|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 30, 2015 11:38:15 GMT -6
"It is true that the Church is responsible to some degree for the recording of history," Nayru neutrally agreed. "While most of the world before the Scouring was lost in its entirety, it was the monks of your order who were responsible for the saving and copying of much information, and that has continued unabated, though mage academies and other libraries have taken the bulk of that work now." She might not care much for Eliminism personally, but it would be false of heart and mind to belittle everything they had ever done; she had personally benefited from their work in centuries long past, and she was a firm believer in giving credit where credit was due.
"So, too, is it true that humans have limited capacity for memory - if one were to simply fill their minds with every thing they saw, it would soon be filled to overflowing." At least that was the prevailing theory, as far as she knew. Nayru didn't have a lot of experience with that herself, what with the whole dragon memory superpower thing. From what she had heard while cautiously probing the subject, it was something similar to what humans called an 'eidetic' memory... though the degree to which it could be found in dragons varied, and even they did not have flawless memories for everything, merely the ability to more effectively catalog things they wanted to remember.
...And sometimes things they did not.
To hide her discomfort, Nayru readjusted herself in her seat, eyes momentarily averted from Remus as she ensured both kama were safely at her side as compared to, say, impaling her in the ass. Which would be a pretty horrible way to sit, needless to say. "It was Kraft's armies who were responsible for Ostia's plight, were they not," she asked a little absentmindedly. While she wasn't exactly proud of it, Nayru had a somewhat poor understanding of recent events, as Remus might have noticed - she didn't track them very well and was ironically far better versed in the past than the present. But it would take a hermit to not have heard somewhat of the truly impressive destruction of Ostia, and she was no Marcus.
Perhaps because she had lived there for so long...? Regardless, for once Nayru managed to stay her newly-permanently-open mouth from commenting too harshly on Remus's last comments. What he had said already had taken a great deal of courage and free thought to consider in the first place for one from as dogmatic a place as the Church, and she felt it fitting to respect that. "The all too human... and perhaps dragon, before the Scouring... tendency to abuse power rather than use it wisely. History is full of men who gain power, by means good or bad alike, and yet use it in pursuit of greed, jealousy, vengeance... the Church could certainly be a powerful tool for good, regardless of its origins, if its leaders cared to do so."
|
|
|
Post by Remus on Jan 30, 2015 12:03:09 GMT -6
He would not pretend his churches ability to duplicate grand amounts of literature over the years had not benefited mankind. While the contents of their text may not flawlessly conform to the perfect aspirations of historical recordings; he knew that there were entire branches of the church who studied and poured over text. A slight frustration within Remus grew, one that until his conversation with Nayru he had not realized. A desire to cause change, halted by the anxiety that it was something he could not manage. Reflecting upon her words of innocence, perhaps ignorance was a gift of bliss. Until this moment, he had never felt such a sensation. Though the priests smile did not falter, he realized a bit of him there in had changed from the conversation. If only, he hoped for the better. He lifted his staff as he shifted in the chair with a slight sigh. The deeds of the Prophet were obscured within Etruria. None would tell of Saint Elimine's Prophet having done any dead of evil. Merely divine justice. Remus revealed a truth to her, that was only surprising had one never been to Etruria.
