*Your dreaming of Ewoks jumping up and down on your chest, while talking fish slap you in the face, eventually as you begin to get more coherent*
"So did he survive the joining or didn't he?" *one voice*
"Hard to say, I see eye movement, but no response?" *another voice*
"Well this will be a loss if he doesn't make it" *first voice*
Joining? The headache is killing me, but I'll turn my head from side to side and take in what I can see.
*You see two men, dressed in arms and armor from a time gone by, they continue talking*
"Giliam is gone, probably dead, 2 of the recruits dead either from the joining or darkspawn, and another that's seen better days." *first man*
"It looks like they were robbed too, filthy animals, it looks like he is coming around, I see the darkspawn blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth, he has to have partaken of the joining." *second*
"By the maker, and Andraste's will, I don't think he succumbed to the taint. Quick get him some water, let's find out what went on here."
*in about 10 seconds you feel someone trying to pour water into your mouth from a skin*
I sit bolt upright, spitting the water out. "I am called Arziay. I thank you for the water, but I've had far too much already. May I inquire as to what realm I now find myself in?"
*the two men seem shocked that you do that and stammer a bit*
"We....we were hoping you were going to tell us what happened here. You are in Feralden, and from what can see you were part of a joining ceremony"
"Well, glad as I am that you all seem to know what's happening, I am unfortunately in the dark." I stand up and look at the others in the room with me, then look around for the feeling I should get as to where my katana (and other stuff) is. If I can determine such a sense, I will try to make my way in that direction.
*You feel two pulls one to the Northeast, one to the Southwest*
*they look to stop you*
"Wait, we are Grey Wardens, the group you just joined, we aren't going to let you out during a blight without equipment. So what are you, a mage, a fighter, or a thief?"
*the other one sighs*
"That is Heythe, I am Seith, we were suppose to brief the group, but we haven't had one joiner survive in a very long time, not since 400 years back. Might we know our new brother's name?"
I listen to their speech pattern -- conjunctions yes, old english no. I adjust mine accordingly. "My name's Arziay. I don't know any thief skills, I don't know any magic, and I probably wouldn't be able to stand, let alone walk, in a suit of plate. So, I don't think I'll be much use to you guys. I do have some things. They're either that way, or that way.
*they smile and push each other*
"That's really funny, so really what is your name?"
*they see your serious and start whispering with themselves*
"We need to goto Denerim, to the Grey Warden Archives, there is a book, and room, and if what you say is true, you will need to go there first before we can put you to task. Denerim is a few days walk from here, we think in order for you to figure things out, that should be our first stop.
"Well, it looks like I don't have much choice. If it's dangerous out there, I'll need protection, so let's get going. I guess I'm going to have to wear the same clothes the whole way, since mine are either that way or that way. I'm ready when you are."
*they nod*
"We promise the trip will be worth it for you and us, if this is as it has been fortold."
*they gather their things, one to the front of you, one to the back and start walking up the road that goes north*
I walk along, considering my position in life and wondering if thi isn't a case of mistaken identity after all.
*You march out from a series of high towers and majestic walls, they head up the path, about 6 hours later, you hear a rumble across the bend to the north, in front of you stands a blue skinned Ogre and both the men excorting you draw their weapons and charge the beast, they exchange blows, the Orge connecting each time, the Grey Wardens wounding it, but not killing it, the Orge picks one of them up in his left hand and punches him to death with his right as the other Warden uses the time to deal severe damage to it, the Orge mule kicks him away and he hits a tree with a crack and a thud, the Orge turns his attention to you and charges, before it gets to you a sword flies through the air, impaling it through the back and it collapses mere feet in front of you*
Heythe is dead, and Seith lays dying
((horrible GE roll 23, with various attack rolls always going the orge's way))
well, I have no first aid equipment to speak of, so... I will go and kneel at his side, clasp my hands, and pray aloud, "God, if it is Your will, please save this person's life. His work in this life is not yet done until Your will for him is done. You and only You have the power to give life, so for Your glory, please save this man's life."
*You heal the man with your prayer, he is well enough to stand and walk, but not fight*
1@1 Heal Other
*he grins*
"So your a Mage, and a Spirit Healer to Boot, interesting"
*he walks over to Heythe and kneels over the body*
"Damn them, damn the darkspawn to the deep roads, he was my friend, we survived the joining together. They knew we would be coming, that Orge was too powerful to just be here in wait, quickly, let us gather some things"
*takes an axe and chops some wood to make a pyre*
"I'm no Mage. You were dying and God saved your life. I need your help to get where I'm going, and I asked God in Jesus' name to help you. What He did was for His glory, not for me or you specifically but for the greater plan." Having witnessed God's power firsthand, I thank Him and pray for the safety of the man's soul and for the forgiveness of the ogre, who did not know what he was doing. While the fire is burning I will try to use my psionic bludgeon on the ground again. I want to see if I can do it reliably, or if it was just a fluke the first time.
