orientation ♔ playing the role with nerves left exposed

[dragonsclaw]

♬ Reasons Why - Nickel Creek

WHO || Jack Chessing, Buffy Summers, open if people want to bang into them, just threadjack wherever.
WHAT || Jack meets with his squire
WHERE || Knight's HQ, Dragon's Claw office
WHEN || Friday afternoon
HOW || Actionspam

[Jack can't help but find it terribly impolite to go knocking on Buffy's bedroom door, no matter what the hour, so instead she received a very brief text transmission on her phone that asked her to come drop by his office at some point during the afternoon, if it was convenient. It isn't as if he doesn't have enough paperwork to keep him in there awhile.

Of course, this all involves... finding his office.]

Optional Rolls:

† If she goes searching on her own: Roll a d20. A roll of a 13 or above can locate the office. Particularly high rolls mean she finds it quickly and vice versa.
† If she chooses to ask somebody, roll a d20 for a Gather Information check and put the number you got in the header of your reply, with however she approached the person she's stopping to ask.
† If she texts him back, you can just do a text reply in here, because I am too lazy to make a drakenet entry for it too. Yep. /best GM
† If she's doing something else, that's fine too. Just tag it and if a roll is required, you'll find out. .__.

Comments

[slay]

Just 'cause of the winter, or something else? I mean, if there's been that big a problem saving the refugees, why not just set a silver, dragon-y base up out there?

[dragonsclaw]

On account of the riots, which have made it very difficult for us to secure any location for too long. If the citizens find somewhere they can't break into, it only encourages them to turn on each other. Our 'base' as it were has had to change locations many times, and can only house so many. But the real problem comes from those who try to escape on their own before we can find them. The winter claims them well before they reach the borders of the country.

[slay]

What's going on to make all the riots and running happen, anyway? I mean, what's so bad about this Slobechnia place that they're so eager to get out, even if it means dying?

[chessing]

The country's always faced a rather precarious economic climate, and relied heavily on black market slave trafficking of Shadowkind. We attempted several times to diplomatically resolve the situation, but our efforts were cut short when the country's banking system and stock market was ravaged by an act of cyberterrorism. It's plunged the country into desperation, and many can't afford to keep their slaves anymore. Some choose... brutal methods to dispose of them, while others turn them out into the streets to starve.

[slays]

[ ... Oh. Wow, that is some depressing shit. Like way to make her feel guilty for being alive with her first world problems and her desire to pet some fucking horses. She should just go kill herself. But, seriously, super blank face. ]

... Has anyone ever told you that this world kind of sucks? I mean, I may not know anything about where I'm from or ... or what my life was like there, but that's ... bleak.

[dragonsclaw]

It's hardly a common scenario, I assure you. It's one of the more... bleak conditions we've dealt with in some time.

[slays]

So, there are knights over there now? Helping?

[chessing]

[He nods as they approach the stables] We have a number of knights stationed there, but we recently recalled our diplomats - such as Sir Francesca - from the field. Particularly given that so many of them were Shadowkind, it seemed we might just be adding fuel to the fire.

Wynn will likely send another group out shortly to attempt a massive relocation.

[slays]

[ Buffy steps more delicately as they get onto the mud and wood chips of the stable's floor, a distinct change from the paved path. ]

Guess once people get so crazy, diplomats aren't any good. Nobody can get through to them. [ She hurries to one of the stalls, reaching over the door to hold out a hand, waiting for the horse to come to her and sniff at it. Her face lights up a little, despite the daunting subject at hand. ] Must have been scary for the Shadowkind diplomats there.

handle animal check!

[dragonsclaw]

They're all well experienced in dealing with crisis scenarios, and could handle themselves if it came to that. However, it seemed unnecessary to leave them in harm's way. Most of our agents currently stationed there are members of the Dragon's Hide, many of them coming from some of our other European cells.

[A horse comes to investigate in the stall he's standing next to, and when its nose nudges his shoulder, he glances over and smiles a bit at it, reaching up to scratch the top of its nose] It looks as if the government will be reverting to a monarchy, so ideally we can establish a positive rapport with the incoming monarch before he addresses his people.

20

[slays]

[ The horse trots closer to Buffy after sniffing her hand with a few great big whiffs, leaning its head over the stall gate so it can sniff her hair. She smiles, though her nose scrunches because eww to some degree, and reaches up to pet the top of its nose, looking over it at Jack. ]

Any idea who said monarch is gonna be yet?

[dragonsclaw]

Most likely a young man named Valentin Milosovici, heir to the former royal family that was deposed several decades ago. He's won a large amount of support in these past weeks.

[slays]

And what does Wynn think of ... [ She considers trying to say Milosovici. N o p e. ] This Valentine guy?

[chessing]

Nothing - yet, at least. The Milosovicis had maintained a low profile for years. We've very little indication of where he'll stand on the issues that concern us.

[slay]

He's winning support without addressing the whole ... slave trading of Shadowkind thing? What kind of country is this? [ She purses her lips in disapproval, dropping her hands away from the horse finally. ]

[dragonsclaw]

His focus has been on discussing plans of financial stability. Creation of jobs, that sort of thing. He's stayed suspiciously silent on the issue of what's to be done with the slaves, which could mean he falls on either side of the issue. It's more likely, of course, that he intends to support the trade, or at least intends to sweep the whole mess under the rug.

[slays]

And Wynn's probably waiting to see which it is before he throws his support anywhere, huh? [ She turns to lean against the stall. Oh, her excitement is gone, she is noticing now that it smells as stalls tend to do. ]

[chessing]

[Reality is always such a letdown] Generally, yes.

[slays]

[ She gives a nod of understanding, then looks around. ]

So, what else is there to see of this place? Or, should this be the part where we wrap up the tour because you've got special important Dragon's Claw business or whatever.

[chessing]

I imagine you might enjoy doing some of the tour on your own. I did wonder, however, if you had other questions for me.

[slays]

... Are there questions I should be having? [ She feels like there's a right answer to this WHAT IS THE RIGHT ANSWER. And, okay, granted, she knows she should ask about the whole having nightmares thing but she's ... too dumb and isolatey for that. ]

[dragonsclaw]

Perhaps not. Some squires tend to have questions about the way we operate, the squiring process, our sections, mission protocol... Others prefer to ... play it by ear.

[slays]

Oh. I was just kinda thinking we'd get to that stuff when it comes up. [ A beat. ] There's protocol?

[chessing]

... Very basic, I assure you. You'll receive an invitation to your mission briefings from Wynn, myself, or, when you become a full Knight, from your section Head. Briefings are always conducted by one of those three as well. Wynn tries to assign a member from each relevant section to each mission to vary the skills of the team.

The Round Table room, where briefings are conducted, is magically protected against scrying attempts - which means other wizards or mages can't spy on anything discussed in that room from afar.

[slays]

You really think he'll want us to go on missions? I mean, before we're full knights. We just got here, a-and I've never even held a sword. Or, at least, I don't think I have.