Return to Union

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With the citizens of Union walking freely around Gigas, see the city and partake in the culture, the hope was to foster greater understanding. Due to the work of the Seekers and their allies, though, understanding may be beyond what Gigas expected.

Time enough for the revelations of the Seekers later, but on the final day, met with surprisingly large crowds, the people of Union and their allies were treated to a speech from a Senator to mark the end of the visiting period. He spoke passionately of normalizing relationships and bringing about greater peace and understanding. To the perceptive or analytic in the audience, he seems genuine, even a bit desperate. The plea of a man not entirely in control of his fate, the wish for something greater than perhaps what his destiny leads.

Concluding the speech, he offers a deal. Gigas will open its borders to the Union alliance, but in exchange Union must do the same. The exchange of people and culture, he feels, will greatly benefit both people and their continued quest for peace and understanding.

Upon return, however, Gigases secrets are revealed. The recovery of the stones is generally kept under wraps, Ori having vanished along with the stones with nary a trace upon the return of the search parties. But for those working with the Seekers, what they found was much different.

Four gods, the mighty Regigigas and its three servants, Regirock, Regice, and Registeel, lay sealed within highly guarded and restricted areas of Gigas. Regigigas itself appears to be the focal point, and is used to command the other three Gigases. Together, they maintain the barrier that protects the city from harm. These four gods remain slaves of Gigas, even to this day, although the general populace seems none the wiser.

As the rumors begin to fly, once again the council convenes to discuss. But, as always, the say of the people is paramount. Here now, those of Union and its allies may stump, advocate, and work for the resolution they see most fit.

[While some logs are still in the process of wrapping up, the event is now officially complete! For this post-event part, characters will have the ability to discuss and work on proposals for what they want to do about Gigas. Open the borders? Try to free the Gigases? What does Union want to see happen? The decisions made here will potentially affect the course of the game. We will host a vote in a week based on the popular responses and ideas. Submit formal proposals in the comments below]

Comments

OOC Questions

[bravenewmods]

[soulofmagus]

Would the reveal of the Emperor have been made fully public knowledge, or limited to PCs + Seekers and the Council?

[bravenewmods]

Limited among the populace, but generally available to the PCs.

IC Discussion

[bravenewmods]

[expertonshutters]

I can't really say I'm surprised to hear about those Gods. Gigas has time and again proven to be power hungry beyond anyone's expectations. Of course, they have Gods chained up under the city.

[Hayato isn't even fond of the Gods and he feels this is wrong.]

...Storming the place is a bad idea, though, even if I'd like any chance to punch a few people in the face. Letting them know we know about it could also incite conflict we don't want, especially with the city in pieces.

[lunchleader]

...so...we try and find a way to free them without alerting them first. Disguise ourselves, sneak in like we already did...convince the Gods that they'd be better off being free to choose to serve people instead of just being chained up like they are.

[vulcanblazer]

[Adell chuckled when Hayato mentioned punching people. Given everything that's happened over time, he couldn't agree more.]

I hear ya about wanting to crack a few, select skulls in Gigas. But you're right that we shouldn't go picking fights. Yet, anyway.

Still, I do have to wonder how many people actually know about those Gods being held captive. If it's not common knowledge in the city, maybe that can be something we can use to help our cause. If the people eventually become more sympathetic to the way we see the world, seeing the truth about what their leadership is doing might be enough to swing things to our favor.

[And to him, turning the citizens on the people who led Gigas on that greedy, power hungry path, would be the ultimate way to give those in charge the bird.

Even if beating the tar out of them himself might be more cathartic.]

[demenscantrix]

I never knew...

[And this information seems to not only be a revelation to Nero...but also disturbs her. That, and the Emperor...]

If it were up to me...we'd do something discreetly. Without storming the gates. That will cost lives, unnecessary lives.

Re: IC Discussion

[arachnocide]

There's a desperation in his voice - I don't think he's false in his intentions, but there's more going behind the scenes that he can't tell us, so there's something to watch for.

[divine_braid]

The best way to watch someone is to keep them in eyesight.

[Duo was okay with letting them in... as long as they were being watched. And having them on Union's home turf would give Union observers the perfect place to learn things that they might not have the ability to catch while in Gigas.]

I think we can learn a lot by having them in Union. [A lot.] Don't you?

[allergictoloveletters]

We are not going to help Gigas by having them remain an island unto themselves. [She offered.] I do not agree with the treatment of the gods. It is, to put it succinctly, horrible, but the decisions of the government should not condemn the people.

You do not cause a revolution by not involving the people, the best way for change is to expand the minds of the citizens, let them see a world outside of their own.

I don't wish to see anymore fighting for anyone, nor did I find the Senator to be speaking falsehoods, but to tread carefully while opening our borders, I feel, will be the best course of action. We've already had several citizens from Gigas who have only added to Union, not destroyed it.

[arachnocide]

I can attest from personal experience that a group remaining isolated from the world is weaker for it, they will not be able to handle sudden upheaval or hostile intruders.

And they end up ignorant and too set in their ways.

