faderift | (no subject)

WHO: Raylan Givens and YOU!
WHAT: Raylan's getting used to Skyhold. Slowly.
WHEN: Mid-late Justinian, maybe into early Solace
WHERE: All around Skyhold
NOTES: Feel free to tag in whether we've discussed CR or not, and pp me on

shockvaluecola if you want a closed starter or you have an idea that doesn't fit a starter here.

kitchens
Raylan narrowly avoided getting snapped with the towel the cook was brandishing at him, chasing him away from the door.

"I wasn't doing anything, I swear!" he protested. "I ain't hardly had a vegetable in months, I'm just trying not to die of scurvy. You trying to make me die of scurvy?"

The cook's response was uncomplimentary in the extreme, and Raylan almost got actually offended, until he remembered the cook might come at him with a frying pan next time. She shouted something to the effect of "and stay out!" then slammed the door. Raylan sighed, perching his hands on his skinny hips, and debated the merits of scratching at the door and whining like a puppy.

battlements
This man is definitely a little old to be climbing on battlements, but here he is. He might be found sitting on one of the high parts of the wall, feet dangling as he faces into the castle, or down in a crenellation, looking out. The lofts of towers with broken roofs aren't safe either, though for the faint of heart, he might just be walking along. Regardless, he'll call out to you as you pass.

"Hey! Yeah, come here a second, look at this."

library
Raylan was not impressed with this library at all.

Yes, it had plenty of books and very nice chairs and everything, but the organizational system, as far as he could tell, was completely insane. History and battle tactics shelved together? Chantry scholarship and spellbooks? Who on Thedas had thought of that, and why hadn't anyone else slapped them in the head? Raylan could be found muttering as he rifled through a shelf trying to find something, having some choice things to say about the brains of whoever had set up these shelves.

courtyard
Raylan had found a block of scrap wood and a sturdy knife somewhere, and set to work. He'd been on a stool in some tucked-away corner of the courtyard for a few hours now, and he was holding a little wooden dragon in his hands. She wasn't particularly detailed, but the broad strokes were there, like for a child's toy. Her wings were spread and her head forward, like she was flying. Raylan was focusing on trying to get her to actually take flight now. He frowned with intense concentration at his wooden creation, willing her to move. The problem was, Raylan had definitely made his creations move and come to life, but he wasn't completely sure how, so his ability to reproduce it on command was sporadic at best.

If someone was very lucky, they might be there when her wings began to flap, lifting her up and away from Raylan's hand.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Vashoth mage is taking a much-needed stroll to clear her head and stretch her legs, and do something that isn't miring herself further in politics or training until she drops. Fortunately, there's always something happening around Skyhold, new people to meet or events/missions to plan, and so on. Case in point....

Korrin comes to a halt and glances around, just to make sure that the man isn't referring to someone else. But then shrugs and heads over, having a little time to kill and undeniably curious. "Look at what, exactly?"

"I think someone carved something into this wall here," he said, then turned and looked up at her, visibly startled for a moment. He'd seen Qunari from afar, and seen them around the castle, but hadn't actually spoken to one yet. Shit. Somehow they were even bigger than he'd thought.

He shook himself out of it quickly. She wasn't a vague group, she was just a person he was talking to. "Looks old, but I can't read it. Right here," he said, underlining it with his finger.

Her gaze following where his finger underlines, Korrin tilts her head and raises an eyebrow. "I can't read it either, but Solas might, given that he's the one who lead us to this place. If anyone's an expert on Skyhold, it's him. Then again, he also said a lot of groups claimed it between then and now, so...who the hell knows."

Still, it's worth a shot.

"Bald fella, right?" Raylan asked. He knew better than to point out someone's elfliness. "It don't look that long, so I don't imagine it's too complex," he said. "But with all the shit I imagine people have gotten up to in this place, you never know, could be useful. Could be magic."

