2021-06-06 - The Virtue of Temperance (log)

The Virtue of Temperance was a guided discussion led by Alosaka for the Silver Gryphons, consisting of three parts: a newly presented Tehiri legend about a cruel warriors, The Half-Perfect Sword; a brief lecture on the chivalric virtue of Temperance; and an extended Q&A session with the audience.

The Virtue of Temperance

This log is from the Order of the Silver Gryphon's presentation on Temperance by Alosaka on 6 June, 2021, from his viewpoint.

Introduction

[Hearthstone, Front Porch]
Airy and open, the porch is enclosed by smooth, freshly painted white modwir up to a height of about four feet.  As you ponder the sky-blue color of the ceiling and a lacework of deep green ivy that crisscrosses the open space between posts, the hubbub of the world beyond quickly fades away.  Rocking chairs of various sizes are an inviting sight, and an elegant green marble arch provides a tantalizing view of the splendors inside the old manor.  You also see a massive snowy battle-scarred lynx, the Mauss disk, a black-eared red and grey fox that is sleeping, a slender brown fox with oversized paws, the Vaikhen disk, a coy forest spirit that is flying around, a slice of crisply cooked bass, the Alosaka disk, the Koergun disk, the Roelaren disk, the porch steps, a doorman, a purple modwir bin and a scorched oak sideboard with some stuff on it.
Also here: Sir Geijon, Dalinsia, Falicor, Goldstr, Elbromo who is sitting, Aeith who is sitting, Mauss who is sitting, Lord Perivan, Phanna who is sitting, Squire Legionnaire Agathilea, Envoy Vaikhen, Meril, Draught, Sanfey, Yukito who is sitting, Defender of Mist Harbor Akenna, Darcena who is sitting, Delindra who is sitting, Seaward Koergun who is sitting, Tabubu who is sitting, Roelaren, Defender of Mist Harbor Teaberry, Kothos who is sitting, Lord Khazaann, Mykon, Guarrin
Obvious paths: none

Guarrin says, "Right, I think we can get started then."

Falicor whistles tunelessly to himself.

Geijon waves to you.

You nod respectfully at Guarrin.

You clear your throat.

Koergun turns an inquisitive ear toward you.

Speaking to Vaikhen, Sanfey asks, "More than you'd think, I expect... but then.. that sort tends to be... temperate... in their expression of their opinions,no?"

Phanna smiles at Guarrin.

Tabubu takes a moment to observe you.

Sanfey smiles slightly.

Vaikhen grins at Sanfey from ear to ear.

Guarrin clears his throat.

Vaikhen nods once at Sanfey.

You turn to face Guarrin.

Guarrin says, "Alright folks, let's settle in."

Kothos nods at Guarrin.

Sanfey turns to face Guarrin.

Kothos gazes into your eyes.

Guarrin folds his hands behind his back.

Khazaann turns an inquisitive ear toward you.

Guarrin greets, "Thank you for joining us tonight. The Order of the Silver Gryphon is pleased to present Alosaka and a discussion on temperance."

Tabubu turns an inquisitive ear toward Guarrin.

Geijon smiles.

Guarrin says, "Our Order is focused upon defense of the Landing and its people. However, we also strive to serve with Honor, By Example and by Deed. These discussions are an example of those efforts."

Aeith smiles.

Guarrin says, "Tonight, Alosaka has a presentation planned, but afterward, perhaps we will have time to open for a wider discussion."

Sanfey nods slowly.

Phanna smiles.

Guarrin says, "As ever, we are eager to discuss these, and other topics with those in our community."

Geijon grins.

You nod.

Guarrin nods encouragingly to you.

Phanna gazes with interest at you.

 

The Half-Perfect Sword

You exclaim, "Thank you all for coming tonight. I know it's been a busy day!"

Vaikhen chuckles.

Kothos chuckles to himself.

You say, "Before we get into the discussion, I want to share a story with you."

Falicor nods in agreement to you.

You say, "A Tehir story from their Age of Myths, when the Sea of Fire was the whole world, and legends like the great shaman Namrul abu Sana still lived among the People."

Delindra nods at Darcena.

Phanna smiles at you.

Draught stands up.

Delindra smiles.

Delindra tilts her head toward you, examining you intently as the tip of one ear twitches briefly.

