OPEN: Halamshiral

[visus]

WHO: Everyone
WHAT: The Inquisition Does Orlais, Pt. 1: Masks, Charity, and Tension
WHEN: Solace 15 onward
WHERE: Halamshiral
NOTES: Please note that your character's conduct and actions in this log or in other private logs set in Orlais, if observable by the public, may influence local opinion of the Inquisition and/or the balance of power among Celene, Gaspard, and the elves.

It is a smaller force that the Inquisition sends to Halamshiral than has been sent in the past; not yet able to interfere directly in the civil war, and still attempting to determine what is happening in the Anderfels, the organization is moving in not as a military force but as a stabilizing one, with cautious cooperation from the Chantry and endorsements from several among the nobility who were suitably impressed by Madame de Fer's soiree in Skyhold, to assist with the local unrest while better assessing the political situation. What is known is that a leaderless and unstable Orlais is part of Corypheus' grand scheme. What is not known is… everything else.

I. THE ESTATE

Duc Hugues Pelletier is not himself in residence when the Inquisition arrives. He was here only yesterday, they will be told, but left on urgent business, leaving behind his welcome and best wishes for helping restore the Maker's peace to Orlais. (He fled on news of their approach, gossipy staff members will later reveal, overcome with nerves at the notion of residing under the same roof as the incomparable Seeker Pentaghast.)

The Inquisition has free use of the mansion--under the watchful eyes of the duke's house staff, who will step in to politely prevent any destruction of his property or excessive raiding of his wine cellar--with his library available as a work space for those who require desks, books, and quiet, and his study serving as a makeshift office for the Inquisition's highest ranking officers. The cook does his best to feed everyone. That still means porridge and stew for most (something he offers his apologies for, as well as his personal disdain, but with this number of mouths to feed it's a matter of practicality, surely you understand) but those who seem important or are particularly good at sucking up to him might be given something special.

Day use aside, there's not room in the building to house everyone. Only the high-ranking (which the duke's housekeeper interprets to mean leaders of the Inquisition, Orlesian nobles, and non-Fereldan nobles, in that order, and absolutely no non-humans) will be allowed guest rooms in the chateau itself, while the majority will still need to pitch tents on the expansive and well-manicured grounds to sleep in. But all are welcome in the chapel, the largest and most ornate wing of the house.

II. HIGH QUARTER

Dear Inquisition, imagine music--alive and market placey--and violins taking a break up in the air with non-threatening amblings and a wreath of tambourine just lightly jangled… Imagine the shuffle of slippers on well-kept cobblestones and the pleasant murmur of voices as servants negotiate prices for their masters, who stare opulent and bored stares over the wares spread out for their perusal and consideration. Deals are struck, coins exchange hands, wares are wrapped in crisp paper or bleach-white linen for transport, and taken away to their new homes.

Have you the coin to spend in this place? Then by all means: select a souvenir. Make sure you can actually pay, for the shopkeeps and stallhands do not take kindly to a deal broken, once it has been made. And do not even think about stealing. Looking is free, but hang around too long and someone might begin to get suspicious.

The polite thing to do is to wear a mask. A supply of simple ones is made available to the Inquisition, carved over one eye with the symbol--not enough for everyone to have one to keep as a souvenir, but plenty enough for anyone to borrow before venturing into the High Quarter.

It is inadvisable for elves or Qunari to wander the High Quarter alone, period, but particularly inadvisable for them to do so out of Inquisition armor or without human company, and orders to this effect will have been passed through the ranks. The Inquisition is not here to start any riots or revolutions, and prefers its agents intact and un-arrested. Should any venture there alone and in plainclothes despite this warning, they will find themselves at the very best the subject of points and stares and rude remarks, and denied service by any local merchants or taverns.

III. ELVEN DISTRICTS

Orlesian cities do not easily come by their reputation for opulence. At some point, streets must be cleaned, bricks must be brushed, marble must be buffed, and flowers must be tended. In fact, Comte Pierre has hinted that the Inquisition's generous offer of assistance might be of use in the elven district. Unique among major cities in Thedas, Halamshiral doesn't have an alienage--or, rather, most of the city is the alienage, populated by elves and elf-blooded humans who are kept out of the High Quarter rather than kept in their shabbier streets. There are taverns and shops and a market here, too--one with fewer silks and more bruises on the apples, but cheaper and kinder to those without rounded ears--and in many ways, in most places, it looks to provide a better and freer life for its inhabitants, who are not packed in quite so tightly or watched quite so constantly.

