Summary: Lamneve and Trillian debate the nature of evil.
<HERALD> Odile the Crier gossips: 'The winds welcome your return, Trillian the Grand Spectre of Beguilement, Master Scribe of Myth.'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'Lamneve! A pleasure to see you.'
<SCHOLAR> (Dilettante) Lamneve : 'Likewise, sir!'
<SCHOLAR> (Dilettante) Lamneve : 'I owe you a letter!'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'How exciting! You've thoughts and theories to share?'
<SCHOLAR> (Dilettante) Lamneve : 'I'm not sure I am qualified to speak on corruption, but I am eager for your fellowship.'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'Nonsense! What is poison if not a corruption! And I believe you have studied that at length in the temple, have you not?'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'Besides, if I only put forth theories on topics for which I was qualified I would lose positively half my publications!'
<SCHOLAR> (Dilettante) Lamneve : 'Some of my curative blessings could use work, but I understand your point.'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'Shall we gather for a time?'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'Or do you wish to scribe a note to me?'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'The better to collect your thoughts?'
<SCHOLAR> (Dilettante) Lamneve : 'If you are free, I would be glad to see your face.'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) Trillian : 'Indeed, indeed.'
<HERALD> (Master Scribe) someone : 'Shall we meet at the Rest?'
Main Hall of the Travellers Rest
| Walking into the Main Hall you are hit by a wave of sound.
| People laughing and shouting, dancing and generally having
S o | fun are everywhere. Many tables are dotted around the edges
| | | of the room, but plenty of space is left for the dance floor.
*-*-@-* | A large stage has been placed against one wall, ready for
| | the regular musician to perform when required. Tapestries
*-F | and paintings decorate this luxurious hall, along with the
| | | expensive looking candelabras that light the room. The floor
* * | around the wooden dance area is covered in a thick, rich
---------+ red carpet that looks like it cost the owners a few Pennies.
To the north stands the bar, and to the south the restaurant. Eastwards lies
the entrance to the Inn, and to the west is a hallway. A large sign reads "Performance
List!"
[Exits: north east south west]
A long oaken table has been set up here, laden with food for a feast.
A comfy looking leather sofa with room for six people sits here.
(Translucent) (Pink Aura) (Yellow Aura) Trillian the Grand Spectre of Beguilement, Master Scribe of Myth is here.
The inn musician stands on stage here, singing away and playing a lute.
Betsy the gruff old goat gallops in.
Trillian waves at you cheerfully.
Trillian says 'How are you?'
Lamneve shuffles in after dislodging some mud from her boots at the door.
Lamneve smiles earnestly.
You say 'I am well, Trillian!'
Trillian says to you 'Still no dedications I see.'
Trillian says to you 'Don't dilly, dear. Val will get proper fussed.'
You say to Trillian 'I must earn another rank first.'
Trillian nods.
Trillian nods.
You say to Trillian 'But I will be ready to make them when the time comes.'
Lamneve lowers her eyes demurely.
Trillian says 'Have you been submitting works on the pillars?'
Trillian says 'I positively adored your play. I am sure that must count for one...'
You say 'I have been thinking about them, but I only wrote about them convincingly in the play you reference.'
Lamneve's cheeks color a little, though the corners of her frosty cobalt eyes crinkle at the corners.
Trillian says 'Indeed, indeed. I consider it canonical history since Tevie didn't see fit to retort.'
Trillian says 'So that's one pillar down!'
Trillian says 'And a boring one at that.'
Trillian giggles.
Trillian hums merrily.
Lamneve moves like a lumbering waterfall toward the sofa.
You sit on a comfy looking leather sofa.
Lamneve crosses her ankles.
Trillian sits down at a long oaken table.
Trillian says 'So, would you tell me of yourself? Or would you like to speak on the research topic at hand?'
Lamneve looks up from a studious inspection of her ascetic robes.
You say 'What would you like to know?'
Trillian says 'On which topic?'
You say 'Perhaps either!'
Lamneve smiles earnestly.
Lamneve fiddles with her hem.
Someone motions with a ghostly hand as if to say, just a moment.
You say 'I have not seen Baewyn in a long time. Do you think she's okay?'
Someone stands up.
Someone utters the words, 'yazfuz yucandus'.
Someone utters the words, 'yazfuz yucandus'.
Trillian is surrounded by a pink outline.
