Acropolis 1.0 - Forum of the Gods
Moderator: Goatkiller666
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Acropolis:
As God of Commerce, I feel it is my duty to bring to your attention a matter within my domain that affects the city and that may, in turn, affect all of us adversely.
You may feel that this is a minor matter, of little consequence. I say that it has potential to be catastrophic!
Therefore, I ask for your input, and therefore, I will understand if it is not forthcoming.
Livestock prices have increased dramatically.
This, I believe, is due in no small extent to ourselves. The city's population (and hence its consumption) has not increased greatly, the supply of livestock has not diminished significantly. What has changed, is that a new market has been created: our temples! I realise that not all of us hold to animal sacrifice, but those of us who do, have imbalanced the livestock trade. Demand increases, supply remains constant, therefore prices rise.
As our influence grows, this demand will increase and prices will rise yet more. Let me give some examples of what may happen...
-Meat becomes the preserve of the rich only. The general health of our city will suffer as diets become less varied. This may benefit some of us in the short term, but it can only hurt all of us in the long term as the city becomes weaker.
-The poor will not be able to afford to sacrifice to us. Or choose not to, to feed their families instead.
-The populace realise that the drain on their income is our fault. Our reputations suffer.
-Our sacrifices become useful to our priesthood, their families or followers. At this stage they stop being sacrifices and become criminal or sacreligious.
I'm sure other effects will become clear to me in time, but those seem most pressing now.
So, what can we do? As God of Commerce I can most probably affect trade prices. However, without tackling the underlying issue, this may backfire at a future date and we may find that the worst-case scenarios come to fruition.
I believe that we must either increase supply, or decrease demand.
My initial thoughts are, myself and/or Surya could influence the supply (though not in the short term), or that Allod could decrease demand by increasing the bounty of seafood coming into the city.
I'm sure that as individuals you may each have ideas of your own. For the sake of our city, I ask you to share them, and perhaps we can come to a consensus and all help with an agreed action.
As God of Commerce, I feel it is my duty to bring to your attention a matter within my domain that affects the city and that may, in turn, affect all of us adversely.
You may feel that this is a minor matter, of little consequence. I say that it has potential to be catastrophic!
Therefore, I ask for your input, and therefore, I will understand if it is not forthcoming.
Livestock prices have increased dramatically.
This, I believe, is due in no small extent to ourselves. The city's population (and hence its consumption) has not increased greatly, the supply of livestock has not diminished significantly. What has changed, is that a new market has been created: our temples! I realise that not all of us hold to animal sacrifice, but those of us who do, have imbalanced the livestock trade. Demand increases, supply remains constant, therefore prices rise.
As our influence grows, this demand will increase and prices will rise yet more. Let me give some examples of what may happen...
-Meat becomes the preserve of the rich only. The general health of our city will suffer as diets become less varied. This may benefit some of us in the short term, but it can only hurt all of us in the long term as the city becomes weaker.
-The poor will not be able to afford to sacrifice to us. Or choose not to, to feed their families instead.
-The populace realise that the drain on their income is our fault. Our reputations suffer.
-Our sacrifices become useful to our priesthood, their families or followers. At this stage they stop being sacrifices and become criminal or sacreligious.
I'm sure other effects will become clear to me in time, but those seem most pressing now.
So, what can we do? As God of Commerce I can most probably affect trade prices. However, without tackling the underlying issue, this may backfire at a future date and we may find that the worst-case scenarios come to fruition.
I believe that we must either increase supply, or decrease demand.
My initial thoughts are, myself and/or Surya could influence the supply (though not in the short term), or that Allod could decrease demand by increasing the bounty of seafood coming into the city.
I'm sure that as individuals you may each have ideas of your own. For the sake of our city, I ask you to share them, and perhaps we can come to a consensus and all help with an agreed action.
It may be best to have my followers become vegetarians. I can grow the plants needed for them.
Of course, I could do so for others, too, but I don't yet know if that would require extra power. Which, of course, would need to be supplied by any who want me to do this for them.
Unless any are interested in working together on these things. Diana increasing plant fertility, me helping them grow better, Antaka making them hardier, etc. We could make things very good for all of our followers.
