faderift | Our aspirations are wrapped up in books

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Our aspirations are wrapped up in books

WHO: Hermione Granger and Open!
WHAT: There's a new ~~witch~~ mage wandering around Skyhold. Come say hello?
WHEN: Backdated to her arrival near the end of Guardian and onward throughout Drakonis.
WHERE: ~~The library.~~ All over Skyhold. ~~But mostly its library.~~
NOTES: Feel free to run into her pretty much anywhere, or have her run into you. And be prepared for all the questions about your character and Thedas/their homeworld and everything in between.

If not for the fact that Hermione had spent so many of her formative years in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Skyhold might have been overwhelming

As it was, the sprawling fortress was a little hard to get used to, since the academic environment that had given Hogwarts some sense of structure amidst the chaos wasn't present here. There was a library, thankfully, and she spent much of her time there, though it was so small that she was certain she'd end up reading every book in there in two weeks' time if she didn't actually go out and explore the rest of her surroundings.

And so every so often, she pried herself away from the cold little corner she'd set aside for herself and wander the rest of the area, though granted, she more often than not was carrying at least one book with her. Usually it was one of the books that had survived the trip through the Fade; anyone who might spot her in the garden or tavern or a safe distance away from the sparring going on in the training grounds might notice her engrossed in such unfamiliar titles as Hogwarts, A History or occasionally digging through Spellman's Syllabary in the vain hope of finding recognizable runes on various inscriptions throughout Skyhold.

After all, just because she was endlessly fascinated by all the new people and cultures and history and magic, it didn't mean she didn't occasionally need a bittersweet reminder of home. Especially when her other major reminder was her wand, which - despite the fact that she'd taken to finding the most solitary places she could find and practicing with it harder than she ever had the night before an exam - still wasn't behaving properly at all. Apologies to those of you who end up slipping on some wayward ice or getting sprayed with pebbles from a spell gone wrong.

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"Well, I'm very glad to hear that. A little familiarity can go a long way," Mia observes, before moving the pieces back into starting position. It's a clear indication that she expects to be joined, now, unless Hermione has somewhere else to be.

"It's strange enough going from one country to another. I can scarcely imagine how difficult it must be to leave an entire world behind."

Considering that Hermione used to have a rigorous class schedule and grueling assignments and studying to occupy her time, she's starved for something stimulating to do. Reading is always nice, and talking to people is nicer still, but even she can use a game every so often, whether or not she's good at it.

"I'm still trying to process it, honestly. Back home, when we talk about different worlds, we mean the magical world versus the non-magical one; they're not literally separate worlds, but rather, two different communities. Coming to an entirely different world with an entirely different history and entirely different magic... well, it's a lot to take in."

"You seem to be taking it all in stride. I'm amazed at those who do so," she admits, taking the first move to shift a pawn forward and then tapping her chin thoughtfully. "But I imagine we all do what we must, don't we?"

One eyebrow arches primly.

"You have magic in your world, then? That's something. And are you a mage yourself?"

"I think I'm still dealing with a bit of post-traumatic stress from my last adventure, so there's no room for shock and awe. At least, not as much as there would be otherwise." All things considered, Hermione is handling herself surprisingly well, but that's because she's managed to force herself to be too busy to really think about all the things that are so very wrong about her current situation.

Hesitating at Mia's question as she nudges one of her own pawns, she eventually looks up at the woman and asks, "You aren't anti-mage, are you? You seem too nice for that." Granted, the nicest people could have the worst ideals, but she likes to think that anyone who's staunchly against magic wouldn't stay in a place like Skyhold for too long.

"What? No, of course not!" It's not quite offense, after all Hermione doesn't really know her, and a good number of people are very outspokenly anti-mage. It's more the idea that someone so new to this world is already fully aware of how ugly things can be.

"Has someone treated you poorly?" Her expression darkens, even as he moves a piece forward, almost absently. Her opening moves are ones she could pull in her sleep, and this is a far more pressing issue.

Though Hermione quickly relaxes at Mia's response, her question earns an emphatic shake of her head. "No! No, no, nothing like that! I've actually met some very decent people here, and given some of my research and what people have been telling me, I just feel like I'm a bit overdue for seeing that side of Thedas for myself."

Looking down and carefully moving another piece as she tries not to be disoriented by the shape of the board, she murmurs, "Not that that's a complaint, mind."

"I will say there's considerably less of that sentiment here," she replies, mouth thinning. "Those who maintain that point of view are less likely to show it openly, while we all work together towards a common goal. Once this Corypheus is defeated, it's anyone's guess how attitudes on magic may or may not shift."

A moment's thought and she adjusts the position of her knight. "If anyone does treat you poorly, though, be sure to speak up. I'm certain those in charge wouldn't want to stand for anything of the sort."

