a hell of a show

[trudge]

Who: Rowan Cousland && Anyone planetside && Anyone on the Bishop
Broadcast: Nay
Action: Aboard the remains of the Bishop and the literal hell of the planet
When: Right meow


THE BISHOP (arrival)
[ A lot of things happen at once when Rowan opens his eyes. First, he's immediately accosted by the heavy feeling in his head, like a figurative weight has settled upon his skull with all the knowledge he was just entrusted with upon arrival. The second is the barrage of confetti, accompanying music, and the tray of treats that looks hilariously out of place in the clearly damaged and broken ship around him. And the third is his lingering realization that, last he checked, he was supposed to be dead. Was this where you went when you died? Where you truly went? To space? Because that's weird. Weirder than the usual Thedosian beliefs.

After the initial surprise, he moves to walk around the ship - or what parts of it remain intact, hoping for some kind of life to be found besides his own. He has so many questions. Like, for instance, why the hell can't he catch a break even in death? And also, is this thing supposed to be in a dozen pieces, or was that an aesthetic choice? Why is this planet red? Hello? ]


PLANETSIDE (balls deep in danger pt. 1: is that a knife in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?)
[ Let's say someone warned him about the potential dangers of wandering aimlessly through the dense forests of the planet. And let's say that that Rowan probably didn't listen to them. Sure, he doesn't have his daggers or his bow on him but you can fashion stabby-things out of nearly anything if you're smart enough. He ends up doing just that, eventually making a pair of shivs out of some stray pieces of metal and cloth. Not the fanciest thing, but it'll get the job done.

The Vieziri have the upper hand with their superior knowledge of the planet, but Rowan isn't a novice when it comes to stealth and recon. And honestly the only thing that keeps him from sufficiently getting a jump on the group he's been following is the loud crunch of someone's foot under a pile of leaves. It wasn't his foot either, but someone else's ( your characters?! ) who had the bad luck to approach at the wrong time. Rowan sighs, glancing back to see the source of the noise just as the Vieziri hunting party does the same. ]

Hope you came prepared to fight. [ because he sure did. ]



PLANETSIDE (balls deep in danger pt.2: electric bugaloo. )
[ Or let's pretend it was Rowan's fault that his cover was blown. Brambles and thick foliage make for a hell of a hard time being stealthy. Or maybe he's just really off his game. Either way, someone has had the luck of finding him now - an enraged Vieziri pinning him to the ground with a weapon poised to strike the killing blow. Around them are two other Vieziri, both of which seemed to have lost the fight with Rowan before this one took the advantage he had and set him into this unfortunate position. Blood colors the already vermillion-tinted ground, and weapons are scattered save for the one about to kill the Warden for the second time.

Wasn't once enough, universe? Wasn't once enough. ]

Uh, sorry to bother but would you mind helping me!? [ He shouts between grunts as he attempts to keep his attacker at bay. ] No rush!

Comments

[veilstrike]

[ There's no time to waste on actually trying to make friends with the stranger -- not when she has to move forward and greet the Vieziri that are coming at her ready to cut her down. It's not her first time fighting them, at least, and she has the cuts and marks to prove it, which seems to be more than enough to make this pair incredibly mad at her. You murder a few cannibals and this is the reception you get? Not worth the effort.

Still, she focusses on her magic, summoning a Veilstrike that slams into the chest of one hunter before she shifts and slams forward, Stonefist slamming them to the ground. The Fade and the Veil are different here, nothing like they were in Thedas, but it's enough that she can reach for the slight shift in power, to draw upon it to support herself and the man at her side, weakening their enemies and strengthening their attacks.

One tries to bite her. She slams the hilt of her machete into their eye. ]

Unfortunately, their eyes are bigger than their brains. They must think you look tasty.

[trudge]

Well, they're not wrong. [ If he had the chance - and if she was even looking at him - that is when he would wink saucily. As it stands though, his shitty jokes are utterly wasted while the Vieziri attempt to eviscerate him and his new companion.

