CRYSTAL | MISS ME, DARLINGS?

[illithidnapped]

FORM: sending crystals, during the truth event, you know what to do
SENDER: your favorite rogue, Astarion xoxo
RECIPIENT: as always, everyone
NOTES: if you drank Truth Soup, cough up your feelings; if you didn't drink the soup, make it worse for everyone, I dare you

[Someone's bored tonight. And it's been over a year since the last time he felt restlessness stirring him into needling action— particularly when he's noticed a couple of blurted-out confessions running high and harsh in the air. He could sleuth around. Sniff about for any signs of volatile tampering (or ask if this is just the next phase of whatever sleepless affliction's still nipping at everyone's collective heels)....

But this is so much more fun.

Anyway— ahem, and all that:]

Name one thing you like about someone else in Riftwatch. Anything. Anything at all.

Bonus points if you feel like getting weird with it.

[And don't think he's generous enough to actually start this game himself: that, you're all going to have to do on your own.

Or maybe just ask nicely.]

Comments

[bouchonne]

[ heart eyes at bastien

To Ellie - ]

Of course. Sappiness in combination with extraordinary good looks is always charming.

[bouchonne]

Dear Provost, the logic of a good person saying I'm not a good person does not entirely hold up.

[propulsion]

Sure it does. Never trust a person who thinks they're all good. Chances are they don't see what they're doing bad.

[bouchonne]

Agree. But the converse is not necessarily true. A bastard can be self-aware and still a bastard.

[propulsion]

Uh huh. Case in point.

But that's not why I think Gwenaëlle has a heart.

1/2

[illithidnapped]

[The world's most silent intake of wicked breath goes here.]













[Just a little more air, and:]

Name one—

2/2

[illithidnapped]

[Wait.]

Wounds? What wounds?

....how bad was it, exactly?

[illithidnapped]

Delicate reminder: you said it first, not me.

[It's a very chipper tone. He's having fun!!]

I was just asking for clarification, that's—

[....Oh, he can't say that's all, because it's not true. Oh well, first part still applies.] Mm.

[illithidnapped]

[Hm.]

Score one for Bastien.

[Don't mind Astarion, he's just keeping tally over here.]

Did you two even know each other ten years ago?

[illithidnapped]

....rrriight.

[That sort of drawn-out tone that implies I-don't-see-it-but-I'm-not-going-to-verbalize-it? He's using that one. Tepidly, of course.]

Anyone else stand out?

Anyone at all?

[illithidnapped]

Oh yes, just sprouting with— [Come on, Astarion. Lie. Lie. You love lying, it's your favorite sport. It keeps you warm at night when wolf fur and restlessly shifting elf-parts fail. It's as much a part of you as your fangs. Your ears. Your— ]

....no, it doesn't put me at ease to hear.

[Well, he did try.]

Especially not when you're adding on things like how I don't know what to do with my claws retracted— which I very much don't, obviously.

Besides, being capable of something like that isn't a positive trait, you know.

[bouchonne]

[ tony which one of them are you talking about with that "case in point" ]

The matter under question certainly is not whether or not she does. She clearly does. It's simply the fundamental proposition that's flawed.

[bouchonne]

Yes.

[ This isn't much of a secret; he tells it easily. ]

When I was a callow youth, running around Val Royeaux with my head up my arse, and he was a handsome studly worldly fellow nearly a full year older than me.

[propulsion]

[ :) ]

So what, you're gonna lowball me in the kumbaya compliment circle and then undermine my thing? Gimme a break.

[illithidnapped]

Et tu, Ellie?

[Astarion canonically references Shakespeare and OnlyFans; I'm allowed to make any pop culture references I want.]

[bouchonne]

The - what now?

[ what the fuck is a kumbaya ]

[illithidnapped]

You're giving the average Thedosian far, far too much credit.

[Hey, Astarion, wouldn't that phrasing technically make Mobius above-average by your own admission....?]

Also: don't. Don't say it out loud. That's what silent parts are for— to not at all be used.

[propulsion]

I didn't invent pizza, you dick.

[illithidnapped]

[Clever girl.]

....in general? Or as per the rules of our game.

[Very important distinction (especially if he can't lie— which, again: definitely can't).]

[bouchonne]

Oh. Ah.

[ Yes. All right. Byerly clears his throat and thinks I hate this and then, because of truth soup, says: ]

I hate this.

[ Fuck. ]

You all think I'm an idiot.

[ Maker damn it - ]

I - You might well be the cleverest man I've ever met. But I don't know for sure, because your work is - utterly incomprehensible to me. Not because it's poorly articulated, but because I can't understand it. And I'm very embarrassed by it.

[favoriteanalyst]

I don't think you give them enough. Or maybe I'm just special.

[...No. That--he hates the way that sounds. An echo of what those accusing voices in the Crossroads was saying.]

Don't be upset this little game backfired on you. I thought you liked compliments.

1/??

[illithidnapped]

Obviously.

[With all the figuratively-purring satisfaction of someone nonchalantly checking their own nails.

Or— claws, as it were.]

I'm simply skimming for valuable little tidbits of information. Passive responses that might give me a general feel for how she feels about the rest of Riftwatch at large.

From there, I pluck up the most interesting pieces, and use them like gloriously knifing pressure points, until something far more fascinating comes popping out under innocuously applied tension.

2/??

[illithidnapped]

[ —ah.]

Strewth.

3/3

[illithidnapped]

Do me a favor: pretend you didn't hear that.

[propulsion]

Well jeez, Rutyer, don't be. I'm a genius engineer from a world that's several hundred years more technologically advanced than this one. The number of people who don't know what the hell I do in the day to day is nearly everybody, homeworld inclusive. If just anybody could pick up what I put down, what the heck did I spend forty years working up to?

Besides, the fact that magic is a thing and it messes up about 70% of what I do know has me feeling like a dumbass too, most days. Damn it.

[ Truth soup. Anyway. ]

Okay, whatever. [ Focus. ] Thanks, that was, uh, better. I'll do you, gimme a sec. Gotta— harness the energy.