Readying for Vigil's Keep

It was early and quiet except for a few birds chirping in the distance and breathing from those who were still asleep. The still, cool air ruffled black hair as the owner of said hair looked towards the city she was soon to leave. Denerim was not somewhere she had wished to be for long and this time it had been a longer stay then even the city born could have wished for.

There was the sound of hoof beats upon the trail and Nygozy turned her head to look in that direction. The birds chirped and she sighed even before she could hear the pony neighing at a distance. She looked back at the others then back towards the road.

"I hope that you have patience, Kraven." Was all she could say to warn the man.

Rakot squinted, trying to make out shapes in the distance.

"I believe thats the Commander and the other Wardens up there."

A gust of wind blew from the direction of the figures, Rakot sniffed the air catching the scent.

"Yes, its them. Well, Ser Sinjan, why don't you make the introductions...otherwise this might get a bit awkward."

Maghai noticed the others ahead and he was already a good distance in front of the rest of the group as his pony had actually sped up and was looking forward to frolicking with Palindrome. The elf became excited as they got closer and closer to their target and he waved madly at them as he got closer and closer. He got up in his stirrups but misjudged his riding skills so fell off but he rolled and lay down on the pathway on his back for a few moments. That didn't stop the Dalish though as he got up and ran over to Nygozy.

"Nygozy! Hey hey hello! I'm glad to see that you are ok because we were actually wondering what happened with you last night because the king was looking for you but when isn't he looking for you and this morning we got going but you will never guess who has come back, it's Rakot and Olef," He forgot the other man's name, "And this warden named Wolfy and it's just so good to have them back isn't it but I don't think Jez will be as happy because we know what happened there but I'm sure she forgave them for being bronto asses and all but maybe we should keep them away from Ianto and did you know that ponies can squash beetles real easy here and oh they squish so good under hooves it's goosh goosh goosh but hey they will be here in a moment so I'm sure you want to talk to them and who's the freaky dude behind you?"

Maghai suddenly pointed at Kraven.

He looked at the Warden Commander, "Elves used to be known for their patience, we lived forever. We were immortal before the first blight, so when I say how long I have lived, I am saying that from when everything changed for everyone."

Lobo was rushing around making breakfast, and kept counting people to make sure he made enough. Abraxas kept moving around so he would get counted more than once, snickering to himself as he made the strange little creature over count.

Lobo looked at Abraxas, "Stop it!!! Stop it!!" he stomped his feet on the ground with annoyance, "Abraxas make Lobo make count wrong. Lobo make too much food!!"

Lobo shrugged, and continued to cook.

Kraven whistled, calling Abraxas to his side. He patted the dragonling on his side. "It is almost time for you my friend. You must find a safe place to begin the process. Come and find us when it is done." Abraxas looked up and Kraven, and gave him a loving nudge against his leg, before bounding off through the tall grass, disappearing over a hill.

The mighty Elf looked at Nygozy, "It is his time to change. When he returns, it will be by the caresses of the wind and with him he will bring the mighty roar of his flame."

"He will of course never be as big as a female, once he is full grown, but he will still be a mighty beast."

Kassina woke as the sun began to rise, feeling much better after a good night's sleep. She wasn't quite sure where the blanket and pillow had come from but she was grateful to have them. Dartmoor was curled up around her and she took a moment to savour the feeling before carefully wiggling out from under him.

The small alpha was already up and Kassina walked over to join her. She could see others approaching and lifted her nose as she sniffed the air. Suddenly a wide grin lit her face and she began bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Mag come! Cesta too! And men help save Drake when look like dark garden elf. And..." She sniffed again, catching another scent that she recognized as one of the many she had smelled in the palace, but it belonged to one she hadn't met before. An elf-human mix like Dartmoor.

Kraven looked and Maghai, and raised an eyebrow while shaking his head.

"You need to slow down young one, " Kraven began, " You need to focus on what you are trying to say without the distractions around you."

Kraven looked back to Nygozy, "His thoughts are all jumbled, and there is so much Lyrium in his system that he glows of magic. I would hate for a blood mage to get a hold of him, as this poor elf would give them great power indeed."

"Yes, its them. Well, Ser Sinjan, why don't you make the introductions...otherwise this might get a bit awkward."

"Yes I believe ... oh crud." Sinjan put a hand on his forehead and rubbed it as he could see Maghai getting much closer to the others then fell off his horse. He watched, for a moment thinking maybe the man was down but right back up he went and started yammering to Nygozy without a stitch of sense, "It looks like that is not going to be necessary. Our dear friend seems to have made it rather difficult to wiggle in."

