[The look Jaskier returns to him is level, and also a bit surprised. Amused. Alucard, he should think, would be the last one to give any credence to any religious order.
Of course there are plenty of tales. But there is pa reason most on the Continent now ascribe to Melitele. For what else is there? The zealotry of the White Flame? The elves' old, long-forgotten gods? Even the monoliths were created by dwarves, not shaped by divine purpose. ]
The gods are hardly real, Alucard. Not as far as I can tell. There's plenty to believe and trust in, but I've yet to see any myself. There's monsters, prophecies -- true ones, even! -- and ghosts, and separate spheres and planes of existence. And yet the safest things to trust in are myself and my muses. As much as I once subscribed to the idea of Destiny... I don't know. It's much harder to hold onto now. And to recall the horrors I have seen -- I do not like to imagine they were decided upon long ago.
...I rather meant stories of them, but I take your point.
[It is a very practical sort of approach that Jaskier's articulated One Alucard can respect, and it explains some of the undercurrents of the bard's attempts to reach out to the supposed divine here.]
Sypha's people can send information from the future back to the past through methods I don't quite understand. I would never call that Destiny, but it's as close to the concept as I'm comfortable with. There's a lot to be said for one's own sense of certainty and choice above all other things.
Oh. [He brightens.] Well, obviously! But I thought you were being literal. Look, after my last trip to Solvunn, one cannot be too sure anymore.
[And the cultists he once accidentally stumbled upon on the Continent also spring to mind. That was a very awkward day for him. There are certainly influences of the beings the people here believe to be gods -- Adelwyrd is still a very heavy topic with him -- but he cannot imagine them as something more than creatures who have twisted chaos in ways that are extremely powerful. Perhaps near-incomprehensible.]
That is... utterly bizarre. Though I suppose that's just a prophecy with more words. And, like you, I prefer thinking of the free will of man more than what cosmic powers choose for us.
Even if they sometimes definitely choose. With a certain sense of humour.
That's a fair point. Your theory that the gods here are just older Summoned makes a number of aspects of them easier to deal with, in my opinion.
[Everyone's just human, in the end. Or at least, they were.]
In one case, I think it is just Sypha making sure we all meet each other at the right time. [All the warmth is gone at the last comment, and the dhampir lets out a soft snort.]
Destiny isn't real, until it feels like being a jester. That sounds about right.
Decidedly. For one, humans can be reasoned with. [For the most part. And if they cannot be reasoned with, they can at least be understood. And understanding people of all walks of life is Jaskier's greatest skill, if you asked him.
He doesn't see why that should be different with human... gods.
The Singularity, as the fae warned him, is different. It actually does feel incomprehensible. It is not human. An alien, sentient thing, that seems to directly control them.
So. The first step should be the simpler one.]
Well. They call Destiny a bitch for a reason. Not that I would ever lower myself to such vulgar language.
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cointosser) wrote2021-04-12 08:58 pm
no subject
Good, we're in agreement about the workflow.
[They're gonna just hang out with plants. Even Alucard can live with that without having a heart attack.
The question causes Alucard's eyebrows to lift slowly.]
Do...gods in your world not have petty rivalries, jealousies, and act a little over the top to the point of pulling mortals into their lives?
no subject
Of course there are plenty of tales. But there is pa reason most on the Continent now ascribe to Melitele. For what else is there? The zealotry of the White Flame? The elves' old, long-forgotten gods? Even the monoliths were created by dwarves, not shaped by divine purpose. ]
The gods are hardly real, Alucard. Not as far as I can tell. There's plenty to believe and trust in, but I've yet to see any myself. There's monsters, prophecies -- true ones, even! -- and ghosts, and separate spheres and planes of existence. And yet the safest things to trust in are myself and my muses. As much as I once subscribed to the idea of Destiny... I don't know. It's much harder to hold onto now. And to recall the horrors I have seen -- I do not like to imagine they were decided upon long ago.
no subject
[It is a very practical sort of approach that Jaskier's articulated One Alucard can respect, and it explains some of the undercurrents of the bard's attempts to reach out to the supposed divine here.]
Sypha's people can send information from the future back to the past through methods I don't quite understand. I would never call that Destiny, but it's as close to the concept as I'm comfortable with. There's a lot to be said for one's own sense of certainty and choice above all other things.
no subject
[And the cultists he once accidentally stumbled upon on the Continent also spring to mind. That was a very awkward day for him. There are certainly influences of the beings the people here believe to be gods -- Adelwyrd is still a very heavy topic with him -- but he cannot imagine them as something more than creatures who have twisted chaos in ways that are extremely powerful. Perhaps near-incomprehensible.]
That is... utterly bizarre. Though I suppose that's just a prophecy with more words. And, like you, I prefer thinking of the free will of man more than what cosmic powers choose for us.
Even if they sometimes definitely choose. With a certain sense of humour.
no subject
[Everyone's just human, in the end. Or at least, they were.]
In one case, I think it is just Sypha making sure we all meet each other at the right time. [All the warmth is gone at the last comment, and the dhampir lets out a soft snort.]
Destiny isn't real, until it feels like being a jester. That sounds about right.
no subject
He doesn't see why that should be different with human... gods.
The Singularity, as the fae warned him, is different. It actually does feel incomprehensible. It is not human. An alien, sentient thing, that seems to directly control them.
So. The first step should be the simpler one.]
Well. They call Destiny a bitch for a reason. Not that I would ever lower myself to such vulgar language.
I think we can wrap this?
[Alucard sighs, and he finally stands up from his seat of Judgement and Rolling. His destination is the kitchen, based on his lazy gait towards it.]
No, of course not. I have some remaining chicken and lemons, do you want to eat while we discuss?