hadriel | [Video]

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[The video feed activates, revealing a disheveled but still upright Aren, Barkspawn peering over her shoulder. Where they are isn't identifiable, except that she's sitting with her back against a wall.]

So, we've heard plenty of amazing pep-talks. I'm not here to be redundant. I just want to say a couple of things, that's all.

First off: Don't be a dumbass and fight past your limit. If you have the chance to rest up and heal, for fuck's sake, take it. If you're around and need backup, let me know. Yeah, I know those nug-humpers are watching us, but at this point it's not about stealth, is it? Barkspawn and I are pretty damn fast on our feet when we need to be. [Barkspawn huffs, looking smug.]

Second, I don't know about you but I like to party as hard has I fight. I said it before to just one person but now I'm saying it to everyone else; once we're done with these assholes, I say we grab a keg and have a hang-out at the hot springs. I'm not going into details before they're all accounted for, but, you know. It's something to keep in mind.

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[There's a slightly tired chuckle.]

I never had the pep-talk skills, that's what my companions were for. It's shit luck they didn't come in with me. And good, I'm tired about checking up on people only to hear that they died. Since they're not coming back right, it's something to avoid even more than usual.

[She reaches up to give her mabari an under-chin scratch, which makes him rumble happily.]

This is Barkspawn! [He wags his tail by way of greeting, having learned better than to bark right next to the phone.] If you know about darkspawn, that's where the name comes from. And if you don't, I guess it doesn't matter. He's a juggernaut all by himself, when he has to be.

Sounds good. I'll pass on word as soon as they're gone and we have the chance to catch our breath. Also the chance to see if the booze fairy has been kind to us.

I think it's never too late to learn a new skill. Pep-talks were certainly not my specialty, but I can give one now if I have to. I'm sorry your companions are not with you -- not that I wish Hadriel on anybody, but it is good to have the support of those you already know and trust. [ Uneasy pause. ] None of my family or close friends has died. . . yet. . . but I've been hearing of people coming back without all their faculties intact. It is disquieting.

I don't know much about your world, but I do like puns. Darkspawn and Barkspawn? Perfect.

[ He waves back at the mabari, with a smile. ] Greetings, Barkspawn! And good hunting!

It is good to have such a companion in battle. In my own world, my brother Celegorm and I had a pack of wolfhounds, who were formidable war-dogs. Their alpha dog was called Huan, and he was with us through most of our battles.

And if the booze fairy has run out of blessings, I have a barrel of whisky in my house. I distill my own, and I've given some to the Speakeasy on occasion. I'd be happy to contribute to such a good cause as your party. [ Grin. ]

...yeah, Cecily came back but she can't remember a damn thing.[She sighs, a bit downcast at that.] We're both from Thedas, but we didn't know each other, and she's a decade ahead of me. So, I can only catch her up on so much, and not anything personal. I know someone who might be able to fix that, though.

[She crosses her fingers for luck on that, as Barkspawn huffs companionably in response.]

Man, a whole pack of war-dogs sounds awesome! I'm still a little pissed that my rescue from this one tower didn't include all the mabari I rescued, too. [As Barkspawn whines a little, she scratches him behind the ears.] Oh, don't get jealous. I wouldn't have kept for myself, just seen if they imprinted on the others. [Back to Curufin:] Imprinting is when they bond with someone, but it's just the one person and it happens for life. I'll brag about mabari all damn day, if you let me. They're tough, loyal, and damn intelligent. He's at least as smart as your average person.

[Now that Barkspawn is mollified, she settles back.]

Awesome. I'll check my stash, but there are a couple of things on me that I was saving for some better times. I'll add them, for sure. [She raises an eyebrow.] Did you build your own still, or did you just find one here?

That's not good. Coming back amnesiac. Who could fix that?

[ He grins at Barkspawn again. He likes the way the mabari is so clearly there to back up his human. ]

Yes, too bad! I'm sure they'd have found homes with the other Hadriel residents -- there are a lot of people here who like dogs and would look after them well. And I'd like to have my old pack with me again, come to think of it. I know about imprinting. It was the same for the Elves and their canines -- the bonding was for life. In most cases. And you can brag about mabari for as long as you like! -- I'll cheefully join the Friends of Mabari Club!

