Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/14(Sun)22:05 No. 801848 ID: 395c02
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Behold! City of Mamidn, Empire of Sapengkad, your God returns—

... What manner of... damnable absurdity...?

Okay.
To be fair, we never actually specified exactly how big we wanted it.
Better question: where's the city?

What's the speck in front of you?

Well.. that didn't go as planned. Are you buried in sand or snow or something else?

Dude, you coddled them too much. When you left, the generation after lost faith when you wouldn't show up to do their work for them.

And now you're left with us. Hi, we're a collection of headvoices that are taking requests from various individuals throughout this tiny euclidian sector of the multiverse!

So, time for brainstorming.

1) Inspect the monument. It's a tiny thing, you may as well hoist the pedestal from the foundation and take it with you.

2) What is the compositon of the sand? It could give you a clue as to where your city has gone.
3) What is your species? Your origins?
4) What was the monument's original purpose?
5) Do you see any landmarks in the distance?

'Sup Ozymandias.

>>801848
What is the situation?

Uhhhh, how long ago was it that you told them to do this? Because I think your monument is the only thing left of this nation and the rest of it turned to dust.

>>801858
And if the cost of erecting this colossal monument to you really was as massive as you claim, then I'd bet that that cost contributed greatly to the fall of the Sapengkad Empire. Your decree of its construction may have consumed so many national resources it starved the empire of what it needed to stay strong and vibrant so that it could weather what may come and it collapsed. And going by the sand dunes, I'd guess it was probably a change in the climate that did the Sapengkad Empire in.

...I do wonder how your colossus hasn't been damaged or destroyed in the interim. It doesn't even look weathered a bit. How could it stand up so well to the wear of ages and the presumed attempted actions of vandals?

sup...
so long story short, time has kept on keeping on and things have change... I also see a plaque on front of the statue so that might shed some light onto what's going on.

Welcome to time my friend

Yo, what year is it? I think you slept through your holy alarm clock or something, cause I see no city here.

[1/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/15(Mon)19:51 No. 802032 ID: 395c02
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We should have arrived to a joyous celebration in Mamidn, to herald the coming subjugation of all the world to Our nation and Our power. Yet We find Ourselves buried in the middle of a desert!

... We find our thoughts to be far more scattered than we expected. We are unsure if this is a consequence of taking a physical form, but will consider them in turn regardless.

>What is the speck in front of Us?
This appears to be some sort of totem, or perhaps a shrine of some sort. While unimpressive in size, it does bear an adequate rendering of Our likeness. We know not why it lies alone here.

... "Epiirepoumal" ... The inscription seems to be a corrupted form of Our name. Curious.

>Where is the monument?
The monument is no more, of course! We have molded its form to our own and taken its place, in perfect accordance with the rituals, more ancient even than Us, that have allowed Us to cross directly into this realm. Even for a god, this is no small feat; as far as We are aware, none before us have made the Translation since the time of mortals began, though many have tried.

>If the cost of erecting this colossal monument to you really was as massive as you claim, then I'd bet that that cost contributed greatly to the fall of the Sapengkad Empire. Your decree of its construction may have consumed so many national resources it starved the empire of what it needed to stay strong and vibrant so that it could weather what may come and it collapsed.
Surely not! The Sapengkadbuk have never struggled with massive constructions before. The primary difficulty in the exacting requirements for Our monument was the intricate rituals and the exotic materials needed to correctly perform them. But the nation of Sapengkad is truly resilient, and their success has provided Us with the form We now inhabit. Indeed, We oversaw the whole process to its completion!

>When you left, the generation after lost faith when you wouldn't show up to do their work for them.
We did not "leave"! When this vessel was completed, We made immediately to assume Our place inside it. We do not understand why We are now buried in so much sand, or where the most blessed of Our nation's cities has gone.

We tire of this.

[2/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/15(Mon)19:51 No. 802033 ID: 395c02
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We free Ourselves of the coarse sand with almost no effort. The Sapengkadbuk may not be here to see Us, but the form they have provided for Us is greater than even We expected. We feel powerful here in the realm of mortals.

