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

[angel_of_death]

Those "brave of soul" and "pure of heart" were requested to harvest crystals in order to repair a mirror in Celliwig. The requirements for obtaining said crystals were told to us beforehand. Obviously, those meeting or hoping to meet those requirements were the most likely to participate in each of the tasks. Our objective was to repair the mirror, not to showcase the variety of our natures.

[leicesters]

Ahh, that does seem a little unfair. Though, I suppose a city of both dark and light mages would value impure hearts as much as the pure ones, or cowardly ones as much as brave ones. But from our perspective there would have been little way of knowing that in advance.

I suppose we'll have to be more proactive about learning about who and what we're dealing with, won't we? If we don't ask questions, we'll just keep muddling into more failures, because we're letting our own ways of thinking tie us down.

[angel_of_death]

Exactly. It's daft to assume others will automatically think from our perspective.

Consider this. These are their lands. We have been given refuge here, and a chance to set things right. Didn't humanity cause this mess? Didn't humanity bring them the Fisher King's curse? What reason do they have to trust us? What have humans brought them but trouble, even when claiming to have the best of intentions?

[leicesters]

Right, right! That's exactly my thinking. If we could just bring them to the negotiating table again, or even have some kind of ambassador to talk to us and vice versa, maybe we could hear their side of the story.

If we can win them over peacefully, we'll really have a shot at coming to a common understanding that way.

[angel_of_death]

...Hmn.

[The boy's look turns thoughtful.]

An ambassador might not be a bad idea...

[leicesters]

I've also been tossing around the idea of some kind of council, so we can appoint some of us otherworlder types to sit with Arthur and advise him in his decisions. That way, we can feel like we're having a say, but the king doesn't throw us all into chaos by making every big decision he takes a public vote.

If he appointed some fae and humans who live in Camelot, too, I feel like he would get the range of perspectives he needs.

[angel_of_death]

Why do I suddenly get the impression you have some experience in government affairs wherever you are from?

[Yes, he's giving the man a ribbing. But, there isn't any hostility behind the words.]

It's an idea.

[leicesters]

I'd say you might be right, or I'm just extremely enthusiastic at studying modes of government. I've been doing my homework here too, after all.

[What a helpful non-answer, Claude.]

I've already contacted Arthur to request an audience, so I think I'll pitch it to him.

[angel_of_death]

I look forward to hearing what His Majesty thinks of your proposal.

Do you get along with him?

[leicesters]

I haven't met him before. But if the stories are true about what sort of person he is, I anticipate we'll get along just fine.

[angel_of_death]

I expect you just might.

[The man has clearly given the problem a lot of thought. Walter is fairly certain that King Arthur will appreciate the man's attention to detail.]

[leicesters]

The vote of confidence is much appreciated, stranger! With any luck, the talks will wind up being constructive all around.

[angel_of_death]

Then I will wish you luck.

Cheerio, stranger. Don't forget to read up on the fae.