Hot or Not

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa & Wysteria, walk-ins welcome
WHAT: Ranking the hotness of their coworkers
WHEN: Now, during mod-plot
WHERE: Orlais
NOTES: keepin' it light and spammy

[ Well, what else are ya supposed to do when scrubbing sigils off of walls? ]

I mean I guess he could be cute...if he changed his hair.

Comments

[exequy]

[ Kostos tips his chin at Miss Van Klerk, rather than ignoring her, because he's not a complete boor. ]

Kostos.

[ But that's the extent of it, before he's stepping closer to Athessa to say, ]

Did you have the map last? We need—what are you laughing about?

[sulahnan]

Nothing, just remembering something.

[ She steps back from the wall and half-turns towards him, holding her suds-and-diluted-blood soaked hands away so as not to drip anywhere that matters. ]

Map's in my pocket.

[sarcophage]

Leander, [by way of introduction.

He then knocks his knuckles against Kostos's upper arm to stir him out of whatever argument he's thinking of having, jerks his head, Let's go.]

Well, we'd best be getting on. Ladies, enjoy your work. A pleasure to meet you, Miss van Klerk.

[heirring]

[Kostos Averesch is going to go digging around through Athessa's pockets, so in reply Wysteria clears her throat loudly and makes every effort to ignore that the two of then exist in favor of valiantly interceding - metaphorically closing ranks between the three of them - so that Maud might avoid being scandalized.]

Before you do, perhaps you might do us the favor of taking a look at a few of the runes I took the liberty of copying down before we started washing them away. My notes are here somewhere. There were a number I didn't recognize—

[exequy]

[ Kostos looks at Leander first, when his knuckles knock. The absence of irritation at being told what to do counts, from him, as outright friendliness. He even nods at the silent instruction. But he also holds up a one moment finger, and then yes, definitely digging around through Athessa's pockets, including one or two that clearly and obviously could not contain a map. ]

[radicans]

[ Maud does raise a brow at Athessa as her intention becomes clear and then at Kostos as he follows it through, before turning back to Wysteria and Leander and the subject of her notes, which are here somewhere. Deadpan, she suggests: ]

Perhaps in a pocket?

[sulahnan]

[ She either doesn't notice or simply doesn't acknowledge Wysteria clearing her throat or Maud's deadpan quip, too busy succeeding. And directing something of an inside-joke (more of a reference than a joke) to her good buddy. ]

How are you today, Kostos?

[sarcophage]

[Leander has dutifully spread the usual polite veneer over his impatience—]

He's busy.

[—albeit a little translucently.

To Wysteria,]

Thank you, I'd be pleased to examine your observations—at the end of the day, let's say, in case you encounter any more. We really ought to be moving along.

[heirring]

[Maud's crack warrants an alarmed sidelong look. The rest—]

Athessa, [she says without looking around to the pair in question] I believe Enchanter Leander is waiting on your friend.

[exequy]

[ At Leander's he's busy, Kostos tips his head at Athessa a little bit, because it's true. But she's also getting a smile. The first one? Maybe? Thanks for helping him irritate Wysteria, says the smile, and maybe also nice ass. He finds the map (in the first pocket he would have checked if he were being reasonable) and holds it aloft, shoulder-height, in case anyone doubted it existed.

The smile is gone when he turns around to follow Leander off to wherever, but there's a smug little hint that it once existed. ]

Enjoy your scrubbing.

[radicans]

[ Maud may redden faintly at Wysteria's look, but out in the sun as they are it's difficult to say for sure. She does nod rather primly to Leander and wish him ] A pleasant afternoon, Enchanter.

[ When both men have gone she looks from Wysteria to Athessa and back in anticipation of comment. ]

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa has the presence of mind to keep her silly, surprised grin at seeing Kostos smile facing the wall, even if she can't push through the shock enough to keep scrubbing until she feels Maud's gaze on her.

She looks at Maud, raising her eyebrows. ]

I believe the question was about Wysteria's criteria for eligibility, wasn't it?

[heirring]

[Yes, but consider—]

He really is dreadful, Athessa. Though I suppose we should all be thankful that you have distracted him from the rest of us.

[radicans]

[ Maud has looked away to Wysteria and now slides her gaze to the bucket, crouching to rinse her brush. ]

This is just the sort of thing Tantervale matrons believe goes on in Riftwatch.

[sulahnan]

[ Well that's not what she expected to hear. Rather than address Wysteria's comment, she looks at Maud. ]

What the fuck does that mean?

[heirring]

It means [Wysteria translates slash opines] Tantervale believes we are all debasing ourselves on the Gallows island, never mind whatever other outrageous rumors there might be about the nature of our work.

Which is something of a problem for some of us who might eventually need to rely on our reputations, by the way.

[radicans]

Yes, exactly. [ Maud confirms, with a slight grateful look toward Wysteria. ] There's a great deal of concern that anyone associated with Riftwatch will be made party to "licentious anarchy," I believe was a popular phrase.

[sulahnan]

Okay...well, first of all — [ To Wysteria: ] He's my friend, dreadful or not, and second — [ To the wall as she keeps scrubbing: ] Why do we care what Tantervale thinks?

[radicans]

I live there. [ Maud replies, after a moment of distinct hesitation. Brush now properly wetted and soaped, she returns to scrubbing without a second look at either of them. ] And presumably will have to return one day. But you may care because you will hear similar elsewhere in the Marches.

[heirring]

And some of us - regardless of their association with Tantervale - might prefer their reputation not to be colored with such nonsense, given we have very little choice in the matter of being part of Riftwatch's ranks.

[Wysteria raises her left hand which is presumably the one with the anchor in it, although it is difficult to say for certain given the work gloves she's wearing, and waggles her fingers for emphasis. Never mind the whole Rifter thing; this at least is something she and Maud have in common.]

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa looks between these two prudes. ]

For clarification, are you saying that I'm coloring your reputations? Or just that they're being colored in general?

[ She's hardly the Face of Riftwatch, or acting like this as a Representative, or in actual public, where anyone other than peasants and farmers and others within Riftwatch can see. ]

[radicans]

[ Maud turns over her shoulder to glance at Wysteria's raised hand, then back to her scrubbing, hand clenched and flexed. ]

They are being colored. I'm just surprised it's not more of a concern.

[heirring]

[Wysteria dunks her brush into the bucket, flicks the excess water from its bristles, and finds a point at which to resume scrubbing.]

Unfortunately, I would estimate that a significant number of our members lack a certain sense of accountability for how the world sees us.

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa rolls her eyes, but refrains from saying anything further, considering her only dialogue option is: "Well, the Chantry hasn't shown much accountability for how the world sees elves or mages, either." ]

[radicans]

[ Maud continues scrubbing in silence, content in the knowledge that Wysteria is bound to say something. ]