feat: yakob evil

lore/named-yaks.txt

@@ -25,3 +25,5 @@ Clover:
 	Strong believer in the pragmatist position that time to move on from Yakaterina, although personally a supporter of Yakaterina.
 	Politically savvy.
 
+Barton:
+	Head of Willow Hall Library

sarlastory/rikka-death-private-council-meeting.txt

@@ -129,3 +129,13 @@ After a moment, another yak that Sarla didn't recognise spoke up.
 	Holy is her name and her title, but it has been ten years, and attacking the Republic is even less possible than it was back then.
 
 A slight hum of assent went around the table.
+
+The discussion that followed went largely over Sarla's head.
+Factions argued in ways that seemed opaque, referring to 
+
+--- # todo: link these
+
+―Let me investigate it, Sarla said.
+
+―She knows enough about the Meadowlark, Grunny said.
+	No one else

sarlastory/yakob-contemplates-evil.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+On the night before the fall of the Empire, Svyato walked through the war-camp to the Emperor's tent.
+His tent was, of course, splendid in its ornament, but walking through it unsettled Svyato as much as it usually did.
+Recognised by the guards, he entered, and descended what seemed like stairs to the inner sanctum.
+
+The stairs perhaps unsettled Svyato the most.
+For there was no reason that the inside of a tent should resemble the imperial palace in the capital; perhaps the Emperor missed home today.
+
+The Emperor Yakob sat on his throne, looking more like a statue than a living yak.
+He wore a ringlet of truesilver, with truesilver threads that wove themselves into his fur, gleaming.
+Svyato stopped and sat in his own chair, and began to open a small pouch, never taking his eyes off the imperial visage.
+For a brief moment, though Svyato did not actually see any change, a great sorrow seemed to fill Yakob's face.
+As suddenly as it occurred, and again with no perceptible movement, the sorrow passed, returning the pensive serenity Yakob usually bore.
+
+Svyato pulled the dice out of his bag and scattered them across his table.
+Each one came up with nine pips on its surface.
+Another roll, and they again all came up displaying nine.
+Which was worrying, as they were all eight-sided dice.
+
+―Yakob, what disturbs you?
+	Days have passed.
+	The people clamour for you.
+
+―I am confronted with a problem.
+	The solution is hidden from insight.
+
+―And you have not sought my help?
+	Yakob, please.
+	My role is to advise.
+
+The Emperor was silent, for long enough that Svyato began to wonder if he should interpret it as dismissal.
+Eventually he responded, voice soft and wise.
+
+―I surveyed my empire today.
+	A small town an hour's walk from the capital, I saw a small child, climbing a pile of rocks, as children do.
+	Near the top of the pile, she stepped on a rock that was not steadily balanced.
+	She lost her footing, and fell.
+	Several rocks had rough edges, and scratched her as she fell.
+	She, in tears, ran to her father, who comforted her.
+
+Svyato waited, but the Emperor did not continue.
+
+―Yakob, this is not a problem.
+	This is a normal event.
+	Kids playing, learning.
+
+Yakob looked at him, and Svyato shuddered at Yakob's eyes, deep and terrible.
+
+―It is pain.
+	Suffering.
+
+―Minor pain at most.
+
+―Tell me, dear adviser.
+	What amount of pain should I allow my subjects to suffer, if I have the power to stop it?
+	Allow them to be killed?
+	Maimed?
+	A poor ruler I'd be.
+	No, I will not draw a line I cannot justify.
+	Any compromise is too great for my conscience.
+