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[Appearing in his post box (if he managed to get one assigned before they were destroyed, and it by some miracle managed to survive the abomination), or with other mail destined for him, or simply slipped under the door of whatever room he might be call his own, is a cream colored envelope with a simple pale pink seal. The paper inside is rather fine, and the handwriting exceptional. It reads—]
Warden,
I am writing to extend my unalloyed best wishes for the fall season to you and yours, and to cordially issue an invitation to join myself and a few other select members of Riftwatch for an evening of dinner, dancing, and entertainment at the close of Kingsway.
This event has been arranged as a means to raise funds for the benefit of Riftwatch. Though a member of the Research Division and acting Assistant to the Seneschal, I have organized this benefit purely independently in the hopes of soliciting the good will of individuals who may, for whatever reason, typically not feel disposed to offer contributions to the organization. Nonetheless, I would be most grateful for your participation and engagement in this endeavor; indeed, your presence is vital to the evening's success.
If you are bold enough to accept this invitation, you will be rewarded handsomely with an excellent meal and very fine company shared in the setting of one of Kirkwall's finest estates, and will be required to perform no work more taxing than pleasant conversation (to whatever degree you find most appealing).
Please respond at your earliest convenience. Festivities will begin promptly at sundown on the selected date. All guests are encouraged to dress to their best advantage.
With Thanks,
Miss Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
Assistant to the Seneschal
Project Felandaris
P.S. I believe we may have a mutual friend.
[That's fine. He won't be required to write.]
Warden,
Excellent! If you would please provide me with a very short biography for yourself, I will note you down for the evening accordingly.
As for the mutual friend, I speak of Mr. Ellis.
Warm Regards,
Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
Project Felendaris
Assistant to the Seneschal
[ The reply comes at slight delay. It's a bit more cleanly-written: ]
Miss Poppell,
Bit rusty on my biographies. It cheating to ask to see yours?
Call it a trade: We can both work in how we know Ellis.
- Vance,
[ he can be forgiven for assuming she doesn't run in ginsberg's old crowd ]
Miss Poppell,
Bit rusty on my biographies. It cheating to ask to see yours?
Call it a trade: We can both work in how we know Ellis.
- Vance,
[ he can be forgiven for assuming she doesn't run in ginsberg's old crowd ]
Edited (Phonetags) 2020-09-03 06:37 (UTC)
Warden,
As you have agreed to be so helpful, I could hardly refuse the opportunity to return the favor. Were I to provide a biography for myself, I might pen the following:
'Miss Wysteria Poppell, late of Imperial Kalvad and presently known as a Rifter in Thedas, is a longtime member of Riftwatch's Research Division. Her focus of study is primarily on the subject of Rift Research. In her leisure time, she enjoys competitive croquet and archery.'
Mr. Ellis assists myself and Misters Stark and Fitz in our field work. Apologies for not integrating that more cleverly.
Best Wishes,
Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
Project Felandaris
Assistant to the Seneschal
As you have agreed to be so helpful, I could hardly refuse the opportunity to return the favor. Were I to provide a biography for myself, I might pen the following:
'Miss Wysteria Poppell, late of Imperial Kalvad and presently known as a Rifter in Thedas, is a longtime member of Riftwatch's Research Division. Her focus of study is primarily on the subject of Rift Research. In her leisure time, she enjoys competitive croquet and archery.'
Mr. Ellis assists myself and Misters Stark and Fitz in our field work. Apologies for not integrating that more cleverly.
Best Wishes,
Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
Project Felandaris
Assistant to the Seneschal
Miss Poppell,
Seems plenty clever to be clear, for all I know he took up croquet. Ellis and I were in the Anderfels a while. You should ask him about it.
Go ahead and change this any way you want:
'Vance of House Digiorno left Orzammar ten years ago, to join the Grey Wardens. He specializes in mapping and underground tracking. In his off-hours, he enjoys boxing, fine wine, and philosophical discussions.'
What are you studying with these Rifts? There anything like them in Kalvad?
- Vance
Seems plenty clever to be clear, for all I know he took up croquet. Ellis and I were in the Anderfels a while. You should ask him about it.
Go ahead and change this any way you want:
'Vance of House Digiorno left Orzammar ten years ago, to join the Grey Wardens. He specializes in mapping and underground tracking. In his off-hours, he enjoys boxing, fine wine, and philosophical discussions.'
What are you studying with these Rifts? There anything like them in Kalvad?
- Vance
Warden Digiorno,
How fantastic a coincidence! We were only just the other day discussing the Anderfels and the Wardens there; I will make a point of pressing Mr. Ellis for the relevant details.
