Morrigan is many things (whathavewehere) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-08-30 20:49:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, maxwell trevelyan (the inquisitor), morrigan |
Who: Max and Morrigan
What: A tour of Skyhold and then beginning Morrigan's lessons in Necromancy spells
When: Late August/after Morrigan got back from China
Where: Skyhold
Warnings: Fairly low, though some discussion of Necromancy
Where whither grows the simple scent of sprigs anew in furrowed soil, for on the vine are yours and mine, a bounty blessed by honest toil.
It was perhaps too much to ask for a greenhouse to take residence in a large medieval fortress, but the garden at Skyhold was vast. Surrounding the well, it was simple greenery, herb harvesting - pots and seed planters, raised garden beds and those plants growing basically anywhere. But it was well-manicured, well-maintained; Max couldn’t come up here every day so he had a lot of tricks up his sleeve for getting the Thedosian herbs to flourish. He crafted potions regularly, both here and as the Inquisitor; it was important to have a fruitful garden.
Coffee grounds, for example, were a great way to improve the quality of soil. An organic insect spray was easy to concoct. Flowers pinched off of herbs before they were picked on sunny mornings (and specifically on sunny mornings, of which they had plenty in California), hung up to dry and then sealed in jars. Seemed that his gardening prowess and green thumb were all coming back to him, the longer he worked at returning to those ways.
He’d been wanting to show Morrigan for what seemed like ages. But after her dreams of dragon dueling, and then subsequent vacation away from the OC (which he couldn’t blame her for at all, wanting to get away for a little while), it was difficult to find the time to make the hike up toward Ortega Falls, in the Santa Ana mountains where Skyhold was nestled. Today they’d changed all that, however.
“Well, here it is,” he said, as they stepped into the garden from the main hall, exiting the correct door. Now they were facing what he’d cultivated - the herb garden had been a part of the castle when it arrived, but Max had to spruce it up a bit. It was daunting, doing it on his own, but hopefully now he wouldn’t have to be a one-person garden team anymore. “You know I crafted a lot of potions, so...an herb garden seemed like the best bet for Skyhold.”
It was almost reassuring that Skyhold was here. Morrigan had liked the fortress, though whether it had been due to the fact it seemed to be removed from most of the turmoil of the world up in the mountains, or because of its history was unclear. But it was a familiar place, and to have it here in this world was nice to have. Skyhold itself posed no threat, unlike her Eluvian. Threats could potentially come out of the Eluvian, but as Leliana had no knowledge of any other Eluvians being present in this world, Morrigan was relatively confident nothing would happen in the immediate future. Though she’d still set some wards that would disable anything coming through the Eluvian.
Still, after everything that had occurred lately, especially with the Breach having appeared here, the trip to China had been more than needed. To get away from everything and re-immerse herself in a culture that she had great respect and admiration for with the woman she loved was the best feeling. Even though they had encountered a few darkspawn, but that was a worry she’d think about later. There had been other developments on the trip, one in particular that had left Morrigan wondering just when she’d become that sort of lovesick woman one typically saw in romantic comedies or chick flicks. She would not let on just how she’d reacted to Maia’s proposal. All that one needed to know was that there had been a proposal and Morrigan had accepted, the ring on her left ring finger evidence of it. But she hadn’t brought the subject up, not because she wasn’t excited, but because she was more focused on what she and Max were coming to Skyhold to do.
Though when she saw how the garden was shaping up, she couldn’t help but to smile. “You have done well with the garden. There is plenty of room for many different herbs to be grown. Between this garden and my own, we should be able to support making potions for all of us to use when Orange County falls under attack.” And she rather did like that she wasn’t the only one who could craft potions. Healing spells could only go so far when a mage only had so much available mana with which to cast spells.
“Which will be great, I mean to have all of that available to the county,” Max returned the smile, excited about the potential and glad to have Morrigan’s support. It was a pleasant day, breathing in that fresh mountain air; he was also eager to show her everything. And tell her everything, to update her about what he’d gone ahead with when it came to the lyrium-infused arm - she could also update a few things for him too, based on that ring she was wearing. It hadn’t slipped past his notice, not at all.
