[EVENT] Courtyard of Public Opinion, May Forum

[ironwood]

Characters: Come one, come all!
Date: The 24th of May
Location: The Courtyard of Public Opinion, in Central Sector
Situation: This is the second public forum to be called since the Foreigners' return. It's led by the three family heads, but specifically designed to allow anyone the chance to speak. This particular one was called because of the Foreigner muggings, the Chihulean threat, and the rumours of remaining cultists; however, a variety of other things might get brought up as well.
Warnings/Rating: Added as they become applicable.

The Courtyard of Public Opinion isn't any bigger than some of the open fountain areas in the Water Sector, and it isn't set up the way some of the Foreigners might imagine a political debate area to be set up. There's no podium, no chairs apart from the stone benches too heavy to be moved, and no grand banners or archways. This is done deliberately; everyone is meant to have an equal voice in the Courtyard, so everyone is on level ground. Apart from the greenery, the stone paths, and the low stone walls surrounding the Courtyard, one could almost imagine it's just another Market Day in an open square.

Since the Foreigners are also residents of Keeliai, the Courtyard Forum will be a public opportunity for Foreigners to ask questions and air concerns of their own. This can range from something specific to individuals or making requests of all the major NPCs.

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LINKS
Soul Gem Muggings | Cultists | Chihuelans | Turtle Sinking | Sky Sector | Individual NPC Interactions | OOC Questions

OOC
There are starters for various parts of the discussion, covering all the major topics regarding the happenings of Keeliai lately. NPCs will be available for all of the conversations below. The first five topics are general city occurrences which everyone in the Courtyard will be able to hear; use these threads as discussion between PCs as well as NPCs. NPCs will contribute to discussions as necessary, but won't be engaging in every line of conversation occurring in the general topic starters.

The NPC comments are for directly speaking with that NPC or those in that group; if your character has a specific issue to bring up with an NPC, this is where it should be done. The rest of the post is for Foreigners talking and organizing amongst themselves.

Comments

[ironrule]

Yunxu nods. "I've heard about the cultists. They don't seem as powerful as they once were, for which we should be grateful, I suppose."

Still, something to keep an eye on.

At Aqua's request, he winces. "Were it up to me, I'd agree in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, this is the part of my job I enjoy least. I would lose a lot of loyalty and support if I accepted a Foreigner's help in tracking down the Chihuelans. We fought them off ourselves, you see. It's a matter of civic pride. It was all I could do to convince many in the city that executing Malcil and Berruz right off was a terrible idea."

[aquanimity]

Pride. If the Chihuelans are as great a threat as Yunxu believes them to be, it's almost beyond comprehension that he hasn't done everything in his power to deal with them. And to learn efforts to find them have been hampered by something so selfish as pride....

"If you aren't succeeding at something, at some point you'll have to sacrifice pride for results. Is it really so bad to ask for help when it's needed? It's your duty, as a leader, to protect your people regardless of personal cost." The tangent is unexpected, and the words are out before she is able to change back to her original goal. There's a momentary pause as Aqua considers her next words.

"But if it's that important, I can refrain from asking anything about the holdouts. My primary concern are the muggings; we're not safe so long as whoever is coordinating these attacks remains hidden. And now that some kedan have soul gems as well, it's not just a Foreigner problem."

[ironrule]

The look on Yunxu's face - an apologetic half-smile - seems to freeze in place for a brief moment. But then he shakes his head, and the moment passes. "You're misunderstanding me," he says. "It has nothing to do with personal cost. It's not my pride I'm concerned over. If your primary concern is the muggings, you'll just have to trust that the Chihuelans have told me all they know, and that it's unlikely they're the masterminds behind this dastardly little plot."

He smiles again, and this one is very decidedly not apologetic. The effect is rather like a mask being taken off. "Besides," he says quietly, "as I hear it, you have your own leads. Why pursue mine? Are yours being a little obstinate?"

[aquanimity]

He knows about Jintou. They've done everything they can to keep the kedan's presence in the Hotel under cover, and Yunxu still knows. How, though? A Snake, perhaps, recognizing Jintou in the Hotel, or someone else? She refuses, though, to bow to intimidation. Aqua's gaze turns icy, and she doesn't break eye contact, meeting the dangerous smile with a hard stare.

"Any persisting obstinance is a result of a lingering fear of the true mastermind," she responds coolly. "And if you really wished to help, why not reveal to us what the Chihuelans have told you? Unless you haven't learned anything at all."

That face, that expression, tells her that the choice to take Xion's mugger into protection was wise. And one thing is for certain: she is going to warn Jintou that Yunxu knows.

[ironrule]

Yunxu shakes his head. "Nothing useful, as I've said. Your friend in charge of the delivery service has done an admirable job of bringing the truth to every Foreigner's attention already. They claim to have been blackmailed. I've discovered nothing to discredit that claim. If I had, I would have passed the information on to as many of the Foreigners as I could reach. You're the ones in danger, after all."

The last bit might have been said out of concern, and certainly sounds like it's said out of concern. Yunxu's smile, however, hasn't faded. "But," he adds, "I wonder if a lingering fear of the true mastermind, as you put it, isn't a clue all on its own."

Translation: If Yunxu is aware of who Aqua has squirreled away in the Hotel, wouldn't the true mastermind be just as aware? And wouldn't that be a convenient opportunity for Yunxu to take advantage of?