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allthisshitisweird2019-07-24 07:02 pm
faderifting) wrote in allthisshitisweird2019-07-24 07:02 pm
Entry tags:
TEST DRIVE MEME
TEST DRIVE MEME
While in some alternate, tidier timeline, the War against the Elder One ended years ago, you're not in that timeline. It's 9:45, and there's a war raging in northern Orlais, where the Chantry, aided by the Inquisition, marshalling Orlais and the faithful of Southern Thedas into a new Exalted March against the army of demon-bound Wardens, Red Templars, Venatori loyalists, and darkspawn Corypheus has amassed over the last four years. Rifts are still scattered across the continent, periodically spitting out strangers from strange worlds with green-glowing anchors embedded in their hands. There's no Herald of Andraste to save Thedas. Someone else is going to have to do it.
You're part of (or allied with, recently hired by, imprisoned by, etc.) a new organization that's an offshoot of the Inquisition, dubbed Riftwatch, that consists mainly of the otherworldly new arrivals, rebels and Wardens, and other people who want to prevent the apocalypse without necessarily marching under the Chantry's banner to do it. Their headquarters is an island fortress called the Gallows—formerly a Circle of Magi, more formerly a prison for slaves, but its new occupants have done a good job removing the more grotesque reminders of that past and making the place livable.
Maybe you're here because you want to help. Maybe you need the money (though there isn't much of it). Maybe you acquired an anchor and sticking around is the only way to prevent your hand from falling off. Maybe you've been sent by the Chantry or some other entity to keep an eye on everyone—they're rumored to be a lot of weirdos and troublemakers. Or maybe you're a new rifter and just going where the nice people with swords tell you that you need to go.
I. KIRKWALL: Even when enormous evil darkspawn are trying to take over the known world and you and your colleagues might be the only ones who can truly stop him, you can't work all the time. And when you aren't working, Kirkwall is there for you with its dingy Lowtown taverns, its flashy Hightown establishments, its market stalls and street musicians and cellars hosting gamblers. (Or maybe you can work all the time, and you're in the city to do some official shopping, try to spy on a suspicious character, or show a potential financial backer a good time.)
II. THE PLANASCENE FOREST: West of Kirkwall lies the Planascene forest. As far as enormous, ancient forests go, it's fairly small, but still large enough to disappear in if you aren't careful. And someone hasn't been careful. A merchant en route to deliver raw materials to the Gallows has gone missing somewhere on the road, and you're one of the lucky short-straw-drawers sent to find them. Or whatever is left of them. There are Dalish in the woods—mean ones, rumor has it—as well as Thedas' typical unnaturally aggressive wolves and bears, steep drops and hidden traps left behind by hunters, and at least one group of vicious bandits.
III. THE DEEP ROADS: The ground beneath Thedas is threaded with cavernous ancient roads, once used by the dwarves to traverse the continent, now largely abandoned by anyone except roving bands of darkspawn. Unfortunately for everyone, this abandonment and inhospitality make them an excellent way to travel unnoticed beneath everyone else's feet, which is why you're currently engaged in a skirmish with a gang of snarling, corrupted genlocks, or trying to cross a narrow stone bridge without thinking about how bottomless the dark beneath it seems to be.
IV. SEND A MESSAGE: Each member of Riftwatch (or rifter, or ally) is assigned a blue crystal, small enough to wear around the neck, that can transmit voice messages, as well as an enchanted book tied to that crystal that can be used to exchange written messages. They're secure enough to discuss the war, if you'd like to get down to business, but loosely controlled enough to ask a question or play a game with only a few rolled eyes from people who hate fun.
V. WILDCARD: From the Gallows' library to the pirate islands off the coast, from Hightown's high-priced market stalls to the bloody frontlines of the war, Thedas is yours to explore.
While in some alternate, tidier timeline, the War against the Elder One ended years ago, you're not in that timeline. It's 9:45, and there's a war raging in northern Orlais, where the Chantry, aided by the Inquisition, marshalling Orlais and the faithful of Southern Thedas into a new Exalted March against the army of demon-bound Wardens, Red Templars, Venatori loyalists, and darkspawn Corypheus has amassed over the last four years. Rifts are still scattered across the continent, periodically spitting out strangers from strange worlds with green-glowing anchors embedded in their hands. There's no Herald of Andraste to save Thedas. Someone else is going to have to do it.
