Audio

[notamachine]

Nice weather we've got, huh? Haven't seen anything like what's up in the sky in a long time.

[90% encrypted to Iorveth, Fenris, and Castiel]

[He's thought about this for a few days; Dean's sitting on some information that more people need to know about, but there are kids on this turtle and he'd rather avoid freaking them out if he can. Plus, there are people here who might think the Emperor is weird, but that she's a pretty okay person overall, and he's not up to changing people's minds at the moment.

So he wants to share things with people he trusts, except he doesn't trust anybody here who isn't Cas. Fortunately (?), the turtle is casting off some awesome chill-out vibes, so Dean decides to extend a friendly hand to Fenris and an olive branch to Iorveth.]

Found some info while the Emperor was on shore leave you two might be interested in, some kind of history about this place and not the modified bullshit they've been feeding us. This comes straight from her library and I don't think it was meant to be found.

Comments

[gaudy]

[ Fenris only just manages to close the door behind them, shrugging at the statement. It'll take a moment for Dean's revelation to really settle in; he's the follower, and the weight of such implications usually fall on shoulders that aren't his own. (For good reason, because he's a hot mess and decision making really isn't his forte.)

So it's easier to address the other topic when he thinks they've returned to it, briefly. ] Aren't they all? [ This place barely seems segregated to him, honestly; they build walls around the Elven-settled parts of every large city he has ever traveled to in Thedas and-

Wait a minute. He turns from the door, sharply. Who the hell is that?

How did he get in here?

When did he get in here? Is he a Rogue? Assassin, perhaps? What is going on and why is it going on?! Fenris drops to a crouch, his fingers bowed out like claws in their metal gauntlet casing, looking ready to spring an attack. He knew he shouldn't have left his greatsword propped against the wall of the room he'd been using to sleep in, up a flight of stairs and too far away to reach easily. ] Who are you?

[notamachine]

[What the--]

Cas!

[Whoa, okay! Damage control time, because this is hands down the worst possible way and time Cas could have shown up dammit Cas he knew something like this was going to happen. Dean puts himself between the two of them, one hand out toward Fenris.]

Sorry, sorry! It's okay, he's a friend of mine. A friend with really, really bad timing. [Bad Cas. No cookie.] Fenris, Cas. Cas, Fenris. Cas, I thought you said you trusted my judgement.

[bondsprofoundly]

I should still meet our allies. [Geez Dean just because he trusts your judgment doesn't mean he doesn't want to be involved. You stupid.

Cas turns to peer at Fenris. Now is obviously the time when he should say something to endear him to this person, to lend himself credibility so he can be trusted.]

You've carved magic into your body. Do you practice?

[gaudy]

[ Fenris squints between them, and down at Dean's outstretched hand. He straightens though, after a moment; the newcomer - Cas - doesn't appear... overtly hostile, and despite the first conversation Fenris had with Dean, the human has shown himself to be largely non-hostile so far as well.

Which is as close to trustworthy as Fenris ever finds anybody who doesn't spend almost half a decade wheedling down his barriers by gruesomely murdering every slaver he comes across.

Of course, all those warm fuzzies fly out the window quickly enough. Fenris visibly bristles at the question, lip pulling back into a sneer that reeks of his ill-contained temper. He steps forward aggressively this time. ] I am going to kill your friend now, Dean.

[notamachine]

You can't. [And there's something in Dean's voice that doesn't sound like a plea. No, it sounds...a little frustrated, maybe? Exasperated? It's a mix of a few things.] I mean that. You're welcome to try [Sorry, Cas.] but you can't.

[He stays where he is though, firmly between Castiel and Fenris.] Look, Cas sucks at the people skills thing, so can we call that one a freebie and just let it go? He won't do it again. Will you, Cas? [Okay, that definitely sounded frustrated.]

[bondsprofoundly]

[Cas is getting the very strong feeling here that obviously he touched a nerve that he was not supposed to touch. It could be the death threat; that usually indicates displeasure.

