[Again, something in how the man describes his experience coming to Kenos strikes Liem as familiar. He’s heard him mention this before over communion, he thinks. There was someone a while ago who had introduced themselves that way, and a faint tickle of nervousness curls in his stomach as he tries to remember who it was. Some forgotten memory makes him think he should be paying attention.
He recalls the familiar scent, hanging in the humid air about that imaginary campfire, only when Tezcatlipoca introduces himself. Being already something approaching bone-pale, Liem goes a little grey as he feels mortification tingle up his spine.]
I am Liem Talbott, [he says, hoping his embarrassment isn’t obvious. Even if he still doesn’t approve of anyone masquerading as Set, he would not have scolded the man so boldly if he’d realized he was a divinity as well.] Priest and servant of the Wealthy Father, Abadar.
[ me belatedly like “oh sharing an aspect would also be a clue” wHOOPS… But now that I remember,
Tezcatlipoca’s sharp grin grows by a hair as he feels that mortification start to reveal itself over their connection. He’s sharply, almost sadistically amused to feel someone realizing they’ve made a mistake. He tries to not let it bother him, but he does dislike that people in Kenos don’t show him the proper respect (and often fear) that he’s used to. So, this little inkling of it here is nice, honestly.
However, seizing upon that feeling is quickly forgotten when Liem gives his name. Tezcatlipoca looks surprised, then laughs. It’s a different kind of delight that fills him. ]
You’re Liem? Well, shit, it’s my lucky day, then.
[ Set had told Tezcatlipoca about Liem, albeit briefly, and that had been enough to catch Tezcatlipoca’s interest. However, he’s laughing because of what he’s heard about Liem since… Or rather, a certain point of confusion around him. He takes a healthy swig of his drink, then sets it down again so that he can lean across the table. His grin is smoother, and his tone is openly flirtatious, but that’s exaggerated for fun. ]
Heard that you became my boyfriend while we were both sleepin’. Or hitched? Kinda depends on which person you ask, seems like!
[Liem’s serious expression falters somewhat, the passable professionalism of his introduction coloured now by a puzzled, unsure crumpling of his brows. Retribution for his insolence, he would have expected; the thing Tezcatlipoca says instead catches him by surprise.]
To… you, sir?
[Not to Set? Whom Liem has never even once called “sir,” but he’s also known Set carnally, so at this point it would be weird unless it was specifically a kink thing.
At least for the moment, Liem’s vaguely incredulous uncertainty seemingly grants him the ability to ignore the god’s openly flirtatious manner. He continues to sit there like a business consultant who showed up for a meeting and found his client throwing a party.]
[ Oh, this reaction is already fun. Tezcatlipoca may not have as strong of a bully instinct as Set, but they’re both trickster gods. So. There are just something things that you must be, apparently. Teasingly, he reaches out towards Liem. He attempts to give his dangling earing a mischievous little flick, but even if Liem pulls back, it’s clear what he’s motioning to, which is the point. ]
Just a lil’ confusion from the locals. Guess you didn’t hear of the twin gods of war?
[ That’s a question that’s teasing too, since he doesn’t actually know how far their “reach” in that title is, to say nothing of if other Shard-Bearers would know about it. ]
See, when I woke up, I assumed the earring was just to match Set. Nice little bit of mirrored imagery. Worshippers go crazy for that kinda shit. But looks like whoever made that executive decision just caused a whole lotta confusion about which one of us you were fuckin'.
[ He actually doesn’t know this about Liem and Set’s relationship either… He’s just being crude… ]
[As Tezcatlipoca is now about to discover, Liem might be prickly or cold when he’s displeased, but even so, his response towards people laying their hands on his person is often totally permissive. When the god reaches out to flick at his earring, the most Liem does is tense up with a frown, radiating the wary uncertainty of a caged animal being poked with a stick.]
That’s—
[Which one he was fucking? Somehow, Liem manages to become both chillier and more anxiety-ridden without visibly moving a single muscle. The idea of his sex life being a popular topic of discussion amongst Kenos residents makes him feel vaguely ill. The frown he’s levelling at Tezcatlipoca deepens.]
No, I haven’t heard of that. But I have heard Kenosians say all manner of strange things since I awoke. You shouldn’t give their rumours any credence.
[ He’s a little surprised that Liem lets him flick the earring, but also distinctly pleased. He gets to be annoying at someone and they don’t complain? It’s a good day. Tezcatlipoca takes a drag of the cigarette with a laugh as he moves to sit back casually again. ]
So, you’re sayin’ you ain’t? I just kinda assumed, considerin’. [ He gestures to the earring ] Plus, Set was pretty complimentary of ya!
[ He watches Liem with a sharp bit of curiosity as he relays that information, but he also doesn’t really let it linger before continuing. Unfortunately, it’s with the teasing… ]
Well, ain’t a bad place to end up in, yeah? Two gods, two boyfriends, sounds like you’re livin’ the high life after your nap.
[It’s just as well that Tezcatlipoca doesn’t linger over Liem’s reaction to what he says first, because there’s no response Liem could give that wouldn’t seem at least somewhat damning. Even denying the relationship entirely would seem a bit suspect—sort of a he doth protest too much scenario. Still, Liem is obviously flustered, both because of Tezca’s assumption and because of the knowledge that he and Set had apparently been discussing him.]
