|
Wallastra Says Nice Things About His Siblings Lord Dal: Dearest Grandfather! Within what is my domain I often do not allow the presence of other gods to establish temples, but when I do it is because they fulfill a vital function I would otherwise be unable to provide by myself. Grandfather is the patron of Judges and everything that entails, after all freedom without restrictions is just a word, and the law is what all freedom revolves around. The code of law is what ultimately sets apart sentient races from the beasts. Alysidor: Although, law should have it's limits before it starts to infringe on said freedom. Really dearest brother you doth protest too much, your grim duty is necessary but your single minded drive towards one specific goal is only going to leave you wound up until you go twang come the finish. You are a God, you have all the time in the world by default. What do you mean 'you're one to talk' I have no idea what you mean! Elama-Kasvuu: Dearest sister! Many people live and die in the city, and as magnanimous patron of the Polis as I am, I cannot handle both of these responsibilities for the thousands in my domain on my own, I have had to reach out to fellow gods for some assistance. So I have endowed her and her followers temples within the free cities to facilitate the training of midwives. They are by far one of the more popular gods within my domain, myself excepting. Daihamonten: Dearest Aunt, I remember when you were still the Goddess of Vigilance and it is a sphere solely hurting by your absence. Fortune plays a far larger roll within the running of nations then you might expect, for you cannot possibly plan for every single contingency without some cosmic foresight for the future. You understand this intrinsically even if you do not appreciate this. Zara-Rakhni: Most dearest sister! I could sing for the heaven and earth of just how valuable you are to this world's mortals. Were it not for the gift of fire mortals would have never climbed to the valued status they hold today, were it not for you stirring the inner fires in the hearts of men to rise above their place in the world, I would not exist. So many innovations! So many ideas! It fills my heart with joy to see them grow from where they started. Were we not related by divine blood I could kiss you, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Doom: Dearest... Uhmm. Hmm. You are a tricky one I will admit! I have no real interest in your machinations, so would you kindly not interfere with my Grand Design and I will not interfere with your's, this is an acceptable agreement yes? At least you are a patron of the arts. Nasav-Utambe: The grin on Wallsatra seems to be straining with the effort of being so forced. Dearest brother. Let it not be said dearest brother - May you one day actually take a bath and may it be soon - that theologians would say that our relationship is tenuous at best and violently hostile at worse. And pay no mind to those nearly blasphemous accusations that when we were born our hands were firmly wrapped around each other's throats. And maybe perhaps your misguided attempts to strangle my purview in the crib by before it sprouted may put a god in mind of terrible vengeance but I would not to stoop to such lows. Also could you just put some pants or something? it's not like I don't like to see you but I keep seeing too much of you if you know what I mean. Regulus: Dearest... Brother? I think... Ermm... Err. Hmm, kind of makes my so called grand designs feel inadequate in comparison really. Organization of a few cities versus the organization of the cosmos. Burb'l: Dearest Little Brother... I wish people didn't treat you with such contempt, I've seen into the homes of my people, they all have little shrines in your honour even if they do not know it's to you they pay homage for a happy house and home, they need me but they actually want you. Thank you. Asher: Ah yes Dearest Brother! You err... Hmm. Well do you remember that time you received all those burnt offering from my realms and you didn't know why? Well ermm, I kind of... I kind of needed a death god to handle the funeral rites and proper and respectful disposal of bodies but it's not really something any of the other siblings normally deal with and I didn't want to overburden Grandfather... So I may have used your divine visage as a frontage for the temples, you don't mind do you? Oneiro; Elpis & Athumos: A-ah yes Dearest Siblings. I understand you like to play and you think these are all big playgrounds but if you could please just put that down for- Nononononono don't drop it DON'T DROP IT!- Marduk: Dearest Brother! You have all the qualities that would make you a fine addition to the expansion of humanity... if only you had perhaps a better judge of character for your champions. Or any ability to judge character at all really. Seriously you really need to improve on that sibling you seem to keep making the same mistakes every time you try. Kylia Chainbreaker: Ah dearest sister! Wild and untamed as you are I like you more then CERTAIN similar gods even if our ideas clash at times. Scoff at my desire for everything to be neat and orderly and my love of bureaucracy all you want if it gives you satisfaction, but it works! You have to admit that surely? Wallastra: I wouldn't say I am the most wisest and handsome of the gods. I mean possibly other gods are more handsome and wise for one thing but I like to think I could be as handsome or wise if I wanted to be. Eventually. Foltz: Dearest Brother... I admire your desire to stick to your guns even when outnumbered I really honestly do and think your desire to spread peace a worthy one but... Well... The old adage 'If you want peace, prepare for war' exists for a good reason. If you keep turning the other cheek, people will keep slapping you in the face. Auer: Dearest Sister. Ermm. As much as I appreciate your company and all that you have brought to my city on occasion... Could you possibly just stay over there and not come over here please? It's not that you have a reputation of breaking things it's just that I have everything how I want it over here and would prefer to avoid your, special touch. Vaalystion: Dearest... Err, Sibling? I'm not entirely caught up on your purview I apologize I deal in a world where numbers add up and things make logical sense, what is magic exactly? TheNabster fucked around with this message at 00:15 on Mar 10, 2017 |
#
?
Mar 9, 2017 23:45
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 22:21 |
|
|
For the record, when i called marduk 'rebellious younger brother,' i didn't nessecarily mean that he was the youngest god, and i didn't expect quite as many gods. Depending on how things end up, marduk may be the younger of his generation, or the youngest of the first set of brothers or something. He's still ancient and cosmic enough to awoken the first creatures to self-awareness and smite the first empire and stuff like that. If we end up with multiple generations of gods, marduk is probably in an earlier one, again, depending.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 03:06
|
|
|
Name Serene Huatanora, Aegis of the Coast, Island that Walks  Who are you? She is the gentle giant, the kind leviathan whose slow but immense steps can be felt from the frozen fjords of Drakeheim to the semitropical waters of the Emerald Archipelago. Is she everywhere at the same time? Not exactly, although she can traverse her coastal domain much faster than one would expect someone of her size and speed once the sailors waving at her can't see her anymore. She's a surprisingly old goddess considering how fresh-faced and direct she is. There are paintings of her, or at least something that remarkably resembles her, in some of the oldest seaside caves of the world, where humanity first shredded the title of animal to become something more: and already they homaged Huatanora with pictures and stories of a moving island and the turtle that carried it on its back. She always had a weakness for humans, these silly creatures that go out to sea even though they don't have fins or gills. Often she poked her head up as the canoes flew around her shell, fascinated by those wooden fishes that the mortals had. They were so pretty, and so fast! The fact that they found her so fascinating didn't hurt either. They sparked each other's imagination and a fast friendship was formed, and since then whenever her domains touched upon humanity, the little things have prospered. Note that Huatanora is not, technically speaking, a marine animal, and can very well emerge from the sea in all her earth-shaking glory: she just hates doing that, because she feels clumsy and exposed, and she scares her human friends, and what if a sea monster arrives just as she's taking a walk like this? Only a grave emergency or a really big favor from a relative can bring her outside of her comfort zone like that. What is your Divine Mandate? To shepherd fish and other sea animal so that they may all prosper; to sing lullabies to the storms to calm them; to shield and protect the mainland from the terrors coming from the Deep Abyss, that scary and fascinating place that lies beyond where she may go without drowning her whole island. What are your strengths in support of that mandate? (8 points worth, PDQ style.) Protection +4: Arguably her most important duty is to be the first line of defense against the krakens and sea serpents and devil whales that would lay destruction on the coast if they were allowed to reach it. She has been extremely dutiful in this regard for millennia now, and the fact that many of these beasts would prey on her squishy friends has redoubled her determination to keep them at bay. The Sea +2: the Sea is hard to tame and to control, but you can't walk with someone (or rather within someone) for centuries at a time without learnin to get along with it. Currents dance around the Island that Walks, moved by her own immense bulk moving and by sympathetic magic, and fishes of all shape and sizes follow in her wake. The Wind +2: When Huatanora hums, a gentle breeze caresses the faces of her worshippers and fills their sails. When Huatanora sings a lullaby, the furious storm abates like a child being held by their mother. And should Huatanora be roused from her tranquillity enough to intone a war song, seastorms and hurricanes will march at her side. What is your potential for hubris? (4 points worth, PDQ style) Unweildy form -2: She is a giant island-turtle. She cannot enter buildings, she cannot hold small objects, she cannot easily hide. By far the most bizarre-looking member of the family, this can severly limit her options. Humanity's Friend -2: It is not Huatanora's duty to help humanity. Hers is a different domain, of sea and salt and battle against marine abominations. That she uses her powers to guide fish to the nets of fishermen down on their luck is no secret, but so long as the underwater ecosystem remains stable, no one really minds. But the fact is, it's going to be hard for her to take a course of action likely to damage humanity, and a clever god could very well manipulat her this way. What is your favourite realm? The Gulf of Coriander: a vast, sandy opening in the sea, big enough for Huatanora to easily fit in. Four villages live on its shores, and whenever Huatanora visits, they always welcome her with painted canoes, and they throw flower garlands and pieces of fish at her, especially the children. She hardly needs the food, of course, but she can sense the love and enjoyment of the children as they watch her gobble up their treats; she lets the climb on her back and play in her jungles and her temples, as the tip-tap of their feet feel like a welcome massage to her, and the echo of their laughters make her drift into a peaceful sleep. Who are your devoted followers there? Whenever someone reaps from the bounty of the ocean, they have reason to thank Huatanora. Her worshippers include pearl divers, coral cutters, and of course the salt-encrusted masses of fishermen, making a living from what their hard work out at sea. Deeper in the mainland, she is the subject of fanciful tales and myths, but people don't really think of her as someone worthy of devotion. Many don't even exactly realize that she's a goddess in her own right and not a mythical beast. There is also a small but ferociously devoted order of monster hunter that take inspiration from her battles against the monters of the Deep Abyss. Huatanora isn't crazy about these guys, they're a bit too intense for her, but she must admit that they do mostly benefit humanity, so she can't in good conscience scold them. What did you do?! It was during a spring. Spring is always the hardest season for Huatanora: all the beasts of land and sea find love and mate, and she alone is, well alone. That is, until he came.  If he is a monster of the Deep Abyss, he's by far the smallest she's ever seen. In fact, if he had been much bigger, she probably would have assumed that he was a threat that needed to be dealt with. But that wasn't the case: he was small enough not to make her defensive, big enough for them to be, ahem, compatible and he arrived just at the right moment. Almost suspiciously so. Especially considering that he is actually a sort of hermaphroditic beast that somehow "stole" the eggs he fertilized and swam away after the act was done. Now there is a mysterious beast somewhere in the ocean, with divine children in its belly, being raised amongst animals, possibly in the Deep Abyss. Not to mention that Huatanora is worried about the destiny of her babies. paradoxGentleman fucked around with this message at 18:25 on Mar 10, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 03:50
