(LOG) The Tenebrae's Majority Speech
Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 6:10 am
This is a log of a speech I did as the Tenebrae. Several posts were removed from other players given the use of languages that codely my character did not know and as such just appeared as gibberish. A few relevant posts from other players were kept given their importance to the overall scene.
Church Plaza Before the Church [Pleasant, cloudless, slight breeze from the northeast, afternoon] Broken flagstones sporadically litter the plaza, shifted by years of neglect into a treacherous minefield of muck or stone. One wrong step can wedge a leg knee-deep in a pothole, or trap an ankle. Tiny homes and businesses ring the edges of the plaza, all dwarfed by its main occupant: the church that rises in all its derelict glory to the west. One tarnished bell still hangs high above in the tower, made delicate by its rotted wood and crumbling stones, solitary as it sounds the hours. Recently: (A crowd of primarily freeman have gathered before the church, or more correctly before the cloaked individual standing atop the steps leading into the church. A good number of cloaked brutes linger closer to the masked man, clearly acting as ragtag security. ) [ Exits: north east south west ] [ Air exits: up ] A menancing black pyre has been erected here, reaching for the sky. (northeastern corner) A swath of dirty linen cloth is tied to a post. (center) Rough timber posts along the road burn candles rank with rancid animal fat. (northwestern corner) (lit) A person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder is standing atop the church steps, before a myriad crowd Once a sufficiently large crowd has gathered, the cloaked man clears his throat and gestures with both hands for the crowd to silence. "As I am sure many of you are wondering, Why have I gathered you here today? And who exactly am I?" The cloaked figure gestures towards the crowd from atop the steps "Both valid questions my friends. Those who've come before me have had many titles, though you might know me best as the Tenebrae," He pauses to allow that detail to sink in, gaze sweeping across all those present. "and why I've gathered you is in regards to your future. The Future of freemen all across our great kingdom." [a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder] With the revelation of whom this individual is, muffled whispers of shock can be heard among the more naive members of the crowd [a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder] (REDACTED) listens quietly as the speaker speaks, his eyes a bit wider than normal as his young personage seems to be in the presence of a well-known bandit. "In the wake of our Dear Queen's passing, you can be damn certain vultures of all variety will emerge from all corners of the kingdom, their beady gaze upon who will sit upon the throne next." His right arm sweeps above the crowd in a horizontal slash "As such it is important that we not allow ourselves to be used. A noble from Asglen, Roland ab Beaufort, is one such vulture. No doubt in the coming weeks he will make his intentions known across the kingdom, versus spoken only in the shadows. This particular vulture is no doubt involved in the horrific death of our Late Queen, as he spoke of dethroning our Queen on the unfounded basis of possessing the blood of a Harmon, well before her actual death! Coincidence? I think not!" [a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder] (REDACTED) nods along as the figure speaks, not necessarily appearing to agree, but at least listening and understanding. (REDACTED) moves his way forward through the crowd, " Come on, let me through, I can't see, never saw the Tenebrae before." he says to the few freemen around him. "Of course you may ponder how this involves you? How this involves the Freemen of our Kingdom? I'll tell you how. This usurper, this vulture, in the letters he sent to your city leaders months prior to the Queen's death, his words held no compassion for us. The manner in which he wrote, he viewed us as little more than insects. This is not an unfamiliar stance for a noble to take, but most do not make such a view so easily known. No doubt if allowed to speak his silver-tongue, he would lie to your faces and proclaim some false love for the freemen..." The Tenebrae shakes his head, cloak shaking with the movement "No. I will not stand by as we are lied to. As truths are kept hidden from us!" [a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder] (REDACTED) finally makes it to the front of his little crowd of freemen, looking at the cloaked individual with a bit of wonder, then frowning and canting his head, " I thought he was taller." he whispers to whichever freeman is next to him. "Do not mistake my words here today. I've no love for the nobility, but I have even less love for those who would so blatantly use us as mere pawns in their schemes! We are the Freemen of this Kingdom! We are the blood and air that keeps this kingdom thriving! Without us," The man slams his right fist against his chest, an audible clink of metal resounding across the plaza "The nobility would have no kingdom to lead!" His fist is shot into the air in a forceful gesture "It is upon this role we fill that I call upon all those gathered to wield the power it offers us. The power of the Majority!" Of course the vocal charalin in the crowd are not unnoticed, given they stand out like a sore thumb upon their steeds... But the one identifying as the Tenebrae seems to pay little mind to words spoken in savage tongue [a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder] And likewise, like sore thumbs, the Charalin are likely the only ones who don't join in on the cheering and fists rising in support of a fair-skinned man with close-cropped ebony hair's speech. a (REDACTED) at least looks indifferent and stoned faced, or just stoned, or both. He turns and looks at (REDACTED) and (REDACTED) and blinks. "It was good speech," he decides to say, nodding his head. "For them," he then adds, gesturing at the Freeman who are not savages. (REDACTED) grins and claps at the speaker's speech, " Majority!" he calls out as those around him cheer. "And do what?" {REDACTED) shouts up at the supposed Tenebrae. It's not disagreeing, necessarily, but... undirected, looking for focus. "All those who bleed to ensure the nobility maintain a kingdom to lead are part of this majority." The cloaked man utters, perhaps overhearing the words of the savages "I ask you here today, will you stand by and allow yourselves to be the insects the Usurper views us as? Or will you stand up and make your power known? To make it known that we will not stand by and allow him to claim a throne not his, and to lead OUR Kingdom into destruction?" Regardless of the answers that are given, the Tenebrae continues, his voice as forceful and full of determination as ever "I call upon all those gathered here today, and to all who will hear of my words to stand in solidarity against those who seek our Destruction to further their own ends! Who would seek to strip us of our Humanity! Who would seek to rob us of the power we wield as the Majority!" [a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder] Triggered both from the speaker and from (REDACTED), a slow chant starts spreading through the crowd, hands rising in time as they start chanting, " Majority! Majority! Majority!". "Somethin' to drink to!" (REDACTED) puts in to the cloaked figure's words with a chortle at her own comment. "Solidarity of the decent, hard-working folk!" She doesn't pay much notice towards the eyes on her. "This is Our World! Our Kingdom! Our Lives! And it is time we make our voice known, make our power known! And most importantly make any who treat us as pawns and insects second guess their choices!" All throughout these final words, the Tenebrae has been thrusting his fist into the air, emphasizing the end of every sentence "Spread this message across the land, to any who will listen! If the vultures ignore our words and the Usurper takes the throne, the Majority will ensure his arse does not have time to stain that honorable seat, as we will revolt!" [a person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder] A person wearing a fully-faced mask with charcoal hands cupping the eyeholes with an enveloping gray cloak pinned with a hand at the shoulder yells, ""We will not stand by and be lead to our destruction! If matters come to it, the majority will reclaim our kingdom from the Usurper and Vultures!"" (REDACTED) grins a bit as those around him chant, listening to the speaker, " Our world!" he calls out, the small crowd around him taking up the words again, " Our world! Down with the Usurper, Down with the Vultures!" he looks around, " Hey, I didn't say all that!" he says to a nearby freeman, he then shrugs and goes back to listening, well as best he can with chanting going on around him.