exsiliumlogs | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Date & Time: February 15th, 3312, afternoon
Location: The library
Characters: Nathaniel Howe (

noble_nate) and Martin (

septim)
Summary: Nathaniel goes looking for some information
Warnings: None

It had taken Nathaniel a while to find the library, not really knowing his way around the place yet. That was something he resolved to fix soon; he was the type of person that needed to be completely aware of his surroundings before he felt completely comfortable. Not that he expected he'd ever feel completely comfortable here.

After talking with Martin during training the other day, he'd found that they both shared a similar love of knowledge. He'd gathered that they were from different worlds, something Nathaniel was still trying to get his head around, but that they had a common goal in wanting to get out of here as quickly as possible. Maybe if they shared what little information they'd both gathered, they might have a chance.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nathaniel waves his hand, brushing off the thanks. "Anders has a tendency to be a bit...sensitive about the topic of mages. I figured you should know, in case he gets...angry." That sounds vague, even to his ears, but he's not sure if Anders has told Martin about Justice yet.

"Not that you should pussyfoot around him," Nathaniel hastens to say, "jus that you shouldn't take it personally."

Angry is an understatement. Anders has every right to feel this strongly about the topic of mage oppression in Thedas, Martin thinks. The vagueness, and warning, are almost laughable.

"I can't take personally what isn't about me." To do so would be entitlement. "I don't intent to treat him any different now that I've heard this. No one likes to be pitied."

"You're right about that," Nathaniel agrees. "I never pitied him, but there was a time when I took his actions very personally." He thinks about Justice, and how it was he who had suggested the spirit try to inhabit a willing host. His conviction that Justice played a large part in the death of so many people in Kirkwall has led him to feel as if he's partially responsible.

He smiles, shaking off the gloom. "It seems he's well matched in his flatmate at least, you two must get along well."

Martin keeps quiet, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, expression unyielding. When Nathaniel and Anders are ready, they will tell him about his past. For now, it isn't his right to ask anything.

"I haven't known him long but he's very sociable." No comment on himself. Revealing too much about himself might not be the best idea. He's content to be a simple (ex) priest, healer-mage, for now.

"He is sociable," Nathaniel smiles fondly. "We were Wardens together in Amaranthine years ago, and he was one of the few people who could actually get me to talk back then. Though, admittedly, most of the things I said were along the lines of 'you're impossible to talk to.'"

Martin matches the smile. Yes, Anders could talk a lot, and as more of a listener than a speaker, Martin let him prattle on. He could understand the meaning behind that quip, Anders enjoyed witticism.

Still, Nathaniel's admission piques his curiosity. "Wardens?"

Nathaniel nods. "Grey Wardens." He hazards a guess that Anders hasn't told Martin much about his past. "We're an order of fighters and such, charged with trying to destroy darkspawn, and defeating any Blights that occur."

It was strange trying to explain something that every person in Thedas knew about, to a greater or lesser degree. "Darkspawn are these hideous monsters that dwell in the depths of the earth, and they're led by the old gods--dragons, or so I've heard, though we call them archdemons. And every few hundred years or so, one of the archdemons rises up, along with thousands of its servants. Wardens are the only who can destroy the archdemon, and thus end the Blight.

"It's an important job; there were seven old gods to begin with, five have been defeated. A day will come when Thedas will be free of all darkspawn, and it'll be due to the Wardens." The pride that Nathaniel feels about being part of this order should be obvious to anyone who listens to his tale.

Every world has its demons and dragons. Good thing Martin hadn't told Nathaniel his god is a dragon (or that he's dragonborn) yet. As a mage, feared in Nathaniel's world, to reveal himself as a dragon worshiper might tip the balance from polite tolerance to uncomfortable wariness or worse, prejudice.

So, Anders was a Warden too? There are so many questions he has for these two men now, but he bites down the urge to blurt them out, opting for polite focus as Nathaniel continues. "You are a man of strong conviction and character to undertake such a task." Yes, Martin's impressed. He doesn't doubt Nathaniel's strength, witness to his skills with a bow but Martin would've never guessed those skills came at such great risk.

