#tabitha lavellan

now, it can't be my Lavellan because then Minaeve would just dismiss it as her being defensive of her people. but I can make it so Lavellan and Dalish, and maybe some elven - city and not - scouts are talking about Dalish stuff and Minaeve wanders by. and Lavellan tries to draw her in, because she recognises the accent and thinks maybe she would like to hear about her people. only for Minaeve to say that she doesn't consider herself one of the Dalish after what they did to her and tell how she was abandoned.

and then the Iron Bull, who was sitting nearby goes yeah, that story has more holes than a fereldan cheese and even I can see that with just the one eye. and then lists all the shit that doesn't make sense and all the stuff that doesn't add up.

and maybe while Minaeve is reeling, Lavellan kindly, reasonably, points out that hey, they have all those mages from various circles here in Haven and in Redcliffe too. there's bound to be some from Minaeve's old circle, right? ones who were already adults when she was brought in so have more. . . nuanced understanding of what happened. maybe. . . she should try asking them about that?

so Minaeve wanders off after that with a look that screams her world just got a major shake-up. and Dalish and Lavellan and all the others are looking at each other like we all know what likely happened but who is going to say it?

finally, some scout breaks the silence.

"they kidnapped her?"

"yeah"

"probably killed a bunch of her clan members and definitely killed her mother?"

"oh, you mean exactly like how you are behaving? you who were made Tranquil and then cured by being turned into an abomination? who like to stab people first and ask questions never?"

Tabitha Lavellan goes to the party organised by this shemlen mage, because Cassandra said the woman was important. So she was tentatively willing to hear what she wanted and what she could offer.

And then Vivienne starts dissing the Mage Rebellion and saying she would prefer the Circles come back and Tabitha has that flash of "oh, she's one of those". And absolutely stops Vivienne in her tracks by refusing her request to join. Because she has seen too many mages who escaped the fall of Circles to ever want to bring those torment hells back.

Meanwhile, Daena knows sometimes you have to ally with distasteful people to achieve your goals. As long as they are kept from anything truly sensitive, of course.

Except Vivienne's little invitation letter said she was both the First Enchanter of Montsimmard and that she was Imperial Court Mage. Both of which, Daena is aware, are patently false statements. The Circles where all annuled by the previous Lord Seeker and all the mage ranks with them. And she knows from her House's intel reports (supplemented with her own scrying) that Empress Celene is keeping some Chasind witch as her court mage. So Vivienne is trying to claim the influence and connections that she doesn't actually have. Pretty suspicious.

Tabitha: and that the Chantry knew about it

Tabitha: and permitted it because their powers were so useful in keeping all those nobles obiedent

Dalish the Charger: . . .

Varric: . . .

Dorian: . . .

Both of those would fit, I think, but for different reasons.