Yes, of course we have holidays. Satinalia, Summersday, First Day, all those.
If you're talking about this one with all of the dead things, it's All Soul's Day. I hear in Nevarra they dress up as Spirits and flood the streets, but in the Circle we were mostly only allowed to sneak some candy to the apprentices and think somberly on Andraste's pious death on the pyre.
Those ones I've never heard of, but you understand the principle. That was the point. Our All Soul's is a few days after Halloween but the idea is the same. Dressing up and eating candy and scaring the crap out of everyone you know and each other.
No one can control your thoughts without blood magic, but regardless I think it’d be looked down on to think of the Maker’s bride burning alive with joy.
[ the way it said witch at first and i was like, we're really gonna get into some Was Andraste A Mage? Theological debates? So edgy ... so controversial ...
sighing because he does know this story by heart. fantasy catholicism damage and all. ]
According to the stories? Andraste was the bringer of the Maker's word, and his mortal bride in the world, and had organized a great deal of power against the tyranny of the Tevinter Imperium. She had raised a great army in the name of the Maker, and was gaining ground across Thedas. The Imperium was already weakened by the First Blight, and were taking great losses in her Exalted Marches. Andraste's mortal husband, Maferath, had served as a general in her army but had begun to waver and he had grown tired of being second to the Maker in his wife's eyes. Jealous and afraid of losing everything he had gained, he agreed to a deal. He would allow Tevinter forces into Andraste's stronghold in exchange for his life and lands.
The Archon Hessarian took her back to the Imperium, where he ordered her burned at the stake for her heresy against the Old Gods. The Chant tells us as he saw her burn, he saw the error of his ways, and put the Blade of Mercy through her heart rather than see her suffer.
[ stop i changed it because i wasn't sure it was right even though they are mentally using witch trials as a means of comparison.
anyway this is a lot of words but they do at least follow along with the story. this makes sense. ]
So a woman was executed because a man was jealous. I suppose it's fine though because he saw the error of his ways in the end. [ they do not sound impressed. ] ... do you think it was right? Letting things go that far for someone who was doing what sounds like decent work for the world.
I don't know whether my thoughts on whether it was right or wrong are important. She was martyred for her cause. She believed in her people, and brought the word of the Maker to the world. Even when we betrayed her she believed in us.
[ and he certainly likes that part about being a martyr. ]
I think she knew all along it would end that way. And chose to fight anyway.
I think your thoughts are important because they're yours, but agree to disagree. [ first of all. ]
... I don't think I could ever be brave enough to be a martyr like that. No matter how much I would want to if I believed in something strong enough. [ so they have mixed feelings on this. ] But at the same time it must have been something for people to realize she still believed right up to the end.
I don't think it's about bravery. I think it's about finding something that is more important than your own life, and perhaps not everyone has that. I spent years of my life avoiding my oppression. Running at every opportunity, from the Circle, from the Templars, from the Wardens. I was never brave.
[ he reaches a hand up to his chest, like he's expecting to feel a piece of jewelry that isn't here. ]
In Tevinter, they believe she was a powerful mage.
[ but that's tevinter chantry belief, the position of the black divine. it is high heresy in the southern chantry. ]
You don't think maybe it's considered such to be trying to escape a situation that wanted to oppress you knowing there was the risk of being dragged back?
[ they say this mildly, because they know they don't fully understand how things work for him, but they want to. ]
... and elsewhere? Who was she outside of Tevinter? [ there's a reason they're asking. ]
I was dragged back. Six times. But I wasn't running to help anyone but myself. It isn't brave to be self-interested and pretend it's for a cause.
[ scratching at the front of his collar. ]
The Bride of the Maker. A woman who preached `Magic is made to serve man, never to rule over him.` The reason the Chantry believes mages should be imprisoned in the Circles, watched and hunted by Templars, and feared by our families. When they burn the lyrium onto your forehead during the Rite of Tranquility, it is her symbol of the burning sun on the brand.
[ maybe more a case of not being super hard to find when you've got a little blood gps that tracks your location. ]
I don't think her words are meant to be used in the way the Chantry wields them. I believe that she means being able to use our magic, as a tool and the gift it is meant to be, free from shame and fear.
They will always seek to maintain their power. If they begin to admit that mages can be trusted to govern ourselves, to be allowed in society like any other free man, then it will be admitting to centuries of cruelty and blood. They will never do so.
They need us. They hire us out as entertainers, healers, advisors and instruments of war. They make money off of our labor, which we never see a single copper piece of. Only a Tranquil can work with lyrium safely - enchanting goods to be sold across Thedas. To become Tranquil you must either submit out of fear or be sentenced to some crime. And to be placed in that position at all is one borne of our imprisonment. If they were going around burning out the minds and emotions and free will from the regular folk, there would be a violent uprising.
