tevinteriscoming | private to Bull;

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private to Bull;

[After the trial lets out, he's tired, but not ready to go back to his room and fall asleep. Instead, he takes his several bottles of wine left over from ordering at the trial and will go find a place to drink in privacy. Before he departs, he notices Bull, and considers maybe speaking to him - but, instead, cheerily suggests he might be amenable to sharing a bottle, and then leaves without telling Bull where he'll actually be.

The place he winds up in is the chapel. Why not, it's quiet, and no one is in here, and the idea of it tickles his subversive streak.

It's decent enough wine but he didn't get any cups, so he's drinking straight out of the bottle as he lounges on one of the pews.]

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[ Bull had no other plans than to go try and distract himself with something. Maybe check out that 50 Shades of Gray book everyone had been making a fuss about, but Dorian's offer was simply too hard to pass up. Clearly any trust issues they had with each other from back home were being looked past here - where they only knew each other. At least he knows Dorian enough to trust his intentions: getting drunk and maybe complaining about his feelings. Which is fine.

It doesn't actually take him all that long to find where he's gone off to, even without being told. It's not like the place is that big, and Dorian isn't the type to invite someone back to his room. At least, not for this. He walks in calmly, sitting down on the pew next to him.

It's worth noting Bull is carrying his axe. Though maybe not unexpected. ]

How's the vintage?

[What, do you think Dorian's so eager he's going to kill Bull before the motive is even announced. No, he's not surprised to see the ax, and he has his staff with him at all times anyway. He is a little surprised to see Bull; he didn't know if he would actually care enough to show up, given that they aren't exactly friends. But it's appreciated, it's a little bit of a relief even.]

Shockingly decent. Then again, I did order it myself. A pity to waste it; I doubt your palate can tell an Orlesian red from tavern water runoff. [Wow.] But do feel free.

[It's more of a signal to everyone else. Bull is hard to kill. Bull can defend himself. Bull has a big fuckin' axe. It's the message, you see.

Wow! Bull lets the insult go unremarked on, putting his feet up on the back of the pew in front of them. Very disrespectfully. He pops the cork on his own bottle, taking a swig.]

Yeah, not bad. Downright great for prison brew. You know how they make this stuff in prisons? You bury some fruit, bread and water and wait.

Is that how they make it in Ferelden, too?

[Just had to get some casual negging out of the way before we have a friendly drink.]

Dreadfully long day in cramped quarters. Couldn't dream of shoving myself straight away into those cramped little miseries that pass for cabins. [See that's why he's not in his room and available to have a drink with in case you were wondering.]

Yeah, pretty sure they do something with dog spit mixed into theirs. Still, had worse.

[Obviously, it's expected.]

You think you got a problem with those rooms being cramped? Feel like I haven't been able to lie down for a week. Think one thing in this place could be Bull-sized.

[Seems a good enough reason to Bull. It's a bit like being stuffed into a sardine can.]

Clearly any consideration on the part of our hosts is too much to expect.

[You set him up for a fat joke and he didn't take it. That's called respect. That or there'd just be no way to get out a joke about something being Bull sized without it backfiring.]

So. Today was eventful. Imagine, being so desperate as to commit murder over the most ambiguously worded motivation I could imagine. I'm beginning to think I must be the only one who can read.

Some horn balm might be nice too.

[Damn straight you can't. Once you start thinking about Bull-sized you will never be able to stop.

Bull has already downed half this bottle of wine already, and shows no signs of slowing down.]

Eventful. Sure. Not surprised someone took them up on though - desperation, bad judgment. Lot of it to go around. People kill each other for less: ran out of ale at the tavern, your sheep are on my pasture, you looked at my wife's tits. And yeah, might have something to do with not being able to read.

I wouldn't be surprised if these motives are tailored, frankly. I don't think what they're after is something done in the heat of the moment. The key is the exchange - a blood sacrifice for the sake of something deeply desired. Powerful stuff; I can only imagine what they're using it for.

[Damn, Bull. You're not getting any of his bottles.]

Perhaps I ought to have warned them. It seemed futile; why should anyone care to listen.

