[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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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.]