Reunion

[missdixievoom]

Ferric remains silent. He was also worried that killing Kairos' aunt was not strictly justifiable, but since he's gone and done it, is not going to admit that. He makes (yet another, he does about two a day) inner resolution to never become just another greedy ego.

[Learned Hand]

Kairos, still glum, replies in a monotone voice:

'We're doing this because once it's been done then the world will be better. No more slaves; not even any need for slaves. No more wars. No more people needlessly dying of disease that we could cure. No more tyrants ruling from luxury-laden palaces whilst their people toil and die in the fields.

'We're going to take this sick world, and build a paradise. That's what we're here for. But before we can do that, we need the power to make it an actual possibilty'

[Blackrat]

"We already have that power. We're Chosen of the biggest god there is. We're the most powerful beings in Creation! We have whatever power we need. If we steal stuff from the corpses of whoever we decide we don't like, we're no better than the tyrants in their luxury-laden palaces. Where do you think they got all those luxuries? They stole them from the corpses of people they decided they didn't like.

"It is plain wrong to just kill everyone we don't like simply because we can. The Glorious Sun granted us great power, yes, but it comes with a fair whack of responsibility. We should be teaching people how to live better, not stopping them from having that chance. Making the world sicker is not the road to building a paradise. If we want to build a paradise, then we need to lead by example, y'know? Build a small paradise and expand from there.

"You claim that we can't do that until we have 'the power' - but how much will be enough? The Unconquered Sun has already given you power beyond anything you could ever have dreamed. If you really think you need more - which sounds a bit ungrateful, if you ask me - why not try asking him?"

[cardinalsin]

"Hold on a minute. We have great power, yes. But next to the Realm we're just bugs waiting to be squashed. I don't think we can do any of the things Kairos just mentioned with what we have right now.

But, you're right. We can't build a better world on a pile of corpses. I guess... somewhere along the line people have to follow us because they believe in us. And not because we made them believe in us with tricks," he mutters, looking meaningfully at Kairos.

[greywolf]

Raiden's comments about the Realm are right. They would squash us like a bug at the first opportunity. [turning to Fox] While I understand your views be careful how you express them. I was not claiming to read minds but suggesting that I could understand Kairos perspective in this and felt there should be further discussions before we each reach conclusions. You have already decided your view but you must offer me the same courtesy you expect yourself and allow me to have mine.

I am not one for social debate - I understand warfare. I can however see that heats are rising unnecessarily. We are all brothers of the sun and we can reach a common understanding. While we have the power we also live in a world that hates and fears us. This means we should stay together and reach accord. I do however bow to your and Raiden's point friend Fox that we cannot overcome the fear and hatred of our kind through needless slaughter. We must build rather than destroy where ever possible. You do have to recognise however that battle is sometimes necessary. If it were not my caste would not exist.

[missdixievoom]

Ferric agrees with everyone and isn't quite sure what to say. He nods at everyone and says 'hmmmm' in a positive sort of way.

[oneiros]

Azir tucks his paperwork away and rises slowly to his feet, twisting slightly to get a minor cramp out of his muscles. "There, one treasure haul properly catalogued. That's a fair trove Kairos, quite apart from the bracers."

He looks around at the tense set of folks' jawlines and sighs inwardly. Whilst not entirely oblivious to the argument around him, he hoped it would have been resolved by the time he was done.

"Friend Fox, we are fortunate to have been blessed by the glory of the Unconquered Sun. Not a day goes by when I don't recall your speech to Valion and I give thanks for what our newfound power allows me to do. But I don't think that we are the 'most powerful beings in Creation' - to do so would be arrogant in the supreme. And would prevent us from seeing things clearly in His most magnificent light."

Azir turns to address all his companions. "But you're right that our power gives us a mandate for good. We cannot go around killing people we don't like simply because they have things we want - that would be the action of a bully. Neither can we simply impose our will on the good and peaceful folk of the lands we visit. The Realm does the former and we can all attest to our own misadventures on the latter.

"We must make sure that Creation can grow and flourish without those dire agents which would infect and poison it. But we can't be naive that our desires will be achieved peacefully. Nor can we believe that we're going to be allowed to excercise our mandate without opposition - the situation at Grayfalls demonstrated that perfectly. And even the best gardeners and the best medics need tools to refine their skills.

