Council Meeting: Cold Cycle 721

[Oram Mednix]

OnCe mOre the SiTh WiLl RuLe the GaLaXy

Oram groaned and shook his head as the Albarech spoke. While he had not known about Valtharn’s background, he had seen more than enough at the Ascension to understand the threat she posed. And he still didn’t know what the appearance of dragons entailed, or what the many profound changes to the Immortals would bring.

Least of all did he understand how a change to a more autocratic government on Scalvoris would help with any of this. The hunter knew little of Kura, and what he knew gave him no reason to question either her ability or her commitment to doing what was right for the island, but this was just a bad idea.

Doran spoke next, and his response confused Oram’s sleep-deprived mind. Was he for or against the proposal? Against, maybe? At least when Bao spoke, he understood what the cadouri thought of the idea. He found himself agreeing, and letting out a sigh of relief, as the Welfare spoke. At the end of Bao’s speech, the Chief Ranger found it in himself to murmur a weary “Hear, hear”. It wasn’t loud, but his outburst did draw a few pairs of eyes, and Oram suddenly realized people were waiting to see if he had anything more to say.

With another groan he slid his chair noisily back and rose. ”I want to second what the Welfare just said,” he declared. ”There has been plenty of bickering in this room today. This is my first Council meeting, so I have no idea if this is normal, but I notice that most of that bickering has come from people in the gallery, who aren’t even on the Council.” The Chief Ranger avoided glancing at Balthazar or Woe as he said this. ”Part of the order of the trial was filling vacancies, right? So of course there’s been a lot of politicking and sniping today, a lot of commentary from the bystanders. If anything, I dreaded there might be more.”

He paused here to yawn. Adrenaline and coffee were doing great at keeping him awake, but that didn’t make him feel any less tired. ”I’ve heard lots of people talk about how we need more unity. And for some reason, some of you seem to think that means everybody just shutting up and doing what they’re told. And there’s a time and place for that, I guess. I’m no politician, but from what I’ve seen of how communities work, you get unity when the people in them feel like they’re a part of something, and that their part matters. A strong leader can harness that, but they can’t generate it if the folks they’re trying to boss around don’t feel listened to or cared about. And getting rid of local seats and switching to a dictatorship won’t make people feel listened to or cared about.”

Oram sighed, and just before he sagged back into his chair concluded: ”I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t buy the ‘we need more unity’ argument. Bao’s right. You could probably get much better decision making simply by having closed sessions with a more focused agenda. I think we should try that first before doing the whole autocracy thing.”

[Elisabeth Black]

Arc 721, Vhalar 1

Things were happening quickly, and Elisabeth found it hard to keep up with the steady flow of information, suggestions and pivots happening in the room. The situation around her was beyond her ability to make sense of immediately, muddled with politics and agendas. Once she made that determination, it allowed her to move past trying to analyze and focus solely on what she could see and hear.

Politics wasn't her arena, but people – Elisabeth knew people. Or at least thought she had before walking into the chambers that trial.

She had begun to settle a bit by the time Darius spoke, and a small part of the peace inside her crumbled, listening to his words. Elisabeth knew Darius was proud of his heritage and where he came from, and she would never fault him for that, but there was a way to do that without alienating people. How many of the Forged were native to Scalvoris? Yet they had risked their lives for it. How many who sat on the Council were? What made someone a Scalvorian?

She led a settlement on Faldrass, made a home there with Balthazar, yet some still saw her as Videnese, or 'of Viden.' His comments struck a nerve, and she admitted that. Would she ever be considered a Scalvorian? Or just always an outsider trying to fit in?

It was that moment that Elisabeth realized what the disquieting feeling inside her had been – an outsider trying to fit in. That's what she felt like in that room, that she didn't belong there.

Kura made some comments and asked a question, mentioning Elisabeth specifically. Little else was making sense, but the Albarech's query about dragons, that she could do, thankful for something to distract her from the anxiety rising inside.

Once the floor was available, Elisabeth rose and addressed Kura directly, focusing on her instead of the others. Just plant your feet, and don't worry about the others, girl. Stand and deliver the information. That's all you have to do.

‘Madame Albarech, I was taken by Raskalarn to the Rynmere Labyrinth. She told us that Faldrun had sent Aukari to fill artifacts with ambient power and to stop them. I did not see a dragon until it demolished the Labyrinth. The dragon sent thoughts into our minds, stating that we would join 'them,' but not then. It intended to destroy the Labyrinth, called it its 'prison.' The dragon flew away, followed by the smaller creatures that had hatched inside the Labyrinth when we were there. There was mention of a 'hive-mind,' as well, but most of the information gathered was from a compromised source and not directly from the dragon itself." Elisabeth chose not to mention Balthazar or Nir'wei solely because either could disclose their involvement themselves. It wasn't up to her to do that, nor was it her right to do so.

Woe mentioned a dragon, but not specifically his involvement with such. Elisabeth had learned others were involved in whatever she and Balthazar had been part of, knowing previously that Kisaik, Arlo, and Praetorum were sent elsewhere. If what Kura said panned out, and all the people she named off were involved too, then whatever had happened was much more extensive.

Oram spoke and confirmed her feeling, speaking of another location, and had new information that Elisabeth didn't know - Syroa was dead. The Immortal had killed the man she loved, and had it not been for Vri, she would be living a life without him. Courtesy of Balthazar's Vri-granted abilities, the young mage had watched Balthazar die at the Immortal's hands. Syroa had faked her death before, so the young woman wasn't sure what to think about that.

Kura spoke then of a proposal, but it seemed that only Council members were permitted to debate it. Elisabeth was conflicted about the nature of the proposal, and the Albarech had been vague about certain parts of it, so it was hard to judge the idea as a whole.

Woe, who Elisabeth knew had been there, suddenly was not, prompting a bit of a puzzled expression. Had she seen him walk out? Odd.

A few others spoke, and somehow Woe was back – odder still – and then more Council people talked. From what Elisabeth could tell, it sounded like they were mostly in agreement, which troubled her.

Oram's words most closely reflected how she felt, so that was something but didn't erase the unease inside her. Their words about people not on the Council causing issues prompted alarm, for it wasn't the most welcoming of statements.

It was all very worrying to her, and Elisabeth suddenly felt very concerned about the people of Scalvoris. Nothing said in the Council chambers seemed like unity.

She didn't belong there.

[Darius Baer]

Darius wasn't much of a gambler. He had played a few rounds of cards on a couple of occasions, but he would not consider himself particularly skilled in the art. But he had seen enough to know that it was not always easy to know who had a strong hand and who was bluffing with a weak one. Some outwardly covered their intentions very well.

