Shaper Master Diwaniya (
sans_harmony) wrote in
faderift2017-07-01 12:53 am
[OPEN] and I won't fight through the rising tide
WHO: Diwaniya and anyone who wants to bother him.
WHAT: Diwa making an unintentional nuisance of himself all over Kirkwall, p. much.
WHEN: Throughout the month.
WHERE: All over the place.
NOTES: He's trying, really.
WHAT: Diwa making an unintentional nuisance of himself all over Kirkwall, p. much.
WHEN: Throughout the month.
WHERE: All over the place.
NOTES: He's trying, really.
1. Docks
Having spent the last several years of his life governing a small island, Diwaniya's accustomed to spending a fair amount of time observing what goes on around the docks. But Harmony Isle had been tiny, and remote, and even at its busiest, there were never more than a few boats coming and going at once, all tiny rickety craft with humble, grizzled captains, trading simple goods for a few crates of herbs here and there. This--this is almost overwhelming. He's never been in a place quite like Kirkwall.
But the city of his childhood was close enough, from what little he remembers of it now. It's been years since he had cause to recall anything about Dillame, with its loud bustling shipyard and its scent of wet sea air, and his parents' modest inn by the shore, and the nostalgia hits him like a smack of salt spray to the face. It's not something he should remember. It's not relevant anymore, wouldn't have been relevant even if it were physically possible for him ever to see Dillame or his family again, but now that it's not--
In any case, someone should probably remind Diwaniya that a crowded dock filled with people hurriedly lugging cargo around is not an ideal spot to stand around navel-gazing. He's kind of getting in the way.
2. Library
Diwa's authoritative assertion that it would only take him two weeks to be able to read trade as fluently as a native had been, as it turns out, somewhat overconfident. Anders' patient instruction and a month's hard work have made it easy enough for him to read street signs, notices, things printed in large and clear lettering where every letter of the foreign alphabet is distinct and recognizable--but when has that ever applied to a book anyone would want to read? The tantalizing magical tomes in the library are as incomprehensible as ever, the fonts archaic and cramped and the ink sometimes faded and blurred, and no matter how many hours he spends trying to decipher the words, all he ever seems to end up with is a blinding headache.
Slamming the heavy text shut and shoving it aside is poor library etiquette, he knows, but he'd like to think he can be forgiven for it--at least until the book falls off the table with a deafening thud. Whoops.
3. Garden
The garden, at least, doesn't require him to be able to read in order to tend it well. It would help, but as long as he can remember what Sina explains, he can do without. He's been trained to memorize things quickly and easily, but all training hinges on practice, and that's why he's talking quietly to himself as he moves among the pots to water the herbs. "--arcanist's deathroot has the red flowers, and lunatic's deathroot has the purple--no. Arcanist has the purple, lunatic has the red. Arcanist purple, lunatic red. Arcanist purple..."
The plants have all been hand-labeled in a script nobody but Diwa can read. Nobody's complained yet.
4. Stables
When searching for work, Diwaniya had made a point of omitting his zoological credentials, though they're considerably more extensive than his botanical ones--at least back home, they are. Just because he studies animals doesn't mean he wants to be put in a position to take care of them. Even the apprentices in Terrestia aren't made to muck stables or feed creations. But now that he doesn't think he's in any danger of being handed a shovel or a pitchfork and told to get busy, he's brought a pen and paper to come make some observations of all the strange foreign fauna Thedas has to offer. Horses? What are those? This shit is crazy.
He sits down on a hay bale to sketch one, eagerly glancing up to take in new details and make notes in the margins of the drawing.
5. Wildcard!

3
The soil in the garden has been lacking considerably, and she's at her wit's end with everything not working. And now there's these.. things... everywhere, and she can't read the writing on them, and he is just making it worse!
Visibly flustered and tired, she is perhaps not being entirely rational at the moment.
