faderift | open: something grabs ahold of me tightly

open: something grabs ahold of me tightly

WHO: Inquisition Forces
WHAT: Inquisition forces cross the mountains into Orlais to deal with Emprise du Lion
WHEN: Wintermarch 25 onward
WHERE: EMPRISE DU LION
NOTES: This is a mingle-style log for the Inquisition camps, local tavern, and general/open Inquisition work, etc.

This time they hike down to the west, but the trip through the mountains is no easier. The snow is heaped up about the road where wagons have pushed it aside, stomped into slippery pack beneath the feet and hooves that have gone before. Of the main track it is ankle deep at best and in places it drifts, waist-deep on a tall man and enough to bury a dwarf who hasn't come prepared with snowshoes. Everywhere the wind howls, biting cold, and the sky hangs low, a pale flat grey that makes it difficult to judge distances. Those who know winter weather call it a snow sky, and near-daily squalls prove them right.

They set up camp in Sahrnia, across the broad expanse of frozen river that has trapped the villagers here upstream. Tents pop up in rows and in the shells of tumbled-down buildings, fires blazing and thawing the ground to mud. When the supply wagons roll in they re-open the local tavern, brightly lit with flaking paint on the walls that might once have been colorful and patterned tiles on the floor that seems to swim like an optical illusion after too many glasses of the cheap red wine that fills the cellars.

Even deadlier reds hold the hills: Red Templar sightings have been frequent and it is said they are operating in several locations in the region in significant force. Some of these men and women have become hulking, crystalline beasts. Many others are in the earlier stages of corruption: red-veined and -eyed, aggressive and superhumanly strong, but still visibly human and coherent if spoken to. Red lyrium is even easier to find, jutting out of the ground or cliffsides, filling caves-- the Tower of Bone, a fortress that has stood for centuries, now threatens to split from the inside out. The area's wildlife was none too friendly before, but now the wolves and bears have begun to be corrupted by the lyrium and many will attack on sight, without provocation. (The snofleurs that bumble harmlessly around the river seem unaffected.)

Everywhere there are ruins: broken bridges, crumbling colosseums, and the great hulking mass of Suledin's Keep tucked between the distant hills. Scouts reported that Red Templars hold it as well.

RIFTER ARRIVAL - SAHRNIA - THE HILLS - TOWER CAMP - A HANDY MAP

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"Yeah, figured as much." He runs a hand down his face and glances back toward the door, then frowns up at Korrin. "If it's all the same to you, would like to be seein' if I can't help seal this shit back up. You did say it was this fuckin' mark's thing right? To be sealin' it up 'fore the demons get it all in they heads to be pourin' through." He doesn't even think to ask after a pair of clubs or anything else that could be used as a weapon, in light of learning that he could possibly be of use without it. The shock's still settled in on him heavy, but as always, his first instinct was to see if he might be able to fix whatever the hell might have been broken in his wake.

That her offers to help right away is surprising, as Korrin wouldn't have asked it of a newcomer who just moments ago was still trying not to freeze. But she can't deny his help wouldn't be a huge boon right now. It'd save her time from hunting down another rifter.

"As long as you're up to it, I won't say no. I don't want you collapsing on me, though, so if you're worn out say something now before we take off. But...yes, the mark will seal it. I've seen others raise their hands and the mark interacts with the rift somehow to make that possible. Doing that also stuns demons in range, which goes a long way towards cutting them down."

"Pretty sure I ain't about to collapse now I ain't half-froze," he assures her, pulling some here and there on the uniform he'd been handed. "N' clothes is a good first step toward not freezin' out there in the snow to begin with. Ain't seen so much motherfuckin' snow before in my life, not even goin' to school. Shit's crazy, sis."

