms and basic combat techniques or spar with the more advanced and bicker amongst themselves about their options and their fate. Despite having all pledged themselves to the Inquisition, they still feel like separate factions and tension between them is palpable wherever they cross paths.

Like at meals, or the communal message board in the courtyard, or at the Herald's Rest. The mess hall/tavern is so new it still smells of sawdust, and its stock has been limited to one type of strong ale until today, when a shipment of West Hill brandy has finally arrived. The mood in the place is convivial in celebration of that, but there's still plenty of muttering, especially as the night drags on and the discontented get further into their cups.

Comments

[hugeinorlais]

To be fair, the kid's original assessment of Orlesian nobility wasn't very far off, but The Game was dangerous enough that Varric let him hold onto that particular misconception. If he thought that "The Game is played to the death" involved actual, portable siege weaponry, he'd probably steer clear of anything to do with it. So, win/win really.

"That's the one and, honestly? It's probably because you can stack the game easier than dice," Varric explained easily and moved to unlock Bianca's arms and fold the weapon back into its safety alignment.

"It's pretty much a game all about lying and tricking your opponents into thinking they've already lost, so...basically it's Orlais, but as a card game. People bet bigger on Wicked Grace than they do on dice or Diamondback because everybody thinks they've figured out how to be better at it than the guy they're playing. With dice, unless you load them up first, it's all chance."

Varric shrugged. "Nobody wants to bet big on pure chance. Too easy to lose that way."

[hugeinorlais]

As if on cue, Maryden stepped forward and started (loudly) singing a song about something or another. Varric was only half listening...well, probably closer to a quarter-listening, because he had a new drinking buddy.

"So, what's you name? I'd call you Dalish but one of the Charger's has already got dibs on that one."

[theonly]

The people are already frightened. Let them be frightened over nothing when all our enemies are dead.

[ He has no idea what the Nightingale is up to, or how to contact her. He feels more comfortable speaking with Cullen on all things, but he lets out a sigh. ]

I do think she could always need another blade. I know that we shall in the coming days.

[ At this moment, someone may pat the Qunari's shoulder or some other show of camaraderie, but Stannis remains as he is and even takes a step backward. ] Like before. We'll see, though. There's still much to be done.

[slipshot]

"I'm not even so sure it is a human castle," Gavin said, thoughtfully. "I mean - it is now, but I've heard rumours that the original construction was Elven." Which was absolutely fascinating to him, but - yes, maybe not the point that Merrick was trying to get to. He coughed.

"Ah - soon, I hope. Once they figure out who -- well, what they figure out how we're going to continue, without the Inquisitor."

He gave Merrick a look there - for several seconds, it was almost sad - but it covered up quickly with a smile he didn't quite feel.

"I'm glad you didn't, to be honest. Not sure how well I'd be able to lure you away from just picking a fight with a blighted dragon..."

[issala]

Um... thanks.

[Another pause.]

What's your name, anyway? I'm Kas.

[issala]

[He snorts at the cow imitation, kind of impressed.

As Gorse turns, he freezes up a bit, as if he expects the guy to finally go 'muahaha I'm selling you out to the cook!'. It passes really quickly when he hears those words, however.

They were definitely in cahoots.]

Okay!

[issala]

If the young qunari ever got himself involved in the Game somehow, he would probably be running in the other direction and hoping to not be hit by crossbows and warrior Empresses. Thankfully he's qunari and therefore extremely unlikely to even be a pawn. Definitely a win/win.

Varrics explanation of the game makes the teen curious, and he almost jumps a bit when Bianca folds back into the original form with just the slightest click. It was amazing, really.

There's a moment of awestruck staring before he zones in to the game thing again. Basically Orlais, but as a card game. Okay, he could probably imagine that. Tricks and lies and cheating sounds like any noble thing. Just more entertaining in game form.

"Oooh. Now I get why I always lose in dice..." Yup, he's been a sucker.

The teen leans back a bit, smiling. "It sounds pretty fun, though. So you tricked the Empress in the game and won Bianca. That's amazing." Man, why where all the dwarves awesome?

