[open] we ask that life be kind

[eolasemah]

WHO: Sina, the greater Kirkwall populace (including you)
WHAT: dealing with the magic forest backlash
WHEN: early August
WHERE: the steps of the former Chantry
NOTES: with regard to this fiasco

It's early morning, but past sunrise, so many people are still on their way to their daily occupations when a small Dalish elf takes up residence on the steps of what used to be the Chantry and is now a very condensed forest. She's brought with her supplies to see her through the day: a few snacks and plenty to work on, mainly grinding herbs and creating poultices and tea blends, unremarkable and nonmagical activities to put people at ease.
Sina has paid little mind to the guards around the garden's perimeter, apart from offering each of them a bit of dried fruit for their trouble, and she has more of the same for anyone who comes to talk to her. To each, the message is the same: it was me, I did this for you, and there is no reason to be afraid.

Of course, there is a reasonable contingent of those who prefer to shout and carry on, some simply grieving over their chantry and their lack of control in repurposing it, some insisting this is Dalish trickery that should be punished. To both, she listens and says little, with apologies to the former group and polite deflections to the latter.

Over the course of the day she finds herself joined by an assortment of people from the street, who come and go in their efforts to make coin or simply occupy themselves: the occasional musician, bored children, beggars. Sometimes they interact with Sina and sometimes they don't, but regardless, she hold her vigil and, to a degree, actually enjoys it.

Perhaps it doesn't help at all. But whatever the case, the people of Kirkwall who care to look will find a face and a voice connected to the sudden forest, as well as a pointed listening ear and a giving hand.

[Feel free to approach sometime during the day, or we can arrange an interaction after!]

Comments

[mythalenaste]

Pel makes it to the gardens, carrying a very curious Sina Minor whose head is tilted up, looking at the pattern of trees against sky, and sucking on her hand. She falls in alongside Sina Major, more concerned than she lets on.

"Are you sure about this?" she asks softly.

[gatheringstorm]

Korrin normally doesn't go anywhere near the site of the former Chantry, but she makes an exception as the news spreads about the Dalish woman on the steps. Going against her better judgment, she refrains from donning her armor or bringing her staff. If there's going to be trouble, a 'scary qunari' is not going to be the one sparking it.

On the other hand, she's not about to see Sina come to harm. As she approaches, the beggars receive some coin and the shouters receive a quiet glare. The tall Vashoth woman doesn't stop until she's by the Dalish woman's side, her tone calm and non-judgmental, at least toward Sina herself. She has all the judgment in the world for people who might use this sudden forest as an excuse for violence.

"Good morning, Sina." She reaches out to slip a brawny arm around the elf woman's thin shoulders, a sign of affection and a declaration of where she stands in one. "How are you doing?" It's not an empty question with her, never is. She really wants to know.

[faithlikeaseed]

In a way, it's a disappointment to Myr that the sudden forest's cause has shown up and confessed to what she's done. He'd been looking forward to reasoning his way through the mystery and discovering more of whatever incredible magic was responsible.

But being deprived of one intellectual challenge and presented with potential answers for all his questions instead isn't so bad a trade. It's...just...nerving up to get those answers that's difficult.

Because she's Dalish, you see.

Reasonably, as a good Andrastian boy, he knows the Dalish for murderous heathens. Nevertheless, there's a thing that sits somewhere below his heart and whispers that in approaching this woman who sits on the steps and politely bears up under the abuse and reproach of Kirkwall's citizens, he's approaching a piece of his own history. One, he suspects, that will not be very impressed with him at all.

But forget it. He doesn't live his life to impress the Dalish, and with that he breathes out heavily and leaves off lurking on the fringe of the crowd around Sina to tap-tap his way over to where she's sitting. And stop again, leaving with both hands on his staff as he waits for a lull in the noise around them to interject.

"How?" ...It isn't the question he'd meant to ask but it's the one that pops out when he opens his mouth.

[sunshinethroughgrey]

She had heard about the forest that had appeared where the Chantry once was, but she hadn't believed it until she saw it with her own eyes. It was like Varric's tall tales, everyone liked to say they saw it happen but five ogres or one, if you weren't there to witness you didn't know what the blazes you were talking about.

