open [REBOOT] Dragon Age: Shadows of The Deep Roads

[Literally Snails 2,307]

(OOC link: http://mlpforums.com/topic/100655-closed-dragon-age-shadows-of-the-deep-roads-ooc-non-ponyaction/)

 

The people of Fereldin are strong. They are independent. They are hardy. And they are also blind. Years of oppression have clouded their eyes with hatred toward the Orlesians, hatred so strong that they could not see the signs of an even greater threat.

 

As Fereldin goes to war with Orlais, The darkspawn stir in the deep roads in a way that they haven’t for thousands of years. They are searching for something. Maker help us all if they find it.

 

But not all are so blind! The Grey Wardens are vigilant. We have seen the signs; and with the proper recruitment and fast action, we may stop this before it ever starts. We serve no crown, no king, but we are dedicated to protect all men from the darkspawn threat.

 

I am Yuril of the Grey Wardens. For thirty-two years, I have served this order. Yet even in closing days of my life, I am tasked to investigate this disturbance. I could not ask for a finer honor.

 

 

 

Six new recruits had been called to join the Grey Wardens. Any of the recruits who intended to partake in the joining ritual were asked to meet with Yuril in a small campsite outside of Denerim. They were asked to bring only what was necessary.

 

The campsite had eight, small tents set up. One for Yuril, one for another Grey Warden named Rica, and six for all of the new recruits.

 

The tents were set up in a rocky clearing surrounded by thick vegetation. It was less than half a mile away from the main road to Denerim, easily accessible to any of the traveling recruits.

 

Rica and Yuril were sitting across from each other around an unlit fire pit. The accumulation of ash showed that they had been waiting at the campsite for several days.

 

Rica was young, especially compared to Yuril. She had only been a Grey Warden for a short time, but in that time she had shown herself to be a promising recruit. As the junior-most Grey Warden, she was tasked with accompanying the new recruits through their joining. She had short, brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail. Her sharp, emerald-green eyes only deepened the serious expression on her face. She wore medium-weight chainmail armor and had two dragonbone daggers on her back.

 

“Six recruits in one joining, this is too many. Is it not?” She asked Yuril in a thick Antivan accent. This wasn’t the first time they had talked about this, but there was little else to make conversation about. She poked at the cool embers in the fire pit and waited for Yuril to respond.

 

Yuril replied, “Maybe it would be too big back in Antiva, but in Fereldin, everything is done in bulk! It saves time and money. You should see the wedding ceremonies!”

 

Rica scoffed, “You take nothing serious Yuril! I ask you something important and you make jokes!”

 

“You’re too on edge,” Yuril lectured, “Six recruits are coming, and they will partake in the joining at the same time. There is nothing we can do to change that.”

 

“Of course,” Rica said complacently, “I am sorry. It’s just… I’m sorry.”

 

 

 

Ser Thomas was the first recruit to enter the camp. He entered with a group of other knights from Highover, but the knights disbanded and left as soon as he entered the campsite.

 

Ser Thomas awkwardly approached the two Wardens, expecting a greeting but getting nothing.

 

"I came to the right spot. I'm sure of it." He declared confidently. "Where are the other five recruits? I wish to meet them."

 

"You are the first to arrive." Yuril answered.

 

"Oh..." Ser Thomas said awkwardly before sitting next to the fire pit.

 

 

 

(For your first post, your character will be arriving at the campsite.)

Edited June 12, 2014 by Snails

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss walks slowly into the camp thinking about what brought him here as he did so.

 

He felt it is strange that he would be sitting in a camp full of shems as a result of butchering one of their feeble kind, but Yuriel thought he should be here and he felt a slight bit of championship with him, as if a piece of them shared a similar fate... He had never felt that before....

 

As he neared camp he glanced over the shems sitting in it before moving into their view.

 

Noticing the daggers strapped the red haired shem's back he figured here to favor stealth or underdogged tactics as well. That could be a problem she would also be more perceptive against them. Ser Thomas looked like the typical shemlen guardsman but based on the lack of fleas picking at his face he guessed he was not the common militia-men he better be careful around him he could probably outpower him in a one on one confrontation. And then there was the elf-warden, he was indebted to him for saving his life from the shems... He knew it but hated it... And was determined to earn his respect back.

 

He noticed that Yuriel looked up at him when he stared at him, it seems he was going to be hard to sneak around.

"I've come Yuriel, as I promised." Ümbrgrèss said simply, waiting for his superior's response.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Annabelinda stumbled in sometime after, obviously not as stealthy as the rest. She was full of excitement; eager to help the Wardens in any way they could. They showed her kindness and shelter; they were indifferent to her kind.

