faderift | OPEN ↠ FALSE GODS, GREAT DEMONS (OPEN LOG 1)

OPEN ↠ FALSE GODS, GREAT DEMONS (OPEN LOG 1)

WHO: Living Residents of the Horrible Future
WHAT: Ah ha ha ha stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
WHEN: ALTERNATE FUTURE, 1-15 Cloudreach 9:48
WHERE: Anywhere, but especially Orzammar
NOTES: This is the first open log for False Gods, Great Demons. Anything that happened prior to Cloudreach 9:48 should go on the flashback meme. Most members of the TTT and their friends in Kirkwall will be arriving in Orzammar on approximately Cloudreach 7. In the meantime, feel free to make your own adventures. If you want to blow up an bridge, assassinate an NPC of your own invention, steal supplies, or anything else--it's all yours, go for it!

SOUTHERN THEDAS is a wasteland. The Blight crawling across the Orleian countryside and into Ferelden leaves nothing alive in its wake, scarring the land like an insatiable fire until no birds sing and the only things that grows is the Red Lyrium that speckles cliff sides and crawls up dying trees until they look like rows of jagged bloody teeth. And where it's still green, where people can still survive, the atmosphere is nearly as stifling. Every city and settlement is watched over by a Venatori or trustworthy collaborator. Those who don't keep their heads down and their dissent a whisper may vanish without warning. They may take their whole families with them. There are flashes of hope--an assassinated lordling here, a village rousing itself to brief and doomed rebellion there--but for every man the Imperium loses, they seem to find two to take his place.

NORTHERN THEDAS is at war. The worst of it doesn't reach west into Tevinter or the Anderfels; the line between the Qunari and the Imperium is drawn straight through Antiva, with Nevarra and Rivain on either side quiet and calm as only lands under martial law can be. The Free Marches vary between complacency and rebellion, but the rebellious ones risk ruin--there are murmurs it won't be long before a whole city is made an example. A steady stream of desperate refugees is fleeing north to the Qun, but plenty are picked off and punished as traitors before they can cross into Qunari-controlled territory. Your best best for a clean escape are the pirates who still hold Llomerynn free from both sides of the conflict.

ORZAMMAR is the only kingdom in Thedas that looks much the same--and Kal-Sharok, but they're not accepting outsiders. The heavy doors at Orzammar's entrance are sealed and guarded, as much against the steady flow of refugees asking for help as against the Venatori. The refugees are turned away. There's no way to know who can be trusted, and even if there were, there's not food enough for people who can't fight. Orzammar Thaig is still the dwarves' home--though with stealing shrinking numbers and poor prospects, King Bhelen has been amenable to allowing casteless surfacers some leeway--but the once-abandoned Ortan Thaig is the Inquisition's. Quietly. The only things stopping a full assault on Orzammar is the Venatori's need for dwarf-mined lyrium and the plausible deniability that the Inquisition's remaining rebel bands are using the Deep Roads with Bhelen's consent.

An hour's walk through caves and deepstalker swarms, Ortan is a city in its own right. A crammed city, one where cots and bunk beds crammed into shared housing are the norm no matter how important someone is and you occasionally have to protect your dinner from a restless, swooping griffon, but one where you can still find a pint of ale or a game of cards if you've time to waste on them. It's just that not many people do. There's the watch to keep; the tunnels that creep further into the deep teem with darkspawn who are held back at barricades, while the hidden, narrow tunnels that lead to the surface are watched at all hours so anyone coming or going can be identified. There are weapons to forge and sharpen. Plans to make. Bands to lead. Maybe you weren't a leader five years ago, but these days, there aren't that many people with more than five years' experience still alive to give orders. Fewer every week.

And so we burned. We raised nations, we waged wars,
We dreamed up false gods, great demons
Who could cross the Veil into the waking world,
Turned our devotion upon them, and forgot you.
Threnodies 1:8

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Being a man so used to being around people shorter than him, he easily slowed down to match Waver as they walked along. He laughed a little though, amused that Waver would have to tell him to do so.

"Never fear. I shall not make you hurry more than you already have to for this."

Waver had come to realize that his sarcasm and wryness was a way to provoke laughter some time when he was teaching back at Clock Tower. It had always helped the dull classes go by faster, and in dire situations, broken the tension. In Thedas, it was one of the things that kept him sane.

"If I was that keen to hurry though, I'd probably try and climb onto your back and demand we hurry forward."

His arms found their way into the pockets of his coat, and Waver's feet tramped over the ground. There was no well worn path to the location, and that was very much on purpose. A foot path would reveal all of the secret ins and outs.

"That would be quite the sight to behold! I'm sure many would wish they could have seen you clambering up me in such a way!"

Did he think Waver was serious about that? Of course not. Still, that didn't stop him from appreciating how ridiculous it would look to have someone that was a full grown man climbing up his large frame to get onto his back or shoulders for a ride.

