Union of Solidarity

Union of Solidarity

For countless years it seemed the Conclave had preached a message of order and peace. Only in the last few decades had that revolution of unity begun to find traction in the war-torn continent. Led by some of the most brilliant mages seen in many an age the Conclave was fighting back and they were winning. Men and women not isolate and alone but united in a single purpose. Their prowess while not all-powerful was impressive to behold. They traveled bringing peace – often at the end of an exploding fireball. They put down rebelling nobles intent on disrupting order to gain personal power. They slew great horrid beasts that had fed and grown on nearly millennia of war. They battled hordes of bandits and ended the reigns of cruel warlords. In the process they began to amass fame and honor. They were the savior of the world people cried –perhaps they even were- and they took the cheers to heart.

And these mighty mages grew wealthy. Great terraces and luxurious penthouses were added to their previously spartan island fortress. They began to partake in delicate foods, priceless jewelry and fine clothes. They transformed magic into a commercialized practice and it was booming trade. Everyone wished to use the soil that would make their crops grow a little faster or plump. Use the tools that were just a bit sharper and last just a few weeks longer. Drink the water that kept one from being thirsty another hour later.

Where only a century ago men and women would have been willing to kill one another over perceived transgression, they now merely clenched their teeth and grounded their heels into the mud. They were tired. Humanity was tired. Where always a new generation had been born in preparation to avenge the blood debts of their forefathers a new philosophy was taking hold. The Conclave offered a new way to define victory. They taught that success was food on the table for one’s family after a good crop and not taking the heads of another family after a pyrrhic victory. They offered the magical assistance to make it happen. Fields that had barren for years were slowly coaxed back to life. Rivers that had been ridden by pollution and death were made pure again. Tools that were worn and broken were fixed and made better than before. Upon the backs of working mages, often lacking prowess but possessed of a great spirit and a belief in a brighter future, the shattered world was slowly made whole.

But they did not share the fortune of their leaders. They were treated as lesser by their war capable superiors and given little in exchange for their years of service. Even the mercenaries hired by the Conclave were given more respect. If one was incapable of fighting competitively in battle then one was treated as a servant and forced to work in conditions more applicable to slavery. There was especially true for the metal mages of the Conclave which had not produced a single battle mage in several centuries. They were viewed as a gang of smiths and constantly viewed with scorn.

As such it is fitting the man who would put an end to this would be a metal mage. A smith by the name of Lech Walsea went to organize the workers of the Conclave into protest that garner them more respect and reprieve. The protest was peaceful and popular. A demonstration of thousands of mages was made at the heart of the Conclave. The response to the protest was violent. Who gave the order is unknown but suddenly the protest was treated as one of the many conducted by self-serving nobility. The worker-strike jeopardized the stability to the Conclave had created at long last. It was to be dealth with in the same manner that all such incidents that jeopardized stability of the continent were handled. The protesters were asked to stand down. UIpon rejecting the offer with sneers and snorts they were brutally put down.

-tbc- -unedited-

I like this so far. Sorry for not commenting when this was first put out.

Depending on when this happened, the Inquisition was likely the one to give them an ultimatum: Cease and Desist or you will be found Compliant to Intent of Misuse of Magic, Rejecting the Authority of the Inquisition, and Rejecting the Authority of the Conclave.

I really think that killing them off is unlikely for the Conclave, because it wasn't to go rogue, it was just to get more respect. However, if the Conclave was currently led by someone, or the Inquisition led by someone, or someone of a high-enough rank responded quick enough, who all had it in for the protesters/metal mages/etc., then this is a lot more likely. It could be painted in any light they wanted to paint it at that point.

Bonus points for having an ongoing Inquisitorial review of something that just one of the semi-important figures of the protest, and having that review actually determine some (minor) questionable activity, and use it as a scapegoat to avoid any sort of serious retribution.

Bump.