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misscricket · 3 years

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Canders

Oh @stark-illerbase, let me take you on a journey...

Anders and Carver don’t like each other in Act 1 of Dragon Age II. That’s putting it mildly. Carver is a young man probably suffering from PTSD, grieving over his twin sister and struggling with the new life his brother and mother are pursuing. He strongly identifies as a Fereldan, hence the tattoo he got at Ostagar being a mabari, and he sees his mother trying to recapture the Amell name and legacy as almost a rejection of the Hawke lifestyle back in Lothering. As to the PTSD, not only did he see his beloved Twin sister get crushed by an Ogre right in front of his eyes, he was also at the Battle of Ostagar. He had to be dragged away from the battle by his fellow soldiers and told to run for it, or else he would have stayed, and fought and died right there, so determined was he to protect his country and family.

“ Said he wanted to protect his family. That someone had to, because his father had died and, well you know how the Champion turned out. Carver took it real serious...” (World of Thedas Vol 2)

Along with a love of using a sword, this was Carver’s motivation for signing up with the army, the Blight was threatening his home, and his family, and he saw it as his duty to protect them.

“The more ground we lost, the harder he swung that plank of a sword of his. He was shouting that we had to win, that it was to keep our homes safe. I swear he was crying when we finally tackled him, but damned if I’ll hold that against him. It took three of us to drag him to cover. I had to slap him back to his senses, to make him see that killing five, or ten, more ‘spawn wouldn’t matter. The wall was on us, and dying there wasn’t going to help anyone. I said if he wanted to do his family good, he’d get them safe. “ (World of Thedas Vol 2)

So he’s a bit of a prickleberry.

And then in comes Anders. Instantly he’s hyper focused on Carver’s brother, because Carver’s brother is a Mage. And Maker have mercy Carver has been hearing about the Mage plight for years. His whole bloody life actually.

He acutely understands the realities of living with an Apostate mage family, from the perspective of someone inside the family unit who doesn’t have magic himself. He couldn’t be too good at anything, or excel, because it drew attention. He wasn’t a Mage himself, but he too lived as an Apostate, in fear of drawing the Templars gaze.

And then Anders says,

Anders: I'm sorry about your sister. She sounds like a special girl.

Carver: Why? Because she was a mage?

Anders: (If Hawke is male) Your brother says she had a good heart. Being on the run never made her bitter. (If Hawke is female) Your other sister says she was a good person. That she never turned down a chance to help people.

Carver: Yes, yes. I'm sure the Chantry's got a shrine with her portrait on it.

Anders: I was trying to be nice.

Carver: Stick to surly. It works for you

And then this one

Anders: You don't like me, Carver?

Carver: I don't like you.

Anders: That's unfortunate. Hating someone just because they're a mage is a shameful thing.

Carver: I don't hate you because you're a mage. I hate you because you won't shut up about it.

Carver: Oppression this, templars that. I'd heard enough long before you.

Anders: Maybe it's time you put some thought into it.

To Anders, Carver looks like the sullen, angry, bitter brother of two Mages, resentful of their powers or perhaps, even, hating them because of them.

This isn’t the case. Carver bitches and moans about his siblings, but most of his gripes are familiar to anyone who has an older or over achieving sibling.

When there is a legitimate threat, Carver immediately steps between Hawke and danger. When Fenris snarls about Mages, Carver, unprompted, says.

Carver: You have a problem with my brother/sister, you have a problem with me.

It’s instantly protective, and it’s far from the only incident in the game. He continually worries whenever Hawke talks to Templars, or stirs up Mage trouble, not because he hates Mages but because he’s worried for Hawke.

Anders however can no longer seem to see greys, it’s all black and white for him. Either you’re for Mages and then you want wholescale freedom and down the Templar order, or you’re a Mage hater, and as good as a Templar.

Carver’s stance on Magic is actually one of the most subtle and nuanced in the game, if not the whole series. He understands the dangers on a level most people, who haven’t lived with unfettered magic, can’t understand. But he also understands the joys and love of those with magic, and doesn’t believe locking them up in the Circle to be the right thing, despite his potential choice to be a Templar.

So Carver and Anders...

Enemies to Lovers

The fit this trope beautifully. Even in Act 1 with surly Carver and judgy Anders. But throw in Carver either being a Templar, the thing Anders hates most in the world, or him being a Grey Warden, the organisation Anders rejected. Oh the potential for angry arguments and heated kisses.

They are not so ideologically opposed that I think they couldn’t understand each other I think, and I think if they actually hashed it out together they’d actually find a lot of common ground. It’s just whether they could get there without the prickles throwing them off course is the question...and no Carver isn’t the only prickly one.

Templar Carver

Carver joins the Templar order for two reasons.

1. His brother/sister hasn’t returned from the Deep Roads with the rest of the expedition. Bartrand has likely told him they’re all dead. That leaves him and his mother alone in the world, and Carver can’t get work. The Guards won’t have him because Aveline told them not to, and the other options are mercenary jobs or the Templars. He no longer has any mage siblings to worry about being caught, and he doesn’t have to disclose that he had Mages in his family if he doesn’t want to.

2. His namesake was a Templar. I think giving him his piece of his identity makes Carver interested in the order in a different way. Up until then they’ve kind of been the boogeymen of the Hawke children’s lives. ‘Be good or a Templar will get you’. But his father named him after a Templar, ‘skill thoughtfully applied’. There was some value to that path. And you can’t tell me that Carver wasn’t, in many ways, his family’s personal Templar. If Bethany or Hawke had fallen...would another Mage have been able to stand against them? They would have needed a swordsman. Carver.

Anders thinks Carver has joined the Templars out of spite, or hatred. But there is a wonderful array of fiction you can have with Anders and the Order and the fact they are continually trying to hunt Anders down. Carver wouldn’t stand for it, if one of his brothers companions was threatened, and he certainly wouldn’t want him to be hurt, killed or made Tranquil, which would have been his fate should Meredith have gotten her hands on him.

Grey Warden Carver

As for the Grey!Warden path, Carver thrives as a Warden, he blossoms under that structure and purpose where Anders did not. But they have the connection of Anders having been the one to beg Stroud to take him, to put him through the Joining.

We also know that Carver knows Nathaniel, who was friends with Anders during Awakening. This likely means he knows a number of the Ferelden Wardens, and you can’t tell me they wouldn’t be curious about Anders.

Alternate Universes ideas I have toyed with writing

Tevinter - Mage Healer who refuses to use Blood Magic and the son of a powerful Mage house who doesn’t have magic himself.

Special Agents AU - Agent Hawke and Anders have a turbulent relationship because the boy always comes back hurt.

Coffee Shop AU - Anders is an overworked and exhausted Doctor. Carver is his caffeine supplier.

Werewolf AU - Alpha Carver learns that being dominant doesn’t always mean barking orders, and Omega Anders learns that brooding wolves are definitely better lovers.

Mirror Universe - What it says on the box...darkfic.

Angel AU - Carver is Anders’ guardian Angel, and he grumbles about it a lot. He also keeps losing his feathers everytime he swears, and it makes Anders laugh at him.

and many many more.

To close out this rambling dissertation on the beauty that is Canders (praise be)

Enjoy this lovely fanart drawn by the talented @frikadeller in a commission for @autumnyte-old

Case closed!

#Carver Hawke #Anders #Dragon Age #Canders #Rambling Ramble

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storiesungaa · 3 years

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I mean either way, jfc Danarius can fuck off. He was toxic. He was evil. He was NOT good in ANY way. He hurt our Fenris so we're giving him an unmarked shallow grave. Actually even better, just feed his body to the wolves. He was so into that pet name, going to spit it into his face. xD

Exactly! People being to invested into other people's worlds, it's silly. xD I love all my ships and that includes the writing partners that I has. Not going to stop me one bit.

Gifted flowers, especially placing one in his hair too if one isn't left behind on his bed or somewhere. And if he accepts the courtship, I imagine a woven bracelet of some kind to place on his wrist (like how Fenris has the red sash in DA).

... God damn it these two are still going to be killing us in a whole new universe. I have a weakness when two warriors fell for each other. Power couples have poisoned me in such a good way. xD

I can see it. Tensions high and both sides don't wanna be where they are at BUT VIKING DAD SAYS SIT DOWN, DRINK YOUR ALE, AND TALK --- xD

PLEASE THROW HIM TO THE WOLVES.

listen i adore all my ships and partners equally. i'm so lucky there's no jealousy between my partners (that i'm aware of)

I'M CRYING. PLACING A FLOWER IN HIS HAIR, YES PLEASE. and i'm SO HERE for the bracelet too.

oh i do too!!

I HAVE THOUGHTS. Like maybe Fenris has JUST RECENTLY escaped his former master so now he's very fighty towards everyone and so that's why he's so willing to murder a human because he's SO ANGRY and he needs to take it out on SOMETHING and well there's a human right here trying to fight him.

#kaircsis

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nemossubmarine · 3 years

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Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #12.1

A brief extra-curricular talk between Uffe and Larry. After things have settled down in Dimmamar, Larry goes to see if he could locate Uffe that he was meaning to have a little chat with. He spots Rødorn and friends near the ship Skarde took down, and so he asks Rødorn if he’s seen one of the Wolves around, name Yffe, or something along those lines. Rødorn says he must be talking about their lone wolf (and Larry says he doesn’t know how lonely he is), and says Uffe can be found at the medbay inside. Larry asks if he is hurt, and Rødorn says not to his knowledge.

So it is the medbay where Larry heads. There are several wounded Wolves there. He spots Uffe sitting by one bed, talking with Vivek who is having his cybernetics repaired. Larry greets the two, and asks if he may loan Uffe for a long over-due conversation. Uffe says sure in not so many words. Vivek tells Uffe that he may already be gone if the conversation is long, and wishes him luck on his hunt as well as asks him to “say hi to Dante for me”. Uffe agrees(?) and they bonk heads. Larry asks Uffe who this Dante fellow is, and Uffe tells it’s the Lord Commander of Imperium Nihilus and the Commanding officer of the Blood Angels.

Uffe takes Larry to a room clearly meant for sleeping (filled with bunk beds and not much else), and they sit and talk. Larry says that he supposes Uffe knows who he is and what he is here to talk about, and Uffe says yes, he knows Larry is Laurel, son of Jennifer. Larry asks to know what happened to his sister after she was left on Fenris. Uffe counters with wanting to know what Larry does, making note of his association with both the Ecclesiarchy and someone who is associated with Inquisition. Larry doesn’t quite see why Uffe would care, but explains he’s a free-wheeling agent for the moment (and a pilot), currently helping the priest in locating a kidnapped girl.

Uffe ponders this for a while (he does this a lot), and then lets Larry know that Layla was taken in to the Wolves, to test her worthiness to ascend. And she passed, which means she is a Wolf now. She awoke some four years ago. Uffe says he kept Gorm up to date who was supposed to keep Jennifer up to date but apparently that never reached Larry.

Larry asks where she is now, as he would like to see her, and Uffe asks what he would be getting out of it, as she would not remember him at all. Larry says he just wants to get some closure, and wants the same for his mother as well. Larry makes a comment about people not seeing Space Marines, and having no understanding what they do, and Uffe makes a point that most folk don’t see the kind of enemies the Marines deal with either. Larry thanks him, and Uffe says he needs no thanks, but he sees the point.

Uffe explains that he and Gorm used to talk, and Gorm especially was of the opinion, that the Wolves should have more relationships with the people they helped and the people they recruited from. But not all Wolves agree. Uffe has not met Linhildr (that is Layla’s new name), as he and one other were considered too invested so they were forbade from following in on her process too closely. Larry makes a comment about Layla’s new name, and Uffe points out that he himself doesn’t use his mother-given name either. Nickname’s a bit different from a completely new name, but point taken.

Larry requests that Uffe does as Gorm and he had talked, and actually help people he was supposed to help, and try to make things better for him and his mother. (or he could just refer him to Gorm, to which Uffe tells that Gorm has been on a hunt of his own for many a year) Uffe makes the point that Linhildr and her pack are the first female Wolves, a secret. There were doubts and apparently something concerning happening even before they were made into Wolves, so all eyes are on them. Uffe does not wish anything to jeopardize their prospects. But he relents, saying that he does not wish to deny Larry’s and his mother’s hurt in the situation. He tells Larry that his whole Company was called to assist with the Imperium Nihilus, so Linhildr’s pack is in the area. He will attempt to locate them.

Larry asks how are they going to be able to stay in touch, as he is going to go hunting for the missing girl. Uffe says he will be leaving for his own mission as well, but says there will be Wolves in the area. Rødorn, some others and Vivek will be hunting for the buyer of the scrap code (or the datachip). Skarde will continue the exploration on Jonah’s World. Uffe says Vivek will always know how to locate him, so that’s the best way to keep contact. Larry wishes Uffe luck on his hunt (and he wishes Larry luck on his search) and with that Larry is off.

#nemo roleplays #long post #wag rp s2 #wag rp writeup #campaign tag: the story of a runaway girl #rly rly should get to campaign naming :D #anyway good talk #some cryptic stuff that may never become relevant #like who is the other wolf on fenris invested in linhildr?#why were there concerns about the wolves even before they were made??#and all that jazz #answers to all these and other burning questions forthcoming #someday

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pikapeppa · 4 years

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Cullavellan & FenHawke pirate AU: Stories

Chapter 28 of Where The Winds Of Fortune Take Me is up on AO3! In which Piper tells stories. Many stories. Of different kinds. (NSFW. bahahah.)

There are TWO sketches for this week too!! But the second one is saucy... go to the AO3 chapter to check it out!!

Read here on AO3 instead! ~6300 words.

- CULLEN -

Cullen smiled and sipped his beer as he listened to Merrill and Piper’s storytelling. He and a handful of the crew were in a haphazard circle on the deck and listening as Merrill and Piper took turns telling stories about the elven gods. The evening’s activities had begun as something of a lesson in elven history prior to the Lady Luck’s journey to the Arlathan Forest, but the gathering had become more and more informal as the inevitable drinks began to flow.

Merrill was giggling at some interjection Piper had made. She wiped a tear of mirth from her eye before continuing her tale. “As I was trying to say, Andruil turned Ghilan’nain into a beautiful halla – the very first halla. With her keen eyesight and her keen sense of direction, Ghilan’nain found her way home to her sisters, and there they lived happily together… until Fen’Harel found them.” The little cook’s smile grew mysterious. “But that’s another story.”

There was a murmur of interest from the crew, and Varric nodded approvingly. “Very nice cliffhanger, Daisy.” He turned to Hawke, who was sitting cross-legged beside him. “See, this is why she proofreads for me. Daisy’s got a knack for storytelling.”

Hawke sighed dramatically. “I understand, Varric. You need an ego boost, you come to me. You need an actual brain, you go to Merrill.”

Varric snorted in amusement. From across the informal circle, Anders called out to her. “Come on, Hawke, you have a brain. Maybe just not for proofreading.”

Hawke blew him a kiss, and Fenris shifted restlessly beside her. Then Cole spoke from his position perched on the taffrail near Piper and Merrill’s heads.

“If she was a deer, how did she sleep?” he asked.

Merrill blinked up at him. “What do you mean, Cole?”

Cole lifted his shoulders. “There are no holes for hooves in a bed. Did she stand?”

Merrill smiled. “Oh! Well, you see, Ghilan’nain was able to change from a halla to an elf and back again. And actually, that’s one of the things that drew the Dread Wolf to her. Or so the legends say,” she said enigmatically. Then she patted Piper’s shoulder. “But it’s the Captain’s turn for a story now.”

Anders groaned. “Not Piper’s turn again. Her stories are always an enormous joke.”

“Don’t forget a terrible exaggeration,” Dorian added. “Sometimes they’re a terrible exaggeration.”

Piper punched Anders in the arm. “Excuse all of you! What mutiny is this?”

Varric waved a hand. “Yeah, cut the Captain a break. Sometimes her stories are true. Like the time she outwitted a handful of qunari with a ball of twine, a handkerchief and a measuring stick.”

Cullen lowered his stein and looked at her in surprise. “Is that true?”

“Almost true,” Fenris said. “They were tal-vashoth, not qunari.”

Anders tutted. “Like that detail makes any difference to the story.”

Fenris shrugged carelessly and sipped from his bottle of wine, and Hawke waved her hands impatiently. “Come on, enough of this, I want to hear another Piper story.”

Cullen cleared his throat. “I would as well.”

“Aren’t you both just adorable,” Piper purred. She winked at Cullen from across the circle, then clapped her hands once. “All right. Here’s another story of the Dread Wolf. Once upon a time, during a very hot summer, the Dread Wolf had been walking for a three whole days and three whole nights without a drop of water. Luckily, he came upon a tavern…”

Varric sighed playfully. “Here we go.”

Hawke poked his arm. “Hush!”

Piper winked at her and continued her tale. “... but the tavern didn’t allow wolves to come inside. The Dread Wolf was so desperately in need of a beer that he came up with a plan. He found a sapling and made a bow–”

Dorian interrupted. “I thought this creature was a wolf. How did he–?”

