faderift | Wintermarch Rifter Arrival

WHO: New rifters and their rescuers
WHAT:
WHEN: Wintermarch 10
WHERE: The Southern Hinterlands
NOTES: This log is backdated intentionally to allow new rifters to also immediately play in Skyhold and have a few days to handwave acclimation and explanations, if you'd like. It's open to rifters and to any Inquisition members who would volunteer to recover them.

You were asleep--deeply or fitfully, for the last time or just resting your eyes for a moment-- and then you were not. And wherever you were was not, anymore, replaced by nothing but the sensation of falling, tumbling into endless, bottomless nothing. If this were still a dream, you would wake before you hit the ground. You can't die in a dream, they say. In some worlds.

In this world, you wake with a jolt when you hit stone, dropped from above by a flaring, crystalline green rip in reality that hangs overhead. Beyond it is blackness--no, if you focus, it's not emptiness, but stone, with the light from the rift reflecting on distant crevices and stalactites. You're underground. And you're not alone. There are two other people on the ground with you, and something with a deep, guttural laugh not far from you.

The source of the laugh is soon lit up with light of its own, arcing purple electricity rippling over a hulking body so large that humans don't quite reach its hip. It's the only demon here, but it isn't going to go down easily. And the only way out is a narrow tunnel that the demon is--demonically--blocking.

But you're not alone. There's that. The ground around you is scattered with weapons and belongings--maybe one of them is yours--and it won't be long before more people arrive, armed and armored and ready to fight.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Ah yes." He cast a glance back to the box. You'd have an easier time separating him from one of his limbs than that box and its contents.

"Lucky me."

Still, something called 'Skyhold' and a garden sounded promisingly useful.

"Skyhold is some manner of fortress or outpost, I take it?" He asked.

"It is. It's the stronghold of the Inquisition, a group dedicated to solving the problem of the rifts... that glowing thing in the sky which brought you here. There's an evil magister out there who's responsible for all of this, and a lot of others in league with him... that's our main battle. We're also a safe haven for those who come through the rifts, so you'd be welcome there."

Kain stares off in the distance for a moment, thinking about this world and its difficulties. Even some of its people could be a threat. "There are many dangers in this world, so it can be worth having a place of safety to start with. Whether or not you officially join is up to you."

"A generous offer indeed," he said, wondering vaguely where the catch was.

He was immediately wary of anyone who proclaimed another 'evil'. Such things were a matter of perspective and black and white morality had never been his strong suit. He wasn't quite sure what the 'problem' with the rifts might be. Or if the rifts were, in and of themselves, the issue.

"What other dangers would one need safe haven from, may I ask you?"

"Demons, red templars, Venatori, any number of others aligned to Corypheus- that magister I mentioned.... there are countless enemies out there. There are also still some who believe that those of you coming through rifts are demons yourselves." They may not be as loud about it these days, now that everyone's seen reason, but these sorts still exist and still pose a real threat.

"A demon..."

He gave an amused huff.

"No, I am nothing so unusual," he said, completely disregarding that he carried a magic box full of magic scales and wielded a magic sword and wore a magic mirror around his neck. Totally normal.

"But those troubles sound numerous indeed - though I do not know what red templars and Venatori are."

"They're terrible foes of ours... red templars have been corrupted by a horrible magical substance, and Venatori are Tevinter scum who worship our greatest enemy. Then there are darkspawn... gruesome tainted creatures who I've sworn to kill." Yeeeeah, Thedas is a cheerful place.

Kain pauses a moment. "But don't worry, I don't think you're a demon and most people won't, either. We have mages native to our world, so people are used to seeing all manner of unusual powers."

"That is assuring. I would hate to be attacked because someone thought me a demon."

Not like it would be a first, but some things got tedious after a while.

"To what end are the templars and Venatori so terrible?" The Medicine Seller asked, never one to take someone's word about how bad another was. If things were merely two sides of the same coin, then he'd take things with a grain of salt. But if they were truly so horrible, it was useful information.

There certainly are places where shades of grey can come in, but in this case, Kain feels like there's no argument. At least... for the most part, when it comes to demons and the like.

"Not all templars are our enemies, many are among us in the Inquisition. Some would question some of their motives and treatment of mages... but there are many upstanding templar out there. No, the ones to be wary of are corrupted by red lyrium, a horrible substance that eats away the mind and body until only a monster is left." He looks to be more and more disturbed as he talks about that. "As for the Venatori... they worship Corypheus, who's a magister seeking to destroy us all. The Venatori would also see us all destroyed, putting Corypheus in charge of everything. Both groups will attack Inquisition people without provocation. They only care about destruction."

Well, that seemed to put to rest the possibility that this was just a squabble over territory. The Medicine Seller couldn't say he'd ever heard of a proper evil overlord, like the ones in stories published in those cheap magazines he so adored.

"Is Corypheus's end goal merely destruction?"

It seemed insane, after all. Men that mad did not rise to power so easily - he had to be offering his followers something else it was all mutual destruction.

"Essentially, yes, he's spreading mass destruction and horror wherever he goes, and he wants to use his godlike powers to ruin it all, to make the world some awful place where he can do as he wants..." He's basically everything that's bad about Thedas in one individual. Kain sighs. "At least he's not subtle about any of it. It's obvious who he and his followers are."

"That does make things exceedingly simple, I suppose."

After all, it was rare for one's foe to be an redeemable scumbag. Surely the efforts against him would be rather unified.

But then again, people never failed to surprise him so he probably shouldn't make too many assumptions.

"Why would anyone follow such a being?"

"It does. But you'll find other struggles that are... much less straightforward. The mages and templars have been through some difficult history, for instance. But that's something else entirely." He frowns, thinking about the Venatori, the awful Tevinter cultists who go support Corypheus' ideas.

"Those who follow the likes of Corypheus want power, as well, they see him as a means to bringing forth some sort of new era for them and their kind..."

Wintermarch Rifter Arrival

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