LUA has invited MCGILLIS to a Private Chat.

[brightlyburns]

so. mythology, huh.

Comments

Re: 1/2

[brightlyburns]

which god. the way you capitalized that, ive only ever seen the hearthite goddess capitalized over here, as just the Goddess. does this God guys clergy also hate everyone elses gods

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[vogelfrei]

"God" from an ancient religion known as Christianity - who, yes, did hate other gods. Or rather, Christianity denied their existence.

It's not in widespread practice anymore, but its aesthetics survived.

[brightlyburns]

how many faces does he have? and, wait, are gods really low profile in your world? the hearthkeepers would never be able to get away with actually saying other gods arent real

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[vogelfrei]

'Low profile' is one way to put it - there is no proof of their existence one way or another. People have spent centuries arguing with each other about it.

[brightlyburns]

why would somebody worship something they dont even........ no, actually, i can buy that. people believe in plenty of stuff we cant prove already anyway, like "justice" and "other perspectives" and "good manners" and shit

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[vogelfrei]

You've grasped the concept perfectly.

But 'other perspectives'? You only believe what you can see for yourself, is that right?

[brightlyburns]

i guess. technically its not like i can even prove that other people are thinking, feeling beings, im just choosing to act on the assumption that they are

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[vogelfrei]

You have a point.

The Circle brings that kind of philosophical question to an extreme, doesn't it? We have no way of proving that the rest of the group are who they say they are, nor that they are even separate people to begin with. Everything we share about our homes on the basis of multiverse theory could be nothing but a fabrication, too.

It's as intriguing as it is unsettling.

[brightlyburns]

thats part of why i dont see the point in getting all mixed up with complicated strategy bullshit. if i have to question everything all the time, thats not any different from how things usually are anyway, so i dont see why i should have to change my approach or worry about garbage i cant control

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[vogelfrei]

The world could use more people who are as forward as you are.

[brightlyburns]

as what

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[vogelfrei]

What, are you afraid I'd say something like 'sacrificial lambs'?

No, that's not it. I think there is something admirable about striving forward straight as an arrow, a power that is pure and free of deceit. It's the markings of heroes.

[brightlyburns]

my first thought was "cannon fodder"

i dunno, though. i mean, you get lots of stories about trickster heroes too. and as far as i go, im just trying to live, same as anybody. most people are just wiley bastards about it

heroes are all busybodies, is what they are

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[vogelfrei]

How cynical of you to say.

[brightlyburns]

i prefer "realistic"

its not like heroes dont exist or whatever, even im not that much of a misanthrope. some of them are even kinda good company. but the one thing anybody ive met or heard about that id call a hero has been that theyre the type that just cant sit still and give whatever a rest

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[vogelfrei]

Ah, it appears you're ahead of me then. I may believe in heroes, but I have yet to meet one outside of the pages of a book.

[brightlyburns]

its kinda subjective, i guess. but the lady im thinking of has the whole aesthetic down with the shining sword and the confidence and everything, and shes a chronic do-gooder who fights evil wizards and does community outreach, and shes the magically chosen champion of some god. so i think she fits the bill, probably, by my metrics

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[vogelfrei]

Oh.

Yes, that's hard to argue with.

[ He wants the shining sword. Give him one, too. ]

[brightlyburns]

the sword is very distracting

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[vogelfrei]

I imagine it is quite beautiful, also.

[brightlyburns]

i guess. its really well made, but the color always sets me off

its this really bright shade of red all over, which would be fine, but its associated with her god and its all over the place in the city where im stuck. and i dont like her god

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[vogelfrei]

The 'god' here is a literal entity with direct influence on your world, not an abstract ideal, right? In that case I easily understand your frustrations.

[brightlyburns]

yeah, the red god is real alright. she keeps to herself more than most gods, so i guess she could be worse, but her cults are all ominous as fuck

and everybody in the city has to play by her rules, and obviously i have a problem with authority. so, you know

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[vogelfrei]

I get the picture.

What happens to those who don't play by the rules of the gods?

[brightlyburns]

depends on the god. this one only has the nine rules, though, and everybody here knows what happens if you break them

everybody (technically) has a right to freedom, commerce, and death, and if you deny any of these to someone else, you get marked up and lose the red gods protection on that front. everybody has a duty to defend the city, praise the red god, and pay the booze-tax, or the red god smites you dead. and nobodys allowed to mint coin, try to conquer the city, or blaspheme, or the red god does....... something to you, that isnt murder this time, but that always leaves whatever poor fuck that got hit with it catatonic and weeping. she takes your mind

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