Missing from the log is how the conversation started. Light-Mage Algernon, a youngster in the land, was panning for gold beneath Malhavok's temple. A cough was heard, and looking up, the youngster saw Narissa herself standing there. She beckoned him out of the pool, saying, "If I wanted to kill you, I'd have done it already. I want to chat."
She led him all the way to her tavern in Thakria, where she dazzled the youngster with (1) her love for Thakria and (2) her superb RP.
Someone says, "Care for a drink?".
[Narissa] has just appeared.
Light-Mage Algernon says, "Why not?".
You remove an iron tankard from inside a hessian sack.
Narissa lifts a clear glass out from inside a hessian sack.
The effects of your levitation spell wear off, and you float gently to the
ground.
Narissa buys a drink of corneliusfolly from the bar.
You buy some tizer from the affable bartender.
You raise your glass to toast Narissa. You say, "For your health".
You take a short sip of tizer.
Narissa gazes at you over the brim of her glass. "Cautious, I see," she says
in amusement.
Narissa settles back against the bar, taking a slow sip of her drink. "But
perhaps warranted?" she muses, her eyes darting to the bruises marring your
face. Narissa says, "What happened?".
Your rune-bug picks up words; Narissa says, "What happened?".
Algernon touches his bruises and grins bashfully. You say, "Lots of learning.".
Narissa says, "A nasty run in with a cyclops?".
You say, "No, Lots of scrapping.".
Your rune-bug picks up words; Light-Mage Algernon says, "No, Lots of
scrapping. Some older players breaking me in, if you will."
Narissa nods her head slowly, a pensive look on her face.
You take a short sip of tizer.
Narissa says, "Thakrians can be cruel - that is our nature".
You nod your head emphatically.
Narissa crosses one leg over the other, shifting her weight on the stool,
strumming her fingers against the bar. After a moment, she abruptly says,
"Algernon - why follow the light?".
You look into the sky, deep in thought.
You say, "Animates the plants, brings warmth to the skin. Brings out the sparkle in a lady's eyes. Reveals secrets."
You take a short sip of tizer.
Narissa gives you a haughty look, pursing her lips arrogantly. "I don't mean
the physical light. It's hardly like we never see sunshine in Thakria," she
snorts. Waving a hand dismissively, she continues, "I mean the "Good" the
"Light" the "Pure" - why buy into that hypocrisy?".
Your face breaks into an amiable grin.
You say, "It's a point of view. I was born in Mercinae, found good teachers and mentors there, like family."
Narissa elegantly arches an eyebrow. "And simply because they are "nice" you
subscribe to the beliefs?" she says in bemusement.
Algernon picks up his tankard and wipes away the ring on the bar.
Algernon chuckles and says, "I don't subscribe to any belief."
Algernon adds, "I've never been told to believe anything, that's for sure."
Narissa lets her eyes gaze upon your wounded face. "Yet you suffer for them,"
she points out.
You nod your head emphatically.
Algernon runs a finger along his scar and smiles distantly. "I think I suffered these because I pissed off a sorcerer."
Narissa nods her head slowly. "How?" she asks, simply. "Granted, Sorcerers aren't hard to piss off... But you seem the cautious type...".
[slightly OOC, blah blah politics, disputed event, whatever]
Algernon sips his tizer and adds, "You are right. I do suffer for my friends. That seems to be in my bones. I don't consider it 'good,' just a compulsion. Like gravity."
You smile openly. You take a short sip of tizer.
Narissa cocks her head, leaning back against the bar. "Don't you consider it
foolish?" she asks sharply. "A waste?"
You say, "Foolish? Hmmm. Not so far. A waste? I don't know. What do you think
about that? A waste of what, I wonder?".
Narissa says, "You are wasting yourself - suffering pain for those who are
disconcerned, who would rather hide and see you in torment than stand beside
you and help".
Comprehension flashes across your face.
Narissa's voice softens, as she grips her glass tighter. "You are only one
person, child," she says. "You can't protect the world - sometimes others
need to learn for themselves."
Algernon nods and says, "Everyone does need to learn for themselves, that is true."
Narissa's voice sharpens, as she draws back, peering down at you. "Besides,"
she adds, "Why bother with such pathetic cowards?".
Narissa snorts arrogantly.
You smile openly. "Perhaps I have been lucky enough to meet better people than that. My brothers and sisters in Merc have been very supportive."
You take a short sip of tizer.
Narissa widens her eyes in disbelief. "Supportive?" she mocks. "They tell you
they are very sorry when you die?" she taunts, tossing her head.
You utter a deep, rumbling laugh.
You say, "No, they say - 'What did you learn?'".
Algernon gazes at Narissa and says, "Is it different here in Thakria?"
Narissa narrows her eyes. "We ask that, yes, but we also ensure that learning
happens," she explains. "And we don't have any nonsense and fluff about
killing people because it's "for the good" - at least we are open in
admitting our sins and cruelty, and don't use bright ideaology to mask it.".
Narissa says, "That's war for you - the good ones get slaughtered alongside
the cowards, the idiots, the bastards".
Algernon scratches his head and says, "You know, I can't recall anyone telling me that killing someone, or dying, was 'for the good.'
Narissa raises her left eyebrow and glances at you.
You say, "There we are in agreement. That is the nature of war. Seems a bit
futile."
Narissa chuckles softly. "Give it time, dear," she says. "Granted, right now,
I suspect that your citizens haven't really been killing anyone, period.".
You take a short sip of tizer.
