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Live in Infamy

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[X] A Bitter Reunion

I mean, this is not a cool dude. Now, him being helpless removes some of the fun of it, but the other two options aren't really great ones either. The third is showing flagrant weakness to a cult that Must jump on it, and the middle option shows too much deference.

I'd balk more if he wasn't such a piece of shit who--apparently--can just damn people to execution-without-trial and actual exile from polite society just in case you somehow don't die, because he doesn't like how you're just not quite faithful enough.
 
[ ] A Bitter Reunion
  • Pros: We gain some closure, and a better appreciation for how far we've come.
  • Cons: It's possible we or one of more of our comrades will be injured or killed, and the disappearance of this guy will be noticed.

[ ] A Patron's Might
  • Pros: No risk to ourselves or our allies, and we get a few hints as to Thorn's capabilities.
  • Cons: Could be taken as a sign of cowardice by our allies (either close or from the other party), making it harder to work with them, and the disappearance of this guy will be noticed.
  • Other: Depending on Thorn's attitude to use of resources and favours, he might approve of this or look on us for it. No way to be sure.

[ ] Ships in the Night
  • Pros: Attracts less or no attention, no risk of any injury to us or our allies.
  • Cons: Could be taken as a sign of cowardice by our allies (either close or from the other party), making it harder to work with them, and we'll likely run into this guy later because narrativium.
Not sure which way I'm leaning, personally.
 
[X] A Bitter Reunion

This is like friendship except we don't have to hide the bodies afterwards.

Maugan Ra said:
"Some among you are imagining that you will never make use of this lesson, either by avoiding the need or standing on principle," your teacher says coldly, not looking back, and despite yourself you flinch. "To free you of such delusions is our next step."

She stops in front of one particular cell, tapping the metal lightly in a series of arcane patterns. The lock slides open of its own accord moments later, revealing a bare stone cube and a young man with watery blue eyes standing in the middle. He wears a squire's tabard of blue and white, and though he straightens as you open the door there is no hiding the fear in his eyes.

"This is the choice you have," Tiadora explains, cutting off the squire's initial demand with an imperious wave that shrouds the room in magical silence, "You will break this mortal, under my direction, or you will take his place for your comrades to practise upon. Should you all refuse, I will demonstrate on each of you in turn."
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So, this might be because it is currently late at night here in Denmark and my brain is tired, but I am a bit confused about this part: Specifically, in what way does this exercise prove that our villains will make use of torture in the future?

Yes, they will all have committed torture as part of their teachings, but that still leaves plenty of room for delusions that they won't actually need to use it again. See every high school student at their math exam. And for those of our group who have moral qualms about the use of torture, I would expect being forced to conduct it with zero actual benefit to instead strengthen the desire to avoid going through it in the future if possible.
 
Omegahugger said:
[X] A Bitter Reunion

This is like friendship except we don't have to hide the bodies afterwards.


So, this might be because it is currently late at night here in Denmark and my brain is tired, but I am a bit confused about this part: Specifically, in what way does this exercise prove that our villains will make use of torture in the future?

Yes, they will all have committed torture as part of their teachings, but that still leaves plenty of room for delusions that they won't actually need to use it again. See every high school student at their math exam. And for those of our group who have moral qualms about the use of torture, I would expect being forced to conduct it with zero actual benefit to instead strengthen the desire to avoid going through it in the future if possible.
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Tiadora doesn't care whether or not they ever torture anyone again after this, though she'd probably be delighted if she did discover a kindred spirit
Tiadora is saying "I'm sure some of you are thinking that you'll never do any of what I'm saying, that you think you hold a moral high ground that makes you better than me, and I'm going to prove you wrong here and now by forcing you to cross that line"

She's making a point, and that point is that the more morally upright among them can either prove that those morals won't actually stand up to the pressure of self preservation when the chips are down, that they can be made to do things they find repugnant
Or they can stand by those morals and she'll break them anyway, and they can figure for themselves how much that moral high ground was worth

It's about Tiadora, who just extolled the supposed virtues of mastering others, demonstrating her control over the lives of her classroom
It's about her "proving" that their principles are hollow by forcing them to either break those principles, or else making them suffer to show that those principles won't help them

This "lesson" is lot more about the participants themselves than it is actually trying to teach them a skill
 
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