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

[dwarfing]

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.

Comments

[ombranera]

"It is not my army, though I am a part of it after a fashion." He snorts a soft laugh, reaching up to pat Shale's arm. "Ah, well. That may be because you intimidate them with your fearsome stride and powerful figure. Alas, the Herald is dead. She did not survive the events at Haven."

[dwarfing]

Semantics, semantics. The golem shrugs a bit again, starting to move towards the gates and just assuming Zevran will keep up. "Its Herald is dead? The Sister told me much about the Maker. It did not seem likely that it would die so easily."

That's annoying, really. What good was there if they already lost?

"Are there still things to smash?"

[ombranera]

"The Herald was human. You more than any have told us how squishy we are." Zevran keeps pace- it takes a little doing, remembering how he managed it before, but soon enough he's in stride with Shale. "She died a hero. The Inquisition Continues in her absence- for of course there are many, many things left to squish."

[dwarfing]

Shale nods at that. "People are very squishy, yes. I thought the Herald would be less crushable." Like the rest of the world had thought, honestly. The golem had heard some amazing rumors.

"As long as there are still things to kill. I did not come all this way to be friendly with the painted elf." They missed you, Zevran. Maybe.

[ombranera]

"Shale, the world is in turmoil. There are always things to kill." He grins up at them, ignoring the odd looks this conversation prompts from the other guardsmen. It is what it is, this friendship of theirs, and what it is? is beautiful "Perhaps I might again ride your shoulders into battle?"

[dwarfing]

It's weird and annoying and Shale tolerates it, that's what it is!

"The painted elf will not stand on my shoulders again. That was one time, and it needed to reach," the golem mutters, but there might be a bit less scowling involved.

Looking a bit thoughtful, Shale reaches the main gate and lifts the half-closed lattice with one arm, lumbering inside. "Is the warden here?"

[ombranera]

"I might need to reach again sometime in the future. We never truly know what it holds." How polite, Shale opening the lattice for him. Zevran ducks in right afterward with a cheerful wave to the guards left behind. All in your average day with a friendly, autonomous golem.

At the question some of his cheer dims, face slipping into a frown. "No. I've heard no word from Jonas in some time."

[dwarfing]

Shale frowns yet again, dropping the lattice behind them and then looking at Skyhold for the first time. It looked a little... broken. Kind of a letdown, but at least there was plenty of people.

"It is still missing, then. Hm." They don't exactly look pleased about this, but humans were weird. Maybe Anora ate him.

"...but the painted elf is here. Why did it join?"

[ombranera]

"Because I needed a break from killing the Crows." That is the answer he has been giving out to most, if not all, that asked him. Alistair has asked him, Leliana has asked him, Morrigan has asked him. Should the Sten ever arrive- he might ask. It simply is the thing to do if one wishes to be paid for fighting things in this part of Thedas.