"That would depend upon how he's defeated, wouldn't it?" Hermione asks, watching her move carefully. "If the mages prove to be a help, people will eventually have to understand that magic isn't inherently evil. It can be corrupted, but mistreating mages really isn't going to help prevent that."

Smiling up at Mia, she gives her head a bit of a nod before nudging another pawn and replying, "I will, thank you. Though I don't even know who 'those in charge' might be, so I wouldn't know to whom I'd report any such harassment. Other than you, I mean."

"You would think so. But politics get involved, inevitably. People who are afraid often shout the loudest. It wasn't so long ago that everyone was reminded of the damage that can be done when a mage so desires. I don't suppose anyone's told you about Kirkwall. Or Kinloch Hold, before that."

Mia hums, considering her options, before adjusting the placement of her pawn in turn, setting up a net of safety for her pieces to move forward in.

"As to who's in charge? Officially, no one. But the advisors do oversee things at large. The Lady Ambassador Josephine Montilyet is a lovely woman. She handles diplomatic matters. Sister Leliana handles the Inquisition's intelligence. And my younger brother Cullen is the commander of the Inquisition's military."

"I'm... not familiar with either of those, no," she admits. "Kirkwall sounds familiar, but I might have only seen it on a map, since I can't recall any specific information about it."

Paying more attention to the conversation at hand, Hermione moves a knight forward as she glances up at Mia. "Oh! I've met... two-thirds of them. I'm afraid I don't know Cullen. You must be very proud of him, though."

"I am. Quite proud, in fact. He's come a long way in a very short amount of time. I suppose that hereditary stubbornness did one of us some good."

With a faint smirk Mia shifts her bishop out within striking distance, leaning back slightly in her seat.

"Well, I'll explain as best I can. Someone's bound to bring it up sooner or later. Has anyone told you about how the Circles of Magi operate?"

Hermione frowns down at the bishop, hand on a pawn before deciding it more prudent to move her knight, not feeling comfortable with how close it was to that bishop, even if it had been relatively safe there. She's not thinking clearly, especially not when Mia brings up the Circles.

"I've... heard, yes. I'm sure most of the people telling me about them had been... biased. At best. Given that they were mages. But they still sounded dreadful for any mage who had to live in one."

"And yet, if not for their seclusion, things may have been far worse."

Mia pauses the game for a moment, both hands resting in her lap as she regards the young witch across from her. "I know perfectly well that mages are like anyone else. There are those with good intentions who wish to live honestly, and those who would abuse power if given the chance."

Her head shakes.

"Kinloch Hold was the Circle of Magi in Ferelden. During the chaos of the Blight just outside its walls, blood mages took the tower. Demons and abominations roamed the halls, torturing and killing any who crossed their path. If they'd been allowed to escape, the damage they could have wrought would have been unimaginable. But the templars there held them within those walls until the threat could be dealt with...at the cost of a great many lives."

"I'm... not entirely sure what a blood mage is," Hermione admits after a moment. "Is that... someone dealing in blood magic?" While they don't necessarily have blood magic in her world the way they do here, Hermione can at least assume the characteristics of it, and it doesn't sound like something particularly heartwarming.

Absently scratching at her arm, Hermione looks away and asks, "Do you mean blood mages broke in and took over, or that the mages within the Circle became blood mages?" Because she has several very important questions that vary, depending upon the answer.

"It is. An abhorrent practice, not least of which is because it exposes a mage to greater chance of possession by a demon. Which appears to have been the case there." There's an obvious shudder of disgust there. Whether you approve of magic or not, no one could see it as right to indulge in such things. Surely.

"And no, the mages within the tower were the ones that turned. At least as I heard it told. My...source was not very forthcoming, after what he endured there," she replies after a moment, before reaching to continue the game, taking a pawn in the process.

"I see," she murmurs softly, knowing she has to tread lightly. Mia's 'source' might well be her brother, and while the woman has been very kind to her so far, she doesn't want to say anything that might strike a nerve.

"But they hadn't always been blood mages, I assume? There... there may have been a reason they'd resorted to such measures. Not any justifiable reason according to the average person, of course, but... I'd heard that some mages had been badly mistreated in Circles. Perhaps they thought it was their only way to end such mistreatment?" Having forgotten about the game for the moment, she looks back up at Mia. "If a mage is possessed by a demon, is there no way to get rid of the demon and bring the mage back?"

"I'm no mage, nor an expert on magic, I'm afraid. But I do know such things are rare, if not impossible."

There's a sympathetic furrow to her brow as she watches Hermione struggle with the idea. No one wanted to believe someone was beyond saving. That much she understood.

"It's a very circular argument, had often and at length. The danger blood magic poses needs to be guarded against, and restrictions are set in place to prevent it. Someone will invariably break the rules and prove the need for them, and so on and so on. So long as there are those who seek power and are willing to sacrifice others to feed that hunger? Where can it end?"

