[IMEEJI] IC Inbox

[rollwillpowercheck]

Comments

[we_meet_again]

You said Asmodeus is a new prince, right? Did he take over from someone else, or are "spirits of vengeance" a new category of sinner?

[rollwillpowercheck]

...

[shrugs]

I don't know. And I don't know what counts as "new" to a demon.

[we_meet_again]

Do we know what the other categories of sinners are?

[rollwillpowercheck]

We have some pretty good guesses based on Barrett's classifications in The Magus, but I haven't memorized them all. One is "purveyors of pestilence" and one is sorcerers, though. I remember that much.

[we_meet_again]

Oh! I remember reading something about that in the Bible, when I first got here. A friend and I were trying to figure out what Heaven and Hell were.

I remember seeing sorcery listed as a sin, too, because it struck us both as strange, since magic is a gift from the gods where we're from. Seemed backwards.

I remember... mmm.. the cowardly, and ...the faithless? And "sexually immoral," whatever that means. Do those sound like the same ones you're talking about?

[rollwillpowercheck]

Well, if magic is a gift from other gods -- or beings pretending to be gods, from a Christian perspective -- a followers of the singular "true" God would see that as sinful, right? Even if it's helpful. It doesn't really make sense to me either, but there's a weird logic to it.

Those are all definitely sins, but I'm not sure if they're the ones under this particular classification... ah, Asmodeus is the demon in charge of lust under the classifications that use the seven deadly sins, though!

[we_meet_again]

Oh... Yeah, I guess that would make sense that Christianity would reject magic from other gods, I guess...? [But then why wouldn't THIS god give everyone magic, instead? ?????? well, whatever.]

Shoot, I didn't realize there were multiple classifications of sins. I don't know what all the sins are. Or the classifications, for that matter. Is that important?

[rollwillpowercheck]

It's more just... there's a lot of things that have been considered sins over the past two thousand or so years. And sometimes those got assigned to specific demons.

[we_meet_again]

Alright, gotcha.

So what are some of the major holes in our knowledge right now? What parts do we still not understand?

For example, what happens to dead people who take Heaven's offer. Are there any questions you would want to ask Asmodeus, Pythia, or Lilith?

[rollwillpowercheck]

[counts questions off on his fingers]

What happened to the real Heaven? Why are our worlds under Hell's domain, and can we do anything to change that? What politics are happening in Hell behind the scenes? Are they related to why Asmodeus wants to recruit a bunch of new demons? What's Pythia's goal in pretending to be "Heaven"?

Probably a bunch of other questions would arise once I got some answers to those.

[we_meet_again]

[Jotting the questions down in his notebook.]

Yeah, that makes sense.

One thing I want to know is, if Hell already owns all of our worlds, what happens to the people who die at home but don't make it here? Can Lilith revive them, too?

[rollwillpowercheck]

Oh... that's a good question.

[frowns a little, thinking.]

Um. I have no idea, honestly. I wonder if the issue is less "can she" and more "would she bother."

[we_meet_again]

Right... 'Cause it sounds like she's only doing revivals for us as a favor to... someone.

We don't know who yet, though, do we?

[rollwillpowercheck]

[shakes his head.]

I get the feeling she could decide she's done at any point, too.

[we_meet_again]

Probably better not to depend on it.

Though... [he frowns, looking conflicted]



...Sometimes I feel like I would rather take a chance with her than keep playing these games.

[rollwillpowercheck]

Yeah. I know. I'd absolutely do it if it meant sparing others.

[we_meet_again]

[glances at him, a little surprised. His expression is interested, not accusatory]

...Really?

[rollwillpowercheck]

Mmhm. If I didn't have to worry about my unitmates, I've always thought that I'd immediately throw a game instead of attacking another unit.

[we_meet_again]

I'm weirdly relieved to hear that!

I feel the same way. Not that I want to die and get tortured or anything, but I'd rather do that than hurt other people.

I was worried this might be similar to graduations, though, where I didn't know enough about it to make a good decision. But you being on the same page makes me feel a little better.

[rollwillpowercheck]

I wouldn't call it a good decision, but it's at least an informed one, yeah. It's not like I want to get hurt, but I don't want to hurt others, either. And it's obviously a choice the Producers don't want us to take, so it has the bonus of frustrating them.

[we_meet_again]

Yes, an informed decision is what I meant.

I know that a visit to Lilith isn't easy or pleasant, and I know the effects are permanent. I even know that Heaven apparently won't accept anyone who's been "marked by Hell." But if it's that or forcing others to die so I can live? I feel like coping with Lilith would be easier.

[guilty smile]

Killing myself just to stick it to the man isn't the main motivator here, but I have to admit it is a bonus.

[rollwillpowercheck]

I can be really spiteful when I want to be, so that part is honestly appealing. And I do want to at least meet Lilith once, if only to get a better idea of how she fits into the big picture.

It'd be a heavy price to pay, but... so's killing in games.

[we_meet_again]

Agreed.

I don't have any plans to visit her any time soon, but if I ever do... know that it's because I was trying to make the best decision I could at the time.

And I'll believe the same for you.