Vote for the Bat Totem

DeSylvia

Newbie
To all adventurers of Wayside and the few of you outside of it that know who you are, we have had a vote of those present at the minor gathering and are looking to be sure everyone's opinion has been taken. The three candidates are Bloody, Buggy, and Fruity. To give an objective overview of said bats, Bloody is a vampire who will actively hunt and drain the strength of those that get out of hand. Buggy is ever hungry and will consume without prejudice thus keeping everyone relatively equal. Fruity is flighty and will ever keep everyone guessing what she will do or accomplish next. As it stands, Bloody and Fruity are tied at Six votes, and Buggy holds One.

Regards,
-Apprentice DeSylvia
 
Baeleon, Agate, Nikolai more than most your voice matters to me, I weigh you beyond the others, but the community is what matters.

The Batshaman
 
Anything that isn't the actual vampire? I admit I dont know much about the individual bats but maybe we shouldn't choose the one that's undead?

-Squire Ragnarok Battle-Forged
 
Make no mistake, all of these choices involve undead. The reason half room sided with Bloody was because he was the only candidate who spoke of concern for the recent imbalance with the totems and viewed his role as someone who should help prevent such an imbalance from occurring again.

Fruity would be completely random in her chaotic activity. At many times, frustratingly so. That said, she appeared to be the least aggressive, which is what I suspect is the reason many voted for her.

Buggy just wants to consume and can be easily manipulated as long as he's promised things to consume.
 
To help set the record straight regarding why I voted Fruity over the other options.

I see this vote as us choosing the direction of the Chaos Oathsworn and the nature of the totem that leads them. When people speak of Chaos, it generally has 3 main traits that get associated to it. The first is undeath, the second is destruction, and the third is randomness. I believe that these three traits are the manifestation of the element of chaos on each of the bats.

Not all who follow chaos support undeath, just ask a local gambler.

I have long believed that had Chaos energy not been tainted by the void long ago, we would have a very different viewpoint of the element as a whole. With that in mind, I would choose to side with the trait of randomness, over undeath and destruction. I have never encountered a being of undeath that didn't, at some point, believe that they knew better than the rest of the world about who deserves to live, who deserves to die, and who should be added to their army as undead thrall. I cannot, in good conscience, put an element of undeath in the lead role of keeping the other totems in check, lest we repeat the mistakes of the past.

-Binar
Sage of They Who Watch the Borders
 
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The Crow represented undeath and destruction. It is our responsibility to set the balance of the world straight and undeath is not the right path. If Bat is to be a good replacement then let it be Fruity. No more of this nonsense putting an undead into the totem cycle.

-Squire Ragnarok Battle-Forged
 
I have long believed that had Chaos energy not been tainted by the void long ago, we would have a very different viewpoint of the element as a whole. With that in mind, I would choose to side with the trait of randomness, over undeath and destruction. I have never encountered a being of undeath that didn't, at some point, believe that they knew better than the rest of the world about who deserves to live, who deserves to die, and who should be added to their army as undead thrall. I cannot, in good conscience, put an element of undeath in the lead role of keeping the other totems in check, lest we repeat the mistakes of the past.
Binar, I humbly implore you to consider broadening your perception of higher minded undead, as your statement doesn't hold true for all of them. Just talk to Wayside's current Admiral for starters. Now I am not deeply studied in the Earth Magics enough to refute theoretical claims about what the purest form of Chaos represents. I just know that there was nothing demonstrated last weekend that would suggest that Fruity or Buggy would not use necromancy. Especially considering how flagrantly their father wishes to practice it.

The Bat totem practices undead, no matter who will be the totem. We have the unique opportunity to have a say on how that is done. Dismissing the one overt totem candidate believing it will remove undeath from the cycle, I believe is a largely unfounded theory. I find it additionally baffling that Fruity is seen as the better candidate that wouldn't use necromancy when she represents pure chaos and randomness. She is capable and willing to do *anything* at a moment's notice.

Bloody while aggressive, will use necromancy with a distinct purpose. He is the only candidate who's goals mirror our own: the totem cycle should not be under the threat of total collapse again. This is a use of necromancy/chaos that intends to bring balance to life. Now I don't like chaos/necromancy, but I also acknowledge it can not be fully removed from existence. So I'd rather we have someone who wields it rationally and with purpose. We can talk and reason with an undead with principles. It has been done several times before by the adventuring community over the years.

Which brings us to Fruity. Fruity has no set principles. She steals one minute, feels bad about it the next, and then promptly steals again. She says she values one form of competition, then dismisses it in the next breath. Fruity is a wildcard; and while I greatly enjoy wildcard characters in my fiction, they don't belong in a circle that is suppose to be balanced. There is nothing shown from Fruity's actions that would suggest that a similar cataclysmic threat to the totems would not happen again under her tenure, in fact I'd argue there is a greater chance it happening with her than Bloody. Bloody's focus would be with the totem itself. Fruity will interact and affect anything and everything in existence. If we pick Fruity, make no mistake, she will put us in a situation where we will have to defeat her and start the whole totem process all over again.

Now all of that said, I have no doubt that no matter who we pick, they will most likely become a potential adversary down the road. Apprentice DeSylvia and I remarked on this thought privately last weekend. I would rather deal with an adversary I understand than one that I, by her very nature, will never understand.

Sam
 
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I agree with Binar. My vote is for Fruity.

Baron Foss Fairfax
 
Sam, I respect your opinion on this, but I believe you may be imposing your ideas upon my words a bit. I never stated that Fruity would abolish necromancy (or that she would never employ it), just that she isn't the physical embodiment of it. I am well aware that any of the choices are likely to show some pieces of the other traits and will likely become a threat, if balance is not achieved.

It is far proven in many conflicts that disorder and lack of stability in a force is a factor that makes them far easier to defeat. I would rather fight the random roving bands than the full might of an ordered military force.

Likewise, I do not believe that we should be supporting the idea that the balance of the totems should be placed in the hands of the totem of Chaos. The balance of the totems needs to be achieved by the totems together, not by the threat of force from the totem of undeath.

Binar
 
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Noted, Baron. 8-6-1 Fruity. I will specifically be waiting for Baeleon, and Nikolai to give their opinion, but will otherwise consider the vote closed at the end of the month. I have been informed by Agate that she votes Fruity. As per my understanding of Batshaman, this puts us to 10-6-1 as he mentioned their votes to be worth more.

Apprentice DeSylvia
 
I vote for Bloody. Fruity would be more fun, but Bloody seems a better choice.

-Binks
 
What is the final vote, 7 days from now I will take you all to the caverns of neglect, fear, and deceit. The place Lennox crafted to house the Stone Table- you will retrieve it for me so that I may empower THE BAT, THE BAT you have choosen. Choose well my friends.

I will be in town to take you all there. Many thanks. You are who I need. But I am the shaman you need.

The Batshaman
 
Good Good! I love all my children but now one is the favorite- chosen you have!

Bloody shall be released to live how he pleases,

Buggy shall be released to live how he pleases,

Fruity shall be bathed in the unlimited glory of the totem! She and I will become joined forever more- may the cycle balance and fortune reign well for us all. Let the darkness grow, let the night become deep, and let us move forward in our oaths forever more.

As a note- I have hunted and killed every crow tribe member my many nightwings can locate. They are all permanently dead- perhaps a few remain, hiding from the night-hoping for the dawn. Illuminate the night sky with a torch and call eeeekkkkk whenever and whereever you find them. Know I will be there for I am the night.

Thank You All for restoring balance and saving the world once more. Each of my children will prepare a gift for the heroes who aid in bringing the table out of the caverns.

The Batshaman
 
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