[Taocow PBEM] Book 3 - Chapter V - The Debate - and a little more

[Aaron Clausen]

OOC1: I apologize most deeply for the delay.  I ended up having to head
to one of our branch offices on the weekend and was working there thru
yesterday.  Been very busy.

OOC2: Well, this is interesting, debate rages as a fellow walks out of
the bushes...

>> [Koba]
>> Koba seems less convinced. "We're asking Alex to risk her freedom
>> here." he says. "I've heard of King Arr'thu, and by reputation
>> he's a good man, and from what we've seen of his knights, they seem
>> an honorable lot. But that's rumor. Even Louissa can't say for
>> sure what New Camelot is like. But, at least for now, I vote for
>> it anyways, because I'm tired of being shot at. And Sir Justin here
>> is right, Alex. If you run, you're a fugitive, and so far as I can
>> tell we need all the help we can get."
>> [/GM]

> [Alex]
> "Not as if I am not already hunted," states Alex. "The Coalition
> would be sure to execute me if I ever tried to go home. Just because
> it was an ambush designed to take out my entire unit because we
> pissed off a senior officer does not matter."
>
> "If a mercenary was to kill a Coalition officer, even if it was a
> misunderstanding, they would be executed," she continues. "Most tin
> pot kingdoms would be similar. Kind of impossible to be rescued if
> you are executed."
>
> She pauses for a few moments before look at the others, "In the
> Coalition, the soldiers would usually explain friendly fire
> incidents as acts of the enemy without going into details. Most
> families would rather hear that their relatives died in combat
> anyway."
> [/Alex]

> [Justin]
> "I could probably sneak you into the Emperor's bedroom to explain
> your side, though getting out again could be a bit exciting. It
> would be arguably easier to kidnap him first, come to think of it.
> Given how much the Coalition is rumored to hate magic, it's a fair
> bet they don't have wards capable of containing a God."
>
> He pauses, then continues:
>
> "You shouldn't judge every nation by the standards of a fascist one.
> Monarchies run through quite a range of moralities, from your
> Coalition to truly constitutional ones with the King or Emperor
> merely as a figurehead for a democracy. My own homeland is a
> monarchy, and even more absolute than the Coalition States, but even
> there, the King takes his oaths as a Knight very seriously.
> Deliberate injustice is very uncommon there, the last crooked
> magistrate took over a year to die. Those who take oaths seriously
> tend to REALLY dislike oathbreakers."
> [/Justin]

[GM]
One of the knights shakes his head.  "It is as Sir Justin says, m'lady.
  The Coalition we know mainly be reputation, though it is little enough
different in its philosophies than the New German Republic.  But our
King is a man of justice, and I truly cannot see how you would be
imprisoned when the full tale was told."

The knight thinks for a moment.  "We can tarry no longer, and must be to
New Camelot this very hour.  Therefore, I will declare this, though it
likely exceeds my authority.  I shall charge that you are free for one
month in the lands of New Camelot, but that you must, if you wish to
remain any longer than that, seek out His Grace, King Arr'thu, for his
pardon and leave."

"Will this suffice?" he asks.  "That way you can make your own way under
no immediate threat, and those that travel with you shall not be
traveling with a wanted woman."
[/GM]

>> [GM]
>> And then, quite suddenly, in the midst of their debate, a figure
>> walks out of the bush with a hoverbike. He is dressed in what looks
>> to be leather armor dyed black, plated with bone to add
>> extra-protection as well as for style. His helm is made of a
>> gurgoyle skull with horns stretching back from it. The eyesockets
>> have red goggle like coverings. His hoverbike was done in forest
>> camouflage.
>>
>> He holds a white strip of cloth so as to show his wish to speak
>> and not battle. "Hello Ladies, and Knights, I come to speak though
>> I am unsure if indeed you are the ones I am to speak with." He
>> looks to each of them.
>> [/GM]

[GM]
The knights go for their guns.
[/GM]

> [Ted]
> Ted regards the newcomer cautiously. "Greetings, friend. How may we
> help you?" he asks.
> [/Ted]

> [Justin]
> Justin answers the stranger "I hope so, as your only other options
> locally are some royally pissed off fairies and the armed forces of
> Lord Splynncryth. And to offer a small, helpful correction, the
> female form of Knight is Dame. Lady is a lower rank."
>
> In a lowered tone aside to Alex "He's lucky we know what a white
> flag is, that's not multiversally adopted. In some places, that's how
> you declare a blood feud."
> [/Justin]

[Louissa]
"And what will you speak to us about, stranger?" she asks, her hands on
her gun.
[/Louissa]

[Stranger]
"Such reactions to an unarmed man and one carrying the traditional flag 
for talks. As to the fairies I have no quarrel with them indeed it is 
the King of their kind that sent me. He told me to head in this 
direction, that I would meet with others who may be able to help against 
this war with Atlantis. As to the mistake, I did not realize these women 
were indeed knights their manner of clothing is different then the suits 
I see here from Camelot."

"I was sent with a sign to show, that my words are true, as well as a 
sign to those who knew the knight from America whom the fey buried."

"If I am allowed to retrieve it, without people pulling those weapons 
they are so keen on hovering their hands over, that would be  appreciated."

The stranger reaches into a satchel at his side and slowly pulls out his 
hand and opens it to show them the ring.

"I was told this ring was given to the fey and from them I return it, as 
a sign of my intentions. I would like to join you if indeed your  battle 
is with the things of Atlantis."
[/Stranger]

[GM]
All but Justin immediately recognize it immediately as Osiris's ring.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com