We are not boyfriends. I don’t even know you, [he objects, as though that is somehow the biggest issue in what Tezcatlipoca is saying. Never mind about Set. He wouldn’t have said that they were boyfriends either, but that’s just his host of commitment issues jumping out.
But how did this become a conversation about his relationship status, anyway? This is the last place Liem wanted to end up.]
And respectfully, the nature of my relationship with Set is none of your business, or anyone else’s for that matter.
[ Bullying is a form of affection, right? At least it’s clear that this isn’t something Tezcatlipoca is taking all that seriously. He’s truly just fucking with Liem for the fun of it. ]
But sure it is. Set’s decided we’re family, so I gotta look out for my little brother, yeah?
[ How serious he is about this one is harder to tell, but that’s because he wasn’t sure how serious Set had been about that declaration either… He basically got voluntold that he was Set’s family now, so. ]
I like you more than that Rudbeckia chick, at least. You got some fight in ya. Way better for a war god.
[Liem absolutely is going to reject a god’s affection, when he’s obviously threatening to give it just to mess with him. Also, while Liem might consider calling Tezcatlipoca’s bluff just to see how far he was actually willing to commit to the bit, part of him is afraid that the god might actually just not have any shame at all. Certainly Quetzalcoatl didn’t seem to. Liem doesn’t want to end up in a situation where he got too bold trying to call a trickster god out and ended up with Tezca being too stubborn to give up on playing the part.]
Lady Rudbeckia has her own strengths.
[He cannot help but recall the frantic stretch of time he’d spent with her in that bizarre carnival, when he had been too frightened to think straight. She had seemed to possess her own kind of strength then, even if it was not strength of body or magical ability.]
Besides, I have no love for conflict. [Only a certain divine representation thereof. Don’t worry about it.] I much prefer negotiation. That is why I serve the patron I do.
[ There’s a flicker of doubt at Liem’s statement about Ruby, but he doesn’t question it or push it. That’s what people keep saying to him about her, but he hasn’t seen it. Rather, he gets the distinct impression that she’s the kind of person that has to be pushed for it to be shown.
However, that doubt gets quickly redirected at Liem. “No love for conflict”, he says, and Tezcatlipoca glances to the earring yet again… He taps some ash off his cigarette, then shrugs. ]
Yeah, yeah, you’re a goody two-shoes type, huh? Not that I’m complainin’, exactly, since if you were more of a dick, assume I’d be getting’ thrown outta here.
[ He takes another drink with a thoughtful noise, and at the very least, he doesn’t seem to be offended at all by Liem dismissing his domain, perhaps oddly. ]
Haven’t heard of Abadar, but that ain’t surprising. Plenty of worlds out there, so plenty of gods too. What kinda guy is he?
[There’s a twitch in Liem’s brow, representing restrained annoyance that he can’t entirely keep the other Harbinger from feeling, when Tezcatlipoca shrugs away his peace-oriented leanings. Thanks to the bond between them, the god may get the impression, as they speak, that Liem’s sober demeanour is due at least somewhat more to deliberate repression than to natural placidness.
He would have liked to have had Tezcatlipoca thrown out on his ear. The fact that he doesn’t dare make such a petty move against a god doesn’t change that it would have been satisfying.]
Abadar presides over commerce, wealth, and the spread of law and civilization in my world.
[Liem watches Tezca attend to his drinking and smoking with tight-laced calm reminiscent of an addict who’s been clean for maybe four days. His face is completely composed. His eyes are hungry.]
He is a patient, deliberate god who maintains a neutral position between good and evil. I’ve also been in his service for over a century.
[So, you know, he’s not shopping around for other gods at this point.]
[ Oh— Now that’s fun. That spark of annoyance makes Tezcatlipoca smile cheekily in the first place, but feeling that nuance of… Repression, he’s pretty sure? It’s hard to tell, since it’s not like he’s totally fluent in the fine details of Communion, especially when it’s more open between a shared Aspect. But if he’s right, that’s interesting. He wants to see what he’s like without that unfortunate weight.
…For example. He taps at his glass idly first. ]
You wanna drink? I’m buyin’.
[ Incorrect. Set is buying, because that’s the name Tezcatlipoca opened the tab under. ]
…Surprised he’s neutral, considerin’ the domains. Most of that stuff was under Quetzalcoatl’s domain for our pantheon, and he—Well, she, since I’m assumin’ you met her here—She’s about as “good” as they come. Like, to the point of bein’ a fuckin’ moron. [ he WILL disparage the dead because he is a HATER ] Interestin’ stuff, though. Bet it works out better that way. You choose to serve him, or was it a conscripted kinda thing where you’re from?
[Tezca probably expects it when Liem responds to his “kind” offer with a slight shake of his head.]
I must decline.
[Liquor isn’t what he’s thirsty for anyway, and he doesn’t need to add intoxication into the mix to combine with the stubborn blood-hunger he’s been afflicted with ever since he woke up.
Not to mention, Tezcatlipoca is still annoying him, and he doesn’t need to be letting liquor get him more riled up because of that, either. As things are, he can’t stop the little glow of irritation that briefly heats their connection as the god shamelessly bad-mouths Quetzalcoatl.]
