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[laurenande]

(Galadriel is fairly used to getting mail but she'll be a bit shocked to receive any in Thedas. For any notes, missives, letters, or other communications.)

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[laurenande]

I expect it has been, and for that you have my apologies. I find time often escapes my notice.

[Galadriel takes her gently, by the shoulder, and ushers her into the room. It is a plain room, fairly bare, save for the loom and half assembled spinning wheel within. There are a pair of chairs, wooden and crafted in a manner not entirely of Thedas, but they are simple things.]

Tell me of your travels and the wonders you have seen. Have you been given any insights into the past?

voice ;

[rowancrowned]

The Vanyar have always been... particular in their devotion.

No. I am considering what might be, shall we say, forgivable heresy here.

voice ;

[laurenande]

[Galadriel is silent a moment.]

I am, perhaps, a poor source of such information...given my own relationship with the Valar, but I will help you if I can.

What heresy are you considering, gwanur nin?

[serannas]

[ Ellana takes a seat and sets her book in her lap. She gives the items in her friend's room a quick look, but most of her attention is reserved for the woman herself. Like always, there's a sense of awe from just looking at Galadriel and the way she always seems to glow. ]

A little bit! The problem is that the ancient elves had a way of doing things that were often mysterious and complex. The places I've been have held plenty of traps and puzzles in order to get through them. But both held clues that later elves of the Dales left within, about the Sulevin Blade. It's a sword my people used before the fall of the Dales to the humans. I would love to find it again.

voice ;

[rowancrowned]

You are my kin, and we are the only ones here. There is a weight to that.

Merrill has offered to tattoo me. In the Dalish style, though not on my face.

voice ;

[laurenande]

Tattoos?

[It is not often that Galadriel is surprised and even less often that she expresses that sentiment in her tone. There is a pause as she gathers her thoughts. When she finally speaks again it is in a metered and careful tone.

It is a shame she cannot see into his heart and know the source of this, it would be faster.]

I was told such things were consecrated, a mark of devotion to the gods of these lands? I imagine the Valar would dislike it if you...affiliated yourself so, but they are often fickle.

voice ;

[rowancrowned]

[ he scoffs. ]

Of course not. Whatever those elves were, they were not the One. They failed, they were indulgent and wretched fools, if even half of what the Dalish stories say about them- an abundance of kinslaying and lechery, even then.

[ his tone calms, loses some of the edge. ]

And beyond that- the Noldor regard has always been... stronger. More intimate. You lived closer to them, with them. We had only Queen Melian. [ cautious: ] Merrill suggested... perhaps a halla?

[laurenande]

[Galadriel takes her own seat alongside Ellana and listens carefully as she speaks. She's terribly curious about the traps and puzzles, but there are other, more pressing topics.]

The Sulevin Blade? If there are tales of this sword, I do not know them. Is it greatly renown?

[serannas]

It is, though information on it is limited. What I've discovered through research is little more that what's already known among the clans. It was a great blade wielded by elves of the Dales, but when the Chantry ordered their Exalted March to make elves submit to the Maker, the elves wished to increase its power.

[ Ellana frowns and flips open her book to thumb down the pages as a distraction. ]

They did a terrible thing. They killed innocents in the hopes of magically strengthening the blade. But spirits across the Veil struck them down for such an act and broke the blade into pieces, hiding them away. I feel that if we can find it, we can reclaim it as a symbol for good. It could draw the elves of the Inquisition together, and show others that we're fighting to save the world and not just to save ourselves.

voice ;

[laurenande]

[Galadriel refrains from expressing her relief quite as sharply as her shock, but her tone is far less stiff as the conversation continues.]

A halla? [She cannot say she disapproves, even at a distance they are beautiful things. They would not have been out of place in the west.]

The Valar are fickle and distant, their moods shift with centuries and their consciences are often unpredictable. I cannot say if they would dislike such things, not for certain, but I doubt tattoos would merit their attention, even if you stood bared before them.

Are you concerned that such markings would be a slight against the One?

voice ;

[rowancrowned]

[ it doesn't have as much bite as it could. they've made some progress- some- in understanding one another, but she had assumed--

well, they were still speaking. it was something. ]

I owe the Valar nothing, and if I ever stand before them, it will be with you, giving an accounting of this place.

Not- entirely. He is compassion. I do not think He would- [ this is hard for him. hard for elves. how do you put words to this? ] I know it is no great ill. I know I do this for a larger purpose.

voice ;

[laurenande]

[There's a smile in her voice, subtle though it is, as she continues. It is a tense subject, the Valar, but his vehemence is...nearly heartwarming. His hesitance, however, is something that she can understand.]

I cannot say I would make the same decision, were I in your place, but it is for our purpose, is it not? The purpose that He sent us here to achieve?

voice ;

[rowancrowned]

[ where were they, when thingol had died, when the sons of feanor had come upon his home, upon the elflings there? where were they when his wife died?

at least iluvatar had a reason. free will, and the valar had chosen not to act. ]

Yes. I have not changed any piece of myself before by choice. I am as He made us and this is- this will be... new.

[laurenande]

You believe it would would unite the elves of these lands, would rally then for this cause?

[Galadriel's gaze drifts slightly as she considers Ellana's suggestion. Enchanted artifacts often served as rallying points; broken blades, in particular, could draw together scattered kingdoms.]

