EP.0 The Jump Event Experience

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Thousands of years ago, the Dark Elves of Elrios migrated to the Demon Realm after being shunned by their own kind. They settled in the untamed forests of the western region, nurturing the plants and spirits there and adapting to survive alongside them. Calling themselves guardians of the forest, they named their new home Varnimyr, short for Varnitas Eldimyr—a phrase which translates to "false home" in ancient Elven.

The Labyrinth of Ruin

You awake into darkness, surrounded by impossible geometry and an unnerving thrum that fills the still air. Strange shapes move in the distance, drifting between labyrinthine paths that bend and twist into an endless, senseless maze. Gravity seems to be a mere suggestion, and you'll quickly find that any surface is fine for walking on—sideways, upside down, it doesn't matter as long as you're not trying to make sense of it. In a world of raw chaos, the only rule that matters is your willingness to press on.


You're not alone in this world. There are others here, wanderers from distant realms just as confused as you are, and a few individuals who seem to know something of this place... although, they haven't exactly proven themselves helpful.

Mysterious Masked Man

Hm? What's going on? ... I thought I explained everything already, but fine, let me try again. Ahem.

Welcome to Henir's Time and Space! In this place, all timelines and dimensions are connected together from the beginning to end of the world. You can call me Glave. We weren't expecting this many guests, so you'll have to pardon the mess. It'll be taken care of soon, I assure you.

How do you get back? Are you in that much of a hurry...? Time doesn't apply here, so you should try to relax for now. It only feels like it's been five months because you keep thinking about it, you know.

The masked man's words are hardly reassuring, but perhaps it wouldn't hurt to humour a distraction or two, if you haven't already.

Breaking Point

At first, everything seems to just be falling in to Henir's Space... but overcrowding won't become an issue. As more and more outside entities pour into the realm, the strain on reality becomes too great. Cubes bow and bend, walkways collapse, and finally—

A crack.


Gravity shifts. Like a drain at the bottom of a tub, everything is sucked down into the hole. Cubes and structures unravel on the way down, leaving nothing for hapless adventurers to grab onto, and even the polygonal entities start to crumble away as the light below grows closer, closer... a blinding light that fades into soft moonlight, the sound of wind rustling through trees, an eerie pressure that settles in your chest.

As you fall away from the rift, below you is a vast sea of blue trees with a crimson-red tower and rocky wastelands visible in the distance. Above you, a dark sky with four battered moons.


It's quite a long way down. Luckily, the canopy of trees is more than thick enough to safely slow a fall, though it may not be the most comfortable landing.

Varnitas Eldimyr, the Guardian's Forest

Beneath the thick canopy is a deep, dark forest, lit by glowing mushrooms and alive with vibrant plantlife. The trees here are massive, with branches and leaves large enough to safely stand on, though you'd best grab onto something quickly if you don't want to fall to your death. If you do slip past the vines and foliage, try to land on one of the white-topped mushrooms—the blue energy wafting off is like landing on a trampoline, if trampolines were made of demonic energy.

You can hear the hum of insects, bird calls, a wolf-like howl, and... the stomping footsteps of something huge, casting shadows through the fog. Wherever this is, it's hardly more hospitable than the impossible labyrinth of Henir's Space.


That stifling pressure permeates the air, and those with supernatural powers will find that their abilities have been suppressed. Try as you might, your powers won't help you here—you'll have to rely on your body and wits to survive in this world.

Past the trees you can spy the lumbering beasts that shake the forest, though the smaller plants might prove the more dangerous obstacle. Practically everything is some amount of poisonous. Through the haze the tree trunks almost look like they're slithering. At least the water is normal.

