(open) pitch black, pale blue

[sulena]

WHO: Saoirse + open
WHAT: phylactery unfun fun times
WHEN: middle to late Guardian
WHERE: the Gallows proper and Kirkwall's alienage
NOTES: ooc notes + mentions of torture and other bad business that comes from some unknown messing around with a vial filled with your blood.

— disorient.

One would think, as Saoirse once called the Gallows her home, that getting lost in its halls would be quite the feat. She has a routine, one that she carries out daily but lately she has found it easier to stray off matters for sometimes hours at a time. At first she thinks that these past few weeks dealing with the unknown sickness and then being trapped withing these walls had taken a toll on her but this was getting ridiculous. Sometimes it is as simple as taking the wrong turn, picking up the wrong book or threading her needles wrong but at other times she finds it worrying—

It comes to a head when she finds herself wondering into rooms and offices that are far from where she should be going. Sometimes she carries laundry or her papers, idly staring off as if in deep thought before snapping back into focus with a startled sound once she realizes something is amiss.

"I... I'm terribly sorry," she manages to stutter out. Unable to hide how red her face becomes in embarrassment. "I was trying to find—"

Wait... just where was she going?

— weakness.

Her confusion is troubling enough but the utter exhaustion is another story. Though it felt a lie to call it exhaustion because she was not tired but, at times, it was harder to get herself up and going. Sometimes she was sit for longer periods of time afraid her legs would give out if she were to stand and,
at other times, unable to barely even consider lifting her arms. Even thinking about it exhausting and she spends much more time asleep, hoping that resting will solve the sudden rash of issues that have cropped up.


Yet she cannot sleep forever and ventures out when she has the strength though there is no telling when her body will give out, sending her plummeting to her knees and weakly grasping at anything to keep herself from falling completely over.

— shock.

She has few talents outside of the school of entropy but lightning spells have always come easy to her, easier to control than ice or fire. Perhaps that is why it is more startling when random bolts being springing off her as if they are trying to play some sort of cruel game. As the days pass the strength of the electricity only grows to where she fears drawing too close to water least her magic conduct onto it and through whomever happened to be nearby.

Simply staying away from water isn't enough as she proves one day in the library. Saoirse is busily studying, reaching old family with hard ties to the Chantry when it happens with a literal boom. A spark of magic ignites, a powerful burst of lighting arcing in the room before expanding outside in the large explosion of sound and magical energy. It seemingly rattles everything, knocking books to the floor and sending paper flying.

The center of the magical explosion is crouched on her knees once it clears, hugging herself and trying (yet failing) not to shake.

— entropic cloud.

Perhaps it is no surprise that she ultimately finds herself in the old Harrowing chamber. It is oppressive as she remembers even though it no longer occupied, no longer used as it once was like the night she was pulled from her bed and brought here. Perhaps she also knows that not many would wander here either which leaves her alone to her thoughts and her worries. As she paces there is a weakness in her steps that grow and she worries that another spell of weakness is coming on but it proves much worse—

Slowly an inky black cloud beings to seep out around her, immediately zapping her of her strength and sending her harshly tumbling to the ground. She tries to bite it back, reel it in but the entropic mass of energy continues to billow out and cover the room like a blanket. It's a sight that take her back to nightmares as a small girl and from a time when her magic scared her, and in truth? She is scared now.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it..." It's a mantra now, words she mumbles and weakly tries to pull everything back in.

— wildcard.

Feel free to wildcard any of the above mentioned spells up, or hit me up for an aftermath thread.

Comments

[sulena]

Once more, Saoirse can only blink in confusion at her surrounding before focusing back on Inessa with wide eyes. If possible she looks even more startled than she had been a moment before and can't help shuffling backwards slightly. Why was she here? Where was she even going?

Swallowing thickly she looks to Inessa and, despite herself, shakes her head. "I... I'm not sure," she mumbles shakily. "I'm not sure what's happening."

