Mercy for the Elves: An Unassuming Series of Announcements

[arlathvhen]

FORM: Message on the bulletin board
SENDER: Beleth Ashara
RECIPIENT: Everyone in Skyhold
WHAT: Beleth is looking for help for two different jobs that are not only completely legal but in no way of dubious nature.
WHEN: Just after her return from Morrigan's eluvian plot.
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: This is a network post related to Beleth's player plot, but this isn't mandatory for those who are participating, and it's open to people beyond those participating. This is also not the plot proper, just setting up for it. There will be a section for action instead of notes.

[ Two notices are tacked to the bulletin board, one next to the other, in the same handwriting. ]

First Notice:


Attn: Dalish of Skyhold

I have been in contact with a Dalish clan in the Ylenn Basin, about the acquisition of resources for their clan.
Due to recent events and the inherent limit of written communication it has become necessary to go to the clan directly to
speak to their Keeper about the acquisition of these resources. As the road is quite dangerous these days, and as I know many
of us are missing our clans, I thought that it would be a good idea for several of us to go together and visit the clan in person.
If you would like to go with me, just let me know. I'll be in the barn in the evenings.

-Beleth of Clan Ashara
Praise be to the Creators

Second Notice:


Services Requested for Aid in Transportation

I have acquired valuable resources that I will be planning on transporting to a Dalish clan in the Ylenn Basin once I have
managed to work out a few minor issues. Once these are dealt with, I will still require aid in safely transporting these resources to
their intended location with minimal hassle. As such, I am requesting people who are skilled in combat against bandits, as well as
those generally skilled in moving cargo.

Please note that these resources will be accrued in Val Royeux, and then transported to the Ylenn Basin. I have heard less
than complimentary tales about the guards of Val Royeux, and their treatment of elves, and the Dalish in particular. As such, I would
generally prefer that those aiding me are not elvish in appearance, to try to avoid any more undue hassle than utterly necessary.

Additionally, please note that these resources, my acquisition of them, and the transportation thereof have not involved any resources from
the Inquisition, does not involve any missions regarding the Inquisition, and if you choose to participate, will not reflect on your job within the
Inquisition. You will, regardless, be compensated for your aid.

If you are interested, please come speak to me for further details. I will be in the barn in the evenings.

-Scout Beleth Ashara

Comments

[arlathvhen]

[ There's definite, very suspicious hesitation at Hermione's question. She glances away, mouth twitching. She's been trying to keep from saying too much until she's sure of what team she's going to gather. The last thing she needs is for this entire plan to fail before it even gets started because someone went to tattle to Leliana. But--Well. She had a right to know. ]

...City elves are technically allowed to leave the city. They can quit their jobs and wander off to do whatever they want. There are no laws against it. However--well.

[ She finally turns to look at Hermione, fingers tapping on her papers. ]

Nobles generally don't like the idea of the help taking off to go join the elf barbarians in the wild. And what nobles don't like has a bad habit of trumbing what is and isn't actually illegal. The job I want help with is simply ensuring that no one attempts to stop the elves from doing what is well within their right to do.

That is the reason for keeping it all hush hush. I don't want people fussing over how popular such a task will be.

[bookish_lioness]

[She immediately perks up when she hears it has to do with elves, and the moment Beleth's proposal becomes clear, Hermione stares at her with slightly widened eyes. Even the free(ish) elves aren't free. It makes her think of Dobby, and what his life would have been like if Harry had been the sort to hold the granting of his freedom over his head.

... it probably wouldn't have ended much differently, honestly. But at least, with the way things had played out, Dobby's choices had been entirely his own. It's a cold sort of comfort, and she can't necessarily guarantee the safety of any of these city elves, but....]

I'm more than happy to help them. [The answer is immediate, and said with a stern nod of her head.] I owe my life to an elf from back home, and he'd valued the few years of freedom he'd been granted before giving up his life for me and my friends. I'd be remiss if I didn't agree to help other elves gain their freedom, even if the rules are a bit different here.

[arlathvhen]

You must have been a good friend, for someone to be willing to die for you.

[ She says it with total seriousness, nodding. It's approval points for Hermione, that an elf would consider her worth dying for. Surely you can't be a total asshole to elves and have them willing to make that sacrifice. And as important, she seemed to value that sacrifice. Beleth turns to her papers and shuffles a few of them around, turning back to Hermione. ]

I'm glad, then. Not everyone really...understands. Do you have a lot of experience in transporting, or fighting...? And what would you usually charge?

If you don't have a lot of experience, that's fine. [ Because she was awfully young. ] I don't expect a lot of trouble, I just want to make sure. I'll be damned if I promise to help these people and then get them all killed because a few bandits saw us as an easy opportunity.

[bookish_lioness]

... I'm friends with a very good person. You'd be surprised how many people would have been willing to die for him. [Herself included, really.] I was just the worst off of us that night, so I would have certainly died if not for him.

[She needs a moment to pointedly not think about that night beyond the broadest description of it, and once she can effectively swallow back the pain, she's able to talk business easily enough again.]

I can do magic, but I'm afraid I've been having a little more difficulty with it here than I do at home. I'm learning to work around it, though, and I can certainly still cast basic spells, like Shield Charms and Blasting Curses and the like. A major war had just ended a few months ago back home, and my two friends and I had been in hiding for most of a year, stealthily destroying magical artifacts to weaken our enemy. I'd like to think that means I've grown to become fairly adaptable... and that bandits wouldn't be a particularly large hurdle.