Pantheon 2.0 - Game Thread

[Argothoth]

My brother Vadhaka,
i'm here to ask publicly a favor.
I need your agreement to make my troop march through your city Aikul. Only for the next season.

thank you.

[Vadhaka]

I am sure that we will be able to come to an arrangement that is mutually beneficial. I will contact you privately to discuss the matter. *bows*

[O-gon-cho]

The declaration.

Given that no territories were defined in Immeril, nor were intentions to define or have territories stated openly, or to me; given that I have made my intentions to expand my kingdom known to all, and that no objection to said expansion has been stated; given that I have not invaded another deity's land, intentionally attacked any followers of another deity, or have mutated land belonging to another deity, I have been forced to make the following declaration:

I have only desired peace in the world (specifically: Immeril), and had designed Yekithii for the purpose of building a paradise (as found in Nor Pupae - the experimental region). To this end, and aware of the reactions to my great mutation of Immeril, I will make reparations to those offended (on Immeril) by altering the landscape to its original form which will match the defined borders of the deities of Immeril. Yekithii will remain, though its borders will be adjusted.

Any unprovoked attack upon Yekithii or Nor Pupae (and thus upon its citizens, womb-pits, fleets, cities, towns, flesh-farms, deific talismans and effects, and everything else within their borders) will result in armies of Nor Yekith and the King being ordered to make retaliatory strikes against the cities, peoples, fleets, deific talismans and effects. In short, an attack on my realms will result in war being declared on the invading nations/deities.

My main fleet is stationed at Nor Leviathan, and it is ready to sail. With one command, my armies will embark and invade any enemy territory.

m'l-rd Nor Yekith...

As one of those on Immeril, I am assuming this is something I need to understand thoroughly. But, my young head (nor my player's much older one) does not interpret legalese very well.

Am I correct in assuming this is saying you will draw back the borders of Yekithii slightly to those I (and possibly others I am unaware of) have now declared and return the land to it's original form? And that any further such mutations will be contained to Yekithii only? If so, I thank you. What a deity does within their own borders should be a divine right, as long as their followers do not suffer.

As far as the militarese aspect of the declaration, I hope not to have to concern myself with that. I have not visited any lands without invitation so far.

[Injerian Praetus II]

Am I correct in assuming this is saying you will draw back the borders of Yekithii slightly to those I (and possibly others I am unaware of) have now declared and return the land to it's original form? And that any further such mutations will be contained to Yekithii only? If so, I thank you. What a deity does within their own borders should be a divine right, as long as their followers do not suffer.

Correct. But as to the last line, my followers suffer because they know that in the end it is worth it.

[O-gon-cho]

What a deity does within their own borders should be a divine right, as long as their followers do not suffer.

Correct. But as to the last line, my followers suffer because they know that in the end it is worth it.

:::bowing head:::

If it is their Will and desire for such to happen my L-rd, then it is no concern of mine, as long as it remains within your borders.

Please help make this crystal clear to me though...

Is there anything I am missing to said declaration?

[Injerian Praetus II]

Nothing more. Nothing more.

[O-gon-cho]

Nothing more. Nothing more.

:::whispering:::

Can I trust that, m'l-rd...

[Injerian Praetus II]

Nothing more. Nothing more.

:::whispering:::

Can I trust that, m'l-rd...

I give you my word.

[Bhakti]

Truly? But you are not the god of perfection. I would have thought your nature was to maliciously mutate things.

As I have always stated, where I am from, 'Malice' is synonymous with the 'will to achieve'. I am willing to exercise great power, and make great sacrifices, to bring about perfection.

Lies. (No surprise from Malice, eh? ) As I pointed out, your strength comes when there is rage, fear, hate, rape, etc. Yet, despite your claims that such things are anathema to you, you have not given up the domain for another that would allow you to Mutate while gaining strength from a source that it NOT anathema. The "will to achieve" can come with any domain. But you have chosen the one that thrives on horror. These horrors are what you desire for all.

[Mistress Cathy]

Sorry to speak of this so heartlessly but I am a businesswoman and business is business. War, unfortunately, is good for my business.

Since war is indeed on the horizon, foodstuffs, weapons, and money will now be in great demand as will livestock, medicinal supplies, wagons, carts, etc.

My guild members will hasten the stockpiling of such goods.

[O-gon-cho]

As a result, three seconds and an eternity later, Zhan and Brecht emerged into a clear landing site with a quiet puff that was lost in the breezes above the valley. Jiayna was not in evidence.

Zhan felt irritation that she should have chickened out at the last minute, overlaid with a sense of alarm from Brecht that something had obviously gone wrong.

“Didn’t she hold onto the visual?” Brecht allowed a tremor into his voice.

Zhan snorted dismissively, “Jiayna is soft of will; she will either come or not as she steels herself. We’ll wait here a minute for her, then go and console her amid her self-pity, craven dependence, and doubt. How could she fail to trust me?”

