riverview | 01 🐦 (video; un: hawke)

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01 🐦 (video; un: hawke)

[Hawke's been thrown her fair share of curveballs by life, but this? This is... different. Okay, that's putting it delicately: this shit's weird, as Varric would probably say. And as someone who's seen a LOT of weird shit, that's saying something. It's a lot to take in, but Relm, despite being rattled, doesn't let it show. Her usual snark hides the nervousness she's feeling at being in a new place and far away from the familiar.

At least there's a way to get back... though Maker knows how long it'll take. And honestly? She's not in much of a rush. If it weren't for Carver and her friends, scattered as they are, she probably wouldn't be inclined to go back at all. Not that she'll admit it.

With a little introduction and instructions, some money and a pat on the back to send her on her way, Relm finds herself wandering the city. Sure, she could go to her new place (ugh, communal living) but instead she winds up sitting in some grass in a quiet location, just trying to get her thoughts together. And it's then she remembers the little... phone, they called it? She could talk to a bunch of people at once with it. They even showed her how to use it.

A big mistake, as they'll all discover.

Well, if she's going to be here for Maker knows how long, might as well introduce herself and get a feel for the others here.]

Oh I do love it when life keeps reminding me that it's capable of surprising me. You'd think by now I'd have learned my lesson, but oh no. Foolish, foolish me.

[It's all said in a joking, almost laughing tone.]

Riverview. Quaint name. Not so quaint city. The ridiculously high buildings are going to take some getting used to. It's all so... clean. A laughable complaint, maybe, but well, I'm going to complain anyway.

The oh so lovely people at the gate gave me the basics, but there are a few horrendously pressing questions I do have for you lot:

One, where are the best places to drink? Two, what's the general view about mages and magic here? And three, where does one acquire... let's say art supplies? Paper or parchment, ink or charcoal, and the like? Maybe even paint if I feel so inclined.

[She almost goes to end it there, but, well, her mother didn't raise a complete barbarian.]

Oh, yes, introductions. My name is Hawke. Hopefully my reputation didn't precede me here.

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People in general really don't seem to have a problem with magic here. There's actually a school where different people from different worlds all work together, if you're interested!

As for drinking, well it sort of depends what kind of place you're looking for. There's some nice bars, but there's also strip clubs and things like that.

Anyway, welcome! I'm Alex.

Now there's a wild concept. [Despite the weirdness, she's liking this place more and more.] A school? What does it teach, exactly?

...I keep hearing about these clubs. A strip club, you say? Like stripping of clothes?

[If so, sign her the fuck up.]

Well met, Alex. How long have you been here?

Different styles of magic and things like that. It also does magical research based on people from different worlds.

Yep, people definitely take off the clothes for money there. [There's no judgment, just a simple statement of fact.]

I've been here seven months or so now.

...Fascinating. Clearly this requires an investigation.

[She's totally just checking it. Nope, no ulterior motive here at all.]

Is it common for people to be there that long?

[Alex just sounds amused for a minute:]

Which? The school or the strip club?

[But she's a little more somber for the next question.]

Unfortunately yes. There are a lot pf people who've been here even longer than I have.

Er... both? Yes, both.

[For entirely different reasons.]

Hmm. So they weren't kidding when they said it could take awhile to make the portal work and take someone home. Or have that many people just decided to stay?

[Alex just laughed at the both comment, it was a good rich laugh that was filled with loads of amusement. Alex could imagine that she had two separate but equally good reasons for doing both. Hell, Alex had done both when she'd first arrived after all, so she got it, and she was actually familiar with strip clubs from back home.

Then her voice becomes more serious. ]

Most of the people who I know here are waiting for the portal to get back home. I think the longest time I've heard was two years? But I could be mistaken. It was sort of one of those through the grapevine things rather than me actually talking to them.

[Sue her, Alex was nosy.]

[She does like making people laugh. It's so much nicer than talking about such serious things and frowning about it all. Still, it's a conversation she must have. And she's the one who started it, anyway.]

Fair enough. So, it's safe to assume I should get comfortable here?

I would. I mean, don't get me wrong there's a lot crazy things that happen here, especially around events that the locals do, but for the most part it's okay, people just trying to live their lives and be a community and take things one day at a time. There's definitely worse places to be stuck waiting for someone to fix a thing so you can go home if you chose.

Locale's certainly pretty enough, I'll give you that. What sort of events do the locals do?

[Alex just considered for a minute before she replied.]