Hawke tutted and threw a cork at him. “It’s a metaphor, obviously,” she said loudly.

Dorian raised his eyebrows. “Is it, though? That’s not what Merrill’s stories are implying.”

Everyone hushed him loudly, and Piper grinned. “Thank you. The Captain is speaking,” she announced. “Now, the Dread Wolf made a bow and an arrow, but he had no feathers for fletching. ‘That’s all right,’ he thought, ‘it will be a slow arrow instead.’ So he stood back and took a deep breath… and he shot the slow arrow right over the tavern.”

Cullen blinked. “Over the tavern?”

Piper smiled at him. “That’s right, Golden Boy: over the tavern. He shot the slow arrow, then settled down beside the tavern to wait. Later that night, a drunken man came out of the tavern with a full stein of ale in hand. He spotted the Dread Wolf, and for one single second, the wolf’s eyes met the man’s.” She paused and looked around at everyone suspensefully, and when her hazel eyes met Cullen’s, the tiniest hint of a smile lifted the corner of her scarred lips.

A little jolt of contentment squeezed his heart. Then Piper suddenly snapped her fingers. “And that’s when the slow arrow came down and struck the man dead,” she said. She folded her legs and rested her palms sagely on her knees. “The dead man’s stein of ale fell into the Dread Wolf’s lap without a single drop spilled. And that, boys and girls, is how the Dread Wolf got his drink.”

Anders clicked his tongue ruefully. “Brutal bastard, this Dread Wolf.”

Cole folded his legs up on the taffrail. “Waiting, wanting, wandering the world. Justice, not revenge, but the faces are close.”

Cullen frowned slightly at Cole’s perplexing comment, but Merrill smiled up at him. “I think I know what you mean, Cole. The Dread Wolf can be very patient when it suits him. But sometimes he just likes to do mischief for mischief’s sake.” She turned to Piper eagerly. “Is it my turn?”

“Absolutely, my lovely lethallan,” Piper said with a flourish.

Merrill beamed at everyone. “All right. Here’s another tale of the Dread Wolf’s mischief. There once was a farmer who wished to dam a river to irrigate the crops for his village. But in the next village over, there was a fisherman who wanted to divert the river to supply fish for his people…”

Cullen sipped his beer again as Merrill told her tale. He was listening to Merrill, truly he was, but he couldn’t help but gaze at Piper while he listened. The lanterns lit her complexion to an even warmer shade of its usual burnished bronze, and as he often did, Cullen marvelled at the contrast between her bight silvery hair and the deep sunkissed gold of her skin. Not to mention the fascinating pale patterns of the ink that decorated her entire back, from the dip at the base of her spine up to the delicate nape of her neck…

Hawke suddenly plopped herself down between him and Fenris, and he jolted in startlement.

“Cullen!” Hawke exclaimed. “Don’t you love–”

He held up one hand and darted a look at Merrill, who was still animatedly telling her story. “Quietly please, Hawke,” he murmured.

She winced. “Shit. You’re right. Sorry.” She lowered her voice. “Don’t you love it here on the Lady Luck?”

On Hawke’s other side, Fenris smirked, and Cullen forced himself not to laugh at her tipsiness. “Yes, I do,” he said politely. “I’m glad to see that you’re feeling at home here, as well. I was concerned at first.”

She tilted her head. “Why? Because I’m the precious pampered Belle of Kirkwall?”

He blinked in startlement. It was still something of a shock at times to hear Hawke speaking in such a blunt manner. He was still far more accustomed to her immaculate manners than her brashness. “Yes, actually,” he admitted. “I had assumed it would be a difficult transition for you. Navy life was a difficult transition for me, and I was prepared for it.”

Hawke shrugged and stretched her legs out. “Not really. I love Merrill’s cooking, and the dried rations aren’t so bad. I love being Anders’ assistant, and the crew’s hammocks are quite comfortable! Though Fenris’s bed is even nicer.” She turned and winked at Fenris, who huffed in amusement and sipped from his bottle of wine before offering it to her.

She took the bottle and took a gulp, then turned back to Cullen once more. “Besides, desperate times call for desperate measures. If you get a chance to start a new life, you don’t turn that down. As you know,” she added with a friendly squeeze to his arm.

Cullen smiled. “That is true,” he said, with a fond glance at Piper.

Then he suddenly realized something odd. He turned back to Hawke with a small frown. “Hawke, it occurs to me that I never did learn why you left Kirkwall,” he said. He knew that her family was stained by a bit of scandal, what with Leandra Amell’s marriage to the lower-status Malcolm Hawke. But the Hawkes were one of the more well-off families in Hightown. Cullen had tried to avoid the petty gossip as much as possible, but he’d always been under the impression that the Hawke family was content. Or stable, at the very least.

Hawke’s eyes widened. “Oh Maker, I didn’t tell you, did I? Well, you certainly heard about my engagement to Duke Prosper.”

Fenris shifted slightly beside her, and Cullen glanced at him apprehensively before replying. “I was aware, yes,” he said. “It sounded like a prosperous match.” His eyes widened in horror as he realized what he’d said. “Er, no pun intended,” he said hastily.

She grinned. “Too bad. It would have been funnier if it was. But yes, the match would have been prosperous for my mother. Not for me, though.” She gave him an appraising look. “I don’t suppose you know of his reputation?”

Cullen frowned slightly. “Reputation?”

Hawke studied him for a moment longer, then folded her legs. “Duke Prosper has beaten and raped more than one of the female servants in his household,” she said baldly.

A jolt of horror stopped his breath for a moment. He stared at her flat expression in horror. “Maker’s breath,” he finally stammered. “I… I didn’t know.”

“Most men don’t,” she said quietly. “Most people didn’t, actually, unless they were servants as well. Carver didn’t know, for example. He was just as shocked as you when I told him.” She gave Cullen a kindly look. “It’s not your fault. The good Duke hides it well.”

Did your mother know? Cullen wondered. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask, but something about Hawke’s neutral expression – combined with the scowl on Fenris’s face – told him everything he needed to know.

He licked his lips nervously. “I understand why you wanted to leave,” he said carefully. “How did it come to pass? Your decision to, er…” He faltered as he tried to find the appropriate word. Before this, he would have said she had run away. But now, knowing the context…

“How did I escape?” she said. She chuckled. “Honestly, it was almost a whim. A heartfelt whim, but still a whim. I wrote a shameless letter to Piper asking for her help, and one of my friends – er, one of our servants – she took it to Lowtown for me. Then I just waited and hoped Piper would receive the letter and take pity on me before I was married off.”

Cullen nodded slowly. “Piper did mention that she helped you to… to escape.”

“She and Fenris, yes,” Hawke confirmed. She chuckled and shook her head. “It was madness on their part, really. They didn’t even know why I wanted to escape; I didn’t want to put it in the letter in case someone got snoopy and read it. And Piper had only met me… what, twice? But she and Fenris came anyway.” She smiled at Fenris.

Fenris shook his head. “Piper deserves the credit for your rescue, not I. She refused to leave without you. I–”

“Don’t,” Hawke said firmly, and she took his hand. “You helped me to escape. That’s what matters.”

Cullen, meanwhile, was preoccupied by Piper’s role in Hawke’s escape. At the time that Piper had gotten Hawke out of Kirkwall, her capture would have meant her death, and Cullen hadn’t been present in Kirkwall to prevent it. Piper had risked her life to help a woman she barely knew, even at a risk to her own safety.

But that was Piper. Her sense of right and wrong was very clear, as was her tendency to be both reckless and selfless in equal parts, and Cullen adored her for it, even as he worried about her.

He looked at her again from across the informal circle of crewmates. She was listening to Merrill’s story with a soft smile on her lips, and Cullen studied the scars on her face with a painful sort of fondness. There was the jagged slash that bisected her left eyebrow and ran just below her eye, and the scar on her left earlobe as well as the shallow slash that ran over her left hipbone: all testament to her haphazard weapons training and her tendency to ignore her left side, just as she tended to ignore the possible risks to her own life. She wouldn’t do anything to risk the lives of her crew without their wholehearted consent, but her own life…

“She is something, isn’t she?” Hawke said softly.

Cullen glanced at her distractedly. “Pardon me?”

“Piper,” Hawke said. “She’s wonderful, isn’t she? I’ve never met anyone like her before.”

Cullen swallowed hard. Hawke was wearing a knowing little smile, and he could feel his cheeks turning pink in response. “Neither have I,” he confessed. “Every pirate I had ever met before her was… a monster.”

Hawke’s eyebrows rose in sympathy, but Cullen shook his head. “It’s not worth speaking of,” he said. “Regardless, Piper was… from the moment we met, she was nothing like any pirate I had met before.” He rubbed his chin slowly. “I was unwilling to admit it to myself, but… I always knew she was more than just a pirate.” And now, more than a year after they had first met, Piper was still more than he’d ever imagined she would be. She was more than just a beautiful troublemaker who appeared once a month to give him hassles and stories. She was more than a mischievous criminal with a courageous heart.

She was the woman who offered him help with no expectation of anything in return. She was the woman that Cullen trusted with his history and his heart, and who gave him those parts of herself in turn. Piper was the best thing in his life, the catalyst who had led him from a static life of routine to a more chaotic but much more joy-filled life that he would never otherwise have seen.

Hawke was beaming at him wordlessly, and Cullen bashfully ducked his head. Neither he nor Hawke had spoken for a few long moments, but he couldn’t help but feel that she understood exactly what he felt.

She chuckled and stretched her legs out once more. “Who would have thought the Belle of Kirkwall and the Commander of the Kirkwall Navy would find love on a pirate ship of all places?”

Cullen smiled at her. “Who indeed?”

Hawke beamed at him, then nestled her head against Fenris’s shoulder. Then Piper’s loud voice pulled his attention.

“All right, one more,” she said. She was sitting up on her knees, and she had a very mischievous look on her face.

“Now this is a good one,” she said. “This is about a time that I faced the Dread Wolf myself.”

Cullen hid his smile in his stein,and Anders scoffed. “This ought to be good,” he said.

Piper grinned and punched him again. “Not only is it a good one, but it’s true. Just you wait.” She looked around at everyone. “One day when I was small, I was walking through the market when I felt a shadow following me.” Her face became serious as she continued her tale. “It was a large shadow with a very quiet whispering voice, but I couldn’t tell what the voice was saying. I turned around, but the shadow was gone.” She took a sip of beer, then continued in a low and somber voice. “This went on for two more days. The shadow would follow me with its silent steps, and every time I turned, it was gone. On the third day, however, I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of my shadow. It was a huge black wolf with glowing red eyes and slavering fangs.”

“The Dread Wolf!” Merrill exclaimed.

“Exactly,” Piper said. “The Dread Wolf had caught my scent. I knew right then and there that I had to make a trap to catch him. So I set up a crate propped up by a stick, and I caught a rat and roasted it, and I put the roasted rat in the trap and waited for the Dread Wolf to come.”

“Wait,” Anders protested. “Seriously? That’s what you used to lure the ancient elven god of mischief who kills men for beer and screws over entire villages? A roasted rat under a propped-up crate?”

Varric chuckled. “It’s so implausible, it must be true.”

Piper graced them all with an enigmatic smile. “Regardless of what our dear skeptical doctor thinks, that’s what I did. And sure enough, the Dread Wolf drew near.” She leaned forward and widened her eyes. “He was terrifying up close, let me tell you. His fur was dark and matted, and his eyes were bright with rage. He took one sniff of the perfectly roasted rat and stepped into the trap.” She clapped her hands sharply, making Hawke and Merrill jump in alarm. “The crate came down with a crash, and I had caught the Dread Wolf!”

Dorian raised his chalice of wine to her. “Benefaris. Well done, Captain.”

She held up a cautionary hand. “Hold on. The tale’s not yet done.” She leaned forward again and looked at them all with wide eyes. “I crept close to the trap and lifted the corner of the crate. The roasted rat was gone, and so was the Dread Wolf.”

Merrill shook her head wryly. “Oh, Piper. You should have known the Dread Wolf couldn’t be caught that easily.”

Piper shrugged and chuckled. “I know. I should have listened better to Deshanna’s stories. But sometimes, on very quiet nights when I close my eyes, I can still hear the Dread Wolf’s whispering voice.” She closed her eyes and held up a finger as thought she was listening to a voice that none of them could hear.

A tense moment later, Hawke leaned toward her. “What does he say?” she asked eagerly.

Piper was silent for another moment. Then she lowered her finger and opened her eyes. “He says…” She paused for a moment, then smiled. “‘I need a fucking stein of ale’.”

Everyone exploded into laughter and jeering, and Hawke and Dorian threw peanuts and corks at her. Piper laughed, then stood up and bowed. “All right, all right, don’t throw corks, just throw coin.”

Dorian and Anders playfully booed her, and she let out another lovely rolling laugh. “On this note, I’ll turn the storytelling over to our resident author,” she said, and she bowed ostentatiously to Varric.

Varric nodded graciously. “My pleasure, Captain. Now, I don’t have any ancient elf stories, but I’ve got an amusing story about this one over here.” He jerked a thumb at Hawke.

Hawke rested her fingers delicately on her chest and batted her eyelashes. “Who, me? Oh Varric, you shouldn’t tell a lady’s secret tales.”

Fenris snorted. “You aren’t a lady anymore. Your secret tales are fair game now.”

She laughed and draped her arms around his neck. “Right as always, Fenris. All right, Varric, slander away.”

Fenris smirked, and Varric launched into a story about Hawke hiding out in his book shop back before he had joined Piper’s crew. As Varric spoke, however, Piper was sidling around to Cullen’s side.

She held out one hand to him as he drew near. “Come on, Golden Boy,” she murmured. “I have a story just for you.”

He eagerly reached for her hand, but he couldn’t help but glance guiltily at the assembled crew as he rose to his feet. “You don’t think the others will mind?” he murmured.

“Not at all,” she said. “Come on.” She twined her fingers with his, and they began a leisurely stroll toward her quarters. “Remember how I told you I’d come up with a better story for you?”

He gently squeezed her hand. The ‘story’ she’d told him – of her father’s death – was still on his mind. “Yes, of course,” he said. “But you don’t owe me any stories, Piper. There is no obligation.”

She shrugged cheerfully. “I know. But this is a good one.”

He looked down at her. Her hazel eyes were twinkling, and her lips were curled with mischief once more.

Then she launched into her tale. “There once was an elven girl who was the captain of a ship. She had dirty feet and a back covered with tattoos, and instead of a brain, she had a huge pile of silver hair that threatened to swallow anyone who came too close.”

Cullen chuckled. “Now Piper, that’s hardly a fair description of yourself–”

“Hush now, the Captain is speaking,” she announced. She pushed open the door to her quarters and ushered Cullen inside.

He entered her cabin, and she continued her story as she closed the door. “One day, the elven captain came to Kirkwall for an errand with her dwarven quartermaster. While she was in Kirkwall, she decided to take a little stroll up to the Hightown market. And it turned out to be the best idea she ever had, because who did she meet in the Hightown market but the Kirkwall Navy’s most handsome commander?”

Cullen ruefully rubbed the back of his neck. He knew what she was telling now: the story of the first time they’d met.

“Maker have mercy on the commander,” he said jokingly.

She laughed and poked his chest. “Now, this handsome commander had a very stern frown on his face, and the elven captain almost had him pegged as another navy asshole.” He scoffed, and she grinned at him before going on. “But while she moved through the market, she watched him doing his patrol, and she noticed that he wasn’t hassling anyone. He wasn’t trying to provoke anyone to get them into trouble. He was just… observing. Just keeping an eye out to make sure everyone was safe.”

Cullen looked at her in surprise. He didn’t know that she’d noticed him before they’d actually met.

“You were watching me?” he asked.

Piper quirked an eyebrow as she approached him. “How could I – I mean, how could she not? The commander was so handsome, with a lovely strong chin and perfect hair that was more golden than the sun. But the longer she watched him, the more she noticed that he seemed to be not only a handsome human, but a fair one.” She reached up and stroked his cheek, then pushed him down to sit at the edge of the bed.

An instinctive jolt of interest stirred in his groin, but Piper turned away from him and started slowly pacing around the ornately carved meeting table. “So the elven captain started looking around at the fancy Hightown wares,” she said. “The shopkeepers sneered at her and ignored her, but this was what she wanted: when a greengrocer was busy ignoring her, she stole three sachets of almonds and a loaf of fresh bread from his stall.”

Cullen ruefully shook his head. He still remembered the ruckus that the greengrocer had made. He’d been so dramatic that Cullen had initially thought Piper had attacked him.

He gave Piper a chiding look. “It was a foolish move,” he said sternly.

She smirked, then continued to speak as she wandered around the meeting table. “The elven captain ran away with her almonds and bread, and the commander pursued her. But the commander had been doing quite a bit of desk duty–”

Cullen folded his arms. “I was not out of shape. You are very quick.”