"I couldn't tell you of the Prophet's actions honestly. Within the boundaries of Etruria they sing only his praise. The people believe their prophet has come to lead them back upon the path of Elimine. Speaking ill of him is to condemn your life, your soul and your bloodline. While our nation is one of faith, that faith within the rulings means it's word is law. Now you understand the severity upon which my views are kept quiet. It is a place where harmless questions could cause terror for fear of repercussion. Where one who seeks clarity finds naught but a shroud or veil. Having lived in such..I can't honestly say I know how involved the prophet was in the outside world. I can only speak for the lack of action I see before me. Elibe suffers in need of Aid and wants for much through out the land. We have armies and provisions we horde for unknown reasons. This to me is a sin greater than any. "
He sighed a bit, the priests frustration evident despite the now remarkably tired looking smile. A man who would have proven his faith to his Saint unparalleled, in a land where his views would bring such into question? The blue haired priest, bound to save a child in harm on his own where a nation would turn a blind eye and deaf ear. Oh the things he would change...given the chance. He shook his head before lifting his gaze. "When the mind becomes full, memory should spill unto pages that all may read. Then the mind may recover more in full. However...on the matter of power; sadly you are right. It is hard to judge, good men without power sometimes become bad ones with it. I fear though, even when you then shift the power to many instead of one they are just as susceptible. It is man's nature..you know, to stumble into the dark. To trip and fall when we can not see the way. That is what Elimine's way was to help us with. To be that hand that lifts us and helps us onto our feet once more. So that we may walk that hard path of good, when the ease of straying becomes so tempting. I simply wish there was a way to help others in her stead, since it seems they will not truly believe unless she appears before them..or someone sent by her. Perhaps I merely ramble and know not the thoughts I mutter... " The priest shifted his hands to the staff and gazed at the door. It was certainly a difficult task, this path he wished to walk. However he would not stray, even if he stumbled. He may be slow to rise, but he would not stray.
|
|
|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 30, 2015 14:35:03 GMT -6
"Blind zealotry, repression, hatred..." Nayru shook her head sadly, loath to even say it - not out of respect for Remus or for the prophet, but on its own merits. "...I remember an Etruria that was a holy country, one that followed that religion without being consumed by it. It was not perfect, though no less so than any human kingdom has ever been, but it was a place of learning, of knowledge, of faith and doing."
Oh, there had apparently been any number of issues between the nobles and the royal family, but what country DIDN'T have those? The country has a whole had not suffered for it, though, and she had in fact spent a good amount of time in Etruria throughout her life, long before the Prophet and his buffoons had destroyed any resemblance to what it had once been. "My bitterness may stem in no small part from seeing what Kraft has done to your country," she spoke bluntly, "as much as ideological concerns with the religion itself."
She quickly double-checked her mental math to ensure there was nothing too strange about that statement. 79, 84, now 94... somewhere around fourteen years since Kraft first took power, wasn't it? She couldn't remember the exact year, and it depended on when one took Kraft's ascension... but even fifteen years was reasonable, had she been human she would still have been old enough to see the changes.
As for Remus's last comments, she didn't have a lot to add. There were memories of Veigue mixed in there, the gift of giving, of helping each other through difficult situations. She was talking too much, Nayru worried - hopefully Remus wasn't getting tired of hearing her yap and insult his religion - so she settled for a relatively concise agreement. "Truly, we are at our best standing beside our fellows."
|
|
|
Post by Remus on Jan 30, 2015 15:20:52 GMT -6
Remus gazed down in thought once again. This conversation had him doing alot of that. He lifted his staff a bit to bring it infront of him as he shifted his poise leaning on it and closing his eyes. Her words though brutally blunt; were they wrong? He had a sinking suspicion if he looked at it from an outsiders perspective he would see it. Instead, he chose however to take note to her next comment. What kraft had done to it. Remus was only twenty. He hadn't seen the world beyond the prophet's influence for some time. He shifted his gaze back up to her, both emerald eyes fixed on Miss Nayru as he spoke. "I am saddened to not have seen it myself. I was but a boy when the prophet came to rule Etruria. A young boy. Younger than Amelia and Owain are now. So I've not seen it under different circumstances. I would have to take your word for it however. "
It made him realize just how inexperienced he was in life. Truly. He had no real life long companions, and safe for the other members of the faith that had worked at the orphanage with him he knew no piers. Thankful more than ever for Amelia and Owain, Remus realized just how lonely his life would have been otherwise. He chuckled quietly as he looked to Nayru with a soft expression. Sad words to some, he spoke them with the force of truth behind him and held no seeming regret for he could not miss what he did not have."I would imagine that to be quite the bolster of confidence. Standing besides close ones."
