Words of Wisdom
Among the Noldor, it is wisdom that your kings are famed for. With the possible exception of the sons of Finwë, it would be extremely difficult to describe any of the high kings without mentioning some kind of wisdom. Even you, for all that you are likely cursed for your foolishness, are acknowledged to have the wisdom to surrender the crown for the sake of peace.
Cold a comfort though it is.
Thus, an outsider would likely assume that you would know intimately how to improve one's own wisdom. This is sadly untrue. Wisdom is not something that is easy to acquire, your people are renowned for it due to the length of your lives and the breadth of your experience.
However, in this case you do not have the century or two that it would take to develop your wisdom further in that manner. Which is a shame, as donning a false identity and living among the people of Thedas as an unknown for a decade or two sounds like an entertaining experience.
That is why you are sitting beneath a tree, thinking as your workers pack up from their day's work. The question on your mind is the nature of wisdom.
This is not the linguistic exercise that distracted you from your pursuit of insight. Defining wisdom is not your goal, for even if you could not give a satisfactory account of it, you know what wisdom looks like.
The question is rather how does one know what is a wise course of action? You have already ruled out the most effective manner of doing so, simply making decisions and seeing the consequences. Instead, you need a way to condense the lessons of a lifetime into approximately a week.
When laid out like that your goals seem almost unreasonable.
How do people gain experience? There are, to your knowledge, there are generally two main ways, time and learning from those who already have it. It is the principle by which education takes place, those who have already made the mistakes explain how to avoid them to those who have not.
So how best to go about gaining the experience of others? This is an unusual problem, as you have learned much that a human might teach you. How on earth are you supposed to learn 'wisdom' from someone significantly younger than you? If you are to actually learn something you are going to need to actually step outside of your comfort zone and into somewhere you are at a genuine disadvantage.
The obvious choice would be to read some of Ferelden's great works. They come from a different perspective on the world, if you think on what they present as though you did not already know more than they it might be aid you in expanding your perspective. A biography of someone significant might also show decisions you have not experienced yourself.
For a short time, you toss around the idea of teaching what you know. You eventually toss that aside. It would not expand your understanding of the world, merely serve to stroke your own ego. You might be prone to arrogance, but you have some self-awareness.
A more difficult, and less appealing, option is to reflect upon your own actions during the First Age. Though it is a risk, given the inability for anyone to monitor what you are learning and pointing out if you are going the wrong way. It would also be rather, difficult, to think about.
Instinctively your mind shies away from the complex web of emotions associated with that time. As you turn your thoughts elsewhere, you briefly revise your latter plans, which gives you a moment of pause.
Not too long ago you were considering speaking to the Templars. Given you are visiting the chantry later in the week, perhaps you might be able to spend some time learning under their military arm. It would be a significant shift of perspective, and you might even learn something about your anti magic ability.
The more you think about it, the more you like that idea. It takes almost no time to depart for Gladesville, you had already been planning on going there later.
You sigh as you exit the gates, it seems you will not be in Endataurëo at all this week.
Settling with the Chantry
It has been some time since you completed the chantry in Gladesville. The staff Nova promised to organise should have moved in by now. You think it would be a good idea to visit, introduce yourself and generally make sure they are settling in.
When you arrive at Gladesville, the first thing you notice is that there are quite a few more people than you are used to. A number of them are quite young, and most seem to be wearing some kind of Chantry insignia, but they are present.
You make a brief stop to meet Ophelia and ask her how everything is going.
"Truth be told, it's been a bit of a mixed bag." The young woman confesses. "We had to scramble to find enough food for them at first. Not that I'm blaming you, we had plenty of warning but we weren't expecting so many sisters to show up."
"Perhaps I should have made something slightly less, grand." You admit.
"Are you crazy?" Ophelia asks incredulously. "We're over the moon about the chantry. Do you have any idea how few villages have a chantry of that size? Let alone an attached seminary? They're even teaching the kids over there. It's great."
"I am pleased to hear that. Is there anything else I should be made aware of?" You reply.
Ophelia thinks for a moment. "Not really. We've mostly just been moving along at our usual pace. Picked up a few workers who were looking to settle down, which helped with the farming thing."
"I see. If that is all, then I shall go introduce myself to the Sisters." You state.
"Lemme come with you." Ophelia says. "Better to have someone they know introduce you, wouldn't want you to get stalled out by some officious Cleric."
