andres ♔ are we wrapped in black paranoia

[koraith]

♬ wood - second person

WHO || Koraith, Tia Ellison, Stiles Stilinski, Lydia Martin, Jackson Whittemore, Gold, Belle, Grimrot, Dovan Ironsides, Miles Cuivre, Jaina Solo, Penelope Sariel, David Levin, Davin, Derek Hale, Richard Riddick
WHAT || A team of Knights is tasked to contact the residents of the Shadow Village on Andres Isle, recruit those who are willing to aid them, and protect the others from harm
WHERE || Andres Isle
WHEN || September 19th, 2014
HOW || Actionspam

[ The two groups tasked to deal with the denizens of the Shadow Village arrive on the bank of the river that bisects the capitol city of Andres in half.  The river slopes down from the woods and city around it, meaning that they're afforded a bit of concealment here, unless anyone stood at the top and looked down.  At this hour of the night, however, there's no one around.   Dovan grumbles a bit about 'blasted magic' as they shake off the disorienting sense of vertigo, while Koraith waits for Belle to confirm they've arrived in the right place.  She pats Gold on the arm as she pulls out her phone, and moments later, she nods to the others in confirmation.

The water laps gently nearby against the rocks, and in the distance, a bridge is visible that links the segregated Shadow village with its thatched roof houses, to the city proper, which seems lined with wealthy manor homes.  ]

Comments

[grimrot]

[Teleportation doesn't bother Grimrot much. She's done it before. She's... not exactly nervous, though her blue-tinted skin seems a shade paler then usual. She bites her lip, tusks protruding a bit more as she looks across the river. She touches her mace and crossbow, as if worried they might have wandered. Of course, they're still there.]

It appears so. Do you think many will wish to fight with us?

[killingtodeath]

Maybe not right away, but that's what we're here for, right? [Once he shakes off the teleportation, Stiles immediately turns to find Lydia in the group, making sure that she's okay.]

[immuno]

If I had to guess?

[ Lydia takes a look out at the village, wearing actual ankle boots which is the closet she’ll come to not wearing high heels. Her dress is about 2” longer than normal. She’s combat-ready, totally. Minus the ... not bringing a weapon part. ]

I’d say they don’t have much to lose.

[ And if that’s the case, why wouldn’t they want to fight? Unconsciously, she turns to glance at Stiles, catching his gaze. ]

[righteousmight]

Yes, but they have much to gain by coming with us, not the least of which is their freedom, and their lives.

[undealt]

[Gold's been eerily quiet this entire time. THERE IS JUST SOMETHING VAGUELY FAMILIAR ABOUT SQUALOR VILLAGE, OKAY. It's weird. And itchy. It's like that damned statue he and Belle found.

Veilnesia is hard on him.

After a second, he shakes it off.]

Wars are brutal. Not everyone has the stomach for it. At the very least, we'll be responsible for saving their lives, even if we don't gain anymore soldiers.

[generaldavideus]

[David nods in agreement with Gold's assessment. He's not exactly the diplomacy sort, but he knows how this sort of thing goes. Breaking the status quo isn't easy, even when the status quo is super shitty.]

Just focus on at least getting them out of there if nothing else. They didn't get a choice in this coming down on them, but they do get a choice on how they handle it.

[instinct]

[ derek is standoffish, because he's mostly here as muscle, and is in fact feeling kind of dumb and unknightly in the armor, wishing he'd picked his leather jacket instead. also he doesn't give a fuck about 90% of these people. he's been trying to ignore the chatter in favor of making sure that even though they've basically appeared out of this air, no-one's noticed them yet. (listen 21, spot 19) but he looks up at david's comment, distracted. ]

They didn't get a choice when they were shunted off to live in squalor, either.

[ hashtag shadowkindrights, etc. ]

We're saving them from a lot more than just this war.

[generaldavideus]

[Hey, dude, David's Shadowkind too. But he also knows from a lot of really frustrating experience that just because someone should be saved, doesn't mean they'll want to be. People can be dumb sometimes.]

We know that. It's their job - [Vague gesture towards Stiles and the other diplomacy people.] - to make sure that they know that. And to be persuasive enough to for them to realize that our unknown option is actually better. For all they know, we could be the greater of two evils.

