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

[dirth]

[ Solas' eyebrow raises and he watches her, almost amused. She seems so young in comparison to him, foolish and ridiculous with the notion of ownership of a chair in a public library, and it's almost startlingly endearing. Frustrating and irritating, true, and he feels that bubble under the surface, but incredibly familiar all the same. ]

I did not realise you had purchased this chair. [ He tilts his head, regarding her for a moment. This is... He doesn't even have the appropriate vocabulary. ] You could have asked me to move.

[ He might not have, given the fact that this was a public library and his research was incredibly important, but now he feels as though this is something of a game, and it has him turning back to his books, flicking his eyes over the information. ]

[thunderproof]

❰ she is absolutely being ridiculous, and even adalia is aware of that fact. she merely can't bring herself to care, or, if she does care, it's only enough to make it more of a joke than she really feels it is.

(it is funny, but adalia is also entirely serious. her chair.)

at least he doesn't seem too put out by it. maybe amused, even, if she's reading the expression around his eyes right. ❱

Like I said, ❰ she replies archly, ❱ my name's not on it. You would only have known if you came here as often as I do.

❰ and then he looks at his books and adalia purses her lips, looking over at charis. with a quick jerk of her head, she gives the dragon permission, and he very delicately climbs onto the table, walks over to the elf's book, and lays over them. not a page is so much as wrinkled, adalia impressed the need to be careful with such precious things much earlier in charis' life than this, but they are definitely obscured. it's a bit much, even she'd be getting tired of the interruption at this point, so she's not going to push it further after this. but she could, and baldy should know that. ❱

[dirth]

[ Solas can fault her for it, at least a little; the library is a public space and he has been given a task to complete. He knows that his research is paramount to more details about what has happened with the Breach and the Anchors, and he is not inclined to let himself be dragged down by petty, idle disputes over a chair.

It is a little amusing all the same. It's been some times since someone has encouraged him into any kind of playful banter, and that is what this seems to be. She wants a rise out of him and he is refusing to allow it to happen. ]

I am here daily. I do not often sit outside the back rooms, as that is where my research is focussed.

[ If she thinks to shame him by suggesting he is not as keen on research as she is then she is wrong.

A part of him wishes he wasn't surprised by the dragon coming and draping over his things, but he is. His head tilts and he watches the small thing for a moment, his eyebrow raising before he breathes out a soft, sharp sound. Carefully, he offers his hand out to the dragon, watching it carefully. He means no harm, but he is equally happy to make some kind of easy camaraderie if it means he can get back to his research as soon as he can.

He ignores Adalia. ]

[thunderproof]

❰ she wasn't looking to shame, precisely, but as he has always been in the back rooms, she's never seen him here. she'd simply assumed this was his first time in the library. knowing it's not... doesn't change much, actually. ❱

Too important to do research with the masses? ❰ she asks, and where her tone was arch before, now it's simply teasing, almost as if they're already friends and his isolation amuses her. the smile which has been slowly curling up the corners of her lips spreads across them entirely at the exasperation in baldy's expression as he stares at charis, and adalia rests her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands, watching to see how he deals with her son.

charis raises his head and sniffs delicately at the elf's hand, then cuts his eyes up to stare him in the eye as he very deliberately breathes ice onto it. not enough to do any damage or freeze him, but enough to be mildly uncomfortable. you took mom's seat, sir, it was rude. ❱

[dirth]

[ Solas accepts it for what it is - idle, teasing banter that makes him shake his head. It has been a long time since anyone had considered teasing him, given his age and nature, and it is almost welcome. Almost. ]

No. It is simply quieter there, and I am not often disturbed. [ He gives her a pointed look - because she is disturbing him, is she not, with her words and her dragon and her foolishness? It is ridiculous, and he is not truly annoyed, but there is something there - it has been some time since he had a conversation with anyone that had no bitterness underlying the words spoken aloud.

Solas doesn't move his hand away, simply glances down at it and looks at the ice. Interesting. It is uncomfortable - but, unfortunately for Charls and his attempts to irritate him, he knows ice magic as well as he does magic of the Rift. He flexes his fingers and lets his own magic manipulate the ice into melting. ] Perhaps you will allow me to read, now.

