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[ZEITGEIST] The Continuing Adventures of Korrigan & Co.
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<blockquote data-quote="gideonpepys" data-source="post: 7844128" data-attributes="member: 79141"><p><strong>Session 242, Part Three</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>One to One</strong></p><p></p><p>While the party was still in full swing, Korrigan left the hubbub behind and followed Miller down to his bench at the end of the wooden walkway, where Miller sat overlooking distant planar fragments and the void between them. Korrigan joined him and was silent for a while. Then he spoke:</p><p></p><p>“I often wished I had an opportunity to speak to William Miller of his Pala years. His ideas have inspired thinkers for hundreds of years, myself among them. These ideas have developed and taken root in the hearts of many, to the point where no one man can claim the ownership anymore. Still I imagined Miller would be happy to see how his work carries on and evolves, bearing fruit many years after his death. Ironic. Of course now I know that he is still around, wearing the name of Nicodemus, and betraying by his actions every principle his followers believed him to teach.”</p><p></p><p>Korrigan paused for a moment, deep in thought.</p><p></p><p>“I understand his motivations. But I strongly disagree with his goals and even more with his methods. This is why I do all I can to oppose him. Even so I keep wondering if there is a chance to change his mind, to bring out that part of him that desired peace and justice for all people. Unfortunately, every encounter with him served to deepened my doubts. His convictions are akin to madness, and his arrogance seems impenetrable. I began to believe that William Miller I knew from the written works is lost forever. And now, here you are...”</p><p></p><p>“Indeed,” said Miller after a moment’s thought. “ But I do not know how different I am to this Nicodemus of yours. I have spent five hundred years powerless to intervene in mortal affairs. The thought of what I might have done had I remained able to do so fills me with dread. I shared, once, the capacity of my reflected self to put morality aside in pursuit of a noble goal. I believed then - as he believes now, I think - that my true sacrifice was the willingness to shoulder the burden of extreme guilt for the sake of others.</p><p></p><p>“But I do regret that now. Is that the difference between us? Remember: he bore my name in the years after the Malice. Pala was his creation, not mine. Those are his ideas you follow. Our ideas. But he cleaved to them for a long time after we parted.</p><p></p><p>“What happened in Pala or in the intervening years must have tempered him somehow.”</p><p></p><p>Korrigan gave a grunt and said, “It is all too easy to say ‘I will take the burden of guilt’, but the words are meaningless unless the one taking such responsibility can be held accountable.</p><p></p><p>“Nicodemus has been able to escape accountability for far too long. He has been gambling countless people's lives again and again, but it was always someone else who paid the price, and so he carries on gambling, raising the stakes every time. I fear he is far beyond the point where any reckoning is possible. All I could hope to do was to stop him.” Korrigan sighed. “But meeting you gives me a new hope. You admitted your own arrogance rather than allowing it to drive you. Fate was kind to you sending you here after the tragedy in Methia. You have had the chance to reflect on it and thus hold yourself to account. You have done the work of conscience on behalf of… the other part of yourself. And that's why, if you what you say is true, and we can return to Lanjyr by merging the two reflections, I urge you to go with us. No matter what happens I will do all I can to stop Nicodemus. But I also believe that everyone deserves a chance at redemption. This is your chance. Come with us, rejoin Nicodemus to become whole once again, and put a stop to his madness. If you can.”</p><p></p><p>Nicodemus shook his head. “Change is only possible for the living. While I can instruct, counsel and warn, I fear that trying to take an active hand in events would only bring out my worst traits of bitter arrogance. I have tried to meditate to overcome these flaws. Honestly, though, I am convinced that I cannot change my nature. It is better that I not be involved. After all, I'm basically the same person as Nicodemus, and Nicodemus’ refusal to accept failure has perhaps doomed the world. Besides, who's to say that I would win? Nicodemus might subsume me. He has become much more powerful than I, and I have to admit that I fear him.”</p><p></p><p>“I understand,” said Korrigan. “I understand the doubt and the fear. After all you have spent five hundred years away from our world. You have a nice place here, quiet, comfortable. It's probably nice, too, to have no physical needs. The world cannot affect you and you cannot affect the world, and before long, I imagine, you may start believing that it absolves you from any responsibility to try. But don't tell me that deep inside you don't feel the gnawing guilt. Did the shrine you built for Srasma make you forget the countless lives that were lost? Did breaking in tears before Kasvarina undo all the pain and suffering caused to her by her loss at Methia or manipulations and betrayal by Nicodemus in the years after that, resulting in the loss of her other daughter, too? And you may not have even realised, but today with us arrived another woman you tricked into helping you in the Vault of Heresies and then betrayed leaving her imprisoned for hundreds of years.” Korrigan paused, then continues in a calmer voice. “Kasvarina may have forgiven you, but what about your own conscience? There is a reason why you are still here after five hundred years, while other spirits have long moved on. You have given us information that may help us return to Lanjyr, and now I am giving you advice in return. This is your chance, perhaps your only chance. You can try to find peace in redemption or you may be satisfied to linger here in this state of meaninglesness forever. I am not asking you to take over Nicodimus, strong as he may be, I am asking you to try and stop him. Just like I am.”</p><p></p><p>Korrigan stood up. “Now I will be leading my crew against Egalatrix to deal with the menace that has terrorised the planes of Gyre for so long. Afterwards, if we survive, I will return to ask you again. You have time to think about your answer.”