There was a lot of information being exchanged at it was too difficult for the Turkey commander to address them one by one. Nor, was it necessary.
Gangui was surprised by the impatience openly displayed by Torvyn. Despite expecting more control from the mage, he took it as a personal failure. Concluding that this breakdown in communication was similar to his problems with Zipper, he decided it was himself who was not speaking correctly. He shouldered the burden of success of this meeting upon himself. He ate the words of the Under-Minister with a second helping of acceptance. And it hurt.
“Out,” The shakey voice of Gangui whispered hoarsely after Torvyn was done with his speech. He was of course speaking to Caoindelbhan and Brandon, but they didn’t take the cue.
Icy blue eyes flashed at his lieutenants, “I said out—“ The grizzled veteran and solemn bard exited the room slowly, with dazed looks of confusion blanketing their face.
Gangui’s gaze followed the departing turkeys until they were well gone, then slowly settling back into Torvyn’s fateful stare, “I don’t think I’ve explained myself clearly,”
He cleared his throat, “I said the things I said to show to you the inspiration of this organization. We are Etzori zealots. This rhetoric I am training them with makes them strong. It gives them passion. It gives them fire and liberty in their eyes. We aren’t like the Etzori military. No one is here for a pension or the adventure or whatever motivations the army has laid out. They are here based on the die-hard principles I’ve laid out. They fight harder, work harder, and have more passion than any unit in Foster’s Landing and the Southwood River Delta.”
He stalwartly continued, “As a faction leader, I can’t ignore the grand picture, because that would be irresponsible. The army of Etzos is an organization that is hungry for more and more bodies and thus the foundation rhetoric needs to be painted in broad strokes. The Sons of Justice, however, are a small group that aren't hungry for bodies, but rather looking for a specific breed of warriors. Zealots. Anti-Immortal warriors… not mages or soldiers. Thus, the foundation of success revolves around this rhetoric and this viewpoint.”
He hoped that Torvyn could step out of his own position long enough to understand the what he was doing was his speciality, his piece in the puzzle so it where.
“I haven’t caused any national disunity,” his icy eyes claimed with a heavy look, “As you say we are assaulted on all sides and also from within. Despite our strong views, we are not the rebels and our actions have been slowly but surely making Foster’s Landing a more cohesive utilitarian establishment for Etzos. I’ve been preaching to the people strength and encouraging them to shoulder a greater work ethic. I’ve also been slowly building a dam to slow the mighty current that is the degeneration of modern Etzos.”
“I have given up my soul to Etzos, just as you, but I am no mage. I am a warrior. We give up our souls to principles and proceed into the world acting upon these beliefs to our dying breathe — the spirit of humanity,” He nodded hoping Torvyn understood.
Hoping that he wouldn’t dismiss him like Zipper did just because his frame of mind came from a different upbringing that the callous, mad, elite mages of Etzos.
“That is our power. The steely virtues of my zealots is what I bring to the table and I hope we can reconcile this extreme rhetoric with the magical minds above us.”
“We can iron out this understanding further if you would grant me the patience, where I can thus show thee that our principles do indeed align with the glory of Etzos…” Gangui grimaced silently under his moustache.
“... or we can talk business…” The air in the room shifted.
“What we have done is established a foothold for Etzos to regulate Foster’s Landing with a tighter leash. We’ve been focusing our efforts in cleaning up the streets and making sure that the nel is funneled out of the hands of criminals and gangs, and into the proper hands. Hands that will actually grow the backbone and wealth of our commerce.”
His grimace deepened, almost visible now under his mustache, “It is a terrible task. A shit task. A task from the bottom boot of the lowest man. A task accompanied —as you so clearly pointed out — with impending doom on our end as we will eventually be forced into some desperate battle.”
Gangui’s eyes looked up again at Torvyn’s, “The Sons of Justice are effectively pawns and any leader worth their salt would never accept this role. Even the most foolhardy knows: when mercenaries sell off a well paying contract, it is because the job is fucked. Even a courageous man looking to rise from the working class by taking on what would be perceived as a failing job: would be aware of their inevitable death. Any man young enough not to care wouldn’t have the skills to take on such a role…”
“So,” he gulped, ready to draw the first line of the framework that was the situation for their business negotiations, “Dismissing us and reinstating our position to another contractor is impossible and would only end in the house of cards toppling before a solid foundation can be set
He stopped Torvyn’s words with a respectful glance. There was more framework to be done.
“You can’t give our contract to anyone else, not even the military. By having the military take up this banner, you would in fact be unleashing onto Foster’s marshal law —no matter how you spin it — you will get a huge pushback from the people as well as create the inner turmoil you seem to most abhorrent to avoid.”
“Through us you don’t just have the iron fist of the state, but socially acceptable heroes of the port,”
“You are stuck with me, and I am willing to submit to Etzos’ will, but Etzos must recognize my methods, although unorthodox, are the only way to proceed with any chance at victory. If you don’t agree, then set out specific goals for me to achieve to prove to you what I am doing is real.”
“All I want is to remain an independent contractor and also preach my message.”
Gangui knew things would have to be detailed and worked out, but he felt as if he had started the real negotiations with Torvyn.
All he hoped now was that Torvyn had the patience to dig into this conversation deep enough. And that he had the same love for Etzos as him. And the honor to see through their mission against the Immortals until it’s final breath.
