TEST DRIVE MEME!

[faderifting]

What if there is no tomorrow?

Only more Hinterlands

Maybe the Inquisition sent you, maybe you came seeking the Inquisition. Maybe you fell out of a rift into this world last week and are still just trying to find your feet. However it happened, the first days of the new year find you in the Hinterlands. Tucked between Ferelden's massive Lake Calenhad and the icy Frostback Mountains, the Hinterlands are a hilly region covered in patchy forests and small farms trying to eke out a living between the boulders. Though somewhat remote, the area is rich with game and minerals and home to Redcliffe, a bustling town on a busy trade route.

Lately the Hinterlands have also been full of mages and templars and rifts, all threatening to turn once-peaceful countryside into a dangerous warzone. The Inquisition has set up several camps and sent personnel to try to restore order to the region, unwilling to let it slip into chaos. There's a lot to be done, some of it straightforward killing bad things, some of it weird and nebulous morale-building.

STILL WITH ADDED SNOW AND NOW ALSO ADDED KINDNESS TO ANIMALS (MOSTLY).

1. IF I GET SCARED, YOU'RE ALWAYS AROUND

You have turned the wrong corner in the snow, forded the wrong stream in the snow, crested the wrong hill in the snow, entered the wrong cave in the snow. Maybe you are far from camp, in the snow. Maybe you are in camp, which is also snowy. Whatever has happened, wherever you are: you are being chased through the snow by bears. Did you throw a snowball at the bears? Are they huge and snow-dusted? Babies burrowing through the snow drifts and coming for your ankles? Fade-touched in addition to snow-touched? Controlled by cold mages who are hiding in the snow? Popping up out of the snow like a game of whack-a-mole? What are they chasing you away from in all of this snow? What are they chasing you into, other than more snow? What warm things do you plan to make out of their hide if you kill them in the snow? What do you think they'll craft out of your hide if they kill you in the snow? P.S. It's still snowy.

2. THEY SAY WE'RE YOUNG AND WE DON'T KNOW

The Inquisition has, possibly, been a little too good at dealing with the Hinterlands' bear problem, and a group of concerned citizens--including young burgeoning naturalists, farmers concerned about the effect an unchecked population of rams may have on their crops come spring, and at least one woman who claims to be directly descended from bears--has taken issue. Maybe they're blocking your character's attempt to enter a bear-infested area. Maybe they've doused your character in bear blood. Maybe the bears they have been working so hard to save have cornered them in the wilderness and they're changing their tunes.

3. WITH YOU I CAN'T GO WRONG

The Inquisition's (cough Leliana's) habit of communicating by raven works out fine, usually, but this particular raven has gone a little rogue. It's not the raven's fault! She's young, she's trying. But she has very important information tied to her leg, and instead of delivering it, she's joined a flock of identical wild ravens to hunt for food in the snow. Recover her, somehow, without hurting her and making any spymistresses angry.

4. BEFORE IT'S EARNED, OUR MONEY'S ALL BEEN SPENT

The tavern at Redcliffe remains as busy as ever, filled with locals, travelers, and Inquisition members. But this month in addition to the usual free-flowing ale and rowdy conversation there is also a contest going on. Bakers have come from across the Hinterlands bearing their very best in an effort to win a coveted ribbon and the title of Best Cake. They pack the tavern and spill out into the surrounding courtyard when the weather allows, cakes sold off tables, out of packs, small chunks given away to whoever is passing and not paying enough attention to refuse. The votes are carefully guarded by several serious looking fellows in the back corner of the tavern. In addition to traffic issues, the cake madness has also caused an infestation of large local rodents, who have appeared out of their holes to devour the many crumbs. Legend has it that if they can be humanely eradicated from the tavern before the final vote is cast, spring will come early. No one in living memory has succeeded, but you are strongly encouraged to try anyway.

5. AIN'T NO HILL OR MOUNTAIN WE CAN'T CLIMB

Hunt game so you can rescue it before other hunters get there, kill demons or maybe just try to hug it out?, dig under the snow for herbs or plant some of your own to replace what others have taken, track bandits through the snow and see if they need a hand, deal with someone charging extortionist coat prices now that it's snowing and convince them to do the right thing, fall off a deceptively tall rock into the snow and admit it was your own fault, get lost circling the same hill ten times trying to find a way up to the weird glowing skull on a stick you can see is up there in the snow so that you can give it a decent burial, climb trees or abandoned towers covered in snow and be careful not to knock them down, rummage around in empty homes to get out of the snow but leave a nice apology note, run from a dragon in the snow and promise not to trespass on its territory again, definitely don't kill any fennec foxes, set up camp and chat around the fire about your feelings because it's snowy and cold, give yourself a pat on the back (figuratively, or even literally if that's more your speed)-- the Hinterlands are your playground.