Flora and Fauna

Vine Plant	A demonic flower with dark purple petals surrounded by pale vines. If approached, it will lash out with its vines or release clouds of toxic fumes around itself. Breathing in these fumes will inflict intense physical symptoms, ranging from nausea and rashes up to suffocation and internal bleeding if too much is inhaled. Symptoms will linger, but fade after about an hour if you don't succumb to the poison or remain within the cloud.
Venom Plant	A demonic flower with dark blue leaves and a mace-like pistil covered in spikes. If approached, it will release a cloud of toxic fumes around itself. Breathing in these fumes will induce weakness and drowsiness, and remaining in the cloud for too long will cause vivid hallucinations up until loss of consciousness. Victims of this plant will remain comatose until they can be pulled away from the plant, or something else decides to make a meal out of them.
Pollen Plant	A demonic flower with pale white leaves and many blue filaments. If approached, it will release a cloud of toxic fumes around itself... wait, no, this one actually just releases a glowing pollen that heals minor cuts and injuries on contact. It's only toxic if you try to eat it. Unfortunately, they're almost always surrounded by the other types of plants, so maybe you should still approach with caution.
Spirit Vine	A luminescent vine that hides along the forest floor and springs up if you step on it. Its thorns are filled with a paralyzing poison that can briefly stun anything that's tangled in its grasp. More annoying than deadly on their own, but can quickly turn any situation south if you’re not paying attention.
Forginay	A large, vibrantly coloured flower that exudes a sweet scent. When approached, the flower will bloom... and then start attacking its prey with whip-like vines, constricting roots, and clouds of poison. Forginay always blooms in pairs, and the other poisonous plants of the forest will sprout and bloom in the mother plants' presence. If only one Forginay is destroyed it will draw strength from the remaining bloom to restore itself and grow even larger; both flowers must be destroyed simultaneously to prevent regrowth. Luckily, they are quite rare.

Dark Nephilim	Enormous, house-sized beasts that patrol the forest floor. They will attack anything unfamiliar on sight, ignoring the native creatures; luckily, each Nephilim only has one eye, which is located inside its mouth for some reason. They can use dark magic to fire eye lasers or summon spears of dark energy. Incredibly dangerous and difficult to kill. Evasive action is strongly recommended.
Mata	A wolf-like creature with glowing blue fur and a spiny tail. Fast, aggressive, and hunts in packs. Attacks by biting and swinging its tail.
Hati	A lion-like creature with a bright pink mane and stupidly long tail. It's howl creates a faint energy field that disrupts electronics and disorients those who pass through. Attacks by biting and pouncing.
Fae Panther	A large panther-like creature with black fur and curved horns. The smaller beasts of the forest will scatter if it claims their prey as its own. Dangerously persistent and difficult to kill. Claws and bites.

Looking for something to eat? Not everything here is poisonous, but it's a bit of a gamble if you don't know what you can trust. To simulate this experience, you can play a round of foraging roulette.

Roll	Result
1	Vine, Venom or Pollen Plant. Inedible, inflicts mild to severe poisoning symptoms.
2	Flame Grass. Even if you douse it with water it will constantly burst back into flames. Surprisingly, it is edible even if it’s guaranteed to burn your mouth. Brews into an excellent tea that’s always warm.
3	Demon Fern. Wriggles endlessly even after being cut, cooked and eaten. No side-effects, aside from causing upset stomachs.
4	Demon Lemon. Yes, the eyeball moves. If you squeeze it too hard it cries salty juice. Despite all of these disturbing details, it tastes just like a normal lemon with a bit of salt in it.
5	Superhuman Apple. Tastes like a normal apple. Eating this will instantly restore your supernatural abilities to about half strength... for 10 seconds. If you want them for longer than that, you better start hoarding apples. Some of them are laced with aphrodisiacs instead. You horny fuckers behave yourselves.
6	Stone Apple. Hard as a rock. Also tastes like a rock. Eating this will turn off all pain receptors for a few minutes. It doesn't make you immune to injury or heal wounds, so be careful.
7	Yggdrasil Leaf. Tastes like a leaf. Bitter. When eaten, it instantly dispels all poisons and other plant-inflicted effects from the body, though you’d only know this if you made a bunch of poor food choices first.
8	Henir-Tainted Plant. Whatever plant it was before, it's now covered in the angular blue markings common in Henir's Space. Tastes like time, chaos, and whatever white jellybeans are supposed to be. Temporarily lose a random sense. If you eat it more than five times you will perceive the nature of the universe and life itself, but lose that comprehension as soon as the effects wear off. Horrible aftertaste.
9	Winter Wild Berry. Extremely cold and crunchy. If you lick it, it'll freeze to your tongue. Instantly turns any drink into a slushie.
10	Ancient Herb. The red berries are filled with a sweet honey. Delicious.

Friendly Faces

Not far from where you arrived, you can make out a human-sized shadow standing in a clearing. As you approach the figure through the mist...

Shadowy Figure

Welcome! My name is Helen. I'm selling necessities for travellers.

I'm running a bit low on supplies, so you'll have to excuse the lack of stock for now... if you could help me gather supplies, I'd be happy to help you in any way I can.

Are you interested in fishing? I hear that fish in the Demon Realm can get quite ferocious. I have a few spare rods left if you'd like to try it. You can repay me by bringing something back.

