Cloudreach 9:44 Rifter Arrival

[faderifting]

WHO: New rifters & their rescuers.
WHAT: Welcome to Thedas.
WHEN: Cloudreach 10, 9:44
WHERE: Amaranthine
NOTES: This is the arrival log for all new rifters, open also to current characters who would participate in their recovery. New players can also assume everyone survives and arrives back in Kirkwall within a couple of days, but please note there will be a brief quarantine period when they won't be permitted to leave the Gallows, to get them up to speed while ensuring they're not diseased or otherwise going to kill anyone, before they're set loose on the city.

You were asleep—whether deeply or fitfully, falling unconscious for the last time in a pool of blood 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 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, bathed in the light of a flare of too-bright, greenish light you will find yourself hitting mossy cobblestones with an unforgiving smack. You're alive, and you're fine, except for the narrow splinter of light the same sickly green as whatever brought you here that now glows out of the palm of your left hand. It aches, a bone-deep pain that gnaws even through all the distractions.

Above you is a shifting, crystalline tear in reality; beyond that, gray clouds and a sea breeze, framed by the high walls surrounding the city you've landed in. There are people on the walls, some of them armored and armed, all of them briefly and collectively paralyzed by the sight below.

Don't let their terror go to your head. It's not you that has them intimidated, nor is it any of the humans (or Qunari) who are sprawled out on the ground around you, nor is it the assortment of unfamiliar—to them, not to you, perhaps to you it's very familiar—junk that's spilled out as well, most notably some flaming metallic debris and a giant wooden cross.

It's the beings that are coming out after you, almost as if in pursuit. Two are drifting, spindly things with six spidery limbs in addition to grasping skeletal arms, eager to grab hold of anyone who comes too close and fill their field of vision with swirling darkness and corner-of-the-eye glimpses of whatever frightens them. Several more most closely resemble trees, perhaps, with half-melted squids for heads—which might not sound particularly scary, fine, but their ability to dive into the ground and resurface anywhere with rasping screams helps on that front.

All of these things would like to kill you, and the people around you, and the people on the walls, and perhaps the other people screaming and scurrying into taverns and shops for cover. But you're not alone. Out of those same taverns and shops come people who do seem to know what they're doing; many are wearing a symbol that looks a bit like a hairy eyeball being pieced through by a sword, and at least a couple of them seem to know what they're doing. Almost like they've been waiting for you. In fact, exactly like they've been waiting for you.

---

AFTERWARDS, the grateful citizens of the City of Amarenthine might provide a drink, a meal, or a place to tend to wounds before everyone sets back toward Kirkwall. It's not a long trip, but one that requires boarding a ship to cross a narrow sea. It will be a rough, stormy journey, but there won't be any demons.

Comments

sorry for my slowness!

[periastron]

Alex laughs, warmly. "Good. That's the main thing."

Far as she's concerned, the world could bloody well burn all people out of existence, so long as animals were alright. They'd probably do a better job. They'd be decent, they'd take what they needed without being selfish bastards; yeah, humans would do a better job.

"Seems reasonable," she agrees, "but it might be worth figuring out before then. I know plenty of animals who'd be heaps happy eatin' shit that ain't good for 'em."

She holds out her hand in offering. To shake, I mean, not like some sort of ritual sacrifice kind of offerin', or something. "Alexandra. Karahalios. Doctor."

you're all good c:!!

[goldsteins]

"Well," Tina responded, brow arching in mild amusement, "I imagine by the time that she needs to eat again you won't be drinking. So I'd say we have time since I don't imagine as an animal doctor you wouldn't want one getting sick." At least if she was anything like Newt, who was somewhat like one she supposed. It's also an implication that she'll go looking for her later, when not drinking, to help with the creature.

She didn't exactly expect to be caring for a magical creature on top of arriving on another universe today, but it is what it is.

At least though drinking she didn't forget manners, Tina supposed but she looked partially amused at the doctor comment. "Tina Goldsein," She answered in kind, taking her hand before adding, "of the animal variety, yes." Maybe she's just a bit hopeful they didn't make her a people doctor here as well. Maybe.

[periastron]

Oh, Tina. Tina, bless. She's already helping out with people medicine, and she is mad about it. Just give her time. It will only get worse.

There's a bright grin at the shaking of hands. "Nice to meetcha, Tina Goldstein. Whereabouts in the States are you from? I mean— assuming you're from America. I'm kinda confused about how accents work here. People sounds like they're from all-bloody-over."

A little roll of her eyes. This place, man. "And yeah, don't worry. For an animal I will gladly practice temperance." If a person asked her to sober up, well, she'd be rather less enthusiastic. "But since I already paid for it, I may as well finish this whiskey, ey?"

[goldsteins]

"No, you got it right," Tina answered with a mite of surprise before she withdrew her hand, "I'm from New York." Which was more obvious the more she talked. "Though I suppose different places can have similar ways of saying things." Even if they're worlds apart, as they were.

She nodded, but didn't add that if she was drinking when asking to look after the demiguise she wouldn't let her (maybe she was more protective of it than she let herself believe). "Of course," Tina added quickly, "I'm not gonna stop anyone from whatever takes their edge off after today's events."