crystal.

[cozen]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Bastien
RECIPIENT: Everyone
NOTES: Fictional war crime discussion! Probably mostly vague here, will use CWs if anything gets specific.

A quick note: we are going to be looking into the allegations that the Chantry's forces were overzealous with civilians in Tevinter. I am coordinating this for now. While we are out and about in Tevinter, if you hear anything about it, let me know. Even if they are only rumors and sound outlandish. And if it does not jeopardize anything else to ask people for more information, then by all means.

If this is something you would like to help more with on an ongoing basis, let me know. We're calling it Project Clothilde.

Comments

private

[bouchonne]

I suppose this will make me sound like a terrible naif, but - when they first announced the March, I truly thought it would be a good thing. Andraste’s sword, coming down on the deserving - and only the deserving.

forever!

[cozen]

Naif.

[ Affectionately. ]

It was nice that they had gotten some shit together. It still is. We are not an army. We can't do everything.

[bouchonne]

Often for worse, sometimes for better. Not that most of us would do that.

[cozen]

[ In a put-on knowing tone, joking but grim: ]

Gela.

[bouchonne]

Maker, good point. To say nothing of Cosima. Vicious woman.

[cozen]

Thank the Maker we are here to keep them in line.

[ More soberly, ]

It happens, you know? In every war, it happens. I don't know if we could stop it. But we collaborate with them so often.

[bouchonne]

And we did not put the Divine on her throne, ourselves, exactly. But we meddled.

[cozen]

Yeah.

We will do something. Deciding what and how will be the hard part, but I don't think anyone here will be content to look the other way.

[bouchonne]

Yes.

Have you talked to Carsus about this?

[cozen]

Halfway. We're having lunch sometime. Has he said anything to you?

[bouchonne]

Oh, Maker, no. He treats me with all the suspicion you'd expect when someone like him looks at someone like me.

[ Bastien knows his feelings on this sort of thing: both amused and unhappy. He does it to himself, of course - is arch and coy and indirect in the way that so many stage villains are - and sometimes it's funny to be treated as a suspicious character as a result. But something can be funny and sad. ]

But he dodges specific topics in a particular sort of way. I think he witnessed, at the very least. Maybe more.

[cozen]

Yeah.

[ Funny and sad. Sadder when Byerly does try—when he sets aside the performance and also the parts of himself that just are arch and coy and offers sincerity and vulnerability, and people think that too is a game.

But Bastien wouldn't change a thing about him, so they'll all have to just live with it. ]

He confirmed as much just now—but he sounded... You know.

I am not asking him for details when I can't see his face. It is too hard to tell what is too much for people, over the crystals.

[bouchonne]

Too right.

[ Said a bit ruefully. He's found that out more than once. ]

He's elfblooded, by the by. Alienage-raised, till the Chantry took him in, it seems. So that suspicious agreeableness of his seems to come from an honest place, not a cunning one.

[ Useful context for Bastien, the reigning king of cunning agreeableness. ]

[cozen]

[ A hum. Coming by obsequiousness honestly doesn't prevent it from being cunningly applied—but he trusts Byerly to have an accurate read. ]

That's good to know. Thank you.

[bouchonne]

Everything I have is yours, my love. Gossip included.

[cozen]

Your whole clever head.