STERLING TWO

[dramatispersonae]

[Unlike with previous games from Lancelot, the room today is sparse … and cold, as if this is a place where some of the remaining winter hasn’t left (though surely that has nothing to do with the Snow Queen …)

Instead of wine, bread, and meat, there is dirty water, some berries (that are safe to eat), and some other plants that clearly have been picked off a plant.

There is nowhere to really sit except the cold, hard ground.]

Comments

ROUND ONE

[dramatispersonae]

In the past, I betrayed my oath to my king. I was not truly loyal to him, not as I was meant to be. Did you know … we were friends when we were young, though perhaps not as young as many of you? We came to be brothers. And still, I hurt him. I broke that vow.

So I must ask you, Aather. What are the sins … or crimes … of your team? Please list three.

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[overfloweth]

Him...?

[shaking her head a bit]

If you'd like, I'll offer "hasty judgment" for my crime.

Re: DISCUSSION

[thatsmycue]

[scratching the back of his head with a frown]

What's he definin' as a "crime," exactly?

Re: DISCUSSION

[fallingfree]

"Meant to be," hm...

Shall we stick with trivial ones?

Re: DISCUSSION

[hunting]

[ Games like this suck when you are having memory issues on top of memory issues... ]

I really doubt we share anything.

Re: DISCUSSION

[doggroomer]

I don't know that I remember enough to know of any crimes I've committed. Though apparently I lectured someone extensively once, so perhaps I can be harshly judgmental.

SUBMIT

[dramatispersonae]

Please list only three. No more, no less.

Re: SUBMIT

[fallingfree]

- Pushing others to alter or break their roles, regardless of whether they're ready
- Giving easy quests
- Breaking expectations by choosing not to punish people for their past crimes

ROUND TWO

[dramatispersonae]

When Arthur learned of my betrayal, of what I had done—he did nothing. A strong king in every way, but in the face of betrayal from a loved one, he could only stand by and do nothing. His mercy led his realm to despair; many others thought him to be weak.

They weren’t right. But they were correct in another way: I was deserving of punishment. A crime is not a crime without the punishment that follows, some might say, but some crimes are worthy of punishment.

Today, list three suggested punishments for any crimes, worthy crimes, perhaps even your own crimes.

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[thatsmycue]

[uuuuuh. . .]

. . . someone sounds like he has a personal problem.

Re: DISCUSSION

[fallingfree]

[can I just. facepalm at this whole situation for a bit, Lancelot]

Your punishment is to accept his mercy because a true king doesn't throw away a man like you, idiot.

Re: DISCUSSION

[hunting]

A punishment should result in something productive coming out of it.

[ Ridding the world of a terrible monstrous person can very much count for this... ]

SUBMIT

[dramatispersonae]

Three punishments here. No more, no less. They can be anything.

ROUND THREE

[dramatispersonae]

Surely you have all witnessed the importance of being held accountable. Would Camelot have been so cold, so burdened, had Arthur punished me correctly? Would the Snow Queen have experienced such misery?

Now, hold your other Aatherites accountable in the same way. So many crimes have surely come to pass that it is time for them to face it.

Tell me one team you find guilty, and the reason for that guilt.

And … tell me one team you find to be innocent. This is according to your own understanding, of course.

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

SUBMIT

[dramatispersonae]

One innocent team, one guilty team and the reason for that guilt.

ROUND FOUR

[dramatispersonae]

Today, you have been accused twice, for being not guilty and for being neither guilty nor innocent. However, you were protected from these crimes, and you do not have to do penance.

The choices for penances are here.

I have been found guilty for not listening to reason, and I will do the penances suggested by Jasper:

1. For the crime of running tiresome and intrusive games, to only run cheerful and pleasant games from now on.
2. For the crime of being obsessed with his own self-judgment, to tell the story of his supposed crime, and to hear and accept someone else's judgment of him.
3. For the crime of betraying his friend, to apologize sincerely and actually accept the judgment of his friend in this instance, since it seems to be harder for him than any self-flagellating punishment we could give him. And to apply the energies he's no longer using to mentally punish himself to something productive, to find his king and remedy the damage he's done.

Re: ROUND FOUR

[fallingfree]

[just. getting to the second item on the list and cracking up]

BONUS

[dramatispersonae]

What are ways you have dealt with the guilt in your past, in your memories? What if you betrayed a friend and destroyed something very important? How would you recommend making up for it, if not through the means here in this game?

Also, would you like your crimes to be public knowledge?

Re: BONUS

[hunting]

I'm not really someone to ask about dealing with guilt. I'm still figuring it out. Usually, I just have people trying to help me see past it, while I work toward doing things to better the situation for others. Regardless of the crime or the guilt, your response should be finding out what the person you hurt most needs and coming up with a way to provide it. Fixing these situations shouldn't be generalized and should be tailored to the nature of the hurt and the people involved. That's why you can't ask others what to do. You have to figure it out for yourself.

I don't think we care if you share the other stuff.

Re: BONUS

[thatsmycue]

I don't remember much about betrayal or feelin' guilty or anything like that. But, how do I say this. . . you need more motivation, don't you? I wouldn't sit around thinking "I deserve to be punished," I would think. . . "I'm going to do this and make things better," and then go out and do it. Yeah! That's what we've been tellin' you this entire time. It's a lot better than wallowing is.

Re: BONUS

[doggroomer]

I don't have any memories of wronging anyone to that degree, so I can't offer any real insight in that regard. However, I agree with what we came up with earlier. Accept whatever punishment is chosen for you and focus your energy on more productive things. Wallowing is useless.

Re: BONUS

[fallingfree]

[this is going to be a whole damn king voice speech to thin air I'm sorry, Lancelot you had better be listening :U]

I've not yet had to deal with guilt, I've been lucky with that. I still don't have many memories, and the little harm yet I've done here was forced upon me in a game, there's no sense in carrying guilt for that. But I know this: I have a duty, and I cannot stop moving. Our duties may be different--you are a knight, I am a king--but any duty is the same. Guilt does not serve it. Punishment does not serve it. A duty is to be done, for your charges and your king, and neither of those do anything.

As for you--you are already working hard to restore what you have damaged, as many have suggested today. And I know your king himself has yet to return, but in the meantime, as others have said: if you believe in him, if you honor him, then respect his judgement. If you give him your sword, and that sword proves wanting of polish, it is his choice to wipe it clean rather than waste fine steel. If he treasures your sword and your friendship, treasure it alike, for he is your king.

And this is something for you to think upon. You say you betrayed him. I don't know for sure what happened, though given a few things said here tonight, I have my guesses--and there are far, far worse ways to betray your king, a crime of passion hardly notches the scale. But how did that lead to Camelot's fall? Those who would call your king weak for his wisdom in not discarding you bear the guilt for that foolishness, not you. The Darkness is a force far beyond what one man can deal with, no matter how strong of arms or noble--if that was not the case, why would we all need to be gathered here? Is the guilt you bear simply that each one of us carriers for endangering our worlds as beacons ourselves? I do not know what happened, but you do. Examine your actions, examine what they led to, and see when you're blaming yourself for forces beyond your control--better yet, tell them to somebody of clearer mind than you are right now, because you are tangled up in pain that requires clarity. But remember, always: the unpredicted action of another is not your fault, even if you catalyzed it. It is their fault for responding that way. Be as fair to yourself as you would have your king be fair to any other subject.

[relaxing a little, turning the king voice back off]

And yes, that's fine, we drew them up as a statement, after all.