faderift | Skyhold

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cyril looked a little embarrassed at that. "Yes. More than once, honestly. My mother was very interested in human literature. I got that interest from her. I could only secure a book here and there, given my Clan's limited interaction with humans. I know technically it was written by a dwarf and isn't human literature in that sense, but it is very popular with them."

There was a slight pause, as he considered how to word the next bit. "It's rare for there to be an elf so featured in a story like that. Especially one who came from a Dalish clan and is spoken about in a kind way."

To know that Cy's mother had an interest had Merrill's brows raising somewhat. It was unusual and yet she found she herself was also interested in humans. Maybe not from the get-go, but certainly after she'd been left to her own devices. "I have a few books from my time in Kirkwall, if you'd like?" mainly magical theory and lore-- along with some chantry history peppered in there. "Varric's an incredible writer, he's got such a way to capture voice and bring your imagination to life." She finally motioned for another brandy before turning back.

"He's from the surface, I had experience with his brother and they're definitely not the same." her smile turned a little coy and she twisted her legs at her ankles, leaning forward as if to convey a secret. "Well, if there's an elf maybe named something like Daisy in it, that's me. He always calls me that and I don't know why but I like it. He'll give you a nickname, too."

"You do?" he asked, interested in those books. "I'd love to read them some time." He felt rather grateful that she had offered.

Then he thought about the nickname and smiled a bit. "Daisy is a pretty good nickname though. I can think of far worse things to be called."

"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.

"Well, not biologically, but Merrick and I may as well be brothers. We grew up together after our parents passed. Then we apprenticed as Hunters together," he explains.

"Aw, that's surprisingly sweet, you know? I knew a pair like that back in Ferelden." she grinned, but was careful to keep my clan out of the statement. Instead she turned and folded her legs under her, taking another drink of brandy.

"So where's Merrick? Here? Sorry, I've yet to remember names as much as I do faces."

"He's the one with Sylaise vallaslin over his eye? He has brown hair? Constantly scowling?" he offered, describing Merrick quickly.

"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."

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?"

"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."

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.

The suggestion she join him brought a rush of something to her chest-- not like an embarrassment, but something... bright? Happy. Included. She hadn't felt that way in a very long time.

She glanced into her cup and positively beamed, no hesitation on her part.

"I'd like that, really. To spend time with others. It's better to travel in numbers, right?"

She pushed off from where she was sitting and stood-- even if Templars were being shifty tonight, this was something that she'd risk a little shiftiness for. "Should we bring him a drink, too?"

Skyhold

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