Austurmax Laforet

I have to say I have a problem with some of what been said so far. First, there is absolutely nothing in the Ishgardian lore that says they are racist, anywhere. They certainly are hostile against unbelievers and outsiders, but you see Miqo'te serving in the military along with Hyur and Elezen. Hyur and Elezen are certainly the most populous races in Coerthas, but the only ones? No. Second, dragoon techniques would certainly be military secrets in general, but its not impossible for someone to learn them through joining the military. You would have to take an oath to Ishgard, but remember, the dragoons are simply an elite military unit, and the current Azure was an orphan peasant from a destroyed village in Dravania. In summary, if you can come up with an IC reason for your character to be a dragoon and have received that training, it should be fine regardless of what race they are, as long as they are an actual dragoon and not a random shmoe who knows their techniques for some reason.

I've seen my name get bandied about ICly a bit, so I wanted to clarify a few things. Basically, Laforet has been very careful not to reveal his involvement in the Garlean plot. Whenever he's made an appearance on behalf of Jin'li, he's been masked, hooded, spoken with a distorted voice, and changed his perfume just in case someone tries to track him by scent. So he wouldn't have been recognizable at events such as the one last Saturday. Secondly, the only person he's actually discussed his involvement with is Jin'li, and Jin'li has not leaked his name to anyone else. So people wouldn't ICly recognize his name either, as it has not come up. Now some people do have very good reason to be suspicious of Laforet. (Here's looking at you Kiht.) However it is still suspicion. If people want to believe that suspicion, that's perfectly alright, I just wanted to point out that its not been proven as of yet. All that being said, there are IC ways of catching him that I won't spoil for you here. But if you do manage to corner him, I welcome any consequences that might result.

To this I would add a point. Society quite often lets off people the public wants to see burn if due process finds them not guilty of wrongdoing. Example, OJ Simpson. Albeit they may have to live with the possibility of being shunned or someone looking to take justice into their own hands, but it is a thing that does happen. Additionally, I would add that in most cases while coercion is not enough to actually get one off the hook for committing a crime, it usually does entail a lighter sentence. But besides that, there are some among the collared, like Kiht, that have committed literally no crime, even under coercion. And that should to be taken into account. Just my 2 cents on the issue.

On the issue of consequences for the collared. I'd like to remind people that even of those collared, quite a few didn't actually help with the poisoning or the diversion. For example Kiht threw her fight and got Sleeped immediately rather than actually fight the good guys. Others like Coatleque were simply not used. I'd encourage everyone to react ICly as they will, but I'd stop short of saying everyone who has ever been collared forfeits their character or is a bad rper. That being said, Laforet has taken great pains to hide his connection to this as best he can, but if you can ICly figure it out and corner him I always accept consequences, whether they be death or what have you. The important thing though is everyone relax, have fun, and enjoy the ride.

The screams echo off the dungeon walls as the body of the refugee twists and contorts before Laforet. Once this had been a young hyurman from the highlands, probably from Ala Mhigo. Now, it took on a form more fitting the thaumaturge’s purposes, a grotesque and twisted vessel for a voidsent. The monstrosity lashes out at its creator. Voidsent had no sense of loyalty after all. But such was not required, for with the power to summon creatures from that realm came the power to control them. Laforet’s hands reach out through the Aether to take ahold of the creature, forcing it to take a knee before him. Another soldier, he dismisses it to join its fellows for now. She didn’t like it. She understood that what he was doing was sick and wrong. And somewhere, buried deep in his blackened heart, he agreed. But he didn’t care any longer. These poor, wretched creatures existed only to live, suffer, and die. In the end they all longed for death. Yes, it was mercy for them to come to it now. Perhaps even greater mercy to break them first so that they may spread this mercy to others before their sweet release. He muses over these thoughts as he considers the implications of the slave’s plot. He didn’t care who ruled Ul’dah. And he didn’t honestly believe it would change anytime soon. Terrorism had worked to weaken Ala Mhigo, but because it divided the city from within. This was more like to unite the city against a common foe. But when it came right down to it, he didn’t care if the Empire was successful or not. They had given him what he needed, and he enjoyed giving them what they wanted. After all, one must never break a bargain, for in this world where everyone lies he alone must speak only truth. “But so much more work to be done.” He exhales and turns back to the holding cells, watching his future servants cowering in the corner, each hoping the one next to be them would be chosen. Fear not little mice. Your pain will be over soon. “Next."