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FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Belinda Darrow
RECIPIENT: Open to all
WHAT: She's curious as to what this New Templar Order is all about, among other things.
WHEN: Guardian 19th
WHERE: Anyone can hear it anywhere, but she's at Skyhold.
NOTES: According to the logs, a dragon attack happened on Wintermarch 29, but the dragon fighting log happens on Guardian 28, so when Belinda asks about dragons, no one has killed any yet.

Hello, hello! I hope this is working.

[ A young woman's voice with a Starkhaven accent comes across the crystals. ]

I was supposed to think of everyone wasn't I? Well, let's see if I did it. Ehm, my name is Belinda, and I just returned from a mission for the Inquisition, so this is the first I've got to use this fancy crystal thing. It's nice, isn't it? Anyway, I saw a notice on the bulletin board that said "New Templar Order of the Inquisition" on it. What's all that about, then? Really, I've heard nothing, so I'm all ears. I'm curious whom they answer to, what their duties are, that sort of thing.

I hear there's a lot happening at Emprise du Lion right now too. Something about a load of Red Templars. And dragons. Did anyone listening to this see any dragons? I'd think it'd be quite alarming.

Also, it's been ages since I played Wicked Grace. I don't even have a deck. Anyone fancy a friendly game at the tavern tonight?

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Wouldn’t worry about it, as soon as the Chantry pulls their head from their collective arse then folk’ll either quit if they really can’t stand it or they’ll go back to toeing the line. Probably just want to have some fancy title to match the mage council here.

[But you know, some people like familiarity. Asher would rather his came in being remembered in the brothels and taverns for all the right reasons but different strokes for different folks.]

I was one of the ones fighting the dragons, Hivernal, nasty thing that she was.

I heard there was a mage council. It doesn't surprise me they wanted to organize into a unit for protection. I've been worried about mages out there on their own.

[ There's a pause, and when she speaks, her voice sounds disappointed. ]

The Chantry should be offering protection and comfort to the masses in this trying time, but in Val Royeaux, everyone was squabbling and trying to step on each other to reach the top. Justinia would be ashamed of how they are acting. Whether it's misguided grief, or a power grab, I don't like it.

You know that other mages out on their own do just fine, right? Like the Dalish. And my folk. Being in the community and playing a real part works wonders.

[Not that it's any of his business you know, he'll just be right here, sipping his tea.

Except the tea is whisky most likely.]

Well that's Orlais all the time, there's a reason I'm not the one doing the talking when my company pick up work there because I'd just torch it and work with what was left after. S'pose it's the Chantry finally showing true colours at long last though.

Yes, but the Dalish live in isolated communities. And I'm sorry, but I don't know who your people are? But here in most parts of southern Thedas, you'll find most people aren't kind to mages.

[ Sip away, bro. ]

I don't think that's true. Justinia wasn't like that. I know others aren't either. It all depends on whose voice is loudest, and right now, it's the people who aren't helping.

The Avvar. You know, the ones that descended from the Alamarri. Andraste’s lot. I know that bit gets forgotten, not civilised enough for Orlais because we were big dirty hairy people. I know what it’s like here, I’m just saying that they all get on fine, doing their thing. I’ve got an apostate that’s never known a Circle and she’s never been inclined to blood magic but when they get out of the towers they all get a bit nuts, s’all I’m saying.

[Maybe don’t lock people up man, drives most people demented.]

Oh it’s a bloody scam. Look the way I see it, people are flocking to the Inquisition because they want to help but what is the Chantry doing? They’re all running around like we were up in the Emprise but we were fighting an actual dragon that decimated our camp, not wringing our hands about who should be the Divine. If they really believed they’d all march up here, ask what they could do and do something.

[ Belinda listens without interruption, trying to get a sense of who this man is. She's known for being talkative and sometimes that annoys people. Sometimes that leads them to say not very nice things to her when she's trying to be friendly. Sometimes she gets a spell fired at her. Why people want to work together in silence as strangers, she'll never know. Don't people work better as a group when they know a bit about each other? ]

I'm from the Free Marches, so I'm afraid I don't know much about the Avvar. But I'd like to hear about them sometime, if you want to talk about them!

[ Stories are fun! And entertaining! ]

It's not that simple. The Templars were the Chantry's army, and the Lord Seeker mucked up everything when he said the Templars no longer served the Chantry. Everything became a mess, with some Templars following him and some refusing to. Then the new Lord Seeker pulled his Templars out of Val Royeaux. As bad as it is that the Revered Mothers and Grand Clerics are squabbling over a new Divine, perhaps they think she can set things right. The Chantry has no armed forces now. You're right that they should be trying to help; I don't argue that. They could help with supplies, or sheltering refugees. But I think the Chantry is just... in shock. It wants its Templars back so it can go out and do what the Inquisition is doing, and to do that, they think they need a Divine first.

