[Text/Action]

[king_of_heroes]

allsl oft you mothrels

get down tio the barr

drinking contest

prize for hoofever lasts longfish


[ And true to his word, anyone who bothers to visit the Tavern tonight will be greeted by a crazy yet happily merry atmosphere. There's people singing, dancing, getting their booze on. Possible shoutings of CHUG CHUG CHUG and whatever else you would expect to find at the best night of drinking ever. For now, The King of Crunk has pulled himself away from the crowd and is chilling at the bar. Totally eating peanuts and sipping on his likely 30th pitcher by now. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH A DRUNKEN KING? That's entirely up to you. ]

( ooc: Due to the nature of this post, THREAD-JACKING IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED! Go insane, throw some glitter, make it rain. )

Comments

[golden_witch]

If I follow your reasoning, forcing fear on someone is wrong unless done for the right reasons. In this, you are no better than the priest who commands loyalty from his congregation and demands excommunication for any behavior he finds unfitting.

Fear is as primal as lust. It is necessary. No matter how you extend your hand to your enemy, if he does not fear you enough to respect you, he will try to conquer you. Fear puts you on even ground and keeps peace between you.

No man is, of himself, noble. That is a trait that is taught through fear and self restraint. You learn to care for others, but your first instinct is to yourself. It always will be. Nature has designed it so.

[She'll glance at her wrist and then back to him, melting into a signature grin.]

You would not be the first.~

[greyerrant]

We are nothing like that priest. There was always a road to the imperium, to reason. We asked only that they join us, they could keep their kings and their power. We took only their gods from them, and asked only for loyalty. IN return we offered protection, knowledge, and brotherhood to the scattered scions of mankind.

Nature has not! Otherwise all animals would be loners instead of social ones..... ants, chimps, wolves, birds... people, we all come together. We bind ourselves to one another.

[ He glares a bit at her grin, and lets go of her hand. He doesn't shrug away from it, thought. ]

[golden_witch]

You speak as though they had a choice. In your eager desire for a cookie-cutter world, you took from them their reason for living; their guidance and left them only what you could use to grow your empire.

That's like removing someone's heart and asking them to continue walking.

You make this campaign seem so altruistic, but it is in fact cruel. You're no better than I am.

Moreover, why do you believe these animals cluster together? They join because there is safety in numbers. They join to protect themselves. All of these animals would eat their brethren whole if it meant saving their skin. Nature is as cruel as we are.~

[greyerrant]

You sound just like the king of Sixty Three Nineteen... He asked us if we could not have left them alone? And I considered it... I had hoped, until he sprung his treachery upon us. He was not the King, or their Emperor at all, but an impostor, and he tried to slay my Liege Lord Horus Lupercal with a trap.

[ His eyes grow very distant, and somewhat pained. ]

And then we went into the hills to continue the compliance campaign there. What we found justified everything i have said about the dangers of gods. We found Fanes to their.... spirits. The brought daemons out into the world, turned my battle-brothers against one another, killed my men, killed the remembrancers, and almost killed me.

War is cruelty, Mamzel. We cannot refine it. But it was cruelty with a goal towards the betterment of all. We were trying to save them from Old Night.

.....

But darkness spread anyway, our leaders were seduced and tricked into falling to sorcery and worship of these False Gods themselves, and in so doing they betrayed us all, betrayed humanity, and betrayed the Emperor. The burned the galaxy, and committed the greatest act of treachery in recorded human history.

[ His eyes refocus, returning to the present moment. ]

Nature may be red in tooth and claw, but there is more than just safety in numbers. Gatherings of humanity have created more than just tribes and wars. Art, culture, books, science. These things were made with empathy, to help one another.

[golden_witch]

Did it ever occur to you that if, perhaps you left these men to their own devices, and had not tried to push your forced utopia on them, that they may have just lived out their days peaceably? They did what they thought was right as much as you did the same.

You've killed for your cause, have you not? They fought for their way of life. You claim that empathy is so important but you lack it in anyone your superiors say do not deserve it.

As I told you, he who controls the will of the gods can summon fear. Your leaders fell not to sorcery and false idols, they fell to their fear.

And you're moving beyond base creatures, now. As I said, nobility is learned. Man can group together in peace if they are disciplined in that manner. Wild animals have no such structure and as such, depend on self preservation. Men without structure are no different.~

[greyerrant]

I did think of that, but when I saw the evidence of what they were trucking with, I knew it could not be.

It was similar to seeing a child drowning from the shore, and going to save them. Even if they resisted me, it was better to take the pain and drag them to the shore than let them drown. The voices in the void would have damned them forever, we spared them that, painful though it was.

[ THe question of his empathy and his superiors triggers something, for he half-turns away, pulling from her touch. ]

You know nothing of me... of the choices I made, of the peace we almost had, if not for treachery.

And my leaders knew no fear. That is the nature of Astartes, and even more so the Primarchs. We were created not to feel it at all.

[golden_witch]

[She'd struck a nerve. Normally that wouldn't silence her, but she's a skilled judge of the amount of suffering one man can take. There was no sense trying to show him the error of his ways at this point. He was far too swayed by an opinion he lived by his entire life, wrong though she felt it was. She'd reach her hand out to rest on his forearm.]

But you do feel, don't you?

[A sigh.]

Perhaps we've had enough political debate for one night, hm?

[greyerrant]

[ He puts his hand over hers, and guides her back to the seat. ]

Yes. Tell me of books you enjoy, art that you admire, and what you like to eat and drink. We have spoken long enough of philosophy and power, let us move now to things that represent the best of humanity.

[golden_witch]

[She'll follow along in silence, waiting until she's seated before breaking it with a slight giggle.]

Well, as far as books go, I like reading mysteries. The bigger the twist, the better. In art, I tend to appreciate the Baroque period. It's so lush and striking. I have an awful sweet tooth. I love ice cream and macarons. I drink wine, but my true weakness is a good cup of tea.

Are those adequate answers? I wonder if a soldier even likes reading and art.

[greyerrant]

You would be surprised. [ Garviel smiles a little, but doesn't elaborate, letting her push him for information, for once, instead filling his glass of wine, as well as hers, once again. ]

[golden_witch]

Oh, is that so?

[She'll take a sip of that glass graciously.]

Do surprise me, then.~

[greyerrant]

I shall [ He drinks quietly. ]

[golden_witch]

Allow me to ask properly.~

What books, art, and foods inspire such a dutiful man~?

[greyerrant]

History, ethics and philosophy.... the baroque period, and I enjoy all food.

[golden_witch]

Oh, we have something in common, then. How shocking.~

I never took you to be the type to like such an illustrious art style.~

[greyerrant]

You should have seen my old armor, then.

[golden_witch]

I'm sure it was a sight to behold. I never took armor to be artistic, however I could be swayed it if were based off of such a style.

[greyerrant]

Astartes suits of plate were all works of art, as well as wargear. While ours were somewhat more plain than the rather ornamented plate of the Ultramarines or the Emperor's children, they were things of beauty.

[golden_witch]

It's comforting to know that not all of the beauty of the past is lost in the future.~

[greyerrant]

The beauty I would keep. It is only the superstition that I would see stay buried.

[golden_witch]

But without the superstition, I would not exist.

Would you just as easily see me buried as well~?

[greyerrant]

You are human, that part of you would remain. You are as real as I, no hesitant emanation of the warp.

[golden_witch]

Perhaps here. In my time, I am a witch. I thrive on belief and superstition. Without it, I would cease to be.~

You're proposal would condemn me to death.~

[greyerrant]

You are human enough.

[golden_witch]

If you say so.~ ♥