Council Meeting: Cold Cycle 721

[Pegasus]

Rebirth Cycle 721
~~1st Vhalar 721~~

Things continued on, people spoke and there was both politics and Politics in the room. Rand listened to what was being said, listened to what people were discussing and he noticed Balthazar's silence, but did not comment on it. Elisabeth was not silent, but instead backed down from volunteering for an existing role. When she said that to him, explaining that she did not feel she was suited to the existing roles, his gaze on her showed a flicker of emotion. Irritation? Disappointment? He said nothing, merely inclined his head. He listened to Woe and what he said, but had no further thoughts to share about it.

"I would very much like a copy, please," he said, to Doran. Then, he listened to Oram's thoughts on the collaboration between the Adunih and the Rangers and he nodded, pleased. "We can work on that together and report, next cycle, to the Council. Maybe the Cycle after, actually, give you some time to settle in and all." He nodded at Kura's point regarding surveyors and glanced at Nir'wei with a smile. "I'll add you to the list of people I'll be bothering, then."

Marcelle had no more to add, so she was quiet. Francis made her votes and then added. "I'd like to propose that, once the expedition to Slags Deep has fully mapped the place, that we discuss the decision of how to use it keeping in mind the business opportunities for Scalvoris citizens."

Shania listened to them, the others who spoke, and like Rand she focused in on a few of them. To Oram, she said, "the Home & Hearth, my Inn in Gunvorton, is open to any of your people who wish to use it." She looked at Woe and gave a slight smile, brief and enigmatic, but she said no more than that. When Darius spoke again, she nodded, but she replied. "I take your point. I would like to see Faldrass represented at this table, Ishallr, Immortal's Tongue. But I do not believe that there is a need for an individual member per place. We have enough trouble keeping them as is." With a slight smile, she said to Kura's point regarding the Forged. "I will consider the potential application and possibility for cooperation between the Forged and my area of responsibility and submit a proposal before next meeting. I suggest that all Council members do the same. I'd appreciate it as Accountant if we could include a rough costing for those proposals when we submit them?"

Kura suggested that the discussion on the role of Egg, and the wider issues of village representation be shelved until further discussion had taken place. Specifically, she wanted to hear from Almundian Tide, Havardreen Linca, and Proper Birch. Jo'nee Tide looked around and was quiet for a moment, then she spoke up. "The system we have no works fine. Faldrass is a tiny island, Ishallr and Immortals Tongue, too. The current representatives are here representing larger areas of Scalv, and that's enough. If you want everyone represented, then there should be no seats and we can just have a free for all. It's a stupid idea. That said, we are at the point of having a few small islands with big personalities. So, rather than a Faldrass and an Immortals' Tongue and an Ishallr, I'd be down with having one person representing all small islands or something. But honestly?" She looked at Kura and shrugged. "We haven't got a full compliment here. Make him Egg, Liza isn't coming back and we all know it, we just don't want to admit it. Then, focus our time on getting on with the important stuff."

Linca shook his head, slightly. "I have some mixed feelings," he said. "But I agree, fundamentally, with this man." He pointed to Darius. "Scalvoris is a unique place. We need to be clear that the people who sit inside this building represent the people outside it. I think we should consolidate the roles we have. And we should be clear that people can't turn up and invent roles for themselves, that isn't how the Council works."

Finally, Leigh Birch spoke. "I don't know anything about Faldrass or Ishallr. I don't represent them here, I represent ScalvTown. I understand all viewpoints, but I tend to agree with Jo'nee, we need to consolidate and focus on what's important. This isn't the place for airing of personal grudges or character assassination." She rarely spoke so forthrightly, but she did now.

At Kura's next point regarding dragons and so on, eyes turned to those around them that Kura had named.

OOC

To try and speed this along, please post as soon as you can. If you're going to put forward information or respond to points made, please make sure to do so in your next post. If you have questions, please ask them - if there are IC questions you ask, or points that you raise, it would help me if you give me an ooc list at the bottom of your post as things can get lost in translation. Thanks!

~~Current Roles, Reputations & Rumours~~

Name	Role	Reputation	Rumours
Kura	Alberach	Good	Kura oversaw the war - rumours that she killed the Warden herself
Nir'wei	Natural Affairs	Good	There are rumours that Nir'wei is actually a spy for the Eternal Empire
Bao	Welfare	Good	There are rumours that Bao is actually Saoire's MB son
Oram	Chief Ranger	Good	There are rumours that Oram is a were-bear who can turn into a bear at will.
Rand	Militant	Neutral	There are rumours that Rand is actually a Yludih necromancer
Shania	Accountant	Neutral	There are rumours that Shania is a mortalborn
Marcelle	Trainer	Neutral	There are rumours that Marcelle used to be an assassin
Francis	Merchant	Neutral	There are rumours that Francis is having an affair with Brandel
Jo'ne	Almundian	Neutral	There are rumours that Jo'ne is secretly part of an underground group of criminals
Liza	Egg	Neutral	There are rumours that Lizai is one of triplets, and that's how she's so busy
Linca	Harvardeen	Neutral	There are rumours that Linca has a terminal illness
Leigh	Proper	Neutral	There are rumours that Leigh used to be a Rynmere noble
Doran	Devout	New	New....
VACANT	Academic	NA	NA
VACANT	Darbytonian	NA	NA
VACANT	Gunvortonian	NA	NA

~~NPC Roles & Existing Vacancies~~

Each of the tabs below is an existing role on the Scalvoris Council which is NOT filled by a PC.

