A Charming Villain: Meridia and High King Martineius

[Raargant]

Martineius has pages... and pages... of discussion about him. I loved him as a villain because he disarmed everyone (and not just in the coded sense), because he had Plans and was able to accomplish them, because he enabled me to play a political activist which I'd always wanted to do but never thought I'd ever have an opportunity to in a lifetime's worth of gaming, and because he let me do it credibly, because he created politics in the game world that were controversial and complex... and corrupt.

As with Galvatar, I think subtle, lawful evil is hard to accomplish well, and I found the psychology behind conversation with him to be fascinating - and insufferable. If people fell to him through RP, it was because he let them talk themselves into holes, inadvertantly telling him things he could later use to manipulate them - even when they knew what the game was, as with below.

Martineius, ever observant of the rabble, began his probe... er, 'chat' with her by trying to throw her off guard and declare one of the gods insane.

You say 'Insane... er...'

Meridia casts Martineius a blank look.

Martineius says 'Very insane.'

You say 'Run that by me again?'

Martineius nods at you in agreement.

Martineius says 'He's insane, and he's a patron of the Scourge, which basically is a religion of random, brutal murder.'

Martineius says 'I highly, highly disapprove.'

Meridia replies, slowly, 'Right.'

You say 'Okay.'

Meridia nods, still looking a little bemused, as she flutters her wings, stretching them.

You say 'So. Since we're so similiar, that must mean you're pretty open about youself.'

Martineius says 'Does it?'

Martineius says 'You've refused to tell me anything about yourself.'

You say '... I have?'

Martineius says 'Quid pro quo, dear Meridia.'

Martineius's eyes twinkle. 'You have.'

You tell Meridia 'Clever, clever vampire.'

Meridia grins. 'Huh.'

Martineius says 'You've fobbed me off with claims of being 'uninteresting' every time.'

You say 'Well, it's ture.'

You say 'It's even true.'

You say 'That's how true it is.'

Meridia flushes a little.

You say 'Thing is, when I answer something, I tell you the truth.'

You say 'I ask you something, and you give me the run-around.'

Martineius says 'But there's been plenty of times, as well, when I haven't.'

Martineius says 'Such as when you asked my opinion of what I think of each city.'

You draw a tarot card it reveals [ Emperor ].

You shall increase your fortunes...

Martineius says 'In contrast, you've given me the run around each time.'

You say 'Have not.'

Martineius extends his hand again, with a smile.

Martineius says 'Have too.'

Martineius says 'Tarot?'

Reflexively, Meridia flips out a new card for Martineius.

You draw a tarot card and reveal [ Lovers ] to Martineius.

You say 'Hmph.'

Martineius can't help but laugh out loud.

You say 'I keeping you from a date?'

Martineius says 'Not that I can think of, no.'

Nonetheless, Martineius's eyes dance and his lips twitch.

Meridia tries to keep a straight face, but she isn't doing a very good job.

You say 'Right.'

You say 'Well, anyway.'

You say 'What is there to know about me, that you care about knowing?'

Martineius says 'Family background? Decisions to join the bardic guildhall, and at such a young age?'

Meridia does not sit down yet, folding her arms across her chest as she regards Martineius with a smile.

You say 'Alright.'

You say 'I grew up with my mom.'

You say 'She died a few years ago to the plague.'

Meridia relates it all smoothly, although her eyes flicker with a little warmer emotion.

Martineius says 'Plague...plague.'

Martineius says 'What city?'

You say 'Miruvhor.'

Martineius closes his eyes, as if thinking to himself.

Meridia glances around the room. 'So, after scrounging around there for a bit, I caught a merchant train to Rheydin.'

Martineius says 'How many years ago was this plague?'

You say 'Hm?'

You say 'Oh, right.'

You say 'Three years ago, or thereabouts.'

Martineius says 'Three years...three years...'

Suddenly, Martineius's eyes open. 'The great winter plague of 701 PC?'

Meridia shrugs. 'Maybe?'

You say 'Why?'

'My condolences,' Martineius offers gravely. 'I recall that plague. We couldn't get enough healers to make the rounds quickly enough.'

Meridia shrugs, again, a little testily, 'Don't worry about it.'

You say 'Wasn't your fault.'

Martineius says 'My cities. My responsibility. My fault.'

Martineius says 'But yes...please continue.'

Meridia rolls her eyes, 'Right, right.'

You say 'Anyway.'

Meridia clears her throat, getting away from the more painful memories.

You say 'Hopped a ride with a merchant train across the Forsaken Lands and into Rheydin.'

Martineius watches you, obvious sympathy masked in his eyes.

You say 'But, I don't know anyone here.'

Martineius says 'Forsaken Lands. Now there's an unpleasant place.'

Martineius says 'Couldn't afford the gateway?'

Meridia continues to glance around, only occassionally returning her gaze to Martineius. 'Nope.'

Martineius nods, once. 'I see.'

Martineius says 'How do you like Rheydin?'

Meridia grins a little. 'Wasn't so bad. Most comfortable ride on a pile of fish you could imagine.'

You say 'And, I like it alright.'

Martineius smiles at you.

