barrayarmods: (Default)
For Barrayar mods ([personal profile] barrayarmods) wrote in [community profile] forbarrayar2016-12-19 09:43 pm

[ january i log: barrayar ]

Who: Everyone
What: Arrival on Barrayar and what follows
When: January 2nd - January 17th
Where: Barrayaran guerrilla camp
Warnings: None (at the moment)


welcome to barrayar.
It's the dark of night when you come to in the foothills. Snow on the ground, chill winter wind whistling. A steep mountain range towers just ahead, its peaks illuminated by the light of two moons. Whatever you last remember, it isn't how you got here, and you feel oddly jetlagged, slightly queasy.

And you're not alone. There are nine other people close by, all looking equally lost and confused. But before any of you have a chance to figure out what's going on, the soldiers arrive.

They're dressed in weather-worn green uniforms, bearing swords and bows, and they surround you immediately, poised to attack. But they quickly realize you're not their enemy, the ones they call Cetagandans. They're just as confused as you are, but rather than hanging around to puzzle it out, they start shepherding you toward their camp in the mountains while it's still dark. There's a war on, they say, and you unlucky bastards have just been dropped right smack in the middle of it.

the guerrilla camp
It's a few hours' hike through the mountains to get to their hidden camp, set up in a clearing framed by dense, hard forestry and backed against a rock face. Daylight is finally dawning when you make it there. You and your fellow sudden arrivals are ushered to an empty tent on the far end of the camp, just big enough to fit all ten of you. You can't help but notice they've posted guards all around it. You aren't under arrest – they just don't know what else to do with you.

You are able to glean, from hearsay and what the soldiers are willing to share with you, that you are on a planet called Barrayar, and this is their home, and ten years ago they were attacked without warning by the Cetagandan Empire. They've been holed up in the mountains fighting against their invaders ever since, outgunned and outmanned, but scoring little victories where they can. They don't tell you much more than that. Some dialect of Russian seems to be one of the predominant languages of the camp, but for the most part they all speak English too, if with an accent. They're gruff and wary, and if you look a little less – or more – than human, they'll eye you with suspicion, maybe even make obscure hex signs at you that seem intended to ward off evil or disease. But they aren't hostile to you, not unless you start something with them.

the outsiders' tent
It's not in the greatest shape, but if you look around the camp, the rest aren't much better off. It's cramped, but you've at least been provided with bedrolls and heavy wool blankets to ward off the frozen chill, and if you're in need of clothing, they'll provide it, although it probably hasn't been washed in…a while. The soldiers bring you food at mealtimes -- not very good food, mostly tough meat and groats, and they keep you your own campfire, just to keep you warm. They've also hastily dug you your own latrine area at the edge of the perimeter, just behind the treeline. No private bathroom stalls in this outfit, unfortunately. The entire camp seems tense and wary, and the soldiers are alert, but they don't talk much. You could try sneaking past them, but you probably won't get far.

Well, at least you've got each other for company: the outsiders on Barrayar.
vorrutyer: (Backpfeifengesicht)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-07 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"Safety being..."

He offers a lift of his eyebrows, taking in their surroundings - the mountains, the snow, the cliffsides. "At least they have firewood here. And food." With a half-conciliatory wave of his hand, he says, "Charming and spunky as your ideas are, I'm not particularly in favor of your notions of rebellion. A bit of measured, well-considered cowardice might keep us alive and kicking a bit longer. Besides, these Dendarii mountain boys are honorable louts, by and large."
changeth: (♛ Once shamed may never be recovered;)

[personal profile] changeth 2017-01-07 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
He makes a scoffing sound at her description, inclining his head.

"Hardly any man..." Erm. "...or woman would be too pleased to receive news like that. There's little pleasure to be taken in fighting one's own wars, let alone falling into another's."

He thinks better of her, really, for that being the news she took poorly.

"Well enough, thank you. And you?"

If she were someone he knew, or if she were Merlin, she'd have a longer, truer answer. But she isn't, so courtly pleasantries direct him through this conversation as it has all of them.
vorrutyer: (Backpfeifengesicht 2)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-07 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ah," By responds, slumping bonelessly back, "you are a charitable sort indeed. Protecting me from my own silverware. Helping me search for what I've lost. My word."

He lowers his eyelashes, then, and regards the boy from under them. He doesn't have the look of a Barrayaran, nor the accent, and yet it seems to Byerly that there is something quite Vorish about his expression. You always could spot a man with his nose in the air. "With that sort of charity, you must be someone truly worth knowing. Let's get acquainted. Byerly, at your service."
dendarii: (no shit)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 10:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I bet you have. Just give me a name, dammit.
dendarii: (Default)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
That places you above someone who isn't human at all in their eyes.

