BlackStork sent a note to Gargoyle
Everyone was already awake, when Horoika went to center of bigger entrance room and started to speak loudly, pulling all guest's attention towards her.
"Dear guests, I hope you rested well. As I said I am invited You because I wanted to help You and because wanted to prevent You from making certain mistakes here... and because i wanted to give to my life certain spin... which brings some hope....
My offer is about leaving this damned place...but before i will talk about it, I am sure, that, as most of the settlers I saw, and because i was "The Settler" once - i know - you have no clue whats going on. This is strange land, and the bad news are that me and you are trapped here. I came here around 6-7 years ago, and I already lost the count of the time I spent here..... I was alone, was not aware about the meaning of this "Resettlement", and instead of using my oportunity to move myself to place I will feel comfortable with I stayed here, on this damned Edge.
I tried to be good, to follow way of life, which Dogmats require from anyone in order to accept him or her back to The White. I tried to adapt. I tried to be with Serenitas. But.... I failed, as my inner self had different purpose, and they found it by feeding me with their Acceptance. More than that, my heart could not accept.... me being one of Serenitas, it rebelled, and I failed my adaptation, and was thrown here back. At same day when i was thrown back to the Edge I saw as one my old friends, whom I met here before, was declared as Abomination, and under Acceptance was ordered to tie his neck with steel cord and to jump down from the ledge. There... on the edge... there alot of bones, and dead flesh. Here, you are indocrinated, brain-washed, and crystal-fed Dogmat, or nothing - poor, wretched remainder of human being, or the dead one, insipiring fear to anyone outside - to Scarvengers, the Reclaimers, and providing food to savage animals, which create another layer of protection for the Edge.
They say that
"ones who are pure, belong to Daar Sa, and will follow him and serve him after the Death". But, really, I do not want to serve some Daar Sa. I want to live my life, want to have life full of purpose - I want to flee, and believe You do want that too - you can do nothing against them. Simply as it is You have limited time to go out, provided "generously"
- and she smiled with hint of irony , and then continued -
by Daar Testament. They wont stop you, I mean us. If you wont, then... Acceptance..... Do you know what it is? It is when You see as your will crumbles.... You tell everything you know or think, and you do anything anyone requests from you.
When you are back to own self... you feel broken, and find yourself being wretched dweller, without rights, without food, without weapons.
So what are the options? They are few. At the north - there is a war front. Huge war going there, as centralized forces of Reclaimers trying to siege the Edge for few years already after they took somehow one of major strongholds of Dogmats. thye Octagon itself do not interfere, as seemingly, it is within the Daar Design - some old thing, conduct, made by creators of this land - Daars. They are gods. Or semigods. Someone. Someone ancient. Very ancient. Someone who helped to create this place together with all adjacent dimensions. I have very limited knowledge about Daars, but i were told that there are many.
I could share the tiny bits of all this Daar crap i know with you, but not now, it is unrelated to our business.
So this option, about north.... it is really really bad one. I was there once. The Reclaimers.... they are not better than Dogmats, if not worse. Violent, harsh, grim..... led by vicious warlords, they use Numenera to fight Dogmats which still have Numenera superiority. There are rumours that Reclaimers are led by another Daar - and all this endless war is a battle between two Daars.
That land ....the death is everywhere there. Armies of white clash with armies of black. It is good place if you want quick death, i think....
Another option? Well, the sons of the owner of this house once went to hunt. It is risky business, and if you was not marked by Dogmats they allow to do that - as long as you prove that you left for hunting, do it without weapons and pay high tax from what you bring with you back. They feed you with low portion of Acceptance, check what you saw there, and if you are not suspect of being spy or even worse - Abomination, they will let you to return. Yes, it sounds rediculous, but they need to hunt without weapons, and they do that with nets.
Once they were attacked by huge Suup - it is vicious huge and rare creature in Tonus Woods - and were saved by strange people. The people saved them, killed Suup with numenera, and went back to the woods. They were not Scarvengers, and they were not Reclaimers. They saved the brothers, while anyone other would simply kill them. They said they had dark aubergine and bordeaux coats, and some had camouflage robes that hid them well in the forest background. Older people from here told that those are people from one of the Citadels - they told it is called Turola. They say, that there are majestic cities, powerful and independent. Full of armed people with purpose and agenda, which differ from dwellers, Dogmats, Reclaimers and from Sacrvengers.
BlackStork sent a note to spaceseeker19,Jabes.plays.RPG
BlackStork sent a note to harlandski
BlackStork sent a note to Gargoyle,szemely
The brothers were inspired and left to find those mysterious men. And never returned. They went to find that place. They wanted to join those people in coats. They deicided to risk their lives to find that Citadel and pledge.... They felt that this place is not the place where they should be anymore... they felt that they are obliged to have better lives with certain purpose.
I hope they found it. Chances are low, considering the fact that went out without any weapons, but..... I do really hope someone made it.
Now.... I know it sounds risky. Impulsive, but..... please trust me, I know what other options are..... And I am being in full control of my mind and myself doing this proposal to you - and this means, that it is the best thing I could find for myself. Please value my honesty.
The only hope and less risky option for us, is that you allow me to join you, and we will depart as soon as possible. We will go through wild and dangerous woods to find that Citadel of Turola. As you have weapons, and I can hold myself in battle with my own means, this could be risky but real.
I know, may be some of you will think of me as mad girl which trying to cinvince you to risk your lives. But please... please trust me - the main risk is inaction here. Octagon creator forced Daars to follow certain rule, and Octagon itself enforces them. If even Dogmats fear to break those rules, perhaps it is worthy to get the benefit from them - and you can do that.
So what will you choose? Will You stay in this rotting place, will go to the warfront, or will join me, and then we together, as one, will go and find that Citadel of Turola? If you have questions - ask. Please, advice with each other and let me know. I really hope you will be brave and will accept my offer.
Free conversation. Party needs to agree on what it will be doing now - will accept Horoika's offer or else. Anyone can ask Horoika questions, it seems. Everyones participation required, because it involves serious party decision.
Horoika, Resilient Nano who Needs No Weapons requests to join the party