Agathilea folds her hands.

Kothos smiles at Akenna.

You say, "In those days, the Tehir knew the secrets of metalworking, but the desert had no natural metals. They would sometimes find veins of copper in the rocks, or veil iron fallen from the stars, and they would cold-work these into little knives or axes. But for weapons they relied on shaped flint, or fire-hardened spears, or yierka bones."

Akenna smiles at Kothos.

You say, "Into one of the People's tribes was born in those days a great warrior. Even as a child he was enormous and strong. And he knew it."

Elbromo turns an inquisitive ear toward you.

Sanfey cocks her head at you.

You say, "When he wrestled the other children, he enjoyed hurting them. He would break their arms and call it an accident. When training with spears he would shatter them against his opponents' heads and laugh."

You shake your head.

Sanfey frowns.

Delindra flinches.

Vaikhen clenches his jaw.

Agathilea furrows her brow.

Tabubu's eyes crinkle slightly at the edges.

You say, "As he grew older, and became a man and a warrior for his tribe, all feared him. He looked like a giantman, out in the fields, in the sand dunes. And his natural gifts were such that he didn't spend much time practicing with the spear or the axe."

You say, "Why bother? His raw strength, and the fear he kindled in the hearts of his foes, that was all he needed."

You cock your head.

Dalinsia furrows her brow.

Sanfey shakes her head, clucking her tongue.

You say, "But, and I think you know where this is going... soon enough the other warriors learned that our hero, this giant, wasn't a master of battle. Strong, yes, but unskilled."

Kothos takes a moment to observe you.

Goldstr grins at Khazaann.

Vaikhen smiles slightly.

You say, "And you might think, "Well, all this warrior has to do is train! Learn from his betters, and become a true warrior." And that is true -- he could have become one of the greatest warriors of all time. A legend for the ages."

You nod.

Guarrin nods in agreement at Dalinsia.

You say, "But he didn't. For he was a cruel man, convinced of his own strength. He believed -- he KNEW -- that he deserved to be feared as the greatest warrior of all time. But, of course, he was weak where it mattered. Here."

You place a hand over your heart.

Akenna takes a drink from her fresh apple cider.

You say, "And so..."

Sanfey nods once.

You lean forward.

You say, "One night, as he went to bed, he closed his eyes and made a wish, to whoever might be listening. And he begged for the gods to give him a weapon worthy of his strength. A weapon that would show all the world that he was the greatest warrior of the Age."

Sanfey murmurs, "...courage."

Aeith ponders.

Koergun breathes in deeply as he clenches a pipe in his mouth, then exhales slowly, causing some darkened amorphous clouds of puffy smoke to float up from his mouth.

You say, "And when he woke, he found the most wondrous thing awaiting him. On the blankets beside him, resting there like a lover, was a long obsidian blade, curved in the style of the Tehir. It was beautiful, and polished, and smelled like blood."

Agathilea looks thoughtfully at you.

You remove a knapped obsidian blade hilted with a wrapped elk hoof from in your ivory satchel.

You say, "This is not the same blade, of course. But it might have looked something like this."

Vaikhen leans forward.

(Alosaka tilts the blade in his hand, and gives it a few experimental swings. The weapon is so heavy the tip sags a bit, and he quickly recovers it to a safer grip.)

Agathilea nods to you.

Kippe nods slightly at Kothos.

Aeith leans back.

Guarrin ponders.

Sanfey looks closely at your obsidian blade.

You softly say, "They had never seen a weapon like this before. Sharper than anything in the entire Sea of Fire. Hard as diamond. A piece of night, given terrible form."

Phanna gazes with interest at you.

Delindra shivers.

Yukito folds his hands in his lap.

You say, "And with his blade, our warrior did indeed become great. But while the weapon was serviceable, it was only perfect against soft targets. Animals, unarmed warriors. Women. Children."

Vaikhen frowns.

Sanfey winces.

You quietly say, "Especially children."

Tabubu takes a moment to observe you.

You glance at a knapped obsidian blade hilted with a wrapped elk hoof and rub your chin thoughtfully.

A pained expression crosses Aeith's face.

Dalinsia's eyes crease slightly downward.

Kothos stares at you.

Koergun frowns.

