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

Re: II.

[ragweed]

She'd have been an easy mark for him a lifetime ago. It's hard to tell if that's what makes him pause, or if it's the green glow emanating from the middle of her chest.

His hearing isn't as good as it once was, but his eyesight is shrewd as ever in the blackness of the mines. The shadowy figures haunting her steps don't go unnoticed, but Kit doesn't peg them for Carta or Coterie. Life down here breeds desperation; better to give them every reason not to risk their necks.

He makes a show of putting his back to them, so that in the glint of the firelight offered by a flickering sconce they can see the two, mean axes sheathed across his shoulderblades. Over his shoulder, he gives each of them a pointed, cold look. Then he turns and walks after the elf, and calls out to her, "Hey, I think you dropped something."

[eolasemah]

Their steps slow, and they exchange a glance. Perhaps it would be worth it, or perhaps they'd cause a scene. People get weird about elves these days. Might be best to move along.
Sina's gait has quickened-- one doesn't spend one's life in a forest without knowing what it feels like to be watched by a predator-- but it slows again when she's addressed, turning with a little jump toward the man who is, unexpectedly, shorter than herself.

"Oh," she intones, and looks down, then behind her, subtly flicking her gaze to the now-retreating backs of the humans. Seeing that she clearly didn't drop anything, she draws her gaze back to the dwarf, wincing a little. She'll thank him once she knows he's not seizing an opportunity.

[ragweed]

He keeps an eye on them until he's certain they aren't doubling back for a different approach. When he looks back to the elf, he notices how she holds herself back from him, still assessing his motives. He smiles crookedly. "If things were going to go down that road," he points out, "I'd've done it already."

[eolasemah]

His smile is oddly contagious, even in Sina's state of heightened anxiety. She quirks a smile back, knitting her brow in uncertain relief. "One can never tell," she admits, "but I appreciate your honesty." She hasn't been mugged yet, mostly because she never looks to be carrying anything valuable. Also she has a clearly magical clusterfuck of sparkly lights residing in her person.

[ragweed]

He waves off her words of thanks as though gratitude of any kind makes him uncomfortable. "Well," he says, a word that just exists to fill the silence until he can come up with a better response, then motions on down the dark mineshaft ahead of her. "I'm already down here searching for recruits. If you want, I can tag along to watch your back for a while."

He's no thug looking to prey on the unwary, but he also doesn't normally make a habit out of escorting random strangers through the dark. Why the sudden change of heart? Maybe it was the sight of the aforementioned magical clusterfuck of sparkly lights, and all of the associated burdens that must come with it, emanating from such a young kid. It made his heart twinge with sadness, though he resolutely didn't let the emotion change his expression.

[eolasemah]

"It's all right," Sina decides, shaking her head, "I should be on my way anyway." She tucks a strand of hair behind one pointed ear, self-consciously glancing around. She wants to make some sort of light comment about how she still feels so displaced in any part of the city, let alone Darktown, but has learned from wiser people that that's not safe to reveal to strangers. She sees their point.
But something occurs to her. "What are you recruiting for?"

[ragweed]

"A mercenary band out of Denerim," he replies, then adds, "though I believe our captain has signed on with your Inquisition."

It's not too much of a stretch to assume she's part of that ever growing, ever reaching organization; he knows enough about the state of the world to know what it means to see a person who glows like the Fade itself is trying to leap out of their skin. He grows contemplatively silent; this isn't the best location for this discussion, is it.

[eolasemah]

A look of mild surprise, then a warmer smile. "My Inquisition," she repeats, ducking her head slightly, self-conscious. "I'm not certain it belongs to me, nor I to it. But it's nice to hear you'll be joining the efforts." Glancing into her basket, she rummages for a moment before removing a small packet of tea, which she offers out to him.
"I take care of the gardens, and provide herbs and assistance to the healers. If you've got an infection or have just had too much to drink, you can come find me before you bother yourself about magic." Her smile broadens. Of course, Sina herself is a mage, but she grew up Dalish in the Free Marches. You don't just tell people you're a mage.

[ragweed]

Surprised, he accepts the tea packet as she offers it to him, then gives her a small grin. "Yeah, we dwarves don't tend to do well with magical shit," he admits with a quiet chuckle. He tucks the pocket into a beaten up, bronto-leather pack attached to his belt.

"Well, I should probably get back to it. Recruits won't recruit themselves." If they did, that would make his job a lot easier. In any event, their conversation seems to have wound its way to a conclusion. He clears his throat, then nods down the dark path in the direction she'd been heading. "My offer still stands, though--not to say you can't take care of yourself, but it helps to have a second set of eyes and ears in places like this."

[eolasemah]

"I suppose not," Sina admits, her face going a bit red with the embarrassment of having forgotten. Dwarves. She knows nothing. "Don't let me keep you," she adds, "and thank you again. I'll find my way out." Of that she's certain. And it's not like, in a jam, she can't just grow a tree around someone and leave them to deal with that.

[ragweed]

Kid nods, accepting her response. He won't press the point.

To his right, a makeshift road follows the path of the old mines further into the depths of Dark Town. "Take care," he says, then turns to follow the road out of sight. The shadows swallow him up.