crystal.

[hornswoggle]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: John Silver
RECIPIENT: Everyone.
NOTES: Nah.

I'm not unaware of all the more pressing issues our company is dealing with at the moment, however, I have received a lovely handwritten note from Lady Baruchia requesting our assistance with yet another matter.

It seems she hopes to feature a rift theme at her annual spring gathering next month, and hopes for some guidance. Consultation was specifically requested to avoid framing the theme in the wrong light. As we are ever in need of funds, I suppose this would be an opportunity for us to showcase one aspect of our hard work and take advantage of the attention being paid to the cause.

She also assured me that a few invitations will be sent along to us in gratitude for our advice, which seems to be an equally valuable opportunity to shore up some support among our neighbors in Hightown.

I don't suppose we have anyone among our number eager to weigh in on how best to construct an imitation rift in a garden setting?

Comments

[truthtied]

Ah... I don't claim to have any particular artistic talents, but would paper mache be an option?

[clawings]

Make 'em piñatas, that's my vote.

Y'all got piñatas?

[truthtied]

We have them in my world. It may not quite fit the tone the Lady is looking for, but...

[ She's not going to be the one to say the theme is tacky, but it is. ]

Rifts would be much more enjoyable if sweets fell out of them, rather than demons and people.

[clawings]

Think we can teach 'em to make 'em if they don't know how?

[ He sucks his teeth. It's the height of tacky; he kind of loves it. ]

I mean, the party is one thing, but we can at least do it in some kinda style.

[hornswoggle]

We have been contacted for the sole purpose of advising her how best to go about the theme. The tone of the gathering is surely flexible.

[altusimperius]

Layers of thin fabric suspended from a tree or trellis?

Perhaps even lit from within by a glyph.

[hornswoggle]

Is there a glyph that simply casts light and nothing else?

[altusimperius]

I'm not sure. ...probably.

But a Glyph of Defiance would give you that green glow and prevent anyone touching the installment, if you wanted to kill two birds with one stone.

You'll just need a mage versed in Creation magic to top it up once in a while.

[hornswoggle]

Well, I'll see about finding one.

It occurs to me a glyph might be less of a hazard than incorporating small flame, even in a lantern. Considering the addition of sticks and baubles to the affair.

[kantikoy]

Use flowers. Plants. Something living to encapsulate the variety of shades of green involved in a rift.

[hornswoggle]

A fair excuse for me to advise her a garden party would be better received than trying to make use of the interior of the manor. I've heard her taste in art is more questionable than her choice in themes.

[kantikoy]

Yes, let's not have the Riftwatch associated with whatever passes as questionable art, here in lovely Kirkwall. One imagines nudes or violent imagery and one doesn't really want to be informed in any particular direction if one is incorrect.

[hornswoggle]

I was going to agree, but now that I think of it, questionable art might be one of the more benign things we've been associated with.

[ weighs hands ]

But still, the garden is a more compelling proposition, bad art or no.

[bouchonne]

Tell me she's thinking about the colors. That bright, nasty green is going to be so hard to coordinate with.

[hornswoggle]

We're thinking of colors, to a point.

But it's my instinct that we might as well lean in to varying shades of green to dilute the effect. What else is there that would match it?

[bouchonne]

[ A noise of discontent. ]

I suppose that depends. Is our faux-rift going to be casting off light?

[hornswoggle]

[ tell him about it, byerly ]

Your assistant believes it's possible, but we'd have to enlist a few of our resident mages to see it done. I'd say glyphs might be a safer bet than even small flame.

[ungovernable]

Ambassador, I would not have guessed you were so concerned with coordination of shades.

[bouchonne]

Madame, at least twenty percent of my day on any given day is spent obsessing over precisely that. Color grips me.

[ungovernable]

Perhaps whatever the rift itself is made from, it could have green ribbons and they might take turns pulling it apart.

Though in which case, it might be beneficial to be something easy enough to put back together again.

[cozen]

You could make it take more time to pull apart but fill it with sweets so it's worth the trouble.

[ungovernable]

A famous idea. And with multiple ribbons, what an elegant showcase of pulling together.

( did she say that with a straight face? who can know. )

[hornswoggle]

I've a suspicion that anything that might fill the time will be appreciated. Sweets or no.

[toujoursdroit]

[It is truly a shame that an eye roll can be neither seen behind a mask nor heard over the sending crystal. The duke's voice in the background, however, while faint is bone dry:]

Must you encourage her?

[ungovernable]

Yes. And I need an escort.