grodog
Hero
Yes, I noticed that, but then had a moment of cognitive dissonance earlier: has Pharamne shown his/her/its hand in the story to date beyond the presence of the ubiquitous Urn? (and if so, then I've missed it!).
Aeon (updated 10/9/14)
- Thread starter Sepulchrave II
- Start date
Yes, I noticed that, but then had a moment of cognitive dissonance earlier: has Pharamne shown his/her/its hand in the story to date beyond the presence of the ubiquitous Urn? (and if so, then I've missed it!).
Arguably here:
But I probably just have my godlike entities mixed up somehow.
Cheiromancer
Adventurer
No, you aren't mixed up, Soramain. Pharamne is the Aeon. And the Aeon is a dragon. With, iirc, 20 divine ranks.
I am not sure what the mythic resonances of dragons are. If they have anything to do with Scorpio (as does the eagle, the phoenix and the scorpion) then those affinities are likely to show up in the course of the story.
I am not sure what the mythic resonances of dragons are. If they have anything to do with Scorpio (as does the eagle, the phoenix and the scorpion) then those affinities are likely to show up in the course of the story.
grodog
Hero
Aha! Thanks guys. I had noticed that before, but not made the connection between the Aeon as a looming event and Phaaramne's as a named creature/entity/god/whatever.
Cheiromancer
Adventurer
The Judgment of Paris has a straightforward explanation, hinging on the correspondences of the three goddesses he was asked to choose between. Aphrodite is romantic love, Hera is the matrimonial bond, and Athena is common sense (wisdom) and war. In running off with Helen, Paris foolishly put romantic love ahead of respect for marriage, and provoked a war. That's the mythic logic of the Judgment of Paris.
Here's a stab at explaining Eadric's choice in a similar manner. Whether it was foolish or not, it seems that Eadric has already chosen Soneillon. She's the only one of the three with whom he has consummated a union, and she is the one who actually has the Urn. Although Soneillon does not want to end the world, she is a sort of avatar of Chesne, and so Chesne has a foothold in the world because of the favor shone to her.
Nehael, on the other hand, was chosen by Nwm; her conversion was not to Oronthonism, but to Uediism. I still wonder about that, sometimes. Eadric could not have cast atonement himself, but his brother probably could have. Nwm's intervention broadened the paradigm behind the Oronthon/Adversary duality. It more than anything meant the end of the old Aeon.
So that's Soneillon and Nehael. I think the third option was taken by Ortwin(e). Not that (s)he and Shomei had anything to do with each other, but the third choice is the *I* - self-empowerment and self-transcendence. That is the road that Ortwin(e) took/takes. I'm not really sure that this was a real option for Eadric; maybe if the temptation of Titivilus had borne fruit?
Mostin is not really part of this analysis, but note that he has had his share of choices too. He didn't have to be present at the binding of the Enforcer; he chose to be. He could probably have made the choice to seal the gates in Graz'zt's realm (keeping the chthonics safely bottled up) but he gave priority to more pressing matters. He could have given Graz'zt to Soneillon instead of banishing her, but he decided that "Pilgrimage" was a better option. And so on.
One recurrent feature of the story is that even though there are forces in play immensely more powerful than the player characters, the PC's actions have immense significance and resonance. The campaign world is remade according to the mythic logic of their actions.
Here's a stab at explaining Eadric's choice in a similar manner. Whether it was foolish or not, it seems that Eadric has already chosen Soneillon. She's the only one of the three with whom he has consummated a union, and she is the one who actually has the Urn. Although Soneillon does not want to end the world, she is a sort of avatar of Chesne, and so Chesne has a foothold in the world because of the favor shone to her.
Nehael, on the other hand, was chosen by Nwm; her conversion was not to Oronthonism, but to Uediism. I still wonder about that, sometimes. Eadric could not have cast atonement himself, but his brother probably could have. Nwm's intervention broadened the paradigm behind the Oronthon/Adversary duality. It more than anything meant the end of the old Aeon.
So that's Soneillon and Nehael. I think the third option was taken by Ortwin(e). Not that (s)he and Shomei had anything to do with each other, but the third choice is the *I* - self-empowerment and self-transcendence. That is the road that Ortwin(e) took/takes. I'm not really sure that this was a real option for Eadric; maybe if the temptation of Titivilus had borne fruit?
Mostin is not really part of this analysis, but note that he has had his share of choices too. He didn't have to be present at the binding of the Enforcer; he chose to be. He could probably have made the choice to seal the gates in Graz'zt's realm (keeping the chthonics safely bottled up) but he gave priority to more pressing matters. He could have given Graz'zt to Soneillon instead of banishing her, but he decided that "Pilgrimage" was a better option. And so on.
