london ♔ put me on a ship that is sinking

[wynn]

if rain is what you want - slipknot

WHO || The Knights.
WHAT || I'm sure it's nothing.
WHERE || Knights castle 
WHEN || April 18,2016
HOW || Actionspam

It's been a week since Sir Jeanne Gar was abducted by agents of the Church of the Lord's Humanity, despite the Knights' efforts to thwart the attempt.  Several of the younger Knights learned a harsh lesson as they watched the Mind Master shake even the seasoned Sir Hasmed, and turn some of their number on each other.   While Wynn has announced that they are determined to find a way to save Gar, it''s certainly obvious why he's hesitant to send agents out, after what the Mind Master alone has done to several Knights, including Finnick Odair, who may never be the same.  

A dark cloud hangs over the Knighthood, either way, dampening any enthusiasm won from their victory in finally taking down Dimitris Sarandis and two other notable members of the Shadow-hating Church led by Draken Crombe.

The sun is still up in the late evening, on this day, but there's a heaviness in the air.  

Comments

[bigbad]

[Spike's vampire hearing is sometimes a curse. He's only just waking up at this time of night, so when he ambles in, he's already cranky.

Then he sees exactly who has visited and welp, out come the fangs.]

What the bugger's going on?

[morethanasidekick]

[Meanwhile...

There had to be one completely oblivious person coming through to join this crowd and from the sound of slurping that breaks the tension as Spike goes fang-boy on their visitors. That person is Kenzi. (Know. Local: 4....) She has. No idea who these two are.

She does however notice the fangs, and the guns, and the fangs... She's tiny and human they were worth mentioning more than once.]

I'll just... Carry on... [As she positions herself so that there's at least one other person between her and the wonder twins.]

[slay]

We're not followers. We're family. And nothing you could possibly say is going to change that.

[ Which tbf doesn't give ... reason for them to have this anywhere else. Because it's fine, right? ]

1/-

[extremist]

Ohh, I don't intend to give away his little secret today. They'll be a time for that.

2/3

[wynn]

I advise you to get to the point.

3/3

[extremist]

[ it's at that point that jack chessing appears from behind hasmed and wynn, stopping a few feet back from them, the color draining from his face as he takes in the scene.

draken sets his cane directly in front of him, folding both hands on top of it ] Let's review the situation first, so that we are very clear where we stand.

My Church seeks to combat the dangers presented by the Veil, restoring this world to a peaceful society, the society which God has ordained. I consider myself a reasonable man, despite what you all likely think of me. There are those who are committed to my beliefs who see the only path to such a future as the eradication of Shadowkind entirely. I have no interest in genocide, no desire for a massacre, and I have argued vehemently against the plans that they would have set in motion, forestalled them by showing them that my way - God's way - will be the path to that glorious future. I have, in fact, endeavored to shed as little blood as possible as my plans have been laid into motion, but our hand has been forced time and again, often by your own number, and several members of my Church possess less... patience than I.

Jeanne Gar is currently our prisoner, but I do not wish to kill her. She is one of God's children, after all, and a brilliant, talented woman.

She has simply become... misguided, as the other humans under your sway. [ he glances around the lobby, sparing a look of slight distaste for the visible humans gathered ] Either way, when we have what we require of her, I would be quite content to see her freed in one piece. However, should any of your Knights here today decide to take any hostile actions against us, should the two of us not return shortly, my men have orders to take her life, and that is blood that would be on your hands, Wynnefalshond. And I would advise you to remember that several of our number are telepaths. I know you have that changeling of your own lurking here somewhere... Attempts to replace us and deceive my men would be immediately uncovered, and Jeanne Gar would suffer for that as well.

[andblockbuster]

[Topher listens to Crombe talk with wide, horrified eyes, and almost considers stepping forward and laying out some atheist realness, but no sooner has he taken the first few steps towards them, he realizes that's a terrible idea and holds back, worried that even a verbal reaction might provoke them to hurt Gar.]

[allmydreams]

[Felicity is also not a fan of his pontificating, but she doesn't have quite as much willpower. People like this, who use religion to justify hating and being openly racist against someone else like she's seen here don't deserve to call themselves leaders of faith in her opinion, and she can't help but glance away when he's finished, her voice low as she mutters to herself:]

May God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work.

[bigbad]

Fairly sure the blood's on the hands of them that kill her. [Not that Spike's moving. He won't blame anyone but the bad guys if Gar gets hurt, but he's not willing to risk it happening.] And fairly sure one piece doesn't mean unharmed, especially with all your bloody telepaths.

[Technically, Kat was in one piece when they went to get her from Dimitris. Technically.]

