faderift | Sieze the day

Entry tags:

Sieze the day

WHO: Sadira and YOU
WHAT: Various places around Skyhold at different times of day.
WHEN: Beginning to mid Solace before the shenanigans in Orlais takes off.
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: N/A

I.The Training Grounds- Early morning

Sadira was in the training yard, early enough that the sun was just beginning to caress down the mountainsides with light while she was busy flailing a training sword around. She'd gotten up early in order to have some small section of the training yard to herself, though there were others who had arrived earlier than her, and somewhere were just now arriving. It seemed the training yard got little rest, which seemed, to sum up, her appearance. She had the look of someone long used to functioning on too little sleep.

Despite her apparently poor sword skills-- she was overreaching as well as leaving herself completely open on the left side-- she at least had good footwork and showed little signs of tiring quickly. Clothed as she was in a simple linen tunic, brown knit pants, and worn leather boots, it was near impossible to guess that she was a mage unless someone had spoken to her previously about it. She was working with a will building up a good sweat while trying her best to perfect her abilities though it was apparent that she was in dire need of some instruction.

II.The Library- Mid-day

Tables were naturally at a premium with all the pet projects going on and research, interests and what not being done that Sadira had opted instead for a quiet spot surrounded by a stack of books that she was carefully trawling through. A casual glance through the stacks might have drawn more than a few puzzled looks as her interests seemed to vary widely from historical texts by Brother Genitivi to various copies of Hard in Hightown along with books on varying cultures, chevalier fighting techniques, constellations and southern plants. She also had a few scattered papers scribbled with and notes, annotations and page numbers that occasionally rustled when the odd draft caught them. Although she tried to keep her mess contained to her little haphazard area, it wasn't going to take much for some of it to spill over into someone's way.

She'd traded her training clothes for softer mage robes, though her staff remained hidden away. A lingering scent of soap clung faintly to her skin, signs that she'd visited the hot springs shortly before making her way here. The mess of black curls that she usually wore draped over one shoulder was instead pulled back into a loose ponytail that fell her back so the till damp ends might not accidentally drip down onto her work. Currently, she was scribbling a note using a charcoal pencil rather than a quill with one tome resting on her knee, and another one spread out beside her with her finger resting on the line she was currently copying down.

III. Battlements- Evening

Sadira has once again found an out of the way spot, this time on the battlements. As the sun dips further and further westwards, she is looking up with a book carefully cradled in her lap, and a sheaf of notes weighed down by a rock next to her. It appears that she is setting herself up to stargaze, or at least looking for the first stars that appear before it gets too dark to read or check her notes. Draped around her shoulders is a threadbare but still somewhat serviceable blanket. It seems she is settling in to be here for awhile. She even had an earthenware pot next to her that suspiciously looked as if it contained something to chase away the chills of the oncoming night.

IV. Wildcard!

She can also be found roaming around in varying places if that would work better. Feel free to PM me or

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Again with a scrunchy face. She had precious little in the way of clothes or any possessions for that matter and only one pair of boots. "So far you're making a strong argument for me not to go. Perhaps there is another place I might be able to venture-- if ever get someone to decide I am worth training that is."

She looked Korrin over once more, making an effort to see the woman behind the cloak of magic and the grey skin. "How did you end up learning to become a Knight-Enchanter, if you don't mind my asking."

"There might be better places, that just happened to be the closest one. But really, anywhere the Veil is thin will likely attract wisps. Unfortunately, it also attracts a lot of unsavory shit." There's no escaping the fact that there will be combat one way or another, but if Sadira can find a non-marsh way to do it, Korrin can't disapprove.

She shakes her head, not minding the question at all. "I saw Vivienne going through her drills in the courtyard and it intrigued me, so I asked about it. I was never that thrilled about hanging back in battle, and this seemed like a way to sidestep the problems with that. We're both on the Mage Council, so I asked her instead of Commander Helaine, who I don't know. I think she saw it an interesting challenge, training someone who wasn't part of the Circle."

The relief is palpable as Sadira's shoulders sag as she sighs, "Oh thank the maker for that." It wasn't the mire so much that had her antsy as it was the dead getting up and walking around again. That really shouldn't be a thing anyone should ever have to endure.

Perking herself back up, she shifted her weight, looking thoughtful as she absently reached up to brush an errant curl back into place. "I guess the best approach would be to speak with Vivienne about getting some training. If she can't for whatever reason, perhaps she might be able to point me in the right direction." Although she spoke out loud, it was said more softly, more to herself than to Korrin.

Coming out of her own reverie, she looked surprised for a moment when it registered that Korrin had not grown up in a circle. That thought was quickly chased away by a faint flush on her cheeks, "You're one of the first I've met who hasn't been circle trained. I can't even imagine wat it must have been like."