But if he didn’t...
Gangui was surprised by the impatience openly displayed by Torvyn. Despite expecting more control from the mage, he took it as a personal failure. Concluding that this breakdown in communication was similar to his problems with Zipper, he decided it was himself who was not speaking correctly. He shouldered the burden of success of this meeting upon himself. He ate the words of the Under-Minister with a second helping of acceptance. And it hurt.
“Out,” The shakey voice of Gangui whispered hoarsely after Torvyn was done with his speech. He was of course speaking to Caoindelbhan and Brandon, but they didn’t take the cue.
Icy blue eyes flashed at his lieutenants, “I said out—“ The grizzled veteran and solemn bard exited the room slowly, with dazed looks of confusion blanketing their face.
Gangui’s gaze followed the departing turkeys until they were well gone, then slowly settling back into Torvyn’s fateful stare, “I don’t think I’ve explained myself clearly,”
He cleared his throat, “I said the things I said to show to you the inspiration of this organization. We are Etzori zealots. This rhetoric I am training them with makes them strong. It gives them passion. It gives them fire and liberty in their eyes. We aren’t like the Etzori military. No one is here for a pension or the adventure or whatever motivations the army has laid out. They are here based on the die-hard principles I’ve laid out. They fight harder, work harder, and have more passion than any unit in Foster’s Landing and the Southwood River Delta.”
He stalwartly continued, “As a faction leader, I can’t ignore the grand picture, because that would be irresponsible. The army of Etzos is an organization that is hungry for more and more bodies and thus the foundation rhetoric needs to be painted in broad strokes. The Sons of Justice, however, are a small group that aren't hungry for bodies, but rather looking for a specific breed of warriors. Zealots. Anti-Immortal warriors… not mages or soldiers. Thus, the foundation of success revolves around this rhetoric and this viewpoint.”
He hoped that Torvyn could step out of his own position long enough to understand the what he was doing was his speciality, his piece in the puzzle so it where.
“I haven’t caused any national disunity,” his icy eyes claimed with a heavy look, “As you say we are assaulted on all sides and also from within. Despite our strong views, we are not the rebels and our actions have been slowly but surely making Foster’s Landing a more cohesive utilitarian establishment for Etzos. I’ve been preaching to the people strength and encouraging them to shoulder a greater work ethic. I’ve also been slowly building a dam to slow the mighty current that is the degeneration of modern Etzos.”
“I have given up my soul to Etzos, just as you, but I am no mage. I am a warrior. We give up our souls to principles and proceed into the world acting upon these beliefs to our dying breathe — the spirit of humanity,” He nodded hoping Torvyn understood.
Hoping that he wouldn’t dismiss him like Zipper did just because his frame of mind came from a different upbringing that the callous, mad, elite mages of Etzos.
“That is our power. The steely virtues of my zealots is what I bring to the table and I hope we can reconcile this extreme rhetoric with the magical minds above us.”
“We can iron out this understanding further if you would grant me the patience, where I can thus show thee that our principles do indeed align with the glory of Etzos…” Gangui grimaced silently under his moustache.
“... or we can talk business…” The air in the room shifted.
“What we have done is established a foothold for Etzos to regulate Foster’s Landing with a tighter leash. We’ve been focusing our efforts in cleaning up the streets and making sure that the nel is funneled out of the hands of criminals and gangs, and into the proper hands. Hands that will actually grow the backbone and wealth of our commerce.”
His grimace deepened, almost visible now under his mustache, “It is a terrible task. A shit task. A task from the bottom boot of the lowest man. A task accompanied —as you so clearly pointed out — with impending doom on our end as we will eventually be forced into some desperate battle.”
Gangui’s eyes looked up again at Torvyn’s, “The Sons of Justice are effectively pawns and any leader worth their salt would never accept this role. Even the most foolhardy knows: when mercenaries sell off a well paying contract, it is because the job is fucked. Even a courageous man looking to rise from the working class by taking on what would be perceived as a failing job: would be aware of their inevitable death. Any man young enough not to care wouldn’t have the skills to take on such a role…”
“So,” he gulped, ready to draw the first line of the framework that was the situation for their business negotiations, “Dismissing us and reinstating our position to another contractor is impossible and would only end in the house of cards toppling before a solid foundation can be set
He stopped Torvyn’s words with a respectful glance. There was more framework to be done.
“You can’t give our contract to anyone else, not even the military. By having the military take up this banner, you would in fact be unleashing onto Foster’s marshal law —no matter how you spin it — you will get a huge pushback from the people as well as create the inner turmoil you seem to most abhorrent to avoid.”
“Through us you don’t just have the iron fist of the state, but socially acceptable heroes of the port,”
“You are stuck with me, and I am willing to submit to Etzos’ will, but Etzos must recognize my methods, although unorthodox, are the only way to proceed with any chance at victory. If you don’t agree, then set out specific goals for me to achieve to prove to you what I am doing is real.”
“All I want is to remain an independent contractor and also preach my message.”
Gangui knew things would have to be detailed and worked out, but he felt as if he had started the real negotiations with Torvyn.
All he hoped now was that Torvyn had the patience to dig into this conversation deep enough. And that he had the same love for Etzos as him. And the honor to see through their mission against the Immortals until it’s final breath.
But if he didn’t...
