Into the DANGER ZONE

[faderifting]

WHO: All Rifters + the 7 natives who signed up
WHAT: Searching the ruins of Haven for survivors, an Inquisition crew finds something strange. And demons. It's kind of scary that the demons aren't the strange thing.
WHEN: Third week of Harvestmere, 9:41
WHERE: Haven
NOTES: We've broken rifters and rescuers (or "rescuers") into two groups. This log has an arrival comment for each group--you can start smaller subthreads beneath those rather than try to have an eight- or nine-person log, just incorporate surrounding chaos/fighting--and a third top-level set for the whole group's journey back to Skyhold

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.

But there's no waking here, just a flare of green-white light and a jarring impact, barely softened by snow that lies a foot deep with an icy crust that cracks beneath the force of your landing. The wind is biting cold, the sun is bright, and you are not alone. Others thud to the ground nearby, as bewildered as you, and others run up who look no less confused for having their feet beneath them.

You are also not as you were: in the palm of your left hand there glows a narrow splinter of light the same sickly green as whatever brought you here. It aches, a bone-deep pain that gnaws even through all the distractions. Like that you're being attacked by monsters, some tall, spindly stick-things with too many eyes, some hunched and hooded with no eyes at all.

Welcome to Thedas!

Comments

[wontforgetyou]

"Think finding about things around here'll be complicated enough as it is, so no worries there."

If this Qun thing was a headache, then it was likely one that could wait a bit. There was enough here to try and figure out as it was without adding that into the mix. It occurred to him that he should probably try and figure out a bit more - and while he knew some of it would come in time, it couldn't hurt to ask while he had the chance, either.

"Ah, although if you'd not mind filling me in a bit about some of the less complicated things, I'd appreciate it. That is, if you want to. I might be able to guess at some of them, like that Maker you'd just mentioned, but if I'm going to be helping here it might not hurt to at least know some of the people and places around here, if nothing else. And, well...I'd not mind the break from walking and staring at the snow, to tell you the truth."

[gatheringstorm]

"I think we're due for a break anyway, the scouts are heading off to inspect the rest of the way so we know what to expect. Hopefully, it's little changed from the way over, but this is the Frostbacks; it's always better to be certain. I'll give you something to start at other than snow, too."

Picking up a stray branch, Korrin pauses near a set of boulders where they can sit, but first traces out the general outline of Thedas. A mini-map, since she doesn't currently have a continent-wide one for him to peruse.

"The entire continent is Thedas and here we are in the south. This area here is the kingdom of Ferelden, where Haven is located. Skyhold -where we're going- is on the border between that and the Empire of Orlais. Orlais used to control Ferelden, so relations between them aren't that cozy. Across here is where I'm from, the Free Marches. They're all governed differently and aren't unified unless there's a common threat. Most of us in the Inquisition are from those three places, though you'll hear plenty about Tevinter up north, which no one likes because unlike the south, the mages are the ones in charge...and they allow slavery and all sorts of other crap. That said, those from Tevinter that are part of the Inquisition are decent folk."

[wontforgetyou]

Mini-map or no, it's still more information than he's had before, and he watches with interest as she starts tracing the outlines of the continent. Enough interest, in fact, that it takes him a few seconds before he turns back to check the position of the boulder behind him and actually sit down.

The next little while is spent listening to her explanations, trying to soak up as much information as possible. There's some questions on his end, naturally, but mostly they're ones meant to help him learn more about what's she's already explained.

By the time they're ready to move on again, he's feeling a little more - not settled, exactly, but a little more like he's not floundering here quite so much. It's a start, and he's grateful for it. The rest...well, that'll come with time.