crystal.

[elegiaque]

FORM: Crystal!
SENDER: Gwenaëlle Baudin.
RECIPIENT: Anyone with a crystal.
WHAT: Summary of content.
WHEN: Currentish.
WHERE: She's in Halamshiral; wherever you all are.
NOTES: Optional side quest. Also I know the difference between Kirkwall and Halamshiral and didn't edit her misspeaking a day later. You don't know.

This is Gwenaëlle Baudin. I need to make a brief trip from Halamshiral to an estate in the Dales, and given what happened the last time I took that road—

( understandably tersely, for those who do know what it was that happened, )

—I would prefer to do it with several able warriors. I've some other contacts I can reach out to closer to hand if no one is available, but I'm not in a great rush to do it, so if anyone is bored of the unrest in Kirkwall and would like to make a bit of coin on the side while touring some different, exciting unrest in what I assume will be remembered as the last days of Orlais before it was overrun by Corypheus, do be in touch.

Do not bother responding if you can't bring yourself to refrain from embarrassing the Inquisition in the High Quarter.

Comments

[elegiaque]

I could stroll into an active war zone and force an officer of the imperial army to desert.

[rathercommon]

Well. Why not?

[elegiaque]

The words 'a hanging offense' spring to mind almost instantaneously.

[rathercommon]

This isn't the Imperial Army, is it?

[elegiaque]

No. Nor is it a body with any authority to intervene in the unrelated criminal acts of some fuckwit drunk who's going to get what he deserves.

It's stupid, it's dangerous, and it's pointless. I can't think of any good reason to do that.

[rathercommon]

Well, war is stupid and dangerous and pointless, unless it's a war for a just cause, in which case a drunkard shouldn't be in charge. That seems like reason enough to me.

[elegiaque]

That sounds like a problem that will solve itself, don't you think? Nevermind what part of 'I require bodyguards' sounded to you like 'a person who's going to traipse into a battle'.

[rathercommon]

[ A huff - ]

Not before regular soldiers get killed by his bad choices.

[elegiaque]

And if there were something I could do about that, I would, but as there is not, we shall just have to hope he doesn't last very long.

[esquive]

Not for sport anyway.

[elegiaque]

Not that the tourney is entirely sporting.

In any event; I expect it to be roughly a week and you'll be joined by Maharani Lakshmi Bai, ( no one offers her an easy out with their name and doesn't hear the full thing repeatedly, ) and Nell Voss. The pay is, I presume, more than adequate:

( if he asked for the sum she names of most people, he'd be laughed at. )

[esquive]

[Is there any point to hiding how bewildered the number leaves him? Apparently not; it must be obvious in his voice:]

Fair enough.

[If there's a short list of details not to question, that one sits at the top. Obviously. But--and oh, he's regretting just the taste on his tongue--]

Is there no able body at Halamshiral to hire for such a price?

[elegiaque]

Plenty. Would you like the noble answer or the mercenary one for my preferences? Both are true enough.

[esquive]

Why not both then.

[She seems to like talking. No harm in indulging the habit.]

[elegiaque]

The Inquisition offers essential, essentially thankless work for unremarkable pay and where occasionally competence appears it should be rewarded. This shouldn't be difficult work and it shouldn't interfere with doing any of that.

I don't have time or the resources to vet whatever hands I can acquire here for ties to houses with an interest in my lord's misfortunes. Kirkwall is far and short notice to insert anyone into my retinue to that purpose.

( and: the more money she spends now, the less celene gets her bloodstained hands on. but given where she is currently, even she thinks twice before openly saying so. )

[sorcerised]

I'm just making sure you weren't only looking for natives.

[ After all it means he's not entirely across all the potential political difficulties they might encounter. Also: ]

What happened last time?

[elegiaque]

I'd prefer no one who's going to draw much attention, but I seem to have a satisfactory group now.

Dalish elves shot my mother in the throat.

[sorcerised]

Oh.

[ Quietly. That's actually a horrific answer. ]

I'm so sorry. I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe, I promise.

[elegiaque]

( so did she, she almost says, which is awful.

it is easier. )

It will be roughly a week, perhaps a little more. Nothing exciting ought to happen, and no attention needs to be drawn. You must be able to comport yourself appropriately within the High Quarter of Halamshiral, which means respectfully towards its occupants, and preferably with as little interaction as possible. If you've not suitable gauntlets of your own to make the anchor-shard less noteworthy, they can and will be provided.

[sorcerised]

I can cover it, that won't be a problem. In my world I'm an explorer. This sort of thing isn't unusual for me.

[ He's actually delighted about it. ]

Erm, just one more question. How exactly do you feel about dragons?

[elegiaque]

I feel like people who have just heard me say 'behave respectfully in the High Quarter and do not draw attention to themselves' wouldn't be nearly so fucking stupid as to ask me how I feel about dragons.

So there's no need to answer that question that I'm sure I didn't hear you ask, because obviously, there is no circumstance in which a dragon is going to be relevant to this situation.

Is there.

[sorcerised]

[ Cagily. ]

What if they're nice, respectful dragons, capable of keeping their heads down?

[elegiaque]

Your services will not be required.

[sorcerised]

[ Damn. ]

Oh, come on, she's only a hatchling. She can help us keep watch, she'll fly no further than I tell her to, and she won't get in the way. I'll stay with her all the time.

[elegiaque]

You'll stay with her, ( agreeably, ) in Kirkwall, where whatever you do with your beast isn't my problem.