This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Nico throws a taunt to the Imperial soldiers - who respond with a mixture of scowling indignation and fear.
Hearing the command of their general and seeing the fire winding around Erbert's hands, the frightened Imperials still alive throw down their weapons and shout cries of mercy.
A bloodied laugh rings through the air as Gaz wipes the blood from his eyes. “I’ve never given up, not when my tribe was slaughtered by Imperials, not when I was outnumbered ten to one - and I sure as hell am not giving up here!” Gaz laughs, setting down his spear and flexing well-muscled arms as he slowly approaches the General as a cat would a cornered mouse.
The Wilderlings hold their spears to the trembling necks of the guards, glancing between Gaz, the party, and the General.
An indecisive Wilderling wearing a glimmering, gold-chained symbol around her neck rushes forwards and places a hand on Gaz’s shoulder. Some of the man’s wounds close. Cure Wounds; 3
Gaz stops a pace before the General, sneers, and turns towards the party.”Look, you lot aren’t all bad, and I’m not an idiot - we’d die if we fought you now, but you must understand, we have an agenda to fulfill. We were lured into a meeting by this charming Imp - they promised me my ‘crimes on the Imperium’ would be pardoned with a talk. I should’ve known it was a trap, but I was hopeful. Regarding the crimes?” Gaz sneers. “They said I butchered a whole Imperial camp in the Pakora woods one day. What really happened was my nomadic tribe being enslaved and tortured by Imperial soldiers with nothing to do. I just decided to repay the favor on those who deserved it, like these idiots here. If you’ll excuse me - I’d like to avenge the innocents slaughtered by this…trap.” Gaz gestures to the Wilderlings lying slain on the ground.
The Imperial General nervously swallows. “I’m only following orders. All my soldiers here are nothing but conscripts. They don’t want to be here. They’ve done nothing wrong - we’re told what we’re told, that you’re a murderer and anarchist.”
“At least I think about what I’m doing and don’t mindlessly follow orders.”
"That's your reasoning for betraying your own people and joining the colonizers?" Alabaster steps forward, his blood stained blade pointed at the Imperial General's chest. "Who do they think they are? That they can just waltz onto our land, and act like they are the ones in charge? Even if there were a murderer, a criminal, us Wilderlings deal with Wilderlings. The Imperials arrest no one and execute no one."
He narrows his eyes dangerously. "Oh, really? You think your lives are saved because you joined the Imps? What do you think will happen after the Imperials take over? Let me tell you. They are going to kill the last one of us, then they are going to brainwash you, they are going to destroy the every piece of the evidence that the Wilderlings ever existed, they are going to send your children to residential schools, they are going to assimilate our culture, they'll forbid you to ever speak of our religions, our magic, and our traditions. They are going to wring the last bit of the Wilderlings out of you when they are claimed the victor. Is this what you want to see? Because if so, then you are not one of us, and you deserve it as much as the next Imperial."
He tosses a glance at Gaz. "I think we ought to send the Imperials a message."
Well, whatever. At least the children's quarrel ended. Iver stows his blades, wary of Gaz in case he will decide to "repay the favour" on him. Then, he turns his attention to Alabaster and his speech. Great, another one of those for whom hatred seems to outweigh reason. Iver quickly moves in front of the Imperial soldiers. "Nobody is sending anyone a message. Enough with this foolish conflict. If you kill those, they will only send more soldiers after him, after you. An eye for an eye just makes you all blind, and the more you watch with your eyes the less you see." He closes his eyes, fully aware of the situation. "With all due respect, Wilderlings aren't all innocent either. You're not victims, only the opposing blade. Since neither side is capable of delivering the final blow, they should just drop their blades before both sides bleed out. Nobody stands victorious at the end of a war of attrition."
"'The opposing blade'?" Alabaster growls. "The Imperials came onto our land. They destroyed our home. They killed our people. They invaded us. They want to control us and take away everything they can. The only thing we did was to fight back. If you want the war to be over, why don't you tell the Imps to blast off to wherever they came from? Everything was going fine until the Imps set foot on our land. They started the war, not us."
"They started. I used to say that when I was a little boy, justifying whatever it is I've done. I don't know how you were raised, but my parents didn't care. I'd get reprimanded either way. They taught me how one should behave themselves, and I'm glad they did." He stops, wary not to anger those around. Shall they decide to be done with this Halfling, he's got little to no chance to emerge victoriously. "Now, I don't know why you think the Imperium is here to control you. I remember when I was taught the history of this place. They came for the resources, which you might or might not accept, but at least know what you're speaking of. You also say everything was fine before the Imperium came, but the Wilderlings have had territorial fights long before the Imperium came. The only difference is that there's a new kid in town, so everyone turned their swords at him. Enough playing the victim here. Everyone is guilty of the situation we currently have, but not everyone has to be guilty of maintaining it."
Thea exhales deeply as she watches the battle finally die down. A little beside herself, she looks at her own, gloved hand still raised in the air to cast the next spell. She continues to look at her hand and begins to frown, as she finally recognizes that shes trembling. Her eyes refocus, shifting from her hand to take in the massacre that is the battlefield before her. Thea feels her head slump down, and she quickly hides her quivering hand by snatching some loose strands of hair that fell into her face during the battle. She looks up, exhausted now that the adrenaline rush accompanying the imminent danger of death has faded, and realizes that people are still talking.
