fadewalk | RP: Through the Eluvian!

((ooc: With sigrun_fadewalk, heromiyuu, wardenalistair, blackwall_fadewalk & dagna_fadewalk. I'll consider this thread no good to recieve new participants because we're little fullhouse'd here. Also, for the RP order: Sigrun/Alistair/Neria/Blackwall/Aria. Gogogo Ground Zero Team! xD))

There it was. The Eluvian.
Beautiful, shiny, restored.
She'd like to know how Dagna had accomplished such feat, but now her curiosity should remain controlled. She would re-activate the Eluvian and she had no idea of what would happen after. Maybe the magic dragging people to Dirthamen knows where intensified. Maybe more strayed people arrived. From what she knew, anything could happen. But saving Dagna was important, too important for Aria just sit and wait for the Eluvian give her back as it had done with Varric and Cullen. Dagna was the only creature in Skyhold which never looked down on Aria for her problems with controlling the Voices from the Well. The only person capable of keeping up with her logic lines, to aid her, to complete that part of her. The Arcanist was missing and she was mortified. Infinitely more than she would ever admit.

Aria could deal just fine with long waits.
But the short ones? Hmph, Creators, it was surprising she hadn't opened a hole on the floor where she was pacing. She already had travelling supplies and the straps of her Inquisition Scout armor (there was no mage armor to be seem, anywhere) were well adjusted. Thank the Creators she had the habit of walking with her staff around Skyhold no matter the time or day, or she would feel naked without her usual weapon.

She wondered if the Voices would come back once they left Skyhold.
The Inquisitor was both thrilled and frightened with the idea.

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Sigrun slipped into the eluvian room so quietly as to perhaps not be noticed. She'd been basically armored up the whole time they'd been in Skyhold, except when she'd felt safe enough to shirk her armor and get some sleep in the mage tower with Dagna, so she didn't really look any different than she had in the tavern earlier. She had filled a pair of waterskins and stashed a few biscuits from the kitchens in her belt pack, and that was all.

She took up a position against one wall, fiddling with a small throwing knife with anxious energy.

Alistair arrived hand in hand with Neria, loose limbed, filled with an easy confidence hard-won through years of battle and service and boosted by his wife's presence at his side. The armor he'd borrowed was just a touch ill-fitting, but serviceable.

He gave the eluvian a once-over when they stopped in front of it and humphed.

"So this has is the thing that's given us so much trouble. You can tell it was Morrigan's - look how grandiose and imperious it is. Give it a moment and it'll start laughing at me."

The only thing hinting Neria was a mage was the staff on her back; she was wearing a shirt too big for her and simple leather trousers and boots. Luckily, is she could use her Arcane Warriors, no armor would be needed as long as she could bend the Veil with her will.

The Eluvian and the mention of Morrigan brought back old memories and she smiled to herself. "If this Eluvian starts laughing we'll have greater worries."

Blackwall entered the Eluvian’s room last, following the most famous Warden couple in history. Bit intimidating, them. Not terribly serious, but then most Warden’s didn’t tend to be until the darkspawn appeared.

His silverite armour seemed almost overkill compared to the others, but it was made less impressive by the shabby pack and bedroll he'd slung over his shoulder. His shield hung off it, ready to be pulled on, sword at his hip. Almost felt ready for whatever they were about to throw themselves into.

He nodded to the only dwarf in the room, a Warden he didn’t know. Offered his hand to her. “Blackwall. Apparently we’re going to be going through a magic mirror together. Or at least,” He raised his eyebrow in Aria’s direction. “That was the invitation I got.”

Aria stopped pacing once Sigrun arrived, nodding to the dwarf. She reached her hand for Alistair after, glad to see him in one piece after Adamant. Cute to see him with Neria, looking like a young couple though, according to Leliana, they had been together for quite some time now. Finally, she smiled at Blackwall once he arrived.

"Good. We're all here now, ready to venture through the magic elven mirror." she nodded "Our priority here is to find Dagna, but we also should look after resources we might be able to use here and, obviously, a way out of this place. Not that you guys aren't a great company, but." she paused "Once I open the Eluvian's path, I don't know what is going to happen, so be ready for anything. Any considerations before I start?"

Sigrun eyed the big beardy human. Huh. She hadn't seen any beards that impressive since Orzammar. She could feel the taint in him, liked the half-attempt at humor even if it was at odds with the entitled superiority that facial hair radiated.

