allthisshitisweird | TEST DRIVE MEME!

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.

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[ The voice itself is all wrong for any of the people he's familiar with. But the chiding tone, the correction, the fact that this person knows his name without skipping a beat, can say it with that off-handed familiarity--

That's a bit too much to ignore, isn't it? Adric is silent for a long moment himself. ]

Doctor?

[ He doesn't sound entirely certain. It's just that he doesn't know who else it could be, at this point. ]

It really is you, isn't it?

[He's both delighted and saddened by the realisation. It's always wonderful to see old friends again, but the reminders are old wounds he hadn't expected to be reopened like this.]

Ah, the voice. I'm so sorry, Adric, I didn't realise how strange I might sound to you. I've had a few changes since the last time we travelled together you see.

You mean you've regenerated again. [ And after it took him so long to start actually getting along with the latest. Life is filled with so many strange and unusual challenges.

He wonders what this new regeneration is like. ]

Have we come from different points on your timeline, or did you just manage to do something foolish after everyone last went to bed? It's an important distinction to make.

Different points in my - our - timelines I'm afraid. I've regenerated a few times since we last knew each other. Although I can't make any promises that nothing foolish has been involved in any of them.

[There's a smile to his voice even if it can't be seen.]

Do you want to continue this discussion in person, see what you think of the new face?

[ Regardless of the fact that these crystals are audio only, Adric allows himself to deflate with a bit of relief. Different points in the timeline is a logical conclusion, and the Doctor being foolish on occasion is something of a staple of the universe as he's been getting to know it.

And the Doctor being here in any of his faces is better than not, surely. ]

I wouldn't mind that. Better to get used to you like this sooner over later, after all.

[ With experience on his side, he's hoping he can do a little better by not arguing with the Doctor so often. Some of it comes down to a matter of personality, something Adric knows is out of his control, but some must just as surely fall to getting properly adjusted in a timely fashion. ]

Alright, shall we meet in the gardens then?

[He's aware as well that this could be different for Adric too, even having seen him regenerate before, it can still be difficult to adjust to the changes in everything about him. One of the many reasons he's always reluctant to seek out the people he's known before.]

Of course, Doctor. I'm not likely to know you on sight, but luckily enough, I haven't changed at all.

[ And he likes to think that he'd notice something significant like that. Where the Doctor is-- any of his faces-- dangerous situations are sure to follow, yes, but in equal part will come chances to be of help in those situations. ]

I'll be there shortly.

[And when Adric arrives the Doctor is waiting already, inspecting the various plants in the garden with open curiosity. Even forgetting to let the young man know what he looks like, he's reasonably easy to pick out, his clothing choices standing out even more here, and he smiles immediately when he catches sight of his past companion.]

Adric!

[Immediately he's abandoning what he'd been studying and rushing over to pull Adric into a hug.]

It really is you!

[ ... okay, this is definitely happening. Adric wasn't sure precisely what to expect, meeting the Doctor in another regeneration. Another face, another way of thinking and speaking and acting. Another strange, strange way of dressing. There's no way to know what sort of Doctor you've found until you've found him.

The Doctor he first met wasn't much for personal space, had those habits of arms around the shoulders and shushings and whatnot, ridiculous little things. The person he became kept a bit more distance than that. Hugging was not on the list of possibilities he'd had in mind today, funny enough.

Adric shoots the Doctor a sideways glance, brow contracting in a sudden mix of both surprise and great concern, before he ultimately sort of. Pats him on the back. It's all he can think to do for the moment. He's still trying to figure out if this is a pleasant surprise or not. ]

Yes, of course it's me, Doctor! I see I hardly needed to worry about accidentally overlooking you after all.

[He draws back after a moment, giving Adric a wide, pleased smile as he does so.]

You know me, always like to stand out in a crowd. Now, come look at this, I want to see what you think!

[And with that he's grabbing Adric's hand and tugging him towards the part of the garden he'd been so interested in earlier. It's not a terribly impressive patch and the part the Doctor is most pleased with is apparently a rather scraggly looking tomato plant which he points out to Adric just in case he's missed it.]

See? Impressive, isn't it?

[ He's got a different sort of enthusiasm than the faces Adric's gotten to know, that's for sure. Like all the cheer of the one with the scarf mixed into the faster pace of the next.

And as for the plant, the best word to describe Adric's reaction would be along the lines of "bemused." He bends down a bit to give it a closer look, though. ]

I don't know if I could call it marvelous, but it's certainly there. It might do better for a little more watering, of course.

[ When the planet you grew up on only really had farming or education as far as career options turn out, you learn a bit about both sides of the field. Ah, who is he kidding. He learned everything about everything that he possibly could on Alzarius. ]

It's marvellous because it's here! Look, tomatoes are native to Earth, yet here it is, but over here--

[And now the Doctor's darting over to a different part of the garden.]

Here! I don't recognise this at all, it's something new, maybe native to this planet.

Ohhh. I see!

[ He's not equally passionate about this plant matter matter, but something about this Doctor's enthusiasm is fairly contagious. Adric follows along behind him without complaint. ]

That is interesting to find. I wouldn't have thought any plant life from other worlds would turn up here.

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