TEST DRIVE MEME!

[faderifting]

I ROLL TO SEDUCE THE BEAR

Tucked between the massive Lake Calenhad and the icy Frostback Mountains in Ferelden’s chilly, hilly south, the Hinterlands are a region covered in patchy forests, small farms, and a bustling fishing village called Redcliffe. The region was recently the frontline of a war between mages and Templars, but the Inquisition’s military presence has restored order and is now focused on helping the locals and influx of refugees rebuild their lives. Whether you’re a recent recruit or a hardened veteran, a Fereldan local or someone who recently fell out of a rift from another world, you may be asked to go lend a hand.

I. FLOODS

A burst of unseasonably warm weather (in no way inspired by real life events) is initially greeted with relief, gloves discarded and scarves unwrapped—but followed within the week by severe flooding across the region. Maybe you’re sent out to help debris from a road or collect the bodies of those swept away. Or maybe you’re less lucky and instead there when the waters come, shepherding refugees to higher ground, or caught riding in the flow on a dislodged roof or log. Maybe there’s a bear on the roof with you.

II. TREASURE HUNTS

Given the lack of banks and lockboxes, when the people here have something they value, they often hide it—under the ground, in a tree, behind a waterfall. So here you are, with a sketch of some landmarks found on a body, trying to find… something. If you find it, it might be useful: weapons, runes, a stash of supplies. Or it might be someone’s box of racy letters and a request to deliver them to a now-married woman who will slap you on delivery.

III. BEARS

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?

IV. CRYSTALS

Members and trusted agents of the Inquisition are given access to one of the Inquisition's stores of ancient, mysterious sending crystals, allowing them to communicate instantaneously by voice. It's magic. And a magical excuse to ask everyone what their favorite constellation is in the middle of the night.

Or to call for help because you've been treed by bears.

Either way.

V. MISCELLANEOUS

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

[firstminister]

I tend to not be involved in the fighting.

[He's usually the one telling the fighters they have to fight.]

[quietblade]

It takes all kinds to run an operation like this.

[Taas shrugs. He's a soldier, politics was not his thing.]

[firstminister]

[He hums quietly. No, he hasn't picked up on the deafness yet. Good job with the lip reading.]

And what sort of operation is this?

[quietblade]

[He's pretty damn good at it... you know, as long as he can see them. So Taas might be staring a lot at those lips, sir.

To be fair, it's a nice mustache.]

Saving the world from some crazy darkspawn who broke the sky and calls down demons to ravage everything. Those shards come from the first time he ripped the sky open, I think.

[firstminister]

So, you save this world from the likes of Satan, even though you look like Satan himself?

[So much for tact.]

[quietblade]

[Blink.]

What is sa... saatean?

[Shit, he doesn't know how to say that at all. Was it satin with an accent? No, that made no sense.]

[firstminister]

[He furrows his brows.]

Satan. The Devil? Lucifer?

[He said the name first, what is this guy, deaf?]

[quietblade]

I can't read those words at all.

[He rubs the back of his neck, slightly awkward.]

There's a Lucy in the library?

[firstminister]

[And the frown deepens.]

How do you mean, you can't read those words. I'm speaking them, can't you just hear them?

[quietblade]

No, I'm sorry. I can't hear a thing.

[He makes a gesture to his pointed ears.]

I'm reading your lips.... but Rifter words are kind of impossible for me to pick up right.

[firstminister]

Oh.

[He's a little bit sheepish. Just a hint.]

I am sorry. You are doing very well. I hadn't noticed until just now. The Devil, or Satan. He's like the head demon.

[This is almost shaming.]

[quietblade]

Don't worry about it. I didn't tell you.

[Taas prefers not to, since being an oxman already made some people think he was 'simple'. Being deaf on top of that could lead to pity, and he'd rather prove himself first.]

So this person is a demon leader, then? I guess it is pretty similar.

[firstminister]

You didn't, but I thought I would have been able to tell.

[But on to important matters.]

He's the leader of the demon leaders. The king of the demons, you might say.

[quietblade]

I've spent some time making sure it's not too obvious.

[He smiles a little, and then touches one of his horns again.]

So do I look like him because of these or something else?

[He is 7'5", after all.]

[firstminister]

Based on our understandings, yes. Though your height doesn't hurt...

[And in itself is impressive and rather... intimidating. Which is another reason the Cardinal has kept his distance.]

[quietblade]

Hm.

[He doesn't seem insulted, at least.]

Well, I'm not sure if Corypheus is the king of demons or if it's a side effect, but it sure looks grim out there. Be careful.

[firstminister]

Corypheus. In Greek Mythology, that would be the character who would speak for the rest of the chorus when only one voice was needed.

[strokes his beard.]

It's unlikely that he is Satan. But he could be one of the high-ranking demons.