hadriel_logs | Intro Log: Rock This City

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Intro Log: Rock This City

Who: New arrivals and everyone else!
What: The intro log for January
Where: The colosseum and all around the city.
When: January 10th-14th
Warnings: New folks, rockin' dudes made of rock, and collectible friends!

This time, it's different.

There's no cave, no stone walls looming up around you and overhead, no stifling air or artificial light- not that you'd appreciate it, seeing as to how you've probably never been here before. And still, when you land facefirst on the dirt ground of the colosseum, you may not quite appreciate all the improvements and steps we've had to take to get here- after all, you're still surrounded by strangers in a crumbling city on an alien planet in the middle of nowhere.

Oh, and you're being attacked by Earth Elementals. These creatures are tall, between seven to ten feet, and made of solid rock, capable of punching through all the squishy bits of you- and for whatever reason, they definitely want to start punching. They're incredibly strong and, seeing as to how they're enchanted alive and have no internal organs, they're very difficult to kill.

But don't let that scare you off. For all the collectors in you, you can also find a very special array of beanie babies all scattered at the ground at your feet. Do you know that some of these things will be worth a lot of money someday? Better find the rarest one and stockpile it while you can! You might run into the rainbow crab, the platypus, or the sought-after bald eagle, or many more! Be sure to never take the tag off and never ever let anyone play with them so they don't lose value.

Once you've got your kids' college fund squared away, it's time to start exploring! You can explore the rest of the city! Find a house, a new monster, a project to help with, or simply scavenge for supplies. Good luck, and enjoy your stay in Hadriel!

► This log covers January 10th-14th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well!
► All characters arrive with phones that have network communication and the newbie guide installed.
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She pauses in her dancing and smiles, genuinely touched.] Thanks. I...well, same.

[Clearing her throat before she runs the risk of saying something mushy, she nods at the rest.]

It's just so opposite to what I know. Love is never the point, not in Orzammar. It's nice if it happens, but dwarves are a declining race, at least the ones underground. So, the elite will do the deed with whoever births them more soldiers and leaders. They don't hide it because no one gives a shit. As long as there's a baby out of the deal, no one gives a shit about noble hunters except the harpies jealous that they can't give their house a child.

[Laura smiles back] Good.

[she frowns thoughtfully] Dwarves are a dying race? Why?

See, where I'm from, good girls don't have sex. Not unless they're in a serious relationship with a guy and even then, they lie about it. Girls who have sex and don't bother to hide it or have sex with a lot of guys get a bad reputation. Means that guys will fuck you, but not marry you.

As if being married is the end-all, be-all of someone's life? Please. [Aren snorts at that, still not certain it'd ever be what she wants for herself.] Sex is fun and what consenting adults do is their own damn business. Or it should be.

They're in decline because they're having less and less kids, for one. Something about being near darkspawn is bad for fertility, go figure. The darkspawn numbers always seem to go up, whereas Orzammar dwarves' numbers thin out because of soldiers dying against darkspawn in battle, or because politics in the city can be very, very lethal. Orzammar elite are all about the appearance of honor, but really, they're as backstabbing as anyone else. Maybe more.

And it's all bullshit because there's plenty of dwarves on the surface doing just fine, so there's no fucking reason to just wait for the darkspawn to claim everything below.

[Laura smiles ruefully] It is where I'm from. Most girls only go to college to get their Mrs. degree.

From what you've said, being near Darkspawn is bad for a lot of things. Do the Darkspawn actually invade Orzammar and then you have to fight them?

People are stubborn. Dwarves must be, too.

Too stubborn. They cling to shit that's bad for them even when they shouldn't, because 'tradition'. I swear if it was tradition for people to kick each other in the crotch, they'd still do it because some asshole decided it ages ago.

[She snorts, not bothering to hide her contempt for that way of thinking.]

They haven't gotten into the city, but damn close. Dwarves used to have an empire underground, a vast network of thaigs. Now it's just Orzammar, since the darkspawn have taken everything else.

Sounds like someone has to drag 'em kicking and screaming into the future.

...it sounds like the Darkspawn are winning. Like you guys are hanging on, but eventually they're just gonna [makes a helpless gesture] overrun everything.

Bhelen's trying that right now. We'll see if it works.

[For Rica's sake, it had better.]

Oh, they won the moment Orzammar had to go it alone. Even if they don't overrun the city anytime soon, it's just the last of what's left. That's why I hope some wise up and just head for the surface, which isn't full of traditionalist bullshit.

...wow, that got depressing. Sorry, this is what happens whenever I bring up that place.

That's your sister's man? The king?

[puts her hand on Aren's shoulder, squeezing in support]

D'you think they will? Go to the surface? Because from what you've said, I can see some of the lower castes going for it, but the warriors and the nobles? [she shakes her head] Not so much.

It's okay. It'd get really depressing if I brought up Twin Peaks.

Yep, that's him.

