faderift | OPEN: And you can shake the mountains with a whisper

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OPEN: And you can shake the mountains with a whisper

WHO: Hermione Granger and YOU!
WHAT: Hermione ventures out of the library. Sometimes. But she's also in the library most of the time, because she's Hermione.
WHEN: Late Justinian, creeping into early Solace if need be.
WHERE: Throughout Skyhold, just outside of Skyhold, pick a place far away from Skyhold and find a reason to drag her there.
NOTES: If you'd like a particular starter and/or would like to hash out some minor assumed CR that can lead into this, feel free to let me know either via PM or plurk (

StarryOblivion). Otherwise, feel free to have them randomly bump into one another!

The Herald's Rest.

Hermione doesn't often come in here, not since receiving an odd look when she'd first asked for just some water (really, given how young everyone here seems to think she is, she'd been surprised that the surly bartender had thought she'd wanted something harder). But sometimes it's a nice change of pace, sitting among the mostly quiet chattering of the other patrons and enjoying the fire as she reads or looks over her notes. Presuming, of course, that no one is foolish enough to have too much to drink and try to bother her. Talking is a distraction she'll accept with no fuss, but Merlin help anyone who's had enough alcohol to think she's open to anything friendlier than that.

Stables.

When she'd first arrived at Skyhold, the stables had seemed relatively empty and were a fine place for practicing her magic without risking hurting anyone. She'd thought she could do the same now, only to find that there are considerably more horses - and, er, other creatures - residing there. Magic might only frighten them, she decides, but they're so pretty that she can't help visiting with them for a bit, getting as close to them as she dares. It's been years since she's ridden a horse, but she's entirely certain that these mounts aren't exactly the type that would trot gently along a given course for an inexperienced rider, so she isn't even going to ask after something so silly, even if the interest is clearly there in her eyes.

Courtyard, not too far from the healing tents.

When the stables prove not to be the best place to practice with her magic, Hermione decides that it might be best to find a little corner close to the healing tents instead. At least then there would be other mages around, and so it was less likely that anyone who stumbled across her would look at her disdainfully. And if anyone gets hurt, a healer wouldn't be too far away. Of course, she highly doubts that anyone would get hurt just because she was unsuccessfully attempting to transfigure leaves and pebbles and whatever else happens to be in the vicinity. Transfiguration doesn't seem to be an aspect of her magic that's carried over into Thedas, or at least Hermione can't manage it without more practice, given that she's growing more and more frustrated as she continuously taps rocks and other objects with what looks like a stick, muttering to herself in exasperation.

Library. Because of course.

If you've been to the library, you've seen her. Whether you know her and enjoy talking to her about rifter politics or think it's entertaining to scandalize her or have never bothered to approach her, Hermione can more often than not be found in the same little niche in the library, nose in a book or a quill hastily scribbling down notes. Or even, occasionally, dozing off, since she hasn't exactly claimed any sort of sleeping space for her own and more often than not loses track of the time when she doesn't explicitly have somewhere to be.

Wildcard!

Hermione wanders, and while she tries to be careful, sometimes it takes her places she just shouldn't go. If it doesn't look like a private room or setting, it's safe to assume that the young witch has made her way there, likely looking for a quiet place to read or do magic or just to get a few moments of silence. And while she doesn't often journey outside of Skyhold, she can definitely be tempted beyond its walls if she has the right incentive, or the right company.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Ask for non-animal volunteers? I'd give it a shot with food-testing, if it helps. I've an iron stomach, so there's not a lot that sickens me anyway." As long as it isn't toxic -or dwarven ale, same thing- Korrin is reasonably sure she can handle it. And if she can't learn to do that kind of magic herself, at least she can watch Hermione.

"If mages could finally govern themselves, like your own world, I could see it being a lot more possible. As it is, it's a rare enough talent right now that outside Skyhold the only people who have it are on the fringes of civilization. I'm not even sure what the limit is for how many animal forms they can assume or if there is one. I just know it can't be larger than a bear, so no one's going to become a dragon."

The thought of asking people to test any of her magic that had to do with food makes Hermione pale a little. "Oh no, I couldn't ask you to do that! I'd rather test it myself, if it comes to that. It's just easier that way, and besides, if anyone does get sick, I'd rather it be the person who fouled up the spell in the first place than any of her friends."

Thinking back on some of the things she'd seen people do with their magic back home, Hermione murmurs, "Dragons always do seem to be something of an unpredictable threat or limitation, don't they? Still, part of me wishes that a few of you could come back and see what magic in general is like in my world. We're not perfect, not by any means, and I know there are reasons why certain things aren't plausible, but I wish you can see what my magic is supposed to look like when it's cast properly. That would make it so much easier to compare and contrast the two."

