Exiles, take back your town!

Hiya folks,

Well, as you know I just returned to Puddleby a few zodiacs ago. I was gone a long, long time and a lot of things have changed in those 13 years. Mostly for the better, I'd say.

But one thing seems to have happened that just makes me want to bang my head on my moonstone. It stems from the dueling gloves. Don't get me wrong, dueling gloves are an overall good thing. Sometimes exiles need to fight, or want to train, or whatever else, and shouldn't always be confined to the arena.

The thing that really burns my mini is when exiles street fight in town square. It's noisy, it's repetitive, and I think it goes against the long tradition of what town square is about, and what Puddleby is about. Watching an exile walk around in town square saying "want to duel?" is the new "how do I become a mystic?" as far as I'm concerned (only more annoying!). And it happens way too often to be novel.

Exile on exile fighting for sport has gone on for years and years. It's nothing new. But in the past these exiles would go to the arena, and everything was just fine and dandy. Now, on many nights, the arena has moved to town square! Of course I haven't forgotten that there is violence in the town square all the time. Creatures attack us on a daily basis. But what makes Lok'Groton so unique is that the community is strong and socially developed. We are a lot more than exile on exile violence. We struggle together against enemies and the Emperor.

Just because the Emperor treats us like thugs and criminals doesn't mean we have to act like it! I say we don't give that vile scumbag the satisfaction. You aren't on his side, are you? Well?

I have, of course, some ideas on what to do about this. I see two viable options: a grass roots approach and a legislative approach. The grass roots approach would be the best, and it is something I have already begun to do. If exiles are fighting in town square... tell them to stop the violence! Attempt to interrupt the fight and tell them to take it out of town square. If they want to fight anyway, then don't heal them when they fall. That's right, leave their bloody carcasses to rot for a while!

(As a healer I heal all of those in need, however, I believe that it is an insult to my profession to heal exiles who needlessly attack one another for entertainment and expect me to keep raising them. So there!)

Sure, there are always eventually going to be healers who will heal the fallen exile anyway (as well as certain "friends" that some exiles have who spend a great deal of time studying and seem to show up just when they're needed— but that is a whole other essay), but you can still make your point, and that is what is important. And if enough exiles band together and do this, it may at least become quite a nuisance for the Sir Strit Fy'ters and Lady Bit'shlaps in the lands.

The legislative approach, on the other hand, could be used to make fighting in the town square something that people still may do, but at a higher cost. I think it would be reasonable to pass a law against town square fighting where the offenders would simply be issued citations with a significant fine, no jail time. You have a bloodthirsty vendetta against some exile that must be carried out, or want to put on a martial arts contest, and you just gotta do this in town square? Then it's probably worth a few thousand coins, huh?

Otherwise, take it just about anywhere else. People leave the town square looking for hunting and rescues. Town square is one of the few places where people can gather to meet up and socialize. It is the heart and soul of Puddleby.

So if you agree with me, then stand up for your town square! Stop the violence!

Power to the people,
Maquiladora