[Closed] I've got the magic in me

[justice_is_blond]

WHO: Five billion mages.
WHAT: The mages Anders has invited mingle
WHEN: The tenth of Wintermarch
WHERE: A warehouse in the docks
NOTES: None atm.

The warehouse is set up pretty sparsely. Part of the warehouse is taken up by a table of food next to a table of drinks next to a table of plates and cups that don't match, near a lot of scattered chairs. A short space away is a deliberate oval of chairs because he, at least, is amused in making sure no circle shapes occur here. Finally, there's a table with a stack of scraps of parchment.

When everyone's gathered and is starting to mingle, Anders stands up and clears his throat.

"Thank you for coming." It takes work to look calm and confident. This feels so important to him and he doesn't want to make a mess of it. "Obviously the food and drink is self-explanatory," he says with a faint smile before gesturing at the oval, "As far as the rest, I figured we could have a small area set up for serious discussion, any heavy matters that people want to talk about, easily joined and left or ignored completely."

He jerks a thumb in the direction of the last table. "Finally, the parchment is for writing down anything you particularly want to teach or learn. Put your name on it, and people can page through them and be in contact. And I think that's enough from me."

Comments

Inessa

[circleprodigy]

The youngest Grey Warden mage arrives a little late, but still early enough for the bulk of the proceedings. Garahel is naturally at her side, the mabari especially fascinated by the scent of ham, but he doesn't whine or go around begging. When she gathers some tea -please, Maker, let there be tea- and some ham quiche along with rosquillas, Garahel dutifully follows her to a seat, where he plops down and wags his tail at anyone he recognizes. Inessa likewise acknowledges them with a nod and smile, hoping the sweets and some conversation can revive her flagging energy.

"And how are you this evening?"

[keenly]

Colin offers a tiny wave before bringing out a napkin with the pork bone that made the soup in it. He offers it to Garahel before answering.

"Tired, but fulfilled. The way you're supposed to be after cooking all day. What about you?"

[circleprodigy]

Immediately perking up, Garahel happily snags that pork bone. This is certainly okay, since someone offered and he wasn't making a pest of himself. Inessa smiles at that, before it turns sympathetic as she nods in agreement with Colin.

"Much the same, actually. Not about the cooking -which is wonderful, by the way- but the rest is an accurate summation of the day. After drafting plans for my project, I spent some quality time with Potato. She's been so restless thanks to the weather, so I had to take her out for a ride once it cleared. Thedas never saw a more joyful griffon, I suspect. Her enthusiasm was a little exhausting in the end, but it was still definitely worthwhile. We're working well as a team."

[keenly]

"Your project is the one about the rifts?" Colin sips from his own mug of tea.

[circleprodigy]

"Yes, indeed." Inessa takes a bite of a rosquilla, savoring the lemony taste. Keeping to her manners, she only speaks after clearing her throat. "It involves rifts, the Veil, and the anchors that rifters and some natives bear. I joined because of my interest in rift magic, but when it's previous leader departed, I threw my hat into the ring."

[keenly]

"Rift magic? Someone's found a way to harness those things?"

[circleprodigy]

"Yes, indeed. I can't claim credit; the Mage Collective sent twenty scholars to study the Breach. One returned...and though she is changed, she was able to pass on her discoveries to me. I believe Solas -the apostate who was with the Herald from the beginning- knows rift magic, as well. I don't think he learned it from her, but he did speak of studying the Fade extensively before, and he must have learned much from the Breach's creation."

[keenly]

CODEX UNLOCKED: RIFT MAGES

"Interesting. So what are you doing in the project? Studying those marks and trying to close rifts?"

[circleprodigy]

"Most of my energy is devoted towards studying those shards, yes. I'm concerned about the long-term effects of having one, and want to learn as much as I can so we might help those who bear them." Thankfully no one else has arrived with a chest-shard, but Sina's death will continue to be a grim reminder of what they're facing.

"We have also been studying places where the Veil is weaker, how the anchor reacts to them and how difficult it is to close rifts in such environments...which can be 'very', by the way. It's akin to attempting to sew a rip in cloth which is falling apart; pull the edges back too hard and a new tear forms nearby. So, it requires precise coordination in order to solve."