He doesn't like being policed, but generally Dean's got a good handle on this 'social interaction' thing so Cas will defer to his judgment.] No, not if you'd prefer not to talk about it. [which he obviously does not gj cas]

[gaudy]

[ Fenris shifts back and forth on the balls of his bare feet a few times, fuming but eventually acquiescing. At least he doesn't seem... smug about it. ] Fine. [ For u Dean.

Fenris narrows his eyes at the stranger, gaze flicking up and then down. ] I would not. [ That's a lie of course, he'll talk your tiny round ears off about his tattoos and the paaain someday, Cas, just you wait until he gets his hands on a sufficient amount of alcohol.

Still, while he's being defensive and sober: ] ... What manner of creature are you that you may not die?

[notamachine]

[There. Good. Immediate crisis averted, at least temporarily. Dean relaxes and drops his arms back to his sides. As for the question, he looks over his shoulder at Cas.] You wanna field this one or should I?

[bondsprofoundly]

[field, what do you mean field, it's an easy question to answer]

I'm an angel. While it's not impossible to kill me, it's very difficult, especially considering the lack of necessary materials to be found here.

[Cas glances at Dean.] Though that might have changed. The Emperor seems to have control over my powers here, it's possible she's made me more susceptible to fatal wounding.

[gaudy]

[ There's a pause, and Fenris looks to Dean when Cas does. It's a great explanation! There's just one problem. ] I don't know what an "angel" is.

[notamachine]

[Hokay, looks like Dean gets to take this one after all.] Polar opposite of a demon. Demons try to corrupt and destroy humanity, angels are programmed to love and, theoretically, protect and serve it. Cas is a good guy. [pause] I owe him a lot, so I'd prefer it if he doesn't test whether or not he's susceptible to fatal wounding, thanks.

[bondsprofoundly]

[Cas glances at Dean at that pause, eyes wide with surprise, but he turns to affirm Dean's explanation with the stranger. Fenris.]

That's a very human way of looking at it, but essentially.

[Cas feels the word 'programmed' strike something cold inside that he doesn't quite understand, but there will be time to think about that later.]

[gaudy]

[ "Polar opposite of a demon" is practically music to his pointy ears, but the following "programmed" sets Fenris off as well, and he scrutinizes Cas anew. To protect, to serve - to love, or a mockery of it that he still can't justify or understand - Fenris knows well what it means to be programmed for these purposes. ] Have you no will of your own, then? [ Is it fellow slave bonding time now? ]

skipping ahead with dean-mun's permission o/

[bondsprofoundly]

[Cas'll field this one, Dean.]

I didn't, for most of my life. Dean reached out to me and changed my way of thinking. He's a good man. [That's sort of an understatement, but that's just how Cas talks. He's pretty fuckin' proud of Dean, ngl.]

cB fabulous!!

[gaudy]

[ Baw Cas, those are the magic words. Fenris looks towards Dean again, with new eyes. Alright, maybe this guy is like another Hawke.

Just without all the magic (which he could definitely do without) and the nice ass beard (which he kinda misses tbh.)

After a moment of scrutiny, he gives Dean a nod. There you go, you're officially approved now. You were obviously waiting with baited breath for that. As a bonus, you could probably ask Fenris to kill people for you now and he would totally do it. Yes, his buttons are that easy to push. ] --Ah, you made mention of a book, if I recall?

[notamachine]

[Really? That's all it took to get Fenris' approval? Wow. Dean should have had Cas talk to the guy sooner. ...Actually no, he shouldn't have, because he's a little uncomfortable between Cas calling him a "good man" and Fenris looking at him like...however Fenris is looking at him. There are too many good vibes going on in here, and Dean's thankful for the change in topic.]

Right. Yes. The book. The book from the library. Okay. [Dean peeks at his notes again. Ah, here we go.] So it was a history. Nothing special there, there's a lot of histories, except this one goes into details the others don't. There's information on some kind of "separation"--which I'll be honest, I don't really get, but I guess the turtle split itself from the mainland? Don't know how it was connected in the first place, but it was a long process and I guess it sucked.

