Game of courts and shadows - RPLOG
Participants
Date
24/5/477
Log
The road leading to the front gate was quite literally filled with a sea of individuals whom had trecked all the way from the Shanty Town. The road was still clear enough for individuals to travel down it, and thankfully it didn't hold up the merchants and nobles trafficing through this time. Instead, the entire display appeared to merely be a civilized projection of presence, merely forcing all entering or leaving to view the poor and downtrodden from the Shanties.
That is, it would have been much more quiet and civilized, if it wasn't for a large group of workers from all walks of life, standing about around the gates while yelling at the Shanty Town individuals. Dock workers, lumberjacks, and a few more manual labor workers armed with planks of wood, pitchforks, and a plethora of torches as they shout at the large group. "Get out of here! You have your own pits to crawl back to, we don't owe you our lively hoods!" A particularly aggitated weasel shouts at a few of the residents, and judging from the way the others kept just behind him, he was the leader of this counter demonstraition.
"They have as much a right to the chance for success, as anyone! As the first texts say, all serve a purpose in this world, and to deny them such a right is the greatest crime one can commit!" Shouts a male Ram from the Shanty side, clad in ornate blue leather armor, with a plethora of hand crossbows and short swords about his person, most likely Gregor, the main head of the 'shanty council' leading this event. He's not the only one armed though, as almost two dozen 'life keeper' guards are present with the crowd, helping to block the worker's easy passage to the protestors. The indivudals honestly looked like they had lived their entire lives as bandits or cut throats, their armor and weapons a mix match of what was stolen or lotted from the dead most likely.
The city guards are currently staying back just behind the gate, and along the walls, armed and ready to enforce the safety of the city should things turn ugly... They had no plans of wadding out into a fight it seems, instead just working to keep it contained outside of the walls.
Jera lands light on his feet, cloak still billowing a little from the remnants of air math as the kit fox surveys the scene, keeping his distance for now. His heavily perforated cloak gives him some cover amongst the ragtag Shanty people, deciding to watch...and wait for backup before trying anything.
Cassidy settles herself stop the city wall, clad in armour and mask as she dangles her legs over the edge near the gate, looking down with a little frown. Nothing wrong with a protest on either side, but being rude was totally uncalled for! She adjusts her capelet a little and leans forward, looking down over the counter-protestors for a moment. "Why don't you think they have a right to try to improve their situation?"
Selena seems to be settled in comfortably near the demonstration, peering in over the huge group of beings gathered at the gates. She doesn't take too much of a fuss, simply shaking her head. "He's right, you know. There's no reason for these beings not to have a chance to prove themselves. At the very least, they deserve that much. Imagine if your children weren't allowed to take their test because of a misdemeanor from your childhood." She suggests, furrowing her eyebrows.
Fenris saunters between the two lines of protesters. In place of his usual rakish getup, he wears an old, tattered, but heavy coat of black leather belted at the waist with a plain belt with an iron buckle. Along with his patched, tatty coat, he is wearing a patched, tatty face. Fenris is wearing one of his favorite guises today, Amos Longtooth, information broker and hard nosed old soldier, a familiar face around the shanties and some of the seedier bars in firmament. His distinctive tattered ear and scarred face with it's milky left eye have been seen just about everywhere outside the castle district in Firmament. Trailing behind him is an enormous golem, probably the old soldier's own handiwork. "Now what's the problem here?" he rasps, turning to spit in the dust of the road. He glares at the rowdy workers through his one good eye, "Ain't you boys got work ta be doin'?"
Johnny casually approaches the protest from the middle, not worried about placement as he moves closer to watch, followed by his own trainees armed with fairly decent weaponry and armor, at least it isn't the cheap used stuff you find on the marketplace. As he approaches he listens to the opinions of the others as he flicks his tail and racks his brain for the right words. "Shaddup and bicker like normal folks." he finally says. "What are you all complaining bout?"
The Weasel huffs and hops down from his own spot to point at Cassidy as he yells out. "I don't care about their children's tests! I don't care about them wanting guards... I care about them wanting our Shadow forsaken -jobs-! They go out and try to prostrate themselves down to schlup boxes for a piss worth of crowns, and you think -we- can keep up with that!? I have my own kids to feed! They want to improve their situation -fine- do it in your shanties, and keep out of my home!" Another large Bull bursts forward as well, jabbing his thumb at his chest. "AYE! I lost my job helping to haul carts of stones from the mines, because now they have Apostates doing it instead of my old employers! I worked that job, and lived an honest life, why do I have to lose it to them!" The group nodding and shouting in agreement as they glare at the individuals taking the center.
Gregor puffs out his chest and frowns, stepping forward as he holds his arms out wide. "It's not that simple! We're attempting to fix up the Shanty Town, but there are still mouths to feed! Some of these men made a single mistake, and now their children have to starve for it? The only qualification they can offer of worth to the major employers, is that they -can- work for so cheap! That 'piss' amount of crowns, is often enough to see your kids fed, albeit poorly, for a week there!" The residents around him cheering and nodding, as the armed individuals on both sides take stock of the golem and Johnny's armed individuals wearily, before looking back to each other. A few of the more poor health looking folks in the front turn their gaze to 'Amos' and point. "Amos! You know how hard it is, we can't just make jobs in the shanties without money, and we have to work outside to get the money or commit more crimes!" A small beaver calls out.
Cassidy leans forward on her knees, humming. "You certainly raise a valid point, but... If they aren't going to get jobs out here, then how do you propose they 'improve their situation'? You can't just say it 'isn't your problem', because it is. It is your problem. If you don't want them taking the same jobs you are, then come up with an alternative way for them to get money."
