[closed] a modest proposal

[katabasis]

WHO: Flint, Silver, Yseult & Thranduil
WHAT: Just a couple of reasonable people discussing a couple reasonable things.
WHEN: Early Justinian
WHERE: The Central Tower
NOTES: N/A, will add if necessary

Another warm day. Another meeting brokered with a selection of Riftwatch's division heads. Another hour promised to be spent overlooking the great ironwood table with it's prodigious canvas map and scattered markers. If he would have preferred a different room - some quiet internal office kept cool by merit of the density of stone between it and the weather, with no reminders for anyone at all regarding the length to which his patience does or does not extend -, it's irrelevant now that they're here.

And today, he is better equipped. And the business on the table is a different breed entirely. And, should all go well, they will need the map.

"There is no doubt in my mind that you are both more acutely aware of the situation in Nevarra and its delicacy than either myself or Mr Silver. With that said and understood, I would propose to you a method with which we might stabilize the conflict brewing there and earn ourselves an ally against Corypheus."

Simple.

Comments

[hassaran]

If Yseult is thinking about the last time they were here, she doesn't show it. Coupe isn't present today and Thranduil doesn't seem the type (one wonders how he manages the liability of all that hair if necessity intervenes). It's the map that appears to occupy her attention, the Pentaghast and Van Markham-colored markers spread across it.

The map and, of course, Flint and Silver. Her gesture is loose-wristed, a hand curved through the air in invitation. By all means, it says, at odds with the careful way she watches them.

"Go on."

[katabasis]

So he does.

"Every day Nevarra stands aside and allows Corypheus' forces to run roughshod along its borders, to say nothing of over them, costs us. We lose leverage over what are unmistakably the easiest passages to the North. We lose any hope of flanking the invasion force currently working its way into Orlais. As it stands, with the Pentaghasts and Van Markhams holding the country in deadlock, the absolute best outcome we can hope for would be the continued loss of valuable ground at untold risk to countless people who might otherwise be willing to take up our fight either from under the Divine's banner or alongside it."

He passes a look about the room, Silver at his elbow included. "Given what we know, I think we can all agree that outcome is hardly the most likely one. Left to its own devices, it's only a matter of time before Nevarra begins the process of cannibalizing itself. What happens then? Who and what do we lose to a nation's complacency for the rest of the world outside of it?

"So let us assume that they can be rescued. Were the conflict in Nevarra settled, we gain not only a valuable tactical foothold behind our enemy's line as it chews toward Montfort, but the force of a country whose men and women have already spent months being primed for a fight. Who might be swayed to aim outward instead of in. At the very least it gives us - Riftwatch and the dozen other organizations like it, the Inquisition, what's left of Orlais' forces - some room in which to maneuver. It seems obvious to me that for the time being, the best way forward in this fight is to not leave Nevarra to its own devices. The Inquisition may not have thought it could afford to be seen backing any particular claim to the crown, but this war can't afford not to. Meanwhile, Riftwatch is in the unique position of having the latitude to be bold while no one can yet guess what we're capable of. Delivering confirmation of Aurelia's collaboration with the Venatori into the hands of the Van Markhams could be the decisive action the situation in Nevarra requires."

[hornswoggle]

John, clean and freshly returned to his place alongside Flint, is watching Yseult and Thranduil as Flint speaks. He does not know them as well as he wishes. Knowing those adjacent to them does not necessarily give him an insight into how best to sway them one way or another if they do not take to Flint's proposition.

But it is helpful that there is a clear tactical advantage in this proposal. And John still believes there is less benefit to holding back now that they've separated themselves from the Inquisition. It seems a worthwhile risk, even if John's assessment centers so specifically on what is beneficial for Nascere before anything else.

"And we should consider that if we don't intervene, someone else very well might."

Someone. Corypheus. Venatori. Same thing.

"Approaching this instability on our own terms can stave off bigger troubles in the future."

[rowancrowned]

Thranduil’s opinion—based upon his on-the-record actions of the last few years—ought to make his stance predictable, this idea far more appetizing to him than it might have been even several months ago, and all of this even with his preference that they all be alive to fight this out after Corypheus is defeated.

But he and Yseult don’t have the luxury of taking a moment to discuss this, and they are relatively unaccustomed to one another, in comparison to, say, he and Coupe.

“The objections are obvious,” Thranduil says, once both Flint and Silver have spoken. “How far away from previous stances on meddling this is, what it may cost once the war is done—which is still an optimistic outcome, if this brings us there.”

[hassaran]

Yseult listens in blank-faced silence, as she does, watching Flint--with occasional glances at Thranduil and, least often, Silver--as he delivers his proposal. She waits for the rifter to speak first, though whether that is deference to his longer tenure in the leadership or simply information-gathering is up for debate.

"It would also further destabilize the existing regime," she points out, her tone mild as watered-down milk, "And place a young man of unknown ability on the throne. Would it not be more efficient to eliminate the Van Markham threat?"

[katabasis]

"We'd be handing Nevarra to a woman who has already let the Venatori cut off her own nose in exchange for the opportunity to secure her position. One which, it should be said, she failed to capitalize on."

If there is a pre-disposition in him towards temper - if at least two other people in this room have seen as much -, then there's no trace of it here. These are facts; there can be no harm in interrogating them.

"Our previous stance," --with a nod to Thranduil-- "Is all the more reason for why we must make an effort to intervene. We're not the Inquisition. We cannot throw numbers on a battlefield and trust the matter to balance. If we're to make a difference in this war, the stands we take cannot be relegated to trailing behind people powerful enough that their concern for what comes after trumps the demands of the present."

