bring out your dead

[degenere]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Baroness Frédérique Durfort-Lacapalette, Brother Jehan Mercier, and Valentine Nicasius Maxence Mérovée Olivier de Foncé
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: CHASSEURS DE FANTÔMES
WHEN: Early Cloudreach
WHERE: From Kirkwall, listenable anywhere
NOTES: Your favorite people!

—will come try to stop us, [ Jehan is whispering when everyone's crystals come to life, but it's capped off with a sigh as he realizes it is too late, too late, alas. ]

They must know [Val, in a stage whisper. He hardly cares about being heard.] Inquisition. We have been in Kirkwall for how long now? Long enough that some of us have seen shades. Spirits. Ghosts.

Inquisition, these are but exaggerations. Do you know how we know this to be true? [He’ll tell you. In a second. The dramatic moment is slightly spoiled by a sudden sharp intake of breath, and a loud SPLASH.] Sacre-- the oar!

Careful! [ Freddie is there too, naturally. ] Keep it in the lock-- there. Inquisition [ she begins again in Val's place ] we have heard your tales of supposed hauntings, but we three have spent countless hours toiling in these Gallows and have not seen a thing! Not one spectral wisp! And so, you see, we cannot help but doubt. We are women--and men--of the sciences, after all. It is merely our nature.

Men and woman of the sciences, [ Jeannot corrects, because who doesn't like being corrected ] and of faith, merci, and we do not mean that anyone is lying. Of course the Veil is thin here. But surely not so thin as the stories.

And so, we have returned at night--which I am sure we can all agree is the most appropriate time for ghosts--to give the spirits the chance to prove all of you correct by revealing themselves to us.

Do not be afraid for us! This is not even the tenth most foolish we have ever been, particularly Freddie and Val, and so far as I can tell they yet survive—we would welcome advice, however. Where have you witnessed these spirits reaching through the Veil? Were you doing anything to attract their attention?

And how do we attract their attention? Tell us, so we can try for ourselves! Must we cause a great scene, and commotion? Must we SHOUT? We are willing to shout-- O, SPIRITS! HEAR US, AND APPEAR! WE WOULD WITNESS YOUR--

[ muffled muffled something like a hand has been clapped over his mouth. ]

Comments

[degenere]

'Only the tip'.

So does my mistress say.

[apologist]

Yes, yes, you are too much for anyone to handle, in every way.

[ombranera]

Your own boots and tips will suffice, I assure you- well. For the nudging. For ought else I cannot say.

[degenere]

A gentle nudging, I take it? Or do the spirits respond best to emphatic nudging?

[ombranera]

That depends entirely upon the spirit, unfortunately. Some are so bored or enraged that the barest brush of a nudge will do the trick. Others? Need a swift kick.

[degenere]

Very good! We have made note of this information. It will no doubt prove valuable to our purposes.

That is, if we ever find a spirit.

[ombranera]

Have you attempted searching any, oh, I do not know- recently evacuated orphanages? Or perhaps conveniently arranged places of rest?

[degenere]

Have we--

[wow offended]

We are not grave robbers. And any accusation of such has been unfairly lodged against us.

[ombranera]

No, no, no- not graves but- were we in the wilderness a convenient camp. I do not think such a similarly haunted tavern room might exist but Kirkwall has surprised me before.

[degenere]

With a body buried where. Beneath the floorboards?

[Sarcastic, first, but on second thought, actually, that's... pretty cool.]

I wonder how one might find out such a thing. To drink in such a tavern would be thrilling.

[ombranera]

There does not need to be a body buried for there to be a spirit, merely a bloody death. Or an angry death, or a tragic death- etc.

Mmm. Perhaps the Hanged Man? I would be surprised were there not at least one corpse hidden under the floorboards.

[degenere]

I should hope that there is a corpse hidden at a place called the Hanged Man. What good is such a name if there was not some gruesome secret?

Perhaps the name will attract spirits, if nothing else. They will feel a kinship with this hanged man, whoever he is.

[ombranera]

For a bit of coin or a future favor, I and my kestrels will investigate this very thing for you and your scholarly friends.

[degenere]

[Hmmmm.]

That would be an investment worth making, I think, for my part. Though I think I would like the opportunity to investigate myself, I will admit, my time is but limited.

How much coin?

[ombranera]

That depends entirely upon how thorough you wish us to be. A cursory once over, well, that will cost but a few silvers. A look into the past of the establishment and perhaps digging under the floorboards? A bit more. But as you realize the importance of delegation I am certain we might come to a satisfactory arrangement.

[degenere]

Well, if it comes to any digging, I of course would want to do that myself. That is the second best part of any excavation. The first is, of course, the discovery of the artifact.

Shall we begin with the once-over, for the cost of these few silvers? Three, perhaps? That is a few.

[ombranera]

Mmm, I do not know. Five is a few as well.

[degenere]

Perhaps four. That is fewer than five, which strays too close to a number that is more than a few.

[ombranera]

I think I can accept, it is a reasonable enough sum for the work.

[degenere]

Very good! I shall see the sum delivered to you, and await your findings most eagerly.