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

[wickedchase]

I dread the day, then. [He smiles anyway, so it's hard to know if he means that.]

I assure you, I don't really know what the fuss is other than he's the designated nice Vint. Other than that, I suppose that he is a fine individual, but I've only really spoken to him a handful of times.

When you know the hands and the general rules, then, you'll be a natural. If I can learn and I only started gambling when I left my clan, then you'll be fine. Shall I find my deck?

[foxsays]

Would it be so bad? Actually…[when ships meet up, or when lots of captains get into port at once there’s no moving, the noise swells for days and weeks on end, you never get a seat in the tavern and they’re all friendly.] Actually no, it might be bad.

I cannot believe that an entire country that big can possibly be made up of purely evil people, people are people. [Thedas in general requires some chill. A lot of it. Like an ice age of chill.] Nice doesn’t even mean good, I’ve met plenty of nice people that would cheerfully have carved out my kidneys and apologised at the same time.

[Maybe if Wicked Grace cards had more naked ladies she would remember better but dragons and swords are apparently cooler.] I would be in your debt if you could teach me so the scouts and soldiers no longer have any advantage against me.

[wickedchase]

For various reasons. Half of them would want to adopt me, and half of them would probably be muttering harellan as if I couldn't tell. [He rolls his eyes a little.]

I don't disagree, particularly, but Tevinter has a stance that is very difficult to deal with, in general. There is power play and belief in their own blood. Nobility and strengthening their blood rights is everything. Some are worse than others. [Fate shrugs.] I don't believe in pure evil, just that some people are more wicked than others.

Ha! They won't for long. [Twisted Fate goes digging into his coat.] Fortunately for both of us, I won't have to teach you to cheat either.

[foxsays]

Harellan? Is that a rude name? [At least she’s learning more words, that’s always a good thing.]

We still have nobility that think nothing of stepping all over people to get what they want where I come from but when we share the same blood, we cannot use that against each other unless we wish to look foolish. Our blood is the sea and the sea does as it pleases, it doesn’t love you more and honestly, the nobles are further from it. They forget who they are but the rest of us don’t. [Thedas though is more complicated than that, more complicated even than when Zimevur wished to rule the whole world and failed.]

I hope your face is less open than a soldier’s, you would think they’d know there’s more than one sort of battle.

[wickedchase]

Something like that. These days, it's Dalish for "blood traitor". Not a word I would repeat, my dear.

At the very least, it sounds like I'd be more comfortable with the expectations of your home than Tevinter. Though I suppose that's easy to say, based on my experiences. Grass is greener, and all that.

[That makes him chuckle.] Well, you're about to find out for yourself. [Twisted Fate starts to sort out the cards so that she can at least get a look at the suits.]

The first thing to understand would be the suits, and which ones are stronger than the other. In order from weakest to strongest: Serpents, Daggers, Songs, Knights, then Angels. That is the most important thing to remember when you're playing Wicked Grace. Follow so far?

[foxsays]

What a terrible thing to call anyone! [Her little intake of breath isn't an act, it would be the very worst sort of accusation where she comes from and her face falls, head shaking as if she can pretend she didn't hear a single word of it.] Betrayal is not a small word of itself, saying that of someone though...no, not a word I will repeat, but one I will remember.

[This is what happens when your father is literally a pirate preacher and your mother a holy prostitute though, blood traitor would be something that could not be forgiven.]

The grass is actually scrubbier and most of it is salt grass. [Bad jokes o'clock okay.] You would find many a fine hat there though, captains pride themselves on dressing to show their status, as flash as you please.

[Shoving her hair behind her ears, she leans forward to get a good look, nodding along. They have similar things, merlings, whales, sea snakes, captains for some games, as well as the usual hearts and spades, diamonds and clubs.]

A dagger cuts a snake, a song can stop a blade, a knight is armed and armoured, and angels are above them all.

[wickedchase]

[The reaction is a bit more than he'd have expected from her, but it earns a warmer look from Twisted Fate. He smiles faintly, shaking his head.] The older meaning was "trickster", something I could live with. But that's not the intent of the word these days. I'm not exactly a typical Dalish, I suppose. Still, I appreciate that.

[But onward to card games. Something he enjoys immensely.]

Good. That is a good way to remember it.

Now then: let's talk about winning conditions. An important thing to remember is that the game of Wicked Grace is over when the Angel of Death card is drawn. [He turns the card over to show to her.] Players will reveal their hands and decide who has won at that point, no matter what.

So there are a few ways to ensure your victory. The person who has the most cards of highest rank will win. For example, if I had two knights and three daggers, but you had two daggers and three snakes, then my hand would be better. If you had two angels and two daggers while I had two songs and two knights, you would most certainly win. You could theoretically... hold onto the Angel of Death card until you felt you had a strong hand, but that isn't exactly playing by the rules. [He winks.]