Pantheon - The Third Age - Game Thread

[Madadeva]

Ahhh brother Bel *chuckles*!!

A god of Peace who proclaims "The only true path is that of peace" accuses ME of being self-absorbed!! *hearty laughter*

One could say that of most any deity, could one not? *soft chuckle*

[Bel]

Calais, I simply wish you to see the emptiness that lies behind his words. You heard his response to me - it was not a response at all. His words were a statement addressed to noone. I can expect such subtleties of tone to pass him by, but I would credit you with more presence of mind.

"A god of Peace who proclaims 'The only true path is that of peace' accuses me of being self-absorbed". That is a statement. It addresses nothing, and though it is a true statement, its use displays proudly his incomprehension of his fellow deities - the true megalomaniac, he cannot but assume all others are no different from him.

I see clearly, Calais - and, yes, I shall address Devaguhya one final time - I see self-delusion, I see weakness, I see malice, and avarice, and naivety. I see all the little things that will push this world farther and farther from Peace.

I am not the saviour of this world, as you apparently believe yourself to be, Devaguhya. I am simply one with the eyes to see where salvation lies, and why you shall never find it for yourself.

[Arcadia]

Bel, are you not the god of peace? You insult Devaguhya and he responds with mirth. Who is the more peaceful? Seems the Lord of Life wins that contest hands down.

Your words are far from peaceful. Rather, they are condescending and their intent is insolence. Seems to me that you are more the god of "pick a fight" than the god of peace. So much for keeping peace. My mother told stories of the barbs gods would hurl at each other in the Pantheon of ages past and insults are the best way to start war.

Hmmm, perhaps you have a secret alliance with uKulwa, eh?

Why do you find it so necessary to grind your opinion of Deva into other gods and then insult them when they do not agree with you? I engage in some friendly banter and you turn it ugly. You are not only an egocentric but also arrogant to think that you are the only diety to see the salvation of Eiran.

Of Deva you claimed:

I see self-delusion, I see weakness, I see malice, and avarice, and naivety.

Well, from your words, I see the same in you. Perhaps that is why you are so apt at identifying these characteristics.

[Bel]

You put words into my mouth. I did not say those things of Devaguhya, but of the Pantheon as a whole. Nor did I claim to be the only one capable of seeing the truth of things.

[Arcadia]

Ah, forgive me then. I misunderstood. I stand corrected.

[Eugen Razvan]

To my ally, on the Oath of the Allfather you will have my assistance this season. No need to openly reply here, for I would prefer our arrangement to remain furtive.

[Eztlicoatl]

Devils and posturers, tricksters and idolaters - the voice of God shall now be heard.

Let it be known that, without exception, no false faiths shall be suffered to feel the warmth and embrace of the Sun upon the continent of Malyth. This natural state of affairs, designed for the better prospect of truth of the denizens therein, will also be extended to the continent of Kunis. Only the capital of Sunset shall be allowed to remain thereupon, unmolested. Everything within fifty miles of its walls will be considered the domain of the Empire of the Sun. All those who disrespect this edict shall suffer obliteration. No aggression, except in defense, shall ever be made by the Great Serpent against any who respect these wishes.

Those envious and pitiable creatures who do not follow the command of the One God, upon Malyth and Kunis, shall cause great calamities to befall all. It has now fallen within the power of the One God to control all Moon Bridges on Eiran, and to cause the opening of the Abyss. To use these powers is not within the wishes of the Great Serpent, and it is anticipated that - to see them used - will not be within the wishes of the so-called Pantheon.

This issue is not open to debate, no matter how clamorous the stilted mewlings of devils and beasts.

[Zephyr]

'k

[Eugen Razvan]

Devils and posturers, tricksters and idolaters - the voice of God shall now be heard.

Let it be known that, without exception, no false faiths shall be suffered to feel the warmth and embrace of the Sun upon the continent of Malyth. This natural state of affairs, designed for the better prospect of truth of the denizens therein, will also be extended to the continent of Kunis. Only the capital of Sunset shall be allowed to remain thereupon, unmolested. Everything within fifty miles of its walls will be considered the domain of the Empire of the Sun. All those who disrespect this edict shall suffer obliteration. No aggression, except in defense, shall ever be made by the Great Serpent against any who respect these wishes.