Heading to where the Crystal Grace grew, he said, “The rare seeds were actually here which I was grateful for - Deathroot, for one, and also these.” The Inquisitor motioned to the bell-shaped flowers, their color a beautiful pale blue. Listen closely and you’d hear that chiming sound, carrying in the breeze. “When I brought a friend up here to work on a few things, she suggested that maybe I should sell herbs and such to various shops around the county. Going into business isn’t too difficult, is it?” he asked. After all, Morrigan had her own successful shop - she probably knew a few tricks of the trade. “I also plan to renovate Skyhold, mostly so Leliana can get married here, so the extra money won’t hurt.” Turning a medieval fortress into some kind of getaway with modern touches would be a time-consuming undertaking, but a good one. Worthwhile.
Max certainly had Morrigan’s support in that. She hadn’t quite gotten to the part of making the potions available to everyone who dreamt, but she was stockpiling for those who dreamt of Thedas as best as she could. But it always helped to have more than one person working on potions. It was obvious to her that Max had been hard at work while she’d been gone, and she was looking forward to hearing about his updates. And at some point she’d get around to her news. It wasn’t that she wasn’t excited about the personal development, she was simply more private when it came to such things. But she would discuss it eventually.
She gazed at the Crystal Grace, it was a very elegant plant. At the question, she looked back at Max. “Not terribly difficult, no. I imagine you would keep a small business in the manner I have, operating out of your home?” She had some suggestions for what he could do to get such a business started. “Renovating Skyhold is a worthy goal. It is a place that deserves respect and care to such a degree.” She stood by her sentiment in the dreams that the Inquisitor knew what he had in Skyhold, unlike previous owners who did not recognize the potential and the power that was held within it.
“Ideally, I’d try to get something set up out of my home, yes,” Max replied. “And would just make the rounds delivering herbs as needed - there are a few occult shops she mentioned in particular, and I’m familiar with the concept at least. The shop I lived above, when I was growing up in Seattle, also sold herbs. None from Thedas though, clearly,” he added, with a wry grin. “So these would be one of a kind.”
They had medicinal uses, some just looked pretty, some were perfumed - you could do a lot with them, and if Trevelyan was going to grow a whole garden’s worth he certainly didn’t want anything he cultivated to go to waste. “But whatever tips you can give me are appreciated. I also wanted to ask you about lyrium. Say, specifically if someone wanted to infuse a prosthetic arm with it to allow them to cast and fight with a staff like they did before...”
Leisurely, he sauntered toward the castle entranceway again. There was a lot of ground to cover, and he also wanted to show Morrigan the mage tower as well. A stroll would be good for talking.
“In selling herbs, it is certainly imperative that you establish some sort of relationship with the shop owners you are interested in selling herbs to. Getting to know them and their clientele will allow you to know what herbs they sell the most and allow you to capitalize on profits. Also they will come to know you, and trust the product you are selling better. There can be skepticism, depending on the person, and especially when you have herbs that are not native to this planet.” Morrigan said, a bit of a smirk on her face with the last bit. “Operating by word of mouth goes quite far. You will be surprised at how interconnected the community can be when it comes to herbs. When I still lived in England and had my business there, I had quite a few people coming to me from clear across Britain. Of course, I sold herbal remedies, not herbs themselves, but your reputation will precede you more than you can anticipate. I suppose tis not unlike the title of Inquisitor precedes you.”
Though at the mention of a lyrium-infused prosthetic arm, Morrigan had to pause. They all knew lyrium was dangerous, though having two arms was more essential to a mage than many may think. “Tis quite the possibility you pose. Obviously you are aware of the dangers lyrium can pose. Nevertheless, a mage needs their hands to work their spells and fight, so I am able to see your dilemma. If there is a way to safely lock the lyrium within the prosthetic to ensure that it will not harm you, I do not see the harm in that. Do you know anyone who is able to refine lyrium?” That was the first hurdle, really. Infusing anything with raw lyrium was insanity, in Morrigan’s opinion. Especially considering she had no knowledge of anything that could make raw lyrium safe to be used in such a way.
