briefing ♔ not to pull your halo down around your neck and tug you off your cloud

[wynn]

WHO || Wynn, Francesca, Tia, Andie, Thoster, and Miles [Closed]
WHAT || Slovechnia Mission Briefing
WHERE || Knights HQ, the Round Table room
WHEN || Tues, Nov 27th a few minutes before 5pm.
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 access card to open the glass class 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 artworks 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.

Tia is there right on time, waiting in a seat close to the door.  There's no sign of Wynn yet.

Comments

[cuivre]

[For once, he isn't late, but he figures starting off on the wrong foot would be a bad thing. He has a seat next to Tia, leaning back pretty far in his chair and waiting for everyone else to get there too.]

[asap]

[Andie zooms in a few seconds late, then tries to look casual, like she hasn't been running at close to the speed of sound to get here on time. Leaving with lots of time to spare is for slow people.

She grins at Tia and slings herself into the seat next to her.]

Hi guys!

[telekinection]

[ tia give the tiniest jolt at the sudden appearance of andie beside her, having been watching miles' entrance, but she offers a little smile at the girl ]

You aren't late, don't worry.

forgive me... totally spacing tagging this....

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster strolls in without even the hint of a worry to his tardiness. He glances around the room, an extra twitch of a smile when he notices Andie's in the group.]

Well, well, well... This the long and short of it?

[socialgraces]

[And here's Francesca, fashionably late. At least Wynn hasn't entered the room yet. She barely pauses before moving to the seat next to the new guy (aka Miles), offering whoever looks her way a polite smile.]

[wynn]

[ JUST IN TIME, because here comes the big guy, entering from the double doors at the far end of the room, which spill forth their blinding golden light as he steps in ]

Good afternoon.

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster takes a seat once Wynn makes his entrance.]

So what's the fish we're trying to catch this time?

[asap]

[Andie flashes Thoster a coy sort of grin, though with Wynn in the room, she doesn't want to do more than that. Her attention shifts back to Wynn pretty quickly, and she smiles enthusiastically.] Hi!

[cuivre]

[His eyes pass over each of the people that enter the room, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. He sits up when Wynn enters the room, slouching forward over the table instead.

He agrees with Thoster with a nod, eager to see what they'll be doing.]

[wynn]

The mission I've called you together for is not entirely new territory: rather Sir Dodge & Sir Ellison will find themselves revisiting the recent past. [ he slowly paces the outside of the table, so that he's behind each of them at some point ]

Months ago, we came to an agreement with the would-be King of Slovechnia, Valentin Milosovici, whereby we would offer him the military and political backing he required to attain the crown and grant a certain of stability to the recently shattered state, in return for his publicly supporting an end to Shadowkind slavery, which has a long and grim history in Slovechnia. Our Knights have been working consistently to transport escaped and rescued slaves to homes in other countries, and as he hoped, Milosovici achieved his crown and has been working to establish his rule these past few months.

Your mission will be to check in on His Royal Highness and make certain that he is continuing to act in accordance with our agreement, and the best interests of Shadowkind. Sir Ellison has made me aware that his personal beliefs on the subject vary quite a bit from the position we've forced him into, and it's possible that he's looking for any way to circumvent the deal.

[asap]

[Andie groaned.] I hate that place. [She glanced up at Wynn guiltily because that was probably NOT a good attitude for a knight to have about her upcoming mission, and anyway, SOMEONE had to do it.] I mean... when do we leave?

[socialgraces]

[Francesca gives Andie a sympathetic look. She hates that place too.] We shouldn't have to stay too long.

[wynn]

Within the next few weeks. You may choose to approach the operation in whichever manner you feel best suited to getting us a clear picture of what Milosovici has and has not been doing. Perhaps use this time to come up with a plan of action.

[cuivre]

[Having heard the mission, he leans forward with his arms on the table.]

Any preferences on how exactly we handle it if he's not doing what he's supposed to be doing?

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster leans forward.] Best chance would be to get a man [He looks to Francesca and Andie] ... or woman on the inside. Any chance we may be able to get close to him? Chat him up and see what sort of plans he has for the whole thing?

