it takes strength to live this way

[qunari]

WHO: Iron Bull and OPEN
WHAT: General summary of events during the end of the month. Drinking, fighting, more drinking, maybe a little flirting.
WHEN: Mid-to-late Wintermarch
WHERE: All over the damn place. Mostly the tavern and sparring ring, though.
NOTES: n/a

He was starting to feel a little restless. By now, the boss would have taken them all out on some exploit or another, and even if he was glad to be at Skyhold again? Sitting idle could grate on the nerves a bit.

The best way to counter that seemed to be throwing down in the training ring just outside the tavern, taking on all comers as well as training those that seemed of a mind to ask. Cullen had most of his people following their own regime, but if they wanted a swing at something else? He wouldn’t refuse them. Not everyone fought like a templar.

The rest of the time, Bull made himself easy to find. Easy to avoid, too, if that was the preference of some. And he knew it was, from the glimpsed he’d gotten of the Vashoth inside the keep. But it was no hardship holding court inside the comfort of the tavern, indulging heavily in drinks and working his way down the menu of available meals and snacks.

It was business as usual, for the most part. Even if he did feel a little more restless than usual. Had to find a way to get out, hit something that really had it coming.

Or find someone to pass the evening with. That might help.

Comments

[el_tybs]

When Krem mentioned to him to seek out the other Chargers for some training, he probably had not considered Sam asking The Iron Bull himself. It seemed like a perfectly good idea, getting to know and learn about the Qunari at the same time as learning to defend himself again a larger opponent. Honestly, if he could figure out how to hold his own against Bull he would have a better chance in anything else being thrown at him.

So it's for that reason that one day Sam seeks out Bull in the tavern, mindfully buying him a drink first before dropping the question on him. "Can you teach me to fight?" Or at least take a hit.

[demonicbeauty]

The training ring held some fascination for Ariadne. It reminded her of the spars the knights went through back in Valeria. She would watch them from time to time, between assignments from Lysia or Princess Amanda. Humanoid fighting always seemed very clumsy and random. But there was always something to be learned.

And Ariadne's curiosity certainly wasn't about to abate, just because she was in Thedas.

It would be legitimate, in fact, to say that it had increased.

She went to the tavern often enough. And there was nothing to do, she'd stay to watch the fights after. But she was surprised, when she approached that afternoon, to find the enormous Qunari there. She hadn't seen many of them, but she felt a certain kinship. They were the only non-humanoid species that didn't seem to be hunted down here. So she paused to watch him.

[aforethought]

She's piss-drunk. Otherwise, she'd never go out of her way to bother someone that looks like this much like a druffalo on two legs. Usually when you carry around a rack like that, some noble shoots you full of arrows, then hacks off your head for the front hall.

Melys may not have been filled in on the Inquisition's big names yet.

"Holy shit," She peels a finger off her mug to point at his horns. "How'd you even get in the doorway?"

[unbrokenoath]

Kaisa's usually drawn to the training ring, even without anything going on there. When she sees a giant of a man swinging around a massive axe like it was a child's toy, she's even more intrigued. So she heads on over, leaning against the fence as she enjoys the view for a little bit. She's not just oogling--she's taking notes, curious to see how someone with the raw strength of a massive qunari and the honed skills of a trained mercenary fought in combat. While she didn't bother to hide her staring, it wouldn't take a Ben Hassrath to figure out that there was a studious air to the way she watched him.

After a bit of that, she sauntered on into the training area itself, nodding to him with a lazy smile.

"Are you charging tickets to that show, or is it free?"

[hlif]

It only took a matter of days before the rest of Asher's crew made the decision to abandon him to somewhere slightly warmer and less crowded, with strict instructions to send word as soon as they were settled. Which does mean that he's left to his own devices as he tries to settle in and find his feet.

So training it is, or it will be because Asher knows plenty of folk of the tall and horned variety, some friends, more that just like to glower at him or attack (thanks Kirkwall, what a magical place you were), but none quite like this. Y'know, the kind that could bench press him in full armour and armed to the teeth although today it's just a shirt and an axe resting beside him when he whistles.

"Expecting company or is it take on anyone stepping in?"

