That Infernal Inquisitor (BG3/DA:I Crossover)

[JonathanAnubian]

Summary;
When the sky split open and the Conclave fell it shook the world of Thedas to the core. The echoes of magic tearing through time and space were enough to send ripples into other Planes. Tav, one of many people taken and infected by the Illithid parasites, is one of those ripples. Pulled from Faerûn and away from the group, how will Tav cope in a world without proper Gods? Where magic is corrupted and the world is at war.

1. This fic takes place in Thedas and follows the Inquisition storyline.
2. This fic ignores some of the rules of DnD for the sake of Plot. Having only 2-3 spells a day in a world where mana is replenishable is a bit too restricting.
3. This fic has Multiple iterations of Tav, each with their own personality/class/relationships. (I'll post a Dramatis Personae for each of the characters as they appear.)
4. I'm creating my own version of Infernal, because I can't find any reliable dictionaries for it.
5. This fic is made of Shenanigans, but also takes itself seriously.
6. Slow to update because Author is getting married in two months, and research takes a lot of time and effort.

Relationships;
Blossom Tavani/Gale Dekarios
Tavrauna Argenti/Cullen Rutherford
Pierce Al'tav/Karlach Cliffgate
Scindo Tav'agreave/Halsin & Iron Bull
Minerva Tavalar/Astarion
Hiera Tavmariel/Shadowheart
Tavianna Windsong/Solas
Eleos Tavine/Dorian Pavus
Tavis Ruelle/Blackwall

 

[JonathanAnubian]

It was the pain that initially woke her. Purple and black eyes snapping open she swayed as the world wavered in front of her. Shaking her head to clear it she peered into the dark and for one brief moment she feared she was back on the Nautiloid. But as the room quickly came into focus she heaved a sigh of relief.

It was just a dungeon. Dungeons weren't something to be feared, seeing as she had been in many since she'd been snatched from her home and implanted with a parasite.

Now that she was thinking of it, a dull throbbing pain reminded her that her time was limited. But when she reached up to try and assuage the headache she found her wrists both shackled and held in a pillory, making it impossible to move one without the other.

"Could be worse, my neck could be in the pillory as well…" She surmised aloud, until realizing she wasn't alone.

Standing in the corners of the dungeon were four halberd wielding guards. None of their helmets were turned in her direction but she had the feeling that any movement she made was being closely monitored.

"Hello, I'm sorry to bother you when you're fulfilling your duties, but I would like to know what crime I have been accused of." Lifting her arms again she held them out slightly for emphasis. "This is a little overmuch."

She observed them carefully but couldn't tell if any of them had listened, let alone acknowledged her. Not that it mattered in the next moment as a sickly green light and shock of pain wracked her arm.

"Tzakruk!" She hissed the curse through her teeth, her tail flicking in agitation behind her.

Before she had a moment to contemplate what had just harmed her, and how it reminded her of Shadowheart, the door to the dungeon opened and two women entered briskly.

The first wore heavy armor, a longsword at her side and a shield strapped to her back. Her hair was short save for a long braid pinned to her head like a crown. There was a scar marring her left cheek and her eyes were like burning coals, not in color but intent. Her mouth was drawn into a firm line of anger and disgust and her strong body was taut like a bowstring.

The second woman was a redhead in what she could only describe as quintessential Cleric garb. She supposed that others might see the Cleric's gentle round face and consider her a non-threat, but she was no fool. While her body language wasn't as easy to discern as the first woman her eyes were twice as cold and far more calculating. It was clear out of the two who would be more likely to kill her in cold blood.

While she was observing the Cleric the Warrior drew closer. "Everyone who attended the Conclave is dead."

Frowning she glanced between the two of them in confusion. "Conclave? What Conclave?" She hadn't heard about any particularly secretive or large meetings taking place. They had been on the way to Baldur's Gate when they stumbled on a goblin camp in a cave and… why couldn't she remember what happened after that?

"All those people, dead, and you're just going to play ignorant?" The warrior growled, grabbing her by the shoulder from behind. "You're lying!"

"No!" The hand tightened on her shoulder and she winced. She was no heavily armed warrior, after all. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about! The last I remember-" before she could speak further the green light flashed and pain shot through her once more. "Ngh!"

The warrior scowled and grabbed her wrist. "Explain this!"

Shaking off the pain she swallowed down the aftershock, staring at her hand in horror. "I can't! It's no magic I've ever seen before! Whatever it is feels foreign and… ancient." Her nose scrunched up in disgust. "Whatever it is, I want it out of my body!" The idea that someone had cast more unknown magic on her, violated her body once more, made her grit her teeth in anger.

"You-!"

"Cassandra!" The Cleric said firmly. "We're all hurting from the loss of Divine Justinia, but we must remain calm about this." Icy blue eyes fell on her and the dark look of suspicion made her skin crawl. "Forgive her, emotions are running high after what happened to the Conclave."

Swallowing down her nervousness she looked the Cleric in the eyes. "I still don't know anything about this Conclave. Although, I can assume from what your warrior… colleague said that it was a tragedy. If you lost someone, then I cannot even fathom how you feel right now." Glancing down at her hand she winced at the faint memory of pain. "But blaming me won't bring back those you lost."

A low hiss of anger made her ears twitch as the Warrior took a heavy step in her direction. "Cassandra." The Cleric chided once more.

