TDM + GAME OPENING 🎉

[beleos]

Who: Shard-Bearers, new and old
What: Seeds take root
Where: The Tree of Life, Highstorm, Springstar
When: October 14th and onwards
Warnings: Potential for (mild) body horror, death, dismemberment

I. BEARING FRUIT (new characters only)

It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.

And then, it goes wrong.

The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.

So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—

You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.

I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.

You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.

The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.

From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.

And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.

II. MORAL HAZARD

There are new Shard-Bearers at the Tree of Life, and Yima has asked that the earlier arrivals go to greet them and help them. These aren’t people from Horos, after all, so they’ll have many, many questions. As Yima explains, the roots of the tree rise up to create caverns underneath, and it’s there you’ll find the new Shard-Bearers. And indeed, with careful steps to not slip on the mossy roots, down you go. Perhaps Communion will help you find the new Shard-Bearers, but it might be a confusing process for them.

The roots all start to look the same, to the point that you’re sure that you’ve already been through this passage. You turn around, and most of the people you had come here with are gone, if not all of them. It’s confusing and unsettling, and strangest of all.. You’re starting to feel ill, even if that wasn’t something normally possible for you. But continuing forward, you do eventually find an unfamiliar face of a new Shard-Bearer. They look no better than you feel.

Before introductions, however, roots around you shift suddenly until you’re enclosed in a room together. From the roots, a face forms in the wall. It speaks in a creaking, uneven tone, as if it weren’t used to speaking at all.

Give to take. A sacrifice. To live.

---

LET'S PLAY A GAME...

As the Dryad will explain, characters are now trapped in a room and have been poisoned by the spores that the lichens underfoot release. An antidote lays beyond the roots the dryad has curled around you, but to access it, you must make a sacrifice.

Characters can pick one of the following options, but the decision must be made unanimously. If one character takes a drastic action (such as murdering another), it’s counted as a failure for the group.

• Each of you must offer up a personal/treasured memory. The memory will be shared in Communion with all characters assembled, and then will be destroyed. No character will retain the memory or memory of its Communion.
• Each of you must offer up something physical. A finger, a toe, an ear, it’s your choice. The dryad will offer a knife if this is chosen that will sever the body part of choice cleanly and immediately stop any bleeding.
• Offer up another. Kill one person in the room.
• Refusing is also a valid option. Characters will get more ill as they debate until they start to find it difficult to breathe, and they’ll die quickly after.

The following is OOC knowledge that will not be known IC: The consequences of this game are about intent, and thus are not real. When characters are freed from the tree’s thrall, they’ll have their memories/body parts/life intact.

This can be done in groups of 2 to 4 players, and Loremasters recommend three if you can swing it! It’s more fun when you get in philosophical debates, right? Regardless, when your group comes to a decision, please record it here. These don’t have to be fully threaded out to be recorded, so the conclusion can be discussed OOC if you prefer. Actions can be submitted until October 21st, after which groups will be informed of what comes of their choice…

When a group receives the antidote, they'll be released from the tree's thrall... But will have a hard time waking up. It feels like something has grabbed onto their spine.

III. DREAMING OF HOME

You may wake with a start from your deliberations (or arguments) with a jolt of pain from the base of your spine as something is pulled away rapidly. A dark-haired man who looks to be in his thirties or so holds you carefully, but as soon as you start to regain your senses, he sets you back and holds up his hands.

Woah— Woah there, it’s fine! The tree was, uh, trying to take you back is all. You’re fine now.

As long as you’re not going to attack him, he offers a friendly smile and a hand to shake.

Name’s Cyrus. Sorry about the rude awakening. Let’s get your friend here unhooked too.

And indeed, glancing over, you can see the person you met in that room laying nearby, and it looks like a vine has snaked underneath them to exactly where something had just been pulled from you… Best not to think about it, maybe. Or if you've been unlucky enough to be one of the last people rescued, you might find vines and roots starting to grow into your skin. It's fine!

