allthisshitisweird | TEST DRIVE MEME!

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TEST DRIVE MEME!

Guess.

go on, guess.

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 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. BEARIED ALIVE

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. NICE PLACE FOR A SPOT OF CAMPING

If there were an inn, which there's not, there wouldn't be room for you in it. Traveling with the Inquisition means carrying your own bedrolls, putting up your own tents, and sleeping alongside whoever you've been told to share with--no matter how much you hate them or how loud they snore. If you really can't stand it, the alternative is sleeping outside. On the ground. With the bears.

3. A BIG CRAZY LIGHT IN THE SKY

Not everyone thinks the Breach was a bad thing. In the southeastern mountains, a burgeoning cult has taken up residence in Winterwatch Tower to wait patiently for the Maker to reach through the tears in the veil and gather the faithful to his bosom. They're a little kooky, maybe, but harmless, and they're happy enough to share their wine and lager with travelers in the area. The demon-spewing rift behind the Tower, on the other hand... Too bad the Herald didn't close that thing before she bit it. Watch your step.

4. TROUBLE IN THE DEEP

The Carta is everywhere, but it's here in force, occupying dwarven ruins in a chasm behind a waterfall. Inquisition forces have already cleared most of the smugglers out of the hold, but there's still a vault to break into, bodies to loot, and old texts to search through for anything worth adding to the Inquisition's growing archives. Also: darkspawn. Sorry.

5. 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.

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1. Pretty sure this idea worked with the pigs and the wolf.

[Welcome to the inside of an abandoned home!

Avery may have briefly panicked at the sight of the approaching bear, grabbed the nearest person by the arm, and thrown herself and them through the first door she saw that could shut behind her.]

This is why I don't go into the field! What the hell was I thinking?!

[It's at about this point that she looks over and realizes anyone else is in here at all. When did that happen? Why is she clutching their arm? Do these two even know each other??]

...um. Hi.

2. Admit it. This could be a lot worse.

[As her tentmate has been setting up for the night, Avery has been cleaning up after the simple but satisfying meal she made for the party earlier. When it's all said and done and she approaches the tent, she seems to be carrying a bowl in her hand.]

There was a bit left if you're still hungry.

[She holds it out.]

Don't forget who thought of you first if something attacks us in the night, yeah?

5. Flower-picking is haaaard...

I've heard these can make an excellent tea that can also help with sleeplessness.

[Avery squats, glancing up over her shoulder as she holds up the wild herb in question. She then pauses and points to another plant growing nearby.]

Or is it that one that helps you sleep, and this one causes horrible vomiting? They look so much alike.

Edited 2016-06-26 04:47 (UTC)

[ Garahel seems to take to the work with a surprising ease and Anakin lets out a whistle of appreciation. They'd never been allowed pets in his Circle. . He straightens his staff a little to lean on and looks on in amusement.]

Very capable too, by the looks of things. If theres any reward going for herding he's earned it. Maybe get himself a nice sparkly collar?

[ He pauses, just a moment before asking.]

Can I pet him?

When did I ever say that I was sure?

[ She sounds amused, and slightly pitying. If the girl is looking for certainty and comfort, she will not find it here. ]

I am sure of nothing. Our goal may yet prove as impossible as they say. We might succeed, or we might die in the attempt.

But not knowing is no reason not to try.

( In all fairness she'd have been pretty taken aback to see someone from home, too. Well, she is surprised, enough so that for a moment she just stares at Emma and her jaw works silently as she tries to get her head around it. )

Emma?

( Different from last time she saw her, some part of her processes but she doesn't really have a chance to figure it out - she's stepping forward to settle her hands on Emma's shoulders, a stupidly happy grin on her face. )

Oh my God. Hi.

( 'Not entirely disastrous' would be her professional assessment of the situation. Compared to many things it was just moderately bad, but many things included walking through the shattered remains of the White Spire when there was nothing left but echoes and corpses allowed to rot - corpses of the faithful, of mages who had loved Andraste well.