How people could still argue in face of such a tragedy was beyond her, until she picked up on the tone. She looked at Iver and Alabaster and, without really noticing it happening, began slowly shaking her head. As if in denial. Thea opened her mouth but managed no audible sound. It took her a couple of tries until she finally felt her voice resurface. Quiet, barely more than a mumbling at first, her voice slowly regained its full strength. "Both of you should know that it's not that simple. And both of you should realize that this is not the time to be having such arguments. You," Thea looked to the halfling first, her eyes searching his, "don't get to downplay our losses. Yes, the Wilderlings have always had their rivalries, infighting here and there, but we always respected everyone's ways. In the end, we've always been a community." With a harsh gesture, she points to the defeated soldiers. "Until this plague showed up. These people have no respect for our traditions, for the way we conduct ourselfs. No empathy, no decency. All these people know is the law of the strongest, and how to take things. The Imperials came here to ransack everything, our forests and our homes, and the only language they understood was violence.
Why do you think the only territory they hold is the Zavas's? Coz they're the farmers. The peaceful, the frugal people. The ones that got slaughtered because they couldn't defend themselves. You saw what happened a couple of days ago at the Zavas's, you saw how they 'treated' me here. To the empire, everyone not on their side is an enemy, and anyone who does not accept their superiority is a target. Tell me then, why shouldn't they" and now she gestures from Alabaster to Gaz, "repay them the same way? What right do you have to tell people who lost their kin to these butchers to not seek revenge?" Thea sighs. Feeling her inner turmoil gasp for air, she paused for a moment. Noticeably though, throughout her whole tirade, she remained consistent with the way she addressed everyone. Not a single time did she say 'you', or bundle Iver or Herrena up with the imperials. Next, Thea looks over to Alabaster. "Sadly, that's exactly the reason that I won't allow any further bloodshed. Because whatever they might call us - with their brick houses, their steel boots, their genocides - we're not savages. Don't let yourself drop down to their level. Killing this scum won't change the imperials being here, and as this guy said." she says with, kicking her foot towards the leader, "they're just following orders. Its their leaders that are the problem. And if you kill this bunch, they're only going to send more in here. In the end, we'll just have more innocents that suffer, and everyone thinks they can justify their killings 'coz the other side did it first." Thea slowly paces over to Alabaster. Carefully, she makes her way around some corpses on the way, her steps hesitant. Then she places a hand on his shoulder, locking eyes with him. "You're bigger than this." , she mutters, her voice weirdly fragile as if she was a lost child asking for directions where to go. Thea looks into the distance for a moment, her gaze distant, clearly lost in memory. Then she snaps out of it. Returning back to the here and now, her voice whipping through the air with a tone as if grinding stone, as she looks at Gaz and the Wilderlings. "And the same goes for you. But I feel like my words are lost on you lot. The actions you take only lead to more innocents losing their lifes or their loved ones."
Finally, Thea steps back from Alabaster and then a couple of steps more, until she can see everyone out on the clearing from where she is standing. "I'm with Erbert on here. This fight is over, and I will not stand by and watch as you turn this into a slaughter. Leave, both of you," she demands from both the Wilderlings and the imperials, "whatever death toll you were out for should have been covered by this idiocy. And you," Thea says as she gazes over the soldiers, "should remember who showed you some compassion here, the next time you lift your weapon to strike one of our people down." With that she looks up, her eyes staring hard, challenging anyone intent to continue the killing.
After Malon had scurried away, a lot of things started to happen. Lots of voices raising over one another. Malon does not move for some time. In fact, he hears them all but ... understanding the fighting is over for now, he takes advantage to hide a little, holding his head between his hands, trembling and softly sobbing. All those extreme emotions around him added to his intense adrenaline upon acting have taken their toll on him, and he needs a longer moment breathing deeply before he's calmed down, just as he is listening to the different voicings of opinions.
Finally overcoming his weakness, he manages to get on his feet, though he is still trembling. He observes all those who talked, Nico, Alabaster, Iver, Thea, Gaz, the General. As he passes, he briefly puts a friendly hand on Alabaster's shoulders, just as the woman with Elven blood just did.
"I know you have your own reasons to hate them ... and maybe I should, too ... but we are better than murderers."
He gives a faint smile and walks closer to the group of gathered people. His eyes are still reddened as he studies people around, and compared to the average volume of the late conversation, his shy, gentle voice makes a huge contrast. Adding to that his somewhat short stature, his is probably not of the most impressive display, yet talk he does, albeit being much more concise than her.
"I helped fighting because ... I thought I saw injustice, but ... but I won't take part in a cold-blood slaughter."
He gulps, somewhat intimidated at talking in front of a, well, crowd of sort, as he glances towards Thea. He nods at her, showing succintly that he is ready to take her side.
Well this turned out to be a real mess... At least the fighting finally stopped, Herrena thought to herself as she listened to everyone talk. She didn't quite agree with what everyone was saying, but it didn't seem like the time or place to bring it up. Assuming that the others had the situation under control, she moved over to the soldier she knocked unconscious to check on him. And at least he's still breathing - if a bit faintly. His friends though, not so much... she noted seeing only dead Imperium soldiers lying on the ground, some meeting rather gruesome ends. She wrinkled her nose at the sight
Kneeling down besides the unconscious man, she placed her hands on his back before quietly whispering a healing chant her Master had taught her to revive him. "Hey. It's time to get up and go. This fight is over." she told him not unkindly after waking before waiting to see how the rest of the scene played out.