---

CYRUS, THE TRIBUNE

Cyrus is the NPC heading up the Meridian Faction, and is available to thread with under this header. Cyrus has come to the Tree of Life to help rescue the Shard-Bearer’s from the Tree, so he’s not going to be inclined to explain too much right away, since he’s on a mission, but he’ll stick around once everyone is successfully freed from Prompt 2 to speak with anyone that wants to. The following is just an OOC summary of information in case you do not need to thread with Cyrus:

Cyrus will gladly introduce himself to everyone, and will further explain his position in Meridian and Springstar (see the NPC Page) and the goals of Meridian itself (see the Faction Page, save for the italicized section). But most importantly, he’ll explain that he knows it sounds like something overly optimistic. It’s fair to be skeptical. He’ll produce a small glass bead from a bag he’s carrying. It looks like the necklace he wears, though not lit up. He’ll explain that the force of Meridian is a gift and can be a tether to your home, if you let it. As his fingertips light up, the energy is infused into the bead, which he’ll hand to you.

Taking the bead into your hands, you’ll take a bird’s eye view of your home world as if your consciousness is split, since you’ll still perceive standing in front of Cyrus at the tree. Rather than a vision, the view of your world is absolutely real, you’re certain. It’s a glimpse at the world that you thought destroyed, and if you focus on a particular place or a particular person, you’ll find the view shifting rapidly to it. No one you watch is aware of your presence, but simply continues about their daily life, whatever that is. But after about a minute, the view will fade as the light in the bead also fades.

That’s an iliachtida, a sunbeam, and when infused with Meridian’s light, allows someone Harmonized to it to check in on their world, he explains. It also acts as an anchor that tethers their soul to their world in the Timestream. With it, their world can’t entirely disappear, so eventually, they can go home. It’s a gift he’ll allow anyone that wants it to keep it, but indeed, they’ll be unable to use it again without first Harmonizing to Meridian.

To help manage threadload for the Loremasters playing Cyrus, we ask that you only tag him with the character you are most likely to app. Similarly, new tag-ins will not be accepted after Monday, October 17th.

III. SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος

After your ordeals at the Tree of Life, perhaps you’re drawn to Springstar, the city of eternal sun and the seat of Meridian.

It’s currently (and fittingly) Spring in Springstar, and the bustling city is coming back to life after finishing up winter. It’s not as if the winters are especially harsh here, but you’ll quickly get the sense that the people of Springstar are vivacious and happy to celebrate. You’ll find the Entertainment District to be the liveliest, whether it’s at a rowdy bar or a brothel, but no matter what, you’re welcome with open arms and without question.

Of course, if you’d just like to use the chance to explore the city alongside your fellow Shard-Bearers, that’s fine too. It’s easy to get lost in the crowds of Springstar and see all the city has to offer.

IV. HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы

Or maybe Highstorm, the city of twin moons and the seat of Zenith is more to your liking. It’s certainly the quieter of the two cities and is a relaxing, meditative place if that’s what you prefer. The chill in the air is constant, since it’s Autumn in Highstorm and the eternal night doesn’t help keep things warm, exactly. Snow isn’t out of the question at this time of the year, but it’s beautiful in the moonlight.

Because of the cooler weather than Highstorm is prone to, you’ll find many of its delights inside rather than outside. Libraries and museums are popular in the more introspective city, though it’s easy enough to find something that might please you. For example, the indoor hot baths are popular at this time of the year too. You’ll find the people are kind, if cool-tempered, though if you mention the fact that you’re a Shard-Bearer or allied with Zenith, they’re more likely to warm up.

Though much like Springstar, it may just be more interesting to explore the city with a fellow Shard-Bearer. And as a resident may warn you, it’s best to stay in the city. Wandering out into the marshes and forests isn’t advised. Of course, if you do, just contact a Loremaster to find out why. ♥

NOTES

Welcome to Kenos! As a reminder, all players are required to fill out an application, which are now open. This does include characters/players from Aion Teleos, so please don’t forget to fill one out! Any character/player that does not submit an application will be swept from the communities and the Discord after applications close.

Activity Check is optional this month, but is highly recommend so Christy can check her fancy program so that you can earn Activity Reward Tokens! Activity will be able to be submitted shortly after applications close. You can find more about how we do AC here.

This log is Game Canon. Any characters who are not apped to the game will disappear. If Cyrus or Yima are asked, they’ll explain that this happens sometimes, since not every soul has a strong tether to Kenos and sometimes return to the Timestream. They’re fine and may even return to Kenos one day, but for now weren’t able to make the full journey.

As a reminder, your character has a Shard somewhere on their body that encompasses their soul, so keep note of where you're sticking it on their person for reference! Additionally, they have a tattoo of their Aspect somewhere on their body. Please be mindful this Aspect will be assigned to you upon approval and whatever you choose for the TDM may be temporary (for new characters)!

