Written By Shard
Oct. 19, 2019, 8:18 p.m.(1/17/1012 AR)
Relationship Note on Yvon
You're a little late. Those terms were offered and rejected quite a few months ago now.
And no, it's not a 'we'. For one thing, I'm already the savage, backwards idiot as far as most people are concerned. For another, the funny part is that if Cardia or the Undying Empire also think of me that way, they haven't actually been willing to say so (for reasons entirely unrelated to whether I am, or am not, actually a savage, backwards idiot).
Your analogy is flawed anyway. The two wardogs aren't working together, they're deciding whether or not they want to kill each other. The puppy's choice was to decide whether or not to stand with one of them against the other, or to stand on its own. Rolling over and wetting itself /now/ doesn't improve a thing.
And no, it's not a 'we'. For one thing, I'm already the savage, backwards idiot as far as most people are concerned. For another, the funny part is that if Cardia or the Undying Empire also think of me that way, they haven't actually been willing to say so (for reasons entirely unrelated to whether I am, or am not, actually a savage, backwards idiot).
Your analogy is flawed anyway. The two wardogs aren't working together, they're deciding whether or not they want to kill each other. The puppy's choice was to decide whether or not to stand with one of them against the other, or to stand on its own. Rolling over and wetting itself /now/ doesn't improve a thing.
Written By Shard
Oct. 16, 2019, 9:29 p.m.(1/11/1012 AR)
Relationship Note on Belladonna
I don't love winter, though I do, sometimes, for reasons I'll never really be able to explain, miss northern winters in the way I imagine other people miss their childhood home, even if that home was cold and dangerous and never had enough food. I don't love winter, I respect winter. Where I'm from, if you don't respect it, it will kill you, it will kill your family, your friends, your tribe, your horses. It doesn't do this because it's cruel. It does this because it is, it was, and it will always come again. Winter is a beast that cannot be tamed, and must always be remembered, prepared for, endured. You can complain about it, shout at it, curse it, and it won't do you any good at all because winter does not care. Winter is a test. Have you done enough? Have you made the right choices? And what will you do when something in your plans inevitably goes completely wrong, because winter does not know mercy and will show no mercy to you.
And the most important thing about winter, the reason to respect it the most, is that, unless you follow it home, winter will always go away. It will always fade. No matter how long, or how harsh, winter will always, eventually, become spring.
And the most important thing about winter, the reason to respect it the most, is that, unless you follow it home, winter will always go away. It will always fade. No matter how long, or how harsh, winter will always, eventually, become spring.
Written By Shard
Oct. 15, 2019, 12:23 a.m.(1/7/1012 AR)
Relationship Note on Rysen
This is wishful thinking, and it's naive.
I can answer your question. They both want Arvum. And because they both want Arvum, if one of them attacks and invades, the other one will too, and they'll be directly at war, which is not something they want to do, at least not yet. It's why they're still sitting out there in their ships; neither one wants to leave while the other's still here.
But no, we're not too strong, at least in their eyes. We aren't. Don't fall back on this. It's a comfortable lie that people will use as an excuse not to worry, not to prepare, and not to change.
I'm not arguing that people shouldn't try some sort of diplomatic solution. Fine. By all means, try. But don't just start giving them things because you think you can somehow trick them into respecting you. And don't go into it thinking that you've got some kind of card up your sleeve that will suddenly put the Compact on top, just because you're the Compact. You need to stop thinking like you're the biggest, strongest piece on the board, just because up until now you haven't run into anyone you haven't been able to eventually crush. You aren't. You never were. You cannot browbeat, bully, or threaten either the Undying Empire or Cardia, you can't declare you're in charge, you can't force them to do anything they don't want to do. You talk about burying your head in the sand; that's exactly what I'm telling people to stop doing. Look at the situation for what it is, and understand that you're the underdog and if they want to take everything from you, if they decide that's worth war with the nation they actually consider a threat, they can and they will.
