a survey of rifter religious beliefs

[apologist]

FORM: Crystal, then written or in person
SENDER: Jehan, Herian, Kitty
RECIPIENT: Crystal message for everyone! Survey just for rifters!
WHAT: A survey regarding religion, which is not a touchy subject at all for anyone
WHEN: Nowish
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: Instructions in the post!

Hello! This is Brother Jehan. Ambassador Amsel has had the wonderful idea to speak to rifters about their views on the Chant of Light. As you know, your presence here has caused a great deal of debate and concern within the Chantry. But while it has been very easy to find out how many in the Chantry feel about you—

[ Like, that they need phylacteries. ]

—we have not yet taken steps to find out how you feel about the Chantry. Knowing where everyone stands might help us facilitate solutions to some of Chantry’s concerns.

( There is a pause, which is probably enough of a hint about one of the others with him. “Dramatic Pause” Amsel, they call her. Longest pauses in these parts. For those unfamiliar: calm, controlled, Starkhaven. )

Thank you, Brother Jehan. Alongside that, we would like to find out what information concerning the Chantry and the Andrastian faith you would like better explained, or to more understand. Rather than putting you on the spot in the interview, I encourage those willing to participate to reflect on this in advance. If you think of something later that you did not mention at the time, please do not hesitate to let us know.

We cannot… fully grasp what it is to find yourself in a world not your own, no matter our empathy or interest. If there is information we can offer you, in turn, we would be glad to do so.

[ And Kitty quickly interjects, her wording a touch less formal than that of the other two - ]

And this isn’t one of those awful surveys where people are going to show up and be, like, Oh, what’s wrong with you that you don’t believe in this that and the other, your life’ll be ever so complete if you just accept the and so on and so forth. No ulterior motives.

( There may be the faaaaaaintest suggestion of a hint of a possible smile in her voice. )

Just so. It benefits us all to work together, and for the Inquisition to be able to continue its efforts in this war. That is what the Diplomacy Division works towards, in this endeavour and all others.

If rifters would oblige us, you may come to the Chantry office to answer our questions directly or to take a written copy to return at your leisure. We would appreciate it very much.

---

OOC | The survey is below! It can be completed any of the following ways:

Your character can complete the survey in written form, anonymously or not anonymously, and you can submit all of their answers at once.

Your character can respond to the survey verbally and non-anonymously with an NPC servant turned timid survey lackey named Lyle who will stick to the script and ask exactly these questions no matter what their answers are, so you can once again submit all of their answers at once.

Your character can respond to the survey by sitting down with Jehan, Kitty, and/or Herian, who may go off-script or ask follow-up questions.

Post your responses to the correct comments below. IC, these answers are not public, so you can’t reply to other people’s responses. But you can read them for fun. You can also respond to the announcement itself by replying to this post, rather than to the comments.

Comments

[sorcerised]

[ Right, well, he's evidently uncomfortable. He keeps shifting in his seat, and regretting the impulse that made him come here. He'd done it because it seemed like they were reaching out, trying to understand rifters better. So he should help them do that, yes?

He just can't shake the thought that it was actually a very bad call.

Too late to turn back now. ]

Erm. Well, lots of people do. There are many religions where I'm from, and many gods. I've never been personally devoted to any of them, though.

[rathercommon]

[ Kitty's look at him is openly curious. He seems so - uncomfortable. Well - where she's from, there could be risk in being open about believing in things that weren't approved of officially. Not religion, per se, but...So she asks, a bit gently - ]

Do your people not usually talk about religion?

[sorcerised]

[ A sudden smile, though it's a nervous one. ]

No, I mean...

Well. I don't exactly have people, as such, but if you mean the various peoples of my world, then it's a common enough subject. It's just that it doesn't have the same connotations as it does here. Everyone knows that there are many gods and many beliefs, and for the most part everyone accepts that.

Here, it's all far more political, and it seems that people are looked down upon if they don't believe in the Chant. Or obey the Chantry, and that's...there's nothing really like the Chantry where I'm from.

[ And that, really, is the source of his discomfort. He's never felt any sort of pressure to have a personal faith before. Here, it's politicised in the extreme, and that's very strange to Aro. ]