"If it helps, I can't see her refusing. She's the mage liaison anyway, it's her business to know the other mages and how to best help them." At least in theory. Korrin knows Vivienne will use the post to advance her own interests, naturally, and for the most part she doesn't care. But given their clashing views on mage freedom, part of her remains suspicious.

The surprise gets her to chuckle. "I've never heard of my kind being in one, but we have to learn somewhere. From comparing notes with Adelaide and others, it doesn't seem all that different...at least in the learning itself. I was trained to resist demons, control my magic, all that song and dance. But I was also able to come and go as I pleased, and I had my family. To me, that made all the difference."

Naturally, Sadira had only heard of Vivienne in hushed whispers and scattered comments before coming to Skyhold. Even now it was hard to separate fact from truth about the powerful woman. "She was the First Enchanter of the Montsimmard circle, wasn't she?" She spoke carefully, recalling a distant memory that floated at the edge of her memory from before the world became tossed in turmoil.

Korrin's description of being raised among family forced a wistful sigh from Sadira as she looked downwards. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine what it would have been like to be raised by her parents. The faded memories of childhood always painted a dark picture, one she had been happy in the end to leave. "Harsh as it may have sounded, the Circle was my family. I miss it."

Edited 2016-07-09 08:41 (UTC)

Korrin's expression softens at that, and she nods. "I've come to understand it was like that for a lot of mages. I'll never support forcing people away, denying them contact with the outside world, denying them the right to see their families or make new ones of their own. But I can see the appeal in mages finding support in their own kind, too. Maybe once all this crap is over, we'll find some kind of middle ground."

Korrin knows that whatever happens, she'll likely want to return to her mercenary life. But a place to check out in between jobs, hang out with other mages for a bit before going her own way again...well, there are worse ideas. "And yes, she was. She still acts very much like a First Enchanter, too. I can't say I know much more than that, most of our time together has either been debating council issues or training with the spirit blade."

"No doubt a large number of mages would welcome the opportunity for that. Our lack of familial ties has long been a complaint made by many." Sadira was uncertain if that was something she wanted for herself. Up until very recently, the very idea was terrifying.

"I hope you're right that some middle ground can be established. Perhaps something like the rules Templars had towards marriage and family." She didn't know exactly what those rules were, but she imagined it was better than an outright no.

That prompts Korrin to raise an eyebrow, a little curious. "I can't say I know anything about their rules. Templars and I haven't exactly gotten along, so I've kept my distance. There hasn't been much incentive to learn about them when just getting near them in the past could have caused a huge shitstorm. I've learned to cooperate with some here somewhat, in shared missions, but...trust is hard-earned and comes slowly. I can't say I'm there yet."

But she's not interested in starting the Mage-Templar war anew by attacking them here, so there's that. Maybe one day, she would have more of a bond than 'wary allies' with one, but that day isn't today. It doesn't seem to be coming any time soon, either.

"I don't blame you for keeping your distance." As much as Sadira loved the safety of the circle, she was well aware that it was not for everyone. This past year had been a brutal enough testament to that. Twitching her shoulders, she brushed her hand through her hair, tucking an errant black lock once more into place.

"Most of what I know about Templars is observation and hearsay. You can't spend every day with them and not notice something about their daily lives, though we rarely ever talked to each other." Sadira was reluctant to say anything negative about templars out in the open like this, especially when one could be training nearby, so she kept the rest of her thoughts to herself for the moment.

Korrin seems to have similar thoughts, glancing around, though she cares less if they hear her or not. But she can understand a former Circle mage wanting to be more circumspect. "Seems kind of a waste, doesn't it, though? If there wasn't that stupid rule about keeping their distance, they might see that we're not as much of a boogeyman as they think. Same with other people. Those in my company got to see me wield magic, and by learning about it, they weren't as on-edge about it."

Of course, sticking to simple attack spells and not dabbling in anything forbidden might have something to do with that, too. Korrin's aware of the widespread reputation apostates have for that magic, another reason to eschew it.

She nods in full agreement to Korrin's words, even as she was secretly surprised to find herself agreeing with an apostate and a horned one. It was almost surreal and yet satisfying.

"It doesn't help when the most widely spread religion on Thedas also paints all mages in a bad light." She was devout, deeply so and she believed fully that mages should not be in positions of power. Tevinter was a cautionary tale of that, but it was hard to change the world when one of the most basic tenants of faith instilled fear in the hearts of so many. "The Inquisition is a good start towards proving to the world over that mages aren't all depraved lunatics or power hungry maleficar."

