Palathadric

"That is bad news..." I mumble pensively. "Who is to say the Ji Pei are on our side though? I have to say that at least a human has a conscience and therefore, hopefully, can be reasoned with...a machine? Not so much so." "I guess I wouldn't know, but I would guess that if you dress royally you are much more likely to attract unwanted attention from criminals and the like. They're all lurking around these areas, but I guess you know what you're doing." "Humph," I snort, unimpressed. "How is it that you know of the princess's plans, Mr. Belle? 'Order Imperial'? Sounds like a name made up by a couple of snitts to make themselves look impressive. You may be right about it not being a good idea, but heck it's just historical records at the end of it."

Why TLG?

Including Boba Fett as a kid was always going to be a mistake.

A big thing of course is the fan reaction. I know that Beorn was personally one of my favourite characters, if not my favourite character from the Hobbit. He was is awesome and the sequence with them coming in two at a time was pretty fun. I know I would have been horribly disappointed and would have felt very cheated if they hadn't included Beorn in the movie and I think an awful lot of Tolkien fans would have felt the same way. Tom Bombadil is a character that many if not most Tolkien fans find more disturbing than anything else. I found him great fun, but he just seemed completely out of place in the Lord of the Rings. I was perhaps a bit disappointed not to see him as I enjoyed his randomness, but he wouldn't have fit at all in the movie. If they were going to cut out a character I think it was always going to be him.

I shrug. "I wouldn't commit my life into their hands." I feel like spitting to show my disdain, but I realize that it may not be the best move in front of a claiming prophetess.

Wow! Talking with Arthur is really bringing out the text rolls from me. Interesting how some people are just so easy to bounce off of.

"Well, not to say I've never been stabbed in the back by my employers, well I can't say I have literally...I'm still alive, but I was attacked twice by my employers. One time I managed to make the man come to his senses and destroy the sword he created and the other time...well...I'll admit that we were used by our employer, and though she used for us her own benefit we ended up doing a lot of good. There was an assassin on her back, apparently for good reason, and she had us kill him, although I can't say Eubric is any worse off without him. We ended up defeating her force, though we couldn't catch her. It's unfortunate. By the way, you've never heard of 'The Cardinal' or a 'Sofia,' have you?" "But automatons getting into the hands of many is almost worse. Think of what could be done with them. Think of an individual who is motivated by evil and what he would be able to do with an automaton. Any man who has knowledge enough to use the automaton to his bidding could become the deadliest assassin, whilst being completely covert. These days we have assassins too, and I'm not particularly fond of the idea, but at least these days it takes great skill to be a good one or it takes a great deal of determination and even then if the skill at covering ones tracks is not good enough, they will be caught and slain themselves. Being an assassin is a risky business. However, if automatons get into the hands of regular people then anyone could become an assassin. It would be much too easy too. If the ability to kill is right at a person's fingertips, especially the ability to kill from a distance with no suspicions to be placed on one's head, then you will see that any petty feud will be concluded with a death. As soon as someone reaches a level of anger they will 'push the button' and that will be that. They may regret it later, but once it's done it's done. Having to stab someone in the back takes a lot more thought and planning and if one plans to do it in a moment of anger, that moment will likely pass before the plan is carried out. I can see little good in automatons becoming widespread. "Furthermore, you speak about the Ji Pei and what a peaceful people they are, but trust me few people can rise to the kind of power they have risen to by peaceful means. Furthermore, they are living here amongst our people instead of in their homes where they came from. Why is that? One cannot know unless one travels to their land, but likely they are not seen in a very positive light over there, who can know why. Even here, the main reason from what I can see that people consider them as being peaceful is just that they do not know what they are like. Tell me how did they get enough power to be considered one of the six houses? The Shadeaux, the Hinckwells, the Guild of Invision got it through their business practices, the Bonapartes through their forces and business, the Ziegfrieds...well... let me not mention them. Anyway, little is known about the Ji Pei. They don't seem to be tremendous business-folk, they haven't done anything to help the common people of Eubric. No, they just sit in their palace and do nothing. I have my own theory about them, but perhaps it's better I don't say. One never knows where such people may have their eyes and ears."

I'm actually pretty pleased with the arguments I've come up with for Pretzel thus far. It's not easy arguing for someone who has values quite contrary to mine. Also, I think I tend to avoid conflict in general whilst Pretzel jumps into it all guns blazing. I'm really surprised how well Pretzel and Arthur have been getting along thus far even if I can't see it lasting. It's possible that he's not friends with guys like Pretzel because he's never really met him or quested with him. I guess we'll see if it ever happens. Actually Pretzel has never quested with any one of Boomingham's "friends" (I wouldn't really consider the Unlimited Quest as "questing," it's just not the same). It would be interesting to see what happens if they meet. I can see them getting along fairly well unless Pretzel encounters one of Boomingham's friends first and manages to piss them off entirely. Take as long as you need. ...It's not my quest you're hosting.