Work from that position, not the imaginary, more comfortable one. As far as they're concerned, /you/ are the savage, backwards idiots who don't know what's best for you and who are, at best, squatting on territory they either want, or already consider theirs. I'll note from experience that it's not a very safe or comfortable place to stand, but it's where we all are.
I can answer your question. They both want Arvum. And because they both want Arvum, if one of them attacks and invades, the other one will too, and they'll be directly at war, which is not something they want to do, at least not yet. It's why they're still sitting out there in their ships; neither one wants to leave while the other's still here.
But no, we're not too strong, at least in their eyes. We aren't. Don't fall back on this. It's a comfortable lie that people will use as an excuse not to worry, not to prepare, and not to change.
I'm not arguing that people shouldn't try some sort of diplomatic solution. Fine. By all means, try. But don't just start giving them things because you think you can somehow trick them into respecting you. And don't go into it thinking that you've got some kind of card up your sleeve that will suddenly put the Compact on top, just because you're the Compact. You need to stop thinking like you're the biggest, strongest piece on the board, just because up until now you haven't run into anyone you haven't been able to eventually crush. You aren't. You never were. You cannot browbeat, bully, or threaten either the Undying Empire or Cardia, you can't declare you're in charge, you can't force them to do anything they don't want to do. You talk about burying your head in the sand; that's exactly what I'm telling people to stop doing. Look at the situation for what it is, and understand that you're the underdog and if they want to take everything from you, if they decide that's worth war with the nation they actually consider a threat, they can and they will.
Work from that position, not the imaginary, more comfortable one. As far as they're concerned, /you/ are the savage, backwards idiots who don't know what's best for you and who are, at best, squatting on territory they either want, or already consider theirs. I'll note from experience that it's not a very safe or comfortable place to stand, but it's where we all are.
Written By Shard
Oct. 14, 2019, 6:34 a.m.(1/6/1012 AR)
Relationship Note on Caspian
Not giving them an embassy is better than giving them one.
There is no magical diplomatic solution that will force two ancient empires to heel, but just openly giving them things without any prompting while they trample all over you sure as fuck won't help. You're just showing your throat.
Doing this after the King already turned them both down and insisted the Compact would and could stand on its own makes it even worse.
There is no magical diplomatic solution that will force two ancient empires to heel, but just openly giving them things without any prompting while they trample all over you sure as fuck won't help. You're just showing your throat.
Doing this after the King already turned them both down and insisted the Compact would and could stand on its own makes it even worse.
Written By Shard
Oct. 10, 2019, 5:55 p.m.(12/27/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Sina
It was part of a private discussion I had with the King. His idea, but I didn't really protest.
It does tend to confuse some people though, so let me try to clarify. There's not really any such thing as having diplomatic relationships with Nefer'khat. Nefer'khat is not one kingdom, but hundreds, and from what I understand they can and do compete with each other. If a representative did sail into our harbor, it would almost certainly not be a representative of Nefer'khat (although I suppose that's vaguely possible), but a representative of one of the Primasens, and an agreement with one is not an agreement with the rest. About the most I can say about any kind of diplomatic relationship with all of Nefer'khat, at least from what I've been told, and what I've been able to find, is that it's not a good idea to insult one of the Primasens, because you risk every single one of them taking offense to it.
That said, yeah, I've not heard, seen, or found anything to suggest that any of the Primasens have ever tried to meddle with the Compact. More the opposite, I've seen an attitude that they prefer to be hands off when it comes to Arvum. The most I've seen is that some groups of Khati came to help fight in the Reckoning, and at least one of them needed a lot of convincing to even do that.
It does tend to confuse some people though, so let me try to clarify. There's not really any such thing as having diplomatic relationships with Nefer'khat. Nefer'khat is not one kingdom, but hundreds, and from what I understand they can and do compete with each other. If a representative did sail into our harbor, it would almost certainly not be a representative of Nefer'khat (although I suppose that's vaguely possible), but a representative of one of the Primasens, and an agreement with one is not an agreement with the rest. About the most I can say about any kind of diplomatic relationship with all of Nefer'khat, at least from what I've been told, and what I've been able to find, is that it's not a good idea to insult one of the Primasens, because you risk every single one of them taking offense to it.
