Thalenir sits in the middle of the tavern, quill poised in hand, brow furrowed in concentration at the parchment laying before him. To those who spare a glance, it reads:
Thalenir looks up at Poppy. He pauses, but otherwise shows no outward signs of discomfort at her presence. "A favor to Kresh. He and his Blood Bears expressed an interest after what transpired a few days ago. I thought I'd get the ball rolling with something basic." After a moment, he adds, "Don't worry. There's nothing in here about killing vampires. Not outside of executions for murder, at any rate."
"Oh, but I'm sure there will be eventually." The familiar voice of Pelle said as he approached the group. "Quickly followed by Werewolves, and then Urodeq. Tell me I'm wrong. I've been through too many lands to not know where this shall lead." The riven gave a curt nod to his Vampire companion. The riven gives a quick look over the Paladins should at the parchment he was writing upon. "Defamation? So, when the dwarves begin spouting as Dwarves do, who's going to take them to Justice? Hmm? But, oh, I'm sure it'll be looked over as just a thing they do I'm sure," Pelle scoffs.
Thalenir openly scowls at Pelle. "Make no mistake, Pelle. You sacrifice innocents in open service to the Prince of Fiends. You have no place in our town and can expect no escape from justice. Pray to your lord that laws such as these are passed. At least then you may have the respite of a fair trial before losing your head. If they are not, I'm sure your punishment will be far less dignified."
A cruel smile spread across the Riven's face. "Oh, the Immortal is a moot point. The child was destined to disrupt the 'Natural Balance.' By the laws of Nature, it was our duty to carry forth with the ritual. In fact, not going through with it would have been the true crime. Who are you to question the balance, Paladin?"
*Esgir couldn't help but overhear the comments of the ostentatiously dressed... man? No doubt what the Riven had intended.*
"Spouting? What do ye mean by 'spouting'? Aye, aye'll admit, tis no secret how Dwarves feel toward Uordeq- 'special'y given the events of late. But aye prefer te judge someone by their character an' deeds. An if wye're not disputin' what Thalenir says, I think that speaks volumes o' yer character stranger."
"Oh by Githal's fartin' arse, cant ye dolts keep it down to a low rumble so early in the day! Ain't even got the furr off of me tongue yet, ta' hear such a ruckus!" The still drunk dwarf walks over to the bar and fetches a drink, looking around at the gathered group. "What crawled up yer butts this time" he says after draining his mug. He looks over at the documents and scoffs upon seeing them.
He looks to the Riven and scoffs yet again. "So yer to talk of Nature and Balance now. Awful convenient timing ye got there."
Tired and weary Peleus enters the tavern after a long trip back from Broma. Looking for drink to be sated noticing the crowd starting to form around the elder elf. Pelleas approaches the crowd looking over the paper lying before him.
"As far as I see it any elected official cannot have an attachment to a guild. Once the person has been elected to his or her position, they must renounce their attachment from any guilds. Thereby hopefully removing any outside influence over their judgment."
The thoughtful crease turns into a frown as Althena finishes reading. She straightens, body language obvious with displeasure. Listening to the others talk, the Ixifar decides to interupt in a quiet voice, directing her words to Thalenir.
"Are you truly looking to impose a government - with laws - upon the good folk of Jastrey?" She is shaking her head as she moves around the table, agitation quickening her steps as she places her hands upon the rough surface as she leans forward. She is obviously very upset. "I have seen what government - what those who rule - can do to those they are to serve. You will...destroy what makes Jastrey unique by doing so."
From the entrance to the tavern, everyone hears, "Government in Jastrey?!" There was a moment of silence as Blaise slowly walks toward the small crowd of townsfolk, making sure each step was clearly heard. Sidling his way up next to Thalenir, the ifrit quickly reads through. Another moment of silence passed as Blaise digested what he had read, before he let out a small chuckle. The chuckle grew to a chortle, the chortle became a cackle, and the cackle grew into hysterical booming laughter. Tears of laughter streamed from his eyes, but quickly turned into steam and evaporated from his face.
After many awkward seconds pass of Blaise laughing like this, he finally begins to calm himself down. "Oho, ha, ahh, forgive me. You actually think you can maintain a government in Jastrey? That's the best joke I've heard in months!"
Blaise pauses.
"But if it do works out, let me know, I'd love to run for office."
"I'm good," Shrayvar replied to Goose."In fact, I—" Shrayvar paused as he took notice the small crowd forming around Thalenir. "—Oh hey, what going on over there?" Shrayvar approuched the crowd and looked over Peleus's shoulder. "Oh," he said, visibly disapointed. "It's just a piece of parchment. I thought maybe it was something cool."