As to the question of our research, myself and Misters Stark and Fitz aim to quantify Rifts and their connection to the Fade, and to the anchor shards many individuals within Riftwatch and abroad possess, in addition to exploring the similarities between Rifters, their worlds, and Thedas. The former endeavor assists in pinpointing how and where the Veil is weakened, and may be used to help anticipate where a Rift is likely to open so areas might be evacuated and the weakness safely dealt with before any harm comes to pass, et cetera et cetera. The latter - the question of Rifters and their worlds - is to gain a greater understanding of how things are pulled through the Fade and made manifest through the Rift in the hopes that it might somehow be controlled. People are hardly the only things to fall from Rifts, and it is my hope (if it is not too heretical to suggest) is that with time we might learn how to draw other things through which might aid the war effort.
There is nothing similar to a Rift in Kalvad, however the concept of the Fade is not entirely foreign to me and indeed seems to be familiar in theory to many Rifters. If you are curious, I will happily send along copies of a recent survey we conducted which covers these concepts.
Thank you also for your most excellent self summary. I cannot claim any proclivities toward physical exertion, but should you ever find yourself in need of a sparring partner for your seconds and third points then I would be most happy to oblige you.
Regards,
Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
Assistant to the Seneschal
How fantastic a coincidence! We were only just the other day discussing the Anderfels and the Wardens there; I will make a point of pressing Mr. Ellis for the relevant details.
As to the question of our research, myself and Misters Stark and Fitz aim to quantify Rifts and their connection to the Fade, and to the anchor shards many individuals within Riftwatch and abroad possess, in addition to exploring the similarities between Rifters, their worlds, and Thedas. The former endeavor assists in pinpointing how and where the Veil is weakened, and may be used to help anticipate where a Rift is likely to open so areas might be evacuated and the weakness safely dealt with before any harm comes to pass, et cetera et cetera. The latter - the question of Rifters and their worlds - is to gain a greater understanding of how things are pulled through the Fade and made manifest through the Rift in the hopes that it might somehow be controlled. People are hardly the only things to fall from Rifts, and it is my hope (if it is not too heretical to suggest) is that with time we might learn how to draw other things through which might aid the war effort.
There is nothing similar to a Rift in Kalvad, however the concept of the Fade is not entirely foreign to me and indeed seems to be familiar in theory to many Rifters. If you are curious, I will happily send along copies of a recent survey we conducted which covers these concepts.
Thank you also for your most excellent self summary. I cannot claim any proclivities toward physical exertion, but should you ever find yourself in need of a sparring partner for your seconds and third points then I would be most happy to oblige you.
Regards,
Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
Assistant to the Seneschal
Miss Poppell,
Your heresy's safe with me, we don't really do all that. Think even now, half of Orzammar's just humouring talk of the Fade. But it sounds like a smart idea. Wonder what it looks like on the other side -- be a sad day to snatch someone's lunch.
You need any help setting up? Maybe we can talk your survey then.
- Vance
Warden Digiorno,
Happily, there has been some suggestion that it would be a matter of replicating the lunch rather than making away with it in its entirely.
Your gracious offer of assistance is most welcome. I doubt there will be too much work to do, but can hardly bring myself to refuse the offer of an able pair of hands. I will be in contact once we wander closer to the date in question.
Warmest Regards,
Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
&tc.
Happily, there has been some suggestion that it would be a matter of replicating the lunch rather than making away with it in its entirely.
Your gracious offer of assistance is most welcome. I doubt there will be too much work to do, but can hardly bring myself to refuse the offer of an able pair of hands. I will be in contact once we wander closer to the date in question.
Warmest Regards,
Wysteria A. Poppell
Research Division
&tc.
[ Handwritten note shoved under Vance's doorway in the wee hours of the morning— ]
Mhavos Dalat is assembling some information to pass to Rifters, to help them familiarize themselves with Thedas after they've arrived. I volunteered to explain some aspects of the Blight.
If you have anything you care to add, mark it down here and I'll include it when I copy this draft over to give to him.
Mhavos Dalat is assembling some information to pass to Rifters, to help them familiarize themselves with Thedas after they've arrived. I volunteered to explain some aspects of the Blight.
If you have anything you care to add, mark it down here and I'll include it when I copy this draft over to give to him.
There is a fair amount of opinion around what a Blight is. For your purposes, a Blight occurs when creatures called darkspawn rally in great numbers around an archdemon and rise to the surface with the intent of destroying whatever they come across. This has come to pass five times in recorded history, and hopefully shall not come again in your lifetime.
