CRYSTAL;

[heirring]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Wysteria de Foncé
RECIPIENT: All y'all
NOTES: Potential discussion of human experimentation, drug use, etc

Greetings, Riftwatch. This is Madame de Foncé speaking. I will be brief.

[Presumably this is met with a round of skeptical noises from every corner of the Gallows.]

This is a formal request for a last slate of volunteers for my inquiry into the effects of lyrium in the anchor shard. Any member of the company with a shard is more than welcome. A sheet has been posted on the notice board in the dining hall, alongside a thorough description of the risks associated with the work. The language of this posting has been reviewed by a number of highly qualified members of this company, and you may take it as fact.

[Have they approved the specific language? Who can say. Certainly Wysteria doesn't specify.]

Trials are to begin promptly, and I require at least one native Theodosian with an anchor and would prefer to have one or two additional Rifters included in the study. All participants will be thoroughly briefed at each stage of the work.

Should you have any questions, you are welcome to extend them. Do not vandalize my pages on the board. Thank you and good day.

Comments

[portalling]

Hm. We’d want someone with a good hand to illustrate whatever we see through the scope. The sight’s likely to be very abstract, y’know, like those water and grass slides Cosima and I demoed at the expo? But there should still be some— I don’t know, illustrative record for this too. A visual copy to have on file. ( offhand, almost to himself: ) God, I miss photography.

[heirring]

De Foncé can draw. The other de Foncé. Valentine. Though I have my doubts he can be moved to care much about the subject.

[About his wife's severed arm? Small wonders.]

It might be best to ask the company and see whether anyone else is capable.

[portalling]

I’ll do a company-wide poll; I find myself in need of someone who could draw up some informative posters around the infirmary, too, so the requests could go hand-in-hand.

( —ok he’s gotta ask )

Your husband wouldn’t care about your, uh, arm?

[heirring]

No, I believe a great majority of his thoughts are presently engaged by dwarven architecture. Or dwarven Thaigs? Old pots. I would be very surprised if he currently remembers lyrium has anything to do with Rifters at all, and if he has no interest in the subject it will be incredibly annoying to keep his attention on it.

[This all said in perfectly frank tones with no hint of that airy, too high quality that denotes something Wysteria is tip-toeing around.]

A general survey would be best. Then even if he is the only person who can draw, the broader invitation will entice him to volunteer so he might brag about it.

[portalling]

Well, you’d know him best. I’ll see if I can lure him or someone out. Artistic skills aren’t exactly on Riftwatch’s recruitment list, but it’s needed.

Is there something particularly fascinating about old dwarven pots?

[heirring]

I'm sure he could tell you. And would be delighted to.

Now as for the arm. Would you care to see it today, or at some later interval?

[portalling]

Some later interval; I’ll line up an artist first and then get back to you on the whole ( said wryly, ) self-autopsy thing.

[heirring]

[+10 approval for good humor.]

Very good. In the mean time, I'll make a copy of my notes and leave them in your pigeon hole in the dining hall.