Belladonna Blooming

[arlathvhen]

FORM: Sending crystal, along with a written copy that's been posted.
SENDER: Beleth
RECIPIENT: Everyone
WHAT: Hey scouts say hi to your new boss
WHEN: Now
WHERE: Everywhere (the written copy has been posted in the Gallows)
NOTES: Here is the inbox to contact her for official scouting stuff.

Hello, and good day to everyone. I am Beleth Ashara, and I have been given the honor of becoming the head of the scouting division here in Kirkwall. I am incredibly grateful that the Inquisition has placed such a significant responsibility into my care, and I pledge that I will do my all to uphold these expectations.

[ She clears her throat quietly. ]

I invite anyone within the scouting division with comments, questions, or other concerns to reach out to me. I have an office that I will be moving into shortly, and you are all welcome to visit or leave a note. If you are new to the Inquisition, or scouting in general, I can help you get set up with resources for whatever you might need to further your skills. If you would like to offer your skills to train new members, I'd be glad to get you in touch with someone who could benefit.

To summarize, if there's anything related to scouting that you need help with, just let me know.

I'm also here to ensure that all members of my division hold themselves to the standards of conduct set by the Inquisition. If anyone takes issue with said conduct of people within my division, I encourage them to please contact me, so I can help sort out the matter, try to ensure that an adequate conclusion is reached, and hopefully ensure that this altercation is not repeated. Anyone reaching out to me will be given as much anonymity as possible, situations considered.

Additionally, I would like to request that those who are currently in charge of looking into elven artifacts, as well as those dealing with our northern neighbors, to please contact me to set up individual meetings. I'd like to learn about your current projects, goals for the future, and what I can do in order to help you achieve them.

...As an aside, I've also been placed in charge of the apothecary. If anyone has any requests for potions or poultices, or interesting ingredients they would like to hand off, I'd be glad to lend my aid.

Thank you for your time, I look forward to working with all of you.

Comments

[byblow]

[ Not going to tease her in front of her new subordinates, not going to tease her in front of her new subordinates, not going to tease her in front of her new subordinates... ]

private.

[byblow]

—I have skills.

[ At least it's not in front of them. ]

[arlathvhen]

[ Snort. But it's a fond snort. Because you can tell these kinds of things. ]

If anyone comes to me wanting to know how to obsess over their hair, you'll be the first person on my go-to list.

[byblow]

Super. Make sure they're fully committed, though. Five week course, no backing out.

[arlathvhen]

I would never allow anyone to take something like hair care trivially.

[ Pause. ]

...Do you think I sounded professional? Like Leliana?

[byblow]

Leliana who has a nug named Schmooples II and a bird named Baron Plucky? Leliana who one had one of her scouts track me down in camp to dump glitterdust over my head?

... Sure. Of course. You sounded professional, like Leliana.

[arlathvhen]

[ Thoughtfully: ] I could arrange glitterdust.

--I'm being serious. [ At the moment, at least. ] This is...a really important duty. I want to be good at it.

[byblow]

[ Can't relate. ]




[ No, actually, he can. So he puts on his serious voice. ]

You sounded very professional. I liked the part where you talked about standards of conduct.

[arlathvhen]

I know that there've been issues with people not...quite meeting them. We can't afford that in Kirkwall, and I'm not going to let our goals here be threatened by people under my command. And I don't want people to think that I'm going to be a pushover and let them do whatever they want, just because I'm small and cute and I can't do that terrifying looming from the shadows thing that Leliana does.

[ Maybe if she got stilts and one of those hoods?? ]

[byblow]

[ Cute? Since when? he would say if she were pretty much anyone else, but. Here they are. He doesn't even have to pause to think about whether or not that would be a bad idea—which is good, because pausing to think before talking isn't something he usually does anyway. In this case he just knows. Bad idea. ]

Well, if you ever need any advice about being a serious and respected leader, you can ask... Nathaniel Howe.

[arlathvhen]

The only conversations we've had were me scolding him for being mean to you, and him warning me about Oghren being...vulgar.

