Coverup?

[Aurrin]

Okay, should Quentyn help them cover up? Personally, I'd like to see the truth come out. Quentyn deserves to have the truth known, and I think the people can handle it, especially since it's 'in good hands' now. Maybe they'll call for exploration of the tunnels, but that would actually be a GOOD thing. They DO need to know what's going on down there. Well, we can see that sometimes forum opinion influences the comic, so let's have a poll.

[Astral]

Ooo contraversial ^^

[SolidusRaccoon]

No, some things are just better off left buried in time.,

[Magius del Cotto]

... And this isn't one of them. We know that there's at least one lab down there that nobody knew about. Who knows what else is down there? People will either call to have the area explored (good) or start exploring it themselves (not so good).
Magius out.

[Kerry Skydancer]

I want to know more about it first. Why do they want it kept quiet, and is the Guard backing the Council or just following orders under protest?

[TGIF]

I want to know more about it first. Why do they want it kept quiet, and is the Guard backing the Council or just following orders under protest?

Agreed.

While I am basically in favor of not keeping things a secret (mainly because of strong religious objections to lying), there are times when secrets must be kept for public safety. (Although, in such cases, I am a strong advocate of silence or "no comment" instead of lying.)

TGIF

[Dapple]

Thoue shall not lie Dammit.

It has always been better to tell the truth, at least in my experiance.

[Sharuuk]

I'd like to qualify my earlier opposition to keeping aspects of this affair from the public. I do so after reading several very good reasons for selective dissemination of the facts.

I've always had a visceral hatred of blindly following orders. And I really detest being told not to say anything because "I told you so", or "certain persons would rather you didn't". And the absolute WORST thing you can do is to threaten me or my family with any kind of "dire consequences" if I say anything. THAT will earn you an instantaneous trip to intensive care if not the morgue. I don't respond well to threats whatsoever.....I don't give a shi*t who makes them!

Tell me why! Simple as that! Tell...me...why!! If I have all this "sensitive" information, tell my why the public shouldn't know all of it.....and not under the bullsh*t heading of "the good of the people" or "we don't want a panic" or a REAL fav, "national security".

If this Guardsman is on the level and tells Quentyn and Emmet why.... HONESTLY why they should keep certain aspects of this quiet, I see no reason why they wouldn't voluntarily co-operate. I would. And I think that Quentyn would be able to reconcile this with his spiritual beliefs against lying. I'd be interested in hearing what is being said to the Millfolks and Master Irons and the rest of the mages. THESE are folks you DON'T threaten either. You ASK, and EXPLAIN TRUTHFULLY. And I'll just bet you'll get agreement and co-operation.

I just hate the "blanket" approach that beureaucrats utilize....that and the "I know what's best for you, so do as I say and don't ask questions." attitude.

Shaaruuk

[Alaskawolf]

maybe its best to keep things quiet now and tell the public the truth gradually?

[Mjolnir]

I'd have to say that Quentyn should go along with it until he finds out the whole story. They aren't asking him to lie, just not tell the whole story. He can talk to people about the wights, but not how they were created. If, at a later point, he thinks the full story should come out, he won't have to contradict himself to do it, just add details.

- Mjolnir

[RHJunior]

well, he's got other things on his mind than chasing down political tomfoolery..... bills to pay and jobs to hunt down, after all.

That's more Emmet's lookout anyway.

[Squirrelly61104]

If you want people to listen to you...
whisper.
The guardsman mentioned something about a previous incident. Are there details we are missing? Do they have a real reason for classifying this incident?
The best solution: Tell what you can about the incident.
Then add "The council and guard have asked me not to tell the rest of the story."

Nothing gets people asking questions like knowing there's a secret out there.
And, there are a lot of people who know there's more to the story. Master Irons and the bio-mancers dealing with the 'left overs'. Whoever physically hauled the stuff out of there. Somebody is bound to talk.

It is said: Three people can keep a secret.

If two of them are dead.

[Mad Mike]

It is said: Three people can keep a secret.

If two of them are dead.

And the third isn't a politician.

[Dalak Lutra]

I really agree with your "the council and guard have asked me not to tell the rest of the story" thought, squirrelly61104. Great way for you to still get all credit where credit is due, not lie or defy your religeous belief, and all the council and guards can get mad at you for is just telling the public that they didn't want you to tell them the whole story. Its as Quentyn once said...

's perfick

From http://npc.keenspace.com/d/20030810.html

[SolidusRaccoon]

I want to know more about it first. Why do they want it kept quiet, and is the Guard backing the Council or just following orders under protest?

Agreed.

While I am basically in favor of not keeping things a secret (mainly because of strong religious objections to lying), there are times when secrets must be kept for public safety. (Although, in such cases, I am a strong advocate of silence or "no comment" instead of lying.)

TGIF

Still there are times for national security and the such when keeping mum is vital.

[Kerry Skydancer]

Ayup. Keeping quiet, or even spreading disinformation is essential when you're up against a real threat. Intelligence, police and military work all have times when security must be kept to keep your opponents off-balance or complacent, and to protect your own assets in place. This may indeed be one of those times; we don't know yet. I wouldn't assume that Quentyn's and Emmet's immediate reaction is correct in this case - our storyteller is subtle, and certainly capable of having the protagonist screw up. (Though they'll get it right in the end.)

The guard's reaction would be the same either way. He may be honestly convinced that it must be kept secret and yet still be worried by the ultimate reaction when the story does get out (for they nearly always do). Or he may be a control-freak type and just be irritated at the pair for making his job more difficult. Time will tell.