 

Breaking through the brush; she slowly walked towards the others. Annabelinda had always been alone, fighting on a team would be a brand new experience. She noticed Ümbrgrèss and kept a few paces away; dwarfed by his size.

 

"Hi...oh, hello." she said somewhat shyly.

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss quickly turned around at the sound of an approach.

 

He stopped when he saw it was a small shemlen woman, shorter than he was and he was an elf! But then he noticed her staff and decided to keep ready for attack but put his hand away from his dagger. He turned back to his superior, and ignored the feeble tounged shemlen.

[Literally Snails 2,307]

Ümbrgrèss walks slowly into the camp thinking about what brought him here as he did so.

 

He felt it is strange that he would be sitting in a camp full of shems as a result of butchering one of their feeble kind, but Yuriel thought he should be here and he felt a slight bit of championship with him, as if a piece of them shared a similar fate... He had never felt that before....

 

As he neared camp he glanced over the shems sitting in it before moving into their view.

 

Noticing the daggers strapped the red haired shem's back he figured here to favor stealth or underdogged tactics as well. That could be a problem she would also be more perceptive against them. Ser Thomas looked like the typical shemlen guardsman but based on the lack of fleas picking at his face he guessed he was not the common militia-men he better be careful around him he could probably outpower him in a one on one confrontation. And then there was the elf-warden, he was indebted to him for saving his life from the shems... He knew it but hated it... And was determined to earn his respect back.

 

He noticed that Yuriel looked up at him when he stared at him, it seems he was going to be hard to sneak around.

"I've come Yuriel, as I promised." Ümbrgrèss said simply, waiting for his superior's response.

@@RunsWithSquirlz, 

 

"It is good to see both of you in such a short time." Yuril said kindly.

 

Rica's response was less warm hearted. She spoke in a strict tone. "You two, put away what you've brought and make yourselves comfortable. There's five available tents to choose from, and only three of them don't smell like mabari piss." She gestured to a row of hastily made tents that were just barely large enough to provide shelter.

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss nodded curtly, ignoring the urge to ask how many of them smelled like shemlen and went to the tent across from the raid haired shemlen.

 

He wanted to make sure he could keep track of her movements, he knows better than to trust the sharp-tounged shemlen. He couldn't help but feel admaration for her zeal though.

 

Unfortunately she wasn't joking about the smell as he settled down in the tent and wondered if Dirthamen would ever reveal the secret to the foul odor.

 

He put way his pack and set a small spring trap around it as well, anyone who opened it around without turning the notch through the small hole through the backpack would have a dagger thrust into his hand.

 

He put on his black cloak and walked back out to his superiors and sat down across from them, making sure to track the Mage-Shem while he did.

 

He sensed that same connection he had with Yuriel inside with this Mage-Shem, ironic seeming as the most harsh sounding warden seemed to be the most innocent to his eyes. She had a dark and powerful secret, and he wanted to be on its good side... For now...

 

"Hello Mage, you may call me Ümbrgrèss" he said in an indifferent bored tone to her interested in her reaction.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Lunar Umbra

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

She smiled, taking her things to a tent; she wasn't picky. The scent of piss was strong when she opened her tent and she quickly decided to room in the next one. Annabelinda deposited her things; which was very little anyways.

 

Annabelinda had noticed the elf's reaction to her staff and she looked at it. Well, she couldn't leave it lying in the tent but if it made others feel better, she wouldn't keep in in er hand. So, while walking back to the pit, Annabelinda slid her staff into a holder she had on her back.

 

She sat across from Ümbrgrèss; smiling lightly "Hello. My name is Annabelinda."

 

The only elves she had ever met were of course gated and serious; she was a 'shemlen' if she remembered correctly. Ümbrgrèss made her nervous, she didn't want to say or do anything to insult him. Mentally, she kicked herself for not reading more into Elvish customs.

 

"Oh uhm..S-Shadow...Shadow Steps? Step? I'm not very well versed in the old tongue but I know some."

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss eyed her critically then realized that she was definitely an Apostate based on her appearance, but he was surprised that she put way her staff and even more so by her knowledge of his tounge. He was beginning to like this shem.

 

"It means shadow-step, you speak my language well.... For a shemlen..." Ümbrgrèss said in a sllgihtly warmer tone.

 

That dark secret.... Her kind words.... Only one thing could cause such a kind person to be excised..... Blood Magic... He suddenly found himself with feel kinship with her he always respected blood mages who could resist becoming an monster.

 

"I hope you do have some..... Hard to obtain magics." He said in an almost reverent tone.