Morrigan made a good point, getting to know the shopkeepers and the clientele was important. It felt more personal, in a sense, and developing that rapport led to a warmer relationship - which benefited both parties. “You’re right,” he said, and added, “About the lyrium too.”
She was also a mage, she understood how vital it was to be able to use both hands, both arms, to cast and do battle with when the time called for it - his body was the conduit for the magic pulled from the Fade, Max knew that. But not having everything intact and balanced - the way one did with symmetrical limbs - was throwing him off. His casting abilities at the moment? Pretty abysmal.
“The raw lyrium in the caverns beneath a park here - I know someone who transformed it. He’s...well, I guess technically he’s a god, and dreams of having domain over the Underworld. Everything underground, in fact - the raw lyrium didn’t adversely affect him. So now I have it in a few forms, and it’s easier to work with. But I think the plan is to modify a modern prosthetic arm, with the lyrium veins laced on the inside, you know?” he attempted to explain - and he had sketches up in the tower, which they’d get to as well. “I just - “
He slipped both hands into his pockets, the flesh and blood and the myoelectric prosthetic he currently wore - it wasn’t magical, it simply helped him grasp things better. “I feel so hollow without my casting being up to par. It’s honestly the worst feeling to live with. Maybe I’m a little desperate but once the engineering part is done and I get used to everything, I know the risk will pay off.”
Sometimes Morrigan did make good points, they just weren’t always heeded by others. Of course, she knew her ability to tell people things wasn’t the best. She tended to come off as a bitchy know it all most of the time, but she tried to curb that when it came to people she cared about and called friends. Max was certainly one of those people.
While she had no idea what Max was going through with the loss of his arm, she was likening it to being made tranquil. Losing an arm was losing a part of one’s self, obviously, but to a mage, it would certainly upset the balance of casting spells and wielding staves. So in that respect, it wasn’t entirely different from being tranquil, it was just a different brand of magical castration.
She listened carefully to his explanation, painting a picture in her mind of what he described. She tilted her head a bit. “When you say the lyrium veins laced on the inside, do you mean like they would be in place of electronic wiring? Or acting as a supplement to electronic wiring?” That would be something entirely useful if lyrium could be harnessed in that way. Best not to let the world at large figure out what lyrium was and what it could be used for. Thedas was already a bit of a shit show with the lyrium trade and how the Chantry used it to exercise power over the Templars and mages.
“I understand your desperation. Losing a limb, especially an arm for a mage, must throw everything off. I am simply worried about the potential dangers lyrium can pose, I do not wish my friend to be harmed in the process.” That was the first time she’d said that aloud, but she meant it. She looked at Max. “However, if it can be harnessed in such a way, then by all means give it a try. And should you require anything of me, all you need do is ask.”
“Something like that, yes - electric wiring wouldn’t be needed because the lyrium would be the thing that gets the arm to move. What with how alive it is,” and even Max had to admit that was a little creepy. He considered the substance a mineral - the way the raw form looked especially, reminded him of crystals - but usually minerals didn’t breathe like, say, fungi did. It was simply just a mysterious, not of this world type of thing. A shame it couldn’t be studied for too long, because it was so dangerous.
Dark eyes cut over to Morrigan when she referred to him as a friend, and he gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “I’m glad for the support, because it does mean a lot. Hawke and Leliana are supportive too. Dorian’s...skeptical.” But the Tevinter mage was extra stubborn, extra hotheaded, and extra fussy - he’d see reason sooner or later.
They passed the main Skyhold tower, drawing closer to the renovated mage tower - Cullen’s, interestingly (which was nearby) had always remained ruined. Apparently the man never wanted an actual roof over his head. “So, that ring?” Max prodded then. “What’s the story there?” He may have had an idea, but was interested to hear the explanation.
