Laiser assigns a few (terrified) servants to you. You have run of the Island, and time to plan your next move.

Claire went to Resplendent Radiance's chambers and knocked on the door.

"It's Claire. May I come in?"

"Come in." She recognized Claire's voice, though was surprised to hear it.

Claire slipped into the faerie queen's room.

"Good evening. I trust you are well," she began. Pleasantries out of the way..."I have a proposal for you, if you will not be otherwise engaged in the coming months."

"Once we properly free the slaves on this island, I imagine that many of them will not want to remain even as free citizens. I want to help them establish a new community for themselves, where slavery will be forbidden and they can build new lives for themselves by the strength of their arms." She smiled lightly. "You are as committed to freedom and justice as I am. I wanted you on board before we pitched it to the rest of the group over dinner."

Increase had opted to not dwell within the mansion of Lasier and instead took up residence in the boat that he had prepared for their departure. Given the expendable time he opted to improve the boat, making it more comfortable for its occupants and modifying the hold to properly carry a creature as large as Gaja's scorpion.

He had a strong feeling that Resplendence and Claire would likely want to "free the slaves" but the ship was a cutter by design, built to ferry cargo and be swift. Not for mass transport. There was no way that a single ship could carry them all or even a substantial portion of them.

He wondered what their plan was but he didn't dedicate much thought to it one way or the other. Instead he assisted Gaja's efforts by blessing the land, at least a radius of 10 miles, with impossible fertility. Wild plants grew in a matter of hours, taking root in the suddenly fertile and lush land. The occupants would need to cultivate more suitable foodstuffs but even the native flora was mostly edible, albeit of coarse taste.

Increase also transmuted his sword into a staff roughly a foot tall than himself. At its apex was a beautiful angel, its wings outstretched, ensnared in large serpents which bite into their body. The length of the staff had a repeating pattern of scales etched into it, flanked by heretical bastardizations of religious passages ranging from the Unitary Church to the Dulimbai Ancestor Cult teachings.

"Good evening, Claire. I am well. I hope you are the same." Her interest sharpened at the talk of a proposal. "There is no return to my homelands for me; I will be amongst humanity for some time to come." Which is to say, she had no plans, beyond the vaguest sort.

"I imagine they will, yes. I would want them to remain free as well. Our freeing them is meaningless if we cannot ensure they remain so." A lovely smile in return for yours. "We are of one mind, it seems. I do not know what such a community would require, but I will help you build it. I intend to continue to fight for freedom, as well, and a community to send people to can be a home for those who wish to be free, or share our ideals. I do not know that the others will be on board, at least, not for our reasons. We will need to present them with some benefit to them or their goals, I think. Otherwise, there is no reason for us to stay together. It would behoove us to find out what those goals are."

Claire nodded and smiled at Radiance. "Well, then we shall gather our new allies together for a meal and request their aid. I think what we can offer everyone in exchange for their aid is a new home-town outside of the established powers."

She turned to speak to the attendant Lasier had given her and gave her a smile, triggering a bit of soothing warmth and joy in the scared girl's heart. (One-turn Banner of Passion) "Please arrange for a dinner in the side hall. Food for five, plus a glass of water and a half-portion of salted bread for me, and have your fellows arrange messages for our allies to invite them." If they were going to have servants, Claire would at least treat them kindly.

"I thank you for your assistance, Resplendent Radiance. Shall I see you at dinner?"

Radiance inclined her head. "You make a valid point. A place of safe harbour is no small thing. Very well, we shall propose it."

They would make a good team she thought. "That sounds perfect. I am glad you visited, Claire, I think we can accomplish much together. I will see you at dinner and wish you peace until then."

---

Claire came to the dining hall a little before time and sat at the head of the long table, waiting for the others to arrive.

Over the next day or two, you were all given a wide berth by the servants and newly freed slaves, who mostly stayed in their own areas. The servants were particularly terrified of you - perhaps not surprising, as one of you was walking around with their friends as undead servants, and the other had froze 6 or 7 of them solid, and another one had caused earthquakes that killed half a dozen or so.

