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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 2286024" data-attributes="member: 1210">The Conference of Spellcasters (part 2)The night wears on and most of the various participants at the conference gradually retire.  Refreshments are made available at any time, and the place is staffed by a horde of improved unseen servants.  Our heroes make conversation with the various spellcasters present.  Horbin speaks to High Priest Prayzose for some time, discussing politics and theology.  Orbius finds himself conversing with Marius; Lester speaks with everyone, as he is wont to do, but spends a great deal of time with Emperor Prayzose as well.  Lillamere and his mom have a lot of catching up to do.Veil tries to talk to the constructs guarding the Delphin, but they don’t answer, and the Delphin tells her that they are mindless.  Disappointed, Veil then wanders into Lillamere’s conversation with Alita.  They are discussing whether or not constructs should have rights- apparently Alita thinks the simulacrum discussion that Marius has already broached will lead in that direction.  Veil is disturbed; it has never before occurred to her that, as a construct, she might have no legal rights.  Well, the law has never done her right anyhow; even as a young doppelganger, she was beaten and imprisoned once just for what she was.  Now she is an agent of Chaos, and much happier for it; but the thought that nobody will help her stand up for her rights appalls her.Eventually, our heroes head to bed, mostly sleeping in the huts outside.***7/26/371 O.L.G., 10 a.m.In the morning, the conference officially begins- boisterous, as might be expected, with many different points of view and strong personalities clashing.  Suddenly there is a flash from the teleport pad, and a figure appears: a second Marius. With a strangled cry, Marius the Chronomancer leaps to his feet.  “A simulacrum!” he cries.“Peach!” the faux Marius cries, stepping from the teleport pad with his hands raised.  “I come for the conference, as a representative of the empowered simulacra!  I mean no harm!  I come under the guarantee of truce!”Trembling with rage, Marius the Chronomancer begins to snarl a reply, but the Delphin speaks first.  “You were not invited.”“Think about it.  If you make rules for the conduct of magic, do you truly think that you can enforce them against us?”  The simulacrum shakes his head.  “You need our input if you want us to follow the rules.  Otherwise we will shatter your agreement.”“This is outrageous!” Marius the Chronomancer shouts.  “We should blast it to oblivion!”  He is quaking with anger.“He has a point, actually,” replies Prayzose.  “How are we going to enforce whatever decisions we come to?  If we want them to go along, we do need to allow them some input.”“They are spells, not beings!” Marius cries.”We should let him speak as we discuss it, though,” says Lillamere.  “Regardless of what he is-“”It,” insists Marius.“-regardless, if he and these allies of his can cast powerful spells, they should have a say.”“I’m not so sure,” answers Alita.  “It seems to me that we should include only real spellcasters.”“We are real,” the false Marius says with quiet dignity.“I mean living ones,” Alita retorts.”Would you deny me a vote, then?” Dzaram inquires dryly.Orbius speaks up.  “Well, as you can all see, the issues here are difficult, and unlikely to be resolved quickly.  I say we allow the simulacrum to be part of this conference, but that the matter of the simulacra be put on our agenda.”“Let’s blast him,” Marius snarls.“Let’s vote on it,” suggests Horbin.  “Does he sit in attendance at the conference?  A simple majority vote.”“That is accptable,” both Marii say at once.  They glare at each other.11 to 9.  He’s in.At first it is chaotic and disorganized, but gradually some order begins to form as Orbius suggests the basic system that the group adopts.  They will first discuss what to put on the agenda.  Any item nominated for discussion that gets a majority vote will be put on the agenda, and after discussion, a 2/3 vote will be required to pass it.  Then whatever agreement they reach, they will ratify by consensus.“That’s quite a high threshold,” Prayzose remarks.“At least it will stop us from making frivolous rules,” Horbin comments.Marius glares at the simulacrum, who looks back at him with equanimity.The discussions begin in earnest.  First the rights, or lack thereof, of simulacra are brought up.  Thus leads to considerable discussion, including- as Alita had predicted- the rights of constructs.“If they have rights, don’t they also have some kind of responsibilities?” suggests Horbin.  “And if they don’t have rights, who is responsible for their actions?  For instance, if this simulacrum of you has no rights, and it goes and destroys half a town, are you liable for it’s actions?  Do you have to pay for the damages?”The issue is put on the agenda.“One of my personal concerns is the issue of disjunctions,” the Delphin offers.  “It is a useful spell, but it’s problematic.  I’m sure none of you want to lose all your magic items.  I would like to see limits placed on its use.”“It is a pretty dangerous spell to toss around,” admits Orbius, “but it has saved our lives more than once.”“I’m not necessarily saying we should ban its use completely, I’m talking about amongst us.”“Perhaps we can put the relations between us all on the agenda as well,” suggests Ferranifer.  “I don’t believe there is any need for us to fight among ourselves; it seems to me that we would do well to work out any differences we have peacefully.”“That is not always possible,” Mabrack the storm giant rumbles, “but it is worth discussing.” “Nonetheless, I believe we should put Mordenkainen’s disjunction on the agenda.”“Maybe death spells, too,” suggests Vendura.“Only,” retorts Dzaram, “if you ban healing magic as well.”  Both Delilah and Grisly nod agreement beside him.After some discussion, whether or not to outlaw specific spells is put on the agenda.  So is conflict between spellcasters, including retaliation.  The topic of divine intervention is brought up by the Delphin, and it too is put on the agenda over the vociferous protests of Prayzose.  The treatment of innocents is the next topic discussed and added to the list of things to address.Marius adds something else, other than his staunch feelings regarding the simulacra: “I suggest we ban interference with the time line.”  This passes 14-6, with only a few individuals voting against it.  Instructor Ngise, in particular, rails against blocking off any avenue of research whatsoever. “One more thing,” Lillamere sighs.  “Should we reconvene?”“What!” cries Orbius.  “Why would we-““What if we overlook something or something we decide doesn’t work?  I say, in a few years, we meet again to discuss things.”“Maybe in one year,” suggests Prayzose.“A good point,” nods the Delphin.  “And obviously we need to discuss enforcement of whatever agreement we come to.”  Everyone agrees with that.And with that, the agenda is set.Next Time: The conference continues.  Will such a massive group of spellcasters be able to agree on anything?  Will they blast the simulacrum?  Will they destroy the entire island they are on??</blockquote>

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