lost myself and I am nowhere to be found

[fightingale]

WHO: catch-all for Leliana, Ruby & Herc
WHAT: all sorts! some open prompts for each, as well as closed starters.
WHEN: throughout Bloomingtide
WHERE: various
NOTES: Depression, discussion of death, alcohol, potential violence, others to be added as necessary. If we're threading and something comes up in a tag, feel free to add a warning to the subject line.

Starters in the comments! If you'd like a personalised thing then just prod me via pp (@karmacharging) or pm and I will whip something up C:

Comments

[gatheringstorm]

Whatever can be said about Korrin, and there's plenty depending on who's asked, she's genuine to the core. Anger, grief, gratitude, joy...these are things she could never hide or dilute, and would never think to so do. She'd be a terrible player of the Game, but if nothing else, one tends to know where they stand with her.

That last comment gets a soft rueful chuckle out of her. "True enough. I just hated being thrown off-kilter like that. And it can be difficult enough, getting people not to recoil around mages when there's a feverish one stumbling around and yelling about demons, you know? Not exactly a PR boost."

[fightingale]

"I understand. None of us appreciate being compromised, especially when our dreams can be set on display." There was a reason Leliana had not slept.

Her mouth tugs a little, an almost frown that doesn't quite make it into being. "Is that a feeling you have in the Inquisition itself? That people recoil?"

[gatheringstorm]

"Honestly? Sometimes, yes. The abomination in Skyhold...well, that put a lot of people on edge. I'm relatively huge, so no one really wants to mess with me, but there were some nasty looks and muttering, and I know plenty of them were wondering if every other mage out there would wind up the same way." One more reason why she's pissed at Anders; his reveal brought back those conversations, conversations she was hoping would die out. "It hasn't been quite as tense lately; the other mages and I were helping with the building in the valley and no one there gave us grief. But I'd be a fool to think that hard-earned goodwill can't be knocked down again when one mage's actions are seen as an indication of what all of us are like."

[fightingale]

"It is unfortunate," she agrees, fully knowing how utter an understatement that was. "The fear the people fear is sometimes justifies, sometimes an ingrained paranoia. I have seen more than one the devastation that magic can bring about."

Leliana pauses and shakes her head. "But people can do terrible things to one another without magic. I believe people can learn to embrace mages, but... the powers of the world have not nurtured or enabled opportunities for such."

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin reluctantly nods, fully aware that magic is dangerous and people aren't wrong to fear its abuse. It's one reason why she's held herself so firmly in check not wanting to give them further justification. "No, they really haven't. Keeping mages locked away, where they can't contribute to society at large, that only encourages others to see them as mythic beings to be feared, not people. Ignorance breeds fear; exposure might alleviate it. Which isn't to say that I expect them to react well to fireballs, but energizing debris, healing wounds? That benefits everyone."

There's a momentary pause. "Do you believe the Inquisition will bring about lasting change?"

rereading my tags and finding so many typos oh god

[fightingale]

"That is its entire purpose, is it not? An unstitching of the Chantry at its very seams to make it up better than it once was. It would be stupidity to simply remake it as it was again. It would be the weaker for it."

Admittedly Leliana does not know a great deal about making clothes; the point is simply enough, however, that she hopes she has not found herself speaking to a master seamstress unwittingly.

"There is much that must be changed, for any chance of peace in Thedas, and this Inquisition is our chance. The world is in turmoil, the sky is broken apart, but when we succeed then not only will we have saved Thedas from Corypheus, but we will have the influence to reshape the entire world. Elves could have a home once more, mages could be free. The Chantry could lead with the Maker's love, instead of human hostility."

i've been there, it's fine!

[gatheringstorm]

"I would love see any and all of those come true, though even with ending Corypheus, it's not going to come easily. If there's one thing I've learned about people it's that they resist change, even when it's better for them. In light of all the chaos of the past several months, there are going to be those who'll fight to return things to the way they were, progress be damned." And yes, she might be thinking of the Templars, though they're only part of the problem. Loyalist mages, hardline Chantry folk...there could be support enough for another war.

you that now, but one day you will get a 3am tag from me and despair :')

[fightingale]

"Many will want to return to the familiarity of what they had before. Even if it was not happy, it was at least known."