Then again, he was human, so it wasn't really his fault that his beard reminded her of the noble assholes with their carefully oiled and braided beards who liked to lord it over dusters like her. She gave his hand a firm shake in return. "Sigrun," she introduced herself simply.

"Ready and stab-happy when you lot are," she told the Inquisitor, moving to flank the Commander on Alistair's opposite side.

Alistair cast a warm smile at his wife and then stepped forward sharply when Aria addressed him. He clasped her hand.

"Inquisitor. Good to see you all in one piece. And you too, Blackwall. I didn't know you'd arrived."

At the question, he looked to Neria, content to default to her judgment.

"Oh, Blackwall?" she looked the bearded man, green eyes round with her surprise; she give him a polite smile "It's good to finally put a face along the name. Leliana told me about you."

Then she turned to the Inquisitor.
"No. Please, go on." she whistled, calling for Jäger; the mabari hound came runing from the gardens, throwing Neria slightly off-balance when he rubbed his gray muzzle on her leg, sitting between her and Alistair.

“Ser.” He saluted the space halfway between Neria and Alistair. Best practice when you didn't know who to address. Meant he ended up practically saluting the mabari, but that probably wouldn't go over badly with Fereldens. “Only turned up recently. Wasn’t aware Sister Leliana thought me worth mentioning.” Though he knew why she had. Explained some of the senior Warden’s attitudes when he’d showed up at Weisshaupt, anyway.

Blackwall shook his head at Aria. He was as prepared as he’d ever be for the unknown. “I’ll follow where you lead, my lady.”

Aria reached for Blackwall's hand, squeezing it and nodding with a smile, still uncertain on how to act with him in front of others. She hardly believed anyone there would judge them, but technically The Hero and Alistair were his superiors inside the order. Better avoid any complications for him until she knew none of them would report him ow anything else.

She turned to the Eluvian and took a deep breath, snapping her head to the Wardens again. "Wait, wait, wait. You and me are the only ones here without the crazy connection with the Darkspawn?" she stared Jäger "If anything like Corypheus happens again, you and me must work together." the mabari barked and she took it as a yes, turning to the Eluvian again.

Her hand reached for its surface, pressing the palm of her hand over it, low voice muttering 'Fen'Harel enansal'. Its surface lit up and she covered her eyes with the free hand, stepping away from the mirror.

When the light faded, only a lingering blue shine persisted, trembling a little like water. "Good. Still alive." then she turned to see the others "Still alive, right?"

"Not dead yet," Sigrun said, looking like she was only barely just resisting throwing herself through the now-open Eluvian. She reached a hand behind to touch the hilt of one of her main pair of daggers, glad to feel its reassuring cool grip under her fingers.

Hang on, Dagna she thought. I'm coming.

Alistair patted Jäger on the head when the mabari appeared. Jäger turned his head into the touch and gave Alistair what could only be described as a happy woof. "Yes, I'm glad to see you too, old fellow," Alistair said fondly, scratching behind his ears.

He noticed the Inqusitor and Blackwall - well, wait, he went by Thom again, technically, didn't he? At least, that was the name they'd used at his Joining, which Alistair had been present at Weisshaupt to attend. Most Wardens went by their first name, as Duncan had, though he supposed Blackwall - the real Blackwall - had been an exception. Probably because the records had that one's given name as Gordon. He couldn't blame the man. If Alistair had been named Gordon, he'd probably have started going around about by his last name also, even if the only thing he'd had resembling a last name until recently was that of a noble lineage he'd never actually had a claim to. Anyways. The Inquisitor and Thom. That was interesting. He could hardly disapprove, being a Warden who'd fallen in love with his own Commander during the end of the world. The first end. It appeared there could be several.

Alistair attempted to wrestle his thoughts back to the matter at hand and gave the eluvian an interested look. It at least seemed harmless so far - hard to believe the thing was probably responsible for dragging them all here.

"This certainly brings back memories."

And Neria wasn't just referring to the Eluvian, but also to the Inquisitor and Warden Blackwall. Was there some sort of cosmos rule about warriors falling in love for mages? She chuckled with herself, kneeling by Jaeger's side when the mabari hid his muzzle on her legs, whining with the magic energy coming from the mirror.

His eyes softened when Aria took his hand. If they’d been alone he’d’ve pressed a kiss to hers. Snorted when she made a pact with Jäger, though a cold finger of fear touched his heart for a moment. The idea of something forcing him to hurt Aria was… He sighed and focused on the mirror just as it lit up.

“Not yet, at least.” He muttered in agreement with Sigrun.

