VIDEO | 21 NOV. EVENING | OPEN TO BOTH COURTS | whelp shit...

[waterbearer]

[ The message is broadcast twice, from two separate lockets. The background is a small inn near Daonna, Waver is in the forefront, while Kaldur has maps spread out across a table, and is quietly casting on the maps and making frantic annotations. ]

Good evening. As many of you have heard by now, much has been made about the threat of Reynard the Fox at Redgate. Doubtlessly, you’ve also noticed that since that announcement no other word has come out of the fortress. This is, to say the least, very alarming.

[ Kaldur looks up, briefly, to face the camera. ]

I am attempting to scry for the locations of individuals known to be at Redgate or near Redgate at this time, in light of the threat Reynard poses, in hopes that more information can be found.

If they have already engaged Reynard, and are trying to fight him, hopefully, we will be able to find out.

Until then, or until we have direct information from Saralegui himself, I would like to ask that everyone who is intending to lend aid to Redgate gather in Daonna. This gives us all an opportunity to group up, prepare, plan, and present a united front if things are as bad as they seem right now. Whenever we have word, we can act together. If you are en route, come to Daonna. If you are already up the mountains, please return.

I realize that I have no authority to enforce this, but I do ask that you heavily consider this option before forging on ahead.

[ In the background, Kaldur looks as though he is about to curse, and pulls Waver’s attention towards what he has found briefly, before setting at it again, and speaking towards the feed. ]

I also urge those who are heading to Redgate to gather with us, until we gain more information and can adequately prepare for what we will be faced with.

Thank you kindly for your time. If you have any further information on the situation, both Kaldur and myself would appreciate it being shared.

Comments

action >> waver

[waterbearer]

[ He scries again, multiple times to confirm, but it doesn't change. John Grimm, Saralegui, and Alice all appear to be somewhere off the coast of Leathann. It is hard, since he has no smaller map of the region to narrow down their location, but it is clear they are all well off the coast, and somewhere in the middle of the waters. ]

I don't like this at all, but unless there is some method of magical misdirection upon all three of them, the result stands.

Re: action >> waver

[gordianknots]

[Waver stares down at the map, unhappy.]

The question becomes how did they get from Redgate to that location, when magic doesn't work in Redgate.

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[atoned]

[ if zuko hadn't taken to walking along the road of la llorona and being pulled into the heart of it by the villagers near quendi, he would've been apart of the group who had first arrived at redgate. but he'd spent days within la llorona hunting a malevolent spirit, the idea of giving up his search one that didn't sit too well with him. if he had been there — not even the fire lord could hope to prevent what may have befallen those who had gone to redgate. ]

[ he's on the road from daonna when he happens to look at his locket, yearning a little for company. he halts where he walks. ]

You haven't heard from anyone?

[ zuko isn't sure of who made the invitation list, only that saralegui had been the man he'd spoken to on the network to score himself a golden ticket to this particular chocolate factory. regardless of his own mind coming up with reasons for little to no word emerging from redgate, ranging from those in attendance getting too caught up in any proceedings to what he doesn't wish to give thought to, he doesn't argue. ]

[waterbearer]

Assuming there is an individual with enough power, and they were close enough to the boundary of Redgate, as opposed to directly within it, I would not surprised if it were possible.

[ Which is Kaldur's way of saying "This screams Reynard all over and I don't like it." ]

There is no way of telling how long they have been out there, nor if even that is all of them.

[ None of those people live in the water the way he does, and Kaldur would like to hope that they aren't dead, but he really has no surefire way of knowing. ]

Unless you know others to scry for, perhaps I may get better answers.

[gordianknots]

Those are the only names I can think to look for, unfortunately. I didn't have time to ask for a full party roster. The only thing I can think of is to scry for Reynard's location as well. He still has shards, after all.

[With that, Waver sighs, knowing that this is bad.]

If we don't get any information soon, we're going to need one or two people to go into Redgate and personally ascertain the situation, while everyone else is here in a holding pattern.

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[waterbearer]

None that I nor Lord El-Melloi know of who would have arrived by now are reachable through contact, and there has been no other word from Redgate itself.

[ You are, apparently, one really lucky cookie, Zuko. ]

If there are those you expect to be there, I can attempt to search for them also, but it will be harder if I don't know them.

[ The better he can focus on a person, the greater his accuracy. John is very easy to scry for, insofar as scrying could be easy. Alice and Saralegui were harder, but at least he has solid pictures of both of them, and knows a little of their character. ]

And, again, if you intend to head towards Redgate yourself, I strongly suggest you return to Daonna first, that we can set about some plan of action.

[waterbearer]

If you have a speedier method to contact Redgate without needing to use the lockets of someone already there, I would have to agree. Which means will will also have to pick and choose who is trustworthy enough to send.

[ He can try to scry for Reynard, but he suspects finding the fox will be significantly harder still, if he could manage it at all. ]

You are going to have to describe Reynard to me as best you can. Every detail that you can think of, if I am to focus on him properly.

