crystal.

[justashotaway]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Laura Kint
RECIPIENT: All y'all
NOTES: Laura's here to deliver news on Tantervale and Starkhaven.

[ A familiar voice, flat and faintly Nevarran: ]

Why do nobles care about funerals?

Comments

[acreage]

They're public events, [ he suggests, ] which means opportunities to control what story gets told and who benefits from it.

[ is he thinking about, say, why avasarala might care about a funeral? a bit, yeah. ]

[justashotaway]

It's a funeral. The purpose is not to benefit.

[acreage]

That depends. For people involved in power games, [ nobility, politicians ] it can be a good opportunity to remind people how powerful or important you are, or justify actions against your enemies.

[bouchonne]

Quite a question from a Nevarran.

[justashotaway]

Nevarrans care about bodies. That is different.

[bouchonne]

I shouldn't possibly think to correct you, but my impression was that Nevarrans cared about death.

[tender]

Doesn't everyone care about funerals?

[justashotaway]

Would you be upset if someone else had a funeral when you had a funeral?

[tender]

For the same person? Or for a different person?

[revise]

Who's dead?

[justashotaway]

Someone from Starkhaven and someone from Tantervale. They drowned in mud.

[murderbaby]

Because death is a subject of fascination for those who would have themselves cast in immortal's raiment.

What brought this on?

[justashotaway]

Starkhaven and Tantervale are having funerals.

[inkindled]

'Cause when a noble dies, other nobles get to divvy up their land and gold and things. But they can't gloat about it, 'cause it looks bad, right? So they've got to pretend that they're in mourning.

[justashotaway]

If they did not pretend, it would go faster.

Did you ever see the Tantervale lords?

[kantikoy]

Power, I think.

[justashotaway]

Funerals should not be about power.

[pittance]

[ someone else has ferreted out the important bits. and he's curious: ]

You ever been to a funeral?

[justashotaway]

No. [ After a slightly too-long pause: ] Have you?

[elegiaque]

If you get to watch them burned, you can be sure the cunt is dead.

[justashotaway]

I see.

[ Without a hint of irony. ]

If that is the concern, choosing between funerals would be difficult.

[fripon]

Why would nobles not care about funerals?

[justashotaway]

Everyone dies.

[hornswoggle]

Do nobles care about funerals, or just the opportunity to engage in spectacle?

[justashotaway]

I am unsure.