[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.]
[ He responds cheerfully and immediately, but… extremely confusingly. It doesn’t exactly get better, either. ]
Well, nah, it is makin’ it worthwhile to me, sure, but I ain’t the arbiter of how shit goes down. Just have the potential to see it. Give it a nudge here or there. You’re a religious guy, ain’t ya? You know how it goes.
[ He very much doubts it, actually, but he’s intentionally being (annoying) confusing here. To be seen as fickle is better than to be seen as having intention, so far as his concerns with the world at large go. ]
But, hey, I ain’t a Shard shatterin’ kinda guy, so I can give ya that reassurance. Pretty well against my duties, so even if I make your team into mincemeat, the Shards themselves are safe with me.
[Even if Tezcatlipoca is truly a god who avoids lying, Liem suspects him of, at the very least, being misleading with his answer. His understanding of the relationship gods have with mortal matters is that the checks and balances keeping them from writing history according to their own whims are, essentially, each other. In their current setting, where the only other god is down here tussling with mortals like everyone else, he thinks Tezcatlipoca’s “nudges” have less to do with cosmic order and more with a lack of power on his end.
But it would be far too cheeky to voice that thought aloud.]
Nevertheless, I believe I will endeavour to keep out of your claws.
[He’s managed to avoid dissipation for a good long while now, and despite the god’s assurances, he’d prefer to maintain the streak.]
[ He snorts out a laugh, but it comes with a nod. ]
Sure. Smart thing to do. Ain’t personal to me, of course, but we are enemies, so.
[ He pauses and looks at his drink like he’s trying to decide whether to finish it off and ask for another or just stop himself there. But with another little chuckle, he ends up reaching for the cigarettes and his lighter instead. Liem hasn’t tried to kick him out yet, so… Sure, he can probably stay and indulge longer. ]
Set didn’t say you were off limits, exactly, so I assume that means you got some kinda fight in ya.
[ Would Set’s word have stopped Tezcatlipoca? No, not really. But it does put you towards the bottom of the list out of some kind of respect, at least. ]
[Considering Liem’s own willingness to sit and talk with people he would consider enemies, he doesn’t doubt Tezcatlipoca one bit when he describes them that way. If he sees the god in less cordial circumstances, he won’t be assuming this little interlude in a Skysong bar will make any difference to him.
Even at present, the most he’ll consent to loosen up is to ask a passing server for… a glass of water.]
I suppose that’s accurate.
[For a moment, it seems like that might be all he intends to say on the topic. Even in introductions with other Meris, Liem has never tended towards loquaciousness. But he thinks being cagey might only encourage this god to seek him out, so after another moment he elaborates.]
I did quite a bit of monster-hunting in Alenroux, to make it fit to be settled. But my time is spent more on clerical matters these days.
[ While Liem takes the moment to grab water (square), Tezcatlipoca takes it to light up the cigarette. He sighs contentedly at the first drag, too. Smoking was practically a part of the core of his being, but. He usually doesn't have a human body, and thus, nicotine addiction, to add to it. ]
Oh? [ His interest is clear at the claim, but it's tinged with approval. ] Well, Abadar'd be happy with that, from the sounds of it. Clearin' things out for settling is a nice lil' keystone of civilization.
[ So, that's what the approval is. If Liem is a man of faith, then seeing him uphold it and stick to the principles is pleasing to even another god, naturally. But also, for his own interests... Well. He gives Liem a nudge with his foot, annoyingly. ]
Clerical shit, though? Boring. I'm bringin' some of the critters into town next time I go huntin' in Alenroux.
[ it is truly impossible to tell if he's joking on this ]
[Liem does admittedly find Tezcatlipoca’s approval a little strange, given that, as far as he can tell, his domains and Abadar’s have nothing in common. Perhaps even more strange given the similarities between Abadar’s domains and Quetzalcoatl’s; he can’t imagine the god being so approving if Liem had gone out to slay monsters in her name.
