Ghost Story

[Varric]

"Sometimes you need to push to get things moving," Varric replies, smile turning less polite as he takes her hand. "Varric Tethras, new to town as of a few weeks." He glances at John and offers, "I can probably handle the ghost myself, with the proper supplies."

[GamesMaster]

"Nonsense. Protection of the townsfolk -- all townsfolk, new or not -- from spiritual threats is my duty. I would be honored to assist. After all, two can do safer and easier what one can accomplish at risk."

"Dear, I think he's hinting that he wants to purchase supplies from you."

"Ah. Yes. That as well. Come, let us examine the storerooms and see what may be of use to you."

[Varric]

Hinting? I outright asked (more than once). Sodding Vangalites; if it's not a target, they miss it half the time. "Thank you," Varric replies, offering the Bright a bow. Twisty vibe on that one (probably one of those interfering old biddy types). Probably leads John around by the (cock) nose even more than most Bright/Bright's.

[Varric]

Supplies obtained-- not all of what he wanted, but well enough-- Varric heads back... home. The dwarf pauses just as he crests the gentle rise that denotes the grounds proper of the estate and stares a moment. Huh. Feels more important than normal. Not just a job, busy work to keep from thinking about (coward)-- about (coward)-- about (ne deserves more than this!) nem, but something a touch more. Fah. Focus on the damned ghost, old man. Shaking his head, the dwarf continues on, knowing he only has a few hours before dusk to get ready. The ghost might not come again tonight, but it also might, so he needs to be ready.

"Wish I had time to do this entirely properly but not bad, not bad at all." Varric eyes his newly improved ritual circle, now lined with blessed silver icons and washed with holy water. Mithral would be better (Celestial mithral best) but this isn't bad at all. Wardstone is good too, even if it is pink of all colors. Still, granite is granite. "Alright, let's get this going. Not enough time for a permanent one, but seven days and ten hours is plenty time to renew." Humming softly, he opens the cedarwood chest he keeps his ritual supplies in to get out the reagents needed for a house-wide Protection from Evil ritual. He carefully doesn't look at the empty slots where the supplies for divination rituals would be.

[Marian Hawke]

Emma stands in the doorway, watching Varric go about this.... this forbidden lore. An image comes to her, unbidden, but she pushes it away, rejects it. No (too painful) I don't remember (can't remember) who it was I lost. 

Instead she says, her voice quiet, almost lost, "You're going to get caught."

[Varric]

Varric glances over at her, relieved that she'd finally managed to say something. "Caught?" he asks, trying to keep his voice gentle.

[Marian Hawke]

"Doing magic. You'll be burned."

[Varric]

Varric frowns, then turns to face Emma directly. "Why?" Waving a hand, he clarifies, "why will they burn me?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Because it's evil. Magic, that is."

[Varric]

"The ritual I'm doing? The magic I'm casting? It's a house-wide Protection from Evil spell. Completely defensive, utterly harmless. It only protects people from evil. It's perhaps the most absolutely good piece of magic in existence."

[Marian Hawke]

"It corrupts people, having that kind of power. They stop worshipping the gods, and start worshipping themselves, their own strength. They begin to think anything they do is right and just simply because they can do it. And then they summon demons."

[Varric]

Wasn't magic that stopped me wor-- "That's, uh, that's a series of steps," Varric says with a cough. "Not saying it can't happen that way but it certainly doesn't have to. At all."

[Marian Hawke]

"It's not always demons, that's just an example in everyone's memory. But the fact they can't stop themselves even though it's against the law is a sign they're too far gone for comfort."

[Varric]

"What do you mean, 'against the law,'" Varric asks suddenly, frowning.

[Marian Hawke]

"I thought I said -- arcane magic is against the law here in Golden Shores."