[amygdalae]

Bruce. It's very nice to meet you, Kas.

[mythalenaste]

Not sure what an adverb is, but Varric seems to know well enough. What he seems to be asking for is an eye for detail and the ability to critique without withholding anything, and Pel has both in spades.

Ten silvers a page. She's not sure if that's fair, or if that's a lot. She'll have to ask Krem. But there are some questions she can ask without knowing.

"Per page front-and-back, or per side? And every page checked, not just every page with errors?"

[savethecat]

Everyone needs elfroot.

[It's a good thing they've got some growing in the garden already - it grows like a weed but it's actually useful, and yet there's still never enough of it.]

Fightin' renegades sounds pretty scary, not gonna lie. [Nevermind the 'killing' part.] But iffin' ya had fun that's all that matters.

[savethecat]

[Gorse gives Kas a nod then heads into the kitchens with exaggerated sneakiness.

Well, until he gets inside. Gorse has catnip for the kitchen cats which puts the cook in a good mood, and he always brings back various herbs for cooking he finds out growing wild so he's stayed on her good side in spite of the whole 'scary qunari' thing. He barely even has to ask for extra bread before he's given it, and after fetching a few heavy things from high shelves he's back out with a thank-you-kindly, stew in one hand and bread balanced in the other. He shifts the bread around a bit and hands all the extra to Kas as soon as he gets back outside. It even has a little butter on it, nice and warm!]

Successful mission, yeah?

[issala]

Yeah... uh.

[He rubs the back of his head.]

Bye!

[With that, he sets off down the ramparts again, like hes' afraid to be chased.]

[issala]

[Meanwhile, Kas waits nervously, scratching the back of his leg with his other foot and looking like he's up to something. He's not that inconspicuous as he tries to be.

The teen beams when Gorse appears again, and then his hands are full of warm, buttery bread and he's in the Maker's bosom.]

You're the best!

[He's just gonna shove that in his mouth, now.]

[amygdalae]

[Oh, well. That was... unexpected.

Bruce is pretty confused for a while there, but he takes that surprise in stride and just makes a mental note to keep an eye out for that young Qunari. Somebody like that won't be too hard to notice, after all.]

[hugeinorlais]

Right. Dalish. She had probably not been hired as a Reader before.

"Just the one side is a page, but it'll feel like two because you have to fight through my handwriting." Varric explained as he sat back. His handwriting, at least what was on the letter on the table, seemed neat and formal enough. It was a shame that most of his personal, non-threat-related writing was a little less legible, but she could probably handle it. "And it's by every page you read. Since you're doing content too it's not like you can skip a few just because you didn't see any words I may have misspelled.

"Which would actually be a pretty good argument for ten silvers a page, come to think of it. If my Editor gives you shit, use that."

[equanimiti]

Very well! I shall gift you two bottles of wine for your tasting pleasure from my own sparse collection. I'm certain that you'll enjoy them.

[Another chuckle leaves him as he finishes his mug. The faint bitterness of the mead and the sweetness of honey makes a smile dance upon his lips.]

Have you ever tried Ferelden wines? They're usually quite horrid.

[hugeinorlais]

This kid wore his heart on his horns; his attention was on Bianca in an instant, all awe and open interest. He'd be the worst Wicked Grace player in the history of Thedas. Varric liked him already.

"Flattery? Well, I can't say I object to hearing how amazing I am," Varric said, grinning. "I am pretty amazing."

He shifted Bianca and rested her against his shoulder. Despite how small and stocky he was, and how big and generally full of overkill Bianca was, the bow seemed exactly fitted to him. It was impossible to imagine him using anything else.

"Varric Tethras." He stuck his free hand out to the qunari. "You got a name?"

[issala]

Most likely the worst player ever. He'd been to scared to cheat and too easily distracted to ever see anyone else cheat. Too bad the teen doesn't have any money he could be losing. (Strip-Wicked Grace might literally be torture for a hormonal teen.)

