orientation ♔ just quiet steps away from your lead

[rationalizes]

♬ Reasons Why - Nickel Creek

WHO || Jeanne Gar, Martha Jones, open if people want to bang into them, just threadjack wherever.
WHAT || Gar meets with her squire
WHERE || Knight's HQ, the Library
WHEN || Friday evening
HOW || Actionspam

[Gar had asked Martha here to meet her here, assuring her that the library was easy to locate, just around the corner from the lab where they'd been yesterday. Plus there was the fact that it was gigantic, easily close to the same size as the opulent ballroom. It's laid out with shelves on the walls and stacks in rows, scattered through with desks and tables, as well as a second floor balcony area with staircase access on either side of the room. Smaller reading rooms and specialty areas line the back wall.

It probably takes a little bit of time to find Gar, who appears to have forgotten anyone was meeting with her at all. She's busily examining volumes from a ladder on the balcony, looking entirely lost in the process.]

Comments

[rationalizes]

Well, you will get a personal stipend as well, of course. It might be wiser to... save such purchases for that. [Yep. Right over her head.]

Other than that, if you have an interest in learning more about Shadowkind, magic, politics, cultures, or anything that could help you on your missions, we certainly have enough resources for that.

[aproperdoctor]

I was only kidding, I promise. I'm more responsible than that, Gar.

Yeah, I can see that. [Martha glances around at the TWENTY GAZILLION books in the library.] I survived med school, so what's a bit more studying?

[paaaause]

So this is probably a dumb question, but is there any way for, um, Muggles to learn magic?

[Yes, Harry Potter references again. Martha braces herself for another one of Gar's long nerdy moments.]

[rationalizes]

[Her lips quirk at the reference.] Actually, there is, though it isn't the same thing, of course. People are born with a varying degree of eldritch energy concentration, which seems linked to their bloodlines, from what we can tell. Some people are more... more naturally inclined towards magic, you could say. But even someone with no natural inclination can practice incantational magic, which duplicates the effects, through a lengthier process.

[aproperdoctor]

[She's not even going to bring up the topic of midichlorians again. The prequel trilogy was pants, anyway, seriously.] So if I wanted to, I could learn some sort of healing magic to supplement the rest of my skills?

[rationalizes]

It certainly isn't out of the question. I can let the Dragon's Light know you're interested. They may be able to assist.

[aproperdoctor]

What are the different orders of the Knights, anyway? Nobody's really explained that to me yet.

[rationalizes]

Oh! Of course that's where I should have started... [She moves beyond the stacks as she explains]

At the end of every Knight's... squiring period, in theory each one will join a sect that represents what their greatest asset to our organization is. It's not their only asset, but it's a way of sorting out who should end up on which mission to get the greatest... range of skills. And also gives them a network to help them develop their abilities to their maximum potential.

The Dragon's Hide is perhaps our largest section, and encompasses those with a focus on combat, of any kind. Sir Dovan Ironsides is the section head, and their wing of the castle is located upstairs, along with all of the combat training areas.

The Dragon's Hoard [she pauses to give a little smile] - my section - represents those of us with a focus on intellectual pursuits. We do the research and development of new equipment and theories on Shadowkind and magic, and we also specialize in the academic side of anything Shadow related. Lis'sa Trinall is our section head, and our Wing is located at the end of the hall around the corner from the labs, right down this hallway actually.

The Dragon's Light, as I mentioned, involves those with a focus on healing: mostly clerics but also field medics or specialized surgeons, and the like. They're situated upstairs by the medical bay - located, naturally, next to the combat training area. Sir Solace runs that sect.

The Dragon's Fire combines all of the rest of our magic users: wizards, sorcerers, or anything of that nature. They have their own library of spellbooks in their wing, down here on the first floor, and Sir Hasmed has his offices there as well. They're the only sect to have a subsect, a recent development, really, called the Dragon's Mind, which trains our psionics. Tia Ellison is in charge of the new section.

And then there's the Dragon's Tongue, our diplomatic sect. As you might imagine, they're usually the first ones dispatched onto the scenes in a political crisis. Sir Koraith, the half-dragon, is in charge of that section, and they're also centered upstairs.

And of course, there are those who don't fall into any of these sections naturally. They're still allowed full Knight status, of course, but we tend to call them Freelancers. They take their orders directly from Wynn, whereas most of us go to our Section Heads for specifics.

[aproperdoctor]

[Martha just sort of stares at the tl;dr. But, hey, she did ask. And now she's got about twenty more questions - they're never going to escape this orientation at this rate.]

