Blood Magic - 101

[judgemewhole]

WHO: James Norrington, and YOU.
WHAT: Norrington gets ambushed, for information.
WHEN: Currently
WHERE: Norrington's 'office' (aka the table he's secured outside his tent to write reports)
NOTES: Warnings for blood magic, irritated Templar and probable Mage and Templar politics abounding, as well as people asking silly questions

Honestly, he really should have seen this coming. He was a known Templar Knight Commander - he had been hunting blood mages for nearly fifteen years now. His name were on several papers on Maelficarium, and he had trained Knights all over the Free Marches and even as far away as Orlais and Fereldan on how to properly hunt and kill blood mages.

Certainly, people were going to know of him. Certainly people were going to ask him about his past experiences. It was inevitable.

What he did not expect that was after coming in at the tail-end of an abomination attack to be bombarded by questions about blood magic - from soldiers down to the common folk. They crowded around him now, and you could just hear his voice over the fray of questions, stern and sometimes even caustic.

" -- NO I am not here to execute all the apprentice mages! One of them slipped - one. That does not mean the rest of them are suddenly going to start slicing open their wrists! They are children, they are learning. Is there a danger? Yes, but I sincerely doubt any of the mages here is blatantly teaching them ancient mind control rituals... "

There was a fast murmur of questions and then Norrington's voice could be heard again. "... No. You cannot do blood magic simply by cutting your finger and cursing. If that was the case every cook in the history of Thedas would be a blood mage. There are practices that someone must follow to use blood magic. If not, that is how we get abominations and demons from those failed spells."

Another fast and loud rat-a-tat of questions, and Norrington could be seen rubbing his face, "... No, not every blood mage is a Tevinter. Nor are they all Dalish. No, the Dalish do not practice sacrificing babies with Tevinter magisters -- do you know what the majority of the slave trade is? Yes, then it stands to reason that the Dalish and the Tevinter Magisters are Not In Cahoots. And NO the Dalish are not aiding Corpheyus with their tattoos -- their tattoos are not blood magic!"

Clearly, this is going well. So if you wish to help Norrington -- or just add more fuel to the fire -- please, feel free to stop by.

Comments

[judgemewhole]

When it is all said and done, Norrington lets out a long and heavy sigh, before he pulls out some parchment and grabs for his quill and ink. Clearly, there was a lot of work to be done - for all of their sakes. Education on magical defense and what were the dangerous schools of magic were absolutely critical. People had no idea what they were doing, what it would be affecting ...

He looked over at Cade, who had remained silent through most of this, "Lieutenant ... you're looking decidedly puzzled."

[onlyhymns]

Cade blinked, surprised at being called out, and shook his head. "Misconceptions, ser," he replied seriously.

[judgemewhole]

Norrington sighed, deeply, as he leaned back in his chair and looked up at the younger man. "They seem to abound. Greatly. From both ends... "

He rubbed his eyes, before he blinked a little, "You yourself facing some of those misconceptions? Is there something that needs to be corrected?"

[onlyhymns]

Cade hesitated, his expression a bit stiff. He'd never been asked such a thing so bluntly. "...perhaps, ser," he replied, with a touch of chagrin.

[judgemewhole]

Typically Norrington attempts to have a little more tact - but it has been a tiring day and he has taken numerous shots from many a different question. He does ease off a little, as he speaks quietly.

"Tell me what is on your mind, Cade. Of all the people I would not see baffled, one of my brothers is highest on the list."

[onlyhymns]

Cade considered a moment, then gave a mild shake of his head. "Nothing baffling, ser," he replied, "...when one is expected to find blood mages everywhere, ser, it is easy to forget how few there truly are." He glanced at Norrington with a look that begged understanding. He was from Kirkwall, and had been listening to Knight-Commander Meredith for the last decade and some of his life. Although on some level he would always remain loyal to her, a lot of mental reconfiguring was in order.

[judgemewhole]

...One day, when the Maker had taken Norrington to His side, he was going to pass through the Fade, find Meredith and kick her ass through her bloody teeth. For the mages she killed and tortured, the Tranquil she allowed to be abused, for all the Templars she ruined.

His green eyes flashed hard and cold, like emeralds for a moment, before they softened again on Cade. "Well ... then I suppose it would behoove me as a 'famous maelificarium hunter' to educate my fellow Templars as well. So you know what to look for."

[onlyhymns]

At that look, Cade lowered his own gaze, his expression set in a stolid frown. "Yes, ser," he replied automatically, his jaw tensing with the crawling anxiety which came with the suspicion that he had displeased a superior officer.

[judgemewhole]

Something close to pity swelled in Norrington's chest, but he swept it away. The man needed sympathy, but he wasn't completely lost. Norrington rose to his feet, speaking quietly, "If you were mis-informed, then it is simply my duty to inform you on the proper techniques, Cade. Better to prepare ourselves for real threats, instead of jumping at shadows, eh?"

[onlyhymns]

Cade nearly flinched away from him when he came so close, but held his stance and simply watched Norrington out of the corner of his eye. He may have been reassured by the Knight-Commander's clarification, but only showed it with a small nod of his head and another "ser" spoken so quietly and stoically that it was barely audible.

[judgemewhole]

Norrington kept his distance, because after what Cade had been through it would only be the smarter plan to give the young man his space. Instead, he turned to the rest of the courtyard, his green eyes quiet.

"We've gone so long protecting people - to think they don't even know what we are protecting them from. Despite the idiocy ... this has been an eye opening experience."

[onlyhymns]

Cade nodded again, his agreement sincere. Despite knowing a certain way of things, perhaps it would be good to learn others.

[judgemewhole]

"It is an entirely new world, Cade. I am not sure if we are prepared for it - just yet. But we must be." He sighed as he sat up, "Now, what can I tell you about blood mages?"