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

[ShadowFolk]

It wasn't a difficult decision. Though she was filled with regret and grief, she did not wish to die just yet. It did help that she did not like what Pride had done to her, but the elf had seen Sloth as a nice demon. It had come to help her when she had no way to protect herself and comforted her when things became too much. But, the demon had also made no move to warn her of Pride or make mention of it even being there. Sloth had stood by and done nothing, it was just as bad as the other. The decision made itself.

Even before Sulahn'nehn stood, the residents took notice of the change in her demeanor. The Fade had since changed back to it's normal state, the Black City hanging in the distance. She steeled herself as best she could, knowing the demons would not so easily give up their link. "I am no longer your host."

 

[Cinnonym]

Fidelity took a step backward from the enraged demons, standing its ground level with the elf girl. Its focus on the task at hand was absolute. The spirit crackled with an ethereal energy, powerful and electrifying in its intensity.

"I will be at your side."

Away and in the distance stood Thaedrin. Watching. Judging.

 

[ShadowFolk]

The demons barreled forward in rage and in response, Sulahn'nehn floored Sloth though it soon retaliated against her. The spell felt like little needles tearing through her body. The larger demon look as if it were conjuring up something powerful and before the elf could perform a preemptive strike, Fidelity aided her or at least she assumed it did. The two demons seized as if they were set ablaze by some unseen flame.

Taking advantage of their vulnerability, the elf unleashed two crushing blows, each knocking down a demon and pressing them into the ground. If the demons wanted a fight, they had certainly chosen the wrong one. The elf felt no fatigue in the Fade, but took the time to observe the residents. Perhaps they would feel that they stood no chance and would leave willingly. Fidelity did not share that thought; lightning ripped through the air passed Sulahn'nehn and struck Sloth. It roared in pain and collapsed, it's body melting into nothingness.

The spirit must have enraged the other demon, it recovered and began its assault anew by charging forward and backhanding Fidelity. The fight was beginning to look very familiar. Not wanting to see the same thing happen again, the elf let out a cry of effort to repel Pride with a crack. Unrelenting, another spell resounded through the Fade and brought the demon to it's knees.

Pride was beaten and barely able to keep itself steady. It's focus squarely on the elf, "Wait!" The demon breathed out it's protest. "Consider it, little elf. You do not want me gone. I can give you more power than you've ever known. The ones who look down on you will see your strength in awe, your barbarian would have admired what you will become. Your lover will covet you. You can have so much more with my assistance."

Sulahn'nehn shook her head, having already been under the demon's influence she did not want to do so again. If she could help it, no demon would ever touch her mind again. "Enough of your lies! I will not be your puppet any longer!"

Pride roared in response and quite suddenly, the was replaced with a wet snap. It's body contorted at an unnatural angle before slumping to the ground and deteriorating rapidly.

 

[Cinnonym]

Fidelity would have given an expression of approval if it was capable of displaying emotion. Now it was only the two of them within the dark folds of the Fade, and the deceased blood mage apart.

"No more sweet dreams, I am afraid. But the visions of the Archdemon will give you guidance in the coming days. And, perhaps, strengthen your bond with your fellow Wardens." The spirit turned its head, regarding Thaedrin in silence for a time before it returned its attention to Sulahn'nehn. "I believe you have one last matter to resolve. Yet, I am no longer needed. I will report of your progress to your superior."

Fidelity walked purposefully towards the edge of the island, dissipating into the fog before he reached the end.

 

[ShadowFolk]

Sulahn'nehn's brow rose in question. She could not figure out what else there was for her to do in the Fade aside from slip away and allow the nightmares to take her. It was not until the spirit had gone did she begin to notice the feeling that she was being observed. What she found may as well have been a demon. In the distance, a familiar profile stood and simply watched. Even in the Fade, a place of infinite possibility, it was strange to see him there.

"What would you have me say? I cannot take back what is done." She began to close the distance between them. What was she to say to the man whose life she'd ended? Sorry?

 

[Cinnonym]

"No, you cannot," he said, not taking a single step towards her as she crossed the ground to join him. Thaedrin simply stood, arms folded over his chest, his scowl as scornful as ever. In the Fade, however, aside from the hate radiated by his aura, his frame, and his steely eyes, the Somniari was a completely natural fixture. He seemed more at ease here than he ever had in the physical realm. He looked as he did when he last stood with her here, in perfectly tailored robes and a chain of dragon's teeth braided into his hair. A magister's son, not a Warden. "Though I wouldn't mind if the guilt left you without sleep or appetite for the rest of your days. Without pleasure. Gods know I will never have any of those things again, because of your lack of control."

 

[ShadowFolk]

The elf twisted her lips and shifted her weight. Thaedrin had every right to be bitter and she had none to be upset. "There may be few of those days left. Alrik seeks to have me executed for it. That in itself should bring you some pleasure."

