[ Not quite amused, but close. How loudly he has disagreed with those she might be categorising into shared sorts. ]
I expect that any mage who stands in opposition to the Chantry would think twice before selling one of our own to it, even a blood mage. But there's no promise of that, not if they think that person would harm others, or if they felt keeping that secret would be dangerous to themselves.
[ There's a pause. Deciding if it is okay to ask. Pivots; ]
Before, when the Gallows was a Circle, its First Enchanter was a man named Orsino. He'd fought tooth and nail to protect his people from the treatment they suffered at the hands of the Templar Order. After the Rite of Annulment was declared upon them, he led his people in battle against it.
In desperation, despair, he drew on blood magic. He took from the corpses of those that had fallen, wrought himself into a monster. Forced decent men to slay him, in the end.
[ He normally doesn't prefer to speak over the crystals, particularly with things of importance, but there is something easier about speaking of this to a small glowing rock than a person. ]
I wasn't there, for that. We'd left the Gallows years prior, back to Starkhaven. But it sickens me to think of. I don't know, [ is his answer. Even not knowing needs reason. ] I've heard stories of its evil, but the stories closest to me are tales of desperate people. It isn't for me to push them any further.
[ She hesitates a moment. Her voice is more thoughtful and curious than horrified - the terror of becoming a monster, apparently, didn't really sink in for her as being extraordinarily significant. ]
I guess - because it's different up North. And I guess - I don't want to be in a situation where everyone is using it, and they're just not talking about it because you're supposed to pretend you're not doing it. I don't want to fall behind everyone else, or fight less well, because I don't know what's actually allowed.
Um - not really openly. But it's...They just have to pretend. Keep it quiet enough that others can pretend they don't know. So if someone used blood magic on the streets, there'd be trouble, but if all of their blood slaves are kept quiet in their basement, that's - allowed.
[ A hesitation. ]
I imagine it's probably even more allowed now. That was what things were like before the Elder One took Minrathous.
[ Another ill twist of unease at such casual mention of those kept in slavery, and for the purposes of fueling magic. ]
It isn't that way, here. There's no looking aside from it, only the burden of keeping its secret. As far as I know, there are no blood mages among our number.
Avoiding trouble is different to doing only actions undeserving of consequence. They keep the practice veiled from polite society for a reason, knowing that trouble might find them, in some form.
[ A pause, before asking, ]
Do you practice blood magic? Or know it well enough to try.
[ She feels like she's - losing his trust, saying this. If he's saying that sort of thing, then he's - nervous? Maybe. And so she tries to explain a little better, haltingly: ]
I do know where it can lead. Of course. I - [ It's hard to say this in a way that doesn't make everyone feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. ] The blood of mages is especially useful for that kind of magic, you know. So. That's where they sent me.
[ Suddenly - maybe a little surprisingly - there's a real ferocity in her voice. No hedging, no stammer - just steel. ]
No one will ever use me that way again. And I'd -
[ She stops herself before she finishes the thought - kill anyone who tried - but one can guess her meaning from her tone alone. She resumes a little softer. ]
All that I mean is that I do know what it can turn into. I do. As well as anyone. So I don't want you to think that I'm...a ninny. That I'm naive to what it is.
[ by which he means, he doesn't think that, clear in intonation. Quiet, responding to flaring anger with a kind of practiced calm, in this limited way. ]
But I wouldn't want to give the wrong impression of the south. That we're naïve to its potential.
[ She rushes to reassure him, not wanting for a moment for him to believe that she thinks poorly of him. The anxiety to make it clear she means no insult eats into her anger just a bit more. ]
I just wonder if it still has to be such an evil thing. It ends up being evil most of the time. But if someone used their own blood, and didn't hurt anyone else - would that still be evil?
[ More silence, thinking. That Tertia is asking him questions he has circled himself, that he's considered seeking answers for, makes it all the more complicated—and that's before even considering the danger inherent in the asking.
Speaking with young mages always reminds him of the Circle, and philosophising on the nature and morality of magic, even blood magic, is just as reminiscent. ]
No, [ finally, after some internal sifting. ] Evil is choice, intention. It isn't simply a thing that exists on its own. To say that anything on its own is innately corrupt is Chantry talk.
Especially because...The right way of doing magic is something that not everyone gets to learn. I didn't really learn it. But they can't cut you off from your own blood - from your own life. So even the most lowly mages can still take that power.
It is good to know whether it's truly forbidden here, or whether people just act like it's forbidden to keep up appearances. I'd never want to do something that would reflect badly on Riftwatch.
As if in good conscience, he can't say he's never done anything to reflect badly upon Riftwatch, but it certainly isn't his aim. ]
Are there ways you feel lacking, in magic? We don't have many true educators among our number, but we have mages of different kinds you could apprentice yourself to, perhaps.