~ Where there is an NPC in there, they are currently in the role.
~~~ If the role is identified as Vacant, that NPC is willing to move out / on.
~~~ If the role is NOT identified as Vacant, the NPC wishes to stay - but that doesn't mean that PCs can't take over, it'll just be more of a struggle.

~ If there is no NPC there, the role is currently empty.

Militant

Name: Rand Broson
Race: Sev'ryn / Human
Age: Born 667
Title: Militant of Scalvoris Council / Militant of Elemental
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Rand is a hard, fair man. He doesn't speak much as he believes that you learn a lot more by listening than you ever will by talking. He is the head of the Scalvoris Military (the Elements) and he is very proud of that job. A hard working man, he tends towards solitude and does not make friends easily. He has a temper, as his troops will attest and he will not back down when he believes he is right. [/mod]

!	Message from: Peg
	Rand is well-respected and has brought the Elements back from the brink of a very negative situation following the Scalvoris Docks Collapse. He would be very difficult to get out of his role and replace

Accountant

Name: Shania
Race: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Title: Gunvorton Overseer / Accountant of the Scalvoris Council.
Skills: Unknown
Other Information: If there is one thing which everyone agrees on, it is that Shania is a nice lady. Friendly, helpful and always willing to help out, she is the backbone of the growing region on Gunvorton. She knows everyone, it seems, and she's always there should anyone need a little bit of information. She runs the local inn and it is her job, as she tells everyone, to make sure that all who come to her establishment leave just a little bit happier.

!	Message from: Peg
	Shania is almost universally liked and seems to be a genuinely lovely individual. She would be very difficult to get out of this role and replace

Devout

Vacancy for PC

Trainer

Vacancy for PC

!

Message from: Peg

Current Role is held by: Name: Marcelle Tren Race: Mixed Blood Age: Born 687 Title: Trainer of Scalvoris Council Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know! Other Information: An educator of children by trade, Marcelle would be the first person to tell you that she is out of her depth in this whole Council thing. But she's doing her best and she has a sharper mind than she gives herself credit for. She is a passionate teacher and a friendly woman. Also, she isn't afraid of conflict and has the skills of managing a classroom of five arc olds. Veteran soldiers have quivered and quaked at her stare.

!	Message from: Peg
	Marcelle is well-respected and friendly, but she doesn't want this job. She would be relatively easy to get out of this role and replace as long as her replacement makes sense.

Academic

Vacancy for PC

Foreign Affairs

Vacancy for PC

Merchant

Name: Francis LeShard
Race: Mixed Blood
Age: Born 687
Title: Merchant of Scalvoris Council
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Francis is a shrewd businesswoman who is here representing the Merchants' Guild. Really that is exactly and only who she is representing. She has worked as a businesswoman throughout the north and east of Idalos and her bottom line is the profit. She is nice, friendly and polite to everyone. She would also sell her grandmother for the right price.

!	Message from: Peg
	Francis is a respected member of the Merchants Guild, although there are some suggestions that she is too reluctant for change. She would be very difficult to get out of this role and replace for anyone not in the Merchants' Guild. For those in it, much easier.

Almundian

Name: Jo'ne Tide
Race: Mixed Blood
Age: Born 691
Title: Almund Representative of Scalvoris Council
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Jo'ne is the Mayor of Almund. Her father was a pirate and his father before him. Her mother was a whore and her grandmother a drug dealer and the bane of the seas. Jo'ne is a foul mouthed, tobacco chewing woman who will take no nonsense from anyone. [/mod]

!	Message from: Peg
	Jo'ne is well-liked in Almund and considered a "true" Almundian. She would be very difficult to get out of this role and replace

Darbytonian

Vacancy for PC

Egg

Vacancy for PC

Havardreen

Name: Linca
Race: Biqaj
Age: Born 678
Title: Chief of the village of Havardr
Skills: Other things too. Need to know....
Other Information: Linca is the chief of Havardr, the hardest worker on the island, some say, and a straight talking fellow. He will trade, but he won't be fiddled and is a hard negotiator.

!	Message from: Peg
	Linca would rather die than abandon Havardr. He would be very difficult to get out of his role and replace

Proper

Name: Leigh Birch
Race: Human
Age: Born 693
Title: Scalvoris Town Representative of Scalvoris Council
Skills: NA: Prophet only NPC. You don't need to know!
Other Information: Leigh is the Mayor of Scalvoris Proper. She lives there and has her offices there. She is a friendly and very well organised woman who is keen to listen to all of the opinions on offer. She has trouble sometimes as she can have a bit of a tendency to avoid conflict, but that just means that she sits back and doesn't take sides. It certainly doesn't mean that she's lacking opinions.