[expertonshutters]

I think if anything opens up between here and Gigas, then it should be extremely tight.

[His bias aside, he speaks in a rational and subdued tone.] As admirable as that approach is, don't forget there are people here who are hiding from them, who are seeking refuge away from their tyranny.

[A pause and then he speaks again.]

Also- Gigas had trade with Caldera until Gigas decided it wanted more and we spent fifty years trying not to lose our home and way of life. I'd really hate to see the same thing happen to this City. Union is still recovering and even with all of your allies, it won't take much for Gigas to slip in and strike.

[vulcanblazer]

Except for the fact that Gigas's military is well known for exploiting whatever weaknesses they tend to find in a society. Caldera's suffered immeasurably during the Gigan occupation period, thanks to them just seizing a moment, and latching onto it for years. The story's probably been the same with the other places they've occupied too.

What's to say they won't do that all over again?

[...That probably came off harsher than he really meant it to, and he realized it. Adell shook his head, and then softened his tone, and closed his eyes.]

Sorry. That being said... deep in my heart, I know you're right about a lot of what you said. I went to Gigas in the first place to see the face of what was the enemy of Caldera for so long. But the people there, the common citizen, wasn't much different from anyone I've met in Union, Caldera, or Citadel. They love their families, their homes... they have hopes and dreams like us.

[But having learned something from Nero about how Gigas worked... well, he couldn't help but still have a bad feeling. His eyes opened again, steeling over with the look of a warrior.]

...You're right in that we shouldn't condemn the common people, and we should help them if we can. But we also can't trust the people who are really calling the shots. Gigas' power structure loves putting knives in peoples' backs when they aren't looking. If we open the borders at all, we need to do more than merely be careful. We need nothing short of total vigilance.

[faithfulflame]

The senator wasn't lying. I think he was more desperate than anything. It's important that we remember that. They need us, really.

In...more ways than one. We need to lead by example, let them see how we live. But we also need to act, I think. We need to find a way to end the suffering of the gods.

[child_of_luv]

The people were very nice. Their government might not be the best, but I feel like showing the people themselves who we are might help, too.

[She smiled a bit.]

It's a solid idea, Ami.

I'm just worried about those gods. What are we going to do about them?

[sleepingvalkyrie]

They need us more than we need them.

We have lived long and happy lives without the technology upon which they are so dependent. So, I would argue that borders remain close, save for trade to start. One visit to their city is hardly enough to assess the suitability of such a request.

[ And their past history with visiting Union hasn't exactly gone smoothly either ]

[conquerorofwaves]

The fact they need us can be used as leverage. I definitely agree we should open up trade - ideas flow with goods, and that can be used to influence them to less inhumane means.

[He makes an irritated noise]

But that takes time - time that might not be available.

[no_love_potions]

[Harry's quiet for a long time through the discussion, listening and weighing what's being said thoughtfully. Finally, after a few long minutes he finally speaks up.]

Not to sound overly callous but I can't be the only one who's had the thought cross their mind that if we let Gigas and Ever Grande go at each other's throats two problems might solve each other, right?

[vulcanblazer]

[Adell glances over to the man who just spoke up, and frowned a little.]

In the end, that won't change anything, short of both sides wiping each other out. Even then, who's to say their conflict won't spill over onto us? All it'd take is one more attack on Union, Citadel, Caldera, anywhere, to draw our alliance into that bloody conflict anyway.

And even if we somehow managed to avoid falling into their war, a lot of innocent people on both sides will die. I'm not sure that's a price I'm willing to pay for inaction.

[soulofmagus]

A fight between them will happen eventually, whether we will it or not. [her voice is muted] Unless something changes before that happens, regardless of who emerges as victor, we will all lose.

[arachnocide]

[He bristles, eyelids squeezing shut]

Ever Grande must not have the chance to attack another. As deplorable as Gigas is, they are far worse and would spare no one.

BOO! pu-pu-ump!

[Sensing Kurapika's agitated state, the pumpkaboo starts hovering in front of his face, waving as the young man opens his eyes]

[demenscantrix]

It would be a good plan, if we weren't caught in the middle. And if it would not lead to ruin for the people of Gigas.

[And despite having forsaken her homeland, she absolutely does not agree with that.]

[smitesevil]

I am the Sword that Smites Evil, so believe me when I say that I wish we could simply destroy the chains that bind the gods and start from there. But even I know that is unfeasible.

Gigas loses their barrier, and potentially gain an enemy in the form of the newly freed gods, and we will be the only ones to blame for it. No, that would leave the people of Gigas, who have nothing to do with any of this in the crossfire.

There is only one thing to do. Those responsible must free the gods themselves, and grovel before them for forgiveness, and they will only do that when they learn that such a barrier is unnecessary. And that barrier will only be obsolete if they learn that they will be better defended in an alliance with us, than staying alone beneath their shell.

[ Probably. Sanger only got the cliff notes version of events, so he might be wrong somewhere, but he doubts it. The principle of the matter remains the same. ]

Proposals for how to deal with Gigas (OOC)

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