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

She nods, a suddenly solemn counterpart to her perky hart, trotting happily and sniffing at the fresh air. "He must have cared about you a great deal, and his people must have recognized that, to allow you to witness a sky burial. We don't often let lowlanders view it, since they can be prickly about anything that isn't a pyre. Who wants to give more reasons to view us as barbarians needing to be 'rescued' by the Chantry, eh?"

"In his way, I suppose. I counted him as a friend, and he did so enjoy teasing me." She chuckles softly to herself. It took many months for Asher's death to stop hurting, because she felt as though she'd failed him, being unable to fully heal his wounds. Now time has softened that ache, and she can laugh again. "But he was never one to speak of his emotions with me. Not until the very end." And even then, it was very Asher.

"One would hope that a guest of the hold would show some manners and keep any rude opinions to themselves, but I doubt that has often been the case."

"Any guest foolish enough to insult us didn't keep guest-welcome for long, of course." Skadi's smile is sharp, a bloodthirsty glint in her eyes. "Ylva, our hold-beast, chased a few away. When faced with a large, snarling wolf, they ran and never came back. I can't say if that's because she caught up to them, but that's been enough to shut up others who might have disrespected us and the gods."

"Mm, that is quite a strong sign that you have outstayed your welcome," she says with a slight grin. She can't imagine insulting the Avvar so much that she'd be run out with an angry wild animal nipping at her heels. Christine is the first to admit to a hold that she has much to learn, and never wishes to give offense. Thankfully with Falcon-Reach Hold, the spirits saw her coming and were excited to see her. Any minor faux-pas can be forgiven if you have the favor of the gods.

As they journey further out, the lands around the coast spread before them, but they veer north towards the mountain instead. Here there will be grass for their mounts to graze on, and it's safer than straying near the Wounded Coast.

"I try to make it out here once a week to gather herbs or just take Ambrose for a walk. It is so peaceful out here, and Kirkwall is the very opposite. Have you been to other cities before?"

Skadi smiles as their path takes them toward the mountain; she doesn't mind the exercise that the coast brings, as the bandits found there are not difficult to defeat. But she's a creature of the mountains, not the water. The higher up they are, the more she can pretend they are in the Frostbacks once more.

"I've been to Jader, for the sea journey to Kirkwall. And then Llomerryn, for the Inquisition. That's it so far, though. I can't say I mind; I'll go anywhere I must and no complaint, but cities are so strange to me. I can't understand how so many people live on top of each other like that." The sheer amount of people in Kirkwall alone has her uneasy, and she's heard Val Royeaux or Minrathous are even worse. It's a little mind-boggling, and she's very much aware of being out of her element in such cases.

"I suppose they do because they must," Christine says with a shrug. "Everyone has businesses or occupations that require them to be in this built up area to get the most out of it, but I must admit, a quiet life has always appealed to me. Not true isolation, mind you, but far less bustle around me."

She chuckles at that, shaking her head. "I wouldn't call Avvar life quiet, or even that isolated. We just have different company, you know? We have each other, the beasts around us, the gods...I never truly felt lonely in the Frostbacks." Not like she does in a place where people live on top of each other, with customs so different from her own.

"Oh, I do know how the Avvar throw a party," she says with a chuckle. "And of course there is the way you solve disagreements, the battle arena, and the singing by the fire. No, you are not a quiet people. But the landscape carries a quiet mood to it, like if you stop to listen, you could hear the heartbeat of the mountain. Here it is just angry, noisy people with little happiness in their lives. Only surviving, not living."

Skyhold felt quiet too. There's something about the higher altitude, and the cold wind blowing away all noise downward, that makes her feel at peace. She remembers standing on the ramparts and watching the birds fly overhead and then down into the valley. She misses that sort of peace.

"But it is where we must be. I have finally come to terms with it, and am determined to make the best of things here. I was reminded recently to laugh more often, and to laugh off the things that would ordinarily bother me. It has helped a great deal."

Skadi nods approvingly, flashing a grin at her companion. "I like the way you think, Christine. Life is a tug of war between things that grind us down and build us up, especially in a place like Kirkwall. Learn to give as few fucks as possible, and you're already winning. That's why I don't care if people call me 'heathen' or 'barbarian' or whatever else. What they think will never matter; I know who I am, and even across the sea I'm never really separated from my people."

"I have always been in an odd state of not believing the things people said of me for being a mage, but at the same time striving to show everyone that I am extremely capable. I always reach for perfection, but perhaps it is others who should meet me halfway instead of me always making the effort." It's hard for Christine to not try to be perfect at everything, but it's made her high-strung and stressed out as a result. Were she to loosen up a little, perhaps she'd feel more fulfilled.

"Aye, exactly! If they aren't making an equal effort, then why are they worth any at all on your part? What good would it do if there's no taking the time to see you as you are, not just as a 'mage?" So ass-backwards, all of it. She shakes her head. "Some people will never change their minds and it's usually easy to see which ones. Don't bother with them, it's only wasted effort."

"Indeed. And I could better put my effort for things towards those who will appreciate it. And who deserve it." No more worrying about what others think. They aren't worth her time at all.

She nods towards a scenic bit of landscape before them, all gently sloping grassland with trees dotting it here and there.

"Shall we let the animals graze here a bit?"

"What do you think, Kodlak? Time for a break?" The hart comes to a stop as she bits him, and she dismounts while he promptly sets about to grazing. She takes a moment to stretch, then smiles as she glances around. "Now, this is worth the ride. It almost makes me forget all the clamor in the city, at least for now."

Christine does the same, massaging her lower back and stretching out her legs.

"Mm, it does. The quiet landscape will always draw me in."

[CLOSED STARTERS + OPEN] Month long catch all

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