You say, "And the warrior became a legend indeed. A monster who walked across the world, slaughtering any of his tribe's enemies. But only the women and children and the defenseless. All the others, the warriors, he left to his brothers to defeat."

Guarrin scratches at his beard.

Sanfey cocks her head.

You say, "And this might have lasted forever, until one day the warrior was about to celebrate his latest victory against a young woman who trembled at his feet. Behind her cowered all the children of her village, and soon he would defeat them too."

You say, "Ah, but..."

You smile.

With a guarded expression, Koergun releases a bark of discontent.

You say, "This woman wore, on her doeskin jerkin, some decorations. Little tiles of turquoise, about the size of your thumbnail, as blue as the sky above the sands."

You tilt your head down.

(Alosaka considers his thumbnail for a moment, then shrugs.)

You say, "And the warrior's blade struck her jerkin, right where these little turquoise tiles were stitched onto it... and the blade snapped off at the hilt."

Vaikhen blinks.

Delindra gasps.

Sanfey smirks.

Phanna takes a drink from her rich dark cognac.

Goldstr grins.

You say, "For obsidian, while sharp, and hard as diamond, is as brittle as glass."

Sanfey nods slowly.

Elbromo frowns.

Vaikhen ponders.

You say, "And they say that the warrior, after his blade was broken, was defeated shortly thereafter. By the children, I like to imagine."

You smile.

Koergun emits a noise that is a combination of laughter and barking, his eyes trained on you and full of amusement.

Dalinsia grunts.

You say, "Friends, we are here to talk about Temperance."

Aeith grins.

Kothos starts chuckling at you!

Meril cocks her head.

You grin.

Khazaann rubs his mithril forging-hammer.

Speaking quietly to himself, Kothos says, "Clever."

Tabubu leans forward and rests her chin in her hand, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Sanfey folds her arms over her chest.

Goldstr mutters hide-yer-drinks.

On Temperance

You say, "While I have a few things to say about it, I hope you will feel free to chime in or ask questions at any point."

Roelaren smiles at you.

Draught glances at a cup of fresh apple cider on a scorched oak sideboard.

You say, "Temperance is moderation of our appetites, our passions, even our thoughts. It is the wellspring of discipline and duty. And though we often overlook it, Temperance is just as important as Courage, Wisdom or Justice."

Roelaren pours herself a wide flagon of blueberry ale.

Elbromo smiles.

Faerinn raises his chilled plum wine in a toast!

Perivan takes a drink from his cold spring water.

You clear your throat.

Roelaren takes a drink from her ruby red wine.

Kothos smiles quietly to himself.

Phanna nods in agreement to you.

Vaikhen appears to be trying hard not to grin.

Falicor picks up a wide flagon of blueberry ale.

Faerinn takes a drink from his chilled plum wine.

You say, "A man or woman who lacks temperance is a slave of their own desires. They eat without abandon. They drink themselves into stupors. They chase after carnal pleasures until they are ruined."

Falicor takes a drink from his blueberry ale.

Kothos takes a drink from his rich dark cognac.

(Alosaka considers the obsidian blade in his hand. He runs his thumb along the edge, then winces slightly.)

Elbromo nods at Geijon.

You tap a knapped obsidian blade hilted with a wrapped elk hoof, which is in your right hand.

You say, "For those who lack temperance..."

You say, "When given the opportunity to train, to become better versions of themselves, they cannot take it."

You say, "They cannot control themselves."

Darcena looks thoughtfully at you.

You say, "As some of you know, I recently took up the art of forging weapons, and as part of that I learned how to temper steel."

Kothos looks thoughtfully at you.

Roelaren smiles at you.

You say, "Both words, in the common language used by the Empire, derive from the same root. To temper something is to give it temperance."

Jaysehn takes a drink from his warm sylvan brandy.

Speaking to you, Sanfey says, "...an apt analogy."

Khazaann smiles at you.

You say, "Tempering a blade occurs after you quench it for hardness. Tempering slowly heats the blade, then slowly cools it, easing out all the cracks and flaws that might cause it to shatter."

Kothos smiles at Phanna.

Roelaren just opened a leaf-embroidered bright crimson backpack.

Agathilea nods in agreement.

You gaze thoughtfully at your obsidian blade.

