Backdated - Harvestmere 4

[mythalenaste]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Pel, Sina, and Herian
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: Quick "we're not dead" announcement
WHEN: Harvestmere 3
WHERE: Near Halamshiral
NOTES: Talk of violence, arson.

We're all right. Herian, Sina and I. I don't know who--what the Inquisition knows about what happened, but we were having negotiations with Clan Grymusseth and they took us. It was a trap all along.

We're back at the Inquisition camp being tended to. Their camp is on fire.

[OOC: Put the name(s) of the people you want your character to address (Sina, Herian, or Pel) in the subject line. Their disappearance lasted for hours after a negotiation began, so the local Inquisition camp began rescue efforts before they reappeared. If you want your character to have heard about this, feel free.]

Comments

p much anyone who wants to answer

[rowancrowned]

What other damage was wrought, beyond burning all their worldly goods and food?

oh god negative chill

[dashing]

'Twas they that sparked the blaze and took up arms first. They made attack on Sina of Dahlsanor and Pel of Ashara for no reason other than their alliance with the Inquisition. Any damage wrought upon them was rightful damnation.

not here

[mythalenaste]

[She thinks about telling Herian she's no longer of Clan Ashara and hasn't been for a while, but nope. Now isn't the time either.]

also not here

[dashing]

( HER HAIR IS BECOMING BIGGER WITH HER RAGE )

[rowancrowned]

Of course. I would say I look forward to the state of this world and the people therein after that sort of thinking was in play for a few hundred years, but it appears I need not wait.

[mythalenaste]

Leave her alone. She spilled her blood for the chance to make peace with this clan and they tortured her. Us. Leave her alone.

private ;

[rowancrowned]

A lesson in diplomacy, child. When you have a delicate situation your negotiators should not include one who thinks those she's supposed to be making peace with are animals. It tends to lead to violence.

[dashing]

( Her venom was readied to—

something. To fling back a sharp remark that would have been regrettable, but instead she is silent for a moment and her jaw clenches and unclenches in a loop until she's some grasp of her senses and her calm. When she speaks it is slow and even, and trying to ignore the mention of what was done to her while holding onto her calm all the more carefully out of some—respect for Pel. Care, perhaps, if one wished to speak so whimsically. Maker preserve her, that she might sustain another blow to the head and be able to cast this from her mind. )

This world is not your own, and yet you assume that you bear such gifts of wisdom and insight that we need clamber for them. You believe that your voice should be one heard when it comes to matters of elves and humans, is if you are entitled to teach us of matters that we have lived with, and you have witnessed for mere months, or read of in books.

You accused me of thinking myself a saviour to the elves, a human deigning to offer aid, but you are no better. I know myself for a half-breed, and I do not shy from that or its meaning. But you, you preach and condescend and act as if your world has any significance to us here, and as if any manner of noble is not rendered such by elevating themselves on the broken backs and labours of others. If you are an elven lord, you have profited from the casting down of others to gain your titles and place yourself above them.

( Her voice is still soft, and still even. ) You've no right to cast judgment upon me.

private to herian.

[elegiaque]

He hasn't the right, and you haven't got to waste your breath on him.

But what happened?

( piecing it apart from what they're all saying in different conversations is starting to get confusing - and she can't leave it alone. )

private ;

[rowancrowned]

Travel safely, Knight-Enchanter.

[ thranduil means what he says, his tone soft. he respects her- no matter what else might occur, she holds to her convictions. and she deserves to know he's listened to her words. ]

[mythalenaste]

We made sure to kill some of them. [Pel sounds tired and hoarse.] One of them threatened my unborn child. There's something else, but the Inquisition's leaders should hear of it first. After.

[rowancrowned]

As you threatened their children. Well, winter will finish what you started.

[mythalenaste]

[A sigh. She's angry and probably giving the wrong impression.] The fire was a distraction so we could escape. We only killed the ones who tried to kill us while we ran.

[rowancrowned]

'Only'. Perhaps next time do not be so blithe and merry when describing the destruction of another's home.

private

[arlathvhen]

[ Hey Beleth is anyone she counts right. ]

I agree with you. The price of an entire clan is too high--even if they only killed a few, and set a fire. Those were family, Hunters, protectors. And since Pel was good enough to state their clan, everyone will know what a few of them have done.

But even more so, I am worried about how this will reflect on the Dalish in general. I do not think ones who have...integrated will be at risk of harm, but--This adds more fuel to the fire for those who would see us forcibly assimilated, or exterminated as violent pests.

It does not take much for a human to justify murder.

private

[rowancrowned]

It sounds as if this clan has been at the center of many a problem. Such things do not happen overnight.

[ hello, beleth. thranduil sounds very tired. by the sound- well, the lack of sound, he's not in the library. likely his rooms. ]

I do not think the Men will bother to separate clan from clan. Any group wandering in that area is at risk, any in Orlais like to be stumbled upon and hurt for vengeance, which will only heighten the chance that another clan will sour against Men so violently.

[ he stops speaking. he's coming to realize that the sort of change he and galadriel hope to foster cannot be done slowly, a gentle understanding built over generations. this world is built on blood and pain and suffering-- scars in the veil from death and loss and still that is not enough to convince those who maim and slaughter than it might, perhaps, be a good idea to stop. even the darkspawn are not enough to make them unify. ]

There is no way this... event can be read that could not be twisted to justify further death.

