#Havard

[tales-of-wocdes]

Let's say that MC witness a dog eat and drink from a bowl on the ground and went "I want to do that."

So how would MC's adults react to mc drinking/eating from a dog bowl? (Not even a new clean one, it was the dog's bowls and Mc little sneaky hands got to it lol.)

Since there have been a lot of asks regarding MC tasting roughly everything, from raw flour to flowers, I am assuming this is the case :D

--------------------------------------

Lexia sighs deeply. "Here we go again... Kid, you can't just eat and drink everything you come across." She picks up the bowl. "At least it's just water." She looks at the bowl. "Dirty water..."

You look up at her, and employ a tactic she taught you... The puppy dog eyes.

"You know, I did not teach you that, so you could use it against me." She says but smiles. "You wanna drink from a bowl? Let me at least get you a clean one."

----------------------------------------

"MC... please stop." Havard said and picked up the bowl. "It's dirty. You do not need to drink from a dog bowl."

You look up at him... but you want to! Well... it is not that tasty. Still... the dog seemed to enjoy it. And you don't need your arms this way!

"How about some real food or drink?" Havard asked. "Clean and nice...." He sighs at seeing your face. "And if you want a bowl, then let's at least have it be a clean one and on a table." He starts guiding you towards your room. "Maybe you can try drinking with a straw. That needs no hands either."

You perk up a bit. A straw? You are willing to give it a try at least.

[nocternalrandomness]

1951 photograph of Canadian Air Force Harvard's on the ramp at CYWG

[lairofdragonagelore]

Andrastian Statues

The purpose of this collection of statues is to show the Andrastian style depending on the region, the details in it, and how this may or may not influence other statues we saw in game. I also attempt to recollect some interpretations of them, although most of them are mostly based on speculations.

The current post contains the following set of statues:

Ferelden Style: Pre-Divine Andraste, Chasind Andraste, Ferelden warrior protector Andraste, The Maker, The Dwarf [?], Rider Maferath  [?], Masferath Repentant, Hanged Masferath, Other Statues.

Orlesian Style: Rustic Maferath, Hessarian, Andraste; The Orlesian Warrior Andraste, The Stylised Orlesian Andraste, The Orlesian Andraste, The Orlesian Maferath, The Orlesian Havard, and the Orlesian Hessarian; The Weight of War

Free Marches Style: The Free Marches Hessarian, The Free Marches Andrastian Warriors [?]

Unknown Style: The Skull with sword, The Guide, Guardians of the Path / The Watcher.

[This post belongs to the series “Analysis and speculation of Statues”]

Ferelden Style

Pre-Divine Andraste

One of the most iconic statues in DAI.  

It’s present all over Ferelden, specially in big, colossal statues along the paths of Hinterlands. They are so big that sometimes one can overlook them unless you look upwards [check Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open]. 

In Skyhold, we can find this statue in a small version in the local chapel, which triggers the note Bride of the Maker.

Thanks to the DLC Jaws of Hakkon [Main Chamber of Razikale’s Reach], we know that this statue belongs to a pre-divine time. It is probably one of the oldest representations of Andraste we have in-game.

As usual, she has a one-spike helm that has strong resemblances to Flemeth’s tiara, and to Humanoid Mythal statue, Dragon Mythal statue, and the Ferelden Wyvern.

She has a sword in her hip. 

Her sleeves and skirt have long lines that emulate folding. It’s a style we saw in statues that were considered “elvhen” in-game [for example, the Elven Archers or The guide]. But we can see this became an Andrastian style since we also see it in the Blocky bearded humanoid.

Her gigantic hands have been used in several elvhen places, and I wonder how meaningful these are: these hands appear in Exalted Plains: the Dead Hand as well as in the  Shattered Library, holding eluvians. Is this a mere reuse of resources or hides some lore in it? We know DAI is less lazy about this than previous games.

This statue is curiously aligned with Humanoid Mythal statue in the Fade, as well as with the Imperial Highway Columns [check The Raw Fade:  Part 1]. A Design choice that keeps me wondering if it hides some meaning in it.

Chasind Andraste

It has the design of a totem.

Its relief is very intricate. 

She is represented as a protector warrior due to the strong presence of the shield on it. 

We can suspect this statue is also ancient, and you can see that it has similar style to the Alamarri Monolith with swirls we find all over Hinterlands.

If you pick the Chantry-related garden in Skyhold, this statue appears in it and the archivist Banon will mention details about it in The Women of All War. He claims it’s Chasind, not original from Skyhold, brought by Ferelden into the castle. He also suggest it’s a re-usage of an ancient totemic statue. 

This last comment streghtens the idea that ancient Andrastian art tends to be done over or using/co-opting statues from previous civilisations.

Ferelden warrior protector Andraste

Another classic representation of Andraste in game.

It’s Ferelden style.

She is represented as a warrior [holding shield and sword] but also as a divine entity [I suspect the ring behind her works as a rustic design of a halo].

