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

[paperwing]

You don't stop being a Warden just because you're missing, even if there are more important things to be done. Especially if there are more important things to be done.

[She knows about that one first hand. Her father spent a good eight years dealing with mild darkspawn problems and ducking summons to raise her, but he didn't blow up any buildings. Point being, he didn't stop being a Warden. He was a Warden before he was a father.]

[sunshinethroughgrey]

... it seemed like it was a nicer way to say, 'deserted'.

[Was Bethany's sheepish reply, before she inhaled slowly.]

He didn't do it under the Grey Warden banner. We don't take responsibility for Anders's sins. We take responsibility for making sure he lives long enough to start atoning for them.

[paperwing]

[... oh. Well. Yes.]

But he is to be our brother once again-

[Sabriel deflates, for Bethany's sake more than anything else.]

-will others see it that way? Is it not acknowledgement of our part in it?

[sunshinethroughgrey]

Yes, he is.

[She breathed in deeply.]

But we are not answering for his sins. We did not do this. He did this. So we are going to do what we can -- to help him make up for his own sins.

[justice_is_blond]

The Grey Wardens had no part in it. If the need arises, I will speak up to clarify this.

[pinprick]

He deserted under duress. Templars infiltrated our ranks and attacked him, and he ran.

[paperwing]

Templars underwent the Joining in order to pursue him...?

[pinprick]

It's precisely as insane as it sounds.

[unbrokenoath]

They were Orlesians, is it any surprise.

[bunko]

[ew orlesians]

Such madness comes early in Orlais. The work of those terrible Orlesian wines.



[can we start making jokes yet or]

[justice_is_blond]

And the masks. When you can only see a small portion of the world, you're bound to lose some grasp on reality.

[He'd like for there to be light jokes now please...]

[bunko]

[done and done bro]

It would perhaps help if the designs of these masks were not so terrible. But alas: the designs are terrible. Taste, she is dead.

[justice_is_blond]

Perhaps you should design masks, if your fingers are recovered from playing so many songs a few weeks back. You could recommend Orlais start incorporating them come their next season.

[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.

[justice_is_blond]

Quite the shame, that. The lost cause, not the recovery.

[He takes a breath. The levity is a good release for him, but he's not sure he should be indulging quite as much as he is.]

Orlais may itself be a lost cause altogether, I fear.

[bunko]

Not at all a shame! It only means that my talents can be spent elsewhere, in countries that both appreciate more and are worthy more. For you are right, I think. It may be a lost cause indeed.

Perhaps if they are left alone, they will grow a sense of taste.