WHO: Holden, Mhavos, Sawbones + Vance WHAT: Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass. WHEN: Vague timing. WHERE:Orzammar. NOTES: HMU in Discord with any questions.
He nods, moving quietly to retake that place at the spare bed. No footsteps were coming the direction of this room, but also no point hovering near the door to be caught red-handed.
"Well," whispered in turn, "that was informative."
Mhavos inclines his head, spreads his hands. What do you think, or what questions do you have?
It occurs to him that he's holding his cards rather close to the chest with this one, but he is human, regardless of whatever genocidal world he's from.
Mhavos blinks, genuinely surprised, and it shows. After a moment to reorient himself, he shakes his head. "Chaos. Civil war. Unless it's a coup, and even then... I don't know the political history of your world, but unseating monarchs generally brings upheaval. Five years ago, Orlais was in the midst of a civil war... Ferelden barely survived its monarch being deposed."
He frowns, unsurprised. That's about what he expected to hear.
"And we can say goodbye to his reforms."
It's almost funny that Mhavos had called the situation political not even an hour ago; they hadn't even realized. If their task here had seemed complicated before...
"I'm not sure how much this changes for us," he says, slow. "We didn't come here to interfere in their government. Whatever anyone else may think."
Given the confirmed unwelcomeness of their presence.
Mhavos goes from confused to surprised to confused again. This man continues to defy his expectations which are, admittedly, very low. "Do you have opinions on the state of the casteless dwarf? If so, any at all, you have aspirations to interfere. Arguably, that is one of the prime functions of government, to be interfered with. Though your restraint is... admirable. Moreso than I was giving you credit, I fear."
A corner of his mouth ticks upward in half a smile.
"I'll take the compliment."
But the momentary humor fades, and he exhales.
"We don't get to decide for them what their nation looks like. I don't have to like it. I don't have to live with what happens here, either. We were brought in to help settle this one case. I think that's what we should do."
His eyes flick up to Mhavos.
"But I'm also just one out of the four of us. What do you think?"
"I think you are... underestimating the impact of doing nothing."
Holden receives honesty, because once again Mhavos is flattered to be asked.
"Deciding not to do anything at all is still a choice. Upholding the status quo, with its treatment of the Casteless? Or fighting for them, and potentially weakening Orzammar's defenses? Ultimately, we're unlikely to make any real changes, but when one has the opportunity to voice an opinion without reprisal, I find it foolish to set that aside."
A sigh.
"A rather fancy way of saying I don't yet know how I feel."
"I'm not so sure advocating for this dwarf is the same thing as doing nothing." Which is what he wants to do, at least, and what Mhavos had agreed with. "That is voicing an opinion, and there will be consequences for that."
Though what, exactly, is hard to say.
Still. He remembers the war between Earth and Mars, trying not to get involved, and about how well that worked out. The distance from Amazonia to Montana is less than what we have traveled since this conversation started. But that had been his home, his system, the inners' war, a situation he knew and understood. This is something else.
He says, wry, "I'd say not knowing yet is probably the smarter answer. This is too complicated a problem to decide with snap judgments."
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"Well," whispered in turn, "that was informative."
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It occurs to him that he's holding his cards rather close to the chest with this one, but he is human, regardless of whatever genocidal world he's from.
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"And we can say goodbye to his reforms."
It's almost funny that Mhavos had called the situation political not even an hour ago; they hadn't even realized. If their task here had seemed complicated before...
"I'm not sure how much this changes for us," he says, slow. "We didn't come here to interfere in their government. Whatever anyone else may think."
Given the confirmed unwelcomeness of their presence.
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Yet, he fails to apologize.
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"I'll take the compliment."
But the momentary humor fades, and he exhales.
"We don't get to decide for them what their nation looks like. I don't have to like it. I don't have to live with what happens here, either. We were brought in to help settle this one case. I think that's what we should do."
His eyes flick up to Mhavos.
"But I'm also just one out of the four of us. What do you think?"
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Holden receives honesty, because once again Mhavos is flattered to be asked.
"Deciding not to do anything at all is still a choice. Upholding the status quo, with its treatment of the Casteless? Or fighting for them, and potentially weakening Orzammar's defenses? Ultimately, we're unlikely to make any real changes, but when one has the opportunity to voice an opinion without reprisal, I find it foolish to set that aside."
A sigh.
"A rather fancy way of saying I don't yet know how I feel."
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Though what, exactly, is hard to say.
Still. He remembers the war between Earth and Mars, trying not to get involved, and about how well that worked out. The distance from Amazonia to Montana is less than what we have traveled since this conversation started. But that had been his home, his system, the inners' war, a situation he knew and understood. This is something else.
He says, wry, "I'd say not knowing yet is probably the smarter answer. This is too complicated a problem to decide with snap judgments."
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