Julius (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
overharrowed) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
faderift2024-08-15 03:30 pm
overharrowed) wrote in faderift2024-08-15 03:30 pm
Entry tags:
Sometimes I Feel Like My Brain Turns To Leaves [OPEN + CLOSED]
Sometimes I Feel Like My Brain Turns To Leaves
open
It is long enough past the attack on the Gallows that Julius has resumed something like his normal schedule again, including regular office hours, eating meals at typical mealtimes (mostly), and attending regular meetings with the Division Heads with lists of the supplies, personnel and other resources they didn’t have and needed. (If they fill the Quartermaster position, will Julius delegate this last one? Apply and find out.)
He mostly works with his door open, accessible if he’s needed, and has regular check-in with those whose jobs he supervises. But his main focus in the aftermath of the attack has been shoring up goodwill for Riftwatch and parlaying that goodwill into resources. Cash is great, though supplies won’t be turned away. Anyone with ideas for furthering these aims is especially welcome to drop by his office. Maybe without even knocking; he'd love some potential good news.
for marcus and petrana (slightly backdated)
They’d been able to retrieve many of their truly precious belongings, which given the state of the Gallows was more than Julius had initially expected. But as work continues on the remaining residential tower, it has become increasingly clear Riftwatch’s staff will all be in incredibly close quarters going forward. Marcus’s temporary (“temporary”) new position came with some housing of its own, of course, but the question remains. Julius isn’t sure he has an answer, but it’s on his mind one afternoon when he starts looking for his partners, not urgently but with the idea of starting a conversation that is becoming less theoretical by the day. He tries Petrana's office first, mainly because it's the place to check that doesn't involve changing floors.
for clarisse
Of course he’d spoken to Clarisse when she was first appointed as Griffon Keeper, but Julius is sensitive enough to know that the way she’d received that promotion remained something of a healing wound. He gives it some space in consequence. Still, now that she’s settled in enough to start voluntarily increasing her record-keeping duties, Julius feels assured he can make her part of his regular rounds.
He generally checks the eyrie before the Griffon Keeper's office, which hasn't changed with the occupant of the post. He’s happy enough to catch Clarisse either place, but given the current state of the eyrie, he approaches with reasonable caution. It would be extremely undignified to put his foot through a weakened board and seriously hurt himself, and he can't shake the sense that none of the griffons especially care for his presence there.
for benedict
It’s probably inevitable that things are strange with Benedict for some time after his rescue from the demons. Julius has said — and meant — that he doesn’t hold the younger man responsible for the actions of a demon wearing his face. To the extent that the incident has led to any extra caution on Julius’s part at all, it’s not specific to his interactions with Benedict. (It wasn’t even the first time he was poisoned in Riftwatch’s service, which is almost bleakly funny, though he suspects Benedict wouldn’t find it especially amusing.)
Still, even if he’s careful of the feelings of those around him by habit, there’s plenty of work to be done. When he shows up for their scheduled meeting, it certainly isn’t with any shortage of topics to discuss on his list. And if he hopes that the more he acts as if everything is normal, the more it will feel that way, well … it doesn’t undercut that the very normal pile of work is real and needs attention.
“So. Should we begin with the easy part or the hard part of the list this time?”
for stephen
In fairness, the practical side of his meetings with Stephen as head healer are usually fairly brief; an update on what they’d out of, a check in about any concerning upticks of illness or other things he should bring to the Division Heads. Because they’re so brief, it has become easy to tuck them at the beginning or end of a much more interesting standing appointment.
He wouldn’t call it teaching, exactly; he’s taught many apprentices over the years, and enjoys teaching very much. But working with Stephen feels, more often, like an act of translation. The way he thinks of magic, on an instinctual level, is so fascinatingly different from Julius’s experience that when Julius begins an explanation, it is less an instruction than an opening bid. They do make progress, certainly, but it feels collaborative in a way he’d seldom been able to enjoy.
“Right, so. Back to glyphs today, or do you want to take a break and start on something new?” Sometimes they’re in an office; today they’re in the training yard. Glyphs can be easier to work with in an open space, but it’s also nice to be outside on the rare day that isn’t oppressive this time of year.
WHO: Julius
WHAT: Catch-all
WHEN: mid-Solace through mid-August, give or take
WHERE: Various
NOTES: Besides the open starter, feel free to reach out if you'd like something bespoke or have a wildcard idea that doesn’t fit (or if I was supposed to give you something bespoke and fully forgot because it took me so long to write this post, heyo).
