The First Blight: Curse of Dumat [RP/Closed]

[Rosen2012]

Ulrin let her pass, but he followed slowly behind the female elf. Did he look terrible? Certainly he knew he was breathing erratically. He supposed it didn't matter now, the healers would see them all just the same. He looked up ahead to the fallen Diocles; he had not expected the archer to be over taken. But of course, Sulahn'nehn was more concerned with the fallen human than her own injuries. Not they looked to bad compared to last time. Ulrin couldn't say he harbored the same self sacrificing concern for the human, though he did at least hope he would be able to continue on with them. It would be a disaster to lose anyone of their team members.

Except for Theadrin.

 

[FortyThree]

His wounds having just recently been cleaned and mended, Diocles began to awake. His eyes opened and blinked, taking time to fully focus. The archer tried to clear his head, sorting himself out. He had been struck from behind, and.. He must have been knocked unconscious upon hitting the ground. That would teach him to fight mounted. He found himself on a rather comfortable bed, his armor removed-The axe had put a hole in it, after all. He might need something heavier.

Finally sorting his situation in his head, Diocles smiled slightly to find Sul at his bedside.

"Ah. There is a heaven. Well. That's super."

 

[ShadowFolk]

Sulahn'nehn sat at the edge of her seat, both in anticipation of Diocles waking and to keep weight off of the injury. As soon as the mages did their jobs one stayed behind to aid her. The arrow was snapped at the base and removed so her flesh could be mended. Fatigue was the only thing they could not fix. Now, all that remained was to wait for the archer to stir.

She was just about to nod off when she heard his voice. The elf shook her head, "You must still be half asleep. This is not heaven." The relief was clear on her face. "You scared us."

 

[Rosen2012]

Once back in town Ulrin allowed himself to be looked over by the healers. He lost track of Sulahn'nehn while he was being treated, though he presumed she had gone off to the room Diocles was laid to rest in. It was just as well, by the time they were within the city it had really set into him that he was more injured than his pumping adrenaline had let him realize. A few blows more and he probably would have had to be carried into the city too.

 

[FortyThree]

"Hah, it was-Nevermind. Sorry about that."

The smile faded from his face as he analyzed her expression.

"How'd we do? I'm guessing if you were that worried by me getting a couple of scratches, nobody else died?"

 

[ShadowFolk]

Those are just scratches?

She briefly pondered what qualified as a serious injury to him before pushing it out of her mind. "We, in my opinion, did not do so well. Maybe this is due to my lack of experience in comparison, but I believe the phrase is 'we took a beating'. The other Wardens still live." she paused, trying to think of what else she could say. Speaking so freely with humans was still very new. "I'm glad to see you're well. If things continue as they are, we will need your ceaseless cheer to keep our heads up."

 

[FortyThree]

Diocles nodded, moving to sit up.

"Hup. Well, if they lived, we did well enough. Thanks, Sul. I'm glad you didn't die too."

 

[ShadowFolk]

That might have been a joke of some sort, but it warmed her heart. Which was, to say the lest, weird. She found herself smiling again. "If you keep at this you will make me believe that you do not quite care that I am an elf."

Sulahn'nehn reached forward and gently squeezed his shoulder. It was the only gesture that she felt she was allowed to do and even then she hesitated. "Get your rest. I would like to see how the others are doing."

She left Diocles alone and after a bit of asking around Ulrin was located. If only in passing she acknowledged him, "I see you got the arrows out. Have your wounds been seen to?"

 

[Rosen2012]

Ulrin looked up at her with a nod, "Yes, the healers have tended to me. I did not quite realize just how much pain I was in. Those foes we have been fighting, they are getting stronger with every encounter." He let out a sigh and rubbed at his ribs. "I presume Diocles is well, since you are here? We will not have to make this journey down a man?"

 

[ShadowFolk]

He wasn't wrong. Each fight was harder than the last. How was she going to keep up?

"He's well. He didn't seem particularly bothered by it all either. So, perhaps I worried for nothing. Still...I only wanted to see everyone. And I can see that you are also as well as you could be. Have you heard from anyone?"

