Yes! so much yes! cheese famine, brilliant.
Ferelden is the first to declare a state of emergency when the cheese is missing from King Alistair’s brunch. "Ha ha, very funny guys. Now where's my cheese?"
The servants shuffled their feet and looked around nervously as the King's gaze fell upon each of them in turn. None of them wanted to be the bearer of bad news. Finally, after a long awkward pause, "
Ahem, there is no cheese, your Majesty. We've scoured the markets and no one seems to have any. The kitchens just ran out."
Alistair laughed still thinking this was some joke. "Right, good one. I'll nip down to the kitchens myself then."
"No, really, your Majesty, there's none to be had in the palace!"
"What? No!" Alistair exclaimed as he raced out of the room and through the halls all the way down to the kitchens.
The denizens of the palace knew something had thrown the King into a fury. They tried get out of his way as he thundered through corridors and down stairs. Alistair burst through the kitchen doors in a flurry nearly knocking over an elf carrying a stack of plates.
"Dorn, careful with those plates! They are brand new, recently arrived from--oh, your Majesty! To what do we owe the pleasure this time? More Venatori?"
Alistair took a deep breath and, with exaggerated patience, asked, "Where's my cheese?"
The cook sighed, "I knew this would happen. We're all out."
"This again. I think all of you are messing with me. I'll tear this kitchen apart if I have to!" And with that, Alistair proceeded to tear the kitchens apart looking for cheese that wasn't there. Cabinets were searched, pots and pans tossed pell-mell, food pantry emptied, their contents strewn everywhere, and every container searched again and again. All the while the cook flinched as his once organized kitchen was turned to shambles.
"Please, Majesty, stop! This will take ages to fix." the cook protested as Alistair emerged from one of the pantries covered in flour.
He did not take seem to notice the cook speak at all. "Bring me my Mabari."
King Alistair’s Mabari was a special gift from an equally special friend. Some whispered they were much more than friends.
"What? No! I let you destroy my kitchen, but I draw the line at letting that beast in here."
"That beast can sniff out cake on a battlefield. Besides, he can help clean up this food mess."
"He can't sniff out what is not there! There's none in all Denerim. Hell, there's no cheese to be found this side of the Frostbacks!"
A look of horror slowly spread across Alistair’s face as the cook's words sunk in. "First the blight, then a big hole in the sky, and now this! Maker, will it ever end? I'm declaring a state of emergency, send word to Orlais, Antiva, Rivain, the Marcher States! We're running out of cheese."
Ferelden was just the start. Riots broke out all over as people tried to hoard cheese.
As the months rolled by, there seemed to be no end. Dalish attacks on caravans increased as the elves grew desperate. Orlesians tried to survive on cheese substitues. Fancy parties with stinky cheese became only a memory. Who will save Thedas from this new threat?
.......That turned out to be longer than I meant.... I'll just go back to work.