I've done my sentence but committed no crime

[wolfehawke]

Who: Adalwolfe Hawke and you!
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: On the Iskaulit
When: Nowish

Broadcast

[The video pops up with Adalwolfe's face centered in the camera, but with the background moving behind him, clearly showing the familiar corridors of the Iskaulit. He's making his way to his new job at Málum as bartender.]

So I noticed on the list of scheduled lectures posted a bit ago that there are several on magic, not to mention several people I've spoken with having positive or relaxed reactions to its use. It's incredibly strange to me that everyone is so open and accepting of this, considering the doctrine regarding magic in my home of Thedas, so it begs the following question and I hope at least someone from outside of Thedas will indulge me:

What is magic like on your world? Is it regulated? Does everyone have the ability to use it, or only a small number of people? Are there prejudices that go along with that.

Ah, well, I suppose that's more than one question. Still, if you're willing to talk about it, please feel free to respond to this post and I'll get back to you when I'm finished with work. Thank you!

[The video clicks off.]


Action

It's only a short walk from the hanger to the bar, but Adalwolfe takes his time since he can't watch where he's going very well as he's recording on his device. Which could lead to all kinds of problems. He seems to be avoiding walls okay, but if a person, say, came out of a corridor nearby or happened to step in front of him at just the right time before he put down the little screen, he might just bowl right into them, or walk right past without noticing a mischievous foot out for him to trip over. Honestly, he's an open target. Or at least seems like it...

Comments

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor waggles his hand in what is apparently the multiversal sign for "sort of" ]

That... is probably the closest word I have for it. It was born of Music, you see, and to those who know how to hear it, still the Song sounds, which both upholds and underpins the world. My folk are tied closer to it than Men, and so we may learn - or in my case, be born - knowing how to hear it. And to know the Song is to know the World, and one can... coax it, if you like, to do certain things.

[ A wry smile ] But for me, aye - it is, indeed, quite noisy.

[wolfehawke]

You've lost me. It just sound very metaphorical, even if I know you mean it literally.

[He smiles though, encouraging and self-deprecating at the same time. He wants to learn, but he's entirely out of practice with a lute after being on the run for so long and they're both completely out of context in the fleet.]

There are just some ways in which elven society - societies I should say - interact with the world that are far enough different from humans as to be incomprehensible to us. I'm not sure I'll ever understand what it is to 'hear the song of the world'. I'd ask you to teach me, but as it's not magic and I am no elf, I'm not sure it would work.

[A beat, then-]

Also we're in space.

[bythewaves]

Forgive me - I fear I am not the best at explaining, either. [ Maglor shrugs at him wryly ]

I suppose that is true, but we are not that different in the end, I think. After all, we feel and we grieve and we love, all the same.

[ He laughs softly at that ]

So we are - this is the clearest I have ever heard the stars Sing.

[wolfehawke]

True enough. I'm not saying elves and humans can never intermingle or anything of the sort; one of my closest friends is an elf. I only mean there are certain cultural barriers, like anywhere. Even here, among only the humans, for some of them I have no idea what they're talking about because their world is so different than mine.

[He shrugs.]

It just means more chances to learn. Especially when there's little to do but float through the black.

[He rubs his chin, raking fingers through his short beard.]

Now the stars singing, that I've heard of. There's an Orlesian composer where I'm from who claims to write the 'music of the spheres'. It's nice to listen to, but I'm sure it's nothing like what you hear.

[A wry grin, brought on by the ridiculousness of some chamber musician claiming he can hear the stars and write the music they sing to him. Malgor he might believe that of, but not a ridiculously overstuffed minor noble in a gaudy mask.]

[bythewaves]

We are better for the mingling, I think, although it brings grief, also. [ Maglor nods, eyes going a little distant in memory ]

We benefited greatly from their strength and courage, and suffered great hurt from their betrayal - but then, so did they. And still, one of the greatest of our heroes, Earendil the Mariner, is one of the Peredhel - Halfelven - who has both mortal and immortal kin. His line has done and will continue to shape the fortunes of our world.

[ Maglor shakes his head and focuses on Hawke again with a wry grin ] Well now, without knowing what he hears, I cannot say if what we here is alike! For all you know, he might have the skill as well!

[wolfehawke]

True, but I doubt it. Orlesians are full of pomp and bluster usually. Or at least the nobles are.

[He dismisses that with a wave of his hand. He's literally never met an Orlesian of any standing who didn't put on airs and at best look down their nose at everyone around them and at worst try to kill him. He has a few prejudices because of it.]

I'm curious; Elves where you're from, they're immortal?

[bythewaves]

You said "usually". [ Maglor points out, amused ]

You never know - perhaps pomp and bluster might hide things they prefer not to advertise!

[ He nods ] For certain definitions, yes - we can certainly be killed, but we are tied to the world, and so long as it exists, so also do we. From a physical standpoint, our physical ageing slows to essentially a standstill by our fiftieh year or so, and our fea - our spirits, or souls, I suppose, if we are slain, go to the Halls of Waiting, from whence we may walk again in flesh, once healed.

[wolfehawke]

Well I've only met stuffed up nobles.

