briefing ♔ where the ashes rain in your mind

[eldritchweaver]

Sacrifice - Zella Day

WHO || Hasmed, Val'drin, Carol, Helen, David L, Lila [Closed]
WHAT || Xibalba briefing
WHERE || The Enclave Briefing Room
WHEN || Summer, 2018
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

The Enclave houses a room for Knights briefings, although it requires nothing more than a simple slide of the keycard to enter - lacking some of the pageantry of the castle, certainly. Instead of the ancient table and giant, impressive crystal dragon statue, they are faced with a simple set of office furniture, that, while probably more comfortable, seems to drive home their displacement. Still, the room hosts some impressive technology, closer to what the Knights' downtown London briefing room had to offer, complete with a holoscreen.

Several of the Knights are summoned to the first meeting to officially launch out of this new location. Hasmed awaits, and Val'drin, despite not having come to stay here in this new base, has apparently flown in just for this mission. He looks anxious, fingers tapping on the table, his head leaning on his other hand as people file in.

Comments

[cabot]

Came through the Veil and landed right in the woods outside the castle. He wasn't naked when he found me, thank goodness. No one needs that sort of blow to the ego. I think he stole some of Lan's clothes.

[daredtobelieve]

Fascinating. But unless this is related to our mission, I'll save my questions for after the briefing. [She doesn't want to get carried away when they have official business to discuss. Even though she's dying to know more about this story. She's also making herself a mental note to share with Jane. Science buds.]

[eldritchweaver]

That would be greatly appreciated. [ :|

val'drin just shrugs like w/e it was an interesting story, get over it hasmedo ]

A couple years past, we sent a team to investigate an issue happening in an area called Xibalba, in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. The issue had to do with drow attacks raiding nearby farms.

What our Knights discovered was a labyrinthine network of caverns, which were filled with a great number of drow who seemed to have been transplanted directly from the Shadow World. There seemed to be some kind of war being waged between followers of two goddesses of the dark elves. There was an entire city below, called Szith Morcane, where clerics of the Lady of the Dead had supplanted those of the Spider Queen. There were other denizens of the Underdark there as well, all completely unaware that they had even been transported to another world. We have closely monitored the situation, waiting for it to perhaps spill out into the above ground world, but the war seemed to have been quite insular, in that it did not affect any of the communities above ground after that point.

Wynn seemed content almost to leave the dark elves to fight amongst themselves, but with the rise of Blade to godhood, there has been movement again. We worry that they may rise now from the Underdark, summoned by whatever dark call he has put out that draws monsters to the LA area. We can't have an entire drow army descending. But we need to discover if that is even the case - and find out what came of the war.

[ whatever good humor val'drin had had early has slowly faded across the length of this conversation, his arms folding as he all but slumps in his seat, as if all he had been trying to do was forget about why they were actually here. given that he doesn't look surprised at all by the content of what hasmed has to say, it becomes quite clear that he's already been apprised of the situation and is Not Happy to be a part of this ]

[sparklefist]

[Carol frowns, leaning forward onto her elbows.]

Have there been more attacks?

[eldritchweaver]

Something perhaps more disturbing. I've been in contact with a local mage, who has been monitoring unusual fluctuations in spells cast in the area. Divination spells and attempts to scry underground have, for lack of a better term, fizzled out. Transmutation spells, such as teleportation, have begun malfunctioning in the area.

There have been sightings of drow patrols moving above ground, but I believe that it is necessary for us to find out what became of this conflict between the two opposing camps of dark elves below, and what potential artifact or magic may be interfering in such a manner. Sir Cabot is an expert in magical artifacts, and also understands the culture of these dark elves - to that end, he will be an invaluable resource on this mission, particularly given Sir La Krail's apparent abandonment of the cause.

[ val'drin's eyes flick around the room at that spicy statement, as if to read everyone's reactions. it might have escaped some people's notice that christos never showed up to the base here, but the knowledge that he had entirely fled had not been made public in any way previously ]

[daredtobelieve]

[Helen's eyebrows raise ever so slightly as her gaze shifts to Val'drin almost immediately. She's going to want to speak to him about a few things after this meeting has concluded, it seems.]

Are the sightings of patrols above ground from both factions? Or have only one side of the conflict been spotted by your contacts? [Helen is starting to wonder if the conflict has resulted in a winning side.]

[cabot]

They don't know. They saw dark elves: that was enough for them. Most residents of this world aren't particularly well versed in the religious iconography of the drow.

[generaldavideus]

So go in, assess the situation.

[Seems simple enough.]

Is there anything else we should be looking out for?

[valdrin]

What? The imminent threat of our demise at the hands of fanatics of a drow goddess not enough for you, Levin?

Trust me. It sounds simple, but it's bound to be anything but.

[generaldavideus]

[There's a dry smirk.]

I almost had my heart cut out and fed to an angry Aztec god once. This just sounds like Tuesday.

[bittersweeter]

Boys, honestly. You're both pretty.

[cabot]

I'd advise you nevertheless not to underestimate what we're up against. I'm hardly eager to venture into anything resembling the Underdark, but I'm here because I understand them, for better or worse.

[ he glances at helen ] Helen can confirm what I'm trying to tell you. I imagine that's why she's here as well.

[daredtobelieve]

[Helen gives a quick nod of her head, sitting forward a little.]

I think it's easy for many of our order to either be unaware or to have forgotten the dangers that the Underdark and Drow society can bring. But Val'drin is quite right. From the looks of it, we have a team that is extremely skilled in both close combat and firearms. But if we want to neutralize this potential threat, we're going to need a lot more than that. I can prepare a file of potential creatures we may encounter in these caves. My research isn't perfect, and I'm sure something down there will surprise us, but we can at least try to be one step ahead. As for the warring factions, I can only say that the word fanatical does not do the Drow justice. Our very presence will be seen as a threat and likely treated as such.

[But there's something else she's had rolling around in her mind since this conversation started. She looks between Hasmed and Val'drin, but thinks better of bringing it up in front of the entire group and shifts gears.]

When would we be leaving?

[eldritchweaver]

Within the next few days. That way, if there's anything you wish to prepare, you'll have time to do so.

[sparklefist]

Great. [Carol rolls back her shuolder, then glances around.] Incidentally, if anyone knows someone that might be down for catsitting, send them my way.

[valdrin]

I intend to put together a bit of information for you all about both sides of the conflict and what they stand for. I hope no one is opposed to doing their homework.

[daredtobelieve]

[Helen nods. She's always up for some reading. Especially if it means expanding her knowledge of Drow society.]

Will Sir Cabot be leading the mission, then?

[eldritchweaver]

He is. [ from the look on his face, somewhat begrudgingly ] Any other questions?

[daredtobelieve]

None from me. [She says as she pulls a pen from her jacket pocket and starts to scribble down notes on what she'll need to put together for the others to know what they're getting into.]

[valdrin]

Nothing from me either. Let's get this over with.