[aggregiopavali]

He'd seen the huge Qunari around the tavern with his crew, obviously happily at home. To see so many Qunari at home here, happily making their way put him a little on edge - the last time he'd seen that was in Kirkwall before... well. They all knew how that ended.

Still, seeing so many Qunari gathered in one place brought back memories - not necessarily good ones, but not all bad. "A terrible ale for myself-," he called out approaching the bar, "-and another for the Qunari." He was in a good mood, and he wanted to find out more about why they were here. Where better to start than a drink?

[qunari]

Bull surveys him for a moment over his drink, taking a swig before getting around to an answer. "Getting tired of throwing fireballs at people?" he finally counters, leaning back slightly in his chair.

Sam wouldn't be the first mage he trained. Dalish had had to learn to fend off enemies with her staff in case her mana ran low, or someone managed to silence her. It's not like he can't see the need for it. But it was always tricky. Entirely new tactics, new stances, new ways of thinking in the heat of a fight.

[qunari]

It proved a fortunate thing that the training ring was so close to the tavern, though perhaps that had been by design. It was easy to work up a sweat under the glare of the sun, even in the relatively temperate mountain climate, and Bull had been at it for a while now.

A few of the Chargers needed practice, he was moving between them to demonstrate technique, before urging them to try and take him on with what they'd learned. Three at a time. When his guys lay panting in the dirt, Bull chuckled and dismissed them to go cool off and drink some water, brushing himself off.

"Enjoying the show?"

He hadn't so much as glanced at her once during the scuffle, not openly. Yet when he looked up at her it was as if they'd been chatting together all this time, without a moment's hesitation.

[qunari]

He doesn't know him, but a glance tells him what he needs to know. It's the little things that give people away, usually. It's enough for Bull to nod, a roll of his shoulder resulting in a meaty 'pop' of his joints.

"I've got time, if you want to go."

Things had been slow this morning, and the dummies just weren't as much of a challenge. This guy looked like he might put up a decent scrap. Only one way to find out for sure.

[qunari]

Sadly, this isn't uncommon. It's not the first or fifth or twentieth time someone got shitfaced and decided to go poking at the Bull. Inside, he feels something weary tug at him as he settles in for another round of This Bullshit.

Outside, he shrugs and takes another swig of his beer. "Carefully. Only impaled two guys the last time," he replies dryly, without so much as a blink or twitch to give anything besides that deadpan look back at the woman.

Hm. Redhead. That's something.

[qunari]

"You're thinking of the show that comes later. Lot more oil, lot less clothing."

Bull turned with a smirk, regarding the woman with swift glance up and down. Fighter. Might be here to join in, not just a spectator. "Planning on stepping in? Seem to have run out of guys to hit," he added, jerking a thumb over his shoulder to the last of his opponents, still doubled over and panting.

[qunari]

"Feel like I'm getting spoiled," Bull countered with a snort, leaning forward. Drinks being bought for him general meant they wanted something, a tumble or a favor at the top of the list. Not the feeling he was getting of the elf, though, at least not right away.

Interesting markings, too. There was a story there, without question.

"So, what's the occasion?" he continued, scarred brow arching over the eyepatch.

[demonicbeauty]

It was the sign of a great warrior, to be able to mark one's surroundings without necessarily drawing attention to it. Ariadne's lip curled slightly when he spoke to her. He was impressive. She could certainly say that about him.

"Yes," she replied, raising her chin slightly. "I hope you don't mind. I can leave if it bothers you."

She tried to catch his scent. Not that she was expecting it to be different from any other Qunari. No, she expected that, along with the salt of sweat and the acrid aroma of adrenaline.

But it never hurt to check.

[qunari]

"Nah. If people staring bothered me, I'd be having a really hard time of it down here." Bull shrugged the idea away quick as that. The axe he'd been training with found a spot in the dirt to rest with a heavy thud, and a few strides brought him closer to the ring's edge.

Tiny little thing, wasn't she?

"Not from around here either, I take it."

[demonicbeauty]

Ninety pounds soaking wet. Not that Ariadne's small size had ever been a disadvantage. Quite the opposite, really. Not only did it make her nimble and quick, but it allowed her to be constantly underestimated.

A great asset when fighting against mountain trolls and whatnot.