You smile proudly at your one time student. "I would be most grateful, Elder Ophelia."
The young woman flushes. "'M not old enough to be an elder."
Teasing of the young aside, your journey to the chantry and its attached schoolhouse is uneventful. A man in chantry robes greets you at the gate, and at Ophelia's insistence escorts you around the building.
Though you already know the layout, you still appreciate being shown how each room is being used. There are two dormitories, one for students and the other for clergy, many classrooms, an archive and a substantial worship area.
The decorations are typically overdone. Red banners with the sun emblem hanging everywhere, expensive carpets in autumn colours and literally golden decorations as far as the eye can see. You are simply grateful that they have failed to take away from the grandeur of the space by filling it in entirely.
Finally, you are led to a room that you had intended to be a study hall, and allowed in by the Templar that stands guard there. The room has been divided in two by wooden panelling heavily decorate with some passable art of a woman's life. You cannot see the other side, but this side has been made a private study.
"Thank you, brother Clarence, you may go." The woman sitting at the desk says.
"Yes, Revered Mother." The man says with a bow.
As he leaves the room, the woman turns her attention to you. "So, you are the pious noble who donated this chantry. I am Revered Mother Abigail. A pleasure to meet you."
"I would hardly describe myself as pious." You correct lightly. "Merely an admirer of architecture. I am Nelyafinwë Maitimo Russandol, lord of Brecilian forest. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Abigail[1] laughs. "If a love of architecture leads to such generous contributions, perhaps I should add it to the curriculum."
"Please do, it is an art that deserves study." You agree warmly, taking a seat.
"I will keep your recommendation in mind." The Chantry official replies with a smile. "So, lord Russandol. What can I do for you today?"
"In truth I have a few different matters I wish to discuss with you." You say. "Prior to said discussion, I thought it wise to ask how I should approach the Templars."
Abigail frowns. "A rather strange request, if it is a matter of a mage you wish collected than simply speaking to any individual will see the matter reported to the appropriate authorities."
"It is not something so simple I fear." You explain. "I wish to discuss their abilities, for a number of reasons, as such I suspect I need to approach someone with authority. Given that you seem to be in command of the Chantry's efforts, I assumed that even if you were not said authority, you would know whom to speak to."
The Chantry leader pauses in thought, studying you carefully. "You appear to be under a misapprehension that the Chantry commands the Templars. While it is true that our organisations are somewhat shared, they maintain their own hierarchy and command structure."
"Very well." You state calmly. "Then who commands the Templars in this area, and are there protocols I should observe when I speak to them?"
After another pause, Abigail slowly says. "Knight-Corporal Aten is the most senior Templar assigned here."
"Am I to take your omission of protocol as an admission there are none?" You ask.
"Yes." Abigail says shortly. "Was that all you wished to discuss?"
"Hardly." You reply calmly. "In truth, until I was on my way here, I had not intended to discuss it at all. What I hoped to speak with you was the curriculum for the school we are collaborating on."
The Chantry woman raises an eyebrow, and the corner of her mouth twitches. "That is a rather strange way to put it. I had thought the school as a donation."
You shrug. "I have little interest in owning the physical building if that is what you mean. Rather, I simply want the school to be the best available. As such, I intend to do everything I can to assist."
The twitch has become a slight smile now, and Abigail says, "Oh? I suppose there goes the hope of making it a seminary."
"You and I both know that we are much too far from population centres for anything standard or usual to attract enough students to be worth the effort of staffing it." You point out.
Abigail laughs briefly, then says, with a shake of her head. "As you say Lord Russandol. I am more than happy to discuss what this school shall be teaching."
"There are a number of potential curriculums available to us." You say, more thinking aloud than anything. "There is obviously the option of running a school for the nobility primarily. Leadership, accounting, ethics and the like."
Abigail tilts her head. "That would be a risk, many nobles feel that they are more than capable of teaching their heirs how to fulfill their duties. If they took offence, especially if they were being charged…"
"How necessary would it be to demand fees?" You ask. "I am aware that teachers require pay, food and board, but is it possible to fund the school without them?"
"Some kind of patronage?" Abigail asks thoughtfully. "It wouldn't be the most unusual idea, but it would raise eyebrows at a noble involving themselves in Chantry business. Though, if we made it a charity school, dedicated to providing free numeracy and literacy to the peasantry, I suppose it might work."
