faderifting: (Default)
Fade Rift Mods ([personal profile] faderifting) wrote in [community profile] faderift2017-04-02 10:59 pm

OPEN LOG: Establishing a Base in Kirkwall

WHO: Many People
WHAT: Cleaning up Kirkwall
WHEN: Cloudreach 1-21
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: This log post is for characters who go early to Kirkwall to assist in preparing it for the rest of those assigned there. We strongly encourage IC discussion of things left to character discretion—someone should definitely do a crystal post to discuss what to do with the personal belongings left behind in the Gallows or what new form the statues should take!


Kirkwall once lived on the edge of the Tevinter Imperium and was home to nearly a million slaves. Stolen from elven lands or shipped from across the sea, all slaves fed the Imperium's unquenchable thirst for expansion. They worked in massive quarries and sweltering foundries that produced stone and steel for the Empire.

The city's complicated past is not easy to forget, history having earmarked many corners of the stone city. A ship approaching the harbor spots the city's namesake: an imposing black wall. It is visible for miles, and carved into the cliff side are a pantheon of vile guardians representing the Old Gods. Over the years, the Chantry has effaced many of these profane sentinels, but it will take many more years to erase them all.

Also carved into the cliff is a channel that permits ships into the city's interior. Flanking the channel are two massive bronze statues—the Twins of Kirkwall. The statues have a practical use. Kirkwall sits next to the narrowest point of the Waking Sea, and a massive chain net can be erected between the statues and the lighthouse, closing off the only narrow navigable lane. This stranglehold on sea traffic is jealously guarded by the ever-changing rulers of the city as the net trolls taxes, tolls, and extortions in from the sea.


—From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi




Establishing a presence in Kirkwall is a delicate matter. First, there's Provisional Viscount Bran Cavin—a man so used to batting back friendly offers of entirely harmless occupation of the battered city-state that his first three responses to the Inquisition's leadership appeared to be slightly personalized form letters. Proving that the Inquisition is here to work and not to conquer will be a process. The first step in that process is the second reason the move is delicate: the only building the Provisional Viscount is willing to part with is the Gallows, left quarantined and unoccupied since Knight-Commander Meredith Stannard's famous crystallization into red lyrium in the courtyard. The Gallows have since overgrown with red lyrium. If anyone is going to live and work there, there's a lot of work to do.

↠ Cloudreach 1-3: The Journey There
↠ Cloudreach 3-4: Arrival
↠ Cloudreach 4-14: Haunted
↠ Cloudreach 14-21: Spring Cleaning
gatheringstorm: (smirk)

[personal profile] gatheringstorm 2017-04-12 03:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Pausing to wipe her brow, Korrin turns and flashes a surprised smile at Kirk, taking the offered food. Simple or not, it's perfect for right now when she can barely pause to get in a few mouthfuls. Kirkwall isn't a place to be picky and she knows it.

"Thanks. Though now I almost want to see you try that, just because you brought it up. You're tempting fate, Jim." She opens her canteen to wash down that first bite, offering to share it. "It's just water, nothing exciting."
universal_charm: (Default)

[personal profile] universal_charm 2017-04-15 04:18 am (UTC)(link)

"Well, I can certainly try, but it will not be dignified for either of us," he warned her, taking the canteen and nodded, sipping gingerly. He was still wary of the water here, even after being in Thedas for over a year. You never know, after all, and he wasn't keen on getting hang-dog kinds of sick, or worse.

"How have you been?" he asked in a gentler tone, casting a slightly worried glance at his friend.

gatheringstorm: (dread)

[personal profile] gatheringstorm 2017-04-15 03:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Smirking at the mental image of that likely outcome, Korrin takes a quick bite while Kirk's talking. She's long-ago mastered the art of inhaling her food, always being on the go for some reason or another. Savoring it again can wait until she has a moment to relax.

