faderift | A Cruel Twist of Fate [closed]

[Off to the left, Katniss shakes her head slightly.]

Peace is a better option, but I am not sure they will agree to it. Not unless the village wills a complete cease fire, and leaves the forest be. Not until the clan stops Fen'harel's Teeth.

The forest is a resource needed by the village as much as the elves. [Her tone is blunt, and stern, her arms crossed.]

They have been murdering any human that steps into the woods - it is no wonder that the village hates them, in turn.

Making little people starve just 'cause you like's some shit.

[ Sera settles over near Nerva, underscoring her siding with the woman. ]

Bad things happened years and years ago, blah, blah, and that makes doing bad things now fine because my pointy face says so. Think we're going to fix that kinda thinking with some cookies?

[Cyril is very quiet as he listens to the women speak.]

Speaking as one of those Dalish companions under pressure... [That's just a little joke directed to Korrin to try to help ease some tension]

I do think trying for the least amount of blood shed is best. If we side with either of these groups, there will be suffering on the other side.

But Nerva and Sera are both right that the Clan has done little to soothe the fears of the village. If there is to be peace, they will have to compromise, and from what I've seen they aren't very friendly towards that idea.

[A pause] Has anyone seen or heard anything that might give us leverage to convince them to bend?

This is all terribly familiar. Less rape, contagious curses, and talking trees to be certain- but familiar none the less.

[ Now what in the Maker's name did Jonas actually say to smooth things over between the cursed humans and the Dalish clan? He'd been right there, heard every last one, and could not honestly recall. Brasca. ]

Less torture would help, perhaps equivalent commerce- the Humans stay out of the woods and in turn they trade for what they need with the Dalish. I am certain there are things the clan can only find that they might have need of that are available or crafted by the villagers. Reminding the Keeper that antagonizing the humans for lives lost in the past is only going to get those that yet live more dead might help.

God.

( Murmured under her breath, looking at Zevran because wow that sounds like a story that might help us, but she's not all that sold on wanting to hear it. Every world has its screwed up stories. Just because all of them have them doesn't make them any more palatable. )

Is keeping the humans out of the forest really an option? And-- I don't know. I grew up near a forest. Not being able to go in there at all, that's not exactly... ( It doesn't quite sit right with her. Then again, she'd not been a proper wolf, had betrayed her pack, according to them. ) Maybe a boundary within the forest? I don't know.

[Katniss had been gnawing on the inside of her lip while the others were speaking, before she sat up a little at Cyril's statement.]

We ... could make a boundary, if we can get the Dalish to agree not to cross it, and give the villagers some of the forest away from the river itself. The people here respect the Inquisition, and we closed the rift on top of it. Whatever decision we say, they'll stand by it. Besides, they need the leather badly enough, and I bet they'd be willing to pay the Dalish handsomely for what the hunters bring in.

[Trade ... trade could do it.]

But ... the villagers would have to make amends, and since they started it by killing a halla ... seems only fair they should end it by giving the Dalish new ones.

Edited (because more information is awesome.) 2016-04-26 03:25 (UTC)

[Nerva twitched, the scowl obvious on her face.]

They kill a Halla, and in return have several of their people tortured and murdered and you think they are the ones who must make amends? Exactly where are they going to get these mystical Halla? The woods, where they are forbidden? Other Dalish, that they have been taught to hate and fear?

All that- and for just having elfy middle men, what happens the next time some sparkly bitch gets her tits in a twist and don't want to sell? Gotta have their own nice little corners of the woods.

You know what a halla looks like to most humans? A deer. It looks like food. This is an unfortunate cultural misunderstanding that has gone on for far too long, helping neither side.

The Dalish will not wish to give ground and humans are not the best at keeping to borders as Orlais and Ferelden will show well enough. Whatever ruling we lay out will only last as long as we are here to enforce it, and we do not have men enough to leave a guard or two and make an outpost of the village- moreover it is not relevant enough from a tactical standpoint to do so.

Whatever we choose must work for both- and moreover it might be best if it seems as though it is their idea. People are more likely to go along with a plan they think they came up with on their own than one handed down to them by an authority.

The trouble begins and will end with their respective leaders.

[Leaving bed for a handful of reasons to join this discussion is not something he was content to do. Once upon a time, he'd have let everyone else sort this whole thing out.

But Sera is right. He has to find a way to end it.

He arrives, pulling up a seat and sitting down heavily, glancing down to his hand for a moment as green magic flickers from the new mark. Twisted Fate frowns before he addresses the group.]

We don't have the ability the make a border at this time. The Inquisition is spread thin as it is. What we do have is the cooperation of the mayor at this time.