For the Highstorm and Springstar prompts, both cities will be fully open and accessible to all characters once they are saved from their rather harrowing ordeal at the Tree of Life. For prompt ideas and any general information about the cities and what you can find there, please see the Navigation page and check out the locations!

FOR NEW PLAYERS:

New players are welcome to join our Discord Server if you haven't already!

When they emerge from their cocoon/the ground, characters may be wearing their normal clothes, or they might be nude. Up to you!

At some point in the days after leaving the Tree of Life, new Shard-Bearers will have a dream, even if they're usually not capable of sleeping. All new players should read this post, since this details how they'll learn about both factions and their goals and should help them make a decision in which Faction they'd be drawn to.

New characters will not have access to any canon abilities on the TDM.

Your character will be offered temporary housing either at the Heliopolis district or Yima's manor for the first few weeks after their arrival. They will also be given a stipend for basic supplies like clothing and personal effects, and food is served in the cantina (Heliopolis) and at regular meal times in the Dining Room (Yima's manor). Once they Harmonize, they will get personal permanent chambers and a fancy retainer in their Faction's city. Wow! 🌈

FOR OLD PLAYERS:

Characters may be Harmonized to their Faction (if that makes sense for the character, of course!) by the time of this log. This is more for IC reference, and just wait until application acceptance to do the OOC paperwork!

General reminder that your character won't have access to their powers until they have Harmonized.

CODING

Comments

[sterngaze]

[It's a bit late to worry about warding off demon tourists from Oppara when the entire planet of Golarion has already come apart at the seams. Liem just raises an eyebrow at the prospect, and at Sebastian's choice to refer to himself as a tourist. The word implies a certain pleasant idleness that he very much doubts was a feature of the demon's visits to Earth… though perhaps they might be termed so in comparison to a demon's normal life in the lower planes.]

It was an amazing city, [he agrees without modesty.] If you enjoy art and music, you would have liked it. People travelled from all over the Inner Sea to attend the bardic colleges there.

[The look he aims at Sebastian is unflustered, mildly curious—but with a slight furrow of the brow that suggests he's trying to puzzle something out.]

What do you most enjoy about the time you spend in the material realm, when you are invited there?

[Or perhaps he should say here? He isn't actually certain this place counts as the material realm, though, given the strange nature of its lands and the origins of its people. If he had to guess, he might suppose they've all ended up on another plane entirely—the astral plane, or one even more alien.]

What kind of a tourist do you prefer to be?

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian smiles warmly as Liem describes Oppara, and just from what little details he has, he has a few cities of comparison on Earth, but he’s sure he’s not all that close. After all, what cities could boast something like bardic colleges?

He makes a thoughtful noise as he considers it, but as he catches Liem’s look, he can’t help but smile with a little more playfulness. Even before Liem asks, he can definitely guess what the question is, generally. It’s not an uncommon one, especially in the situation of Horos and now Kenos, where he has more ability to speak freely about such things. ]

Learning, though that may sound an odd answer, I know. But humans are capable of innovation, and my kind simply are not. So I am always fascinated by what changes and how quickly it can change. Why, as a recent example from when I came from, seeing humanity begin to harness the power of lightning itself, electricity? That is a marvel that no demon would ever even consider.

[ He laughs, almost fond, then reaches out to brush his fingertips against one of the more artfully carved pieces before them. ]

To say nothing of art. We can only copy what we see.

[ Sebastian withdraws his hand and nods, then looks back to Liem. There’s definitely a gentle, earnest nature to his answer, but it also doesn’t fit with a demon at all. But he also doesn’t touch upon the other half of the equation. He may admire humanity for their marvels and their works, but he was still a danger to them. After all, to a demon there was no contradiction or conflict with those fond feelings and the ones that delighted in terrible things. ]

In a way, Kenos represents my ideal. I am free to do as I wish, not collared and bound by a contract, and there is an infinite amount to learn. [ With a wry laugh, he adds, ] And the situation is much more hospitable than Horos.

[sterngaze]

[Liem’s knowledge of the lower planes and their denizens is more rudimentary than his studied and even intimate knowledge of the undead, but he does know that on Golarion, fiends were never known for appreciating anything about humanity, save perhaps its capacity to be turned to depredation and sin. The lift of his brow indicates that he does indeed think Sebastian’s answer an odd one; it humanizes him more than he expected. People are absolutely capable of maintaining both complex interests and deep capacities for cruelty and evil, but he wouldn’t have guessed the same was true of demonkind.