!	Message from: Peg
	Leigh is well-respected but some see her as not active enough. She would be relatively easy to get out of this role and replace

~~This Season~~

The following represent the five most pressing situations on Scalvoris, as seen by the populace - they are presented as quotes, but in truth are things you might here throughout Scalv. Acting (or not) on these will impact the Council reputation - and that of the individuals within it - next cycle.

!	Message from: The Induks
	"We need someone to represent the Induks on the Council - we need to make sure that they are appeased, we don't want another eruption! "

!	Message from: Empty Seats
	"I've never known so many empty seats in the Council. What's wrong with them? Don't they care? We need a functioning government or we're going to descend into anarchy!

!	Message from: Law & Order
	"We need to have some movement on Slags Deep and the Vault. We need to make sure things are really safe now! And what about the prisoners?! Are we safe in our homes?!"

!	Message from: Economy
	"We need to have some kind of push in the Merchants' Guild or something! We make the best glass and so on in Idalos! Why isn't it more famous? Scalvoris needs to be more wealthy!"

!	Message from: Representation
	"Faldrass and Beacon need their own representatives. What about the Barons? Are they in charge of us now? "

The focus for the Council this season is

!	Message from: Council Focus
	Clean up following the war

Previous Council Meetings

• Rebirth 720
• Rebirth 721

!	Message from: Peg
	To be clear. 1. Only council members vote 2. Anyone can speak at this point - and put forward a proposal, ask a question, make an observation, etc. 3. Please see OOC note in the "main text" - thanks!

[Woe]

What is it? Dragons?!

There was little more for Woe to say on the subject of local and widespread representation. Many of those present made their positions clear on such a proposition, and it seemed to skew against the idea of a unified representative. That, Woe reflected as he noticed the vaguely hostile tone in Darius' Scalveen, was probably for the best. Perhaps he wasn't best situated to fill such a role. That didn't mean, however, that Woe didn't think such a role was a bad idea. But perhaps he wasn't the best to fulfill it.

So he said no more on that subject, as it was time to move on from it and let the council members vote. But then, the talk turned toward other subjects, such as Slag's Deep, the Forged, and even Dragons and dead Immortals. All concerning subjects.

"The Soul-Forged would be useful in the manner of intelligence collection, and also the research of floral specimens. We are initiated with an ability to speak with plants, and understand them in turn." Woe shrugged at Kura, "However, I'm not military material if you ask my opinion."

"As for Dragons, it's possible we may be able to work with some of them. I know of at least one, in the far south, near Desnind and the caverns near Augiery. I believe he is a solitary and reclusive one but seeing as I bear his effigy, perhaps I could persuade him to help in certain matters relevant to his own interests." Woe tapped the table and thought for a moment. "His interests align toward protecting innocents, and punishing evil, although he himself possesses a fearsome aspect. Kuvarakh is his name."

Woe had thought initially to not mention the fact that he bore a Dragon's effigy. He'd even considered that he might not share any information about Kuvarakh at all. After all, it was possible there were those among the council who didn't have the greater good in mind. Yet, Woe felt Kuvarakh would wish to have his presence felt than not. Let anyone who plotted against the innocents of Scalvoris know that someone stalked the shadows that they dwelt in.

[Oram Mednix]

Immortals don’t die! It’s right there in the name, d’uh!

The other representatives weighed in on the proposed scheme to consolidate and/or rearrange the local representative seats in the Council. As they spoke, Oram re-buried his eyes in the heels of his hands. The arguments seemed to his drowsy mind to run together, and he wasn’t even sure who was agreeing or disagreeing with whom. He was starting not to care. The Chief Ranger had dreaded this aspect of his new job, expecting to be not much fun at all, and so far, it looked like he was right. He did manage to nod vague acknowledgment to both Rand’s and Shania’s offers made directly to himself. And he managed not to doze off, though he could not be sure how much of the meeting he was actually catching at this point.


Oram perked up more when Kura spoke, especially when she brought up dragons and dead Immortals. He let out an enormous sigh, of dread, of relief, of weariness, of something. He was going to have to talk, wasn’t he? He could reasonably plead ignorance when it came to dragons, but the Immortals would be something he would need to report on. His bleary eyes searched the room for Nir’wei and found him, hoping for a moment that Mr. Natural Affairs would speak first. When it appeared that he wouldn’t, Oram hesitantly cleared his throat.

”Yes,” he said, his voice a bit huskier than he had intended. He cleared his throat again. ”Yes,” he said more loudly. ”Several Immortals have died in a recent incident. Councillor Vai- Nir’wei and I were there, along with some others who are apparently heroes now. I don’t claim to understand all the ins and outs of it, and to be honest, I’m not…” he paused to yawn: ”…I’m not in the best shape to impart what I do know, but I’ll try.

