<strong>Name:</strong>Brynn, Viticella, Pietr, Cid, Others<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Hawks HQ<br/><strong>Mentioned:</strong>All<br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Current Mood Music:  Hawks Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXyA3FU5T4s)</span><br/><hr/><br/>Viticella's eyes widened and she nearly jumped for joy when R'sohn mentioned his people's practice of using talismans. "Do you have a talisman with you? I'd very much like to borrow it and run a test or two. If I could re-create the effects in my lab, then we might be able to make another attempt at taking the palace tunnels!" She bounded across the room and held her hands out expectantly as she looked at him hopefully. "Well? Gimme Gimme Gimme!"<br/><br/>The redhead was insitent as her bright eyes bored into the Mithra. Brynn had to stand himself and grabbed her by the collar. "Calm yourself Viticella. Give the man a chance to think before he hands over what might be priceless to him. If you please, I need you to activate the map."<br/><br/>Viticella sheepishly glanced at Brynn and smiled at R'sohn. "Oh. Ah. Well it's up to you..."<br/><br/>She wriggled out of Brynn's grip and pulled a device off of her belt and slid it to the center of the table. The little brass tube separated and spread out across the table showing a large map of part of the city. She gave Alex a nod and pointed to her own eye as if to confirm that he should find her when there was more time.<br/><br/>Brynn addressed R'sohn. "You are right that Malik expects our attack tomorrow, friend. If that makes you wish to bow out, then I would not hold it against you. Our chances are quite grim, in fact." He turned his glances to Alex and frowned. "I'm afraid our backup plan is a full retreat. We must fight him in the open. He seems to not appreciate exposure of his dark deeds. He wants to keep up a false front for now at least." Brynn then added with a displeased scowl to indicate just how unfond of their counterintuitive plan he was. "Ironically this makes a frontal assault in broad daylight our safest option. I for one will stop whatever he intends to do or die trying."<br/><br/>Cid now stood, he was visibly shaky on his feet for a moment, then regained his decorum. He placed a hand on the shoulder of the taller man as if to endorse every word Brynn had just spoken.<br/><br/>Pietr and Piers now stepped forward to look down at the map. Piers indicated a landmark. "The casket will be paraded around the city and then will be brought to rest in the center of the public square, here. Malik has oddly not commissioned a blessing from the Order of the Luminous Tears as is tradition. There is a rumor that the blessing will be delivered by the Queen herself."<br/><br/>Brynn took over and indicated several more points as he tried not to let the conversation dwell on how close to the danger the queen might be. "Here, Here, and Here the garden wall around the square is weak. We will plant small gunpowder charges and the ensuing explosion should echo through the square making them seem larger. The square is well designed for acoustics. This should incite panic, and most of the crowd should flee away from the square to the east and west, allowing us to approach from the south. A few more charges will be placed near the southern entrance to further encourage people to flee east and west only. They will also kick up enough dust to shroud our advance." He fell silent, seemingly dissatisfied with the amount of variables. "It't not much of a plan, I admit, but the Hawks would lie down their lives to protect even a handful of people."<br/><br/>Malluri now stood and hovered over the table. "Enough talkings. Rest now? Come. Malluri will take new friends to a barracks for sleepings. All Hawks need rests to prepare for battling." She cast a weary scolding glance to everyone gathered, as if she worried that no one would actually take her advice and attempt to get some rest tonight. She was certainly the fretting mother type among them.