SATINALIA X: A DAY LATE AND A SOVEREIGN SHORT

[aberratic]

HAPPY SATINALIA

There's no fun meme or poem this time, because I'm not Kate (I could never be Kate). But we're not missing Satinalia, damnit.

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

capt. gwenaëlle strange — forces

[elegiaque]

[uniform]

Handed over later in the day, Gwenaëlle receives a charcoal sketch of the gauntlet in the moments right before firing. On the back is a note:

Thanks for going easy on me. — SR

[wearyallalone]

A pair of small, finely made metal boxes filled with Rivani tea. One is a peppermint, lemon verbena, oregano, and licorice root blend, reputed to be especially good for headaches. The other, a black tea with a hint of cloves, is meant to enhance focus. (She can guess he may have pulled some strings with his brother-in-law, given the ongoing difficulties securing tea more broadly.)

A note in his neat, slanted hand includes the usages and the brewing instructions for each. A postscript reads: I hope not to be the cause of too many of the headaches in the year to come. - Vanya

[portalling]

Some sheet music with a couple of his favourite Chopin songs, transcribed; Stephen must have worked on this for a while, getting someone with musical training to scribe the neat and tidy notes, testing the sound to be sure they’ve been accurately recalled and written for her.

And the bulk of the gift: a pair of matching rings for the two of them, collapsible miniature versions of an armillary sphere or spherical astrolabe^{1 2}, gently enchanted. Presented in person when she wakes up, because it might require some explanation and he knows what this looks like, this is a practical gift, he swears —

[brennvin]

A wooden figurine of Bellerose, carved with great care by Astrid herself. She’s been observing the dracolisk whenever she can, but from a safe distance.

[armd]

Left in the houseboat on her bedside table: a two book stack, neatly wrapped up in a dusky blue ribbon. The first book is Gwenaëlle's debut collection of poetry, published ten years prior and rebound in the current style as a handsome little hardback. The second book, slimmer but matching the first in terms of aesthetic (rich orange and cream tones), contains pieces collected from journals, pamphlets and poetry collections Gwenaëlle's writing featured in. It is by no means complete but Abby tried her hardest.

A folded note on top reads, Dunno what I'd do without you, Gigi. Thanks for everything. Love Abby

athénaïs tavarys — research

[mournwitch]

[dirthsal]

Dropped almostly-convincingly carelessly into Athenaïs' palm, she gets a miniature Nuggalope carved out of halla horn.

[youwonscience]

Members of research receive a parcel in paper, roughly the size and shape of an orange. When opened, it reveals a glass sphere that, with only a little coaxing at its equator cleanly comes apart into two hemispheres. (Is it magic? Practical? Not immediately clear, though perhaps the curious could investigate.) One half, clear, works as a practical magnifying tool; the other is decorative, the vibrant green of Fade magic (or an anchor shard).

The note reads "Stay curious this year. — Provost Cosima Niehaus."

archivist ennaris tavane—diplomacy

[aberratic]

[sprent]

As a member of Diplomacy, Ness will find a last minute good-bye and thank-you gift left in her cubby consisting of: a little sachet of candied sage leaves and a stack of conversation cards tied with purple ribbon. They proclaim they are for 'bonding with new recruits and old colleagues' and contain handwritten ice-breaker questions such as: What is a boring fact about yourself?

A note underneath this wee bundle says: It has been such a pleasure working with you Ennaris — all the best until I see you again, which I'm sure I will! Love from Gela

[wearyallalone]

In her office, Ness finds a notebook bound in a handsome, dyed-green leather with a griffon stamped into the cover, accompanied by a small pot of high-quality green ink and a quill she may be able to tell was made from one of Pamplemousse's shed feathers.

The note tucked into the front cover reads For keeping track of places you find worthy of revisiting. Happy Satinalia. — Vanya

[portalling]

A heavy and well-made chess set, with charmingly Thedosian flourishes: the knight pieces are hallas. An attached note in his very wobbly handwriting, slowly written: We could break up the lessons with a game, every so often.

talin of clan shira'nehn—scouting

[dirthsal]

[mournwitch]

Picked up in a market somewhere between her last excursion and Kirkwall, a small set of carved halla of white wood, one carefully painted gold (in a way that is probably not going to last long if they’re handled much) in what she was assured is ‘the Dalish style’. (It’s close enough that while the carver was likely not born to clan life, they had a parent or grandparent who was.) An impulse gift, to be sure:

for when you’re homesick, woods boy
athénaïs

connor guerrin—research

[catathymic]