Some of them will. Most won't. [Aren manages a small smile, shrugging.] You'd think casteless would have nothing to lose, but fear of the unknown keeps a lot of people in Dust Town anyway. And if you have nothing to begin with, there's not much chance of making a better life, as it is. I got lucky, there.

If we're going to be depressing, we should at least get some drinks and claim a booth.

I guess not. It's not like they'd have the cash to spring for a nice place to live or to start a business.

Yeah, probably. Follow me?

[Laura heads for an open booth, hips swaying]

Exactly. That's why I hate it when people back home asked why they didn't leave, when they knew better. Heh, I should've asked if they were going to pay for the move.

[She follows along, gesturing for Barkspawn to pick up his chew toy and follow.]

[finds an empty booth, scoots all the way in and pats the seat next to her for Aren to sit]

You should have, just to see the looks on their faces. They would've looked so dumb!

But you deserve better than that shitty place, anyway.

So do you!

[Her mabari barks and she rubs his head.]

See, he agrees. And you should never argue with mabari wisdom.

So when we all get out of this place and get to go where we please, we're going to the surface only, right?

[she smiles and reaches across to pet Barkspawn]

Because mabaris are more than just good looks.

Damn right, they're the whole package. And I'll be thrilled never to see another damn cave again. It's not going to happen, but still.

[She smiles as Barkspawn wags his tail, very happy for attention from them both.]

Oh, did I tell you? A friend from my world showed up! Only she doesn't remember me, but some other Hero of Ferelden, instead. I haven't decided if I should be jealous yet.

I would like to meet your sister, though. But that would involve going to a cave.

[she gives him more scritches for good measure]

What? You're kidding! That's so weird. Maybe you could try feeling her out about this other so-called hero. Just to make sure that you're number one.

True, it would. Even though I've told her the surface is way better, she won't leave her king now. Short of another coronation, Rica's probably not going to visit the surface again.

[Aren shrugs, as Barkspawn eagerly nuzzles against that hand.]

Yeah, I think that's the plan. She's a lot more closed-off than I remember, but maybe she just needs to get used to me. If nothing else, I'll try to get Barkspawn to loosen her up. She didn't have anything against mabari before.

So she's in love with the king? Even though it started out as just trying to get a baby?

[awww, doggie nuzzles!]

I hope it works. It would be awful to have someone from home show up and they treat you like a stranger. I don't know what I'd do if that happened to me.

Convenient, isn't it? But if she's happy, that's all I care about.

[Aren shrugs, leaning back.]

At least I had some warning, what with Cecily telling me about some other Warden that was here. It's weird to think about, but this whole place is nothing but weird, you know? I think I've stopped trying to make sense out of it. Besides, maybe someone else who does remember me will arrive and back me up. You never know.

It sounds like something out of a novel.

[Laura leans back and turns her head to face Aren directly]

Weird from start to finish. But it brought me back to life, so I guess I've gotta give it a little credit. And, they might. Anyone in particular you're hoping for?

[She ticks off her fingers while saying names.]

Zevran, Alistair, Morrigan, Sigrun...and several more. Most of them were with me during the Fifth Blight, so I know I can trust them with anything. Zevran's an elf with an ass that won't quit and a sexy accent but he's also a damn good assassin. Alistair was my fellow Grey Warden; now he's a king, but he's like the only non-shady royal I know and he was with my from the beginning. Morrigan is the Witch of the Wilds. She's pretty prickly, but we ended up getting along because both of our mothers are shit. Sigrun grew up in Dust Town, like me, and I recruited her for the Grey Wardens after the Blight. They're all good people to have at my back. Right, Barkspawn?

[Barkspawn whines a little; he misses them, too.]

Zevran sounds hot. Did you and him have a thing? [nudges playfully] And you know all kinds of kings, don't you? There's nothing like the shared bond of lousy parents to start a friendship. And is Sigrun as cool as you are?

[reaches over to give Barkspawn a sympathetic pet]

[The nudge is met with a grin.] Maybe? Did I also mention he was hired to kill me when I first met him? Obviously that didn't stick.

Sigrun is damn cool, she's also Legion of the Dead, so she was dedicated to killing darkspawn even before I got to her. And yeah, I only know as many kings as I do because during the Fifth Blight absolutely no one had their shit together, and I had to wade in and fix that. It was the only way I was going to get my damn treaties. At least now I can enjoy the perks, like a room at the palace whenever I visit.

[She watches Barkspawn nuzzle Laura's hand, chuckling at his endless capacity for affection.]

[grins back] Wow. That's one hell of an introduction.

Sigrun sounds like she must be kick-ass. And that sounds like a pretty good perk. Does a room in the palace come with room service?

[she lets herself be nuzzled, petting when she gets the chance]

Yup. They give you warm towels, and you can ring for someone in the middle of the night if you want dessert.

...but I try not to be a dick about that. Servants work hard, I don't want to make their lives harder. It's just nice to be spoiled, for once.

Intro Log: Rock This City

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