therookery | Sending Crystal

Current Location: Emprise du Lion

Entry tags:

Sending Crystal

FORM: Sending crystal
SENDER: Korrin Ataash
RECIPIENT: Anyone who has positive CR with Korrin (along with Inquisition leadership)
WHAT: The mystery of the missing people in Sahrnia is uncovered.
WHEN: At some point during her scouting mission
WHERE: Emprise du Lion
NOTES: Imprisonment, death, moral dilemmas.

Those with her on the scouting mission are welcome to overhear her making the message instead of responding to it over the crystal.

[Korrin hasn't interacted with others that much over the sending crystal while away, mostly because she's too tired to be social by the time there's a free moment. But after a particularly trying day, she needs a friendly voice and an outsider's perspective. For all that she's seen so much in her time as a mercenary, this still leaves her shaken.]

Fucking Red Templars. They have huge red lyrium mining operation to the south, which would be disturbing enough all on its own, just for deliberately messing with that shit. But of course they had to make it even worse. So many of the villagers have been captured and forced to work for them, kept cages when they're not being useful. Hell, some of them have already died from exposure or overwork and just...left there.

And it's not going to stop, from what we've seen. Sure, we can get to those on the fringes and free them, but if that keeps happening, they'll catch on and there goes any chance of truly stopping this. For all we know, they could kill all the rest if they realize we're onto them. And we can't get anywhere close to those at the center; they're too well-guarded and we'd be overwhelmed in a heartbeat. Fuck.

...tell me we're doing the right thing. Or at least give me news that isn't completely horrible.

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"Sounds like we have troubles in spades," he says, both hands occupied with a mug as he steps up, giving a small, sad smile. "Wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but it looked like you could use something to drink. Unfortunately it isn't alcohol, just something warm." There's a pause before Sam offers Korrin a mug and takes a seat.

"None of this is easy."

Korrin lets out a deep sigh, reaching for the mug. She can't deny needing it, even as it reminds her of those in cages without any hope of getting warm any time soon. Any of those that succumb will remain on her conscience, nevermind that she couldn't do anything about them.

"It's fine. Much as I'd love to get hammered, this isn't a place or time to let go like that.

...and no, it's not. I've seen something like that before, but back then, we had the numbers to act. Not being able to do a damn thing about what's happening now is the nightmarish opposite of that."

Sam too lets out a long deep sigh, taking a tentative sip of his drink afterward, eyes darting about the camp at the other members. They're a good group, great even, able to handle a lot, but taking on an army they could not.

"Damned if we do, damned if we don't." Sam gives another sigh, scooting over so that he could lean against Korrin a bit, trying to be a comfort while their hands were full. "We're... doing the right thing even if it doesn't feel like it. If there wasn't a threat that they'd just destroy the rest of the town... or if it wouldn't make the job of wiping them out when our forces got here... I'd be all for storming in with you."

Since Sam is one of the few she doesn't have to worry about accidentally crushing in some way, Korrin leans against him in turn. She forces herself to stop ranting long enough to take a sip or two, and the warmth helps her body if not her mood. That last comment brings a faint twitch of her lips that could almost be a smile, though it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Don't I wish, Sam. You're right, I know, it just hurts to stay put and hold back. Restraint isn't something I've ever had to learn, not with the Valo-Kas." But this isn't a simple mercenary group, this is the Inquisition and their enemy is more than just a job. "This has to convince them to send people over, doesn't it? Unless the Western Approach is that much worse. But if they don't hurry...."

"If they figure the Western Approach is a bigger risk, hopefully they'll send in a strike team or more troops to back us up." The decision to do nothing is bothering him as much as it is her, but they have to be smart about this. Going in and getting discovered might have them losing more people then what they might be able to save in the long run.

"There's still a lot that we have to look into, but we could send a raven once we have a report. Hope it'll move things along."

"Send a raven...then why do we have the sending crystals, because they look pretty? Telling them through these should be report enough. It's an emergency, we can do all the official crap later."

Korrin knows, keep down that she has the luxury of not thinking of the greater picture, but right now it's difficult to give a nug's ass about it. "I just...I can't get out of my mind what I saw. I can't."

Sam blinks, then shakes his head lightly, bringing a hand up to rub at his left eye. "I'm not thinking straight I guess. You're right we do have the crystals." Maybe that would be enough of a report.

Honestly he doesn't know what to say. It's wrong to just leave those people, but there was nothing they could do, not without endangering more in the process. Sighing, Sam takes a drink, nodding to Korrin's words.

Noting how she just sounded a moment ago, Korrin glances at Sam with remorse. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's hard for me to think straight, too. I'm too much on edge, but I shouldn't take it out on anyone."

Hoping that the drink will help calm her nerves, Korrin tries some more. That and deep breaths. "I passed through this area before, did I tell you? It wasn't for that long, but we did pass through town. It looked...very different, then."