Perhaps...if it is so woven into the tapestry of this world, so weighted by souls and spirits...I may be able to assist you in finding it.

[She regarded Ellana again, her expression carefully, reflexively veiled, and folded her hands in her lap.]

There are precious few things that can escape my gaze, should I use the mirror, and I expect this blade is not among them...but I have not attempted such magic in these lands. It may prove difficult. Tell me: are there tales of your people possessing far-sight? Seeing orbs? Mirrors that transcend the veil?

voice ;

[laurenande]

This will, indeed.

[Galadriel agrees (in a fashion that is less than helpful, overall.]

But, we are new to this place, this world. We do not yet carry a part of it with us, not as we do with Arda, with Aman. Perhaps such markings would help tie us to this place; we shall be here for some time, after all.

[She cannot help but ask:]

How long do such markings last?

i got this date wrong. can i say this is harvestmere 15th?

[serannas]

[ As is often the way with Galadriel, when she speaks, Ellana listens as if transfixed. There is always such weight to what this bright, shining lady has to say, and right now is no exception. Though a wrinkle appears between her brows at the mention of mirrors. She's recently returned from Kirkwall with Merrill's eluvian, and Morrigan swore them to secrecy about what an eluvian actually does.

Now she has to weigh the risks of telling Galadriel about it. Ellana doesn't want to be the target of Morrigan's wrath (or her disappointment). The eluvians are for travel, but Galadriel is talking about scrying, isn't she? Or something to that effect. ]

There are some mages who can scry, though I personally don't know how. It probably would transcend the Veil.

[ For now, she leaves any mention of eluvians out of this, because they don't seem to be what Galadriel is looking for. Yes, they are mirrors, but they're for travel, not for viewing the future or viewing the location of a broken blade. ]


[ ooc: so I actually don't know much about canon scrying in Dragon Age. Just that Finn does it in Witch Hunt, so it does exist! So I had Ellana mention it. ]

Harvestmere 15th it is!

[laurenande]

Scrying? [Much like the word 'magic', this term gives Galadriel some measure of pause. It takes her a moment to recall the meaning and, in the end, agree with the shorthand of it. She nods just slightly and considers.]

Yes, I suppose it is that.

In Arda I am unequalled in this skill. I would teach you if I could, but it is difficult and requires more power than most here weild. I do not know if it can be learned.

To find this blade, however, I think I will need your help, your eyes if you will grant them?

thanks!

[serannas]

Well, [ And here Ellana gives an impish grin, ] as long as you don't mean literally plucking out my eyes, then yes, of course I'll help you. You would be helping me -- and all Thedosian elves -- so much if you would even try.

Np np

[laurenande]

[Ellana's joke takes a moment to register and Galadriel smiles in return.]

Fret not, they will remain in your head...I will simply need to see through them. For a time.

[Galadriel regards the book in Ellana's hands, flipped open and scrawled over with notes and observations. Silently she holds a hand open, asking for the book so she might read it.]

The mirror is best seen by starlight; what it shows is always clearer against the night sky. We shall need to find a silver basin and polish it well.

I also expect we should seek out privacy, when the time comes; I cannot imagine this art would endear me to the Inquisition or its Templars.

voice ;

[rowancrowned]

Long enough to plant an entire forest.

[ in halamshiral, the mallorn grows, patient, steady. ]

Perhaps a decade before fading beyond notice? They are done willingly, and what heals can be reinforced by craft until the designs can be reapplied if needed. I- would not know.

[ he pauses, considers. ]

Both of us are wed. Unless more arrive, there will be no elflings. No marriages between Elvhen and Quendi.

[serannas]

[ It should sound unnerving, but coming from Galadriel, Ellana doesn't mind. It's obviously just a necessary part of this.

She hands over her notebook with a smile. Inside, Galadriel will see sketches of sunburst patterns, sculptures, mosaics, and wall paintings. Ellana is no artist, but she's sketched and re-sketched these images until she thinks they're as close as she's going to get to the reality of what she saw. ]

Silver... well, that's not easy to come by. I suppose we could ask the Ambassador to loan us one. Except then she'd want to know what it was for. Hmm, maybe we could gather some silverite and use that? I'm sure Sam would make us a basin, and he wouldn't tell anyone if I asked him not to.

Re: voice ;

[laurenande]

And this would serve as a passable alternative.

[Galadriel nods, her agreement insofar as it matters.]

A decade is easily forgotten, but the effects of this will permeate beyond that time.

[The risk, overall, seemed worth the reward.]

[laurenande]

[Galadriel turns her attention to the book as Ellana speaks, her eyes and fingers carefully tracing across the patterns and images she's recorded.]

Mithril is ideal, but Silverite shall suffice. [She glances up at Ellana and returns the book to her, the page open to a drawing of a sunburst pattern.]

I have spoken with Sam, but I do not know his crafts well. Do you think he can engrave this pattern into the basin?

[serannas]

Elgar'nan's sun? Oh yes.

[ Ellana takes back her notebook, but then extends her hand towards Galadriel to show her the ring she wears made of silverite. There are tiny halla etched across the surface; a display of fine detail work. ]

He made this ring for me, and etched in the halla himself. I know he mostly makes armor and weapons, but he can do beautiful work like this too.

voice ;

[rowancrowned]

[ it's-- odd.

he cares far more about her opinion than he ever, ever imagined doing before. ]

Yes. I will inform you when matters become clearer. I do not intend to do this tomorrow.