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Entry tags:
- abby,
- benedict quintus artemaeus,
- byerly rutyer,
- cosima niehaus,
- derrica,
- ellie,
- james flint,
- julius,
- kostos averesch,
- loxley,
- marcus rowntree,
- matthias,
- petrana de cedoux,
- tsenka abendroth,
- yseult,
- { glimmer },
- { harrowhark nonagesimus },
- { joselyn smythe },
- { jude adjei },
- { laurentius vesperus },
- { richard gecko },
- { seth gecko },
- { tony stark }
open | full circle pt 1
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.
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.
no subject
Which cracks, slightly, when he notices on a delay that he's drawn Julius away from something. Resentful, self-directed. ]
No. It's. [ A sentence begun, ended, settling on a single word answer; ] Disagreement.
[ He shakes out his hand, which twinges unpleasantly down the centre, into his wrist. ]
Sorry.
no subject
I've never been among this many mages without one. [A disagreement.] You don't need to apologize to me. Do you need anything?
no subject
mostly grants perspective. Time to feel foolish, grating against the conviction that Kostos asked for it. But he's unwound enough to use full sentences, so that isn't nothing. ]
For this part to be done with, [ wry. ] What's your measure of it?
[ Maybe there's an important conversation Julius ought to get back to, but Marcus rejects the urge to let him quite yet. ]
no subject
Those of us who were paying attention knew this or something like it would come. Maybe not exactly this, and not precisely now, but we were always going to have to press older promises to see if they held and oppose a contingent who wanted a return to the status quo with a new coat of paint. They've done it in a rush and left some holes for us to exploit as a result, which is something.
Though what's bothering me, truly, is why. Why now? I can see moving before Corypheus is dealt with to get the assurance of the opening play. But why this month instead of four months ago, or two months from now? Is it just that this is when they got organized, or is something else in play?
no subject
As Julius says them, Marcus takes out his cigarette case, evaluating the two he has left and extracting one. The end goes between his teeth, the other lit with casual magic. He does tune back in early enough to properly listen, conjure a response. ]
No harm in finding out, when we get there, [ he offers. ] Perhaps it was simply as soon as they could rally themselves.
no subject
[A small gesture, indicating the room they're in, where most people are even mainly agreeing.]
But if it was something else, I want to know what it was.
[A brief pause, and then a bleak joke:]
I guess it's almost an optimistic sign, you know. No sense trying to sway the Chantry unless you think we have a chance of winning against Corypheus, is there?
no subject
They could stand to remember who else is doing the winning of it.
[ The rebels at the frontlines. This little noisy group in Riftwatch. ]
no subject
[Any softness in his tone is for Marcus, not the subjects of their conversation.]
I can't decide if my history means I'm in the worst or the best position to remind chide them for seemingly forgetting.
no subject
[ and there is a real thing he could say to that, but there is also a certain absurdity to standing around and speaking platitudes about changing the world to each other until someone breaks, so instead he goes with ]
I like to listen to you,
[ as it may get him laid later. ]
no subject
Well. I'll have to go on a charm offensive one person at a time, I suppose.
[He isn't blushing, but Marcus can still throw him off balance in a way that's not at all unpleasant, even under these circumstances.]
no subject
Still. This is an improvement. ]
Then I should let you get your practice in, [ having drawn him away to begin with.
The hand not wielding a cigarette goes out, touches Julius' arm, a signal of kinds to free him of this particular obligation, as well as affection. ]
no subject
It won't last too much longer. No one here has the flair for endless argument required.
[He doesn't say Cassius has left, but the timing of the departure does appear in a new light, now. But that's something to stew over later, behind closed doors. For now, he briefly covers Marcus's hand with his own.]
Sooner resumed, sooner finished.
no subject
[ Marcus tips his head in the direction he intends to go, flicking ash absent-mindedly onto the stone floor. ]
I'll be by the door.
[ Or maybe outside of it. A small nod, to communicate something silent, before he slips away. ]