Test Drive Meme!

[faderifting]

New Year...

...Same Old 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, the first days of the new year find 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.

STILL WITH ADDED SNOW.

1. SHOULD OLD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT

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 still snowy.

2. WE TWO HAVE RUN ABOUT THE SLOPES

Farmers have been forced to abandon their homes after a series of vicious attacks by wolves. Packs of them are roaming the foothills and stalking paddocks and even roads seemingly without the usual wariness of humans. Inquisition agents and local volunteers guard travelers through the affected region, hunt the wolves through snowy woods, and track them back to their cavernous lair in the edge of a canyon. Only eliminating the demons that lurk there will free the wolves from their influence and allow the area to return to normal.

3. AND PICKED THE DAISIES FINE

Winter snows freeze and bury the ground, but the need for healing herbs is as great as ever. Stockpiles are thin after the chaos of the last year, and Corporal Vale is desperate enough to send people out to search caves and hollows and cliffsides and beneath overhangs for any plants still clinging to life. The weather is brutal, the search tedious, the footing often treacherous, but that last patch of Crystal Grace could be a key find. Getting it requires clambering up a slippery hillside and stretching up to a ledge and hoping whatever creature lives in that foxhole beside the plant isn't at home, but it's worth it, right?

4. WE TWO HAVE PADDLED IN THE STREAM

With many roads through the hills and ravines blocked by deep snow, some crazy, desperate few have begun traveling by river. The ice is thick and jagged along the shores but in the center the water rushes, just deep enough for a shallow draft boat lightly laden. Supplies are carried down from the passes toward Redcliffe this way, a white-knuckle process that you, for some reason, have become involved in. Maybe you were hired to help fend off the bandits that haunt the calm shallows and try to demand tolls for passage, maybe you're paying your way downstream by helping port both boat and cargo around the steep falls, the mist so thick and cold it coats whatever it touches in a thin sheen of ice. Maybe riding a glorified canoe through rocky rapids and narrow gorges just sounded like a good time. Don't rock the boat!

5. WE'LL TAKE A CUP OF KINDNESS YET

It is still snowing, and the tavern in Redcliffe is still the closest and warmest place to duck into to wait it out, and not only is it packed to the gills but it seems that the First Day celebrations have continued within long past the dawn of the second day. 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 Fereldans they can't bring their dogs inside, every few minutes the group in the corner breaks into a traditional First Day song that will be stuck in your head for weeks, 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.

6. 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

[lastoftheredwings]

[Now that this is a team effort, Ceodore manages much better with the bear challenge. In fact, the princeling seems quite determined to make a show of impressing his mentor. A difficult challenge but once the kid makes up his mind about something it's set. He's like his mama in that way.

Ceodore's pleased to see that the bear takes a useless retaliatory swipe at Kain, knocking away one of those illusionary Blink replicas. The failed maiming seems to confuse the beast and allows Ceodore to rush the backside of the creature. He kicks out one of the bear's back legs while it's mildly distracted and follows with a deep stab well into it's hind quarters. Bear is now lamed on one side.]

You okay?

[That might not be checking on Kain's welfare and some bratty little challenge.]

[lastoftheredwings]

[Still not sure where his sudden help came from, Ceodore nods and follows along behind, slowly scaling the rock face. It reminds him so much of following Kain up the collapsed mountain face beyond Mist. Had to be rescued then too and man that makes his personal pride smart.

Although between the airship crash on the way back home, Father ordering the castle closed to everyone then attempting to kill him and their friends, the moon coming down, Father a blank vessel... things not making a lot of sense has become the norm for him. That for once the unknown is helpful is a refreshing relief.]

Oh um, I'm Ceodore. [Now that the threat of impending death to a fall has been sidelined, the fun of this particular challenge is pretty great.] Thanks again. Haven't gone climbing for a while.

[ombranera]

Truly, Leliana, you ought to take a night with one. They are marvelous in so many ways- Korrin especially I think you might like. [ She is even one he hasn't had a roll about with just yet! Not for lack of trying.

Bag filled and with the knowledge that someone will handle the rest, Zevran jogs back to the fearful nugs. Ugh. The noises they make. ]

Better to get these somewhere safe before the wolves hear them and grow hungry.

[unbrokenoath]

"Trying not to die?" Laughter followed that, which was probably incredibly comforting to Hiccup. But at least Kaisa looked like she could handle rowing. She picked up an oar, settling into the boat. Hiccup's suspicions about Ferelden origins are confirmed when a mastiff showed up, smaller than a mabari, but big enough to rock the boat as he hopped in, tail wagging madly.

Once the dog was in, the woman pushed off, and they started down the stream. It's only then, as their boat begins to bob along the stream, that she leans forward, still grinning ear to ear.

