10 January 2019 @ 06:47 pm
 
FORM: crystal
SENDER: Magni
RECIPIENT: everyone
WHAT: baby's first network post
WHEN: nowish
WHERE: currently travelling from Frostbacks to Kirkwall
NOTES: ayyyyyy


( A voice that has not been heard on the crystals before, and indeed, is not really heard all that often. One could be forgiven for thinking she's new, although she's been serving in Kirkwall a fair while. )

Rifters, what does the term English mean? Who are the Englishmen?
 
 
29 October 2018 @ 01:43 pm
FORM: Sending crystal
SENDER: Lexie
RECIPIENT: Ev-ery-one
WHAT: A very very very serious question
WHEN: Before Satinalia celebrations begin
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: just cluttering up the crystals with the important things


[ bright and airy as the best of autumn days: ]

Dearest compatriots!

The wind blows crisply through the trees, and the preparations for gift-giving and the masks and costumes filling the shops cannot have gone unnoticed. Satinalia approaches! Thus, I have come to charge you all with an important duty. If we are to have festivities at all—which we must, it is so very important to keep morale up in trying times—we must have a proper Ruler to preside over them. So! Who shall it be, this outrageous ridiculous individual least suited to the task of being such on all other days but this?

I shall not make my own feelings on the matter known, in the interest of not being overly influential, but I rather think we shall be coming to similar conclusions on who ought to be seated at the head of our feasting table.

Now discuss boisterously, with both reason and passion!
 
 
25 October 2018 @ 03:49 pm
FORM: Sending crystal
SENDER: Beleth
RECIPIENT: All hands on deck (everyone)
WHAT: It'd sure be handy if people could hide their anchor shards.
WHEN: Now
WHERE: Beleth is in the Gallows, but anyone can hear it
NOTES: This will probably be the start of trying to gain the upper hand on this anchor shard situation.


Hello, everyone. There have been several incidents now that have made it clear that there is a certain risk, in certain situations, of people openly possessing anchor shards. The least of which being that there are populations in Thedas that have a rather negative view of them.

The obvious solution is to simply wear gloves, but this method isn't guaranteed. It's chilly enough now, but it won't always be, and large groups of people all wearing gloves could become suspicious--particularly so if they all refuse to remove their gloves. Thus, we are going to need more methods to disguise the anchor shard that so many of our agents carry.

As this involves a large portion of the people in the Gallows, I thought that it would be prudent to pose this issue to everyone, so you can all offer your suggestions for possible solutions.

Additionally, I would like to ask for volunteers to test these methods on. [ She pauses for a moment, wondering if she needs to say it, then decides not to underestimate how paranoid some people can be. ] This will, as stated, be voluntary, and you will be made aware of what process is being tested, and what it will involve, and can back out at any point in time.

For instance, my first idea is to see if enough makeup can be applies to hide the shard, without making the hand look unnatural. If someone with an anchor shard would like to, I can arrange a meeting for us to test this.

All methods used and their results will, of course, be written down and filed for future reference.
 
 
09 August 2018 @ 10:07 pm
004.  
FORM: crystal
SENDER: Helena
RECIPIENT: anyway
WHAT: :( family :(
WHEN: more after tevinter escapes, probably
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: content warning for reference to past cult involvement, violence and murder, also mutilation and child abuse have come up in some threads although I'm going to try and mark those as appropriate.


I miss my niece. She is... tiny angel, Kira. I am glad she is not here, for her, and the brother-sestra and mother who would be missing here if she was away, but I wish she was here for Sarah.

( A pause, and— )
And me, also. She sees always the good, I think.

Who... Rifters, if you could be wishing for people to be here, who would you choose?
 
 
28 July 2018 @ 08:24 pm
FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Kostos
RECIPIENT: Everybody
WHAT: Nothing remotely inflammatory
WHEN: Time is a manmade construct and I refuse to be bound by it
NOTES: Context.


The next time any of us— [ That isn't an all-inclusive us; he means, specifically, mages and rifters and maybe templars, but everyone can figure that out on their own. Or not. He doesn't care. ] —is in the position to make demands, I think we should make sure we have a say in which rifters go to which Circles. We could pick in turns. Like choosing teams.

[ That's all. ]
 
 
FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Thranduil and Adalia
RECIPIENT: Errybody
WHAT: You don't get a phylactery! And you don't get a phylactery!!!
WHEN: Timey wimey
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: Outcomes modpost! Adalia's blue, Thranduil is black.


the crystal feed opens up on a feminine voice clearing their throat.

Good afternoon, goodladies and goodsirs of the Inquisition. We hope this message finds you well; we are Adalia and Provost Thranduil, recently returned from Skyhold bearing news of the phylactery negotiations on behalf of the party of ourselves, Cosima Niehaus, Araceli Bonaventura y Castell, and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

To start with, Rifters may now rest easy on the question of mandatory phylacteries.


