squiring ♔ honor your commitments with integrity

[wynn]

♬ Troy - James Horner

WHO || Wynn, Ichabod Crane, Ahsoka Tano, Cisco Ramon,  current Knights attending the ceremony
WHAT || May Squiring Ceremony
WHERE || Knights Headquarters, the Great Hall
WHEN || May 1st, 2016, 6:00PM   [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

The impressively large Great Hall of the castle could easily pass as a royal throne room, with its length and the red carpet leading up to a set of steps. However, there is no throne set at the top of them, and the Hall is wide enough to accommodate hundreds of Knights. And indeed, several hundred Knights stand in ranks on either side of the wide stretch of red, each wearing the traditional set of ceremonial armor in their possession.

The newest squires have been fitted to his armor after meeting with Wynn as always. It's traditional for them to appear for the first time before the Knighthood wearing it and they are assured that only a very small number of the Knights make use of their armor for other circumstances. It does, however, create an intimidating sense of unity as they stand shoulder to shoulder in rank and file to receive their newest pledges. There's an air of something unsettling in the air - this is, after all, the first ceremony to be held here since the attack on the castle, and while the room maintains its usual air of majesty, it's hard to ignore that the atmosphere has changed for many Knights who once considered this place unassailable.

They enter together, with a flair of orchestral music that fills the hall with as much pomp as possible. It's a lot like that last scene in A New Hope which seems more appropriate than ever. Yeah, you thought I was going to get through an entire post being all serious, didn't you.

At the top of the steps, Wynn waits, wearing a sword on his belt that canny eyes† might recognize as familiar. Mark has, after all, brought it back with him from Andres - the famed sword, Excalibur.

It's one hell of a long walk past all those staring, curious eyes. Luckily, it's a long musical number.

For additional dice rolling fun (optional):

† Roll or randomize a d20. Those who roll a 15 or above can spot the sword for being the exact same sword that was suspended in the statue above the Round Table, when they met with Wynn in the Prologue.
† Roll a d20 dexterity check. If your character rolls a 2 or 3, at some point during their walk they're bound to stumble. A critical fail will lead to an epic faceplant ... or worse.

Comments

The Walk

[wynn]

[Optionally play out your character's WALK OF DESTINY down the red carpet, and people in the crowd can judge them / encourage them / gawk ]

[picksthenames]

[ With an 8 dex, Cisco isn't stumbling, but he isn't walking all too majestically down the red carpet either. This armor's pinching uncomfortably, and he's suuuuper awkward. ]

[lichabod]

[ nerves transformed into arrogance, crane moves with the stiff but sure steps of a soldier (dex 21). ]

[nojedi]

[Ahsoka is distracted, plagued by doubts despite feeling like this was the right move for her, and uncomfortable in the heavy armor. How can she trust a place that puts chains on as protection? Are they really better than the Jedi council?

She just has to hope so. But her doubts show in her stride, which is stiff and awkward (dex 7).]

The Ceremony

[wynn]

[ When they have arrived at the far end of the carpet and stand before him, Wynn addresses the would-be squires solemnly by name. ]

Ichabod Crane. Ahsoka Tano. Cisco Ramon.

Kneel. And repeat this oath.

The Pledge

[wynn]

[Each line is spoken separately as a call and respond.]

"I swear to defend the Knighthood."

"I swear that I shall protect all weaknesses and shall constitute myself the defender of them."

"I shall not recoil before mine Enemy."

"I shall make war against injustice, without cessation and without mercy."

"I shall never lie, and shall remain faithful to my pledged word."

"I shall be generous, and listen to and respect all."

[And finally, in ringing tones:]

"I shall be everywhere and always the champion of the right and the good against injustice and evil."

[optional rolling; roll a D20 Wisdom check in order to see if your Knight can remember the phrases properly or not so much. Remember that a 10 is an average person's capacity to do so. :) ]

[picksthenames]

[ Wisdom 8... ]

"I swear to defend the Knights."

"I swear that I shall protect the weak and shall constituate myself as the defender of them all."

"I shall not recoil before my Enemy."

"I shall make war!" Huh! Good God, y'all, what is it good for? [ Shit. ] Uh, "Against injustice, without cease and without mercy."

"I will not lie, and shall remain faithful to my pledged words."

"I shall be generous, and listen to and respect everyone."

"I shall be everywhere and forever the champion of the good and the right against injustice and bad guys, amen."

[ Close enough, right? ]

[lichabod]

[ a lecturer at heart, crane finds it relatively easy to repeat the words with the fervor of a man who makes oaths only when he believes in them wholly (wis 15). ]

[nojedi]

[Ahsoka's nat 20 means she does get it word perfect. Maybe because it reminds her so much of the words of the Jedi. She's been saying things like this her whole life.]

Dubbing

[wynn]

[With a beautiful sching noise, Wynn draws the oh so shiny sword from its sheath. One by one he lays the flat of the blade upon the squires' right shoulder, then raises it gently above their head to place it upon their left. When he is finished with each of them in turn, he returns to his place at the top of the steps, and announces:]

You may rise: Sir Ichabod Crane. Sir Ahsoka Tano. Sir Cisco Ramon.

[The moment the squires begin to rise, the entire hall bursts into a frenzy of cheers, applause, hoots and hollering that's practically deafening. It quiets a bit when Wynn speaks again.]

We ask you to join us tonight in celebration of our newest members in the ballroom.

Peanut gallery

[wynn]

[ ONLOOKERS/GAWKERS/WHATNOT]

[supertardiness]

[BARRY IS HERE, BEING SUPER PROUD OF CISCO ... until they get to the oath and ... yep.

That's his best friend.

So basically just this face as he waits for them to finish. (At least Cisco isn't singing Whitney Houston.)]

[picksthenames]

[ After that spectacular attempt at an oath, Cisco eyes the crowd looking for approval Barry. (22 spot) ]

[supertardiness]

[Yep, Barry sees that and it's all grins and thumbs up because yeah, man.]

[picksthenames]

[ Aw yeah, he's awesome. ]