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Then they went to the stables to meet Dennet daughter, Seanna and get the 4 purebred Fereldan forder horse. As they walk towards the stabel, somewhere in these woods, unnatural wolves hunted. Somewhere along these roads, bandits and rebel mages and rogue templars waited. But with each alliance forged, each problem solved, the Inquisition's foothold in the Hinterlands grew stronger.
The stables bustled with activity as they approached, the scent of hay and horses thick in the warm afternoon air. A young woman in a leather riding apron stood near the training ring, her keen eyes assessing a chestnut stallion's gait as it trotted circles around her. She turned at their approach, wiping her hands on a cloth tucked into her belt.
"Fancy trying out one of my courses?" she called out, a competitive spark in her eyes. Her sun-browned face broke into a grin that reminded Daniel instantly of her father's rare smiles.
Daniel stepped forward. "Are you Seanna?"
The young woman nodded, pushing a stray lock of auburn hair behind her ear. "Yes, I'm Seanna." Up close, Daniel could see she had her mother's strong cheekbones but her father's piercing gaze.
"We're with the Inquisition," Daniel explained. "Your father told us there are four Fereldan forder horses he's giving to us."
Seanna's expression brightened. "Oh yes! The ones he picked out this morning." She turned toward the stable and whistled sharply between her fingers. "Jory! Bring out the Inquisition's mounts!"
Within moments, four stablehands emerged leading the most magnificent horses Daniel had ever seen. Each was a purebred Fereldan forder—their coats gleaming like polished gemstones in the sunlight. There was a midnight black stallion with a single white sock, a dappled gray mare whose muscles moved like liquid silver, a deep bay gelding with an intelligent eye, and finally Thunder, the chestnut stallion Dennet had first shown them.
"Maker's breath," Cassandra murmured, her usual stoicism breaking for a moment as she admired the warhorses.
Varric let out a low whistle. "Now those are some proper Fereldan horses. Might almost make me want to learn to ride."
Solas approached the dappled gray cautiously, murmuring something in Elvish that made the mare's ears prick forward with interest.
Daniel ran a hand down the horse strong neck, feeling the powerful muscles beneath the sleek coat. "Thank you for your help, Seanna."
"You're welcome," she replied, watching with obvious pride as the stablehands began fitting the horses with proper saddles and tack. "They're some of our finest. Father wouldn't part with them for just anyone."
Remembering her earlier offer, Daniel asked, "What kind of racing course were you mentioning before?"
Seanna's face lit up with enthusiasm. She pointed toward a winding path marked by brightly colored stakes driven into the ground. "I set up a course over there. It's too narrow for proper side-by-side racing, so I time runs with a sandglass." She crossed her arms, a challenge in her stance. "You try to ride the course before I call time."
Daniel studied the intricate path—it wove between trees, over small jumps, and around tight turns that would test both horse and rider. "I see," he said, already imagining Thunder taking the course. "Well, I'd like to try it after we finish our current mission."
Seanna nodded, her grin returning. "Well, you know where to find me." She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "And if you beat my best time, there might be a special prize in it for you."
Varric, who had been admiring the bay gelding, perked up at this. "Oh? What kind of prize are we talking about here?"
But Seanna just winked and walked off to help the stablehands, leaving them to wonder.
As the horses were readied, Cassandra approached Daniel. "These will give us a significant advantage in the field if we can get Dennet send the horse's," she said, running a practiced hand over the black stallion's legs, checking its conformation. "We also should send a word to have our soldiers trained in proper cavalry tactics."
Solas, now standing beside the gray mare, added, "And they may prove invaluable when we investigate these corrupted wolves. Horses often sense danger before humans do."
Varric was attempting to mount the bay gelding with decidedly mixed results. "Hey, how hard can it be? Point them where you want to go and hold on, right?"
The gelding turned its head to give Varric a distinctly unimpressed look, making everyone chuckle.
