Endgame: Discussion

[lifeaftr_mods]

ENDGAME: DISCUSSION

Who: The gods...and you
What: The gods have a discussion with themselves, each other, and all you adventurers
When: May 3rd to May 17th
Where: Primarily Ensō
Warnings: Please mark anything as it comes up!

Keep Me In Your Clouded Mind

So, by now you're probably aware that things have shifted massively in the past few days. The Historian has arrived on LifeAftr's shores to spill a few mountains' worth of beans, and now all of you are stuck having to deal with it. But that doesn't mean that you're going to need to make this discussion alone.

The fate of LifeAftr - and the fate of all of you - is now in your hands. And while all of you decide what you will about how you plan to deal with that, the gods are busy having a long overdue familial argument. Consider this log a catch-all for you to discuss the fate of LifeAftr among yourselves, react to the various revelations, ask the gods questions, or just sit and eat some popcorn while they argue amongst themselves.

Remember - you have until May 10th to come up with any solutions that other player characters can vote on.

So think long and hard about where you want things to end up.

But Now the Stars Have spoken

Of course, you are always free to create your own individual logs and posts as needed. You may also use this log for characters to discuss and react to things with each other and argue amongst themselves; consider it a catch-all for IC endgame discussion.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them over on the Questions header on our Endgame Rundown post! If you come up with a solution that enough player characters agree can be voted upon and that is feasible for endgame, be sure to drop it on the Voting header on our Endgame Rundown post once voting opens!

Endgame Timeline

[ ♆ ] May 3rd: Discussion regarding the fate of LifeAftr begins.
[ ♆ ] May 10th: Voting for endgame begins.
[ ♆ ] May 17th: Voting for endgame ends.
[ ♆ ] May 20th: Preparations for endgame begin, and you deal with the fallout of any decisions.
[ ♆ ] May 31st: Endgame begins and lasts into June.

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( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[forwearemany]

Are you willing to speak with us?

(They weren't before. They are uncertain if this has changed.)

[story_teller]

I don't believe there's time for much else.

[The words manage, somehow, to evoke a tired shrug.]

Ask your questions. I imagine you have them.

[forwearemany]

We are uncertain of where to begin.

...What of the sapient natives of this location? Will you allow them to know and have input on what has occurred?

[story_teller]

They are not my people, but...I suppose they are owed that much. This is the only home that they have ever known.

Mere germs of something in the world the preceded this one that grew into something...more. Even flourished. Perhaps without the intervention of gods, they were destined for so much more than any of our followers could have achieved.

[forwearemany]

This decision will affect them, regardless of whether they are "yours".

Would it have been possible for this world to continue existing without divine intervention?

(They don't mean now, necessarily: it is already dying. What they're trying to ask is more along the lines of ... could a world be created that would continue to exist even without the gods directly working to sustain it?)

[story_teller]

No.

It would not. It would inevitably crumble and fall to pieces. It is only due to the will of a few foolish young gods that any life is sustainable in this land at all.

[forwearemany]

(They chatter.)

Our universe of origin functions despite no apparent presence of Gods.

[story_teller]

This is not your universe of origin. The rules are different here, as I'm sure you're aware.

[forwearemany]

...Affirmative.

(Worth a try, at least. Back to the topic of sapient natives...)

The Jormun and the Roaka, they exist without divine intervention?

[story_teller]

They are...complicated.

The seeds of their origins came from the same place most everything else here does. From memory. But they developed beyond that. They became people who did not need our intervention to function.

So, yes. They complicate matters. I'm not sure Stori cares.

[forwearemany]

Then they are like us: they have evolved beyond what their creators intended.

Our interaction with the Historian indicates you are correct: they have referred to this world and the lifeforms it contains as nothing.

(Their headflaps shift, and they chatter.)

The time loop solution is non viable. However, we disagree with the Historian: the lives of those who reside in this world are not "nothing".

We wish to save them.

[story_teller]

A noble goal, but...I honestly have no idea how you might set about doing that. You are all, by comparison, easy; you do not belong here. If all else were to fail, you could be sent back to the worlds from which you came. As miserable as those existences might be.

The same cannot be guaranteed for those who dwell here.

[forwearemany]

They are bound to this world?

(It seems strange: if they can be taken from the universe in which they "belong" why can't the Jormun and the Roaka?)

[story_teller]

It's complicated to explain in mortal terms. Think of it as...it required particular effort to get you here, on the part of Mu. It would require particular effort to send you back, but no further thought must be put into where you end up. That is your natural state - wherever you came from. There would be no resistance to that from the natural order of things.

You are few, compared to the population of two long-lived species. If they were to be displaced in that vast a number, there's no telling what might happen to them. If they would survive the trip, or whether they would adapt to wherever they might end up.

If they would...endure, having survived in a fragmentary world for generations.

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged. Perhaps they should be allowed to choose whether to risk it.

(It is, they think, better than deciding for them.)

[story_teller]

Perhaps. I'm not sure how well that sort of thing may be transmitted. Cahypdo might have already fallen to pieces. I cannot say. To say nothing of how difficult it might be for a population of those sizes to be alerted to what might happen all too soon.

[forwearemany]

Though it may not be possible to inform or save the entire populations, we would like to try.

(Getting in touch with the Jormun is something they can try on their own. The Roaka can only be contacted with the gods assistance ... if they can be reached at all.)

[story_teller]

You're welcome to do that. Though I can't imagine what you might do to save them.

[They still don't have a solution here. Just more problems to take into consideration.]

[forwearemany]

You have spoken of displacement? Relocation?

[story_teller]

For a small amount of you, who do not belong here and never did? Perhaps feasible.

An entire population of hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions?

I've no idea if that's even possible.

[forwearemany]

Acknowledged. We will not get our, or their, hopes up.

However, they should still be informed.

(They should know the world is ending, that there are limited options, that it may not be possible to save everyone, that they may still be able to try.)

We are willing to contribute what we can to the cause of saving ourselves, you, and them.

[story_teller]

That means more than you know. For whatever it's worth. Even if none of it succeeds...

I do appreciate that.

[forwearemany]

Our choices are lacking: we fight, or we are sent home. The latter option is undesirable.

(Also they don't have a middle finger, and they need to give a nice big fuck you to the Historian somehow.)

We appreciate your willingness to work with us.

[story_teller]

Likewise.

I'm tired of fighting. I don't...my wishes in all this are irrelevant. But I am willing to do what is asked of me. What you all ask of me. Regardless of how likely it is to succeed.

Though it may require fighting my kin to ensure it has a chance.

[forwearemany]

Unless we submit to their demands, it is unlikely that conflict with Stori can be avoided.

This is undesireable: in addition to not wishing to return home, we find their attitudes ... distasteful.