Those envious and pitiable creatures who do not follow the command of the One God, upon Malyth and Kunis, shall cause great calamities to befall all. It has now fallen within the power of the One God to control all Moon Bridges on Eiran, and to cause the opening of the Abyss. To use these powers is not within the wishes of the Great Serpent, and it is anticipated that - to see them used - will not be within the wishes of the so-called Pantheon.

This issue is not open to debate, no matter how clamorous the stilted mewlings of devils and beasts.

I am in support.

[Brid]

Perfect! He does my work for me!

He will blame me anyway!

Know, Ezticoatl, that Brid will not be held responsible, when The God of the Sun's own actions drives the inhabitants of Kunis and Malyth into Brid's arms.

Brid considers the matter of the high priest closed. The sacrifices were 'delivered' as agreed.

[Arcadia]

Let it be known that, without exception, no false faiths shall be suffered to feel the warmth and embrace of the Sun upon the continent of Malyth. This natural state of affairs, designed for the better prospect of truth of the denizens therein, will also be extended to the continent of Kunis. Only the capital of Sunset shall be allowed to remain thereupon, unmolested. Everything within fifty miles of its walls will be considered the domain of the Empire of the Sun. All those who disrespect this edict shall suffer obliteration. No aggression, except in defense, shall ever be made by the Great Serpent against any who respect these wishes.

Eztlicoatl, I respect and support your claim to these lands. Question: will merchants be allowed to trade and travelers be allowed pass through unharmed?

[Zephyr]

Sun God, it is, of course, virtually impossible to have a Forest without followers of the God of Forests. I would appreciate two seasons to relocate those in Cook's Woods to Shaldir. In two seasons, I can do it using normal methods of transportation, eliminating the possibility that any of your followers would see that any beings but you are able to use divine energy.

At that point, I will destroy Cook's Woods. Unless you would rather do it? Either, or. Let me know.

[Eztlicoatl]

Eztlicoatl, I respect and support your claim to these lands. Question: will merchants be allowed to trade and travelers be allowed pass through unharmed?

Those who come to trade will always be welcome, though they will be subject to the laws of my faithful. Any who pass through these lands mentioning or bearing the symbols of the false gods will be treated as the spies and liars they are, and put to death.

Sun God, it is, of course, virtually impossible to have a Forest without followers of the God of Forests. I would appreciate two seasons to relocate those in Cook's Woods to Shaldir. In two seasons, I can do it using normal methods of transportation, eliminating the possibility that any of your followers would see that any beings but you are able to use divine energy.

At that point, I will destroy Cook's Woods. Unless you would rather do it? Either, or. Let me know.

Any manifestation of your power in my lands will be considered an assault, and will meet with grievous retaliation. I know already just how fruitless is the tree of promise from you, when it comes to seeking passage for your barbaric cult. Let them leave on their own volition, or tell me their location and the Sun God will guarantee their safety.

[Arcadia]

Julia closed the door to her quarters with an exhausted sigh, saying goodnight to her last visitor. The others waiting looked disappointed as she begged them to come back another time, as she needed to attend to her faith. Her new gift had made her quite popular among the city’s population and they now lined up to speak with her and tap into her talent. This left her little time to spend on her duties as Earth Venerant. She would spend her days at the behest of the cities inhabitants and her evenings in service to her goddess.

The glow of the walls served to light and heat her room but she still lit candles all around. The shadows cast from the flicker of the flames helped her to meditate and she desperately needed to reconnect with her goddess before going to the temple. She went to her private shrine, the musky perfume of the candles filling her nose, kneeled, and began to pray. She raised her hands beside her face, palms facing back, and began to chant the ancient Nhruuk words of praise as the stone face of Calais in the shrine stared back at Julia, unmoving, as if listening to every word.

Deeper into her meditation, Julia began to focus on her inner spirit – her inner core- the place she became at peace and she could feel her spirit rejuvenate, just as the earth churned the rock to produce nutrients to enrich the soil. Deeper, deeper into meditation until finally, Julia reached her core. Here is where the goddess was. Here was where she could hear Calais voice. Here was where she could discover what the goddess wanted of her.