You brought a flask or two with you? Good for you. Oh, and I built my own still. Just like the one I had in my own world. My brothers and I lived in a cold country and we needed our fiery liquor. Or so we told ourselves. [ Guffaw. ]

Hey, I like the ingenuity! And don't worry, what I have is quality surface liquor. I would never inflict dwarven mosswine on people. We're good at a lot of things, but our native drinks fucking suck. They'll still get you hammered if that's all you're looking for, but otherwise, do yourself a favor and get something that doesn't taste like dirty socks.

[She wrinkles her nose for a moment, still repulsed by the scent alone.]

See, Barkspawn? I knew we'd find more dog-people! [Barkspawn wiggles happily.] Do pets ever show up on their own? Barkspawn came with me, so that doesn't count.

It's just a guess, I'm not sure if he can fix anything. But Cole, our housemate, can maybe do something to help her remember. He's a spirit of Compassion, and I know he's helped people forget painful shit. Maybe he can do the opposite...I hope.

[ Laugh ]The Dwarves in my world would take exception to the idea that Dwarven booze is inferior. And rightly so. I wish I had a bottle of the Nogrod community's whisky in my hand right now! -- I learned a lot about distilling from them. Their first lesson is, never filter your liquor or your brew with a dirty sock. Always use a clean one. [ Snicker. ]

[ Curufin smiles at Barkspawn again. ] I don't think pets show up here on their own, or at least I've never heard of any doing so. But I think people can sometimes ask the gods for a gift, and maybe pets from one's original world count.

Cole is a spirit of Compassion? Sounds like someone who is greatly needed in Hadriel. I hope he can help Cecily.

[Aren looks pretty puzzled at the notion of dwarves and decent booze going hand-in-hand. Evidently, that's not a reputation that has spread across worlds.] And don't make them out of underground fungus...but they do it every time, anyway. It's one of the many reasons Orzammar is hopeless.

...eh, asking them for anything sounds risky. I wouldn't trust them anyway, asking them for gifts is just digging the hole even deeper.

[She's tempted to elaborate, but nods at mention of Cole.] Me, too. He's probably getting a lot of work just being here, but he'd never complain. Every spirit has a purpose, just like a demon, and they're happiest when they can act on it.

Underground fungus??? [ He makes a horrified, gagging sound. ] Even I couldn't make liquor out of fungus! Your Orzammar may be rightly named if he is called Orzammar the Hopeless!

And I have to agree with you on asking the gods for anything. They always want something in return, and sometimes that something is innocuous and sometimes it is not.

The spirits of your world sound perhaps not so different than the angelic spirits of mine. We call them the Valar and the Maiar -- respectively, the most powerful and then the helping spirits who assist the Valar. Each has skills and a purpose. Our never complained about their jobs. . . [ Well, except for Morgoth and Sauron, who rebelled and wrecked the world. ]. So it makes sense to me that Cole would be selfless in his purpose. It sounds like you have a good friend there.

Orzammar is a city, not a person. [Yes, an entire city makes liquor out of fungus.]

It helps that I befriended a spirit before, Justice. Guess what his purpose is? [She cracks a grin.] I don't pretend to understand everything spirits do, I'm not a mage and even they probably don't anyway. But Grey Wardens learn to work with a lot of different types, whoever will help them get the job done.

The gods remind me of their more malicious reflections, to be honest. Demons. Every kind that exists is named after a sin of some kind; pride, desire, rage, despair...so when I hear people talk about how these 'gods' need our emotions to fuel them, it sounds like more of the same crap.

A city, oho! [ What a grotesque idea! -- a whole city of fungus-liquor distillers! That would be Curufin's idea of HELL. ]

Let me guess. He doled out justice? [ How clever we are. Grin. ] I don't understand spirits, either. But it is good you know them well enough to get help from them. What does a Grey Warden do, exactly?

Yes, I can see where the Hadriel gods would remind you of demons. Feeding on other people's emotions IS a bit demonic. Vampiric, at the least.

Grey Wardens fight darkspawn, these tainted beings that only exist to corrupt and kill. They dig and dig until they reach a slumbering Old God and turn it into an archdemon, which leads them to the surface in a giant horde. That's called a Blight, and we've had five of them so far.

Ah, that explains the pun! Barkspawn! [ Grin. ]

A plague of darkspawn? Grim. They have the power to turn a god into a demon? That sounds truly evil.

Someone finally gets it! [Aren grins. She shouldn't have to point out her own puns, that's just sad.]

Yeah, they are. Mindless assholes that taint the land, air, people, everything. The only reason why Thedas isn't corrupted from sea to sea is because the Grey Wardens manage to be consistently awesome. But if legend is right, there's at least two more to go.

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