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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Korrin shakes her head, for a moment sorely missing them. She'll take an extra drink for their sake, and because she can. "No, I'm the only one here for now. I keep in touch, though. If they're needed for something big, they'll be here. But I volunteered to stay put. After losing some of ours to the Conclave, it just didn't seem right to not do everything I could to get the bastard behind all that."

"That's a noble goal," Ellana says, looking impressed. "Are all the people in your company qunari?" Obviously she doesn't know the nuances of the term, especially in how they relate to Korrin.

"I'm not sure revenge is a noble goal, but if you think so...." Korrin smiles self-consciously, not sure how to take such a statement. "And yes, though we don't use the term 'qunari'. That's just what other races use, forgetting that we're not part of the Qun. I'd be a Vashoth, someone born outside the Qun and never part of that crap. Thankfully. I've heard how they treat mages...."

"I was thinking more that you saw the damage he did and in avenging the fallen, you're helping to prevent more deaths from happening at his hand." But Ellana is an optimist that way.

Once Korrin explains, Ellana looks both surprised and a little guilty. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. My clan was never taught much about qunari. I never knew that a person should only be called that if they followed the Qun."

At that, Korrin just shrugs, not offended. "It's alright, most people either don't know or forget. I suppose it helps to have an overarching name for 'those horned people' so I put up with it...as long as no one thinks I follow the Qun."

She smirks at that, though it soon grows into a more thoughtful smile. "There is that, wanting to put things right. Some things just need to be done, and I've never been one for sitting back and making others do it instead. Besides, if we leave it all to the humans, they'll probably just make an even worse mess."

Her tone is joking rather than bitter, as she takes another sip.

Ellana can catch that joking tone, but sadly that's what a few in her clan really do believe. They came because they assumed the shems would make a worse mess of things.

"I'm curious to know what the Inquisition has in store for us once the wounded have recovered and Skyhold is in better shape."

"Something less tedious, I assume." She sighs, knowing all the repairing is necessary but still beyond exhausted with it. "...maybe they'll send us back to Haven, to see what we can scavenge, if anything. We're not exactly overflowing with resources, even now."

Her tone is casual, but the thought of returning to what's left of that town -which can't be much- fills her with dread. Who wants to return to the sight of such horror?

"That could be worth doing," she agrees. Seeing Haven after its destruction would be difficult, but supplies were necessary, and who knew what was still usable out there?

"I wouldn't mind the trek, especially now that I have boots." Ellana loves the boots. Staying true to her Dalish roots is important, but she's not going to freeze her toes off for tradition's sake.

That's another thing Korrin's wanted to ask about, and Ellana's comment gives her the perfect opening. Thanks, Ellana.

"Boots help, though I've never seen your people wear them. I was wondering how resistant Dalish are to the cold, given the lack of shoes. If that's actually a thing, I'm a little jealous. The South can be awfully frigid, especially around here."

"I'm not sure. I mean, we don't lose toes in the cold, so maybe? But we feel the cold plenty. And we've always gone without, so our feet are tough. Still, stepping on tree roots, rocks, thorns, and whatever else still hurt. Boots are wonderful."

Oh, these precious boots. She never wants to take them off. Only she will, because she'll need to change her socks.

Korrin nods, glancing to those boots. She can't imagine not wearing her own through all the rough terrain around and isn't sure she wants to. It certainly sounds painful.

"On that we're so very agreed. I'd never refuse these now, but I used to go barefoot more often than not as a kid, so I remember what it's like to walk in even mild terrain. It's nothing I'd want to do in the mountains...or marshes, or deserts when the sun is high. You're braver than me, if you went through any of that unshod and willingly."

"I'm not sure I'd call it bravery, just necessity." Because it's less that Ellana was willing, and more that it was the Dalish way and she couldn't even suggest anything different without the others thinking she was a race traitor.

At that, she shrugs with a small smile. "Sometimes they're related, you know. When you don't have options or resources, you make the best with what you have and tough it out. That's what I learned on the road, even before I became a mercenary on my own."

"I suppose you're right. We've always been that way in the clan." These are the people who willingly eat grubs when food is thin.

Ellana wonders about the scant few other Dalish she's seen around. It would be worth talking to them to see how similar or different their clan is to hers.

"I do like learning how people behave the same, even where they're from completely different backgrounds."

"So do I." Korrin raises her mug to that, because she can. The ale's making her mellow and comfortable, though she's not anywhere close to being truly intoxicated. Human brews almost never do that, not unless taken in vast amounts. "And this is an excellent place to take advantage of learning all that, at least while we're here. I'm happy to share what I know, the better to correct misperceptions."

"Oh, I do plan of taking advantage of these circumstances for as long as I'm able." For someone as interested in other cultures as she is? She would be a fool not to.

"I can only guess at what misconceptions people hold on the Dalish."

That makes Korrin wince in sympathy. People are never kind to the elves, especially the Dalish. "I could tell you, but it's nothing you would enjoy hearing. Let's just say that we're in competition for the most savage races in Thedas. It's better here, I won't deny that, but you can be any visiting folk will be muttering the same stupid rumors."

"Probably not," she agrees, though she wonders if it's better to prepare for it than have it sprung on her. She won't ask Korrin for examples, though. Ellana will just ask Gavin. He's been out in the world enough that he should know.

"You would think with what's happening out there, that people would stop with all that nonsense." She shakes her head, finishing off her drink. "Though in times such as these, people want to cling to the familiar. Maybe they'll do it twice as much."

"If they do and give you any trouble, let me know. I'm sure you can hold your own, but if nothing else, watching them scramble after an 'ox' death-glares at them is free entertainment."

And Korrin would do more than that, if need be. She doesn't especially like playing into stereotypes, but tolerating bigotry is worse in her mind. Better stop that at the source.

"That's what people call you?" she asks, sounding shocked. Her eyes lower for a moment, absorbing that. Others in the clan had said the shems called them rabbits or knife-ears. Comparing both qunari and elves to animals was a way to make them seem like animals, instead of intelligent beings.

"Well, I think if I hear any of that kind of talk about your people or mine, that I'll just walk away. What those people want is attention, and to know they've struck a nerve. I'd rather just ignore them."

Korrin raises an eyebrow at Ellana's shock, but nods. "You have more patience and willpower than I do, I'll give you that. I've never been able to let that crap go without at least a good glare. And yes, that's a common slur. I've heard worse, though not directly. Bigoted humans tend to be just smart enough not to say that crap to my face."

Well, she has been rather sheltered until now, so the shock shouldn't be surprising.

"I've had to have patience over the years, I guess." Or a better way of putting it would be that she has the illusion of patience while feeling restless on the inside.

"I think if they want to be a part of the Inquisition, they'll have to learn better."

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Skyhold

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