Erbert nods as Thea is talking, as the discussion goes longer, he slowly lets the ball of flame dissipate from his hands. "Exactly. I will not be a part of a slaughter. All of you need to leave this and go on home. Perhaps the wilderlings should take some of their armor and weapons, to even the odds." He walks over to the soldiers, "Think about who you are following. Think about this day. Remember it. You can do many other things, you don't need to follow the likes of this one." He nudges the General with his foot.
"What do we do with you? I don't know. When we release you, you'll go after them even harder, you would have murdered these people if we didn't step in. I don't know if our words will sway your heart however. So, what should we do?" Erbert pauses to consider, looking to the others, seeking a resolution.
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A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"Are you seriously making excuses for these invaders?" Alabaster bites out, his filed canines flashing with undercurrent menace, his eyes hard on Iver. "I don't know what kind of propaganda crap the Imperials have been shoving down your throat, - if they wanted the resources, why don't they trade? Why don't they reach out and make a deal with us? Because all they wanted to do was to take, and take, and they don't want to give anything in return. They don't see us as people. They see us as obstacles in their way to wealth and power. They've already taken over Zava, and you think they'll stop there? No, they'll keep going until none of us is left and they can claim all these land as their own. 'A new kid on the block'? Is this how you call a robber who took your home and then kicked you onto the street?
"Guess what, no one is a perfect victim. Just because we're not perfect, doesn't mean we deserve to be slaughtered, and have our home taken from us."
His eyes move, from the halfling to Thea. In the rage, his eyes are almost golden, faintly glowing with the light of a predator in the shadows of the night. He watches her, and feels her touch. A crack seems to appear in his piercing eyes, like glass splitting. His blade still trained on the Imperial general, and the golden glow of his eyes slowly fades, the rage drifting away from him and back to the earth, where they belong. "You are wrong if you think we show them mercy, they'll show us the same." He says lowly.
He flings his double-bladed back onto his back, and feels a familiar weight on his shoulder. He turns and sees Malon's concerned face, and holds out his hand for him to clasp it. "Thanks for the help, Mal." He says with a tight smile.
"Everyone picks sides." He eyes the rest. "There's no middle ground. The middle ground only means you're siding with the oppressors."
"What do we do with you? I don't know. When we release you, you'll go after them even harder, you would have murdered these people if we didn't step in. I don't know if our words will sway your heart however. So, what should we do?" Erbert pauses to consider, looking to the others, seeking a resolution.
"They Imperials would have murdered him if we didn't step in." Alabaster corrects harshly. "So you worry about what he will do. But you have no problem letting the Imperials go, even though they may go after Gaz after. What gives?"
Erbert considers, and says "What I am wondering is if anyone here can change their mind, put down their swords and stop killing each other. Gaz, that means you too." He turns to the general and says "Which leaves you, though. I feel like you are saying whatever you need to say in order to get out of here alive, regroup, and then attack again. I am against the senseless slaughter of people who are trying to surrender, but you.. you sound like you have committed war crimes, and should be tried for such and there should be appropriate punishment. Perhaps you have done enough that it should mean that you should pay for it with your life. But it is not for me to judge." He turns back to the rest of the party, considering. He sends Hoppy up in the air, circling around, looking to make sure they are alone, that there are no other signs of movement in the area, no additional soldiers.
Hoppy Perception : 5 , passive perception 13.
As all of the talking is happening, Erbert slowly walks over to where each of the imperials dropped their weapons, starts to pick up swords and spears and put them in a big pile away from everyone, handling each one of them like he is handling a turd.
"They, they, they... propaganda? No. Why don't you simply exchange they for you? Pure Imperial blood runs through my vains." At this point, the Halfling's no longer sure for his safety, and his confidence leaves him, even if the words keep coming out one after another. Killing people based on where they were born was not something he could let slide. "And it is not propaganda, stories, myths or anything else I was told, but my own life that I've experienced. It was the Wilderlings - not the Imperium - who captured me in my youth. A boy who hadn't even wrapped his fingers around a proper blade once, taken only because he was born in a different place. It was the Wilderlings - not the Imperium - who locked me underground, forced me to fight for my life against others who were in no better state, just to provide you with some entertainment." He's breathing heavily, as bringing up his past finally broke his wary, perhaps calm demeanor, and now he's all heated up. "Do you have any idea how many I've killed - how many others have killed - just to entertain those twisted minds of yours? Just because they knew it was either kill or die, even if neither side really wanted to kill the other?
"I'd been kept there, in the darkness, for more than a decade. Do you know what it feels like to see nothing at all for so long? Long enough for one to learn how to feel everything around them with every sense other than their sight? Test me. My eyes are closed, yet I see all of you perfectly. Make a gesture behind your back and I'll see it. So, after that long in there, when I was finally released, I imagined those days are over. Nobody should die for a twisted reason anymore. But, then, what do I find on the surface? Murderers, killers. Everyone hates one another based on their origin alone. Everyone claim to have gone through tragedies, but if you seek more tragedies, clearly you have not been through enough." The last sentences are said to none in particular, and to everyone at once. "I will not blame you for fighting for your freedom, even though I disagree with the way you do it. Yet, nobody here will be harmed. Not even one. Not while I'm standing here. None of us here is an executioner. None of us holds any authority here. None of us gets to decide who lives and who dies."