During the day, at least. There's still a curfew--one inapplicable to members of the Inquisition, if they're wearing their armor, but at night the streets empty save for the occasional dart of someone trying to make it home undetected by guards or Chevaliers. And at all hours there's an odd tension in the air, a combination of simmering resentment and pervasive defeat, the kind of feeling best encapsulated by quick, sullen glances up from an obediently bowed head.

If one needs evidence of the root of that tension, it isn't difficult to find. A large, unmissable area of the city, once the center of life there, has been burned down.

This is the area where the Inquisition's help is needed, according to Comte Pierre, who loves Halamshiral itself more than he cares for Celene, Gaspard, or the feelings of the local elves. It isn’t anything a lot of elbow grease can’t fix, but the state of these city streets is sorry indeed. Everything is streaked with ash that's been blown about and rained on but never cleaned. The few trees in the streets have been burnt black, and their bare limbs twist up toward the sky like desperate claws. The houses, the little market stall tucked into the corner of the main square--even the grass growing up between the cobblestones--everything has been burned. The bodies were collected, but you may still find a fingerbone or teeth knocked loose in the battle among the cobblestones or old rust-brown blood stains on wood. Gaunt windows stare down at you, watching your every move.

There are supplies waiting. But the work is mostly conducted alone. The elves, what little are still hanging around, keep to themselves as they pass by. Some may even look to resent the progress being made there, though they know better than to say why. The upstanding citizens of Halamshiral don’t seem inclined to come down this way, or even make casual use of the nearby alleyways.

A woman, selling worn steel scrap some streets over, is happy to tell you why, whether or not you ask her. The elves deserve what they got. They should have kept their heads down, just like everyone else. Even before the fire, she says, no one much wanted to hang around down there, on account of the crime. A notorious band of thieves were hidden among the elves of the alienage, a group of rough elves known for stealing anything from anybody. She’ll warn you to keep any valuables close while you’re working down there: “Poor souls need the help, but you can’t let yourself be robbed while you’re fixing their problems.”

It’s hard, perhaps, to imagine what she means. The destroyed blocks, as you work them, will be largely deserted. An eerie calm hangs over the place, almost as if the secluded wreck has become unmoored from the city proper and drifted away across a still and dead river.

IV. THE COUNTRYSIDE

All the wealth of Orlais can’t save them from some of the more common problems around these days. Even in the country, the tension of the city is palpable, like a current that runs through the air.

Of these tensions and worries, first and foremost are the rifts, a threat that plagues the outskirts of Hamalamadingdong far worse than the central spaces. Demons of varying strength can be found wandering and unless they are stopped, they will become a worse threat.

Whatever your political leanings, you have been asked to protect the people of Orlais. One small cluster of homes in particular has been complaining most bitterly about this threat. Worried and harried by demons, they have finally made themselves heard enough, and the Inquisition has dispatched aid. But as you arrive, you and your party will find the homes to be quiet. A little… too quiet.

The roar of a demon soon puts an end to that, and a chorus of screams follows.

Elsewhere, you may notice part of Orlais’ defensive problem: there are no brave young men to step in and fight off demons. In the High Quarter, a few callow young noblemen lounge around sipping from goblets of wine and laughing at their own jokes, but every able-bodied soldier who's not found some way out (or publicly refused to care, at their own risk) is presently occupied with the War of the Lions. Of those who remain, the young are very young and the old are very old.

Even among the gentle country gentlemen and their ladies, elves and Qunari will find themselves to be points of interest. No attacks are likely, but expect to weather gossip, whispered comments, and frank open stares. No one is foolish enough to turn down aid, but they can still be wary of these… others among them.

Comments

[fledglingenchanter]

Even with the heavy thoughts, they were casually discussing, Purrelden very nearly made her laugh. The cat at least was endearing, even if her owner was far more complex.

"I agree with you. Everyone should have a say in what happens to them. And You'll find no greater advocate for balance than myself." She initially had been speaking of the Elves but felt now that this conversation had shifted to the plight of the mages, or at the very least it encompassed both issues. Either way, it was a subject to be treated with respect.

"The elves need someone who can speak for them against the nobles, but you'll find few elves capable of being able to both speak for the alienages and to the nobles here who are so wrapped up in their Game they'd rather die for it than not play it well." She shrugged lightly looking away. "There is no easy solution, though, is there?"

[justice_is_blond]

Once, some time ago, he'd had a cat taken away for 'making him too soft.' Little did they know that he needed his hard edges softened.

"There is not an easy solution." The worst of the stew is off Purrelden, now, and she proceeds to work on the rest by herself on his lap. "The people who benefit from the suffering of others will not, for the most part, open their eyes. They like their situation, and cannot see how it hurts people. Or do not care."