"Ain't you figured it out yet, kid? I'm a Warden."

That's supposed to be secret, but, you know. Whatever. The joke, of course, being that it was kind of the nature of Wardens to do their damnest to die. They were remarkably good at it.

5

[unbrokenoath]

Kaisa didn't need any flashes of necklaces or any subtle hints to locate the figure. Which was probably for the best, as subtle hints had a tendency to sail over her head. It was the blood that coursed through Bethany's veins that drew her, rather than anything within a necklace, blood as tainted as her own.

So the other woman felt no particular hesitation to plop down in the chair across from her, and grab a few grapes from the plate of fruit, flashing Bethany an outright shameless grin.

"Well, aren't you a mysterious figure? Swear to Andraste and the Maker above, if those people huntin' us down were worth a lick of salt, they'd just start tracking down every poor bastard wearing a hooded cloak and drawing it up all tight." She did bother to at least lower her voice, leaning conspiratorially close to Bethany. "The way I see it, if you don't act like you've got naught all t' hide, no one suspects you're hidin' anything. But that's just me."

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin can't help but smile at how he refers to her, but shakes her head.]

Just Korrin. I have no title.

[A Vashoth with a title? Yeah, that'll be the day.]

He's roaming the Hinterlands, helping seal more rifts and probably pouting about not getting to fight that high dragon. But it's too close to a settled area to piss off, so it's best that he doesn't.

[gatheringstorm]

That gets Korrin's attention and she quirks an eyebrow, interested. "Really, now? That would be useful. I hope it works on all kinds; they aren't exactly human, not anymore. Some of them are now downright bestial."

Please don't let there be a behemoth. She didn't see one on the outskirts of the quarry, but that doesn't mean it isn't further in. If so, they're all fucked; memories of the one in Haven are particularly ingrained, and the devastation it caused. It was only eclipsed by Corypheus and that pet dragon of his, though she tries not to think about that as she'd rather not have Celinie comment on that whole mess.

"beau" / native oc.

[furtif]

— four

[ while it is not to say that orlais never received its fair share of cold weather, beau is entirely of the opinion that just about everywhere else is far, far colder. there is something oddly endearing about an individual of her relatively small stature being swathed in what are undoubtedly avaar made furs, but she has never been one for style over practicality. it's very un-orlesian of her. whether it is because she has never been that way or through living in ferelden this long, she does not know, nor does she care. she only cares for the fact that receiving these furs as payment for her services was one of the very best moments of her life. they do a fine job, even if she still hasn't been able to feel her nose for days. there are limits to all good things.

the boat is unconvincing. she's seen children put together sturdier rafts from junk they found forgotten in denerim alleys than this dreadful little thing. she is not a pessimist, as such, but it's not optimism she feels towards this endeavour. not even close. ]

You are certain this journey is worth it? [ the orlesian accent is one she'll never shake, but it's honey soft, these days, mellowed by distance and time away. ] Inquisition forces cannot be more than a few days from here. They will have horses, carts... and we will not need to brave the lake.

[ lake calenhad is hardly the waking sea, but the boat creaks and groans as though the slightest movement will tear it apart. it is not a small thing, which is worth noting; it has quite a decently sized cabin and what have you. the supplies that beau and her travelling companion have been tasked to take to haven have been sent with compliments and good will from highever, except the journey is long and slow in the snow. the boat is unconvincing, yes, but beau would have to admit there is logic to the idea of crossing the lake rather than following its shores. they've still a long way to reach even redcliffe, while the road to haven is separated just by this stretch of water.

beau questions, but does not stop helping to load the crates from their dilapidated cart, loathe as she is to step on the vessel. ]

— six; bandits!! and snow

[ although "kind" and "merciful" are not words beau would choose to describe herself with, she does occasionally wonder if the years are making her just a little bit soft. she has been given a job, and she intends to do it; there is a very cold and very persistent apostate troubling travellers near the winterwatch tower, and it is her duty to... well, capture him, apparently, but frankly, beau has no idea how they expect someone of her size to apprehend and then bring in another human being — one with magical abilities, no less. she's going to kill him, if he is being as much a menace as the reports suggest, but the decision will have to be made on the spot.

there is a distraction on the way, and beau does not appreciate it, even if she doesn't resist its call, either.

in fairness, the individual that has been fallen upon by bandits has done a very fine job of dispatching most of the group, it would seem, from the many bloodstains on the snow and fresh collection of bodies, but there are a few that still intend to take whoever the poor person is for all they are worth. it must be galling to have all your fellow bandits taken down by a single person. beau presumes that not all of them were supposed to go after this one mark immediately, which seems to be their downfall. had they all gone at once, they could have overpowered this individual.