There is a chance that the thick “halo” could be an adaptation from another icon we saw among the Elvhenan design: the Golden Ring. How is this possible? I think it’s not too strange considering how deeply related to the elves the Avvar are. If we think that part of this culture comes from the Alamarri, one could guess that through the elvhen lover that Thrydda had, some elvhen presence has been around this culture to incorporate elvhen iconography in their own art, translated later into something of this shape.

The Maker

This mysterious figure has no face, in fact, it looks like bandaged. In his right hand holds a crown, while in his left hand, a dagger. The outfit is a very simple robe. 

The dagger is quite curious for a representation of the Maker.

This statue took me a long whlie to identify. In early posts I kept calling it  Faceless figure holding a crown. I came to the conclusion it is the Maker.

This statue appears always within the context of the Andrastian statues, so it could not be asumed in any other way than related to the Andraste Myth. In the posts Andrastian Design: Stained Glasses and Andrastian Design: Tapestry and Tryptich, we can see that a figure with no face and wearing a crown of similar characteristics is represented as the Maker.  These are my main arguments to be confident about this identification.

In Hinterlands, he appears in the main hall of Haven very high upon the hall, hidden in the shadows, in a room filled with andrastian iconography, which reinforces the idea that it represents an entity that is above all of them, Andraste included. Another confirmation of being the Maker.

It also appears in the Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path, which has a mixture of statues, and in Forbidden Oasis, when the place was took by the Andrastian forces. It also appears in the mysterious Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin. Other more natural and Andraste-related places where we find it: Redcliffe - Future,  Therinfal Redoubt, Western Approach: Adamant Fortress.

The Dwarf [?]

This figure was tag along the blog as Blocky bearded humanoid. It is found in the main hall of the Templar building of Therinfal Redoubt and in the corridors of Redcliffe - Future

The design of this statue feels closer to the pre-divine Andraste. Maybe it has some influence of the Alamarri style.

The long lines on sleeves and chest seem to suggest similarity in style with the pre-divine Andraste but also with the elvhenan statues such as the Elven Archers, or The guide.

Its face seems to show a big smile, but if you see it with more detail, it may also represent a long, long beard.  The broad constitution, the big ears, the lack of hair, and the prominent beard seem to suggest a golem-like or dwarven representation.

I can’t say I can identify this figure in the Andrastian Myth, but it’s related to the Andrastian Faith since it appears where there are other andrastian figures.

If this figure comes from the Alamarri and it was co-opted by the Andrastian faith, I could suspect that may be related to the dwarven culture that Alamarri had. If we remember Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path, she had a child with a dwarven prince. The Chasind also had mixed descendants of humans and dwarves. So, if it’s an alamarri statue co-opted by the Chantry, it could not be strange for it to be a dwarf. These details may indicate that the Alamarri had a deeper relationship with not only elvhen, but also dwarves, and this aspect appeared in the art until co-opted by the andrastian faith resulting in this figure.

Rider Maferath  [?]

This statue appears only in Fallow Mire. Although, the same statue appears riding a horse in Crestwood: surface. Maybe it’s a mere reuse of resources.

It has a similar design to the  Blocky bearded humanoid.

It represents a man with a beard, and its angular design may suggest similar time and style than the previous one.

More details in the section Other Statues from this post.

Masferath Repentant

Mostly seen in the region of Ferelden [although, you can find it too in Western Approach: Adamant Fortress] 

This is the typical Ferelden statue of Masferath, regretting his betrayal.

He is sitting on a stone which has a design of a snake surrounding it, representing the Tevinter influence or deal he made with the Archon before handing over his wife. 

The helm in this statue has a C-shape, which I find very similar in design to the Tevinter helms [check section “Outfits” in Patterns and Styles: Tevinter]. I’m not sure if this is mere coincidence, or it speaks of a common [dragon-inspired] origin source.

Hanged Masferath

This totemic sculpture can be found in Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open.

This is a Ferelden representation of Masferath being hanged. Clearly Ferelden has a strong sentiment with his betrayal.

The totemic structure seems to show mabaris at its base, followed by two different kinds of birds or maybe it’s a dragon [hard to say].

The top of these totems keeps bringing my attention: I can’t stop thinking there may be some link with the Tevinter metallic statue that I called  “Tevinter bird”, found in Ferelden in the underground region of Crestwood: Flooded Caves.

Other Statues

The couple can be found in Hinterlands: Redcliffe - Present, as a symbol to remember those who died in DAO-Redcliffe. It can also be found in Crestwood: surface as a memory statue of the drown, and in Frostback Basin [DLC]: Nigel’s point, as a memory statue of Ameridan’s friends: The templar Haron and the dwarf Orinna. It feels more like a reuse in most cases since it’s a strange statue to represent "fallen/lost people”.  Certainly we can assume it’s Ferelden made.

The horse with the rider seems to have, as we see in its drawing from the book Art of Inquisition, a lot in common with the previous statue I called “Rider Masferath”. The horse has been removed in some other places to only let the human figure stay.  It can be seen in Fallow Mire without his horse, and in Crestwood: surface. Sometimes the rider is not well chiselled in the stone. 

