Party Banter Meme

[faderifting]

In the Dragon Age games, as you travel Thedas with your best pals, they have a lot of short conversations about politics, the weather, butts, etc. So this is the Fade Rift equivalent, in four easy steps!

1. Imagine your characters are on a very long walk toward a mission objective, or on a very long walk back after kicking ass, or standing guard together, or gathering herbs, or working in the library late at night, or something. Anything sort of boring that might make people want to have a dumb conversation just to break things up a bit.

OPTIONAL ASSISTANT: Since so many people reported being out of it, we made a random generator to help you come up with some general banter prompts for your top-levels.

2. Post a few remarks your character might say (similar to TFLN, except spoken out loud and less ridiculous and sexy, maybe. maybe not. we don’t know your life) while passing the time.

3. Tag around to reply to those general remarks or to start new/wildcard conversations! Threads should be pretty short and involve minimal action; there’s no need to turn anything into a big production. Multiperson threads are encouraged. Series of conversations between the same two characters occurring on different days are also encouraged.

4. Gather up all of your little conversation snippets like a bouquet and keep them forever, because they’re game canon. Banter threads can't be used for Base AC, but do count towards AC Rewards points.

Comments

[cozen]

Hmm. They will know that they owe her a favor. Perhaps you could collect in her name.

[bouchonne]

Ooh, there's an idea. I could have her menace them. And I could stand behind her like an Antivan enforcer.

[cozen]

Perhaps if you put on some more muscle first.

[bouchonne]

I don't need muscle. I have my sharp wits.

[cozen]

Ah, that is true. Like razors. Maybe you can wear a sign that says so, while you loom, so everyone knows how much to fear you.

[ Anyway. ]

Is there any chance of it becoming one of those stories where you fall in love for real? I suppose she is a little young.

[bouchonne]

[ Byerly's quick and very real laugh makes it pretty clear how likely that is. ]

Ah, no. Young, yes, and more than that - I tell you this in the strictest confidence, dear Bastien, but my wife does not - hm - have any yearning for the rough and indelicate touch of a man's hand.

[cozen]

I see.

[ A pause to look only half as terribly fond (and touched, to be trusted) as he feels, because he doesn't want to prompt any squirming or explanations as to how this is all actually somehow very selfish. ]

That is certainly understandable. Rough, indelicate, and dirty, most of the time. Hairy half of it. We are all lucky any woman in Thedas yearns for a man's hands at all. [ More seriously, ] I am glad she has found a shield.

[bouchonne]

A frail one, to be sure. But I am glad of it as well. And honored to be considered so by her.

[ Then, with a shrug - ]

And anyway, some of us rather enjoy something rough and indelicate and hairy.

[cozen]

But draw the line at dirt?

[bouchonne]

Bastien.

[ Given Byerly's smell at various times - clearly not. ]

[cozen]

Byerly.

[ Fereldan perfume. ]

How much of that do you get up to, anyway? Is the job interfering?

[bouchonne]

In a way.

[ He smiles crookedly.]

It used to be my job. Or a large part of it, anyway.

[cozen]

I am sure it still could be, if you wanted it to be. Monsieur Ambassadeur et son Petit Envoyé.

[bouchonne]

Petit!

[cozen]

Sorry—Gargantuesque.

[bouchonne]

Now that's more like it.

[cozen]

One might even say that it is Monsieur Ambassadeur and the rest of you is le Petit Envoyé.

[ One shouldn’t. But one might. ]

Is having your duties so changed a relief or a disappointment?

[bouchonne]

[ He laughs in delight, and looks down at his crotch to offer a courtly bow. ]

Ser.

[ Then he looks up at Bastien, smiling a little crookedly. ]

Well, I was quite a bit better at those duties than I am at my current ones. But what joy is there in only doing what you're good at?

[cozen]

I am too good at sex, [ Bastien says in a horrific butchery of a Fereldan accent, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead in faux distress. (He could do a much better impression of Byerly, accent excepted, if he weren't hamming it up on purpose.) ] I need a challenge.

[bouchonne]

[ Byerly gives an exaggerated shudder. ]

That accent is terrible.

[cozen]

No, no, that is exactly what you sound like.

[ Teasing aside, ]

Do you really think you are bad at it? The job, I mean.

[bouchonne]

[ Lightly: ] Do you?

[cozen]

I think—

[ Wait. ]

Will you argue with me if I say nice things about you?

[bouchonne]

[ He purses his lips and shoots Bastien a look with a faint edge of annoyance. Don't you dare. ]

No need to mock me, dear Bastien.

[cozen]

I will take that as a maybe.

[ And he'll take Byerly's arm, too, in a companionable hook, because at the moment he would actually rather slam his hand in a door than mock more than Byerly's accent. ]

I think, [ he begins again, ] we are all in over our heads together, and I think you are in a uniquely difficult position. I can see how it might feel like a constant struggle. Nothing is holding the researchers back from their research. The spies can sneak and the soldiers can hit things as well as anyone else in Thedas. But even half of the people reporting to you are only welcome in polite society if they keep their mouths shut. On the whole we are not a very likable group of people, and no amount of sweet talking will change that.

And that is why I think you are well-suited. Navigating being discounted and disreputable, and getting what you need despite it—that is what you do, n'est-ce pas?