( open )

[drazhada]

FORM: sending crystal
SENDER: maia
RECIPIENT: o..pen
WHAT: elves, elves everywhere
WHEN: late morning
WHERE: skyhold
NOTES: probably nothing tbh

.. Good morning. [ if the voice sounds a little nervous, it's because its owner is really nervous. this sure is a lot different from addressing his court. ] We are Maia of House Drazhar, and to.. get the question out of the way immediately, we are one person. Our native language is simply very formal.

[ if any of you were wondering suspiciously about the 'we'. he gets a lot of funny looks here. ]

We have a request, if it isn't impolite. At home, you see, our people are very different from the elves of this world, and so there's a great deal we still need to learn. We would be very interested in hearing more about both the Dalish and the.. forgive us, the term is 'city elves'? The.. way you live, your clans and communities and homes and beliefs. There is a bit of literature, of course, but it seems primarily to be written by human observers.

[ which, you know, is only so accurate or trustworthy, considering the racial tensions in this world. ]

We would be glad to hear anything that you wish to share, and we would also be happy to meet with you in person if you would prefer that instead. We have no desire to be insensitive or prying.

[ a beat, then a little shyly: ] Thank you for your time.

Comments

[circleprodigy]

Good morning, Maia. [She answers that nervousness with a welcoming tone. Questions are always welcome for such a polite library buddy.]

And 'city elves' is the correct term, yes. They live in alienages, an area within a city set aside for those of the elven people. Conditions are bound to vary, and I cannot claim to know them all, though many lag behind the rest of the city in terms of services and care. In regard to specifics, I can you about life in the Denerim alienage, from the perspective of a small child...and from a brief, though recent visit. Others are likely to elaborate far better than I, but I can still make the attempt.

One feature that I remember well -and which still stands- is the vhenadahl, or "tree of the People," a common alienage landmark. I was told once that it was a symbol of Arlathan, the lost elven homeland, but no elaboration was given beyond that. It tends to be a massive oak, sprawling in the heart of the community, and is often decorated. When last I saw the one of my childhood, it was brightly decorated, with ribbons and candles and small offerings, its trunk painted with intricate designs. I always thought it was the most beautiful thing in the alienage; that opinion hasn't changed.

[drazhada]

Oh, hello, Warden Serra. We're very happy to hear from you.

The--our pardon--vhena-- vhenadahl? It sounds lovely. We must admit that we're curious about it, though.. why an oak, for instance. Why a tree at all, perhaps. You don't often go home, though..? [ a beat. ] Because you're a Warden?

[circleprodigy]

It's difficult to say. There is much that we've forgotten about our heritage; it's the price paid for integration, I suppose. Though I hesitate to use that term, as city elves are most definitely not given the same rights and treatment as others. Back to the subject, I believe it is often an oak due to the constellation Fervanis, which is also known as 'the oak'. Some believe it was originally a constellation of the elven people, before Tevinter claimed it.

Being a Warden is one reason, yes. My duties naturally keep me elsewhere; there aren't darkspawn to be found in alienages, typically. I am -was- a Circle mage, as well. When we are discovered to possess magic, mages are taken to Circle towers to learn, and there we remain unless there is a good reason and official sanction to depart. Or at least that was true until rather recently. The tower was my home for most of my life, so those I know best are, if not from the order, from the Circle. I doubt any in the alienage remember me.

[Her tone isn't self-pitying or bitter. It is what it is, and she's come to terms with that long ago.]

[drazhada]

[ over the broadcast is the distinct sound of a quill scratching gently against paper as maia takes notes. most of his questions are to satisfy his own curiousity, of course, but one never knows when the knowledge might come in handy. ]

We've read a bit about Tevinter, but we see that we still have a great deal more to look into.

[ he hesitates, then adds cautiously: ] We've also read about the Circles. Were elves and humans generally treated similarly there..?

[circleprodigy]

Generally, yes, at least in my experience. What mattered most was not race, but magical ability. In there, you were a mage, first and foremost; everything else was secondary. And if you were quick to learn, quick to control your magic, you could find favor.

[drazhada]

We see.. [ sort of. it's coming together, anyway. ] But how is it, then, that you became a Warden..? To our understanding, Circle mages were not generally allowed to leave.

[circleprodigy]

True, but as war erupted between mages and Templars, the Circles began to fall. Kinloch Hold was no exception, and when that happened, I departed to seek out the Grey Wardens. At that point, everyone was seen as an apostate, so legality was no longer the issue that it was in the past. And after they accepted me, the issue was rendered moot. The Grey Wardens can take who they wish for their order, and others must accept this...though if the practice is abused, there will be consequences. But one mage among many others suddenly without a Circle? No one thought twice about it.

[drazhada]

Are you happier as a Warden?

[ it seems to generally mean a short, violent life from what he can tell of his research, but he's an outsider-- he has no idea what it really means, and he knows that. ]

[circleprodigy]

[A brief pause, as that question startles her. Of the many she was expecting, that wasn't it.]

Being a Grey Warden isn't about happiness, it's about serving a purpose. I knew that well before joining them. But they saved my life, during the Fifth Blight. I owe them a debt, and it will be repaid to the best of my ability.

Though to answer your question, using my talents to aid a good cause can be satisfying.

[drazhada]

We have served a purpose our entire life. It is only in the last year that we've learned that purpose shouldn't be our entire definition.

[ a beat. ] .. Which is to say that we're glad that you find being a Warden satisfying.

[circleprodigy]

Thank you. And I entirely agree. There are causes bigger than ourselves, but we shouldn't lose sight of who we are in serving them.