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. TOURNEY: Barely had time to make yourself at home, did you, before you were sent away from Kirkwall again—but for fun! Sort of. You've been sent to Wycome, the party capital of the Free Marches, for the Grand Tourney. It's a week of celebration and chillin', shopping at vendors' stalls or drinking and making new friends while fighters from across Thedas try their hands at friendly (or "friendly") competitions of skill and/or muscle, leading up to the prestigious Grand Melee. Your mission, which you've presumably already accepted, is to put on a good, respectable show for the rest of Thedas—particularly if you're someone like a rifter, or a mage, or an elf, or anyone at all who isn't an Andrastian human—so the Tourney's affluent visitors take only good gossip home to their countrymen. Which is to say: if you get involved in a drinking competition, you better win.

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

i can't believe im doing this -kirkwall

[bemerry]

[ Elves can be very sneaky, but so can hobbits, soft-footed and hard to catch. He's been careful so far to move as unseen as he can. It's a strange place, most definitely not Buckland, where he was last. He is only grateful that he had his horn and sword with him when he left this morning, that he has it on him, now. Or perhaps it was a dream of stepping out this morning. Really, there hasn't been hardly any excitement since Frodo and Bilbo finally left for the Far Shores. (And Merry is rather grateful for that).

Where was he again...

..Oh yes! Sneaking. Following a familiar tune sung by a familiar voice, sneaking as carefuly as he can (even though he knows, eventually, Legolas is going to catch him), before popping at at the elf's side and snagging one of the fruits from the bucket. ]

Not exactly Minas Tirith, [ He takes a bite out of the fruit. It's tangy, and rather sweet. ] but the food's not bad.

[ Did he surprise you? He wanted to surprise you. ]

yEEAAAHHH

[tofindthesun]

[elves walk quiet, but only for their size. hobbits walk quieter still, because of their size. it's more difficult to pick that what quiet patter of hobbit feet from the clamor of the crowd, and when he does finally realize, it's already too late.

his bounty has been raided. thief! legolas narrows his eyes at merry, but not without a fleeting grin. if he's surprised, it doesn't show. he's still pretty new to the place.]

At least we know what they are called in Minas Tirith. [legolas is trying to figure out how to eat this latest one. it's a bit.. interesting! hard rind and he can't decide if he's supposed to eat the stuff connected to it or not. is this a gourd?] And how to eat them.

[....maybe he'll just.... nibble it..... it can't be that bad, right, i mean. someone's selling it. it ought to be palatable.]

[bemerry]

[ Merry just shrugs. He's simply been taking bites out of the orange-colored fruit in his hand. It has a rind that makes him think it is similar to a citron, but much less of the white albedo to get to the juicy center. Not that he's been peeling it or anything, more just taking bites out of it like an apple or a peach.

He's hungry, and its not like the rind and the rest aren't edible, after all. ] You might try peeling it, if you don't want to try eating the rind. I think some times they save it for seasoning?

[ Citrons and their like are rare, even in Hobbiton, brought up from warmer climes through merchants from Ered Luin or passing through Bree. It is a little warmer in Eriador than Rhovanion, but the latitudes of the Shire and the Greenwood are fairly similar, and they get their fair share of deep snows.

Which, on that thought. ]

Do you know what season we're in? I didn't exactly pack for colder weather. [ or any weather.
Presumably at some point they will manage to find their way back to civilized country they recognize, right? ]

[tofindthesun]

[considering that legolas' only encounter with citrus fruits has been only with their very dried and very sweetened forms, he can hardly understand why the people passing them by are watching with such confusion and, dare he say, abject horror. it smells appetizing enough!

at merry's suggestion, legolas bites off a bit of the rind just to try it. it..... is not entirely palatable, but he doesn't think it'll get him sick, either. but he sets about separating rind from flesh and setting the part he's not eating back into the basket. he'll find some use for it later.] It is strange indeed. I did not think to ask how best to eat this, for I had not expected to find such a strange thing. Or that. [he points to merry's, uh, fruity thing with the butt of the knife.] I think the scent of it familiar enough, but I have never smelt it quite so clean and clear. In Mirkwood we only receive them dried and sugared, as like candies.

[he looks up to the skies, as though he could observe the season from the movement of the clouds. (he cannot.)] I do not know.. We are close to water, or so my ears tell me. I know not what it is, for I fear to look upon its source. If we are by a lake or river, or even the sea [he falters, only slightly] then it would seem cooler. But from what these people are wearing, perhaps it is not so cold.

And if it is to be that my deductions are false, Master Hobbit, you may borrow my tunic. [and that would leave him with, what, an undershirt? some party breeches? how scandalous.]

[bemerry]

They are very nice, candied slices.

[ Merry finishes off his orange-y citrus fairly quickly, and pulls out a handkerchief to spit the seeds into, before folding it away and tucking it back into his pocket. When Legolas mentions the sea, Merry reaches over, and gives his hand a firm squeeze. He knows it has been hard for Legolas, caught with the sea-longing. He knows, too that Legolas has been spending time with Gimli and Aragorn, seeking distractions on Middle Earth to resist the calling.

He can't imagine what that must be like, fighting against such a thing

When Legolas offers his tunic, however, Merry laughs, and elbows him gently in the side.. ]

If anything, Master elf, I will need gift you my wasitcoat, as I am wearing far more than you, and you are already down a button. [ Merry rifles his pockets again, but alas he has no spare bauble that might suffice as a button. ] Or, of course, we could find ourselves an inn to hole up within.

[tofindthesun]

Our king is generous, to trade for such luxuries. [hmmm. Actually.] I wonder why I never saw them in Minas Tirith. Or if I only ever manage to miss them when they are in season.

[legolas places his own hand over merry's, a silent thanks for the comfort. though for him it has only been some weeks since the war ended, and the sea still fresh in his mind. it does not bother him much now, though. it is a mite concerning.]

An inn! And how would we gain entry? By payment? I do not know about you, Meriadoc, but I have little more than this bit of wine ['bit'. it's a whole carafe full of dorwinion, it could be worth gold with how strong it is.] and the clothing on my back. I suppose our clothes would trade for a pretty pence, but that would leave us only worse off. The rumors they would speak!

[he regards a nearby building intently, squinting at it even with his sharp sight.]

... We could scale the walls and unlatch a window.