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'I really must remember to lower my defenses when traversing realms...'
Trillian says 'It is so embarrassing to fail at overcoming myself.'
Trillian sits down at a long oaken table.
You say to Trillian 'It is good to be prepared though. The Legion has returned in force.'
Trillian says 'I do not know. I have not seen Baewyn either. The Knights in general have been rather scarce.'
Trillian says 'And just as Legion stirs in earnest no less.'
You say to Trillian 'They have recently appointed a new Archon though.'
Trillian nods.
Trillian nods.
Trillian says to you 'Oh?'
Trillian says to you 'Who?'
You say to Trillian 'I believe his name is Thandus, and now he is the third Archon.'
Trillian says 'I do not believe I have had the pleasure. I shall have to keep an eye out for him.'
You say 'But you are right. I have reviewed the recent histories, and the Knights have not posted an Executor since Dame Rhoa.'
Trillian says 'I do hope you are reunited with Bae soon. I know you two were fast friends.'
Trillian nods.
Trillian nods.
Trillian says 'I must say, the Knights have never quite risen to my expectations.'
Trillian says 'I always hoped that they would provide a greater source of drama for my quill than they do.'
Trillian says 'But who knows? Perhaps that will be the silver lining to the rise of Legion!'
Trillian says 'What's a good rise without a fall?'
Trillian hums merrily.
You say 'I think that is the rhythm of things.'
Trillian says 'So, to my selfish inquiries!'
Trillian says 'How do you locate it? What are its hallmarks?'
You say 'What color is your aura, Trillian?'
Lamneve studies Trillian for a short time.
Trillian says 'At the moment?'
You say 'Does it often change?'
Trillian says 'I am not quite certain. I often keep many about me.'
Lamneve smiles earnestly.
Trillian says 'I walk in the Limelight, currently traverse the Ethereal plane, and am cloaking myself in faerie fire so that I may speak with you from there.'
You say 'Well, one can perceive some of these qualities by studying auras.'
Trillian says 'So there is a bit of aura jumbling I would expect!'
Trillian giggles.
You say 'Perhaps we would call that muddied.'
Lamneve nods contemplatively.
You say 'But we associate the color red with an evil aura.'
Trillian says 'So you propose that evil itself has an essence of red? Rather than the red aura being an artifact of your detection magics?'
You say 'I do not think that is precisely it.'
You say 'But rather it is a matter of perception, as you correctly indicated.'
Trillian says 'So what is it that your magic detects, so as to color your perception red?'
Lamneve recrosses her large ankles.
You say 'Do you think evil is born in the body?'
Trillian sits down at a long oaken table.
Trillian says 'I do not.'
Trillian says 'Why I am not even wholly certain I believe in it at all!'
Trillian says 'Do you?'
You say 'I believe in evil, of course I do.'
Trillian says 'But the body.'
You say 'I could not dash a lamia's eggs.'
Trillian says 'Oh?'
Trillian stands up.
Trillian says 'And why not?'
You say 'That is what I wonder about the nature of evil.'
Trillian sits down at a long oaken table.
Trillian sits down and thinks deeply.
Trillian says 'The philosophy of evil is fascinating.'
You say 'Is every fire giant born with the stain of corruption upon their soul?'
Trillian says 'I do not know. What does your reading of auras say?'
Trillian says 'Do you often contemplate inherent sin?'
Lamneve nods after a long moment.
You say 'I am the product of it, after all.'
Trillian says 'I suppose you would. What with your submitted personal history.'
Trillian says 'You judge your history to harshly in my eyes.'
Trillian says 'But I won't be so vain as to debate your conception of yourself.'
Trillian snaps his fingers.
You say 'I make no judgment upon myself. I am a good person.'
You say 'I work hard and say my prayers. I listen for my god's voice in the brook. Sometimes I almost hear it too.'
Trillian says 'So you save your judgement for your parentage then.'
Trillian says 'A lonely way to think.'
You say 'I think I misspoke, if that's what you heard, Trillian.'
Trillian says 'Oh? You said you are a product of inherent sin, did you not?'
You say 'I did not know my parents, so how can I judge them? I am sure their decisions were hard ones.'
You say 'No sin is original, but it is all insidious.'
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'I quite like that. It quite makes sin itself sound an entity.'
You say 'You are not the sum of every bad decision you've ever made.'
You say 'Or, if you are, the good ones find you on balance.'