He supposes the fondness for civilized hobbies could all be an act, but if it is, Sebastian’s commitment to it is unshakeable.]

I didn’t know your kind could appreciate such things.

[Perhaps the implication, that he’d assumed the demon’s interest to be feigned, is rude to voice—but Sebastian had to have known he was thinking it. Liem’s eyes flick from the display of carved bone to Sebastian’s pleasant countenance.]

You didn’t find Horos to be hospitable?

[cutlery]

[ The implication is easy to guess, and Sebastian nods in response to accept it. It’s nothing he takes offense to, since there’s plenty about him that is feigned, if to many different shades. Even showing emotions at all was feigned to some degree, since how humans expressed it was simply more intense than how demons actually experienced them, but in that respect, not all of it was malicious. He was indeed just an odd demon that was more used to interacting with people than most. ]

To be fair, most do not. I am definitely considered odd in my interest, and I can admit that readily. [ He laughs pleasantly, and it comes with a sort of helpless shrug ] My true home offers little, odd as that may sound. I would much rather spend time in the mortal realm, even if it generally has me collared.

[ Not in Horos or Kenos, but generally speaking, at least… Though, to Horos, he nods, though his expression does shift to a bit more regretful. ]

Ah, well. The Kenoma themselves were, perfectly. I will also admit readily that I am not unaccustomed to being tossed into a conflict in which I have no stake, but… Certainly, the result of such a war was never so dire. To even feel the need to reveal my existence so casually was very unusual, you see.

[ Having perused enough of the wares at this booth for his interest, he half-turns to gesture outwards. It’s a clear gesture to ask if Liem would like to join him as he continues, though it goes unsaid. ]

[sterngaze]

[Liem takes a last glance at the stall of boneware, but aside from the knives, nothing else on display particularly catches his eye. He frees the space for another interested shopper and moves to accompany Sebastian instead.]

I don't find it odd.

[He remarks this after a short, thoughtful pause. All the stories he'd heard about demons indicated that their home was a savage, terrible place, and that finding their way to the material plane to wreak destruction there was one of a demon's true enjoyments. He isn't surprised that Sebastian would want to spend time away from it.]

It would be more convenient to masquerade as human though, yes. Less conspicuous. And, I suppose, it would mean fewer personal questions.

[From nosy former coworkers, among others. Not that the demon seems shy, but from his own experience Liem knows it's far easier to maintain good professional relationships with people who think you're the same species as them. The revelation of otherness tends to throw roadblocks in the way that previously didn't exist.]

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian’s smile increases by a fraction as Liem agrees, since he’s pleased by it in a simple way. Though as Liem gives his answer, it does give way to a light surprise. It does spark a little curiosity, since he imagines it means that either Liem is a bit better informed about demons than most or that it’s a bit of (misplaced, in his opinion) empathy. Either way, it just prompts a thoughtful noise since he continues with the latter point. ]

Precisely. To say that my real face would stand out would be a bit of an understatement. [ …It’s also not something he’s keen to actually reveal, since it’s identifying to just who he really is, but. Especially cloaked in shapeless shadows filled with eyes and teeth, it’s not exactly the most personable. ] I admit, it is deceptive in a way, but it is mostly to avoid the mobs and pitchforks treatment.

[ He gives a little shrug as he laughs, and considering the topic, it’s very pleasantly so. Just a normal day, getting called a hellspawn that needs to die, you know, ]

Though to that point, I am continuously surprised in both Horos and Kenos both to be able to be straightforward about what I am. Clearly demons do not provoke so visceral a reaction in ever world.

[sterngaze]

[As someone who has received the mobs and pitchforks treatment at least once in his life, Liem gives Sebastian a sideways glance, eyebrow raised at the amusement the idea seems to bring him. Personally, he doesn't regard the possibility of being run out of town with anything approaching laughter. But then, a demon of any competence and power surely wouldn't be overly threatened by a horde of farmers.]

To be fair, the people who were beckoned by the Kenoma tended towards odd dispositions, I think.

[Those who were so ready to embrace the end of the world couldn't continue to exist without some degree of separation from the cares and values that led normal people to flinch away from the prospect of demonic influence. In his humble opinion, Achamoth was full of nihilists, zealots, and sybarites, and suffered from a dearth of decent standards.]