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[ Would a mage hate a mage for it? Would a Rifter hate a mage for it? ]
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[ Not quite amused, but close. How loudly he has disagreed with those she might be categorising into shared sorts. ]
I expect that any mage who stands in opposition to the Chantry would think twice before selling one of our own to it, even a blood mage. But there's no promise of that, not if they think that person would harm others, or if they felt keeping that secret would be dangerous to themselves.
Sentiment varies.
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Before, when the Gallows was a Circle, its First Enchanter was a man named Orsino. He'd fought tooth and nail to protect his people from the treatment they suffered at the hands of the Templar Order. After the Rite of Annulment was declared upon them, he led his people in battle against it.
In desperation, despair, he drew on blood magic. He took from the corpses of those that had fallen, wrought himself into a monster. Forced decent men to slay him, in the end.
[ He normally doesn't prefer to speak over the crystals, particularly with things of importance, but there is something easier about speaking of this to a small glowing rock than a person. ]
I wasn't there, for that. We'd left the Gallows years prior, back to Starkhaven. But it sickens me to think of. I don't know, [ is his answer. Even not knowing needs reason. ] I've heard stories of its evil, but the stories closest to me are tales of desperate people. It isn't for me to push them any further.
Why do you wish to speak of this?
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I guess - because it's different up North. And I guess - I don't want to be in a situation where everyone is using it, and they're just not talking about it because you're supposed to pretend you're not doing it. I don't want to fall behind everyone else, or fight less well, because I don't know what's actually allowed.
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[ A hesitation. ]
I imagine it's probably even more allowed now. That was what things were like before the Elder One took Minrathous.
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[ Another ill twist of unease at such casual mention of those kept in slavery, and for the purposes of fueling magic. ]
It isn't that way, here. There's no looking aside from it, only the burden of keeping its secret. As far as I know, there are no blood mages among our number.
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I wonder why it's like that. Why it's so all right where I'm from, but not here.
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Is it so alright, even there?
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Well, they - don't get in trouble for it. That means it's all right, I'd say.
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[ A pause, before asking, ]
Do you practice blood magic? Or know it well enough to try.
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[ There’s no evasiveness there, no anxious shiftiness. Tertia isn’t a good liar; this is the truth. ]
But I’ve seen a lot of it done.
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The magic you have is enough. More than.
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[ She feels like she's - losing his trust, saying this. If he's saying that sort of thing, then he's - nervous? Maybe. And so she tries to explain a little better, haltingly: ]
I do know where it can lead. Of course. I - [ It's hard to say this in a way that doesn't make everyone feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. ] The blood of mages is especially useful for that kind of magic, you know. So. That's where they sent me.
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Finally; ]
No one here will use you that way, Tertia. No one would want to, or think you're denying us something.
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[ Suddenly - maybe a little surprisingly - there's a real ferocity in her voice. No hedging, no stammer - just steel. ]
No one will ever use me that way again. And I'd -
[ She stops herself before she finishes the thought - kill anyone who tried - but one can guess her meaning from her tone alone. She resumes a little softer. ]
All that I mean is that I do know what it can turn into. I do. As well as anyone. So I don't want you to think that I'm...a ninny. That I'm naive to what it is.
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[ by which he means, he doesn't think that, clear in intonation. Quiet, responding to flaring anger with a kind of practiced calm, in this limited way. ]
But I wouldn't want to give the wrong impression of the south. That we're naïve to its potential.
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[ She rushes to reassure him, not wanting for a moment for him to believe that she thinks poorly of him. The anxiety to make it clear she means no insult eats into her anger just a bit more. ]
I just wonder if it still has to be such an evil thing. It ends up being evil most of the time. But if someone used their own blood, and didn't hurt anyone else - would that still be evil?
[ A genuine question. ]
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Speaking with young mages always reminds him of the Circle, and philosophising on the nature and morality of magic, even blood magic, is just as reminiscent. ]
No, [ finally, after some internal sifting. ] Evil is choice, intention. It isn't simply a thing that exists on its own. To say that anything on its own is innately corrupt is Chantry talk.
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Especially because...The right way of doing magic is something that not everyone gets to learn. I didn't really learn it. But they can't cut you off from your own blood - from your own life. So even the most lowly mages can still take that power.
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Then, with what is not too far removed from a sort of bleak humour; ]
This isn't encouragement.
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[ She's quick to agree. ]
It is good to know whether it's truly forbidden here, or whether people just act like it's forbidden to keep up appearances. I'd never want to do something that would reflect badly on Riftwatch.
[ Or reflect badly on her, within Riftwatch. ]
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As if in good conscience, he can't say he's never done anything to reflect badly upon Riftwatch, but it certainly isn't his aim. ]
Are there ways you feel lacking, in magic? We don't have many true educators among our number, but we have mages of different kinds you could apprentice yourself to, perhaps.
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I don't even know, truthfully. I don't know what I might even be good at. How did you figure out what magic suited you?
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