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

[nonsibi]

It's outside of Skyhold too. I'm guessing that's going to make a difference to whoever you've got figuring out the cause.

[eviscerates]

That is really helpful, actually. Thank you.

( And she pauses, thinking for a couple of moments. ) I'm Ruby, by the way, hi. Can you tell me if you noticed anything else outside the camp or is it just... weird stuff and sickness happening?

[nonsibi]

Bellamy. And you're welcome.

[His tone has just a hint of incredulity to it. Introductions during a crisis? Okay.]

Is 'weird stuff' seeing 'beings of the fade on the other side of the veil'? 'Cause, other than that, pretty normal.

[eviscerates]

Great. ( He knows her name, she knows his, it'll make keeping track of whose telling her what easier, and he can find her if he needs to. Everyone wins, except for how everyone is... sick and gross. )

Beings of the fade, yeah. Also just more generic things, like if anyone was acting suspicious, beyond the seeing things.

[nonsibi]

No really obvious possession, yet. Not that I've seen. No one sneaking around coughing on everyone.

Is that the theory so far? That someone started this on purpose?

[eviscerates]

No, right now we're thinking it could have been just about anything, but I figure it doesn't hurt to be vigilant and try to think about all the possibilities. If there was something that was introduced, it could have been on accident.

( There's the quiet tapping sound, Ruby tapping pencil against paper as she thinks, before she realises what she is doing and stops. )

I better get out there and do a little more reconnaissance of my own.

[nonsibi]

Could have been. Yeah.

[If he sounds skeptical on that point, it's because he is. Experience has taught him otherwise.]

You looked outside lately? 'Pissing down' doesn't even begin to describe what's going on. Less than ideal for reconnaissance.

[eviscerates]

( as a Sweet Sunshine Princess™, she is going to remain optimistic. Cautiously optimistic, maybe.

And she makes a little yeaaaahhh kinda sound. )

Less than ideal doesn't mean it doesn't need to be done. I'll... figure something out.

( does she need to let the Wolf out in public? Pls no, universe )

[nonsibi]

That sounds encouraging.

[Not.]

So you're not one of the healers?

[eviscerates]

I was going to say that you sound really inspired. ( wry, but... she's not going take it personally. )

Nope. I'm a scout, but I'm a scout with a lot of experience in weird stuff, so. I figured the healers probably have better things to do than run around in the rain trying to figure out what's going on.

[nonsibi]

Oh, I am. Trust me, you don't want to hear me uninspired.

[--Which he says with an equally flat inflection. s a r c a s m.]

Tell you what. I'm already out here, in the rain, without anything better to do, running around. Why don't you tell me what I'm looking for and I'll save you the trip? Unless this needs an expert's touch, or something.

[eviscerates]

I bet. ( oh, Bellamy, you scamp.

She pauses to consider what exactly the clues could be, visually. )

Honestly, I work more off scent than sight…And honestly, some of the stuff I’d look for might have gotten messed with by the rain. You know, disturbed earth and such? ( In fact, she’s a little worried about what the rain will mean for her ability to sniff things out. )

My general rule is anything that glows or producing strange music or whispering or draws you to it could be something to be concerned about. If there is green or purple smoke involved, doubly so. Any kind of colourful smoke or mist or whatever is probably something to be concerned about, but again... rain. It's generally conveniently not-raining when I tackle this stuff.

( That is the tone of self-mockery and quiet frustration with herself, there. )

Given how amazingly helpful I'm managed to not be, ,aybe we can both go searching, and if I find anything worth noting I'll give you a heads up on the clue front, how's that?

[nonsibi]

[Scent? O-kay. On his end, Bellamy raises his eyebrows but decides, for now, to just go with it.]

Yeah, I hate it when that happens.

[--Or, well. He decides to kind of just go with it, anyways. He's got to at least say something.]

And you do that. Generally I try to avoid strange glows, music, and whispering. I'll leave all the mist to you. [He can appreciate the self-mockery, anyways.] Watch yourself. I'll be waiting to hear back on those clues.

[eviscerates]

Smart. That is definitely the smarter plan. Running towards that stuff isn't fun, honestly.

( Ruby grins a little despite herself, and a touch of it makes its way into her voice. )

Likewise, Bellamy. See you out there, maybe.

( annnddd werewolf out )

[justice_is_blond]

Outside as in neighboring areas, or the camps just outside?

[nonsibi]

You want to go check on the neighboring areas?

[justice_is_blond]

No, and I've heard that most travel is nearly impossible right now. I'm wondering if you've heard that they're struggling with this as well, if perhaps the latest group of merchants brought it in with them.

Isolating where it's coming from could help us work out a cure that much more quickly.

[nonsibi]

Yeah, well, as far as I've heard, it's just us. Rain slowed those merchants down, that news could be a little outdated, but not by much. Whatever it is, I don't know that it came from too far out.

[justice_is_blond]

Thank you.