And so it was with the Scalvoris Council. As he spoke, he tried to gauge the reactions of the councillors. He could have sworn there were a few nods, but - just as with a game of chance - each person who had something to lose was keeping their cards close to their chest.

The meeting continued. Other people spoke. As they did, Darius didn't watch them so much as he watched those who listened. In particular, he was interested in observing how the councillors and the other speakers received each address.

There was talk of dead Immortals - something which shocked Darius, but he tried to set his immediate thoughts aside until later - and he watched Kura's reaction to Oram's information. Dragons were discussed, and he found himself looking in Elisabeth's direction, offering her a gentle smile as he recalled her flapping arms in Haven.

But then Kura addressed the room, and the shock Darius felt from her words could not be assessed later. They had to be considered in the moment, for the Albarech was proposing a major change there and then. Changing the Council to an autocracy didn't feel right, though the Scalvorian couldn't quite pin down exactly why that was the case.

Darius found himself looking about the room in an attempt to gauge the reactions of others. Initially, he turned to see Oram's expression, for his friend was a councillor. Then to Doran, too, who had just been appointed to the position of Devout. But then his gaze drifted further, to those who had spoken earlier. Balthazar was silent. resisting his usual impulse to blurt out whatever was on his mind. Elisabeth, too, was silent, but she didn't look comfortable. Woe was...

...actually, where was Woe? He had been vocal in his desire to be involved in local politics, but seemed to have made himself scarce. It wasn't until Darius' turning gaze reached the door at the back of the room that he saw the man again. Odd.

Bao spoke, suggesting that the meeting had been chaotic. Darius met that with a furrowed brow, because outside of Balthazar's breach of protocol, he thought the discussion had been mostly civil. And then the cadouri said something that made the baron even more concerned: he wanted to make the meetings private!

In Darius' eyes, this proposal went against the very purpose of the Scalvoris Council. When it had been formed, under the leadership of Brandel, the former Albarech, it had been due to the will of the people. Well...the will of the people who were there in the room, at least. But it was understood that the council served the people. How could they do that if they retreated to the shadows of secrecy?

So when Oram said that he agreed, Darius found himself looking at Brandel, wondering if the man - who, while no longer on the council, still held a lot of sway with the people of Scalvoris - was going to say something. His dark grey eyes were practically pleading the old man to speak.

Darius had come to the meeting as a representative of the Barony of von Smooglenuff. He had hoped to build a working relationship between the barony and the council. But the Scalvorian in him compelled him to speak.

"If I may say something as a private citizen...?"

Darius' tone was polite as he stood, and he took a moment to look at each councillor, hoping to find just one permissive nod. Perhaps Shania or Linca, after they had supported his earlier efforts. He even looked to Brandel for one, but ultimately decided to proceed, even if he didn't see one.

"I am not a councillor, so of course I cannot take part in this vote, but I would like to make it known that I think the vote itself is—"

Wrong? Foolish? A mistake?

He paused, trying to regather his thoughts before his emotions threatened to take over. He could feel his heart beating rapidly, and his stomach knotting with nerves. He looked around the room. Surely he wasn't the only one who felt that way?

Darius took a deep breath.

"I am not a councillor," he started again, his voice more measured than before as he looked at nobody in particular, "but I do have people who rely on me for their survival. People who lost almost everything in the eruption, but were willing to risk what little they had left to reclaim a wilderness of lava. And I am not the only one."

Darius looked to Elisabeth, then, for she too led a settlement of similarly brave refugees.

"What I have found most effective is working alongside the settlers. Not setting myself apart, but breaking bread with them; wading through the mire alongside them; taking on their challenges as my own. If I was to make executive decisions on their behalf without first gaining their trust, I expect they'd leave me to fend for myself - and I wouldn't blame them. They would think me a self-styled Pirate Lord in all but name."

He glanced at Brandel, then, whose hatred of Scalvoris' former rulers was legendary. Darius realised his words might have come across too sternly - he wasn't trying to equate Kura with the Pirate Lords - but the Scalvorians had experienced the whims of those overlords and the uncertainty that arose when encountering one. The rules were different, depending on which one made his or her presence known.

"Madame Albarech," he decided to address Kura directly, to clear up any misconceptions of what he meant, and he adopted a cordial tone to do so. "I am not suggesting for one trill that you are a Pirate Lord, of course!"

He chuckled quietly, for the allegation was clearly absurd, and he hoped those listening saw the humour in his clarification.

"You have not volunteered yourself for such a role. I am simply saying that Scalvoris has had its share of individual 'rulers' - for lack of a better word - and this may feel a bit like that to some people. Life has always been a bit more comfortable since the council was established, because it meant decisions were managed by a group, rather than an individual. We always felt more secure knowing that each person on the council would be kept accountable by his or her peers."

He took a breath to let his words sink in for a moment, before shifting to his other concern. Again, he didn't loom at any councillors in particular.

"As for the suggestion to make these meetings private," he remained calm, "I think doing so would slowly erode the trust of the people that the council has so far done so well to earn. Council meetings have always been open to the public. They provide an opportunity for Scalvorians to see their government at work, and to raise any concerns they might have. If that is taken away, people will grow distrustful and suspicious. Rumours will circle. Even though many Scalvorians have never been to a council meeting, simply knowing they can engenders trust."

Darius paused again, mentally checking himself that he had said enough. If anything, he worried that he'd said too much, so he decided to stop there.

"Thank you for allowing me to speak," he finished.

He returned to his seat, feeling a wave of adrenaline slide off his shoulders. He hoped he had said the right thing, but he couldn't be sure. Darius had little difficulty in being a leader, but politics did not come naturally to him.

He let out a sigh of relief as he realised there was nothing more to say. He had said what he has said. He couldn't take any of his words back. All he could do was wait for the vote to take place.

There was no question in his own mind that he had taken a risk. Perhaps, in retrospect, he was a gambler after all.

[Pegasus]

Rebirth Cycle 721
~~1st Vhalar 721~~

There was a lot to take in, a lot of talking from some, and not much from others. Those who were council members each spoke, and some of the non-members did. Woe was there one minute, then gone, then back again and it was obvious that things were strained. Each person spoke, or did not, and others reacted.

Woe spoke of Dragons, of one in particular. There were looks of incredulity - but not disbelief - as he did. It was a lot to take in. He had personal experience with one dragon and, largely, they were quiet. However, it was Marcelle who looked at him. "What do you mean when you say you bear his Effigy?"

Then, Oram explained of the situation where Immortals had died and there were low mumblings around the room. Again, it wasn't new information and people obviously believed him, but it was still a lot to take in. A lot. There were no questions from anyone, but there were some frowns at his stifled yawns and Shania gave him a slight, unamused smile. "Are we keeping you up, Councillor?"

