goethbeforethefall | The Wolf and Halla Consultation Service

You must have questions. Seek answers with...

Beleth Lavellan and Solas are each available to offer advice on all matters, both public and private. Every kind of consultation is available, from relationship advice to technical assistance. Taking place in their beautifully-appointed home and place of business, all consultations come with free snacks and complimentary tea. In-person advising sessions are given strictly by appointment, and all advice offered is completely confidential.
You can trust us.
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Remote consultations available by paper-letter post only.
Please use drop-box at the door.

Please note in your toplevel's subject line whether your character will be receiving a consultation with Beleth, Solas, both, or either, and whether or not you are open to threadjacking by Felassan, who is also here in the manner of a cat who cannot be kept out of the room without yowling, but who doesn't actually want to be in here. (Felassan interjections are not guaranteed, merely permitted).

Action-tags or prose equally acceptable. For advice-by-letter, post here and specify if the question is being deposited anonymously, or with a name, in the subject line.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

By the large front doors to their home, Beleth and Solas have installed a charming wooden box with a letter-slot in it. It has been intricately carved, and seems very sturdy. The gold lettering is gracefully curled, but clearly legible, and reads:

Wolf and Halla Consultations: Deposit Letters Here.
anonymous questions answerable by public note only.

There is a slim notebook and a stylus-pencil sat atop the box; both are attached by a long, slim brass chain. If your question is to be submitted anonymously, it must be here that it will be answered in kind.

[Barcus' handwriting is small, precise, and delicate, and he's not bothering to disguise it:]

Dear Wolf and Halla,

I seek your advice on the matter of a dear friend of mine whose name I will not share. It seems to me that this friend is continually pushing his luck with the faction leaders in this place. While I understand it is his nature to thumb his charmingly pointy nose at the powers that be, and in many ways I admire his willingness to be both stubborn and petty, I do have some concerns about backlash.

What's the most polite way in which I can tell him to watch his hairy lupine arse?

Most sincerely but with a raised eyebrow,

Barcus Wroot

Dear Barcus,

I do not think, if it comforts you any, that your concern is out of place, nor such concern a stranger to me, personally. I have spent much time with similar concerns, both of the leaders here, and of them elsewhere.

What I have found to work to some effect is a compromise -- or perhaps some might call it a bribe. I have requested certain parties carry some amount of prudence and caution, and have aided this agreement through certain concessions I have made, as well as certain acts that might encourage bearing my words some heed.

I fear, however, there is also some amount of acceptance that I had to make my peace with. Sometimes you befriend a cat, and you must simply bear their intolerance towards water (or in this case, not rising up against those he views as our jailers).

If you are not in the position to do anything mentioned above, I suggest you take the path that others have before you: Simply annoy him enough that he capitulates.

Your friend,
Beleth Lavellan

Edited (signature) 2025-10-22 21:40 (UTC)

[The letter arrives addressed to Barcus, sealed with a tiny, glowing glyph that renders the envelope impervious to letter-openers until Barcus touches it. Both Solas and Beleth's responses are folded together, each on its own sheet of fine, white vellum. Solas' hand is extremely consistent, precise, and neat— like the notations of a draftsman. He dots his letters with tiny, slanted marks.]

Barcus Wroot,

A bolder and more unwise advisor might offer that your friend is capable of making his own decisions, and forging his own path. Truly, one does wonder at the purpose of bringing such an individual to this place, without accommodating for his nature. Just the same, I must take your question in the spirit in which it was so clearly intended: that of a concerned friend, who does not wish to see one who he cares for be harmed.

Alas, there is no easy solution to your predicament, and in the end, you may indeed be forced to choose between loyalty and prudence. The problem is this: the future is unknowable, and all forms of love involve some measure of trust.

So you must decide to what degree you will support your friend, and how far you will trust him, and your own judgement. No simple task, but one better accomplished before any potential crisis... Although, if I have read your letter aright, I believe your friend may already be aware of your misgivings: you are not the only to voice them.

I can only offer, on this friend's behalf, that he will be as careful as he may, with no intention to deliberately inflict grief upon you.

Your friend and confidant,
Solas
Wolf and Halla Consulting

Dear Beleth,

A question for you, before I continue: is your correspondence marked safe from the eyes of the faction leaders, should they choose to pry, or merely the physical space of your home? I never asked Lioriley for the specific wording of the promise.

Yrs,

Barcus

Dear Solas,

My friend is indeed dear to my heart, though I dare not guess to what extent his care for my mental well-being extends, in turn. He is a fine orator and writer, and cunning beyond measure, but perhaps a poor listener at times.

I will of course extend my trust and loyalty to the limit, as I always have with those who are dear to me, but I would posit to my friend a question: perhaps he has the strength to withstand his own risk-taking, and the patience to plan for all eventualities, however should he be sent home, either by deliberate action or by pure accident, what on earth would the rest of us do without him?

What would we do to protect his effects, should they be left behind?

What should we tell his loved ones, should they remain trapped here without him?

Yrs,
Barcus

My friend,

I am doing the work to protect and render less dangerous, that which I have been given. In this, you must trust me: indeed, they are more difficult to misuse than you might think. That will be cold comfort to you, for which I apologize, but my life is long, and farewells no less common than new meetings— you will carry on, as stalwart as you ever have been, of that I do not doubt. To all things come an end, eventually.

As for those whom I love, and who love me in turn: in the event that I vanish, and they do not, you need not tell them anything.

They already know.

- Solas

Dear Barcus,

...I must confess, I am not sure. In any case, I will keep all of the things written here restricted to our premises, as much as we are able to do so. I'll see if the next time I meet with Lioriley, she knows for certain. As it stands, I feel like it's safer to write through here than the birds, at least.

Best wishes,
Beleth

Edited 2025-10-30 22:45 (UTC)

Beleth,

The devil is in the details, dear friend. Be very, very careful.

Perhaps I will come visit you when I can articulate my concerns more clearly. For now, all I have is the feeling that this could go terribly wrong for the two of you, and I don't want to see that happen.

Please take care of yourselves.

Love, Barcus

Dear Barcus,

I believe you, and I will take your warnings will all the caution they are due. We live in an uncertain time and uncertain surroundings -- and it does not seem that the situation has any intention on improving. And I am well aware that certain actions have probably attracted certain attentions.

But my life, from my first breath, has been uncertain. There has never been a day I've lived that guarantees it will be followed by a tomorrow. And still there are flowers and the wind and people smile at me when I smile to them. That is to say, do not weigh yourself down overmuch, my friend.

We will be cautious, and prepare as much as we are able, but I hope that you take some time to enjoy the sun when it rises so sluggishly in the cooling sky. Drink something warm and pleasant smelling while you watch it. And come what may, cautious and uncertain as each day is, I believe that we will overcome it together.

Much love,
Beleth

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