"Not quite sure what exactly you mean by that. I don't even have a dick." "But that's just the thing. This sort of technology will be available only to those who have the means to purchase or to create such equipment. Not your average man. It would render it even easier for a few to gain complete and total power over the many, because there would be no way for the many to resist. The rich would just be able to create more and more of said automatons. Right now, the rich need to ensure that they have enough people on there side to at least have a semblance of power. They can't be in control on their own. Then it will be far easier. Any sort of tyrant could take control and do more or less whatever he/she wanted. There is another thing also if a man kills a man himself there will always be some guilt on his conscience unless he did so for a good reason such as in the defense of another. Whenever a man feels guilty there is a chance that his guilt will outweigh whatever it is that motivates him to do the crimes he does and he may change his ways. However, if said man were to have an automaton do his work for him, it would be much harder for him to feel guilt because he will not even see the agony he is causing. It will enable those in power to be more distant than ever from the people whom they rule whilst also being able to keep a stricter watch on them and controlling their movements more than ever. "Now, as far as Heroica questioning their employers is concerned, I'm not sure about that. I think most of the quests I've been on were quite justified. I killed a demon that was plaguing a village. I killed a great beast that was a threat to humankind. I have healed a dragon. I have uncovered the author of a crime when he tried to place blame on another. These are all the things that I have actually accomplished for my employers, but it is does not include the other things, the rescuing of a gnomish village from the grip of the Wolfgang, etc. There was once or twice when I have been employed by less than good people. One man wanted me to help him build a sword which he then tried to use to gain control of the world, but when I realized that I made the man see the error of his ways so that he destroyed the sword. Maybe other heroes have records of backstabbing their employers or working for underhand employers, but my part is to do what I can and if others around me want to go to hell, where that's there business, I suppose."

"But what is life without honour? There is no honour to be found in letting a group of machines fight for you. Besides, it could create so many problems. For instance, what if an enemy power were to steal designs and create their own automatons with which they can conquer the world? When men fight and bear arms themselves, more often than not the greater army wins and those who fight with more purpose. However, with a group of automatons, it would be easy for one man or a select group of people, taking the Ji Pei for instance, to completely take over the world. They would not even need any sort of majority support as a ruler at the head of a regular army would. No, this opens up too many venues for problems. Besides, what's worse than paid killers? Killers who don't need to be paid. Killers who will kill anyone without thinking of the seriousness of the situation just because they have been told to. I'm sure, young Arthur--or was it Em?--I'm sure you understand the danger behind it."

Yay! Let's see how well I can maintain it. I have a bad habit of succumbing under pressure.

"Their automatons are noble warriors?!? Come, come now!" I scoff. "Besides, what kind of honour is it to send machines to fight your battles for you? Seems cowardly to me."

The King and I. Seems I've been seeing a few Yul Brynner movies of late.

Yeah, Beorn practically wins the battle of the 5 Armies for them in the book. From what I can recall even after the eagles comes it gives some mention of the battle being lost if it hadn't been for Beorn coming or something like that. ...There is a good chance that I need to reread The Hobbit though. Sometimes if movies wander too far away from the books I just try to see them as a movie of its own right and not part of the book at all. If I compare the Desolation of Smaug to the other movies released last year, it would be clearly among the top, so even if it's not as true to the book as I may wish, heck, it's still a great movie.

Playing or watching? I do realize that we're probably talking about a different sport, bu

Well, with the amount of Sentinels Throlar is rolling, panicking is always a viable option. Is it just me, or does The Customizer have a bad habit of getting Erdathcath onto slow-moving quests. So, Pretzel is stuck between two Ji Pei lovers and a Prophetess who is more accepting of others than is good for her...damn this quest will be tough.

I hold up my hands. "Alright, alright, I'm not the one that knows her." I scoot slightly away from the barbarian. No telling what men of that sort will do, especially when there's a woman involved. Always a good idea to give one's self enough space to raise one's shield if the need should arise. "Airships, teleporters, giant lizards, robotic...companions?!? You mean to say that you actually worked with such things. I can't say I've met the Ji Pei, having not quested too much within Eubric itself, but I have to say that more I hear of them the more certain I am that I wouldn't want to meet them. Fangled magical contraptions. Humph!" "Ah! Good to hear that." "A doctor? Well, I suppose that's a good enough start, although really I prefer the healing that comes from the divine sources to that which is bottled. Still I'm not sure how he will help us. Perhaps he will have potion that will aid our breathing under the sea?" "I suppose I'm ready to go though, if you all are."

All I wanted to see was the "Little bunny getting fat on my honey."

I could play as town, scum, and SK if those are the roles left out. Seriously, I feel like taking up that extra role, but I don't think it's a good idea at all.

I snort. Bah! To think I signed up for this. Going off into the middle of nowhere to look for a book that we don't know exists that could be of no use whatsoever. What kind of "heroing" is this. "I can't say I think it will be as easy as all that, but I'm sure the princess has already thought some of these things through and didn't just call us on a whim."

I look at the princess questioningly, trying to take all that she was saying in. "I appreciate the story and an adventure and all sounds wonderful, but I'm not sure I understand what exactly you want us to do. From what I seem to understand the book is under the sea, already rendering it impossible to reach. Furthermore, it could be anywhere between here and Dastan."

Darkdragon is totally scummy.

I raise my eyebrows at the interaction between Tarn and Ella. Somehow this can't be good. I nod simply, but respectfully enough, in the direction of the princess.

Nice one!

Can't wait to re-render all of those Pirate sets with the new cannon. It's come just in time for the Western ones though.