CH 1: This Place Sucks

[HorizonsDream]

"Then what are you concerned with?" Echo asks curiously.

[JadedDM]

Hollidan shrugs. "Defend the weak, fight evil, help the helpless. That sort of thing. It's sort of the bread and butter of we paladins."

[HorizonsDream]

"But why do you want to do that?" Echo asks. "What drives you to want to protect those that can't protect themselves? For that matter, why Gonto instead of Octhanus?"

[JadedDM]

"It's...complicated," Hollidan admits, becoming more serious. "Growing up, I lived a life of privilege. I took a lot of things for granted. It wasn't until I started mingling with the common folk that I realized how harsh life can really be. I was lucky; most people aren't. I saw a lot of suffering and pain...and the worst part was, most of it was caused by people like me--the wealthy elite, the 'noble' aristocracy."

He shrugs again, for the umpteenth time. "I just hate to see people suffering. I wanted things to be more fair. For people to be more equal. Renos teaches that people get what they deserve. That those who are successful are that way because they worked hard and earned it. But it ignores the simple fact that people don't all start on a level playing field. Some have advantages, some have huge handicaps.

"Life isn't fair, but I want it to be. And Gonto is all about fairness."

[HorizonsDream]

"How do you plan on making it fair though?" Echo asks, apparently full of questions. "Unlike you, I was raised without anything. Mother and I had to struggle to survive, and we struggle to this day. The only way of making things fair is to make sure that everyone struggles, or everyone lives as merchants, or everyone is a noble in some way. I don't see that changing anytime soon. Besides, Gonto is all about civilization, not fairness."

[JadedDM]

"That's a matter of interpretation," Hollidan says in answer to her last statement. "Granted, the Brotherhood of Baerin is a little different from the mainstream Gonto faith. We emphasize more on helping others, for instance. We feel it's important to not get so caught up in following the letter of the law that we ignore the spirit of the law.

"As for how to make things more fair, I can do that by giving those with disadvantages a hand. If someone needs help, I can help them. And maybe, by helping them, I encourage them to show kindness to others. And that spreads, and so on, and maybe one day the world will be a better place in general because of it."

[HorizonsDream]

"Ahhh, a different sect of Gonto," Echo says with a nod. "Now, I understand. You do realize you are going to come across people that are suffering that don't want your help."

[JadedDM]

"You think so? It hasn't happened yet. Most people are pretty happy to get help," he says. His face darkens a bit. "I mean, as long as you don't screw it up, or make it worse, that is."

[HorizonsDream]

"The people you have encountered so far probably have accepted the help gratefully. Not everyone is like that though. Some people have too much pride to accept help. Plus, some people do realize that things could become much worse rather than better, as you just stated," she explains. "I'm going to assume that things haven't always gone your way when it comes to helping others?"

[JadedDM]

After a long silence, Hollidan does what he does best. He shrugs.

"What about you?" he asks. "Renos isn't exactly popular in this region, and I didn't see any temples to him in town. So how did you come to follow him?"

[HorizonsDream]

"My mother taught me of the various Gods," Echo explained thoughtfully. "I probably would have followed Octhanus as that is who mother follows if it wasn't for how I was treated in town. I had to depend on myself, and Renos seemed to fit in the end."

[JadedDM]

"How were you treated?" Hollidan asks, slight concern in his voice.

[HorizonsDream]

"Let's just say that it was...poorly," Echo says, not willing to go into details just yet with someone that she just met.

[JadedDM]

"I'm sorry," Hollidan says, before going quiet.

[HorizonsDream]

"It is not as bad as you are probably thinking," Echo says, as if she was trying to ease his mind a bit. "Perhaps a bit too sensitive to certain things."