[ thranduil slides in. ]The only cases in which a Rifter will receive a phylactery on a permanent basis are much the same as those for which a mage would: support of Corypheus and his forces, committing a violent crime, or otherwise posing a sustained danger to the Inquisition.

back to adalia.

In addition, there is now the option for any Rifter concerned about their safety while on dangerous missions to have a phylactery made temporarily, so that should the worst come to pass, we may use the phylactery to locate them. This is voluntary, however, and not a requirement.

Happily, we have also made significant strides in our public perception — the Inquisition has agreed to support us as legal people, thereby using the weight of its power to fight for our access to the rights and privileges of all Thedosians. Moreover, the Chantry will make a public announcement in the coming weeks that Rifters are not demons, and we are free to convert as we please. The importance of these gains cannot be overstated, and we are very proud to have been able to deliver them to you.

In exchange for these gains, we have acquiesced to share with the Chantry our research into the nature of rifts and Rifters, as well as registers of those Rifters with magical abilities, and native magics considered unusual by the Chantry. Additionally, Rifters will henceforth be officially considered part and parcel with mages, and will share their fates when the question of Circles must be decided again. It is our desire that Rifters and mages may work together to abolish the Circles, and earn freedom for both groups.


Some of us, [ he says, ] especially the most recently arrived, may not have yet acclimated to the permanence of our situation. May this serve to remind you. Your comrades in the Inquisition are just that. Rifters have already died in the fight against Corypheus, and I am not so naive to think that there will not be more. We are here not until the end of this war but until the end of our lives, and it is time to recognize that although we have had the extraordinary privilege of the Inquisition's patronage, we owe more than just the closing of rifts to Thedas. This is now our home, and we must fight to protect it and its people as we would fight to protect where were born.

slowly, somewhat nervously, as though she’s been surprised by something —

These negotiations were hard-fought, and doggedly so, with steadfast dedication and an eye to the future of both the Inquisition and Rifters' collective wellbeing and successful integration into Thedas. Now, may we return our focus to Corypheus, and ending the threat he poses.

[ an afterthought: ] Those Rifters with questions and concerns are free to come to my office to discuss them.
 
 
22 June 2018 @ 11:24 am
FORM: sending crystal
SENDER: Jester
RECIPIENT: everyone with a crystal
WHAT: have you heard the good word?
WHEN: nowish
WHERE: the Gallows
NOTES: dick pics are always a possibility in this religion


Hello, crystal-people! My name is Jester and I am a tiefling and a cleric and a Rifter, so here I look like a qunari, which, if you don't know what a qunari is, I am really really tall and built like a brick shit house--

[Speaking to a crystal is weird. Jester is holding it up close to her mouth in case she is not easily heard through whatever crystals are made out of. Her voice (accented, something like Eastern European) comes through loud. All the more so because she is feeling a lot of emotion right now.]

And there are a lot of people talking about gods and religion and stuff, yeah--so I just wanted you all to know that if you do not have a god that talks to you, you can totally, totally worship the Traveler. Because he is a super-awesome god, and he will definitely answer you if you need him to answer you, like not always, sometimes he is probably busy or something, with god stuff, I guess, I don't know--but he will teach you cool tricks and tell you all kinds of new things! And he is very handsome, and he has a cool voice that you will get to hear too.

Because I just heard that people here do not have a god that talks to them and I think that is really sad, because the Traveler was really nice to me when I was lonely. And nobody should feel like they are really lonely, and if you do feel like that, and you don't want a new god, that's okay, but I will be your friend anyways.

And I have pamphlets that I can give you. About the Traveler. If you want to learn more, but you don't have to, okay?

Okay! And you can reply to this message. Okay, bye-eeee!
 
 
07 June 2018 @ 10:40 pm
FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Maedhros
RECIPIENT: All Crystal carriers.
WHAT: To catch a thief?
WHEN: Post-Tourney
WHERE: Hightown
NOTES: A Fëanorian trying to play by the rules. It's almost laughable.


I have an inquiry that needs swift response...

(Maedhros is seated on the back of Rúnya, holding his Crystal with one hand and...a person...with the other. A very disgruntled person, who is trying to plead his case. Enjoy his babbling - like an undercurrent to Maedhros's words.)

Where am I to leave a thief?

(He lifts the mugger as if he weighs no more than a puppy. The man in his hold blanches of color, eyes shifting nervously.)

I can think of several punishments for him, but -

(His voice lowers to a growl and the man falls abruptly silent. Yes, that is a smart move.)

I haven't any wish to do something illegal.
 
 
31 May 2018 @ 01:21 am
FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Kostos & Nell
RECIPIENT: Crystal owners in or near Wycome
WHAT: Questions
WHEN: The night before the Grand Melee
NOTES: cries about our lack of texting


I lost a bet. [ Just getting that out of the way now, before anyone thinks that he actually wants to be talking to any of you. ] I have to ask you these survey questions. You will not be able to remember them all, so answer whichever you have something interesting to say about.

