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 filled with bears. Choose your own adventure!

Comments

[el_tybs]

Sam shrugs at that; he wasn't needed to be subtle much, but he couldn't say he hasn't changed much since leaving Ostwick.

At hearing the rare compliment from Mal, Sam crosses his arms over his chest, looking rather proud of himself. "Probably still one of the best ones you'll see yet, though there are a few more here then we had back in Ostwick." At the mention of the robes Sam chuckles. "Shucked them the moment I could. I've got a set of armor for when it gets dicey, but, yeah," he pauses looking down at himself. "A lot more dressed down when I work at the forge. Not good if you catch fire in the process."

When Mal's eyes narrow, Sam cringes lightly, half expecting her to yell. Thankfully she didn't go that far, but her displeasure was noted. "You know how Carlos gets when he gets excited, he doesn't always think the little stuff through. He was probably just excited when he heard about James."

[mal_adjusted]

Seriously, as subtle as a brick and as large as a brick pile. And all of it as clueless as a puppy. Ugh, Sam. Ugh. She rolled her eyes with a smirk, but nodded her head once. "Good call, considering mages are still Enemy Number One in Thedas. I mean, that giant Magister arsehole? Not helping our image. Thus, leather." She gestured to the outfit. "Not that I designed it, or sewed it, but hey, badarse is badarse. And not catching on fire is always good."

She put her hands on her hips, blowing her purple bangs out of her face, "Yeah ... yeah - Maker Knows he's - wait. Wait. Captain Clueless is here?"

One hand slapped across her forehead, ".... yeah of course he is."

[el_tybs]

Seeing Mal roll her eyes, Sam gives her a playful glare; she was thinking something, probably about him, he just didn't know what. "Oh, it was nothing about having the image of a mage. I just never liked robes." He didn't like how they looked or how they felt on his larger frame, simple as that.

Oh, she finally caught on - at least he didn't have to remind her of who James was. "You really shouldn't call him that. He's not that clueless." So that's a 'yes' that he is there.

[mal_adjusted]

And the smirk deepened at that playful glare. Oh, you know you've always liked the attitude, Sam. "Fair enough. I just never liked fluff."

And she never would. Give her rough lines and something that could take a beating, thanks so much.

She sighed. Again. Looking to the sky. "Oh yeah. Because he's just so "attuned" to emotional undertones." Those quotation marks in the air are followed by one sardonic eyebrow. "We all knew that Elizabeth Swann was playing him, and that Will Turner was making googoo eyes at her and she was making even more gross eyes back AND ... he still didn't notice that Carlos was absolutely idiotic about him."

She tapped the air twice. "Captain. Clueless."

[el_tybs]

[OoC: Laughing at that second line so hard and glad it wasn't said out loud, because omg Mal.

Also what were Will and Elizabeth in Ostwick? Templars?]

"We were in a stone tower, Mal. Sometimes in those cases people turn a blind eye so they can get on with their day to day." Honestly he thought it might have just been a case of James possibly trying too hard to hold onto something that wasn't there. "As for Carlos... he did kind of latch onto James as soon as he came to the Circle. It's kind of understandable that he would see it similar to having a younger brother's affection."

Yeah, he's fighting this, hard, but that's what he did; argue with Mal over stuff like this.

[mal_adjusted]

[OoC: you know I should really do a write-up of Ostwick Circle so everyone knows about this Circle of awesome and how it fits in with the Pirates of the Caribbean and Descendants and all things Disney plus Sam. :D

But William was a Templar and Elizabeth was the daughter of the Knight Commander, and they ran off together right before the circles fell.]

"How blind do you have to make yourself to miss all that nonsense?" Mal retorted. Honestly she would never see why everyone was so up-in-arms on defending Knight Captain James Norrington. He was okay - he wasn't a complete and total asshole - but come on. The Maker didn't shine down on him in worship or anything.

"You were like his little brother too and I didn't see you giving him puppy-eyes." She said dryly. She and Sam had been on the opposite side of arguments since she was thirteen years old - it didn't seem to matter how things changed. A war, a horrible Magister thinking he was a God, world gone crazy ...

Mal and Sam would take the black and white on every issue ever.

[el_tybs]

[OoC: Haha, or at least important figures to know from Ostwick based on our characters. :P]

"I'm not blind, Mal. It's simply because I've known Norrington for a long time, and was there for most if not all of it." It had nothing to do with worship or anything, he had just been more familiar with all parties involved; even if he didn't spend time to really get to know Will or Elizabeth as well as James.

"Because by the time you and Carlos came around, James and I had already grown up together for over ten years like brothers in the Circle. We're also closer in age." So even if there was a case of puppy-eyes, Mal would not have been around for it. "So you're saying that if a kid, fifteen years younger then you, started following you around, you'd immediately think they had a thing for you?"

It wasn't always black and white, a lot of it was grey, but Sam definitely took the more optimistic or defensive side on an issue.

[mal_adjusted]

"Okay, so what you're telling me is that he's not clueless, but he thinks of Carlos as a baby and since he thinks of him as a baby he doesn't see that Carlos thinks he's the sun, moon and stars?" Mal arched an eyebrow up at Sam, "Sure that makes him smarter but that sort of makes him an arsehole."

She points a finger at Sam, "And if a kid fifteen years younger than me followed me around like a puppy ...well first he would be four years old and so blind adoration is kind of a thing. But if I was in my thirties and some teenager started following me around? I might wonder if there's a crush present."

If there was one thing Mal could agree on - there was a lot of grey. Didn't mean she wouldn't step up to the offensive, and the worst possible outcome first. It was just how she was raised.

[el_tybs]

Sam sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. "He's not an arse-" he stops and gives a sigh. "You're missing the point, Mal. Five, six years ago Carlos was a kid, he was thirteen, when he started following James around. That doesn't necessarily merit that he wasn't simply looking up to someone older then him; as you said blind adoration is kind of a thing. And since you brought up Will and Elizabeth, did you consider James was more pre-occupied with that instead so he wouldn't have necessarily noticed Carlos having a crush over the three years or so we were together?"

There's a pause as he pulls his hand down to rest his chin on it. "Also pointing is very rude."

[mal_adjusted]

"If he was so preoccupied with that - why didn't he ship Will Turner off to the Templar headquarters at the White Spire? Although I suppose it could be said that he was so besotted stupid over Elizabeth Swann that he completely missed everything else around him going on. Will. Elizabeth. Carlos." She twisted one piece of purple hair around her finger, frowning.

"Which if you think of it - is really sad." She tips her head at Sam, and smirks. "Going to write my mother to complain about my lack of etiquette?"

[el_tybs]

"Probably because Knight Commander Swann was in charge and James would have had to come up with a good explanation as to why he wanted to send a good Templar elsewhere? And suppose that was the case, that doesn't make James clueless. That's being overly fixated." Which Mal seems to be at that moment - overly fixated on James.

"No." Likewise Sam smirks. "If you're joining the Inquisition, then I'll be writing your superior officer about your etiquette."

[mal_adjusted]

Oh she sees where you're going with that. She eyes him. "You realize the only reason we're arguing over Knight Captain Norrington is because you refuse to let me just think he's a clueless sap? We could have dropped this five minutes ago." Although she'd agree that he had been overly fixated. She waved her hand to move this conversation along because Ugh. No more Norrington.

"Well that's just too bad because I'm already part of the Inquisition." Sharp smile. "And according to rumor, I currently don't have one."