animus_network | ένας ϟ briefly audio, mostly video

[The feed is at first filled with static and the sounds of the device being knocked around. But eventually, words start to filter through.]

Ahh, I believe this i――No, perhaps――?

[And the person seems to figure it out, so the deep, resonant voice laughs jovially before it flickers to a video feed. There's a gratuitous shot of a manly as hell beard because Rider basically has his face in the camera, but seeing the image on the screen, he leans back to sit with his arms crossed.]

Ha, here we go! What odd little things these computers are. They are far too small and fragile, in my opinion, but that is neither here nor there for the purpose of this announcement.

[He grins even more, clapping his hands together.] Well! I have expected for this or myself to disappear, and yet both still remains. I suppose that crosses out the possibility of it being a strange dream, eh? So hello, those of you that may hear me upon this network! I confess that I do not know completely of the audience to whom I speak, but I suppose it matters little! I am Alexander III of Macedon, King of Conquerors, though I would prefer to be called Rider for now. And I extend my greetings to all of you, as comrades in this situation, as future friends and even more as potential future subjects. I would be remiss as the King of Conquerors to not consider adding this tower to my territories, eh? But this is a matter for another time.

For now, I seek information, if you would give it. I wish to know about those in charge, who I have heard briefly of. [Though he's still smiling, a fire seems to come to his eyes, as if he's fully aware that they might hear this themselves. He's throwing down a challenge, in a way.] I would like to know who I challenge, after all.

[With that grand address out of the way, he crosses his arms once more, his voice becoming less grandiose] And as a last note, I speak exclusively to the Masters and Servants of the War that also find themselves within this tower. If you do not know what this means, then it is not addressed to you, I am afraid. But to you, my friends, I propose a meeting amongst us, to discuss this situation and what it means for us. So please, contact me at your liberty, and we shall speak of where and how we should meet.

((ooc; to the Fate/ cast, which the last part is directed to, if you could include a contact method in a note on your tag or PM it to this journal, that would be awesome! Hopefully we can do a log to play out what Rider's suggesting if there's interest, but if not, we can figure out a conclusion and handwave it.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've been able to gather one or two facts in the months I've been here. For the sake of any others that may be as new as you are, I'll hold off mentioning that until this proposed meeting, if that's all right with you. Perhaps the others who have been here for some time might know something as well...

[She trails off, then frowns.] There is no pattern, no. All the more reason to be on your guard at all times, don't you think? And others in the tower were able to stop an experiment before, so I'm certain it can happen again.

That is quite fine! I assume that none of this is of extreme importance, so it may wait without trouble.

[A nod] But so indeed. I heard of this trouble from another, which was one reason I seek a meeting. If there is truly such a danger to be had here, then our own politics of War benefit no one, and only harm us all.

Precisely. I do not expect all of us to get along and work together, but I'm sure most of us can agree that nobody belongs here. There will be time for battle, of course, but that time must be postponed until after we escape this horrid place.

[She offers him a smile.] You are a wise man, Rider. I will be more than happy to lend a hand if you require assistance in any way with this meeting.

[It feels... strange, to offer her help to another Servant. She's supposed to be a neutral party, after all. But she's beginning to realize that she can't avoid potentially beneficial alliances that could help them aid the others in the tower better. She wasn't taking sides in this or any War, just... doing whatever she could to help everyone.]

[He claps his hands together with a grin]

Well! I am glad you should offer, for I do worry about Masters in attendance. As a general rule, I believe even the proudest Servant is willing to sit at a meeting of diplomacy, for it is a matter of honor. Yet not all Masters are bound by this same standard, nor are all Servants, admittedly, but they are the ones tinged with madness, in my experience.

So should any troublesome fellows come to hinder this alliance, would you be willing to raise sword against them? For spurning an offering of peace with violence can only be paid in blood.

[That... that is a line that she should not cross, and the troubled look that crosses her face definitely gives away that conflict.]

I am... not permitted to go so far as to cut down a Master or a Servant. I will most certainly restrain any potential disturbances, but I cannot go that far.

Permitted? [He looks confused by the choice of words, but then his face brightens as he connects the dots] Ahh, then would you perhaps be Ruler? I heard about your position from another Servant, and I must say it's strange! We had nothing like it in our own.

[She nods, a bit of a smile returning to her face.] Indeed, I am. I know it seems quite strange, especially since this is a title outside of the established classes... but after the previous war, the Holy Grail itself decided that the Church was no longer to be involved in this fight. I was to take up the duties of overseer in place of those priests.

Well, I for one approve of this concept, since I would surely be more likely to trust a Servant with the concept of honor and fairness than a normal man.

[a chuckle] Though it is still odd as a whole that there should be a single person overseeing our battles! Fighting it as a real war where there is no such position is what I had expected, but I at least understand the reasoning. Still, there is some glory lost in this system!

You think it strange, even though that single person is a Servant? We can sense each other better than anyone, so I think it makes quite a bit of sense.

Of course, it makes things a bit hard, when the time comes to do damage control... but I cannot complain. This is my duty, after all.

For that, I speak as a man of the military. The wars I have fought were not overseen with such authority. There were those like myself that may give orders to our men, but there is nothing in place to step in further than that.

So if the War were to be fought in the way I know, it would likely be over more quickly! But there would also surely be more bloodshed, which is why I imagine the base system was made.

[She nods.] I think you're right. No matter the king, conqueror, general, or warrior... you may have a solid, foolproof strategy that would work in your own time, or work in a war different from this one... but it just cannot work here, due to the threat of massive bloodshed and the involvement of innocents.

[And here her voice softens, just a bit.] The system put into place makes protecting the innocent a much simpler task than it would be in all-out war. And in my opinion, that is why I am here. I do not regulate the battles between the Servants, or tell them what they can or cannot do - unless their actions harm the helpless, that is. It is my duty to make sure our conflict does not spill over into the unknowing populace.

ένας ϟ briefly audio, mostly video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject