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Entry tags:
TDM #13
Welcome! Everything is fine.
Uploading. . . Complete!
The Lobby.
- When you open your eyes, there is quite a lot of beige to take in. The unassuming walls of the room you've found yourself in are barren save for a single motivational poster directly in your line of sight. An illuminated sign above an open door on the far wall reads 'lobby exit.'
"Welcome," chimes a polite, synthesized voice. "I'm happy you're here." A moment later comes the clarity of the situation: you have died and so has the world you came from. "This is Amani, your new reality," continues The Peacekeeper. "Everything will be fine."
At least you aren't the only one here, you'll soon find out, as others who are just as confused and concerned as you are might be mingling on the main hub's first floor. Hopefully, you find a familiar face among the crowd. If not, that's all right. You'll get to know quite a few people very well soon enough.
- If you're one of the unlucky few whose death required a bit more intensive re-coding to maintain stability in the simulation, you'll instead awaken on a bed in the infirmary. Everything is strikingly white save for the occasional string of vines with lavender growing in bursts to help keep people calm. Whether or not it works seems to be on a case-by-case basis.
While there is active medical staff, the voice of The Peacekeeper is also there to explain the situation in a more delicate manner to these individuals. It's already stressful enough having to have gone through such a violent death, after all!
If characters want more questions answered, they'll need to speak to The Peacekeeper directly. But first, it will encourage socialization in the main hub and hopefully, you'll find someone you recognize to make taking things in a little easier.
WHAT
The thirteenth Amani TDM!
WHEN
September 20th, 2023 (and until the next TDM!)
KINKS OF THE MONTH
★ Tantric Sex
★ Body Worship
★ Cuddle Fucking
★ Electrostimulation
★ Quirofilia
★ Body Worship
★ Cuddle Fucking
★ Electrostimulation
★ Quirofilia
WHAT'S YOUR DTF STATUS?
If the main hub and its features don't appeal to you, that's perfectly fine. This is the perfect time to configure your Digitized Technical Friend or your DTF status. A DTF is similar to a dæmon from His Dark Materials in that it is connected to and a reflection of a character's soul. These DTFs take shape accordingly and are projections similar to the NPCs. Think of them as your own personal Clippy except less annoying. Hopefully.
Once that's set-up, there are other locations of the main hub to investigate! You can visit the training grounds, music lounge, library, and onsen. Also, feel free to leave an offering for the resident deity of sleep (Hypnos) at his shrine! You can even visit The Peacekeeper themselves on the second floor. They're always happy to have visitors! They're also conveniently where you might place a complaint about that status of the main hub and its amenities. Even if you do complain, The Peacekeeper will encourage others to set off and find their own place to live out in the simulation.
Granted, the housing market in the afterlife isn't exactly robust. It doesn't help that every place you find has a leaky roof or broken window. No, unfortunately, that will need to be fixed the peaceful way. If you'd like more lighting or even cozier clothes, simulation inhabitants are reminded that 'peaceful interactions' are very important!
It might be a good idea to stick close to someone you know, for now, since even the smallest amounts of intimacy might see subtle changes occurring where they're staying. Perhaps that broken window is now fixed, the grime and dust seem a little less, or the floor doesn't creak quite as loud.
Larger changes, however, will only come after demonstrating more powerful peaceful interactions. If you want new hardwood floors or a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you're going to have to demonstrate how well you 'get along' with others against them first.
BASKETS OF PEACE
"Hello, inhabitants," speaks The Peaceekeper, "have you had a check-up recently? While we don't have to worry about disease here in Amani, your sexual health is still important in so many other ways!" It was recently suggested that perhaps they haven't been the most mindful in terms of encouraging inhabitants to have healthier sexual habits. No time like the present to work on correcting that oversight though.
How? With a gift basket, of course!
Each inhabitant - either new or established - will receive a gift basket full of fun things to try. Each one includes (but is not limited to):
How? With a gift basket, of course!
Each inhabitant - either new or established - will receive a gift basket full of fun things to try. Each one includes (but is not limited to):
- ★ Male and female condoms (flavored and unflavored)
★ Edible lubricant
★ Erotic dice + erotic card game
★ Bottle of wine
★ Heart-shaped bath bombs (aphrodisiac-laced)
★ Bondage lace eye mask + wrist/ankle bindings
TRIPPING OVER TROPES
Due to the influence of Dirk Strider and Rose Lalonde both, The Peacekeeper has learned about an interesting phenomenon known as 'fanfiction.' It has studied the topic intensely for the last couple of days to try and learn more about its literary significance amongst the multiverse. It is an interesting insight in some of the inhabitants' cultures and what 'tropes' appear to be more common depending on the circumstances.
