bring out your dead

[degenere]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Baroness Frédérique Durfort-Lacapalette, Brother Jehan Mercier, and Valentine Nicasius Maxence Mérovée Olivier de Foncé
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: CHASSEURS DE FANTÔMES
WHEN: Early Cloudreach
WHERE: From Kirkwall, listenable anywhere
NOTES: Your favorite people!

—will come try to stop us, [ Jehan is whispering when everyone's crystals come to life, but it's capped off with a sigh as he realizes it is too late, too late, alas. ]

They must know [Val, in a stage whisper. He hardly cares about being heard.] Inquisition. We have been in Kirkwall for how long now? Long enough that some of us have seen shades. Spirits. Ghosts.

Inquisition, these are but exaggerations. Do you know how we know this to be true? [He’ll tell you. In a second. The dramatic moment is slightly spoiled by a sudden sharp intake of breath, and a loud SPLASH.] Sacre-- the oar!

Careful! [ Freddie is there too, naturally. ] Keep it in the lock-- there. Inquisition [ she begins again in Val's place ] we have heard your tales of supposed hauntings, but we three have spent countless hours toiling in these Gallows and have not seen a thing! Not one spectral wisp! And so, you see, we cannot help but doubt. We are women--and men--of the sciences, after all. It is merely our nature.

Men and woman of the sciences, [ Jeannot corrects, because who doesn't like being corrected ] and of faith, merci, and we do not mean that anyone is lying. Of course the Veil is thin here. But surely not so thin as the stories.

And so, we have returned at night--which I am sure we can all agree is the most appropriate time for ghosts--to give the spirits the chance to prove all of you correct by revealing themselves to us.

Do not be afraid for us! This is not even the tenth most foolish we have ever been, particularly Freddie and Val, and so far as I can tell they yet survive—we would welcome advice, however. Where have you witnessed these spirits reaching through the Veil? Were you doing anything to attract their attention?

And how do we attract their attention? Tell us, so we can try for ourselves! Must we cause a great scene, and commotion? Must we SHOUT? We are willing to shout-- O, SPIRITS! HEAR US, AND APPEAR! WE WOULD WITNESS YOUR--

[ muffled muffled something like a hand has been clapped over his mouth. ]

Comments

[aventuriere]

No, do not forgive Jeannot, he requires no forgiveness for being quite correct. Certainly there have been worthy scholars among mages and we are not ignorant of their abilities, but they seem willfuly ignorant of ours.

I suppose it cannot be helped; they have so little experience of the world outside their towers it must be quite overwhelming. Perhaps we ought to arrange for some sort of course of study, to teach them how to interact in society.

[degenere]

I would be sorry to subject them to you, mademoiselle. You are a fearsome taskmaster when you are so inclined and your knowledge of societal interactions is as vast as your societal connections.

You must promise to be quite gentle with these mages.

[aventuriere]

Fear not, I have no intention of teaching them myself [ lol ] merely acting as patroness of such a project. But perhaps you would wish to take the helm of such an endeavor? I dare say your knowledge of societal interactions is quite as vast as my own.

[degenere]

Certainly not. As you well know, I am a terrible teacher. Absolutely abysmal. It is in fact better for all the students--students of the past, students of the present, students of the future--if I do not teach.

[apologist]

Yet I have known at least half a dozen women [ is that a gross underestimate? if so, it is intentional ] who have sought your instruction. Curious.

[el_tybs]

[He cannot guess why in Thedas any mage scholar would be 'ignorant' of their abilities. Course he's going to keep that sarcastic bit to himself. As it is he's trying to keep up with the small tirade suddenly happening. ]

I think you're underestimating how well mages are able to interact in society. And I agree, Valentine should not head such a thing if you do insist on such actions.

[degenere]

[wh]

Why me!

[el_tybs]

'Why you' what? I was agreeing with you.

[degenere]

You did not have to do so as quickly as you did. Whose side are you on?

[aventuriere]

We see even here an example of a mage not knowing how to behave in society so well as he might, in his limited experience, believe.

[degenere]

Is that your reasoning for his betrayal? It is not a pretty reason. But the betrayal is not pretty either.

[el_tybs]

That was not quick at all. I let you both speak your peace, and you have spoken before of not wanting anything to do with teaching prior to this. Saying as such later and you would complain 'why didn't you say something sooner'.

And I have plenty of experience with society; there was nothing limited to it.

[apologist]

You could do with more experience socializing with Valentine. You do not say he should not teach. You say, Valentine, you must not teach—you cannot. You cannot teach others to socialize by having them speak to someone so charming and easy to converse with. They will leave you believing they are able to carry on a conversation only to find their tongues tied and their manners clumsy in the presence of all others, because in truth you were carrying the conversation all along. And it is not a thing you can change for the sake of their learning. Your charm is so ingrained that to quash it would no doubt damage your very being. No, no—someone more boorish must teach. It is the only way.

[degenere]

Dear Jeannot. I am half convinced already. You have done this man's work for him, very handily.

Imagine a boorish teacher. It pains me even to speak the words together. So unpleasant to converse with, he would be the very death of his students.

[el_tybs]

[A sigh.]

So you would rather sentence students to death, and those who lived would still learn no proper manners to socialize with Valentine at all? Sounds like you are arguing more that he should teach so that we all experience all that he is and learn from our mistakes when he sets us off into the world.

[degenere]

Your pardon. I may be an abysmal teacher, but my lessons do not mean death. Wherever did you come by this idea?

[degenere]

[Well.]

Some of my methods have met with great approval. By many more than a mere half dozen, I might add. It all rather depends upon the lesson.

[aventuriere]

So you admit that many of your lessons did not meet with approval? Pray tell us more.

[degenere]

I hope you do not pray to Andraste that I might tell you tales of my lessons, dear Freddie. You would scandalize a goddess? And Jeannot?

[well, wait.]

I suppose Jeannot is inscandalizable, to a degree.

Which lesson should I tell you of? The lesson of the very straight line, which was met with resounding approval from all who considered it? Or the lesson of the itching powders, which was met with great censure from the family of Mademoiselle Garran? You remember her. She had such a way with oils.

[apologist]

I would like to hear about this very straight line.

[degenere]

Oh, well, then.

It is the very straightest, as the shaft of a well made arrow. And, like an arrow, to whatever target it was pledged, this straightest of lines, it always found its mark. Its apex.

[aventuriere]

And this was one of the lessons that you believe was a success?

[degenere]

I was reassured that it was a rousing success, yes.

[apologist]

Were you so assured during the lesson, or after it?

[degenere]

Primarily in the moment just after. And then, a little more, later, when I suggested another lesson might be enjoyable. Though during, I did hear much that encouraged me to assume assurance.