|
|
|
Lord Dal: Great oldfather, he has much to teach us youth - and much to learn. Law has a muddled relationship with Peace, after all. It is certainly lawful to take revenge against one who has harmed you, within certain mortal parameters, but it is a waste of one's vital energies, and that cannot be abided. Alysidor: There is room for Oaths and Punishment within the folds of Peace. Peace must be enforced, certainly, both from within and without. And if his punishments are a trifle... excessive? Well. That's his business. In the fullness of time, he'll see the rightness of my methods. Elama-Kasvuu: Ah, dearest mother. I have no problem with her mandates - Fecundity and Beauty can blossom in peaceful times, to the benefit of all. Lust, however, can be troublesome. Too many of my flock have succumbed to her wiles and had to be chastised. Such a waste of time. Zara-Rakhni: Fire is rash and hungry, and it wastes much of what it touches - but it can also warm the hearth and home, keep people feeling safe and complacent. In this latter aspect they are acceptable to me. Nasav-Utambe: Animals are not subject to my mandate - they are low, base creatures. Resources, for the learned. He is none of my concern, unless he should attempt to use his vermin to stir actual people into conflict. Burb'l: Ah, that one. He is... around, certainly. He never causes much of a fuss. I suppose that is adequate praise. Asher: He concerns me. He is wild, and he is unpredictable. My flock have been instructed to close their hearts to his words, and to steer clear of the deep places of the world, where his kind lurk. Oneiro; Elpis & Athumos: Oh, chaotic cousin. I can stand them but half the time. Instead, I opt to avoid them all together. Their followers, too, are difficult to control - I approach them but carefully. Marduk: This... inspiration of his is dangerous. If men wish to become unto Gods, their hearts will fill with turmoil, with rash and hasteful thoughts. Despite my many entreaties, he has not desisted his foolishness. Bah! Wallastra: Wallastra and I can work together, yes. Though we may disagree on some points, Peace and Cities go together like fertilizers with flowers. We reinforce one another's mandates, and this conjuction is pleasing to me. Vaalystion: My father is agreeable enough to me. The search for knowledge is of utmost importance in this world - certainly for mortals. Glyphic magic is fascinating in its own right, as well. The fellow himself is tolerable. Huatnora: Huatnora’s goals generally align with my own, or at very least do not conflict. She is kind and peaceful for the most part, and without much of the turmoil that plagues the rest of my family. Whatever our disagreements, I like her. edit: Edited to reflect actual official Gods Dog Kisser fucked around with this message at 15:52 on Mar 16, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 07:30
|
|
|
Wow, almost all of these turned out more... hateful than I expected. Oh well! Dal - An old man, who thinks he knows what is best for the world, seeking to control even his godly children. He is neither unloved or disrespected, but for all his wisdom, he should know better than to try and enforce his Laws upon Nature itself. Still, in comparison to many others of my family, the Great Ancestor is one whose presence can easily be tolerated, if only for his lack of extremism in comparison to... Alysidor - Ah yes, the Chainsmith. Only fools let themselves be bound by chains, physical or verbal, even moreso when there is no reward for doing so save the threat of future punishment. A worthless God for worthless Domains, no more will I say of this one. Elama-Kasvuu - The Mother to All and Many. She is necessary for life and survival, there is no questioning as such. But her ego is insufferable, acceptable only due to what vital role she plays. Beauty in appearance will carry you but so far, if you cannot support it with strength or skill. Or in other words, a pretty face might attract a mate, but it will not feed them. Still, of those that share my blood, she is one that I am willing to accept… if unwillingly, at times. Daihamonten - The Goddess cast down for her failures, Luck too is a factor of Nature, but that does not mean I must care for it. Let Consequence do as she pleases, as she is want to. Her actions too will have a reaction before long, even if she thinks herself beyond that truth. Zara-Rakhni - Fire, Passion, Inspiration. Alone, there is no harm in these. But together, in the hands of humanity? A threat, one of the greatest to the wild, and even to those mortals she treasures so. An untamed beast harms the few, an unwatched flame harms the many. Watch her with caution, and be ready to extinguish her light if need be. Doom - ...Hmph. I preferred this one when he played a pretty tune, rather than spread the song of madness and discord. Destruction for destruction’s sake is meaningless. At least the Chainsmith has purpose in his bindings, even if I disagree with them. Even those who cut down my groves do so for the sake of civilization. A less than worthless God. Regulus - As if the Chainsmith was not enough. Yet at least this God of Order also speaks for the Evolution of beings. If only that did not include the evolution of technology as well. Furthermore, predictability is an unacceptable weakness, a flaw that can easily mean the end of one’s life. In the end, the God of Order is tiresome, but he has his place in the world. Sometimes an ally, sometimes a foe. Burb’l - The servile one, he too has his place in the world. Not all creatures can be fierce predators, nor should they be. Yet he could do to stand for himself more. Meekness is one matter, laying down with your belly exposed for all to tear is another. Asher - Protector and Ender, there is no shame in Hunger for a beast. But do not let it consume you so that it blinds you to your duty, for you play an important duty indeed. A trusted sibling. It has been considered, old friend. Oneiro; Elpis & Athumos - Hope, Despair, and Dreams. All such… useless things. I cannot understand why our Pantheon needs a God for such Domains. As for the twins themselves, they are… bearable, I suppose. They may do as they like, so long as their childish antics keeps them out of my way. Marduk - The Liberator of Mortality, is it? Such faith in mortals, he has, though it is utterly undeserved. Indeed, if they were truly worthy of his faith, would they not be able to overthrow us Gods without his aid? No particular offense do I take with the Liberator’s role, save for when his influence brings harm to my realm. Which… happens more than I would like. Kylia Chainbreaker - You would think one called the Chainbreaker would be pleasing to myself, and at times she is. Her Strength is to be admired, respected, revered. As for the rest, however… she leaves much to be desired. Her focus lays far too greatly on mortals, as does so many of my other siblings. Just like the Liberator, Heroism inspired through godly influence is no heroism at all. The hypocrite may do as she likes. Wallastra - Hahahaha! No. I will not waste any breath on this one. Find another god or goddess to detail such a detestable sibling. Foltz - Ugh. From one worthless god to another. Or should I thank this one? After all, the Foolish One makes the work of my beasts all the easier whenever I lose my temper. So, thank you, Foolish One. Your pacifism makes your worshippers ample prey. Auer - And another goddess that is useless to me. Emotions? I- Words fail me. Perhaps the “Muse of Misery’ can find a way to describe her how pointless her role is in Nature. I will not bother. Vaalystion - Knowledge. Magic. If it was not for his Glyphs adhering to the natural laws of the world and his birdfolk worshippers, I would cast this sibling aside into the Pit of Prey with the last trio. Even still, it is a close matter nonetheless. Magic. Where did the Great Ancestor go wrong... Huatanora - At last! Another goddess that I can appreciate. Just as I command the land, the Island that Walks commands the sea and its many bounties. And yet, to show such bias towards humanity, to shelter them from the worst of harm… how are they to grow with such assistance on their side? It is not the natural way. Well, I shall take what I can amidst this pantheon of ‘civilized’ fools and tools. TheFireMagi fucked around with this message at 09:13 on Mar 10, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 09:00
|
|
|
Lord Dal - Divine Grandfather and architect of Law and Truth. Through him, I have been pun- provided with my newest purpose, so that I am saved from uselessness and destruction. I should be thankful to him for this new task and it would be churlish of me to throw his faith in me back in his face. Alysidor - Alysidor generally keeps his own house in order and for that I am thankful. The dispensation of Karmic Justice is a difficult and vague affair at the best of times; with the consequences of oathbreaking taken out of my hands, I am free to concentrate on the many… many other aspects of fate that I must adjudicate. Assuredly though, even consequence and punishment lead to more consequence. Alysidor’s role ends when the gavel falls, my role is unending. Elama-Kasvuu - Children and… coupling are the seventh and third largest movements in the tapestry of consequence and fate. The thoroughly chaotic nature of these affairs and the inevitably increase in workload that new mortals cause does not help matters. However, I could accept all this if it were not for my sisters jealously. What am I if not a failure who was not fit to the task she was made for? What could my dear sister be jealous of? Zara-Rakhni - Think of it, a world without passion. Silent, serene, barely any paperwork. It is wrong of me to blame my sibling for their mandate, but when the days are never-ending and Burb'l can not find me enough wine, I instead drink blame to excess instead. It is a comforting, if bitter drink. Doom - Oh by Grandfathers name… Burb'l, it’s going to be another bad decade. Yes, Doom is out and about again. Yes, bring the wine. Nasav-Utambe - Sometimes it’s hard to know when my work ends and another Gods begins. Equally, it is hard to tell when I make work for myself, or if others are making it for me. It is of course an inevitable consequence that, when pushed too far, mortals and Gods will begin to push back. The ensuing conflict is inevitably going to increase my workload. Regulus - I am in two minds of my younger brother. His adherence to order and law and the regularity of his functions all make arbitrating in his lands much easier then elsewhere and usually prevents the need for… excessiveness. On the other hand… oh he is so smug!. Burb'l - Oh dear, sweet, kind, merciful Burb'l. Like a sweet drop of sun after an endless winter. Yes, put the wine just over there thank you. Asher - Often times a solemn companion for myself and my work, I am fond of Asher more so then most of my brethren. He is a good dog, good friend. Oneiro - Two sides of the same coin and equally as difficult to deal with. Were we as rambunctious when we were young? Still, they are young and I suppose we must forgive the young their trespasses. Marduk - There will be consequences. Grave consequences. Then again, there are always are and always will be. In the end, I am not the end to judge, I merely enforce the judgements. Kylia Chainbreaker - It’s like Doom was a woman but she was completely earnest. More wine! Wallastra - I can appreciate the spirit of his work if not the underlying effect. I am all for order, and the rule of law and the rise of civilisation is a natural barrier against a chaotic universe. For my own sake, while my work increases in size it remains the same in scope; in the packed cities there are rarely more then 8 or 9 stories being told, with only tiny variations in judgement and arbitration needed. Foltz - Hah! Patient my right earlobe! Foltz the passive aggressive more like. Yes, the first wave of the “Patients” are sorted easily enough, but who must work out the cultural and political shift for the ensuring generations? I do, and having you clucking at me from behind doesn't make it happen any faster Foltz! Auer - Artists. If there is anything harder to deal with then artists, I have yet to encounter it. Every brush-stroke, every verse, all designed to elicit some specific reaction in those who view it. Kingdoms have been bought low to the word choice of a poet. Then again, I’m sure my sister would have it no other way. Vaalystion - Huatanora - OscarDiggs fucked around with this message at 23:58 on Mar 11, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 19:53
|
|
|
Hutanora: Hmm. Gods are certainly not limited in form, but the only things which are purely in the mortal world all the time are purely mortal things. Does she swim the seas of the divine as well as traversing the wide mortal oceans? Question: As an omniscient being sovereign in your aquatic domain, why haven't you made more of an effort to regain your children?