Unfortunately, such an influx of information sees the AI running Amani a bit more distracted than usual. The simulation - at least for a few days - is a bit more prone to glitches as a result. Only these aren't the usual ones like a hole in reality someone falls through and ends up somewhere unexpected.
No, these ones are as if the NPCs and inhabitants both residing in the simulation are having their pathways forcibly rewritten. It isn't very obvious, at first. Perhaps you're feeling a bit clumsier than usual and need to chase after a rogue piece of paper carrying on the wind that leads you running right into your current crush. Or maybe something gets unexpectedly spilled on you and the person you like is suddenly offering the shirt off their back (and leaving them shirtless, of course) even if it's out of character.
Finally, inhabitants might really start to catch on when whatever dwelling they enter there is only one bed. Have roommates? Too bad, looks like you might have to share for a bit! Oh, no, how unfortunate... However do you think this scenario will end? The Peacekeeper knows since, well, it's the one unwittingly writing inhabitants into these romance trope scenarios.
Thankfully, it will snap back to 'reality' within a few day's time having learned that, as with most good things, fanfiction should be taken in with moderation in mind.
Unfortunately, such an influx of information sees the AI running Amani a bit more distracted than usual. The simulation - at least for a few days - is a bit more prone to glitches as a result. Only these aren't the usual ones like a hole in reality someone falls through and ends up somewhere unexpected.
No, these ones are as if the NPCs and inhabitants both residing in the simulation are having their pathways forcibly rewritten. It isn't very obvious, at first. Perhaps you're feeling a bit clumsier than usual and need to chase after a rogue piece of paper carrying on the wind that leads you running right into your current crush. Or maybe something gets unexpectedly spilled on you and the person you like is suddenly offering the shirt off their back (and leaving them shirtless, of course) even if it's out of character.
Finally, inhabitants might really start to catch on when whatever dwelling they enter there is only one bed. Have roommates? Too bad, looks like you might have to share for a bit! Oh, no, how unfortunate... However do you think this scenario will end? The Peacekeeper knows since, well, it's the one unwittingly writing inhabitants into these romance trope scenarios.
Thankfully, it will snap back to 'reality' within a few day's time having learned that, as with most good things, fanfiction should be taken in with moderation in mind.
FRUITS OF FALL
Last year, there was an emphasis on apples but there are plenty of other common fruits to be found growing throughout Amani. Due to The Peacekeeper learning about tropes though, some of them will have a temporary effect in that vein on any inhabitant who eats them.
And what are those effects, exactly? Well...
And what are those effects, exactly? Well...
- ★ Pomegrante » Usually a fruit associated with femininity, eating this will actually see your concept of gender be a little more malleable. Characters will suddenly see new sliding scales in their DTF's menu that allows them to decide how feminine, masculine, or in-between they'd like their physical forms to be!*
★ Blackberries » Eating a handful of these berries will see someone's personality flip on its head. Those usually happy-go-lucky and bubbly will now be morose or upset about every little thing. Thankfully, it doesn't last long... even if the damage to your relationships from your unexpected shift in mood might. Oops.
★ Peaches » Often used in modern text language as a sensual symbol, this fruit will see someone swap kinks with another individual in the simulation. Get ready for some really confused boners, everybody!
★ Grapes » These fruits are meant to be a shared experience since just one person can't be expected to eat a whole bunch of them; however, eating a grape at the same time as someone else will see you sharing more than just a meal. Now, you're sharing experiences in one the most intimate ways of all - by swapping bodies and all that means.
SEXY STAMP CARD
If you're wondering about these 'peaceful interactions' that keep being mentioned or what the kinks of the month are for... Here's your answer! Upon arrival, all characters will receive a digital copy of their very own sexy stamp card.
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!NOTES
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!
★ *While this effect of the gender sliding scale will be opt-in entirely and only temporary, it is a feature that inhabitants can purchase in the future with stamps if they'd like!
★ We are currently at 30/40 slots taken! Anyone wishing to claim a character must have an invite from someone currently in the game and follow the proper rules in place to be accepted into the community!
NAVIGATION
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Rose clears her throat. She has a tendency to ramble.