[ Her tone makes it clear how she feels about that Warden. ]

Would it be awkward to suddenly ask for advice on how to get people to take you seriously?

[byblow]

I think he'd be flattered.

[gatheringstorm]

Congrats, Beleth. Let me buy you a drink sometime, to celebrate.

[arlathvhen]

Thank you, Korrin. I'm rather excited about all of it, really.

[gatheringstorm]

As you should be! It's a huge step up. Leliana must be proud.

[arlathvhen]

Leliana was the one who had to decide if I could take this job or not, so...I suppose so. [ She sounds pretty bashful. Admitting she made someone proud?? Crazy. ]

Now I just have to live up to the expectations of the people who put me here.

[gatheringstorm]

You will. She wouldn't have picked you if she didn't think you could do it.

Just remember you don't have to do it all yourself, okay? Delegation is a thing.

[arlathvhen]

That's true. I'll have to get an idea of what kind of workload I have, and what I would be able to delegate. I mean, if I hand important tasks off to someone, and they mess it up, I'll be partly responsible.

But don't worry, I won't overwork myself. That just ends poorly for everyone involved.

[gatheringstorm]

It does, so if you need a break and want to head to the Hanged Man, you're free to grab me for it. Odds are that's what I was going to do anyway.

[arlathvhen]

I've never actually been there yet. Is it...safe?

[ Drunk shems that the Inquisition can't directly punish for being shitlords are a worrying prospect. ]

[gatheringstorm]

...more or less, if you keep in mind that it's a tavern in Lowtown? So, 'safe' is relative. If I'm there, I'll kick the asses of any humans that give you trouble.

[arlathvhen]

...I'll make sure you're there when I go.

[ Sounds KINDA SKETCHY, Korrin. ]

[aforethought]

What qualifies as 'interesting'?

[arlathvhen]

Rare, or useful, or something you simply haven't seen before. If you're not sure, feel free to bring it by, anyway. No such thing as too much elfroot.

[aforethought]

[ sounds like the kind of thing they'd be better off selling for themselves, but, ]

And those requests? What d'you need to put those in?

[arlathvhen]

Just write down on a sheet of paper with your name, what you want, and how much you're going to need, and put it in my office. I'll try to get back to you on an estimated time. Try to avoid requesting anything through the sending crystals, it's easier to keep everything straight when it's all on paper.

[aforethought]

[ eventually a handful of terribly handwritten requests will be left for the apothecary.

most are mundane enough. however, in each there's at least one tonic of notable monetary value. the reasons given are uniformly vague.

is it going to work? no. but look, a girl's gotta have hope, ]

[arlathvhen]

[ The mundane ones will be filled out and delivered accordingly, as best as Beleth is able to make them out. They are accompanied by a note stating that the expensive ones are currently beyond the allotted supplies, and includes a list of stores in Kirkwall where someone might be able to purchase them, instead. ]

[mythalenaste]

What?

[That's not an actual question so much as a general noise of confusion. It takes a second for her to realize the leadership assignments must have been posted.]

Beleth, I'm in confinement. It'll have to wait at least two days.

[Forget the fact that Pel is apparently reporting to Beleth now. At least regarding project things. She can't brain that, she just had a baby.]

[arlathvhen]

Oh, right. Congratulations, by the way. I have something for the baby, but then I got informed about this new position, and--

[ Becoming one of the leaders of the divisions did some rearranging on her priorities and free time. ]

--I'll see if I can get it to you. Anyway, you can wait until you're out of confinement, and we can arrange a meeting after that. Try to think about what kind of resources you're going to require, and the order of their priority, in the meantime.

[mythalenaste]

I--thank you. [Maybe knowing where they stand with each other will actually help their relationship. Beleth seems more secure.] You can give it to Anders. He comes in once a day to check on me and Little Sina. And I'll be thinking, about what we'll need. I know we will absolutely need a laboratory, as well as a secure room where we can keep certain relics like the eluvians and the Lights of Arlathan. Secure as possible--magic and locks, whatever it takes. I'm absolutely positive the Gallows has one, wherever they kept the phylacteries and other sensitive materials and relics.