When he shakes his head, he realizes that his dreadlocks, still just a bit damp after the snow had melted off of them, were hanging loose around his head. He wrinkles his nose and pulls them up together, using one of the longer ones to tie the rest of his hair up and out of his face. There, now he could see where he was going that much easier. "You know where that road is leadin' away from this is right? Gotta go up that a stretch. If it ain't all motherfuckin' snow, should be able to find where I got walkin' from fairly easy. You say I can get stunnin' them evil fuckers, just gotta show me how n' maybe we can find them others got themselves all lost out in the snow. Can't'a frozen up yet."

Shit's crazy? Isn't that the truth. Korrin waits until he's fixed his hair before leading the way out of the tavern, careful for what protection her armor provides against the cold as well as enemies. Either could fell the unwary, in this tainted land.

"Ah, I know where you mean. I scouted this area last month, but I only just returned. None too soon, either. Emprise du Lion is a mess, thanks to those rifts and other issues. That reminds me; if you see red crystal jutting out of the ground? Don't go near it. I can't stress that enough, that shit's wildly toxic."

As soon as she spots some, the Vashoth mage will point it out just so he knows what to look out for, though her description is pretty apt. At mention of the others, she frowns in concern. "Do you know if they were similarly under-dressed? I can tell scouts to have extra clothes ready, though I can't take up too much time here. Freezing won't matter if those demons get to them first. If nothing else, I'll make some fire for them."

He has to think a moment, before nodding. "Spotted some on the way here, now I get thinkin' on it. Glowin' red, looked kinda veiny n' alive? Don't gotta tell me that shit's some kinda evil, heard it whisperin' at me when I passed. Ain't no motherfuckin' kinda natural, that's for sure."

"Couldn't tell for sure what they was wearin' was a little too busy dodgin' ice n' fire. Didn't have a damn thing to defend myself either, just stuck my hands out. Hurt real motherfuckin' bad but they stopped a minute n' I was able to run. Hopin' they got the idea too. Maybe they could get fightin' back better'n I did."

On the way up the hill, Gam glances over at the points of red peeking up from down along another trail, on down from where they're walking a little ways. He can hear it again, easing little fingers of eerie song into his brain. He expects to feel something push back, like he would have if this had happened back at home, but...there's nothing there but his own thoughts. It's disconcerting. He doesn't mention it though, instead reaching over and touching Korrin's arm before starting up in the direction that a mild indent in the snow led. The wind had started obscuring the path he'd taken, but it was still there.

Edited 2016-01-25 07:23 (UTC)

At least Gam knows what she means, though Korrin can't help but look unnerved at mention of whispering. It's nothing she wants to think about. She can only hope that the rest of any rifters emerging have the sense this one came with and will leave the red lyrium well enough alone. Or if they have the power to do so, destroy it. Christine needs some for research, but certainly not all.

Korrin follows, keeping close and her staff in hand. Her other strays to a hilt at her side, though it has no blade. "Not to sound cocky but with me, you shouldn't need weapons. Unless there's a pride demon running around -those large, spiky ones- I'm pretty sure I can take them. Just avoid the terror demons, those with spindly arms and legs. They like to do this trick where they disappear and then reappear right behind you, flipping you on your back. Fucking annoying, that."

"Sheeit, sis. Even without weapons you look like you could be knockin' some motherfuckin' heads together," he replies with a small chuckle, though on reflex as soon as he hears the shrieking of that damned rat-faced ice throwing demon, he puts an arm out to stop her. There's a bright, sparkling green glimmer visible over the peak of the hill. Under other circumstances, he might have thought it beautiful. As soon as they came close enough though, it changed, shooting blackish spikes out of its core so that now, instead of wispy and silken, it was angry and sinister-looking.

The land beside him erupts in flame again, and he whips around with his hands raised, spotting the orange glowing figure yards away. "Fuckin' hell, man! I ain't did shit to you!"

"Like that matters to them! They've been sucked into this world and driven mad in the process!"

Thinking quickly, Korrin casts Barrier to encompass them both, then blurs ahead on waves of magic to reach said orange glowing figure. Finally taking out that hilt from her waist, she activates her spirit blade and slices into it. She may not be able to affect the rift itself, but she can at least buy her companion time to do so.