Hermione's met people who were beyond saving. She'd wrestled with that thought, but after seeing the pure evil behind people like Bellatrix and Greyback, she's fairly certain that there are some people who simply aren't worth trying to redeem. But the idea that these mages had acted the way they had because of demonic possession, and they could have been freed from that and subsequently spared... that's a different matter altogether.

"But where does it begin?" She's trying to keep her voice neutral, especially since Mia isn't a mage and her brother had been a Templar. "It's not always power. It can also be desperation. That's why the Circles no longer exist, isn't it? Someone got desperate. I'm not justifying it, not by any means; I'll never justify any sort of Dark magic. It's just... maybe if the mages had been treated differently, they wouldn't have seen a need to resort to blood magic." Or maybe they would have. No one can say, of course, what drives a person to do certain things, but Hermione's seen her best friend use an Unforgivable Curse because the circumstances had required it.

"A familiar question, I assure you. And perhaps if we had an answer everyone could agree to, the war that followed wouldn't have come to pass."

A good many people might still be alive. Homes unburnt, families whole. But they are where they are, and she can see Hermione wrestling with the very same notions that mages and non-mages past must have. She's questioned herself, when it was Cullen in the midst of that chaos.

"But whether out of desperation, hunger for power, or whatever else might have motivated them, blood mages are a terrible danger to everyone around them. Kirkwall was thick with them not so long ago, and it grew so terrible that the Knight-Commander in charge ordered the entire Circle annulled."

"But aren't there any... summits or councils or some other meetings between influential people from various countries and groups? If blood mages are such a danger to everyone, then everyone should have some sort of say in what happens to them, and some sort of plan for preventing them, written up in an official treaty of sorts. That's how things are generally done whenever there's a substantial threat in my world."

She knows better than to try and impose her own world's way of doing things on Thedas, especially when she's never seen a government get anything totally right, but she can't really be blamed for letting her experiences color her expectations at least a little.

"What do you mean by annulled? Broken up and dispersed?"

"The official word on the matter is Chantry law, as far as anyone is concerned. Prevention, however, is a tricky thing. Is there really any way to prevent someone who wants to take power for themselves if they possess such means? There's only so much to be done, and for a long time the Circles were the only answer we had."

But then there's that second question, and Mia's face falls. She really does have no idea, and how horrifying must it sound to anyone who doesn't know what things are like here? "No, my dear. That's not what I mean."

"But... not everyone agrees with the Chantry," Hermione replies, looking genuinely puzzled. "I've heard of theocracies before, but they can't really get off the ground if there are people who don't agree with that theocracy's basic canonical law."

When Mia doesn't answer her question, Hermione simply looks at her expectantly for a moment. When no answer comes immediately, she tries to rationalize it by parsing out the semantics. "Annul means invalidate, doesn't it? To legally void the existence of a particular law or act?" She's never heard of trying to annul actual people, and so any such thought is far from her mind.

"You're new to our lands. You don't know how strong the word of the Chantry is. The figure at its founding is the reason we are free to govern ourselves today, rather than still being a part of the Tevinter Imperium. As a result, you'll find very few figures of authority interested in turning their backs on the Chantry. And law does not require everyone to agree with it. It requires only a hand that can and will enforce it."

Which brings them around to her second, considerably less pleasant topic. There's a long pause as she considers how best to explain it, though being a mage? It's not going to be pretty for her, either way. "The Right of Annulment is a last, desperate act, when a Circle is proven to be beyond saving. The templars...the templars purge the inhabitants, to prevent any chance of a possessed or corrupted mage from escaping and wrecking havoc."

Her lips tighten together. "And it is every bit as horrifying as it sounds."

"Enforce something that one doesn't even believe in?" Hermione asks, starting to get angry now. "How does that serve the Chantry, other than granting them greater power? And power doesn't spread their message, if they're still going to have the gall to call themselves a religious group."

She has to stop, to remind herself that, as Mia said, she's still new to this place. It wouldn't do to offend people left and right, especially not when it comes to as fiery a topic as religion or politics.

And speaking of fiery topics....

Hermione stares at Mia, still refusing to make the right connections and jump to such a grisly conclusion as genocide. "What-... what do you mean by purge?" she asks uncertainly, hoping it's not what she thinks it is. "D- do you mean some sort of ritual?"

"I'm afraid not. They put mages to the sword, down to the last. Kirkwall's Circle was the last I recall, though there might have been others after the rebellion began..."

Mia's hands fell to her lap, her expression grim.

"Kirkwall was in a terrible state when it happened. Cullen would tell me little, but you would hear stories. Rebel mages within the city turning to blood magic, terrorizing the citizens, abominations roaming the streets. I don't think kindly of the Knight-Commander at the time, but after one of the mages blew up the Chantry and killed the Grand Cleric, it seemed inevitable that their fear would get the better of them."

Our aspirations are wrapped up in books

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