She looked the mage over. The Fade, to her, did not seem the proper place for him to be. Perhaps his Gods thought it was fitting to keep him there. "I did not know the demon was there. I wanted to keep my comrades safe from your terrible decisions. Your cruelness. Ironic, is it not? It fed on me and I could not sense it."

 

[Cinnonym]

"You appear to be under the misconception that you have freedoms as a Grey Warden. Yes, that's been the issue since the start. You think I should have been kinder, gentler? There is no point. You are not a woman, nor are you even a soldier. You are still a slave. A tool to be used, a means to an end. As was I." Thaedrin turned away from her, casting his gaze up toward the Black City. Even in death, it was no closer now. "...Aside from the number of times your delicate little feelings have been hurt, what decisions of mine did you find so terrible? Training you to focus through your emotions, and control your magic? Casting our lot in with the army, to protect cities we passed that were in need?"

Another pause. "Resurrecting your lover?"

 

[ShadowFolk]

The elf seethed. Even as a deadman he was able to rub her the wrong way. Unfortunately, his point has been valid. All of his decisions in her mind had been awful or just simply the way he'd chosen to do them. She could not, however, argue that she was not thankful he'd brought the archer back to her as shaky as their relationship currently was. "I was wrong. Are you happy? I loathe everything that you are, but I was wrong. I thought everything would improve with you gone and it only became worse. Ghil- We- We lost her. As if I needed to suffer more Diocles openly wept over your 'loss'."

She was beginning to question if she really was sorry. The man had a talent for angering people.

 

[Cinnonym]

"Oh, goodness. Someone wept over my passing, and that offended you--I'm terribly sorry."

Thaedrin turned his head back towards her, eyeing her dispassionately. After a moment of considering whether to perhaps lock her in fiendish nightmares for the rest of the night, he instead sighed and the bitter tension left his body.

"Do not go chasing love, Sulahn'nehn. You've seen what it does by now, haven't you? If you must do anything while you are left roaming the true world, do your duty. There's nothing left for those of us left behind by the Joining, except to make the future ever-so-slightly less bleak. Remember everything you have ever been, and all the strife and guilt you feel now. If you want to ensure that no one else ever has to feel that way, then stop this sniveling and self-fulfillment and devote yourself to your work."

His face was nearly alien with such a soft expression, but the words that left his lips were no less cruel as ever before no matter how he tried to dress them otherwise.

"And if you need further proof that you must harden your heart: Diocles and I shared a bed last night."

 

[ShadowFolk]

She had words for him, all of which were unpleasant. Every last one of them disappeared as the last few words left Thaedrin's mouth. Her mouth fell open. He was lying, he had to be. Diocles had sworn himself to her. But as she recalled, he had been in the Constable's room at an odd hour of the night looking drained. And the archer spent much of the morning avoiding her. Rigorous chat her tiny elven ass. There was far too much to support the idea and she hated him for it.

The elf opened her eyes, furious crushed. It had to have been dawn or shortly thereafter. She was going to have a stern chat with her little lover-boy once she got the chance.

She wanted to stay angry, but she was crushed. She shoulders shook as she tried to keep the tears at bay.

 

[Rosen2012]

When morning arrived, Ulrin found himself questioning if the previous day had been real, or a new nightmare set in his mind by the Joining. At some point int eh evening he had made his way below deck to find the Rivaini boatmen and had him take his place watching for more raiders. Though now that he was fumbling out of his hammock he had wished he stayed awake all night rather than submit to sleep.

It wasn't pleasant. Nightmares of Darkspawn and their master, and a friend lost. Guilt of failing to help Sulahn'nehn, and the knowledge that Theadrin, in some part was still with them. All of it came back to him as he awoke and it made him sick. How could so much have gone wrong so quickly? All he could hope for now was that the female elf would be allowed to live.

Ulrin left his room and made his way to find where Diocles had locked the mage away. Even if couldn't get her out, he would at least make sure she was still alive in her makeshift prison. He walked the halls checking the doors, there were only so many that he didn't inspect from their attempt to slay Theadrin the previous night. One he found her locked door he knocked softly.

"Sulahn'nehn... Its Ulrin, are you- are you still there?"

 

[ShadowFolk]

The elf lifted her head and looked to the door. She was miserable. Everything had gone wrong so much so that she could not appreciate the feeling of being out of the reach of demons. Sulahn'nehn sniffled, speaking just loud enough to be heard through the door.

"Please, go away. I do not want to talk. Just leave me be."

In truth, the elf did not want to do anything but lay there and mope.

 

[Rosen2012]

"...A-alright," Ulrin took a step back from the door. He had heard her voice. That at least confirmed she was still alive, however she did not sound well. Not that he could expect her too.