He grimaces at the idea, wishing momentarily that he had his brother here. Carlos was good at solving the spirit and demon shit like he had never mastered.

"Poor motherfuckers," he muttered, then turned his attention on the rift overhead. His mark is once more throbbing, acting up visibly even through the gloves that had come with the scouting uniform. He strips off one of them and holds his hand up, trying to figure out what to do, up until it feels like his hand is literally exploding. He grits his teeth and holds it up, watching the stream of bright green light flow from his hand into the sinister crystals of the rift. When it explodes, he drops to one knee and cradles his hand close, looking around to see what might have happened. Hell, the explosion had probably fucked up everyone in his vicinity, hadn't it...

But no, the demons are frozen, or wobbling some in place. This was good. They were holding still! "Shit... Shit, sis, you got somethin' blunt I can use?" he calls to Korrin. At the very least he can beat something slid over the head until it gives up.

Edited 2016-01-26 02:02 (UTC)

"Thanks!" Really, that whole freezing them in place talent makes offing them a lot easier. Korrin takes advantage of the moment to cast Chain Lightning on the gathered demons before they have a chance to snap out of their stunned state. "And no, I just have these. There's a branch to your left that ought to do it, though."

This moment is making a good case for bringing extra weapons for those rifters that arrive with none, though. Korrin will have to remember that for next time, but for now she has to act before the demons are moving again. Cue an explosion centered away from her companion and the rage demon, where it will do the most damage.

Watching the electricity arc from creature to creature, Gam can't help the "Yooooo" that echoes around the hilltop. That was some of the coolest shit he'd seen in a while. He doesn't have long to dwell on it though, groping instead for a mostly frozen branch and taking a moment to break it over his knee. That's probably gonna smart when the adrenaline dies down, but for now, he has two slightly unevenly-balanced clubs, and he spins them around in his hands before advancing on the cowering Despair demon and smacking it hard with both heavy ends of the clubs. He retreats and spins in place to swing his heel into its head whenever it tries to look up again and turn that icy beam on him, flooring it again and finally smashing it with a club swung around in a wide arc. That ends up killing the thing, and also destroying part of the end of his club, but he jumps a bit in place when the demon dissolves and seems to retreat back into the Rift.

With a gleeful little whoop, he turns to see what else he can do, and starts toward the rage demon. It's going to be harder to deal with now that the spirits were all regaining mobility, now that the disruption had ended. "Look at me motherfucker!" he yells, waiting until the gigantic, somewhat sluggish lava thing turns back on him. He only just has time to duck before it spits a gout of flame at him.

Well. Korrin can't help but dart the new rifter an impressed grin for killing that despair demon. Either he's had some previous experience or he's incredibly lucky; either way, it's appreciated now. There may be more to deal with, but even one demon down is them getting just a little bit further towards sealing that rift.

When the demon turns its attention to Gam, Korrin takes advantage and whirls her staff around, freezing it in place. Those demons nearest to it aren't frozen but seem slowed as a result, and she takes full advantage of that, slicing into the nearest ones with enthusiasm. "The barrier will hold as long as I keep going, just focus on clubbing the assholes!"

"You got it," he grunts as he takes advantage of the frozen demon and swings his remaining club into the side of its relatively tiny head. It only really seems to serve to shake it out of its mildly bewildered state at the cold. He swears under his breath and twists out of the way before it can take it in mind to fry him. It's a near thing, part of his clothes coming up singed before he's out of range.

Fuck this guy, then. He runs, snagging a tree branch overhead and shaking a heavy clump of snow down onto the demon's head, barely slowing it down but giving him enough time to double back and try that disrupting move again, holding his hand out at the rift and gritting his teeth through the pain of it. When it explodes again the rage demon is in range and swaying dangerously, as if ready to topple over on him. So he takes the time allotted to him and breaks off part of his remaining branch, turning it into a jagged stake that he jams into the stunned demon's neck just behind its head. It catches flame almost immediately, but before if can completely burn away, the demon is felled. He falls back, puffing out gouts of steam and lamenting the loss of his weapon. Of course, Korrin is faring even better than he is, and didn't seem to be running out of energy either.

