Video // Unseelie Locked

[entitles]

Greetings. For any recent arrivals who I haven't introduced myself yet, I am Baron Balem Abrasax. In the wake of recent events, I have decided to open the doors of the Military Academy to any Unseelie who wish to use its resources.

[Yes, for free, no tuition or anything, bargain!]

All I ask is that you aid or teach the native students as you would fellow shardbearers, if you can.

[He pauses for a moment.]

...And one more question. I've been alive for many thousands of years, but my eternal youth was made possibly only by technologies which don't exist here. I will wither and die in this world, if I am here too long. Yet, I have encountered many of you who don't age, without any technology at all, presumably through magical means.

How would one achieve such a feat? I've heard of the Philosopher's Stone, the Elixir of Life, and the Great Panacea, if you know anything about any of those and where to find them. Otherwise, any other leads are appreciated and I will look into researching them on my own when I have less immediate matters to attend to.

[He falters for a moment. There is fear in his voice, as much as he tries to disguise it. Fear of death looming over his shoulder, fear of every ache and pain and wrinkle and any other sign of aging he checks meticulously for every single day.]

Please, I will reward you generously for this information. [He clears his throat.] But yes, come and train at the Academy if you wish, and any other aid that can be given to my Spire will be greatly appreciated as well. Thank you.

Comments

[entitles]

And are you certain that this is the best or only way?

[Because this all sounds fairly risky to him. Was that truly the only option for power, if you weren't lucky enough to be born with it?]

I'll continue investigating potential methods. Perhaps I will ask the Queen for help, if I can bring her more shards. But if this does turn out to be the best option, then I thank you for your aid.

[uneulogized]

I think it's unlikely that the queen can grant immortality. [Jason doesn't say this defensively. No, there is a hint to his voice that makes one thing clear: he knows this for a fact.] After all, wouldn't she want to ensure that her shardbearers don't die?

It'd create an ... imbalance among us all if that were true. No, I don't think she's the one to look to, do you?

[entitles]

She may not be able to grant such a wish, but she knows more about this world than any of us do. Perhaps she could point me in the right direction. That is all I would ask.

[He's still expecting to work hard for it, but he wants to get the best deal as he possibly can, as always.]

As far as imbalance goes...judging from the responses I've gotten here, I think many of you would opt out of immortality even if you could have it. I suppose I had the same dilemma when I was young, so I can't blame you too much.

[uneulogized]

I opt out of the price of immortality. Bit different. [And anything close to that is nothing that Jason wants. He doesn't mind admitting it, either. He assumes it comes with a price.]

Though I'd be surprised if she pointed you in a different direction than the one I've sent you on. Unless you'd interested in vampirism.

[entitles]

And what was the price, for you?

And it's my understanding that vampirism would require my death, so I cannot take that option at this point. [If he ended up cut off from his own world completely his shard would be useless to him and he'd take it then, but he doesn't want to think about that.] But even if she points me in the same direction she may be able to give me something to...swing the deal in my favor.

[uneulogized]

To lose control over myself in any degree is a price, for any time. [And there is that sneaky little factor: Jason doesn't know why he's alive. It's not something he's going to advertise to anyone, least of all this guy.]

And she prefers for us to handle our own deals, in my experience. And I do have experience, with other such deals and assistance. It's only fair. She isn't there to lead us by the leash, and I don't think we'd want that.

[entitles]

And must you lose control, to gain immortality?

And I don't need a leash, but no matter how much reading I do I would still be a mortal man confronting a God. I would need something else, to swing the situation in my favor. Desperate men often act like fools and lose everything, I don't intend on joining their ranks.

[uneulogized]

I might. [His words are chosen carefully. The emphasis is on him. He doesn't want to persuade Balem to change his mind.]

It is no matter of confronting a god. You're not thinking broadly enough.

[entitles]

What is it a matter of, then? I am not used to existing with gods.

[uneulogized]

Playing a game.

In a game, everything can actually have an equal playing field.

I just assumed that you would do the leg work to find this game on your own. [There's a hint of feigned disappointment to his voice.]

[entitles]

I don't play games with matters like this. I am a businessman, not a professional gambler. I buy, I trade, I negotiate - but I did not earn my fortune by playing games.