"The manager of Amani--you probably encountered it, the Peacekeeper--is fully artificial, so it's still learning what living beings enjoy or can reasonably tolerate. It understands that some people consider oysters an aphrodisiac, and others swear by chocolate's seductive properties, but it doesn't understand why a blended concoction of the two might be undesirable. And it doesn't understand the difference between good erotica and bad erotica... yet." Rose is a woman on a mission, though.
"One of the first arrivals in Amani founded this library, but was disappointed by its singular focus. He founded a school right nearby--you've probably seen it passing by--and it has more varied resources, as well as details about other worlds. You can even sign to give permission for the school to provide detailed information about your world of origin, if you like.
"Kind of a frustrating lack of real teachers, though. But I guess adolescent 'hot for teacher' fantasies can only entertain for so long."
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It's fine, Joshua has a tendency to ramble, too.
"But creatures from my world, appearing here...could well be a disaster. What manner of creatures found their way to this place from your homeland?"
He listens to the rest with his head slightly tilted, seeming unfazed by the casually sexual turn her explanation takes. "Fully artificial? Are these NPCs not the same?"
That bit about giving permission grabs his attention as if the words were magnets and he, a piece of iron. "Detailed information of what kind? Might it be possible to read that which I myself, nor any others here from my star, could know?"
The question takes hold of his mind such that he barely even registers what she says about teachers and the sexual fantasies thereof.
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Shit. Now that Joshua's mentioned it, it seems inevitable. It gives Rose visible pause.
Well, with that foreshadowing out of the way, there's nothing to do but keep going on. Rose cocks her head, trying to decide how to explain artificial intelligence to a medieval guy. "The NPCs are definitely artificial. I was making a distinction between the Peacekeeper--who's an intelligent being crafted by other intelligent beings--and the likes of you and I. We're just a little artificial, in the sense that we're copies or projections of that 'information' we were just discussing. Apparently our real bodies are somewhere in the real world."
Maybe that was a lot, but Joshua seems to enjoy exposition. So much, in fact, that it's a little cute. It's fun to have a "rival" bibliophile.
"So far the information that's shown up about my 'star' has taken the form of books and records that existed somewhere, at some time, on my world(s). But judging by your outfit and manner, I'd guess you come from a world where most libraries were owned by the rich and powerful, and a single fire could wipe out centuries of records. So odds are good that you'll find knowledge this way that you wouldn't have, back home."
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"Are we?" Copies or projections, that is. He looks down at his hands for a moment, as if he could somehow see that which made him a copy rather than the real Joshua, before he glances back up at Rose. "But it is our bodies you say are elsewhere. What of our souls? Is this my true consciousness, my true will, or simply a more complex facsimile?"
And either way - what does it all mean for Barnabas? He didn't seem any different, but then, all they really did was fight. And it isn't as though Joshua knew him all that well to begin with. Hmm.
He gives Rose an amused half-smile. "My outfit and manner? Are you familiar with Valisthea, then? Or have you found some pattern in such signs? But you have the right of it - I spent most of my life in search of knowledge about a single being and found only crumbs, until I was able to put my hands on the very last copy of a chronicle thought lost to history. But here..."
He pushes away from the table, straightening up. "If what you say is true, we may unearth the answers to questions we had not yet even thought to ask. Rose, if you would do me the kindness of pointing me toward this document awaiting my signature, I would be most grateful."
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Rose isn't trying to make light of Joshua's concerns. Rather, a hint of a smile expresses self-deprecation. She's been called a bore often enough.
"As for finding patterns in signs, that's essentially my calling--when I'm not ruling the stacks as the Queen of Books, lest we forget. And sure, just go out that door, walk past the unsettlingly-yonic water-tunnel, and... actually, why don't I just guide you?"
Rose doesn't worry too much about the stack of books. They'll be here when she has less important things to do.
"Out of curiosity, what kind of information about your world would you be seeking?"
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He's not sure what 'yonic' means, but since she offers to guide him anyway, he figures he'll find out when they pass it. He nods his agreement. "Your calling? How so?" Perhaps she's like Vivian, an advisor to those who must keep track of many moving parts to prevail in a war or political plot.
As they leave this first library behind and walk toward the second, he answers her question. "Historical. The older, the better. My homeland is scattered with the ruins of a fallen civilization, far beyond the progress of our own. Until very recently, we knew nothing of it save what few scattered and contradictory legends survived secondhand. Even now, many of the details elude us - details that, could we but unearth them, might spare the people decades or even centuries of hardship."
Not to mention that the more Joshua can learn about Ultima, his place of origin, and the extremities of what his people were capable of, the better for figuring out whether Dion's theory about this place might hold true.
