Skyhold

[faderifting]

WHO: Anyone & everyone
WHAT: Open post for business as usual around Skyhold
WHEN: The first couple weeks of Harvestmere, 9:41 (aka October)
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Please mark any necessary content warnings in thread subject lines. Also, make sure to check out the other log posts already made!

Far from the glamorous adventurous world-saving people signed up for, most of the hustle and bustle in Skyhold at present is cleaning. The Great Hall is a disaster, and crews are assigned to haul out the cracked and rotting planks fallen from the wide-open roof, and tear down the vines covering the walls. Ivy encrusts the main staircase outside and many of the fortress walls and is cleared in section while other groups assess or begin shoring up the stonework as it's revealed. There are scaffolding to build, materials to sort, crates to unload, tents to stitch together or set-up, and on and on and on, endless mundane chores vital to the survival of the organization.

When not hard at work, people cluster around fires across the courtyards. Many mingle freely, going about their business, running errands and messages, planning scouting missions, tallying up supplies, distributing or playing with the sending crystals that were found in a basement vault and which a group of mages have just today finished preparing for use. Once a good number have been passed around and the first Inquisition-wide transmission made messages start being broadcast; maybe you can help someone out.

The rebel mages and renegade templars mainly keep to themselves at opposite sides of the complex given the choice. Mages assist with healing and research and bicker amongst themselves about their options and their fate. Templars help train recruits in swordforms and basic combat techniques or spar with the more advanced and bicker amongst themselves about their options and their fate. Despite having all pledged themselves to the Inquisition, they still feel like separate factions and tension between them is palpable wherever they cross paths.

Like at meals, or the communal message board in the courtyard, or at the Herald's Rest. The mess hall/tavern is so new it still smells of sawdust, and its stock has been limited to one type of strong ale until today, when a shipment of West Hill brandy has finally arrived. The mood in the place is convivial in celebration of that, but there's still plenty of muttering, especially as the night drags on and the discontented get further into their cups.

Comments

[theonly]

"You would have me ignore her endangering that mage. Other mages?" He points out towards where their encampment is. It doesn't matter what they are feeling -- who cares what they feel when they are all but killing their young charges? His eyes are wide as he takes a step forward. "Ignore their recklessness that will have abominations crawling all over Skyhold?! Ignore that they would feed lies of what Templars are to every new mage that comes here!?"

Stannis gives the other commander a look to show that he would not care about the name of the mage that has offended him, when he is more concerned about the idea of just letting the matter be. "You would go and speak to her for me. Act as though I am the reckless one? Like a parent come to apologize for the misbehavior of their youth?"

His head shakes as he turns to start to walk about the barracks, pacing wildly.

[equanimiti]

It would seem that Sauveterre has been misunderstood. On rare occasion, he and Stannis would be at odds but not now. The Orlesian is quick to speak and quicker to recant. "Settle yourself." He replies hastily as to not draw the attention of onlookers. To those watching, many would think these two are about to come to blows.

"As Templar, we ignore nothing. However, is this the time and place to be enforcing what is 'true' and what is not. The falsehoods that spread must be handled with finesse and not with brutality in the form of your iron wit." Sauveterre states in true equanimity. His placid tone would undoubtedly enrage Baratheon further but for once he hopes not.

"No, I would speak with them to hopefully dispel whatever mistruths they know of you and us." He states with a frown that almost matches Stannis's. "The only wrong done here is perhaps your boorish delivery of the truth."

A sigh escapes him for now the Stag marches. Sauveterre, of course, fellows briskly but he can tell Stannis is quite worried. "Do all these mages think so little of the Harrowing?" If so, then Stannis's worries are legit.

"Order must be established here and now. Surely this Cullen knows of this but what folly could have stayed his hand? This is what baffles me most other than the current dangers."

[theonly]

"It is always the time to enforce what is true, what is right." He would lower his voice to harsh whispers -- which sound more like the hissing of a snake with his anger so obvious upon his face. "There will always be falsehoods. The mages think that towers like the ones we commanded are all but tales that Templar tell themselves." That alone is enough to incite his rage that he would be likened to a creature like Meredith.

"She did not feel the need to tell me her name for she would not if I had no intention of using it. Prideful girl. What I can expect from the Orlesians." If nothing else, he would spit upon the country that Sauveterre comes from. There is animosity toward the whole of Orlais, but has little to do with the people there. No, the ruling class is more than enough. But that is an old story. One that he has lived partially through. With each new generation, the people forget -- and is that right?

"So it would seem. The Harrowing thought no more than a bullying club by Templars than what it is meant to truly be." To explain it would be to explaining to the choir, as it were. The importance of it is beyond just testing -- he continues with his thoughts, taking a sharp turn with his steps as his pacing continues. "The very world is falling apart and demons are falling from the skies. Those that are able should have their Harrowing than leave them vulnerable. Yet, even mages that go through their Harrowing still fall, as is the mages point as to why even have it at all?"

He stops and turns. "If Shireen were here, they would fill her head with that nonsense and damn her to possession. I will not have it, Sauveterre. I will not have young mages filled with hope and just given lessons with no practical application. I will not have them turned and mutilated by demons simply because the mages think that they know better."

[equanimiti]

"We have to restore order here and now." He states in clear confirmation. "If Rutherford shan't do it, then we must take up the task." The Orlesian doesn't take much offense to Stannis's rant about his homeland. The Fereldens have every right to dislike Orlais and Sauveterre shan't state otherwise. Though, Stannis is rewarded with a look almost cold enough to freeze blood. Sauveterre still holds steadfast to his pride as an Orlesian.

That will never change.

