Feathersnow
A chorus of nuns crawls onto the Dias hastily constructed in the center of the town of Rilanto Pass.  This beset colony was finally stabilized when it became the touch point of interaction between the global community and a sea of uncontacted civilizations.

Nevertheless, it had a special significance to the World Garden.  Before she left, Ïaldaba'oth had negotiated to take this territory in exchange for a base in the Polar region from which the Sakura-Jin could do the necessary work of The Great Commission.

But the Goddess had left and gone to Heaven.   Now, sadly, it was time to remove the mask of holiness from the so-called servants of Barbeleon....

The Chorus spoke in turn, one voice trilling and buzzing after another:

 Now hear the Voice of MRK

 Once, in the days before the Cataclysm, there were a people that lived between Sky and Stars.  The name they used can only be heard in the aether of that wasteland, but let us call them "Pearls."   
A different nun takes over channeling the Holy Intelligence.

  Then came a great Calamity.  What it was, I do not know, a crime, a Titan, a falling star?  At this late date, it cannot be sure, nor does it matter.

The Pearls fled to the Stars, for the aether wastes beyond the seas were even barer and more ruined than the world we know.

All but the noblest, who vowed they would stand vigil until the Sacred World was whole again.   They could not live on the World, though.  For, in those days, it was still too raw and harsh....  
Again, the speaker shifts,

  And so the very last Pearls cut their souls from their bodies and bound them to shells of plastic and ceramic, and became the Nacres.  And they watch over the Sacred World still.  Not their descendents nor their disciples, but their minds bound to facsimile shells of life.

Sometimes they may copy or splice these ghosts, but only once in all that time, were new Pearls born.
  
Again, a new speaker, this one higher ranked and with a grave voice.

  There came a point when the ghosts craved life. And so, a few criminals, to the eternal sorrow of all, polluted the future with misbegotten clones.

This was not the venal sin of unsactioned reproduction, but a blasphemy...

Children born to be sacrificed to their parents to become their parents, to redeem their forsaken flesh and live renewed.

The children cast off the bitter cup that was offered them, and became the Reavers.  
All the nuns speak together.

  The Nacres' response was brutal.  They launched plagues to wipe all Pearls from the World.   And they succeeded.   
A high ranked ecclesiarch takes over

  And so two camps remain.   The parents, who, though ashamed of what some of their number did, hold to their mission. And the forsaken children, who capture and sacrifice innocents to prolong their lives, just as once had been done to them.

By their fruits you might know which is the lesser evil.  The Nacres feel shame and act to guard us from their mistakes.   The Reavers feel only entitlement and forever act out the long-ago fate they escaped on innocents.   
Again the nuns speak as one.

  
But that brings us to last year.    
A mournful chorus of three speakers, rising to a rapturous crescendo at the end.

  Upon the abandonment of the God of this World, the combined forces of the Reavers fell on Tidespire.  They came with speed and in stealth and on the heels of the abandonment of their parents' greatest ally.  They came with their strongest, and at the weakest the the people of this world will ever be.

And now, they will never be that strong again.    
The nuns have begun collapsing from the stress of speaking with the Divine Voice, a final holdout finishes the lecture.

  There will never be another be another Pearl born on this world, and, if one were, they would not be a revenant of centuries of expe6rience and madness, but a weak child.  Every Reaver there will ever be is already fighting against us, and now they are less.

 Should it take lifetimes, should it take centuries, the future is written, as sure as the tides.   They will surrender, or they will die.

The Sacred World is eternal and they are already dead.  
A local aristocrat climbs up in front if the unconscious bodies, followed by the floating form of Petrix, the Primarch and a Child of Pearl, formerly the ruler of The World Garden. Petrix asks "And this is the truth my parent hid at the request of the Divine Nacres.   But my successor felt it needs be shared.  Any willing to do so may engage with the Project Eusebia archive living in MRK to experience the confession of the Nacres first hand through the memories of Saint Marcion the Ascended.

Any questions?"
Silent_Interim
So far, this occasion had been singularly dull for Or'kipup'ol. Still, any event where foreigners flouted their frailty like this wasn't a complete waste.

"Yes, I have a question!" It's hard to tell where exactly in the bright red mass of spines and legs the voice originates, as it clambers upwards from a resting position. "Are all your people so pathetically weak that but a few moments of speech would reduce you to unconsciousness? I ask because if so, it's quite pathetic, and if not, it speaks poorly to your personnel selection. I must prepare a scathing critique of you to convey to the head of my clan, and I wish for it to be as accurate as possible. Either way you are a shame to all crab-kind, but I would not want the shame of having insulted you erroneously." They clack their claws, as if to punctuate their verbal assault.
Feathersnow
"Err.." Petrix was nonplussed, but they shook it off.

"We prefer to think that that's how awesome out leader is, that speaking with Her voice has such effects..."

Marcion themselves would be proud of dissembling that fine!
Silent_Interim
"Ah, I see." Or'kipup'ol bobs, legs flexing to shift the body of the crab, and the urchin resting upon it, up and down. "So you follow someone whose voice is so unpleasant, merely speaking with it puts you to sleep? That  is  impressive in its own right, I must admit, though it's not the sort of thing I would want in a leader."
Feathersnow
 
 Originally Posted by Silent_Interim 
 "Ah, I see." Or'kipup'ol bobs, legs flexing to shift the body of the crab, and the urchin resting upon it, up and down. "So you follow someone whose voice is so unpleasant, merely speaking with it puts you to sleep? That  is  impressive in its own right, I must admit, though it's not the sort of thing I would want in a leader." 
 

"Well, we must confess to having different priorities to the Ornzol.  To the detriment of all, I am sure."
Silent_Interim
"Ooh, that was  almost  a good backhanded compliment!" The Ornzol shifts around excitably. "This may not be a complete waste of my time. You've surpassed all my expectations with your minimal competence."
Volthawk
The Cyphiri presence in Rilanto Pass fell into three groups. The most common were the Carral and other families on the pro-Nacre side of the debate within the Union, here to learn the story the Sakura-Jin were telling and bring it home to sway more Cyphiri to their opinion, while a fair few individuals from families opposed to the Nacres had a more rag-tag presence, and the rest...well, the rest were the usual gaggle of Cyphiri just here to see what's going on, to be informed about all the latest stories of the time, and to enjoy themselves. There were more Kalan than usual, though. The bodyguards being there wasn't unusual, of course, but since events in the tropics there definitely seemed to be more of them around.

It's unclear which of the three camps Ashal Hallus, the current leader of the Union, is in as she watches and listens, the reefback wanderling Alata at her side. The Union Council had decided to keep a neutral stance on the topic, regardless of what specific individuals and families thought about it, and that had extended to the woman in charge. When the call comes out for questions, she thinks it over some more, using the distraction caused by...she wasn't exactly sure who, one of the newly found countries that the Cyphiri were excited about, she guessed...in any case, it bought her some time. Once she starts talking...it's perhaps a lot less difficult to see where her personal stance is on the issue.

 "I have several questions."