"Since you seem to recognize the magic on your hand is it right for me to assume you are a mage?" The Cleric asked her, head tilted slightly as if to feign curiosity.

"A… mage? That's quite the vague term, don't you think? I am a Wizard, one who has studied magic from ancient tomes and learned to tap into the Weave." Though she was a Tiefling and had an Infernal ancestor, she was no Warlock with a patron or a Sorcerer with a magical heritage to draw from. "But I don't see the relevance of the question when I am held in irons and accused of some kind of crime."

The two women looked at each other for a moment before the Warrior stepped closer. "Leliana, hurry to the forward camp. I will bring the prisoner with me."

The Cleric scowled, rounding on her companion, but the Warrior placed a firm hand on her shoulder and shook her head. "There is no time. You must go."

With a heavy sigh the Cleric relaxed, taking a step towards the door. She threw one last cold look over her shoulder before departing. Leaving her alone with the Warrior named Cassandra and the two guards.

"I think we got off to the wrong start." She said as she knelt on the ground and unlocked the pillory. "I am Cassandra Pentaghast." She looked up after unlocking the the first iron cuff. "Right Hand of the Divine and Seeker of the Chantry."

Pulling her arms away from the woman she rubbed her wrists and rotated them to make sure she wasn't injured. "Blossom Tavani, a Wizard from Baldur's Gate that specializes in Evocation and Abjuration spells. With a Transmutation and Conjuration spell here or there." Rising to her feet she cracked her neck before looking around once more. "You wouldn't happen to have found my bag, would you?"

Cassandra's expression hardened. "You won't be needing it. You asked about the Conclave and about what you have been accused. It would be best to show you." Turning she walked toward the door and pushed it open, allowing light to spill inside.

Blossom winced slightly, her eyes were great for seeing in the dark but the light outside was quite bright. Following the warrior outside she had to shield her eyes for a moment before they finally adjusted.

What she saw filled her stomach with a sickly feeling of dread. High up in the sky was a giant glowing vortex made of the same green light from her hand. Even from a distance she could sense it's otherworldly nature as a chill ran down her spine.

Only Cassandra's hand on her arm kept her from stumbling as she was led down stone steps and into a snowy landscape. "We call it the Breach. It's a massive rift into the world of Demons that grows with each passing hour. It's not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

"An explosion can't do that!" She denied.

"This one did." Cassandra said gravely. "Unless we act now, the Breach will continue to grow until it swallows the world."

Pain shot up her arm and she hissed in pain, baring her fangs.

"Each time the Breach expands- your mark spreads." The woman said emphatically. "And it is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

Meeting the woman's imploring eyes Blossom sagged. Well… what was one more apocalypse? "I understand. You need my help, and I am more than willing."

The look of relief on her face was telling as the woman quickly moved to grip her shoulder and lead her down a snowy path.

Snowy? The last time she'd checked it was mid-summer. Where in the Planes had she ended up?

Angry mutters met her ears and her concern rose. There were odd words here or there, what even was a Kyun-ari, but most of them uttered 'murderer' as she passed.

"They think you caused this, that you are guilty. The people of Haven need it as they mourn our most holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry." Cassandra said as they continued onward. "The Conclave was hers. It was a chance for peace between Mages and Templars. She brought their leaders together, now they are dead." Nodding towards a sentry up the path she motioned and the heavy wooden doors opened at her command. "We lash out like the sky, but we must think beyond ourselves. As she did. At last until the Breach is sealed."

Turning, Cassandra looked her squarely in the eyes. "There will be a trial, I can promise no more. Come, it is not far now."

"Where are you taking me?" She asked, becoming more wary the farther they got from the dungeon.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach. Come."

Tail lashing out behind her in agitation she followed behind the woman as more looks of suspicion were thrown her way. It was nothing new, of course, Tieflings were looked upon with scorn and disdain, but at least beforehand it was for what she was, not for suspected mass murder.

She motioned towards the sky in agitation. "That had to take a team of legendary Wizards, or maybe a large group of very insane Sorcerers. Mystra weeps, I can feel the amount of power it gives off from here! And you just expect me to do something like that when I can't even feel the weave-" she stopped in confusion. Then looked up at the sky in horror.

She could not feel the touch of Mystra in the Breach. Whatever it was, it was not made of the Weave. Her skin pebbled with goosebumps at just how wrong that was.

"Stay focused!" Cassandra barked.

"How can I when- ngh!" Pain wracked her once more and she fell to her knees, grasping her arm.

Was this how Gale felt whenever the orb demanded more magic? Or was this how Shadowheart felt every time her Patron 'reminded' her of her duty? Either way she now felt an even deeper sympathy for her companions.

Cassandra was at her side in an instant, helping her to stand. "We must hurry."

Holding her curses behind her teeth they came to another bridge. At the other end was a group of spear wielding militia, the same symbol on their armor as was on Cassandra's shield. Whatever this Chantry was, it was clearly a well equipped group.

Beginning to cross the bridge she felt something in the air shift- but it was too late. A large piece of debris came hurtling down from the sky and crashed into the bridge in front of them. The stones beneath her feet crumbled and she yelped as she tumbled down onto cold ice.