“Faldrun, along with Kata, Mastes, and Belaera, were trying to activate this super-ancient thing called the Ascension, to become even more powerful or something. Kata double-crossed the others, apparently with the help of Audrae and Syroa. For whatever reason, some of us got summoned to the site of the Ascension. I’m not sure why. To be witnesses? Sacrifices? Accomplices?” He glanced at Nir’wei, made a helpless gesture with his hands before continuing.

”Kata tred to get us to kill Faldrun, who had been injured and weakened before we got there. We didn’t go along with her, and all Beneath broke loose.” He squeezed his eyes shut and shuddered at the memory of that calamitous fight. ”When it was over, every Immortal I just named was dead. There were others Immortals there, helping us fight Kata and Audrae and Syroa: Cassion and Daia. Eventually Karem and Raskalarn showed up, too.

“Some Mortalborn lady I’d never heard of before, named Valtharn, somehow managed to use the Ascension and get away alive. I guess she’s a new Immortal now. And there was another guy there, somebody called ‘Cad Revel’. He’s bad news. He managed to kill Faldrun while the rest of us were busy fighting the other Immortals, and he escaped with Valtharn. I’m afraid I don’t know much else about him.

”As to dragons? That’s probably the only thing I *didn’t* see that trial, although I did see some strange creatures hatch from eggs just before I got summoned to the Ascension.” Oram shook his head wearily and laughed bitterly. ”I suppose those could have been baby dragons, but I don’t know. Somebody else will have to fill you in on that.”

He concluded with another yawn, then fell silent, looking between Nir’wei and Kura to see what else they had to say or ask.

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura leaned back in her seat and listened to the other members of the council speak. There was a general theme among many of their words, that the Council was spending too much time on natter and not enough time on business, as well as a push towards consolidation on the Council. There was also an undercurrent of disatisfaction with their populace, that there was a lot of suggestions for new roles, but few enough suggestions for what to do about the already empty seats. Not to say that there was none, but she knew what was going on with Rand's expression and she had to admit, she understood the reason behind it. It was an unfortunate side effect of her sheer age, but almost everyone in this room was less than half her age. Even Rand himself fell under that category. It gave her a tendency to think of others as children in need of guidance, with some cases more blatant than others.

This wasn't to say that they weren't mature or even wise in their own right. Some were absolutely smarter and more driven than she was, which was impressive. But they were the rarity and over the past several seasons, the council meetings had increasingly felt less like the running of a government and more like the running of a very large daycare. It was, however, the government that these Mortals had created, and she had resisted the urge to overthrow it out of respect for them. Now, however, it was sounding like they were growing dissatisfied with what they had built, and wanted something else. Perhaps it was time for a democratic council to come to an end. However, for now, she simply mulled the question about in her head and listened as Woe stood up to tell them of the Dragon he had encountered.

That the Dragons had indeed returned was interesting enough, for sure and certain, and that Woe had something called an Effigy was even more interesting. Kuvarakh did indeed sound like someone worth seeing if they could work with, and she made a mental not to see what else they could do on that front. But then Oram stood up and told them of Immortals. Kura was stunned to learn that Immortals had actually died, though none of the ones listed as dead would be missed, so far as she was concerned. But it was the final event that really got to her, the news of what the Traitor Princess had done, what she had become. Kura had known Valtharn when she was younger, had been there when she had killed her father and fought the Empress. She knew, better than anyone in that room, the kind of monster that Valtharn was.

When Oram was done, Kura stood up and felt the collective stillness amongst most of the room as they got a look at her now bright gold eyes. "For those who do not know, Valtharn is the daughter of Empress Raskalarn of the Eternal Empire. Her born Domains were Torture, Murder, and Savagery. She murdered her own father and worked for Faldrun as, essentially, his private killer following her exile." she said, before taking a deep breath. "In light of these developments, and the frustrations I am seeing from the Council, I wish to put the following matter to the Council to vote on." she said, her tone calm despite the gold of her eyes. She was furious, certainly, but not with anyone there, and they would not bare the brunt of her anger.

"It has become clear over the past several meetings that the Council is struggling to maintain itself, and this meeting has indicated that this situation is straining its members. Now, the world is changing around us in ways that no one would ever have thought possible. We have Induks, the Dragons have returned, the Immortals can change and die, and new Immortals can be born." she said, summing up the major events of the past few seasons. "The government of Scalvoris has to be able to act quickly if we are to be able to keep up with the world now, and that seems unlikely under the current system. As such, I propose a shift to an autocratic style of government, either keeping the Council or centralizing power in a single person. If the latter, the Council should vote on who that person is." she said, before nodding at the person who handed out votes. "As I proposed this, I shall abstain from voting myself." she said, sitting back down.

