002.

[sangsues]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Etienne Guerinet Beaumanoir
RECIPIENT: everyone (sorry)
WHAT: whats all this
WHEN: post-proposal etc
WHERE: the walliest kirk
NOTES: Orlesians

( A quiet clearing of the throat; one can naturally assume it is a very beautiful clearing of the throat, done by a very beautiful man. )

This matter of the phylacteries for rifters… it seems sensible. If they are such a valuable resource to the Inquisition, the closing of rifts, and so on, being able to find said resource if a rival power were to try and overpower them and abscond with them makes sense, I think. For their own safety, for our own safety. If Corypheus and his forces were, for example, to make an attack on a party closing a rift and kidnap those rifters for nefarious purposes, it would be better for all if we were able to find them as quickly as possible. The phylacteries are an established way of doing just this, no?

By all means, if you wish to see the world end, protest. Even if this is not your world, though, I think we can all agree that you are currently in it. It’s fate is not entirely irrelevant to you.

Comments

[sangsues]

It is one use, yes. So far as I know, these would be used for the purposes of monitoring rifter locations in the case of them going missing.

[sangsues]

Have you actually tried to explain to any of us who you are, where you're from, what you can do and how you do it? Have you asked myself any of these things? I have no desire to control anyone. I'm a concerned member of the Inquisition.

[sangsues]

So a different sort of tracking method with hundreds of years of proven effectiveness? I don't know if we have something like that lying around.

It's not just a possibility. It's happened before, and the missing party was gone for days before they were even realised to be gone from the location they should have been in, let alone before they were found and rescued. If they'd had phylacteries, the situation might have been much different.

[sangsues]

Did I say you belonged to us? I said you are useful - you are. Or, your shards are. They are desirable by the enemy. In some way or another, you are a resource. I am a doctor - I am also a resource. It isn't an insult, just an acknowledgment of value.

[sangsues]

Rifters now discussing vague matters with one another and sharing secret items. Of course, no need to worry.

[sangsues]

It could be used to track blood mages and put a stop to their damage, before the mages demanded their phylacteries be broken.

( you SEE Galadriel, you SEE why they need phylacteries )

[gotyourselfapilot]

I don't know what other methods this world could have to use. But many don't agree with this blood tracking. From what I've heard so far, I don't particularly like it. The Rifters already have limited freedoms with having a curfew.

Did this person who was kidnapped from their position aware of such dangers and took upon that position regardless? Even if it's hours or days, if you are truly committed to your cause you won't spill knowledge. If people don't want to handle the risks then they should stay behind or find something useful within the city. Help people and others. I don't believe the phylacteries are necessary. Perhaps they should be voluntary, not set to one group in particular.

[ipseite]

In one thing we are agreed, docteur; it is past due that many similarly foreign to myself understood that we are not apart from this world, and behave accordingly.

( beaumanoir is common and so are his thoughts. they will hear this again and again, and the concerns raised (and those not spoken, but felt) will not be assuaged by the wailing and gnashing of teeth. certainly not by threats of force.

she presses a finger to the pulse, acquaints herself with its speed and strength. these will be busy days. )

[sorcerised]

It makes us into a commodity. When you combine that with the proposal to create an artefact that gives others power over us, that's a problem. No one is suggesting putting a chain around your neck, doctor.

As for what the enemy wants, that's a whole other problem. Imagine if all the enemy needed to do to find all the rifters in the world was get hold of their phylacteries! If they held them, and not you, I think the Inquisition would like it less.

[ Because then how would the rifts be closed? What would be done then, if rifters were forced to keep them open instead? ]

You can have the shards. I don't mind that, I want it gone anyway. Perhaps instead of thinking of new ways to control us, they should be finding a way to free us entirely. Or wouldn't that serve their purpose?

[sangsues]

Being contrary when there's no known way to remove the shards isn't helpful.

You make a good point about the enemy using phylacteries to locate rifters - that is definitely a danger that would need to be considered. Maybe if you raised that with the division heads for debate with Skyhold that would be more effective saying how awful the Inquisition are for having this discussion?

