briefing ♔ bury anchors in our garden and we can let our heartbeats go

[wynn]

♬ The Water - Feist

WHO || Wynn, Zatanna, Lila, David, Emma S, Hook, Amara [Closed]
WHAT || Atlantis Mission Briefing
WHERE || Knights HQ, the briefing room
WHEN || April 9th, shortly before 5pm [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

Just as before, accessing the secret room where the Round Table is housed requires using the Knight's keycard to open the glass case beside the mural of the War in Heaven, located across from the ballroom entrance. Using the fire extinguisher as a lever to activate the "door" mechanism reveals the long torch-lit hall plastered in artwork depicting the Knight's history. The tenants of the Knighthood hang large and foreboding over the doors at the end of the hall, which stand open to reveal the brightly lit Round Table, and the majestic crystalline dragon statue presiding over it.

Come in, find a seat, meet your teammates if you haven't already.

Comments

[uncurse]

[ Emma has been hard to pin down in the months following Andres, falling into the easy ("easy") pattern of avoiding everyone to avoid her problems. When people do pin her down, she's snappish and not particularly personable. For all the warmth and trust she'd grown into, it damn well seems as though she's back to prickly square one.

So she enters the briefing room alone at the top of the hour, finding a seat on the far side of the room, near Wynn's door so she can watch the entrance (and also, to be as far from the instinctive seating as possible). ]

[generaldavideus]

[David is just treating this as business as usual, making his way into the room quietly and taking a seat opposite the table from Emma. He gives her a nod in greeting, but doesn't really do more than that.]

[bittersweeter]

[ lila enters with the purposeful click of her heels. she pauses when she reaches the mouth of the room, lips pursed, but then crosses the room to sit near emma, her back to wynn's doors. she doesn't need that blinding golden light in her eyes, thanks very much. once seated, she just gets back on her phone, muttering softly in russian as she tries to beat whatever game she is playing. ]

[unhand]

[Hook comes in and immediately goes to take Emma's other side. He has a smile for Lila too, as he comes in, but when he sees David, he raises an eyebrow.]

Well, this team looks familiar.

[generaldavideus]

[With the addition of Lila he hadn't thought much of him and Emma being on the same mission beyond the fact that they've worked together before so that would be easy enough. Adding Hook into the mix definitely has him raising an eyebrow in return, because he doesn't need any guesses to figure out what this is about (wisdom nat 20).]

Guess we're settling unfinished business.

[bittersweeter]

[ she glances between the men briefly before she makes a face. ]

God, I hope we're not taking that boat again.

[uncurse]

I guess this means Wynn learned something new.

[ She's trying not to look too optimistic, but she's definitely sitting up in her chair, exchanging a look with Lila. ]

[bittersweeter]

About Amara? He has. But we don't even know if that's this mission. [ as in, don't get your hopes up, emma. lila doesn't want to see that blow up in her face if they wind up going some place lame like

scotland. again. ]

[generaldavideus]

[That mention of Amara gets David's attention and he turns his gaze on Lila, watching her silently for a moment, with an openly inquisitive expression, but not quite asking. Lila is also right, this might not be the mission in question.

So he just keeps that question to himself for now, and remains silent as he waits for Wynn to arrive.]

[cigam]

Well, well. [ more clattering heels as zatanna enters, folding her arms as she surveys the team ] Now I see why Wynn called me back.

[bittersweeter]

Okay, so maybe we do know it's this mission. [ zatanna basically clinches it, barring amara's own appearance, the lack of which has lila peering at the door before swiveling to get a look at wynn's doors like maybe she's tucked away safely in there. ]

[generaldavideus]

[David, on the one hand, is pleased to see Zatanna, so there is a smile at that, but on the other, now that it's confirmed it's Amara ... he's glancing back to Lila curiously.]

Any hints about where we might be going?

[Because he really doesn't want to go back to the Bermuda Triangle again.]

[bittersweeter]

[ blandly: ] Atlantis.

[uncurse]

The ... underwater city?

[ Wtf. ]

[generaldavideus]

[David doesn't actually seem all that surprised by Atlantis being a thing. Probably because eh's been to a version of it before. But he does have one concern.]

Are we going to be traveling by bubble? Because I did that the last time I went and it wasn't ... fun.

[Granted, he had been drowning prior to being rescued by the Atlanteans, but ... details.]

[bittersweeter]

[ lila gives david a look like "what, do you expect me to personally have worked out the logistics of this mission also wtf do you mean you've been there already?" before her thin shoulders lift and fall in an unconcerned shrug. ]

It's the birthplace of the Homo Magi's ancestors and the only way Amara can go back to her people without being killed for defying them. And since she can turn off gravity at will, I'm fairly certain she has the underwater breathing thing covered. She didn't seem all that fussed.

[unhand]

[Killian turns towards Emma and offers her a slim smile.]

There's hope right there, wouldn't you say?

[uncurse]

Bringing Amara along on any mission designed to lift her curse is risky, but it sounds like this just might be the lead we've been searching for. [ Emma nods, firm and willing. Then, she questions Lila, ] How'd you find out about this?

[bittersweeter]

It was my idea. If she's able to lift the curse on her people, she'll be able to prove that she's not cursed. [ her expression is firm, unwavering, even though she knows damn well that amara is definitely cursed. she's not about to say that, however, when amara could walk in at any moment. she worked too hard to gain amara's trust only to lose it at the last second because she didn't choose her words carefully. ] Since she can't go back to her home without being killed, she found a way around it. I don't know how, but she managed to locate Atlantis. She is still willing to attempt to break the Homo Magi's curse so I went to Wynn and now we're here.

