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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lylandra" data-source="post: 8107641" data-attributes="member: 6816692">Session 45Crossroads, part 2: Change the world~BNW         To be able to actually implement whatever kind of plan we might choose, we'd need more backup forces as four agents won't be able to bring all the Obs at once to Risur, pacified or not. Therefore, we send a message to Delft and ask him how much time he'd need to bring the Impossible to the shores of Mutravir Island. Delft returns that our vessel is only one nautical hour away, cruising peacefully in the seas near Sid Minos. So sending him a quick message in advance would suffice.We're quite happy with this response and explain Macbannin that we'll be able to get help pretty quickly. We also ask the ghost about the fate of the Godhand spy as we were quite sure that this guy was very much alive when he pulled him out of the shadows. Macbannin tells us that they brought the guy to some extraplanar prison painting lined with gold so he may not escape. We cannot help but applaud this clever approach. The ex-mayor then explains that the Godhand is not the only prisoner who's being kept there as the other subjects that were used in the portal gallery demonstration also have to come from somewhere.“Don't pity them too much”, he adds “they are scum from Crisillyir anyway, so they are not exactly the nicest bunch of people”We still agree that human experiments on unwilling targets are horrible, not matter the good intentions. Carlyle muses whether it would be a good idea to recruit another possible ally, or simply help that one person who also dared to investigate the Obs by freeing the Godhand and placing him in the absurdist's web. But that would risk causing yet another commotion in the wake of Zoltan's murder and increase security measures even more. So we decide to let him stay imprisoned for now.Then we ask Macbannin about the schedule of the conference and, more importantly, on the planned procedure for the vote that could change the world. Macbannin explains that all he knows is the fact that there will be more than one ballot, and that there are plans for four more days of conference. So we won't have to hurry too much. He also mentions an open forum where the planar proposals are to be discussed.As this might just be the most pivotal point of all, Auryn suggests to sit down and actually research the planar knowledge of the Obs and come up with a more refined version of Miller's Pyre. Or just make up our very own planar configuration while we're at it. She adds that the first proposal will have a better chance as we don't have the support of a nifty demonstration.(Ah yes, this rings another bell, doesn't it?)This way, she explains, we could make sure that no matter what we would be able to make sure that the world isn't screwed by planar invaders or droughts or, y'know, a thousand years of mental enslavement.So we pick up all the information we have from the Obs researchers and the exhibits and Auryn puzzles together a planar configuration that seems workable and even like an improvement over what we have now. Then we take quite some time to bring our allies on board and exchange information.First, we visit Grappa/Leone who had been busy doing his officer stuff all day and also trying to evade Testamenta Suchdol's advances. From him, we get more insight into the higher-up's plans as he knows that Luc Jierre had been told to stay ready for “something”. Also, there are rumors that Lya Jierre might arrive the next day. To reduce the area of surveillance, the radius of the Bleak Gate bubble got reduced by quite the number with the side effect that creatures from the other side may get even closer to the estate.Meanwhile, we try to convince Testamenta, who seems to accompany Leone everywhere but to the Obs leader's meetings, that we would totally be compatible with her Trekker ideas. As we understand that these people want to explore new worlds and may feel constricted by our insistence on keeping the planar barrier, we explain that planar travel inside our planar system would be totally doable and we are sure that our chosen worlds are quite habitable. We also spend a lot of time trying to convince her that the Gidim are both a real threat and also very heretical. Testamenta doesn't seem to fully understand the nature of these beasts as she confuses them with demons, but we don't really care as long as she thinks that they are dangerous.After a while, the two of them withdraw and we feel sorry for Leone once again. We also try to convince a few others that the Gidim are dangerous, and Livia cites the reports of a few capable RHC agents as a source she found among the King's records, but especially the Danorans claim that, of course, feeble Risuri agents would claim such beings to be dangerous and a threat. Still even these regular agents were able to defeat one of their lieutenants, so they couldn't be too dangerous, right?(Man, that backfired. But we didn't want to push that matter too hard or people would get suspicious about why Livia would know so much about these two specific agents)We then talk to Gradiax telepathically while doing some smalltalk with Erskine. He seems to be quite surprised that we also want to hop onto this changing the world theater train, but we explain that all we're trying to do is to do some damage control just in case. Also, he wouldn't suffer too much, as our plan would keep the barrier intact and also bring back flight. To that, he exhales heavily and growls a mental “don't tempt me...”