Erbert keeps taking swords, spears and placing them in a pile. He goes up to the wilderlings who snatched up weapons and gently takes their weapon, goes and puts it on the pile. He ends with Gaz, staring at him solemnly in the face, the small gnome, gently tugging on his sword and if he allows, taking it and putting it on the pile.
If all of this goes as planned, the following happens.
Erbert casts create bonfire on the 5 foot square where the weapons are, burning up the wooden handles and turning them incredibly hot.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Alabaster cranes his neck, sees Nico’s little gesture, and can’t help but give a lopsided grin.
“That’s a touching speech. But should I remind you if it weren’t for those rapacious Imperials who can’t leave other people alone, you wouldn’t be here in the first place? They could’ve stayed home peacefully, instead they chose to start a war on our land. So you tell me who’s to be blame.
”The Imperials knew their people will die if they start a war. They knew their people will get hurt if they start a war. And then? They didn’t care. As long as they can get what they want. You were their sacrifice. So what a hundred Imperium people would die? A thousand? A small price to pay for their victory.
“None will be harmed. Yeahh, right. That’s very noble of you. I happen to remember just two seconds ago you were trying pretty hard to kill Gaz over here. Seems to me you’re just flipping the narrative whenever it suits you. By you, I mean the Imperials. Can’t believe you’re still sticking to their side when they didn’t even give a crap about you.”
"I am a soldier in the grand scheme of a war. I do not give the commands. Do you think any of us wants to do the work we do?" The General scowls, removes his helmet, and throws it to the ground. The remaining Wilderlings make quick work of stripping the Imperials of their weapons and gear. "You assume we're here of our own will. No - most of us are street rats and orphans from the Imperial capital overseas. We're here now, told we would simply be scouting woods." The General sighs, though steel remains in his eyes.
Gaz's laughter rings through the clearing. He casts a respectful nod towards Alabaster. "This one understands what we've been through. There's no winners in this conflict - we've all already lost, and I'll be damned if I let the Imperials off easy with what they've done. I'm a rebel, what can I say? I used to be with the Outcasts, though I've seen to much blood for their mostly self-serving ways."
Gaz flashes a bloody smile towards Erbert as the weapons burn. He gives up his own spear without question. Rather than the gesture being honest, it seems purposefully intimidating for some way. Gaz clearly didn't need a weapon to rip the throats of two Imperial soldiers.
The wounds of the soldier Herrena whispered a spell of healing towards fade with the spell. The man's eyes flutter open as a bloodied cough breaches his lips. "What? I, uh - what happened?" he mutters, confused with the revival. He scampers back and hastily stands before his eyes widen at the carnage. He casts a thankful glance towards Herrena before he seems overcome with emotion. Almost as if in a daze, he slowly wanders around, calling the names of the fallen, generic, Imperial guards, occasionally rifling through their pockets and picking out trinkets or pieces of parchment on occasion.
(Thea, Erbert, Alabaster, and Iver, as well as anyone else attempting to influence NPC behavior incase I missed anyone, please roll Persuasion checks.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"But I was fighting to stop the fighting, with the least possinpe casualties, while you tried to end the fight with as many casualties as possible."Then, Iver turns around and flips the bird back at Nico, though not in a rude way, rather just to prove his words. (Blind Fighting fighting style. Can effectively see anything within 10'.)
(This is the part where Iver fails because of his low Cha, but I guess it fita the scene, in the end.) Persuasion: 6.
"I am a soldier in the grand scheme of a war. I do not give the commands. Do you think any of us wants to do the work we do?" The General scowls, removes his helmet, and throws it to the ground. The remaining Wilderlings make quick work of stripping the Imperials of their weapons and gear. "You assume we're here of our own will. No - most of us are street rats and orphans from the Imperial capital overseas. We're here now, told we would simply be scouting woods." The General sighs, though steel remains in his eyes.
"Yeah, like I said." Alabaster says with a sardonic smile. "The Imperium cares crap about you. You think they'll bat an eye if we kill you right here and now? You follow their orders, do what they tell you to do, and for what?"
"But I was fighting to stop the fighting, with the least possinpe casualties, while you tried to end the fight with as many casualties as possible."
"Ah. So for you, it's about numbers, and not justice. Here's an offer. You want the war to end with the least possible casualties? There are fewer Imperials on this land than Wilderlings right now. What do you say we kill all the Imperials and put an end to the war, once and for all?
"The fight won't end. Not until one side loses. If everyone stops fighting now, what of the Zavas land that Imperials took over? Who's going to convince them to give it back to us? Are you? Or are you just going to tell us to suck it up and live with it? Hah. I guess it's easy to be generous on someone else's behalf."
Persuasion: 12
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Nico throws a taunt to the Imperial soldiers - who respond with a mixture of scowling indignation and fear.
Hearing the command of their general and seeing the fire winding around Erbert's hands, the frightened Imperials still alive throw down their weapons and shout cries of mercy.
