faderift | A man and his dog

FORM: Tacked onto the Bulletin Board & Over Sending Crystals
SENDER: Malcolm Reynolds
RECIPIENT: All
WHAT: Mal's look'n for work. And his Mabari.
WHEN: Current
WHERE: Skyhold
NOTES: Dog shenanigans

This is Captain Malcolm Reynolds of the Freighter Serenity and I'm look'n to find some work in and around Skyhold. You need somth'n found, somth'n lifted, somth'n delivered? I'm your man. Wanna wander around outside all casual-like for any reason and want a guard? I can do that too. Most any job that needs do'n I can see to long as I get paid.

...And I'm also look'n for a dog.

So here's the thing- I mighta misplaced somth'n that's liable to wander a li'l bit. Big, brown, kinda fat for a Mabari- answers to Jayne or Salaud depend'n on what he's after. If you got valuables that smell like food or herbs or whatnot I'd double check 'em as he's got a habit of digg'n around, gettin in what ain't his, and eat'n it. Don't be fooled. He ain't a starv'n waif, he gets fed plenty. You see him and he's in somth'n he shouldn't be? Whap him and he'll wander off. You see him and aren't all that inclined to give him a smack? Come find me. I'm the mighty tall fellow wander'n around with a long brown coat and a staff that ain't a mage. Point me in his direction and I'll get it all sorted.

[ On the Bulletin Board: ]

[ Will work for pay. No job too small. Contact Cpt. Malcolm Reynolds with inquiries.

Also: Dog Missing. Goes by Jayne. Contact Cpt. Reynolds if found. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Uh-huh. All kinsda unpleasant folk can be called 'just people'.

[ Man's got his attention though, he'd give him that. He flicks his pen dry on the inside of his shirt cuff (shirt, not coat, you don't treat good leather like that) and sits back to face him proper. Try to get his measure.

Somth'n about his face seemed mighty familiar but he couldn't put his thumb on it. ]

You want me t'make sure stuff don't get t'you. That right?

That's the gist of it.

[Varric shrugs, looking all the world like a man just having a casual conversation and not someone trying to dodge out on enough angry letters to crush a druffalo.]

Not indefinitely, of course, but I could use a vacation and, well, plausible deniability is worth it's weight in gold.

[Plausible Deniability was a favorite of Varric's. Hell, it was practically his middle name.]

Might come down on the couriers, if enough people are try'n and fail'n to get ahold of ya.

[ Honest folk don't rightly need to get caught up in dishonest dealings. He's not say'n no just yet- but it is something he wants to hear this fella's take on before he says yest.

He needs the coin. Can't get too judgey. ]

You gonna pay by letter burnt?

These aren't the sort of people who use the same courier twice. [Not if they could avoid it, and if they couldn't, they weren't so murderous that they'd skin a good messenger over Varric not answering. If anything, they were likelier to show up and try to skin him...

Which was an eventuality Varric didn't care to ponder for too long.]

And no, that would require I know how many you burned--that means ledgers and paper and all that business that will eventually result in someone showing up and reviewing it all with me.

How about we go by the day?

I'll keep you on retainer and, assuming I don't get assaulted by mail? Double down on payment. If I do get a letter or two from a particularly beligerant party, however, that day's bonus is off.

Agreeable?

Fair 'nuf. [ No one else is gonna get skinned over this except him and his client-

And when he hears 'retainer' that means 'money' and where else has he heard of a fast talking, savvy, monied dwarf on the surface with a habit of showing up in world changing places? ]

...Eh bien, je serai un oncle de singe- You're Varric Tethras. I knew I recognized your face, didn't rightly know where from.

[ Hauling his books across the coast, that's where. Damn if they weren't popular. ]

Throw in a signed copy of Hard in Hightown and you've got a deal. Got a member of my Crew that's a fan.

[Varric just laughs.]

I'm starting to see why my editor sent me a crate of them out here--got a name I should make it out to?

[He pauses briefly and, when he speaks again, it's with a shrewd note.]

You don't happen to be skilled at portrait painting, do you? I think I need a new one.

Kaylee. I'm a li'l sorry I won't get to hand it to her my own self, though I'm pretty sure we'll hear her squeal'n with joy all the way down here.

[ Ain't nobody he likes mak'n smile quite like his girl, or the girl that minds his girl. She takes care of Serenity and in turn, Mal tries to take care of her. Dotes on her a little, probably. Can't help but. ]

Well...I'm better at paint'n than I am at writ'n.

[ Brushes are different than pens and letters. ]

A man and his dog

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