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"Put what wherever?" he snaps, never one to de-escalate an argument if he can help it. "Pieces of paper? How is that disturbing anything? If your 'system' worked better, I wouldn't even need them."
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"My system," she says too softly, her eyes flashing, "is fine."
4
He's petting one when he notices someone else in the stable with him. Figuring him a stable hand, he opens his mouth to explain himself, but stops when he notices just what the guy is doing. Prompto tilts his head, curious. "You an artist?"
2.
"Good day, Serah Diwaniya. What has the book done, to be treated such?"
1;
It feels odd, having people who'll do things for her when she needs them to or at least in Thedas it feels strange but she can't deny that she really does need them around.
"Are you looking for something? Someone? I know the docks, I'm willing to assist." Araceli doesn't look entirely like she belongs to Kirkwall but like she does belong around the sailors, comfortable with them if he's ever seen her coming or going during his observations.
3;
Kieran hurries ahead of her, eager to be freed from more dull lessons for the practical, sleeves rolled up to start planting happily even if there aren't the abundance of toads and frogs in Kirkwall that there were in Skyhold.
So it's Morrigan, returned from fetching more water that overhears, pauses. "Talking to oneself can be taken for a sign of madness, or once. Tis Kirkwall we stand in after," she tells him with no small measure of amusement.
4
Well, for the most part, anyway. The bog unicorn's a different story, but that thing gives him the willies, and he's more than happy to give that particular beastie a wide berth. Not so the regular horses. While some of the other members of Inquisition that've been sorted into Forces aren't particularly keen on stable duty, it's one of the chores that Jamie doesn't really mind all that much, even the mucking out stables part of things
Right at the moment, however, there's no mucking required, leaving him free to take care of some of the other chores. This time around, it's making sure the horses get their share of exercise, and he's in the process of leading one back to its stall when he spots the man doing...something with a piece of paper. Jamie's not quite close enough to see what from his current vantage point, but it piques his curiosity enough then rather than go about his business, he winds up raising his voice just enough to call over to the other man instead.
"Can I help you with something?"
4.
The fennec slipped over and started to sniff the man's foot, having been asleep during the last time he'd been around him. She followed and nodded her head in greeting.
"He is curious about you," she said, referring to the little creature sniffing him.
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He's been absorbed enough in his work that he doesn't quite realize he isn't alone in the stable, and looks up at Prompto with some surprise. "Me? No, of course not. I'm only observing them for research purposes."
There's no reason for that 'of course,' except that there's not a great deal of value placed on the arts where Diwa comes from. He is perfectly oblivious to any offense this may cause.
"Fascinating creatures, aren't they? Would you happen to know what they're called?"
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Still. It's the intent that matters. Just for that, he'll do his best not to scowl so hard. "I might know that, if I could make sense of it," he gripes. "I doubt even one of your best scholars could read that print. Not that I meant for it to end up on the floor, of course, but it's doing just as much good down there as it would anywhere else."
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"Then it should be able to survive if I leave my notes out."
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He tries not to look quite so embarrassed or purposeless. "Ah, no. Nothing in particular. I'm just trying to get the lay of the city. I thought it would be useful to familiarize myself with all the available ways of leaving it."
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She smiles, softly, before she gets up to pick up the book that he is reading. Opens it a few pages, to look at the print, "I can lend you my seeing glass, if you like? It should help you with the size of the print."
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"If you have the skill, I would recommend that the best way for it with the way they've built Kirkwall is to do it via the rooftops, I've looked at a map or two and really, it worked out better for me after a few jaunts." Araceli smiles as if that's just a normal thing to do, climb up one building then traverse all the rest by their roofs, isn't everyone doing it these days? "A sensible plan, knowing the quickest way in and out of a place though you'd need to stash yourself or get in good with the crew and captains to pull off leaving this way."
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But the suggestion does lift him a little ways out of that funk, because it might just work. He's not sure of it, but--it can't hurt, in any case.
"That's--very kind of you, Warden," he says, softening a little. "I think it would do some good. Thank you."