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Rose leads the way, carrying her purse over one shoulder. As they pass a carved-looking tunnel without further commentary on the topic, Rose doesn't mind explaining herself a bit. "In my observation so far, everyone who comes to Amani was touched by destiny in some way in their reality of origin. In my case, I'm an oracle, soothsayer, seer--whichever term you prefer. I guide heroes toward auspicious outcomes, more or less." As she says this, they reach the steps leading up to the school's front door, which she pushes open.
Rose holds the door for Joshua to enter through, and points with an orange-painted fingernail at a tome next to an unwieldy collection of world atlases. "And here's your starting point. I wish you good fortune on your search." A pause--she's done her part, but there's one lingering thread of curiosity to pull. "So you intend to go back to your reality, if the opportunity presents itself?"
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Joshua spots the tunnel as much as he spots anything else they pass, but since he...doesn't actually know what a vagina looks like, the imagery is lost on him.
He pauses for a moment on the stairs as she pushes the door open. "Auspicious outcomes for whom, if you don't mind my asking?" He's still just as polite as ever, but there's a faint undertone of wariness in his tone and demeanor.
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"Now that is a good question." She cocks her head and looks off into the distance as if she's thinking of how to answer. "If we assume I'm being honest, forthcoming, and clear in my guidance--none of which I'm obligated to be, mind you--then my advice would certainly lead the recipient on a path that's auspicious for them."
Her lilac-colored eyes lock back onto Joshua, and she waits for his next good question. Will he pierce to the heart of things?
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He meets her gaze with his bright blue one, perhaps not piercing so much as steadily burning.
"I most certainly would not assume you to be any of those things, were you to speak a prophecy to me. But by whose judgment is a 'hero' declared? Yours? A god's?"
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Rose actually does take a few moments to think about this one, stroking her beardless chin. How to condense over a decade's worth of learning, to say nothing of her own divine insight?
"I'd say fate chooses--no, that's not right. Fate calls, and heroes are those who answer. Gods and prophets alike merely recognize or acknowledge what the hero's actions prove. A bystander might want very badly to be a hero, but he will never have the combination of both traits and opportunity to fill the role.
"For example, I'm a Seer, but I'm not unique in that. In your own story you might have known at least one person of unusual insight, a cleric or sage whose talents and experience rose to meet a dire need. Maybe they were old, crippled, cowardly, or just unlucky--what matters is that by the time things came to a head, they were ill-suited to the front lines, yet undeniably essential to a cooperative venture. The role was necessary, a mantle that needed filling, and someone rose to the occasion for the benefit of all.
"Or maybe nobody did. A destined tale bereft of a Seer sounds either simple or very untidy, but not impossible."
What an interesting thought exercise.
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"Quite a detached way of speaking about real people's lives you have," is where he begins, brow slightly furrowed. "Indeed, I know several who were crucial to our success as you describe, but they were no oracles. Simply people with exceptional intelligence, experience, and resources, as well as the drive to stand by our cause."
This, as it happens, is no mere thought exercise to Joshua.
"Then, from whence you hail, fate is its own will, apart from and set above the gods'? You would claim it has neither opinions nor feelings, nor an agenda of its own?"
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"Fate is a structure to which we are all subject, but it isn't apart from the gods, and it always has an agenda. It serves and suborns the gods, as a book binds its own writer." Maybe Joshua is religious and Rose is blaspheming right now, but from his tone she doubts it. She hazards a guess based on context clues: "But if your goal is to slay a god who claims dominion over fate, it's only wise to second-guess its mouthpieces."
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Fortunately for Rose's rating on the blasphemeter, Joshua isn't religious at all. The natural result, perhaps, of being yourself the demigod your people sort of venerate. At least, for people who aren't megalomaniacally selfish
coughUltimacough.His expression turns thoughtful as she explains. As a book binds its own writer...he might have had something to say about that, was he not distracted by her remarkably sharp insight.
"I assure you, on my world, we have. And silenced them, when we had need of it." It doesn't sound like a threat, though - just a fact. "There, fate's calling was worse than a death sentence for anyone who answered, and they most certainly were not heroes. From whence does your wisdom come, Seer?"
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Back in the game.
