Pantheon 2.0 - Game Thread

[Benito Alvarez]

You take the wrong message from the lightning Kadna. Lightning strikes on a specific person, at a specirfic time. A wildfire burns everything in it's path; Animals, woods, innocents alike.

I agree that death is an only natural part of life. However Destruction is not a natural part of the world. It is people and God who bring such things in. In a way, we cause the very problems that we then have to compensate for, you more than others.

[Vadhaka]

Maeror...

...I see that another army waving your banner has entered my lands, bent on destruction. Again, are these by your orders? As with Argothoth, this is no accusation, but it seems I am being attack a lot lately, and it does not make my mindest any easier seeing twice now that they wave your banner.

To the best of my knowledge, that is the remnant of the army I told you both of, led by a false follower of Maeror in my name. I had the leader killed, and his false worship exposed, but rather than rejoice in their freedom, his followers (who believed they were following Maeror) killed my agents and threatened vengeance.

They're probably heading to Rajas.

Perhaps Argothoth will withdraw his new undead armies through the middle of them?

My apologies for the problems this causes...my last turn was...not as successful as I could have liked...

*bows*

Oh, one more thing. I will vote for the execution of Veria's Hands and Herald.

[Benito Alvarez]

Alright, at least now I know that there is no invasion. It would be good to kill two birds with one stone, and have the Undead army defeat this one on its way North. Argothoth? Can I ask this as a favor?

My vote is the death of the Hands and the Herald.

[I'm Murrin]

Maeror, I have recived word that your priests were hiding the murderer respoinsible for the death of one of my major leaders, Grathgor.

The murderer of Grathgor is discovered; he was being granted protection by priests of Maeror in Sanctuary's Pantheon temple. Despite the protests of the priests, who accuse your Judges of discriminating against the Lord of Death, and who claim the man to be innocent of whatever crimes he is accused of, your Judges execute him in the Sanctuary square., disposing of the corpse in the dark pit below Sanctuary, while Grathgor's corpse is placed in the mausoleum.

Was this by their's or your doing?

I had no knowledge of this until now.

[O-gon-cho]

But are you not the God of Chaos? Your destruction is not pointed to only the ones deserving, as is Justice, but out of controll.

I am a series of Lightning strikes, you a wildfire.

My brothers and sisters, with all respect to those more wise than me, I feel I must comment on this statement.

Chaos and destruction, like the concept of anarchy, are generally viewed with apprehension and fear. But, like anarchy, I strongly believe both have some positive aspects, and they can be controllable domains, not wanton conditions.

I believe we should accept our 'cousin' (if he insists on not claiming to be a brother) for who he is, and watch him carefully. But, I do not believe we should prejudge him. Accept him as you have accepted me, and only should he rise against one of us directly, should we fail in offering him assistance and advice, should he request it.

Please pardon me for my audacity...

[Astavyastataa Kadna]

*nods deeply* Thank you goddess of dragons! Your wisdom far exceeds your youth.

[Bhakti]

I'm sorry, O-gon-cho, but I must disagree. An Old Earth artist said, "Every act of creation is first an act of destruction." That is all well and good. There is a balance to Nature.

However, AK's view of this balance is not in the minutiae; it is in the grand cycle of existence. When all is Destroyed, his role will have been fulfilled, and Creation can begin again. That is, indeed, a balance, but not the one I desire. He must Destroy all he can. He says we and Eiran's inhabitants will tremble at his coming. He says we should call him Lord. He would give my Wife to the undead as a plaything. He says he will strike in WRATH. We are not prejudging him - he has outright told us what he intends.

[O-gon-cho]

:::humbly:::

m'l-rd...brother Bhakti...

You know of my adoration and respect for your wisdom for long and long; even from before my hatching. I always seriously consider your guidance in every move I make. We even discussed the possibility of vassalship at one time...

