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

[raas]

[ He is one of those people, but that wouldn't help his point — or his current identity as Detlef, the harmless urban birdkeeper. ]

Let me know how that goes for you. Stroll right on up to the Imperium and tell them you're giving them a chance. You don't have to take offense to someone to exercise a little healthy caution.

[romanticamnesiac]

I find there's a difference between healthy caution and 'stay away from this entire group of people'. One tends to be rather more prone to causing issue than the other.

[raas]

Did I say I had a problem with mages? What I've got a problem with is magic.

[ There's totally a difference. Totally. ]

[romanticamnesiac]

And that's different, is it? I wonder if they would see it that way.

[raas]

You grow up holding a knife, it stops looking like a knife to you.

[romanticamnesiac]

And you grow up thinking everyone in one group could be hiding a knife and you start seeing them everywhere.

Tell me, how many times have you been hurt by magic?

[raas]

[ Tovias has had some small, unpleasant run-ins. Detlef has decidedly not. ]

Well I've got this piece of shit in my hand now, feels near about to fall off.

[ He's exaggerating. At most, it feels like it's grown its own teeth to ache. ]

[romanticamnesiac]

As I seem to recall, this had something to do with how we arrived here. Unless you and I had very different experiences, I don't recall there being anyone using magic involved.