nyc --> london ♔ and as the vision fades | i'll say i was blinded by your eyes

[postergirl]

♬ It Happens All the Time - Depeche Mode

WHO || Failboat, Des, Rafael, Isabella, Burt, and more~ [closed]
WHAT || The Knights finally say their goodbyes and head back to the castle
WHERE || NYC hotel; flight to London; London, England
WHEN || March 16th
HOW || Actionspam or prose

What was supposed to be a night to unwind wound up with a confrontation between Failboat and Keijen Blade that didn't exactly go the way the team was hoping for. However, in the process, they at least managed to get Isabella back and extract Dumage from her long term undercover assignment.

The remainder of the night is spent back at the hotel, recuperating, in order to catch the flight back to London the next morning. This also means saying goodbye to those who will be going back to Chicago: Isabella, Burt, and Rafael.

Comments

dumage debrief ♔ everyone

[postergirl]

[ since we're ALL HERE ON THIS PLANE TOGETHER, might as well talk to dumage about her experiences undercover with blade. ayup. she'll start the ball rolling, once everyone's settled in. ] Well. I can imagine you lot might have some questions, and perhaps someone would care to catch me up on how much bumbling about you've been doing.

[nothingsodivine]

Don't keep us suspense. [Des puts his feet up on the seat in front of him.] We're all dying to know what the big evil plan really is.

[postergirl]

I think it's safe to say if that's what you're after, you're about to be terribly disappointed.

The Church that's masquerading as one half of a record label is interested in rounding up tieflings, like Blade and Nadia - and Rynn and Devereaux [ she waves a hand dismissively ] because they all possess a power not unlike the one Jade had - mental influence on a mass scale. But they're not particularly very open on discussing their end game, even with Blade. The distinct impression I've gained is that he really doesn't care what they want. The whole thing's a game for him, one that's more entertaining than anything he's encountered in ages.

Blade's been indispensable to them because of his particular divine connection. He's descended from the drow god Malaak'a: and he has ways of communicating with the deity directly.

Chad seems interested in exploiting that divine power, and whatever Blade's getting out of it seems to be keeping him fully satisfied. Or at least not bored, which may be payment enough, in his case.

[nothingsodivine]

[Des shoots a look at Gar.] Told you it was mind control.

[He is, however, satisfied with that answer.]

[rationalizes]

[ SHE AIN'T GOT TIME FOR YOUR I-TOLD-YOU-SO-BS RN MR DESCANT ] Don't you think that we should, er, refrain from using that name while discussing this?

[postergirl]

Yes, because a powerful divine being who knows that we're all interfering in his designs isn't already paying attention to everything we say and do. [ eye. roll. ] Not to mention they're already fifty steps ahead of you because you all think so loudly. Blade and Nadia are both telepaths. I think we're beyond the point of trying to move behind a god's back.

[bigbad]

They're telepaths? [Spike frowns.] How'd you keep from getting caught, then?

[postergirl]

There's a reason Wynn assigned me to do this particular job. The Dragon's Mind sometimes works with members of my sect to provide specialized training - building up resistance against mind reading, in particular. Considering many of our members act as spies in situations with Shadowkind and magic-users, it's a handy skill to have on one's resume.

[slay]

Well, this might be a good time to call in a tutor for all of us.

[postergirl]

Just don't expect to pick it up overnight, unless you already possess an affinity for it. It takes most people years to master on any level.

[notaroundme]

Is there training for the opposite, too? To become more adept at it?

[Because that's a thing she...might be interested in.]

[postergirl]

Sir Tia Ellison and Nessa Harvey are both telepaths. I imagine if anyone could help with that sort of ... thing, it'd be them.

[slay]

Could make for good use of castle-time. [ shrug. since they're stuck returning anyway. ]

[nosdacariad]

[ mark's been over here with folded arms just sort of watching with a deep frown on his face. ] Blade's way of communicating with Malaak'a doesn't have anything to do with a certain hourglass, does it?

[postergirl]

I told you it was important, didn't I? [ she throws a smug look at spike ]

[nothingsodivine]

No wonder he's so pissed. We cut him off from Granddaddy.

[Or great-great-great-greatgranddaddy, but that did not flow.]

[postergirl]

The hourglass also allowed the other tieflings they'd gather to speak to him as well. All of them cut some kind of deal with him, that had an effect on the power they all showed an innate talent for. That's why Chad and his followers were bothering with Shadow magic in the first place. They look down on it, but they want to use it to their own ends, not eliminate it. They don't think twice about taking advantage of powers a god might be doling out, so long as the potential backlash of any deals made is on the tieflings - not on them. That's why they require them to do their dirty work. They don't care what happens to Shadowkind creatures.

[slay]

If the tieflings are telepaths, they must know Chad is using them. Why let him if they know it's going to turn around and bite them in the ass? No fun is worth that.

[nothingsodivine]

Except Chad's snuggled up with the Mind Master- how much d'you wanna bet she's got a hand in keeping him free of their whammy. Assuming he and the entire cult aren't trained in keeping telepaths out like Mata Hari over here.

[graveflowers]

Besides which the offers are incredibly enticing. They could definitely be worth that. [ you know. speaking from experience here. really, super enticing offers of power. ]

[postergirl]

He's not far off. They knew they'd be dealing with telepaths, so Chad's taken precautions of his own. But Blade didn't have to read his mind to figure out what his intentions are. How do you think I know? From Keijen.

The point is that they all think they're smarter than each other. And as she says, [ she nods at vi ] to the tieflings, the deal is something they consider worth the risk.

[nothingsodivine]

Think that's something we can use to our advantage?

[He leans forward, smirking.] They know our moves. Even if you manage to get the shields up, they still know enough to figure out what we'll do. They're not paying attention to each other.

[slay]

It makes sense.

[ buffy sounds like she's completely on board until after a beat, she drops her tone into something less reverentially excited and more casual and critical. ]

In the way of not making any at all, where sense is across the globe from here. You have plan-voice, but I can't say I'm following. What do you think we can do? 'Cause we're sounding pretty darn screwed from where I'm sitting.

[nothingsodivine]

The tieflings have all the real power- or they think they do. It's enough to make anyone cocky, but Chad hates Shadowkind and obviously doesn't trust 'em. If things started happening in his house to make Chad think Blade was taking his toys and going home... Well, they'd be more occupied with that than they would with us. It might get them sloppy.

[A shrug] It's risky and not foolproof, but it's the only shot we've got at taking away some of their advantage.

[slay]

Your plan is to convince Team Telepath that they're turning against each other?