Protest!

[Shiokara]

*Rumors abound of Port Hempstead's unjust laws regarding the monstrous races. They are spouted by a figure outside Hempstead's walls. Any gatherers would notice that the figure is very clearly Dark Elven.*

Why should Half-Giants, Half-Orcs, and Dark Elves be killed on sight in Hempstead's walls? As part of some ancient grudge? Hempstead was sacked in the 9th century, who remembers the attack personally? Only the oldest of Elves could! It has been over six hundred years since the attacks, and for this all manner of dark-skinned elves and large men are turned away or killed? I stand here to say do not judge us by the color of our skin, but by our individual actions. It is wrong to condemn entire races based on the faults of their society. It is wrong to condemn the products of raids and rape, who cannot help their unfortunate circumstance. We must hit Hempstead where it hurts most for Deilar. In the wallet. Do not buy your goods there! Do not do business there! Such bigots do not deserve your hard-earned true because their own truth is tainted by the touch of inequality.

[Pankoki]

It proves to be a difficult time for anyone staging political rants and protests in Port Hempstead, as those not working often listen with only dim-eyed disinterest before wandering back to what passes for their new homes, waiting for storms to pass, or worse, noticing that the speaker is dark elven and pausing to throw a stone or skitter back to hide. Those working brush past anyone that offers only rhetoric and not something tangible with their hands making a difference. Among them number a handful of abnormally sized individuals with taints of color to their skin and little of it in their hair. One finally turns around, proving to be older than most of the humans working, growling a clipped but proud reply.

"You leave me and mine out of it, dark-ear. Who remembers? I'm about the only one old enough to remember being outlawed, and you know who makes these damned laws? It don't start top down. It starts bottom up. The first people that start the grudge is those you work with. Now I'm a biggun, Ma died giving the cursed monster child to light after one took her. I eat more. I have stronger arms for labor. Everyone is hungry and needing somethin' to feed what babies they got left and here are these big green half breeds cursed by violence from the same monsters you prattle on for... and well maybe wouldn't we just be better off without them?
 
"It's only so many times you see someone take more than you think their fair rations are before somebody starts talkin' with a bit of meanness and a big mouth an awful lot like yours. And people start nodding. I said I'd never bring it back to where it started but you know all it took was a little human blood being spilled - what's self defense with a body like that, and it don't matter what was said or done to cause it - and there's torches, and there's a bloody monster hunt."
 
A few of the crew she was working on are lingering now, hands holding tools now leaning on the ground as they listen passively, without change in their expression.
 
"And maybe I got it all backwards, but I tell you what I remember what some of these others like me have forgotten - a door being kicked in, torches, angry voices, bloodied steel. And getting out. Naw... being taken out. A man in bloodied peasant rags and some coin around his neck shoving me and hiding me and wasn't it just that same little priestess of your wallet-god that gathered what was left of us while the fires burned in the city and found us somewhere else to go? Now, yeah... it's an outlawin', it's cruel and horrible and yak yak then it was running from riots and a gate being used to separate us. Open the blinkers - this city rules a kingdom. Where you think we went? Died? Well we should've but didn't. And everyone else may have forgotten, but I didn't and won't have you spewing your poison around my ears.
 
"It goes bottom-up. You just remember that, and if you're so much better than the thousands of raids that have been done topside then you just do like everybody else and close your mouth and pick up a shovel."

With enough attention, guards do show up from their obviously very busy routine and are very stern to the dark elf. It's very clear that they will not hesitate to enforce the laws of the city but are giving him a simple chance to quiet down and go away because everyone is just so busy to be adding more work to the pile. All their weapons are light and blunt and clearly meant for subduing people.

--------

As an OOC GM addition:

Please everyone needs to remember that the treatment of monstrous races is not just exclusive to Port Hempstead. Every city in the world with the exception of those few kingdoms that simply turn a blind eye (Fort Vehl) or are under an autocracy (Prantz) and everyone is treated with the same hard fist.

However, if one were to enter any other "normal" city or town. Dark Elves, Half-Orcs, and all the other darker types of races -would- be shot down and killed. Some towns might just stone them, others might just shove them around or simply give them the evil eye, but as a player your "average" should not be "welcomed everywhere".

