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FORM: sending crystal
SENDER: Minka
RECIPIENT: Everyone with a crystal
WHAT: Minka's trying to get her bearings
WHEN: Mid-Firstfall, during the Nevarra expedition
WHERE: Shes in Kirkwall, but this message is going out to all.
NOTES: Reminder to check out her permissions post if talk of abuse is something she shouldn't bring up to your character. Not saying it will in her first post, but just to cover my bases.

[ Well this is just great. Here Minka thought she'd show up, they'd put a pair of tweezers to her hand, and out would come the bit of green Fade magic bullshit. Not so, she's now learned. And she's stuck here unless she wants to be in excruciating pain. Super.

It takes her several tries to start up the crystal correctly and when it is, there's the sound of deep breaths and whispered words: "Okay, okay, I can do this. Okay. Just fucking get it over with. Do it, you fucker. Do it. Okay, okay.... okay." ]

How does anybody find anything around this damned place? Like, yeah, I know how to find the stables: just follow the smell. Same with the kitchens. But you lot have completely changed this place since I was last here and I can't find shit. I'm lucky I ran into someone who knew someone who handed out these crystal things.

Would it kill you to put up more signs? And by signs, I mean signs with pictures on them. Not all of us got a fancy schooling to learn how to read.

[ She mutters under her breath. It's something about nugs. ]

Anyway, does anybody do favors around here? I need someone to write a letter for me. Preferably a dwarf, but I'll take who I can get. In exchange, I'll run messages for you in Kirkwall for a week. I just have to let my employers know I ain't coming back for awhile.

[ Because of this stupid freaking shard in her hand, but she doesn't say that. ]

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[ There's a pause, before she starts to say something, stops herself, and tries again. ]

You fooling? Because I don't want to walk all the way over there to get the run around.

No fooling, no tricks. Just an ale or two.

Okaaaay.

[ It's drawn out like she's still 60% sure this is a trick to make the newbie look stupid. ]

The Hanged Man ain't moved all around too, is it?

[ Since the Gallows is so different now. ]

Nope, it's still the same hole in the same spot. Nostalgic, right?

Guess so. I'll be there when I can. Got to catch a boat first.

Understood, and no pressure. I'm here all night.

[ Minka does stall for a little bit, because the whole "social interaction" thing is scary and somehow beyond her, but she does turn up about two hours later, nearly unseen among the taller patrons. When she spots Korrin, she makes a beeline, avoiding all eye contact with others until she's at her destination. ]

I brought paper and charcoal. That other fellow tried to rip me off.

[Upon spotting Minka -which is definitely after Minka spots her- Korrin nudges a chair out and gestures for her to sit.]

Well, I don't charge unless you're planning to have me write hundreds of copies or something. One letter isn't going to make or break my day, honest. So what'll it be? Ale, or...?

[ There's a moment of deliberation because it's tempting to order something fancy she's never had before. But what if she doesn't like it? Best to stay with the crap she knows. ]

Ale's fine. And it's just the one letter.

Sounds good, then. [She signals for two ales, then looks back to Minka.]

So, who's the letter to?

[ She takes a seat, putting her knapsack into her lap to carefully draw out a precious piece of paper and a little piece of charcoal with a scrap of cloth tied around it with twine to stop it from getting on the fingers. ]

Harik. I don't know how it's spelled, but the runner I'm giving this to will know to get it to him. I just got to figure out how I want to word things.

[ She sighs, brow furrowing in thought. ]

Maybe just start out... "This is Minka. I know I was supposed to come back, but one of those demon rifts opened up and spit green magic into my hand." [ And then to Korrin: ] That's a good start, isn't it? Straight to the point. No bullshit.

[Reaching out for the paper and charcoal, she nods.]

It's how I'd write it, to be honest. They don't have time to beat around the bush and neither do we.

[Her writing is fairly efficient, and she takes care to make it legible so that Minka's people won't have any cause for misunderstandings.]

[ Boy, Korrin isn't wrong. You don't waste the Carta's time, especially not the higher-ups'. ]

Okay. Okay, good.