	A hell of a catch!
	Go fishing... in the Demon Realm! Varnimyr isn't known for it's fish and only has shallow streams and rivers, so anything you manage to catch will be quite small. Still, it's edible, right? Try to avoid the colourful, obviously toxic fish. REWARD: Free fishing rod and as many fish as you can catch. If you bring any fish back to Helen, she'll trade them for edible plants harvested from the area.

	Remember to stop and smell the flowers
	Replenish Helen's supplies by bringing her edible plants. She'll also take the poisonous ones, though she won't say what she'll use them for... see the foraging roulette above for details on local plantlife. REWARD: An equivalent serving of fish, healing potions, or any other goods she has on her. If you're not sure, ask!

	Camping Essentials
	So... does anyone here know how to start a fire? Make a shelter? Filter water so you don't get sick from drinking it later? This is kind of important, actually. Might wanna get on that. REWARD: Make this camping trip way more bearable for everyone.

	Rescue Numerous Goods
	People aren't the only things that've been pulled into this place from other worlds. Maybe if you look closely, you'll spot something familiar in the bushes? REWARD: One free gacha roll.

To claim this event reward, please see this thread for details.

There are others gathered here, though the masked man from before is nowhere in sight. Someone else catches your eye, a blue tail swaying behind him and sharp horns jutting from his head.

Blue-Robed Humanoid

Judging by your expression, you seem just as lost as I am. Ah – you can lower your weapon. I mean you no harm.

My name is Denif. I’ve been working on a way to get out of here, though I haven’t had any luck yet. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about interdimensional travel, would you?

…a team-up? I suppose joining you would be wise. Very well – lead the way.

	Exiting Varnimyr
	Apparently, you need to get back into Henir's Time And Space before you can go home. Try to find another rift so you can escape this spooky forest. REWARD: Regain access to Henir's Time And Space, unlock access to Elrianode, and Denif will deem you a little more reliable. Also, the game can actually open.

To contribute to this epic quest, please reply to this thread.

Not-So-Friendly Faces

The woods seem endless from within, and the nephilims pacing amongst the trees create an uncomfortable perimeter. Rather than trying to escape, moving deeper into the forest is also an option. Sharp-eyed adventurers may be quick to spot the worn pathways lined by glowing mushrooms and shallow streams, though spirit vines also grow in great abundance along these routes. As the roads become more defined, so too do the orange lights flickering in the distant trees.


... Alas, this is where your progress must be cut short. An arrow whistles through the air, landing in the ground at your feet. Someone shouts down at you in an unfamiliar tongue. Should you ignore the warning, the second shot whizzes past your neck—you'd be wise not to tempt a third.

The archers are stationed high up in the trees, but you can make out the shape of a blue hood, dark skin covered by white cloth. Most of them are women, though the men's clothes are about as revealing. They're not hostile, per se, and they won't attack unprovoked, but it seems that entering this area is an act of provocation to them. Any attempts to intrude further will be met with harsh resistance.

Vigilant Sentinel

(Try as you might, they don't seem to understand what you're saying. Maybe there's something you can do to convince them you mean no harm? Sneaking doesn't seem to be an option, considering their home advantage.

Or, failing that, you could try fighting your way through... but it's going to take a solid plan if you want it to work.)

	Outwit, Outplay or Outlast
	Find a way into the Dark Elves' Outpost. It'd be nice if you could do it on friendly terms... but sometimes you have to butt heads if you want something done. REWARD: Access to the Outpost, which may provide additional help, clues or resources.

To contribute to this epic quest, please reply to this thread.

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Inquisitor Shepard Trevelyan | Dragon Age Inquisition | OTA

[rifthanded]

I. A Vision of All Worlds

[There's a ringing in his ears and a dizziness in head, and Shepard is pretty sure that the last time he had his eyes open he hadn't been surrounded by cubes. It certainly wouldn't be the first time he's found himself in another plane of existence upon waking, but it was getting to the point where he really wished it would stop happening so often.

Such involuntary escapism was liable to become habit forming, and he'd much rather face down a problem he could solve head on.

After getting his bearings and making certain he wasn't in immediate peril, he turned his attention inward, taking stock of the state of himself. Injuries? Nope. Weaponry? He could feel the weight of a staff at his back, and a glance downward told him that the physical hilt of his arcane blade was still dangling exactly where it should be. All limbs where they should be?

Well... No. But that had been the case before he'd arrived anyway, so that wasn't exactly a shock. The fingers of his right hand stretched out to pull his left sleeve up, idly pulling at the straps and buckles to remove the wooden prosthetic from where his left forearm had once been. Simply designed and made for appearances above anything else, the sturdy fingers of the carved hand were not in fact capable of articulation, which did not work in his favor given the circumstances.

