A Fool's Errand

[vetinari]

*excerpts from a book or pamphlet appear in Candlekeep, Baldur's Gate, and Beregost. Although they are made to appear like random drops, there are far too many to be accidental.*

Excerpts from "A Fool's Errand: Teaching people to laugh when they've forgotten how." by Alison the Harlequin.

. . . But the Jester has another task besides entertaining and making people laugh. It is in fact their primary purpose, and the acrobatics, juggling, and humor are simply there to make their primary task more palatable, a drop of honey to make the bitter medicine easier to swallow.

It is the nature of jesters to speak what is on their mind, regardless of the consequences. They do not think about their words, or think ahead of the consequences, and this is why they are often considered "Foolish." Jesters are always inferior, both socially and politically, and they are in no position to pose a power threat to a noble or monarch. They gain very little from caution, and lose very little from honesty. And this is why the nobility frequently tolerates, and even cherishes the Jester. Courtiers and advisors are all manipulating and edging each other to gain favor; Adventurers have their own agendas and ambitions; Citizens will only speak what the rulers want to hear. But the Jester's words are unhindered by political ambition or fear.

In many ways, the Jester is on the side of the rulers. Although biting in their attacks, there is an undercurrent of good-naturedness and understanding in their words. If they talk the King out of butchering some innocent person, it isn't just to save the life of the person, but also to save the King - from himself. The Jester is the one who can tell the King he has parted ways with his morals. . .

[Maecius]

The excerpts found around Candlekeep are gathered and carefully recorded, with all of the other postings the monastery has had put up around its premises in the last few years.

One old scribe, Horace Thorlinch, attempts to contextualize the excerpted writing and its not-quite-accidental appearance with a short essay; speaking to Alison directly for further information, if she is willing to part with it, before archiving it away under JC, "political theory."

[vetinari]

The excerpts found around Candlekeep are gathered and carefully recorded, with all of the other postings the monastery has had put up around its premises in the last few years.

One old scribe, Horace Thorlinch, attempts to contextualize the excerpted writing and its not-quite-accidental appearance with a short essay; speaking to Alison directly for further information, if she is willing to part with it, before archiving it away under JC, "political theory."

Alison happily explains to Horace that the context was that she had been working on a book, off and on, since she arrived at Baldur's Gate. What prompted her to release an excerpt of the book was an incident that happened involving a commander of the Flaming Fist and herself, as the Jester.

She was going to rename this section of the book: "Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman, but she believed there was already a book by that name.

(( "Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman - A short story by Harlan Ellison ))