Seeking Ideal Forms
Twenty Sixth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC
What your answer lacks in simplicity, it makes up for in thoroughness, or at least so you hope. Public knowledge of the matter will be the bringing of the House of Black and White into compliance with Imperial Law, which is fully true. At this time they are committing no ongoing breaches, either by omission or deliberate action. The Faceless Men do not traditionally worship any proscribed against Gods, but their presence is integral to drawing power from the Faceless Gods' primary domain. Exclusion is more dangerous for reasons which cannot be revealed to the wider public, but they will have to know something about the...
irregularity. Best to avoid anything that might sound like and exception in a legal text of this importance. "Would it be acceptable for you to say that you turn the power of proscribed gods against themselves to any who might question the matter?" you ask Dorren.
"Yes," the assassin replies, then with the merest shadow of a smile he adds. "Although I imagine there would be quite the theological confession when we admit that the same is true for all the faces of the God. All are true, but none are the whole truth."
"Better theological confusion than a legal one," you reply over the sound of your tiny golden assistant quickly scratching out a draft of said law. "Let it be known that this has to do with mysteries and trials that have passed Scholarum examination..." you glance at Lya, who unlike you, is technically a member of the Scholarum.
She nods. "I can sign that in. As for internal Scholarum and Inquisition use, I think the simplest comparison we can make is to Malarys and others who call upon the ideal Form of Law, or for that matter the priests of Light in Mantarys who make use of ideals of self sacrifice and kindness. It's not entirely correct, but as long as we make it clear that it is a perilous path to power indeed, and one that has made them particularly adept in hunting those who stray too far into the darker aspects of Death, the reputation the order has garnered over the centuries should keep anyone from trying to imitate them without full knowledge of what they are doing..."
"Or just having the imitators becoming priests of death in truth," Dany points out. Turning to the assassin she adds. "If it is not against the strictures of your order, you could even
induct a few such priests. They could help keep up the facade for everyone outside the handful of people with Forbidden Knowledge access who will be told the full truth."
"A shallow understanding," the grey-clad priest replies, his manner once more too distant to guess if he finds the notion distasteful. "Yet as a mask for deeper secrets, however, it might serve well enough."
"I am glad to see access to the Scholarum is already opening new avenues of study to your order," you reply, satisfied at how neatly this is all wrapping up, a far cry from your worries about what attempting to integrate the Faceless Men might be. It is true that there are still those outcasts to consider, but compared to all you have gained here, you would call that more than a fair exchange.
What do you do next?
[] Look over the marriage and inheritance laws of the Empire
[] Offer a sacrifice to the Old Gods to empower the Well of Souls
[] Have a personal meeting with the Chosen of Smith
[] Speak to the Mallery brothers and see if you can contact Mother Earth through the younger of the two
[] Speak with Darleth the Delver about his fortification efforts
[] Find and deal with the wisps that caused you headaches in the Braavosi swamps
[] Visit the so called Orange Emperor in Trader Town, he can't be enjoying the encroaching presence of the Golden Company
[] Write in
OOC: I dropped the High Hearth from the standard options for now. It's been a while in character since Viserys was there, though of course you guys can write it in. Not yet edited.