You're part of (or allied with, recently hired by, imprisoned by, etc.) a new organization that's an offshoot of the Inquisition, dubbed Riftwatch, that consists mainly of the otherworldly new arrivals, rebels and Wardens, and other people who want to prevent the apocalypse without necessarily marching under the Chantry's banner to do it. Their headquarters is an island fortress called the Gallows—formerly a Circle of Magi, more formerly a prison for slaves, but its new occupants have done a good job removing the more grotesque reminders of that past and making the place livable.
Maybe you're here because you want to help. Maybe you need the money (though there isn't much of it). Maybe you acquired an anchor and sticking around is the only way to prevent your hand from falling off. Maybe you've been sent by the Chantry or some other entity to keep an eye on everyone—they're rumored to be a lot of weirdos and troublemakers. Or maybe you're a new rifter and just going where the nice people with swords tell you that you need to go.
I. KIRKWALL: Even when enormous evil darkspawn are trying to take over the known world and you and your colleagues might be the only ones who can truly stop him, you can't work all the time. And when you aren't working, Kirkwall is there for you with its dingy Lowtown taverns, its flashy Hightown establishments, its market stalls and street musicians and cellars hosting gamblers. (Or maybe you can work all the time, and you're in the city to do some official shopping, try to spy on a suspicious character, or show a potential financial backer a good time.)
II. THE PLANASCENE FOREST: West of Kirkwall lies the Planascene forest. As far as enormous, ancient forests go, it's fairly small, but still large enough to disappear in if you aren't careful. And someone hasn't been careful. A merchant en route to deliver raw materials to the Gallows has gone missing somewhere on the road, and you're one of the lucky short-straw-drawers sent to find them. Or whatever is left of them. There are Dalish in the woods—mean ones, rumor has it—as well as Thedas' typical unnaturally aggressive wolves and bears, steep drops and hidden traps left behind by hunters, and at least one group of vicious bandits.
III. THE DEEP ROADS: The ground beneath Thedas is threaded with cavernous ancient roads, once used by the dwarves to traverse the continent, now largely abandoned by anyone except roving bands of darkspawn. Unfortunately for everyone, this abandonment and inhospitality make them an excellent way to travel unnoticed beneath everyone else's feet, which is why you're currently engaged in a skirmish with a gang of snarling, corrupted genlocks, or trying to cross a narrow stone bridge without thinking about how bottomless the dark beneath it seems to be.
IV. SEND A MESSAGE: Each member of Riftwatch (or rifter, or ally) is assigned a blue crystal, small enough to wear around the neck, that can transmit voice messages, as well as an enchanted book tied to that crystal that can be used to exchange written messages. They're secure enough to discuss the war, if you'd like to get down to business, but loosely controlled enough to ask a question or play a game with only a few rolled eyes from people who hate fun.
V. WILDCARD: From the Gallows' library to the pirate islands off the coast, from Hightown's high-priced market stalls to the bloody frontlines of the war, Thedas is yours to explore.
Tavin | native
There's little reason for a man in Tavin's line of work to bother with Kirkwall, at least these days now that the Dalish clan who'd gathered have long since-- well they're gone and Tavin is here now until he can go out to do what he does or to look over things in the Gallows. Which is the only reason to find yourself in Kirkwall which is no Nevarra, obviously, no Orlais, not even a Ferelden; there's little wildlife to interest yourself in by a city that hasn't been hopelessly sullied by the people about him.
And the people...
"That's all I'm asking," he's saying, politely of course, a hint of strain to the smile as he tries to get his point across to the two guards who'd clearly rather not be dealing with him. "If you hear anything matching that description that I be told. I can help."
Tavin is gangly. Unarmed. No armour on him. They've every right to appear dubious about such a claim from a stranger.
crystal
Riftwatch then-- I'd wonder if you'd do me the great honour or the courtesy or however you deem fit to judge it, that's not for me to decide to tell me about the most interesting creatures you've come across in your travels.
Not your fellows. They're hardly interesting, not to me at any rate.
And it doesn't have to be with Riftwatch though before and after the appearance of the rifts helps greatly! Their behaviours, appearance, anything you'd care to share would be tremendously appreciated.
wildcard
[or choose your adventure with a scholar/researcher/zoologist out of Nevarra and I'll go with it]
crystal
[ shame he already killed the easy joke. probably beats six cracks on fereldan. ]
no subject
As in something you wouldn't say was human, elf, dwarf, Qunari. Especially for the elves, I know those slanderous works of alleged academia that have come out of Orlais since around the time of the war...
[Which is another story, the University allowing such nonsense to be published but it is Orlais, there are no standards there.]
