(no subject)

[samahl]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Cyril and OPEN
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: Cyril asks for help moving.
WHEN: Afternoon
WHERE: Sam's house
NOTES: None

Some of you may know that Sam recently left Kirkwall to reunite with his family. I'm very supportive of this idea but I was unable to go with him and...

I can't sleep in his house anymore. It's very lonely and I've always thrived with people around. I think this means it's time for me to move back to the Gallows, at least for now.

I could use some people to help me move some of my supplies. Anyone willing to help out?

Then after I'm moved in I was thinking of finding a way to distract myself. Maybe some drinks? As always, I could use some good company while I do that and I find that nearly all of us in the Inquisition qualify.

Comments

[sorcerised]

I don't mind helping you move, if you like.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend, too, but are you sure about leaving his house? He might come back some day.

[samahl]

Sam is more than a friend to me. He's my lover. [The statement is said carefully because he doesn't want to sound defensive or hostile. It's more of a friendly correction than offense.]

And I promised him I would look after the house so I'll still tend to it and it makes a good workshop.

It's just too quiet to sleep here.

[sorcerised]

Oh. [ At once, he becomes more sympathetic. He's also annoyed at himself for assuming they were friends. ]

I'm so sorry. That's entirely different, and I didn't know. Or think, and I should have thought.

Why could not you go with him? I hope it's not insensitive to ask.

[samahl]

It's not so don't worry.

The truth is that I still have things to do here.

I'll probably join him when I can spare the time. And there are always explicit letters and these crystals when needed.

[sorcerised]

Yes, I'm sure they'll help. The crystals are certainly instant.

Well then. Where is Sam's house? I can come as soon as you're ready to start, I suppose. As long as you're sure this is what you want.

[samahl]

I am sure. Thank you for double checking, though. I could see how this might seem like a spur of the moment choice. He's been gone for a month though.

[And he gives the directions to the house then.]

I don't mind moving later today if possible. I have everything I want to take packed. I just need to narrow down what room I'm moving to.

[sorcerised]

Well then, I'll come this afternoon.

[ It does seem like a spur of the moment choice. Aro doesn't want him to regret it. He wouldn't stay in the Gallows himself if he had a good alternative. ]

There's not much to choose between the rooms, honestly. Some are bigger than others; it just depends whether you want to share your quarters or not. Some of them are really quite large.

[samahl]

I remember. I was living there with my cousin before I moved in with Sam and Kirk. She's back at Skyhold now though, so I suppose I'll have to cram myself into one of the smaller rooms or find another person willing to share with me.

Luckily, I can leave a bulk of the things I've picked up here. I mostly want to move clothes and things I use every day. And probably some books. And tools.

[sorcerised]

Skyhold? A friend of mine went there.

[ He's never been, of course. It appeals, not because of what it is particularly, but because it is elsewhere in general. ]

Anyway. You should probably decide where we're taking it all before we start. What kind of tools do you mean? Are they for your work?

[samahl]

I'm an Artificer. But I also like to build and tinker in general. You might have seen my booth in the courtyard once or twice? I sell traps and puzzle boxes.

[sorcerised]

Oh. I have seen that sort of thing! Perhaps I'll recognise you when I see you, then. I play my flute there some days.

[ That's the closest thing to gainful employment Aro ever encounters. He does all right - enough to get by, just about. ]

Are you from this world originally?

[samahl]

Yes. I was once Dalish.

[sorcerised]

I see.

[ Is that not a race of Elves? He thought it was. ]

That implies you are not Dalish now?

[samahl]

It's... complicated.

What world are you from?

[sorcerised]

[ Yes, no doubt. He will note the abrupt change of subject. ]

It's called Toril, and I'm from Faerun, specifically. Have you heard of it? I'm not the only one who's found my way here from there.

[samahl]

Not yet, I'm afraid. I wish I was closer to more Rifters. Many of those who I was fond of disappeared... I've been meaning to change that.

Perhaps this can be the start of that?

[sorcerised]

I'd like that. I don't feel I have many friends here, and I'd like to do something about that.

I'm Aro, if I didn't say already. Arohaerd, but hardly anyone calls me that.

[samahl]

Well met, Aro. My name is Cyril.

If you are willing, I'd love to hear a bit more about Toril. Is it anything like Thedas?

[sorcerised]

In some ways, yes. In other ways not at all.

[ Where should he start? On the similarities, probably. That would be best. ]

Clothing is similar, and housing and development. Kirkwall doesn't look much different from any other town I've ever been in. There's far more kinds of people in Toril, though. We've humans, dwarves, elves and half-elves like you do, but we've also tieflings, aasimar, dragonborn, halflings, orcs, goblins. Many more. Magic is everywhere, and most everyone could find a way to learn it if they want. It's not hated like it is here.

I miss it quite a lot. More than I'd have thought.

[samahl]

I'm sorry if my question made that homesickness come rushing back, then.

It does sound interesting though. I have many questions coming to mind about the different races.

[sorcerised]

It's all right. It's nice to talk about home, actually.

Go ahead and ask. I'm a traveler, back there. I've met quite a few different folk in my time.

[samahl]

Then let's start with the different races. What makes each one unique?

[sorcerised]

[ That sure is a question. Aro lets out a brief laugh. ]

Well, there's probably too many to explain them all without hideously boring you.

[ No one needs an encyclopaedic summary of everything the Player's Handbook has to say about races. But he'll start with a few. ]

Elves are taller than they are here, and stronger. They live a very long time. Thousands of years, sometimes, though dragons can be truly ancient. And dragons talk, by the way. They're as intelligent as we are, if not more so. Probably more so.

[ He's getting into this. He could also talk about dragons all day, actually, so let's cut that short. ]

Dragonborn are people who come from dragons, so they share some characteristics. Halflings are even shorter than dwarves, about half the height of a human – hence the name. Tieflings, Aasimar and Genasi all have heritage from another realm, and they'll have some physical traits to show for it. Like horned and tailed tieflings, bright-eyed aasimar, and genasi with flames in their hair. Centaurs have the body and head of a man, and the legs of a horse. Shifters look like humans, mostly, but can turn into a beast. Tritons live underwater, and goliaths are a race of giants…

[ He pauses, aware that he's rattled through many, and yet that's probably less than half. ]

There's many more. Birdfolk, lizardfolk…and half-elves, obviously, like me. There's enough of us that we're generally thought of as a race to ourselves. Am I boring you yet? I'll bet I am.

this is so late i am so sorry. ok to drop if you want. this reply got lost in my inbox

[samahl]

[Cyril seems to be hanging on his words though, and he chuckles a bit at the question.]

You're telling me about a whole different world! How could that be boring?

Here, on Thedas, half-elves always take on the attributes of the non-elf parent. But... it's not the same for you?

no worries <3

[sorcerised]

[ Well, at least he has a captive audience. There's warmth in Aro's voice. ]

Not really. We're more like half in half. Pointed ears, but not as large as an elf's. We can grow beards, apparently, although I'm abysmal at it. We're taller than humans but shorter than elves, and we live for hundreds of years, not thousands.

That explains why everyone here mistakes me for an elf, I suppose.