[recruited]

[ He sounds like Red Skull. Red Skull and Hitler. Like they had a gross awful lovechild and then just unleashed him on the world. Which is why Steve's jaw is locked and his arms are crossed over his chest because this is awful. ]

What's she doing for you exactly?

[grumpypuppy]

[Of course, this would be the time Derek would be arriving to take over the front desk for Ashelia that he walks in on this mess. Well, he knew already what he was walking into because none of you all are being at all quiet. He shifts a bit, skirting around the back of the crowd and moves silently (25) and slowly until he is beside Ashelia and putting his hand on the desk, giving her a slight nod of the head that he's got the table if she wants to escape back away from whoever these unwelcome people were.]

[witchwoman]

[Making their way down from the med center, Myri walks with Astrid, Dawn, and Solace to stand with Wynn in this matter. By the time they reach the stairs, the crowd that's formed isn't exactly small. Myri's eyes scan each knight that has arrived, recognizing most of them. She doesn't say a word, but continues to move down the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible.]

[watcherjunior]

[ Dawn is right on her heels, keeping her eyes on the assembled crowd and falling on the two "guests." Her jaw is clenched, and she has to keep reminding herself that actually attacking these (and she's using the term loosely) "people" would mean more trouble for Gar. ]

[pathology]

[astrid is here too, and her expression as they approach seems to say they're really doing this right here??? in the lobby??? with an audience??? wtf.]

[beks]

[Rebekah is coming from her flat and walks into the front door ready to remark on the Audi A8 in the driveway, but the moment she takes that first step into the main entry she realizes what a tense situation she's entered into. (sense motive 18)

However, rather than make a quiet and quick exit with her vampire speed, she lingers a bit and moves to the side. Assuming the large group of people surrounding this duo is here for a reason, she might as well offer her help - should they need it.

Besides, she does appreciate a good stand off.]

[twistingveil]

[Though her attention is quietly fixed on the stand-off in front of her, her brow growing more and more furrowed the more Crombe talks, Ashelia takes note of Derek approaching the desk, offering him a brief nod of thanks before rising to her feet, steadily and carefully so as not to draw any unwanted attention. The crowd is steadily growing, and while she trusts Wynn to diffuse the situation, there's no denying that's she's curious to hear exactly what sort of arrangement Crombe thinks they can possibly reach-- as though there were anything about this that was at all honorable.

If it wouldn't make things so much worse, and if Sir Gar's life weren't hanging in the balance, she might have already tossed diplomacy aside and gone on the offensive, but no. That wasn't going to help anyone at the moment.

Quietly, she falls in between Solas and Hawke, instinctively standing just a little bit closer to the former.]

[hawkeing]

[ hawke has been holding back everything she has to avoid throwing the wrong words at this pair. she changed her mind halfway through crumb's speech. he has a new nickname.

as ashelia makes her way over, hawke leans just a little closer so her friend can hear: ]

It's like Knight Commander Meredith all over again. Wonder how long before he turns into a statue.

[ she doubts she needs to explain that one. ]

[extremist]

[ steve's question draws draken's attention, and for a moment, it's unclear whether he means to answer it or not, before he finally says: ] Jeanne Gar has worked for years researching the properties of the Veil, through the lens of a scientist. Our own researchers have attempted to do the same, but we believe that she possesses the knowledge to do that which has remained outside of our grasp.

[ annnd he looks back to wynn. ] To seal the Veil, once and for all.

[andblockbuster]

[Topher finally can't stay silent anymore and pushes forward.] You can't do that. That could throw everything out of whack. Think of what happens when the Veil closes briefly. You think it's gonna be great for anyone if you just close the borders to Madagascar 'cause you're a racist who doesn't want Shadowkind germs?

And that goes against everything Gar believes in. You can't do that to her.

[bythedreadwolf]

[ It seems no world can ever fully escape the curse of mortals who seek to play god using powers they have little understanding of and even less chance of wielding correctly.

Solas had been content to stand back and let the others debate and question - there were currents and history here that he was unaware of, and as long as Ashelia was safely tucked away at his side, he'd been more than willing to play curious observer instead.

But those words are ones not even he cannot let pass. ]

To attempt to wield such magics without fully understanding them first is folly of the greatest measure. He is correct in assuming that it could be devastating, and that is an optimistic outcome in itself.

You've made your opinions on Shadowkind [ Solas makes an expression of distaste at the very title ] quite clear, but be careful of the consequences you would reap. You might very well find yourself destroying the only realm you have to inhabit in order to 'protect' it from us.