[ She licks her lips and leans on the table a little as she watches Korrin. Though Minka can recognize the familiar symbols that make up the letters of several cities and roads, should she have to recreate them on paper, it'd look awful. When it comes to words you wouldn't find on a map, it just looks like scribbles to her. ]

And once you get that down, say that the Inquisition collects people with the green stuff in them and won't let me leave. Say they watch me all the time, otherwise he'll be mad I didn't run away and come back anyway. I can't tell the truth 'cause he won't care about me having to stay so I ain't in pain from it.

[Korrin frowns at that, but does as Minka says. She won't take away Minka's agency when she can't write it for herself. She huffs, shaking her head while continuing the letter.]

They sound like real assholes. I'm glad you have some distance from them.

Well, yeah, they're Carta.

[ Here in the Hanged Man she feels confident with saying that, where within the Inquisition's walls she feels... weird about it. Like someone fancy is going to call her into their office and question her about the Carta's dealings. Maybe they stole Inquisition goods or something; she doesn't know. Mainly it's just her blowing things out of proportion in her head. ]

I don't know how I feel yet about the distance. Like I get plenty of it when I'm on the road running messages. But I always got some place to come back to. It ain't much, but it's what I know. I don't know the Inquisition.

[ She runs her fingernail against a scratch in the table, a little self-conscious with admitting that. ]

At least I get to keep shit that I find, right? You said they'd let me do that. Back at base I never got to keep anything.

[Korrin nods, grinning as Minka's latched onto that particular detail.]

As long as it's not dangerous or something the Inquisition needs to research, yeah. No one's going to care if you find a shiny new crossbow and keep using it, for example. Though Varric might get a case of rivalry from wherever he is nowadays.

...and I know the new can be intimidating, but this could also be a good chance to expand those horizons a bit. The Inquisition won't last forever, at least if it does its job, but the contacts you'll gain might help you later.

Hey, do you want to learn how to write?

Don't know how to use one. [ She snorts. ] That rich guy probably doesn't get jealous of people like me.

[ That's just a simple fact. ]

Expand my horizons? [ She groans. ] But I like the size of my horizon. It's good where it is.

[ As to learning to read, she shakes her head no. ]

I ain't smart enough to memorize letters.

[Korrin shakes her head, her answer very prompt.]

Bullshit. I've met nobles as dumb as dirt and they still knew their letters. You're already sharper than those idiots, I bet you could learn if you took the time for it. Not that you have to do what I say, but it's something you can easily take the time to learn here.

[ Minka just stares at Korrin, squinting slightly like the words "You're already sharper" have no meaning to her. She's only roused from her suspicious gaze when their ales are set down before them and she takes a gulp. ]

You don't really know me yet. Trust me; I'm good at one thing: running letters and packages. So that's what I do.

[ It's why she's still alive. The Carta have no use for people who can't do something for them. ]

[Taking her own ale, Korrin pauses for a swig.]

Nothing wrong with any of that, but I stand by what I said. I think I'm a decent judge of character; if I wasn't, I wouldn't have lasted this long. Mercenary life isn't kind, either.

[ Huh. Well Minka still thinks Korrin's off the mark on this one, but she doesn't think she'll get anywhere arguing her point. Who wants to go into detail about how trash they are anyway? ]

So you kill people for money, right?

[ Being blunt when she knows she's safe is common for her. ]

[Not minding bluntness, Korrin makes a so-so gesture.]

I fight people for money. That can end in killing, but not always. If killing was the whole point, I'd be an assassin. And I'd make a terrible assassin, they're all about stealth and subtlety, and I have neither of those things.

Oh, right. Cuz you're tall.

[ Clearly. ]

So why do you fight them? What'd they do?

[Korrin shrugs, taking a swig.]

It depends. Sometimes, a caravan needs an escort and we're there to fight off bandits. Sometimes, a noble's stupid son is kidnapped, and we're hired to rescue him. Other times, we're asked to clear out monster-infested mines. You learn to expect all sorts of shit.

Huh. Sounds dangerous. But I guess you're used to it. Dangerous stuff happened in the Carta too, but I mostly stayed out of it.

[ Or ran away. ]

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