open.

[elegiaque]

FORM: Sending crystal.
SENDER: Gwenaëlle Vauquelin.
RECIPIENT: Everyone with a crystal.
WHAT: Yo I heard you like books.
WHEN: Current.
WHERE: Kirkwall.
NOTES: I am happy to do action-spam threads here for anyone coming to grab some book.

( Without any fanfare, Gwenaëlle gets briskly to the point: )

To simplify matters, my grandfather purchased for me the contents of the house that I'm currently renting. I've been sorting through the library, such as it is, while I clear the shelves for my own books I anticipate arriving within the month - I don't imagine most of it is going to be pressingly relevant to anyone's research, but the social and military histories, as well as the etiquette books, might come in useful for our tame demons as they adapt.

( Are we not calling the rifters that. Thranduil literally lives with her now, why is she like this. )

Some of the academics look curious. In any case, I am having the lot of it boxed up. It's all quite clearly labeled and inventoried. If anyone wishes to come and collect it for the Inquisition's library, or sift through and see if there's anything of interest, you've until the end of the week and after that it's being donated to the Chantry.

Comments

[elegiaque]

( Her laugh is genuine, if short; dryly, she says, )

Of course it's fucking propaganda.

( The answer to 'is he new' is absolutely yes, to be fair. )

If you want the voice of someone without a vested interest in the success of the only organisation doing anything about the madman trying to rip apart the world to remake it in his own image, they're in short supply and the rest of us aren't stupid enough to be publishing anything that isn't an effort to remind all the incompetently selfish politicians of the world who think that their civil wars and meaningless wrangling are going to matter if the world ends that it won't.

( Her objective opinion. The Inquisition would love to be a monolithic authority, but the fact is that everything is an uphill battle and it's so frustrating it sickens her -

But that will be apparent by the time he gets to the last piece she deigned to publish. )

It wasn't intended for rifters or for people here - it was intended to remind people they have a stake in this world and they aren't helpless. It'll give you an idea of what you've walked into, that's all.

( It's not hostile - he'd know if she were, she's not a shy girl as may be clear enough - but it is frank. )

[fireandsmoke]

An idea about what I've walked into! How novel. I'm absolutely gobsmacked by the possibility of a looming doomsday, [the Dragon bites in minor annoyance. As if it's obvious he's dealt with this shit before. No, of course it isn't, but he's perpetually obtuse about conveying his side of the story.] What the devil is the difference between court politics and civil wars in one nation compared to another? Mankind's pathetic nature isn't any different here than in my realm. Or dwarfkind, or elfkind, whatever civilizations carry on here.

And don't you give it another thought: I'm not going to exacerbate any civil wars or stroke any politicians' egos. If those pompous blowhards want to throw armies at each other, that's their sword to fall on, blood on their witless and careless hands. [A deep sigh. He adds heavily, demonstrating that he definitely holds more than a small notion of the gravity of Thedas's problems, if not its minute details,] The Inquisition did a fair job of giving me the basics about rifters and Blight when I arrived. Civil wars are a monstrous distraction that works in real evil's favor. If the Inquisition is at the head of efforts to spare this realm from getting swallowed up by corruption and meaningless wars, then of course I've got skills to aid them. I'm not stupid.

[elegiaque]

( In the same matter of fact tone, )

What you are right now is a waste of limited resources.

( It's nothing personal; it's just the situation that they're in. The Inquisition can't let people like him run around unchecked which means housing and dealing with them itself - which has its drawbacks. )

I'm very glad - ( genuinely, she's not being snide, ) - to hear that that isn't what you intend to remain.

[fireandsmoke]

[Oh, whatever, bitch--though in reality he is torn between respecting this confident, recalcitrant woman and feeling slightly miffed. Either way, the Dragon does not feel the need to prove a damn thing. His merits will make themselves apparent soon enough, and he is certain of that.]

Indeed, as soon as I educate myself thoroughly. [While also slipping himself into the Research Division and making himself useful there. May as well kill two birds with one stone. He is not a warm man by nature, but he meets her even tone with a calm, matter-of-fact clip in kind.] Plenty of work to be done and too much time wasted.

[He turns, takes a sweeping step toward the exit, and ... pauses. He thrusts a flippant hand toward the piles of books he organized and left behind. He snorts,]

You're welcome, by the way.

[And out he goes.]

[elegiaque]

( She's already walking away before he turns back, which has the side effect of meaning she mostly misses his dramatic exit. She hears it, quirking some amusement at the corner of her mouth, but doesn't dignify him with her attention or acknowledgment.

The kitchen he has to walk past the wide doors to, down that hallway to the tradesmen's exit, does net him some curious looks as he passes, though. )

Best Exit I Approve

[fireandsmoke]

[Yep, he's in some Twilight Zone comedy hour. Dramatic exists are severely dampened by long walks and gawking, cringing servants. It's ok, he'll just cast every inconvenient, hapless body with a dour, vexed look as he makes his way out.]