squiring ♔ our duty is to be useful, not according to our desires but according to our powers

[wynn]

♬ Troy - James Horner

WHO || Wynn, Violet Fiore, Dimitri Belikov, Rose Hathaway, Lila Zacharov, Robin Goodfellow, Reynard, Amrita Bharadwaj, current Knights attending the ceremony
WHAT || March Squiring Ceremony
WHERE || Knights Headquarters, the Great Hall
WHEN || March 1st, 2012, 6:00PM
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, in theory. 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 new squires are fitted to their armor after meeting with Wynn, and it's traditional for each to appear for the first time before the Knighthood wearing it. Each new member is assured that only a very small number of the Knights make use of their armor for other circumstances, but it does create an intimidating sense of unity as they stand shoulder to shoulder in rank and file to receive their newest pledges.

The squires are ushered in 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. 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.

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 ]

[littledhampir]

[Dex 11. So no stacking it for Rose today which is impressive given she keeps side-eyeing yet another ridiculously tall person and wondering how she ever passed the 'you must be this tall to get on this ride' sign to make it to this point.]

[graveflowers]

[Oh that girl pulling a Jennifer Lawrence? That'd be Violet. (Dex 5!) But she catches herself and scrambles back to her feet like it ain't no thang. If ya'll want to give her a standing ovation, too, she won't mind. Epic hair flip, some armor adjustment and she's good.]

Well someone had to do it.

[bittersweeter]

[Lila's rocking her cat-like grace (Dex 17) so she saunters down the red carpet like it's a red carpet and (with her nat 20 spot check) she's eyeing that sword because, because how. No, really, how is that physically possible? Overcompensation comes to mind again. Unfortunately, her stupid armor is slightly too high so it keeps brushing against her scar, blackish pink and still tender from the re-slicing and packing of ash she'd done before her adventure down the rabbit hole, so she's too distracted to point it out.

She already feels exceedingly out of place in this armor and, seemingly, the only person wearing gloves. It's unnerving, seeing so many bare hands. She doesn't like it, it feels indecent. Cover up, people. Whatever, she's a Zacharov, she takes that walk like a boss, head held high, nerves safely tucked away.]

[sirstickuphisass]

[ with her nat 20 spot check, it's easy for her to pick out the pair of blue eyes watching her with judgmental scrutiny the whole time. there's no acknowledgment when she catches his eye. he just purses his lips bitchily.

that all only gets exponentially worse when she gives her revised version of the pledge later... ]

[bittersweeter]

[Bitchface (the expression, not the actual face) reminds her of Cassel. Feels like home. Absurdly, that gets an actual smile out of her. The more you know.]

[shootfirst]

[ there's a grinning blonde positioned a few rows back, but it wouldn't take a good spot check to notice her... not when she throws a fist pump in the air when violet gets back up and lets out a loud 'WOO' ]

[graveflowers]

[Solidarity. Violet copies that fist pump, big stupid grin on her face. At least someone appreciates her obvious charms.]

[luthir]

[ she'd spy at least one familiar impassive face in the front ranks, near to where the section heads are gathered up by wynn. sir luthir looks right at home in his armor, unlike so many of the knights who obviously only don the stuff for these ceremonies. his eyes are locked on her for the entirety of her walk, and when she meets his gaze, after a moment, he gives the slightest nod, of recognition or encouragement. it's hard to say when his elven expressions cover the entire palette of a blank slate. ]

[likeagod]

[Dex: 12. He's not uncomfortable wearing the armor, though he feels a little heavier than he should maybe. His walk is purposeful and confident, though he doesn't draw attention to himself.

Not that he particularly needs to, being a 6'7" tower of muscle. And yes, he totally notices that sideye he keeps getting from that girl, yep. (spot: 21)]

[lissatrinall]

[ At the front of the ranks stand the Section Heads, and one of them keeps her eyes bent on Dimitri, as if taking in every detail she can about his expression and presentation, with a sort of dispassionate analytic thoroughness. She makes no attempt to hide her blatant staring whatsoever.

A Wisdom D20 roll of 15 or higher will note her unusual facial features as well - they seem somewhat pinched at the cheekbones, and her nose seems oddly flattened along the bridge. Even wearing all that armor, it's possible to see how wispily she's built. There's something notably inhuman about it all, but not obviously so. ]

[likeagod]

[With his terrible wisdom roll of 4, he only notices her stare (and is not afraid to meet her gaze), not her unique features. He will have to wait until he perhaps sees her up close.]

[faeconman]

[ Dex 16, so Robin manages his walk with his usual amount of smooth grace. There might be the slightest hint of amusement on his face, as if he's having a hard time taking the ceremony entirely seriously. ]

[koraith]

[ from up at the very front of the ranks, an intimidatingly bizarre looking creature watches robin with smiling eyes. and possibly an actual smile too but it's really hard to tell since his features are so strange. he's a hulking creature, easily seven feet tall, and all gold. ridged spines form his brow, golden tendrils hanging down from his cheeks almost like mustachios. Aafine dark golden mane winds around his face like a beard, some of which is carefully braided. ]

[faeconman]

[ Well... at least he's looking friendly?

Robin certainly hopes that is Koraith's friendly face because damn he would not want to get on that guy's bad side.

Is this interest indicative that he is to be squired to mr Tall Gold and Slightly Intimidating? Well, better be on his best behavior from now on then.

Not that he was intending to be anything but, of course.

Ahem. ]

[exuviae]

[ Dex 15, no accidents here though she's feeling bloody ridiculous in this armor and it shows. What has she gotten herself into?

Anyone showing reptilian features will get a less than polite but very interested and friendly stare. Because that shit is cool, and reptiles are sort of her thing. ]

[telekinection]

[ the very human looking brunette standing beside the other ranked section leaders is watching her with a curious little smile, following her gaze towards the section heads beside her: three of which boast reptilian features. she nods to her when she looks that way, looking encouraging. ]

[exuviae]

[ Encouraging look much appreciated, and there's half a question on Amrita's face now. Is this... uh... her knight, maybe? ]

[koraith]

[ it's impossible to miss sir koraith for one, who catches her stare and gives a friendly look in return. 8) ]

[exuviae]

[ You sir, are a fine looking individual. Pardon while she gives you a kinda goofy grin.

Reptile people.

Yep, she is totally geeking out. ]