... And yet.

>I'd guess it was probably a change in the climate that did the Sapengkad Empire in.
We must admit that, unless Our monument was somehow transported elsewhere while We made the Translation, We may have to consider that something of this nature has occurred. The Mpidon is—was—an inland sea, and sometimes required Our intervention to protect it against the desires of Iakna to rid the whole earth of water.

Still, We should only have been between the realms for a few days at most!

>I think your monument is the only thing left of this nation and the rest of it turned to dust.
It is... a sobering thought. Gods are not meant to be sobered. But... the Mpidon is gone, the great rivers Tsedai and Uwedai with it, and Mamidn, if it still exists at all, is buried beneath this desert. This could not have happened in a matter of mere days.

We must assume, then, that the Translation consumed more of Our time than we had anticipated, perhaps far more. Without Us, the Sapengkadbuk... We know not what has become of them, which We find troubling.

>Do you see any landmarks in the distance?
The Mpidon lies... lay... in a depression in otherwise flat land. With it and the vegetation it supplied gone, this area is hardly recognizable to Us. There are patterns to the distribution of the sand, but We know not what to make of them, as We were never god of a desert people. Our knowledge of the lands beyond Sapengkad was never as detailed, and if as much time has passed as We are beginning to think may have, We may know nothing at all of use about them.

[3/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/15(Mon)19:52 No. 802034 ID: 395c02
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... We find Ourselves in an uncertain mood, hardly a natural state for a god.

But We do have a few indications of location in the form of mountains, far off in the distance. The blue-gray Nulgasum are to Our southeast up what was the Tsedai, from whence the Sapengkadbuk came to this land in times before Our conception. To Our southwest up what was the Uwedai lie the snowy Sunaigasum, and somewhere between here and there the lands of the barbarian riders. Lastly, to Our north across the former Mpidon are the rocky Aingkonggasum, of which We know very little.

We could head toward any of these, or in another direction entirely. For that matter, We are not opposed to further contemplation of our situation before leaving this land.

Go thee left.

What powers do we have here? Has our body degraded any from the hypothetical extended period of time it has been here?

Head towards Nulgasum. To their birthplace. Perhaps they retreated there when things went bad?

go to the southeast, from whence your people came. Perhaps some of them who knew of you are there, and perhaps passed the tales of your greet miracles down through the ages.

Southwest. Enemies or not, raiders have a tendency to survive. Go there, make new alliances, find out what the hell happened.

>>802032
If you've taken the place of the monument, then damn, they built a fucking huge monument! I guess that means if you took the place of that tiny monument, you'd be really small right now, right?

Actually, since that tiny monument is above the sand, it must've been built recently. Which means your people have survived! Even though it looks like your name has been slightly changed. They at least got most of the letters correct and in the correct placement in your name!

>>802033
If it was only supposed to be a few days, then it probably took longer because of how big the monument you're in right now! If it was a smaller monument, like the one that you saw, then you might've only taken a few days instead of what looks to be centuries!

Also, rude! You just tossed aside that little monument that someone went through a lot of trouble to build for you! It may not be the size you wanted or even have the correct spelling of your name on it, but someone built that for you, you jerk!

>>802034
Let's go to our people's birthplace. We might even be able to see if any of them are still alive.

Conquer the north.

If we leave, can we find Mamidn again? We will surely care later.

Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/17(Wed)12:27 No. 802568 ID: 395c02
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>If you've taken the place of the monument, then damn, they built a fucking huge monument!
It is only right that the God of such a great empire possess a commensurate physical form! In the past, We had dispatched parts of Our divinity to the mortal realm within mortal forms, but while this incarnations were greater than mortal, they were still fleeting, as is in the nature of such forms. For Our Translation, We required a body capable of supporting Our whole nature, and Our nation dutifully provided.

>You just tossed aside that little monument that someone went through a lot of trouble to build for you!
We have done no such thing. The shrine remains where We left it, though We will admit We may have disturbed it somewhat when We freed ourselves from the desert sands. Still, such a likeness pales in comparison to Our true glory.

