The Inquisitor's questioning of Lurtor


#1

As the days passed Lurtor grew more and more confused by his captor. Lurtor’s day was a simple one, he woke up in a simple room consisting of a hay filled bag upon which he slept, a small chair (a bit smaller then what would be comfortable) with a small desk attached. His breakfast consisted of a simple porridge and water, for lunch a hunk of bread, and for dinner simply vegitables and some fruit. Eventually after lunch one day Lurtor was escorted by a couple of Squires to the Inquisitor’s office. He was then sat down in front of the Inquisitor’s desk.

The Inquisitor had an odd appearance, Lurtor now had a chance to have good look at him. The Inquisitor was tall for an Earther, he stood around six feet nine inches tall, thickly built but not fat. His robes hid the details of his features but they could only hide so much considering his size. Nothing of his body was exposed, as his hands were gloved and he was wearing combat boots. His head was covered by a hood and a mask, the mask didn’t contain much in the way of features. Consisting of a pair of raised eye pieces plus a line of small spikes that separated the sides of the mask vertically, the rest was featureless.

The Masked Inquisitor sat at his desk with his elbows on the table, hands grasped together and spoke with that creepy mechanical voice. “So my little intruder, how are you feeling on this day?”


#2

As Lurtor was brought in and even faced the inquisitor, Lurtor looked for the details. The smells, little noises, anything he could used when needed.

Lurtor took a few seconds to look over and study this inquisitor. The covering made him wonder what was underneath. His armor must be made of something beyond what normal Oners had as the dagger was hell forged. And He knew the claws that struck him. He used nanites claws… But was it Technomancy… But he could not touch Leyas to activate any leyas… maybe an artifact. He was not sure. And that voice. And what he did to all of those oners. This Inquisitor could give anyone nightmares, even Krodnok.

And why was he still alive. No inquisitor has ever treated an olgog prisoner like this. He has had food, water, and he didn’t think it was even poisoned… of course he could be wrong on that last part. The must want something.

Lurtor says "Better than I thought I would be after seeing that display you were enjoying of the paladins, and the claws that went threw me those days ago. " Has he spoke he made sure to keep his tone respectful and to keep any fear of it. No one respects someone who smells or sounds of fear. He was no pup or a weak willed Oner after all, he was an Olgog.

(OOC Lurtor will feel out for any leyas, but I assume he can find none. Not even technomancy or shapeshifting. If he does find it, he will keep that to himself until he can find a time to best use it)


#3

(OOC Lurtor would indeed sense leyas in the room, in three places, first emanating from the Inquisitor himself, however he is lightly obscured so you cannot identify what kind of leyas only that there is some. Behind your chair there is an odd looking dresser that emanates a degree of shapeshift leyas, and someone inside the Inquisitor’s desk there seems to be a healing artifact)

The Inquisitor waves one of his hand dismissively toward the small window to his left, his mechanical voice echoed in the room. “Paladins can be quite zealous with their beliefs and dislikes, when I ordered that the locals were not to be harmed, many decided that I was committing heresy and felt that I should be removed from power. I simply showed them that their decision was unwise. As for yourself, well, lets not worry about trifle details.”

The Inquisitor stood up and walked around the desk toward the window seeming to gaze outside, "So, I am wondering, I have heard that the ruins of Karov are being rebuilt, it has been so long since it was destroyed. What is your take on the situation there?

(The room this takes place in is a simple one, consisting of a desk, the chair you are in, three bookshelves filled with books, and a dresser. Wooden floors and walls. There is a painting of looks like a battle behind the desk. The battle seems to be a generic medieval knights fighting against hordes of shadowy creatures of undefined natures.)


#4

Lurtor was not sure what to make of this inqusitor but playing along seemed like a good idea. Especially with the topic being Karov. Though most of the information her knew was more public knowledge.

Lurtor says "
One of the karov tribes decided they were tired of walking and wanted to build a city. Of course they lost all of their land that they roamed after they attacked the Der’al Collective. I believe the undead of wintermute are helping them after other tribes turned them away. I expect wintermute is trying to establish a presence in the Olgog lands and are using this to do that. "

Lurtor did notice that this inquisitor had not asked him his name. Also Lurtor was doubting that this was a real inquisitor. His methods were very off the play book. But that only made this situation even more uncertain.