[uneulogized]

Capitalism is a game.

You just happened to be on the winning end most of the time.

[entitles]

[He laughs.]

If you are new to it, I suppose. When you are as affluent as I was, you kind of hold all the cards. You don't have to take risks anymore, and can invest in safe bets exclusively because you will always be the highest bidder.

Now, I would play this game, if I was the one holding the proverbial cards. But a god? They would have some tricks, wouldn't they? We would, at best, be evenly matched, and I do not like those odds. If that is the only way, perhaps I will try, but I have many years before the effects of aging start to set in. I have time to prioritize my safety.

[uneulogized]

You're a baron, Balem. [There's amusement in Jason's voice.] You can put your finger on the pulse of so many, many different shardbearers. And you're telling me that you can't go in with what you need, and have leverage? Do you really wanna look so weak? Or are you so fragile without your immortality?

I mean, I can think of a few ways that you can go into this without really losing. [How he can go in without making the same mistakes Jason made. Then again, would it be so bad if he did?]

Stock up. Be clever. Everything here has currency if you know how to look at it the right away. [Oh, is he still being vague? Partly because he knows that Morla probably wouldn't like him literally handing him the very same map.]

[entitles]

Yes, I am fragile, here. That's exactly the problem. A mortal man is at the bottom of the proverbial food chain here, it seems, Baron or otherwise.

[He sighs. He really missed the days when he could just threaten everyone into doing anything.]

The price for what I'm asking will no doubt be high. If I lose this little game, I could be killed or that god could find a way to make my life not worth living anymore, yes? I don't imagine it'll exchange immortality for a nice bracelet or a tract of land, will it? You clearly have some passion about this, and I will read up on it but...I can't guarantee that I will pursue this path.

[uneulogized]

I don't have a passion that you think. I just know what I learned, and I learned it recently. I didn't go in seeking immortality, but I can tell you that the way trade happens, you don't lose your life if you don't have the traction you need.

[That much is certain. His screw ups could have cost him his life, but they didn't. So, there is that. There is a measure of fairness involved. That can always be manipulated.]

The path I'm speaking of is fair, and may not even mean you have to cost yourself at the end, if you play it right. As a baron, you have the means to do things correctly. But I can't help you pass go, I can't help you collect two hundred dollars.

That part is up to you.

[entitles]

And what, then, is 'correctly'?

[I there was no or little cost to himself, it may be worth the effort, at least.]

[uneulogized]

[Jason pants a laugh.]

We're shady people who look out for ourselves, aren't we? I'm certain you can figure it out.

[entitles]

This world is entirely foreign to me. The way I've usually done things won't work, not when dealing with beings of that caliber. I'd have to hunch over books for years before I was confident in what to do, and time is not on my side anymore.

If the war suddenly grinds to a halt and lets me do research, I'm sure your advice will be helpful. Until then, I'm afraid I must seek other sources. Good day.

[uneulogized]

You don't need to be certain, you just need to have information to use as currency. That doesn't take years of exploration. [Grell had an advantage, to be certain, but that doesn't mean that it couldn't work out.]

Anyway, you're right. If you're gonna give up on succeeding that easily, then I really can't help you. Have fun with that.

[entitles]

I have plenty of information; I'm just not certain it will be useful to anyone here.

[What use was knowing how a planet-harvester works if you can't build the damn thing?]

And I'm not giving up I just...know that exchanges of this magnitude often have unintended consequences. I've read thousands of contracts full of loopholes and misleading fine print. I am simply being careful.

[uneulogized]

Then find information that's useful here.

[There's a pause. There was something else he meant to discuss, right?]

Oh, and I'd like to know what the academy has to use. See if I can send people up there.

[Yes, sudden subject switch.]

Let me know, all right?

[entitles]

[Yes, change of subject is good. Balem is a bit touchy about immortality, and about the thought that it won't simply be handed to him on a silver platter.]

All the basic training facilities, a bit of literature, and an armory if needed. Feel free to send anyone you wish.

[uneulogized]

Can the literature be borrowed? I'm a little rusty, but it turns out that I could use the refresher. [Oh, before that can be taken the wrong way.] On the subject matter. I'm very well-read.

[entitles]

Yes, as long as you return it in the same condition you took it out in.