crystal | closed to circle mages

[galvanising]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Nell, Kostos
RECIPIENT: Former Circle Mages in the Gallows
WHAT: Phylactery update, discussing a labor strike, business as usual
WHEN: After everyone is back from the Sunless Lands
NOTES: There's no "Circle mage" filter for the crystals; they're having to read off the names of everyone they know who might be one. But if your character has been reasonably open with the Inquisition about being a mage from a Circle, you can assume they're included.

Skyhold has ordered that the phylacteries recovered from the Seekers in the Storm Coast be locked up here in the Gallows until they choose what to do with them. Since they seem to be struggling to come to a decision, we thought we should help them by making clear to them where the mages of the Inquisition stand on this issue. To begin with, Kostos and I are drafting a letter to the leadership urging them to destroy these phylacteries and any others that come into the Inquisition's possession in the future, and we would like to be able to tell the advisors that the affected mages here in Kirkwall are in unanimous agreement, or near enough.

We'll be getting in touch with the mages in Skyhold and the other bases separately, and may speak with others in the wider community if further support seems needed, but since former Circle mages are the only people actually affected by this decision, we are the ones who should be making it.

[ Kostos—quiet, due to both internal conflict, a habit of following Nell's lead, and a natural disinclination to talk to large groups of near-strangers—breaks his silence to add, ] In the meantime, if everyone could refrain from doing anything hideously stupid that would remind people why they're useful, that would be… [ Good. You know. ] And we do need to know how you feel, and how strongly. There is a fine line between making threats and explaining consequences, and we can do our best to stay on the right side of it.

But we need to know how many of you will be willing to follow through if it becomes necessary to demonstrate to the Inquisition just how much they need us.

Comments

[winterwinds]

Wouldn't it be better to return the phylacteries to their rightful owners to decide what to do with them?

[circleprodigy]

Agreed. It's crucial that they have a say in what's done with their own phylacteries.

[winterwinds]

It's their blood, after all.

[circleprodigy]

Precisely. They might want the satisfaction of destroying their own, should they choose.

[galvanising]

I would love to smash my own, but I would love more to know that we are all free of this for good.

[circleprodigy]

A fair point. I haven't forgotten the torment of a few weeks ago.

[Pause.]

If the owners cannot be found, for whatever reason, it would be better to see them destroyed. The Inquisition has already witnessed what comes of such magic.

[galvanising]

Agreed, but to hold onto them in the meantime while we try to search out the mages they belong to would take too long and raise too many problems. The Inquisition may change its mind, someone may try to steal them, the mages in question may not want to be found. Anyone who is here with the Inquisition and wants to claim their own should have the chance to take it and do what they wish with it, and they certainly will if I have any say in what comes of this. But any left after that is done should be immediately destroyed. Satisfaction isn't worth the risks.

[exequy]

I am certain that if our leaders can be persuaded to give them up in the first place, no one will stop people who want a souvenir from claiming their own first.

[winterwinds]

I wasn't thinking souvenir, but I know some just want their phylacteries returned to them. Either to destroy them themselves or... give them to someone they trust.

[exequy]

Yes. But while the Inquisition is deliberating what to do with them, indefinitely, perhaps until the end of the war when they no longer need our cooperation—or if it ultimately decides to keep them or to return them to the Chantry—then the question of whether they should be destroyed or distributed is academic.

[winterwinds]

Ah, and I am an academic. I do see your point, the discussion you want is if we can support a united front to release the phylacteries from being locked up where they could be misused.

I would support such an effort. [ even though her phylactery isn't there lol ]

[exequy]

[ Neither is his, but, you know. Principle. It's important. ]

Good.

[ He means thank you, but he isn't good at this. ]

[aceso]

What would be the best method to disseminate that information to the masses so their owners could come forward?

[winterwinds]

I'm really not sure. They must label them... though names posted wouldn't be an ideal method...

There used to be some kind of mage collective that operated outside of Circles, did they all go to ground when the rebellion occurred? I would imagine they could get that kind of word spread where it needs to go.

[aceso]

Yes. I also thought it best not to have a list of names.

It is possible word could be spread, but I feel that in the end, the Inquisition will still be in possession of a great many phylacteries. The effort required may not be worth the result.

[winterwinds]

Yes, it's a shame we're all so spread out, but it would be difficult to get everyone's phylacteries to their rightful mage.

[aceso]

Unfortunately we do not possess the resources to make it a reality. I think destroying them is the best thing we can do for these mages; to keep them safe.

[champions]

In an ideal world, but how could the manpower be justified scurrying over Thedas to disseminate them?

Better they are shattered. If they long for a phylactery so very much, they can have another made.

[winterwinds]

I suppose I was thinking in the more immediate, those who are here. It would of course be unreasonable to expect the Inquisition to spread themselves thin rather than just destroying them.

[champions]

Ah, I misunderstood - my apologies. I don't think any reasonable person would stop a mage here from taking their own phylactery if they truly wished for it, but the symbolism of destroying all of them could be important. Leaving none of our brothers and sisters shackled any longer, you know?

[justice_is_blond]

Perhaps it would be better, but with what manpower would we deliver them? How do we not disturb the lives of those mages who have found something for themselves, perhaps even while hiding their magic? How do we make sure a few phylacteries aren't tucked away in the meantime by those with ulterior motives? And how do we avoid chances of mages trying to act in self-defense against our people when the mages see ours with their phylactery?

I believe the practical outweighs the other.

[winterwinds]

You're right. It does make more sense just to destroy them.