Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 1:55:25 GMT -5
Maya's trip to Denerim from the Circle Tower had thus far been fairly uneventful--the road was pretty straightforward, she stopped at Redcliff to do a supply check, and all had remained well along the way.
Well, on the outside. As she made her way to the capitol, she couldn't help but think of how being sent on this errand was only an illusion of freedom, and once she met up with the Templars and went back to the Tower she'd be under Chantry thumb again. It galled, that mages weren't as free as some seemed to think, but aside from staying in the Tower her only other option was running away and turning apostate--and fear of the Templars kept her from doing that.
"If I weren't such a chicken..." She muttered, the halted in her tracks. What was that noise?
She glanced around, but the trees and high grass around her merely waved in the breeze. Before she could take another step, from to her left ran out three horrible faces right out of a nightmare: Darkspawn. With a cry, she fired off an arcane bolt before running to put some distance between herself and the monsters so she could throw some stronger firepower at them.
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Ailwen
- Ingenious Pilot -
Grey Warden%\1\%
Posts: 114
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Post by Ailwen on Mar 17, 2011 2:02:24 GMT -5
There had been reports of a rogue group of stragglers, making their way through the countryside. Ailwen had been trying to find them for days, to secure the area before heading off towards Highever, but had had only limited success. For the past few days she'd been arriving at the attack sites hours too late.
She could sense them now. Closer, and closer. In order to find them, they'd have to attack, which wasn't always something to hope for but...
Well, here was her opportunity. A lone traveler, apparently a mage, attracted their attention.
Adrenaline hummed in her ears and she drew her sword in an elegant, practiced movement. This... this was what she was good at. As was her personal preference, she threw herself right in the middle of the group, swinging and dodging with fearsome cries.
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Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 2:17:03 GMT -5
Maya was startled to see the warrior woman seemingly appear out of nowhere--and then was doubly startled when she recognized her: it was the Gray Warden that had saved the Circle Tower. Introductions and thanks would have to come later, as the redhead was surrounded by the darkspawn.
Seeing one of the nasty thugs moving to stab the Gray Warden in the back, Maya fired off a bolt of lightning, leaving the creature sizzling.
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Ailwen
- Ingenious Pilot -
Grey Warden%\1\%
Posts: 114
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Post by Ailwen on Mar 17, 2011 2:21:09 GMT -5
It was second nature--the rush of battle, the schwings and zaps and clangs--and it was over within seconds.
Ailwen turned to the other traveler. "Generally traveling alone is inadvisable." Lest she come off as rude, though, "Thanks for the cover. You're quick with that thing." She gestured to the staff.
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Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 2:29:45 GMT -5
Maya heaved a sigh of relief, though she was also a bit pleased at having fried a darkspawn.
"I managed to convince them I could do it myself."
She glanced down at the already decaying bodies.
"Which was a bad idea, it looks like.
Oh, uh, you're welcome. I've been training hard to be able to fight that way."
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Ailwen
- Ingenious Pilot -
Grey Warden%\1\%
Posts: 114
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Post by Ailwen on Mar 17, 2011 2:32:33 GMT -5
"Where are you headed?"
The girl had fried one, but faced with many, or bandits... an untested mage might not make it all the way to where she was going. The Blight was over, but the roads were never the safest of places.
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Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 2:34:36 GMT -5
"Denerim. It was a mission to talk to the Templars--" and here, she visibly flinched "--to see if they've found any new mages that need to be brought to the Circle."
Calmer now, she had time to feel a bit shy.
"Um...you're the Gray Warden that saved us at the Tower, aren't you?"
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Ailwen
- Ingenious Pilot -
Grey Warden%\1\%
Posts: 114
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Post by Ailwen on Mar 17, 2011 2:41:38 GMT -5
Poor thing. She wouldn't stand a chance against a bunch of templars--they weren't the most pleasant people to talk to, the muscle of the Chantry. It was possible she was biased, as she'd only ever heard of them from Alistair--no, don't think about him--and she was sure there were some good people among them, but... well.
If she hadn't had a people to free, it would have been the mages who would have benefited from her boon. The fact that they were beholden to the Chantry had never sat well with her, as a member of a race who had been beholden to humans for centuries, and she could understand why the blood mages escaped by any means possible.
Nonetheless, she thought she might remember the girl's face from then. "Ailwen," she confirmed.
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Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 2:46:56 GMT -5
She smiled.
"Yes! I mean, nice to meet you. I'm Maya. I...saw you, in the tower. Well, I was hiding, but we both know why." She said with a nervous laugh.
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Ailwen
- Ingenious Pilot -
Grey Warden%\1\%
Posts: 114
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Post by Ailwen on Mar 17, 2011 2:51:10 GMT -5
"Look, I don't think going to Denerim will help you much. If the Templars have anyone, they'll send them along. They want to have as many mages accounted for inside the tower as possible. The most you'll get from them is a few off-color jokes and that exact send-off."
She brushed some hair that had come unbraided away from her face. "I'm headed towards Highever; I could drop you back off on the way."
Besides, she was looking for recruits. If the way she'd conducted herself in battle was any indicator, the girl had potential.
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Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 2:57:09 GMT -5
"You're right about that. Sometimes it's all I can do not to say something to the self-righteous jerks."
She sighed.
"To be honest, I...asked for this just so I could have time away from all the prying eyes of the Chantry. I wish I didn't have to go back so soon...but it would be nice to at least travel with you on the return."
Back to the Templar bull and Priest making you feel like everything is your fault even if you haven't done anything wrong.
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Ailwen
- Ingenious Pilot -
Grey Warden%\1\%
Posts: 114
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Post by Ailwen on Mar 17, 2011 3:02:48 GMT -5
And the Chantry wondered why mages went rogue.
"It'll be nice to have a companion for a while," Ailwen conceded. She'd had a little too much time in her own company lately. "All of my former acquaintances are far away or otherwise engaged." Well, except for Finnbarr, her hound, who'd be back by sunset, off on a hunting trip (smart creature fed them both). Hopefully he'd bring back enough for three.
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Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 3:08:44 GMT -5
"Great! About the traveling, I mean. I wish I could go to Highever with you and just say bollocks to the Tower." She slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Uh...I mean..."
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Ailwen
- Ingenious Pilot -
Grey Warden%\1\%
Posts: 114
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Post by Ailwen on Mar 17, 2011 3:11:55 GMT -5
Ailwen's lips curled in what was almost a smile.
"We'll see. Get a little better with that staff and I might consider it." Ailwen tucked her sword into the sheath on her back, reminding herself to clean it later. "Any experience outside the tower, or is this the first time out since you were brought there?"
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Maya
- In the Duggins -
I am nothing if not a mage.%\1\%
Posts: 72
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Post by Maya on Mar 17, 2011 17:43:11 GMT -5
Maya grinned a bit back.
"Well, I've traveled to Redcliff before, but that's not really very far, is it? I came from one of the smaller towns but I don't really remember it all that well."
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