faderift | [Open] No boom today. Boom tomorrow.

WHO: Anders and anyone! Or, well, almost anyone. Sorry, Fenris and Cullen...
WHAT: Anders arrives at Skyhold, takes a new fake name, and tries to get a measure of the Inquisition while keeping a low profile. Starting in prose, but will switch to brackets to match if that's preferred!
WHEN: Mid-haring
WHERE: All over Skyhold, choose your location?
NOTES: Warning for Anders? I can't think of any real ones atm, I'll update if that changes.

He's tired, but that's nothing new. The road's been long. It shows in the way he leans a little on his staff, a fairly generic-looking thing that's far from his old appreciation of things flashy, just as it shows in the state of his rather ragged-looking robes and the scruff of a beard that he doesn't exactly like. At least he's not dead on his feet - the company of a few refugees more than willing to bear the brunt of conversation on the way up had made the last couple of days more bearable than usual.

Now he's here, and the strain is back on his shoulders. Skyhold holds more than the usual level of danger but there's no getting around the fact that he has to at least visit this place. The Inquisition is likely to be a player in the future of mages, and Anders will not see the little bit of progress made be undone out of fear, or laziness, or naivete, or any other number of things that could cut down freedom for his people.

But that doesn't mean he knows how to go about working toward that, just yet. And that means he's slowly going around the fortress, gathering information by listening and asking simple, short questions. They have to be short. The second-to-last thing he can afford is to slip up and let Justice get too accusatory, which could lead to the last thing he can afford - to be recognized by someone who would turn him over to the 'authorities,' such as they are.

"Have you been with the inquisition long?" is one of the most frequent questions, along with a follow up if the answer is yes: "Do you think they treat mages well here?" It's not like he's hiding the staff, after all. But there are more simple questions mixed in as well, questions about the need for herbalists or healers, about where one might find a warm enough corner to sleep in, or where one can lose what few coppers they have over a game of cards. They're general. Careful. They have to be. He's no longer ready to die.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He's well aware that this particular mage is from Ferelden, or parts thereabout, that wasn't necessarily the point he was trying to make. The heart of his point was, that there were places where mages were accepted into politics, there were mages from these very specific places right here. While some might be more open to suggestion to others it helped that they were close to the ear of some rather powerful individuals. Additionally Empress Celene had some progressive ideas and if the Inquisition could help push those ideas and someone like Anders could deliver his message through the right channels, he could begin a campaign...a very political campaign of his own.

Michel was trying to nudge him that way with his subtle drops, but it didn't seem to take. He couldn't be more blatant in his approach due to his own exile from court so, for the moment, he would have to shrug it off as a lost cause.

"Like I said, I don't have to believe what I say in order to present you with an argument...so no...that's not at all what I was going to imply, not at all what I was thinking. The Inquisition is doing a lot of good so far, it is why I am here, to help it continue to do good...so we are not on opposite sides, Monsieur. A place to belong, change, a need for a purpose? I wish I could stay, but I have a Forbidden One to take care of," or attempt, Michel had no delusions there, "in short, I was curious about you. Mille fois merci. And do speak to to the Madame de Fer if you have the opportunity."

Not on opposite sides. Michel gets a sidelong glance and a shake of the head. Anyone who wasted time dithering about how everyone was suffering while minimizing the suffering of a people group was not someone Justice approved of, at the very least. Anders hasn't made up his mind, but the difficulty in keeping control over the spirit does not weigh in the Chevalier's favor. If he manages to take out a Forbidden One, though...

"Which?" He should simply let the guy go and go on his own way, but he has to ask. The tome they'd found in Kirkwall had suggested there were four of them, and as he'd assisted with the death of one and knew through shared Warden battle stories of the death of Gaxkang, that left two. Imshael, and the Formless One.

Wasting time on the suffering of a single group while the the Breach threatened to rend the world asunder was also an exercise in futility. Right now the only practical perspective was a utilitarian one, maximizing the well-being for the greatest number of people at this point. That was neither one group nor the other, but the whole of everyone who would suffer if these rifts were left to spit out demons and spirits and the one impacted included Mages. All suffering mattered at this point.

"Imshael. I met him a year ago and I've been tracking him ever since...and now I know where he's residing and what he is doing. Getting to him, however, is problematic," and that is why Michel has come all the way here from Emprise du Lion.

