Test Drive Meme!

[faderifting]

You'll Never Leave the Hinterlands Alive*

Welcome to Fade Rift's very first Test Drive Meme! Use one of the prompts below or make up your own, and tag around! Have fun, try out the setting, generate samples for your app, coerce your friends into joining you.

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, early fall finds 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.

1. In the Deep Dark Hills of Western Ferelden

You have turned the wrong corner, forded the wrong stream, crested the wrong hill, entered the wrong cave. Maybe you are far from camp. Maybe you are in camp. Whatever has happened, wherever you are: you are being chased by bears. Did you provoke the bears? Are they huge? Babies? Fade-touched? Mage-controlled? What are they chasing you away from? What are they chasing you into? What do you plan to make out of their hide if you kill them? What do you think they'll craft out of your hide if they kill you?

2. There I Read on a Hillside Gravestone

The rebel mages and renegade templars have ravaged the Hinterlands, skirmishes breaking out all over. It looks like you've just missed one-- great spikes of ice melt slowly in the cool autumn sunlight and patches of grass and trees have been scorched away. Three bodies are scattered about, two templars and one mage judging by their clothing. You could bury them. Or search their pockets. Or track their friends. Or all of the above, if you're feeling industrious.

3. Won't You Walk With Me Out the Mouth of this Holler

Whatever task you were actually sent out here to do, you are going to be late. One-Eyed Jimmy asked so nicely for your help finding his prize ram, Lord Woolsley. It's been in the family for years, so smart for a ram, it's a good luck charm, their business has boomed with it around, and it's lived for so long, he just can't abide thinking of it getting eaten by some mangy apostate. And then he went and offered you money, too. How could you say no? Maybe you're still wandering, asking everyone you pass if they've seen a ram that looks like it's wearing an orangey-red sweater. Maybe you've found it and are chasing it around a lake or trying to lead it back to the village for your reward. Maybe you've gotten fed up and gotten out your sword to bring Jimmy a new sweater instead and discovered that lucky Lord Woolsley is a demon in sheep's clothing. Surprise!

4. Fill Your Cup With Whatever Bitter Brew You're Drinking

Just because the region's had a rough time lately doesn't mean the tavern at Redcliffe is any less crowded than usual. Bella behind the bar dishes out tankards to refugees and soldiers, scared villagers and angry farmers, merchants traveling through from Orzammar and Orlais and families fleeing the rifts in the foothills. It's packed, basically. The Inquisition has only recently extended its influence into the region, and while some have already seen the benefit-- demons killed, fighting broken up-- others are skeptical.

5. Spend Your Life Just Thinkin' of How to Get Away

Choose Your Own Adventure: hunt game, kill demons, gather herbs, track bandits, haggle over the price of armor, fall off a deceptively tall rock, 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, climb trees or abandoned towers, rummage around in empty homes, run from a dragon, cry over how cute that fennec fox you just shot was, set up camp and chat around the fire, knock yourself out (figuratively, or even literally if that's more your speed)-- the Hinterlands are your Frostback Mountain oyster.

*Yeah, I had this stuck in my head. It's a good song!!

Comments

Taashath| DA OC

[quietblade]

4 - Local Qunari Ruins Tavern Night With Shitty Attitude

[Okay, he might not be ruining it, but he's definitely not the relaxing type. Standing by the door, the massive qunari warrior has the beautiful expression of someone with mild constipation or just hating the world in general.

Combined with the vitaar-painted chest and the large two-handed axe, he could probably have been taken out of Par Vollen and placed right there if it wasn't for the way he was keeping honey-brown eyes on one of the nobles like a particularly large hawk.

It practically screamed 'bodyguard'.

It wasn't until he reached to help a waitress after stumbling that he shows he's not just amazing Qunari propaganda, and the small smile he gives her before turning back to his task is warmer than anything else in his body language revealed before.]

[salvatore_underfoot]

[Sal had been here a while. Long enough to see people come and go. Long enough to notice who had been here a while. He liked the noise, the chatter, the bard’s singing, even if he could barely hear her. He loved the food and drink, though he ran out of coin a while ago. Oops. Hopefully they won’t figure that out for a bit, because above all, he enjoyed being warm and among people.

But a quick getaway might be in order. He relocated to a table by the door as soon as it vacated and settled in, tugging the hood of his cloak up over his dark hair to shield him from the breezes that blew in whenever the door was pushed open.

