The dead rose from the beach in a cacaphony of familiar faces, familiar voices, familiar busts...clamoring to be heard, speaking to no one in particular, the survivors congealed and clashed amidst themselves, a vortex in which Varric found himself trapped. Or so he thought. A new level of powerless terror gripped the wizened noble as the monstrosity lumbered from the rocks. Its shambling unnatural but measured. It spoke in mimicked tones, some semblance of sentience in the Towering Horror. Perhaps enough even to parley. After all, if it [I]had[/I] intended harm it would have merely ambushed the party in their confusion. Why alert them to its presence? Why move with such deliberation? No, this was no common beast. It [I]wanted[/I] the survivors to know it was there. But why endanger itself like that? As father always said, to be visible is to be vulnerable.

As Varric steeled his resolve to address the unfathomable retch, he was struck dumb as the bastard Satyr dove violently into the creature's sternum. [color=#7851a9][I]No No, you cretin![/I][/color] His fear boiling to indignation, Varric called desperately to the beasts, both too dumb or too prideful to hear him. He would need some way to interject before all lines of peaceful communication were severed. Scrounging about his feet frantically, the once stoic noble hurried shells and stones in his grasp like a common street rat. Unbecoming but necessary if he were to salvage relations. As he rose once more to his full height, well above six foot tall, his eyes narrowed as the trembling coward struck the behemoth and the bastard goat unleashed another fury of blows.

Seething, Varric cursed the young man for joining the assault. [color=#7851a9]You fool! Do you intend to strike down every creature we meet on this damned isle? Next shall we war the trees? Is the moonlight particularly bothersome?[/color] Each word dripped with venom and each sentence punctuated with a swift barrage of debris. Shells bounced off the boy's uniform. [color=#7851a9]Have the defenders of Glaifast changed so in my family's absence that they kill on sight? I expect such barbarism from your thrice damned pet but YOU.[/color] Another barrage pelted the child-commander as fury boiled in Draleth's veins, all semblance of stoicism brought low as rock and spittle flew in equal measure. [color=#7851a9]My grandfather fought and died in those colors and you lead us here not as refugees but as invaders! You dishonor our King, you dishonor my House and you dishonor my name! If you are truly the last bastion of our people then the Plague was a merciful death![/color] Draleth lurched forth as he loosed the last of his ammunition with full force, his voice carrying through the night. [color=#7851a9] Must [I]everyone[/I] in your stead die before you fall in line, Knave?[/color]

His body weighed down with the indignity of his aggression, his voice hoarse from his flamboyant tirade, the weathered noble turned sharply toward the reeling Horror, his father's same steely grey eyes boring defiantly into the ruby orbs aloft in its skull. [color=#7851a9] I know you understand. I am not your enemy but these about me will not rest until you are broken and bled. Leave this place. Find what mending you can. Or stay and be shattered on the sand.[/color] His call was primal as he barked deliberately toward the damnation. [color=#7851a9][B]Go. Home.[/B][/color]