[ Said with bitter resignation. His own grandfather is going to be the worst culprit, in fact ... ]
vorrutyer: (Backpfeifengesicht 4)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-07 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
But my word. My word as Vor.
dendarii: (TW_S1_E2_0063)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 10:19 pm (UTC)(link)
You promised it to me. I release you from the oath.
vorrutyer: (punchable eyebrow)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-07 10:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, but I promised it to myself, too...What could induce myself to release me from that oath, as well? What could move my soul that I would break it?
Edited 2017-01-07 22:24 (UTC)
dendarii: (cunning plan)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 10:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm not going to play these games with you. Tell me what you want or shove off.
vorrutyer: (Backpfeifengesicht 5)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-07 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
[ An as-you-wish bow. ]

I don't know yet.
dendarii: (terrible techniques)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Then stop messing with me.
shri: (» are too vicious to tell)

[personal profile] shri 2017-01-07 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[ it's a half breadth too close to how the English had spoken to her for her not to feel the pull in of a irritation on her mouth, ugly and harsh and bitter. She has no business being such to this planet, whatever that meant, if as he says it true and they know nothing of the half breeds. But it had cost her nothing less than everything.

So it's a breath, and she relents, to take measure. This is not England.
]

All my life. [ said with her young face and young mouth, her pretty ornaments and well worn clothes - but it feels so wretchedly old in her bones, in her voice. Hurts coming up. ]
changeth: (♛ Let thy voice rise like a fountain;)

[personal profile] changeth 2017-01-07 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ he looks stricken at that, and if he were younger he might've blurted out something of what he thinks of that mindset. instead, he reins himself in. concludes: ]

Then so much the greater is their loss.
vorrutyer: (Backpfeifengesicht)

[personal profile] vorrutyer 2017-01-07 10:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, so you're willing to wait for the answer?
dendarii: (TW_S1_E3_0562)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 10:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He can sense that. How close he's treading to pissing her off ... He needs to be careful. ]

And now you've been brought here. To fight again.
dendarii: (TW_S1_E3_0539)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Mm, well. I'll fight to make them notice me anyway.
changeth: I don't think they would hear you from here. (♛ Would you like me to call someone?)

[personal profile] changeth 2017-01-07 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yet I can't seem to make you into any less of a spectacle."

The last thing they need is this fellow stirring up trouble, especially among as they're among an army that likely doesn't want them around as it is. He crosses his arms as this man -- Byerly -- goes on, eyebrows raised.

"God, I hope not," he says of at your service; but Byerly introduced himself, so he returns the favor. "There is something to knowing our fellow arrivals. I'm Arthur."

Pendragon is at the tip of his tongue, but he hardly wants to get into another argument about whether he or Camelot actually exist -- least of all with this babbling man. Arthur would probably find himself trapped in that conversation for an hour, at least.
shri: (» they're silver and gold)

[personal profile] shri 2017-01-07 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[ her hand comes up, rubbing at the back of her neck briefly, to relieve the ache in the her neck - where was that By man, perhaps she'd just take him up on the offer. Give her something, anything else. ]

It's not the fight. What is that, men against men? They at least, do not turn children to devour their parents in the night. [ and here she betrays herself, here she cannot be other than what she is. ] No I am not bothered by it, so much, nor do I begrudge them keeping us in such a way, it is what I would do in such the same position.

[ she sighs, the ire gone as quickly as it had come. ] this is just an unfortunate detour. I was rather busy, I guess you could say?
changeth: (♛ And the new sun's day gave birth;)

[personal profile] changeth 2017-01-07 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
You've plenty of opportunity for that, at least.

[ war does have a way of upending status quo. ]

It can't be easy to have returned here.
dendarii: (solpadeine114)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[ That's all? She's only upset about having been rerouted? Well ... he supposes he is too, but even so. ]

And you wish to go home as soon as possible?

[ He thinks no one would disagree with her here. ]

... What do you mean about children, though?
dendarii: (bg036)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Not in the slightest. I prefer my old life.

[ In more ways than one. ]
changeth: (♛ Our battles they may find us;)

[personal profile] changeth 2017-01-07 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[ if only arthur knew. ]

You're not alone in that.
dendarii: (good point)

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-07 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Ha. I imagine that's all of us, yes.
shri: (Default)

I am premptively sorry for all heinous autocorrects

[personal profile] shri 2017-01-08 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[one day she'll be helpful and not so cagey. But there's too much, and she's been hunted too long to be anything but vague.

It's going to get her killed one of these days. But for now she nods, letting that be her answer.
]

A common enough tactic, if you are not killed outright by a lycan's bite, it will turn you. Such is the difference between a halfbreed and a pureblood. A pureblood is born, a halfbreed is made.

[ she carries on like its all just tactics, like she's talking out flanking and cavalry charges.] but it wont happen immediately, usually the first night after. By then, they've gone home, to their families and it is too late. When it takes them, they lose all sense of themselves.

[ a shrug. ] It is most effective when used on a child. They will not understand to say, who wants to put down a beloved son or daughter, a niece or nephew?
Edited 2017-01-08 00:43 (UTC)
dendarii: (TW_S1_E3_0814)

IT'S COOL

[personal profile] dendarii 2017-01-08 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ Can't be worse than lobbing the dead children at Cetagandans to demoralize them, Miles almost says, but holds his tongue. That probably hasn't happened yet. And even if it has - how would he know? He hasn't been home in years.

In other words, he looks grimly nauseated by the thought. But not surprised. Oh no, not surprised. That seems a distinctly Barrayaran tactic. ]


And thus they use their own children against them.

Page 38 of 54