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Post by Ezeze on Apr 22, 2018 8:50:12 GMT -8
Ubisek looks over to Nak'skree. "Did she now?" Nak'skree blushes deeply and drops to her knees again. "Forgive me, my lord. I...I was careless!" "She wanted to boast of the wisdom of her chieftain" Katya remarks, the smile on her lips indicating that she is teasing. It fades when she returns to more serious topics "I had hoped to hear more about that from you. Where you were, and how you escaped..." Katya thinks of what little she knows of geography from the temple maps. She's never traveled outside of Buho before, but where could he be talking about when he says he was kept as a slave in Tardish speaking lands to the West?
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Post by Daos on Apr 22, 2018 12:28:12 GMT -8
"Indeed, I feel we've heard enough from him for now," Ubisek says. He gestures to two of his men. "Take him back to the lair."
Brakk-Ni grumbles and complains loudly as the two goblins escort him away, into the forest. "I won't forgive this injustice! I'll have my revenge!" he swears.
"It was...a long time ago," Ubisek says. "To the west, there is a large ridge. At the bottom of that ridge are a series of mines. I do not believe all of them are slave run, but this one in particular was."
"That sounds like...Dragon's Wall," Garnet says. "In Dragonwine County. It's a little over 300 miles to the west."
"Yes, I believe that is what it was called," Ubisek agrees. "I was initially brought to Deteris, though, and sold there. The person who bought me was a human lord who ran the mine. He found it cheaper to buy slaves than pay his own workers. The entire mine was filled with goblins, orcs, ogres and other peoples that villkru consider...ah, what is the term they use again?"
"Humanoids," Finbul supplies. "It means 'vaguely resembling humans.' As opposed to Lillian's, Garnet's and my own peoples, who are known as Demi-Humans, which means 'sort of human.' Funny how humans categorize every living thing by how much they look like themselves."
"Indeed. Yes, it was filled with 'humanoids," Ubisek continues. "Because we were cheap and easily replaced, many of us were worked to death. Sometimes they would even breed us, to create new, free slaves. The human lord even had a half-orc child, and she faced his whip more than any of us." He shakes his head. "We got out by working together. There were far more of us than there were villkru wardens. I was able to convince the various slaves to put aside their own petty differences and work together. We staged a revolt, killed the masters, and escaped before reinforcements could be sent. We scattered like the wind, and I made my way back here, to my people."
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Post by HorizonsDream on Apr 22, 2018 15:29:44 GMT -8
It is on the tip of Ladonna's tongue to ask what Ubisek's plans are, considering that he managed to unite a whole bunch of different races to escape from being a slave, but she decides that it is best not to ask that question. Though, his story reminds her that Unisek clearly has his own plans.
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Post by notARobot on Apr 22, 2018 21:35:16 GMT -8
Theron clears his throat. "I think, then, that our business here is concluded?" A rising inflection at the end marks this as a question, and as he asks it he looks to his companions for confirmation.
Turning to the chieftain of the Woodfang tribe, Theron says, "I am glad we have been able to meet on good terms, Ubisek. We will faithfully recount what has transpired here to our leaders, and recommend that the truce between our people be upheld. And for both our sakes, I hope that you have correctly prognosticated the fate of the remaining Bloody Spears. Fare thee well."
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Post by GravityEmblem on Apr 23, 2018 3:35:24 GMT -8
"I wish you well, Ubisek," Lillian says in turn, bowing.
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Post by Ezeze on Apr 23, 2018 8:28:55 GMT -8
"Oh, just one more thing-" Katya adds when Theron asks if everyone is done.
"We haven't pressed Brakk-Ni for much in the way of information. He didn't seem likely to cooperate, and I wasn't willing to force the issue. Not while we intended to deliver him to you. When we found him he was meeting with an ogre named Thul. He said they were negotiating an alliance. I slew Thul in the fight. It would be good to know how far into negotiations they got, and whether we should expect a reprisal from the ogres."
She hesitates for a moment "if you do learn anything from him or in the coming months of infighting among the Bloody Spear my ranch would be easier - and less risky - for your scouts to reach than Buho proper. It's the horse ranch to the South West of town, outside of the thorn wall."
