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

[gottakeeponejumpahead]

Excuse you Haelan, lots of people want to look at that. Just, you know, they want to pay Adasse copper and silver first and that is just not happening. He's done a lot not to starve but never that.

It was the difference of experiences, Adasse had always told Haelan, when they argued about mages. Haelan had grown up in the Chantry and all that religious mumbo-jumbo. Adasse was raised by a kindly mage named Evelina who snuck out of the Circle to make sure they had their lessons and were well-fed and taken care of. Losing her to the Templars and the Champion was what convinced Adasse to keep his friend circle small - and to not judge a person by his or her staff.

That comment is how Haelan got a wap on the side of the head, but he couldn't help but snort and then bust out laughing at Haelan's horrible accent and attitude.

"Well see, now you're getting it!" He gasps out, holding onto his friend, "You just need to get more Snot in your Snotty."

[bad_thief]

Lots of people need their heads examining. Still, he'd like Adasse to have someone nice for all that stuff. Someone who might want to give him stuff, but not to buy him. Just... because he'd like stuff. Haelan'd like to see his friend happy.

They'd grown up in very different settings, Haelan is away of that. Adasse has Evelina, Haelan had... a whole Chantry full of sisters. He's not sure who had it better. Probably him, considering he wasn't ever in real danger and never had anyone call him a knife-ear. As for religious mumbo-jumbo, Haelan doesn't do the whole Chantry thing. He just believes in the Maker. That's not mumbo-jumbo.

"Oi!" He says, although the tap on the side of his head doesn't hurt. Besides, he's pretty pleased about getting Adasse to laugh like that, wrapping his arm around Adasse's shoulders as they stagger on to the bar.

"I am zee hot caatch, mon-sewer." He says, "I doo not need zee Snot." Which makes them both snigger stupidly again, before pushing open the door with a shoulder. "

[gottakeeponejumpahead]

Well Adasse could say that would be the same for any girl whacky enough to go for a baby-faced brat ... but he only ever would in mocking. Someone was going to find out what a great man Haelan was going to become, and Adasse would shove him at every cute girl who looked back until they found her.

The Maker's there, that much Adasse knows. He's just not entirely certain whose side the Maker is on, at this point. Between Evelina being killed by the Templars and the Chantry being blown up by some mage, sort of seems like the Maker can't make up His damned mind. Adasse knew how much it had hurt Haelan to lose the Chantry sisters - it hurt him just as much to lose his parents first, then Evelina. Maybe the Maker just didn't have time to look out for the hapless orphans.

"Take what you deserve." Adasse said piously, even as he's grinning and the laughter is bubbling out of him at the continued accent. Immediately though, his gaze sweeps over the bar and finds the darkest table in the darkest corner available. "You're a hot load of it, that's what you are, Serah." He put his arm around Haelan's in turn, grinning ear from ear. "Come on, I want to get good and buzzed."

[bad_thief]

Eeeew. That sounds far too lovey-dovey and domestic, enough to make Haelan run a mile. Probably in the opposite direction to whatever poor girl is being set up with him. Maybe when he's older, the whole idea of anything more than a quick fumble will be appealing, but as it is currently, he's quite happy not to worry about any of this happily-ever-after stuff.

Who knows? The Maker is probably on his own side. After all, that's it isn't it? There's his side, or... the bad side. That's what the Inquisition is all about, right? Whatever- it's all a bit complicated and Haelan's plan is to sort it out on his deathbed, surrounded by sobbing friends and relatives. Until that point, they all had to look after themselves. Or, in his case, he could look after Adasse and Adasse could look after him.

"Alright, alright. Pint?" He drops the accent. Why they always go sit in dark corners he's not sure, because they're mostly dark with spilt beer and dirt anyway. Maybe it's because it makes them look mysterious. Maybe it's because it stops people recognising them.

Haelan goes to get the beers, and considering he's got money in his pocket, there's a bottle of something that smells like it could take the edge of metal. It'll probably help with the buzz Adasse is looking for. Then again, it might well kill them both. It's worth the risk.

"I can't trust you to teach me foreign anyway. You'll probably teach me something disgusting." Which is why the only phrase Haelan knows in Dalish is unrepeatable in public.

[gottakeeponejumpahead]

Oh, suck an egg, Haelan. Sooner or later one of them would have to settle down and it wasn't going to be Adasse. He was much better suited to be the amazing and beloved uncle, after all. Of course, right now, all they were looking for was fumbles, so fumbles they would do. Being young did have its advantages.

The Maker's side or the Bad Side. Yes, that seemed about right. Only those with power could make all the matters come out grey, but the ones on the bottom could see it. You had black, you had white, and that was that. Still, here they were, on neither side just yet. So they'd do as they did. Watching out for one another. Even if it was running half-way across the city.

"Pint!" He slapped down on the table, putting his back to the wall. They sat in the darkest corners so Adasse could keep an eye out for trouble - or business - without getting eyed in turn. That, and it did keep people from glowering at his ears ... so.

He sniffled at the bottle, made a face, and then poured himself a full measure. The last made him smirk deeply.

"Oh, probably, but hey, great for a distraction if you call an Orlesian a mother-humping nug lover." He waggled his eyebrows once. Honestly everything he had learned he'd picked up by listening and learning, which was why he knew enough Dalish to be dangerous, and enough Orlesian to know where the good stuff was hidden in the house.

[bad_thief]

Amazing and beloved uncle? That's probably going to be true. Adasse is pretty cool, and he is good with kids. And Haelan hasn't got any other siblings, real or adopted, who can out-uncle Adasse. He doubts there's many people that could, anyway.

It's easy to be Bad when you're poor. Normally you're Bad because you're dirty or you don't speak weez ze ryeet accént or because a rich person wants a fumble with you. Being Good means always being at Chantry and giving everything you have to people even worse off than you and then dying of cold in the middle of the night. Only posh people can afford to be shades of grey.

But he and Adasse are clearly on the Good side. Despite the pickpocketing and the small time cons. They can't be the Bad Guys. It's obvious.

Haelan slips down onto a chair, then picks up his pint. The beer here got better the more of it you drank, so he might as well start now.

"Yeah but if they catch you, they aren't going to let you go with a slap on the wrist." It never did any good to piss off Orlesians. They liked to make sure people stayed punished. And unlike Adasse, Haelan wasn't so good at getting out of sticky situations. "Not if you've called them a mother-humping nug lover. They'd probably not even hand all of you over to the guards."

Besides... "And if the Inquisition heard about it, I don't think they'd be happy either."