"The offer still stands, if you change your mind. And don't take too many risks on your own. At least have someone there if you need a quick trip to the healing tents or something." Korrin also can't help but wonder what strange side-effects might come of tampering with food like that. Even if it's just ordinary food-poisoning, the result won't be pleasant.

She pauses to consider Hermione's idea, nodding thoughtfully. It probably won't happen, but if it could, she'd be all for comparing notes. "You've been on my turf, it's only fair. I'm still curious about a world where magic is hidden, it sounds so odd to me...but it must work out somehow. Though they don't know about non-humans either, right? That would be be a problem." Not that she even wants to hide what she is, but still.

"I haven't done much venturing on my own, at least nothing worse than trying out new spells away from where anyone could get hurt. Even now, at least I'm close enough to the healing tents, just in case." Just in case what, she can't say, but magic does occasionally come with unpredictable consequences.

"Well, most of our non-humans don't want to interact with people more than they absolutely have to," Hermione explains. "Goblins only interact with us out of necessity, and house-elves tend to stay very close to their wizarding families." She sniffs a little, doing her best not to show what she thinks about that, as though these wizards act like actual families to the elves. "Giants mostly stay hidden away in the mountains, trolls stay in caves, and even dragons have gotten rarer and rarer. There are always sightings, of course, which is why Muggles have heard of a lot of the magical world, but they're just written off as stories."

Korrin shakes her head as she tries to picture how all this works and fails. "If your giants are anything like the ones we have here, it's weird that they'd be able to stay hidden at all. Let alone fucking dragons, unless they don't leave anyone non-magic alive in their passing." And even then, it'd be obvious enough that something huge had been responsible. "I can't say I'd share that want. Humans may be some of the most frustrating people I've met, at times, but they're also of the best I know. Isolation didn't do the elves any favors here, or the dwarves. So, I'm not keen on following their example."

She shrugs, knowing it's a moot point here but it's still interesting to compare nonetheless. The 'just in case' remark has Korrin raising an eyebrow, but she'll let it go as there's not much to be done other than look in and see if help is needed from time to time. "Wise precautions. Alright, I won't lecture. You're an adult and you know your magic better than any of us do. But if you need someone to vent at, or a break, come find me."

"I've never met any of your dragons here, but someone described them to me - a woman named Lena, I think it was - and it sounds like they're different enough. Our giants are more like very large people, and they can even-... well, you know. With humans. One of my dearest friends had a giantess for a mother and a human for a father. Giants are just a bit more... wild than most other people." Shrugging a bit, she adds, "Dragons are vicious, but usually only if you encroach on their territory, which tends to be hard for most humans to get to unless they're actively seeking them out."

Hermione falls silent, then, before looking up at Korrin with a small, earnest smile on her face. "Thank you. For calling me an adult. Most people here either forget it or don't believe it. It can be a bit frustrating."

A wry smile forms as Korrin nods. "Believe me, I understand. When I first joined the Valo-Kas, I had a lot of work to do before they began taking me seriously, because of my age. I was an adult, but just barely, and not an experienced one compared to a lot of the company. It was a bumpy road, getting them to take me seriously." But it was obviously worth it, or she wouldn't have stuck with them. Still, that might be why she encourages Kas as much as she does, too.

She smiles at mention of Lena, almost surprised at her best friend's usual amount of sociability. But if anything will get her to talk, it's great beasts like dragons. "Lena was one of those who stood up for me. She's not nearly as much of a jerk as she pretends to be, though don't tell her I said that."

"Experience means something else here, I think," Hermione muses after a moment. "I've experienced war back home, and it was horrible, but our wars are fought primarily on strategy and on tearing down the opponent's defenses. There's much more hand-to-hand combat here, even discounting wartime, it seems. And with my magic not being all it can be...." She still thinks she should learn to actually fight, but she hates fighting, almost as much as she hates simply hiding behind someone bigger and stronger until she can be useful.

Cracking a small smile at the description of Lena, Hermione adds, "She doesn't seem like a jerk. Just... guarded. Given some of the things she'd told me, I can understand why easily enough."

Korrin nods slowly, crossing her arms. "She hasn't had the easiest time of it, not that Vashoth ever do. We get exposed to a lot at an early age, and learn to grow up fast. There's not really any choice about that. Not to mention the Fade opened up some wounds."

