TEST DRIVE MEME!

[faderifting]

TEST DRIVE: ORLAIS EDITION

I. EVERYBEAR I GO

Believe it or not, there are bears in Orlais, too. Stuffed ones posed in noble salons casting intimidating shadows as lords tell unlikely stories about how they bravely stared the great beast in the eye before they slayed it with a single shot. One comtesse keeps bears as pets in large pens on her estate, much to the distress of her nearest neighbors. But most common are the dancing bear acts found on street corners here and there. Perhaps there is some sort of special bear communication network that has passed on a message, because it seems like the presence of the Inquisition has inspired these bears to finally make a break for it out of servitude, and that is how you find yourself being chased by a bear in a belled hat down a narrow cobbled alley lined with street vendors.

II. OUI OUI MON AMI

The Inquisition's efforts are currently focused on Orlais, where a civil war is raging and intelligence indicates Corypheus seeks to eliminate Empress Celene, while the oppressed elven population's discontent threatens to bubble over into a second rebellion. The Inquisition's activities here are mostly political and designed to gather influence and information: endeavoring to make a good impression at the ball of an influential comtesse with ties to the Council of Heralds, or assisting with the reconstruction of the alienage district destroyed by fire. There are rowdy soldiers in taverns to eavesdrop on, and restless crowds listening to streetcorner speakers preach Celene's virtues, or Gaspard's, or lament the end of the world.

But honestly, who cares about any of that? Halamshiral also offers great high-end shopping. Priorities. Gowns, tunics, fur-trimmed cloaks, sleeves slashed and puffed with layers of bright-colored satin. Tall boots with gold spurs to clink as you walk. Veils, lace-trimmed smallclothes, perfumes, necklaces worth your weight in gold. If you have the coin, the shopkeeps have time for you. The slightest whiff of poverty will leave them cold toward you. They might even pretend not to see you, but hey: they work on commission.

Even among decadence and finery, there are signs of unrest. In an out-of-the-way village square, little Orlesian children gather to throw thick gold coins in a gilt fountain, with whispered wishes and giggles. All at once, a thief pushes his way into their circle, breaking the idyllic scene. He leaps into the fountain and grabs a handful of coin. Thin, dirty, ragged, hollow-eyed and, under the hood of his cloak, elven, he scans the now-screaming children -- and then takes off running.

“Stop him!” howls one precious Orlesian cherub, her rosy cheeks streaked with tears. “That dirty knife-ear took my money!”

Kids are just the cutest.

III. SKYHOLD

Skyhold is where people who don't like fun accents and life being a constant masquerade hang around repairing walls, filling out paperwork, and, on rare occasions, engaging in elaborate, color-coded team snowball fights.

That last occasion? Totally over. Now the Inquisition will see you work, work, work, work, work. Working to save Thedas is not all fun and games, and there are plenty of things to keep you busy in Skyhold. See that roof over there? It has a hole in it. Climb up, someone suggests, and fix it. See that hole over there, in the wall? Some drunk from the tavern fell through it yesterday, and it needs repairs. See that floor over there? It’s dirty. And here’s a mop.

If these tasks seem too menial and demeaning, perhaps you’d like to head up to the library and reshelve some books. Perhaps you’d like to meet a special friend there? The stacks are warm and cozy, and at least a little out of the way. Secret spaces are at a premium. But be careful: you aren’t the only one in Skyhold, no matter how many people shipped out to Orlais.

If warm ovens are more your style than warm books, try the kitchens. They could always use a helping hand - especially because one of the baby griffons has made its way down there. A sharp-beaked competition for your plans to pilfer snacks, but you’ll prevail, right? The griffon loves chicken, and the taste of your blood. Get her outside before she gets too comfortable.

Or just feed the dogs, you dirty Fereldan.

IV. WILDCARD

Thedas is a big place. Do something else in it. Maybe in the Hinterlands.

Comments

[provenforce]

Rey couldn't tell if she was having any effect on the creature or not. She'd only ever influenced human minds, she was having trouble with the griffon. It had stopped and was looking curiously at her, which was something at least, it just wasn't moving like she wanted it to.

The scratching noise did draw it's attention and Rey huffed out a breath as it looked away from her, making a curious warbling.

"Well this clearly isn't working," she mutters under her breath, her eyes darting briefly in the direction of the sound the griffon was distracted by, registering it's a person but that's about all she's got, before looking to see if there's something she can use to lure the creature out of the kitchen with.

[demonicbeauty]

Pursing her lips together, Ariadne started to whistle. She would have taken out her flute, but she thought the sudden movement might frighten the creature.

Alastrians had a singular knack for dealing with most animals. But the bigger they were, the harder. And it didn't help that this one was...

Well. She'd never seen anything else like it.

At the end of her refrain, she hissed out of the corner of her mouth, "If you want to make a break for it, you'd better do it."

[provenforce]

Frowning at the words coming out of the other woman's mouth Rey licks her lips, her eyes not leaving the griffon until she catches a glimpse of a freshly plucked chicken out of the corner of her eye, clearly the bird-like creature had knocked it down and was planning on eating it until they'd interrupted.

"We need to get her back to her nest, I'm not leaving," she hisses back, stretching her hand out for the chicken instead, reaching with the Force to pull it close. It's an effort, and it moves slower than she wants it to, but after a few laborious moments it's close enough. Carefully she unslings her staff from her back, and sticks an end up the chicken's hollowed out cavity.

She straightens up, careful to keep the chicken well ahead of her, and makes sure she has the griffon's attention, but doesn't make any sudden movements to rile it up.

"Okay, let's play follow the meat bird."

[demonicbeauty]

Ariadne had witnessed the Force before. Firsthand, in fact, thanks to her friendship with Obi-Wan.

She'd never seen it used to fetch a chicken before.

Clever.

"All right," she said, standing up very, very slowly with her fingers easily spread to either side. "I'm going to back up very slowly. You use that...thing...to float it over the griffon's head and to my hands. Then you move down the hall past me and take it back."

Slow was the key. Step by step. Careful not to spook the creature.

[provenforce]

Oh. She wants Rey to use finesse. Each time she's moved something with the Force it's been more of a lucky accident than something deliberate. Even dragging that chicken a few feet had been a hell of a task.

"I'm not sure I can do that," Rey says slowly, keeping her eyes on the griffon. "I mean I can try, but I've never used the Force to move something like that. I might end up dropping it on her head. Or yours."

[demonicbeauty]

That made Ariadne smile, just a little bit. Her gray eyes glistened like silver coins, just as bright and just as round. "I've had worse things dropped on my head than a chicken."

Still, dropping it on the griffon wouldn't end well.

"How's your throwing arm?"

[provenforce]

"More reliable than using the Force," Rey replies, a little relieved that they aren't going to go ahead and attempt the floating trick anyway. She can throw something more confidently right now.

"You don't think that'll rile her up though?"

[demonicbeauty]

"Oh, I think it'll definitely rile her up," Ariadne said. At least, that's what the probabilities were indicating, as she looked through them. "But better to have her chasing us than chasing some of the refugee children."

And she would absolutely chase some of the refugee children. There was a one hundred percent certainty, if they didn't get her out within the next few minutes.

The children had routines. And given she had no duties of her own, Ariadne had memorized them. They'd be coming soon to sneak some treats that they didn't think anyone knew about.