Messages - from Emprise du Lion

[the_effect_she_has]

FORM: Sending Crystals
SENDER: Emprise du Lion scouting party (various messages sent out)
RECIPIENT: To Commander Cullen, to the Magi Council, to friends and family
WHAT: Reports, personal messages, flirting, and general griping about SNOW WHY ALL THE SNOW.
WHEN: Covering the three weeks of Haring
WHERE: Emprise du Lion
NOTES: Mentions of violence, of physical torture, of death, and of course, complaining. Why snow why.

Further edit: Katniss's post is screwed up because I didn't realize sending crystals are only auditory. So, please if you will, Katniss is making weird noises in the background of her messages. If asked, she will describe what she is doing.

Comments

Katniss - Week One Day 1-3 - (how the hell did she get so many damned friends?)

[the_effect_she_has]

Bruce [Katniss's face appears, the background her small tent. She looks tired after days of traveling, but no worse for wear. She tucks a loose strand back behind her ear, eying him.] Hello there - I trust you've been eating and sleeping so I don't have to march back through all this snow to kick your ass?

Clint Barton [The background is the same, except Katniss's hair is loose now and looks slightly damp. She smirks at Clint.] Best shot of the day - snofleur on a frozen lake, at seventy-five paces. Your turn.

Pel Ashara [She looks somewhere between disgruntled, and faintly amused, as she is sharpening small pieces of metal for arrows.] Is your brother always such an ass? Because he's kind of an ass. Sam is all right, though, and so is Krem.

Mia Rutherford [She is currently looking between the crystal, and a small chess board in front of her, her hands filled with her thick hair.] ...All right, I think I've got it. If I move my Knight here - that makes you attack my Bishop - which means ... I can then kill your Queen, right? [She eyed her hair.] And I think I missed one of your fancy loops here.

Ariande [Her smile for her friend is small, and quiet, but it is there. Airy will note that she has tried to braid her hair in a different way and it is a little ... crooked.] Hey Airy - how are the children? Is everyone keeping fed? There's someone I'd like you to hook up with, to help with the efforts of taking care of -- I'm sorry, I meant to grab you before I left but it just became insane... How's demon-cat?

Gavin Ashara Maker's Balls, Gav. [Katniss huffed out a breath, it steams.] Merrick is an asshole and it is as cold as Andraste's tits out here. But you'd love the landscape - you'd be sketching for hours. And in case I didn't mention? Merrick. Is. An. Ass. Why didn't you warn me?

Salem Ashara By the Dread Wolf, Salem ... Merrick is an ass, and it is so Damned Cold. [She is curled up with a blanket around her shoulders.] How is everything? Pel all right? You two going outside at regular intervals?

Zevran Arainai All right ... [And Zevran gets to see Katniss try to rebraid her thick dark hair, as she is eying her arrows.] So what is the best way to kill a man with an arrow and make it look like 'natural causes'? Because right now, my only real option is 'and then kick him off a cliff'.

Jamie McCrimmon [She is poking her head out of the tent, and she shifts it so he can see out too.] Jamie, it is as cold as the Maker's breakfast out here ... but it is pretty. Not to mention the hunting is incredible.

Ellana Ashara [Katniss's hair is quickly braided out of her face, something that looks temporary as she is trying to fix it - but right now - she is eying a crude looking map in front of her.] Hey Ellana -- would dispel work on red templars?

Lead Scout Lace Harding Scout Everdeen reporting - and I would like to tell you that is as cold as the Maker's Balls out here, ma'am. [A wry look.] I can see why you wanted to avoid this assignment. We've got camp settled, and I'm setting out my initial traps to get a better scope of the land. I'm sending you and the Commander my ... rather crude map back via bird. The templars are further up the mountain - I think Merrick, Kain, and maybe one or two of the Chargers and I should take the long way around to get a better idea of their numbers -- and avoid any 'unnecessary' bloodshed. We'll be going into town soon - more reports then. Scout Everdeen out, to go wrap herself in a damned blanket and get a warm drink.

Commander Cullen Rutherford [Here, her hair is neat, framing her face (in what she hopes is an attractive style), and she has put on a clean shirt under her hunting leathers. She sits up a little straighter as well.] Good evening Commander ... let's start with the good news. There's a small village here, and not everyone is dead or working in the mines, so we have some sources of information to work with. We're also going to be able to use our hunting cover to the utmost - this place is covered with wolves, bears, and other beasts. Also the number of elven ruins here makes for good cover. I would, after we have cleared the area more, like permission to take a scouting party and see what we can find in the ruins ourselves, or even in the Grey Warden fortress. The red templars seem to be very interested in both. [One corner of her mouth lifts up into a wry smirk.] Here's the bad news. The red templars are a serious presence here - I couldn't throw a rock up that mountain without hitting one, and I won't say I haven't been tempted to do so. We're going to basically put any future camps right at cave openings to make the best of the natural features -- and yes, the red templars have already taken them. So we'll have to take them from the red templars - with extreme prejudice. I've only seen one rift so far, out on the lake surface, so we will need a Rifter presence here at some point... [She heaves in a deep breath]... and oh yes. There are dragons. Yes, I said dragon-s. Wings, fire, I think I saw one of them spit out ice ... frankly, Commander, I am going to need more arrows. A lot more.

[mythalenaste]

Merrick, or Cyril?

Audio only because I am an IDIOT.

[the_effect_she_has]

Merrick.... wait you have another one?

[mythalenaste]

I've three. Cyril, Merrick, and Salem. It's complicated.

What did Merrick do?

[demonicbeauty]

Hook up with?

Do you mean like with a fishing line?

[Confused demon is confused.]

