The Revolution Begins

Zapolklnex is busy at work. The Mul'niessa is substantially below the average height of the typical Alexandria resident, so when he sits at a table, with old books piled in high stacks. They circle around the same topics: on the origins of the Mul'niessa, the rise of Taara in Ea, and the legends surrounding the attack on the World Tree.

The table looks unoccupied, until one blue hand is seen reaching for one, from behind the piles.

Garakos often spends time in the library as well, and he's at least known to the librarians. The priest of Navos is fairly studious, himself, and at the sight of another Mul deep in investigations, he will make his way over and say, "Good afternoon. You are indeed researching diligently." And he takes a look at the titles, and pauses. "Uhm..."

The library is not a location Aya oft visits nor lingers within. That said, the sight of not one, but two of her kin entering the facility is more than unusual enough to warrant an exception. Two could be coincidence. With three, it is most certainly a conspiracy.

It is not terribly difficult to locate them once inside. She need merely follow the consensus of concerned glances not directed upon herself.

"Did I overlook a seasonal gathering?" she inquires quietly, once near.

Zapolklnex pulls his hood off, and looks around a pile of books to those approaching. Seeing familiar-looking faces, he answers them in underground-accented Sildanyari. "Good afternoon. No seasonal gathering. I am researching hard. I've spent the last 100 years receiving misinformation from the Taara-dominated Shadow Council. I now wish to know the truth about our history. But I am finding it difficult to find the truth about the distant past."

Garakos ahhhhhhs, "History," he says, with a pleased tone. "History, I can help with, a bit. Though the part you ask about is indeed shrouded in misinformation and rhetoric."

Aya arches a brow. "Did you expect such a council to be overseen by another?" she inquires quite rhetorically. "I doubt that you will find any less misinformation here, though it is likely biased in the opposite direction."

Zapolklnex tilts his hand as he looks to Aya. "I was completely in ignorance when I lived under their control. It was only when renegades kidnapped me, or perhaps rescued me, that I began to see the truth of what they say. But they say much about the World Tree, and why we live apart. I want the real story, but it was so long ago..." He nods to Garakos. "It's out of the memories of all but the gods, and one cannot have a direct and clear conversation with them."

"So you may well never find the precise truth," Aya notes, glancing at the books passingly. "Even if you did, what does it matter? I doubt that it would cause any great shift in belief, even if you discovered some great revelation... AND were able to convince others to accept it."

Zapolklnex pulls one particular book out of a stack, carefully, and opens it up. "Change has to come from somewhere. There was a time when our people were not dominated by the Shadow Council and by Taara. There can be a time in the future when we are not." He points to a passage describing the time before the attack on the tree. Then pulling another one. "We, the Lyranesi, and the Sylvanori, despite our many and obvious differences, were once one people. We are not inherently servants of Taara, as most of our people are held. Change is possible, as unlikely as it may seem, but if truth is on my side, change is more likely than if it is not."

Aya rolls a shoulder. "I expect that it was a different council, under a different name, different gods. She empowered us to free ourselves from that, or so it is told. Now, or perhaps even then, it was, in the end, the same."

Zapolklnex nods to her words. "That all sounds familiar to me. But I wonder. Did she trick our ancestors into betraying the others and then abuse their shame into bringing them into the service of evil? It would not be the first time a lie led to war." He sighs, and points to five more books. "But every story, every legend, every people says something different."

"Perhaps your time could be better spent making your own history?" Aya suggests, tracing a finger in the heavy dust of one unopened tome. "Here and now, rather than digging for what happened eons past. Sadly, our presumed talent for lies makes even true words presumed false, as I was reminded just yesterday."

Zapolklnex smiles faintly. "I will. I am making a new history for our people. I will return. But it is important to me that I represent everything they are not. If our people did wrong, we must know it. If our people were merely lied to and tricked, we must also know that. If I am not careful, I can fall into that same habit that others preseume. They see our skin and assume we are evil. I wish to know how inherent that evil is in us."

Both of Aya's brows lift. "Inherent? Individual acts are a matter of individual choice. I don't believe that any inherent nature compels anyone to do anything, aside, perhaps from fiends and other creatures that are bound to such things.

Zapolklnex closes one of the books he opened. "That's it, isn't it? Many look at us and treat us as though we were evil outsiders. We are greeted with the same presumption. Meanwhile our people live as though they were fiends on the planes themselves,with the same monolithic control."

Garakos returns after having left to deal with some of the librarians. As a priest of Navos, he apparently was able to settle their concerns about the little gathering. "I'm sorry, I am back," he says as he returns. "What have I missed?"

"Those under control are only that way because they allow it," Aya opines before glancing to the returning Garakos. One corner of her mouth lifts, "A discussion on matters of origin and inheritance, I believe."

Zapolklnex shakes his head, tapping another of the dusty books. "I disagree with that. Those born into it do not know any better. The system persists by inertia. A shock of truth, could topple the entire system."

Garakos hrms at what Aya says, and he peers at Zap. He's undecided, himself, it seems, and says, "I think you are both saying something similar. Myself, I was born in Alexandria. My parents don't talk much about where they came from. But I have certainly never felt any compulsion to worship dark powers. As to those born there, I cannot say. Whether they allow it through whatever ignorance is present, or they do not know better, those are two sides of the same coin, are they not?"

Aya nods to Garakos. "Precisely. None are compelled to follow. Whether ignorant of alternatives, encouraged to obey, punished for defiance, or any other excuse... One's actions are always one's own choice."

Looking back to Zapolklnex, she adds, "That same inertia will remain. Those in power will fight to keep that power, and would have no reservation of burying any truth, and truthsayers along with it."

Zapolklnex hums, sitting back a bit. Looking up at the ceiling, he gets a faint smile. "They do have Taara with them. But the truth may hyet have the last laugh. Taara trades on fear, darkness, inevitability, and control. But if the light of truth shines on them, and laughs in their faces, they are utterly unprepared for that." He closes a book, and slowly stands. "I simply must arm myself with the truth, and strengthen myself to laugh at them."

Garakos agrees with Aya, "I had not considered that, but yes, some will do what they think of as a small evil to avoid pain or punishment. They may not know how it contributes to a greater evil." He says to Zap, "You will have to bring that truth to a whole nation, and one with a vested interest in remaining in power. Showing people that they should fight and die for some benefit you can't guarantee them is not a surefire trick. It worked on half the orcs, sure, but that's orcs, fight and die sounds like a fine idea to them, and it only got half of them."

"I was of the mind that She empowered, strengthened, and freed," Aya counters to Zapolknex, "and I expect that most would feel similarly. Likely moreso, as I am neither zealot nor priestess, while many are." She further nods with Garakos' comment. "He makes a very strong point."

Zapolklnex inhales deeply. Turning first to Garakos, who is easier to address. "You are right. Blar was not built in a day. Nor would Mul'niost, or whatever our new home might be called. If I could win over half, I would consider my struggle a great success and thank Tarien every day for that blessing." Then he turns to Aya, and sighs. "I had to be physically removed to Veyshan to see the truth. But I cannot give up so easily. Be well, both of you, my cousins."

Garakos nods at what Aya says, and to Zap, he says, "I wish you luck in your journey. Great things are completed by those with great goals, and I think that is indeed a mighty goal you have set. Be aware that Alexandria, and our allied nations, stand with you, though for more political and less personal reasons, mainly."