We come from the land of the ice and snow

[faderifting]

WHO: Open to all
WHAT: Thedas' strange new guests are delivered to Skyhold
WHEN: 25 Harvestmere (October)
WHERE: Skyhold main gate & courtyard
NOTES: This is Part I of a two-part intro event, Part II will be posted tomorrow.

A long uphill tromp through the snowy mountains ends at Skyhold, the distant fortress finally before them in all its tumble-down glory. There is time to admire the drop into the river gorge far below as they cross the only bridge into the castle; it is briefly backed up with traffic, several carts bearing supplies and visitors stalled as the portcullis is raised. Those coming to help catalog and unload the shipment and greet the guests, or otherwise present near the front courtyard, will find themselves witness to a far more interesting arrival.

Guards at the gate carry the word quickly, and more gather, though they make no move to imprison the strange people who fell out of a rift. They just line the perimeter and keep a close watch. Perhaps this adds a level of tension to this first encounter, but it also reassures the many who are unsettled by the uncertain turn of events and keeps in check those who might attack first and ask questions later. Others will no doubt soften the Inquisition's first impression, offering food, information, and other assistance.

Medical attention is available in the tented-encircled corner of the courtyard where the wounded from Haven are still treated. The quartermaster's assistant is called upon to provide spare odds and ends of clothing to those in need, and to issue blankets for all, though they are left to fend for themselves to find places to sleep.

Any mage willing to help is called in to do so and a cluster forms in one side of the courtyard to examine the rifters. They are objects of curiosity in general, but the marks on their hands are of particular interest, resembling smaller slivers of the Herald's famous mark. Despite their best efforts, no mage will be able to provide any real insight after this initial assessment. What the rifters and their marks are is a question they cannot answer today.

But one question is answered: in the midst of all the commotion, another Inquisition agent arrives from Haven, rushing in red-faced to announce that the Herald's body has finally been found.


OOC

It will be decided (partly for OOC reasons, admittedly) that the rifters will not be imprisoned at this point, but they will be watched carefully, and the guards are on alert for any strange behavior by people with glowing hands or strange attire. And of course, their freedom can be revoked at any time if they're deemed a danger. Though there are some OOC considerations at play here, you're welcome to ICly lobby for more or less freedom for the rifters, and things may change based on IC action/consensus.

Also: Part II, aka the log for the funeral/wake/etc. event, will go up tomorrow!

Comments

[foxsays]

Despite her first rescuer being of the tall, horned variety, she hadn’t quite known if the height was standard. Apparently it is and she hops a step or two back, not out of alarm but simply so she’s not craning her neck at as severe an angle; if she were to take off her boots (she’s going to sleep in the things if she can’t find a warm spot for the night) then she’d be about the height of an elf, though minus the pointy ears.

“Congratulations you must be, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the tallest person I’ve ever seen in my life!” Why yes, she’s utterly charmed by that fact, swinging up onto her toes to get a better look. The fox at her side looks a touch less impressed by that fact but he does sniff cautiously as she reaches out to touch the scarf, not caring about the colours although given the cut of her suit and boots, the shine of her embroidery it’s only likely to make her stand out more. “Did you make that yourself? I know a girl at home who knits and spins, I used to watch her some days when I had nothing else to do, I never got the hang of it alas.”

Araceli suffers from the terminal failure of being unable to sit still unless something is occupying her thoughts and whenever she tried she’d get up to do something else and forget her place and end up with a tangled ball of yarn.

“Really? This cold is unnatural, all this snow, why would anywhere need so much of it?”

[savethecat]

Gorse is a little surprised at the easy and conversational way she fires off her question each like a shot before waiting for an answer. Well, that's different than the normal fear he gets when he first meets people, but as Gorse is the friendly sort that's actually quite a relief and encouraging.

"My little sister made it for me before I left home - she didn't want me to catch a cold. Also there's another Tal-Vashoth 'round here that's even taller than I am." Gorse didn't know how tall the Iron Bull was, he hadn't met the man, but Taas was at least two inches taller than Gorse with significantly more muscle, even if Gorse's were nothing to sneeze at.

Yes, they do just come this big. Factory standard model.

That being said, he kneels down when he spots the fox, holding his hand out to it so it can get a better sniff. Gorse adores all animals - he's not bad with people but he's better with the feathered and furred, they don't have the prejudice against the tall and horned variety.

"Well, we are up in the mountains. Though there's an underground hot spring here, I've been told, so I imagine it could be even colder." ... That's probably not actually all that comforting.

