Arc 1: Dreams of Heroism

[Halbarad]

Tim takes a full two minutes to answer, his eyes closed as he sorts through the 'extra' memories in his head.

"All right, here's what Anyin remembers about this whole war thing and how it started, at least," he begins. "Apparently about 300 years ago some human lord made a pact with the 'Serpent' and the Fae first showed up and started attacking - drove straight for Primhaem, where we were earlier.

"The humans managed to hold out there for a good while and let most of the people escape to other places like the Hold, and in the time since the humans discovered iron's effects and how to use their own kind of magic, which brings us to where we are now. Iron slowed the Fae's attack down after they overran Primhaem, and magic brought the two sides up to even standing."

Tim removes his hat for a moment, scratching the top of his head a bit before he goes on. "Don't remember anything about WHY the Fae attacked, though, if Anyin even knew it. Just that it's the priests that keep track of the history more than anyone.

"That said, I'd take a couple of things from that. First off, the Fae have some kind of goal in mind - what it is, who knows. Presumably our friend over there, but I think the odds of getting it out of him are pretty slim.

"Second, Anyin's training pretty much pounded into his head that the Fae never talk unless they're trying to seduce or deceive. I'm not quite as willing to buy that at face value as he did, since it could just be solid propaganda, but it's pretty clear the humans at least have had it emphasized that Fae are evil incarnate and only worth killing. Like jihad level, almost. If they've been at war for three hundred years I can definitely understand why, though."

Tim replaces his hat. "Personally? From what we know so far I'd be more inclined to trust the humans. I know defending doesn't automatically make them the 'good guys', but I'd be more inclined to side with the folks that AREN'T the aggressors myself."

[Brian]

"Here's where we run into a philisophical conflict," Brian says in English.  "See, if only the priests know the history, or only bother to keep track of it, it seems suspect to me.  And I'm not entirely sure we should trust the Fae, either.  Hell, they half sound like biological magic-using robots."

After a pause, Brian takes off his glasses, cleaning them with a cloth from his wallet that he dismally realizes he will have trouble washing later.

"Kind of remind me of that Heinlein novel -- Stranger in a Strange Land.

"Well, anyway.  We could come up with an argument to trust either side, but as it goes, I think we'd have an easier time getting away from the Fae than the humans right now.  I'm not sure about that, though.  You two remember a lot more about the humans than I do about the Fae -- I remember absolutely nothing aside from the language, a handful of basic skills, and the spells.  Spells which will get my ass killed for using around other humans, from what I got from you guys.

"I guess this makes me biased, and I can see why you would feel the same way about the Fae.  But this guy is reasonable enough.  The only thing that worries me is that, well, maybe they are living machines or something, and it turns out as soon as we go to talk to their high processor or council or whater, we get assigned for deletion.

"But I don't think they want to kill us right away.  They seem awfully logical, and it seems to me from the way their language is put together that it might be really easy to misconstrue something they said as a lie, and they'd be beings we could at least reason with."

He sighs.   "I hate to say it, but I wish we had a way to play both sides until we knew for sure what was going on.  But I don't trust established religion in general, and even though I want to, I know better than to trust intelligences that are as alien as the Fae are.

"Either way, I'm kind of lost, and think I'll be better off with you guys than on my own with the Fae; I don't think we should split up, and I'll follow you wherever.

"On a side note ... I've been thinking about maybe why you remember things and I don't.  I think it's precisely because the Fae are so different.  Though, I'll admit there that I'm reaching.  Just a thought."

Realizing how extensively he's been rambling, Brian shrugs and glances at Nathan and Tim.  "Sorry," he says.  "I talk too much.  You think I should ask our friend here about the Serpent?"

[Rezantis]

"Yarr, maybe find out exactly what happened with this 'Betrayal' . . . well.  It seems to me to be a completely moot point, but I guess I'm curious.  But myself, I agree we should be sticking together, and we should be looking for more humans for now."

Nathan shrugs.

"Apparently -we- seem to be in no danger from the Fae . . . but eh.  To be honest, do we actually -have- any real goals right now?"

[Brian]

"Not dying is a good one," Brian supplies readily.

[Halbarad]

"Not dying is definitely top of the list for me," Tim agrees wryly. "Getting back home would be number two, though. All I can really guess is that Ms. Redhead sent us all here for some reason and maybe if we can figure that reason out we can get home.

"And yeah, I'd ask about the Serpent - it might be a moot point for these guys at this point, but as near as I can tell the only thing we have going for us is that we just don't KNOW anything about either side here.  Depending on what we find out, we could go either way - something that I'm guessing is pretty much impossible for both sides at this point."

He chuckles a bit at that. "My turn to reach, I guess."

[Brian]

"Alright, then," Brian says gamely, before switching back to the Fae tongue.  "Milfanetya, can you define the Serpent for me?"

[Bjorn]

Brian gets about half way through that sentence before realizing that, in fact, he has no idea what the Fae equivalent for the word "Serpent" is.

On the edge of the clearing, Milfanetya pauses as Brian starts to speak, but when Brian simply tries the Yrisian word for "Serpent," he shakes his head uncomprehendingly.

[Brian]

Cursing himself in good old fashioned English, Brian tries again, "Mifeyenta, can you define who the Betrayers allied with?"

[Bjorn]

Even through his alien lack of expression, you can feel his uncertainty.  "The Betrayers... are."

[Brian]

Brian relays this to the others with a sigh.  "Well," he grumbles, "now what?"

[Halbarad]

Tim shakes his head a bit. "Wait a sec. Aren't WE - the 'normal' humans - the Betrayers? Maybe if you don't have the right word, ask who or what it was they betrayed. That's probably this Serpent, or close enough to it."

[Brian]

"Milfanetya, what was the betrayal?" Brian tries, not expecting much of anything at this point.

[Bjorn]

Mifanetya's eyes flick off to the south, before coming back to look at Brian.  "The Betrayal was the making of the Seal," he says.   He shifts, nose raising into the air.  "Betrayers come," he says.  "I can stay no longer.  If you would come to see the Ten, I will guide you.  If you stay, I will meet you again when Mifanetil has returned with instructions."

[Brian]

Brian relays this to Tim and Nathan.  "Judgement call -- which way do we go?  And we have to decide now, I think."

[Halbarad]

"I..." Tim pauses for several minutes, thinking. "On the one hand, I'm not sure how well Nathan and I can actually RELATE to the Fae - it seems like they've really got a different way of thinking, and we can't even talk to them. Bu on the other hand, it sounds like we'd be going straight to the top if we went to talk to them, which would help quite a bit in trying to get some answers."

He rubs his chin briefly. "Let's go with them. We have no idea what kind of position we're going to find ourselves in with the humans. Well.. hell, for that matter we don't know for sure with the Fae, either, but at least we've got a better idea."