She barked out a laugh. “All right, fine. The elven captain was so fast and clever that she got away from the commander for a little while. Once he caught up to her, though, he saw her giving the almonds and the bread to some dirty little elven kids who didn’t have any parents.” She came to a stop beside the table and met Cullen’s eyes, and the seriousness and warmth of her expression made his breath catch.

“She knew that the commander saw her,” Piper said softly. “But he let her give the children the stolen food, and he let the children run away. And he didn’t move to arrest the elven captain for theft.” She tilted her head.

Cullen swallowed hard. Her expression was very tender and curious, and Cullen wasn’t sure what to say. He still remembered his surprise and his uncertainty as he’d watched this wild-haired elven woman giving stolen food to a handful of orphans. He had genuinely never encountered anyone doing anything like this before – committing a risky crime for a selfless reason. He’d been so stunned that he’d simply watched as the children ran away.

He gazed wordlessly at Piper. A few heartbeats later, a slow smile lifted her lips.

She sauntered toward him. “The elven captain walked up to the commander, and saucy bitch that she was, she ran her finger down his chest.” Piper stopped in front of him, then trailed her finger along the length of his sternum.

A flush of warmth ran down his throat, and he swallowed hard. Then Piper sidled closer to him until she was standing between his legs. “The commander’s face turned red – yes, just like that.” She let out a throaty laugh as Cullen’s blasted cheeks started to warm. “And the elven captain said–”

“I remember what you said,” Cullen blurted.

She smiled at him. “Oh yes? What did I say?”

He took a deep breath. “You said, ‘you’ll remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Piper Lavellan.’”

Her smile widened. She slowly traced one finger along the line of his jaw. “And what did I call you?” she murmured.

“You…” He cleared his throat. “You called me Golden Boy.”

Piper studied him with that warm and enigmatic smile, and Cullen just stared at her. Her expression was so knowing and so sly, and the way she was watching him was making him feel… well, his heart was thrumming in his throat, and he couldn’t decide if he was excited or inexplicably nervous. Or some tantalizing combination of both.

She tilted his chin up. “And then you let me go,” she said thoughtfully.

“I… I did, yes,” he stammered.

“Why?”

He nervously licked his lips. “What do you mean?”

She tilted her head curiously. “Why did you let me go? You had never let a criminal go before, had you?”

He shook his head. “No, I hadn’t.”

“So why me?” Her fingers left his jaw to slide along his temple through his hair, and he tried to ignore how good it felt as he scrambled for a reply.

“It… I was not certain how to define the nature of the crime, given the… intent,” he finally said.

Her hand returned to gently stroke his cheek. “And that’s how I knew you really were a Golden Boy,” she murmured.

He didn’t know what to say to that. His heart was pounding in his throat and his ears and – Maker save him, between his legs as well – and her sly and knowing smile was soft and tender now.

Then, to Cullen’s disappointment, she dropped her hand and stepped away from him.

She started to pace again in a slow and aimless way. “Now this is a part of the story you don’t know,” she said. “The elven captain ran off and left the Golden Boy behind, but he stayed on her mind when she returned to her ship – which, by the way, was the finest ship in all of Thedas.”

Cullen released a slow breath and smiled. “Of course.”

She shot him a quick grin. Then, as she continued talking, she started to untuck her loose linen shirt from her breeches.

Cullen‍ straightened with anticipation, but Piper was still talking in that low, calm, storytelling sort of voice. “The elven captain knew she should be doing work, like writing in the captain’s log or sparring with the crew or patching her clothes. But all she could think about was that handsome Golden Boy.” She pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it on the table.

She slowly pushed her hair back, and Cullen stared gormlessly at her pert nipples and the tattoos that framed her breasts. Then she was sashaying slowly toward him, and her half-nude body was competing for his attention with her husky voice.

“She kept thinking about his lips,” Piper said. “How pouty they were while he was scowling, and how she’d like to lick the scar on his upper lip.”

Cullen’s eyes flew to her face. Her expression was one of unequivocal intent, and the excitement that was simmering low in his belly turned up to a boil.

“You – she – you did?” he said weakly.

She nodded as she came to stand between his legs once more. “She kept thinking about this scar right here.” She ran the tip of one slender finger over the scar that marred his upper lip, then met his eyes.

She raised her eyebrows, and Cullen nodded eagerly.

Piper tilted his chin up once more and traced the very tip of her tongue over his lower lip, and Cullen instinctively parted his lips. Her tongue danced along his upper lip and across his scar, and Cullen waited breathlessly for her kiss–

She nipped his lower lip, and he stopped breathing from sheer excitement. Then she released his chin and stepped away.

He leaned toward her, but she was already out of his reach. “Piper,” he begged.

She started speaking again as though she hadn’t heard him. “The elven captain also kept thinking about the Golden Boy’s body,” she said casually. “Now, she couldn’t really be sure what kind of body he had under his fancy navy uniform, but she liked to imagine that it was hard and muscled, with just the right amount of hair.” She was working the buttons of her breeches as she spoke, and Cullen stared stupidly at her slim and scarred hands for a moment before realizing that she watching him expectantly.

He swallowed hard, then followed her implicit demand: he pulled off his shirt and laid it on the bed, then met her eyes.

The corner of her lips quirked in approval. “Yes, that’s exactly what the elven captain was thinking about.” She pushed her breeches down, leaving her body completely bare.

His manhood pulsed with want, and he shifted restlessly on the bed, but Piper was talking once more. “Now this elven captain: she was a lusty lady, you see, so she was also imagining that Golden Boy’s cock, and how thick and hard it must be when he was ready to fuck.”

Maker’s breath. He wasn’t sure why, but every time Piper started up with these dirty words, it was like a part of his mind left him entirely, leaving him incapable of thinking about anything but the next naughty thing that might fall from her mischievous lips.

He stood up and untied his sash, and a few ragged breaths later, he was naked as well. Piper’s heated gaze slid slowly down his body, and Cullen almost shivered with desire: her attention and her intention were so patently clear, and when her eyes came to land on his manhood, he was so aroused that he didn’t even blush.

She bit her lip, then slowly raised her eyes back up to his face. “The elven captain was so turned on by the thought of this Golden Boy, with his handsome golden hair and his thick hard cock, and she wanted him lying back on her bed. She wanted to ride that handsome face of his while he licked her with his pretty mouth.” She raised one quizzical eyebrow.

His eyes dropped to the telltale sheen of moisture at her inner thighs, and he immediately sat on the bed. Before he was fully settled on his back, Piper was crawling over him. Her petite breasts skimmed over his swollen shaft, and Cullen gasped and jerked his hips.

She bit his nipple gently, making him gasp again. By the time she was straddling his face, his manhood was almost aching with want, and his mouth was watering for her.

She looked down at him and ran her fingers through his hair. “Lick me,” she purred. “Make me scream with that handsome mouth of yours.”

He didn’t hesitate. He wrapped his hands around her thighs and pulled her hips closer to his mouth, then placed an open-mouthed kiss between her legs.

She gasped. “Yes,” she breathed, and then she was undulating toward him, pushing her warmth toward his willing mouth, and Cullen enjoyed the rolling of her hips as she coated his lips and tongue with her sweet-and-salty taste.

She moaned and rested her palms on the wall overhead, and Cullen’s manhood throbbed in response to her pleasured sounds. He lifted his hips by instinct, but Piper’s hips were still moving and pressing her swollen nub toward his tongue, and Cullen forced himself to focus on the sharpness of her breathing and her secret scent as she rocked herself toward his mouth.

She suddenly pounded the wall. “Fuck,” she gasped, and she threw her head back and let out a wild cry. The sound of it was guttural and uninhibited, sending a fresh thrill through his chest and straight down to his impatiently throbbing groin, and he clenched his fingers in her thighs as she rode his face to the end of her peak.

She slid her hand through his hair as she climbed off of him, then reached down and wrapped her fingers around his pulsing shaft. “Now,” she gasped, “what the elven captain really wanted was for the Golden Boy to fuck her exactly how he wanted her.” She squeezed his manhood, and Cullen blurted out the first thing on his mind.

“You on top,” he said. “Piper, please, I… I would like–”

“Whatever you want, Golden Boy,” she said, and she swiftly straddled his hips. “Take me how you want me.”

“Gladly,” he panted. He sat up and shuffled back so he was resting against the wall, then grabbed her hips and pulled her onto his desperate manhood.

Maker, she was so incredibly warm and wet. An unstoppable groan left his throat as he slipped inside of her, and a moment later, his palms were splayed on her luscious bottom as he pulled her against his body in a frenzy of want.

She dug her fingers into his shoulders. “You want me to fuck you hard?” she demanded.

“Yes,” he gasped.

She grinned, then thrust herself hard onto his lap, and he jerked and dropped his forehead against her shoulder. “Piper,” he begged.

She pressed her lips to his temple. “Again?” she breathed.

“Please,” he moaned.

She lifted herself once more and came down hard onto his lap, and Cullen pressed his gasping lips against the side of her throat. Then she was riding him fast and hard, and the tendon in her neck was salty and firm against his teeth, and his heartbeat was a frantic tattoo in his ears and her hair was a tangle of silver silk in his fingers–

He hit his peak in a sudden blinding rush, and Piper’s sharp cry of pleasure only made it better. By the time he could open his eyes once more, it was to discover that his hands were still twined in her long and wavy hair.

He released her hair and leaned away from her, and a prick of guilt pierced his contentment: he’d left a bitemark at the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

“Maker’s breath,” he murmured. He winced and gingerly stroked the mark with his thumb. “I – forgive me, Piper, I…”

She laughed merrily. “Don’t be sorry. I’m not sorry, not one bit.” She ran her hands through his dishevelled hair, and Cullen sheepishly admired her cocky little smile before she leaned in to kiss him.

Despite her playful mood, her kiss was sweet and soft, and he smile was just as soft when she pulled away. “Did you like my story?” she asked.

A shiver of residual pleasure ran down his spine at the memory of her carnal words, and he could feel his cheeks warming yet again. “I did,” he murmured. “I love all of your stories, Piper.”

Her smile widened. She kissed him once more, and Cullen happily savoured her lips. Piper’s stories weren’t always serious or grounded; they ranged from suspenseful to irreverent, breathtakingly adventurous to absurd, and Cullen loved the spirited retellings of her imagination come to life. But the stories he loved most were the ones that were the most mundane. In these stories of her life, Piper was giving him little veiled pieces of her long-guarded heart.

In telling him those stories, Piper was trusting him. And for that reason alone, Cullen would cherish every story she ever told.

(Check out the second sketch at the end of the chapter on AO3!)

#cullen rutherford #cullen smut #where the winds of fortune take me #pirate au #cullen/lavellan #cullavellan #cullen x lavellan #piperford #pikapeppa writes #schoute draws #pikascout #fenhawke #fenris/hawke #fenris x hawke #fenris/f!hawke #fenris x f!hawke #fenris/femhawke #fenris x femhawke #fenrynne

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bigfan-fanfic · 4 years

Text

bigfan-fanfic’s OCs

So, because I couldn’t stop with the ideas, here’s three new OCs I thought of and a summary of them all. Feel free to ask about them.

Putting it all under the cut so it looks like a short post. Please have a look!

Athalan (Formerly Mellethan Mahariel)

Dalish Elf, Rogue (Ranger, Bard)

Mellethan Mahariel was a hunter for Clan Mahariel, until he found himself on the wrong side of an eluvian. He became lost in the Crossroads until he ventured by accident into our world. Nearly going insane from the sights and feel of the Fade being entirely cut off, he made his way back through before succumbing to the psychic trauma and dying. He had a vision of Mythal guiding him back to life, telling him he must stop Fen’Harel sometime in the future. He remembers little of his former life, taking a new name, Athalan, and traveling to help people. His two hunting wolves, Bear and Bellenar, he is convinced are a gift from Mythal, and together the three of them join Aster and his party to stop the Blight. Later, he finds and adopts a young elven child, Gaelaneir, and raises him as his own. He senses Fen’Harel’s hand and goes with his son to join the Inquisition. Romance undecided. Maybe Bann Teagan.

Found on Google images - Face Claim Norman Reedus. I imagine Athalan with long hair, tied back, like Reedus’ character in Death Stranding.

Gaelaneir “Gale” Lavellan

Dalish Elf, Rogue (Assassin)

His past is a mystery. Though he is ostensibly of Clan Lavellan, no member recognizes or has heard of him. Found lost in a forest by Athalan at twelve, just after he parted from the other saviors of Ferelden, Gale latched on to him and became his surrogate son. Growing into a heroic and generous young man, Gale seeks adventure and romance with the Inquisition, going so far as to fall for the beautiful and pacifistic Lady Josephine Montilyet.

Found on Google Images - Face Claim Colton Haynes. I see Gale as looking pretty much exactly like this guy.

Delphina “Delphi” Tabris

City Elf, Warrior (Spirit Warrior/Berserker)

Her wedding with Nelaros ruined, Delphi fled Denerim with Duncan, only to later flee the Wardens before the Joining and escape the Battle of Ostagar. She returned to the party soon after to help them against the Blight, growing in confidence as a warrior. Despite her soft and cheery demeanor out of combat, she is a devastating fighter in combat, using both spirits and rage to become a frighteningly effective killing machine and earning her place as King Alistair and Chancellor Aster’s personal operative. After the Blight, she made her way to Kirkwall to keep King Alistair apprised of the situation, and met Cullen for the second time. In Inquisition, she goes to Haven to help her old friend Leliana and eventually starts a romance with Cullen, seeing how far he’s come and finally finding love.

Found on Google Images - Vanessa Hudgens

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Summary of Characters - * means that I would pair with other OCs platonically and ^ means they’re up for romantic OC/OC pairings too.

The Origins Crew - Saving the world with a whole lot of positivity and a lack of awareness.

Aster Amell* - Uber-positive former Circle Mage trying to do the right thing as he becomes basically King. Romances Alistair. Human Mage (Spirit Healer) Warden.

Morgan Walker^* - Stuck in Thedas and loving it, a newly minted mage learning magic and becoming a hero through a shady sex ritual. Romances Morrigan. Outworlder Human Mage (Shapeshifter/Arcane Warrior) Warden.

Athalan^* - Two wolves, no waiting. Claims to have been resurrected by Mythal from the future and on a quest to stop Fen’Harel. Dalish Elf Rogue (Ranger)

Delphi Tabris^* - Redefining “left at the altar” and becoming a total fighting machine with a love of flowers. Romances Cullen in Inquisition. City Elf Warrior (Spirit Warrior/Reaver)

Katie Cousland^* - Girl caught in Thedas, becoming a powerful warrior and noble through luck and skill. Outworlder Human Warrior (Guardian)

Reyn Caron^* - New Warden-Commander of Ferelden, an exiled noble knight from Orlais with a pure heart under a surly exterior. Human Warrior (Spirit Warrior) Warden

The Hawke Posse - A good sib and and evil sib, and together they save the city.

Cal Hawke^* - The good sib, settling conflicts despite a lack of ambition, a lot of pining, and a drinking habit. Romances Varric. Elf-blooded Human Rogue (Duelist)

Ava Hawke^* - The evil sib, using blood magic and a lack of mercy to help her fellow mages and her friends. Romances Fenris and Sebastian. Human Mage (Blood Mage/Force Mage)

The Inquisition Kids - Just give them love; they need it.

Tash Adaar* - Little Qunari mage who became the Inquisitor and is a little ball of sunshine while he saves the world. Qunari Mage (Knight-Enchanter) Inquisitor

Owain Bonneville^* - Disowned Trevelyan heir breaking away from rigid family and needing guidance. Romances The Iron Bull or Ser Rylen. Human Warrior (Champion)

Henry Lucas^* - College student with zero skills trying to make his way through Thedas as the Inquisition’s Oracle. Romances either Cole or Solas. Outworlder Human Non-Combatant.

Lottie Gamez^* - Genius inventor with a chip on her shoulder using her intellect and reason to work this Thedas thing out. Romances Blackwall. Outworlder Human Rogue (Tempest).

Gale Lavellan^* - Foundling elf joining the Inquisition with adopted dad and helping protect the Herald. Romances Josephine. Dalish Elf Rogue (Assassin).

#my ocs #oc list #dragon age #please send me asks if you want #totally wanna talk about all of them

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jawsandbones · 6 years

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The Romances - Dragon Age: 2

Fandom: Dragon Age

Rating: G

AO3 Link: Click Here

The Romances - DAO: Click Here

The Romances - DAI: Click Here

The Romances - The Missed Ones: Click Here

Summary: A single person can change everything. For Anders, Fenris, Isabela, Merrill and Sebastian, Hawke means more to them than they can say. From childhood to present and ever onward, having love in their lives has changed so much for them. The least they can do is give their love in return. An examination of each LI, and their relationship with a Hawke who romances them.