.We then take some chats here and there until we got a certain interest in the specifics of our plan. Then, Livia/Auryn spills the beans on what that plan would include: She would exchange damaged Avilona with Menhiru, the plane used in Miller's Pyre to induce the empathy effect. Which, yes, would allow for larger creatures to fly again. But she wouldn't pair that one with another mental influence. Instead, she would keep Urim and Jiese to keep the spark of progress and imagination alive and also to limit the power of powerful mages. She would still open Urim to debate should the need arise. She would also take the path of the Arboretum and exchange Mavisha with Ostea, the plane of healing. Also, she would relocate Nem to replace Reida as the aspect of time. Time erodes us all anyway, she explains, and getting rid of Reida would cut the threads of fate once and for all, leaving the world on a course of true freedom from whatever people would call “destiny”. Apet would be left untouched, as to her knowledge Nem and Apet are both necessary for the planar barrier effect. And of course, she would keep Av as plane of life to not change the lives of those who live with the Fey and the Dreaming. This plan would leave the place of Death open for discussion, which is also the point where she would compromise with other factions.To Auryn's surprise, Carlyle nods with approval.“A fine plan, indeed. And I see no point where I would object.”“And I thought you were against the influence on the mind that is empathy?”“No, I was... actually only opposed to actual mental altering. What you propose is a simple enhancement of everyone's senses.” he returns, leaving Livia with a big, proud smile.Bolstered like that, Livia then searches for the halfling that she saw on the KATE and approaches him. She asks him whether he'd remember the attacks of these insubstantial monsters that she read about in the RHC reports to King Aodhan and he confirms that he's terribly afraid of these creatures ever since. So we tell him that every single faction who is in favor of letting the planar barrier fall would open up our world for a real Gidim invasion. We accompany him for a while and let him speak for himself.This way, we gain the attention of yet another minor faction, the Aegis. These guys turn out to be those who are most in favor of simply keeping the barrier intact no matter what, so we decide to team up as allies as they are not opposed to any change that won't alter the world too much.Before the forum begins, we plan our strategy as things are about to get political from now on. We ask our now larger team of allies to spread out among the other conference participants to try and subtly influence their opinion by making small remarks against other proposals, point out minor flaws in their proposals and cheer for our plan.(Yeah, we are evil, strategic politicians somehow... it did help that we played a very political Way of the Wicked and WotBS  before)  The discussion starts with a speech from Hanse Randall, an Eladrin (with a really non-eladrin name) who gives a passionate speech for why Miller's Pyre is the best and only acceptable proposal of this conference. He is followed by a minotaur of the Watchmaker's faction who sees empathy as a real problem, as it can convey any kind of feelings be that positive or negative. As he fears that no one can be sure that this will certainly lead to only good deeds and thoughts that may spread like wildfire, he again proposes his 1000 years of programmed slavery.At this point, Livia enters the discussion as she wishes to propose a sew plan which she calls “Brave New World”. She takes up Hanse Randall's defense of Miller's Pyre and agrees that empathy is the key to avoid conflict and hatred in this new world. But then she asks who would be the one to define “good deeds” and “moral” for all people of this world.“This, my friends, can never be generalized and doing so would both be presumptuous and dangerous. And thus doomed to fail. My proposal, the 'Brave New World' is based upon the assumption that every inhabitant on our world wishes to lead a good life. But who are we to define what this 'good life' shall look like? All we know is that their 'good life' can and should not interfere negatively with the 'good life' of others. So we'd set a free, uninfluenced mind and the ability to cooperate as the cornerstones of this proposal. Also, I agree with Nicodemus that our current world is flawed. As he pointed out, we lack the power of flight that the Ancients had before the Fall. This, I would bring back and replace damaged Avilona with a plane that enables everyone with the power of empathy. But this is simply an enhancement, not a forced constrained as everyone will be able to use this powers as they see fit. But the way we predict it, Menhiru will be able to make us avoid genocides, violence, egoism and abuse. Also, the plane of Jiese will keep our technological advancement, but it won't be an end in itself. To avoid negative emotions and suffering to corrupt the noble ability of empathy, we'd implement Ostea, the plane of healing to get rid of the terrors of injury and illness, and maybe even the fallout of industrialization. Also, this would make war impractical and even nonsensical, as every soldier would regenerate back to full health in time.”She then goes on to talk about another pivotal point: The planar barrier. She again cites the reports she saw in the royal records half a year ago regarding an attack of some Gidim remnants in Risur. She also points at archaeological findings pointing at the origins of demons to a previous planar invasion and the fact that the Ancients saw the need to erect such a barrier in the first place. Then, Livia mentions Av and its importance for many civilizations, such as Crisillyir, Risur or Elfaivar, so it should stay where it is. Also, she knows from her own experience that the Fey of the Dreaming are as “human” as everyone else in this convocation, so it would be inhumane to simply destroy their home plane. Last but not least, she discusses the plane of death. Here, she's open for cooperation, but she suggests to find something that can remove the aspect of fear and terror from death.(Taking Nic's ideas, refine them and make them better is yet another recurring theme from now on...Regarding the name Brave New World, Tiz asked us for a name and this was the first one that came to my mind. Blame Huxley and my english senior course. Also, I just leave this one nostalgia trip here, as I'd see it rather fitting for adventure 7:[MEDIA=youtube]k3ujInXp4x4[/MEDIA]and yes, I recommend you to read the full lyrics of the original^^)</blockquote>

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