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]

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?

[bouchonne]

[ It's measured enough that Byerly doesn't find that much to bristle against. He grunts, and allows: ]

Like my life depended on it. Which...

[ He gestures around them. Their lives do depend on it, don't they? ]

[cozen]

[ It's true and not especially funny, but it is a little funny, so Bastien smiles a correspondingly small smile. ]

Exactement. And can you imagine if we had hired some professional Orlesian negotiator and presented them with—ourselves? I think you have a better idea what to do with a pack of outcasts and scoundrels than they would, even if other things are new to you.

But I do suspect that you do too much alone.

[bouchonne]

[ He'll accept this kindness, if only because Bastien sort of backhandedly said a mean thing about Orlesians. ]

Oh, come now. I have my fine colleagues to work alongside.

[cozen]

[ Like coating a pill in peanut butter. ]

That is not what I mean—although I would like to be there if you ever ask the Captain to file things for you. I can hide behind something.

[bouchonne]

Oh, I have thoroughly domesticated the Captain. He's like a kitten as far as I'm concerned.

[cozen]

Ah ouais, your great secret—one of your great secrets. I would still like to see his face.

[bouchonne]

Did you write a good song about him, by the way?

[cozen]

Not my finest, but I think it will do the job.

[ And, confidingly, ]

Yseult is next. Names changed, of course, so she does not kill me.

[bouchonne]

Oh, I think you could beat her if it came to that.

[ He smiles crookedly over at Bastien, patting his arm. ]

I'm sure if it were a fair fight, she'd murder you. But she'd underestimate you, and that's how you'd find victory.

[cozen]

[ He laughs. ]

That is kind of you. Mostly. I think.

[ A sideways squint, as if trying to divine whether it’s a compliment or not, while really he’s trying to decide whether or not to add what he does eventually add: ]

We met on a job, you know. Back when I was harder of heart and flatter of stomach. She has my measure, I think, to the smallest fraction of an inch.

[bouchonne]

Really.

[ By's eyes light up at this hint of an insight into the division head that he's managed to find precisely no leverage on. ]

Do go on.

[cozen]

Ah, it is fairly dull. The details make for a decent story. We danced, we talked, we burned down an estate. We were on the same side until we were not. You know how that goes. But in the end, she was just a woman tasked with preventing chaos, and I was just a man who had been offered a lot of money to help cause it.

[ He leans in a little closer, wincing a bit. ]

A lot. I mean— [ a gesture to try to convey the enormity. (It wasn't really that much.) ] So much. Thinking about it now still makes me want to cry a little bit.

[bouchonne]

Offered money by whom?

[ Yes, yes, it's bad spy etiquette to ask another to tell whom they've kissed. But, damn it, By is curious, and he was never all that decent a spy to begin with. ]

[cozen]

[ Bastien steps away to give his shirt a scandalized straightening, as if he’s been caught disheveled. ]

Byerly.

[bouchonne]

[ And By reaches out and rumples it again. ]

What? Surely you don't have any continued allegiance to those former employers of yours.

[cozen]

[ Bastien endures the rumpling, like a sucker. The offended nose-wrinkle that passes over his face is for the thought of having any allegiance at all to 90% of the squabbling petty bastards who paid him. ]

I never had any to start with, [ gross, ] except to— [ He doesn't want to talk about Vincent again, so he makes a you know sort of gesture instead. ] But I did not work alone. When I was younger I did not know who was paying for anything, honestly, and after that I had a partner—and she is angry enough with me as it is.

If it becomes relevant to saving the world, you will be the first or second person to know. Assez bon?

[bouchonne]

[ He hooks his finger playfully in Bastien's collar, tugging lightly at it. ]

Then tell me why your dear partner is angry. That can be the secret you share.

[cozen]

[ He takes his time considering that, but he smiles, too. ]

More eyelash batting.

[bouchonne]

[ He flutters them so hard that it might honestly be creating a breeze. ]

[cozen]

[ It’s perfect. ]

Well—I haven’t spoken with her myself, but if I have to guess? It would be something like…

[ His grin fades to a more sheepish smile. ]

We had been working together since we were teenagers, we struck out in our own, it was us against Thedas, and then I got weak and irritating and abandoned her to go play printer and grow a stupid mustache. Without saying goodbye. Midway through a job.

[bouchonne]

Bastien.

[ By's voice is low, abruptly serious. His gaze is a little solemn and a little sharp. The line of his mouth is troubled, and a little disapproving. ]

Your mustache is not stupid.

[cozen]

Oh, I know. [ Still snickering a little at Byerly’s somber tone, he pets one side of it fondly. ] And I’m not irritating. I’m delightful.