“I must admit, such a thing intrigues me. In fact, the lyrium might give the prosthetic arm more of a natural movement. After all, electronics can be glitchy and not fluid in motion at times.” In the long run, it might be the better option for Max getting back to being as close to the way he was before losing his arm. Nothing would replace actual flesh and bone, but perhaps this was the next closest thing.
Morrigan smiled. “You are welcome. Though Pavus’ skepticism is not unexpected. A healthy dose of skepticism can be beneficial. However, this friend of yours with this ability sounds as though he could be quite useful and ensure the lyrium will not harm you in the long run. We do not need you going lyrium mad on us.” She was teasing him with that comment.
Skyhold was as majestic as it had been in her dreams. The upgrades Max was making to it were more or less the same as the female Trevelyan in her dreams had made. The similarities served to amuse Morrigan, especially in cases like this. Then came the question of the ring. Morrigan blinked, momentarily confused as to what he was talking about. But then it hit her. She lifted her hand, the ring glinting in the sunlight.
“Tis a tale involving some hilarity, lots of water, and things not going according to how Maia had planned them.” Morrigan teased, a smirk on her face. “Though she did manage to still propose to me.” And the ring made Morrigan’s answer obvious.
“It’s beautiful,” Trevelyan complimented the ring, and he meant it. The purple stone was unique and the design of the bauble seemed very elegant, very classic. Morrigan may have been dubbed a Witch of the Wilds, but she’d settled into her role as an Adviser to the nobility of Orlais with ease and a regal air about her - perhaps that was where she was truly meant to be. More of a scholar and perhaps even a teacher in some ways. “Congratulations, I’m happy for you both.”
The mage tower was multi-storied, what a Circle tower should have been like, and Max was almost used to seeing occupants milling about - but here, in this version of Skyhold, it was just them for now. On the bottom floor were books, mainly, walls and shelves of them - specific to casting and the spells of Thedas, the sects of magic, whereas the library at Skyhold was a lot broader. It was, admittedly, a little difficult to see Dorian’s empty leather wingback chair sitting cold without him.
“You two are aiming for kind of a long engagement, I’m guessing?”
“Thank you.” Morrigan smiled a warm, genuine and somewhat rare kind of smile. It held a softness to it that had only been there in relation to her son in the dreams, one she expected that Max had seen just as the Inquisitor of her dreams had when they had spoken in the garden. Maia had a way of softening Morrigan’s sharp edges in the same sort of way that Kieran had softened them in her dreams.
She walked along, the layout of Skyhold rather familiar to her, and yet she was intrigued in seeing the differences between Max’s Skyhold and the one she had dreamt of. For instance, her Inquisitor had not built a Mage tower, but instead had built a Chantry sort of thing in the garden. Morrigan hadn’t exactly liked that, but she’d kept her mouth shut on it. She vastly preferred Max’s upgrades.
“Indeed. I rather think Maia would have been ready to simply elope on the spot, but I wish to take time.” Morrigan was not wanting to just jump right into it. She wanted to be fully ready for making vows when they got married.
She began to look over the books in the tower, skimming over the titles as she passed. She was making mental notes of what to come back to read over, if anything caught her eye.
“Time is good. You want to enjoy it too, just being engaged. If I can help with anything wedding-related, don’t hesitate to ask,” Trevelyan insisted gallantly. He was playing a large role in Leliana’s, and he’d like to at least be there for Morrigan’s as well - if anyone else from Thedas tied the knot, certainly the same offer would be extended.
He seemed to be looking for a few books in particular - and indeed, he found the one he was after, the readings on Necromancy that had been dropped off in this world along with the Nevarran skull and the bloodstone. The ancient, weathered tome was cracked open upon one of the tables. “I thought maybe if you wanted, you could start learning a few Necromancy spells? I know we talked about it before, so, here we are.”
If she’d changed her mind, he’d understand. Dabbling in the craft was always a little daunting.