[wynn]

It would require an agent or two who he hasn't previously encountered, which is one reason I've chosen to send the three of you. [ he looks to francesca, thoster, and finally miles, to answer his question ]

As for what to do should you find Milosovici not in line with the terms of our agreement... [ his brow furrows, and he looks very pensive as he says: ] Slovechnia has suffered enough, and an unfortunate truth is that displacing yet another ruler after finally uniting themselves and attempting to turn the tide against the poverty that ensued when their previous government collapsed, would merely revert the country to a state of chaos. We must work within the confines of Valentin's reign - for the time being. But he knows very well what our stance is, and what he promised us. We are well within our rights to do what we can to halt the trade if he will not.

[socialgraces]

[Francesca studies Wynn for a long moment before speaking up.] And when we anger Valentin by 'halting the trade', will we have the necessary manpower to protect the Shadowkind currently at the mercy of his rule?

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster throws a hand to his chest, looking especially wounded.]

Doubt anything you like, lass, but never doubt my manpower.

[And cue him laughing at his own joke.]

[wynn]

We're not looking for a war. [ he says it firmly for thoster's benefit, before looking at francesca ] I fear we will need some find some leverage to hold over Milosovici as well, if we mean to stay his hand.

[asap]

[Andie shoots Thoster a look that sits somewhere between amused and offended at the "manpower" comment.] So we find a way to convince him to play nice. Sure. Easy.

[telekinection]

We need to try to play the hand that he'd never be King right now if it weren't for us before we resort to something that's closer to blackmail. The dirtier we have to fight, the dirtier he'll fight back.

[bluffcheck]

Better yet, convince him that being our friend is more beneficial than the profit of his misdeeds.

[cuivre]

That's all warm and fuzzy and all, but I'm sure we'll need at least a back-up plan or two beyond playing nice and appealing to his friendly and grateful side.

[He smiles at Tia.]

So if, or when, it turns to blackmail, I'm sure we'll be even more glad to have you along.

[Pull something nice and juicy from his head, please~]

[telekinect]

Until it should come to that point, let's just consider my job to be royal Lie Detector.

[bluffcheck]

[He eyes Tia.]

Remind me not to get on your bad side...

[asap]

[Andie ain't even worried. Tia's cool.] That'll be totally useful with all the politics.

[wynn]

You'll need to decide before you arrive whether you intend to place undercover agents - for if you do, they should not be seen with Sir Ellison or Sir Dodge, whom Valentin is aware are both members of the Knighthood.

[socialgraces]

[Francesca finally speaks up after mulling over everyone else's ideas.] I'm not sure going undercover is the best way to handle this, but if we do choose that route, it might be wise to send in those are the least recognizable as Shadowkind. [She motions toward Thoster and Miles.] But what I'm more interested in is what we have to offer the king to further our alliance, and to ensure he keeps up his end of the bargain.

[telekinect]

Well, you're the expert.

We can always lay out our political alliances as leverage. He's going to need allies, and we have plenty of those.

[socialgraces]

There's no guaranteeing our allies will agree to work with him though. Especially if we've garnered those allies through our work helping Shadowkind and he's intentionally not.

[bluffcheck]

Maybe I'm missing the point, but what exactly does he offer to us, besides a pain in the backside?

[socialgraces]

[Francesca doesn't wait for Wynn to reply before leaning forward and answering decisively.] A way to free the Shadowkind that have been persecuted in Slovechnia for years. It's a risk, using Milosovici, but it seems we're running out of options. If we hadn't reached out to him, he may have only made it worse for them.

[cuivre]

And we can't have that, now can we?

[His smile has an edge to it.]

I'm willing to go undercover if that's what's needed. Just point me where you want me, but I'll leave the masterminding up to you guys, considering I've never been to this place, nor met this King.

[bluffcheck]

I say we let the ladies try to play nice, talk some sense into him. And if we need someone to slip in later, Miles and I will have our fun.

[asap]

[Andie raises an eyebrow at Thoster.] Sexist much? Ladies are perfectly capable of kicking ass, you know.

But let's save Beating Up Royalty for Plan Z, kay?

[bluffcheck]

[Ah, but he does like them feisty.]

Actually, lass, I meant Miles and I could do the undercover work. Since this king fellow already knows your beautiful face and Francesca's already made note that she won't exactly be his type for chatting.

[wynn]

Very well. Whatever course you choose, proceed with caution, and do not underestimate Milosovici.

[asap]

Oh. Right. [Awkward. She gives Thoster a sheepish look, then turns to look at Wynn more seriously.] We won't. I mean, can't actually speak for everyone, but I know I won't. And they probably won't either.