01. || crystal

[fairforce]

FORM: sending crystal
SENDER: Theophania Hart
RECIPIENT: Riftwach
NOTES: nah

Hello, Riftwatch. I can't tell from observation if it's the custom to give an introduction--I think it's not--but I prefer this to waiting to catching everyone one-by-one in the hallway or training yard. I'm Lady Seeker Theophania Hart. [Well.] Tiffany. I do the title first so there's no surprise later.

I'm among the newest of your company, permanently, but here to investigate the recent abomination. I'll be requesting records and following up on the leads that I have throughout the course of my work, but if anyone has anything additional that should be said, please, let me know.

For the record, I'm finding the Gallows to be surprisingly comfortable, but maybe that's because I've been on the road for what feels like an actual Age, and the weather is terrible, and I'm suffering what I believe to be a mild case of trench foot. Given the time you've all been having, I'll stop my complaining there.

I suppose that's it, unless anyone has any advice to offer to a new recruit. And you can skip any hazing, I'm much too old for it.

Comments

[venenifer]

[The barest chuckle.]

Let me know when that happens.

[fairforce]

By dinner tonight, Brother. I'll find you then.

action

[venenifer]

[Time passes, dinner rolls around. Gideon is seated by himself, with a few scrolls that he keeps painstakingly separate from his food bowl, reading over them silently as he chews.]

[fairforce]

[Tiffany approaches and sets down her bowl on the other side of the table. She smiles, as she pulls out the bench.]

Hello again. How's the food?

[venenifer]

Middling.

[He gestures to the empty seat in front of him with all the airs of a fancy waiter, but none of the subservience.]

Settling in?

[fairforce]

[She gives a little sigh as she sits down.]

The thing I keep coming back to is how nice it is to have hot water again. You can boil it on the road, but it's never properly hot. It's a highly underrated minor luxury. Other than that, I'd say everyone has been reasonably kind so far.

[venenifer]

Well. It's no mountain hot spring.

[But perhaps he's just being curmudgeonly-- the baths in the Gallows are a technological marvel, and even Gideon has to admit it.
Just, maybe not happily.]

You mentioned an abomination being the reason your duties brought you here, [he muses, a spoonful of stew hovering between the bowl and his mouth.]

I'm as new to this place as you are, and I don't recall hearing about one. What happened?

[fairforce]

Yes.

[Tiffany picks up the hunk of bread that was given to her and pushes it into the stew, using it to stir the bowl of stew in front of her. This buys her an extra moment to find her words, order her thoughts.]

I don't have all of the story just yet. Mostly what I have are pieces, and rumors. There was a man--a mage--who came to the Gallows. He was connected to Riftwatch in some way. And then there was an incident, and he let go. Riftwatch agents killed him before he could kill anyone.

[She pushes at the stew with the bread. She still hasn't taken a bite yet.]

The Gallows have seen a lot of horrors.

[venenifer]

Mm.

[He chews on the spoonful, looking down at the table as he listens to Tiffany's account.]

So it would seem.

[A thoughtful pause.]

Do we know his name? His former role in the organization? There must be records.

[fairforce]

He was called Felix. I've only just made contact with Riftwatch's scoutmaster, to review what records she has. I'll ask for any other relevant records then. And there will be others here, who knew him--or at least knew of him--depending on his connection with the organization.

[Remembering she's here to eat, Tiffany dredges up a scoop of stew on the bread and takes a bite.]

[venenifer]

I admit I would be interested to learn what could drive a person to such a thing.

[He stirs some of the dregs around his bowl, amassing them to scoop them up.]

Not that it's any of my business, really. But should you need another set of eyes on any research, I'm a fast reader.

[fairforce]

[Hm, she thinks, though she betrays nothing. She gives her stew another scoop with her bread, takes a second bite.]

That offer might be more generous than you know. In my experience with reading the reports written by others, the quality is somewhat all over the map. It makes for a difficult experience.

I imagine you'll be kept quite busy with your work as a healer.

[venenifer]

[He chuckles drily.]

I'm no mage, most of my work involves overseeing convalescence. I read in my downtime anyway.

[Smirk,]

And as for the quality, maybe you'll just owe me a favor later.

[fairforce]

Oh, you won't trick me. I've already half-promised to carry nug skulls full of compost for your fellow healer, the Sister. I know the sort of favors you could ask.

[Not that she sounds annoyed about it at all. When you volunteer to do the hard work, you can't be sorry when someone actually gives you hard work.]

[venenifer]

[Of course.]

The Sister got to you that quickly, did she.

[He might be amused? It's hard to tell.]

[fairforce]

[Tiffany is at least amused. Her bread is half-gone, and her stew has finally cooled. She picks up her spoon.]

Mm, yes. She seems very forceful. But I like that as a trait, and I think anyone in her position has likely needed to embrace it as a virtue besides.

I'm always happy to help with running errands, if I can spare the time. No favors necessary in return.

[venenifer]

Mm.

[The jury's out on this one.]

I may take you up on that.

[fairforce]

I hope you do. I can't stand being idle, I get too restless.

[She scrapes up another bite of stew.]

I don't think I asked you how you came to join up with Riftwatch.

[venenifer]

You didn't.

[He smiles faintly, though it doesn't entirely reach his eyes.]

I was told they were lacking a real Chantry presence. Between misinformation and nothing at all, I felt it my duty to intervene.

[fairforce]

[She gives him a smile back.]

I think that's a noble intention. Of course I understand that there are many reasons why people feel unable to put trust in the Chantry. But there are many reasons counter to that, too--and people aren't told of them.

Have you had time to visit the Gallows' chapel? I wonder at the state of it. I'm sure the Sister has cared for it, since she has been here.

churple.

[venenifer]

I have. It is humble, and could use some updates, but serves its purpose.

My greater concern is the lack of faces I've seen within it.

[fairforce]

[She's quiet a moment, thinking of that.]

I think people need to come to know Andraste anew. And the Maker, too. I've always found comfort in the Chantry, but I understand how its teachings have been poisoned for people.

[venenifer]

I'm curious as to your perspective on it.

The poisoning.

[fairforce]

To say 'it's complicated' would certainly be putting it lightly.

[She stirs at her stew again, swirling the contents.]

And easier to discuss over a proper drink, but-- oh, I suppose I would say that I can understand why people have been so discouraged from following Andraste and the Maker's teachings. There has been so much pain, so much hatred--so much done in the name of Andraste.

[venenifer]

That is true.

[The movement of her stirring catches Gideon's eye and he gazes down at it, thinking.]

Sister Sara has asked me to look into the Chantry presence on mainland Kirkwall, as well. You're welcome to accompany me.