Written By Orazio
Nov. 5, 2017, 4:50 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
However, it does feel that a few things need to be clarified:
The actions of the Liberators did not cause any economic instability, according to all reports. Anyone who claims otherwise is in error, unless they can offer evidence to show for their assertion. The Scholars may be able to help if anyone wishes to research this in greater detail, and it would certainly be wise to undertake such study before putting oneself out into the public eye in this matter.
Likewise, the actions of the Liberators were not undertaken with any sort of malice or ill-intent towards any House of Thrax fealty. In fact, they were planned to cause as little disruption of the houses as possible, and largely succeeded in this aim. House Navegant's subsequent actions are their own responsibility. Further, the Faith leveraged no penalty or condemnation on House Navegant's people, merely choosing to acknowledge the ruling family's actions as contrary to active Discipleship in the Faith. The trade embargoes by other Houses were their own decision, and I suspect had far more to do with the unreasonable and odd restrictions on 'foreign' trade and travel than anything to do with thralldom. It could be considered an object lesson in the truth of our system: yes, a ruling noble has nigh absolute power within their own domain, but every decision carries with it consequences, including other people exercising their power against you.
To blame anyone for the actions of House Navegant aside from House Navegant is insulting to the ruling family of that House, who are presumably able to make their own decisions and accept the consequences for them like the intelligent adults I presume that they are.
Further, the Faith opposition to the practice of thralldom is not new, nor has it wavered in over a thousand years, even without the knowledge of Skald guiding our understanding of the gods' wills. While the Discipleship of Skald is new, and characterized by youth and enthusiastic zeal in its mission, its aims are not new for the Church, and its methods are remarkable only by the rising enthusiasm by the rest of the Compact to support them, and a growing willingness among the people of Thrax to consider the end of the institution.
While it is true Blessed Aleksei could learn to be more tactful in his conversations with nobility, he was not wrong: The god of First Choice and Freedom is unlikely to approve of any institution that robs choice and freedom from its victims, and if one wants to aspire to the virtue Skald represents, thrallholding is incompatible with that aim. Of course, the Faith of the Pantheon is about aspiring to a plethora of virtues, and synthesizing the essential natures into a doctrine by which one can live, which means that no one god's virtue should be considered a prime virtue. Exercising Freedom without the Wisdom to guide one's actions, or the Courage to abide by the consequences of them can lead one away from the Faith as surely as rejecting the virtue itself. Understanding that balance and deciding how we will embrace each of the virtues is the ongoing spiritual challenges of every one of the Faithful; the gods cannot be considered in isolation, but rather as a balanced, harmonious whole.
It is my hope that ignorance can be addressed, freedom can be honored hand in hand with wisdom and justice, and the values of charity and civilization will prevail, with each of us remembering the oaths we have sworn and the bonds of fealty and obedience both within the Faith and without.
Written By Torian
Nov. 5, 2017, 4:28 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
The Faith is another matter. The faith if for all of us. Wise people even say that the humanity in the faith is not beyond reproach. I figure it's a team effort here to sort out the Gods plans for us, and how we might honor them.
With that said, I do see that some high and mighty nobles are enjoying themselves insulting members of the faith. Publicly. I don't see how that helps any of us in this time of need. Which God of The Thirteen is it again, who we honor when silks cast about insults? I don't have time to worship much, so I don't know.
What I do know, is that the Faith has room for an Archlector now... in keeping with the behavior of some of the remaining ones, I don't wonder if the Faith will promote one of my children. They would be in good company.
I get to say these things. I'm a low person. No one who matters looks to me for anything. This is the natural way of things. The low people make the low statements and the high people make the high statements.
Archlectors, Nobles, these are the high people. If you continue to make yourselves low, don't be surprised when the low people try to make themselves high. I only have so much of a hand in keeping the peace, so let's not let things get out of hand shall we?
