That I have been...working at. Somewhat. Taking tea with the Knight Commander is not much- but doing so publicly as a show of goodwill? When we both have the time I have attempted to do so. I think the more of us that make the effort to be civil, to be cooperative in the interest of what is best for the Inquisition rather than just the mages or the templars, the better things may become.
Dorian's initiative with Knight Captain Maria will help a great deal if it does not end in blood.
I can't think of two better people to lead it. And I'm glad to have you on the Council. You've given this orally trained savage as much respect as you give anyone.
Is there a particular reason why I would not? Savage, noble, circle, apostate- none of that matters here. What matters is what needs to be done and how we see it through. Anything more is irrelevant.
That depends upon the mage, but to me? Precious little. My most skilled mentors and students were elves, aside from being slightly more distracting by dint of being stupidly pretty and aware of it; they were no more or less than anyone else in the Spire. Some of the templars came down harder on them for their own reasons, something about a natural affinity for the Fade and spirits.
It is less being a medium and more their skill in the Spirit school of magic. One does not need to be able to speak to them to do well in that- though human and elf alike were watched carefully when studying that with any great intent.
The only time I had use for spirits was when I was too young to deal with them. Hard work does the job in most cases. Magic just fills in gaps where it can, and we go without where it can't.
The youngest manifestation recorded in the Spire was a child of six. It simply does not happen so young. Not without some manner of traumatic and violent stimuli which I doubt is the case here.
Some families lose their hair early, or have childbirth that comes too soon. Maybe my family's mages trend toward the premature as well. I don't know, myself. I've only ever met my parents for two days out of every ten years, and we don't much talk about the thing that made them give me away.
That is a terribly specific and worrying trait. Manifestations at twelve are difficult enough on the child. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for you.
I don't remember. Growing up, it was all I knew. It was probably very frightening for Keeper Deheune, though. You can't teach much about magic to a child who can barely talk. From my perspective, it took me some time to realize other children didn't get the same kind of attention from her.
I suppose it doesn't leave you with any envy of those without- most of us were old enough to remember what it was like before. Some were made bitter by it.
I...have been thinking, lately. I don't think I can really help other mages resist demons. It's been taught to me since before I can remember, so it's all just...how I feel about something. Instinct. I can't explain it.
And yes, I wonder what it would have been like if it had taken longer. I'd have been a real daughter and sister for a while. Other children my age and younger were orphans of a plague that came to our clan. I couldn't say if it's better or worse, never having a thing or losing what you had. I know it was...very painful, every time I met my real family, because we loved each other so much and I had to leave again every single time. I mean, I first remember my baby brother when he was around age ten, and we were friends so quickly. I cried for days after we left. Knowing I had that thing once, and I can't even remember it.
I...don't know how much you know about the Dalish mages. But when I came to Clan Ashara, I was the only mage besides the Keeper. So it was sort of assumed the whole time I would be First, and then Keeper when she was gone. She raised me for it. I think she saw it as an opportunity to give the clan exactly what they would need when she was gone. So I...I was never really a child. When the plague came, I was helping her nurse all the sick. I was nine.
Resisting demons is something of a secondary area of study for most Spirit mages and Spirit Healers. We already hear the whispers; learning how to differentiate between that which is helpful and that which will see you possessed is a delicate and ongoing struggle. There, at least, I may be of use.
I have been of how the Dalish pass their mages around as children so that no one clan has too many. [ It wasn't sending them off to a tower but- her tone is less than impressed. ]
We don't have any other choice. Our Keepers are our leaders and guides. They study and protect the lore and lives of the People. But we're not just mages. We're elves who live free. Settling and living together and sharing our lore and protecting our mage children from being sent away is impossible. Clan life is our only alternative to alienages and Circles, and we would sooner die than give up our freedom. But clan life is hard, and it's so hard to keep people alive sometimes. During the plague it wasn't about whether we'd lose someone, it was about how many, and whether our clan would continue on or just die out. When so many are sick or grieving, it's the hands that can work that do the working, even if they're a child, even if they have no parents but their Keeper. There is nothing anyone can do about that.
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Dorian's initiative with Knight Captain Maria will help a great deal if it does not end in blood.
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[As for the Fade, she doesn't say. She's...having weird ideas.]
Granted, I haven't had much use for them, either. But I'm certainly no medium.
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[ That is simply how they worked. ]
It is less being a medium and more their skill in the Spirit school of magic. One does not need to be able to speak to them to do well in that- though human and elf alike were watched carefully when studying that with any great intent.
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Some families lose their hair early, or have childbirth that comes too soon. Maybe my family's mages trend toward the premature as well. I don't know, myself. I've only ever met my parents for two days out of every ten years, and we don't much talk about the thing that made them give me away.
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And yes, I wonder what it would have been like if it had taken longer. I'd have been a real daughter and sister for a while. Other children my age and younger were orphans of a plague that came to our clan. I couldn't say if it's better or worse, never having a thing or losing what you had. I know it was...very painful, every time I met my real family, because we loved each other so much and I had to leave again every single time. I mean, I first remember my baby brother when he was around age ten, and we were friends so quickly. I cried for days after we left. Knowing I had that thing once, and I can't even remember it.
I...don't know how much you know about the Dalish mages. But when I came to Clan Ashara, I was the only mage besides the Keeper. So it was sort of assumed the whole time I would be First, and then Keeper when she was gone. She raised me for it. I think she saw it as an opportunity to give the clan exactly what they would need when she was gone. So I...I was never really a child. When the plague came, I was helping her nurse all the sick. I was nine.
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I have been of how the Dalish pass their mages around as children so that no one clan has too many. [ It wasn't sending them off to a tower but- her tone is less than impressed. ]
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[ She cannot honestly think of what she's said to bring on such a vehement response. ]
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