Video

[dreadinquisitor]

[He wanted time to familiarize himself with this place. He needed to know if anyone else from the Inquisition had been brought across as well, and then to find them if they had. But first, he'd looked through the information they'd given him - the neat print on the strange white paper - and now, suddenly, Maxwell had a much more immediate, personal worry.

The video opens on his face; his expression a mixture of incredulity and concern.]

Hello. [It feels awkward, addressing nothing, but he pushes on.] My name is Maxwell and I have a question, and there doesn't seem to be anyone else to ask.

[The camera turns and fixes on a portion of the pages he'd been given. He points to a section, chases a sentence with his fingertip as he reads it aloud.] 'Bears will always find him.' [Then the feed swings back to him.]

Why would anyone want this? How many bears do you even have in this place, to hope to make this useful? And do they just-- roam about?[He glances away, as if one might have suddenly sneaked up on him, then back.] Are these abilities negotiable in any way?

Comments

[dendarii]

Oh, yes. Three in fact, which seems to be average.

[dreadinquisitor]

[A smirk, and a low laugh, for the irony of it.]

That's me. Chilling.

[dreadinquisitor]

Was it a hard adjustment?

I wasn't born with mine, I - received them later, and when I did-- [He pushes out a breath.] I marveled at what others in my world went through every day.

[dendarii]

[ Miles makes a bit of a face at that. ]

One is still the bane of my existence. One I took to immediately and still use. The last, alas, no longer functions as it should.

... But they are still all incredible. And hard to believe that we actually have, eh?

[dreadinquisitor]

A stranger is the first, necessary step to a friend.

[No implication, just an easy statement.]

Good to meet you, Magnus.

[fehus]

[he likes that adage. it's corny and also nice, which are things he's kind of into, actually]

Yeah. I'm glad we got a chance to talk pre-maul. I just ate.

[dreadinquisitor]

[A small, low laugh; more commiseration than direct humor.]

For a long time I expected to wake up to find it all a bizarre dream. [He looks away, around the room he now apparently is supposed to call his own.] I imagine I will now again.

[dendarii]

[ Ah. Miles's own expression sobers. ]

It is no dream, my friend. Better you understand that now rather than later.

[dreadinquisitor]

No, no, of course not.

[Of screen, his left hand flexes, clenching and releasing. Even now, the Anchor aches. A dull reminder.

Then he blinks, brings up a half smile.]

I suppose might not even dream here, to be fair. As I expect there's no connection to the Fade. There's a puzzle to look forward to.

[dreadinquisitor]

I'll endeavor to stay that way.

Maybe look up this diving business.

[dendarii]

[ Oh. Miles brightens a bit at that term, clearly recognizing it. ]

The Fade? Ah, do you perhaps know the Inquisitor, then? Or one of his companions?

[dreadinquisitor]

[Maxwell blinks. His heart skips. He tells himself not to hope... and does it anyway.]

You could say that. I am the Inquisitor. Maxwell Trevelyan.

Do you know them? The others, are they here?

[dendarii]

[ Wait. Hold up. Miles abruptly looks at him like he's gone insane. ]

Lavellan. Inquisitor Lavellan, an elf with rather bright red hair.

[ You, sir, are clearly neither of those things. ]

[dreadinquisitor]

[It's so far removed from anything he expected all he can do is stare. Silent. For several long heartbeats, waiting for the man to tell him it was joke maybe - heartless, but ultimately harmless... but no. It did not come.

Slowly, he raises his left hand into view, and there is his proof. The Anchor, slashed across his palm.

I am the Inquisitor.

[dendarii]

[ Not a joke at all. And neither is that mark he sees upon the other man's palm. Miles' eyes go wide as he clearly recognizes the mark, having seen it on Lavellan's many times before. ]

What in the world is going on?

[ Video ]

[ridewithdestiny]

[ What. Just what. This place is so weird. ]

Bears? Like the wild animal? [ Why would that even be a super power?? ]

I've been here a bit less than a month, and I've never seen a bear roaming around.

[hellrisen02]

...Explosive or something, huh?

This country is full of wide-open spaces. If you look at a local map you're bound to find some manner of forest or parkland where you could practice such things. Just make sure the property isn't protected against human intrusion- some places are reservations for wildlife. Don't think the local government would take kindly to blowing that land up.

[dreadinquisitor]

[His hand hung there for several more moments, as if he'd forgotten it. Eventually it drops, as slow as the shake of his head.]

I don't-- I know no Lavellan. No one ever-- [And why would they? It had been him, was him, they'd pulled from the Temple rubble. There had been no one else for them to know.]

Where is he? We should-- He should be here. I should talk to him.

[How, he could even begin to imagine.]

[dendarii]

[ At that, Miles just shakes his head slowly. Maxwell's comment makes him realize something that must be the truth: somehow, the man (elf?) that Miles knew has been replaced by an alternate. He's seen people come back with no memories of this place, but to come back as a different person entirely...

Miles shivers slightly. This is a new horror, even for this place. And surely it is no less horrifying for the man in front of him as it is for Miles, so he must not make this worse for Maxwell. ]

No, he's been gone for some time. We were close friends.

[dreadinquisitor]

[Maxwell is again caught off guard. To have something like this presented and then taken back just as quickly. What could he do? What could he say? He had no answers, no explanations. He wasn't even a mage. Maybe if he were Dorian, or Solas....

He swallows. Takes a breath.]

I'm sorry, for your loss. If I cause any... [He trails off. How did he apologize for being what he was? He swore he never would again.]

[lightinside]

You can choose to Register or not. Registered imPorts have more benefits than a non-Registered imPort. I'd also advise you to try out the job they gave you. If it isn't what you want to do, you can look for something else.

[Laurel stops there for a few moments to give him time to think over what she just said.]

Ideally, they want you to use your powers for good. Work together with your fellow imPorts - things like that.

[dreadinquisitor]

I assume so? [Though he sounded slightly less confident about it than he had before.] There seems to be some debate.

[dendarii]

[ Miles takes a deep breath of his own. ]

No, no. It's been quite some time since he left. And in any case, it's an entirely unfair burden for me to lay at a new imPort's feet.

[dreadinquisitor]

[He does consider. For several moments. His eyes narrow slightly.]

That sounds remarkably-- good, for a people that has stolen me from my home.

Is that truly all there is to it?

[dreadinquisitor]

[He makes a sound. Something that might have been a laugh if it weren't so strangled up in his throat.]

Well... I imagine you were caught off guard as well. So, all's fair.