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Author Topic: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread  (Read 95885 times)

Blade Master Model 42

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1920 on: September 16, 2018, 12:06:37 pm »

~Chapter 7~
~The Cold Fire of Piety~

The party leaves Viterine and heads south to the country of Rheane. A peaceful land of rolling, grassy hills, Rheane is the last resting place of the goddess who created the world and the men who live there. As a culture, the people of Rheane have embraced pacifism, and the land is peaceful. It is not for soldiers that the liberators of Izzarra journey here, however, but to seek missionaries and relief for their starving and battered countrymen. To this end, at the first village they find, Bertholt seeks out the village elder, and convinces him to call for an emergency summit meeting of the village elders. And so it is that several days later, the group approaches the remains of the goddess with the village elder in tow...

"There." The old man lifts one hand away from his walking stick, pointing at a hill in the distance. It does not appear much different from the others around it. "That's the final resting place of the Goddess Rhea. The National Summit is always held at the eastern foot of the hill. We may wait for the other elders there." The elder begins to walk once more, somewhat faster than he had been on the trip to this point. "I would like to see her again in the meantime, and to offer my prayers to her."

IamanElfCollaborator

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1921 on: September 16, 2018, 02:36:48 pm »

A strange fire fills Bertholt's eyes as his gaze travels towards the hill where Rhea rested.
".....as would I, esteemed elder. It has been a long time since I last laid eyes upon my land, and upon the Mother. If nothing else, some prayer before the meeting would be nice.

Perhaps some prayer may illuminate the way forward, after the meeting."

CrimsonEon

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1922 on: September 16, 2018, 03:19:29 pm »

Kaldach remained near the rear of the group, arms crossed.
: "..."
He remained tense all throughout their time in Rheane, clearly unaccustomed to the pious disposition of most of its residents.

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1923 on: September 16, 2018, 09:46:42 pm »

The hill the group climbed was not particularly steep, and a path was worn up the side by repeated footfalls over the years. The sun was high, but not overbearing in the blue, cloudless sky. A gentle wind stirred the grass as they reached the top, where what appeared to be an old statue of a kneeling women rested. The stone was a pale yellow, and was in the form of a beautiful, motherly figure. Her robes pooled around her and her hands were clenched over her heart, head hung in shame. Up close, from the right angle, her expression could be seen. Her eyes, shut tight, and mouth twisted shut in quiet anguish.

The elder the group had brought with them knelt before her, and clasped his hands over his own heart. He mumbled quietly to himself for a few minutes, and made no hurry to rise.

GiglameshDespair

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1924 on: September 17, 2018, 04:05:46 am »

Roux regarded the petrified goddess for a moment.
"... She's pretty. " she said at last.
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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1925 on: September 17, 2018, 08:10:47 am »

Bertholt knelt alongside the elder, clasping his hands over his heart, regarding the goddess with a mixture of awe, sorrow and obligation. He too had prayers to make, and something to ask of the Goddess, the words of which could only be heard by Bertholt.

He spoke in a calm whisper, with all the intensity of a gathering storm. Bertholt often prayed, when the times were difficult, when they had suffered setbacks that had made it ever-more difficult to succeed. This habit of his had begun years ago, long before he became a priest in the priory, as a young boy. Even now, he'd pray to carry himself through the chaos; in the dark of night, after the others had gone to sleep except those on watch, Bertholt would pray for guidance. He'd prayed on the eve after the battle in Vaster's palace, after the fight in Anecca, after they'd found Rina's hanging, bloated corpse.

The burden of the fate of Izzarra's people had lain on many different people in this group; on Martyn, on Sharne, on all those who had tried, again and again, to convince the leaders of nations to help the people of Izzarra. Now it lay on Bertholt, and Bertholt was no great orator, nor bore any great power, political, military, or magical, to persuade the elders to help Izzarra. All he had was his heart, and what proof and words his allies could give him.

And so he prayed.
"Great Mother Rhea, the way forward is dark, and the obstacles upon it treacherous to traverse. I shall do what I will, to protect your flock, not to earn favours, but because it is the right thing to do. I know it in my heart. This path, I will not turn away from. I swear it; for Roux, for the others of this group, for those who have died for the sake of Izzarra, and for the people who still suffer there.

Even if I do not know if I will succeed, I must carry on.

