(mini-event) THE COALITION OF REFUGEES

[natha]

THE COALITION     On the day of the council, there are markers tied with ribbons in the colors of both Olympia and Wyver that line the paths from the cities to the South Outpost, meant to guide anyone with an invitation to the first meeting of the Coalition of Refugees. While during the previous festivities of the gala the Great Hall was sharply divided between Olympians and Wyverns, the differences between the factions are not so apparent now. Inside, the hall is decorated with a more subdued mix of the white and gold of Olympia and the red and black of Wyver. Banners, pennants, and bunting drape from the ceiling and wind around wooden pillars. To one side of the hall, there are tables set up with drinks and finger foods — refreshments for the guests, for after the opening speech. A raised platform has been set up at one end of the room, flanked by contingents of both the Royal Guards and the Knightryders standing at attention side by side, differentiated only by the make of their armor and the colors they wear. Ashti, Shenya, and Heryn stand waiting for the arrival of their monarchs, pointedly ignoring each other; notably, Raysc, Shanrian's son and the leader of Mythi's Fangs, is conspicuously absent. Staff members cluster to the side of the stage, waiting for the speech to begin. A whisper drifts over from a woman in one of the Olympian groups: Do you really think the Empress will try to negotiate for Nithor's skull? The man she's speaking to shakes his head and scoffs, answering: Ha! Not a chance. She thinks it's too soon, who knows if this peace will last. Besides, there's no way she's willing to give up Ysevrai's heart. A horn sounds, and the staff members subside, glancing around to see if anyone's overheard. A moment later, and Simwe and Shanrian make their appearance, walking together to the stage for their speech. Aha… we have quite the gathering here, do we not? All of our heroes in one place… This may be an unprecedented meeting, but it seems as though it will be a productive one. Let us begin by thanking all of you for your contributions to our cities in recent times. Since your arrival, you have weathered the plague that swept through our cities and aided us in finding its cure; you have withstood the scorn of those who were meant to shelter you turning against you, and helped us quell riots in the very hearts of our homes; you have been taken right off the streets and endured hardships too terrible to tell, and have proven heroes in bringing our people safely home. You have done much for us, and shown yourselves loyal beyond many who were born within our walls. We will allow your voices to go unheard no longer! Today— Today, we will hear you. You have demonstrated both strength and valor in equal measures — it follows that you will be wise as well, and it is that wisdom that we wish to hear brought in council to our cities. You are gathered here to look beyond our history of violence and hostility, to see beyond the prejudices we hold. We hope that with your clearer sight, you'll keep in your hearts the betterment of both of our fair cities, rather than allow pettiness to hold sway and lift one over the other. Those gathered here are deemed worthy by action and by the trust of your brethren: a council. Amongst yourselves, decide what matters most to you about your lives within the cities. Discuss what changes you wish to see, and how those changes should come about. Reach an agreement, put your motions to us, and should they be feasible, we will see what sort of effect your ideas will have. The two proposals with the most support among your fellows will be those we implement, so argue your reasoning most convincingly! And remember, this is your chance to impress us. If your advice is sound, we will look to you again. At this, both rulers fall silent, and withdraw to a balcony to oversee the proceedings. This is not their meeting, after all — this is something that only the refugees can determine the outcome of. FINAL OOC NOTES     Welcome to your first chance to have a voice in the NPC governments, Players! Your task is, as a group, to decide the two most important IC issues you would like to see Olympia and Wyver address, and then put forward a plan of action for how to improve whatever those problems are, which will then be implemented in May. Since these are strictly Olympian and Wyvern issues, topics should still adhere to the Natha's policies of not revealing anything about the Storm or the Natha's existence, but beyond that, you're free to propose any topics you think should be addressed about your characters' way of life in the cities — after all, haven't the Orbiters sent you here to make a difference and improve life on El Nysa in their stead?

Comments

+1

[dorzalta]

+1

[dorzalta]

[song_of_ice]

[For once, it didn't take very much to convince Jon to go to the coalition. When he heard of the invitation, he had already made up his mind to accompany Daenerys. It didn't have the feeling of a trap, but that wasn't enough to ease his mind or worry for her safety.

Of course, it meant dressing up and having to endure small talk, all of the things his bastard status used to shield him from (though he didn't know how lucky he was for that as a boy.) He did his best not to scowl or look too miserable, listening to the various proposals and watching the officials carefully.]

You have a good reception to your proposal.

+1

[sheriffing]

[maipokerface]

Perfect.

[Mai sighs some.]

