private to pirates.

[exequy]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Colin, Kostos, Myr
RECIPIENT: Pirates
WHAT: Business deals
WHEN: Nowish
NOTES: It doesn't actually make sense for this conversation to happen via crystal instead of in a back room somewhere but for ease of threadjacky conversation we're ignoring that! People are elsewhere and can't talk in person, for some reason. Also if you want your character to be involved in this conversation and think that they would/should/could have been invited to it, we can almost certainly add you in! Just ask someone first.

Serahs-- If you’re hearing this it’s because we--myself, Colin, and Kostos--spoke to you previously about a proposition we’d like to make you, on behalf of the south’s mages. You may be aware that the Inquisition agreed to return any property recovered from the Circles directly to us when the war’s over.

[A brief pause.] We’d like to see it remains in our possession--or at least out of anyone else’s hands. [The Chantry’s. Say the Chantry’s, Myr.

...nah.]

[Colin’s voice lightly mutters,] So we’re...asking.

We need a place to put it and a way to move it there, [ Kostos cuts in, ] and we need to know what the cost would be. Some of it could be dangerous, if the people handling it are stupid, but the majority would be books. Some art. Money. If we're all executed, you can keep it.

Comments

[exequy]

Like?

[ebeje]

We've an island overrun by Venatori mages, and few among our number with the gift.

private.

[hornswoggle]

Now there's a bold proposition.

[ :grimace: ]

private ∞

[ebeje]

[ Innocent, ] You don't think them useful?

[hornswoggle]

[ hmm ]

I think we're going to need to make sure we have leverage, regardless of how sincere their agreement is now. There's nothing to keep them from changing their minds.

[ aka we're gonna hide their shit. ]

[ebeje]

And nothing to keep us from changing ours, no?

[ of course we're gonna hide their shit. ]

[hornswoggle]

No, there won't be.

[ which john quite likes, obvs. having the upper hand is Good. ]

I suppose the only real question is how capable they are and whether or not they can deliver us enough willing mages to be of use. They'll have to do some convincing if they only expected to pay us in gold.

[ebeje]

You cannot pay even an honest man in gold to move gold.

[ max has possibly never met an honest man. ]

Not without loyalty or fear between you, and they've neither over us. Make them see that, and perhaps we've a chance.

[hornswoggle]

Whatever this haul entails, it has to be worth something to them to entrust to us.

[ what's in those books, fam ]

Regardless, we can certainly make a point to remind them of that. But for some insurance, I'd propose giving them whatever location is most convenient, and then letting my men take it to a safe place.

[ebeje]

Efficient. Even if someday they charter a ship to check, it's not as if they've many avenues of recourse.

[ apart from, u kno, horrible magic murder ]

So long as half of it doesn't go to the Rivani, in any case. [ js. ] What do you know of him?

[hornswoggle]

Not a great deal. We'll have to come to some sort of accord with him. The good of Nascere likely won't move him.

[ sIGHS ]

He might require some gold.

[ebeje]

[ U g h. ]

It may behoove us to make a friend. Perhaps there is something else we might offer him.

[ Or hold over him, w/e. ]

[hornswoggle]

Perhaps.

[ everyone has a price, etc. ]

That's of somewhat more immediate concern than assembling these mages.

[ebeje]

Shall I test the waters?

[ #teamwork ]

[hornswoggle]

Yes.

[ worst comes to worst, they know a little bit more about this man. ]

I'll speak with him as well.

[ but first: flint. ]

[faithlikeaseed]

How many mages would you require against this infestation, serah?

[ebeje]

How many is the safety of your books worth to you?

[ That many. ]

[exequy]

Many of us would assist out of principle.

[ That's now how you bargain dude. ]

But Tevinter mages are better trained than us. To minimize losses we would need to outnumber them significantly.

[ebeje]

[ thanks for making this easy tho ❤ ]

If the Inquisition draws enough of their attention, they may thin their numbers on the island. Nascere can hardly be their highest priority. It may be a matter of timing.

[exequy]

You want this done before Corypheus has been driven back.

[ Just to confirm. ]

Where is this island, exactly?

[ebeje]

I leave strategy to Captain Flint, but— there is much to be gained sooner, yes.

Nascere is due north of Minrathous, beyond where the High Reaches meet the sea.

[exequy]

Mmm.

[ Driving them out is one thing. Keeping them out, when the location is buried firmly in enemy territory, is another. But whether the island is held or not isn't actually any of his business, so—

Captain Flint. Sure. ]

[faithlikeaseed]

If the Inquisition is planning anything to draw that much of their attention, we'd be sorely missed from that front, [but that's not a no, precisely.]