Adelaide, when you have a moment I need to speak with you. A friend gave me a first-hand account of the Templar meeting and it sounds like they're going to pull shit again.
Sending crystal, backdated to sometime after First Day
I was told they want the mage council to be punished if another abomination happens. They even want to dissolve us if that happens, but it was pointed out that they can't actually do that. But they feel like another incident would be purely our fault. Lovely, isn't it? The Templars can commit atrocity after atrocity and yet they're allowed to reform, yet one more abomination -which we are already trying to prevent- and we're forever proven unfit?
...give me a moment to prepare a cup of coffee and do run that by me once more. Because that is not only ill advised but entirely beyond their ability to enforce. There would be chaos; I cannot imagine the discussion settled on such a notion.
Oh, it was pointed out that it would be impossible for the Inquisition to dissolve our council, though at the very least, though it sounds like they'd want to punish us for something we can't possibly control. So much for this new Templar Order being all about reform, hm? This is why I don't trust them; give them anything and they'll grasp for authority whether legitimate or not.
They're also against the new version of Harrowings and want Templars to be present for them. Which--doesn't that defeat the purpose? We're trying to not make this traumatizing for young mages and yet having Templars around, the very people they fought not too long ago, would blow that all to hell.
[ There is the sound of water boiling and something being ground in a pestle when Adelaide replies. ]
Some seem sensible- which is to say some are not complete jackasses. Maria Hill, Norrington, Cullen. Stannis was an ass but he was a sensible ass, attempting to make templars hold themselves accountable. Between him and Dylan's desire for a Circle; that is half the reason we even have a Council so we might do the same.
And what if we should tell them Lauren was Harrowed? I doubt their tune would change but- it is an imperfect system. It has always been an imperfect system.
And yet, they want to cling to what was because it was somehow so much better? Nugshit. That's exactly the point, too, Harrowed mages can succumb so it's not a fucking cure-all. And there are many of us who have never been Harrowed who haven't, but then they probably aren't interested in actual facts.
We should do everything we can to prevent another, of course, but we can't let them use it as an excuse to tear us down while we're still figuring things out for ourselves.
Officially, we cannot make any formal queries or raise concerns as this isn't something we can cite; otherwise you would have called for a meeting rather than simply calling me, yes?
[ Ugh, politics. ]
We need to keep our house in order. We are not beholden to the Templars, nor they to us, nor does either organization under the Inquisition have authority over the other. What plan of action we've made and set out- we've done. What plans we have should this happen again, how we mean to prevent it? We take the the Inquisition's Advisors. Worst comes to worst we take it to Cassandra; even with being declared heretic Seekers are supposed to mind templars so they do not abuse their authority. If the old chain of command is something they even consider nodding to? That is what we must do.
But until this becomes something we can act on, officially- we mind ourselves. Learn to walk. Get the support we need. Work to better the mages of the Inquisition so we can face the Venatori and Red Templars. If we become too bound up with infighting it discredits everything we hope to achieve.
If I heard they were exacting an official policy against us, you're damn right I would have called a meeting. As it is, my source wasn't present for all of it, so I don't know what they decided on. But I'd rather have someone else alert for trouble, instead of caught off-guard by their dickery.
[She heaves a sigh after a moment, and there are sounds of her settling back.]
You're right, of course. And I've done my best not to be near any of them so as not to let my temper get the better of me. I know it's not going to help to start anything, but on the other hand, playing nice will only get us so far, too. All too often, it seems like Templars mistake manners for obedience.
I've heard Cassandra is the more pragmatic sort, isn't she? Then at least there's a chance she'd listen.
This is where an optimist or loyalist would say 'keep the faith' but- I've long since lost mine for the Order, new or old. I do not wish to cause a stir as this isn't something we can act on and spreading it about would be unwise. But I'll prepare something on the nature of abominations- at least as much as we have been permitted to do that research and the most recent incident.
Even if they don't move forward with this, it bears doing.
We aren't playing nice Korrin. We're looking at the bigger picture. If they cannot? That is their failing. The Herald recruited us to help the Inquisition. We've organized to that end. Remaining civil is less about their feelings and more about avoiding an all out brawl as there were after her Wake. Cassandra spoke out against them then- she would in the future. Her focus is on what is best for the Inquisition. So must ours be.
As long as we're not harassed for being what we are, I can live with that. I remember the brawl, too, and it's a low point I don't want to see repeated. If louder and more obnoxious among them remain a minority, then their temper tantrums won't matter. But I'd rather be prepared for worse than that, just in case. Your idea is a good one; since I brought this to your attention, if I can help, let me know.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Sending crystal, backdated to sometime after First Day?
Sending crystal, backdated to sometime after First Day
no subject
no subject
no subject
They're also against the new version of Harrowings and want Templars to be present for them. Which--doesn't that defeat the purpose? We're trying to not make this traumatizing for young mages and yet having Templars around, the very people they fought not too long ago, would blow that all to hell.
no subject
Some seem sensible- which is to say some are not complete jackasses. Maria Hill, Norrington, Cullen. Stannis was an ass but he was a sensible ass, attempting to make templars hold themselves accountable. Between him and Dylan's desire for a Circle; that is half the reason we even have a Council so we might do the same.
And what if we should tell them Lauren was Harrowed? I doubt their tune would change but- it is an imperfect system. It has always been an imperfect system.
no subject
We should do everything we can to prevent another, of course, but we can't let them use it as an excuse to tear us down while we're still figuring things out for ourselves.
no subject
[ Ugh, politics. ]
We need to keep our house in order. We are not beholden to the Templars, nor they to us, nor does either organization under the Inquisition have authority over the other. What plan of action we've made and set out- we've done. What plans we have should this happen again, how we mean to prevent it? We take the the Inquisition's Advisors. Worst comes to worst we take it to Cassandra; even with being declared heretic Seekers are supposed to mind templars so they do not abuse their authority. If the old chain of command is something they even consider nodding to? That is what we must do.
But until this becomes something we can act on, officially- we mind ourselves. Learn to walk. Get the support we need. Work to better the mages of the Inquisition so we can face the Venatori and Red Templars. If we become too bound up with infighting it discredits everything we hope to achieve.
no subject
If I heard they were exacting an official policy against us, you're damn right I would have called a meeting. As it is, my source wasn't present for all of it, so I don't know what they decided on. But I'd rather have someone else alert for trouble, instead of caught off-guard by their dickery.
[She heaves a sigh after a moment, and there are sounds of her settling back.]
You're right, of course. And I've done my best not to be near any of them so as not to let my temper get the better of me. I know it's not going to help to start anything, but on the other hand, playing nice will only get us so far, too. All too often, it seems like Templars mistake manners for obedience.
I've heard Cassandra is the more pragmatic sort, isn't she? Then at least there's a chance she'd listen.
no subject
Even if they don't move forward with this, it bears doing.
We aren't playing nice Korrin. We're looking at the bigger picture. If they cannot? That is their failing. The Herald recruited us to help the Inquisition. We've organized to that end. Remaining civil is less about their feelings and more about avoiding an all out brawl as there were after her Wake. Cassandra spoke out against them then- she would in the future. Her focus is on what is best for the Inquisition. So must ours be.
no subject
no subject