Once, on the road, Prim met a mendicant sage. The sage was chewing umbral blossoms and sitting in a ditch, filthy and ragged. Curious, Prim crouched down and asked the man what he was doing, for the day was quite hot, and there were beasts and worse about.
“What makes a man the most powerful?” said the sage. “I’ve wondered about this question for a good three days now. I’ve scarcely drunk a drop, or eaten a morsel, or got a moment’s sleep!” Prim itched to leave and continue her journey, but instead gave the man water and sat beside him, as at one point in her life she had been an excellent daughter, and old habits die exceedingly hard.
“Is is the strength of a man’s arm?” said the sage, “is it the timbre of his voice? Is it his luminous gaze? Is it the way the light strikes his face?”
Prim was sure it was none of these things, and told the man so.”I thought as much,” said the sage, “so I considered further. Is the root of power buried in the soil of violence? Must it be nourished with blood? But many violent men are overthrown with ease by those who use only words. So it must not be so. Does power lie in the throat, then? Does a truly powerful man keep it in his body like a deep and mighty lake, boiling and bubbling in his guts, only to spill forth when he parts his steaming lips?”
Prim was certain it was none of these things, and told the man so. The sage nodded and continued, chewing on his leaf. “I think so too,” he said. “In truth, my conclusion is that the most powerful of men are neither wholly violent, nor strong of voice. The most powerful of men are radiant. Their power suffuses the air around them, and enslaves the will of others around them, by their own unwilling consent. It is an illusory power, which makes it all the more dangerous, since it feeds off belief. Such a man can kill without thinking, if he so chooses. He is sovereign from the laws of other men.”
>>80583825
“What do you think?” asked the sage, looking equal parts exhausted and pleased. Prim didn’t have an answer. “Well, none of that! I’ve been on this for three days!” sputtered the sage. “Which do you think? The violent man, the vocal man, or the radiant man?”
Prim thought of the violent men who had passed through her father’s house, and the iron rod of her father, with which he had not been sparing. She thought of the silken-voiced men that whispered near her father’s hearth. And she thought of the royal men, who came in processions to consult with her father, carried on their palanquins.
“None of them,” said Prim, at last.
“What?” said the sage, aghast.
“The most powerful man has the capability to be violent, charismatic, or sovereign, all,” said Prim, “but he chooses to do none of them, because if he does, he has become cruel, and a cruel man has lost all claim to power.”
She stood up and dusted herself off.”If God were a mere fisherman, he would earn my respect,” said Prim. She gathered her things and returned to the road, leaving the canteen with the sage, who remained there a day longer. He then gave up on the question, and later abandoned his sage’s rags to become a successful farmer.
– The Song of Maybe
>>80583825
Why do I get the distinct feeling her 'mercy' is awful.
>>80583875
Because she's pure fucking evil.
>>80583825
Oh boy, she's gonna eat him
>>80583825
She'll let him join his people! That's a pretty big mercy!
so either shes using some sort of glamour, or her shadow in the void shows her true "inner beauty"
>>80584029
The second one seems pretty likely, it would be really cool if every demiurge has a "true self" in the void
>>80583837
I actually like the 'radiant man' answer, since it reminds me of Magi a.k.a. politics but with stands.
>>80584056
what if weve already seen one walk the physical world
hmmm
She's gonna fucking eat him, isn't she?
>>80584029
What if she using pretty girls like the group of Allison like live puppets for her public appearances ? It might be far fetched but it would be cool narratively
>>80584285
was using*
It's pretty much confirmed that Mottom is the most horrible ruler to have; she drains her worlds of resources and leaves the inhabitants with ruin
Which demiurge would be best to live under? I imagine Jagganoth's worlds are ravaged by war and Mammon's worlds have to pay huge gold tributes
>>80584308
Incubus, maybe?
>>80584308
Do you think Incubus is giving? Or that he demands everyone's daughters?
>>80584323
>Orgies and hedonism everywhere
Yes please
>>80584308
I'm guessing that on Mammon's worlds, if you can't pay you have to work. And there is no mafia because that would just be the government/police force, sometimes stealing from the people just for the hell of it.
>>80584308
Zoss' old worlds? They have no ruler now, yeah? Or is Allison the ruler of them, I dont know
>>80584352
Not necessarily a good thing, if they're taken to an extreme for the ruler's enjoyment. Remember Slaanesh in 40k? It could be something like that.
>>80584308
What about Solomon's ?
>>80584308
The one for Pride, probably. As long as you strive to meet his stringent standards for what a good subject must be. It might devolve into Divergent-like caste societies, though, unless regularly shaken up.
>>80584308
>>80584323
>>80584369
>>80584376
>>80584412
>>80584413
Abaddon himself said Solomon David is the least terrible.
>>80584413
Yeah, I could see a large, mistreated underclass. And a class underneath that's even worse off.
Ultimately just several levels of slaves with Solomon as the only true master.
Anyone try the patreon RPG? Is it any good?
>>80583825
I love villains that act calm and benevolent to the outside, but when the opportunity arises act like a total shithead and have completely opposite demeanor
My bet's on what follows will be some cruel and unusual punishment you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, just to make the reader imagine what she would do if she wasn't feeling "merciful".
>>80584536
But we have to wonder which is the worst, because it might not be Mottom.
Maybe Gog-Agog, which could be terrible looking dystopias where you can't show your face or stand out in any way.
This guy is based. Strait shittalking a worldeater. Respect and rip.
Or maybe Mottom is such a master of tounge that he become loyal?
>>80586377
>master of tongue
I just imagined Mottom sucking him off in court and shattering his mind that he becomes loyal.
Mercy indeed.
>>80584097
>Magi
I hate that my favorite character has just been absolutely shit on.