[elegiaque]

Delivered by the ghost of Satinalia past Guilfoyle, a small handbound illustrated book of a handful of tales of Alistair’s Inquisition adventures as recently told by Gwenaëlle to Connor. It’s simple and bright and one of a kind, ALISTAIR IN THE INQUISITION embossed on its cover.

so you can share them on, in turn.
gwenaëlle strange

steve rogers—forces

[uniform]

[portalling]

A welcome bundle of Thedosian background books from Stephen’s own collection when he was new, focusing more on immediate Tevene and Marcher history rather than magic. Also, a note directing Steve where to find the report filed on Riftsmas.

cosima niehaus || research (div head until just now)

[youwonscience]

[portalling]

A nicely-rendered invitation on cardstock from a restaurant in Hightown, noting that he’s booked them a standing monthly reservation for Sunday brunch. The attached note explains they ought to remember to take a real break sometimes, and: Here’s to the ladies who lunch, lounging in their caftans and planning a brunch on their own behalf.

vanya orlov || forces

[wearyallalone]

[elegiaque]

Personally delivered, Vanya receives two new shirts, simple and practical besides some Nevarran-themed embroidery on the collar and cuffs, and a small pouch of elfroot.

i’m not opposed to all mind altering substances. consider relaxing even once, and consider it an invitation round if you like.
gwenaëlle strange

antoine || research

[wontknowwhen]

[mournwitch]

Addressed to both Antoine and Evka, a suspiciously large collar and leash (stolen):

quit losing wardens down holes
athénaïs

Benedict Artemaeus | Diplomacy

[altusimperius]

[sprent]

As a member of Diplomacy, Benedict will find a last minute good-bye and thank-you gift left in her cubby consisting of: a little sachet of candied sage leaves and a stack of conversation cards tied with red ribbon. They proclaim they are for 'bonding with new recruits and old colleagues' and contain handwritten ice-breaker questions such as: If you could name a new griffon, what would you call it?

A note underneath this wee bundle says: Thank you so much for your help and friendship while I was in the role, Benedict. I don't know if I'm supposed to do this for Diplomacy but I'm doing it anyway! All best. Love from Gela

stephen strange | research, head healer

[portalling]

[elegiaque]

Delivered to him at home, Stephen receives a pair of marble carved bookends, depicting … Gwenaëlle, naked but for a scarf, sitting on one (one foot tucked, one knee up and being leaned on) and standing to lean against the bookend-base on the other, in a state of perpetually ‘about to lose this scarf’ where she has one foot tucked against her calf and is looking down to see the scarf slip. Her golden eye and most of her scars have been painstakingly included in both figures, but they do not depict her wings.

He also receives a set of journals with his initials and the Riftwatch research sigil embossed on the front and spines, bound in red leather and smelling faintly of her perfume, and a new set of gloves and scarf that match the coat she made him last Satinalia.

On the interior page of the top journal:

while i am unfailingly fascinated by every thought you have, i promise not to look uninvited if you’re moved to it … but if you’d like a scribe, i’ve become very fond of that time.
gwenaëlle clothilde decima strange

astrid runasdotten | scouting

[brennvin]

[elegiaque]

Delivered by Guilfoyle: a bow, not the one that Gwenaëlle typically uses but one that has hung in her home for years, now, once given as a trophy at the Grand Tourney. It glitters with the same icy magic, though it’s of Orlesian make, as fine as it is an effective weapon.

i think that it is long past time this bow went to capable hands and i would be grateful to you if you would see fit to accept it. you would have liked the man who won it very much.
gwenaëlle strange

cassian andor | scouting

[interroga]

[dirthsal]

Next time Cassian looks in his pack, he will find a knife made from carved halla horn. It, and the leather sheathe it comes in, is simple but well-made, with no embellishments. The knife itself is more for utility than combat, better suited to cutting fabric, cleaning kills, or preparing food than stabbing. There's no indication who it's from, but Talin will ask if he likes it the next time they see each other.

Abby Anderson, Forces

[armd]

[elegiaque]

Delivered personally, Abby receives a fit-and-flare jacket and matching waistcoat designed in its colour and cut to evoke the colours and cover design of the collector’s edition of a romance serial that Gwenaëlle had probably already known she was reading before she was packing her suitcases for her. The interior maker’s label — a thing she typically leaves off — has the lead romances’ initials entwined, set against the flag of their home.

She probably had to read at least some of it for the details, and that’s true love.

♥ gwenaëlle strange