[But he has to concede the point to Malgor. He doesn't know for sure.]

That's so different from what little I know of the Dalish. Not that I've studied them at length or anything, but from what I hear they used to be similar. Never dying unless slain, though they didn't revive if they were, I don't think. There was something about falling into a sleep when they were too old and weary, but I honestly don't know much about it.

[It's interesting though, and he wishes he'd discussed it with Merrill. He knows so little about her culture and it's something that was so important to her.]

[bythewaves]

It might be interesting to compare. [ Maglor hums thoughtfully in return, curious ]

I wonder why they were once as we, and now not? That is a strange state of affairs, it seems. I do not think anything could do that to my folk - well. Tenn ambar' metta - Until the World Ends - at any rate, when we know that things will change, but not how.

[wolfehawke]

[He appreciates the translation given right after the Elven words. That's a courtesy not extended by most Dalish and was a source of annoyance whenever he had to speak to them. By design, he suspects.]

Maybe that is when. You could even be from Thedas in a time long before mine. In the Ancient Age, before the Imperium even. It's not unheard of that you could have a different name for the world.

[The little nerd trapped inside Hawke is having a moment in the sun, thinking up how Malgor could actually be an Ancient Dalish or something like that. It's highly unlikely but--]

If they can take us from a few years apart, I don't see why they couldn't drag people into the Fleet from across the Ages.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor thinks that not translating is terribly bad manners - especially since he only uses it when he wants to convey a concept not quite encompassed entirely by the translation but close enough ]

Well now, that is an intriguing idea - I suppose there is no way of finding out, however.

[wolfehawke]

Probably not. Interesting to think about though.

[He shrugs and leans back, apparently now completely at ease with the elf.]

I dabble a bit with the lute, you know.

[Adalwolfe plz, don't embarrass yourself...]

[bythewaves]

It is, rather. [ Maglor hums, thoughtfully ] I dearly wish there was a way to find out.

[ He brightens visibly at that ]

Oh? Do you play here?

[ Bribing Maglor: Just talk about music ]

[wolfehawke]

I don't have any kind of instrument here, and I didn't play much. Just toodling around in my spare time really. Nothing like you.

[That is some fierce backpedalling there.]

[bythewaves]

[ awwwwwwwwww ]

I would be glad to let you try my harp, if you wished!

[wolfehawke]

I'm not even sure I know how to hold a harp. It's entirely different.

[He does lean forward a bit though, clearly interested just... when he said he just toodled, he meant it. He barely even knows any songs, and that's only on the lute. He comforted himself in knowing Anders was far worse than he ever was, but that doesn't mean Hawke's going to be able to show off in front of a master musician.]

I could try, I suppose. Just don't laugh at the result.

[bythewaves]

This much is true.

[ Maglor laughs softly ]

But they are both stringed instruments, eh? Not that different.

[ He offers his harp - a beautiful thing that looks like silver but feels and sounds like wood, delicately carved with such exquisite skill that the small birds and butterflies etched onto the body seem almost like they would fly away at any moment. It is also much heavier than it looks. ]

Here, you hold her thus, you see? And then it is merely a matter plucking the strings.

[wolfehawke]

Like this?

[He follows Maglor's directions, plucking carefully at the instrument and producing crystal clear notes to find where the chords he's wanting are in this new configuration. There are more of them, after all, and no neck upon which to change their key, but he has an ear at least and after a long few minutes of exploration manages a very rudimentary version of a song he'd heard over and over in the Hanged Man, mostly because the minstrel who frequented there was oft times drunk and knew very few songs.

He misses quite a lot of notes and only gets through a single verse, but you get the idea.]

Maker's breath, that was horrible.

[Adalwolfe says with a laugh, handing the harp back.]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor laughs, wincing at his efforts ]

Actually, for a beginner I was rather impressed! But yes, it was rather terrible. I think I will need to find you a lute!

[wolfehawke]

If you like. I'm not sure I would be any good at that either as it's been something like three years before I've even picked one up.

[He laughs again, right along with his new friend. Goodness knows he's relieved he can still make those.]

[bythewaves]

Ah now, but that is such a shame, for how else am I to find someone to play with? [ Maglor teases in return ]

How do you normally spend your time these days?

[wolfehawke]

Right now? Exploring, working, figuring things out. I haven't been here long and the Fleet is far different from where I'm from.

[He scratches three fingers through his beard absently.]

You?

[bythewaves]

Much the same. [ Maglor nods ]

There is so much here that I can always find something new to discover - although I confess being this close to the stars I sometimes get... distracted.

[wolfehawke]

Probably not exactly the same since I can't hear them, but every time I pass a window I have to pause and just take it in. Not that I'm able, there's just too much out there, but so little too. Millions of pinpricks of light but such a vast emptiness in between. A bit frightening if I think about it too much.

[All that empty space? There's something about it that makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, that makes him shiver just a little. Imagining being lost out there in the void, nothingness your only company. He can't stand the thought.]

[bythewaves]

Frightening? [ Maglor considers ] I suppose it is, a little. But the Song I hear is enough to drive away the fear in wonder.