TEST DRIVE MEME!

[faderifting]

What if there is no tomorrow?

Only more 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 AND NOW ALSO ADDED KINDNESS TO ANIMALS (MOSTLY).

1. IF I GET SCARED, YOU'RE ALWAYS AROUND

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. THEY SAY WE'RE YOUNG AND WE DON'T KNOW

The Inquisition has, possibly, been a little too good at dealing with the Hinterlands' bear problem, and a group of concerned citizens--including young burgeoning naturalists, farmers concerned about the effect an unchecked population of rams may have on their crops come spring, and at least one woman who claims to be directly descended from bears--has taken issue. Maybe they're blocking your character's attempt to enter a bear-infested area. Maybe they've doused your character in bear blood. Maybe the bears they have been working so hard to save have cornered them in the wilderness and they're changing their tunes.

3. WITH YOU I CAN'T GO WRONG

The Inquisition's (cough Leliana's) habit of communicating by raven works out fine, usually, but this particular raven has gone a little rogue. It's not the raven's fault! She's young, she's trying. But she has very important information tied to her leg, and instead of delivering it, she's joined a flock of identical wild ravens to hunt for food in the snow. Recover her, somehow, without hurting her and making any spymistresses angry.

4. BEFORE IT'S EARNED, OUR MONEY'S ALL BEEN SPENT

The tavern at Redcliffe remains as busy as ever, filled with locals, travelers, and Inquisition members. But this month in addition to the usual free-flowing ale and rowdy conversation there is also a contest going on. Bakers have come from across the Hinterlands bearing their very best in an effort to win a coveted ribbon and the title of Best Cake. They pack the tavern and spill out into the surrounding courtyard when the weather allows, cakes sold off tables, out of packs, small chunks given away to whoever is passing and not paying enough attention to refuse. The votes are carefully guarded by several serious looking fellows in the back corner of the tavern. In addition to traffic issues, the cake madness has also caused an infestation of large local rodents, who have appeared out of their holes to devour the many crumbs. Legend has it that if they can be humanely eradicated from the tavern before the final vote is cast, spring will come early. No one in living memory has succeeded, but you are strongly encouraged to try anyway.

5. AIN'T NO HILL OR MOUNTAIN WE CAN'T CLIMB

Hunt game so you can rescue it before other hunters get there, kill demons or maybe just try to hug it out?, dig under the snow for herbs or plant some of your own to replace what others have taken, track bandits through the snow and see if they need a hand, deal with someone charging extortionist coat prices now that it's snowing and convince them to do the right thing, fall off a deceptively tall rock into the snow and admit it was your own fault, 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 so that you can give it a decent burial, climb trees or abandoned towers covered in snow and be careful not to knock them down, rummage around in empty homes to get out of the snow but leave a nice apology note, run from a dragon in the snow and promise not to trespass on its territory again, definitely don't kill any fennec foxes, set up camp and chat around the fire about your feelings because it's snowy and cold, give yourself a pat on the back (figuratively, or even literally if that's more your speed)-- the Hinterlands are your playground.

Comments

[embracelight]

"That sounds like a good plan," Belinda agrees with a quick bob of her head. "I feel bad for these little creatures, trapped in this dark, moving thing that has to be getting hot by now. It's probably not easy to breath either. Let's be off."

At the door, she slings her shield across her back since it was getting in the way of her crawling around the floor. While she isn't familiar with the Hinterlands, she assumes one field is as good as any other, so surely they'll find a good spot.

[whathumansdo]

Shepard herself as a greatsword strapped to her own back. She moves with Belinda towards the door. She could feel the creatures were still moving so she wasn't too concerned but Belinda had a pretty good point.

"We better hurry then," she agreed as they left she directed Belinda away from the village. "Let's head out this way. I think there's a pretty nice field this way."

[embracelight]

"All right. I'll admit, I don't know the area very well, though I am becoming more well traveled as a part of the Inquisition!" As they walk, Belinda's eyes take in the scenery. Redcliffe is a simple village with vegetation just held back from encroaching on the footpaths and wagon trails. There is a broken bridge that really should be repaired, but with the chaos that has recently come to the area, she can see why it hasn't been. Down the hill, she can see the waters of Lake Calenhad spreading out and it's such a lovely sight. This place doesn't remind her of Starkhaven at all, and yet it's a homey atmosphere nonetheless.

"It's so good to see this place is still standing after all the troubles it's had. There are still some scars, but it's doing all right for itself, isn't it?" She takes note of a ruined windmill up on the hill as they continue out of Redcliffe, the rats starting to get a little rowdy in her bag. She makes a gentle shushing sound that accomplishing nothing, but she hopes it's soothing nonetheless.

[whathumansdo]

Being outside makes Shepard go a little quieter for a moment. She grew up here, and being back still fills her with mixed feelings. It's easy to ignore that when she's inside buildings, most of which had to be repaired after she left, but outside it's easy to distracted by how much everything is so different and yet so much the same.

Then Belinda brings that all to the forefront with the observation and Shepard considers her for a moment before speaking. She want's to be thoughtful with her reply. "Most of Ferelden still shows scars of the Fifth Blight. Some places just seem to like to attract new attention to reopen those wounds, I suppose."

She really doesn't want to dwell on any of that, though, so instead she gestures up ahead. "I think up there should be a good spot. There are rocks for them to hide from predators."

[embracelight]

"How sad," she muses quietly, her tone matching her words. Though she is often cheerful, she can come down from it all in order to show the proper respect. She was just a girl during the Blight, but she remembers the stories: the horror of the darkspawn, the bravery of the Hero of Ferelden and his company; all of it. The people of Redcliffe were certainly brave too.

Her gaze shifts from their surrounding to where Jane gestures, and Belinda nods her head.

"Agreed. The little fellows should have a chance. And I'm sure they'll be able to forage for food in this area."

[whathumansdo]

Shepard realizes she much prefers this girl when she's happy and cheerful, so she makes up her mind to try to keep the mood light. The smile is much better than the solemn expression.

"Exactly. They might a nuisance, but we should still give them a chance." She offers Belinda a small smile and tries to change the subject to keep that smile. "Have you done a lot of traveling with the Inquisition?"

[embracelight]

"Oh, a bit so far! After Haven, I was sent to a few places in Orlais to try and reassure the Chantry that the Inquisition wasn't heretical. It was a wee bit difficult to convince them, I'm afraid." Belinda shakes her head and lets out a sigh. "I don't think I like some of them now. They seemed to care more about holding onto their own power than helping the people effected by this war. The Maker doesn't want those who spread His word to be selfish."

Now at the rocks, she kneels down and carefully sets down her bag, opening it up so the rats can run free.

"I might go to Nevarra after this. I'm still not sure. It depends where I can do the most good."

[whathumansdo]

Shepard frowns bit at her description. "It seems like the only people who really cared about doing right by the world have been killed by the Breach." The Divine had seemed decent enough and from what she knows the Herald had given it her all.

"Do you think anything will make them come around?"