TEST DRIVE MEME!

[faderifting]

WHAT A GLOOORIOUS FEELING

WE'RE STILL IN THE HINTERLANDS

How’s the weather, Inquisition? Terrible. Heavy rainfall pelts the plains and the mountains, four straight days of it! Dark clouds block out the sun. It may begin to feel like there’s no end to the storms in sight. When darkness falls, cold evening temperatures turn that rain frigid. Your boots, your socks, they’re soaked through. Everyone smells like wet wool.

And as if all that weren’t enough: the increased rainfall loosens patches of mud and shale, causing mudslides.

---

1. We’re not in Orzammar anymore…

A recent group of dwarven traders bearing fine crafts and goods were inbound for Skyhold, ready to flood the markets with their wares. Instead, they got flooded out.

Yes, word has reached the Inquisition that the traders have been unfortunately detained by the weather and they are now in need of a rescue. Dare you venture out into the lashing rain and sliding mud to rescue the traders?

If you do so dare, you’ll find some of the traders to be exceedingly grateful for your efforts, ready to bestow handsome rewards on you, O Brave Soul -- just as soon as you’ve escorted them safely back to Skyhold. Or you might find a cluster of more disagreeable traders, grumpy at the water in their boots and the loss of their goods. Some of those goods might still be rescuable, if you want to wade out into a mud field to retrieve a fallen chest, or tug an errant terrified donkey back onto what’s passing for dry road these days.

As you carry these treasures back to their masters, or back to Skyhold, you might consider helping yourself to a sampling of the wares on your way back. After all, your reward might not be adequate, and you are risking your life for these ungrateful sons of mothers. Just don’t get caught. These traders don’t look kindly on thieves, and frayed tempers snap easily.

Feel free to get stuck on your way to the rescue, too. Weather out the storm with a fellow do-gooder. These days, the rescuers might need rescuing just as much.

2. Are you mad? That’s twelve year old scotch!

In Skyhold and the surrounding tent towns, what with the confusion and the panic and the scramble for high ground, market stalls are left unattended and wares are ripe for the taking. For some, temptation proves to be too much. Where there’s disaster, there’s often looting! A few vendors defend their own wares, and those that can’t make desperate entreaties for assistance. Bandits! Thieves!

Are you a brave and hale friend to the Inquisition and to good honest trade, ready to defend the wares of the waterlogged merchants? Or maybe your sticky fingers spot a tempting treasure too great to ignore. If they didn’t want it stolen, they should have taken it with them! Watch out for that Qunari metalsmith with the mean right hook. He’s not to be trifled with, and his blow will leave you toothless in the mud.

3. I gotta go, Julia, we got bears.

The rainfall has disturbed more than the mud. Bears, resting in their caves, have found their caves to be too damp for their liking, and they’ve taken to the open air to vent their spleens. Some people say that the bears are as frightened as you are, but when you’re faced with a six hundred pound beast with huge pointy teeth, their innocence is a little harder to keep in perspective.

The tents surrounding greater Skyhold are especially worried by rogue bears. Make a stand against them, or else help evacuate a threatened campsite. Mudwrestling a bear is a great way to impress the ladies, or the gentlemen… but no one will blame you for beating a hasty retreat.

4. We got 12 skins of water, 56 ales, two vodkas, four whiskeys, six bottles of wine, tequila, hazelnut paste, cheese, bread, eggs, bananas, apples, bacon, steaks, pancakes, dry grain, milk, sweet tomato sauce, half a pudding, half-ounce Sour Wine, 3 1/2 grams Grand Inquisitor Kush, one ounce of 'shrooms, 15 ecstasy potions, a smutty woodcut, a bat…

TIME TO HUNKER DOWN. In the tavern, the barkeep is handing out free spiced wine to anyone who takes refuge behind her door. The din of conversation and lutesong makes a fine lullabye for the careworn traveler, and you might find yourself inadvertently dropping off to sleep. Or maybe someone’s fallen asleep on you.