Yes. She had less-than-complimentary things to say about you as well, sir.
[Somehow, though Liem was always affectionately sincere when he called Quetz ma’am, the vibes of this mild remark could not be more different. He plays it completely straight-faced, though.]
Neither law nor civilization are inherently good domains. Corrupt rulers and predatory laws can still serve the spread of order into uncivilized places. It is a matter of priorities. My uncle paid for me to be educated at Abadar’s temple when I was a boy, so it was most sensible for me to remain there.
[ It’s at least easy for Tezcatlipoca to let peer pressuring Liem go when he manages to hit a sore mark. It’s not surprising in the slightest that Liem reacts to his comments about Quetzalcoatl. It’s what he fully expected. ]
Well, ‘course she did! We’re fated enemies! Night and day, black and white, now Meridian and Zenith— Name a contrasting set of things and there’s a good chance it belongs to each of us. Your gods had some kinda similar deal in there somewhere, I hope, otherwise it’d be boring as fuck.
[ …It’s more than being “boring”, in truth. But rather than be philosophical about the point, he phrases it that way more because it’s annoying to Liem, he figures. He almost can’t help it. ]
Anyways, that answers what I was wonderin’, yeah. [ What was it? He sure does not say! ] Sounds like you’re pretty chill about it, at least, if Set’s a buddy of yours.
[Liem does raise an eyebrow, faintly, at Tezcatlipoca’s assessment that a pantheon without fated enemies would be “boring,” as if that’s any standard by which to rate one’s deities. Obviously since Tezca is a god himself, his perspective is different, but Liem is more used to the way Set speaks of the divine, which does actually have more gravitas, at least for that specific topic.
Still, he understands his point, and it leads somewhat naturally into the question the god asks, even if he insists on phrasing everything he says in the most irritating way possible. Though possibly Liem just thinks that because he’s already annoyed; certainly Set had managed to get under his skin without even trying, the first time they met. Liem can be fussy when the topic of faith is broached, so it’s a fraught starting point for those who also like to poke and prod.]
Abadar has few true enemies. He is a proponent of peace and collaboration, so even if he has disagreements with others, only those who seek to tear down civilization earn his true enmity.
[The fact that this outlook is reflected in his church is obviously relevant to why Liem is sitting here, speaking with Tezca while Tezca tries to get him riled up, instead of trying to get him arrested.]
I don’t know if Abadar would have considered Set, the god here in Kenos, his enemy. But I don’t find it necessary to be in conflict with him.
[ There’s a thoughtfulness from Tezcatlipoca as Liem mentions what Abadar dislikes, but he doesn’t elaborate on it. It’s not to keep the peace (he would truly never), but more that he doesn’t think that the thought that crosses his mind is strictly relevant. Not anymore, at least. Daybit had got beaten to the punch of destroying civilizations by Oblivion, so the question of judgement there doesn’t matter.
He takes another drag from the cigarette as he listens, which finishes it off. He responds as he stubs the cigarette into an ashtray. ]
Oh, yeah, that’s why I was wonderin’. Some of you priestly types get real into interpretation and embodiment, yeah? So, could see someone with those kinds of focus finding Set to be the worst kinda god. Y’see, back in the day, that’s what some priests from a faraway land thought I was. They didn’t have your kinda opinion.
[ “The spread of order into uncivilized places” does ring a particular note for Tezcatlipoca, after all. Yet unlike Quetzalcoatl who had taken the invasion of the Spanish personally, he didn’t. It’s why his words don’t sound or feel like a criticism. It’s a neutral observation.
A thought occurs to him, and he laughs, since he bets this might throw Liem off, considering... ]
Still! Shackin’ up with an evil god? [ He tuts, but it’s completely unserious and joking. He also still doesn’t know this happens to be true… bully… ] As your resident good god, I feel like I should be disapproving!
[Though Liem recalls how Quetzalcoatl had spoken of the invasion of her home, he doesn’t remember her mentioning these priests. It hadn’t occurred to him that the colonization of her land might have been religiously influenced, and for a moment he seems surprised. But it’s hardly out of character for the followers of one god or pantheon to make war on those of another, so the feeling is fleeting.
And in any case, Tezcatlipoca is quick enough to poke at him again, which distracts Liem immediately and effectively—even if, for the sake of his sanity, he chooses to ignore the first thing the god says in favour of the second.]
Resident good god? [He masks his flustered irritation with a questioning raise of one eyebrow.] Didn’t you say you and Quetzalcoatl were contrasting deities? From your own descriptions, and truthfully hers as well, I thought you must be Good’s enemy.
[ He laughs, since dropping that little detail was essentially a baited hook, and Liem took it easily. ]
Wrong axis. Like, when it comes to order versus chaos, bingo, I’m way on the chaotic end of the scale, she’s lawful.
[ disclaimer: the player does not necessarily agree with quetzalcoatl’s law vs. chaos alignment but that’s what word of god (nasu) said, so. Sure, buddy. ]
Just a… [ He trails off a little and waves his hand vaguely. ] Different scale of good is the one I’m workin’ on. Like, lemme put it this way. Quetzalcoatl was Meridian, and I’m gonna guess it’s because she liked all of ya and wanted to look after ya, puttin’ our own world aside for the moment. She wanted to protect your lives. That’s “good”, for sure. Me?