One recurrent feature of the story is that even though there are forces in play immensely more powerful than the player characters, the PC's actions have immense significance and resonance. The campaign world is remade according to the mythic logic of their actions.
...is that right? It seems like it was implied that he consummated his relationship with Nehael in the last update - thus his horror at Nehael conveying the totality of their shared experience to Shomei. Certainly, by choosing to exercise compassion and to advocate for compassion, he has empowered (deified?) Nehael.
The seduction:
..and the aftermath:
Still, your points about the paramount importance of player choices are good ones. EDIT: By which I mean, it's something I strive to include in my own games, and I assume it is one of the things that keeps most of us coming back to this thread after .. what, a decade for some of you?
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Cheiromancer
Adventurer
I am going by Ortwine's account from 12-24-2011 (sblocked below) She considers that Nehael, to Eadric, was unattainable. And thus unattained. Eadric's chagrin was at Nehael's revealing their conversation to Shomei. Eadric would not have spoken the way he did if Shomei were present, and he would have expected Nehael to have kept the conversation private. After all, she was the one who sought to have the conversation in private in the first place. I don't think they hooked up right after their conversation- do you?
[sblock]“Eadric’s problem,” Ortwine opined, “is that he cannot relate to women. As a woman who was a man, I have a unique perspective in this regard.”
Nwm nodded. Ortwine had consumed an excess of infernal wine over the course of several days. The Faerie Queene had lost all of her inhibitions, and seemed the very model of one – or several – of her former selves.
“Allow me to continue,” Ortwine smiled. “Consider Despina – yes, that’s a name you haven’t heard for a while. He placed her on a pedestal; notions of courtly love – fine amour – and all that chivalric bullsh*t. Unreachable; unattainable. Unrequited love. ”
Nwm nodded. He had consumed no small quantity himself, relaxing his normal guard against inebriation. It was, after all, the winter Tagamuos.
“When she disappoints him,” Ortwine continued, “he demonizes her – let’s dub this phase Nehael I. Nehael I is the realization that she is bad, but may be trying to be good. Are we in accord?”
Nwm nodded.
“You intercede,” Ortwine smiled. “Good job – at least, I think. Nehael is removed from the humdrum divide between Heaven and Hell, and becomes Nehael II. Did they get it on, I wonder?”
“You can ask him when he gets back,” Nwm interrupted. “If he ever gets back.”
“’I don’t think so,’ is the answer.” Ortwine sighed. “Nehael II is abducted – unattainable again, you see?”
Nwm nodded.
“He broods, and encounters Soneillon – let’s call her Soneillon I. Sound good?”
“Aren’t there prior iterations?’
“Just think like Eadric,” Ortwine replied. “Soneillon I is one hundred per cent wicked and naughty – he likes that. But he can’t be that. Is that a fair assertion?”
“I must concur,” Nwm nodded.
“Simultaneously, he develops an ‘intellectual’ cameraderie with Shomei – Shomei II, I suppose, after you reincarnated her. Now, let’s be honest, Nwm. When has Eadric developed an intellectual anything?”
“He’s not stupid,” Nwm objected.
“No. But he’s pretty green – especially when it comes to women. Anyway, Soneillon I dies – or whatever she does. Shomei II is lost. What does he do?”
“He wages war?”
“Precisely,” Ortwine smiled. “Except he’s encountered Nehael again, and now he deifies her. Nehael III. Note that he still can’t have her.”
“And Shomei?”
“When she reappears, she will be inserted into the conveniently vacant role of Adversary,” Ortwine touched her nose. “Shomei III. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Mostin invokes Soneillon – Soneillon II – from wherever she wasn’t – in order to fuel his magic, and then sends her hurtling into delirium. She quickly becomes Soneillon III and then Soneillon IV in short order – the crazed, Urn-bearing Soneillon whom Eadric is now brutalizing in some awful rite. By now, Nehael has also become Nehael IV – I assume you felt what happened the other night? At this point, she is utterly beyond reach.”
“Where is this leading, Ortwine?”
“You seem to forget, I am a goddess, Nwm – Ortwine IVa – and I have a perspective you cannot. The energy isn’t flowing in the direction that Eadric, or Nehael, or Shomei – or Soneillon, for that matter – expected. In fact, maybe she is now Soneillon V. Because Cheshne is waking. She no longer dreams.”
Nwm stared at her.
“Don’t worry; it’s not as bad as you think. But my original assertion about Eadric and women stands. All of which brings me to the real question,” Ortwine raised an eyebrow. “What do we know about Eadric’s mother?”
“Not much,” Nwm perked up. “But now I think we might be getting somewhere.”[/sblock]
A decade... Yes! Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of this...
