Intermission 10 Page 14
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“So, no, Ricki, I’m not a fool.”
“I’ve been to Goblintown, and seen that the kobolds who live there are struggling, the same as all the other residents.”
“But I’ve seen kobold neighbourhoods elsewhere in the city as well, where they are thriving. Not just ones like me with special skills, either.”
“And I know that one day soon there will be families of goblins alongside them.”
“The Emperor is building something great for all of us. You and I are just unlucky to be born during these growing pains.”
“He’s here to help us.”
“I know He’d understand that we’re not bad people if we could only get word to Him somehow.”
“…But we don’t have any way to do that.”
“I know.”
“I guess… I can hold out for a while longer.”
“I really do like the room, Ricki. Thank you.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Having a better idea now of where Macadamia is coming from, Ricki realizes she can’t hope to convince him to change any of his beliefs just by talking to him. It seems that the kobold perspective on the Empire, at least in some cases, is very different from the almost universal experience of goblins. Some of the history he just described is probably wrong (it has to be, doesn’t it?), but she doesn’t have any way to prove it.
Regardless, it seems what really happened is that Mac felt bad about what happened to Lara, and what he really needed right now was to talk to somebody. Ricki doubts he’s about to do anything dangerous. She’ll try again to get him to see her point of view another time, when she has something other than her own words to do it with.
I think the Emperor is being smart here. Regardless of your motives, you can’t run an Empire if you don’t have some loyalty. Kobolds are useful because they are excellent craftsmen. People who have been oppressed or who are in desperate situations will always be the easiest to buy loyalty from. You see it all the time in history and politics. You see it today!
Goblins are a free nomadic people who don’t have the same useful trade skills. They have their own chaotic powers as well. They’re unpredictable and therefore not as easy to control.
There’s nothing really wrong about Macadamia’s sympathies to the empire. In fact, it makes perfect sense. The problem is that he’s a very common sort of individual. Most civilians are not activists. They aren’t trying to make a statement. They aren’t trying to risk their lives. They don’t want to have to think hard about all the angles. They are only aware of personal anecdotes. Most people that push misinformation have had a *personal* bad experiences that lead them to believe what they believe. Researching the subject takes actual work. Talking to a variety of different people outside of your bubble takes actual work. It’s easier to only go as far as what you have personally experienced. Evil cannot thrive without common, unremarkable people.
Mac’s angle on the subject is valid. But he’s talking about a promise that the Empire has claimed it will make when there’s evidence to the contrary that the promise is only words. But when you’re placed in a hopeless situation, some people will accept anything that gives them a glimmer of hope. It’s very sad, really.
> “Ricki doubts he’s about to do anything dangerous.”
Erm A tad ominous.
I think it’s intended to be the opposite? I could be wrong, but I interpret this as LSN hinting that it’s still okay to bring Mac to dungeons with Guards in them.
I do interpret it as such too, but something about it makes me tense.
I think you’re both right. It’s a warning that we can’t just take Mac’s loyalty for granted, and also a hint that there is a way to change his mind – we just need to find it.
Can I say that I’m really happy that we didn’t build Macadamias room first? I can’t help but find this “backstory” that we have gotten from him the most… unpleasant* read (of the backstories) that we had so far (and I’m aware that this is most likely intentional), not only because of his very different point of view on the subject of the Empire/the Emperor, but also because it wasn’t a surprise to him and he doesn’t really want the room. He does say “thank you”, but it is only token appreciation because he’s trying to be polite.
That would have felt so much like a waste of those hard earned 50 gold (with other, positive experience lacking), that I’m unsure if I would have (happily) spent 50 gold on someone else’s room after a “damper” like that.
And yes, Macadamias position/way of thinking is probably what you would get from most “unremarkable” people, as papergrin put it, in the same or similar situation, but more often than not stories are about the remarkable ones, instead.
Also, I’m fairly sure that if Macadamia were to contact the Empire/the Emperor in some way (praying, writing letters, either to Chestnut or to someone in the guard or whatever other options are available) – and contrary to Ricki, I feel like this is something he’ll probably try sooner or later, heck, maybe he already has – no matter his intentions or what he believes, it’s unlikely to end well for him (Macadmia) and/or the others.
*In addition to what I already wrote above, it might also be uncomfortable to have a mirror held to oneself (I’m fairly sure that I wouldn’t be of the dungeon crawling variety of people, if it meant putting my life at risk, instead of safely sitting in front of a PC or in a cozy home with a bunch of friends and a pen and paper or board game or other similarly safe system), that triggered this feeling of unpleasantness.
Mac is almost certainly already praying. He also already came clean to Chestnut, who apparently thought he was RPing.
I think he’ll avoid talking to the Guard, because he’s seen how well that tends to go, but if they somehow wind up in front of the Emperor he’ll probably no longer be on our side.
Oh we will get a word with Him all right!
I want that hat.
So much for the Basement Apartment. Makes me wonder how urgent we need to build that Sentry Post.
Let’s hope “The Child’s Bedroom” and “The Kitchen” are somewhat more satisfactory.
(Yes, the kitchen was already shown in https://dungeoneyes.com/intermission-10-page-1/, but https://dungeoneyes.com/the-manor/ has not yet been updated to show the renovated kitchen.)
Also: Please remember to vote for Dungeon Eyes at http://www.topwebcomics.com/vote/26944
We still haven’t seen Mac’s ability upgrade for his room yet, so even if the backstory ended without a resolution, we might still be very satisfied or intrigued with his newly gained ability.
Pretty sure Ricki also leveled and we haven’t gotten to pick that yet either? Could be wrong there.