Kura stood, eyes golden, and she explained who Valtharn was. Then, she made a suggestion and the room went quiet. It was the kind of eerie stillness which was like a collective holding of breath - and it was not comfortable. People looked at her as she spoke and the council members watched her. Carefully. No one challenged her directly, but there was not a feeling of support.

Next came Balthazar, who said nothing but focused his attention on Rand. Rand met his gaze, his eyes firm and his expression neutral. He turned his gaze, though, and looked at Woe's suddenly empty seat with some surprise on his face.

When Doran spoke he put forward a measured argument, suggesting that there should be - at least - a triumvrate of people who governed. When he spoke of people being afraid to speak up in the situation Kura suggested, though, there were nods and mumbles of agreement.

Nir'wei spoke and his words contradicted what Doran suggested. He explained why, spoke of Valtharn, and he was clear, clipped and concise in his thoughts. His support of Kura gave it a weight from someone who had been at the momentous events of which they spoke. Linca looked at Nir'wei and shook his head. Then, he stood. "While I've no doubt you're right about Valtharn, we need to be focusing on what works best for us and how we work. If the threat is so great, a change of government in the middle of that seems foolish, does it not? This 'pick one and pick right' idea is idealistic at best. We did pick one. We picked Brandel. This council has been in place for a few years only and it has achieved enormous things. When, Madame Alberach, has the Council structure or existence stopped you from doing something? What laws have you all - you included Councillors - what laws have you been stopped from creating, what discussion have you been silenced from having?" It seemed that Nir'wei had struck something from 'pick one and pick right'. "When we sat here and discussed the law on slavery, that change was made. The Eclipse Portals, the University, the links with Viden and Desnind and Rharne - the flutterbus and the exchanges. Those have all happened. The Office for Natural Affairs has been quiet, and maybe the Councillor is thinking that his own inaction is everyone else's, but it is not." Linca was known for being calm and quiet, but not now. "During the meeting where we voted on the abolition of slavery, I would remind you that I was kidnapped and killed during the break, brought back to life by our then Council member for Welfare. In a meeting. A meeting where we have different opinions and discussion, but we hear all."

Linca gestured around then. "This is not chaos. It is discussion. We are not children bickering but people talking. Each one passionate, each one seeking the best for Scalvoris. We did pick one, Councillor Nir'wei. We picked Brandel. We did pick right, when we picked him, and together we set up this council. You weren't here then, you don't know how it was under the Pirate Lords, but let me tell you, I will not submit to an autocratic rule. It's a different word for a dictatorship, and I won't live in one of those again." And, so saying, he sat down.

As Woe came back in, he'd see that Shania glanced towards him. Her lips pursed, but she said nothing, for now.

When Bao suggested keeping the meetings private, though, Shania did speak. "Surely," she said softly, "we must be careful not to throw out the baby with the bath water? Could we not have a middle ground where there is a slot in the meeting for people who are not council members to speak, but they are required to remain observers only other than that? This session has been," she paused and considered, "unfortunate in the behaviour shown by some of the non-Council members." Her gaze moved from Bao to Balthazar and then to Elisabeth. "However," she continued, "there have been those who have good points to consider." Her gaze turned to Darius and flickered to Woe, although that was a very brief thing. "A specific meeting slot, and clear guidelines that it is not acceptable to suggest jobs for yourself, refuse to consider others, or to engage in character assassination, yes, but don't silence those who are working for the good of Scalvoris." She opened her hands and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "A lot of the unnecessary and unfortunate situation here, this trial, has been through ignorance. If we put structure in place and inform people of it, then they will abide. If they don't know better, either because they are naive or believe certain behaviours are acceptable in public places, we should educate and support, not deny."

Oram leant his support to Bao and Shania nodded at him. She did not reply, nor did Linca, but Rand did. "It's a middle ground you're suggesting, I think, the two of you?" He nodded. "We have to balance efficiency with public awareness and openness. But this is one trial a season, lets not forget. It's hardly too onerous for any of us." He shrugged slightly. "We just need to keep perspective, I think. I'd be happier with either having a slot of time in a meeting where the public can speak, or separating out the voting from the public meeting. But to lose the public voice is a mistake, I think."

The report Elisabeth gave to the Alberach added to the information on dragons. On the rest, she was silent and so no one could know what her thoughts were, other than those she had voiced. Her report to Kura was met with a question, though, from Leigh. "Did it have a name, this Dragon? And would you be able to find it again, this labyrinth? I think we should collect information, as much as possible, on what happened. I suggest that the University sets up a research group on it." There were nods from the council for that idea. "In the absence of an Academic, I'll speak to Chancellor Manyon as Proper."

When Darius asked if he may be allowed to speak, there were a few nods. Why not, at this point. Linca gave him a brief, tight, smile of encouragement, even. It was Linca, who was obviously chatty today, replied to him. "I agree, wholeheartedly, with the message you are giving. But I think it is important to note that you are able to sit and break bread with your settlers -you both are. My understanding is that Hopetoun and Haven are small. Maybe thirty or so people each? Keep in mind that I am here representing Harvardr, a place maybe ten or twenty times the size of your settlements combined, with it's own economy and unique issues. And I am one voice on a larger council. But, that said, you are right. We have to understand the people we represent, or we represent only ourselves. When we do that, then no matter what our individual preference, no matter if we have in mind the good of Scalvoris or our own self-gain, we are dictators."

Shania, whose job it was to do so, spoke. "We have a number of votes on the table. I believe that they will be exclusive of each other, but I think the thing to do is to.... oh." She stopped talking, because Brandel had stood.

Silence filled the Council chamber as he stepped forward. Every pair of eyes was on him - this man who had been the guardian of Watch for twenty plus arcs and who had been the one that everyone had rallied under when the Pirate Lords went. "For those who don't know me," he said, as Shania sat down and let him speak. "The name's Brandel. I was the Alberach, the first one. And I'm disappointed in what I'm seein' here."

He looked at them each, individually. He had a quiet voice, firm but not angry, and he spoke to them all. For those who had attended Saoire's feast, he had that ability to make it seem like he was talking to you directly.

"There are heroes in this room. People who've committed great deeds and done wonderous things. Scalvoris owes you all a debt of thanks, there's no doubting that." He nodded. Then he lifted his head and spoke more loudly, more clearly. "But don't think for one minute that that gives you the right - or the ability -to come in here and start makin' demands or tryin' to take over. And if you think that what I just said applies to you, then it does. An' if you think it don't apply to you, it probably still does." He looked at them, breathing out slightly, then continued.