I trust that between Sina, Beleth, and Cyril, we will have the clan's attention as well. If we can convince Keeper Shoshanna to sit with Mayor Bowen, we can work on having them negotiate an agreement. With the information all of you have gathered, and with everyone's efforts at helping both clan and the village, we will find a way to do this.

In due time, I'm sure a few halla that was accidentally killed a few decades ago will be forgiven eventually.

[ Beleth has trusted that everyone knows what her opinions are on the matter, and largely didn't bother speaking for most of the discussion. She knows what side she's on, and so does everyone else. Her lips twist at certain words, certain phrases, and you can feel the disapproval emanating from her. Still, she doesn't speak. Her job is to be the Good Dalish, to speak to the Keeper without making an ass of herself, a task that seems beyond the rest of the group.

She feels distinctly ill at ease, like a stranger, even with Cyril there. It's only when her name is mentioned that she finally speaks. ]

The village will never be able to give the clan halla to make up for their losses. Halla have unyielding pride and do not tolerate any handlers but the Dalish. If the humans attempted to corral them like sheep, the halla would fight to the death--either of itself, or the humans involved.

[ She says it calmly, with deference in her voice. Not that it wouldn't be funny to watch a bunch of humans try to herd halla around and find out just how pointy those wicked horns were. Could put the halla in danger, though. ]

The villagers can figure out alternate venues of repayment. I'll work with the clan and Keeper Shoshanna. She can be convinced. If you try asking.

[ UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE. ]

Not only can we work with the Keeper directly, but both the First and the Crafter seem willing to discuss things. Both of them expressed a desire to let go of the anger. Aurelion seemed to think some of the actions of the Hunters were foolish, while Jenna just seemed ready to focus on the future.

Both of them will ultimately follow their Keeper. [As it should be, he thinks, but he doesn't say it because he doesn't think that many of the others at the table will understand.] But hearing their voices may help sway her.

[Cyril's own opinions on some of the things being said are very hidden, he seems open and willing to listen. Judgments can always come later.]

Edited 2016-04-28 02:01 (UTC)

[The moment Fate sits down, Nerva is out of her seat - but then hovers, not entirely sure of what she's supposed to do (because Fate, you really should be resting, but also they kind of need you in this conversation), so after just standing awkwardly for a moment, she retakes her seat to turn her concentration on the elves.]

I don't think the clan would be able to resurrect the civilians in order to recoup the village's losses, either. [But, it is said mostly under her breath, and in a grumble. She's Not Impressed but Fate's presence has at least put her anger on the back-burner.]

( She left her "What Would Snow White Do?" bracelet at home :C
and let's be real what Snow White would do is make an inspirational speech, get Charming to make an inspirational speech, maybe get Regina to roll her eyes a few times and things would seem to be okay for a while before some new, bigger problem turned up.

Okay, maybe she doesn't need that WWSWD bracelet. )

Both of the leaders ultimately need to keep their people safe, right? I mean, that's the first step, that's got to be the most important thing. ( Her gaze skips between Nerva and Beleth and Fate, uncertain, trying to figure if any of them think it's a decent idea or just rehashing what other people have said differently. She might be, she's exhausted and in over her head. )

If we can ask the Keeper and the Mayor what they need, maybe more than what they want, or getting caught up in the history instead of the future... ( with a nod to Cyril, for his earlier comment ) that might help us figure out what to do better than trying to impose our own logic on it. Both sides have suffered heavy losses and... been kind of terrible to each other.

( She falters, because she really isn't the best at this. ) So if the goal is keeping people safe, maybe... ( Nope, okay, she's got nothing, and slowly drags her hand over her face. ) Maybe we can just pick up the village and move it further away.

( That's not a serious suggestion, and she is pretty drained from closing the rift, shaking her head apologetically in self-dismissal. Her history doesn't qualify her to be anything but a monster to be hated by both sides, she's pretty sure. )

I agree with Cyril. They will not go against their Keeper, but she is not unreasonable. With enough calm voices reasoning with her--without questioning her authority--she can, I believe, agree to parlay. From there, we can figure out what it is that the two of them need [ Here, she nods to Ruby. ] and what we can negotiate.

What about the human leader? Will he agree? [ Beleth spent like two seconds in town before doing a 360 turn and moonwalking out so she's not very aware of what the situation is with him. ]

As for the suggestion of moving--That actually is a good one. [ She glances at Ruby again, a small smile tugging at her lips for a moment before disappearing. ] But not the village, I think. Dalish clans are customarily nomadic--one of the main reasons being to avoid something like this. It won't solve the current problem, but if the Dalish move on after this...

It'll ease some of the tensions, I think.

A Cruel Twist of Fate [closed]

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