[ back straight, arms still behind it with polearm in one hand, zhongli is quiet but lets hawke fall into step with him without question. he is... pondering. frowning. ]
No, likely not. It was the eleventh hour, as they say, and not an expected result from it.
[ for all that hawke has usually been pretty jovial about his explanations and whatnot of general thedas bullshit, there's a hint of unease as he explains, a sense of disquiet he can't fully hide ]
As a mage... There is a rite. It's meant for those who are a danger to either themselves or those around them but the Templars have in recent times become more heavy handed in their usage of it. It cuts your connection to the fade and ability to dream. You lose your access to your magic. But at the same time, it also destroys your ability to feel and your emotions are all but wiped. There's no real way of reversing it, not that I've seen... but the one I've seen come back, even temporary... it's... harrowing.
[ squeezes his hands. ooooghghg ] I won't say it's entirely the same but there's a similar emptiness. You're still going through motions but no ones there behind the curtain to say.
[ me, knowing what happens to wardens with the calling: it can't be that bad! ari: it's bad ]
... [ it's affection week but that isn't the major motivator for zhongli to reach out and squeeze hawke's upper arm, seeing him squeezing his hands like that. that's a lot. ]
I am sorry to hear that such a thing exists in your world, Mister Hawke, and that you have seen it for yourself what it does to others. But... it does give us some idea of what the General might have been going through, whether it was an outside force or something within him.
[ returns to trying to tag this back like :tails: the mood whiplash ]
It's one of the reasons I believe in Anders. That things in Thedas must change and the way it's been should not be the way it should stay. No one deserves such a fate, not even anyone here.
[ grimaces a smile ]
Though honestly, I'm not sure if knowing that such a rite exists helps or not. Now there's just the worry that this won't be the only time.
No, I dare say that I would not wish it on anyone. [ maybe during the archon war, against gods that ruthlessly cut down lives and hurt others for their enjoyment, but against people? no matter their crimes, should they have committed any, it would be better, he thinks, if they simply executed them than torture them like this. ] I hope that the return to Thedas comes swiftly for the two of you.
[ but he frowns. ]
I will be honest, though... I fear it happening again regardless of knowledge.
[ at least the mildly unhinged laughter doesn't bother him. he apparently still has drinks sometimes with childe (derogatory), so he's used to freaks. ]
Were that we could. It's... frustrating, to be so powerless as we are.
[ he gives him a bit of a sideeye when there's no followup to returning home, but files it away for now rather than make hawke confront it. ]
[ yeah that's about where i was at when i typed it.
peepaw grimaces, just the slightest bit - more a curl of his lip and a wince than anything else - when he says that. ]
... unfortunately true, although ideally those of us more responsible with our power would keep the troublemakers in check. [ puts dan in barrier gay baby jail like azhdaha. ]
Mm... not that I'm privy to every reason that he might have, but your Mister Anders informed me that he's in possession of two souls, at least. That has notoriously caused issue for people in Teyvat, so I can only imagine.
[ a tolerant look in response to his eheh, but he allows it since he was hand wringing earlier over the awful things from home moments ago. ]
Blue - oh, your Mister Anders. I was wondering about Brimstone, but if that's the case I will ensure that the church remains intact. Mister Lucas would be upset to see if it was destroyed in any way I think.
I think we'd have to worry about a lot more than just the church in that case.
[ wry ]
Though it does make me wonder if this makes it better. For the two of them, I mean. Having someone gone through similar and ending up in a situation like this.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
w0, post trial sat
Talk about a dramatic turn of events. Not even the drunkest of tavern dwellers would believe it.
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No, likely not. It was the eleventh hour, as they say, and not an expected result from it.
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[ though he did say That in his defense so like, what does he know! nothing apparently!! ]
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Like he simply did not care for what he had done to her, or what he was putting Jiaoqiu through.
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Yes! That's the oddity I felt. He seemed off in some way I couldn't particularly put a finger on.
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[ MAKES A DISTURBED STANK FACE? -10 POINTS HAWKE HATED THAT ]
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[ give me your lore. ]
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As a mage... There is a rite. It's meant for those who are a danger to either themselves or those around them but the Templars have in recent times become more heavy handed in their usage of it. It cuts your connection to the fade and ability to dream. You lose your access to your magic. But at the same time, it also destroys your ability to feel and your emotions are all but wiped. There's no real way of reversing it, not that I've seen... but the one I've seen come back, even temporary... it's... harrowing.
[ squeezes his hands. ooooghghg ] I won't say it's entirely the same but there's a similar emptiness. You're still going through motions but no ones there behind the curtain to say.
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ari: it's bad ]
... [ it's affection week but that isn't the major motivator for zhongli to reach out and squeeze hawke's upper arm, seeing him squeezing his hands like that. that's a lot. ]
I am sorry to hear that such a thing exists in your world, Mister Hawke, and that you have seen it for yourself what it does to others. But... it does give us some idea of what the General might have been going through, whether it was an outside force or something within him.
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It's one of the reasons I believe in Anders. That things in Thedas must change and the way it's been should not be the way it should stay. No one deserves such a fate, not even anyone here.
[ grimaces a smile ]
Though honestly, I'm not sure if knowing that such a rite exists helps or not. Now there's just the worry that this won't be the only time.
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[ but he frowns. ]
I will be honest, though... I fear it happening again regardless of knowledge.
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[ pay no mind he avoids the subject of returning home ]
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Were that we could. It's... frustrating, to be so powerless as we are.
[ he gives him a bit of a sideeye when there's no followup to returning home, but files it away for now rather than make hawke confront it. ]
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We'd just all destroy the place in a few minutes otherwise so I suppose I understand the why but I still don't like it.
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peepaw grimaces, just the slightest bit - more a curl of his lip and a wince than anything else - when he says that. ]
... unfortunately true, although ideally those of us more responsible with our power would keep the troublemakers in check. [ puts dan in barrier gay baby jail like azhdaha. ]
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hawke makes the most delighted eheh at seeing that change of expression tho ]
Hah, like certain pipsqueaks who could benefit from a bit of humanity?
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[ a tolerant look in response to his eheh, but he allows it since he was hand wringing earlier over the awful things from home moments ago. ]
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Ah. Yeah. It was a bit of a problem as you would think.
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[ oh boy ]
Should we be concerned..?
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If he starts glowing blue, make sure the church is still standing.
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Ser Brimstone as well? Maker that would explain so much. But the statement still stands, I feel. Fire, chaos, and a bit of maniacal laughing.
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I hope neither of them decide to spiral into fiery madness. Especially not at the same time.
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[ wry ]
Though it does make me wonder if this makes it better. For the two of them, I mean. Having someone gone through similar and ending up in a situation like this.