"We should be turning our attentions to those actions that allow us to refine what we can do, so that when we do act, it is with surgical precision. To date we have been somewhat clumsy, let's chalk that up to not knowing precisely the extents of our abilities. When we do go after something that will help us, we can try to make sure that our actions benefit the ordinary folk, the good folk. But we should also keep in mind that short-term suffering may be necessary for longer-term gains. Believe me as a doctor when I say that sometimes you do have to make a patient sicker in order to let their defences activate.

"Everybody here has valid points, so let us make that our pact - only by discussing things properly so that we can hear everyone's voices, work through any dissent or problems will we have the true power to show Creation what a unified will for good can bring.

"Our mistakes, whilst to be regretted, can serve as instruction to avoid the same in the future. We must not be impulsive, the battle for hearts and minds will be a long one. And I think we have darker forces on our heels than just the Realm or some Blooded Threshold tyrants. Fox, Raiden and I encountered a pair of powerful and empowered creatures, similar to ourselves but with the smell of death about them, right here in Nexus. And one of them was an erstwhile travelling companion of ours."

He looks at everyone expectantly before continuing, "Anyway, I have probably gone on overlong. There are practicalities to be discussed. You say we should ask the Unconquered Sun if we want more power. I reckon we don't have to. I reckon he has been showing us Himself that there is more of his gift to be unlocked if we can work properly to understand the visions and dreams He is sending us. Maybe once we have those we will be in a better position to understand how to proceed with what we want. Perhaps if we fully shared what we have seen we can figure out where to go from here?"

[Learned Hand]

'Well spoken, Azir. We must be sure to discuss everything fully in the future. I think these discussions would be a lot more productive, though, if we all managed to stay calm and avoid thinly veiled accusations of 'tricks' or killing everyone we don't like

Sensing that the tension in the room, soothed by Azir's calming words, begins to rise again, Kairos hastily continues. 'Please do not misunderstand me. I know that we are all passionate about serving creation, and about ensuring we do not misuse our gifts, and so we should be. And it is important that we can be forthright with each other. But I dislike being cast in the role of power-grabbing megalomaniac. Partly because all of the decisions this group have pursued have been made jointly following the kind of discussion we are now advocating, and I therefore feel that singling one person out is somwhat unfair. Mostly, though, because the decisions this group has made -jointly- do not fit that picture.

'Remember, my friends, that we brought slaves to Tredemin to set them free and grant them full citizenship. That is why the people love us. And we worry that we have only earned loyalty through trickery.

'Remember, my friends, that we freed the people of Maluka from a brutal despot who had the owners of fertile farms starving. Within a day we had given control of the country back to its people and withdrawn. And we worry that we seek to conquer too many lands.

'Remember, my friends, that we have agreed to hand over the running of our kingdom to another, lest that our status as anathema harm our subjects once again. And we worry that we thirst for power and luxuries.

'Remember, my friends, that having offended an Earth elemental, I travelled for a season to seek a peaceful resolution to our disagreement, putting my life at risk in the process and finally swearing myself to an unfavourable oath. And we worry that we turn too readily to violence when faced with an enemy.

'Mistakes have been made. Azir is generous to call our efforts clumsy. But remember, it was The Realm that raised a massive army to fight our small kingdom, it was a celestial God who was intent on destroying the newly free people of Maluka, it is the pride of people like Hadron, and the Gemlord that threatens what we would build. It is right and proper that we watch ourselves for the slightest abuse of our power, but let us not let our vigilance confuse us into thinking that we are responsible for all of our failings so far.

'Still, I think that Azir is right that we may be better served by following the dreams that Sol Invictus has seen fit to send us. Personally, I have been having visions of an oath sworn between all incarnations of you, Raiden, and a Faery Queen of The East, sealed by my powers. I am unsure how safe it would be to attempt to make that same pact, but I suppose that is your decision to make?'

[Blackrat]

"Bingo. People seem to have blown up what I was trying to say. Sorry if I was too loud about it, but I wasn't sayin' that we can't ever fight stuff. That would be obviously stupid. My point is simply that Kairos's entrance didn't exactly point at the 'necessary evil' deal. Anyway. Done now, and yes of course we're going to have to take some nasty steps in the future.

