The Days That Bind Us 2: Still Bound

[exequy]

WHO: Mages, anyone else who cares
WHAT: Give us liberty or give us potatoes, or: a most noble strike for a most noble purpose, or: pissy mage babies throw a tantrum
WHEN: 14-19 Cloudreach 9:44
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: This is for consolidating RP regarding the strike. Your character doesn't have to be striking themselves to top-level or tag around, as long as it's tangentially related.

The morning of Cloudreach 14, with minimal fanfare, a significant fraction of the Circle mages working with the Inquisition across Thedas stops showing up for work. On the other hand, a significant fraction doesn't stop. But the not-working fraction is significant enough to cause problems, and for the Inquisition to not delay or prolong the discussions already set to take place at Skyhold with a few representatives of the aggrieved mages and a number of Templar and Chantry representatives.

In the Gallows, most of the mages who are refusing to work relocate—voluntarily, unless being scowled at by Kostos Averesch qualifies as being forced against one's will—to the dusty recruits' quarters in the former Templar tower for an indefinite, politicized slumber party, featuring uncomfortable bunk beds and a lot of unseasoned starches. For a cause.

ooc | Remember that striking characters are generally losing access to confidential information, Inquisition equipment or materials, and any amenities, comforts, or privileges beyond the "plain potatoes for dinner" and "not thrown out into the streets" level.

Comments

Benedict

[altusimperius]

I. HOW EXCITING

Bene barely works anyway, so going on strike for him is more about being a part of something, hanging out with some of the people who have been decent to him since his stay with the Inquisition, and ...continuing to not do work. He's all smiles and enthusiasm despite not having a clear idea of what the problem is, but to be fair, this is the most exciting thing that's happened in his life in months that didn't involve getting thrown in a dungeon.

II. HOW TERRIBLE

His enthusiasm only lasts until they arrive at their new temporary quarters. The sight of the probably-bug-infested bunks is enough to wipe the smile right off his face, and he looks around expectantly at the others, waiting for the punchline. Surely he can't be forced to sleep here. Or eat that.

This was a huge mistake.

III. HOW MYSTERIOUS

Wildcard! Do what you must.

ii. how sweet it is

[exequy]

Kostos notices the change in him approximately immediately, but it takes him much longer to care enough to say anything about it. He claims a bed, puts his things away so no one can even begin to get the impression he's here for less than the long haul, takes care of a few more urgent things, and then winds up standing near Benedict, which means talking to him is convenient enough to bother.

He says, "What?"

As in, what is making your face like that.

[altusimperius]

Benedict has at least moved since Kostos first started unpacking, but he's gotten closer and closer to do the door and may be on the verge of bolting. "What?" he shoots back, almost surprised, to Kostos' question. what're you looking at

[exequy]

"What," Kostos returns, crossing his arms, but after a pause, he saves them from parody by adding additional words: "is wrong?"

[altusimperius]

"What isn't wrong," Benedict hisses, gesturing out at their shoddy dormitory, "have you seen this place? Did you choose it? It's a hovel."

[exequy]

Kostos spares a glance back into the room. There isn't much to say in its defense, but he doesn't feel the need to defend it—not in general, and especially not to Benedict, whose support and participation in this endeavor is at best neutral and at worst actively detrimental—so that's fine.

"What did you think we were doing, precisely?"

[altusimperius]

Benedict is silent a moment as he mulls over the question, with an expression that suspiciously resembles a sulk.

"Striking," he grumbles, looking away with a little toss of his head. He doesn't know what that means.

[exequy]

"Yes," Kostos says, narrowing his eyes. He doesn't know Benedict doesn't know what it means. Why is any of this confusing? "Weren't you in a cell until recently?"

[altusimperius]

Cutting Kostos a glare, Benedict squares his shoulders and stands a little taller. How dare you. "Yes, so why would I choose to stay in one now?"

[exequy]

"That is an excellent question," Kostos says. "Why are you here?"

[altusimperius]

The question seems to stun Bene, and genuinely throws him for a loop. He looks around, then back at Kostos, like he doesn't quite understand why it's being asked at all. "...for the strike." He doesn't sound sure. The real answer is more along the lines of 'because I'm lonely and bored', but he has the common sense not to admit that.

[exequy]

"Yes," Kostos says, in a prompting way, like he's trying to lead a particularly dense student forward through to an answer. But—also like he's trying to lead a particularly dense student forward through to an answer—he doesn't have the patience to wait and see if Benedict is led where he intends. "Why do you care? You do not have a phylactery. The Tevinter mage agrees with us is not winning us any favor. You have been our captive here as much as anyone else's."

In case Benedict is having trouble keeping up, he's ticking those points off on his fingers. Three. Three reasons he does not care if Benedict likes his accommodations.

"You can stay or you can leave," he concludes, "but if you are bad for morale—" which is a totally fair accusation for ser dour and brusque to hurl at someone else, thanks "—I will make that decision for you.

[altusimperius]

While all of these things are true, Benedict hadn't really considered them that way, and hadn't expected to be so starkly reminded that he doesn't belong here. He almost looks angry at first, but the outrage in his eyes turns to hurt that he doesn't know how to use.
"I haven't been your captive," he says lamely, realizing as it comes out of his mouth that it's both incorrect and completely not helping his case.

[exequy]

Not helping at all.

"Ah," Kostos says. "I have been forgetting the shackles. Thank you for the reminder."

He wouldn't really. Probably.

[altusimperius]

Bene's face screws up in a look of offense and aggravation, but, blessedly, he stills the tantrum before it can erupt. "Leave me alone," he decides, with a sneer to Kostos.

[keenly]

Colin sits by Bene and passes him a bowl of potato soup. It's not very fancy, but it's tasty.

"How are you holding up?" he asks, trying not to give in to the temptation to snicker at spoiled rich people. They never had the chance to thrive in these sorts of conditions, so of course Bene looks quite lost.

[altusimperius]

Bene still looks a little shellshocked, though he accepts the bowl with a sniff of disdain. He was hardly eating foie gras and caviar up in the tower, but he didn't think circumstances could actually get any worse.

"How long are we going to do this?" he asks instead of answering, visibly hoping for an answer along the lines of 'oh just for a few more hours'.

[keenly]

Colin sips from his own bowl, having run out of utensils. "Days or weeks, probably. Why? Something wrong?"

He manages to sound mostly innocent, but the truth is it would be a refreshing change of pace for a rich snob to be impressed by lower-class toughness. It's the only sort of toughness Colin feels he has, most days. Never fear, I'll protect you from the bad spiders.

[altusimperius]

Bene's face chances to one of muted horror.
"That's--" he stammers, "weeks??"

[keenly]

"Certainly." Colin peers into that horrified face. "Hopefully not, but...are you all right?"

[altusimperius]

HORROR

"But--" He gestures around inarticulately. "How can--"

[keenly]

"...You want to help me clean everything up?"

[altusimperius]

Colin receives a look as though he just asked if Bene would like to skin his own mother.

[keenly]

Colin's eyebrows rise a tic. "If you do, then you will sleep in a clean, dry room."