crystal.

[exequy]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Kostos Averesch
RECIPIENT: Anyone in Kirkwall
WHEN: Nowish
NOTES: ANIMAL DEATH CW.

[ It's barely been a month since Kostos was an asshole on the crystals. But it's been much longer since he was specifically a Nevarran mage asshole, and the best way to not worry about anybody in Minrathous is clearly to focus on work, so: ]

Does anyone have any dead animals on hand? Recently dead. Preferably small.

[ Typical supply closet stuff. ]

Or any that will die soon.

Comments

private.

[champions]

Not for entertaining Berenike, I presume?

∞

[exequy]

She does seem hungry.

[champions]

I'll be sure to send any underwhelming servants to check on her well-being.

Why do you need these creatures?

[exequy]

[ He snorts, disapprovingly. Don't be an asshole to the servants, Marisol.

Be an asshole to everyone. ]

To move the spirit. [ Berenike's. This is about her, even if it isn't about entertaining her. ] Removing it from her seemed to—to calm it, after a time, but we do not know if being in a body at all is what put it into a frenzy, or if it is her body specifically. And it cannot sustain itself without a host for very long.

[justice_is_blond]

As in... what? I could let Lord Pawdric hunt pigeons again, but what do you need it for?

[exequy]

Necromancy.

[ Duh. ]

[justice_is_blond]

[...at least it's not blood magic. Even if he still doesn't understand why Kostos would want to do necromancy on a pigeon.]

Right. I'll... Will a pigeon do?

[exequy]

A rat might be better. We will be fucked if it flies away.

[rathercommon]

I'm sorry - is that allowed?

[ That's not asked with an I'm-thinking-of-tattling-on-you tone; that's asked with a what-the-fuck tone. Mages aren't allowed to marry, but they're allowed to raise things from the dead? ]

[exequy]

For now. [ Ominously. Ask him about Nevarran oppression. ] If we are not confined again I am sure someone will make a rule.

[aenseidhe]

I'm leaving to hunt soon. Is a rabbit small enough?

[exequy]

That would be fine.

[ Or something slightly larger. Please bring him a raccoon. ]

It only needs to be small enough for me to beat it in a fight.

[galvanising]

In that case no rabbits. Maybe a vole? Or one of those naked mole-rats? The baby ones.

[aenseidhe]

[ ummm. also, snorting a laugh for nell's peanut gallery comment, A+ ]

Do you often have difficulty defeating rodent corpses in combat?

[divineshadow]

Yes.

Say where you are to take possession of this creature.

[exequy]

The basement of the Central Tower. Turn left at the bottom of the stairs. The door is open.

of course i'd have dead animals on hand, who wouldn't

[divineshadow]

[Let it suffice for an acknowledgment that the Priest arrives at the given location, bloody-knuckled and with a sack slung over one shoulder. It could hold a rabbit, or larger.

The door is open; the Priest does not hesitate at the threshold but steps within, looking for the nearest flat surface to deposit the sack upon. (Did it kick weakly, once, on being set down?)

Kostos then is the recipient of a searching yellow-eyed stare.]

You call the dead to you.

[galvanising]

This is why you didn't have any friends at the Circle.

[exequy]

It is one of several reasons why I did not have any friends at the Circle.

[ Thanks very much. ]

But I do regret not getting to know you better while you were sensible.

[luxating]

Is this usually the quickest way to get something?

[exequy]

Depends on the thing.

[luxating]

Could you ask someone to go hunting for you for some other reason? Like maybe you really needed a fetching pair of antlers? Or a roast chicken? Are you paying anyone for your dead pigeons?

[hornswoggle]

Surely there's a better way to phrase this request.

[ but also— ]

I don't have any on hand, but you're welcome to hunt rats in the hold of the Walrus if you're out of options.

[exequy]

[ That would be a great idea if he weren't possibly the world's only necromancer likely to vomit at the sight of something actually dying. But he is. And he's also not a cat. So. ]

Excuse me— [ his fake polite voice has a lot in common with his please just kill me voice ] —gentle people of the Inquisition, for asking something so macabre, but have any of you come across the remains of an animal that has departed this plane, for I—

[ That's as far as he can go. ]

No.

[hornswoggle]

[ hm. ]

Well, I see your point.

[ though john will maintain there's a better way to solicit dead animals. ]

You managed to get a fair amount of offers I see. What are you planning on doing with your spoils?