Hades Introduction Meeting [All PC Corsairs Invited]

[blessmefather]

Mid-month, leaders of the Corsairs send word to multiple highly regarded individuals among their ranks, asking them to go to The Vault for a meeting. To meet someone of utmost importance. His identity is to be kept secret from the Empire at all costs, and we have decided to limit the number of those who are given this information for now.

The meeting takes place behind closed doors in a small lecture hall. The Vault's higher ranking scholars, who take up most of the select crowd, are found speaking enthusiastically to each other. This is something of great interest to them and pens are at the ready.

When everyone is settled into their seats, a man rises from his seat, tapping his way to the center of the lecture floor. He fiddles with the end of his cane, smiling at the crowd and greeting them after pushing his dark glasses up his nose.

"Hi! Thanks for coming, everyone. My name is Matthias Meerdock, but please call me Matt. I was previously a private investigator, and yes, I am blind. If you're wondering, I worked with a sighted partner on cases. My other senses are abnormally strong though, so I pick up on other details. Smells, sounds... But I'm not actually here to talk to you about that."

He clears his throat and purses his lips, hesitating for a short moment at the intimidating weight of the message he bears. He pushes onward.

"The old religion says that ages ago, The Pantheon of Gods came upon a wealth of Ether, and used it to build our world. Together the gods controlled and shaped the elements to mold the lands, the Eternal Ocean, the life, and the Peoples of Esthere.

For many long years, The Gods lived among the Peoples, teaching them the beginnings of magic, and watching over the planet while the Peoples grew and established their societies. The Gods were immortal, but not eternal, and in time when one god would pass out of the world, their Will would be left behind and seek a mortal among the Peoples to elevate as an Heir to their name and power. At one time, a god would live many ages.

However, The Empire and the Church of the Divine, have made serious efforts to wipe out the religion and in turn, the Gods themselves. The Imperials want for all of you not only to worship the Emperor's will as the will of the Almighty, but to forget that the Pantheon ever existed. They have been mostly successful outside the efforts of The Vault's preservation of knowledge, and those who worship in secrecy.

I was one such worshipper, in my first life, and The Empire took my life and the lives of my fellow congregation when they discovered the hidden temple where we worshipped. All of us were slaughtered." He pauses, swallowing hard.

"As I took my last breath, I heard a voice call to me. It was the Will of Hades, and I was offered a way back to the mortal world and a second chance to help people. Long story short, I accepted the Title and have been bound to the rules the Gods laid out for each other long ago. My purpose here, as the Heir to the Title of Hades, is to restore the power of the Gods, and to protect the world as the Gods of Old once did.

I'm here to ask for your help to save The Peoples of Esthere from a problem The Empire has only exacerbated: the instability of this world. The Gods are guardians who maintain the world as it is. With the Pantheon nearly gone, natural disasters, plague, and monster attacks are becoming more common. If The Church of of the Divine have their way, the world itself will be at risk."

He takes a breath. "I understand if this is overwhelming or hard to believe. But I need your decision whether to help as soon as possible. Sorry if this is uncomfortable, but it's the quickest way to establish what I'm telling you." Matt raises his arms, cane in one hand, and a great darkness engulfs him instantly, casting a long shadow on the floor that moves separate from the lights overhead. Large horns emerge in a smokey dark fog from the black shape of his head. All present will feel the presence of death and the underworld as a sensation in their core. Those who are not ready to die might feel a moment of dread, while those who are ready will feel a sense of peace.

After a half a minute, he lowers his arms and the presence is gone. He is again what appears to be a normal human, and he flashes a cautiously hopeful smile. "Any questions?"

Comments

[singlemilletgrain]

Question 1: does Matt poop????

It's quite a familiar sensation, given that she had just died not too long ago. Though Shu is normally quite stoic regardless of whatever perturbations are occurring around her, her eyelids flutter briefly as she combats the pressure of the void with a soft exhalation.

She does have a few questions about what it means for a human to channel the power of divinity, including perhaps the crossed-off one above, but she'll choose the more relevant one.

"...Is there anything specific you request of us besides our current activities? Our goals seem to be largely aligned."

