video; un: stargazer

[leicesters]

[Once things have calmed down with the doppelgangers and the vorest forest, there's something else left to be addressed. So, Claude addresses the network.]

Hi friends! Claude here. I haven't met most of you yet, so I suppose this would be a good time to say "nice to meet you", too. Hope your mirror images were nice to you and not... you know.

[Claude's sitting indoors by a sunny window in his treehouse apartment, his small white wyvern familiar snoozing beside him.]

As eager as I am to get to know everyone, what I actually wanted to talk about was the situation with Elphame. Since Arthur dumped the decision on what to do on our shoulders, we'd better figure out how to cast our votes.

For my part, based on past relations between Elphame and Camelot, invading Celliwig is out of the question. Humans and fae have waged wars here in the past, and it's taken a lot of effort to earn the peace they have now. Camelot has even been making strides to learn about fae and coexist peacefully with them. Given Celliwig is our best chance for communication, attacking would be completely counterproductive. Even if we did, there's no guarantee we'd succeed, so why risk it?

That said, direct negotiation hasn't worked either, so our two remaining options are to focus on slowly building up trust via trade links, or deal with matters on Celliwig's terms and accept their trials. Honestly, I'm not clear on the details on that, so if someone who knows more could get the rest of us up to speed, by all means...?

[He trails off with a shrug, then gives a sheepish smile.]

Anyway, I've waffled on for a while now! Long story short, I think our peaceful options are really the best shot we have at this, it's just a matter of deciding which is best. I'm really not interested in letting a violent old history repeat itself. Feel free to pitch in with your own thoughts... Maybe we can even come up with something better than what's already being proposed.

[He gives a lazy wave, before ending the feed.]


[ooc: threadjacking is welcome and encouraged! go wild]

Comments

un: stargazer; text

[leicesters]

Hey Claire! I definitely think the trials would be more effective, given their whole purpose would be to prove our worth.

But I also have no idea what those trials entail, whether we'd succeed, or whether or not they'd be a trap, given we've pretty much made public a possibility of invasion. Any thoughts?

[cameprepared]

Trials as a trap isn't something I'd rule out. There's clearly bad blood between Camelot and Elphame and taking out "new champions" or whatever could be an goal. If only to ward off the possibility of invasion, you know. An invasion they'd expect, regardless, most likely.

Trade seems like the best bet to proving our worth over time while not risking anyone?

But then maybe I'm just a chicken that likes to play it safe.

[leicesters]

No, I understand. I tend to err on the side of caution, too. In this case, however, we don't have time on our side, so I wonder if this is a gamble we just have to take, for those willing to do so.

[cameprepared]

Maybe. Have you looked much into their culture? Any insights on what the challenges might be?

[leicesters]

Celliwig is a city of master light and dark mages, so my first guess would be something related to illusions or curses? It might need a little thinking outside the box on our part, too -- the whole reason the city sealed itself away in the first place seemed to be because they were tired of humans behaving as though their way was always the righteous path.

I think as long as we're willing to keep an open mind and compromise, instead of stubbornly clinging to our own way of seeing things, maybe we can all meet somewhere in the middle.

[cameprepared]

Well, I'm not bad at curses. But I don't think I'd call myself a master or anything.

I can get behind walking a mile in a Fae's shoes. That seems like something we should be doing anyway. If we want them as allies, then that's the first step. Really, should be the first step in any negotiation.

[leicesters]

You'd think that, but many people would much rather stubbornly cling to their own beliefs than take another's into consideration. And if anyone disagrees or gets in their way, they'd rather mow them down.

Humans seem to have that reputation here, too. But with so many people working together from so many worlds, I'd like to think we can show the fae it's possible to change things for the better.

[cameprepared]

Yeah well people are dumb.

We need to work together, because if we don't, then what are we doing here? We're just invaders.

[leicesters]

Yes. And if we waste too much time squabbling amongst ourselves, we'll lose sight of the true threat. I'd rather not let that happen.

[cameprepared]

Same, same.
The real problem is the cataclysm, of course.

But there's also the worry of overstaying our welcome.

[leicesters]

Fairies are old creatures, so I'm not worried about that part just yet. Our coming and going here would be like the blink of an eye to most of them.

[cameprepared]

I mean more with the humans here. We are outsiders.

Fae are going to be what they are going to be. I've gathered that much.

[leicesters]

That's true. So long as they know we're here to help them, not to cause more trouble for them, I think we can continue to get along.