Of course Liem is a good little priest, though, even here. He stopped being one for the roughly two seconds he spent living as a Zenite, and he immediately proceeded to have a mental breakdown about it. So.]
It’s not boring, [Liem corrects him, like a square. If Tezcatlipoca isn’t interested in that kind of thing, fortunately—he is not invited! He can go do all the monster-hunting he likes, with the other rowdy locals on their growling self-propelled carriages.] It’s necessary. And it’s good, honest work.
[ It's not the best defense he's heard. In fact, it gives him the kind of vibe of wanting to shove Liem into a locker or give him a swirlie (or whatever the godly equivalent of that might be). ]
Good, honest, necessary... [ He nods along, then: ] And boring. Like, I know priests are usually squares and all, but c'mon.
[ He laughs as he takes a draw from his cigarette, and at the very least, Liem doesn't get a face full of smoke after. He's not that rude, at least. ]
'Kay, then I'm afraid to ask this, but I'm gonna anyways. What do you do for fun?
[Liem’s expression as Tezcatlipoca doubles down on his assessment is dry as dust, because he is indeed a square—even if he doesn’t know what that is—and he doesn’t appreciate the god’s attitude. He knows his work is important, and doing important work makes him happy, so there’s no reason for Tezcatlipoca to give him a hard time about it, other than to be a dick.]
I like to visit the markets, [he answers immediately, because it’s the thing he enjoys most other than travelling. He expects to receive sass about this answer, since shopping is probably far too normcore an activity for Tezcatlipoca to consider fun; but he also gets the impression that the god’s tastes run at least a little degenerate, so he figures there’s not much he could say that would satisfy him.]
It’s informative, [Fun!] and sometimes I find things I wasn’t expecting. I’ve found some interesting antiques in Highstorm, and made good connections in Springstar. At least, how it was before.
[ It's a completely fair assumption, especially since right before Liem gives his answer, you can practically see the gears turning in Tezcatlipoca's head on how to rile Liem up. He is indeed just a dick for the sake of it, but. That's about what you expect for a god of conflict, probably. He is truly here for The Drama Of It All.
However, the expression falls once the answer is given. He seems uncertain of where to land on it, and indeed, it’s halfway between “ha ha nerd” and reasonable to him, but with the further elaboration? ]
Ah. Damn. That’s kinda cute.
[ why does he sound disappointed about that??? ]
Like, I ain’t one for antiques, but otherwise… Yeah, I get it. [ Sniffing around the shops and marketplaces was one of the first things he’d done at length when he’d arrived, and hell, even in the Lostbelt, he’d been eager to explore then once they’d set up. Luckily, he still has one point of criticism he can give, don’t worry. ] Notice Kowloon is missin’ from your list, though.
[Liem asks this without any particular expectation one way or the other. On one hand, Tezcatlipoca does seem like a bit of an awful gremlin of a god, and Liem doesn’t want to attribute any charming traits to him that he hasn’t actually earned. But Set is also an awful gremlin of a god, and he has charm points of his own, so Liem can’t rule it out.]
Some of those antiques were magical. I’ve found at least a few wondrous items like those I used to wear in my own country.
[Of course, he isn’t wearing almost any of them now. Set has his ring, and Hayame has his bracers—and the unremarkable-looking little pouch at his hip gives off no magic aura, even to those sensitive to such things. But his point is simply that Highstorm’s baubles market can cater to more than just those prone to nostalgia.
But Tezcatlipoca probably won’t be surprised to hear him say,] I don’t visit Kowloon’s markets for enjoyment.
[He sips at his unexciting, ordinary water, regarding the god over the rim. Kowloon is a den of vice, so obviously he mainly visits for business—as a supplier, not as a customer. And, while the acquisition of profit is its own kind of fun, he doesn’t want Tezcatlipoca to get the wrong idea. When he visits Kowloon, it’s because he has to.]
But I have frequented the Last Dance, on occasion.
