( video )

[heelies]

[The video feed begins on a close view of a face, revealing a stern set of eyes and a curve of nose but little more. Then the picture shakes as a new perspective is gained. The man who comes into view posesses a princely bearing and wears well the mantle of importance. His voice belongs to one who is accustomed to being listened to.]

I am told that this is the way that men call others to counsel in this land, and so as strange as it seems to me to address those whom I see not, I shall follow the local custom. I am Achilles, son of Peleus — Peleus who rules the fertile plains of Phthia, and who claims for his own worthy father Aeacus, judge of the House of Hades. New as I am to this land, which is farther from my dear native land than even the windy plains of Ilios, I bear many questions, but the first in my heart is this.

What deathless gods watch over the city of Lunatia? I have seen no temples built to honor Zeus who bears the aegis, nor bright-eyed Athena, nor Phoebus Apollo. Where are the priests who aid in the rituals of sacrifice, the seers who interpret the will of the gods in bird-signs? Surely, a city so rich as this, with precious silver trimming its houses, and all manner of riches I have never before seen — surely its people have the benison of the gods. Yet I see no practices that would suggest such reverence. Tell me, therefore, the ways to honor these gods who to me are so mysterious.

Comments

[video]

[hagrides]

[Achilles' video gets a video in return, so that Achilles gets to see a human-sized bug answering his question. Because adjusting wasn't hard enough on him already.]

Well met, Achilles. I am Grimm, vessel to the god that is known in my lands as the Nightmare King, and known in your lands not at all.

The powers that reside here may take even gods from their homes. Such mysterious forces may have no need of worship, or do not desire it.

[heelies]

[What a hideous creature! Yet is speaks like a man, which lends credibility to its claims that it serves a god.]

What manner of god is that, who calls himself the solemn name of Nightmare King?

Moreover, what force is great enough to move gods? There is none but Fate that rules over the deathless gods — almighty Zeus himself cannot deny the course Fate must follow. So what is this you are saying? No gods grant this land their favor? How can this be?

[hagrides]

[Vessel is slightly more literal in this case, but that's probably the easiest way to think about it.]

Perhaps Fate has brought you and I, and he. Perhaps we are merely ignorant as to greater forces at play. Regardless, there are no gods commonly worshipped in this land.

video

[bigredcheese]

Holy moley... Are you like the real Achilles?

[And now Solomon's telling him how weird and rude that sounded. Whoops!]

Sorry, I mean... you're a legend where I'm from. I don't know much about the gods around here, but I think you should be fine honoring yours still.

[heelies]

I know of only one Achilles, and I am that man.

[His expression brightens then.]

You have heard tales of my feats in the bloody jaws of battle? How it gladdens my heart to know that my name has traveled so far! Tell me, what do you call your dear native land?

Moreover, I have no intention of ceasing in the honors I pay to the gods, for however far I may be from the shadow of steep Olympus, I fear the gods as every decent man should. [Although sometimes he has not feared them enough...] I thought only that while I am in this strange land, I ought to honor too the gods who dwell here.

[bigredcheese]

Oh, um... I'm from Fawcett City. And I'm Captain Marvel, by the way! Since I know your name and you don't know mine...

[Why is this so much weirder than the little voices that guide him? Or maybe it's weird because of those?]

Hmmm. Some people on here might know, but I also think you might be better off asking around in person. Since then you're getting it directly from the source!

[foolishjustice]

[...Well, it's not like this is the first historical figure he's met.]

The gods worshiped here are connected to the moons. There are shrines on the third level of the city to pay respects, though I don't know what sort of offerings they prefer. I can tell you, though, that each god has three holy animals that people blessed by their moon manifest traits of when it's half full or more.

[heelies]

Yes, I have heard of the three moons that share the night sky. Then is each one tended by a goddess, as Artemis of the silver bow is guardian of the moon I have known my whole life? So too like Artemis, these goddesses give their blessing to their favorites of the animals that roam forest and field.

