I thought that I've been hurt before.

[quietblade]

WHO: Taas + Open
WHAT: Catch-all for February
WHEN: After his return from the Crow event and the rest of the month.
WHERE: Mostly Skyhold, Herald's Rest
NOTES: CR for new and old characters alike!

Tavern

It was usually early in the evening when Taashath lumbered towards the tavern. He usually had an ale or two, maybe something to eat and chatting with friends and newcomers alike. After the rescue of Zevran in Antiva, however, he was drinking more, eating less and rarely talking to people.

He had lost control, forgotten his name, tried to kill a member of the Inquisition, no matter how loaded the issue of a Ben-Hassrath was. He wasn't safe when his rage took over like that... and the possibility of hurting someone he cared about was eating him up inside.

Was he squandering everything Yshae taught him by trying to be a hero?

It was easier to just drink and forget.

Courtyard

Taas was a common sight in the courtyard, talking with people, maintaining his weapons somewhere in the rare sunlight or even chopping a training dummy to pieces now and then. He had stopped offering to spar with people, however, just smiling and shaking his head each time someone asked for a hand or when he saw someone struggling with their guard.

Instead he spent a lot of time going over breathing techniques and different means of relaxing, loosening himself from all the madness etched into his bones. He was Taashath.

It became like a mantra to him. He could push through this.

Wildcard

Hit me!

Comments

Tavern

[equanimiti]

"I thought I was buying the drinks." So says very familiar voice plagued with the telltale signs of the speaker's Orlesian heritage.

Alayre is a man harrowed by his own reckless words as of late. He's been driven to the point of anger and that anger manifested into a hateful tirade that undermines all of the "good" he represents. While he hasn't tried to physically harm anyone, he certainly wounded plenty of allies who once had faith in him. Knowing that the poision he spewed won't be easily forgotten or forgiven, Alayre eased himself into solitude and prayer.

That is until he heard of Taashath's return to Skyhold.

A welcoming smile lingers only briefly upon the Templar's lips as he moves to Taashath's side. He could tell with ease that something isn't quite right here but Alayre refrains from asking. Now isn't the time for words, now is the time for ale.

End of the month, Undercroft

[gatheringstorm]

After rescuing Zevran, Korrin didn't have much time to linger in Skyhold. Emprise du Lion isn't going to liberate itself, after all. Between Red Templars and dragons, there's more than enough to keep her occupied...and the latter foe gives her one more reason to return when the Inquisition requests more supplies from Skyhold.

However, she's not seen in the tavern or courtyard and when Korrin does leave a message for Taas, it's to meet her in the Undercroft. No other explanation, just a simple request. While awaiting his arrival, Korrin will inspect her gift again and again; with any luck, it will hold up to her hopes for it.

Tavern

[wickedchase]

It's hard not to know what had happened. After all, it's not as if Twisted Fate had been that far away when the fight was happening; he had no investment in sticking around and found himself more concerned with Zevran's well-being. Which, in itself, is... difficult to swallow for him.

But that's another concern for another time.

For now, there is Taas, who obviously has more than enough on his mind.

"Don't suppose you're in need of a distraction, or an ear to listen?" Fate wonders out loud as he sits by the Tal-Vashoth, a drink in his own hand.

Courtyard

[qunari]

It's a matter of time, they both know it. And sure enough, Bull appears one day at the edge of the courtyard, watching Taas go through the motions.

He's a skilled fighter. Had to be, to hold his own against Bull. But that vicious streak in him was going to be trouble, particularly on trying missions like the last one they were on together.

Bull doesn't announce himself. Doesn't have to. He'll take notice, eventually.

tavern;

[foxsays]

Lately, life has felt like a slap in Araceli's face. Seeing the true horrors of the Red Templars, learning what had happened to Sina causing her to fear her mark once again, and then finally Zevran? It's only a matter of time before she needs to slip away and try to forget it.

A few calls for games of cards and dice follow her, her smile tight when she waves them off. A bottle of cheap rum and a glass, she's set for the night.

"Do you mind company?" She asks carefully, all of what happened in Antiva so fresh in her mind that she doesn't sit right away, hovering before Taashath, bouncing on her toes. "I don't wish to be roped into cards, you might be big enough to put them off." A half-hearted smile is offered, an apology but close to a grimace, ready to disappear should he give the word.

[quietblade]

"Well, I started without you," Taas says with a small grin to Alayre, scooting over a mug to him. "I'm an impatient man sometimes." It was good to have a head start, too. He could take a lot more than the average human, and he intended to get trashed together with the Knight-Commander.

It would help him take his mind off things, and help Alayre loosen up as well.