And standards are probably different here, given the range of worlds people in Kenos hail from. You're still probably doing most people a favour by not bothering them with such ugly things, though.

[He's confident that Yima must have an accurate understanding of just what she pulled from the void to her own domain, so if she's willing to let Sebastian wander her streets anonymously, he's willing to trust that she judges him not to be a current threat to her people. Given that, it would only be troublesome for those people to spend time worrying about demons darkening their doors.]

[cutlery]

True enough.

[ He agrees to the point about the Kenoma with an acquiescing nod of his head, since it’s something he may have never gotten an actual point of comparison on with the Pleroma, but… The Kenoma were indeed largely unusual folk. It was why Sebastian felt comfortable with them, in a way, since they were a collection of the various personalities that he tended to associate himself with. There were few that he couldn’t imagine at all in the role of his master.

He nods again in agreement as Liem continues, but his laugh is immediate when he’s designated an “ugly thing”. It’s not enough to sting Sebastian’s pride (luckily), but it’s unexpected. ]

Ah, well, and true enough again! Though, forgive me for laughing… I cannot say you are incorrect, but it is surprising to hear it said so plainly.

[ And now, his curiosity is enough that he has to ask… ]

If I may ask, do you have familiarity with my kind?

[ Since between that comment and the sidelong glances, he’s getting a bit more of that vibe than it being from simply stories. ]

[sterngaze]

[The sound of Sebastian's sudden laugh causes a frown to crease Liem's features. He's still unused to speaking candidly with demons of any kind, and it occurs to him that he may have been a bit too frank, not knowing the demon's standards for such things.]

Ah. Please excuse my clumsy wording; I was of course not being literal.

[Maybe Sebastian's true form is ugly—he certainly wouldn't rule it out—but he'd simply been referring to the unpleasantness of discovering a demon blighting the city one is currently calling home. He can't imagine most citizens would be comfortable seeing plain evidence of such a thing in neighbourhoods they frequent.]

I spoke some with other "demons" in the Regent's employ, though they were different from what I would have expected. I don't think any entity I might have encountered before could truly be said to have been of your kind.

[He didn't spend enough time around Sebastian to have a chance to use his inquisitor's magic around him, but neither of the other demons he'd known had auras of evil. He'd never before encountered a fiend capable of hiding their wickedness in that way, nor any who seemed so convincingly human. What it means for the fiends of other worlds compared to his own, he doesn't know.]

I have encountered malevolent entities from Abaddon, the Abyss, the Ethereal Plane, and Leng. Some of them could change their forms into beautiful people, or black-eyed animals. But although they all had some sort of covenant with a mortal ally, I would not have taken a market stroll with any of them. Nor, I think, would they have wanted me to.

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian nods as he listens with interest, so clearly, he’s not bothered at all. He knows it shouldn’t be a surprise to know that just as there were many iterations of the mortal realm, there would be the same for his own, but it was still novel in a way that was fascinating. Sebastian may not exactly feel kinship with his own kind, since it was just in his nature to not possess that kind of empathy, but it was more like talking about work. It would be interesting how people across worlds accomplish your same job, or such is how he thinks of it. ]

Well, I admit, most of that does apply to me. I prefer red eyes to black, however.

[ He says it with a friendly wryness that could be taken as him just joking, but, no. He’s completely serious because aesthetic is important. ]

At least where I am from, my sort is very rare. Most are content enough to stay in our realm and have little interest in making the crossing, and those that are tend to be far younger than I. [ “Weaker” is what he really means, but it seems rude to say. ] Though I must also say, it would also be very impressive to have encountered more than one of my kind in a lifetime, at least knowingly. Was it common for them to cross over to your world?

[sterngaze]

[In lieu of any actual certainty about whether Sebastian is joking or not, Liem simply gives a slight incline of his head.]

Red can be quite a bold and fetching accent.

[It wouldn't be his personal choice, but then he isn't from Hell. He wonders what significance, if any, Sebastian's self-proclaimed age might suggest among demons from his world. Some amount of canniness at the very least, he'd expect.

He has to think about Sebastian's question. He asks about Liem's world, but that could result in some misleading ideas about Golarion, depending on the answer.]

Not in the area I was from, [he says after a pause.] But my allegiances toward the end of my time there led me into conflict with unscrupulous people: those who would readily align themselves with such beings. It was not civil war, exactly, but the fate of the throne was in question, so resources were used to their utmost.