Which would give the Chantry a great deal of weight in what was taught. It has also not escaped your notice that the Chantry is also the largest employer of scribes.
"A trade school perhaps?" You suggest. "A place where experts in their crafts can take on students for the betterment of all."
"And risk guild secrets? Or other forms of espionage?" Abigail asks, amused. "No. That most certainly is not an option."
You turn an idea over in your thoughts. There is, to your understanding, no equivalent to the position of loremaster in Thedas. This could be your best opportunity to introduce something of that nature.
No, you do not want the Chantry to control knowledge any more than they already do.
"Perhaps the trade school idea can work if changed somewhat." You suggest. "This is a land of farmers, some kind of school of agriculture could serve to draw in many different snippets of 'local wisdom' into something more comprehensive and available to all."
"I suppose…" Abigail admits. "Though I doubt it would be easily funded, I suppose some kind of tenant labour system might work. Well, you know what I favour, what are your thoughts on the matter?"
There is silence as you consider. This is not a matter you wish to rush into a decision on, there are convincing arguments for every option and you intend to weigh them all.
The first to be discarded is the school for nobility. There are simply too many barriers for the limited benefit it would provide. You weight the remaining too options with care, knowing that allowing a Chantry school will likely paint you in a positive light with said organisation. The only question is if you believe that to be worth conceding on the school.
"Of all the ideas we have discussed I believe that the agricultural school has the most potential." You say at last. "Ideologically it suits my desire to spread knowledge as widely as possible, and it will attract the most students, due to its immediate and obvious utility to those around us."
Ultimately, you want this school to be a proclamation to all who see it. That the Noldor were here, and that they left this land a better place than they found it. For that, the only option is something that will actually aid the people who live here.
"I see. While I certainly agree that it is likely to be popular, something popular running at a loss will only bleed money faster." The Chantry superior says calmly. "I assume you will want some say in what exactly we teach?"
You shrug. "Only in so far as I believe I can contribute my own meagre knowledge of farming. As well as ensuring that students are actually taught, and not simply worked until their 'education' is finished."
"Bold of you to accuse the Chantry of something so very close to slavery." The woman replies levelly.
"Forgive me, but does the Tevinter Imperium not have a Chantry of its own?" You reply, equally level voiced.
Abigail looks at you warningly. "I will thank you not to compare our organisation to those heretics."
"I am willing to accept that you are distinct." You reply. "If you are willing to understand why I might be hesitant to trust a human on this matter."
Abigail's eyes flick to where your ears are hidden by your hair, and internally you sigh. It might not change the message, but you feel uncomfortable leaning on the clear divisions between the people of this land. It changes the message somewhat and nudges the conversation in an unnecessarily hostile direction.
It is a shame explaining the confusion will only make the situation more complex.
"Very well. I suppose, should we come to an agreement, I can allow for a limited ay in the curriculum and occasional inspections." The Chantry woman allows. "We have nothing to hide."
"I am glad, and I assure you, I have no interest in allowing this to become a drain on the Chantry's resources." You reply. "It is to everyone's benefit if this school can support itself."
"Of course." Abigail smiles benignly. "So, there is the question of land to be discussed. I believe it most effective if the Chantry is donated a field of say, an acre, which shall be used to support the school."
You smile back at her. "I couldn't possibly allow for such a thing. Though you are evidently trustworthy, I doubt the same can be said for a scribe in distant Orlais. It is all too easy for funds intended for one thing to end up somewhere else. I must insist that any land donated go directly to the school, rather than to the Chantry."
"Surely such a thing is mere sophistry." Abigail counters. "After all, this school is run by the Chantry, so donating to one is much the same as donating to the other."
"Perhaps, but will it be the people of the Chantry who teach farming? I doubt it, unless your order has a division of skilled farmers I am unaware of." You observe. "Hiring teachers, materials and other such things are likely to run up costs. It would be best if it was organised by a separate hierarchy."
"Surely you do not mean to take the school entirely away from the Chantry?" Abigail asks chidingly. "Taking back a donation is hardly proper behaviour."
"The hierarchy might ultimately answer to the Chantry, but I put far more faith in human nature when it is incentivised to do what I wish it to." You allow.
Negotiations drag on. Concessions are inevitable, but both of you need to establish each other's position. It takes some time, but ultimately you agree that the school will be run as a branch of the Chantry under oversight of a Clerk appointed to the role. Students will have 'practice fields' the profits of which will fund the school.