You say, "You cannot temper obsidian. It is what it is, as our warrior learned to his regret."

Aeith nods.

Jaysehn takes a drink from his warm sylvan brandy.

You say, "But, fortunately, we are not obsidian."

Speaking to you, Kothos says, "If his blade had been forged from steel, and his courage and skill up to his strength..."

Speaking to you, Kothos says, "Your story would have had a different tone."

You nod at Kothos.

Sanfey agrees with Kothos.

Vaikhen frowns.

Vaikhen nods.

Speaking to Kothos, you say, "Perhaps a better one? Though only if his soul were stronger than his blade, I think."

Koergun takes a drink from his rich dark cognac.

Kothos smiles at Dirra.

Geijon begins chuckling at Guarrin!

You say, "For no matter how sharp, or how hard a blade is, if it has not been tempered, it will shatter at the first strong blow."

Faerinn takes a drink from his chilled plum wine.

Speaking to you, Sanfey asks, "Likewise a soul, no?"

Koergun nods understandingly to you.

(Alosaka flicks the obsidian blade with his fingertip, letting it ring quietly like a crystal glass.)

You nod at Sanfey.

The wall of force disappears from around Dirra.

Tabubu tilts her head in Sanfey's general direction, the folds of her hood obscuring her expression from view.

Kothos looks thoughtfully at you.

Dirra whispers something to Mauss.

You say, "Indeed. The virtue of Temperance is to our soul, what tempering in the forge is to steel."

Perivan takes a drink from his cold spring water.

Delindra ponders.

You say, "In some sense, we are all of us warriors. We all fight for something. And to be the best warrior, or healer, or even storyteller, requires dedication."

You say, "It means passing on simple pleasures, sometimes. It means enduring pain now, when you are safe, so that you will not crack later when you experience pain for real."

Sanfey rubs her chin thoughtfully.

Teaberry nods slowly.

You say, "The soul that is tempered can withstand defeats, injuries and failures without cracking. A soul with temperance can endure where others will fail."

Vaikhen ponders.

You say, "Now, some of you may know the ancient elven symbol for Temperance."

Phanna nods slightly at Kothos.

Chamorr heartily says, "I heard there was drinks."

Guarrin points at a scorched oak sideboard.

Tabubu shifts her weight.

You say, "A maiden emptying a jug of wine into a jug filled with water. It symbolizes watering down the wine, making it less potent."

Kothos smiles at Phanna.

You say, "As you might imagine, for this reason, Temperance is not considered as exciting a virtue as, say, Courage."

Vaikhen chuckles.

You chuckle.

Aeith grins.

Vaikhen nods.

Goldstr grins at you.

You say, "But Temperance does not mean to forgo all pleasures. It does not mean you must always be dour and unsmiling forever."

Chamorr heartily says, "Did they stone her."

Dirra nods to you.

You say, "But it does mean knowing when to stop eating, or drinking. When to rest. When to study, when to train. When to say no to pleasure."

Elbromo smiles.

Sanfey says, "...untempered courage easily turns into aggression..."

You say, "Temperance means to rule yourself, and although we will never celebrate a hero for being the most Temperate man or woman of his age, we should never forget to look inward, and seek that virtue inside ourselves."

Speaking to herself, Dirra says, "A path to balance."

Aeith agrees with Sanfey.

The brilliant luminescence fades from around Geijon.

You smile.

Guarrin nods once.

You say, "And that concludes my prepared remarks! I invite any questions or thoughts you may have."

Kothos smiles at you.

Koergun applauds you.

Sanfey bows to you.

Guarrin gives a sidelong glance at Darcena.

Vaikhen applauds you politely.

Agathilea applauds you.

Guarrin applauds you politely.

Phanna smiles at you.

Faerinn takes a drink from his chilled plum wine.

Phanna applauds politely.

Vaikhen hoots at you.

Delindra smiles.

Speaking to you, Sanfey says, "Very thought provoking. Thank you."

Dalinsia grunts.

Falicor raises his hand.

Jaysehn smiles.

Dirra applauds you.

Dalinsia nods approvingly to you.

Jaysehn takes a drink from his warm sylvan brandy.

Yukito applauds you.

Elbromo applauds you.

Questions and Answers

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