In the Armor of the Dead

[faderifting]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Various
RECIPIENT: Various
NOTES: This post is a catch-all to consolidate (and encourage!) crystal chatter during the mod plot: updates on what characters have observed or are doing, asking for assistance, updating everyone on injuries or losses, making jokes, asking for status reports from particular people or groups, etc. You can direct threads to specific individuals/groups or to everyone, and as always we encourage open threads and threadjacking.

Comments

repeated multiple times throughout.

[indissection]

If you require any form of medical assistance please let me know.

for boat team

[lumelume]

There's water below the deck! The boat is filling with it!

[Presumably, this pertains to the ship in the harbor.]

We must hurry, or it's all going down!

[rowancrowned]

Is the deck clear?

[lumelume]

No! The crew are trying to save it.

[youwonscience]

Hey, uh, there's a million things going on and I know about, like, one of them, but if you need any red lyrium tech support, I've got copies of most of my notes with me. Not that I think much of it is combat helpful in a way you all don't already know, but, you know, if you think of anything.

Also I am, um, barricaded in my room. Right now. So if all goes well my notes and I are going to be here until the night of the living dead ends. Standing offer.

[hornswoggle]

I hope you've something strong in one of your desk drawers to fortify you.

[ you know. just in case. ]

[youwonscience]

Serves me right for keeping all the good stuff in my office. I've got like ... half a cold cup of tea and a lemon pastry I was saving for later.

[hornswoggle]

It's been some time since we've had a specific disaster in the Gallows. But I suppose it's a warning that one must always be prepared for some manner of inconvenience.

[youwonscience]

Don't know how practical a flask in every room is, but we could start working on it.

Plus you could always make it into a thrown weapon, so, you know. Multipurpose.

[She's doing her best to sound glib, though a bit of fear treacherously works its way in.

[hornswoggle]

If we invest in alcohol of a high enough proof, all you'll need is a bit of open flame to improve your circumstances.

[ or make everything harder, but. ]

After this, we might see if there's funds for it.

[youwonscience]

[A bit of a smile in her voice:]

Well if someone has an in with the leader of Forces, maybe that someone could make a compelling argument for including it in the budget.

Or we could make our own. I don't imagine alcohol whose main purpose is "consume or ignite in case of zombies" has to be good.

[hornswoggle]

[ wow wonder who that could be. ]

I can't say I've a talent for making alcohol, but I imagine the Provost can come up with a method if the question is posed to him. Unless you have some expertise in this field?

[youwonscience]

No, I mean. I know the basic steps are like, fermentation, distillation, that kind of thing, but I've never done it myself. Dated someone years ago who was really into artisan moonshine, but I don't think that counts. But there's definitely someone in Thedas we could hire to teach us the basics.

[hornswoggle]

If you're serious, come tomorrow after we've mopped up what's happened here, I can make some introductions to a few candidates.

[ optimism: planning ahead while skeletons clatter all over the gallows ]

[youwonscience]

If I haven't been eaten by zombies, I'll be there.

Wait, do Nevarran zombies eat people? I genuinely don't know.

[hornswoggle]

We might have to ask a Nevarran. But we are in unprecedented times, so it's anyone's guess.

[youwonscience]

OK well. Either way, don't die, alright?

[hornswoggle]

I've no plans to do so. Good luck behind your barricade, Cosima.

open

[stickandstring]

[ There's the sound of fighting in the background. Sometimes in the foreground. ]

So is this kind of thing normal around here?

[acreage]

There weren't any undead around Satinalia last year.

[stickandstring]

Just for me? What luck.

[ There is a momentary pause to, by the sounds of it, grapple with something, and then footfalls on stone. The whisk of a bowstring. ]

What was it last year?

[acreage]

[ there's similarly a sound of thudding, a muttered curse, before he answers, ]

Peaceful, if you can believe it.

[stickandstring]

I guess that's why you've got a double dose this year. Was it a good holiday? Last year?

[acreage]

[ he doesn't answer right away.

which may well be because he's distracted by red lyrium-infected undead, and that's part of it. but last year had been his first satinalia, newly torn from his world, and still reeling from the idea that there might not be any going back. hard to say if he'd really been in any position to enjoy the holiday.

but, eventually, ]

Yeah, it was. You probably would've liked the party. [ and, ] I heard there was a fire in the city, but it was an accident and contained well enough.

[stickandstring]

Oh, well. [ Oblivious to the cause of his delay, she says it like pshh. ] It's not Satinalia in Kirkwall if there's not at least one fire.

[acreage]

Voice of experience?

[stickandstring]

It's been a few years, but I'm pretty sure that sort of thing doesn't really change.

understandabLE

[acreage]

It probably doesn't.

Do Wardens usually celebrate Satinalia?

[ wherever...it is that they tend to be, that she might've been before now. wysteria's mentioned the name of their headquarters once, but fuck if he can remember it. ]

[stickandstring]

It's not much of a party when it's just two of you in the middle of the nowhere, but some years you get lucky with the timing and are passing through a town. I don't know what they do in Weisshaupt these days.

[ Since, you know, the whole coup-and-Corypheus thing. Speaking of which, there are some unpleasant crunching sounds, like a boot driven through bone. ]

I've never been there on Satinalia, but I've heard it used to be wild. Anything similar where you're from?

[acreage]

[ he hums a sound of agreement, something that may or may not be heard above the generalized racket of the undead. ]

Gift-giving holiday later in the winter. Incidentally, unrelated to the dressing up in costumes holiday, which is about this time of year.

[stickandstring]

Two holidays, look at you! [ Her tone is just teasing. ] How many do the undead usually ruin?

[acreage]

[ this fuckin sigh. ]

None, but I'm afraid of finding out otherwise now that I've said so.

[ someone arriving from his home system, or getting memories of his life beyond what he knows now, and finding undead: purely because he had the nerve to suggest otherwise today. ]

[elegiaque]

Last time we did this bullshit for Satinalia, we had to go to Nevarra.

[stickandstring]

I can see the appeal of not having to travel. But on the other hand, you're not going to be able to leave this for the Nevarrans to clean up.

[indissection]

You would be surprised what isn't normal around here.

[stickandstring]

Successful parties? Days off? Pancakes for breakfast?

[indissection]

Oh, I can account for at least two of those. I'll let you guess which.

[armd]

(over the sounds of fighting–) Anybody stuck up in the towers??

[stickandstring]

If you hear of anybody up there and want back up let me know, I'm great at stairs.

[armd]

Could use back-up in general. These things are everywhere.