[CLOSED STARTERS + OPEN] Month long catch all

[aceso]

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.

Comments

[aceso]

"No, indeed. Everything is well in hand both with my research and my healing duties. I would be pleased to speak of the latter as well." Spreading the word about what magical healing can do will hopefully lessen the fear of it among a great many people. Thranduil isn't someone she counts as being fearful of it, but every opportunity to discuss it is worthwhile in her eyes.

[rowancrowned]

He nods, satisfied that he isn't stealing her away from her duties, nor entrapping her in something she would find distasteful. "I would know about spirit healing, from a spirit healer."

The books are lacking, or what remains of them, and the art far too uncommon for him to consider them entirely reliable. So- to to the source.

"How does one become a spirit healer? Were you motivated by faith?"

[aceso]

"Oh," she says, a touch surprised, but not adverse to speaking of the matter. "Well first there is a great deal of research into the discipline. There have been books written about the subject: about how to go about it, about what to expect. Spirit healers of the past have written first-hand accounts of the process and their experiences once they were a fully-fledged one. As for my reasoning, no, not that." It's funny he brings it up, because she had a distinct lack of faith at the time.

"When one calls upon a spirit for aid in healing, the spirit provides their power to immediately replenish a mage's mana. I wanted to become one so I could help more people at once. I did not want to feel helpless in a situation where someone needed saving and I was devoid of mana."

[rowancrowned]

"What books?" he asks, already reaching for paper at hand, an already nearly full scrawled sheet of notes- paper being expensive and him not being frivolous.

"Is it a spirit? Or is it any?" Her reasoning is empathetic enough, typical of healers, who are all, to a type, a strange sort of optimist. One who grapples with death, who hopes. He thinks, briefly, of Elrond, and then lets the thought go. "I imagine your Circle was glad to have you, and sponsor your training."

[aceso]

Impressed at him wanting to learn more, she quickly rattles off the titles and authors of several books that she read in either the Circle or at Skyhold, including Beyond the Veil: Spirits and Demons by Enchanter Mirdromel, Fade and Spirits Mysterious by Brother Genitivi, and The Maker’s First Children by Enchanter Bader, among others more about the actual act of Spirit Healing, such as spells used.

"It is a specific, individual spirit. One whose form is so strong that it is the spirit of something. Mine is a spirit of Faith." His observation actually has her smiling slightly, in that way people have when they know they need to correct something.

"Not at all. The Templars in my Circle actively discouraged me from becoming one. They believed me more susceptible to a demon's lies, if I put my trust into a spirit. And they often told me no one outside the Circle wanted a mage healing them anyway. You see, there is a great deal of fear in the Circle concerning spirits: something I have only began to break free of myself since becoming a Spirit Healer. I did not achieve it until I joined the Inquisition."

[rowancrowned]

He notes the titles in his mind- Genitivi striking him as the easiest to find, certainly none of them heretical and out of reach- and accepts her rebuttal with ease.

"I am sorry for that. With luck and work, perhaps a balance might eventually be struck. I hesitate to comment further," he admits, so easily settled into his role, the platitudes come easily enough, smoothing the way to speaking with and handling mortals when before he had only ever known rulers and the exceptional. "-- given only being here for a handful of months."

No time at all. "I find it foolish that anyone would turn away the chance to have more healers like your, mademoiselle."

[aceso]

Christine can't say she doesn't appreciate his lack of a given opinion, especially when she thinks to one particular rifter who thought she knew better than Christine about her own world, country, and class in society. She has nothing against rifters learning about Thedas, or forming opinions based on what they learn, but when they become adamant that what they know from home applies here, that is when Christine writes them off completely.

"I understand, ser. It is a complicated matter with a long history and exceptions varying from Circle to Circle, and person to person." Which is pretty much the only opinion she'll ever share with Madame de Fer.

"Thank you. Unfortunately, magically healing is still feared by many, or if not feared, than seen as unnatural. I do offer traditional healing as well, so that I can be of use in a time of need." Wasting time to find a non-magical healer might put the patient's life in danger, after all.