Neyravah listened to the proceedings nervously. Even more disquietingly, They felt as if someone invisible was spying on Them with murderous intent.
They raised Their voices.
"I would like to make a few statements.
"One, these Northlands were claimed by Avarian. He has improved the landscape and helped the people; I would not deny Him the privilege to open those lands just because some people want to claim it for themselves.
"Two, We would rather have each god create a "Phoenix" in his or her own image, and have it be a symbol of them at this council and a personal...attendant? Servant? Whatever, than have them be a force for the Overgod. We were only freed of Mutare's rule because we could overpower it...if we give too much power to Avarian, we risk falling into an eternal dictatorship.
"Three, Vandia may be a kleptomaniac, nymphomaniac, narcissistic, contentious, et cetera, goddess, but She has a point. We must care for the mortals; not only is it moral, it is necessary for all of us. We have been ignoring the basic underlying principles, trying to profit at the expense of others. This is foolish. Can the roots profit from the destruction of the branches, or vise versa? Would a deer be better if its kind slew every wolf? Do frogs prosper by slaying all turtles? No; no; no. Even if they have short-term gains, such attempts to profit at others' expense inevitably incur greater costs to the harmer than he would have incurred from not doing so.
"We can already hear the mutterings: But you did this to the dwarves, and that to the dwarves. But this is not so; We helped the dwarves. The Drakes, the Jungle, the Emerald? All to help the dwarves, and although they slay the Drakes, log the Jungle, and the most ingrateful of them all shattered the Emerald, each of them helped the dwarves climb over their decrepit past, as solitary or paired fishers to a mighty kingdom in a single generation! Can this be attributed to anything but the meeting We arranged among hundreds of dwarves, lead by a dwarf We chose, who proved himself by slaying one of the Fangdrakes We created? Regardless, We do better than those of you who burn another's followers to ashes, or addict them to whatever, or make them hate one who gave them so much, or have them invade another's lands, or whatever, for Our intentions are white as a dove's plumage."
Neyra paused; Ravah continued.
"How can you claim to be good, any of you? Where have you poured your very essence into making things better for a people which you know despises you? When have you made a masterpiece and watched as one destroyed it--and, rather than punish the offender, grant him a special place? What is the creation you have created to do anything but benefit yourself or one who has already pledged their support? Who has sacrificed without promise or hope of a compensating reward? Why, then, do you hoist yourselves onto high dragons?
Ravah stopped for breath, Neyra continued.
"No one is perfect. We do not claim that We are; We only ask you to admit your follies and fallacies, your mistakes and massacres. No god should claim to be better than another. We all have our evil deeds. All of us have things we should be ashamed of. All of us must repent.
As to the...splitting of the gods into factions: I will not take a firm side. I will ally myself with whomever seems rightest; at the time, the two gods with the greatest rivalry--Az-Sho and Vandia--are both rather terrible. Az-Sho, you took the Continent I formed and encouraged dwarves to devastate the landscape, among other woes. Vandia, you order slaughters--call them wars, I know what they are--and steal from the gods the innermost portions of their being. Neither of those are acceptable in my eyes. As to Avarian versus the world, I will side with Avarian as long as his rule is just, but no longer.
Now both heads speak as one again.
"We all have our faults and sins. Working together, we can lift the world into a new era, cleanse our divine souls, and shuck our petty concerns to focus on the whole of Creation. The first step is coming forward and stating your sins, and your desire to repent. I shall lead by example."
Neyravah steps towards the center of the hall.
"I, Neyravah, have committed acts of darkness which blight my soul. I, in trying to help the dwarves, accidentally killed some of them. I wish to gain penance and forgiveness, and to do so I will help make dwarven civilization greater than its members could have imagined--even more so than I already have."
They return to their previous position.
"Who will be next?"
[spoiler=Transcript]
I would like to make a few statements.
One, these Northlands were claimed by Avarian. He has improved the landscape and helped the people; I would not deny Him the privilege to open those lands just because some people want to claim it for themselves.
Two, We would rather have each god create a "Phoenix" in his or her own image, and have it be a symbol of them at this council and a personal...attendant? Servant? Whatever, than have them be a force for the Overgod. We were only freed of Mutare's rule because we could overpower it...if we give too much power to Avarian, we risk falling into an eternal dictatorship.
Three, Vandia may be a kleptomaniac, nymphomaniac, narcissistic, contentious, et cetera, goddess, but She has a point. We must care for the mortals; not only is it moral, it is necessary for all of us. We have been ignoring the basic underlying principles, trying to profit at the expense of others. This is foolish. Can the roots profit from the destruction of the branches, or vise versa? Would a deer be better if its kind slew every wolf? Do frogs prosper by slaying all turtles? No; no; no. Even if they have short-term gains, such attempts to profit at others' expense inevitably incur greater costs to the harmer than he would have incurred from not doing so.
We can already hear the mutterings: But you did this to the dwarves, and that to the dwarves. But this is not so; We helped the dwarves. The Drakes, the Jungle, the Emerald? All to help the dwarves, and although they slay the Drakes, log the Jungle, and the most ingrateful of them all shattered the Emerald, each of them helped the dwarves climb over their decrepit past, as solitary or paired fishers to a mighty kingdom in a single generation! Can this be attributed to anything but the meeting We arranged among hundreds of dwarves, lead by a dwarf We chose, who proved himself by slaying one of the Fangdrakes We created? Regardless, We do better than those of you who burn another's followers to ashes, or addict them to whatever, or make them hate one who gave them so much, or have them invade another's lands, or whatever, for Our intentions are white as a dove's plumage.
How can you claim to be good, any of you? Where have you poured your very essence into making things better for a people which you know despises you? When have you made a masterpiece and watched as one destroyed it--and, rather than punish the offender, grant him a special place? What is the creation you have created to do anything but benefit yourself or one who has already pledged their support? Who has sacrificed without promise or hope of a compensating reward? Why, then, do you hoist yourselves onto high dragons?
No one is perfect. We do not claim that We are; We only ask you to admit your follies and fallacies, your mistakes and massacres. No god should claim to be better than another. We all have our evil deeds. All of us have things we should be ashamed of. All of us must repent.
As to the...splitting of the gods into factions: I will not take a firm side. I will ally myself with whomever seems rightest; at the time, the two gods with the greatest rivalry--Az-Sho and Vandia--are both rather terrible. Az-Sho, you took the Continent I formed and encouraged dwarves to devastate the landscape, among other woes. Vandia, you order slaughters--call them wars, I know what they are--and steal from the gods the innermost portions of their being. Neither of those are acceptable in my eyes. As to Avarian versus the world, I will side with Avarian as long as his rule is just, but no longer.
We all have our faults and sins. Working together, we can lift the world into a new era, cleanse our divine souls, and shuck our petty concerns to focus on the whole of Creation. The first step is coming forward and stating your sins, and your desire to repent. I shall lead by example.
I, Neyravah, have committed acts of darkness which blight my soul. I, in trying to help the dwarves, accidentally killed some of them. I wish to gain penance and forgiveness, and to do so I will help make dwarven civilization greater than its members could have imagined--even more so than I already have.
Who will be next?
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Topic: Pantheon Play Thread: In the beginning there was... (Read 86827 times)