*considers as he gathers some wood*
"I do not know of this profit Jesus, our profit was Andraste, and for the most part we worship the Maker. I do not know if your god is our god, the chantry could answer that better than I. I can appreciate faith, and the power it provides, as a Grey Warden, however, we have the attitude that while the Maker watches us all, we are on our own to do what is needed to be done for the good of all."
"Sorry. I understand that it's rude to talk about religion; you never know who you're going to offend." I will wait for him to be ready to go, and try my tk bludgeon.
*He gathers the rest of the wood, as you try to do the TK Bludgeon, but it's a no go, and it feels different, like it's not going to work here, he puts it in a pile and starts a fire, and places his friend on top of it*
"Not all of us meet our end in the deep roads, by the Maker's and Andraste's grace, may your journey home be a safe one my friend. We will miss your sword and quick wit my brother."
*he watches the pyre for a few minutes before getting his things and looking at you*
"We need to go now, it's a still another day and a half to Denerim."
*begins to start moving*
"Let's get moving, then." I'll keep my eyes peeled and my ears open in the hopes that I can notice before we walk into any ambushes.
*You head out, it's slower going to start, but you notice very quickly that he moves faster, and in about 10 minutes, he looks like he is at full health, it's good you were looking for an ambush, you saw about 100 Orcish and Goblin like things, with a couple of Orges waiting in the bushes and growth a mile up the road, they have not seen you, Action?*
((GE roll 23, Intuition roll 14 success))
Somehow, I feel we have no chance. I'll shake Seith by whatever part on him I can reach and point two fingers to my eyes and the point in the irection of the ambush, then start trying to show him on my hands how many enemies there are, with much opening and closing of my hands, then just hold my hands out and open helplessly. I whisper very quietly, "The way I see it, we can either die like men, try to sneak away and go around them, or I could try to make up a magic spell, though i don't know one and I'd have to wing it."
*he looks at your hands and nods and point his eyes to go around*
*whispers* "They are waiting for us on the road, let's give them a wide birth, they aren't the brightest, our best chance is to go around."
*he starts heading off the road to the right with the heavier cover, and walking 90 degrees to them*
I will follow him, but keep tabs on them without lookin directly at them until they are out of sight. I grew up in a swampy woodland, so I'm about as much at home off the path as on it. I'll watch for vines that could trip and dead twigs and leaves that could snap and crackle, and also keep a sharp eye out for poison ivy. I don't know if it exists in this world, but I know what it looks like and am extremely allergic. I'm also trying to be aware of anyone lying in wait in the woods, and anyone else moving. If we see animals on the way I'd like to try my empathy: animals ability.
((Botch 99 for Stealth, going to think on this and with their perception of a 19, and GE roll of 19))
*You begin to sneak, and put your hand on a tree to avoid stepping on a twig, but the weight of bracing was the last bit the tree needed to topple over, and it took out three other trees when going down, and you hear a bit of commotion over where the darkspawn are, and behind you, you hear*
"Well, well, well, it seems we have a clumsy set of travelers on our roads, I think they will need our protection, I think 50 silvers would be a good enough donation to ensure that."
*you see about 30-40 shapes in the forest, human and elven, wearing leathers, with swords and bows, it looks like they were heading to make a toll on the road*
I'm assuming that Seith doesn't have that kind of money. "Well met, sirs, and you are correct in your assumption that we would love some protection, but wrong to assume that travellers such as ourselves would be as rich as that. However, I will be indebted if warriors such as yourselves would protect us, and do whatever I may to gratify this debt."
*Seith looks nervous, like he can sense them coming behind you*
((Persuasion check 15 success, Willpower 14, success, they made it closer to their target number))
*the bandit leader shakes his head*
"Such exotic clothes, no, I do believe you must have some coin on you, and your friend has a sword and armor, so that must make you a merchant."
I try for a facial affect I hope is amusing to them, as a man upset for his circumstances. "An able merchant I was, to be sure, but my wife kept all my coin for herself and left me. I would be more than happy to trade my exotic clothes for some more ordinary, in case you find comparable worth for these with the protection we seek."
