faderift | Skyhold

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.

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[Harding cracks a smile as she approaches; Bruce has a habit of readily praising her, but in this case, it's not exactly undeserved - not everyone is crazy enough to go out back into the Frostbacks mere days after they (and everyone else) almost died there.]

We got lucky. [She passes up what's in her arms - bandages, thread, a few herbs they managed to forage up, other things he asked for that she's not entirely sure how they'll help but they will -] Weren't so fortunate with finding things to wear, but hopefully this'll help with getting everyone back on their feet again. [She pauses, watching as he sorts.] How have you been keeping, Bruce? [You've rested for more than half a second, right?]

[Its definitely more than deserved - Harding is pretty much the best that Bruce has seen so far in his time here. Or well, seen and known of. He doesn't really talk much to people, after all.]

They'll go a long way in helping these people. [He reassures her as he packs the items neatly into their respective places. Now that he has supplies again he won't need to worry for a while, and hopefully they can last him through the worst of the patients.

At the question, he glances back over to Harding, smiling again.]

I've been doing well enough, considering everything. [Well, he's had about minimal sleep as usual, but that's neither here nor there. He's never been a very good rester when there are things to do and nightmares to ignore.] You know how some of the patients can get when they're in a bad mood.

Refusing the need for bed rest or worse? I know I'd probably do that. [Maybe semi-gracefully, so y'know, she'd complain once or twice a day, tops.] It's hard to know the best place for you isn't out there helping...

[Harding shrugs, then contemplates. She's glad that he's doing well, and he does seem to have rested, yet-] Do you want a hand with anything? Even if I just go grab an ale from the tavern? I hear that's open now.

A bit of both. The especially restless ones tend to make quite the ruckus.

[Not that anything that Bruce hasn't had to deal with before, of course. But its never really nice when he has to step in, even though he understands their frustration. Last thing he wants is to make their health worse when they're already on the way to recovery.

He quickly finishes up sorting through the items that Harding had given, packing them into their respective places, giving a shake of his head at the offer.] No ale for me. I prefer to keep a clear head as much as I can. [Plus Bruce never goes to tavens anyway. Not even the one back in Haven. This one, he's avoiding twice as much - or at least the drinking parts of it.

Still, he does feel bad to turn her down like this, especially with the help she's been giving him all this time. He turns over to her properly this time.] If you want some company, though, I do have some time to spare now.

I wouldn't mind. The ale was just a cover, really. [She half smiles, half smirks - a look he's probably gotten quite used to, where she's fond of the person she's speaking to. Ah, banter. Drink is good, but so are other things; especially in Bruce's profession. Never going to know when his skills are needed. If Cullen is tense all the time, she can't imagine what it's like for the surgeons.]

Maybe we both need a walk far away from what we're used to. Any suggestions? The last time I was here it was mostly crumbling stone.

[Bruce lets himself give out something of a chuckle, even as quiet as it is. He has missed Harding's wit, and it was good to hear it again.]

Not much has changed since you left, but I'm sure there're less crumbling stones in the way. [He returns with a wry smile of his own, once he's stopped with his chuckling.] Most of the ramparts should have been cleared, but if you have a place to go to, I'm all ears.

I do feel like I've been climbing over less to get to where I wanna go. [It's not that she minds, it's just that she has to. She'll take climbing up and down a mountain over structurally unsound masonry, thanks.

At the suggestion, she exhales, thoughtfully.] Maybe not the ramparts. Never been that fond of heights. [But there aren't that many options other than "tavern" "the sort of garden" "books" and this is about companionship, so-] Unless we, y'know. Stay away from the edge?

We can stay very far away from the edge, if you'd like. But I don't mind any other place you'd suggest.

[It doesn't make a difference to Bruce anyway. Its simply that up on the ramparts, its usually quieter and easier to have conversations without the hustle and bustle of everything else getting in the way.

Finishing with packing up the supplies, Bruce makes sure to close up his containers and bags, putting them aside where he knows people won't really touch. He's established himself here, more or less, and most know better than to take supplies from him anyway. Unless it's another healer, then by all means.]

