Don't Panic

[fleurdesel]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Adelaide, Sam, Anders, Ruby, Velanna, Bruce
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: DON’T PANIC
WHEN: During the Fade Sickness Event
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: N/A.

[ Who's exhausted? The healers are exhausted. It shows in their voice, especially Adelaide as she starts up the call- the sounds of coughing patients and soft murmured comforts audible in the background. ]

There is an illness spreading in Skyhold with peculiar symptoms- those afflicted say they see the green of the fade at the edge of their sight and see strange figures, hear voices. What you are seeing are beings of the fade on the other side of the veil. It has not thinned, merely become transparent to those that are ill. These beings cannot harm you, touch you, or possess you; there is no need to fear. If you are disconcerted seek out the healers or a mage with which you are comfortable.

[ A soft rustling like fabric, as though the crystal is exchanging hands before there's a murmured 'Go ahead, Bruce', and Bruce takes up the rest. ]

The first sign of the illness, as we can tell for now, is a rapidly rising fever that will reach its peak in a few hours. From there the rest of the symptoms begin to show; so if you are feeling this sudden onset of a fever or know anybody who is experiencing it, please do seek out help as soon as possible.

[ Ruby needs no such prompting, picking right up with a cheerful enthusiasm the rest seem to be without. ]

The healers are doing everything they can, but we’ve got other people in the case for figuring out what’s causing this. If you can think of anything you’ve consumed or been near or stuff you’ve done the past few days, let us know! It’ll help us look for any patterns. Any information will help!

[ Another handoff, another voice, Sam putting out the call for aid. ]

As mentioned our healers are doing everything they can to take care of everyone who is coming down with this new sickness. There are a number of those who are sick with simple colds or injured from the floods and mudslides though. Those who aren't sick and able, it would help us a great deal if you could come and offer aid to these individuals.

[ Anders pitching in from the side might be unexpected but- he's as tired and elbow deep in patients as the rest of them. ]

We understand that the situation is stressful. The healer’s tents is fully staffed, and several of us have seen disease spread rapidly before. Please, if you’re feeling symptoms, come to the tents. If your friend is ill and being stubborn, please drag them. Having the ill here is the fastest way to get this under control, stop the spread, and discover a cure.

[ Then, from nowhere? A final, cutting opinion courtesy of Velanna. ]

What we know for certain is the Veil is not weakened any further than it has been. Most of you aren’t dying. Some of you might be, but that likely cannot be helped by needless panicking.

[ A beat of silence before irate, aghast, or wryly amused voices scramble over one another. ]

For fuck’s sake Velanna- So much for trying to keep calm- Maker's breath, we're trying to be comforting- Get her away from the crystal-

[ Oh so helpfully off to one side- ]

...you do realize that everyone can still hear us, right?

Comments

[judgemewhole]

[Yeah. That was ... mostly good work there. Except for that last one.]

So what you are all telling us in your own way is that we should keep calm, the well get the sick to the healer tents, and the sick try to stay off their feet.

We are in no danger of anything on the side of the Veil, and that the healers are working on a cure to the fever as we speak.

[See, there, calmness restored.]

I am not feeling any symptoms, so please let me know what I can do besides getting the ill to you.

[fleurdesel]

Exactly that- thank you James.

[judgemewhole]

You are quite welcome, Adelaide. I shall work with the soldiers to get shifts covered, but consider me at your service until the foreseeable future.

[fleurdesel]

If you could make certain they are minding the more stubborn patients and keep them from wandering off, that would be a great help.

[judgemewhole]

Of course. Is there a particular place you would like to me to take them, or just to the first open tent?

[el_tybs]

James, if you can, maybe look around Skyhold and make sure the sick do make their way to the tents? I've ran across a few who tried and ended up huddling in a corner out of exhaustion.

[judgemewhole]

I'll do a round right now, Sam. Which among you isn't ... completely overwhelmed right now? Those who are huddled in the cold are likely to be bad off.

[There is the sound of a chair scrapping, rustle of a cloak.]

[el_tybs]

[There's a pause as Sam looks around.]

At the moment it might be possibly me.

How are Burns and the others? Any of them sick, or well to help you out?

[judgemewhole]

...Maker's breath.

[Of course Sam was the only one not bogged down.]

Burns and Gillette are sick as dogs, Anamaria and Giselle are not much better. Murtogg, Mullroy and Gibbs seem to be all right. We are all doing guard rotation. Except for Gibbs - you should see him around the healing tents when you come up for air.

[el_tybs]

[For the moment at least he wasn't bogged down.

He sighs heavily at hearing the conditions of the others.]

Do you know per chance on when they got sick? Where? Were they doing something together?

[judgemewhole]

[Which was what James was worried about - he had a feeling he was going to find quite a few souls for Sam get busy with. He certainly didn't want to overwhelm his friend ... but this was an emergency. They all had to pitch in.]

It was ... shortly after morning drills ended. They were working on their armor together, after bathing.

[el_tybs]

[Honestly he was not looking forward to more work, but as a healer it was part of his job.

Course when this was done - if it ever was - he was taking a damn break.]

I take it they had breakfast in the morning before the drills?

[judgemewhole]

[James didn't think there would be a single person in this place who would not look for a break after all this.]

No, we don't breakfast until after morning drills - no one wishes to lose the contents of their stomach on the next man just in case someone gets in a lucky shot. It is typically morning drills, bathing, then breakfast.

[el_tybs]

[Question was, could they afford it even after all this?]

So everyone but Murtogg, Mullroy and Gibbs are sick. Were they doing anything different?

[judgemewhole]

[They had better - otherwise they would enter the next battle with exhaustion beyond measure. James did not want to fight in that condition.]

I am not entirely certain. I can have them sent to the healing tents, once they are done with their duties, to give you an account of what they were doing.

[el_tybs]

If you could that would be a great help. Or at least send them to someone who is actively researching possible causes. We are passing the word around as quickly as we can.

Thanks, James.

[judgemewhole]

I shall be happy to do so.

Once you find out what caused this ... let me know. I can ride immediately anywhere, to find what you need for a cure.

[el_tybs]

I'll inform the others to contact you as well if they hear anything before me.

I best be getting back to the patients. Here's to hoping we find a cure soon.

[judgemewhole]

Thank you, Sam ... and take care of yourself. Else I'm coming down there to make sure that you do.

[el_tybs]

You too, James. I'd rather not have to find you and drag you to the tents.

[judgemewhole]

Well that would be ... disgusting. Let us skip the mud, shall we?

[el_tybs]

Let's. I'll talk to you soon.