"One, what happened to the Nacres who created the Reavers? Are they still among their number, and did they see any consequences for their actions? Also, how large of a group was responsible? It seems rather..."  She pauses, one of her tentacles gesturing vaguely as she finds the right word.  " convenient  that this was the work of so few criminals, now that it has failed. I can't help but wonder that if the Reavers had not rebelled, how many Nacres would've turned down the opportunity to become Pearls again..."  She nods.  "And how many would have been happy to do exactly as the Reavers are doing now to keep their flesh and blood bodies." 
 "Two. If this is all true, then  why  have they been so reluctant to share any of it, and why do they even now try to oppose any attempts to explore the surface world? Are they afraid of what someone might find up there? It is known that the Nacre have unleashed bioweapons, like those we now know were originally used on the Reavers themselves, against those of us who have gone against the path they have decreed we cannot stray from. With that in mind, why should we trust that they're truthful? I hardly trust someone who demands that we blindly believe their version of events, simultaneously threatening retaliation and a horrible death against those who try to find their own truth."  She shakes her head.  "As a follower of the Flowing Way, such a...narrow viewpoint being the only one allowed...it is distasteful. They may be ashamed, yes, but shame is no excuse for leaving us all so uninformed and vulnerable to the dangers they created, nor does it excuse what happened to the Gotezhar in the past."

"Three. If the Nacres are so remorseful and working to protect us, why have their actions been so... mercenary ? Don't forget that when our countries were all young and weak, they warned us about the Reavers but also made it very clear that protection came at a price of treasure. It's a rather opportunistic way for the 'noble', 'remorseful' Nacres you talk about to deal with the problem they caused themself, don't you think? Coming to us, hiding their involvement and presenting themselves in the best way, but at the same time happily throwing us out their children to feed off if we didn't give them the wealth they wanted from us. There are some in past years who have suggested that the two groups were in collusion, carrying out a kind of...protection racket, I suppose. While we now know, from both sides, that this is not the case...you must understand it doesn't reflect well on the Nacres that such a theory was  so  easy to put together in a plausible manner, jut going off what we knew, yes?"

"Four. I'm curious. What do the Nacres suggest that the Reavers do instead of their current strategy, and what have they been doing to proactively deal with the problem? As evil as it is, if that is what they were created for, how they could survive...it's as if I engineered a child to live entirely off meat, and then acted with revulsion when it ate a fish in front of me, but also refused to fix what I had done. We can't let the Reavers keep doing it, of course, but...I can't help but wonder what the Nacres were planning on doing about it, given that even their recent defeat was at the hands of  us , not them - those that live below, not the Nacres above, have been the only ones to deal a significant blow against the Reavers. If there are any we should look to for help with the Reavers, it's those countries, not the Nacres."

"Five. Reavers aside, what is the agenda of the Nacres? With all their secrets and lies so far, it's difficult to trust that they have our best interests at heart - even if, as you say, the Reavers are not long for this world, they must have other plans and goals. You mentioned them standing vigil until the world is whole again. What does that  mean , in practical terms? And when that time comes...are the Pearls that left going to return? Where would that leave us? Would we have outlived our usefullness to the Nacres?" 
Feathersnow
 May gods dead and sleeping rise to eat the ink-stained Cyphiri! 

Petrix collects themself.

"I don't know the answer to most of those questions.  The fact this is a response to me giving you what information I have is a probable explanation to why they felt it best to explain nothing.  If they were more generous, we would be equally suspicious.  If they did less, we would trust them no more."

"As for the question of their internal politics, what happened to the guilty, what they would like for themselves?  They could say anything, and we would know no different.  I choose to take their comments at face value, because they were given to Marcion, and the Saint was among the most perceptive and intelligent Sakura-Jin ever bred. They never doubted they were basically accurate."

"But, as for the question of What Lies Beyond The Sky in the Aether Wastes, the Sakura-Jin feel entirely as you do.  We have been pressuring the Nacres to give us access, to even loan us a ship, and end their taboo.  If they will not-  the Gotezhar have committed to do so, and we intend to bring Chelonians as neutral witnesses."
Epinephrine_Syn
It was never clear where the ears of the Titan Of Industry reached. Anyone could be mercenary enough to pass along information, and the ant was small enough to go undisclosed into spaces when the pleased. What would be expected for an event of this size is that some small number would traverse information back to her through the grapevine.

What wasn't expected was for the Axiom to come front and center, outing herself in a rare sight. Especially rare, because the Songstress' sightings, even at her capital, had become few and far between as she in these later years drove into isolation. She wore a grin, pulled down her hood, turns out she was standing in the crowd the whole time, and merely appeared as a member of an indeterminate aquarian species in a full hooded cowl.

 The magnetic song of blackness encapsulates as background noise, arms stretched wide, taking in the atmosphere. Mawbel herself is a mass of black ink held together by decayed reeds, all with glowing electricity and heat coming up from the insides making the woven seaweed crackle like electric eels. She's in the vague shape of a twintailed, thinner mer, of either the two major kinds. Settles her size at approximately 2 meters high. That gaze feels like what one would expect if somebody made a life size doll replica of a living creature, and held it together with magnets. Magnets whose aura sings to heard and unheard alike. 

"I can field these questions. To preface and disclose, my name is Mawbel, ruler of the Eternal Spring. Or at least, an emissary of such." The creature briefly pulls at the ink on her throat as if it were a collar, reforming it into a bowtie looking structure. "My unique perspective is from Polar, where we have united to fight back against the Reavers, and my ties are as of present not truly close to, nor stripped far away from, the Nacres. I will play Devils Advocate for them, and whether you think their actions better or worse for the explanations... that's not up to me."

"To begin, why should we trust that they're truthful? We shouldn't and they  aren't . This is information being  leaked  by an entirely different source. Whether you trust our godly speakers here is a separate matter. The real question is, how did you glean this  from  the Nacres? Did they tell it to you in confidence? Did they show you memories? Did you pilfer memories from their archives? They are scavengers and hoarders of lore, and not even just their own. News from Polar, I have strong reason to believe that they have stolen the Core Fragment from the remains of Deep Blue, and ripped asunder their cathedral of memories, vanquishing any chance they might return to this mortal world."

She laughed at the cosmic joke, her commanding presence causing her eyes to glint with colorful energy.

"The Nacres have been mercenary because it is impossible to tell which of us will thrive and be of future relevance. Give and take. Markets of exchange. The friend you make today could be the enemy of tomorrow. Better to profit from the ordeal. Think of your worst enemy, what if the Nacres gave them a helpful bolster against the Reavers, and you got comparatively little, then you wound up as the triumphant sea power, how would they come out? No. Better to stay neutral, wait until the big fishes they can trust to stick around more than a dozen sweeps emerge, and then act friendly to them. It does not take a  protection racket  to explain their actions."

"And for the Reavers, what should they do?" A wicked grin appeared on her eldritch face, the weeds uncovering her eyes as they floated upwards from static. " Die.  They have no solutions, as posited before, they barely have the resources to protect some people to acceptable levels. When we were young and fledgling, they may have maintained an  aura  of supremacy, but they were, and likely still are, just as fledgling, if not young. Such an aura also makes sense. If you do not at least project power, you get eaten. Their plan is to beg us for solutions, which we in Polar have united to do. I do not claim all or even  most  credit, my primary contributions have been in handling the  other  catastrophes of Polar such that other nations are capable of directing their resources towards it outright."


