pokebox | antumbra sample!

antumbra sample!

[Well, that was a disaster.

Not the murder or the execution, those are quite standard by now, and Iago's seen worse. Those aren't even all that interesting at this point. No, it's the trial that has him all but storming back to his room. He certainly tries to keep his temper under control, but it's a bit hard to do that when the idiots he's stuck here with insist on dragging these trials out forever. The killer had even confessed and they still spent some time arguing whether or not he was really guilty. Who in their right mind would confess to a murder they hadn't committed?

Sure, by now Iago really should be used to their incredibly dumb antics. This is the fourth trial, the fourth time he's had to stand at his podium and try very hard not to throw something at the idiots debating the rules and whining about having to vote to kill someone. Who cares, isn't it worth it to live another day? But no, they like to get all sappy and sentimental all over the killer, instead of just hurrying up and putting in their damn vote.

Anyway, he returns to his room and doesn't even bother shutting the door all the way. It's become a routine by now - Cumore will be along shortly and they'll spend the next hour or so complaining about... well, everything. But especially the trial and the numerous incredibly stupid arguments that were posed today.

It's something of a habit for both of them by now; sometimes you just really want to yell into an echo chamber about how horrid something is and Cumore's great at that.

So Iago sweeps his cape aside and sits primly on the bed as he waits for Cumore to drop by. In the meantime, he's going to file his nails so he has something else to focus on.]

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[We all have our own little routines by now, don't we.

Some of the others are in a similar state of agitation, albeit for their own reasons; some of them are off to some common gathering place to...what, cry? Hold each other? Hell if Cumore knows, he doesn't really make a point of attending such things unless he's forcibly dragged. Or particularly bored, he supposes; one can always make exceptions for boredom. But for the time being he's found something to entertain himself with - he doesn't particularly like Iago but he tolerates his presence long enough to get whatever these trials do to him out of his system.

That isn't to say that he's bothered by all the death and murder happening around him; it's irritating, surely, but he's always held to the firm belief that criminals should receive what they deserve, and the murderers around here are certainly receiving something, if not justice. So really, who is he to complain? Watching the people that deserve it die... Well, there's always been some sort of satisfaction in it, and as such he has no complaint with the execution. It's the entire process that gets to him, really - he doesn't understand all the procedure and protocol around it, things were never like this in the Empire, he simply decided on the guilty party and took their heads off at his nearest convenience. But this...

This is something that always turns into a strange, emotional affair, and he doesn't like it.

That's really the crux of his complaints - he Doesn't Like It, and the fact that it continues to exist despite that fact vexes him, and the whole process is very, very annoying.

So once he's gone to his quarters and made sure his makeup is still acceptable and run a brush through his hair a few times (not that it really needs it), he'll find himself approaching Iago's room; the door is partially open, as usual, and if he has anything to say about that he simply doesn't - he just lets himself in and closes the door behind him, and he doesn't bother finding somewhere to sit down, simply remaining standing near the door.]

It's almost as though they never taught anyone to have a proper sense of fun around here.

[Iago glances up as the door opens, but he returns his attention to his nails once he's confirmed it's Cumore. Not that he'd expect anyone else, of course.]

I can't say I'm surprised, but somehow I'm still disappointed.

[He examines his nails for a moment before setting the file on the nightstand and leaning back a bit with a slight lift of his shoulders.]

That should have gone much faster, and yet once again they're all insistent on being so... sentimental.

[He says, like such a thing is absolutely disgusting.]

Honestly. If people don't want their little friends to die, perhaps they should teach their friends to stop murdering people.

[It's not like this is hard?]

If they're going to do that then can't they at least make it interesting? How many times have we gone through these trials only to have someone confess at the end that they had a reason for needing to go home, as if the rest of us don't?

[He rolls his one visible eye at that.]

[You know, he's been tempted to ask what the fuck is going on with Iago's face more than once since arriving here. He never does, simply because whatever answer he receives is going to be disappointing. He's currently assuming whatever's under there is the result of a bad run-in with a pair of soap salesmen he crossed by way of cheating at backgammon.]

I don't know why they think it matters, whether they had a reason or not.

[He tips his head up a bit, focuses on the ceiling. Wonders, vaguely, why this place is such a shithole.]

They're going to be punished whether they had a reason or not. And if they manage to shove it off on someone else... Well, that would be delightful, but I doubt they'd have many friends left after that.

[can confirm: you're going to be very disappointed by the explanation.]

Precisely. If you're going to kill someone here, then the whole point is to get away with it. Pretending to be sorry about your actions doesn't change anything. "Sympathetic" motives change nothing.

[Just embrace being an absolutely terrible person??? Gods, why is this so hard for people to grasp.]

The outcome is the same, either way. You might as well kill for no reason at all, the way this is set up. I suppose some sort of bonus reward would be nice, given all the effort, but it isn't as though incentives mean much in the end.

It involves trusting that our captors will deliver, and I find that hard to believe. Not that I'm particularly surprised there are people willing to kill so easily, but it certainly would be more entertaining if they'd simply embrace being terrible.

I suppose it would be unfortunate if there were too many of them going that way; there's something to be said for watching people cry, even if it is a little nonsensical.

[Dude.]

Oh, agreed. Some of those breakdowns have been entertaining. A good balance is a bit too much to ask for, I suppose.

