abraxasnet | TO: EVERYONE [mid-event #20]

[ This message is sent for all Summoned to see about a week after the dreams and Heralds made their presence known. ]

Hello everyone. I know we're all dealing with a lot right now, but I thought this was worth the surprise eyeball-script.

The Heralds of War likely need no introduction at this point, but some of us still remember when they first arrived a few years ago after a poorly performed ritual in Solvunn. During that time, I'd managed to make contact with Koth and have tried to maintain some communication.

[ Not necessarily advised--Himeka did this of her own accord and curiosity. Those who are aware of her tree-form may have noticed that some of the limbs have been wilting and rotting the more time she's spent reaching out to Koth. But that's neither here nor there. ]

She's not always easy to understand, but when we spoke when they first appeared, one word came through:

"Mission"

For years my friends and I have been wondering what this meant. Now that she's back, I sought clarity. Or...I guess confirmation.

I understand her more easily these days so I reached out to her earlier today and she did confirm that this is that mission. What's happening right now in all of our communities. I'm not sure if war itself is inevitable...but she seems to believe that what she's doing will help there to be peace afterwards.

I know many here have seen war in their own lives and on their own stars before this place. If you'd like to share your stories, I would welcome them. I don't think peace is ever as simple as we want it to be, but as for if this is the only path forward...

I'm rambling a bit. This may not be a grand revelation, but I thought it important to share that what is happening now may have been building for the last few years and mayhaps some time before that as well. Only now, we may have a part to play.

Please take care,

水

[ ooc; This is Himeka's interpretation! So it may not be 100% accurate. Based on the mod response here. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And why are we the ones that are supposed to fix it? I'm all for advocating that people are not limited by their own potential, but gods--

What answer you'll get depends on where you ask. Mondstadt's Archon, for instance, is a hands-off sort of fellow as is befitting of the Archon of freedom. Lesser Lord Kusanali is the God of Wisdom, and my Archon -- I have a ( roommate? friend? ugh, none of those describe alhaitham in accuracy. well, roommate does, but he's enjoying not owing rent to him here so! ) I know someone who knows her personally, and in spite of her appearance as a young child, he speaks of her wisdom and insight.

I don't believe we've met, have we? I don't recognize your writing, so I'm not sure if we just haven't crossed paths before or if you were summoned recently, but we had something of a strange if enlightening experience a few moons ago that hinted our futures may not be so different than that of the gods here. That's why I think they believe we can help.

It sounds like you have quite the pantheon! Gods for different values? In a situation like this, would you reach out to them?

Very new, in fact. And I can say with surety that I don't really like the implication that we might become like them. Humanity is unique in its capacity to understand all facets of life, and I'd rather not risk losing that for any form of divinity. The eternal life I strive for is more metaphorical.

Only The Seven currently, those that won the Archon War and were allowed to lay claim to an element and a land to govern as they saw fit. Though it hasn't always been the same individual. Fontaine, for example, had a previous Hydro Archon before the current one. As for what I would do? Well, it's their job to interfere when danger presents itself, protecting their people from harm. So unless something is keeping them from doing so they would already be aware of the issue and actively taking steps to intervene, whatever form that might take. I wouldn't need to beseech Lesser Lord Kusanali for a matter such as this.

Edited 2024-08-18 05:40 (UTC)

Metaphorical? In what way?

[ Okay now he's saying a lot of words. Or, rather, writing them. Archon war? Hydro Archon...so a water god? Not just someone with a PhD. Lesser Lord? SO...a demi-god?? Himeka is squinting and trying to follow along to the best of her ability. ]

Okay, so they decide when they're needed? That does seem to be similar to the Heralds of War, in this case. No one really worships them, but they have decided to appear now.

( oh no, himeka. you've unlocked the secret topic the yapper will talk for ages about. )

In that I don't actually seek to live forever. I'm an architect, and my hope is that my work lasts long after I am gone, and that in their beauty, in every choice made while designing and building, I leave traces of myself. What I thought important, what mattered to me, what I found compelling and beautiful. Anyone willing and with the right eye for detail can find traces of the architect in any building. To leave something that lasts, that brings happiness and joy to others -- what better form of immortality is there?

( oh right she asked about the Archons again. )

You could say that. But as they exist alongside us, they have a very good idea of when they're needed. Unlike those that dwell in Celestia, the Seven tend to walk amongst us mere mortals. The Electro Archon, for instance, rules her nation personally.

[ Don't worry, she's so practiced at NPC dialogue chains. She just keeps clicking "next". ]

You speak like a true artisan. I can respect that!

Have you met Alucard? He's an architect as well.

[ And he's even going to take her plans into consideration when it comes to design. Which he shouldn't. (And probably won't.) ]

Oh! So they're not gods? That does make more sense. I thought at first you were saying there was a big school academics went to in order to ascend.

I have, he's been a wonderful conversation partner and guide when it comes to understanding the basics of art here.

No, they are. They just-- don't keep themselves separated from the rest of us. Though that would be interesting, I wonder what they'd teach at a school for divinity...

He is, isn't he? He's a man of many talents. I'm glad that you have connected!

[ He can also turn into bats. That's pretty neat. ]

Something like that would have been helpful a few months ago.

This is the first I've heard of gods living amongst mortals. Everyone can see and talk to them too?

If they want them to, or if they're allowed to -- there was a bit of a kerfuffle recently where our archon was being imprisoned by those who wanted to create a man-made god to replace her. She couldn't reach out except for in dreams. And, well, we'd all stopped dreaming quite a long time ago. But that matter has been dealt with, thankfully, and we're all the better for it.

I suppose there's the assumption that an Archon cannot be in charge of the welfare of their people if they do not know them. One I happen to agree with.

You stopped dreaming? How does that happen?

I think that's fair. Whether immortal or mortal, if you are too far removed from the people in you care, how can you know what their needs are?

Only as adults; we still dreamed as children. As for how -- we were all given access to the accumulated knowledge of every person who lived in Sumeru through what we called the Akasha System, though what you could access depended on your credentials. Flawed, yes, but even I can't deny that it had its uses. Anyway, it gathered our dreams at night to compile that knowledge. Forgoing dreaming was viewed as an acceptable loss when it meant that everything we could want or need to know could be instantly at our fingertips.

Exactly! To grow out of touch with the people you're supposed to care for... or to be as distant as the gods here seem to be... I can't say it sits well with me at all.

[ Okay now some words are starting to get blurred together. She didn't think she'd need notes for this... ]

So...you dreamed...they just got stored somewhere so you didn't really experience it?

What if you had really strange dreams? Once I believed I lived on an island that was one giant bread roll and slowly becoming waterlogged and soggy. It was very upsetting.

In essence, yes.

We still wouldn't remember it. I suppose it could be a blessing -- while we didn't remember our dreams, we also never had nightmares.

That is a trade off, I suppose. Nightmares here could be very dangerous as well.

Yes, I'm getting that impression rather quickly. I was just fine minding my own business back home, and now all of this-- I can't say I'm excited by the prospect.

You wouldn't be alone in that. It isn't the best way to ask for help, is it? Getting whisked away.

But my hope is that once we can settle things here we can all return to our own stars.

TO: EVERYONE [mid-event #20]

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