Crystal + Book; On The Nature of Rifters and Rift Anchors and Et Cetera

[heirring]

FORM: Sending Crystal + Book Survey
SENDER: Fitz & Wysteria
RECIPIENT: Riftwatch
NOTES: A most important scientific inquiry

This is Fitz and Wysteria with— [ Fitz' voice, interrupted by a sudden muffled wooshing as the crystal's covered. A beat later and audibly resigned, ] — on behalf of Project Felandaris. We've been studying Rifters' connection to the Fade and possible connections between magic across worlds, but the information on record's a bit piecemeal and outdated. We need volunteers to help us gather more data.

You'll find a set of questions in your books shortly. Rifters, anyone with a rift shard or experience with Lyrium or magic, you'll be the most helpful. Anyone's welcome to discuss if they've got something useful to add, obviously, just— please stay on topic.

[ By which he means the useful topics and not the completely ridiculous ones that somehow made it to the final draft of the survey, but also: please don't draw dicks.

The survey, blessedly transcribed in Wysteria's pristine hand, instantly begins its tidy trek across the books' pages. ]

Questionnaire Section A
Of and Relating Specifically to the Rifter Population in the Gallows (Kirkwall, The Free Marches)

Question 1A. Conceptually, how familiar is the Fade and the Veil to you? Is there any similar thing (however minor the resemblance) in the place from which you came?

Question 1A.(i). If yes, is energy drawn and/or emitted from it? Cognizant beings (spirits, full bodied manifestations similar to a Rifter, and so on)?
Question 2A.(i). Does "magic" exist in your world?

Question 2A.(ii).(a). If "magic" exists in your world, is it somehow tied to or sustained by that other space?
Question 2A.(i).(b). If "magic" exists in your world and there is no such alternative dimension as referenced in Question 1A., from where does it originate?

Question 3A. Given the opportunity to objectively estimate your own physical conformation and comeliness against the general populace of the world from which you came, where on a scale of one through ten might you be ranked (for the purposes of this survey, please consider the numerical score of five (5) as average for your home world)?

Questionnaire Section B
Rift Anchors, with Respect to All Who Presently Possess Them

Question 4B. How long have you had your rift shard?

Question 5B. Are you able to perform any supernatural acts with the power of your rift shard beyond closing Rifts? If yes, please detail these abilities.

Question 6B. Do you have any other abilities, such as mage talent? If so, has the presence of the rift shard affected your ability whatsoever (please note whether this is a negative or a positive effect)?

Question 7B. Have you experienced discomfort from your rift anchor being separated from others like it (such as on an extended mission, et cetera)?

Question 7B.(i). If yes, how long did this discomfort take to manifest?
Question 7B.(ii). What caused the discomfort to be alleviated? Being near a Rift, the presence of other rift shards?

Question 8B. At what point would you take surgical measures to rid yourself of your anchor shard?

Question 8B.(i). Would you permit scientific observation of the process?
Question 8B.(ii). Would you permit samples to be taken from the limb?

(PLEASE NOTE that the authors of this survey do not advocate for preemptive amputation unless strictly recommended by a trusted medical professional.)

Questionnaire Section C
Magical Miscellany

Question 9C. Please define and describe Lyrium.

Question 10C. Please describe how Lyrium is refined, by whom, and for what purpose.

Question 11C. Specific to Thedas native mages: Given the opportunity to objectively estimate your own physical conformation and comeliness against the general populace of Thedas where on a scale of one through ten might you be ranked (for the purposes of this survey, please consider the numerical score of five (5) as average)?