Dorian, Varric, and Iron Bull quickly come to the conclusion that they are the best drinkers in the inner circle and multiple times a week you can see them heading down to the Heralds' Rest to compete for who can hold their liquor best. Sera, who usually tags along, can be found passed out under the table after the first flagon. Cassandra looks on disdainfully from her table in the corner, occasionally making disgusted noises as the three drinking buddies slap down yet another mug.
Sometimes Cullen joins in on the rare occurrence, but he is quickly knocked from the competition, passed out despite the big talk he talked on the way down to the tavern. Dorian playfully mutters "lightweight" into his mug as Cullen drops like a rock onto the table. Solas sighs and scolds the group for dragging their commander into this competition so everyone in the tavern boos him out of the building.
Vivienne secretly knows she can outdrink all her fellow companions but instead smiles on and lovingly chides them for wasting time. Blackwall, on the other hand, is something of a cheerleader for the group, cheering them all on because he's trying desperately to get everyone to like him so that when the truth comes out about his identity they won't hate him too much. Cole has no idea what is happening and floats from person to person, very worried about the health of his new friends and hoping with all his might that they don't hurt themselves.
Dorian begins to flounder in his attempt to down the fifth flagon but he does his best to hide his struggling. Varric and Iron Bull have barely begun to feel a buzz, but both keep going because they are determined to see Dorian trip up for once, sneaking conspiratorial glances at each other and then at Dorian to see how much longer before he sets off another Fire Ball like the last time he attempted to hide his tipsiness.
Leliana is drinking alone in her rookery, desperately wishing she could join her associates but in too far a depression to muster the excitement. How she misses Justinia. How she hopes that one day she will be whole enough again to compete against the people she considers friends.
Josephine, meanwhile, has no idea that this happens almost every night as she toils away in her office, thinking that the others are working hard too. Thats why when she shows up the next day and everyone is hungover or still drunk, she throws her hands up in the air and wonders how the fuck they are going to beat Corypheus. She walks in to the war room with her clipboard perched on her hip, "guys ok so we need to contact the Marquis de- WHAT IS GOING ON HERE ARE YOU DRUNK I THOUGHT YOU WERE PLANNING THE NEXT ATTACK MOVE WHERE IS CULLEN… YOU'RE IN ON THIS TOO?" Cullen shrugs sheepishly and looks down while Dorian walks up to Josie, very drunk, and smiling like an idiot. "Josefphinh justh settle down, okgay" After she yells at everyone and leaves, Leliana appears and threatens everyone that if they ever show up drunk again and ruin Josie's day she will personally murder them all. Horrified, everyone slowly slinks away except for Vivienne who laughs and stays to help Leliana clean up.
Meanwhile, Cullen is puking all over the battlements on his way to fulfill Varric's dare to yell "i'm banging the Inquisitor" off the gates. The soldiers who were approaching their commander to ask about tactics slowly back away as Cullen vomits, sharing knowing looks. Finally, the Inquisitor gets back from her envoy mission to find all of her friends slightly embarrassed and Cullen in bed sick and when she asks Varric why everyone is in a weird mood, he simply laughs and says "ask Curly."