"Good then. Follow me."

Aria took a deep breath and entered the Eluvian, the familiar fresh sensation of the magic refreshing her skin.

The Crossroads weren't exactly like she remembered from her previous visit with Morrigan, but the feeling, the old magic lingering in the air, was exactly the same. Mirrors and collapsing old elven statues extended until the horizon and possibly beyond,several broken or consumed by the time. The Inquisitor grabbed her staff, looking for possible enemies or clues.

Sigrun drew her main daggers and shifted them in her grip, the twitch of her fingers her only hesitation, then followed the Inquisitor through the creepy magic mirror.

She gasped as she came out, not liking the strange way she tingled all over, how it had felt for a moment like all the air in her lungs had been sucked away. But. She had faced much worse shit before. She took a moment to look about and wait for the Commander and Alistair to appear, and then trailed the Inquisitor warily.

Alistair looked to his wife before he moved, offering her his hand again with a small smile.

Neria smiled back to Alistair, stepping towards the Eluvian. She had never entered the Crossroads, so she was really impressed by the magic lingering in the air. Jaeger sided her, apprehensive, sniffing the air.

His second time travelling by Eluvian, and while it wasn’t easier than the first, not having Corypheus swooping down after them made it less panicked at least. As ever, Aria took point, so Blackwall had rear guard. It was a strange magic tingly-feeling, and then the Crossroads appeared.

As gloomy and endless as ever. Blackwall scuffed a mark into the thick layer of dust settled over the old paving stones with his toe. Might help find their way back. Couldn’t hurt, anyway. Then, shield up and sword out, at the ready.

"Does anyone see any other Eluvian working?"

Aria was trying to get used to the new magical sensation, normal for a change, but rather weird after her time in the Fade Skyhold. She could feel the Veil and interact with it using her mana, always moving forward in the path. She could feel active magic somewhere nearby, but she was having a hard time on sensing the exact place with accuracy, closing her eyes to focus. The Voices from the Well started talking all at once and she grimaced, losing her balance for a moment. Too much noise, excitement for being in the Crossroads, answers for her question.

"Oh, for the love of--"

She snorted, biting her lower lip to avoid startling everyone with her sudden cursing, hand reaching for Blackwall's arm to steady herself, almost making sense of the Voices. She pointed to northwest from her position "There... there is a obscene amount of magic in that direction. Could be the Eluvian we're looking for."

Sigrun lingered near the group until the Inquisitor pointed out a direction and then she nodded, decisive. One glance over the Inquisitor (mage), Blackwall (warrior), the Commander (mage) and the Constable (warrior) had her finally realizing she was it when it came to rogues in the party. Well. That was fine by her. Less of Nate's fussing to deal with. She grinned, grim.

"I'll go and scout ahead," she said, tugging a smoke bomb from her belt and vanishing in a cloud of dust and smoke.

She was quick and nimble and utterly silent, heading in the direction the Inquisitor had indicated. She couldn't sense the magic like a a mage could, but the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood up a bit when she got closer, and if that wasn't a sign, she'd start venerating the Stone. Sure enough, there was an active eluvian up ahead - not so big and grand as the one they'd come through, but clearly open. She circled around it from a distance and then headed back to the group.

"Looks like an eluvian, and an open one, at that," she said, reappearing next to Neria like she'd never left at all. "I don't see anybody about, though."

Alistair let go Neria's hand once they'd made it through the mirror. He didn't draw his weapon, not yet, though he did loosen his blade in its sheath and keep his hand on it as they continued.

He looked to Neria for her thoughts when Aria mentioned sensing magic.

Neria turned to face the direction mentioned by the Inquisitor, focusing "You're right. Seems a little too much energy for an Eluvian, though this could be a side effect from everything that has been going on." then she added "It's worth an investigation, to see what's beyond it."

Blackwall stepped up when Aria wobbled, wrapping his shield arm around her waist as best he could. Braced her against his side. “My lady? Do we need to turn back?”

Sigrun’s disappearance wasn’t near as startling as her reappearance. Cole had got him used to people popping up out of thin air, or as much as he could be. Meant he kept his jump down to a flinch and a quiet curse.

"No, not at all." she swallowed hard, and rubbed her temple, keeping her voice low "The Well startled me, that's all."

Then, Aria turned to face the others "Investigation sounds good to me. Let's go." She nodded to Blackwall, trying to convince him everything was alright, taking point again. The Voices were still fussing, but the Inquisitor had become really proficient at ignoring them.