[ He takes a drink with another shrug, then levels Liem with a cool, even gaze. His feelings are oddly hard to pick up on, even with their shared connection. ]
I’m Zenith for a couple reasons, but one of ‘em is that I’m gonna make sure they don’t fuck it all up. You’re a guy of faith, so you probably get what I mean when I say that makin’ a whole world just ain’t somethin’ mortals can or should do. With all the sacrifice it’ll take to make it there, it'd be a damn shame for the world that results to be a dead end.
[From the look on Liem’s face, and the doubt he’s clearly feeling inwardly, it’s obvious that while he may not be willing to outright dispute Tezcatlipoca’s assertion about his own divine sibling, Liem doesn’t really see how Quetzalcoatl could have been a lawful deity. She’d said she shared domains with Abadar, sure, but in terms of who she was as a person…
Well, it doesn’t really matter. If he lets himself think about her then he’ll only get upset, and Tezcatlipoca is having an easy enough time pushing his buttons as is.
And anyway, even if he doesn’t necessarily believe every word out of the god’s mouth, it makes more sense to wonder about those sorts of things later, when he isn’t in full view and projecting traces of his own feelings for Tezcatlipoca to wonder about. That cool, pale gaze is already making him a little uncomfortable.]
You’re not moved to save what already was? [He’s curious, since Quetzalcoatl very much was, even though the people she considered “hers” had been killed, colonized, changed over the generations since her time.] Quetzalcoatl seemed willing to believe it could be done.
[But maybe this is another way in which Tezcatlipoca thinks she was a moron.]
[ At the very least, Liem’s doubt is met with a shrug that seems to say “what can you do”, because Tezcatlipoca is a little doubtful of the assignment too… Honestly, it doesn’t work this way, he knows it, but he feels like some of Quetzalcoatl’s attributes and domains were assigned more in opposition to him than anything she independently represented.
But anyways. He clicks his tongue in annoyance, though it comes with a nod. ]
Yeah, I’m sure she fuckin’ did. That bird-brain’s so short-sighted for a god that it’s honestly annoying… I guess I dunno where the one you met came from, timewise, but honestly, doubt it fuckin’ matters. Even if we’re from the same moment, she’d be on Chaldea’s side with the same fundamental problem they all got over there.
[ There’s a notable spike of irritation, but it’s not directed at Liem for sure, and it doesn’t exactly seem to be at Quetzalcotal either. Its “Chaldea”, whatever that is, that prompts it. Tezcatlipoca waves his hand dismissively before continuing. ]
Look, I get it for the other worlds Meridian’s wantin’ to bring back, but ours? Nah, ain’t worth it. And I know it because I’m almighty in a way that Quetzalcoatl ain’t—my eyes see all that’s present and all that could be.
[ Which might make that pale gaze all the more unsettling... However, though he uses the present tense, that’s more out of habit. It’s definitely not the case here, or certainly not to the same extent. ]
Our world was goin’ nowhere good. Either Oblivion eatin’ it up was a mercy, or it’s exactly what was meant to happen as the cosmos enforced order.
[Though Liem obviously doesn’t know what Chaldea is, he assumes that the specifics aren’t too important for this conversation. From context, he’ll assume Chaldea is something with goals similar to Meridian’s, which seems to be Tezcatlipoca’s implication. In any case, the more relevant thing in Liem’s view would be the way the god talks about the fate of his world, and the insight he had—has?—into such things.
If Quetzalcoatl bore similarities to Abadar and Shelyn, then perhaps Tezcatlipoca is more like Pharasma—the first of the gods, oldest, with domains tied to life and death and fate. Though, like Abadar, Pharasma too is a neutral deity, and evidently Tezcatlipoca is not. Either way, the prospect of Tezcatlipoca being all-seeing only feeds Liem’s nervousness, which has been at a low simmer, along with his irritation, almost since the moment he sat down and started speaking with the god.]
There were places I visited during the Oracle Trial that I would have said shouldn’t exist, [he acknowledges.] But a glimpse of one place is not really enough for a mortal to pass such judgments. And when I spoke to Lady Yima about it much earlier, she expressed doubt that she could pull a god’s soul from the timestream, to bring to the new world.
[Both Set and Quetzalcoatl had expressed that the version of them pulled to Kenos did not encompass all that they were… so how could a fraction of a god expect to preside over a world made from scraps?]
If Oblivion can be sealed or cast out, defeated in some way and its meals snatched from its jaws, I think it should be.
[ Liem’s nervousness is expected. Actually, it’s almost surprising, but only because the people here in Kenos didn’t really seem to get what divinity encompassed. It should make them nervous! But, whatever. He’s just accepted that the people here are (largely) a bunch of godless freaks.
He doesn’t offer any comfort to it, but the more they dip into this line of conversation, the more Tezcatlipoca seems to cool from the chaotic impulsivity that had started it. He’s thoughtful as he listens, and he’s even curious about which worlds didn’t pass Liem’s muster, but that’s also not exactly the important bit here. It’s the first he’s heard about Yima’s doubts, and that gets him to hum out a low noise, but it doesn’t seem like he’s surprised. ]
Well, don’t disagree with ya. On either point. The Trial we just went through, even just Meridian and Zenith goin’ at each other, that shouldn’t be for mortal judgement. ‘Course, my opinion about it doesn’t mean shit. That’s what’s happened, so you all have to see it through.
