crystal;

[satinet]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Cassius Black
RECIPIENT: All y'all
NOTES: a simple administrative question don't worry about it

Fair weather, my varied comrades in arms. Senior Enchanter Cassius Black at your service.

Given the recent publication of the—let's call it the Rifter manifest, shall we? I wonder whether we ought to consider undertaking a similar effort with respect to the rest of our company. While I've no doubt our personnel records are the very definition of accuracy, should we not also consider a shorthand list of, say, all our bowmen or which schools of magic are practiced in highest proportion?

Comments

[illithidnapped]

While we’re at it, why not catalog everything? Hair color, favorite foods, frequency of all bathroom breaks while on a mission. Highest to lowest.

And then, for fun, we can just throw it all out into the wind. See what the Venatori make of our grand attempts at an exquisite autobiography.

[satinet]

I might recommend omitting that last step. Although I will say that I see little harm in sharing a few specifically charming tidbits of our company with the public. Surely we could, generally speaking, do with improving our reputation.

[illithidnapped]

Darling, I was teasing. Honestly if it were up to me, I wouldn't share anything with anyone, least of all for the sake of making lists— but I imagine that's not how the rest of Riftwatch feels, considering the state of things.

But on that note, let's say you have all that beautiful data already well in hand. Bowmen, magic, so on and so forth. What on earth would you opt to use it for?

[satinet]

I can only assume there are strategic questions which might benefit from its existence.

[exequy]

Primal, spirit, creation, entropy.

[ He's guesstimating. But with confidence! Unearned, unwarranted confidence! ]

Done.

[satinet]

[Yes, yes. One gold star sticker for Kostos Averesch.]

Now we need only do a headcount of where everyone falls within those and then we might be getting somewhere.

[exequy]

[ He would say why like a grouchy toddler, except Cassius has already explained why elsewhere, and he isn't quite that bad.

But he does make a grumbly irritated noise in lieu of anything useful. ]

[bouchonne]

Thank you.

[ Huffily: ]

I'm damned tired of all these Rifters getting all the attention.

[satinet]

To be fair, they are something of a defining feature of our organization.

But obviously in a general sense, I'm in full agreement. If we're already keeping one set of sensitive records, what harm is there in keeping a few others?

[bouchonne]

[ With exaggerated poutiness: ] The rest of us are just as good-looking.

[broodypants]

That is an awful idea. As was the first list.

[Which is news to him, tbh.]

[satinet]

Oh? How so?

[Thrill him.]

[broodypants]

A list of combatants and how they are to be recognized and tracked down. If Kirkwall is besieged, we would not be able to counter. And if not, we've just made Corypheus' spies' jobs much easier.

[luaithre]

Why?

[satinet]

I believe an orderly house does usually benefit from the occasional inventory.

[luaithre]

Do they not keep you busy enough, in Diplomacy.

[fairforce]

There is a sense to the suggestion. An army has a strict idea of its parts. How else can strategy be considered?

[satinet]

Ah, the wise Lady Seeker.

[fairforce]

Very flattering. But I'm afraid it's really is just common sense, Senior Enchanter.

[bouchonne]

Lady Seeker, don't point out the benefits of basic organization. People want to be disgruntled. You might disrupt them.

[fairforce]

I think there is plenty to feel disgruntled about. This should hardly be a spot on the armor by comparison to those blots.

[ipseite]

I think it unlikely that strategic decisions are presently being made by anyone unable to put their hands upon such information.

[satinet]

At present, surely. But who's to say when the circumstances of our leadership might suddenly change? We are at war, madame. At and least one of our Division Heads, perfectly competent as he may be, is unfortunately prone to making a sudden disappearance.

[No offense, Tony.]

Not Here

[notathreat]

(Ellie will remember that.)

[satinet]

[That he's a champion for Rifter equity, right?

Right???]