As long as there isn't 'knife-ear' in that description, Korrin isn't likely to take offence. Pointing out someone's race is fine, it's the slurs that get to her. She raises an eyebrow at the last part, perking up a little. "Just an arcane researcher, or are you a fellow mage? I haven't seen you at the council." Not that his absence is the only one, but it's her main association with other mages of Skyhold.

In Raylan's defense, he never met an elf before he was nineteen, and there had been so few elves in the circle that they kind of blended together with the humans. Raylan hadn't known any of them intimately.

"I'm a mage," Raylan said, noting in his head that that answered the question of whether Qunari even had magic. "What's the council? I only got here a week or two ago."

Korrin nods, not minding taking the time to inform him at all. "Ah, that explains lot. The Mage Council exists to govern, educate and protect mages, representing our interests to the Inquisition at large. It's not a Circle; membership is purely voluntary, and obviously not limited to Circle mages. Everyone has an equal say in what we do."

Raylan considered that for a moment, looking thoughtful. That certainly wasn't the worst idea he'd heard today. "Huh. And it's run by mages? Who's on it and who's in charge?"

"Well, we all have an equal say so there's no particular person in charge. If there's an issue, we debate and then vote on it. It may be a headache at times, but it gets things done." Usually. And when it doesn't, there are tea and/or puppy breaks.

"As for who's on it; Senior Enchanter Adelaide, First Enchanter Vivienne, Lady Benevenuta Thevenet, Ellana of Clan Ashara and a lot of others. It tends to skew toward former Circle mages from the countries Skyhold borders, huge shock there, but we have all kinds. Anyway, we meet in the vault below the main hall. If you know where the kitchens are, it's basically in the opposite direction of that floor."

Interesting. "I know Adelaide," he said. "We were from the same circle. How's she doing these days?" He was trying to think of a way to ask what her political leanings were, these days. He'd never been especially close with her, of course, but it was at least a name and face he'd recognize.

Korrin perks up a little, smiling at mention of Adelaide. The two women couldn't be more different in many ways, but the past several months have formed a strong bond. "She's doing alright, at least when her family is sending mabari puppies to the Inquisiton instead of stupid attaches to marry her off. Her students adore her, and she's a good influence in the council. When we need someone to get people to listen to each other, she's more often than not the person to do it."

"Makes sense," Raylan said. He fidgeted with a simple ring on one hand, thinking. "I think I'll come by," he decided. "See what you all are about, anyway. See if I've got anything to say."

That gets an approving nod out of Korrin, and a smile. "Have a spine and a voice that carries, and you'll do fine. If it's too much of a headache, I can't blame you or anyone for bowing out, but that you at least give it a shot is something. Mages need a voice here, so I respect the hell out of those willing to use it." However much she might disagree -sometimes strongly- with them, that will hold true. Just ask Vivienne.

"I can certainly do that," Raylan said. "And you're right, that we need a voice." One of the few things that had ever bothered him about the circle was that no one seemed to have consulted a mage on the matter. At least not one like him.

He offered a hand to shake. "Raylan Gibbs," he said. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am."

Always a little surprised when a human shows manners to one of her kind, though being part of the Inquisition has helped that, Korrin flashes a grin and shakes that hand, her own grip strong. "Korrin Ataash, of the Valo-Kas company. Just call me Korrin. I get enough of that 'Coucilor' crap in the vault."

"Seems there's a lot of you lot around," Raylan said, perching his hands on his hips. "Mercenaries, I mean." Not Qunari. But he'd met a lot of people already who identified themselves as belonging to a company.

Korrin nods, crossing her arms. "Yeah, there's a sizable number; Bull's Chargers, the Valo-Kas, a few others. Though to be fair, my entire company isn't here. I was alone for a while, and now I have two others with me. But the Inquisition pays well, treats us with respect, and gives us a chance to strike back at that darkspawn magister asshole. I can see why that'd make it popular."

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Battlements

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