Happy Belated Anniversary!
[sblock]“Eadric’s problem,” Ortwine opined, “is that he cannot relate to women. As a woman who was a man, I have a unique perspective in this regard.”
Nwm nodded. Ortwine had consumed an excess of infernal wine over the course of several days. The Faerie Queene had lost all of her inhibitions, and seemed the very model of one – or several – of her former selves.
“Allow me to continue,” Ortwine smiled. “Consider Despina – yes, that’s a name you haven’t heard for a while. He placed her on a pedestal; notions of courtly love – fine amour – and all that chivalric bullsh*t. Unreachable; unattainable. Unrequited love. ”
Nwm nodded. He had consumed no small quantity himself, relaxing his normal guard against inebriation. It was, after all, the winter Tagamuos.
“When she disappoints him,” Ortwine continued, “he demonizes her – let’s dub this phase Nehael I. Nehael I is the realization that she is bad, but may be trying to be good. Are we in accord?”
Nwm nodded.
“You intercede,” Ortwine smiled. “Good job – at least, I think. Nehael is removed from the humdrum divide between Heaven and Hell, and becomes Nehael II. Did they get it on, I wonder?”
“You can ask him when he gets back,” Nwm interrupted. “If he ever gets back.”
“’I don’t think so,’ is the answer.” Ortwine sighed. “Nehael II is abducted – unattainable again, you see?”
Nwm nodded.
“He broods, and encounters Soneillon – let’s call her Soneillon I. Sound good?”
“Aren’t there prior iterations?’
“Just think like Eadric,” Ortwine replied. “Soneillon I is one hundred per cent wicked and naughty – he likes that. But he can’t be that. Is that a fair assertion?”
“I must concur,” Nwm nodded.
“Simultaneously, he develops an ‘intellectual’ cameraderie with Shomei – Shomei II, I suppose, after you reincarnated her. Now, let’s be honest, Nwm. When has Eadric developed an intellectual anything?”
“He’s not stupid,” Nwm objected.
“No. But he’s pretty green – especially when it comes to women. Anyway, Soneillon I dies – or whatever she does. Shomei II is lost. What does he do?”
“He wages war?”
“Precisely,” Ortwine smiled. “Except he’s encountered Nehael again, and now he deifies her. Nehael III. Note that he still can’t have her.”
“And Shomei?”
“When she reappears, she will be inserted into the conveniently vacant role of Adversary,” Ortwine touched her nose. “Shomei III. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Mostin invokes Soneillon – Soneillon II – from wherever she wasn’t – in order to fuel his magic, and then sends her hurtling into delirium. She quickly becomes Soneillon III and then Soneillon IV in short order – the crazed, Urn-bearing Soneillon whom Eadric is now brutalizing in some awful rite. By now, Nehael has also become Nehael IV – I assume you felt what happened the other night? At this point, she is utterly beyond reach.”
“Where is this leading, Ortwine?”
“You seem to forget, I am a goddess, Nwm – Ortwine IVa – and I have a perspective you cannot. The energy isn’t flowing in the direction that Eadric, or Nehael, or Shomei – or Soneillon, for that matter – expected. In fact, maybe she is now Soneillon V. Because Cheshne is waking. She no longer dreams.”
Nwm stared at her.
“Don’t worry; it’s not as bad as you think. But my original assertion about Eadric and women stands. All of which brings me to the real question,” Ortwine raised an eyebrow. “What do we know about Eadric’s mother?”
“Not much,” Nwm perked up. “But now I think we might be getting somewhere.”[/sblock]
A decade... Yes! Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of this...
sepulchrave said:
Happy Belated Anniversary!
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carborundum
Adventurer
Yes, and Happy Page Eighty-foursary 
I'll drink to that !! (some tea or diet soda, but nonetheless I shall !!)
Oh, I was thinking recently aobut the infernal hierarchy of the previous aeon and cannot find any good explanations for the nomenclature of various ranks or functions - Grand Inquisitor (eg. Erekia), Antagonist (eg. Armaros), Prosecutor (eg. Yeqon), Akesoli (and other groups listed in the old chart).
Maybe I am missing something from previous posts, maybe it was never explained, but if anyone knows, please do tell
Oh, I was thinking recently aobut the infernal hierarchy of the previous aeon and cannot find any good explanations for the nomenclature of various ranks or functions - Grand Inquisitor (eg. Erekia), Antagonist (eg. Armaros), Prosecutor (eg. Yeqon), Akesoli (and other groups listed in the old chart).
Maybe I am missing something from previous posts, maybe it was never explained, but if anyone knows, please do tell
Quartz
Hero
Have they?
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