001.

[charmoffensive]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Loxley
RECIPIENT: All
NOTES: n/a

So it occurred to me, just, you know, on a whim--

[ The voice currently on the fantasy network is not one that's really showed up very much at all, save for some scraps of reporting during all of that Nevarran nastiness. It's clean and prim sounding the point of affectation, perpetually lazy, like everything is being said with a glass of wine in hand. It just well might be. ]

--that wouldn't it be a good idea to come up with some sort of unified stance around the problem of Rifters?

I am very certain I'm the first ever person to think of it, and that there's been absolutely no effort to organise previously, because no doubt it would have gone very well had the attempt been made. Though it was very good of officials to declare us legally people, so, well done, whoever did that.

But we don't seem to be going away, and I can't help but wonder what the future holds if that continues to be the case.

My name is Loxley, by the by, purportedly with Diplomacy. Lovely to meet you all.

Comments

[okayimin]

Given everything else going on in the world, I would imagine the fact that anyone with a Rift mark is valuable enough one wouldn't be inclined to question specific providence.

[charmoffensive]

Unless they refused to do anything of value. What then?

[okayimin]

Well, the more extreme measure would be to remove them from Riftwatch and allow whatever forces are at work within the marks do as they will. Don't especially fancy any here would take that route at first choice.

[rathercommon]

The problem of Rifters?

[charmoffensive]

You heard me.

[rathercommon]

D'you think we're a problem?

[libratus]

I believe officially,

[ Ilias says, as if he weren't the actual official in place to assist with negotiating this fact with the relevant ecclesiastical body, ]

You are all considered mages, and therefore slated to share in our eventual fate -- whatever that may be.

[charmoffensive]

But.

[ This word presented with some amount of verbal flourish, like maybe Ilias should prepare himself for the very good rebuttal that is about to occur. Have you considered: ]

We aren't.

[libratus]

[ Why did he take this job again. ]

Not all of you, no. But from the Chantry's perspective, you have direct access to the Fade and pose a similar risk to others should you inadvertently open a rift and allow a horde of demons to spring forth, so the distinction is immaterial.

[windyvoice]

"Eventual fate" makes it sound like if the war and Crazy McSkullface doesn't get us, the High Priestess and all her doers of zealotry will.

[libratus]

[ I mean... ]

[libratus]

Her Holiness has been fairly clear about her adherence to the Chant, and most of Thedas follows her lead.

The likeliest outcome seems a return to the Circle system -- rifters and mages housed in relative isolation from the rest of society.

[ipseite]

Presently, as I believe I am now not the first to mention to you—you will forgive me if this becomes tiresome—the unified stance regarding those of us whose origins lie with the Fade is that we are considered essentially equivalent to mages, indeed, even those of us who have no equivalent practise. The anchor-shard itself has function in that respect that may or may not be negated by removing the affected limb.

( it would be impolite to point out this is true of native-born shard-bearers, so she lets that lie for now. )

The necessity of keeping anchor-shards close together and the risk of any of them falling into the hands of Corypheus means that our work must be voluntary, as our presence is not. Of course, whether one was a boon or a burden will undoubtedly be considered when Riftwatch is no longer necessary.

[charmoffensive]

I appreciate the elaboration.

[ It's on the tip of his tongue, in fact, to ask after the fates of native shard-bearers, but maybe senses something like deliberate exclusion, and sets it aside. ]

And the practicality, of course. Philosophically, I find some fault.

[sohighandwild]

Have you given any thought as to what the relationship would be between such an organization and natives who have an anchor shard?

[charmoffensive]

No.

[ Not hostile, in anyway, just forthright. ]

I hadn't. But right now, I'd err towards inclusivity on the matter.

[assistente]

Well--Riftwatch is, in its way, a unified stance around the problem of Rifters. You are our problem. Or rather, our responsibility. In many ways.

[charmoffensive]

Ye-es. I agree on that level.

But I suppose I'd like us to have a little more, I don't know, agency and ability to assist in that problem than the equivalent of a shelter taking in wayward orphans.

[exequy]

Plenty of people still think you are demons.

[ Voice of optimism, piping up a bit late and at least 60% because he hates the sound of Ilias’ reasonable voice, and speaking with unwarranted authority, probably. He hasn’t taken a poll. ]

And now whatever freedom we ask them to give us, they must be convinced you can be trusted with as well. They negotiated to tie us together [ you know, they ] and it was not because a few dozen of you would be too hard to imprison or kill. So please do get your shit together, if you can.

[charmoffensive]

Well, what else is new.

[ Devil, to be precise, but you know. Even those back home didn't bother too much with the difference. ]

How does one go about being trusted, in this world? Acts of bravery, compliance, good manners?

[libratus]

[ In his most reasonable Reasonable Voice, ]

You don't think Rifters could be useful allies to us?

[ 'Us' ]

[tender]

You don't think it's optimistic to assume whatever stance is officially decided on would be a good thing for rifters?

[charmoffensive]

I think an absence a stance could be a more dangerous thing.

[hornswoggle]

Do you mean "we" as in Riftwatch, or "we" in the sense of the larger population of the world?

[charmoffensive]

Yes.