[ OPEN ] Let No Soul Hunger For Justice: An Inquiry.

[fleurdesel]

FORM: Sending Crystals
SENDER: Adelaide LeBlanc
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: Vaguely philosophical question time
WHEN: Current
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Part of Let No Soul Hunger For Justice.

[ Adelaide’s voice is even, if tired- but what else is new? Still this is a requirement for the next ritual and to that end, she must find some sort of acceptable truth from a variety of opinions. Sequestered in ‘her’ desk in the Library, full pot of coffee warmed to one side, sheaves of blank paper and bottles of fresh ink before her. To her right? Anders with a similar set up, papers, quills, ink- a kitten. To her left, Roul to take just as many notes. Prepared as they are ever going to be- she asks. ]

A few questions for the Inquisition:

What is a soul, truly? What fundamental differences are there between a mortal’s soul and the embodiment of a spirit? Is it the culmination of our thoughts and experiences, our emotions? Is it a combination of our self given purpose and our ambition?

A mortal might change their purpose, might grow and become more due to our experiences- most spirits do not. But what more than that? What sets one soul apart and makes it distinct from another? Can the same be said of similar spirits?

Answers need not be religious or academic- merely true. What do you believe to be the difference, what do you believe to be a soul?

[ ooc: threadjacking is welcome and encouraged ]

Comments

[rowancrowned]

What is this word? I do not understand it. I understand spirit. It has been explained to me in regards to the creatures of the Fade, and I understand it as it related to fëa. [ that's very clearly not a word in common. ]

[fleurdesel]

'Soul'? I have looked at it as what is gone from a body upon point of death- the mortal 'spirit', if you would. What made them more than flesh and blood and bone.

[rowancrowned]

I see. And in this Andrasteism, in your Chantry, does it say if animals have these 'souls'? And dwarves, and elves, and Qunari?

[wickedchase]

My my, someone is deep in thought. Such philosophy.

How do you perceive it?

[fleurdesel]

As I am something of a lapsed Andrastian, I cannot honestly recall the official stance. Personally- if something or someone can dream? They have a soul- though that does fall apart when considering dwarves, I suppose- I've met those I would call heartless but I have yet to meet any I would call 'soulless'.

[rowancrowned]

I thought your mages were the only ones to dream. Am I mistaken?

[fleurdesel]

There is an underlying logic to this, if you would believe it. For myself a soul is what makes a person a person, their personality, their ambitions, their dreams- all of this is lost upon death.

[fleurdesel]

Hardly. Our connection to the fade is different, this is true, but as far as I am aware, everyone dreams save dwarves. Perhaps they dream differently, without reaching the fade as we do. I cannot say.

[wickedchase]

I more or less agree. Though I don't believe it's lost when one dies.

Of course, perhaps it is a difference in religious perspective. Regardless, a soul embodies a person, all of their experiences, and who they are. Souls can become lost or strayed, tainted, but not destroyed.

[rowancrowned]

And so your people frame the presence of a soul in relation to an individual's ability to walk in the Fade whilst they sleep. Yet the dwarves do not do this, and are treated as a whole far more kindly than the elves, who do.

I would speak to a scholar about these things, if I were not an elf, and so worth less than the dirt on his boots.

[fleurdesel]

And that would be the primary difference, in your opinion, from spirits?

[fleurdesel]

I cannot say, either, what my people consider a soul as it tends to be a personal interpretation. Personally, that is how I would define such a thing while making note that it is an imperfect definition. Nor can I speak truly on the plight of elves as I was raised in a Circle and the dynamics are different.

I can say that of my students and mentors in the Spire, elves were treated much the same as their human peers. That is my personal experience and it is not indicative of the lives of elves in other Circles, or even the lives of others in the White Spire.

[wickedchase]

Spirits tend to be more an embodiment of an idea, a concept, or trait. They can be too easily influenced. Usually by us.

Is a certain mage's conundrum on the mind?

[justice_is_blond]

You are speaking with a scholar, incidentally, and she's excellent boots. Which are likely about to kick my shins.

You're also speaking with a mage, so the worth less thing really isn't deserved.

[fleurdesel]

Noted.

[ A sound then, of pen to paper. ]

Perhaps. I gave my word, I mean to keep it, and keeping it involves a philosophical inquiry as to the true nature of a mortal soul. Apparently.

[fleurdesel]

Anders.

[ There is, in fact, a kick to his shins. ]

You are not helping.

[wickedchase]

And here I was assuming you were having a deep, introspective moment.

[justice_is_blond]

No, now I'm bruising.

[fleurdesel]

Have you ever known me to be quite this philosophical? Even when drinking?

[fleurdesel]

As the saying goes- Physician, heal thyself.

[justice_is_blond]

If I do, you'll just kick me again and I'll have to heal myself again. Where does it end?

[wickedchase]

An excellent point.

Speaking of which, do you require another drink?

[justice_is_blond]

What do you think happens when one dies?

[rowancrowned]

And what does you having to be a mage have to do with me being an elf?

[justice_is_blond]

Her. Her being a mage. Mage and elf issues are not the same, but there are similarities, particularly on the being seen as worth little, if anything at all. Among the Dalish it's not so, but she's not Dalish.

And she is also a scholar, so you actually can speak to this one with little fear of being judged for your manner of birth.