Meeting the First - The New Templar Order

[judgemewhole]

WHO: James Norrington, Templars, and Spies.
WHAT: Norrington summons the Knights together.
WHEN: This evening
WHERE: Tower off of the Tavern
NOTES: Warnings for language, for politics, and most importantly for Templars probably getting emotional. Plenty of NPC Templars, as well. Sections will be divided on different topics, please feel free to add your own!

As Norrington was the one who called the meeting, he and his small squad of Templars were the ones who set up the table - or rather tables. They shifted, switched, and basically mangled all the furniture into place so that when they were finished, they had a large circle of tables and chairs, all facing inward.

Norrington liked the symmetry. Not to mention the symbolism.

While his people made sure to procure refreshments from the Tavern - nothing stronger than ale and plenty of food because Maker knew how long they were all going to be there - Norrington sat at the table, with a number of books in front of him. One that sat at his right was of course The Chant Of Light. The others had books on the College of Enchanters, a few slender scrolls on the Dalish, and the Qun itself.

When the sun had started to fall, and all the templars arrived who were in fact, willing to come to the meeting, he closed the book on the Qun and pushed it firmly away, looking perturbed. Then he looked around to the crowd of faces around him.

"Good evening, Brothers and Sisters. Welcome to the first meeting of the New Templar Order. Let me begin by saying, if you are here then even while you have broken ties with the corrupt Seeker Lambert, or even with the Chantry itself, you still see yourself as following the path set before us. Long ago, the Templars were once the Inquisition itself -- and while their violent beginning was forcing the Chant of Light -- I think we can go back to the original purpose. To protect the people of Thedas - all the people of Thedas. To educate on the dangers, and benefits, of magic. To, as it was once asked of us by Andraste herself, walk through the fire on faith alone, to defend those who cannot defend themselves."

He stood up, looking around, "We all hold different ranks, outside of this room. We are Knights, we are Lieutenants and Captains. But here, we are as we have always been - Brothers and Sisters. We've been silent too long, caught up in the shame of the actions of the rogues and the Red Templars. No more, brothers and sisters, No More. We must stand up, and be counted. We must offer our aid, not just as swords for the Inquisition's army, but as their shields and instructors as well. From the filth of the old, something new must rise."

He leaned forward on the table, looking around, "But before any of that happens -- together, as equals -- we must decide who our voice will be, and what we will say to the mages ... after their vote. We must decide what our principles are, our concerns, and we must put them together intelligently -- and without malice. We will not prevail with violence, or rhetoric. We must be as calm as we are on the battlefield. So ... shall we begin?"

Comments

[equanimiti]

"A spy?"

As if Alayre couldn't look anymore grim now. The infighting between Mage and Templar must've reached new heights if they're now spying on each other. Though, that's assuming this spy even hails from the Mage Council all together. They're at war here. Maybe the true enemy they face sent spies here already.

"A description if you will." He says to Nerva while thinking of all the possibilities that would've invited a spy amongst their ranks. "Even though the spy escaped from here, I'm certain they would linger in Skyhold briefly before taking their leave."

[equanimiti]

"I believe we should move on from this lest we talk in circles." Alayre states as he looks between the two Templars with a nonjudgmental gaze. "The Inquisition does have its own rules of conduct that everyone must abide as Hill has stated. We can use this as a template for ourselves since we are soldiers of the Inquisition. " He's honestly not too certain how the enforcement of more stringent rules and regulation effect the Order.

The Templars already feel slightly persecuted enough. Everyone mentions the horrors done by them but no one mentions the foul deeds done by the Mages. This topic could go on endlessly in circles unless someone decides to stop it here and now.

"Unless the code of conduct we currently follow is insufficient, I suggest we follow what the Inquisition has placed."

[judgemewhole]

Norrington was not going to win this round, he could see that. The others would not agree to something public and he was not willing to break the fragile agreement between them. He did pause, and raise one finger.

"I would like to add one amendment - just one. We all agree to follow the Inquisition's code of conduct, and we apologize. Just a very simple, 'We are sorry for past events, and are striving to do better'. Not to the mages, but to everyone in the Inquisition, to Thedas. Our reputation is in tatters, it is the least we can do."