>What powers do we have here? Has our body degraded any from the hypothetical extended period of time it has been here?
As far as our form is concerned, it is tireless and nearly indestructible; only the direct efforts of a rival god should be able to harm Us. It is in pristine condition; the sand could not harm it thanks to the many rituals performed upon it by the Sapengkadbuk.

Before We began the Translation, We had a wide array of abilities, being able to call upon the elements, create and destroy, influence the minds of mortals, empower and imbue them with divine strength, and so on and so forth, as befitting the God of the largest empire on this earth.

However... if We have indeed lost many of Our followers, as We must admit We increasingly fear, Our powers would be diminished accordingly.

>Actually, since that tiny monument is above the sand, it must've been built recently. Which means your people have survived! Even though it looks like your name has been slightly changed.

We find this a matter of some concern. Gods such as Ourselves are called into being through worship. If Our people began to revere a sufficiently distorted imitation of Us, it could have resulted in the creation of a new, weaker god.

However! We are reminded that We could simply commune with Our followers to discover what has become of them and of our once-proud nation. We wonder why We did not think of it sooner.

O nation of Sapengkad, your God calls you!

Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/17(Wed)12:27 No. 802569 ID: 395c02
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...

Silence.

We hear not a single follower. Either they are dead, or they have forsaken Us in our absence.

...

Without a nation, a god ordinarily ceases to be. We are meant to be dependent on the people who created Us, just as they depend on Us.

...

Yet now We are still here, alone.

This is not a situation We had envisioned. What is a god without a nation?

...

We must think on this further.

Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/17(Wed)12:27 No. 802570 ID: 395c02
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In the meantime, We begin to walk in the direction of the Nulgasum, where Our people once lived, in a time before Us. Much as it pains Us to consider that the Sapengkadbuk might have abandoned their faith in Us, if they are not dead, We might find some of their number still living this way.

For miles, there is only featureless desert. We are alone, with only the sand and the angry Eye of Iakna in the sky as company.

It is not right for Us to be alone.

Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/17(Wed)12:28 No. 802571 ID: 395c02
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Finally, in the distance, We see something new, something We recognize. The ruins of a city—Ngkwipadn—rise a bit out of the sand; perhaps whatever process has left our heartland buried was less intense here. In Our memory, this city was never among the prizes of Sapengkad, but as a center of trade and supply situated at a bend on the Tsedai, it thrived in its own way.

...

They are not Our followers, of course, but there are mortals here, if only a few. We could choose to approach them, or continue on Our way.

They are not ours. But then again ours are all gone, we need new mortals. These will do, let's say hi and see if they show sufficent levels of reverential awe.

approach, find out what the hell happened to this place.

yeah let's scope out those mortals, yo

>no followers when you called upon Sapengkad
What if you have followers, but they're not Sapengkad?

Anyway, approach the mortals. It's time to find out how long you were gone. Inquire as to the fate of the nation that used to reside where the desert is.

>>802571
Approach.

Be prepared for them to panic at the sight of a giant coming towards them! They might even try to flee!

Begin to reestablish control.

Walk right in there and announce, "I AM YOUR GOD NOW, BRING ME YOUR VIRGINS!"

Approach and try to remember why you're gradient-colored if they bother to ask.

Approach, and talk to them -- find out what they call you, as well. It's good to know all the terms that they described you by, that might help you link up with other worshipers. Find out what they call the current age, the major players in existence (including nations, empires, peoples, species, gods, religions, etc.)

See if you can determine how many years it has been since your nation ruled here. Basically, ask all the questions!

And see if you can get a few local worshipers from amongst the group. Maybe they can sacrifice some animals or something, to empower you a bit?

>>802571
Announce your godly return after having been... uh.... trapped. By an EEEEEVIL spell. Yeah. Now you're here to... make this desert great again?

Does the poison from your fangs have the capability to kill lesser gods?

Let's see who these ones are. We are in need of attention from someone if there is truly no one.