"...eh. Between being a mage and being a 'qunari", I'm walking on eggshells every time I step out of Inquisition territory. Looks and slurs I can deal with -have all my life- but this whole city is a focusing lens for everything Thedas hates about me. I'm trying not to make it worse. We don't need a mob at our doorstep."
universal_charm: (Default)

[personal profile] universal_charm 2017-04-24 04:55 am (UTC)(link)

"No, and this city doesn't need to see more bloodshed," he murmured, munching his own sandwich slowly - more to keep his stomach from rebelling than from wanting to savor it. Not that there was much to savor. "I hate offering it, but if it helps, I'll walk with you if that helps to keep things calm," he suggested to her. It sounded to much like what had to be done in Orlais, which still made his blood boil. But he would rather Korrin be safe than be dragged into some battle that could escalate and end up with her or others dead.

"Hopefully they'll come around when they see how much you're helping." He knew it was a vain hope, but he kept his finger wrapped around that slender thread all the same.

gatheringstorm: (mod 15)

[personal profile] gatheringstorm 2017-04-24 03:12 pm (UTC)(link)
"Eh, maybe. I'm guessing they won't want to deal with the Inquisition at large, so that might be enough to leave me alone." Korrin isn't very idealistic by nature, but she can certainly believe in the power of pragmatism. Provoking the Inquisition is likely something most will want to avoid. She smiles a little, though.

"Thanks, though. I'll take you up on that if it gets more tense around here...or if we have to visit Hightown. I'm willing to bet the watch would care a lot more about me being anywhere near their precious nobles than the riff-raff." Not that she has any reason to enter that area, but still. It could happen.
universal_charm: (Default)

[personal profile] universal_charm 2017-04-28 06:26 am (UTC)(link)

"Hopefully that theory doesn't get tested," he said, having his own faith in the failings of people when they were afraid or stressed. As much as he believed in the good of people, he knew there was darkness there as well. And for as much as these people had suffered, he could see how the darker side would be the one they leaned to first.

Kirk tilted his head at her slightly. "Why do they care so much?" he inquired.

gatheringstorm: (crossed arms)

[personal profile] gatheringstorm 2017-04-28 01:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Maybe because the damned Arishok and his people rounded up all the nobles when they did their little rampage. They could either convert to the Qun or die. If Hawke hadn't shown up to become the Champion, it would have been a mess either way. So if they aren't still sore about that, I'll eat my blade hilt."

A decade is still enough time for them to remember, and remember vividly. Besides, nobles hold onto grudges like it's a sport. She can't hold the same idealism as Kirk about people, especially when it comes to nobles. They didn't gain all that wealth and power by playing nice.
universal_charm: (Soft Laugh)

[personal profile] universal_charm 2017-04-29 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, that might do it," he agreed, though from his tone he still wasn't entirely sympathetic to the nobles' attitude. After all, if they thought Korrin's ilk such a threat, they weren't doing much to protect the citizenry were they? Just themselves and that made bile scorch the back of his throat.

He held idealism for the normal folk. And some nobles. So far, though, many of the ones he had met left something to be desired. He had certain thoughts about the Orlais civil war to say the least, and the way their city was structures - or at least the one they had visited.

"Well, they give you any trouble, you come get me, okay? I have a little surprise if they try anything." He held up his hand that held his shard, giving her a wicked wink.

gatheringstorm: (sadface)

[personal profile] gatheringstorm 2017-04-29 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Korrin smirks back for a moment, enjoying the mental image of such a surprise, though a moment later it fades abruptly. "Lovely thought, and I appreciate it, but anything you do could have a serious backlash on rifters as a whole. It's the same with me; you'll know they'll judge qunari and mages based on my actions. As much as I hate to say it, we have to play this carefully. I don't think we can afford to fuck it up."
universal_charm: (Look Back)

[personal profile] universal_charm 2017-05-15 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
He sobered at that, because he knew. Of course he knew. Levity didn't last long around here, did it? Though if someone came for him and he had to defend himself, he wasn't above it. He had never killed anyone with the power in his hand - not yet - and he didn't plan on it. But best to avoid 'accidents' like that. He doubted they would be seen as such, or that there would be to much sympathy for his version of things.

"I know," he said softly. "I mean, that's why I hide the damn thing all the time. I know how it'll go, how every little thing I do could be and probably will be judged, especially if someone has a grudge or is just that little bit extra zealous." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "But know I meant it - I do have your back, if anything happens."