[Open] One does not simply wake up

[petitchiot]

FORM: Crystal.
SENDER: Delphine Cormier
RECIPIENT: All other crystal baring people.
WHAT: Apologies for her complete denial of this place being real, and a couple of requests.
WHEN: Now.
WHERE: Everywhere.
NOTES: So she was brought into the game after being shot and recovering, which means so far she's believed this whole ordeal to be some kind of drug induced dream. Until she's slowly come to realize she isn't waking up, she can read, the text is fixed (which isn't so supposed to happen in dreams) and everything is too real.

[ Whoever was speaking, they had a very obvious French accent and sounded flat. She probably rehearsed this many times before finally doing this. ]

Hello. This is Delphine Cormier, I suppose this is long overdue. I'm a rifter, as you people call it. I'd like to apologize to any of you I've possibly offended for not completely believing this to be true. [ A small pause, there was just a hint of weakness in her voice and she had to stop and compose herself. She didn't know who this was going to reach, she couldn't risk exposing herself. ] And thank the ones that have helped me so far, I'm afraid I haven't caught the names of some of you, but you should know I appreciate your assistance.

I'd like to ask if there was anyone willing to explain the current situation to me, and what is expected from as a rifter. [ Whatever this was, she believed if she did her job this might mean she could be sent back to her world sooner. ] As the information I've gathered so far isn't adequate.

[ Whatever she was doing while talking it probably took it's toll on her, as she sounded slightly out of breath and there was a barely audible whimper. ]

I'd also like to know who to speak to for... [ Help? Now that was definitely showing too much. ] medical assistance.

[ After a longer pause, she takes a deep breath. This part is said very hesitantly. ]

Lastly, I apologize I haven't completely gotten the hang of using the crystal so I'm not entirely sure how to make something private. With that said, Cosima I'd like to speak with you, if you don't mind.

Good day.

Comments

[fightorfright]

( She's still not sure how much she trusts rifters but a person in need of help is a person in need of help. So. )

If you're in Skyhold, the healing tents are probably your safest bet. Do you know where they are?

[petitchiot]

Yes, I do. I just haven't went in as I wasn't sure if it was appropriate. [ A pause, just to clear her throat. ] I noticed many have a certain disdain towards us rifters.

[fightorfright]

If you're sick, you're sick. I'm pretty sure we'll heal you all the same.

[circleprodigy]

It's a simple matter to make a message private. The crystal sends to all as a default, but if you touch the crystal and say the name of the person or persons you intend to reach, it will be available only to them.

[petitchiot]

Thank you very much. What's your name? I don't think we've meet before... Maybe I could try it with you.

[ She would rather give it a shot now and see how it works than be unsure in a time of need. ]

[circleprodigy]

You're quite welcome. I'm Inessa Serra, a member of the Grey Wardens. Though just 'Inessa' will do.

[gatheringstorm]

It helps to start at the beginning. What have you been told? About the rifts, the Fade...?

[petitchiot]

Mostly things I've heard in passing from the natives, other rifters... [ She hasn't started taking any of this seriously until recently, so not a lot of it was consciously submitted to memory. ] The amount I have is inadequate, at least to me.

I've heard about the breach, the Inquisition, I've heard about magic but haven't seen it much in person... Whatever kind of information you can offer would great.

[gatheringstorm]

I can demonstrate what magic I've learned. It never hurts to know the capabilities of people you might be working with, after all. Some of it shouldn't be done directly in Skyhold, though. Mages are side-eyed enough without adding to it.

It'd probably help to know about Thedas in general, wouldn't it? We're in the Frostbacks, which separate the Orlesian Empire from Ferelden. Orlais is full of...well, people who sound like you. If you hadn't said you were a rifter, I'd have thought you were from there. Orlais is currently in the midst of a civil war, between the empress and her cousin, and a lot of people in the middle are dying for it. It's also home to a shit-ton of social stratification, so if you're anything but one of the human elite, good fucking luck getting by. Fereldans tend not to like them because there was that small matter of an invasion and decades-long occupied by Orlais. That ended a while ago, but they're still sore about it. Ferelden, the kingdom to the east, is a much more laid-back place, and has finally recovered from the Fifth Blight a decade ago. I'll get into Blights in a bit, because that's a whole other can of worms. Anyway, they really love their mabari, a breed of war hound, and Orlesians often call them 'dog lords'. I haven't met a Fereldan who didn't take pride in that, though. They're ruled by Queen Anora, who so far is leagues ahead of Empress Celene in that she hasn't torched a city.

[Sore subject, that. Ask the elves.]