Wilderling1(21/11/12),Wilderling2(21/11/12),Wilderling3(21/11/12),WilderlingAcolyte(21/9/10)(BLESS),Iver(16),Alabaster(14),Thea(11),Herrena(9),Malon(8),General(7/10/17),Erbert(6),Soldier8(6/0/16)(UNCONSCIOUS),Soldier9(6/8/16),Soldier10(6/11/16),Soldier11(6/11/16),Nico(5),Gaz(5/11/13)
A bloodied laugh rings through the air as Gaz wipes the blood from his eyes. “I’ve never given up, not when my tribe was slaughtered by Imperials, not when I was outnumbered ten to one - and I sure as hell am not giving up here!” Gaz laughs, setting down his spear and flexing well-muscled arms as he slowly approaches the General as a cat would a cornered mouse.
The Wilderlings hold their spears to the trembling necks of the guards, glancing between Gaz, the party, and the General.
An indecisive Wilderling wearing a glimmering, gold-chained symbol around her neck rushes forwards and places a hand on Gaz’s shoulder. Some of the man’s wounds close. Cure Wounds; 3
Gaz stops a pace before the General, sneers, and turns towards the party.”Look, you lot aren’t all bad, and I’m not an idiot - we’d die if we fought you now, but you must understand, we have an agenda to fulfill. We were lured into a meeting by this charming Imp - they promised me my ‘crimes on the Imperium’ would be pardoned with a talk. I should’ve known it was a trap, but I was hopeful. Regarding the crimes?” Gaz sneers. “They said I butchered a whole Imperial camp in the Pakora woods one day. What really happened was my nomadic tribe being enslaved and tortured by Imperial soldiers with nothing to do. I just decided to repay the favor on those who deserved it, like these idiots here. If you’ll excuse me - I’d like to avenge the innocents slaughtered by this…trap.” Gaz gestures to the Wilderlings lying slain on the ground.
The Imperial General nervously swallows. “I’m only following orders. All my soldiers here are nothing but conscripts. They don’t want to be here. They’ve done nothing wrong - we’re told what we’re told, that you’re a murderer and anarchist.”
“At least I think about what I’m doing and don’t mindlessly follow orders.”
Wilderling1(21/11/12),Wilderling2(21/11/12),Wilderling3(21/11/12),WilderlingAcolyte(21/9/10)(BLESS),Iver(16),Alabaster(14),Thea(11),Herrena(9),Malon(8),General(7/10/17),Erbert(6),Soldier8(6/0/16)(UNCONSCIOUS),Soldier9(6/8/16),Soldier10(6/11/16),Soldier11(6/11/16),Nico(5),Gaz(5/15/13)
"That's your reasoning for betraying your own people and joining the colonizers?" Alabaster steps forward, his blood stained blade pointed at the Imperial General's chest. "Who do they think they are? That they can just waltz onto our land, and act like they are the ones in charge? Even if there were a murderer, a criminal, us Wilderlings deal with Wilderlings. The Imperials arrest no one and execute no one."
He narrows his eyes dangerously. "Oh, really? You think your lives are saved because you joined the Imps? What do you think will happen after the Imperials take over? Let me tell you. They are going to kill the last one of us, then they are going to brainwash you, they are going to destroy the every piece of the evidence that the Wilderlings ever existed, they are going to send your children to residential schools, they are going to assimilate our culture, they'll forbid you to ever speak of our religions, our magic, and our traditions. They are going to wring the last bit of the Wilderlings out of you when they are claimed the victor. Is this what you want to see? Because if so, then you are not one of us, and you deserve it as much as the next Imperial."
He tosses a glance at Gaz. "I think we ought to send the Imperials a message."
Well, whatever. At least the children's quarrel ended. Iver stows his blades, wary of Gaz in case he will decide to "repay the favour" on him. Then, he turns his attention to Alabaster and his speech. Great, another one of those for whom hatred seems to outweigh reason. Iver quickly moves in front of the Imperial soldiers. "Nobody is sending anyone a message. Enough with this foolish conflict. If you kill those, they will only send more soldiers after him, after you. An eye for an eye just makes you all blind, and the more you watch with your eyes the less you see." He closes his eyes, fully aware of the situation. "With all due respect, Wilderlings aren't all innocent either. You're not victims, only the opposing blade. Since neither side is capable of delivering the final blow, they should just drop their blades before both sides bleed out. Nobody stands victorious at the end of a war of attrition."
Varielky
"'The opposing blade'?" Alabaster growls. "The Imperials came onto our land. They destroyed our home. They killed our people. They invaded us. They want to control us and take away everything they can. The only thing we did was to fight back. If you want the war to be over, why don't you tell the Imps to blast off to wherever they came from? Everything was going fine until the Imps set foot on our land. They started the war, not us."
"They started. I used to say that when I was a little boy, justifying whatever it is I've done. I don't know how you were raised, but my parents didn't care. I'd get reprimanded either way. They taught me how one should behave themselves, and I'm glad they did." He stops, wary not to anger those around. Shall they decide to be done with this Halfling, he's got little to no chance to emerge victoriously. "Now, I don't know why you think the Imperium is here to control you. I remember when I was taught the history of this place. They came for the resources, which you might or might not accept, but at least know what you're speaking of. You also say everything was fine before the Imperium came, but the Wilderlings have had territorial fights long before the Imperium came. The only difference is that there's a new kid in town, so everyone turned their swords at him. Enough playing the victim here. Everyone is guilty of the situation we currently have, but not everyone has to be guilty of maintaining it."
