The Opinions of Monsters

[sythyry]

[Poll #1576401]

Comments

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

Let's see... you're essentially imprisoning them indefinately, which is probably fair. They'll be forced to work but otherwise allowed to pretend to have a normal life, though? Is that how indentures of that sort work? Or are they going to be chained up in a closet?

Cutting off their ears is weird. Rheng could have helped with it, though!

[rowyn]

I want Z & T to recognize what they did, and how wrong it was, and how devastating it could have been for dozens of their friends. I'd've liked their punishment to reflect that somehow. Not badly enough to make you redo it, though.

[elorie.livejournal.com]

As indentures, do they keep any of the money produced by their work, or does it all go to the holder of the indenture? If the former, they should pay you some amount out of that until all the money they *cost* you (ie, all the money you won't get back) is paid off.

I am not crazy about the ear thing, as it could have unforeseen health consequence (damage to the inside of the ear, for example, or a propensity for infections). But you could perhaps dock their ears, enough to make the spell work and to be visible, without cutting off the whole ear.

I would be inclined to be more lenient if this had been done purely as a reaction to what happened to Feralan, as I would be pretty freaked out if my son got accidentally crossed with a demon, and might do things I otherwise wouldn't. But Zascalle was apparently planning this for a long time.

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

I think Zascalle's punishment was fair (albeit not entirely sure about the lifetime aspects of the indenture) but I think Thiane's crime was less (both in terms of her acts and her culpability for those acts) and she deserved a lesser sentence.

[aenodia.livejournal.com]

Even if they are not able to make a significant amount of money there still needs to be a sense of making restitution in addition to punishment. In most cases of embezzlement restitution is part of the sentence.

[nekomavin.livejournal.com]

I feel the taking of the ears is striking, and given that it potentially can be healed, about right. The vengeful side of me thinks that there should be a more permanent mark associated with the betrayal - how hard would it to be to make it difficult to heal? Difficult enough that a routine spell from the village healer would not suffice, but not so difficult that you'd have any difficulty regrowing said ears if you by some strange turning of events felt that you needed to.

Though if the regrowth of the ears is in and of itself fairly difficult, it seems unlikely that either will be able to afford to have it done.

[xolo.livejournal.com]

I think cutting off an ear (without healing it) is frankly kind of harsh. I can understand the desire to keep some sort of magical connection to the pair, but I wouldn't maim them like that. An unexpected display of mercy might help to engender guilt, especially in Thiane, who does strike me as salvageable.

I think a Herethroy village sounds a good, calm environment, conducive to repentance and reform.

From curiosity, don't Ochirion and Feralan have a sort of magical linkage to Zascalle, at least? Could she not be traced through them?

[alex-muridae.livejournal.com]

It just occurred to me: many of us continue to think better of Thiane due to her surrender, and though the nature of the conspirator has been discussed and her guilt in the issue made plain, however, she remains instinctually loyal to Sythyry at the moment. I must wonder how she will act in a few weeks after said loyalty fades...