I lay myself down before you, Great Mother. Most humbly do I implore you, give me the strength and the will to do what is right for the people of Izzarra, and aid me in helping liberate them from their plight."
« Last Edit: September 17, 2018, 08:15:49 am by IamanElfCollaborator »
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Blade Master Model 42

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1926 on: September 19, 2018, 09:20:41 am »

As the representatives of all the villages across needed to gather, it was a few days to wait. Over time, the other elders arrived. As each did, they rose to meet and pray to the goddess. Some knelt before her for hours, some for only a few short minutes. Last to arrive was a large contingent of armored cavalry. These were the White Knights, famous both in Rheane and Chilcinne, though rumors of their organization had spread further. Theirs was a force united against the aggression of others, mainly focused on hunting down bandits that sought to rob the generally pacifistic people of Rheane.

Following the arrival of the White Knights, the summit was quickly brought to order. The elders of the villages, as well as the leader of the White Knights, Gustav Chival, arranged themselves in a ring, and began discussing their understanding of the problems in Izzarra. This amounted to harsh taxes from the occupation soldiers leading to some food shortages. The man who had called the summit and traveled along with the group spoke up as the others finished. "Yes, this was my understanding of the situation before I called this summit. I fear rumor has not been sufficient to educate us. I was visited mere days ago by a group from Izzarra, and they described a very dire situation. It would be best if they spoke of what has happened."

The man gestured toward the group, beckoning them forward to speak.

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1927 on: September 20, 2018, 05:57:24 pm »

Bertholt breathes in deeply, looking around at the group. He hoped Martyn and Sharne would be there to back him; he trusted Roux with his life, but not here. Martyn, he had his disagreements in philosophy with, but he was a good man, and his heart was set on saving Izzarra; Sharne just had a good head on her shoulders.

He mustered all his wits and all his will. Izzarra currently depended on if Bertholt could convince the elders of his mission.

He hoped he didn't mess this up.
"Esteemed elders, I will be blunt. Rumour alone cannot suffice for genuine news. Taxes and food shortages are unfortunate, and if that were truly the extent of Izzarra's suffering, we would not be here, esteemed elders. After all, even our beautiful motherland suffers from the occasional blight, but we do not expect Viterine or Anecca to liberate us. None of you have heard what happened in Izzarra, not truly.

The reason you have not heard more about Izzarra is because we are the only group left with the will and power to resist the Mordoan occupation. All other resistance has been systematically crushed and utterly snuffed out; we ourselves barely escaped with our lives. The rest of our own group were executed, hung publicly, or hunted down, their hideouts burned to the ground and left as an example to any one who dares question Mordo. Mordo's soldiers have eaten the Izzarrans- fellow children of Rhea, just as we are- out of house and home, taken all that is dear to them for their own, and drained Izzarra of all that belongs to them, like a horde of leeches upon a dying animal. There are other atrocities, other sins, that Mordo is guilty of, but they pale in comparison to the violation of Izzarra under their watchful eye. Izzarra suffers more than simply a half-empty larder and some foreign soldiers; she starves beneath the boot of Mordo.

Mordo has also thrown the sovereignty of other nations out of the window; any day now, you will hear reports of their having been arrested for assailing the King of Viterine in his own home. They will go to any length to stop any attempt at loosening their iron grip on Izzarra, even if they must trespass against the will of other lands, to do so. Mordo will not relinquish Izzarra's people from its grip any time soon, and any true relief seems distant for them, at the current moment.

I come to you, esteemed elders, because we must ask for your help. The people of Izzarra are children of Rhea, as we are. As those who take care of the Goddess in her slumber, we also take on the obligations of care towards her children, both those here and abroad. We cannot, therefore, stand idly by and pretend that the problems of Izzarra are not ours. All of us as holy men, as men who hold our love for the Goddess high, have the obligation to guide the children of Rhea, to nurture them, to protect them.

I'm not asking for the White Knights to invade Izzarra; their abilities may be great, but the armies of Mordo are strong. I ask only that some form of relief be sent for the people of Izzarra; priests, loaded with food and drink and supplies for those suffering and starving. We ask for relief for the people of Izzarra, even if it is only a temporary respite. It is not a permanent solution, not in the slightest, but it is better for all of us if the people of Izzarra know that there is hope for them, however distant and faint.

The Goddess would will that we aid one another, in times of need, and it is Izzarra's time of need."

