closed | landsmeet!

[cozen]

WHO: Bastien, Benedict, Byerly, Gela, Josias, Tiffany
WHAT: Riftwatch goes to the Landsmeet and (hopefully) unmasks an aspiring Venatori king.
WHEN: Nowish
WHERE: Denerim
NOTES: OOC post! Starters/dividers will be in the comments after we discuss.

When anyone in Ferelden speaks of "going to the city," they inevitably mean Denerim. There is no other place in the kingdom which rivals it: Not in size, population, wealth, or importance. It is the seat of the Theirin family, the capital of Ferelden, the largest seaport, and, by ancient tradition, the meeting place of the Landsmeet—an annual council for which all the nobles of Ferelden gather, held for almost three thousand years except odd interruptions during Blights and invasions. The sight of a king asking for—and working to win—the support of "lesser" men is a source of constant wonder to foreign ambassadors.

Comments

[fairforce]

"Well," Tiffany repeats, "I'm afraid you've chosen the wrong person because I don't know how to accept a bribe."

She blows over the top of her coffee to cool it, even though its heat is its best quality. Spring is settling in, yes, but there is still a chill in the air, and their room at the Slack Sail is a little too large to be well-warmed by the two fireplaces posted at either end. This is a place of utility, and not the sort of place you're meant to laze about in.

"That's not exactly true," she says, after a beat and a sip of coffee. "Of course I know how, generally--you just open your hand when it's offered, and--take. That's not what I mean."

[bouchonne]

"It requires a bit of delicacy," Byerly agrees. "A convincing degree of oiliness. An ability to commit to the mutual lie. Not something that likely comes naturally to you, Lady Seeker."

He sinks back in his chair, and his posture turns casual, and his lips turn up in a wry little smile. But there's a sharp focus in his eyes. Curiosity.

"I'm surprised to hear him offer you a bribe, though. He seemed...a little too dull for that."

[fairforce]

"If I'm being honest, I thought the same at first, which is why I was so surprised."

Well. Not the only reason. Oiliness, the commitment to a lie: these are not strengths that Tiffany could boast of. Nor is she interested in cultivating them. She takes another sip of her coffee, relishing its warmth if not its taste.

"I genuinely thought I'd misheard him, and he was just showing me some talisman, so I reacted appropriately--oh, how lovely, where is it from, is it really enchanted, and so on. He wasn't keen on answering any direct questions but he was keen to repeat himself, which is when I realized what was actually happening and made some excuse. So I may have spoiled it entirely."

[bouchonne]

Byerly's lips quirk up a bit further. He seems genuinely amused. Oh, regretful, to be sure, as well - there's a slight exasperation under the surface - but, well, just as one does not scold the scorpion for stinging, one does not scold a Seeker for her forthright and honest heart.

"What were you discussing up to that point?"

[fairforce]

"I found him at the Chantry, as suggested. And I didn't mind the conversation at first. He was very dull to begin with, I know--but we started talking about the significance of each element of the service and he had some interesting things to say."

Which is likely of no surprise, and Tiffany gives a little wave of her hand to acknowledge this.

"Yes, I know. But it was all genuinely interesting. I very nearly liked him at that point. Only once you get him started, he likes to talk more than he likes to listen--which was honestly another surprise to me, as up until that point he'd had very little to say. We had breakfast together at a tavern along the way and--I think I was kind enough to him, and he took enough ale with his eggs besides--that eventually I got him talking about the Queen. He thinks we have more sway with her than I think we really do. Riftwatch, that is."

[bouchonne]

"Who wouldn't want to listen to us?" says Byerly, perfectly innocent.

Then - "Do you suppose this is why he tried to bribe you?"

[fairforce]

"Oh, yes. He was perfectly clear about that, once I'd worked out what it is he was doing. In my defense, it had grown rather loud in the tavern by that time, and Lord Aled isn't the loudest of speakers, even when he's found a topic he's passionate about."

She frowns, a little.

"How much of a study of the life of Andraste have you made, Ambassador?"

[bouchonne]

That question comes a little bit as a surprise. His smile fades a little bit in his curiosity, and he tilts his head very slightly to the side.

"I was educated in a Chantry school, so I had more opportunity than some; but I also cut most of my classes, so I likely have less knowledge than most. Assume ignorance."

[fairforce]

Tiffany's breath huffs through her nose, amused. She goes on, "It was a comment he made about Andraste. I thought it was strange at the time, and then I was distracted by the bribe and all, and nearly forgot--but I just remembered it again. He was talking about how much he liked Ferelden for its history and connection to Andraste. Her Great Promise. He put so much emphasis on it."

[bouchonne]

Byerly narrows his eyes and tilts his head slightly. "Great Promise," he repeats. He's not entirely certain whether that rings a bell, or whether he's thinking so hard about it that he's inventing some memory of it.

"I don't recall that particular term from the Chant."

wow sorry no one told me about this notif

[fairforce]

"I didn't either. I wonder if it's the sort of thing we could ask after--casually. If it's possible to ask after such a thing casually. The Great Promise."

She says it again, thoughtfully, as she coils a strand of her hair around one of her fingers. It's an idle gesture of thought and when she catches herself at it, she drops it, and moves briskly on.

"In any case. He only said it once, though with a great deal of significance. After that he moved on to complimenting Riftwatch and our powers of persuasion, particularly with the Queen. The amulet that he offered for his bribe--I think it was enchanted."