faderift | [CLOSED STARTERS + OPEN] Month long catch all

WHO: Christine + closed starters + OPEN
WHAT: Meeting new people and catching up with friends/acquaintances throughout Firstfall
WHEN: spanning the entirety of Firstfall whenever convenient for you character
WHERE: The Gallows, the docks

{ open to all: wildcard option }
Christine's schedule rarely deviates. She arrives at the Gallows in the morning, heads to the kitchens for tea, then her office where she spends a few hours. If it's a red lyrium research day, she can be found heading towards the basement where they have a warded laboratory for experiments, though no one except her team is actually allowed inside, so you'll have to catch her on the way. If it's not such a day, she heads to the infirmary and heals patients for several hours as well. Add in lunch and moving between rooms and buildings to see people, and she's pretty easy to find.

{ closed to adalia }
The day dawns foggy with a crispness to the air as people awake and attend to their duties at the Gallows. For Christine, it's an early morning trek from her house in Lowtown to her office in the central tower, but today she stops first at the infirmary to see to her patients from the day before. The fog closes in around the island and she steps out from the infirmary, producing a small wisp of light that she sends out ahead of her to light her way to the tower. Along the way, she nods politely to those she passes, well aware that some still don't like seeing a mage perform magic openly.

Though she has reports to read in her office, she's in no rush to start, and will be making herself a cup of tea before she dives in. That time can also be used for conversation, should anyone need her.

{ closed to skadi }
Though she's spent time with Skadi in the past, there is still much about the woman Christine has yet to discover. In particular, she's interested in learning about the hold gods that Skadi grew up with, and what being a Spirit Warrior is like. One afternoon, she sets aside her work a bit early to meet with Skadi over at the stables, where they can take out horses and have an open conversation without eavesdroppers.

She arrives promptly at the time they agreed upon and gives Skadi a smile. "Good afternoon. As you can imagine, I am looking forward to discussing the Fade and spirits with you."

{ closed to carlos }
Now that he's more settled in, Christine is happy to take Carlos under her wing and instruct him with working as a healer within an Inquisition base. After showing him around the place, she's set him loose to tend to patients, with herself hovering close by in case he needs help or a second opinion. She's also ready to swoop in should she feel he's making a mistake, but she hasn't seen reason to just yet.

Standing within earshot, she organizes a set of potion bottles so their labels all face outward again, and waits to see how he handles this latest case.

{ closed to elros }
Despite the Inquisition's remodeling, Christine really only stays in the Gallows for a few hours at a time because her office and the infirmary are there, not to mention their research laboratory for red lyrium, tucked away behind warded walls in the basement. She will never be comfortable in a place where her fellow mages as well as Tranquil were treated so horrendously by the Templars. Their pain and sorrow will forever be etched into the stonework. And so she can often be found down at the dock where the boats transport people from the island back to Kirkwall's docks, staring out across the water. It's better than sitting in the shadow of those imposing towers, much like the shadows of the Templars who used to breath down her neck at Montsimmard.

{ closed to myr }
It isn't often that Christine speaks out about her thoughts on the Circle system. She well knows that Montsimmard Circle was more lenient than other Circles, but that didn't mean it wasn't a prison in her eyes. Yet the fact she doesn't voice these thoughts out loud means assumptions might be made, such as today. Out walking in the Gallows, Myr's sensitive ears will likely pick up the end of a conversation between Christine and another woman.

"It's just... well, you seemed so level-headed, I only assumed you were a Loyalist."

"Libertarians are not without sense. Those who claim the title, then use blood magic or make deals with demons to destroy the innocent are not Libertarians; they are selfless and psychotic. My ideals are nothing like theirs."

"They are still far too lenient, in my opinion. And as this meeting is for Loyalists only, it seems I can't invite you after all."

"C'est la vie. I wish you a good day, Enchanter."

The other woman sniffs in distaste and her footsteps loudly clack across the stone as she leaves, but Christine stays in place a moment longer before she spots Myr and heads towards him.

"Hello," she begins, unsure if he needs help or if he's perfectly capable of navigating the Gallows unaided. It seems presumptious to ask, but a healer always wishes to help.

{ closed to thranduil }
Today the weather has broke from the near constant cold and drizzle, leaving the sky a brillant blue dotted with flocks of birds migrating north towards warmer temperatures. But Christine is unable to see it, as she's been inside all day, reading reports. And now she must put off going outside for a little longer, as Thranduil has requested to see her. Setting aside her paperwork, she rises and stretches, before making her way towards his office, walking at a leisurely pace because she's always early. Knocking on his door, she announces herself.

"It is Christine Delacroix, ser."

{ closed to the medicine seller }
Christine is incredibly work-oriented, and it's not unusual to see her going over reports, supplies, and the like even when she's supposed to be taking a break. There's only so long a person can work around red lyrium before they need a week long break, and she's in the midst of such a break right now. And even though she's out of work to do, still she heads to the infirmary, reorganizing what's already been organized by herself.