"I understand, I really do, the need for some secrecy and the need to keep some things from the general populace," he said. He gestured to Jacien who stood when he did and moved to stand next to Brandel. "Who do you think set up the Spirit Branch of the Elements? I did. We need to be able to deal with threats an' I knew that there'd be a time it got made public, but decided to hold our advantage as long as I could. All in all, we had a good run." He gave a slight, humourless smile, but he said no more.

"But this is a time when we should stand together. Scalvoris is a unique an' wonderful place an' our people are unique an' wonderful too. So, let an old man who has been on this island longer than most of you - not all of you, but most of you - have been alive, give you some advice. "

He turned first to those who were not Council members. Woe, Darius, Balthazar and Elisabeth. "You've come here to-trial an' you've stood up an' spoken and for that I commend you. Mr Morendi, you need to decide whether you're in or out, because we don't need yo-yos. It's destabilising an' frankly, damaging. So sign up or shut up, would be my advice. You've got a lot to offer, but if you're goin' to flounce away when you're not immediately made egg, then you need to get a thicker skin, lad. These two," he motioned to Balthazar and Elisabeth, "obviously have some issue with you, an' that might well have added to it. But you need to commit. Or not. Personally, I hope you do, because I think you'd be a good Egg." He smiled slightly, then he turned. "Now, then, you Miss Angelus. Whatever you meant, whatever your intentions were, you came in here and said that you want to help, you need to help, you won't be the person that doesn't help. You then said what you'd do, created a role for yourself. When you were told that wasn't how things work, when you were asked about the other Council roles which are empty, you declined. Whether you mean it to or not, that doesn't look like help. It looks like self-promotion." He spoke firmly to her. "You came in here vying for a position, and that's not what serving is about. If you want to help, then do it. Better that you learn on a job that we need, than flounce off because you didn't get a job we don't."

He moved on, then to look at Balthazar. "I believe Rand has said most all of what I would. But here's my take on it. You said you're here to address the issues that you see in your work across the island that only the Council can solve. You have to understand, your words have limited weight when you're saying that on the back end of a trial where you were found guilty of basically abandoning the island for the better part of an arc when you were supposed to be protecting it. If you want to make things right, if you think there are things only the Council can solve, then quit talking about stuff that isn't your job. Beacon, the structure of the military - it's not yours. An' I think lad, that's the problem if I may be so bold. You've flitted about an' jumped from one thing and one place to another. Sometimes because you chose to, other times as consequences of your choices. Stick with something, make it yours, work your way up. Day to day, I mean." He smiled slightly "I can see you want to help, lad, and I think that you want to help everywhere. The hard reality is you can't - no one can an' when you try you end up not doing anything fully. Pick one thing, do it well. Help there. But the council isn't the place for pontificatin' and big gestures or a feelin' of bein' entitled to somethin' because you've been involved in big hero stuff. The council is hard work, day to day and every day. Do that. "

His gaze turned to Darius, then. "An' you, young Baer, you don't escape. You're a Baron an' a settlement leader, now. Why don't you speak with Councillor Nir'wei and Baron Devin, and Miss Angelus an' work out a way that the settlements and Barony on Faldrass can work for and with the council. Make a proposal for the council to consider. We want joined up. Be joined up."

He turned then to the Council members and his eyes narrowed. "What are you lot thinking? Autocratic rule? I would remind you that the Pirate Lords had that. An' Madam Alberach, I would also remind you that the Pirate Lords had some kind of deal with the Eternal Empire of which you're so fond. Whatever the heck is goin' on in the Tower, that's the remnants of that. Is that a good thing? I know you might well think so, but you're a mile an' a mile more from unbiased there. We don't want the Eternal Empire comin' in an' takin' us over, which is what autocratic rule is one step towards." He shook his head. "Shame on you, all of you who even considered it. You're goin' to start a rebellion on your doorstep. An' as for you," he turned his gaze to Nir'wei. "This is a public place. If you can't tell the people of Scalvoris what you've done for them, for them day to day and moment to moment as their Councillor for Natural Affairs, then don't be spouting fearmongering as a means to promote dictators. Tell them what you an' your office are going to do to protect them. Linca is right, everythin' he said."

Turning to Bao and Oram, he spoke. "An' making the Council private is a bad move, in my mind. You've got nothin' to hide, don't hide it. But you're right. It's a bun fight here. People walkin' in an' chatting like they're on the Council. But it's like a parent with a poorly behaved child, really. How can you blame the child, if the parent didn't tell them different? Change the structure. Tighten up." Finally, he spoke to Doran. "You're good at findin' the middle ground, an' I appreciate that. But you need to, as Devout, be lookin' to the followers of those whose Immortals have jus' died. Whatever your or my personal opinion of them. Scalvoris needs to react. I'd suggest you get on that, lad, an' don't let this malarky stop that."

He looked around and he shook his head. "I've got no rights to speak, an' I thank you for listenin' to the ramblings of an old man. But I beg you, be careful in your next move. A beneficent dictator is still a dictator."

And, with a smile to them, he turned around and headed back to his seat. Jacien moved with him.

Shania spoke, then.

"So," she said, standing. "I would like to thank Brandel for that, for speaking up. As our first Alberach, his words have a lot of weight. However, we have a process and we will follow it. Please, council members, vote on the following."

And, the vote was there before them.

1. An autocratic government - single head.
2. An autocratic government - triumvrate
3. An autocratic government - council (number to be determined)
4. Continue with the council as it is - private meetings only
5. Continue with the council as it is - public meetings with a means of public speaking in a specific agenda slot
6. Continue with the council as it is - completely unchanged

OOC

Council members - please DM me your vote.

~~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. ONE POST only between mod posts please (you know who you are!) <3

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura listened quietly as the rest of the Council responded to her proposal, as well as what comments were made from the civilian populace. When attention was drawn to it, she looked at Woe's empty seat with a slightly annoyed look, then waited as Brandel stood up and responded to all of them. When he was done, there was a brief silence, then Kura let out a slight laugh and stood up again. When she stood her, eyes were a more mild yellow, as her reaction to Valtharn started to fade. "It appears I've made some errors. I did not intend this proposal specifically as a response to Valtharn, as has been suggested. That one does worry and anger me, I'll admit, but our response to her will be largely unchanged by our system of government, since changin' how the island is governed will have little effect on its available resources." she said, her tone calm.