[ He pauses in clear consideration of saying more, but he shakes his head. Liem isn’t a godless heathen (fond), so he might understand what Tezcatlipoca means with further explanation, but… It’s best not to give it, he thinks. It could be considered tactical, since Liem is his enemy, but that isn’t what drives it. ]
But, yeah, Oblivion’s a problem regardless. Like, I ain’t sheddin’ a tear for what it did to my world, since practically speakin’, that’s just humanity’s hubris getting’ smacked down. But their problems aren’t the cosmos’s problems. Kinda the point of what I’d been up to before getting here. [ Which… probably doesn’t mean anything to Liem, but. ] Regardless of whoever ends up the victor, I’m against their opportunity for Creation getting’ snuffed out.
[Given the distinct non-religious bent most of the (non-god) shard-bearers seem to have, Liem would be obliged to agree with the assessment that most people here are apparently godless weirdos. Obviously just one more reason why Liem was right to establish a church in Alenroux; the people were sadly lacking in spiritual guidance.
But the conversation he’s in the midst of having with Tezcatlipoca is rather more cordial than Liem expected. He keeps waiting for the inevitable, for this to become a problem he either needs to solve or scramble away from, but somewhat frustratingly, it is seeming increasingly like Tezcatlipoca is really just bent on having a drink and getting to know Set’s “boyfriend” better.
It is not a circumstance Liem ever expected to have to field.]
What do you intend to do with your time in Kenos, then?
[Tezcatlipoca’s intentions for overseeing the results of a Zenith victory won’t mean all that much until it actually comes to pass. His activities in the here and now seem much more relevant.]
[ Tezcatlipoca’s first response is to laugh, and he nods with an approving smile. ]
Well, you got a good head on your shoulders, can say that for sure. That’s a good question.
[ One that he doesn’t answer immediately, since he pauses to take another drink. When he sets the glass down this time, he smirks across the table at Liem, and it’s a smile that’s as sharp and intense as his gaze. ]
I’ll make it into one hell of a battlefield, obviously. Meridian, Zenith, doesn’t matter. Both sides need to pile up some good casualties to make this worthwhile. ‘Course, I’ve staked my bet with Zenith, so that means I’m inclined to make your side fight with all you’ve got.
[ Like he said. He’s a god of good, can’t you tell? ]
[Once again Liem is obliged to revisit the skepticism he’d felt when Tezcatlipoca referred to himself as a “good” god. By his reckoning, ensuring that a war creates a large number of casualties isn’t at all aligned with anything good, so the things that Tezcatlipoca has been saying about himself and Quetzalcoatl continue to sound like a load of nonsense that the god decided to feed Liem because he thought he’d be too polite to call him out.
In that respect, at least, he is correct; Liem takes this declaration without any obvious surprise. Though he is a little concerned, having already born witness to the kind of mayhem Set and Quetzalcoatl could cause if sufficiently motivated.]
Worthwhile to whom, sir? To you?
[With an attitude like that, the god is making Liem glad they didn’t cross paths during the Advocate trial. He’s sure it would not have gone well for him.]
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no subject
He recalls the familiar scent, hanging in the humid air about that imaginary campfire, only when Tezcatlipoca introduces himself. Being already something approaching bone-pale, Liem goes a little grey as he feels mortification tingle up his spine.]
I am Liem Talbott, [he says, hoping his embarrassment isn’t obvious. Even if he still doesn’t approve of anyone masquerading as Set, he would not have scolded the man so boldly if he’d realized he was a divinity as well.] Priest and servant of the Wealthy Father, Abadar.
no subject
Tezcatlipoca’s sharp grin grows by a hair as he feels that mortification start to reveal itself over their connection. He’s sharply, almost sadistically amused to feel someone realizing they’ve made a mistake. He tries to not let it bother him, but he does dislike that people in Kenos don’t show him the proper respect (and often fear) that he’s used to. So, this little inkling of it here is nice, honestly.
However, seizing upon that feeling is quickly forgotten when Liem gives his name. Tezcatlipoca looks surprised, then laughs. It’s a different kind of delight that fills him. ]
You’re Liem? Well, shit, it’s my lucky day, then.
[ Set had told Tezcatlipoca about Liem, albeit briefly, and that had been enough to catch Tezcatlipoca’s interest. However, he’s laughing because of what he’s heard about Liem since… Or rather, a certain point of confusion around him. He takes a healthy swig of his drink, then sets it down again so that he can lean across the table. His grin is smoother, and his tone is openly flirtatious, but that’s exaggerated for fun. ]
Heard that you became my boyfriend while we were both sleepin’. Or hitched? Kinda depends on which person you ask, seems like!
no subject
[Liem’s serious expression falters somewhat, the passable professionalism of his introduction coloured now by a puzzled, unsure crumpling of his brows. Retribution for his insolence, he would have expected; the thing Tezcatlipoca says instead catches him by surprise.]
To… you, sir?
[Not to Set? Whom Liem has never even once called “sir,” but he’s also known Set carnally, so at this point it would be weird unless it was specifically a kink thing.