Comments

(4)

[dreamcatcher]

They haven't been in this new strange place for very long, and Emma is still getting used to it. Hell it'd be a hard enough transition under normal circumstances, and things are decidedly abnormal. She's a dark one on top of being a fish out of water, and it's a hell of a lot to get used to. All of it at once is a little overwhelming.

Red seems to be hesitating to head into the tavern, and as the door slams open and a few drunks tumble out, Emma winces at the volume of the music and festivity inside. Is that what is holding Ruby back because yeah, Emma gets it.

"Do you want me to bring something out for us?" It's colder out here but it's definitely not as loud. She can probably manage to go inside a tavern and buy a bit of food for them without force-choking a stranger or accidentally setting things on fire. Right?

[eviscerates]

"I'm not sure," Ruby starts, slow and a little cautious as she glances at Emma. "I'm pretty sure taverns didn't smell as much like wet rat last time I was, you know." In a medieval fantasy land with magic and everything going wrong.

Her expression is perplexed, somewhere between a smile and a furrowed brow. "Wet rat and... cake. I'm not really about that combination."

But they've walked a lot, through the snow, and Ruby is tired, and Emma doesn't seem to be so great, either. It'd be one thing if she'd turned up with a bow and arrow, but that'd be just a little bit too convenient. "Maybe - you don't need to rest? I'm not sure if you're ready for ye olde taverns. You might get called a wench, or something. I might too, but, uh. I'm used to it."

Which is to say, she thinks Emma might punch someone.

[dreamcatcher]

Apparently her curse had managed to miss one enhanced sense, and for that Emma is grateful. The noise roaring out of the place is bad enough, she can't imagine that combined with a foul smell, too. Still, her expression curls in distaste at the idea of it anyway.

"I think I would have been okay not knowing about the rat thing," Emma notes flatly, but that's probably par for the course in a place that didn't understand disease or the necessity of proper hygiene. What choice do they have?

Does she need rest? Emma can't say that she feels tired. Or, okay, she feels quite tired, every sense has been going off at warp 11 since she arrived, they've walked a lot and the battle of whispers in her head have been pretty draining. But, no, she doesn't feel tired. And what is this about being called a wench?

She looks down at the dress she's wearing, which seemed pretty standard for the time, but still— "This is a wench dress?" Ruby had done her a favor, getting her out of the sack and burlap cloak combo, but was wench dress really the only option?

[eviscerates]

"Only seemed fair," Red replies with a bit of a grin playing at the corners of her mouth. Is it wrong that she's really glad she's getting to spend time with Emma, even with everything? Probably, but it's so good to see a friend. This is the most time they've spent together in God only knows how long.

Okay, she can't help finally giving into the smile, stepping forward so her hands lightly catch Emma's wrists.
"It's not the dress," she starts, before frowning. W--aiiiittt-- "And it's not you!" comes the next rush of words, Red making a face at herself along the lines of shut up, Ruby before trying to stop this from becoming a wreck before she's even managed to say something properly coherent. "It's the time. You could be the most demure and high class lady in the world, and they'd still call you a wench. Taverns are just... taverns."

Way to sell the lifestyle. "We could go in together? Solidarity."

[dreamcatcher]

"That's not being fair, that's just making sure I suffer as much as you do." Emma couldn't say she was any hungrier than she was sleepy, a part of her had to wonder if it was a part of her curse, but for once the voices in her head seemed to have no comment. Maybe the din of the pub was good for something, and the distraction of having someone with her was helping keep her mind off the darkness.

It was hard to pull a smile out of the savior right about now. With things feeling so hopeless, her expression was pulled to match. Still, Red stammering to cover she didn't mean that Emma was the one making the dress look wench-y, even Emma had to pull a bit of a smile.

"Then it's no different than any bar in any world, ever," she assured the brunette, shrugging her shoulders. "I made it through a tavern back in the Enchanted Forest and drank a pirate under the table. I think I'll be okay." Granted at the time she'd had no magic at all (or at least none she could reach), and now she had... well, a lot more than that. "Together sounds good."

[eviscerates]

Well, she has to concede to that. "That is a very good point."

Hell, she got hit on by creepy guys when she was working at Granny's, and when most people knew just whose Granny she was and that she was circling like a shark. Maybe it was just a given. A crappy given, but most givens are kinda like that. This isn't the time for her to get into wearing what she wants and being treated with respect, however, so she's just going to sweep all that aside in favour of tilting her head towards the door and starting to make her way toward it, gently tugging at Emma's wrist.

"Come on, if we're lucky they'll have more options than 'stew.'" So much stew. What she would give for a slice of lasagne right now, honestly. "And in my experience? If they advertise anything along the lines of dwarven ale or beer? It'll knock you on your ass, no matter how many pirates you can drink under a table."

Although that does sound like a story she'll have to ask about.

[dreamcatcher]

Maybe her experience with taverns is limited, but skeevy men in skeevy bars? Less so. Those existed in every world and every century. That didn't mean Ruby was wrong to worry, though, Emma had a temper even in the best of circumstances. She liked to think she wasn't the same woman that had bounced a man's head off a steering wheel for pointing out the truth, yet with so much darkness pumping through her veins, her temper seemed even stronger than ever.

