LET NO SOUL HUNGER FOR JUSTICE: SONG FOR THE SOUL

[fleurdesel]

WHO: Anders, Bethany, Nathaniel, Leliana, Kallian, Sina, Beleth
WHAT: The First Ritual
WHEN: 1st of Bloomingtide (May 1st)
WHERE: half an hour outside Skyhold
NOTES: plotting thread.

The clearing is not all that far from Skyhold- only half an hour's ride. They don't anticipate anything going wrong in this particular ritual but familiarity with the location and a fear that something might go wrong in the future is more than enough to give it a solid once over before they begin. On it's own the ritual is absurd- but there'd been notes enough to make it seem, if not entirely credible, worth a shot. After all it will work or it will not.

Won't it?

Comments

[eolasemah]

Oh--!!

[She didn't realize. How rude!]

..I never made the connection.

[justice_is_blond]

It's that, or listen to Alistair and Herc sing, and they don't sing well at all.

[There's teasing in his voice. He's never heard either try to sing.]

I believe it would be a treat for all of us. Genuinely. And I'd like to meet your friend.

[justice_is_blond]

[Her sincerity gets a warm look from him. This is her area of expertise, which is why she's been brought along, and it's clear she's intending to do as good a job as possible. They'd chosen well.]

What do those two mean?

[justice_is_blond]

[She's adorable, and the returning smile is soft.]

That's why I'm called Anders. Thankfully my mother wasn't lazy enough for that to be my given name.

[justice_is_blond]

Or a Jonas adventure until we've been beset by Darkspawn. We may need a whole new system to judge adventures by. Demons, maybe. Times Nathaniel rolls his eyes? Or Leliana shoots a silent look over at someone?

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Exactly right.

[She laughed as she tipped her head slightly to the side.] I say we separate them by level of annoyance of Nathaniel to Leliana, and just how visible it is.

[justice_is_blond]

Perhaps some sort of dispel, I hate it but it could work well?

[Apparently if he relaxes it's not just song. It's rhyme too. His life...]

[fleurdesel]

What little else of this was beyond deciphering.
I'll attempt a dispel, but don't count on it working.

[ She massages the bridge of her nose, attempting to at least flatten out her singing to a monotone chant. It is...relatively successful. The tonal drift up and down is minimal but it takes a great deal of focus. Focus she shifts to tugging on her connection with Compassion, eyes and hands glowing blue as she begins sketching out the beginnings of the spell. ]

[eolasemah]

Well 'Fecit', that means Maker, [Sina explains,] at least as far as I can tell. And dobrecit is... guide. 'Nos' is similar in a lot of Thedosian languages, or-- similar to... another versions. It means 'us'.
So, Maker guide us, Andraste guide us.

[She is rather pleased with herself for having gleaned this.]

[eolasemah]

What is your given name?

[She's oblivious, but earnest. Why would anyone intentionally go by a regional name instead of their own? All the Dalish in Skyhold would just be called... well, "Dalish".]

[justice_is_blond]

[He contemplates this for a moment before looking up at her with a curious expression.]

Would you be able to sing to the Maker and Andraste with any sort of conviction?

[She's Dalish, after all.]

[justice_is_blond]

I don't know.

[His voice is quiet.]

When I was taken, I was young and transported some distance from my home. I didn't speak the language, and if they asked my name I'd no idea. They called me Anders. After a time, that was all I knew.

[justice_is_blond]

Leliana hides it far better than Nate does. Mostly because he doesn't have a reason to hide it, and she has all the reason in the world to cover what she's feeling.

[Spymistress. There are many cards she has to keep close to her chest.]

So therefore, today has started at... low Leliana levels. Let us hope it does not grow to high Nate levels.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Yes ... that I would have to agree with completely.

[Bethany stated, with a touch more sobriety as she looked over her shoulder at the other woman, then away again.]

Maker's Breath, I hope not. Nathaniel's not much for raising his voice, but I am not looking forward to the 'low and terribly sarcastic' tone.

[eolasemah]

[Well, he's got her there. Sina stares back at him, bites her lower lip, and goes a bit pink when she realizes he has an excellent point.]

...probably not. [It's a confession as much as an answer.] But I will try, if it helps you.

[eolasemah]

[Sina's face falls, taking on a look of sympathy mingled with curiosity. She knows this to be a thing that occurs with some regularity, and strangely has not yet had occasion to speak to someone who isn't entirely fine with it.]

You were taken to a Circle?

[justice_is_blond]

I don't know if it will or won't. There's no telling if the original writers truly felt anything for them, faith or trust. It may, but the scholar here is Adelaide, not me.

[He glances over toward Adelaide as he speaks, wondering if she's close enough to hear.]

[fleurdesel]

The next earliest translation called upon the guidance of the old gods of Tevinter- I think it is less who we are calling upon and our faith in them and more our faith that this will work. Magic is a matter of will. If we will it so, it shall be so.

At least that is the theory.

[justice_is_blond]

I was.

[There's some bitterness in his voice now as he looks after her.]

If you want to hear about it, know that there will be ranting involved. I'm not the only one bothered by what goes on in the circles; Justice is as well.

[justice_is_blond]

I've some tricks for lessening his mood if it gets that far.

[Yes, there's more than a little warmth and suggestiveness to his voice there.]

Though I'll join you in hoping that it does not get that far.

[eolasemah]

[Sina makes an interested face, then smiles, pointing at Adelaide. She's got her shit together.]

[eolasemah]

[Sina doesn't seem put off by the warning. She smiles a little, sympathetically.]

I don't mind. Some have tried to defend them to me, but I find the idea of them frightening and barbaric.

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth is accustomed to Leliana managing to not only materialize shadows where there were none, but then materializing herself out of them. Thus, she's only mildly alarmed when Leliana appears. She gives her mentor a smile that betrays a little nervousness, but her tone is determined. ]

I'm curious, mostly. Magic through song. I've heard of it, but it's an art that's been all but lost. I wonder at the implications, if it works. Or even if it doesn't work.

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth has just kind of been watching as her stupid joke got turned into something entirely different and earnest, actual attempts at figuring out translations and talking about religions. Beleth shoots Sina a slightly annoyed look, then shrugs. ]

I don't know what old Tevene for the Creators would be, anyway.

[fightingale]

It seems the stuff of legends, doesn't it?

( But then there they are, fighting a war against someone who tore open the sky. 'Legendary' seems to be a shifting scale. )

Something that merits further study, without doubt. ( She pauses, though, because Beleth is nervous. It is not the time for a lesson in schooling her on her reactions and on signposting her emotions. They have too much to focus on, and she endeavours to support her scouts as well as teach them and lead them. It is not something she does perfectly, but if she is to be a spymaster, she will be a kinder one than Marjolaine, as much as she is capable. )

It was good of you to volunteer.