[hornswoggle]

Promising. No one has said no outright.

"And I doubt the Venatori will forget they were able to gain such leverage with her, even if we were to remove threats to her authority. Her failings will remain with or without challengers."

Failings that were dangerous to them. Failings that were dangerous to what they were still trying to accomplish, Inquisition or not.

[hassaran]

"Failings we can hold over her if we choose. Force her to work hard against Tevinter to refute. Or if it's too great a risk, then some other Pentaghast," Yseult suggests, with a somewhat dismissive flick of her wrist. There are so very many to choose from, surely there must be one that could serve.

"Ending the dynasty would mean more upheaval even if it did settle the immediate succession crisis for a few years." Her tone remains musing, neutral, even if her words suggest she leans against them. "A new king would likely want new generals and admirals, new advisors. I'm not aware of any intelligence in our possession on who they might be. We've little about the Van Markham claimant at all."

[katabasis]

That doesn't strike you as a problem?, he doesn't say. There are better ways to.

"We agree that it's a dangerous blindspot, which is precisely why we should be putting effort into gathering that intelligence now. Say we do nothing - we'll want to know who Van Markham has at their elbow regardless. Why wait to ask the questions when we could act now and might still have the time to use the answers?"

Reaching now, snatching after that one narrow handhold she's provided: "How would you do it? If you had need for it, how would you go about finding that information?"

It's ostensibly a question for the room, but his attention is on her. Lead on, Scoutmaster.

[hornswoggle]

Several objections come immediately to John's lips: Is that not untenable, to trust we can blackmail this woman into good behavior? Would it not be more secure to simply stack the deck when Van Markham ascends the throne?

But all of that culminates in a quiet, incredulous scoff rather than anything spoken aloud. His gaze moves to Flint, assessing his expression, and stays silent for the moment. There is no need to divert from the questions Flint poses. John can wait.

[hassaran]

"Our resources are limited," Yseult points out, though her tone suggests she hopes it is an unnecessary remark, "I don't disagree that intelligence on the Van Markhams is desirable, but we have been forced to prioritize."

And rather than head down that garden path, or allow opportunity for critique of just how those priorities have been ordered, she pivots: "What is your plan, precisely? You would hand the documents to the Van Markhams to use as they see fit?"

[katabasis]

Some line shifts in his face - a flicker of irritation for bait laid and subsequently untouched, or just some physical sign of his effort to pivot after her.

"We send a small retinue to put eyes on the Van Markhams and do some limited" --a pointed word choice-- "reconnaissance to confirm that their position and circumstances, of which we currently know next to nothing about, can be shored up and made tenable with the right aid. If so, then yes. In exchange for a commitment of men and arms, I would do precisely that."

[hornswoggle]

"If nothing else, there's value in having a clearer picture of what's happening in Nevarra."

Admittedly, John's consideration skews and stretches immediately beyond the matter at hand, towards the benefits of having such contacts.

"And you must admit, putting the documents into the Van Markham's possession is the cleanest way to approach such a thing. It gives us all some breathing room, should we decide it's better if our involvement stay quiet."

John's hands spread peaceably, allowing the implication to sit: Who need know we were involved at all?

[hassaran]

"I'm not opposed to a clearer picture," Yseult can concede that much easily; the specifics of resource allocation are easily raised at a later meeting, or better yet her own decision to make as she pleases. There are some benefits to this new independence.

"And once you've handed this information to the Van Markhams, you will simply," she spreads a hand, upturned and empty in gesture, "hope for gratitude?"

[katabasis]

"What guarantee do we have that Aurelia will march in the direction we prefer if she succeeds? That she will march at all? If the boy isn't aware of the danger that Nevarra is in, you can be certain everyone else in the room and the people themselves do. They won't tolerate inaction, and Van Markham may be easily persuaded that it's in his favor to commit."

Both of them - shots in the dark.

[hornswoggle]

John's wince is felt more than seen. It's a tremor that never passes across his face.

"When we pass this information to the Van Markhams, it will be after we've ingratiated ourselves to those surrounding him."

A clarification John feels is necessary to keep underscoring; this will not be a shot in the dark. They can't afford to simply hand off this information if nothing will come of it. John needs it to be understood that this is being factored in.

"Perhaps we never make this clear to Van Markham directly, but those around him will know. They'll be the ones to represent our cause favorably to him."

Whisper campaigns. John's favorite.

[hassaran]

"Aurelia will know that if she doesn't, we have proof of her crimes we can hand to her enemies," Yseult replies, attention remaining focused first on Flint. It's not a quick dismissal; she is listening, considering. She simply isn't convinced. "We have leverage over her if we need it, or to save for the future if we don't now. She already knows it, and knows we were the ones that freed her from that influence, kept her secret, and gave her a chance to save Perendale. And she will have the entire infrastructure of the kingdom and its armies already at hand and be able to mobilize more quickly, with less concern about needing to solidify a new dynasty first."

She glances aside to Thranduil, and then back to the pirates with a shake of her head. "I agree that we must focus more attention on Nevarra, but we would be better served by supporting the Pentaghasts."

[hornswoggle]

"We cannot hold this over her head forever," John says, straightening slightly. "It builds resentment. She will seek to neutralize our leverage. At best, this is a short term solution."

John is on the verge of asking, is there another Pentaghast in line? but refrains.

"There is an opportunity to begin on the right foot with Van Markham. Is that not worth exploring?"