oriana
As long as I've lived, I've known Yalunzar
to be the Crescent's shining beacon.
It is difficult to reconcile that memory
with reality, that the city is no more.
tower
I've seen many settlements
come and go in this harsh land, but nothing close to
one of Yalunzar's size.
oriana
Growing up in Irinde, my sentiments
of the Guild were undoubtedly tainted, but I would've never wished
such destruction upon this city.
tower
There is no use in bemoaning this state
of being. Something must be done.
oriana
There is more we could do than simply
clearing out Lindros's remaining monsters.
We can assist in relocating survivors to a
place for a new home, such as the Bay.
tower
That is not what I mean. The
weeds must be burnt at its roots.
oriana
Tower, you can't
possibly be suggesting...
tower
And why can I not?
Is it not our duty as adventurers to
protect the people of the Crescent?
Even if it's from overambitious chieftains.
Qiulan's words hold a measure of truth,
we cannot treat the human conflicts
of the Crescent as beneath our notice.
oriana
Tower, this is an
extreme reaction.
tower
You passed judgement on the
Sect for their misdeeds. Here, we see death and devastation
easily ten times the size.
oriana
But we do not refer to mere renegades
overtaken by zeal and cowardice.
This is Ellerie. Chieftain of Irinde. Our ally.
tower
Are your principles so frail that
they will so easily collapse
against a personal connection?
oriana
I consider her a valued companion, despite
a rocky relationship. She's aided us often.
tower
That should not outweigh
the need to do what is right.
oriana
Tower, are you sure you're not
being blinded by your own bias?
That Ellerie seems to enjoy her
alliance with those lightwalkers?
That she has no love for the
Sect, given her experiences?
tower
That is irrelevant to the core issue, that Ellerie cannot be trusted
with sovereignty over the Crescent!
You yourself told me about how
Ellerie called upon the invaders.
oriana
We don't know for sure if that wasn't
just deception meant to divide us.
tower
Why would the lady of the house need
to fool some common adventurers?
It fits far too well with her methods,
which we've seen time and time again, exploiting a common enemy
to consolidate her own power.
You should be well aware what lengths
she is willing to go to for her ambitions.
You see the consequences of
that before your very eyes.
oriana
Even so, this is the first time the Crescent
has had any hope of unity in decades.
You suggest we ruin that shot at peace.
tower
The peace brought about by the
blood of Yalunzar's citizens?
What use is unity when it is
in the grasp of a despot?
Ellerie has made no secret of her
bitterness towards the Mainland.
There is no doubt in my mind
that she desires further conflict, and when she does, it'll be the
blood of the Crescent fuelling it.
I am not ignorant of the fact that
this will have harsh consequences, but inaction is far more damning.
oriana
It might be peace through blood,
but it would still be peace.
Even if the Crescent was
broken and unified again, how can we know the
next will be more hopeful?
tower
Are you truly so cynical that you believe
the Crescent will never have a liberator
who is less twisted than Ellerie?
I'd rather have a self-satisfied dictator
without the propensity to gamble the
whole Crescent in their endless hunger.
oriana
We've danced around this, but I'm
sure you have not forgotten Krynia.
If we were to open conflict against
Ellerie, where would that put her?
You know how much she looks up to
Ellerie, and her stake in all this.
tower
I do not wish to be driven to this, but this goes far beyond the
happiness of one person, even if it's my granddaughter.
Krynia can recover. The future
of the Crescent cannot.
“I will hear no more of this.”
tower
How can you not recognise
the significance of this threat?
oriana
... As adventurers, we merely do
what we can to help people in need.
It is not our duty to nudge the course
of the Crescent the way we wish.
tower
That is what you claim the reason is, but I suspect you only wish to avoid the
hard decision when it is necessary.
oriana
Yes. I have no desire to turn on a friend.
No desire to get in my daughter's way.
tower
I thought you were better than this, Oriana.
Where is that same desire for justice
when you cut down those Sect members?
oriana
I am just a normal, pathetic person,
even if I claim to be some kind of hero.
My idea of justice is flawed and influenced
by my own relationships, but whose isn't?
tower
It goes against every instinct in
my body to let this matter rest.
oriana
You've done so much for
the Crescent and its people.
You deserve to be resting
on your laurels.
You can't forcibly shape the
world the way you want.
tower
Are you saying I'm too old for this?
I've rejected that idea for years.
oriana
Please, drop the matter. It does us no good.
We can aid the Crescent in so many ways, ways that don't involve hurting everyone
around us. That won't destroy our lives.
tower
...
Very well.