Bethany made her way through familiar streets - resting her hand briefly against the door of Marian's home on her way there, through the archway to .... wilderness. Brown eyes widened with wonder, as she moved through the crowds. Those who recognized her parted like the waves to let her get closer, for even though the crowds were smaller now -- they still congregated nervously without. Bethany had no such qualms - she knew Dalish magic when she saw it. Velanna and Merrill had done much the same in the time she had known them.

She walked right up to a tree near Sina, putting her hand on it, before she rested her cheek against the rough bark. A quiet smile worked over her lips, before she looked over at the small Dalish woman.

"...Thank you."

[limier]

She’s waited for a gap in the crowds.

This is the first she’s actually seen the forest — only a day returned — and it’s a sight to behold. Beautiful? Perhaps once she would have found it so. It's been decades since she paid heed to the seasons: The nerves of a long winter, the relief of a rich harvest. Still, she remembers the ache of the work. You break your back to raise what you can from the earth, and you never raise half so much as this. Never half so much as you'd wish.

Maybe it's beautiful. But the words on her tongue taste like copper, iron; if there's beauty in them, it's never been to sow.

"Siouna," The words are soft. She's foregone armor and blade for this (openly, at least, she's not so foolish as to have come completely unarmed). "You and I need speak. Privately."

She casts an eye aside to the man covered in red paint and sand, pretending to be... is that meant to be a statue? Is that meant to be a statue of Meredith? Maker.

"Perhaps within," A short gesture to the path. One of the guards nods to her, uncertainly.

[conqueredhearts]

One of those that approached the forest without any caution at all was a large man with a smile on his face. He was admiring the plants as he moved through them, lightly touching a tree before actually going over to the small elf who was currently on the steps. Sitting down so he wouldn't be towering over her, he gave a laugh.

"I heard rumor of an elf who did this. Was it you? You are amazing if that is so! A wonder!" Seriously, he could offer her so much praise in this and he seemed quite prepared to continue. Others might be cautious about the sudden appearance of a forest through unknown magic but apparently Iskandar just wanted to celebrate it with her.

[sans_harmony]

There's a scrawny shem looming over her, looking possibly less arrogant or imperious than Sina will ever have seen him. He's been torn, for days, unsure whether to think of this whole forest as Shaping-esque power gone rogue, or whether it was all carefully orchestrated. Either way, it's something he'd desperately have wanted in on if he'd known, and the look on his face is somewhere between respect and aching envy.

"How did you do it?"

[theexile]

She'd heard about magic like this before when she lived at the hold. Apparently it was something special to the Keepers of the Dalish. She wasn't certain how it worked but she'd been curious enough to come see it for herself, her hand touching the wood of the trees gently as the little fennec that was with her darted around the various plants curiously.

The elf maiden would see the fennec before she saw the Avvar woman, the small creature running out and stopping near her, just watching. Like he was waiting to see if she was safe or not. He didn't relax until Kattrin stepped out as well and looked over at the elf.

Politely, she bowed her head.

"I did not mean to disturb you."

oh god, this is so late, I am so sorry

[dashing]

Herian couldn't easily pin her reaction down. Admittedly, the only time Herian can easily pin her feelings down is when they come in extremes, and the one that she is hit with most severely is anger.

She's come towards the old Chantry after hearing worried whispers and rumours, after having planned to go there anyway to pay her respects. She doesn't run up the steps, but walks with her sword at her side and staff at her back, taking in the scene with a very typical sort of calmness. It is a false calm, though, the kind of calm that she wore the day they were due to have a diplomatic negotiation, when they walked into the clearing and she could feel her skin crawling.

Forests have never rarely been a comfort, to her. Cover, at times, but rarely a comfort, if ever.

When Herian sees Sina, she draws closer. "Good day, Sina." And then, there barely follows a chance to appreciate the relative pleasantness of the greeting, when she continues: "I imagine there are those who have already warned you of reprisals that may follow."