[the_effect_she_has]

[... Right she has to remember, Airy doesn't know all these human paralances.]

I mean, meet and work together with. Madame Mia Rutherford has come and she's looking to help with all of the displaced. I thought the two of you would make a good team, to help out those pilgrims who are struggling at Skyhold.

[demonicbeauty]

Oh!

[Because yes, that sounds right up her alley.]

Mia Rutherford. Okay. Okay, I'll look for her.

[serannas]

You mean like the ones in the Fallow Mire? I didn't fight any, so I can't be sure. Do they have attacks that stun or weaken you? I can't imagine they have anything like magic or barriers of their own.

[ There's a pause. ]

Though they definitely aren't normal, so who knows what red lyrium might do?

[the_effect_she_has]

Well ... some of them look like horrible freaks, with red lyrium shards for arms. And some of them seem to share power with one another. I haven't been attacked by any yet so I am only guessing.

[She sighed.]

I've honestly never seen anything so horrific, and I've seen the dead walk and the Darkspawn march. But if dispel works -- we can set up a circle pattern of attack for them, if need be.

[serannas]

Share power? That doesn't sound good.

[ She makes a soft noise of agreement. ]

How many mages are with you? You need to make sure they all know Dispel first too.

[lettersfromhome]

You can. But don't lose sight of those pawns. They'll block the Queen if you're not careful, and you'll lose that knight quicker than blinking.

[ She chuckles. ]

It's more difficult learning to do with your own hair, I'll grant you. Do you have mirrors there at all?

[the_effect_she_has]

Right ...and they can also take the Queen.

[A soft hum, and a faint snort.]

That would require me have packing one - although I suppose I could use some ice outside.

[lettersfromhome]

Not much of a reflection. You're better off finding a well cared for suit of armor. Metal works better than ice, in a pinch.

[snarksman]

[She's got snow, he's got... sand. Lots of bloody sand. It's dryer than the Mire, they said. Why does he listen to these people? Sigh. His life is suffering.]

I see your snowfleur and raise you a varghest. It wasn't pretty. And they stink.

[the_effect_she_has]

[She can almost hear the sigh and she smirks faintly.]

Great leather though. I'm jealous. How many dragons?

[amygdalae]

You don't need to worry about me. I'm alright. You should look out for yourself out there more instead.

[the_effect_she_has]

Clearly Bruce, you haven't met you. Of course I have to worry.

[wontforgetyou]

Now, I'd not say as I know off hand what your Maker'd want for breakfast, so I'll just have to take you at your word there.

[There's maybe just a hint of a dry tone on his end as he replies, but after a small pause it's gone again.]

Last time I was in a place that was both cold and pretty all we came across was a bear. Not so good for hunting. Well, unless you were the bear. Come across anything unusual or is it just snow hares and the like?

[the_effect_she_has]

Jamie, clearly it's the souls of the unworthy. Haven't you been paying attention to the Chant at all?

[There's a smirk in hers.]

There are bears here - and there are snofleurs. They're big, and white, and soft ... their fur is the softest thing you have ever touched. I took one down the other day.

[ombranera]

Do you have a sling?

[the_effect_she_has]

...What kind of sling?

[slipshot]

Aw, come on, he's not an asshole. He's just - you just have to get to know him first.

[But he sounds a little hesitant about that.]

And not upset Pel. Or get on his bad side. Or do something stupid. Then you'll be fine!

You should do some sketches, though. Or maybe I'll just try to get a scouting mission down there next time.

[the_effect_she_has]

Hm. All right. Apparently I am supposed to look after him because none of his clan is here, so I am sure we'll get ... really chummy.

[Or he would get kicked into a snow drift.]

... why do I think you are speaking from personal experience?

I can try. I can't promise they'll be nearly as good as yours, though.

[perseverances]

Ahh, Katniss, good to hear from you.

[There's a small shuffling of papers, he's organizing reports and whatnot, and no, he definitely doesn't sound like he needs a nap. Well, maybe just a little bit.]

I had feared the Red Templar presence there, but the response I'm getting from you and other reports coming in from the scouting parties have me concerned. I must advise extreme caution when fighting them. While they were men at one point, unfortunately they are not now. I urge caution around them.

As for the dragons, well... I'm sure I don't need to tell you they can rend flesh from bone. Supplies are being prepared as we speak, and I'll make sure extra equipment is on the wagon.

[the_effect_she_has]

[Honestly, she could listen to this man read the Chant of Light and would still want to purr ... focus, Everdeen.]

Good to hear from you as well.

[She can hear the shuffling of papers, and since she couldn't sit idle while resting even if she tried - she picked up her knife and started to carve.]

I hear you, Commander. [There is a pause, while she gathers her thoughts, and then continues.] Merrick and I have been trying to avoid them as much as possible - and the mages and Lieutenant Aclassi are trying to keep to the village to keep up their 'merchant' cover. If they attack us, we'll take all due caution.

[A sigh.] Although my only two methods so far to kill them and make it look like an accident is an arrow dipped in poison, just nicking them on the skin -- or kicking them off a cliff. So any suggestions or weaknesses we can take advantage of? We'd be grateful for.

[There is a faint amused snort that passes her lips.] There's a cheerful thought - if we manage to avoid the red templars we still might get eaten by the flesh-rendering dragons. They never put that on the Inquisition recruiting material.

[She is tackling a particularly difficult corner, so she sounds distracted for a moment.] We'll send some of the herbs and stone we've been able to find back - along with some of the furs and the meat. If you could be as so kind as to ask your sister to make sure a portion of it gets to the refugees, Commander, I'd be grateful.

[Another pause, a thoughtful one, before she decides just to plunge in.] You sound tired.