But--here, look-- [Right. Fenris doesn't read English. Sorry, bro, let Dean just pull that back.] The interesting part is this--this rationing thing. It's happened before. Long time ago, not sure exactly how long, the Emperor pulled a couple hundred so-called heroes to protect the turtle from something or other. It all went down exactly like it's going down now, right down to the rationing. Now that's significant, but even more significant, I don't think she wants us knowing she's done this before. What I don't know is why.

[Oh gosh, look. He's proud of himself. He doesn't get as excitable about information as Sam does, but he found something important all by himself and he gets to share that information with the class and come on praise him he did good]

[bondsprofoundly]

[Good job Dean we are all very proud of you.]

There are several themes concerning the aspidochelone found throughout our own Earth's religions. [The great serpent Jörmungandr, for one.] It's possible that this world birthed the idea of the world-turtle. The turtle's name, Tu Vishan, is similar to Vishnu, who would adopt the form of the turtle. Supposedly to bear a mountain on his back, but I've heard he tells that story a lot with very little credibility.

[gaudy]

[ Welp. Fenris officially has no idea what Castiel just said. He opens his mouth... and closes it, and opens it again, squinting a bit. Better to nod briskly like he understands, yes?

Earth's religions seem strange indeed.

Still, the Emperor puzzle has him a mite concerned. ] Perhaps she seeks to avoid revolt. The blackening out of history does not bode well.

Do you imagine that the Kedan know of these events? Or has it been long enough that they are ignorant as well?

cas-mun and i do a lot of skipping around...

[notamachine]

[Welcome to the I-Have-No-Idea-What-Cas-Just-Said Club, Fenris! Members: 2. At times like these, it's best to just smile and nod. So he does.]

I don't know how much they know, but I get the feeling it's more than they're willing to let on. Try asking one about the history of the turtle sometime, watch how cagey they get. I just don't want to talk about it too much where the powers-that-be can hear since I've got the feeling they wouldn't take too well to their so-called heroes asking too many inconvenient questions.

[gaudy]

I don't imagine you have established... a rapport with any of them, then, that you might ask such questions in secret? [ That's what Hawke would have done. And it would have to be Dean, because Fenris himself doesn't establish rapport: other people establish a rapport with him and then he grumbles about it the whole time despite needing it to survive. He's kinda a pain in the ass like that. ] Perhaps there are other places in which the history is further detailed.

SORRY THIS WAS TOTES MY BAD

[bondsprofoundly]

If there are, they aren't in the palace. [Cas did a pretty thorough search in that ten seconds he was away from Dean.]

[notamachine]

[And Dean trusts Cas' searching abilities (usually), so he leaves that at that.] The emperor's not exactly much for rapport and I haven't talked to the palace servants much, but they're not the chatty type. I figure they're a lot more interested in keeping their heads attached to their necks than they are in talking to me. You've got a point though. The info has to be there, it's just...hidden. Coded, maybe.

[And not a one of them reads the language. Awesome.]

[gaudy]

Yes, I imagine they were forbidden to impart knowledge to outsiders. [ That's standard Magister procedure: the only thing as important as strength in Tevinter is knowledge, and having loose lipped slaves brought down more than one senator in Fenris' time. That doesn't exactly help them out, here. ] Have you seen libraries outside the palace? I suspect close study of historical texts right under the Emperor's nose would not please her overly much.

[notamachine]

Libraries, yes. Useful libraries...not so much. [Dean rubs his face, talking more to himself than to Fenris.] Maybe I just don't know the right keywords...there's got to be somebody who does. Farm records, maybe? Could be useful information even if it doesn't tell me a specific history...droughts...famine...if all this has happened before then it's probably affected crop cycles, too. Maybe I can find records like that, pin down a time frame--and none of that is gonna do me any good.

[Quieter] Wish Sam was here.

[bondsprofoundly]

Construction records might be useful. If this enemy we're supposed to be fighting is as formidable as the text indicates, then it's likely that it created substantial damage.

[Castiel folds his arms.] We might be able to find that out on our own just by observing.