[blessmefather]

Yes, of course.

He nods his head. It's a good question to start with. "Most of our goals are shared, like you said. I expect the most common task I'll have that you're not already doing is helping to gather materials for ceremonies, surveying old temples, and lending a hand in restoring them," Matt explains. The archeology enthusiasts present from The Vault look very pleased.

"Less common but important, ever since I accepted the Title, I can feel a connection to the world. I should be able to predict certain natural threats resulting from the planet needing uh... maintenance, you could say. I can do most of the magic heavy lifting, but I can't be everywhere at once."

[singlemilletgrain]

"Now... far be it for me to generalize, for death is as much a natural part of the cycle of life as the portions we are more familiar with. But when you say ceremonies, I hope the god of death does not require the creation of death to be satisfied."

It is an unfortunate truth that some Feranmuts in her world were not exactly... benevolent. Shu would know, given that she was birthed from one of the less pleasant of the ancient gods.

"Other than that, I am sure we would be happy to assist. Now..." She pauses briefly. "You are a... human channeling the spirit of a god? A proxy?"

[blessmefather]

He really should have mentioned that in his speech. He forgets how little some people know about the gods at times, and he was already told there were people from entirely different worlds present. He shakes his head. "No sacrifices. I can help lead souls to the underworld, but I don't want more unnecessary death."

He hadn't ever been one to kill. As much rage as he had pent up inside him against the Empire, during his human life he had never killed the soldiers that he fought in the city streets at night.

"As someone who was worshipping the gods as a human up until my death, I hardly feel worthy of being considered the god Hades himself. But I also feel distinctly different from before my death. The ancient gods walked among the Peoples of Esthere, and we worship the gods as they were reborn in the past when people were elevated... Proxy might be the best word for now. The stories make it sound like that might change as the power of Hades grows again."

cw: passive death-seeking.

[freearcadia]

Harlock leans against one of the walls, listening in - while he wouldn't be considered a scholar, he had been curious about how this world operates. As Matt continues, his brow raise slightly - some things are strikingly similar to history... except apparently Gods are actually real.

A faint flinch comes over him as the man described his resurrection, his fingers digging into his arms that he nearly missed the name before his mind catches up. Hades...? Surely it wasn't a coincidence.

Again, his mind halts as the shadows writhed and changed, his heart hammering rapidly against his chest, breath catching in his throat as a kind of... warmth suffise through him - but then there's a flicker, a spark of not dread... but reluctance, not here, yes - he wants - but not here, not off his ship....

As it ended - the pirate notices that his cheek was wet... and there was an ache, a deep, longing ache in his core as he gingerly touches his face, trying to process what the hell just happened.

"I..." For once, he found himself speechless.

[blessmefather]

Matt can hear reactions from people in the crowd, including Harlock's cut off words. While dread and fear is most common, Matt is quickly learning that there will be a wide range of reactions to his other form. And why wouldn't there be when there are so many ways to live and die?

"Please, don't worry if you felt something that surprised you- that happens sometimes. And please, take a minute if you need it. I'll stick around to answer questions as long as needed." He gestures towards the door in case anyone feels the need to step out. Honestly, he is still new to this, and tries his best to draw some wise words from funerals and prayer sessions he had been to in his first life.

[freearcadia]

The man gathers and composes himself, a ragged breath escaping, still somewhat rattled - had experienced hallucinations and other mental tricks thanks to the Mazones, but this was something different, more raw and innate.

He smiled tight-lipped, as he clamp down on the impulsive urge to make a off-handed joke about his quest to find a proper grave - too many people in the past made it clear they didn't like hearing that kind of talk. "The Heir of Hades..." Harlock started quietly, as he overheard snippets - and Odin, there were many questions on his mind, as he tried to organize his thoughts. "So, Gods, or at least their... emissaries need extra hands to rebuild lost power."

"The names I am hearing are... familiar, it's rather curious." And Harlock wasn't quite one to believe in coincidences - the Mazones disabuse him of that notion.

