Run By: Swift Felling Scythe (3xp)

          Talia strides in the council chamber, bedecked in her Orichalcum Beastman armor. The light of a hundred candles reflects off her polished mail, basking the hall in a soft golden light. She stops in the middle of the room, hands behind her back, and takes a moment to take in the faces assembled before speaking. "Masters, leaders, friends, I come to you today as not just a fellow master but as a woman wishing to make a difference. This is my homeland, and I will not see it fall before the sickness and the dangers such a weakened state invites. You are all aware of what I have become, and what great tidings this portends for our land, indeed all of the Hundred Kingdoms. It is for these reasons that I come to you today, to explain further the course of actions I have taken so far, and what I intend to do in the future, with the council's blessings of course."

Elder Saipancho, the venerable and wizened leader of the council looks down at Talia from upon his seat, his fellow council members seated beside him. His gaze is stern and he strokes his long grey beard in careful consideration. After a long moment of silence, he finally says, "Urm... young lady. Who are you again?" An embaressed looking aide quickly comes over to his side and whispers into his ear.

          Talia's left eye twitches just a tiny bit, though she lets the unintentional slight otherwise slide by. Lifting her arms in a 'here I am' sort of motion she simply states, "I am Talia, savior of Tajome. While you all huddled and milled about I quarantined the sick, and those who helped me are to be commended. I come from the Iron Pen Library, though esoteric knowledge is no longer my forte. More simply, I am to be your successor wise elder." This is said with little boasting, but more as pre-ordained fact.

The Elder strokes his impressive beard and glances at the young Solar intently. "Esoteric knowledge is no longer your forte?" He asks curiously. "Sounds like you weren't a great student then. That's not good. While public service is commendable, I cannot stress enough the importance of staying in school. Young people today..." he drones on.

  "Elder Saipancho, with all due respect," Talia interrupts, holding up a hand to the man, "My plan is as follows. Already I have quarantined the sick in the town of Farthings, and a volunteer force from the Brass Scales Shrine is tending to them as best they can. This, however, places our land in a particularly vulnerable situation, as already over a third of our warriors have fallen lame from the sickness. A fatal flaw we can ill afford to not excise at the earliest possible opportunity." She begins to pace, punctuating key words by pointing at various council members and being sure to make eye contact with each and every one, green tinged hair cascading down her shoulders. "To that end, I shall personally be overseeing the training of every man and woman able to lift a sword. This is ultimately for the good of our people, and will serve us long into the future. Should the fae, or more mundanely even another kingdom prodded forth by the Dragon-Blooded murderers come knocking on our doors we would be defenseless. I cannot and will not let that happen. Already preparations have begun in Malling to train our men and women and though I could herd them there myself, the blessing of the council in the matter would make it all the easier."

"Well. I must say that sounds very commendable. I see no reason why the council shouldn't bless this ende..." The Elder's comments is interrupted by a younger figure standing up from his seat and loudly interjecting. "Hold it! With all do respect, Elder Saipancho, you need to consider the implications of this course of action more carefully." The speaker was Master Mitsurugi, head of the merchants and traders. "To take away /all/ the able bodied men and women to be drafted would cripple our workforce. I do not doubt that we would have an impressive army in the end, but without farmers in the fields and merchants in the shops we would be destitude and starving by the season's end! What good is an army that has an empty stomach?"

         Talia raises a single finger, as if to forestall the man's argument's further, "I am well aware of the needs of our fine state Master Mitsurugi, and this is where you will find having one so talented as myself shall come in handy. A mere five hours a week is all I request from each individual. Surely that cannot be so great a burden for an individual to bear. Even you, accomplished trader, will be surprised at the feats you can accomplish in a few weeks. As a point of fact this is all I request, 8 weeks at 5 hours a week from each person. Within a simple work week I can promise that you will be nothing less than awe-struck at the progress I have made."

"You'd have to convince the people yourself." Says Counciller Goto, Minister of Culture. "I doubt the people would be happy with the idea for being forced to train in addition to their regular hard week's of labor, and the Council shall not declare a conscription."

          "Then you are as shortsighted as the rest, Counciller. It is the duty, nay, the RIGHT of every person to secure their homeland," Talia says, stalking toward the man. "Do you think that the Cathaks, Darias, Zuriel, the Sun Kingdom, the Iron Legion, Zanshee's legions, ANY of them would hesitate to claim our beautiful city of ancient construction for their own? No, they would bowl over us with their thousands of trained warriors in a heartbeat. Already they have claimed some of the greatest and most prosperous of our kingdoms, and only this sickness holds them at bay. When the curse lifts, you can well bet that their will come knocking." Up to his face now, she leans across the desk and bores into him with those green eyes uncommon to this land, "As leaders of this state, they will slay you to a man. One hour a day for less than a season, or freedom. You cannot tell me this is a hard decision."

"Then let the people decide." The Counciller insists. "We would grant you permission to recruit and train, and resources and space as required. But we will not force the citizens into a draft simply because you think it is what is best for the kingdom. The people shall hear you, and those that heed you shall do so. Are we to force those that won't listen? Drag them screaming from their beds at night and be trained?"

          "Permission, resources, and space is all I require Counciller, thank you." Talia says, straightening and moving a bit away from the man. "Those that won't listen will be inspired by the levels of excellence achieved by others, of that I can assure you. Ladies, gentlemen, you have made a wise decision today and my heart will be lifted to see those of you able there training as well, the leaders of the community everyone knows and loves you as."