driftfleet | 006 || video;

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006 || video;

Who: Leliana
Broadcast: Yes
Action: Aboard the Iskaulit
When: Now!

[She knows everyone is hard at work on deciphering the texts they have been given. Leliana would help, were she given a word. Instead she has found herself focusing on other worthy pursuits. The game room was intriguing but she liked to make her own fun. Using pieces of wood scrapped by scavengers on the planet surface, Leliana has fashioned herself a chess board. There were some familiar figures to those of Thedosian variety - The Queen might just look like Andraste, for example.

When Leliana appears to the network, she is holding one of her crudely made pieces between her fingers.]

It has become obvious that so many are either under duress or worrying over the distress message once more. I think a break would not be out of line, no? Should anyone care for a game of chess, I will be here. Please, do not let the happenings down below cause each other more stress than needed. We will sort this out in time.

Should anyone need further introductions: I am addressed as Sister Nightingale to the fleet at large. If you seek a game of challenge, you may call upon me.

[What most will be unfortunate to find is that Leliana had every intention of cheating.]

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[especially with everything going on right now--messages and mysteries and alarming floods of magic--he is ready for a break, but his brain is still itching. so, the prospect of playing chess with someone who not only knows what it is, but is actually looking to play? it's too good to pass up.

so, he sends a hasty message in reply.]

are you a good player ?

Hopefully not the best you will ever meet, but yes. I do have skill in the game.

[Mostly because she's awesome at cheating but details...]

where and when to play

[his poorly-typed way of saying let's do this!]

Now if you wish. Aboard the Iskaulit. You can find me easily enough.

...I'm not sure how wise it would be to play chess against a Bard.

I haven't the faintest what you might be implying, Fenris.

[Darn. She was so hoping she could cheat the elf too.]

[Lady, he has spent ten years of his life in the company of Varric and Isabela. He knows the rogue wily ways]

Oh, I'm sure you absolutely do not.

I suppose it cannot hurt, though. So long as you don't take all my coin.

[He'd welcome the distraction, in all honesty.]

Typically chess does not require exchange of coin, but you are more than welcome to start a betting pool.

[And then she can take all your coin. She's very good at chess.]

You have clearly not played chess against Varric.

[If he doesn't find inventive new ways to take people's money, he's slipping. He sounds fond all the same. Got to love the dwarf. ]

Oh no we'd be at it all day, trying to catch one another cheating. You should have seen the game of Wicked Grace he played with the others - he got Commander Cullen naked.

[Do you want her to get you naked Fenris? She'll take more than your coin if you aren't careful. You'll be doing the walk of shame back to your ship with all your bits hanging out.]

[He gives a soft snort of amusement at that. Poor, poor Cullen. ]

That does not surprise me. The dwarf has an...unusual talent for fooling people into what he wants. Especially when gambling is involved. A lesson Cullen learned the hard way.

He probably regrets it now, though I doubt Inquisitor Trevelyan had much to complain about. I imagine she rather enjoyed the view.

[Cullen was a pretty decent looking man, if one got past his blantant dislike of mages and his incorrigible personality.]

I would not blame her.

[He's a very pretty man, okay. ]

Interesting. The Inquisitors I have met here in the Fleet have been Lavellans. Elves.

I was told the same by Cole, if memory serves. We did not meet, unfortunately.

[He is a pretty man. Her Inquisitor was over the moon for him.]

Inquisitor Trevelyan is a human, where I am from.

[He makes the same face he always makes whenever Cole is mentioned. The kind that suggests he's just encountered a really terrible smell. ]

Hn. The Inquisitor has not risen to power, in the time I come from. I am unsure which one I will be familiar with.

[Oh, Fenris... Cole didn't do anything to you, gosh!!]

It would be intriguing to find out, no? Maybe we could all sit down sometime and compare Wardens, Hawkes, and Inquisitors.

[Or not considering it would be her mediating Fenris and Anders probly... :|]

[He existed. ]

I am sure that would take quite some time. It seems most of us are from a different version of Thedas. I only ever knew one other person who was from the home I remember.