WHAT: Catch-all
WHEN: mid-Solace through mid-August, give or take
WHERE: Various
NOTES: Besides the open starter, feel free to reach out if you'd like something bespoke or have a wildcard idea that doesn’t fit (or if I was supposed to give you something bespoke and fully forgot because it took me so long to write this post, heyo).
open
It is long enough past the attack on the Gallows that Julius has resumed something like his normal schedule again, including regular office hours, eating meals at typical mealtimes (mostly), and attending regular meetings with the Division Heads with lists of the supplies, personnel and other resources they didn’t have and needed. (If they fill the Quartermaster position, will Julius delegate this last one? Apply and find out.)
He mostly works with his door open, accessible if he’s needed, and has regular check-in with those whose jobs he supervises. But his main focus in the aftermath of the attack has been shoring up goodwill for Riftwatch and parlaying that goodwill into resources. Cash is great, though supplies won’t be turned away. Anyone with ideas for furthering these aims is especially welcome to drop by his office. Maybe without even knocking; he'd love some potential good news.
for marcus and petrana (slightly backdated)
They’d been able to retrieve many of their truly precious belongings, which given the state of the Gallows was more than Julius had initially expected. But as work continues on the remaining residential tower, it has become increasingly clear Riftwatch’s staff will all be in incredibly close quarters going forward. Marcus’s temporary (“temporary”) new position came with some housing of its own, of course, but the question remains. Julius isn’t sure he has an answer, but it’s on his mind one afternoon when he starts looking for his partners, not urgently but with the idea of starting a conversation that is becoming less theoretical by the day. He tries Petrana's office first, mainly because it's the place to check that doesn't involve changing floors.
for clarisse
Of course he’d spoken to Clarisse when she was first appointed as Griffon Keeper, but Julius is sensitive enough to know that the way she’d received that promotion remained something of a healing wound. He gives it some space in consequence. Still, now that she’s settled in enough to start voluntarily increasing her record-keeping duties, Julius feels assured he can make her part of his regular rounds.
He generally checks the eyrie before the Griffon Keeper's office, which hasn't changed with the occupant of the post. He’s happy enough to catch Clarisse either place, but given the current state of the eyrie, he approaches with reasonable caution. It would be extremely undignified to put his foot through a weakened board and seriously hurt himself, and he can't shake the sense that none of the griffons especially care for his presence there.
for benedict
It’s probably inevitable that things are strange with Benedict for some time after his rescue from the demons. Julius has said — and meant — that he doesn’t hold the younger man responsible for the actions of a demon wearing his face. To the extent that the incident has led to any extra caution on Julius’s part at all, it’s not specific to his interactions with Benedict. (It wasn’t even the first time he was poisoned in Riftwatch’s service, which is almost bleakly funny, though he suspects Benedict wouldn’t find it especially amusing.)
Still, even if he’s careful of the feelings of those around him by habit, there’s plenty of work to be done. When he shows up for their scheduled meeting, it certainly isn’t with any shortage of topics to discuss on his list. And if he hopes that the more he acts as if everything is normal, the more it will feel that way, well … it doesn’t undercut that the very normal pile of work is real and needs attention.
“So. Should we begin with the easy part or the hard part of the list this time?”
for stephen
In fairness, the practical side of his meetings with Stephen as head healer are usually fairly brief; an update on what they’d out of, a check in about any concerning upticks of illness or other things he should bring to the Division Heads. Because they’re so brief, it has become easy to tuck them at the beginning or end of a much more interesting standing appointment.
He wouldn’t call it teaching, exactly; he’s taught many apprentices over the years, and enjoys teaching very much. But working with Stephen feels, more often, like an act of translation. The way he thinks of magic, on an instinctual level, is so fascinatingly different from Julius’s experience that when Julius begins an explanation, it is less an instruction than an opening bid. They do make progress, certainly, but it feels collaborative in a way he’d seldom been able to enjoy.
“Right, so. Back to glyphs today, or do you want to take a break and start on something new?” Sometimes they’re in an office; today they’re in the training yard. Glyphs can be easier to work with in an open space, but it’s also nice to be outside on the rare day that isn’t oppressive this time of year.
no subject
Similarly, he's avoided the topic; what is there to say, anyway, when he wasn't even there? Sorry we both got fucked over by the same demon? Ah, well,
"Let's... work our way up in difficulty," he decides, with a slightly apologetic smile, "I'm still waking up."
no subject
It's a fairly normal question for Julius to lead with, and probably not a surprise. He and Benedict have had to do some backtracking previously to cover the time real Benedict was absently. Now, though, he knows of at least Ness and Abella recently through the rifts. Herian hasn't been back so long, either, and Caius is also a relatively new face.
no subject
He leans over the coffee table in front of him, where he leafs through the dossiers of the newest arrivals.
