genessia | 001 Action

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001 Action | Audio

Action | Arrival/Near the Bay

[ He could keep his composure through all this...madness. Surely. He was convinced, at first, as he awoke in his little capsule and had his first look around the bay, that he was in some part of the Fade, that somehow he'd entered again, but the solidity of the terrain as he'd cautiously stepped through the water, clutching the box he'd woken with and rubbing the strange fatigue from his eyes, told him another story. There was no ambient temptation or fear, nothing to suggest this was the realm of some demon or other. Nor, though, was there any indication he'd been kidnapped. He didn't have any sore spots on his head or anything that would suggest he'd been physically subdued, and no strange tastes or smells hovering about to suggest magic had been used. The lighted ramps seemed to be directing him upward and while he's explored enough ancient elvhen ruins to know they're probably leading to some sort of impending doom, it beat letting his new, Antivan leather boots soak up anymore of whatever water he was currently standing in. He takes a moment to straighten his robes before steeling his nerves, smoothing his hair with his free hand, and starting up the center ramp.

He didn't have a staff, that was true, but he'd strained in casting without a focus. It was harder, but also more impressive, something he took pride in. He'd be lying to himself along with whomever might have been watching (what a silly thought) if he tried to convince himself he wasn't nervous as the mouth of the corridor opened on to the street above. A city, then, but one the likes of which he'd never seen. He starts whenever Weiss' message appears on its dias, and he nearly hurls a fireball at it's face before he laughs nervously. ]

Ah, a recorded message. Very clever.

[ But he allows the recording, from which he notes with a confused look he detects no magic, to finish it's message. Armed now with more questions than answers (isn't that always the case?) he moves to the side, where the maps are to be acquired, and he takes one before pushing the other things collected on the stand aside and to the ground to make room to unpack this box he's been given. Any passers-by will come upon a very smartly dressed mage in leathers and belted robes of white and royal blue standing at the map stand, pamphlets scattered across the pavement near him, reading the information he's been provided.]

Audio | Open

[ When the audio begins transmitting, the voice, cultured and crisp in accent, is clearly mocking in tone, though it's apparent after just a moment, he's not talking to the network at large.

At first, the his voice is high-pitched, changing tone to something more normal for him at the second line. ]

"Here you are, ser. A pittance to pay your way. Now, if you would, obediently follow this path and use this key to open a door."

"It's that easy is it? Why of course! I'd be happy to! What's the worst that could happen?"

[ He breathes a small sigh before the sounds of the device being shifted can be heard, and when he speaks again, his words are clearly, like he's moved it closer to his mouth. ]

Ah! So it does work. In light of this news, it'd be remiss of me not to introduce myself before I explore this painfully ill-advised avenue.

[ He clears his throat politely. ]

I am Dorian of House Pavus, Altus Mage of the Tevinter Imperium and Ambassador to the Inquisition. If any of that means anything to you, wonderful. I'd be happy to let you know where you may collect me. If not, well, no effort is lost save that which is not attempted, eh?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I... I don't know. M-Maybe... Maybe lots of electronics are b-bad for magic?

[He really had no idea, but it seemed like magic places had this fantasy vibe most of the time.]

Maybe... Maybe being closer to nature is... is good for magic?

[They were completely wild shots in the dark. He had zero evidence. He hadn't even wondered about it before.]

I have no idea what "electronics" are, but [ And he holds up a hand, one finger raised as though to illustrate his point ] I have never noticed any greater success with spells in the wilderness versus those I cast in town.

[ He rolls his shoulder in a shrug. ] From what I've read of this Feyren, though, it all seems rather...feudal. [ And he says the word as though 'feudal' means 'less than'. ]

Edited 2017-04-12 01:32 (UTC)

Feudal...

[He repeated the word quietly. He didn't quite have that in his collection of words yet, and it was probably obvious by the look on his face, as if he was thinking of something.

But he wasn't one who liked to admit stuff like that, so he tried to respond anyway.]

M-Maybe...? My... My spells work the same everywhere, too. B-But, Fayren is more like home.

[Which made it more comfortable than those other foreign cities. If he couldn't have his home or his friends, he could at least have a familiar landscape.]

E-Electronics are like this thing. [He bounced the video up and down, indicating the device he was holding.] Th-They use elect... electricity and stuff instead of magic. S-Some of it is nice, but lots of times m-magic is better.

[In his totally and completely unbiased opinion. Electronics 7/10, magic 10/10.]

Ah. [ The device moves for a moment while he takes another look at it before moving it back, clearing his throat. ]

Yes, well. Feudalism is a barbaric form of government in which a king and queen rule over landed lords, who in turn rule over peasants who tend their fiends in exchange for a cut of the profits and the protection of the lord's army. Do stop me if you're having trouble keeping up.

[ He chuckles. ]

Too true. In my experience, magic makes everything better. What's your name, lad?

[He listened closely, not at all put off by someone giving him a definition. He was trying to fill in the gaps in his vocabulary all the time, and often other people knew words he didn't. For some he was close to, he asked more often because he knew he wouldn't be made fun of.

