Maria Treman: Ruin Diver for the Inquisition

"The last I recall, was perishing under the stars during the war." He's quiet for a moment, able to recall those last hours of his life with utter and perfect clarity. It wasn't something he enjoyed recalling, but it was necessary for the moment. "The year was 2:20 Glory."

"A few months ago, ere I had joined the Inquisition, I had crawled on my hands and knees out of Din'an Hanin - confused and disorientated - following the silhouette of another who I can only describe as panicked. " He only wished he had more information to give, but in all of his time he had been back, Senreth had not managed to find any answers at all - naught about the mage that had resurrected him, naught about how he was still there.

"If I hadn't experienced half of the crazy shit I do on a regular basis, I'd probably accuse you of being insane." They spoke up only once he was finished. No malice nor disbelief laces the words. There was no reason not to believe him. "I can't say I have any idea as to what's going on with you...but maybe we can find out. When we get back, we can look over my old notes and see if we can find somewhere to start looking."

"They likely already have tried." Senreth dryly comments, his eyes turning down toward the earth for a number of moments, deep thought overtaking. Perhaps it had been a mage from Tevinter of whom had cast their gaze 'pon his casket, down in those dark tombs - perhaps it had been one of whom had dragged him back to the lands of the living to simply test a theory; and did they know it had worked? Or had they left ere Senreth had woken? He rather hoped the latter--- it wasn't information that ought be spread.

This is Money Snake. She only appears every 312 years. 

Senreth falls to thought for a moment, taking the lull in conversation to think deeply on what had been spoken about. Reanimated corpses were not exactly uncommon from what the knight could tell - more-so than when he paced the earth the first time around. Necromancy was something he knew very little of, but common with the cracks in the Breach, easier targets available, he supposed.

Maria continued to watch him, fascinated by him. "Indeed we will. Whatever it ends up being, at least it should be interesting."

The end - however it was going to cease, it would be a relief, at least in Senreth's eyes. If it was a terrible end then he may just return to his death and finally be at some kind of peace, but if all ended well then at least he knew he had repented for his past failures. Selfish reasons, certainly, but when one had suffered through as much as he... it was difficult not to fixate on how to end such woes.

Maria watches him quietly, letting him take his time to think and look over their work. Something is eating at him. Yet, they know better than to pry. Best let him open up in his own time. A gentle hand rests on his shoulder, hoping to provide some comfort.

He supposed that he knew the answer already - nothing was easy, it all got worse before it got better and sometimes... sometimes it only continued getting worse. Thus Senreth is quiet for a moment, his eyes cast down towards the ground as his consciousness remembered times of immense war and difficulty that he had lived (-and ultimately died) through. Things really didn't change, did they? War after war, suffering after suffering---

"Some may argue that everything has been on the downhill for the past few centuries." Though none would remember, not nowadays; and though records spoke of some things, not everything had been captured. Nobody could capture true suffering and difficulty upon paper. It never conveyed quite the same.

"We'll just have to try and be around to find out how everything concludes." For better or for worse, Senreth believed he'll still be standing when all comes to cease and he fears what would be left when it comes to it.

Maria continued to watch him, fascinated by him. "Indeed we will. Whatever it ends up being, at least it should be interesting."

However, such thoughts are kept to themselves as they gently apply the poultice to his arm.

"Don't mention it. We're on a team, it's only right to help if I can."

They're words are as soft as the way they reapply the bandages once they are satisfied. He can feel them tighten around his arm with each practiced motion.

Senreth has no choice but to remain perfectly settled, relaxed on the exterior while panic raised gingerly throughout his deceased form. He's always cold to the touch, he's always feeling some degree of pain or discomfort - but that comes mostly from the wound hidden beneath his armour that took his life from him, one that never healed.

That on his arm, he knew, would heal over once they came close enough to one of those rifts that seemed to scatter and re-open all over the place; he just had to bide his time until then.

"I suppose I ought be more careful next time." He comments idly, eyes briefly scanning the recently tended-to blade in which he carried at his side at all times. "These... monstrosities only seem to be getting worse, stronger- I do wonder how much worse they shall get."