If Justice were to widen his scope to all injustice, Anders would get no rest ever. The constant push is exhausting, and he can't afford to take on more causes. One at a time. One group free, and then another, and so on. Anyone freed would then want to turn around and help others, after all. And as Anders and Justice are most acquainted with the suffering of mages, that's the focus. They'll win freedom or die trying, and people will either stand with them or against. There is no middle ground. Compromise died in Kirkwall.

Anders is silent for several moments after Michel answers. He won't offer help. He can't, the cause is here. He doesn't want to, because he doesn't think Michel will ever help mages in return. But he's one of very few who has gone against a Forbidden One and won.

"I've heard of two being taken down. One through gossip, and one's written about in Tales of the Champion, the book by Varric Tethras. You may want to speak with people who were known associates of the Hero of Ferelden or the Champion of Kirkwall, if you've not yet. Zevran Arainai, Alistair Theirin, Varric Tethras, Fenris, I believe they're all supposed to be here." He won't recommend Merrill when it comes to any topic touching demons, and Isabella doesn't appear to be around right now.

"Getting to him may be the least of your worries, no matter how problematic." The High Dragon in the bonepits had been less of a challenge than Xebenkeck. "May you not die." He doesn't like Michel... but he doesn't hate the guy.

"I've spoken with some of them...additionally it is my understanding that the Inquisition has their sights set on Emprise du Lion. The missing villagers of Sahrnia have attracted their attention, no doubt. I have been aiding the village on my own for a while now, but the Red Templars there have isolated the village...they wish to keep them desperate," but that was neither here nor there for the mage, he suspected, "regardless if the Inquisition can thin out the Red Templars, I can handle the demon--it is my responsibility, I set it free and so I'll see to its end."

He wasn't willing to risk another life to the creature and had made it his own life's purpose to finding the demon and ridding the world of him. Though he also understood how it probably sounded, admitting that he freed the creature, but it was more complicated than that. Also a story he doubted the mage cared about so he did not elaborate further.

"There are worse things than death, I've been told," Michel said canting his head away his gaze briefly turned in the direction of his future destination, "but you have my gratitude for whatever it's worth."

So the man is a fool. No one can single-handedly deal with a Forbidden One. Anders considers the Chevalier for a moment before shrugging. There are worse things than death, and dying for a cause is better than many ever get. If the man wishes to die, let him.

"I'll certainly be interested in dealing with Red Templars." It's nice to have a group of Templars that everyone is on board with killing. He can let Justice feel a little fulfilled without bringing down consequences on them. Maybe he'll even get to go to Emprise du Lion with the Inquisition. Anders can wish, even if he has no cause for any sort of hope.

"And if you survive the gratitude will be worth more. I suppose we'll see." His back is still mostly to the man, but Anders manage a nod nonetheless, and takes one step to leave before pausing a final time. "I'm called Detlef. Yourself?"

Having a name will make it easier to know if the man dies to Imshael, after all.

Foolish for Michel would be to bring along others who's susceptibility he knew nothing about. He had built a repertoire with this creature, seen it, spoke to it, confronted it once already. He knew how cunning it was and he knew of its gifts for possessing anyone at any time, the more people with him the greater those odds.

"Well then, if it's Templars you want then they have them up there in spades...though it might interest you to know that they are experimenting with more than just Red Templars with the Red Lyrium and the Demon is aiding them. So take care when if you find yourself out there," Michel might have kept his distance, but that didn't mean he hadn't scouted the area and seen what they were doing.

I fully intend to survive," though what that suggested about him was uncertain. Was he talented, or was he overly confident, Michel kept himself very passive as to which it could be, "Michel de Chevin."

"When aren't Templars misusing people? Most of it's simply behind closed doors and no one cares." The comment's delivered with a laugh that is far from amused. Of course they're hurting people. It's what they do, and anyone who thinks otherwise has their head shoved so far into the sand there's grains stuck between their toes.

"Michel. I'll see if I hear your name in the future." With a half-wave, Anders is off to find a quiet corner and get some space. Justice is practically seething and it's giving him a headache. He may need to make getting a small room set up a priority, here.

[Open] No boom today. Boom tomorrow.

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