Leliana, however, allows herself a smile that might just be as dangerous as the press of a blade against one's throat.

"The upheaval makes reform easier than it would have been at any other time. It is simply a matter of crushing efforts at overturning it, and in time the new peace will become associated with the new way of things."

[gatheringstorm]

"I never understood that mentality. The unknown is only more intimidating if you don't face it. Sticking your head in the sand never does anyone any favors."

The Vashoth woman shrugs, figuring she'll never quite understand that just as others might never understand her own viewpoint. She'd be happy to let that be, if their views didn't intrude on her living her life as she pleased.

"I hope you're right. If there's any shot for change it's now, when everything's in question and we have to band together to defeat that ancient bastard. Making it stick will be the hard part, but...I want to help build something that'll last. Do you have thoughts about the Council's direction, how it might make that possible?" Leliana may not be a mage, but her perspective could be valuable, and Korrin wants to remain open to any ideas from those interested in supporting them.

[fightingale]

"That," she begins, rather bluntly, "is more than a little simplistic." One eyebrow is ticked upward, considering for a moment how to explain. "How many things that are known to us are terrifying? How much worse can things become, and it is worth the cost of things becoming more terrible? To say that the unknown is intimidating only if you do not face it dismisses the very valid reasons people have for their fear, and undercuts how hard it is to fight against that." No, she shakes her head. "Many people have good reasons to be afraid and to shrink away from causes that might worsen it."

Leliana amongst those reasons, for some.

"The very concept of the Council is a strong beginning, although there are those who consider it far too akin to a Circle to support it, and others who feel it is not close enough. I think if you want to build something that lasts... it should focus on the similarities between people, rather than highlighting differences. Finding the common threads between mages, and between mages and non-mages is key."

[gatheringstorm]

Perhaps it is simplistic, but for Korrin, who admittedly has had resources to counter threats that the common person just doesn't, it just makes sense. Whatever she fears, no matter how terrible, always seems to diminish when she faces it head-on. Having learned that from a young age, she's simply stuck with what works. So, the notion that others might not gain strength from such confrontation is an alien one to her. But Leliana sees more angles than she ever will, as spymaster or Left Hand, so while Korrin doesn't look as though she agrees with all that's said, she at least seems to be considering it. "I said the unknown is more intimidating unconfronted, not that it isn't to begin with. Personally speaking, not facing it seems to give it more power over me, and that's a thought I can't stand. But...I admit it's a lot easier to do it with magic and a shitload of training. I suppose it's worth remembering that many don't have that."

And she'll need to keep that perspective in mind, especially when the current crisis is over and the question of what happens to mages comes back to the forefront.

"Commonalities...that's a good point. Banding against our enemy is a nice start, but there need to be more such ties, or it'll be prone to falling apart afterward. If we stick to Fade training, work with each other to resist the usual pitfalls of being a mage, then it's a start...and a way to show that we can all be capable, Circle-trained or not." And, yes, a way to stick it to Circle hardliners by showing them that their way isn't the only valid one, but hopefully it can be done in such a way as to encourage rather than provoke. "Mages and non-mages working together on projects, like the construction in the valley, would be very helpful. More chances like that might give people the exposure needed to see those commonalities for themselves."

[fightingale]

"You and I are of a like mind," Leliana agrees, "but there were times when I believed that I could live and let a great threat to me live as well - that living peacefully would be enough, and I was one with considerable training. Something bigger, for those with no such experience of battle, or the world we live in beyond their hometown?"

She shakes her head, and the memory of the scared girl hiding in the Lothering Chantry is swept away.

"Precisely so. Focusing on opportunities for such projects will be key, I think. Do you have anything in mind?"