[foxsays]

"Tal-Vashoth? Is that the full word for it? Is that different from Vashoth?" There's so much she has to keep track of here and she's doing the best she can but there's a lot of different names for different groups of people when she's learning that there are far more than just humans roaming around. "I remember being told it was different from Qunari too but there was a lot going on and demons had happened by that point too." Even just remembering the demons makes her shudder before she forces herself to forget about it for the moment and focus, carefully runnning her fingers over the fabric of it. "Then I thank you for the offer but I couldn't possibly take something meant for you when it comes from family. Some things are made just for us, more for the thought than the thing."

Turning then, she clicks her tongue and murmurs in her own tongue at the fox until he steps forward and sniffs carefully, circling around before he tips up his chin for it to be scratched.

"This is Lux, and I'm Araceli, both at your service," she drops into a small bow, ignoring anyone who might look at her; she's been friendly thus far and until someone is hostile to her, she'll keep trying. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, right? "Even colder?" Laughing, she rubs at her arms and pretends that her teeth are chattering. "Just talking of that tempts fate! Do they use the hot springs for baths? No, they must not otherwise everyone would be tucked all safe and warm in there and not out here."

[savethecat]

Gorse would argue that his little sister made it for him fully knowing he was the type to give it away to someone in need and certain she'd need to make him another, but there's no point in pressing it. The fire will warm them up soon enough, and there is now a cute little fox that needs its chin scratched.

"Awful nice to meet you, Araceli. M'name's Gorse." like the yellow flower. 7' tall horned dude, named after a dainty little flower that blooms in every season. Yep.

"Well, see, Qunari's sorta the race but also the religion. Most of our kind follow it, way up north. The ones that leave the religion are called 'Tal-Vashoth', Vashoth means 'Gray', the 'Tal' emphasizes it, so like... 'true gray'. Taashath and the Iron Bull are Tal-Vashoth, they used to be part of the Qun then left it. Then there's Korrin an' Kas an' me, we're called just 'Vashoth' - we got the horns and people look at us and think 'qunari' but we ain't ever been part of the religion in the first place." Araceli seemed curious as well as unafraid, so Gorse was happy to answer questions as best he could.

Of course, he was wrong about the Iron Bull as well as Kas, but that wasn't exactly public knowledge yet.

[foxsays]

Utterly shameless, because life is far too short for that and he's nothing if not a reflection of how she raised him, Lux is making a happy high-pitched sound, ears back and eyes closed, fluffy tail wagging away enough that Araceli is side-stepping to be out of the draft.

"He's usually not so good with male strangers, I think he gets jealous," her voice drops to a stage whisper for the last part. "You have no idea how relieved I am to meet kind people, after I came out of the same thing demons fall out of it."

Well, not fall but whatever, she clearly has less grace than them and that's pretty terrible.

"Korrin was the one I met, she explained the bits I do know. And about the mages. Up there." The shudder happens before she can stop it, a frown replacing her smile as she bits her lip and remembers the details she wasn't spared from hearing. She never thought herself squeamish until that point, something about the violence of it and the level to which freedom is ripped away. "Thank you for explaining, I don't want to offend or sound more ignorant than I already do given all of this is new. Is it hard? To be called the wrong thing? From what I heard of the Qun, I can imagine some comparisons must be less than flattering."

[savethecat]

Gorse gave a soft laugh at her comment that her fox gets jealous. He'd known animals like that, but as long as the fox was willing to let him, Gorse was happy to offer it affection.

"Oh, I don't mind name mix-ups, it's a little complicated and our people ain't exactly often the friendly sort, so..."

So not being meeted with angry or fearful looks that also come with hostility is really something he's thankful for. A little name mess-ups is nothing compared to that, and it gives him a chance to educate someone to might not have had a chance to learn until then.

Yeah he's a professional at looking on the bright side. This is why his friendship standards are rock-bottom low.

"Momma always said ignorance is an opportunity to educate that shouldn't be taken for granted."

[foxsays]

A life of being the only person she sees every single day without fail lends him certain entitlements, such as getting more than his share of any and all attention in a room.

"I heard some bits and pieces, but then you treat others the way you wish to be treated though that goes more for the natives to this place than to you. It's hard to be civil when others have already made up their mind about you." How many times has she been called whore or pirate (thief never bothers her, she's not ashamed of that) as though it's meant to be an insult? It stings and it shames her that she's ever let it hurt because there's nothing wrong with following your own path in life.

"I have the distinct feeling your mother and mine would get along, she always took any chance she could to give me a lecture, even if I came home filthy and covered in cuts and bruises. But how many ears are open to hearing such things in any world, hmm?"