video | un: wisdom

[mashiara]

Right. Meet Kharil-asuk, ( she gestures to the side, where... it's incredibly difficult to tell there is a massive, unreasonably large snake god in the dappled shadows of the foliage. ) who assures he'll donate his venom if any of our number confess to him the darkest crime you've performed. He promises no retribution, only a start to redemption.

Which does not include devouring. Regardless. Please help. I can walk away and leave my pendant with him, or I can stay. As Wisdom, I've heard the best and worst of people many times before.

( She waits, expectant. Any who does confess a crime, betrayal, or sin can (on player choice) feel more at peace with it or relieved, for up to 24 hours. What brief kindness! )

Comments

[wifedup]

Mm. She did beat me three streets over, so I learnt my lesson.

( She also died, but Wen Kexing isn't going to think about that. )

So you don't believe Kharil-asuk would use these confessions for ill?

[mashiara]

That's... one form of education.

( Not the best, not the worst. Simply one form of many, and what else will she say? Nothing on that right now, because she sees in the same instance the half remembered face of her mother, her father, passing through the woods, laughing. Crying? Whispering familiar words, and gone again.

Illusions, born like the rest from the depths of her heart and mind. )

I don't believe he has that intention, or that desire. Not that he's deigned to answer in asking, which may be answer enough. Why would he deign to repeat what we've said?

[wifedup]

( He got off easy, he thinks, though the memory is painful for different reasons. )

Why would he deign to want to help at all? All things have motivations, to think they're of a charitable nature without recompense is usually a fool's game.

( Says Philanthropist Wen. But that's entirely why he's suspicious in the first place. )

A cat cuddles up to you so you'll feed it, a dog offers you company so you'll house it, a snake offers to soothe your soul, there's bound to be a need in return.

[mashiara]

In my opinion, you've already answered that question. Whatever he gains from the confession is a form of sacrifice. One of the others answering here states that's something like an offering. Which, to a god, may well be the compensation from the start.

Anything we get is deigned and unnecessary.

[wifedup]

Well, I'm certainly glad I've never put much stock in the heavens.

( Achingly polite in a way that implies he's not being polite at all. )

I thank you for your time, however. I'm afraid I just don't have anything more to offer Kharil-asuk. But I wish you luck.

[mashiara]

As long as myself and John aren't lost in this overgrown jungle, that's luck enough.

( and a sudden cessation of the communication, because she's... still partly hallucinating and Busy, and he's made his end of the conversation clear enough for her. )