wizardmanor | Floor 5, Room 3

Inhospitable lands also make for inhospitable people. [He swirls one finger up in the air. Look he's an authority on inhospitable lands, he made his own even worse. For the humans.]

But what are we to do with nature itself? I'm certain there's a limit to even that.

[Ithaqua lacks the desire to even change such a nice, snowy place. Looks like home, honestly.]

What can we do for them? Are you thinking of showing the humans some good will?

Of course. They're our priority.

[His gaze goes slightly flat towards Ithaqua, but he continues, letting it pass.]

The previous wizards apparently set up protections against avalanches and storms. It would be less changing the environment and more helping them persist despite of it, I imagine. But it's hard to say without the details.

Then we reinstate said protections. Or build our own-- building on old, failed foundations is bound to crumble in time. [Solomon may give him all the looks of disapproval he wants, but they don't change Ithaqua's stance towards humans.]

And perhaps teach them how to be able to fend for themselves, eventually. With our duties taking us everywhere but the country we're meant to be tied to, is it not best that they have some means of surviving in the event we're not available?

[It would also be easier to be hands-off in that case, too. However, he knows they're wary of wizards, hence the keyword "eventually".]

I wouldn't call it failed so much as temporary unavailable. [Like unplugging a lamp - what causes the fixture to stop working, a fault of its own or a lack of something else?]

If it were such a simple matter of being self-sufficient, I don't think it would have been overlooked as an option. They're maintaining status quo for the time being, but it takes just one being of power seeking an opening for lives to start being lost.

I would rather not leave them to be toyed with.

[Ithaqua drums his claws on his mask to cover up a sigh.]

I still believe that continuing the status quo would be dangerous. They look to wizards for protection despite their complicated feelings towards them... but the last group of wizards disappeared. Who is to say that this will not happen to us?

Best we get them independent. Set up magic procedures, barriers, seals, that don't need us to operate. [The less Ithaqua has to give a damn about them, the happier he'll be.]

You can't control a person's nature, anyhow. Someone will always try something-- best to have a contingency plan to deal with that.

I think we're arguing slightly different points, dear Ithaqua.

It is not our job to tell these people to change their way of life. There is a reason for the current arrangements, and I imagine it's not a simple one, let alone one we can do anything about. That is just a fact we are going to have to accept.

There is a difference between someone human taking action as a way of life, and a being of power seeking to take advantage that has had generations to establish that power. We can provide temporary relief with your type of solution, sure. I would not be against it. But this is not something that can be fixed with a few simple seals and barriers.

I don't disagree with wanting them to have independence as an ideal. But they need to have some level of choice and agency in that decision.

[Now he really sighs, and doesn't bother suppressing it.]

You'd like to babysit them for as long as we're here? [Because that's what it sounds like!] Pour so much of our time and efforts into them when we already have much ahead of us? Missions, learning, the unknown--

Please tell me that is not so.

Babysitting? No, no. The last thing they need is to be treated like infants.

If it's a matter that displeases you that much, then you can focus on whatever you like. Just don't cause ill will for the people who we have been assigned to represent, and there won't be a problem.

[A problem with him, specifically.]

A problem with you, specifically, you mean. [He is not unaware. This conversation has just tuned him to the fact that Solomon... likes humans to some degree.

A shame, that. He had such a pleasant personality too.]

Don't bring me into your plans and I shan't be motivated to do something out of spite.

I wouldn't dream of it.

[They'll agree to disagree for the time being, then. He has no problems with that, so long as Ithaqua doesn't intend to become an active threat.]

Floor 5, Room 3

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject