[SE] Roots Take Hold (Open)

It seemed he had misinterpreted the bard's divine questions so Abasi tried to tone down his answers a little, attempting to be more patient. "It appears to me there is only one God that is on the 'other side', as it were, and the rest seem far more important. If they do not follow the same contract...then I do not see why they should be honoured. Even the lowest slave gets from his master food and a shelter, as he is servicing his house. By living here and tending to their world, we are the God's servants. We are entitled to recognition at least." Jigano seemed to have no trouble talking callously about Zariah. Abasi listened carefully, trying to piece together a history of what had occurred from this and Loren's words. It appeared that no one actually knew who was meant to rule, but everyone was well aware of who wasn't. "You speak of this Ronin as if he were the rightful ruler, then? But did he not desert his people? I heard he was an absent King for much of his rule." At least Loren was a subject he could easily find happiness in, Abasi's smile widened and he nodded in agreement to Jigano's comment. "He is the reason I still live today. He took me in when I was suffering with The Blight, and I had nowhere else to go." The Manor had truly been a blessing. He could respect an 'oracle and a bard', even if the Oracle was more of a Greek invention...it still spoke to a wise man. "I admire your use of intelligence. As for myself, yes. I was a Priest of Osiris, Divine Adviser to the Pharaoh. I...miss my position dearly, but given my situation with the Gods here, it seems unlikely I will be able to find the Priesthood again. So I am using my experience with preparing the dead - as that was one of my duties." A B A S I The birds are mocking me They call to be heard The birds are mocking me They curse my return

"Not just one," Jigano murmured, thinking of the creature at the top of the Spire who had been freed by 108's sacrifice, and by something the pale Ascended had said when they had watched the Spire that winter's night a year and more ago. Thinking, too, of how easily the Voice had bound and subdued him in the Spire. "And be careful not to discount the one you do know about. Remember that it took all the Old Gods and all their herald-gods combined to temporarily thwart her, and in barely three centuries she found a way to bring down their barrier and loose herself and her followers into the world once more." What was a mere three centuries, in the life of a world? He had known elves who had lived that long, and he suspected that there were those among the Fae who were nearly that old. Arduinna had been, he was almost certain. Not a human lifespan to be sure, but absolutely a mortal one. "An interesting mindset," he allowed with a flicker of a smile, finding some solace in debating theology; a familiar hobby, once upon a time. "But have you considered that we do not tend their world so much as they suffer our presence upon it? As I understand it, the people of this world were not so much chosen as... accidental. A byproduct of the experiments of the god Rae, who rules over nature and all its myriad possibilities." Or so Safrin's book had indicated, back when he had been in the goddess's good graces - and Amalia's as well.

A lifetime ago, it sometimes felt like.

Abasi had a point about Ronin and Jigano sighed slightly as he focused on growing the hedges, mixing earth magic with a bit of healing magic so they not only grew, but grew exuberantly. "Ronin was acknowledged by most of the people as the rightful ruler, but... he was one of the first stricken by the Blight. The first, I think. He still did his best to be king throughout his illness, working hard to balance the puppets Zariah and Wessex foisted on us but, yes, it took a cruel toll on him and his family." Did Abasi understand just how vicious a disease the blight had been? A moment later the question was answered and Jigano nodded. "Then perhaps you do understand how difficult it was for him," he said quietly. "But then, the same accusations you level against him go for Zariah as well, do they not? She fucked right off when things got difficult and has been absent for half a year now." And good riddance, his tone seemed to say, satisfaction evident in the curl of his lip as he urged the plants to grow strong and broad and tall.

If Abasi hadn't read the notice board or heard about Jigano's brief stint as King, he certainly wasn't going to tell him. Gods least fortunate, he wished it had never happened, and the fewer people who know of it, the better.

