open | full circle pt 1

[exequy]

WHO: Concerned mages/rifters/others
WHAT: An emergency meeting!
WHEN: Solace 20
WHERE: The Gallows
NOTES: Explanation in the OOC post. Please tag this like a network post. There are top-level comments to provide a little chronology/structure, but threadjack to your heart's content.

Before and during dinner on an otherwise unremarkable Wednesday, there's a chain of whispers (or notes, or perfectly audible comments from the particularly unsubtle) about an emergency meeting, at an evening hour, in a basement room, regarding a matter of concern to rifters and mages.

The basement part is probably unnecessary. It's certainly ineffective; the organization is too small, the Gallows too contained, and the halls too echoey for something arranged with this much finesse-wrecking haste to truly remain a secret. They could have done it in an empty office or the recreational dining hall, probably, and sat on chairs instead of storage crates. But Kostos picked the location, and he's dramatic. If nothing else it signals a clear intention to do this as unofficially as necessary.

Anyone who accepts the invitation (or just decides to come see what the fuss is about) will first encounter Marcus Rowntree, posted up outside the door like a bouncer, letting mages and rifters move through undisturbed but stepping in to question and likely bar the arrival of anyone else. Inside, Kostos is nothing but a dark scowl in the room's far corner, picking at a splinter of wood on a crate and not mustering a word of greeting for anyone who comes in. Derrica has parked herself within arm's reach of Kostos, a long gold-edged shawl spilling over one shoulder. Her diplomacy pin gleams from the front of her tunic. The worried pinch to her brow is the only outward sign of anxiety; otherwise, she is tightly contained, watching people enter. Julius–notably not in robes–is serious but calm as people come in, standing next to the ever-composed Madame de Cedoux.

Once as many people have arrived as seem likely to, Marcus closes the door, remaining beside it, and they explain what the problem is.

Comments

i am. delighted by this banter.

[detestable]

[ again, a glossary— ]

One of you wanna get specific about it?

:D

[exequy]

[ The shoulder punch makes Kostos' face furrow, a expression of excuse you, but it smooths out rapidly, all the way into something maybe almost like satisfaction. (He likes it.)

From almost-kinda satisfaction, it's only a few millimeters of eyebrow-shift to get to an expectant gaze. Aimed at Ellie. He stays silent—go on. Explain. ]

1/2 fucking live for this

[notathreat]

[Ellie's been looking expectantly at Kostos for the explanation, catching the grumpy look without a single flinch. Barely a raised eyebrow. That sort of thing has never scared her. (She likes it.)

She openly rolls her eyes at him, but turns her head to Seth. She's the one who brought it up, she'll answer.]

2/2

[notathreat]

It's like a magical lobotomy.

They use a lyrium brand to cut out the part of a mage that connects to the Fade. So they can't do magic anymore. It's supposed to keep them safe from demons who want to possess them.

But it also guts personality and emotions. They're still walking and talking, and they remember everything, but they're not who they were anymore.

[And by the way Ellie says it, she doesn't believe for a second that it's used to "protect" anybody.]

[sparklequeen]

It's fucked up.

[ Glimmer chiming in helpfully. ]

I was cut off from my magic without the emotional castration in New Amsterdam and that was bad enough.

[detestable]

[ mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm not great ]

What happens they try it on someone like me, you or her, [ quick jerk of the thumb at glimmer. ] instead of someone like him? [ thumb jerk at kostos. ]

[exequy]

We would have to try it to know.

[ With are you volunteering undertones. ]

[detestable]

No one dropped through that hasn't been winning any popularity contests?

[ ha ha but no, thanks. ]

[exequy]

I wouldn't know.

[ Popularity???? ]