Who'd win in a fight? Outta everyone.

Good morning, Riftwatch.

[Barrow is all business, perhaps in an effort to bulldoze through what’s otherwise an uncomfortable topic:]

Just wanted to give you all fair warning that I’ll be out of commission for an… unknown duration of time— short hopefully— as I work my way off lyrium.

If you have need of anything to do with the training yard or the siege weaponry, you can speak to Jayce Talis in my stead. And I suppose if… you have any logistical questions, you can ask the head healer, Stephen Strange.

[he falls silent a moment, awkwardly unsure if more needs saying, then:]

Um. That’s all.

Who here is bravest?

An inane question, I'm sure, but I have been wondering...[ What a great introduction, superbly strong start. Let's move on. ] Tell me your hobbies - or even one hobby of yours, which isn't reading or sparring.

I can start. I used to knit, and I find myself missing the activity.

(Just to switch things over and away from all these (albeit, important) thoughts of death—)

What is something lovely that has happened to you lately?

Or at least something very interesting?

[ It would be wiser to limit this complaint to those it's relevant to—the handful of mages who might have been informed of this bargaining after the fact, specifically.

But Kostos isn't in Scouting anymore. Or Diplomacy. Or even Research. And so he's released from any expectation or obligation to be subtle and exercise discretion when he's spitting mad. Right? That's how that works?

Anyway. ]

The fucking pirates took our fucking shit.

[ Important specification: ]

Not Riftwatch's.

[ Also, ]

Shit.

Good day, Riftwatch. For those of you I've not had a chance to speak with at length, this is Siegfried Farnon. I've followed up with many of you following the attack, but I wanted to make clear that if any animals you interact with seem to be behaving unusually, I'd appreciate you contacting me. Eating more or less than usual, lethargy, seeming fear of things they formerly didn't fear. Anything at all. Mounts of all sorts especially. I'm doing my best to make the rounds regularly, but anyone an animal has bonded to may be quicker to notice something out of the ordinary that isn't blatantly obvious. And while we've dealt with the evident injuries, this sort of incident can have longer term effects sometimes, as I'm sure you all know when it comes to people.

On a less critical note, if anyone has a line on a reliable way to secure pipe tobacco these days, I would be deeply gratified to know your source.

(This isn't something Abby knows how to embellish or talk around, a blow she can't hope to soften. Her crystal clicks on; she breathes in first, a quick pull.)

Ellie's gone.

(That's all. She can't think of what else to say.

Clarisse must be close, because she leans in and adds,) I'll make sure the griffons and the stables are taken care of.

(She thinks about adding "for now" or "until we figure something else out" and then doesn't bother. Who cares, anyway.)