Spectrum
Tell me a secret~
- Location
- Behind you~
This way is the path to becoming a Ramza. ;X
On the Road to Elspar [Book 1] (Dryad Mercenary Schoolgirl Quest)
- Thread starter Kei
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
ImperatorV
The Laughing One
- Location
- The Voyaging Realm
...I'm tempted by the show of force option. I'm not sure the odds would be any good, but Neianne threatening a hundred people into backing down would be awfully Caldran Mercenary of her. If it worked then that would be a big load of proof that she succeeded at her original goal of changing herself.
- Location
- United States
It's been a while, but we've got an ice mage, right? I don't really remember her limits, but asking her to stick a big honkin' wall of ice in between groups might go okay.
[x] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
-[x] Have Elizabeth make a lightshow/boom to get everyone's attention.
We have to try something to head this off. If it fails it fails, but we have to try.
-[x] Have Elizabeth make a lightshow/boom to get everyone's attention.
We have to try something to head this off. If it fails it fails, but we have to try.
Elizabeth may not have the energy to do serious ice magic given all the healing she has been doing.
Keep in mind guys that if conflict erupt, our group is hardly fresh.
It's pretty immaterial to this vote because there is simply no way for us to be able to determine this, but I actually wonder if this accusation is specifically that this bunch of soldiers, or some subset of them, opened the gates or if Halissen's racial discord deteriorated to such a point that the accusing elves here are just blaming all human/aseri soldiers of complicity in it. That's not a light accusation to throw around in this situation after all.
I also find myself wondering if the stress of a prolonged siege (with all the rationing, stress, paranoia, etc. it would involve) simply aggravated Caldrein's obvious racial tensions until they hit the breaking point or if Tenereia identified that stoking and inflaming that deep-seated resentment and division was a way to defeat Caldrein - either by actually enticing defection as the elves here accuse (I forget, do we have any idea if the class structure is as racially pronounced in the Union as it tends to be in the Confederacy?) or just causing them to turn on each other and disintegrating all sense of unity within the city making it far easier to subvert. I have to imagine there was certainly some of that from Tenereia either way because it just feels like too obviously a fault line to not apply pressure to, but I do wonder how much was column A and how much was column B.
...Right, the vote. Honestly my first impression was option 1, to defend the accused. I think that was influenced by the obvious racial dynamics at play here - elves accusing the human/aseri and there are civilians at risk in both groups so it seems clear this aggression is unlikely to not involve innocent casualties even if we take the accusation as the truth. Then it was to option 3 to simply do our best to protect the wounded, but that still doesn't sit right with me and feels entirely too passive and resigned for Neianne to just let a potential slaughter go on in front of her. Show of force struck me as a bit too aggressive for her character to me but that left me with the realization that I don't know what to do here. There's no time for diplomacy even disregarding that's our squad's weak spot, and honestly I'm not sure we can diplomacy out of this anyway.
Still, seeing as how Neianne has noticed what's going on here, I think she's probably also realized that she might be the best chance at keeping this from devolving into a total nightmare on account of being a dryad and probably the most removed from the racial tensions at hand. The one small saving grace might be that the aggressors are elves here and if we're looking to defuse this we have two elven nobles and there might be the faintest hope they'll back down at the prospect of having to face their social superiors... but I wouldn't count on it. It's also why I'm nervous about a magic lightshow from Elizabeth, even putting aside whatever shape she's in, I think it's best this come from Neianne as much as possible.
I think I'm leaning towards show of force as a desperate attempt to stop this from becoming a tragedy. That said, would it be assuming too much to, assuming we have a minute to speak after whatever demonstration we make - assuming it doesn't crit fail and kick off a fight - along with whatever demand for calm we make, split this group up? I hate splitting the party but there's no way we can just have these groups pretend to get along for the trek back after this. Send Sieglinde and Elizabeth with the elven group and us and Stephanie with the humans/aseri? Obviously we'd both be escorting them back towards Arnheim but this way we'd be separating them. And I do think we'd have to escort them all the way back, if only to explain the situation to whatever sorry soul passes for our point of contact over there because this is one hot mess we'll be dropping on them.