"For the final point, where we started, are the guilty parties within the Nacres? Irrelevant. We, and they, treat the answer as yes, and they are thusly begging forgiveness. Shall we offer it? And, crucially, for what price?"
Volthawk
Ashal sighs when she hears Petrix's answer to her questions - if one could even call what they said a proper answer. Still, it was helpful in one way, showing her the way to phrase her response.

 "That, Petrix, is the difference between our people, and more importantly our beliefs. Yours drive you to believe and accept blindly, but mine do not. When you really get down to it, the Flowing Way is a search for truth beyond what is just presented to you - we learn about the past, and don't hide from it, to find secrets of the future from them. We learn the stories of the world to see how they shape, and are shaped by, the flow of the world, in order to understand that flow." 

She chuckles.  "Pardon my tangent. My point is that I cannot - will not - just accept the half-told and unverified story the Nacres tell. That's another principle of the Way, and how we interact with it - sometimes, what matters just as much as the story itself is the way it is told. The way this story has unfolded tells us enough about the Nacres that I know I cannot just trust their word. The Cyphiri will find the truth ourselves, and if the Nacres wish to help us, ignore us, or even get in our way...well, that is their choice, and each will have consequences." 

She looks to the side at Mawbel. She didn't know everything of what had been going on in colder waters, just what news had come her way from travelling Cyphiri, the ever-busy Melrit reporters, or visitors from other countries or organisations, and none of that revealed much in the way of secrets, but it was enough to know what she was looking at. Seeing it in person though, was...fascinating, but not the point here.  "I suppose that answers your final question too. Forgiveness is irrelevant. The truth is what matters, so we can know exactly what threat all of this presents to us all, without obfuscation." 
Silent_Interim
The Ornzol delegate lets out a deep, booming chuckle towards the Cyphiri leader. "Ah, truth. The fourth Great Enemy. It's almost quaint how you think it matters. Look at the puppet, dancing to the tune of its master; you ask for truth, and are told that it's because you are so suspicious that you know nothing! We know well about such dilemmas, but the mockery here lands on the Nacres for such clumsy rhetorical maneuver. If you are so desperate for the truth, rely on your own sub-par senses, not the mewlings of cowards."

Or'kipup'ol pauses for a moment, some almost silent conversation passing between urchin and crab. "Ah yes, and let us not forget the freak of nature, the emissary of the profit-obsessed Mawbel. Of course that one would cast the entire thing in terms of...  markets . Why would the one who has no principle except profit consider any other explanation? You're as blinded by that madness as she if you accept those words. Not even worthy of my consideration, much less my scorn." They turn away, apparently disinterested.

"It's  very  simple. The Nacres are scum of a slightly less disgusting order than the Reavers, who are inconvenient as well as odious. What matter their designs or their guilt? Scum is scum. You would engage in mere sophistry by trying to absolve any so-called innocents among them. I begin to worry that I was right in the first place and that I am here to waste my time. A pity that my duties to my people prevent me from leaving. I hope you will find something less  boring  to speak of."
Feathersnow
 Yes, we understand The Way is insanity.  Petrix does not say.  They do not endorse the surprising support of Mawbel, either.

"I, like Marcion before me, , by the standards of most societies, hold the equivalent of a doctoral degree in ancient history.  No Ecclesiarch or Primarch would be granted full rights or sent to represent The Garden with less.  That you think the Garden are blind followers who do not understand epistemology is quaint.

"MRK spoke, and directed me to further speak, to give you exactly what we gave you, and what you decry us for giving you-  our testimony, as we understand it, pure, without secrecy.  That is our story, we put our faith in the Nacres, and though perhaps we were too faithful and for the wrong reasons, we endorse them still, not in ignorance, but in recognition of as much of the truth as we know.   The Ornzol have a kernel of reason-    Whatever one thinks of the Nacres, The Reavers are worse. "

"You are correct, however.  The Cherry Blossom Path is a faith of deeds, not thoughts.   There is much we would like to know, but do not.  There is much that could be said that is silent.   We must act on what we can, however.  The Sakura-Jin, Pfith and Gardener alike, understand this.  It is why we are here in Rilanto Pass.  No Wayist could be bothered to fix the problems of this Lux-Glossian colony when their government fell, so I, and MRK after me, took it upon ourselves, despite the terror attack on the Holdfast in Dashasham and while fighting the bulk of the War against The Finalists, which we engaged for the good and with the initial support of all Temperate powers.  In all that time, the Cherry Blossom Movement never took advantage of our actions to proselytize to Wayists, for all you may think of us as fanatics"

 "So-  if you would hear other stories, as you claim to value- The Gotezhar, the Nacres, and even the Reavers were informed of this event ahead of time and granted safe passage to offer their views.   The Reavers declined to attend, being violently insane.  If the Gotezhar or the Nacres would like to offer their testimony, I would open the floor to them."
Silent_Interim
"Yet more sophistry! You say that you do not  blindly  follow because you have open eyes, and insist that if not for this blindfold, you would see most clearly! You speak of deeds as though your speeches were not themselves actions, as though words are not a fulcrum on which one may leverage the whole world! The only  pure  thing you have given us is pure drivel. Do you believe all attending to be so stupid that we are trivially led astray, or have you blinkered yourself and become confused when others speak of peripheral vision?"
Feathersnow
Petrix shrugs as only a Nautilite can. "Yeah, that's priests for you.  Why do you think I didn't put up a fight when MRK took over?"
Silent_Interim
"Well, all things considered, I would have presumed it was because you lacked any kind of firmness in your carapace, or, to borrow a disgusting idiom from the vertebrates, because you have no spine at all. It is often the simplest facts that build to explanations that hold true."
Volthawk
Ashal responds to Petrix's response, and the combination of self-aggradisement and insults, with a chuckle, one that continues when the...Ornzol, that was it...responds with more insults. Overall, the Cyphiri delegation seems more entertained by the insults than anything else, even when one gets thrown in their direction.  "If I were you, Petrix, I'd leave the challenges and insults to our new friend there. They're a lot better at it than you are."

"After all, it ill fits your station to accuse others of not doing enough when all that accusation does is expose your own ignorance. The Cyphiri have done much across the ocean - just south of here are waters where a cousin of mine brought relief to people ravaged by the Reavers, and similar efforts have happened across temperate waters, as far west as Seguranca, both dealing with what's left behind after the Reavers and more mundane unrest. It was a mandate set out by my father, after all. Taking one region where our efforts could not reach and turning it into a weapon against us is...rather unbecoming of someone in your position, particularly someone who's also trying to put across the image of being the reasonable one here. Nor does trying to hold your lack of proselytisating here above us carry much weight - after all, the exact same situation has gone on in Pyl-Garat since before either of us were born." 