[quietblade]

Taas is quite curious when he comes down to the Undercroft, always enjoying the view of the open area outside and the interesting amount of weapons lying around to be enchanted or runed. That Korrin had called him down here was a new thing, so he figured she had some questions about blades now that she had a fancy magic one of her own.

He raises a hand in a greeting at her. "Hey, Korrin. You called for m-" What was that? Was it a maul? Korrin didn't use mauls, and it looks like a dragon's tooth. A huge one.

"Whoa."

[quietblade]

Noticing Fate, he turns so he can read the man's lips and catches the last part of that sentence. It makes him smile a little, even if it's a tired expression and a bit forced. "Distraction are always welcome," the qunari admits, taking a sip of his own drink.

"I have the next round."

[quietblade]

Oh, he notices Bull pretty quickly, his next swing against the dummy hesitant and more guarded. Then he stops, shouldering the heavy weapon with a frown before he makes his way over to the other warrior - slowly.

"I guess we're going to have a problem." It's not an apology, really - but it's also not said as aggressive as it could have been. He knows he fucked up pretty badly.

[quietblade]

Deaf as he is, Taas doesn't reply at first until she's bouncing on her toes like that. It makes him realize that she's actually trying to talk to him ratehr than standing close, and he gives her an apologetic look. "Sorry, did you want to sit?"

She was a familiar face, at least, and he's happy she was one of the people in their little rescue squad that didn't see him lose his head like that.

"Araceli, right?" Pardon the butchering of her name.

[equanimiti]

A light chuckle escapes Alayre as he eases into the seat beside Taashath. "So am I." He answers momentarily after a much needed sip of ale. "At least sometimes." His smile fades into a slightly gloomy one. There's much that he wants to discuss but he doesn't want his somewhat moderate mood to falter. So, Alayre holds back and just sips his mug.

It's honestly been awhile since they last drank together. "This winter is a cold one, isn't it?" He asks with a slight frown. "Spring is so far off that I can't even feel its warmth. Only the bitter chill of winter lingers in these lands." Alayre rambles for a bit before taking another sip.

"But I wonder, does Skyhold even know of spring? The mountains are always cold, so maybe we'll end up missing it here."

[gatheringstorm]

That reaction gets a grin out of Korrin, who picks it up from the bench to present it to him. "Thanks for not keeping me waiting. Anyway, I fought one of those high dragons in Emprise du Lion. I know you were looking forward to that and didn't get the chance, so...this is my way of making up for it. Go ahead, try it out."

[wickedchase]

"What a gentleman." The elf displays a calm smile as he leans forward, folding his hands together.

It's probably not really his place to offer reassurance or insight. Such is the way of things right now with the lot of them, and honestly someone is probably better suited for it. Twisted Fate is an entertainer, a brief moment in the day to help forget sometimes about the weight of other matters.

He knows.

"What'll it be? Stories to be told, or would you prefer if I did a few tricks?"

[foxsays]

Nodding, she almost throws herself into a seat, scooting it round just enough to still have a good view. Just to be safe because a rift opened in Skyhold and Araceli doesn't actually know where any of them stand now, if she should be expecting a knife in the kidney soon.

"Yes, and you're Taas-- Taashath?" The shortened version is one she's heard from a couple of parties but it'd be rude to lead with that. "Rescuing Zevran was a bad time to try for introductions, I'd like to make up for it. And what a fighter! I've never seen anyone move like that."

Well actually she's just never seen anyone move with such a big weapon before, only catching snatches after sneaking in and then getting out but a girl has eyes and a girl is impressed.

courtyard;

[hlif]

Fighting a dragon had perhaps taken more out of him than he'd thought because he'd slept most of the day after he'd finally made the journey back from Skyhold, passed out by the stables because the stairs were down and not up. He hadn't felt it when he'd gone drinking after but he was feeling it now. Still, if he sat around like some old man things would just get stiff.

Didn't mean he couldn't opt for a training weapon to practice basic technique instead, at least after he stretched out the last of the aches, worked out all the pops in his joints.

"Shit I'm getting old," he muttered to himself before looking over to qunari. Or Tal-Vashoth. Or Vashoth. Korrin'd have his head for using the wrong one when he knew better than to assume. "Hey, any of that work for helping to work out the kinks?"

[quietblade]

It's amazing how a big scary warrior can look like a kid when presented with an awesome toy. "Fuck, Korrin? Really? You... for me?"

Taas takes the maul in his hands, feeling the weight. It was exquisite work, he didn't expect less from Harrit or whoever had put it together. The Inquisition had great blacksmiths, and this was amazing.

"The swing of this is going to be brutal," he says with an excited look. "Flat end for crushing, pointed end for knocking a sternum into someone's chest." Taas does a few practice swings with it and laughs. It was a bloody damned piece of a dragon!