He gazed to the children once more with a soft smile. The fleeting notion gone from his thoughts in a brief instant. Perhaps he would gain comrades some day, or companions to assist in a life long goal. For now, he would settle with the two small children and simply enjoying the conversation with the now understandably older woman. She didn't look it. However if she could remember the ways of Etruria without kraft, subtracting most of his age from her and still having her at an age to retain such nostalgia? She was truly remarkable for her age. Remus would not comment upon her age but simply remarked with a kind tone as he slowly stood up and made his way to the window once again. "Time seems to have been kind to you Miss Nayru. Atleast from first impressions. Ah~ Would seem our wounded friend has found himself again." Indeed, as his gaze moved from side to side of the window there was no trace of the man Nayru had "planted" into the ground prior. Remus hoped he would not return to cause problems later.
|
|
|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 30, 2015 15:32:03 GMT -6
"It is... not something I have a great deal of experience with," Nayru admitted, a little hesitantly, her reticence evident whether or not she wanted it to be. "Wandering Elibe has left me with few opportunities for lasting relationships; it is only recently I have found a few with similar inclinations, similar..." she trailed off, not wanting to say problems regardless of how accurate it was. Nayru was not often strapped for words, but she didn't want to portray Veigue in a negative light, even in so minor a way as this.
"...There are elements shared in our histories," she eventually settled for with a sad smile, torn between the present and memories of the past, her own and Veigue's. "It does make the road much less lonely to have good company."
It was something she had never realized - truly realized - until meeting Elly, Aerious, Veigue, Hayle... she had become so used to it that she had thought the loneliness natural. Unique circumstances to excuse the conclusion, perhaps, but that didn't help her feel any less the eternal fool for believing it in the past. "In understanding lies comprehension; even confidence."
The comment about time was a bit unexpected, but not inaccurate, even if Remus might not understand just how true his words were. Time had given her many tribulations, but it had also given her chance after chance, and now, new hope. "...Yes, it has. The opportunity to make amends for... mistakes of the past... is not a blessing that many are fortunate to receive. I hope-" Nayru paused for a moment to smile a little mischievously, "-pray that I can make the most of it."
|
|
|
Post by Remus on Jan 30, 2015 15:49:15 GMT -6
Could he really comment on matters of experience? No. He was no great wanderer. He had not traveled often, and had only seen of Ilia this small town and been confined to Etruria for the majority of his life. He hadn't even been graced with seeing the capital of his own home. So Remus simply nodded in response while he gazed to the window further. His hands clasped the staff and he gazed at the few people passing by. Most were heavily armed. One looked familiar, but only in passing and the rest looked like what one would expect of hardened Ilian citizens.
He turned back ground to take his seat once more, gazing up at Miss Nayru as she spoke. He chuckled a bit looking to the children. Good company indeed. "As you can imagine...I've seldom had wanting for such with those two around. Though I have valued our conversation so far. Talking to anyone above my own age or even at my own age has been a luxury unavailable since we departed. I forget how nice it is sometimes. Something I would wish for more often; though that is neither here nor there. It is merely nice to have one to speak to over the worldly wonders. "
Understanding. Comprehension. Confidence. He had understanding certainly. Comprehension? A work in progress. Confidence? He had little of that but he made up for it in spades with optimism. He would accept it as a close second no doubt. Remus chuckled a bit once more. "I feel, sometimes simply knowing people understand you can bring no small token amount of comfort. Comfort people sorely want for. "
A blessing? A bit of a grin eased into his expression as he caught her wording. Though to him most likely funny for other more direct reasons he could appreciate the humor no less. His tone picked up a bit of a lighter edge as well, not sounding as serious. "Blessings are welcome in all forms Miss Nayru. I have faith that you'll not only make the most of it, but the best of it. You do not seem like someone to waste a moment, let alone opportunity. I am most curious to see what history tells of you; when it is all said and done. "
Sometimes one could simply tell that another was destined to leave an impact. Nayru seemed like the type to leave an impact or impression where ever she want. He was genuinely eager to see such impacts charted out in the future.
|
|
|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 30, 2015 16:06:35 GMT -6
"Speaking with those above my own age is a relative rarity for me as well." There was an amused twinkle in her eyes that suggested there was a joke to be found somewhere in that statement, but the several centuries old dragon failed to elucidate how an age joke might be all that funny. A side effect of her occasionally-frustrating returning personality. For her part, she was mostly just amused by the thought and didn't really even think that much about how Remus would take it... much.