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian nods with an appreciative smile, since technically, he doesn’t have much of a choice with the red, but. He does agree! Though it might also just be his vanity in that case, so, hm,

Though there’s no further comment given to that, since the rest of what Liem says is much more interesting. He makes a light sound of interest and surprise as he nods again, though his hand does come up to hover at his chin thoughtfully. ]

Ah, goodness. Certainly more common than where I was summoned to, from the sounds of it. I will admit, I have helped a handful of masters maneuver their lineage into nobility, including kingship, but these were a very long time ago. It was also never anything close to civil war to do so, just court intrigue and politicking.

[ He makes a thoughtful noise, since now that he thinks about it, that same “job” would be exceptionally more difficult nowadays, wouldn’t it? Ciel’s noble title had been easy to obtain because his birthright was close enough… But it was also something he had done himself rather than use the demon’s help. ]

Why, I imagine if any of my kind were asked to do such a thing, it would likely be rejected. [ Or accepted with extremely underhanded terms to not have to actually accomplish it at all, but that he keeps to himself. ] We do rather enjoy an existence where we are thought of as myth or allegory, and such an open conflict would pull that curtain back rather thoroughly.

[sterngaze]

[Liem considers the picture that Sebastian paints of his world, trying to imagine what such a place would be like. He wonders how many other things about that world would be totally alien to him, if the demons and devils of that place were shy enough to hide their existence almost entirely from the world’s mortal inhabitants. Did the people there know of magic? Did they have contact with their gods? He cannot imagine growing up in such a place.]

No… that would never have been possible on Golarion. Such knowledge was too wide-reaching to be hidden.

Though none of the fiends I fought made their existences a matter of public spectacle. You would be right to assume that most people still never knowingly met one.

[Their talents had been used in other ways—to sow despair and ensure the disappearance of inconvenient people. But all had proven quite willing to show their more brutal side when confronted.]

Is that why you prefer to wear that shape? To preserve your anonymity?

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian makes a thoughtful, intrigued noise to that, since his thoughts are almost a mirror to Liem’s. It’s just as strange to him to think of a world where humanity was more in touch with devils and the like. It must be inconvenient as well. He personally very much enjoys the imbalance of knowledge and power that he personally holds, after all. ]

Ah, yes, in part. It is also simply a practical matter. I take on whatever form is most suitable to serve my master’s needs, which sometimes is to look human, but at others it has been best for me to take the form of a beast. Usually a bird, in fact.

[ He laughs a little, then gives a small shrug. ]

My preference is to take a human form, though, as then it is not strange for me to talk, naturally. Though this particular affect and appearance is more a remnant of my last contract. My master was a boy of noble birth, so serving him as a butler was an ideal way to go unnoticed.

[sterngaze]

[The answer that Sebastian offers is only slightly different from the reason Liem had been assuming. He knows, of course, that demons tend to be most powerful in their natural forms, so he'd been imagining that any shape one might choose to adopt would be chosen primarily for the sake of blending in—but he also has to acknowledge that with that in mind, there are few forms more convenient to adopt in most cases than a human one.]

Your last master was a child?

[Liem frowns, ill liking the idea of any boy who would be desperate enough or depraved enough to summon a demon into his service. But like everyone they'd known from their old homes, he must surely be dead and gone now. But then, he wonders,]

How did people summon demons in your old world, if they weren't thought to be real?

[cutlery]

Hm… Those are questions with related answers.

[ The playful cheer softens to a more neutral, enigmatic smile because the answers to both of those questions are unhappy ones. It’s not something he feels any particular unhappiness towards, of course (the opposite, really), but it is more serious. He knows to treat it as such. ]

Wishful thinking, in a way. My kind is thought to be more allegory than reality, as we are a foil in many of the religions of the world. If the divine is all that is good in the world, then we are all that is wicked. And while this is how most of the world knows us, there are some truths and magic that have survived through the ages. It is still more usually a curiosity than something taken seriously, but there are always people who are drawn in by darkness. Most just use our existence as worship more to the allegory, and it is a practice that allows them escape from a dull reality to drown themselves in dark, sinful pleasures. But some take it seriously. They hope that by following ancient texts whose words they no longer understand that the devil himself will appear and grant them all their worldly desires.