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 20:09
|
|
|
AJ_Impy posted:Huatanora: Hmm. Gods are certainly not limited in form, but the only things which are purely in the mortal world all the time are purely mortal things. Does she swim the seas of the divine as well as traversing the wide mortal oceans? Well, technically she doesn't swim. Huatanora's legs are just so long, she just walks on the ocean floor, her back well beyond the water level. She can poke her head either up, to look at boats and people, or down, to keep an eye on the fish swimming between her legs. And yes, she can travel to the mansion of the gods when she so chooses. This tends to generate a small lagoon to host her when she travels there, much to the displeasure of the staff, since she dislikes being on solid ground. As for her children... Huatanora isn't the unchallenged queen of the oceans. She is a creature of the close waters that the sailors navigate; any water so deep that it completely covers her island is beyond her dominion. Those waters are called the Deep Abyss, and she is sure that her mysterious paramour has escaped, for no fish or breeze or wave that listens to her call has reported seeing him. For what reason did he bring them there, though? Why would he not explain himself? Are her children safe? This is what Huatanora wonders, when she sings to the moon at night and receives no answer.
|
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 21:25
|
|
|
Huatanora's Opinions About Her Small Family Lord Dal: The turtle goddess isn't entirely convinced by her father's ramblings about the Truth and the understanding thereof: why is that so important? What even is the Truth? She tends to treat it as the old man just wanting to have things done his way, and building a phylosophical smokescreen to hide how blatantly self-serving it is. They mostly bond over their appreciation of mortals; she's more laissez-faire about how to treat them than him, though. Sometimes she suspects that he just likes bossing them around. Alysidor: No two ways about it: he's scary. Huatanora detests the way he treats mortals; and for what? Because they've said something imprudent in the heat of the moment? It just seems so pointlessly cruel. Sometimes she looks at the skeleton chained to its throne at the top of the mountain, and she wonders if the world wouldn't be better without her grim brother in it. Elama-Kasvuu: Huatanora looks at her fertile sister/mother with admiration in her eyes and a tiny stab of envy in her whale-sized heart. Elama is beautiful, experienced in the matters of love, and mother of many: all things that the Aegis of the Coast wishes she could be, but isn't. She genuinely loves and admires her sister/mother for what she does, though. There would be no mortals for Huatanora to protect if it wasn't for her. Daihamonten: The turtle goddess feels somewhat sorry for Daihamonten. She enjoyed being the Goddess of Vigilance, in her own straight-laced way, and she buckles under her new role. Huatanora strongly suspects that the more she grows frustrated with her new job the worst things will go for Mycaria. Had she the clout to enforce such a decision, the turtle goddess would gladly see her restored to her old role. But Huatanora is the forgiving type. Zara-Rakhni: So intense, and so enamored and enthusiastic with each and every project! Huatanora loves to sit in her little lagoon with Zara walking back and forth on its shores, making the water boil and talking a mile per minute about his latest ideas. She does sometimes about his impulsivity and his disregard for consequences, and tries to steer him into more peaceful direction when she can. But all in all she is fond of her fiery brother. Doom: Before Doom was Doom he would sit on Huatanora's back, and they would have magnificent duets together. The day he was condemned to the pits was one of the few times the turtle goddess lost her temper. The punishment does not fit the crime, the winds seemed to scream as storms ravaged the sea, away from any mortals that might be unjustly be caught in her fury. Now Doom is Doom and Huatanora can barely recognize him. Her poor, poor nephew... Nasav-Utambe: The turtle goddess would apprecaite Nasav a lot more if he wasn't quite so violent about things. She understands the need to protect and cherish the natural world; but surely it's possible to do that without resorting to this sort of brutality? Regulus: There is a seed of something valuable in what Regulus says, about living in harmony, for a society free of the chaos brought by monsters and other menaces. But he always takes it too far. Really, he would be such a great help for the mortals if he just relaxed a bit... but much like Lord Val, he's far too focused on his grand, ethereal ideas of his instead of the rest of the world they're supposed to govern. Burb'l: Huatanora feels a kinship to the family butler, and she tries, in her own small ways, to lessen his load. He works so hard, and he is always so nice and polite, the poor thing. She feels so sorry for the messes she invariably makes when she manifests in the palace of the gods, with her immense size and her tendency to create small lagoons where she appears. Asher: Unlike Alyisidor or even Nasav-Utambe, Asher's violence serves its purpose. Without him, the world would be overpopulated and full to the bursting point. Huatanora can respect that. She does keep a very close eye on her shaggy cousin. He lacks the impartiality that would appropriate in a guardian. Oneiro: The twins are a fascinating enigma for the turtle goddess. Sometimes they drive mortals to foolish and dangerous actions. But there's no denying that mortals have become... more ever since they've fallen under their influences. She's curiou about what they do, and doesn't completely understand it. paradoxGentleman fucked around with this message at 00:34 on Mar 12, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 10, 2017 22:48
|
|
|
It is now Saturday, 11th March, going by UTC. You have a hair under 24 Hours to finalise all submissions before I sit upon my throne of judgement and see who to cast into the outer darkness, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 01:12
|
|
|
*Among the artifacts considered the most holy within the Chainbreakers is a piece of wall paneling apparently ripped out of a burning tavern and scrawled upon in a little known dialect. Or maybe a well known dialect very poorly written, its hard to tell.* ...which DEAREST DADDY DAL thinks he's still the boss of me, or anyone else for that matter, when he's been sitting back rotting for who knows how long now. I visited him only last decade and he called me useless and complained I forgot that pudding he likes. Mental note, pick some up if any of the shoppes are still standing after the shindig I got planned later tonight... ...of which this effin' guys, Alysidor thinks he's the divine equivalent of those schoolmasters that beat the kids and think they're doing them a favor. I'll give him this; if he wasn't so busy I'd probably be a lot more bored and the followers complained things get a bit intense when my focus wanders. Where was I? Ah, yes, auntie Elama-Kasvuu, I'm so proud of her. Most gals her age are slowing down, but not her! I guess a lot of men are into that maturity thing. Which reminds me of Daihamonten, talk about passive aggressiveness. If you're going to tyrannize people, at least own it instead of hiding behind "its just a job." Speaking of which, Zara, darling! I am so sorry I scared you off last time and ruined your flow. You were there, blazing bright and I wanted to help so I convinced the locals to build a pyre for the meanest of the local lords. I am sorry that I harshed your buzz. On the topic of ruining someone's day, Doom isn't the first angry kid who focuses his angst into music. Hopefully he'll realize one day that carnage is fine as long as its directed at the right target. The odd man-eater aside, I've nothing against Nasav-Utambe beyond him shedding everywhere and calling it the "Will of Nature." Could stand to be a little less sullen. I was trying to burn down only the castle, it wasn't my fault it was located in a forest! Not sorry at all, dear brother Regulus, you fear what you cannot contain and this isn't the only time, metaphorically or literally, i've knocked over the whole shelf of jars walking into a room. Note to self: get Burb'l. to clean up the room of broken soulglass and ambrosia before it hardens and attracts the flesh flies. Without him everything would be a lot more sticky and smelly. A fire is only fun when someone else has to clean up the ashes. Speaking of messes, I'd mind Asher a lot less if he didn't leave those little presents for the rest of us to find. I come back from a hard day of smashing the state I don't want to see some half eaten manticore in my closet. That makes me depressed just thinking about it, but for every little downside of Athumos, there Elpis to pick up the slack. They're adorable. Even more so when they bicker. Bickering reminds me, brother Marduk, I like your ideas, but you gotta get out more. Mortals respond best when pointed at something and given a bit of a kick, either physical or spiritual. Things that need to be kicked over is Wallastra's, domain. I like a nice city as much as the next diety, but they tend to be places where tyranny festers if left to its own device. I'll give him this: rebuilding a burned out ruin unites folks in egalitarian effort as few other things do. Following the idea of things that are about to be burned out and ruined, man, Foltz, please, pick up a sharp stick or something and just shake it or something, Don't be the most tempting target out there. Nothing's sadder than someone being trampled into the dust saying "AT LEAST I HAVE THE MORAL HIGH GROUND." And of the people that enjoy things being trampled, I have a soft spot for Auer, and would appreciate her love of my work more if I didn't get the sense she's the sort of person who shows up to a chariot race to watch the crashes. Riling people up is a great skill, and to that end I applaud Vaalystion's efforts to conserve knowledge. Literacy is rare, and a well written rant can incite people as few other things can. Maybe your occasional sea-story as well. I've no issue with Huatanora; few things are as frighteningly tyrannical and arbitrarily destructive as the ocean and all the horrible horrible things that live in it, and its much harder to stab them or set them on fire. She does her thing, I'll stay away, other than maybe the occasional dictatorial ship captain. Mutiny is both a science and an art after all.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 02:13
|
|
|
Auer's impression of Huatanora The largest of my sisters by far, Huatanora is a very peculiar bird indeed. With legs like a divine flamingo (oh how sister Elama-Kasvuu is jealous!) and a voice like the forest that lives on her back, she is perhaps the most beautiful of all the pantheon. I enjoy the time we spend together on tour, but we had a falling out recently over some fishing village or other that she was fond of, that I had - accidentally you understand - leveled with a tornado. Oh I hope she can forgive me, I was only trying to to teach some dervishes of mine a new move! Auer's impression of Udar Bird-father always let me ride with his flock when I was little. It was from him and the many blooded battles what we toured that I learned to what great heights a mortal can aspire with a little bit of divine zest to get them going. The pleasure bird-father sees in battle, I see in the aftermath, in the works of all of those he touches. I am proud to be a part of his line. - On Alignment, Auer is firmly in the chaotic slot though not always by intention. She sees morality such as good and evil as things lesser beings such as mortals may concern themselves about and takes no real heed to it. Therefore it can be implied that she is neutral, though some would argue that her mostly selfish goals lean her more towards evil - but that would be silly, how can a God be Selfish, when it is their Divine Right to do as they please? Family-wise, I imagine her as a middle sister. Not the oldest, not the youngest, not the prettiest, boldest or most wise. Somewhat like her mot ardent worshipers, trying to find her way. Despite her semi-human appearance, she is considered part of the raven-ish faction in the pantheon, together with Udar (bird-father) and Vaalystion (bird-brother), Foltz (bird-brother and or bird-cousin?) and Huatanora (a turtle is a bird right?-sister) Swedish Thaumocracy fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Mar 11, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 11:45
|
|
|
Marduk on Huatanora Huatanora's great. I don't care much for fish and seacreatures, myself, but Hautanora brings food to hungry seamen, saves those lost by the storms, and is mankind's shield against the Deep Abyss. What's not to like? Oh, and she's got a great sense of humor. - Marduk obviously tilts to the side of chaos, what with wanting to overthrow the structure of the entire world. Not a speck of ill-will in him, though. He's all good, all the time, towards /every/ mortal. No matter what they've done. Unless the worship him, of course. Magnusth fucked around with this message at 13:07 on Mar 11, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 13:03
|
|
|
 Huatanora We do not often see eye to eye, but our duties are the same. Your compassionate heart cannot always do what is needed, but that is why I exist. --- Asher cannot be said to have a side. When a thing's time has come, law and chaos play no part in that decision. If he comes down on the side of order over anarchy, it is only because it makes his tasks simpler when effect follows cause, not the other way around.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 16:19
|
|
|
Huatanora Helping mortals survive the sea means that they can study its mysteries. She tends to coddle them a little too much for my liking, but at least they work for it. -- In terms of morality, I feel like Vaalystion is Lawful Neutral, bordering on True Neutral. He perceives as worthy actions those who are the result of planning and forethought, and cares little for lucky breaks and unintended consequences. He is strongly convinced that mortals have to work to be granted power from the gods, and frowns upon his siblings who grant their boons with what he sees as carelessness.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 17:55
|
|
|
You have Seven Hours. Spend them wisely!