[judgemewhole]

Norrington's gaze turned sharply towards the red-headed man's in the back, one corner of his mouth lifting despite himself at that statement. "I absolutely agree. The mages need to be protected for the common folk - their ideas on what is blood magic is appalling."

[perseverances]

"You say the Templars should apologize," Cullen quips from his seat, having been silent for now. He is technically no longer a templar, but he still feels obligated to help his fellow brothers and sisters with this.

"Yet least you forget, it was a Mage who threw the first blow, so to speak. I admit that the Templars have done some wrong, but you cannot hold yourselves completely accountable for what has happened."

[perseverances]

"Alistair is right." Excuse you, Ser, do not give him that look. His hair holds his power, don't make him unleash his curls.

"The Inquisition only has the authority to make them leave. If we had an Inquisitor, they would be able to pass judgement upon anyone found at fault. The Council of Magi will police and punish their own, and if they so choose to wish for a Templar to help, then you would step in."

[perseverances]

"Some of the Inquisition's soldiers have expressed their fear in regards to demons," Cullen says afterward. "We would take all willing should anyone want to lend a hand in training. Templars are among the best warriors in all of Thedas. I would see our soldiers properly trained like we all were."

[equanimiti]

"I suppose that's the only course of action the Inquisition can take that won't cause much scorn if it comes to be." Alayre nods in agreement with the Commander's prompt reply.

[perseverances]

"Personal views aside, the Inquisition needs both Mages and Templars to stop what we are fighting against. It may be that either side never finds a true compromise, but think of it this way. We are not all Templars or Mages any longer. We are the Inquisition. We should set our views aside for the common good."

[judgemewhole]

Norrington breathed in deeply, shadows crossing his face as he looked down at the table. "... I am sure we have all have our own horror stories, Commander, of what we have seen in the Mage and Templar war. I will never forget it was a mage who struck the first blow. But I will not forget it was a Templar who drove him there."

He looked around, "We all feel guilty, in one way or another. Why not cleanse our souls, just once, and move on."

[judgemewhole]

"I volunteer, then, and my own men. We would be well pleased to help training the other soldier in how to properly dispose of these fiends." Is Norrington's instant reply to this.

[judgemewhole]

"I cannot argue with that, but I do not think all the mages agree with you. Or ... all of us Templars." Norrington said quietly, "You are right though -- it is time to get past all the dramatics."

[perseverances]

"I cannot expect people to feel the same way I do." He pauses, taking in a slow deep breath and exhaling just as slow. "It's taken me a great deal of time to change my own views against mages, and honestly, there are still times I feel the way I used to. But I will not force them upon any of you."

[perseverances]

"Thank you, James. Your expertise is greatly appreciated. The men will benefit greatly from you." And Cullen actually means it. The soldiers need proper training and Cullen can't afford extra time to train them himself.

[byblow]

For Alayre, Alistair raises his eyebrows and gestures with both hands to his griffon-emblazoned breastplate. Yes, a Grey Warden, precisely, thank you.

That Alistair came ready to pick a fight is possibly unfair and certainly unfortunate, and it has as much to do with bitterness over his upbringing as what anyone in the room may or may not have done in recent years, but here we are. He would like to pick a fight. It's only that Alayre moves on from that thought and Norrington continues it that keeps Alistair from pointing out that thinking like Templars has not worked very well for anybody, lately, has it?

"Not just the common folk," he says instead, somewhat mollified by their responses, but still watching the lot of them with skepticism.

[byblow]

"Why not?"

He sounds a little offended. He's also probably thinking like a Warden again: there's no room for any of this. Mages, elves, whatever. They're Brothers and Sisters. There's no standing around talking about what ought to be done about them.

"You can't just set it aside. They won't be able to work with you—" The Templars. He's just here to watch, thanks. "—if they think you're only waiting until Corypheus is gone to go back to trying to cage them."

[judgemewhole]

"... well we can't protect them from the other templars. They trust us just enough to stay in the same keep as us." Norrington lifted an eyebrow. "But I have a feeling you have more definite ideas, Warden. Would you care to share them?"