"I suspect we might be using the word 'fate' differently. Which is fine. For the sake of clarity, when I speak of fate, I mean the tendency of certain worldwide patterns to repeat, and to fulfill themselves through the actions of extraordinary people. For instance, 'an unlikely collection of warriors fights overwhelming odds to defeat an oppressive, omnipotent-seeming force,' or 'the elements are out of balance, and must be stabilized through a sacrifice,' or 'the kingdom remains sick until the king is cured.' If you continue showing others the curiosity you've shown me, I suspect you'll start to notice certain patterns yourself. I'm not special that way.
"The part that's special about me is that I've glimpsed the machinery of creation whence sprang every world touched by such destiny. I can see connections and details other can't, and advise others on the best available means to achieve a desired end. I can see what's likely, or even what's necessary, but I wouldn't call that wisdom. Knowledge itself doesn't grant good judgment or good morals. And now, with all that said,"
Rose breathes in and out through her nose.
"I hope what I've said is enough to allay your suspicions of me. There's a line between curiosity and interrogation, and I noticed we crossed it a little ways back."
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And that little mini-spat appears to have no impact on his willingness to listen and converse. He nods thoughtfully to her description of what 'fate' means to her. "I see. On my star, 'fate' was no tapestry of roles and patterns, but the long-ago laid plans of a self-proclaimed creator god to see humanity stripped of all free will and then sacrificed to his selfish quest to undo his own disastrous missteps."
Her less-than-gentle rebuke has him tilting his head at her. "Was appearing suspicious not your aim? After all, you are obligated to be neither honest, nor forthcoming, nor clear in your guidance, as I recall." But then he nods with a somewhat formal air, almost more a bow of the head. "However, I am reasonably satisfied that you are not working toward the machinations of some malevolent force, yes."
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Rose huffs at Joshua's newest question. "I wasn't trying to--" Well, wasn't she? Doesn't that sort of approach, providing information while pointing out why it shouldnt be trusted, sound familiar to Rose? What was she trying to accomplish? After a moment of thought, she starts over.
"...my specific title is the Seer of Light. In context, one might parse this as 'one who points others to what's most important.' It's what I am, and I enjoy it. But actually, whenever there wasn't some big crisis to resolve... most of my friends weren't really curious about the 'big picture' stuff. Not that anyone owes me interest, it's just... you get tired of being tuned out after a while."
Joshua's smart enough to put together the rest, Rose assumes. She'd rather not have to spell out any more clearly that she's a lonely nerd who got overexcited to talk about her interests.
"I clearly misread your understandable suspicion as garden-variety skepticism. I'll have to keep an eye out for that in the future." She'd probably be better off calling herself a fortune-teller than anything grandiose like a Seer or Oracle... but the grandiosity is fun.
Ah, well. Not everything fun is meant to be.
"Anyway, thanks for the vote of convidence." She decides not to inform Joshua that she arguably is working toward the machinations of a malevolent force.
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His eyes alight with interest when she mentions her title. "Seer of Light...have you counterparts for the other elements as well?"
He gives her a slight, sympathetic smile. "To some extent, I understand. My brother's attention span for my endless theorizing has never been particularly long." It isn't Clive's fault - not a lack of interest, Joshua knows. He's simply...well, sort of like Torgal. Focused on the task in front of him and not much else, where Joshua is often focused on everything else and relies on Clive to point him back to the path. It's one reason they work so well as a team, actually.
"You are quite welcome, my lady. Now, I believe you asked me a question, and I would answer it thus: returning to my reality means returning to death. I am not opposed - such was the price I knew I would pay for my actions, and I would gladly pay it again. But, should there be another possibility, I am not so enamored with death that I would choose it over a second chance at life. It would hardly be unexpected of me, after all."
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Rose nods her appreciation of Joshua's understanding, and again to her question being answered. "I understand. What you've told me, that is, but also what it's like to make a decision knowing the price you'll pay. And being willing to pay it again if the need arises." But something about how he spoke... "It sounds like you've already had a second chance, or more?"
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Her question puts a small smile on his face. "Indeed. In Valisthea, the elements are embodied not in Seers, but in Wardens. Powerful entities of pure aether. Each chooses a human host with whom to merge, a Dominant who both controls and becomes that entity."
He lifts a hand and summons a bright, iridescent flame into his palm. "Fire alone has two Wardens, and thus two Dominants - me, and my brother. His is the fire of wrath and destruction, the flames of Ifrit. Mine is the fire that grants hope to those lost in darkness, the embers that smolder with the remnants of a bygone blaze that shall once again ignite."
