toku matsudaira, geezermancer (giri) wrote in emillionnet, @ 2014-05-07 02:00:00 |
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Entry tags: | toku matsudaira |
Election Q&A.
While we have on many an occasion expressed the importance of diplomacy and cooperation to restore trust, this does not mean that we are not concerned about the backlash members of our guild have been suffering of late. What is even more worrisome is that our guild members’ loved ones may as well become caught up in this danger because of their relation to the Guild. Those who have been on the receiving end of violence or verbal abuse, or who fear they are not safe, are encouraged to notify the EKP and if they so wish temporarily relocate to the areas of the Tower still habitable, such as the rooms and mage’s quarters on the lower levels where possible, or perhaps somewhere else they may feel more protected. The Fighters’ Guild has opened their guildhalls to refugees and those who feel threatened, so that is also a possibility. For members of the Guild who are especially visible targets there is the possibility of arranging an escort, though unfortunately this cannot be a solution for everybody as the Fighters’ Guild numbers and other duties need also to be factored into the equation. Furthermore anybody who is in need of help, regardless of their station, is more than welcome to approach the Council and myself, and we will provide assistance however we are able. |
It is undeniable that recent events have, in the eyes of many, cast our Guild in the role of villains; this loss of trust is what has damaged our Guild’s standing, and it is by rebuilding and restoring that trust that we can return to a situation of cooperation. We have been lucky to count with the support of the Fighters’ and Bards’ Guild respective leaders and Council, and these diplomatic overtures will not be wasted. The important thing here is to project an image of unity and cordiality, to show that our late Sage’s actions do not reflect our whole Guild’s intentions or aims and that our purpose remains to protect the city and its citizens from any damage that may befall them. By showing a positive and trustworthy face to the public, and continuing to be part of reconstruction efforts and further defensive measures, we can little by little mend our damaged reputation. |
At this time, we have knowledge of but a few people with summoning abilities. Indeed, our Guild’s late Sage, Vivian Xi, is at the root of the recent fear of such abilities, though we can in no way allow her actions to lead us to paint all summoners with the same brush. In the recent past, many lives were saved by a summoner, when the plague was taking its toll on Emillion’s population. One summoner’s good should not be erased by another’s destruction. In my opinion, the best course of action is not to antagonize summoners, but to work side-by-side with them as they arise and support them, so that we may better understand their point of view and use that knowledge to avoid any future calamity. |
The Mages’ Guild Council are currently investigating the events that led up to the recent tragedy. This includes not only researching the nature of the beast involved, but also the witness accounts of what transpired in the Tower library before our late Sage initiated her rampage. We seek to understand what led her to such violence, how that may have been linked to the beast she hosted, and use our findings both to provide answers for the public and work to prevent similar occurrences in the future. |
My hope is that the guild will continue to grow, remaining a positive learning environment where young mages may feel comfortable challenging themselves in their study of magicks, having the tools and guidance necessary for this task, and more experienced members may contribute to the advancement of their respective fields, whether it be through academic research or experimental magicks. I hope every day we will be in a better position to use this knowledge to protect the city and its citizens from any dangers to the best of our ability, and will work to make sure that this is so. |
A single person could not hope to erase the damage that has been done, but I believe that by showing a strong and unified Mages’ Guild that has not forgotten its duty to the city even in such troubled times, and continuing to cooperate with the Fighters’ and Bards’ Guild, we can restore our standing with the public. It has been seven years since I first joined the Council, and with that experience to back me I have become well-acquainted with the workings of the Guild, as well as the intricacies of maintaining the relationship with the other guilds. If I were to become Sage, I would do all that may be within my power to reinforce this image of our Guild, and mend these relations in a diplomatic and constructive manner. |
The most important issue that needs to be addressed in this regard, and the reason behind this election, is that the leadership of the Guild cannot be a vacant chair during such troubled times. A new Sage being elected by the members of our guild will be the first step in the return to normalcy. The role of Sage is one that emerges not as a lone leader but a leader that consults with the Guild’s Council and keeps the Guild’s needs in mind, addressing them to the best of his or her ability, and of course the rebuilding of our Guild’s damaged reputation is one such. In this regard, diplomacy and our continued efforts to show we aim not to damage but to protect the city will be key in a return to cordiality and cooperation. |