Anders

He doesn’t remember his name. He buried it long ago. They didn’t deserve to know it. In the burying, he forgets more than just his name. Those first few nights in the Circle were spent tracing fingertips over careful embroidery. He thinks he might have known what his mother looked like, once, but now her face is blank and empty in his memory. It might be a blessing. How can something you can’t remember hurt you? He used to play with the other children in the village. He remembers being dragged away by the Templars. The fear, disgust, on their faces. He doesn’t forget.

He’s reminded every time he meets someone new. Speak the word mage, and behold their hate. It stirs an anger in him, a rage that sits beside the injustice of it all. What right do they have? What cause has he given for them to spit in his face? For the chains, the dungeons, the year of darkness. In that dark, he dreams of Kirkwall. It presents a goal, a reason, and a purpose to see himself through. A fixed destination. First, he must be free.

Mage, and Hawke’s face doesn’t change. Mage, and Hawke goes with him to the Chantry. Mage, and Hawke stands beside him as he gives Karl the hardest freedom, cruelest cut. Mage, and there are tranquil in the streets with bruises underneath their robes. Mage, and the Templars find reason for the harshest punishments, unfairly given. Mage, and the demon speaks – mage, and justice answers. Hawke takes his hand, asks Anders what he needs. A moment, he needs just a moment. He buries the revolution. They’ll remember the explosion.

Anders almost leans into his Hawke. Tall enough to half bend over, to wrap his arms around their neck. He buries his head into their neck, against their face. Almost like a cat, the way he does it, rubbing temples together. Hawke’s lanky mage, small enough that Hawke can wrap their arms around him with ease. Nestling their face in that cloak of feathers, able to hear the hum of sleeping magic under Anders’s skin. The clean scent of lyrium, the edge of iron from so much time spent in the clinic. Hawke thinks they might buy a bigger tub, something to soak and relax in – together.

Anders’s scruff always accompanies the kiss. Hawke’s hands on his face, fingers curling at his cheeks, while he is content to sweep them into his arms. Whenever Anders kisses them, Hawke feels like they’re living one of Varric’s written kisses. Anders bending Hawke back, practically lifting their leg. Completely engrossed in the act, breathing through someone else’s lungs. In this moment, connected so, Anders can leave all other thoughts behind. Being with Hawke, being himself.

Fenris

There are monsters etched into his skin. They bite him daily, gnawing and gnashing, eating at his flesh. They are needles that prick away, trying to erase him, replace him, and make him into something he's not. When he gives in to them, when he glows, more than just his monsters scream. There are bodies on the floor, bodies he put there, bodies which will never rise again. There are monsters etched into his skin. Sometimes he thinks he is the monster.

He picks at them at night, digging fingernails into flesh, trying to break free. There is pain, there is blood, and there is laughter at his efforts. Here he shows his chains, ones he will never escape, and cries out in frustration. He huddles on the floor of his stolen refuge, hugging arms to himself and begs, begs, to be free of this, of everything. Then he locks it all away and stands. He clenches a hand into a fist and vows not to show such weakness.

Years later, he breaks this vow. Hawke puts hands on his face, calls him wonderful and everything else crashes away into silence. Their touch banishes the monsters, their words chipping away at the chains. They stand on a precipice and he calls himself Hawke’s because that way it’s easier to be him. He wakes, dreaming of demons, and they tell him he has nothing to be afraid of. Not anymore. He is weaker with Hawke, he is stronger with Hawke, and he thinks himself elf, lover, friend, free.

Rare occasions when he asks, rarer still when he simply acts. Preferring to be pulled in by Hawke, accepting their affections freely. Some part of him still fears that when he asks, Hawke will simply turn away. So his ask is slow. A hand at their hip, pulling part of their shirt. Stepping forward, his head on Hawke’s shoulder. Only when Hawke begins to hug back does he completely close the distance between them. Arms wrapped around them, hands still fisted into their shirt. Mint and evergreen, the cooler edges of the lyrium under his skin. Melting together, holding tightly, hugging warmly.

That same tenderness carries into the kiss. His fingertips, moving softly down Hawke’s arm, skin against skin. Always moving, unable to settle, over Hawke’s shoulder, at their neck, in their hair and it seems like Fenris couldn’t be closer. Pulling Hawke’s bottom lip between his teeth, tongue against tongue. Matching breathing, the quickened beat of his heart. There’s always the smile after. Unable to tear his gaze way from Hawke’s, as though his eyes might lie. As though he cannot believe that they are here, that he is with his Hawke.

Isabela

She learned the lie young. Understanding the illusion of love, the deceit of belonging. Taking it into herself, allowing the sea underneath her skin to be molded by it. Dishonesty a most natural skill, and the lie her most cunning weapon. She has carried this weapon from name to name, leaving no time to grieve for the life left behind. Naishe was taken. Isabela was given. For her, there is no use in looking behind. Nothing to gain from guilt, a weakness in the remembering. Ever forward, and may the lie light her way. Some days she struggles with it.

Perhaps she’s still learning to give away Naishe as easily as others had done, see the Isabela that others do. The illusion of fearlessness, the deceit of triumph. Telling herself there is nowhere she belongs, wanting to belong nowhere. The memories swim, the shame lurks. She thinks the sea might save her, distance from as distance does, a boat carrying her away from her own mind. Regret in the form of a book, sin like blood in the water. The sharks circle, but Hawke is no shark.

A hand extended, trust given, and something cuts through the lie. Isabela runs, cheats, steals, but Hawke plants themselves in front of the enemy and tells them that they will not take her. Acceptance of the bereavement, pulling Isabela free from Naishe’s grave. Love in the freedom given, belonging in the arms wrapped around her. Hawke’s affection isn’t a prison, not like others have been. There are no chains, no expectations. Simply Hawke. Simply Isabela.

Sea salt and summer breeze, laughter in the liquid warmth of her. Arms around Hawke’s neck and legs wrapped around their waist. Holding them tightly, the most precious treasure, encompassing them with all of her. Smiling brightly, forehead against forehead, and Hawke is more valuable to her than any amount of gold, better than a fleet of ships. Laughing as Hawke holds her up, making sure Isabela never falls, whirling around together.

Isabela tangles a hand in Hawke’s hair, holds their face close to hers. It always starts with a smile, the brush of hot breath against Hawke’s lips. Fingertips tapping one by one on their cheek, followed by the slightest and fondest pinch. Gently biting Hawke’s bottom lip between her teeth, before kissing in full, the hard press of a kiss, the hotter roll of her tongue. All the waves of Isabela’s endless ocean. Enough to leave Hawke numb and wanting more, leaving a taste of the hottest spices.

Merrill

She stands among ruins, and wonders. They being dead yet speaketh, and press their hands against broken mirrors. They whisper through the shattered pieces, in a language she does not understand. Not yet. She stands among her people, and despairs. Ghosts as much as the ones in the glass, fragmented and shattered same. So much in what they once were, in what she once was. It flows through her veins and bleeds through the ages. An echo only she can hear. She thinks she might draw the answers from the past, like sickness from a wound. Her people tell her she is selfish, unkind, unworthy. She doesn’t mind. She will make them whole again.

She had found every piece in the dirt and dust. She still bears the marks of it, small cuts in the palm of her hand. In a place so far from anything she calls home, Merrill reconstructs the eluvian. Standing before it, and it reflects only darkness. She presses her hand against it, and feels only cold. Closing her eyes, putting her ear against the glass. She hears them still. Both spirit and demon walk on her grave, and she is no fool. She has learned lessons from both friend and enemy, and will trick the trickster. If only others could believe in her as well.

Hawke hands her the arulin’holm, and smiles. Standing beside her as she works, eyes over the wood that swirls around the base, the wolves and halla same that threaten to break free. Hawke believes. Merrill thinks that they might be the only one who does. Putting a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. Standing before all others in her defense, Hawke speaking words of their trust in Merrill, and her goal. It is all she needs. If she has one, she can save them all.

Merrill is smiles and sunshine, arms extended, running full-tilt towards Hawke. Throwing her arms around their neck, holding tightly and laughing brightly as Hawke whirls them round together in a dizzying circle. Feet finding ground, and Merrill still leans into them. She is nightshade and a warmer breeze, power lurking under the petals. Unwilling to let go, her hands twisted and locked behind their head. Standing on her tip-toes, pink and pleased, rubbing her nose against Hawke’s.

Tilting her head upwards and the first kiss is a mere peck, hummingbird’s wings against Hawke’s lips. She gains bravery from the first, and kisses them once again. Her finger curls a strand of Hawke’s hair, and she is shifting from foot to foot, anxious and restless. The third presses even deeper, all the weight of her against Hawke, groaning softly into the kiss. Fluttering eyelashes, and her fingertips brush against her lips as she rests on both feet once again.

Sebastian

The third born, the last born, the least wanted. The heir and the spare, and he, not fit for even the dregs. He remembers the hands of his nurse. Coarse and rough, fingers calloused from the work given to her. They were the hands that held him, that cared for him, that brushed the hair from his brow and comforted him after a nightmare. He often wonders what his mother’s hands might be like. He does his best to be perfect. To hold his chin high, to study hard, to excel at everything given to him. The shadows of his brothers yet hide him, and he cannot find the sun. So, Sebastian lingers in the dark.

A simple thing, not to try. To drink and boast, to use the last licks of influence to win him hollow victories. Flesh and fletched, and they call him a disgrace. A useless weight, an anchor to his family’s reputation. He is but a name and nothing more, and the bitterness grows. Sent away like a dog, to another city, a different institution. Guards at the door of his prison, this Chantry cage. Told to give up his life, be less than even a name. The Chantry gives him a place to be less than useless, to be something greater than a shadow. But the rope yet slips from the dark, wraps around his neck and drags him back. The third born, the last born, the only Vael left.

There was a time he’d have given everything to be Prince, but that time has passed. He avenges his family, but finds the deaths that follow unsavory. Empty. A Vael, but not quite so. He has traded one prison for another and still he craves freedom. He thinks he finds it in the palm of Hawke’s hand. A gentle smile and reassurance that no matter what he chooses, they will stand beside him. Sebastian is a better man now, than who he once was, but he can be better still. Mistakes he has made, mistakes he will make, but now he will not be alone.

The smell of candles, the softer scent of incense. Sebastian is always clean and well-groomed, straight-back and the smooth line of his shoulders. Around Hawke, he blushes. Stumbles over his words, shyly reaches for their hand. Raising it to his mouth, pulling them in. An arm around their waist, a ghost of a kiss against their cheek. Still, that hand in his, linking fingers as together they softly sway. Allowing Hawke to rest their head on his shoulder, and his head against theirs. Closing eyes and softly humming, some forgotten hymn of peace.

He taps fingers underneath Hawke’s chin, raises their face to meet his. Curling fingers at their cheek, while his other hand slowly moves against Hawke’s arm. Comforting circles of his thumb as he leans close, taking a moment to brush nose against nose. The kiss is sweet, as though he is asking permission for more. Permission given, he gives everything to it, surrenders to it, to Hawke. A hand splayed at Hawke’s back, holding them close as he softly groans.

#anders #fenris #isabela #merrill #sebastian #dragon age #f!hawke #m!hawke #anders x hawke #fenris x hawke #isabela x hawke #merrill x hawke #sebastian x hawke #dragon age 2 #da2 #writing #mine #the romances

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warsofasoiaf · 7 years

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though I have not read the materials themselves, what little details I have read seems to paint Guilliman as being rather bitter and almost disgusted by what the emperor has become (including the man himself) in the 10,000 years since he's been on the throne. assuming all the loyalist primarchs manage to somehow return (including sanguinus and ferrus somehow) how do you think they'd all react to what a mess the imperium and the emperor are now?

I think the Lion would be disgusted and look to seize whatever power he could to fix it. Given his secretive nature and lack of social graces, the Lion would probably get politicked to the point of frustration, perhaps wishing for a Luther to handle all that mess.

Jaghatai Khan would almost certainly feel vindicated in his belief. As he mentioned in Scars, the greatest lie is building high walls and declaring yourself the master and conqueror of all you see. The Imperium turning into what it is right now is the natural conclusion of the hypocrisy of empire, both of all empires and the Emperor’s on his own. If any were to go renegade and go independent, Jaghatai is up there, though I could easily see him staying on to fix things and fight monsters, not out of a desire for empire but a love of battle and concern for humanity as a whole.

Russ would be sickened to see the Imperium, though he might be proud of his Space Wolves for their evolution. He learns late in the Heresy that being a grim executioner is not satisfying and leaves him with few allies. He is likely to be enraged at Magnus’s sack of Fenris, but proud of Logan and wish to wake up Bjorn. I don’t think Russ would grab for any power, though he would expect some sort of title not out of a desire for one, but rather recognition of his great abilities. He would lead the attack against the newly resurgent traitor primarchs out of a desire to settle the score.

Rogal Dorn would fall in line and try to repair the Imperium, much like Guilliman. Not as socially adept or politically minded, the Lord of the Imperial Fists would be attempting to arrest the death of a thousand cuts that the Imperium is facing. Likely unable to adapt to the new Imperium, Rogal Dorn would quietly work behind-the-scenes to avoid any heretical faux pas, but Rogal Dorn is too devoted to the Imperium to consider doing any less than his best.

Sanguinius would almost certainly take the entire state of affairs the hardest. I could see him wanting to do something properly heroic to restore the faith (and probably need to be talked out of a suicide mission), and of anyone, Sanguinius would become the Lord Regent of the Imperium over Guilliman, even Guilliman would recognize the power and ability of the Angel. What changes however, is Imperial dogma. Sanguinius is example number two of the martyr complex and ethics of the Imperium (the Big E himself is number one). With him coming back, what does that mean for the Imperial Cult? Does it mean that you too, can return from martyrdom if sufficiently faithful? Does it make Sanguinius the senior and de facto leader of the Living Saints? Can a Living Saint become part of the secular administration of the Imperium? These are questions that need answers. For his part, I believe Sanguinius would take the Godfrey of Jerusalem, Gondor, and Imperium Secundus route: He would not call himself an Emperor, merely a Lord Steward, and he would mandate that the Imperium be run by a council. While Sanguinius is a master warrior, it is also worth noting that he was a master politician and deeply devoted to respecting the dignity and fire of individual people. This does not mean democracy, but this does mean a greater devotion to the Imperium’s activities. Corruption almost certainly becomes a serious sin, warranting punishment.

Ferrus Manus, never one to seek title but one simply to take on challenge and purge weakness, will lead his Iron Hands on great purifying crusades, after smacking the ever-living shit out of his gene-sons for their focus on mechanical augmentation. He would find excuses tiresome, probably throttle a few Imperial governors, but likely be far more supportive of the struggling Imperial Guard. Ferrus ultimately would not secede, but he would make no bones about how disgusting and weak he finds everyone, demanding that they shape up, or he will whip them into shape with his crazy necrodermis arms. As an aside, his arms would certainly benefit from study when it comes to developing weapons to beat the Necrons.

Vulkan would be horrified by the Imperium, the Imperium during the War of the Beast was nothing compared to the festering corpse that this Imperium is. Ultimately, while he might come to blows against the Inquisition and other members, I don’t think he’ll secede or wage war against the Imperium, he loves humanity far too much to do that. He will demand reform and use everything in his arsenal to make that happen, and the threat will be too tense, especially among the hardliners in the Inquisition, Sororitas, Ecclesiarchy, etc. Vulkan likely uses his Salamanders as a rescue force for troubled worlds, and looks to organize a better civil relief force for embattled worlds.

Corax would see Deliverance before his coming all over again. He would need to struggle not to go down the Konrad Curze route, or to accept the state of affairs as the result for his own failings. He may indeed secede from tyrants, but what would be incredibly interesting is if he seized control of the Adeptus Arbites to clamp down on abuses of law, or if he used his own troops (not necessarily Raven Guard, but possibly some in addition to his own agents) to crack down as a terrifying internal affairs office. Ultimately, Corvus needs to be saved from falling into despair, but if he does, he could be a dedicated and tireless champion of justice and exciser of corruption.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

#warhammer 40k

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nemossubmarine · 4 years

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Warhammer 40k: Wrath and Glory RP #40

As soon as they’re out of Terra, Ahram pulls Saef aside and tells him that he absolutely needs to have the crystal back, or he can’t guarantee what will happen. Saef pulls out the shards of the crystal and Ahram sort of deflates, saying it wasn’t meant to be in pieces. Saef explains where he got them and who he presumes are inside the crystals, and gives the piece he found at the Haemonculus cave to Ahram. Ahram doesn’t know what to do with it, he attempts to get the soul inside in him, but doesn’t manage. Saef pushes the soul inside into Ahram, who says he doesn’t feel much different.

Ahram explains his situation. As Saef has surmised, he is a clone. Cloning technology has existed for a long time in the Imperium, but there has been the trouble of the clones being super-unlucky and dying really quickly. A tech-priest on Triplex Phall figured it must have been due to the soul not splitting with the clones. So they took the soul out of Ahram using eldar spirit stones and made three clones. This Ahram is a clone (as was Saef’s Ahram, and the Ahram working for Kane Bullard), and he isn’t sure what happened to the original Ahram. Ahram says he could technically take Saef’s Ahram’s soul, but he isn’t quite sure what that would mean, as he has lived quite a life. Saef says there’s no need, he is going to have to let Ahram go at some point, but needs some time.