Eventually her hands are empty, there are no patients, and she has to admit defeat with a sigh. Time to walk around the Gallows to see where she can be of use.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Carlos bit his lip then, nervous that he had every brought that up.

"All I want is to return to a Circle," he admitted after a moment.

Christine doesn't speak for a moment, looking him over. He was from the same Circle as Sam, and yet Sam agreed with Christine, never wishing to return. Amazing how every individual mage looked at the world around them and saw something different.

"Then let us wish for a future where such a thing is possible to those who volunteer to return. And the rest of us will remain outside of it." She isn't against schooling for mages, but mages can look after their own. If the Chantry wants to have Circles again, then it should be an option for mages to pick which school they wished to attend: mage-run or Chantry-run.

Carlos sighed a bit. He didn't think he could ever agree with that idea. Mages being free meant more of them would end up like his mother. Evil and ready to torture everyone around her, even her own son.

He wasn't exactly sure that she would understand how deep that fear was in him. Not without going into details about Cruella he wasn't sure he was ready to share with her. Not when things that been going so well.

There needed to be a way to make sure that the mages who had less guidance were good and strong enough not to harm others. He wasn't sure he would ever be one of them.

"Or maybe we could change the whole system to something else? Less a prison then, and more a place of safety, learning, and guidance, but one just structured enough to stop people from ending up like my mother."

"Perhaps," she says with a slight incline of her head. "I have long wished for schools where a mage is able to visit home without being a noble whose parents threw money at the Chantry. The freedom to learn with guidance from fellow mages, instead of Templars swearing up and down that you will fail and become an abomination, or turned Tranquil. I have nothing against structure. I simply have no love for a prison where you are made to fear yourself or hate yourself. Where some mages are treated well if they become a noble's pet while others are kept behind walls forever. The inconsistency between two mages' Circle experiences and life experiences is what keeps the lines drawn. It keeps us fighting amongst ourselves instead of building a better future for mages."

Carlos can agree with most of that, because it's important to find common ground. "And the differences between Circles themselves is... shocking. We need consistency and support. Not one scared child finding a haven in a Circle, and another finding abuse and torment."

"Exactly so." For all their differences in experiences, at least they can agree on that. "It is an issue that has languished on as we wait for a new Divine to be chosen."

How much longer will that take? Will the war against Corypheus end first? Who can say?

"But beyond your wishes to return, do you find yourself happy here?"

"I'm... settling in all right," he admitted after a moment, not sure he can use the term 'happy' just yet. "And it's nice to not be in a tent anymore. That and, um, there are people from my Circle here. People I liked."

Some blush creeps up on his cheeks despite himself. He stumbles a bit over having just basically admitted he had a crush on someone from the Circle. "Because they were kind and nice. Not, uh, anything else?"

Yep, totally believable.

Oh, no, Carlos. You have just made a grave error because now Christine gives a slow grin, tilting her head a little in amusement.

"Indeed? How fortunate you can now reconnect with them, yes? I am sure they find you kind and nice as well."

His ears are coloring red a bit and he tries not to look like he's been caught out.

"It's not like that. Trust me," he's still failing to be very convincing though. "I think everyone from the circle thinks of me like a kid, except for a handful who are like family."

"Ah, that is a common thing until you reach a certain age," Christine says with a knowing look. "Such can be frustrating, no?" Especially for Circle mages who were often looked down on by the Templars. It was like being a perpetual child even into adulthood.

"But if I am wrong, I am wrong. Just friends, then." Carlos doesn't know Christine well enough yet to know that she rarely admits to being wrong, meaning that no, he hasn't been very convincing at all.

It's really impossible for him to explain his crush without also going into the fact that the object of it will never, ever see him as anyone other than a scared, abused eleven year old who found the Circles to be his first sanctuary.

So, instead, he wants to change the subject. "Uh, do we need any thing for the tents? More elfroot perhaps?"

Nailed it.

Her expression softens, since he obviously wants to move past this, and it's not like she knows him well enough yet to tease him like she does Sam, so she nods, willing to move on as well.

"We can always use more elfroot. Spindleweed would be good too."

He smiles then, but the realizes he should mute the expression a bit. It's not that he wants to be away from her, he just wants to change the subject a bit. It's embarrassing to admit he has a crush on someone who is so much older than he is.

"Spindlewood and elfroot. Right. Anything else?"

"I think I will let you decide what else we might need. It is good training to have an eye for these things." Or maybe Christine just organizes way too much and always knows the second any ingredient has been used.

Carlos can't help but find that idea pleasing. He wants to be useful and her saying that she wants to trust him with that sort of thing is comforting. "All right. I'll be back with as much as I think we need?"

"Very well. I will likely still be here on your return, unless you dawdle." Are you a dawdler, Carlos? "And then I can see what you have brought me. I am sure it will be more than sufficient."

[CLOSED STARTERS + OPEN] Month long catch all

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