Thrown Away (Recruitment)

[Zestyn]

"Sky," repeated Vendle. He stared at the dusty ground, suddenly unsure of himself. "Right. The dwarf turned and made his way back into Dust Town. Baxty skipped after him and then clambered onto the rooftops when they neared a hovel.

As promised, they returned two hours later. Vendle carried two small and dirty packs over his shoulder. Baxty did not burden herself. "I'm jus' about as ready te see th' surface as I'll ever be," he said when he saw Desten again. Baxty's eyes darted about and then fixed upon the slope leading into Orzammar. Her fingers twitched at her sides.

[Delcan Damsein]

Desten nodded, carrying one pack on his back and the other in his hand. He then raised the latter with a small smile. "Got the food." He then blinked at the dwarf for a moment, before rubbing the back of his head. "Most Warden recruiters give their recruits another chance to walk away. Its not an easy life we lead...but..." He looked up to Dust Town, and offered a small shrug, not wanting to stick his foot in his mouth any further.

[Zestyn]

"But it ain't Dust Town," finished Vendle. Baxty nodded solemnly. "I s'pose I should be thankin' ye fer th', ah, oppertune'ty," he continued. "So, thank ye."

"Thank ye fer havin' bad judgment," added Baxty helpfully.

Vendle nodded with a warm smile. "Aye. Thank ye fer that." The two dwarves stared up the slope anxiously. "Time to go, I s'pose," he said, shifting the bags on his shoulders. "Te see the surface." Baxty looked to Vendle and then stared up the slope again. Both dwarves seemed frozen on the spot.

[Delcan Damsein]

Desten blinks at the thanks, but smiles and gives another small bow. As he watches the dwarves stand stunned, he grinned a little bit before moving up the slope himself. "First step is the hardest, my friends." And with that, he made for the surface, letting out a sigh of relief as he now had three dwarves to help fight the Blight. To the mage, they were the best at it.

[Zestyn]

Vendle and Baxty would follow Desten up the slope. As they arrived in Orzammar proper they both lowered their gaze and fell further behind Desten. Many dwarves they passed gave them odd looks. They were sometimes curious, sometimes hateful, oftentimes disapproving. Even Baxty made herself look docile as a lamb and did not say a word. When they reached the Hall of Paragons before the gate both of them stopped.

"Well, this is it," said Vendle. "Few more minutes and we'll be surface dwarves." Baxty merely nodded. Both seemed reluctant to take the final few steps.

[Delcan Damsein]

Desten blinked as he realized the two dwarves had slowed their pace in the wake of the city, slowing his own pace so that he could walk with them, shooting dirty looks to any dwarves that looked at his companions funny. As they reached the last gate, he sighed and nodded to them both with a small smile. "Last chance."

[Zestyn]

Baxty and Vendle looked to each other one more time. They nodded to each other and followed Desten into the sunlight.

Both of them squinted harshly and stared upwards. Baxty craned her neck as if attempting to see how high the sky reached. "Here we are," said Vendle wearily. "Outcasts. All dwarves who step outside of Orzammar lose their caste." He looked to Baxty and the two of them shared a laugh. Vendle looked to Desten and nodded firmly. "At your service, sir."

[Delcan Damsein]

Desten couldn't help but grin at their reactions to the topside. "There are a few Wardens who are surface dwarves...they'll show you how to enjoy it." He blinked at Vendle, not expecting such courtesy. He simply nodded and grinned back, before extending his arm. "And I'm at your's."