TEST DRIVE MEME!

[faderifting]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Maybe you’ve been around for a while, or maybe you’re new to the Inquisition. Maybe you’re new to Thedas, having recently fallen from a tear in reality and been collected by uniformed rescuers. Whoever you are, you’ve been sent to Kirkwall, to an outpost where many of the Inquisition’s members and allies work on some of the biggest mysteries and problems the organization must solve if it’d like to keep the world from ending, where “ending” means “falling under the power of an ancient powerful corrupted being who wants everyone to bow to him as a god.”

And just to be clear, it would like that. It would like that a lot.

I. THE GALLOWS: The Gallows is an island fortress in Kirkwall’s harbor. It’s been home to, in order: Tevinter slaves, a Circle of Magi, a lot of creepy red lyrium, and now the Inquisition, which has occupied the fortress with the provisional Viscount’s blessing. There are walls that still need rebuilding and corners that still need dusting, but for the most part the Inquisition has gotten down to business. There’s space in the stone-floored courtyards to train or spar; or, if your skills don’t lie in the realm of hitting things, there’s a large library and several offices supporting the Inquisition’s areas of research and diplomatic efforts. If you don’t know what to do with yourself, then by all means, ask; someone will definitely be able to put you to work.

II. KIRKWALL: A quick row across the harbor will take you to Kirkwall proper. The city is built into the cliffs, from exclusive and wealthy Hightown at the top to impoverished Darktown in the abandoned mining tunnels below. In the middle is Lowtown, home to taverns, merchants, and plenty of trouble to keep anyone looking for it happy. You’re welcome to spend your free time and your money here—but try not to annoy the locals too much, please, in case their welcome runs out. It’d be a shame to have to pack again so soon after arriving.

III. QUESTING: Barely had time to make yourself at home, did you, before you were sent away from Kirkwall again—but this time on a mission. There’s a rift outside of Markham, pouring demons into the fields, and the Inquisition has been asked to lend a hand. Maybe literally. If you have an anchor embedded in your palm, you’re needed to close the damn thing. If not, maybe you’re here to fight demons or guard against bandits on the road, or to gather samples and take notes on the rift’s location once its closed, or to speak to Markham’s nobility afterwards to make sure that they fully appreciate the Inquisition’s efforts. Regardless, it’s a long trip, so we hope you like campfire cooking and sharing a tent.

IV. SENDING CRYSTAL: Joining the Inquisition gets you access to the very latest in barely-understood magical communication devices—namely, a crystal, small enough to wear around your neck, that will allow you to communicate verbally with anyone else who has one. Or everyone else who has one. Say hello.

V. WILDCARD: The whole of Thedas is yours to explore, from coast to uncharted wilderness. Choose your own adventure!

Comments

II

[justice_is_blond]

[He rounds the corner into the Lowtown market, mostly paying attention to the notes he's going through, until his eyes catch on a familiar face and Anders stops mid-step. The other Warden with him bumps into him and gives him a confused look, but Anders' focus is on Carver and trying to figure out if he should walk over there and say a nervous hi or if he should hide.

Then Carver's turning and Anders figures his choice has been taken away from him. Anders steps close.]

Hello.

[There's worry in his voice, audible even with how quietly Anders is speaking.]

If you could avoid shouting my name I'd really appreciate it, and yes, everyone in authority knows who I am and that I'm here.

[unshadowing]

[Carver wondered if any of his sister's friends lingered here after what happened. Anders, though? He had written him off as long gone. But lo and behold, as he turns, there's the same said mage, looking a touch panicked, if at least composed for the time being.]

And who exactly constitutes as authority? The last Viscount lost his head if I recall, and then our self-styled Templar turned Viscountess became a hunk of lyrium.

[Despite the snark, there is a genuine honesty in his question. Out of the loop for too long, and he should really learn who's running the city and how that works with this Inquisition having decided to camp itself here.]

[justice_is_blond]

[...Maybe he shouldn't mention that Viscount Bran doesn't... exactly know about his presence. He'd not even been thinking about the man, thoughts more on the Inquisition than Kirkwall itself.]

The leadership of the Grey Wardens and the Inquisition. They're why I'm here and not a thousand miles away.

[At least there doesn't seem to be any anger in the question. It doesn't feel like Carver is currently feeling like hating him. Anders decides to try a question of his own, even if it's not the question he most wants an answer to.]

Are you here because of Bethany?

[unshadowing]

And the leadership of the city? Whatever bloody form that's in.

[Barely organized chaos, he assumes. Still, whatever structure there is, he can't imagine they'd be thrilled that Anders, the one who kicked off the chaos to begin with, being back in the city, where it all began.]

I'm here for a lot of reasons. [Wouldn't be Carver if he didn't make things difficult for Anders. But it's the truth. Bethany is only one reason he's here, even if it's his most personal one.]

[justice_is_blond]

[The look he gives Carver says he left Bran out of it deliberately.]

I've personally healed the members of the leadership of this city.

[Including of some very personal issues.]

