In the Shadows

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In the Shadows by Ashes of Angst

The Left Hand

As much as the Chantry considers itself above the vulgarities of the rest of Thedas, it is not. How then can the Chantry maintain its lofty and vaunted place in its own philosophies? Grand Clerics can't possibly be seen hiring assassins or employing spies or making deals with Tevinter. Death is such a messy business and slavery is antithetical to the teachings of Andraste. So how to justify the elven plight? How to justify an army? How exactly does the Chantry live with itself?

How does the Divine sleep at night?

The Chantry has come up with an elegant solution, a sacrifice. One soul to be condemned to the Void with the grateful blessings of all those around them. That soul has an honored place in Chantry hierarchy, answering to only one, to themselves.

That place is at the Left Hand, with the Chantry's keeper of all dissonant verses.

It is no small thing to take a Left Hand. The Divine keeps her Left Hand, as she is expected to do, begging her Nightingale's forgiveness for what she must do. That Nightingale becomes assassin and spymaster, the keeper of all the Divine's sins. Becoming a Nightingale is an arduous process, requiring the Nightingale endure torture without breaking. Every Nightingale retains marks from that torture, scarring body and soul, marking them as monstrous in the eyes of the Faithful. A creature of the Void.

For a Grand Cleric to take a Nightingale? It's not unheard of. During times of strife or war or unrest, Grand Clerics are expected to do whatever it takes to protect themselves. This includes condemning a sacrifice to the Void as she takes a Nightingale at her Left Hand. That Left Hand answers to no one, not even she who took them as Nightingale. This means that, yes, if necessary that Nightingale has the right and responsibility to end the life of the one who took them and keeps them.

It is the keeper's responsibility to respect the sacrifice that her Nightingale has taken for her, lest her Nightingale deem her unworthy of their songs and service. Very few Nightingales ever take this step, usually too devoted to the one who took them. But if that devotion fails, if the Nightingale withholds their songs? There is nothing she can do to stop them.

I heard this song less than once before coming to this realization. It all hit me the very first time I heard this song.

Which means the post-Inquisition Chantry has to grapple with the fact that Most Holy Divine Victoria I is a creature of the Void, Leliana having been Justinia's own Left Hand.

It gives fuel to the fire of Starkhaven's schism from the Orlesian Chantry, that their Prince is a creature of the Void, Sebastian having been Elthina's own Left Hand.

Nightingales answer only to themselves and each other.