[Balthazar Black]

1 Vhalar 721

Balthazar would have been content to sit silently through the remainder of the Council meeting, even after Kura asked those with information on the emergence of dragons to speak up. He did not feel that what he had seen was of any real use to them. The Labyrinth had been chaos from the start to the finish and in the end Raskalarn had not provided much clarity. Their goal had seemingly changed time and time again as they passed through the rooms and in the end it didn't seem to matter. All they did was bear witness to a betrayal and the emergence of some strange creature. Granted it might have been good to mention the new hive mind currently loose in Rynmere. Balthazar couldn't know for sure that the hive mind was spreading, but he fought the Creep in Quacia and he knew how the Creep had treated things that were not part of it's hive. So he suspected the dragon would be no different.

He felt it was something he could write in a report and pass along to Rand. Not something he had to vocalize because if he did, he knew he would end up pointing fingers again. He'd probably say something out of turn. Rand was on the Council. He could determine what was important and filter it to the Albarech... but the Albarech had said his name directly. Trooper Black. If he stayed silent now, was he not implicitly saying that he knew nothing about the incident? He looked around the room at the others who he knew for a fact had been involved- Elisabeth first and then Nir'wei. He was curious how they would both present the situation. He didn't want to speak first. He didn't want to speak at all but he wasn't going to ignore the Albarech. He watched the others for a few more trills and Woe spoke up.

Balthazar listened to Woe's report with some measure of well hidden jealousy. Not all the dragons were trying to murder or convert you? Fascinating. Kuvarakh. Balthazar commit the name and purpose that Woe had mentioned to his memory. When Woe was done speaking, Balthazar tried to prepare what he was going to say about the hive mind and the creature that Fuego had seen while they were escaping the Labyrinth. He figured that he would lead with an explanation that Raskalarn had summoned a group of them and skip most of the confusing details to reach the part where the strange bug-dragon things hatched and attempted to persuade them to join a hive mind. They didn't have a name or a purpose but they knew the creature was on the loose in Rynmere and if it was anything like the other well known hive mind, it was probably going to be a problem.

However before Balthazar got the chance to speak, Oram reported about the Immortals who had died. He mentioned Nir'wei being present as well which almost prompted Balthazar to interrupt him but he didn't. They hadn't seen Nir'wei when the Labyrinth collapsed but Balthazar had just assumed it was because the counselor left after attempting to seal them in. It didn't really change how he felt about the situation but it was good information to have. Two eye-witnesses. Besides, when Oram reported the names of and number of immortals who had been killed, Balthazar found himself thinking less about what Nir'wei had done and more about what Syroa did.

She was dead? She'd been dead before. He wasn't sure he bought it entirely, even now. Then again for her to survive and the rest to die seemed unlikely. Unless this was some grand scheme that they were playing he had no reason to suspect she might have endured another demise. Oram went on to explain that another human had ascended into immortality and Kura brought the conversation of dead immortals and dragons to a close before Balthazar could think to bring up the hive mind again. He would just report on it later.

Kura explained who Valtharn was and Balthazar had to admit it did not paint a good picture of the new immortal. He was still thinking about the implications of the mortalborns domains prior to her ascension when Kura proposed they abandon their current form of governing 'in light of these developments' and the frustration she saw from the Council. She cited off the return of the dragons and deaths of the immortals as major events which warranted the Council's response and she claimed they were not responding fast enough to them. He disagreed. Tio had not been an immortal the first time Balthazar met him, but he had been the second. Ascension like Valtharn's was not entirely new which lead Balthazar to think that Kura's reaction came in part from the fact that it was Valtharn specifically who'd attained immortality. He didn't really think the government of Scalvoris needed a response to the loss of immortals and the return of dragons. At least not with any more urgency than they should have given the Induks who affected the island more directly.

His gaze settled on Rand. He was sure that the Militant must have had some thoughts about what Kura had just proposed. He wished he could just pull them from the man's head with a stare but life was not that easy. So he sat practically on the edge of his seat watching the reactions of the Council to see what they thought of the proposal.

[Woe]

The Albarecht spoke with such emotion on the subject of Valtharn, that Woe wondered if there was more to the threat that she posed to the world at large that concerned the Albarecht, or if this was a case of personal dislike enhancing a perceived threat. Woe had to admit, Valtharn's domains were concerning if they were any indication of what the Mortalborn was, and what she'd become. Oram's revelations about the death of Immortals were equally concerning, a first-hand confirmation that Woe took at face value. Troubling enough that Immortals could die so casually and with so little foreplanning. All because of a mysterious and powerful object that nobody had heard of previously.

Woe sank into his inner world as he did so, and isolated himself from the proceedings as he sat there. People would know not to bother him further, as he invoked Sought After Isolation There are times when the Sombran desires to be isolated. This ability allows them to fulfill that desire at will, making them isolated no matter how many people there are around them. While this ability is active, others will tend to go around the Blessed, feeling that their presence is not wanted by the bearer of Sombran. Those who have a specific desire to speak to or see the Sombran will be able to ignore this ability, but even they will feel as if they should not be bothering the Blessed. That alone wouldn't make him unrecognizable. He used his domain of Ignorance to make himself anonymous, as their attention was drawn to Kura, and a general din would naturally ensue after the announcement of such a proclamation.

