Tai: *sneaking around the outskirts of Damcyan castle, making his way towards the jails* ~I have no idea what happened to Zemi. When I checked the zoo this morning, he was completely gone. Figures… he probably dumped me out here in the middle of this desert crawling with humans. Wonder what took him so long. Apparently he’s not smart enough just transform OUT of dragon form and slip out of the zoo… like any so-called intelligent higher being SHOULD do.~
Huh, yeah, Zemi didn’t just turn back to Earthian… form? But he seems to be one to just go with the flow… after all, he can always come back. Right? And he doesn’t know how the others are doing I assume… so, can’t blame him.
Besides Tai, that he left you there suggests that he has faith in your own abilities, he isn’t treating you like a kid (which, age differential wise he probably could…). Also, maybe Zazo can track him… and that means he should be as far away from you as possible…
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Or Tai just really likes to complain. Which is true, too. ^_~
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Whoa, Tai is built!
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He’s a tough little guy!
…Did I say little? *runs*
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Of course I’m built. I’m the strongest figment in Wayrift!
Grrrr! |: >
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My gosh, I mistook him for Zeb for a second O_o!
Cept, Zeb is sort of busy at the moment…getting chewed up by his brother.
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W-WHAT?? ZEB? How did you do THAT? XO
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Tai is going to go help out his um, sort of family members… yes?
All: Who are you?
Tai: Benjamin!?
Ben: Uh oh…
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Only if Tai is feeling generous. ^_~
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when Ben gets loose
stars begins to fall
that is if his father got hurt
or he will restore the crystal’s power
Tai, Ben is the most power full figment in Wayrift! not Tai
sorry
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at least I think so
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I could beat up Ben any day!
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Power is the ability to influence. Whether you do so by cunning, ie manipulation or by force ie, meteor. You have power if you can influence the outcome of events.
Ben has much raw magical power, but refrains from using it. Thus he has little influence, and little true power. He has a lot of potential power though.
Tai also has a lot of raw physical, and to a degree magical power. He uses at least the physical power quite effectively. However, his magic power tends to be chaotic and uncontrolled. He can influence things with it, but what he influences tends to be random. So he has power, but he can’t determine what he has power over exactly.
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Just because someone doesn’t display the power they have doesn’t mean they lack influence. Sometimes the strongest and most respected people are the ones that don’t need to prove themselves by any show of power. It’s a state of mind… the way they hold themselves… and the way they interact with and treat others.
Sincerely earning the trust and love of others is more powerful than any meteor, IMHO. I think Ben understands that and chooses to withhold his power partially for that reason…. (and partially for lack of confidence and trust in himself).
Tai is on the other end of the spectrum. He needs to learn that brute strength, reputation and political title don’t always equal true power.
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Bah, all the smart people know that when it is not needed power should not be displayed… the only time it should be displayed is if it is needed to be displayed, for example in the form of deterrence… (I have nukes… so do you… you nuke me, I nuke you, both of us die… don’t nuke me). And even the simple display of power in such form is power in action, threat is a type of power… hard power generally.
Tai likes hard power, sorta like the USA (Just look at the navy! Gee, it’s crazy, that is not something I want coming after me, sorta like Tai). Ben seems more like the Canada and it’s soft power (generally pacifistic and carries a fair degree of influence that is not militarily based, hey, who doesn’t like Canada? We’re nice! But Canada does get involved sometimes (well, bad leadership?). But in truth, Canada could make nukes in a few days we just don’t care to, that’s right, fear Canada!).
Really it’s best to have both hard and soft power, but avoid using hard power if necessary. Perhaps like Aiden. Kinda like the whole walking softly but carrying big stick line…
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If your figment was a country…. hehe. I never thought about it that way before!
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If Zemi were a country, he would be Australia.
No idea why I said that. Just felt like it.
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As pathetic as playing to the stereotypes inherent to certain countries is… Well, it’s still funny!
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Power is more the ability to do something than anything else. Say you have two people, both with the same amount of physical strength, arcane strength, and so on. One uses their power to ravage the countryside and destroy everything that gets in their way; the other turns it to more pacifistic uses. Although the destroyer is more feared, both still have the same amount of power, whether they use it or not. The pacifist might actually have even more power, as they have the WILL to not turn whatever they have to serving themselves.
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I certainly agree Weomur, and hence the dueling concepts of fear and love. Is it better to be loved or feared? Which gives you more power?
I’ll go along with Niccolo Machiavelli and say, for a leader, its best to be both.
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Well, when talking about power from a leadership position, it’s a different story. I feel it is about maintaining a balance, I agree. A good leader should strive to earn love/loyalty from those that should support them… obtain influence over those who should fear them… and possess the wisdom and prudence to identify what camp people and parties around them belong in.