I'll manage. I'm sure we'll run out of ramparts eventually.

[Unless Cullen pulled out all the stops to build more in a week, but she doubts it. The Inquisition is not exactly... lucrative. This is poor when it comes to multitasking. Or raising her hazard pay.

She waits for him to finish up, and then starts towards the nearest set of stairs that don't crumble underfoot. Maybe going down she could find a way - harks back to one of their first excursions across the Hinterlands - but not up. For once, no one comes running after her with a message, particularly as they go higher and the volumes of people begin to thin. Up here, it's mostly patrols.]

Don't think I'll ever get used to seeing snow all the time. [For as much as a glance as the mountain gets. Mountains. Dwarfy. Sigh.]

[He follows behind Harding as they head up the nearest and safest flight of stairs upwards, and the higher they go the more the hustle of the people in the courtyard dim. Eventually they reach the top, their surroundings are all but silent, save for the occasional loud footsteps of a patrol or two.

The sight of the snow-covered Frostbacks greet them once they're at the top, the pale white of the snow standing out even more during the night. Bruce passes a glance at them as well as Harding mentions about them, looking back at her after that and giving a smile.]

It is quite a difference from the Hinterlands. [He says agreeably. The Hinterlands always did have much more pleasant weather when he was there... hopefully he could find the time and means to make another trip out there soon. Perhaps once the influx of crowds of refugees had died down a bit more.]

Wonder what else is out there. It's probably not what I had in mind. [Harding says that, but she's smiling. She's a sucker for punishment, or she really does just like seeing the world. Or both. If half of the places she gets to go are desert, then, well, half of the places she gets to go are desert.]

It'd be nice to go back there, even if I grew up with it. I'm sure my parents would try to wrangle a visit out of me at some point.

[Maybe she can convince them to actually head to Denerim, this time, what with Haven. It'll be safer.]

[The world is a strange and mysterious place. Bruce knows that, even if he doesn't say it aloud. But he's sure that wherever Harding went to, she'd like it in some fashion or another.]

I'm sure you'll know soon enough. [He says with a small, quiet laugh. A breeze blows through at this point, the chill of the night making itself far more noticeable. Bruce shivers a little and rubs his hands, blowing out some hot air in the hopes of keeping them warm.]

It'd be nice to return there again. [A brief pause, and then Bruce laughs once more.] Remember the last time we were both there? I was following you and ended up getting hit by branches. Several branches, in fact.

[It was all quite embarrassing then, but now Bruce looks back at that memory and only feels amusement.]

[Probably, is what she doesn't say, but there's a lopsided smile that she does give instead. A scout's work is never done, and, honestly, she wouldn't have it any other way. Bruce knows her well.]

I did tell you to duck. And to watch out for the birds.

[Nesting birds don't have time for your silly wars when this is the tree in which they have always nested and you, strange man, are far too close to it for their liking.]

I don't know, Bruce. Are you sure you're up to hiking again?

I suppose I should have paid more attention to what was right above my head.

[But in his own defense, he is usually good at following instructions. That and also he had been occupied with something else at the time - that something else being 'not falling down flat onto his face'.]

All I can say is that I'll try my best not to disappoint this time. [He returns with another wry smile as he glances over to Harding once more.] And hopefully not get smacked by any more branches.

You do have the height advantage.

[She smirks. She's small, she knows it, she'll take advantage of it. But to his credit, he did keep up in the rapid exit away from a set of ruffled feathers without further incident.]

It'll depend on us getting back to the Hinterlands, though. Before then we could wind up somewhere with no branches at all. [Deserts. Bogs. Snowy mountains. The possibilities are endless.] As long as you keep up, I'm pretty lenient on those following me. [As he likely knows. She sets a pace, but it's not beyond the party's limits.]

[Bruce lets out a soft laugh at the words, but quickly settles down and nods in agreement.]

Just let me know if you're ever returning there. Perhaps then I can make the trip down with you.

[Running down slopes, getting hit by branches, possibly fleeing from angry bears. The true Hinterland experience.]

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Skyhold

friendship!!

best friendship!!

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