No, Zendae, you are right in saying that a path chosen by players not neccessarily leads to success. But I don't regard the "Ranger solution" not a wise choice, to begin with; it's a little bit like expecting the Zorai to erect electric fences around their villages, like the ones used by the Karavan, or to order the Trykers to only drink tea from now on, and the Fyros fruit juice. It wasn't the happiest of situations, so to say.
At that point, though, there was a grudge, but no real harm done. The offering of an alternate effort was inspired, though, for it gave the Zorai and Matis something to do, and something much closer to their hearts.
The real problems came with the Karan's uncommunicated agreement, obviously neither shared with his counsellors, nor his herald, nor the nobles, and the painfully long latency until he met up with the nobles, answered - if at all - half of the questions thrown at him, and in the end made a decision which at that point was absolutely irrational. Thinking about it, the sheer madness of this decision was what gave the nobles hope. All other harm was already done. The Karan might have trust in the Rangers, and obviously much more in them than in the nobles, but the nobles have no longer trust in the Rangers - nor in their own Karan.
If at that point we would have been told that the Ranger solution has to be applied, for better or worse, I still would have felt cheated, but would have - like a Boojum - softly and suddenly vanished away, not because of the facts but of the way they were brought to us, and all the things which went terribly wrong along that way. I certainly would not have taken part in Erminantius' study group, which now becomes pointless, because we can bet that only Rangers have scientists of note, while other countries have bloody fools meddling in the field, so that in the end Erminantius will have to ask the Rangers anyway. Probably more importantly I would not have wasted a thought about the responsibilities of being in the Chamber again or to have to run a village. I had never accepted a seat in the Davae hierarchy because village politics don't interest me at all.
At that point, though, there was a grudge, but no real harm done. The offering of an alternate effort was inspired, though, for it gave the Zorai and Matis something to do, and something much closer to their hearts.
The real problems came with the Karan's uncommunicated agreement, obviously neither shared with his counsellors, nor his herald, nor the nobles, and the painfully long latency until he met up with the nobles, answered - if at all - half of the questions thrown at him, and in the end made a decision which at that point was absolutely irrational. Thinking about it, the sheer madness of this decision was what gave the nobles hope. All other harm was already done. The Karan might have trust in the Rangers, and obviously much more in them than in the nobles, but the nobles have no longer trust in the Rangers - nor in their own Karan.
If at that point we would have been told that the Ranger solution has to be applied, for better or worse, I still would have felt cheated, but would have - like a Boojum - softly and suddenly vanished away, not because of the facts but of the way they were brought to us, and all the things which went terribly wrong along that way. I certainly would not have taken part in Erminantius' study group, which now becomes pointless, because we can bet that only Rangers have scientists of note, while other countries have bloody fools meddling in the field, so that in the end Erminantius will have to ask the Rangers anyway. Probably more importantly I would not have wasted a thought about the responsibilities of being in the Chamber again or to have to run a village. I had never accepted a seat in the Davae hierarchy because village politics don't interest me at all.
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Salazar CaradiniFilira Matia
Royal Historian
Member of the Royal Academy of Yrkanis
First Seraph of the Order of the Argo Navis