Senreth falls quiet for a moment, watching as his company re-bandages his arm. He wishes he could truthfully say it felt better, but the pain is there regardless and he feels wasteful for using products that he knows won't work - - but he has to keep some degree of normality among his peers. He knows not how they would react to know the truth, after all.

"How much longer can we keep these beasts back-?" It felt like de'ja vu; because he had failed on a similar front once upon a time, centuries prior - - it had lead to the death of himself, his family, and the enslavement of countless of their people. it was a weight in which he carried with him, even now - and it was only being added to by the day when it came to present events.

Maria watches him quietly, letting him take his time to think and look over their work. Something is eating at him. Yet, they know better than to pry. Best let him open up in his own time. A gentle hand rests on his shoulder, hoping to provide some comfort.

"Don't worry, I made sure everyone's covered. I may not be good at making the stuff, but I know a thing or two about keeping well stocked."

They take a gentle seat next to him, holding out their empty hand expectantly. While they can't tell the reason behind his hesitancy, it's no good to let him keep suffering in silence. Even from the other side of camp they had caught sight of him trying to tend to his injury, and clearly struggling with the matter.

He doesn't quite know what to do. it would be suspicious to outright decline, certainly, but Senreth knows that his company will likely want to check on the wound in a few days, and then how does he explain that he hasn't healed in the slightest? His predicament constantly sets him in situations he feels uncomfortable and guilty within - - and he knows it would just be easier if everyone knew his grand secret... but few would believe it in the first place.

He relents, offering his arm that had been rather poorly bandaged; the wound beneath a rather deep gash, but showed no sign of infection or blood.

However, such thoughts are kept to themselves as they gently apply the poultice to his arm.

"Don't mention it. We're on a team, it's only right to help if I can."

They're words are as soft as the way they reapply the bandages once they are satisfied. He can feel them tighten around his arm with each practiced motion.

@athlan-lansila sent: i’ve met dozens of ghosts.

"Hold still, [name], this might sting a bit." "You're lucky it's just a few scratches. You need to be more careful!" "Don't be such a baby. It's just a flesh wound." "I can't believe you jumped into that fray without thinking! What were you trying to prove?" "Here, let me help. I've had my fair share of battle wounds." "Ouch! Warn me before you start cleaning those cuts." "You're a mess. How did you even get into this situation?" "I never thought I'd see you so vulnerable. It's strange." "Let's patch you up before anyone else sees you like this." "You really need to work on your combat skills. I can't keep playing nursemaid." "I've got the first aid kit. Sit down, and let me take care of those injuries." "You did well out there, but you're not invincible. Let me help." "I told you not to charge in without a plan. Now look at you." "It's nothing serious, just a few cuts and bruises. You'll be fine." "I can't believe you're complaining about a little pain. You should see what I've been through." "Hold on, I'll get the antiseptic. This might sting a bit." "You're surprisingly fragile for someone who fights so fiercely." "You really know how to ruin a perfectly good day, don't you?" "I never expected to see you in need of my care. Life is full of surprises." "I suppose I should thank you for saving me, even if it means playing nurse now."

The light of the campfire flickers behind them, framing their silhouette and illuminating the soft look of concern on their face. In hand is a poultice.

"A bit, but also wanted to check on you. This should help them heal faster."

Heal faster- Senreth can do naught but accept the bottle that is offered and give a lithe smile in response. It seems a waste, to him, for him to use it when someone else could likely benefit far more; he has no guarantees, after all, that it would work for him given that it would not spur on natural healing simply because he has none.

"Don't worry, I made sure everyone's covered. I may not be good at making the stuff, but I know a thing or two about keeping well stocked."

They take a gentle seat next to him, holding out their empty hand expectantly. While they can't tell the reason behind his hesitancy, it's no good to let him keep suffering in silence. Even from the other side of camp they had caught sight of him trying to tend to his injury, and clearly struggling with the matter.