But, I wish for you, the G-d of Love who truly only wishes to exisit peacefully within Shakari's borders with happy and healthy followers, and his eternal wife Jove at his side, to consider this...

AK revealed himself in a way to belittle us. Most of his replies are the heights of haughtiness. He picked and chose who he would acknowledge the welcome given to him. His prophetress, ahhh...there is definitely going to be a problem with her is my guess.

But, this does not make him an evil deity. He reacted even more haughtily to others addressing him first in welcome with veiled suspicion.

Yes, at first he ignored Jove's welcome. But he did not start demeaning her until after Jove called him on it. Not that Jove was wrong to do so, mind you. But that is when he started.

While he has a grand background, he is even newer to the pantheon than I. I may be making a terrible mistake in judgement (and I mean no offense by what I am about to say AK), but right now I view AK's posts as a school yard bully's who has grand dreams and little to back it up except threats and fists. I have come to learn that even the school yard bully will respond surprisingly well to kindness.

I truly am of the opinion that as of right now, most of AK's posts are full of bluff and bluster. If he reads this as seriously as I know you will, perhaps he will think long and long on his approach to his interactions, like a naughty school child, and reconsider how he addresses us.

Yes, he has stated that ultimate destruction and chaos is his goal. But I think that goal may be Turns away, and he may come to rethink his plans if kindness and acceptance is shown to him.

:::private thought to self:::

Then again, I could be way off base. But, stand your ground, girl...

[Xar]

Hedra Iren

Truly, Law requires that none judge any other - be it mortal or god - by words alone. If such were the case, then many of us here today would have to stand trial for far worse exchanges than the words of the newest of our gods. In fact, I urge you to consider that some of you have even come to blows in the past, and afterwards struck a peace which did not call for any god to stand before the Law in a trial. Nay, not even the worshipers who might have caused these blows were punished or called to stand trial.
Should we then have double standards, use two scales and two measures because we perceive the god of chaos as "evil" or "threatening"? I say no. Law does not distinguish between "good" and "evil", merely between guilt and innocence. And the truth is that our newest brother is innocent - strange as it may sound - of any crimes thus far, to the best of my knowledge. Thus, he should not be summarily judged and dismissed as an "evil being", lest we awake in him exactly the hunger we do not wish to see. Should we trust him openly, then? Nay; his threats and innuendos have certainly won him no friends. But be aware, brothers and sisters, that all choices have consequences, and often these consequences may be unforeseen.
If he truly is the god who will one day bring destruction to Eiran, preparing the void for a new rebirth, then let us give him at least the respect he deserves, and only afterwards, change that amount of respect based on the actions he will undertake.

[Bhakti]

All you say may be true, O-gon-cho. Unfortunately, it only may be true. Should we risk the possibility that he won't do all he promises he will do?

And the same question to you, Hedra Iren. He tells us his intentions. Do we sit back and watch him fulfill them, unopposed? He has gotten much more respect than he has given. Much more. Does he also get free reign to make good on what he promises?

[Mithyaat Vam]

i commend you on your kindness sister song! (o-gon-cho)

i agree with all you've said.

i too am inclined toward kind measures first.

methinks our brother love has been embittered by his struggle with The Black Worm.

come Bhakti, can you not find something to love of Chaos? something that may temper his bent toward destruction?


where did i see THIS???

I am the self-fulfilling prophecy. Give love, and you WILL receive love. Let your every answer, your every action and reaction, your every desire, be rooted in love.

[Bhakti]

Mithyaat Vam, I am going through his words again and again. He gives nothing but promises of Destruction, and insults and threatens the most Loving Wife there is. I am having a difficult time finding anything to Love in there.

[Mithyaat Vam]

i say again to you and feel saddened that i must remind you:

Give love, and you WILL receive love. Let your every answer, your every action and reaction, your every desire, be rooted in love.

