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Annie is on her trike on her way to school.
This van labeled HAZARDOUS MATERIALS is also on its way to school.
The van hits a patch of black ice. It goes spinning, it turns over, it slices itself open on a wrought-iron fence with spikes, and it disgorges boxes which smash open on the pavement. Some of them skitter clear into the slush.
Some of them - along with most of the van - land on Annie.
There is a whirl of bewildering pain and confusion -
- and she falls to the ground, injured and in more kinds of discomfort beyond that and moaning.
She slowly starts to heal before the eyes of her sole witness.
six artifact pileup annie in thedas
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keep_busy
Stalas and Caridin are gone for several hours, during which time Hesta reads a book, Pell and Kador play some sort of card game, and Tamek knocks gently on Annie's door to ask if she would like any food or drink.
keep_busy
"...If there are things to eat besides nugs that's very tempting."
"I looked in the kitchen and found imported candied fruit slices; do those tempt you?"
"I'll be back in just a moment, then."
Tamek goes to the kitchen and fetches Annie a bowl of candied fruit slices. It's slightly unclear what some of the fruits involved actually are, but all of them are sweet and fruitlike.
Tamek goes to the kitchen and fetches Annie a bowl of candied fruit slices. It's slightly unclear what some of the fruits involved actually are, but all of them are sweet and fruitlike.
keep_busy
And they aren't nug or spider or licorice or mushrooms or honey, so they are perfect and she devours them. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome." Tamek glances at the writing materials. "What are you writing?"
keep_busy
It's all in Noregrsk and therefore illegible. "Just - notes. It helps me think and I haven't been able to for a while."
Tamek nods.
"No, I do not. I would not expect him to be gone for the entire day, but beyond that I cannot say."
keep_busy
"Okay."
She has never developed the habit of pacing. She goes back to writing.
She has never developed the habit of pacing. She goes back to writing.
And Tamek goes away. And some more time goes by. There are mechanical clocks in the house, somewhat crude but perfectly readable; it's been two hours, three, four...
keep_busy
Well. She has a lot of accumulated feelings to write out. Even if most of them are "aaaaaaaaaah Stalaaaaaas" there is some legitimate complexity in there.
Meanwhile at the palace:
An apologetic servant interrupts Prince Bhelen at his desk to inform him that, item one, the paragon Caridin has emerged from the Deep Roads as a ten-foot-tall steel golem and taken up residence with a small retinue of other golems in that Ortan property by the stairs; and, item two, Caridin and one of his retinue are here in the palace requesting an immediate private meeting.
An apologetic servant interrupts Prince Bhelen at his desk to inform him that, item one, the paragon Caridin has emerged from the Deep Roads as a ten-foot-tall steel golem and taken up residence with a small retinue of other golems in that Ortan property by the stairs; and, item two, Caridin and one of his retinue are here in the palace requesting an immediate private meeting.
It would be an understatement to say that Bhelen is surprised. The paragon Caridin has shown up out of the Deep Roads when he should have been one with the Stone ages ago, and he is a ten-foot-tall steel golem that wants to talk to him right now.
...
Bhelen takes about ten seconds to adjust to this new state of the world where the most brilliant smith the dwarves have ever known is alive.
And also probably not up to date on politics.
He can work with this.
He clears his morning schedule (with apologies, and one extravagant gift for someone that's very touchy about this sort of thing) and arranges a private meeting between himself and Caridin.
...
Bhelen takes about ten seconds to adjust to this new state of the world where the most brilliant smith the dwarves have ever known is alive.
And also probably not up to date on politics.
He can work with this.
He clears his morning schedule (with apologies, and one extravagant gift for someone that's very touchy about this sort of thing) and arranges a private meeting between himself and Caridin.
time-goes-on
The ten-foot-tall steel golem is accompanied by a smaller steel golem, not quite six feet tall and glowing faintly silver-white instead of faintly blue. The herald shows them both into the meeting room.
Caridin gives Bhelen a solemnly respectful nod as the herald leaves. His helmet's expression is perfectly impassive. "Prince Bhelen Aeducan," he says. "When I asked to speak to the king, I was told of a succession dispute. What is the nature of the problem?"
Caridin gives Bhelen a solemnly respectful nod as the herald leaves. His helmet's expression is perfectly impassive. "Prince Bhelen Aeducan," he says. "When I asked to speak to the king, I was told of a succession dispute. What is the nature of the problem?"
Bhelen looks at the smaller golem, decides that Caridin is keeping it as a bodyguard for things that need a smaller golem instead of one that is ten feet tall, and promptly ignores it.
"Paragon Caridin. It's a bit of a - well, mess. How much have you heard so far?"
"Paragon Caridin. It's a bit of a - well, mess. How much have you heard so far?"
Nod.
"It all started," says Bhelen, "a couple months ago with the murder of my older brother, Trian." He shakes his head, disgusted. He's done this bit several times now, he has it down perfectly. His restrained and moderated but still seething anger is palatable. "The foul deed was accomplished by our mutual brother, now exiled to the Deep Roads."
"It all started," says Bhelen, "a couple months ago with the murder of my older brother, Trian." He shakes his head, disgusted. He's done this bit several times now, he has it down perfectly. His restrained and moderated but still seething anger is palatable. "The foul deed was accomplished by our mutual brother, now exiled to the Deep Roads."
time-goes-on
"Troubling," says Caridin. "I am sorry for your loss. But then who disputed the succession?"
"Father was driven into grief at the death of his son at the hands of a kinslayer - and Lord Harrowmont took advantage." He sighs. "He was supposed to be Father's friend. But immediately after my father's grief took him, Harrowmont started claiming that Father had asked him to take the throne on his deathbed, and that I -" Bhelen visibly has trouble getting out the next sentence. He steadies himself with a breath, then continues on, "I am responsible for killing Trian."
He doesn't say 'I didn't do it!' because that would seem too defensive. Of course he didn't do it. He's not defensive, he's horrified and insulted and enraged. All emotions that a good dwarven prince would feel about his father's friend taking the chance to betray him, and by extension, Bhelen.
He doesn't say 'I didn't do it!' because that would seem too defensive. Of course he didn't do it. He's not defensive, he's horrified and insulted and enraged. All emotions that a good dwarven prince would feel about his father's friend taking the chance to betray him, and by extension, Bhelen.
time-goes-on
Caridin nods slowly. "Harrowmont was your father's second? A terrible thing, for the kingdom to be so swept by betrayal..."
"Terrible indeed," sighs Bhelen. "I would never have thought him to betray Father, let alone attempt to split the kingdom like this. These are dark times. The darkspawn only grow stronger, our people grow weaker as we fight among ourselves, bribing and blackmailing and assassinating for a taste of power."
He looks at Caridin like he's the single ray of light in a very dark cave.
"But, I'm hoping with your help, we can change that."
He looks at Caridin like he's the single ray of light in a very dark cave.
"But, I'm hoping with your help, we can change that."