"This has been a pleasure though, Remus. I enjoy these discussions but rarely find the opportunity to engage in them, and the last companion I had with similar leanings..." the Aerious subject, never one she enjoyed, and if she had been thinking through her words better, she would have avoided it entirely. But the damage was done, and she might as well finish while skirting the more problematic aspects of the subject, like the whole SCOURING SURVIVOR AND ALSO DRAGON thing Aerious had going. "-He held views on humanity I could not stomach, and our parting was a tacit agreement to disagree."
For not the first time, Nayru wondered if he had been right and she just to blind, too soft, to see it, or if her refusal to accept that outlook was in fact the correct and moral response. Perhaps she would never know the truth, or perhaps it lay somewhere in the middle. She had much to learn in the meantime, though, before she made a decision on the subject.
As for blessings and all their accoutrements - she could only hope he was right. But she did disagree on one thing. "I think... I would more likely consider that opportunity a success if history held no trace of my existence." For what she had done - the lives she had taken, the innocents she had killed - there was much to atone for, much she could do, but the sum total of her deeds would be forever negative. She could only hope to make the blight she left on history less severe in aggregate.
|
|
|
Post by Remus on Jan 30, 2015 16:17:54 GMT -6
As she spoke of her last companion, Remus paused before offering his own thoughts; even if he had no knowledge on the subject. "Alas, sometimes perspectives yielded from different experiences simply can not find middle ground. I've encountered it myself, many times as you can imagine in the church. Men who believe that those against the will of Elimine should be shown little mercy...where as I would argue that the way of Elimine is about precisely that. We can not agree, but yet we shall go about our lives by our own ways..the mystery of free will as you earlier mentioned. Even two people who have grown side by side, may very well come to different outcomes entirely. Truly, the world can be a rather spectacular place. "
Lifting his staff a bit he adjusted it and propped it while he chuckled. He lifted his gaze to recall his time in the church as he learned. How many would disagree with him now? Most, if anything as his thought patterns went against most that the Prophet currently stood for. In his own view that did not deny him the right to coexist. Perhaps man's greatest struggle was just that. Coexisting. Would he ever find a way to help with it? Unlikely, though he would try. Remus spoke up a bit once more. "Personally I have enjoyed hearing your views on humanity. While we may not agree on all accounts, I feel I've gained new perspective. That alone has merited the conversation an experience I would not go back on. "
She preferred not to be noted in history? He could not say he found it entirely unbelievable that she would hold to a more reclusive nature or note. One hand lifted to ease through slightly messy peacock shaded locks of hair ruffling them a bit as he chuckled. Smiling to her he tilted his head with his gaze brightening a bit in mirth. "Eager to avoid the gaze of wandering historians are we? Well, if it's permitted by you I would retain our meeting, and any future meetings. You may not wish history to know of how you help shape the world, but I would like to." He couldn't deny his curiosity as to her future adventures, even if they were not planned. Given how they had met, Remus could only imagine what the future held for Miss Nayru. He would like to find out, assuming they met beyond their initial encounter within the frozen land of Ilia.
|
|
|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 30, 2015 16:34:26 GMT -6
Revealing her deceptive youth to a degree by her words, Nayru responded. "It took me a... long time to learn that. Even now, I still find myself wishing it was true. Stopping a bandit from killing an innocent family is easy; being so absolutely disconnected from someone you respect is harder. But what is the alternative? Betraying one's own ideals in the name of compromise? If there is to be any concept of right and wrong, morality and immorality, there must be a sense of - truth to self." She paused, reconsidering her wording slightly. "There are as many words for it as there are uses for the concept. Honor, integrity, steadfastness, character... one's beliefs only hold true meaning if they are adhered to even when doing so is difficult, but in that very concept lies closed-mindedness."
It was a riddle - a conundrum she had never truly been able to solve. The truth likely laid somewhere in the middle, in being able to hold to your beliefs but also reassess them when the time came, but... that was easier said than done. If you were always flexible enough to change your beliefs, were they truly steadfast morals on which you could fall back on? If you found the 'correct' decision, why change it, even if another disagreed with you?