 

[Rosen2012]

"No..." Ulrin shook his head. "I was brought into this room, I haven't left yet." He slowly got to his feet. "We can look for Ghil together, I am sure she is not far off." He didn't bother to comment on her concerns over the human. At a time like this he felt it was best to let it go, least he start an argument between them. So far they had managed to get along since his conversation with the barbarian.

 

[ShadowFolk]

And now the elf followed her about again. She would have preferred to speak to Ghil on her own, if she was indeed alone, but now it seemed more social than private. There was no real point in bringing it up, though she still found it odd that he would care enough to want to see the human. Nevertheless, Sulahn'nehn was eventually pointed in the right direction. A pang of guilt surged through her when she saw Ghil.

"I'm sorry. I should have come sooner. Er. We...should have come sooner." she guestured to the other elf.

 

[Cinnonym]

Ghil laughed at the comment, shaking her head dismissively. Truly, however, she was half bandage from head to toe. Her uniform was all but shredded. "Worry does not heal wounds. I have been treated, you need not fret." Her eyes passed over one elf, and then the next. She stood, crossing the room with a ghost of a limp. "You are both well? Healed? There is a... grimness... about you. What is wrong?"

 

[Rosen2012]

"We have both been treated as well, Ghil," the elf watched her get up. He started to tell her to sit back down, least her wrapped up body start to come undone.

"A Grimness?" Ulrin crossed his arms, "We are not grim, just, thoughtful. About the strength of the Darkspawn lately. Your people will help won't they? I do not think we can go on like this for much longer."

 

[ShadowFolk]

"There is nothing wrong. At least not with myself.", she too wished Ghil would stay in her bed, but was relieved to see that she was already bouncing back. "I should have known it would take more to keep you down. I wanted to be sure you were in one piece and well."

 

[FortyThree]

Unable to rest, at least without food, Diocles had decided to check on the others. He entered the room quietly, eyeing the state Ghil was in. He had evidently found his equipment, unstrung bow in hands and quivers across his back. Notably, his noticeably damaged chainmail hung a bit loosely across his equally torn clothing.

"I need to find an armorer, a tailor, and maybe a whor-horse salesman, depending on if my steed survived."

 

[Cinnonym]

"Healing magic is very useful, and my body has been through worse than this. Come, let us find food and drink, and we will prepare ourselves for the road ahead. I do not think my people will be... kind." She nodded her head towards Diocles when he entered, "You as well. Your armor and horse can wait, can it not?"

She clapped both elves on a shoulder as she passed, moving into the hallway and toward the bar. As usual, she was ravenous, and the hastened healing of her flesh had left her lightheaded. Just like before, in Vol Dorma, she was content to pass the time until departure with ale and meat.

"I will not be surprised if it should come to battle. The clan in the marshes are called the Ciraine, and they are very fierce and very swift. They have... old, deep honor. And they may not wish to lay aside grudges for the Tevinters. There is only myself and Alrik to do the sense-talking. Perhaps the skinny man, since he is magicless."

 

[Rosen2012]

Ulrin followed her out to the bar. So it would be another battle? he should have expected as much. He pulled up to sit on one side of Ghil and requested a meal and water. "I do not know which enemy will be worse to face in battle. An army of Darkspawn for an army of men and women like Alrik and Ghil. If it comes down to a battle, why are so few us going?"

 

[ShadowFolk]

She didn't want to say it out loud, but Sulahn'nehn did not share the same hope Ulrin had for the barbarians helping. Perhaps he never heard the way magisters spoke of them, she could only assume that the Alamarri felt the same way about them. If there was a sliver of hope, she couldn't find it.

She followed Ghil out, half to make sure she would not fall over and half to spend time in her presence. But not before eyeing Diocles for that awkward stumble. "If you ask enough people someone will surely find you a mount." Whether she meant a person or something in the equidae family was unclear.

 

[FortyThree]

He decided to ignore Sul's comment, on the reasonable grounds that ignoring problems make them disappear.

Diocles followed close behind Ghil, idly wondering whether Ulrin was excluded because of his race, or his inability to speak sensibly. He didn't like their chances, but he wasn't afraid. And he -was- hungry.

"So.. They respect strength and skill at battle, yes? Is it only traditional forms of combat? I am no master of the sword, though I know the knife, and I am perhaps the second best archer any of you have ever seen."