I've my own many reasons to be here, and none of them should matter to the leadership who couldn't give a nug's ass about what was amiss when I was here previously. I'm helping heal and helping the Inquisition.

[His tone is a little short, though it's still quiet. There's enough noise around them that he doesn't think they'll be overheard but there's no point in risking it.]

[unshadowing]

So that's a no, then.

[Great. Just great. He can't wait until that blows up in their faces. (Again. Hopefully not literally this time around, there's been enough of that in this Maker-forsaken city).

And ugh, plight of the mages again. Some things never change.]

Oh I'm sure that's exactly how they'd see it. [He wants to point out that the loved ones of the people he killed wouldn't see it that way, nor the majority of the city's citizens who are probably still scarred from what happened that day. But honestly, Carver's just tired. He's got other things to worry about and he's not in the mood to bicker with Anders over things that are past.] No, I won't tell anyone you're here. But you said the Wardens know about you? I thought you abandoned the Order.

[justice_is_blond]

[He rolls his eyes at Carver's annoyance. He likes the guy well enough, but sometimes... No matter.]

They abandoned me. They took my cat away and left me to Templars. They're getting another chance, and not just because they decided I was worth more to them alive. For now. So do you want to tell me any of the reasons that brought you back here?

[unshadowing]

[Look he'd be worried if Carver started acting entirely nice, okay.

Still, Carver doesn't press the argument. He's too tired, and the argument too old. He's back, the Senior Wardens seem to be okay with it, so it's not his place to argue. Though if Anders decides to leave again, he'll be so going "I told you so".]

Why do you care so much about why I'm back?

[justice_is_blond]

[Anders' expression gets a little guarded.]

Because rumor had you with Marion, but I'm not seeing her with you and I'm also not hearing a great deal of yelling coming from somewhere in the distance which means she's probably not here.

[And he's worried. Really worried.]

[unshadowing]

[...oh.

Oh.

Carver's guard drops a tad bit, deflating from his defensiveness to understanding.]

No, she's not. I have Dog, but I haven't seen her in... too long. Honestly, I hoped she'd have turned back up here by now.

[justice_is_blond]

[His expression falls as he looks past Carver. Alone. She's alone out there, then, and she's always been one to want company. Or maybe somehow Varric has found her and she's not alone, but surely there would have been letters from Varric in that case.]

Well, [he says, at a distinct lack of anything else to say and just trying to find something to fit the silence.] She has a way of... things.

[Nailed it.]

[unshadowing]

[Carver doesn't know whether to laugh or roll his eyes. With Anders he's leaning towards the latter, but he at least sort of understands.]

A regular orator, you are. [He had to, okay.] I heard that the Warden-Commander of Ferelden's been missing, too. Is that true as well?

[justice_is_blond]

[In return, he rolls his eyes at the first statement, because it's a lot easier to play things off than it is to show how worried he is. The other, though, brings him right back down to the reality of the situation.]

No. Because we found him. Dead.

[There's a bleakness in his voice.]

He went into the Deep Roads for the true Calling and died down there. We found his body. ...And a lead at finding a cure, but I think I'm still some ways off from that.

[unshadowing]

[As Varric would say: well, shit. It's not terribly surprising, Carver knows, but it's still bad news. Whatever people's opinions on the Hero was, he saved Ferelden and the world at large from a Blight. He was a Warden, so a death in the Deep Roads was always going to be his fate, but it still seems a little... unfair.]

The end all of us face, some day. [But his tone's quiet. He knows Anders knew him, so he's at least trying to respect that.] A lead for a cure? He was looking for one?

[justice_is_blond]

He was looking for one. And I've been working on that search as well.

[He can't sound too hopeful. Not yet. There's been no real ground made even if he has a lead or two, but it's not like he's going to sound defeated.]

I've a few years for it, and I intend to make the most of them.

[unshadowing]

[Would the Maker leave a cure lying about, if the taint is supposedly the world's punishment for the first trespass against the Maker? Carver's never been particularly devout, but he has no better explanation for the taint then the next person. And it seems a dangerous hope to have, wishing for something so seemingly impossible. Of course he wants there to be a cure (maybe not so much for himself, but for the world at large). But did they have a chance at all?

Then again, he supposes it's at least looking forward and not dwelling on the past. Trying to better the world and all.]

Still trying to make a world worth saving? [While his tone's a tad sarcastic, it's not nearly as much as it probably would be, considering who he's talking to.]

[justice_is_blond]

[He hears the sarcasm... but also hears the difference from what Carver used to use with him and Anders chooses to hear the change more than the other.]

Yes. It's not there yet. But it's tiptoeing closer, and while I'm alive I'm going to try.

[He's on time he hadn't expected to have and the mages still have a ways to go.]

[unshadowing]

[Look at them, all grown up and mature!]

Good luck with that. [Still a little sarcastic but... well, if Anders manages, Carver's not gonna be upset about being wrong.]

I need to go and find Beth. And Dog. We split up, but he's as good at getting into trouble as Marian. [And Marian will kill him if something happens to her dog on his watch, so]