Brecht thought silence was the wiser course at this juncture and guarded his fears from articulation, even to himself. Zhan’s unaccustomed arrogance was probably a knee-jerk response to worry and guilt for dragging his friend out of her comfort zone, nothing more. Still, he couldn’t help noticing that the seconds were passing far too slowly for comfort.

As the minute wore out, Zhan’s mien darkened perceptibly, the very edges of his eyes becoming dark and flat. Now he was angry, and Brecht was not at all comfortable with the intensity of this new turn. “OK, let’s go back, Zhan,” he began to say.

But Zhan hadn’t waited for the visual or the signal, and Brecht’s words were swallowed in the sensory deprivation of between. The incensed dragon hadn’t even bothered to flap once before jumping, leaping straight from solid ground to utter void.

[Astavyastataa Kadna]

Am I correct in assuming this is saying you will draw back the borders of Yekithii slightly to those I (and possibly others I am unaware of) have now declared and return the land to it's original form? And that any further such mutations will be contained to Yekithii only? If so, I thank you. What a deity does within their own borders should be a divine right, as long as their followers do not suffer.

Correct. But as to the last line, my followers suffer because they know that in the end it is worth it.

And will the followers and lifeforms and material objects all be returned to their original pre-mutation state. Will you exert you power so that it will be as if you had never visited Immerel with your power for those lands claimed (for me the southern desert)?

[O-gon-cho]

And will the followers and lifeforms and material objects all be returned to their original pre-mutation state. Will you exert you power so that it will be as if you had never visited Immerel with your power for those lands claimed (for me the southern desert)?

Whoops. Sorry, m'L-rd. I should have asked that as well.

Will you answer please, m'l-rd Nor Yekith?

[Injerian Praetus II]

If the borders shift, everything that was previously mutated within the borders of Yekithii will be unmutated.

[O-gon-cho]

If the borders shift, everything that was previously mutated within the borders of Yekithii will be unmutated.

If the borders shift,m'l-rd?

:::heavy sigh:::

...let it go, he declared it would be so...

Thank you for that, m'l-rd. Your neighbors on Immeril (or, at least this one), appreciates it.

[Injerian Praetus II]

Lies. (No surprise from Malice, eh? ) As I pointed out, your strength comes when there is rage, fear, hate, rape, etc. Yet, despite your claims that such things are anathema to you, you have not given up the domain for another that would allow you to Mutate while gaining strength from a source that it NOT anathema. The "will to achieve" can come with any domain. But you have chosen the one that thrives on horror. These horrors are what you desire for all.

Horror is a relative term.

[O-gon-cho]

Horror is a relative term.

One I wish you would explain away by showing us the beauty in what we see as horrors, m'l-rd.

[Injerian Praetus II]

Horror is a relative term.

One I wish you would explain away by showing us the beauty in what we see as horrors, m'l-rd.

I cannot explain more than an artist can explain how beautiful a painting is to another. Is not beauty a subjective thing? How is it that one can admire the form and song of a bird and yet look with distaste at some deep sea creature all tentacles and scales? Simply because we live by the judgement of aesthetics. I believe that perfection in form is more than skin deep, and so whilst some cringe at my creations, they are beautifully engineered for the world. They flourish. That is beauty, if their forms cause fear in others.

[O-gon-cho]

Horror is a relative term.

One I wish you would explain away by showing us the beauty in what we see as horrors, m'l-rd.

I cannot explain more than an artist can explain how beautiful a painting is to another. Is not beauty a subjective thing? How is it that one can admire the form and song of a bird and yet look with distaste at some deep sea creature all tentacles and scales? Simply because we live by the judgement of aesthetics. I believe that perfection in form is more than skin deep, and so whilst some cringe at my creations, they are beautifully engineered for the world. They flourish. That is beauty, if their forms cause fear in others.

:::considering:::

Similar in concept to the idea of some finding beauty in Picasso's Guernica (should you know of what I speak), m'l-rd? On a minute scale, I think I understand. It will take time to root and possibly grow into acceptance, if it ever does...
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EDIT

However, it helps to allay my fear. If you speak true when you say your subjects willingly suffer to attain perfection, I will no longer fear such changes, as long as they remain within the borders of Yekithii, and no such forced mutation occurs within my lands or to my followers.

[Bhakti]

Murder is murder. Rape is rape. Rage is rage. Fear is fear. Feeding off of those things is your choice. You could feed off of something else, but you do not. You could have the will to achieve, and you could achieve, with any other domain. Others have given up a domain that was not to their liking. But you like the one that gives you power when there is murder, rape, rage, and fear. Would you have us believe you do not and will not cause these things? That you will not work toward your own power?? That your Mutations, which you have told us you intend to cover the world with, do not cause these things? Yes, the eye of the beholder, and all that. But I have never had any intention of forcing my version of beauty onto the world, and have never acted to that end.