Hazelnuts and plaid

[Marian Hawke]

She blinks. "I don't know how."

[Varric]

"To be clear, you do not have the knowledge or skill to create this poison?"

Unable to help himself, Varric calls out in correction, "toxin."

Vosang stiffens, turning to glare at the 'merikos elf' who winces but meets his gaze steadily. "The substance in question is more specifically a 'toxin' as it's derived from an living source but is not a venom. Poison is a broader term that covers four groups toxins for organic sources, venom for offensively delivered toxins, synthoxins for inorganic sources and finally alchemoxins for alchemical or, annoyingly, magical sources that are not organic in nature."

The ratfolk continues to stare for a moment before slowly bringing his gaze back to Marian. "Does the difference in terms have any effect on any of the answers you have given so far?"

[Marian Hawke]

"None whatsoever. I had no idea what the categories were prior to this discussion. I do not know how to create poisons, toxins, or any other kind of alchemical creation. The best I can do is mix substances that I know are toxic when ingested alone, such as bleach or nightshade."

[NPCs]

"You have not received any alchemical or poison making-- any kind of poison-- education or training from anyone? Including your legal father?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I have not received any alchemical or poison creation training from anyone, no. Including my father. I enrolled in a course next semester to surprise him by learning, but I haven't taken it yet."

[NPCs]

Really? That's-- damn. (More that, less drinking/hating). 

"Detail the events of the previous evening into night, being sure to label the various points where your memory becomes more or less reliable." 

[Marian Hawke]

"I hope it's alright if I sum up a little, I have very detailed recall of events that recent, at least when I'm not drinking."

Given the nod to continue, she starts in the afternoon, just to be safe: "After my last class, I walked from Longshore building to the dorm, where I grabbed a snack -- a yogurt cup and some fried potatoes -- and began eating with my textbook open, trying to memorize the base ingredients table on page four-hundred seventy seven. That's when Joni and MaryAnn ran into me. They were also coming to grab a snack, and offered that we could study together for a bit then go out that evening with Stacy, Marissa, and Suzie. We studied Magical Reagents for a while, doing flashcards and quizzing each other, before we headed out to Bar Labris. They were running a trivia game night, so we enrolled as a group, and I had four cocktails in the first two rounds of the trivia game. 

"That's when my memory starts to get fuzzy. I remember us losing the trivia game. I was angry about that, I recall being angry a lot of the night actually. I had had a fight with my wife that morning, and I was still angry under the surface. I recall taking a walk with Joni, the cool air helped sober me up a little. I remember throwing up several times. I don't remember how I got home. I woke up with my arms around Merrill, and she was-- she was deceased at that point in time. I tried to heal her, I shook her, but when I went out to get help I saw the juice bottle on the table and realized what I had done. What had happened."

[NPCs]

Vosang is silent a moment as he gathers his thoughts and decides on questions, an unintended kindness. "How typical was the lead up to your going out that night?"

[Marian Hawke]

"We have been studying extra more often because we didn't do as well as we'd liked on our midterms. MaryAnn and I were both more worried than Joni, but Joni likes spending time with us, so we'd been studying more often. More commonly I'd have gone back to my room to look over some Light business before going out, just to make sure I'm keeping on top of things."

[NPCs]

"Why did you not do so this time?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I was concerned about the upcoming final exams. And hungry. And lonely."

[NPCs]

The next question comes smoothly but without pause. "What did you argue with Miss zi'Hawke about earlier that day?"

[Marian Hawke]

Marian winces. "A personal matter."

[NPCs]

"Irrelevant. Answer the question or be compelled to do so."

[Marian Hawke]

"Compelled--! That's a fi--awful way to treat a cooperative witness." Marian scowls. "Since you're so intent on prying into my personal life, it had to do with her girlfriend."