Test Drive Meme!

[faderifting]

'Tis The Season...

...To Still Be In The Hinterlands

Maybe the Inquisition sent you, maybe you came seeking the Inquisition. Maybe you fell out of a rift into this world last week and are still just trying to find your feet. However it happened, early fall finds you in the Hinterlands. Tucked between Ferelden's massive Lake Calenhad and the icy Frostback Mountains, the Hinterlands are a hilly region covered in patchy forests and small farms trying to eke out a living between the boulders. Though somewhat remote, the area is rich with game and minerals and home to Redcliffe, a bustling town on a busy trade route.

Lately the Hinterlands have also been full of mages and templars and rifts, all threatening to turn once-peaceful countryside into a dangerous warzone. The Inquisition has set up several camps and sent personnel to try to restore order to the region, unwilling to let it slip into chaos. There's a lot to be done, some of it straightforward killing bad things, some of it weird and nebulous morale-building.

NOW WITH ADDED SNOW.

1. I CAN'T BEAR THE COLD

You have turned the wrong corner in the snow, forded the wrong stream in the snow, crested the wrong hill in the snow, entered the wrong cave in the snow. Maybe you are far from camp, in the snow. Maybe you are in camp, which is also snowy. Whatever has happened, wherever you are: you are being chased through the snow by bears. Did you throw a snowball at the bears? Are they huge and snow-dusted? Babies burrowing through the snow drifts and coming for your ankles? Fade-touched in addition to snow-touched? Controlled by cold mages who are hiding in the snow? Popping up out of the snow like a game of whack-a-mole? What are they chasing you away from in all of this snow? What are they chasing you into, other than more snow? What warm things do you plan to make out of their hide if you kill them in the snow? What do you think they'll craft out of your hide if they kill you in the snow? P.S. It's snowy.

2. GIVE ALL THE TOYS TO THE LITTLE RICH BOYS

Winter came. The villagers are freezing. Recruit Whittle totally saw this coming. Now he might have sent you haring (get it) across the countryside in search of supplies that apostates or bandits may have hidden in caves and crannies. He might have handed you some sticks and told you to build a fire. He might have eyed your nice coat with a contemptful gleam that suggested you'd better find some blankets if you didn't want to have your own clothing requisitioned. Nobody's freezing to death on his watch--except maybe you, if you're really bad at finding hidden caches. In the snow.

3. DON'T SHOOT ME SANTA

The sky is beginning to darken and white snow continues to fall, but you and the supply wagon you're protecting should make it to the little Hinterlands village before sunset. The wagon is laden with food, blankets, and other sundry supplies, and so it's important to stay sharp and alert as you make the trecherous journey. And for good reason: an arrow is fired from the tree line and topples an Inquisition soldier from his horse. Beset by bandits, will you manage to fight them back? Or do they overwhelm your troupe and you are forced to flee? Or, perhaps, you could attempt a negotiation, knowing they could be as hungry as the people you protect.

4. DOES THEDAS HAVE FIGGY PUDDING?

It is not only snowing, it's blizzarding, and the tavern in Redcliffe is the closest and warmest place to duck into to wait it out. Unfortunately, half of the Hinterlands had the same idea. The Gull & Lantern is so packed with thawing visitors that it's hard to walk from one side to the other, the owner has given up on telling these Fereldens they can't bring their dogs inside, and that lady in the corner is almost definitely someone you've tried to kill before, or vice versa. But there's a fire going, and the bartender seems to think that giving everyone half-price drinks might prevent a brawl instead of causing one, and there aren't any demons indoors, so it could be a lot worse.

5. WILDCARD

Hunt game in the snow, kill demons in the snow, dig under the snow for herbs, track bandits through the snow, deal with someone charging extortionist coat prices now that it's snowing, fall off a deceptively tall rock into the snow, get lost circling the same hill ten times trying to find a way up to the weird glowing skull on a stick you can see is up there in the snow, climb trees or abandoned towers covered in snow, rummage around in empty homes to get out of the snow, run from a dragon in the snow, cry over how cute that fennec fox you just shot in the snow was, set up camp and chat around the fire because it's snowy and cold, knock yourself out (figuratively, or even literally if that's more your speed)-- the Hinterlands are your Frostback Mountain oyster, topped with snow.