It was a good opportunity to make an exit if ever Woe saw one. He had thought to leverage a position on the Council in order to protect himself and those close to him. But now, having seen how the council operated, a chaotic herd led by an ineffectual figurehead, who was willing to upend the usual order at a potential cause for concern, it didn't seem like the kind of power he would want to align with. Idly, he wondered if saving Kura's life had really been that much of a benefit to Scalvoris or the world. Only time would tell, he supposed, and Kura's actions for the good or bad. Nevertheless, it was done. What would happen here would happen, whether the Council remained or a dictator took their place. Woe would deal with the conditions that arose from it, but he decided that operating within such a fragile structure wasn't in the best of interests for him or his own.

So he slipped out of his chair and exited the Council Chambers, anonymous as he was. He presumed that he wouldn't be held up at the door, and so if that held true, he would go to make his own preparations for whatever would come.

[Doran]

The Council meeting continued to be largely chaotic, to put it mildly, even after the Albarech had raised her voice. Doran who had already seen close to four centuries come and go and entire nations rise and fall in his lifetime could not help but wonder if governments that had been created by mortals and that were being led by mortals were inevitably destined to eventually end up like this, no matter what the initial intentions had been.

There were far too many personal feelings that had no place in a situation such as this one in his opinion. People let their personal histories influence things. There were arguments when there should be unity, for the sake of all of Scalvoris. Some people actually ended up disagreeing with themselves, and some people gave him the impression of having their own best interest rather than Scalvoris’ at heart and being looking for attention in general. Was this truly the best that his beloved island had to offer?

The expression on his face remained calm and neutral, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he was the only one who was so utterly flabbergasted. Apparently, he thought – had he been speaking aloud, his tone of voice would have been quite dry – he could still be naïve after all that time. He’d truly expected people to behave in a more reasonable manner.

His gaze went to Elisabeth for just a moment. The young leader of Haven wasn’t exactly improving the situation with her statement that gave him the impression of being just a little bit attention-seeking and narcissistic. She claimed that she wanted to help the people of Scalvoris in whatever form it took, but when she didn’t get the position that she had suggested for herself, she suddenly insisted that she would be doing Scalvoris a disservice by putting her name forward. That kind of behaviour baffled him, to be honest.

Balthazar at least seemed to have enough common sense to keep his mouth closed now.

He found himself agreeing with Darius to a large extent. He understood the need for a representative to be intricately familiar with the inner workings of the island, just like he understood that his former student didn’t mean to offend anyone. The fact that he spoke Scalveen, albeit briefly, made him wonder though. Had the situation been different, he might have considered making a comment in that regard – not everybody in the room, not even every native of Scalvoris spoke Scalveen – but as it was, there were far more pressing matters.

The matter of representatives for this and that particular aspect of Scalvoris suddenly became meaningless for it seemed as if the fate of the entire world had been at stake for a second time within but two cycles. What Oram said was especially concerning. It was far worse than the conflict with Slag’s Deep – and anything that he had experienced in his lifetime. Seven Immortals had supposedly died, and the dragons had returned.

How close had Idalos come to another war and utter destruction?

Had he been a little less disciplined, he might have buried his eyes in the heels of his hands like Oram and wondered if he should start to not care, or just despair entirely. Kura who had impressed him a great deal in the Glass Temple put forward a solution, or what she considered to be a solution anyway, a solution that seemed questionable to him.

He was not sure if there was a point – what he had seen of the Council so far, had not exactly made a good impression on him; in fact, his impression had steadily gotten worse – but he decided to raise his voice anyway when it was appropriate for him to do so and let his gaze drift over all that were gathered in the room that trial. He was speaking to all of them.

For the time being, there was still hope that there would be more than chaos and pointless bickering.

“I agree with the Albarech’s views”, he spoke. His tone of voice was utterly calm and controlled, and he held himself completely straight. He would not let his emotions, or his personal situation, influence him, even though he had only just become a Councilor. It would always be about Scalvoris, and the world, rather than about himself, as it should be. “I have gained a similar impression. We find ourselves in a time of great change, perhaps the greatest change since the Shattering of the Originals and the War of the Immortals at the end of which the First Oath was made. In times such as these, it is necessary to be able to act quickly rather than having to rely on a government that struggles to maintain itself. In my opinion, this might just be the beginning.”

“At the same time – and I sincerely hope that you do not consider my words to be in any way offensive, Madam Albarech”, he spoke and briefly looked at Kura. “Putting all the power into the hands of a single person might not be an ideal solution. I won’t speak of the various good and bad examples of one person having all the power, such as King Cassander’s disastrous rule in Rynmere or Lady Ilaren’s leadership in Rharne, in detail, but can any one person in this room claim to be sufficiently familiar with every single aspect of this most extraordinary situation? Can any one person do all of Scalvoris justice?”