>>802571
Whip out your godly girth and flail it about in customary greeting

>>802571
...A thought occurs.

You said that, while some gods have attempted the ritual to enter the mortal realm as you have, none are known to have succeeded. But we now know that, for some reason, it can take a enormous amount of time for a god to actually manifest in the mortal realm after the ritual is complete, possibly hundreds or even thousands of years. What if some of these other gods hadn't failed the ritual, but simply not finished the Translation before yours had begun? For that matter, we don't know exactly why it took so long for you; another god might have started and finished the entire process while you were out. There might be other gods living in the mortal world already, who could already have established power bases and might not take kindly to you suddenly appearing as competition.

It would be prudent to not make your true nature obvious. We shouldn't attract unwanted attention without a good idea of what we're up against. Before you approach those strangers, hide your godly form and assume the form of a typical member of your species. Then you'll be able to have a normal conversation with them without the potential problems that would come from talking to worshippers of a rival god.

Also, slouch and act like you're weak and dehydrated from wandering the desert. They might try to nurse us back to health, which will be a good opportunity to talk to them and learn about what happened while we were gone, as well as giving us a good excuse for any confusion we might have about things that are common knowledge in the current era.

>>803288
I don't think he has the juice for that...

[1/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/21(Sun)18:49 No. 803524 ID: 395c02
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>Does the poison from your fangs have the capability to kill lesser gods?
We are unsure.

>What if you have followers, but they're not Sapengkad?
In the past, the Empire of Sapengkad expanded to include all nations it conquered that were willing to abandon their former gods and place their trust in Us. It would be no different now.

>What if some of these other gods hadn't failed the ritual, but simply not finished the Translation before yours had begun?
The gods who failed before Us either returned to their previous state or were destroyed in a very visible manner. Our "stasis" is rather anomalous.

>There might be other gods living in the mortal world already, who could already have established power bases and might not take kindly to you suddenly appearing as competition.
We agree that We must consider this possibility; Our knowledge of the world as it currently stands is limited enough that this may have transpired, though We remain doubtful. However...

>Before you approach those strangers, hide your godly form and assume the form of a typical member of your species.
... We are not capable of changing Our form at the moment.

We decide to investigate the ruins, closing the distance in only a few strides.

[2/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/21(Sun)18:50 No. 803525 ID: 395c02
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Our sense is that this settlement is very small, perhaps numbering three dozen individuals at most. We find this unsurprising; without the Tsedai, We are sure water and food are scarce. A single creature stands at the outskirts of the ruin, perhaps acting as a lookout. It only manages to notice Us when we're already upon it, freezing in terror as it looks upon Our form.

We find this acceptable.

These mortals... We know their kind, if only from faded memory.

In times gone by, the Sapengkadbuk often encountered small groups of what they called the Kataung, always living the most meager of existences in lands too poor to be claimed for better purposes, often near the fringes of proper settlements. They knew not the ways of civilization beyond the most rudimentary agriculture, if even that. Left to their own devices, they took invariably to worshipping their own ancestors, producing laughable spirits hardly worthy of being called divine; We sense that the Kataung settlement before us is no exception. Too backward to be trained in anything useful, too cowardly to have any role in war, too weak even to serve as slaves, and with a larcenous nature that prevented them from simply being ignored, they finally came to be hunted for sport.

Or so We recall. The Sapengkadbuk never called on Us to deal with these creatures, pathetic as they are. We feel certain that if they had, We would only have been asked to destroy them.

We could easily do so now. Our memories suggest that Kataung make for very poor followers, motivated as they are mostly by fear, and a part of Us resents their presence in a Sapengkad city, even a ruined one.

[3/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/21(Sun)18:51 No. 803526 ID: 395c02
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... But as We watch this miserable Kataung fail to warn its fellow mortals of Our presence, We hesitate.

We consider Our situation. We are, or were, the god of Sapengkad, a nation with little concern for creatures like this Kataung... but must We remain beholden to the memories of Our lost empire? A god is normally shaped to fit the concerns of its people...