Everyone that applies for monstrous races needs to remember this because while it cannot be enforced 24/7 by all DMs, it certainly is something that all these players have to agree to roleplay.

[Shiokara]

*He continues to argue with the worker, peacefully, before the guards try to move him on. Any stones thrown hit him, and he makes no attempt to dodge them or react after they're thrown.*

I am very sorry for your personal experience and forced removal. What I am arguing for is the fair treatment of all races, which would include yours. What I am arguing is that no race, no individual should be accused with guilt and association from birth. And I think you fail to see that this is bottom-up change. I am not trying to pass laws from the top-down, but am instead working through the common folk--appealing to a sense of decency, of morality.

You want me to pick up a shovel? I will. But that will only help my individual case. I am not doing this for me--I could easily live a life in the shadows. I am doing this for all of us--the disenfranchised.

*When the guards come, Aunlyn tells them that he does not have to be a problem if they merely don't want him to be, and left him alone like the rest of the working citizenry. It is very clear that he is testing exactly how much he can get away with.*

//OOC:

I am well aware of the treatment of monstrous races everywhere and not just in Port Hempstead, and I am counting on it for the RP of this character. I don't really want a lovey-dovey let's-all-get-along world. I want one with racial divides and inequality because it's more interesting that way, but I choose to have my character protest it so that I can bring it into the fore, so that it can be seen in the plain of day. I am perfectly fine with Aunlyn being jailed, hung up and burned alive, or any other consequence that may result from his actions. In fact, I want that to happen because that would be the reality. My interest is in exposing the evil of good's blanket generalizations.

As for why he protests outside Hemp instead of Hlint, for example. It's a calculated choice. Hlinters would string him up no questions asked, but he can at least argue a bit outside Hempstead and make a scene. Perhaps he may even strike someone's moral conscience.

[Spike]

*A man clothed and hooded in green stops for a moment outside Hempstead's walls after seeing the dark elf spout his rhetoric. He mingles with a small crowd of workers and shouts out:*

"The color of your skin?! We judge you not because of what you look like, but what you are! Monsters! You slink from your dark holes in the shadow of the night to steal our women and enslave our children! Though you try with you fancy words and your false morals, we will never forget what you are! Demons!"

*A rotten tomato is thrown to emphasise the point.*

[Pankoki]

The woman turns back on him with fangs bared in a snarl. "Never lump your kind in with me, deep-wretch. If you truly were any different you would nod all too knowingly to why you are unwelcome in this land or any other, like your broken Az'attan penance doers know more than any. We are cursed with blood born of violence and terror, and you among all others are bringers of the same. Get out of my sight before I remove your own!"

Aged as she is, the calloused hands clench in large, angry fists. Behind her the eyes of those working alongside her lose their disinterested haze to change grips on tools. The mood shifts, changing to a hair's breadth from violence... indeed as a volunteers to the civilian guard discretely return, it is made apparent that the only pause was in making sure the dark elf was not the herald of another raid such as those seen elsewhere.

It is at this point however that the Silverguard does get heavily involved. A small dispatch of them lingering not far from the gate barracks makes its way to the gathered group. Some busy themselves with isolating the woman and others approach the dark elf with more decisiveness. "That's enough..." They voice to him and it is fairly clear that they will seek to apprehend him or take harsher measures if necessary.

[Shiokara]

*Aunlyn wipes a bit of rotten tomato off himself, and moves on as per the Silverguard's suggestions. Later, thinking on the encounter, he says to himself:*

It is apparent from the fear of the commoners how much my people have won on the surface.

[cbnicholson]

Benjamin glides up to the dark elf later and offers an easy smile, "Pretty speech, darkie, but listen here friend, yer only gonna get yerself shot, hung, jailed, beheaded , burned alive, or worse by jawin like that outside the gate. Silverguard look the other way or do the deed themselves ya go back.   M'names Ben and I deal in adventurin gear and I've got a letter here from someone I trust says yer alright.   Now, I know yer gonna accuse me of bein part of the same bigoted bunch from Hemp, so lemme explain.  I don't care what the color of yer skin is, yer true still spends and I've sold ta a few of yer kind before, but I do take exception ta those that would cast aside all merchants on account of Hemp's laws. Don't do it, ye'll only be hurtin yerself. Jest a bit of friendly advice."  With that Ben gives Aunlyn a wink and strolls off.