Nathaniel sounds so proud of his job, with good reason. Saving his realm from such a threat is no small task.

Edited 2012-02-21 06:17 (UTC)

Nathaniel actually laughs. "It wasn't my choice, actually, though I can't say I'm sorry it happened. I was conscripted after I was, uh, caught stealing." No need to go into all the details of that unhappy event.

"The Warden-Commander at the time decided I'd be more useful as a Grey Warden then hanging from the end of a noose." He shrugs. "There were times when I wasn't sure if she'd made the right decision, but I'm proud of being a Warden, now. I'm useful in a way I'd never been before. Or, at least I was," he smiles ruefully. "Not so much now, I suppose."

Best not to ask about that. As an Imperial and the emperor, Martin isn't too fond of crime. Nathaniel likely has a good reason for what he was doing, right?

Right.

"People are hung for thievery in Thedas?" Martin's eyes widen. That's a bit too draconian. Why hang people when you can fine them? A realm could always use more taxes. "I'm sure we'll prove useful here too, unless we find a way out."

"It depends on who you're caught stealing from," Nathaniel says a bit enigmatically. "I'm not a criminal, though, I assure you." He's more than a little worried that he's likely scared off one of the few people he's actually gotten acquainted with here. "And, it was a long time ago."

He looks thoughtful for a moment. "As for proving useful here...I'm sure we will. I just wish I knew what exactly we're supposed to be fighting for, and what this 'Initiative' really is."

Mage oppression and unequally enforced laws. Thedas is sounding more like a place where Martin would never want to visit. Not that Tamriel is perfection walking, as he knew from personal experience and his studies of realm law, but still, to be hanged for petty thievery is heavy-handed.

If you commit a crime, you're a criminal. However, that's semantics. "I apologize for sounding judgmental." Nathaniel doesn't have anything to prove. As far as Martin's concerned, whatever or whoever he used to be in Thedas, that's in the past, and none of his concern.

"Don't we all. I can't say I'm too thrilled to be here, to fight another war for a realm that isn't even my own."

Nathaniel nods. "Exactly. They won't even tell us who exactly we're supposed to be fighting, or why it was neccessary for them to bring so many people here to help them."

That's extremely unsettling to Nathaniel. If they need this many people on their side, then their enemy must be pretty formidable. Not that he's afraid, exactly. Just that he likes to know what kind of danger he's getting himself into ahead of time.

Soldiers don't need to be told the logistics of a war. They just need to obey. Martin keeps that grim realization to himself. "They can use our confusion to their advantage. I have no intentions to fight for them, at least not until I'm told what I'm fighting for." And if I have a choice.

"They're putting an awful lot of trust in us, too. I mean, the first place we're led to when we get here is a huge armory full of weapons. It's as if they expect us to follow them willingly."

He doesn't like that idea at all. He takes exception about being treated like a mindless drone. Not to mention the fact that he's used to leading people now, rather than following.

"I can't say I see much of a flaw in their plan," Martin crosses his arms, deep in thought. "If we have to choose between fighting or death, many of us will choose the former. The human instinct to survive is a powerful thing." The Initiative is anything but stupid. They've dealt them hands all to their benefit. A masterstroke, really. Martin is impressed.

"Maybe," Nathaniel allows. "But the chances for revolt seem fairly high. What's to stop us from turning our weapons on them? Not that I plan to, mind you, but it seems to me like there are a lot of angry people here right now."

"We revolt against a deposed monarchy and then...what, exactly?" It isn't that Martin's giving up. Rather, he's careful and composed. "I doubt they'll show us the way back home after we overthrow them. The outside world is hostile to this rebellion and thus us. We would get no help."

"You seem awfully calm about all of this." There's no rancor in the statement, it's more of an observation than anything else. "You say you've no intention of fighting for them...what's your solution to all of this?" Again, it's an honest question. Nathaniel's genuinely interested in hearing suggestions.