It sort of sounds like I'd be working with the Dragon's Light anyway, I expect. Sounds a bit religious, though, especially with the clerics and whatnot.

What's a psionic when it's at home? And is there seriously a half dragon? How- [Martha pauses for a moment, clearly looking a little perplexed as she tries to figure out the logistics of dragons and humans shagging.] Never mind, I'm not sure I want to know.

[rationalizes]

I'm not certain there's a difference between a psionic when it's at home or when it's abroad... [She seems genuinely confused rather than joking, but continues anyways:] But they're those who manifest powers of the mind, rather than magic. Some of the effects are the same, but they seem to be the result of some kind of genetic makeup that allows them to manipulate objects or... or read minds.

[She looks down, a flush of color coming to her cheeks at the other statement] Many dragons have been known to take... humanoid form and occasionally... you see...

[aproperdoctor]

Oh, so like psychics. Or, you know, the X-Men. [Martha must have a gazillion ranks in pop culture or something, jeez.]

...[This is a somewhat incredulous stare. Because, seriously, dragons having sex with humans? Wtf, Gar. Wtf.] Well, that's...interesting. But if the dragon looks like a human, why does their offspring look different? [Presumably she's noticed Koraith at the squiring ceremony/afterparty, since he does sort of stand out in a crowd.]

[rationalizes]

Yes! That's another... word for it. Psychics, not... the X-Men.

[She doesn't mind talking about the offspring part, it's just the reproduction bit that's a little more squicky]

Because the human appearance is merely a magical illusion, more or less. While it means that they can also function in size and ... capacity as a human, it doesn't change the essence of what they are, and so their... the genetic makeup of the child will contain DNA coding for a dragon, as well as that of their other parent.

[aproperdoctor]

So you've got Harry Potter, but not Wolverine? Or...whoever the bloke is who shoots lasers from his eyes. [Obviously Hugh Jackman is the only important one here.]

Uh...huh. Y'know, I think I'm just going to take your word on that. [Awkwaaaard silence]

[rationalizes]

Er... something like that. [She's not so good with the comics references, ok :( Or... comic book movies... I guess.]

Almost any humanoid species can crossbreed with another. You're likely to run into a number of mixed-- [Oh, Martha seems like she's done talking about this. She finally catches on.] ... Erm.

[aproperdoctor]

[She doesn't really know how much more she ought to ask Gar - she could probably continue asking inane things all day long, but Martha figures she has her own responsibilities that don't include squiring her to get to. However...]

What're some of the species out there, then?

[rationalizes]

Well, beyond the standard species of ... elves, dwarves, halflings, and such you'll find a number of halfbreeds. Anything from... the houri who are mixes of elves and nymphs to the much more unusual, such as the Aellar, who are a mix of elves and giant eagles. [She says this with enthusiasm that seems way inappropriate to the subject.

Seriously. Think about it.]

[aproperdoctor]

[Martha is thinking about it, and now she's pretty sure she's been mentally scarred for life.] Elves and...eagles? That's really...not how biology works at all. Even with magic, it doesn't make sense.

[rationalizes]

It generally involves... shape-shifting of one kind or another.

[aproperdoctor]

But genetics. [Gar, don't you understand, it's SCIENCE.]

[rationalizes]

Yes, well, it would seem that for whatever reason the ... chromosomes carried in a shapeshifted creature's eggs or semen are actually based on the original species of the being rather than their magical shape.

[aproperdoctor]

That's the bit that doesn't make sense, though. Normal cross-breeds among animals or whatever are between species that have the same number of chromosomes. I don't know how many chromosomes elves have, but it's probably not the same number as eagles.

[rationalizes]

Well I did say based on, but they obviously have to change enough to carry the genetic code of... anything that might be missing.

[aproperdoctor]

Right. [Let's just...change the subject now.] So, is there anything else I need to know about the Knights?

[rationalizes]

I'd imagine a great deal, however most of it can be learned through experience... As for missions, you'll have me along, so we can always discuss more of the particulars as they occur.

[aproperdoctor]

Are missions usually just two people, or do they have more? And how long do you think it'll be before we get our first assignment?

[rationalizes]

Oh, no, there are almost always at least four Knights on any mission - often several more. Only the Dragon's Claws are allowed to work alone, and it's very rare for only two Knights to work together as well.

As for missions, it's difficult to project. Whenever Wynn decides our talents would be best put to use on something that comes along. Though we usually have less than a few weeks downtime between missions.