I also find myself wondering if the stress of a prolonged siege (with all the rationing, stress, paranoia, etc. it would involve) simply aggravated Caldrein's obvious racial tensions until they hit the breaking point or if Tenereia identified that stoking and inflaming that deep-seated resentment and division was a way to defeat Caldrein - either by actually enticing defection as the elves here accuse (I forget, do we have any idea if the class structure is as racially pronounced in the Union as it tends to be in the Confederacy?) or just causing them to turn on each other and disintegrating all sense of unity within the city making it far easier to subvert. I have to imagine there was certainly some of that from Tenereia either way because it just feels like too obviously a fault line to not apply pressure to, but I do wonder how much was column A and how much was column B.
...Right, the vote. Honestly my first impression was option 1, to defend the accused. I think that was influenced by the obvious racial dynamics at play here - elves accusing the human/aseri and there are civilians at risk in both groups so it seems clear this aggression is unlikely to not involve innocent casualties even if we take the accusation as the truth. Then it was to option 3 to simply do our best to protect the wounded, but that still doesn't sit right with me and feels entirely too passive and resigned for Neianne to just let a potential slaughter go on in front of her. Show of force struck me as a bit too aggressive for her character to me but that left me with the realization that I don't know what to do here. There's no time for diplomacy even disregarding that's our squad's weak spot, and honestly I'm not sure we can diplomacy out of this anyway.
Still, seeing as how Neianne has noticed what's going on here, I think she's probably also realized that she might be the best chance at keeping this from devolving into a total nightmare on account of being a dryad and probably the most removed from the racial tensions at hand. The one small saving grace might be that the aggressors are elves here and if we're looking to defuse this we have two elven nobles and there might be the faintest hope they'll back down at the prospect of having to face their social superiors... but I wouldn't count on it. It's also why I'm nervous about a magic lightshow from Elizabeth, even putting aside whatever shape she's in, I think it's best this come from Neianne as much as possible.
I think I'm leaning towards show of force as a desperate attempt to stop this from becoming a tragedy. That said, would it be assuming too much to, assuming we have a minute to speak after whatever demonstration we make - assuming it doesn't crit fail and kick off a fight - along with whatever demand for calm we make, split this group up? I hate splitting the party but there's no way we can just have these groups pretend to get along for the trek back after this. Send Sieglinde and Elizabeth with the elven group and us and Stephanie with the humans/aseri? Obviously we'd both be escorting them back towards Arnheim but this way we'd be separating them. And I do think we'd have to escort them all the way back, if only to explain the situation to whatever sorry soul passes for our point of contact over there because this is one hot mess we'll be dropping on them.
- Location
- USA
[X] A Speech Before Thunderdome.
- Not even a week ago you were competing in a tournament. Now you're here and way over your head for getting in a fight, let a lone judging racially charged accusations of treason!
- Step 1: Speechify!- You have no idea who's telling the truth, and you're not choosing a side. So unless they want to roll the dice here and risk the real traitors getting away, why not let you escort them all to Arnheim where they can make a complaint to someone who can do something about it?
- Step 2a: Success!- Maybe you are coming into your own as a leader! Escort the two sides back to Arnheim with a safe separation between them.
- Step 2b: Thunderdome!- So it turns out you're not a sufficiently convincing public speaker. Time for damage control.
-- All wounded and children out of the immediate area of fighting. No exceptions. Someone tries to fight you on this, you see how they measure up to your training. (But you'll try and use the flat of your buster if possible).
-- Everyone else who wants to fight? Go ahead. If they want to agree on some rules, your squad's willing to adjudicate, otherwise you'll give them 15 minutes to do all the killing they can. After 15 minutes, you're treating any wounds (with whatever supplies you feel like sparing, no tiring out Elizabeth) and escorting the survivors back to Arnheim. Don't like it? They're all tired out, and here you are, fresh and ready to knock them into la-la land and let their friends carry them.
