open | handwritten

[indissection]

FORM: Written
SENDER: Sidony Venaras
RECIPIENT: The Inquisition
WHAT: It's Satinalia... Soon
WHEN: The end of the month
WHERE: Her room in the Gallows
NOTES: IT'S GONNA BE FUN

[ The handwriting is curved, delicate and almost pretty. ]

Greetings, Inquisition. At home there is sometimes a custom of something like anonymous gift giving - we trade names and get each other gifts based on a list of preferences. No one knows who found them their gift as it's all a complete mystery.

[ She's positively gleeful, even if no one else can see it. ]

If you'd like to take part then you're free to add your name to the listings on this page with any gift ideas you may have for yourself. I will match people up and then the gift giving can commence. It's not something that you must take part in, of course, but I do encourage it. It might be fun and you might even make a new friend.

Comments

[ipseite]

I would be delighted to take part.

Mme de Cedoux

( will she ever introduce herself with her fir—no, she won't. )

[indissection]

Wonderful. I am glad for it, Madame de Cedoux. Are there any gifts in particular you would most like to receive?

[ipseite]

I would be most interested to see what someone thought to gift me, but I suppose that can be a paralysing prospect with even one better acquainted. I would never be displeased with gifts of a practical nature.

[indissection]

It can be daunting indeed. A practical gift seems like a good enough request in my eyes.

[ipseite]

I've made quite good use of fabric I received Satinalia past.

This was a lovely thought. May I ask to whom it belongs?

[indissection]

Oh! Fabric is a wonderful idea. I might ask for it myself.

Sidony Venaras of Nevarra City. A pleasure.

[ipseite]

I hesitate to be too particular in my requests only for the sake of how varied the Inquisition's means are within the Gallows. But to participate at all is, I think, of some value.

Still newly arrived, I believe?

[indissection]

Perhaps I should have advised a spending limit, but some people are inclined to generosity, I'm sure.

New enough. I've been welcomed, kindly so.

[ipseite]

I would ( there's a definite delay between the beginning of the sentence and the rest of it, before she commits to the thought, ) trust the matter to good judgment. Certainly I wouldn't wish to imply that a less costly gift would be less pleasantly received.

[indissection]

Of course not. It's the thought and the intention that is important, not the price.

[ipseite]

There are days I suspect I would be as grateful for someone else boiling the water for my tea as a small fortune.

[indissection]

The Inquisition truly presents us with hardships we had never expected before. It is rather exhausting.

[ipseite]

It is work more familiar to me than to some, but I cannot say familiarity serves me so in fending off that exhaustion.

( there is one novelty in having relinquished a position of power; relinquishing, as well, the burden of feeling she could not say as much. could not unbend. )

It is good of you to think of such a relief.

[indissection]

Familiarity can often make it even more exhausting, I have discovered.

[ Learning to do things for herself rather than have household servants has been an interesting venture, but she is welcoming it. ]

I want only to bring the Inquisition something good in the midst of all the bad.

[ipseite]

My husband once proposed it bred contempt, but I have long thought that what did that was the lack within his store of patience.

It serves us to be reminded to what end we work.

[indissection]

Having never had a husband I cannot comment on their nature for patience, but I've heard something similar said by close relations.

That was my hope. This war is nasty enough business.

[ipseite]

I think them not a particular breed, in any case. I should confidently hold forth upon the qualities of hounds—indeed I have been most lucky to be joined by my own I had thought not to see again, a gift in himself—but I might hesitate before grouping husbands in the same fashion. At least briefly.

The first casualty of war is the notion of glory. For those who fight it, at least.

[indissection]

I would not hesitate in grouping men, at least, but I am sure that there are many who do not fit a mould so easily.

Let us find glory in giving gifts, then.

[foundmyselfagain]

I'd like to sign up.

-Gareth
(Just Gareth)

[ipseite]

A fair assessment. I might say the hounds are more reliable company, to be sure.

[indissection]

I've found a great deal of them more charming than many men.

[indissection]

Of course. Do you have any gifts you would prefer?

unsigned

[matchymatchy]

ANDERS — The donation of a marginally more pleasant country’s moniker. He's done his time.
EVERY NEVARRAN — Clothing of a less dreary shade. Perhaps orange? Orange and green.
EVERY ANTIVAN — Clothing of a marginally more dreary shade. They're overdoing it.
CELENE’S WITCH — See: Nevarrans.
THAT ELF WITHOUT SHOES — Shoes.
THE NEW PRISONER — A throw rug or something, really. The room is appallingly drab, and one might still embroider “treason” or what for.
THAT ELF WITHOUT HAIR — A wig, for those occasions in which he must blend with a less esoteric crowd. Curls, naturally.
THE LOUD GIRL RIFTER — A little bell, for musical accompaniment.
ASSORTED PRIVATEERS — A parrot or four, they’re going to lose their licenses without.
ASSORTED TEVINTER SCOUNDRELS — A blood sacrifice or four, or at least to invite the rest of us to them. You know they must be keeping it a private affair, which is frankly unfair to the rest of us wishing mere observation.
THE QUNARI GIRL — Do they make blush in blue?
THE OTHER QUNARI GIRL — Or grey?
ALL THESE TERRIBLY SAD BLONDE GIRLS — Hair dye and a handkerchief. Chin up!
ALL THESE TERRIBLY TALL BLONDE ELVES — Hair dye and larger doorframes. Head down!
VARIOUS MAGES OF NOBLE BLOOD — A ring.
VARIOUS MAGES OF LESS THAN NOBLE BLOOD — A cat, or a hobby. Or another handkerchief.
THE ONE THAT SELLS THAT LOVELY SILK — A brief description of Kirkwall’s winter weather.
ALL THOSE YOUNG WOMEN THAT LOOK PRECISELY THE SAME BUT STYLE THEIR HAIR DIFFERENTLY — Numbered tunics.
THE INQUISITION TEMPLARS — Perfume. Perhaps floral? No, better to lean into the whole lightning stench.
IORVETH — A proper glass eye. One of those fancy ones, that’s coloured to look like a dragon’s, or some great cat’s. It's hilarious when they roll out of place.
PROJECT LEADERSHIP — A board to clip papers to. They make it look as though you’ve made any progress.
DIVISION LEADERSHIP — A slightly larger board. (More to hide.)
OUR GOOD BROTHERS OF THE CHANTRY — A show of proper brotherly affection; I believe it’s termed the “noogie”.
THE INQUISITION’S DWARVES — Stooping to their level.
THE DUKE D’COUCY — My introduction.

[ipseite]

Well, I must then introduce you to Vysvolod. He is an excessively charming gentleman beast.

you're forgiven

[indissection]

These are all marvellous ideas. I will make note of them all to pass around to those who sign up. If you have any names, anonymous friend, then please let me know.