Shivering she got to her feet, just in time to see another flaming green piece of debris slam into the ground nearby. From the spot where it landed a geyser of green energy erupted from the ground along with a green crystal that formed into some sort of creature.

Taking up her sword Cassandra glanced at her. "Get behind me!" Rushing forward she engaged the creature, which Blossom thought may be some sort of Demon Spawn.

She watched the Warrior knock the Demon Spawn's clawed hand away with her shield before a splash of glowing green caught her attention. Between her and Cassandra the ground was bubbling, as if something was warping reality. More green crystals erupted out of the ground and she knew she was about to run out of time.

Looking around in desperation she spied a staff laying on the ground nearby. It was not hers, so the crystal would not be properly attuned, but it was better than nothing. Producing a flame in her hand she hurled it at the Demon Spawn's face. While it was reeling from the fire she dashed over to the staff and picked it up.

With weapon in hand she turned toward the Demon Spawn and called upon the weave. "Peruere!" In an instant lightning gathered across her palm and sped towards the Demon Spawn. Planting her feet she held fast to the spell and took a deep breath.

The Demon flinched momentarily before surging forward to swipe at her with long claws.

She leaned back as far as she could without breaking her concentration and grit her teeth as the claws bit into her arm, causing her to hiss in pain. Deep in her chest she could feel the burning heat of the Hells and raised her other arm in retaliation. "Increpatio Inferni!" The moment the words passed her lips the creature was engulfed in flames.

It let out a shriek, backing away from her and flailing its arms about. Focusing back on her spell she felt another pulse as the lightning crackled from her fingers.

With the lightning and the hellish flames it seemed to be too much for the Demon and it cried out as it crumbled into a black ashy substance, vanishing into thin air.

Dropping her spell she let out a sigh of relief, leaning against her new staff for balance. "Thank Creation, it's over." She muttered to herself.

The flash of light off a drawn sword had her looking up at the stern face of Cassandra as the woman marched towards her. "Drop your weapon, now!"

Her hand gripped the staff tighter for a moment before she let out a small sigh. "Alright." She said calmly. "I'm setting it down now." It was disappointing to have to give up a weapon like this but she still had enough power to defend herself without a catalyst, at least for a little while.

"Wait," Cassandra's expression softened as she sheathed her sword, "I cannot protect you. But I cannot expect you to remain helpless." She turned away for a moment, contemplative. "I should remember that you agreed to come willingly."

Blossom smiled to herself. At first she'd thought that Cassandra had been judging her for her race, like many people did. It was clear now that wasn't the case. She had misjudged the Warrior a little, something she wouldn't be doing again. "It's okay to be wary, but when it gets in the way of practicality it becomes a problem." When Cassandra looked back at her she smiled. "I am no danger to you, all I wish is to go home to my tower of books." Or maybe… maybe pack up all her books and bring them to a certain Wizard's home in Waterdeep.

"I see." Facing the glowing green tear in the sky the Warrior's shoulders came back. "Then we should hurry. The sooner this is dealt with the closer you'll come to that wish. Come, this way."

Taking up her new staff she followed the Warrior up the stairs carved into the side of the mountain. Shivering slightly she wondered how the other woman could just tramp through the snow without care. She knew humans were resilient as a species, but even they were susceptible to changes in temperature.

"Look," came a sudden whisper, "more Demons! If we're careful about this we can flank them." Pulling out her sword the Warrior crouched down, motioning to a ledge that hung over the frozen river. On the other side was a natural slope that led to the water's edge.

Crouching as well Blossom pointed to the slope. "If you take the slope and keep their attention, I can catch them unawares from that ledge. I work best at a distance so I have time to cast. If you get injured I do know some healing spells, but they're limited."

The woman frowned at her slightly but nodded. "I'll wait until you're past that tree. Go now."

Nodding she quickly made her way over the snow, careful not to step on any loose branches that might make noise. Down below the two Demons were moving about aimlessly, almost mindlessly. But she could ruminate on their movements later. For now she had a job to do.

Making it past the tree she heard Cassandra bellow to catch the demon's attention and knew she had to hurry. Once she was up on the ledge with a good vantage point she began chain casting. "Incende! Ignis!" While Cassandra kept the two Demons at bay she sent hurtling bolts of light and fire towards them, trying to find a weakness. Normally she would assume fire wasn't effective but when she'd set the Demon ablaze earlier it had flailed around as if in great pain.

Between the two of them the Demons didn't stand a chance. Up until a bolt of green energy slammed into her back. Whipping her head around she spied a semi-transparent green creature that was gathering another ball of green energy. Pointing at it she gathered her own energy in retaliation. "Increpatio Inferni!" The creature was engulfed in flames but seemed to ignore it as it shot the energy in her direction once more. Ducking she felt the air above her shift as it just barely missed her head. "Incende!" In a burst of light the creature dissolved into ashes with a shrill cry.

At that point Cassandra stopped running and seemed to let out a sigh of relief, sheathing her sword. "Are you alright?" She called up from below.

Blossom leaned against her staff and thought about the question for a moment. "My arm throbs and my back feels bruised, I don't believe I have any broken bones." She'd had those before and knew the pain of them. "I could use a healing draught." But those were in her pack that had been confiscated earlier.

"You are in luck, I have many. Come down and I will give you some." She glanced towards the slope and turned as if to begin walking.

