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

[ Kitty stiffens at the sound. She doesn't have a knife, doesn't have any real weapons. Is there anything she can improvise? There's a pen that she held onto that could do, and her shoes with their high heels. Those could do. Or - a pitcher of water, over there on the table. She could smash it over someone's head. Yeah. That's the best bet, she decides. And so she grabs the pitcher, and slowly approaches the door. Her heart's beating hard, and her head is swimming with adrenaline, and she opens the door to see -

Oh.

She relaxes at once when she recognizes the woman standing there. ]

Herian.

[ The pitcher lowers to her side, and she flushes slightly, hoping it goes unnoticed. ]

Erm - hi. Come in.

Ah.

( She glances down at the bundle in her hands, and nods, stepping through the doorway. That said, she lingers near the doorframe, not eager to intrude into Kitty's space. )

I apologise for calling on you so early. I did not want to miss you, and I anticipated having a Division Head seeking you out around the gallows so soon after you arrived would be a matter of potential alarm or misunderstanding.

( She gestures to the bundle she's holding. ) I wanted to ensure this made it to your hands.

No, I'm not - alarmed.

[ She has the good grace to look embarrassed as she says that. She is, after all, not just alarmed, but armed. Awkwardly, she sets the pitcher aside, and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, and asks - ]

What is it?

Good.

( She is just going to politely ignore the pitcher, and not mention to Kitty that a pitcher might not be much good against a good many magic users (and non-magic users, let's be honest.) )

Clothes, as you mentioned via the crystals. I am afraid they are not new, for the most part, but they are decent enough quality.

( And clean, praise be. The bundle has a collection of different things; mostly simple trousers (mostly cloth rather than leather, though some have patches of leather on areas that see a good deal of wear), some shirts that are likely to be somewhat loose fitting. A few different styles of this and that, but it's all very practical. )

Here. I did not know if you came through the rift with anything resembling decent boots, but that will serve you well, whether or not you decide to join Inquisition ranks and do missions. There is... much that is oddly draining in finding yourself wearing poorly fitting boots.

( Which is why there is a little sack of coin in the bundle as well, with enough for one (1) extremely good pair of boots. Anyway. )

It is not much when you have been displaced from your world, but I hope it is useful.

Oh.

[ She takes the bundle and gets to sorting through it. Those shirts are going to be...roomy...in the chest, yes, but a bit of extra fabric is often useful, in Kitty's experience - it makes you a somewhat ambiguous target, and in a pinch you've got extra cloth for bandages or ropes or whatever. The trousers are good, too. Not to her taste, fashion-wise, that's true, but the point isn't to dress like a fashionable Londoner, it's to dress like an unremarkable...er - Kirkwallan? Kirkwalloner? Kirkwallite? Anyway. ]

This is...

[ Her fingers brush the little pocket of coins. She bites her lip and looks up. ]

This is too much. I don't want you being put out.

It is no trouble, I assure you. You have arrived at a time when much is uncertain, and even moreso for rifters. Please accept this as a gesture of friendship, and do not fret yourself over it.

( Herian shakes her head a little bit, hands dropping to her sides so that the bundle can't the thrust back to her. )

Many will speak poisonous words to you of this world and it's people, whether they are people who are afraid of rifters and wish to see you driven out, or those who care for rifters and have a hatred of those of us who are native, or hold positions of authority in the Inquisition. I will not attempt to sway you on that front, and trust cannot be bought with a set of reliable boots, but— I would be grateful for the opportunity to do something to assist, if you will accept it.

[ Well, since she can't give it back - Kitty, a touch uncertainly, withdraws the bundle. She considers Herian a moment, biting her lip, then asks - ]

Us rifters. Are we - important?

Yes.

( To be blunt. Herian pauses, resists the urge to grit her teeth - not from aggravation, just one of those delightful stress habits.

A moment of pause. )

The shards you carry, those... brilliant bursts of light in your hand, they help to close the rifts. When rifts open, demons can pour forth into this world, and they don't stop coming. Where rifts open, many people can be hurt. Rifters appear through the rifts, and sometimes they disappear, after a time. But each of you carry a shard, and those shards help to seal the rifts. And— and the fact remains that even if you did not, you are people. Your value is inherent.

[ Kitty lifts an eyebrow, and sighs with a rare burst of cynicism - ]

Not everyone'd agree with you there.

[ She pushes her hair back from her face, and then asks - not that it really matters, but just because she wants to know - ]

What about the demons? Does it...hurt them, coming through?

No, they would not. ( THE DALISH, FOR EXAMPLE.
Maybe not about rifters, but about elfblooded humans? Yes, she knows all about how they don't see the inherent value of people. She represses the flare of emotion and irrationality, takes a moment, moves on from it. ) But I have been treated as less than worthy often enough to have making judgments and assigning values to people is not right.

( A curious cant of her head, although subtle. ) Demons come through because they are covetous of this plane. Although, I have heard it said that even pure spirits such as Hope or Compassion can be corrupted when they cross the Veil. They have no form, and become warped into demons.

Mm. [ Her expression is troubled, and she murmurs softly: ] Poor things.

[ Anyway. Tilting her head a little bit - ]

How can I use this thing, then? To close the rifts.

That I cannot tell you. Better to speak with others who bear the mark the rifts - whether they are rifters, or natives marked. I believe Araceli Bonaventura, Church and Cosima Niehaus are three of our rifters who have been here longest, and who might be best qualified to give you information. Cosima, though, does not tend to go on missions out of Kirkwall very often.