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 18:03
|
|
|
 Name? Udar, The Bloody, the Raven Prince. Who are you? I am the force that gives men meaning, the purifier of nations. I burn out the rot in societies, and pierce the boil of peace and tension. Allow me to make you and your people strong, and if you are not worthy, allow yourself to be swept aside for those who are. What is your Divine Mandate? All things must be tested. It is my duty to test individuals and nations. A land too long at peace grows corrupt, its people more concerned with its own needs than the needs of the society. When two nations are at peace, tensions increase between them. Little differences and disputes crop up. The world becomes filled with tension and fear. The same is true for its people. its people grow weak. They become immoral, selfish, cowardly. Personal gain becomes prized, and honor scoffed at. Thus the world slips into decadence. I will not let that happen. I love the world too much to see it at peace. What are your strengths in support of that mandate? War [+4] War! War is my tool. It is through battle that the strong prove themselves, and through war that the weak are removed. War makes men great, or it makes them dead. Either way, the world is better. I watch over the warrior and the soldier as they kill their foe. I inspire the generals as they plan their campaigns. If an engineer sees a weak point in a city wall that will make the city fall, I have showed it to them. If a defender sees a weak point in a city wall and shores it up, I have provided the beam. Among mankind, the war is all. Strength [+2] Physical strength, mental strength, moral strength; this is what I give to mankind, and this is what I demand for them. Be strong and enjoy the rewards of strength, be weak and serve your betters, or grow stronger, until you are no longer weak. The weak submit to the strong, and if you are ruled by one weaker, rise up and defeat them, and make them your slave. This is the way of things. It has always been the way of things, and always will be. Leadership [+2] Who rules? He who is strong, physically, mentally, morally. There's no end to the successful kings and dictators I have brought to power, just as there is no end to the unsuccessful kings and dictators I have destroyed. No one can rule for long without my consent. What is your potential for hubris? Exuberance [-4] I love what I do. I confess, I think I am the most content of all the gods. Work is a joy, a delight. I would rather do it than anything else. I confess, sometimes I focus so muh on that, i let other things slip, but really, can you blame me? Is there anything more exciting than war? Anything at all? What is your favourite realm? The Vingorti tribes. They are not one nation, the tribes, and no one can name all of the different tribes. Indeed, they're always fluid, as tribes absorb each other and split.; great confederations of families and clans. The people there farm and herd cattle, and skirmish with each other regularly; raids for cattle, goods, and honor. They call me Udar the Raven there, the great warchief. They say the ravens are my messengers, and none of them would ever harm one, and they swear oaths to me as part of the kingship ceremony. If ever they united under one ruler, they would conquer the world, i think. Who are your devoted followers there? The warriors. Always the warriors. i hear their prayers. "Udar, make me brave. Udar, protect me. Udar, let me kill my enemies. Udar, let me live". I hear them, in their last breaths, calling out to me. Sometimes I walk the battlefields, watching, blessing, comforting, and it is my ravens who come after the battle to carry the souls of the brave back to me. I taste the sacrifices their commanders give me before the battle, cattle, sheep, even men, and then the great sacrifice when the battle begins What did you do?! There was an empire once that my nephew had spent no end of time on, and that he was proud of, and I confess, he should have been, for it was beautiful; more advanced than any before or after. Most of all, their soldiers were magnificent. They were a joy to watch fight. It was a pleasure I had never enjoyed before or since. They had rivals on the border; other nations, other peoples, who they called "barbarian". It was so easy to stir the barbarian tribes up, to encourage them to do what they wanted to do anyway. They poured across the border, and the empire had no choice but to respond. The battles were glorious, magnificent; the soldiers so brave. The wars drew the attention of my nephew himself. While his attention was on the border, though, things fell apart in the capital. Rebellion broke out and corruption among the government. None of THAT was my fault, for all that I enjoy a good rebellion. I never paid too much attention, but I suspect their little brother and sister had a hand in that, the little scamps. Still, I can't help but feel he blames me for what happened to his empire.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 19:11
|
|
|
Udar Question: What do you do with those who go to war, fight bravely and valiantly, the epitome of soldiery, yet are horrified by it, and spend the rest of their lives counselling against the evils and madness of war?
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 19:25
|
|
|
Elama-Kasvuu has more relatives to opine on: Huatanora: Who could have a problem with Huatanora? She's too sweet (and, to be entirely honest, sort of slow) for anyone to dislike. It's a shame she seems so disappointed that the mate I... may have encouraged to head her way... didn't stick around. At least she had a good time while it lasted. Udar: I love him and I hate him. War is inevitable if I'm doing my job properly; get enough mortals together and eventually they will fight, after all. I hate that so many mortals lose their lives before they've had a chance to have kids of their own when war rears its head - but in its wake, well... nothing encourages mortals to make more mortals better than seeing a whole bunch of other mortals die senselessly. So that's nice. His single-mindedness is irritating, though. I mean, does a girl have to get naked to get his attention? ...no, really, would that work?
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 19:38
|
|
|
AJ_Impy posted:Udar Perverts. It's sad, really, but some people learn all the wrong lessons, and redirect all of their promise to evil. Some of them can be redeemed, and i do that when I can. It's amazing how fast a lot of people lose their pacifism when they're confronted with losing something they care about. Death of a spouse, or child, or parents, can spur one to vengeance. So, I try that, sometimes. That's usually enough to let them understand they're only pacifists when they have nothing to lose. If that doesn't work, well, I take more drastic actions if I have to. I like to see them dead, preferably at an enemy's hand, although my good for nothing son does his best to stop me. (And really, Foltz, I don't know what's the matter with you. I did my best to raise you well. Why do you act like this?) If i can't do that, ruining their reputation works, if I can.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 19:47
|
|
|
Marduk on Udar Helping people become strong and make themselves worthy, these are great and valuable things. Causing war, and death, and bloodshed among innocent mortals? less so. Worst of all, his focus on the 'weak' and the 'strong'. Does he not see that no mortal chooses weakness? That their weakness is a trap, forced upon them by the world. Eventually, they will see, they will understand, and all can be strong.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 20:41
|
|
|
Alysidor on Udar The shedding of blood between mortals is of no consequence to me. And warriors rarely break their oaths and pursue them to the death. Rarely do I have to punish his flock. Then is he The Apprentice, for he and his following forge strong chains indeed, and are confident of stride and purpose. Of this, I approve. He is to be encouraged.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 21:00
|
|
|
On the subject of morality, I would most likely call Burb'l a lawful good diety. He'd do almost anything to make a person happier, so long as that thing isn't illegal and doesn't contradict previous orders. And as far as lineage and immediate family goes, I still really like the idea that Burb'l was adopted and only has tenuous biological connections to the rest of the family. Of all the gods posted so far, and with so little time left on the clock that's probably all the gods, I imagine Burb'l to be the estranged grandchild of Huatanora. Making his closest living relatives sea monsters... he's something of the black sheep of that family line. Edit: Actually the more I think about this angle the more I'm loving it. It makes me imagine a subplot for my character in which Burb'l is actively trying to track down the Kraken in order to finally meet and hopefully establish a relationship with his violent, acquatic biological family. Maybe in the process awkwardly stumbling into finding his own spine by dealing with his all too brashly independant, real family. I don't know. Sounds amusing. KhediveRex fucked around with this message at 21:54 on Mar 11, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 21:09
|
|
|
Udar's impressions: Lord Dal Father always was a grumpy sort. Really, it's best to pretend to listen to him and do what he says when he's around. Don't get me wrong. I like a good argument as much as anyone, but you can't win against him. I've tried. Alysidor I try to like him, I do, really I do. And I know I have to take his limitations into account, and I've really tried. We can't all be conversationalists, but he's just so depressing. There, I've said it, he's not fun to talk to. You all were thinking it, it's not just me. I know, I know, I'll be nice. Elama-Kasvuu Oh, her? She's nice enough, I suppose. She really needs to cover up more. I'd think she'd be cold. Daihamonten She's careless and not really very responsible. I like her, but I wouldn't trust her with anything important. That's why we put her in that consequence job. You can't really screw up consequences. Consequences just happen. Zara-Rakhni There's a kind of synergy there, isn't there? Really, I think we're in the same general line. And I really like what he did with gunpowder. Doom The god of music? Huh, I haven't heard from him in a while. What's he been up to? I mean, there's still music, right? So he must still be around. I just haven't seen him since the incident. The incident? This was quite some time ago. i was working on a major war, and he was there, just buzzing around, touching everything. You know how kids get. Anyway, he knocks over a bottle of ink on one of my maps, and I lost my temper, yelled at him, and sent him to his room, telling him to stay in there until he was able to calm down. He stormed out, sulking. Nasav-Utambe He's fun when he sics wolves on people. I have to admit, you just have to laugh. Regulus He's a little bit of a prig, and butts his nose into things with the misguided idea that he's "helping", when really he just needs to mind his own business. He just gets so upset when people fight...takes it personally. Don't get me wrong, I like the kid, but I don't think he likes me very much. Burb'l <sighs> Asher I never really wanted a pet, but he just showed up and everybody else wanted to keep him. He's not a bad dog, I guess. Greedy as anything. You don't watch him, and he'll eat everything he sees and make a mess on the carpet. Oneiro Little scamps are cute. Glad they're not my kids, but they're cute. Marduk It's adolescent rebellion more than anything else, I think. He's just doing it to shock people. He'll outgrow it. Kylia Chainbreaker The arguments we've had! I love her, and always will, but still, she's fooling herself with all this "cause" stuff. She likes the violence just for its own sake. I just wish she could see there's nothing wrong with that and stop being hypocritical about it. Wallastra He makes nice cities, ones that can support a decent army, and it's good to take pride in your work. I still say I'm not responsible for Tel Shirath, though. Foltz Oh, son. I tried, I really did. He was always such a good boy, so I don't know what happened. Maybe Regulus could talk to him. I don't know. Auer Wearing black and writing about how your life sucks doesn't make you an artist. Not a good one, anyway. Vaalystion He's smart and we share a similar taste in birds. Huatanora Naval battles can be fun, but I'm not really into swimming. It's the armor. I tend to sink unless I concentrate on not sinking. So we don't have too much to do with each other, really.
|
|
#
?