Speaking of Archlectors, I really should try to remember to thank Aureth Greyhope for his help with that thing that one time. They say you can take the man out of the lowers, but you can't take the lowers out of the man, and I'm glad for it in this case. The uh, underclass, as it were, can always use a powerful 'former member' as an ally.
Written By Cara
Nov. 5, 2017, 3:43 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Thus, I begin my notations on Sudden Head Injuries That Render Supposedly Intelligent People Into Idiots:
The symptoms for this disorder are, as I understand it:
- A complete disassociation from facts and reality
- A refusal to acknowledge said facts and reality when presented by reliable and reputable sources, particularly those neutral to the argument at hand
- Being a former Archlector of Gild
- Not taking very bold hints that one's behavior is displeasing to the Faith
- Giant knots, bruises, contusions or gashes about one's head or person
I am still learning treatments, but it seems that resting quietly and ceasing to storm about publicly making a fool of oneself is an excellent beginning.
Written By Victus
Nov. 5, 2017, 2:55 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
If anyone wants to debate the economics of Thralldom or how many Thralls can be removed safely and securely, they are welcome to come to Thraxian sources who have lived and worked with these conditions for sometime. Because as far as I've heard, there hasn't been any total economic crashes beyond what Kennex suffers right now, or any conspiratorial sabotage. Likewise, we're seeing how fucking difficult it is to just wave a hand and try to make it all go away without bringing the fucking roof down.
It's a system that's been rooted in place for far longer than most of us today have been alive. There's dependency on it that goes beyond the servitude of those Thralls. We're seeing it now with the disorder caused in Kennex. Hundreds are dead and more that are innocent are falling prey to piracy, banditry, and possibly losing their lives due the whole economy being destabilized.
Kennex was one of the most progressive houses, with the least population of Thralls across the whole damn Mourning Isles. And this is how /they/ are getting along with one mistake in approaching Thralldom.
It's not black and white, it's certainly not grey either. You can't deal with it immediately, you can't deal with it in negligence. More than Thralls are being hurt and 15 million silver later, there's still going to be lives that will have to be rebuilt.
No, it's not a fair system and it's not a healthy system. But it's here, and whether you call it a 'necessary evil' or an abomination, it's gotta be handled one smart step at a time to be deconstructed. Otherwise, you doom more than the people who you try to save with good intentions.
Written By Thena
Nov. 5, 2017, 1:35 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
So this is your chance to get a sea vessel named for your spouse, your significant other, your secret crush! Your nemesis, your mother, your favorite food! Entries are unlimited, though any that are not appropriate for a Faith-owned vessel (OOC: Or thematically right out) will be stricken from the drawing.
Send your messengers to Dame Thena today!
Written By Thena
Nov. 5, 2017, 1:15 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Orathy
Written By Orathy
Nov. 5, 2017, 1:08 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Aleksei
Written By Aislin
Nov. 5, 2017, 1:07 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
That leaves 695,000 at the least.
Now I'm not an economist, I'm an adventurer. But if removing that tiny amount "en masse" was enough to deliberately destabilize all of Thrax as Brother Caras seems to claim, then it seems to me that the Thraxian economy is terrifyingly precarious; a minor plague or, hells, even a particularly notable /fire/ in one domain could have wiped out the Thraxian economy just as easily.
And that strikes me as unlikely; Thrax has never been weak or pitiable, and their economic prowess is no less strong than their naval prowess.
Now, some can claim that Archlector Aleksei called for more than he should have in calling for any domain to free all their thralls at once -- and I think that's a fair characterization, albeit one that completely aligns with what I understand of his god's desires. An Archlector's responsibility /is/ to speak for their god, after all.
But the truth is, this is not a new opinion, merely an old one being spoken more loudly and vehemently. The Faith has been calling for an end to the practice of thralldom for the better part of a thousand years.
And the actual /actions/ Archlector Aleksei took on his own behalf -- buying the debts of thralls -- seem to have been taken carefully, and to avoid destabilizing Thrax as a whole. To characterize the purchase of those debts as malicious sabotage seems to be rather far from the truth, at least from what I've seen.
