open: one day soon the dawn will come

[championinquisitor]

[ alaina opts for a video post for this, mostly because she does a lot better in person than in writing. she's apparently like cassandra that way. whatever the case, she has something to say. settled in at a table outside, she sets the camera up, after a while of fiddling to get it just right, so that she can be seen at the perfect shot, hands folded on the table in front of her. she looks like a noble, someone born into the role of a leader, or who has been pushed there by fate and circumstance.

it might be a little of both. ]

So, how many of us are still here? I think we need a headcount. I hope everyone is still safe, but we need to work on a lot of things now. What happened recently was a tragedy. We need to be prepared so that something like this doesn't happen again. To go with our headcount, I'd like a list of who is capable of what. If you want to give it to me in person, I'll be outside my apartment all day. [ here, have a few directions. ]

I'll start us off. My name is Alaina Trevelyan. I'm the leader of the Inquisition in Thedas and a member of the noble house Trevelyan from the Free Marches. [ this probably means nothing to anyone but whatever. ] Most of my combat experience is with two-handed weapons -- greatswords, battleaxes, and warhammers -- and I have enough here that I can teach anyone who wants lessons. I'm used to fighting mages, templars, red templars, bandits, bears, quillbacks, anything that crosses my path. I also have extensive use of survival skills. In Thedas, we don't have any of this... electricity. [ be proud, natasha. ] I'm used to pitching camps, forging weapons, and hunting for food. Everything in the world has a use and I can help with that, too.

[ paaaaause. ] I also have a habit of taking in people, so if you need a place to stay or someone to protect you, now or anytime in the future, my home is open.

I've never seen a place repair itself like this one, but the fact that it was torn down so quickly means that it could happen again. We need to be ready. That means working together to ensure that everyone survives.

[ and with that, she'll let it go. inquisitor out! ]

Comments

[krasnayapautina]

Still here. [file under: things she knows Alaina already knows. But headcount, so... she says it anyway.]

Put me down for being able to teach hand to hand combat, and weapons like guns, knives, and batons. [etc etc etc] And ... any other roles else you want someone to fill in for.

[electricity. yes. so proud, tbh.]

[championinquisitor]

Here I thought you'd gotten lucky. [ yeah, she knew. but hey it's good to have on record. ]

Someday I should see those guns in action. [ maybe. ma...y...be. ] Got anything to report that I haven't seen yet?

[krasnayapautina]

What, walk through the door while this place is clearly having some issues, and on top of that -- leaving my best friend here alone in trying to spread some stability here? [Cue an amused smirk.] Nah. Steve can handle training the new recruits for a while longer without me. I'll ... buy him dinner for a month to make up for it next time I'm there. [People at home need her, she knows that, but from the way this place just literally fell apart? This place needs her for a while too.]

You should. I'll even show you how to use them. [and then she considers:] Aside from this place doing an impressive repair job? Nope. Though I'm probably going to put my spy training to use here soon and see if I can't scope out something that might go unnoticed to the untrained eyes.

[championinquisitor]

[ awwww, alaina totally caught that reference there, natasha. that's sweet. and she totally agrees on it. bffs man. ] That sounds like a long and involved dinner plan. Are you sure you have time for that? [ natasha is officially a favorite. yep. ]

Great. Name your time. The more I understand about everything here, the better. [ everything and everyone anyway.

also alaina visibly perks up at the mention of spy. YES PLEASE. she misses having a spymaster and spies at her disposal. ] If you find anything, let me know? I'm used to having an entire spymaster's squad to help.

[ who's feeling completely blind? alaina is. ]

[krasnayapautina]

It probably will be involved. But at least I can try. [gold star for effort??????]

I mean, my schedule's not too tight here to say the east. So we could make it a weekly thing? [that's at least a start.] And yeah, you got it. I may not be a whole fleet but ... [tbf she comes close with how good she is.]

[championinquisitor]

Trying is half the battle. [ definitely. ]

I'd like that. We can swap stories and learn things. [ bonus storytime??? ] Thanks, Natasha. You'll be better than anything we have in Thedas.

[ not that leliana's agents are terrible, but... well... they've gotten caught before and they don't seem to have natasha's... expertise. ]

[sempreadagio]

[ This face should be familiar. Really, it's a miracle that Jill made it through. She's not really a fighter, at least not in an normal definition of the word.

She offers Alaina a small smile and a waggle of her fingers. ] Hey. Still here. Jill, in case you don't remember.

[ And here's the important part. ] My bar's being repaired as we speak which means more drinks will be available soon. That's... pretty much what I'm capable of, making drinks and playing the piano.