[Bhakti]

Do you suspect there is anything we can do, any amount of Love we can give AK, that will cause him to not attempt to increase the amount of Chaos and Destruction on Eiran? There is a difference between Loving someone and allowing them to Destroy you. He has promised our Destruction. We can Lovingly decide to not allow that. We can decide that we Love our followers and each other too much to let him do what he intends.

[O-gon-cho]

i commend you on your kindness sister song! (o-gon-cho)

i agree with all you've said.

i too am inclined toward kind measures first.

Thank you sister. It is good to hear another confirm my thoughts.

methinks our brother love has been embittered by his struggle with The Black Worm.

I must admit I know little of him. He welcomed me upon my Hatching, but that is all I know of him. Is he another to be feared?

come Bhakti, can you not find something to love of Chaos? something that may temper his bent toward destruction?


where did i see THIS???

I am the self-fulfilling prophecy. Give love, and you WILL receive love. Let your every answer, your every action and reaction, your every desire, be rooted in love.

Oh sister, very well said.

Hear!! Hear!!

[O-gon-cho]

Do you suspect there is anything we can do, any amount of Love we can give AK, that will cause him to not attempt to increase the amount of Chaos and Destruction on Eiran? There is a difference between Loving someone and allowing them to Destroy you. He has promised our Destruction. We can Lovingly decide to not allow that. We can decide that we Love our followers and each other too much to let him do what he intends.

I will reiterate what my sister pointed out, emphasing the words that strike me...

:::opps, bolding no longer needed:::

i say again to you and feel saddened that i must remind you:

Give love, and you WILL receive love. Let your every answer, your every action and reaction, your every desire, be rooted in love.

[Mithyaat Vam]

Do you suspect there is anything we can do, any amount of Love we can give AK, that will cause him to not attempt to increase the amount of Chaos and Destruction on Eiran? There is a difference between Loving someone and allowing them to Destroy you. He has promised our Destruction. We can Lovingly decide to not allow that. We can decide that we Love our followers and each other too much to let him do what he intends.

yes, i suspect there is.

[Astavyastataa Kadna]

*chuckles* ahhhhh godlings, it is perhaps true that I am quick to temper ... but that is the nature of Chaos. And it is true that COMPLETE DESTRUCTION will reign ... for that is the cycle of the cosmos. But not necessarily the cycle of turns - except where needed for growth and change!

And haughty!! *fond chuckles* youngling, goddess of dragons, do not judge your betters - for I am far beyond you. And for now, I am beholden to the AllFather - but in truth - only sister ORDER has true dominion over me ... until it is time for OMEGA to be ascendent.

As to the Wench!! *chuckles*

....He would give my Wife to the undead as a plaything..

As I recall, golden undead and Bahkti thoughts of 'swinging' suggest in sooth a baser pet name is in order - but I blush to say what it would be, with more regal goddesses present!

And finally, goddess of dreams, who caressed my thoughts thru the eons of my sleep. *bows* I acknowledge your politeness, civility, and service. You are favored by Chaos and Destruction!

[Mistress Cathy]

Let it be known that I found Asta's initial dismissal of me to be rude and I let my displeasure known to him. However now I find Asta's comments amusing. 'WENCH', heh. It is easy to love folly in a child, no?

IN ALL FAIRNESS, he is arrogant, yes, but aren't we all? It is perhaps his nature to be such although I would have expected more humility from such a new, young god as he. He is playing with fire by snubbing and threatening older gods but I am sure that he is aware of that. And he is acting according to his nature, destroying the relative peace of the Pantheon. He is only acting as he should. It is because of this that I think Bhakti and others distrust him.

However, on the advice of the great Hedra Iren and O-gon-cho AND in the interest of fairness and neutrality, I will tolerate the quips of Asta with good humor. But please do not restrict from me the fun of bantering with him. I think mayhaps he enjoys it as much as I.

('WENCH!' Indeed. *chuckles*)

[Astavyastataa Kadna]

Indeed cousin 'WENCH' There is much to admire in the CHAOS of banter!!