Therein lay much of her issue. Self-aware enough to recognize her beliefs were not fact; not wise enough to replace them with ones that were, and too cautious to replace them with ones that might not be. It made learning a painful experience at times, and yet she chased it anyways. Was that the real foolishness? "I would rather leave marks... only in the minds of individuals such as yourself, rather than history books. It is not necessarily in my nature to do so," said the 500 year old dragon who was discovering entirely new powers she had rarely if ever heard of other dragons being capable of, "but if I were to die knowing that I had actively changed many individual lives for the better, I would care little for what names history chose to heap on me, for good or for ill. Villain, hero, butcher, savior - all are little more than sounds attached to vague meanings whose definitions change based on perception. I do not care if humanity remembers my existence, but if the world retains the echoes of the good I have done, that should be a legacy worth pride, I think."
|
|
|
Post by Remus on Jan 30, 2015 16:48:15 GMT -6
"Sometimes, to ignore the loud noises of the world, you have no choice but to cover your ears. " A phrase his father was fond of saying. It made perfect sense to him, however it might require a bit of elaboration. "If your going to stick to your ideals, and remain unwavering in the face of adversity sometimes that blind faith has to be all that fuels you. It will strengthen your resolve for it when that alone gets you through...yet you'll find yourself in a better place. You are right..and that is a concept I saw so often. People who paid tithes to justify the next sins they wished to commit. Service of the lip..and nothing more. That is not conviction. What you speak of? That is conviction. "
He laughed a bit gazing to her. Did she realize how noble and selfless a statement she had made? Most likely not. To her it was simple, the way she wished to live. To he, who had seen lesser men aspire for more on less of a good intent; it was truly noble. He gazed at her briefly with a bit of a grin as he spoke his thoughts aloud. "People like you, are the ones who rule with an impact though. You do what you feel you must, and would never consider yourself good for leading others. I suspect at times you probably did not feel you could even lead yourself. Yet hear you sit, helping guide another while speaking that you care little for how you are labeled as long as you can do good. Aye, I would wager that is the stuff a ruler should be made of. " She was not weak in her mindset; and in that regard rule could not be handed to the weak. A leader who would be so easily swayed was ill fitted to lead; yet one who could care for others and take the burdens others would not unto their own shoulders.
It was the very thing he aspired to be. Remus commented a moment later with another chuckle. "Having seen your propensity for defense of others, let alone yourself and your tenacity? I suspect you will not have to worry about making such impacts before perishing any time soon Miss Nayru. When you do however? I have a strong feeling many will call you Hero. Friend. Farmer extraordinaire." Look at him, making a joke! Perhaps she was a bad influence on him. "Mayhaps if I am lucky, I can help people remember such things, even if it is only those that you left an impact on such as myself, Amelia, and these companions you've mentioned. " Though he knew not her draconic origins, and the sheer unlikeliness he would out live her in a natural life span. The dragon . Still considering her but a human he considered to speak to her of mortal men.
|
|
|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 30, 2015 19:07:18 GMT -6
"I- I don't-" Nayru shriveled up in her seat, head almost sinking between her shoulders as she recoiled visibly from the concept. She knew Remus meant well, and she wanted to appreciate it, but the irony was too cruel for words - it only served to remind her of how absolutely she did not deserve to be seen as anything but what she truly was. As it also so happened, the young dragon had never been anything other than absolutely abysmal at accepting thanks or praise, from the day she stepped foot in Arcadia to the modern moment. Had she a bit more self-awareness, perhaps she might have recognized the hand of that tendency in certain aspects of how difficult of a child she had been...
Still, childishness aside, if Remus knew the crimes she was responsible for, he would likely be singing a different tune entirely. She felt like they had already had this argument though, and did not want to resurrect that issue. Which did pose a small degree of issue to the ongoing conversation... wrapped in hesitation, Nayru took a few moments to respond before girding her loins and forcing herself to do it anyways. "...Perhaps some day I will be less unworthy of such praise, but I have much to atone for before then."