>>80586347
>Where do the likes of Gog-Agog and Incubus fall in style of governance, if Jadis is defined by a harsh theocratic order, Mottom and Mammon seem disposed (with some presumption on the latter's part) to be voraciously consumptive resource sponge mercantile empires, and Solomon David and Jaggonoth seem to be inferred to have brutal autocratic domains that build their vassals to a particular vision. More importantly, how close is Incubus' style of rule to that of Labyrinth's Goblin King?
>Gog-Agog rules and controls entertainment in Throne and is considered a major celebrity there. Outside of that, her worlds are a mess, her empire largely self-consuming.
>Incubus’ worlds are brutal anarchy, with what little of value there picked apart by the bloody warlords he hand raised from the remnants of the most powerful army in the universe.
>We’ll see Incubus’ deal at the end of this book, I’m pretty sure, but won’t get to Gog-Agog fully for a while.
>>80586900
>What would life be like for an average subject within one of Jadis's worlds?
>The temple of the Eye Revealed, the theocratic order that rules Jadis’ worlds in her stead, is not usually involved in the day-to-day affairs of her worlds, except when it deeply and intimately is. Said involvement usually involves grand Inquisitions to root out unbelievers and witches. They are not merciful.
>>80586948
>Solomon David is regarded as just, even-handed, and incredibly brutal by most of his subjects. As god-emperor of the powerful Celestial Empire, his dictatorship has uplifted countless societies and crushed countless more into dust. Most people live their daily lives with a high degree of safety, industry, and prosperity under his rule, if not freedom.
>>80586994
solomon david's alright
>>80587461
As far as we know right now.
I don't expect it to stay that way.
>>80587518
Well then lets say he's the alrightest of them
>>80584029
They're not in the void now. They're in one of Mottom's worlds.
>We shall grant you mercy
>We
Can't help but think of the King of the Cosmos.
>>80589992
The royal we, son
>>80589588
Beauty was in quotation marks for a reason. Anon referred to the ugly Mottom as her true inner self, only visible in the void.
>>80584413
>>80584539
yeah. Pride, is potentially. But can also go totally wrong.
I am great. vs I and everything I own is great.
If the pride is exclusive to them alone, you are in bad shape, if the pride extends to everything they own, then good shape.
then the next is in how, that pride in ownership plays out.
Everything of mine is great, and I will ensure it is great. or, everything of mine is great, and if its not great, I will get rid of it, because my things are only great.
Basically, do they demand excellence, and kill/banish anything not excellent. or do they build schools to make sure those that are not innately excellent, grow to become so.
>>80586900
>Gog-Agog rules and controls entertainment in Throne and is considered a major celebrity there.
Guess we know what the TVs are for.
>>80590485
I wonder if the same could be said for the servants she brought with her to the void, then?
>>80587518
>As far as we know right now.
Well, I think the point is that Solomon likes to think of himself as a hero, as Mottom pointed out before. It's part of his theme, after all, so it only makes sense that everyone who serves under him lives well and in prosperity as long as they give all their freedom up to him.
What's freedom worth to you anyway? He's probably not the type to make you grovel at his feet or anything, right? If there's "nothing" wrong with doing what he says if it means you get to live well, isn't it just your own pride getting in the way?
Jadis already has the whole thought police deal going on, so I hesitate to think that Abbadon would repeat that with Solomon to the extent where he forbids any kind of recreational activity. Subversive thoughts are probably forbidden, but I don't think he'll go so far as to prevent any kind of pleasure (not in excess) at all.
>>80590581
It would be too much like Mottom's empire if Solomon had a "suffering underclass" like her.
>>80586994
>his dictatorship has uplifted countless societies and crushed countless more into dust
I think this is what we should focus on. Those who were uplifted were probably the ones who followed him; those who were crushed were the ones who rebelled.
Solomon probably thinks he's above the other Demiurges and, as such, probably does not want to repeat the "same kind" of mistakes the others make in their rules. That is to say, the faithful citizen is rewarded with a good life. The rebel is cast down into hellfire. It's not HIS fault that they won't follow him, after all, even though his methods would ensure their own prosperity.
Maybe it's that kind of setting?
>>80583825
"Oh good king didst thou see the sign above minne abode that doth say "Dead Nigger Storage?" thou didst not because there is no such sign."
>>80591419
6 billion keks
>>80583825
So is that just some sort of illusion/disguise? Or is she a stand-in for public affairs that pretends to be Mottom while she has better things to do?
I can't imagine what she'll do will be as simple as kill him.
This guy is already prepared for that. By his words and attitude, he's clearly aware she'll SUPER MURDER him for a public slight. At least that's his assumption. I imagine she'll either give him a fate worse than death like ETERNAL AGONY, or do something poetic like consume the rest of his country and people and leave him alone safe.
>>80590687
Mfw Gog-Agog is somekind of J-Idol
>>80590687
Wonder what kind of shows Throne has
>Cooking with Gog-Agog
>Everyone Loves Gog-agog
>Saturday Night Gog
>Gog-Agog: The Animated Series
>The Gog-Agog Show
>The Late Gog-Agog Show
>>80594524
>The Late Late Gog-Agog Show
>>80594654
Everybody Loves Gog-Agog
Gog-Agogfield
>>80594700
This is starting to sound like rick n' morty
>Gog and Agog
The series follows the misadventures of alcoholic scientist Gog and his easily influenced grandson Agog, who split their time between domestic family life and interdimensional travel.
>>80594700
geez Gog-Agogfield lay off will ya?
>>80595186
>>80594700
>>80594524
If Abaddon doesn't include something like this I'll cry
TV from every conceivable universe!
I am in need of a ksbd folder. I need the dankest of reactions pics and I need all of them