[ And you know what's really fun to listen to? Nearly twenty questions read off a sheet of paper, rotely and with barely any inflection, by someone whose combination of Nevarran and Orlesian accent gets more difficult to understand the more annoyed he is. ]

One. The weirdest thing you've eaten here.

Two. The most successful quote, international relation, end quote.

Three. The most impressive thing you've seen. —that is horrifically broad, Nell.


[ From some distance away: ] Your mother is horrifically broad.

Maybe.

Four, the strangest banner or coat of arms or nickname. From a competitor, I assume.

Five, the best one of those things.

Six, the most entertaining failure. From a competitor, I assume again.

Seven. Who do you think will win the Grand Melee, and how much are you willing to wage on it? If it is more than ten sovereigns, please let me know.

Eight. The most drinks you've had in one night this week.

Nine. The Inquisition member most likely to get married here and leave the Inquisition forever.

Ten. Best prize.

Eleven. Best facial hair.

Twelve. The competitor you would prefer to swap bodies with for a—this is stupid.


[ Still over his shoulder somewhere: ] For a day! Come on!

A stupid day. Thirteen, the event you wish had been included.

Fourteen, your best guess as to what made the animals so sticky.

Fifteen. The nation here you would most like to party with.

Sixteen. The nation here most likely to be cheating.

Seventeen. Best muscles.

Eighteen. The event you would have won if it existed.

Nineteen, the combat event animal that likely had the cutest offspring waiting for it at ho—
[ Rapidly getting louder: ] Maker's tits, that is not on the list—! And wyverns aren't cute! [ There are sounds of a brief scuffle, and then it cuts off. ]
 
 
24 May 2018 @ 11:07 am
FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Wardens Bethany Hawke-Darton and Carver Hawke
RECIPIENT: The Inquisition
WHAT: The Hawke Twins have An Announcement
WHEN: Before the Great Tourney
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: Link to the relevant post



[The crystal turns on, and Bethany’s cheerful tones are not marked with anything but outright Glee.] Greetings, members of the Inquisition! You are not going to believe this, but the Wardens have some good news! Yes, I know, we’re all as shocked as you are but … we’re all so very excited!

[Except maybe Teren. However. Teren.]

We’re about to have babies!

[Wait, what?]

I mean, the Griffons are about to have babies!

[And lo and behold, Bethany’s not alone. Carver lets out a choked sound.]

Maker’s breath, lead with that next time. [Now that his heart rate’s going back down and he’s assured he’s not somehow going to be an uncle anytime soon:] But it’s true. There are two clutches. One’s out in a cliff-side near the sea, so it’s safe. But the other’s in one of the abandoned courtyards, not far from the griffons’ tower. Leave it be. Or else we don’t bloody want to hear it when one of the parents-to-be rips out one of your eyes for getting too close.


We’re completely serious, by the way. They will, in fact, rip your eyes out. [Bethany’s tone is firm, before she lets out a noise that most thirty-year old women wouldn’t think of making.] Can you believe it? Little griffon babies, flying all about again. They’re going to be Adorable.

[Beat.]

… and deadly. Dear Maker please do not pick them up unless you’ve had lessons from the Griffon Riders first, please please please.

[Another beat.]

Oh and guard your ham for the next few months!

Guard your bloody everything for the next few months. Luckily, the other griffons are fine. Just avoid the budding parents and their nests. If anyone wants to know which particular courtyard to avoid, we’ll let you know. [And now for something rare: Carver’s tone lightens up a tad as he continues.] That all being said, we’ve got at least ten griffon...lings? What even is a baby griffon called? Anyway, the hatchlings will need names, and judging by the names of the current generation, Wardens shouldn’t be left to name anything.

I … think they are called hatchlings? I’m not sure. Perhaps we get to call them whatever we like since they haven’t been around for four hundred or so years. [A clearing of her throat.] With that said, we are open to suggestions for the names of our newest brood. Just nothing … really offensive. No curse words, please. Or anyone who has committed mass genocide, that would be lovely.

Pretty sure they have a name in place already, given that they were around for quite a long time. [Buuuut that’s not really all that important.] And if anyone tries to give them any stupid baby names again I’m coming into your home and throwing you out the nearest window. That trend dies with the first generation.

[He’s got feelings about it okay.]

Right. I think that’s all. You all know what’s happening, you’ve been warned, and that’s all we needed to do. Any questions you might have, we’ll do our best to answer. [A pause.] And to those who worked with Bethany and I and helped find those nests? Thanks. I’m sure the griffons appreciate it, too. Especially Button and Flea.

Oh yes, thank you so much, Myr and Alex! You really were lifesavers, the both of you. Please come by anytime that you like to visit. [Bethany adds in, before adding happily.] Have a marvelous day, everyone! We look forward to seeing what names you all come up with.