It seems to me that the best way to honor a god is to offer to the flames the rich fat of ox's thigh bones, but here I have not one ox. Gone are my herds and flocks, and the store of prizes that I won by dint of spear in the bloody jaws of war. I have little to offer the gods — prince though I am in my native land, here I am little more than a migrant. Yet even so I will find some offering or another to give.

[foolishjustice]

Each moon has its own associated deity, yes. The best offering might simply to do what they've brought us here for, though...depending on whether or not you know anyone already here, it can be something of a daunting task.

I'm sure the Prismals explained to you the concept of Chroma and moonlacing, right? Finding someone you're comfortable being physically affectionate with produces a form of energy that seems to be necessary for living creatures. Since we all have a connection to one of the moons, the natives think the gods brought us here to generate Chroma after they lost the ability to produce it around two-hundred years ago.

video

[distort]

[ her selfie cam is flawless, with the perfect angle and moody lighting that leaves her cast half in shadow ... and looking kind of blue?! must be a trick of the light. either way, she looks ever so slightly amused. ]

Achilles. Are you really? Now there is a face to meet in a strange crossroads like this.

[heelies]

What reason have I to lie about my name? The Achilles you must have heard of in story and song, that man is me. To know that my name has traveled so far, it puts me at peace and makes proud my heart.

[distort]

Well, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. A glaring weakness is an embarrassing legacy, I would say.

video

[thedarkbond]

[Well, this is an interesting one to meet. Ren's seen a few historical figures here, but ancient Greece has mostly passed by his purview so far. So what Achilles gets is a man with long red hair and red eyes, pupils slitted akin to a snake, resting his chin on one hand with a gently curious air.]

I've heard there are actually some gods and immortals among the Moonblessed, but none of them are worshipped here. The gods of this world seem to almost be...embodiments, maybe, of the moons that bless us when we arrive. Which would explain where the blessings actually come from...

[Ren's tone is a little train-of-thought and meandering, but he at least sounds like he's familiar with how things go here.]

[heelies]

I am told that I am blessed by the moons, but what I do not understand is why these goddesses have chosen me, nor why they would choose any who have honored them not. For being of such far-flung lands as we are, how could we know of them until we arrive here?

[thedarkbond]

That's true, but it means you're not the only one who was chosen without honouring them. All we know is that this world needs an energy source they call Chroma, but the people from here can't make it anymore. The people like us who are brought here can, so maybe the gods blessing us is more to help their people.

voice.

[courtmagic]

Just because you don't see doesn't mean it does not exist, Achilles, son of Pelus. Perhaps this land's gods are content to see their people flourish, and living good lives is the tribute they demand. No more formalities than that.

[heelies]

I hear you, yet I see you not. Why do you conceal your face?

Moreover, what god can remain content when mortals have forgotten from whose benison their good lives come? What god is so shy as to prefer being ignored to being honored?

[courtmagic]

One you know not of, for those that guard your land are filled with more pride than that. There is much to be gained in watching one's chosen work their way towards a happy end, if there is not much to seek.

But my face, since you asked.

[he'd really just forgotten he'd left it on the voice setting until he was called out. whoops...easy enough to make it video, however.]

I'm pretty sure if you personally wanted to make offering to your gods, you wouldn't find anyone complaining, though.

video;

[ciao]

[ excuse this one, he had opened up communication through a video response, but he kind of just had this dumb smile for a moment before finally snapping to with a very verbose greeting ]

Ciao, Achilles, ciao~!

I'm Venezia Italia and I'm a fan of your work, but more than that I'm so very glad to see you've been adapting well so far! As for the gods of this land, I'm sure that people have already explained the gods and their associations with the mooncycles.

It appears that if the adventure to tending to dragon eggs was any indication, that simply partaking in moonlacing is tribute enough for the gods and to keep this land flourishing. Of course if we don't partake we suffer in varying degrees, none of which I recommend experiencing.

As far as I've seen there doesn't seem to be much in the way of sacrifices thus far, but it could be that it's a special event we have yet to bare witness to. Every so often there are festivals where we celebrate and learn a little more about certain gods, so there's always a chance that there's something just around the corner.