[generaldavideus]

[He was just curious! She seems to know more than the rest of them, and that's a clever bit of conning, Lila. It would have worked on him back in the day. He approves. Sort of. Hopefully the fall out won't be terrible, given the amount of power Amara herself possesses.]

Then let's hope she can do what she needs to do.

[But yeah, he's in. Back to Atlantis he goes.]

[wynn]

[ wynn enters at that moment from the same hallway they all came in from - amara at his heels, her chin held high as she looks imperiously around at those gathered. ] Good afternoon. I imagine you have all ascertained already what this briefing is in regards to.

[generaldavideus]

[David glances to Amara with a small smile of support - he's glad that Lila managed to convince her to do this, even if it's dangerous. It will be better for her people in the long run. But as far as regard to what Wynn said, he just gives a small nod of agreement that yep, they've figured it out.]

[uncurse]

The Homo Magi.

[ Comes the diplomatic answer. Better not ascribe it to removing Amara's curse or getting David back. ]

Are we really heading to Atlantis?

[besmitten]

The ancient, lost homeland of my people. Yes.

I've discovered it's location, and I believe that if there are answers about why my people were supposedly cursed, they will lie there.

[bittersweeter]

[ packing away the usual discontented expression that always crops up in the presence of amara, lila says to wynn, ] I filled them in on what I know, already.

[generaldavideus]

[He raises his hand quietly.]

How are we getting there, just out of curiosity? Because the last time I went to Atlantis we traveled by bubble and I'm not really sure I want to do that again.

[uncurse]

And when?

[wynn]

Amara has informed me that the entrance to the Lost City is through a Portal of sorts - a whirlpool that will transfer all those who brave it to the ruins of the city. She is quite certain that her magic can sustain a breathable atmosphere for you all, so long as she is with you. [ there's a firmness to those last few words, as he meets some of their eyes. the implication is - and so long as she's on your side through all this and no one pisses her off, since she'd be one dispel away from drowning y'all ]

[bittersweeter]

Of course she's with us. [ as if there is another answer, or option. patently ignores that she's in this mission for some incredibly selfish reasons. ]

[uncurse]

Handy.

[ The way she says it sounds a lot like "risky." ]

[generaldavideus]

[Great. A whirlpool. Even better. David makes a brief face, but if nothing else he trusts that Amara is as powerful as she says. It's just a matter of not pissing her off.]

I'm sure we can manage that.

[Provided they can all keep egos out of it.]

Just to be clear though, what is our objective? If things in Atlantis are as delicate as has already been indicated, it's probably best if we move as efficiently as possible.

[Lila says it's hopefully to break the curse, but he's hoping to find out if it's something more specific than that before they get in over their heads.]

[besmitten]

We're there to learn what the origins of this 'curse' actually were. My own people have obscured the legend, and asking the elders is... out of the question.

There must be records that weren't entirely destroyed.

[bittersweeter]

[ shoulda brought a nerd on the mission tbh. where is belle when you need her. stop moping, gdi. ]

Well, I'm ready to go.

[ GOD IS SHE FUCKING EVER. let's go. rn. ]

[uncurse]

Get in, get the records, get out. Sounds like it should be quick. I'm with Lila; let's do it.

[generaldavideus]

[David nods as well. Just tell him when they're leaving.]

[wynn]

Sir Swan, you'll be serving as mission leader for this assignment, if you have no objections.

[bittersweeter]

[ aside from shifting in her seat, an uncrossing and recrossing her of legs that seems innocuous, lila makes no outward sign of dissent. inwardly, she feels the familiar grip of disappointment, as if all the effort she put in to befriend amara and gain her trust at the expense of her own mental health was negligible and not worthy of recognition. ]

Presumably we're taking Hook's boat and the whole thing will go through the whirlpool whatever?

[unhand]

[Killian has no problem with Emma being in charge, of course. She's a great leader. What he does have a potential problem with is Lila's suggestion. He frowns.]

Will that harm my ship?

[uncurse]

Of course, Sir.

[ Emma nods her assent to Wynn and just sort of assumes Amara will field whirlpool questions. ]

[besmitten]

It shouldn't suffer any damage. It was made to be an entrance.

[uncurse]

Anything we should know going in? If this place [ she still can't bring herself to say Atlantis ] has defenses that we're gonna raise, I'd like to be ready for it.

[besmitten]

The city was the stronghold of the most powerful race of magic users this world has ever seen. Whatever defenses it has will be formidable. And nothing that you can be 'ready' for.

[bittersweeter]

Well when you put it like that, it sounds easy instead of suicidal. [ the sarcastic humor in her tone is almost lost in the saharan quality of her voice. amara already knows lila is going with her no matter what, so does wynn, she can afford to be flippant. ]

[generaldavideus]

[David sighs, before glancing back to Amara and trying to remain as calm as possible (diplomacy 22).]

Could you give us an example of what their defenses may be like? Is it all magic or are there other precautions in place?

[besmitten]

I'm not certain how you expect me to know. The city fell before I was born.

[bittersweeter]

We'll figure it out when we get there. Amara will get us through the whirlpool and it'll be fine. [ and there is something in her tone, some kind of comfort or confidence that is a departure from her earlier dry comment. (diplomacy 42) just making sure amara's feathers aren't ruffled by anyone. well, anyone besides lila herself. ]

[uncurse]

It's okay.

[ She looks to David gently, trying to wordlessly encourage him to let it go for now. She looks back to Amara. ]

We're just glad you can get us in and out. We can figure out the rest.

[generaldavideus]

[He was intending to. He just leans back in his seat and nods in return. Heading into a place full of magic they don't fully understand, plus added chance of drowning.

Sounds like fun.]

[wynn]

I don't think I have to impress upon any of you the importance of this mission. It's possible that you will be unable to communicate with us once you reach Atlantis. We will await word as soon as you can send it.