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

[exequy]

If Kostos' response sounds bored, it isn't Pietro's fault. He's had this conversation several times now because it's—probably, arguably—an important conversation to have, a question that perfectly intelligent people don't see a clear answer to immediately, and something that hasn't been fully settled.

But he has had the conversation several times, and he does sound bored. A little like he's memorized the response, even, which may be for the best, because otherwise he might have to stagger unsteadily through a few additional sentences to approximate the same point.

"Because we have to continue to live in this world afterwards," he says, still looking at the wisp, "and a formal Inquisition decision puts us in a better position—" Rhyming. Ugh. "—than the unfortunate and correctable action of a few rogue mages."

He turns his head to look toward Pietro, eyebrows raised. Hello. Glad you're not dead. Was that good enough?

[supersonic]

"A formal Inquisition decision puts us in better standing if the decision is in our favor," Pietro amends, valiantly refraining from commenting on Kostos's future as a poet. "If it isn't..."

Well. They've already sacrificed any tactical advantage they might have had and taken a stand they'll lose face to relinquish, so no point in wavering now. Pietro sighs, assuming Kostos doesn't need to hear all of that again.

"Otherwise, seven out of ten — fairly convincing but not particularly inspirational, as explanations go," is said a note lighter, his head turning toward Kostos in turn. "I suppose Voss is more the politician, yes?"

He doesn't know her well. He knows Kostos— or knew Kostos, at any rate, but he doesn't imagine any of them have gotten through the last few years unchanged.

[exequy]

If the decision isn't in their favor, Kostos' argument would go, then they'll know. They'll know who they're dealing with, they'll know what it means to be an ally, they make plans and store caches and be prepared to leave the day Corypheus is no longer a threat. Or sooner. In the meantime the Inquisition and their Templar allies won't have the benefit of the rebels' doubt.

But that's also something he's had to say several times, now, so he isn't going to say it again if he doesn't have to.

Instead he makes a face, trying to reconcile Voss, blood up to her elbows, and politician—but that's fair. Politicians are usually ruthless from a greater distance, that's all.

"More, yes," he agrees, sitting up. The wisp hovers at eye level and makes a delighted brr noise at his new proximity. "And she is the true believer. She stayed out a year longer than I did." And a good two years longer than most of the rebels who joined when Fiona did. Which—"you understand."

[supersonic]

"Yes." He understands. It's a careful syllable, even here in the company of other mages, even when most of these mages rebelled themselves in some form or other, and are rebelling now. There is a world of difference between sitting idle in these bunks and cutting Templar throats in the dark.

"I suppose it requires that. Belief." Willpower, too, to keep making that choice, long after an easier option had presented itself. "But she does not seem to have so much egotism as—" as Magnus, "as I would expect to accompany it," he finishes instead, a tad wry.

Magnus might have led them to this same action, a strike to pressure the Inquisition into negotiation, if he were inclined to so nonviolent a solution, but there would not have been an equanimous discussion about it first. No votes would have been cast. This is a different sort of leadership than Pietro has grown accustomed to.