001.

[luaithre]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Marcus Rowntree
RECIPIENT: All
NOTES: Occurs not very long after the Abomination attack.

Greetings. For those I've not met, my name is Marcus. I'm with the Forces division.

[ Male, proper adult in tone and resonance, and a lilt to his accent that marks him as coming from Starkhaven. His manner is-- mannerly, measured, mild. ]

I also number among the mages here who have seen battle before. My skill as a combatant isn't my purpose for addressing anyone today, but we suffered an attack very recently that required quick response, and I have some thoughts.

[ There's a pause, as if to compile said thoughts before speaking to them. ]

As mages, we differ from other militant units in that someone entirely new to combat might exhert the same sheer power as a mage who is well trained and battle hardened. We also wield vastly different weapons, and such weapons can be made deadlier when wielded in combination and tandem. There are enemies some are better suited to face than others. The way in which we engage with a threat differs between each individual. This makes us difficult to corral, but potentially, extremely effective, and hard to predict.

I think we should take the opportunity to share between ourselves our areas of battle and magic expertise, and the things we are weak in. As for myself, I am predisposed towards wielding the elements of fire, rock, and smoke, with a little skill in defensive magics. I am late to learning how to engage an enemy without magic, and I would be glad to learn more.

I'd invite Rifters, too, who have magics of their own, to share what they can do, if they like. And train among us.

[ He could probably leave it there. But he adds-- ]

It's no small thing, to witness a mage overcome the way this stranger was. It was affecting for me as well, as it will be for others. The Circles, once, had an ability to handle such eventualities, in their customarily brutal manner. Whether it be today, or another day, I would welcome conversation between mages about what the future of such moments will be in a world without Circles. This moment, and many others.

My thanks.

Comments

[sulahnan]

I've been training a few folk in unarmed combat. I dunno much of anything about magic but I'd be happy to help train if I can.

[luaithre]

Perhaps the better contribution would be to familiarise yourself in magic. To fight alongside it, I mean.

[sulahnan]

I can do that. [ Just as soon as she figures out how. ] Any suggestions on where to start?

[luaithre]

I would say, if you haven't yet, familiarise yourself with the way your mage allies wield their magics. The way it drains them. Where they position themselves on the field.

In practice--

[ A pause. ]

I would be reluctant to invite non-mages to the kind of training I'm referring to, at least at first. But perhaps in time, something can be arranged that mingles the two worlds. And others may feel differently.

[sulahnan]

Hmm...

[ Brief scuffing, like she's pacing. Because she is. Hand on chin, thinking deep thoughts pacing. ]

Maybe some one-on-one sparring, to start, then. See the tactics and stuff for attacking a target, seeing where patterns emerge that non-magical combat can slot in? Lightning crackles, fire magic has it's own smell and you can feel the heat radiating from the caster, I bet every kind of magic has its own tells and learning those'd help with learning where to put yourself in battle...

[luaithre]

If you'd like to spar with a view to learn some of that, we can set aside the books for an afternoon.

[sulahnan]

Absolutely! Fun and educational.

[ Then, more seriously: ]

But uh, it's not a game, I know. I am taking this seriously.

[luaithre]

It isn't a game. But there can be fun in it too.

[sulahnan]

Yes, exactly! Ya know...my clan used to teach the kids to play hide and seek in the woods. Sometimes for days at a time. I hid out there for almost a week before the Keeper found me.

[ There's a point to this, really. ]

It was a fun game, but it was also teaching us how to survive and how to use our surroundings as camouflage. So maybe we should make games to learn magic stuff.

[luaithre]

[ Part of him is interested. The rest of him feels weary. Which is a concern. So he ignores that part, and says-- ]

I like the idea of it. Perhaps that would be what it's like, one day.

[ Maybe not now. In a war. And so soon, after something like the Abomination, the fear it churns up. ]

[sulahnan]

[ One day strikes her like a reminder to slow down. She's always getting ahead of herself, always needing to be in constant motion when something is out of her control. ]

Right, right. One thing at a time.

[luaithre]

[ An acknowledging, and agreeable 'hm'. ]

[ipseite]

I did this with my daughters, before Thedas—both with hiding and with witchcraft. It is a most clever teaching tool, albeit, as Mssr Rowntree says—

( a one day. but it seems like something worth speaking to,

that she had seen a one day that looked like that. that it was well. )

[sulahnan]

If we come up with more ideas for games like this, learning games, I'll write 'em down so we've got 'em for one day. Whenever that is.

[ipseite]

A most worthy project.

[sulahnan]

I agree. [ Normally, when she has actual good ideas, she either doesn't realize it or she otherwise doesn't want to take credit. But-- ] It's all about making the world better, right? For everyone.

[ Elf rights! Mage rights! Rifter rights! Everybody Gets Rights!! ]

[ipseite]

It is.

( she is crushingly earnest about it. )

Indeed, it must be.