[He's basically saying that gaining their trust is not going to be easy.]

[instinct]

[ derek snorts and quietens again. he absolutely gets where david's coming from, and isn't inclined to argue with him. but seriously, those guys? persuasive? ok. sure. ]

[undealt]

[Rude Derek. Gold's an Infernal Sorcerer. They rock diplomacy. And stealing firstborns.]

Well, we won't know how they feel until we start asking. Now. [He considers the village.] Shall we knock on every door or shall we consider something a bit more expedient?

[immuno]

They don't respect Sarandis. They can't possibly. Someone else in town has to be like a leader to them, even if it's informal. We find who they look to for leadership, support—someone who they trust. If we win them over, we win the town.

[generaldavideus]

[With Sarandis it isn't a matter of respect, it's more about fear. But overall ... that plan isn't a bad one.]

Could work. They're going to be hard to find - if Sarandis knew about them, he'd probably destroy them before they could amass too much of a following.

[undealt]

Or they're just amassing followers subtlety. There's a difference between a leader and a revolutionary, even by Sarandis's standards. After all, he can hardly fault his oppressed minorities for unofficially electing a mayor.

[He gestures to the bar.] And loathe as I am to admit it, local gossip tends to gravitate towards places like that. If we start anywhere, it should be there.

[He's thinking of you, Astrid... You got information from a bar in Germany. Go you. He still won't go out with you.]

[killingtodeath]

[Stiles looks over at the bar, hen back at Lydia.]

Want to check it out?

[Going as a big group would draw too much attention. But they could pull it off like they were just stopping in for a drink.

Like a date.

Except for the mission.]

[immuno]

I don’t mean anything quite so formalized.

[ Lydia wants to make that clear. ]

But priests, or bartenders, or even just someone personable that everyone likes? Every community has those.

[ She shrugs: that’s what she’s offering to Gold and David for now. Food for thought. She turns to Stiles. ]

Let’s get talking.

[ She grabs him by the wrist and starts off into the town. ]

[grimrot]

[Grimrot watches them run off, brow creasing.]

Are they old enough to drink here?

[undealt]

I honestly doubt it.

[is this what it's going to be like....]

[ironsides]

Humans and their drinking ages. [ chuckle ] Though if this is a Shadow town, maybe they've got a good dwarven tavern where the ale flows free! [ oh right, mission. ] We'll hold position here, since we'll hear any trucks approachin' that bridge up there. We can climb up and try to trap 'em halfway across, flank 'em from both sides! Should buy you lot plenty of time.

[notafraidofthedark]

I'll go to the other side of the road just in case, and signal you if I see anything. [ and he's up and moving parallel to the water towards the woods on the other side of the road. (move silently:22)]

[undealt]

[Oh right, Milah's here. I forgot to mention there's a crocodile just hanging out. Gold glances her way.]

Stay by the river, Milah- close to the bridge. You know what to do.

[She looks thrilled to death at the prospect and lumbers over to hide in the shadows of the bridge. (Hide 21)

To Belle and the remainder of Team Diplomacy, he adds:] Perhaps Ms. Martin and Mr. Stilinski have the right course of action- we should be able to cover more ground if we split up.

[koraith]

Considering there are six more of us, perhaps two teams of 3, then. Grimrot, would you mind accompanying Sir Gold and Sir Desrosiers? It may be best for us to have a member who is visibly Shadowkind in either group.

[grimrot]

Yes, certainly! I mean, certainly not. That is... I wouldn't mind. [She gives an embarrassed smile, turning towards Gold and Belle.] So long as you don't mind my company.

[untethered]

You're more than welcome to come. [ yaaay belle likes you, grimrot. #teambookclub ]

[undealt]

[Aww but they were gonna go back behind one of the slummy cottages and make out. I mean what.]

Shall we, then? [He nods a good look to Koraith and off they go! #TeamNerd]

[notafraidofthedark]

[Riddick settles in the branches of a tree just within the treeline on the other side of the road, keeping the rest of the party in his line of sight while staying completely hidden. (Spot:25, Hide:Nat 20)]