For the next day or two as they buried the bodies, it was a little awkward.

Still, the servants assigned to the house did their duty, and a few seemed to willingly approach and initiate a conversation if they weren't turned away immediately. Being freed and told they could leave if they wished didn't seem to change many of their minds.

The place had been lovingly set up by the servant, a young mousy girl with big eyes, who kept trying not to stare at Gaja.

The table was set up with the simple foods requested, as well as a selection of preserved delicacies from abroad. The table ware was, of course, silk, and the servants dressed better than the courtiers in most countries.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:38, Thu 18 Oct 2018.

  Gaja's plate was empty, and she waved away the servants who came by to fill it.  Her plate had been empty at every meal since their dramatic reversal of fortunes.  She said she was fasting.  She caught the servant girl's eyes on the third attempt and smiled; the way she glanced to her side made it an invitation, not an order to come closer.  Gaja hadn't given anyone orders yet.

  "Claire, they told me you had some kind of message to give everyone?"

She did, blushing slightly. "Sorry, ma'am. I just.. wanted to say I liked your singing. And the talk earlier." She still kept her eyes low, and could not meet hers. But, it was a start.

  "Well thank you.  I practice my singing a lot.  Do you sing too?"  She keeps her voice soft and soothing and leaves the obvious question for later.

The blush continues, and a slight smile.

"A little. Not like you though. I have a few songs of the plains.. and I've learned more from the others.

It passes the time."

It made sense. Laiser traded or summoned everything. Servants would have much less to do than in any household. He seemed to keep most of them for his parties too, which happened irregularly.

  Gaja nods happily.  "Well, I think the metal woman wants to tell us something very stuffy and official.  But after, will you sing those songs for me?  I can play music for you, and you can teach me the words.  What's your name, plains girl?"

"Oh, yes! I would like that. I'm Sarnai." She warned fast, and gave an apologetic full bow for any perceived insult for interrupting Claire.

She quickly departed, noting the small bell they could use to summon servants if they needed it.

Increase arrived at dinner, having received the summons from the servant that was dispatched by his allies. He had abandoned the silken robes of Lasier's servants and adopted a much more humble set of clothing worked from hemp cloth and colored uniformly in gray.

"I see that you all have taken well to having servants."

He moved to a seat after resting his staff on the adjacent wall.

Radiance had tasked the servants with finding her more appropriate clothing. They were not ostentatious, it mattered not what she wore, she would seem like the Queen she now was; it showed in her manner, her voice, her carriage communicated her regal nature.

"Good evening," offered to her companions.

Plaga and Kanua entered the dining room, Plaga wearing new clothes and... skin? The only thing that remained from the form the others knew was her mask, the rest of his appearance had been significantly altered. Taking a seat close to the others, she spoke with a new voice.

"Greetings."

Claire looked over the group. "Welcome, everyone. Food is here for those of us who require it. As soon as Marius arrives, we should begin."

  Gaja waits until the girl has run off to sit up straight and protest.  "I have taken no such thing, Increase, and neither should you.  The soul of this place is sick, and playing along will let it sicken you, too."  So okay, she had some thoughts.  Still no food, though.

"That's actually part of what I invited you all here to discuss," said Claire in her calm contralto, smoothly cutting into the brewing discussion. "This place is tainted by evil and slavery, and I think that many of the freed slaves will want to make a new life and a fresh start elsewhere." Claire looked around. Marius hadn't arrived; oh well. "Resplendent Radiance and I wanted to ask your help in creating a new colony for those who wish to leave this island and make a new life elsewhere."

Claire looked at Increase. "In particular, we ask your help in building and supplying the colony ships. I've seen what you can summon up."

She glanced at Gaja. "I have seen how you make inroads with the people here. The fact is that I've quite managed to terrify them, and while I'm doing my best to change that, it's still better for Resplendent and I to keep our distance for the time being. I need someone who they will come with willingly." She chuckled. "They would probably obey me if I ordered some to come, but that would defeat the purpose of this and trade one slavery for another."

She finally glanced at the Doctor. "And a new village could use a healer in its founding days."