Varielky
Thea exhales deeply as she watches the battle finally die down. A little beside herself, she looks at her own, gloved hand still raised in the air to cast the next spell. She continues to look at her hand and begins to frown, as she finally recognizes that shes trembling. Her eyes refocus, shifting from her hand to take in the massacre that is the battlefield before her. Thea feels her head slump down, and she quickly hides her quivering hand by snatching some loose strands of hair that fell into her face during the battle. She looks up, exhausted now that the adrenaline rush accompanying the imminent danger of death has faded, and realizes that people are still talking.
How people could still argue in face of such a tragedy was beyond her, until she picked up on the tone. She looked at Iver and Alabaster and, without really noticing it happening, began slowly shaking her head. As if in denial. Thea opened her mouth but managed no audible sound. It took her a couple of tries until she finally felt her voice resurface. Quiet, barely more than a mumbling at first, her voice slowly regained its full strength. "Both of you should know that it's not that simple. And both of you should realize that this is not the time to be having such arguments. You," Thea looked to the halfling first, her eyes searching his, "don't get to downplay our losses. Yes, the Wilderlings have always had their rivalries, infighting here and there, but we always respected everyone's ways. In the end, we've always been a community." With a harsh gesture, she points to the defeated soldiers. "Until this plague showed up. These people have no respect for our traditions, for the way we conduct ourselfs. No empathy, no decency. All these people know is the law of the strongest, and how to take things. The Imperials came here to ransack everything, our forests and our homes, and the only language they understood was violence.
Why do you think the only territory they hold is the Zavas's? Coz they're the farmers. The peaceful, the frugal people. The ones that got slaughtered because they couldn't defend themselves. You saw what happened a couple of days ago at the Zavas's, you saw how they 'treated' me here. To the empire, everyone not on their side is an enemy, and anyone who does not accept their superiority is a target. Tell me then, why shouldn't they" and now she gestures from Alabaster to Gaz, "repay them the same way? What right do you have to tell people who lost their kin to these butchers to not seek revenge?" Thea sighs. Feeling her inner turmoil gasp for air, she paused for a moment. Noticeably though, throughout her whole tirade, she remained consistent with the way she addressed everyone. Not a single time did she say 'you', or bundle Iver or Herrena up with the imperials. Next, Thea looks over to Alabaster. "Sadly, that's exactly the reason that I won't allow any further bloodshed. Because whatever they might call us - with their brick houses, their steel boots, their genocides - we're not savages. Don't let yourself drop down to their level. Killing this scum won't change the imperials being here, and as this guy said." she says with, kicking her foot towards the leader, "they're just following orders. Its their leaders that are the problem. And if you kill this bunch, they're only going to send more in here. In the end, we'll just have more innocents that suffer, and everyone thinks they can justify their killings 'coz the other side did it first." Thea slowly paces over to Alabaster. Carefully, she makes her way around some corpses on the way, her steps hesitant. Then she places a hand on his shoulder, locking eyes with him. "You're bigger than this." , she mutters, her voice weirdly fragile as if she was a lost child asking for directions where to go. Thea looks into the distance for a moment, her gaze distant, clearly lost in memory. Then she snaps out of it. Returning back to the here and now, her voice whipping through the air with a tone as if grinding stone, as she looks at Gaz and the Wilderlings. "And the same goes for you. But I feel like my words are lost on you lot. The actions you take only lead to more innocents losing their lifes or their loved ones."
Finally, Thea steps back from Alabaster and then a couple of steps more, until she can see everyone out on the clearing from where she is standing. "I'm with Erbert on here. This fight is over, and I will not stand by and watch as you turn this into a slaughter. Leave, both of you," she demands from both the Wilderlings and the imperials, "whatever death toll you were out for should have been covered by this idiocy. And you," Thea says as she gazes over the soldiers, "should remember who showed you some compassion here, the next time you lift your weapon to strike one of our people down." With that she looks up, her eyes staring hard, challenging anyone intent to continue the killing.
After Malon had scurried away, a lot of things started to happen. Lots of voices raising over one another. Malon does not move for some time. In fact, he hears them all but ... understanding the fighting is over for now, he takes advantage to hide a little, holding his head between his hands, trembling and softly sobbing. All those extreme emotions around him added to his intense adrenaline upon acting have taken their toll on him, and he needs a longer moment breathing deeply before he's calmed down, just as he is listening to the different voicings of opinions.
Finally overcoming his weakness, he manages to get on his feet, though he is still trembling. He observes all those who talked, Nico, Alabaster, Iver, Thea, Gaz, the General. As he passes, he briefly puts a friendly hand on Alabaster's shoulders, just as the woman with Elven blood just did.
"I know you have your own reasons to hate them ... and maybe I should, too ... but we are better than murderers."
He gives a faint smile and walks closer to the group of gathered people. His eyes are still reddened as he studies people around, and compared to the average volume of the late conversation, his shy, gentle voice makes a huge contrast. Adding to that his somewhat short stature, his is probably not of the most impressive display, yet talk he does, albeit being much more concise than her.
