Test Drive Meme!

[faderifting]

No, Seriously, You're Never Getting Out Of Here

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.

NOTE: We will not have an App Help/Enable Me meme this month, but anyone who has questions about OC concepts or AU adaptations is welcome to ask for assistance on the Mod Contact page.

1. WHERE THE SUN COMES UP ABOUT TEN IN THE MORNING

QUESTS COME AND GO BUT BEARS ARE ETERNAL: 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. THEY MOVED DOWN SOUTH OF REDCLIFFE

NICE PLACE FOR A SPOT OF CAMPING: If there were an inn, which there's not, there wouldn't be room for you in it. Traveling with the Inquisition means carrying your own bedrolls, putting up your own tents, and sleeping alongside whoever you've been told to share with--no matter how much you hate them or how loud they snore. If you really can't stand it, the alternative is sleeping outside. On the ground. With the bears.

3. AND THEY LAUGHED AND SANG A NEW SONG

Hey, there's a big, crazy light in the sky that craps out demons! Let's worship it!: Not everyone thinks the Breach was a bad thing. In the southeastern mountains, a burgeoning cult has taken up residence in Winterwatch Tower to wait patiently for the Maker to reach through the tears in the veil and gather the faithful to his bosom. They're a little kooky, maybe, but harmless, and they're happy enough to share their wine and lager with travelers in the area. The demon-spewing rift behind the Tower, on the other hand... Too bad the Herald didn't close that thing before she bit it. Watch your step.

4. NO ONE EVER KNEW THERE WAS LYRIUM IN THEM MOUNTAINS

TROUBLE IN THE DEEP: The Carta is everywhere, but it's here in force, occupying dwarven ruins in a chasm behind a waterfall. Inquisition forces have already cleared most of the smugglers out of the hold, but there's still a vault to break into, bodies to loot, and old texts to search through for anything worth adding to the Inquisition's growing archives. Also: darkspawn. Sorry.

5. AND THE SUN GOES DOWN ABOUT THREE IN THE DAY

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.

Comments

\o/

[morethanoneway]

Skinner was just about to see if maybe she would have some luck outrunning the bears, possibly down to the beach (could bears swim?) when a crest of lightning comes down from above like the Maker himself blessing the shit out of the ordeal.

Well, it wasn't Dalish, but Skinner wasn't about to complain about help from outside the Chargers. She could make a run for it, but... two bears, two of them, the odds were a little better if they played their cards right. Skinner was very good at cards.

Grabbing the edge of a rocky outcropping she swung herself out of the river, subtlety abandoned as Korrin grabbed the bears' attention and ran towards them, drawing her daggers. They were fast, she was faster, and by the time the bears got anywhere close to Korrin, Skinner leap upon the one she'd already singed and sank her daggers into it's neck.

Of course, now she was literally on top of said bear, but hey, she'd done crazier shit for funsies.

[gatheringstorm]

If there were more people at their side, Korrin might have paused to admire the sheer balls on that elf for that maneuver. She can't help but appreciate a little recklessness, especially when it works. Even though she's gotten closer than a mage probably ought to in combat, landing atop an enemy like that isn't something she has claim to, yet. As it is, she doesn't care relinquish what advantage they have, and so she backs up to cast Static Cage to trap the other one. When it tries to step past the boundary, the lightning paralyzes it.

"That's what you deserve! Fucking bears...."

It's difficult not to be a little petty when rift-mad things keep bothering her for no reason.

[morethanoneway]

Skinner can preen over the sweet move later on - and she will, with only a little subtly. Competent recklessness is the name of the game. At least one of her daggers hit something important - the spurt of blood the comes out when she pulls them back catches her half in the face before she rolls off and lands on her feet next to it. Korrin's static cage has the other out of play for the time being, giving the quick elf plenty of time to hamstring the bear she'd already stabbed in the neck. It might not be dead yet but it sure as shit isn't going anywhere anytime soon. That's more or less Skinner's style. Disable, disarm, then cut their throat at your leisure. Like when you don't have a second bear to worry about.

[gatheringstorm]

Glancing over to the other bear while she can spare it, Korrin flashes a grin. The less they have to worry about multiple bear wrath at once, the better for them both. When the static cage fades, she's ready with a Chain Lightning spell, provoking a loud roar from her target. As it swipes at her, she takes advantage of Fade Step to move out of the way to a safer distance...but still within striking range. This beast isn't going down without her contributing, that's for certain.

[morethanoneway]

"Over here, you furry fucker!" Skinner calls as she takes a swipe at this bear to gain its attention off of the mage before darting out of reach of the attempted attack. She's not got a bunch of armor on, but she's a quick little thing, swipes and jabs causing just enough damage to not give it a second to turn its full attention to Korrin. More work without the element of surprise on her side to try another straight-up neck stab like with the other, but it does leave the bear pleasantly open to attack from Korrin, especially when Skinner makes sure to put the bear between her and the mage after some nice footwork to get it turned around.

[gatheringstorm]

That's much appreciated, as Korrin prefers a clear shot to her target without risk of hitting anyone on her side. She's had enough fighting experience not to let that happen normally, but every bit helps. Renewing the Barrier spell, the Vashoth mage then conjures ice and surrounds the bear in it, freezing the beast in place. It won't last long, but it will hurt the beast and give Skinner opportunity to land a strike without immediate retaliation.

[morethanoneway]

That is exactly the kind of teamwork she appreciates. That fur is thick and bears aren't the type to shatter from being frozen, fun as that trick is. There's always a weak spot, though. Especially in narrative rather than straight-up game mechanics. Especially when it's all nice and holding still.

Skinner stabs her daggers straight into the thing's eyes, flinching back a little when it screams, getting bear spit and yet more blood on her. Ugh, good thing this wasn't darkspawn.

[gatheringstorm]

Good thing indeed, and despite or perhaps because of the dramatically gory result, Korrin pauses to appreciate Skinner's work. That scream nearly has her staggering back, but her sense of balance manages to save her in time, and she maintains her dignity as well as defense.

"Just for that, I'm buying you a drink!" Well, that and the earlier maneuver, but this one she had a far better view. Let it take credit.

[morethanoneway]

It might have actually knocked Skinner off her feet had she not been still holding to her daggers, which take a good amount of work to yank free. Coincidence, but it helped her look cool so she wasn't about to complain for it.

Easy enough to slit its throat after that.

"After this, I could use a drink." Skinner admitted easily, kicking the bear to make sure it was not getting back up. Simple enough work to make sure the other was all done bleeding out too. "Nice spellwork there."