Coronation Side Thread- Light and Dark over Ice Cream

[Ssinith DIllil]

As Ulder spoke, he was at last getting a distinct feeling of the main differences between the surface and the underground.

"Ah... that was where the confusion was. You have the conflict, but it is not a central piece in your culture. An indirect one, perhaps, but... not as rooted as we."

S'sinith thought back to the talk he had with the scribe of Illuminatus and decided it best to once again give his outlook on good and evil as it seemed quite different than what most thought.

"Gulanadur does not see all evil as bad, if that makes sense. We are a very self-sufficient people, but we are a people and work together. For instance, we have no problem with slavery in and of itself because there are people in this world who would not stand up to oppression as you would hope. In our society, the lowest of the low are the beggars because they ask for what they need instead of working to gain their needs. An honorable one who is down on their luck asks for a job, and most are willing to give. The most honorable take in the lame and teach them to work with what limbs they do have. This is where the Moonlady comes into conflict with Molten and Anasati, because they still give hand outs. Still, they have the most members of their faith because the peasantry share their ideals."

His gaze turned a little self-sour at his next subject.

"Though we are not very pleased at what the merchants have done to the Panites of Aveas. Here is why... it is not because of the enslavement itself, but because they were former allies of theirs and ours who aided in winning the war. They who say they are more morally correct than we who normally do not approve of enslavement are taking over because they want all the land which formerly belonged to them. They are no better than those who started the war with their intolerance. Still... most of my people could care less of this since we have more problems of our own to deal with. I, personally, hold a life debt to the Panites. So this subject somewhat troubles me. Still... it has yet to become a true affair of ours since many leave Fort Dusk alone... but for how long?"

S'sinith paused a moment before speaking again, having informed Ulder of other situations which may require his attention similar to his.

"Tell you what. I can not keep politics out of my life, therefore I can not join you directly, but I believe we can work towards the same goals. I will do this without direct conflict as you so desire, because I respect you. In any case, if you are to make that place independent of the current rule, they need to economically stand on their own feet. I need some money for my own ventures, so I will look to get a foot in the door of owning a shop there. If I can gain influence with the merchants there, they will slowly begin to learn to better rely on outside sources and begin to thrive. It will be up to you in order to play off of that at your own leisure."

[Ulder]

Ulder took in the Ambassador's words and suppressed a frown. The dark Adhiel wasn't out and out condoning slavery, but there was a certain justification in Ssinth's explanation, and Ulder was simply unable to agree with slavery in any form. People were people, not property, and it was hard to imagine a culture where that view was accepted and followed.

Yet, despite this, Ulder had too much of a life lesson in politics to get into a heated argument in an event such as this. He held his tongue, and kept his peace and allowed the Ambassador continue on uninterrupted.

When Ssinth touched on the subject of Aveas, the former Captain continued to hold his tongue. But he remembered the faces of his two brothers that died there, and he wasn't going to waste the Ambassador's time with speaking on at length about that subject. Aveas itself had little to do with Ulder's mission in Pax, and unless things changed, it was going to stay that way. It was the conflict in Aveas that he was carrying on, not the banner of the place itself. If anything, he was carrying that conflict on elsewhere, for them.

"I would rather you come because you believe strongly in it. As I said before, I'm not doing this for political reasons, or economic reasons. The profit and power I am seeking comes from knowing that those who have been persecuted are no longer being caged for their beliefs. If the people of Pax want to stay part of the Kingdom, that is up to them. If they want to be independent and stand on their own, then that is up to them. If you wish to come there one day and open a store and speak with the locals and run a business, that is just fine with me. I want you to be able to go there and worship in your own way, and live there by choice, not because the laws of a dead king say you have to."

[Ssinith DIllil]

"When I see that those people will accept the Gulanadur gods..."

He looked over to Sosa for a moment with a look of asking for a sort of pardon while not really being sorry for what he was about to say.

"... Including Anasati... then I will do it to believe in the cause and ask the Queen to allow someone else to be Ambassador until I see your goals achieved. As of now, such is not the liberty that the surface gives us. I must see with my own eyes that what you say is possible before fighting for it."

He let that point be sunk in, knowing he was once under Sosa. If he was to allow the freedom of worship, he had to take into account the fact that not all gods wanted peace. If he was willing to fight for this fact, then S'sinith would be more than willing to make arrangements to hand the political title to someone else as he represented Gulanadur as the Firebrand of Molten instead.

[Ulder]

Ulder smiled. It was a sad sort of grin that one does when people just don't seem to quite understand.

"I can't make people worship any God. If there are those willing to accept Anasati as their God, and choose to worship her and her tenets, then that is up to them, not me. What you ask, is something I cannot give. I can't tell you the people there will accept Anasati as their God any more than than I can tell you that Illuminatus. or the Father, or Pan will be accepted. You are asking for a guarantee that doesn't exist."

He took a sip from his glass.

"The question lies deep within us all. It is a question we all must ask ourselves. No one can tell us what the right path is. We all must choose individually. That is why we are going. So that if we succeed, they can make that choice by and for themselves."

[Ssinith DIllil]

"You misunderstand... love and hate and the choice of destiny is one thing, acceptance is another. Would they be accepted as any other god worshiped there? I accept the fact that the Oneist walks in this court, no matter how I loathe him and his god. Would our gods walk the same court as the rest?"

S'sinith looked slightly frustrated at not being able to communicate his words... was it his human, or was he being too vague? His ears slightly lowered at his own inability to get his point across in such an important conversation.

[Ulder]

"That's not up to me good sir. Were I King of the West, perhaps I could answer that, because if it were up to me, her followers would have the same opportunity to raise her up and recruit followers for her as much as any other. I don't dare think I know the will of the Gods, so I can't speak for them either."

He looked at Ssinth earnestly.

"But that's the mission. Fight to give all Churches the same chance, even the ones I disagree with."

[Ssinith DIllil]

That was what he was trying to get through to Ulder! Whether or not he agreed with the religion, he was willing to allow free worship. S'sinith's ears perked as he finally got the answer he was looking for and smiled. Whether or not this surface dweller could pull this off was questionable, but to even fight along side of his mission would make Molten known to the West... and possibly get converts. That was a pivotal importance to him in his heart.

"Allow me to clean up my duties here. I will finish what I already started with my position, because the experience will make me a better leader. I would rather have some well-laid plans before I go charging in and showing you what a Child of the Bowl can do in order to have our gods worshiped on the surface. I am a wizard, after all. Besides... you will need better leaders in your struggle. This is a conflict truly worth fighting."

[Ulder]

Ulder smiled in reply.

"I have no doubt you will be a valuable addition. We are leaving from our home in the Patrician Ring. I would be surprised if you have any difficulty finding us. There will be horses and armed men in the streets. I'm sure we'll be easy to find."

He regarded the Ambassador carefully for a moment.

"Thank you sir. If thinking like this goes unchecked, it will soon consume us all. It's important for you to know how important it is to me and the others what this kind of sacrifice means to us. There might be dangers, and Gods know what else lurking about, but we will do our best."

He gave Sosa a knowing smile.

"Tomorrow, you and me and Elaine at the Dragon. Give us a mark past sunrise, we sleep in now."

"Now if you both will excuse me, I think I'll let my wife know we have a breakfast meeting, and I've interrupted your conversation quite enough. I'll leave you to resume it. Enjoy the festivities."

Ulder went to get a new drink and one for Elaine, and then returned to her side. He knew she wasn't fond of crowds, so he didn't want to stray too far for too long.

[Morg]

Skilled and archived.