"I'm used to these sort of political issues," ever so vague, Martin's fingers trace the silver crest of a leather-bound book, unlike the rest. "Learn more. Keep smiling, being helpful. That way, no one will suspect me of anything." Who would suspect a bookworm of something nefarious? No one, if Martin plays his cards right.

Edited 2012-02-21 18:56 (UTC)

"So you are looking for a way out." That's definitely reassuring. "I don't know much about magic...if this is a summons like you think, are there ways to possibly reverse it?"

"Absolutely." His tone is reassuring, full of steel. "All summons are bound by the laws of its pact. If I can find out what those are, what reagents were used to transport all of us from our realms into here, I should be able to figure out how to reverse it." Conjuration isn't his favorite school of magic, his bad past with the daedric cult giving him a healthy wariness of summoning daedra and spirits. But, if such measures were necessary to find the way home, for himself and others, so be it.

The more Nathaniel talks to Martin, the more he's coming to respect the other man. Nathaniel has a great love of trying to make sense of things, and Martin's conviction that there's a chance they could get out of here is bolstering.

"It might be worth trying to pool everyone's recollections of where they were right before they were brought here. See if there's some sort of common denominator.

"That's an excellent idea." Considering people here were (likely) picked for their skills, perhaps there is a common denominator. His own arrival at this realm still bothers Martin, but he isn't sure telling everyone he died in a blazing glory would be the best course. "I'll write down all the responses, see if I can find something in common."

Nathaniel nods, satisfied. "You seem like the type of person who likes to research things," he smiles at Martin. "I tend to be more comfortable with action, but I'll help in any way I can."

"Ah, thank you," Martin says, slightly embarrassed, scratching the side of his head in a sheepish gesture. "I don't enjoy fighting, unless I must."

Nathaniel nods his understanding. "I'm used to fighting, it's what Wardens do." He smiles wryly. "And it seems as if I go looking for fights more often than not."

"While fights come to me," Martin sighs, exasperated. "I wish I were used to fighting as you are." I wish I didn't feel as if I'm drifting from one war into another.

Nathaniel shrugs. "Fighting's not necessarily all it's cracked up to be. Especially when you're going into the fight blindly." He grimaces a little. "It's one thing to fight for a cause you believe in, or at least understand, it's something else entirely to fight someone else's battle."

He's going around in circles, he knows, but he can't help himself. The thing that irritates him and unsettles him the most about this place is how much there is that is unknown. The people...the places...everything is unfamiliar, and to someone like Nathaniel, who functions best when he has a firm grasp of any situation he's in, this place has barely more appeal than the dark maws of the Void.

Edited 2012-02-23 17:52 (UTC)

"No, it isn't." Martin utters each word as if their admittance is a personal affront. "Sometimes it's necessary, but..."

I wish I could spare everyone, and myself, the pain of war. An emperor who disliked fighting might be a hypocrisy, but the Oblivion Crisis took with it any desire to wage wars of conquest. The Blades wouldn't be happy if they knew these were his thought, but Martin never had any intentions to become another Uriel V.

This is a soul-sucking conversation. Martin raises and lowers his shoulders, exhaling to shake himself away from his reverie. "I'm sorry, I've digressed. Would you like me to show you where Anders is?"

Edited 2012-02-24 03:53 (UTC)

Nathaniel feels a bit bad for being so grim when talking to Martin, but he can't quite help himself. Being grim and serious is in his nature.

He forces himself to smile. "If you could tell me where he is, I'd appreciate it." He still wasn't allowing himself to get his hopes up; it was possible that Martin was wrong, that this wasn't his Anders. But of course he had to see for himself.

That smile was insincere. Martin isn't in a position to tell Nathaniel that, nor does he care to call him out for a pleasantry, as grating as they are.

Martin rises, tucking some papers into the dragon-plated, leather-bound grimoire, and putting a couple of notebooks on top of it. Once that's done, he picks up the stack. "There are two places where you're most likely to find him: a cafe outside the hold, and his room. We should probably check the cafe first." Martin purses his lips into an amused smile. "They allow cats inside."

Edited 2012-02-24 04:59 (UTC)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only