"Rather, I was attemptin' to answer the concerns voiced by the Council itself. It seemed to me, and I apologize if I misunderstood, that the Council itself has reservations about its ability to continue functionin' if things continue as they are." she said, her tone calm. "However, if the Council as a whole wishes to continue operatin' in this fashion, then I have no objection. However, I would answer some points raised in response to the proposal." she said, before looking at Bao and Oram. "I do not support lockin' the populace out of the Council Chambers, especially if we are to continue as a democratic body. To do so says we have something to hide, which should never be the case. In addition, it has the same effect as turnin' the Council as a whole into an autocratic body, but rather than puttin' the onus for that decision on us, it shifts the blame to the people of Scalvoris. If we decide to have the Council govern without answerin' to the people, then we should do so openly, not say we're doing it because our own people are distractin' us." she said, her tone surprisingly gentle. Bao and Oram had very little political experience, and so they had much to learn. She would not rebuke them for being new to this.

"As to the comparison that any autocratic government is automatically equitable to rule under the Pirate Lords, I cannot agree with that. There is a great deal of difference between an autocratic rule that answers to its own laws and cares for its people and a gaggle of pirates that only co-operated out of necessity and ruled by means of "do as I say or I'll kill you" regardless of whether their orders are even consistent from one day to the next." she said, with a slight sneer to her voice when she referred to the Pirate Lords as a gaggle of pirates. It was apparent that she had no regard for the Lords or their reign whatsoever. "I'll admit, however, that in this, I have the benefit of travel. Rharne, Rynmere, and The Eternal Empire are all autocratic bodies, but govern very differently. Conversely, Scalvoris as it is now and Ne'Haer are democratically run, but also operate very differently." she said, before shrugging slightly. "As to the Pirate Lords, I visited Scalvoris during their so-called reign, and I would not call what they had a government in any form." she said, before looking up at Brandel. "As to my ties to the empire, and their deal with the Pirate Lords, I can only say that I opposed that deal durin' my time on the Imperial High Council. I did not then, and do not now, understand the importance of that thrice-damned tower, nor why Empress Raskalarn courted a band of glorified thieves for its protection. In truth, that deal is why I currently have no desire for Scalvoris to become part of The Eternal Empire. They do not have a good track record here." she said, her tone calm.

Then, she turned to the people of Scalvoris as a whole. "However, I will say this to the people as a whole. The Council, in its current structure, relies on you. To participate, to act, to bring matters to our attention, to think before you speak." she said, before her eyes went right back to the gold that indicated that she was unhappy. "Since I have joined the Council, we have had several seats go vacant for one reason or another. And while there have been seats filled, the people who took these seats have largely been recent arrivals. Myself, Nir'wei, Doran, and Bao are all from without. In addition, former councilors Faith, Devin, and possibly Tio, were all also from other cities and countries. I do believe Chief Ranger Mednix is the only actual Scalvonite local to have joined the Council since I took over the Foreign Affairs office." she said, her tone clipped. "It is interesting, that people come to Scalvoris and see something her worth fighting for, worth putting in the effort to nurture and care for, when the people who have lived here since birth largely seem less than interested." she said, before gesturing to Brandel. "Brandel and the first council lifted this island out of the rule of brigands and Scalvoris into a place unique and beautiful in its own right. It's a shame to see the people that were there when it happened so disinterested in continuing their efforts." she said, before shrugging slightly. "Scalvoris is my home now, and I refuse to let their good works go to waste, and I am not the only one of the Council that is so determined. I can tell this just by the discussions we had today." she said as her eyes returned to their usual icy blue.

"I do not say this merely to reprimand you, but to encourage you. This meeting, whatever happens with this vote, has been a mess. I encourage you, all of you, to learn from this and look to do better next time." she said, before turning back to the Council. "As I said before, I will abstain from this vote, as I was the one to put the proposal forward." she said, sitting back down. As the council deliberated, she looked to Brandel, her gaze curious. She wondered if he was happy with his choice of successor, or if he regretted it now. She couldn't do anything to affect it now, however. She was, as always, who and what she was, and she could only act as befitted her nature. Even if that nature was changing in ways she couldn't have foreseen when she had left Korlasir to find the other half of her soul.

[Oram Mednix]

A Lot of Title

Lots of people talked a lot. And then a lot of other people talked a lot more. The Council Hall was filled with words, words, so many accursed words! Oram scowled and then shook his head, both to express his disbelief and exasperation at the goings-on and to reinvigorate his weary mind. The hunter was not prone to headaches, but he sensed that a flock of them was now gathering near him, eager to make up for lost time. When Shania remarked to him about keeping him up, he shot an initially irritated glance at her, which almost immediately gave way to a mirthless chuckle. ”I expect this meeting’s going to keep me up for the next tentrial,” he muttered to her, before reluctantly turning his attention back on the rancorous and confusing proceedings.

Linca was now saying something about how vigorous debate was a good thing, and drew the distinction between that and mere bickering. Oram appreciated that, but thought the man’s description of the present situation was off. It seemed to him that there *had* been a fair amount of mere bickering, especially between Balthazar and Woe earlier. Still, the man’s heart and mind seemed to be in the right place, so Oram certainly wasn’t going to quibble about observations just then.

Brandel spoke, and he had, unsurprisingly, a lot to say. Like so many of the others, there were good and bad things in it. The Chief Ranger couldn’t figure out where people got the idea that he and Bao were proposing that Council meetings be kept secret; perhaps Bao had meant that and he had misunderstood. Oram’s goal had simply been to find a way to silence the peanut gallery and turn out the bun-fighters when needed so that the responsible adults could talk. But again, he had no desire to argue the point more than he had, to “explain” or “clarify”.

Unlike Kura, apparently. She rose once more to talk a lot -to talk a lot more, in fact, than the rest of the lot had talked. Did she think all the additional verbiage helped her cause? Made her position more palatable? And that bit about how they all needed to do better at future meetings. *Who* was chairing this meeting again? How did she expect to lead Scalvoris against marauding dragons if she couldn’t even keep order at a Council meeting?

At last, they got a chance to vote. Oram decided he liked voting the best. Because people stopped talking. Of the proposals apart from Bao’s, Oram liked Shania’s suggestion the best, and so that was the option he voted for.

[Woe]

It was Marcelle who first spoke to Woe, when he returned from the outside. Woe reluctantly resumed his seat, and waited for the council to continue. There was a fair bit of talking going around, mostly among the council members. But Woe was more concerned with Marcelle's curiosity. He turned to her, and noted the seriousness of her gaze. He'd of course heard the rumors that she was a former assassin, and now was a trainer of children. It seemed almost too neat a parallel to the profile of a webspinner, it couldn't be...