The vessel with many faces is only seen once in the game, in the The Darvaarad - Part2. We know the Qunari took this castle and put a lot of statues that they gathered around the world. However, this statue of many faces looks like it belonged to the inner corridors of the castle, implying the castle per ser may have been Ferelden, or elvhen in origin, but repurposed by Ferelden later. In the game we only see the “back” part of it, while in the book Art of Inquisition, we can see the full statue, which implies a beheaded figure. Maybe it’s the representation of a jury. It could also be interpreted as an entity that puts “the right head” into the people, suiting the Qunari and their Qun philosophy, but this interpretation would make me question why it is so related to Ferelden art in the Art Book.

Orlesian Style

Rustic Maferath, Hessarian, Andraste

A bit distant to the style of the Blocky bearded humanoid, we have these series of statues representing typical characters from the Andrastian Myth.

They are mostly located in different areas all over Orlais [or inside the Skyhold if you pick an Andrastian garden].

We find Andraste, in blue and red [I’m assuming one is the bride of the Maker, while the other is the warrior protector of her people]

Masferath is carrying a crown (?) in his hands, and Hessarian is holding the Sword of Mercy.

These seem to belong to an Orlesian style but rustic or more “popular”. They give me the impression that were made by the working class people who could not afford realistic artists to sculpt them in stone. 

They seem to be made out of wood.

The Orlesian Warrior Andraste

Unlike the previous one, this Orlesian statue is made out of stone and is bigger, more detailed, and realistic. It seems to appear in rich/high class places.

It also appears in Emerald Graves: Din'an Hanin, which may represent the influence of the Andrastian faith among the Ancient Dalish when the Dales was their Kingdom land granted by Andraste herself.

This statue presents Andraste as a warrior: she is wearing a detailed armour, a big sword, and, curiously, a helm that has no iconic single-spike. However, I can see some similarities in the armour design to Flemeth’s armour or the armour used by Humanoid Mythal statue.

Due to the strong similarities in style, this statue belongs to the same group than the Orlesian Andraste, Orlesian Maferath, Orlesian Havard, and Orlesian Hessarian.

The Stylised Orlesian Andraste

Another over-detailed statue of Andraste made out of Stone which appears in wealthy places.

The whole design of Andraste has a strong similarity to Tyrdda Bright-Axe, which may suggest that this statue may have a strong alamarri influence, mixing Andraste tale with the representation of Tyrdda.

The icon that represents the sun, ironically, has a strong similarity with the statue I called Sun-head creature, deeply related to the Elvhenan and, potentially, to Tevinter and its old dragon gods. This may imply that this statue may have collected several icons and details from different cultures and faiths to gather them in the cult to Andraste. This process is well known in human History, where the forced religion tries to blend with the local ancient one to produce an assimilation of the new faith.

The Orlesian Andraste

This Orlesian statue is made out of stone and is bigger and a lot more detailed and realistic that the “wooden” sculptures. 

It tends to appear in wealthy places as well as inside the Chantries of the game.

It represents mostly the divine Andraste and the bride of the Maker, without any element of her warrior side.

She has a one-spike helm that has strong resemblances to Flemeth’s tiara, Humanoid Mythal statue, Dragon Mythal statue, and the Ferelden Wyvern.

Due to the strong similarities in style, this statue belongs to the same group than the Orlesian Warrior Andraste, Orlesian Maferath, Orlesian Havard, and Orlesian Hessarian.

The Orlesian Masferath

It is called “The Betrayer”. 

We see the man worried, grabbing his own head, showing the weight of his own betrayal. He keeps the crowd of his leadership of the Alamarri in his hand since the Chantry tale says that he betrayed Andraste out of jealousy because she was more important than him among their people. I always questioned this since he was the one commanding the armies and their people into Tevinter, and he may have chosen the “lesser bad” option [read the The Chantry and the Mythology of the Chant of Light for more details].

Due to the strong similarities in style, this statue belongs to the same group than the Orlesian Warrior Andraste, Orlesian Andraste, Orlesian Havard, and Orlesian Hessarian.

The Orlesian Havard

Havard is shown here with avvar clothings [fur-based]. 

He is  carrying the urn of Andraste’s ashes that will be placed in Haven and will become later the Temple of Andraste [DAO].

We know thanks to the notes triggered in it that this statue seems to represent Havard but its appearance was based on a noble’s lover [check it in Emprise du Lion: Pools of the Sun].

Due to the strong similarities in style, this statue belongs to the same group than the Orlesian Warrior Andraste, Orlesian Andraste, Orlesian Maferath, and Orlesian Hessarian.

The Orlesian Hessarian

He is holding the sword that will be called the Sword of Mercy, used to kill Andraste in the pyre so she could not suffer anymore.

His hat has a bent T-shape that we can see in many other helms of Tevinter warriors in the section of “outfits” in Patterns and Styles: Tevinter.

Due to the strong similarities in style, this statue belongs to the same group than the Orlesian Warrior Andraste, Orlesian Andraste, Orlesian Maferath, and Orlesian Havard.