Eh, not really. I got some sentiment, don’t get me wrong, but ain’t much. [ He waves a hand dismissively, which distributes some smoke in the area… ] Part of my nature, essentially. I’m either lookin’ at the here and now or to the future. Lookin’ back is more Birdie’s style than mine.
[ It sounds like he’s being metaphorical, but he’s actually being quite literal, at least if he had all his ability. He’s an omniscient god who can see all possible futures. The past has never been something he’s clung to, perhaps because of an inability. So, the idea of finding things in the market doesn’t interest him (and if he spared it more of a thought, he’s not sure what he would find in the first place).
Instead, he waves over a passing server and asks for another drink after all. He glances over to Liem as he answers, and it’s indeed not a surprising one. ]
Well, at least you go to ‘em. Was worried you were too much of a square for even that. [ He does laugh a little, since an idea occurs to him when the establishment he does frequent is mentioned. ] Yeah, Set told me about that place. He digs it. So, clearly, you should just spend a night out on the town with us.
[Frankly, Liem might actually prefer if Tezcatlipoca thought he was too much of a square to visit Kowloon at all—especially because he hasn’t been there wearing his own face in a long time. He has no intention of ever crossing paths with someone who might recognize him while down there, particularly a known Zenite.
But again, Liem also knows the minds of nosy people on the hunt for information. If he doesn’t give the god something, he’ll just feel like he needs to keep digging.]
I don’t think so.
[Liem shuts down Tezcatlipoca’s suggestion immediately. A night on the town with him and Set sounds to Liem like signing up to be the toy mouse on an outing with two unruly cats. He’d rather not be bullied that way in public.]
I haven’t been interested in spending “a night on the town” for at least half a century. I would only get in the way of your enjoyment.
[Also, he has no desire to be two war gods’ personal chaperone, or wallet.]
[ Uh you bet it is, Liem?? You would be so lucky??? (Incorrect) ]
What, not even considerin’ a little? Tch, okay grandpa. [ nickname discovered ] I’m tellin’ Set, for the record, so you might not have a choice.
[ He doesn’t know if Set would actually bully Liem into this. Doesn’t matter. It’s the sheer principle of Set apparently having a close relationship with someone boring! ]
Maybe you just didn’t do it right! Night out with me’s unforgettable!
[What the hell?? Tezcatlipoca can’t just call Liem “grandpa” like some delinquent teenager. Liem gets enough of that from actual teenagers; he doesn’t need ancient gods joining in as well.
In any case, Liem’s flat expression tightens a little with irritation when the other man mentions telling Set. This is primarily because Set has a pretty good track record when it comes to bullying Liem into going along with things he wasn’t intending on doing.]
Why you should be so enamoured of this idea, I don’t know.
[Just go hang out with Set without him? Surely Liem isn’t giving off any false impressions about how fun he is by sitting here with his glass of plain water and his dry expression.
Also, why does Tezcatlipoca’s attempt at self-endorsement sound like the sort of thing Liem has heard from women on the corner in seedier parts of town? Though he resists the urge to say so, his frown deepens with palpable incredulity.]
For all that it’s a haven for the arts, one of the Last Dance’s draws is that its patrons need not wear quite so many masks—but only if one doesn’t bring along their own audience.
[Liem has no idea if Set feels the need to act the same way with his new “brother” that he seems to when he’s in front of other people, but Liem has no doubt the vibes during an outing with the three of them will be different than when Liem and Set are out by themselves. It sort of misses the point of the venue to begin with.]
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no subject
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.
no subject
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!
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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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[ He responds cheerfully and immediately, but… extremely confusingly. It doesn’t exactly get better, either. ]
Well, nah, it is makin’ it worthwhile to me, sure, but I ain’t the arbiter of how shit goes down. Just have the potential to see it. Give it a nudge here or there. You’re a religious guy, ain’t ya? You know how it goes.
[ He very much doubts it, actually, but he’s intentionally being (annoying) confusing here. To be seen as fickle is better than to be seen as having intention, so far as his concerns with the world at large go. ]
But, hey, I ain’t a Shard shatterin’ kinda guy, so I can give ya that reassurance. Pretty well against my duties, so even if I make your team into mincemeat, the Shards themselves are safe with me.