Snorting in amusement Blossom jumped off the ledge and landed with a crunch on the ice. "I may be a Wizard, but I am still physically stronger than a human." Though truth be told, it wasn't by much.

"I didn't think…" Cassandra began before shaking her head. "Never mind, here." Opening one of the pouches on her belt she pulled out small pots of green liquid.

Blossom had never seen that color or shape for healing potions before and frowned. "I've never seen a green potion before that wasn't either a poison in truth or a poison resistance potion. Are you sure these are safe?"

Cassandra looked offended for a moment before sighing. "I suppose you have less reason to trust me than most." Taking one of the potions she popped the cork and drank it down, right in front of her. When nothing happened after a moment, other than some color returning to the woman's cheeks, she raised a single brow. "See? There is no need to be wary."

Hearing an echo of her own words from before she flushed a dark pink and took the potions. Popping the cork on one she drank it down and grimaced at the taste. She was used to a faint sweetness on her tongue and a sudden pulse of energy, not this bitter tincture. Yet even as she was wondering if she'd just made a terrible mistake she felt a mild numbing sensation course through her body before the faint itching started. Pulling up her sleeve she watched the wounds on her arm knit themselves shut and sighed in relief.

Looking at the mildly smug expression on Cassandra's face she rolled her eyes. "Alright, I stand corrected. I apologize for doubting you." But it was still odd, and she wasn't going to let it go any time soon.

Without much ado the Warrior turned and started trudging up another set of mountainous stairs. Grumbling in Infernal she followed the stern woman in silence.

They hurried along the mountain until Cassandra called out behind her. "We're getting close to the Rift, you can hear the fighting!"

Blossom frowned. "Who? Who is fighting?" She prayed that it was no one she knew, although a small part of her wished it was one of her cherished companions.

"You'll see soon, we must help them!" Cresting the top of the stairs she ran off towards the sound of clashing metal and the roar of battle.

Rushing up the last few steps she hurried to follow the Warrior. To her right was a bridge covered in bodies and flaming debris, while ahead she could see soldiers fighting off more Demons. Taking up her staff she planted her feet and called upon the Weave. "Incende!" The first Demon she attacked burst into particles of light, dissolving instantly. "Ignis!" The second caught fire before an ice spell encased it and it shattered into a thousand pieces.

Blossom felt some relief to see another magic user, although she couldn't tell if they were a Sorcerer or a Wizard like herself. There was also a Dwarf with a crossbow that seemed to be holding their own quick well. She wondered if they were an artificer, yet their red outfit didn't quite match that image.

Once the Demons were slain the other magic user ran up to her. "Quickly now! Before more come through!" Grabbing her by the wrist they led her over to a glowing green crystal, floating in mid-air. Thrusting her arm into the air they ensured her palm was facing the Rift.

"What-?" The moment she was close enough a spark of magical energy ran down her arm and a bolt of green electricity shot out of her hand towards the crystal cluster. After a moment the crystal shattered, leaving a glowing sickly orb. She felt a tug in her palm and a familiar feeling came over her. Snatching her arm away from the other magic user she closed the connection between herself and the magic, forcing the magic to end.

"What… what was that?" She asked breathlessly, staring down at the faint green light that flickered in her palm before disappearing.

"It appears my theory was correct. Whatever magic placed that mark upon your hand also created the Rifts. I hypothesized it could be used as a key of sorts to close them. Remarkable." The magic user, who appeared to be a male Elf of some kind, smiled politely at her as he spoke. Yet the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"This means it could close the Breach itself." Cassandra said as she came to stand next to her.

"Possibly," he said carefully, "it seems your interesting friend here holds to key to our salvation."

"Good to know!" The male Dwarf said as he adjusted his thick leather gloves. "And here I thought we'd be ass-deep in Demons forever."

Blossom snorted in amusement before sobering. "These aren't like any Demons I've seen before. They seem too mindless, too aimless. I wonder what Plane they come from?" She mused aloud.

"What do you mean?" The male Elf asked, looking intrigued yet mildly concerned.

"Well, they aren't exactly Cambions, that's for certain. And they aren't Demon Spawn, I haven't noticed anything that would suggest the involvement of a Hag. But I can't place them either. Maybe if I had my books I could find some reference to them, but for now I am completely at a loss."

Cassandra opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted. "That's all well and good, but we have bigger problems than knowing exactly what flavor of monster we're dealing with." The Dwarf said with a shake of his head. "Varric Tethras, Rogue, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tag-along." He winked in Cassandra's direction and she scoffed in response.

"Pleased to meet you, Varric. My name is Blossom Tavani, I'm a Wizard from Baldur's Gate." She gave him a polite nod of the head.

"You may reconsider that stance, in time." Said the male Elf.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll make great friends in the valley, Chuckles." Varric retorted.

"Absolutely not!" Cassandra said heatedly. "Your help is appreciated, Varric, but-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker?" Varric interrupted. "Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me."

Cassandra let out a noise of disgust and turned away, clearly needing a moment.

Ignoring the Dwarf and Warrior bickering, the male Elf turned to her and inclined his head politely. "My name is Solas, and I am glad to see that you still live."

"What he means is- I kept that mark from killing you while you slept." Varric butted in once more, seeming to derive glee from needling the Elf.