[ The way he talks through this is detached and indifferent, but it’s like someone just giving a well-delivered lecture. More than the rest of their conversation, there’s an aspect to just how he speaks that’s more naturally captivating as he uses his intonation with intention. ]

But my kind cannot come to the human realm whenever we please. A human must make a sacrifice under the correct conditions, and only then are we permitted to make the crossing.

[ He pauses here, though this one is less for effect. It has not come up often, but each time, he does always wonder just how much of the story to tell. There’s a beautiful tragedy to the full thing, but… He decides to be vaguer. ]

My little master was supposed to be that sacrifice. A poor, innocent lamb to be slaughtered by a gathering of devil worshippers. But as they slaughtered his brother first, it was his rage and despair that called me forth.

[ Sebastian breathes out a thoughtful noise, though it’s neutral in its tone. ]

It is the first time I was ever summoned by accident, I will admit.

[sterngaze]

[The way Sebastian describes the role of demons and demonology in his home world is almost academic, straightforward in a way Liem wouldn't have expected. Very little about Sebastian is as he would have expected: not his interests, nor his manner, nor even his choice of shape. He listens with quiet curiosity as the demon talks—and then, as he comes to the subject of his old master, Liem's expression goes cold and still.

People really are capable of such abject evils.]

I see.

[He understands how a ritual such as that would remain arcane knowledge, explored only by the desperate and the utterly corrupt. But he has no desire to dwell on the murder of children, even ones consigned to oblivion along with the rest of their existence.]

If Lady Yima succeeds in her aims, and leads us to a new Creation of her own making… what do you hope it will be like?

[cutlery]

[ There’s an open interest in Sebastian’s expression as he watches how Liem’s shift. It is indeed very rare for Sebastian to even be allowed this kind of honesty, so as a result, he doesn’t fully know how people would react to this kind of information. He can know objectively that it’s all considered horrific… But he still prefers to see how these things are processed firsthand.

But with a simple “I see” and moving on, Sebastian doesn’t press or let that interest linger. He moves on smoothly, though the question Liem asks is more difficult for him, ironically. ]

I do not know, though that is a poor answer. It is something I considered with the Regent’s similar promise as well, but at least there, I had certainly in that I was not interested in being a god.

[ There’s a wry humor to the last part, and he even laughs as he shakes his head. Him, a god? There’s a irony to that idea that was always funny, but in practice, he imagined it would be dreadful. ]

In a way, I would hope it would not be too different from this. For it to resemble my realm would be a horror for most and a bore to me, but for it to be so like the human world which I was summoned to… I believe I would find it a bit stifling now. [ He hums out a thoughtful noise ] If I could have my freedom and my meals, I would be more than content, to be honest.

[sterngaze]

[Although Sebastian's answer might be a little disappointing, it doesn't come as a surprise. It would take creativity to imagine a world one has never been to, and as Sebastian already confessed, such a thing is beyond the abilities of those like him.]

I wonder what kind of world Yima thinks of, when she imagines what she wants to create.

[In truth, Liem's own idea of a perfect world isn't especially novel or creative either—though in his case, this is more to do with a love for the place he came from than an inability to envision anything different. He imagines that any world worth living in would have many different places to visit, people to meet, and enough peace and prosperity to foster innovation. But he doubts that he'll ever love any world the same way that he cared for the place of his birth.

It's also worth noting that Liem's idea of a perfect world wouldn't have monsters in it. Sebastian's ilk would have no place there, and for that matter neither would undead such as his own father.]

The place I came from was far from perfect, but I would go back there again, if I could.

[cutlery]

[ fair tho no good world would have Sebastian in it ]

…Hm. You know, now that you mention it, I am curious too. I imagine if you asked, she would at least answer.

[ Though with how he phrases it, it’s also fairly clear that he’s uncertain if it would be the truthful one. It also doesn’t particularly bother him if it isn’t. His view on such things is rather uniquely transactional since so long as someone gives him what he wants, well. They can have whatever motivations they’d like. It doesn’t really matter to him. ]

Though if home calls to you, Meridian’s promise must be much more appealing. Do you think it’s true?

[ It’s a question asked with earnest curiosity. It’s an allure that would never appeal to Sebastian, so he’s interested in how others perceive it as a result. ]

[sterngaze]

[Liem wonders too what Yima would say to him if he asked what kind of world she wishes to create. There are few things she could tell him that would make him mistrust her on principle; even the world Sebastian favours sounds no worse than the one Liem hails from, and at best might be considerably more prosperous. And so far, she seems to hold a vested interest in letting Liem make his own choices in this new place, even if those choices might lead him away from her domain.