[He laughs a little at that, dryly.]

Oh, I don't expect any of these people to understand moderation.

[A dramatic sigh.]

It would make all those hours down there at least a bit more entertaining... But you're right, of course. Not a single one of them could understand.

[That gets a noise out of him, soft and noncommittal; he shrugs a bit. Finally looks away from where he's been studying the join between the ceiling and the wall.

This place really is a hellhole. Surprising that it's still standing. But looking at it's better than staring directly at Iago and trying to sort out how long ago the bear bit off part of his face, because that is absolutely what happened.]

Maybe I'll teach them a bit about it someday. Assuming I'm feeling generous enough.

[excuse u it was either a wyvern or a wolfskin, bears are entirely too boring!!!]

Will you now? That is something I'd like to see.

[That's exactly why it was a bear. God, Iago, keep up.]

Is it, now.

[no????? it was definitely a wyvern, he's hardcore!!]

But of course. If anyone would know how to be even slightly entertaining, I'd imagine it would be you.

[Oh sure, it's blatant sucking up. But it's blatant sucking up with an edge to it, because they both know that this is what he does. It's not sarcasm - because he does believe Cumore would put on a fun show - but it's almost joking, or as close as Iago gets, anyway.]

[He laughs again at that, though the sound is decidedly lighter; he does quite like it when people stroke his ego, whether it's entirely sincere or just partially so.]

Destroying those who deserve it is at least pretending to be part of my life's work. I would hope that I've sorted out how to make it fun by now, hm?

It's good that you're still pretending!

[...........well, yeah but maybe you shouldn't say it—]

I imagine it would be fun to watch you in your element... A shame that I don't have the opportunity for that here.

Please. You wouldn't even have the opportunity back where I came from - at least, not with our idiot of a Commandant still in charge. No concept of fun or pragmatism.

That boring, hmm? How did you entertain yourself while dealing with them?

I suppose he wasn't so terrible on his own - he was a terribly weak leader in my experience. Shout at him enough and he'll give you whatever you want.

It's the others that are the problem. The ones that follow him around like he's someone actually deserving of his title.

They'll know better when I'm in charge.

[oh, mood.]

I'm sure they will, and if he's that weak, I imagine it won't take long until you've secured the position for yourself.

[It's still sucking up, sure. But it lacks the nearly-joking tone behind it this time.]

What will you do with him - and all of them - once the position's yours?

[The most dismissive little handwave.]

He can be thrown into the lower quarter to dig out the rest of his pathetic existence with the other worms. The rest of the lowborn scum he's recruited can join him, for all I care, otherwise they can die for their die for their disrespect.

There are enough among us that are salvageable. They'll be more than willing to see to it that this happens. It isn't like the commoners are contributing, anyway... Not that I fault them - they aren't precisely going to know any better, are they? - but we don't need anything like that in our ranks.

[That's a bit awkward, but it's not surprising by this point. He's heard more than enough from Cumore to see it coming, after all. So he chooses not to comment on it, like he's done every time before.]

What plans do you have for - the Empire, was it? - once you're in command? I'm sure you have plenty of interesting ideas.

[Look, if he's willing to say that kind of shit in front of you, you're pretty okay as far as he's concerned.

That said, ahahaha you assume he has concrete plans.]

I want to crush the Guilds. Make them pay for their insolence. Beyond that, the Council has been more trouble than they're worth lately; doing away with them seems prudent, given their constant interference with the Knights and our business.

[And once they're gone there's nothing stopping him from doing whatever the fuck he wants, but he imagine that goes without saying.]

Anything else is dependent on how successful I am with all of that.

[sounds like his plans so yeah, legit.]

Well, I can't imagine you wouldn't be successful with all of that. Removing the Council would put the entire Empire under your sole control, would it not? That could only be beneficial.

[For you. So you can rule with an iron fist. Which is a good thing!!]

[See, you get him.]

Assuming they don't manage to name a successor to our Emperor, yes. And no one has managed that for years now - something to do with one of our holy relics being stolen, it's used to choose our rulers somehow.

[...]

It's an insipid tradition, if you ask me. I don't see what the stupid sword has to do with anything.

That really is a ridiculous way of choosing a new ruler. Would the one who holds the sword regardless of blood become Emperor?

[On the one hand, hell yeah, he can get behind that line of thought, fuck lineage. On the other, that sounds like a great way to throw the entire empire into chaos, which like... is also a win here, that sounds hilarious.]

...Assuming it's found anyway, how exactly did someone manage to steal such a thing?

No idea, since that happened before my time. Though I doubt it works that way, otherwise we would all be answering to whomever stole it in the first place. Honestly, I don't know why they even took it if they're not going to even try to subjugate everyone.

[Admittedly, that would be fucking hilarious.]

Perhaps they took it to avoid that outcome, or to avoid putting a new emperor on the throne, but that seems... rather pointless. How exactly is the empire continuing to run?

[The more he thinks about this, the worse it gets????]

...Poorly.

[Thanks, Cumore.]

...Well. Fair.

[oh my god.]

At least that should make it easier for you to rise in power.

It wouldn't be the first time I've done it, merely the first time on this scale.

[He is pleased with Heliord, okay.]

Oh? Do tell, I'm curious to hear it.

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antumbra sample!

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