Dragon Age: Prelude to Chaos

[Macman253]

Wind smiled and nodded, he had little to keep him in the City Of Chains. He had always felt as if his feet got itchy when standing on dry-land too long but he had promised his crew a weeks shore leave and the things he promised to his crew he always kept. His crew knew that and they too fulfilled their promises to him which all in all lead to a strong bond of brotherhood amongst them and as such their rarely ever was discontent with the exception of the odd drunken brawl or a argument over cheating at cards.

 

Wind spun on his heel as he turned to face her, "Yes... you are right. I have a hard time on land."

 

He reached back and tied off his long hair with a leather band and looked around, he could go for some fun. "How about we go for a walk? I could use some fresh air." Wind smiled and looked around, "Maybe we can go be heroes..."

[AurianaValoria1]

Danae woke early the next morning, just before dawn, packed what little she possessed, and headed eastward again. In a few days' time, she reached the town of Redcliffe, where she resupplied. While she was there, she stopped by her father's old house for a few hours, simply looking around the small, long-abandoned home. No one had yet bothered trying to buy or refurbish it, and so the bare floors were covered in a thick layer of dust, massive cobwebs lacing every corner. As she glanced to the fireplace, the warrior could almost hear the warm fire crackling and the steady scrape of a whetstone against a blade...smell the scent of oiled armor and leather...

 

She left the house before the tears could come.

[SteffiSyndrom]

Ruth's right eyebrow went up and an amused smile spread across her face. "Heroes, huh? Now why would anybody want to be that?" she joked and chuckled. "But a walk sounds nice. Better than just waiting around and standing here anyways. Lead the way," Ruth answered and bowed lightly.

[Macman253]

Wind smiled at her remark. In his first few months in Kirkwall he often patrolled the streets of Low-Town looking to remove it of it's undesirables, namely street thugs and cut-throats. He looked Ruth up and down, giving a respectful eye to her natural features and then looked around. The Docks were quiet but he knew well that there were eyes in the darkness, and knives enough to match them.

 

He figured a stroll through Low-Town and towards the Blooming Rose would be a good walk. He bows very courtly, giving her a wink from his green eye as he looks up to her and offers her his arm.

 

"May I ask your permission to walk with you M'lady?" Wind said with a quick smirk and a ships cargo full of charm.

[AurianaValoria1]

Orzammar.

 

It had been a long, arduous journey, and she was finally here.

 

Danae gazed up at the gargantuan entrance to the dwarven thaig, a stone wonder carved into the side of the Frostback Mountains. It...well...dwarfed the two dwarven guards who stood watch at the gates, which had been re-opened to trade and outsiders during the last Blight. Even though the halls within seemed warm from the snowy outdoors - a faint orange glow emanating from the gaping maw of the entrance - there was something oddly cold about the carvings, and even the dwarven guardians.

 

The warrior pulled her wool cloak tighter about herself and shivered, brushing a snowflake off of the tip of her nose. Her armor provided no respite from the chill of the Frostbacks...inside she had to go. Her thoughts were whirling with both excitement and trepidation; there had to be answers here, there just had to be. But what if there weren't? What if she was turned away and called a fool?

 

Oddly enough, the dwarven guards did not stop her as she approached. She could tell they were watching her, but they made no move against her as she walked slowly past them and into the warmth of the Hall of Heroes.

 

Danae noticed that several other outsiders of various races milled about this hall, leaning against the walls in wait or gazing at the various chunky statues that lined the main walk. She removed her helm and her cloak as she meandered further inside, tucking the former under her arm and throwing the latter over one shining shoulder. The warrior nodded and smiled to a stout dwarf as she ruffled her short hair to loosen it, but he seemed to pay her no heed.

 

Sigh.

[Deleted6317247User]

Illadriel was making her way through Hall of Heroes outside for some fresh air as well as to see if anyone from her order showed up when she bumped into a human woman. "Sorry." She said as she looked at the woman. It seemed that she just came from outside. "I don't suppose you saw any Grey Wardens outside?" The Dalish warden asked.

=================================

Lianna walked through the streets of Lowtown, trying not to look suspicious. It was clear now that whoever followed her was following her and not someone else from her new acquaintances.

 

The Antivan elf headed towards the Foundry. After the murders that took place inside, the building was completely sealed off, a perfect place to get rid off pesky pursuers.

 

As she entered the deserted building, Lianna drew her daggers and spun around to face whoever followed her. "Why are you following me?" She asked.

 

Her pursuer, a young woman with auburn hair tied to a braid smiled. "To get that promised bounty, of course."

 

She should have known and now that she had seen her pursuer, she could see that everything about her spoke - bounty hunter.

[SteffiSyndrom]

Ruth grinned at his charm and returned the bow with a small curtsy before taking his arm. "I take it the fine Sir knows his way around Kirkwall therefor wherever he may lead I shall simply follow," Ruth answered, giving the sentence a good portion of her own charm, an amused smile still dancing at the corner of her lips.

They headed off to Lowtown. Ruth figured as much. It was a filthy place but it wasn't usually places like Hightown (The Blooming Rose excluded) where you get the really interesting news and also, there was always a poor soul or two that could need help and there were definitely enough thugs and thieves around to earn some coin and combat exercise.

