Truth or Dare: Side Party for Servants and Scoundrels

[faderifting]

WHO: Anyone!
WHAT: A party for people who might scare the nobility, are deathly afraid of chandeliers, or fled the soiree with cheeses hidden in their clothes and need to make a clean getaway.
WHEN: During (and after) the soiree.
WHERE: The valley beyond Skyhold.
NOTES: Drinking, revelry. People might make out or something. We're not responsible for your actions.

The soiree might be fun, if you're into that sort of thing, but that isn't what it's for. It's for impressing the powerful and opening their pockets—and, necessarily, some people aren't invited. In some cases that's personal. In others, it's just understood. When they're done helping to set up, most of the servants and workers who aren't needed to serve make themselves scarce. The usual trickle of refugees to and from the fortress slows. Some people used to sleeping in the stables may find their "beds" occupied by nobles' horses or the rooms they had been squatting in cleaned and prepared for someone else to stay in.

There's no resentment. (Or at least very little.) That's how these things go. And in the valley outside the fortress' walls, there are foot soldiers and refugees and a number of miscellaneous exiles who welcome the company with large fires, cheap but freely flowing alcohol, and whatever music can be wrung out of instruments exposed to such low temperatures. The crowd thins and dwindles as the night wears on, but even after the last person has left the Great Hall in Skyhold, there's still a sizable gathering near the river with no intention of going to sleep before sunrise.

No masks allowed.

Comments

[dwarfing]

After spending four hours with nobles passing them while walking towards the main keep while making delicate gasps or swoons as they saw the golem, Shale had quite enough and just walked off before they smacked someone.

At first they had just decided to wander into the woods for a while, but instead Shale was drawn to the music and the laughter of the other party. It should be annoying them more, but it was better than just staring at snow for the rest of the night.

The golem was restless, after all.

While not about to dance anytime this age or the next, Shale does get close enough to watch the people making fools of themselves. It was at least somewhat entertaining.

...as long as nobody pissed or puked on them.

[justice_is_blond]

He's spent enough time on the dance floor, following the steps, having a few partners, and Anders is a little tired. Really, at this point, he's mostly just waiting for Nate to give in to the pain from his injuries and need to head back.

While he waits, there's an entirely convenient rock to lean against. It's a little glowy, but he blames that on the light from the fires and the one drink he's had. Another glance at the thing he's leaning on tells him it's been roughly carved, and there's a...

Anders jerks back to his feet. There's a face. Maybe it's the fire? Except he's seen extremely similar looks in the Deep Roads and maybe he shouldn't assume.

"Hello?" And if it's just a rock, at least no one is close enough to laugh at him.

[dwarfing]

Shale had been watching the fire when someone suddenly leaned on them. Turning their head a bit, the golem is ready to smash the person into the ground if the man decided to piss on their leg - but thankfully it seemed the man actually just wanted to lean. Better, but he was either drunk, stupid or both, and the golem had little tolerance for either those things. Especially not after being accosted by nobles all night.

"Hello," they reply with a flat, dry tone. "Did it want something, or does it simply wish to stare rudely?"

[justice_is_blond]

"...Uh. Stare rudely, I suppose," he says as he looks away. What does someone actually want from a golem? Probably something crushed, but he can't say that there's anything he's allowed to want crushed right now. ...Or, or they want help fighting the Blight, and he Anders feels very stupid indeed as he realizes who this must be.

"You're Shale, aren't you." Talking golem, in a place where there are already so many of Jonas' traveling companions? It's the only thing that makes sense. "I'm sorry about leaning on you. I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been. Do you... Do you dance?"

What, exactly, does a golem do at a party?

[dwarfing]

It was unusual for someone to recognize the golem, no matter how much people enjoyed the stories about Jonas and the Blight. It's almost pleasing to hear that this awkward blonde thing knew their name.

Apologizing helps, too. "It is only human," Shale replies with a shrug, and it sounds far too much like an insult to be in any way forgiving of Anders' faux pas.

...then the mage-thing asks if Shale dances, and the look he is given in return is most likely the most incredulous look in the history of Shale looks. It's even enough to make the golem forget to reply with something appropriately scathing.

What?!

[justice_is_blond]

Only human. As if it's lesser to be human. But when one's a golem and likely not as prone to being set on fire or breaking as people, well. He can't exactly blame Shale. And the look of shock makes everything worth it, because for the first time in days Anders breaks out into a grin.

"You'd cut a dashing figure, you can't deny it."

[dwarfing]

"It is a weird little mage," Shale mutters a they watch Anders. Still, it's not a bad enough joke on their expense that the golem feels the need to step on the man. Instead they look out over the dancing people again with an irritated sigh.

"Why is it not dancing?"