Test Drive Meme!

[faderifting]

You'll Never Leave the Hinterlands Alive*

Welcome to Fade Rift's very first Test Drive Meme! Use one of the prompts below or make up your own, and tag around! Have fun, try out the setting, generate samples for your app, coerce your friends into joining you.

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, early fall finds 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.

1. In the Deep Dark Hills of Western Ferelden

You have turned the wrong corner, forded the wrong stream, crested the wrong hill, entered the wrong cave. Maybe you are far from camp. Maybe you are in camp. Whatever has happened, wherever you are: you are being chased by bears. Did you provoke the bears? Are they huge? Babies? Fade-touched? Mage-controlled? What are they chasing you away from? What are they chasing you into? What do you plan to make out of their hide if you kill them? What do you think they'll craft out of your hide if they kill you?

2. There I Read on a Hillside Gravestone

The rebel mages and renegade templars have ravaged the Hinterlands, skirmishes breaking out all over. It looks like you've just missed one-- great spikes of ice melt slowly in the cool autumn sunlight and patches of grass and trees have been scorched away. Three bodies are scattered about, two templars and one mage judging by their clothing. You could bury them. Or search their pockets. Or track their friends. Or all of the above, if you're feeling industrious.

3. Won't You Walk With Me Out the Mouth of this Holler

Whatever task you were actually sent out here to do, you are going to be late. One-Eyed Jimmy asked so nicely for your help finding his prize ram, Lord Woolsley. It's been in the family for years, so smart for a ram, it's a good luck charm, their business has boomed with it around, and it's lived for so long, he just can't abide thinking of it getting eaten by some mangy apostate. And then he went and offered you money, too. How could you say no? Maybe you're still wandering, asking everyone you pass if they've seen a ram that looks like it's wearing an orangey-red sweater. Maybe you've found it and are chasing it around a lake or trying to lead it back to the village for your reward. Maybe you've gotten fed up and gotten out your sword to bring Jimmy a new sweater instead and discovered that lucky Lord Woolsley is a demon in sheep's clothing. Surprise!

4. Fill Your Cup With Whatever Bitter Brew You're Drinking

Just because the region's had a rough time lately doesn't mean the tavern at Redcliffe is any less crowded than usual. Bella behind the bar dishes out tankards to refugees and soldiers, scared villagers and angry farmers, merchants traveling through from Orzammar and Orlais and families fleeing the rifts in the foothills. It's packed, basically. The Inquisition has only recently extended its influence into the region, and while some have already seen the benefit-- demons killed, fighting broken up-- others are skeptical.

5. Spend Your Life Just Thinkin' of How to Get Away

Choose Your Own Adventure: hunt game, kill demons, gather herbs, track bandits, haggle over the price of armor, fall off a deceptively tall rock, 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, climb trees or abandoned towers, rummage around in empty homes, run from a dragon, cry over how cute that fennec fox you just shot was, set up camp and chat around the fire, knock yourself out (figuratively, or even literally if that's more your speed)-- the Hinterlands are your Frostback Mountain oyster.

*Yeah, I had this stuck in my head. It's a good song!!

Comments

1

[arlathvhen]

[ It would definitely be useful to have someone who could go toe-to-toe with a bear. Unfortunately for Korrin, Beleth is not that person. She is, however, not the kind of person who's going to let a bear maul some unfortunate qunari. The first thing to do is to get the bear's attention--easily done, as she lets a poisoned arrow fly at it.

As the bear makes its opinion of this (negative in the extreme) known, the Dalish reaches into her pouch and throws a trap between her and the bear. This proves to only piss it off further, and Beleth decides that a graceful retreat may not be a bad thing. She turns to the qunari as she starts to hurry away from the poisoned and singed bear. ]

Um--I'd run, if I were you! Or, I mean. Whatever you want, really.

[ As though she were going to order around a woman a head taller than her. ]

1

[gatheringstorm]

[Company is unexpected, but definitely not unwelcome at this stage. Darting the Dalish woman a grateful smile, she renews her Barrier spell. That comments gets a brief chuckle out of her, but--]

I'd love to, but if this Maker-damned thing reaches the village....