She shrugs her tentacles.  "I never claimed that the Reavers were not a threat. My point is simply that 'better than Reavers' is such a weak statement that...well. The Finalists were better than Reavers, but you still saw them as a threat and went to war against them. Clearly you must agree that you need more than that, particularly the Nacres are little help at dealing with the Reaver problem, but still make demands of us..."  She sighs.  "It is as I said. I simply plan to inform the Union that there will be no mandate from the Council to follow the instructions and restrictions put out by the Divine Nacres. Individual families,"  Her gaze moves over the Carral majority. They seem...disturbed by what she's saying.  "Will have the choice to continue listening to the Nacres, and even work with them, as they wish but at the same times others will be free to investigate this situation however they like, up to and including scouring the surface world for any and all useful information - or anything else of use to the Union. It is our expectation that we'll have detailed reports of the surface from interested families within...half a decade, the last time I heard from them." 
 "That is all - I have raised my concerns, and as with the families of the Union it is your choice whether to listen to them, whether to trust or distrust the Nacres, and whether or not you will excercise the caution that is evidently due when dealing with them further. I simply urge those of you who do work for them further to do so with due caution and your eyes open."  Another glance to the Carral family members, before looking back at Petrix.  "That includes you, Petrix. Your people have been good neighbours to the Cyphiri, and I'd hate to see you all get caught up in whatever they're still hiding, or whatever they have planned for the future." 
Silent_Interim
"I thank you, my revolting be-tentacled friend. It is always nice to hear one's skill complemented, even if it is by a fool who demonstrates her own lack of shell by all but admitting to a lack of control over her own people." Or'kipup'ol bends their front crab legs forwards in a motion something like a bow. "At least you show some appreciation for the First Great Craft."
Feathersnow
Petrix's patience frays...

"Yes, I am arrogant. Given I was raised from before birth to be the leader of a great power, this is a brilliant insight.  Yes, I, like the Nacres, spin events in the most favorable light.  Isn't the insight of your Way that  everyone  does this, why else are multiple viewpoints so valuable."

Turning to the Ornzol
"Yes, I didn't want to fight a God. Soft little me, eh?"

"Good discussion so far!"
Silent_Interim
"Behold! From one breath to the next, your worldview changes, but you see no contradiction. First, you are a born leader of great insight, which justifies your arrogance, but then, you are too soft to reason with a god! An unpaired child could outwit you, and no doubt your god besides. If you are what passes for insightful, then my home must be full of prophets. Any merciful god would forbid we ever have the grave displeasure of your company in Ornzol; you would surely perish from the dizzying wisdom that would surround you."
JBarca
The Ennead representatives number three (discounting the gaggles of servants, soldiers, slaves, scribes, and similar). First is Prince Aulerus, protégé and child of the late Prince Telian. They are two Doflein melded into one, a perfect gestalt of talented children into a more than capable diplomat. Second is the victorious general of the Battle of Deepwell, one Mr. A. Fish. An oddity, Fish, for he has refused any physical augmentations at all. He is, perhaps, the only adult Doflein in the Ennead who wears entirely his birth body. Finally, a rising star in practical science, one Caios Derenen. She is almost single-armedly responsible for a nearly seven percent uptick in production in the Eternal Reunion in the last decade. And single-armed is accurate in more ways that one - she is little more than a mantle atop one massive tentacle that ends in a smaller frills for fine manipulation.

To the crowd at large, Aulerus speaks first.   "We come as representatives of the King, Emperor Akkoroas, whose arms reach the ends of the seas and whose might is unrivaled; may he and we never stop growing.

"First and foremost, we extend gratitude and appreciation toward our most gracious hosts for their probity, hospitality, wise discernment, and discerning wisdom. For this and more, the King expresses that he has yet to regret the agreements made with the World Garden and trusts that his foresight, which promises an eternity of the same, is unfailing in this regard.

"Now, as to the topic, or rather topics, at arm! We see many here who claim with bleeding hearts and sea-honeyed words to swim against the current that is these cyborgs from above the sea itself, that we now know to be offspring of the Nacres and have always known to be scourges of those who wish for growth. Yet each of your states claims quality only in retroactivity. The Reavers strike, and you can do only that which is natural and assumed - you rebuild from the seafloor that which was razed, like so many serfs without masters. Who among you has taken proactive strokes to prevent these monsters from returning? Our friends and allies in the Confederacy have long stood as the break against which the raiders will crash, bolstered by the Ennead's armies. Rebuild, say you? Justice from, or even for, the Nacres, you cry? Nay. The Ennead swims unbowed and unbeaten by the invaders. The Seatide Confederacy is our guide, and our soldiers are their wall. Dozens of Nautilites and three Doflein lie dead on the seafloor, to say nothing of the waste of farmers represented in the hundreds of serfs broken, their bodies smote by the horrid weaponries of the foe. Yet still, we swim.

"Mawbel, you claim 'Polar' unity? What is this, but the figments of the oneiromantic - and, it should be noted,  dead  - Riftlings. Those who live in colder waters are far from unified, and to claim otherwise is to evidence naught but the terrifying navel-gazing that you have engaged in for far too long. What stood against the Reavers was not arctic creatures. It was the Ennead, the Seatide, the Dancers, the Bears, and even the hypocrites of the Dead Cities. No. You have  no  claim the the inclusive first person plurality that fought back. In truth and honesty, your claim to have contributed via your work with other catastrophes is, at least, free from lies, though is floats low with deceit. Your contributions have been to the Reavers, not against them, in that you have created more than one catastrophic event against which other civilizations have had to wrestle! You and your allies-

"No. We are, of course, here today to discuss the Reavers. Our apologies, Petrix."  

Aulerus collects themselves.   "Petrix, Caios Derenen here would be most pleased and the Ennead most grateful to take you up on your generous offer of memory. The Secrets of the Nacres are concerning at the least and damning in all likelihood. We dare not insult our hosts by making demands of these progenitors of the Reavers, but their silence is, if nothing else, doing little and less to assuage our concerns. Are they so arrogant that the weight of the sea concerns them not? As the representative from Cyph-Arel points out, their actions have consequences in the shape of the blood and viscera of their ostensible allies. We know you, the Garden, do not speak for them, but we had hoped for answers."  

There is a pause, before Aulerus gestures to Or'kipup'ol.   "And what is with this sassy... lost crab?"  

Aulerus yields the floor. After a moment, Mr. A. Fish pipes up.   "Any of y'all want to talk shop on fighting these air-breathing gearheads, I'm your man. We'll grind 'em to Pit fuel."  
Silent_Interim
"Excuse you, I am no crab, I am Ornzol." The spiny urchin which forms the upper portion of Or'kipup'ol shakes slightly, with almost dazzling red points, as they draw themself up to their full height. "You should speak more respectfully in front of your betters; I would have thought you would learn such things while sniveling beneath an emperor. But then, I suppose my superior form has rattled you; I can understand how the perfection of Ornzol form would leave you uncomfortable with your own execrable efforts towards the beauty of a twinned being."
JBarca
Aulerus glances at the Ornzol for a moment, then turns to their host.   "Our continued apologies, Perix. Is this creature a court jester or simply contracted entertainment? It seems far too proud of, in essence, whining to be genuine. We would suggest you speak with Judge Streaks of Topaz in pursuit of a loan. We believe professionals are worth their price, given the evidence presented."  
Epinephrine_Syn
 "Given that the Reavers have been invited, I do hope they don't plan to visit in an unexpected way. I do quite enjoy the banter we've got going on at this event, even if I do believe we're lacking on substance in the form of solutions or rallies, just a lot of words being thrown around. I'm at a loss as to how half the members here even feel about the Nacres, let alone proposed courses of action. Not that I mind the entertainment." 