They wandered through the dusty, sandy streets, tall, slender buildings shooting up to their left and right, the walls crumbly and old. A rat skittered squeaking across the road, an orange tabby cat chasing after it.

There was little noise except occasional talking from people that were lurking in the corners, whispering to each other. The soft breeze howled ever so gently through the alleys and faint shouts, laughter and screaming could be heard in the distance. Coming from no other place than The Hanged Man as usual. Ruth decided whether to go back there and have another drink or two with Wind in her tow, but figured they would just get carried away and awaken in the morning, having missed the others who might be waiting by the docks already. But even that was uncertain. Ruth found herself wondering about the two elves again, Lianna and Alaila. Her thoughts also drifted off to the other women she had seen at the Hanged Man, the older, cocky one. Then there was this Templar who had been sitting by himself. A rather odd choice, she thought. For a Templar to go to The Hanged Man.

And then there was this Qunari, probably still sitting by the docks, remaining quiet like he had been for almost the entire time she had been around him.

They were walking aimlessly but found themselves heading for the Foundry. The worst part of Lowtown and maybe even all of Kirkwall.

Ruth heard noise coming closer and her ear twitched lightly. "Have you heard that?" she asked, turning to Wind, stopping to concentrade and make out the sounds.

Not waiting any longer she pulled him with her, still having her arm wrapped around his. In an instance she recognized her. Lianna.

Ruth made a surprised sound and stopped on the spot.

[AurianaValoria1]

Danae found herself running headlong into a dark-headed elf.

 

"Oh, sorry!" she apologized quickly, nearly dropping her helmet.

 

At the elf's inquiry, she shook her head, "I wish. I've been looking for one for weeks. I'd ask these dwarves, but it seems they're as cold as the stone they come from."

[Alaylyne]

The ginger elf looked over the empty and deserted house which looked like no one's been in it for days except for some plants sitting in every corner. She knew her loved flowers and plants will die while she's away, but bringing them all with her really wasn't a choice. Her backpack contained a few packs of berries, a large collection of healing herbs, a knife, a little hand shovel, some thread for tying the herbs when she was drying them, mortar and pestle and a few glass jars for when they were again on the land, so she could refreshen her supplies.

 

After a few seconds of trying to make up her mind and pacing forward and back, the elf took out three jars out of the backpack and filled them with earth, leaving 2/3 of the jar empty. She then proceeded to plant the most vital herbs in the jars and closed the jars, piercing holes in the lid of the jars so the herbs could breathe. Statisfied she could at least bring that little of her plants, she put the jars carefully in the backpack, again making sure she took everything she needed.

 

In addition to her first aid kit composed of herbs, both fresh and dried, the woman filled the remaining empty space of the backpack with clothes, mainly ones for summer, a woolen sweater, few pieces of fabric should anything get torn, a needle and thread, another pack of berries though the ship should have its own supplies and tied the backpack, making sure it was as tight as it gets without crushing the glass jars.

 

It was about everything she needed to survive out there in the wilds, since the forest provided for those who knew what to search for. After hanging the backpack on her shoulders, the ginger also hanged a waterskin with fresh water around her, put the dagger on her belt and took her mage staff which looked like a nicely crafted walking staff. It was hot outside, but she still put on her cloak with a hood on, leaving her face exposed while she was still in town. A hooded elf would only attract more attention to herself, and attention wasn't something she needed.

 

Throwing one last look at her childhood home, Alaila walked out and closed the doors, knowing she won't ever return, with her mother or without. There wasn't anything in Kirkwall holding her back, not anymore. And if she got some money from that treasure hunt, she could...hire someone to track her mother, a ranger or a...but that would have to wait. After all, who is to say she'll even survive the whole treasure hunt?

 

Quietly with a firm step, the elf slowly started making her way out of the Alienage and towards the docks, avoiding meeting anyone's eyes. Few of the elves threw a curious look in her direction, but stopped paying attention to her after a while, already used to the ginger woman sneaking out of the city to look for herbs.

 

And so she left the Alienage the same way she returned just a few days before, without anyone noticing her arrival and departure.

[Macman253]

Wind smiled as they walked. Although he remained quiet he thought heavily on his next move, the Antivan spice ship he 'liberated' earlier still had it's cargo to be sold but he trusted Ven to handle that. Once dawn came around he expected to get a courier's note from Ven telling him of the completed sale. It was a fine night in Lowtown and it brought back memories of his time here before he went to sea and fell in love with the ocean. As they walked by the Hanged Man two of his sailors stood out front with half drank mugs and were singing a particularly dirty song.

 

Wind smirked as they drunkenly snapped to attention and saluted, one was so inebriated he lean slightly to the left and the other bobbed from the left to the right like a buoy. Wind returned the salute and they shuffled off towards the docks.

 

After they walked for a good while his ears perked up as he heard the noise coming from one of the many deserted buildings. He felt a sudden pull as Ruth took off towards the noise. It was moments like this that he hated being an elf, he was short and light enough for a human to drag him along.