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Symposium — Description

The Emerald Court of Eudaia is where all the greatest debates and musings of the world occur. The Philosophers spend every waking moment pondering the ultimate mysterious of life and the universe, and thus the Emerald Court is where one goes when looking for the wisest minds. Here, any and all topics are scrutinized, every single detail and possibility explored. Be it the question of what our purpose is, or trying to figure out the moral implications of new laws or possible proposals. When the Church of Divine Wealth had questions, the Emerald Court is where they went to get opinions. And it wasn't just the Church, as many sought out their wisdom. If grappling with a tough decision, why not ask some of the greatest minds around, whose entire mission is to pick apart such things and find the irrefutable answer? They were a valuable resource, but unfortunately not all could make the trip to visit the Emerald Court.
Having all your wisdom and Philosophers cooped up in a single campus made their services hard to reach for some, and the Philosophers knew they were wanted in many places at once. Thus they made options for their members to be called out to other locations, setting up smaller courts throughout the land. Like a shrine of the Church, this would be where outsiders could get their wisdom without having to make the long pilgrimage to the Emerald Court. Philosophers low and high enjoyed this option, as getting out of the campus and interacting with fresh minds was a good way to expand one's views. At these locations, they could meet many new people and be challenged with plenty of intriguing puzzles. Locals found these courts perfect for dealing with tough choices or trying to settle disputes. Such small fry was practically a game to High Philosophers, easily settled and solved within moments. However, there would be times that the problem was not so small and the consequences dire. When the big choices came up, ones that would affect entire cities or territories, they would need more than a single mind to tackle it. In such pressing times, the call would go out to the Emerald Court, and they would beg the brilliant thinkers to send them a Symposium.
A Symposium is very similar to the image of a High Philosopher that people know. A brain in a glass sphere, soaking in Phlegm, all hooked up to an intricate bone-bile exoskeleton. A Symposium is very much this, as the body itself is simply a more complicated and heavy duty bone-bile construct. The major difference here is that there is more than one brain hooked up to it. These entities are, in fact, walking debate parlors with the entire lineup hooked up to a single body. These constructs will have many arms to hold the spherical remains of High Philosophers, and their frame will be bolstered to handle such weight. Stores of Phlegm are built in, tapped in by clearvein that connects it to all the carried brains. It is through here that the Philosophers can speak to one another, and continue their debates even as they travel. The entire point of a Symposium was to bring a full team of High Philosophers to places where crucial decisions were being discussed. When the fate of many was resting on this single choice, you would want the full force of the Emerald Court helping you with it.
Symposiums, during the peaceful times, were already rare sights, only being deployed for the most important clients. Seeing one walking down the road would leave many in stunned awe. The way would be cleared so they could pass, as their presence suggested that there was pressing issues to attend. Symposiums would often be escorted by guards, to keep them safe from any fools who would get dumb ideas. However, these men with simple swords and spears were hardly for the safety of the Symposium. In fact, folk would suggest that they followed this ultra Philosopher frame to ward off people for their own safety. That was because this many High Philosophers in one place created a potent area of mental energy. Even without being hooked up to the amalgam, folks who got close to a Symposium could feel the words of the rambling Philosophers seep into their brains. It was said that it felt like your cranium had been filled with water, and your brain had been submerged in the deepest parts of the ocean. The voices would ebb and flow around you, making one feel as if they were going insane. Depending on how many Philosophers are attending the Symposium, being around them for too long can actually cause mental damage.
One infamous tale spoke of a duchess who had brought in a Symposium to help settle royal affairs. While precautions were taken during discussions to keep folks safe from the aura of the Symposium, there was an oversight when it came to off hours. The Symposium had been offered a room to stay in for the night, but it turned out to be stationed right below the duchess's own bed chambers. The aura was potent enough that it leaked into the room above, and saturated her slumbering mind throughout the night. The next morning, the staff found her a mumbling gibbering mess, her brain having been overwritten by the endless conversations and musings of the Philosophers below. Thus, to this day, folk are very mindful in steering clear of them and avoiding close contact for too long.
With this in mind, imagine what would happen if they decided you were a threat?
The mental power of a fully staffed Symposium has very few equals, easily able to obliterate the minds of common folk if driven to. On top of mental attacks, they can use telekinesis to perform incredible feats as well as wield Phlegm in great quantities. A single warrior against a Symposium would be turned to paste as the dozen minds attached tore him apart at the seams. Waves of Phlegm can wash foes away, while also weakening their minds to make them more susceptible. Folks would say that attacks on Symposiums are rare because these Philosophers exude an aura of pacifism as they travel. Those who approach with ill intentions will suddenly have these thoughts rewritten and they won't realize it til much later. When they pass by, fighting them will be the furthest thing from your mind, as it turns out you are currently incapable of even thinking of such things.
When the war broke out and the Emerald Court sealed its gates, the travelings of the Symposiums came to an end. Most remain in the Court, where they continue their debates as the world burns. People claim that Symposiums now patrol the halls and grounds like the High Philosophers do, stretching their non-existent legs while also keeping an eye out for intruders. Perhaps they are a part of the reason why no army has decided to attack this place. However, some claim that a few Symposiums left the Emerald Court before the gates closed for good. Some went out to try and "solve" this war, while others were defectors choosing a side in the conflict. Whichever the reason is, if you see a Symposium: approach with questions, not blades. One will get you answers, the other will get you mentally liquefied.