[OOC: Cross post with "Contemplation"]
Althena glances between the ifrit and elf as she straightens, feeling a bit in the middle of the reactions of each.
She steps away from the table, realizing now how condescending and aggressive her previous stance had been.
"I do not understand, Seren, how you can think that this is a good idea for Jastrey," she says as she moves to pull another chair from the table, settling down straight and tense as she watches the elf.
A motionless empyrean stands in a shadow inside the Shady Corner. He listens to all the arguments and files them away into an open book perched on one hand. Both yea and naysayers alike are noted along with the subtle tells of intent and true motivations. His face showing the whole gambit of expressions, eyes widen and then fall, a slight frown turns upwards and a head shake turns to a nod.
"So many valid points are being made here. It shall take time to sort them out."
During the lulls in conversation, the empyrean can be heard softy reciting the tavern's song....
Long we've been out slaying dragons,
Seeking glory, seeking gold.
Now it's time to tell the story.
Shady Corner calls us home.
Dragon's breath is mighty hot, now.
Scorched my friends and my arse, too.
Then we quenched the raging fire,
With some sweet Baumgarten brew.
Went out on a grand adventure,
Another silver nugget won.
Added it to my collection,
Soon enough I'll have a ton.
Ate a piece of fairy candy.
Wasn't Reinholdt brand, she swore.
Woke next to the fairy lady.
Said we'd wed the night before.
Uordeq army came to take me.
"Tonight," I said, "is not the night."
Rose to find one uordeq faced me,
All that hooting and no bite.
Witch had cursed my twisted nickers,
So we formed an angry mob.
Our charge was folly, how convenient!
Laughed aloud until we sobbed.
"Ah, When shall every soul's good be each soul's rule and universal peace lay like a shaft of light across the land?" - Marloff
Althena tilts her head toward the softly sung words of her lover. However, she does not move from her position by the elf and paladin. She feels strongly about this, and wishes to speak with both men. She gives eye toward Marloff for a brief moment before turning back, shifting her gaze between Seren and Thalenir, hoping to receive an answer from both.
Poppy listen to everything that was going on absorbing it all in. Her trance like state is broke when Thalenir speaks to her. "Evidence and witnesses? witnesses.. evidence. Witnesses...mhm" She muttered softly to herself before going wide eyed ad if struck with an idea. The fae shuffles through her pelt before finding a pad and something to write with. She makes A few notes before shuffling it back to where it had originated from. "Well, if it does pass I suppose we will see where is goes" she chripped softly before she stepped a few steps away from the crowd of people to watch and listen to everyone for a bit.
Her attention turned to the dwarven stranger she does not recognize or see near the group of people. "Oh of course, you have to understand though race tension have been really high since forgehome. Surely he means no offense, just rumors of deki hunts have been floating around in retaliation to what has happened." She pauses for a moment before continuing "I suppose tension is general is just a little high" She said laughing lightly.
*Looking to the unknown Fae as she adressed him, nodding.*
"Jest as aye'll readily admit to a general dislike o' their kind, aye'll also admit that some o' my kin take a more 'agressive' point in their dealin's. Aye've traveled te shards, and met many folk, fr'en' an enemy alike - their appearance, whether fair o' fowl, belies their true self. Aye've known kin who aye'd nae count amongst my companions, jest as aye've known Uordeq who aye would. Tis true my kin hold grudges, especially ag'in' the dark ones; but then ag'in there are those who like te keep an open mind."
*The dwarf moves to stand.*
"Fer my part, aye'd not see the streets of Jastrey turned intae a field o' battle. If one has qualms with another let them seek te settle it by trial- be it by magistrate or combat; but aye fer one won't condemn any who haven't been condemned by their own acts first."
Peleus taking a seat next to the elder elf and open his gord.
"You make a fair point but the gesture would still show to some less loyalty or obligations to one group. I would wonder how long a person would hold office for? Would it just be for one season and a vote would come at the beginning of each season? Or would it be long term?"
"I'm sure that if the town would agree to this, there would be a general election of sorts, as well as terms fer how long one is ta' serve." Taklinn replies. "S'pose I'll be stayin' away from this foolishness as much as possible, but make no mistake that actions have consequence. I'm not carin' one way or the other what town's choosin'. No piece of paper can change me mind, nor keep me from protectin' me and mine."