"I helped fighting because ... I thought I saw injustice, but ... but I won't take part in a cold-blood slaughter."
He gulps, somewhat intimidated at talking in front of a, well, crowd of sort, as he glances towards Thea. He nods at her, showing succintly that he is ready to take her side.
Malon : Kalashtar Ranger
Goramar : Half-Orc Ranger
Well this turned out to be a real mess... At least the fighting finally stopped, Herrena thought to herself as she listened to everyone talk. She didn't quite agree with what everyone was saying, but it didn't seem like the time or place to bring it up. Assuming that the others had the situation under control, she moved over to the soldier she knocked unconscious to check on him. And at least he's still breathing - if a bit faintly. His friends though, not so much... she noted seeing only dead Imperium soldiers lying on the ground, some meeting rather gruesome ends. She wrinkled her nose at the sight
Kneeling down besides the unconscious man, she placed her hands on his back before quietly whispering a healing chant her Master had taught her to revive him. "Hey. It's time to get up and go. This fight is over." she told him not unkindly after waking before waiting to see how the rest of the scene played out.
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Erbert nods as Thea is talking, as the discussion goes longer, he slowly lets the ball of flame dissipate from his hands. "Exactly. I will not be a part of a slaughter. All of you need to leave this and go on home. Perhaps the wilderlings should take some of their armor and weapons, to even the odds." He walks over to the soldiers, "Think about who you are following. Think about this day. Remember it. You can do many other things, you don't need to follow the likes of this one." He nudges the General with his foot.
"What do we do with you? I don't know. When we release you, you'll go after them even harder, you would have murdered these people if we didn't step in. I don't know if our words will sway your heart however. So, what should we do?" Erbert pauses to consider, looking to the others, seeking a resolution.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"Are you seriously making excuses for these invaders?" Alabaster bites out, his filed canines flashing with undercurrent menace, his eyes hard on Iver. "I don't know what kind of propaganda crap the Imperials have been shoving down your throat, - if they wanted the resources, why don't they trade? Why don't they reach out and make a deal with us? Because all they wanted to do was to take, and take, and they don't want to give anything in return. They don't see us as people. They see us as obstacles in their way to wealth and power. They've already taken over Zava, and you think they'll stop there? No, they'll keep going until none of us is left and they can claim all these land as their own. 'A new kid on the block'? Is this how you call a robber who took your home and then kicked you onto the street?
"Guess what, no one is a perfect victim. Just because we're not perfect, doesn't mean we deserve to be slaughtered, and have our home taken from us."
His eyes move, from the halfling to Thea. In the rage, his eyes are almost golden, faintly glowing with the light of a predator in the shadows of the night. He watches her, and feels her touch. A crack seems to appear in his piercing eyes, like glass splitting. His blade still trained on the Imperial general, and the golden glow of his eyes slowly fades, the rage drifting away from him and back to the earth, where they belong. "You are wrong if you think we show them mercy, they'll show us the same." He says lowly.
He flings his double-bladed back onto his back, and feels a familiar weight on his shoulder. He turns and sees Malon's concerned face, and holds out his hand for him to clasp it. "Thanks for the help, Mal." He says with a tight smile.
"Everyone picks sides." He eyes the rest. "There's no middle ground. The middle ground only means you're siding with the oppressors."
"They Imperials would have murdered him if we didn't step in." Alabaster corrects harshly. "So you worry about what he will do. But you have no problem letting the Imperials go, even though they may go after Gaz after. What gives?"
Erbert considers, and says "What I am wondering is if anyone here can change their mind, put down their swords and stop killing each other. Gaz, that means you too." He turns to the general and says "Which leaves you, though. I feel like you are saying whatever you need to say in order to get out of here alive, regroup, and then attack again. I am against the senseless slaughter of people who are trying to surrender, but you.. you sound like you have committed war crimes, and should be tried for such and there should be appropriate punishment. Perhaps you have done enough that it should mean that you should pay for it with your life. But it is not for me to judge." He turns back to the rest of the party, considering. He sends Hoppy up in the air, circling around, looking to make sure they are alone, that there are no other signs of movement in the area, no additional soldiers.
Hoppy Perception : 5 , passive perception 13.
As all of the talking is happening, Erbert slowly walks over to where each of the imperials dropped their weapons, starts to pick up swords and spears and put them in a big pile away from everyone, handling each one of them like he is handling a turd.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"They, they, they... propaganda? No. Why don't you simply exchange they for you? Pure Imperial blood runs through my vains." At this point, the Halfling's no longer sure for his safety, and his confidence leaves him, even if the words keep coming out one after another. Killing people based on where they were born was not something he could let slide. "And it is not propaganda, stories, myths or anything else I was told, but my own life that I've experienced. It was the Wilderlings - not the Imperium - who captured me in my youth. A boy who hadn't even wrapped his fingers around a proper blade once, taken only because he was born in a different place. It was the Wilderlings - not the Imperium - who locked me underground, forced me to fight for my life against others who were in no better state, just to provide you with some entertainment." He's breathing heavily, as bringing up his past finally broke his wary, perhaps calm demeanor, and now he's all heated up. "Do you have any idea how many I've killed - how many others have killed - just to entertain those twisted minds of yours? Just because they knew it was either kill or die, even if neither side really wanted to kill the other?