[frost_and_shinies]

... Kaitlyn nods. She's known death, due to the nature of her previous home. Given all that is here, though... She feels both the dread and the peace. The fear of the unknown, combined with the acceptance that to be willing to fight for a cause is worth it.

"... I've died before. Will again," she said. "... I'm in."

[blessmefather]

Matt turns towards her. He's happy to have a volunteer, but he's also sure he recognizes her voice. "You're familiar," he says, smiling. "Are you...?" He remembers the name Kaitlyn, but he wants to be sure he has the right person. "The one who I met in Elysium."

[frost_and_shinies]

"Kaitlyn, yes. We met in Elysium. Must admit... When I helped you on the fly like that -" - Okay, she was kinda voluntold to do that but - "- I wasn't expecting, well, this."

She blinked. "... But still. Doesn't change much. I still will pursue saving this world."

[harlequinchimera]

Oki was there as well, taking time from her rigorous training schedule and the missions that had her working with magic, technology and surveillance, among other things.

She was watching from more or less the periphery of the room. She was understandably curious and attentive throughout, listening closely - this time taking no physical notes, but certainly mental ones.

At the end, the dark reached out beyond the mere physical presence of the man in the middle of the room and Oki was suddenly very alert indeed and on her feet. She took a couple of steps closer and paused, the slightest of smiles on her long muzzle.

"I greet you Avatar of Hades, if I may use the term, or Matt-san if I may be so bold and informal. I have known that touch almost every day of my work since my sixteenth year to this very day. I know so little of the ways of this world, but the imbalance you speak of is plain enough to see even to my eyes, and I am not a creature who uses Mahō for anything but practical means. Your aim and the aim of the Corsairs are aligned and closely indeed, I would say. I stand before you, a greyscale-compliant assassin, spy, sometime-engineer, and my question to you is a simple one. How may I or my skills be of assistance?"

[blessmefather]

"Hello!" Matt replies, amused that she speaks more formally than he does. People generally would expect it to be the other way around. "Matt-san is just fine. I appreciate the introduction and summary of your species and expertise."

He gives her listed skills a moment of consideration. "What kind of engineering do you occasionally do?"

[harlequinchimera]

She gets a thoughtful look and smiles a bit, tilting her head. "It usually involves communications and cryptography, from electronics to counterparts. Also the remote accessing of information systems. That can take bespoke hardware, depending on the technology involved. I know some of the basics for cybernetics interfaces - since I use one myself - and know a good deal about ballistics, a practical application of physics in that regard. I can and have used some reloaders for rounds, including some formidable modifications."

She gave a little bow, her demeanor genial, but her off-colored eyes were focused on Matt. He had the chimera's undivided attention.

"I... sincerely hope that answers your question, Matt-san."

[theriflespiral]

As someone whose first introduction to religion back home was being told to sit in a Russian Orthodox Church and wait for a baptism she didn't understand the purpose of, and first introduction here was rites of the Divine, well. It hardly took a cynic's heart to feel as skeptical as Natalia did when Matt showed up, and declared himself the herald of a god.

Of course, she'd seen magic-- that was hardly a matter of choice. But so far as she was concerned there was nothing to indicate the presence of a god in either Matt's speech, nor his actions.

As for what she felt...

Her heart froze, suddenly and hard, a hint of rime appearing at her feet. Neither at peace, nor dread, but a third thing.

That she felt, even briefly, connection to those who would be left behind, that she had a duty yet to fulfill, had replaced the dread, briefly, with shock.

Even then. Even then, she doubted. Surely, anyone could vibrate Ether to produce sensations that could invoke fear? These are chemical reactions, not dictates of a king. "What imbalances are you asking us to correct?"

[blessmefather]

"Accepting the Title has granted me a connection to the planet itself. I should be able to sense some oncoming natural disasters. I have the magic that comes with the Title, as you just saw, but I'm not at the level of power that can evacuate a village with the snap of a finger or hold back a flood without a struggle. I need help to prevent what can be prevented and contain the danger as much as possible."

Whether everyone present believes his story about the Will of Hades or not, he hopes the chance to save some lives will gain some cooperation.

