briefing ♔ a song will only scratch the skin

[wynn]

♬ Storm Coming - Gnarls Barkley

WHO || Wynn, Thomas, Christos, Francesca, Luthir, Arthur, Merlin, Katniss, Ethan [Closed]
WHAT || Russia Mission Briefing
WHERE || Knights HQ, the Round Table room
WHEN || Mon, Feb 27th, shortly before 5pm.
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

Just as before, accessing the secret room where the Round Table is housed requires using the Knight's access card to open the glass class beside the mural of the War in Heaven, located across from the ballroom entrance. Using the fire extinguisher as a lever to activate the "door" mechanism reveals the long torch-lit hall plastered in artworks depicting the Knight's history. The tenants of the Knighthood hang large and foreboding over the doors at the end of the hall, which stand open to reveal the brightly lit Round Table, and the majestic crystalline dragon statue presiding over it.

Come in, find a seat, meet your teammates if you haven't already. Wynn will be with you all shortly.

Comments

[wynn]

An important question, and one that Sir Reedhym and I have been looking to answer. There's a danger, of course, that even if the dispute is resolved between the two colonies, through one group driving off the other - or destroying the other - the remaining colony will be deemed a threat. This is our other reason for sending emissaries there - to uncover exactly what their plan of action is, and attempt to find a resolution that will appease their concerns for the future.

Ideally, we'll find a way to establish relations between the human and sun elf governments so that they can avoid these situations in the future, rather than arrive at the same point should another enemy arise.

[everyredcent]

After the dark elves have all been crushed underfoot or driven back underground to slink off elsewhere, I imagine. [He doesn't really conceal the edge in his voice] They have long memories and a capacity towards grudges. It's more likely they'll rebuild themselves if any are left standing, and return with greater forces and a more airtight plan in the future.

[bancroft]

And I imagine wholesale slaughter of an entire drow village is off the menu? [Thomas makes the remark casually, as if to point out the ludicrous extreme] So we leave it to the elves to do it. They won't stop either, you know. They're just as dogmatic about killing drow as drow are about killing, well... everyone else.

[luthir]

It is, as you've undoubtedly noticed... a thoroughly delicate situation. I don't foresee any bloodless solution. Even if the sun elves agreed to relocate - which they never would - it would leave the humans all the more open to attack by the drow. But the Russians refuse to recognize this fact.

[socialgraces]

[Francesca's just super quiet over here, obviously deep in contemplation. She's listening to the discussion, but is staring at the table in front of her.

She's trying to piece together what knowledge she has that might be beneficial to this mission, as well as thinking of any suggestions to give the other team and Luthir.]

What we need to accomplish, more than anything, is a sense of order. We need to make both sides understand that the drow thrive on chaos, and if they made a united, cooperative stand, they actually might have chance in surviving the attacks.

It's also in my understanding that the sun elves strive for order, a rare thing among elves, but perhaps that cultural stance could be even more exploited.

As well as reminding them that Corellon blesses those who aid others and warns his followers against stagnation.

[She smirks and shrugs.] I'm not sure what you've covered with them already, though, Luthir.

[militarized]

So, basically our best bet is to help negotiate an alliance between the sun elves and the Russians so that they can stand together against these drow. That way, we can say our hands are clean when they massacre them, is that it? [ Christos' bitterness is ... creeping into his subconscious and making this plan seem ookie. There is no good solution here, that much is clear, but it just feels like there has to be a better way than signing the death warrants of a whole tribe and stepping back. ]

[socialgraces]

The problem is, Ethan [And she turns to address him solely. She's trying not to squash his compassion as it's quite endearing to her, but she wants him to understand. It's a moral dilemma to them all, for various reasons, but they have to do something and this is their best option.] that the drow will not stop. We cannot reason with them as they are. We don't even have the option of attempting that approach as we would definitely be either killed or taken prisoner on sight.

If we had it in us to convert them all to the light, then that would be the plan we would choose. But thousands of years of attempts to do just that have shown us that the Spider Queen's influence is almost impossible to overcome. Even in this world. Most of us who have shaken her grasp have done so with either the grace of the Veil or having been born in this world to those already free.

To most of Faerun, the concept of a good drow is a foolhardy fable. And I'm not telling you we should encourage this notion, by any means, but like Luthir said, Christos and I are an exception to a nearly all-inclusive rule.

[king]

[ Arthur glances down the table to Ethan, giving him a dubious look. ]

Drow or human or — [ this certainly is a glance in Bancroft's direction, oh boy. ] — whatever else, if they're going to start in on wholesale slaughter then they deserve it in kind.

[ Arthur isn't big on the whole "giving evil magical creatures a redemptive second chance" thing. ]

At least an alliance between the Sun Elves and the Russians leaves two parties alive. Sounds to me like we'd have a difficult job of it, but I'm sure if we all focus on the same goal it's more than achievable.

[wynn]

[See, this is why you're his favorite, Arthur.]

If there were a viable middle ground available, we would take it. But as there remains none, we're forced to accept our best option. Should we refuse to intercede, it's likely all three sides will suffer great losses at the expense of their pride. We cannot, however, resolve this problem thoroughly for any of them - rather we must endeavor to provide them the perspective necessary to prevent a repeated incident in the future after the resolution of this current conflict.

I have the utmost confidence in each member of this team to do what is necessary.

[befree]

[Katniss has been listening to everyone speak, keeping her face as disinterested as possible. Quite honestly, she has a lot of opinions about racism and forming alliances, and about Christos and Francesca and their reactions to this meeting, but she remains silent as ever. She knows she'll say the wrong thing and upset others, or she'll look stupid or get in an argument with someone.

This really isn't the time or place to do that, and instead decides until later to speak privately with Christos about this.

So at Wynn's final bout of confidence in the team, she simply nods. She may not have the utmost confidence in each member of the team, but she has enough in herself to go around. Just as long as she's not stuck playing diplomat. She knows she wouldn't excel at anything related to working with people and getting them to side with her.]

[militarized]

Understood. Thank you, Sir. We won't let you down. [ That's the end of the discussion as he sees it. They've done their best to explain, but this is Wynn's call. That's the end of it. ]

[socialgraces]

[Wait, no, there's more information we need, she thinks, casting sideways glance at Ethan.]

When do we leave?

[wynn]

This Saturday. [The reply is simple, but he doesn't see a need to elaborate.]

[socialgraces]

[Alright, I guess that was the extent of what she needed to know, for now. Or rather it seems to be the extent of what Wynn's willing to give, at least during the general briefing. She has a few days to figure out any specific details and ask questions.

She glances around the room to see if anyone else is ready to leave.]

[befree]

[Well, Katniss doesn't need a better invitation to escape this personal hell than that. As soon as Francesca looks around, Katniss pushes herself up to stand, and offers a final glance at both Christos and Arthur before evacuating as fast as humanly possible.]

[king]

[ Katniss y u glance at him. ]

Right, well, see you all Saturday.

[ Arthur, too, seems to take that as the meeting dispersal, Katniss' leaving getting him to stand to go. ]

[socialgraces]

[Francesca will wait for most of the others clear out before moving. She stands up and tentatively waits a moment longer before, just standing there, before pushing her chair back in and exiting the room.]