this is my first network post in this game oh god i hope i don't ruin it

[twelvelabours]

FORM: sending crystal
SENDER: Hercules Hansen
RECIPIENT: locked to Grey Wardens! Grey Wardens only club!!!
WHAT: Anders & what do with him: a Grey Warden opinions discussion
WHEN: late Guardian /mumbles vaguely - set after Anders turns himself into Herc, before Leliana deduces is identity
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES:
This is regarding the Anders reveal plot, as discussed in this ooc post and as a follow-on from this log thread.
Threadjacking and hopping around encouraged!
If you'd like a thread with Herc to turn to actionspam for characters in Skyhold, go for it.

Wardens. We’ve got something important to discuss. If you’re not someplace private, stop listening now, drop whatever it is you’re doing, and get somewhere suitable. This is strictly Warden business.

( This is not the happy and friendly Herc. This is tense and angry Herc, even with his temper very carefully kept in check.

He leaves a pause to allow them to either stop listening without him accidentally unveiling something, if they need to, takes a breath, and carries on. There might be the sound of wind whipping behind him as he stands on the ramparts - what you can’t hear is the sound of him trying to reduce Anders to ash with his gaze. )

A Grey Warden who left our numbers has handed himself in to answer for crimes committed. Not against the Grey Wardens, but against Kirkwall and the Chantry. Some of you already know this man. Some of you knew him by the adopted name ‘Detlef.’ Others will just know the crimes of the mage Anders.

( Considering how to continue, what to say next, Herc exhales a moment. What a day. )

Anders has turned himself into us of his own free will, ( which unfortunately denied Herc the chance to tackle-slam him face first into a wall, ho hum ) and confessed to blowing up the Kirkwall Chantry, an act he claims was for the sake of mage freedom.

( He pauses, there. )

I don’t have much of a personal stake in that. I’m not a man of the Chantry, and I’m not a mage. Far as I’m concerned, there’s mages and there’s mages. The likes of Bethany and Kaiden have saved my life more times than I can count. Others can be dangerous, and I reckon the same goes for Templars, same as any other person. You’ve got honourable ones, and you’ve got monstrosities.

Now, I don’t even know all about what was happening in Kirkwall, back then, but I can’t say I’m a fan of killing some innocent people for the sake of saving other innocent people, one way or the other.
( Sounds like a pile of crap to him, personally. ) And as Grey Wardens, our roles is to try and protect all of Thedas. From the Blight and darkspawn, usually, but I don’t think innocent lives being lost, no matter who they belong to, sits well with any of us.

( Still. )

But Nathaniel reminded me that we all know how much someone can change, and that we all come to the Wardens for different reasons. Atonement is one, but Anders’ fate isn’t something any one of us can decide. He’s one of our own, and he’s our responsibility. Speak up with your thoughts.

Whatever our decision is, we are telling the Inquisition. The Wardens integrity isn’t going to be compromised any further.

Comments

[justice_is_blond]

He's never been particularly good at it. Hence why he's stuck sharing a room with me and not a bedroll with someone.

[justice_is_blond]

I was going to suggest looking a little closer to your own age, yes.

[pinprick]

You were going to suggest you.

[byblow]

You should write them for us.

[unbrokenoath]

I don't know what that word means, but I'm sure that's exactly what I was doing.

[ She's pretty sure it wasn't an insult. Probably. ]

Anyway, uh--Yeah, I trust you to handle that stuff, Nate. The...negotiating. You're clearly better at it than me or Skippy here.

[justice_is_blond]

[For the first time today, there's a small smile on his face.]

I'm quite pretty. People like pretty, I hear. And I have a cat. Who doesn't want to be seeing a man with a cat?

[Anyone who is concerned with things like 'life expectancy' or 'demon possession' or 'what happened to my last serious lover,' really...]

[unbrokenoath]

[ Hums a romantic ditty under her breath. Sha la la la oh la la, kiss the boy. ]

[byblow]

That's not—

[ Of course Loghain is still an ass. Rendon Howe is just, additionally, possibly more of an ass. Several things on that list were his doing. Alistair was there and would love to blame Loghain more if he could—so he doesn't actually go through the effort of explaining now. It's probably easier for history to have one villain than two, anyway. As a personal gift to fidgety young scholars throughout Ferelden, he only sighs. ]

[paperwing]

I... see.

[the more you know

things she isn't sure she wanted to know, but, anyway]

[pinprick]

Ignore him.

[justice_is_blond]

Don't ignore me. Flirt with him. Teach him to do better. Have I mentioned he's lonely?

[bunko]

My fingers are very recovered. Such a feat was easily achieved, as my skill is so very great. But Orlais would not appreciate my work. It would be the saddest of lost causes, and I would have to see them all looking very foolish.

[bunko]

You will. I will take you myself, and show you all that there is to see. On this, you have my word.

FOR THOSE TRYING TO KEEP UP, NONE OF THE DISCUSSION UNDER THE COMMENT I REPLIED TO IS PLOT-RELEVANT

[pinprick]

[bunko]

Well, they can't... read.

this is also not important but it's v important to scipio

[bunko]

[okay okay okay wait highly offended]

Pardon, but I am an excellent negotiator. Never have I lost a negotiation.

[paperwing]

I am also quite sure that there are other people far better suited to that than me.

[sorry nate you're not

y'know

scipio]

[pinprick]

You always suggest you. You've suggested you for ten years now.

also not important

[paperwing]

How was it you became a Warden, again?

[pinprick]

[No offense taken. At all. You could be his daughter, Sabriel, he is just fine with this arrangement.]

ALSO...SHE SAID NATHANIEL...NOT NATE...SHHHH...

[unbrokenoath]

You don't seem to be convincing Nathaniel very well.

[paperwing]

The more ways we think of, the better we are able to negotiate. The sooner, the better.

[justice_is_blond]

I suggest me to anyone who doesn't bear Templar armor or shield. It's a habit.

...or is the younger sister or brother of another friend. I don't hit on them either.

[Hi, Bethany.]

[justice_is_blond]

His loss.

[pinprick]

I'm deeply flattered.