Marius had been busy ranging the island even if they were seemingly safe. He'd been charting the waters with a spyglass he'd gotten hold of and had been busy assisting Increase when he wasn't off refreshing his martial skills more. He'd been testing his body as well, adjusting to his increased physique and power as his frame seemed more filled now that the power had time to complete its possession of him.

He arrived in his new preferred outfit. He entered with a nod before taking his seat.

"I would prefer to be away from here soon as well. if only from the memory of what this place was. Still, its given me time to adjust to whatever has happened to us."

He paused and looked to the masked creature as he finished that thought.

"You have flesh now? And a new voice?"

Plaga have a nod and a short answer to Marius, not feeling the neednto explain the details of her new body. "Yes, I do".

She then adressed Claire. "I don't oppose your plans, but I'm not particularly interested in them either. If any of you wish for me to heal the wounded, then you must be ready to pay for it, one way or another. If it would be beneficial to me in some other way feel free to point it out. Right now, my focus is on rebuilding my life. And exacting vengeance on those that destroyed it. If it doesn't serve those goals in some way, then my efforts would be wasted."

Plaga's outlook was what she expected to come from this proposal. "It is often beneficial to have a home base from which to plan. There is that, and of course Claire and my new skills are not inconsiderable and should you help us with our goals, we will help you with yours. No doubt you can enact vengeance on your own, but there are ways in which we can be useful to you. If you wish to rebuild and you want willing people to assist, our charms might be of use.

"If that does not please you, then we may discuss the matter of payment."

Increase glanced to Gaja, his eyes lingering longer than he wished.

"Of course I haven't. I have no need for servants but I am not so daft as to imagine that this food and room were prepared through magic."

A casual glance at the servants attending the room proved his point but he decided not to press the issue further. Instead he listened to Resplendent.

"I must agree with Plaga. I have no qualms building a colony of ships but I'll have no addicts piloting crafts I've spent the energy making. I will renovate the current vessel into an arkship. I believe it is within my power to control such a creation; that should suffice. As for payment I want the scale and anything that may come of its destruction."

Plaga seems to ponder Resplendent's rebuttal. "Well, the promise of unconditional aid to complete my goals is indeed enticing. But in any case, my contribution to your project would come later, when you are fully installed in whatever promised land you are taking the freed slaves to. However, my own path dictates i must head to Vissio. Unless you happen to head there, I'm afraid our deal would be either postponed or handled indirectly."

  Gaja looks up at Claire and bites back her disdain. Most of it. "I have made no inroads, Republican. Only amends. The people who want to come will come. The people who want to stay will stay, and I have been warning you all that you are not clearly in the first group, no matter what you play at. I am no one's whore but my own, and I won't exploit these people's memories of homes stolen away to persuade them to never return."

  She pauses for breath. It helps, lets her shoulders come down, takes the tension out of her voice, all that.  I am all that remains of my own home, and I can restore the rest wherever I go. I'll come with you, and I'll bless anyone else who chooses to. But I won't tell them which choice a god wants them to make. That is not a free decision."

  The mention of Vissio redirects her attention, anyway.

Claire lifted a shoulder to Gaja. "I don't see why you see us as gods," she said, "but I suppose you're right that the people might see us as something like that and follow us through fear rather than true desire. Forcing anyone to come would be antithetical to the very purpose of this. But I am glad I can count on you coming with us."

She turned to Plaga and spoke. "I actually planned to set up the colony due north of Vissio, in the lands of the Howlers."

She turned to Increase and nodded. "The remains of the scale are yours."

Increase nodded amicably.

"Then a ship you will have. I would suggest those with the skills begin to break any slaves of their addictions. Withdrawals will likely kill them at sea. The holds will support their number, albeit with marginal comfort, and i've already blessed the land with fertility. Even the wild crops should suffice to carry us through the journey."

"I don't, Claire. They do. They've told me as much." Gaja shrugs and breaks eye contact. She doesn't seem to be enjoying her new station. "In words. But first with their eyes, when they fled something too mighty to be safely near."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:05, Tue 23 Oct 2018.

