faderift | A mass of flesh crawling over the entire landscape like a river of slugs.

WHO: Shale, NPC guards, you!
WHAT: Shale arrives, drags Shyhold's outer guard with them along the bridge.
WHEN: Today, nighttime
WHERE: Skyhold Gates/Courtyard
NOTES: Most likely threats of violence.

Skyhold Bridge

There's nothing as wonderful as a bit of late night chaos, is there?

The sun had just set behind the many mountain tops near Skyhold when calamity breaks out on the bridge heading from the cliff path towards the fortress. There's yelling and protests echoing over the gorge, accented with a bit of dispassionate grumbling. The night guards from the other side of the bridge are hollering, torches waving around over the bridge as they try to stop someone in the dark from crossing over.

Someone really big, and covered in glowing crystals.

Shale is dragging three guards behind as the struggling men try to stop them from proceeding, the golem mostly uncaring for the flailing of soldiers and torches in their face - all while stubbornly moving forward. There are calls for the gates to be closed and other calls for backup (and the Maker), but thankfully no cries of pain or people falling to their death.

...not that Shale didn't want to throw some of them off the bridge, but that probably wouldn't make a good impression of them as an ally. Still, the one with the greasy hair that was trying to chip them with a dagger was awfully tempting to toss off, just to listen how long it would take for him to reach the bottom.

Courtyard

Hello. There's a golem in Skyhold. They're not impressed, and would like to file a complaint about your hospitality.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There's a definite downside to being the Commander - not getting the proper amount of sleep when there's a possibility of an enemy attack. A pounding to his doors woke him up, with a guard alerting him of the massive being coming down the causeway and into Skyhold proper. Cullen was up within moments, boots on and sans armor and the guard is talking of some golem.

He's not even sure what to think at this point.

When he reaches the bottom of the stairs he's greeted with something he hasn't seen since he was a child. He'd recognize that statue anywhere, especially since he grew up around it. "Maker's breath," he lets out in a low tone.

He tells the guards to stand down, only because he's not even sure what it's doing here. File your complaints with him, Shale.

Well, Cullen doesn't exactly look like a leader without armor to Shale, but everyone else seemed utterly relieved when the man arrived. The greasy-haired guard even whimpers 'Commander' before he's brushed off Shale's chest like a stray crumb.

He almost chipped them!

Turning towards the blonde, the golem looks masterfully unimpressed with this... wavy-haired man. "It is the commander of these? Its soldiers does not have manners." They eye the shell-shocked soldiers disdainfully.

"I have come to join its Inquisition."

"I am the Commander, yes." What is he supposed to do, apologize? Frankly he's unimpressed with the fact that his soldiers couldn't take down a golem. "They'll be properly reprimanded.

Join the Inquisition? That's a first. "We would... be honored to have you help. What should we call you?"

Yep. Apologize. Is this how you treat guests, too?

To be fair to the soldiers, Shale had muttered that they wanted to join to the front guard, but hadn't felt like standing around and wait while the soldiers argued about it. So it hadn't been a full attack... more a 'stop the golem'' kind of deal.

Not that said golem cares the slightest. Yell at your soldiers, Cullen. They suck.

"I am Shale." Still staring at Cullen, their gaze move slightly to the scar at his lip. It was... familiar. Especially with that hair.

He's planning on yelling at his soldiers, honestly.

"Shale, welcome to the Inquisition." He's still in a bit of a shock, seeing the golem actually alive. Mia's never going to believe him, and rightfully so. How could the large, towering statue of their youth be here right now?

Cullen, don't ask. It's better not to ask. "If you wish, I can have someone escort you around Skyhold until you know where everything is."

Poor bastards.

Shale is still scrutinizing him with those glowing eyes as Cullen speaks, and they give a slight shake of their head. "I will stay out here. It will tell me when we go fight the sky-opener."

Because that shit is why they were here, nothing else really mattered that much.

"...it is familiar." Shale then adds, and they could swear they had seen a boy crying for his mother after falling off them long ago. Splitting his lip just like that.

"As you'll have it, then."

Cullen turns to walk away, and he hears that last bit. The golem can't actually remember ll those years ago, can it? He makes no outward reaction to its words, but turns back around to Shale. "Familiar? How so?"

"I remember a very small one. Climbing on me as if I was a tree," the golem starts, narrowing their eyes again to look down at Cullen. "It was trying to be a hero, but it fell down and bled on the ground, calling for its mother."

One of the least annoying moments. At least Cullen didn't piss on Shale or anything like that, so the golem doesn't sound angry or irritated. Just thoughtful.

"Its face split like that. I remember it never climbing on me again."

A mass of flesh crawling over the entire landscape like a river of slugs.

Courtyard

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