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

[Rosen2012]

When morning came, Ulrin awoke and readied himself for the day ahead. Putting on his Warden Uniform and making his way down to the hall to dine. He had no reason to linger in the barracks. He had no friends outside of the female elf. When he arrived at the mess hall he was not surprised to see that he could easily spot Fidelity from the circle of people making a space around the spirit.

He was tempted to sit at the table and observe him, if only just once. It had granted Sulahn'nehn a chance to live. Even if it wore a Theadrin suit, it had proved to be nothing like the Constable. The elf took up a seat neat the Spirit, but still a few spaces away. He watched it crumble up the bread until it seemed to satisfied it had made a sufficient dust.

And then it spoke. It seemed to just be speaking for the sake of using its voice...

"Fidelity," Ulrin spoke up to get its attention, "Can you handle combat, in that body? I have not seen you train with it yet."

 

[Slycne]

Some time during the night, Jarrik finally broke from the feverish nightmare with a start. Gasping for air and hacking up some blood - hopefully more darkspawn than his own, he tried to lay still allowing his senses to slowly adjust to the surroundings. All the while, not fully sure if he'd passed into the Fade or still remained tethered to the mortal world. Blood at least seemed a good sign to the later.

The darkness and sudden change of location was disorienting, along with lingering images plaguing the back of his thoughts. Whatever physical aspect to the Joining he may of conquered, mentally it felt like 10 fold more. Now it was little more than flashes of fangs, scaly hide and malevolent presence that squeezed and pressed against him. He shuddered to the feeling crawling over him.

Soon enough he could grasp that he'd been taken back to barracks, and that someone had left a bottle of wine within arm's reach. The first few gulps quickly came right back up, but he forced down a smaller drink. He lay there for a time, bottle resting against his chest only moving to bring it to his lips. Even with the blessing of wine, sleep did not return easily, as if his mind resisted closing his eyes again. He spent the rest of the night fitfully tossing and turning.

By breakfast he looked haggard, barely acknowledging Fidelity and Ulrin with a nod, but he greedily accepted food and drink, wolfing down both and requesting more. Still finishing off seconds, he looked around the room for Sulahn'nehn the task of reading the letter and knowing its words still fresh in mind.

 

[Cinnonym]

"It will not be an issue. I have very potent magical energy, and the body of Thaedrin Davinius is conductive to it. I hope that is some reassurance to you, Ulrin Elf."

Its eyes fell upon Jarrik, appraising his appearance.

"That one looks..." It trailed off, unsure which word would best describe the newly Joined man. The moment of silence stretched so long, it seemed the spirit had forgotten what it was saying. "...shaken."

 

[ShadowFolk]

Sulahn'nehn woke early and sighed. She had to stop thinking about 'it'. All of the 'it's. It would weigh her down mentally. She knew that, but it was one thing to know it and another to actually do it. A bath calmed her, then a change into her uniform, and it was time to fill her very empty stomach.

"Good morning." She could carry on, she'd have to. The elf entered the mess hall and took a seat beside Ulrin. Fidelity still troubled her visually, but in due time she would stop expecting it to lunge at her. Jarrik looked like the back end of a pack mule. They all had after their Joining, she was sure. "It is good to see you made it, Ser Jarrik."

 

[Rosen2012]

"I assume everyone does after their joining." He looked Jarrik over,"No one takes to the nightmares well." He started to eat his food, watch Jarrik grab greedily at what was before him. "Though you do not sleep, do you? So I guess that is lost to you..."

The elf now fully turned to address Jarrik, "Do you feel well, Jarrik? You're looking around as if you are lost. The Joining did not make you forget where you were did it?"

 

[Slycne]

"Aye, one at a time please."

He raised his hands in a weak defense, trying to field the barrage of comment, question and greeting. Lack of sleep, some hangover and the effects of the Joining made for a potent splitting headache.

"I'm alive, there's that much at least. But aye, sleep found me little last night. Do you all dream as such?" He finally eased an cleaned plate back with a yawn. Though the person he seeked had presented herself, he hadn't wanted to out the letter in front of everyone and waited for a more opportune time.

 

[ShadowFolk]

Having solved the issue, it slipped Sulahn'nehn's mind that she'd originally asked for Jarrik's help. She nodded her head, filling her plate with as much as it could hold. "Nightly. I am only just becoming used to it again. I hear some people become numb to it? It could just be chatter. Perhaps you will be so lucky."

 

[Rosen2012]

"Some become numb to it?" Ulrin scoffed, "None in my barracks. I hear men wake up throughout the night." He took a sip form his mug. "Though I imagine everyone there is still new, not much older to all of this than we are."

It had surprised him a bit to hear Sulahn'nehn say she was growing accustomed to it again. But then he remembered her demons. He wondered if they had kept the visions away with pleasant dreams or with nightmares of their own...

 

[FortyThree]

When Diocles entered the mess he surveyed it in typical fashion, gathering the layout quickly. He had thought to congratulate Jarrik, but he opted instead to give his elven companions some space. The newly promoted archer thought to use his new authority to build morale, and called several of the dining Wardens on the other side of the room to attention. He quietly corrected the elves on their stances and salutes, but otherwise provided no slack in his impromptu inspection, distributing insults equally among all of them regardless of heritage.