Saef’s eyes aren’t still working properly, so he asks Gorm if there’s any medics about. Gorm says there should be an apothecary around, Gorm’s also looking for a chaplain so they might as well go together. They do find a chaplain and an apothecary chatting. The apothecary takes Saef to the medbay and Gorm goes with the chaplain, named Calidus Examinare.

Gorm asks Calidus whether he could have a look at the Codex Astartes. He explains having met the Primarch of the Ultramarines, and it was an eye-opener so he would love to read more about his thoughts. Calidus is more than happy to part with a copy. Gorm shows Calidus the necklace he got from Fenris, and asks why it was given to him with no explanation. Calidus admits not knowing about how things like these are done on Fenris, but he surmises it could be a test to see what Gorm would do and act once such an object was given to him.

Gorm explains to Calidus about a situation with a brother he is worried for, who’s on the wrong path. Calidus ssays that it is only natural to be worried for a fellow battle-brother, and Gorm clarifies that he is not talking about a fellow Astartes, but a regular person. Then it is more complex of a situation, Calidus admits, the duty of the Astartes is to fight for the betterment of the humanity, it is easy to understand their path, but humans as whole have no such duty, so they are free to occasionally do bad things to each other. Calidus does encourage Gorm to help this friend to find his purpose and place among humanity.

Finally Gorm asks if he may join the Ultramarines for a prayer, and Calidus says he is free to do so, if he comes with humility and willingness. Prayer is a place to look into oneself, and many people do not pray because they do not like what they find when they look. Gorm says he is willing, and Calidus welcomes him. Gorm thanks him and leaves.

Saef and the apothecary, Julius Nepos, go to the medbay, where Saef explains the situation. Julius looks over the eyes and informs Saef that his sight may never return. If Saef wishes, or if it gets worse, Saef should talk to the Mechanicus of his regiment, so he can get augmentations. But for now Julius gives him nice new sci-fi glasses (+1 to appearing smart!).

While Saef and Gorm are gone, Gimlet goes to find a place where he can be alone, which is the ship’s engine room. He sets up tea for himself, and for a second person, which is the picture of Cara. He journals and talks with his mother.

The time our heroes spend at the Ultarmarines’ ship is rather quiet. Saef takes his time meditating. Ahram reads books (Saef’s Blood Angels’ book and then later a ship manual). Gimlet hangs out alone at the engine room. Uffe goes to practice with the Ultramarines. Gorm is barely ever present, going to the communal prayers and to follow the practice, and when he is present, he is nose-deep in the Codex Astartes.

Nearing their destination one day, everyone is gathered into a room, minus Ahram who, having sensed that something is happening has gone off to do something else. Gorm asks Uffe if he wants to stay to listen in, because he has something to say. Uffe shrugs and says if it’s okay with the others, mostly Gimlet. Gimlet says it’s cool.

So Gorm begins to speak, telling that when they went to Terra it was a big revelation to him and now he had time to reflect on it. He fears that he had made a misjudgement on Terra, because of the heated emotions of the moment. Gorm says that maybe it was his fault, in the perspective of things that Gimlet knows. Gimlet went behind Gorm’s and Saef’s back, but that is what Inquisition people do, and Gorm should have taken more careful measures around Gimlet. Gimlet says this is a rather surprising admission.

Gorm admits to some confusion about Gimlet’s path and motivations. He points out that Gimlet speaked a lot of fear of death back on Terra, and Gorm is of the opinion that many things Gimlet has done so far is because of this fear. Gorm wants to know what Gimlet wants to do before he dies, and says that to him it seems Gimlet wants vengeance on the dead people of Limestow. Gimlet says he wants his memories back, he wants justice for Limestow and to uncover what Tanner did. Gorm says finding his memories is a cause he can sort of understand, but for Limestow he has some reservations. To Gorm and to the Space Wolves, death is a natural part of life, a natural end point. Gorm wishes Gimlet wouldn’t dwell too much on what happened before, because nothing can change it, except warp and that is a sure path to damnation.

Gimlet makes the point that he is only seeking justice for Limestow, and vengeance for himself. Gorm asks that what if someone would offer to get his mother back, he isn’t convinced Gimlet wouldn’t take such a deal. Gorm says that instead of dwelling on Limestow Gimlet should focus on the future, on what he could do. Gimlet says it is not easy, and Gorm agrees that it is not, but he can help Gimlet.

Gorm says that people of Limestow don’t want justice anymore, and Gimlet, quite heatedly says that Gorm doesn’t know that, because the people of Limestow can’t say that for themselves, on the account of being dead. Gorm tells that for the Space Wolves, it is important to honor the dead, to remember them and what they died for. And if it were Gorm in Gimlet’s shoes he’d think about why they passed and work on prevention and leave what happened behind. Gimlet says that’s just Gorm’s opinion, and Gorm counters with saying it’s his advice.

Gimlet says his hope was only to be free after completing his mission, and that is now crushed. Gorm asks what changes if Tanner’s crimes are found out, and Gimlet says wouldn’t Gorm want to know, what he did and why he took Gimlet’s (and others’) memories. Gorm shrugs and says many people miss memories (including himself). Gorm thinks finding out about Tanner’s crimes isn’t a good idea, because it is not Gimlet’s place to judge him, the only who judges him anymore is the All-Father. Gimlet disagrees, thinking it is precisely his responsibility to do so. Gorm says that what Gimlet will find out won’t change things, and Gimlet coutners that Gorm can’t know if its worth it. Gorm says it won’t change anything for Tanner or for the people who are dead.

Besides Gimlet already found his parents, and that was a big thing. Gorm wants Gimlet not to focus on his negative feelings. He encourages Gimlet to find his past, but not to focus on the dead. The dead got what they deserved, and some did not, but they are dead nonetheless. Gorm thinks it would be more prudent to focus on living Inquisitors rather than Tanner’s crimes. There’s a lot of people who don’t speak highly of Inquisition, and Gimlet has a choice and knowledge to change things from within. Gimlet says he only wants out, because he thought he was doing good when he was in Inquisition, because this was how he was raised. Gimlet brings Vivek as an example. He says he treated Vivek awful, because he is an arsonist and that was the only thing he saw, but Vivek is alright (don’t tell Vivek Gimlet said that).

Gorm says it is important to think for themselves, such as Gimlet had to do after Tanner’s judgement. It is dangerous not to question things one believes in, Gorm says questioning is how one finds out if those beliefs are worth it.

Gorm asks what Gimlet wants to do once he is out of the Inquisition. Gimlet says he doesn’t know, he mentions that his father is looking for their relatives. Maybe he’s going to see the world, maybe he’ll be an adventurer.

Gorm asks who is Gimlet’s true self, the one he was before Terra around Gorm and Saef, or the one on the phone with his old friends. Gimlet says both. Gorm encourages Gimlet to be his true self. Gimlet says that’s what he has been.

Gorm says that he has been worried for his friend, because he is watching his friends go against with what Gorm believes in, dwelling in the past, tinkering with truth (I never lied technically, says Gimlet; that is why I said tinkering, says Gorm), which is a quick way to get away from the All-Father’s light.

But it is not Gorm’s place to judge, he just wishes Gimlet would not have been afraid to speak his truth. Gimlet points out that Gorm has had the decency to act very irrationally and quickly re:punching Gimlet when he thought Gimlet had shot Vivek. Gorm apologizes and says he will not act like that anymore.

Gimlet says he never intended to do harm to Gorm or Saef. Gorm says he is still afraid of things Gimlet knows and how dangerous they could be, but he is choosing to trust Gimlet, because not trusting Gimlet wouldn’t do any good to Gimlet, and Gorm is worried for Gimlet.

Gorm explains that after they left Terra he was still angry, and he admits bugging Gimlet, telling there’s a listening device in his inventory. But now Gorm realizes it doesn’t do any good acting behind Gimlet’s back, there is no good to be done by those means. Gimlet looks at how Uffe is reacting to this and he appears to be a bit surprised, but again he is very hard to read as always.

Gorm has one more thing he wants to ask about, about the jaw of the wolf Gimlet gave to Gorm on Terra. Gorm asks if it was from Harald’s wolves, and Gimlet says that is so. Gorm nods sagely, that would explain it then. Morkai was stalking them on Orchard Mountain, and the jawbone is an amulet of Morkai, which has made Gimlet more scared of death. But now Gimlet has chosen to give it to Gorm, and Gorm is meant to lure Morkai away from Gimlet, and Gimlet doesn’t need to worry anymore.

Gorm’s last point is that Space Marines don’t do anything that isn’t worth dying for, and he wasn’t sure if Gimlet’s cause is worth Gorm’s death, but now he thinks there is good for the Imperium in Gimlet surviving. Gorm asks Gimlet to think about what he wants to do after the Inquisition, what he would be willing to die for. Gorm says there is only life, he shouldn’t spend it unnecessarily. Gimlet says he hasn’t thought about it, but he will.

(Gorm and Uffe have a long long conversation about all this later. Uffe basically says he still doesn’t know Gimlet, but he isn’t stepping in the way of what Gorm wants to do, even if he doesn’t get it completely. He isn’t too keen on the idea that Gimlet should not have his memories erased, which Gorm argues is the right thing. He also mentions Saef as a possible problem. Gorm reveals the conversation which he had with Vivek, and Uffe isn’t happy about that, apparently he had merely let Vivek think it was Chaos-influenced (which he admits wasn’t that great, but still, that was not Gorm’s thing to talk about (he should talk to Vivek)). Gorm asks about Uffe’s memories pre-Wolfing and Uffe says there’s basically none. Gorm thinks there is some kind of a choice that is coming up for Uffe, where Uffe should choose differently, just as Gorm chose differently with Gimlet. Gorm isn’t sure what it is, but it might have something to do with Uffe not being very communicative unless spoken to. Uffe admits to it, and says he’ll attempt to do better. (somewhere in this conversation comes up the fact that Gorm thinks they’re just people (echoing when Guilliman told him he’s just a soldier), and I’m putting it here just in case I’ll use it later). Gorm also calls Fenris again, and explains his change of heart. Sveleighr gives him free reign to do as he pleases, but says his commands have not changed.)

After a few days of silent living, our heroes hop off near Obsidia, and Saef hitchhikes the whole party to a delivery ship going to Dew Mountain, to the New Dawn in fact. Our heroes are dropped off at the hangar. The ship is empty and the lights are turned off, but soon a familiar figure comes by, that of Larssen Van Der Grauss, Elucia Vhane’s Mechanicus. He’s surprised to see our heroes and also recognizes Ahram, but doesn’t comment on it too much. He tells our heroes that several engineering floors were completely taken by Nurgle’s rot and that’s what the Mechanicus and the Sable Swords are cleaning downstairs. All of Elucia Vhane’s people are forbidden from going there, so they’ve been evacuated to Dew Mountain.

Upon being asked about the Inquisitors on board, Larssen admits that there has been an… incident. The Inquisitors were leaving, as they don’t belong to Captain Vhane’s crew, and afterwards, well, Larssen found the murdered body of Inquisitor Engarde. No idea what happened there, but Larssen suspects one of the Mechanicus might have an idea, as they informed them of the evacuation. Gimlet asks if he could see the body, and Larssen is like a bit weird. Gorm elbows Gimlet to tell Larssen that he belongs to the Inquisition, which he does.

Our heroes inquire after Vivek, and Larssen tells that he asked Captain Vhane for a ship to go to Triplex Phall, and was granted one, but the ship is still in the hangar, so Larssen isn’t sure if he took the ride with the Inquisitors or if he’s below deck with the clean-up crew. As our heroes have no idea where the Inquisitors were headed, they decide to go help with the rot cleaning, and see what they can see there.

Larssen takes them to the elevator heading down (he doesn’t come with, neither does Ahram). There are body bags lining the walls of the hallways, and burn marks all over the place. Pretty soon our heroes catch sound of people, and come upon a group of people, Mechanicus, servitors and Sable Swords. There’s a tech-priest working on some kind of boiler, this would be Z47r, Vivek’s brother. A skitarius scans our heroes and waves them through. Z47r asks how he can help our heroes, and acknowledges having met them before. Gorm offers to help him, and he is glad to have our heroes on board. Gorm asks if he knows a person by the name of 583 (aka Vivek), Z47r replies he doesn’t know anyone by that designation (and he doesn’t appear to be lying).

Sergeant Carl calls Z47r through vox communicators and lets him know that he is done, and the tech-priest agrees that they should meet up and move on. He begins leading his crew away, motioning for our heroes to follow. Gorm calls after him, asking if he knows what has happened to his brother. Z47r replies that his brother Vivek was sentenced to be a servitor some four years ago.

Walking down the corridors they come across a woman fleeing something. Something about her makes the scanner of the Mechanicus make noise and Z47r cuts her down and orders his skitarii to bag the body up.

Soon they come upon a larger room where the rest of Z47r’s folks are, including Sergeant Carl and a very, very familiar looking man in the grey jumpsuits of the servitors. It’s Vivek. Uffe grabs Gorm by the arm when he notices, cursing to himself. Gorm reminds Uffe of his promise, and Uffe says he knows and he is up for the task, though he doesn’t sound particularly happy about it. Saef catches Vivek’s eye, and Vivek gives him a subtle thumbs down.

#nemo roleplays #wag rp #wag rp writeup #another great long conversation or two #i am v impressed with gorm's character development #v well played and a treat to follow #fun sesh coming up #the one where vivek dies that is :P #sometimes being a gm is just #punching ur own ocs and asking players are they sad yet?#im honestly v fond of navin aka vivek's brother #but i doubt ill ever get the players to like him #ah well #campaign tag: some nurgle but mostly soap opera

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nemossubmarine · 4 years

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Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #39

Welcome to the last session of this little Terra campaign, not as cheerful of a vacation as one might have hoped. First thing that happens is that Gimlet, who has very recently stopped crying for the moment, makes his way to visit Uffe at the medbay. Uffe notes his crying, but doesn’t say much more about it. Gimlet starts with asking whether Uffe remembers the conversation the two of them had at Elucia Vhane’s ship. About that not being part of the Inquisition thing… Uffe is obviously not happy to hear this. I mean, he likes knowing it better than he does not like knowing it, at least now he knows Gimlet is a threat. Gimlet attempts to make it clear that he wishes no harm, but Uffe points out that as he said back at Elucia Vhane’s ship, it really doesn’t mattter, if Inquisition wants information it will get it. Then he kindly tells Gimlet to fuck off. Gimlet complies.

Meanwhile Saef and Gorm have made their way to the inner courtyard of the palace where the Custodes are training, shirtless. Bertram asks if Gorm would like to partake in a brawl, team-fight or one on one, and Gorm goes for one-on-one with Bertram. Gorm manages to get a hit in, but Bertram is really fast, getting two hits in for every one Gorm manages, and Gorm is soon downed. Bertram takes this as a moment to teach Gorm that when he attacks in melee, he leaves himself open for a counterattack. Gorm thanks Bertram for the lesson and then goes to nurse his wounds at the side, while the Custodes get to beating each other up. It is absolutely insane to watch.

At some point the woman from earlier comes to collect Saef for his sanctioning. Gorm is forbidden from coming with him, but he does give Saef a hug. Then there’s stuff that no one shall know about. Saef gets back to Gorm a changed man, for one he has a staff now! And a nice badge! Also horrible scarring on his face and his eyes don’t work very well anymore. But he is sanctioned now, and Gorm couldn’t be prouder. Saef tells him he is now part of the Imperial Guard stationed near Dew Mountain, but he is allowed to finish his unfinished business before he joins. Gorm says he has a thing he needs them to talk to Gimlet about, so together they go find him.

Gimlet has gone and found his dad, who is having a dinner somewhere, and notices that his son is upset. Gimlet tells his dad about grandma, and Valance seems to think it explains some things (though not why the Inquisition was so keen on getting their hands on Gimlet’s ma). He asks if Gimlet can shape-shift, and Gimlet, to his credit, tries, but it doesn’t seem to work. Gimlet gives his dad a new phone and Valance says he is leaving with the Ultramarines in the morning and he’ll attempt to locate some other members of their family. Gimlet also tells his dad about having to reveal his friends about his secret identity and how upset they are with him. Valance comforts him saying that they wouldn’t be angry if they didn’t love him, and Gimlet needs to give them time to get over it. The two hug. Gimlet says he wants to go to drink his sorrows away, and invites his dad to come with, but Valance is very insistent that this is not the time for drinking and takes Gimlet back to the palace to get some sleep.

