Undine the Sea

[Voda Vosa]

OCC: Still holding on, not sure for how long.

 

[Heckler]

ooc: be patient guys, its the weekend.

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: Yeah, sorry all--it's busy here, plus Gencon registration was a bitch and it's Patriot's Day weekend too. Update soon, hopefully!)

 

[Ximix]

With the tension of the last day weighing heavily on the group, Ximix has been sitting quietly in the corner for hours, seemingly lost in meditation, waiting for the next chapter in this bizarre circumstance.

 

[Rystil Arden]

*Some hours later, as dusk descends upon the temple, an acolyte comes to lead the group down the hallways and into a large room, where the priestesses and priests of rank are seated in a semi-circle in a large room with large and beautiful paintings on the walls of underwater scenes, sea creatures, dolphins, mermaids, and more.*

"--Lysianassa decided in their favour. Surely we must see that something is wrong?" Rachel is speaking as the group enters.

"She is known for her whimsical and temperamental nature. Who's to say that she actually spent the time to do a thorough investigation?" an elven priestess speaks out.

"Would you speak out against Lysianassa? Her wisdom and magical abilities are legendary."

"Order, please," the High Priestess commands, "The petitioners have arrived."

*The High Priestess looks upon the gathered adventurers carefully, her lip twitching in worry as she examines each of their features, though she nods when she sees the mark from Lysianassa's lips upon Jallembo's cheek.*

"Look, it's all pretty simple. Rivenblight has no reason to deceive us. They said that these people would take actions that could allow a great evil to consume our world. And your visions are not lies," an elven priest points out.

"How can you claim that these people are evil? With some arbitrary power to fool not only all magicks but Lysianassa as well?"

"Well, I would never disparage the opinions of our most esteemed jungle-dwelling priestess. But consider--even those with good intentions can do evil through ignorance. Assume that Rivenblight thinks that these people are going to help evil with their actions, and these people truly think that they will help the cause of good. Do we ignore the wisdom of our allies and take a side to aid in this task? What if we bring about the apocalypse through our actions?"

"The Augury did not predict each weal or woe."

"Which means either both sides are wrong, or, more likely, it was a failed Augury."

"Nonetheless, we owe them something for their forced stay last night."

"Easily accomplished by offering a boon other than the one for which they ask."

*The High Priestess holds up her hand for quiet.*

"What say all of you? Why should our temple lend you our aid in this task, implicitly thus snubbing our allies from Rivenblight? I wonder, can you offer something better than 'We are right and they are wrong'?"

 

[Voda Vosa]

Krindorf shrugs "Can't ye contact our employers? They are the lords and ladies of many nations. Surely they can provide ye with extra information about this matter. And we have him" the dwarf points at Ximix "Ye be from that Rivenblight right?"

 

[covaithe]

Gaius Corvinus

"Your allies have already deceived and embarrassed you by claiming that we were evil, that we had magics to fool your divinations. Following their advice has already led you into the sin of attacking innocent petitioners on the very doorstep of your holiest temple! And yet you still trust them? Your own divinations told you that to avoid a great evil, you must see through the lies before you. Well, you're halfway there: you know who the liars are. I can only pray that you'll figure out the rest before it's too late."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Your allies have already deceived and embarrassed you by claiming that we were evil, that we had magics to fool your divinations. Following their advice has already led you into the sin of attacking innocent petitioners on the very doorstep of your holiest temple! And yet you still trust them? Your own divinations told you that to avoid a great evil, you must see through the lies before you. Well, you're halfway there: you know who the liars are. I can only pray that you'll figure out the rest before it's too late."

"They said that you would come and ask for help under false pretenses. That much is demonstrably true. Then they said that your true purpose would lead to a great evil and terrible sorrows, but yet our divinations would not be able to ascertain any evil. They also mentioned that your patroness is a powerful wizard. All of those are also known to be true except for whether or not your true purpose would lead to dark tidings."

"You, however, have only lied to us when it comes to what we can be sure--"

"Peace, Astraia! You are correct, but just because our guest was being incredibly rude, it does not license you to speak so bluntly. The fact is, we did restrain these people."

"B--"

"Don't quibble with his loaded wording. Yes, we dealt them no harm. Yes, they were not, in this instance innocent. I know you too well. Technicalities will not be helpful to us now."

*Astraia smiles and bows submissively.*

"My apologies, Your Holiness. I merely ask--nay, humbly beg, that you submit the matter to a more careful judgment. Ask yourself, who were the liars here? Not the elves of Rivenblight."

"Excuse me. But couldn't we just do as the dwarf suggests and ask their patrons for more information?"

"That shall not be of any more use, save to muddy the waters with more testimony to one side. It would be the reverse if we contacted Rivenblight for more information. Clearly, there is not enough information to pick a side, since there is only hearsay from one side or the other as to the consequences of these actions. So is it not wise to stay neutral here, and choose neither side? Simply do nothing."

"They did lose a short time while we restrained them here."

"Then we can ask Galatea to bless their next voyage and speed their journey by a day."

"I am not convinced that there is not enough information to make a decision. However, I think we need to hear all of it. Treating us with vague terms and warnings is an insult to those who you would ask to be your allies. So too are poorly-veiled barbs and insults, Gaius Corvinte. Making such, rather than lessen your intended target, lessens you. And besides, I do not see how you would expect them to help you earn our trust."

 

[Ximix]

Krindorf shrugs "Can't ye contact our employers? They are the lords and ladies of many nations. Surely they can provide ye with extra information about this matter. And we have him" the dwarf points at Ximix "Ye be from that Rivenblight right?"

Ximix smiles thinly. "It is not so much a matter of where I am from as who I am and that is no-one of consequence.
Turning to the gathered priests, Ximix raises his clear voice to the assembly.
"Those in power, or at the least those that represent my people to your folk, far outrank any opinion or position that I could present in their stead.
"And yet, I believe that though his words were coarse, Corvinus has voiced a valid point. Perhaps this deception of which your own god has warned you to see beyond was perpetrated upon you ere we," Ximix spreads his hands to encompass the group, "arrived..."

OOC: sorry, got held up before I could finish the post and (obviously) things developed. Ximix is fine with speaking plainly with a limited number of the highest of the priesthood, yet there are too many here (sad to say, the Elves) who are openly hostile to us and quite likely to report the results to our enemies, if not actively act against us in the future...

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Perhaps this deception of which your own god has warned you to see beyond was perpetrated upon you ere we," Ximix spreads his hands to encompass the group, "arrived..."

"That would have been easier to see if you had not deceived us earlier," the half-elven priestess who spoke earlier replies, "It is certainly a possibility that the Divination referred to something earlier, and one we must certainly consider. Unfortunately, it's true that we can't be sure which is which. How can we be sure without more information?"