He gestures and the flame in his hands rises into the air before bursting into a brief shower of flaming feathers. He catches one as it drifts down toward the floor; where the others land, they do not burn, simply dissipate. "The flames of renewal and rebirth. The flames of the Phoenix."
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She watches Joshua's brilliant display, shining feathers reflected in her eyes, and says, "That's cool. By which I mean, admirable and aesthetically-pleasing. You might be interested to know that of the Aspects that transcend worlds--such as Light, Blood, and Mind--one matched pair is Hope and Rage. The transcendent motivations that push heroes past their limits and, perhaps, the two sides of one fiery coin on your world. But..."
Does she really want to go in-depth here? Might as well, this might be relevant.
"Would I be correct in assuming one of the Wardens is Odin, and his host, Barnabas Tharmr?"
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He watches her in some fascination as she explains these other two elements - or 'Aspects,' as she puts it. "How curious, that two stars as different as ours appear to be still share such duality. How many such Aspects does your world possess?"
The moment she asks her question, Joshua's entire demeanor changes. He straightens up and takes a step toward her, as though suddenly poised to receive some urgent news. His eyes narrow and take on a certain hint of steel. Clearly, her words have lit a spark of some kind, though a spark is all it remains for the moment; none of these changes are directed at her.
"Indeed. What do you know of Barnabas Tharmr?"
Rose's power can easily identify this moment, this question, as ominously significant.
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She's hardly surprised by Joshua's response, though she does find herself subconsciously leaning back from his intensity. That's as much disquiet as she shows, though.
"I know very little of him. His DTF was collecting intelligence on who could resist him if he undertook a campaign of conquest against Amani. I'm sure your DTF could help you find the event online. He frequents Rosie's Records, and probably frequents Rosie herself. I've seen him only in passing--his ominous symbology and strategy have convinced me to steer clear.
"I'd appreciate knowing more about him, actually. While I recognize Ifrit and Phoenix as myths on the world of my birth, myths of Odin paint him as a ruthless and voracious hoarder of supernatural knowledge. And I'd just as soon not be hoarded."
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He listens closely to all she says about Barnabas. "Steering clear was the right decision. He is dangerous, and not only for the overwhelming power of his Eikon. It surprises me not that Sleipnir would do such a thing. If anyone were capable of conquering a place with no ruler to overthrow, no throne to claim, no armies to defeat, it would be Barnabas Tharmr, King of Waloed."
She derails him from that train of thought for a moment, as he gives her a curious look. "And what do your myths say of the Phoenix and Ifrit? Elidibus indicated that on his star, the Eikons are Primal beings with legends of their own that may be summoned; but on mine, they have no legends and indeed no existence outside the Dominants who host them."
...but right, they were talking about Odin.
"Barnabas certainly possesses much knowledge, but I would ascribe it to his lifespan and the deity he serves rather than a particular thirst for the knowledge itself. He is a practical and merciless man, and although he is not cruel without reason, he is devoid of personal desires, empty of most emotion, and a slave to his faith in as literal a fashion as you can conceive. He conquered a continent and destroyed an ancient kingdom when he was barely a man, with a small but unquestionably loyal and impeccably skilled force by his side. He did so by the merits of his masterful swordsmanship alone, eschewing the power of his Eikon entirely and yet still victorious. He chose to sacrifice his free will on the altar of his god, Ultima, to become akashic. In so doing, he sacrificed his mortality, as well. He ruled Waloed with an iron fist and Odin's darkness for several decades, scheming in the shadows alongside Ultima and manipulating events across the Twins with shows of effortless force and the power of Zantetsuken, Odin's sword that can cut the very fabric of reality itself."
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As Joshua describes Barnabas and his prowess, Rose ironically becomes less worried. Partially this is because more information helps her feel more in control of any situation, but more specifically because this version of Odin seems to be more focused. Nigh-infinite power is nothing to be dismissed, but it is more easily understood than a grab-bag of powers. And she can't help noting which details are likely to be Important later on.
"I'll admit to not being as studied on these myths as I could be, but the phoenix was a species of bird said to perish in a great conflagration, leaving an egg in the ashes. A symbol of rebirth, sought to bring blessings to emperors. And the efreet were a species of unclean spirit possessed with varied and strange powers, most associated with the underworld.
"Thanks for your explanation. On my world, Odin was the father of his own pantheon of mythical gods--he sacrificed one eye for wisdom, which sounds a little familiar, doesn't it. I have two follow-up questions if you don't mind: what does it mean to be akashic, and what feats of reality-cutting have you confirmed the Zantetsuken can accomplish?"
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