- Not even a week ago you were competing in a tournament. Now you're here and way over your head for getting in a fight, let a lone judging racially charged accusations of treason!
- Step 1: Speechify!- You have no idea who's telling the truth, and you're not choosing a side. So unless they want to roll the dice here and risk the real traitors getting away, why not let you escort them all to Arnheim where they can make a complaint to someone who can do something about it?
- Step 2a: Success!- Maybe you are coming into your own as a leader! Escort the two sides back to Arnheim with a safe separation between them.
- Step 2b: Thunderdome!- So it turns out you're not a sufficiently convincing public speaker. Time for damage control.
-- All wounded and children out of the immediate area of fighting. No exceptions. Someone tries to fight you on this, you see how they measure up to your training. (But you'll try and use the flat of your buster if possible).
-- Everyone else who wants to fight? Go ahead. If they want to agree on some rules, your squad's willing to adjudicate, otherwise you'll give them 15 minutes to do all the killing they can. After 15 minutes, you're treating any wounds (with whatever supplies you feel like sparing, no tiring out Elizabeth) and escorting the survivors back to Arnheim. Don't like it? They're all tired out, and here you are, fresh and ready to knock them into la-la land and let their friends carry them.
- Pronouns
- He
[X] A Speech Before Thunderdome.
I think this maybe the best play as this can atleast cause both gorups to realize that despite their aggression towards each other they both still have wounded and children, atleast some time to get their heads to cool.
I think this maybe the best play as this can atleast cause both gorups to realize that despite their aggression towards each other they both still have wounded and children, atleast some time to get their heads to cool.
- Location
- Earth
[x] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
[x] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
This probably isn't my final vote, but I believe that any form of talk or mediation will automatically fail unless we make them shut up first, and the only way to do that at this point is to ask who wants to die first and hope that no one volunteers.
After we've got them to shut up for a minute I'd go with a plan along the lines of 'speech before thunderstorm' but not before.
How big a thunderbolt can Elizabeth make? A good crash should get everyone's attention.
This probably isn't my final vote, but I believe that any form of talk or mediation will automatically fail unless we make them shut up first, and the only way to do that at this point is to ask who wants to die first and hope that no one volunteers.
After we've got them to shut up for a minute I'd go with a plan along the lines of 'speech before thunderstorm' but not before.
How big a thunderbolt can Elizabeth make? A good crash should get everyone's attention.
UrsaTempest
Don't Panic!
[X] Protect the wounded from any altercation that is to erupt, even though you understand that you can't stop the fighting.
[] strip and roll in the-
[] Recruit Stephanie as a dainty damsel, Sieglinde as a ferocious wyvern, and Elizabeth for some show-stopping special effects with a suitably dark and foreboding atmosphere as you perform a dramatic retelling of The Heroic Dragonslayer of Falkren!
- [] Based upon a true story!
- [] Double-check that Sieglinde's finger-claws and "rawr"s are suitably unopposable.
This is basically all Elizabeth terrifying the entire crowd into submission, with minor roles for the rest of us putting on an impromptu play derived from our experience in the field exercise(disrobing optional. Even without, it was about our most bardic experience and easily exaggerated beyond all reason) to distract, confuse, and basically hold attention for long enough to defer tensions. It does all come down to Elizabeth being able to bring 100 desperate people's attention to a handful of girls roleplaying.
Or, I guess, I do want to fight the futile fight, no matter how doomed. Let us live in hope!
[x] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
I wonder if we could compel an effort to get the accused to the authorities for interrogation. Killing a bunch of known traitors is pretty much useless when the damage has been done, but finding out how it happened so as to prevent it from recurring is far more important. Opening the gates is of little value if the enemy isn't prepared to attack, so there must have been at least a little bit of collusion between them, and that means of collusion is far more important than immediate justice.
There is also the issue that if the children and babies were able to open the gates, then the gates had much bigger problems than mere sabotage. Perhaps we could press for a slightly less ridiculous retelling of events.
