Stand up for what is right

Lorelai- You are right, from my beliefs I have no place to comprehend the actions of the gods themselves, and I do not know of past aggressions that many of these worshippers of the Dark gods have committed. I am relatively new to Travance, and knowledge of its past experiences is foreign to me. My only real encounter with Dark clergy was in the Inverted Tower, where a group of worshippers of the Dark Pantheon were torturing a Valarian Templar. Their actions were condemnable, for they were from their actions Evil. But Drows I have experience with, and not just for their actions against my people. They have taken someone precious away from me, and though they can be citizens of Travance, I keep them at a distance from me, often at enough distance for me to have an arrow flying in case they decide to attack me, the people I love, or nature and her gifts. As for the branded, I, unlike many of my brethren, will accept them for the pain they have suffered through in order to fully embrace the light. Now will I accept them after such a calamity occurs like the battle we had just faced? The answer is I do not know, the time for that has not come yet. During the battle I did not see any drow, excluding Sir Cinder for he has proved himself valiantly to be of support to Travance and its people, and I will only forgive them when after such a battle if they find me on the field and swear upon their blood that they will fight on the side of her Excellency, her sovereigns, and her people. That is my resolve.

Stand up for what is right. The title of the original note caught my attention and good is being equated with right. What is good for one may not be good for another. Or perhaps you are writing or a greater good. If so how can one individual know the greater good. I have just recently run into this very dilemma in Travance when a sacrifice was required of me and others to get the weapon that defeated Xualla. That sacrifice was used in part to help create this balance. It was used to get the attention of those forces long lost to most of us. It was to bring about the balance between good and evil or perhaps that should be Good and Evil.

I would not like to see small thing instantly destroy the balance so hard won. But the individual actions of persons will hardly effect that balance. Freedom to think and believe as one will or as one has been raised is within the individual. I postulate this: One can not truly recognize Good without the presence of Evil. You need to have the comparative. Like the cold water on a hot day seems colder because it is warmer air outside, the water at the very same temperature may seen warm when the air is colder. The temperature of that water is the same but your perception of it is different. In the summertime Jump into a pool of water just before sundown and stay in it as the night air chills if you don't beleive me.

The forces of Good and Evil as defined by the world creators and Gods is not what mortals think. If stealing money from a rich man feeds a family that would starve it is good for the family but that rich man who worked hard for that money is lessened and that pretty bauble he planned to by with that money to woo his love...is gone. Stealing is an act against the law. Was it evil? Intent then comes into question as does circumstances and experiences which is what you are now discussing.

Look to your Faith, Gods, Dragons or Others for guidance on Universal Good And Evil. Let the Clergy Wisemen Wise Women Scholars or Teachers try to show you but remember they too are Mortal and only see that perspective. Good Guides are hard to find; be it matters of heart mind or soul. Please understand good in this sense is not good or evil but a reflection of Excellence of the Guides. Again the word used is good... He or she is good at something.

Travance just experienced a pomgrom a holy war where Good became evil. The forces behind it regarded and used the people to forward its good plan... Not Good Plan. But the people thought it was a holy war in fact they thought it was a Good a Holy War. It took the truly Wise to see other than what was before them.

Your answers will not be simple but take it from this tired old Mercenary Soldier... What seems good can be Evil and what seems evil and be Good in the right circumstances.

That and the survival instinct of every creature that is mortal will drive that creature in the most dire of circumstances to do whatever it takes to survive. That is the natural strength of life.

Mind you this is only my perspective. Take what you like and leave the rest...don't worry as another us likely to pick that part up too.

B. Drexel

Oh, of course, another conflict of morals and laws.

I am excited to see what the end results of this is.

-Ava

Wotcher -

It rather seems as though this is very much besides the point, given present circumstance.

The world we live in is all but decimated - whole societies and cultures are wiped out, perhaps lost permanently, along with their accumulated technical knowledge. There is more in need of rebuilding and repairing than we could ever hope to remedy within a lifetime.

Yet even now, when the fighting is over, and we might perhaps have a chance at a modicum of peace, you would seek to inspire fresh conflict? More fighting? Killing? Destruction?

I would ask that you consider putting aside these backwards notions of "Good" and "Evil," and instead take up the mantle of Reason - or, if that is too much to ask, instead consider this: how "Good" is he, who would incite conflict in a time of peace?

This world is broken but ye cannae ferget who ye are and what it means to be ye. I ken what I am going to do. I am going to be who I always was. I am a champion of what is right, what is honorable, and what is just. I am going to destroy the evil that has shown its face dishonored me by decieving us all for long. If ye can build go rebuild, but I am going to fight, our honor will be redeemed and good will prevail. This is not a time of peace a war still rages and likely will for a long time.

Bona Na Croin
-William Freeman

How horrifying a freshly crippled world is, especially bearing a violent hand of one solitary view of justice.