"Caius I helped acquire and roomed with, briefly. Herian,"
His voice dies. He stares at her page a little longer, with an air of trepidation; it's not the first time he's seen it, but the task of checking in with her has proven too daunting.
no subject
"I think the challenge with her personally, rather than the situation around her return, will be finding a long-term division placement. As a Knight-Enchanter, I assume she still has skills that would make her useful in Forces. But it's also ... finding a division for someone who can express no preference will be necessarily difficult." He can understand, on a variety of levels, Benedict's hesitation.
no subject
"I've never met a Tranquil before." He purses his lips closed after the fact, lacing his fingers together a little too tightly.
"Is she in pain? Do you know?"
no subject
"A complicated question, I think," he says, quieter, after a moment. "How much of pain is a signal from your body, and how much is distress that signal causes? Strange or the provost might have a better answer than I do. As far as I know, the former is still something Tranquil experience, the latter not. I suppose I could have asked Casimir Lyov, once, but I was never bold enough." And now that chance had been forever lost, at least for Casimir in particular.
"I think for now, it is best to assume that her intellect is as sharp as it ever was, but that we cannot trust her to value her own distress or discomfort in evaluating a task or a situation. That said, I don't expect you personally to manage that on your own. Strange is managing her care as well as her chores, thus far; he may be able to weigh in. And the Division heads have enough knowledge of Herian as she was before Tranquility to make some educated guesses as well, if you seek their input."
no subject
Clasping and unclasping his hands, Benedict listens and nods, taking little ease from the conversation. It's all so alien, and more than that, so evil; to think that this is a common enough practice to have its own Rite in the Southern Circles is chilling, to say the least.
"Understood," he concludes quietly, and, forcing his hands apart, picks up his notes again to jot something down, undoubtedly about Herian.
no subject
(Given the state Herian had arrived in, impossible not to picture the struggle that preceded what was done to her. Julius remembers how much prowess she had on the battlefield.)
"She was sent here as a message to Riftwatch. And she is that, but maybe not fully the one that was intended."
no subject
"The intended one being," he guesses, "watch out, or the rest of us will be dealt with similarly?" It begs the question of what the actual message is, if not that.
no subject
(He'd done the math on how long it had been since she'd taken off for assignments in far-flung parts of Thedas when she first arrived. He imagines the Provost would know, if anyone would be bold enough to ask her.)
no subject
"Wasn't she a Knight-Enchanter?" spoken almost furtively: a Loyalist, he means, and someone who was ostensibly fine enough with the Circles to gain a high ranking within them.
no subject
"She also used to be the head of Diplomacy, at one time. The outward face of the organization. They may have been seizing an opportunity, but it's hard to think their choice of target was idle, under the circumstances."
no subject
"...we ought to do something," he remarks, in a low, off-the-record sort of tone, "if rogue Templars pose this much of a threat. To us, to our organization."
no subject
He doesn't elaborate on how founded or idle that hope is at present, however. Instead, he says, "As much as I share your disgust for what was done to her, I would say ... be mindful of treating her as a person, not a walking cautionary tale. I know it can be unsettling, but in the end, she's still there. They didn't kill her. With Tranquil, it can be hard to look past what was done, especially if you've not known them before, but practice." It's advice, not an order; this technically falls outside the scope of Benedict's role. But it's something Julius clearly feels strongly about, for all he speaks quietly.
no subject
"I-- yes. Of course." He shakes his head, straightening slightly, preening his hair back out of his face; if nothing else, his years here have taught him how to treat people.
It seems like a reasonable end to the conversation, but before he can let it go completely, Benedict feels compelled to ask:
"--and people would-- do this to themselves on purpose? Request it?"
no subject
Instead, he adds, "And, I understand, there were cases before the war where after the fact people claimed the Tranquil chose it to put a pretty face on an ugly thing. Or, I suspect, cases in between where the appearance of choice remained but pressure was exerted beneath. It is a powerful thing, to have people you trust tell you that you could become a monster."
no subject
"I missed," he says quietly, anxiously, "I missed my Harrowing. I was here." It got lost in the churn of Atticus' capture, his betrayal, the clumsy picking up of pieces that dragged on into months and years.
"Inconvenient," he scoffs, in what he's trying to make a laugh, but there's a total absence of warmth in his face.
no subject
A beat.
"I think you've faced a variety of tests of your character, by now, even if none of them were a formal Harrowing."
no subject
He nods, and, catching his own reaction, straightens a bit. Tosses his hair; pretends he never doubted, but can't sell it.
"I'm glad you think so."