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]

"True enough. I think that is something lacking we have had in the Templar Order. I think perhaps in the new one - we shall change that." Why not open it up further? To dwarves, if any of them believed in the Maker, or elves? Clearly they were superior warriors. And if they learned new styles - well.

...also, less children. Yes.

"So what style do you prefer, southern or northern?" Fighting styles did vary by region, after all.

[foodsofmypeople]

"Northern, mostly. I've spent a lot of time in Marcher territory, and down south, and it tends to throw people off guard. An advantage in a fight, I've found."

He looked carefully at Norrington. "So you intend to reform the Templar Order?" That could be a good thing, or a bad thing. He just wasn't sure which.

[judgemewhole]

Norrington nodded with approval - no one knew how to fight like a Marcher. Or at least, that was his own personal opinion. Which might not count for much, as he was one.

"I intend to bring us back to our original purpose." He stated firmly, "Protecting Thedas from the dangers of magic. I think that has become more clear is simply maelficarium, abominations, and of course demons summoned over. The Circles have fallen, the Order is in shambles. We cannot go back to the way things were, so we must build something new."

[foodsofmypeople]

Given Kaidan was a born and bred Marcher, he agreed with the sentiment. Possibly even agreed with it.

He thought about it, nodding eventually. "You will find a lot of resistance," he warned Norrington, but then he was a Grey Warden. Resistance was something to be ignored if you were in the right, fighting for a higher purpose. "But yes, I wouldn't want to go back to what Circles were like, even when I was a young mage."

[judgemewhole]

"I have was forged to fight against resistance. This time perhaps, I shall be resisting where it needs to be. It's a treacherous path, faith." Norrington paused, before his lips curved into a faint smirk. "I don't think anyone does. Not any more. We are all ... very tired."

[foodsofmypeople]

Faith was something Kaidan wasn't very good at - he'd seen too much to give much stock in the Maker and his benevolence - or not, but if others had it... well, isn't that what he was fighting for? "I think that pretty much the whole of Thedas is very tired," he agreed softly. "And yes, we are ready for a change."

[judgemewhole]

Well, that was precisely when one needed Faith, when everything else had been dragged down into the dirt, yes? Faith is what kept Norrington going. Still, he was fighting for Thedas, and he knew their faith had been waning, until the Herald. "I would have to agree -- and it is time to change, if for no other reason than to give them the relief they so richly deserve."

[foodsofmypeople]

Kaidan nodded, looking thoughtfully at the Templar. "Then I hope it works for you, for all our sakes." He knew that Wardens would forever be looked down on, because no one likes a reminder of the debt that they owe the Wardens, but if Templar and Mage could work together - then it would all be worth it. "I'm not sure what I can do to help, but if you need anything, I'm around for the foreseeable future."

It would take some time to work out how Corypheus was controlled the Wardens, after all.

[judgemewhole]

Norrington's lips curved into a faint smirk, before he lifted his shoulders together in an elegant shrug, "I shall do as the Maker bids me - or rather the path that seems to open up before me. I hope it will be a path that is better, and smoother, for all of us."

[foodsofmypeople]

Let's hope the Maker's plan was better than the one they had followed before now, at least. "Let's hope so to. I'll let you get back to it. If you want a lesson in other fighting styles at any time, let me know." It seemed only fair. He hoped the man found the path he was seeking for.

[judgemewhole]

"I absolutely do. Once I am cleared for full duty, I shall expect to see you in the training circle." Norrington paused, before offering his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Grey Warden."

[foodsofmypeople]

Kaidan paused before shaking old. Old habits were just that - old. Time to move past them. And if it meant putting his Circle days that little bit further behind him? He could do it. "And the same to you, Knight-Commander."

[judgemewhole]

James nodded, letting go of the other man's hand, and heading back to his desk. It may not have been much -- but it was a start. They needed new starts here, every last one of them.