Mar 11, 2017 21:13
|
|
|
Applications are now closed! When I started this, six seemed a good number to aim for. Wasn't certain how many I'd get, I figured that would cover most with some wiggle room if they were all good to add in the last couple. Cue nearly twenty applications, of the highest calibre. A game more than triple-booked. I've weighed up my options. Stick to six, shutting out more than twice the number that expressed an interest. Throw the doors wide open, and try to keep twenty people happy, entertained and involved without burning out in three posts flat. I love you all for the effort you have put in. I hate not being able to handle all of it. I have more than doubled my intake to Thirteen deities. I commiserate with those who did not make the cut, and I dearly hope you'll stick around as Muses and feed me troublesome Heroes with which to get your back on the lucky bastards in your slot. Lord Dal, The Antecedent, The Embodier of Truth - Played by John Joe Alysidor, He to Whom Your Words are Chained - Played by Theantero Elama-Kasvuu, The Bearer of Life, The Fecund Beauty - Played by DivineCoffeeBinge Zara-Rakhni, The Flame of Novelty, The Impassioned Flicker - Played by Roland Jones Nasav-Utambe, Doyen of the Wilderness, Lord of Nature Pristine - Played by TheFireMagi Burb'l, The Finder of the Lost, the Helpmeet, Rememberer- Played by KhediveRex Asher, Divine Watchdog, The Secure Terminal - Played by Shardix Oneiro, The Divided God, The Twins of Irrationality - Played by Fathis Munk Marduk, Champion of Mortals, the Unworshipped - Played by Magnusth Wallastra, Citymaker, Urbis Protector - Played by TheNabster Foltz, Peacepreacher, Smug Surrenderer - Played by DogKisser Vaalystion, Glyphmaster, The Wings of the Art - Played by LupusAter Huatanora, the Fortress that Walks, The Guardian of the Shore - Played by paradoxGentleman Next post - Muses, Heroes and Family Ties!
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 01:11
|
|
|
Neat!
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 01:30
|
|
|
I just got into the other game I apped for at the same time, so it's all good. Regulus strikes me as a tad one-dimensional, but as I said up-thread, he does seem to make a good foil for everybody else, so feel free to use him as an NPC to make the other gods' lives interesting/miserable as you see fit.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 01:59
|
|
|
I didn't get in! That sucks. Any plans for audience participation? Why, yes, I'm glad you asked. I hope you'll choose to stick around, and keep involved with the game. Here's how: Muses Post in this thread with 'I want to be the Muse of (concept), named (name)', and once I give you the go-ahead, you will be free to post to the main game thread, able to offer ideas and advice to the Gods. Muses have no agency, and can take no actions that will require me to respond, but they can try to get the Gods to do what they want, if they find an amenable deity open to their ideas. Heroes Either send me a private message or email me at my eponymous account on Yahoo, detailing an individual mortal trying to accomplish something somewhere. I will take your creation and use it to complicate the lives of the Gods where feasible. You can do this as much as you like. I got in! Thank you, thank, you, thank you! What now? You're welcome. Answer me the following questions. What is your part of the divine realm like? What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? Who do you regard as your closest ally? Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? What was the manner of your divine birth? We'll also be piecing together the divine family tree. Post your suggestions for that, and iterate on those of others.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 02:01
|
|
|
What is your part of the divine realm like? It is a known thing, that Alysidor considers no particular realm home, for the work of judgment is never ending. Yet, there is a place where he holds sway. No true realm, but more of a subspace. The layer between the truly divine spaces and the realms of mortals. Where astral chains of impossible size and length criss and cross, chaining together these two spheres. This is where Alysidor holds sway, and can often be found stalking. Tended to by his minions, the Gargoyles, this is the place that all souls have to pass to reach the afterlives of whatever deity they worshiped. If Alysidor allows it, that is. For he sees it his prerogative and privilege to weed all passing oathbreakers and criminals he sees unfit, regardless of allegiance, and chain them in his realm, where their just punishment may be administered. What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? Alysidor's sigil is the simple chain. Worn by his lawspeakers around their neck, often stylized in books of law alongside Dal's, tightly held by laymen making solemn promises, or found hanging over the doors of barracks and courthouses. The chain, then, is a near universal sign of the unyielding, a clear message and promise of commitment. The Flail, too, is often associated with him though lesser used for its grim nature, but its sign (tracing your hand from your navel to the top of the sternum, and then brought down in a sharp 45 degree angle to the right) is often invoked by those seeking to absolve themselves from harsh but (seemingly) necessary decisions, and the flail is also a preferred method of corporal punishment and execution in the Dominion of Khemesh. Who do you regard as your closest ally? To chain the intangible is a difficult task, yet without chain and binding the tangible drifts apart. Without Truth no Oath holds meaning, yet without Oath, Truth is cold, distant and abstract to the minds and Souls of men. So it is by his nature that Alysidor seeks the graces and support of his father Dal, for without his domain the chainsmith lacks the deep foundations of his purpose. And even though their relationship is not a simple affair or without even severe complication, they complement each other to such a degree that standing together is often inevitable. Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? The Sun was the first flame. The largest, and at that point also the dearest creation of Zara-Rakhni, and in many ways bore resemblance to its creator, for it was a carefree, wild thing. By whim it swam across the firmament, approaching and receding from the rest of creation as its fits of curiosity, or occasionally pique, guided it. And due to this, there was often chaos, severe droughts and heatwaves as the Sun took a closer look at the realms, and overtly harsh snaps of cold whenever it lost interest and wandered elsewhere. For many creatures and creations this was untenable, and it was decided among some Gods that the sun had to be tamed. Lord Dal tried to order it, but the Sun was a willful thing and cared not for the Truth, paying attention only to its own perceptions. Elama too tried to appeal to it, but the Sun burned too hot for her embrace. Then was it Alysidor who came with the solution. He would rip the greatest mountain ranges in the world (the world still bears these scars, where the deepest valleys and ocean trenches lie), and in the Sun's own splendor melt them. Of the slag he would create a great chain, and with it chain the sun to the earths and the heavens, so that it would never again stray too close or too far, forever imprisoned. He did all of this, unheeding the protestations of Zara, and the god's appeals that the bounds were unnecessary and that Creation would find a way to abide its freedom, unsympathetic to the increasingly volatile arguments had. And so it came to be, that in process of forcing his will on the creation of another, Alysidor forged another chain as well. The chain of the two gods' great rivalry, forged in the heat of Zara's passion, and tempered in his own contempt. A chain unbroken to this day. What was the manner of your divine birth? In the early days of creation, when humankind did not yet stalk the lands, it is said that the World was a strange place indeed. For though there was Truth, it had no form or purpose, for though things were, they had no appointed place. For though the bodies in the heavens soared as they do today, their patterns were chaotic and destructive. And it was in those days that Dal saw that such disorder was not conducive to Truth, and Elama saw that such was not conducive to life. Thus of their union was born Alysidor, to chain and bind creation together in such a way that further growth was possible. And he was a diligent son. By chain and oath he tamed the wandering mountains and bound them to the chthonic depths so that life would flourish and not be flattened underfoot. With great hooks he hung the stars high up in the firmament, so that their baleful gaze would not blind. By his power he put in their place the Wandering Moon and the Rebellious Sun (Myths for another time), and in all ways sought to bind creation into a sensible whole. In this task he was respected and liked by most, for though he was even then grim and focused on his task, most would see it as good and necessary. It was only by the coming of Marduk and the creation of the Soul that things changed. When the first being with the capacity and will to break their own bounds were created, that Alysidor too shifted. For in the moment when the first mortal broke their first oath, did the domain of Punishment spawn from the domain of Bindings, and Alysidor was not a mere quiet workhorse and smith anymore... Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? And so it was, back in the day when Marduk created the first Soul and the first mortal Oaths were made and broken, that Alysidor went into a great rage. And though his flail forged the domain of Punishment from the fragments of broken Bindings and mortal pain, his distress was not sated. Indeed, so great was his anguish that Alysidor fell into a deep comatose slumber, and dreamed the first dream. And in his sleep, the gloom of the angry god took form, and coalesced into the being known as Elpis. And so Alysidor wandered the dream, a strange and unknown thing without form or purpose then, trying to make true sense of it but failing, for his domains were opposed to the ephemeral nature of dreams. And as he wandered, the child grew, until it could walk on its own. Eventually, however, Alysidor came upon Zara, also wandering the strange dreamscape. Of this he was not particularly happy, for the relations between the two had been sour since time immemorial. But there was something that caught his eye. A child of similar size to his own, even if their near complete opposite in disposition. And immediately could Alysidor see that they were but shattered halves of a whole, and belonged together more so than either of them belonged to him or any other god. Then did Alysidor chain the beings together again, like they were always meant to be, as a parting gift for his child, before setting them free, even as Zara gifted them a part of her flame. And thus was Oneiro created, and when they left, they took the Dream with them, returning Alysidor and Zara to the world of the waking. Thus is it said, that Oneiro owes his very existence to Alysidor, for even though Zara gave gifts as well, it was the binding that truly made the being. There is no Oath to enforce here, for it was a gift freely given, yet the power of expectation and gratitude is not one that should be discounted among family. What did you do!? After the creation of the Soul, mankind grew bold in many ways, which in turn often earned them Alysidor's ire. Often they refused to listen, often they chained themselves with Oath only to later try and struggle free, which the chainsmith refused to allow them. But in this task, no group went to higher lengths than that of the Order of Chainbreakers, tied to Marduk's ideals even if not being his worshipers proper, for the god refused to allow such. Indeed, their chosen task, and given vow, was to free mankind of all chains imposed upon them, each and every one. This angered Alysidor, for not only was his divine domain being spited directly by these impudent mortals, what they were saying was deeply foolish as well. So it happened one day, as the Chainbreakers had all gathered from far and wide to start a great campaign, that Alysidor appeared before them to great jeering. "You are a cruel being who seeks to bind man", they said, "And we reject you." To which Alysidor replied, "Fools. You vow to break all chains cast upon men, yet in so vowing you chain yourselves. Your quest spits not only at the laws of gods, but the laws of logic as well", and then, with a great swing of his flail Castigation, did Alysidor bring doom upon the mortals, and with chains did he bind their souls to their corpses for all eternity, so that they would walk the lands forever more as a cruel mockery of what they once stood for, a grim reminder to all who came across them of their hubris. A well known legend, this one, and to this day 'a Chainbreaker's Vow' is a common figure of speech for a paradoxical, self-contradicting statement. Theantero fucked around with this message at 00:13 on Mar 13, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 02:26
|
|
|
To give the family-line arguments some form, here is my thinking At The Moment. Feel free to debate specifics or slot yourself where you like. Dal created Elama-Kasvuu, the First Mother. Elama-Kasvuu aided Dal in creating Zara-Rakhni, Nasav-Utambe, Huatanora, and Vaalystion. What the mortals now refer to as their physical world was created here. Alysidor came into being through ??? something something chains forged in Zara's fire, and then bound the sun, Zara's creation, which allowed life to flourish on the planet. ??? created Marduk, who gave the spark of thought to mortals. Oneiro and Wallastra came after mortals were made to think. Burb'l was made at some point by some one in some way that escapes everyone's memory. Strange. Everyone else goes wherever makes sense, as they prefer. Emmideer fucked around with this message at 02:56 on Mar 12, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 02:53
|
|
|