That has Sam raising a brow. She hadn't- Did she think he had been offended for her talking with an edge to her voice? "That was you snapping? I must be used to worse then that. You don't need to apologize for that." He smiles lightly, lifting his head a bit to look at Korrin a bit better.

At the mention of the town, Sam cants his head a bit and takes a sip of his drink. "I take it less Red lyrium and templars back then."

"Oh, I can do far worse than that. I just don't trust myself with anything at the moment, that's all." One reason why she's trying to stick with sobriety. Anything that would tip her towards forgetting caution right now is a terrible idea, because she wouldn't be able to hold back.

"Less red lyrium, people that weren't starving, buildings that were more intact...it still wasn't my style, but at least there wasn't the air of desperation that there was when Christine and I investigated together."

Sam sighs and nods his solemnly at that. Ever since they've left Skyhold it's been nothing but an ongoing exercise of patience and not letting frustration get the better of them. Honestly the only things that were keeping him level headed at the moment was reminding himself of the mission and that he was talking to Krem again.

"Maybe at least we could supply the towns people with some food if we get lucky. Perhaps we should suggest sending word to Orlais to send aid to their people considering they've been cut off."

"Orlais is still distracted fighting itself, isn't it? Thanks to that civil war, all anyone seems to care about is who's going to get or keep the damn throne. We should try, just for the off-chance that someone's able and willing, but I wouldn't place too much hope on that." As though dealing with Orlais and its Game wasn't trying enough, now the nobility and their armies are too busy trying to wipe each other out. How many civilians were caught in the process, Korrin doesn't know or have the heart to imagine, not right now.

Crap. "Ugh. You're right. I'm starting to think we're the only ones helping anyone..." Well picking someone for the throne was a big deal, but to ignore outside threats in your own country? The civilians were always the ones to suffer.

"At this point, you're right. We are." Korrin sighs, shoulders slumping and unable to muster her usual spirit. "It's terrifying, isn't it? If we fuck it up, then they have no one else. And if we keep going west, it's going to be more of the same."

Sam is pretty much in the same boat, his back slouching a bit as he leaned a bit more on Korrin. "If things don't get better... we can always suggest to them to head to Skyhold. Just... it'll be something if we're forced not to stay."

Korrin nods grimly, not seeing much in the way of viable alternatives. "We can at least get those villagers still left out of harm's way. Some might resist and want to wait for those still captured, but we could at least make a case for taking those most vulnerable with us, until more can be done."

Thinking about what steps they can take, few as they are, helps Korrin's mindset a bit and she nudges him gently. "I'll keep going if you do."

He can imagine that quite a number of them don't want to leave their homes or their loved ones if they made the suggestion. Still they could try.

At the nudge Sam offers a small smile and gives Korrin one in return. "I'm one of the healers; I have to keep going."

"Good point. I should learn how to heal some day...." But thinking about magic lessons has her thoughts turning to Skyhold, which doesn't ease her mind any in light of recent events. "It's been a long month, full of people we couldn't help, here or there. The next one had better give us something different."

"Has it already almost been a month?" When he thinks about it Sam shakes his head a couple times, taking a sip from his mug afterward. "It's been kind of a blur..."

"Well, a couple of weeks, but I'm not having high hopes for the rest of it. And you're not wrong about it being a blur, feels like that for me too." Korrin darts him a sympathetic look, knowing well the toll taken on everyone who's accompanied them.

"... at least it isn't the bog right?" Sam snorts, giving Korrin another nudge in the side. Course snow and Red Templars aren't much better.

They aren't, but Korrin will take what she can get. She's in low enough spirits as it is, responding to the nudge with a weak chuckle. "At least there's that. I did say that anything else would be better, didn't I? Me and my big mouth."

She glances down to her mug, a little calmer now that she's had someone to vent with. "I should turn in soon and try to see if rest is possible. You still wanted to investigate those ruins, right?"

"And there's a dragon flying around in the distance. Both of us and our big mouths."

At the mention of the ruins, Sam nods his head then takes a gulp of his own drink. "Want to? Not particularly, but it should get done since it's our job." There's a pause as Sam lets out a sigh, and then puts his hand on Korrin's shoulder. "We both should get some sleep."

Korrin manages a faint smile and reaches up to give his hand a light squeeze. "I'll try, at least. You won't have to worry about me being ready when you want to head out. Anything's better than sitting around and wallowing over what I can't do."

"I'm not. You're always ready when we need you. For what it's worth, Korrin, I'm glad you were on this mission, too." He knows that it's been shitty since they left Skyhold and she felt lost in not being able to do anything, but she was a support that he genuinely appreciated. "I'll see you bright and early." Patting her hand with the other one, Sam gives another smile before standing up and heading off to his tent.

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Sending Crystal

In person at camp

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