[championinquisitor]

[ hey look, it's one of alaina's favorite people. she's glad to see that jill made it through; alaina had definitely been worried. ]

Couldn't forget you. [ it's said with a smile, like a compliment. because it is one. ]

Those aren't things to sniff at. Every good place is run with drinks and song. Have I ever told you about Orlesian bards?

[ totally not thinking that jill would make an excellent spy. nope. ]

[sempreadagio]

[ Jill will take that as the compliment it is, just because the alternative is less than appealing. She likes Alaina too so she hopes the like is reciprocated. ]

I agree. Drinks, song and sports. Although with the sports I'm more a spectator than a joiner. [ Mostly because she likes four inch heels a lot of the time and who can play any sport in those?

She shakes her head. ] Orlesian bards? I've never heard of them. Is it a band?

[championinquisitor]

[ it totally is. ]

I think I still need lessons on understanding sports that don't involve dragons.

[ jill made a valiant effort the time they met, but earth sports are still confusing to her. ]

Not exactly. You got a minute?

[ this is not a thing to be explained over this... whatever network thing it is. ]

[sempreadagio]

I am pro sports indoctrination... I mean lesson giving.

[ The slight, barely noticeable smirk to her lips is proof that she's joking about the whole indoctrination thing... mostly. ]

Strangely enough, I have nothing but minutes. What are you up to?

[championinquisitor]

[ alaina manages a grin at that. she really, really likes jill and the more they talk, the more she's reminded of that. ]

Good. I'd hate to have to find someone else.

Mind if I stop by? It's easier to explain about bards in person. They're a little different in Orlais.

[sempreadagio]

I'd mind if you didn't. See you in a few?

[ Jill signs off. She's at The Houndstooth, of course. The pub/grill is mostly empty right now since everyone seems busy wishing all of their things back and recovering from the last few months. The structure is rebuilt itself, magically. Jill is happy with that. Less work for her. But she still can't help herself making sure the entire place is set to rights.

At this point she's nitpicking. Alaina's visit will be a good diversion from that.

When Alaina arrives, Jill is just coming around the bar with two margaritas, completely insensible heels click-clacking over the floor. She offers Alaina a small smile and heads to a small, high table with two tall chairs. ] You're just in time. I decided fruity alcoholic beverages were in order.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

[ Derek remembers that Alaina had been the one to put together a camp in the middle of town, a place that had kept a lot of people safe. He'd taken Venus and Prim there to hole up for awhile and helped to keep the place safe.

Right now he's still trying to find his footing in the aftermath of all that had happened, all he'd seen. So he might be a little more serious than his usual to begin with.

On video, he lifts his chin a bit in greeting to Alaina. ] Derek Morgan. Good with firearms and hand to hand. Trained in Judo and self defense. I teach both classes at the Rec Center in town.

[ He's also a profiler, but while he considers that a very handy skill, most people won't understand it's advantages. So he says nothing on the subject. ]

[championinquisitor]

[ alaina has settled into her role as inquisitor so easily, despite all of her initial protests against the position. the inquisition began as a way to step towards peace in thedas, to stop the fighting and save innocent lives, protect refugees, and so on. what alaina had done here in itinere wasn't much different from that. she still strives to protect and save lives and that is what she aims for even now.

she is gratified to know that she helped even one person out there. that few died in the mess, if any.

but she is pretty serious today, too, and she can take her cues from everyone else. still, she manages a very small upturn of her lips in greeting. good to see someone else survived. ]

Firearms... [ wait hold on. she's got this. ] Like guns? [ aaand that's the best she can do. ]

Are you willing to teach Judo? [ because she might be willing to learn.

and oddly enough, she would be one of the people who would understand the value of a profiler. she has been missing her spymaster something terrible since she got here. a good spy or someone who could read people for her would be utterly invaluable to her efforts.

someday. maybe someday. ]

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Guns. Exactly. There's a shooting range just on the other side of the rec center down a ways. People can train there too. [ He's pretty sure that shooting range is there because of him. He'd wanted a place to keep his skills sharp, the next day there was a new building close to the rec center. A shooting range.

Itinere is so strange. He's still reeling from the most recent events.

Derek nods. ] Yeah, I'm always willing to teach. It's better for everyone to be prepared if something like the last few months happens again.

[ Honestly, he likes teaching. He'd taught self defense, judo and infiltration tactics at the FBI Quantico building back home. He misses it. ]

[championinquisitor]

A friend of mine is teaching me about guns. We don't have them in Thedas.