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"They're called horses. You don't have them where you're from?" That surprises him. Maybe he's a Rifter, like Prompto? He was under the impression horses were native to Thedas, so everyone from this world knew about them.
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The prospect of new, unfamiliar plants is an exciting one, and he tilts his head in a futile attempt to see what kinds of seeds she might have. The teasing he can handle, in a way. He might take offense, in another world, but, well. Forget it, Jake. It's Kirkwall.
"You've got that right. If my going over my notes is the strangest thing you run into today, I wish I had your luck."
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"Kirkwall is where the Veil has ever been thin, spirits press close to observe as they ever have in such places. Bloodshed called them and far worse, and violence is a recent memory, you might have cause to take care." Rifters are known with the Inquisition and she's still not-so-privately fascinated with their origins, with their knowledge but Kirkwall has possibly had quite enough of new arrivals in their city.
She kneels by one pot, opening one vial to tap out a few seeds. "What misfortunes have you suffered this day that trouble you so?"
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She smiles, and then puts the book before him on the table. "So what section were you having problems with?"
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"Don't do that," he says, in a tone that would be curt if he didn't sound quite so troubled. "There's...there's no reason for that. Come now. I'm sure we can work out some kind of agreement about the notes--it's not worth an argument, surely--"
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Until he's distracted, anyway, and Diwaniya looks up at Jamie with an air of annoyance that would be rather more appropriate if he weren't the one intruding on the stables. One month in Thedas isn't quite sufficient to overcome years of entitlement to walk into any place he pleased as if he owned it.
"No," he says, "if I needed a research assistant, I would have sought one out, but thank you."
2.
"I find that taking out your aggression on the poor books seldom does anything to actually help matters. They haven't done anything wrong, you see."
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4
Kirk clucked his tongue as he stepped into the stables, a massive dappled horse following behind him. For all Kirk's talk of being a bully, the animal seemed happy enough to follow, coat dark from what looked like a quick bath. Kirk led him to the cross-ties near Diwanyia for the simple fact they were closest, patting the horse' side and giving Diwanyia a nod of greeting.
"Afternoon," he greeted before stumbling forward when Atlas bumped his rear with his nose. "What, did I say about bullying?" Kirk huffed, lightly swatting at the horse. "You get your treat when you're in your stall, not before."
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"If I'd been looking to be someone's research assistant, I'd find someone who's actually doing some research and not someone who's just wasting paper. What's your business here?"
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"Really? I'd think you would make an ideal assistant, seeing as you're already such an expert on my work that you can tell me whether it's valid or not. I shouldn't have to explain anything at all, at this rate."
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"And mutually so," he says, reaching down and offering his hand to let the fennec judge the scent of bare skin, and taking the opportunity to note fur texture and markings. "What sort of creature is he?"
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Once that's done, he turns his attention to grooming the horse, making sure not only to sponge down the area where the saddle normally sits but to check for any rubbing or chafing that might have taken place. That doesn't stop him from glancing up at that comment, fixing Diwaniya with an expression that shows his mouth still is firmly tugged off to one side.
"Oh, shouldn't you? Well, if that's the case, I'll be glad to save you the trouble, but I don't think you'll much care for what I have to say."
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She watched as the fennec moved back a step before shyly moving forward again to sniff at his hand. Large ears lifted up again as he determined the man wasn't going to bring him harm. Finally he sat down to watch him, like he was studying him as much as the man was studying him in return.
"I healed him after an injury and he has chosen to remain with me since."
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"We have beasts of burden, engineered from what looks like similar base stock, but ours are sturdier. They're made for eating, more than anything. These don't look like they were created for that. They seem almost...fragile, for how large they are. I can see at least four glaring design flaws just from where I'm sitting." He tilts his head to examine the horse more critically.
"But they do have a real aesthetic appeal. I can see why an artist might like them. Are you one?"