"However, I still think we can do less of 'em. Killing a despot in Maluka is one thing - and incidentally, have we been back to check it's getting on alright? We probably should. But yes, killing a despot is one thing, but killing people because we want their stuff is not really on, in my opinion. There are plenty of ways of getting hold of things - like, in one of the most hilariously dumb (sorry, Raiden) excursions I've ever heard of, Raiden went and nicked a load of jade from the Realm embassy here in Nexus. Total ridiculous points? Loads. But body count? Zero. Surely if these bracers are that important, we could have got them by that kind of means? From someone else, perhaps?

"Anyway, quite frankly it's not worth arguing about any more. But that's my position, and that's the place I'll be coming from in these future discussions that we seem to be keen on. Just so you know."

[greywolf]

"In this instance acquiring from another source was not an option, as it was an ultra rare item. Also, being grafted to the wearer limited options further. We attempted non-violent methods to acquire the item, attempting to lure her away from her guards so we could knock her unconscious, capture her and bring her back to Azir to remove them safely but things spiraled out of our control.

"We may be powerful beings but that does not mean things always work out as planned. But I recognise you position and feel other will join me in saying we respect it and will take it into account in future actions." [Grey Wolf gives a small incline of his head to recognise that accord has been reached]

[cardinalsin]

Raiden cocks an eyebrow. "It's only dumb if you don't escape. But... maybe next time I'll pick an easier target. I could use some relaxation.

I'm not accusing anyone of anything," he says, looking meaningfully at Kairos, "and after all I've not been part of the group long. For what it's worth, I wasn't specifically concerned about the, uh, your... what happened with your aunt. And I don't presume to judge what happened there. But as a relative newcomer it hasn't been clear to me that our goals, and the actions we've taken to achieve them, have been the right ones. I think there's a lot I've missed, and everything I've heard here has been truly heartening.

Maybe this isn't the time for it, but sooner or later we're going to have to figure out how to get past the fact that the Realm not only outguns us, but right now the people see us as the bad guys. I for one wonder if we might be able to do better if we find allies within the Realm - those who question the way things are done, and look for a better way - rather than just trying to tear it down. For another time, perhaps.

Now... what was that about a faery queen?"

[missdixievoom]

[ferric guards]

[oneiros]

"Then we should definitely seek to build Tredamin up as a power base, make it a safe haven for all those disaffected by the Realm and their policies. By building up a network of kingdoms and city-states we can work towards whatever goals we have of freeing folk from the tyranny of the Realm or bringing the glory of the Unconquered Sun to the masses or being the shining defenders of Creation we want to be.

"Whatever we want to do, we have the power to do so if we go about it in the right way. We must move carefully and we probably have to skirt around the edges to avoid premature detection. So at least we all know, I hope, that we are all working for a desire to do 'good' and I think what we've been seeing will help us further along that path. I have found much of what those visions have shown me but I feel there is more for me to learn here.

"Now is not the time for me, at least, to go gallivanting off into the Wyld-tainted fringes of the East if a Faerie Queen is what you seek. Plus I am somewhat ill-prepared for such a journey, not being possessed of the same kinds of skill as Friend Ferric in these matters. Though I must admit his talents would be much appreciated here as well, given that we have a manse to restore, and restore access to, and another one, supposedly floating in the skies above Nexus, to find - if I can get a safety transport buffer built at least. However, the hearthstone of our earthen manse might prove useful to at least one who chooses to venture into the Wyld."

[Learned Hand]

'I'm not sure how I feel about heading east myself. Or anywhere where there is wyld. That said, I do recall dreaming of some charms that protected me from the ravages of The Wyld. I may be able to meditate on them and protect myself that way. The hearthstone can serve for somebody else.

'I suppose it's your call, Raiden. It's you that will be swearing the oath. At least I think it is. It was a night caste, so I assumed it was you - you're the only one I know. I'll help you if I can. I'm protected by ancient pacts in the courts of the Fae.

'In the meantime it makes sense for some of us to stay here and continue our work in The Scavenger Lands. So, who is going where? Assuming, Raiden, that any of us are going east at all?'

[missdixievoom]

Ferric is glad everyone stopped talking about the big plans and started talking about the here and now. He finally has something to say.

'If we're sharing dreams, you know about mine already - I dreamt about a really great manse in the sky which has a basement underground. I didn't tell you the bit where me and my old mentor decided to eat dinner together because, well... it didn't seem relevant. But who knows, maybe it is. Anyone care to put an interpretation on it?' He pauses.

'The technical work here needs me and I really want to find that manse. But a Faerie Queen?! I just can't pass that up. The manses can wait.'