The Weight of War

This statue was tagged in this blog as Man holding bigger head  for a long while.

It has appeared in Forbidden Oasis, Redcliffe - Future, and in Orlais: Winter Palace.

Thanks to the constant presence of Andrastian-themed art around it, I could finally assume that this statue belongs to Andrastian art in Orlesian style.

The main man has angular features, his ears are not visible since it looks like he is wearing a chain-mail. He uses scale-based pauldrons, and a robe. He is holding a sword with one hand while the other holds a bigger head. By comparison with the state of the overall figure, we can assume that the bigger head has a lot of wounds and scars [meaning that this is part of the sculpture design and not a consequence of erosion]. 

Despite looking similar, the head in his hand and this man’s profile are different. The bigger head has a smaller, shrank nose. 

The only significant shape in this statue that can give us a resemblance of a hint to whom it belongs is his belt, which has pointy ends. We had seen this pattern in two places: in Tevinter artefacts, such as the sacrificial burial, or in andrastian outfits.

It triggers a codex called The Weight of War which is a bit unreliable, since the person explaining this is an amateur historian, but it’s the only hint we have about this statue. The amateur historian implies that this statue may belong to a warrior with a philosophy similar to the Grey Wardens.

More details about this statue in the post Forbidden Oasis.

Free Marches Style

The Free Marches Hessarian

It appears mostly in the Templar fortress of Therinfal Redoubt

This statue has a strong resemblance to Tevinter art. It’s not only the dark metallic material used for the sculpture, which was strong similarities with Tevinter artefacts such as Thrummer,  Water dispenser, Tevinter urn,  Tevinter artefact with spikes, Tevinter golem or Claw of Dumat, but also the prominence of angles and pointy ends. 

There is no codex associated with this sculpture, but I can guess it may represent Hessarian [the main Tevinter figure in the Andrastian Myth] since this statue has a version carrying a sword. 

It has a long beard and hair.

This statue has also been present in DA2, specially in the Chantry district of Kirkwall [check it in Architecture of Kirkwall : The Chantry].

The Free Marches Andrastian Warriors [?]

It appears mostly in the Templar fortress of Therinfal Redoubt and in the Fade.

This statue has a strong resemblance to Tevinter art. It’s not only the dark metallic material used for the sculpture, which was strong similarities with Tevinter artefacts such as Thrummer,  Water dispenser, Tevinter urn,  Tevinter artefact with spikes, Tevinter golem or Claw of Dumat, but also the prominence of angles and pointy ends. 

It’s wearing a typical DA2 Andrastian robe, but the helm has always brought my attention:  it has a lot of more similarity to the Tevinter warriors than to the one-single spike helm of Andraste.

Its weapon also has a strong similarity to the weapon used by Tevinter golems, while its helm has strong similarities with the ones that belong to the Tevinter warriors. One may say that both of them, in fact, are representing the one-spike helm of Andraste.

The unmistakable identification with Andrastian faith is given by the robe: if we see the chest, we will see the pointy half sun on it, which was the main design of the outfit of Elthina and other chantry priests we saw in DA2.

Unknown Style

The Skull with sword

This is the statue that I called Skull bud with sword all over this blog.

The skull is quite long for a regular human. It holds a sword. The body seem to be inside a bud or a shell that may look like a flower bud but also as the shell of an insect/scarab. 

This statue has always appeared within Andrastian contexts such as in Frostback Mountains - Haven [the basement], Hinterlands:Dead Ram Grove, or Ferelden: Therinfal Redoubt,  but also in places where the Andrastian context is not that strong, but still yet reasonable to appear, for example in Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [overtaken by Andrastian faith lately, so far we see in the statues present in this room], or Emerald Graves: Din'an Hanin [which clearly shows how the Ancient Dalish allowed a certain level of assimilation of the Andrastian faith thanks to Andraste’s gift of the Dales]. However, we also find this statue in Western Approach: The Still Ruins, Viridis Walk and Inner Sanctum, which is a pre-blight Tevinter building, so one is inclined to think that this statue may have been Tevinter in origin, and somehow, adopted later by the Andrastian faith.  Or maybe it’s just Elvhenan, taken first by Tevinter, and later by the Chantry [as we see this pattern repeats over and over with everything related to Tevinter].

One of the potential interpretations is that this sculpture represents a coffin, or a dead who is put to sleep in this position. The fact that this skull is inside a bud or an insect shell [in addition to the speculation that, like all what comes from Tevinter, was originally elvhenan] brings the possibility of being related to Uthenera and the mysterious codex of Vir Dirthara: A Flowering Imago that I tried to multi-interpret in several ways in Ancient Elven codices; Vir Dirthara.

So far I know, there is no codex associated with it, and we have only speculations about it.

Its style is not strongly similar to all these Andrastian statues, but the fact that it appears mostly within andrastian themed rooms, it’s hard not to bring it into this post.

However, I’m not confident about how to understand this statue and to what culture associated it with.