[ a long moment of silence. and when they respond, it's with a bit of anger. ]
So it's all just slavery, with a nice little justification to it all saying you're dangerous and to keep you enslaved is for the betterment of the world. [ oooough they hate that. ] But isn't there... no, if there was...
[ hm. hold on. ]
Suddenly I understand more of why you did what you did. Even knowing the consequences that would come.
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[ he does not. have a hell-based religion. ]
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Fair enough. Happy Halloween. It's a holiday some worlds celebrate during the month of October.
[ the skeleton bird is now on the shoulder of the human skeleton. yay. ]
Are holidays a thing where you're from? [ or is the whole concept lost. ]
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Yes, of course we have holidays. Satinalia, Summersday, First Day, all those.
If you're talking about this one with all of the dead things, it's All Soul's Day. I hear in Nevarra they dress up as Spirits and flood the streets, but in the Circle we were mostly only allowed to sneak some candy to the apprentices and think somberly on Andraste's pious death on the pyre.
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Does it have to be thought of somberly... ?
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No one can control your thoughts without blood magic, but regardless I think it’d be looked down on to think of the Maker’s bride burning alive with joy.
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... why was she burned anyway?
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sighing because he does know this story by heart. fantasy catholicism damage and all. ]
According to the stories? Andraste was the bringer of the Maker's word, and his mortal bride in the world, and had organized a great deal of power against the tyranny of the Tevinter Imperium. She had raised a great army in the name of the Maker, and was gaining ground across Thedas. The Imperium was already weakened by the First Blight, and were taking great losses in her Exalted Marches. Andraste's mortal husband, Maferath, had served as a general in her army but had begun to waver and he had grown tired of being second to the Maker in his wife's eyes. Jealous and afraid of losing everything he had gained, he agreed to a deal. He would allow Tevinter forces into Andraste's stronghold in exchange for his life and lands.
The Archon Hessarian took her back to the Imperium, where he ordered her burned at the stake for her heresy against the Old Gods. The Chant tells us as he saw her burn, he saw the error of his ways, and put the Blade of Mercy through her heart rather than see her suffer.
[ girl boss j*sus ]
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anyway this is a lot of words but they do at least follow along with the story. this makes sense. ]
So a woman was executed because a man was jealous. I suppose it's fine though because he saw the error of his ways in the end. [ they do not sound impressed. ] ... do you think it was right? Letting things go that far for someone who was doing what sounds like decent work for the world.
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I don't know whether my thoughts on whether it was right or wrong are important. She was martyred for her cause. She believed in her people, and brought the word of the Maker to the world. Even when we betrayed her she believed in us.
[ and he certainly likes that part about being a martyr. ]
I think she knew all along it would end that way. And chose to fight anyway.
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... I don't think I could ever be brave enough to be a martyr like that. No matter how much I would want to if I believed in something strong enough. [ so they have mixed feelings on this. ] But at the same time it must have been something for people to realize she still believed right up to the end.
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[ he reaches a hand up to his chest, like he's expecting to feel a piece of jewelry that isn't here. ]
In Tevinter, they believe she was a powerful mage.
[ but that's tevinter chantry belief, the position of the black divine. it is high heresy in the southern chantry. ]
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[ they say this mildly, because they know they don't fully understand how things work for him, but they want to. ]
... and elsewhere? Who was she outside of Tevinter? [ there's a reason they're asking. ]
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[ scratching at the front of his collar. ]
The Bride of the Maker. A woman who preached `Magic is made to serve man, never to rule over him.` The reason the Chantry believes mages should be imprisoned in the Circles, watched and hunted by Templars, and feared by our families. When they burn the lyrium onto your forehead during the Rite of Tranquility, it is her symbol of the burning sun on the brand.
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[ they consider this. ]
So any mage is almost considered a bad omen. Is it bad that I agree magic is made to serve, not rule?
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I don't think her words are meant to be used in the way the Chantry wields them. I believe that she means being able to use our magic, as a tool and the gift it is meant to be, free from shame and fear.
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The Chantry sound like a bunch of fearmongers. Magic can be dangerous in the wrong hands, but magic hands aren't always wrong. That's the distinction.
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They need us. They hire us out as entertainers, healers, advisors and instruments of war. They make money off of our labor, which we never see a single copper piece of. Only a Tranquil can work with lyrium safely - enchanting goods to be sold across Thedas. To become Tranquil you must either submit out of fear or be sentenced to some crime. And to be placed in that position at all is one borne of our imprisonment. If they were going around burning out the minds and emotions and free will from the regular folk, there would be a violent uprising.
no subject
So it's all just slavery, with a nice little justification to it all saying you're dangerous and to keep you enslaved is for the betterment of the world. [ oooough they hate that. ] But isn't there... no, if there was...
[ hm. hold on. ]
Suddenly I understand more of why you did what you did. Even knowing the consequences that would come.