(Pregame-??) Work is never over

[L'Orr-hui]

''You have not been here long indeed.'' they replied ''In the planes you will find that things like good and evil are not subjective forces but ojective ones. Freedom is similar in that it is a force, a fundamental principal, of reality. Proper study is required to decypher it's Truth rather then going by an assumption.''

''And no, it is not freedom to act without restraint for there are always restraints. The universe ebbs and flows and each action puts in motion an equivalent reaction. The tyrant not only denies the freedom of others but also his own: the moment he chooses to bear his boot on the neck of another he exposes himself to the retaliation of his victims should to boot ever be removed...and thus cannot remove it.''

[Fyne]

"I feel like you haven't been the one with your boot there. I have. It's way too easy and there were no repercussions. I got out of Ched Nasad because I got tired of the monotony of being on top. It took me a long time to understand what was wrong with the system. I was freer when I was a member of the tyranny. It was even easier for me to escape than the people I was helping to oppress. I've been on both sides because I was born into privilege and power. And I gave it up for restraint and purpose. I don't miss the freedom I had, because it was unchecked and came at the cost of others, but it didn't have any personal repercussions. Which I came to disgust," he says explaining a bit more about where his mindset comes from.

[L'Orr-hui]

The illithid stared intently on am awkward silence

Have you forgotten to whom or what you are conversing with?

[Fyne]

"No. But you reacted like you'd never got along with your people on principle earlier. But again, if you found it hard to leave that life behind, then you lived a different way than I did. I was able to freely choose to leave it behind and I faced no real consequences," Fyne says. "And I never felt fear of anything until after I left that life behind."

[L'Orr-hui]

''Either you lie or you are a fool'' the illithid replied ''No matter how powerful you were in your past life you were still nothing but a male to the eyes of your society. Even the matrons and the priestesses of the Spider Queen were not free despite their power. Tell me, how many of them could freely love? How many of them could disagree? How many had to always sleep with an eye open less their own children come to slit their throat and take their place?''

He raised a finger

''You were a little bird in a golden cage and gloated how much more free you were then the ones caged in iron. You freedom did not come without costs either, perhaps you were shielded from them one way or the other...or they are yet to come. I have known more power then you could ever hope to understand and I have seen the price of it all. The shackles of ignorance are heavy ones, I assure you.''

[Fyne]

"Ched Nasad is far less matriarchal than Menzoberranzan. They actually have a cabal of men, followers of Vhaerun, that sort of run things in the background. I was a part of that. And they have a thing for the Szarkai as well, so I was kind of like... breeding stock to the females. Menzo is a different beast. I'd have definitely been much worse off there. And I slept soundly every night, usually next to a different woman. I had no interest in love at the time. Or even respecting my partners. And I killed more than a few of those partners when it suited me. Not all Drow society is the seat of Lolth's power. It was vicious, sure, but I was also a commodity they found worthwhile to protect because I happened to be the right shade to infiltrate. Two of my many children were born Szarkai as well so I was a proven asset that could make more. But when you look like me in drow society, it's easy to volunteer for a mission on the surface and then just... turn on them and leave them behind."

[L'Orr-hui]

''Nothing in what you say tells me you were free, merely an asset.'' he retorted ''And you were not free to leave, you simply used an opportunity...because you were bored?''

They shake their head

''Perhaps the Ciphers are the best fit for you. Movement without thought an impulsivity are their credo''

[Fyne]

"If that's how you want to interpret it. I could have spent my time at parties and having fun, but I chose to participate in the system too, killing and hurting others to increase my power in my house, including several members of my own family. I am not a very nice person, I'm downright horrible if you take my entire life into account. I just... learned a different way that doesn't victimize others. And I can tell you from personal experience, I definitely have to be more careful about the things I do and say now than I did then. But I also care enough to do so now, and I didn't then. It's just my perspective from the parts of my life I can remember. Who knows, maybe we'll unlock my memories and I'll find out your understanding is more accurate, or both of us are way off, or that nothing is free and we live in an existence where everything is already set in stone and we have no control, just playing it all out as it's supposed to be?"

[L'Orr-hui]

''I know that is not true'' came as a dry and sharp reply ''Pray you do not come to learn like I did''

[Fyne]

"Maybe I already did," Fyne says with a shrug. "There's a lot I don't have access to. And I would rather know and deal with the horror of knowing than not know. Why do you think I'm trying to dig up memories that potentially hold a lot of unpleasantness and pain for me?"