Plus, it was clunky. And heavy. And more than a little uncomfortable.

With a careful knot, he hung it onto his belt by the straps, fingers moving next to deftly untie the second prosthetic that dangled next to where he had placed the first. This one was sleeker, less bulky, and more lightweight. The shape of a hand and fingers was foregone for a more geometric, hook-like apparatus; in contrast with the other, this one could actually offer some assistance when it came to battle. The design wasn't perfect, given that it was just a prototype he'd been gifted by Varric, but the hook was large enough to snugly encircle the width of his staff, and it rotated in its socket to allow him to spin the weapon about with more ease than doing it one handed would afford him.

He was practiced in the art of... Arming himself, so to speak, but the buckles and fastenings were being particularly stubborn today. His teeth and the fingers of his right hand couldn't quite seem to get at the right angle to tighten them properly, and as the fiddling about continued he cursed under his breath.]

If I get out of here alive, I'm commissioning better fastenings. Sweet Maker, in what world is this practical...

II. In My Arms Lies Eternity

[Eventually he manages to get it right, and wandering about convinces him more and more that he's somehow stumbled his way into the Fade. The physics and gravity match with what he's familiar with about the world beyond the Veil, and the other denizens could easily be Spirits taking the form of dreamers' memories. Granted, he doesn't... feel like he himself is dreaming, but when he spins about to search for the sight of the Black City looming up in the sky somewhere, he finds nothing. It should be visible no matter where he is, dreaming or not, so that in itself is rather concerning.

Shockingly, being saddled with a side quest is perhaps the most reassuring part of this whole ordeal. Speaking on relatively friendly terms with someone in an unfamiliar place is always a good thing, even if said someone is saying some concerning things about the state of being.

Time magic. Why did it always seem to be time magic when shit got crazy?

Regardless, a series of comfortingly linear events are what lead him to the aftermath of a battle with the Polygon Posse, twirling his staff with the hook appendage as he stoops over to pick up their cores so that he can take them back to the masked individual.]

Easy enough. Could be worse; could be druffalo. Again.

III. In The Solitude of the Night

[Falling into something akin to a Rift is - unfortunately - also something he's rather familiar with. Crashing into what feels like every tree branch in existence on the way down, however, is... Well. It's new, to say the least.

A particularly painful slam into his ribs forces the wind out of him in a barely suppressed cry of discomfort, and he scrabbles to find purchase against the bark beneath him. The clawed tips of iron gloves scrape in and come away with no progress, but the hooked prosthetic catches on a protruding knob.

Which leads to two outcomes simultaneously. On the bright side, he's no longer falling, which is good! Unfortunately, that means he is now dangling by a wooden prosthesis over Maker knows what, and of course the straps decide to pick then to be suddenly be the sturdiest bindings in the world. The wood isn't meant to hold his full weight like this, and he's acutely aware of that fact as he flails his hand down towards his hip to retrieve the small dagger hidden there.

It's not enough to hold him either as he stabs it into the bark to distribute some of his weight more evenly, but it buys him enough time to think on his feet.]

Hookay. Alright. Now what? [An experimental swing with his legs to attempt to shift his body momentum enough to pull himself upwards proves dangerous, and he curses as he leans his forehead against his bicep, eyes closed tight.] Not that, definitely not that-- I don't suppose there are any friendly faces around this neck of the branch, are there? Hello?

IV. Waters of the Fade

[Some time, later it's clear he managed to get down. How? Don't worry about it. What is also rather clear is that he appears to be pouting on the bank of a river, fishing rod in hand.

What he's doing, however, can hardly be called fishing; in all honesty, he doesn't really know how, as he's never had to before given most of his youth was spent in the Circle at Ostwick. It can't be all that hard though, right? You just... Put the hook in the water and pull it out when something bites. Bait? Never heard of her. Casting the line? No, you just reach the rod out as far as you can and dip the fishing line down into the water. As Andraste intended.]

V. From the East a Great Cry

Here, boy! Come here! Look, I have a tasty treat, just for you!

[It definitely isn't a good idea to be walking through a forest while calling out just loudly enough to catch the attention of any wandering, hungry beast. Normally, Shepard would be a bit more cautious than this, but he seems to be a man on a mission. There's a small fish clamped securely in his fingers, one that wriggles about and is clearly still alive even as he waves it through the air. Passersby will notice that he seems to be attempting to catch the attention of a strange, spiky creature, one that seems rather hellbent on purposefully ignoring him. It scampers off if he gets too close, snorting and hissing with indignation.