I mean animals! From the nugs to hounds to quillbacks to dragons-- anything that you might have seen that you believe qualifies! The tales that I've heard in recent months and years my dear fellow, you can understand the excitment can't you?
no subject
no subject
[Hang on he's writing down notes and no he didn't just yell in alarm at almost upending ink over the papers he's more organised, he'd never--]
That's a hotly debated matter at the best of times, after all where do we draw the line between a wolf and a wolf that's come down with the Blight and how truly different they are? If it's the same with this then you and I will very well be at the Maker's side by the time such a thing is close to being put to bed which is why I need all the information I can for those who follow us. And to put forward a case as best I can either way.
no subject
So you think we've got animals that may or may not be new.
crystal
no subject
[If his sister put someone up to this...well he wouldn't put it past her. Even from her comfy bedroom in Nevarra.]
no subject
no subject
[Well, they might. Eventually. He's never followed up on that.]
Where did you see it? Was it in the vicinity of a rift by chance?
no subject
Wasn't near any rift, though. You don't mean to say that they might be mutating?
no subject
That's part of the reason I'm here at all; these rifts are entirely new, there's so little we know about the Veil, about the Fade, what can we say about what it might do to birds and beasts or what lives in water if a rift opened over river or sea? There's every chance it could be impacting them in some way.
no subject
Matthias' pause had first been sort of bewildered and scornful. Now it begins, slowly, to turn toward misgiving. After a moment of listening, he breaks in.]
You're having me on. Like there might actually be beasts out there, double-arsed? Or--worse?
no subject
[What if they have two mouths, better write that down in the theories column.]
The Blight, after all, does terrible things to wildlife that has the misfortune to be swept up in it. Why not this? There's no good reason why it should be any different honestly.
no subject
What's the worst you've seen of the Blight in this? Like--having its way with some creature. Or heard about, I s'ppose, if you've not seen firsthand.
no subject
[how could this happen to me.mp3]
Having its way or having its way those are two similar but different questions and another line of study to be opened up. I've seen odd behaviour in birds by a rift that I did get to observe, flight patterns that changed and flight patterns, migrations, those are set and we've known them for an incredibly long time. Heightened aggression I believe. Which would make sense: look how all of us are behaving and we have more understanding of what's going on.
kirkwall c-c-combobreaker.
She wanders up to him, another imposing figure, tall and armed and clearly having seen battle more than a little. And she smiles. If smiles can be polite, hers isn't.
"What're you lookin' for, now? Imagine folk who aren't on the payroll to do sommat else'll likely be more, ah... receptive, yeah?"
It's just common sense.
no subject
He's been too long anywhere that's not wherever they're from (Ferelden, they have to be Ferelden, it's been a few years since he went but the accent was a slap when he did arrive) so parsing it-- right. Right and of course the guards are leaving because they've had the opportunity and he will not sigh at that, that would be a disservice to them and to this lady here.
"A particular sort of giant spider that's been spotted about the area, mostly towards Sundermount of course." You know of course because that's jsut what everyone would know Tavin. "I wanted to know if they've encroached closer to Kirkwall proper or if they're about the general Planasene area."
no subject
Hopefully.
"I..." Jone's brow furrows. "I've not been in this bloody city long enough to count it, honest. Could look for you, but... it's sort of outta my way."
Pay me.
no subject
It's why you don't hire the Fereldens who bring their dogs everywhere with them, they demand a lot of reimbursing and don't take your conclusions for the betterment of science in the spirit they're meant.
"How far out of your way? You look to be accustomed to travel," he indicates to her garb because why else would anyone wear that in the city absent attachment to the guard, gestures in a Sundermount direction. Sort of. Sundermount adjacent there's a lot of great heaving Kirkwall in the way. "I prefer not to talk terms in a city I don't know well, can we do both or is there somewhere we might go?"
Don't let me be mugged for this my brother will never let me get over it. And the horse will know. Somehow.
no subject
I'm poor, pay me, pay me.
no subject
Tavin falls into step easy enough, a long stride for long legs, spidery hands flapping about as he goes. Some unfortunate soul walking past him narrowly avoids one to the face. "Some of the armour I've seen - I'm assuming Riftwatch, I can't imagine a Kirkwall guard salary pays well and there are tales, some more salacious than others - is all flash, no substance. Doesn't fare well in the field. Have you seen what happens when an alpha wyvern spies his reflection in the breeding season in a polished silverite breastplate?"
Tavin why do you sound gleeful about wondering if someone else has?