thearena | they cut into heaven and called it a door

viridianwings if you'd like me to post another starter for your character.

Lilah knows she ought to have gotten used to the bizarre by now. Ever since she stepped out of the Fade, she's been thrust into one scenario after another - religious symbol, political maneuverer, fighter of darkspawn and red templars and rebel mages alike, druffalo wrangler, fade walker, and patcher up of the holes in the sky. In all of those roles, though, she'd been the one calling the shots. It was completely different to being thrust in here, unarmed and wearing a skimpy knight getup that would make Cassandra furious at its very existence, wandering alone through deserted buildings and desolate forests knowing that there was no plan here, no advisors she could turn to and claim their advice as her own idea, no companions to provide the muscle and the magic both, just herself, the ever glowing mark on her hand, and the foes that waited in the shadows.

She decides the castle's probably the best place to head for. It would be well fortified, and there must be some way that a Carta trained dwarf could sneak inside. But it's a long walk, and she's tired and hungry and defenseless, and as dark begins to fall, glow of the anchor on her palm is a beacon telling anyone nearby exactly where she is...

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Bayard almost interjects an explanation for his own height ("I'm twelve years old!"), but he realizes before it reaches his mouth that it's not really in question to them. The thought evaporates on his tongue.

"I certainly wouldn't mean a lady any harm in here. In fact, I can't think of many people here in the Arena who I would act any harm on unless they started quarreling." Bayard chews the corner of his tongue, watching over his shoulder for anyone to emerge from the dark of the woods. The light from Lilah's palm has drawn floating spots in his vision that make vigilance difficult.

"I don't reckon she owes us much of an explanation, Mister Gamgee. Far as I can see we were the ones pulling up on her. Ain't that right, Miss...?" He realizes now that she knows their names and yet he hasn't a clue as to hers.

"A hobbit?" She repeats, tasting the word. "Never heard of them. I don't think there are any of you in Thedas." Which makes her both curious and a little wary, especially knowing that they've all been thrown in here to kill each other. Who knew what hobbits might be capable of? She looks at Sam suspiciously, waiting for him to shoot fire at her with his eyes or something. She feels a twinge of disappointment too, having been excited and relieved to think she wasn't the only dwarf here.

She gives Bayard a wide smile. "There you have it, the boy is quite right. I haven't been accosting him at all, I was just on my merry way through these woods when he approached me. So you can relax, Mr Hobbit, I mean him no harm, you have my word as Inquisitor. ...That is, of course, unless either of you intend to harm me."

It hadn't occurred to her at all to introduce herself until Bayard trails off in search of a name. "Lilah Cadash, at your service. Formerly of Skyhold, now of..." she trails off herself, glancing around at the trees "...of this rather ominous forest."

Sam eyes her a second longer, suspicion on every feature. He lets the silence hang a long second; and then he lets out a decisive breath through his nose.

"...Gamgee," he says. "My name's Samwise Gamgee, of the Shire, and more lately, I suppose, of District Twelve. And I mean you no harm." She don't appear much threatened, though, so perhaps it doesn't need to be explained further than that.

What an Inquisitor is, he's sure he doesn't know, nor where Skyhold might be, but that's simply how it is, introducing oneself here - oftentimes it doesn't actually tell you all that much about the folk you're having introduced. But he's glad for the formality, which makes this place feel a bit more civilized, on the whole.

"Now," he goes on, "Finding two people at once who don't have it in for you - I call that good fortune, in this place." He looks between Bayard and Lilah (and, with some uncertainty, at Lilah's glowing hand.) "...Though I do fear we've made ourselves rather easier to spot, standing out here like this."

"We mean no harm," Bayard agrees. "But maybe we ought to take shelter. We don't know what sort of beasts the Gamemakers have set up for us."

Bayard doesn't necessarily sound afraid of them, but rather enthused by the idea of fighting monsters. He didn't have a chance last time and while the Cornucopia has impressed on him that people fighting each other is terrifying, the realm of combat with creatures is still something that can be played out within imagination.

"I reckon there got to be somewhere a dwarf, a hobbit and a boy can hole up."

She perks up a little at hearing something that, finally, sounds vaguely familiar to her. "District Twelve, eh? Well I'm not sure exactly what that is, but before they threw me in here they said that's who I was here on behalf of, too." Even if it wasn't the truth, she'd have said so anyway. The last thing she wants is to make enemies right now, and isn't sure how seriously the others take the District divisions.

"In that case I'll follow your lead, gentlemen. I feel you know far more about this place than I."

they cut into heaven and called it a door

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