[heelies]

Well met, Venezia Italia. Here is another who knows my name — you do gladden my heart, for this is the glory I sought when against my mother's wishes I followed the sons of Atreus to Dardanus' land. In this, at least, it seems I chose well.

It is only natural that the gods should punish those who honor them not. Then if it is true that the sister goddesses of the moons ask only that we lie with one another, as is they way between men and women — or lace with one another, as they say — one should expect to suffer when he neglects this duty. Although, I cannot imagine what man would not wish to lace thus! Perhaps he is not so comely of feature and therefore cannot catch a wife with even the sweetest words.

[Life must be hard for ugly people. :(]

Very well, I shall have to observe the local festivals that I may learn more of their ways. Yet if the moon-loving Prismals do not practice the rites of sacrifice, I wonder how I might find suitable offerings to share with the wide-seeing gods who make their home on steep Olympus. It shames a man to forget the dear native land whence he came.

[ciao]

I was born a descendant of Rome, but have always had a great appreciation and love for the tales from Greece. Yours happens to be a very popular one, adapted into many languages and so many formats over time, though nothing quite comes close to the original in that respect.

[ the humor is far from lost on italy, instead there’s a moment of much amusement before clearing his throat some ]

While it is easier to gain attentions when one is attractive, it’s difficult to keep it unless there’s something else offered. After all there is beauty all around, and some of it is rather unexpected in its form. But yes, it does seem an easy way to please the goddesses of this world, though I would be careful because some of their blessings have some trickery that not everyone is very open to. Although that should be expected when it comes to dealing with the divine, I look forward to seeing what your blessing is like~

[ hearing this wondering italy can’t help but think for a moment ]

There’s no reason why you wouldn’t be able to erect a temple of your own to the god of your choosing, there’s wild game to be had in the groves as well, some familiar and others not so familiar. The dragons live outside the city limits where we’re restricted access, it seems like they’re a sacred creature in this world just as they are in others.

video

[eddas]

Behold— you shall see the one to whom you speak.

[ It is Sif, a maiden well-formed, with hair blacker than night. ]

I am the lady Sif, a goddess born, though little versed in the ways of the Olympians. [ She recognizes some of their names, and their divinity. Their emissaries sometimes traveled to the courts of Asgard. But Sif has ever cared for the songs of her own people, not those of far-off lands. ] Yet the powers of Lunatia are veiled, even to sight such as mine.

[heelies]

Lovely Sif, goddess upon whom I know not what honors to heap, I am honored that you should deign to appear to me in answer to my call. Were you to stand before me, rather than grant just this glimpse through this strange cuff, then on my knees I would bow to you in supplication.

Tell me, if you will, O goddess — are you one of the deathless gods that watches over this land, or is it another people who offer you prayers and sacrifice, another land from whence you have been torn?

[mischiefandice]

[The feed Achilles gets in answer is a video too, but it's just a little too dark to clearly make out Loki's features. The light coming from the device he's using to film himself intermittently catches his eyes or his teeth, giving the sharp lines of his face an eerie look.

Is he doing this purpose to make a dramatic entrance? Quite possibly.

When he speaks up, the tone of his voice is low, and almost dismissive]

I believe a better question would be, are they gods at all? The Prismals revere many and have plenty of stories to tell about the various divinities supposedly ruling this realm. They will tell you if you ask, but what do they know? Mortals are so easy to fool.

[A grin, then, wide and toothy.]

I went to Earth once, told a few stories, played a few pranks. They have been calling me the God of mischief for centuries, now.

[Not that he hated that, mind you. It just goes to show how easy it is, to make primitive being revere you as a God.]

[heelies]

[Achilles' features twist in bemusement as he considers all this.]

You speak as if you count yourself not among mortal men, yet you speak too as if you stand not among the deathless gods. Then what manner of being are you, who stand shadowed in such mystery?

Moreover, if they are not goddesses who guard the three sister moons that rule this land, then what are they? Your speech lacks reason, stranger.