"Look at the state of those boots. Did you bring your own mud from the slave pens incase we didn't have any here? Eromus, sharpen that blade-if you stabbed me that I'd be bruised, not cut! Sweet scales, Volrus, how does a Warden have a gut like that? And you, Ronnir, poor Pontius here would mistake you for his mother, save that she can atleast grow a proper beard. Don't you flutter your eyelashes at me, miss! Even if I was vulnerable to such behaviour, you have less in the way of tits than Volrus does. Oh, by the Grey. Is that an empty sheath? Back to the armory, on the double!"

He kept a straight face until the last Warden he yelled at had left. Then he stole the poor recruit's seat and plate and motioned for the rest to sit back down, laughing.

 

[duckflesh]

The Warden Commander tapped Diocles on the shoulder a moment after this display; how long he had been watching was hard to say, but he had a rueful smirk on his face. "Dine with me, won't you?"

Without waiting for a reply he returned to a table near the head of the room where Alrik and Delphina were already seated, eating in comfortable silence.

 

[FortyThree]

"Of course, Commander!"

Diocles excused himself, joining his superiors with no sign of embarrassment. He flashed a small smile to Delphina as he took a seat beside her.

 

[duckflesh]

Trajan immediately began cutting into the steak on his plate as a similar dish was set down in front of Diocles.

"As we know from Alrik's report, Antiva City has been largely devastated by Darkspawn attacks. The place will not hold for long at this rate... I think it would be a good use of our resources to send them some reinforcements."

He paused, taking a sip of his beverage.

"Alrik won't be going. I need him right here to utilize his elf-backhanding expertise. As such, Delphina and Diocles will be in charge of this mission. You'll be taking the same team as last time. Ulrin, Jarrik, Sulahn'nehn, the demon. And perhaps one more, someone to replace Ghil. I'd like to see you off by this evening, if it's feasible-- but don't worry, it will be a quicker trip this time. You'll be taking the griffons."

 

[FortyThree]

Diocles gave Trajan a smile-The man had perhaps the second best sense of humor in the fortress, second if he excused Delphina's tendency to give elves a hard time. He nodded along as he began to dig in to his steak, the mission plan seeming perfectly sensible.

"Understood Commander. Though the Constable will have to use the time to give the elves, Jarrik and I a lesson in riding them."

Possible implications of the inclusion of feathered mounts began to occur to him, and he turned his attention to Delphina.

"Ma'am, how difficult is it to shoot from griffon-back?"

 

[duckflesh]

She considered this. "It's not impossible. Shooting at something on the ground just takes a bit of practice. It'd be substantially harder to hit an airborne target, but I don't see how that would come up."

"Well," Trajan added, "If you encounter Dumat, I'd recommend flying in the other direction."

 

[FortyThree]

"I'll take it under consideration, Commander."

Diocles continued his meal silently, satisfied. He was feeling optimistic about this next mission, and it showed. His good mood was a result of many factors, but the greatest factor was being under Delphina's command instead of Alrik. Not only was she much easier to get along with, but he wouldn't be forced to comply with his orders to have sex with Alrik after all.

 

[duckflesh]

Eventually, Trajan dismissed them.

"Round up the others and meet me in the stables," Delphina told Diocles. "I'll introduce you all to the griffons. With luck they won't peck out everyone's eyes..."

 

[FortyThree]

"I should hope not, they're two of my prettiest features. plus, you know, the arrows."

Grinning, Diocles went to gather his companions. He felt oddly comfortable being second in command. Not too much responsibility, but he could order his friends not to endanger themselves.

"Alright, you four. We've got a new mission, under Constable Delphina."

He waved to his companions, walking them towards the griffon roost.

"We'll be reinforcing Antiva. Any questions?"

 

[ShadowFolk]

Never a dull day.

Sulahn'nehn took one more mouthful and dabbed her lips clean before she followed Diocles out and to the stables. The thought of riding a griffon again made her nervous, the only plus side was that it would not make her queasy. Or at least, she assumed they would be taking the griffons. It was doubtful they were there to feed them. She had not expected that they would be returning to Antiva, the elf assumed they would be pushing passed it in search of more Wardens and cities to save. But if that is where they were commanded to go, that's where she would go.

"Yes. How many days time will it take us to arrive there and how are we to reinforce them with so few numbers? Ser."

 

[FortyThree]

"I'm not sure precisely. Delphina will know, though I'd say flying should cut the trip down to a third atleast. It depends on how quickly the beasts tire, I don't know how many will be riding to a griffon. The five or six of us will have to do. Delphina and I are the best snipers there are, and we have a great deal of magic at our disposal. It should be enough to turn the tide."

Diocles didn't turn back to face Sul as he spoke. It was still a little difficult.

 

[Slycne]

'Heh, travel by boat and cart for a better part of a month to get nearly poisoned, only to end up back where I started.'

Jarrik internally chuckled at the oddity of it. It didn't take long to figure out where they were headed though, the tallest and noisiest section of the fortress could only house one thing.

"I don't suppose they're anythin' like ridin' a horse?" He queried the older wardens.