At least for the moment, Liem’s vaguely incredulous uncertainty seemingly grants him the ability to ignore the god’s openly flirtatious manner. He continues to sit there like a business consultant who showed up for a meeting and found his client throwing a party.]
Why would that be?
no subject
Just a lil’ confusion from the locals. Guess you didn’t hear of the twin gods of war?
[ That’s a question that’s teasing too, since he doesn’t actually know how far their “reach” in that title is, to say nothing of if other Shard-Bearers would know about it. ]
See, when I woke up, I assumed the earring was just to match Set. Nice little bit of mirrored imagery. Worshippers go crazy for that kinda shit. But looks like whoever made that executive decision just caused a whole lotta confusion about which one of us you were fuckin'.
[ He actually doesn’t know this about Liem and Set’s relationship either… He’s just being crude… ]
https://c.tenor.com/gVmzdhgrxgwAAAAC/tenor.gif
That’s—
[Which one he was fucking? Somehow, Liem manages to become both chillier and more anxiety-ridden without visibly moving a single muscle. The idea of his sex life being a popular topic of discussion amongst Kenos residents makes him feel vaguely ill. The frown he’s levelling at Tezcatlipoca deepens.]
No, I haven’t heard of that. But I have heard Kenosians say all manner of strange things since I awoke. You shouldn’t give their rumours any credence.
[Fucking???]
no subject
So, you’re sayin’ you ain’t? I just kinda assumed, considerin’. [ He gestures to the earring ] Plus, Set was pretty complimentary of ya!
[ He watches Liem with a sharp bit of curiosity as he relays that information, but he also doesn’t really let it linger before continuing. Unfortunately, it’s with the teasing… ]
Well, ain’t a bad place to end up in, yeah? Two gods, two boyfriends, sounds like you’re livin’ the high life after your nap.
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We are not boyfriends. I don’t even know you, [he objects, as though that is somehow the biggest issue in what Tezcatlipoca is saying. Never mind about Set. He wouldn’t have said that they were boyfriends either, but that’s just his host of commitment issues jumping out.
But how did this become a conversation about his relationship status, anyway? This is the last place Liem wanted to end up.]
And respectfully, the nature of my relationship with Set is none of your business, or anyone else’s for that matter.
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[ Bullying is a form of affection, right? At least it’s clear that this isn’t something Tezcatlipoca is taking all that seriously. He’s truly just fucking with Liem for the fun of it. ]
But sure it is. Set’s decided we’re family, so I gotta look out for my little brother, yeah?
[ How serious he is about this one is harder to tell, but that’s because he wasn’t sure how serious Set had been about that declaration either… He basically got voluntold that he was Set’s family now, so. ]
I like you more than that Rudbeckia chick, at least. You got some fight in ya. Way better for a war god.
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Lady Rudbeckia has her own strengths.
[He cannot help but recall the frantic stretch of time he’d spent with her in that bizarre carnival, when he had been too frightened to think straight. She had seemed to possess her own kind of strength then, even if it was not strength of body or magical ability.]
Besides, I have no love for conflict. [Only a certain divine representation thereof. Don’t worry about it.] I much prefer negotiation. That is why I serve the patron I do.
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However, that doubt gets quickly redirected at Liem. “No love for conflict”, he says, and Tezcatlipoca glances to the earring yet again… He taps some ash off his cigarette, then shrugs. ]
Yeah, yeah, you’re a goody two-shoes type, huh? Not that I’m complainin’, exactly, since if you were more of a dick, assume I’d be getting’ thrown outta here.
[ He takes another drink with a thoughtful noise, and at the very least, he doesn’t seem to be offended at all by Liem dismissing his domain, perhaps oddly. ]
Haven’t heard of Abadar, but that ain’t surprising. Plenty of worlds out there, so plenty of gods too. What kinda guy is he?
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He would have liked to have had Tezcatlipoca thrown out on his ear. The fact that he doesn’t dare make such a petty move against a god doesn’t change that it would have been satisfying.]
Abadar presides over commerce, wealth, and the spread of law and civilization in my world.
[Liem watches Tezca attend to his drinking and smoking with tight-laced calm reminiscent of an addict who’s been clean for maybe four days. His face is completely composed. His eyes are hungry.]
He is a patient, deliberate god who maintains a neutral position between good and evil. I’ve also been in his service for over a century.
[So, you know, he’s not shopping around for other gods at this point.]
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…For example. He taps at his glass idly first. ]
You wanna drink? I’m buyin’.
[ Incorrect. Set is buying, because that’s the name Tezcatlipoca opened the tab under. ]
…Surprised he’s neutral, considerin’ the domains. Most of that stuff was under Quetzalcoatl’s domain for our pantheon, and he—Well, she, since I’m assumin’ you met her here—She’s about as “good” as they come. Like, to the point of bein’ a fuckin’ moron. [ he WILL disparage the dead because he is a HATER ] Interestin’ stuff, though. Bet it works out better that way. You choose to serve him, or was it a conscripted kinda thing where you’re from?
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I must decline.
[Liquor isn’t what he’s thirsty for anyway, and he doesn’t need to add intoxication into the mix to combine with the stubborn blood-hunger he’s been afflicted with ever since he woke up.