The boy reaches to take Varric's hand, giving it a shake. Not too loose, not too firm with the callouses of someone that has climbed on way too many rooftops and Maker-knows-what. "I'm Kas. I'm from a Tal-Vashoth band in Rivain."

His accent was rather hard to pick up, however, Fereldan lilt overshadowing it a bit. "I'm here to be a scout!"

[mythalenaste]

Pel sets the paper against the table and writes down her name and clan.

"So I'll be paid by your editor, not by you?" That makes him more likely to be giving her an accurate sum.

[hugeinorlais]

"Yes and no," Varric said and waved his hand a bit. "She pays you the actual coin, and it's her coin up front, but it ultimately comes out of what I get paid if a book succeeds. It's complicated, like a really long, expensive bet, but she's the one who handles all the detail work."

Today was a strange day. When he sat down this morning he never thought he'd be teaching a Dalish elf all about how book sales went or explaining Reader fees. Then again, he also hadn't expected to be hiring her to read his next novels, either, but sometimes weird stuff just happened. She couldn't be worse than the guy he had already; she already seemed a far cry sharper than he was.

"She can courier it to you or send papers to the nearest treasury, that part gets a little strange when you're out in the middle of nowhere, but she's the best at what she does. I wouldn't work with her if she wasn't."

[vir_tasallan]

"I will soon, you can go ahead!" she waved her hands a little to decline the biscuit as gently as she could. "You've already given of yourself so much, it would be poor manners to take from you."

Besides, the Inquisition needed to look after their own. She would do her part. Not to mention she wouldn't force another elf to give up what they needed. She was quiet a moment, tracing a nonsense design in the dirt with a finger. "I'm Merrill-- Dalish, of course, hard to mistake with these marks, right? Where are y'from?"

[vir_tasallan]

"Varric's so different from a normal dwarf, he'd never call you something horrid. Y'think they're all interested in tradition and finance, but Varric's like an older brother." She paused a moment, giving Cy a curious glance over. "Do you have any siblings?"

She knew their names and their habits, but she knew very little of the Ashara clan. They were kind enough to have her in with few questions so she'd been hesitant to ask for theirs. But she wanted to know and she was warm and bold enough now to try.

Cy had always been kind toward her, maybe he wouldn't mind telling her things.

[vir_tasallan]

"I won't be wasting money-- I could make a heft sovereign if I sold them, y'know? You're too humble, even some of the Ashara clan I came with read your stories," she rested her chin on the heels of both her hands, widening her grin even more. Varric's voice was like home, a little worn, but took the age well. "I want all of them, though I'm quite busy here with cleaning and repairing things." she would have to steal time in the evenings and hide her treasures so no one else would bother her for borrowing.

"Don't you worry about me, I can look after myself. The Templars are... well, not quite the same as I expected. I suppose Kirkwall's Order really was strict. I mean, they're not friendly by any stretch. Grim faces and scowls all the time. They haven't hurt anyone, though-- especially the mages." They seemed to be holding back, following an example of the Commander-- who she still couldn't believe was Cullen.

"A week, I haven't been here long. Last I heard of you, you'd been taken in by a Seeker." was that where he'd gotten his new scars? The frown on her face seemed to speak through her whole body. "No one knew where you'd gone, no one would speak to me about it."

[mythalenaste]

Pel shakes her head.

"So long as it comes, I'm not worried about logistics. Sort of nice, letting someone else worry about that. So you want to pay me to sit down and read, basically. And tell you what's wrong with it."

Varric Tethras wants her to do that. She can help decide Varric Tethras' stories. She can make good books better. While sitting down and enjoying herself. This is actually a dream job. Her heartbeat is picking up as she thinks about it. How nice will it be, having an excuse to relax without feeling guilty about work that needs to be done?

[hugeinorlais]

"Yeah, that's about the size of it," Varric replied and leaned back in his (somewhat rickety) chair. He'd basically assaulted her with this job offer, though, and much as he'd like her to accept, it wasn't mandatory. He quirked an eyebrow at her and offered up his most charming smile.

"So, you interested?"