Althena meets Thalenir's stern gaze, flinching very slightly. "I understand that the intent behind this suggestion is an honorable, well intentioned one," she begins, glancing down at her hands, and then raising her head once to meet the paladin's eyes. "However, what I know of laws and governing bodies I learned well from my homeland, and it is always the powerful who may prey upon those who are weaker, whether weaker in physical power, or political, it matters not." She takes a breath. "Though I may seem adamantly opposed, that is not the case. The violence that plagued Jastrey these past few days have weighed heavily upon me. Yet, I am uncertain that the existence of laws would have prevented these same events, and I have seen, first hand, that even the existence of severe punishment does not always deter those who will mean malice toward others." Her frown deepens, and her soft voice lowers even further. "The powerful always finds ways around even the most strict and well intentioned of laws and ideas. And, I will admit, I am afraid."
Then, a small, sad smile crosses her face. "Compared to my homeland, Good Thalenir, Jastrey is a veritable paradise. I would hate to see it devolve and become a place - a home - that I must leave behind once more." The smile is now gone as she finishes. "And I will do my very best to see to it that that does not happen."
With Thalenir's table now less crowded, Sharyvar leaned in enough to actually read the parchment. "A council of guilds, huh?" he said. "But only if... they're in good standing? I guess that excludes Mischief. Oh, but I see here they would have to be put on trial before they can be in bad standing. If an entire guild is in bad standing, does that mean they aren't in the council at all?"
Noticing that conversations have fallen to a soft murmur around the Tavern. Marloff puts away his books and wanders out from the shadows and begins to look for a place at the bar.
His mind slightly weary from the intense concentration over the past hours, his thoughts turn toward a pot of hot tea.
Seeing that the bar area was elbow to elbow with patrons already, he stops short at a table with an open seat and conjures up a steaming brew.
Marloff speaks out loud to no one in particular, "Ah, I can feel the good in this room. The passion warms my heart as does this tea."
[Cross posted from Contemplation]
*The dwarf rises to his feet, face reddened.*
"MORE HARM THAN GOOD?!"
*His cry drowning out any normal conversation going on in the room at the moment.*
"Near' an entire city is laid dead an' razed, an' you dare te speak of more harm than good? What would it take te get her white haired heads out o' yer arses? A whole shard dying? A continent? Why not te whole of Orn? Or perhaps ye save yer precious knowledge fer savin' the heavens! 'Cause they've done us so much good haven't they?!"
[Cross posted from Contemplation]
*Tears of frustration, anger, and sorrow form at the edges of the dwarf's eyes, quickly disappearing into his beard, as he grit his teeth, trembling a bit as his fists grew white knuckled, raising them over his head.*
"aaaaarrrrrRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHH!"
*Slamming his fists down on the table, bringing his arms across the tabletop sideways, sending the long unattended ale spilling to the floor, the tankard clattering as it bounced and rolled, the conjured teapot was sent flying as well, shattering as it hit the floor, but fading into naught but the magic it was made of after.*
"How? How can it grow Empyrean? If ye've seen som'thin' aye beg of ye- tell me what must be done!"
Ling, who has been in the tavern, simply keeping to himself as he does on a normal night, meanders over and reads over this, Town Charter, sipping on his drink. "What are we to do in the event of a, hostile mortal force. We have seen the fall of Forgehome, it's not as though it isn't possilbe large hostile forces would conspire against us, as a town." he asked before going back over to his table. Hoping his point has been made.
[Cross posted with Contemplation]
Althena had been startled by the dwarf's enraged scream, causing her to take an involuntary step backwards, bumping into the table. She moves to step toward where the dwarf - with whom she had been sharing a cup of tea with just moments before - threatening the love of her life. She pauses, however, as it appears that both Marloff and a fae she has only seen a few times appear to calm the grief stricken dwarf. Satisfied her presence is unnecessary, she turns back toward the table, taking in the voices surrounding the current events.
She turns toward Peleus, smiling at her friend. "A militia representing all of Jastrey would work well. There are many skilled warriors, rogues, mages and healers within the boundaries of this town."
Hovering quietly in a corner tuning her lute, Rosalynn had only looked up when Blaise had burst into laughter and then the dwarf had begun slamming things about. With an ironic sort of smile, she began strumming her instrument, softly singing to herself.
"There's no justice in Jastrey said the prentice to his mage
Look on the corner whores and bards use the roadside for a stage
There's no justice in Jastrey, the mage would soon agree
But I don't pay no taxes and the entertainment's free.
Dear home Jastrey, no lawmen in your face
The drinks are cheap and they don't care about your guild or race
Dear home Jastrey, won't tell you what to do,
And if we're all unjust that means that we're all equal too."
With a smirk, she proceeded onto the next verse.
*From across the room where he sat with Althena, Esgir takes a long, scrutinizing look at Thalenir.*
[Cross posted to Contemplation]