it seems a waste to let someone of apparent talent die in such a fashion. beau picks through the snow as quickly and quietly as she can, helpfully slitting the throat of a straggler still struggling on as she goes, but the distance between herself, the final two bandits and their victim seems too far for beau to make without potentially getting said victim killed. clicking her tongue, she reaches for her belt to take a smaller knife from her collection. nothing as big as a dagger, but just as sharp; she doesn't allow herself to rely on this technique too often these days, but it's worth a try.

the little knife sails through the air and hits the second bandit squarely in the back of the head, just as the set upon traveller (or whoever they are) finishes off the remaining first. beau barks with an incredulous laugh as her own target sinks down to his knees in the snow. ]

And to think, my mother always said these tricks of mine would never serve me as well as good, old-fashioned killing, but here I am! [ she grins, languidly. ] Saving and taking a life all at once.

( ooc: wassup i'm so late to this party terrible hasty written info can be found here )

[el_tybs]

That certainly catches Sam by surprise, leaning back a ways at how the youth jumps out of his chair and flings his head around to see if anything was coming at him. Even after Hiccup had calmed down and sat back into his chair, Sam continued to lean, waiting to see if there would be another burst of energy.

What in the world had that been? He had only asked a question. Simply just the word 'dragon' with the slight change in the voice to emphasize that it had been a question.

"Ah... huh. Guess we should keep you away from any Qunari as well in that case."

[fightingale]

Ought I? Food for thought.

( So many jokes. She had not taken anyone to her bed since Marjolaine; oh, she is a master in seduction, but it is harder to hide the truth of what you are when your body is marred and twisted with scars, and some trickier targets would not deem such a body desirable at all. That bothers her not. More bothersome is that others must be sent to do such work, for all the jokes she makes to Zevran, and that is without her idealisations of romance and love. Love was redemption, it was... peace, of a sort. Not all people were meant for such things, she had come to understand, no matter how they might admire the strength for it in others.

This, the joking, it is easier, and she she leaning forward to murmur gentle words to the scared little dears before she looks to Zevran again. Her poor sad nugs. They will live a much happier life at Skyhold. )

If they get hungry then Zevran will get a nice new coat, won't he little nugs? Yes, we'll skin the wolves to keep you save. Yes, we will.

( stop baby talking to the nugs, spymaster jfc )

2!

[amygdalae]

Hm?

[Bruce glances from the patch of herbs he had been working from, looking towards the other with a questioning glance.]

What are you putting to sleep? [He hadn't exactly seen anything himself, so he's a bit lost on what she's asking.]

[amygdalae]

[Bruce wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but he certainly didn't expect that and the surprise is clear on his face. He stares at the shard for several moments, half-awed and half-concerned, looking back up at Stark after several moments.]

When did this happen?

Re: 5

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Bethany made a soft noise of surprise as the woman came to drop in on her table. She of course had felt the taint, but her concern laid with the fact that she couldn't get out without bringing more attention to herself.

She tensed, her fingers curling inwards, as she looked at the other woman gravely. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I simply don't want people eating my grapes." Yes, yes, neither one of them could deny they were Wardens, but honestly? Bethany had a lot more to worry about.

Which sigh, really should worry her more than anything else. She arched an eyebrow, "Besides, how do I know you're not one of the ones trying to take me back, beyond stealing my fruit?"

[ombranera]

...It says something about me that I have missed this. I do not think anything good, but. Something.

[ Her coddling affection is familiar and warming enough that he does not do more than the token sighs of supposed irritation as he settles in among the cages. The nugs are soothed, slowly, by Leliana's cooing and baby talk and Zevran, well.

Crackles a soft laugh. ]

Yes, yes, if there are any bears or wolves that dare attack I shall make a fine coat of their fur.

[forgottensavior]

[Celinie motions both to the cave and the beautiful plant she spotted at its mouth. Royal Elfroot, she thinks she heard it called by description.]

I thought I heard something skittering around inside.

[Ah yes, there's that litter of wild nugs romping around inside the cave. One pokes its head out and starts rooting around in the grasses.]

Forgive me, I'm not familiar with the local wildlife to know if they are prone to aggression and I'd not disturb or provoke them if I can help it.

1

[unbrokenoath]

Over the sounds of the wolves rose a war cry, a wordless scream that got louder as the source rushed towards Celinie, and then past her. A human woman with a massive sword, meeting the wolves head on. She lets out a whoop, adrenaline rushing through her veins, and blood pumping loudly in her ears, as she slashes at the band of wolves. No ordinary wolves, she's sure about that. Any normal wolf would have been running by now.

But Kaisa isn't here to extrapolate on the nature of wolves, she's here to protect the strange woman that looks shell shocked. A civilian, probably, with no ability to fight. Better to stand than to run, at least--Normal wolves might be worried about a creature that faces them head on, but would charge to chase one fleeing.

