EMERGENCY QUERY

[byblow]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Alistair
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: A matter of life or death
WHEN: Wibbly wobbly timey wimey
WHERE: Everywhere
NOTES: Fuzzy art

So. Inquisition.

[ It's been a few hours since he was traumatized by the sudden appearance of a fuzzy painting of the late Cailan Theirin's overly familiar face, by now, so Alistair doesn't sound too rattled. A little rattled, maybe. But not too. ]

Burning art—does that make you a bad person?

[ Follow up-questions: ]

What if it's really bad art?

What if it's really bad art of a dead king you owe some degree of allegiance to?

--and whoever did this, I'll get you.

Comments

[elegiaque]

Art has no nation.

[byblow]

This art definitely knows a nation.

Are you a painter? Do you paint terrible things you don't want destroyed?

[elegiaque]

I'm a writer. I just don't see why you not liking something is a burning offence. Someone made that.

[byblow]

Someone made it on velvet.

[elegiaque]

I am, as you aptly observed, Orlesian, and also, an art critic. I've absolutely heard stupider things than that.

[byblow]

Have you?

[ Tell him. Maybe he'll feel better. ]

[elegiaque]

Painting with blood sounds very dark and meaningful until you see the end result, which is an inconsistent and flaked mess. And if your painting is called "portrait of the artist" and it isn't, people are going to find out.

[byblow]

People paint with blood? [ In this economy state of apocalyptic terror? ] Orlesians?

[elegiaque]

Not well.