Herian could accept that perhaps her definition of 'disastrous' wasn't on a reasonably scale for most people, and it was easier to list accidentally invoking the ire of a bear as less terrible than it might be when you weren't the one staring it down.

Breaking the line of trees, Herian slides down the slope, intercepting the young. ) Not that way.

( A cliff lies that way - the Hinterlands seems to have an enthusiasm for bears and steep slopes, both excellent ways for the unwary to see themselves dead.

Her voice is strongly Starkhaven, sword in hand, and she nods towards the slope, unappealing a prospect as it may be. There isn't time to make communications about horses or anything else. ) With me.

[They didn't allow pets in Inessa's Circle either, but such are the wonders of working outside it. Inessa laughs softly at the question, nodding.]

He would be heartbroken if you didn't, to be honest. I swear he's an efficient war hound when need be, but outside combat is a different story.

[And since she already gave her dog's name--]

I'm Warden Inessa Serra, formerly of Kinloch Hold.

Ahh... thank you.

[It's still a lot better than the shape he'd started in, as the heal spell washes over him. So much better. He breathes a sigh of relief. At least he'll be able to make it back now... it had been rather questionable before.]

You'll certainly find them there, they've set up a camp.

[Inessa shoves a healing potion into his hand as well, having a few on her.]

That's good to hear. I was certainly hoping that others had escaped Orlais. I, however, arrive directly from the Anderfels. From Weisshaupt, our headquarters.

[There's no particular note of pride there; weariness, if anything. It's a long story and no one she's sure she has the stamina to relay just yet.]

Perhaps I should set up camp here. The sun's getting low in the sky, and unless I'm mistaken, there isn't an Inquisition camp near us.

[The nearest person happens to be a small elven woman in Grey Warden armor, staff in hand. She was prepared to level it at the bear after putting up a barrier, when the taller and stronger (it doesn't take much) human woman grabs her free arm. Before she can react, the door is slammed behind her.

Rather than looking relieved, the young woman seems puzzled and looks her new companion over.]

Are you--

[Barking distracts her and she straightens instantly.]

Garahel! I can't leave him out there to face it alone--

"Thankfully I have avoided those," he huffed, his arm beginning to ache from the scratching, but the dog seemed so happy he didn't want to stop just quite yet - even with his other hand occupied with tea.

"I've been living at Skyhold for awhile now. I went out on a job," he explained. "I am not part of the Inquisition itself, though. I do my own work." He did not know how she might react to knowing he was a Rifter, so for the moment he kept that to himself, glad he had remembered to wrap his shard-embedded hand.

"A mercenary, then? I heard they have accumulated quite a few of those." Inessa arches an eyebrow, curious though not judging. Work is work, and as long as it's on behalf of the Inquisition, the rest isn't really her business. She takes a sip of her own tea. "We arrived directly from Weisshaupt; the Grey Warden fortress in the Anderfels. Ferelden is my home, though. I'm glad to be back, even to circumstances such as these."

Glancing down at Garahel, she nudges him slightly. "You've had your fill, now let the poor man warm up." There's a soft whine in response, but the mabari will behave himself when Kirk pulls away...for now.

[Avery doesn't stop her. I mean, she probably could. She's always been stronger than she looks, but she's also still Fereldan, isn't she? How could she leave a mabari all alone out there?]

Yeah. Got it. Go be crazy.

[She's mumbling, stepping back a bit from the door but paying more attention to it than the person she's talking to. Finally, she remembers the deathgrip she has on the woman's arm and lets go. Oops?]

[ It's a problem in the sense that she'd prefer to sleep alone, outside of the tent. Sharing with strangers takes her back to being a kid in a foster home, something she thought she was past now that she's pushing thirty. She shrugs it off, arms crossed over her chest almost defensively. This or the bears means it can't be a problem, while being stuck here for the foreseeable future makes it difficult to play nice.] I'll take that as a yes.

[ Which she's gonna make herself alright with, since it could be worse.] I'm Emma.