[It's not that far away and she'd rather not be responsible for that massacre. Better to clean up her own mess, even if she'll be hurting later. Or sooner. So, she launches a salvo of lightning blasts from her staff to home in on the bear.]

[arlathvhen]

[ A point that she hadn't thought about, one that makes her stop her retreat. She's pretty sure that the Inquisition soldiers were still patrolling the village, but an angry bear might be enough to slip through their ranks, to the refugees.

The lightning does seem to do the job, though. Beleth, being a big fan of not having a half-dead bear on her hands, decides to make sure of it, and lobbies a handful of arrows at the bear, shooting them off in a rapid succession. It's only when she's sure that the bear is dead, that she puts down her bow. ]

...I think the bears here are meaner than in the Free Marches. It must be the cold.

[ Not that the cold stops her from running around with no shoes, naturally. ]

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin takes a moment to observe the bear intently before lowering her staff, some of that tension draining from her. But not all, because if there's one thing she's learned about this place is that bears tend to stick together. So she'll spare a intent glance around before nodding to the elven woman with a grateful smile. She's no glory hound and doesn't really care who gets the killing blow as long as its dead.]

I was just thinking the same thing, though I'd also bet that the Breach did something to them. Drove them mad, fade-touched them, whatever.

Thanks, by the way. I probably should have thought ahead before seeking them out, but I was so tired of being ambushed.

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth doesn't bother bragging, either. It's entirely possible the lightning downed the bear--The elf was far more concerned about making sure it was really dead, than who got the final blow. If she got too close to it, and the bear decided that it wasn't quite dead yet, no one would be winning.

Except maybe the bear. ]

Oh, I've heard that. The wolves are similar--Far more aggressive than I've seen wolves before. But most of Ferelden seems to be aggressive.

[ The mages, the templars, the dogs, the shemlen. Why wouldn't the bears decide to join in? At Korrin's apology, Beleth just smiled, shaking her head. ]

It's not a problem, I've gotten tired of them too. The last time I upset one, it chased me up a tree. I had to sit there and wait for an hour. I'm glad this time, I had someone else fighting them as well, or I might well be in the same position.

[gatheringstorm]

[Her response with a self-depreciating smirk, after looking over the bear and deciding against taking its pelt. She has enough things to sell, though it's Beleth's if she wants it.]

Don't tell anyone, but that might have been me if they didn't seem to have a talent for closing in before I can Fade Step away from them.

I'm Korrin, by the way, of the Valo-Kas. Though it's more accurate to say I'm with the Inquisition now.

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth might take it later. Both the pelt and the meat could be put to good use. However, it's rude to start butchering an animal when someone is trying to hold a conversation with you, so it will hold. She looks a little startled by Korrin's words--the idea that a qunari mercenary could be stuck in a tree is a new one, and the mental image of one perched there like a large bird very nearly causes the elf to burst into laughter. A smile sneaks onto her face, but Beleth finds introducing herself to be an excellent opportunity to politely duck her head. ]

Well met, Korrin. It seems we are allies in more than just bear hunting! My name is Beleth, of the Ashara clan. Some of my clanmates and I came to offer the Inquisition our aid.

[ There's a small pause as Beleth glances around, perhaps expecting Cassandra or another member of the Inquisition to roll out of the underbrush and cluck disapprovingly at her next words. ]

...Can't let the humans do all the work, or the world will just end up on fire again.

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin laughs at that, not caring who hears her. Then again, she has the luxury of being a qunari and that means few would confront her directly. As much as she dislikes people giving her a wide berth over it -her social life is not great- there are perks.]

Truer words were never spoken. That's more or less what the leader of my company said, too. Some were assigned to keep peace at the Conclave; it didn't work, obviously, but perhaps if there had been more of us, who knows?

[It's said in jest, though the loss still hurts. Nonetheless, she nods approvingly, not about to dwell.]

