fadewalk | RP: Sigrun

Inside the mage tower and with the Envy Demon gone, Dagna could finally dedicate herself and her efforts into something else: Getting out of the Fade and (With Inquisitor Lavellan around, activating the Eluvian will be far more simple. Shouldn't be glad about it, but good thing she's here!), if possible, aiding with the Cure (Miss Neria is so, so happy with ser Alistair around - her husband it is, not the king or the ex-Warden - I can't possibly not help her with curing the taint. I know she doesn't think that way, but I owe her.)
(truth to be told, even when the envy demon was lingering in Skyhold she was already thinking and planning how to leave the Fade and how to aid with the Cure.)

A new wave of people had arrived at Skyhold and, more than finding a way out, she was wondering again what was transporting them in the first place. Was it possible that, even after their departure through the Eluvian, more people arrived in that Skyhold? The whole situation was indeed mysterious, but the little Arcanist was determined to, at least, leave hints and clues on how to escape (once it was figured).

She was conducting experiments on her new work table, Jäger sleeping soundly few steps to her side. The Veil Fire granade had been a huge sucess and the more means to fight demons, the merrier.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sigrun flipped the chisel into the air and caught it.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I think he had quite a lot of assistants die while he was working on the formula?"

"Well... that is... terrible."

She concluded, shrugging.

"Thank the stone my experiments body count is 'none'."

Sigrun set the chisel down again and gave a vigorous nod.

"You are quite the superior explodey crafter," she agreed, all seriousness, though her blue eyes sparkled. "I mean, just look what your grenades did to that demon!'

Dagna chuckled, clumsy.

"Thank you. I wasn't sure they would work, in fact. I'm glad they did."

Sigrun gave a wide grin at that and went back to peering at what Dagna was doing, with interest.

Dagna's skilled hands worked with care and precision to engrave the runestones, occasionally stopping to take more material or to sharpen the gouge.

"So... what is it like to explore Thedas? Travel to all places, meet new people and traditions...?"

Sigrun wrinkled her nose. "Wet, mostly. Usually cold. We spend a lot of time camping under the stars on rocky ground, and an awful lot of time walking. There have been interesting things - meeting new people, sometimes seeing the cities we pass through, but we don't really linger anywhere unless Neria is onto something there."

She laughed, putting her palms on the table behind her and leaning back on her hands. She kicked her feet. "I never thought I'd get to be the sort of person who missed things like real beds and baths - I mean, the luxury of having those things in the first place to miss, ha! But I do."

"Some of my favorite things are the ruins. And the libraries! We check out a lot of both, trying to find ideas and leads for the Cure. The elven ruins are like nothing I ever saw before I lived on the surface, and sometimes we get to go underground if we find dwarven ruins, which is always nice. Well, I think so. I don't think Velanna and Nathaniel agree with me there. And I've seen more books with my own two eyes now than I ever expected to in my lifetime. Sometimes I even got to touch them!" She sighed wistfully. "That was nice."

"I've heard legends about old, lost in time Elven Libraries!" Dagna widened her eyes full of admiration, inclining her body oh so slightly closer to Sigrun "I would give my arm to see one in flesh! Not that the Circle Libraries are bad, not at all. But I really feel bad for the mages, being locked up their whole lives for something they didn't do, for something they just... are."

The arcanist tilted her head, smiling a little.

"They were always so kind and receptive, eager to study and to learn. Also to teach! I can hardly picture them the way templars tries to."

Sigrun curled her lip in disgust and had to resist the urge to spit.

"Damn templars. Ask me, they're not any better than the nobles, or the Shaperate, or any of the rest of them that said we dusters were no better than nug shit just for being born. I don't hold with any of this 'the Stone and the Maker say you're just wrong' crap. I figure the mages are the closest thing the surface has got to casteless."

She frowned. "I mean, aside from the elves, of course, but people look down on elves as if they're lesser; they don't claim they were better off never existing in the first place or that they're cursed and sinful the moment they're born."

"For a god full of love for his creation, the Maker is rather a douch, isn't him?"

Sigrun laughed loudly, a little startled by this observation, but quite obviously delighted with it, her blue eyes going wide and mirthful. She looked for a moment like she wanted to clap Dagna on the shoulder or punch her arm or...something physically if a bit violently affectionate, but she pulled her hand back at the last second to avoid messing up Dagna's concentration and careful work.

"I've always thought so," she giggled. "But then I've never got the idea that you should worship an absent god. At least the Stone was always present, right?"

"Sure it is. If you want to worship a hard to please entity, at least They need to be there for you, right? And the Stone is there... everywhere. Can't say the same about the Maker or the Elven Gods. At least the Dalish admit their gods are absent, thought they don't understand why. Now after Corypheus, can't say the Chantry really knows what happened to the Maker, or the Black City, or anything else."

Sigrun nodded.