I get it's a pride thing but seriously, people need to put that aside if they're going to do politics.

+1

[meinwaifu]

[wallofbriggs]

I think more people get into politics because of pride. Should be due to pride in one's country and people, but it's usually too much pride in oneself.

[Or one of the other sins...]

+1

[vladpire]

+1

[assholic]

Voting for her own suggestion because nyah.

[assholic]

[She hadn't noticed him arriving, and maybe it was because he was in something that was a little more upscale than she was used to seeing that her eyes may have passed over him a few times, but when he set up camp around the food and, more importantly, the drink, she found herself with a reason besides getting blitzed to go over and prod at his shoulder as she walked past him, aiming for something that looked and smelled like beer. Beer was good. It would help her keep it slow in terms of her drunk progression for the night, but it mellowed her out enough that she wasn't jumping at shadows.]

What the hell is this? A suit? Why are you pretending to be presentable. I'm shocked and horrified. I feel lied to.

[She shoved something with meat on it in her mouth, chewing and looking him over. She'd heard a little of his comment, his voice being what had caught her attention more than the suit in the first place.]

Why am I not surprised that your suggestion involves some kind of tactical shit?

[almaredemptoris]

[Jean Valjean listens intently throughout the young man's rationale, and then appears to take a moment for consideration before he answers.] Yes, a festival is a simple way to bring people together. The goal should be to find common values and a common purpose, that each side might better understand the other. [A festival may not dissolve the hatred and suspicion that have calcified in the hearts of those most extreme in their opposition, but it would perhaps be a start for the average citizen to open their hearts.]

[almaredemptoris]

[Few would disagree that peace is preferable to turmoil, yet Jean Valjean rejects the conventional wisdom that the only answer is to punish those who were consumed by the very flames that they stoked to a fever pitch. He repudiates the foregone conclusion that not one among those men and women deserves a second chance. Thus, what this man says is of great interest to him. He has kept quiet for much of the proceedings, but now he speaks.] It is true that pulling leaves from a weed does little to curtail its growth: the roots are what needs to be destroyed. What then do you believe will get to the root of the problem?

+1

[eaudevamp]

[sparsity]

[ dude. ]

Hey yourself. It's me.

[ You know, just for posterity. It's with a strange, fluid humanness that the machine turns its head unit to fix Jim with the green optic cameras, confirming his position. It shifts back then, the strange animal joints of its legs bending to place it down at a kneel. One arm crooks, laying the hand of it down on the ground, "palm" side up. Wicked claws then stretch open, giving him a platform to step onto.

There's an intricacy to the movement like it's made of muscle and tendon rather than armor and pistons. ]

Here.

[sparsity]

[ Not a very quiet affair by any means, but honestly, between this stakeout and the actual object of their efforts, something ought to be loud. Barbatos gives a gentle lurch as it stills so as not to accidentally knock Duo right off and onto his ass. ]

You probably didn't have to tell me...

[ Considering he's already on his way up. But Mikazuki doesn't sound upset about it. Instead, the cockpit hatch pops and he steps out, footsteps thumping on metal until he's able to lean over the platform.

He offers a hand out once Duo's in reaching distance. ]

[ukase]

[There were plenty of people who had never met here before, but that didn't stop him from speaking his mind based on what he had seen over the course of his life. He had seen and participated in many conflicts, and the results often would be the same for a small fraction.

This was a guy he had never met, but he turned to the question and set his hands loosely on his hips.]

The top end radicals needs to be taken out, probably take them and send them somewhere where they can't spread their message and take advantage of those feeling as if their way of life is in danger. For those who do feel that they are losing culture, jobs, sometimes language, a better government effort needs to be made to reach out to them. They need to be assured and included in discussion like these. They need to feel as if they have a voice because if they don't... well, a few tortured refugees is going to only be the beginning.

[ukase]

[He was allowed to clean up nicely when he bothered to, and tonight was one of those nights. Rumlow didn't care for suits, but he understood that being presentable and striking a good image was half of the battle when it came to earning the ear of government or even fellow refugees. Very few people listened to those who at least didn't put in the effort to change their appearance for the better. After all, first impressions were always made on appearance and second would be listening to the drivel that came out of someone's mouth.

He raised an eyebrow at Jones, noting her choice of beverage for the evening. That meant she was taking it slow, huh?]

Look, if you're a PI, you know for a fact that appearances make all the difference when you're talking political and societal change. So, I dress the part that I need to. [He smiled at her, all charm and ran fingers through his styled bangs.] You notice I didn't bother with a tie, yeah? Ruggedly handsome is all I need.