"Any more branches around?" he yells, trying desperately to ignore the stinging of the freezing air ripping in and out of his lungs.

It'll be a moment before Korrin answers that, finishing slicing through another demon with her spirit blade and then taking advantage of the time he just bought them to unleash another chain lightning. What remains probably won't last much longer, if luck's on their side and there isn't another wave awaiting them.

"Yeah, a few paces behind you! Go, now! I'll cover you." Not turning her back to the stunned demons, the Vashoth mage moves to place herself between them and the rifter. They'll have to get through her first, and she's not about to make it easy for them.

As Gam turns over and pushes himself to his feet, one of the last remaining demons turns on him. He digs the branch out of the snow and turns with it held in his hands like a bat. The thing chasing him reminds him of some of the last creatures he'd seen back home, and if it hadn't shrieked in his face, he might have felt sorrier for it. As it was, he swung and nearly knocked the Terror's head clean off of its shoulders, its cry cutting off with a sick gurgle and crunch. It crumpled to the ground and then disappeared back into its rift.

"That's right motherfucker, you better run!" he yelled after it, his steps staggered just a bit. He straightens up with a huff and glances around to be sure that there weren't any more coming through, and that Korrin isn't in the middle of a fight she can't handle (ha, unlikely) before lifting his hand to the rift itself, now doing its graceful silk dance in the air again, and pushing the energy back out into it. He stumbled back when the air around it collapsed inward, and just like that, it was peaceful again. The only evidence that anything had happened here was the trampled snow. So now, Gam sits in the snow, panting quietly and staring at the spot that the rift had been.

Always happy to see a Terror demon get what it deserves, Korrin flashes a grin before finishing off her next target. She slices through the last of the demons just before Gam stretches forth that marked had to do what she's seen so many times by now. It's hardly an unfamiliar sight at this point, watching the rift vanish and the Veil mend, but Korrin smiles nonetheless, and she turns to the rifter, crouching to rest a hand on his shoulder.

"Good work. Thanks to you, the villagers are that much safer. There are more rifts, all over the area and beyond, but I'll take whatever victory we can get."

"'s not much, but it's certainly somethin'." He looks around at her with a large, lopsided smile, then slaps a hand down on her wrist, gripping it gratefully before picking himself up out of the snow again. "Hell of a wakeup," he mutters, heading over to a blotch of black and green in the snow. He knows better than to prod at it, but it doesn't seem safe to just leave it here.

"So...what now?" he asks, turning back to her, his hands rubbing together to get some warmth back into his fingers now that he's lost one of his gloves.

"Now you're welcome to return with me to the Inquisition camp just beyond town. We have food, tents and, yes gloves. You don't have to, but I'm not sure how much help you'll find in the area otherwise. Between rift demons, red lyrium and Red Templars, this is as hostile as hostile gets. You don't have to be one the front lines to help -we have a fortress known as Skyhold, east of here- but I won't lie, we need rifters and other people so marked to seal whatever rifts we find. It's the only way to begin restoring order to the mess that is southern Thedas right now."

"Don't know my ass from a hole in the ground around here so I'm thinkin' that's the safest bet I got 'til I know one way or the other if there's somewhere else to be." He looks to her to lead the way, figuring he'd rather trail behind like a lost duckling than wander off in the wrong direction and still end up freezing to death somewhere before he found the camp itself.

"Alright so I know a little'a what we got puttin' folks in danger here, but you said Red Templars? Th'fuck is that?I'm just assumin' the red lyrium's that spooky shit juttin' outta the snow."

