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

i.

[thunderproof]

❰ adalia tends to spend most of her time in the gallows. it's a bleak place, and knowing its history she sort of hates it, but it's better than lowtown, in most ways. at least in the gallows she can trust that the inquisition as a whole knows not to fuck with charis, and the people aren't generally going to call her knife-ear. her ears aren't nearly as pointy as the native elves, but apparently that doesn't matter to anyone in lowtown. darktown isn't even worth considering as an option, and hightown won't even let her in. the gallows is, despite its disgusting history, the safest place for her and charis.

that doesn't mean she likes it, though. being effectively confined to a prison island doesn't feel super fucking great for her, and charis doesn't get to spread his wings nearly as much as she'd like. when they're not in the library, adalia tries to give him as much time outside as possible, but it always feels like a risky proposition, with how nervous the natives are about dragons.

today, though, she can't bring herself to keep charis cooped up any longer. they're on their way to the waterside when adalia notices a man turn ahead of them turn a corner, a long tail disappearing around it with him. a familiar tail, if in a different color. she and charis look at each other, blink a moment, and then speed up to catch up to the two.

when they turn the corner themselves, all they see is the man sitting on the rocks, and ripples in the water. ❱

Hey! Hey, goodsir, can I talk to you?

❰ charis chirps and trills loudly, doing his best to catch the man's attention for her. possibly this is not the best way to get a stranger's attention. possibly this is especially not the best way to get a stranger's attention if she was wrong and he doesn't have a dragon. she'd been so sure, though — ❱

[sorcerised]

[ Aro looks up, startled by the sudden appearance of anyone. Every excuse he'd imagined for his presence dies on his lips the moment he lays eyes on the dragon, a young one barely older than Iessa. That's the last thing he'd expected to see here. A native to this world, he wonders? If so, he might have to re-evaluate what he thinks of this place. ]

Ava'yorn.*

[ He says, and then looks up at the dragon's companion. On reflection, it may have been rude to address the dragon first. It's only now that he recognises her as an elf, on account of her ears. She looks like an elf from home. Could that be true, could he be that lucky? ]

Forgive me, your friend demands attention. [ He's clearly unafraid, even if his own dragon is still nowhere to be seen. ] We can speak, of course. What can I do for you?




[ * - Hello. ]

hover for translation

[thunderproof]

❰ adalia and charis both perk up at the draconic greeting, and charis whistles and chirrups excitedly in his own greeting. ❱

Ava'yorn! Wux renthisj Vs'shtak?

❰ the excitement of someone speaking a language she recognizes, from home is enough to distract adalia from her goal — but only for a moment. then she shakes her head, waving a hand in front of her. ❱

No, sorry, I mean, I'm so happy to meet someone else from Toril, but I had a different question, I just got distracted — Do you have a dragon? I thought I saw a tail when you were rounding the corner, and I got so excited, Charis hasn't had any other dragons to interact with —

❰ as she's speaking, charis flies over to the water, inspecting the fading ripples in search of whatever made them. ❱

[sorcerised]

[ Aro can't help it. He breaks into a smile, eager and relieved. He's not about to get in trouble for letting Iessa dive underneath the island. More than that, she won't be alone here. That's unbelievable. He's never managed to encounter another dragon while travelling with her.

In fairness, that's partly design - he was never entirely sure how another adult would react to her - but this is different. He holds up his hand, conjuring another light. ]

I do. To both questions, actually, I just...

Give me a moment.

[ He sends the second light down. This one moves to catch up with the other, and then both beckon Iessa back to the surface. A few seconds later, she breaks through the water again, flying up to shoulder height before landing hard beside his feet. She shakes out her wings, water droplets reflecting in the sun. Her scales are greenish yellow, not yet rich enough to be called bronze. She's young, though. She'll get there.

Before Aro can even speak again, she's letting out an excited trill and rushing to investigate Charis. ]

Be careful! Ah...this is Iessa. She's never met another dragon before, so if she could be careful, my blood pressure would appreciate it.

[ Iessa shoots a little look at him, before focusing back on Charis. ]