wildestlogs | THE PARLIAMENT OF TREES

THE PARLIAMENT OF TREES

[]It happens after most things have been discussed at Elrond's Council, but before anyone has left.]

[It is unreal. Reality warps and trees shoot up from the ground around the meeting area of the council. They don't destroy Rivendell but it's as if Rivendell is suddenly shoved away and off in the distance. Civilization retreats at disorienting speeds and suddenly the squad, Elrond, and his guests, in the middle of the woods, under massive trees that stretch up into the sky. The trees are taller than skyscrapers and thicker than the average lighthouse. Their branches intertwine as they reach up to the sky in a way where the branches seem to form almost a natural cathedral.]

[The ones immediately circling them also have gnarled faces. They chant in an unknown language, in deep musical tones with voices nearly indistinguishable from the creaking of branches, then speak to them in weathered voices.]

You have been summoned by the Parliament of Trees.

[Elrond stands, almost imperious in his expression. Though his voice is calm, he clearly has taken issue with the sudden abduction.]

A summoning we would have answered readily, if asked. It is considered courteous among our peoples, if messengers have been sent, for one to send word of agreement to a meeting first. [A tilt of his head and a slight narrowing of his eyes] But the Green truly does prefer to offer little forewarning when drawing others away from their homes, it seems.

OOC DETAILS
❧ Free-for-all Post: This event will be in "free-for-all" format, meaning that threadhopping is encouraged and that threading should be treated in the same conversational way as network posts with branching threads. This post will only contain the part with Elrond and others. The agents of the Green will be set up with their own Q&A post after they've had time to talk to Elrond and co.

❧ Joint network Post. Due to the magic mirrors having the ability to be widened and set to float, any characters that don't (or can't) attend the meeting will be able to still participate. The mirrors will have been transported too and still broadcasting.

❧ Post in bracketspam format. We're trying to keep a brisk pace and allow a network vibe where speech matters more than action, for some talking heads rp.

❧ NPCing. The mods will handle all the fantasy npcs and some may show up that aren't specifically listed in this post. There are many people at the Council.

❧ It's okay if the conversation gets messy. It's a giant group that's going to be talking here. That means it's natural if side conversations happen, interruptions happen, or things get missed because people are talking over each other and switching conversational partners.

❧ A private discussion will happen later. A crossroads post and private conversation among the squad will happen after the Council, and after the meeting with the Green, so they can decide for themselves what to do next and how to handle what they've learned.

❧ Please only post to the sub-threads below and not to the main post. This allows the mods to add some if we need to.

❧ Please treat each appearance in chronological order. It may be good to spend some time talking to Gaia first or reading her answers before moving on.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Being addressed by Gaia like this is far too familiar to Elle. A sick, furious feeling settles in her gut. She clenches her fists and steps forward. Her voice is cold and even as she sets back her shoulders and looks the great Spirit directly in the eye.]

What right do you have to set that path for those of us who have had no say in the matter? You have taken warriors and children alike-- does your quorum give you comfort as you put them in harms way?

You have shown yourselves to be willing to alter the core of our beings without concern for our consent. What reason do we have to accept your terms as you have set them? If this is non-negotiable why shouldn't we walk away?

[Stacia glances at Elle out of the corner of her eye. That's an interesting reaction to meeting Gaia herself(ves). Her choice of questions is curious as well, given that the Gaia of their world already takes children and puts them on various paths in the way of various harms.]

[That'll be fun to ask her about. Later, though. Right now is the time to question the representatives of the Green.]

[A shift into the faceless form.]

We are not all-powerful. We have the power to only reach into so many worlds, and only those nearby. And many in those worlds would fall, including the powerful, because this world lays out snares that would catch some of them, due to their own hubris or self-righteousness.

For some, all that we can say is that it is necessary for the survival of all. We have foreseen many paths, and many people walking them, with many powers, and very few have led to victory. Even the paths where the wanderers were given instruction and knowledge of the future, have failed.

As for the children, this is a world of magic, and in some places innocense and imagination hold greater strength than any adult can possess. The children will save you. Without them you'll die.

[There is a voice that is slightly more familiar, there is an edge to it that is sharp as teeth and as life-giving as spring. If they blink they'll see the glyph like a white afterimage, even if Gaia is still a tree.]

[Her voice is more halting, like it is difficult to speak, like the mind engaged in it is half-sleeping.]

You should also not make the mistake. Of thinking these children are Kinfolk.

You must walk the path. Because it must be walked. As it has always been, as it will always be. Until the corruption. In all its worst forms. Is eradicated.

This is a new form. This path is harder to walk.

But this fight still. Requires. Teeth.

[Elle doesn't know whether to laugh or cry when she hears that familiar voice speak.]

Even children born with claws need their mothers to hunt for them. [Elle had hoped that Gaia would have learned this by now.]

And you know that I will do what must be done. [Always.]

But I know that your judgement has been wrong before.

[She takes a deep breath. What was meant to be a protest against The Green's actions became something much more... personal. It's time to move on.]

How do we protect you and your worlds from further destruction? How do we return things to how it should be?

Edited 2022-03-20 06:45 (UTC)

[She says nothing. Is it because she knows something Elle doesn't? Is it because Elle is right and She can't admit it?]

[In any case, another speaks, one that's more reasonable. The human face.]

Even we don't know. Something...broke. At the edges of the realm of the Green. The spirits of the Green were attached to many worlds. This was our spirit realm. The physical worlds we were attached to started to be drawn in and we were all left exposed.

We don't know what broke it. It certainly wasn't us inviting everyone into our home.[She raises an eyebrow.] Some of them didn't wipe their feet before coming in the door.

[Thanks, Sauron and UP.]

[It's easier to talk to this aspect. The other one... She sounds so much like Eshtarra. Something like grief starts to bubble up in Elle's throat, but she pushes it down as the more human aspect speaks.]

What were the first worlds to crash into the Wilderlands?

Two worlds crashed into the realm of the Green at the same time: Fantasia and a version of 21st century Earth. The latter was mostly unremarkable and not a place with much magic.

THE PARLIAMENT OF TREES

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