... but... it occurs to Us that in Our unique situation, We could instead mold a nation befitting whatever conception of Ourselves We choose to have, effectively acting as Our own shaping force. It is a powerful idea, We think. We could become a whole new type of god, one which this realm has never seen before. Perhaps the difficulty in Our Translation was for some purpose.

... We suppose that We could use this opportunity as a step towards defining Ourselves anew. Whether We try to bring these Kataung under Ourselves as Our first new followers, wipe them from existence, or simply leave behind this ruin and continue onward in the hopes of finding remnants of Our former nation, We feel that We might be setting a new direction for Ourselves.

We do feel inclined, at least, to talk to the creature before Us, though We must suspect that its awe at Our presence may make for a poor conversation. We need only decide how to address it, and what information We should try to gain from it; We quietly suspect it may not have much to offer Us.

Enslave it and its fellows. Quantity can be a kind of quality, if they're trained in anything at all. If nothing else they can sustain themselves as you harvest their worship.

>>803526
they are lesser beings not even fit to grovel at your feet. Continue your journey to find proper servents.

Despite their wretched way of life, they have survived to this day. They will be useful, for the moment.

At the very least, they may be able to provide Us with information.
Is there a way to make Ourself less intimidating?

First things first... Do you want to be a kindly and merciful god, or a god of wrath and fear? The former, something like 'Be not afraid' would be good. The latter, a bold demand for them to bow before you would be prudent. You could aim to become something worshipped by many races. Perhaps a primitive tribe raising to prominence would attract attention. If nothing else, it'd be a desperation source of worship to survive on, if you need that.

You know.....there's no guarantee that you'll find your people or what's left of them. And these little guys, despite everything that happened around here, are still here while your people are nowhere to be found. What they lack in anything else, they make up for it in being able to survive.

Maybe you could become these guy's new god? I mean, you don't have to, it's just 1 of many options that're available.

Also, is there going to be a language barrier of some kind? Because it'll be annoying if neither of you can understand each other.

Get what information you can, and find worthy followers. Their use to you is not as worshipers, but as information into the world as it is now, rather than as it was; seek greener pastures, as it were.

In memory of your former nation, wipe these defilers off the face of their graves. Sapengkad yet lives while We remain.

>>803526
Before, you seemed like a strong sheltering force. Well, stands to reason you'd be a bit angry that your entire empire is gone.

Bully the pests a bit, but don't kill them. Like, you could grab this one by the leg and dangle it in front of your face while you interrogate it. You need a lot of information... it's a pity that this thing won't know very much.
We need to know how long this place has been desert, what the nations of the world are now, and where the nearest real town is.

I also hope for your sake that your new form doesn't require food. There's no way in hell you're ever going to find enough to sate your hunger! DX

Whatever their faults, these guys do seem to have a knack for survival, which might be valuable if you decide to spare.

As for some of their faults, I get the feeling it's likely a result of having no one (God or some fairly mortal) to guide them, leaving them to go it on their own. Maybe they could be more useful than you think if you adopt them as worshippers.

Surely, a mighty deity such as yourself could make these pitiful creatures into worthy followers? Magnify their virtues (such as they are), minimize their flaws? I assume it would be a strenuous task to do so for the entire race, but perhaps you could introduce a dominant superior strain into their bloodline.

In any case, ask/demand to speak to the "wisest" of their group, and test them on their knowledge of history. How did they/their ancestors come to live here?

By the way, you don't have a means of calling other gods, do you?

Do you think you could come down to their eye level or something? They're so tiny and you're so big, you might not even be able to hear what they're saying because of the distance between them and your ears!

wait, ancestor worship might actually be a good thing here. If they remember their ancestors then that means they pay at least some attention to the past right? I say ask it what happened to the old kingdom that use to thrive in this lands and if it gives a useful answer leave it a small boon. Like a small source of water in the village or something.

>>803526
That's an interesting thought. A divine being who is not limited by their followers could be something that no other gods could be. That is not an opportunity we should pass up. But what sort of being should we become?