She raised her hand as he approached, showing off the shard embedded in her palm. It was a funny sight for her. Where once every inch of her skin had been green, now it was only around that foreign glow.

"No, sir," she said.

[qunari]

Just like the boss. Damned if he knew what it meant, what any of it was supposed to mean. He wasn't stupid, but this shit was beyond any of them, so far as he could tell.

Not her fault though. Bull gave a curt nod.

"Figured. Don't think I've seen anyone like you hanging around the place. Usually means you're from out of town. So to speak."

[el_tybs]

"Not particularly, but I'm tossing out barriers more than I am fire in any case," he replies easily, a corner of his mouth curling upward as he crossed his arms.

That being said Sam hums for a moment thoughtfully, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his neck. "Well I guess asking to 'train' me how to fight like you would be saying it better. I know how to fight, just... I'd rather be prepared to know how to defend or fight if for some reason I don't have my magic or my staff."

[aforethought]

"Yeah? Figure that's why the Orlesians wear them?"

She swings herself down into a chair, peering back. The twinge of a grin latches its way to the edge of her mouth, fingers darting forward to tap at the edge of his mug.

"Let me get you a round," Not that she has any plans to pay for it directly; cards are a shit game, but they can sure keep folks' minds off their money in the immediate sense. "And you can tell me why Unicorn over there keeps giving you the evil eye."

Melys jerks her chin towards the far end of the tavern, where a vashoth with a broken horn occasionally shoots a glower up over his cheese plate. It's meticulously-arranged — probably because the elf across from him keeps trying to explain something with the pieces.

Back on Bull, her eyes are wide and curious, just at the point past tipsy where the worry of danger exits stage-right.

"Must've impaled something real heavy on that one."

[demonicbeauty]

"I suppose you could say that," she replied, the corners of her lips twitching slightly. Sarcasm and snark often eluded her. But irony? Irony Ariadne could understand.

Politely, she dipped into a curtsy. "My name is Ariadne, sir," she told him. "Ariadne...Everdeen."

She was still trying out the surname. It was strange to think that it could be hers now, that Katniss had been so willing to just accept her. Almost no questions asked.

But she liked it.

[qunari]

"Uh huh."

The hesitation with the name says enough, but he doesn't push on the matter. Names a relative thing, anyway. Under the Qun, your name was pretty much whatever your job was. Who's he to judge?

"They call me the Iron Bull. Good to meet you, Airy."

[qunari]

"Must have. Maybe he's just glaring at the door."

It's practiced evasion, if anything, and the last thing he really wants is the obnoxiously drunk girl getting more obnoxiously drunk in front of him. Then again, suppose it's better to keep an eye on her here. She's less likely to cause trouble that way.

"You got a name?" He quirks an eyebrow at the girl, purposefully ignoring whatever baleful looks the Vashoth is giving him. Yeah. He's gotten used to that, too.

Not his problem.

[qunari]

"Not a bad idea. Always a good idea to have a back-up plan. Planning on wading out into the thick of it, are we?"

He's still sizing Sam up, at this point. Krem's pretty much vouched for him and that's enough for him on a personal level, but the guy's motivations still don't quite line up. Chatting with him a bit over drinks could help that, sure.

And he waves for another round.

[el_tybs]

"The plan is knowing it and hopefully not needing it." And not getting yelled at by certain mercenaries when it isn't your fault for being ambushed.

Well it looked like one drink and just asking wasn't going to be enough to get Bull to agree, not with noticing the Qunari waving to the bartender for more drinks. With a small exhale, Sam turns slightly to pull a chair out for himself, figuring he's better off sitting than standing for this.

[demonicbeauty]

She wasn't entirely sure which delighted her more: His name, or the fact that he'd immediately called her 'Airy' without any kind of prompting.

His name, she decided. One could organically reach 'Airy.' After all, almost every single person she'd ever met, at some point, had compared her to a bird. It was easy to derive 'Airy' from that.

But to be called Iron Bull...

"Does it come from your prowess?" she asked, nodding to the training area.

[qunari]

"You could say that. The horns usually leave an impression, too."

Bull smirked, as though they'd just shared an inside joke of sorts. As though it weren't perfectly obvious why anyone might feel the name was appropriate.