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

[muckspout]

Oh, so now I'm not good at party planning.

[armd]

... Yeah, that's exactly what I meant.

[muckspout]

[Huffs loudly! arms folded!]

Well, pretty certain that i'm the only one who brought drinks.

[What kind of party planning party is this anyway!]

[armd]

It was a little last minute.

You gonna share?

[muckspout]

Think you made pretty clear that I'm not invited and you don't get him [and by him he means this bottle he is holding.] without me.

[So THERE.]

[armd]

Go sit in the corner and drink your drink, then.

[muckspout]

[He does just that. Then after much pouting and sighing like it really pains him, he reluctantly passes the bottle to Abby. He will forgive her eventually.]

[tender]

Edgard.

[ slip in at abby's elbow. ]

You're ignoring what Abby is trying to say to you, and you are creating a disruption where we can't afford one. Is this how you mean to treat us, talking over us when we have asked you to let us be?

[luaithre]

[ And Marcus has now materialised somewhere behind Derrica's shoulder—hanging back, for now, allowing words to prevail for now.

Visibly irritated. You look away from the door for a second— ]

[muckspout]

[Cowed by these two, he grumbles, but remains where he is.]

Not ignoring her. Just don't like not knowing what's going on.

[tender]

You are ignoring her. She has said that you will know when the time comes for you to know. That this is not for you, not yet.

You're putting yourself before the work we are doing here. [ Gently, but firmly. ] It's selfish, drawing us away from our task to suit your own desires.

[ And, still gentle but no less yielding for it— ]

Please go, and leave us be.

[luaithre]

[ Still silent, still present. His evaluation of Edgard is not as hostile as it could be, given the recent past, and so Marcus leaves space for the man to do himself some dignity without letting up the pressure of simply being on hand. ]