"Ah, a priest?" Jigano asked, glancing to Abasi thoughtfully and giving an understanding nod. That did explain the unhappiness with gods who didn't answer his prayers promptly. It wouldn't help him when one of them finally did decide to pay attention to him... but it explained it. "The priesthoods here are small and scattered things. Each god has their own niche, and not all of them get along. Safrin and Ludo, for instance, don't seem to get along very well, and neither of them has much respect for Frey." And all of them were capricious and potentially quite dangerous, even to their own worshipers if they answered a prayer on a bad day. "The older Old Gods were absent from the Hollowed Grounds for three hundred years, until only a year ago, so I don't think they even have proper priesthoods here. Perhaps in other places... but here their names were all but forgotten except among the most pious." The Chandrakants came to mind... and Jigano wondered what Amalia was doing that day.

"Then who else?" asked Abasi, not knowing of the Spire siege nor the trapped spirit within - he had seen the structure, even climbed to the top of it, but had only seen Wessex there. He had assumed it to be something similar to the pyramids or obelisks of his world and not thought much further. Still, it was clear from Jigano's tale that there was more history to the Gods here than he had known. Jigano's suggestion was considered but he quickly shook his head. "Why would they suffer us? A God is surely capable of killing a man and if they did not wish to see us on their land, they could smite us within the hour." In his world they had tales of men overcoming Gods, but they were from ancient times, far-flung pasts. Gods like the ones he had known and the ones in Caido were too powerful to be hesitant about eliminating their problems. He was very interested to know more about the complex monarchy of the Hollowed Grounds, as Abasi was unsure who to support of all the names he had heard. The Pharaoh had once been so important to him it felt bizarre to not be in service to a royal (perhaps this was why he felt such a weighty respect for Wessex). "Why did he not continue his rule after his illness? He still lives, yes? And what puppets do you speak of? I only know of Zariah, Wessex and Ronin as rulers. This is very confusing to me. In my world, the Pharaoh's son became the new Pharaoh, as it had been for many centuries." All this swapping and choosing seemed far too complicated. Hearing of spats between the Gods he smiled a little, memories coming to the surface. "It was the same in Egypt. Many of our stories are of fights and disagreements between the Gods. ...Do you know of anybody truly devoted, who may be able to help me speak to the Gods? Perhaps if I arrived with a proven servant, I may be able to have an audience." Getting to his last bush to plant, Abasi pushed in the dirt with his fingers then sat back, looking at the beginnings of his new life and wondering if he would stay here long enough to see it grow. A B A S I The birds are mocking me They call to be heard The birds are mocking me They curse my return

Jigano was silent a moment, lost in his magic but also in thought as he tried to find a way to describe what had been seen at the top of the Spire that fateful night. Then, too, there was what 108 had told him... "At least one other," he said at last. "And... perhaps more. You seem familiar enough with the gods here to know how the gods of the Ascended came to be, yes?" Abasi's confidence and certainty in how his old religion transferred to this new world made it hard to know how much he truly understood and how much he simply assumed was the same, and Jigano was growing wary of conflating confidence with knowledge.

"Perhaps 'tolerate' is a better word for it," Jigano agreed. "Though there is a reason that magic users are called 'Abandoned' after all. They are suffered, at least by Vi and Safrin, even if Ludo and Mort collect their souls like any other, and Rae and Frey seem less bothered by them than the rest. The politics between the gods are not always meant for mortals to understand," he finished softly, thinking of the dream that had called him to Mort's service, and the stone in the pouch at his side. "But if they could smite individuals, and were inclined to do so, they would have long since wiped the Ascended from this world, one by one. So there is far more going on, of a far more complicated nature, than most people realize."