What you should concern yourself with are darkspawn, which are capable of tunneling to the surface and spreading disease and death as they travel. They are capable of breaking through to surface in smaller groups, though the threat of their presence should not be underestimated because they have not brought an army with them. You are likely to come across them in your time with Riftwatch. The wisest thing you can do if you come across darkspawn is run in the opposite direction, as attempting to fight one can either be your death at the end of their weapons or death from the taint, which spreads from contact with their blood. There is no cure for the taint, so please do not take the danger lightly.
[ Second draft, slide under doorway late evening— ]
There is a fair amount of opinion around what a Blight is. For your purposes, a Blight occurs when creatures called darkspawn rally in great numbers around an archdemon and rise to the surface with the intent of destroying whatever they come across. An archdemon is an Old God, manifested in the form of a dragon. They do not accompany the darkspawn to the surface, but direct the hoards from deep below the surface. A Blight cannot end until the archdemon has been killed.
This has come to pass five times in recorded history, and hopefully shall not come again in your lifetime.
What you should concern yourself with are darkspawn, which are capable of tunneling to the surface and spreading disease and death as they travel. They are twisted figures, most stand upright on two legs and all ooze black from their eyes and mouth, and will bleed black if you manage to cut them. They are capable of breaking through to surface in smaller groups, though the threat of their presence should not be underestimated because they have not brought an army with them. You are likely to come across them in your time with Riftwatch. The wisest thing you can do if you come across darkspawn is run in the opposite direction, as attempting to fight one can either be your death at the end of their weapons or death from the taint, which spreads from contact with their blood. There is no cure for the taint, so please do not take the danger lightly.
[ a further note, scribbled along the bottom of the parchment: What are your suggestions as to what they should do if they can't run?
[ third draft, slid under the door in the wee hours again. ]
There is a fair amount of opinion around what a Blight is. For your purposes, a Blight occurs when creatures called darkspawn rally in great numbers around an archdemon and rise to the surface with the intent of destroying whatever they come across. An archdemon is an Old God, manifested in the form of a dragon. They do not accompany the darkspawn to the surface, but direct the hoards from deep below the surface. A Blight cannot end until the archdemon has been killed.
This has come to pass five times in recorded history, and hopefully shall not come again in your lifetime.
What you should concern yourself with are darkspawn, which are capable of tunneling to the surface and spreading disease and death as they travel. They are twisted figures, most stand upright on two legs and all ooze black from their eyes and mouth, and will bleed black if you manage to cut them. They are capable of breaking through to surface in smaller groups, though the threat of their presence should not be underestimated because they have not brought an army with them. You are likely to come across them in your time with Riftwatch. The wisest thing you can do if you come across darkspawn is run in the opposite direction, as attempting to fight one can either be your death at the end of their weapons or death from the taint, which spreads from contact with their blood. If you must fight them, stay ranged if you are able. Keep your mouth and nose covered, and aim for their heads. Shout warnings. It's likely there are more in the walls or beneath your feet, tunneling their way out. Take your first opportunity to extricate yourself. Do not deliberately engage darkspawn without a Grey Warden on hand to take point. After the danger is passed, the bodies of darkspawn and their victims must be burned to prevent spread of the taint.
There is no cure for the taint, so please do not take the danger lightly.
[ scratched at the bottom: anything else you can think of? ]
Not to be gouache, but- did you know about the auction?
I am writing to — blah blah —
[ As though reading off a card: ]
Cordially issue an invitation — etcetera —
[ He doesn't attempt Wysteria's voice, but something of the cadence remains. ]
For an evening of dinner, dancing, and entertainment. This event has been arranged as a means to raise funds for the benefit of Riftwatch.
[ As though reading off a card: ]
Cordially issue an invitation — etcetera —
[ He doesn't attempt Wysteria's voice, but something of the cadence remains. ]
For an evening of dinner, dancing, and entertainment. This event has been arranged as a means to raise funds for the benefit of Riftwatch.
Ugh. Did she ask you to invite me?
I ask only so I can know how... annoyed I'm supposed to be, not to accuse you.
[Anymore.]
I ask only so I can know how... annoyed I'm supposed to be, not to accuse you.
[Anymore.]
I'm find. Annoyed, but... she must not have known what she was doing, or she'd have invited more elves.
But thank you for asking. I hope you made it through similarly unscathed.
But thank you for asking. I hope you made it through similarly unscathed.
Ice? What happened?
[With the tone of someone rubbing their temples,] Why ever would someone tell a human such a thing.
[With the tone of someone rubbing their temples,] Why ever would someone tell a human such a thing.
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