[Video/Action]

[fatherlesskind]

-does this do? What about this? Helllooo?

[The video feed begins with a close-up of a gauntleted thumb and then twists nauseatingly around until there's a giant eyeball... that gradually diminishes in size as its owner pulls back from the device. Once it's farther away it reveals a large man in heavy armour with a sword at his hip and a shield on his back, looking rather put out. Alistair frowns down at the thing for a moment then shrugs and begins to speak.]

I heard I can use this thing to talk to people. People far away. I don't know if I believe it, I've never heard of magic like that. But this way it doesn't look like I'm crazy and talking to myself. Maybe.

I don't talk to myself normally of course. That would be crazy. But I do talk to myself - and little... boxes - when I get lost and wind up in a strange place I've never seen before. Especially when I'm supposed to be somewhere else doing something important. Then I might talk to myself.

[But only because he hasn't found anyone else to talk to yet and he's still trying to figure out what's going on. He isn't buying anything he's heard so far so he's reduced to thinking out loud at a little box.]

Well, I think I know what's going on here. This is the Fade, is it? I'm stuck in the Fade again.

What do you think box? Am I right? [His voice turns high pitched and squeaky and the video judders about as the device is waggled back and forth.] 'I think you are Alistair, you handsome fiend you, you must be in the Fade! Now we just have to go find the eeevil demon that trapped us here and make it let you go!'

[And back to a normal voice, the video steadying again.] I'm glad you agree and I am looking rather handsome today, aren't I? Now, let's go find that demon!

[And, companion... box in hand - and still broadcasting - he strides boldly off in search of something that looks like a demon, keeping up a running commentary until someone decides to interrupt him.]

Comments

[outofthebreach]

Quite. There's only so much fancy Orlesian politics I can stomach, after all.

[ He makes a face. Ferelden might smell overwhelmingly of swamp and dog at times, but he'd still take it over the Game any day.

And somewhere Josie and Leliana are shaking their heads disapprovingly at him.

He chuckles at Alistair's suggestion, looking somewhat rueful. ] If only it were that easy. I'm afraid it's sort of my job to go hunting them, however. The getting stuck in the Fade part is just an unpleasant side effect, it seems.

And no. You won't be. I'm fairly certain I do as well, at least once or twice a day.

[ A pause, before his curiosity finally gets the best of him. ]

Does Robyn know you;re here yet? She'll be ecstatic.

[fatherlesskind]

Rob- You mean the Warden?

[Just like that all traces of amusement vanish from his expression, gaze turning suspicious.]

We ran into each other.

[And that is all he wants to say on the subject. He's trying very hard not to think about the meeting, still unsettled by the idea of someone else in the place of the Warden he knows. Someone who knows him but is a stranger. No, he's not ready to deal with that yet. So. Change of subject.]

I didn't get your name.

[If he knows the Warden she may have mentioned him given there weren't supposed to be too many others from home here.]

[outofthebreach]

[ That.... hadn't been the reaction he'd expected and his surprise shows clearly on his face for a moment. ]

The...? Yes? Unless there's more than one Robyn running around here. Which there's not, as far as I know.

[ Alistair gets squinted at in confusion for a moment. But the reminder that he hasn't introduced himself yet has it fading into a sheepish grin. ]

Oops. You're right, you didn't. Brennan Trevelyan at your service, Ser Warden. Of the Inquisition. Which... I realize won't mean very much to you at present, but that will change. Eventually.

[ Probably. ]

[fatherlesskind]

[Brennan was clearly expecting something else from him - relief perhaps to have seen her, given the Warden had thought he'd know her too. He doesn't say anything on the subject, stubbornly holding his tongue. If the other man wants an answer he can ask, though Alistair's relieved when he doesn't.]

Well, you know my name. [Given he'd announced it at the very start before he'd realised anyone was listening. And from what the Warden told him Brennan might have already heard of him because of the Blight.]

I've heard of the Inquisition... the Warden mentioned you and it too.

[He offers a grudging smile - it's not Brennan's fault things are strange with the other Warden and the man had seemed friendly enough so far.] It's nice to meet you - Inquisitor, right?

[outofthebreach]

Technically, yes. But please, just call me Brennan. I get enough titles when I have to be official back home.

[ He makes a face to show just how much he enjoys that part of it. ]

I tend to forgo the formality as much as I can get away with.

[fatherlesskind]

[That instantly raises his estimation of the man, his expression relaxing into a more genuine smile at Brennan's obvious distaste.]

Oh good! I hate formality.

[And people who insist on titles all the time tend to take themselves too seriously.]

So - the Inquisition. And your job is hunting demons? Are you a Templar? Because you have a sense of humour and I thought that wasn't allowed.

[Not that he dislikes people who choose to become Templars but they do tend have certain things in common.]

[outofthebreach]

And there you have the very reason I never took my vows.

[ Brennan laughs and shakes his head. ]

No, I'm not a Templar, although I was bound for the Order when I was a child. I've many family members who were. Or involved in the Chantry in some way. The Trevelyans are very dedicated like that. I was a bit of a black sheep in the family, however. Didn't quite fit what the Order was looking for in new recruits. Can't say I was very disappointed, to be honest.