Who can blame the slumberers, finally safe and warm and dry? In the tavern, the fires have been built up to ward off the chill and the damp, but relaxation is a little more difficult these days. You really have to elbow your way in there to get close to that warmth. Once you get close enough, you’ll find that the hearths are taken up with dozens and dozens of wet socks and wetter boots, steaming gently as they dry. Be disgusted if you want, or else peel off your own and go barefoot while you wait.

Hey! What’s going on over there? Someone’s taking one of your socks! Stop, thief!

If you can’t make it to the tavern, you might find yourself holed up somewhere a little more unlikely. The limited space within Skyhold means there aren’t a lot of free rooms. That door you shoulder open in desperation might have an owner already. Intrusions aren’t always unwelcome, but beware of what -- or who! -- you might find.

5. Lots of fish… and lots of weather.

WILDCARD. Whatever you do, just remember: there’s a lot of rain, you’re very wet, and if you’re feeling amorous, keep in mind that everyone smells like wet wool. We cannot stress this enough.

Comments

Danae Ghilain

[enasalin]

[Relevant info here. Yeah, I know, she can't be apped right now. But come get your sample/extra AC reward point if you want?]

3. Well, shit. That's an especially large, especially irritated bear and one far too close to a campsite. Danae takes only a moment to stare uneasily before shifting forms, speeding ahead as a fennec. This isn't going to end well if she doesn't give people some warning.

Upon reaching the edge of the camp, purple smoke rolls outward from the fennec, coupled with what looks like purple lightning. She's an elf again, straightening and unslinging that staff from her back.

"Bear! A large one! Get ready."

4. Honestly, Danae stopped caring about the smell a long time ago. Bone-weary and just grateful to be out of the rain, it doesn't take long for the Dalish woman to start nodding off. Slumbering while surrounded by strangers -and shemlen at that- isn't one of her usual habits, but it sneaks up on her before she can even attempt to fight it.

It's also possible that she's awakened by the sensation of someone falling asleep on her, instead. Depending on how large the person is, though, the slight elf might not be able to support them. Expect a surprised gasp and some tumbling to the ground, in that case.

5. Danae is soaking wet and can either be encountered as an elf or possibly shapeshifting into/out of fairy wren form, attempting to cut down on travel time.

5

[serannas]

As Ellana closes in on Skyhold, she notices another tiny bird in the air in front of her. She lets out a bird call and flaps her wings harder in the hopes of catching up, because she's pretty sure that's Danae up there and not any old bird. And who better to share the wet journey back with than a friend?

[enasalin]

Danae would be a poor scout if she didn't pay attention to the details around her, and the bird call is no exception. It's familiar, of course, as is the type of bird in question. She's seen the bird while heading into or out of Skyhold, enough to know that it's likely Ellana. Grateful for the company, Danae twitters cheerfully back. She renews her efforts, wanting to land in out of the rain as soon as possible. The specific location matters less than shelter, at the moment.

[serannas]

Now that Ellana's caught up, she keeps up the hard pace in order to get to someplace warm and dry as fast as possible. Knowing she's not out flying alone helps. Were something to happen to her out here, she has someone who can help.

But thankfully Skyhold is close by, and as they fly above the front gate, Ellana veers for the stables and barn. They're close, there's a roof; what's not to like? Once inside she lowers to the ground, at which point she shifts back to elf with the customary smoke and lightning that accompanies a shift.

[enasalin]

Following Ellana to the stables, because why not, Danae circles once before landing and resuming her usual shape. At least the stables are currently empty, so they're not startling anyone. Straightening, she shakes the rain out of her cropped red-gold hair and flashes a warm grin. The weather may be gloomy, but it dampens her spirits not at all.

"It feels so good to back on my own two feet again! That was one long stretch to fly, but the idea of drying off in Skyhold instead of spending the night in a dank cave was too much to resist. Were you on your way back too, or just catching the sights?"

[serannas]

Ellana's hair is in a braid, and she twists it around her hand to squeeze the water out of it. Though she isn't in as bright a mood as Danae, she still returns the grin with a soft smile.