That said, yeah, I've not heard, seen, or found anything to suggest that any of the Primasens have ever tried to meddle with the Compact. More the opposite, I've seen an attitude that they prefer to be hands off when it comes to Arvum. The most I've seen is that some groups of Khati came to help fight in the Reckoning, and at least one of them needed a lot of convincing to even do that.
Written By Shard
Oct. 10, 2019, 4:08 p.m.(12/27/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Peri
I haven't forgotten.
Someone being more polite doesn't make them your friend, doesn't mean they have your best interests in mind, and doesn't guarantee they won't turn on you as soon as it suits their interests. It sure as hell doesn't make them more virtuous. It only means they've had training in how to say and do things that won't immediately piss other people off.
Ask yourself this: why would a ruler put anyone into a position of power, particularly a position of power where they're interacting with a foreign kingdom, if that person actually meaningfully opposed what the ruler was doing? Either the person is not actually an ally, or the position is not actually one with power that's going to matter.
Someone being more polite doesn't make them your friend, doesn't mean they have your best interests in mind, and doesn't guarantee they won't turn on you as soon as it suits their interests. It sure as hell doesn't make them more virtuous. It only means they've had training in how to say and do things that won't immediately piss other people off.
Ask yourself this: why would a ruler put anyone into a position of power, particularly a position of power where they're interacting with a foreign kingdom, if that person actually meaningfully opposed what the ruler was doing? Either the person is not actually an ally, or the position is not actually one with power that's going to matter.
Written By Shard
Oct. 10, 2019, 1:15 a.m.(12/25/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Rysen
You're making the assumption that he has any virtuous kin to begin with, let alone ones that can actually restrain him in some way. That's a pretty big assumption. And he's not demanding a room in the house either, but a bunch of people want to offer him one anyway because they seem to expect that if they're just polite enough, he'll stop being an asshole.
I get that the Compact isn't used to being on this side of things, but people are being painfully naive. They don't care about your rules, your titles, your customs, or your traditions, and there is nothing you can do to make them care, because you don't have the power to force them to do anything. They likely care about you and what's important to you less than the average noble house cares about some Abandoned squatters in the woods and what's important to them. Unfortunately, it's not like the entire Compact can just pick up and leave if they decide they don't care about our decision to reject their offers either.
I get that the Compact isn't used to being on this side of things, but people are being painfully naive. They don't care about your rules, your titles, your customs, or your traditions, and there is nothing you can do to make them care, because you don't have the power to force them to do anything. They likely care about you and what's important to you less than the average noble house cares about some Abandoned squatters in the woods and what's important to them. Unfortunately, it's not like the entire Compact can just pick up and leave if they decide they don't care about our decision to reject their offers either.
Written By Shard
Oct. 8, 2019, 8:24 p.m.(12/23/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Eleanor
Not to put too fine a point on this, but a lot of children /are/ born criminals. More children, I think, than are ever born in the Compact. Every single child born to Abandoned parents is by definition a criminal, and nothing stops anyone from simply murdering them for it.
...As we saw over the past year with Beaucage.
...As we saw over the past year with Beaucage.
Written By Shard
Oct. 8, 2019, 3:08 a.m.(12/21/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Cahal
To be honest, I think I'd be concerned if someone was actually happy about it. I'm pretty sure I'd have been pissed off in anyone else's shoes.
Written By Shard
Oct. 7, 2019, 6:31 a.m.(12/20/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Reigna
I've never cared for it. None of the people I've shot over the years seem to have liked it much either.