Comments

Max | OC | DA AU

[motherofnemesis]

3.

These guys definitely, definitely picked the wrong caravan to ambush. For starters, Max had been running Red Jenny missions on the side as they pass through towns and collect supplies and pick up messages, so she has a double stake in them making it back safely. Secondly, she's bored. Caravan guarding has never been among her favorite chores. Too slow, too irritating. Too predictable.

And lastly, they picked an area with lots of cover. They practically worked to make it easy for her to slip off to the side and go into the stealth guerilla fighting style that suits her and her knives best. Somewhere off the side of the main fight comes a strangled cry that cuts off immediately, and the arrows are beginning to stop coming.

When the fighting settles Max will slide back into place, cleaning her blades with a pleased look on her face. It was good to get some action.

4.

This is not her sort of scene. It is, in fact, the opposite of her scene. Max likes dark corners and quiet places, and normally she's very content to set up in a corner of the Gull & Lantern with a drink (or three) where she can watch everything and keep to herself.

So to have her normal refuge invaded by everyone and their mother (and dogs) is more than a little bit frustrating. She's still managed to wedge herself into the most corner-y place she can find, but there are people everywhere and her personal space is feeling very threatened right now. Her fingers are itching for her blades just on instinct.

Well, at least the drinks are half off. She's going to need a lot of them to deal with this whole mess. But going out into the snow and cold -- no, that really doesn't feel like a good option.

Dustin Brooks | Power Rangers Ninja Storm | Rifter

[windyellow]

3. Dustin was supposed to have an easy job: help escort this wagon of food and goods through the Hinterlands. He wasn't counting on any sort of trouble. "Man, this isn't good!" He said ducking behind a snowy tree. "How about a truce dudes? I don't want to hurt you."

4. As the Yellow Ranger arrived through the doorway of the Gull and Lantern, Dustin saw it was jam packed with many people. After quickly warming up in the fireplace, the Ranger decided to see about getting sitting down and getting a drink. "Bartender? What's good?"

Hudson | Gargoyles | Dragon Age Native AU

[rivernamed]

2

The cold isn't as brutal to him as it would be to many others. Armor or no armor, Hudson seems to tolerate the chill in the air and the snow practically pouring on top of them as if it was nothing but a light snow drift. Maybe it's the beard. Probably the beard.

The large Tal-Vashoth is making his way through, dusting off his shoulders with a small snort. "A fine mess, I should say," he grumbles. "At this rate, we'll be out all night and day lookin' for these caches. Shame that Whittle couldn't have been more specific."

He doesn't blame the recruit, but damn if it doesn't make their lives a little harder.

Hudson peers at you. "Are you holdin' up all right?" He's perfectly aware that not everyone deals with this sort of weather well.


3

Bandits. It figures.

As soon as the first arrow goes, Hudson is pushing himself off his horse and landing heavily onto the ground. His shield goes up as he whistles for his hound.

"Bronx!" he growls at the mabari. "Go, boy!"

The large canine barks and tears through the snow, eager and ready to go after their assailants. It'll hopefully buy them a fraction of time as Hudson makes his way toward you, shield up and blocking an arrow. If you're down on your knees, he's offering a hand to you.

"C'mon now. Up with you," he says, both gruff and concerned. "Can you fight?"


4

A long, cold day ending with a warm seat couldn't be better spent.

Hudson has doubts that the waitress will get to him anytime soon, but he's simply glad to be sitting and letting his aching joints have a rest as he leans back in his chair with a sigh. It's been a difficult day, but it's rarely so simple.

At his feet, Bronx gives a little grunt, nudging his leg.

"Aye, I haven't forgotten about you, boy." He pets him roughly behind the ears. "She'll get to your mutton in due time. Be patient."