And here, suddenly, she saw the lava eyes of the goddess looking at her. Too deep into her hypnosis, Julia was unable to move but the red and yellow eyes held her captive. Within the eyes, Julia saw visions of the earth, vast and unending, forever a circle - at once violent and changing, building mountains and increasing valleys, destroying and killing without bias and then silent and peaceful as slumber as it allowed growth to flourish on its surface. In the vision, Julia flew over the surface of the earth seeing the great forests of Shaldir, a new sun, the desolation of the southwestern continents, the ice walls. Then she came to Imray and saw the war between the centaurs and the warriors. She saw the dwarrows on their pilgrimage and the madness beginning in Ethned Forest in the north.

Then deep into the core of the earth, Julia plunged, to the very center. There on a throne of molten rock sat the goddess Calais. The heat emanating from the throne would have been unbearable for anyone but a Nhruuk but Julia basked in the heat. Calais rose from the throne, descended the steps toward Julia moving with the slowness of lava, black and yellow and white and red rock oozing toward her.

You know why you are here, Julia, Calais spoke with no words. The choice is yours, of course, but you have demonstrated devotion along with talents to be my voice on Eiran. I need someone strong and resourceful to lead my followers.

Julia responded with a resounding “YES!”

Calais smiled. Go then, to my temple, to the Mother Superior and drink of the Fountain.

Julia rose from her shrine as if in a trance. She exited her quarters and moved through the city down towards the Temple of Calais. Those she passed recognized her but did not stand in her way as they saw she was indeed possessed of a strangeness that made Julia seem hard as stone, as with elder Nhruuk. Rather Julia had taken on the semblance of polished marble – smooth and white and perfect. However, curiosity got the best of them and before long, a crowd gathered behind her and followed her to the Temple.

Inside the temple, the Mother Superior was attending the altar with her subordinates. They had polished the golden tabernacle and had swept the carpets, making the temple ready for the next day’s services. They worked peacefully as the trickling from the Fountain produced a calming influence.

The Mother Superior stopped and turned toward the doors of the temple, hearing the approach. The great stone doors pushed wide open without assistance and Julia came walking through, a crowd of citizens keeping a safe distance behind her.

The Mother Superior knew at once something had changed in Julia. Her appearance was striking. The Liquor in the Fountain began to bubble and turn the colors of lava. The chocolate aroma it gave off became more pungent to the point of stifling. The crowd was silent and the other Venerants had ceased their work to watch.

Julia approached the Mother Superior. “Speak the riddle,” she commanded.

Something in the tone of Julia’s voice and the look in her eyes made the Mother Superior pause. This was not the rule but Julia’s command could not be denied. This was not the voice or eyes of Julia – it was the voice and eyes of Calais. Unable to keep herself from staring at the taller woman, the Mother Superior, slack-jawed whispered the words.

Whoever makes it, tells it not.
Whoever takes it, knows it not.
And whoever knows it, wants it not.

“Counterfeit gold is the answer,” Julia replied and looked at the older woman.

A light shone in the Mother Superior’s eyes for she now understood what was about to happen. She turned and went to the tabernacle. She opened the small doors and withdrew the Cup of the Earth. She turned and went to the Fountain, dipped the cup into it, and returned to Julia.

Taking the cup from the Mother Superior, Julia raised the cup to her lips and drank. The hot Liquor was thick in her mouth, as drinking chocolate, but was like ambrosia, the finest of wines, an ambiance of death. It burst with regenerative power and Julia could feel her physical body actually changing. She became harder, her body more dense. Within her heart, she could hear Calais laughing, joyful, full of love and pride. My beautiful daughter, Calais said to her. You are now one with me, my right hand, my prophet.

Julia smiled as the Mother Superior cackled her delight. The other Earth Venerants dropped to their knees and pledged allegiance to the protection of the Prophet of Calais.

A deafening cheer from the crowd filled the cavern of the temple as Julia left its confines. Reborn, she had been and she looked the part. For, as before when Julia looked as polished marble, she had been transformed into a much harder substance - diamond.

[Arcadia]

Those who come to trade will always be welcome, though they will be subject to the laws of my faithful. Any who pass through these lands mentioning or bearing the symbols of the false gods will be treated as the spies and liars they are, and put to death.

Good. Death pleases me. My followers will obey your laws and if they break them, then I am happy that they be subject to your punishment.

[Zephyr]

Any manifestation of your power in my lands will be considered an assault, and will meet with grievous retaliation. I know already just how fruitless is the tree of promise from you, when it comes to seeking passage for your barbaric cult. Let them leave on their own volition, or tell me their location and the Sun God will guarantee their safety.