"I'm not sure," the bard admitted frankly, "but knowing Ronin and his sense of responsibility, he felt like falling ill and being unable to help for so long was a failing on his part, and that he was no longer fit to lead after letting people down. Or at least, feeling like he let them down. He was... far from the only one," Jigano added quietly, remembering the toll the blight had taken on him and Kiada as well, even after it had been lifted. "But the people here were not the type to need or welcome a ruler. Not for three hundred years. Zariah simply declared herself a queen which... you could do the same right now, with as much right to the title." The white haired man huffed a soft laugh of amusement at the thought. "She decided that her cousin Edrei would be Queen while she wandered off, but though Edrei was Queen in name, she was terrified of her cousin, so effectively she was a puppet. Then she tried to name others as... not equals, but sub-rulers under her. That's how Wessex got her current title. Edrei wanted someone else to do the actual work while she retained the name of Queen to appease her cousin in case Zariah came back. Ronin was the only one chosen to lead because of his experience and the trust people had in him." Jigano sighed, settling back on his heels as he shook the dirt from his hands and looked at the healthy shrubbery that now flourished in front of the deadhouse.

"I've heard of monarchies such as that in some countries of my world... but in Numeria you became ruler by right of conquest and strength of arms. It was a nasty business," he admitted with a grimace. "The Black Sovereign was used by his advisors, the Technic League. Drugged and turned into a puppet for them to manipulate until... certain individuals were forced to take a hand in defeating him and helping another take the throne. One of far stronger will and honor, I'm glad to say. She was a far better ruler than he ever was, even before the League got their syringes into him." At the end he had begged Yohgel to kill him and free him from the League's manipulations. Yohgel hadn't hesitated even for a moment, of course. It wasn't her way.

"In general? The Attuned, especially those native-born, are beloved of the old gods," Jigano said thoughtfully. "Ronin is invested with Safrin's divine power and likely your best bet. Amalia Chandrakant is called the Shield of Safrin for her great piety as well. Phoebe Steadman serves Frey, and Maea Valair was once seen often with Ludo..." He trailed off with a regretful sigh. "But she fell ill and hasn't been seen for several seasons now. Those others, though, might be your best bet." Of his own ties to Ludo he said nothing, cautious of arrogance and taking the soul-guide's name in vain.

"Yes...I was told there was a war 300 years ago. That The Voice was an 'Acquired', though I am not sure what that is...that she was a human that has become a God." Abasi shrugged, sure he did not have the whole story. "I am aware these histories are often complex and will change dependant on who I speak to, so I am seeing what each person in turns says to me." Language about 'wiping the Ascended from the world one by one' seemed rather violent. Though Abasi supposed if the line was so well drawn and Jigano aligned with the Old Gods... "So I take it you make an enemy of these Ascended? Have...any died by your hands? I do not believe I have met one yet." From all the scaremongering he'd heard so far, he was imagining beastly creatures, grey skin and wicked eyes. He listened to the history of the monarchy with a troubled look on his face. It was so unlike his world he really had no idea who he felt was in the right; not necessarily Ronin just because the people chose him. After all, it was Gods who imbued rulers with their powers, he thought. Not the lowly serfs. But Jigano did not seem to be fond of power structures like the ones back in his home, so he did not say anything, just listened and thought to ask Loren a little more later. "I have spoken to Phoebe. Though she seemed a busy woman, and..." Abasi trailed off simply shaking his head, not wanting to say he felt a little embarrassed speaking to her after asking for a baby fortune. "Perhaps I can seek out this Amalia. I worry if I spoke to Ronin I may loosen my tongue about his rule and say something wrong." A B A S I The birds are mocking me They call to be heard The birds are mocking me They curse my return

"'Acquired' was the old name for 'Abandoned'," Jigano explained patiently. "Magic-users, in other words. Magic users who sought to challenge the gods themselves... and, to an extent, succeeded. Which is why the old gods aren't very trusting or fond of Abandoned even now. They trusted their worshipers before, and were burned for it. They are least fond of the Ascended who worship the new gods, but their memories are long enough that all Abandoned are somewhat suspect, lest their ambitions lead them down that road once more."