“Mister Morandi”, he continued and glanced at Woe who had given him the impression of being relatively reasonable so far. “Spoke of division. Switching to an autocratic form of government is likely to lead to division when we need unity, more so than ever before. People will disagree and might even protest openly, for a variety of different reasons. For that reason, I would advise you, Madam Albarech and all of you, esteemed Councilors, to tread with utter caution. A government without empty seats is a good idea in my opinion, but any major changes should be postponed until we have a better idea of what the future will hold. At least, don’t abolish the Council entirely, but make it smaller and more efficient. Replace it with a triumvirate of sorts, three people that share the power, benefit from each other's knowledge and give the citizens of our island some sense of continuity in these trying times”, he spoke in measured tone of voice.

Some of the people present reminded him of cranky children, but others gave him the impression of being absolutely capable of taking care of the island during a crisis. Lumping everybody in this room together would not be right. A small group of people who shared the power seemed better than the alternative to him, a quasi-dictator who did not have anybody by their side and might get overwhelmed or make terrible mistakes.

“Speaking of the future, I will be working on a research project with Faith Augustin that should shed considerable light on what is happening to our world and help you, Madam Albarech, our future leader, or all of us, depending on how this vote will go, decide what our way forward should be like”, he continued, and paused for a moment in order to give people time to consider what he had just said in some more detail.

“There is”, he continued. “Also the matter of if and in which way things should be communicated to the public. As you have mentioned yourself, Madam Albarech, there are already rumours. People might start to be afraid, if they aren’t already afraid. The situation might even turn chaotic and escalate, if the full extent of what has happened becomes public knowledge. I have seen it times and times again over the course of the four centuries that I have been alive”, he spoke – he saw no need to keep his Mortalborn status a secret it there was any chance that it might help him get his point across (Some of the people present already knew what he was anyway.).

“Provided it is within my purview to do so, I would like to propose that we also vote on the suggestion of a triumvirate”, he continued, careful to not overstep his boundaries, at least not too much. His status as a hero would only get him so far, especially since he was the most junior member of the council. At the same time, he couldn't remain silent.

“Finally”, he spoke in a firm tone of voice. “If you decide to vote on centralizing power in a single person – I won’t suggest a particular person - I ask you to please not let your personal likes or dislikes influence you. Don’t vote for your friends, and don’t refuse to consider a person because you personally dislike them. Matters such as race, language or even the place of one’s birth should not matter now. And most of all – and I know that this may be hard for some of you - don’t let the fact that you might be losing your jobs influence you. Be as objective as possible. This should, always, always, be about Scalvoris first and foremost, and ultimately the world. Keep that in mind, now, when you vote, and in the future. As we have already seen in the Glass Temple, the fate of Idalos can depend on the actions of a small island and the actions of a few sometimes”, he finished, briefly letting a carefully controlled amount of emotion seep into his tone of voice before the usual calm took over once more.

Telling the Council how little impressed he was so far, would only make things worse which was why he had decided to keep his thoughts in that regard to himself, but perhaps, reminding them that Scalvoris should always come first would have some sort of effect. That was what it was like for him, at least. Had he decided to put himself first, he might have wondered if dealing with this mess was worthwhile, but this was about something much bigger than any one of them. Hundreds of thousands of people, and perhaps more, depended on them. Personal feelings and petty squabbles had no place here.

[Nir'wei]

The meeting wore on. Propositions were added to propositions. He found himself nodding in silent agreement with Darius' observations; it was a fair criticism of the system. Kura gave him a slightly serious look but he could only shrug, unsure what she meant by it. More opportunities to push his nose where it probably didn't belong, more projects to begin that seemed to never end... at some point it felt like it was all beginning to blur together. How did Councillors deal with it all? "Yes, of course. Surveyors." He could count on his fingers the number that he would be able to spare. "I'll send you a wolf with a list of viable candidates at your discretion," he replied to Rand in turn.

He'd been so lost in the little things - and even those would likely decide the livelihoods of untold hundreds, but there was something so much bigger. Dead Immortals. Dragons. He wasn't the only one that had bore witness, far from it. There were people he'd left behind in the caverns of Rynmere standing in the audience that he hadn't spoken to since that day, not that they had ever approached him to explain how they were still alive, nor did he have any inclination to press for answers himself. There was only the quiet relief and the next problem. Always the next problem, the next consequence to handle. What would be the consequences of admitting what they had been responsible for; who would seek answers or vindication or blessing or riches? The world would learn one way or another and they would hear what they wanted to hear, no matter what was said on the matter, just as they had before; just as they always would.

Kura opened the floor. Oram spread his story across the floor with a few helpless glances thrown his way - specifically his way. He said nothing, even as Oram omitted a few key details. These weren't subjects to be discussed in a public forum. The only acknowledgement he gave was a slight shake of his head.