I can probably send Anders to you with a list.

[arlathvhen]

[ If Beleth has any problems with issuing orders to Pel, it doesn't come up in her voice. But then, she's using her Diplomatic Voice--Which, as a necessary, isn't very emotional in the first place. ] A list would be good, but I still want to meet with you, once you're settled. I'll look into what kind of spare room we have, and which can be converted into the kinds of things you'll need.

Phylacteries--I'll check there. [ They're probably all gone, but she can make sure, anyway. And smash any that do remain. ]

But for what it's worth, try to get down on paper as much as you can, I'd rather not have to rely on my memory for such important things.

[mythalenaste]

Like I said, I'll send you a list. We'll talk in a few days.

[arlathvhen]

Right. Take care, Pel.

[ That felt...odd. But nice, in a way. Issuing orders to Pel certainly isn't something she thought she'd be doing in the Inquisition--or ever, really. But things change, and her work is finally paying off. ]

[sistertohermen]

The Inquisition has standards of conduct? [It's a joke. That's a smirky smirk behind that question. (But also c'mon a bunch of ragtag misfit assholes trying to save the world, and we're worried about conduct?)]

By northern neighbors, I take it you mean Anderfels stuff?

[arlathvhen]

I'm sure that it won't be too hard to maintain, as long as everyone treats everyone else with all due professional courtesy.

...And I mean the Anderfels, but also Tevinter, Nevarra, etc. Once I speak to the leader, I'll have a better idea of where they'll be focusing their attention.

[crowncitizen]

[OH HEY. SOMEONE RESPONSIBLE SOUNDING AND IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY.]

Oh, uh. Hi! I got assigned to scouting. Name's Prompto. I just got here about a month and a half ago, so... [Nervous chuckle.] Can't really say I entirely know what I'm doing yet.

[arlathvhen]

Hello, Prompto. [ Is that his real name? How incredibly unfortunate. ] Have you selected any projects to help out with, yet? If not, or if they haven't given you anything to do, I can find some work for you.

[ Even if it's just delivering messages or fetching ten bear asses. ]

[crowncitizen]

Ah, not really. I was helping with clean-up for awhile. Haven't gone much outside the city since we got here. [And he'd been trying to figure out how to develop the pictures on his camera. Now that he has, he might be able to do some good.]

[arlathvhen]

If you would like, I can explain the projects that are currently available and their goals, or I could find scouting assignments for you. If it would make it easier for you, I'd be quite willing to sit down with you to discuss your talents, your interests, your goals, and start personalizing a plan for the future that will take all of these into account.

[ Pause. ]

Or I can just assign you to something simple. This is only as intensive as you want it to be.

[crowncitizen]

[Prompto's having flashbacks to high school with his guidance counselor...]

Well, I'm not too sure about what skills I can bring. But I've sort of scouted before. And I have a camera? That might help?

[arlathvhen]

[ At least she won't ask Prompto to write any essays. Probably. ]

I'm not sure what a camera is...? But if you would like to have the discussion, I think that it would be prudent to do so in person. The crystals can only convey so much. And I'd like an opportunity to be able to put faces to the names of the people I'll be working with.

[crowncitizen]

Yeah, that's definitely an explanation best done in person, anyway. Is there any place you want to meet up? Do you have an office?

[pinprick]

This is Senior Warden Nathaniel Howe. I manage the Warden scouts. We shall be working closely together.

[arlathvhen]

[ Hey Alistair said you could give me tips on how to be taken seriously so I can be scary like Leliana.

Hmm. No. ]

Greetings, Senior Warden Howe. I'll be pleased to work with you and--

[ A few papers rustling. ]

--Teren von Skraedder? Oh, I know her. [ Does she know that you manage her, Nate. ] Are the two of you going to be working with the Inquisition scouts?

a note ;

[rowancrowned]

Congratulations, Beleth.

I am well pleased to see you take up the mantle of leadership.

another note

[arlathvhen]

Thank you, Thranduil. It's an exciting moment, being given so much responsibility and such high expectations. I'll do my best to live up to them.