And now that there's nothing left to fight, Korrin is just as happy to depart, leading the way toward camp. Once there, she'll also ensure that he has access to whatever weapon he deems best-suited to defend himself. They have a decent range of them, the last she checked.

"Red Templars are Templars that splintered off and ingested red lyrium, now corrupted into twisted beings that serve Corypheus. He's an ancient darkspawn magister who's responsible for the Breach, and thus all the rifts, and the Inquisition intends to stop him before he can make another attempt to enter the Fade, probably killing us all in the process. The Fade is a realm of spirits and demons, where people go when they dream...and where they pass through when they die. It's that connection to the Fade which grants mages their talent."

Hopefully any of that makes some sense, but she seems ready to elaborate if it doesn't.

"I only understood about two thirds'a that, sis," he admits, but he takes it upon himself to try and talk it out in a way that might make more sense to him, looking to her for corrections.

"So you got mages like y'self, n' they tap into a dream realm f'they magics. N' the demons come from that same place. If the Fade's a place of demons that people dream theyselves into, 's that mean they shape it? Or the other way 'round, with demons shapin' they dreams? N' I'm just assumin' Darkspawn's another sort'a fuckin' demon thing. Magister's not a term I'm familiar with neither, but if the root's the same, 's that make them mages? So we got a demon mage motherfucker all wreckin' shit, turnin' soldiers into evil fuckin' things, n' we got dream monsters pourin' outta wherever I passed through to be gettin' here, n' that's this Coryphimus dude's fault too..."

At least it made some sense to his mind, especially since most of the vocabulary here seemed pretty similar to what he was used to back home.

That he's able to work a lot of it out for himself earns Korrin's respect, though she still tries to fill in the blanks where and when needed.

"...more or less. You have the general idea right there. Darkspawn aren't demons, but humanoid beings with a different kind of taint from red lyrium. They're usually mindless, their sole goal being to kill or corrupt everyone and everything. Corypheus is...different, somehow intelligent if not sane. A magister is a mage of the Tevinter Imperium, the only place in Thedas where mages rule. But it also endorses slavery and blood magic, so it's not exactly a positive example to the rest of us. So when I say he's a darkspawn magister, I'm really saying he's the worst combination of terrible things Thedas has to offer."

Yeah, there's more to it than that, but she's trying to keep it relatively simple for his sake. "As for the Fade, you're right about people shaping it; my mentor described it as people setting the stage and demons stepping into the roles we provide them. Most don't remember time while dreaming, so it's not a conscious thing. Only mages remember; and dwarves don't dream at all. Their connection, if it ever existed, is severed, so they can't be mages."

"If demons is steppin' into the roles the dreamers make for 'em, does that mean not all of 'em's bad? Can't imagine everyone with connections to the Fade'r bad people that'd make a demon do this shit they doin' outside in this world. You said they was driven mad by passin' through it but what about when they keepin' to themselves?" He wasn't going to touch on blood magic, and slavery was a damn touchy subject as well for him. Best to keep to those things that were a little more foreign and a little more important to what they were doing here.

Besides, it's a good distraction from the cold and the long walk back.

Korrin doesn't mind the questions, though she doesn't seem convinced when it comes to demons. "Well, there are spirits and there are demons. The line can get rather muddled, but as I understand it, a spirit becomes a demon when denied their original purpose. Some idiot summons them, gets them to go against their nature and boom, demon. Or as I said, they get sucked in through a rift. There are probably other ways, and possibly some demons who always were just that.

Honestly, I'm not an expert on them, as I try to keep away from spirits and demons as much as possible. It's sound practice for mages; demons want to influence this world, and one way is possession. A mage is like a fucking beacon for them, and when they take control? The result can wipe entire villages off the map. Those are called abominations, and the only thing they do is kill. So, non-mages admittedly do have some reasons to fear us. It's not nearly enough to justify the fate of most mages until recently, but that's a whole other can of worms."

Edited 2016-01-27 04:01 (UTC)

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open: something grabs ahold of me tightly

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