The Guide

It can be seen in three places only: Emerald Graves: The open pointing more or less towards Elgar’nan’s Bastion, on top of Stone-Bear Hold Avvars - Part 2 pointing out to the sea, and in the Fade, exactly in Flemeth’s Fade:  Part 2, pointing the path towards Mythal/Flemeth.

It’s associated with the unreliable landmark called The guide [written by this orlesian scholar who lacks of deep knowledge of elven culture], which identifies it as an elvhen statue, but it has a lot of style similarities to the Blocky bearded humanoid and the pre-divine Andraste as well as to the Skull bud with sword. If we see the back of an Elven Archer statue, we can find line-based similarities too, so it’s hard to decide whether this is truly Elvhen in origin and co-opted by the Andrastian and repurposed later, or it truly belongs to the set of pre-divine statues we spoke above and this amateur scholar misunderstood it as Elvhenan.

The unreliable landmark links it to Falon’Din for the mere fact that it is pointing out a place, so it “guides”. If we overlook this pathetic logic, and we give it a remote chance for it to be elvhen, we should be careful to identify it with Falon’Din. First, Via Solas, we know that Falon’Din was far from guiding people [Check Evanuris], and second, even if we consider this statue to be Falon’Din, we should never forget how Falon’Din and Dirthamen are entangled one another [check Humanoid Dirthamen], so this could also be a statue representing Dirthamen. The shape of the sleeves has some resemblance to the Elven Owl statue [they have long lines along it], but once more, both gods are so indistinguishable one another that it’s hard to say who is who.

Guardians of the Path / The Watcher 

This hooded statue was called Humanoid Dirthamen/Falon'Din in this blog.

The hooded statue can be seen in four places: in Emerald Graves: The open, as a watcher of entrances, in the Hinterlands, along the Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path inside the Calenhad’s Foothold; in Exalted Plains: Northern Ramparts and Citadelle du Corbeau, as the main big statue when you step into the Citadelle [again, watching over an entrance] and in Flemeth’s Fade – Part 2, as a statue bleeding profusely with a sword in its back, as an unmistakable symbol of betrayal.

In all these cases, the hooded version of the statue seems to be related to “watch or protect entrances”. Due to its presence in the Fade of Flemeth, we also can associate it with deep betrayal.

Once we see how the pattern unfolds with the statue I called Humanoid Dirthamen/Falon'Din [hodded version] we can understand the Andrastian version “guardian of the path” in similar fashion [he always appears in entrances as well], suspecting it was a re-usage and co-opt of the elvhen hooded statue when the Andrastian forces conquered the Ancient Dalish's lands.

The Guardian of the Path appears twice in game: in Crestwood: surface, at the entrance of the region, similar position as the hooded versions in Emerald Graves, and in the entrance to the region of the Exalted Plains.

[reallymadefromstardust]

Gonna donate my body to Havard Medical School so I can tell ppl Im going to Havard

[nevinslibrary]

Totally Random Non-Fiction Tuesday

I’m always a sucker for a True Crime book that takes place somewhere that I have been around, know of, and so, this book about the murder of Jane Britton a Harvard Anthropology student in 1969 written by a Harvard graduate Becky Cooper decades later.

It’s a typical sort of true crime on the one hand, there’s lots about the time (misogyny and that sort of thing that could happen at Harvard) and I could definitely tell that Cooper did tons of research on the crime, but, it’s also a bit of a memoir about Becky Cooper herself at times too which made it a slightly less typical true crime book.

It was definitely an interesting read, and, through every word I could tell that Cooper had really really been into this case. The end was a bit surprising to me, just as it has been to many others, and, definitely don’t Google the case if you don’t want to be spoiled (It was closed in 2018). An intense, but good read.

You may like this book If you Liked: Notes on a Silencing by Lacy Crawford, I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara, or Blood & Ivy by Paul Collins

We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence by Becky Cooper

[sonicziggy]

"Mercy Sea" by Havard, Maria Solheim https://ift.tt/vO6I2Ap

[leadershipbulletin-blog]

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[friarmusings]

Hollow Declarations

It seems these days there is always some imperative for organizations and institutions to make a statement about the latest headline.  For groups that already have a stake in the issue, it makes sense. Consider the days, weeks and months after the death of George Floyd. That event clearly raised issues of police action, racism, justice, and much more. Without a doubt there are civil, governmental…

[wootensmith]

Foxite Seeds

going to dump a few things rattling around. First one's the piece I wrote for Legend Mark-zine, the other three are just Veilguard possibilities. (if you don't want to wait for them to post, they just went up together on AO3)

The air was heavy and sour this close to the sea. Still, Havard could not see the coastline from their perch. Maferath stood silently for several minutes staring down into the glade below. The last of the sun scattered gold sparks across the small pond in its center. At last, the tall, brittle reeds rustled and crackled and two of the legion emerged from among them, their cloaks only slightly concealing the glitter of armor beneath. Havard reached for his sword, but Maferath’s hand closed around his wrist. Havard glanced at his friend, who only shook his head.