[judgemewhole]

Now that was an excellent point, to which Norrington stated, "All right you have our attention - how precisely do we convince the mages that we are not all just waiting to lock them up in the towers again?"

A pause, "And how can they convince us that they are willing to make the hard choices to deal with the problems that arise when magic turns to blood sacrifice and demonns?"

[judgemewhole]

"Well, I dislike brown-nosing ... but I will simply say thank you, Cullen. I shall be honored to assist in this way." His smile is wry, but his look is sincere as well.

[nofury]

"It is not the place of this room to decide the motivations of a man that murdered scores of innocents."

There is a far sharper note to Maria's tone than previously. She knows the many sins of the Order, but the path being taken in this argument is clearly not one she is at peace with.

"There is a truce and a cooperation. If you have personal sins you wish to apologize and be held accountable for, Norrington, I leave it to you. But you'll alienate half members of the Order that have joined the Inquisition with this course. I won't condone it."

[judgemewhole]

Norrington pressed his lips together, but he nodded his head quietly. "My apologies for offending, Hill." He glanced over at Cade, then over to Nerva, "And you are right - I will apologize for my own actions then."

She had a valid point, after all. There was a truce. There would be cooperation. Hopefully.

[byblow]

"Not having closed meetings might be a good place to start," Alistair says, which is probably not helpful given the current circumstances, which are, you know. A closed meeting. Mostly closed. He got in.

But he's looking at Norrington like he thinks he's being humored, or made fun of, and after a moment he seems to catch on—somewhat—to the fact that that isn't the case. His suspicious squinty face softens a little.

"They don't want to hurt anyone, either, and they know what's at stake," he says, with a dismissive shrug. "That's like asking someone at the edge of a cliff to convince you they don't want it to crumble. But you—you can be good for more than imprisoning them. I love working with mages. They know I've got their backs, and they know they're not likely to hurt me and I'm there to help if their spells get out of hand. The number of darkspawn they can set on fire in one go when they really let loose, it's."

Just in case he's verging on sounding seriously thoughtful—something he tries to avoid in public, with so much of his ability to stay out of trouble resting on the fact that his face appears naturally clueless—he fakes a touched, sentimental sniffle.

"It's beautiful. Truly, it is."

[judgemewhole]

"... Honestly the closed meeting was my idea and it was simply so we did not look like bumbling twits just removing our heads from our collective arses." Is James's blunt, dry reply. There is a reason why he put Alayre up to be their Spokesperson, after all.

He meets Alastair's suspicious gaze with a quizzical one. What, it was a serious question?

"I agree, magic in trained hands is a force to be reckoned with, and putting it to use in battling our combined enemies is something I would truly relish. It still doesn't answer the first question though, ser."

He looks pensive at that, "But perhaps that is your point. There is no answer to it. It will simply have to be ... a matter of faith. We trust that they have the best intentions to keep further incidents from spreading, and they trust that we are here to defeat Corpheuyus and bring back order to Thedas and nothing more."

[byblow]

"I don't know about faith and trust," Alistair says, wrinkling his nose a little. However puppyish he is with the people who've gotten on his good side, he's still a cynic by default. Not a lot of faith in the Maker, here. None in the Chantry. Only as much in people as he thinks they've earned. "But the part about Corypheus and restoring order is good. What I meant is—you can't just offer to take a step back while you still have your arrows pointed at them. That's why whole Circles fall, isn't it? A few mages go bad and the rest get scared because they know you're drawing back to fire."

Metaphors. Rambling. He isn't very good at this.

"There are going to be more abominations. There always have been. If you Harrowed them all tomorrow, there would still be more abominations. Uldred, at Kinloch Hold, he'd been Harrowed. The mage in Kirkwall had been Harrowed, too. He was one of us."

Sorry about that.

"If you're serious, I think you ought to tell them that you're at their disposal if they want to plan for emergencies, because you understand they're going to happen, and then stop talking about blighted Harrowings and abominations. Talk about Corypheus." He glances at the Templars other than Norrington—the ones he feels slightly more entitled to be annoyed with at the moment. Like Nerva. "And don't leave people to their beliefs. When we get Wardens who haven't learned how to treat mages as equals, they learn. We make sure they're ashamed of it."