allthisshitisweird | crystal malfunction memevent

crystals get fucked
(a meme slash tiny game event)

The Inquisition’s sending crystals are typically very reliable and not susceptible to accidental transmissions or misdelivered messages. They’re also fairly limited in function and security.

The latter is something that researchers in Skyhold are working to address, when they have the time. Unfortunately, one of them—maybe a little angry about having to work alone on First Day, maybe day drinking while she does so—has now made some significant errors while meddling with proposed improvements. And from the beginning of the day on Wintermarch 1, the sending crystals will start behaving badly:

Messages might transmit to the wrong person.

Messages might transmit to the right person but also a few additional unintended people.

Messages might transmit to everyone at once.

Pieces of old conversations from any point in the last year or so might leak, either to individuals or to everyone. Delayed messages of that sort will sound distant, like they’re coming from the end of a long tunnel.

Attempts to transition from a public to a private conversation will sometimes fail.

Crystals may start transmitting to people or to everyone at random, without being touched.

All of this could occur at any time—sometimes at the beginning of a conversation, sometimes midway through it, sometimes when someone isn’t using the crystal at all.

The problems will start out sporadic enough to seem insignificant or like probable user errors, but grow increasingly common as the day wears on, until the issue is identified and corrected at Skyhold in the early hours of Wintermarch 2 and the tipsy researcher disciplined accordingly.

This meme/event is game canon. You can decide among yourselves if there’s something you would rather try out for fun with no consequences and/or retcon after the fact, as always, but unless otherwise established by players, this is really happening. Threads done in this post can count toward activity rewards.

Additionally, this specific post is for open top-levels that anyone can tag and threadjack. Think TFLN in style/format, missing pants optional. Don’t post closed or locked conversations here. If you want to do specific misfires with specific people, you can use inboxes. You can also post to the rookery comm if you want to use the event for a more visible gamewide open post.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Then you should stop acting as if you're a child.

Sorry - I thought the mark of a child was to be dependent on others. Am I wrong?

Are you deaf as well as ignorant? I did say I earned my own money.

I'm not talking financially.

Then what?

Sorry, remind me how I'm the deaf and ignorant one? You're the one ruining your own life running after your mum and dad.

[ A sigh. ]

I imagine you're not nobility. I do not expect you to understand. It is not a criticism, simply a truth.

Yeah? Try me. 'Cause I'm a commoner, yeah, but I'm clever, and if you can't explain it in a way that makes sense to me, then it's the system itself that doesn't make any bloody sense.

Marriage is not often for love. It is for politics. Nevarra is a land where the very nature of the system of nobility is often in turmoil, and families would like to settle that, with arrangements for marriage and the birth of children. Daughters, especially intelligent ones, are sometimes sought because they will benefit the house.

[ A huff, almost a sigh, really. ]

It is an honour to do something to help your family. If it is something as simple as marrying someone, even if you did not choose them? That is how it is. My father and mother raised me, cared for me and provided me with all that I needed. Marriage is a simple enough exchange.

Are you going to keep getting to be a surgeon once you're married?

Perhaps. I would hope there is no longer such a desperate need for my services by that point.

What - and you'd be happy with that? The war's over, hurrah, time to put down the scalpel and have a lot of babies?

Of course.

[ It's not entirely a lie - she would be happy for the war to be over, after all. ]

[ A scoff, but: ]

All right, then. I hope you have a grand time dandying your fifteen noble-blooded babies instead of saving lives, then.

And what if each of my noble babies become surgeons because of their mother's tutoring, hm?

What if they do? Will you be happy with that? Watching other people get noticed for their brilliance 'cause of you? What an amazing mum - that's as good as you'll get when it comes to praise. You'll be satisfied?