[circleprodigy]

That confusion has Inessa's brow furrowing as she steps away from the desk, heading over. Looking Saoirse over, her lips form a thin line. "I believe I might. Please, sit. I want to try something." She'll guide her to a seat; it's scorched but still stable enough.

[sulena]

She does not fight being guided to the scorched chair. It is, in fact, the moment where Saoirse actually takes in the look of Inessa's office with wide eyes. The only thing she can do is hold tighter onto the bundle of laundry in her arms.

"... What is happening to us?" She finally asks as she sits, weak and shaky still.

[circleprodigy]

"Someone is targeting mages...mages with phylacteries." Inessa, not wanting to leave her in that state a moment longer, casts Dispel. If there is any lingering status, that should dismiss it. She then comes to sit by her, examining. "How do you feel now?"

[sulena]

"Simply us in the Inquisition or is this beyond these ranks as well?"

She hasn't thought of her phylactery in some time if Saoirse were to be honest. Upon her arrival in Kirkwall, the First Enchanter had taken her blood likely to replace the phylacteries lost when Starkhaven's Circle burned to the ground but after that there was little to consider. Had they remained here in the Gallows? Or had they been sent off to some remote location?

Thankfully the spell cast on her helps to clear her thoughts and allow her the chance to simply breath in relief. It was like being trapped under water, mages' spells and the Templars silencing magic the only real relief she's had. "Yes... much better, thank you."

[circleprodigy]

Inessa reaches over and rests a hand atop Saoirse's, sympathetic. "You're quite welcome.

And...I don't know, to be honest. So far, I have only heard from those who are active Inquisition members, but it could be that others are caught up in this as well." That's hardly an encouraging thought and she sighs. "I wonder how long they've had them, and why they chose now to strike...."

[sulena]

She smiles in return, tired but as warm as ever. It's the least she can do for the other woman who, by the way her office looked, was also suffering under this attack.

"And how could they have got so many from so many different Circles? This must have been something long planned out..." She says lightly, frowning visibly. "I know the main purpose of our phylacteries is for tracking purposes but there must be some way we can track them in turn. If this continues, I fear we might very quickly become a real danger not only to the people here but to the city as well."

And the last thing Kirkwall needs is another disaster with mages at the center.

[circleprodigy]

She nods grimly to that. "I have that same fear...and that we will hurt the Inquisition's cause by our existence. If we cannot control ourselves and harm civilians, it's likely the Viscount will rescind their offer to the Inquisition. Perhaps this is the goal of those tormenting us; harm us, and harm the Inquisition, all in one fell swoop."

[sulena]

"Worse still that it might break down what peace we have managed to salvage from this war," she says quietly. "Once more rogue groups would be fighting in the countryside putting more people in danger of being caught in the middle and further breaking down possible future talks."

It's a terrible headache but she does not let it show, clutching her bundle of laundry tighter and letting out a tired sigh. "They would believe it more reason to bring the Circles back and perhaps with a harsher stance since we obviously cannot control ourselves."

[circleprodigy]

"Precisely. We have no Divine now; what they're doing could influence the policies of a new one, for the worse." Inessa sighs, shoulders sagging. So far, their tormenters are winning and she can't see any way around it. How can they convince people that mages are not a danger to the general public when a fireball could go off around them at any moment? And would any protestations that such wasn't intended really stop an angry mob?

[sulena]

"I cannot bring myself to imagine this place as it once was," she says quietly with a shuddered gaze around the room. How much more blood would be shed in this place before this was all over? How many more people would call the cells in the dungeons home again?

"Perhaps we should consider returning to Skyhold in the meantime." It is said tiredly, at the end of her rope. "We, and others, would be safer with us in the mountains versus one of the biggest Marcher cities."

[circleprodigy]

"Skyhold...." Inessa trails off, thoughtful. "It's not a bad idea. We would still be among the Inquisition, but the danger we pose to others would be less. I can see the appeal, to be honest. A meeting with a division head could perhaps secure that."