Snow walked up to the others and Sinjan sat in his seat, listening to Kraven's assessment of Maghai, "He has magic in him? Maybe that's why he craves lyrium so much. Name's Sinjan and these are Ostef, Rakot and Wolfram. Wolfram is a warden and the other two you know, Nygozy. It seems that they have news from my father which is urgent."

Rakot had a nice, sensible idea. Let Sinjan handle the introductions. Instead, Maghai rushed up and started speaking. And speaking. There might have been an introduction in there, but Wolfram was too busy grabbing his knife to actually notice. When Maghai had finally finished, the feeling also subsided, allowing him to approach.

He pulled out to inform the commander about his transfer and walked over. Next to her was a man who made a peculiar comment.

"His thoughts are all jumbled, and there is so much Lyrium in his system that he glows of magic. I would hate for a blood mage to get a hold of him, as this poor elf would give them great power indeed."

He could feel the demon whispering to him upon hearing the comment. Had he a desire for such power, he would never have joined the wardens. And Maghai being who he is provokes feelings of suicide in him whenever his mouth opens. "Greetings, Warden Commander Nygozy. I am Wolfram Caron, a Warden from Orlais, who, as of this moment, has been transferred to your command," Wolfram said handing the transfer notice to her. "I'll have you know beforehand that I can be considered a blood mage, but I have firm control over it. I also have brought recruits Rakot and Ostef back to you with recommendations from Ser Koru that they take part in your next joining, as well as an preliminary assessment of the situation in Lothering."

"Sod it...Maghai has made introductions for us, it can only go down hill from here regardless."

Rakot said as they approached the group.

"So...time to report to the hire ups ha?"

"Yes, Ostef, don't fuck it up. The faster we're done here, the faster we're gonna get sent away somewhere which isn't close to this crazy sodding elf."

"Is that hope I hear in your voice?"

"At this point, its all I got."

The two men whispered between each other as they got off their horses. Once they were on the ground they marched up to the Warden Commander, backs straight, eyes upfront, and froze at attention in front of her.

"Warden Recruit Hemlin and Warden Recruit Ziker (Ostef's last name) reporting for duty."

Rakot proclaimed in an official tone, then Ostef handed him several items from his pack.

"We were instructed to deliver these written reports, and these soil samples to the Warden Commander. We await further orders."

There were herbs and herbs and more herbs and they were all making Jezarine giddy with the fact that she could find so many which were difficult to trace let alone acquire. It was almost like a dream to have found these plants. She'd wanted to go out searching early in the morning and then go find Nygozy so they could all go to Vigil's Keep and of course, Ianto was not about to have the healer go alone.

Jezarine held onto Ianto with one hand and tried to sort things out with the other as they rode along on their faithful steed, whatever her name was now, and tried to keep from falling out of the saddle.

"Ah." She suddenly closed the bag so that she would not fall and held onto Ianto harder as she pressed her face against his back. She stayed that way for a while then looked around past him, "Hey ... isn't that Nygozy and Maghai and ... ah ... Ianto. They're back aren't they?"

Jezarine noticed the two men who had once kidnapped her and even though she forgave them she still was timid and afraid of them.

Marcus had limped out of the infirmary since they were to begin travelling northwest to the Arling of Amaranthine today. He was still recovering from his wounds the night before. The massive elf looked over at new faces as well as familiar ones. There was one man who struck him as off. He could feel the aura of power around him and it unsettled the woodsman. Though he was himself an elf, he looked very much human due to his unnaturally muscular frame and his height, but his facial features and his ears were very much elven.

Being used as a crutch was the elf's trusty axe, Durbans. The massive bearded blade was freshly sharpened and ready to go. He greeted Nygozy. "Durbans reporting in, Commander." He said, in his Durbans persona. The buffoonish smile, and the aloof attitude were his defense mechanism towards new faces. It was up to them to see if he was faking it or not.

It was early, and Ianto was glad for it. There was a certain . . . feeling in the just-before-morning air that he'd always just loved, even when he'd complained and whined about being up at such a Maker-forsaken hour in his youth (and, sometimes, well, nowadays, too). It felt clean, and new, and it lingered just long enough into morning that it merged with the sun as it warmed the earth.

