Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

Though the overt grumbling and muttering all but disappeared over the next few breaks, the symptom of it did not diminish over even the entirety of the cycle. the rest of Rebirth was tainted by reprisals and reactionary incidents. The Black Guard was bolstered by volunteers to try to keep some semblance of peace, though it would turn out that more than a few of the newcomers took up the badge only to have authority to pursue these same type of grudges.

But they were a minority, which grew even less numerous as Parhn made good on his promise to enact the same severe verdicts on any that took such courses at a time when togetherness, tolerance and forgiveness would be the only things that would save the city. A show of summary executions drove home the sincerity of his warning, and things calmed after that.

There were still eruptions of violence in bars and street corners from time to time, but after the display of punishments, they rarely turned more serious than bruises and lacerations. And it was becoming common knowledge on the streets that the Black Guard was showing remarkable equity in turning a blind eye to members of both loyalties when beatings would occur in the cells of troublemakers on both sides of the issue. It did not seem to matter to them who you'd sided with at the time. If you did not "get over it" now, they were slow to respond.

The Sanitarium was another site where virtual martial law held sway. Kasoria and Oberan would find themselves awakening there in recovery rooms that were virtual cells, with trios of elite guards, locks and bars on the doors to ensure what safety could possibly BE ensured. There was little middle ground where regard for them was concerned. To one side they were heroes on par with Etzos' greatest legends. To the other, they were marked for death.

Ulric had successfully eluded the notice that would have painted the same target of either hatred or admiration on his back as those two. It was noteworthy that members of the resistance were in the rotation of guards around Oberan and Kasoria. With Sintra gone, there was technically no need for them to stay intact, yet Parhn had made specific request that they do so.

There was, of course, a number of ex-Web Guards who insisted that they'd "seen the light" and now rejected Sintra and craved only that they be viewed as gullible fools, and not traitors. They played the part of embracing the restrictions and scorn that would be inflicted upon them while they served an indefinite term of atonement. Some were quite convincing in their repentant pleas; other less so.

Despite the blatant hostility, there was a grudging respect for those who did not back down on their loyalty to Sintra. Their tirades about Etzos' betrayal of the one Immortal who'd helped them eliminate Lisirra continued to disregard the public disclosure of the fact that Sintra had been behind it all. They clearly refused to accept this all-important detail.

Parhn surprised some by allowing them to be exiled rather than executed. He clearly respected that they stood their philosophical ground, though they must have known it would most likely lead to execution. They would, of course, be stripped of all armor and weaponry, save for the crudest of wilderness armament. They would be escorted to Highbend, where Vuda would now set up visible, recognized rule, and from there, pushed into the peril of the western lands.

Ne'haer supposedly allowed worship of all Immortals. Maybe they would find hearth and home there. Or perhaps they would push on to Argos and take to the seas; or push past the terror of Gauthrel to find the rumor of Melrath. In any case there would never again be a welcome for them in Etzos.


On the day of their exile, one woman among them, an exalted who had not yet achieved championship, stepped forth to spout a last tirade of vitriol. It was largely ignored, but a confident sneer on her last remarks drove the calm disregard from the faces of some among the escort.

"You fools have let your pride doom you. So sure you are that you've never needed the protection of an Immortal before that you do not realize you've been enjoying her protection for far longer than you know. Yes, yes, she had her eye on this city for many many arcs. Yes, yes to be her seat of power. And so she has safeguarded it from many things for longer than any of you have even been alive. It is only recently that her protection was out in the open. So what if it would have meant some level of subservience."

She rolled her eyes in sarcastic scorn as she mocked what she clearly viewed as stiff-necked foolishness, "Is the worthy recognition of an Immortal's superiority to such as us worse than the torments you will all now suffer for your pride? Ask yourselves this question over the next few arcs!"

Some demanded clarity on what they'd been protected from, but the woman only sneered, "What? You no longer have confidence in your stout hearts? Has uncertainty undermined that untouchable Etzori righteousness? Why worry, brave souls? Surely I am just a liar trying to manipulate you!" The laughter of her cohorts punctuated her mockery. She spent the trip to Highbend gagged. Yet she treated it like a badge of victory.

Parhn was overlooking from a great height and distance as she spoke, glad that these factors hid his look of anxiety from the crowd below.

Well, it is all finally over.
Ulric, I had said that I might feel compelled to give you a little less, since your posts were usually smaller, but since you went to the trouble of defining each knowledge, I changed my mind. It also occurred to me, from a MMORPG group stance, that you were an outstanding "Crowd Control" contributor to the fight...lol
Kas, you had stated that I didn't need to worry about even giving you any skill-based Ks. But the thread that I copy/pasted to use as a template for this grade had such an appropriate list itself, it took very little change to feel right. I suppose that could be taken to mean your threads often feature you performing the same skills. I honestly doubt you would argue that point. So take the damn points and shut up about it!!
Oberan, I worried that I might have spoiled things for you with the confusion attack. But I love how you worked it into your defensive tactics. You are a classic Bard/Paladin, throwing buffs and de-buffs around with surgical precision. Though most paladins would be probably offended to be compared to such a cad...lol
My only regret is that it appears that none of you ever actually threaded with Neronin. And now you never will.