Turning she smiled at Solas. "Thank you for your help. Are you a studied Wizard then? Or perhaps a Sorcerer? You seem to know a lot about this."

Cassandra frowned. "Like you, Solas is an Apostate."

Solas looked mildly annoyed. "I am a Mage and technically, Cassandra, all Mages are now Apostates."

Blossom frowned. Apostate? She wasn't a Cleric. It seemed that there was some kind of misunderstanding that she wasn't quite catching. "I can't be an Apostate, I don't serve any-"

"Enough! We must continue onward. You may have your magical talk later." Cassandra said with a huff.

"Before we go, Cassandra, your prisoner is a Mage but this magic is ancient and very powerful. I find it difficult to imagine any Mage being capable of such things."

"Understood. Now, we must get to the forward camp quickly." Without another word Cassandra marched off, presumably in the direction of the forward camp.

Standing there in confusion she glanced down at Varric as he stepped up next to her.

Looking up he grinned. "Well, Bianca's excited."

Blossom tilted her head slightly, unable to continue frowning in the face of such an infectious grin. "And who, pray tell, is Bianca?"

"My trusty companion! Never go anywhere without her." He patted the crossbow gently, like one might a beloved friend.

Blossom shook her head with a smile. "I think we should catch up with Cassandra, before she storms back here and demands to know why we're wasting time."

"Oh, you've already got her all figured out don't you, Pinky?" The Dwarf said with a chuckle. "Well then, ladies first." He gave her a very courtly bow.

Shaking her head she started walking. "How very kindly of you, Master Tethras. One might almost think you were a Bard, rather than a Rogue."

The chuckle she got in response was enough to lighten her spirits, if only a little.

But staring up at the giant green vortex in the sky her amusement quickly vanished. She hoped that her companions were okay… that Gale was safe. Clasping her hands together she prayed to the Goddess they both revered. "Mystra, Lady of the Weave and Origin of Magic- I know he no longer carries your favor, but please, I beg you, watch over him while I cannot."

The Dwarf watched her silently but thankfully didn't say anything as they caught up to Cassandra and Solas.

"I hope you are sufficiently prepared." Solas said quietly.

"Prepared for what?" She was almost afraid to ask.

Solas' expression was hard to read but the grip on his staff was telling. "Devastation."

Infernal
(invented by myself.)

Tzakruk- Shit/Excrement/Refuse

Spells
(Some I listened for, some I found online, and some I made myself.)

Peruere!- Witch Bolt. (Canon)
Increpatio Inferni!- Hellish Rebuke (Mine)

Click to shrink...

 

[JonathanAnubian]

Basic
Name: Blossom Tavani
Nickname: Tav, Pinky
Age: 24
Sex: Female
Race: Asmodeus Tiefling
Class: Wizard (Evocation School)
Background: Sage
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
God: Mystra

Appearance
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 160lbs
Body: An athletic and slender build.
Skin: A soft pastel pink.
Eyes: Black sclera with vibrant glowing purple irises.
Hair: A dark rosy pink.
Horns: Short, protruding backward, and dark bone colored tapering into a soft white.
Clothes: A light purple Wizard's robe with gold detailing, black trousers, and dark brown boots.

Personality
A curious and friendly individual who is good at looking beyond the surface to see the truth within. As a Tiefling she is used to discrimination from others and tries her best not to fall into the same kind of mindset of those who judge someone by their race alone. Born with high intelligence and endless patience she is always looking for interesting history and obscure lore.

 

[JonathanAnubian]

Basic
Name: Scindo Tav'agreave
Nickname: Sin, Stoic, Tav, An Shuree/My Light, Master (Scratch) and Brother (Crunch, the Owlbear Cub)
Age: 26
Sex: Male
Race: Asmodeus Tiefling
Class: Ranger (Gloomstalker)
Background: Outlander
Alignment: Chaotic Good
God: Silvanus

Appearance
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 175lbs
Body: Athletic and toned build.
Skin: Dark scarlet skin.
Eyes: Black sclera with glowing orange irises.
Hair: Blue-black, long enough to brush the edge of his ears and fall into his eyes. He often sweeps it straight back so it stays out of his face.
Horns: Short and tapering outward and back along the sides of his head. They are a medium gray that become dark gray at the tips.
Clothes: A dark green tunic, dark brown trousers, leather armor, and a midnight blue cloak.
Tattoos: Black markings cover most of his face including around his eyes, up over his ears, and down his neck to his chest.
Scars: He has a multitude of thin scars criss-crossing his back from when he was enslaved as a child. While they are healed as well as they can be, hey are still quite visible and prominent. He also has a scar over his right eye and on his chin.

Personality
Often considered stoic, calm, and unnervingly quiet; he is the kind of man that most people would consider intimidating at first meeting. In reality he sometimes has a hard time figuring out what to say in social situations and remains quiet rather than embarrass himself. While he is able to make hard decisions, and is often seen as cold from the outside, he has a soft spot for children and animals. Injustice, someone hurting those he considers family, and discrimination are the only things that can truly enrage him.

 

[JonathanAnubian]

[Scindo]

Snapping awake, burning orange eyes bright in the surrounding darkness, the Ranger scrambled to his feet in a panic. A bright green crackle of pain had him biting down on his cheek, tasting blood as he refused to make a sound. Curling his hand against his chest defensively he stared at the sickly green magic on his palm, hissing in displeasure as the pain came and went in waves.

