[Locked] We can form a single united body

[telaari]

Who: Alexstrasza & the Red Dragonsworn
What: The Red Dragonsworn need to figure out a chain of command that works for them. Vas has gathered everyone together to do just that.
When: July 30th
Where: The Ruby Sanctum
Warnings: Politics, personal and not.

"I have no doubt that you are wondering why I called you here."

Vastania stands at the edge of a circle of boulders twenty feet across. To her side is the Dragonqueen herself, and they both look outward at the gathered Redsworn. "It has become clear to me that we are without direction. We all do as we will, and not what is best for the whole. This must stop here and now. To continue to wander aimlessly, to pick off only a few demons at a time at our leisure, to fail to work as one - these are the things that will kill us. These are the things that will leave us divided and weak, and easy prey for the Legion."

The Vindicator takes a breath to calm her nerves, and continues. "This circle behind me is our meeting hall. It is here that we must decide how we will conduct ourselves. Those who enter the circle will be bound to certain rules: one may not sit, sleep, eat, or drink upon entering the circle. Should you enter and then leave, you will not be allowed in again. Should you grow weary, you must leave. Should you become violent, you will thrown out.

"These rules are harsh, but if you follow them, you will be allowed to speak your piece. Your opinions will be considered and weighed, as an equal. If you do not, you will have no say in any matter we discuss. Those who will not comment on policy do not deserve to set it." She stomps a steel-shod hoof against the ground, tail held high and proud.

"Come, let us all speak. Let us all decide, together, how the Red Dragonsworn will be led."

Comments

[seesbosscrotch]

Oh boy.

This was going to be good, and by good he meant "brutal and less fun than a night spent trying to heal a damn green dragon while the undead poured in from every side in a desperate urge to kill."

But the Vindicator had thrown down the gauntlet as blatantly as possible. No voice, no choice? Mar had a better saying for this challenge: 'damned if you do, damned if you don't.'

Ah well. If Vas thought the 'no food, drink, sleeping, or sitting' challenge was worth throwing down, well... she had never tasted the misery of magic withdrawal, the wracking agony that left every nerve afire, the stomach writhing no matter how full, the mouth dry no matter how much water or wine sought to wet it. He stepped into the circle, casually making a mental wager with himself as to how many boos would come.

[telaari]

None come from the Vindicator. She warily watches him cross the circle's boundaries instead - she expected him to be among the first to put himself forward, but that doesn't ease her disappointment in him. Of all the Redsworn, he seemed to have so much promise...

She stands across the circle from him, arms at rest.

[seesbosscrotch]

"How many people are we waiting to join before we start our discussion in earnest?" There may have been a split-second substitution there. 'Discussion' was more polite than he expected this to be.

[telaari]

She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, her tail exaggerating the simple movement. "We could begin it now, but with only the two of us, I don't expect many will accept what we decide."

[seesbosscrotch]

Like they would anyway, Mar thought cynically. "A cutoff time would probably be a good idea, to prevent someone from stalling till we're unconscious and then stepping in themselves."

[wilder]

Zelos is not stepping into that circle. Not yet. Instead, he makes a face and crosses his arms.

"Oh yeah, because nothing makes a greater formula for rational and intelligent discussions than dehydration, starvation, sleep deprivation and really sore feet."

Just...pointing that out.

[stormcalling]

"It is a more...drastic mean of conversation then you would think." She has to agree with that part. On the other hand it had been useful a few times before in various times in her youth.

"But who are we to argue? Clearly there is some reason we're all going to push our bodies while the Legion is outside."

[wilder]

"Yeah well, let's hope we don't push our bodies past their limit while the Legion's outside." He's skeptical of this idea. And he's not sure if it's a power play or not on Vas's part. Because hey, he's untrusting like that.

But oh well, at least he'd last awhile. So he's stepping in.

[telaari]

Vas pauses to address Kaneis before she enters the ring herself. "And what will stop us from arguing in perpetuity, if not our own limits?"

[wilder]

"Heh...I take it you've never dealt with a batch of hungry humans before." They could argue until they pass out, they get cranky enough.

"But alright, I can play by your rules." He wasn't exactly worried about himself. He's pretty sure he could outlast all of them anyway. But no need to advertise this. Instead he just steps into the circle.

[stormcalling]

If there's one thing Valamia hates, besides the Legion and getting dragged into another war, it's politics. While in part she agrees with the need for some organization the method the idea of a leader makes her want to laugh. She flicks her tail a few times as she considers even getting involved with the situation. She could walk off. Let the youngsters fight it out among themselves and decide what they want to do. A bit of consideration makes her realize that would end poorly in the long run. When she approached it's not with a strong presence. No desire to make herself look bigger or more important. She's casual, treating it like any other conversation. In fact, she doesn't even wait to someone to come talk with her. The point she felt she needed to make didn't require someone starting ahead of her. It required honesty. So she makes her statement openly, a little loudly.

"I do hope whatever is decided it comes with the realization of what the role of leadership requires. Leadership does require more then someone who is capable of leading. It requires followers. It requires the ability to communicate with each other and the ability to be able to trust those you work with. Two things I doubt anyone can argue we're lacking."

She folds her arms over her chest while she tries to pick apart her own thoughts. "Because if neither issue is addressed the position of leader becomes pointless. At best it becomes a title to use around other flights and races but to the people you work with, it would be meaningless. We would be faced with the same problem. Which once the real might of the Legion arrives, will surely bring more causalities then anyone desires."

[seesbosscrotch]

Mar straightened, speaking up from his lonely section of the circle. "Then let me put an issue of trust out to all the potential leaders out there -- one I think is very important to those of the Red flight."

