galvanising: (045)
abjuring ([personal profile] galvanising) wrote in [community profile] therookery2018-03-25 11:23 pm

crystal | closed to circle mages

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.
dashing: (♛ ùrnaigh.)

[personal profile] dashing 2018-03-26 05:29 pm (UTC)(link)
That is my precise point. I agree that the destruction of phylacteries is necessary, but to chance giving Corypheus the upper hand in our refusal to tend our duties, or turn public opinion of mages more soundly against us?

We must consider our duty to our world above our duty to mages alone.
keenly: (Default)

[personal profile] keenly 2018-03-26 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
What about a selective strike? The war effort we'll keep a hand in, but anything else--day-to-day functions, for example--we let drop?
dashing: (♛ cnuasaich.)

almost replied as helena #yikes

[personal profile] dashing 2018-03-26 05:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Are there sufficient mages involved in day to day functions for such a step to be effective? And where would the lines be drawn, in some cases? Would healers, for example, agree to suspend their treatment of all patients? I fear that, in some instances, it would not be the Inquisition that suffered for our hands being stilled, but the common people of Kirkwall and beyond.
Edited 2018-03-26 17:41 (UTC)
keenly: (weaving olden dances)

[personal profile] keenly 2018-03-26 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)
The common people of Kirkwall are treated on our own time. We're not working for the Inquisition when we do that.
dashing: (♛ co-bheachdaich.)

[personal profile] dashing 2018-03-26 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
But there are other branches of aid that do fall under the Inquisition's efforts, whether they are diplomatic or otherwise.

Certainly having more time to see to the people of Kirkwall and aid them would be a boon, I imagine. Still, there are matters of discuss. Would you, for example, feel at ease refusing treatment to an Inquisition soldier who has no hand in the business of phylacteries for the sake of supporting the mage cause?
keenly: (pues que con Dios verdadero)

[personal profile] keenly 2018-03-26 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
How do you think it ought to be done, then? [There are non-magical healers, of course, but chasing a single tangent down a rabbit hole seems like it would be missing the point of this discussion as a whole.] We have to have a way to have autonomy, to create consequences, and this way is at least peaceful. Maybe you can think of something better?
dashing: (♛ sàmhach.)

[personal profile] dashing 2018-03-26 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
At present I have no satisfactory answer. ( She is big enough to admit that. ) My hope is that if we compile a comprehensive list of the reasons why the ending of the phylactery practice and destroying of all existing phylacteries is beneficial to the Inquisition and Thedas, beyond just mages, it will not come to this.

As I believe Knight Enchanter Voss and Enchanter Averesch said, the refusal to continue service is to be done only should it be necessary, not as the first attempted effort... better, I think, that we focus on the diplomatic first effort, than draw ourselves overmuch into the second before we know the Inquisition's answer. Knowing that might better allow us to hone our response.
keenly: (the dim grey sands with light)

[personal profile] keenly 2018-03-26 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
So, focus on plan A knowing we have some time to think of plan B. Sounds sensible.
dashing: (♛ bruidhinn.)

[personal profile] dashing 2018-04-01 11:20 am (UTC)(link)
Something to that effect, yes. The second plan may be necessary but... let us pray otherwise.