Thankfully it didn't last long.

Letting out a quiet huff of relief he began scanning the woods for anything strange. When all he could sense was the ever present pulse of life he slowly began to relax.

Until he noticed a sore lack of companions.

"Scratch? Crunch?" The last thing he remembered was laying down on a sleeping pallet with his two animal friends snuggled next to him on one side, and broad arms holding him against an even broader chest on the other. "Halsin? An Shuree?" The endearment slipped from his lips without a thought as dread began to pool in the pit of his stomach.

Realizing that this could be some kind of psychic trick, similar to what the Emperor might pull, his hands flew to his waist in search of his swords. His hands closed around air and he growled low in his throat. They'd been bedding down for the night when he'd been snatched. His swords would be right where he left them- above their heads but within easy reach should whoever was on watch raise an alarm.

Running his hands over the rest of his body he touched the sheathes of his daggers and breathed a sigh of relief. His brother always said he was far too paranoid for his own good, but a hard life in the wilds had taught him caution. Considering everything that had happened to him until that point he felt justified.

Slipping the daggers out of their hiding spots he attached them to his belt where they would be within easy reach. 'Better than nothing,' he thought to himself.

A howl in the distance made him go still, straining his ears. He quickly concluded that it wasn't scratch, the hound sounded far too large and aggressive. Another howl broke the stillness of the night and he realized the sound was getting closer. The hound was hunting for something.

Looking up into the dark canopy above he found a group of branches that could support his weight and leapt. Climbing into the boughs he hid himself in the darkness, glad that he was at least wearing his green chemise and dark brown trousers. It wasn't as good as having his midnight blue cloak to obscure his outline, but it was good enough.

The hounds grew closer and he could hear a group of people speaking quietly to one another. Two faint orbs of light floated through the dark forest and he recognized them as lanterns. His left hand moved to the hilt of his dagger and he let out a slow breath as he forced himself to calm. His focus began to narrow and he went still as a statue; a silent hunter awaiting its prey.

A small group of human Warriors appeared, two of them carrying the lanterns. The hounds had their noses to the ground in front of them, trying to catch his scent no doubt. The group had similar armor, emblazoned with a symbol he didn't recognize. They were well equipped as well. He guessed that they were some kind of mercenary company or adventuring group. At their head was an older man with blonde hair and a black mantle. He didn't move with the same kind of precision the others. Instead he had the swagger of a self important thug.

"Whatever that light was, it had to come from around here, Sir." One of the lantern bearers said quietly.

"Maybe it was one of those Demons from the sky?" One of the men not holding a lantern said, just as quietly.

"Whatever it is, I don't want it near our camp. Flush it out!" The leader ordered, kneeling on the ground to address the hounds. "Find the intruder, boys."

The hounds barked and he wanted to bite his tongue in aggravation. The first thing he should have done was call on the power granted to him by nature itself, it would be easier to avoid the hounds if he could understand them.

Shifting on the branch he froze when a piece of dry bark cracked and fell from under his boot.

One of the lantern bearers swung around, lifting the light high, and looked straight up.

Clever bastard.

"It's in the trees!" The lantern bearer called, grabbing the hilt of his sword.

"Tzakruk!" He hissed through his teeth as he stood. "I mean you no harm." He called down to the group, who were now all staring up into the trees around them. "And did not intend to trespass." He frowned, not sure how to explain his situation without making them turn hostile. "I awoke here suddenly, but have no intention to do harm." There, that should sound non-threatening.

"Intention or no, you're somewhere you shouldn't be. And now that you've seen us we can't just let you leave." The leader growled, a vicious light in his eyes.

'Great, one of those kinds.' He had always been terrible at dealing with those who could not be reasoned with by being honest and blunt. And this time he didn't have Wyll or Astarion around to charm or lie their way out of the situation.

Staring down at the two hounds he muttered under his breath, "Amicus Animalis." Instantly he could understand the two hounds as they growled up at him by their master's insistence.

|Intruder, hiding in the tree like a coward!| One of them growled, hunching down as if ready to pounce.

|I am not an intruder.| He said calmly. |I am a friend, and will not hurt you. I will leave your territory and not come back if you let me come down without attacking.|

The two hounds reacted with surprise, both perking up and staring at him with rapt attention. Their eyes were intelligent, far more than he was used to. |It matters not if you are friend or foe,| the hound on the right said, |we are loyal to our Master and he has commanded us.|

The one on the left growled low. |Come down, intruder, or I shall come to you!|

He closed his eyes and lamented for a moment that he might have to kill two perfectly good hounds, all because their master was a selfish bastard who wouldn't just let him go. "Ex Textura." Focusing on what help he needed at the moment he wasn't surprised when Quothe materialized on his shoulder. "Go!" In one smooth movement he swept his arm towards the hounds, practically launching the raven familiar at their faces, and kicked himself backwards off the branch.

Flipping in mid-air he landed on the earthy ground and bolted into the darkness. He took one quick glance back and winced as Quothe was brought down by the hounds, vanishing in a flash of light. 'Thank you, my friend.'