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[atoned]

[ his father would disagree, unfortunately. ]

[ despite wanting to go to redgate and investigate what has happened, zuko knows it'll be stupid to do so. he doesn't know the terrain, nor the late lady alyosha and any of her own traps and secret passageways. he doesn't even know the ones that make the fire nation palace, either. he'd rather go where people who know those who had been attendance and even the area are, than be by himself any longer. ]

I can be in Daonna in a blink.

[ he disconnects. ]

[gordianknots]

Sadly, I don't. I can go ahead with my traveling companion tomorrow, if it comes to it. I have slightly more favourable standing, although the fact Reynard knows my face is hardly a positive thing.

[He draws in a breath. How do you begin to describe Reynard?]

Long red hair, a face that needs a fist in it, a mouth that really should be gagged for the sake of everyone else. Impeccably dressed, admittedly, but he's a vain man. Young, except for when he's in the form of a fox, in which case his red hair is the red of his pelt.

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[atoned]

[ pulling his blue spirit mask from his backpack, zuko slips it on and thinks of the daonna. when he had arrived in daonna via the ring in la llorona, he had taken his time to navigate the territory, allowing his grumbling stomach to guide him to a place for food. he hadn't stayed for too long, wanting to make his way to redgate quickly after realising he'd spent days deep within the forest near quendi. he recognises the inn the man he hasn't spoken to is, and appears outside of it. packing the mask back into his backpack, he walks in and tries to locate the two within the area. ]

[ if anything, his distinctive scar will be able to point him out of kaldur isn't trying to scry for his current location. ]

video;

[gandere]

[ At least this time she's not moving and there are no clouds in the sky. She must have landed the moment she heard the locket and good thing too--that's a lot to absorb. ]

Lord El-Melloi II. [ With a tone that practically screams she's at a different age maturely than she is physically. ]

... Other guy. [ The tone is a bit softened in favor of not even knowing his name to scold him. ]

Just what is your intent by painting another target so boldly?

Permalocking video because Waver.

[gordianknots]

We have to risk it, unfortunately, Miss Tohsaka. At the very least, it permits us to communicate that there is something gone awry, and that does have to be done.

Private Video

[fiercestwarrior]

Do you have any information on the location of John Grimm?

[ Yes, she knows that it is likely that it is not something they would be willing to share just like that with someone they don't know, but... she has to ask.

It's John. ]

[gandere]

You said you were sleeping. [ She's already on edge for a hundred other reasons not including their earlier conversation.

Her gaze looks around him as if to spot his companion, not understanding that two lockets were used at once. Whatever it is she wants to say, she doesn't feel comfortable announcing it publicly even within an enclosed space. ]

[gordianknots]

Things changed.

[Waver can read the look, and he quietly excuses himself from the main room, heading back upstairs for the time being.]

[gandere]

Yet you still intend to throw away your life. [ He doesn't even get to take more than a couple of steps before she blurts that out. ]

[gordianknots]

We're sitting and waiting for intel, Rin. This is the safest way to handle the situation.

Private video to Waver and Kaldur

[getinthechariot]

My aid was never in any question.

[Probably pointless to address Waver via video, but this way he can see whatever may be said]

[gordianknots]

Well, naturally.

If it ends up that we've got to send people in to investigate, are you wiling to come with me?

[gandere]

By publicly inviting a number of people who want to fend off the opposition of Redgate? In which way is this safe?

Is it the part where you give away the location of a number of possible enemies in a single place leaving it susceptible to attack? [ Tilting her head back a bit. ] Or is it the part where you're trying to gather both courts in a single area in hope there won't be any bloodshed?

I'm just curious, Lord. Because as I know, you are no fighter.

[ Still thinking this is public. ]

[gordianknots]

Daonna is considered neutral territory. Shit stirring with factions here is a bad idea, leaves people upset. All the more reason to use it as a rendezvous point.

I don't fight directly, but I know strategy and how to weigh risks. And in the face of what we know, and what might be infinite possibilities, this is what we have to work with. It will have to make do, including the risk that you have outlined so clearly.

I'm not happy about how it has ended up. But nothing about this situation is ideal.

[gandere]

I'm certain that if your enemies cared about leaving people upset that they wouldn't necessarily be your foes in the first place. [ It'd be a lot easier if she was there, but there's no fast way for her to travel right now. ]

It was a foolish risk. You could have revealed your location to interested parties, that way if something were to occur you'd have a list of where to start on leaks.

... but you haven't had your rest yet, so perhaps that's why you're making amateur mistakes.

[gordianknots]

There's no way to get a shortlist of people who offered to help, and it isn't like I can ask the person who made the initial post right now.

[Amateur. Maybe. But because this fucking place is useless with communication and organization and everything else.]

At this rate, what's done is done.

[gandere]

It annoys me, but it can't be helped.

[ Frowning. ] You're acting recklessly like Emiya and I'm nowhere near to watch your back. You really do know how to be insufferable at times.

[gordianknots]

Rider's here.