Philosophy

Within the Lodestar Athenaeum.
Shimmering mist hangs in the air, drifting away from a healing shrine of Carakhan nearby. This
location is flooded with shallow, crystal clear water. High, arching ceilings encompass rows upon
rows of bookshelves, wrapping around the vast circular library. Niches high along the wall hold
coral candelabras, their sharp light streaming through panels of stained glass laid over the
openings. At the apex of the arches, a grand mural of the Celestial heavens has been painted, the
radiant forms of Elohora and Her Supernal entourage peering down upon the books below. Spread evenly
throughout the chamber, cherrywood tables and high-backed chairs of fine mahogany provide ample
space for study, and the quills and inkwells set along the tables allow for the delicate work of the
scribe. The arched entryway opens out into the Lodestar Athenaeum, the outer edge bordered in gold
paint, silver conch shells decorating the length. A library catalogue rests here on a pedestal.
There are 3 chaise rocking chairs fashioned as a giant rose-haired tarantula here. Aedoa is here,
rubbing her chin thoughtfully. She wields a radiant greataxe of Holy Celestia with both hands. You
may use the LIBRARY commands here.
You see a single exit leading north.
Aedoa looks about herself, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

Dwarfing the absurd chair that he is ensconced within, Avaris grips the armrests
with his upper pair of hands, the lower set folded neatly upon his lap. To Aedoa, he inquires in a
voice that is woven from a rich harmony of myriad voices of varying tones and pitches, "Have you
come to while away the insanity?"

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Something to that effect. Though I sometimes just how
sane this plane is, really."

Aedoa tilts her head slightly, pondering, as she -very gingerly- bites her lip in concentration.

Avaris dips his helm-like head in a slight nod. "It is a touch peculiar at times.
Generally more stable than the astral plane, though, I have found."

Avaris nods to the other, vacant chairs. "If you sit within one, and rock the
chair, it will speed the process."

Aedoa ponders for a moment before nodding as well. "Stable, yes, that is... Oh! I was not aware."

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Any... Particular reason it's a spider?"

A note of displeasure joins the chorus of Avaris's voice as he replies, "I believe
that was all that was available. It is...Unfortunate."

Aedoa curls one corner of her lip into a half-grin. "I'm not complaining, really," she says. "I
spend enough time at the bottom of the ocean that spiders are pretty well pedestrian."

Avaris lifts his huge, naturally-armoured hand to gesture at the closest seat. "I
have no issues with arachnids in and of themselves, but rather their connotations. They are rather
strongly associated with the Glomdoring, and its Mistress."

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Well, hey now. I've been very convincingly assured that
there's absolutely nothing at all wrong with the Glomdoring."

Aedoa does not look sincere in the slightest.

Though the immobile, visor-like quality of his chitinous features gives no sign as
to Avaris's feelings, the glowing, eye-like markings that adorn his six wings narrow, shading ever
so faintly towards the red spectrum. "Yes. There is a great deal of assurances that it is harmless
and healthy, and perfectly innocent. It is...Curious, how receptive most seem to be, to that
particular line of reasoning."

Aedoa shakes her head and shrugs. "Politics, I imagine," she says with a sigh. "I'm dying to find
out why the people who call themselves freedom-loving revolutionaries are shacked up with Magnagora,
too."

Turning his hands palm-up, Avaris lifts his vast shoulders in a slow shrug, the
burnished gold of his exoskeleton gleaming with the motion. "That is the sum of it, yes. A feeble
excuse, given how long ago the cause for the shift of alliances occurred. I am working on restoring
matters to a more reasonable arrangement, but it will take time, and much effort." Lowering his
hands once more, the flowing, sanguine aether of his antennae twitches faintly as he continues,
"Speaking ill of the Wyrd is tantamount to heresy, currently."

Aedoa smirks slightly. "Well, good thing I never claimed to be a theologian," she says, before
flicking her eyes upward. "Honestly, probably shouldn't be studying Sacraments, in that case, but,
well. Well. There was a political switcheroo... Recently, then?"

A faint tinge of amusement colours Avaris's response, as he says, "The Light is
not, strictly speaking, a matter tied to theology. Though there are arguments to be made for it.
Have you studied the three Ladies that patron Celest, at least?" A modest tilt of the jaw
accompanies a slight lift of a single shoulder. "That depends on one's perspective. To you and I?
No, long, long ago now. To the elders that have seen centuries come and go, recently, yes."