I am curious still... since Alistair has departed, at least. Anders at least has 'Wolfe, but... ah, it'd be silly of me to ask you.

[She honestly doubts Fenris has any advice for how she could handle the Lark situation, but really who else can she ask?]

[He gives the screen a sidelong glance.]

If you wish for my opinion on a matter, you need only ask. Though my opinions on most matters are not what people consider what they wish to hear.

[He's so bad at sugar coating things. So bad.]

Things with Hawke - the two of you are intimate, no? Does it not bother either of you that memories are different, that events are different between you?

[Fenris shouldn't even be surprised she knows the two of them are shacking up, alright.]

[He's not even a little bit surprised. If there's one thing he's learned since he's known her, it's that Leliana knows EVERYTHING.

Still, he'd rather not his personal habits be displayed for all to see, so a private filter it is.]

Of course it does.

[He's always very aware he won't be what SHE knows him to be. He hasn't had that experience, that level of closeness- that time to work himself out with her to help him. He'll always just be...less. ]

But that will do little for what it is now. Best to enjoy it while we can, chances are, this will only be brief- until Atroma sends one or both of us away again.

'Live in the moment' and all that. Hmm. I never coined you to be an optimist.

[Quite the opposite really. Varric often described him as broody and other similar adjectives.]

I am not an optimist. I am just very much aware that one day, Atroma will part us - and chances are if either of us return, one will not remember the other. At least...not in this aspect.

[Basically he's just waiting for it to all fall apart. ]

So... for now, you are both happy.

[That's the important thing, no matter what.]

That is good. To not have something to question about this place, for the moment while you have it.

For now, yes.

[Or as close to 'happy' as he can get.]

I doubt it will last for long, not having something to question. The very nature of these places leans towards chaos. I suppose we shall have to see what it brings.

I'd been thinking of drawing up some diamondback cards, but chess might be a nice diversion if only to get myself beaten for an hour or two. Did you make that yourself?

[Like Fenris, he's fully aware that Leliana will probably cheat the pants on him, he's just never been great at actually catching the rogues in the act. At least chess isn't generally a betting game.]

Edited (formatting) 2016-11-15 03:50 (UTC)

Really? Diamondback would be fun. I'm quite good at that as well.

[You bet your ass she will totally rope you into giving her all of your money and probably send you back home to Anders naked and ashamed of your loss, Hawke.]

Perhaps if you make a deck we could play a game.

[As for the chess pieces - ]

They took some time. As you can imagine I have a bit of talent with a knife, however crude the artwork may be.

[Usually that talent fell more along the lines of killing but that was neither here nor there.]

[Being sent home to Anders naked is a good night in Wolfe's book. Don't threaten him with a good time.]

I'll have to find something good to make cards out of, but I'll definitely look into it. I'm afraid my drawing talents aren't as good as your carving skills, but all they really need are numbers and suits anyway.

I thought you'd be all over that message, trying to help decode it.

[Riona strolls up alongside of Leliana, glancing down at the chess board. She can barely remember the last time she played.]

Chess was never my strong suit, believe it or not. Father always trounced me in it.

I apparently wasn't one of the lucky few to receive a word, but it's no matter.

[Leliana looks up at her when she arrives.]

If it makes you feel better I wouldn't dare cheat you at Chess?

[Hey she's totally being honest alright. She'd definitely cheat Alistair though. And has tried to cheat Cullen more than once. The damned pretty boy was too good at it to lose, though.]

I could even teach you to improve your game if you like.

Edited 2016-12-01 02:51 (UTC)

I would certainly hope not! [damn girl, you're gettin' scolded now.] Leli, you're not supposed to cheat! It's all about strategy and predicting movements, not swindling your opponents! That's what Wicked Grace is for.

[Really now, cheat when cheating is the name of the game!]

A lesson would be good, I think. Though, I think I must resign myself to the fact that I'll never be good at it.

No cheating? Cheating is all about strategy! You strategically find the best way to one up your opponent and they don't even see it coming.

[Excuses, excuses.]