This whole thing about heroism and legends did remind her of something stupid - barely even worth relating, just normal childhood fantasies - but it came to mind unbidden and refused to leave, and Nayru was getting desperate for a subject change. "The subject of heroes and legends... it reminds me of a dream I had once, long ago, as a child. While my understanding of the Scouring heroes was... never quite the same as the commonly accepted one, it is rare indeed to find a child who cannot be swayed by naked heroism and great feats. In my dreams I envisioned a world where the great heroes of man and dragonkind alike united against some more terrible foe, too great for either to overcome alone... a king of demons at the helm of a mighty army, an angry goddess raining destruction on the world for its transgressions, an invasion from another world."
Recovering from her earlier reaction, Nayru ran the fingers of her right hand through her hair lightly, left hand still at her side, touching the weapon lodged there almost as if for comfort. "I suspect that replicating that view would be difficult in the modern day," though much less impossible than humanity thought, given that dragons were not nearly as extinct as they believed, "but I do wonder if something similar might not be required to unite humanity... and if that something is not the tides of monsters choking the life from Elibe. There are far more terrible things lurking in the darker corners of history than have reared their ugly heads in Elibe today; we may be at little more than the earliest prelude to a true tidal wave of nightmares, these halcyon days of having the opportunity to war among ourselves a mere memory."
|
|
|
Post by Remus on Jan 30, 2015 22:49:44 GMT -6
Remus gazed to her, with a tilt of his head as he chuckled almost knowingly and shook it before readjusting his gaze unto her. His hands clasped his staff and propped upon the wooden floor, shifting his weight as he spoke with a tone that seemed unwavering. As if he was not only positive but merely explaining fact. He was more direct in it, addressing her directly. Perhaps it was the display of insecurity or the way she fumbled with her words. They had, in that brief moment stepped into the field where Remus felt most comfortable. Assurance. While he offered little of concrete, he excelled at comforting others. While he himself did not emit confidence as if he was some great source of it; he could instill it in others. Would it work with her? Unlikely, she had a many great troubles. That wouldn't stop the reaction that was almost natural to him to perform."Nayru your wrong there I fear. You are not a hero because you are worthy to be one. You are not less of a hero because you are unworthy. You are a hero, because others needed you; and you were there. Call it something else, but today you were a hero. Your past deeds could be spectacular...they could be horrendous, and none of them would change how I think of you as said hero. Nor would they change how the children think I am most certain. Why? Because when we needed someone? You arrived with fists and witty remarks in tow."
Though he did not stand up he straightened a bit in his seat. He smiled warmly when he spoke and with a chuckle as he did so, nodding and tilting his head. "A hero does not need be one who has spent their days aspiring to one. They are someone who was there when needed and helped save the day; more or less." By his definitions to the word she was just that. He would not allow her to belittle the acts of saving possible not only his life and the two orphans, but the third life of the young orphan still so far away from home and unknowingly or perhaps now even knowingly in danger. When she continued to speak he waited and listened before chiming in.
She spoke of her dream. Of an unknown threat assaulting both man and dragon kind. Where heroes of both sides had to unite to face against the unknown superior power. Of demons and things in the dark. A truly terrifying thought. To imagine the forces of man and dragon kind not enough individually. However if such a thing were to happen? Were dragons in enough bulk to be a contending force; yet still not enough on their own he could certainly believe they'd have to unite. He spoke thoughtfully a moment later. "I could certainly see in the face of unknown darkness the union possible. Alas, perhaps were the dragons still about now we would honestly be in a better place. I find it curious though, perhaps as a scholar of history you may as well. We hero of the human heroes during the scouring. But what of the dragons? You never hear tell of generals, heroes or any such knowledge. Merely that dragons and humans fought a war. I think I would quite like to know of draconic heroes as well as my own. " Perhaps he was too open minded for a priest; yet such questions had never seemed to shake his mind in the devotion he felt towards Saint Elimine. It was an oddity indeed.
|
|
|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 31, 2015 8:02:09 GMT -6
The priest did have quite a way with words, she decided. Whether they were right or wrong, empty promises or packed with meaning, was only tangentially relevant; he spoke with enough conviction and certainty to almost make her believe him for a second. It wasn't really a surprise - as a kid she HAD wanted to be a hero - who didn't? - but the realities of life had disabused her of that notion and ensured that goal would forever be an uphill battle.