"I know some people get a lot of - comfort, or...whatever, from their gods. Me, though...it seems like the more I learn about them, and the more weird shit I see, the less I really understand that urge. If any of the gods exist, Dalish or human or the Stone or whatever, they're all assholes."

"Now, look at us, being all heretic." she chuckled "Which is really sad about it is... see, Andraste was awesome and all, she did do a lot of good things but... it's sad watch how people distorted her words to do as would please them. I often wonder if someday this will happen to miss Neria, or to the Inquisitor. They're shaping their time and, unless someone tells their story the right way, one day someone could use it as an excuse to do terrible things."

Sigrun frowned at that thought.

"Nobody wants to be forgotten when they're gone, and maybe being misremembered would be worse," she admitted slowly, after a thoughtful moment of silence. "But I don't know...all that seems so - so big, you know? I don't think you can stop people from being assholes. Somebody's always going to take what came before and twist it into a reason to be cruel, and to pretend other people are less. Just to make themselves feel bigger."

She shrugged. "I don't know if there's anything to be done about it except live your life as you should, and maybe in a way that will make you happy, and then know you did what you could."

"You're right. We can also hope that the future happens to have few bad people." she smiled "But living a happy life, maybe even share it with someone, is a good way to start."

"That seems very optimistic, but hey, it never hurt to hope, right?" Sigrun smiled back, and found herself admiring the way Dagna's smile seemed to light up her whole face.

She makes sharing your life with someone, something I never thought in a thousand years I'd even get to consider for myself, sound very nice, she mused.

The thought made her blush and duck her head.

"No, it really doesn't!" she grinned, and then got back to work, eyes never leaving the stone on her hands

"Sigrun... do you think... hmm... the Inquisition won't last forever, you know? Since Corypheus was defeated and people started to disbandle. You think miss Neria would have use for someone like me, with my skills? The Circle of Magi is a mess right now and it will take some time until I can even start thinking of meeting the College of Magi to present my findings. I don't know much about the Taint or how the Grey Wardens deal with their business, but I'm a fast learner and people always have use for magic items, don't they?"

She didn't notice when she started to babble, speaking fast.

What is going on with you, Dagna!? By the Stone, you're really odd today!

"The kinds of weapons you can make? Yeah, I'd say we would always have a use for that kind of thing." Sigrun chuckled. "Plus there's your ideas on the Taint, which I know Neria would find helpful."

"Um." She felt abruptly warm all through, a hot sensation that started at the backs of her shoulders and washed down to her toes, leaving her hairline prickling like she might start sweating any moment. Which was weird? She was never warm on the surface, and certainly not in Ferelden, even if this Fade version of Skyhold wasn't Ferelden, exactly.

It took her several moments to realize the sensation was her blushing. Vividly, if how warm she felt was anything to go by. And by that point she was already talking quickly.

"Would you, you know, want to join us and come back to Vigil's Keep and work for the Wardens? Because I don't think any of us would object, although maybe your Inquisitor would - I mean I'm sure I would if I was her, you must do all kinds of useful and amazing things for her. But I kind of already told Neria we should kidnap you for ourselves? Not kidnap really! Just...persuade you we could use you. Yeah."

"I wouldn't mind being kidnapped by you, if Inquisitor Lavellan objects my departure." she smiled, blushing "Which she totally wouldn't do, since our work is almost done. But you already persuaded me Sigrun. I-I mean, with the stories about the Wardens, and books and everything else..." she frowned abruptly "Ancestors, this phrase is just weird. B-but it's true, having someone like you around definitely tips the balance to the Grey Wardens. They could benefit from a new point of view, right?"

"Could we ever!" Sigrun exclaimed. "You really want to?"

She paused. "I mean, I could probably kidnap you if absolutely necessary, I am pretty sneaky, and - well, I won't tell you about that one time in Dust Town, you probably don't want to know. But I don't think it counts as kidnapping if you consent..."

"When you put things that way... yea, looks like there is no kidnapping if one is willing to. And I want. I really want."

She smiled and blushed again, unable to go on with her work now.

Sigrun clasped her hands behind her back and grinned stupidly, looking ridiculously pleased with herself.

After a moment, she scooted over impulsively and leaned forward to press a quick kiss to Dagna's cheek, blushing furiously as she pulled back.

Dagna's eyes widened at the gesture and she placed her hand over the cheek by Sigrun, stunned.

"Hm... I-I... have to..."

She pointed at the supplies closet and the to the stone she was carving, flustered. She was quick to reach the door, hands fumbling boxes after something. She must have thought the door was closed behind her by the way she giggled and flailed her hands, giddy.

Sigrun watched her go with a self-satisfied little smirk, but when she saw Dagna flailing in the closet, she clapped a hand to her mouth and giggled into her palm.

She turned back to study the runes Dagna had been working on before the other dwarf returned in an attempt to be discreet, but she couldn't help the smile on her face.