The Revolution is questioned

Zapolklnex comes out of a private cell. The Mul'niessa man has his hood on fully, hands shoved into his sleeves, arms folded. Beside him is a white-feathered Egalrin who towers a foot and a half over him, a holy symbol of Navos the Raven visible.

"Taara and her priests tell us that she approached us, and gave us leaders. She was not shy about wanting to control us. So could she have been the impuetus for the attack?"

The Egalrin flaps slightly. "Of course it's possible sir. More than possible. I understand, and forgive me if I'm too blunt about this, but sir, it's important. I understand if you're reluctant to accept your race's role in the atrocities committed, but Taara cannot take all of the blame."

Garakos has been, for a half century, sort of an assistant librarian, and it's only in the last five or ten that he's been an actual priest, of sorts. He still mostly does librarian things, but more general history, and lately on the fellow that's causing all the fuss with the magic plague. But catching the corner of a nearby conversation piques his curiosity, and he will wander over closer to Zap and the Elgarin.

Zapolklnex looks over, seeing Garakos. Making eye contact, making a knowing nod. Before then turning to the Egalrin, lifting his hood off of his head, looking up. "I deny nothing. My people's leaders have, and still do, commit evils great and small. Most of us are captive. But the leaders, and the priests of Taara, they choose their path. I deny nothing, and I want the truth. However we are to have a reckoning, I need to know who had the idea. Was it my ancestors, or was it Taara's design from the beginning?"

The Egalrin, ruffles. "Forgive me, sir. Now I understand. You seek truth, and I wish the raven's blessings upon you as you search. But please pardon me, I have chores." The Egalrin bows, and departs, leaving Zapolklnex to turn to Garakos. "Greetings. The light is... very bright today."

Garakos bows his head to Zap, who he'd met in the library just a week or two ago, and he smiles benevolently. "It is bright, yes, but not too bright," he observes about the weather as the Elgarin departs. "You are continuing your research, then?" he wonders.

Zapolklnex sighs, putting his hood back on, approaching. "I am. I have received permission to read a few books kept here, to study on their version of the history. The more I meditate on, the closer I can get to understanding the truth. If it even exists anymore on this plane. Are you well?"

Garakos nods about the search for truth, though he says, "It may well not. But the motivation of the mighty is hard to interpret sometimes. With kings and lords, so why not with gods? But it seems you have come across some lore which has caused discord? If there is any lore involving Taara that does not also involve discord?"

Zapolklnex nods, smiling faintly. "She is good at that. But yes. I'm sure you know the official story, that when we all fell from the fae, Taara swept in, gave us leadership, and saved us from ruin. Even though there are so few of us left, this is held up as a success." Inhaling, he shakes his head. "But I digress. Most of the civilized races blame us as willing tools of Taara, holding us fully responsible for ancient attacks and crimes. But... but it is possible. Possible. That we were originally aligned with Navos, and Taara struck at us, first, because she was envious of the knowledge we were gaining."

Garakos pauses, nods. "You are making the same mistake so many who hate our kind unilaterally make. You are ascribing to we who are here today the actions of our ancestors. I was born in Alexandria, to Alexandrians," he explains. "And while I am clearly Mul'niessa, I have never felt Taara in my heart. But as to our people aligning first with Navos, who was himself different then, how is that pertinent? Things are as they are now, and Taara rules many of our people, through her adherents among the Mul'niessa nobility and her own priesthood."

Zapolklnex pulls his hands out, gesturing openly. "I assume nothing. I apologize. But I came from the caves. I lived under the total control of the Priesthood of Taara. I have seen and smelled rothe. I know that if most who look like us, are to be freed, to see the light of truth, I have to be able to counter lies with truth."

He finds a place to sit, and slowly lowers himself. "That's why it matters. I want to counter lies, with truth. If I counter lies with... well, maybe this hapened, but nobody knows, who will follow me? Who will rise up, escape the caves, and rejoin civilization?"

Garakos remains standing, arms folded, and asks, "How will that truth matter? Do you think to sway millions from Taara's grasp with words however true? I applaud your spirit, but your efforts have, I think, been misguided. You would be better served, I think, to guarantee freedom from reprisal for leaving her faith, which I think holds more of our people than simply habit of history."

Zapolklnex looks, and chuckles coldly. "Millions? Is that what people think, that there are millions of us?" He stands again, and steps toward Garakos. "Under the starvation of the Shadow Council, we number in the thousands. Not millions. Thousands. That's how dire it is."

Garakos peers at Zap, and says, "Perhaps not in any one place, but there are over six million souls in Charn alone, and many are Mul'niessa. I think you are perhaps a victim of the propaganda you decry. But the question remains, how will the truth set them free? That is an oft spoken sentiment, and it rarely holds true."

Zapolklnex nods. "Yes. Those who have escaped our own cities, may number more. Exiles, refugees, slaves, living in the lands of others. But in our own home... we are few, and dwindling. I want to build us a new home, as the Arvek Nar did for themselves."

Garakos nods gravely. "Well now, that is a bit of a different thing. But the Arvek Nar didn't so much build a homeland as kick their overlords out of their current location. So it's more correct to say that Blar is still Blar, but under new management. But the Taarans are much more securely entrenched than the vampires who ruled Blar. They mostly ruled through the Arvek Nar's love of chain of authority, so that was a simple matter to break. Our people are held much closer, though, and by a larger thumb than the ARvek Nar were under."

Zapolklnex nods. "Not the first time I have been told that. But if we once loved knowledge, then it's possible we could break past everything the Taarans are poisoning us with, and get back to it."

Garakos sighs, and says, "You're not listening. It's not the poison that holds us. It's our own people who like the /power/ she grants them. The criminal gangs, the cults and guilds. You would have to guarantee them the power they currently hold will remain unbroken. And I do not think anyone -here- cares to make that guarantee, given the way those organizations maintain power among themslves."

Zapolklnex shakes his head. "I know the leaders, they are corrupt. They willingly choose evil, and power, and control. But the rest of us... there is a chance. I am listening to you. But I don't think you understand the scope of what I hope."

Garakos shakes his head, and says, "I don't think /you/ understand the scope of what you hope. Or you wildly overestimate the effect that your revelation will have. The leaders are certainly evil. But among those who are not leaders, how many are good at heart and suffer under the oppression, and how many are evil, themselves, and just waiting for the chance that will lead to their promotion?"

Zapolklnex laughs. "I do. I understand it's exceptionally difficult. I'll probably fail." Standing again. "I'm one lone sorcerer, who can't even fill a cave with a fireball, up against an old, entrenched system, a system designed by an evil goddess to corrupt as many of us as possible."He pauses, then shoves his hands back into his sleeves. "But the truth will have the last laugh, and maybe I'll be lucky enough to be there. Good luck to you. Good luck to all of us. We need it."

Garakos arches a brow, and says, "I think your search is for knowledge is fine, if ill-founded. If you can uncover any evidence, then I would be interested to see it. I find your faith in truth to be a good thing, though truth has a hard time in many places, not the least of which is Charn. But even if you can find out for sure that Navos offered our people patronage before Taara offered it, how will that change things? I am deeply curious of the effect you forsee for this revelation?"

Zapolklnex turns around, slowly backing out. "I hope to start a revolution. It could be the biggest prank ever pulled on the Shadow Council. But I must depart. If I am to gather proof, I need much more power, and much mone money. Be well."

Garakos looks skeptical at money and power becoming proof, but he does smirk at the idea of such a collosal prank. "If you /could/ start such a revolution, that would indeed be a collosal ... prank. Well, if that is your goal, I wish you luck."

[[Category:|The Revolution is questioned]]