It is true that no mage in our Guild, including myself, currently possesses such advanced magical knowledge as our late Sage; however, that does not mean the knowledge itself has been lost. Scrolls remain detailing the instructions for many of the extremely high-level spells wielded by the Lady Vivian Xi, and these scrolls would be susceptible to study by sufficiently-experienced mages. Indeed, the sort of power these spells command is not within the reach of every single mage, as we all have our strengths and weaknesses, but as long as the scrolls remain and members of the guild are striving to master them, then the knowledge can continue to be passed down, and preserved. I would encourage their study, and shall be attempting this myself, though by no means do I presume to aspire to master them all. I shall, however, attempt to make the most of what knowledge I do possess to serve the Guild going forward, whether it be as Councilor or Sage. |
The number of documents and volumes lost in the destruction of the library is indeed sizeable, and we are still working to itemize everything that was lost and attempt to salvage what may still be salvageable. We will of course not be able to salvage everything, but we are currently speaking to nearby Mages’ Guilds to broker the lease or donation of documents identical or similar to those lost in the fire. We will also be exploring other avenues, such as the investigation of sites where legend places valuable magical or ancient texts, in order to return our library to its former state and improve it further. |
The palings will be strengthened to stop attacks from the outside; however, in the case of attacks coming from within, such as the recent one, we will continue to investigate the patterns that have emerged so far in such attacks in order to have a chance at stopping any that may or may not occur in the future. The city has seen several attacks by beasts similar to the one hosted by our late Sage, and we are studying those in order to determine how best to prepare for any possible future eventualities and stop any similar attacks that were to arise. |
In a moment of true emergency, a notification through the network cannot be reliably fast, and indeed we should have backup methods in case that the network were rendered inusable, such as in case of thick Mist. At this moment the Council is considering several possibilities to remedy this issue, such as a Tower-wide magicks-based alarm system to rally those in the Tower at once in case of emergency. In such situations, every second counts, and we aim to ensure not even a fraction of that time is lost in order to save lives, both within the Guild and among the city’s people. |
Related to the above, we are working on establishing appropriate evacuation protocols for scholars and inexperienced mages, in order to ensure that they may be transferred to a safe location or, in the case of newly-minted mages, redirected to help in low-stress situations where their well-being would not be at risk. |
This matter still remains clouded in mystery, as several aspects of the tragedy, but we are working to shed light on it. Our librarian was gravely injured in the attack, but we are hoping to interview her once she has recovered and learn more about this matter. An investigation of the remainders of our late Sage’s personal belongings for further clues as to the nature of the attack and the reasons behind it is also underway. |
There is, of course, as this is a matter of much concern. As mentioned beforehand, we are trying to establish the reasons behind her rampage by sifting through what remains of her personal belongings, and by investigating the nature of the beast that accompanied her we are hoping to determine whether it influenced that turn of events. |
Little is known about it at this time. The only thing we can say with some measure of certainty is that it was similar to other beasts that have attacked the city before, namely the one that attacked the Mages’ Tower in early winter and, several months before that, the beast behind the attack on the Tenements District. We are working to establish what the relationship between these beasts is, if there is any, and what their nature is. |
This is indeed a reasonable concern that we are trying to address to the best of our ability. The most critical repairs, such as the reconstruction of the Tower and the rehabilitation of the Library, are given first priority. These are, of course, rather costly, but we have been lucky to count on the support of several wealthier contributors, noble and otherwise, and many of our guild members have also contributed in this regard; we have also to thank many who have offered to work at reduced rates. Furthermore, the Council is discussing the possibility of a fundraiser to contribute to the Guild’s repair, though we have not yet determined its exact nature. |