( There may be a faint, faint softening of her expression when she speaks of Cosima. Or perhaps it was just imagined. )

It is unusual for demons to be granted much compassion. ( Quietly. It is admirable, in truth, for all that Herian's own views on demons are less sympathetic. )

Cosima, Araceli, and Church.

[ Kitty nods - though she doesn't miss that little fond look. Cosima's someone special to Herian, then, huh? ]

I'll remember that. [ Then, tucking her hair behind her ear - ] And - I haven't been compassionate. Not for most of my life. I've killed loads of demons, over the years, but recently some things happened that made me think about...Well, they're forced to do things they don't choose to do, don't they? If they're dragged out of their own world, or even stuck somewhere they hate being, then their evil is sad but almost understandable in a way.

( Let her share with you this 47 slide presentation she has prepared on why Cosima Niehaus is objectively the best person in any world ever. )

There are certainly those demons who are... I think, at the mercy of other demons and powers, yes. But so too are there those who act maliciously of their own accord, tormenting and killing for their own reasons. I am not... I do not study spirits or the Fade, so I would be lying if I tried to claim myself the most reliable source of knowledge, in that. I will say that I and others were recently the prey of a demon that sought to make us its puppets, and destroy us. I am not sure that demon was the pawn of another being.

Yeah. Me too.

[ Kitty tucks her hair behind her ear, and amends, a little awkwardly - ]

Not - the puppet thing. But the destroying us thing. It came after us, and it was cruel, and it loved its cruelty. It loved every second of it. But - [ She shakes her head. ] It also had been trapped in a box, alone, for a hundred and fifty years. Unable to move or to speak. It was mad, and I don't know if you're allowed to hate something mad.

[ She shakes her head. ]

It's...I'm sorry you had to go through that, though. That must have been dreadful. Horrible.

( I don't know if you're allowed to hate something mad. Such a strange thing to hear, certainly more considerate than words she has heard from many. A mark of empathy, she thinks. )

It is not an experience I am eager to repeat, nor one I would wish upon another.

( To say the very least. )

Though I applaud your openness I would say that until you have a better grasp of the spirits and demons here, consider all things with caution. The Chantry has much to say on spirits and demons that is condemning, and even Spirit Healers are regarded with suspicion, at times. Devout though I am, I think... the Chantry does not know all things, and rarely is knowledge absolute.

( She takes a moment to consider, and tilts her head very slightly to the side. ) Although, speaking of the Chantry, there is a favour I would ask, if it would be of interest. There is no obligation to it.

Meaning -

[ Kitty tilts her head slightly to the side. ]

What, keep my mouth shut so I don't get in trouble?

[ That's not said with much acidity or bitterness. It's rather matter-of-fact. ]

But - yeah. I'd say I owe you a favour, after all this.

( A moment, head canting very slightly to the side as well, gaze resting on Kitty as she takes that in. It speaks to a sort of practical defiance and spirit that she by no means disapproves of, but that is likely to find resistance with those less... considerate of rifters. She lets the response rest for a moment. )

Not a favour owed, by any means. You are under no obligation or expectation. If it were of interest, however, I have requested that Brother Jehan do a survey with the rifters of their feelings of the Chantry and to better our understanding of the religious backgrounds they come from. We are ignorant of much.

( Herian exhales, contemplating how to go on. ) I think it would be better for a rifter to be amongst those doing the interviews, and I think a newer rifter whose views may not yet be considered to be warped for or against the Chantry in the eyes of locals or rifters might take to the task better than one on whom preconceptions have already been set.

Wait - really?

[ Kitty's expression brightens considerably. She's clearly excited by this prospect. ]

You want me to ask questions?

Yes.

( Okay, good, this isn't going disastrously. )

Brother Jehan is looking to the questions, but I am sure he would be glad of input from both of us in developing the questions to be asked, and there will be room to branch away from it and learn from people and let them feel confident to be open. The Inquisition has much to learn.

[ Kitty actually lets loose a small smile - an uncommon look for her - and shakes her head. ]

I'd gladly do it. Though - [ A little more seriously - ] I'm going to say something if the questions seem - you know - leading, or invasive. Sometimes these questions, they can be used to try to change people's minds or abuse 'em into agreeing. And I won't stand for something like that.

Good. We need to learn about people, not... invade, as you say. Their comfort and security is important.

[ Of course, "don't be invasive" is a little rich, coming from Little Miss What Are Boundaries over here. ]

Brilliant. Than I'm absolutely in. Who's the other one, the one you mentioned? John?

Jehan. A Chantry brother who works with the Inquisition. I requested he take the assignment as part of the Chantry Relations project. We are not yet greatly familiar with one another, but he is a man in good standing with the Chantry and with a sharp mind. His views are not conservative by the standards of Thedas... from what I have learned from rifters, though, is that many from other worlds consider those with views in keeping with much of Thedas as backwards and... small minded.

( A little shake of her head. )

I do not wish to see any made more wary by this. Thedas and rifters need to come together, not... alienate one another.

[ With a wrinkle of her nose: ]

Never mind that everyone has their share of views that are backwards and small-minded.

Anyway - I'm definitely all for something like this. I'm tired of things getting set on fire just because people won't listen to other people. It's stupid and frustrating. So yeah, show me how to help.

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

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