crystal.

[rowancrowned]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Thranduil
RECIPIENT: Everyone! and then a smaller, private message.
WHAT: A quick review of the Inquisition's guidelines on prisoners.
WHEN: Week before the move to Ghislain.
WHERE: Gallows
NOTES: N/A

On the eve of our move to Orlais, I think it best to review a few things, namely what is to be done in war when your enemy offers a surrender.

[ good evening, inquisition. ]

As our enemy is somewhat lacking on the honor front, please consider first and foremost if the surrender is a trap and an attempt to distract you. Second, we cannot extract from them the traditional oath that they will cease fighting for Corypheus and earn parole, as was done during the War of the Lions, so any prisoner we take will be housed, fed, and clothed with the Inquisition's coin until the end of the war. There will be no ransom accepted from noble prisoners for this same reason.

Third, we cannot take as prisoner any darkspawn or visibly infected Red Templar forces. If a darkspawn offers a surrender, please see the first point. We also do not have the ability to cure or safely house anyone seriously infected with red lyrium without risking an outbreak.

[ he's pretty sure that's everything, so: ]

With these in mind, the acceptable prisoner is of rank, either on their own or in Corypheus' forces. Their absence will be noted, either by their kin, who will develop a different view of the war because of it, or by being useful for a prisoner exchange, should any of ours fail to come home.

I or the other division heads will be able to answer questions on this, but remember to never, ever risk yourself for the glory of a possible capture. We are not trophy hunting, we fight a war.

---

[ to just cosima, alexandra, and casimir, later in the evening: ]

If Casimir and I may borrow a moment of your time. I would like to know if there has ever been a case of those in your worlds increasing the mortality rate of a disease to prevent its further spread, and if so, how it went.

Comments

[hornswoggle]

I see these guidelines are going over well.

[rowancrowned]

I assume you are here to offer suggestions.

[ thranduil starting to understand why everyone ???s at rifters all the time. ]

[hornswoggle]

If I had any alternate suggestions, I'd give them.

[ but there's a shrewd benefit to taking prisoners. flipping over to private ]

Have so many of your number never engaged in open combat?

private forever

[rowancrowned]

In Thedas or ever? Far too many had never held a sword before tumbling through a Rift.

[hornswoggle]

I see.

[ sweet jesus ]

Well, this is one way to get them acclimated. I'd thought the Inquisition was a bit more...well-versed in battle, as a whole.

[rowancrowned]

Not all. But too many.

[ what's a jesus. ]

The Inquisition? Yes.

[hornswoggle]

I hope it's not in poor taste to ask, but what exactly are our chances in this scrap?

[rowancrowned]

That depends upon what you suppose the goal of this may be.

For example, if it is to bring to the attention of the laggards of Thedas how serious this fight truly is, a loss would serve us better than a win.

[hornswoggle]

That's impressively calculating.

[ though john doesn't necessarily disagree; if they can't win outright, anything that garners sympathy for them is for the best. ]

[rowancrowned]

Five hundred die here so that five thousand may live; is the bargain worth it? This is not the math any would relish doing, and yet it is done.

[ imagine shrugging shoulders. ]

I am not the one doing it. I follow. I sit in my office and work so that it might be weighted more heavily in our favor.

[hornswoggle]

I'm not objecting to it. On the contrary, I'm glad there's someone doing that kind of calculation.

[ even john has done it, and been struck by the enormity of considering lives that must be lost in the service of something larger. ]

But I didn't take you for someone to follow along easily.