Aedoa shakes her head slightly. "I probably should've, by now," she says, "but I've been a bit too
elbow-deep in shark guts and giant baby turtles to really sit down and study, outside of a kind of
frustrating go at figuring out what the deal is with the Wyrd. But ah, I see. Gotcha, there."

Avaris shifts in his head, freeing one of his large, gently lucent wings from
beneath him so that he can stretch it out. "That is understandable, yes. If you have questions, be
they pertaining to the Wyrd, or the three Ladies, I would be glad to offer my perspective, if you
wish. If not, I can direct you to others that you may benefit from learning from, instead."

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Well, the Wyrd, I'm... At a comfortable level of
understanding, I think. Don't know enough, but then, don't think anyone knows enough about anything,
that's how knowing goes. I -eventually- found a paper that wasn't just endless empty pseudopoetic
nonsense. Our Elders, though, I probably ought to brush up on. I've mainly been offering to Lady
Carakhan because fish."

The laugh that emanates from Avaris is rich and warm as sunlight, all seven of his
azure eyes sparkling with motes of brilliant light. "Fish, indeed. I daresay that She might
appreciate you offering out of a reasoning that is just a touch more...Reverent. First, however -
Indulge me, if you would. Tell me of the Wyrd, and what you think of it. Speak freely, and plain."

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Hah. Irreverance is pretty well what I do, though I -do-
have reasons beyond that. But, the Wyrd? As I understand, it's a principle of unbounded change and
adaptation. Everything you see in the Glomdoring is the result not of the Taint's corruption, but
the rapid change around the Taint to a state that's most condusive to dealing with it. It's ugly,
but grubs and star-nosed moles and what comes out the back of more picturesque animals are all
completely part of Nature as well."

Aedoa ponders the situation.

Avaris rests the flared edge of his armoured jaw atop the flat of his curled
fingers, elbow propped up on the armrest. "Mm. Not quite. It is a derivative of the taint,
a...Different strain, if you will. It is very much a corrupting force itself, and not at all
natural. It is an aberration - The Wyrden are simply blind to it, as are those they whisper their
zealotry to."

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Oh, well. I figured that. All that that I just said is
what they -claim.-."

Aedoa nods her head emphatically.

Avaris dips his head in a precise nod. "Simply making sure. Many have been led
astray in New Celest by such rhetoric, obviously incorrect as it is."

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Mmm. I mean, you could practically feel the insincerity
dripping off the page. Still, I figure, good to understand where they're coming from. Bet some
people down there even believe it themselves."

In a smooth harmony of buzzes, you say, "Oh, they believe it with all of their being. That is most
of the problem. They see the Wyrd as a solution, as the inevitable end-state of all life and matter
within creation. Their passion is unquestionable, if not their ability to see reason. Have you
visited the Glomdoring yourself?"

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Hrm. Well, if they do, I could understand it. Lots of
pretty words in those documents, hah. Haven't really visited, though. Passed through. Popped into
some of their aether shops. Got a little frustrated with the lack of shopping opportunities with not-
our-enemies."

Aedoa ponders the situation.

In a smooth harmony of buzzes, you say, "You should take the time to see the rot for yourself.
Preferably with an escort that is to be trusted - I recommend Lady Aeldra, or Falaine."

Aedoa nods, pursing one corner of her lips. "Haven't met either, but I'll certainly keep an eye
out," she says. "They're expatriates, I take it?"

Avaris uncurls the fingers of his lower left hand to dip them aside in a weighing
gesture. "Lady Aeldra is originally from the Serenwilde, I believe, but as far as I am aware,
Falaine has lived within the aegis of the Light all her life. They are simply the two who I know to
trust not to be taken in by the lies. The former residents of the Glomdoring that now call Celest
their home are...Less free of its influence."

Comprehension flashes across Aedoa's face.

Aedoa nods her head emphatically.

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says, "Aaah. Gotcha. I do need to get used to not making
assumptions - my apologies, there."

Aedoa coughs softly.