[ It's a little more than Emma is capable of processing at the moment. Not just a familiar face, but Ruby, who's been a constant since she first arrived in Storybrooke. She stares open-mouthed for the time it takes her friend to pull her closer, and that's enough to snap her out of it. There aren't many people who Emma would greet with a hug, but Ruby's on that list and somehow present here, so she leans in, briefly, and breathes a sigh of relief.]

How... ?

[How is this possible? How are they both here? How did they get so far from home? Ruby could pick any of those options or create her own and she'd just be happy to get something resembling answers.]

Hey.

How-- yeah.

( Leaning back, Ruby takes a moment to look at her. She's seen Emma here before, but she'd been-- different. Struggling. Weighed down with something, and ever since she disappeared Ruby's been trying to work out where to, or how. If she'd gone home, or if the Venatori or someone had taken her.

It's been a process. Being chased by bears was involved, but that practically a day that ends in 'y' in Thedas, she suspects.

So, her expression sobers a little, even if she's having to make a little bit of an effort to rein in her smile. She's going to start with the obvious, and maybe work backwards in significance until they end up addressing the flowers that trail behind her everywhere she walks. Magical rings, they're... really something. )

What's... what's the last thing you remember?

( Goal One, don't freak Emma out. Goal Two, don't. Freak Emma. Out. )

Avery.

[She continues her approach, though more slowly now. Apparently the problem isn't so big that she's about to get kicked out of the tent, which is nice, I guess. And speaking of the tent, Avery gives it a cursory inspection and starts putting some of her own things inside, before she remembers that she maybe should say something to the person she's about to share it with.]

...did you get enough to eat?

[Okay, look, nobody ever said she was good at this people thing. Food is a safe topic.]

[ The outside world was still one Anakin was slowly acclimatising too - and so far, it had been a bumpy ride. Garahel is going to get so many pets, when he returns from his important druffalo herding mission.]

Ah,

[ He'd never met a warden, but he knew what they were - he'd read about the Blights of course, been informed how mages could be recruited to them. He'd briefly entertained the idea of running off to them himself when he'd been younger, before other offers had come up. Anything to see a little action... He straightens his shoulders a little, and offers a hand, a quiet little nod of respect. ]

Anakin Skywalker, of the.. Angsburg. [He almost adds 'the Angsburg Circle' on instinct, but it had long since fallen and the memory is one not worth mentioning. Its an uncomfortable thing to think on - after all that happened there, he had hoped joining the Inquisition would be a clean break. He rounds the conversation back to the present - no better way to make a friend than a bit of gentle teasing, right? ] Local impromptu shepherd for the Inquisition. I'd say that makes us almost the same rank, yeah?

[The loosened grip is met with a brief, appreciated nod before Inessa charges out of the cabin. Trusting that the woman has the sense to remain back if she can't fight, the Grey Warden meets up with her faithful mabari, returning that devotion as she blasts at the bear. Even if Avery doesn't look outside, what ensues is a rather loud engagement, full of barking, blizzard winds and shattering ice. At long last, there's the sound of a loud thump as the bear falls to the ground, killed mid-roar.]

[Noticing the slip, Inessa nonetheless just nods. The Circles falling is often a heated, painful subject and she's not one to pry into the past of someone just met, anyway. She chuckles softly, shaking her head.]

I'm barely above Warden-recruit, myself. The upper echelons of Warden hierarcy still await.

[Upon seeing her mabari exit the pen, all smug, her lips twitch again.]

And here comes the conquering hero. There'll be no living with him, not tonight.

[Oh, she's watching. Standing in the doorway and staring tensely, possibly jumping slightly at any close calls with the bear's claws as well as any particularly large explosions of ice. She's poised, ready to act if something goes wrong, though whether her plan is to help or hide again is prooooobably unclear in the chaos.

Thankfully, it doesn't become an issue, and a few moments after the bear falls, Avery cautiously approaches.]

I hate this place sometimes. I really do.