“Precisely. It is not a process I wish to rush through. Thank you, I shall certainly let you know.” Morrigan was fairly certain there would be something he could do to help with the wedding, but that was to come later. It was for a time when wedding planning would actually be happening.
“Oh yes, I would certainly enjoy beginning to learn some of those spells.” Morrigan was eager to learn to more about magic. She enjoyed expanding her repertoire. Especially here in Orange County when anything could happen at any point in time. While the same could be said about Thedas, Orange County wasn’t limited to just the dangers of Thedas. Dangers from everyone else’s dream worlds were possibilities to show up here.
“Also whenever you wish, I could begin to teach you Shapeshifting.” It was a somewhat different discipline of magic when it came to learning. But she had successfully taught Maia to shift into a rat, so she had hope that Max could pick things up quickly. “I promise I will not show off and shift into a dragon and expect you to do the same right away.” She smirked a bit.
Max laughed a little, amused by the thought. “It’s very impressive, shifting into a dragon,” he said, and it really was - during the battle with Corypheus, it was an amazing thing to see. Best that he start off slowly with it though, so as not to injure himself - however, he was also thrilled to learn something new. Especially since Shapeshifting was not typically a discipline taught within the Circles; it hadn’t been when he was growing up in Ostwick.
Necromancy wasn’t either. A trainer had to specifically set up camp at Skyhold to teach him, but he’d taken to it quickly too.
“Next lesson? I’m pretty eager to learn too, and we can trade back and forth with new spells,” he offered. “Here, we’ll start with a simple enough spell - Horror, which unleashes spirits of fear to terrorize enemies, and freeze them in place. Place the bloodstone on the skull and recite the words from the book - the ritual is such that a spirit is drawn to the skull, and you’ll both hear and feel what it says. Like the magic is sinking into you.”
They just needed a little candlelight, and burning incense for effect - a ha. He managed to get candles to light, with enough concentration on Inferno magic. It was a lot more difficult these days.
There was far more to magic than simply what was taught in the Circles. Morrigan had a great many negative thoughts on the Circles, but quite a few had to do with what they taught. It was a narrow look at magic, and Morrigan took great pains in preserving the magic of old. She may greatly hate her mother, but she had taken quite the keen interest in her magic lessons. She had knowledge of magic that no other mages from Thedas had. Some of it she would share. Some of it she would keep to herself, such as that ritual for acquiring the soul of an Old God and ensuring a Warden didn’t have to die in order to kill the Archdemon.
“That is agreeable. I rather think we are both eager to learn more magic.” At least as far as Shapeshifting went, that would perhaps be an easier kind of magic for Max to work while his arm was getting figured out. It was less point-and-fire and more turning the magic inwards to change one’s form. Morrigan quirked an eyebrow, chuckling softly as she took the bloodstone in hand. “Of course t’would be bloodstone for Necromancy,” she commented as she then placed the stone into the skull as instructed. And it worked the way it should have. The spirit came, and Morrigan both heard and felt it, and it was an odd experience. Though not an unwelcome one.
“Excellent touch with the candles and incense,” she noted. The incense was pleasant to her senses. And clearly it only added to the atmosphere of the spell.
The incense was funerary, of a sort, deep and heady - a lot of frankincense and myrrh, but Max found it helped him focus a little. He wasn’t sure why, perhaps it was psychosomatic. Or perhaps it just took him back to the camp where he’d learned his specialty in the first place - the crackle of a fire, the scent of ozone and burning wood reminded him of his decision to become a Necromancer, and studying with his trainer. You will find, Inquisitor, that life is not so final as some might think. He remembered it well.
“I have to make it as creepy as possible here, it’s the first rule of this craft,” he quipped, turning to a new page in the book after he’d placed it on its stand to hold it upright - it would be easier to read from, like this.