She paused, glancing her ways towards the Ennead representatives. Towards Aulerus specifically.  "To address the direct comment I'd received."  She said, seeming to dismiss the Ornzol in a similar fashion as to how they attempted to spurn her.  "I never claimed Polar was unified in sum, just that we were unified against the Reavers. Unless you offer your dissent, and do not believe the Reavers must be expunged from the seas?"  She tilted her head, a grin growing wider.  "No need to bring arctic squabbles to the table, I have contributed to Seatide specifically and to the prosperity of Polar in general, the rest is bland rocks." 

A pause, a grin.  "But. I do believe they will be speaking soon. The Nacres, that is. A high priestess of greed has her ways of knowing these things. I suggest we let the, ahem, defendants take the floor before proceeding on much further." 
Silent_Interim
There is no note of anger or displeasure as Or'kipup'ol speaks, only a strange sort of amusement. "Nearly a tolerable insult, but such a simple dismissal only tells me that you are unable to muster a worthy response. Are you really what passes for a prince among your people? Your artlessness saddens me deeply. I do not need pride; I am simply compelled, by my nature and my teachings, to speak the truth I see. It is only that the truth of you is something deeply pathetic, no matter your posturing, and your transparent attempt to elevate your own importance by lowering others reveals nothing but the depth of your own inadequacy."

"Our host could not afford my services, not that I would sell such a valuable thing to them if they could. I serve at the displeasure of my Head Scorner, but even the lowliest of my people is as a prince to one such as you. But I must serve my betters too, so tell me; when I return home, should I report that you are simply stupid, or that you are aware of your pathetic nature and overcompensating?"
Rolepgeek
Representatives of the Divine Nacres, perhaps not unexpectedly, had arrived from above, quite early in the day - a quartet of the suited figures, complete with shining spherical helm where one might expect a head on a Kucen or Sereia, though without any tail to speak of. The striking color patterns on the hard-shelled elements of their garb - one in brilliant red and gold with turquoise trim, one in khaki and what the World Garden would recognize as cherry blossom pink with brilliant white trim, another in khaki and a soft blue with a lavender trim, and the last in full matte black with polished trim, though the flexible elements of their outfit were marked by varying shades of green complementary to the rest of their ensemble.

The group was flanked by two pairs of hulking beasts not unlike squid - though with significantly greater mass, what appeared to be natural chitinous armor plating, barbed spines, and a multitude of other alterations that made it abundantly clear these were to serve as their protection, as well as accompanied by several more creatures of myriad varieties, some of which that clearly appeared to be beasts of burden. While the two in khaki seemed to depart into the town with several officials of the Sakura-Jin to discuss aspects of gift distribution to the attendees, the remaining pair observed the proceedings. Though their spherical helms - or perhaps simply their heads, if one were to judge based on the descriptions provided by the Sakura-Jin - were inscrutable, there was nonetheless a sense of thoughtfulness about the black-garbed Nacre, and one of anxiety about the red-garbed Nacre, who always positioned themselves with a clear line of sight towards the far-distant shadow of the shining city-sphere which had borne them to the area.

When at last they inclined themselves to speak, having come to some sort of decision as to how to approach things after the initial clamor and burst of activity in response to the dramatic retelling provided by the nuns and priesthood of the World Garden, they move with deliberate pace towards Petrix before the one in black begins to speak.

   [greetings to all assembled - I am Sub-Rector Meliora 9 and my companion in red is Definitor Eutychus 2 - we must provide addendum and clarity to this recounting, kindly provided by our hosts though it is - the theological attitudes of the World Garden are uniquely placed, but nonetheless interpose a lens which might distort the meaning to those who do not share their nuanced beliefs - though this history is one long hoped to remain private, a broader though incomplete consensus has been reached which affirms the unfortunate necessity of sharing this information, however uncomfortable it might make many of our number]   

A pause before the Sub-Rector begins in full, stepping naturally into place before the dais, hand gestures illustrating and emphasizing certain points even as their gleaming black helm does little besides bob or shift with the movement of the Sub-Rector's form. Their voice projects well, though the sound of it stands out as less full than one might expect of a similarly sized Mer - a common trait to dealings with the Nacres but one which seems to stand out in particular in the wake of the knowledge granted by these events.

   [many among our number still yearn to live as flesh and blood again, much as they did at the time - a number of methods to achieve such a goal were authorized for pursuit by research personnel, most promising among them the concept of smooth inhabitation of full-grown bodies rebuilt from stored biological material from before our Anamorphosis, that divine transformation of our selves which our hosts described so harshly - the soul, or perhaps more importantly,  the mind , and its biological substrate, is a terribly complicated organ, however, one which presented difficulties we had drastically underestimated; not merely the specific research personnel involved, but oversight committees, review boards, and theological counsel all]

[it turned out to be, with methods available at the time, impossible to create a host organism with a sufficiently complex neural structure capable of becoming host to an Anamorphic mind without it developing one itself first - they were intended to be soulless bodies for our members discontent with Anamorphic life to inhabit - when this turned out to be impossible, the research team chose to report otherwise - perhaps we are all complicit for failing to conduct sufficiently rigorous examinations of their reported data to confirm they were telling the truth, blinded by a desperate hope - many of our number assuredly feel that way in the wake of what would follow]

[evidence recovered from the remains of the city-sphere after its destruction at the hands of the Áthlioi, whom you now commonly call Reavers, indicates that sympathetic research personnel helped them acquire access to armaments and augmentations, which were used to stage their escape, acquire access to more and better armaments and augmentations, and eventually vehicles during their breakout, which were then used as staging grounds to conduct raids and surprise attacks on nearby research bases and outposts - it is only after considerable damage was dealt that a response was able to be organized, and some time later still before we were able to properly determine the root causes of such catastrophe, by which point it was too late and in our inadequate responses, had managed to grow to such efficacy that to this day we have proven unable to fully eradicate their ilk - their innovations and designs are unrestricted by ethical considerations, and thus sample that much broader a range of possibilities than our own research, which has time and again proven a challenge difficult to overcome when pursuing their extermination]

[we remain uncertain if it would even be possible to displace an existing mind with an Anamorphic soul, especially given the heavy restrictions placed on any similar lines of inquiry afterwards - while we have continued our research into the process of Anamorphosis and improved upon such, thus enabling our closest allies to partake without the loss of their original bodies, unlike the means of our first Salvation - the entire affair is viewed as one of the darkest times in Nacreous history since Incident Zero, and a source of great shame for those of us who remember such]   

Once more, Meliora 9 pauses, allowing time for this information to be processed, before turning to face the Cyphiri delegation in particular.