"I think I'd rather the stew." It'd probably been cooked for hours to the point you couldn't tell what was what, but if it was cooked to death maybe the germs had been cooked to death, too. Still, she followed after Red with a surprising docility. She was still finding her feet with her curse, and she was damn lucky to have someone she knew and trusted to help her, but it didn't hurt to be careful.

The roar of sound was a little overwhelming, and Emma's attention delayed to the place Red had her by the wrist. Doesn't she deserve to know what you are? How dangerous it is to be close to you? Apparently even in a roaring crowd, the little whispers could catch up with her. "Huh?" Emma said intelligently, shaking her head and catching Ruby's eyes. "Okay, sure." Was it at all obvious that she was having a hard time paying attention?

[eviscerates]

"Come on, where's your spirit of adventure? There's an entire world of food poisoning for us to discover."

Red's eyes widen a little with her faux-enthusiasm, which passes for genuine excitement a little too well. There's something good about this. It's not Storybrooke, and it's no part of Misthaven that she's ever heard of before. It could be a whole new world, but being in this kind of setting... it just feels more like the world that she fits into. Maybe it's just because she has a friend with her, again - she could hardly tell you, if you asked.

The lack of focus isn't lost on her, and Red is watching Emma with her head a little tilted to the side and her smile a lot gentler, as she shuts the door behind them and nods towards a free table, releasing Emma's wrist so they can sit. "Hey. Are you okay?"

It worries her. Even with her and Emma not being so close lately as they were before, she's Red's friend. Not taking an interest, not caring... that's not who Red is. It not who Ruby is, either. And Emma believed in her when no one else would have given her a shot. That's the kind of kindness you don't easily forget.

[dreamcatcher]

When she's released, Emma takes her seat and eyes the tavern. Her head occasionally tilts to the side, like there's a fly buzzing around her, or someone whispering in her ear. The battle of the voices never seems to stop, even in a place so full. She hears Red over the dim, though, and green eyes return to her friend instead.

Is she okay? Honestly, no. Maybe she wasn't okay before all this, even, and she's definitely not okay now. Emma falls into stilted silence, and the tavern eats up the absence of noise, but that doesn't keep the pause from being unnoticed. She feels as if she almost owes her the truth... she's dangerous now, a monster. She's already slipped and used magic, without even trying. She knows how easily emotion can make her lose control, and as long as Red is close to her she's in the crossfire.

Emma swallows and looks down at her hands. She does owe Red the truth, she just isn't sure it's wise to give it in the middle of a busy tavern. "Once we get a room, there's something we've got to talk about." She can't mention it now, but she will. "Now how about that trichinosis stew?"

[eviscerates]

Something we've got to talk about. That is a collection of words that can be exceptionally alarming in any context, and ever since the curse was broken, the potential for terribleness kind of escalated a little. Ruby's biggest problems were feeling like she'd be stuck in a small fishing town in Maine for her whole life. The potential for terrible once magic was brought back into the picture and you could feel the monster lurking underneath your skin again for the first time in, what? Three decades? It was kind of a spike. Maybe something happened in Storybrooke, or maybe something happened to Emma. Right now, she has no idea. The only thing that really has any significance is that Emma needs to talk. Though Red has pushed herself up to stand, she lingers by Emma for a moment to squeeze her shoulder.

"Of course. These ears are all the better for hearing with, so... you've come to the right person." It's a lame joke, but Red is kind of a lame person, gifted with an encouraging smile. "And you got it, Sheriff. I'll ask for a side of extra e.coli."

And with that, she sweeps away to place an order at the bar, weaving past burly men with axes. She's not gone long, and returns with two giant wooden steins of beer, setting one down in front of Emma before she slides back into the seat. "Apparently this from a brewery in a place called Denerim. And the guy at the bar had never heard of any of the towns I mentioned, and looked at me weird when I mentioned Queen Snow White. He almost didn't give me the beer."

[dreamcatcher]

It's a bad joke but Emma sighs a weary laugh, anyway. She's luckier than she would have thought, knowing her normal tendency to end up alone. She's not sure why she got drawn into this place, but it's a relief to have someone here with her. It's not Ruby's responsibility to keep away the darkness, yet having someone she can trust? Well it might just help her without Red having to do a thing.

She probably should have followed along. The idea had been to do this together, and in the end, Emma lets herself get distracted by the absence. Her thoughts spin about as fast as possible until Red is back again, and Emma has to physically shake off the growing resentment toward the rather short bearded fellow making eyes at her from across the pub.

"Denerim, huh? Never heard of it." Emma had heard of at least a few magical worlds on accident just through popular culture, but she didn't remember anything about a Denerim. "Got it. Don't mention mom and pop." Honestly Emma didn't ride on her parents notoriety very often, anyway. She didn't identify much with the fact she was a princess.