player plot: the walk-in

[sumptus]

WHO: Benedict, Bastien, Lazar, Caius
WHAT: Making Bene wear an elaborate disguise to recruit a Tevene defector
WHEN: Ferventis / Justinian
WHERE: Nessum
NOTES: Tbd.

The Tevene city of Nessum is a little like Kirkwall in the way that peacocks are a little like pigeons — structure, not aesthetic. A shimmering mirage on the edge of the Silent Planes, its hills roll green out of the desert and crash against a dizzying jut of rock that peaks at Andraste's gleaming crown. Like Kirkwall, its lowest levels host a warren of alleys and hovels giving way to markets and shops, taverns and townhouses, but instead of eau de fish guts and ocean damp, the cool breeze off the valley below brings in farm feed and summer grass, even in wartime. The markets may be barer than usual, the guard towers full, and the roads mudded with soldiers' boots, but this city isn't falling to rubble. In place of Hightown's crowning mansions, the ringed walls of these widening streets open to the glittering jewel of southern Tevinter — the Black Divine's Summer Palace.

And for some reason, some idiot in there wants to swap.

At least their contact's potential has been verified, if not his sanity. A young mage of no great rank, an academic of some esoteric discipline, but a Venatori collaborator, confirmed to be in a position to offer useful intelligence. Anything more, Riftwatch will have to learn for themselves.

The party where they're meant to do that is not being held in the Summer Palace, but in a residence near enough to it that the rich and influential can annually exert both in person, blessedly free from the burden of vows. That the Black Divine has been so recently and scandalously replaced hasn't escaped anyone in the city's notice, but it has if anything fueled the need for such a gathering — so that everyone who's anyone can display, publicly but not gauchely, how entirely fine they are with the new situation.

Comments

[altusimperius]

Fausta is a tall drink of water wearing an ornate hat that obscures most of her face, whose name is not Benedicta because one likes to think they're a little bit smarter than that,

and her gaze flits about the courtyard in search of anyone who might obviously match the description they've been given. It gives an impression of aloofness and disinterest in the overall proceedings, which will suit the Riftwatchers just fine.

[cozen]

With his face unpainted, Bastien has found other ways to lean shamelessly into Orlesian and bard. The cut of his clothes, the bright pattern of his shirt, the courtly affectation of his posture, the knife hilt just visible over the top of his boot, the lute strapped to his back. The figure people imagine.

He hovers near Fausta with less protective attachment than Lazar exhibits—exhibited, before chivalrously abandoning her. Equally hired help, less equally responsible for her wellbeing. He faces the talkative gentleman in the ornate hat, looking half interested, but his attention is on the waitstaff beyond him, calculating. A tray of drinks spilled down Fausta's front might get them both through the servant's entrance, under the guise of needing to clean up somewhere private, but a commotion and a stain would both draw more attention than they want.

"Fascinant, no?" he says quietly to Fausta in the meantime, tilting his head toward the talker with the hands and meaning, pretend to be fascinated.

[sumptus]

"Oh, you dear heart, I don't know where that footman could have gone to."

Into Lazar's waiting arms go the pillows, "Honestly, any decent person would have a mote of consideration for my darling Vicki Yoo's comfort, and after she was so ill in the carriage," —And she deposits the dog atop them as well.

Beady little eyes stare up at Lazar from a dish flat face. Despite her presumably petite lungs and stunted airways, Vicki Yoo draws in a deep breath, freezes like she's subsequently forgotten what breathing is, and belches stupendously. It doesn't smell great!



"— all down his beard, can you imagine the insult!" The large triangle of spiked fabric atop hat-man's head bobs with enthusiasm, but perhaps more importantly, so do the panels of his long jacket, where the golden edge of an invitation or two glimmers in one pocket.

The others he's trapped — a pair of youths not quite confident enough to interrupt their own torture — make ample room for the newcomers the way one assumes prisoners do at the stocks, but then continue every so slowly inching back.

"And that's only the second sequel. Why, the private lives of the not very rich or famous could — and will — fill volumes!"

"My good lady," Far be it from hat-man to overlook the vague proximity of a lovely young woman of who isn't yet but could be paying his work the attention it deserves. The bard is fine too. (That she keeps the company of bards must be a good sign!) "Have you never wondered about the daily toil of those whose lives are not quite so thrilling as your own?"

[extortionate]

"'Course, these spring airs," Eyes fixed on Vicki Yoo, nose wrinkling as she — expels — "Rough on her good breeding. She can't be one of,"

Fuck. What sounds Tevene.