#5

The Inquisitor continued to face the window “So this tribe formed an alliance with the undead, however you believe that the undead are simply using them.” Turning back to Lurtor the Inquisitor continued “I hear that in Brez many gangs are coming together to try to rebuild. However it seems that there are those who still thrive through violence like one called ’ King Blood’og’ who are still allowed to roam free. What is your take on Brez? Will the Goblins there ever be united, or will it remain divided?”


#6

Lurtor thinks for a minute. Was this a test? Was this just to get information out of me… The questions are too general for that yet. Maybe this is just a start to see what I’ll give up freely… What does this thing want.

Lurtor then pondered the question. And the answer was a simple one. Lurtor then responded "Olgogs do share one thing with Earthers. There are corrupt and evil Olgogs just like earthers. The opposite is true as well.

Brez Olgogs follow strength. Until one and only one proves to be the strongest, there will be conflict. That conflict is much less today as only a few are at the top right now. If someone were to kill Blood’og, and give him final death, Brez would become less violent. I expect his former followers will follow one of the other Goblin Kings. And most other of the Goblin kings will work together."

Lurtor did leave off the name of the Olgog he would prefer they follow. He did not want to paint a target on Urogs back to cause more trouble.

Lurtor continued “I expect like earthers, Olgogs will not be one as race, much like the Earthers. Also, since the Earthers have arrived, Olgogs have changed and varied greatly in needs, physical form, and learning. But I do see a day when they are not warring with each other over resources. Acting as allies or nations. We see that already happening today.”

(OOC Lurtor is trying to feel out this inquisitor. So the answers are truthful, though he isn’t naming names of the good side. He has noticed that the inquisitor didn’t give a name or ask for one. But hasn’t decided if its something to ask for yet )


#7

The Inquisitor turns back to the window, “Blood’ogs death could change the situation on Brez in a major way it seems, yet after so long he still lives, very interesting.”
The Inquisitor returns to his desk and sits down. Reaching inside a drawer he pulls out several papers and looks at them. After a few more moments of silence he speaks again, the hollow mechanical voice filling the room “The south has a very temperamental weather I am finding, flamewinds, massive downpours which destroy more then they nurture, yet your people have managed to prosper. Do you believe that your people have a greater survivability then other races? Few have experienced the challenges that your species have.”


#8

Lurtor thinks about how best to phrase this. If he is talking to a oner, he won’t like his answer.

Lurtor says "Olgogs have suffered from Invaders who fought a war of genocide against them and pushed into lands where it rains fire and nothing grows. A place where if you show fear, that fear eats you. When Olgogs need to be strong, they grow big. When Olgogs need to be smaller, but use Leyas more, they change. Olgogs adapt to their environments.

Also, All of the weak Olgogs die off and don’t reproduce. Only leaving the strongest, powerful, and most intelligent. Though Intelligence is not always combined with the other two. This has now been going on for over 2000 years. If you put any other race under the conditions we have been under, that race would not exist today.

So yes, I think Olgogs have the best survivability. Those Earthers could not exist these lands for long without our help or without their technology. And the technology advantage will go away with time as Olgogs learn to mix leyas and tech. Or create a leyas tech."

Lutor pauses for a minute, then says "May I ask your name? Mine is Lurtor. You do not seem to think like any Oner I’ve met. I do not mean to insult, but you don’t seem like any Oner I’ve met. This " as Lurtor points to the surrounding area, “seems more like a cover for a research mission. The paladins were real, but most of them are dead now.”

Lurtor hopes this doesn’t make this things worst. Dropping the line about mixing leyas and tech was a risk. And even more saying this inquisitor was not a real oner was either really stupid, or really smart.

(OOC hopefully I didn’t mess up there :-p )


#9

The Inquisitor pauses for a short while seeming to stare directly at Lurtor.

“So the Goblins have mastered adapting to their harsh environment which has made them stronger, that would explain why they have been able to challenge the Church of One forces who have simply maintained their existence rather then try to adapt”
The Inquisitor stands up and walks to the window “Do you worry that if you improve the environment of the Goblin Lands into a more livable state that it would cause your people to become lax and perhaps weaken yourselves?”


#10

Lurtor noticed his questions were ignored but might as well continued.

Lurtor says "If the world turned to peace overnight. Then I could see some weakening amongst all the races and nations. But less from the Olgogs as the constant need and drive for survival will not be so easily destroyed in Olgogs. It has been groomed for too long to go away so quickly.