But some sleep is not what Gimlet will get as there is a knock on their door and Gorm and Saef informing him they need to talk. Gimlet invites them in, but Gorm asks him to come out and takes him to this cool-ass bike Gorm loaned from the Custodes. Gimlet asks if Gorm is going to kill him now, and Gorm just tells him to get on the bike. Gimlet does and they take a slightly bumpy ride into the Terran night, stopping at a mountainous area. They get off, and Gorm takes off his shirt, revealing that he is still quite beat up from the training before, and also that he has some sweet tats all over his body.

Gorm says that he needs to tell Gimlet something. He, nor Saef, didn’t appreaciate what Gimlet did back there. Luckily(?) for Gorm this is not the first time he has dealt with this level of betrayal. Gorm says he has a saga to tell, and makes it clear that this is not for Gimlet’s journal, to be shared with the Inquisition.

Gorm tells a tale of three young boys on Fenris, who went out boating and met a Kraken. One of the boys told the others they should lead it back to the rest for the glorious kill, one of the boys told the others they should lead it away to spare bloodshed and one of the boys said nothing. They led the Kraken back to others, and the Kraken was slain. Later these three boys were chosen by a sky-warrior to be tested, for a chance to ascend into their ranks. They were made to drink blood, and while others were turned into raging beasts by this, the three boys were not. Their task was to hunt down a beast. One of the boys suggested that they might kill one such raging beast, and pass the test, one of the boys suggested they return and let the sky-warrior know something was up and one of the boys said nothing. Again they followed the first boy’s suggestion and passed the test, and were made into Space Wolves. And those three were from then on known as Olaf, Gorm and Uffe.

As Gorm relays this story he is getting more and more wolfed out. As he sees it, they cheated the test, and this is why he has not yet conquered the curse. But Gorm is a Grey Hunter now, he needs to control it. He failed the first test with Olaf, but now Gimlet can be his new test. Gorm tells Gimlet that no one will miss him, except maybe his dad (ouch) and that Gimlet and his deeds anger him deeply. Gorm tells him that if he had known who Gimlet was, he would have stayed away from him, he would have never told him everything about the Wolfs. Gimlet counters that he never wrote it down, never shared it with anyone and never will. Gorm says that merely the fact that it is in Gimlet’s head is too much, Gorm can’t trust in Gimlet as a friend anymore, and he can’t know that Gimlet will never share the things he knows, and more importantly neither can Gimlet. Maybe one day Gimlet will be a High Inquisitor, and it will give him more power to have the Space Wolves erased, and what then? Gorm won’t be around to stop him.

Gorm asks how Gimlet will make it right. Gorm has a suggestion, after their adventure is done, Gimlet will come with Gorm to Fenris and they will have someone erase everything Gimlet knows of the Space Wolves from his head. He asks if Gimlet wants to be a friend and Gimlet replies that he always wanted to be Gorm’s friend, that he never wanted to be against Gorm. Gorm lets him know that Gimlet can’t have any more secrets, and he can’t do his things on his own behind others’ back.

Gimlet apologises to both Gorm and Saef. Saef takes this moment to say his piece, saying that he is angry about being left out, that Saef has worked so hard trying to save his friends and this whole time Gimlet knew why they had to die, that there was no saving them.

Gimlet says that once they find Vivek, they need to take him somewhere and not tell Gimlet where he has gone. Gorm says this is out of the question, since Gorm and Saef are his friends. Gimlet points out Vivek isn’t really his friend. Gorm says they’re in this together, no more secrets, maybe Gimlet will just have to learn to lie to the Inquisition, as a show of his changed ways.

Why do you kiss Inquisiton ass anyway? Gorm asks. To keep myself alive, says Gimlet. Gorm wonders if it’s worth it living as a coward and a liar? Saef and Gorm both agree that they would rather die for their friends.

Gorm says that from now on, Gimlet must be more loyal to his friends rather than the Inquisition. Gorm makes the point that he is more loyal to the Space Wolves rather than his friends, but he has always made it clear, people know this about him. He wants Gimlet to consider and consult both Saef and Gorm before he makes any decisions. Gorm makes it clear that they’re on the same side.

Gimlet says he was ready to tell Saef and Gorm, after he had gotten his new mission, but the correct opportunity never came. He apologizes for being an ass.

The talk turns to Gimlet’s current misssion. Gimlet is certain something has happened on Elucia Vhane’s ship, which may or may not be related to Inpax no longer being an Inquisitor, and Gimlet having to kill her. Gimlet starts crying at that, and Gorm asks what’s the problem with killing Inquisitor Inpax, and, if he’s so keen on keeping her alive, why just not do that? Gimlet says Inquisition will kill him if he doesn’t, and Gorm asks why he is so afraid of death. Gimlet laments about not being able to pay back for not standing up back in Limestow. Gorm says it should be more important to stand up right now, not in the past, and Gimlet shouldn’t worry about dying, but rather worry about dying for the right cause.

As far as Gorm and Saef are concerned, that though Inpax has been cordial to Saef, she hasn’t exactly been a great friend, and has been especially bad for Vivek and Eden. Gimlet mentions Inpax used to be in a relationship with Lu Yan, Gorm shrugs non-commitally saying that sounds like Lu Yan’s problem. and says there’s always a way to fix things. They just need to first learn what has happened, and then decide their course of action. Gorm points out he almost killed Inpax way back when, but because of Gimlet telling it would keep Saef safe, he did not. Gorm really doesn’t care about Inpax, the main goal, as far as he is concerned is getting Gimlet out of Inquisition. Gimlet is pretty sure that is not possible. Seems like they have a plan.

Gimlet mentions to Gorm telling Uffe about his not-so ex-Inquisitional status. Gorm says that he is not quite sure if Uffe remembers the saga Gorm told the others, and asks the others not to mention it, he wants to bring it up himself.

Saef mentions that he has a secret that he has been keeping from the others, well, it’s another person’s secret. He’d like to share it, but he’ll have to okay it with the other person. Gimlet asks if it’s about Ahram. Saef says no, but he can talk about Ahram as well, once he learns about what’s up with him anyway.

Gimlet asks everyone not to reveal Alex, as he is still working undercover under Inquisitor Corrida. Gorm says he doesn’t even know who to reveal this information to (or “nobody I know gives a shit” is the exact words). Gimlet sighs and says Alex just “needs a good man to lay with him”. Maybe that could be accomplished on Fenris? Gorm doubts it.

With the conversation done, our heroes take a much smoother bike ride back to palace and go to bed. In the morning our trio makes their way to the infirmary to pick up their friends and watch over the ritual that makes people into dreadnoughts. Uffe and Ahram are there, both doing alright, and ready to leave.

They are about to start with the dreadnought-process, when a final person makes an appearance, a tall, very familiar person of the Primarch. Everyone drops to their knees. Trixa makes the universal Mechanicus Windows start-up noise of distress, attempting to get to her multiple knees with mild success. Guilliman tells them once again to be at ease. He goes to the bedside of brother Leviticus and appears to pray over him. He then joins our heroes and lets Trixa start working. Guilliman explains the procedure as it happens, Gorm and Gimlet are very attentive and poor Saef has no clue what’s going on (even if he could see clearly). Guilliman does mention that usually the person’s squadmates are present at the ceremony, but none of Brother Leviticus’ comrades made it, so that explains Guilliman’s presence.

After the ritual is done. but before Guilliman leaves, Gorm asks permission to ask Guilliman a question, which he is granted. So Gorm asks, how did he know that his brothers were beyond redemption, which woof, quite a question. Guilliman says he can see why Gorm would wish to ask such a question, knowing his mission. Though there is courage in hoping for redemption (since it is hard to know another man’s heart), there comes a point where things that have been done must outweigh that hope. It is not an easy decision to make, but rather than knowing the other person, the decision can be lived with if one knows oneself, one’s duties and one’s heart. Gorm admits that he might have made a mistake about that in the past (referring to Snorri), and Guilliman says sometimes mistakes are unavoidable. Gorm says that hearing that the primarch himself had trouble with the decisions he had to make makes him feel a bit better. Guilliman bids his farewell and leaves.

Outside the medbay there are already several Ultramarines in wait, as well as some clerks who crowd Guilliman. Guilliman lets his men know they’re leaving in 40 minutes. The Ultramarines go pick up their brother and also one of them hands Gorm his spanking new medkit. Gorm asks about the possibility of catching a ride with the Ultramarines, so the man checks and says there is some space on ship number 6, provided our heroes will know when to get off themselves. Ride secured yay! Our heroes and pals make their way to the ship. Gorm and Uffe do some last minute (secret) shopping (Gorm gets a listening device, Uffe buys a packet of smokes), and then they are off Terra.

There are a couple of phonecalls that are made as soon as our heroes get on their way. Gimlet calls Lu Yan, and lets her know what’s the situation regarding himself and Inpax is. She is obviously distraught by the news, she doesn’t want Inpax to die. Gimlet asks if she knows at all what happened to Alex. Lu Yan says Alex texted her about leaving the planet Gimlet was on and sending a report to Inpax (to which Inpax never replied, which is not at all unusual). After a little bit of silence there came a ton of confused texts and then nothing, which isn’t really helpful.

Gimlet also calls Cayenne to let her know they’re okay, but no longer nowhere near Ostara, so could they get her to pick them up? In the end they agree that Cayenne will meet up with them on Dew Mountain. Gimlet asks Cayenne if she knows anything about Elucia Vhane’s ship and / or Inpax. Cayenne tells him that Elucia Vhane told her about a slight Nurgle problem she left to go deal with. Inpax in turn left Cayenne’s ship about a day after, taking Eden and all her men with her. Cayenne is glad to have Inquisitor-people off her ship, not so glad to hear Gimlet is still part of Inquisition (does that mean she has been double-paying him??).

Gorm makes a call to Fenris to the rune priest Sveleighr, who’s looking over his case. However the call goes, it shan’t be reported here.

Gorm also makes a call to his friend sergeant Carl of the Sable Swords, catching him just in time for his break. They chat a bit, Carl is happy to hear from Gorm, quite envious of his visit to Terra and delighted when Gorm tells him that he has been picking up some healing methods because of Carl. Gorm asks Carl what he is up to, and Carl tells him that he’s still on Dew Mountain, or nearby, on a new accinment, which turns out to be helping a tech-priest in dealing with a Nurgle infestation on a rogue trader ship, Elucia Vhane’s ship New Dawn to be precise. Gorm asks whether there’s Inquisitors around, and Carl informs him that all the people (aside from Elucia Vhane’s AdMech) were evacuated onto the planet before him and his squad got there, so he can’t help Gorm there. Gorm asks after Vivek, but Carl says he doesn’t know the AdMechs around. Gorm lets Carl know that he’ll be getting there soon, and would love to meet up and / or kick some nurgling butt.

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nemossubmarine · 4 years

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Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #28

Back with the next session. Under cut again.

Relating to a conversation from last time, Saef and Gimlet have a little chat (where, not sure, there was confusion). Saef says that speaking of not telling Gorm about the whole accidental demons, he would like that the subject of him being a psyker would not be brought up at all. Saef’s a bit worried about pulling attention to himself, as he has these two kiddos (Theo and Rat) to care for. Gimlet thinks that’s probably a sound idea. Rat comes by and complains about not getting to see Theo, and then goes away, since she was clearly interrupting something. Saef says he has a favor to ask of Gimlet. Namely that if something happens to Saef, could Gimlet make sure Theo and Rat will be okay? Gimlet asks what about Vivek. Saef says Vivek is an adult and probably doesn’t need to be cared for. Gimlet clarifies that Vivek seems to be better at adulting(?). Saef says that Vivek is not exactly in a place to keep people safe what with being a criminal and all. Gimlet agrees, even though he says that obviously first thing is to make sure nothing happens to Saef. He asks how Saef felt about the whole Elysium debacle re: his powers. Saef says it kinda high-lighted his need for more education and meditation and all that.

Saef asks Inpax’ permission for him and Rat to go see Eden and Theo. Inpax gives a go-ahead, though says Eden isn’t probably very talkative. What she means by that becomes obvious as to what Inpax meant, as Eden appears to be missing his jaw. Saef asks him to give thumbs up and down as answers to questions. First is, is Theo doing alright? Thumbs up. Is Eden doing alright? Thumbs up and down. Rat and Saef stay with the duo for a while, Rat chatting with Theo. Saef catches Vivek in his room and asks if Vivek knows if Eden is alright. Vivek says as far as he knows, Eden is fine, and fails to elaborate.

Gimlet goes to visit Inpax, who appears busy as she always is. Gimlet also notices that she is on edge, nerves frayed all that. Gimlet tells Inpax about the procedure that Eden had offered him, and asks her opinion on it. She says if Gimlet trusts the robot enough to do so, why not (it appears to not have failed any surgeries so far), though it might be better if they knew for certain what was up with the robot. Gimlet says he’s on it. After Gimlet has left, he goes and gets some chocolates for Inpax.

Our group has reached the ship New Dawn in orbit of planet Ostara and so they beam aboard to meet Captain Elucia Vhane. After introductions she asks whether Gorm is the commanding officer of this party, Gorm says he’s usually only responsible for his own actions, but sure, for this mission. Elucia Vhane notices Vivek, and motions him to join her AdMech officer, which he does, to do something(?). Elucia Vhane explains the situation a bit, she has been searching and claiming planets for the Imperium on behalf of Lord Commander Guilliman. Ostara appeared to be a good planet for their purposes, just needed bit of clearing up so a group of settlers plus AdMechs were left on the planet to do just that. Except now it appears that they have all gone all Chaos Cultist, which is not a message Elucia Vhane is too keen to forward to Lord Commander Guilliman, so let’s deal with this. Gorm asks if there’s anything she has that might have a scent for the Wolves to follow. Elucia Vhane mentions that one of her contacts managed to down a Chaos Space Marine (not a Wolf), and would probably still have some remnants of that. But for that, better go meet the contacts. Elucia Vhane asks if our heroes are okay with some eldar. In this case yes. Elucia Vhane says she doesn’t much trust xenos herself, but in this case, she has deemed their motives to align with the Imperium’s.

As they are getting to meeting with the xenos, Alex pops up. Apparently he has been ordered to go check out the xenos as well, so he joins our heroes, as Elucia Vhane leads them to an amphitheater.

Our heroes settle down for a show, and what a show it is. It starts with a man in smiling mask appearing on stage and beginning to tell a tale of invasion by the Thousand Sons, led by Ahzek Ahriman sieging a place of forbidden knowledge, defended by masked xenos (aka Harlequins). For some reason the blight of the defenders on the stage really affects a lot of the audience, Gorm and Gimlet included. Saef has sensed that someone is attempting to manipulate the emotions of the people in the audience. The defenders fight a losing battle, until in the final moment, the smiling man joins the fray, approaching Ahriman and introducing himself as Cegorach, the Great Fool. There’s a whole rhyming thing that I shan’t repeat, but the prize that Ahriman seeks is snatched from him; ”For the greatest joke ever played, is played on fate”. Before he can do anything, he is called back by his master the Crimson King, to attack Fenris (the Siege of Fenris, happened about 70 years prior). This is the end of the play.

The reactions are mixed, Gimlet seems touched, Saef is non-plussed (he mentions the attempt at manipulation), Gorm is very angry, saying he doesn’t need to see this, what are these xenos trying to accomplish. Elucia Vhane asks if our heroes would like to meet the Harlequins to ask that themselves. Gorm says he won’t meet them without them apologizing. Elucia Vhane goes to relay the critique. The Harlequins’ response is apparently ”sry you got sad at our attempt to show a common enemy” or along those lines. But our heroes go and meet them anyway. Alex asks if he can join the group, and Gorm says alright, even if he doesn’t look too happy, but Elucia Vhane puts her foot down and says Inquisition with her contacts is a no go.

They go to meet the Harlequins, who are a type of Eldar, led by the man in the smiling mask (known henceforth as the Clown, as Gorm so charmingly calls him, as his name was never learned). Saef notices that all of the Harlequins, except one, dressed in a skeleton mask, have similar crystals affixed to their armor as Ahram had. The Harlequins explain that the play was to illustrate the goals of the followers of Tzeentch, as Knut has apparently become one, to reach the Black Library, the home of the Harlequins, and the biggest depository of Chaos Knowledge in the world. The Harlequins managed to stop the ritual, but something has happened on the planet already, as the Harlequins are unable to return back to the Webways, a space between realspace and warp where the Library exists. Thus robbed of their big advantages, they’ll have to relay on the Imperium’s assistance. The Clown asks if the Wolves would like to see the leader of Chaos guys, aka Knut. Gorm says sure and one of the Harlequins steps out, and deploys a hologram, her appearance changing to that of a man in Space Wolf’s armor. It looks like Knut alright, although Gorm comments that he appears not to have aged well, as his hair has turned grey. His armor is covered in runes, half Chaos, half Fenrisian, and the Fenrisian runes Gorm recognizes as mostly saying ”lies / falsehood”. He also wields a similar staff to the Thousand Sons. Gorm says he’s seen enough, and the Harlequin returns to her normal form.