[RaptorJaysus 178]

Alric walked out from the bushes into a clearing, set up as a campsite. "Hello all, I am Alric, one of the mages of the wild." He looked around at the tents, hoping to the Maker that he wouldn't have to sleep with the smell of Mabari "juice." "Please, I would like to know you better, as I can't exactly trust those I don't know properly. It's a habit from living the life I have."

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

"I do..." she whispered, looking down at her hands.

 

Right then, Alric had broken through the brush, promptly introducing himself. She felt relieved there was another mage in this party, it would help shift the focus off of her. If he was from the wild, it could have meant he was a Shapeshifter. She met many mages that took refuge in the forest, shapeshifting into creatures to help keep them hidden. "I've never seen him in the tower, that's for sure." she thought.

 

"Perfectly understandable, Alric. My name is Annabelinda. A mage same as you."

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss allowed himself a small smile. Here was one that mas one with nature and scorned the humans... These Shemlens might actually be fun....

 

"I am Ümbrgrèss, I was excised for killing a camp of shemlen while they slept." he said in an indifferent tone.

 

He wanted to test this mage's courage. He was interested in how a shem raised away from other shemlen would respond. He noticed that this one seemed to share very little personality with him, judged by how he spoke. Like the truth about either of us would actually increase his trust.

 

He was however, disappointed by the blood mage's reaction to her own power. In response he reached over to her with an arm, and lightly touched her shoulder.

 

"If you fear your own power, you will fear yourself, if you fear yourself you will run from yourself, if you run from yourself it will be easier to let something else in." He told her softly

 

"Rule over your powers do not let them rule over you" he said as he pulled his hand back and looked away.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Lunar Umbra

[Scrambled_Egghead 16]

Alric walked out from the bushes into a clearing, set up as a campsite. "Hello all, I am Alric, one of the mages of the wild." He looked around at the tents, hoping to the Maker that he wouldn't have to sleep with the smell of Mabari "juice." "Please, I would like to know you better, as I can't exactly trust those I don't know properly. It's a habit from living the life I have."

Civera approached the campsite from the beaten path from the road carrying a soggy map in her left hand. With a small backpack that her armor could barely fit in, she had walked all the way to the campsite from Denerim. She regretted making the journey without a coat or thick boots. She was unused to Fereldin's cold climate and had expected a warmer journey.

 

She didn't say anything after she entered the campsite. She simply dropped her pack next to the fire and began inspecting it to ensure that her armor and sword had survived the journey. She wouldn't have been surprised if the leather straps on her plate-mail had frozen off in the Fereldin cold!

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss studied this new arrival intently, the armour and huge weapon gave little doubt to her tactics.

 

He was rather sad, this Shem was much less interesting than the two already here. He felt no kinship to her. When she ignored them and started checking her armour he could tell that she was a straightforward type. She would best be used to be pointed in the direction of the enemy and keeping the occupied while he and Rica took them from behind.

 

His only concern was that she was the liveliest source for the bloodmage's magic and she probably take it from whoever was on her bad side... If he could somehow get her on the her bad side then it might produce wonderful results.

 

"I am Ümbrgrèss" he said coldly.

 

"This is the powerful magi Annebelinda and Alric of the wilds." He further explained to the warrior-shemlen.

[Scrambled_Egghead 16]

Ümbrgrèss studied this new arrival intently, the armour and huge weapon gave little doubt to her tactics.

 

He was rather sad, this Shem was much less interesting than the two already here. He felt no kinship to her. When she ignored them and started checking her armour he could tell that she was a straightforward type. She would best be used to be pointed in the direction of the enemy and keeping the occupied while he and Rica took them from behind.

 

His only concern was that she was the liveliest source for the bloodmage's magic and she probably take it from whoever was on her bad side... If he could somehow get her on the her bad side then it might produce wonderful results.

 

"I am Ümbrgrèss" he said coldly.

 

"This is the powerful magi Annebelinda and Alric of the wilds." He further explained to the warrior-shemlen.

"Civera," Civ replied shortly. Even with such a quick response, her Antivan accent could be heard clearly. Though it was already obvious that she did not come from Fereldin. When she touched the flat end of her blade, she could feel that it was still very cold, so cold that it felt like her finger tips were burning. She quickly pulled her hand away and shifted her metal gear toward the fire.

 

Civ then turned her attention back to the two recruits. They seemed to be interested in talking and she was not shy. She knew many Elves from Antiva, but also knew that they were different from the ones in Fereldin. She had never seen a mage outside of the Antivan Circle, however.

 

"This Fereldin is cold, and smells of dog," she stated bitterly. "But I suppose the farther from Antiva, the better, no? Have you been there?"

