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

[el_tybs]

"Five?" he squeaks as he lets go of the flame. He did not want to try this drill with that many elements... but to know that many? Well that would be something. He tilts his head as he glances down between their hands. "Am I... supposed to cancel out my barrier when you put up yours or am I supposed to keep it there?"

[fleurdesel]

"Cancel it out for now. Letting it remain is a few steps ahead." Layering it like an onion and working in tandem with the other mage as you would with your spirit, another valuable lesson but not one that needs teaching so soon. Walk before one can run, and crawl before one tries to walk. "I cannot remember what it was that compelled us to do so- perhaps someone had said three was as much as we could? It was some time ago."

[el_tybs]

"You sound like a very competitive woman." His barrier goes down and a sigh accompanies it. Without having to concentrate on the magic Sam cannot help but blink a few times as a wave of tiredness washes over him.

The yawn that follows is quick and Sam is quick to put a fist in front of it. "Pardon me."

[fleurdesel]

"As a child, before the Circle, I had to be. Six older sisters- to get any manner of attention I needed to be good at something." Sadly it wasn't anything her mother found terribly useful. "I suppose the habit stuck."

Ah, and there it was. Adelaide may or may not have planned on this. She extinguishes the flame and dissolves the barrier by closing her palm over them.

"Go to bed, Sam. And no walking back to wherever it is you bunk, not tonight. You'll walk right off a cliff like this."

[el_tybs]

"I haven't walked off a cliff." Tripped down and up stairs. Fallen into bushes. Almost went over a wall... "Yet." He says that last part a bit quieter.

He looks at the door then back, his jaw clenched a bit as he thinks about declining again. "I take up a lot of room."

[fleurdesel]

Again she reaches out- less hesitant this time, to rest her hands on top of his. A simple thing, touch, but it can be grounding. "We have space."

For him in the room, in their lessons, in their lives. They were a small group, yes, and afraid of what may happen- but never would they turn another mage away. Never would Adelaide leave someone that had a need she might fill.

[el_tybs]

Her hands are smaller than his, but the warmth they give off is immense. It is something he doesn't get to feel often. That's what seems to finally break him down and he exhales slowly because of it. "... Alright."

He's a bit reluctant to pull his hands away, but he does in order to help himself to his feet. There's a groan then at feeling how long they had been sitting on the floor.

[fleurdesel]

No words, but she squeezes his hands or at least as much of them as she can hold when he agrees. One more life to mind- and one more pair of eyes inside should anything happen to her out here. Not that she expects something tonight but-

The fear lingers.

She has to use her staff to help her stand- hand over hand on the pale polished wood until she's at her feet, rubbing the back of her neck. A soak the next day would be in order. "There should be a narrow path between them to the bedroll along the back wall. If Roul is not sprawling. If he is? Nudge him and he will roll back to his own space."

Voice low, so low as to not wake anyone within she pulls the door open slowly. There's not much to see from the dim light offered by the head of a staff propped in one corner. Children bundled together, Roul stretched out gangly in the back. Tired and clinging but sleeping peacefully.

[el_tybs]

Sam huffs in good nature. "You're worried about me walking off a cliff, but you give me an obstacle course made of sleeping mages." It's said quietly and in good fun. Oh Maker, he actually does hope he doesn't end up tripping and waking the whole lot of them up.

One last look before he ventures into the room. "Goodnight, Lady LaBlanc." A step inside then he stops, looks back to the woman. "And thank you." He smiles tiredly then and navigates his way to the way of the room.

For a while he just looks down at whom he suspects is Roul, before gently nudging him. Sure enough he moves back into his space, and Sam settles himself into the bedroll.

It's quiet save for the breathing and snores of other people. He doesn't even realize when he falls asleep.