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

[illithidnapped]

Oh Glimmer, you precious thing.

[Tsk. Tongue clicking sharp against the backs of his fangs; he's never going to get used to this forced honesty. Let's hope it doesn't last long....

Otherwise they're all in trouble.]

Don't let me interrupt you, though. What about the Division leadership?

How do you feel about them?

[sparklequeen]

I mean... Flint is tough? Kind of feels like he doesn't actually like anyone, though. And Stark is way full of himself.

[ A pause. ]

Don't think I've been around the others enough to have an opinion.

[ Turnabout is fair play. ]

Here's one for you: what do you think about me?

[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).]

[sparklequeen]

I'll keep it with the rules of the game. I don't want to hear anything too upsetting.

[propulsion]

You know most people will interpret that question as normal and not about who they'd bone down with in what order, right.

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]

I mean. No.

You're a total creepazoid, but we knew that.

1/2

[illithidnapped]

[With all the vocal likeness of a dog tilting its head to one side:]

Did we?

[Two braincells working. Working....]

2/2

[illithidnapped]

Hang on, is that just a longer way of saying the word creep?

[propulsion]

Uh huh.

[illithidnapped]

Rude. [Fussy. A little like a housecat that's been pet the wrong way.] But....admittedly not far off the mark.

Although I always thought of it more along the lines of something charming. Beneficial, you might say.

1/2

[sparklequeen]

Hey!

[ Shadow Weaver is that you? There's a genuine sound of hurt and betrayal in her voice when she hears this.

She trusted you, Astarion. ]

2/2

[sparklequeen]

Fuck you, you fucking creep!

[illithidnapped]

Oh— [Tongue clicking against the backs of his fangs in genuine upset. Vaguely reminiscent of someone getting their hand caught in a cookie jar before dinner, and not seeing the issue; more unhappy about being barked at than for going out of bounds.]

Come on, darling, don't fuss: I was only playing. Having a little fun.

[sparklequeen]

What's fun about manipulating people and lying to them?!

[ With continued outrage; someone who genuinely can't wrap their head around why Astarion is so casual about it. ]

[illithidnapped]

First off, important to note: presently saturated with compulsion, in case you've forgotten.

I can't lie, even if I wanted to.

[And oh, would he like to, right about now.]

Second: it's not as if I'm wielding secrets like machetes— trying to carve Riftwatch into decimated little scraps. A healthy dose of mischief just makes life that much more interesting.

[sparklequeen]

I haven't forgotten! I'm just mad because someone else did that to me and it ended up really hurting a lot of my friends and I might never see them again to tell them I'm sorry--!

[ She clamps her mouth shut and buries her face into her pillow. There's a muffled scream. She hadn't wanted to say that last part. ]

[illithidnapped]

I....wait, what? What do you mean?

[Someone else might have the decency not to press for more.

Not Astarion, though.]

[sparklequeen]

[ No, no, no she's not going to spill her fucking guts on the stupid crystals-- ]

Back home there was this sorceress, Shadow Weaver. She defected to the Rebellion and she started teaching me more magic and finding ways to put distance between me and my friends and convincing me that they weren't listening to me. We were in the middle of a war and I just wanted to win so I listened to her because I felt like no one else was. I said some horrible, horrible things and then I got taken away from my world and I don't know if I'll ever see them again--

[ She finally clamps her mouth shut and lets out a muffled scream of frustration. ]