[Garahel, the mabari covered in kaddis paint and now bear blood in some places, seems to have come out of it with only a few scratches to show for his trouble though his owner pauses to top him off with a healing spell. She manages not to need one thanks to rigorous use of Barrier and Fade Step, always keeping out of range of the angry bear. Beckoning the mabari to join her, she turns to the woman with a tired smile.]

It's been a while since I've visited this area, but I could have sworn it was more peaceful then. Well, at least in terms of the wildlife. If it truly is the Breach's doing, I would not be surprised.

That would be nice, wouldn't it? If all the trouble here could be blamed on the Breach and neatly wrapped up with it.

["Trouble" is an understatement, and Avery knows it. She was here not long ago, right in the thick of things. Instead of elaborating though, she looks down at the fallen beast.]

Give me a thug with a knife any day, yeah? But a bear... [She shakes her head.] Well, I guess that's why we have walls. And mages.

((ooc: still working on fleshing her out, but some basic info can be found here!))

camping ;;
[ She is not used to this. Her parents had never been rich but they hadn't been living in poverty, either; there had always been a roof over her head and a fire lit in the hearth. When they traveled, they stayed at inns, both to protect themselves and the merchandise. When she had joined the Chantry, it had been a new sort of home; not exactly private, but as one of five children, neither had her childhood home.

Camping is new. Roughing it is new. And it is- thrilling, for all that. It seems like what those part of the Chantry should do -- going to hard to reach places, seeking out those who cannot come to them.

Leala will pray, with those who want it, but it isn't her only use. She doesn't have many skills for roughing it, but upon seeing a tent with a hole in it and watching a soldier struggle to patch it, she steps in. Soon she has a small stack of things to mend.

When it's time to sleep, however, she has no idea what to expect from her tentmate. She puts on a pleasant face, holding her sewing as she slips inside, and offers them a smile. ]

It's a lovely night, isn't it?

cultists ;;
[ People are happy about the Breach. People are happy about the Breach -- people who worship the Maker, who were a part of the Chantry, who may have prayed the same prayers that she prays. Leala can't quite grasp it, and for a time she walks around as if she's in a daze. She listens to their preaching and shakes her head as she leaves, but says nothing; she doesn't want to make trouble, not when it's many against one.

This was not the Maker's doing. She doesn't know if she agrees with the actions of what remains of the Chantry, doesn't even know if she agrees with the Inquisition, but she knows that much. ]

How can they think such things? [ It's murmured, her face nearly in her hands as she sits in a common area, ignoring the cheese and bread before her. ] It- they believe the Maker killed the Divine? That the Maker killed all those people?

wildcard ;;

Edited 2016-06-28 03:39 (UTC)

[Knowing what else had happened in the Hinterlands though she herself wasn't around for it, Inessa just nods at mention of trouble. She won't pry and possibly pick at not-so-old wounds. So she focuses on the bear part instead and offers a half-smile.]

Even mages have to tread carefully; without my faithful companion to distract it, I might not managed those spells in time.

[Given due credit, the mabari wuffs happily, tail wagging. He's been a good boy, right?]

I'm Warden Serra. If you're on your way to the nearest camp, might we accompany you?

[ He's grateful she doesn't pull him up on any of it, and its soon forgotten as the Conquering Hero returns. Anakin kneels down for a full dog cuddle, ruffling the pile of fur and jowls. Saliva is getting everywhere - he's glad he's wearing a glove, at least on his right hand.]

Oh I'm sure - whose a good boy? Whose heroics efforts have saved me from being trampled today?

[He gives Garahel a good pat upon the head, so he knows that it is definitely him who is the good boy, and has saved a local mage from certain trampling before standing once more to address the hound's master.]

I didn't realise the warden's had joined with the Inquistion? Its a fair way from Kinloch Hold to here.

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Page 14 of 17

TEST DRIVE MEME!

Avery | OC | Native Inquisition Cook

let him pet the puppy

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but of course!

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puppy! :D

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leala allard | native oc | orlesian chantry laysister

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