But just in case, he opened his senses to see if she had the mark of his mother. It wasn't likely, but he loosened the channel up to all among the council chambers, to see where the spiders lie, if indeed there were any. He blinked once when Marcell asked him what he meant by 'bearing Kuvarakh's effigy', and shrugged to her. "I'm not entirely sure. I haven't explored his meaning, nor did I think to ask before I was sent back to where I came from." As he said this, there were slight inflections and clues in his tone that would travel onward to Shania, who he then turned to glance at. She was looking at him as if she were disappointed. What he meant with one final utterance to Marcelle, he intended for Shania to understand in a different way. I'm afraid I don't know... yet. "Apologies. I appreciate your confidence, and will try to do better."

Then the meeting progressed. Brandel spoke, to those non-council members which included Woe. Woe nodded to Brandel, having little to say to his suggestion that Woe become Egg. Although he had no illusions of suitability toward that role, given his recent behavior, he was glad for whatever votes of confidence he could garner afterward.

Woe said little more the rest of the time, but watched the council chamber, trying to suss out any spiders that might be lurking in the corners.

Off Topic

Woe is using his capstone, Stealth Entendre, on Shania to communicate what he really meant to her.

[Balthazar Black]

1 Vhalar 721

When Elisabeth was asked further questions about the dragon that they had encountered in Rynmere and about the condition of the Labyrinth, Balthazar felt compelled to answer. The problem was that the questions had not been directed towards him. He turned his head slightly towards Elisabeth to see what she reported and he catalogued the questions that she had been asked so he knew to include the answers in his report for Rand. He did not think it was a good idea to send researchers to Rynmere to investigate. They had barely gotten out of the Labyrinth alive and the creature that had left them behind seemed set on spreading it's hive. What if they sent people to research, those people became infected, and brought the hive mind back to Scalvoris? All because they wanted to 'understand' something they should have left alone or burned. He left it up to Elisabeth to decide whether or not she wanted to brave a response the politician's suggestion. His report would go to Rand first, as he had been lead to believe everything should when he opened his mouth the first time.

It was becoming mildly irritating that the Council who judged him for a 'character assassination' continued to do the same to others around the room without any repercussions. He had pointed out a fact, Woe would trade the lives of people without regret or second guessing himself. He'd even supported the idea that Woe be made Egg though his opinion on the topic did not really matter to the Council. He thought that given his history working with Woe his word might have some more weight but it did not and ultimately Balthazar had decided it did not matter. Politicians would continue to value the opinions they trusted, right or wrong, and the government would continue to have empty seats. One moment they were unwilling to appoint people to seats and the next the very leader of the government was suggesting that they appoint someone to run everything. Politics. One of the few enemies he could not fight the way he wanted to fight.

The first Albarech rose to speak and Balthazar had a feeling it would be far from short winded. Kura's proposal had surely sparked something in him but what remained to be seen. It became clear very quickly that the former Albarech had a lot of opinions on everything that had happened, and no fear about voicing them. Why would he? Everyone in the room respected him or at least had the good sense to know he deserved to be shown respect. Balthazar could agree with Brandel's first notion that just because many of the people there had been involved in heroic events it did not give them the right to try and take over. That was fair and should have been common sense, but perhaps the member of the council- present and former, were more sensitive about the structure than the people who'd presented roles knew. Or not... it was hard to tell when the leader of the government thought it would be best to consolidate power.

The second point, however, Balthazar had a little more trouble supporting. He understood the need for secrecy and it was interesting to learn that he had founded the branch, but when four limbs were operating without knowledge of the fifth, collision was inevitable. He had been the one who paid for that inevitable collision. No. He knew that was not a fair way to see it. He had been imprisoned and stripped of his magic but Scalvoris had suffered. Whatever lead they had on ending the persistence of slavery was lost because he got involved. Regardless it irritated him to see Brandel smile about how long he'd kept the secret. He didn't show it, but it did. Brandel addressed those who were not council members and though Balthazar had not spoken for some time, he had a feeling he would not escape the sweep of responses.

He did not. Brandel didn't start with him but the trajectory of the sweep was clear. It started with Woe and Balthazar admittedly didn't pay much thought to his old war comrade entering, leaving, and entering again. Maybe he had taken the words spoken to heart and needed air? Either way, he did come back. Brandel gestured towards him and Elisabeth in suggestion that they had an issue with Woe and Balthazar had to wonder if Brandel really didn't know why. If he did know why, it should have been clear where the issue rooted from. Even then they all seemed to disregard that Balthazar had supported Woe's nomination to Egg. His issue with Woe was a personal one but it was one that spoke to a habit he had witnessed in Quacia and now in Scalvoris. Even so he supported Woe as Egg. He voiced no argument though. Brandel was not one to be interrupted.

The former Albarech moved on to address Elisabeth and Balthazar could feel her emotions begin to turn. He could offer little in the way of comfort while all eyes were on her and Brandel. The last line of his address to her bothered Balthazar a little as well but he said nothing. Was it really better to promote someone who had no idea what they were doing with the hope that they learn on the job? He hoped that when Beacon finally got their representation, it was from someone who knew the issues Beacon faced. They would just need some... persuading.

Finally the former Albarech's long address reached Balthazar and the trooper heard more from Brandel than he expected he would. Rand and the Albarech had already made the point. Which meant either Brandel was just having fun or he thought that what he was saying needed to be said. Why waste words on the quiet one otherwise? He didn't suspect Brandel would have been having fun with them which meant he had to assume the latter was true. If Brandel thought it needed to be said, Balthazar would listen. He wouldn't agree. He'd probably disagree with most of it but he would listen and he would remember. Learn to swim or drown.

The first point was not a good indicator for the rest of them. Brandel said his words had little weight because they came freshly off his trial for leaving the island for an arc. Weighty or not, he was right that Beacon needed representation and the fact that his reputation got in the way of that made him think he should have sent someone else to present his concerns instead. Similarly he disagreed that Beacon was not his concern. He had to admit Brandel was right about military structure not being in his domain, but Beacon was a part of Scalvoris and he had sworn to at least two different entities to protect Scalvoris. When Beacon's growing population lead to a rise in crime it would certainly become his concern. Unfortunately he could not find any fault with the final sentiment because it was one he had said to Elisabeth when she suggested interest in joining the Spirit Branch. Advice he gave her based specifically off of his own experience. He knew he stretched himself too thin trying to do everything... he just didn't know how to stop.

He continued his former trend and said nothing but he gave Brandel a small nod when the former Albarech was done speaking to him. He had a strong feeling a response was not wanted, but to ignore him completely would have been rude and childish. He had never been the sort to attend the university and write papers that peers reviewed. Instead his peer reviews often came at times he was not expecting. He had to treat Brandel's words like advice and not like a lecture. He continued to watch and hope that the Council realized a single leader was a mistake. He had many of his own reasons that he thought why but one of the prominent ones was just the geography of the islands. He, who had only lived in Scalvoris for a few arcs, still thought the council was the best method of leadership for the island.