[That throws Asher for a loop; usually people just treat him like a heathen (not that he minds but it’s the principle of the thing, especially when it was aimed as an insult at him so recently) and he might be more Ferelden by blood but it’s the Avvar that always accepted him, his grandfather happy enough to speak with Asher and of him, to show him as much as Asher wished to see.]

So long as you don’t talk about the Chantry. I lived that life for fifteen years and it never did a thing for me except get me thrown out the house.

[Well, the Templars more but the Chantry’s got them by the short and curlies so it doesn’t make much of a difference in his eyes.]

Look, I can understand if they took a month. But it’s been a long time since the Breach happened. What do you do when the boat you’re in is sinking and the captain died? Do you stand there arguing about who gets to be the next captain? No, you grab a bucket and you start bailing. The Circles voted for freedom so that’s what the mages are getting and I don’t really give a shit; they voted, they’re out, they don’t need Templars and if a whole load of the Templars and their boss walked out then they move on. Nothing is permanent, a lot of people could stand to pick that one up. What does an army have to do with them actually comforting people or giving them a place to sleep, giving them food and whatever healing poultices they can get, asking for actual useful donations. The Chantry only wants the Templars back so it has something to hide behind and to try to get their own way, when the Inquisition is at least making an effort.

Well, all right.

[ Hardly anybody wants to talk with her about the Chantry, unless it's to criticize. :'( ]

But not all mages feel that way. There should be a way to get them the support they want from Templars. Things are just too muddled up right now.

[ She sighs softly. ]

Yes, the Inquisition is making an effort, which is why I serve.

[Look, if the Chantry were cooler about 1) him hitting on the young ladies that haven't taken their vows and 2) him making the Brothers hot under the collar then Asher would maybe have less of a beef.]

Muddled up is the mildest way of putting it I've heard so far. If people could each to their own, I would be a much happier man and I don't stick my dick in politics but that's never going to happen, not even when the Archon and the Arishok decide to get hitched and bring peace and love to the south.

[Everyone is truly happy for that disturbing mental image Asher.]

And if the Chantry decides to drag you all back?

Well that's a funny thing to say, after all that. I thought that to you, the Chantry had no power to make anybody do anything, since it lost its soldiers.

[ But it does make her wonder, since the Divine could potentially get everyone back in line. ]

The Divine's actions caused Lord Seeker Lambert to dissolve the Nevarran Accord. Whether we agreed with that or not, there is no way for the Chantry to do any dragging. A new Divine could help bring order, since many will always look to the Chantry as a guiding light, and her decisions could be very good ones.

I’ve been a mercenary since I was fifteen, you consider every option and since the Templars here can’t seem to decide who they’re throwing their weight behind? Doesn’t hurt to consider all the options. I mean it would require old women, many of whom are Orlesian, to shut up for five minutes and listen but that’s another argument.

[Look, Asher can come off dumb in person but she has no idea who he is exactly, or what he looks like. He can hedge his bets.]

Well there is. There’s always lyrium. A thirsty man’ll lap at a puddle same as a dog if you keep him high and dry long enough, I wouldn’t put anything past them if even enough of them with some clout put pressure on the Inquisition.

Not necessarily. Like I said, Lord Seeker Lambert broke the alliance that existed between the Templars and the Chantry and pulled his men back. His replacement, Lord Seeker Lucius ordered the Templars to abandon Val Royeaux. And neither of those events led to widespread lyrium withdrawal. If they can get their hands on that awful red lyrium, then there are ways and means for ordinary Templars to get their hands on the blue.

[ Belinda still takes lyrium. She's thought about this, Asher. ]

The Inquisition brings in lyrium for the Templars, and any Templar knows a guy who knows a guy in the Carta who can get him some. The Chantry doesn't hold the continent's lyrium in its back pocket.

You know I saw that growing in the Hinterlands? Above the ground. When lyrium comes from under it. Thing is, lyrium is expensive and I've got two ex-Carta shits on my roster, scarcity and necessity drive up the prices, it's what happened most places during the Blight.

[Sucks to be you Belinda. Kick the habit, free yourself.]

The Inquisition doesn't have as many allies or contacts as something this big needs, doesn't even seem to have the coin for some of the repair jobs it should be getting on with. Things might get uglier around here if the Carta decide to do a touch of profiteering or the red Templars decide to step up their game to more than just quarries.

