An Unconventional Conspirator (solo)

[Alric Wilmot]

Fall 33 511 AV Alric sat motionless upon his bed within the gloom of his small house. He paid no heed to the pitter patter of the rain outside, nor did he pay attention to the cacophonous thunder. There was no indication that he was giving pause to the scurrying of the rats within his walls either. It seemed, for the most part, that Alric was mostly concerned with less material things at the moment. It had been a day since he had debated with the red-haired man, and he had heard this... startingly new way of looking at things. He hadn't really paid much attentention to it at first, not the first night anyway. But, tonight, the words would simply not let him be. They made so much sense to his mind, but at the same time, they seemed so ridiculous. A part of his mind argued that what the man said was valid, and that one could not say they really knew something until they had mastered its use. Like a martial art, you truly did not understand something's finer points and subtleties until after much effort, practice, and mastery. Alric hugged his knees as lightning flashed outside his meager shack, once guest house, and gave a deep and depressed sigh. He could still hear every word, and the more he mulled over them, the more he agreed. "Trust is for the weak, and uncertain. I refuse to gamble away my future. These people may not have understood the danger, but I assure you, there will be others like me. And when the time comes, it will be those like me, that keeps people like you alive. You speak of understanding, but you fail to realize that to understand something is to master it and control it. To know it and dominate it completely. If you wish to know the truth of the other races, if you wish to know the future, if you wish to confirm humanity's safety, nay, the world's safety, you must become master of it!" But how was one to accomplish such an enormous task as to master the world? Even the dieties could not claim to have accomplished that. Alric could now hear himself as the foolish man others had taken him for. He used to say his goal was humble, that he wished to know everything. He now understood why so many had jeered at his words. Alric chuckled slightly to fight his glum mood. It seemed as though he could not stop understanding, even within his newfound hopelessness. And yet, even if his goal was not humble, could it truly be said to be impossible? Eyris had somehow accomplished this had she not? Alric almost dismised the man's words then and there, as it was known that Eyris understood all, yet did not have mastery over all. But he could not. As the rain outside continued to thrum, Alric got off his bed and walked over to one of his cabinets and withdrew a pen, an inkwell, and a parchment of paper. He needed to think, and writing his thoughts out might better his concentration. He sat on the floor and began to write down the man's words, as they still seemed to swim within his head begging to be let free. With the help of his pen, Alric obliged them. With the entire thing set before him, he began to write what he knew of Eyris. Or, at least he wrote down what others had told him about Eyris. She has a gaze that one does not meet, and is always percieved as a beautiful woman. She moves between good and evil, neither choosing allies, or enemies. Her realm of understanding includes knowledge which is gained through experience or study. She is called the Queen of learning. Eyris holds the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned well within her grasp. Alric smiled as he recalled all of his learning. So far, it seemed as though he had been worrying for nothing. Eyris was the ultimate authority on understanding, not some paranoid red-haired man he had meet at Alvadas's whim. Still, he wasn't going to stop just yet, as there may be something he was overlooking. He kept writing within the solitude, the sound of the scratching quill dominating the house between the roaring thunder. Alric paused when he had written everything he could recall about Eyris, and began to read over what he had written. He was rather pleased up until he came across a certain line. It was strange, it did not seem to be so important when he had written it, but it seemed to cast doubts as he read it again. "Though mankind does not understand this, Eyris is one of the most powerful forces in the world. She is the understanding of the world." They were words spoken by her former Champion. Alric had forgotten his name, but he did not forget the teachings. He had been instructed in the doctrines of Eyris and Ionu ever since he could walk. The more he thought of the implications of the words, however, the more he came to despair. If Eyris was understanding, then she did not need to have obtained it. Indeed, one could not obtain the self. Which would mean, her lack of mastery, was due to the fact that she was mastery. Alric, believing his logic sound, now had to come to terms with the red-haired man's words, and what they meant to him. Would he continue, in what many would call a hopeless endeavor? The thunder seemed oh so much more booming now, and the rain so much more violent. Indeed, it seemed the whole world was now a much more hostile place. And Alric had been such a fool. As a slave could only have one true master, so too could the world only have one master. Alric had always believed that one should never inhibit another's understanding of the world, and because of that he had freely shared his secrets and knowledge with any who asked. He could now see that he had been defeating himself. If he gave out knowledge, then he was allowing others to attain more understanding than he, and in the process, help them achieve mastery of the world. But, really, how likely was it that anyone would understand everything? But as he sat there in his wallowing self-pity, he began to think. He was only seeing one aspect of this situation, only a single facet. That was not his way, that was not what he was taught. In fact, it seemed to be a betrayal of Ionu to see things as so hopeless and absolute. Ionu always taught that things are not always as they appear to be. Perhaps, this was a blessing, instead of a curse. Who said that a slave could only have one master? And indeed, who said that becoming master of the world was imposible? No one did. Alric realized that he was stopping himself, no one else was. There was no rule saying a mortal could not attempt subjgation of the world, only doubt and hoplessness said such things. Alric realized now, that he had been given a gift. Where before he had little method in his goal, simply being taught by any who obliged him, he now had a way to accomplish his goal in definitive terms. No longer could he be passive in his goal, he had been given a method, and he was going to use it. Alric's self pity began to wash away with the rain, and he smiled as he began to plot. He formed ideas, and methods, active ways in which he could make use of what he had already learned. He would have to start small, and limit himself. He remembered what his father used to say in the face of a seemingly impossible task. "How do we eat an elephant Alric?" he would say, and as Alric had no answer (and actually not knowing what an elephant was) he would answer, "One bite at a time, Alric. One bite at a time."

[Fallacy]

XP Award! Name:Alric XP Award: Writing- 1 Philosophy- 3 Lore: How do we eat an elephant? To rule the world Reflecting on the past Notes: This was a really good character building thread. If there are lore that I have left out and you would like please contact me. Most of it however can just be added to his character. Same thing with the changes he is going through, but if you want lore to represent that tell me. Not much her XP wise, because you did a little writing and a lot of thinking I awarded that. Again, nothing really wrong with the thread. If you want specific critiques I can give it, just ask. Any questions or concerns about the rewards gained please send a PM