crystal.

[exequy]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: idk your bff Kostos
RECIPIENT: Everyone, unfortunately
NOTES: :)

[ It would be wiser to limit this complaint to those it's relevant to—the handful of mages who might have been informed of this bargaining after the fact, specifically.

But Kostos isn't in Scouting anymore. Or Diplomacy. Or even Research. And so he's released from any expectation or obligation to be subtle and exercise discretion when he's spitting mad. Right? That's how that works?

Anyway. ]

The fucking pirates took our fucking shit.

[ Important specification: ]

Not Riftwatch's.

[ Also, ]

Shit.

Comments

[exequy]

We could [ a slightly different verb for a slightly more mostly-talk man ] sink every one of their ships on a fly-by.

[ipseite]

Another conclave still looms. We need a path forward that is not, however appealing, petty fantasy.

( a brief pause. )

Though it would serve him justly.

[exequy]

[ Petrana, fortunately, is one of maybe two people who can tell him he's being petty and not have him get pettier out of spite.

The second part helps, too.

He takes a breath. ]

They didn't take all of it.

[ Maybe he should have led with that. ]

[ipseite]

And I'm certain he considers himself most gracious for that.

( it really does sound like she's calling flint a slur. what kind of magic power is that. )

What is our situation, Kostos?

[exequy]

The money is gone. The books aren't. The art and the equipment and the relics—some of it is gone. I can't tell what. We will have to take inventory when it's. I am having it brought back to the mainland.

[ In case they run out of funds for their ventures and come back for more. ]

My family can store it for a short time, but I don't want them... We will have to move it soon.

[ipseite]

( this is concrete. they can work with this. )

Then we must surveil our options. Not all of them are thusly tainted, even if that limits us— this is salvageable. We will salvage it.

( she's still pissed, but now she's pissed and purposeful. )

[exequy]

[ His nod is not audible, but he's too distracted to notice and verbalize it.

There's a distant thud, a creak. His raider cousin is not one he trusted so much as to send them off to check on the island without him present. ]

Some of it is dangerous. [ Half the impetus for storing it on an island to begin with. Harder for (relatively) innocent looters to stumble on. In theory. ] Some of it is—I don't know if one of you should warn the Provost that I am bringing a few crates back to the Gallows.

[ Or ask her permission. Whatever. ]

[ipseite]

We had better, though we may wish to discuss exactly how we wish to present that.

( the storage of dangerous items not actually being handed over to riftwatch's purview,

obviously, they don't solve this by just handing them over to riftwatch's purview. which complicates matters. )

[overharrowed]

It may not matter, but can I ask how you discovered the loss?

[Presumably to Kostos. It COULD matter, for how much moping up they'll have to do outside the initial org-wide message and the mess with Cedric already catalogued.]

[exequy]

I had been worried since they left. But I thought...

[ Paranoia, he thought. And he'd have felt so stupid, if he'd gone rushing off and called in an emergency favor and gave away the location to these different pirates (relatives or no) for nothing. ]

I had the opportunity to check, so I did.

[overharrowed]

Best you did, it turns out. But alright. Petrana is right, we should discuss how we're going to approach the Provost. I imagine she's not in much of a mood for people making unilateral moves.

[wythersake]

The Lucrosians are going to scream bloody murder. A bit late now to pretend the Circles simply vomited their contents into the sea — but perhaps we can, I don't know, attempt to skew the narrative. Protective transport gone awry.

[ipseite]

He will have a purpose to its use. We must be mindful not to be backfooted by that use contradicting however we might finesse this.

[wythersake]

It would be like the man to hold identifying pieces in reserve,

[ blackmail to seed with the venatori, hostages against their retaliation, proof of their cooperation. take your pick. ]

But we can't guess in a void. Likely ports of call are, [ a breath out ] Still too fucking hard to surveil on our means, not without bringing in outsiders.

[ipseite]

Then our first step need be establishing what connections we have at our disposal untouched by certain hands.

( it won't be many, but it won't be none. )

[wythersake]

That burns most of Nevarra and Rivain.

[ he doesn't know where derrica went, it isn't hard to guess: a cause, a boat, what will pass for friendship. ]

I'll see what I can turn up.

[ipseite]

As will I. Let's us convene and compare names? I'll need — I suppose I must dredge my correspondence.

[wythersake]

[ ruefully: ]

I've been burning mine. Very well — your office, I split with that ancient templar.

[ipseite]

( he earns himself a huff of quiet laughter; a week ago, she'd have thought him the wiser one. )

No, join me in Forces. Mine is newly shared.

[wythersake]

Ah, ma petite pie. I'll bring a bottle.

[ that he won't drink from. fucking bards. ]