But it was nice to hear someone be grateful for her existence, rare as that was.
"Thank you... Remus." She smiled wanly. "I will think upon your words." That was about the most she could say, but it was honest at least, less a dismissal than a simple statement. The concept of... ignoring her past mistakes was tempting, admittedly. Or trying to move on, at least. But memory such as hers came with its downsides...
She moved on mentally, more interested in the subject of her imaginary world and real heroes... and the real-world heroes... or butchers... who might have taken those roles in an alternate history. "History is written by the victors, the saying goes, and rarely is that more accurate than in a world of genocidal extermination. Who is left to speak for them? Who yet remembers the mighty Mountain, the Sword, the Blue Flame, the Hammer, the Shadow of All Things, the Nameless General? Who even knows the names behind those lofty titles? Those and others... Names that might well be the equivalent to the eight great heroes had the dragons won the war, heroes of whom could be said no wrong, whose massacres would be lauded rather than reviled. I know not how close the Scouring was to ending in another way, but the thought that had one influential battle ended in another way... it is an intriguing thought-game."
She didn't know THAT much about any of them, admittedly, just stories of her own. Erim had avoided fighting in the Scouring entirely, and the subject of draconic heroes of the Scouring was understandably unpopular among the members of a mutual peace in Arcadia. "History is no more than a matter of perspective. What events survive to find their place in it, and which fail to survive, is solely a matter of who does the writing. They say that the Dragon Gate is a portal to other worlds, and I have heard tales of ours being but one of an infinite multiverse of worlds, a spectrum in which there is a world for every permutation of history that we find acceptable. Worlds in which the War of Shadows was lost by the dragons, where both they and the budding humanity were driven to the brink of extinction; worlds in which the dragons won the Scouring and either exterminated all humanity or reduced their existence to that of mere cattle; worlds in which the Scouring was resolved diplomatically."
THIS was her vibe. The meeting with Nax had been... interesting, to say the least' Nayru did not know if she trusted the other dragon, but she did find the concept fascinating. "I once met someone who claimed to have come from another world, and while I know not if she spoke the truth, the mere concept inflamed my mind, and..." Nayru giggled, to herself as much as for Remus's benefit. "...It is a difficult thing to forget, and the flames yet burn bright. But she claimed that the Gate could only be opened from the other side, and if she spoke truth, I suspect she was correct. Otherwise, certainly there would be tales of men going through, would there not?"
Of course, there was always the possibility that Nax had just been batshit insane. Nayru found that fairly likely, given her persona.
|
|
|
Post by Remus on Jan 31, 2015 8:22:48 GMT -6
Upon her thanking him he nodded lightly with a smile, inclining his head and closing his eyes briefly. It was seldom that he received an opportunity to assist others in any real way as of late. He would seize any opportunity presented to him, even if such passions were directed at menial tasks like merely assisting another's moral. As he had sought so often before taking to wandering on his venture. He chuckled a bit smiling warmly while his fingers clasped his staff lightly, coiling around it before lifting his right hand to trace the cool surface of the gemstone atop it comfortingly. "You've no need to thank me, I was merely sharing my opinions on the matter. Stating simple truths if you will. "
She spoke of names he did not know. Restricted to Etruria's libraries, he had only access to glorified historical propaganda. Nothing short of a miracle that he had managed to develop such ideological perspectives in actuality; given his developments within the church. If he did ever find out how fortunate he had been for such a fact, his perspective that was; it would be many years from now. He found his curiosity growing as she mentioned it, elaborating further even though he agreed. "I confess I do not know the names you speak of..though I wish I did. I would sooner hear a tale of the heroes of the dragons then yet another tale of our own. Our culture is well established in historical text. The dragon's is not. What of their art? Their music? Folk stories. Did they have such? If so, how might it have inspired our own? Such questions, if only I could find these answers in my life time. It is, similarly to yours with history a personal interest of mine. Not simply because of some nonsensical concept of large lumbering beasts...but because I genuinely wish to know where their inspirations stemmed from. I do not share the belief that a perspective of shared information can be bad. Simply help formulate the truth further."