I ended up Inquisitor by... well. Circumstance, really. Good fortune or bad, depending on how optimistic I happen to be feeling that day. Most say I was chosen for it, but I'm not really comfortable with spreading that version of the tale. We've had a bit of a calamity in the south over the past several months; A bit of a demon infestation, as it were. The Veil's become a little thin and it's torn in some places. Rifts have opened up all over Ferelden and Orlais and spilling demons from them. It's my job to find them and close them again, to make sure no more come through.

[ One of his jobs, anyway. The rest had sort of spiraled from there. ]

[fatherlesskind]

Lucky you. They don't always just let you go if you don't fit in.

[Now he really likes Brennan. If there's one thing he can commiserate about it's a dislike for the Chantry life. And it's rather a relief to know that, despite the title, the Inquisitor isn't some stuffed up, overly pious Templar fanatic.

Too bad about the rest of his story. That's a lot less welcome to hear.]

Oh. That sounds not good. Really not good.

[Demons and tears in the Veil are definitely Bad. And if it's affecting Ferelden - after the Blight if Warden Cousland is to be believed - that just seems too much. A civil war, darkspawn and demons? What else could happen to them?]

The Warden. She mentioned something about that. The rifts and you closing them.

[So she was telling the truth. Not that he'd had any reason to believe she was lying but it would have been nice not to have to worry about demons once the Blight was dealt with.]

Still, leader of the Chantry's Inquisition, that must have made your family happy. How'd you stumble into that? Or is that a story for over drinks too?

[outofthebreach]

Personally, I think the head of our local Order was relieved. [ Brennan chuckles as he shakes his head. ] He already had three of my cousins and they were already much more well-behaved than I and still a handful in themselves. Also I might have coated his armor with honey once on a dare when I was about 8 or so. I think he made up his mind about me then and there.

[ Though his smirk is brief, it's pretty obvious that the Inquisitor still feels the prank well worth the trouble.

Matters of the Inquisition still have a way of turning him serious once more and his humor fades back to tackle the matter at hand. ]

Oh, so many drinks. It's a hell of a tale. Most days I don't believe it and I'm the one that lived it. Everything's been an avalanche of 'not good' 'really not good' and 'oh shit' since I landed the position, to be honest. And I'm sure they're delighted. I haven't actually had much time to converse with them since my appointment.

[ And that was a complicated matter anyway. Him surviving the temple while family members and friends did not. It was a guilt he carried heavy on his own shoulders without adding a grieving family's weight to it as well. Selfish, perhaps, but he'd had a mission to focus on. ]

[fatherlesskind]

Why didn't I ever think of that one? It might have saved me years of misery!

[Right, because if he did cover anyone's armour in honey he would have been made to clean it off too. Which makes him shudder just to think of, for all that he can appreciate the prank.]

I hope you know I'm never leaving you alone with anything of mine now.

[Unless he wants to start a war. Which might be fun come to think of it and certainly better spirited than some of the pranks that had occurred between him and the other Templar trainees in Ferelden.]

That sounds familiar. [A constant stream of bad news with barely a moment to stop seems to sum up the Blight too. Even the victories sometimes felt like only the tiniest of steps forward. He can only imagine being separated from family would make things even more difficult. There's nothing helpful Alistair could say on the matter though so he tries to bring back the good humour of before.] And I promise I'll believe the whole story without question if you get me drunk enough!

[outofthebreach]

Or given you years more. [ Brennan points this out with a hint of a smirk and impish humor before chuckling. ]

The mistrust. It wounds me. I'd never inflict such horrors upon you. Not without good reason, anyway.

I'm really not sure even Wonderland has that much alcohol. But I'll be happy to fill you in on any of the unbelievable tale you wish to hear. And omit the parts you'd rather not.

[ Because Brennan had already been careful to do that with Robyn. The circumstances of Adamant were not ones they needed burdened with, he hoped. ]

[fatherlesskind]

For a laugh isn't a good reason?

[Because Brennan is so wrong if he thinks that. It's the best reason to do anything short of 'to get out of something I don't like'.]

That's exactly the kind of offer I like! All the good bits, none of the bad!

[In truth if he got even a hint Brennan was withholding something there was a good chance he'd attempt to badger the man into telling him. And then regret it if that something was left out for a good reason. But that's the point of doing it over drinks.]

I'm holding you to that offer. It's too late to back out now.

[outofthebreach]

Don't worry, I'm not backing out. Whenever you want to hear it, you just give a yell. I figure you'll need a few days to adjust and settle in anyway.

If you need anything at all, you can find me up on the third floor. I'm in Room 28.

[fatherlesskind]

Right, I'll keep it in mind for the next time I need to feel better about my life.

[And he'll be on his way, once he figures out how to turn the thing off. There's still a tiny chance he could find a demon keeping him here, right?

...Well, he needs to look around anyway.]