Daniel swung himself onto his horse—Max, as Seanna had called him—feeling the powerful muscles shift beneath him as the stallion adjusted to his weight. As he settled into the saddle, his interface flickered to life:
[177 EXP Gained - Mount Acquired]
[New Mount: Max - Fereldan Forder Stallion]
The notification brought a smile to his face. Having his own trusted steed would make traversing the Hinterlands far easier. He pulled out the map Bron had given them, studying the marked locations. The nearest watchtower site was just a short ride from their outpost camp—an ideal first stop.
"We'll survey the hill near our camp first," Daniel announced, tucking the map away. "Cassandra, you'll ride the black stallion. Solas, the gray mare suits you. Varric... try not to fall off."
Varric, who was currently attempting to mount the bay gelding with all the grace of a sack of potatoes, shot Daniel a glare. "Hey, I'll have you know I'm a natural! Just... need to find which side is up."
After some comedic struggling (and more than a little help from a chuckling stablehand), their party was finally mounted and ready. Max pranced eagerly beneath Daniel, clearly sensing his rider's anticipation.
The ride to the hilltop was brisk and uneventful. As they crested the rise, Cassandra immediately recognized the strategic value. "This is perfect," she said, dismounting to walk the perimeter. "Clear sightlines in all directions. We could see threats approaching from miles away."
Daniel nodded in agreement, already envisioning the watchtower that would stand here. But as he turned to survey the surrounding landscape, movement near Dennet's farm caught his eye. A rift had opened alarmingly close to the homestead, its sickly green light pulsing against the afternoon sky. Even from this distance, they could see Bron and his guards forming a defensive line against emerging wraiths—and something larger, darker. A Terror demon.
"Maker's breath," Daniel swore, already swinging back into the saddle. "They need help!"
They rode at breakneck speed down the hillside, their new mounts proving their worth as they ate up the distance with powerful strides. Max moved like the wind itself, his hooves barely touching the ground as he carried Daniel toward the battle.
Arriving at the farm's outskirts, they dismounted quickly. "Secure the horses!" Daniel ordered a wide-eyed farmhand before charging into the fray, staff already crackling with energy.
The battle was chaos. Bron's guards fought valiantly, but the wraiths slipped through their defenses like smoke. The Terror demon lashed out with claws that left deep gouges in the earth where they struck. Farmers screamed and fled as crops were trampled underfoot.
Daniel's Chain Lightning arced through three wraiths simultaneously, making their forms flicker and distort. Cassandra charged the Terror demon head-on, her shield deflecting a deadly swipe that would have cleaved a man in two. Varric's crossbow sang, his bolts finding their marks with deadly precision. Solas wove barriers and frost spells, his magic slowing the demons' movements.
Just as they gained the upper hand, the rift pulsed violently. With a sound like tearing fabric, it disgorged a second wave—more wraiths and now two Terror demons. Bron cursed loudly as his guards scrambled to reform their line.
"Focus on the new arrivals!" Daniel shouted, already summoning an Energy Barrage. The spell's projectiles homed in on one of the fresh Terror demons, blasting chunks from its chitinous hide. The creature shrieked in rage, turning its attention fully to Daniel.
What followed was a brutal dance of death. The demons fought with unnatural coordination, their attacks coming from all sides. One guard fell, his chest torn open by wicked claws. Another screamed as a wraith's icy touch froze the flesh on his arm. But the Inquisition and Dennet's guards held firm.
When the last demon fell, Daniel didn't hesitate. He raised his marked hand toward the rift, feeling the familiar pull as the Anchor connected with the tear in the Veil. The rift resisted more than usual—perhaps due to its proximity to the farm—but with a final surge of effort, Daniel forced it closed with a thunderous crack that echoed across the fields.
Silence fell, broken only by the heavy breathing of exhausted fighters. Bron wiped blood from a cut on his brow and approached. "Maker's breath, that was timely. Another minute and we'd have been overrun."