[ no she's not kidding. she'll probably be trying to see about actually learning sometime. but that whole noise and shooting things thing is... no thanks. ]

I agree. It's smarter to have as many people well-fitted and prepared as possible. [ pause. ] I haven't noticed people wearing armor here.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

[ It is surprising that one wouldn't have guns. But then again, his world doesn't have mages or templars or anything magical, as far as he knows. So it all evens out in the wash, so to speak. ]

There was a time my people didn't have guns either. It's a relatively modern invention relatively speaking... a few hundred years or so.

[ Derek shakes his head. ] Before recently, armor was never something that seemed to be necessary. I'm not naive enough to think the last few months won't happen again, but I kind of hope it doesn't. I have my kevlar vest from home. That's it.

[championinquisitor]

[ everything's weird to someone. just wait until she really talks about how this electricity thing is probably just a mage in the walls. ]

Still hasn't made its way to Thedas and I have to say, I'm kinda glad. We've got more than enough problems of our own without weapons like that.

[ no, seriously. give that to a fanatic or a red templar and the whole place is fucked. ]

Kevlar vest? [ another unfamiliar term. ] We have armor as protection. If you're going into a fight or somewhere dangerous in Thedas, it's stupid not to go prepared.

[clairedanvers]

[ Claire flips on the video and is instantly going to start pounding Alaina with questions. She has a very analytical and scientific mind which lends itself to a natural curiosity of all things. Alaina's just given this mind a lot of fodder to mull over and investigate further. ]

I'm Claire. Danvers. Claire Danvers. [ Oh, was she supposed to be cool? She forgot to do that. ]

So. Thedas is the world you're from. And you're used to all those creatures you listed on a regular basis. Do you have any magical abilities? Fighting supposedly magical beings like mages, I'd imagine you had to have some tricks up your sleeve too.

[championinquisitor]

Nice to meet you, Claire.

[ honestly, alaina can deal with all sorts. she's had practice. after trying to teach a spirit from the fade how to be human and live with people, she's pretty openminded. her motto is basically don't be a dick. also, asking questions gets you answers and that is always good. so she will happily answer whatever claire wants, though claire... might not want to hear some of those answers. ]

Bears and quillbacks were the only actual animals I listed, but I've dealt with more than those. They just aren't usually the biggest threat at any given point, just the most immediate. There's also dragons.

[ no, she's not kidding there. not at all. she's something of a dragon slayer. ]

I'm not a mage, so no. I don't. I'm not a templar, either. Only mages are born with magic. Templars train to be able to handle them. [ the whole system is screwed up, she'll admit that now. ] The Inquisition has a lot of templars at our side, initially to handle and balance the rogue templars and apostate mages.

[ look, just because the chantry considers all mages apostates since the circles all fell doesn't mean they're all bad and it doesn't mean she has to call them all apostates. ]

[clairedanvers]

Dragons. [ Well, she guesses that's a thing in some worlds... worlds not called Westeros. And Alaina can kill dragons? Without any special skills? By herself? She has to give herself a chance to digest that. She's only ever known Vampires to be that kind of overpowered.

Once she shakes the whole dragon thing from her system, she continues. ] So how do you kill the dragons with a sword, axe or hammer? Don't they fly? Are they huge dragons or mini dragons?

[championinquisitor]

[ ah, another person who so luckily has never had to deal with a dragon. ]

Let's just say that one of its legs is the size of my Qunari friend and he's twice my size. [ the high dragons are worse. ] I use a battleaxe mainly. The companions I usually take favor a crossbow, magic, and a sword and shield, respectively. Dragons do fly, but they come down to our level to swipe at us and try to eat us. It's the kind of fight that'll get your blood pumping. Like I always say, gotta be on your guard to be a good warrior.

[ that would be a better pun if claire knew of the warrior's guard ability that grants extra health. ]

[clairedanvers]

[ Claire saw a dragon one time, when she had walked through Don Quixote's nightmare when they had all been afflicted with entering one another's dreams here in Itinere. That seems small potatoes given the last few months. ]

I haven't seen any dragons here yet. Not that it couldn't happen. But it's nice to know that people without magic can kill them too.

[ She feels bad the minute she says it. She'd once thought all vampires to be evil and need killing. Time has taught her otherwise. ] Are there any nice dragons? Or, middle of the road dragons?

[championinquisitor]

[ yeah, dragons are pretty small potatoes these days. after corypheus turning up, a lot of things have turned to small problems for alaina. ]

If you see one, let me know. I'll make sure it doesn't hurt anyone.

[ she pauses. ] Not that I've ever seen. They all seem pretty content to eat everyone and everything they come across.