[ CLOSED ] THE ANTIVAN CROWS SEND THEIR REGARDS

[ombranera]

WHO: Alistair, Araceli Bonaventura, Beleth Ashara, Anders Detlef, Korrin Ataash, Taashath, The Iron Bull, Twisted Fate, an Zevran Arainai. Guest Starring: Samouel, Cyril, and Merrick, Super Special Guest Star: Leliana.
WHAT: The Crows come for the Ombra Nera.
WHEN: Begins Guardian 6
WHERE: Skyhold/Antivan Border/The Road
NOTES: CW/TW FOR: Flesh hommonculi, violent/gruesome content, torture, blood magic, non-consensual drug use, adult content, adult language, reader discretion is advised. Sign up post, original plotting post, hit me on PM or @ thesouthernbelle if you have questions.

It's a normal morning in Thedas until, abruptly, it isn't. The Crows come calling; they are swift, they are certain, they are silent and leave behind but one witness that won't be alive for much longer (or so they assume). Prize in hand they ride North for Antiva.

Subthreads for portions of the plot are yours to tag around in as you like!

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The Trail North

[ombranera]

A series of spartan camps, fire long gone cold, the barest spattering of blood where one might hold someone prisoner, and the odd curl of half burnt paper with writing in Antivan directing whoever they were following to the next safe location. The further from Skyhold? The more careless they are with the burning, the more scraps left available-

The more blood pooled in rusty spatters next to a hook set into a wall, driven into the ground, or the cut length of rope.

It is a long ride North, but they are gaining ground.

[qunari]

The Iron Bull observes the pools of blood in stony silence before taking to a knee. The scent is still thick in the air, the lingering smells of a camp, of leather, and the smoldering remains of the notes that someone else is looking over at the moment.

He's checking the consistency. How long has it sat here? Might give them a clue how far they have to go, how much ground they have to cover.

Might even catch up to him before they do more than let him bleed out.

[ombranera]

Hours, perhaps half a day at most, six hours at the least. The oddest thing was the lack of blood on the ropes, or hook, or ring used to hold their supposed captive; but rather the blood was alongside said implements, always in neat arcs.

[qunari]

These weren't signs of a struggle, no effort on Zevran's part to get away or simply some ill effects from being bound improperly. Taking some of the spirit out of him with torture, maybe?

His fingers followed the arc of blood along the ground, just past stickiness and starting to absorb into the ground. His nostrils flare quietly as he examines the ends of the rope. Neatly cut. A very sharp blade, or a heavy one.

[ombranera]

There in the dirt he'll scuff up and past two bits of incidental debris. The tip of a needle, hollowed and yet tacky with some manner of fragrant residue and the withered pod of a plant.

[qunari]

Carefully, he pries the pod off the ground, bringing it close enough to take a whiff, though not enough to breathe anything directly in. After a moment he snorts, dropping the pod once more.

"Opium. They've been keeping him drugged. Smart. The initial dose must have worn off here," Bull murmurs to the others.

[arlathvhen]

"What's opi--Drugged?"

Beleth has been watching Iron Bull work quietly. She can track, she can follow a trail, and the Crows are not as hard to follow as a hart in the plains. But this stuff? This is beyond her, and she eyes the pod and other implements with a confused eye. But she trusts that Iron Bull knows more than she does, and she takes a moment from circling the camp to inspect the pod, try to commit it to memory.

"So, um..." All of this is way out of her depth. But she's spent her time in Skyhold learning, and she takes some time to dwell on why they would keep Zevran drugged. "...They're...keeping him from escaping? Until they get him wherever they're going." She makes a face at that, lips pressed together.

Once she's done moving around, she takes all the scraps of paper she's collected this time, and hands it to Bull. Anything written in Antivan is meaningless to her, after all.

[wickedchase]

Twisted Fate watches how Beleth makes her conclusions and knows well to keep his judgments on hold. More than he prefers to say, finding Zevran is a more important matter. That will probably be perpetual among all of them.

"Wherever they're going, it's going to be guarded. I think they know well Zevran's meaning to the Inquisition, and those part of it. They're getting confident, though. Leaving a trail is messy. This is messier."

[qunari]

"Probably not the only reason they're drugging him. If he's not struggling..."

Then they're cutting into him for other reasons entirely. Not a pretty picture this scene's painting. He's going to want answers when they get back. How the Crows followed him, who gave him away. Spies in the Inquisition were bound to happen, his own presence included, but this?

They didn't have time for this with Corypheus still at large. Defenses were going to have to be--

Not the time for it. It was instinctive, rather than dwell on what was probably happening to Zevran as they spoke and letting his anger get the better of him. With a grunt, he took hold of the remaining scraps, scanning them over.

[ombranera]

The burnt edges of the paper flake away as they're handled, winding words that double back over the page, pointing to a more stable camp several miles north, a notation about the tools they'll need waiting.

The list itself is incomplete but lyrium, opium, and a singularly potent hallucinogenic are legible.

[justice_is_blond]

"At least if he's not struggling, he's not making the wounds worse." It's the single plus side to everything they're finding here. Anders' job will be easier the less the wounds are aggravated.

Anders is standing hear Bull, reading what else is written there. More tools, more drugs. So much for no injuries on top of injuries. His stomach twists, anger mixing with worry, and it shows on his face.

[quietblade]

Taashath keeps behind the rest of them as they go over clues, keeping his eyes on their surroundings. He couldn't read so many lips at the same time, so instead he simply makes himself useful and makes sure they're not attacked by any leftover Crows. Or bears.

...it's probably a good idea he's not seeing the signs of what these bastards are doing to Zevran.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin remains with Taas, to listen for what he can't, and to keep her temper down as much as possible. If she listens in and has a close look at what their findings, such resolve will vanish. Giving into rage won't help Zevran, not right now...though the more she hears the more she really can't wait until there are enemies within range.

[qunari]

"For all the good that does him. They're not going to be gentle with him."

The scraps of paper are surrendered, to Anders if he cares to take them, before Bull hefts his weapon onto his shoulder. "They're headed north. About a half a day ahead of us. But they'll stop to resupply and regroup, and they'll be looking to keep him under. Harder to do on the move."

In other words, they should move. The sooner, the better. They might actually stand a chance of catching up.

[foxsays]

Stationed next to Korrin with a hand on her back - though it's unlikely she'd either have a chance holding her back if her temper snaps or that she'd even stop her when she's fairly vibrating herself - she peers around and up at Bull, face about as blank as she can make it.

"He's not big but the longer he's drugged, the more dead weight he'll be." It's not enough time to build up a tolerance, not unless he already has one but give someone too much to keep them under and they don't wake up. From the state of affairs, that doesn't seem like the outcome they're hoping for. "Easier to take a captive when you can make them keep pace."

[gatheringstorm]

Araceli's touch always makes the tension less than it otherwise would be, and though she's too riled up to show that appreciation fully, she darts her kadan a grateful look. The comment makes her sigh and she nods, unsurprised. "Fortunately, we have enough who can more than bear his weight. We find him, gut the rest. They deserve nothing else."

[justice_is_blond]

"Agreed." Agreeing to that is the easiest thing he's done in a long time. He's paging through the rest, getting what scraps of information he can - especially on the drugs. Had they packed enough lyrium potions? Because he'll be healing. He refuses to accept any possibility that they'll get there too late.

Once satisfied he's got all he can from them, Anders slips them into his belt-pouch and looks up, ready to go. "Let's hope we catch up soon."