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

[fairforce]

Don't worry. I like my feet. I plan on keeping them. I do have plans for dinner, but I'll walk very carefully to get there.

[okayimin]

See that you do.

Now, what's this about you posting here permanently? I haven't worked much with Seekers, but I assumed they mostly moved on after investigations wrapped.

[fairforce]

Usually, yes. My work has been a little different, primarily in the training of other Seekers. I'm useful in that regard. Riftwatch doesn't need new Seekers, but it does, I think, need help.

[okayimin]

[ A small huff. ]

Can't argue that. And I don't know if you brought these new templars with you, but since you're all here together, reckon you can help make sure there's not trouble between them and our mages.

[fairforce]

If they're here, they're your templars now, too.

[okayimin]

They are. And since you're here, you're our Seeker, which is why I'm asking.

[fairforce]

Of course. And I'll do whatever I can to keep the peace. I only mean that the division can't help.

[okayimin]

That's so, but it'd be foolish to pretend it won't happen. We've got a few Templars already who get along about as well as one can hope. I'd prefer it to stay that way.

[fairforce]

So would I. I hope everyone can see--or come to see--that would be better for everyone that it does. The last thing Riftwatch needs is instability from within.

If I can do anything to help you, Sister, I hope you will let me know. I'm not much use as a healer, but I excel at carrying heavy things, moving pews and benches, washing up... And beating up malefactors, of course.

[okayimin]

If you're eager to help, one of the Wardens has promised to see if she can get me a few deepstalker corpses. The good fat ones are a bit too heavy for me to carry on my own and they tend to make the ferry man nervous if I leave 'em down near the docks.

[fairforce]

I can't imagine why. Surely he's used to strange imports by now?

I'll gladly carry them for you. And help the Warden, if she thinks she needs it, though I imagine she's far more accustomed to deepstalkers than I am.

[okayimin]

[ In the tones of one who has suffered much: ]

I suppose it's a surfacer thing. He wouldn't take my nugcap garden across at all, said it smelled too much. It's a nug head stuffed with compost, of course it smells! How else do you grow clean nugcap without the blasted nug head, I ask you.

[fairforce]

[um]

Maybe the nug head could come in separately, and the compost... added later?

[okayimin]

No, I've tried that. Especially once I got to the surface and didn't have any way of getting a proper roads nug, the growths either died off or came out spindly and odd colored.

Reckon it's something in the surface nug's diet or sun exposure in the process. It really does work best with a fresh head and ripe compost.

[fairforce]

Of course you've tried that.

[She doesn't annoyed or exasperated. Really, the comment is mostly to herself. Why wouldn't the Sister have explored all workarounds on her own?]

Maybe something to better contain it, then? A barrel, but sounder--maybe with dirt? You'd run the risk of looking like a smuggler, but maybe you could get away with it.

[okayimin]

There's an idea...

[ She makes a humming noise. ]

One of the leech jugs should work. Reckon I have a spare after the winter culling. And we got a few spare cells down in the dungeon.

[fairforce]

And people aren't likely to want to look in a leech jug. It would be a very good disguise.

[okayimin]

That just leaves finding a place to keep it, seeing as I can't leave it in the jar. Healthy stone is best, of course, but I'll just have to find something else to make do.

[fairforce]

'Healthy stone'?

[okayimin]

[ Surfacers. ]

Stone that hasn't taken in too much of the Taint.

[fairforce]

Ah. Right.

Well, perhaps there's a good clean quarry somewhere nearby that we could source from...? [How do stone work.]

[okayimin]

Absolutely not. Kirkwall stone is about as clean as a shit pile and there's a few other things to consider besides. Mineral deposits for one thing and whether or not there's a nearby lyrium vein which might affect the growths. And nugs, of course. Living ones, that is. Their scat can be good compost, but you really want to know what the nugs' been getting into if you're gonna use it on food stuffs. It's about the only time a kept nug is better than a roads nug.

[ This is an extensive lecture she clearly has strong opinions on. ]

[fairforce]

Right. I-- see.

[Luckily Tiffany is used to lectures. They're just not usually about stone.]

The only choice is to import it, I suppose.