i'll wait, so show me why you're strong

[ravagers]

[ Generally, people need time to cope and gather themselves after a... thing... like that. Unfortunately, that's not how Vanille sees it. Her thing is avoid, and once she gets out of that hellhole that's the courtroom, she makes her way to the supplies closet, then to the library. She spends some time setting up things, pushing things aside to make room. Once she's finished, and she's met up with the Party Brigade, she makes enough invitations for everyone. She slips them under everyone's doors, or hands them out if she sees someone walking around.



Inside the library, there are candles set up to provide some soft, comforting lighting. There are pots of tea, courtesy of Mercy, pancakes made by Viktor, and books (picked out by Estelle, of course) laid out on the surrounding tables. The others have provided their own touches, and Vanille's even managed to make something: sugar cookies, which are actually very good. They're flavored lightly with all sorts of flavors--not all in the same cookie, okay--and each plate is marked with whatever flavor she's put in them.

After a successful trial, it's healthy to indulge, right? Let's mingle. ]

Comments

[neverheardofhim]

I don't know about you, but I'm of the opinion that dragons make shitty gods. [Nothing good ever comes from Dragon worship, kids.]

Guess they hadn't invented common sense back then. [But he knew that wasn't true. It was more a case of inflated egos and god complexes. He'd get to that part of the story later -- right now it was more important to set the scene.] Just... keep that business in mind, will you? It's important later.

As for what happened, it's... complicated. When they first heard of the Blight, King Cailan amassed an army and marched forth, joining with the few remaining Grey Warden's in the country. The Wardens are the only people who can kill an Archdemon, the fancy term for an undead dragon. Unfortunately, his trusted general had little faith in the king, who was admittedly, a little overzealous. In the midst of the battle, the general pulled his forces out, leaving the bulk of the army to be overrun.

Two Grey Wardens and a blighted dog made it out of that. Only them, out of thousands.

Back at the capitol, the general seized control, putting his daughter, the late king's wife, in power. His actions sowed quite a bit of dissent, and it only got worse as time grew on. Those Grey Warden's were witnesses to his crimes, and even though they were now sprinting across Fereldan in an attempt to pull together enough forces to stand up against the coming onslaught, he sought to assassinate them.

Thankfully, he failed.

[Varric paused to hold back a laugh, disguising it as a need for a deep breath. Put so succinctly, the tale of the Fifth Blight sounded ridiculous, even though he had lived through it. How all that and much, much more had happened all within the span of a decade was beyond him.]

[plegia]

...Huh.

[For a moment he's quiet, taking all of that in.]

Well, it sounds like your world has certainly been through rough times! It almost makes all the struggles my people have been through seem utterly pointless!

[Not that he thinks that, of course. He's still very mad about the Ylisseans.]

So I'm assuming those Wardens rose up, rallied against him?

i promise varric will be done running his mouth with this next tag.

[neverheardofhim]

Still not the worst of it either. But we can get to that later. Especially if you find me a drink. [A laugh.]

Anyways. The Wardens would rise up, but first they needed allies. Ferelden's best were either killed in action or ran from the fight. There was no way two kids were going to fell the army by itself.

The Wardens were smart though. A long time back, they created treaties with the various groups around the country -- the elves, the dwarves and the mages. So that's what they went and did.

Once they had their army though, they faced a pretty big problem. Ferelden was still under the grips of a traitor, and they had no true leader. Or at least, that's what they thought.

Turns out, one of the Wardens had a secret. He was no run of the mill bastard, but a royal one, and the last remaining heir to the Theirin line.

Now all they had to do was usurp the tyrant.

IT'S FINE DON'T WORRY

[plegia]

Hah! And let me guess, they managed that as well?

[While he's not usually here for happy endings, he does love a good underdog story.]

[neverheardofhim]

I doubt I would be here if they hadn't. [Varric shrugged.]

With the Warden, Alistair, installed as king, all that was left to do was fight the Archdemon. It was a vicious battle, and it nearly leveled half the capitol, but in the end, the Wardens prevailed.

It... wasn't without tragedy of course. Not many stories are. The only way to kill an Archdemon is to take its soul into yourself, something that only the Wardens can do. And that's exactly what the Hero of Ferelden did.

[No happy endings here, Gangrel. At least not entirely happy ones.]