[scifibarbie]

*While stumping around near Hempstead, a small dwarf woman with two young dwarfs in tow hears rumors about a dark elf daring to show its face.

CLAN KILLERS AND BABY EATERS!!! SHOW ME DE BLOODY DARKY!! IM A GONNA USE ITS SHIN BONE FER A PENCIL BOX AN 'IS HEAD FER KICKBALL!!!

*the dwarf woman starts getting all red eyed and foamy mouthed as she gets herself all worked up in a tear. The two dwarf kids shrink back for a moment then start roaring themselves..though in a high pitched kiddie matter.

Grenna takes off at a sprint with her battle axe out screaming as she tears around looking for the darky, spitting some nasty dwarfish curses and lots of foam. One would think she was a bit rabid...

After a bit of runnin around in circles and not finding any darky to slaughter outright she buries her axe into a nearby stump. "Bloody darkys...get me all werked up an dun e'en haf de decency ter let me lop off der head."

*A short time later, the small group of dwarfs can be seen sitting near the pond. A small dwarf girl is massaging her shoulders consolingly can be heard trying to cheer her up..."Its alroight mum..You'll git anudder one of em soons enuff. Den ye can show us ow its dun."

Nodding in agreement, the other dwarf takes a swig of juice which strangely smells of beer, "Aye, an da be roight proud of ye scarin off de darky de way ye did. Prolly saved some poor snot from gittin a knoife in de back er avin its kid stolen an baked inter a pie."

*Grenna smiles at her two kids and takes a swig of 'tonic' (which strangely smells like beer) to calm her nerves. "You two be roight gud kids. Yer fadder be roight proud of ye...an Varka to oim tinkin.

[lonnarin]

*A drunken one-eyed dwarf laughs and tosses the kids a severed dark elf head to play with as he staggers by drunk*

Ye hold onter that un thar, tis ah keeper.  Priestess ah Vierdra' ra rrrr... *burps* spider shadow lady or whatever they call er.  Real nice, tried ter keep us from tha diamonds, she did!  *holds up a fistful* These uns here we donatin ter the town, see?  Strengthen tha magic barrier so the docks protected from tha storms.  Ye two listen to yer mum, eat up all yer supper when she says and soon mebbe ye be joinin us some day, facin them ultra-hulks and the squid 'eads, aye?  As fer the rest o these... *pats a soggy burlap sack* heheh, donatin the rest of those ter the militia fer target practice!  HAR!

*begins pestering Trent for bounties and honorable plaques*

[scifibarbie]

*Grenna looks up at the one eyed dwarf anbd smiles a big grin.

"Vorax be praised..anudder darky falls ter de axe of one of de kin." She laughs as she raises her 'tonic in salute to teh dwarfs good deed.

"Na ye take dat gif o his an ye offs an play de kickball wit it roight proper loike wit de kiddies roun ere. An gif dat dwarf a point of me brew." She tells Galen as she hands hima pint to give to the dwarf.

"Varka...na ye clean up dat ead roight noicely afore ye go a kickin it in der mud. Dat ways everone knows wat it be an dun git sceert of it. Dat, an ye dun wan its brains squirtin out loike dat last goiant ead oi gots fer ye. Dat tommy boys mum sher gave me an earful when she saw im covered in brain de last toime. Har!"

[Xaltotun]

A small woman stands in the background, shielding her eyes from the daylight sun and listens to the rant. She nods in appreciation of the effort and the rhetoric from time to time and may even be seen to be encouraging the speaker to say more.

Some passers-by might also be offended by her choice of lunch for the day as it appears she is eating a child's arm.

**

Closer inspection would however, if allowed, reveal it to be a cleverly cooked loaf of bread made to look like a small child's limb, presumably prepared in advance for just such an occasion.