Yeah - they already know shit about us. That much is obvious, already in our heads. Probably no point to warning anyone, there's always going to be someone desperate enough, who hits all the right notes for the kill. If they're going to murder each other, you're not going to stop them with just words.

[Even just the simple mention of "blood sacrifice" sets Bull's skin on edge. Honestly, demons are the worst. The idea that they're already in his head, that they know what he wants, what can make him act. That he no longer has control. It makes the whole idea of this place even harder to accept.]

Would you kill for anything?

[Laughs. Maybe a little bit bitterly.]

Hypothetically, I hope. Yes, I'm sure. Nothing comes to mind at the moment, but it would be a sorry thing indeed if I imagined myself to be of such noble character as to be above any temptation. I'm not certain there's anyone like that, but if there is, I am not he.

A more pertinent question is whether they're good enough to find it, whatever it is. The thing that will cause me to forget this is all an illusion.

[ This conversation is getting a little Real, wow. It's interesting - he knows Dorian is principled, a good person, but the frank and honest admittance of faults is actually refreshing. ]

They're only going to get stronger from here on out. They've seen us working, trying to solve something. Says a lot about a person. [Maybe not anything good coming from the guy who kept stabbing the dead body.] Fucking demons.

[Another deep swig.]

[He doesn't fail to note that Bull doesn't exactly volunteer whether and what he would kill for. But it seems a little ridiculous to ask a mercenary if he can be bought.]

Sorry, which of us did they see working? It can't be the vast majority. Running about scratching rings on doors and demanding instantaneous proof of a negative.

[Yeah, maybe we were getting a little too real there for a second.]

[ If Dorian would like to be lied to, he's free to ask. He seems smarter than that. ]

You can admit it might have been a little fun to tear through some guy's shit just because he appeared on a list provided by a bunch of demon kidnappers.

[He's had enough to drink that he laughs a little at that.]

Guilty. He was the only mage on the list; I wanted to see what he had.

[Definitely laughing at that.]

Was it worth it? That note I dug out of the garbage teach you a lot?

Only enough to confirm what I already suspected. No one else here is any good. It's almost disappointing.

Yeah, no one else here had all that time put into Staff polishing. Really see you working that thing a lot.

[Ugh!!]

And we were doing so well. It was almost a conversation, briefly.

[Listen, they have to work up to real, long conversations. You can't just jump into the deep end with a few staff polishing jokes.]

If you want to talk shit about the other mages, go ahead. I'm not stopping you. I know your kind loves to get all snappy with each other - like watching cats try and puff themselves bigger. Guess the passive aggression is an intimidation tactic?

Precisely. We must act snappy and puff ourselves up, or how would anyone know to be intimidated? I can only raise the dead and electrocute someone with my mind. I can't do anything truly impressive, such as hitting something hard.

Oh, and speaking of tactics, you know, in my experience, bad lines don't actually improve with age.

Just suggesting a way to let off some steam.

And I can do more than hit things hard. I can spin around really fast and hit them hard at the same time.

Yes, quite.

As though you don't wish to know my opinions on the other mages, considering that any one of them may try to come after us. It would serve you right if I decided I'd keep my thoughts to myself. [He doesn't want to, though.] The only one who might be a threat is Judar, and I imagine he can be distracted the same way you might a dog. The rest are subpar. Well, Adam will be good someday, and perhaps Kazuma as well.

Adam's a nice kid.

[ Seems to be sincere? Adam was a nice kid. Honestly. He could use some training, but he doesn't hold the same opinion of mages as many of the Qun.]

Judar do anything to seem like a threat? Kid has got some bad jokes and bad lies, but yeah. Easily distractible.

He is that, and he has the thoughtful and inquisitive mind that makes for a good mage. [Good to see that we're agreed, we're adopting him.]

Likewise, my comments on Judar. His card shows more variety in disciplines than the others, and from brief conversations, he is attuned to the theoretical side more than one would suspect given his general, ah, demeanor. The others are, in varying degrees, students and apostates. I suspect Judar is actually trained.

...Though, I ought to warn you. I haven't exactly advertised this fact, but I am far from full power.

Turns out that my "hitting things really hard" skill turns out to be hard to suppress after all. Pretty useful in the long run.

