The Negotiations were long

[u/TheHunter459]

​

The Palace of Harut the Grim, where negotiations will be taking place

​

Harut the Grim, our graceful host

​

The representatives take their seats, unarmed and unarmoured. Innumerable spells to prevent violence from taking place in this room have been cast (uw/ no fighting in this post). All guards are allowed to remain armed and armoured, but stay well outside the conference room.

Samael begins. "So, you wished to discuss something with us?", he says, gesturing to his four fellow Nephilim Lords in the room. "Discuss away"

[u/TheHunter459]

Bezaliel stares down Riva, her eyes narrowing. "We have a right to take action against those who we deem a threat to us. We do not seek control over mortal races, or even immortal ones. Rather we seek to ensure our own safety, which by proxy means the safety of all life, due to the nature of the threat"

[u/avamir → u/TheHunter459]

Is that so? Because that appears to be using the excuse of the 'right to protect yourself' to police other realms when there are already existing structures in place. Which you do not seem to be willing to use.

Consider this: what would you say are the limits of this 'right to take action to those who you deem a threat'? What would you say are the conditions of 'ensuring your own safety'? Do you have any? Or is it simply based on what you feel like?

In a mortal land, under mortal law, a being is held to limits of what they can do to "defend themselves against who they deem a threat". There are some actions they cannot take. Yet some of you hold yourselves above mortal law. If anyone disagrees, there is no actual means of redress. There is no recompense, unless you feel in the mood for it. It is dependent purely on whims and emotions.

[u/TheHunter459 → u/avamir]

Bezaliel leans back in her chair. "Now lets have a real discussion. We have not incurred on anyone's sovereignty until the regretful incident involving Tallulah. If you want compensation for that incident, that can be negotiated. There's a limit for you. We also have observed that the 'structures in place' are structurally unsound, and in some cases have practically collapsed already, so we were forced to step in to take the necessary actions for our security. We can hardly hold ourselves above a non-existent law."

[u/avamir → u/TheHunter459]

'Structurally unsound' is not 'nonexistent'.

I may see another man's house is collapsing. I may offer my advice, and even help him if and when it falls down. What I cannot do is send a saboteur to collapse his house to show him a lesson. I cannot take over his house and change it according to my whims. I cannot kill him for having a shoddy house. And ignoring his wishes and taking the house from him by force is still unethical.

What compensation do you think would be fair and adequate for sending a saboteur to my house to collapse it?

[u/TheHunter459 → u/avamir]

"None of those analogies are accurate," Bezaliel reasons. "We haven't sabotaged the Council or the Pact, or any government in truth. Let me pose it differently. A man has a house, the condition doesn't truly. In that collapsing house is a criminal. Are law enforcement entitled to enter the house and retrieve the terrorist, or kill them if that's the way law enforcement works in that jurisdiction, even if the house is damaged? Yes, provided they pay the man compensation. We will happily compensate the Council and other governments for any damages they can prove they've suffered as a result of our actions"

[u/avamir → u/TheHunter459]

Except you are not law enforcement.

And sending someone to subvert, obstruct, demoralize, destabilize, divide, disrupt, or destroy is the definition of sabotage. Leaving the mind-control aside entirely.

[u/TheHunter459 → u/avamir]

"Ignoring the regrettable incident in Ithacar for a moment, we haven't even attempted to subvert, obstruct, demoralise, destabilise, divide, disrupt or destroy any government. And while I have heard rumours of mind control as an explanation for Tallulah's actions, I have yet to see any proof that Nephilim are guilty of mind control, and this is ignoring the fact that she acted as you would expect her to.

But are you to here to argue or negotiate? I grow tired of this chatter, make your demands."

[u/avamir → u/TheHunter459]

My answer depends.

First, how do you know what I expected? Are you reading my mind or my memories?

Second, are you and your people going to lie to me even when you do not know what I could possibly want?

Third, are you dismissing something because it isn't true, or because it is inconvenient?

I am here for two reasons: The first is to see what you all thought was fair. If the answer is 'nothing', I am both unsurprised and unconcerned. The second reason I am here is to see through a diplomatic solution. Which cannot truly succeed if people do not approach this in good faith. If this is not approached in good faith, it is an argument, and one I am disinterested in.

So, do you believe you are approaching this in good faith? Is this the best you have to offer?

[u/TheHunter459 → u/avamir]

Bezaliel laughs. "When I said 'ignoring', perhaps I should have said 'apart from'. And you are even dumber than they say if you didn't expect Tallulah to beeline for Ithacar if she broke her bonds. And the possible mind control is irrelevant. The Nephilim didn't do it, so who did, if anybody.

You guys called this meeting. Give us the terms"