He blinked in astonishment as Abasi made leaps in assumptions that made little sense to him based on their conversation, and his brow furrowed as he sat back in shock. "What in the lowest hells are you talking about?" he asked, genuinely confused and no little offended. "You were the one who said that gods could smite people they didn't care for. I was explaining why they don't do that, not on this world. Perhaps it was common on yours but... no, not here." He shook his head in disgust, rising to dust his hands off on his trousers. "And no, I've killed no one, not even among the Ascended." Not for lack of trying with Wessex, though that had been a matter self-defense after she had attacked him and then unleashed a Frost Giant on him. "I count some of their number as friends, even if I disagree with their goddess." The look he had for Abasi's apparent bloodthirstiness was disappointed and distant as he glanced back at the building behind him with a frown. His work was done quietly, not as flashily as Amalia's or Phoebe's, but he would see what words he could drop in a few ears, perhaps, to make it clear that this place had no connection to the gods of Caido or the centuries of burial traditions of such a small community. If he found that Abasi was misrepresenting himself as he seemed so eager to do with Jigano's words, then he would see if stronger steps would need to be taken.

"Phoebe has a number of responsibilities," he agreed, turning his attention back to Abasi with the courteous expression back in place, professional and polite to all outward appearances. "As does Amalia. As you might imagine, those with the gods' favor tend to be busy with tasks both mundane and divine. But I wish you the best of luck in your discussions with them."

It was interesting to at least learn why it was the Gods were so against Abandoned. "I prefer the word Acquired. I wonder if anyone would take offence if I began to use it for myself." He wondered out loud, though he had already decided to use it at least in his own mind. Jigano's reaction to his question was far more extreme than Abasi had expected. He turned a confused, still gaze to the bard. "It seems there has been a misunderstanding. On my world, many wars begin because of religious differences and it sounded to me as if you did not have much empathy for these Ascended." He shrugged. "Personally I do not support such fights. But I have known many men who would take to the blade because another supported a different God: I merely thought you were one such man." At least he had gotten the name Amalia out of this conversation, even if Jigano never wanted to speak with him again. A B A S I The birds are mocking me They call to be heard The birds are mocking me They curse my return

"No, as long as you don't try to enforce it on anyone else I don't think anyone minds what you call yourself," Jigano agreed easily. "I prefer to use the term 'mage' for those who can use magic. It is... less fraught with historical baggage here." He shrugged lightly, but the next batch of questions that Abasi had asked startled him and raised invisible hackles.

He quickly reviewed the conversation they'd had so far, but they'd focused almost entirely on magic users, and spoken only briefly about Ascended. Even then, he'd represented their goddess with more respect than usual, acknowledging her strength and stating her history as he knew it, without much personal embellishment. He'd mentioned the enmity of the old gods towards the new, but hadn't spoken of his own affiliations - though he had openly displayed magic, marking him as another of the Abandoned alongside Abasi. Why the other man would think he was an enemy of the Ascended or had killed them... it left him baffled and no little angry, though he didn't let it show on the surface. The man was quicker to jump to conclusions than Sam!

"What makes you think I don't empathize with them?" he asked mildly. "You're the only one to have brought up violence so far, given that the last war here was centuries and generations ago. It's true that the Old Gods are less fond of Ascended than even they are of Abandoned, but even so they have made no direct move to harm them." He was very interested indeed to hear where Abasi had gotten that idea.

"Mage...hm." Abasi would consider later which word he preferred - honestly, anything that wasn't 'abandoned' was an improvement. Perhaps he had jumped to conclusions. Abasi supposed it might be a kind of homesickness, that he had taken something vaguely similar to discussions at home and immediately assumed it had to be the same, with all the years of history and violence. "As I said, I have clearly misunderstood. So...if you do emphasise with these Ascended, what is it you plan to do in regards to The Voice's plans and the future of the Hollowed Grounds?" As much as not wanting to resort to violence was an honourable goal, Abasi was not sure how else this conflict would be sorted. One party wanted something entirely different to the other and it seemed the Old Gods did not even consider The Voice to be among them. A B A S I The birds are mocking me They call to be heard The birds are mocking me They curse my return

