Inbox

[winterwinds]

crystal ☆ notes & letters ☆ etc

Comments

Crystal

[justice_is_blond]

Do you have a moment? It's Anders. I was... wondering where you stood on matters regarding the Circles.

[winterwinds]

Well I stand where most other mages do at the moment. There's no Circle so we're sort of just doing whatever we can to get by.

[justice_is_blond]

[He doesn't know if that's deliberate dodging or a moment of not thinking.]

...I mean as far as if you want them back, or you're looking toward a future without the Templars in control of us.

[winterwinds]

Oh! [ yes it was a moment of not thinking. ]

I don't know. I enjoyed the education I received in the Circle. But I know things... weren't ideal. You could probably say I'm undecided.

[keenly]

Audra?

[Colin's tone is light, as if teasing. She might remember he sometimes does this when feeling guarded.]

Have you had anything weird happen lately? Like falling over, or not being able to get up.

[winterwinds]

Um, no? At least not in a sense I'd consider unusual. Why?

[keenly]

...You fall over in a usual sense?

[winterwinds]

Sometimes! I don't always watch where I'm going.

[keenly]

Oh! Well, that's all right then. Except no, start watching where you're going. What about little spells of forgetting what you're saying, worse than usual. Sudden, like. You forget the word you're saying before you're done saying it.

[winterwinds]

[ She hums as she thinks for a second. ]

No... nothing like that.

[keenly]

All right. [Well, it's not happening to Audra. The relief from this is exhilarating. Regardless of the broader implications, she's not affected by this bizarre malady. She's safe.] Well, let me know if that changes, all right?

[winterwinds]

Suuuure. Are you going to tell me what's going on or just keep being weird?

[keenly]

Um, that depends. Do you promise you won't worry?

[winterwinds]

...Um. I don't know if I could promise that before I knew what was going on? But you know just asking that makes me worried.

[keenly]

All right. Some of us from Kinloch hold are having those things happen. Me, Anders, and Inessa. Kinloch Hold's the only thing we have in common and we're trying to suss out what's going on.

[winterwinds]

Oh no! You would think if Kinloch Hold is something you all have in common, I'd have it too, I overlapped with all of you while I was there, though I've only really met Anders since coming here.

If there's anything I can do to help... I mean, if you don't even know what's causing it, I don't know what but. I'd help.

[keenly]

Anders is asking Ench--Julius whether he's been the same. It might just be coincidence. But it does sound spellish, doesn't it? Spirit and entropy in particular. We'll know more when we get Julius' answer.

[justice_is_blond]

I see.

[He considers for a moment.]

If you decide to come down on the side of not wanting Circles to come back, I'm arranging gatherings of mages to discuss this, discuss where we may go with freedom from here.

the next day

[keenly]

So...we think someone stole the phylacteries from Kinloch Hold and is casting spells on us. It's caused some concern.

[winterwinds]

Oh no! That's... how would we even track those down? Is it possible to make a phylactery for a phylactery?

crystal.

[exequy]

You're a necromancer.

[ ...Hello. ]

this is so late i suck

[winterwinds]

I am, yes! Hello!

no you don't

[exequy]

Hello.

[ After a stilted sort of break, ]

This is Kostos Averesch. The Northern Powers project has one of the mummies from the Necropolis, as you know, and—more minds on the effort could not hurt.

lies

[winterwinds]

[ literally doesn't even notice the stilted break she's so excited about the prospect of examining that mummy. ]

Are you asking me to help examine it? Really?

[exequy]

Y... [ The excitement gives him pause. Reminds him a little bit of people he knew in Nevarra, maybe, who seemed to have more than a professional interest, except that she also seems so nice. ] ...es. If you can spare the time.

[winterwinds]

I can make the time! I'll show the utmost respect to your... it's your aunt, correct? It's just such a unique situation... Maker this truly is such an honor.

[ SHE'S VERY NICE IT HIDES THAT SHE'S SECRETLY EVIL no not really she's just this enthusiastic about everything. ]

[exequy]

Great-great...

[ No. It's not important. ]

Never mind. Yes. I'll—do you have time this week for an introduction? To the set-up, not to her.

[ She's not very talkative. You know. ]

[winterwinds]

[ She laughs at the clarification. ]

No, I imagine that she isn't very sociable. I'm free most afternoons, I can always move things around if I'm not.

A THOUSAND YEARS LATE.

[exequy]

Do you have any recently dead animals on hand?

[winterwinds]

Not-- on hand, no. At least, not anything recently dead. I have a few beetles but those are um. Ingredients. No idea how long they've been dead.

Have you tried Dark Town? There's usually dead animals a plenty down there.

[exequy]

[ Darktown, gross. ]

No. I can—one minute.

[ There’s a break, during which he hassles the entire fortress instead. But then he’s back. ]

I would like to move the spirit. Are you busy?

[winterwinds]

Oh—oh okay.

[ She goes back to what she was doing before while he goes and harasses people. There's a clatter of knitting needles being put down when he returns. ]

Move it to a dead animal?

[ She has to think about that for a minute. ]

Okay, I'm free.