Her mouth forms a thin line at remembering that, wishing she'd have had the time to beat down each and every demon in the place just for the pain it caused her dearest friend. But Lena wasn't the only one traumatized by that place, and her attention slides back to Hermione. "I've been meaning to ask how you've been doing since then. It wasn't kind to you either, after all."

"I met her before the Fade," Hermione murmurs, frowning a little. "I can only imagine what she must have gone through after it."

As though surprised by the show of concern from Korrin, Hermione blinks and looks up at her, unsure how to respond for a moment. After a while, she finally opts for the truth, since it's always much simpler. "I try not to think much about it, honestly. Demons are one thing - I can just equate them to magical creatures. The Fade, though... it's an entirely different sort of matter."

"Yeah, it really is. I can't pretend to understand it, even as a mage. Even the most distinguished scholars' writings on the subject are mostly guesswork. All I know is that we're not meant to be there, not physically. No wonder it screwed us over." Korrin shakes her head, hoping fervently that history won't repeat itself. They don't need a return trip to that horror show, and any plan involving shard use to widen rifts is going to put up with stiff resistance from her.

"It makes sleeping even more difficult, I know. Who wants to risk seeing all that again, even in dreams? The healers have some decent avenues for dreamless sleep, if that's needed."

"I wish I knew more about it," Hermione murmurs after a moment. "It might be disturbing, but it would be less so if there was just more information on it." Of course, if even people who'd grown up in Thedas don't know more about it, how can Hermione expect to learn nearly enough about it to sate her need for knowledge?

"I know a recipe for a dreamless sleep potion, though I don't know that the ingredients even exist here. I just have to wonder how connected I can really be to the Fade, considering that it's not something that's every been so much as hinted at in anything I've read back home."

"Either it exists and people have yet to discover it -seems unlikely- or it doesn't...strange that that sounds to me." A world without the Fade and the demons and spirits in it? What an odd notion. Then again, she could definitely do without the former in her life, even if it means never seeing a spirit again. "As for ingredients, I could help search if you think a concoction from your own world would serve you better. Perhaps we'll find acceptable substitutes."

Korrin trusts Hermione to know if it's possible, let alone advisable. If it helps her friend sleep, she's willing to do what she can. She crosses her arms and frowns in thought. "I doubt you'll find anything useful in the library -either of them- but maybe talking with Solas will get you somewhere. Apparently, he's spent a lot of time exploring the Fade for whatever reason. Given that he's not a Circle mage, he probably has a lot less hang-ups about it, too."

"I'm more inclined to believe that it doesn't exist," Hermione admits. "After all, ghosts and spirits and whatnot are very different where I'm from than they are from what I've seen here. And we've always been taught that magic is just energy that's either inside of us or isn't, not that it's derived from a sort of dreamscape or afterlife or anything like that."

She falls quiet as she thinks over the ingredients of the dreamless sleep potion, vaguely remembering a conversation she had (or might have had) with a strange young man about the aforementioned ingredients. It's a disconcerting, only half-remembered sort of conversation, so she decides to push it aside for now, focusing on the talk with Korrin instead.

"I think I've spoken to Solas once before. Over the networks, briefly. I wouldn't want to take up too much of his time, especially since I'm sure he's already heard anything I might ask a dozen times over."

"Maybe, but he seems to like being asked questions and giving the chance to explain things from his perspective. I can't say I have the patience to sit through it all, because he's thorough If he can go into great detail about something, he will." Excessive detail about minute things that don't interest Korrin, but Hermione's a knowledge-sponge, so maybe she'll feel differently. And even then, it doesn't sound like the Vashoth woman is putting him down; she just doesn't see eye-to-eye and isn't going to pretend she does.

"Care for a break? All that running around outside has left me with a craving for hearth cakes and tea. I wouldn't mind the company...and another pair of hands to help me smuggle treats to Adelaide's mabari pups."

Hermione always appreciates having more information versus not nearly enough, and so she seems to consider that for a time. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to strike up a conversation with him, should I encounter him. Not that I know much more about him than what his voice sounds like, but introductions are usually made easily enough when talking to someone new around here."

Mildly surprised, Hermione looks up at Korrin and asks, "Adelaide has mabari puppies? Since when?" Granted, she only ever sees the woman when it's work related, and a library is hardly the place for rambunctious puppies. Either way, the thought seems to intrigue her, and she climbs to her feet without question. "Can they eat that sort of thing, though? Meats are much better for dogs than sweets are, aren't they? Or are mabari different from most of the dogs I know in that respect?"

