Well, I'm not exactly asking you to draw a picture, but. Are you a being that looks like humans do, or are you something with a bunch of wings or eyes or something?
[And that last part...]
And what do you mean by that? You all look the same?
Our society places the community over the whole-- flaunting individuality in such a way, keeping something to oneself, would be frowned upon.
[the good of the whole, over all else. but he nods-]
Something of the sort, yes. There are fourteen who serve to provide guidance, each chosen as the best-suited individual for their particular seat; the Speaker is always a talented orator, and the most recent to be appointed was gifted in his field of research as well.
It isn't that the individual does not matter. Mortals often simply lack the foresight to see how such a thing could work-- they think it boring. That they would feel stifled. In practice for us, it is the opposite, and much more is accomplished than would be possible otherwise; in the sharing of knowledge, concepts may be given life that the one who thought of them could not produce alone. It is not seen as a burden to share, for in so doing, all benefit, including oneself... and individual talents are ever necessary to foster new research, new creation, to prevent stagnation.
[he has Opinions about this. maybe he's heard already that it sounds like a boring sort of world.]
[He listens. Of course, he and an immortal think differently, and Emet-Selch isn't even human, besides that. In a way, he can understand it, actually, and he speaks up with a grin.]
...You know, when you explain it like that...I now know what you mean. Communities of monks or nuns work the same way. Devoted to one purpose, one goal. You have faith in yourselves as a whole.
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[He stares at Emet-Selch for a moment.]
So...I guess I'll address the elephant in the room, or rather, the really big Emet-Selch. What do you really look like?
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[and, waving that off-]
Nor would you find it that simple to tell one of us from another, I am sure.
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[And that last part...]
And what do you mean by that? You all look the same?
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[he keeps it on him, so-- from somewhere within the layers of his outfit, he removes this.]
Every one of us wears the same robe and mask, save for the Convocation, whose masks are unique to their seat.
[therefore, hard to tell apart, especially for someone a third their size.]
In that way, I suppose I could be identified, should you know which it was.
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So you all conform to the same look. That's very interesting, especially when humans love their ability to be diverse.
[He tilts his head.]
The Convocation...your form of government?
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[the good of the whole, over all else. but he nods-]
Something of the sort, yes. There are fourteen who serve to provide guidance, each chosen as the best-suited individual for their particular seat; the Speaker is always a talented orator, and the most recent to be appointed was gifted in his field of research as well.
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[It sounds like...a drab world. Everyone the same...he doesn't think he could live in a world like that.]
I assume you were part of that Convocation?
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[he has Opinions about this. maybe he's heard already that it sounds like a boring sort of world.]
But yes. I still hold my seat upon it.
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...You know, when you explain it like that...I now know what you mean. Communities of monks or nuns work the same way. Devoted to one purpose, one goal. You have faith in yourselves as a whole.
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[they are more than monks, thank you very much, but. at least it's some level of understanding.]