From there it is simply a matter of sharing what you know and discussing the hiring of teachers. You do not leave with a school prepared, but the groundwork has been laid and you should only need to occasionally check to make sure things proceed as agreed.
Words of Wisdom
After you finish your conversation with Abigail, you ask the clerk who showed you in where you could find Knight-Corporal Aten. The man looks sceptical, but after minimal persuasion directs you to the walls of Gladesville.
Knight-Corporal Aten is patrolling beside your warriors. He's a large man, though how much of that is the oversized armour his order wears is hard to tell. All humans appear short to your eyes, and given how much bulk the armour gives, you are guessing that he is broad of shoulder. A small crop of black hair has been closely cropped on his head, and his face is meticulously shaven.
The Templar notices your approach when the warriors all draw up to attention. He turns away from his steady gazing at the forest to face you.
"You must be lord Russandol. My compliments on the discipline of your retinue." He says gravely.
You smile politely at the Templar. "There is no need to flatter me, I am well aware that they are a work in progress."
Knight-Corporal Aten nods. "Such things can be remedied with practice. Internal discipline is harder to teach."
You shrug. "Perhaps, but things that are worth doing are rarely easy. To change the subject, I was hoping to speak to you on a matter concerning your order."
The Templar nods and the two of you walk away from the walls.
"I was hoping I could learn something of your abilities." You explain. "I have found myself in possession of similar talent, and I was hoping you might show me how you teach your initiates to use theirs."
Knight-Corporal Aten glares at you. "Unlicensed possession of Lyrium is a serious offence…"
"What does Lyrium have to do with this conversation?" You ask, genuinely confused.
"Such an excuse will not fool me." The glaring Templar claims.
"I am not making an excuse, though I do not possess any illegal lyrium." Merrill might, but the Dalish are a thorny issue legally speaking. "I am merely unclear how Lyrium is involved in what I asked for."
There is a long moment as the Knight-Corporal continues glaring at you, before at last he says. "Then show me this ability of yours."
With a shrug you do so. The Knight-Corporal blinks several times in surprise, attempting to examine your ability as best he can. It takes several interminable minutes until he finally speaks.
"You are older than initiates usually are." He says.
"I am not attempting to join your order, merely hoping to experience your training in this specific area." You correct him.
"Teaching someone outside of the Templar Order is not appropriate." The Knight-Corporal states.
"True though that may be, I assume that the purpose of such a practice is to prevent others from learning your anti-magic abilities. As I have demonstrated, I already possess them, so there is no need for such caution." You point out.
"Perhaps you should be commandeered for the order." Knight-Corporal Aten says gruffly.
"Can you?" You ask neutrally. "Are you willing to start the political storm that levying a lord of the realm will cause?"
The human does not need to speak to show you that he would be incredibly unwilling to do so.
"Simply provide me an overview of the training your knights undergo, and then you will be certain that I am at least unlikely to use my abilities incorrectly." You push, sensing weakness. "You hardly need to teach me all your secrets, after all how would I even know if you simply do not mention something."
There is a long pause as Knight-Corporal Aten wrestles with his conscience, finally he manages to say, "Fine. Pay attention."
If you had been expecting to be immediately regaled with exercises and drill you would have been disappointed. Fortunately, you are mostly looking to understand the Templar perspective, so when Knight-Corporal Aten begins with a history lecture, it is appreciated rather than resented.
"The Templars are descended from the inquisition. Our original duties were to combat evil in whatever form it took, wherever it took them." The human states blandly.
That he is a poor teacher is also surprisingly helpful. It is clear to you that the order is important to him, but the reasons why are harder to parse. Listening to what he chooses to include is your only window into how he thinks, and the challenge of unpicking him is an excellent start.
"Most think of us as the sword at the neck of mages, but it is our duty to defend them from those who hate and fear them as much as it is to safeguard others from them." Knight-Corporal Aten says.
His constant talk of duty would not be out of place among the Noldor, but it stands at something of contrast to most of Thedas. Those in this land tend not to consider things in terms of 'duty', rather in some other manner that you do not truly understand.
"Thus we continue the legacy of the Inquisition to this day." Knight-Corporal Aten finishes.
There is something here, a revelation on the tip of your tongue but just out of reach. You shake off the feeling as the Knight-Corporal launches into the next part of his lecture.
