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

[savethecat]

[Gorse reaches out and pats Taas on the shoulder in a friendly manner. He'd go for a hug but he's not sure they're There yet and he doesn't want to cross a line. His smile could light up the room it's so bright though.]

Then I'm glad I got to be the one to say it.

[quietblade]

[Hugs aren't really his thing, but the pat on the shoulder is really appreciated.]

You're a good kid, Gorse.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin shakes her head, easing at the sympathy but also determined not to wallow. She takes another sip. "No. Plenty still remain, but they weren't in the area, and have other assignments. If we need them for something major, they'll be there. Until then, I told them I'd take care of this myself."

[vir_tasallan]

"That's unhealthy, you know? I had a... an acquaintance who scowled all the time," she trailed off, squinting her eyes to try and find the scowler. Merrick, Sylaise vallaslin, she brightened when she saw him.

But then a thought occurred to her and she turned somewhat toward Cy. "Well, you should go see him, try and get that scowl off his face instead of sitting with boring old me. Don't worry, I'm keeping my eyes on the Templars. They look a little shifty tonight."

[vir_tasallan]

"Even the lands, I hear, take ages to recover from Blights." she wriggled her toes a little, sitting to hug her knees as she listened. The kitchen floor, while not proper, was more ideal than an hayloft. At least she'd be warm and inside. "It does seem like sleeping spots are at a premium. But don't settle for something less than comfortable once the Inquisition gets on its feet. They're supposed to treat us all like allies, here."

She stood her full height to regard the people in the distance. "Such an idealistic notion, though. I wonder if it'll work. I hope it does. Oh, and also--"

Stern, she was going with stern when her expression hardened. She only managed to accomplish firm, not stern. "They've got plenty of supplies coming in. I'll have your word you won't be skipping meals again. Where would they be if you keel over from hunger?"

Her arms folded and she smiled a little, "Still hurt and possibly stuck under you. Your word, lethallan."

[samahl]

He considers her and then after a moment nods. "If they try anything, you can count on us. We should come up with a signal. Perhaps you can make a bird noise or rub your ears a certain way?"

[vir_tasallan]

"What a cute idea, I'll do that. Something like this," she was still warm from brandy but a little sad to see Cy agreeing. She wouldn't admit it, though. She flicked at her ear with her index finger, looking like she was thinking but a sign. Not the cleverest, but she was always bad with obvious things.

"Enjoy your evening, Cy. I won't drink too much and if I do, Varric will find a way to get me to my sleeping spot."

[samahl]

He nods at the sign. "I'll keep an eye on you, all right?" Then, after a moment, "Or you could come with me and we could both spend time with my brother?"

He assumes she might have wanted time alone and that's why she brought it up, but he also doesn't like the idea of leaving her alone if there are shifty templars about. He's too close to the mages of his Clan to feel entirely comfortable with that.

[ombranera]

"For you, Bella? I will come as often as you will have me." The innuendo, so ripe, so saucy. So emphasized by a waggle of his brow and curl of his smile.

[amygdalae]

[Bruce nods. There will always be injured people, and more so of them here as more people continue to come here. They'll never be out of a job, honestly.]

So let's just do our best doing what we've come here to do. I'm sure the rest will fall into place, in time.

[serannas]

"Well," Ellana begins, hoping she doesn't give away just yet how she really doesn't like the way her people choose to live. "We keep our belonging in aravels -- wagons with sails -- and ask the halla to pull them for us. That is how you treat a halla. They're our friends, not work animals. We try to stay close to a water source, and the forest if we can. Whenever our hunters say the humans are starting to gather, we have to pack up and move on." There's a tiny bit of bitterness to her tone.

"We keep shrines to the gods, and a statue of Fen'harel also faces out from our camp to appease him."

[samahl]

[Cyril doesn't look intimidated at all by his size. He finishes tugging off his clothes, only taking his time to tease Taas a bit. That doesn't last very long though, Cy is much happier getting to the point.

When he's stripped he goes up to Taas and touches his chest.]

I'm Cyril, by the way. [He says with a smirk, more amused than anything. Usually you give a man your name before you strip naked in front of him.]

[samahl]

"Of course I am," Cyril offers, still smiling. He doesn't seem offended that Gorse didn't get it. He finds it as charming as everything else.

"Should I find a mirror? Would you like to check?"

[samahl]

"Of course. In the mean time, at least we have excellent company."

[el_tybs]

"Yeah nothing like tossing in a bunch of mages and templars together, and some other various groups in there." Sam chuckles, turning his gaze back to Cyril. He's feeling much better now, getting to talk to Cyril and just clearing his head in the night air. "Or were you talking about excellent company as in friends? Heh."

[samahl]

He chuckles just a bit. "Friends, yes," he replies. "Though that first part does make me a little concerned. Do you think anything will happen?"

[el_tybs]

He was trying to joke about it, but it was a serious subject. One that always gave him a headache. "Unless someone does something about it... probably."

[samahl]

"Are you worried?" he asks, focusing completely on Sam now. Sam is a mage, after all.

[el_tybs]

"Of course I am. There are a number of things that could happen... I'd rather not have Skyhold turn into another battleground." Both sides were something to be worried about.

[samahl]

"I meant for your personal safety," Cyril says. He nudges Sam gently.

[el_tybs]

He tries to smile at that, but it doesn't quite make it. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. But I'm also worried about everyone else's safety as well."

[samahl]

"Is there anything that we non-mage but supporters can do?"

[el_tybs]

"Heh. I have a hard enough time trying to figure out what I can do, I don't think I can give you an better advice. Just don't think yourself defenseless because you can't use magic?" He does smile at that.

[savethecat]

Gorse goes kind of red. Which is actually probably very red considering his skin doesn't show blushing that much. He laughs again, though it's kind of got the high edge of nervousness to it oh god he has just realized that Cyril has been flirting with him and has no idea how to respond to this??

"N-no. I mean. Uh. I just. No one's ever... people see the horns first and get kinda scared so. Uh. I mean my mom says I'm cute but like she's my mom she's gotta say that."

This is not exactly true, he has been flirted with off and on in Skyhold, especially from Zevran, he's just... very dense.

[hugeinorlais]

"Well, at least I've got that going for me," Varric said smoothly. Unfortunately, the change in topic didn't seem to make Daisy perk up much. Sure, she wasn't scowling anymore, and that was an improvement, but Varric knew enough elven to know that she'd muttered something very unflattering under her breath.

"Don't worry about the Seeker, she's not so bad." For a given value of bad, of course. Varric lifted his mug and, as if he'd just realized he was the only one drinking, waved a hand toward the barkeep. Cabot tolerated him, but only just, and grudgingly brought another mug over for the elf across from him.

"I'm glad to hear you're making some friends here, and these Dalish seem nice enough. Not one of them called me a--what's the word? Durgling? Durglen?"