I come from the Free Marches, a collection of city-states who's favorite past times are bickering over which one is the best and the Grand Tourney, which is the one time where that's put on hold. They're all pretty different, but you're most likely to hear about Starkhaven or Kirkwall. North of that is Antiva, a nation that's the center of trade and has some of the best wine I've ever tasted. And food; like Rivain and unlike the south, they understand that spices make everything better. Their monarchy is weak and they don't have much of an army, but they don't need one when merchant princes run everything and the Crows, their assassins, more or less ensure that no one's eager to invade. You want to know more about Antiva, ask Zevran. Northeast of them is Rivain, which I know as well as the Marches since my family's from there. It's a bit different from the rest of Thedas since the Chantry -the dominant religion- isn't as strong here, and it has more of my kind than anywhere else except qunari-held lands. Speaking of which, north of that is the jungle island of Par Vollen, where the Qunari -capital Q, giant horned people following a way of life called the Qun- live and plan to invade Thedas again someday. I don't personally know about it because as a mage, that's the last place I ought to be. They really don't like mages; their treatment of makes the Circles seem tame by comparison.

...and there's more, but I can pause to see if that makes any sense or if you need me to elaborate.

[bookish_lioness]

Did you think it was a dream or a hallucination for a time? You wouldn't be the only one, so unless you'd stumbled across people who'd never met a rifter before, it's likely that no one was offended. And even if they were... well, I'm sure most would get over it before long.

My name is Hermione Granger. I arrived in Thedas about six months ago. If you need any help with anything, I can do my best to answer any questions. Otherwise, once you're settled, I wouldn't mind hearing more about your world.

Speaking of getting settled... do you require emergency medical care? I can get some potions together for you, or work some basic first aid, though I'd also recommend the healing tents for a professional touch. I can help you get to them, if you need it.

[petitchiot]

Good to meet you, Ms. Granger. [ A pause. ] Correct me if I'm wrong. And no, thankfully I haven't stumbled across anyone that isn't familiar with our situation, although I have met some that had some animosity towards me because I am one.

I would be more than happy to share with you.

Someone has offered to help me, thank you for your kindness. [ You can hear the smile in her voice, Hermione sounded young, and well spoken, she couldn't help but be reminded of herself in the past. But there is one thing that really caught her attention- ] Potions? Of what kind?

[bookish_lioness]

Hermione is fine. Unless you really prefer formalities. I don't mind either way. [And she'll take her cue when it comes to what she should call Delphine.] There's a reason some people might have a bit of animosity, but it's a perfectly silly reason for those of us who've actually come from the rifts. Of course, perspective is everything, so I can always explain to you why some might be uneasy, if no one's done so already.

I'm almost always in the library, if you'd like to have a chat. Just let me know more or less when so I can be sure to be there. Or you can let me know where I might be able to find you and we could meet that way.

Oh-... well, healing potions. I'm sorry, I should have asked: how familiar are you with magic, if at all?

[justice_is_blond]

I can heal, and I'm at the tents currently. Please come by, and I can answer questions as well if you'd like. I'm known as Anders, Delphine.

This goes straight to action, I'm guessing?

[petitchiot]

Thank you, Anders. I'll be there, shortly.

Makes sense!

[justice_is_blond]

[He keeps an eye out toward the door as he waits, tidying up the tent a little in the meantime. Patients mean a little bit of mess, though the tent is generally in good order. As soon as a woman he doesn't recognize comes in, Anders wipes off his hands and nods to her.]

Delphine?

[hattergonnahat]

Well, that's one way of getting the necessary information, I suppose.

[petitchiot]

Have any suggestions?

[ She would rather gather information in a less invasive way, but she knows first hand how efficient getting close to others is. ]

[hattergonnahat]

Make yourself indispensable. They'll remember it when the time comes.

Whether they decide that's worth anything or not...figure you've got a fifty-fifty chance there.

[nonsibi]

So what information have you gathered?

[petitchiot]

Are you asking out of sheer curiosity?

[ If you aren't offering her any in return she won't trust you with what she has, although she doubts she has enough to count as leverage just yet. Or much to do with the things she's gathered. But distrust is a force of habit at this point. ]

[nonsibi]

Kinda helps to know what you already know before I start filling you in on what you don't know.

[Very dry, although he does mean to be sort of helpful.]

[thetyrant]

Probably understandable. I had trouble believing it myself, the first few days.

[petitchiot]

How are you fairing these days?

[ She recognized the voice, and didn't try to mask her concern. ]

crystal

[youwonscience]

[To say that their first encounter in the library had been difficult was something of an understatement. Delphine's stubborn refusal to believe in the reality of what was happening, combined with the fact she had memories of things that hadn't happened to Cosima - yet? - meant that Cosima had mainly dealt with Delphine's arrival by not mentioning it to anyone and trying desperately to sort out how she felt about it.]

I'm here. But you need to visit the healer's tents before anything else.

[She's careful, even. But not cold. Cosima's not the one who's good at hiding her true feelings, and never has been. Someone shot Delphine, and Cosima never believed that was a hallucination.]

I can meet you. There or after.

[They'd probably do best to talk face to face.]

crystal

[petitchiot]

[ It's obvious she was nervous about sending the message, as there's a heavy sigh before she speaks. She's more than happy to hear a response from her, to know she isn't angry at her. ]

I can meet you after. [ As much as she has seen Cosima in pain, even on the brink of death, she can't stand the thought of Cosima seeing her this way. She wants her to trust her, not think of her as weak. But as much as she's doing her best to hide the pain, any movement too fast or cough and the pain sneaks up on her. ] Where?