@athlan-lansila || LIKED for a STARTER

He's quiet, distanced from everyone else as he tends to wounds some few days old and yet unchanged in their appearance. Long has he noticed that his healing is disrupted, that he only sees flesh knit back together when in the vicinity of one of those temperamental rifts torn through to the fade.

'Pon hearing approaching footsteps, he's quick to cover the wounds, wrapped haphazardly with the clean linin ere offering a small smile over a shoulder;

The light of the campfire flickers behind them, framing their silhouette and illuminating the soft look of concern on their face. In hand is a poultice.

"A bit, but also wanted to check on you. This should help them heal faster."

the first tranquil mage you meet is in redcliffe and he’ll tell you that the tevinter mages have kicked out the tranquil and asks to go with the inquisition because they can be useful. which makes no sense because literally in the same part of the game you can find a bunch of tranquil skulls in a shed, because the venatori have been killing the tranquil. you get commentary from EVERYONE about how the circle mages abandoned the tranquil. you talk to minaeve in haven and she implies that the mages somehow didn’t see the tranquil as people and that’s a fault of the mages themselves.

like… who made the rite of tranquility? who lobotomised them in the first fucking place and then USED THEM to handle lyrium to make money for the circle??? who displays tranquil mages all around the circle to remind mages of what will happen to them if they disobey?? WHO USES THE RITE OF TRANQUILITY AS A PUNITIVE MEASURE AGAINST MAGES??? the chantry and the templars themselves level the tranquil as a threat and use them as things but somehow it’s the circle mages’ fault that the tranquil were killed off??? whose fault is it that the mages fear and are uncomfortable with the tranquil?? who DESIGNED it that way??? whose purpose does it serve???

and it’s literally the stupidest thing anyway. how did tranquil mages END UP in fucking redcliffe in the first place IF THEY WEREN’T WITH THE MAGE REBELLION??? like??? hello??? tranquil mages HAD FRIENDS in the circle. they had LOVERS in the circle. they were people before the chantry ripped everything away from them and there’s evidence that MAGES ACTUALLY WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO BRING THEM OUT OF THE CIRCLE TOO

there’s NO commentary or dialogue or even shock about avexis being made tranquil in dai even tho cassandra is RIGHT THERE and PERSONALLY KNEW avexis. you can make mage prisoners tranquil as a mage inquisitor which is SO fucked up because it’s literally the most horrible thing that could happen to a mage? EVERY SINGLE MAGE, irrespective of personal political beliefs about the circle, fears tranquility??? the only time a mage doesn’t fear it is when they genuinely think the templars will otherwise kill them??? wouldn’t it make more sense for a templar spec inquisitor or an andrastian inquisitor specifically to have that option?? why make it so MAGE inquisitors can do it, like they didn’t grow up with the threat hanging over their heads the entire time they were in the circle AS CHILDREN??

cass’ quest where you find out they always knew how to reverse it and simply … didn’t, essentially permanently lobotomising millions of mages for a thousand years, is less impactful when you don’t understand how horrific tranquility is. finding out they’ve essentially abused the rite to abuse mages and then telling cassandra that actually no, the seekers dont deserve to be rebuilt, the chantry deserves to crumble, generates disapproval! she DISAPPROVES of you disapproving of their abuse of power! and you can’t do ANYTHING about it afterwards! cass just decides to keep it a secret until they can find out more about it… when? how will you find out more if no one else knows the reversal exists? there’s NOTHING about helping the tranquil even as a throwaway line in the epilogue slides! there’s no tranquil walking around discussing it, making note that cassandra approached them or anything like that at all!

there’s just NO real exploration in dai of what the tranquil are – why the rite of tranquility is used (other than the “claims” of it being to “help save mages” who otherwise can’t control their magic), what function the tranquil have in the circle (there’s literally an economic motivation for the chantry and the templars to keep making mages tranquil bc tranquil mages can manipulate lyrium for enchantments), and there’s NO conflicting opinions on the necessity of the rite in the first place and NO REAL TRANQUIL VOICES. the one person who DID have the rite of tranquility used against them punitively in kirkwall ends up working for one of the antagonists!