Now, he might not have taken in every word, but he got 'king', 'queen' and 'peasants', and knew what those all were.]

I-I don't think we have a king or queen, but, I stay in th-the forest. Maybe I just missed them.

[Although by all experience he had never heard of there being a king in the area, he wouldn't deny the possibility that he was just oblivious to such rule.]

I-I'm Bracken. Sorry, I forgot to say, to say it earlier.

[ Dorian smiles again, and gives him a slightly amused chuckle. It's not condescending or anything like that, though. ]

I believe you have, Bracken, but, given how many seem to reside in these cities from elsewhere, I doubt the local government is worth more than a figurehead, regardless.

[ He inclines his head in greetings. ]

No harm done. Perhaps I'll add Fayren to my tour in the future. What else can you tell me of the place, aside from the forest?

[He smiled, happy to say good things about the places he liked.]

The Marsh Woodsman is r-really nice. The owners are nice, and i-it's warm and cozy.

Th-There's lots of good places to get pottage ch-cheap, too. Cassian likes that a lot. A-And, it's a good place to buy herbs. Or get... get animal hides or meat. Th-There's some good fishing, too.

The Marsh Woodsman is a tavern, then, I take it?

[ It sounded like a tavern, anyway. ]

Pottage? [ Such a peasant dish...and the boy was looking for a deal on it. Ugh. ] This Cassian must have been thankful to find it.

[ It all sounds so...neolithic. ]

Is there a city of any kind in Fayren?

I-It's a small inn. A good place to s-stay when you get here.

I-I tried to give Cassian chicken mole, but... but he thought it was too spicy. B-But he likes pottage! So... So I buy that when I bring him f-food, now.

I... I think it's called a city. It's not like the others, though.

[ Dorian isn't precisely certain what 'chicken mole' is, other than a dish made with the fowl, but that doesn't seem to be the point of the boy's story so he'll leave it alone. He can always look into it on his own later if he's really curious. ]

This Cassian seems to be important to you. You've mentioned him twice now.

[ He nods. ]

And just how does it differ?

S-Sorry. I, I was just trying to explain the p-pottage.

[He fidgeted a bit nervously, although nothing was particularly wrong. He wondered if he'd brought up Cassian too much. It hadn't really been in intention, though he couldn't deny that Cassian was important to him.]

I-It's different because it doesn't have the g... the giant, tall buildings, a-and the cars, and it's not covered in, in cement. O-Oh! And, And it's against the law to eat o-other people here.

[ What's wrong with cement, boy? Most of Tevinter's more intricate spires are molded from the stuff... ]

...did you say it's against the law to eat people? Shouldn't that be assumed?

[But it wasn't soft to sit on like grass was.]

E-Everglade is kind of nice like F... like Fayren is, but... but they let people eat people there, s-so it's not as good. It's better to stay a-away.

...they let people eat people.

[ He's really working on following that one. ]

They let people eat people? In what...I...

...alright, then. I'll leave Everglade to it's own devices.

[ Until it doesn't give me a headache. ]

I-I think it's terrible. I... I tried to say it was bad, and th-they shouldn't let it happen, but... but they didn't listen to me. A-Any of the other cities are better.

[He'd even endure cars rather than being eaten.]

It takes several voices protesting to effect change, Bracken. Don't give up so easily.

[ Why in the Maker's name would it ever be legal to consume people? ]

I-I don't know what else to do. They... They had an election, s-so I voted for the man who said h-he would keep my friend safe, but he didn't win.

Elections are all well and good, but if voices remain silent, then nothing will change, and those who do not effect it will continue to win.

Wh-What else could I do...? I... I'm not v-very good at speaking, and the p-people there didn't change anything.

Change doesn't happen overnight, Bracken. Sometimes, it doesn't happen in our lifetimes.

That is not a reason to stop fighting.

I... I'll try my best.

W-Will you try, too?

I'll...look into the situation in Everglade, though I seem to be collecting quite the list of tasks to accomplish, and it's only my first day!

[ He takes a breath. Is this what being a Magister is going to be like? ]

I can't make any promises, Bracken.

[ And he actually sounds a little tired. ]

Oh, s-sorry...

[There was an awkward pause as he wasn't exactly sure what to say or do. He felt a little bad for giving him another task to complete when it sounded like he must have had many things to do already.

But, after a moment he meekly asked.]

D-Do you want a place to rest?

[ He holds up a key. ]

It seems I've already been given one, Bracken, but the sentiment is appreciated. You're a good lad.

[Calming a bit, he nodded. Even if it wasn't much, he appreciated being told he was good.]

I-I'm trying to be.

To be good.

[Though it might have seemed odd, he was sometimes told he was bad, so he liked the reassurance.]

I-If... [He furrowed his brows. Conversation didn't come to him that well, but he was trying.] If you need any help, y-you... you could ask me.

[Just having the whole thing out seemed to be a relief, and he let out a sigh and smiled softly at him.]

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