Someone from another world? That was an interesting notion. Immediately however he took to speculating how might the narrow minded masses panic at that thought? It was not a cruel thought, and he did not think less of those with a tightened mindset but merely acknowledged it did exist. He lowered his staff and bridged his fingers with them webbing together as he rested the joint union of his digits upon the gem atop the staff. He gazed to her with more curiosity. Dragon's Gate? He'd heard scarce rumors of such, being able to only find passing mention of it. Once more he had to admit his lack of knowledge. "Dragon's Gate...that is a name I've only known of two or three times. What do you know of it? It is merely mentioned in passing in most texts..beyond just something associated with dragons in the war it is never mentioned. I would hazard it existed prior though and as such had an unrelated use? I am rather ignorant on the subject despite my desire to learn more. "
Entering a different subject of conversation he was slowly filling with a multitude of questions.
|
|
|
Post by Nayru Al-Saiduq on Jan 31, 2015 8:52:37 GMT -6
Nayru quietly listened to Remus speak, formulating her response cautiously while continuing to be impressed at how open-minded he was... or pretended to be, the possibility existed, but she didn't think he was that sort of person. She still couldn't trust him with any truly sensitive information, even admitting her race to Veigue AFTER he already knew had been one of the most difficult decisions she'd ever made, but the general subject seemed safe enough. And she did have the cover of being a historian... which was true, as it happened. So it wasn't really a cover so much as just a fact of life that ALSO happened to be useful. Yay for not having to lie to people!
"Well... I can't say as that I've ever met any of them," she admitted, which was not really a hard admission to make given that as far as she knew, most of them had died in the Scouring. The Mountain had been killed by... one of the heroes, Roland she thought it was; the Sword had simply disappeared during the chaos of the the twilight of an age; the Nameless one had... well, if they didn't even know his name, it was unlikely anyone knew what had happened to him. Or her, as it happened. History tended to assume the great were male, but who knew? "Certainly they had their own culture; bits and fragments remain in the darkest tombs and dustiest temples lying far beneath Elibe. How much of it survived in humanity... I know not."
She'd never really had a chance to approach Athos and grill him on everything he knew, something Nayru still regretted - one never truly realized what they had until they lost it, and living in Arcadia with the one hero of the Scouring who had saved dragons, done more for dragon-human cooperation than any of his race, was something she should have done much more with. "I am... no great lover of war. The tactics, the strategy, the high drama of it... I confess all are lost on me to a degree. Matters of war, the men of the military, have never gotten along well with me. The Scouring is an interesting subject, granted, but to me it is the time beforetime that intrigues me the most."
And it was - not so much because of the 'war' thing as that even in Arcadia, there were very few dragons who had lived very long before the scouring, even fewer that had lived through rumored events and wars long before the Scouring, and those that had did not speak of it. "If little yet exists of the Scouring, then even less exists of events long before, but I have come across rumors and sayings that speak of a history rich in intrigue... they say that long before humanity existed, or perhaps when it was still in its infancy, the dragons fought a great war against a foe too terrible for history. It can safely be assumed the dragons won, but none know of their foe, or the details of the war. There are tales of other races, few and far between, sad to have been lost before... or perhaps during... the Scouring. Supposedly there was even once a truly great war between dragons and monsters, an absolute victory from which there could be no return... and yet here they are."
And that brought to mind Aerious's claim - that humanity was solely responsible for the resurgence in monsters by dint of their own negative emotions. "I know not the truth of it, but another man I met, exceedingly well versed in history I had never even heard of, claimed that monsters are born of negative emotion and that it was humanity's fault entirely that their resurgence occurred - that they are born from the darkest corners of the minds of Men... but apparently not dragons." That didn't exactly make sense to her - she had met more than her share of dragons who felt emotion much like men did, Aerious included. "I know not whose blame it is, but it is an interesting explanation for their existence. Creatures born of nightmares - not only figuratively but literally as well. It does add a dark taste to the recent resurgence in the wake of so much human warring; if it is true, I fear that if Etruria ever does play its hand, it may lead to a true war against evil - one in which humanity might indeed wish it had reliable allies."
|
|