Daniel's interface pulsed with updates:
[177 EXP Gained - Rift Closed & Demons Defeated]
[Fereldan Toy Soldier Obtained]
[Fire Essence Obtained]
[Wisp Essence Obtained]
He barely registered the notifications, his attention on the wounded. "See to your men," he told Bron. "We'll help where we can."
As they tended to injuries and assessed damage to the farm, Seanna appeared, her face pale but determined. "The horses are safe," she reported. "But we can't keep doing this. Those rifts..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the scorched earth where the demons had fallen.
Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find a way to stop them for good. That's why we need those watchtowers—early warning could save lives."
Bron nodded grimly. "I'll speak to Master Dennet tonight about the weapons shipment. The Crossroads will need the weapons for their defenses."
Daniel nodded thoughtfully at Bron's words, his fingers absently tracing the rough bark of the ancient tree as he studied the odd collection of offerings left at its base—crude wooden carvings, bundles of dried herbs tied with twine, and small clay figures that might have represented elven gods or local spirits. The air around the tree felt different—charged with something he couldn't quite name, like the moment before a lightning strike.
"Thank you, Bron," Daniel said, turning to the horsemaster. "Even though we've stationed Inquisition soldiers at the Crossroads, it's good for the refugees to have weapons to defend themselves. A watchtower won't mean much if the people can't fight back when danger comes."
Bron gave a firm nod, his expression grim but approving. "Aye. Too many have died helpless already. If they can hold their own, even for a few moments, it might be the difference between life and slaughter."
Varric, who had been curiously poking at one of the clay figurines with the toe of his boot, suddenly whistled low under his breath. "You know, I've seen my fair share of weird religious practices—hell, I grew up in Kirkwall, where people pray to anything from the Maker to a particularly shiny rock—but this feels... different." He crouched down, examining the offerings more closely. "These carvings—they don't look like Andrastian symbols. Or even elven, really."
Solas, who had been quietly observing from a few paces back, stepped forward now, his sharp eyes scanning the tree and its shrine with quiet intensity. "This is older," he murmured, more to himself than to the others. "Much older."
Bron shifted uncomfortably, clearly not sure what to make of the apostate's quiet certainty. "Like I said, the farmers believe it's tied to some local legend—Tyrdda's Leaf-Eared Lover. My master and I wanted to cut it down when we first took over the farm—thought it was just superstition taking up good land. But Miss Elaina, she insisted we leave it be. Said it would earn the farmers' trust if we respected their beliefs."
Daniel exhaled slowly, considering. The Hinterlands were full of old stories—some forgotten, some twisted over time, some still whispered in the dark. He had no idea who Tyrdda was, or what a "Leaf-Eared Lover" might mean, but the reverence here was undeniable. The tree itself was massive, its gnarled roots digging deep into the earth like the fingers of a buried giant. Its leaves were an unnaturally vibrant green, even in the midst of the war-torn landscape, as if no blight or winter could touch it.
Cassandra, ever practical, folded her arms. "Superstition or not, if it keeps the peace with the locals, then it serves a purpose."
Varric chuckled. "Spoken like a true Seeker. But come on, Seeker—don't tell me you're not even a little curious? A magical tree worshipped by farmers, tied to some ancient elven lover? That's the kind of story that sells books."
Cassandra shot him a withering look, but Daniel could see the faintest flicker of reluctant interest in her eyes.
Solas, meanwhile, had moved closer to the tree, his hand hovering just above the bark without quite touching it. "The Veil is thin here," he said softly. "This place... remembers."
Daniel frowned. "Remembers what?"
Solas didn't answer immediately, his gaze distant, as if listening to something none of them could hear. Then, just as abruptly, he seemed to snap back to the present. "Legends often carry fragments of truth. If the farmers here honor this tree, there may be a reason beyond mere tradition."
