006.

[dashing]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Herian
RECIPIENT: Everyone, part filtered to Chantry Relations
WHAT: the forest & Chantry Relations things
WHEN: once everyone is cured
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: There’s an OOC post regarding Chantry Relations and with a form to involved parties to fill in over here.

Members of the Inquisition, this is Knight Enchanter Amsel. I apologise for demanding your time once again, so soon after my last communication.

Now all are recovered from the sickness, there is an important matter to address. The Chantry Relations project was seeing to the matters regarding the forest grown over the Chantry ruin, and I have been engaging with local Chantry officials to determine its fate. Now it is almost gone in its entirety, we must take a different tact.

I well understand the attachment a number of Inquisition members had to the forest, especially in the wake of losing Dahlasanor, but this is a matter of some delicacy and importance to both locals and the Chantry, so I would beg your patience as we deal with the site and the few trees that remain.

( And for Chantry Relations Project Members only: )

Project members, I think it would be prudent to meet to refocus our efforts and consider what our areas of priority might be; though our particular political alignments and personal opinions differ, we are all of us bound to the Inquisition, and securing the favour of the Chantry will allow us to make use of an influential political ally, and leave our efforts unhampered by the repercussions of their poor opinions. With the sickness now passed, I think it best we press on with our duties.

If you would like to speak with me individually prior to our meeting as a group, that is entirely welcome. Gauging our respective talents and to what methods we are most suited is worth consideration, as well.

Before we get to that, however, I believe it is imperative that we address the matter of the forest that was growing in the ruins of the Chantry, and has since been burned down.

I— ( Where to start? This is a complex matter, contentious, by some counts, and incredibly straightforward for others. )

As stated before, with Knight-Lieutenant Coupe's approval I had taken initial steps to speaking with Chantry leaders in Kirkwall to see how the forest might be dealt with to best suit as a memorial, but now the forest has been largely destroyed we should move quickly before some other unexpected event come to pass. If this matter is of particular interest to you or you’ve suggestions on how we might work with the Chantry to create a fitting memorial and curry favour, I’d be glad of your time and insights.

Comments

[galvanising]

Agreed. I heard you mention a committee to someone else--is this something that's already been established? Who is part of it?

[dashing]

No Inquisition members participate in the committee, to the best of my knowledge. Local leadership, citizens of Kirkwall - those impacted by the events who are not sworn to the Chantry, as well as some Chantry members. Undoubtedly lacking in representation from Kirkwall's mages and less privileged quarters, but relevant parties all the same. They were, I believe, working to organise a memorial prior to the forest's growth.

[galvanising]

So it is a committee the Viscount or someone assembled, not of your doing? Do they want the Inquisition involved at all? We might be best off at this point offering them money and manpower when they need it and otherwise keeping our noses out of it entirely. And making sure we're heard to do so.

[dashing]

Aye, that's so. The purpose of the Inquisition's involvement was, initially, to see to addressing the matter of the forest and smooth the hackles raised by it. It did not seem proper to simply drop the matter as no longer relevant or a matter of concern, when tempers are still rankled that the forest was there at all; there is still a wrong that must be righted.

I do not think you are incorrect, but I would sooner see to the thoughts of other project members before making a decision. Since there are Inquisition agents who have been involved in the forest and the statue of Andraste, I thought better to ease the transition. If there is more that we can offer than money and manpower, I think it is best to look to it.

( She pauses a moment, trying to figure out how to proceed, how to explain in a way that doesn't somehow sound harsh or condescending. )

The forest was able to grow because, even in all this time, a memorial had not been settled upon. Perhaps providing schematics for them to approve rather than leaving them mired in indecision, and then ensuring that it is efficiently acted upon will prevent further issue arising. Maker forbid someone should see fit to attempt to replace the forest, or something else, and the Inquisition be negative drawn back into the issue. I am, however, eager to hear the views of fellow project members, if you think this is unsound.

1/2

[galvanising]

True, since the forest was apparently the fault of Inquisition members, it should have been our responsibility to remove it. Since that's been done, maybe our first step should be to have the debris cleared? I assume there are stumps and ash remaining, at least, and that will have to go before anything can be put in its place.

[galvanising]

[ Herian adds to her message, and Nell considers for a little while before returning to it. ]

If indecision is their problem, maybe we could help by paying to commission design proposals from artists or architects or whoever does this sort of work? A few of them, so it's clear the choice is still theirs, but it could be a way to focus the decision.

[dashing]

I think—

( There is the sound of her leafing through some paper. ) The committee began as the families of some of the victims, but not all were invited to be involved— elves, those of Darktown. It drew the attention of some of the more well positioned, but there was so much indecision over what should be done that it was caught at a standstill. It may be that despite having the ear of some of Kirkwall's leaders and some involvement... agreements could not be reached upon.

Yes, design proposals. Apologies, schematics was perhaps a poor choice of wording. That is exactly what I was thinking of. it may be that then a matter of voting will make it simpler than having to create a design from scratch. If there are matters they would require adjusting, we can see it so done. In the meantime, the clearing you mentioned could be commenced.