open: something grabs ahold of me tightly

[faderifting]

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

Comments

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin frowns at that, sitting up and then getting to her feet despite her body protesting.]

We'd better get moving, then. The sooner they're in front of the fire, the better.

[issala]

[The boy heaves himself up to his feet with a groan that definitely didn't fit his youth. Sticking his fingers into his armpits, he nods to Korrin and does his best to look undisturbed about oncoming frostbite.]

I didn't even get any meat for the villagers.

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin slips off her own gloves and hands them over wordlessly. Her own hands are just fine and they'll manage for the time it'll take them to reach town. They'll do far more good with Kas.]

They have enough to last them the night. We can work on getting them more tomorrow; when there's enough light to see by. There's a spot north of here when I saw a bunch of snoufleurs; those hides will go a long way toward keeping them warm as well as fed.

[issala]

[He puts her gloves on, trying to ignore how big they are on him. They're warm, and that was what mattered.]

I guess that's good enough... I just don't want anyone to make fun of me for not managing.

[gatheringstorm]

[Her eyes narrow a bit at that.]

If they do, I'll stick them in a snowy crevice far worse than that one. Maybe with some bears.