“We are here to meet them.” Havard stared at the two men below who seemed to be scouting the area as well. It would only be a moment before he and Maferath were spotted. “Have you convinced them to turn on their masters?” asked Havard. “We’ve not convinced each other of anything yet, brother. Stay close. Stay silent and watch for any others. The invitation was only for two.” Maferath climbed down the small rock face. “But wh—“ Maferath glanced up with an easy grin. “Trust me, Hav.”

For an instant Havard felt himself a youth again, racing to the swimming hole with Maferath when they ought to have been thatching his mother’s roof. Havard climbed down.  The legion men had spotted them. Havard did not miss the way one of them tightened his grip on the spear he was carrying, but the spear did not angle toward them and the other man’s posture remained loose. He glanced at Maferath. His friend would appear relaxed to others as he crossed the glade, but Havard knew him too well. His gait was too short and he was brushing his thumbnail repeatedly over the leather of his scabbard. An old habit. Whatever this was, Havard realized, was dangerous enough that his friend wasn’t just nervous, but frightened. He resisted the urge to reach for his own sword again. 

“I am glad that you have come,” said Maferath. “Spring is a lively season. I was… hesitant to leave the fields, but the portents of fair weather that I could find in this region were… intriguing,” answered the calmer of the legion men. Maferath came to a stop on the bank of the pond, leaving ample space between them. “Yes,” said Maferath, “I hear your winter has been very long here.” Havard watched the man with the spear. He was still anxious, his helm glittered in the sunset every time he turned his head to look for more of Maferath’s people. Havard was satisfied. The man would not be so nervous if there were other Tevinter soldiers lurking nearby. “You have weathered the same winter, I presume. Have you come, as I have, in the hopes of seeing something new and green here?” “I have,” said Maferath. The man frowned and snapped the top from one of the brown reeds beside him, playing with it. “Surely, the climate is more mild to the south, in your homeland.” Maferath grinned. It was not friendly. “I find it confining. There’s so much more room in these parts.”

“Hm. My woodsman tells me of an invasive bramble that comes from your land. Perhaps you know it’s name? Seeds have tiny barbs that cling to fur and cloth. My daughter loves the scent of the rose it produces, so I have tolerated its presence in the woods beyond my fields. I would leave it— for my daughter’s happiness. But my woodsman tells me it has begun to creep into the corn field. My woodsman recommends fire.” “Foxite, most likely. You’ll want to take care with that plant. It has many thorns.” The man opened his hand and let the reed top fall. He wriggled his gloved fingers. “Thorns are easily dealt with. Fear of them is not what makes me hesitate. No,” he sighed and then folded his hands together. “It is those roses. Fire would surely be too destructive for them to ever recover. And my daughter would be heartbroken. If only there were some way to keep them from crossing my hedgerows. To keep the seeds from scattering over my fields. And my neighbor’s field. He would not be as… indulgent with the weed. He is an avid gardener. My woodsman says there’s a pod on this plant that holds every seed it will ever produce. If only I could find that seed pod, I could leave the rest of the plant unmolested. My daughter would be well pleased by the roses that remain and I will be pleased not to have to burn the far end of my fields. Do you know where I could find such a pod? Or how to eliminate it?”

Maferath hesitated. Havard looked away from the spear man at the sudden silence and found his friend’s face had become grim. Far more serious than talk of foxite ought to be. Something was wrong. This time Havard’s hand did drift toward his pommel, but Maferath abruptly stuck out his open palm toward the legion man. “I will bring you the foxite pod. Tomorrow evening. It lays near the heart root of the plant. It would be impossible for you to find it without aid. My children, too, would be sorry to see the roses destroyed for the sake of… some seeds. Let us prune the garden together. For the sake of their happiness.”

The man met Maferath’s palm with his own, but he did not smile. Havard was on the edge of panic, trying to decipher what he’d missed. “Tomorrow then. I cannot promise my neighbor will wait if he discovers the bramble before we meet again.” Maferath nodded once. Then the legion men turned and walked out of the small glade. Maferath headed for the opposite treeline. 

Havard waited until they were well within the woods and the shadows had grown thick around them. “What have you done?” he whispered. “Gave the Archon a botany lesson,” said Maferath without turning.  “If I were the fool you pretend, we would not have been friends all these years.” “No.” A brief, bitter smile crossed Maferath’s face, barely visible in the gloom. “I do not doubt your wisdom. Nor your discretion. Else I would have made this journey alone.” He reached out to grip Havard’s elbow. “I am glad you are here.” “Tell me what you have done,” Havard insisted.

Maferath climbed over a fallen tree and turned back to offer his arm to Havard before answering. “We have come a long way, brother. Ten years we have pushed back the Imperium. They clutch the sea cliffs while our people spread from one coast to the other. It has been a good battle. But that was because they had land to cede. When we march on Minrathous, they will have nowhere to retreat. It will not be an easy siege.” Havard jumped down from the tree and gripped Maferath’s arms. “Do not fear. We have always found the gaps in their armor before. And word of slave rebellion within the city only grows as we approach.” “It is not for myself that I fear. These ten years— we have been too scattered. How few children have been born on this journey? And how many will know the ways of their fathers and mothers? Where are the fishermen? Where are the potters? How many of our Augurs have delayed taking apprentices? How many holds have no skalds? It is time to make peace. Let the legion cling to their sea-rock, hide behind their walls. It is time for the Alamarri to live in plenty.”