Written By Shard
Oct. 4, 2019, 1:31 a.m.(12/13/1011 AR)
There's still a Cardian warship anchored outside of our harbor. One of the greatest enemies of humanity--not the Compact, humanity--is wholly dedicated, mind and soul, to the very concept of slavery itself, and he's out there, preparing. A few months back Eurusi slavers were kidnapping Abandoned with the apparently willing help of Compact citizens. The event in question has the aim of freeing thralls (granted, by paying slavers, but fuck it, I've had this argument already, Aureth is better at it).
But sure. It's just like putting the wrong foot forward on the street. Just like that. People just want to be angry about something when they point out that maybe making the selling of people into a fun game for the rich and noble so that you can give money to the other rich and noble who actually do own actual people isn't the best idea ever conceived. It's the ones offering mild criticism who are blowing everything out of proportion.
Fuck's sake.
But sure. It's just like putting the wrong foot forward on the street. Just like that. People just want to be angry about something when they point out that maybe making the selling of people into a fun game for the rich and noble so that you can give money to the other rich and noble who actually do own actual people isn't the best idea ever conceived. It's the ones offering mild criticism who are blowing everything out of proportion.
Fuck's sake.
Written By Shard
Oct. 2, 2019, 1:55 a.m.(12/9/1011 AR)
Every now and then there are situations where you learn something about yourself, about what you'd do in extreme circumstances. Where you learn what kind of a person you are. Often it's ugly and unpleasant, often you learn things you'd rather not know, often you come out with regrets you can't fix.
Ten people still alive?
I can live with this one.
Ten people still alive?
I can live with this one.
Written By Shard
Sept. 21, 2019, 5:56 p.m.(11/16/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Brigida
A sign that nobles should stop using animal corpses to prank each other.
More seriously, does it have to be a sign? I'm honestly asking. The reality of hunts is that sometimes we're not the most dangerous creatures in the forest.
More seriously, does it have to be a sign? I'm honestly asking. The reality of hunts is that sometimes we're not the most dangerous creatures in the forest.
Written By Shard
Sept. 21, 2019, 12:56 a.m.(11/15/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Ophelia
They bite.
Written By Shard
Sept. 20, 2019, 4 a.m.(11/13/1011 AR)
I remember standing on the edge of a cliff, watching for the storm to roll in over miles of snow-bound tundra. You can't see it yet, but you can feel it in the air. You can smell it coming. And no matter how long it takes to reach you, you're never quite prepared.
Don't do anything fucking stupid.
Don't do anything fucking stupid.
Written By Shard
Sept. 13, 2019, 11:42 p.m.(11/1/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Preston
I am pretty confident in saying that this is not something that's going to be resolved just by throwing soldiers at it.
And I wonder, what's the offense that we'd start killing over? Claiming land that the Compact claims but hasn't held for generations? I could see that. Convincing Abandoned to bend the knee? Well, they're no longer Abandoned now, are they? Not if they've sworn fealty to the Emperor. No, that would make them citizens of the Undying Empire, and considering the Compact is perfectly happy to kill Abandoned, and has been engaged in some fucking impressive examples of slaughter in the Oathlands this past year, it seems strange to be angry that someone else managed to get them to stop being Abandoned, particularly when it's likely at least in part to that same slaughter that they were willing to accept the Undying Empire's protection. And do people really think that even if the Compact's armies marched and they wiped out these three tribes, that would somehow /discourage/ other Abandoned from signing up with other powers, particularly powers that don't have the Compact's best interests at heart? People want to live, and a number of Oathlands Houses just proved that even if you bend the knee to the Compact, you're not safe from being murdered by the people you've sworn oaths of fealty to. I imagine the Emissary's offer looks pretty damned tempting to more tribes than the ones she's got so far.
But fine, I constantly say the Compact keeps making more enemies for itself. The plain reason why very few people are rattling their swords at the Undying Empire is because the Undying Empire has much, much bigger swords. We would lose. We would lose badly. It comes down to who ultimately holds the most power, because, unfortunately, it almost always does.