Not to mention, Tezcatlipoca is still annoying him, and he doesn’t need to be letting liquor get him more riled up because of that, either. As things are, he can’t stop the little glow of irritation that briefly heats their connection as the god shamelessly bad-mouths Quetzalcoatl.]
Yes. She had less-than-complimentary things to say about you as well, sir.
[Somehow, though Liem was always affectionately sincere when he called Quetz ma’am, the vibes of this mild remark could not be more different. He plays it completely straight-faced, though.]
Neither law nor civilization are inherently good domains. Corrupt rulers and predatory laws can still serve the spread of order into uncivilized places. It is a matter of priorities. My uncle paid for me to be educated at Abadar’s temple when I was a boy, so it was most sensible for me to remain there.
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Well, ‘course she did! We’re fated enemies! Night and day, black and white, now Meridian and Zenith— Name a contrasting set of things and there’s a good chance it belongs to each of us. Your gods had some kinda similar deal in there somewhere, I hope, otherwise it’d be boring as fuck.
[ …It’s more than being “boring”, in truth. But rather than be philosophical about the point, he phrases it that way more because it’s annoying to Liem, he figures. He almost can’t help it. ]
Anyways, that answers what I was wonderin’, yeah. [ What was it? He sure does not say! ] Sounds like you’re pretty chill about it, at least, if Set’s a buddy of yours.
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Still, he understands his point, and it leads somewhat naturally into the question the god asks, even if he insists on phrasing everything he says in the most irritating way possible. Though possibly Liem just thinks that because he’s already annoyed; certainly Set had managed to get under his skin without even trying, the first time they met. Liem can be fussy when the topic of faith is broached, so it’s a fraught starting point for those who also like to poke and prod.]
Abadar has few true enemies. He is a proponent of peace and collaboration, so even if he has disagreements with others, only those who seek to tear down civilization earn his true enmity.
[The fact that this outlook is reflected in his church is obviously relevant to why Liem is sitting here, speaking with Tezca while Tezca tries to get him riled up, instead of trying to get him arrested.]
I don’t know if Abadar would have considered Set, the god here in Kenos, his enemy. But I don’t find it necessary to be in conflict with him.
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He takes another drag from the cigarette as he listens, which finishes it off. He responds as he stubs the cigarette into an ashtray. ]
Oh, yeah, that’s why I was wonderin’. Some of you priestly types get real into interpretation and embodiment, yeah? So, could see someone with those kinds of focus finding Set to be the worst kinda god. Y’see, back in the day, that’s what some priests from a faraway land thought I was. They didn’t have your kinda opinion.
[ “The spread of order into uncivilized places” does ring a particular note for Tezcatlipoca, after all. Yet unlike Quetzalcoatl who had taken the invasion of the Spanish personally, he didn’t. It’s why his words don’t sound or feel like a criticism. It’s a neutral observation.
A thought occurs to him, and he laughs, since he bets this might throw Liem off, considering... ]
Still! Shackin’ up with an evil god? [ He tuts, but it’s completely unserious and joking. He also still doesn’t know this happens to be true… bully… ] As your resident good god, I feel like I should be disapproving!
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And in any case, Tezcatlipoca is quick enough to poke at him again, which distracts Liem immediately and effectively—even if, for the sake of his sanity, he chooses to ignore the first thing the god says in favour of the second.]
Resident good god? [He masks his flustered irritation with a questioning raise of one eyebrow.] Didn’t you say you and Quetzalcoatl were contrasting deities? From your own descriptions, and truthfully hers as well, I thought you must be Good’s enemy.
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Wrong axis. Like, when it comes to order versus chaos, bingo, I’m way on the chaotic end of the scale, she’s lawful.
[ disclaimer: the player does not necessarily agree with quetzalcoatl’s law vs. chaos alignment but that’s what word of god (nasu) said, so. Sure, buddy. ]
Just a… [ He trails off a little and waves his hand vaguely. ] Different scale of good is the one I’m workin’ on. Like, lemme put it this way. Quetzalcoatl was Meridian, and I’m gonna guess it’s because she liked all of ya and wanted to look after ya, puttin’ our own world aside for the moment. She wanted to protect your lives. That’s “good”, for sure. Me?
[ He takes a drink with another shrug, then levels Liem with a cool, even gaze. His feelings are oddly hard to pick up on, even with their shared connection. ]
I’m Zenith for a couple reasons, but one of ‘em is that I’m gonna make sure they don’t fuck it all up. You’re a guy of faith, so you probably get what I mean when I say that makin’ a whole world just ain’t somethin’ mortals can or should do. With all the sacrifice it’ll take to make it there, it'd be a damn shame for the world that results to be a dead end.
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Well, it doesn’t really matter. If he lets himself think about her then he’ll only get upset, and Tezcatlipoca is having an easy enough time pushing his buttons as is.
And anyway, even if he doesn’t necessarily believe every word out of the god’s mouth, it makes more sense to wonder about those sorts of things later, when he isn’t in full view and projecting traces of his own feelings for Tezcatlipoca to wonder about. That cool, pale gaze is already making him a little uncomfortable.]
You’re not moved to save what already was? [He’s curious, since Quetzalcoatl very much was, even though the people she considered “hers” had been killed, colonized, changed over the generations since her time.] Quetzalcoatl seemed willing to believe it could be done.
[But maybe this is another way in which Tezcatlipoca thinks she was a moron.]