Of course, I could do so for others, too, but I don't yet know if that would require extra power. Which, of course, would need to be supplied by any who want me to do this for them.
Unless any are interested in working together on these things. Diana increasing plant fertility, me helping them grow better, Antaka making them hardier, etc. We could make things very good for all of our followers.
We could remind our followers that sacrifices must be things of importence to them, but not necessarily food. Likewise, if the price of meat rises as a result of our presence... a sacrifice now of the same portion of meat would be worth more power to us (since that meat is now more dear to the one who sacrificed it to us).
Surya, consider that if your followers become vegetarians, meat would become valueless to them... sacrificing it to you would therefore become valueless to you.
Surya, consider that if your followers become vegetarians, meat would become valueless to them... sacrificing it to you would therefore become valueless to you.
To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night.
A candle is a representation of me. By destroying one, they lose the opportunity to experience that small flicker of my infinite self. And, of course, it is a material sacrifice. They must buy the candle. Or, they can buy the ingredients, and spend time making it themselves. This means the sacrifice is both money and time. Truly an act of devotion. Especially if the candle they create is an artistic masterpiece, which is then destroyed.
You might want to consider that having your followers destroying symbols of you....
Well, maybe not the approach I would take.
Having them all bring the candles to your temple, and have the room be FILLED with the warm burning light of the devotions of thousands of followers... that seems like a better image. They sacrifice to you, your priests then light them and use them for their intended purpose.
Well, maybe not the approach I would take.
Having them all bring the candles to your temple, and have the room be FILLED with the warm burning light of the devotions of thousands of followers... that seems like a better image. They sacrifice to you, your priests then light them and use them for their intended purpose.
To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night.
Would that it was so simple, Sister.
I would prefer my sacrifices be instruments set upon the Alta Cantabile, improving in musicality and playability as time progresses. But a sacrifice must leave the mortal world and be destroyed to have meaning; I will not have that done to an instrument which could bring the panoply of emotion into being when used as intended.
I would prefer my sacrifices be instruments set upon the Alta Cantabile, improving in musicality and playability as time progresses. But a sacrifice must leave the mortal world and be destroyed to have meaning; I will not have that done to an instrument which could bring the panoply of emotion into being when used as intended.
Well, lighting a candle DOES destroy it. It just does so in a way that's more appropriate to a giver of light. Better than, say, chopping the candle up and then throwing it into a fire.
Sacrificing harps could work, if you did so in a musical fashion... so that the destruction gives out glorious sounds. Made more glorious because they are the last notes those harps will ever make. A craftsman spends weeks or months, painstakingly building a harp for the sole purpose of giving it to you in one AND ONLY ONE moment of transcendent music... ah... glorious.
Come to think of it... *MY* followers could destroy candles without burning them. That seems an apt sacrifice... giving up the candle's light, in a symbolic gesture of embracing darkness.
Sacrificing harps could work, if you did so in a musical fashion... so that the destruction gives out glorious sounds. Made more glorious because they are the last notes those harps will ever make. A craftsman spends weeks or months, painstakingly building a harp for the sole purpose of giving it to you in one AND ONLY ONE moment of transcendent music... ah... glorious.
Come to think of it... *MY* followers could destroy candles without burning them. That seems an apt sacrifice... giving up the candle's light, in a symbolic gesture of embracing darkness.
To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night.
Further to my earlier announcement, I have an initial proposal to put to the Acropolis, further negotiations will obviously be necessary depending on replies.
And please bear in mind, that this is in my spirit of Fairdealing, so please do not suspect treachery or underhandedness. If anything, I will try to return more than is given.
If any of my fellow deities would be willing to club together to create enough divine strength for an action that will help safeguard the city's livestock supply and trade, I will promise, whenever possible, to repay divine strength donated, plus I will use my influence with local farmers (already established) to ensure a ready supply of livestock to their temples at below market value (as close to cost as I can manage).
Any deity who uses their influence without their divine might, subject to negotiation and within a concerted plan, will also receive livestock at cost.
These livestock will be provided to do with as your priesthood wills: sacrifice or foodstuff.