NINJAAAAAAAHHHHHHHS!!!
[] Recruit Stephanie as a dainty damsel, Sieglinde as a ferocious wyvern, and Elizabeth for some show-stopping special effects with a suitably dark and foreboding atmosphere as you perform a dramatic retelling of The Heroic Dragonslayer of Falkren!
- [] Based upon a true story!
- [] Double-check that Sieglinde's finger-claws and "rawr"s are suitably unopposable.
This is basically all Elizabeth terrifying the entire crowd into submission, with minor roles for the rest of us putting on an impromptu play derived from our experience in the field exercise(disrobing optional. Even without, it was about our most bardic experience and easily exaggerated beyond all reason) to distract, confuse, and basically hold attention for long enough to defer tensions. It does all come down to Elizabeth being able to bring 100 desperate people's attention to a handful of girls roleplaying.
Or, I guess, I do want to fight the futile fight, no matter how doomed. Let us live in hope!
[x] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
I wonder if we could compel an effort to get the accused to the authorities for interrogation. Killing a bunch of known traitors is pretty much useless when the damage has been done, but finding out how it happened so as to prevent it from recurring is far more important. Opening the gates is of little value if the enemy isn't prepared to attack, so there must have been at least a little bit of collusion between them, and that means of collusion is far more important than immediate justice.
There is also the issue that if the children and babies were able to open the gates, then the gates had much bigger problems than mere sabotage. Perhaps we could press for a slightly less ridiculous retelling of events.
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Varder
Tired Cultist
- Location
- Hell
Hm, am I the only one who believed the accusations? Bribing beseiged with promises of freedom is a tactic as old as war.
[x] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
[x] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
Oh, I imagine it's quite likely that the gates were opened through betrayal, and given the racial issues here it probably wouldn't be surprising if they bribed humans/aseri to do it.
But that also doesn't mean it was these people. Indeed, that seems rather unlikely - more likely imo is that they just heard that they were betrayed by humans/aseri and are blaming these ones via racism.
Varder
Tired Cultist
- Location
- Hell
How so? By sheer probability? If you believe that the accusers just picked this group at random based on their race, then yes, it's unlikely. But I do think there are more to those accusations than mere racism, mostly because of this:
The woman's responce to the accusation wasn't "we didn't do it, we're innocent, please let us go"; it was "please just let us go, we want no trouble here, we want to go away". Granted, it might be because she's tired of making the same argument, but it also might not.
I mean, that was already said two lines up:
NotInventedHere
MSV, Desert Class
- Location
- UK
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I like this plan, but I can't help but feel like it's basically just option 4 with slightly more detail. We'd have to do *something* to get the crowd to actually be able to hear Neianne talk; currently they're all screaming and shouting, and with a hundred people all yelling at each other no-one is going to be able to make out one dryad also yelling. We're going to need some sort of dramatic thunderclap or something.
[X] Attempt a show of force to head off an armed conflict, even though it's possible that this will start the fighting that you are trying to avoid.
[X] A Speech Before Thunderdome.
- Location
- Nova Scotia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Maybe it's because her goal here is to make sure her daughter, the small child, who is with her right now and mentioned in the part you quoted, gets to relative safety and is not...
[Checks notes]
... Literally murdered by racist elves. Rather than a Columbo-esque smoking gun slip up that she did not repeat the exact same information that had already been conveyed by a different refugee above.
Varder
Tired Cultist
- Location
- Hell
The refugee above said that they were not Tenerian saboteurs, and I belive that these people are not them. But it's not the same accusation as "you opened the gate". And while that's her goal, if she's innocent, she's going about it wrong imo.
I'm just saying, this looks sus to me, based on what little info I have. Not sus enough to act on it, but certainly keep in mind.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
People are literally threatening to murder her and everyone she loves. This isn't a courtroom, Phoenix Wright. You're not looking at prepared testimonies.
No. Sorry, but that will never work. Emotions are running too high. People aren't going to bother listening to logic and reason unless you give them a very solid reason to listen first (Aka, show of force).