Anders jerks his head in the direction of the city. "They burned down part of the alienage to keep the elves... 'in their place.'" There's so much mockery in his voice it's practically tangible. "They've no desire to listen. Which means the onus of change is on those who are already struggling. Those who are in a fight to survive already and may not have the energy to fight back. And then there are plenty who don't want to fight simply because of fear or exhaustion."

Sadira gets a glance. He's not sure where she stands on any Circle matters. One doesn't have to be a Loyalist to be upset by his actions, or afraid, or exhausted.

[fledglingenchanter]

For the most part, Sadira remains very still as she listens to him speak. She keeps her hands in her lap, but they still start balling the fabric of her robe up as she struggles to remain silent and let him have his say. So much of what he is saying makes her uncomfortable She avoided circle politics at Ostwick, keeping her head down as much as possible in the vain hope that everything would resolve itself.

Here in Halamshiral, it was harder to ignore everything because there was no sedate circle in which to slip back into. The mages also had power, a great and terrible power, but power none the less that made them far harder to subdue, even with Templars. Elves, on the other hand, had nothing or next to nothing. Those who became mages among them often had loyalties to the circle over the alienages. And the Dalish... they were scattered to the four winds and so divided in their beliefs and views on their own people that it was hard to gauge what they felt.

Lifting her head up she looked at Anders. The distress on her face was real as she struggled to articulate her words, trying to separate logic from emotion. "I do not think so. Not entirely. Change does need to come from within. The elves need to want change, but change must come from without too. People must be willing to accept them or all that will happen is war, strife, and an endless struggle. To make people accept the elves, they cannot be bullied into it or threatened."

She paused a moment, taking a breath and holding up a hand to signal she was not done while she chewed her words, trying to spit them out, "People need to be shown that elves are equals. Orlais is probably not the best place to start. Ferelden maybe or the free Marches where such a momentum can gain ground." Sadira doubted that the country which declared the Exalted March on the Dales would ever accept elves, but then she had a low opinion about most of Orlais.

[justice_is_blond]

"Or perhaps Skyhold is the best place to start." He's not an elf, he can't say what they should do. And while he sees so many parallels in their struggles he knows that he can't say it's the same. But he can try to help, and try to be there.

"If the elves with the Inquisition are clearly shown to be helping, and it's a lot of them, maybe they can't be dismissed. Same as with the mages. I doubt you'll find any country that's willing to loosen its hold on power without a clear example of how it might help, and that's what keeping groups controlled is about. Power. Teach that it's us versus them, and then the us can give orders and take control under the guise of 'protection' and 'guidance.'"

Like the Chantry.

"To show that a group is equal, that group must stand up. Only then will outer change truly happen."

[fledglingenchanter]

His logic was frighteningly sound. Something Sadira had to wonder about. It begged the question if she was going insane or if he truly was making sense. The emotions danced across her face, conflicting and blatant as she didn't know what to say or do. She wanted to ask about Kirkwall. About if he thought he was taking a stand by blowing up the Chantry, but those words wouldn't come. They were talking about Orlais. Something she reminded herself as she continued to ball the skirt of her robe up in her hands then smoothe it down.

"I agree Skyhold is the best place for people to see equality in action. The entirety of the Inquisition is." She sighed a little, chewing on her lower lip before glancing up at him and then away.

"Some people are afraid of power while others covet it too much. It is only natural for anyone to be afraid and to want to suppress anything that will disrupt the balance of power. The Inquisition from what I see is quickly gathering all the power at least here in the south. If things go well in Orlais, it will be stronger yet." At least that is what she hoped. Word of everything the inquisition was doing moved her, making her feel glad she'd joined. She almost even smiled as she left her skirts alone and looked up at the sky.

"With that kind of power it can help to put the elves into a better light without extreme actions. Elves need to be seen as equals and not something to be crushed. Its the same for mages too. Without us needing to be scary we can make a difference."

[justice_is_blond]

He doesn't glance down at her hands, but he can see them move. She's tense, which isn't that much of a surprise considering their first talk. He's a little nervous too, but he has the easy excuse of an affection-seeking kitten in his lap.

"Fear is possibly the greatest enemy. Where there's fear, there's an imbalance that can be taken advantage of. It's been used for power for a very long time against the Dalish, elves, and the mages, and there is no way to truly eliminate it. People will always be afraid of something. There's a great deal to be afraid of."