One of the Vieziri elbows him in the gut, leaving him open long enough for a spear to slice across his cheek. As painful as it is though, Rowan is quick to take advantage of the opening given to him by stabbing his shiv straight into the spear-wielders abdomen and slicing upward with a sickening squelch. Blood sprays in every direction as the man stumbles back, clutching his innards in a desperate attempt to keep them where they belong. ]

Exposing yourself in front of a lady? For shame. Have some class. [ The jokes are still coming, even as he kicks the dying Vieziri away and focuses his attention on the one now aiming to headbutt him. ]

[veilstrike]

[ Unfortunately for him, her attention is solely on the hunters - and she's not bothering to give him too many glances, even if it sounds exactly like something Dorian or Varric might have said in the middle of a fight. It almost makes her feel a little bit like she's home again - and it should be sad that fighting hand to hand with thing trying to murder her instills that feeling of nostalgic glee.

Still, she manages to use the moments of freeze to send another Veilstrike out, shattering one of the Vieziri before she twists and has to try, desperately, to duck out of the way of the other one. It grazes her side and she winces, crying out sharply before she lunges with the machete to take her vengeance. She can't even think about looking over at Rowan, even when she hears him speak again, absorbed in making sure that she's keeping herself alive.

It's when her Anchor cracks again that she breathes out, slamming it down into a fist at her side. She summons the Aegis with enough force to send the remaining hunters flying back, keeping herself and Rowan safe in the green swirl of power. When it Fades - and, shit, her hand hurts - she steps up to his side, weapon in hand. ]

I'm not expecting much in the way of class from these. Are you well?

[trudge]

[ It's probably for the best that she doesn't pay attention to him, lest she end up distracted and dead because he's an idiot that doesn't know when to stop making jokes. With one down and one more to go on his side, Rowan makes short work of them in single combat. A well placed strike has his homemade weapon stabbing through his attackers throat - though the asshole does manage to get one last good swipe at him before he goes down. What a dick.

He looks up as the hunters fall away from them and the green swirls in the air. He has no idea what the hell is going on, but so long as she's on his side he honestly couldn't care less. ]

Define well. [ He says as he flips his shiv in his hand, grasping the handle tight and searching the area with darting eyes like he's awaiting the next strike. ] Took a shot to the face, but I'll live. What about you?

[veilstrike]

I'm not dead yet.

[ Not that her hand is doing much to help her, the crack and spark of the Anchor making her wince. It's not as bad as it could be thanks to the work Justice did to calm it down, but she knows that as soon as enough time has gone by it's going to go back to being the way that it was. She might not die, she might not actually end up losing her mind, but she's definitely close to losing her arm. No matter what Dorian says.

Wiping her hand on her trousers, she winces, turning her attention back over to the man at her side. Stepping close, she nods her head, pushing her hair from her face. ]

I am Leilani Lavellan. It is good to meet you despite the circumstances.

[trudge]

Always a plus.

[ He scans the area for potential dangers once last time before he finally turns to face her; a small smirk finding its way to his lips purely out of instinct. ]

Likewise, Leilani. [ He starts to reach for her hand, like he's going to take it and kiss it, but ends up stopping short when he realizes it's covered in blood and gore. Probably not the smartest choice. He opts for bowing instead. ] Rowan Cousland. I appreciate the assistance.

[veilstrike]

[ The bow works, and she offers one of her own in return, even if it's a little awkward. It's been years since she took the mantle of Inquisitor and human customs are still odd and strange to her; she's doing her best, and Josie had praised her, but it's clear that she's not exactly comfortable with it all. ]

Cousland. A Hero of Ferelden?

[ There's two Inquisitors, after all, and two Champions; why not too heroes? Why not two people from the same family? Hers had been from the Dales, but she has learned now that the stories of people from Thedas can be twisting and changing, even if major events are the same. ]

[trudge]

I suppose so, if that's what they're calling me now. [ He wouldn't particularly qualify himself as a hero but he's certainly not going to deny such a grand title either. He's also blissfully unaware that when she says 'a' she might be implying there's more than one around.

That would just be weird. ] You're from Thedas, then? Good to know I wasn't the only one roped into this — [ a vague wave of his hand. ] What ever this is.