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'See that is where we differ.'
Trillian says 'I do not believe in good and bad decisions. Only interesting and boring ones.'
Trillian says 'The tree of possibility is near endless. Each choice but a pebble in a pond. Who is to say one is good or bad?'
You say 'So if you sought to harm me, would that be interesting or boring?'
Trillian says 'Quite boring I'm afraid. I do so hate writing of myself.'
You say 'But you find the act of harm itself free from judgment?'
Trillian says 'Of course!'
You say 'Then we do disagree.'
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'Well tell me then.'
Trillian says 'If a would-be vicious knight attacks me intent upon my death.'
You say 'I do not think all harm, as it exists, is necessarily evil. Say--if you harmed me to prevent further harm from occurring to several others.'
Trillian says 'But lacks the fundamental skill to penetrate my defenses, he might do me as much harm as when I walk blind into the wall by the staircase.'
Trillian says 'But harm was done.'
Trillian says 'Is that evil?'
Trillian says 'Is the wall?'
You say 'Intent matters more than outcomes, perhaps.'
Trillian says 'Indeed, indeed!'
Trillian says 'The harm is just a physical impact.'
Trillian says 'The intent! The motive! That makes the story.'
Trillian says 'That is why my attacking you would be so boring as a choice. There is no drama between us. In fact, I am quite fond of you.'
Lamneve smiles earnestly.
Trillian says 'The tree would spread into a paltry bush.'
Trillian shakes his head.
Trillian says 'Nothing much to write there.'
Trillian says 'But enough of the differences in our personal philosophies and outlooks!'
You say 'But life is more than stories, Trillian.'
Trillian raises an eyebrow at you.
Trillian says 'Is it?'
Trillian says 'I would need to hear a compelling case to agree there.'
Lamneve considers this carefully. She takes a long moment to adjust the coarse fabric she's shrouded herself in.
You say 'Well, as you say, there is no drama between us.'
You say 'But your companionship warms me. What story exists in our friendship then? And does that make us unworthy?'
Trillian says 'Oh no, not at all. All of life's activity is within the artist's scope.'
You say 'I think, if you mean that understanding the motives behind another's actions is a compelling and reasonable pursuit, I agree. But we cannot reduce everyone to fables.'
Trillian says 'Our story is much more compelling as friends. I expect great things from us.'
Trillian says to you 'You are correct. We cannot.'
Trillian grins devilishly.
You say 'Do you think your ability or desire to frame everything as narrative allows you to ignore the moral implications of your actions?'
Trillian says to you 'But we can try our best!'
Lamneve smiles again, though frown lines crease her expansive forehead.
Trillian sits down and thinks deeply.
Trillian says 'I suppose that depends.'
Trillian says 'Who sits in judgement of the moral implications?
Trillian says 'From whose perception do I consider them?'
You say 'I think it would be difficult to do so from any but your own. But perhaps that is part of your quest, Trillian.'
Trillian says 'Let us just say that I believe that to write all characters, to truly write them well, one must consider reality from their view.'
You say 'I think you are right about that.'
Trillian snaps his fingers.
You say 'But I do not know how to understand darkness.'
Trillian says 'Exactly! So my preference of viewing all things in the lens of stories does not allow me to ignore moral implications then.'
Trillian says 'But which compass I use can change rapidly.'
Trillian says 'Depending one whose view I aspire to at the time.'
You say 'But you have reduced choice to a matter of intrigue. How do you factor in the moral component then?'
Trillian says 'Nearly all things are moral from the right perspective.'
Trillian says 'The trick is choosing what you believe in.'
Trillian says 'It is quite a complicated trick.'
You say 'Does everyone get that choice?'
Trillian says 'They do! But most don't know it.'
Trillian says 'Free will it turns out, is both the Gods greatest gift and the one most readily given away.'
Trillian says 'Many gift it by default.'
You say 'I do not know if it is free. I think there is a price, Trillian.'
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'How ominous!'
You say 'It should be called will at a cost.'
Trillian says 'Well, everything has a cost I suppose.'
You say 'Or does every baby born to the Unlit City choose to be evil?'
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'So you put forth that every baby born in the Unlit City is evil then?'
Trillian says 'Your magic tells you it is so. Their aura. Their redness.'
Trillian says 'But do we accept that so simply?'
You say 'That is my question too, Trillian.'
Trillian says 'But this brings us back close to my original goal!'
