event: portal four | the mountain

[mayfield_mods]

The fourth portal, as might be expected, can be found atop the hill known as Makeout Point. The other side of the portal isn't altogether that much different from the side you're entering from, save for the thicker trees and somewhat darker lighting.

The other side of the portal is significantly colder than the Mayfield side; frost covers the ground, and although it's not quite freezing, you'll want to bundle up. A glance at the sky reveals what you might have been dreading: glitch holes, in varying size, litter the skyline. The sun is hidden behind a set of thick clouds, creating a melancholy atmosphere.

The landscape around you is relatively flat, and you can't see too far beyond the forest ahead of you. It isn't until you turn around, facing the portal that you entered from, that you see the rising slope of the ground. The mountain rises high, higher than you can see from its base. There's a rough, primitive path heading up its slope, and for now simply hiking will be sufficient. As you get further, however, simply walking won't be enough: you're going to have to climb...

Somewhere, closer than you might prefer, a single wolf howls, and is shortly joined by more.

Better get moving.

Comments

[whowhatwhy]

[ DAMMIT ANDERS. He's not trying to steal your woman. Nathaniel is content to roll his eyes and follow behind, until the puns start.

Then he's trying really, really hard to kill them with a glare. ]

Are we really doing this?

[hawkeward]

Of course we're doing this!

[By "this," Nathaniel means hiking, right? :'D She looks over her shoulder and calls out to him with an innocent, sing-song tone of voice, before flashing a bright smile at both of them. Oh, this is going to be fun~]

Howe else are we going to get up this blighted mountain?

[3wayforjustice]

[He lifts a hand to his face, as if to hide the smirk. Even though Nathaniel is behind him, and couldn't see anyway.]

[At least there's something to entertain them, as they climb their way up to nowhere.]

Howe could we resist? It isn't as if we've anything else to do before Hawke launches us into danger.

[whowhatwhy]

[ They really are doing this. Suddenly he's regretting coming along. ]

Just so you know, I hate you both.

[hawkeward]

Howe could you say something like that? I'm hurt.

[The dog seems offended as well, though by the way he howls at Hawke and retreats to the back of the line to walk with Nathaniel, he's clearly not on his master's side for once.]

Oh, don't you judge me. We need to pass the time somehow. [She huffs.] And I'm not launching anyone into danger. Not intentionally, anyway.

[3wayforjustice]

Now look what you've done. Howe could you hurt her that way?

[He shifts to one side as the dog moves past. Ew, gross, canines. Though this just proves his thoughts that dogs have less good sense than cats.]

[Then it's back to telling Hawke she's making a huge mistake.]

Jumping through a portal to the unknown isn't 'launching us into danger'?

[whowhatwhy]

[ Aw, yay! He has an ally. Nate reaches down to give Cupcake a quick scratch behind the ears. ]

I know, boy. I don't see why it's funny either.

[ He's totally going to slip the dog a piece of jerky from his bag later. ]

You agreed tom come, Anders. Or is this too much like being back in the Wardens for you?

[hawkeward]

[If the mabari could speak (or if he chose to, whatever the case might be), he might insist that it was not Hawke's sense of humor that drove him to the back of the group, but the fact that Nathaniel is significantly more vulnerable than Hawke and Anders, being that he lacks the regains the two of them have. The terrible puns helped him make the decision, though, yes.

No taste at all.]

No, Anders, it's an adventure. Don't tell me you weren't curious too - Howe could you not be? It has to be better than the Deep Roads.

[3wayforjustice]

I agreed to come in hopes of keeping Hawke intact. Something she has a tendency to try and thwart at nearly every opportunity. Though I can't figure Howe...

[At least the dog hasn't found him fascinating. He's never been fond of the creature, mabari or no mabari. He glances back, though, to see if he can spot anything following them, just in case.]

[Hearing wolves but not seeing them... that never bodes well.]

It's Mayfield. Howe could it possibly be better than the Deep Roads?

[whowhatwhy]

[ Whatever the purpose, he's grateful for the company. Unlike Anders, he rather likes dogs. ] Unless you two have something useful to impart, I'm going to take up ignoring you now.

[ He won't, really, because they're all depending on each other to survive out here. But if they're going to be brats, so is he. ]

[mayfield_mods]

This is suddenly happening!