"Now, ingesting Lyrium is not a simple procedure." Knight-Corporal Aten begins a clearly well practiced lecture. "If it were, any fool could simply drink it down and do as a Templar does. The core of our practice is a form of meditation…"
"Given that my particular brand of the ability does not use Lyrium, could we perhaps hurry along to the part where you teach them to use the ability they gain by consuming it?" You ask.
The Knight-Corporal glares at you. "You asked for the experience of learning as the Templars do, this is a part of that."
"True." You agree. "However, this is clearly a mechanical discussion on the nature of processing and using Lyrium, which I cannot do, so I would appreciate it if we focused any mechanical discussion on things, I might be able to use."
Knight-Corporal Aten glares at you with folded arms for a time, then he sighs.
"I confess," He begins hesitantly, "that I am uncertain how much I can teach you. I do not know how much of what we learned is directly relevant to Cleanse Area, and how much features primarily in other abilities."
Perhaps it says something of your low opinion of humans that you are genuinely taken aback by the sudden display of humility.
"Well, perhaps you could begin by explaining what the abilities of a Templar are." You say, after you have recovered your composure. "I believed that the 'cleanse area' as you called it was the only one."
The Templar gives you a long considering look, whatever he sees apparently satisfies him because he says, "Cleanse Area is the ability to strip magic from an area, dispelling any currently active magical effects."
You nod, noting internally that it is not identical to your own ability. As for you, the loss of magical effects is more of a side effect of essentially instantly stripping all mana out of an area.
"This is not the first ability a Templar learns." Knight-Corporal Aten continues. "What we learn first is, naturally the ability to control the Lyrium in our blood and extract the energy within."
"I believe it is called mana." You supply. "That is, assuming that Lyrium contains the same energy as that found within the Beyond."
Your temporary teacher shrugs. "I don't know. What is important is that once we have learned to extract the energy within us, we then learn to focus it into our blades. This usually takes place in concert with our training with the blade as one is designed to support the other."
The Templar continues. "Once mastery of that is demonsrated, lessons on Cleanse Area begin. At some point, you will find that continued meditation and use of Lyrium will make you harder to affect with most spells before the final lesson on focusing Lyrium energy into the destructive beam of Holy Smite."
You nod a few times. "Well, I doubt I will be able to learn the latter two without Lyrium, but I am interested in the sword technique you mentioned. Could I perhaps trouble you for a demonstration?"
The Knight-Corporal tilts his head, looking at you. "Can you use that sword?"
"I can." You reply.
The Templar smiles. "Then perhaps a spar might serve better?"
Your attention is more on your extended senses than on the blade swinging towards you. Knight-Corporal Aten is no great talent with the sword, thoroughly orthodox, and reasonable well practiced he may be, but that is no match for your skill. This allows you to focus on the energy moving through the blade.
You might need to correct your assumption that Lyrium's energy is the same as mana, as to the best you can discern all the Templar is doing is cycling the energy through his blade. To the best of your knowledge, it is not taking on any particular characteristics in doing so.
"Does this technique have any effect on magical items or spells that have been cast?" You ask.
"No." Your sparring partner pants. "Takes away mage's magic, makes 'em tired."
You consider his words as you fend off his blows. Perhaps, no, the concept that Lyrium has some inherent anti magic properties does not fit at all. So, if you assume that the energy in Lyrium is, if not mana, at least similar enough to pass, how would cycling it through the blade drain unused mana only?
Could it be an affect akin to water? You know that generally water prefers to gather into bodies, as anyone who has dangled a drop into a pool can tell you. Is the presence of the mana attracting itself?
To test your theory, you attempt to quell the energy within Knight-Corporal Aten's blade. To your delight, it is reasonably successful. Admittedly the Templar notices and quickly gets the energy cycling once more, with another pull from his Lyrium vial, but it confirms your theory.
From there, learning to cycle mana through your blade is the biggest hurdle. But once that is done, you are able to end the spar.
"Thank you for your instruction." You tell the sweating, heavily panting Templar. "However, I can no longer indulge in this spar, as I have other tasks that must be attended to."
The man swallows a few times, then nods.
A test with a stick on Xandar later confirms your theory, which leads well into a discussion of what you were testing. That is when you first heard of his desire to visit the Dalish.
[1] You only have one mother, nobody else gets the title.