*he listens and begins to retort, when a boulder comes through the air and lands on his foot, through the brush the first of the many Darkspawn burst through*
((Attack roll 01 for an Orge with boulder))
Ok, now I'm hoping there will be enough of a delay while the darkspawn fights the bandits. Unless Seith grabs me and interrupts my casting, I will try to cast a magic spell which makes every person within three feet of me invisible for ten minutes. The casting ritual is that I will curl up in the fetal position on the ground, cover my eyes with my hands so that I can't see anything, and repeat "you can't see me" in a sing-songy voice over and over for one minute. If I am interrupted the casting will fail. Kind of going out on a limb with this one.
*Your spell doesn't work Seith grabs you by the back of your clothes and carries you back to the road and then onto your feet so you can run, he starts running in the direction you were headed, with a few darkspawn in persuit, you end up following behind, and he grabs you and fireman carries you, running like it's a marathon, they are running like it's a marathon, he slows down, they slow down, and then he picks back up, and they stay slowed down, he runs with you on his shoulder for 3 miles before he lets you down while he collapses from exhaustion*
"You.....need.....to.......get....in....shape....." *wheesing*
((90 for spell, fail, 20 GE roll, Stamina Checks: Seith: 11, you 26, Them 11, Seith 26, Them 24, Seith 12, them 29))
I do feel bad, and I agree with Seith that I need to get in shape. "Listen... thanks for saving me, but I won't blame you if you go on without me. Your friend has already died, and I'll live on even if they get me; as you've just saved me a good deal of pain, I'm in your debt and will continue on with you if that is your intent." If so, once he's recovered we will continue on along the road.
*He gets a skin of water and drinks a good bit down*
"We are getting you to Denerim, and that is that, we have lost too many already."
*He takes fifteen minutes and gets back to his feet and you continue through the day and into the night, he finds an overturned wagon, that you two sleep under for the night, there is hay, so it's more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, and in the morning you are off again.*
*In a few hours, you begin to see the gothic towers of Denerim in the distance, the city is massive, about the size of modern day New York, and you start to see regular patrols and merchants traveling to and from the city using the various trade paths and roads, it takes another few hours but you are at the gates*
*Seith looks at the guards at the gate*
"Grey Warden business"
*they nod reverently and open the gates without a second word, and he starts to head through the districts*
I accompany him, hoping our diffiult travel bears good news for him.
(Just for the sake of mentioning, Arziay is pronounced "R Z A", the spelling I've provided is an attempt to phoneticize it. and I am interested in learning more about these Grey Wardens -- all in good time)
*he speaks in low tones as he pushes into the market district, navigating between the merchants selling wares*
"Did you actually drink of the blood? The joining chalice was gone as well as the senior Grey Warden gone. I have to know, it determines everything, if you don't know, you would. If you didn't dream of the darkspawn when you were asleep, then you didn't and that's the first thing on the agenda."
*he pushes away an elf who is trying to hawk his wares as you head toward the main road in Denerim, there is a fortress and a tower in the center of the road in the distance*
I consider briefly, then decide that Seith deserves as close to a representation of the facts as I think je'll understand; he risked his life for me, after all. "Look, a bit of an explanation is in order, and was in order before I dragged you through this entire ordeal. I believe I'm not from this world. It still sounds crazy even to me, but every time I die I wake up in another world. Before, in the world I'm from, I had just been given a... an item, and there was an accident, I died and woke up in another world. In that world someone I met explained that I'm a verser and will travel from one universe to the next every time I die. I drowned, because... while I was experimenting with magic, there was an accident. I assume that I was unconscious when I arrived here; I suppose someone could have poured blood from this chalice into my mouth before I woke up, but I have never seen any of these darkspawn, except in fantasy pictures, before.." *hesitates, remembering the carnage and not sure how best to phrase the event which transpired* ".. before that inhuman creature ambushed us and killed your brother in arms."
double post
*looks at you*
"Then that will be the first thing we do when we get to the compound, then the vault."
*there is no more resistance on the way, some tough types look like they might have started something, but they take one look at him and slink back into the shadows*
*you get walked up to the fortress, it's a walled compound, old even for the architecture for, you see two armored figures guarding the main door, wearing full plate, shining unnaturally in the light, in fact many people have weapons and armor now that you think about that sheen like that.*
I will accompany Seith with the belief that this is our destination, and I'm sure that I'm looking quite humble in my normal (if excellently tailored by toda's standard) outfit.