But he also suspects, if there were aspects of her ideal world that wouldn’t sit so comfortably with him, that Yima would simply leave those details out.]

Do I think that it might be possible to pluck previously-lost worlds from the void?

[Liem aims a level glance over at Sebastian. It’s a fanciful question to ask, isn’t it? But there is no question one might ask about either of the causes seeking their loyalty that wouldn’t sound at least a little unreal.]

I think it’s no less likely than creating an entire new multiverse according to one’s own desires. What is more easy: recreating what once existed, or creating something new? Though it does depend on context, I think it’s plain that those dead worlds are at least still accessible, in some small way.

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian nods to the question, though his smile does tilts towards a bit more wry with how Liem chooses to phrase it. Well of course when you put it that way, the answer may be ‘no’… But the answer is more pleasantly nuanced than that. ]

They must be indeed. It is a surprise, as I thought I had my proof that the worlds were dead and gone very thoroughly when I arrived in Horos. [ What that is, he doesn’t say, but it’s only because it’s a minor detail that he doesn’t think matters very much. ] Yet, Lady Yima can offer people souls of their loved ones, apparently. It is a surprising contradiction.

[ He makes a thoughtful sound, though after the moment’s consideration, a shrug follows. ]

To be honest, I have little preference for either side’s goal or the other. They feel roughly the same to me, but that is little surprise when I have no attachment to my world past, hm? [ He cants his head lightly ] But it does surprise me as a result. I would have guessed the allure of returning to what was would be vastly more appealing to people.

[sterngaze]

[Liem still doesn’t understand how on Horos the destruction of his world had seemed so certain, and so final—and yet, how unclear things now seem since he’s been brought to this place. Perhaps it had something to do with the Regent’s powers, the scope of which never became clear to him, but which certainly seemed near-limitless when it came to their dominion over the shard-bearers themselves. Perhaps the only power they ever had was the capacity to bend the wills and perceptions of shard-bearers according to their desires.

To that, he can only give a short sigh of agreement.]

Lady Yima told me that time exists strangely between other worlds and this one, which is why she is able to pull souls from before their final end.

[Perhaps that could explain the contradiction somewhat, even though the mechanics of such a thing are far beyond his understanding.]

She did seem to believe that bringing those worlds back from the brink was impossible, though. Perhaps it is easier for some to accept that, rather than to strive for what they’ve lost and risk being disappointed later.

[cutlery]

I heard much the same, though how such a thing is possible is rather beyond me… [ He laughs as he gives a little shrug ] I admit, I have perhaps never been so humbled as arriving to these worlds! I knew a great deal about the two that I would travel between but beyond that? My, it is almost starting anew…

[ A prospect that he seems to be taking in good humor, at least. Luckily with his more curious perspective, he takes the gap in knowledge as an opportunity to learn or experience something new. Largely, at least. He’s still somewhat bothered by not being able to confirm if what Yima claims is accurate, but it’s the sort of thing that he also just has to accept. For now, at least. ]

But I do understand that perspective, certainly. It is the one I find more logical, but that does not mean too much, in my experience. I would have expected more people to strive for what may be impossible since it is the most comforting version of events. Hope and logic do not always go together.

[ Though even saying that, he admits after only a brief beat: ] But I do tend to interact more with a particular kind of person. I think my masters have largely been the sort that would fight viciously for Meridian’s promise.

[sterngaze]

[Liem is not at all surprised to hear Sebastian’s judgement of his previous masters’ characters. Yes, he thinks: Someone who whose despair was so great that they would call forth a demon, or whose greed was so great that they would sacrifice another person’s life to do so, wouldn’t seem like the sort of person who would be willing to let go of what they once had.]

In Horos, I was ready to consign the Creation I hailed from to oblivion if it meant creating something better in its place.

[This was not a decision he had come to lightly, but the longer he’d spent with the Kenoma, the more it seemed like the only one that made any sense. At the time, with the information he had, any other option had seemed not just naive, but hopelessly selfish.]

But I’ve only become less certain about what the truth is since I was brought here. If I had more faith in Lady Yima, or more certainty that our past worlds could not truly be brought back, I would follow her without qualms.

I do not have that kind of faith, though. And I think, if I must choose without the benefit information either way, it would be disloyal of me as both a Taldan and as a priest to turn my back on my god and my country.