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

[sorcerised]

Are you actually joking?

[ You're not and he knows it, so why dont we just segue straight into... ]

Firstly, Rifters are not a 'valuable resource'. We're people, already brought here against our will and through no fault of our own, and now you want to put leashes and collars on us too. We dont belong to you, or the Inquisition. If you asked for our help and we agreed, and we also agreed to magic that would let you find us, then that's a different matter.

But they are talking about forcing it on us. If you think the only use of that would be to find us when we're in trouble, then you are criminally naive. It would be used to keep track of us, to ensure we could never walk away and allow pressure to be put on us to do what the Inquisition says whether we want to or not. It takes our freedom from us, and I will never stand for that. How dare any of you ask me to.

[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.

[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?

[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?

[sorcerised]

I'll take it to whoever will listen. Are you implying I shouldn't say it to you, when you've taken it upon yourself to talk about this thing that doesn't affect you in the first place?

private ;

[aenseidhe]

Aro. [ the voice is the same distinct accent that Iorveth spoke to the other Drakonis rifters in, so it shouldn't be hard to recognize him as who he is. ] You're right in all that you say here, but these men have no sway on the policy that's proposed. Their opinions aren't that of Skyhold or the representatives from the Chantry or the Templars, but all that we say over these crystals can be freely heard by those we'll have to make our case to in negotiations soon.

Every suggestion of a plan, every arguing point, every glimpse of frustration that they could twist into being evidence of Rifter hostility and arrogance.

Bullshit, of course, but it's the game we're forced to play if we wish to win this with all lives and freedoms intact. I only advise you have care to what's said over these things. It may be best only to discuss it with fellow Rifters. We'll need to put together a plan of action sooner than later, and letting Skyhold catch even a whisper of it could damn us all.

Re: private ;

[sorcerised]

[ Aro pauses. ]

You're telling me to be quiet, when you shouted first and loudest?

[ And made a whole public message all your own? Come on, Iorveth. You don't get to be the pot calling the kettle black here.

Still, Aro does trust Iorveth more than any of the Inquisition-affiliated men and women here. Certainly more than the man he's talking to. At least he can be assured that he and Iorveth are on the same side, and also, the elf probably has a point. It's a hypocritical point, but it's still a point. ]

Look, I understand. I don't want to jeopardize anything we'll need to do in the future. I don't believe these are bad men. They just don't see this from our side, and they never will if we don't tell our side to them. If we want to make a change, we'll need more voices calling for it than our own, you have to know that.

Re: private ;

[aenseidhe]

I am, yes, which ought to tell you something about how important it is.

[ did he seem like the kind of person to be easily swayed in that post? ]

I completely believe these are bad men. [ because what excuse is there to do this to an innocent, intelligent, living being? None, no matter your history, your upbringing, your world state. It’s simply wrong, in Iorveth’s eyes, and everyone should know that. They’re just making trades on what’s right for what’s safe, and it’s disgusting. The fact it’s the norm for this world makes no excuse. That, however, isn’t the point. ]

But they’re bad men that have a stark and impassible advantage over us. If we’re to get out from under them, it will have to be a united effort, and organized. We’ve voices our discontentment, but the policy makers are not looking at us as people. Only as assets, dangerous ones. The same they’ve view mages as for centuries.

[sorcerised]

Exactly. Exactly, Iorveth, which is why it's a good idea to court support from those they don't view as assets. People like this man, for example.

[ They can't just isolate themselves as rifters. That won't help their cause. It will only make it easier for the Inquisition to stylize them as a single group that can easily fit into one box.

And speaking of that. ]

Even rifters aren't a united front. We're not all elves, or all mages, or anything else. Some of us have little in common at all, and we were hardly bound together before all of this. We're a minority lacking a community. When it comes to holding political sway, we don't even speak with one voice. We're going to need more than just ourselves if we want to change anything.

[aenseidhe]

I'd said 'will have to be', not 'are' a united front. The most of us are too busy voicing our own displeasure to look at the bigger picture.

[ see a chess board rather than a couple pieces, missing the forest for the trees, etc etc, jane is over there telling people they don't know what she's capable of, the armor man is telling people to fuck themselves. it's a mess, and were iorveth the opposition, he would think this an easy group to topple and conquer. ]

I've seen wars political, social and played out on a very real battlefield. Organization and cooperation will always win out over passionate chaos, unless the numbers are vastly in favor of the chaos. Given we're something short of 40, that is not an advantage we can claim. [ and replaceable. even if they were all to boycott, the rifts bring more, and the Inquisition supposedly managed with only one rift-bearer for a period. ] So, we can keep whining over small disagreements, or we can suck it the fuck up and become a formidable force.

If it's allies you seek, find ones more likely to listen and approach them in person. Don't assume they're watching you argue with the oppressors baiting Rifters for unseemly aggression. But, what allies we can find will mean nothing if Rifters are still in this state when it comes time to fight this policy properly.

[ in whatever manner that comes to. ]