The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Varric]

Varric raises an eyebrow. "Don't be so sure- I've never made a mutagen before." At the looks he gets, the dwarf shrugs. "Nor bombs. Not your traditional alchemist- I like extracts and their versatility but I put more work into self-induced trances designed to allow paranormal degrees of focus and effort and some other mental tricks."

[Marian Hawke]

"I can see that," says Marian, after a moment. "Mutagens seem so... inelegant."

[Varric]

"I have to admit, the idea of taking something that would diminish my mental abilities in exchange for raw physical prowess seems... well, inelegant, like you said." The dwarf scratches his chin, then shrugs. "But to each their own."

[Haliel Lightsong]

"But... Marian's, umm, mutagen? It made her smarter, not..."

[Marian Hawke]

"I uh, I was trying to reverse the polarity. Make myself less robust in exchange for for intelligence."

[Varric]

Varric frowns. "Vitality for intelligence? Vitality is linked to personality, force of character. Intelligence is... muscle power. And understanding and willpower is hand-eye-coordination and reflexes. I suppose you could go counter to that but..." He grimances a little.

[Marian Hawke]

"Well, apparently, it'll kill you," she says quietly. 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene shakes nir head, tapping the x-d out drawing of the skull twice, forcefully, with a finger. 

[Varric]

"Actually... no. Contributed maybe, but that's what al- what did it," Varric says with a nod. "There are two ways to become a kinesist. The first is having a teacher who can... do some kind of ritual or something, not sure about the details, to slowly open the... potential connection to an Elemental Plane into an actual connection. The second is called Snapping, which is fatal in nine out of ten cases. And more than half of those that live are bedridden for months or crippled. You basically ripped open a connection to the Plane of Ice by shear bullheaded brilliance and need."

[Marian Hawke]

"I... what?" she asks, frowning. "I... I remember... fear. and pain. and cold."

[Varric]

"I'm not an expect in the field- kinesists are rare as sunshine in the hells, but that sounds reasonable enough a sensation to be feeling when you directly link your aura to a Elemental Plane," Varric says dryly.

[Marian Hawke]

"So.. the mutagen... well, it made me ill, but it... it worked. It would have been fine? I made it...work?" She sounds dubious, blinking. "Without training or anything other than an old book half-remembered?"

[Varric]

"Crude and dangerous but... yeah, it had the exact benefit you wanted from it. You finally starting to get what we mean when we insist that you're brilliant?"

[Haliel Lightsong]

Haliel smiles faintly, lifting their joined hands to kiss the inside of Marian's wrist. "I would still like to request that you not do that again but... that ice elemental was massive." 

[Marian Hawke]

"I... think I am," says Marian, slowly. "It... would you say the size of a horse? The size of a -- no, sorry, that's not the point. I have potential. Real potential. If I can just figure out how to harness it..."