[arlathvhen]

It's not fair.

[ She's sullen, not as angry as she is resigned. Of course it's not fair, life as a Dalish--life as a elf--isn't fair. It hasn't been for a very long time. ]

We aren't entitled to be angry about how the humans treat us--not like they get to do for us. There are Orlesian nobles who have hunted clans simply for existing, and I can't make an announcement about it, I can't call for the death of their entire family. By the Dread Wolf--even if I just called attention to it, I would get people angry at me. Or worse.

This clan did something terrible, going after other Dalish--it's awful. But even so. Even so!

[ She can think of more things to say, but it just serves to make her angrier--something which will just be useless, in the end. She can't even voice her grievances publicly, lest she get yelled at like Thranduil himself had been. ]

If only the shemlen were held as accountable for the actions of their whole as we are.

Private

[samahl]

[Cyril's voice is still carefully manufactured to seem calm and stoic. He doesn't know how well Thranduil knows him now, if he'll be able to tell that under that calm is a storm of emotion and he isn't sure he can try and explain it to him yet.]

I understand your distaste for the loss of even a single elf. I've explained to you before how precious I think our blood is and the lengths I am willing to go through to support it.

However ... Given what they have suffered, Sina's ongoing struggle with her shard, and Pel's current situation, I'm not sure now is the time.

Please also consider the impression defending a clan who captured our own gives to the shems who can hear this conversation. I don't want to give anyone any reason to attack innocent Dalish because they think we will defend those who mean to harm and kill.

Shems don't look at this and see a Clan outraged that a handful of Dalish elves allied with a human organization founded by members of the Chantry. They won't see that our own suffered at their hands. They won't see the differences between Clan Grymusseth and Clan Ashara.

They will see a bunch of 'knife-ears' defending each other no matter what is at stake. Some conversations are best had away from them.

[A pause, because speaking to Thranduil with any form of criticism is so antithesis to everything else that Cyril feels about him and Galadriel. The words leave this odd, hollow feeling in his chest.] I hope you understand.

Private

[rowancrowned]

[ the background is suspiciously quiet when he answers- wherever thranduil is, he's alone. he does appreciate the care cyril's put in to thinking this out and sending him a message on a private thread rather than the public... debate. ]

This is not despair born of seeing elflings near starving to death. What does it mean when entire clans are lost to violence and hatred? When the blame can be laid at the feet of one individual or several, and not at famine's? When the Orlesians here send word home that a Clan Grymusseth has been in such-and-such an area, and they ought to look out for bloodthirsty Dalish? Had I said nothing at all, your kinswoman would have still spoken their name.

[ he stops speaking. his tone is still even, measured. cyril's spoken with him enough to recognize a certain exhaustion in his words. ]

I appreciate you speaking with me, Cyril. It is good to know your thoughts. I wish only to see this foolish behavior can. This way of life- the Dalish, the city elves, the Orlesians, all of this-- it cannot last. You unite for a few years under these Blights and not a half-century later, this is what remains. [ softer. ] It cannot last.

private forever

[samahl]

[It takes a moment for Cyril to respond because honestly standing up to Thranduil is intimidating and hurts him in ways he can't fully describe. He's not angry or anything, but it still feels strange to say anything against what Thranduil does or says.]

It might not last, but part of what we're trying to do is build a future that is better.

Right now, in this moment, we have to think of what the Orlesians say when they have a story about how a pregnant member of the Inquisition was captured and tortured when they reached out to a Dalish clan in the name of peace and a Rifter elves, elves that many of the Dalish involved with the Inquisition have held up for the way that they make us ache for a home we've never really experienced, reacted to the news by criticizing what they had to do to escape.

I'm not saying you're entirely wrong. I see the point you're making and understand why you are making it. I know how terrible and horrifying Thedas may seem to you and how painful this situation is...

But Pel is my cousin, who is currently with child, and she went there to try and mend bridges and instead was tortured. She will never forgive herself for what she had to do to get herself, her child, and her friends out.

I think now is the time for sympathy and understanding. At least let them get back to the safety of Skyhold.

[A pause, as he thinks things over. He's furious at Grymusseth and what they have done to his cousin, but it's still not in his nature to focus on revenge.] The remaining members of Clan Grymusseth will likely reject any aid sent to them by the Inquisition, but we might be able to see if we can arrange for our allies within other Dalish clans can send them supplies.

[inagutterson]

She's talking about Dalish elves you blinkered plum, most of their worldly goods are looking down on city elves while they shit in the woods. Least dwarf lords are down below so you don't need to listen to them.

[Kicks down your door, the foreign affairs correspondent has arrived. His city elf and elf-blooded bosses are nodding their approval from somewhere out in Thedas right now.]

So some ancient pot to piss in that they'll say is from Arlathan is lost boo-fuckin'-hoo.

[dalishious]

Shut up.

private ;

[rowancrowned]

I suspect you are angry. I apologize for any distress I caused.

private ;

[dalishious]

They hurt her.

[samahl]

[Cyril doesn't respond to this here, because it falls into more 'conversations best had away from shem's ears' but he does give Merrick one of those 'Really?' looks before trying to distract him with talk of how they are going to make sure Pel has a good, relaxing day once she's back.]