Jowan arrives in Kirkwall

[apostate_jowan]

[OOC:  My first post, go easy on me!]

Finally, he was off that blasted floating wreck.

Jowan had managed to procure passage on a ship leaving from Denerim with what remained of his coin.  It hadn't mattered that the ship was headed to Kirkwall, a place rumored to be particularly unforgiving towards mages.  What had mattered was that the templars

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[apostate_amell]

Maker's breath. That was a face she'd never thought she'd see again, not since he escaped the Tower that first time...

"...Jowan...?"

[apostate_jowan]

Jowan nearly drops his (cleverly disguised as a mundane) staff in surprise at the voice behind him. "Nellie...? You're here?"

[apostate_amell]

Nellie nods, still looking surprised.

"What are you doing here?"

She lowers her voice a bit.

"If you're looking for a place to hide, you picked one of the worst cities for apostates..."

[apostate_jowan]

Jowan chuckles, although he does glance around to make sure nobody's listening. "I didn't have much choice, admittedly. It was get on this ship, or get caught."

[apostate_amell]

"Maker's breath, Jowan..."

She sighs, before giving him a weak smile.

"Well, I suppose in that case..."

[apostate_jowan]

Jowan looks down, slightly embarrassed. "Well, it was for a good cause! They could've killed someone if I hadn't stepped in, you see."

[apostate_amell]

Nellie sighs, nodding. That sounds like something Jowan would do.

"What happened?"

[apostate_jowan]

Jowan shrugs, speaking in a low voice. "Three noblemen.. well, boys, really, were tormenting some elves. You know how they treat elves in Denerim... of course everyone around pretended not to notice. I, well..." Jowan pauses, looking away for a moment.

[apostate_amell]

"You stepped in and things got out of hand?"

She gives him a fond, slightly exasperated smile.

"Oh, Jowan. You did the right thing. I'm sorry that you had to run again...last I'd heard, you were in Redcliffe though..."

[apostate_jowan]

Jowan smiles at that, giving a slight shrug. "Well, I was... They let me go back to the Circle." He sighs, looking away again. "I still feel terrible about that whole business... at least I got a chance to redeem myself, a bit, though..."

[apostate_amell]

"Well, there's that. I take it you didn't stay in the Circle long...? I know after you broke out the first time, Gregoir kept saying the minute they dragged you back they'd make you Tranquil..."

She shudders a bit at that.

"Good to see you're still you..."

She wants to ask him about the blood magic, but she's afraid to.

[apostate_jowan]

Jowan shakes his head, looking slightly amused. "The Arl made them promise not to, since I'd helped his son. I'm glad he overlooked my involvement in him getting that way in the first place..."

He smiles, a touch sadly. "Of course, I wasn't going to stick around to see if they planned to keep that promise."

[apostate_amell]

"Given everything that happened in the Tower while you were gone, they might have gone back on that promise..."

She shrugs.

"Are you still...you know."

She motions to her wrists slightly.

"With the blood magic?"

[apostate_jowan]

Jowan looks away, sighing softly. "Oh yeah... that. I only use it when I have to. Which is... very rare these days."

He shakes his head slowly, looking down at his own wrists. "It never really goes away completely, though. Even if I never use it... it's just there, waiting, calling to me."

[apostate_amell]

"You just need to be careful using it...especially here in Kirkwall, Jowan..."

She stares at him, concerned.

"The Veil...it's very thin here. Even if you were careful, the risk of possession and demons...it's a lot greater here than it ever was in Ferelden."

[apostate_jowan]

He nods, meeting her eyes, frowning slightly. "I see. So it's not just the templars that make this place dangerous to mages... I'll be extra careful, then."

He smiles, trying to sound reassurring. "I'll be all right, Nellie. I'm used to being careful."