"What, like some kind of rabid squirrel?" Waver deadpanned. He had the mental image all right, and was half tempted to try just to confirm the picture.

"On the other hand, I'm pretty sure you'd enjoy it."

"Well of course I would. Not only would the image be amusing but I never would refuse a handsome man climbing me like a tree."

With a laugh, he clapped him on the back. Perhaps a little harder than he'd meant to but it was a friendly gesture all the same. That much was clear.

Waver had long since been capable of rolling with those giant hands, and that clap was no different. He simply elbowed back in response, making sure he had his pointest bit well aimed.

"And in other contexts I wouldn't refuse."

Were it not for his armor, he likely would have let out quite the grunt at that elbow. As it was he just laughed a bit instead.

"No? I will have to learn these contexts just to see if I can get you to climb me like a tree one day."

"I think we both know that's not happening."

Waver had pretty much accepted that fact some time ago. Sure, there were little pangs of wishing it were otherwise, but there had been more than enough time to work through all of those emotions.

"When was the last time you were out anyway?"

"Hm, that is a good question."

He looked upwards and considered it. He did get out to fight and to go for missions but it had been a little bit of time. Days at least. But the only true telling was...

"Enough time to be used to the stale air of underground."

"You need to get out more."

It was a statement of fact, not an observation. Waver knew it was true, far more for Iskandar than himself. Waver could survive being inside for weeks on end if he had to, he had nearly made a career of it.

"Very likely. I suppose I will have to find out what the next mission is so I can assign myself to it!"

He laughed and then let out a sigh. These days were far from his days of conquering but he knew why he stayed below ground so often. There were times when he was the only one Cyril had left that he trusted to watch over Sina. That was a duty he took very seriously.

"You should get out more often too though! It would be good for you!"

"Mm, just let me know when the dates are so I can cover some of your other responsibilities."

It wasn't something Waver ever minded doing, when asked. It kept him active, covering for Rider, and there was a little amount of pride to be had in being seen as an acceptable substitute for the giant hulking man that he had long ago attached himself too.

"I can't be greedy though," Waver said, carefully stepping over a bit of rougher ground.

"Well unless you go with me anyway. Can't cover things for me if you're at my side now can you."

He laughed again because really it was true. It would depend on what they were doing but he could take the mage with him. True he didn't have the same access to his abilities in this world but his insight into things was valuable.

"After all, what better way to spread my tales than to witness them for yourself."

"Ah, those've finally gotten back to you," Waver said, the pride in his voice all too clear. He paused, then looked up at Iskandar.

"Bearing in mind that I'm no Homer, what did you think?"

"About you spreading my tales? I quite approve actually. It's grand to have someone spreading the word of who I am! Let everyone know of the Rifter King here to right the wrongs they throw our way!"

He grinned brightly then sobered somewhat. Only somewhat though. He did not wish to share the full story of what he'd been told until he had all the details.

"It is not likely to be a happy mission but it is one we will need to do quickly. I only wait for Jim so we might all go together."

Waver paused, then nodded.

"All right," he said slowly. "Although that's a little eggs-in-one-basket in terms of what if more than one of us gets hurt along the way."

A bit grim, but Waver couldn't help it. Critique mode was almost a default state of being

"How far, how long do you think it'll take, and can you share the objective yet?"

"Perendale. As for how long, I cannot say. It will depend on how long it takes us to investigate the claims I was informed of."

Which were not good ones. People being burned in pyres... Iskandar could only hope that this wasn't true but given these dark times it was likely to be something far worse than whatever the rumors were currently claiming.

Waver nodded, his face now a cautious blank. This probably wasn't safe to be talking about in the open, come to think of it.

"Okay. Make a list of travel supplies, I'll get everything within two days."

He smiled then and wrapped his arm around Waver. It meant pulling him close but he wished to show the man his gratitude.

"Thank you. I will make sure you have everything we need when we get back."

Waver let himself be pulled in, glad for the physical contact and not fussing about it at all.

"Sounds good."

"Let us get your task done now so we can return. I wish to have a meal with you will we make plans for preparations to leave."

In dark times like this he felt it important to spend quality times with the ones he cared about most. Even if it just meant a good meal together.

"You sure?"

Waver sometimes worried he monopolized time that could have been spent with significant others. It wasn't as if anyone had ever said anything to him about the matter, but he was concerned on his own end.

"I am. You are as important to me as all others, Waver Velvet."

He gave him a warm look and pulled him closer for an embrace. Looking ahead after that, he let out a sigh. Many needed him these days. It would be wrong to deny any of them some time with him. Even Waver.

"I know. But I also don't want to be a hog."

That sigh was what made Waver worry, more than anything else. It wasn't within Iskandar's usual personality to let out such a noise, and so Waver felt compelled to follow up.

"What's wrong? You never make noises like that."

"Even I have times when I am troubled, boy. A King who hides his emotions from his subject is no King at all."

He gazed out at the land then gave his shoulder a pat.

"I will explain when we are inside once more."

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