[circleprodigy]

Of course it seems sensible to someone who has never had one made for himself, or been tormented through it for weeks on end. It's not a simple, harmless inquiry when such items have been abused again and again and again. That many who have deep concerns about this simply wish to see the world end -when we have been fighting for years to prevent just that- is pure nonsense.

[sangsues]

A great burden, having a curfew when food, board and supplies are provided for you. Terrible.

It wasn't one person, it was a team. I don't know the particulars, but... there could be cause to be suspicious of those who do not want the tracking at all, potentially.

[sorcerised]

I'm not being contrary. You said you were a doctor. Are you telling me that if there was a disease spreading among your people for which there was no known cure, you would just stop looking for one? I don't think you would. I don't think any healer would.

Anyway, I didn't say they were awful for having a discussion; I said phylacteries shouldn't be forced on us, and if they are, I'll resist with all my power. Is it so offensive to you that I think we should have the right to say no?

[sangsues]

I didn't say that. You said you'd be glad not to have the shard, as if it were a current possibility.

No. It just seems logical. Does that mean you won't be taking your observation to the division heads?

[sangsues]

Wise words. How have you settled in?

[sangsues]

Let me guess: you are a mage.

[gotyourselfapilot]

We help the Inquistion for food, supplies and board. I come from an organization back home that has to run on limited supplies and can't really leave the base by any means unless it's on missions. A curfew in place means that people are frightened of the Rifters for one reason or another and it gives them fuel for fire.

Even as a team they all should have known the risks. If any one person can't handle that kind of risk they shouldn't be fighting but doing something else to help the town or base or Inquisition. Anyone can suspect anyone. I can suspect the leaders of being corrupted in someway with wanting to keep track of one particular group just because they want to cause fear among the people. It all comes down to trust.

[ipseite]

( she realises with a start that it has been a year past, now— )

It has been a year not without its challenges, ( as diplomatically as ever. ) Thedas offers us all no end of those, I'm sure you'll agree.

This discussion has been a long time coming, I think.

[sangsues]

Not all of you.

What makes you think they just want to cause fear for people?

[spellshatter]

I say [ suggestion is for wusses ] it's not true that no one can force your hand and it's only a phylactery that would change that.

But one might mitigate the other, if you want to talk about that. If a blood mage got a hook in you, a phylactery might let us step in before the results got—catastrophic, you said? That's a good word.

[gatheringstorm]

Oh, go fuck yourself.

Just because people don't support making those damned leashes -which were recently used to torment a good portion of our mages, great timing- doesn't mean we want Corypheus to win. I haven't heard your voice before, but I have been fighting this fight for years. I can do that and still protest this as the huge violation it is. You don't get to decide who is loyal and who isn't.

Oh, and an extra fuck you for dragging in the subject of the rifters who were kidnapped, as though you actually care about any of them and what they endured instead of using them as a weapon in your argument. Disgusting.

[circleprodigy]

Yes, I am. And this somehow invalidates my opinion?

[gotyourselfapilot]

Then that's on the others who choose to not want to help. And the person in charge to give them something to do.

From what I'm seeing, it's not hope they are creating. I certainly don't feel hopeful if the outcome comes to be that we have to. Many Rifters are upset and from what I know the mages weren't happy. But the mages were already part of this world. We are not. If it's not fear they are causing then what are they?

[iceblade]

Is this your take on the native anchor-bearers, too? Just curious.

[sangsues]

( A weary sigh. )

Some would say that there are those who have suffered at the hands of mages who have deep concerns about apostates who escape Circles doing terrible things not being able to be tracked. Are their opinions invalid? When mages can become possessed and rampage and do great harm, is it wrong that people wanted a means for dangers to be tracked? And it is all well and good to say it should have only been done to dangerous mages, but there would be those who behaved exceptionally well simply to win trust and get opportunities to take advantage of.

Your opinion isn't invalid. The opposite opinion, though, that is also valid, and I doubt you see it that way.