Written By Aleksei
Nov. 5, 2017, 12:42 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Caras
Still, I'm very secure in the actions of the Liberators as I hear the reports from the Mourning Isles about how our careful diligence was rewarded with a lack of devastation to the economy of the Thrax houses. That the money we paid is now being used to to hire free workers. That, despite the insistence of some, the actions of the Liberators in freeing those five thousand souls did not offer any economic devastation. We made our selections very carefully across all the houses of the Mourning Isles and freed less than a single percent of those current enthralled. We managed to do so with enough care to avoid violence or upheaval. That I'm now being accused of targeting a single house for the purpose of punishing them is unfortunate, but I think the reality is clear to anyone who has paid attention to the actual reactions from the Isles. I can't help those who dream up a different one just to call me a villain.
Written By Laric
Nov. 5, 2017, 12:36 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
If there is proof a discipleship of the Faith deliberately sabotaged House Navegant and Escuma in a time of war, that proof needs to be taken to the Crown, to House Thrax, to the Legate overseeing that discipleship and the Dominus himself. It should not be vaguely alluded to in white journals nor be used to justify a duel. Such things are matters of utmost gravity and should be treated as such.
As it stands, the Liberators purchased the debts of five thousand thralls - less than a percent of the Isles' thralls - at cost, from all over the Mourning Isles. House Navegant's reaction is their own, and they must accept and deal with their consequences in their own fashion. It is only tangentially related to the ongoing situation in Stormward.
Written By Aureth
Nov. 5, 2017, 12:32 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Caras
I will write nothing further on this topic for the same reason.
Written By Lark
Nov. 5, 2017, 12:18 p.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Caras
It is only Archlector Morgan's coin that keeps them afloat, now, ironically. But their economic position comes from my word, and those that have supported and followed me.
If you would like these economics explained to you, you are welcome to come find me.
Written By Caras
Nov. 5, 2017, 11:48 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
I will return to pilgrimage soon. I was successful there I believe. At least I did no one any harm either here, or in the past.
Written By Caras
Nov. 5, 2017, 11:45 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Aleksei
He backed out of his challenge, not because he wanted to spare me indignity, but because he refuses to admit any wrongdoing. He has repeatedly said that the money he paid for these thralls should account for any ills inflicted. But as the Archlector of Gild, I learned the limits of what money can do. Money does not throw nets. Money does not pick the harvest. Money does not console the heart when good men die.
I am no longer Archlector, and I have been instructed to read the dogma. So after this post, I will be silent. Unless of course, someone continues to mischaracterize what I have said when I held the august position that I did.
Written By Caras
Nov. 5, 2017, 11:45 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Relationship Note on Aleksei
He backed out of his challenge, not because he wanted to spare me indignity, but because he refuses to admit any wrongdoing. He has repeatedly said that the money he paid for these thralls should account for any ills inflicted. But as the Archlector of Gild, I learned the limits of what money can do. Money does not throw nets. Money does not pick the harvest. Money does not console the heart when good men die.
I am no longer Archlector, and I have been instructed to read the dogma. So after this post, I will be silent. Unless of course, someone continues to mischaracterize what I have said when I held the august position that I did.
Written By Harald
Nov. 5, 2017, 11:03 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Though he may deny it, this disaster is exactly what Aleksei Morgan has called for. He bade me once that to earn Skald's regard, I should free all my thralls and become one of his followers. Kennex did this.
Witness the disaster that comes of heeding folk who meddle in matters they do not understand. None can be liberated from the consequences of their choices, try as some might.
Written By Tessa
Nov. 5, 2017, 10:51 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Stunning ring, tiara, getting out of the city briefly with good company.
Written By Agnarr
Nov. 5, 2017, 10:50 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Written By Eleyna
Nov. 5, 2017, 10:34 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Written By Thena
Nov. 5, 2017, 9:55 a.m.(7/12/1007 AR)
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.