Well, it's pretty varied actually. This month is a festival of friendship, but last month was definitely a time for mourning. It was a memorial for those who had been lost in the first war here, and the illness that gave the name to the town. But there's festivals for light and sex and intimacy. It's kind of both crazy and really amazing all at the same time.

Even if I don't really approve of being turned into a kid for a few days just because someone happened to share a flower with me.

[Those words happened to come with a smile, because she wasn't really all that bothered; it had been nice to have a break and just do stupid things like play tag.]

[Hawke listens, head canted slightly to the side as she considers it all. She supposes Thedas has a variety of holidays as well, but not quite so varied or about the same things. A festival of friendship? And one about sex? Damn, sign her up.]

How very interesting. Well, at least it sounds like there's hardly ever -

Er, wait. You were turned into a child? Because of a flower?

[...boy that's some interesting enchanting there.]

Yep! A lot of us were, actually depending on the color of the flower that we opened. Different ones had different effects, and that's always the way with things like the parties they throw. Sometimes it's better to pay attention and see what happens to other people before you do something yourself.

[Even if it wasn't advice that Alex tended to stick to by any means.]

But if you were going to say that this place hardly ever sounds boring? Yeah, it's definitely not. Not by any stretch of the imagination. There's always something going on either here or on the other side of the wall or both.

That's a complex enchantment there. And a powerful one at that. [It doesn't cross her mind that it could be anything else. Magic's the only thing she's ever known that could pull off such a feat.] But I'll take your warning to heart. [Unfortunately, Hawke hardly ever followed such advice either. whoops.]

Yes, and apparently I'll be venturing around outside it eventually. Somehow I wound up joining the Perimeter Guard. [She snorts.] Those people who greet you at the portal are sneaky ones. Half sure I got conned into it.

There's a lot of them, actually. This city kinda just runs on a combination of magic and advanced technology. You'd be surprised, but at least they always label the ones that are like... aphrodisiacs or something. Despite the whole kidnapping thing, they are actually fairly big on consent here, which is actually really refreshing.

If nothing else, you can't say they don't warn you. [Especially given that this seems to be a reoccurring thing. There are worse things that could happen than accidentally being turned into a child for a time.] Overall, it sounds rather fascinating. Can't say I'm very inclined on anything technological [Another funny word. She'll be learning a slew of them in the days to come, she's sure.] but I do know magic. Though... I suspect what they use here isn't quite the same as what I know back home.

Well, I mean, I expect that magic probably has some similarities across universes if nothing else. And I know that the school will definitely have some ideas there. My friend Dorian works there, studying magic as energy as a matter of fact! So I'm sure he has some ideas.

[Little does she know...]

But yeah, they definitely warn you, a lot of the time things are good and like make you get out your inner feelings or make you feel the light of happiness. But sometimes, they're a right pain in the ass.

[Dorian, she says?]

I'll definitely have to ask. When you say Dorian, you don't happen to mean Dorian Pavus, do you? Dark hair, impeccable mustache, air of refinement and Tevinter snobbery to him?

[Bless Dorian but he can absolutely be a snob.]

Suppose I'll see for myself in time, then. How very intriguing this all sounds. [And mildly worrisome. "Get out your inner feelings" isn't quite something she finds to be a good thing, but she'll, well, keep that to herself.]

[Okay, Alex is very amused, and she can't help but laughing easily.]

Yeah, that's him. I hope anyway! He's too delightful for there to be more than one of him.

[Alex likes him a lot, but she remembers when they went out drinking and the snobbery then.]

He's from the same world as me. And Maker, I don't think any one place can handle two of him. His "delight" will be the least of our concerns.

[Really, she has nothing against him. He stands for Tevinter's good qualities (and a handful of its bad). But he's also so easy to poke fun at.]

[Alex definitely gets the making fun of your friends thing, so she's not offended on his behalf. Instead she just laughs.]

Really? That sounds like a story.

Most of my knowledge of him comes from a mutual friend and the few interactions I had with him. I'm not the best person to ask, sadly. But if I'm here long enough, I imagine I'll gather enough of them in time.

Oh, I see. And yeah you will. Dorian is completely one of a kind, which I've probably already said, but I can't help it.

[There's a grin in her voice if nothing else.]

[Varric would be glad he had such friends. Hawke remembers him mentioning that Dorian had exiled himself, effectively, from Tevinter, and thus just about everyone he had known. She knows a thing or two about how that feels.]

Well, you've certainly given me a lot to mull over. I appreciate your help and advice, Alex.

Sure! You know where to find me if you've got any more questions!

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01 🐦 (video; un: hawke)

audio un:pnwsalex

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