Elucia Vhane starts ushering our folks away and now I don’t quite remember how it came up, but the leader of the Harlequins asks after the Mechanicus. Turns out, that while it was Captain Vhane who requested Vivek’s presence, it was because of a thing the Harlequins’ Seer had seen, namely that Nurgle’s rot would overtake her ship, if she didn’t manage to find a Mechanicus who traveled (travels, will travel) with our heroes, ”a man who is three men”. And Elucia Vhane may not trust xenos, but that risk is too much for her to take.

After learning this our heroes decide a momentary conference outside the room is in order. So what about this thing that may or may not happen in the future? Even Gorm seems to think that her attempting to look for the man who is three men isn’t a bad idea. So could it be Vivek? Technically, he does have parts of Eden in him, so that’s two men (if Eden is considered a man, and who even knows with xenos seers). But no math can get Vivek into three men (especially since Kuru is with Gorm). Since this man also might be in the future, it looks like Elucia Vhane has the wrong man. So what should they do with Vivek? Leaving him behind on Santa Maria doesn’t sound like a good idea, what with Inpax around. Gimlet says that Uffe knows Vivek the best, to which Uffe says ”I do?”, and then says that maybe they just need to ask him what he wants, but probably taking Vivek along for the ride is for the best.

After that, our heroes turn to talk about the mission at hand, mainly Gimlet asking about Knut and Gorm saying he is very angry about what Knut has become. Knut has in Gorm’s opinion mixed himself with some powerful shit he doesn’t quite understand. (Gimlet asks the same question from Uffe, who isn’t as keen to elaborate). Uffe does mention he is a bit worried what became of Ivar, who was with Knut back when. Gimlet asks about when Ivar and Knut parted from the pack. Gorm says he doesn’t know, as he was exiled. Then Gorm asks Uffe if it’s alright to tell, and Uffe says he may not really know or trust Gimlet and Saef, but he trusts Gorm who trusts them. So Gorm tells Saef and Gimlet about Olaf, about his influence on the pack, and finally about Gorm accidentally killing him and being exiled. So is there anyone left after Ivar and Knut? Gimlet asks. Yes, Rolf, and Gorm is still hopeful about him, that they’ll reunion will be a hug and not a battle. (though Gimlet and Saef can pick out from Uffe’s eyes, that he doesn’t quite agree, though he says nothing). Gimlet does try to interrogate Uffe about his feelings on the pack and also his experiences with the pack, but even Gorm knows to say that’s too personal for Uffe to answer. Our heroes decide it’s time to get a move on with the hunting.

They get back to the Harlequins and Elucia Vhane and agree to start with going down to the planet and checking out the ritual site. Elucia Vhane goes to find Vivek, while the rest decide to go meet up the Inquisitors on board (there’s apparently two). Gimlet seems hesitant about going to meet Inquisitors, and even when Gorm points out that he’s the guy who’d know what to ask of them, he refuses to join, saying he’ll wait outside, and could they ask Alex to join him at some point. Uffe decides to stay behind with Gimlet.

Saef and Gorm go meet the Inquisitors, mostly Inquisitor Corrida, who is more than glad to part with some information regarding the Harlequins (they are assassin-actors, mostly go around performing plays on Slaneesh’s birth, they are able to walk into Webways (space between realspace and warp) at will) and who to kill first if they get that far (Death Jester first, then the Troupe Master). Saef asks what differentiates the Death Jester from the other Harlequins, and Corrida tells that they are unusually cruel kind of Harlequin who believe they are without soul. Corrida also introduces their partner, Inquisitor Engarde, of Ordo Xenos as well. Inquisitor Engarde asks our heroes to provide him with any samples of xenos weapons and armor Engarde would be most thankful. As they are leaving Gorm asks if he may borrow Alex for a personal matter, which Corrida gives permission.

Uffe and Gimlet stand in the hallway in complete silence, before Uffe, surprisingly enough, breaks it. He mentions that Gorm appears to like and trust Gimlet, and that’s all fine and dandy. Gimlet asks what’s Uffe’s relationship with Gorm, and Uffe says Gorm’s a friend and his only packmate. Uffe warns that Gimlet should be careful about what he asks of Gorm, because Gorm may talk more than he truly wishes to. Gimlet doesn’t really catch Uffe’s drift, saying he isn’t pressuring Gorm to talk, and he isn’t going to tattle. Uffe clarifies that he has noticed how scared of Inquisition Gimlet is, and it’s probably for a reason, and if the Inquisition ever catches Gimlet, they will make him talk whether Gimlet wants to or not. That is the end of this conversation, and the two are silent until Gorm and Saef return with Alex.

Alex looks quite deflated when he notices Gimlet, and the two have a whispered conversation in which Gimlet makes clear that Gorm wasn’t inviting him over to sleep with him, because Gorm is together with Uffe, maybe? Gorm overhears some of this and demands to know what’s up. Uffe clarifies to Gorm that Alex had hoped to ”bed him”. Gorm says thanks, but no thanks (Uffe also says no thanks, when asked), but if he ever feels like wanting to do that, he’ll keep Alex’ offer in mind.

Gimlet takes Alex aside and the two have a hurried hushed conversation about Lu Yan’s situation, namely what are they going to do about it? Alex is in as much disbelief as Gimlet to the current state of affairs, and he doesn’t really know what to do. Gimlet is worried how long Lu Yan will manage without money, but getting money to her and / or getting her to Gimlet might prove difficult.

Vivek joins the others on the shuttle, complaining about this Uffe asks Vivek if he is sure, and Vivek after brief confusion, says that just because he knows people who know about Nurgle, doesn’t mean he can do anything about Nurgle. This raises the curiosity of our heroes, and Vivek clarifies, that this has come up when Uffe and Vivek were attempting to track down Rolf. Back on Orchard Mountain, Uffe and Vivek noticed that Rolf appeared to be traveling with some AdMechs, AdMechs, who are interested in studying Chaos, one of who is Vivek’s brother. They’ve apparently done some shitty stuff, but are completely legit in the eyes of the Mechanicum. Gimlet says that they met a tech priest on Orchard Mountain named Z47r, and Vivek confirms that that’s indeed his younger brother. Still doesn’t mean he’s in any way responsible for stopping any of this, right? Agreed, says the others. Gimlet decides to go talk with the Harlequins more about this future-seeing business, but more on that next session!

#nemo roleplays #wag rp writeup #wag rp #finally my long con #of introducing a trio of minor aa characters as inquisitors #has been fulfilled #not that corrida inpax or engarde much resemble their aa counterparts :P #anyway next time maybe some actual adventuring finally?#what an exciting prospect #campaign tag: dont do chaos kids

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nemossubmarine · 4 years

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Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #27

My note-taking sure does suffer when I get back on board as GM (mostly bc it’s hard to talk and take notes at the same time), uhh, let’s see what I can gather from this session of our space-faring adventures. Apparently a lot. It’s so long, I’m not even going to format it, like I usually do, sorry. :P

We start with a little blast from the past, namely the past of one Gorm Oddmundson. His pack is hunting down some straggler orks on a planet and had stopped in a cave for the night. Three packmates, Olaf, Knut and Ivar go to take a look around the parameter. They plan amongst themselves about breaking off from the pack and going to hunt some orks, when Gorm joins the trio. He has something to say, about talking about people behind their backs. The trio feigns ignorance, so Gorm spells it out, pointing at Olaf and saying he knows what he has been talking. Apparently the trio isn’t too keen on having Rolf as their leader, and would much rather have Uffe lead the pack, and Olaf has been going around saying that stuff. Gorm thinks he should wolf up and just challenge Rolf, as that’s the proper thing to do, but Olaf says he doesn’t want to lead anyone. Gorm doesn’t think Uffe wants either, though who even knows with that guy? Never talks (and that’s going to be a problem if he is to become a leader, just saying), barely is around the pack, seems like a guy Gorm would never get along with. It was from Snorri that Gorm has heard all this from, apparently Snorri having been Olaf’s next target for manipulating. Olaf says he was just looking out for the guy, as Gorm is so keen on bullying him, but hey, a misjudgement of character, Snorri was dumber than Olaf thought (or closer to Gorm than he thought).

Gorm turns his attention to Knut and Ivar, says they should stop listening to a guy like Olaf. The two seem to stand steady with their friend. Gorm accuses Olaf of encouraging Knut’s odd, sorcerous habits, which Knut denies. He’s just a curious man. Gorm says that they should all cut it out and think of the pack, to which Olaf says that hey, no matter what, there’ll be no pack. Gorm punches Olaf. Olaf challenges Gorm to a fight. They get to wrestling on the ground, and Olaf has no trouble pummeling Gorm into the ground, until Gorm reaches a breaking point, the wolf overtaking him and with one swoop he accidentally severs Olaf’s throat.

The sounds of the battle has brought to the site Snorri and the pack’s leader Rolf. Gorm is quick to profess his innocence, how killing him was an accident. Knut and Ivar are just as quick to point the blaming finger at Gorm, saying he started it, saying he meant to kill Olaf all along. Rolf orders Knut and Ivar back to the camp. Ivar orders ”the nerd” (aka Snorri) to come along. Left alone with Rolf, Gorm explains the situation as he has seen it. Rolf is sympathetic, but he says that he can’t keep Gorm in the pack. Gorm thinks this is a huge mistake, that he’ll be playing right into whatever Olaf was attempting to pull. Rolf says he’ll take the pack to Fenris, to see if this can be mended, and as for Gorm, he needs to go out on his own, and when he’s ready, there’ll be a pack for him to return to.

Back at present. One day Saef comes to his room to find it surprisingly empty. From the walk-in closet, Rat’s voice comes, telling that Vivek got an important sounding phone-call and rushed off, and that Theo has finally been taken in by Eden to be fixed. There’s a thing Rat wants to show Saef. She steps out of the closet, having discarded her cap, goggles and scarf, showing Saef that she’s very clearly not human, an eldar as suspected. Saef’s only reaction is to pat her on the head. Rat is worried that things are going to get troublesome soon, as even if xenos are somewhat tolerated among Rogue Traders, untrained psykers are not and Konstantine is starting to reach the ends of his capabilities as a teacher with her strange talents. Saef says he’ll figure something out. Rat counters that he doesn’t even know what eldar are like, like she’s heard they’re into torture parties, maybe Rat is also into that, what’s Saef going to do then? Knock her to her senses, Saef says. And that’s that conversation. Oh, and Rat’s bi, while she’s at it.

Gimlet goes to visit Apple Blossom. She looks a lot better than last time Gimlet saw her, although she has received some cybernetics. She thanks Gimlet for saving her life, as well as apologizes for attempting to kill him. The matter of cultists is not a thing she is too keen to talk about, so having Gimlet here to talk about Limestow and stuff like that is good distraction. Gimlet asks what she knows of Cara’s people. Apple says they had been coming to the planet for a while. It was her understanding that her aunt PomPom had met them on Terra some time back. The group was mostly psykers and they helped to grow the fruits in exchange for food. Cara, Apple says, didn’t appear to be a psyker, but then again, she didn’t appear to age at all, so something might have been up there. Gimlet asks if she knew at all where they came from. Apple says she doesn’t, it was strange, they didn’t have a ship big enough for void travel, but they weren’t from the next planet over. Gimlet asks if she knew Cara’s son, and Apple says ”Demetrius? Of course” and when Gimlet reveals that he is Demetrius, Apple says she sees the resemblance. Gimlet asks if Navigators said anything to Apple and Apple recalls a conversation she had with little Demetrius, where Apple asked about them going home and Demetrius claiming to be the ship’s navigator. When Apple questioned his lack of a third eye, Demetrius said that his father told of birds on Holy Terra who could always find home. Speaking of Cara’s husband, Apple says she got the impression he was alive, Demetrius spoke of him often, but he never came with the group. Gimlet asks if there was any trouble with Tanner after Cara was killed, or after Limestow. Apple says that Aunt PomPom was great at keeping herself clean from everything, but when shit started turning south, she made sure Apple was on the planet to keep her out of trouble. Gimlet thanks Apple for the information. When he gets out, he passes Habanero Pepper on his way to visit his wife.

Lu Yan calls Gimlet, distraught that Inpax has a) kicked her out of Inquisition, b) broken up with her and c) left her behind on a planet. Gimlet is completely dumbstruck by this turn of events. Lu Yan can’t say what brought this on, Inpax was her normal self, if busy what with dealing with Kane Bullard, and then few days before they were meaning to leave, Inpax got a bit quiet, and then boom, break-up. Gimlet tells her that he’ll get to the bottom of this. Lu Yan just needs to hold tight, and maybe Gimlet can persuade Captain Pepper to pop by to pick her up

Saef and Inpax There’s a knock on Saef’s door and it’s Inpax who hands Saef a pissed-off cat and then asks about someone going to see her prisoner. Saef admits to giving the bunny for Eden to look over, because it was strange and technical. Inpax questions if that is only it, just that, after that, her prisoner has started to malfunction, so hopefully Saef is happy about that. Saef does not know anything about that. Inpax sounds quite frustrated, pointing out to Saef that Eden is involved in many deaths, including on Dew Mountain, because it continued its creators’ work. But, Inpax isn’t here to wax philosophy about the nature of guilt. She has information on Ahram Demirci, the Triplex Phall citizen, who was reported dead some 15 years ago after going missing in an expedition arranged by a rogue trader named Elucia Vhane. Inpax also hands over Saef two pieces of crystals, which appear to be two thirds of a whole. Apparently they were looted from Kane Bullard’s Ahram (one belonged to him, one to Saef’s Ahram), who is waiting execution. Upon Inpax leaving Rat asks Saef what he has and he shows the crystals. Something about the crystals draws Rat in. She asks can’t he feel the energy in Saef’s Ahram’s crystal. Saef feels around it (and perils of the warps again, woops, like fifth time in a row). And yeah, there’s some kind of weird energy. Not quite psychic, but something related anyway. Saef better ask around about that.

Gorm has returned! Our fine folk have crowded to the shuttle bay to greet their friend. First all the rest of the people who were visiting Fenris unload, though noticeable Layla is missing. Gorm and Uffe step out of the ship last. Noticeably Gorm’s hair is missing. And there’s new tats where the hair used to be! Hugs are had between our three heroes (and in the background Vivek makes a beeline towards Uffe to retrieve his chip thing). So how was Fenris? Gorm (and Uffe) got promoted. No longer (young and dumb) Blood Claws, they’ve risen to the ranks of the (middle-aged and slightly smarter?) Grey Hunter. So all in all, better than expected. And Gorm had told Fenris about Gimlet and Saef and they are cool in Fenris’ books. Also Layla was taken by the Wolves! Gimlet panics for a bit, asking if Gorm is saying she was taken by bad wolves. But no, the Wolf Priests of Fenris judged Layla worthy of attempting to become a Space Wolf. She just needs a bit more training, on Fenris, which is what she is currently doing. Gimlet asks about Jennifer. Gorm says they haven’t really talked, she’s probably bit angry, but she also knew this could be coming.

There’s a mission that Gorm and Uffe has been set up to. They need to find a Rogue Trader by the name of Elucia Vhane, who came upon some kind of a blood ritual in the Eastern Fringes, which may or may not have been performed by a former packmate of Gorm. Also Saef should come with on account of his… (good fashion sense?) warlock-iness. Vivek’s presence was apparently requested by Elucia Vhane, no idea why. And Gimlet can come too (yes please).

So what were you up to? Gorm asks. Gimlet tells that he killed an Inquisitor, to which Gorm says ”Inpax!” and offers a hand for high-five. Saef high-fives him. Gimlet offers a correction in the form of telling the story of the last campaign. In the middle, the subject of Vivek refusing medical treatment comes up. Gorm asks what the hell was up with that? Gimlet says it was probably because Vivek hates him. Saef offers the much more charitable ”personal reasons”. Vivek claims those ones, and refuses to elaborate, much to Gorm’s annoyance.

Uffe interrupts the reunion by saying that Gorm should go inform the Captain that they need to get a move out, they’re on a time crunch, apparently. Gorm grumbles at that, but says he’ll go do that.

Gorm tells Gimlet and Saef to show Uffe Gorm’s room, as they are bunking together, while Gorm goes to inform Captain Pepper of their new destination. When they reach Gorm’s room, but before Uffe gets inside, Gimlet asks Uffe if Gorm is okay. Uffe asks is there some reason Gorm wouldn’t be, and Gimlet just says that they left to Fenris in such a hurry. Uffe says that Fenris called, and then fails to elaborate. Gimlet bids goodbye and exits the conversation towards the bar. Uffe comments to Saef that Gimlet is a bit awkward before going inside.

So to get to the Eastern Fringes to meet up with Elucia Vhane, Santa Maria will have to do some warp-traveling. There’s some... incidents. Ghost ships in the warp one day, and one night, Gorm wakes up in his room to the ship shaking, and next to him Uffe is making a pained sound, in a middle of a nightmare. Gorm goes to wake him up, carefully, and nowhere near his claws. Uffe pounces him nonetheless, suddenly all wolf-like. Gorm, who was expecting this, dodges, wrestles him to the ground and sits on him, until he calms down. First thing Uffe asks when he comes to is whether he hurt Gorm. Gorm assures him that he’s fine. Uffe thanks Gorm and just instructs him to sit on him if it happens again. He doesn’t seem too keen on getting back to sleep, but Gorm says it’s fine, he’ll keep watch.

