Further, much as I may understand the impulse, in the specific circumstances we find ourselves in—meaning the war and that Riftwatch is itself made up of a rather strange mixed company of people who ought to know a thing or two about being poked and prodded and so on—, it seems to me incredibly reductive.
Do you know it took me at least six months to convince any native mage to discuss magic with me? That's absurd. I had to loiter around Enchanter Julius and Leander's heels before I could see any glyph work demonstrated. To say nothing of the agony involved with having simple questions of decorum answered—!
[Scoff. SCOFF! Somewhere, Wysteria probably has her hand on her hip and is only now realizing how strange it is to try the gesture with only one arm.]
I don't fault you in the slightest for disliking the whole prospect.
[ He’s quiet while he turns his own thoughts over, up now on his bony snake feet purely for the purpose of shuffling them closer to coals burning low in the hearth. There are things it’s unwise to say even in sympathetic company.
And Wysteria has had a difficult year besides. ]
You’ve proven we’re not shackled here the way they’ve previously had the convenience of believing that we are.
Oh, much improved and pleased to be, [is like some dismissive gesture.]
But there is real use in the anchor, Mister Dickerson! It seems very ridiculous that shouldn't warrant some measure of respect given how vital they are to closing the rifts and so on. I suppose you might argue that anyone at all might catch one, and so Rifters are not so significant as all that, but that's clearly absurd.
—I suppose the Venatori will have beaten us to all of this scholarship, by the way. Even if you don't believe all the details of that dream, I suppose they must be doing something with all their Rifters.
[ He’s glad to hear it, an intake of breath to respond -- and then she starts talking. Richard looks from the hearth back to his bed before bracing to sink down stiff before the former to toast the rest of himself while he listens. ]
We’re tools, Miss Poppell. Some of us are more personable or have more inherent value than others.
[ Where do the Venatori fit into this? Less humanely, he supposes, and doesn’t particularly care. Her last question reminds him of an itch at his ear, and he sniffs against the gorilla impulse to reach after it. ]
You were well on your way to transcending that barrier before you lost your arm.
Well, yes, I suppose we are and yes, I suppose I have—has Mister Holden shown the great gun to you yet? You must ask after it if he hasn't. I'm very pleased with it.
But surely, Mister Dickerson, the same thing could be said of just about anyone at all. Rifter or otherwise. The fact that we are somewhat more inconveniently reliant on this place and one another is a complication of the matter, not an altogether different state of affairs. And you've yet to answer my question, you know.
[Relentlessness evidently isn't stored in the left arm.]
[ He answers her question, only a little short from beneath the babushka bundle of his blankets in his dark room. ]
We are alien by nature. We don’t have roots here.
[ They’ve been around about this before, surely. An expertly-timed squeeze of his fist around his crystal at her mention of the gun closes out the sound of a very long and weary sigh. The break for it is silent but measurable. ]
You know that it isn’t the same. Or am I to believe your marriage to Monsieur de Foncé was predicated on true love and not the privilege of property ownership.
[Somewhere, she balks—the first sound of some aborted answer creaking out of her. The beat of silence which threatens the form is quickly subsumed before it can take hold.]
I owned that house well before marrying Monsieur de Foncé.
[ Dick looks down at the lump of crystal glowing in his palm. He considers, for just a moment, whether or not the coals of his fire are actually capable of consuming it. ]
I would settle for a less legally-binding arrangement.
I—[Yes, it IS an interesting question and that means he ought to answer it.
Slowly, grudgingly:] To arrange our notes. And to discuss the findings, I suppose. I've a theory or two, but should like very much to know your thoughts on the whole affair. I will admit to having some bias on the subject.
Well neither am I. An accredited scholar, I mean. Not as far as anyone in Thedas is concerned, in any case, so I hardly see why that should stop—You're not considering amputation yourself, are you Mister Dickerson?
The luxury of choice certainly has some appeal. [ Not quite muttered. He glances back to the sound of footsteps past his door. ]
The behavior of lyrium upon exposure to your severed limb alongside the relationship between rift location and the presence of lyrium deposits may indicate that our physical forms are soulless flesh golems “grown” from seeded lyrium.
[ If she is going to insist on peppering him with uncomfortable questions -- ]
Had the anchor maintained its magic, I should have been very interested to see if the sample we provided ultimately managed to manifest a second Wysteria Poppell.
[With a clear note of approval, evidently pleased to have goaded him into theorizing:]
Perhaps we might mention that in our report, so that everyone may have a reason to be very grateful and reassured by the fact that it failed to.
[She is not unaware of her affect on people, Mister Dickerson. Also, for her part she would dislike it if there were a second version of her around. Particularly if that Wysteria Poppell had both her arms.]
A shame that it's only the people who come through the rift that have anchors. [A pause. Then, abruptly:] Do you suppose a Rifter might be able to handle lyrium directly?
[ Hedging hesitation falters at what might otherwise have been a ready agreement. On the one hand, the potential for growing a biological blank from raw lyrium is theory they should be careful to keep out of the wrong hands.
On the other, it might already be in their hands. Anyway, sectioning evil away from the equation, it’s hard to imagine hands worse than theirs. ]
It’s possible. [ He’d come very close to touching the core of Isaac’s staff, once. Just to see. ]
If the Venatori have already arrived at these conclusions, I’d hazard they already have the answer. [ Being altogether less concerned with the potential side-effects for any Rifters they possess. ]
[Somewhere, Wysteria makes a face of displeasure—a wrinkled nose, a grimacing mouth. But lacking those visual cues, does she sound appropriately chagrined by the wording when she says,]
It would have to be an entirely voluntary experiment, of course.