Daniel exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck as he cast one last glance at the ancient tree. The air still hummed with an odd energy, like the faint echo of a song just beyond hearing. "Well," he said, shaking off the strange weight of the moment, "let's leave it at that for now." He turned to Bron with a nod. "You can get back to your duties. If you need us, you'll find us at our outpost camp—it's not far from here."
Bron gave a gruff nod, clearly relieved to be stepping away from whatever strangeness clung to the tree. "Aye. I'll send word if anything comes up. And I'll speak with Dennet about those weapons for the Crossroads." He hesitated, then added, "Be careful out there, Herald. The Hinterlands have a way of... unsettling folks who linger too long in the wrong places."
Varric smirked, though there was a flicker of unease beneath it. "Oh, don't worry about us. We specialize in unsettling."
As Bron strode off toward the farm, Cassandra crossed her arms, her gaze lingering on the offerings beneath the tree. "We should move on. There's still much to do before nightfall."
Daniel agreed, as he turned to leave, he led the way back to where their horses waited, as they prepare themselves to mount their horse's and went back to the outpost camp.
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Name : Daniel Carter
Race: Elf
Level 5 : 1206/2500 EXP
Professions: Mage
Gold Coins: 1439 Coins
Weapon: Staff of the Dragon
Armor: Light Armor of the Dragon and Templar Scribe Scowl
Accessories: Lifeward Amulet and Belt of Health
Inventory: Acolyte Ice Staff, Morning Star, Stiletto, Hunting Longbow, Fire Resistance Cowl, Mercenary Coat, Acolyte Fire Staff, Disciple Lighting Staff, Apprentice Armor, Qunari Battleaxe, Raider Hatchet, 2 Disciple Fire Staff, Apprentice Mail, Qunari Buckler, Medium Adventure Armor, Mindleech Staff, Soldier's Nemesis, 2 Recruit's Dirk, Reinforced Dagger, Sledgehammer, Disciple Lighting Staff, Apprentice Armor, and Exacting Longbow
Crafting Materials: 34 Elfroot, 62 Iron, 2 Blue Vitriol, 1 Dawn Lotus, 11 Silk, 17 Lambswool, 3 Royal Elfroot, 10 Ram Leather, 23 Drakestone, 4 Fire Essence, 3 Blue Vitriol, 7 Canine Leather, 4 Plaidewaive, 2 Frost Essence, 1 Fade-Touched Iron, 4 Blood Lotus, 5 Embrium, 10 Spindleweed, 13 Onyx, and 3 Ironbarks
Upgrades: Sigil of the Gamordan Stromrider and Sigil of Deathroot
Valuables: 3 Aquamarine, Silver Bracelet, 2 Figurine of Maferath the Betrayer, 2 Shadow Essence,
Gurn Gallstone Charm, Braid of Rank, Glass Halla, 3 Silver Necklace, 1 Ram Horn, 1 Bride's Blood Vial, 2 Silk Handerchief, 1 Glass Fox, 1 Silver Earring, 1 Dreamer Rag, 1 Miniature Throne, 5 Weapon Fragment, 2 Bowstring, 3 Mysterious Shards, Nevarra Skull, 1 Simple Pendant, 2 Specialist Crest, 1 Fereldan Toy Soldier, and 1 Wisp Essence
Potions: Lesser Health Potions x8, Lesser Regeneration Potions x5, and x5 Lyrium Potion
Skills: Chain Lighting, Flashfire, Barrier, Winter's Grasp, and Energy Barrage
Armor Schematics: Shokra-taar Schematic, Antaam-saar Schematic, Avvar Armor Schematics Acquired, Stone-Bear Armor Schematics, Vanguard Coat Schematic,
Weapon Schematics: Curved Dagger Schematic and Hunting Bow Schematic
Potion Recipe: Lesser Regeneration Potion recipe and Lyrium Potion Recipe
Bottles of Thedas: Vint-9 Rowan's Rose and Carnal, 8:69 Blessed