Avaris waves the same hand aside in a small, dismissive gesture. "You are quite
alright. The path to Wisdom is not an easy one, nor is it swiftly undertaken. So long as you strive
to keep your eyes, mind and heart clear, you shall be fine."

Aedoa nods, pursing the other corner of her lips. "Can't do anything but try," she says. "Nobody's
born knowing the Light. Well... 'Cept the Supernals. And angels, I think. But... Yes. The work may
never be finished, but it's not our privilege to give up on it. Hey, what's the deal with Gaudiguch,
then? On paper, I love everything they have to say, and yet, in practice..." She annoyedly flicks a
bit of hair away from her eye as she trails off.

The white ridges of Avaris's jawline catch the light in a line of gleaming
alabaster as he lowers his head in an affirmative gesture. "Indeed so. As for Gaudiguch..." He
trails off, his manner growing pensive, the condensed red of his antennae flowing aside in gentle
waves. "Freedom unchecked is anarchy. Gaudiguch is excess incarnate, and all that that entails.
While not inherently malicious, I believe, they often run the risk of turning all that they do to
'too much'. Evils, small and grand, are often born of such."

Aedoa flicks her eyes upward for a moment, pondering. 'Well, I dunno - there's some virtue in
anarchy, I figure. After all, the -biggest- evils in the world are predicated on people doing what
they're told, eh? I was mostly curious because their relationship with Magnagora seems, well... Very
much like ours to Glomdoring.'

As Avaris's head turns to regard Aedoa directly, so to do the legions of effulgent
eyes within the aureate expanse of his wings shift to look upon Aedoa, a touch of sorrow suffusing
his words. "Have you ever seen anarchy, Aedoa? Been in the midst of normal people losing control of
their inhibitions, when they shrug off civilisation and conscience - Not doing what they are told,
but simply giving in to their base desires. Doing what they /want/?"

Avaris shakes his head slightly. "No. I mean a complete abandonment of social
constraint. Riots. A raid upon a settlement when the combatants lose control."

Humble Aedoa, Avower of the Archons says to you, "That said, are they really that different? A heart
filled with virtue will pursue virtue regardless of what its owner is told, just as a heart that
isn't, probably won't. Also, to flip it around - I could imagine some real unpleasant things
happening in a raid upon a settlement where the combatants are under orders not to be nice. Slavery,
for instance, can't exist without social order."

Avaris regards Aedoa for some time, silent and still as a monument of solid gold.
"They are. A good and kind person can commit terrible acts, when it the grip of extreme emotion, or
under immense duress. People, unfortunately, rarely default to virtuous acts when all forms of
repercussion and perceived reward are stripped away. Some do, of course, but it is a sad minority."

Aedoa tilts her head slightly in the other direction, gingerly chewing on a corner of her lip. "I'd
take issue with the idea that a good and kind person could commit terrible acts - they wouldn't be
very good or kind, would they? But that's our job - teaching virtue, filling up hearts with light.
Assume that people need to be controlled and we'll just end up like Hallifax.

Avaris's upper set of antenna flick towards Aedoa as he adjusts the angle of his
regard slightly. "You see the world in a very black and white manner. If a person does great and
good acts their entire life, but loses control and brutally murders someone, when they have
slaughtered those dearest to the person's heart - Does that mean they are no longer good, and kind?
Because of one momentary lapse, spurred by passion, by grief?"

Aedoa ponders the situation.

Aedoa blinks a few times. "Erm... Yeah," she says with a slow nod. "Not sure about you, but that
sort of thing isn't anything I've ever been tempted by, and, as established, I'm not exactly a
paragon of Light here. Heck, took me a lot of philosophising before I'd pick up this here axe at
all. Well, metaphorically, I didn't pick it up so much as Sir Romaan handing it to me... But, look,
point is, no, someone like that probably has some remedial contemplation of Japhiel to do. Lapses
don't happen out of nowhere, after all. Elohora may forgive that, but... Well, that lack of
contemplation's on me, there.

Avaris does not respond for some time, instead contemplating Aedoa in silence, the
immense span of his wings casting a soft, auric light about him. At length, all he says is, "You are
very young. I pray that life is kind enough to you that your opinion will never be forced to
change." Rising from his seat with the natural dignity of a judge, he inclines his head to those
present. "I thank you for the discussion. I will go and meditate for a time. Light's blessings go
with you, all."