All of that was entirely too philosophical for Ianto, of course, but still, it was kind of how he felt, so there it was. And being with Jez just made it better, because he still couldn't quite believed that they'd, well, told each other how they'd felt and all. They were doing Jez's very favorite thing, to boot, and it made him happy just to see her so excited about the herbs she was collecting.

Then Jez leaned forward and pointed at something in the distance, and he had to squint his eyes to see what she was talking about. "Wha-? Where are you - Oh! There?" Her asked, pointing with her. As Moonlight kept walking forward, the figures became clearer, and he could see that, yes, it was indeed Nygozy, coming back along the road. His teeth grit on edge when he saw that man, and very consciously moved back a little so that he was closer to Jez in the saddle. She might be trying to forgive him, but Ianto was very content to hold a grudge.


[Since I'm going away for a bit, Ny has every right to bunny Ianto :3 ]

Lobo looked up from his cooking and his eyes went wide. He ran up to Sinjan, and started pulling on his sleeve. "Master Master, this man found me, let me right Mabari!! Master Master!" Lobo could hardly contain his excitement.

"Friend come sit, Lobo get you good food. Lobo cook himself." he kept pulling on Sinjan's sleeve to get him going.


Kraven looked at the new arrivals, glaring at Rakot, Ostef, Wolfram, and Ianto as the humans approached. Other than the glares, he totally ignored them.

He gave a nod and half smile to Sinjan, as Lobo kept pulling at him. He turned and saw Marcus and Jez, and his face lit up, as elves have finally arrived, so few that there were.

"Greetings Elvhen, may you find peace with in this circle, as no harm shall come to you while you are here." Kraven said as he bowed.

"I am Kraven Shadow known to many as Darkweaver. I am the Keeper of all Elvhen."

Kraven turned to Nygozy, and out of the corner of his mouth, "There are so many humans, this makes me very uneasy."

Kassina's initial excitement at seeing her friends quickly began to be replaced by anxiety as more and more strangers began to appear. Since Dartmoor had yet to wake up she retreated to the next most familiar person and ran over to Maghai and tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. "Mag! Good see you. Too many people. Who all these people? All going to bad demon place?"

More people kept showing up and Kassina retreated again, this time running to Dartmoor and shaking him awake. "Wake up sleepy! Lots people here!"

From the Warden's Quarters, walked Fremelda. She looked as bitter as ever, but there was a hint of fear in her steel blue eyes. She was leaving the only home she knew in the last 14 years of her life. Where she came from before then was still largely a mystery to her. She had one purpose though, to kill her parents for abandoning her. If they were not already dead.

She walked up towards the main group, her hips swaying slightly. It was mostly second nature to her, to appeal to others' baser instincts. She had used her attractiveness in her kills in the past. She would do so again, but not to this group. Blackmailed or not, she was a Warden now. She had a new life ahead of her.

She nodded curtly to Nygozy and eyed the elves of the group suspiciously. Especially Maghai. She seethed at the sight of him. She did take an appraisal of everyone, elf or otherwise. She had little contact outside of those who attended her Joining, and Sophia.

~~~~~~~~~

Marcus bowed his head to Kraven, still a little off put by the man's intimidating aura. "Greetings, hahren. I said that right, yes?" He asked. He had been out of practice with his elven speech as it had been over a year since West Hill fell to the Darkspawn, along with his family.

~~~~~~~~~

Gareth and Garoll arrived at the same time, from different directions. Garoll had come from the direction of the docks, while Gareth came from the direction of the Gnawed Noble. He yawned, having spent the night with the company of Pendra. He had also mailed a letter he had written that morning to his father. The Arl of Umoja greeted the group cordially and smiled to Nygozy. "Warden-Commander. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Last I saw you was during the Landsmeet." He said, bowing to her. "Gareth Feres, Arl of Umoja, at your service, milady." He bowed to her.

