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[rowancrowned]

 

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[rowancrowned]

"Is the news so bad as that?" he asks, taking the glass and raising it to him. Free to settled back into the chair, he does. "I cannot recall anything so disturbing as to ruin it occurring in the last day or so."

[katabasis]

There is some small flicker in his face, but whatever it is is drunk away with Flint's first sip from the glass. Good. He'd prefer to be the first authority on this as opposed to some Lowtown dock gossip.

"I've received word that the Venatori have discovered a ruin on an island West of Seheron which they somehow intend to leverage in order to strengthen a rift there. I mean to take some measure of our forces and put an end to it, but thought to consult you for your expertise on the subject before we go tearing north."

[rowancrowned]

"Ah," Thranduil says, and does set the glass down, more than half full. The conversation has become more important than the wine. "The ruin is elven, I assume?"

He sounds almost hopeful.

[katabasis]

"Given how near it lies to Seheron? That would be my guess."

He remains in possession of the glass, though doesn't drink further from it. Instead it lives between his hands, an thing to occupy himself with by absently turning it.

[rowancrowned]

Thranduil gestures, go on, but interrupts his own request with further questions.

"What knowledge of it do you already possess? What have the Venatori already done with it? Do you know what they seek?"

[katabasis]

"It's under ground," he says, ready enough with the details. "Evidently well hidden in a network of caves. Arcane scholars being somewhat rare animals in the area, my contact can't say what precisely the Venatori have done to the ruin but the aim seems to be widening a rift on the surface above it. Excepting the Temple of Mythal, do we know of any other elven sites the Venatori have tried to adapt?"

[rowancrowned]

"The only one that comes to mind may have been ancient Tevene in origin, though filled with artifacts," Thranduil admits. "There was the Solasan temple, but the Venatori only sought access. The Inquisition managed to enter first."

It's been a rather blissful few months of not having the origin of the oculara pop up in his thoughts. At least this time, it is not with so many mage colleagues.

"I do not doubt these sites have objects which could be used for that purpose. You will be bringing several shardbearers, I assume?"

[katabasis]

And here he was, anticipating needing to somehow sell the prospect of this endeavor before they could broach such details.

"Ideally." He takes a drink, and then the glass is set aside. "Raising a force capable of oppose the Venatori presence on the island will be impossible; our best strategy would be to bring enough hands to deal with both the ruin and the rift concurrently before the enemy realizes we've made our landing."

[rowancrowned]

For this, his price is very low. He might even venture to call it charity.

"I see," he says. He looks into the dark surface of the glass, but scrying was never in his particular set of talents. "What is your 'put an end to it'? Close the rift, yes, but deny the Venatori access to the ruin? Recover their research? We are an optimistic organization," by definition and gumption, "but you are a reasonable man. What do you expect the result will be? Why speak to me?"

[katabasis]

He could pick now to dig deeper into the temptation of those offered semantics - what he imagines the ideal handling of the ruin to be versus the most likely outcome. That he is perfectly willing to entertain suggestions should Thranduil have them. It's an appealing distraction. An opportunity to solidify a plan between the two of them before adding, 'Oh, just one more thing—'

But it will all come out in the end, and he would rather seem genuine. So instead:

"Because I suspect Yseult will have some objections to the idea when I propose it, and I would like to be able to rely on yours and Rutyer's support."

[rowancrowned]

"I see," Thranduil says. "And what do you think those objections will be?"

He considers what he wants in return, a guarantee of his support on some other matter, a favor outside of their roles as Division Head. All this favor-trading, this politicking is not so terribly unusual, and yet, for Flint, who his wife is so fond of, who has taught her a great deal...

[katabasis]

"That it would appear I'm hauling half of Riftwatch's Forces away to pursue some personal vendetta, for starters. The island in question having been instrumental in my trade before I came South."

He is plain enough about it, unflinching in its presentation.

"I'm sure she could come up with one or two additional exceptions to the idea if pressed."

[rowancrowned]

"Are you?" Thranduil asks, with no shame. "And will settling your vendetta aid Riftwatch?"

Which is the more important question, to be sure. Thranduil has leveraged his own position once or twice, but he's never used it to directly act against Riftwatch's aims or harm the organization. He considers if Flint would, taking another drink of his wine.

"Would success change anything for you? If it is so instrumental in your trade, would its restoration be persuasion enough to encourage you to take it up again?"

[katabasis]

"The northern account will be unreliable for as long as Corypheus and his ilk hold Tevinter; the only way to change that is to continue to support the war effort. But success there would give Riftwatch and her allies a foothold to the Imperium's peninsula and her holdings on Seheron. Set aside the matter of the ruin and closing the Rift on the island - such a convenient outpost would benefit any incursion into Tevinter and be instrumental in disrupting trade in the north as we might on the Waking Sea."

Four questions are always easier to answer than one.

"But yes," Flint admits, taking up the glass again and drinking from it. "It is also personal."

[rowancrowned]

"Reasonable," Thranduil allows, inclining his head in general agreement. He makes a motion to the bottle, intending to refill both their glasses.

"Will you stay with Riftwatch, or seek to join the outpost?"

[katabasis]

The question warrants the smallest wrinkle of amusement to hook at the corner of his mouth - a little absurd, and dry, and not passing high enough up into the rest of his face to bear any resemblance to warmth. Flint surrenders his glass to be refilled.

"Byerly asked something similar."

[rowancrowned]

"I cannot imagine any of our number in your place who I would like, or who would be competent."

And Gwenaelle would miss him.

Thranduil refills Flint's glass, and his own, and sets the bottle to the side. "I was very fond of Ser Coupe. But before her, we had a Rifter who was a fool, and proud. One may be forgiven, but both in one person is a disaster. You are valuable and valued here."

[katabasis]

That flicker of humor lingers a moment but is faded by the time he takes up the refilled glass and raises it half a degree. So just pride, then.

"I'll tell you what I said to Rutyer. It's my belief that the best way to see that place made secure is to finish the fight with Corypheus and see his powers in the Magisterium overthrown. As much as the island may be an able touchpoint in the North once cleared of Venatori, it's unlikely to be in the position of waging further wars of its own volition. It's in my own best interests that I remain where I am."