>>5741777“Brave Paladins of the Holy order of Hawksong,” she addresses the three such human males present, turning to them, “is what my husband describes not VERY MUCH the truth behind the Pax Agentum—no, the Pax Ferrum? The idea that sometimes, much as we hate to do so, we MUST prepare for war is we wish to have a true and lasting peace? That violence can be sadly NECESSARY to uphold values of equality, justice, fairness, and good governance, in the face of division or extremism? King Theral wishes to be free to do as he did with his own, ah, people, to stop this plague. Can we ask a, a WARRIOR KING to stay his blade when he sees a righteous cause?"
“A cause that is righteous to the Dark Gods is not a cause which WE would see as righteous,” Sir Marzineo points out, though without obvious malice or disdain in his tone or expression. “He DOES serve the Dark Gods, does he not? Those are the gods who will hold him to account for these oaths?”
Ekaterine opens her mouth to speak, and quickly closes it. She looks to you, brow furrowing. Ah, yes—this sticking point. She’s seen you in prayer, heard your arguments in favour of your gods, even come to accept your faith… But does she share it? Moreover, can her PEOPLE accept it? You’re honour-bound by your vows as a Knight Ascendant to never deny whom you serve… But so too were you honour-bound to follow the commands which the Serpent Ascendant gave you, to slay Prince Rufos and his family, yet here he and his equally-alive wife stand, watching with silent ambivalence as you answer these questions.
The Dark Gods... They have given you much. They guided your mother in conceiving you, and in shaping you. They gave you visions of guidance to lead you on your way, helped you in your ambitious diplomacy and in war. The Serpent Ascendant in particular has made you more than you would be otherwise: in presence, in stature, in martial might and rhetorical force. Yet they also ask much of you... Demand supplication, in fact, and treat you as a mere servant to be bossed about, even now. A part of you resents it, and their shortsighted squabbling and bloodthirstiness, but even as you think those thoughts you know they are wrong, heretical, CORRUPTING thoughts brought about by exposure to surface-scum…
…Right?
What will you do?
>Confirm this—yes, you serve the Dark Gods Below and Beyond, above all others>Agree that you practice the True Faith, but also pledge that you will never put them before your moral compunctions or your duty as King or Prince-Consort>Renounce the Dark Gods—you no longer need them>Refuse to answer, move onto the next question>Write-inAlmost done the scene, and the thread. Expect one more big one before we do our final thread... And epilogue. 