Video

[cognomen]

[The camera is situated properly, pointing at a bearded man in a padded, quilted tunic - the kind worn under heavy armor - and beyond him, into a regular ship's cabin, typical of the Mourning Star. The subject of the video is Thom Rainier, older now than he was in the days of the Inquisition both physically and spiritually. It shows not just in the creases about his eyes, but in his eyes themselves: he looks tired, but determined. At peace, even.

As for the rest of him, he's a bear of a man, barrel-chested and broad-shouldered: the very definition of "burly". An inmate would be hard-pressed to deal with him without some magical aid on their side. He has fought dragons and won, after all.]

Good afternoon. My name is Thom Rainier.

[He has a voice to match his build, deep and gravelly, but somehow gentle all the same. He's not a brute; in fact, the entire effect of him is an aura of kindness and protection.

As for the name, he doesn't stumble over it when he introduces himself. Not anymore. It's been too many years since the Inquisitor told him to atone as the man he was, and he shed the title he'd stolen.]

Captain Adams brought me aboard to be a warden. [His beard twitches with a smile. The irony isn't lost on him.] I thought the cause was a good one, and that it lined up well with my own, so I accepted.

I don't know yet which inmate I've got, but I did take on the job of ship's carpenter in the meantime. I'll be looking for help from anyone willing to give it.

My expectations are simple: we work together. We give this ship a crew to be proud of. If you're an inmate, don't cause trouble and we'll get on fine. If someone's causing trouble for you, you come see me. I'll put a stop to it.

[Always the defender, always the chivalrous hero.]

I think that's everything I needed to say. I'm not accustomed to these -

[As he speaks, he reaches out to touch the recording device, and suddenly the video cuts out. Not the audio, however.]

Maker's balls!

Comments

[gimmethemap]

[ A little laugh. ]

Glad to see you settled so quickly.

[cognomen]

It took me long enough to figure out how to turn this thing on, but I think I'll continue to settle in fine otherwise.

[And he still hasn't figured out how to turn the video back on.]

[gimmethemap]

The communicators take a bit of getting used to, I will agree. Soon, you'll be the veteran explaining its subtle nuances to newcomers, yourself.

[cognomen]

[With a low chuckle:]

I doubt I'll be able to explain those subtle nuances very well. Things seem much more complex here than they did at home - and that's saying something.

[gimmethemap]

Time and patience, sir. Trust me, the newer wrinkles were a little rough on me at first, too.

[cognomen]

The 'newer' wrinkles? I don't think I understand your meaning.

[gimmethemap]

I'm told many of the things you can find here are simply changes to technology in the years to come, and I have seen enough examples of that to know it is true.

[cognomen]

Fair enough.

This technology is like nothing I've ever seen before; if it's to come to Thedas, it's not coming any time soon.

[gimmethemap]

Looked like it, from what I could see.

[ Srsly you people didn't even have guns. ]

[cognomen]

I take it we're not so advanced even compared to your world?

[gimmethemap]

Maybe not so far ahead, but I didn't see any firearms the entire time I was there.

[fuckton]

'Maker's balls'? Are you fucking kidding me?

[cognomen]

I didn't mean to cause any offense. Slip of the tongue.

[fuckton]

I'm not offended. I'm just wondering where the fuck that came from.

[cognomen]

[With a laugh:]

A place of frustration, my lady. I've never used these devices before, and I'm old enough to admit my patience gets thin with new concepts.

[fuckton]

Oh my god. Tell me you are not seriously fucking calling me a lady. I'm sure as he'll not.

[cognomen]

What should I call you, then?

[fuckton]

Considering I didn't ask to come here, kidnapping victim works.

Or Deb.

[cognomen]

Ah. You must be one of the inmates.

[fuckton]

That's me. Dragged here to continue my shitty, fucked up life even in death.

[cognomen]

Perhaps you could view this not as a continuation of the life you knew, but as a new beginning. No one here knows you; not many people get a chance for a completely fresh start.

[fuckton]

[Have a very audible scoff.]

You mean other than everyone reading my file and knowing I'm an inmate? I was a fucking cop, buddy. I know what being a prisoner means. You can sugar coat it all you want, but this place? Still a fucking prison.

Just more batshit than most.

[cognomen]

Forgive me, but I'm not sure what a "cop" is.

[fuckton]

Does the word "police" mean anything to you?

audio;

[blacksheeps]

[Chappie's a little wary of showing his face...and the rest of him. It seems that, in addition to learning the ins and outs of consciousness, the robot has learned self-consciousness.]

Hello, Mr. Rainier, [he says, and his South African-accented voice sounds a little tinny...which could just be chalked up to a faulty communicator.] Captain Adams brought me to be a warden, too. M'name's Chappie.

audio;

[cognomen]

[Something about Chappie's voice sounds like the whir of dwarven or Tevinter mechanics to Thom. He can't figure out just what's causing it, and doesn't know enough about the tech here to attribute it to that.]

A pleasure to meet you, Chappie. You might as well call me 'Thom' or just 'Rainier'; I haven't earned any other title.

audio;

[blacksheeps]

Ja, it's nice to meet you too, Thom.

[This is good. He's used to people only having one name - Amerika, Ninja, Yolandi, Deon. Chappie. He knows that's not usual, but...it still feels better, to be on first-name terms.]

Captain Adams says we are all coming from different worlds. What is the world you came from like? Are there cars?

[BOY'S GOT HIS PRIORITIES STRAIGHT.]

audio;

[cognomen]

[He hesitates before answering, searching his memory for what a 'car' is.]

No, there aren't any of those. Or if there are, I've never seen one.

[And since he has no idea what they are, he can't tell Chappie the alternatives available. Instead, he tries to think of a way to describe his world, but without any context for what other worlds are like, he's at a loss.]

Myself, I have a home in the Hinterlands. It's a large place, full of mountains and rivers - mostly farming, though. The largest town is Redcliffe, and their only claim to fame is having more trouble than any other town in Thedas. Center of the mage rebellion, and before that, it was the Blight, and before that, an undead uprising -

[This is a little funny to him, in a morbid sort of way.]

audio;

[blacksheeps]

Whoa.

[He sounds impressed.]

I've never seen a river. Or a mountain. Only pictures on the internet. What are they like, Thom?

Re: audio;

[cognomen]

[Far from being flattered by Chappie's interest, Thom is perplexed. There are people who have never seen mountains?

Well, all right. Maybe there's somewhere in the world without mountains. But.]

You've never seen a river?

[A beat.]

And what is the internet?

audio; i couldn't resist

[blacksheeps]

No. I think I did when I was p'lice, but I don't remember that.

[The Internet is a communication tool used the world over where people can come together to bitch about movies and share pornography with one another.]

The internet tells you things you don't know! Everything 'umans 'ave ever learned is there!

[bastardofipswich]

Oh yeah? And how will you put a stop to it?

[cognomen]

It depends on the situation. I can't say I'll beat a man over the head with my shield if all he's doing is talking, but if it comes to that...

[He's mostly joking.]