faderift | Mirror, mirror in the Hinterlands

WHO: Morrigan, Merrill, Lace Harding, Maria Hill, Beleth Ashara, Malcolm Reynolds, Ruby Lucas, Kain Highwind, Clarke Griffin
WHAT: Eluvian extraction; Morrigan's eluvian has fallen into the hands of the Venatori and their Red Templar accomplices, so it's a mad dash to the Hinterlands to meet Leliana's forward scouts to fight the Venatori and provide cover for Morrigan and her team to secure the eluvian
WHEN: Final days of Drakonis
WHERE: Hinterlands
NOTES: Violence and possibly language? Related ooc post

Skyhold is rarely peaceful or quiet, not in any meaningful way but like pristine glass, tis shattered in the early hours. Morrigan can be seen heading from her rooms towards the back of Skyhold before she is suddenly gone, a few of the more loose-lipped scouts gossiping about how the Witch of the Wilds strode from the rookery later, not angry. Worried.

No argument either with the Nightingale.

Perhaps some had already been informed that she might need assistance. Others might have stopped her on her journey to ask what has someone with her reputation in such a flap.

The answer is the same: something of great value has fallen into the hands of the enemy, assistance and swift action are required to ensure it never falls into the clutches of Corypheus.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Kain shakes his head.]

I’m not sure why the spells developed that way… but they hold no special significance. They’re simply harmless animals that can’t do much to attack, so if an enemy turns you, you’re rather helpless until you can be turned back. I’ve experienced both, and I can say they’re not experiences I particularly enjoy.

[Getting Rydia upset was always a bad idea, because being turned to a toad for a while was a true annoyance. Though Edge always got to experience more of that than him. Sigh, thinking of his friends makes him a bit homesick again, which is something he still finds completely strange.]

Aren't some toads poisonous? And pigs can get rather- large.

[ Though maybe they're not-poisonous toads and ... small pigs? Piglets? ]

Though I imagine it would be extremely surprising! Could you speak? How did you turn back?

[ Sorry about having to tell about your toad experiences, Kain. ]

They certainly exist, though the ones you turn into in both cases are completely harmless and small. The idea of the spell is to make it so your enemy can’t harm you. There’s also a spell, Mini, which can shrink a person down for a similar reason.

[He sighs, it’s an annoying status effect, but only temporary, in the end.]

You cannot speak to be understood as an animal, and it’s incredibly disorienting, especially if you don’t expect it. The spell wears off in time, and there are also counter-spells to reverse it quicker. I’ve never heard of anyone stuck permanently in such a state.

You can shrink someone? How small?

[ Pocket people! ]

I am glad it wears off, at least. It'd be a bit awful if your friends killed the mage who cast it and then you were stuck as a pig forever. Though hopefully they would scratch you behind the ears and feed you potatoes.

[Kain moves his hands to show the height, roughly six inches or so in size. Yep very tiny indeed.]

A fearsome enemy doesn’t seem so fearsome when they’re suddenly this big. Of course, it doesn’t work on everyone… the same as here, some enemies have immunity to certain effects, different elemental affinities and so on.

[He nods agreement, inwardly shuddering a bit at the notion of being stuck like that forever.]

Yes, plenty of potatoes… and then of course you suddenly return to human only to find yourself wallowing in the mud of a pig pen. One of my companions, a very young black mage, enjoyed playing such pranks.

Wait, your mind isn't still yours?

[ That's far more horrifying than being turned into a pig or shrunk, at least as far as Merrill is concerned. ]

I suppose if you were stuck it would maybe be a slight blessing, but- Creators, that would be awful.

Your mind is intact, but it becomes a challenge to communicate in ways that you can be understood. There are… other spells that take over the mind, but they’re… quite rare.

[He looks uneasy about talking of such things, not his favorite topic, mind control.]

You learn quickly how to communicate with body language and such. But it truly never lasts long enough to be an issue. A minor annoyance, certainly, yes.

I think I'd sort of like to see toad body language.

[ Merrill rubs at her chin. ]

I'll have to be extra sweet to every toad and pig I meet now, you know.

It involves a great deal of hopping, naturally.

[One hop for no, two for yes! And so on.]

Well, I suppose you never do know when there might be a person lurking in there. It seems like a wise idea.

I hope I don't think about this the next time I'm given bacon...

[ A shudder. ]

I mean, there are stories about people being turned into animals by mages, but- well. I guess I never thought too hard about it.

Not exactly an appetizing thought. I would hope it's not something that happens frequently, or at least that the spells are easily broken.

[But you never know, he realizes with a shudder.]

[ With a glance down at the stew: ]

So- this is venison, right?

[Kain eyes it closely, giving a nod. He's sure that it's rare that anyone ends up permanently transformed.]

Just venison, I'm sure of it. You've nothing to worry about.

Mirror, mirror in the Hinterlands

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