Garoll smirked, looking at his current travelling companions. "You kids keep popping up out of the stoneworks. I heard the Warden had a magnetic personality but this is ridiculous." the elder dwarf chortled. He had been with the group since they departed the Frostback Mountains some months ago, and had seen more arrivals flock to Nygozy every time since. It still piqued his curiosity how she found the time to entertain a love triangle.

~~~~~~~~~~

The Tamassran arrived at the crack of noon. The huge qunari in the tan robes kept his usual stony expression on his face as he waited for them to resume traveling. Others watched him warily, and he knew they were. They were not used to seeing Qunari. This was understandable, but he would convert them to the Qun all the same.

"That sure is a lot of elves."

Ostef said, just loud enough for Rakot to hear him as they awaited the Commander's response.

"My policy is to assume that they are all insane, until they prove otherwise....they rarely do so don't hold your breath."

Maddox came from the tavern, bearing a couple scraps from a fight that erupted as a result of Tiberius' curiousness. He found the commander and a bunch of other people gathered, and recognized some as wardens. He had been wanting to talk with Macha, but since the Joining hasn't felt well enough to pursue such conversation.

As he approached, he saw a familiar face. One from outside the Wardens. He spotted the Arl of Umoja, Gareth Feres. He recalled he was Macha and Fergus' cousin on their mother's side. He was certainly different than the young boy he recalled during his squireship, but just as Macha changed, he was certain to have changed as well.

"Gareth Feres? Is that really you? It's Maddox Hyperion. Heir to the Bannorn of Cercium, I think. I'm not entirely sure on how titles work when you're in the Wardens. How have you been?"


Before Nygozy responded, Wolfram had his attention drawn to the other newcomers. One of them almost had him grabbing his knife. It's like Maghai spawned a female double to as annoying as he is. He also could help but notice a familiar face that seemed to be staring in his general direction. He resembled a templar trainee that was at the Circle shortly before fleeing it. But he noticed that Ratok was in the vicinity and this could also be the man he hoped would avoid him.

"You know, that kind of attitude really isn't going to benefit you in the slightest. It may cause some more unnecessary friction if others hear that. Trust me on that."

Rakot grinned, and spoke louder.

"Heh, no offense, Ser Wolfram, but I don't need a morality teacher. And what I said about elves, I was speaking from experience. More so I don't much give a sodding shit if my words result in friction. If I have a problem with someone, I let it be known to them, and I call that honesty. If someone has a problem with something I say, I expect them to provide me with the same honesty I would give them. Then we can settle it like men, or men and dwarves, or men and knife-ears, and I don't see anything bad in a good fight, especially if it comes to me and I don't even have to go looking for it. Its stress relief, knocking someone's teeth out, or ripping out their guts is what lets me keep my upbeat, positive attitude."

"Do you hide this upbeat, positive attitude afraid that someone will steal it?"

"No Ostef, that last sentence is what we call sarcasm. I know it must seem like magic to you simple village folks, but that's more of your personal problem."

"Dwarf fetishist."

"Inbred chickenfucker."

"...."

"Really? Thats all you got? Ostef, you're starting to worry me, this is the first time I won one of our exchanges without having to break your nose."

"You won but a battle friend, the war is far from over."

"And thats the way I like it."

Rakot turned back to Wolfram.

"See, Ser Mage, that's just how us head-chopping, limb-breaking, throat-stabbers converse. Often we continue the conversation by bashing each other's heads in with our fists. You can't be thin skinned in our profession."

A woman seemed to almost emerge from the shadows beside Wolfram and she put a hand on Wolfram's weapon hand. She sneered at him showing pearly white teeth, "Nah tha's na nice ta do around Jezarine. She be da healer so don' ya be a fool cause all a da people here would have yer head on a pladdar."

Tatsoo then looked at Rakot who had spoken about elves a moment ago, "Yer quite da fuzzy squirrel bait with dense ideas an a crooked beak. If yer inta fightin da gals as well as anythin else den yer ken find me easy. Jus look fer da golden hair an ah might accept an ass whoopin contest." She didn't like people insulting elves as some of her friends, including Jezarine, were elves.

She patted his shoulder and walked towards Nygozy, "Tatsoo be here an ready to head awt." Tatsoo then walked over to Maddox and knelt down to pet the mabari, "Hai, Tiberius. Maadox, Marcus, I na seen you in a bit."

----

Dartmoor yawned then sat up and looked into the sky, "It's not even really morning yet. The sun's hardly up." Then he noticed all the people, "Oh. I hope we can get going soon." He put an arm around Kassina, "It's ok. We will find the wolves and get going once Nygozy gives us the word."

------

The dwarven weapons master came along on a strong horse then hopped off of it and calmly went towards all of the others. She winked at Gareth and stood beside him, looking towards Maadox with a smile, "Well, you are a lively one. Related Gareth?"