"Black Dragon's brood. Shape's too fine."

If Sybelle comes home with one of these, he’ll sign any papers she wants. At least its teeth are too stumped for true damage. Height's not always a boon to this kinda thing. Makes it easy now, at least, to glance the other two -

(They've got it handled. Worst case, whoever makes it opens the milk door.)

[altusimperius]

Fausta's lofty gaze drifts toward hat-man at Bastien's signal.

"Constantly," she replies in a quiet, breathy contralto, brushing her fingertips to his sleeve as she draws them up to curl coquettishly in front of her mouth.

"You'll tell me about them, won't you?" The opposite hand extends delicately in an invitation for him to offer the expected greetings to a single woman at or above his station; it also, conveniently, will leave his pocketed invitations unguarded.

[cozen]

A fine opportunity, in that regard, but the angle's all wrong–Bastien ahead of the mark at Fausta's side, visibly Orlesian in a place where that will be memorable, with no lead-in or excuse for a sudden start forward out of position or a close-swarming crowd to hide the act from witnesses or provide justification for an invasion of the man's personal space. Part of being good at what he does is recognizing when he'd be overreaching his way onto a gibbet. He doesn't so much as look at the invitations, except peripherally.

Instead he looks at Monsier Passioné with a polite smile and a hardness behind the eyes. The look of a watchful bird of prey—or maybe just a jealous man, endeavoring to be pleasant while in fact displeased to have such a storyteller competing with him for the lady's fascination.

And he listens to Lazar, his new friend and his new little charge. If Lazar makes it through the doors successfully, then Bastien has half a plan.

[sumptus]

"You do have an eye." Has this woman ever heard of Black Dragon? No. Does she want to sound like she might not know something? Absolutely not! "Valhail's Languidly Spirited Lightning was her sire, she is the spitting image."

Though not literally. The dog only licks its chops in satisfaction, sparing Lazar for the moment.

"—And too delicate for this miasma, you're quite right. Let us find her a proper sofa." Nose upturned at the rabble, she gestures broadly onward. Her off hand sweeps into her purse for her own invitation, ready to present to the doorman.

So odds are looking good for one of them.



"With pleasure." Fausta's companion, meanwhile, is not quite so high born nor so well-liked as his ego might suggest, but if there is anything this man loves as much as attention, it's his hat — and after that, jealousy. The glint in his eye is not only for the statuesque Fausta, whose eyes he meets as he bends to nobly kiss her hand, but equally for the bard at her side he distinctly does not acknowledge. Imagine, being preferred over a real bard! Perhaps then he might even sell a book—

"But where to begin? Is it the grain sorter's miniature war against tedium that captivates you? The muck shoveler's vain quest for completion? Or perhaps the single-success singer's vain struggle against his own mediocrity?"

[extortionate]

‘Scuse me, one moment, casual-harried as any hired help. He angles Vicki Yoo’s piggy breath toward the doorman’s very fine jacket; a grenade that at any time might blow.

- And he’s through the doors, lets himself be led with only occasional interjection to coo some empty compliment to beast or broad. Valhail, what a legacy.

Keeps an eye on their surrounds as they go. 'Skinny fuck in black' is about half the guests present; they’re gonna need Fausta in here to make any real headway.

[altusimperius]

Perhaps it's to draw more jealousy out of her current attendant that Fausta glances after the departing bodyguard, a longing look about her like she'd rather not be left behind, but she humors the-- whoever this is-- anyway.

"Muck shoveling," she answers lightly, beginning to drift in the direction of the door as well: if her companion has two tickets, one of them may as well be hers.

[cozen]

Bastien follows too, half behind her. His bristle at single-success singer's vain struggle against his own mediocrity isn't subtle: a stiffening back, a lifted chin, a glance in the man's direction to gauge how intentional this well-placed jab might be.

A moment later he pauses a step, as if with realization. Looks back, looks ahead at the door Lazar has vanished through ahead of them.

He says, "Bonnes flammes," to himself, and to Fausta: "Est-ce que votre abruti ander a l'invitation?"

Perhaps Benedict will not need this excuse at the door. Perhaps he'll only need his pretty face and attentive ear. But in case.

[altusimperius]

"Mm?" Fausta intones, turning back to the bard with glance down her nose-- he's so very short-- "oh. Oui."

She tightly grips the old man's hand, turning back to him imploringly.

"My foolish bodyguard has wandered off with my invitation," she gasps, "I don't suppose you've got an extra?"

Her eyes are dark and deep and vulnerable, lined so flatteringly with kohl.