[theriflespiral]

She wasn't exactly skeptical of his goals in that regard; Natalia suspected there would be a lot less atheists in foxholes if the gods actually answered. "Does this extend to conceptual uses of your abilities, or is it mostly literal death for now?"

[newmemorywhodis]

Link does not remember being dead. He doesn't actually know what being dead feels like, despite experiencing it. And yet, there's something...familiar, about the presence of death that the man emanates for just a moment.

He does not, however, have any questions. In fact while others raise their hands, Link just stays at the edges, paying close but quiet attention. In fact, there's an intense study to the way he looks at Matt.

It's a study that continues on even after everyone else has asked their questions, and the meeting ends.

Was this man who was a god like Hylia? Or...was he more like Zelda? This was rather different from the divinity Link was used to.

[blessmefather]

Matt is aware of Link's presence hanging back in the room after the others have filed out. The sound of his breath gives him away, of course, but with the senses he has gained, Matt can feel that Link is an unusual individual, even among the crowd he had just spoken to, Shu being the other major oddball. He turns in Link's direction and greets him.

"Are you one of the people who was brought here from another world by the Empire?" he asks.

[newmemorywhodis]

Link steps forward, and nods. Then remembers that Matt is blind, and can't actually see Link's gestures.

Right. It's just like with Rezo. He's going to have to...use actual words.

"...Yes," he says.

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl isn't a religious scholar, but they do come from a world that is exceedingly polytheistic, so that has to count for something. They know their own people's gods, and the ones that cover a druid's areas of concern.

The framework makes sense. Gods need prayer and offerings and... well, belief... to exist, and at least some gods are tied to the things they represent back home. Gods could be killed, and their mantles inherited. So far, it sounded familiar.

They could even imagine that if the Emperor and the Church knew the information Matt had just told them, and even if they believed it, they might consider it a problem for future generations.

The experience shook them. Yes, with sufficient magic, a spellcaster could fake the darkness and the sensation of dread -- Ilphyl accepts their own mortality, but just because death is a part of the natural order doesn't mean it needs to happen now. But... well, the part of Ilphyl that they try to reach during their own meditation doesn't think it's an act.

"So... what about those of us brought here from other worlds? Where do we fit in with your plan?"

[blessmefather]

Matt blinks behind his glasses. "I don't really have a different request for those of you who are from another world. If you're willing to help people evacuate when there's danger or search for old shrines to restore, I think we'll be able to work together okay."

He purses his lips. "Not sure if that answers your question. Sorry. Did I understand correctly?"

[spacetogrow]

"Help people evacuate, yeah. Shrines... I suppose there needs to be someone in charge of the dead, but I don't know what kind of person you are."

Ilphyl's home plane went through several bad 'humans took on the mantle of god of death/the dead before they ended up with the current (pretty decent) one'. Like, they might not have much choice depending on how bad things are, but they want to know if they are helping or merely appeasing the gods.

[lightnovelexperiences]

Everything that the Avatar of Hades says about his nature makes sense; Gods know they wished Mundus had the foresight to create lines of succession to prevent… what happened.

Then Matt demonstrates, and the dread grips her heart.

Deedee is terrified of dying between her lives, of leaving before she finished her business.

She takes a moment to compose herself. A long one.

Then, she bows.

“As - as psychopop of the pantheon, who do you favor? What sacrifices does the Avatar of Hades need, for us to give that you may give?”

[blessmefather]

"Please, no need to be so formal. I can hardly believe my situation, myself, to be honest," he tries to put her at ease and chuckles at himself. "I was praying to the gods myself just before my death."

"But to answer your question, Hades is responsible for the underworld and judging the dead. The good and heroic go to Valhalla which Odin rules over, and the wicked are taken away by Hel to Helheim." It's a well rehearsed explanation, not because of his position, but because of all the time he spent reading holy books as a child once.

"I don't need sacrifices. I'm only here to ask for help and offer my help in return."

[lightnovelexperiences]

"Then what should we do to help - protect, I guess, the Cult of Hades from the Imperial faith?" Deedee asks. "And, uh, I'm kind of used to the Roman model from, uh, my old home, hence the - earlier question."

This is a very unnerving experience for the professional godbotherer.