He could hear the shouts of the mercenaries and knew they'd be right on his tail. Jumping up into the trees once more he turned and cast at the ground just as his pursuers were getting closer. "Crescente Spicis!" Between them the ground erupted into a mass of sharpened stone, a warning not to follow.

"Thrice damned Mage!" One of the mercenaries cursed, unable to stop before stepping into the trap he'd left behind.

Melting into the darkness he continued to run until the only sounds he could hear were his own breathing and the nightly creatures of the forest. When he was certain he'd lost his pursuers he looked around for a safe place to wait out the night, eventually settling on an animal den that had long since been abandoned.

Resting his back against the cold, wet, stone he curled into himself. He couldn't risk a fire and he had no cloak, the best he could do was try to preserve his own body heat. Hopefully the morning would bring more clarity to his situation. For now he would rest and hope that this was all some very odd dream.

'Fat chance of that.'

***

The next morning he tentatively stepped out of his hiding place, his daggers in hand. When he wasn't immediately ambushed, or some other terrible thing, he went about looking for breakfast.

As he skinned and prepared a couple of pheasants he scowled in agitation. When he'd first met his companions, both aboard the Nautiloid and after, he had been unused to company. There was a reason his twin was the one who remained in Baldur's Gate to look after their sister and he was the one to remain in the forest. He wasn't good with people, especially large groups of people. It reminded him too much of those years stuck in an overcrowded cage, the scents and sounds overpowering. But after spending time with that ragtag party of misfits he'd grown fond. It wasn't even a day and he already missed the assorted sounds of their camp.

Shadowheart humming under her breath, Gale telling some wild story and Astarion scoffing in disbelief, Karlach's loud snoring, Wyll's amused chatter, Lae'zel sharpening her swords while she pretended not to listen, Scratch and Crunch playing chase in the background. The consistent sound of wood being carved and the low rumble of a soothing voice right next to his ear…

Shaking his head he refocused on his task. He could figure out a way to return home later. For now he had best work on surviving wherever this was.

Overhead a screeching the likes of which he'd only heard once before had him freezing in place, like prey caught out in the open. A rhythmic beating sound above had him looking straight up, only for his blood to run cold.

'A dragon?' Of course there would be a dragon. One of his ancestors must have pissed off a vengeful God considering his consistently bad luck.

At least this time the dragon didn't appear to see him as it turned in the sky and headed off somewhere.

'Pursuers on foot and a predator in the sky. I'll have to tread even more carefully.'

***

Staring at the vast expanse of water spreading out into the horizon he grit his teeth in agitation. Clearly he was no longer on the road to Baldur's Gate. Which meant he was alone, without supplies or equipment, in a land he didn't know. Even the plants and animals weren't quite right, which made finding food a bit difficult. He didn't even have a bow so he'd had to set traps or else use his very select spells.

Although he had noticed that he wasn't as exhausted after using spells in this land. Almost like it was replenishing. But that didn't make any sense at all so he discarded the thought. He'd leave the magical theory to a certain Wizard once he found a way to return.

It had been three weeks now and he was getting used to the lay of the land. The forest didn't have the same feeling as the one back home. Almost as if Silvanus presence had diminished somehow. It unnerved him even as he continued to hunt, fish, and memorize every nook and cranny of the coastline.

He'd seen the dragon a few more times but it only ever flew in circles, snatched up a meal, and flew away in the same direction it had come from. He assumed it had a home somewhere nearby. He wasn't ready to confront a whole dragon alone, so he stayed away from the direction it came from and hid whenever he saw it.

Recently he'd seen odd activity near some cave entrances and had gone to investigate. The almost Undead looking Fighters that milled about made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. There was something wrong about them. Like living toxins oozing into the earth and air, polluting all it touched.

With only his daggers and no back-up he left the Undead Warriors alone and mentally marked out their territory. It seemed that they didn't like to venture far from their caves, so he added them to his list of places to avoid.

It was on his way to the river to check the net he'd set up for fish when he heard the clash of metal. The sound of battle had him reaching for his daggers and silently creeping up to the top of the cliff overlooking the water.

Down below there were Warriors fighting with the Undead. One of them in particular had his eyebrows kissing the edge of his horns. 'A minotaur?' The creature was gray with large horns like a bull and carrying a large axe. But there was no fur and the face seemed human. He couldn't tell if it had hooves or not and he didn't see a tail so he was at a loss. 'Some sort of hybrid?'

He watched the battle and wasn't surprised when the Minotaur and his group fought off the Undead. They were well coordinated and had the advantage of numbers.

"Close up that entrance!" The Minotaur barked, his deep voice traveling a fair distance. It was the kind of voice you'd hear on a battlefield, not that he had ever been on a battlefield to know what it sounded like. But the description fit.

One of the members cast magic at the mountain and caused a rock slide, covering the entrance and sealing it off. As they began gathering the bodies to burn he saw one of them be sent off to scout for any survivors.

'Tzakruk, the net!' Just as he was thinking about it the scout stopped some distance away and turned to stare into the river.

"Hey, Chief! Know if there's any locals around here?"

The Minotaur turned toward the scout's voice before his head snapped up, in the direction of Scindo's hiding place. The moment he reached for his axe Scindo was gone.

He probably should have stayed, they didn't seem as on edge as the first mercenaries he'd come across, but he didn't want to tangle with a Minotaur alone. Let alone one that had a group of warriors at his beck and call.