But, these aren't normal wolves. What was that about not extrapolating?

"You had better run!" She called out, hoping it would break the woman out of her terrified trance. "I'll hold them off, don't you worry!"

[forgottensavior]

At the mention of the Red Templars she'd seen in the Echo, Celinie bites her bottom lip. She quite wondered about them but was fearful to broach the subject. Now that it's come up, her curiosity is pressing hard on her. "Anything alive, it should work, that I've seen. May I..." Hrm, should she or should she not ask. "What happened to those people? The ones guarding those prisoners. There was something misshapen about them."

[amygdalae]

[Bruce takes another moment to shift so that he can better look at what she's referring to, making a soft 'ah' once he sees what she's talking about.]

Oh, you don't need to worry about them. [He glances back to her and manages a smile.] They're entirely harmless.

[forgottensavior]

Shouting at shell shocked Celinie did just the trick in snapping her back to the present day. Unfortunately the episode left her shaking like lingering fall leaf tossed about in a lusty autumn gale. She blinked at her surroundings, only just realizing that wolves were charging her and a woman who had stepped into the gap. Thank the Twelve for that woman.

Too rattled to think quickly or defensively for her own protection, the warning to flee didn't quite register either. Else, she most certainly would have done. Thought that she should put them to sleep to assist in her flight did not come yet either. Only that here stood a fighter poised to take them all one and such an act could well be her end.

With a slight shake of her head to clear the fog of disorientation, the Elezen pulled out a leafy twig, brandished like a weapon of sorts.

"I can help!"

Drawing on the strength of the earth beneath their feet, she cast Stoneskin on her savior, to entirely blunt any damage she should take from canine teeth and claws.

[forgottensavior]

[Hearing that they're docile is a relief. Especially as she gets a closer look at the source of the mysterious noise.]

Twelve bless, they're terribly cute. What are they?

[Her hands are practically itching to pet them. Mama always hated her coming home of an evening with some newfound critter wanted for a pet.]

[amygdalae]

They're called nugs.

[He watches them as they cautiously approach closer, quirking a small smile.]

'Cute' isn't what most people would call them, though.

[unbrokenoath]

"Why would I take a few grapes right in front of you, if I planned on dragging you back? I'd just conk ya on the noggin and take the food for myself." Kaisa pointed out reasonably, as if that were the most logical conclusion anyone could reach. "And I guess if I wasn't rogue with the rest of you, I'd be dressing like a normal Warden, too. Wouldn't have anything to hide from. Although, I guess that goes with what I just said--Maybe I should put my armor back on? Pretend I'm totally all about getting my dumb ass killed so some tool can--Well, you know."

She waved her hand around a bit. Even with lowered voices, the whole 'summoning demons' and 'blood magic' was something she wanted to avoid, if possible.

She pops the grapes into her mouth thoughtfully, glancing around the tavern. "Ah, Andraste's ass, this is a mess. Alla this. On the run from my own brothers and sisters, with the sky popped open like a cheap thatching, even Orlais is even more of a shithole than usual." She drummed her fingers thoughtfully on the table, looking around. "But I don't think it's the end of the world. And even if it is, not like I'm just going to lie down and wait t' die. If you've got a leaky boat, you keep trying to plug it until you make it to land, you know? You don't just watch the water fill it up and and say 'Well, shit'."

[dragondowner]

The high of survival was fading with speed, as it usually did, and Hiccup's sarcasm was eager to surge back into place. True, by dint of saving his life, Hiccup was already more fond of Garris than most other Lowlanders (not that he, you know, actually knew any), but that didn't mean he was going to be unfailingly polite. He was an Avvar but, more than that, he was a twelve year old boy.

"Yeah, well, I thought I might give wrestling it a go," Hiccup replied and made a half-hearted motion with his long, lanky arms. "Unfortunately it was the better wrestler."

As for whether he was prepared or not, Hiccup didn't comment. This was mainly due to the fact that he had brought a pack, and a rather formidable ax and shield, but he'd dropped the lot of them when that bear had started chasing him. They were probably in a gully somewhere.

[forgottensavior]

[Ah there we go, the temptation is now too great. Celinie kneels down and holds out her hand, palm up, to see if the little nug will come closer.]

It isn't? Why not?

[Because she could just scoop up the whole lot of them and adopt them. There's a vague niggling that the elementals would not approve of removing an entire population of a creature from their environment because they are precious, but she's quite ignoring that for the moment.]

[gatheringstorm]

The question itself doesn't bother her, though dwelling on the Red Templars isn't her favorite subject. "They ingested red lyrium. The normal kind is addicting and has some severe side-effects, but that stuff is far, far worse. It consumes you, twisting you into a blighted creature until there's nothing left. And they're all under Corypheus' sway."