set your heart against the scales, keep your head above the tide

[dashing]

WHO: Ambassador Amsel & others
WHAT: a Herian catch-all
WHEN: through the month
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: closed and open starters to be added through the month, I have a hideous cold atm and am even more forgetful than usual, so if we have discussed something and I've neglected to follow up or set something up, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Comments

[dashing]

( In a corner, in a little basket, a corgi pup is sleeping soundly. Rather, he was - he looks up, ears still seeming too big for the rest of him, and blinks sleepily as he observes that his human is still there, before noticing the guest and moving to come and say hello with slow, weaving steps.

Herian endeavours not to pay attention to the very endearing distraction. )

There are many matters meriting discussion. I fear, though, that... some timeliness is required in looking to the matter of rifter phylacteries that has been raised. I think it a pertinent matter it discuss with you, though I respectfully understand if you would sooner not discuss such with me.

( This whole "replacing someone very qualified and capable" thing is quite uncomfortable. ) If you should be willing, though, I think establishing which of our present diplomatic connections have had their feelings swayed by rifter and Inquisition efforts that they might lend voices of support to help dissuade the Chantry may be helpful. I have a number of ideas, but I doubt any single one would be effective.

( A moment, and she adds, ) I welcome any questions you might have.

[ipseite]

( petrana makes no such endeavour; she lowers a hand and permits the corgi to investigate it, smiling very slightly. warm—at her ease. she says, still smiling, )

I should sooner you respect—indeed, require—my professionalism.

( these matters will not be resolved by anything else. certainly, she'd be lying if she couldn't imagine reasons why "rifters" might prefer not to discuss this matter with a division head; she could even think of reasons why she, personally, might be loathe to address the matter with a loyalist.

pretending any of those reasons matter will serve only to hand them all gently and courteously from the frying pan and into the fire.

but to details; )

I have been considering the matter from another angle, ( thoughtful, scratching the corgi beneath his adorable corgi chin. who is a good boy. it's you, you're the good boy. ) The Venatori interest in rifters and shard-bearers is well-documented—the abductions, the Vedici matter. We may be as well-served by a voice in support of the Chantry's motion—if, say, the support came from a Tevene voice, and could be perceived as aligning these interests.

Tevinter has much to be concerned about, where go rifters. And we have crossed their paths, and crossed their scions—were I a clergywoman, I might reconsider a stance that could publicly align me with the black divine.

a thousand apologies pls forgive my slow etc

[dashing]

( Herian thinks for long moments. That is certainly a very interesting approach, and she taps a knuckle against her top lip before she straightens up. )

That could well prove effective. I think... that taking multiple approaches, rather than leaning on any one too strongly, could be beneficial.

( She straightens up, not that her posture was anything other than straight to begin with, although she does take a moment so gently tickle her fingers over Franklin's tail as he investigates his New Friend. He makes a happy huffing sound, looks around to Herian, and returns to nosing at Petra's hand. )

We have not spoken much that I can recall prior to this, but please know that I both respect and appreciate the efforts and sacrifice that you made with sharing the information concerning phylacteries for mages with the Inquisition mages. ( A brief pause - some things come more naturally to her than others, and this is something she is needing to learn, to think through. )

Though I did not stand with the strike, please know that my reasoning was not that I support phylacteries. Rather— I felt that disruption to the work of the Inquisition could jeopardise Thedas, and all of us, were a strike to allow windows of opportunity for Corypheus or others to take advantage of. That is, also, why I feel we must act carefully with this, to avoid disruption to that work through rifters feeling unprotected and threatened by their allies. Whatever we can do to strengthen our bonds to one another, and to best act to win this war against the Venatori and Corypheus without compromising ourselves or our decency must be done. I think our ideas can be complimentary to one another, and be performed in a way that does not undermine what we stand for, or set people in harms way.

[ipseite]

It is a reasoning that I understand, ( and she can be gracious about understanding it—she's had so much practise, of late, though she has found herself sorely tested and perhaps has not always been as gracious as she might wish of herself with one colleague of herian's in particular. ) Certainly I don't disagree that our priority must be the work. I simply felt it worthwhile to consider the ways in which that work is better done.

And that has been borne out, here, with rifters. Few of them will share that priority, ( frankly, ) and the weakness of that separation and their suspicion is the weakness being exploited. They do not feel safe, and they turn, mistrustful, from the only things that can provide safety to them.

It will be difficult. Which is why I feel a more broad approach is wise, yes; the narrower our focus in this, the easier to chip into it.

[dashing]

I had... Enchanter Averesch suggested that the rifters be presented as pious and saviours to Thedas coming through the rifts through the will of the Maker. That presenting their power and the aid all have brought to Thedas as being a gift aligned with the Chantry and that it could be credited with, as a means to sway the Chantry's words concerning them.

( A quiet exhale. ) But as you say, there is much reason for distrust, both of the Inquisition and the Chantry. I like the proposal, though I worry that with the attitudes some hold of the Chantry and their openness with their views. I do not fault them for advocating change, but I... worry their brazen contempt will only provoke the Chantry and may have prompted the Templars to take the opportunity to put forward the demand for rifter phylacteries.

Do you think there might be any possibility of such an avenue being explored? I do not know that it would sit well, proposed by a native.

[ipseite]

It is an interesting suggestion, but I share your concerns regarding the feasibility of implementing it with any true success. Regrettably,

( and she is a little regretful, if only for the position it now places them in—she should have seen this, should have been better prepared to combat it, but it had been such a source of acute frustration and her own biases had coloured her resentment, her irritation at being forced to shoulder the burden of ungrateful strangers even so much as she had done, )

I am no expert on the question of what these rifters will be prepared to tolerate.

( from the way they discuss the matter already, it seems clear to her it would be a question of persuading them to tolerate it, more than anything. )

I think it would be shortsighted to cast it aside without an effort, at least. Perhaps they would surprise us.