His steel gray eyes strayed up to the Qunari and he cleared his throat and offered up a feeble, half-hearted smile. Did this tavern have a very large, armed guard dog?] Hey. How’s it going?

[quietblade]

[He was watching. Of course he was. Some guy, changing seats to be near the door? Tugging up his hood? Taas' eyes were on him at once.

...which was probably good since the man was now speaking to him. Raising a brow questioningly, his features tense a bit and his thick fingers move over the hilt of the axe he was leaning against.]

What do you need?

[salvatore_underfoot]

Not a thing, my friend. [Rolling his shoulders under his cloak, Sal leaned back and adopted a relaxed posture. Indifference. He slumped back in his chair, but kept his feet firmly on the floor.

His smile didn't come any easier, still forced. Why didn't he scope out a back door to this place?] Can't a man make conversation?

[quietblade]

[Taas snorts slightly at that.]

What did you steal, kid?

[salvatore_underfoot]

[Sal gasps. But also goes red in the face. He leans in to whisper harshly.] Sir! I am offended. I am no thief!

turn that frown upside down

[savethecat]

I don't think the silk merchant is going to pull a knife on your friend there, though she might try to gouge the prices for him a bit.

[Gorse wasn't sitting too far away, having just come in and claimed a recently vacated table before catching sight of Taashath. He gives a perfectly friendly grin, himself, the kind that's perfectly at ease with his surroundings in spite of how incongruent the whole qunari part of him is with them.]

Why don't you sit down for a bit? I'll let you have the chair facing their table and buy you a beer?

oh no he's adorable

[quietblade]

[At first, the warrior is completely ignoring poor Gorse other than a quick once-over when the other qunari entered. He doesn't seem aware that he's the one being spoken to until the noble he's guarding glances back at the white-haired archer with an annoyed look.

That makes Taas glance over as well, just in time to catch the last sentence.]

Tch. I wish I could.

[He says, deep baritone the smallest bit off-key. There's a small hint of an eye-roll, the barest show of humor before he's all rawr srs warrior again.]

yessss intended reaction.

[savethecat]

[Gorse gives a perfectly beautific and innocent smile to the noble. For his size and species he's actually a natural at that, as he genuinely often is innocent. The eyeroll from the other qunari is encouraging, though. There's clearly a person under the scary guard dog act, like he showed with helping the waitress.

They're gonna be friends. Gorse has already decided.]

Can I at least get you the beer, then? Nothin' strong enough to make you remiss in your duties, promise.

A+, would hug

[quietblade]

[The guy was kind of impressive with that cute, innocent look he gave Taas' employer, somehow mollifying the grumpiness right out of him.

The warrior wishes he could do that, but looking big and scary was the thing that put coin in his pockets.]

I'd be a horrible bodyguard if I agreed to that.

[He starts, pushing out his biceps a bit as he straightens. Look, totally intimidating.

...it's kind of ruined by the noble stomping his foot on the creaky floorboards to get Taas' attention, gesturing to him to shut up and go.]

Well. Guess I'm off duty now and will take you up on that offer.

he gives great hugs

[savethecat]

[Gorse has to grin at the bicep trick. Absolutely intimidating.

He doesn't exactly give a sort of delighted sound more fitting to someone maybe half his size, but he does turn the grin on Taas' employer and call a quick 'Thank you kindly!' because obviously he did so so that Taas could make some friends and relax a little. Gorse has absolutely no reason to believe this except he does, because the world is a wonderful place full of good people in it who are always looking out for each other.

Gorse eagerly pushes the other chair out for Taas, turning to the waitress by the bar he'd placed his order with and calling to her next,] One more, please! Thank you!

[RIGHT! Time to make friends!] Pleased to have your company! M'name's Gorse, what's yours?

I love him already

[mythalenaste]

[Some people are taken with qunari. Some people think they look scary. Pel thinks this one just looks cold.

Actually, she's not looking at him at the moment. She's got some chunk of rock with the faintest relief on it and is studying it carefully, writing down observations in a book.

Behind her, some very drunk humans are suppressing snickers. One leans toward her, barely touching the knife she has sheathed behind her. Drawing it quickly. Pel feels the motion and turns, frowning, to see the man dangling the knife in front of her.]