A dip of her head to the Scholar. "Reasonable. The scale is yours. None of us want to wreck the ships you build, I promise you. We will seek out those who know how to deal with addiction."

A dip of head to Plaga. "Not entirely unconditional aid. I will not violate my principles and enslave others in any way. Demands that put us in unreasonable amounts of danger, as well, are not on the table. We ask for your aid, but we do not demand you endanger yourself for it unreasonably. If we do, we will do the same for you. We are offering you ourselves as allies, not as your servants." Radiance dealt with bargains. Truly unconditional aid to anyone would be antithetical to the way she was raised along with her beliefs.

A nod to Gaja as well. "We would not ask you to dictate beliefs. As Claire says, it goes against what we are trying to do here. I do not seek to establish myself as a god. People only will join us of their free will. Freedom allows the choice to stay, as well as to go.

"Those are agreeable conditions regardless. Neither of those I intended to enforce. I did catch something about addiction. If you clarified what you mean, i may be able to help with that aswell."

Claire frowned. "I see. They will probably continue to fear me, but I can...tolerate that."

"We are all in accord, then? To take those who will follow us, and build this colony on the Howler coast?"

  Gaja leans back a bit and nods.

"I have my own investigations to do near there.  It would make things simplest."  Then she watches the others thoughtfully as they respond.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:11, Tue 23 Oct 2018.

Marius nods some now.

"I'll agree to this. Though you should know I am of a martial tradition. Where we go I will teach people to fight and defend it. More so, I may see who might join me for something more amibitions. But I will endeavor not to endanger this colony," He looks around at the others.

"I hope that is not going to complicate anyone's decision here."

"It does not complicate my decision." A slight dip of Radiance's head. "I have seen you fight; you were impressive before whatever change has befallen us and I imagine you are even more so, now. I would welcome our people knowing how to fight and defend themselves - we cannot always be there ourselves and we want a colony that will survive. Teaching them will benefit us all."

A curious cant of her head. "You have something more ambitious in mind, something specific, I think." The question was implicit, an invitation to speak of that ambition.

Increase shook his head in the negative.

"No, Marius I believe we are satisfied with a non-interference policy moving forward. Should our objectives align we will assist but never shall we work to the detriment of the others assembled here; its too great of a hassle outside of common decency."

Marius bowed his head a little in thanks.

"My ambition perhaps is two fold. I was a prideful man while I served Patria. I was there when you tried to challenge the slavery system in use. And like a fool, I dismissed you as did most of my countrymen," He said to Resplendent Radiance with a bit of a shamed expression.

"The Great Houses of Patria destroyed my life. I was one of Patria's most feared generals or at least most skilled. It seems my power and more common birth scared them. I was framed for a terrible act and put into the gladiator pits. I witnessed much as a fighting slave. It changed my perspective," He admits more grimly.

"My ambition is to end the slavery of Patria. However, to do this I will require an empire of my own to dismantle theirs. Only conquest and change on that scale will undo such a savage system. From there, I may go further. This world has become a grim place and could use those like us willing to lift it up again."

He looks around at the others. Having laid out his true ambition and plan now. He wanted to build a new empire. If possible one that would encompass many lands and free of slavery. He wanted to see their interest in this for after witnessing the depravity of the Scale, he had decided his power had a new purpose. The purpose of an Emperor.

Increase looked between his allies and sighed slightly.

"I do not mean to sound discouraging but what is it that you all intend to replace slavery with once you abolish it? Its no small statement to make, what with the economies and livelihoods of entire nations built on the backs of this institution."

He paused for a moment.

"Or is that you simply intend to eradicate Patria and Dulimbai along with it since they too use slaves. Or perhaps you'll take the Oasis States as well with their eugenic slavery?"

"My interests do not conflict. I have no interest in becoming a queen of any patch of land. My objectives work below the surface, hidden within the social underworld. While you may deal with politics and put up a good way to keep the common folk happy and secure, I delve in the shadows, keeping the criminals in check and the chaos limited. Those would be my roles in the new order you wish to create, Emperor."

She then adressed Increase, who seemed to be the only one seeing the flaws of the hopeful thinking the others were having.