When the group does finally turn and leave Katya gets a few steps before she admits to Finbul; "I didn't know slavery was legal anywhere in Tardiff."
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Post by Daos on Apr 23, 2018 9:24:26 GMT -8
"Ogres? That is disquieting," Ubisek admits. "I will question Brakk-Ni on this. But for now, your job is done. I am sure you are eager to return to your families and rest. I wish you well in the future. Farewell."
The party starts making their way back to the village. It's getting dark, but the village itself is lit up and easy enough to spot, even as the moons and stars come out. It should only take an hour or so to reach it.
"Only under certain conditions," Finbul replies. "Humanoids can be enslaved legally for any reason. During war, enemy soldiers and civilians that are captured can also be legally enslaved, so long as they aren't of noble birth. People who have been convicted of a crime and imprisoned can be used for slave labor. Indentured servitude is also legal, which some would argue isn't slavery. But I disagree on that, personally."
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Post by GravityEmblem on Apr 23, 2018 10:03:42 GMT -8
"That's absolutely awful," Lillian says, shocked. "You have no right to enslave someone simply because they're different from you. I've heard people defend their actions in that regard by labeling them as 'evil,' but not only are not all of those beings necessarily evil-Ubisek being a prime example-often that 'evil' started as backlash after years of discrimination."
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Post by Ezeze on Apr 23, 2018 10:30:33 GMT -8
After Finbul and Lillian speak Katya falls quiet for a little while, mulling over their words. Ubisek had said everyone responsible for his slavery was dead. She pondered whether that included the lord who had purchased him, whether or not his children still held his title, and whether they continued their father's practices...
Her expression is dark and unsettling.
The group nearly has the city walls in view before she thinks to mention;
"-We've been through a lot, but I still think we should keep the details of what happened in the swamp to ourselves. We can say we found the bodies of the lost squad and Finbul buried them beneath the roots of a tree. Everything else we can be absolutely truthful about. This, though... We would do more harm than good telling everyone that they died filled with hate and fear, thinking that they had failed Buho."
She studies the faces around her for agreement. Everyone needs to be in on this or it will fall apart.
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Post by Daos on Apr 24, 2018 14:02:02 GMT -8
"Yeah, that's...uh, that's right," Finbul says, clearly surprised to hear such rhetoric coming from someone other than himself.
"You are asking us...to lie?" asks Ingot.
"Don't think of it as a lie," Finbul says. "Think of it more as just leaving out unnecessary details."
"A lie of omission...is still a lie. It is an act...of deception," Ingot says, "a sin against Gonto. Is it...not?" he asks, his all white eyes turning to Katya.
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Post by HorizonsDream on Apr 24, 2018 16:55:29 GMT -8
"It wouldn't be a lie to say that the people we found in the swamp died bravely," Ladonna points out. "Whatever might have happened to them, they still fought bravely until the very end, for the sake of Buho. As far as the people of Buho are concerned, that is all that they need to know. Telling them otherwise would only cause more harm to the emotional wellbeing of the people of Buho."
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Post by GravityEmblem on Apr 24, 2018 17:02:34 GMT -8
"Think of it this way, Ingot," Lillian says. "Imagine a friend, or even a family member, a known soldier, has been missing for quite a while. You don't want to lose hope, but you can't help feeling the gnawing ache within you that they just might be dead. When you finally get the news you've been dreading to get for so long, do you think you would be ready to hear that their corpse was reanimated into an unnatural semblance of life?"
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Post by Daos on Apr 24, 2018 17:20:28 GMT -8
"But why would my...feelings matter? Is the truth...not more important?" Ingot asks.
"Probably can't make an emotional appeal to a guy with a heart of stone," Jherek comments.
"My heart...is not made of stone," Ingot corrects.
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Post by GravityEmblem on Apr 24, 2018 17:53:58 GMT -8
"He means it metaphorically, Ingot," Lillian explains. "He's saying that you don't feel emotions as strongly as others. Anyway, it's not necessarily best to use truth here. There are no consequences for omitting it, and telling it would only hurt people more. I understand you don't fully comprehend emotions, but not everyone is like you in that regard, Ingot."
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Post by Ezeze on Apr 24, 2018 18:35:19 GMT -8
Katya lets Ladonna and Lillian do her arguing for her. It's nice to have them on her side this time.
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