001.

[propulsion]

FORM: Book
SENDER: Tony Stark
RECIPIENT: DL Staff All Riftwatch
NOTES: Set mid-Kingsway.

dear diary

it's me tony. day 2 of whatever this is. infection maintains. ("anchor"? fixed point. "shard"? piece of something.) probably missed my window for autoamputation. dang it.

angles:
- make believe equiv of imaging(?). how deep does infection run
- timelines of progression? relating proximity? further symptoms? need more data.
- output. find means of quantifying.
- interaction with rifts. absorption?
- applications?
- extraction?
- super cool sleep-glove that reduces harmful blue spectrum light. nts: patent that.
- potential variables in high 5ing with other "rifters".

first things first: do the readings. if only there was some way of connecting with the broader riftwatch community and inquiring about the groundwork already put down for anchor study maybe via some kind of a magical book. gosh the olden times are just the worst.

guess i'll have to do this the hard way.

Comments

[dissono]

PLEASE INFORM THE INFIRMARY & THE DIVISION HEADS IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO AMPUTATE IN ORDER TO PERFORM PROCEDURE SAFELY. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO RELINQUISH THE LIMB FOR STUDY PURPOSES I HAVE PAPERWORK AND WOULD PREFER YOU FILL IT OUT IN ADVANCE.

GERVAIS V.

after several uncertain minutes;

[propulsion]

sure. trans-radial please i would like the option of like a sword arm if at all possible.
you get a lot of takers by the way?

[dissono]

AS OF THIS WRITING NO.

( but in the maker's absence, man must help himself. )

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE RIFTWATCH'S ONLY AMPUTEE WAS LIKE THAT WHEN WE FOUND HER.

( officer. )

[propulsion]

noted.
sword arm y/n

[dissono]

HOW MUCH BEARING WOULD YOU SAY THE Y OR THE N WILL HAVE ON YOUR DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO AMPUTATE?

( out of interest. )

[propulsion]

N = hard pass
Y = big maybe

[dissono]

REGRETTABLY, THE SPECIALIST NATURE OF THE REQUEST WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE MORE COSTLY THAN COULD REASONABLY BE BUDGETED FOR IN THE ABSENCE OF PERSONAL FUNDS. I BELIEVE A DWARVEN CRAFTSMAN MIGHT CONSIDER THE PROJECT, IN THE EVENT PERSONAL FUNDS WERE NOT ABSENT.

I HAVE A FORM IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GRANT PERMISSION FOR THE LIMB TO BE STUDIED IF IT WERE TO BE ACCIDENTALLY REMOVED.

[propulsion]

all out of both funds and dwarves
hey while i got you in my dms i take it the lack of volunteers isn't just because you're cheap wrt dope sword arms?

[dissono]

( the slight delay is gervais—not stymied by the slang, which is contextually clear enough, but briefly fascinated by it. )

IT IS MY EXPERIENCE THAT ON THE WHOLE MOST INDIVIDUALS PREFER THEIR LIMBS ATTACHED WHILE ATTACHED IS AN OPTION.

[propulsion]

now you look like my book doing a human impression. i wasn't going to say so before it seemed rude.
here is the question do people not surgically remove their weird magic hands bc it doesn't work or bc it is unproven?

[dissono]

TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT HAS NOT BEEN PURPOSEFULLY TRIED, AND IF IT HAS INCIDENTALLY OCCURRED ON ANY RIFTERS NO LONGER PRESENT THERE ARE NO RECORDS OF SUBSEQUENT STUDY. LIKELY IT HAS NOT; EITHER WAY IT IS UNPROVEN.

THUS MY INTEREST.

THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY INFLUENCE THE DECISION, BAR LACK OF EVIDENCE AND GENERAL UNWILLINGNESS TO REMOVE A LIMB, BUT FOR MOST THOSE APPEAR SUFFICIENT. WE ARE AWARE THAT THE ANCHOR-SHARDS SPREAD SLOWLY BUT THAT THEY DO SPREAD; THAT THEY CAN ULTIMATELY CONSUME THE BEARER. IT WOULD NOT BE UNWISE TO CONSIDER THAT IN THE EVENT THAT A HAND WERE REMOVED, IF THE ANCHOR-SHARD WAS NOT EFFECTIVELY REMOVED WITH IT, IT MAY THEN PROGRESS FURTHER FASTER.

( upon consideration, )

A MATTER I WOULD RAISE BEFORE AMPUTATION AND NOT AFTER.

[propulsion]

says you. bet if my Y was a hell yes you would have got me a sword arm.

[dissono]

IF THE SWORD ARM WERE IN FRONT OF YOU IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE COMPELLING THAN THE MORE AMORPHOUS PROSPECT OF UNTESTED RISK.

( por que no los dos )

[propulsion]

listen untested risk is my middle name i just need/want something cool to show for it.
you study anchorshards?

[dissono]

I AM A RESEARCHER AND A HEALER; I STUDY THE BODIES THEY ARE ATTACHED TO AND THEIR IMPACT ON THEM.

[propulsion]

outstanding.
1. got any research papers/notes/whatever i can peruse?
2. are they all in capital letters?

[dissono]

YES.

I FIND MY WRITING MORE EFFICIENT THIS WAY.

[propulsion]

efficiency's a word for this mode sure. i haven't had a hand cramp like this since the last time i took a shower.

[dissono]

( now, showers aren't really a thing in thedas, but: )

THE BATHS ARE COMMUNAL.

( he's pretty sure he still knows what tony's getting at. )

[propulsion]

tempting but no thank you. how about instead we meet at your office/lab/whatever or just send a courier.

[dissono]

IF YOU ARE SO AVERSE TO GETTING BETTER ACQUAINTED,

( which definitely is not what he was proposing, anthony untested risk stark, )

I HAVE SPACE IN THE RESEARCH LABORATORIES. IN THE EVENT THAT YOU TAKE IT UPON YOURSELF TO AMPUTATE YOUR ARM, I AM AVAILABLE TO THE INFIRMARY WHEN MY EMERGENCY SURGERY EXPERTISE IS REQUIRED.

[propulsion]

[ :)? ]

thanks gervais v
if that is your real name.

[dissono]

ENCHANTER GERVAIS VAUQUELIN, DOG-WALKER. "THE GINGER" TO ONE DWARF, NUMEROUS NUGS AND A GOOSE.

again, a minute longer than it takes to write the below;

[propulsion]

jeeves it is

[dissono]

BE ALSO AWARE THAT RIFTERS ARE NOT THE ONLY SHARD-BEARERS; NATIVE ACQUISITION IS RARER, BUT PRESENT. THE ONLY RECORDED DEATH DIRECTLY CAUSED BY AN ANCHOR-SHARD WAS A DALISH ELF WITH THE MISFORTUNE TO HAVE BEEN STRUCK NOT IN A LIMB BUT HER TORSO.

JEEVES.