And please bear in mind, that this is in my spirit of Fairdealing, so please do not suspect treachery or underhandedness. If anything, I will try to return more than is given.
If any of my fellow deities would be willing to club together to create enough divine strength for an action that will help safeguard the city's livestock supply and trade, I will promise, whenever possible, to repay divine strength donated, plus I will use my influence with local farmers (already established) to ensure a ready supply of livestock to their temples at below market value (as close to cost as I can manage).
Any deity who uses their influence without their divine might, subject to negotiation and within a concerted plan, will also receive livestock at cost.
These livestock will be provided to do with as your priesthood wills: sacrifice or foodstuff.
Brother, do not the local ranchers and farmers deserve to make a living as well? Cost is well and good, but it leaves little opportunity for more than the bare essentials of survival, for both man and beast.
While my own domain eases the strain of labor and routine of industry, it thrives when leisure time is at hand to indulge in it. The ranchers and farmers deserve the benefits of reasonable profit as much as the merchants and nobles.
I am agreeable to negotiating an alliance towards safeguarding the livestock trade and supply, as long as benefits to all are taken in to consideration. Contact me for further discussion.
While my own domain eases the strain of labor and routine of industry, it thrives when leisure time is at hand to indulge in it. The ranchers and farmers deserve the benefits of reasonable profit as much as the merchants and nobles.
I am agreeable to negotiating an alliance towards safeguarding the livestock trade and supply, as long as benefits to all are taken in to consideration. Contact me for further discussion.
Thank you, Virelai, you are correct, and would be welcome amongst my Fairdealers!
However, when I say I, I mean my temple will bear the cost, of supplying at cost. We would not expect the farmers with whom we have agreements, to suffer because of those agreements. I'm sure my reputation would plummet if I was to walk that path!
However, when I say I, I mean my temple will bear the cost, of supplying at cost. We would not expect the farmers with whom we have agreements, to suffer because of those agreements. I'm sure my reputation would plummet if I was to walk that path!
I have two sets of commands to my followers when it comes to sacrifices. Borrowing from Krinn's idea, plus this thread about what the nature of the sacrifices should be.
1. Followers shall not be asked to sacrifice anything to me. They must simply BE followers and follow the social teachings of my priesthood, and they will be cared for as best the priesthood can.
2. My priesthood will continue to sacrifice to me. They will take candles and light them OUTSIDE the Heart of Darkness (the center of our main temple, where no light may shine) and then let them burn down to nothing there, while they go into the Heart of Darkness and perform their rituals to me. I like this for a few reasons:
a. Since Surya is destroying candles in a way that does NOT light them, which strengthens the God of the Sun, there is strength in following that pattern. We shall destroy candles in a way that does light them, which will strengthen the Goddess of the Darkness.
b. Darkness is, in the end, a place without light. Darkness is the de facto state, and then some source of light will blast all into the space previous occupied by Darkness. So, generating light, but doing so in a way that DOESN'T go into the core place of darkness, that reminds us of the nature of darkness.
c. Surya and I will now be competing for candles across the city. Perhaps he an I can take this opportunity to work together on something that is mutually beneficial. And maybe to grow from there.
1. Followers shall not be asked to sacrifice anything to me. They must simply BE followers and follow the social teachings of my priesthood, and they will be cared for as best the priesthood can.
2. My priesthood will continue to sacrifice to me. They will take candles and light them OUTSIDE the Heart of Darkness (the center of our main temple, where no light may shine) and then let them burn down to nothing there, while they go into the Heart of Darkness and perform their rituals to me. I like this for a few reasons:
a. Since Surya is destroying candles in a way that does NOT light them, which strengthens the God of the Sun, there is strength in following that pattern. We shall destroy candles in a way that does light them, which will strengthen the Goddess of the Darkness.
b. Darkness is, in the end, a place without light. Darkness is the de facto state, and then some source of light will blast all into the space previous occupied by Darkness. So, generating light, but doing so in a way that DOESN'T go into the core place of darkness, that reminds us of the nature of darkness.
c. Surya and I will now be competing for candles across the city. Perhaps he an I can take this opportunity to work together on something that is mutually beneficial. And maybe to grow from there.
To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night.