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fandomhigh2011-10-24 06:44 pm
badnewsandwit.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2011-10-24 06:44 pm
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Cultural Understanding, Monday
"These past few weeks," Alistair began, looking a fair deal more dignified than he had last week, "We have spoken about all kinds of practices found among the living. But some say that what defines us as people is the way we pay respects to our dead."
Maybe not 'dignified'. Somber. Try somber.
"The Wardens are warriors," he continued, "And so we often fall in battle. There isn't always... time... to dig graves, and not all of those among us keep faith in the Chant. Often, perhaps... too often, we can honor our fallen only by speaking of them afterwards."
"Whereas in the Wilds, your option is to bury the body under a cairn of stone, in hopes that the animals will not ravage it, or build a pyre," Morrigan stated bluntly. "To speak of the dead serves no purpose to them, and 'tis only useful to those that cannot move on."
"Sometimes, speaking of them is what someone needs to 'move on'," Alistair said. Morrigan, sigh. "The Chantry, of course, has rites for the dead, and I assume so do the elves. The dwarves worship them - they say that when someone dies, their essence becomes part of the Stone around them. So I assume they have their religious rites as well."
Morrigan just raised an eyebrow. "Assuming things about The People is often dangerous," she chided. "Although you are correct in that they have rites for the dead. Those that have accepted the collar of the Alienage follow the ways of your Chantry, while the Dalish walk pathways that were old when your Maker was still in swaddling clothes."
Alistair shot her a foul look. "Can we do this without the sneering, Morrigan?" he asked. "It's a loaded topic." Not one he'd really had to deal with personally at any point, but still.
"I am making a historical point," Morrigan retorted. "Some methods are older than others, which shows that our concepts of respect for the dead evolve and change from time period to time period, not just between cultures." If she'd wished to 'sneer', she would have pointed out that bodies were just rotting sacks of meat. Honestly.
Oh, please. She was being all Morrigan about the topic - of course she was sneering. Alistair turned to the class - mostly to avoid starting another argument, no matter how badly he wanted to - and said, "How does your culture honor the dead?" he asked. "Does the practice stem out of practicality, religion, both, or something else?"
Maybe not 'dignified'. Somber. Try somber.
"The Wardens are warriors," he continued, "And so we often fall in battle. There isn't always... time... to dig graves, and not all of those among us keep faith in the Chant. Often, perhaps... too often, we can honor our fallen only by speaking of them afterwards."
"Whereas in the Wilds, your option is to bury the body under a cairn of stone, in hopes that the animals will not ravage it, or build a pyre," Morrigan stated bluntly. "To speak of the dead serves no purpose to them, and 'tis only useful to those that cannot move on."
"Sometimes, speaking of them is what someone needs to 'move on'," Alistair said. Morrigan, sigh. "The Chantry, of course, has rites for the dead, and I assume so do the elves. The dwarves worship them - they say that when someone dies, their essence becomes part of the Stone around them. So I assume they have their religious rites as well."
Morrigan just raised an eyebrow. "Assuming things about The People is often dangerous," she chided. "Although you are correct in that they have rites for the dead. Those that have accepted the collar of the Alienage follow the ways of your Chantry, while the Dalish walk pathways that were old when your Maker was still in swaddling clothes."
Alistair shot her a foul look. "Can we do this without the sneering, Morrigan?" he asked. "It's a loaded topic." Not one he'd really had to deal with personally at any point, but still.
"I am making a historical point," Morrigan retorted. "Some methods are older than others, which shows that our concepts of respect for the dead evolve and change from time period to time period, not just between cultures." If she'd wished to 'sneer', she would have pointed out that bodies were just rotting sacks of meat. Honestly.
Oh, please. She was being all Morrigan about the topic - of course she was sneering. Alistair turned to the class - mostly to avoid starting another argument, no matter how badly he wanted to - and said, "How does your culture honor the dead?" he asked. "Does the practice stem out of practicality, religion, both, or something else?"
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Discuss - Funerals
Tell the class! Then pick a partner - whoever has the story you find most interesting - and discuss.
Talk to the Teachers
Well. One of them, anyway...
OOC
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The topic at hand made him chew on his lower lip and decide he really couldn't say anything to contribute to the discussion.
He missed Alisha and his friends.
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The Warden took things so personally.
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See?
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She was quiet for a moment, waiting for another opportunity to speak, then said, "Do you maybe want to get together sometime later to... talk about how 'fine' you are? I know this probably isn't the best place."
For her to drag things out of him. Or at least attempt to.
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He didn't want to talk about anything. He didn't really want to think about it, either.
And he couldn't help looking a little apologetic about that.
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And somehow feel a little guilty about it. He'd deal. He was used to feeling that.
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Ironically, I also got distracted by playing DA:O again.