Thanatology IV: Pier and Pre
Ymiden 66th, arc 719
Balance.
This is something that had stapled itself into the mismatched sinew of Sybil's brain. How could something so definite, so inseparable from almost every living thing in Idalos be so mired in such a subject? To what end was balance achieved? It was hard for them to consider the implications of such a subject. There was a standard being held here. Something that was deeply ingrained with how the aspect of life even worked. There was something that implied that there was a reason for this to exist. But whatever it was, eluded them. Out of everything the student had read, they had come to the same conclusion every single time. While the authors seemed to be in the right mind, when it came to their intention, the fact of the matter was, no matter how close Sybil got to the source, there was always the convenient curtain of subjectivity. There were no writings they could find from the Immortals directly, so Sybil's assessments could only be made on the intentions of the people writing them, rather than the teachings they extol as virtue. This was something that made their head spin.
There were many takes on the concept of balance. The idea that every time that something dies, something must be reborn. That those of power must remain in power. That those robbed of such luxuries should remain. The ebb and flow of the two. All of it, they were drastically different. Some played in cycles, whereas others simply remained some vague ideal that should be followed. But what determined the 'balance' of a mortal's life? As far as Sybil could tell, there wasn't the same amount of people at the start of it all. Cities and townships still sprouted when given enough time. Towns became cities. If the balance was to ebb the flow of death and birth, then it was doing a shoddy job of it. But Sybil hadn't really explored anywhere other than Viden. These concepts were speculation, and more something they could simply observe from the world at their fingertips, the frigid iceland of Viden. But even such a place as this, faced growth when it came to the fact that they were prospering.
The maintenance of this ill defined balance was upheld by Vri and his followers. But there was another. Not another exactly, but a set of twins who've been put in charge of an aspect of death; judgement. It was seeming more likely to Sybil that death was more of a party, than something of lonely implications at this point. There was just too much to say about the amount of hands invested in the eventual decay of mortals. Something that struck Sybil as odd.
So, as they sat among the library stacks once more, they were faced another pile of books. This time: Their subjects were more concise.
Throughout the ages, there have been accounts of the Twins interacting with mortals. More often, they commune with those with defined morality rather than those of chaos. But it is not unknown for them to make cases for those that behave irrationally at times. The binding cause of those that follow them, blessed with the mark of Gwelliph, is that their actions must be consistent. Much like the laws of any Realm must apply to any mortal equally, so too are the Justiciars of the Twins held to a similar standard. Their dance with what is personally acceptable and what is legally binding seems to interweave and oftentimes seem mercurial, but there is always a method to their actions.
Pre has been recounted as a woman of distinct optimism in her judgments. Usually depicted as being more lenient in her interpretations of crime, and seeing elements which her sister may miss entirely, she is notably far more akin to a devil's advocate than someone wishing for someone to get away with murder. She will surrender to her sister's logic if she can provide, but will appeal to the facts surrounding the circumstances, such as a child stealing a loaf of bread being a crime, but not wholesale immoral. One could often liken her to the role of a defense attorney in certain structures of law, presenting the case in a way in which defends the accused, in hopes of a fair trial concluding.
Pier, however, seems to be depicted in a way that is best described as logical. Definitive in her views of skepticism towards any case that is brought her way, she is logically at odds with her twin sister, who might be more lenient with matters of law. While Pre may defend the child that stole a loaf of bread, Pier looks at it through the lens of how most lawmen would approach the matter; a crime has been committed, it directly affected someone's life and business, and the accused should be held accountable. Following this depiction, she can be readily seen as the prosecutor in matters which call her attention. The two operating in such a way that their judgements are always superior than those levied by mortalkind.
~Excerpt from Fundamentals of Law Vol I, by Liam V.
Sybil's brow seemed to be painted in a constant quirked fixture. Their quill rested against the paper at their side. For some reason, they didn't want to write this down. Something about it caused their mind to wander. This is, yet again, another example of death's neutrality, if this had anything to do with the dead. This wasn't what they were looking for in the slightest, not even mentioning that the dead were even under their purview. Strangely enough, though, they were almost glossed over, as though they were some sort of footnote when it came to this. The author seemed to be more intent on using them as metaphors to explain how the legal system wherever he was writing for worked. Something... Quite odd, indeed.
They tap their quill down on the parchment, sinking the metal tip against the hardwood table. They would keep this one short.
They don't seem to belong. What are Pier and Pre's role in death?
Why are they so evenly at odds? Why are the domains of judgement and death kept separate, if they are treated as though tied to the hip?
~Pier and Pre I, Ymiden 66th 719, Sybil Malach.
Placing down their quill, their tired eyes simply glance across the table. Simply put, there wasn't anything they could really say on the matter. Vri was the catalyst for death to occur, then. He enables Pier and Pre to do their job. Yet, there is still that reference of a balance. Of something that needs to be held between two extremes to reach a moderate ending. It was an efficient idea, sure. It was likely the foundations of many things beneath their domain of law, when it came to mortals, but... Something about it.
Their hands couldn't even move to add this to their notes. Perhaps a question too far, as they glanced over their shoulder.
By whom were they given such a right to define these things?