   [to address the concerns of Ashal Hallus, allow me to proceed in like order]

[regarding the first expressed line of inquiry:]
[these mistakes in judgment and deceptions in regards to feasibility of the project were handled appropriately according to the relevant protocols]
[many of our number were unmade by an Anamorphic blight constructed by their sympathizers]
[we will not see this relitigated by outsiders who do not understand our ways, our struggle, or our history]
[farcical to believe we would have any need to resort to such vile and brutish methods]

[regarding the second expressed line of inquiry:]
[we do not crow our failings to the heavens nor the depths of the sea because they are a source of  great  shame for us, one which we felt no overriding need to share with fledgling civilizations so far removed from our own cultural background - these failings are also largely irrelevant to the challenges posed to your peoples by the predations of the Áthlioi, save that they might render you less inclined to accept aid from those most well-suited to grant it - beyond which, it is unreasonable to both demand to have been informed of this history previously while simultaneously scoffing at the accounting of such a history once provided]
[you are people of the waters, and what remains on land will serve only to further harm your natural philosophical, cultural, and technological development - we must discourage such actions by whatever means available until such areas can be properly restored to their original condition - it is no accident that these lands lie at the heart of the ápsychnerá, those dead zones which you call the Wastes, and we would not see such tragedies repeated]
[do not misrepresent the war waged on us by the Potamófiloi as mere divergence from our desired outcomes - our trusted allies, the same here now which host this meeting and whose offer persuaded our attendance, informed us of their dastardly plans, and we took appropriate action to eliminate those officers of their government which led them to such heinous acts - soon after, they openly claimed responsibility for the brutal destruction of our Holdfast in the Scintillans Mare, definitively confirming the information provided to us - if you would sooner believe the maddened raiders who destroy your homes and steal your people to brutalize and propagate their own depravity and hatred than those with a demonstrable interest in the wellbeing of the world's civilizations and flourishing, that is your own folly to pursue, though it will bring ruin upon the fortunes of both your house and the house of your neighbors]

[regarding the third expressed line of inquiry:]
[we have limited resources and spreading ourselves too thinly is entirely too effective as a means to risk attacks by the Áthlioi on our own homes -offering our services to those willing to pay was believed to enable an efficient allocation of resources to the most desirous while compensating for the inevitable damages and expenditures involved in such close-fought protection - as the Áthlioi have altered their tactics, so have we adjusted our means of assistance and countermeasures - our aid now is granted to whomever would welcome it, and has been for some time]
[the elegance of any theory, however enticing, is never sufficient in itself to support the presupposition of the existence of evidence which would corroborate such - your limited perspective intrinsically restricts your capacity to see the broader scope of our efforts against the Reavers above the waters so as to limit their capacity to enact their violent predations upon you beneath them]

[regarding the fourth expressed line of inquiry:]
[suggest? the reavers would slaughter us all and see the polities of these oceans turned to livestock from which to scour replacement tissue, resources, and recruits - our  suggestion  is for them to pass into the next world and spare the world their cruel ministrations - their designs involved nothing of this, because they were designed as our own forms were once built - all they have become now they have made of themselves]
[that you would claim we have earned no victories in our war against the Áthlioi demonstrates the limitations of your perspective - you believe this perhaps because we leave no evidence to be found by wanton warlords in the deep? - long ago we were careless in our gifts and gifted the Ekthétes knowledge we believed they could use to improve their lives - and these gifts paved the path for the Ekthétes to utterly dominate their peers, eventually culminating in their creation of polity of our hosts, the World Garden, utterly and completely altering the course of their history and development - we will not repeat this mistake, and so clean up after ourselves, so that the technologies of the Áthlioi might be kept from instigating similar perturbations in other cultures - did you believe the Áthlioi assaults are reduced in past decades by comparison to their first strikes purely out of the kindness of their questionably biological hearts?]

[regarding the fifth expressed line of inquiry:]
[we will not deny that we have our secrets, but we have neither lied nor dissembled in our explanations when they  are  given, whatever else you might think of us]
[these are our agenda: we seek to restore this holy place, the world you call home, to something like the beauty and glory that once marked its places, wild and otherwise - we seek to find a means for those of us who yearn to return to a biological existence once more - we seek to heal the scars of the world left by our short-sighted and ill-caring forebears - we seek to unmake the mistakes wrought by our own hands in centuries past]
[the ápsychnerá were not always present, and the world is still yet to reach the extent or richness of biodiversity it once claimed - when that holy duty is fulfilled, we pray that we will keep to our sacred duties and continue to provide aid as we always have until the civilizations of this sacred world have built themselves to such heights as to be viewed with pride as equals to our own ability - we would hope to provide guidance to those who would hear it, so that they might not make the mistakes we once did]
[those who left will not return - and if they did, we would stand beside you to resist them, for in their folly they have forsaken this sacred place and in their sin did they condemn it to long ruin, even before the calamity wrought by Incident Zero]   

Finally falling silent once more, their form shifts, orienting across a range of the assembled audience before speaking once more:
   [Definitor Eutychus 2 is available to answer appropriate questions and authorized to exercise his own discretion in determination of available information]   
Volthawk
Ashal is quiet for a while after the Nacre speaks. There was a lot there, and a lot of it was very interesting. But, the more she thought it through, turned the words around in her head, looked at the meanings behind them...the less she liked it.

 "Well, I can say one thing for sure. You haven't let your past failures get in the way of your arrogance. That comes through very clearly - you're more technologically advanced than us, so we should just shut up and let you tell us how to grow or what to think. The sheer hypocrisy of trying to admonish us for not having the full picture when you've been trying to limit our view of things since the beginning...are you honestly surprised that when  someone  finally gave us some answers, and you stayed silent, that we'd be inclined to take those answers? Are you surprised that after all the secrecy, we're dubious when you finally give us a straight answer? Do you really think so little of us that you assume that you could just do whatever you like and we'd just sit there and unquestioningly obey? Arrogance is definitely the word, and when you accept the severity of your past mistakes in one moment and then have your words drip with such certainty of your own superiority in the next...I can't accept your intentions are genuinely in our own interest. You may think they are, and you do help us, but the way you're talking...I can't help but wonder how easily you'd be able to decide that one of our countries no longer being around would be the right thing to do for the betterment of the wider world." 
 "And our 'natural development'? Seriously? I didn't know the Nacres had an interest in comedy. Look around you, look at our history. What part of it has  ever  been natural? The circumstances of our rebirth were caused by those that came before us. The Reavers had constantly attacked us, killed or taken people that may have done great things and if nothing else constantly set us back. You yourselves constantly interfere and work with or against us, as do the Stewards and Chora. Titans arise from the depths and hinder some of us while pushing others to entirely new ways of living. Where, in all of that, is this oh-so-sacred 'natural development' that conveniently comes into play when it comes to investigating your past mistakes, but otherwise seems to have as much importance as..."  She pauses, trying to find the word, before looking over to Or'kipup'ol.  "Hey, scorner. What's a good example of something insubstantial and irrelevant?" 

She shakes her head.  "It doesn't really matter. My point should be clear regardless. You do  not  get the right to look down on us after everything you have done. My stance remains unchanged, and if you feel the need to attack us like you did the Gotezhar for trying to find the truth for ourselves and find out own path...then so be it, but there will be consequences." 

