[Video]

[gundhamster]

[The video starts with Gundham just sort of sitting on a bale of hay at the stables. His newfound magical abilities has made upkeep far easier as he no longer really needed to go into town for supplies, and he now had a bit too much time with his own thoughts. After a moment of hesitation, he finally decides to speak.]

I have a hypothetical that I would like opinions on from the rest of you.


In a far off world, there is a war between the forces of light and darkness. Among the forces of darkness there is an order of Death Knights that act as generals for the King of Darkness. Little is known about them or how they operate, mainly because there are no survivors to report on any encounters. The only concrete facts known about them is that wherever they go all that is left in their wake is death and ash. None are spared, warriors, civilians, children, none are spared.

The forces of Light decide that the best way to end the war is to assassinate the king, cutting off the power the knights receive from the king. However, in doing so, it's revealed that the knights were operating under duress, though the specifics are not widely known. The knights had no choice in the matter and the weight of their actions nearly crush them when freed from the king's influence.

My question to you is what would you do with these knights? Do they deserve to be given to the families of those they slew and made an example of? Would you console them? Or simply do nothing and make them figure it out for themselves?

Do they deserve redemption, or are they too far gone?

Comments

video; un: hpotter

[phoenixwiz]

Whoa, that is really scary to think about it with the knights being under the King of Darkness’ control.

If I was in this situation, I would give them a chance to atone for what they have and help them to seek out for forgiveness. It won’t be easy for everyone involved, but hopefully there is some reconciliation in the end.

[gundhamster]

And if they did not desire, nor believe they deserve such forgiveness?

[phoenixwiz]

Well, I guess I’ll have to be patient with them, keep an eye on them and their progress, and help them out in making their decisions. I could try to explain them that it is not too late to change for the better and atone for what they may have done wrong in the past.

Video: UN: CalamityHawk

[wherethewindtakesme]

[Gaius takes the question with the seriousness it deserves, pondering it for a good while.]

I think that as difficult as it would be, I would have to talk to each knight individually and make a determination of their fate. For those who wanted redemption, I would have them till the land they helped destroy until it could flower again.

If there is no hope, then I would have to figure out an appropriate punishment.

[gundhamster]

Redemption is... a difficult thing.

After all, who is qualified to weigh the crimes of one soul against another? None can be truly objective in such matters. Besides, what if the knights wish to live and rebuild in their own way but do not expect nor think they deserve such redemption?

[wherethewindtakesme]

It's very difficult, I agree. I think in this instance, I couldn't be the only one to make the ultimate decision. Maybe a tribunal of some kind?

audio; un wolfcountry

[impostorsyndrome]

[This sounds more legitimately hypothetical than the last similar post Kadoc responded to, but it's still suspiciously detailed. Interesting, though. Maybe hits a little close to home on some level . . . so he can't stop himself from responding.]

Does no choice mean no choice? Or is this a Hobson's choice scenario? . . . If these people were used like puppets, there's not really a question there. You can't hold someone responsible for something they were forced to do. But there are plenty of levels of coerced choice under that.

[gundhamster]

[Gundham hesitates for a moment. He doesn't want to give too many details that would give the nature of the inquiry away, but at the same time wants to clarify.]

They were not fully aware of what they were doing at the time. Only allowed to feel what the king let them feel.

Even if they were not in full control of themselves, do those who lost everything to them not deserve justice or closure?

[impostorsyndrome]

This is getting into the weeds. . . . But I guess I knew what I was getting into when I decided to reply, so okay. My answer's still no. No one really "deserves" revenge, especially not on someone who wasn't even responsible for what happened. It doesn't even help. You're talking about executing someone just because someone else feels something towards them. . . . Those feelings might not even be what they seem like at first.

[Now Kadoc's in the awkward position of identifying with both sides of this equation. He's on audio, but he pauses to rub at his face. This really did get into the weeds.]

I'm not saying I wouldn't understand why some individual might choose to take matters into their own hands. But that's a different scenario.

video; un: kyoshiwarrior

[warfan]

If they didn't have a choice in what they did, I think they'd deserve a chance to redeem themselves. But I'd keep them under watch for a time, both to be sure they're honest about wanting to atone and to shield them against anyone trying to take revenge.

[gundhamster]

That presumes they believe themselves worthy of such redemption. What if they do not? After all, they will live with the memories of what they have done, even if they were not able to resist.

voice; um: aegis

[ofnovalue]

[ ... Yeah. No video for this. Her expression was tight, almost too much so, anyways, and she felt her face strain even as she spoke. That and she'd been in bed for days and hardly looked presentable. ]

If the weight of one's sins will crush you, even if you felt you had no other recourse, then let yourself be crushed. That is your redemption.