But a peace like that is impossible as greed and power hungry groups will always exist. The warmonger and his forces will not stay defeated with the conflict caused by such people, and will cause more strife. And then there is the Brethren, Qual and Neliffs. There are things out there that can destroy planets.

Earthers like to think of themselves as the big bad. And they are very destructive for sure. But there is always a bigger bad baddy.

So Olgogs will need to continue to adapt, expand and remember the past. Continue to evolve. When we stop adapting, expanding, and/or remembering , that is when we would weaken."


#11

The Inquisitor turned back toward Lurtor and walked up to him stopping two feet away. “So you believe that your race is greater then all other races? You do say that in a world of peace your race will hold on to their strength more then any other race. You think so little about the Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes?”


#12

Lurtor says "That is not what I said. I said Olgogs would weaken less than others, not greater than others. Comparing races for a purpose of Greatness or total strength is excluding the individual and that most nations are a mix of races. While you can get trends out of general comparisons. Like Olgogs are less likely to let themselves weaken because they have so recently be beat down compared to a race or country that has sat on top of the world for so long.

But for Greatness and strength to compare races you would have to have countries of single races. And in a peaceful world, races would already have to be working together which means countries that contain single races will continue to decline in number. And those countries of single races will be the weaker ones because they will only have their strengths, instead the strengths of all races. In a country of a single race, they have no way of making all of their weaknesses into strengths. Sure they can minimize them, but not as a strength.

This is actually where the Oners have failed. Since they are only of earthers, they do not have the Strengths of others. The Falosini have done the opposite. They saw their weaknesses and created races to make those weaknesses into strengths. A bit of the other end of the extreme from the Oners. Technology is often used mitigate weaknesses throughout history, though not always making a weakness into a strength.

Also The world of peace is a tricky question. Kumfeis I’m not sure on as they stick to the Northern Kingdoms more.

In the therotical world where every is at peace, you will not see or hear from K’iorn, your elves, K’iou your Dwarves, Vorins, and Baribur. They, by tradition, stick to themselves. I have visited each and seen this. Even when the olgogs were getting slaughtered by Oners, they did not come out of their caves, spires or forests as a whole to stop that. The olgogs had to help themselves.

Also, I would not tell anyone to attack any of the children of Falosini or take them lightly. As I expect much of each of their force is off Refuge and any attack would unit all of the Children and the Falosini. You will never fight just one of them."

(OOC Lurtor still not sure what this thing is. But not sure what to do until he sees an opening. )


#13

The Inquisitor leaned back against the desk still looking at Lurtor and says “You suggest that reliance on technology has weakened the Church, as we have relied upon that and not the other races. Would you say the same about your people’s reliance upon your leyas? Much of the Church’s holdings have little in the way of technology or leyas, in my opinion this has made much of our forces weaker, especially when dealing with your kind. Your people are completely reliant upon the leyas however. I wonder, if your people lost your ability to use the leyas, would you thrive, or collapse?”


#14

Lurtor says "I think the Church weakens because it relies only on Earthers and some tech. And makes enemies of everyone else. Only those that are immutable really use the technology. But since oners don’t really use leyas, at least in the open, those paladins end up being cannon fodder. There is alot of them to make up for that weakness though.

As for us Olgogs, Leyas by itself is useful and allows us to live in an area where none could live without it. But if Leyas were to go away, those gogs would either die or have to find a way to adapt and change.

So I do think Olgogs need to find ways to use tech more. Some do, but many don’t. Backlash is the problem there. Maybe if I had tried to use tech first to get away, I might not be here right now.
My bet is that the combination of Leyas and technology will be the end result given enough years. Right now Artifacts are being used in place of technological items. It is the next step. "

Lurtor thought it is a good thing he has spent the time to learn about other religions and philosophies since becoming a Knight of the Bladed Sun. And even took a look at his own racism. Otherwise he would have failed this discussion long ago. Though it seems he has more work to go on the racism. He still has not dealt completely with his hate of Oners.

Lurtor then wondered if he was being tracked by VLAD. They generally seemed to always know where he was.