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But it would be far too cheeky to voice that thought aloud.]
Nevertheless, I believe I will endeavour to keep out of your claws.
[He’s managed to avoid dissipation for a good long while now, and despite the god’s assurances, he’d prefer to maintain the streak.]
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Sure. Smart thing to do. Ain’t personal to me, of course, but we are enemies, so.
[ He pauses and looks at his drink like he’s trying to decide whether to finish it off and ask for another or just stop himself there. But with another little chuckle, he ends up reaching for the cigarettes and his lighter instead. Liem hasn’t tried to kick him out yet, so… Sure, he can probably stay and indulge longer. ]
Set didn’t say you were off limits, exactly, so I assume that means you got some kinda fight in ya.
[ Would Set’s word have stopped Tezcatlipoca? No, not really. But it does put you towards the bottom of the list out of some kind of respect, at least. ]
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Even at present, the most he’ll consent to loosen up is to ask a passing server for… a glass of water.]
I suppose that’s accurate.
[For a moment, it seems like that might be all he intends to say on the topic. Even in introductions with other Meris, Liem has never tended towards loquaciousness. But he thinks being cagey might only encourage this god to seek him out, so after another moment he elaborates.]
I did quite a bit of monster-hunting in Alenroux, to make it fit to be settled. But my time is spent more on clerical matters these days.
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Oh? [ His interest is clear at the claim, but it's tinged with approval. ] Well, Abadar'd be happy with that, from the sounds of it. Clearin' things out for settling is a nice lil' keystone of civilization.
[ So, that's what the approval is. If Liem is a man of faith, then seeing him uphold it and stick to the principles is pleasing to even another god, naturally. But also, for his own interests... Well. He gives Liem a nudge with his foot, annoyingly. ]
Clerical shit, though? Boring. I'm bringin' some of the critters into town next time I go huntin' in Alenroux.
[ it is truly impossible to tell if he's joking on this ]
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Of course Liem is a good little priest, though, even here. He stopped being one for the roughly two seconds he spent living as a Zenite, and he immediately proceeded to have a mental breakdown about it. So.]
It’s not boring, [Liem corrects him, like a square. If Tezcatlipoca isn’t interested in that kind of thing, fortunately—he is not invited! He can go do all the monster-hunting he likes, with the other rowdy locals on their growling self-propelled carriages.] It’s necessary. And it’s good, honest work.
[Like this makes it more interesting…?]
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Good, honest, necessary... [ He nods along, then: ] And boring. Like, I know priests are usually squares and all, but c'mon.
[ He laughs as he takes a draw from his cigarette, and at the very least, Liem doesn't get a face full of smoke after. He's not that rude, at least. ]
'Kay, then I'm afraid to ask this, but I'm gonna anyways. What do you do for fun?
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I like to visit the markets, [he answers immediately, because it’s the thing he enjoys most other than travelling. He expects to receive sass about this answer, since shopping is probably far too normcore an activity for Tezcatlipoca to consider fun; but he also gets the impression that the god’s tastes run at least a little degenerate, so he figures there’s not much he could say that would satisfy him.]
It’s informative, [Fun!] and sometimes I find things I wasn’t expecting. I’ve found some interesting antiques in Highstorm, and made good connections in Springstar. At least, how it was before.
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However, the expression falls once the answer is given. He seems uncertain of where to land on it, and indeed, it’s halfway between “ha ha nerd” and reasonable to him, but with the further elaboration? ]
Ah. Damn. That’s kinda cute.
[ why does he sound disappointed about that??? ]
Like, I ain’t one for antiques, but otherwise… Yeah, I get it. [ Sniffing around the shops and marketplaces was one of the first things he’d done at length when he’d arrived, and hell, even in the Lostbelt, he’d been eager to explore then once they’d set up. Luckily, he still has one point of criticism he can give, don’t worry. ] Notice Kowloon is missin’ from your list, though.
