[OPEN] I've got ideas, but it's nothing I picked up at school

[misdirection_hex]

WHO: Vandelin and anyone else!
WHAT: Concussions. (Among other things.)
WHEN: Any time during the month.
WHERE: The library and the clinic.
NOTES: Always happy to add another starter!

1. Library

There's very little that Vandelin actually misses about the Circle, and still less that he would ever admit to missing--but the one thing he'd appreciate having back, even if he'd never cop to it, is a library that accommodates short people well. Perhaps Hasmal's library had been designed by an elven mage, or perhaps its low shelves and abundant stepladders were simply coincidental conveniences, but he'd never had any trouble reaching a book he wanted back there.

Well, there's nothing for it. He's not about to just ask someone for help. Checking carefully to make sure nobody's watching, he places a chair in front of the shelf, stacks a couple thick textbooks on top of it, and gets climbing.

2. Clinic

The chair had looked stable. Vandelin will maintain until his dying day that his makeshift stepladder had been a perfectly decent idea while it lasted. He has, in fact, been insisting this all the way to the clinic, with slightly slurred words, to the annoyance of the guy who's taken it upon himself to escort the poor concussed elf there so that he isn't wandering aimlessly around Darktown with a huge target on his back.

The walk has at least done him a bit of good, and he is slightly more lucid when he makes his way through the door, off-balance and bruised and leaning on his staff. "Is there a...wait, or can I just see a healer?"

3. Wildcard

Surprise me!

Comments

[circleprodigy]

Perking up at being addressed directly, Garahel wags his tail excitedly and lets out a huff. Inessa's trained him against barking in the library, so he knows better than to break that rule. That he speaks to the mabari personally gets a smile from Inessa as well, always glad to see people give Garahel the consideration he deserves.

As he mentions a project, her natural curiosity takes hold and she raises an eyebrow at the possibilities. "Which project would that be? I'm involved in the red lyrium one, as well as researching rifts and the Veil. Or do you mean a project beyond the Inquisition's focus?"

[misdirection_hex]

"Well, would you look at that." Vandelin is fascinated and rather delighted by the idea of holding a conversation with a dog, even if there are other things to worry about at the moment. He hasn't meant to give the impression that he's being more useful to the Inquisition than he actually is, and while this is ordinarily a misconception he would encourage, he can't fake it if he's being asked about specifics.

"It's just a personal project, I'm afraid. I was working on it before I left Hasmal, just an examination of the potential applications of spirit erosion to non-sentient beings. It might intersect with research on the Veil, I suppose, now that you mention it..."

[circleprodigy]

Well, that gets her attention. Inessa perks up, raising an eyebrow at the possibilities. "It could, indeed. With the Veil in the overall state that it is, the Fade and the physical world now mingle more than we ever would have thought possible. Such matters might be more relevant than ever." In her experience, no angle is too strange to consider.

"I know Kirkwall's library is still in a state of restoration, but daily visits have a way of ingraining its layout and order. If I see anything relevant, I can pass it on to you." Realizing introductions have been forgotten in favor of her mabari yet again, her smile is a little self-conscious. "I'm Warden Inessa Serra, formerly of Kinloch Hold."

[misdirection_hex]

Vandelin isn't usually so rude as to put off introducing himself this long, he swears, even when there are mitigating circumstances like encountering a mabari for the first time. His answering smile manages to be sheepish without crossing the border into shamefaced.

"I'm sorry. I don't know where my manners are. Enchanter Vandelin Elris, of Hasmal." The city now, not the Circle. Never again the Circle, if he can help it--but he's in no hurry to shed the title. It's not quite as impressive a one as hers, though, and he puts his several questions about her research on the back burner. He hadn't known the significance of the griffon pendant.

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting a Warden before. I guess we're all technically in the business of darkspawn-slaying now, but it's good to know the professionals are on hand."

[circleprodigy]

The apology is met with a headshake and a smile. "It's quite alright. All too often, I tend to introduce Garahel before thinking to do so for myself." Because Garahel is a precious busybody that demands attention. The mabari huffs, looking smug.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Enchanter. Truthfully, I'm still rather new to the role, only taking it on after the Circles fell. The others are far more experienced, but I am attempting to close the gap as best I'm able. We can't afford anything less."

[misdirection_hex]

Garahel is a dog after Vandelin's own heart, truly. Of course, he still hasn't addressed the problem that had caused all the concern in the first place and gotten off the chair.

"That's the truth. But if you say studying the Veil can do some good--it's never been exactly my field, but I think I could pick it up quickly enough, if you need another mage on the project. I don't know what progress you've already made."

[circleprodigy]

"I've been focused more on the shards embedded in rifters and natives than the tears in the Veil itself, trying to understand their nature and how to shield their owners from--"

And Garahel interrupts with a louder whine because Vandelin, you're making him nervous. "Yes, Garahel, we know. Have you tried energizing the book itself?" If they can use their gifts to create walkways and such, one book should be easier...right? Garahel still looks at them skeptically, still not certain they won't end up hurt through experimentation.

[misdirection_hex]

That is not, as a matter of fact, a solution Vandelin has considered yet, and it wouldn't have occurred to him on his own.

"I'm not used to doing that kind of precision work with it," he muses, "but...it's worth a shot. We might just have to be prepared for about five of them to fall on our heads. Think it's a risk we should take?"

Because he totally will. This seems like acceptable collateral damage.

[circleprodigy]

Inessa doesn't seem to share that opinion, gesturing for him to join her level. "Or one of us could make the attempt, while the other shields us with a Barrier spell? I would volunteer, since I have managed before. There's still the risk of a mess, but at least we won't have to add concussions to the aftermath."