Video, what are your thoughts on gods?

[runicfeathers]

[Willow's had this thought in her head for a while now and is curious with all the people on the train from different worlds, so she's finally getting brave enough to ask, even if she looks a little nervous on video.]

What are your views on deities? Are they real or are they fake?

[there's a pause before she gives her own input, getting her thoughts together properly.]

Gods in my world are... more concepts of the Mortal races of Rivaersa, as they do not truly exist themselves. Unless you count the planet herself, but most agree she's less a god, and more a living planet. We Immortals have become the idea of Gods, as we are as ancient as Rivaersa herself. The most ancient race, the Tharsi, are the closest to godly beings as any would get in my world; but again, they are not gods themselves, just a powerful and ancient race that spread knowledge through my world's inhabitants. Many "gods" of my world are merely the ancient Tharsi that bestowed knowledge upon the peoples, or any of the other ancient peoples and races. Mortals seem to take comfort in designating godly status to these ancients, which many of us find... strange and awkward at times.

Comments

[extrasaltypotato]

Thorne, do I let you take this, or...?

[thornsofmundus]

Sure!

Hi, I'm a god! But just on the Mundi, not on Earth.

[extrasaltypotato]

Her... call them siblings and parents and grandparents, if you don't mind?... are even inclined to grant boons, when not keeping the Mundi inhabitable.

I never really had much call for yours, but I found myself thankful for the least boons of Gnomon, Flamma and oddly enough Scherzo.

[thornsofmundus]

Well, if you have rations on you, you're probably not in as much need of mine anyway.

And I don't mind, since they're all those things in lore, even if we're siblings in creation.

[extrasaltypotato]

Forgive me if I'm inclined to give the Mundane - and gameplay - perspective. After all, that's where I'm coming from.

You do have to admit your father's gift for identification has saved me from several curses so far.

[thornsofmundus]

That's true! And I do think of Dada Scherzo as sort of a parental figure, even though it was Mom and the dev team that really raised me, with a little help from Papa.

Anyway, I'm glad the least blessing helped.

[extrasaltypotato]

...come to think of it what are your holy days? Eranda and Scherzo have much more public celebrations, but yours has always been more of a mystery cult. The woodscrafty tended to keep to themselves, for all Sekhmet relied on your boons.

[blue_ice]

I've been reluctantly forced to conclude that they exist, but they can be challenged.

[runicfeathers]

[that makes her raise an eyebrow.]

What forced you to believe in them?

[blue_ice]

I met them. They're powerful, and awe-inspiring, sure. But free will is still the strongest force there is.

voice

[blitzcheer]

I don't really know a lot 'bout gods, to be honest. 'Cept there's two out there who do whatever they want with people I care about, and I'd really like to have a word with.

[ The 'with my fist' implied in tone there. ]

But I dunno, other than that. I guess they're real? We've got them on the train. [ Eh. ] They're there.

[ That's his conclusion: 'They're there'. ]

[runicfeathers]

[she catches the implied tone well enough to draw even more curiosity.]

What kind of word with them are you wanting? [That makes her pause, gods exist on the train?] Which ones are they? If such a god exists, then I'd like to meet one.

[blitzcheer]

These gods? Nooo no, unless you wanna help me kick their asses. They take people to fight in their squabbling 'cause one wants to defeat the other or whatever. And they make everyone come back after each fight, killin' and revivin' them just to fight again.

'Stead of us fighting each other, I say they're the ones that need a good pounding!

[singerofspells]

I've been told that many humans consider the Powers that Be deities. You'd have to ask a human about what being a 'deity' means. I can try to explain the Powers but...

... they don't live inside of time the way we do. So the same Power might seem to be very different as you met the same person when they were a child and when they were an elder. Add in that they work with wizardry in a way that even wizards don't have the experience or senses to achieve. Sort of the difference between swimming as a human, and as a fish, only... more so.

[runicfeathers]

I would like to hear more about these "Powers" if that is okay with you?

[you've got her attention now]

[singerofspells]

I can try to. You can also talk to Nita and Dairine, as they are from the same world as I am; each species has its own perspective. Nita and Dairine are both human. And while all... nearly all wizards have encounters with one of the Powers in particular, Nita's had more than her share.

[Not Here]

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Nita sneezes.]