"On my way back, but I was just out for the day. I was scouting further down the mountain for mudslides, to see if any paths had been washed out. Luckily none so far, and none in danger that I could see, so I don't have to rush off to make a report. Where did you go that you're just now returning?"

[enasalin]

"The Storm Coast. I know, right? Constant rain, and I return here to this." Danae gestures to persistent rain outside the barn, already forming large puddles. "There's been darkspawn activity on the surface and Red Templars have taken an old dwarven port, so it's been...busy. I'm really glad I picked a wren, you know. Ravens are suspicious these days, but a tiny bird like that? No one notices."

[serannas]

"Oh no, what a disappointment to come back now and see this." Ellana turns and shakes her head at the rain still steadily coming down on the fortress, as it's been doing across the mountain all day.

"I agree completely. People look out for ravens for messages or ill omens, but wrens and sparrows? No one would think twice." She then shivers and lets out a chuckle. "Want to change and meet up at the tavern for a drink? Before I left this morning, I heard they'd be serving spiced wine."

[enasalin]

"Spiced wine sounds lovely." Danae nods eagerly, preferring such wine if she has any at all. She's not typically a heavy drinker, though will stay at the tavern until the wee hours of the morning if there are people to talk to and play with. "I'll meet you there and buy a round, and you can catch me up?"

[serannas]

"I'd love to. See you soon." And with that, Ellana makes her way up to her room, where she dries off and dresses herself in several layers to keep warm. She dons a hooded leather coat on her way out, lifting the hood to keep her hair from becoming any more soaked than it already is. Then she jogs down to the tavern to keep from getting too wet again, entering to find it pretty packed with patrons wanting a warm drink.

She looks around, wondering if she's beaten Danae there or if she's claimed them a spot.

[enasalin]

Dry clothes are as welcome as they are unfamiliar, at this point. Danae's glad she remembered to keep a fresh stash available in Skyhold, as infrequent as her trips to the fortress have been. Days like this make it worthwhile by far.

She trails in a bit later, waving as she notices that Ellana's already staked her claim. Good. The spiced wine for them both, Danae then flops down into her seat with a grateful sigh. "Dry and warm, or getting there. This day's already looking up."

[serannas]

"I think you could find reasons for any bad day to suddenly look up," Ellana replies with a laugh, wrapping her hands around the mug to warm them through before taking a sip.

"So tell me about the Storm Coast. You faced darkspawn and Red Templars?"

[enasalin]

Danae grins at that first part, then settles in with a more serious expression after she takes an appreciative sip. "Not both at once and not directly, but yes. An earthquake opened up a fissure in the mountains and broke some tunnel seals below, so darkspawn took advantage of that. They're coming up from the Deep Roads...not in numbers to make it a true Blight, but it's still enough to be concerned about. The Red Templars are actually the lesser hassle at the moment, as they're just sticking to that one area."

4.

[dragoon_pride]

Kain is just as exhausted, he’s pretty much worn himself out this time, pushed himself almost beyond his limits. So when he crashes, he crashes hard this time, falling fast asleep. He doesn’t pay any mind to what he’s doing, and is so worn out that he hasn’t removed his armor… so, excuse the tall and heavily armored dragoon suddenly slumping over on her…

She may also wish to excuse the sudden exclamation of “Nugshit!!!” that’s loud enough to wake most anyone in the place, as a parrot swoops in to settle nearby. The bird cackles and watches her, eyes gleaming.

[enasalin]

...well.

Danae's abruptly wide awake, thanks to Kain and his feathered companion. The dragoon, larger and human and armored, is no match for her slight elven form. Unable to support his weight, the Dalish mage tumbles off her stool with a yelp.

Flat on her back and dazed, she's working on refocusing her vision when the exclamation catches her off-guard. Instead of getting back onto her feet, she stares at the parrot with wide eyes. "Creators...."

[dragoon_pride]

The dragoon, off-balance as the ‘comfy pillow’ he’d landed on falls away, snaps awake. “Ah! Wha-” Kain’s voice is thick with sleep. He sits up abruptly, glancing around and trying to get his bearings. Where is he? What’s happening, where is the enemy? Oh… no, never mind, that was only a dream…

“Bloody whorespawn!”