[He rolled his eyes a bit at her, not about to deny that it was tactical. It was how he was mostly raised after the tender age of seventeen.]

When you see as much war as I do, the results tend to be the same when it comes to extremism. [He also might have first-hand experience, but he wasn't about to say any of that.]

+1

[impavid]

Maybe with an embassy for each to allow reaching out, if it will make it feel more beneficial

[impavid]

Well, sure.

[ He says, vaguely gesturing with his drink before taking a sip. ]

I'm not city planner either, but I do know that military presences influence people. That's the point of a demilitarized zone. No military buildings, personnel, activity, nothing allowed. Means they can't accidentally allow some troops to take an extended break in the area under the pretence of helping or travelling through. If you don't specify they can't, there's always a chance someone pushes these things.

[gekkajuu]

I agree!

[Atsushi relaxes, happy that the man sees his point.]

As long as the people of Olympia and Wyver get to know each other as human beings, rather than "enemies", there is bound to be a lot of progress. Both cities will benefit greatly from that.

[Of course, there will always be stubborn bigots, but as long as the general opinion gets better, prejudice and warmongers won't get very far.]

... And you? What do you think would be a good solution?

as promised :D

[krasnaya_vdova]

[Ava's dressed up as well, in a black dress that shimmers in the light, like some sort of old retro glamour, down to the way that her hair falls in careful curls, rather than its usual waves. They came in together, Ava on his arm with a smile, but she slipped away to make her own rounds, hear the arguments and catch what she could of what people were saying about the Wyver and Olympian leaders. The murmurs about Nithor's skull and Ysevrai's heart were definitely worth keeping in mind.

And Ava never turns down free food. It's the streetrat in her, that struggle of being a girl with an elevated metabolism who struggled with having enough food, but also with not drawing attention to herself.

It's later, toward the end of the night when she wanders back over, two glasses in her hands, one holding something bubbling and as red as her hair over ice, and the other something amber and served neat. She slides in close, easy and casual as she smiles at him, a little bit lop-sided.] It's sort of like scotch, best as I can tell.

[A quiet remark with a slow smile as she offers him the second glass. She's spent most of the night picking up information, but she hadn't gotten dressed up just for the political conversations. She'd never really done something like this before; had someone take her somewhere, so she's planning on enjoying it. Even if it is mostly politics that Natasha would have been better at juggling.] How's your night been?

[summertimeblues]

[There's a moment where she gives him a blank — for all that he's gifted with gab, Richie scarcely measures his words before he uses them. Even in a place where people consistently ask him to stop, rewind, and break down the play. But then the woman picks up the ball and volleys back. She's gotten the gist and so Richie carries on none the wiser to his failings.

At least for now.

He nods in affirmation.]

That sounds solid enough. I'm no expert on all this political merry-go-round, particularly when it's Kings and Queens and not an elected official in sight, but... [You're out of your element, old boy. Richie goes silent for a moment as he tries to work out his worries, carding his hand through his hair.] I can see this sort of thing getting shunted to the wayside, too. It'd be a cinch to put up a table and chairs for the reps and close the doors on them when it comes to anything important. There'd have to be some guarantee...official duties. Something of an overhaul to the way things are run, so that there's room for their input.

[He pops his hands on his hips and gives a dramatic sigh, switching over to the humble Irish cop. That one's become something of a default for him now, when the other nine-hundred and ninety nine of his voices go missing and he can't think of anything regular that's worth saying.]

Far be it from a empty-pocketed laddie loike meself to tell the Lahrds on high how to carry out the law. Give me a ring-a-ling when yeh've turned the tahlk to whiskey and women, and Oi'll teach ye a thing or two, sure an begorrah.

[almaredemptoris]

[He bears all the marks of one listening intently, and when the man concludes, he nods in assent.] Yes, I fear that if we focus only on punishing those who have turned to violence, their resentment will only become more justified in their eyes. In rejecting them from society, we ensure that the wave of violence will not only continue but also grow in magnitude.

[maipokerface]

Sure but pride can get a little excessive, whether it's for country or yourself. I mean, look at these two.

[almaredemptoris]

[Although the purpose of this gathering is to foster discussion, he had not quite expected his question to be turned back on him. He had until now absorbed the proposals of others, but presently he takes a moment to consider his words.] My concerns are with the poor of Olympia and Wyver. If both cities were to work together toward this common cause, the benefits would be twofold: the neglected and downtrodden would receive the aid they require, and the people of each city may come to see one another as brothers and sisters rather than enemies.