PROJECT: Rifts & the Veil

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PROJECT

RIFTS & THE VEIL

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Figuring out how to permanently strengthen the veil to prevent further tears, who and what rifters are, and how to prevent the anchors from eventually killing those who have them are all high priorities. Kirkwall's particularly thin Veil makes it a good—if slightly dangerous—testing ground for many of these efforts.

DIVISION: Research
LEADER: n/a	STATUS: Active

Comments

Addressed to Warden Serra

[arcaneadvisor]

Warden Serra,

These notes have been languishing some time, indeed 'twas not until speaking with a recent arrival that I was reminded of a project once undertaken between Leliana and myself to look at first between the connections between dragons and the rifts. My own work as you can imagine took precedence over this but given what you know of eluvians, how little is truly known of the Fade?

Some of this might be of interest to you.

Let me explain: this began from a discussion of connections. Dragons. Corypheus. Red lyrium. The Old Gods. Perhaps now 'tis not so easy to ignore the connection between dragons, Tevinter, the Old Gods and Corypheus; I have seen an Archdemon, heard it, fought it, and who can say how far dreams extend now? After the discussion of eluvians and the Crossroads, you can undoubtedly understand why Leliana reached out to me on the matter.

Leliana spoke with a young woman first of her world's archdemons, names for the Deadly Sins as she called them of lust, pride, greed, and so the list went, and from what I was told they sounded very unlike what we understand of demons yet they were both struck by the overlap, as was I. Which brought us to what sticks with me to this day: the interplay of magic and stories. How many rifters do you speak with? How many of them share elements with this world in some form or even between their worlds, in truth, tale or both?

I shall name no names, you must understand that I believe I should allow them some semblance of privacy for those that remain with us now. Certainly, your own mind is keen enough that I trust you shall be able to hunt down some if you wish to question more.

There was one who came from a place with demons that were much different from anything we call demons. This one was a mage, yet a Church-knight; imagine, I suppose, if a Templar or Seeker were a mage, pious, souls that would not be in danger when there are dangerous things by them. It was a choice to do so, not a gift or curse as one looks upon it. Some might have a talent for it more than another but the choice would need to be made.

One came from a place where folk not only bonded with dragons but rode them into battle, I confess I find myself uncertain as to Tevinter feeling were they to learn that.

In one world magic is so secret that those who are not mages know not that magic exists, yet dragons do. Several breeds of dragons in fact, that females larger than males same as here, with differing names as might be expected though you would need to consult a draconologist, and most of those are Orlesian. Not worth the trouble. There were a 'class' of malevolent magical creatures, not so dangerous as a rage demon but were someone to get outnumbered by a cluster of things called grindylows underwater - small water demons, green, horned and with tentacles - they'd be drowned and eaten. Highly aggressive, known to eat people. Also merpeople keep them as pets. Merpeople are half-fish, half-hman; the upper portion of a person, but the fins, gills, and tails of fish. Sirens were a thing related to them, said to drown sailors by luring them into rocky waters by singing beautiful songs. 'Twas the Dementor that struck me, a creature that fed on human happiness, creating a sense of despair to anyone near them, and with the ability to consume the soul of a person through a Dementor's Kiss. The government in that place used and allowed such a thing as a punishment once. Elven magic was also very powerful in that world, far beyond anything a human could ever learn to do yet the elves had become servants to magical families, slaves to such a degree they were property. This person said they were very different in appearance and manner to the elves of Thedas however.

Dragons somewhere else are apparently far larger and more intelligent than those present in Thedas now; the smallest of theirs could swallow ours whole, and they were capable of devastation enough to reshape the world. Most interesting though was that they had no sex: they did not reproduce. He or she meant nothing if they referred to themselves as one or the other. No need to eat or sleep. Two purposes only: two destroy and to horde.

In another world dragons were spoken of though as the stuff of legends. 'Tis the beginning of a trend with the ending of this.

Somewhere else, there are things called aliens that look like demons but - according to this person - absolutely no demons. Only in their stories. Same with dragons. Demons are only in their religious texts, metaphors I gathered from the conversation.

Again, there was someone else who spoke of dragons and demons not being real outside the confines of several mythologies. This person shared the Seven Deadly Sins but was not the one who began this initial discussion between Leliana and myself. 'Twas from this one I gained all the names: Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, Sloth, and Pride.

Lastly, I recently met yet another who speaks of this place being as something from stories or some sort of game in their home. A common theme. The overlap of fiction and what we live. Dreams. Dreamers.

When you have had time to draw your own conclusions from this, and when this affliction in the Gallows is at an end passes, come to Sundermount where we might speak further if you wish.

Morrigan