07.09o: Current in the Crowd

[Joshua]

"Rogers, can you check with Lyra?" Rogbar asks.

The goblin will salute and go ask.

"Well, my friend, perhaps you can compete on magical terms. Or a contest of strength?" he will offer. "Still, I think you need to realize you have power. Sometimes, using it will help. This seems a bit safer than my other idea." He will smile with a predatory, cheshire-cat grin. "Of course, it wouldn't be any more harmful than my last date..." He will shiver as he spooks himself. "That rose still scares me. What was it?"

[ShadowOfPreservation]

Rogers returns shortly with Lyra in tow, still in her humanoid dragon form. "Greetings you two. I've been told you want to discuss something with me?"

[Joshua]

Rogbar will smile. "Yes, of course. If you have heard of Harrune's challenge to Ht'Gon, then since you are an experienced warrior*, Aibne did not want to accidentally choose a competition that overlapped with what you had planned." He gives the bear a light nudge. "So, Aibne, what do you think you might do?"
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*: Lyra bested Grind.

[Draylen]

"W-w-w, I-I," Aibne spluttered, before glaring at Rogbar. He took a deep breath in, and breathed out slowly. "Feats of strength alone shouldn't be enough to be allowed to walk the Pattern," he says slowly, closing his eyes. "It confers a position of official legal authority, if a lesser one. Leadership through strength is not necessarily the best path." He thought about it, the gears in his head turning as he nodded, giving a slight chuckle. "Yes. I think I have the perfect thing. An oratory competition. He needs to be able to win a crowd."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

"Hmm, Interesting idea. I actually didn't realize we needed to have him prove his worth for this. Though his walking Rebma's pattern was accidental, no one challenged the validity of his success. I personally don't see why someone that has successfully navigated two separate patterns needs to prove his worth to anyone. Since this is all really all in the interest of making sure there aren't future problems with the residents of Ht'Gon, at least one of us will likely need to present a physical challenge. I wouldn't mind sparring with him, though I have no idea how good a fighter he is. I hope he's good. He'll need to make a good showing so that, even if I beat him, if it's close I can declare him a worthy opponent and fit to walk the pattern."

Lyra will turn to Aibne. "I really like the idea of an oratory type competition. You gave a really moving speech before and I'm sure it made a big impression on people. If Harrune can deliver a similarly captivating monologue, it should leave them with a positive impression of him even if you are judged the victor. How many challenges is he expected to face?"

[Joshua]

Rogbar will speak up... "Morgana thought three might be good. Someone who bested Grind in public, to attempt to placate the orcs that Harrune is strong. That's you. Someone who publicly defeated one of the more dangerous fae in Ht'Gon, in an attempt to placate the dwarves. That's Alys... And someone loved by almost the entire fort, although he doesn't believe it." He will turn to Aibne... "That's you. Deciding to challenge him in a way to gain the respect of all, shows the wisdom and thought you put into your actions."

Rogbar will look back to Lyra. "I had to give Aibne a little kick in the butt. He's not used to having power."

[ShadowOfPreservation]

"Neither am I really. I was actually very nervous about my fight with Grind. I accepted his challenge because it was what I had to do but I'd never fought an opponent one on one like that before. It wasn't until the fight started that instinct took over and I really knew that I could beat him." Lyra pauses and directs her next words at Aibne. "I still feel out of my element here if that helps at all. I'm just trying to do what I think is right for Ht'Gon and the other Courts. It's my experiences and my faith that define me, not any power from having walked the Pattern. That just adds to the person I already was. Just be yourself, the guy that everyone here loves and respects. That's where your real power lies, I think. Not in any title or position, but in who you are as a person."

Lyra lets that hang for a moment before adding, "Sorry if I rambled a bit there. I guess I'm still a little emotional after arguing about Power and its implications with Odin."

[Wyvern]

((OOC aside: Alys is approaching, but I'm not going to post her arrival just yet since I want to give Aibne a chance to respond to current topics before she shows up and tries to borrow Rogbar for a bit.))

[Draylen]

"I-I just..." He grumbles a little and sighs. "It was the right thing to say, because someone /always/ has to say something like that. If not, bad things happen." He folds his arms together, biting his lip slightly. "It's... I'm just worried I'm not going to be able to be myself anymore. Because everyone wants me to be better than me."

He shakes his head and stands up, frowning a little. "I think... I need to go speak to Morgana about this. Maybe about more things. I'm not sure yet. With your permission, Rogbar, Lyra," he says, bowing to the two of them. "Until we meet again." He turned on his heel, walking quickly away, still chewing his lip.

[Joshua]

Rogbar will stifle an urge to salute and nod. "Lyra, I apologize, I had thought that perhaps, with the challenge, having you and Aibne confer might get him out of this... sadness that has gripped him. I regret it did not seem to help much."