“Bastard, what is… oh. What are you doing down there?” Kain turns now to look down at the elven woman on the floor, not realizing his part in it... “That can’t be comfortable.”

[enasalin]

"It's not, but that's what happens when a knight tips me over." Danae smirks, though by her tone she's not that upset, just caught off guard. She pushes herself up into a sitting position first, rubbing at her back...and then she chuckles.

"That's quite a companion you have there. Did you teach it all that, or did it learn on its own?" At least it's not shouting elven slurs at her...yet. Then this would be a lot less funny.

[dragoon_pride]

Oh, whoops, had that been his doing? Kain looks appropriately remorseful at least as he gets up and offers her a hand to get her off the ground.

“Forgive me… I didn’t realize… I must have been more tired than I thought.” He looks over toward his parrot who carries on for a bit with some amused sounds, random laughter among that. “Bastard here came to me this way. It’s a habit he’s apparently not able to break.” By now, though, Kain has gotten used to his cursing companion. “He truly doesn’t mean to insult you, it’s almost… his own way of being friendly.”

[enasalin]

"No harm done." Accepting the hand, Danae gets back to her feet easily enough and she brushes herself off. The tavern floor is hardly known for is cleanliness, after all.

She glances to the chuckling bird, laughing as Kain gets her attention again. "'Bastard? Not your doing either, I take it. He's definitely...colorful." In more than one sense. "I'll try to keep that in mind. I've heard worse on my journey to Skyhold and elsewhere, so there's not a lot that bothers me." And what does bother her isn't going to be said in front of a bird who'd delight in repeating it. "What's your name, then? It's strange manners, to introduce a pet before yourself."

[dragoon_pride]

It really has come to this… Kain doesn’t even try and correct her about the pet, he’s there to stay and he’s completely Kain’s pet at this point. He sighs, patting the bird on the head before pulling out some nuts to give to occupy him for a moment.

“The name’s really stuck at this point. Ah… right, and I’m Kain Highwind. I’m… not from around here. It’s probably all too obvious.” He wears his dragoon armor pridefully, not about to ever let go of that part of his world. “And you are…?”

[enasalin]

If Danae had any nuts, she'd pass them along, a little tickled at the notion of such a foul-mouthed bird. That has to be quite a conversation starter, as proven now. "I'm Danae, Second of Clan Ghilain and one of Sister Nightningale's agents. That's why I'm not often here, since she needs eyes everywhere. And wings and whatnot. I'm a shapeshifter."

[dragoon_pride]

It’s certainly… something, but Kain is used to it by now. He still tries to avoid walking near the chapel or other places where a screaming bird will piss people off too much, though.

“It’s good to meet you… and I suppose that would explain why I haven’t seen you yet. I’ve been here several months now, which seems long and short all at once.”

[enasalin]

Settling back onto a stool, Danae locks her legs around it. "I know what you mean. It hasn't been all that long since I joined the Inquisition, but it doesn't seem that way sometimes. So you're what they call a 'rifter', then? One of the people from beyond?"

That certainly gets her interest, and she glances over to his hand, where that familiar glow must be.

[dragoon_pride]

Kain immediately looks toward the palm of his left hand, glaring at it openly before he shows it off to Danae. It's clear he doesn't like its presence, though he doesn't blame her her curiosity. So he'll let her see it, despite how he feels toward the thing.

"Yes. I am. I'm from a kingdom called Baron in a far-distant world. I'm completely human, too... thus far, I don't think any of us have been demons." He doesn't know her stance on the rifters, but she'd seemed more curious than anything, so he has a feeling she won't make such an accusation.

[enasalin]

Ignoring the glare at his hand, Danae takes hold of his palm to inspect it more closely. She tilts her head, thoughtful. "I didn't think you were, honestly. I've met demons and most are either not long on patience or subtlety. If you were one, you'd be trying to tempt me with something by now, not knocking me over and having your parrot swear at me." She flashes a quick smile to show that she holds no resentment over that fact.