Mercantile Mania - RPLOG
Participants
Date
13/11/480
Log
The council chamber stands open, doors and windows trying to invite whatever breeze they can in the hot, clear day. Beings from all over Sweetwater mingle here in the hall of the People's Court, while the actual council sits on a small, raised dais at the head of the room, the Good King himself presiding. The stately hippo is currently conversing with his advisor and master of ceremonies, Mione.
Flora has made it to the chamber early, already seated in her usual spot, a little ways away from the King. While the Lords and Ladies Longtail might've been seated right next to the reigning monarch in times past, she's taken up a much more modest seat at the edge.
She seems to be waiting for -something- to happen, so far, her tails swaying lightly behind her as she watches, and waits...
Cary decided to join the court session. The saurian was curious about the creator merchant and wanted to hear a little more about him than just the daily banter on the streets. He sat down as close as he could to the high council, observing its members ever so quietly.
Mione and the King finish their discussion and the rabbit steps forward and waves for quiet in the hall. People being people, wherever they are, it takes a few moments for the various beings assembled to settle themselves.
Today's council is well attended by both commoners and nobles alike. Most of the seating reserved for the heads of houses are filled, even if Flora is the only one in actual attendance, rather than sending a representative.
"Good people of Firmament," Mione calls out as things finally quiet down, "Lords and Ladies," he turns and nods to the nobility and bows his head to the king, "Your Majesty! The People's Council is now in session! The matter at hand is the proposal of the Creator Merchant known to us as Mister Harkonson to provide us with new Creator Technologies, at a price, and to repair and renew some of our current tools." The dapper rodent waves a hand at a little, round-faced, ruddy Creator who has been waiting quietly in the wings. "Here to represent Mister Harkonson is Mister Peabody."
Flora is still waiting, one tail swaying lightly as she keeps an eye on the Creator in the council-chambers, even if her gaze occasionally moves over the room, almost as if trying to see if she recognizes anyone.
Still, not a word said, wether due to unease at being in the council-chamber, or simply due to a lack of things to comment on.
The saurian does recognize Flora, nodding towards her should their eyes meet.
Crossing his arms, Cary doesn't say a word, mostly out of respect. Mostly. If anything, he has the right to remain skeptical about any deals with creator 'merchants'. Besides, what could they possibly want out of our little Firmament that they couldn't get anywhere else?
The little man nods to Mione, who steps back to stand beside the rest of the council. He does not look like much, a bit on the heavy side, and his close-cropped hairline is obviously receding, but he strides confidantly out onto the floor, a fist sized ball servitor hovering along side him.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Council," he says in a clear, strong voice, surprisingly unaided by his servitor, "I am excited to be here with you today. I am Sherman Peabody, here on behalf of Johnathan Harkonson and the Contact Light." He looks around at the gathered and curious beings. "I did not really expect an audience today, so I will be brief," he orates, "It has come to our attention that much of the technology you possess is old and in need of maintenance. Mister Harkonson is more than willing to supply you with necessary parts and skilled repairs for what I think you will agree is a very reasonable price. Sacred Doctors, mining automatons, water processing, and many other important tools that are no doubt failing and beyond your ability to keep up will become once more available."
Flora is quick to raise her hand, though, in a particular un-Flora-like fashion, she waits her turn to speak. "Flora was under the impression that there was an embargo on knowledge, yes? While Flora can certainly see the use in the repair of sacred-doctors, Flora doesn't see the significance of repairing creator mining-equipment, without the knowledge on how to use it. Could Mister Creator Peabody elaborate?"
Cary shrugs, raising an eyebrow and muttering as Flora spoke on her turn. "The Longtail is right. Truth be told, the automatons have caused more harm than anything. Our miners have grown to fear them more than anything."
A murmur goes through the gathered beings at Flora's question. "Correct," Peabody says, looking up past the council to Flora's seat, "We are forbidden from providing any training. But we offer the maintenance as a preventative measure. Should something like the mining equipment shared between Shralesta and Sweetwater fail catastrophically, the fallout would be. . . significant. We could, of course, offer to decomission any technology that you find out of your depth as well."
There is a loud snort from the first row of spectators, and a large bull in priestly robes waves a hand. "We don't need anything you have to offer," he calls loudly, "It is all just ways for you to keep your hooks in us. We have managed without you for hundreds of years. Why should we need you now?"
"Right. Many pieces of creator technology are powered by by Creator's Wrath, correct?" Flora offers, ignoring the bull for a moment. "Based on the likely age of the machine in question, and the fact that it was successfully used about... Three ago, how big would Mister Creator Peabody consider the the odds of it failing in such a manner, and how big would the damage be, should it do so?" Flora offers. She mightn't understand the working of the device, but with some educated guesses, she can at least make some reasonable assumptions.
Finally, her glance moves towards the bull, coughing lightly. "As Flora recalls from a meeting earlier this day, Mister Angus would hear out the creators first, yes? These matters do not sound like 'toys' to Flora, after all."
"Fail catastrophically.. Hmm. Sure, that's going to make me sleep better at night." The saurian mumbles, shaking his head again. Slightly agitated, Cary added, "If anything I'd say decomission the darn things already before they cause any further harm and focus on repairing the Sacred Doctors. That's probably just the one thing our people uses nowadays anyway."