-----

Sinjan yelped as Lobo grabbed him but he sighed, "Yes you rode Torture to the palace. I remember that. Uhm ... you can cook well can't you?" He looked back at Nygozy pleadingly.

-----

Guremi finally woke up, yawning and looking about. She noticed that there were many people there now and was quite surprised. That healing that Kraven had put on her had given quite the jolt and when she put a hand up she noticed that her broken horn was now all healed, "Holy shoot." She exclaimed as she checked it out.

----------

Drake rode beside Calliara as they came into the camp and stopped the horses a short distance from the others. He looked about and noticed Rakot and Ostef but stayed where he was, just looking to Calliara for a moment. It seemed that Khael and Takara took it fine with the riding but then again they were given horses which were for starter riders so it wasn't too bad but their rear ends were probably already sore.

Rakot raised an eyebrow at Tatsoo and faked a confused look on his face, he then almost burst out laughing but held it in at the last moment.

"M'lady, I speak fluent Ferelden and Dwarven and can also somewhat hold a conversation in Antivan and Tevinter, I also know a few phrases in Elven and Qunari....but what by the Maker's balls was that? I am not even trying to insult you, I am just curious. That sounded like....okay, I am really TRYING not to insult you..."

"Sounds like she's been drinking the piss."

As Ostef closed his mouth, Rakot punched him in the gut, making the young warrior fold over.

"And my friend Ostef here is also really TRYING not to insult you."

"Thanks, bud, I needed that."

"Ask any time if you want seconds."

Rakot grinned.

"I hope your children die in a barn fire."

Tatsoo looked back at Rakot, still petting Tiberius, "Ah be from a tribe dawn south a Ostaga, an south a da Kokari. Dis na be ma first language an ah learned much a it a Loth...ering by listenin to da locals. So laugh all ya like. Ah don' thin ya'd be any bedda at learning anodder language all on yer own wif no one ta teach ya an yer buddy der prolly would na last even tryin ta learn anythin pas da name auf new brew."

"Lothering? Well there is your problem."

"Do I have to be here for this?"

"Alright, alright I'll stop, wouldn't want to hurt your feelings now."

"Don't worry about that, I don't have that many of em. Also, I fully realize that Lothering was a shithole, but it was my shithole."

"May we all be so blessed as to have our own shithole."

"Yeah, yeah laugh now...I'll have my revenge, just a bit of an odd day, you can't normally out talk me, ya bastard."

When a hand grabbed his right hand, he was ready to counterattack with a simple ice spell in his left hand. This women, and her accent, seemed to think that he was going to start killing them. "If I wanted to kill them, I would have summoned demons, not grab a knife. Besides, I'm a Grey Warden, what business would I have attacking other Grey Wardens? What you saw was behavior brought on by people who seem extremely annoying, to me, that makes me want to cut and/or stab myself."

Wolfram sent his attention back on Rakot. While he accepts his attitude, he begins to piece together exactly why a conscription was necessary. With a group as diverse as the Wardens, Rakot can only serve to sow discord. Especially with such elves like Calliara Maherial in the Wardens, he might find himself in trouble in more ways than one.

"I deal with demons that can contort a persons body into horrible abominations on a moments notice every day of my life. I can't afford to be thin-skinned when I can become that during my sleep. I can't, however, say I approve of painting everything with the same brush. I'm a maleficarum. You should fear me and hate me and send templars at me. Yet you don't seem to care one bit because I'm a Grey Warden. You also like to claim that everyone who wields a sword or axe talks amongst themselves like you do. I could mention examples within the Orlesian Wardens, but your prejudices against them are already apparent."

Wolfram paused to listen to Rakot and Ostef insult the young woman's manner of speech. His initial judgment involving their joining was slowly deteriorating as the conversation went on.

"You sure are one to talk. Put yourself in Orlais and they'd be treating you the same way your treating her."

Khael hadn't been around horses much since his capture, but he had plenty of experiance with the beasts before that. He was raised on a farm after all, even if it was a dwarven farm. He lead Takara over to one of the horses meant for starter riders and gave her a quick lesson.

Khael continued to give Takara information and instruction on riding as they followed Drake and Calliara out of the city. As they neared the camp Khael couldn't believe the number of people already there. When they reached the edge of the group Khael dismounted and helped Takara down from her mount. Her legs were a little bit shaky and she didn't quite know what to make of all the people. Khael squeezed her hand to reassure her, "Come on little sister, let's go make some new friends."

Khael walked up just as Lothering was being discussed. "Ahhh, other Lothering natives eh? Has anyone been back? Is there anything left? I was captured by slavers during the darkspawn attack."