Turning his head, he swept his glowing eyes over each of them in the circle. "If a warlock was summoned to serve alongside us in the Red Dragonflight, one who offered the mastery of demons and manipulation of fel magics to use against the Legion... would you accept him as an equal? Would you extend your trust to him? Would you put your faith in his abilities, and rely on them to accomplish what he vows they can do?"

[telaari]

Vas clenches her jaw, and only relaxes it when she realizes that she's chewing on her cheek. "And how is this relevant, Gladespring? Warlocks have no place among those who value life. A Redsworn Warlock is a contradiction."

[seesbosscrotch]

Oh, Vas. He wanted to tell her everything, everything that Alexstraza and her brood had been through... and everything that she had forgiven, because she was Dragon Queen and Life Binder.

But Vas believed nothing he said, Kaneis chose not to listen, and Valamia didn't care. He'd be wasting his breath.

So he simply nodded, because the answer was no surprise. "Next question. If the undead were summoned to serve alongside us in the Red Dragonflight... one of the Forsaken, created by the undead plague or risen from the Banshee Queen's meddling with the Valk'yr, or a Death Knight, ripped from the ground by the Lich King and constantly struggling with the desire to cause pain and suffering to others to sustain their own lives... Would you accept them as equals? Would you extend your trust, would you put your faith in them?"

[stormcalling]

She hated that he had a point. She knew what he was doing and did it ever frustrate her. It was a good point. One that held a lot more importance then just effecting their own flight. "You have an interesting idea. You aren't wrong for questioning the ability to work alongside characters of questionable background or self-control."

She flicks her tail in thought. "Ultimately, we not in a situation to refuse such help unless they turn into traitors. As it stands no one flight is capable of victory. We are all required to at least put the differences of beliefs and races aside for the greater good. Which is far harder then some might be willing to acknowledge." Herself included. That probably went without saying.

[telaari]

She had been clenching her jaw earlier. Now, it hangs open, dumbfounded.

She blinks, unable to form a coherent comment. Just what is Vala playing at, defending them like this?

[wilder]

He notices Vas's dumbfounded expression. He remembers Vala's warnings. Luckily, in a circle of no violence, that warning of getting hit with a weapon was pretty much gone.

And so he gives a little shrug. "I'm not sure I can say I'd trust someone actively making contracts with demons. Especially when I haven't seen what one's like for myself." He just can't. Maybe if he met someone and got to know them.....okay that was unlikely. "But I guess I can't really say no to having formally-dead people around. I mean if I did, I'd have to leave. And that'd kinda suck you know?"

[chosenfake]

Wow, this was serious question hour. There were a lot of things here that perhaps didn't quite hit home like they did to Azerothian natives, but Mar was addressing all of them-- wasn't he? And as far as death went...

"Someone being raised from death before might be unnatural, but... sometimes it's a second chance. Sometimes it's not something they can control, like what Exsilium did to me and my friends." He clenched his fists at his sides, trying to hide the trembling. "I might be wrong, but this-- this isn't entirely the same world you guys grew up in, right? If you're taking ideas from the world you lived in, and forcing them on a world that's different, with different people, I don't think that's fair to anyone." He looked to Vas. "You trust me even though I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of. Whether I'm deserving of that or not, I don't know, but my friends have taught me a lot just by showing me." He looked to Mar now. "I think we should decide to trust people not by what they might have done in the past, or what they are, but by their actions in the present."

[seesbosscrotch]

"I like these points. Judge by actions in the present." Which was what he had been saying since day one, but who was counting? "Put aside differences of beliefs and problems between races. Including races who made bad decisions out of survival, anger, and desperation, but now have repented of those ways and seek to undo their mistakes?"

He tapped the outside corner of one green-glowing eye as he spoke, his question mostly meant for the two draenei.

[stormcalling]

She bit back a bitter, snide remark. Vala wanted to retort about there being more issue with the person themselves then the race. Thankfully she knows to stay level-headed. "Repentance is a tricky subject as everyone has a different idea of what it means to repent. Some people would say there are those in the world who cannot be redeemed. Some mistakes that cannot be undone. However, the threat of the Legion is greater then personal beliefs regarding either of those things. If the Legion grows too strong any effort made towards either of those is rendered useless and any feelings towards them pointless."

[telaari]

"People make these desperate decisions, Gladespring," Vas responds, taking his bait. "People. The undead are not people, regardless of whether the Horde treats them as such. Your Forsaken and all Death Knights are nothing more than constructs to expand the Legion's armies."

[telaari]

"Well, yes, but-"

Vas slowly recovers her ability to form full sentences, still reeling that Vala would defend the undead abominations. Luke, on the other hand, isn't of this world. He has no idea what the undead are, so he might be forgiven. "The undead are ultimately the constructs of the Legion. They are tools of destruction, not people."

[chosenfake]

Luke watched the others as they gathered 'round, stepped in the ring. He knew standing out would be a smart idea, but maybe not in the long term. Just because he had issues with leading himself didn't mean his opinion was worthless. He remembered how everyone had looked at him when he suggested they approach the other kingdoms for peace instead of lowering the land without their permission. With Natalia's diplomatic finesse, that had ended in a lasting truce and resources dedicated to miasma relief.

They couldn't do it alone.

He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and stepped inside. His white coat somehow made him seem taller, combined with his serious expression.

[telaari]

Luke. Her student. Her fellow paladin.

Looking at him now, she would hardly be able to think of him as a child. Standing tall like he is, stepping into their circle, he's the very image of a grown man. Her heart swells with pride, and she extends a hand to him.

"Please, come join us, Luke."

[chosenfake]

Luke blinked, a little surprised, and then he found a smile for Vastania. He was a bit shy, and he had a tendency to hide under his bangs. But today, his shoulders seemed broader. He was still short in comparison to many of his peers, but no one could doubt that his efforts were earnest.

"Thanks."