I suppose it would be too much to hope for that something might be willing to endanger themselves simply because it might benefit our studies or the war effort...
[Ha ha what a great joke.]
We might raise a pot for it. Although the average Rifters hardly has many expenses...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2021-12-13 09:24 pm (UTC)Do you know it took me at least six months to convince any native mage to discuss magic with me? That's absurd. I had to loiter around Enchanter Julius and Leander's heels before I could see any glyph work demonstrated. To say nothing of the agony involved with having simple questions of decorum answered—!
[Scoff. SCOFF! Somewhere, Wysteria probably has her hand on her hip and is only now realizing how strange it is to try the gesture with only one arm.]
I don't fault you in the slightest for disliking the whole prospect.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-14 06:08 am (UTC)And Wysteria has had a difficult year besides. ]
You’ve proven we’re not shackled here the way they’ve previously had the convenience of believing that we are.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-16 12:05 pm (UTC)[Ha ha ha! She's just so funny and perfectly well adjusted to this new state of affairs.]
no subject
Date: 2021-12-16 06:57 pm (UTC)How are you feeling?
no subject
Date: 2021-12-16 08:13 pm (UTC)But there is real use in the anchor, Mister Dickerson! It seems very ridiculous that shouldn't warrant some measure of respect given how vital they are to closing the rifts and so on. I suppose you might argue that anyone at all might catch one, and so Rifters are not so significant as all that, but that's clearly absurd.
—I suppose the Venatori will have beaten us to all of this scholarship, by the way. Even if you don't believe all the details of that dream, I suppose they must be doing something with all their Rifters.
How is your face?
no subject
Date: 2021-12-18 10:55 am (UTC)We’re tools, Miss Poppell. Some of us are more personable or have more inherent value than others.
[ Where do the Venatori fit into this? Less humanely, he supposes, and doesn’t particularly care. Her last question reminds him of an itch at his ear, and he sniffs against the gorilla impulse to reach after it. ]
You were well on your way to transcending that barrier before you lost your arm.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 06:00 pm (UTC)But surely, Mister Dickerson, the same thing could be said of just about anyone at all. Rifter or otherwise. The fact that we are somewhat more inconveniently reliant on this place and one another is a complication of the matter, not an altogether different state of affairs. And you've yet to answer my question, you know.
[Relentlessness evidently isn't stored in the left arm.]
no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 07:28 pm (UTC)[ He answers her question, only a little short from beneath the babushka bundle of his blankets in his dark room. ]
We are alien by nature. We don’t have roots here.
[ They’ve been around about this before, surely. An expertly-timed squeeze of his fist around his crystal at her mention of the gun closes out the sound of a very long and weary sigh. The break for it is silent but measurable. ]
You know that it isn’t the same. Or am I to believe your marriage to Monsieur de Foncé was predicated on true love and not the privilege of property ownership.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 07:41 pm (UTC)I owned that house well before marrying Monsieur de Foncé.
[Nailed it.]
no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 08:07 pm (UTC)[So there.]
Are you in pursuit of a wife, Mister Dickerson?
no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 08:19 pm (UTC)I would settle for a less legally-binding arrangement.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 08:36 pm (UTC)But how would having a— [She lowers her voice to hiss—] lover [Okay, back to ordinary volume] legitimize a person in any legal fashion?
no subject
Date: 2021-12-26 10:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-12-31 07:26 pm (UTC)Slowly, grudgingly:] To arrange our notes. And to discuss the findings, I suppose. I've a theory or two, but should like very much to know your thoughts on the whole affair. I will admit to having some bias on the subject.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-31 08:28 pm (UTC)My primary concern is to make the entire company aware that the option of retirement is available to all Rifters willing to endure amputation.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-03 12:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-01-03 08:33 am (UTC)The behavior of lyrium upon exposure to your severed limb alongside the relationship between rift location and the presence of lyrium deposits may indicate that our physical forms are soulless flesh golems “grown” from seeded lyrium.
[ If she is going to insist on peppering him with uncomfortable questions -- ]
Had the anchor maintained its magic, I should have been very interested to see if the sample we provided ultimately managed to manifest a second Wysteria Poppell.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-16 01:51 am (UTC)Perhaps we might mention that in our report, so that everyone may have a reason to be very grateful and reassured by the fact that it failed to.
[She is not unaware of her affect on people, Mister Dickerson. Also, for her part she would dislike it if there were a second version of her around. Particularly if that Wysteria Poppell had both her arms.]
A shame that it's only the people who come through the rift that have anchors. [A pause. Then, abruptly:] Do you suppose a Rifter might be able to handle lyrium directly?
no subject
Date: 2022-01-25 03:23 am (UTC)On the other, it might already be in their hands. Anyway, sectioning evil away from the equation, it’s hard to imagine hands worse than theirs. ]
It’s possible. [ He’d come very close to touching the core of Isaac’s staff, once. Just to see. ]
If the Venatori have already arrived at these conclusions, I’d hazard they already have the answer. [ Being altogether less concerned with the potential side-effects for any Rifters they possess. ]
Who should we poison?
no subject
Date: 2022-02-07 01:25 am (UTC)It would have to be an entirely voluntary experiment, of course.
[Probably less than one might prefer.]
no subject
Date: 2022-02-08 10:01 am (UTC)[ He doubts and doesn’t doubt. A prize doesn’t need to be worthwhile to be mysterious. And her husband has a way with hyperbole. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-02-08 09:00 pm (UTC)I mean that it would be best that anyone subjecting themselves to the test be informed of the potential dangers.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-08 09:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-02-08 09:27 pm (UTC)[Ha ha what a great joke.]
We might raise a pot for it. Although the average Rifters hardly has many expenses...
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