Hazelnuts and plaid

[Varric]

"Introductory?" Varric squawks, looking outraged. "Wait, she's-- she almost didn't pass-- what is she doing?"

[GamesMaster]

"From what I understand, whatever she's been doing, it's not her homework. At least she studied for her midterms; she got nothing below a B- on them."

[Varric]

"She got higher than that on Lume's Prelim Mastery entrance exams!" Lady's SS isn't a bad school by any means, easily in the top five truth be told, but Lume de Sol is the top university by an unquestionable margin for any and all arcane programs. 

[GamesMaster]

He winces a little. "Ah, I see. Well, this is what she has done since her acceptance of our offer. It seems, whatever she's been up to, schoolwork is no longer a top priority for her. Perhaps you should speak with the lady herself about this?"

[Varric]

Varric opens his mouth-- and hangs there for a good long moment. Finally he closes his mouth-- and his eyes-- long enough to take three slow breathes. "Clearly," he finally grits out. "Thank you for your directness and honesty."

[GamesMaster]

"Of course. We appreciate your donations, Mr Tethras, and I hope there will be no ill blood between such an esteemed Clan and our humble university, but I cannot and will not help my students cheat themselves out of a proper education. I hope very much that whatever is troubling Sage zi'Hawke, it can be brought quickly to a close."

[Varric]

You and me both. "I don't blame you for her choices," Varric says carefully, eyes opening. "I would like to speak with her teachers however, see if they can shed some more light on what's-- what's wrong."

[GamesMaster]

"Of course. Now that you know the correct name, Ravenna can easily get you her schedule, and you can find each professor's office hours on the board out front."

[Varric]

"Thank you again," Varric says with a shallow bow. "May your past carry you ever forward."

[GamesMaster]

Pleased, Lalit bows. "And may the Stone grant you peace. Please give my regards to your Clansman Helene-who-was-Dakesh." 


None of her professors have office hours right now, of course; Varric's luck isn't that good. Still, he finds one of them in his office, and after a brief chat about Mary's grades and her friends, he finds a list of names, some of them familiar. Four seem most likely: Maryann Jorgenson. Joni Davies. Stacy Chi. Marissa McCain. 

All four hang out together, and have been seen with and around Hawke in the last few weeks. Two pairs of roommates, they are housed in the same building Hawke's taken lodgings at, though Hawke has a single instead of a shared flat. Sadly, it will be time to meet back up with Isabela before he has time to do more than break into one room. So he heads for the Jorgenson/Davies flat, figuring the two who she was out drinking with most recently might be the most likely. 

Neither are home, thankfully. The flat seems lived in, if cheap; the cookware is all second-hand, and each has a single bedroom with a shared toilet. Maryann has a lot of makeup, perfumes, and nice clothing; Joni has clothes of an eclectic nature, mixing freely male and female styles, and a number of adventurer's tales in his room. Neither seem to have much in the way of holy items, so it's impossible to tell who they worship. Maryanne keeps some coins under her mattress for an emergency, and Joni is copying over a term paper due next week into his own handwriting, clearly having purchased it. Both have schedules pinned up on a corkboard by the front door so they can find out where each other will be in case of emergency, as well as their relatives' contact information. Normal student stuff, basically. 

He cuts his trip short by long enough to put a quick trap at the entrance to Hawke's door, just enough to let him know if someone goes in or out. Then he's off to Voice to meet back up with Isabela, who is already there, drinking, as Roselie rubs her back comfortingly.

"Anders is in a coma," she greets him with. "Poison. Zevran's not back yet."

[Varric]

Varric stares a moment. "Well that's-- honestly, it's predictable in that shitty sort of way," he admits. "Stable?"

[Isabela]

She nods. "And... Varric, he was poisoned yesterday noon. He has a habit of quiet meditation in the afternoons, nobody found him for hours. His boyfriend is beside himself with worry. Says he sent us a message, in case this was some kind of hero business. But nobody got the message."

[Varric]

"Probably on the doorstep at Hawke's," Varric murmurs, thinking. "Noon. That's before Zevran and Merrill both. That's... interesting. Of all of us, he's easily the most--" Varric snaps to his feet, paling. "Where-- What route exactly did Seli and Andy plan to use?"  Anders was the most (accessable) vulnerable of us.

[Isabela]

"Fuck," agrees Isabela. "I don't know. They were going along with a trade caravan."

[Varric]

"Aveline will know," Varric says after a few panicked seconds of thought. "We need to get ahold of her now. Wait, no, we-- You get to her and ask, I'll head to the Bazaar and get some scrolls."