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1928 on: September 20, 2018, 06:17:33 pm »

There was a general muttering as Bertholt finished his speech. Eventually it quieted, and a slight looking man spoke up. "The failures of the late King of Izzarra are not the failures of his people. Though they may have lost their leader, they surely do not deserve the slow death of starvation. Each of us will return to our respective villages, and ask of our people to give what they may, and charge those who can make such a journey to carry what can be provided to Izzarra. We thank you for bringing this to our attention."

The only armored man among them spoke up. "Hold. We can ill afford to direct our charities into the hands of the soldiers conducting the occupation. If they are willing to rob the citizenry into starvation, will they not simply take from our couriers what we send for these starving people?" This question prompted another round of murmuring.

Another, somewhat more corpulent, man spoke up. "But we cannot sit and do nothing! Even should our succor not reach these people in need, we cannot sit idle-"

Gustav raised his voice. "Better to sit on our hands than to provide aid to their oppressors! Bandits seek to reap what they refuse to sow, and these men of Mordo are clearly no different. If Izzarra is starving, as you say, it is only a matter of time before their larders are as empty as those of their subjects, and they will return to their homes."

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1929 on: September 20, 2018, 06:23:01 pm »

"Are the people of Rheane truly so callous as to starve Izzarra to spite Mordo? Even if the Mordoans were to leave Izzarra, they would simply come back not long after, refreshed and resupplied in their native land, while Izzarra remains devastated with scarcely any way of defending itself, what with no army and us being what remains of its resistance. If Izzarra could not fend off the men of Mordo at full strength with its bellies full, how do you expect them to fend the vultures off with nothing but dust and air?"
« Last Edit: September 20, 2018, 06:24:56 pm by IamanElfCollaborator »
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GiglameshDespair

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1930 on: September 20, 2018, 06:48:26 pm »

"Dumbass. It don't work like that."
The redhead stepped up next to Bertholt, crossing her arms.
"Long as there's people, there's always summin' to take. Once there ain't no crops an' gold, then it's makin' them work in a mine or summin' till they die, an' kidnappin' their women. An' Mordo ain't gonna let its soldiers starve. They can still bring their food in an' the like."
"If Mordo's goons go 'ome, it'll be cos there ain't no one left."
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Blade Master Model 42

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1931 on: September 20, 2018, 06:54:36 pm »

"If we send these people food, but it is confiscated before it even reaches them, how have we aided them? We may as well save our goods and send them our prayers." Gustav said prayers the way other men said 'dogfucker'.
"I am sorry. I do not like to put myself on the other side of your efforts to feed these people. But all the same, I must counsel against feeding the men with the boot upon their necks. Make no mistake, maintaining a foreign force requires either payment or loot. If the soldiers of Mordo rely on payment and succor from their own nation, they will be recalled eventually." More murmuring. "And you all are the last of the resistance against the occupation? Apart from begging for food, what are you doing so far from this ailing land?"

Lucus Casius

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1932 on: September 20, 2018, 08:09:13 pm »

  "Ten men do not an army make, good sir, though their valor may match it and their spirits may wish it so."

Martyn had remained silent through Bertholt's speech and through the murmured response, just as he'd remained largely silent since their arrival in this land.  Too wrapped up in his own thoughts to offer more than a few words in reply to his comrades.  Thoughts of home.  Thoughts of the kin he'd not seen in years.  Thoughts of Izzarra and her people, suffering as he tried and failed to bring them aid.  For what good would a few sanctions do, against a power like Mordo, fresh from feasting on the lifeblood of a nation?  How long could they endure against the protests of merchants upon aging lords?

Thoughts of this land, too. Rheane, the land of Rhea and her people.  Pacifists, so they would say, and zealous servants of the goddess.  One who long ago turned to stone in revulsion of the pain her people inflicted upon one another.  Perhaps the myths said something about those who chose to call themselves her servants still.

Perhaps today he'd know if his skepticism was well founded.

  "You ask why we come here, the poor of a ravaged land begging succor for our people.  It is a fair question; I have often asked myself the same, when I see those who would rather turn a blind eye to tyranny than come to the aid of their fellow man.  But we few cannot save Izzarra alone.  We lack the force to free it.  And we cannot feed a nation alone when the nation lacks the means to feed itself."

  "Izzarra is a fertile land, though it seems not so in these days, with the crops drowned in blood and the fields salted by the tears of those left behind to mourn.  But how is it to use this?  Those strong enough to work the fields were carted off to the slaughter by a king too foolish to look to the wellbeing of his people.  Of those few who escaped the draft and retaliation, few still can retain their strength as foreign soldiers steal what little they can grow, leaving the men, women, and children of Izzarra to starve.  And if they should protest?  If, worse, they should seek to rise up in righteous revolution?"