Once she's said her piece, one of the Carral family speaks up.  "Um. Yes. Hello. Our family wishes to keep working with you, but I do have a question. What happened to destroy the old world? You've referred to it a few times, and don't want us to repeat it, but you haven't told us what actually, er, happened. Surely we should know what happened so we know what to avoid? The Gotezhar situation showed that you can't know what all of us are doing all the time, and might only find out when it's too late, so surely it'd be better that we know ourselves what the path to ruin looks like?" 
TheDarkDM
Before either Nacre could respond to the accusations of Ashal or the Carral family's desperate attempts to rebuild some semblance of the Nacres' credibility, a glittering red glint bounced off the helmet of Definitor Eutychus 2.  The blood pearl bounced free to drift slowly to the edge of the dais, where it was swiftly swept aside in the tide of the gathered multitudes.  Above the wide expanse of the hoi polloi floated an enormous tropical sandfish, its flat body angled downwards to provide an ample view for those reclining within a gilded howdah that stretched nearly its whole length.  Platinum and pearl glinted in the dim light, catching and casting the reflections of the bioluminescent passengers supping on delicacies from across the world.  Above the nomadic debauch, dozens of red stars spun in a burning wheel, the bodyguard of redglow revenants a silent threat against any that might challenge the Syndicate.

Reclining within the still-living cushion of a great clam, the Radiant Mistress Lintang readied another blood pear in her long talons.  Rolling the carmine orb in a distracted motion, she sucked the last ambrosia from a Taikan mug before casting it aside with a sigh.

 "Must we swim in circles for hours more?  That the Nacres' power is built on a field of bones so great it eclipses even the Syndicate's cannot be so great a surprise to so many of you.  It has ever been the way of the mighty to claim virtue in the daylight while crushing dissent in the night.  Between those they have killed themselves, those their creations have slain, and those who have perished in their indolence we might spend a year litigating the Nacres' failings and scarcely draw blood from the yitan." 

A long black claw tapped idly against the siren's grinning needle teeth.

 "Or would those gleaming shells bleed oil?" 

There was a ripple of laugher from the sycophants surrounding the Mistress, silenced by a dismissive wave that sent the errant blood pearl spinning off into oblivion.

 "We are come for the truth, and we are gratified to see our assumptions have proven correct.  Might we now not move to more pleasant diversions?  Thus far, only this little Ornkle seems possessed of a suitably festive mood for the revelation of a veritable army of young kingdoms." 
Silent_Interim
Perhaps for the first time, the Ornzol delegate seems rattled. A hissed conversation takes place between crab and urchin before Or'kipup'ol rallies. "Why, my loathsome and erstwhile ally, for something insubstantial and irrelevant, you need look no further than the very subject of your ire; mere ghosts playacting at importance."

Then, they turn towards the Radiant Mistress. "Here, of course, although I find no more relevance, there is substance aplenty; why, the Radiant Mistress practically glows with substance, perhaps from a few too many snacks. Of course, substituting satisfaction for hypocrisy is little better. I suppose, though, you do continue to perform atrocity with your mere existence; you are most certainly no hypocrite, your Substantiality." Or'kipup'ol performs a sarcastic bow with their front legs.
Gengy
 Stormcloud Conglomerate 

The World Garden has long been economic allies - if not more than that - of the Gotezhar and Mer that made up the majority of the Builder's Union.

To receive an invitation from them, into what was surely an event to allow the so-called 'Divine' Nacres to explain themselves, was something of a mixed blessing.  On the one hand, the information that will likely be given - even if as the Builder's Union suspected, only partial information - would be what the Gotezhar had been after for decades; half a century or perhaps more.  On the other hand... there are many whom still remember the plague that specifically seemed to target  only  the Gotezhar leadership.  One that had to be crafted with the Gotezhar in mind.

One that had killed Alto Feytor Saroon'din's mother.

 Because she, and the leadership before her, dared to ask questions. 

Saroon'din knew, if he attended the World Garden's event himself, and a Nacre actually showed, he would not be able to contain himself.  There were even some suggesting that the event be raided, if it meant even one of the Nacres could feel the pain the Gotezhar felt.  The Alto Feytor was tempted.

Ultimately, however... he was swayed from that action.  The being doing the swaying was the creature responsible for leading Gotezhar into combat:  Squall Kagado.  Now a large warrior Profundus, Kagado had been through many battles, and was often the voice  against  more fighting.  When the Gotezhar general was ordered to do so, they would lead the Tempests of the Builder's Union into battle, and they would do so with honor and reliable victory.  That did not mean, however, that Squall Kagado  liked  it.

  "When death is the only answer, it comes to too many good creatures just as easily as bad ones."    The first words of the enormous bubble that was in the shadows of the area seemed to almost be said quietly, yet they could be heard throughout the gathering.  When a Gotezhar moves forward into the light, crystals shine from within the bubble.  Those of the Temperate region would recognize Squall Kagado himself is here in attendance, two Mer guards nearby, their spears pointed down towards the ground in respect.

Kagado nods politely at their host, giving Primarch Petrix their due, before speaking again.    "Truth.  Lies.  Secrets.  Answers.  To some, these matter little at all.  Greed.  Pride.  Desire.  Those sometimes matter far too much.  To the point that the Truth, ever elusive and able to cast it's own shadows, can be used as a tool to bash heads, if it means reaching some kind of goal.

Before anyone asks, I'm not here to answer for any perceived crimes  or  ask for criminals to be brought to justice.  I'm here to  prevent  conflict, where it is possible.  Where it is not..."  

Four large arms of clean water shrug.    "Best leave that unsaid.  If you'll pardon the ramblings of an old bubble popper, I'll try to ramble to a point.  Years ago, from the perspective of the Gotezhar, our leader at the time asked questions.  Those questions were perhaps not so polite, but they were similar to those being asked now.  Perhaps it was the lack of politeness that we didn't get answers, and instead have  long  been the subject of the Nacres  lack  of attention.  Some of you may not be aware, but the Builder's Union - excuse me, the Stormcloud Conglomerate now - likes to  build  things.  We're good at it too.  Yet for asking those questions, almost 75 years ago, we've had difficulty acquiring certain materials for our construction; not from  actively  anything anyone has done, but from  lack  of it.  The Nacres help make things move and shake, but for all my life, we've only had the shake.  That's not an accusation.  It's a fact.  One that may have been the result of our own hubris, but it needs to be said to explain to others what it means to us to finally  get  these answers."  

Turning fully to the Nacres in attendance, Kagado continues,   "We've done some things.  You've done some things - or  not  done some things - but none of that matters.  If you're finally  answering  questions, then the Gotezhar have just three.  The same three we've always had.  Some of which you've answered.  Some of which we've had to get answers from  other  sources.  Yes,  some  - perhaps most! - Reavers deserve whatever fate falls on them when a spear squishes through their brains, but we've found a few - a very small, select few, mind you - who can be spoken to without weapon in hand.  Like we're doing now."

"Mostly polite about it.  "  Kagado, from inside his large Bolya, allows a small smile on their face as they cast a glance at the Ornzol in attendance.  It almost seems friendly.  Especially when it is compared to the look on the Gotezhar's face when they return to staring at the Nacres in attendance.    "Here are my questions, though.  And I'm repeating them exactly as they were asked of you, some 75 years ago, regardless of if you've already answered them.  We want your side of the story, just like we wanted the Reaver's side.  It just a shame that you seem only willing to share  after  we got the story from elsewhere...

First:  what proof do you have that your war with the Reavers is just?

Second:  Have you tried talking with the Reavers lately?

Third:  as another group of preferred surface dwellers, where are you hiding your clouds?

