The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Marian Hawke]

"Right! Sorry," she says, scurrying around to sit next to Helene.

"She's still writing but, it says, this one suffers from a severe mental disorder. This one undergoes treatment for this disorder. This one has been through treatment multiple times before. The treatment is unpleasant, but ultimately successful in keeping this one functional, speaking, able to publish papers. This one cannot abort the treatment halfway through. It will leave this one unstable and unable to function as this one's condition deteriorates."

[Varric]

Varric studies Helene for a moment, eyes shadowed. ''Let's take a lot at those assumptions, shall we? You say you get treatment regularly. How often? They getting closer together? How about recovery time afterwards. Shorter, longer, the same? Are your... bad times getting worse?''

[Marian Hawke]

"She hasn't in two years," says Marian quickly. "Not the whole time I've been here. And, and she's not... she's a little over focused sometimes but scholars are like that. I haven't seen anything worrying. She's been a good master to me, teaching me how to write better."

[Varric]

''Long-lived. Two years isn't that long, not for us or especially her.''

[Marian Hawke]

Hawke glances down, then, reading out a list of dates. It seems the last 'treatment's was some five years ago; the first was nearly fifty years prior, with three relapses in between. The first set of dates span nearly a decade, while the second span two years, the third a year, the fourth two.

"You were going to leave me here for years?!" squeals Hawke, indignant. "I barely survived a month and a half without going stir crazy!"

[Haliel Lightsong]

Lightsong gapes at Helene for a few moments, then shakes her head. ''That- what kind of condition is this supposed to be curing? That pattern of treatment is... Well. It does not seem to imply any real progress. What other treatments have you tried?''

[Marian Hawke]

"She writes, there are no other treatments."

[Varric]

Varric snorts loudly. ''Wow, that's fucking amazing. You should write a paper on that. I mean, the discovery of a problem with one, single, absolutely solitary solution would be a discovery to rock the church for centuries or more.''

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene's pencil scritches in anger, bold strokes with a fierce rhythm. Marian reads, "There are no other treatments. Patients with this one's condition must be institutionalized. Helene, what.. what's wrong?" 

[Haliel Lightsong]

"Mister Varric has a point, though his manner of speaking is hardly conducive to amicable discourse," Lightsong says, trying to soothe things over. "It is... rather unlikely that no other treatment is possible. What condition do you have?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene hesitates, the pencil quivering as she tries to get up the courage to write.

Finally, she writes two words: "Dream-taken."

[Marian Hawke]

"You never," growls Marian. "You're not-- there's no way. Unless you're trying to say this treatment removed all your symptoms?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene nods, then, more timidly, scribbles, "Delusions." 

[Marian Hawke]

"You're... delusional?" asks Marian, frowning a bit. "Do you also hallucinate?" 

That gets an embarrassed shrug.

[Varric]

Varric narrows his eyes. "Trick question. Some hallucinations are realistic enough you wouldn't realize in the moment. Or maybe even afterwards. Makes it a handy symptom for fake healers to assign to you- how could you be sure, entirely sure, they were wrong? Makes you doubt, gets in your head and starts breaking you down."