Not even an apology for making such a wild statement? Jigano hid his exasperation, retreating to courteous neutrality and a calm, mild voice, though inwardly he felt his annoyance grow. "The Ascended are people," he said with a shrug, focusing on Abasi's question and trying to let his ruffled feathers calm once more. "Some of them chose the Voice because they felt they had no other option... others were tricked or bribed into it. No few outlanders like ourselves arrive in an Ascended body whether they want to be or not. The problem isn't them... or at least, not as a whole. The problem is with individuals who know that they are harming or killing others at her command and do so willingly - even eagerly." Jigano sighed, reaching up to punch the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stop the incipient headache gathering behind his temples. "Wessex told the Fae that she would let the barrierfolk decide whether to continue with her in charge... but it hasn't happened yet. The Fae have said that as long as Wessex rules, no barrierfolk will be allowed in the Greatwood - because Wessex led an invasion to destroy one of the Fae's sacred monuments, an ancient tree said to house the spirit of a goddess, and killed the Fae who had been set to defend it. For now, I'm waiting to see how that turns out." He looked up again, dirt smudged across his face as he gave Abasi a crooked smile. "But either way, I'm just one man. There's not much I can do on my own, and there are many voices that should be heard - more than just the gods, old or new."

He looked around at the yard, with its newly-planted trees and hedges already more than half-grown to their full size. "What of you? Do you have any interest in exploring this world through the portals that are opening up against the wishes of the old gods?"

Abasi stayed quiet as he took in all the information Jigano was providing. He had not known that Wessex, his Queen he had readily taken to, was Ascended - had not known what to look out for. If she ruled over these people, he was surprised that The Voice was not the chosen God of all those under her. "So...do you know many Ascended individuals that kill others willingly and eagerly, as you said? Is the Queen one of them?" As for destroying monuments...well, that was rather common practice during war in his home, but it seemed Jigano was not one ready to face the realities of such things, so he said nothing. He saw that the plants around them were further grown than they would be naturally and smiled. "What a wonderful thing this magic is." As for the portals...he tilted his head one way then the other. "I am not sure. On one hand, I would follow the laws of the Queen. But if they conflicted with the wishes of the Old Gods, whom I am trying to impress....." He sucked at his teeth, trying to work it out. "And I know Loren has already been through the portal. If he asked me to come with him for any reason, I would have to go. But unless that happens, I do not feel much need. I have begun to make a life for myself here." A B A S I The birds are mocking me They call to be heard The birds are mocking me They curse my return

"The Queen is, yes, by her own words and seen with my own eyes," Jigano confirmed grimly. "I don't know exactly how many others, but some are known to me." Names Abasi had not earned, nor given any indication that he could be trusted with them.

The compliment earned a gracious nod of acknowledgment but no smile. It didn't seem to be just his otherworld upbringing and bias; there was something strangely off about the man's sense of morality, and Jigano was regretting that he had stopped to offer assistance. He tilted his head curiously at the obsession with Loren from one who had, he thought, arrived so recently, but the Launceleyn man could be charismatic when he wasn't in one of his moods.

Then, too, the family had an unnerving habit of collecting and controlling people through various combinations of fear and seduction, and Abasi seemed the type to throw himself eagerly into that mold. Jigano bit back a sigh and instead went to retrieve his books. "Well, it sounds like you have some thinking to do," he said with a shrug. "If I hear of anyone needing help with a burial, I'll let them know about you." At least in passing. "Have a good day." With a short bow he let himself out the walk, passing between the hedges and heading back to his own errands.

It seemed Jigano did not want to share the names with him. In fact, Abasi was picking up that he seemed to have rather offended the bard, probably with the comment about which Ascended he had killed, given that the man had been shocked at the question. Abasi felt he was being much too sensitive over what was clearly a cultural misunderstanding, but he would not argue it - no point spending the energy on someone he did not intend to spend any more time with. "Thank you." He said politely as the man left, not getting up to see him out of the alcove. Watching Jigano walk away, he wondered if this was an omen of things to come - of how his interaction with many of the people here would go. He hoped not. A B A S I The birds are mocking me They call to be heard The birds are mocking me They curse my return