SATINALIA IX: DA4 EVE

[rowancrowned]

HAPPY SATINALIA 


 

'Twas the night before DA4, and all through the house, we found ourselves wondering, is a nug analogous to a mouse?

 

The writers were fired, Cullen’s VA got weird, ten years have passed, and most of us are still here.

So as our computers overheat, none of them upgraded since Inquisition, we say thanks to the mods, still here of their own volition.

Here’s to a near decade of waiting, roleplaying, and friends, through tags and logs and only a few dropped threads.

May we all enjoy Veil Guard, a Thedas unfamiliar and unknown, though ‘Fade Rift’ has the cooler name, if I may say so.

how to play:

1. tag with a toplevel for your characters. (possibly include division + projects for ease of identifying coworkers!)
2. reply to other's tags with what your character got theirs for satinalia.
3. rake in those approval or disapproval points. we support both friend- and rival- mances.

 

 

 

Comments

[altusimperius]

A small packet of smoking herbs, with the accompanying note: Stop by for the pipe sometime, if you like. Happy Satinalia, Benedict

[altusimperius]

A collection of small jars, each tinted a slightly different color, for sorting whatever.

The accompanying note reads: Glad you're the Strange that we got. Happy Satinalia. Benedict

[thereneverwas]

A small and roughly-hewn wooden model catapult. The payload is a little wooden griffon that can be launched at unsuspecting victims.

The attached note reads: Sorry about your rough year. Go ahead and take it out on someone annoying. Happy Satinalia, Barrow

[overharrowed]

For those working under him, Julius gifts a sachet of mulling spices to fancy up cider or wine over the winter, as well as a small holiday bonus in coin.

[overharrowed]

For those working under him, Julius gifts a sachet of mulling spices to fancy up cider or wine over the winter, as well as a small holiday bonus in coin.

(If Benedict was in earshot when Julius found his gift, he'd know it genuinely made him laugh.)

[youwonscience]

For members of Research, Cosima provides two extra ration chits — two for tea/coffee, two for booze, or one of each depending on what Cosima has seen your character consume — and a woven blanket in a mid-weight wool from a local craftsperson.

In addition, from her personally, Viktor receives a pair of ocean-smoothed rocks which she's paid someone to enchant to emit pleasant warmth, appropriate for carrying in pockets when it's cold outside and you need to keep your hands agile. They can't be used to light fires and won't burn skin, but should stay warm at least six months before needing re-enchantment.

[youwonscience]

For members of Research, Cosima provides two extra ration chits — two for tea/coffee, two for booze, or one of each depending on what Cosima has seen your character consume — and a woven blanket in a mid-weight wool from a local craftsperson.

[wearyallalone]

A fancy loaf of braided bread, with slivered almonds worked throughout, accompanied by a small pot of sweetened butter. Left in his office, though a small note indicates who it came from.

[inmycare]

One small box of appropriate treats per cat (or, at least, Siegfried's best guess at the number of cats), delivered in person.

[inmycare]

A box of treats for Satina, delivered in person.

[dissolving]

If someone makes it weird, then you make it weirder, and then it's really weird, and then they get assigned you in a work colleague gift exchange,

Is it weird to still give them the thing you started making months ago? Probably. But it's not like Cedric's going to use it.

So left outside Benedict's office with the other mail is a handmade sketchbook. The paper has been pulped and remade from scrapped letters and meeting notes, resulting in a rough, greige surface better suited to lead or charcoal than ink. It's been inexpertly stitched together into a leather cover.

No note or signature accompanies it. Because shit's weird.

[extortionate]

Several lavishly-illustrated horse cards, obviously nicked from the Hunterhorns Lodge, are shoved in his lapel pocket one day at meal time.

[wythersake]

Anonymously, slipped among any bottles in Barrow's office, is a new one. Of snake oil. It contains a whole and very dead snake (which does not feature in the linked image because I'm considerate).

The Kirkwall apothecary that produces this panacea recommends applying it to the skin for relief from arthritis. This is a great way to still have arthritis, and smell like a rotting snake.

[dissolving]

A souvenir badge from Ansburg's annual Blessing of the Animals, attended on a recent Diplomacy assignment, and given a try with the metal varnish (to mixed success). Delivered with a note that reads:

HOPE YOU DON'T MIND ONE MORE CAT

And a bro shoulder clap like he's about to add something more personal to that, before stopping midway.

ser redvers keen (forces)

[atonally]

siorus (research)

[wildered]

vaclav lutak (diplomacy)

[footholds]

[wythersake]

As a member of Diplomacy, Benedict receives a small packet of brightly-coloured, powdered dye, easily deployed by opening or tearing. It accompanies a request to test it on a member of Scouting or Forces this Satinalia. Results may be reported back to Isaac, Caius, or Gwenaelle for a small reward *

* isaac hasn't told anyone else that he said they'd give out rewards

Not separately and not anonymously, in the same conversation, whoa — Isaac will ask after his experience with staves, and suggest that he'll foot the bill to have one commissioned if Benedict puts thought to the materials he'd favour.

[extortionate]

Lazar will act like he hasn't gotten Barrow shit. Because he hasn't.

But the next time that Barrow passes through the Fereldan base, he'll find the dwarven tombs have been cleaned and tended, and a couple of fat candles stuck on top.

These weren't Andrastian dwarves, and Lazar's almost certainly only doing it because there's nothing valuable left. But it's the thought that counts. Right??

[wythersake]

Anonymously, left in his spot on the watch rota, is a ribbon-wrapped tin of mint. Of mostly mint. There's bits of stinging nettle mixed in. Chewing or handling it without boiling results in a small but unpleasant surprise.

secret satina ✨

[grindset]

On the morning of Satinalia, Benedict will find this in his mailbox:



Roughly the size of a lemon, it comes wrapped in the many layers of a gauzy scarf of medium quality that seems suitable for draping somewhere like some kind of hippie. Operating and cleaning instructions are included. Also included are two small chunks of fragrant resin incense, which are not luxury grade but could definitely smell worse. Also, a note:

After 5 to 10 uses, please submit to Research division for evaluation.
Happy Satinalia.

[dissolving]

Delivered in passing is an empty flask, and a letter carried back from the Silent Plains. It contains messages from mutual acquaintances – not Redvers' usual penpals, they skew a bit young – but familiar all the same.

They're short, crammed onto the same sheet of paper, and clearly passed around a fire. Most are friendly (and read tipsy), but one offers a very solemn prayer to his continued good health in this time of trials & etc. Someone's circled that with dicks. Further down the page, a one-handed stick figure holds a knife, and spurts blood from its stump.



Cedric promises he hasn’t read any of it, but this may be plausible deniability.

1 of 2

[cozen]

Left anonymously in his pigeonhole is a list of three locations in Kirkwall with instructions for Barrow to tell the proprietors Satina sent him.

The first is a merchant selling spirits in Lowtown, who will give him a bottle of his choosing (within a given price range). The second is a different merchant selling tobacco, with a satchet of it waiting for him. And a third selling herbs is prepared to give him a large jar of dried catnip.

But the really important thing is that all of the merchants are good-looking age-appropriate women who seem to have been told nice things about someone's very single friend Barrow.

Abby A., Forces

[armd]

Gela B., Diplomacy

[sprent]