Stand Tall Instead of Parental Comfort - RPLOG
Participants
Date
26/8/477
Log
A, relatively, cool evening, what with it dipping a bit under eighty degrees. Ah, tropical Firmament. Wandering into court, it seems to be a hive of activity, with people debating animatedly. The Good King is currently speaking.
"I say that we do not require the aid of the creators. We have repelled the disease on our own thus far, and I have it on word that it is not even a disease that caused the fright before. Let us stand tall and proud on our own."
Adolphus draws a breath and considers his words, not of course wanting to upset his cousin, he nods. Waiting for his turn to speak and be recognized. "It is true, we have done well. We've held our borders and remained strong. While offering support and aid as a good neighbor should to all nations affected. We've done the right thing at every turn. Yet...yet disease is a fickle thing." he rumbles. "It will strike down peasent and noble alike. The way the cretor's phrased...their message. Since we are not unified, it is up to us individually." he leans back, "I do not think it would be weakness. It would be a show of support." the idle thoughts of this being a creator's disease lingering in his mind. "We ask, for help from the creator's. Not for us, but for the good of all beings?" he offers it couched as best he can.
Selena makes her way into the courtroom somewhat discretely - not enough to go completely unnoticed, but enough to be polite. The immediate topic of discussion prompts a slightly amused look from the wolfess as she settles in to a free seat, watching on for a little more for the time being to get a better idea of the current political climate, rubbing her cheek slightly. Adolphus's comment prompts the wolfess to raise her voice. "If I may offer a contradicting point of view," She begins, "If the creators solve this problem for us, we will not have learned anything from it because they are not at liberty to teach us anything we do not already know. My concern is of dependence on a third party. I do not believe it'd be in our interests in the long run to rely on the creators for such things - but by all means they should be allowed to treat their own people as they see fit."
Jera makes her way into the courtroom, displaying a foreign nobility badge. Deciding somehow that would make him a little more important in the courtroom. He decides to listen in for the moment though, getting up to speed on the current topic.
A more alarmed voice raises from the crowd, "Why take a chance! If they can fix it, let them, and people can stop dying!" Murmurs rise in general agreement with the idea, but the King seems to disfavor it greatly.
"The Graceful Folk in the back," he says, gesturing at Selena, "Has the right of it. It is better we suffer a scraped knee and learn from our misstep than to run crying to our parents at the first stumble. We are the sons and daughters of the Creators. It is written in the First Text that we should prove ourselves worthy of the term by our own wit, skill, fortitude, and spirit. We will not fold so easily, with the threat nothing but a worrying rumor!"
Adolphus leans back against his chair now. To raise the thought that it would be a Creator plauge wouldn't do a damned bit of good, and only create panic. If others have thought it they kept quiet, and he'd do the same. Not able to guide the conversation the way he wanted to he simply nods.
Selena looks back over the crowd, raising a hand. "My reason is different. Consider that the creators had once sent a message which in no uncertain terms stated we had been forsaken by them. Consider the time between contact from creators."
"If such a thing was to happen again - and as there is a precedent of possibility set - it would be remiss of us to rely heavily on something that may not be here forever. Imagine if a plague of the sort like this was to arise in absence of the creators after years of reliance."
"Simply put, I believe we should rely on ourselves to solve our problems and consult the creators if and only if we have no alternative - the surface of this has barely been scratched; we have a lot of literature to read back over and learn from even in the present day, and I do not doubt the intelligence of all those present."
"Well, I think it is too much of a risk for this." Jera seems opposed to the idea. "Haven't you seen what's happened in Shralesta? In Thera'dor? Just a single mistake...one spread of the disease and Firmament could be a plaguetown filled with corpses. Is this really a risk worth taking? Luck only runs so deep."
And so the debate degenerates dangerously with panicked cries to avoid the seemingly inevitable death of everyone in the nation to the unseen dangers of the plague. Though the King is fairly resolute, it seems his people are just as stubborn in the other direction. He looks towards the council of the people, "What say you, those chosen to speak on behalf of my people?"
One member rises, a slender male dalmation of the clever folk, "Research from the university, in part thanks to her," A gesture made towards Selena, "Has shown no actual sign of disease at work. Our allies may be victim of a much more intentional and insidious attack. I would want to know who is murdering beings under cloak of disease, and we do not need creator assistance for that."