[Literally Snails 2,307]

Alric walked out from the bushes into a clearing, set up as a campsite. "Hello all, I am Alric, one of the mages of the wild." He looked around at the tents, hoping to the Maker that he wouldn't have to sleep with the smell of Mabari "juice." "Please, I would like to know you better, as I can't exactly trust those I don't know properly. It's a habit from living the life I have."

Ser Thomas saw Alric enter the camp and quickly deciphered that he was a mage due to his staff and robes. The knight stood up from his position at the fire, and moved to greet the newcomer.

 

"Ser Thomas of Highover," he said proudly with a slight bow. "You're from the Circle, correct? Or did the Wardens find your talent elsewhere?"

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Annabelinda was pondering over Ümbrgrèss' words. At first surprised he would offer her console, seeing as they just met. But she was young and still held fast in her heart that everyone was capable of good. She took the words to heart; knowing he spoke the truth.

 

Civera introduced herself, obviously suffering from the dramatic climate change "Antiva? No, I've never travelled as far...". She must be a strong warrior, she thought; looking over her armor. 

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss heard the shem's words. Ser Thomas was it.... He seemed to be a fool and would be a good source for Annabelinda's magic.

Had the Mage not just said he was of the wilds? This shemlen was much to like the Shemlens he had know through his own life. If he got in his way he wouldn't even hesitate.

 

"Are your ears to small to hear shemlen?" He asked in a slightly annoyed voice "Alric already addressed himsel as Alric of the wilds."

[Anon In Equestria 57]

Connor entered the camp of the wardens, he spotted a small group gathered by the fire, he walked closer to the fire and then sat his bag on the floor, he then sat down himself, and he slowly took a deep breath of fresh air and sighed with renewed vigour, travelling all this way had taken its toll on him.

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss stared at the new arrival, he looked like a warrior, but he felt the same kind of darkness from him as he did from Annabelinda but not the magic..... He liked this one.

 

"I am Ümbrgrèss a murderer, and this is Annabelinda a blood mage." He said staring intently at the newcomer, waiting for his response.

[Scrambled_Egghead 16]

Annabelinda was pondering over Ümbrgrèss' words. At first surprised he would offer her console, seeing as they just met. But she was young and still held fast in her heart that everyone was capable of good. She took the words to heart; knowing he spoke the truth.

 

Civera introduced herself, obviously suffering from the dramatic climate change "Antiva? No, I've never travelled as far...". She must be a strong warrior, she thought; looking over her armor. 

"Then you are lucky." Civera said, "Antiva's beauty is a lie. It is a horrible place, all full of assassins... and Antivans!" After saying this she shifted back to a serious tone. "What do you know about the Antivan Crows?" She asked as she wiped off the flat ends of her blade.

[Literally Snails 2,307]

Connor entered the camp of the wardens, he spotted a small group gathered by the fire, he walked closer to the fire and then sat his bag on the floor, he then sat down himself, and he slowly took a deep breath of fresh air and sighed with renewed vigour, travelling all this way had taken its toll on him.

Rica intended to speak to Connor after his arrival, but saw that Ümbrgrèss had already begun speaking to him. 'He is very social, isn't he?' She thought. The other recruits seemed to be having their own conversations, leaving her with only Yuril to speak to.

[Anon In Equestria 57]

Connor looked up to the murderer and the blood mage, he stood up and held out his hand.

 

"A pleasure Umbrgress, and to you as well Annabelinda, may I call you gress and anna, I'm not to into wasting my time pronouncing long names, I'm usually up to my knees in chantry blood, if you get what I'm saying"

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss allowed himself a small smile after hearing this... Conor's words...... He was liking this Shem already.

 

"I would normally cut a Shem's tounge out for suggesting that....." He began "But, I must make exceptions for those ridding the world of the chantry." He said with a hint of approval in his voice. "You may call me Umbra for short."

[Anon In Equestria 57]

Connor smiled and pulled the visor of his helmet up to reveal his purple eyes and his thick stubble.

 

"Cut out my tongue, why would you do such a thing, I took you for the kind of elf that tames trees, just joking, but seriously, come near me with your weapons and I will cut your ears off for trophies, now do you have a favoured foe that you like to murderer"

[Lunar Umbra 14]

Ümbrgrèss smiled back.

 

"Perhaps you should hear all of my words before taking them as a threat." He said calmly.

 

"I can already tell from your attitude and alliances you rely on some form of blood magic, you must take that from somewhere, and that takes time. When fighting me time you do not have, and even if you did take it from one of us I doubt you would be fighting only me." He said in an ice cold voice.

 

"Save it for the dark spawn, I have better uses for my dagger than your tounge." He said before falling silent once more.