So, point is, none of them really that dangerous anymore in a fight. Except maybe Judar. Good to know. And would recommend continuing to not advertise that - they probably know, but you can make 'em wonder. Let them speculate, people always overestimate this shit.

Oh, is that what you recommend? Thank you, that strategy never would have occurred to me on my own. And I've been referencing my magic constantly merely for my own health. [Well is it that far fetched.]

Believe me, I've thought it through. I only thought to warn you not to expect a barrier any time soon. I need some time to assess my capabilities while it's safe to do so.

Wasn't exactly expecting one. Managed without barriers before too. [ Is that a jab at Dorian's barrier skills or just a statement of fact. Who knows. (Dorian everyone knows you barrier everyone else first) ]

I see anything about the mages, I'll pass it on.

[Raising an eyebrow.]

I should hope so. [Since it's of no use to you on your own.]

[ You're getting an offer of a direct line to information from a literal spy, and you're not even a little grateful. You're welcome, Dorian!!!!]

Only because we're friends.

[Yeah, but you were being shady about it, offering to pass on mage related information. He had just assumed they were obviously sharing information from the get go. But that's a lot better.]

Oh, are we? I must have missed the announcement.

Oh, sorry. You want an official announcement?

[Enemy of my enemy and all. Holding out his bottle.]

To friends.

[Well, obviously he's supposed to be an asshole about this, but he smiles a little despite himself, and his cover is blown. Nothing for it, sighing resignedly.]

I suppose I've had worse friends. Well. A few, at least.

[Clinking his bottle against it!]

[Dorian isn't exactly the most unpredictable of guys. He should work on that - it seems that having a schedule can be a dangerous thing in this place. He shows up at the chapel, a little while after they are freed from the room.

He brought wine.]

[Whatever, Bull. It's a murder reprieve night. And if he didn't go to the exact same place, how could he storm off and still be expected to have company to witness his snit. He's already working his way through another bottle, but more wine can't go amiss.

He doesn't particularly react when Bull comes in, but he's relieved, actually. He didn't know what to expect; declarations of friendship aside, they haven't exactly been close in the past. It's sort of nice to know someone actually cares enough to come meet him without being asked (which happens to be exactly why he came).]

Oh good, you brought wine.

[ If Bull wasn't smarter, he'd almost suspect Dorian really wanted his attention. Wow! Setting the bottles down and settling in for their night of drinking and complaining about assholes. ]

Yeah, we're friends now, right? Supposed to know these things.

[Rolling his eyes.]

I think that's called a bartender, actually, but semantics.

[He may want attention, but you can't lay it on too thick.]

What a disaster that was.

Considered that as a cover once, you know. Would have been good at it. Pretty good information channels, decent amount of fighting, just turns out replacing all those broken stools after a bar fight gets expensive.

[Shut up Dorian u like it thick.]

Disaster. Yeah. About covers it.

[He does. In more than one sense.]

The fact that we were right is a small consolation. But then, it was clearly her. I know that I am exceptionally clever, but there should really have been no doubt.

So, what. Ought we, once we think we've solved it, simply demand the rest follow along? I suspect the majority would gladly allow themselves to be herded. It would certainly avoid the panic.

Two for two so far.

[ Bull starts drinking. These are questions you can't answer sober. ]

Sometimes you have to let folks figure it out for themselves. Once you start demanding, you got the type that dig their heels in. Refuse to believe when something is obviously true. [ There's a lot of people here who would do very badly under the Qun. That much is obvious. ] You lay out the facts, say what the right thing might be. Really all you can do.

[That's actually kind of a relief.]

I know that much. Frankly, it is a dizzingly new experience for me to espouse my views on any subject whatsoever, and not be cursed at. Or just cursed. Or spat upon. [Sigh, not meant particularly seriously.] Imagine what life must be for the sort who waltz in places and get listened to, or inspire everyone to get along and work together. That Dorian fellow seems reasonable enough, perhaps he's Andraste's herald, let's follow him blindly from now on. No, I suspect it's genetic.

It's more that I wish I knew the appropriate moment to say, well, it's quite clear Tsukuyo is the killer. Despite knowing everyone unable or unwilling to think it through themselves will agree with me, and despite knowing my reasoning is at least partially based on it being ridiculous for anyone else to have done it.

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