crystal.

[cozen]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Bastien
RECIPIENT: Everyone
NOTES: Mmhph.

Bonjour, mes compatriotes. I have a few things.

The Hangman's Papers, I hope you have all seen—it was not my idea, so I am allowed to say that I think it is a brilliant one. If you want to write something, I am the one you should bring it to—

I am Bastien, if you are new. I am up in the Jeshavis office.

Secondly, I have been thinking about putting together an anthology of legends and tales from rifters' worlds. I've spoken to some individuals about it, but they keep disappearing. Vous savez comment c'est. But the bedtime stories that you grew up with, or the condensed plot of a book you have loved. They would need to be edited and annotated, of course. The purpose would be to underscore the similarities in themes and values and make sure they are relatable under the unfamiliar names and places, to show you are ultimately not that strange, so—if you are that strange, you might need to tone it down, [ he says, with all affection. ]

I am open to being told it would be a disaster. But I have something else that a publisher is going to want very much, that might be leveraged to convince them to take on something more risky in the bargain, so now would be the time.

Third, if you are good at fighting in close quarters, or if you are trying to learn to be good at it, I could use some help with something. You are a given, Yseult, [ in the shifting tone of a personal aside, ] but I can only impose on you so often.

And last, I promise: I am handling our trade negotiations for supplies for the time being, so if there is anything you find to be of poor quality, say so, and I will—you know. Probably tell you it is the best we can afford. But maybe not.

Comments

[ipseite]

I think it would not be a disaster, ( thoughtfully, ) such an anthology. The mystique of the beyond holds some sway, still; I have had no small success with raising funds through the interest in owning an item known to have come through the rifts.

It seems a natural extension of that curiosity, and likely more broadly useful than only padding our budget.

[glossator]

Couldn't you just make up whatever stories would be most convenient for your anthology?

[propulsion]

Do you guys have Iron Man here?

[obdurata]

( somewhere jos is like "really" )

[cozen]

The budget needs all of the padding it can get—and I think you are right. Sales would not be a problem. I have friends who would do it in an instant, but they are the kind who would, ah. They would want to spice it up.

I think it would be good for it to come from an imprint with a sturdier reputation.

[notathreat]

Considering how you guys reacted to Santa, I don't know if you're ready for the rest of this shit.

[cozen]

Lie?

[ His how dare you suggest tone is a joke that he doesn’t drag out beyond the one word. ]

I could. But there is benefit to Thedas in true things being recorded, I think, and benefit to rifters in having some small, real piece of their worlds understood.

Or is that your point, and you are criticizing the idea of editing them to suit?

[cozen]

Not that I have ever heard. Is he a man made into metal? Or metal made into a man?

[cozen]

[ He missed that, somehow, so: ]

What is Santa and how did we react to it?

[notathreat]

Oh come on, Bastien. I sang and everything.

[ipseite]

Yes, I see. There should be no need for great embellishment, I think — well, I can only guess, as I'm afraid I will not have anything of interest to contribute. But I think the idea a very sound one, and if there is any way in which I can assist otherwise, I would be most glad to.

[elegiaque]

If you need to sweeten the pot to a publisher, I've still got a literary agent in Orlais and I haven't published poetry beyond the reprint since before Trevelyan ate a mountain.

I wouldn't mind— I suppose shepherding you alongside? Or if my connections would helpful, less directly. I'm sure she'd have an idea of who'd be most open to it, if you've not got a particular house in mind.

[propulsion]

No one knows.

There's this, uh. King? He's a king, and he rules a peaceful kingdom, and he's very handsome and smart and makes all the other kings jealous, and they covet his stuff. His stuff being, you know, magical weapons of mass destruction. So one day while he's on a business trip in a neighbouring kingdom, he's kidnapped and taken hostage by some bad guys.

—sorry, I launched in, are you taking this down? [ This is what you wanted, right? ] This is just the preamble to the good parts.

[bouchonne]

He’s talking about himself, Bastien. Listen to the way he’s saying it - He’s absolutely just talking about himself.

[cozen]

Sing again.

[cozen]

That would be fantastic. Either way.

They are Servana de Montfort's journals, [ the discovery of which Gwenaëlle would have been present for, ] that I have to offer. Of course the originals must go to the university—

[ Of equal course, he and whomever else took an interest left the site of the discovery otherwise mostly undisturbed and alerted the sorts of scholars whose examination of the bones and artifacts might lend at least as much legitimacy to their identity as any given Chantry relic can claim. Maybe Brother Genitivi or formerly-Sister Laudine are there at this very moment.

But the journals, Bastien took. For this. ]

—after it is too late for any of them to beat us to publishing them.

I hope they are worth some leeway. But I'm sure they will be worth more if you are vouching for them. I could be anyone. Or, well—there are people who knew me, but under another name. I am not sure I lied to you about everything, but this is genuine would be very... Well.

[ He is talking this much and this freely because he's that excited. ]

I have known a lot of people who would be very excited to see more work from you, as well, so I cannot see a downside. Unless you stopped for a reason?

[cozen]

What? No. He is not a king. He would have said before if he was a king.

[ This, amid the clear sounds of shuffling for writing instruments. ]

Handsome smart king, the other kings were jealous of his massive weaponry, taken hostage on a journey to a neighboring kingdom. What next?

[cozen]

I think it will need a few sets of eyes on it, to be sure we are not overlooking anything that might be easy to twist, [ towards rifters are demons, etc. ] Perhaps yours and the Lady Seeker's? And then Byerly's and John's, of course.

I do hope you will contribute something, too. Even if you do not think it is interesting. Even if it is only a skipping rhyme.

[bouchonne]

The king claim is clearly a metaphor.

[cozen]

[ A prolonged pause, for show, before his tone takes on the inward-folded disbelieving tone of a man continuing to protest despite the beginnings of doubt: ]

No.

[bouchonne]

Yes, Bastien.

[ Like it's a terrible secret: ]

It's true. The Provost - he likes to talk about himself.

[ipseite]

I'm afraid I don't know any, ( wry, ) else I would be glad to, I assure you. What I could offer would be deeply unsuitable for the project.

But I would be glad to be a pair of eyes for such an undertaking.

[elegiaque]

I only stopped publishing poetry because I've been busy and it seemed less important,

( war, and all that, )

but I've never intended it to be permanent. I've got plenty I could construct into a cohesive collection. Call it Le Divorce, ( with a bit of humour. ) Anyway, I think my agent would be happy to help you if I made it conditional. We could do this — I'd quite like to see those journals published, too, after all that.

[armd]

I'm good at fighting in close quarters. Who'd you piss off?

[cozen]

Abby! [ Laughing—in a pleased way, not an incredulous one— ] You would fight someone for me?