At that moment, he was ready to fade out. Voices felt like a blur as the wolves in his head bristled and snarled at nothing in particular, agitated by the memories and thoughts that swirled in his head. Only Kura's voice was what could rouse him again, highlighting the depth of their failure in those final moments to disperse the accumulated power and prevent her escape. How much danger they were all in at that moment. How much was on the line - far, far more than just the fate of Scalvoris, which itself was a daunting number of souls to consider. In that moment of absolute dread there was simply no room for alternatives, even as Doran outlined a new strategy that toed the line of acceptability, showing a true dedication to moderation and logical thought... but ultimately left them slowly sliding backwards, right back to where they were at that very moment. Struggling under the most basic of requirements. Ambling between decisions of little to no value at all, like public relations or justice.

"I support the proposed autocratic movement of the collective powers of this Council into an individual to be designated the new Alberach." Wolf-like eyes scanned the seats of the Council. "While I find that your comments and suggestions contain significant merit and obviously were constructed with much thought and balance, Councillor Doran, now is not the time for a careful and measured response to events. Do not expect the Immortal of Torture, Murder and Savagery to show us the same kindness. She didn't show it to any of us, when we fought her, and between her and the worries of the general public, I know who's wrath I fear more." The more he talked, the more he let the weight of the situation wash over his thoughts. Settle in his skull until there was little room for thoughts about anything else. Until the pain of pressure built behind his eyeballs and thrummed against the base of his neck. "What is needed is not a figurehead. It's a spearhead. Every new layer of control and protection against misuse only blunts the tip and dulls the edge. We pick one. We pick right. And we begin preparations for the worst."

"I will wait to see if the motion passes before submitting my nomination and vote for who should take the new power.".

[Woe]

The cold air of Vhalar hit his face, as he exited the chambers. As expected, nobody impeded a mere citizen of Scalvoris from exiting the Council Chambers. Woe was given pause as he stood outside of the Council House. Picking over the moments that led to his departure. He hated disorder, disunion, and overall the chaos that was exemplified by the proceedings. Things were different in Quacia, in Ne’haer, and even in Etzos. In those places, the government took the reigns more readily during crisis. He almost admired their efficiency. Perhaps the Albarecht had a point. And perhaps he was a monarchist afterall.

He just needed some air to take in before he could realize that he needed to be in there, to at least hear out what occurred. He turned aside the anonymity and sought after isolation, and just stood at the outskirts. He didn’t have a seat at the table yet, but he still had ears to hear what went on in the meeting. Should they still think to appoint him temporary Egg or any such thing, that was their prerogative. He would make his decision at the last moment, if it came.

For now, he stood at the edge of the room, watching those inside. He was more comfortable on his own feet, than sitting among the assembly. At least that way he could beat a hasty retreat, should he grow weary once more of the political back-biting, character assassination, and psychological games plied by some members of the assembly.

[Bao Bao]

There was something about council meetings. Something that made people act in a way Bao didn't entirely understand. Perhaps everyone cared so deeply about Scalvoris that there were arguments that broke out, or perhaps there was something else the Cadouri didn't. His first meeting, where he had been appointed the position of Welfare, there had been arguments between a few people on how the Order of Adunih worked and the relief that the council gave them. This time, however, felt even larger than that. What could have easily been a calm and easygoing meeting quickly turned to people walking away and others visibly seemed uncomfortable. It was enough to test even Bao's patience, the small Cadouri sighing for a moment as he placed a hand on his head.

Kura had made a suggestion that, for a moment, Bao considered. There was little that Bao knew about politics, but one thing was sure, these meetings couldn't continue as they had been. It was disappointing. Once others had their turn to speak, Bao stood himself up in his chair so that he could be seen easier, the small Cadouri barely peeking over the table. "If I may, Alberach" he spoke softly, though it was clear something was on his mind, his usual glow and joy nowhere to be seen for that moment. Yet he was calm.

"I know little of politics, or of the way things are supposed to be. Saoire taught me and my family all she could, but the world is far too complicated to learn it all without seeing it, and what I've seen in these meetings is disappointing" he admitted, looking around the room. Speaking in front of everyone would have made him a lot more nervous before, especially saying something so bold. But a lot had changed recently, a lot had been endured. "I understand we all want what is best for Scalvoris. I understand we are all passionate. But it doesn't excuse some of what has been said, or how people have behaved, in this room." he forced a gentle smile, despite how blunt his words were, just a moment to show that he wasn't angry or upset. Simply disappointed.

"However, I believe in the council, and in what they do. I don't know how a government would work with one person in charge, but I propose we keep the council, and make these meetings private. Anyone interested in a topic being discussed can write, or join us at the council. I imagine we would all be pleased to see the seats filled" he nodded to the rest of the council. "But having this meeting openly, for anyone to join and speak, has been difficult - and I think we would all benefit from a step away from that."

After a moment of quiet, he spoke again. "Thank you Alberach" he said politely, before taking his seat, letting people say how they felt or discuss his proposal.