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[Liem asks this without any particular expectation one way or the other. On one hand, Tezcatlipoca does seem like a bit of an awful gremlin of a god, and Liem doesn’t want to attribute any charming traits to him that he hasn’t actually earned. But Set is also an awful gremlin of a god, and he has charm points of his own, so Liem can’t rule it out.]
Some of those antiques were magical. I’ve found at least a few wondrous items like those I used to wear in my own country.
[Of course, he isn’t wearing almost any of them now. Set has his ring, and Hayame has his bracers—and the unremarkable-looking little pouch at his hip gives off no magic aura, even to those sensitive to such things. But his point is simply that Highstorm’s baubles market can cater to more than just those prone to nostalgia.
But Tezcatlipoca probably won’t be surprised to hear him say,] I don’t visit Kowloon’s markets for enjoyment.
[He sips at his unexciting, ordinary water, regarding the god over the rim. Kowloon is a den of vice, so obviously he mainly visits for business—as a supplier, not as a customer. And, while the acquisition of profit is its own kind of fun, he doesn’t want Tezcatlipoca to get the wrong idea. When he visits Kowloon, it’s because he has to.]
But I have frequented the Last Dance, on occasion.
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[ It sounds like he’s being metaphorical, but he’s actually being quite literal, at least if he had all his ability. He’s an omniscient god who can see all possible futures. The past has never been something he’s clung to, perhaps because of an inability. So, the idea of finding things in the market doesn’t interest him (and if he spared it more of a thought, he’s not sure what he would find in the first place).
Instead, he waves over a passing server and asks for another drink after all. He glances over to Liem as he answers, and it’s indeed not a surprising one. ]
Well, at least you go to ‘em. Was worried you were too much of a square for even that. [ He does laugh a little, since an idea occurs to him when the establishment he does frequent is mentioned. ] Yeah, Set told me about that place. He digs it. So, clearly, you should just spend a night out on the town with us.
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But again, Liem also knows the minds of nosy people on the hunt for information. If he doesn’t give the god something, he’ll just feel like he needs to keep digging.]
I don’t think so.
[Liem shuts down Tezcatlipoca’s suggestion immediately. A night on the town with him and Set sounds to Liem like signing up to be the toy mouse on an outing with two unruly cats. He’d rather not be bullied that way in public.]
I haven’t been interested in spending “a night on the town” for at least half a century. I would only get in the way of your enjoyment.
[Also, he has no desire to be two war gods’ personal chaperone, or wallet.]
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What, not even considerin’ a little? Tch, okay grandpa. [ nickname discovered ] I’m tellin’ Set, for the record, so you might not have a choice.
[ He doesn’t know if Set would actually bully Liem into this. Doesn’t matter. It’s the sheer principle of Set apparently having a close relationship with someone boring! ]
Maybe you just didn’t do it right! Night out with me’s unforgettable!
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In any case, Liem’s flat expression tightens a little with irritation when the other man mentions telling Set. This is primarily because Set has a pretty good track record when it comes to bullying Liem into going along with things he wasn’t intending on doing.]
Why you should be so enamoured of this idea, I don’t know.
[Just go hang out with Set without him? Surely Liem isn’t giving off any false impressions about how fun he is by sitting here with his glass of plain water and his dry expression.
Also, why does Tezcatlipoca’s attempt at self-endorsement sound like the sort of thing Liem has heard from women on the corner in seedier parts of town? Though he resists the urge to say so, his frown deepens with palpable incredulity.]
For all that it’s a haven for the arts, one of the Last Dance’s draws is that its patrons need not wear quite so many masks—but only if one doesn’t bring along their own audience.
[Liem has no idea if Set feels the need to act the same way with his new “brother” that he seems to when he’s in front of other people, but Liem has no doubt the vibes during an outing with the three of them will be different than when Liem and Set are out by themselves. It sort of misses the point of the venue to begin with.]