[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

[wherethewindtakesme]

[This scenario is getting pretty bleak, but he's also getting into it as well.]

True, but if we don't try any semblance of fairness at that point, then we're all done. That's what I think, anyway.

[gundhamster]

[That seems to strike a particular nerve.]

You speak as if humanity had any fairness to begin with. Such notions are laughable for a species that weaponizes faith, appearance, and wealth just as violently as any blade.

[wherethewindtakesme]

You do have a point. But not everyone lives like that, so you can't assume everyone also lacks fairness.

I believe in figuring that out by meeting and talking each person individually.

[gundhamster]

Even if we agreed on the inherent fairness of the institutions that govern humanity, none of those institutions survived the reign of the king. Society itself has crumbled into ruin, to the point that it's difficult to truly call what did survive anything resembling a nation, let alone any impartial method of judging.

[wherethewindtakesme]

[Gaius grows very quiet, thinking this over before responding.]

You've given this topic a lot more thought that I did.

I think...that if everything you say is true, then yes, it would be very difficult to find an impartial method of judging. It doesn't mean that whoever is left in this world can't try, though.

[gundhamster]

That's... fair.

[There's a pause as Gundham considers how much more he wants to say.]

I apologize if I seemed contrarian. As you say I've put... probably more thought into the hypothetical than I should have.

[wherethewindtakesme]

No, that's fine. It's good to consider such scenarios.

So if you don't mind, may I pose one to you and ask you what you think?