[justice_is_blond]

"A little nervous, a little hopeful," he says as he takes a chair, keeping his plate high enough that he thinks it might be less tempting. Dogs are... still not in his comfort zone, exactly. He's good with Lady, getting there slowly with Garahel, but dogs are not cats.

"And you? I see you've brought the usual date along."

[circleprodigy]

"He's been so patient all day with just us in the office, so I thought he'd like to see other people, too." That's one reason, anyway. Garahel is as much a ward against unwanted attention on the streets as her Grey Warden armor, which never comes off when she's outside the Gallows. "Don't worry, he's been well-fed beforehand, and Colin's gift of a ham bone should sate him."

Garahel takes the hint, eyeing the plate for a moment, but not whining or jumping up to it. He just wags his tail at Anders and yawns, settling down. "Beginnings are always a little nerve-wracking, but the fact that many have agreed to this is cause for hope. Perhaps all this community needed was a little push."

[justice_is_blond]

He relaxes how he's sitting as Garahel settles down.

"Sometimes that's all a group needs. And sometimes a little push turns into a big topple. But I've... Maybe it's early, but there's some good people coming here tonight and others with potential. This could be the start we need."

If the Circles come back he's safe and Inessa's safe. But a vast majority of mages, present and future, are not. They absolutely need something.

"If you've any additional ideas my ears are open. We can't conscript every mage if things go south, unfortunately." Maybe not entirely unfortunate since some wouldn't survive the Joining, but still.

[circleprodigy]

"I can always ask Alistair." Inessa's lips twitch, only thinking of doing so in order to see his reaction. Anders' concerns about the odds of survival are her own, as well.

Her expression settles into something more serious, as she ignores her plate for the moment. "Since the Circles fell, so many of our tomes have been lost or destroyed. Bits and pieces have been recovered, but I would certainly appreciate a more concentrated effort to seek more. Knowledge gained outside the Circles is invaluable, of course, but we should not forget the value of the knowledge within as well. I would rather see it in good hands than left to rot in ruin or overpriced at a shady merchant's stall. Whatever we can bring into Kirkwall -or have it brought in for us- would be a boon."

[justice_is_blond]

Anders snorts. He knows Nate would support it if the Circles were brought back, but hopefully this doesn't become needed.

"It's an additional boon if we can keep it as mage property, rather than Inquisition property. The Inquisition is run by a Seeker, a Templar, and a sister, as well as a diplomat, and a Templar is in a power of position here. I'll absolutely work with it for the sake of defeating Corypheus, but we cannot trust it to care about mages once that task is done. We need a place. Something that belongs to mages, if only for now."

[circleprodigy]

Inessa nods slowly, a little more trusting when it comes to the Inquisition, but she can see Ander's point in keeping it to themselves. Since such tomes were the property of the Circles, it's only right that it remain with mages. "It's always better to err on the side of caution. Is there a particular place you have in mind? I would have suggested the Hawke estate, but Bethany has yet to gain ownership of it." Without legal security, anything stowed there could be seized. Not a great option.

[justice_is_blond]

Marion returning would be very helpful, especially right about now, but she's always had her own timing. Anders frowns as he contemplates the question.

"It all comes down to funding, doesn't it. We need a place, we need to acquire books, we need an actual physical location for a mage settlement or college or whatever we wind up calling it when we start that sort of building..." He sighs and trails off. "Maybe we can find a shopkeeper who will let us use an extra backroom. But that carries risk for them if word gets out - they could see their whole business torched. Maybe this is something we should bring up to the group? They may have ideas."

[circleprodigy]

Likewise stumped for a good, clear answer, Inessa nods. "I'll be glad to do bring it up. You've already done so much, I don't mind a little initiative there. Perhaps there's an answer staring at us in the face. If not, it will at least get people thinking."

[justice_is_blond]

"Thank you." While he doesn't feel like he's done all that much, Anders does know that trying to do everything will shut down others rather than enabling and he very much wants to enable. Participation by many for many is the only way they get anywhere.

"I'll see you in the oval shortly, then? I'm going to get a refill of my drink, I think."