Absolutely everybody -- at or near the fireplace

[cook_the_rude]

This evening, there are several people relaxing by or near the fireplace the fireplace, doing slightly unexpected things. Among them are:

• Katrina Crane, seated in a comfortable chair, reading -- a romance novel?
• Pearse Harman, scribbling down bullet points for tomorrow's sermon while at a table with a glass of -- beer?
• Teja, in his usual chair by the trilobite tank, with all four cats and a soundly sleeping Egil, playing his -- guitar?
• Lady Margolotta, at a table drinking cocoa and cuddling a cute, pink-nosed -- rat?
• Dr. Hannibal Lecter, lounging on a sofa with his feet up, reading a book on -- demonology?
• Dorian Gray, sitting cross-legged in from of a coffee table, sensuously enjoying several different -- cupcakes?
• Madame Thénardier, hunched on an ottoman right by the fire, voraciously reading a book by -- Hilary Mantel?

[[OOC: Say in your tag whom you want -- open until it scrolls! Not trying to emulate the sheer numbers on the last one, though...]]

Comments

[witchfinder_general]

"Well, nobody would want to waste valuable labour," Father Harman says. "A slave is an investment, after all."

[athelstanthescribe]

"They killed the others", he says quietly. "But perhaps they wouldn't work."

[witchfinder_general]

"And you not only worked as you were told, you were actually helpful," Father Harman points out.

[athelstanthescribe]

He stops smiling at that.

"Too helpful."

[witchfinder_general]

"Why too helpful?" Father Harman asks.

[athelstanthescribe]

"I told him more than I should have. He gave me to drink, you remember?"

[witchfinder_general]

"I do," Father Harman says. "And you told him about the things he'd need to know for his next raid?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Some of them. He asked questions, I didn't think..."

[witchfinder_general]

"And now you do, in hindsight," Father Harman nods.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Yes. Now it's too late, and he's already used it."

[witchfinder_general]

"Would you like absolution for that?" Father Harman says. "It seems to torment you."

[athelstanthescribe]

"It was a betrayal", he says simply. "Yes, please."

[witchfinder_general]

"If you give me ten minutes to finish my notes for tomorrow," Father Harman says, "then we can go up to the confessional."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Take the time you need", Athelstan answers quickly. "I wouldn't want to interrupt you... what are you working on?"

[witchfinder_general]

"Just my sermon for tomorrow," Father Harman says. "Taking a few notes of the points I mean to mention before I'm done."

[athelstanthescribe]

"On - " He glances at the book. " - demons?"

[witchfinder_general]

"I'm afraid they're not just metaphors here," Father Harman says.

[athelstanthescribe]

"That must make it difficult to preach against here, since violence against them isn't allowed unless they start it."

[witchfinder_general]

"I'm not going to incite to violence in my sermon," Father Harman says, wryly amused. "I am simply going to talk about internal and external demons, and the casting-out of them, as it is practised differently in many different worlds. What my time calls psychotherapy can be an exorcism of sorts, too. In worlds where demons are strictly metaphorical."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Psychotherapy?" he asks, interested. "What is that?"

[witchfinder_general]

"Something like secular confession, where people talk about their problems to a licensed professional and expert who knows very well how people tick, and can then help them to get better."

[athelstanthescribe]

"...there are people in your world who do this for a job?"

[witchfinder_general]

"Yes," Father Harman says. "Many of them. There's at least one of them here, but has recently been found not to be trustworthy."

[athelstanthescribe]

"I could imagine someone with those skills could do a lot of damage, if they chose."

[witchfinder_general]

"They can, and for all I know, he does," Father Harman says. "His name is Dr. Hannibal Lecter; he's harmed at least one of those 19th century Frenchmen of which the bar seems to have acquired so many lately. If you meet him, do be careful."