Dragons, darkspawn, demons, and more. "But if people are around those they don't know regularly, the fear will fade. It becomes less 'elves aren't human' and more 'our neighbor is an elf but we know her and like her, so maybe what we've heard isn't true.' And so on. Generally it's not the feared groups who want power; it's the feared groups who are kept down so as to gain power from them. But the threat's always been there, hasn't it? Don't give the elves power, they'll take over your city. Don't give the mages power, it will all become blood magic. Trust in the Chantry, they'll protect everyone."

His voice goes very wry. "Everyone being the humans with money and no magic, of course. But maybe the Inquisition will change that up as well. It remains to be seen how much will actually get a lasting change." It's taking effort to keep from getting too worked up, too passionate about the topic at hand, but he doesn't want to send her running again. Too few challenge themselves. They don't have to; if they and others are idle, things will return to how they were and they want that. The lack of concern for everyone else, all the people who were hurt by the system as it was, is terrifying. It's another fear that may never be defeated.

[fledglingenchanter]

In spite of her tension that was coiled like a spring in her shoulders, making her back feel tense, she found herself nodding a little in agreement. "Fear is a terrible thing." She spoke not just of the fear someone had a neighbor, but also of the unknown things and failures. The demon from her nightmares came to mind, the fear demon who taunted her through her harrowing... Shaking herself visibly, she forced the thoughts of fear away and made herself look at Anders once more.

"I know that there is no easy answer for any of this. There is no real easy answer for anything, except perhaps for simple questions like if you want to jam on toast or not." Her words were coming out a bit fo a babble, so she tried to redirect them, to attach the nebulous thoughts that were bumbling around in her head and tether them. "There will never be an easy answer like that for what goes on around the world especially when everyone thinks they have the right idea. The Chantry tries, after all, to unite us, to give us a common ground so that people can stand together."

She had to believe that, believe that was what the chantry was trying to do since she had very little else to believe. "The Chantry doesn't protect everyone and not everyone is welcome, but it still gives us something to feel connected to. Like Corypheus, for example, I guess. Without him, we would all be tearing each other apart right now or at least more so than we're doing now. But since he is around, we have something else to focus on. That is what the Chantry does... gives us something beyond us to embrace."

Yes, she was definitely rambling now, but she didn't know what else to say, not with her emotions so jumbled and mixed up.

[justice_is_blond]

While he knows that no one needs a particular angle to have a negative reaction to him, it's still a comfort to know part of what spurred hers the other day. She values the Chantry.

Anders takes a slow breath, letting Purrelden go so she can wander again. And probably stick her face in the stew again, but he'll deal with that later if he has to.

"The Chantry uses fear, though." His voice is quiet. He doesn't want an argument, but they have two opposing views on what the Chantry does and is. "The common ground is that it's protecting people from us. That we're the results of sins from our parents, and that we're not people, merely dangerous objects that could go wrong at any time. They gain their power, their influence, by taking away our personhood. Our individuality. And then there's the Exalted March on the Dales. Others."

Anders takes a slow breath. "Life is full of uncertainty and fear. But if we can reach past it and see people, rather than needing something to unite against, we'll be so much better off. The world will be so much better off. Let those who seek the Chant of Light and its comfort also encourage the Chantry to see everyone as the Maker's children. Otherwise..."

Otherwise, the cycle of hatred is just going to continue.

[fledglingenchanter]

It was easier to focus on Purrelden then Anders, and so she did, looking at the cat as she went about doing feline things like indignant grooming and such. "Fear isn't a good foundation for anything, nor is hatred and you're right, the chantry is not perfect. It needs work, and I can admit that."

She glanced back at him, a quick, fleeting look of questioning from her blue-green eyes, eager and yet afraid to meet his, "I may believe in some of its rhetoric, but I am not blind knowing how anyone who isn't a normal human is reviled. It was not a comfort as a child to fear my gifts or to think I was unloved for them, but Not all of the chantry's teachings are as such. There is still some good in their verses. Some peace to be found."

[justice_is_blond]

"There is some good to be found in their verses." Common ground is a very good place to start, and he appreciates that she's still talking. "The Chant has some principles that are good and can provide peace. And people do want to believe in something larger than themselves that will, can, look after them and can be blamed for when things go wrong. There's nothing wrong with that."

Just because he can have no faith in the Maker beyond believing He exists doesn't mean he begrudges those who can believe. His gaze rests on her, watching, waiting. Calm. Everything's a lot easier without Justice, he has to admit. There's no ranting going on in the back of his mind right now, no looking for her to 'slip up' so they can snap.

"It's been abused, though. It's been used to put the... normal... humans above everyone else. And that is my issue with it, when people and the message are sacrificed for the gains of one group. Perhaps under another Divine the Chantry can become respectable again. I don't know. But there's a chance."