(LOG) The Tenebrae Proposes a Choice

[Voxumo]

(Log of a scene where the Tenebrae proposed a choice to the Freemen)

Once it would seem all those who will gather have gathered, a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder raises his right hand, a universal symbol of silence. Once the crowd has quieted down, they lower their hand and their gaze drifts over the crowd "I thank you all for gathering here today... I'm happy to see several familiar faces among the crowd, along with many new faces. I wish I could stand before you now and proclaim some victory from the last time I gathered you, but I can't. While my message has spread throughout the kingdom, such a change will not be a simple nor quick one. But such is the nature of change, it takes time."

"Our kingdom stands on the precipice of war, but it is not a war against the taint or foreign invaders. No.." The Tenebrae trails off, lowering his head somberly to stare at the wood of the banister. He rests his armored hands atop the wood "It is war being waged by the nobility, against their fellow nobility. It makes me sick." an audible creaking of wood can be heard as a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder's grip tightens in anger "These nobles, they are too eager for war, to solve their squabbles through bloodshed. Do you know why they are eager for such?" The Tenebrae proposes to the group, quieting to allow possible answers

A person wearing a long black woolen cloak, covered with innumerable patches calls out from their spot, "Because war earns them gold." 

"All very good answers, but none the primary reason... They seek war, they invite it because it will not be their blood coating the fields. It will not be their blood spilt to pursue their goals. It will be your blood, my blood... The blood of your children and their children. It will be the blood of freeman that are but stones to be thrown in the eyes of the Nobility!" They remove an armored gauntlet from their left hand, while retrieving an iron knife with a rose shape pummel and ivy etched blade with the other. Almost surgically they cut along the palm of their left hand, and clasp their left hand into a fist, then thrust it into the air, opening it wide and exposing the blood that coats the hand "This is what we are in the eyes of the Nobility! Simply blood! We are not people, we are not fellow davites.. We are just blood to be spilt in pursuit of bruised egos!" a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder shouts to the crowd, showcasing the bloody palm for all to see.

While he allows such a display to sink in, a cloaked individual amongst the security approaches and hands over a bit of bandage, which a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder accepts with a muffled "Thanks." While binding his palm, a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder begins to speak once more "When one can commit an act with no danger to themselves, they are far too eager to do such. This is what we are seeing now. While the clarion has not been blown yet, you can be certain it will be. And when it is, it will not be mere reeves or knights expected to fight, but the common rabble who make up the bulk of all armies. The freemen." There is a moment of silence as the tenebrae stares down at their bandaged hand, as if seeing something no one else can "The question however becomes what we will do when it is blown? Will we allow ourselves to be lead to death like sheeps, or will we take a stand and refuse to spill the blood of our fellow freeman? That is who we will be fighting, freeman... Fighting our own."


"What I am calling for is not a simple thing, and I make no claim it will be. It will be the hardest decision any of us will have to make, and could spell doom for ourselves. However we have to think beyond ourselves, beyond our own lifespan. If we do not stand up now and make it known we will not fight and kill our fellow freeman to appease some noble's ego, then the cycle will just continue, and it may be our children's children who have to make the choice we couldn't."  A deep breath is taken by a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder, following his somber words "Tubori, Vavardian, Farin... We all may come from distinct lands, but the class we were born into is something universal that unites us, that extends beyond mere birthplace... We are all freeman, and we must not forget this." The weight of his words weigh heavily on him as his tone is less authoritive and more somber realization

A person wearing a long black woolen cloak, covered with innumerable patches shifts again and says, "Would we fight to keep our kingdom? If no one fights for honor, it will be left to those who fight for silver. Will we do nothing if they invade to kill this Queen too?"

As a person wearing a long black woolen cloak, covered with innumerable patches speaks up, a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder turns their full attention to the individual "Whom would invade?" They question of the individual "It was not freemen who sought the death of he queen. There is a difference between fighting for honor and fighting to appease egos. I would be among the first to take up arms and fight to protect our home and our queen. If an army is lead by the usurper to kill the queen, those who comprise the army know well what they fight for, and as such they should accept the fate that will meet them. If the duke of vavard blew the clarion this instant, can do you believe those expected to fight would know what they are fighting for? Context matters."

A person wearing a long black woolen cloak, covered with innumerable patches looks down at the ground and says, "A bruised ego is all most Vavardi need to want to fight. An insult to their Pride, like an insult to the Honor of a Farin or the Family of a Tubori. Or Respect to a Vandagan. Different ideas men use as easy pickings when all they truly want is blood." 

"And that is their choice. I cannot force people to not fight, however I can only make them aware of what is truly at stake, and that they do have choices. We often forget that bloodshed isn't the only solution." a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder comments in reply, turning back to the crowd as a whole "Despite what the Grand Inquisitor would have you believe, I am a faithful davite, however I do not believe faith should blind one from truth. Dav united this kingdom to fight against the taint that threatened it, not so that we could fight amongst ourselves! We are one kingdom, and we should never forget that." The Tenebrae speaks up now, his resolution returning "So I ask you all who stand before me today, and any who will hear my message... Will we stand by and allow the Nobility to lead us to our deaths, or will we stand up and refuse to kill each other to appease the egos that lead us?" And that seems is where a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder decides to cut it, as he lifts his bloody hand into the air, clenching it into the fist "OUR BLOOD WILL NOT BE SPILT!" he shouts to the sky, or more correctly ceiling in this case