Laughing, Korrin shakes her head. "No, the hearth cakes are for us. Mabari eat meat, though I know the kitchen bakes mabari crunch treats for those here. They're made of elfroot, deep mushroom and...something." Look, she's not a mabari-owner, the details aren't important enough to remember. "I think they're old enough to give it a try, at least. And Adeladie got them recently; a litter of five, for the Inquisition. So they aren't going to be hers once they're old enough to have owners."

Hermione isn't much of a dog person, but she does like animals in general, and the way her face lights up says as much. "I can help her take care of them," she replies, already looking around as though expecting to see the puppies underfoot. "It would be something to get me out of the library a bit more often, if nothing else. As long as they aren't too hyper, I suppose. Or if they were taken in shifts, one at a time. I don't mind visiting with all five of them now, since I'm sure you can help keep up with them, but on my own that would be next to impossible."

Sadly, there are no puppies in the immediate area though that does put Korrin in mind about mentioning healing tent trips. Some might recover faster in the presence of such feisty adorableness, and it'd help the puppies socialize. Of course, they'd need someone to take them away if they became more of a hindrance than a help. For now, she leads them toward the barn. "Right now, they're pretty small and still wobble when they try to run, but they do have a lot of energy. I can't blame you for not wanting to take them on solo. Though sometimes they sleep in shifts and aren't all up at the same time, so there's always a chance there won't be five to deal with at once."

"I've never seen them that small before!" Hermione exclaims as she follows after Korrin. "Even the younger one that I'd seen still looked strong enough to almost knock me over, if he had a mind for it." Remembering about that encounter, she slips her wand up her sleeve, keeping it hidden up there as best as she can so the dogs don't think it's just another stick to fetch.

"They could, I'm sure. Damn things are solid as hell, and they'd through even me off-balance. But that's what the Formari bred them for, to be efficient war hounds. I'm just glad they saw fit to include them being highly sociable and intelligent as well. They're not just thugs."

And once they get close to the barn, Korrin grins as she hears the yipping from inside. "Good, they're awake...."

"Well, I can't say about Thedas, but wouldn't that undo centuries of breeding?" Hermione asks. "Where I'm from, most dogs have been bred to be social and able to interact with people, though granted, some of them are better at it than others. So making a dog strong and antisocial would probably involve some rather unethical treatment, I'd say."

Though she'd been looking forward to playing with the puppies, hearing them as they draw closer makes her just a little reluctant, wondering if she's going to end up being overpowered even if she hides behind Korrin. Hardly even realizing that she's stepping in slightly behind her much taller friend, she peers into the barn and asks, "Are all of them awake?"

"I wouldn't know, I'm not a mabari-breeder. But the Fereldans treat their mabari as well as their own families. Maybe Adelaide's sister can answer some of those questions. Anyway, let's find out, shall we?" Korrin doesn't mind being a buffer, even as she doubts it'll be necessary. The pups aren't large enough yet for Hermione to be in any danger of their knocking her down. As it is, they're still learning how to run without wobbling, as is demonstrated the moment they step inside. Upon spotting Korrin, the yips increase, and soon they're surrounded by four wiggly pups, all vying for attention. A fifth trails behind, yawning. Guess who was woken up by their siblings.

"Hey, fuzzies! I brought you a new friend. Be nice." The pups version of being 'nice' includes licking Hermione and trying to climb her, naturally.

Hermione's far from any sort of animal breeder herself, but this isn't the first time she's heard about Fereldans and their dogs. Before she can ask any other questions, though, they step inside the barn, and she's met with several small but still undeniably solid mabari. There's still that small moment of automatic concern she gets whenever faced with an unfamiliar animal (never mind five of them), but after feeling several sets of tiny paws on her legs without being knocked over, she decides that they probably won't be able to cause too much harm.

So she smiles as she carefully stoops down, not wanting to accidentally crush any of the small pups that seem to be surrounding them. "Hello," she murmurs to one of them softly, holding a hand up to be sniffed at. It instead gets batted at by several paws, all seeming determined to bring it down so they can pounce on it. To Korrin, she asks, "How old did you say they are?"

"I think several weeks old...old enough to wean, at any rate." Korrin scoops up the lagging one and gently headbutts it, laughing as it tries to reach her horns with its paw. "Feisty, aren't they? All this playtime is good for them, they'll learn to socialize and develop coordination. And they're too adorable to resist, yes you are." The pup she's petting closes its eyes in contentment, ceasing to wiggle at least for that moment. It won't last, of course.

OPEN: And you can shake the mountains with a whisper

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