Lucy's magnificent rod (Lucy)

[Corwin]

"I think you're rather ignoring the impact a mortal's parents and upbringing have on them, Miss Ebony," Lucy politely disagrees. "It is an academic discussion, true, but I don't like the way it absolves such caretakers of most related responsibility. After all, if it doesn't matter where choosing in a way we consider right is concerned, why even bother to try?"

[Anastasia]

"It does not. Their sins and mistakes are still their own. It merely does not absolve the blame from those making those choices, either," Ebony says.

[Corwin]

"My dearest Ebony, you are conflating responsibility and sin, I'm afraid. I hold the opinion that mortal societies have many imperatives that while largely considered born of morality actually form the very basis of said societies. Without them, society itself on a Prime cannot exist. If we take the approach, objectively true as it is, that every man and woman ostensibly in society are actually individuals with their separate sins and successes, their own falls and heavenly rewards, then that very mortal society itself is undermined."

Lucy coughs into hastily-produced handkerchief. "In my opinion, of course, Miss Ebony. Now, if you'd allow me to return us to the matter of choice? I truly do believe that magic is not the only way to invalidate an apparently free choice, or at the very least to draw much meaning from it. Consider, if you will, the choice you have at a typical crossroads on the way of life. A path leads left, and a path leads right. Both look exactly the same, and you lack a map or any tools or means to assist in your choice. True, this choice, a four-way one to go either way, stop there or return, is a free one. But does it hold any true meaning?"

[Anastasia]

"To have meaning it would have to hold moral weight," Ebony says, "Not all choices are morally relevant. It matters little to righteousness if I have bread or apples for lunch." She sits back in silence for a little bit, "The choice may be important even if made blind, and a wise man would pray for guidance, but ultimately I see no moral weight to it."

[Corwin]

"So free choice as you see it only exists in a moral context?" Lucy muses. She nods slowly to herself, before asking Ebony, "What of fiendish choices, then? Given a choice to choose between which of two people lives or dies, two strangers one of whom a mortal could save while dooming the other. A choice where the two are elsewhere with said fiend, a devil who promises to spare the one chosen but insists he will kill both if our hypothetical mortal doesn't make that choice -- or makes the choice of inaction, I suppose. Are all the pantheons of good united in what the right choice would be, here? And even if so--" Lucy gives Ebony an apologetic look, "--I'm afraid I'm not the right authority to answer that question categorically, but even if that is so, would all these Deities of Good treat the mortal who made the wrong choice due to this immense pressure or for the right reasons the same way? Would they punish him the same?"

[Anastasia]

"No, only that a meaningful choice has to have a moral aspect," Ebony retorts.

Before this can go on, Elena pops in. "Oh hi," she says, "Can I borrow you for a few minutes, Lucy?"

[Corwin]

"Of course, Miss Elena!" Lucy readily responds, giving Ebony an apologetic look. "If you don't mind? We do have eternity~"

[Anastasia]

Once done, you head outside. "Elder Magi Tepen wanted to talk to you," Elena says. "He has a few questions about your interest in the library."

[Corwin]

"Most certainly! I'm on my way, Miss Elena!"

[Anastasia]

You find Elder Magi Tepen sitting in the library, a few pages standing silently nearby.

"Ah, Miss Lucy," he greets you, gesturing at the table he sits at. "Have a seat."

[Corwin]

Lucy does so before asking, "You wished to see me, Elder Magi? What can I do for you?"

[Anastasia]

"I've heard you're interested in being a librarian," Tepen says, "I don't doubt your ability to sort the books, though Aurora largely does so with magic. However, I would like to test your knowledge. In what fields are you knowledgeable?"

[Corwin]

"That would be every field," Lucy answers respectfully, with a quiet pride underneath. "While the basic sorting is done with magic in this wondrous library, sometimes people search for references or recommendations. Other time, they could surely use a second pair of eyes with research. I can do all that and more!"

[Anastasia]

"Well then, why don't you demonstrate?" Tepen says.

[Corwin]

"By all means," Lucy genially agrees, keeping her enthusiasm at bay. "You are no doubt familiar with planar geography, so let us explore the nature of the Silver Sea." She already knows where the Gwinnan collection is, and so it is a simple matter to return with the first volume to their table. "As I'm quite certain, you have read this volume before many times! Yet have you ever wondered about the inter-tribal relationships of the githyanki taking residence on Astral?" She provides a dreadfully thin booklet as further reference material. "No book is ever complete on its own, I strongly believe, and our search for knowledge should keep that in mind!"

This is where Tepen is asked to make a Knowledge check on the matter of the Speakers of Void and their relationships with other githyanki tribes, with the library bonus and with an extra +15 bonus from yours truly.