new orleans ♔ for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets

[bancroft]

WHO || Thomas, Jack, Gar, Kat, Dumage, Mark, Myri, Buffy, Finnick, Spike, Rafael, Des, Elena, Chad Becksworth, The Mind Master, Decker Greenwall, Kitty Bonquas, Raoul Jacobson, Rynn, Devereaux, Keijen Blade [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights spy on an important meeting between Chad Becksworth and his compatriots... various downtime shenanigans ensue
WHERE || Various locations, New Orleans
WHEN || Friday, Oct 19th - November 12th [Backdated]
HOW || Actionspam, don't sweat tag order!!

[ Yesterday, members of team failboat went to the bayou hideout of the mysterious woman known only as "the Mind Master", on some intel from the captured Olean Gilbert. What they discovered was a very bizarre woman, who played mind games with them, and seemed to evince little concern for their interference. Another man, whom may have been Chad Becksworth entered, and told her that "Decker" was finished stalling and all was in readiness... The two of them fled before the Knights could get much information from either of them, and set a hideous creature to attack them: which appeared to be the result of a Frankenstein-like scientific process that sewed a human woman together with a giant snake.

The next day, another team of Knights infiltrated NOVA HQ to hack into appointment records and discover the names of those intended to meet with Chad Becksworth. Just as they downloaded the list, the scheduled meeting attendees arrived: it seemed they were meeting today, and the Dragon's Claws insisted that the younger Knights retire to the hotel, where all will be able to monitor the meeting onscreen as they spy on it and broadcast video. Knights' allies (Des, Rafael, Elena) are invited to watch as well. ]

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[ This log also covers any shenanigans the Knights have while staying in New Orleans, immediately following the last logs and extending over the next three weeks, when the next exciting shit go down.

Make your own threads, don't fuss about tag order, feel free to threadjack multiple people into one thread for hang-outs, ask me if you want a certain scene with an NPC, etc. forever whatever.]

Comments

[witchwoman]

What did you do with the Knights before becoming a Dragons Claw?

[Well, she won't be reading much right now. Picking the brain of Jack is much more interesting.]

[chessing]

Interesting that you should ask. I was initially torn over which faction to join: the Dragon's Hide or the scientific division. In the end, I picked the former, but spent a considerable amount of my personal time in the laboratories.

[witchwoman]

I didn't know there was a choice in the matter. [As far as she knew, the Light was the only group she could have joined when she was Knighted.]

[chessing]

That varies, dependent upon a Knight's area of... expertise. My father was ex-military, and it was from him that I learned combat. My mother was a scientist, and you could say that I strove to follow in both of their footsteps.

[witchwoman]

I suppose that versatility is what made you such a good candidate for your current position. [She smiles warmly at him.]

[dragonsclaw]

It comes handy, in that I usually don't have other Knights at my disposal for assistance. Our circumstances here are rather unique.

[witchwoman]

[Myri looks at Kat and Gar. How did she end being the one doing all the talking here? Still, she is curious about things, so...]

But you have responsibilities like the others? Squires to check on?

[Uhp, see that? See her try to subtly slip in and bring up his duties to her bff?]

That must be difficult to juggle.

[rationalizes]

[ part of it is probably that gar is too busy looking mortified and pretending to pay attention to her computer while secretly listening, ok. but when myri says that much, her head snaps up again and she looks pale ]

Wh-what she means is, er, that there must be so much... for one person to handle.

[chessing]

[ jack shakes his head slightly, giving a very sad smile. ]

No, I don't think that is what she meant. She meant what she said. [ he looks over at myri, guilt clear in his eyes ] I can't say it's something I've balanced well, adding a squire. There are times I wish I hadn't agreed to it when Wynn asked me, because it seems an unfair situation. If the squire weren't someone new to this world, it might be different, she might have an easier time finding her way, not needing so much guidance, but... apparently, I didn't take that into consideration, and for that I am deeply sorry to Buffy.

She's the first I've agreed to take on. [ with grim sorrow: ] And probably the last.

[witchwoman]

I didn't mean to offend. [She offers, but doesn't sound very apologetic.] In a way, your absence has given us the chance to know her better than we might have otherwise. For that, I suppose I should thank you.

[She's quiet for a moment, as it debating if she should go on, but eventually, she adds one more thing.]

I just hope you recognize how special she is. Even when you aren't here all the time, I hope you see that.

[dragonsclaw]

[ his chastened expressions sharpens, as if while more than willing to admit when he's made a mistake, he finds her continued implications nothing short of insulting ] I recognized that when I first met her, a fact I've discussed fully with Buffy herself.

She cited your mentorship with Sir Samcelot as an example of what she had been hoping for out of our arrangement, but I hope that you recognize how uncommon your own relationship was. The program is not intended to pair Knights with someone likely to become their best friend - it's an advising program, and the act of delegating other Knights to answer questions for a squire in case of absence is common practice in our organization. Some Knights never even see their squires in the field.

Therefore, I would certainly hope that my presence would not have affected your friendship with Buffy. She has more in common with all of you than with an old man like me.

[witchwoman]

I'm sorry, Sir. [She pulls herself inward.] Perhaps I've spoken out of turn.

I'm afraid I haven't been with the Knights long enough to know anything to be common. You see, I've only just recently found myself Knighted, and never had a Squire of my own. The only experiences I can draw from are my own with Sir Kat.

[Her gaze darts quickly to Kat, giving her the faintest hint of a smile. But there's a knot growing in her stomach. Angering one of Wynn's Dragon's Claws surely cannot be a smart move. For all she knows, one bad word from him could put her out.]

1/-

[dragonsclaw]

For which I can't blame you. [ he sounds sincere about that, glad to no longer have to be on the defensive in conversation again, as well ] As I said. You've been blessed to have the sort of partnership the two of you have developed. It's always heartening to see these relationships blossom, and they'll last for the entirety of your career. But the Knights are an entirely interdependent organization. We depend not on any individual, nor on any other one person. At all times, we are the safety net for all other Knights who may need to call upon us to save their very lives in some dark hour.

[ he smiles a bit, as if to relieve the pressure of his heavily weighted statement ] In other words, the more positive relations one can build within the Knights, the greater we can thrive.

2/-

[shootfirst]

[ kat cuts a pleased smirk between the two girls ] You don't have to tell me we got lucky. Especially me. I mean, I had the most boss mentor ever in Gar here, and then I got to break in my own mentoring skills with Myri.

3/3

[rationalizes]

[ gar had looked ready to die moments ago but appears bolstered by the release in tension, and jack's speech ]

Yes, well...

For what it's worth, Sir Chessing, if you don't mind my saying so, I don't think you should give up on the idea of having a squire again.

[witchwoman]

Yes, I agree. You never know when someone may just be the right fit.

[chessing]

Time will tell, I imagine. I'd hate to let Wynn down any further.

[witchwoman]

[This might be the most surprising part of this talk. Jack worries about letting Wynn down just as the rest of them do?? Somehow she imagined him above that.]

I'm sure he understands the position you're in.

[dragonsclaw]

He understands it entirely - and believes that it would not impede me from whatever duties he assigned to me, in spite of my situation.

He places a great deal of faith in us. He deserves to have it repaid in full.

[witchwoman]

You'll hear no argument there. [She often thinks about how much she owes Wynn.] Though sometimes I wonder if I can ever fully repair him for all he's done.

[shootfirst]

Somehow I think having the droves of loyal followers taking his word for where to point all our swords and fireballs makes up for it for the big guy.