enchanted forest . mingle

[misconceived]

WHO Forest planet occupants!
BROADCAST N/A
ACTION Enchanted Forest / Spa Time
WHEN Upon reaching the system (Jan. 4) to leaving it (Jan. 31)

[ It's another day, another planet for the Drift Fleet to explore. Whether it be relaxing in the landing field, checking out the spa (and subsequently getting urged to enter the woods), or taking on the Enchanted Forest's game, there's enough to do for stir-crazy Fleet members.

Just remember one thing: make it look good. ]

Comments

[merchantprince]

[Varric snorts.]

Well, they sure as hell weren't wearing space armor. Details, Prickly. Details are always important.

[He goes back to his story, not even a little mad. Just amused. He likes Chris, he likes people who are talkative. He knows it's to drown out whatever he was talking to before-- his fiancee. Bianca. Maker, what a fucked up coincidence.]

The guy in front of the captain swings his sword, but it never connects. He stops short, dead. Blood's gushing from his throat, and he just kinda... gurgles and falls at her feet. She cuts down the surprised man behind him and her companions handle the rest. Some dark shadow above takes out the archers until at last the place is silent again.

She turns, and much to her surprise, there's another assassin. But this one has his hands up in surrender. He's obviously the guy who threw the knife. "Wait!" he shouts. Judging by his accent, he's from outside the country. [Varric does a fairly good impression of a Spanish accent for this.] "Don't kill me. Please. I am trying to help you."

[hearsthesea]

[Shirley lets out a soft "Oh!" when Varric gets to the man's death. As he goes on she can't help but imagine someone like Jay with a strange accent - like Moses, actually. Both boys would be offended if they ever got wind of that comparison - and that makes her giggle despite herself, covering her mouth to avoid disturbing the tale.]

Sorry. Go on...

[misconceived]

[ It's okay, Chris it laughing just the tiniest bit at the included accent, too. He has no one to compare it to, but the fact that Varric is doing voices... ]

Don't tell me, this assassin was sent to assassinate the captain but these guys were getting in the way? Change of heart in the heat of battle?

[merchantprince]

[Varric is pleased that Shirley's getting into it, but he could do without Chris' comments.] You'll see...

The guard-captain is suspicious, and rightly so! This man is way too good-looking to join their company without a catch. She holds up her sword and says, "By turning on your comrades?"

The assassin smiles in that awkward way someone smiles when they're caught sneaking sweets off the merchant's counter. He replies, "I never wanted to fight you in the first place. I've heard of you, guard-captain. And I know who just tried to kill you. The Antivan Crows aren't going to give up, you see-- they've never failed a job. They'll keep coming for you. It's a matter of... honor? Yes, honor, I suppose."

The guard-captain has seen him fight by now, and having someone who's familiar with secrecy might be good to have on their side. She thinks for a moment. "So you want to help us fight these Antivan Crows. What is it that you want out of this?"

The assassin rolls up his arm. Right there, on the skin, it's a slave brand. "My freedom, basically."

[hearsthesea]

[The bit about the slave brand elicits a soft "Oh!" out of Shirley - that certainly changes things.]

Was he the only one?

[A single slave armed among his captors seems like a bad idea. Then again, more of them might be even worse.]

[misconceived]

What do his looks have to do with it?

[ That one's a mutter to himself, but Chris is obviously listening and intently at that. ]

Aren't they busy, though? I mean, they've got their own stuff to deal with, right?

[merchantprince]

Well, if he wasn't, the other ones were dead. And-- Prickly, if there's one thing you learn from adventuring, it's that every good-looking rogue comes with a catch. Me included. [He winks.]

Anyway. The guard-captain hasn't heard of the Antivan Crows taking slaves and she's pretty open about it. So the man explains, "Once you are in the Crows, you cannot leave. They plucked me from the orphanage as a boy-- and I had no choice in the matter. You know what it's like for the poor, do you not? There were not many alternatives. But, lately... well, they have me doing things I do not want to do. Like killing innocent guard-captains. So, if I help you with the Crows, you will be helping me. Understand?"

Pretty simple, all things considered. Wipe out the rogue's superior, no more assassins come and everyone goes home in one piece. Except the assassins. The guard-captain looks at her companions and talks with them a little while. The general consensus is 'why the hell not', so he joins up with them for a bit.

The rest of their trip to the next town is pretty uneventful, all things considered. No more assassins, just a lot of walking. The guard-captain approaches the gates and calls out.

There's no answer. As they pace around trying to figure out what to do, the wind shifts and brings the smell of burning buildings with it.

"Well," the rogue says. "That can't be good."

[hearsthesea]

[Now that gets a quiet gasp out of Shirley.]

Oh no...the Crows?

[She's looking pretty concerned by now. THIS SOUNDS SLIGHTLY FAMILIAR.]