What is your part of the divine realm like? A mighty, golden palace! Endless with splendor and marryment, etc. etc. It is also much too large for me and the servants* that live there, with a hundred thousand wings, empty and waitng, waiting for mortals to ascend. They are guest rooms for when the many gods now trapped in flesh will awaken and arise, so that we can live and enjoy divinity together until they make their own palaces. *Not actual sentient beings. Manifestations for divine will. What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? This is my symbol among men, elves and the like:  But every species depicts this as they will; the wings, the freedom, the ascent towards divnity, those are my true symbol. Now and then, mortals use another symbol of me, especially as "Marduk the smiter" or "Marduk the unworshipped;" the lighting-broken alter, a lightning bolt above a broken alter. Now, of course, noone (except some slaves) prays to me; but slaves often draw these symbols because, well, i like them. they hope that i will see them, see their torment, and release them. It often works. Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? Many, i would say. Would wallestra have his cities, with no mortal minds to think them and build them? oneiro, mortal dreams in which to play and watch? would Foltz and Vaalystion have anyone they could impart their teachings to? That's all ancient history though. REcently [god and backstory behind favor here, when figured out] Who do you regard as your closest ally? Probably Zara. We think alike, and they so embody the freedom that all mortals must recieve. And they are the only one who seem to see that mortals becoming divine would be glorious for all. Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? Alysidor, though it pains me. In the dawn times, when the world was still uncreated, i so looked up to him. His might, his will, his strength of purpose. his assuredness as he ordered the cosmos itself. I was young, those days, and insecure; my brothers and my family was creating the world, and I did not yet know what i wished to make. Alysidor's strength of purpose, well... was as a rock to me, and it inspired me when felt small or powerless in my insecurities. But then, after the awakening, after i saw that mortals needed freedom, freedom beyond unbroken chains, things soured. Alysidor, and some of the others, saw my vision as rebellion, as treason, and Alysdor and i became... bitter rivals. What was the manner of your divine birth? Born, Like Alysidor, to Dal and Elama, Marduk was youngest among the creator gods, young while his brothers, sisters, and non-specific family members born of cosmic abstract objects, formed and ordered the physical universe and populated it with life. As mentioned earlier, i figure marduk is probably the youngest of the creator gods, but still within one elder generations Magnusth fucked around with this message at 17:20 on Mar 12, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 03:28
|
|
|
Awww yeah I get to play Elama-Kasvuu, who is totally not the most problematic parts of Hera and Aphrodite mashed together, honest! What is your part of the divine realm like? A sumptuous palace that seems carved from a single massive piece of alabaster, with gilded arches and decorative tapestries and flowing fountains all over the place. It is a Pleasure Dome, of sorts, where the beautiful and the carnal exist side by side. Lots of statues. Most would be NSFW. Lots and lots of beds and cushions and scented candles and incense burners and curtains that can be pulled for privacy. Servants and favored guests of all sorts can be found throughout, all heartbreakingly, achingly beautiful, all eminently available. Depending on her mood, satisfaction of several of these servants may be a requisite to gaining an audience with her. Basically, imagine a key party at the Louvre. That's Elama-Kasvuu's Palace. What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? Many symbols have been used to represent Elama-Kasvuu in the mortal realm, but most are considered profane in more uptight societies; she is not a subtle Goddess. However, the sigil that has become synonymous with the Mother is the waterfall, often represented in temples or shrines by a small artificial fountain. The symbolism works for her on multiple levels, representing the bodily fluids exchanged in an act of lust, those spent in the act of childbirth, the height of pleasure and the comedown once the act is complete... and, of course, waterfalls are beautiful, which is symbolism enough for her all on its own. Also, wet clothes are clingy and mortals seem to love that kind of thing. Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? Lord Dal, loath as he is to admit it. Though he may now regret the creation of his Family, he did create it, and he could not have done so without Elama-Kasvuu's aid. In creating her (and I do like the idea of her being the First Mother, and will expound on that below) he could not perform a truly procreative act - it could be said that he tore from himself all of his wild passion and formed it into her, which would explain his later turn towards coldness. It was only the union of these two now-separate beings that could allow for something truly new to flourish, and give rise to the rest of the family. Who do you regard as your closest ally? Elama-Kasvuu's warmest feelings trend towards her fellow hyphenates. Zara-Rakne would be her answer if pressed, for she is currently on a "civilization is pretty great, it means there are more mortals around to adore Me" kick, though if truth be told she considers Nasav-Utambe a close ally as well, and her answer will shift with her sometimes mercurial moods. Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? She will tell anyone who asks that she has no rivals, that the most she feels for those Gods she can't work with is disdain. In her heart of hearts, though, Elama-Kasvuu is most bitter towards Marduk - not because of what he represents, not even because of what he does per se, but because of how he feels about the Gods and his insistence that the mortal world should not need them - for if the mortals turn from the Gods, what then would happen to them? Many of her Family disagree with her, or feel things that she considers wrong, but only one of them actively seeks to threaten that Family, and even as impersonal a deity as the Fecund Beauty can have some degree of maternal feeling. She hopes that it's just a phase, but in her heart she knows it isn't, and she feels the sting of a mother's affections rejected. (to her eyes, Marduk's divine mission is the equivalent of dropping out of med school to join a punk band and picking up a serious meth habit, basically) (Edit: Or maybe more precisely it's leaving your job as VP of Sales in the family logging business to go join Greenpeace, come to think on it) What was the manner of your divine birth? Elama-Kasvuu was formed by Lord Dal by an act of the Progenitor's will. Some say she was formed from the primal stuff of chaos; some say she was formed from bits of his own divine essence that he had chosen to discard. Either way she was brought into being as his reflection, growth to his decay, passion to his logic, bright beauty to his concealing darkness. Thoughts on the Family Tree: I like Jon Joe's suggested framework, honestly, and I'm not just saying that because it lets me be a pretty elder Goddess myself; it makes sense to me that Birth and Life and Growth should be one of the earliest concepts to be made manifest. It could even be argued that Dal and Elama-Kasvuu were created simultaneously as reflections of one another (I honestly didn't realize how well they complement one another as near-opposites until just now, actually), but if Lord Dal wants to say he was first, she won't stop him. The main thing I would add is that Elama-Kasvuu can serve as the divine mother-figure for basically every God who doesn't find a better genesis story - and she is a suitable partner for basically any male deity who's having divine kids of their own, as monogamy isn't really a thing for her and incest isn't so much an issue when you're talking about deities (just ask the Greeks). The only God I would say has probably never had the chance to father children by her would be Burb'l, just because I think that sort of story would detract from his station as the subservient deity. Basically what I'm saying is that you can plug her into anywhere on the family tree that you have a blank spot and it would be suitable. She is, as I've said, not a subtle Goddess; she is the embodiment of the procreative urge, and mortal taboos are not binding upon the divine.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 08:31
|
|
|
Away from home and using someone else's computer presently, will try to finish these up soon. What is your part of the divine realm like? Protean and ever-changing. The area reacts to Zara's will, conscious and not, forming terrain and objects as they desire and in response to their thoughts; when the god doesn't will it or isn't present, it collapses into shifting light and heat. Even when not formless chaos, the realm often does not resemble a real place, instead seeming like a bizarre mix of Heaven and Hell: Absolutely radiant, bright and containing structures made of gold and orichalcum (which are the only structures that remain when the realm otherwise collapses, floating in the protean chaos), but also suffused with divine fire. It can appear more ordinary should Zara will it, but, unless they are attempting to visualize something in particular, they usually don't. (Their room in the Divine Manor, on the other hand, is much like Burb'l described actually, possibly minus the hookahs: A place full of a mix of art and art supplies, instruments, notes, scientific tools, and other things in a mess that the god nevertheless navigates and understand perfectly.) What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? Fire. Followers may use varying imagery (some just use the image of a flame, some a burning torch or brazier, some the sun), but it's always a form of fire. Most people carrying a representation of Zara-Rakhni use an amulet or pictorial one, with only particularly fanatical followers carrying an actual source of flame on their person when not engaged in a ritual or celebration, but temples and other holy sites always feature at least one area for sacred fires, whether permanent or temporary, and are usually either open to the sun as well or feature an outdoor area for use in particular rituals or celebrations. Additionally, many followers (whether those who primarily worship Zara or those who pay respect to multiple gods) also have a lamp, brazier, candle-holder, or other item in which fire can be lit in their house to represent the god and be prayed to; while in theory it is meant to always be lit, this isn't practical for many people and it's not considered a grave offense to not perpetually maintain it (and Zara personally doesn't really care), particularly for poorer families whose hearths serve this purpose as well as being what they use to warm their houses and cook their food. While some believe using such a flame for holy purposes to be profane, the use of fire for practical purposes is one of the reasons it was given, and thus in a way is entirely appropriate for the worship of this particular god. Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? Foltz; when his philosophy was still new and his influence minor, the young god had trouble attracting followers. Zara, intrigued by his ideas even if they didn't agree, and seeing the dedication of those who did follow him, offered their assistance; they took one of his followers and offered their own gift, filling them with the words and charisma to truly speak their god's rules as they deserved to be spoken and spread them far and wide, and the passion to actually see it done. The prophet proceeded to bring numerous people into Foltz's flock, bolstering the new faith's ranks and providing it with much-needed support to be truly established. While its size has ebbed and grown since then, the prophet long since dead, this initial aid helped ensure that Foltz's flock remained a (more or less) permanent feature of Mycaria. Who do you regard as your closest ally? Zara-Rakhni doesn't really regard any one god as their ally; they're rather gregarious as far as the gods go, and also rather fickle, so their personal estimations shift somewhat. However, there are three they quite like and thus usually have their favor. The most obvious is Wallastra; the God of the City, perhaps more than any other god, directly advances much of Zara's agenda when working on his own, with the two having similar (though not overlapping) goals and shared interests. Though the flame's other child is also a close ally; like their "mother", Oneiro deals in emotions and inspires mortals, though Elpis's agenda usually aligns with her parent's more often than her brother's does. And lastly, though a sibling rather than a child, Marduk, more than any other god, pushes mortals forward and drives them to break boundaries. That said, Zara is also fickle and well-aware of their family's flaws. Sometimes they find Wallastra too tyrannical, Marduk too ideological, and Oneiro too busy dragging mortals down (and is still a bit sore about their favored city being destroyed prematurely). [If you need a single option, Wallastra probably wins out because, regardless of feelings and such, his agenda and Zara's line up the best.] Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? While there are many gods that Zara-Rakhni likes, there is only one who truly has the flame's enmity: Alysidor. Beyond the binding of the sun, the two are strongly at odds in nearly every regard besides, with the flame particularly taking issue with the binding of souls in the Underworld rather than letting them reincarnate and continuing the cycle of death and rebirth. What was the manner of your divine birth? There are some dogmatic differences as to the exact origin of the god of flames. A place to begin would be where there is near-universal agreement, that Zara-Rakhni's origin is strongly tied to that of fire itself. While some believe that they sprung from the first flame, it is more commonly accepted that Zara is the first flame, the source from which all other fire originates. For Zara is fire; fire possessing a will and divine power perhaps, but fire nonetheless. The question, then, is the source of this fire. While it is possible that they were birthed by the First Mother alongside their kin, the god's unusual nature, even compared to the other divinities, has led to alternate theories and beliefs. Usually, these involve Lord Dal creating the god directly, whether intentionally or as a side-effect of the Creation of the world and fire. Some think that he used some of his own essence and life to do so, while others believe that an injury he sustained (from some unknown threat predating creation, or possibly in a dispute with the Great Mother) caused him to bleed out, the burning life spilled from his body becoming the entity now known as Zara-Rakhni, with both of these stories also being explanations for why the first god is now so lacking in life of his own, and why the god of Truth deals in darkness, obscuring such things, while another spreads light, both literal and metaphorical, to aid those that seek it. There is also the heretical belief that Zara-Rakhni predates even Lord Dal himself and is actually some sort of primordial being predating creation. Many who believe this are fanatics, looking to raise their chosen god above all others; the belief is rare outside of the Argidian League, and a minority view even in Azaria itself. Given Zara's status as a member of the divine family, this belief is almost certainly false, but that doesn't stop its believers from finding ways to justify it. (A less blasphemous variant of this theory combines it with the idea of Dal creating rather than spawning Zara; believing it impossible for Dal to have forged the Primordial Darkness into its very opposite, the idea is that Zara must be some other thing from before Creation, possibly a remnant of a primordial force or substance that Dal used in said Creation before animating what was left, or something similar.) As for relationships, the bit from Oneiro's impressions about them being descended from Zara somehow could work. Both have Strengths related to emotions, and both are on the weird side as far as gods go. The protean god of flames, passion, and inspiration giving rise to the bifurcated gods of hope, despair, and dreams makes quite a bit of sense. Whether having been born in a "traditional" manner, been made from flames the god spread, or forms from a fallen star or fragment of the sun, it's entirely possible for the twins to descend from Zara. As for any others, I'm not so sure, since they're all far more... Normal. Though the observation that fire helped give rise to civilization means that Zara could arguably be considered related to Wallastra, whether or not the latter isn't an actual descendant. Willing to hear ideas there. If nothing else, it's good fodder for Wallastra being the one owing Zara a favor. Also huh, both DCB and I both had the idea that the creation of another god could be why Dal's so lacking in life and such. Roland Jones fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Mar 16, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 11:24
|
|
|
What is your part of the divine realm like? Vaalystion's domain looks like the swamps favored by his people. It is a quiet, shadowy place, where columns of smoke arise from the ground. In the smoke and shadows, Vaalystion writes his glyphs, and spreads them with a beat of his wings. What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? The lantern is a key symbol, both shining light upon the path to knowledge and casting shadows from which glyphs can be discerned. His followers carry lanterns with wicks made of peat, and divine glyphs from the black smoke they produce. Once the wick is burnt, it is used to produce ink. This lantern ink is considered to be the only suitable medium to write about glyphs. Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? Magic is useful everywhere, but at sea a skilled magician can be the difference between shipwreck and safe return. On Huatanora's behalf, Vaalystion made sure that mortals managed to learn the secrets of the glyphs of the Seas and Winds, to make their voyages safer. Who do you regard as your closest ally? Vaalystion is particularly fond of Oneiro. Their meddling with mortals has sent many in search of a deeper truth that one of the twins hid in a dream, either to encourage or to terrify. He also sees the conflict they cause as an useful way to spur lazy mortals. Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? Lord Dal's spreading of his Truth irks Vaalyrion to no end. Firstly, his Law is too dogmatic and poses undue limits to what can be done. Secondly, among what he spreads as wide as possible there are valuable secrets, too precious to be left in the open where those who are not dedicated can find them. What was the manner of your divine birth? Vaalystion came from an egg, its shell covered in glyphs. -- Jon Joe's framework makes sense. I like the idea that the first four gods were created by Dal and Elama via a more metaphysical process than coupling, which accounts for their more divergent features. If we want to bring the four classical elements into it, Huatanora is water, Nasav is earth, Zara is fire (duh), and Vaalystion is air. Vaalystion can be related in some way to Alysidor, since they both deal in words. LupusAter fucked around with this message at 16:22 on Mar 14, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 13:29
|
|
|
AJ_Impy posted:What is your part of the divine realm like? The greatest city in the heavens and earth lies upon the hilltop, in colours of white marble and gold, a Utopian paradise to all who reside in it's vaunted hall, a perfection of architecture that would make the greatest sculptors weep in joy at the mere sight of it. Within it's streets carefully organized and constructed so that everything is give it's necessary space and no one within it's walls will ever want for anything, it is a perfect world free of strife, free of suffering, free of the ills of mortal doing. It is a dreamworld only available to a chosen few... At least this is the intention. The problem with being the God of Cities, is that the nature of your purview straddles the line between changing and unchanging compared to many others. Fire for example, as wild and uncontrollable as fire is often portrayed never the less obeys rules, a fire started 10'000 years ago is exactly the same as a fire started 5 minutes ago, the kindling may have changed but it's still a fire. And on the other side of the spectrum, things like Dreams and Emotions are inherently rule-less every one is different, no two circumstances are alike and thus it has no need for structured rules because that is how it functions. But Cities are inherently tied to mortals and this is where the problems lie. People change; cultures change, materials available change, ideas change. What was once the 'ideal model' of a city 1000 years ago is now outdated and woefully inadequate to meet the needs of a thriving population today, what is considered ideal for a distant mountain town with a thriving mining industry is different for a coastal trade port. The idea of the 'perfect city' is an inherently ever changing idea that evolves over time as new things are learned and new ideas are tried and tested. Thus in reality the golden city on the hilltop is an illusion, a vista subconsciously created by Wallastra as a view to gaze upon from his real realm, which is in fact, an architect's office, 5 by 5 metres across and miles wide at the same time, depending on how you look at it. Reams and reams of paper line the invisible walls and desks, flocks of sentient quill pens zip and zoom around the space drafting designs and penning in the living census of every single city that exists or did exist until it was burned down for cataloging and storing, into impossible filing cabinets that seem to be of endless depth and size despite their unassuming shape. The sound of the realm of Wallastra is a thousand pens writing, a thousand pages of paper rustling and the gentle breeze and hubbub of the illusionary vista that surrounds this tight and confined space of duty, numbers and design work. And at a plain wooden desk kept meticulously tidy and organized by the God, Wallastra continuously drafts, re-drafts, amends and discards the ever changing Grand Design as the golden city below him endlessly shifts as the idea evolves over time. One day he will get it perfect, one day he will have it exactly right and he will see it put into practice in the real world. But that day is far off and until then it remains a mere pipe dream, to be worked on in-between his duties to the cities across the world and the people therein. The fate of thousands have been decided on this little desk, with it's pewter pot containing many simple pens, it's old inkwell, and the mug of tea that reads 'Sed non opus est insanire, sed iuvat!' Wallastra isn't one for opulence himself, form and function is his preference. AJ_Impy posted:What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? The simple arch. The tools and materials of the cities change overtime, to the point where making it one of those things would look silly when it gets replaced in 100 years or so. But the archway is the simplest demonstration of architectural principles, one that has seen frequent use even in the modern cities of today in windows; bridges, doorways, monuments and so on. And thus he has adopted it as his Sigil. AJ_Impy posted:Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? The greatest invention Wallastra gave to the world of the Gods at large was the idea of outsourcing, allowing other Gods to do something for you that you'd otherwise struggle to do yourself, in return for providing services only you could provide. And it started Wallastra learned of Burb'l's little hobby of restoring old cities and was asked by the butler for some help. Wallastra practically lept at the chance to be able to teach someone about how to build cities, and it was whilst he was helping his little brother rebuild one of his earlier cities that he developed a mutual friendship amongst the gods, and he learned that their purviews were quite complementary to each other. So from that day, Wallastra was happy to assist in Burb'l's little projects, after all, what was being restored was what he once made. AJ_Impy posted:Who do you regard as your closest ally? Wallastra in his heart owes many, many things not including his continued existence to Zara-Rakhni, dearest and beloved mother. Wallastra's first moments of existence were as weak and sickly spirit barely clinging onto Godhood, for at the time most mortals had barely arisen beyond tribes of hunter-gatherers and small villages carved out in the deep wilderness, they were vulnerable to the elements, beasts and other dangers that could prey upon an unwary mortal in first days of man. It wasn't until the first cities of man started to emerge from this sorry state that he started to grow in power, coming a powerful god in and of himself. And this development he feels was partially due to the flames of innovation Zara lit in the hearts of men, and the more literal flame lighting in the invention of Fire. He honestly and sincerely believes that if she hadn't assisted in this matter then his flame would have been snuffed out a long time ago. He owes his power and ultimatly his survival against his father to her intervention, and is grateful for this. AJ_Impy posted:Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? Details of Wallastra's relationship to Nasav-Utambe varies from scholar to scholar. After all, of all divine family in their varied shapes and powers, no two gods are quite as diametrically opposed as the Gods of Untamed Nature and Civilization, nor is the relationship between two gods quite as hostile as the one between the two gods even though Wallastra is the son of Nasav-Utambe. Petty family squabbles is a norm when you are dealing with titanic egos, but the father and the son seem to actively loathe each other's mere existence. From Wallastra's view point he felt that his divine sire tried his drat hardest to have him killed when he was still a newly born fledgling spirit. No actual killing took place within the household of the gods, for one thing they were by nature immortal and thus impossible to kill via normal means but when the purview itself is attacked the moment it ceases to exist, so does the god. When the scattered and struggling tribes of mortals began to climb their way out of their place in the animal kingdom, Nasav was there to drag them back down, Wallastra was struggling to keep shape amidst the constant attempts to stamp out the development of civilization before it could fully form. It wasn't until Zara gifted fire to mankind, and thus allowed for the advent of early metal working which caused the development of early cultures that humanity truly started to rise. Wallastra grew stronger and stronger as mankind thrived and expanded whilst Nasav's unchallenged power grew less and less, until finally he was at a point where he was evenly matched to his father. Wallastra remembers the days where he was weak, remembers how so often his sire tried to ensure he remained weak and would prefer the world returned to the days where mortals saw the wilderness as something to fear, rather then something to overcome. Wallastra will never willingly go back to that state, for now he feels it is his divine duty as the God of Civilization to keep his father in check, and him likewise. And the resulting struggle will let them grow in strength in the long run. AJ_Impy posted:What was the manner of your divine birth? A more detailed story will go here later, but Wallastra was the son of Nasav-Utambe and Zara-Rakhni born after Marduk gave souls to humanity and thus inadvertently created a new kind of god from his conception. A god created directly from the thoughts and prayers of mankind. TheNabster fucked around with this message at 00:09 on Mar 16, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 13:36
|
|
|