You've already got two, [he teases her.] On the sides of your head, [he explains unnecessarily. The men behind him hoot with laughter.

Pel has a similar expression as Taashath.]

I'll give it back for a kiss. And maybe a grope. [He leans in and makes kissing sounds. Pel ducks away and shoves at him. He takes the opportunity to grab her wrists and yank her toward him.]

[quietblade]

[There's a very, very nasty sound of someone's wrist cracking as the massive warrior grabs one of the men with the same cold, indifferent look as before.

He bares his teeth just slightly to the other one, daring him to try anything.]

Let go of the elf and fuck off. People are trying to relax.

[It was no way he hadn't seen it, after all. He didn't need to hear to know the shit these people were up to, and he could easily get rid of some idiot humans while keeping his employer's back free.]

[mythalenaste]

[The man who had Pel by the wrists is halfway across the room very quickly, for a drunk man. His buddies follow him, one trying to look manly while cradling his broken wrist and totally not crying. The knife is dropped somewhere in the scramble. The elf's expression hasn't changed--it's all happened way too quickly for her to process. After a second, she looks faintly disturbed. Did she just get assaulted by a stereotype? Even worse, did she just let it happen?]

Thank you, [she says in a daze, her face slowly going red.]

[quietblade]

[He's almost impressed by that retreat, watching the men back off and even tossing his head slightly for good measure. Yep, big bad qunari here, every stereotype on the block.

Then he looks back at the elf, making sure she was in one piece and nothing was groped or cut. Leaning down, he picks up her knife and holds it out to her.]

You okay?

[mythalenaste]

I'm fine. [That's the "acceptable" answer. She uses her sleeve to wipe sweat off her wrists--the other man's, not hers. Maybe she's just imagining it.] How many times a night does something like that happen?

[gatheringstorm]

[After a day of running into various forms of chaos along the Hinterlands, Korrin is more than ready for a drink. She doesn't bother to change out of her armor, staff still strapped to her back. The peace in Redcliffe is too tenuous from her point of view to feel comfortable without them, anyway. If others can't deal with an agent of the Inquisition defending herself, that's their problem.

She enters with the intention of making a beeline for the bar and asking for the strongest drink they have. It doesn't matter what it is, human brews are something she can handle. Besides, given that disaster can happen at practically any time, it's better to keep her wits around her.

Plopping down onto a stool, she glances over just in time to catch Taashath's help and that smile. It makes her flash one of her own as she waits for the bartender to get to her.]

Keep that up, and maybe the locals won't get nervous whenever there's more than one of us in here. [Whether she means the help or the smile, who knows.] Though I'd bet on the rifts sealing themselves up first before that ever happens.

[quietblade]

[It's hard to ignore other qunari, and his eyes are on her as soon as she enters. That staff draws his attention pretty quickly, and he stiffens a bit, his features tensing.

It's hard for him to deal with mages, to remember that things are different here. Especially when they are qunari. No stitch scars on her lips, however. A Vashoth.

It makes him feel a bit better.

It's a good thing he's watching her, or he wouldn't have picked up that she was talking to him.]

Making them nervous is kind of my job.

[He looks the slightest bit amused even under the tensed features.]

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin will take that slight amusement as a minor victory, because she's tired of entering the tavern and seeing too many serious faces. There's cause for that, of course, but that hardly contributes to an acceptable drinking atmosphere. She removes that staff from her back and props it up against the bar, leaning back against it with one of her legs hooked around the tool.]

You've already got that covered with the vitaar, though. Your job is pretty much doing itself, at this point. [She's displaying none of it herself, for the moment. It only comes out before a major battle, if it must at all.] Trust me, between rifts, Venatori, bandits and whatever else is out there, people are tense enough.

[quietblade]

[His gaze follows the staff like it's a snake ready to strike, missing a bit of what she was saying. 'Venatori' was still a strange word to read on lips, and he had yet to see in in writing. It would probably be a mess to pronounce.

Instead he focuses on the gist of what she was saying. He's scary and people were scared enough as it was. It makes Taas shrug slightly.]

Guy my size can't exactly tone it down.

[He could put on a shirt, but that would be counter-productive.]

As long as there's no trouble, I'm just decoration.

[gatheringstorm]

True, you do tend to stand out. Well, we.