Unbeknowst to Gorm and Uffe, Gimlet has also been woken to the shaking, has heard the noises coming from the other room and drawn just the wrong conclusions. Yes, those conclusions.

Saef and Konstantine have taken up some meditation on account of not wanting to fuck around with the warp during warp travel. During a break, Saef says he has some things he wants to ask Konstantine about. First are the pieces of crystal Inpax gave him, Konstantine can’t help Saef, but upon learning Rat sensed something in them, Konstantine says best not to touch them, in case they’re eldar things. Then Saef shows the jewel he got from Inquisitor Fane. This Konstantine recognizes. It’s Blackstone, an extremely warp resistant material mostly found on Necron tomb-worlds, extremely valuable, often sought by Mechanicus. Konstantine advises Saef not to wear either of them as jewelry, and Saef says he’s been thinking about getting a cat paw necklace. Konstantine admits that he’s more of an owl person, personally, and shows Saef a hankerchief with an embroidered owl in the corner his mother made him.

Then there’s one last thing, namely what’s the future for Saef? Konstantine says that to become a sanctioned psyker one must be taken to Terra to be evaluated. A lot of people don’t make it, but Konstantine has high hopes for Saef. And then? Saef asks. Well, and then, one gets assigned to a career within the Imperium. Saef doesn’t appear happy to hear that, Konstantine says he has a pamphlet and he has crossed out the most deadly careers. Besides, Saef has had twenty something years of living freely (and is going to have at least few years more) unlike Konstantine who was taken in as an 8 year old. Nothing to complain about, yay?

In the morning Uffe asks if there’s training grounds or something of the like in the ship he could go to let off some extra steam. Gorm takes him there, but upon Uffe asking, says he won’t join him at this time, as he has some people he needs to talk to. Gorm goes to Saef’s room and knocks on the door. When Saef’s voice asks who is it, Gorm replies ”your mom”. Rat comes to open the door and tells Gorm he shouldn’t use that, because Saef won’t open the door for his mom. Gorm asks if Vivek is in (he is) and if they could go get a drink together (sure). Unfortunately, Gorm had forgotten that Gimlet appears to have made the bar his second home. Gorm instructs Vivek to act like they haven’t noticed Gimlet (who doesnt appear to notice them) and they take a booth somewhere far away from him.

Gorm sits Vivek down and tells him that Uffe had told him about the incident with Vivek. And in fact a similar incident happened last night, but Gorm managed to calm Uffe down. But now Gorm wonders how Vivek managed to calm Uffe down, since Vivek is a tiny man so him sitting on Uffe would do nothing. Vivek says he doesn’t know if he did anything. Vivek had seen that Uffe was barely standing straight, so he had forced him to go to sleep. Later he heard Uffe making noises in Fenrisian (he mimics it well enough for Gorm to recognize the words) and went to wake him up, and at that point Uffe attacked him. Vivek was unarmed, and it was a terrifying situation. His father had always told him that if one gets caught in the factory’s machines, it’s better to go through than try to struggle away, because you might lose a limb, but you won’t die. So that’s what he did, apparently clinging to Uffe, and attempting to calm him down. Maybe that helped, or maybe Uffe realized Vivek wasn’t a threat because he wasn’t struggling. Nonetheless, Uffe came to, and immediately removed himself from the situation. Gorm asks whether Uffe hurt Vivek, and Vivek takes a beat too long to answer, saying that hey, he’s alive. Gorm questions where Uffe hurt Vivek, but Vivek says it doesn’t matter, skitarii are sturdy, and Eden stitched him up, though there will be scars. Gorm is of the opinion he should have told Uffe in the moment, but seems to agree that it wouldn’t be any use at this point. Vivek says it won’t do any good, him knowing, Uffe will just beat himself up over it. That’s apparently the reason he didn’t want to get healed by Gimlet, as he was worried that Gimlet would tell Gorm, who Vivek wasn’t sure at the time knew about this. Gorm says that the turning into a wolf is something that happens to the Space Wolves, but it’s a thing they do not want spread around, just like the AdMechs have stuff they don’t want spread around, but it seems like Vivek is not planning on talking about it to anyone.

With that settled Gorm and Vivek move towards Gimlet’s table. Gorm asks what’s up, but Gimlet seems reluctant to answer. Vivek says he should probably go, that Gimlet wouldn’t want him to be here. Gorm says that Vivek should stay, and this is just the kind of stuff he was talking about when he said he’d beat the two up if they didn’t get along. (Vivek says they are getting along, Gimlet’s going to be the best man in his wedding etc.) Vivek continues saying he doesn’t want to be here, and he’ll just go back to Saef’s room. Gorm says that Uffe is at the training grounds, and after a brief hesitation Vivek says that maybe he’ll go there to catch up with him.

Gorm sits down and asks Gimlet to tell him what’s bothering him. Gimlet is a bit overwhelmed about the whole Inquisitor Fane thing, killing him (he shows Gorm a pic of the corpse, ”nice headshot” - Gorm), but mostly about the things Fane said and knew. Gorm shrugs, and says that’s just another secret for Gimlet to keep. There’s another thing, Gimlet says that his best friend’s gf just dumbed them, and Gorm is like ”I don’t have a gf?” and Gimlet says that he meant Lu Yan. And poor Gorm (on account of barely knowing how relationships work) is like, have they tried marriage? Gimlet is like, yeah, and Gorm says that sometimes people break up, which is surprisingly profound. Gimlet says he’d want to get Lu Yan back to Santa Maria at some point so she wouldn’t be alone, though he’s not quite sure if it’s a good idea. This conversation leads Gimlet to mention that he heard stuff from Gorm’s and Uffe’s room last night. To which Gorm is quick to say Gimlet heard nothing weird, just a normal thing that happens between people who are closer than friends occasionally. So did you or did you not have sex, Gimlet asks. Gorm recoils at the thought, claiming that’s weird, so the matter is dropped. Inpax also worries Gimlet, Gimlet says, mostly the fact she is on the ship and Gimlet has killed an Inquisitor. Gorm says there’s no reason Inpax would or should know about that, but if Inpax needs to be offed, Gorm volunteers. (Gimlet says that is not necessary) Also Gimlet mentions that he has learned his true name, that of Demetrius. Gorm is surprised, he asks if that’s what Gimlet wants to be called from now on, and Gimlet says no, Gimlet is fine for the moment.

Gorm joins Uffe at the training room, where Vivek also is (though he leaves when Uffe gets an actual sparring partner). Uffe mentions to Gorm that Vivek appears to be more talkative towards him again, and that has seemed to cheer Uffe up somewhat.

Gimlet comes to visit Saef and lets him know that Gorm should not be talked about the demons etc Saef summoned. Saef is in complete agreement. Gimlet says that he has told Gorm that it was Inquisitor Fane that summoned the demon in the tank chamber, just so Saef knows that their story is straight. (and Vivek should be informed about their cover story too) Gimlet asks Saef if he has mentioned this to Konstantine, and Saef says that he and Konstantine have definitely talked about some things.

Saef texts Demir to ask if he has ever seen crystals such as the ones Inpax gave him. Demir replies that yeah, as a kid at his father’s lab, but they were whole and stuck to some xenos armor. Saef asks if Demir knows anything about the people who work / used to work with his father. He comes back with three names, a big name tech-priest on Triplex Phall X56r, Eden’s dad E-F \ 721 and an Inquisitor by the name of Engarde that Demir liked as a kid (bc he’s softer than an average AdMech).

THE END

#nemo roleplays #wag rp #wag rp writeup #so was gimlet asking gorm straightup whether gorm and uffer were having sex retconned or no?#its a very fanfic plotline haha #anyway longer tags cancelled #on account of this baby needing sleeps #i was supposed to work on my novel today #campaign tag: dont do chaos kids

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nemossubmarine · 5 years

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Warhammer 40k: Wrath & Glory RP #10

Start of a new adventure! Unfortunately we were a player short so we couldn’t really properly kick this thing off, but also, luckily due to some plot revelations last time, there’s new personal stuff and even some NPCs introduced. So there’s some personal stuff and then people start heading for the planet Pavis 8M2, also known as Orchard Mountain. Shall we?

We start with a little flashback to our favorite ex-Inquisitional Acolyte’s past.

Gimlet, a bookkeeper has been taken to the field by Inquisitor Tanner who he works under.

Also with them are acolytes / field agents Inpax and Invigilia.

They are hunting for a rogue psyker by the name of Serafina, who they have a reason to believe is hiding in the village of Limestow.

Tanner gives instructions to find Serafina to his acolytes, leaving Inpax in charge, so off they go.

Apparently Gimlet has been taken here because he is possibly from this place, so Inpax asks him to show the way.

They go visit a tavern of sorts and meet an elderly woman named Tina Fey, who denies ever seeing a psyker, until Inpax threatens her, and she says a strange woman went to the miller’s house.

Tina also asks Gimlet if she’s met him before as he seems familiar, but Inpax cuts that conversation short.

Before the miller’s house they visit one more house where they meet a young woman named Amelia and her son Ivan Jr.

She mentions that people in Limestow are pretty suspicious of Inquisitor’s folk as last time they visited some people who probably shouldn’t have died, died.

The miller’s house’s door is locked and bolted, so Inpax shoots through it.

Invigilia rounds the corner to see if someone is trying to escape.

The miller’s house is empty, but Gimlet points out that someone has recently escaped through the window. Inpax pursues this person (turns out to be the miller) and shoots him down.

Gimlet spots the psyker trying to make an escape through the gathering crowd of villagers.

All the acolytes give pursuit, but Invigilia trips Inpax up.

Inpax berates the villagers for letting the psyker escape.

Tanner calls Inpax and informs her that the psyker is dead and that the village will be burned down.

Inpax tries to argue, a bit, but there’s no arguing with Tanner, so she orders Gimlet to get out of there while she does the deed.

Secretly she lets the children of the village flee.

The rest burn or get shot down while escaping.

The trio meets up outside the village with Tanner who tells them that he is a bit disappointed, but glad that the psyker was got in the end.

He also reminisces about picking up Gimlet here some years ago.

Gimlet is quite green in the face and tries to take some space but Tanner warns him not to turn his back on him, and orders everyone back to ship.

Last time Saef’s player wasn’t present, so we do some minor catch-up with him.

For one unlike Gorm and Gimlet, he warned the AdMechs of the coming Inquisitor, explaining why Vivek had time to get away before the Inquisitor came.

He searches for information on servitors from Kuru’s memories and finds out that Vivek was just about half-way to servitor’ing before Eden got to him.

Saef also stays behind to talk with Eden about repairing Theo.

Eden asks how well he knew Theo, and when Saef admits that he didn’t know well at all, Eden suggests he find someone who did.

Apparently restoring a person is easier when you have some kind of a clue what kind of a person they used to be.

But restoring is quite possible, provided Eden gets a chance (and his arms back).

Eden also tells Saef to ask Vivek about servitors and Theo again, if they meet, as Eden suspects he might have some more clue about Theo.

He also gives an override code for the servitor that returns him to a resting state, as he suspects it might be more comfortable for him.

The talk is also of Felis Catus, Eden’s cat. Eden gives instructions to pick her up from his new base where she should be.

Gorm’s call to Fenris is fleshed out.

He calls a Longfang named Hjalmar and asks for permission to claim a servitor for the Space Wolves as he has some information relating to Snorri’s case.

Hjalmar is cool with it, although he reminds Gorm that despite owning a servitor he should still clean his own armor.

Hjalmar will have to see who’s the highest ranking officer he can get to sign the permission slip.

Gorm also asks for more mead and some acolyte weapons because he is ”bored” (ie needs to get some training weapons for Layla secretly).

At some point Gimlet comes to visit Saef.

He wants to talk about what happened with Snorri and Gorm back on the planet.

He says what Saef did was very brave and he’s very proud of him. Saef says thanks.

After Gimlet Gorm comes to visit Saef.

He wants to talk about what happened with Snorri back on the planet.

He says he’s disappointed in Saef and warns him not to get in between Gorm and dangerous people again.

Gorm and Gimlet accompany Saef to go pick up Felis Catus although both of them don’t have great memories about the cat in question.

In the building they find somewhat nervous Skitarius Ranger, who turns out to be named Iiris and a Sicarian Ruststalker by the name of Demir who is trying to grab Felis Catus with not much results.

Saef asks him to step aside so he can show how it’s done. It takes a while, but with patience Felis Catus comes to investigate and lets Saef pick her up.

She even lets Gimlet pat her a bit.

Our heroes decide to chat with the two AdMechs while they’re there.

Demir turns out to be the one technically in charge, what with their commander, sergeant and corporal all gone.

He’s not very happy about it.

Saef asks for Demir’s number in case he needs to contact him about the cat, Gimlet also volunteers to get his number.

In the end everyone gets his and Iiris’ numbers.

Doing a bit of mental math makes our heroes realize Demir is most likely one of the people who, like the sergeant, carries the Life Eater Virus.

This realization causes some discomfort into the situation, prompting Gorm to ask if he’s contagious.

It takes a bit for Demir to realize what they’re talking about. He’s not contagious, for the record, and doesn’t like to talk about the situation.

With the cat in tow, our heroes head to Pavis 8M2, colloquially known as Orchard Mountain.

Upon Cayenne’s instruction our heroes teleport down to the village of Orange Grove.

The area is mountainous and has some snow, which prompts much joy from Gorm who immediately starts a snowball fight.

Gimlet tries to step in between Saef and the projectiles, but since that doesn’t seem to be working, he goes to take a look around.

Almost immediately Gimlet finds a man in black and ivory Space Marine armor, eating an apple and investigating some leaflets.

He introduces himself as Sergeant Revan Adil of Sable Swords and offers Gimlet an apple.

He asks what Gimlet’s business is on this planet, and he more or less says he’s a tourist.

Revan says it’s probably best not to linger on this planet, as there might be trouble on the horizon, though he’s not keen on elaborating for civilians.

Gimlet points out Gorm to him.

Upon noticing there’s another Space Marine present, Gorm immediately stops the playing around in snow and comes to greet Revan.

Turns out there’s some Sable Swords and some Triplex Phall AdMechs on the planet, and the worry is that the whole system might be in for some Tyranid-trouble if not taken care of.

Gorm asks for Revan’s number so they can keep each other updated on the situation.

While Revan is typing in his number to Gorm’s ancient phone, a squad of AdMechs arrive, led by a tech-priest who introduces himself as Z47r.

Revan leaves with him.

Gimlet gives his apple to Saef.

Our heroes have some time, so each do some clue hunting.

Gorm spots a boy of maybe five years planting something in a garden, and goes to ask him if he’s seen any Wolves.

No wolves, says the boy, named Navi Jr., but an AdMech came by to ask about Wolves and immediately fled upon seeing the other AdMechs.

He was a short guy who smelled strongly of cigarettes.

Navi Jr. asks if he should tell someone about the AdMech, but Gorm says it’s enough he told Gorm.

Gimlet spots a map of the area.

Apparently there’s a pilgrim’s path going up the mountain that they will also take, and it goes through the ruins of a village named Limestow, the name being crossed out on the map.

Gimlet finds an old couple to talk to, named Helga and George. He wants to ask about Limestow.

George doesn’t remember about Limestow but Helga reminds him that his sister Tina died when the place was burned, which devastates George.

Gimlet asks if anyone from Limestow is still alive, and Helga says her eyesight isn’t good enough to recognize Limestow folk, but apparently Pomegranate Blossom, a local rogue trader might know.

She lives in an estate near Limestow.

Saef finds himself a local ganger, also dressed in a leather jacket and camo-pants, and asks if she knows anything what’s up at Dew Mountain, the neighboring planet, and Saef’s home planet.

Revan telling our heroes that Dew Mountain might also be in some trouble kinda worries him, so some current news might be of use.

The news he gets don’t seem to be anything good though, the gangs on Dew Mountain have been disappearing one by one, ending up dead, as servitors or just plain missing, like someone is trying to systematically eradicate the gangs of the planet.

Why Dew Mountain specifically and why now, the ganger can’t say, but she warns Saef to stay out of the planet.

Saef wishes her well and to take care.

Our heroes meet up at town square and sorta share what they found out.

Gorm says he knows Vivek is on the planet, which probably means Uffe is too.

Gimlet merely says he wishes to stop by a ruined town on their way up towards Pomegranate Estate.

Saef says nothing.

And that’s all for today folks! Next time some pilgrim’s path traveling and maybe reaching Pomegranate Estate.

#nemo roleplays #wag rp #wag rp writeup #this also should be about threeish sessions #we'll see #anyway i got some cool things planned #and after that it's a complete blank as far as what heroes gon do next #ill worry about that once we get there #campaign tag: things go pear shaped

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