WKLBZ 2: Thedas

[winterwinds]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Audra, Loki, Thor
RECIPIENT: All the Inquisition
WHAT: WE'RE UNDER ATTAAAACK
WHEN: during all this shit in Tevinter
WHERE: They're in the catacombs but anyone with a crystal can hear them
NOTES: Audra Loki Thor. threadjack away frendos

To anyone listening, Minrathous is under attack by Corypheus and his Venatori. Anyone wearing Inquisition colors is not safe, anyone who would oppose him is not safe. I beg those of us still in the city to make their way out, but help any you can without putting yourself in danger as well.

Under attack is putting it rather mildly? There's a Gods' Damned Corrupted Dragon lifting the Archon's Palace out of the ground! The guard are beating people to death in the streets!
Listen, all of you would do well to get to the docks or the catacombs, or leave the city on foot if you can stay hidden! Don't go dithering around looking for help; you won't find any here!

Not all of our people are heartless or Venatori. Avoid the guards and anything with the imperial crest, but if you are human or dwarf there should be those who will help disguise you if you need it. Particularly if you let the mages among you take the lead. Seek the alleys; they have the entrances to the catacombs. Some of us will linger to help those unfamiliar out, but we will not linger long. It is not safe. And watch the sky. The dragon is... fast.

Comments

[sclavus]

[ now that Araceli has messaged him and given the official request, he has a solid answer for this. ]

The ships will come as fast as we're able.

There's a woman who traveled with you there - Max. Dark skinned and haired, Orlesian accent, as familiar with Tevinter as a native. Find her.

[thorndergod]

[It's the first bit of good news he's heard all day, and he's more than willing to take a task on in exchange.]

Max, [Thor echoes.] I will find her. I will make certain of it. We will guide the refugees to Marnas Pell. Are your sailors familiar with that?

[sclavus]

Good.

[ because they aren't leaving Tevinter without her on the ship. They didn't bring her all the way to Kirkwall just to leave her with the Venatori in Minrathous instead. ]

Our captains and crew are of Nascere. We know it.

[thorndergod]

Nascere.

[That says everything, really. But Thor is in no mood to be picky or care about who he may be associating with.]

I am Thor of House Asgard. Our ports will be open to you.

[sclavus]

The magister's boy. Good. Then you can keep them in line until we get there.

[ panicked people do not need to be on ships, they make everything terrible. so be a good magister in training, please. ]

Charles Vane. The other captain will be Flint. You'll know the ship when you see it. [ as it'll either have a pirate flag on it, or an Inquisition one, whichever gets them by safer. ]

[thorndergod]

[Boy. It's probably an insult and the pride that normally would have him retorting just... isn't there.]

Vane and Flint. I will know your ships.

[He's heard the names, knows vaguely that he'll recognize their banners, and that's all he needs right now. Aside from one more little thing.]

If you are free to bring a few herbs that we will not have at the estate, we will pay you for the expense. Do not take extra time to get them if it will delay the aid.

[Thor names the herbs. The combination is used rarely, and only with preserving a body in Tevinter. He hopes that in asking this of another Tevinter the need will be recognized and not publicized, that Vane will recognize it and no one of the South will.]

[hwaaaitsme]

[Loki overhears this and, without provocation, interrupts them.]

Don't waste time! We don't need them; magic will suffice.

[This part is said less on the network and more across the room, though it is certainly still broadcast:]

I am not a weakling child, Thor, I can manage this much!

[thorndergod]

Can you?

[There's sudden heat there, devoid of affection. The crystal is forgotten in his hand as he speaks to his nearby brother.]

Can you manage this, Loki? Perhaps you should stick to trying to heal the little scrapes and bruises and leave more important spell work to others.

[hwaaaitsme]

Like you? [And now there is shouting, the quiet, bitter kind that is filled to the very brim with rage.] You do so well at it after all--or can this not be solved by hammers and lightning?

[katabasis]

[Maker, how intolerable. Hacking through magister children quarreling with the sharpest knife at hand--]

There's a bay southeast of the city with suitable anchorage. It would be better to see you there - Corypheus could reach Marnas Pell faster than we ever will if he's of the mind to secure the port.

[And why wouldn't he?]

[thorndergod]

[There's an indrawn breath before he manages in a far more civil tone:]

I am Thor of House Asgard. We are responsible for that port, and we have men there who will help secure it. A bay will not feed people the way our estate will, and if Corypheus is of mind to pursue us he has a dragon and will see us in the bay as easily as Marnas Pell.

[katabasis]

You're confident that you can secure the entirety of the port and the city around it for the time it takes to take on people and be under weigh? We could potentially find ourselves at the mercy of a densely populated shore with dozens of vantages from which to cast every kind of assault. Call me skeptical, but it sounds safer to refuge at your estate [ugh] until we're close, then travel overland to meet us in a more discrete location.

[As much as he loves the idea of being sunk in Marnas Pell harbor by some no name upstarts eager to please their new masters.]

[thorndergod]

I am confident. My house is no little matter. But as it is your ship you are risking for my people, I will work with your plan.

[katabasis]

[What an unexpected and viciously rewarding thing to hear said.]

Then weather permitting on the day, we'll message you of our arrival and wait hull down over the horizon to come in with the tide under cover of darkness. That should give us every opportunity to make our escape without anyone being the wiser. If we're lucky, it may even leave your Marnas Pell open to us in the future.

[Weeks ago he might have welcome the possibility of the port city being burned to the ground out of some kind of retribution. But the image in his mind looks different when it's Corypheus' forces doing the burning.]

[thorndergod]

My... My father will hold the port and the estate.

[Mere hours ago he would have declared he had no doubt in his parents holding it. But his father and his mother had been a team, and Thor is a little worried despite how confident he sounds.]

We will await your message, and prepare what refugees we manage to get out.

[katabasis]

Should circumstances change, you'll be made aware of it. Prepare to do the same if your position is compromised.

private;

[sclavus]

[ oh my god, remind him again why they are doing this?? this thing where they have to deal with people from the rest of the world?? ]

If they do this on board, I'll rope them to the stern, so fucking help me.

permaprivate;

[katabasis]

Seems like a waste of line when there's perfectly good sea in every direction to fall in.

[sclavus]

You think we can pass it off to Bonaventura that they just happened to slip and fall over the railings?

[katabasis]

It's a low rail.

[sclavus]

A low rail that's been through a few battles recently. Could be a low, unstable rail. [ jussayin. ]

[katabasis]

[Exhibit A in the case for why someone should really pay to have the ship refit to avoid tragic accidents like this one happening again in the future.]

Carpenters mates might take exception.

[Unfortunately.]

[sclavus]

Never liked him anyway.

[ who is he again tho? ]

[thorndergod]

I solve everything that can be! You are supposed to attend to the other half and you did not. That is how we work!

[It's spat out.]

private ;

[sclavus]

Shut the fuck up.

[ Vane growls, a voice that makes you feel like he could be shouting it for how vicious it sounds, but that's just how Charles Vane's ridiculous voice works. It isn't actually raised. ]

You're ward for these people until we get there - stop losing your shit where the dozens of panicked refugees can hear you. This'll be difficult enough to pull off as it is. [ that just with people calm, they don't have the wiggle room to spare for people second guessing those in charge and those protecting them. ]

I'll send someone to look for the herbs while we load the ship. Once we have our friends safe, then you can go back to screeching at each other.