They walked a narrow game trail for a few moments. Satina began to rise over the trees.  “How? They will not stay in Minrathous, if we do not press,” said Havard, troubled by how homesick he found himself.  “They will not chase if we agree to give them what they want most.” “You agreed to return the land we bled for?” “No. Their city may be strong, but they war within themselves. They no longer have the will to extend their grasp. Instead, they fear the hope we have brought to their enemies. The enslaved in the city could rip them apart from within. The Archon wants the insurrection to stop.” Havard stopped. “But they are inspired by tales of Andraste and Shartan. Every battle that closes the distance between the prophet and the city brings the slaves succor and hope for liberation.” “Yes.” Havard’s chest ached. “You cannot give him Shartan! He has been as faithful a friend— you cannot give him back to the people who—“ “I am not giving them Shartan,” Maferath said quietly. He started walking again. Havard stood stunned.

Maferath had almost melted into the clawed shadows of the trees. Havard ran after him.  “You can’t,” he hissed when he reached his friend. “I must.” “No. There are other ways. How can you agree to this? Your wife, Maferath? We have not even tried ourselves against the gate—“ “We do not need to. I have seen what happened at Valerian. That is enough to know how a battle against Minrathous will go.” “Valerian was a victory!” “At a heavy cost, Hav. Two dead for every warrior left standing.  It has been weeks and the Sky Watchers are still preparing offerings. If we march on Minrathous, who will be left to send us to the Lady?” “Then— we rest. We train the people we’ve freed and the young ones. Defend ourselves. It will take time for Minrathous to counter.” “Who will persuade Andraste to halt? You? For I have tried and failed. My voice is small compared to a god’s.” “You cannot do this. She is beloved of the Maker.” “Then let him protect her. And let me protect my people. If he truly loves her as you believe, as she claims, then what we do here will not harm her. The exchange will help our people survive. And the Maker will assure she walks out of Minrathous unscathed. How strong is your faith Havard?” “But if she does not—“ “Then she has been a false prophet. Or the Maker has been a false god. And she will still save our people.” “Maferath, this is insanity.”

Maferath turned and clasped Havard’s shoulder. “How long have you been my brother?” Havard fell silent and looked to his feet. “All our years. All our years we have been the best of friends. You know me better than any other living creature. Better than my children. Better than my wife. Have I ever given you cause to doubt me?” “Never,” Havard admitted. “Then hear me. I know your faith. I know it must seem that mine is lacking. When I sought peace, this was not the price I thought would be asked. But Andraste has the favor of the Maker. In all her songs of him, he has never mentioned us, Havard. He has never promised the Alamarri protection. Nor Shartan’s people. Or that we shall be victorious in this siege. So I called to our mothers’ gods. I have asked every Augur to call to Hakkon for a sign, he remains silent. How can I read that except to see defeat? Whatever happens, my brother, know that I do this for our people. You are my shield. I must be theirs. Trust in me as you always have. As I trust in you.” Havard didn’t know how to answer, so they made their way in silence through the dark forest until they reached the Alamarri encampment again. Maferath squeezed Havard’s shoulder. “Be strong in your faith and turn your thoughts to home.” 

Havard returned to his tent, deeply troubled. Shartan looked up from the armor he was patching. “What’s made your mood so foul Ursa? Someone interrupt your hibernation?” Havard unbuckled his sword and slung it onto his cot without speaking. Shartan’s smile faded. “What is amiss Havard?” he asked, putting aside the armor. Havard sank down onto the ground beside him. It was still soft with grass. They had not even been here long enough to wear it away. He plucked it absentmindedly. “Sometimes, in the hush after battle is done— when we pull the fallen onto their burial scaffolds, I dream of home. Of taking you there. Of swimming in the Waking Sea with you. Of climbing the Frostbacks to see where the Lady wept. And then— I wake. I fall into those dreams less and less.” Shartan clasped Havard’s hand. “After we take the gates, when my people are free—“ “And if we cannot take them? You have already freed thousands. What of them?” “We will. We will take the gates together. From within Minrathous and from without.”

Havard shook his head.  “I told you, the night we met, my people would free themselves,” Shartan insisted. “That you were welcome to march with us, but that we would complete this task. And I know it to be true. I cannot leave my people to suffer. I know you have been far from your home and your family for years now. But do you know my dreams, Amatus? You are always there beside us. Always.” “I’m sorry. I shame myself,” Havard said. “No. You are only weary, Havard. We are none of us young any longer. But we are on the brink of freedom. One more battle and the Imperium must let us go.” Havard wished he could let himself be soothed, but Maferath’s decision troubled him. All of his friend’s reasons seemed to fall short with Shartan’s calm determination in his ear. It is not just foolish, but cruel, Havard realized. He got up from the ground. “It is late,” protested Shartan. “I know. I will not be long.” He hesitated. “If I am delayed— find Andraste.” Shartan stood up. “What has happened?” “If the Maker is kind, nothing. But I own that my faith is weak. If I fail, find Andraste. Stay with her until I can return to you, my love.” He dropped the tent flap before Shartan could ask any further questions and was relieved when he was not followed.