[Doran]

Nir’wei was the first councilor that reacted to Doran’s statement that you shouldn’t make any major changes to the government in the midst of a crisis and that there should at least be a triumvirate if people decided to change the government anyway. The Councilor of Natural Affairs talked about the need for a spearhead. For a moment, there was a somewhat scathing remark on the tip of his tongue. Nir’wei thought that this was not the time for a careful and measured response. He insisted that every new layer of control and protection against misuse would only blunt the tip and dull the edge of said spearhead. If you didn’t plan your reaction carefully and meticulously, if you acted too rashly and aggressively, you might miss the target entirely though, or make things worse.

In the end, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself though, but simply met the other man’s gaze for a moment and inclined his head fractionally, acknowledging his statement. He did not wish to escalate things further. He would not participate in the bun fight that this meeting was rapidly turning into, but consider everything that he said and every reaction of his.

Bao raised his voice next. The little Cadouri had impressed him a great deal during the conflict with Slag’s Deep – he still thought that he might have been the bravest of them all. He found himself agreeing with him to a large extent, or at least more than he agreed with Nir’wei. The world was far too complicated to learn it all without seeing it, and this meeting constituted a disappointment for the most part so far. He understood that people were passionate about Scalvoris, but there was no need for character assassinations or speaking without having been given permission.

Making the meetings private was something that he wasn’t sure about though.

The Chief Ranger seemed to agree with Bao, from what he could tell, but he also seemed to be on the verge of falling asleep which made him wonder what the man had been up to before that important meeting – and whether he would still be awake when the time to vote finally came. And besides that, was the man even capable of following the proceedings properly when he was so tired? He did, again, decide not to say anything.

It would be inappropriate, and it might not be particularly constructive either, but only lead to more division and more disagreements and hurt feelings when they needed unity.

Elisabeth’s recounting what had happened in Rynmere was met with a concerned look on his part. The mention of a so-called ‘hive-mind’ worried him especially. Was that what the dragon was doing? Was it absorbing everybody in the kingdom into its hive-mind and make them lose their individuality? Things were getting worse with every passing trill. The council meeting had been less than ideal so far, and the world seemed to be at a turning point once more. He had thought that people would be different when facing such a threat.

Darius spoke after Elisabeth. The man gave him the impression of being a little nervous, but he did have a point. Making the meetings private might make people grow distrustful. He inclined his head fractionally before he let his gaze sweep over the people that were gathered in the council hall once more. Woe Morandi left and returned which made him wonder. Ultimately, it was one of the least confusing actions so far though.

Maybe, he considered, the man had just needed a bit of fresh air.

With that thought in mind, he turned to listen to what the other Councilors had to say. Linca seemed to agree with him in so far as a change of government in the middle of such a great crisis would be foolish. As he heard the man talk about the Council’s accomplishments so far, he couldn’t help but grow thoughtful. It was becoming more and more obvious that the council meetings were the problem rather than the Council itself.

The Council had done a decent job so far.

This didn’t really seem to be a matter of a body of government being unable to maintain itself, after all. This was more a matter of people that weren’t even on the Council behaving in an unfortunate manner which was why he found himself agreeing with Shania’s proposal. A slot in the meeting for people who weren’t councilors to speak would solve that problem.

When Leigh asked Elisabeth about the labyrinth, he decided to raise his voice for the first time during that part of the meeting, politely. “I think I might be able to be of help in that regard as well. I lived in Rynmere for a considerable length of time. The Labyrinth is believed to be located in or beneath the Duchy of Burhan, and there are said to be tunnels that led there via Warren’s Peak and Nora’s Rest – which is the tallest mountain in Rynmere. The Labyrinth is said to have been built by a race of men that is long gone now. When I lived in the kingdom, people considered the labyrinth to be a myth”, he added in a somewhat dry tone of voice. It didn’t really surprise him that the Labyrinth existed. Most myths contained a grain of truth, after all.

It was just as Shania seemed to be about to talk about the voting process that Brandel suddenly rose to his feet, and the son of Ziell immediately turned to look at him. There was something about him that made it impossible not to listen. He was, he had to admit, impressed by the old man’s demeanor and his accurate assessment of the matter at hand. He was critical, and rightfully so, but he was never angry. His voice was quiet and firm.

He would, Doran decided, see if he’d be willing to talk to him sometime after this meeting. Brandel might not be Albarech anymore, but it seemed as if his opinion still held a lot of weight regardless. There was, he decided, a lot that he might be able to learn from this man that was a fifth of his age, at best. Kura had impressed him a great deal in the Glass Temple – she was a capable leader in times of crisis in his opinion – but he couldn’t help but wonder what things would be like if Brandel were still in charge of things, anyway.

Brandel’s view of Elisabeth resembled his own. He talked about Balthazar flitting about. He disapproved of switching to an autocratic style of leadership and mentioned a deal between the Pirate Lords and the Eternal Empire (He would have to look into that further, he decided, and maybe see what was up with the Tower.). He seemed to be just as concerned about what would happen and how people would react if they installed a quasi-dictator, and what more, he referenced the Councilor of Natural Affair’s relative inactivity, considered making Council meetings private to be a bad move and mentioned changing the structure.

When Brandel finally addressed him and remarked that he was good at finding the middle ground, but that he should also look to the followers of those whose Immortals had just died, he looked at the former Albarech and nodded, in order to let him know that he planned on doing that. He didn’t say anything though. There was no need for that at the moment.

With that thought in mind, he listened to the Albarech’s reaction. She explained her proposal to switch to an autocratic style of government further, talked about the Pirate Lords and finally mentioned the empty Council seats. At that point, he raised his voice once more, provided that he was allowed to do so. “As far as I can tell, the Council has been waiting for people to apply for empty Council seats so far, and if nobody applied, the empty Council seats were simply not filled, with existing councilors helping out and doing some of the work. Would it not be possible to talk to people who might be qualified, people who have distinguished themselves, and gauge if they might be interested in becoming councilors rather than waiting for someone to finally put their name forward if a seat has been vacant for several seasons in a row? Sometimes, people are reluctant to speak up, or may not think of applying until someone else mentions that they could”, he pointed out - he had seen it time and time again, especially in the academic field.

Sometimes, it just didn’t occur to people that they could apply for a certain position.

“That is under the assumption that the Council doesn’t decide to vote in favour of switching to an autocratic style of government and abolishing itself, of course”, he added in a dry tone of voice. He had made it relatively clear that he disapproved of such a move and outlined some of his reasons, and Brandel had talked about the matter as well. For that reason, he considered it unnecessary to warn people not to vote for a dictatorship again.