Trillian says 'What do I need to know to mimic that perception?'
Trillian says 'To make a device to see those babies as your magic does?'
Trillian says 'A focus? A film?'
Trillian says 'Surely it can be done. A bound scroll exists that can replicate the effect.’
Trillian says 'What am I missing? Tell me, tell me!'
Trillian beseeches you.
You say 'I ask my god for this power, and he gives it to me, as he does many other gifts, freely.'
You say 'But I think you might learn something from studying Amyrok's spectacles.'
Trillian nods.
Trillian nods.
Trillian utters the words, 'hiqahz abyzqh'.
Trillian says 'A difficult item to come by.'
Trillian eats a juicy steak with salad.
Trillian says 'So you accept the gifts of your god freely then? Your guild does not struggle to understand the base components of what is received?'
You say 'What an interesting thought.'
You say 'The supplication pact requires faith.'
You say 'If I did not believe my supplications would work, they would not.'
Trillian says 'How very different from the mages guilds.'
Trillian says 'I had thought us more similar in our quest for understanding.'
Trillian says 'Perhaps not!'
Trillian giggles.
You say 'Is prayer not magic?'
You are filled with serenity by the prayer.
You have become better at communing prayer!
Trillian says 'Oh it is, it is!'
Trillian says 'Why I am the foremost believer in the similarities between the arcane and the divine!’
Trillian says 'Others don't quite believe me yet. But time will tell...'
You say 'The divinity of magic is undisputed, in my estimation.'
Trillian says 'Oh all magic?'
Trillian says 'Of mine? Of Wylsin's?'
You say 'Does Wylsin not bend his knee at the altar of Denadlyr?'
You say 'And does your magic not come from Acadia?'
Trillian says 'Surely. But I do not believe he would concede that his magic comes from Denadlyr.'
Trillian says 'He consider him a great teacher. But not a granter of his spells.'
You say 'Then from where does it come? His own force of will?'
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'Exactly the point, isn't it! I do believe you and I think more alike than others.’
Trillian says 'Have you read my research on the topic? The Sounds of Magic?’
Trillian says 'It is published in the Proceedings of the Mystics of Arcana, Vol 1.'
You say 'I shall endeavor to read it soon then.'
Trillian says 'Where is it where is it...'
Trillian gets The Serin Mystique, Volume 15, Issue 4 from a bulging sack.
Trillian puts The Serin Mystique, Volume 15, Issue 4 in a prankster's utility belt.
Trillian says 'Where is it where is it...'
Trillian gets The Serin Mystique, Volume 15, Issue 5 from a bulging sack.
Trillian puts The Serin Mystique, Volume 15, Issue 5 in a prankster's utility belt.
Trillian gets The Serin Mystique, Volume 15, Issue 3 from a bulging sack.
Trillian puts The Serin Mystique, Volume 15, Issue 3 in a prankster's utility belt.
Trillian gets a leather-bound book titled 'The Proceedings of the Mystics of Arcana, Vol 1, #1' from a bulging sack.
Trillian giggles.
Trillian gives you a leather-bound book titled 'The Proceedings of the Mystics of Arcana, Vol 1, #1'.
Trillian says 'For you! If you ever have time for some light reading.'
Trillian says 'Well, this has been a fascinating conversation but I am afraid my time grows short.'
Lamneve caresses the book's cover with great care.
Trillian says 'If you have more reflections on how I might recreate such divine magics, or thoughts on their nature, do send them along.'
Lamneve stands with more grace than her giant frame should allow for.
Trillian attempts to shake your giant hand.
Lamneve holds her hand out toward you, palm up.
Trillian jumps as high as he can and slaps at the palm but falls just short.
Trillian says 'Well, close enough.’
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'Do take care of yourself!'
Lamneve cheats her hand a little lower.
Trillian says 'Lots of interesting choices out there in the world to be made.'
You say 'I will ask you to do the same, Trillian.'
You say 'Remember that living a life of intrigue is a moral act.'
Trillian jumps up and manages to press his palm to yours.
Lamneve smiles earnestly.
Trillian giggles.
Trillian says 'Ahh morality. Such a dynamic topic.'
Trillian says 'Farewell for now!'
You say 'For now.'
<HERALD> Odile the Crier gossips: 'Farewell Trillian, may the winds guide you to a swift return.'
Trillian has left the realms.