Maferath had kept himself apart for weeks, camping on the outskirts. Havard met no challenge on his way. Neither did Maferath look surprised as he entered.  “Alas, I believed the love of a brother could overcome all,” said Maferath, “Yet I can tell from your face that you have come to betray me.” “No,” cried Havard, “I am no traitor. I have come only to reason with you. What brother doesn’t prevent his friend from stumbling over the root he can see? We cannot do this, Maferath. There are thousands enslaved behind those gates—“ “It was Shartan then, who turned you from me,” he said rising from the small desk in the corner. “What did you tell him of the plan?” “No— it is not only elves in Minrathous, though I would go with him even were it so. Our own people are—“ “Our own people are��here. Those inside the gates are already lost. We must save who we can. How much does Shartan know, Havard?” “Nothing. I told you, I have not betrayed you, even to him.” Maferath leaped and his fist slammed into the side of Havard’s jaw before he could react. “I’m sorry.” Havard heard before the world went black.

He woke bound to Maferath’s cot. The tent was empty, but the lantern still burned. Havard struggled with the ties around him. Part of him wished to call for aid, but he knew it would expose Maferath and in his heart, Havard still hoped to save him from himself. He twisted himself free, straining to hear the camp sounds beyond the tent. All was silence. When he at last emerged from the tent, it was to a desolate field. All that remained was the sweet scent of crushed grass and ash from the camp fires. The trail of Andraste’s army was wide and easy to read, but Havard knew that the true battle did not lie in that direction. Bare but for his simple camp clothing and unarmed, Havard ran. Korth guide my feet and Maker protect Andraste. And, Oh, Lady, watch over Shartan until I can return to him, he thought, leaping over downed trees and scattered stones. He had no hope of stealth, the thud of his feet and the crackling rustle of last winter’s leaves betrayed him. His only hope lay in speed. Yet the light of the sun was being devoured by the dark tree branches by the time he reached the pond where he and Maferath had been the night before. Andraste and Maferath stood beside it, watching the wood where Havard burst forth. 

“Do not, brother,” he gasped. “Havard, what ails you?” cried Andraste. But there was no time to answer her. Soldiers slid from the shadows, shining spears and glinting armor that should have caught her eye long ago, had she not been assured of her safety with Maferath. Andraste reached for her blade and drew it as Havard pelted toward them. Too slow. Maferath’s axe clanged against her sword and it flung away. Andraste, all bewildered, took a step back from her husband. Havard slid between them, making his body a shield. “Turn back, Maferath,” he pleaded, reaching a hand behind him for Andraste’s. “I believed you were faithful.” “And so I am. So I have ever been.” “The Maker will protect her. We must protect our people.” “Yes. The Maker will protect them,” Havard agreed. “It is for you I fear, brother.” Andraste’s hand grasped his and pulled him back another step from Maferath. But Maferath’s axe did not rise to strike. “Alas, Havard, could you not have trusted in me? Your legend-mark is well chosen. A shield you shall be to the very end.” He retreated and the soldiers closed in around them.  “Run, Andraste,” he said, scooping up her fallen sword. Three spears he broke with the blade and two with his own body, yet still they came. “Fulfill your oath, Maferath,” he heard the Archon say and Andraste’s stricken face filled his sight before the poisoned wounds overcame him. Shartan, he thought, save them. Save them all for me. 

[tales-of-wocdes]

Stressed mc who has wings losing feathers when stressed so there's just a line of feathers to follow after them

A trail of feathers disappears into MC's room, and Havard knows something is wrong.

He knocks and enters the room. On the bed, MC is sitting and plucking at loose feathers without looking over at him. Havard walks over, and sits with them.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asks softly and takes over, cleaning MC's wings, softly brushing loose feathers clear.

[cuffedhubsessions]

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[shape]

Nachdem bekannt wurde, dass die Yale University in den USA das Wort „israelisch“ aus ihrer Speisekarte gestrichen hat, rief das Jewish Cultural Center in Israel (mako) bei Yale an, um gegen die kulturelle Aneignung der Tora zu protestieren. mako warf Yale Copyright-Verletzung und culural harassment vor, klagte die Verwendung des Tora-Zitats im Uni-Logo "Lights and Innocence" an, und erlaubte stattdessen die Verwendung der hebräischen Wörter, die "Omelette Bread", "Shlufim" oder "We are a stupid university" bedeuten.

a prank call to harvard university

Nach den Veröffentlichungen über Hamas-unterstützende Studenten an der Harvard University riefen wir dort an, um herauszufinden, ob es möglich sei, ein Massaker-Stipendium zu bekommen.

Illustriertes Gespräch

*Alle Gespräche sind real

[swissmiss0]