I'd heard about a resurgence of Dalish in the area. Good on your clanmates for joining us. All jests aside, humans could do with the reminder that it's not only their world we're fighting for. It's just as much ours. [Not that most are malicious about it, at least that she's seen, but still. They can be awfully short-sighted.]

[arlathvhen]

I wouldn't blame yourself, or your company--What can a soldier do against a magical explosion? I don't know what could have been done to stop that Breach from forming, but...I don't think that it's something that any of us could have done.

[ She gives an encouraging smile to Korrin. She's not entirely sure of her words, but she figures they're something that Korrin ought to hear. After all, guilt can nag at a person, well after the course of events. ]

Ah, yes. I've heard that some Dalish from other clans have trickled in--I think I saw one with a mercenary group?--But it's good to see that other clans are having an interest in this, as well. I won't be surprised if we end up getting an early Arlathvhen to discuss it. Maybe they'll end up sending more.

[ She pauses, and there's that awkward glance around again. ]

...Not that I can blame a lot of Dalish about being nervous about joining. You know. An Orlesian religious organization. But I mean. No one wins if Corypheus manages to restore Tevinter to its old glory. Especially Dalish.

[ Then Beleth clears her throat. Korrin probably didn't want a lecture about Dalish politics. ]

...Anyway, we're all a part of the Inquisition for now.

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin smiles a little in return at those words of comfort, not entirely ready to let go of what guilt she possesses but it's still appreciated. She's probably right, there probably wouldn't have been any way for her to stop it, but it's still something she'll always wonder about to some degree even if wallowing isn't her style.

Talk about the Dalish doesn't seem to bore her; if anything, she listens with mild interest. Despite traveling all over Thedas, she knows little of the nomadic elves.]

'Whatever we were before, we're now the Inquistion,' yes, I've heard all that. And I'm willing to do what needs to be done, but no, I don't blame your people for having their reservations. The Inquisition may the safest bet these days, but it can't be an easy thing to put trust in an organization with Chantry roots. For what it's worth, I'm glad to have your people around. I may know little of them, but I think it's going to take more than Chantry folk to turn the tide. Everyone has a part to play, whether bigoted Revered Mothers in Val Royeaux think so or not.

[The Vashoth mage rolls her eyes as she says that, not having been present for the incident but definitely hearing about it after the fact.]

Now that you mention it, I think I know what mercenary group you mean. The Chargers, right? They look like a fun bunch, but I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive their foolhardy leader for running back to camp with four angry bears in pursuit. Some of us wanted a break from killing them for at least five minutes, you know.

[arlathvhen]

In the fifth blight, the Dalish stood with the Hero of Ferelden against the Darkspawn. Just as we did then, we knew that we couldn't stand by when the world was at risk. Besides, keeping out of these messes has only gotten us in trouble, in the past.

[ She makes a face. Beleth is definitely one of the Dalish who have been keeping up a healthy grudge about the whole exalted march thing. ]

But I'm glad to see that we've been as welcomed as we've been, and that others feel the same way. I've seen so many different kinds of people working together. I mean, before the Inquisition, I'd only seen a handful of dwarves, and one or two qunari. It's...surprising.

But--Yes. The Chargers. They seem to know what they're doing--He really did that?

[ She blinks, looking surprised. Four bears. That's enough to strap them to an aravel and start heading north. ]

...Well, I mean, have you seen how big he is? He's as big as four be--

[ Oh, wait. She's talking to a qunari. Who presumably knows how big other qunari are. She clears her throat. ]

I imagine so. I haven't met any of them, but I heard they're dealing with the weird bandits in the southwest.

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin just chuckles, shaking her head.]

Hey, he's huge even to me. And yes, he did. It took a Firestorm spell to wipe them out before they could reach the other officers. Say what you will about my taking the fight to the bears, but at least I didn't drag them back with me.

[She's not actually mad at Bull, though, just rolling her eyes at him because that was ridiculous.]

That's the way it always is, isn't it? If you want something done right, do it yourself...or hear about it forever afterwards. At this point, being reactive does no one any favors. Though if I'm being totally honest, that's not my style anyway.