He would just have to bide his time and observe them from the shadows.

For now.

[Bull]

It all started at the cave entrance with the Darkspawn, when they'd found the crude fishing net upriver. The moment Krem had called out he'd seen movement out of the corner of his good eye. Grabbing his axe in preparation to fight he scowled when something red, black, green, and brown darted off into the forest above them.

"What was that!?" Rocky yelped, having seen whatever it was darting away.

"Don't know, but I didn't like that it was watching us." Turning to Krem as the boy jogged back toward him, he nodded in the direction the thing had disappeared. "I want everyone to keep one eye open. No one goes off on their own without reporting in first."

"Right, we'll all keep a close eye on the trees, Chief. Nothing will catch us unawares."

Bull grunted in response, scanning the trees up on the ledge. He hoped it was just his imagination, but he could have sworn that he saw flaming orange eyes in a red face before it fled into the forest. He shuddered to himself and hoped it wasn't a Demon.

***

Something was stalking them in the woods and he didn't like it. He could feel a focused gaze staring at him from the darkness and it made the area between his shoulder blades itch. In the last couple of days his boys had noticed items going missing from camp, yet no one had seen a thing. It was small at first, a couple of food items here, an extra cloak there. But when a pair of arming swords went missing he ordered his men to prepare for a potential attack.

He'd been woken up in the middle of the night by the clash of metal and shouts nearby. Grabbing his axe he rushed past the edge of camp, skidding to a halt in a nearby clearing as his one good eye tried to pick out figures in the moon light.

On the ground nearby was a shattered lantern and a dying man in armor he vaguely recognized. A second man with a lantern was standing on the other side of the clearing, holding it up to light the area around him.

A flash of light off a blade caught his reflection as a dark cloaked figure cut down another human in armor. From the dark cloak a slightly rough sounding voice called out to him. "Are you going to help me or not? These men were attempting to slit your throats in your sleep!"

Bull hefted his axe and held it loosely, read to attack if needed. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" He certainly could kill he last man, but he was more curious about the cloaked figure.

"Oak Father preserve me- because I've been watching your camp 'Chief.' I was going to approach your camp tomorrow, when these bastards caught up to me!" Something in the figure's tone sounded desperate, but not the kind of desperate to lie.

"Dalish, Krem!" That was all it took for the last intruder to fall down dead, like the other two. He turned to the cloaked figure and frowned. "You seem to know me and my boys, but I don't know you. Why don't you fill me in and I'll consider that talk."

There was a pause as the figure contemplated his words, then the soft whisper of steel against wood as they sheathed their blades. Two, he noted. The figure was ambidextrous and strong enough to wield one sword in each hand. As they turned he felt that shudder of unease once more. From the shadow of their hood shone two bright flames.

"Scindo. Ranger. I was… separated from my companions." Slowly reaching up the figure slid their hood back, revealing two horns that curved slightly outward then back along their head.

It was at that moment Dalish lit up the area with magic, making the figure wince away from the bright light for a moment.

"Uh, Chief? Do your kind come with tails?" Krem asked, eyes looking down at the bottom of the figure's cloak.

There, poking out from under the cloak, was unmistakably some kind of tail. For a moment Bull wasn't sure what to think. He'd never heard of a demon like this one before, but he'd also never heard of a Qunari that had red skin with black markings.

"Nope, that is pretty weird." Squaring his shoulders he pretended he wasn't bothered by what had to be some kind of demon staring him down.

After a moment the figure let out a snort of amusement. "You act like you've never seen a Tiefling before."

Tiefling? It wasn't a word he was familiar with, and it didn't look like Krem or Dalish were either. Something told him that no matter who he asked nobody would know what that meant. "Can't say I have. What is a Tiefling?"

The figure watched him for a moment before their shoulders sagged. "…never heard that one before." They muttered. "I just wanted to give you information on these men and offer to work off my debt." They said, crouching down and rolling the corpse at their feet over.

"And what debt is that?" He noted that the figure had not answered the question about what exactly a Tiefling was.

"For the supplies."

"You mean the supplies you filched?" Dalish said tersely.

The figure stood and shrugged, tossing something on the ground between them. The small bag of coins clinked as it hit the dirt. "Borrowed. I'll prove my worth. If you'll let me."

Bull thought it over for a moment, the silence heavy in the air. "Why the hell not? If you step out of line I can always kill you."

Flaming orange eyes narrowed at him before looking away again. "Works for me."

It looked like he had another wayward soul joining his merry little band of miscreants.

The figure came forward and held out their hand. He was surprised to find they were shorter than him, in the darkness they had seemed larger somehow. Taking their hand he grinned. "Iron Bull, welcome to the Bull's Chargers."

The figure smiled and he noted the very pointed teeth. "Scindo Tav'agreave. Thanks."

As the figure was led back towards camp by Krem, Bull couldn't help but think he might have stumbled upon something very curious. He would have to keep an eye on the 'Tiefling' and learn all he could.

Druidic;
An Shuree- My light.

Infernal invented by myself;
Tzakruk- Shit/Excrement/Refuse

Spells;
Amicus Animalis- Speak to animals
Ex Textura- Find Familiar
Crescente Spicis- Spike Growth (Mine)
Evanesco- Pass Without a Trace

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