WHO: Bastien + Various WHAT: Business outside of Kirkwall WHEN: Mostly August WHERE: Hasmal, Antiva, Cumberland NOTES: If something isn't clear enough or we need to hash anything out OOC, hit me up.
[ It's probably part of the job description, where any incoming reply over the crystal from a div head requires they sound like they've had a long day, at any hour. Still, there's the tiniest ember of interest. Incorrigible optimism. ]
Be my guest, Lumière. Or, our guest.
[ How can you even tell it's a group chat over a hunk of quartz? Things we don't have to talk about. ]
[ On Byerly's end, there's an annoyed sigh (why in the Maker's name does Stark think that Bastien's name is "Lumiere," where did he ever get that from) but no commentary. But the annoyance can't last long, because Bastien wouldn't be saying that if he didn't have something really good. ]
[ If Lumiere translated, Bastien would be delighted (yes he is a light, thanks for noticing), but it doesn't, so the best he can do is take it in stride. ]
No, no, but they were here just two days ago. They escaped! They are going to be so smug about rescuing themselves, but they are alive.
[ Probably. He'd given up on the idea, himself, and fully expected to find confirmation they were dead before anything else. Hearing otherwise has made him a little giddy. But he sounds more measured, when he goes on. ]
They will be injured, though, judging by, uh— [ the state of the dungeon, the word of the other prisoners, the concept of interrogation ] —everything. They can't be moving quickly.
[ Both to reverse, mine for more information, but also—not wholly ready to feel optimistic, even after Bastien's tempered his joie de vivre, or whatever the Orlesian equivalent is. ]
What was the situation they escaped from, exactly?
The estate is between Hasmal and Tantervale, near a village called Preswike, on the the river—they are keeping prisoners in the basement, Monsieur le Provost.
[ Prisoners he left where he found them, because helping them wasn't on the itinerary, and getting into and out of the estate was enough trouble without a trail of ducklings for the exit. But now that he's clear and away and talking to people who might have taken the risk, there's a squiggle of guilt.
Double, given he did risk palming a jewel-encrusted little owl statue from the Vint's stash of plundered art. ]
They said Yseult and the Commander were being interrogated. It was—
[ bad. ]
If the griffons circle, they might be able to signal from the ground.
[ Things were a lot easier when Byerly didn't have the power to order the full contingent of Riftwatch's spies and saboteurs to go and extract those tortured bodies from the basement. When Yseult's cold practicality made those decisions in his place. He feels the slice of guilt across his heart, and closes his eyes, and dooms them.
Maker forgive me. ]
Don't let your friendship [ with Yseult, of course ] make you turn that offer down. I think others' skills are more applicable here now that you've done your part.
[ Not skeptical, per se, just, that'd save them a lot of work. Wherever he is, he drums his hands against a desk edge restlessly. Weird, how energising a little good news can be.
Instead of launching into pick up logistics, Tony asks, instead— ]
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no subject
[ It's probably part of the job description, where any incoming reply over the crystal from a div head requires they sound like they've had a long day, at any hour. Still, there's the tiniest ember of interest. Incorrigible optimism. ]
Be my guest, Lumière. Or, our guest.
[ How can you even tell it's a group chat over a hunk of quartz? Things we don't have to talk about. ]
no subject
Did you find them?
no subject
No, no, but they were here just two days ago. They escaped! They are going to be so smug about rescuing themselves, but they are alive.
[ Probably. He'd given up on the idea, himself, and fully expected to find confirmation they were dead before anything else. Hearing otherwise has made him a little giddy. But he sounds more measured, when he goes on. ]
They will be injured, though, judging by, uh— [ the state of the dungeon, the word of the other prisoners, the concept of interrogation ] —everything. They can't be moving quickly.
no subject
[ Both to reverse, mine for more information, but also—not wholly ready to feel optimistic, even after Bastien's tempered his joie de vivre, or whatever the Orlesian equivalent is. ]
What was the situation they escaped from, exactly?
no subject
[ By, meanwhile, allows himself to be affected a little by Bastien's Orlesian optimism. He lets out a breath, and says - ]
Give your exact location. I'll dispatch scouts there to begin searching - off the roads, I would assume, no doubt they'd be avoiding pursuers...
no subject
[ Prisoners he left where he found them, because helping them wasn't on the itinerary, and getting into and out of the estate was enough trouble without a trail of ducklings for the exit. But now that he's clear and away and talking to people who might have taken the risk, there's a squiggle of guilt.
Double, given he did risk palming a jewel-encrusted little owl statue from the Vint's stash of plundered art. ]
They said Yseult and the Commander were being interrogated. It was—
[ bad. ]
If the griffons circle, they might be able to signal from the ground.
no subject
[ A lot of collapsed bridges between there and Kirkwall. ]
We'll get Darras and friends in the air, make it look like we're monitoring enemy forces which—we are. You need an extraction?
no subject
Maker forgive me. ]
Don't let your friendship [ with Yseult, of course ] make you turn that offer down. I think others' skills are more applicable here now that you've done your part.
no subject
Tomorrow. Or the day after. I will look around Preswike first. If they needed help before they could travel, someone might be hiding them there.
no subject
[ Not skeptical, per se, just, that'd save them a lot of work. Wherever he is, he drums his hands against a desk edge restlessly. Weird, how energising a little good news can be.
Instead of launching into pick up logistics, Tony asks, instead— ]
How's it looking, out there?