Narissa says, "But someday, when you see little Lila, not so different than
you, really, being slain by Foxedup, or whatnot...".
Narissa says, "Perhaps ask them what she's done".
You say, "That's fair. I will ask them."
Narissa laughs musically. "See, there is a point to war," she concedes. "But
it's not in the lofty ideals that Mercinae pretends it is. We don't fight
because we're evil and wish to scourge everyone from the land.".
Narissa shakes her head in amusement. "It's much simpler, more basic and
rational - we simply want the money," she explains. "War is primarily about
SOI, and controlling territory. The more you control, the more income your
city gets in tributes."
Comprehension flashes across your face.
You say, "Just business, eh?".
Narissa says, "Mercinae and Springdale may spout a multitude of stories about
how evil we are, how good they are, all that, to justify the war. To Thakria,
it's much more simple. We want money so we can make our citizens happy and
comfortable".
Narissa shrugs her shoulders casually.
You say, "What of the will to power? Is that present here?".
Narissa says, "Granted, there's a bit of a taste for revenge in there - your
cities DID try to raze us a few years back".
You nod your head emphatically. You say, "Indeed. ".
Narissa snorts at the memory. "Unsuccessfully," she adds in amusement.
Bar.
The long dark wooden bar dominates this room, the tasteful pictures hanging on the walls not noticed,
for the compelling nature of this room's feature. Hand wrought iron stools
line the bar for those interested in washing away the dusty road from their
throats. A price list of finest hand blown glass hangs behind the bar
notifying the patrons of this establishment's reasonable prices. Type GOODS
for a price list. Narissa, Princess of Miracles is here, surrounded by an
aura of protection. She wields a silver knife. A golden eagle proudly bears
her. A rune fashioned in the shape of a pyramid lies here.
Narissa says, "Of course there is a will to power. We're Thakria, excellence
is what we judge ourselves by".
Narissa says, "That's why we welcome challenges, as chances to prove we are
strong, powerful, worthy".
Algernon runs a ringer along the rim of his tankard and muses, "In its own way, Mercinae also strives for excellence."
Narissa shrugs her shoulders casually, staring intently at you. "You don't
seem entirely enamoured with the Light or Good, per se," she muses. "Just
loyal to your friends...".
Algernon says, "I find the Light in relationships."
Narissa says, "How's that?".
You say, "The Light is present in giving and receiving, teaching and learning,
falling and getting up again."
You say, "The Light is present in asking for what is just, even when you know
the answer will be laughter."
Narissa gives you a piercing stare. "And what exactly is... Just... To you,
child?" she asks in icy tones.
You say, "The Light is present even when one feels foolish in the gaze of the
other."
You draw your hand towards your chest and bow to Narissa.
You say, "And what is just?".
You look into the sky, deep in thought.
Algernon looks at Narissa and says, "In this moment - how can I help you?"
Narissa clenches her glass tightly, her knuckles turning white. "Is watching
my citizens slaughtered by the forces of "light" just?" she asks, hissing.
"Are the bodies of children, barely out of school, dead at my feet - is that
just? Is being assaulted by a team of TWENTY grown men, all of them attacking
me - tell me, child, is that just?"
Narissa hisses her words, clenching the glass tighter until cracks begin to
appear in the cup. "How about watching my fields burnt and pillaged, simply
because they were there?" she continues. "Tell me, is this all just?".
You say, "It sounds like acts of war to me. And in war, justice is lost.".
Narissa absently stares down at her hand, wiping away the bloodied shards of
glass. "I suppose," she says in less fervent tones. "Except that these
attacks I have witnessed occurred before wars were declared. I'm an old
woman," she sighs, her voice softening. "I have seen much, and it's always
amusing to see children who think things are simple."
Algernon leans forward and picks a shard of glass out of the hand of the Princess of Darkness.
You ask, "What is true excellence?"
Narissa says, "True excellence is simply what you attribute to the light".
You say, "Surely that isn't how it is considered in Thakria.".
Narissa says, "Continuing when it's most bleak. Fighting against the odds.
Raising the standard against the winds of adversity".
Narissa shrugs her shoulders casually.
Narissa says, "Being the best you can be - even if that means hardening
yourself and hurting others when you need to".
Narissa says, "Thakrians acknowledge that there are casualties and wanton
destruction at times".
Narissa flicks her eyes outwards at the sound of the deaths. "Or, deserved
deaths," she says with a grim smile. "Betrayal is not welcomed, and is
swiftly punished.".
Algernon grins and says, "I am a child, cannot deny it. If I describe things in simple terms, you may attribute this to youth rather than wisdom.
You say, "The path is often bewildering.".
Algernon peeks at the menu, sighs, and snacks on peanuts from a small black bowl on the bar.
Narissa turns more comforting eyes on you. "You're a strong one," she admits.
"You'd do Thakria proud - you'll also become a worthy foe, should you stay
determined."
Algernon bows his head.
You say, "You give me credit. Would a trait that is foolish in one city be a
strength in another?".
Narissa says, "What trait is that?".
You say, "Loyalty.".
Narissa says, "Loyalty is only foolish when you are loyal to idiots, cowards
and those unworthy of it".
Narissa says, "In Thakria, it is one of the strongest ideals".
Algernon smiles and says, Duly noted.
Narissa says, "I'll let you go".
You say, "You have given me much to think on, and have been generous with your time. ".
You draw your hand towards your chest and bow to Narissa.
Narissa says, "I trust you feel a bit more... Understanding? For the land
now?".
You tell Narissa, "I think I do, yes."