But then again, I believe in leadership that serves the people rather than personal or monetary interests. Idealism FTW! XD
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Leadership that serves the people? If that’s idealism, than Machiavelli was an idealist too. And that’s not something that you hear every day (but its true anyway). Personally I agree, though I think that it is the people’s job to ensure their leaders are like that! Thank you democracy for making it easier.
This is one of the reasons I like DS Cecil’s style of ruling, he’s got both the army and the people on his side, and he chooses the people over the nobles, and on top of that hes ruling for the people’s well being. Ironically hes almost exactly like Machiavelli’s Prince! He also fits the description you just gave Aywren. As for BS Cecil, he’s similar in some ways but his position is far more precarious, I get the sense that he is loved, but that love is due to fear itself, and a kind of awe as well.
Gah, and now I start comparing the two Cecils again! Too much Poli Sci for me!
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Actually.. though, his people do luv him.. and actually don’t super-awe him. BSC was the type of grunt soldier who lived amongst the people, wore the same clothes when he was off-duty, and did the same things. I get the feeling he wasn’t exactly accepted by royalty having absolutely no royal blood running through his veins. (Hence he went the military route)
(In fact, Junior sure isn’t in awe of him. Junior regularly falls asleep in meetings, on duty… tries to sneak kick him. *laughs* )
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Bah.. I have no use for nobles either. *grumbles* All they do is sit and complain about taxes, servants… all that nonsense. *whispers* Not to mention they make awful mother-in-laws.
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BS Cecil isn’t so bad. We just got to get him to loosen up a bit. Which means I have to get him out on the practice mat some more. I can beat him up, too. |: >
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Power… is a difficult thing to measure, if indeed not a dangerous thing to measure, for often one who feels secure in his knowledge of his own power has lost it, and those who think they must have more have lost themselves.
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Power = ability to… do, or make things happen. It has many branches of course, hard, soft, etc… and different kinds of things contribute to it. Personally I put intelligence and cunning near the top of the list of contributers… Nonetheless, some things are not possible to properly quantify; power in the true sense is one of them.
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Can,
I was thinking about what you said in the case of BSC. I’d have to say that he is well-loved by both the people, and especially his troops. He’s pretty down to earth, though I think he tends to see himself as the average foot-soldier who worked his way up. When I think of him, I tend to think of figures similar to that such as Maximus… heh, or even Leonidas (in movie ficture, of course). Not orators, or artistics or poets of any type. Just down and dirty get-the-job-done kinda fellows.
Because the BS world is much more unstable in some ways, he has a lot to fear. I think he’s seen what instability looks like – I’m sure he’s toured many areas of Baron (including the more lawless). He also knows that people around him (not directly so) are capable of spreading nasty rumors…. Imagine what would happen in such a world if Golbez was found to be Cecil’s brother? Suddenly, the greatest hero of the world is related to the Tyrant…
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And then what happens when people connect the dots… They are part of the same family… why wouldn’t they be working together After all, Golbez was responsible for the last king’s death and installed the “puppet king” on the throne. Cecil starts to look an awful lot like a bad guy… (At least in my world)
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I need to beat up your world. *grunts*
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Yeah, I think I had it wrong… the people don’t love BSC because they are in awe, or because they fear him, but more because they hate Golbez. Love based in hate, and hence why BSC’s position is so precarious. In fact, perhaps they don’t fear him enough! If they really did fear him they wouldn’t spread rumours, or even dare to treat him in such a disrespectful way. Though Kory’s afraid of him! That counts for something.
Though perhaps in a situation like this the army would be his best choice for support because they are the ones who know best that BSC is actually capable. The people are just plain obsessed with Golbez and grateful that BSC defeated him… something that doesn’t make a leader good necessarily, plus the image is frail.
Maximus? Leonidas? “THIS IS BARON!!!!” *kick* Ha! I could sorta see that actually… If I had the ability to do fan art I might do that (hint hint, someone? Anyone?). That would be awesome (and good BS propaganda!).
@BSC Yeah nobles… when they’re useful they are actually useful! But unless you’re in Republican Rome… yeah, good luck with finding a noble who is not either not helping or actively trying to make your job difficult!
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@Tai… what I said refers to most nobles… yeah… so don’t attack me… no, hold on… you should agree with me right? Look at all those nasties who were trying to undermine SoYa and your father’s position back at Nefol… Yeah, so you agree with me right?… uh, so we cool then? Right?
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I consider myself as the son of the High Guide and of the noble house of Nefol. |: <
I am no peasant knave!
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@Tai… again. No I wasn’t calling you one! Of course not. I’m not suicidal. I had just remembered that you were, erm, are, a noble, and I was saying how nasty and selfish and sneaky most of them are! MOST of them. Obviously there are some good ones (you?), but I think you would probably agree with my overall assessment too, considering that particular situation back in Nefol (and Runne from the sound of it!).
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Hrmph. I’ll let it slide. This time.
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hmm…..these convo’s are getting indepth!
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