That brings out a pleased smile, glad that this fellow mage can see the wider implications of what they're trying to do. "Exactly, and the Mage Council plans to capitalize on that. We're showing them what mages can accomplish when we govern our own, truly govern without all the real power resting somewhere else. If that interests you, you should come to the vault sometime. More voices are always welcome, and if it's too much of a headache, we do have cooldown breaks."

Having been part of a circle and the politics that went with it, she couldn't help but chuckle a little. Though she never engaged in the arguments much, they had been of interest to her, "I might have to do that. I do sort of miss being part of something magey." She missed it more than a little, and perhaps that might have been conveyed in her voice as it turned wistful for a moment while she spoke.

"You'll get more 'magey' stuff than you'll know what to do with, in that case. All the headbutting aside, I feel similarly. I was mentored and whatnot, but I never worked with other mages on a scale like this before. It's pretty eye-opening." At least it is when things aren't happening that make her blood boil, like that one abomination or Anders.

Sadira smirked as she shifted her weight once more from one foot to the other, "That indeed sounds like the mage councils I knew before they were disbanded." She slowly shook her head sighing heavily as her arms slipped around herself in a hug, "A lot of people outside of the circles all thought we rebelled as one, when that couldn't be further from the truth. Many--" she hesitated to say loyal, "mages who opposed the rebellion were put to the sword along the fanatics who forced the issue."

Try as she might, she couldn't remain fully neutral. Her circle had been a sedate one, pushing for neutrality and moderation and it had still gone up in flames.

Korrin nods slowly, having heard as much by this point. "I'd been guilty of that thinking before, though to be fair I didn't really know much about Circles and didn't dare enter or go near one. It's different now, meeting such mages and getting to know them, what they've been through. I'll be honest; I still don't know if I'll ever come around to understanding why any mages would want things to continue as they were. That's not to say that all of it has to be thrown out, but the system hurt a lot of people, didn't it? That can't be ignored, either."

Despite everything, Sadira stiffens slightly. She can't help it, given that is something she wants more or less to happen. A guilty expression slips across her face, "Perhaps not exactly as things were, but something similar wouldn't be so bad. A safe haven where magic can be embraced and practiced without fear of turning half the world against us. One where templars serve in their intended goal, not as jailors but as protectors of the faithful."

The stiffening and the guilt are noted, and though Korrin can't agree with what's said, it's something that at least they can converse about this in a civil fashion. That hasn't always been the case, either due to Korrin's own stubbornness or those of loyalists determined to see her only as an 'unholy apostate'. Her expression is wary at mention of Templars, unable to hold back her doubts about them.

"You have more faith in them than I. I've met many things around them, but never safe. The Qunari do worse, I won't deny it, but that's not a great standard to live by. Maybe there are good ones, those who haven't strayed from that intended goal but the system that existed before sure didn't help give them enough influence. Whatever comes next, I just hope it doesn't perpetuate the problems of before."

Having gotten that off her chest, she sighs. "You didn't come here to have me go off on a tangent like that. Maker knows you'll have enough of it in the vault. Honestly, I just things to settle down so I can go back to being a mercenary and using my magic to help people or at least stop idiots. I like my freedom; giving it up isn't in the cards for me."

Her cheeks flushed a bright pink as she silently admonished herself for not thinking about Korrin's past. She hadn't grown up in a Circle, and chances were slim that she knew of the Chantry and its teachings. She didn't know what it was like to have a place to belong, and to learn, safe away from everyone who hated or feared magic.

Then again, Sadira realized as she looked at the other woman in silence for, she didn't know what it was like to be free, to live as normal a life as an apostate could. "The Templars of my Circle here more reasonable than most." She admitted finally. Yes, they'd hunted down apostates and maleficar, but they hadn't punished and tortured people there for simply having magic.

"As for the circles... the don't work for everyone, and they do need to change, but it is better than the total chaos freedom would allow." Tevinter was a perfect example of mages running rampant. The tales told of that country were too widespread and too common not to be heeded. She also sighed, bowing her head. They'd both said their piece and perhaps Sadira had said more than she should. However, Korrin was right, things settling down was the best result by far.

Glancing up at her again, Sadira again shrugged as a small smile ghosted across her face, "I don't think you should give up your freedom. You sound like you've proven yourself. Any mage who has done that should have the right to choose their own path."

Despite her misgivings about Templars, Korrin isn't one to become annoyed when her perception and another's experience don't line up, at least when treated civilly. "I'm glad your Circle was different, for your sake. I've heard far too many stories of them turning on mages when--well, you must have heard them, too."

The White Spire is only the most infamous example of what can happen between mages and Templars, but Korrin's heard of other Circles and similar disasters. During the war, it was all too common. At least now that it's drawn to a tentative end, that flood has slowed to a trickle.