"...thank you. You didn't have to think of me, but Blight am I glad you did."

[quietblade]

"Ah, yes. The most honorable of men, me." He sounds bitter, taking a swig of his ale to wash that away. There was no need to be a dick to someone coming to drink with him.

It wasn't his usual self at all.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he then smiles a little again. "What kind of tricks?"

[quietblade]

"Yeah, that's right. Taas is fine. Easy to read on your lips, too." Taas makes a gesture to his ear - he wasn't sure how obvious his deafness had been during their mission to save Zevran, as his lip reading was great and most of what he did was stand around or fight.

Her praise of his fighting sets as a weird mix of pride and shame in his stomach, and the warrior takes a sip of his ale to loosen that up a bit. "It's common for big guys to have big weapons. I was trained with one since I was a boy," he starts, brushing some loose brown hair behind one horn. "Makes me feel like I can take more a of a beating and protect people that way."

[quietblade]

The man was an interesting one, and Taas couldn't quite peg him for anything specific. Avvar, maybe? A little small, perhaps, but the warrior had little experience with those people. He looked like he could hold his own in a fight.

It was a good thing that the qunari was looking at Asher when the man spoke, or he wouldn't have been able to read what was said. There was a
slight chuckle from him, and he shakes his head a little bit.

"Nah. You need some stretching and a hot soak for that."

[gatheringstorm]

That childlike enthusiasm gets a chuckle out of Korrin, who stands back to watch his practice swings without risking getting caught up in it. She'll still stay where he can see her lips move, though. By now, that consideration is automatic.

"You're welcome, Taas. It's also my way of saying I still have faith in you, so go kill some Red Templars with it. Or hell, we'll find another dragon and you can give it an incredibly ironic death."

[qunari]

He's not defensive, not the way he could be. Bull picks up on that right away, so the fact that he's pissed is not news for the Tal-Vashoth. This has happened before. Korrin's got words in play to try and calm him down, so it's been an issue for long enough.

Can't really say if that's better or worse. But his eye definitely narrows.

"But you already knew it was a problem. Didn't think that might be something to let the rest of the team in on?"

[quietblade]

"Mm. Mountain weather isn't really my expertise, but I imagine it will at least be a little milder," Taas muses, letting Alayre ramble as he pleased. The guy needed to get some of his chest, after all - even if it was just talk about the weather. "Maybe we'll see less snow, at least."

He takes another sip of his beer and grins at the Knight-Commander. "You know, I think you need a lay. Get some of that frustration out, make you feel more in tune with yourself." The warrior claps his friend a bit on the shoulder. "I'd offer to spar with you instead, but I don't want to break that handsome nose again. Tumbling someone would be less likely to end in injuries."

Just a little less. Maybe.

"What's your fancy? Women, men? Tall, short?"

[quietblade]

I still have faith in you.

Taas' smile weakens and he gives her a shameful look. She still had faith in him after he fucked up like that? he's not sure he deserves that kindness... or this gift.

He was dangerous.

"Korrin, I..." he starts, and then closes his eyes with a sigh. No, he couldn't not accept something like this. It meant something more than just a weapon, that she had kept him in mind even after what he had done. "...just keep your barriers up if we do."

He had feared mages all his life - and here he was, accepted by one despite his flaws.

[quietblade]

"I thought I could hold it together," Taashath admits, signing at the same time just to see of the other warrior knew it. It could be useful in the future - if Bull didn't decide to just get rid of him right now. "For Zevran. It worked while we got him, but I was wrong. The flesh monster fucked me up, and you were the closest thing to an enemy after it went down."

No excuses, just truth. There was no point in lying to the Secret Police.

"I've always had anger issues even before I left the Qun. I should have gone to the re-educators, but my Sten wanted to use it as a weapon." Still not an excuse, per say. Soldiers followed orders - he was a meathead, not a thinker. "I tried to learn how to control it afterwards, even named myself Taashath as a reminder. Looks like it's easier to slip up than I had hoped."

[gatheringstorm]

They're all dangerous. That's something Korrin learned early on in her career; as a mage, there are pitfalls she must guard against, but mages aren't the only ones in danger of losing themselves. Battle-scarred warriors can succumb just as thoroughly, and she's seen it happen in other Tal-Vashoth. Which is why she'll do her best to remind Taas of who he is, and wants to be. Waiting until those eyes are open again, she nods.

"Of course. I'll keep everyone safe, including you." And she closes in to rest a hand on his arm. "Everyone slips up, at some point. That's why we have each other's backs. And I know it went to hell at the end, but you still held out for a long time until then. You were there when we needed it."