Mun is a bit slow on the uptake, but excited all the same!

[sten]

...I am to be Arishok.

If that is my role, then I will accept it when the time comes. For now, I am still Sten.

[There is a silence, one where Sten only seems to grow more and more irate with his mun.]

Parshaara! You annoy me with your incessant flailing and making of high-pitched squawking noises. Imekari are more well-behaved than you.

Comments

[magerights]

I suppose it's too much to hope that mages won't be abused if you're the Arishok?

[Anders has the best priorities yes]

[sten]

[We would expect nothing less.]

Saarebas need to be contained. That will never change.

[magerights]

Contained and tortured, you mean. Forced to wear chains and collars and those masks, not to mention Maker knows what else you do to them. It's disgusting.

[sten]

We do not torture our saarebas. Just as any who follow the Qun, they have a role they must follow. They understand their place, unlike humans and your untamed mages.

[magerights]

Their role is being locked away in chains and abused for being born with magic! How can you say that they accept it when they're given no choice, no other options but death? Maybe they'd leave if there was a place for them to go.

I can't say I like the Circle one bit, but compared to what your people do to my kind, it seems positively kind.

[sten]

[Sten snorts; it almost sounds amused.]

And that is why Qunari prevail where humans do not. While you tear yourselves apart with your free magic and your blades, bickering among yourselves for what you claim is justice and righteousness, Qunari live for the well-being of the group and for the Qun. Our saarebas understand the dangers of their existence and would remain in their confines to protect their fellow Qunari.

But I would not expect you to understand restraint. You house a demon in your body.

[Or so he's been told. And really, 'spirit' just translates to 'demon' to him.]

[magerights]

You mean they aren't given a choice about it. You can go on all you like about the well-being of the group and serving the Qun, but it's just forcing people to either go along with you or die, and that's not a choice at all.

My having a spirit as a part of me doesn't change anything; I can still see how horrible and abusive your kind are to mages even without Justice.

[sten]

That is all the choice they need. If they cannot understand that, they are no better than the bas saarebas and deserve death.

It changes much. By allowing a demon in your body and letting it destroy all that provokes it, you merely prove my point. Saarebas cannot be trusted to make choices that will not destroy all those around them.

[magerights]

No one deserves death for wanting to be free! They're people, how can you treat them like animals and then say it's all right because they're happy with it, when they're not given any other choices?!

[His anger is starting to flare now, and Justice pushes at his control, Anders' eyes flickering with swirling blue.]

It's not right!

[septim]

Arishok? Your role?

[ A pause. ] Forgive me, I've never heard of these terms. You speak as if you are resigned, yet...not.

[sten]

[Sten is just going to continue to ignore his mun's squawking, now over the joy of seeing an 'Elder Scrolls' person. Whatever that means. She always speak in nonsense.]

Qunari all have an assigned role they are meant to carry out, nothing else. A Qunari's role is who they are. It is rare for that role to change. I am... [He pauses, trying to find the appropriate human word for it.] ...surprised, I suppose.

Meanwhile, I squealed when I saw a Sten post

[septim]

Qunari? [ He's heard the Thedosians speak of Qunari, in less than pleased voices. ] Forgive me, I'm not from Thedas.

Mutual squealage! (And I apologize in advance if Sten is horrible to you, Martin ;^;)

[sten]

That may change. [If they can figure out how to convert other worlds, you can bet the Qunari would try. For now, he does not condemn his unfamiliarity because he is willing to learn.] Qunari are those of us who adhere to the teachings of the Qun. In their ignorance, other races refer to kossith as Qunari, but the term encompasses all humans, elves, and dwarves who have embraced the Qun as well.

(Don't apologize, he already got the MAGES ARE EVIL spiel from various Thedosians)

[septim]

That I'm not from Thedas might change? [ Martin's eyebrow shoots upwards. ]

So Qunari denotes the followers of the Qun, not the races that make up its congregation. [ This is not a difficult concept. ] Is the Qun a religion or a philosophy?

(Oh, Sten's work is cut out for him, then!)

[sten]

Your unfamiliarity with Qunari and our way. [It'd be inefficient to drag the lot of you back to Thedas.]

'Religion' is a word humans use to worship dead things and whatever other trivial objects they choose to put value on. [And if the level of disgust in his tone doesn't say it enough, the Qun is not a religion.] The Qun is a code of honor. It defines every Qunari and our way of life.