[ Mind your own beeswax, Asher. X( ]

That's why we'll be stopping the Red Templars wherever they try to gain power.

[ As for the rest? Well that's what Ambassador Montilyet is for, isn't she? She can court nobles for favor and money, and just because Skyhold still needs repairs doesn't mean she isn't doing her job. ]

And I trust the ambassador to help the Inquisition gain the necessary allies. She's a wonder at this sort of thing.

[Isn't the beeswax of all Inquisition parties equally everyone's beeswax Belinda? The Inquisition is for all remember.]

You might want to head out to Emprise du Lion and burn every last quarry to the ground. Sick bastards they are.

[Ah yes, diplomacy. The crap way of getting things done because people are too scared to just punch everyone in the face.]

You don't win wars with cakes and flowery poncy bullshit. You fight until someone wins, then you kick them in the balls and rifle through their pockets.

[ Since when are you officially in the Inquisition, Asher? If you are, give her some of those chicken eggs. You know, for the good of the Inquisition. ]

We already have troops there and I've only just returned from a months-long mission too.

[ Why is he so mean? ;_; ]

I didn't say she would win the war for us; I said she would gain us allies, who can offer money or troops, and then we can win this war.

[Since he signed up and got paid for it. And no, those eggs are all his. And for the kids in camp because some of them have never had eggs before and that's scandalous.]

They're your brothers and sisters.

[He's the official honey badger of the Inquisition, giving nary a fuck.]

We're absolutely not in a position to be given money unless we look particularly sad and hold out the begging bowls. Troops...I was talking about this to someone else but a line of soldiers all the same as one another doesn't fare well, there's nowhere near enough variety in the rank and file.

No, they're not. [ Her voice softens. ] Not anymore. They made their choice as I made mine, and they aren't who they once were.

I don't understand what you're trying to say. How is gaining allies from all over not going to achieve exactly that? It would gain us troops who are all different, with different skills and tactics.

Right...so you're a Templar. You had training, along with everyone else in training at the same time as you. You all had your weapons, you had drills, you had formations. Soldiers are the same. Different nations might fight differently but they march in formation, they form up lines of swords and shields or bow, and the differences between standing armies isn't really as big as someone might think. Ferelden has hounds too, sometimes Ash Warriors. Orlais has chevaliers. Different armour, different metal and wood for their weapons but that's what it is.

[For once, he'll actually try to explain because he does feel like a bit of a shit and he knows this life well, him and Taashath were just talking about it right after he got back from fighting a dragon out in Emprise du Lion.

There's a good reason the Inquisition is spending the coin to hire mercenaries, he'd hire a lot more of them if he were in charge and worry about kissing Orlesian arses later.]

But at the end of the day, it's still a line of people used to fighting the same way. People can say what they like about the lack of discipline in mercenaries but I've seen armies break before when they're scattered and they realise what they're up against knows their tactics. I know how to fight with a sword and a shield, two-handed swords and axes, maces, cudgels, clubs, small knives and daggers, with my bare hands or whatever the hell I can grab. That's what makes a person dangerous. You can be decked in silverite, wearing amulets to Andraste, with an enchanted sword and shield in your hand, enough discipline in you that you'd shit it if you weren't so honourable, with enough belief in your cause or love of your country that you'd rival the sun. But if someone can see through all that and use whatever they can find to beat you bloody, they're going to win. I've lead my company for years, we've never lost a member to death or injury because we're a mixed bunch and most of us have a back-up. Sure, you can make a nice shield wall at Skyhold but it's nothing like being able to cover every angle. Maybe it's fine for little pushes out into the wilderness, but if there's a real force that might mass against us? We could break, and break badly.

[ She's about to say "former Templar," but he goes on and he keeps going, so she waits and hears him out.

...how did he know she wears an amulet to Andraste? ]

Have you told her all this? The Ambassador, I mean.

[Look, Asher in general doesn't think when he's going in solo but he's a damn good battlemaster in the field.]

Because she's really going to listen to a mercenary over a former Knight-Captain.

Do you think I've just been on missions with former Templars too? Before going to Val Royeaux, I was on a mission with a Tal-Vashoth mercenary, a Dalish mage, and a hunter who hid from demons coming from the Breach by hiding in a snowdrift. And that was a mission the Ambassador sent us on to retrieve stolen heirlooms. Once we returned with them, the noble gave the Inquisition a huge reward that probably paid for all our meals for a month. She's smart. She'll at least listen to what you have to say and consider it. After all, you're not the first mercenary to join the Inquisition.

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