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The rise of the Chant of Light and the subsequent fall of the old Imperium has led to blood magic being all but stamped out—as it should be, for it poses nearly as great a danger to those who would practice it as to the world at large.
"I can make out something about 'Chant of Light,' and something about 'Imperium,' and something about 'stamped out,' and that word is either 'danger' or 'stranger.' All I wanted to understand was why your people have such an aversion to using actual, tangible resources in your magic, and what I need to do to work around it."
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He hadn't envisioned having to leave the city in a hurry, exactly, or while pursued, but--well. Given the predicament he'd been in when the rift had handily rescued him from certain execution, maybe he ought to consider it. Just in case. He looks dubious and troubled at the prospect of having to pull off such a feat of dexterity himself, though. Diwaniya doesn't get a lot of exercise.
"I suppose I could offer my services as a deckhand, if it came to that," he says, "but if getting down here in the first place would take rooftop acrobatics, I think I'd be better off finding a different plan altogether. It's not a skill I've ever practiced. Or thought of."
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All of this Veil business bothers him with its intangibility. He doesn't have time for this absurd Fade business. Dreams aren't real. You can't measure a dream, or use it as a reliable resource. Spirits are just petty nuisances. He hasn't run afoul of any yet, and until he does, he adamantly refuses to believe they're important or dangerous. Perhaps he shouldn't be considering himself a champion of safety precautions after all.
"Today? Nothing but the garden keeper throwing an inexplicable fit at me. I doubt that has anything to do with the Veil or the spirits, though."
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"One wonders why a man with such authority over the stables is doing all the labor in them on his own. Surely a policy-maker as lofty as yourself has people to groom the beasts for him."
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"Mostly ... because blood magic was horribly abused by the Tevinter Imperium - I am not sure if you have heard of them, they are a country to the west. Ruled by magisters - mages of extreme power. They ... conducted a great many blood rituals, to excess, to make horrors and the like."
Her hands, clutched tight, seem almost white around the edges.
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As for dreams, wait until you become trapped in one where something tries to pretend that it's your mother then get back to her about real. Or when your magic is drawn from it, when there are things that prowl not only your dreams but the dreams of your son that still give him nightmares that he wakes from with terrified eyes in the small hours. Already in Sundermount she's had to dispatch far more than she would have believed but then that's what happens when ancient horrors cannot rest when all who summoned them have been laid to rest themselves.
"I was unaware the garden had a keeper or that the Inquisition funds stretched so far." Or: Morrigan doesn't really care if the garden has a keeper so she hasn't bothered to keep on top of appointments that don't particularly concern how she lives her life. "What did you do to cause him or her to lose their temper?"
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Araceli watches steadily, shakes her head to get her hair out of her face that also gives her a quick and easy way of getting a little glance around at anyone milling around or anyone staring. Because Kirkwall is good for that in a way Skyhold wasn't. Kirkwall is a living breathing city after all.
"You'd need to have the hands of a deck hand," her comment is mild but she's not talking about the matching green mark shared by anyone pulled here without a say in matters; even taking care of them, Araceli doesn't have the maintained hands of a lady. "We learn new skills as we must, and it's never too late to learn something new. And it does teach you how to think three moves ahead, a few back and a couple to either side when you don't know which way you'll run out of roof. How do you find Kirkwall? Many stairs, no?"
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"Because I'm not the one who's trespassing here. You are," Jamie points out, stepping out of the stall. He's had just about enough of this, and he doesn't hesitate in crossing the room to stand in front of where Diwaniya is sitting, not caring if the attempt to block the man's line of sight means he winds up in the man's personal space. "And if you don't start answering my questions, I might just have to do something about that."
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"I think they're made just for riding, for the most part. I've seen some pretty big horses, though, too. Though, if you think these guys look fragile, you should see a chocobo. They're big birds, essentially. Not that you'll find one around here." To Prompto's perpetual disappointment. Sigh. He misses chocobos.
An artist? Well, he supposes in a sense... "Sort of. Not the drawing or painting kind, though."