"I'd been kept there, in the darkness, for more than a decade. Do you know what it feels like to see nothing at all for so long? Long enough for one to learn how to feel everything around them with every sense other than their sight? Test me. My eyes are closed, yet I see all of you perfectly. Make a gesture behind your back and I'll see it. So, after that long in there, when I was finally released, I imagined those days are over. Nobody should die for a twisted reason anymore. But, then, what do I find on the surface? Murderers, killers. Everyone hates one another based on their origin alone. Everyone claim to have gone through tragedies, but if you seek more tragedies, clearly you have not been through enough." The last sentences are said to none in particular, and to everyone at once. "I will not blame you for fighting for your freedom, even though I disagree with the way you do it. Yet, nobody here will be harmed. Not even one. Not while I'm standing here. None of us here is an executioner. None of us holds any authority here. None of us gets to decide who lives and who dies."
Varielky
Just to test out Iver's claim, Nico slips behind him and flips the bird.
"We all get it. No one's innocent, everyone hates each other, everyone's suffered. Now either put these Imperials down or let them go."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
Erbert keeps taking swords, spears and placing them in a pile. He goes up to the wilderlings who snatched up weapons and gently takes their weapon, goes and puts it on the pile. He ends with Gaz, staring at him solemnly in the face, the small gnome, gently tugging on his sword and if he allows, taking it and putting it on the pile.
If all of this goes as planned, the following happens.
Erbert casts create bonfire on the 5 foot square where the weapons are, burning up the wooden handles and turning them incredibly hot.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Alabaster cranes his neck, sees Nico’s little gesture, and can’t help but give a lopsided grin.
“That’s a touching speech. But should I remind you if it weren’t for those rapacious Imperials who can’t leave other people alone, you wouldn’t be here in the first place? They could’ve stayed home peacefully, instead they chose to start a war on our land. So you tell me who’s to be blame.
”The Imperials knew their people will die if they start a war. They knew their people will get hurt if they start a war. And then? They didn’t care. As long as they can get what they want. You were their sacrifice. So what a hundred Imperium people would die? A thousand? A small price to pay for their victory.
“None will be harmed. Yeahh, right. That’s very noble of you. I happen to remember just two seconds ago you were trying pretty hard to kill Gaz over here. Seems to me you’re just flipping the narrative whenever it suits you. By you, I mean the Imperials. Can’t believe you’re still sticking to their side when they didn’t even give a crap about you.”
"I am a soldier in the grand scheme of a war. I do not give the commands. Do you think any of us wants to do the work we do?" The General scowls, removes his helmet, and throws it to the ground. The remaining Wilderlings make quick work of stripping the Imperials of their weapons and gear. "You assume we're here of our own will. No - most of us are street rats and orphans from the Imperial capital overseas. We're here now, told we would simply be scouting woods." The General sighs, though steel remains in his eyes.
Gaz's laughter rings through the clearing. He casts a respectful nod towards Alabaster. "This one understands what we've been through. There's no winners in this conflict - we've all already lost, and I'll be damned if I let the Imperials off easy with what they've done. I'm a rebel, what can I say? I used to be with the Outcasts, though I've seen to much blood for their mostly self-serving ways."
Gaz flashes a bloody smile towards Erbert as the weapons burn. He gives up his own spear without question. Rather than the gesture being honest, it seems purposefully intimidating for some way. Gaz clearly didn't need a weapon to rip the throats of two Imperial soldiers.
The wounds of the soldier Herrena whispered a spell of healing towards fade with the spell. The man's eyes flutter open as a bloodied cough breaches his lips. "What? I, uh - what happened?" he mutters, confused with the revival. He scampers back and hastily stands before his eyes widen at the carnage. He casts a thankful glance towards Herrena before he seems overcome with emotion. Almost as if in a daze, he slowly wanders around, calling the names of the fallen, generic, Imperial guards, occasionally rifling through their pockets and picking out trinkets or pieces of parchment on occasion.
(Thea, Erbert, Alabaster, and Iver, as well as anyone else attempting to influence NPC behavior incase I missed anyone, please roll Persuasion checks.)
"But I was fighting to stop the fighting, with the least possinpe casualties, while you tried to end the fight with as many casualties as possible." Then, Iver turns around and flips the bird back at Nico, though not in a rude way, rather just to prove his words. (Blind Fighting fighting style. Can effectively see anything within 10'.)
(This is the part where Iver fails because of his low Cha, but I guess it fita the scene, in the end.) Persuasion: 6.
Varielky
"Yeah, like I said." Alabaster says with a sardonic smile. "The Imperium cares crap about you. You think they'll bat an eye if we kill you right here and now? You follow their orders, do what they tell you to do, and for what?"
"Ah. So for you, it's about numbers, and not justice. Here's an offer. You want the war to end with the least possible casualties? There are fewer Imperials on this land than Wilderlings right now. What do you say we kill all the Imperials and put an end to the war, once and for all?
"The fight won't end. Not until one side loses. If everyone stops fighting now, what of the Zavas land that Imperials took over? Who's going to convince them to give it back to us? Are you? Or are you just going to tell us to suck it up and live with it? Hah. I guess it's easy to be generous on someone else's behalf."
Persuasion: 12