[ No... there's no hiding the bitterness in her words. But it doesn't seem cast at Gundham, or even at herself, or, well... anyone specific. It seems more like spite cast at the world itself. ]

[gundhamster]

[That was closer to what Gundham was expecting in all honesty. The fact that this was the first one strikes him as... odd. Still, he couldn't bring himself to simply accept that.]

Yet to give up on life is an insult to life itself. Simply laying down and dying aids none, not those seeking justice, those who perpetrated the crimes, nor the world at large.

voice; un: 0123

[scension]

If they have regrets, let them live. If they don't, it'll catch up to them.

[His tone is matter-of-fact, if not quite breezy. Anything more than that is window dressing, he thinks.]

How hypothetical is this story, anyway?

[gundhamster]

Regrets, hm?

[Gundham pauses. Did he have regrets? Sure he wishes he could've saved his classmates, but knew that such a prospect was... impossible. Why regret what he could not have changed? Still, just going to... ignore the second part of that response.]

Regrets tend to center around things that could have gone differently. Helping someone rather than simply ignoring them and the like. There were no other avenues given to anyone in this scenario. Their choices were made for them, so I do not know if regret truly factors into it.

Video; UN: Wildflower

[madcuriosity]

Well... what do the knights want? Seems as if everything up to this point they haven't gotten a say in anything.

[gundhamster]

[That... actually catches Gundham off guard. For everything he's been through this was the first time anyone had asked the question, not that he would let on why it would catch him off guard. Even Izuru, for as good as his intentions, did not ask, simply did.]

I... t-they do not rightfully know. After being simple tools for so long, even freedom seems terrifying, especially when all that surround them bay for their blood, and understandably so.

Audio | Anonymous

[angel_of_death]

[This isn't the first time Walter has heard a question along this vein on the network. He remembers the first time. It did not go well, and he'd ended up in conflict with the person making the transmission.

Come to think of it, he hasn't seen or heard anything of that person in months. Not since he'd woken up outside after the night run, out in the storm, and the man had responded to his transmission with actual consideration. He hasn't seen or heard anything of the person he was with out there, either.

It leaves him feeling rather introspective as he responds.]

Which is he question you really want answered?

[gundhamster]

[Gundham just sighs. He's honestly not sure what he's trying to accomplish.]

Whichever you feel like answering.

< thearchitect >

[emet_sulk]

[ Why does this sound so awfully familiar. ]

If you don't know the knights' side of the conflict, how can you decide if they are deserving of redemption or otherwise?

[gundhamster]

While I appreciate the consideration, I assure you, this is about as black and white a conflict as there can be. The knights were only allowed to feel what their king allowed them to feel, and their king fetishized despair.

For years, that is all they knew. All they were allowed to know.

Text; anon (Please excuse me being super late I convinced myself I already replied)

[corpsewarblade]

[Probably the last person he wants a PM from, but... Mukuro'd been thinking about this post for a while. It helped that she knew exactly what the context was he was talking about.]

Did you find the answers you were looking for, in the end?

🔪

text (No worries!)

[gundhamster]

[Gundham just stares at that knife emoji for a long time. If she thought she was hiding her presence, Gundham saw through it. Though considering her keeping Junko's facade, perhaps it was a way of speaking as her without others knowing.]

Hard to find something when you don't know what you're looking for in the first place. Though I admit that I'm surprised you would entertain such a hypothetical even for that. Have you given up the delusion that your 'king' still lives?

Audio; un: Caster (and have the other one)

[colchismagecraft]

In my world, a woman who'd had her heart twisted by the Gods was blamed for the atrocities she committed under that God's influence. When she was finally betrayed and abandoned, she took bloody vengeance and became an entity the world could blame for their evils.

Take from that what you will.

...I suppose my question would be- What did the knights do, once the spell the King held over them had vanished?

[But that wasn't answering the question, was it? What would she do, under those circumstances? She was certain the story had a grain of truth to it. And if it were her...]

In my case, if the knights had wronged me personally, then I would take my revenge, but that is all. I am a selfish woman, after all.

Audio (Yesssss good)

[gundhamster]

Yes, there are many such tales in my world as well, with the Greek gods being among the most capricious.

[While Gundham wasn't aware of the specific myth, his passing familiarity of the occult had brought him some knowledge of the Olympians, if only through osmosis.]

They chose to isolate themselves from what remained of the world. Better to live as villains in the world's eyes than allow those that freed them to come to harm.