[hawkeing]

[ for a few seconds after that revelation, hawke simply stares, her anger forgotten momentarily in the face of pure disbelief. this guy can't possibly be thinking that's a good idea. there are so many things wrong with that whole statement that hawke can't even begin to count them. luckily, solas makes quick work of that. and the other guy, though she doesn't know him. so when there's a moment between, she adds in with a bitingly sarcastic tone: ]

Yes, that seems about right. When faced with something you neither like nor understand, eliminate it. Kill it. Destroy everything it holds dear. And then have the audacity to call it the problem.

You're right. Something does need to be sealed, but it isn't the Veil.

[ someone please find a mute spell or some duct tape because MAKER'S BREATH she can't handle the bile spewing from him. ]

[divaricate]

[what

the

fuck.

Wanda just stares at this Crombe guy. He cannot be serious.]

Congratulations, that might be the dumbest idea I have ever heard. [And she's heard some shit ok.]

[twistingveil]

[Ashelia, too, finds it difficult to remain silent in the wake of that particular reveal, hackles now raised.]

No good has ever come from anyone trying to play god.

[Her own sentiments echo those that have already been voiced, her hand balling itself into a white-knuckled fist at her side.]

To imagine that anyone could be so selfish, so narrow-minded-- you must know the results would be catastrophic!

[extremist]

[ burn it down - linkin park

draken waits patiently for them to finish, and for his part, wynn makes no move to silence them, casting none of them so much as a warning glance at their outbursts, his attention solely fixed on the man before him.

their protests gather nothing more from crombe than the tiniest smirk. ] Quite intriguing that you should feel that way, given that your own leader has long sought to do something along much the same lines. Or is that something else he has failed to mention to most of you? [ he lifts the cane, pointing the end of it towards wynn as he addresses the knights around him ] Wynnefalshond has long endeavored to tear a permanent hole in the Veil, to which end he recruited Jeanne Gar, the world's most promising mind when it came to that very subject to the Knights, before she could so much as graduate college, lest her knowledge should go to anyone beside himself. He has funded and supported this research, studied every lead that he can about portals to other worlds to accomplish this goal.

How many of you have raised such objections to him?

It matters not, for in the end, your concerns are invalid ones. [ he lowers the cane, pacing slowly back and forth in front of the mind master as he continues, studying their faces in turn ] The idea of sealing the Veil is immediately abhorrent to most of you, but I ask you to consider why.

Your organization's self professed aim is to protect this world from threats that come from beyond it, threats that humankind is ill-equipped to handle, is it not? Then we need not pretend that any of you are not acquainted with the dangers posed by creatures spilling into the cities of this world at random. What good comes from a beholder appearing in a park full of children? A colony of mindflayers who seek to enslave a population through the manipulation of this world's technology? I have seen horrors, and I cannot imagine there are many among you who have not as well. There is no preparation for what the Veil might manifest, what unknowable problems it may spawn at any moment.

Perhaps some of you have fallen through the Veil yourselves. Are you truly inclined to defend it? There are no cases recorded of willing souls who have come through the Veil, which means that it has snatched whomever it pleases from their lives and deposited them here, often eradicating entire aspects of who they are with the amnesia it brings. [ he turns in place, dragging his gaze across ashelia, solas, and hawke ] You accuse me of racism, think me unable to imagine meaningful bonds between non-humans. I would say that those who defend the chaotic manner in which the Veil thoughtlessly tears apart family units and lives of other species seem to me the more problematic voices in this debate.

You ask me to consider what has happened when the Veil closes temporarily here. I can tell you: this chaos tends to fade into the background, with the eradication of magic, and of these random appearances of the dangerous and the confused.

[ he stops again, lifting his eyes to those on the stairs. ]

It is an open Veil that has created this world with which you are so discontented as to feel the need to dedicate your lives to repairing the damage it causes.

Perhaps it is time that you consider how much better off all inhabitants of all worlds would be without it.

[witchwoman]

Would you care to record a case? [Reaching the base of the stairs, Myri moves through the crowd, towards Wynn, facing Crombe and keeping her voice as steady as possible.]

You say you have no recorded cases of anyone coming through the Veil willingly. Perhaps you'd like to record one. You are a part of a church, are you not? You believe in a power higher than yourself that guides your actions. I am the same. The gods from my homeland spoke to me, told me what road to take to find a home, to find a family. I was not forced. I was not punished for the moments in which I strayed. I was given a choice and I took it.

And it lead me here. The Veil saved my life, offered me a place to be accepted, no longer hunted by powerful men who wish to demonized abilities they do not understand.

[She lifts her chin a bit, not afraid to be clear that she's calling him out for being just like those she knew back home.]

So your claim is false. There is at least one case, and I believe in the witness of all these people, we can consider it recorded. I wonder then just what other beliefs you hold so tightly based on your limited perspective. Just because you have never heard of a thing happening does not make it impossible.