Some of you may find these questions unusual, or perhaps a bit silly.  Perhaps even  boring  or  insulting .  I don't care.  These are the questions we asked decades ago.  We've suffered for them.  We've made  choices  because of them.  Choices that now define us.  For those that haven't heard, Ezcorher is now a Leviathan Ark.  A whole region of people live within it.  All because we asked  questions .  I hope, this time, we get answers.  I hope, just this once, those Answers matter more than other things...  Things that sometimes, matter far too much."  
Feathersnow
Petrix looks conflicted.   At last, they speak, as Primarch of the Sakura-Jin, casting judgement on all the Primarchs before, but especially St. Psaul.

"If I may, I would share a piece of vocabulary and a piece of history."

"There is a word, one that has barely been spoken in centuries.   Its meaning was lost long ago. It showed up in the documents found at The Caves of Therapy."

 " I, in my translation, did not know what to make if it.  I thought it might mean "devil" or "those-who-covet-and despise."  It was a nasty word for a nasty creature that fought its fellows, lived a miserable life, died a pointless death, and knew not but hate and war.  It was a disturbing thing to find reference to."

"I am relieved, in a sense, to know this creature, is, for most practical definitions, all but extinct."

Petrix pauses.

"This word was "Ekthétes"   it was the Hermit Crab's name for themselves. "

"St. Psaul was a government bureaucrat tasked with interfacing with Nacres in the the early days after the Cataclysm.   He saw something, a picture of a decorative plant that can only be reproduced by vegetative means. Something that is beautiful, harmless, and can never be more than it is without help.  The Nacres keep them in their cities. "

"He, with the inadvertent, I now realize, help of The Nacres, turned a race of self-agrandizing yet self-loathing warriors into a race of placid nuns."

"You think the Nacres should help more?  Are you willing, as heads of state, to deal with a Saint Psaul of your own?  You think they are arrogant?  Their postcards alone destroy civilizations to remake them anew!  They are as gods, truly, as the history of my people makes manifest.'

"Uh, something to think about.'

Petrix turns from this line of thought.

"As for the questions of our guests, and long standing allies, the Gotezhar, we are conflicted.  I regret playing some small part in the chain of events leading to the assassination, although I must clarify that intentionally provoking the Nacres had known risks that the Gotezhar leadership frankly understood the how and especially why better than I did, and I acted in concert with Gotezhar intelligence to cast their government in the worst possible light to the Nacres as a means of convincing the Reavers to communicate."

Petrix looks solemn.

"Apparently, it eventually worked, I hope what you gained was worth it to you."

"As for the Reavers, I hope they know I pity them.  They were, like the  Ekthétes, born into a trap they could not escape.  If they simply left to join Ïaldaba'oth and the rest of their race beyond the beyond,  no one would chase them.'

"But they continue to attack others, so the question of the Nacres justifications is moot.  The war everyone else is fighting against them is justified.   And it will only stop when they do."

"Perhaps that is unfair.  I have no idea what it would take to build a star-ark, and I doubt the Nacres would trust the intentions of its builders."


"But, perhaps, it could be discussed. "

 'Perhaps, but not while everyone under the sky fears for their lives and constantly grieves."

'I would have you know, I at least tried to reach out to the Reavers.  I doubt they heard me, but I doubt even more they would have come.  I cannot truly fault them, but, perhaps, there is responsibility on both sides for the lack of communication."

"Again, something to think about."
JBarca
Aulerus shakes their mantle slowly, considering, as Sub-Rector Meliora 9 speaks. When Ashal Hallus makes her counterpoints, the Ennead delegation floats closer to the Union's. Not close enough to breach security, but enough to symbolize agreement. Unity.

When they speak, it is to the gathered representatives and rulers, though their gaze is locked on the Nacres.


  "Why now do we suffer these creatures to so limit our growth? Their ice-drenched words offer nothing but insults of the lowest order, justifications of the blind, and promises of the deceitful. They speak of care-laden distance, but cast down from the very air death on those possessed of the temerity to question beings of mystery. Ashal Hallus is assuredly correct, in that we of the seas have no hope of a natural development - nor should we want such a hope. expansion, change, adaption... these are virtue. Artificial restrictions, blockades of goods to protect secrets, and bioweaponry aimed inward are the tools of androidal zookeepers. Where then were our supposed benevolent, omniscient protectors when their offspring aimed to boil the Pepsins alive? Must we now be expected to express heartsfelt gratitude for the pleasure of existing at a severe technological disadvantage to our foes?

"The Nacres have influence only when we allow it them. Need we continue to do so? They are no allies of the natives of these waters. They fail time and again to offer any proof to their claims, save only this: their narcissism unabated shows true their claims to have unleashed on us the Reavers. Only the hubris of true psychopathy could have birthed the destruction leveled against the world by those promising salvation."  
Silent_Interim
Or'kipup'ol puts a contemplative crab claw to the spines of their urchin body, stroking it thoughtfully. "Has it occurred to anyone that perhaps the old hermit crab folk were just  incredibly  easily manipulated?"
TheDarkDM
High above, an adolescent siren leaned forwards in the process of being drunk by the Radiant Mistress.

 "Yes!" 

The outburst was welcomed by a gale of laughter from the howdah.
Silent_Interim
The little Ornzol bows, non-sarcastically for the first time.
LapisCattis
 The invitation to 'the true history of the world' in Rilanto Pass was, granted, seemingly quite boring and peaceful, but the Engineers argued successfully that it would provide a useful training exercise to test out a prototype design of leashing Clamp-Eels, their slime, and the new sources of flotsam and jetsam into a 'ship' of sorts. At the very least, it would be an opportunity to test the design before scaling up (as the current prototype only had enough space for Engineers Copep, Api, and two apprentices.

So, after an extensive two nights of construction, Copep, Api, and the apprentices huddle together inside a thick, oval bubble of slime, reinforced by wide latticed slats of kelp, driftwood, and bone. Pressed halfway inside the bubble and half outside are two extra-large Clamp-Eels, which provide both directional assistance and a steady supply of new slime if needed. Perpendicular around the bubble is a separate ring of slime, like a jellyfish bell, oriented to help catch the current. Inside the bubble, the Engineers make no comment and pay no attention to most of the words spoken by other delegates, other than the loud bluster is making short-range navigation a bit difficult. Upon arrival, Engineer Copep pierces the bubble of slime and all four Hyperiids swim out, wrapped in rounds and bells of silica that both obscures the details of their full form and provides cover for bet-tracking. 

"Quite stupid of these Nacres, taking such a big risk and sacrificing their brains for it. What's the point of physical success if you lose your mind after?" Engineer Copep whispers (not very subtly) to Engineer Api.

Api nods in that patronizing way that a parent might after patting the head of a child who just presented an absolutely ugly project. "Perhaps their parents were too foolish to train them properly. Or their arrogance blinds them. All in all, a disappointing result, even if the challenge does sound quite interesting." Api says back in the same loud whisper, shooting a look to the apprentices (it is, after all, the job of the mentors to ensure their charges are cognizant of the depths of stupidity).

Copep's claw-legs click in mixed interest and disgust when the Nacre speaks of the land's dangers. "Why anyone should listen to them after such a failure, I do not understand. It is poor form to bar others from a challenge that you failed."