[Open] No boom today. Boom tomorrow.

[justice_is_blond]

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.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

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.

[disgracedchampion]

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."

[justice_is_blond]

"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.