The elf slowly turned from the door and made his way to the galley to receive his morning ration before seeking out Jarrik on deck. He would much rather be in the company of the newcomer, than the corpse and those taking orders from it.

 

[FortyThree]

Diocles was up and armed early, worried for Sulahn'nehn's well-being after the exorcism. He made his way to Sul's cabin, not bothering to knock. A pin and knife went to work and the door was unlocked in an instant, and he entered cautiously, closing the door behind him.

"Sul? Are you okay? Did it work?"

 

[Slycne]

When roused for watch, Jarrik greeted Ulrin with the official and traditional exchange signifying the changing of the night watch: a throaty noise that managed to meet the corners of a yawn, a grunt and a sigh. Unlike the wardens, with their dreams plagued with visions of darkspawn, Jarrik was free to spend his slumber in the company of buxom bar maidens with keen talents for keeping a glass from emptying. But he rolled out of the hammock

In silence he donned his equipment, before venturing out to the deck. It was still several hours before dawn, but thankfully save a few scattered bands of drizzle the storm had moved on. A few of the crew were still up and about, making repairs to the ship and Jarrik stood in not so silent vigil, joining them in song.

Heave a pawl, oh, heave away,
Way, ay, roll an' go!
The anchor's on board an' the cable's all stored,
Timme rollickin' randy dandy O!

Soon we'll be warping her out through the locks,
Way, ay, roll an' go!
Where the pretty young gals all come down in their flocks,
Timme rollickin' randy dandy O!

Soon enough, the horizon turned a color of warm bronze signifying the sun was soon to rise. He greeted the elf's arrival on deck with a statement. "Quiet night it seems."

 

[Rosen2012]

Ulrin nodded to him, unable to give a proper verbal response with half a biscuit in his mouth. He put his back to the railing and leaned on it. "-It was at least for us," he finally managed to choke down the over baked, dried out bread, "But I am sure for Sulahn'nehn the night was eventful. She would do more than tell me to go away when I checked up on her." He shook his head.

"I think its foolish to continue on with this voyage. Its all come undone, and at every pass we lose a member. It would have made sense to send a larger force... Or more of their experienced Wardens." He resumed eating feeling despondent over their situation.

 

[ShadowFolk]

Sulahn'nehn picked up her head when she heard something at the door. She expected Ulrin to be there again, but the door opened and Diocles entered. Had it worked, he asked.

Oh, it worked.

Too many emotions spiked at once when she saw his face. She got up and stomped over to him ready to scream at him for hours. Instead, she recalled her brief lesson with Ghil and her hand formed a fist. Sulahn'nehn struck the archer across the face to let it be known exactly how she was feeling at that precise moment. It did not have the force behind it that she wanted, but felt good at the time. And on the off chance that he did not get the message, she hit him again. Just for good measure. "You bastard!" She shouted, gripping her aching hand.

"How could you?" The elf felt a lump welling up in her throat as her eyes misted again, "Anyone. Anyone could have looked at me and without so much as a second glance known what I was! I know, I just know, you figured it out. You must have, I practically forced the information at you, so tell me, if all you wanted from me was my flesh- You could have- Th-There were ways to- Why did you have to make me feel as if I mattered? Was I just some pathetic little joke to you? To him? Were you both planning to hurt me from the start? You pledged your fidelity to me, swore to me on your family, lied to my face!? Her hand clenched again, a small pulse pushed the archer back. It took restraint to keep from letting the force pulverize Diocles.

?Funny. My master would often hold me and call me sweet things, just like you do. Not for a moment did I ever believe he saw me as anything more than a pretty little... thing he owned. You. You made me feel like I was a person you actually cared about. And then you- you do this. And right now, I'm- I'm not sure who is worse."

 

[FortyThree]

Diocles was stunned, but it didn't take him long to catch on. He made no effort to dodge or block-Not even when her blows actually started to hurt. A small stroke of terror hit him when she used her magic as he remembered Thaedrin's comment on her raw power. Still, nothing hurt quite so much as watching her tear up.

"Sul, i-it's not that simple. He, he.. He caught me outside Alrik's door, knife in hand, intending to teach the brute a lesson after he hit you, and.. Well.. It seemed a good way out."

 

[ShadowFolk]

"A good way out?!" She could not believe what she was hearing. The man who could talk anyone into anything thought that was the best solution. It made no since to her. "You- You mean to tell me you thought the only course of action was to bed the man who tormented me? You hid it from me!" The elf lunged forward and beat the man's chest. "It seems simple to me! You promised your faithfulness and immediately lay with Thaedrin. If any of what you say is true then why keep it from me? Do you not think I should have heard of it? Should you not have come to me? I am sick of lies!"