There was one thing that he felt the need to mention though because it had become a considerable concern. “There’s been mention of people bickering and behaving in an unfortunate manner. That this meeting has not been ideal in certain regards does not mean that the Council itself does not function. Linca talked about all the things that the Council has accomplished”, he spoke in a calm tone of voice and briefly nodded at him. “The Council can be loud, but it seems to get the job done. It does not make sense to judge a government by a single somewhat unfortunate trial out of one hundred trials per season, on average. The Council is not just this meeting”, he pointed out the lack of logic in certain people’s line of thinking before he inclined his head, a sign that was done.

There were likely things that the Council could do better or could do more of – there always were - but he saw no need to point that out right now. That was a discussion that was best had later on in his opinion. Besides, he was not familiar enough with the political scene of Scalvoris in order to say which areas could use some improvement yet. He could see that some people were inclined to forget everything that had happened so far in the heat of the moment though, be sulky and take things far too personally.

Keeping that in mind, he made his vote.

[Elisabeth Black]

Arc 721, Vhalar 1

Leigh Birch had a follow-up question for her, to which Elisabeth shook her head in response. "There was no name given. In the short communication with the dragon, which was one-way, it referred to an 'us.' It aligns with comments made inside the Labyrinth by a man that identified himself as the 'Caretaker' of the Labyrinth. He stated that the Labyrinth and he had been part of the 'Hive Mind' for a long time and wished us to give ourselves over to it."

The suggestion of a research group and finding the Labyrinth again caused concern to rise. Elisabeth's eyes flickered to each council member as she firmly spoke her response. "The group was dropped outside the Labyrinth by Raskalarn, so I do not know how to get there." That was step number one, but step number two was the one that concerned her more.

"Based on what I observed and experienced, I would respectfully recommend to this Council that a threat assessment be performed on the area first and foremost. Based on the Caretaker's comments, I have serious concerns about Rynmere's state and just how many people might be compromised. If this situation has been going on a long time, as alluded to, we might want to ascertain the extent of it." Sending researchers into an unknown situation like that was a bad idea, but as she sat again, Elisabeth wondered how that all worked with research teams. Did they just send them willy nilly into the wilderness? Were there advanced teams that went out to survey and make sure the academics would be safe? It was something she hadn't even considered before, but then again, her experience with Haven had taught her to look at all the factors and angles of a situation.

It sounded like Doran had information on the location of the Labyrinth, which was good since she hadn't. A quick scan of her memories from the moment the Immortal had dropped them off gave her nothing other than rain and mountains, which did no one any good.

Elisabeth's thoughts captured her as the meeting moved on. It was Darius who pulled her out of the quagmire of her mind. His voice spoke, and while initially she resisted listening, her respect for the man and their friendship gently brought her mind back. Balthazar remained quiet next to her, although she could sense his mood ebb and flow at specific points. Was it his moods or hers? It was complex, sorting through their link at times, but she couldn't commit energy to figure it out at that moment.

In listening to what Darius had to say, the young settlement leader found herself agreeing to some, but not all. Yes, they worked with their settlements in a very personal manner. Still, she had also learned along the way, watching Doran and Kura make tough calls during the Forging using the best information they had at the time, that often larger pictures needed consideration. The trick was finding the balance. With Haven, they made decisions together when possible, but there were some things that a leader had to decide for other people. Executive decisions, Darius called them - they couldn't always be by vote.

As for the rest of it, Elisabeth felt similarly to her fellow settlement leader. Not one person, but a Council, and not private meetings. There was some wiggle room with the meetings that she could understand under certain circumstances.

Then came Brandel.

Very few escaped the broad swath of observations the man laid down across the room, and Elisabeth paid attention to all of it. The young mage understood the respect people had for him even though she had never met him personally. Listening to those that came before, walking in similar shoes, was an important concept, and information was information.

The moment Jacien made his presence known, Elisabeth might have cursed a little under her breath, wondering if their meeting would still happen. He had little patience for many things, and while he had shown an interest in helping develop her skills, that could change if she screwed up too much.

In short order, Brandel addressed her directly and firmly. Was that how it appeared to others? Was she coming off like he was describing? All she had wanted to do was help and not hinder. He pointed out that Balthazar and Elisabeth had an issue with Woe, which while she couldn't and wouldn't speak for Balthazar, many in that room knew why Elisabeth took issue with a few of Woe's decisions. It, however, was childish to hold it against him in the broader sense, and she had attempted to set aside her personal feelings considering that.

She took his words in stride, inclining her head gently as he finished, letting her mind go and contemplate the next step. Brandel had more to say to Balthazar, and while Elisabeth understood what the man was striving at, it felt like part of the problem was that too few people wanted to help, which left many people playing multiple roles. She and Balthazar had often talked about the fact that people needed help everywhere, and he had the drive to dig in and do just that, but it was draining on the mage. There was wisdom in the former Albarech's words, but a bit of confusion too, if she was being honest.

Kura spoke. Oram didn't talk. Doran spoke. Woe spoke – a little. Balthazar didn't. Elisabeth listened and considered the context and words, surprisingly finding herself focusing on what Doran was saying. The Council was not one trial, nor were the people in the room. It wasn't the Council versus non-Council – they were all people, and fallible. Brandel had just proven that point vigiorously, speaking not just those in the gallery, but Council members as well. Perhaps none of them were putting their best foot forward that trial.

Groaning inwardly, Elisabeth knew at that moment that she would be speaking again. The voice in her head told her not to. To leave things be and fight another trial, but that wasn't who she was. The people in the room would feel how they felt about her, and there was nothing Elisabeth could do about that. The young mage strove to understand and get to the heart of things.

After Doran spoke, Elisabeth followed Darius' lead and asked to make a few more comments. "If I may? I have a few more things to say." She did indeed, but Elisabeth knew she needed to keep whatever she said brief.

Elisabeth collected her thoughts quickly, waiting until she got some indication that she could begin. Letting her eyes move from face to face, she began. "Everyone in the room – we are not simply this meeting. This gathering will conclude, and we will all go back to the lives that compelled us here totrial. I've not presented myself well here, and for that, I apologize to each person and promise to do better going forward and to learn."

That was the opening. The young woman had one more thing left to say. "I came here to learn and help. I have a lot to learn about, well, everything, but if you will still consider me, I would like to put my name forward for Academic. I am not a teacher, nor have I ever been one, but I did grow up in Viden at the Academy, assisting professors and learning how higher education functions. I filled a similar role in Rharne, briefly, at the Institute. My work in Haven has taught me valuable lessons in working with people and given me insight into logistics and administration."

"Thank you for your time."