"There are ways around slavery. You would be surprised as to what can be achieved with loyalty and hard work, Scholar. As I said, completely erradicating the darkness of a social system of any kind is a terrible idea. You need someone in charge of it, keeping it at bay and greasing the other side of the cog for the wheel to keep spinning."

Increase smirked briefly although it quickly faded as he continued to speak.

"I am a Lommite by upbringing. I do not believe in things so intangible as loyalty but I agree that there must be a system in place to curb the darker impulses of the common man. That, however, does not solve the issue at hand. You will be creating a group of millions who will be in need of work, food, and housing and will likely receive none from their former masters. That is to speak nothing of the social unrest created by the elevation of a people considered to be lesser by a majority of the populace."

"Well, Lommite by upbringing, I've seen loyalty in action. I've also seen betrayal. I would not dismantle slavery if I did not think of what to do about it. Slaves are laborers. Trained in fields of work often they can get paid for. Will it require changes? Yes. Must I conquer both Patria and Dulimbai? Most likely," Marius admits.

"And I have an appreciation for discreet actions," He nods towards Plaga. "It will certainly aid in keeping things moving smoothly."

"Lom does nothing but moans about empty ideas and false gods. Well those empty ideas are what inspire people. If I must rise up as a new Emperor to do it, I will. I have drank the cups of wealth and poverty. I have tasted slavery. Ideas. Like loyalty. Very real things."

Marius leans back in his seat.

"This world deserves better than what we have allowed it to fall into. In time, my Empire may very well encompass all former slaveholding states. It may grow beyond that. I do not know. I see only the beginning. I see Patria. From there, Dulimbai. Beyond? who knows? Am I supposed to just balk and hide at the challenge? NEVER."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:34, Fri 26 Oct 2018.

Increase was beginning to see the streak of ambition that had unmade Marius before. Perhaps with the power of a Made God he would be successful this time or perhaps he would simply fail on a scale much larger. All the same.

"Lommites do not moan, we lament. Lament the misguided fools who pray unto a non-existent God in hopes of salvation, who cling to shattered faiths and partial rituals to stay the ceaseless maw of Hell which will ultimately consume them. As for empty ideas it reveals much about you to say such things."

"It seems Lommites underestimate the power of belief. What does it matter if a man kills for a God that doesn't exist or for a King that orders him to do so? In the end, the one at the recieving end of the sword ends dead. In the world there are powerful lies, that have trascended the limits of their nature. If everyone believes in a false statement, what use is there to call it out for it's false nature? The impact it will have in the world it's the same as if it were true".

"I only use the words the Lom itself would attach to them. I've always valued loyalty. I will continue to do so. I just have learned to be more wary of those around me and their own ambitions and fears," Marius replied to Increase.

"I like to believe in ideals. In intangible things. People need that if only to aid them in holding their world together. As to God, I don't know what to think of that. Is just as likely he's left us for being the monstrous bastards we've proven to be as a species."

He takes in more what Plaga said but looks to Increase with a curious expression.

"Without ideals and intangibles, though, why would one try to curb Man's impulses at all?" asked Claire suddenly. "Indeed, the very idea that intangibles don't matter is a statement of value - which is itself an intangible, isn't it?"

The machine showed keen interest in this conversation.

  Gaja stood, and allowed her chair to squeal terribly against the marble in the process.  "Thank you for your hospitality," she recited stiffly, then turned and began to walk toward the exit.

An eyebrow rose a touch as Marius mentioned his dismissal, a dip of her head. "I remember.

"To become that which you owned would change anyone's perspective, I would think. We are all products of where we are raised - but we can learn to be more, as we have both done."

Your plan laid out, she nodded. "Your goals and my own align, Marius. Ending slavery is my goal and Patria is a good place to start. You are right, amassing resources and power will help make it happen."

The debate of intangible things she listened to, considering her own response, when Gaja rose.

"You are taking your leave of us? Do you not care for the debate, or is it something else?"

  Gaja paused by the door long enough to respond.  "I will be more comfortable once we're all safely off this island," she said, sounding resigned.  "It feels dangerous to speak so proudly here."