[septim]

[ Well, yes, that's why he's asking. But Sten's tone sounds ominous.

As an ex-priest, he bristles slightly at that. Akatosh is not a trivial object, but a deity worthy of his respect. But then again, Akatosh's domain isn't Thedas. ] Including social roles. [ A pause. ] What happens to those who choose...not to follow their roles?

[ladyspitfire]

Yes. I was surprised too, suffice it to say.

[But didn't they have that conversation about people changing their roles? She can't hide the pleased little smile at the idea that she was right, in a way.]

[sten]

[This gets one of those very, very rare tiny blink-and-you'll-miss-it smiles from Sten. He, too, remembers that conversation and he is... amused.]

Are you satisfied, kadan?

[ladyspitfire]

Very, actually.

[The idea that the Qun has changed enough so that he may be Arishok is staggering. But she can't say she isn't pleased for him.]

Karasten becoming Arishok. It's unheard of. But it suits you, I think.

[sten]

Perhaps. Were it not for accompanying you in your journey, I doubt such a change would be made.

[As it is, with the last Arishok dying and Sten having fought the darkspawn and the Archdemon alongside the Grey Wardens, he credits this change with his experiences and nothing else. He has valuable knowledge, that is all.]

I trust your own role has kept you similarly occupied.

[ladyspitfire]

But you were the one who fought me to prove if I was worthy enough for leadership, Sten. You had the potential for it. You always have.

[And he'd led his group, too, before they died.]

It has in many ways. They made me Warden-Commander for a time.

[sten]

I did what was necessary. When a leader does not appear to be leading, they are no longer fulfilling their role. Any other Qunari would have done the same.

For a time. You are Warden-Commander no longer? [He has his doubts that Elissa could be surpassed where her skill and leadership qualities among the Wardens are concerned.]

[ladyspitfire]

Were you asked to become Arishok or did you do so of your own accord, necessary or no?

There were things I needed to do. I know someone served in my absence and I always returned to Vigil's Keep. [She frowns.] I've been told that I disappear after some time. I have no knowledge of when or why this will happen.

[sten]

We do not decide our own roles. To do so would go against the Qun. When the time comes, those in the antaam will be evaluated and the one who is decided to be most efficient as Arishok will then become Arishok.

There is much mystery around you, kadan. You have also made many enemies in your journey. Guard yourself well.

[ladyspitfire]

[She shakes her head.]

I wish I had learned a little more when I had the chance.

[She would never convert. That's just not in her nature. Her very existence, everything she has done, is so backwards that she would have a difficult time anyway. But the Qun is fascinating and Elissa is nothing if not always curious.]

You would think that putting a sword in a dragon would have people less likely to be my enemy. But I will be careful. I promise, kadan.

[That last word has just a bit of inflection behind it, as fond as she dares to show.]

[sten]

Your own duty requires much of you. Answering its call is the only honorable option. There will be time to learn more.

[Whether that means the inevitable time when Qunari will invade again, or if it's a simple friendly gesture to answer whatever questions Elissa has... well, it's Sten. Who can be sure? In reality, he knows converting her wouldn't happen, but that's why he promised not to look for her on the battlefield, after all.

He nods, satisfied with the promise.]

[ladyspitfire]

It's not just the honorable option. It's the only option.

[But that's not the sort of conversation she wants to have with him. After all, there's no use complaining when she's alive and able to fight, still able to make a difference, is there?]

And I'm certain that will go over swimmingly with the recruits when they see their commander is reading up about the Qun.

[She could always say she's doing it for educational purposes...]

[royaltemplar]

Well congratulations! Well, I'd expect that congratulations are in order, at least.

It's a good thing, isn't it?

[sten]

There is no need. It is what will be required of me, just as you are to fulfill your role as king.

[But it may surprise Alistair to know Sten calls him kadan when he meets him as Arishok.]

[royaltemplar]

King. Yes, that. Don't you think that Anora is just more suited for the role than I am? And she's already on the throne so it's just easier to leave her there.

But we're not talking about me. At least we shouldn't be. We're supposed to be talking about you, you know.

[ The idea of Sten calling Alistair kadan is a very surprising one, indeed! ]