Sadira's last sentiment gets a genuine smile of gratitude from Korrin, relieved to see that some Circle-raised mages can be flexible. "Thank you. I'd like to think so, too. I'm not against education, just unnecessary restriction. Being an apostate doesn't mean I'm supporting blood magic or the like, either. Relying on that shit never leads to anything good, and I've had plenty of jobs where I've seen that truth."

A grimace appeared as she nodded, "I heard more than stories sadly enough. I was in the middle of a transfer to a new circle when the rebellion at White Spire began." She stopped there, however, having no need to go into the details that were commonplace about mages on the run.

The grimace didn't stay long as Sadira forced aside those memories. Instead, she focused on the here and now and the genuine enjoyment she was getting from speaking with someone from outside the circle. It was interesting and also refreshing to talk to someone who had differing views from her. That Korin didn't devolve into a frothing rage machine over the two of them coming from two different places gave Sadira hope that mages had a future no matter what happened.

"I am fully in agreement with you there. Blood magic only harms mages and rarely does it help anything. It's one of the many reasons the Chantry teaches people to fear magic." She shook her head with a sigh. The chantry was another hurdle that mages needed to jump. That was another problem for another day, however. "Perhaps circle mages can have the freedom to leave and go about their lives once they've proven themselves in the Harrowing. Those who don't wish to leave can remain at the circle."

Mention of Sadira's presence at the White Spire has Korrin wincing, especially now that she's spoken with Adelaide and learned just how bad it was over there. Any mage who endured that has her full sympathy, whatever their leanings. And any Templar from there deserves never to see the light of day again.

"I'm so sorry you were caught in the middle of that. I wasn't anywhere close when it happened, as you might have guessed, but...I have friends who were in the thick of it. No one should have had to go through that fucking mess." She takes a deep breath, wanting to keep her calm instead of hurl into another rant. That isn't her right, not this time. "Fearing all magic isn't something I'd support, though definitely a healthy respect for it, but blood magic is definitely an exception. That shit shreds the Veil, and we've enough problems with that lately. We don't need more."

Practicality has to take priority for Korrin on that matter, though the end result is same. Chantry teachings or a distaste for the results, it all comes down to preventing irresponsible magic in the end. "I've...heard about Harrowings. The Council has talked about modifying them, making them less set-up for failure. Mages need to be taught how to resist demons, sure, but doing it in a way that leads to more transparency and more support. None of this 'let's throw them into the Fade and hope the Templars don't kill them' nonsense. For now, all mages under the Council's authority are required to attend a course with the intended purpose of training against demonic possession. Even for those of us with experience, it helps to brush up on such things."

Sadira can't quite bring herself to look at anything in particular as she glanced away, silent for a moment while she brought her emotions to heel. You'd think after a year those memories got easier, but they didn't. "I was lucky." Was all she'd say on the matter, at least for now. She pushed past it to continue their conversation, a little hastily perhaps, though not with the intent of rudeness,

"Again I am in agreement with you. Fear can only carry everyone so far. Harrowings are an ordeal I will admit that. Having known no other way to do things, I'll speak for their effectiveness at least if nothing else. But they too breed fear. I'm not sure why we were not allowed to prepare for it."

A year might have passed, but some wounds run deep and Korrin understands that pretty well. So she just nods, not about to prod and make a sort subject worse. There's sympathy in her gaze, though, Adelaide's tale fresh in her mind. And she was an experienced mage at the time; what the younger mages, newly Harrowed and younger, went through she can't bear to imagine.

"Well, that's going to change, at least if what we're doing here takes root. It can be effective without the previous baggage attached to it, and your suggestions could help as much as anyone's. No Harrowings are being required now, and they're not likely to be, but for those who want some kind of test, there can be a more supportive option than what went before.

And if anyone here makes you feel unsafe, speak up, alright? We're not going to let history repeat itself, not here."

"I sincerely hope the Inquisition can make something that works. It might not make everyone completely happy, but I'd rather settle for a compromise across the divide than perpetual war. I only hope people will understand that. If they are doing something here that works, then I won't rock the boat. The important thing has mages who are not going to submit to demonic possession or magics of a weak will." She still favored the idea of Circles, with changes made to give more freedom from the Chantry and Templars. The Council Korrin talked about sounded like an excellent place to start. "I think I'd like to join this council. I never had an active voice within colleges, but this time, I intend not to sit idly by."

And now for the most embarrassing part: "Mostly it is myself making me feel unsafe. I have a hard time trusting people who are not mages-- templars especially," which hurt to admit since she came from Ostwick. "I would have avoided you on sight before now as well." She gestured to her size and with a touch of a blush the horns, "I need to shed myself of such thinking, though."

Sieze the day

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