I said I could get them out without any manifestation of my power. At least those who would rather come to Shaldir than risk remaining on Kunis. Do you or do you not grant me the requested time to do so?

And, again, would you prefer to destroy Cook's Woods, or would you prefer me to do it? If you would prefer to do so yourself, that's fine. I hope you will wait until after any of my followers who wish to have evacuated.

[Eztlicoatl]

I said I could get them out without any manifestation of my power. At least those who would rather come to Shaldir than risk remaining on Kunis. Do you or do you not grant me the requested time to do so?

No.

And, again, would you prefer to destroy Cook's Woods, or would you prefer me to do it? If you would prefer to do so yourself, that's fine. I hope you will wait until after any of my followers who wish to have evacuated.

It is only for the One God to say what may exist within his domains, and what may not. This discussion has now ended.

[Zephyr]

So be it.

[Moxinomal]

Hickory Dickory Dock

Mox Looked At the Clock

The Clock Struck One

While Mox Had Fun

Hickory Dickory Dock

[Zephyr]

Divine Siblings,

I wanted to say a few things so, if Eztlicoatl carries out his threat of opening the Abyss, you'll know why it all came about.

As I said when we all arrived here, the Forests are mine. I am the only deity with a domain that can be thoroughly destroyed. Can my sister's Earth be destroyed? Can Dagon's Seas? Can War be eliminated? No, no, and no. But Forests can be destroyed. Rather easily, if one sets their mind to it.

In addition, there is only a limited amount of Forest in the first place. I am only able to act in a limited area. The rest of you can act everywhere. You simply choose not to. With that in mind, I, nevertheless, gave up what I consider to be a generous amount of Trees. When we arrived, Extlicoatl "landed" on Malyth. Apparently thinking his followers will abandon him if they are aware of the existence of other deities, he told us all that we were forbidden to use any power, or have any following, on Malyth. It seems reasonable for us all to have a physical base of operations. I chose Shaldir, he chose Malyth, etc. All of our followers might go here and there, but we don't generally do much outside of our homelands.

I do intend things for all of Eiran's Forests. I will make them safer and more able to survive. However, nothing I am going to do will prevent followers of any deity (Well, there will likely be exceptions, for those deities who harm me or the whole of Eiran.) from living happily in them, eating their fruits and nuts, hunting their game, or getting wood for building (assuming they aren't endangering the well-being of the Forest).

And all seemed to be going well. Eztlicoatl was happy on Malyth, not bothering anybody. Oh, sure, he wiped out huge numbers of Trees, causing me pain in three different season. But my power was not lessened. (Although I suppose it could be that it would have grown faster. But who can know such a thing?) And Eztlicoatl even seemed to be acting in a civil way. He once thought a Tree Elder in Magni was a spy of mine. In truth, I hadn't been aware of its existence. I looked, and, sure enough, I saw a "bedraggled Tree Elder who attempts to help the forest, but is hunted by the native inhabitants of Malyth - mostly those who are not aligned with Etzlicoatl." Eztlicoatl seemed to accept this, and offered to not molest the Tree Elder if it wanted to leave, and went along a certain path to get to the moonbridge. I gave the Elder the strength to do so, and he "[made] his way towards Vor-ta-vor, hoping to find solace after life as a prey." (Alas, he never showed up at the rendezvous point, and I never heard of him again. I assume the native inhabitants not alligned with Eztlicoatl caught him after all.)

Now, however, Eztlicoatl decides to take more of the world. Kunis is his. Yet more of my limited domain is off limits to me. How long before he claims Enstorm in the name of his Eclipse Alliance, and forbids me to act in Oa? But then, Shaldir is even closer. When will I be forbidden to act in Arkathi or Vor-ta-vor? How many of my followers in them will be killed trying to flee?

No. I gave him Magni and Modi. No other deity has been given exclusive rights to any Forest. But that's as far as it goes. Cook's Woods is mine. He says I cannot use power there? I cannot even get my followers out? Enough's enough, Sun God. I will, indeed, use power in "your lands." The Forests are mine. If for this you will open the Abyss, then open the Abyss. If you will only destroy Shaldir's Forests, and leave the rest of the deities' followers alone, then go to it. I will not have my domain stripped from me acre by acre.