Morrigan had taken to the first spell very well, the room becoming awash in scented smoke and the sizzle of magic mixing into the air, the presence of something other and pulled from the Fade. He would start off with the simpler spells which sort of built off each other anyway - Horror, Despair, Terror, and so forth. Then he’d teach her a few Siphoning spells next lesson, and eventually move onto one or two of the more complicated ones. Simulacrum, for example, which was a spirit in your own likeness ‘tagging in’ during a fight when the physical body was down and out. It was helpful because a spirit didn’t get injured or use mana the same way a flesh-and-blood meatbag did.
“How was that?” he asked, after he flipped the next page. “Feeling a bit more necromantical now? You can always practice those on annoying people in coffee shops. Not that I encourage such things, but - “ Well, you had to practice somehow, right?
There was something to say about a good atmosphere for learning magic. Morrigan knew atmosphere could do wonders for helping one to learn properly, so she certainly could appreciate these things. Besides, it was far better than the lessons from her mother. Those had more or less been rigid ones, explaining where she’d gone wrong and what she needed to do to improve herself. One of the first things Flemeth had taught her once her magic had manifested had been how to control her abilities and how to hide it so Templars and so forth wouldn’t catch her. Growing up as an apostate had been difficult, though made slightly easier living in the middle of the Korcari Wilds where few others lived or traveled. It had been even more difficult with Flemeth as both mother and teacher.
And while she liked to hate Flemeth on all accounts, the old woman had taught her well in magic. She had been young but highly skilled when Maia and Alistair had stumbled into her life during the Blight.
“That was unlike any other spell I have ever cast. Not unlike the Entropy spells I already know, but far more advanced in that respect.” At his joking, she had to laugh. “You know me well. There are times when I wish to use such spells on those who annoy me. Which is just about everyone.” It wasn’t unlike using her shapeshifting to eavesdrop on conversations she otherwise shouldn’t have heard. She’d recently had a thought of shifting into a raven to try and spy on Leliana, but she had a feeling the spymaster would know it was her.
“I like to think that I do, to some degree,” Max laughed a little - know Morrigan well, that is. It felt like they had been through quite a bit together, both here and in Thedas. She’d been an invaluable help to the Inquisition and motherhood did soften her a little - she was good with Kieran. And Trevelyan had never asked, but he was nearly certain that the Hero of Ferelden was the boy’s father. It was just interesting how the details differed from one set of dreams to the next.
This was good - they could learn from each other, not to mention trade tips on cultivating Thedosian herbs too. That way no one would want for potions in case things went awry, as they tended to do in Orange County.
“But I’m glad I got to show you around here,” he added. “And when I get Skyhold a little more renovated, and spruced up - “ Meaning, adding modern amenities like electricity and indoor plumbing, “...you and Maia are welcome to stay for a night or two. You know, to give it a test run as a vacation destination.”
“You do,” she confirmed. It was more than many others had come to know about her. Morrigan wasn’t the easiest person to get to know as she kept her distance from people. It had been odd to see her dream self take to motherhood the way she had. She never thought that she’d make much of a mother, and she hadn’t even desired it before the dreams. But now, having dreamt Kieran, she wasn’t so certain about that. Though Max wasn’t that far off in his assumption of who was Kieran’s father. At least as far as her dreams went. Alistair was the father in her dreams. It could have easily been a male Hero of Ferelden in the version Max dreamt of. Had Maia been male, Morrigan would have done the ritual with her as opposed to Alistair.
This was good, though. Morrigan liked having someone to talk plants with. Maia understood to a point, but she wasn’t as into the nuances of what each plant was, and what they could be used for. But between her and Max, they could have an arsenal of potions and grenades available for others to use when things went south, here.
“Thank you for giving me the grand tour. Skyhold is beginning to shape up.” She said with a smile. “And thank you for the offer. I rather think Maia and I shall take you up on that offer.” It would be nice to stay in Skyhold again. Morrigan had had a fondness for it in the dreams. Skyhold deserved to be made majestic once again, and she had every confidence that Max could do it justice.
But first thing was first. They were here to do magic, and Morrigan was going to learn some of the basic Necromancy spells. Learning magic in Skyhold was more than fitting, she thought.