  "That I have seen streets lined with the corpses of hanged men, good men, who sought only to provide for their families...  I wish only that these were the most of Mordo's crimes.  I wish, too, that their response to my protests as a student in Mordo, to hang me with the others before a friend assisted in my escape, was all the cause I had to oppose them.  But I have seen worse.  I've seen children torn from the arms of their parents.  I have seen good people left to wither in prisons until they died of thirst.  I have seen buildings drenched in blood, the bodies of those yearning for freedom torn apart as if by rabid beasts."

  "The people of Izzarra are dying wholesale, sir.  That is why we come before you today.  And while I understand your words and your fears, sir, they are of ill comfort to the dying as all our people are."

  "You ask while you should not wait?  You say that Mordo will leave when it has taken all of worth from my people?  That they will depart from a fertile land, content with their slaughter and their looting, and then you may move to bring aid to Izzarra?"

  "Then this I say to you:"

  "If you believe they will be content with the rape of a once-proud nation and leave it at that, you are a fool.  Why leave fertile land empty when you can colonize it, once the current holders are dead?  Surely the soldiers even now are eager to claim their homesteads."

  "If you believe they will stop at one, you are a fool.  They have already proven they have the power, and there are many ways a conqueror can justify his conquest."

  "And if you still believe even now that you should hold back?  That Mordo will leave?  That even if it doesn't leave, they will allow you access once all trace of resistance has died? Then this I say to you:"

  "If you wait, then there will be no one left.  And Rhea damn those who remain passive in the face of a genocide."
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Blade Master Model 42

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1933 on: September 20, 2018, 08:47:31 pm »

"I understand the failures of pacifism better than you think, boy. Such is why I command the White Knights. But you are too close to your situation to see it true. Mordo has no intention of settling your land. Izzarra was crushed, and rightly so, because of their own aggression against Kalart. Despite this, Izzarra has not been settled or annexed by Mordo. It has been three years since the death of your king. If they have not done so yet, what, aside from your own hatred and paranoia, convinces you they will now, or even in the future?" He continued. "Mordo does not seem to want your land, fertile as it may be. Her soldiers are your enemy, not her people. And those soldiers wish to fill their bellies and coffers. If they cannot, they will eventually withdraw."

"I have no interest in giving you honeyed words in return for your own. My interest is in preserving the lives of Rhea's children, and encouraging these soldiers to stay by handing them food that your people need is no way to do that. You can never save everyone. More tragically, sometimes you cannot save anyone. Set aside your pride, set aside even your nation. If you can save the people, but not the dirt, then the dirt should be worthless to you."


The fat elder spoke again. "Gustav. That's quite enough." He spread his arms wide, and addressed those in the circle. "I have heard all I need to. Gustav may be right. We may be placing food directly in the hands of these invaders. The people of Izzarra may well starve regardless of our actions. But if one morsel of food may reach these desperate people, I consider it worthwhile." He held his pudgy hands to the sky, palms up. "We have no way to influence the situation, to me that much is clear. But I will encourage the men of my community to send food to the Izzarrans regardless."

There was more murmuring. Then more of the elders spoke. "I, too, will arrange to send food." "Yes, little though it may help, I will not sit idle." "The people of Izzarra have paid for the sins of their King." "Our harvest was more than sufficient for our own needs." A wave of assent spread through the ring, until only the leader of the White Knights remained silent.

He spoke when the elders had quieted themselves. "If you would let your hearts dictate your actions, I will not further seek to impede it. But know that I denounce this course of action both foolish and wasteful, and Izzarra will be all the poorer for it." Gustav Chival turned and left the ring.

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Re: FEF: Liberation of Izzarra IC Thread
« Reply #1934 on: September 21, 2018, 10:07:55 am »

Bertholt looks over at Martyn, nodding. He then turned back to the elders, taking a bow.
"Esteemed elders, thank you. I understand that this is risky, that this venture may not be successful, that returns may not be visible for years to come. But as our comrade said, if we can save the people, but not the dirt, then the dirt should be worthless to us. Those words mean two different things to him and I, but I feel they apply equally to our cause as to his.

If we can save even one person from starvation, save even one person from despair, then all of us have done as the Goddess would have wished us to, even if we cannot yet retake Izzarra. And we can keep the spirit of hope in Izzarra alive."
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