And I wonder, what's the offense that we'd start killing over? Claiming land that the Compact claims but hasn't held for generations? I could see that. Convincing Abandoned to bend the knee? Well, they're no longer Abandoned now, are they? Not if they've sworn fealty to the Emperor. No, that would make them citizens of the Undying Empire, and considering the Compact is perfectly happy to kill Abandoned, and has been engaged in some fucking impressive examples of slaughter in the Oathlands this past year, it seems strange to be angry that someone else managed to get them to stop being Abandoned, particularly when it's likely at least in part to that same slaughter that they were willing to accept the Undying Empire's protection. And do people really think that even if the Compact's armies marched and they wiped out these three tribes, that would somehow /discourage/ other Abandoned from signing up with other powers, particularly powers that don't have the Compact's best interests at heart? People want to live, and a number of Oathlands Houses just proved that even if you bend the knee to the Compact, you're not safe from being murdered by the people you've sworn oaths of fealty to. I imagine the Emissary's offer looks pretty damned tempting to more tribes than the ones she's got so far.
But fine, I constantly say the Compact keeps making more enemies for itself. The plain reason why very few people are rattling their swords at the Undying Empire is because the Undying Empire has much, much bigger swords. We would lose. We would lose badly. It comes down to who ultimately holds the most power, because, unfortunately, it almost always does.
Written By Shard
Sept. 11, 2019, 1:53 a.m.(10/23/1011 AR)
I don't really have any encouraging words of wisdom or uplifting speeches. I haven't practiced those very much. How about this? 'When the blizzard is at your back, you don't stop moving forward.'
Forward we go, then.
Forward we go, then.
Written By Shard
Sept. 6, 2019, 2:56 p.m.(10/14/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Marian
I'm sorry, you misunderstand me. I probably wasn't clear enough. I'm not advocating for him to be killed, and I don't want to kill him. His situation was being compared to being Abandoned, and I was pointing out why that wasn't true. If the excommunicated were actually outside the King's law, I would feel like I missed an opportunity with Abbas.
Written By Shard
Sept. 5, 2019, 6:32 p.m.(10/12/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Preston
I'm no expert, but I'm going to guess the practical 'why' is 'because they want to have money to eat too'.
If the intent was just to kill him slowly, or force him to start stealing in order to survive (so that he could then be punished for that too), then you might as well take his head off now, it will save time. I somehow doubt that's the case.
He's not Abandoned; he's still in the city for one thing. Is it legal for someone to do whatever they want to him now? Can I just walk up and murder him in the street because his unending fucking nonsense annoys me? The last time that happened the killer at least pretended it was in self defense, so I don't think that's the case either.
Slow starvation isn't a good way to convince someone you're right. It's just a good way to break them into saying whatever you want them to say so they can eat, regardless of what they feel or believe. Those are not the same things at all.
If the intent was just to kill him slowly, or force him to start stealing in order to survive (so that he could then be punished for that too), then you might as well take his head off now, it will save time. I somehow doubt that's the case.
He's not Abandoned; he's still in the city for one thing. Is it legal for someone to do whatever they want to him now? Can I just walk up and murder him in the street because his unending fucking nonsense annoys me? The last time that happened the killer at least pretended it was in self defense, so I don't think that's the case either.
Slow starvation isn't a good way to convince someone you're right. It's just a good way to break them into saying whatever you want them to say so they can eat, regardless of what they feel or believe. Those are not the same things at all.
Written By Shard
Sept. 2, 2019, 6:29 a.m.(10/5/1011 AR)
Relationship Note on Bliss
I agree with you, but I would say this is also a direct response to what some people have /done/. I don't think it was an accident that it happened in the Oathlands. This was fucking inevitable, if not necessarily in this way, with these players, because people are people and they want to survive, they want to hold on to what's theirs, and often, they want revenge. This happens again and again, and every time, the Compact seems surprised when the Abandoned join up with someone else who promises to protect them from it.
What happens now? I don't thinking sending armies to kill people under her protection is going to end at all well for any of us.
What happens now? I don't thinking sending armies to kill people under her protection is going to end at all well for any of us.
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