Martineius says 'I've known more than a few young people your age who have come from dire straits. They've all had some of the strongest will power, as well as the greatest ambitions, that I've seen.'

Martineius says 'What are yours?'

Meridia returns the smile, the familiar brightness in her eyes. 'Oh, I'm going to be famous.'

You say 'I answered your questions, now?'

Martineius says 'Naturally. What else? What for?'

You say 'I'm really interested to hear your side.'

Martineius says 'A famous singer? Dancer? Actor? Playwright? Writer? Journalist? Scribe?'

You say 'Writer. Now, about your family. How did you end up in Tribunal?'

Martineius says 'I'm not done asking.'

Martineius's eyes twinkle. 'What do you want to write about?'

You say 'Oh, for the love of...'

You mutter quietly to yourself.

Nyofeld tells you 'Gots ah group?'

You tell Nyofeld 'Nope. You?'

You say 'I like people.'

You smile at him.

You say 'And events.'

You say 'And I -know- I've told you that before.'

Martineius says 'Yes, yes you have. So you intend to write about current events?'

You say 'Sure. They're interesting.'

Martineius nods thoughtfully, smiling face and eyes hiding the whirring motors and gears of his mind in action.

Martineius says 'I see.'

You draw a tarot card it reveals [ Chariot ].

Martineius says 'One for me?'

Meridia tosses a card to Martineius.

tarot mart

Their fate is already determined.

... Meridia's card misses, flying off to the wall.

Martineius says 'Try again.'

Martineius's eyes twinkle.

Meridia mutters, going to gather it up, as she tosses another card over her shoulder to Martineius.

tarot mar

You failed to interpret the tarot cards.

tarot mar

You failed to interpret the tarot cards.

Meridia tosses a second card, and a third... and a fourth!

You draw a tarot card and reveal [ Tower ] to Martineius.

Martineius says 'Tower. Interesting.'

Martineius smiles at you.

Meridia grins, having to gather up her other cards. 'Sure is, I guess.'

You say 'Though, the Lovers picture is prettier.'

Martineius says 'Current events, you said. You aren't much interested in researching ancient stuff, then?'

Martineius says 'Like, say, my Heraldric friends.'

You say 'It's interesting, but you have to see, I'm just an avian.'

Meridia flutters her wings to make the point.

You say 'I can't spend all my life learning about everything that's ever happened.'

You smile at him.

You say 'I'll never make it.'

You say 'The long-lived ones will always be better than me.'

Martineius says 'I see.'

Martineius nods again, thoughtfully, to himself.

Meridia grins. 'You see?'

You say 'How old are you, Marty?'

Martineius says 'Truthfully? Somewhere around sixty. I'm not sure exactly.'

Meridia pauses, no words coming out.

You look at Martineius.

Martineius doesn't look a day beyond his early twenties.

You say '... Er.'

You say 'Right.'

Meridia coughs a little. 'You've, er, aged well.'

Martineius says 'Thank you.'

Martineius smiles at you.

Meridia nods to Martineius and winks. 'Anytime.'

Age : 18(68h)

Martineius watches you with a glint of approval. 'Very good.'

Meridia's grin increases. 'I guess we are alike afterall.'

Martineius says 'See?'

Martineius smiles at you.

Martineius says 'And in more ways than you might know.'

Martineius says 'For example?'

Meridia nods. 'Yes, for example?'

Martineius remarks, off-hand, as if it is of no import, 'My mother and I were separated when I was young, as well.'

You say 'Oh?'

Martineius says 'Mm...'

Martineius says 'I really shouldn't have told you that.'

Martineius says 'You'll put it all over your newspaper, or whatever you intend to write.'

Meridia says, her expression remaining outwardly kind, no matter what her thoughts might be, 'Well, that's... er, what?'

Martineius chuckles, not without a hint of bemused self-reproof.

Meridia blinks a few times. 'Don't, er, worry. I'm not going to publish our chats.'

Martineius says 'No? Then what's the reason for them?'

Martineius says 'I thought you said earlier that you intended to.'

Meridia says, a bit more impatiently, 'Now, you keep making me repeat myself.'

You say 'See, this is why I don't like to talk about myself.'

You say 'I don't like making people listen to me'

You say 'So.'

You say 'I like chatting with you to learn about you.'

You say 'Because it's interesting.'

You say 'Because I learn things.'

You say 'Things that aren't just about you.'

Martineius says 'As you say. These conversations are privileged, then?'

You say 'I don't see why they shouldn't be.'

You say 'You haven't said anything.'

Smiling, Martineius presses, 'Is that a yes?'

Meridia replies, smiling as well, 'I guess that depends.'

You say 'Is there a reason they should be privledged?'

Martineius says 'I'm a private person?'

Meridia chuckles a little. 'You?'

Martineius says 'Me.'

You say 'Should've taken a different job, then.'

Martineius says 'I believe in a firm separation of personal and private, and public matters.'

You say 'Right, and that's fine to a degree.'

You say 'But sometimes the personal affects the public.'

(... and Meridia ended up leaving this meeting hardly any more enlightened than when she came, while Martineius knew about her past, her motivations, and a better impression of her various strengths.)