[zechs_isonfire]

Based on what I've seen thus far?

That answer appears to be dependent on the context of your reality.

[laurefindil]

Iluvatar is quite real. Persephone is quite real.

The Valar are considered by some on my world as gods, but they do not see themselves as such, so we elves do not consider them so.

But it is a word...do you define it the same way I do?

[Voice]

[10billionpercent]

Some people believe that, I don't, personally. I've never seen any evidence that would suggest that gods exist in my world, but I suppose that may not be the case for other worlds.

Video.

[mtsilver_conquor]

The god-species of my world are very real and very powerful, though like you're world, they're not actual deities. Science proved that a long time ago.

I've had the chance to meet a few of them in person.

[runicfeathers]

God... Species? And you've even met them?

That could describe our Tharsi, a godlike species but are not gods. Like my own kind.

[mtsilver_conquor]

Yeah. Nowadays we know they're not gods but very powerful species of pokemon, but it doesn't change the fact they're powerful. That you either move or end up obliterated.

If you want, I can show you images of the Four and my pendant that signifies they're the main ones I follow?

[reluctantjinrou]

I don't know much about Gods or religion, but I'm fairly certain there are some because holy items seem to be fairly effective. Why that is, I couldn't say.

[runicfeathers]

There are many items that can be given a holy aspect, magic can enchant things to be such ways even without religion

[reluctantjinrou]

While I have to admit my world has things in the supernatural realm, magic like that doesn't exist. The relics are made by ordinary people. There are no spells or anything like that, the power comes from the collective, maybe. I'm not clear on that. Places or things that people assign meaning to in the name of gods, is what it seems like.

[runicfeathers]

Your world has no magic? Then how does it survive, exist, LIVE even? How do you connect with nature and hear the earth beneath you?

[Willow.exe has stopped working. Never did she imagine a world without some form of magic existing!]

[reluctantjinrou]

It was created over a long time, and most things on the planet are alive, but the planet itself isn't an organism.

[ He sighs a little bit. ]

Most people aren't interested in connecting with nature. Those that do aren't doing it in a magical way just maybe a spiritual one. I've never heard anything from the Earth. What is it supposed to sound like?

Video

[consider8]

[She takes a moment before responding.]

A while ago I would say no. It's illogical to believe in powers or the existence of things that did not appear to exist.

But then I was touched by a song that I felt in my soul, and I became aware of a world beyond the senses. I do believe there is more of us and more in us... but I don't know if our knowing or naming that which lies beyond or senses is something we can actually do.

[runicfeathers]

A song? How curious, what was this song like?

[consider8]

[She hesitates a bit, biting her lip with a smile. But, no, she asked and so she will sing the song that has been resonating with her soul ever since she heard it.]

[Though she doesn't know the words, she sings with las the song that changed everything.]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

I'm a god. Hell, Elfnein's a god. We all got swept up into a freaking Heaven and stuck in the roles of gods that SHOULD have been pre-existing or something. Trust me when I say it sucked and most gods are giant idiots. They're totally real, though.

Video

[sos_pilot]

... I feel like I might be kinda underplaying the point you're trying to make but, uh, I have a goddess as one of my BFFs?

[wisdominshadows]

Technically, a god can be anything from a local spirit to a great elemental guardian to one of the creatrixes themselves. In that sense, it is a remarkably imprecise term.

The former two brethren, at least, are indubitably true. The last? I would not disregard them lightly.

[Not when she carries a fraction of the power of the Three within her, at least.]

[springforth]

Hard to say if I find the idea of myself real or fake. I think humans get some things wrong about deities if they don't like them but we're as real as anyone else. At least in my world.

Gods as beings are usually designated so by mortals after all. So it's hard to say what would qualify as a god to you if immortal and powerful and bestowing boons upon mortals doesn't qualify. Is it just that you don't like being called a god?

[nutkrusher]

I beat the shit out of one once. So I'd say the gods have to believe in me now.

[salutosinedelectat]

Oh, they are quite real.

[ Aziraphale is very casual as his voice pops up in a video response. He's managed to actually set it up in a single go by now, which he's quite proud of. ]

So much is true where I'm from, but with all of the worlds and all of the possibilities, I do believe there's many different concepts and kinds of deities. I've met some myself, in other places.