[It's just a staff, man. Not doing anything other than being a staff, at the moment. Korrin remains patient, though. Seeing another of her kind around is rare enough that she'll let it go unless he really gets an attitude about it. Plus, she's tired and bored. That makes her more mellow than usual.]

Does 'decoration' have a favorite around here? I hate drinking alone, and since most human brews don't faze me, I doubt you'll be in any danger.

[equanimiti]

[It's not often that members of the Order parade through taverns but Zargabaath and his men are in search of someone. A renegade who've forsook his duties at the tower in favour of rape and pillaging. Under the old regime, the Order would simply turn a blind eye to all things foul in favour of upholding pleasantries with the Chantry. Now that Zargabaath assumed command of the tower, such a crime must be be paid in blood. This is why this armored-clad man swings the door open with such violence escorted by two of his own guards.

The Orlesian's fondness for paegentry shows within his elaborate silver and red armor along with the decorative blades at his hip. The Knight-Commander literally earned the eyes of all those present and even earned a few sneers. The Templar are still viewed as villainous to some thanks to Meredirth and other despots like her. This is a fact that wins Zargabaath's scorn.

With just the gesture of his hand, the two soldiers starts combing through the tavern in search of the renegade. The Knight-Commander lingers by the door with a scowl so great that it rivals the moody Qunari's. It would seem that these two men are having a rather horrific day.]

[theonly]

[ "Your own lot is here."

Stannis did not need to be told. He heard the door crash open but kept his gaze forward at the one before him. It is not like him to be in a tavern of his own volition, but he is traveling through the country to make it to Skyhold. This requires him to stop on occasion in unfit areas to ensure that he restocks on supplies and seek out one to know if they have seen a certain mage girl. He does not say that it is his own daughter -- who would guess such a thing -- and those he ask seem to believe it is some Templar on a hunt than seeking lost family. Fair enough. Good enough. Means they see gold in their future if they give the right information. ]

More scum. [ Stannis starts at first. Templars acting like brutes through taverns than what they should. He is surprised to see that it is Knight-Commander Zargabaath. It is enough to have him recant what he said, but only to himself. Pushing away from the table, he hears the cough of the man -- an indication of wanting coin. He turns to drive a dagger into the table first before tearing it loose to go meet with his fellow knight-commander. The man had no information and would lead him in circles for sport. He could see it in the way he eyed the coin purse and saw the deceit clear in his eyes. Let the rat think whatever he like of Stannis. ]

And what reason do you take my role today, Knight-Commander?

[quietblade]

[The vibrating slam of the door makes the large qunari grasp his axe, brown eyes fixed on the people barging in. The armor screamed templars and he bares his teeth in a low growl.

Too many of those bastards were rogue villains these days, and Taas was not the slightest bit impressed with this ridiculous show of force and command. They were scaring the shit out of the tavern people, after all.

Glaring down at Zargabaath, he adjusts his grip on his weapon but lowers it slightly to not cause unnecessary chaos. As Stannis gets up and violently warns the 'informant' to back off, he gives that rat a glare as well. Too many dangers right now. This was a violent spark waiting to happen.

He's not pleased at all. It doesn't mean he's about to join the discussion, however. People didn't pay him to talk, just flex his massive arms and look intimidating.

Taas does a good job of that, intensely focused on the two commanders.]

[equanimiti]

[The glare the Orlesian receives from the towering qunari clearly suggests that he quells his rage for now. He gives the muscle bound creature a somewhat knowing gaze before being rewarded with the Baratheon's presence. It's then that the fierceness of his gaze shifts to something of melancholy, a look Stannis may have seen once or twice in times passed.]

Renegades. [He tells the other as he slowly approaches the bar.] Of my own legion no less. The shame of it all.

[Wearily, he places his gloved hand upon the counter to keep up right. Only the Maker knows how tirelessly this man has been on the pursuit of these rogues. It's going on a solid week now, day and night. While Zargabaath allows his men to rest, he's forsaken it for the sake of catching these vermin. It's both admirable and foolish of him. This is perhaps why Zargabaath looks so worn.]

Too often we play the roles of the villains. I shan't suffer such disgrace.

[He says as he gestures to his escorts. The two Templar nod to the unsaid order and cease in their search. The pair march past the qunari but not without giving the behemoth a curious glance as they go.]