</p><p></p><p>With that, he walked back to the lighthouse, where the party was still in full swing.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="gideonpepys, post: 7844128, member: 79141"] [B]Session 242, Part Three One to One[/B] While the party was still in full swing, Korrigan left the hubbub behind and followed Miller down to his bench at the end of the wooden walkway, where Miller sat overlooking distant planar fragments and the void between them. Korrigan joined him and was silent for a while. Then he spoke: “I often wished I had an opportunity to speak to William Miller of his Pala years. His ideas have inspired thinkers for hundreds of years, myself among them. These ideas have developed and taken root in the hearts of many, to the point where no one man can claim the ownership anymore. Still I imagined Miller would be happy to see how his work carries on and evolves, bearing fruit many years after his death. Ironic. Of course now I know that he is still around, wearing the name of Nicodemus, and betraying by his actions every principle his followers believed him to teach.” Korrigan paused for a moment, deep in thought. “I understand his motivations. But I strongly disagree with his goals and even more with his methods. This is why I do all I can to oppose him. Even so I keep wondering if there is a chance to change his mind, to bring out that part of him that desired peace and justice for all people. Unfortunately, every encounter with him served to deepened my doubts. His convictions are akin to madness, and his arrogance seems impenetrable. I began to believe that William Miller I knew from the written works is lost forever. And now, here you are...” “Indeed,” said Miller after a moment’s thought. “ But I do not know how different I am to this Nicodemus of yours. I have spent five hundred years powerless to intervene in mortal affairs. The thought of what I might have done had I remained able to do so fills me with dread. I shared, once, the capacity of my reflected self to put morality aside in pursuit of a noble goal. I believed then - as he believes now, I think - that my true sacrifice was the willingness to shoulder the burden of extreme guilt for the sake of others. “But I do regret that now. Is that the difference between us? Remember: he bore my name in the years after the Malice. Pala was his creation, not mine. Those are his ideas you follow. Our ideas. But he cleaved to them for a long time after we parted. “What happened in Pala or in the intervening years must have tempered him somehow.” Korrigan gave a grunt and said, “It is all too easy to say ‘I will take the burden of guilt’, but the words are meaningless unless the one taking such responsibility can be held accountable. “Nicodemus has been able to escape accountability for far too long. He has been gambling countless people's lives again and again, but it was always someone else who paid the price, and so he carries on gambling, raising the stakes every time. I fear he is far beyond the point where any reckoning is possible. All I could hope to do was to stop him.” Korrigan sighed. “But meeting you gives me a new hope. You admitted your own arrogance rather than allowing it to drive you. Fate was kind to you sending you here after the tragedy in Methia. You have had the chance to reflect on it and thus hold yourself to account. You have done the work of conscience on behalf of… the other part of yourself. And that's why, if you what you say is true, and we can return to Lanjyr by merging the two reflections, I urge you to go with us. No matter what happens I will do all I can to stop Nicodemus. But I also believe that everyone deserves a chance at redemption. This is your chance. Come with us, rejoin Nicodemus to become whole once again, and put a stop to his madness. If you can.” Nicodemus shook his head. “Change is only possible for the living. While I can instruct, counsel and warn, I fear that trying to take an active hand in events would only bring out my worst traits of bitter arrogance. I have tried to meditate to overcome these flaws. Honestly, though, I am convinced that I cannot change my nature. It is better that I not be involved. After all, I'm basically the same person as Nicodemus, and Nicodemus’ refusal to accept failure has perhaps doomed the world. Besides, who's to say that I would win? Nicodemus might subsume me. He has become much more powerful than I, and I have to admit that I fear him.” “I understand,” said Korrigan. “I understand the doubt and the fear. After all you have spent five hundred years away from our world. You have a nice place here, quiet, comfortable. It's probably nice, too, to have no physical needs. The world cannot affect you and you cannot affect the world, and before long, I imagine, you may start believing that it absolves you from any responsibility to try. But don't tell me that deep inside you don't feel the gnawing guilt. Did the shrine you built for Srasma make you forget the countless lives that were lost? Did breaking in tears before Kasvarina undo all the pain and suffering caused to her by her loss at Methia or manipulations and betrayal by Nicodemus in the years after that, resulting in the loss of her other daughter, too? And you may not have even realised, but today with us arrived another woman you tricked into helping you in the Vault of Heresies and then betrayed leaving her imprisoned for hundreds of years.” Korrigan paused, then continues in a calmer voice. “Kasvarina may have forgiven you, but what about your own conscience? There is a reason why you are still here after five hundred years, while other spirits have long moved on. You have given us information that may help us return to Lanjyr, and now I am giving you advice in return. This is your chance, perhaps your only chance. You can try to find peace in redemption or you may be satisfied to linger here in this state of meaninglesness forever. I am not asking you to take over Nicodimus, strong as he may be, I am asking you to try and stop him. Just like I am.” Korrigan stood up. “Now I will be leading my crew against Egalatrix to deal with the menace that has terrorised the planes of Gyre for so long. Afterwards, if we survive, I will return to ask you again. You have time to think about your answer.” With that, he walked back to the lighthouse, where the party was still in full swing. [/QUOTE]
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