Besides, I only ever win against people who aren't actually good at chess.

[Cullen beats her every damn time :|]

You'll be fine. I can teach you to better recognize different strategies.

Cheating is cheating is cheating, Leliana. I imagine those good at chess know how to look for the signs of tomfoolery afoot.

[Stern look ahoy. She loves you, Lels, but you deserve to lose if you cheat. Tsk.]

Then by all means! I'll gladly take a lesson.

Of course. Why do you think I lose to Cullen so easily?

[She grins playfully, gesturing for Riona to set up her side of the board.]

Should the two of you ever cross paths in the fleet I imagine he would be a better teacher, but for now I will do nicely.

Ah, he plays chess, does he?

[Cullen is an uneasy subject to broach. She's heard from Leliana about how he's gotten better, but all she sees when she thinks of him is that broken man in the Tower, hateful and enraged.]

It would be interesting to talk to him again, outside of such... drastic circumstances. [She begins to set up her side, laying out the pieces.]

[Leliana nods, setting up her own pieces as well. It was all fine and good to play by yourself but this was much more enjoyable. How long had it been since they'd sat down to just enjoy themselves?]

Yes, I imagine he'd feel the same. You two aren't so different in your ideals. It is merely the paths you took that diverged, no?

[She'd smile if it wasn't such a sad topic, which is why she adds as a jape -]

Just don't play him at Wicked Grace. You'll find out exactly how easy that armor comes off.

[Poor, poor, Cullen.]

[It's been far too long.]

Are they? He... I suppose I shouldn't hold anything he said about the mages against him, given his state. But that conversation still haunts me.

[She snorts.]

Not a good bluffer or liar, I take it?

[The Marsiva hasn't kicked him out yet so he's determined to get everything out of it that he can. It might be possible to see the game room in the distance behind him, in fact]

I have my fill of games currently, but I'd be quite interested to play once we leave this system. It can be hard to find a decent chess match.

Agreed - and that's perfectly fine. I don't mind waiting for another occasion.

[She smiles, intrigued.]

How is the game room? Not too terrible, I hope. It didn't catch my interest.

[Translation: She was too suspicious of it to bother visiting.]

Not quite as stimulating as chess, but the food is excellent and so far not made of poison, as far as I can tell. I can't complain about the accommodations, either.

[Translation: Felix's suspicion was overcome by his materialism]

I never was any good at chess. Too much strategizing, I make a terrible 'general.'

Did you make that yourself? [And, quickly, just in case she thought maybe he was poking fun at her creative abilities:] It looks good!

Ah. Then you would enjoy learning from Cullen.

[A pause and then she winces slightly when she realizes what she's said.]

Or, possibly not. I will say his attitude towards mages has changed greatly from what I saw last. Perhaps you could enjoy a game sometime.

So Varric told us in his letters, but you'll have to forgive me if I don't just take everyone's word for it.

[His dry tone isn't aimed to hold barbs, but Cullen "Mages aren't people" Rutherford wasn't a pleasant topic. Between Kinloch and Kirkwall, they'd known each other far too long for it to just be water under a bridge.]

[She shrugs though there's a bit of a long stare that follows.]

That's your choice, Anders. It was merely a suggestion. I can't dissuade your suspicions but you know as well as I do that people can change.

You have a knack for making my name sound like a disappointed remark. Like my mother.

[No, he's not going to talk about his own prejudices and how they're basically just the opposite of Cullen's. And he's certainly not going to talk about the potential of Cullen having overcome his while Anders still couldn't and maybe even wouldn't, free himself of his own.

So, deflection it is.]

Probably from years of living in the chantry in Lothering. I have that 'disaproving nun' tone down.

[She's not taking the bait mister. :|]

Ah, yes, that must be it. The Sisters in Kinloch's Chantry always wielded their's masterfully.

[He sighs and rubs his eyes a bit. Some days, he just felt too old for this anymore.]

Should the Commander arrive here in the fleet, I'll try to keep your words in mind. If he doesn't, however, it is likely, and for the best, that we'll never see each other again. In which case, my opinion won't matter for much.

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