[thunderproof]

❰ whether the comment truly went over her head or she's simply ignoring the pointed nature of solas' stare after he mentions disturbing, adalia doesn't really react to it, except for her smile to get even bigger. yes, she's a bookworm who enjoys her studying, but she's a people person even more than that, and she loves interacting with new people more than she will ever love a book.

charis stares up at solas as primly as a dragon is capable of — until he melts the ice that had gathered on his fingers, at which points charis squeaks and sits up abruptly. he looks between solas' hand and his face, chattering nonsense — in a way that almost makes sense — and then reaches for solas' hand, holding it in his paws as he blows ice over it again. once there's a fine coating of frost on solas' palm, charis stops and looks up at him again, then back to his hand, then back up to his face. ❱

I think he wants you to melt it again. He's never met someone who can do that before, ❰ adalia's says, voice immeasurably fond. she truly loves this little dragon as if he were her own son, and watching him find something that interests him so makes her heart sing. ❱

[dirth]

[ The game they play is an idle one and Solas doesn't demand a response; he would much rather return to his books and his notes and bury himself in them until the sun has set and he is forced to crawl into his bed and waking dreams. He doesn't notice her smile - he has no reason to - and is instead fixated on the tame dragon that is draping itself all over his scribbles and scrolls.

How frustrating.

It's almost as though the dragon is something more like a cat than anything else and he watches, absently for a moment, before he leans back. The thing goes for his hand and he keeps still, lets the small thing take hold of his fingers and explore how the ice melts away. It's simple magic, he thinks, and yet the creature is so enchanted by it, as if it is something novel and strange. ]

I see. [ He smiles softly, almost gentle - he has never been particularly against showing and learning, and he sits forward as he summons ice to his hand and then lets it fall away again. ] It is just magic.

[thunderproof]

He's only ever seen my magic, ❰ adalia explains, and she holds up her hand to show the elf how sparks dance between her fingers. ❱ Ice has never been something I put any particular effort into learning how to conjure, since lightning and thunder came so easily to me. I think he's excited to meet someone who can mess about with his element.

❰ and charis is very excited as he watches solas melt the ice on his hand again, rapt. it's enough to make him move off the books, finally, but only to get closer, so that he can more clearly see what the elf is doing. once again, charis grabs his hand, breathes to cover it with a thin coating of frost, and waits for it to be melted. ❱

His name is Charis, by the way. I'm Adalia. I... well I won't lie and say I don't care that you took my seat, but this has been fun enough it's alright.

[dirth]

Then he has much to learn. [ The magic of Thedas is a marvellous thing, as limited as it is. Solas can admit that he is grudgingly impressed with what has been done with so little - but there is so much more that they could be doing. That is the disappointing part, but he is getting off track and losing his mind to nostalgia and sadness. It would be better for him to focus on the wonder and awe at having a dragon move closer and closer to him.

He thinks of his fellows, the inner circle, and knows a few who would have extreme reactions to such a sight. ]

It is good to meet the two of you. [ Slowly, Solas lets the ice melt again, flexing his fingers as he does so, enough that he can press them over the dragon's hold on him. ] I am Solas.

[thunderproof]

Babies usually do, ❰ she says, teasing, and charis gives a nose not unlike a purr as he comes all the way over to solas to plop down in front of him, butting his head against his chest. adalia watches solas carefully — to some the action might be cause for alarm — but charis just sits there, making pleased purring noises. ❱

He's just a few weeks old, so he hasn't really seen much of anything yet, least of all magic. The people here are too scared to get too close, and I'm too worried for his safety to seek out anyone who might not be afraid.

❰ how fortuitous, then, that she lucked into meeting someone who seems to be intrigued rather than terrified. ❱

Not to be rude or anything, but most people I've met are at least somewhat nervous when they Charis, even if they don't want to kill him. You're cool as a cucumber. Why...?

[dirth]

It is not just babes. [ Still, if Solas is startled by the actions he doesn't make any movements to suggest it, reaching out to stroke over his head again. He has seen many marvellous things in his time, but this is something unique and wonderful. It cannot be real, he tells himself, that a dragonling might come to be in the possession of someone who had an anchor of their own. ]

There are many people who would take an academic interest in him, but I am sure it would be for their own benefit. It is wise to keep him safe until someone who will treat him justly appears.

[ Not that Solas thinks himself the best person for the job, even as he glances up to look over at her. ]

Why would I be afraid? His mother is here. He has no reason to attack or feel as though he ought to be defensive. He showed that he was playful, not dangerous.