[veilstrike]

I will call you by name, if you prefer. [ She understands the sentiment, at least, and she turns her head to watch the forestry around them. She doesn't hear anything else coming after them, but the nature of this planet means she's not sure if she'll ever really be safe or not. Not until they're back in orbit, and even then...

Crossing her arms, she glances over before she breathes out a sigh, shoulders relaxing. ] Yes. I part of an organisation called the Inquisition, tasked with stopping a Breach that appeared in the sky and aiding people across Thedas. You were part of the Grey Wardens?

[trudge]

Please. [ He smiles, glancing off toward the trees as well. Now that he's more than aware of the hunters and how well they know these forests, he's alert despite the idle conversation they're holding. He'd offer to take her back to the ship to talk, but she's already started and he's... just kind of standing there like an idiot.

None of that made sense to him. The Inquisition, the Breach; all things far beyond him because they happen so long after he's gone. ] Ah - Yes. I wasn't aware of this Breach, though. When did that come about?

[veilstrike]

[ Well, this could be awkward... Lavellan moves, putting her machete away and shaking her hand again, as if that might get rid of the nasty green hue glowing around it. She starts to pick at the hunters, grabbing one of their daggers and hanging it out for Rowan to take if he wants a weapon a little bit better than a makeshift shiv.

Now she gets to explain the Breach. Wonderful. ]

9:41 Dragon. Fen'Harel gave an ancient Darkspawn his orb of power and, in a ritual that went very wrong, said Darkspawn accidentally tore open the Veil in the sky above Thedas.

[trudge]

[ Rowan just stares at her like she has six heads, his brain going a mile a minute to try and make sense of her words. First he has to deal with the fact that she just named a date in which he would never see, since he'd have been dead for a decade by then. Then the mention of Fen'Harel and who the hell was that again? A Dalish god or something? Then there's the torn Veil and that fucking word he hates the most — Darkspawn. ]

That sounds like fun. [ He says as he takes the offered dagger from her with a nod of thanks. ] So that happens - is happening - in the future? Looks like I'm going to miss a lot more than I expected.

[veilstrike]

[ It’s clear that he’s not entirely happy with the news and she can’t really blame him if she’s being honest. She wouldn’t be happy either and she was the one that had witnessed it and she was the one who had technically stumbled into the ritual and helped cause the Breach. At least she’d helped end the problem, too? Either way, it seems like a very bad idea to try and tell him about the other messes, like the Wardens and the Red Lyrium. Leave that for later. ]

It’s not for you to worry about. The Darkspawn is dead. I killed him. [ ‘And I was in a romantic relationship with the elven God, aren’t I lucky?’ ] And I’m dealing with Fen’Harel.

[trudge]

[ His brain and his heart can only handle so much. At least give him a few days. A week tops before you toss another set of tragedies on him that he has no way of dealing with ever. ]

Sounds like you've got your hands full. I bet these cannibals are a joke in comparison to Elven gods and Darkspawn.

[veilstrike]

I think it is better not to comment.

[ Shifting, she turns to look around the forest. There hasn't been any other sign of hunters yet, but they haven't exactly been quiet. Lips turning into a frown, she moves forward carefully. ]

We should try and find others. I was with Justice - we may be able to find him.

[trudge]

[ That's fair. Rowan shrugs, blades in hand as he follows her lead, keeping an ear out for any strange noises — or lack thereof. ]

Justice?

[veilstrike]

A friend. [ Pause. ] A spirit.

[ She's not sure this human's view on spirits so she's careful. ]

He and I have been working together since the crash.

[trudge]

[ Oooookaaaaay. ]

I see. Didn't expect that, but so long as it's not a demon tromping about I suppose I can't really say much.

[veilstrike]

No, he's not a demon. [ And not likely to become one, either, if she has her way. Shaking her head, Leilani frowns and looks around. ] Do you have a ship?

[trudge]

The Bishop. Crashed not too far from here. [ He thinks. Probably. Honestly, this forest is ridiculous. ]

[veilstrike]

Then we should find our way back there. [ Wherever there is. She could probably try and track his movements, but it might be all muddled up with the Vieziri. ] Unless there is somewhere else you wish to be.