What is your part of the divine realm like? Pale shades cast haphazardly across a vast silvery nothingness, thin mirror images of all the things that no longer are piled ponderously one atop the other, stretching for eons. Lands and cities and hopes and dreams and declarations of love and the patience of every mother who has grown fed up with her rambunctious offspring jumping on the bed. Every vigil stood, every soldier's watch. Every year, month, week, day, hour, minute, and second that has passed. Every man, woman, child, and beast that has died are reflected somewhere in Asher's realm. They are all but facsimiles, for something truly ended can never be truly remade or recreated. They are as real as a forgotten memory and pass from sight just as swiftly. The only reality to be found here is Asher himself and the gifts given to him. Each is placed precisely in this nook or that corner of his den within the heart of it all, deep within the labyrinth of endings, guarded against any intrusion. Only once has the sanctity of this innermost place been breached, and it will never happen again. What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you?  The Beast Rune. Is it a claw halting an interloper? Is it seizing and rending into oblivion? Perhaps both. Perhaps it has no meaning at all. Those who truly venerate the Divine Watchdog and dedicate themselves to his precepts are known to have the rune seared into their backs with white hot brands. The screams are cut short, ended before they even begin. Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? Huatanora is bound to protect, as Asher is bound to guard. Yet she is a kind hearted soul, not suited for war. What then can be done when the deep terrors flock and threaten to overwhelm all she holds dear? You call upon the Beast, of course, and close your heart against the carnage that follows. Asher does not hold this over her, yet the debt remains, and must be paid some day. Who do you regard as your closest ally? Nasav-Utambe is Asher's closest confidante, because he understands the beast. They both respect the wild places of the world. They understand that endings are a natural part of life. There is a rhythm and a flow to the cycle of the world, and both desire to preserve it. If Asher could be said to have a father, it is the Doyen of the Wilderness. Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? Zara-Rakhni set a servant against the gods. In her arrogance, this mortal defied Asher and broke into the heavens. She robbed him, and tore open his throat, and humiliated him before all the gods. Her death did not soothe his fury. And thereafter, her master deigned it proper to humiliate him further in the eyes of all the world, fanning the flames of their mockery each time the tale threatened to fade. A terrible thing, to force the knowledge of unrepentant betrayal upon a beast. Almost as terrible as the hatred that now festers in Asher's heart. What was the manner of your divine birth? Once upon a time, the world was a blank slate. The gods looked down upon it and wondered what they might do with it, and how it might go. They made this and that, creating mountains and oceans and forests. And they created life to exist in those places. The gods wondered what would happen to these things they had made, and in answer the moon cracked open and a thing emerged. It was a wild, mindless sort of thing, yet in it the gods could sense something akin to themselves. Lord Dal admitted this being existed, and so it was true. Elama-Kasvuu laughed, and the thing was given life. Elpis and Athumos contradicted each other, and so it thought to make sense of them. Marduk spat in disgust, and so it had a will. Nasav-Utambe thought it a wild, beastly thing, and so it was. Vaalystion gave up a glyph, and so it was named. Wallastra demanded it have a point, and so it found a purpose. Alysidor bound it with oaths, and so it served that purpose. Foltz denied the violence of this entrance, and so that purpose became undeniable. Zara-Rakhni flickered, and so it cared about any of this. Huatanora spoke kindly, and so it understood family. And Burb'l swept up the mess Asher's birth had created and buttled off again.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 14:26
|
|
|
LupusAter posted:Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? Remember that a rivalry doesn't have to work both ways. The God who you perceive as your biggest rival might perceive you as a good friend, or at least neutral. And your point of contention need not lie in opposition to your divine mandate; it can be a result of your hubris. Vaalystion is amoral and secretive; who tried to impose a morality on him? Who revealed some of his secrets? There's your rival.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 15:59
|
|
|
What is your part of the divine realm like? A blue lagoon surrounding the main building, like a moat; but with swamp-dwelling trees on its banks and colorful waterlilies growing on it. Geckos and lizards can be found all around it, scampering onto the trees and blinking solemnly at the staring sun; alligators rest lazily on its banks, devouring the occasional encroaching wildlife. Hautanora participates to life in the divine mansion from the outside when she can, her immense eyes aligning with the just as immense windows, engaging her fellow deities in indirect conversation. She communicates by had gestures and the occasional song. When she wishes to talk with someone who isn't in a room with windows, Huatanora manifests inside the manor, usually creating a small inside lagoon in the process. She tries to avoid doing that, because those are terribly hard for the help to get rid of. What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you? The shell, of course. Almost every fishing village has a small shrine to Huatanora, usually just a rack holding a turtle shell, with offerings of flower and food at its feet. It's considered bad luck to kill the turtle for its shell to create such a shrine; if a turtle dead of natural causes cannot be found, it's better to make a temporary shell out of wood rather than to kill the animal that most resembles Huatanora. Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? When the world was young and there were no mortals for Alysidor to harass, he was just a simple god of bindings, and he needed something to chain the Moon to, so that it may follow an established pattern like the Sun did. Since Huatanora was already, back in those days, patrolling the coasts to protect it from monsters, she voluntereed to act as an anchor. So the Chaismith bound her to the Moon, and since then it follows the Aegis of the Coast in her travels. In his young fervor, Alysidor swore that he would repay Huatanora when she would need a favor from him as well. She didn't think much of it, although she appreciated the gesture. But the turtle goddess has observed her cousin's attitude towards mortal, and she is not pleased; she might consider asking him to make do on his promise. Who do you regard as your closest ally? There are two of her divine relations that the turtle goddess looks upon fondly. One is steadfast, trustworthy Wallastra, the other is her mother: passionate, excitable Zara-Rakhn. The former is a bit hyperfocused on her grand project, and the latter takes perhaps a few too many risks, but there is no doubt humanity has improved and learned and prospered under their care. The fact that they're pleasant to listen to when they talk about their pet projects is a nice bonus as well. Their forward-mindeded attitude and energy tends to balance out the turtle goddess' more relaxed viewpoint. Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? WIP What was the manner of your divine birth? Many, many aeons ago, when the divine family was growing and developping, some of them still finding their place in the cosmos, Elama-Kasvuu, the Bearer of Life, looked upon the seas, and despaired; for she saw the monstrous creatures that dwelt in the cold, dark waters, and the ravages they would inflict on the coasts; some of them even grew legs and caused great destruction upon the coasts before her children could put them down. It was clear that a guardian was needed. And so it was that the Mother of Monsters ate dandellion and nettle leaf and the secret cerulean berries that grow only in one of Nasav-Utambe's sacred groves. And then, dressed only in a transparent veil, she immersed herself in the waters, swimming directly in the eye of an approaching storm, where the feared sea dragon Uragata whipped the winds into a frenzy.  Few creatures can resist the charms of the Mother of Monsters, and soon enough, the storm abated, and Elama-Kasvuu swam back to the shore, her belly already starting to bulge. Less than a week later, she gave birth to an egg, that she gently deposited under a sea bank. After another week, from that bank emerged Huatanora, young and curious and with the first signs of plant life already growing on her back. paradoxGentleman fucked around with this message at 18:11 on Mar 15, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 16:26
|
|
|
What is your part of the divine realm like? Oneiro’s realm is a strange place. Most of the time it doesn’t really exist, a miasma of possibilities as well as impossibilities. It only accretes around the souls that enter through one of its numerous doors, be they mortal or immortal. The doors are well hidden, in the deepest recesses of dream, folly and intoxication and most mortals will never find them if they are not guided towards them. For the gods this is an annoyance, nothing more. Oneiro floats in the darkness between the dreamers and looks on, feeding them thoughts and ever so subtly shifting events, for dreams have to be personal to be impactful. Often their form is split into Elpis and Athumos, both playing their games. The mortals entering the Dreamscape are utterly unable to see Oneiro’s true form, they only grasp the aspects, seeing them as young children when Oneiro decides to manifest. For gods the aspects and the true form alternate, splitting and coming together as they agree and disagree. What is your sigil, an object that represents you and symbolises you?  Duh ! Since mortals are unable to grasp Oneiro’s true form all of their representations contain the element of duality. The most common representation of the god takes the form of two small masks, one blissful, the other depressed. The two masks are never on the same plane, there is always one that is more prominent than the other. In most shrines this means that the masks can be rearranged and in the case of pendants the two are always loose so that their order can be changed. A charm with the happy mask in the foreground is supposed to bring luck, a charm with the sad mask brings ruin to your enemy. For shrines opinions differ. Some prefer to keep Elpis in the foreground when things are good, hoping that she might extend their bliss, others think Athumos should be in the foreground so that he is satisfied and does not feel the need to interfere. During bad times some pray to Elpis to intervene and some send their pleas to Athumos so that he might take pity on them. Which of your fellow gods owes you a favour? Surprisingly, it is Marduk. Sometimes mortals need that little push towards freedom but of course they have to make the final step by themselves, else the point is moot. Marduk quickly noticed that dreams are the perfect way to subtly influence mortal minds, without them even noticing and he has made use of that discovery to act upon the most stubborn mortals. Oneiro does not quite realize that they are taking part in the emancipation of mortals, they are just happy to share they games with another god. Who do you regard as your closest ally? Zara-Rakhni is considered a close ally by the two twins, not only because of her important role during their creation, but also since she stokes the flames of mortal emotions which makes their games oh so much more interesting. Who do you regard as your bitterest rival? Foltz is their bitter rival. Peace and consensus are antithetical to Elpis and Athumos, their young hearts revel in mischief and egoism. What was the manner of your divine birth? Eons ago, which is a long time for mortals, but a short one for gods, the first dream was dreamed. Until then dreams did not exist and sleep was bland and calm. It was quite a surprise for Alysidor and Zara-Rakhni, for they were the first to enter the Dreamscape even though they did not know it at the time. Both suddenly found themselves in a shapeless, formless land with a babe in their arms. They did not know where the babe came from but they knew it was a new god even though it felt incomplete. They wandered for a while, the world around them changing in accordance with their thoughts. Alysidor walked through a dark realm for he was filled with anger at the recent creation of mortal souls. Zara-Rakhni traversed a bright landscape, fires burning bright in the most inspired patterns, for they had sprung forth from her most inspired mind. After an eon they stumbled upon each other, realizing that they shared this dream. The babes had grown to be toddlers by now and both gods realized the infants belonged together. Zara-Rakhni put down the girl she was carrying and Alysidor put down the boy. The two infants crawled towards each other and reached out, locking hands. Using each other for support they managed to stand up. They spent another eon like this, communicating without speech for they did not need it. They quickly learned that they were parts of a whole. As they stood there the two gods realized this too and knew what they had to do. Alysidor chained the twins together, binding both halves into something that was much greater. Zara-Rakhni stoked the fire in the twin’s hearts, allowing them to melt their chains so that they might be halves again if they so chose, each more decisive than the whole. Elpis and Athumos, for they had now christened each other with their true name, both looked back at the god that had carried them this far and when they wandered into the formless miasma of the Dreamscape they were but one. So ended the first dream and Oneiro was born. Fathis Munk fucked around with this message at 00:59 on Mar 14, 2017 |
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 22:53
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 19, 2024 22:21 |
|
|
One more thing. Look at the 'What did you do?!' of your fellow gods and claim an unclaimed one.
|
|
#
?
Mar 12, 2017 23:58
|
|