knightsoflegend | chicago ♔ but close my eyes for a while | and force from the world a patient smile

♬ Evil - Interpol

WHO || Spike, Francesca, Archer, Myri, Finnick, Elena, Buffy, Des, Gar, Mark, Kat, Rafael, Isabella, Jaka, Burt, Violet, Luthir, Val'drin, ??[Closed]
WHAT || The Knights prepare for the trial of Rafael Giovanni and face a few revelations along the way
WHERE || Various locations, Chicago
WHEN || July 17th - November 21st [Back AND Forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam, don't sweat tag order!!

The trial of Rafael Giovanni looms on the horizon, as summer gives way to fall, the chill in the air creating a definite atmosphere of foreboding as the date grows closer. It's not merely Rafael's freedom on the line after all - but also Des', thanks to the deal he struck with Iscariot. While Francesca and Val'drin work to uncover the secret of the mysterious hourglass artifact, lawyer Jaka Teken'Duis uses his ... unique legal powers to work towards a "Temporary Insanity" case for Rafael. The Knights, unhappy about the potential ramifications of such a plea, continue to seek any evidence they can to show Rafael was actually innocent, and place conspiracy charges back on Chad Becksworth and his ilk for what transpired. Not everything they learn, however, is what they were hoping to find...

Others wage more personal battles, as the coming autumn signals the encroaching winter, and Luthir and Violet's time draws shorter to find a way to stop her nightmares, lest they kill her. Elena plays a dangerous game, working to uncover more of her nature by training her doppelganger powers - with the enemy.

This log covers any work and non-work related shenanigans the Knights have while staying in Chicago, immediately following the three mission logs and continuing for four months. This will be the Knight's last time in Chicago before the trial: after which they plan to return to the castle to fully Knight Violet and Dawn and decide where to head next.

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. There will be a few group scenes, which I'll alert everyone to on Plurk. They may not all be posted immediately, so keep an eye on this post for new threads as time goes by. Please wait to post social threads here until we reach a certain point in the top group thread. I will alert you all when you are free to post.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Spike grins as the blade grazes him.] A very palpable hit, love. [But instead of stepping back like a sane person, he moves forward into the blow and scores his own palpable hit (nat 20, dmg 30 and she's lucky you can't get penetration on subdual damage because HE ALMOST DID.)

The problem is, of course, that all the intent not to hurt her in the world doesn't make up for 30 damage. Spike drops his sword with a howl of pain and steps back (dmg 5), clutching his head.]

[ the hit sends her wheeling past him and her own strike is pushed aside (crit fail). she whirls around angrily, swiping much too widely in her rage (atk 18) ]

[Good, he needed those two failed attacks to regain his composure. He slices towards her again (atk 27, dmg 14 if it hits), then flicks his blade up, blade nowhere near her (atk 9).]

[ the first attack barely manages to catch her shoulder, but when his second attack misses, she executes an agile riposte (atk 31, 16 dmg), and then slashes too short (atk 20, atk 18) ]

[He grunts at the hit, then steps in to swing at her again. He lands funny, though, fumbles his grip, and drops his sword (atk crit fail). He glances up at her, looking a little worried finally, though far from giving up. He just needs an opening to pick up his sword again.]

[ her first swing goes right over his head, nearly clipping him (atk 22, and then her second one is at his throat (atk 25), though she pulls up short from stabbing him. ]

Ready to surrender?

Edited 2014-01-31 23:47 (UTC)

[He probably should. Decapitation is, supposedly, one of those things that could actually kill him. He's not looking to test if it's true or not.

But surrender's not really his thing. He grins at her, ducking past the blade (tumble 15), and comes up with a quick one-two punch (atk 19, atk 14), though they're both pretty slow and easy to evade or block.]

Why would I want to do that? I'm having so much fun.

You need to work on your definition of a sword fight. [ annnnd she spins to his side, and critically slices him across the side (atk 32, dmg 28) ]

[He gives a slight grunt of pain, but grins anyway, scooping up his sword, finally.]

I figure it's just a normal fight, but pointier.

[His next attack slides by her without hitting (atk 20).]

[ she moves too quickly to parry it and... the sword flies out of her hand, skidding across the ground. her eyes widen, and she glances at spike... before making a move for it, provoking an AoO. ]

[He slips in (atk 27, dmg 8 if it hits) with a quick grin and a quicker blade.]

[ the cut slashes across her arm, but she scoops up the sword and whips it around hard, the blade slicing a deep gash (critical hit! 14 dmg) ] Ha!

[Spike shouldn't look so happy about getting stabbed. But hey, he's always liked a little bite to his play. Or he assumes always. It feels too familiar to be new, despite his lack of memories. Still, his next attacks are more cautious, and easier to block or evade (atk 17, atk 19). He prods forward, first high than low, but neither hitting their mark.]

[ her confidence renews, she doesn't let up for a minute, striking another vicious blow as an agile riposte (atk nat 20, 20 dmg), and then taking two more slashes (19 and 19) that go over his head ] Had enough now?

[He probably should say yes. He's not really winning this fight by any definition of the word. He considers it, tilting his head, as his next attack slides past her (atk 17).]

Why, have you? [He lunges in, clearly not ready to give up, but as he attacks, he stumbles and his sword goes flying out of his hand and tumbles off the roof (atk crit fail). Let's hope that didn't hit anyone on the way down......]

[ her sword point moves right to his chest instantly (atk 28) and she holds it there, as his sword goes clanking down below. with a smug smirk she trails it down to his neck, and then leans down over him. ] I think it was a good match. [ she yanks the point away and sheathes the sword, holding out a hand ]

[She pretty clearly won right there. He grins at her and wonders what she'd do if he lunged again, went for fist and fang as opposed to the oh-so-civilized weapon. Sees himself biting down into her neck and draining her dry.

But that would give him a headache. And far worse, a dead friend.

He takes her hand, letting her help him up.]

Sorry about losing your sword, pet. I did enjoy the dance.

You are not even so bad, after all. [ she moves to yank him up but... crit fails and i guess trips on her OWN DRESS and falls right down on top of him instead because everything is a romcom. hi. ]

[O-oh hello there. His will save of 16 means that at least this isn't porno romcom territory. On the bright side, he does catch her handily (ref 24) so that's... not helping with the romcom area.]

I'd compliment your grace, but it seems to have left you.

You try fighting in so many skirts. See where it gets you. [ and she'll peel herself away to ... sheath her sword ]

My duster's got a long back. [And it's... made for a woman.] I think I'd do all right.

And heels.

I'm a bloody vampire. I've got supernatural balance.

If you did, I think you would hit more often.

I was going easy on you. [Mostly because going hard would mean getting headaches, but details.]

(no subject)

savemyself - 2014-03-17 06:31 (UTC) - Expand

bigbad - 2014-03-17 23:11 (UTC) - Expand

savemyself - 2014-03-18 00:59 (UTC) - Expand

bigbad - 2014-03-20 15:02 (UTC) - Expand