Shepard drops his arms to his side. The fish wriggles in his grip.]

Listen, I know you're mad at me, but you're being a bit of an ass. Can we just talk this through?

VI. Wildcard!

You know the drill. If you want to hit me with a different prompt, or want to plot with me, feel free to hit me up at NeoSin! <3

V. bc you had to know i was going to pick the most comedic possible option

[connixation]

["Here boy"??? "Tasty treat"??? He just arrived and someone is already dehumanizing him, huh? Is it the horns? The tail? He's as sentient as anything else in this Elria-forsaken land, thank you very much!

Denif whips around with intent to give a big "fuck you"-type rant to whoever the hell is "here boy"-ing him, opens his mouth with a rather cross look, and then registers the fact that this person — while standing nearby — is not talking to him. Anger immediately alleviated.

The actual creature in question appears draconic to him, and if it isn't listening to this poor man, Denif thinks he might be able to sway it. Maybe. And so he strides forward, moving next to Shepard although not within arm's reach, and begins chittering at the creature in Dragonspeak.

He's assuming that this is the tall man's companion, anyhow.]

[rifthanded]

[A moderate jolt of surprise is the reaction Denif's arrival receives, and it's enough for Shepard to come to the conclusion that he really should be paying more attention to his surroundings. The blue of the guy's hair is... Quite frankly, the most vibrant shade he's ever seen someone have in a hair color, and somehow it manages to distract him more than the horns. Or the rest of him, even.

He doesn't think he's ever seen such a small Qunari, but... Well, what else could the guy be? And admittedly, there's still a lot of the world he hasn't explored yet, so after a moment of surprised confusion he simply decides to take things in stride.

It's worked for him so far, right?]

Ah-- Careful! He's a bit... Temperamental. And he bites. Often.

[The dracolisk has not in fact closed the distance for a bite just yet, but the feigned indifference from earlier has melted off into an almost curious demeanor as he stares at Denif and his chittering. If dragonkind in Thedas speak such languages, it's certainly not this one. Or at the very least, this specimen in particular does not seem to understand the dialect, nostrils flaring after a long pause and tossing his head back. Claws dig into the ground, the tail goes lashing back and forth, and slit pupils dilate into round voids.

It's at about that moment that Shepard takes a quick step forward to put himself a bit more in between the two, and the pupils shrink back to normal with another huff.

The fish has died.]

You cannot try to pounce on every new person you meet, it's bad manners.

[connixation]

[Wait until Shep notices the tail, vibrant blue and white accented with black — if tailed Qunari exist, that'll be a shock.

Denif is intimately familiar with people who are temperamental and bite often, and hardly finds himself caught off-guard when the dracolisk appears to want to charge him. What's almost more shocking is that Shepard throws himself between the two, effectively entirely blocking Denif's vision.

He peers his head out from behind Shepard's upper arm.]

A friend of yours? [He says, this time not in the tongue of dragons.]

[rifthanded]

[Anything is possible. Maybe he's a Qunari reaver who somehow mutated a tail after drinking dragon blood. Who knows.]

More or less. Not that he seems to want to act like it. [With a sigh of his own he tosses the fish towards the dracolisk, who snaps it out of the air and swallows it whole before pivoting to turn away. Back to the silent treatment. Fine, be that way.]

We got separated when arriving, I think. Which is obviously my fault, apparently.

[He wipes the fish juice off of his gauntlet and onto his duster, watching for a moment as the dracolisk noses about in the dirt. At least he's not trotting away anymore, so that's probably a good sign. Huffing out a sigh, he shakes his head and turns to address Denif properly, offering the guy a sheepish smile.]

Apologies if the squabbling disturbed you. It's been... A day.

[connixation]

Young dragons can be quite fickle.

[Yes, Denif is assuming this thing is a baby, given the lack of emotional maturity (although by that logic, Perkisas would be a baby, so maybe not) and the general perceived lack of linguistic communication skills. He does not assume this is a pet, either. A partner and friend, perhaps.]

Not at all, and I echo the sentiment. One thing after another, it seems.

[There's something tired in his eyes. Still, he holds a clawed hand out for Shepard to shake, if he wants.]

Denif. And you?

iv

[shadowedking]

( vic stares for a moment, quietly sipping his coffee- yes, he still has his goddamn iced coffee somehow, even in the middle of this forest in the demon realm- before he deliberately steps on a branch to make his presence known. )

Any bites?