Video 01

[killedwithlove]

Who: Cole and anyone
Broadcast: Fleet-wide
Action: Marvisa
When: Now until the next shuffle?

[Cole doesn't usually sleep, so waking up is very unfamiliar. He doesn't usually feel the cold or heat much, so the deep coldness in his bones is alien.

He jerks upright with a gasp, hands scrabbling at the back of his neck and then he vanishes in a puff of black-green smoke and reappears in the corner of the room, pressing himself back into it, staring around with wide eyes.]

Whispering, watchful, wakeful, wondering, where?

[He then spends a while patting things around him like the floor and wall, whispering under his breath.

In all honesty, he'll stay in that room until someone convinces him to leave and go elsewhere. It's not like he has to leave for any reason.]

Comments

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[howcanihelp]

[ Probably for the best. Good job, Cole! <3 ]

I'm Stephanie, by the way.

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[killedwithlove]

I'm Cole.

What did you do in Thedas? I can't tell this far away, I can't read you.

video; i think they may've already done names, now that I think about it, OH WELL

[howcanihelp]

I'm a Warden. [ No need to say which one... ] I was conscripted from the Circle a couple of years ago.

What do you do now? You're not at the White Spire anymore, right?

video; possibly, but Cole will do them again when prompted :D

[killedwithlove]

[Cole's reaction is fairly obvious. He looks unhappy and shrinks back a bit more, giving Stephanie a wary look.]

You should never hurt people for power. It isn't right.

video; Hooray for Cole! Indulging in my shite memory. ^_^

[howcanihelp]

[ Well, that's a startling reaction, and her concern and confusion are pretty obvious in her expression. ]

No, it isn't. I wouldn't. I don't want power, I just want to help people.

Have the Wardens in Orlais done that? Or the old Wardens in Ferelden, before the Blight?

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[killedwithlove]

[Cole doesn't come closer yet, watching with that same faintly accusing and wary gaze.

He can't read her and that means he can't tell what the truth is. He needs to be with her to know what she does and feels. He doesn't like this distance.

He gives her the benefit of the doubt. How can he now?]

Orlais. Ferelden. Both of them. They heard the Calling and went to Adamant and killed each other to raise demons and the mages were taken by Corypheus and the warriors died, desperate, damned, demons crawling out of their blood.

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[howcanihelp]

[ AH. Well, then. Steffa takes a deep breath. ]

Well. [ quietly ] That hasn't happened yet for me. If I have any say in it, it won't ever happen.

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[killedwithlove]

There is never a reason to hurt people for power. Never. I didn't like having to kill all those people.

[It's easier and harder when it's people. The easier bit is why he really doesn't like having to do it.]

You seem nice. I don't want to have to kill you.

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[howcanihelp]

[ Strangely, that is... not even unsettling for her. Maybe that just shows what her life is like. "kill Dwarven dusters, kill werewolves, kill blood mages, kill assassins, kill slavers..." They may be bad people or not, but she doesn't like it either way. ]

I wouldn't want to give you a reason to.

Do you know what happened? You said something about the Calling, but that doesn't make sense...

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[killedwithlove]

Yes, I know.

[Cole's gaze goes distant, looking off somewhere else. He can't see the Fade from here, which is frightening, but he can try and summon the memories to his mind.]

Corypheus called, Calling, sang sweet and sickly and they heard and they feared falling, forgotten knowledge heralding an end. They all heard his Calling and then Erimond came, whispering wicked words, promises of an army to hunt down the Old Gods. 'Think, Clarel, an army of demons, controlled by an army of Grey Warden mages, marching into the road and slaying the Old Gods before the Blight ever gets near them! An end to all Blights'.

She shouldn't have listened. It was too good to be true. It wasn't true.

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[howcanihelp]

[ Okay, wait, one of those names brings her up short, because someone had to come from another nation's Wardens to make sure Steffa had all the authority she was supposed to, to inform her of her responsibilities and deliver a few experienced Wardens to help her get started, and that person had been Clarel de Chanson, though she hadn't been Warden-Commander then. ]

Clarel was involved in this? Clarel de Chanson? Ho-- Why would sh--

[ Steffa presses a hand over her mouth, trying to process this ]

That's... hard for me to believe. [ said slowly ] But not impossible, I suppose. Maker's breath, an end to all Blights... How could she think that was an acceptable price to pay for an end? How could any of them?

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[killedwithlove]

Warden-Commander Clarel. [Any other names attached to her, he's not aware of.]

I can't make you believe it. It doesn't matter if you believe it, it happened without your belief.

[It might sound condescending, but his tone is just level and conversational, like before. His words are sincere.]

They were desperate. All heard the Calling and they feared, frightened, falling, forgetting.

Stroud knew it was a bad idea. Hawke and Stroud helped stop it.

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[howcanihelp]

[ It could be condescending, but he's already been odd, and he doesn't say it condescendingly, so Steffa smooths out her ruffled feathers before they really get a chance to puff up. ]

I'll ask Garrett if he's dealt with that yet, then. Maker, it's terrifying to think about.

Sorry, I didn't mean to... [ She sighs, and tries to smile ] This can't be a fun conversation for you either. I could tell you more about Arrow if you like. Or leave you alone, if you'd rather.

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[killedwithlove]

I like having conversations. They're very different from how I used to communicate. People use words and keep things on the inside that don't show on the outside!

I don't always do that very well. I get overwhelmed by everything inside and I need to let it out.

Do you want to tell me about Arrow?