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But anyways. He clicks his tongue in annoyance, though it comes with a nod. ]
Yeah, I’m sure she fuckin’ did. That bird-brain’s so short-sighted for a god that it’s honestly annoying… I guess I dunno where the one you met came from, timewise, but honestly, doubt it fuckin’ matters. Even if we’re from the same moment, she’d be on Chaldea’s side with the same fundamental problem they all got over there.
[ There’s a notable spike of irritation, but it’s not directed at Liem for sure, and it doesn’t exactly seem to be at Quetzalcotal either. Its “Chaldea”, whatever that is, that prompts it. Tezcatlipoca waves his hand dismissively before continuing. ]
Look, I get it for the other worlds Meridian’s wantin’ to bring back, but ours? Nah, ain’t worth it. And I know it because I’m almighty in a way that Quetzalcoatl ain’t—my eyes see all that’s present and all that could be.
[ Which might make that pale gaze all the more unsettling... However, though he uses the present tense, that’s more out of habit. It’s definitely not the case here, or certainly not to the same extent. ]
Our world was goin’ nowhere good. Either Oblivion eatin’ it up was a mercy, or it’s exactly what was meant to happen as the cosmos enforced order.
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If Quetzalcoatl bore similarities to Abadar and Shelyn, then perhaps Tezcatlipoca is more like Pharasma—the first of the gods, oldest, with domains tied to life and death and fate. Though, like Abadar, Pharasma too is a neutral deity, and evidently Tezcatlipoca is not. Either way, the prospect of Tezcatlipoca being all-seeing only feeds Liem’s nervousness, which has been at a low simmer, along with his irritation, almost since the moment he sat down and started speaking with the god.]
There were places I visited during the Oracle Trial that I would have said shouldn’t exist, [he acknowledges.] But a glimpse of one place is not really enough for a mortal to pass such judgments. And when I spoke to Lady Yima about it much earlier, she expressed doubt that she could pull a god’s soul from the timestream, to bring to the new world.
[Both Set and Quetzalcoatl had expressed that the version of them pulled to Kenos did not encompass all that they were… so how could a fraction of a god expect to preside over a world made from scraps?]
If Oblivion can be sealed or cast out, defeated in some way and its meals snatched from its jaws, I think it should be.
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He doesn’t offer any comfort to it, but the more they dip into this line of conversation, the more Tezcatlipoca seems to cool from the chaotic impulsivity that had started it. He’s thoughtful as he listens, and he’s even curious about which worlds didn’t pass Liem’s muster, but that’s also not exactly the important bit here. It’s the first he’s heard about Yima’s doubts, and that gets him to hum out a low noise, but it doesn’t seem like he’s surprised. ]
Well, don’t disagree with ya. On either point. The Trial we just went through, even just Meridian and Zenith goin’ at each other, that shouldn’t be for mortal judgement. ‘Course, my opinion about it doesn’t mean shit. That’s what’s happened, so you all have to see it through.
[ He pauses in clear consideration of saying more, but he shakes his head. Liem isn’t a godless heathen (fond), so he might understand what Tezcatlipoca means with further explanation, but… It’s best not to give it, he thinks. It could be considered tactical, since Liem is his enemy, but that isn’t what drives it. ]
But, yeah, Oblivion’s a problem regardless. Like, I ain’t sheddin’ a tear for what it did to my world, since practically speakin’, that’s just humanity’s hubris getting’ smacked down. But their problems aren’t the cosmos’s problems. Kinda the point of what I’d been up to before getting here. [ Which… probably doesn’t mean anything to Liem, but. ] Regardless of whoever ends up the victor, I’m against their opportunity for Creation getting’ snuffed out.
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But the conversation he’s in the midst of having with Tezcatlipoca is rather more cordial than Liem expected. He keeps waiting for the inevitable, for this to become a problem he either needs to solve or scramble away from, but somewhat frustratingly, it is seeming increasingly like Tezcatlipoca is really just bent on having a drink and getting to know Set’s “boyfriend” better.
It is not a circumstance Liem ever expected to have to field.]
What do you intend to do with your time in Kenos, then?
[Tezcatlipoca’s intentions for overseeing the results of a Zenith victory won’t mean all that much until it actually comes to pass. His activities in the here and now seem much more relevant.]
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Well, you got a good head on your shoulders, can say that for sure. That’s a good question.
[ One that he doesn’t answer immediately, since he pauses to take another drink. When he sets the glass down this time, he smirks across the table at Liem, and it’s a smile that’s as sharp and intense as his gaze. ]
I’ll make it into one hell of a battlefield, obviously. Meridian, Zenith, doesn’t matter. Both sides need to pile up some good casualties to make this worthwhile. ‘Course, I’ve staked my bet with Zenith, so that means I’m inclined to make your side fight with all you’ve got.
[ Like he said. He’s a god of good, can’t you tell? ]
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In that respect, at least, he is correct; Liem takes this declaration without any obvious surprise. Though he is a little concerned, having already born witness to the kind of mayhem Set and Quetzalcoatl could cause if sufficiently motivated.]
Worthwhile to whom, sir? To you?
[With an attitude like that, the god is making Liem glad they didn’t cross paths during the Advocate trial. He’s sure it would not have gone well for him.]
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