"Ahem.. and by using I don't mean placing it on a pedestal and worshipping it like a deity of sorts." Cary whispered.
Lady Longtail's question is tossed about in various forms by the representatives of several houses and a couple of the Council members, eclipsing the protest of the Bull that Flora has correctly named as Angus.
The Creator waves his hand in a complex gesture at his little floating ball, which spins and whirrs and suddenly generates a large, three dimensional image of the mining cannon in the hall. Not the aged thing that a rare few might recognize, but an image of the device, shining and new. "This. . . " he hesitates, as if looking for the right words, ". . . device is powered by what you call, 'Creator Wrath,' and should the casing or the containment system fail, it would leave a large crater in place of the Church where it is kept, surrounded by a rather larger crater of poisoned air, water and land." The man raises a hand at the sudden outburst that his revelation illicits and continues. "We have no way to guess how long it might hold out on its own, or even that should it fail that it would fail in this dangerous way," he explains, "Only that it is a possibility. The Contact Light and its crew only want to help the good beings of Promise."
"But at what price!?" bellows the contrary bull, once more interjecting himself into the conversation, "What do we give away for your help?"
"Surely, if the Creators use Creator's Wrath, there must be plans and estimates for failure, yes?" Flora offers, her brow raised as she watches the creator and the bull intermittently. "The Creators wouldn't use something without knowing its dangers, no?" she adds, tails swaying lightly, as she scribbles a thing or two down. "How much effort would it be to get an estimate on the danger?" the she-cat offers, as she leans back in her seat. "It would, after all, be folly to pay for an eventuality that won't ever happen."
"Decomissioning would be an option, but it has proven a useful tool before. Flora could see other situations where it might be necessary to have it."
"There are other devices still in use, mister Cary. The Divine Shields, for one. Depending on the church one is a part of, there might be other devices that would prove useful, if they weren't at risk of failure."
The saurian was satisfied once he stated his doubts, awaiting for the Creator's replies. Indeed, he was just as curious as the Bull for the price, but it was time for him to lay low and quiet again.
The Creator frowns, though it is hard to guess if his displeasure lies toward the vociferous bull or Flora's questions. "I confess," he says, looking around at the hall, "I did not expect to give this presentation in such a public forum. I do not wish to cause undue panic. This catastrophic scenario is unlikely, but it is still possible." He turns to address the King directly, "All that Mister Harkonson and the Contact Light ask in return for this service is a contract of exclusive service and the right to scavenge any unwanted or unusable artifacts. For research purposes."
The crowd stays at a low buzz of conversation, and Angus, the Bull, looks like he is winding up for another tirade, as soon as he gets his thoughts lined up.
Flora leans back for a moment, tails swaying lightly. "Mister Angus has a valid point, however. Exclusivity can be used as a way to raise prices, and while Mister Harkenson certainly has a good rapport with Sweetwater, there is a certain risk involved, no? Wouldn't Councilmember Miyan agree?" Flora offers, as she gestures towards the Mink. "Then again, Flora is equally certain that any... Catastrophic failures shoul be avoided, yes."
Meanwhile, she is scribbling a small note, passing it along to the Blackback representative beside her, with a gesture at the king.
"We do not expect you to make a decision right away, of course," Peabody says, waving once more at his little servitor, which stops projecting its image and goes back to hovering at his shoulder. "And we are not offering only to repair old tech. We hope to be able to provide you with a plethora of new innovation as well, just as soon as things are cleared with the authorities. Call this an overture of goodwill."
"You see," calls out Angus from his seat, "Overtures of good will? I call it setting the hook!" The Bull turns to address the crowd. "Our Creators have given us much!" he says, "But they left us to grow and learn on our own. I say that we have all the tools we need. These men are not offering to teach us to solve our own problems, but to rely on them. I say, let them go back to their star ships and leave us in peace."
"Yet, even if we were offered new technology, it would not come with the knowledge needed to use it, no?" Flora offers, tails swaying lightly behind her, ears still twitching as she listens to the various voices in the council-hall.
"A promise of technology beyond Beings' understanding seems nice, yes, but without that understanding, beings would have no use for it, no?" Flora offers, leaning back, and allowing others to speak, should they choose to. Angus is not adressed.
A steady stream of notes has flitted between council members and to Mione at the King's side. He leans in an whispers into the Good King's ear. The stately Hippo looks thoughtful and nods at the information passed to him. He holds up a hand for silence and gets it almost immediately. There is something to be said for a well-loved monarch.
"We have heard your proposal, Sherman Peabody," he says, "And we shall take counsel before making a decision. You have given us much to think on today." He waves his hand at Mione and the rabbit raps his staff of office on the ground. "The People's Council is dismissed!" he calls out, "Please be sure to speak to your appointed council members!"
Mister Peabody does not seem to be particularly pleased with how all of this went, and casts a frown toward Angus in the crowd. But the Bull is too busy to be bothered. It seems he has attracted something of a following and is expounding the merits of the First Text over Creator oversight.
Flora nods and smiles, tails swaying lightly behind her as she watches the council slowly dissolve. She, herself, remains seated a while longer, keeping her eye on a few beings in particular. The mercantile representative, the church's representative, and of course, the King and Mione. These are matters she'd like to discuss further, after all.