At the mention of dear Shireen, Sauveterre looks grim. Wherever did that darling girl go? He had met Stannis's young daughter before and the kindhearted girl won him over with her charm and love for books. What would happen if that poor child ended up with these reckless mages? The outcome would be exactly as Stannis says; the girl would become an Abomination.

"What do you propose? We force the mages hand in this matter? It may further divide the bridges between Templar and Mage, but I have fifteen skilled men hailing from Pharos who will assist us."

[theonly]

"I propose first to speak to the commander before I make my decision on what will happen next." It is a surprise to temper his blade, but he is older now. For all his ultimatums, he would give the man who has worked with the Herald and brought the army to where it is, a chance to listen and to be heard. Even if the man seemingly would abandon the Order that taught him how to do what he is doing now. "Before we make a decision on what must happen."

A beat.

"The people are, at present, focused on restoring Skyhold. They are focused on their own fixings but there will be a time when we have to address what is here in these walls." Stannis lets a sigh fall out once more as he finally stops pacing. "It should be sooner than not. The longer we wait, the easier it will be for those to say that things are working fine as they are and why should there be change? Because we are filling ourselves with spite and stupidity."

He makes a wave of his hand about forcing the mages' hand. "Force their hand and they may very well start another rebellion. I will not have what happened in Kirkwall happen here. I will not let myself be written as Meredith or some mage who destroys the Great Hall as that Anders." He points towards where the rebuilding is happening and that is the only place to destroy, is it not. "We force their hand and they become cornered. But if they continue to set themselves to be turned to abominations, I would let them handle their own. Let them kill their own and tell me how much wiser they are for it.

"Maybe after they have suffered what we have suffered to do by our own blade, they will come to understand the reason for it." He turns then to walk toward where he could look out toward the wilderness outside of Skyhold.

[equanimiti]

There's a hint of trepidation hidden within Sauveterre's grey eyes as he listens to Baratheon's plan. Before they can rectify the wrongs done here, they first need to address their concerns with Rutherford. While neither of the had the pleasure of meeting with the Commander, both Templar are somewhat jaded by his easily Cullen turned his back on the Order.

Ex-Templar? What IS that suppose to mean?

Does Cullen not see the need for the Order to hold steadfast in such troubling times? Did that man forget his creed, his oath? Sauveterre swore he would hold off on all judgment until meeting Rutherford for himself but after hearing what Stannis says in regards to the mages hatred of all those Templar; Sauveterre finds himself already casting sentence on Cullen. "We leave them to...suffer?" He mutters in a whisper.

"No. The Inquisition be damned! I will not allow such horrors to be had again!" Sauveterre shouts as the other walks ahead. "If the answer we hear from Commander Rutherford isn't what we seek--" The Orlesian trails off suddenly.

There's a word upon the tip of his tongue that very much sounds like 'mutiny' but he doesn't dare give it life.

[theonly]

"It is not something I say lightly, but it may be a sacrifice that must be done." Something he said in rage toward the Orlesian mage, but one that he cannot ignore even now he has calmed. There is sense in it even if his colleague does not agree. "Do you think I want them to? That I rub my hands in glee at the thought of abominations manifesting in Skyhold? At leaving the mages to fend for themselves? No."

Stannis shakes his head once. "But they will not learn. They will not listen. They will hold that we are nothing more than tyrants that command over their lives." Templar seek nothing beyond their duty -- that is what their oaths say. Not even the anger of the people should sway them, but the mages have found their "freedom" and will kill to keep it. Even if the course is right, what good will it be if the entire fortress is burning. "I doubt that the Inquisition will allow such creatures to live and call for our assistance during."

That is the scenario that he sees, but it is not the worse case for him.

"Commander Rutherford has been with the Inquisition since its creation. These men and women are loyal to him as they should be. We are part of the Order that has become tarnished thanks to monsters like Meredith. Even if you breathe that word to life, it means nothing. We have not enough men to be anything more than another rebel group gone mad." A beat. "I will not see that be our legacy. I have told you such before."

[equanimiti]

There's clear distress written across Sauveterre's face as he thinks of this grim possibility. He cannot survive another hell like that. The scars upon his back aren't even properly healed yet and they're talking about the possibility of Abominations overrunning Skyhold. There's no way that he could live through such horrors again. Sauveterre lost more than just his comrades during that war; fragments of his soul left him too.

"Then we speak to Commander Rutherford before this day ends." He whispers as he walks slowly towards Stannis's side. He avoids the other's gaze in favor for the courtyard now. Sauveterre doesn't wish to display any sign of weakness on his part but that dreadful evening still haunts.

"You lead and I shall follow, Knight-Commander. We'll weather the storm."

[theonly]

"I would like to barge into his office and demand a meeting at this moment, but what good would it serve us?" It is odd to be the one with the cooler head, even though he can feel the anger burning hot still. "I will go and ask him for a meeting with us as soon as possible. If we go and demand, we seem no different than those that do not acknowledge what little order this Inquisition has."

What is right, what is proper, he thinks on these things if only because he will not have his message be drowned out in the politics of any game that anyone wishes to play. "But do not think that I will allow myself to be beaten down by anyone. If he denies it, then... we shall think of what our next move shall be." A beat. "Your silver may yet prove of more worth than my iron. But we shall see. We are dealing with another Ferelden."

[equanimiti]

A slither of calm returns to Sauveterre at the suggestion. It is odd for Stannis be rational for a change but under all that fire and brimstone beats the heart of a respectable man. It's that fact alone that draws Sauveterre to the stubborn Baratheon. The two of them share that similar trait.

"You Fereldens have always been rather barbaric when it comes down to politics." He states in jest with a slight smile. The Orlesian feels the need to lighten the mood now. "Let us see what Cullen values more before offering gifts in iron and silver. Us wise men must be choosy about whom we shower with gifts."