therookery | weighed and measured in kind

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Thranduil
RECIPIENT: A L L
WHAT: Please don't riot about the phylacteries. (yet)
WHEN: Post-negotiations.
WHERE: Gallows!
NOTES: After this. Specifically, after Iorveth does a property damage and before anyone else can try that.

[ thranduil's voice is tight, if still somehow pleasant: ]

I understand that there are a great number of questions and concerns at the moment regarding the Inquisition's proposed policy of phylacteries for Rifters.

If there are concerns that anyone would wish to make known through official channels, the Research Division has been appointed to handle the research of this new, proposed policy. [ very pointed stressing. ] My office is where it has always been, and any concerns should be turned into the box reserved for correspondence of that nature.

I would remind all Rifters that we are yet considered a single unit. [ remember the curfew? ] That poor behavior will affect all of us- indeed, anyone currently afflicted with a Shard. I would advise them that this is never as true as it is now, and that consequences for actions taken in the heat of the moment are the same as those made when rational.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Boss.

[From her tone, the address is a bit of bravado, whistling in the dark.]

I'm not resigning my post. If they're going to be experimenting on us in a more direct way, I at least want to stay involved on both ends of the research. I'm not... I'm not much of a diplomat or a public speaker or anything, but if you need me to do anything else other than keep my head down in the meantime, let me know.

[Most of the rifters she knows best either have better sense than to yell on a public channel or have said reasonably sensible things; still, if they can prevent this from going sour, she wants to help. She just doesn't know how.]

I will be happy to have you stay with me, Cosima. Steady, quiet work is the most important in the end.

[ literally any rifter who's attempted to a) assimilate or b) not scream right now is his favorite. ]

Yes. As a matter of fact, I do. What rights were you accustomed to in your home that you do not have or see in Thedas-- for Rifters or for, say, citizens of Kirkwall.

Oh.

[The question seems to surprise her, but she seriously considers how to answer.]

For me personally... that's a complicated question we can get into if you want, but for citizens of the country I'm from, let me think. We get to vote on who our leaders are -- sometimes none of the choices are great, but we do have a say. You don't have to own land or be of a certain rank to vote. And there are mechanisms in place to kick out leaders who are corrupt or incompetent that mostly work. You're also explicitly allowed to petition the government, which I'm not sure everyone here can do.

[Flashing back to civics class:]

The government can't generally lock you up for speaking your mind, with a few very specific exceptions, even if what's on your mind is the government sucks and our leader is incompetent. We're actually a lot more extreme on that than a lot of our allies. And it hasn't always been upheld, but people theoretically have the right to gather, even in large numbers, for any reason as long as it's a peaceful gathering.

And obviously a Tevinter thing not a Kirkwall thing [...anymore], but slavery has been illegal for about a century and a half, which I know is pretty shamefully recent, but at least it did get done.

[ half of the things she mentions are extraordinary, but no wonder that they're close to an absolute riot if these overly generous terms are what rifters are accustomed to. ]

Thank you, Cosima. How many Rifters, in your estimation, consider the things you mentioned to be basic and how many are more used to the norms of Thedas?

Shit, hm. I don't have a number handy of how many of us there are or where they're from, exactly. I can think of... five or six offhand who'd probably have a similar answer to mine, if not totally identical. Honestly, though, I know there are a lot of rifters I don't know well, so that number's maybe low.

Enough to be difficult and think themselves able to change the way things are done.

[ displeasure, but cosima has adjusted well enough, perhaps they will to. how many have remained quiet and decided to watch this play out? ]

Look, are there things I think aren't great about the Inquisition, or Thedas in general? Sure, maybe. But if we're all getting tortured to death by Venatori, I think that becomes an abstract academic point.

Save the world first, man. Triage.

Just so.

Take care, Cosima.

[ as unintentionally ominous of a bidding you ado as he can give. ]

weighed and measured in kind

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