As he thought of this, he took a general look around the room, noting anything that could be made into an exit. He prepped his Chill shield but won’t activate. If this being’s claws were what he thought, the chill shield will protect him. And readied he technomancy to suck the power out of the nanites (aka Wipe the disk). If this thing attacked, he would be ready this time. But maybe there was a way out without the fight… he still didn’t understand what this thing wanted. Right now it seemed to be enjoying a philosophic discussion.

(OOC Just thought of this. VLAD, specificly its leader, since he was surprised by the Olgog Carriers and radar, there have been eye spies following him on occasion. As a player I was told this, but Lurtor does not know the lengths of the tracking. At least I don’t think he does. Right now I’m assuming this is not one of those times.)


#15

The Inqusitor tilted his head slightly at Lurtor, “You say that we are weakened because we are reliant upon solely our own species, do you believe the Iron Republic weak by it’s reliance upon their own species? With their human armies they conquered the stars and uncountable worlds. They do have vastly more technology then the Church does however, that could be a factor.
The Children of the Falosini occasionally work together but mainly stick to their own kind, rarely do they work together outside of small groups. The Gnomes build a massive empire by enslaving other species rather then exterminating them. Do you believe the Church would do better following that example?”


#16

Lurtor says "The gnomes are made slaves themselves too. It is only the powerful few. And I think they lost the last war if I remember. So that might not be a good example.

The Bretheren rely on their numbers, immutables, tech, and the Quall. If they were missing any one of them, they would not be so successful. And I believe they have been struggling as newer factions are popping up. Of course my knowledge of the events in space is limited. But I have seen the start of cracks.

If the church needs something to mimic, then mimic the UtR. They are still evolving and experiencing some trial and error but you will see in time. A nations power is in its people. Enslaved and uneducated people are weak. You can only rely on numbers. Train your people, both physically and mentally, and your nation will grow.

Exterminating is a waste. Ton of effort and your left with useless dead bodies or dust."


#17

The Inquisitor leaned in closer to Lurtor “While the Gnomes did lose and fracture, they lasted for thousands of years, as have the Iron Republic, they face new challenged but they still rule the majority of the worlds out there. The Church controlled these lands for almost two thousand years, their trouble are recent, your UTR is quite young, I wonder if the test of time will be kind to it.”

The Inquisitor leaned back and walked to the dresser behind Lurtor, “You mentioned earlier that I didn’t seem like any Church of One member you have met before. In the grand scheme of things you have met so few of us if I am not mistaken. Would it surprise you if I said that the Church of One members in the Goblin Lands are considered backwards yokels by the main body in Dunesphere?”


#18

Lurtor nodded "I have met very few oners that were not in the Olgog lands. So that does make sense.

It seems I have learned I have my own rasim to deal with beyond the progress I thought I made. I separate Oners from Earthers, but did not think to break oners up into different groups. I will remember this lesson.

This maybe useless, but I have to try. What is your goal? Extermination and fear are tools not goals. Could there be a way to solve the war between Olgogs and Oners without the extinction of the other? Or at least pause it.


#19

The Inquisitor continued “As one lives one always learns, even basic things. I have learned much from our conversations as well. However I always wish to know more. You have encountered beings known as Warmonger’s Dead, they are a dangerous foe, however they share the weaknesses of the undead, their movements are odd as the majority seem bent on destruction yet there are some that have allied themselves with your kind. What do you make of this?”


#20

Lurtor says "Just like you Oners, there are multiple types of warmongers dead. The basics are those who follow the warmonger and those that don’t. The ones that follow the warmonger are behind much of the conflict one way or another. Or they will show up to a battle and destroy both sides. I’m told Thomasville was actually destroyed by them, not the pinned down Olgogs. Jamesville was another casualty of those warmongers dead that follow the warmonger.

The ones who don’t follow the warmonger do as they wish.

Lurtor thought about telling him about the wannabe god and and angelic dead, but he didn’t want to give more than basic information. Though seeing the reaction was almost worth it. Lurtor is now thinking that he won’t get anything useful himself here. If this thing is really a Oner, this may mean they, or at least this one, learned technomancy. And that could be very scary.

(OOC Lurtors thought that this one knows Technomancy is mostly based on the claws. And the machine voice, and the metal body/armor Could be a cyborg, but Lurtor doesn’t have much experience with them.)

Luror continued “If the oners are so against Leyas, then why do you use so much of it?” Lurtor didn’t know what Leyas this one was using, but the inquisitor might not know that.