Adolphus leans forward, now this is interesting. "It's not a disease?" he inquires. "But thousands are sick. Tens of thousands, and it spreads, that would be one of the largest, most genocidal plots in our history" He clenches his fist in anger, "Please, tell us more of this research." he gives a glance to Selena, an appraising one.
Selena nods back to Jera. "I have, Jera. I never said we could not ask the creators to give any form of guidance in solving the problem, but solving it for us would remove any chance of learning how to stop this from happening again. Would you consider leaving this to repeat itself?" She replies, before shaking her head and looking back over to the dalmation. "Unfortunately, we haven't got enough evidence to prove it was in fact poison at work in our neighbouring countries. It is a possibility, and one that should be investigated as well." She suggests - perhaps out of turn, but it wouldn't be the first time the wolfess has displayed a lack of knowledge for how the wheels of court turn in Sweetwater. Adolphus's response prompts the wolfess to sigh slightly. "After we recieved word that a councilor has been struck ill, I took the liberty of visiting him in his home. Some of the other beings present found a 'special tea' to be contaminated in some manner, and following that I took the time to follow through by looking up the symptoms and signs displayed at the library." she replies simpy. "We found that it was a poison, yes. But in spite of the research that was done on poisons in past, we still don't know enough about them to determine exactly how to treat any specific one."
"If you have some proof that this is not a case, then fine." Jera folds his hands, shaking his head a little bit, but refraining from subsequent, potentially upsetting comment. Especially since the other speakers knew so much more about the affair than he did. He leans back a little bit and nods to Selena.
The King shakes his head, "The cure for poison is to stop being poisoned. It clearly does not kill swiftly, or all at once. If the sons and daughters of Sweetwater can at least be educated on how to recognize it, we will stand immune to its effects, through no greater effort than ridding ourselves of the very ignorance that allows us to run in terror." He slaps his gavel on the stand, "Madame. I'm afraid I was not informed of your name, but I would like you to do another service for our great nation. Work with the councillor," He says, gesturing towards the dalmation, "And..." He pauses, whispering something to Mione, who stands close by as usual. A reply is given quietly.
Adolphus leans back and listens, new information being digested and pushed into his own theories.
Selena furrows her eyebrows somewhat. "I can't prove that what has happened in our sister nations was poisoning." She reiterates, apparently somewhat perplexed by the response. "My name is Selena Hearthkeep, King Good. I have been working at the Academy and as a member of Lady Ironsoul's group." She replies. "I see no reason not to do so; I could use a break from lecturing at the academy. There are still many unanswered questions about this entire debacle."
"So...so we are just making a decision on refusing creator help for the other nations then?" Jera decides to chip in. He's still figuring out the way the lines of foreign relations lay, but that definitely piqued his interest as he leaned up in his seat. "Shralesta is the most religious country about!"
"Excellent," speaks the Good King, "Make use of that new device, the press that makes copies of things. I believe it is owned by one 'Siyu'. You can make many copies of your instructions to spread around the nation and protect the paople." When Jera speaks up he shakes his head, "We were told each nation decides for themselves. Shralesta may plead with the creators immediately, but we will not. I do not believe the city of the pious will be so fast. They decide everything through agreement of all the largest churches. This is never swift. If we can solve the mystery before they beckon to the creators above, it will not only be a good mark for beings in their eyes, but a good mark for our country in the world entire." His spirit has clearly lifted, moving towards something approximating a thing to be actually done.
* people
Adolphus gives a nod of his head, "What are the instructions you've found to cleanse yourself. Just for this case. I won't make assumptions about the other cases, but the one you researched?"
"Essentially, to cease taking the poison and seek out medicine for the symptoms." Selena replies. "Taking a lot of fluids is of particular note due to the heavy sweating it brings forth in more advanced stages." The wolfess chuckles to herself, shaking her head. "Truth be told, I should have brought all of my notes with me for questions like those." She notes. "It may be within reason to speak with other nations about what we've found for better or worse, though depending on how widespread the poisoning is there it may be difficult to deal with."
"Fair enough. We leave the other countries to their problems, then." Jera bows his head politely and then listens to Selena's description, keeping note of the symptoms being described.
Detecting a chance to end on a positive note, the gavel comes down, "Make your instructions. We will deliver it to our suffering neighbors immediately, in addition to our own people. Mione, send a writ of service to Siyu. We will cover the fees for his copying apparatus. It will be faster than having scribes laboring to copy enough of them. Court is dismissed."
Adolphus nods his head as he stands up, it seems as if most thigns are decided now. Bowing his head to his cousin he takes his leave of court.