To put it another way, what can we do now that we havn't been doing before? Besides the whole "physical presence" thing, I mean. It would be sad to see Sapengkad vanish into obscurity, but what caused our empire to crumble? What were its weaknesses? What mistakes did our people make?

It probably had something to do with all the war and conquest. If you invade and conquer neighboring cultures looking for followers and slaves, then you're going to make enemies out of pretty much everyone. They might have been able to get away with it for a while when they had divine power on their side, but once you were out of the picture, any number of things could have turned against them. The remnants of destroyed nations could have banded together to reclaim their stolen land. The surrounding nations could have decided to end the threat before they become the target of the next invasion. They could have suffered from some other disaster and found themselves without allies in their time of need. The slaves or lower classes could have revolted against their oppressive leaders; some of the upper classes might have even sympathized with them and aided the rebellion. The rulers could have become prideful and complacent in their superiority, or schemed against each other to grab power for themselves. They could have simply been outperformed by civilizations with more effective social structures.

In any case, if we don't know how the old Sapengkadbuk fell, we don't know how to do things right this time. It would be wise to avoid making any enemies until we have a clearer idea of how things are going. If time has marched on as far as it seems, then there have likely been several nations rising and falling in the past; we can learn from their successes and failures.

For starters, let's talk to the creature in front of us and ask about its civilization and what it's doing there. Don't be too threatening, and don't get too hung up on your past impressions of them. They might be more effective when they aren't overwhelmed by fear.

[1/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/23(Tue)17:12 No. 803984 ID: 395c02
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>Is there a way to make Ourself less intimidating?
If there is, We are not currently interested in it. Even though Our plans seem to have gone astray, We did not select such an imposing form to shy away from using it!

>By the way, you don't have a means of calling other gods, do you?
We are not interested in this, either. Unless things have dramatically changed during Our absence, other gods are not likely to appreciate Our contact. In the same way, We would assume any god reaching out to Us is not likely to have our interests in mind.

>Also, is there going to be a language barrier of some kind?
Our powers may be minimized, but We still speak the language of the divine, and should be able to understand any language spoken by mortals.

>You might not even be able to hear what they're saying because of the distance between them and your ears!
Likewise, We are sure that this is of no concern for Us.

>I also hope for your sake that your new form doesn't require food.
We are still divine!

We suspect this form may slowly degradeif We are unable to regain followers, but with the sheer energy originally put into it, We believe the timeframe to be on the order of millennia.

>Do you want to be a kindly and merciful god, or a god of wrath and fear?
Our former nature pointed Us to the latter, but We may reenvision Ourselves as We please.

>Surely, a mighty deity such as yourself could make these pitiful creatures into worthy followers?
If We were at full power, We suppose that this would be trivial. In Our current state, however, We can do little more than wait for them to improve over time.

>It would be sad to see Sapengkad vanish into obscurity, but what caused our empire to crumble? What were its weaknesses? What mistakes did our people make?
The flaws of mortals are myriad. We would have hoped that Our people would thrive better even in Our unexpected absence, but for now We can only guess at the fate of Our lost empire.

After some thought, We come to a decision. We need not rekindle the old ways of Our lost empire exactly as they were. These Kataung are no more below Us than any other mortal, and... while We admit to a bit of reluctance over their nature, We are willing to accept them as followers.

For this one at Our feet...

"You there. Do not think you have escaped Our notice."

While We might in some sense enjoy dangling this pathetic creature from Our great height, We decide to show some restraint, leaning over to address it at its own level.

... It responds by falling supine and crying noiselessly. It is only fitting that mortals be awed by Our presence, but the spinelessness of this Kataung is truly uninspiring.

"We desire information. What has become of the empire that built this city, and why are you Kataung living here now?"

It whimpers quietly, without speaking a word. We are wasting Our time even talking to this one, We feel.

>In any case, ask/demand to speak to the "wisest" of their group, and test them on their knowledge of history.
... Perhaps this may be a better tactic.

"If you cannot answer Us, get off of the ground and find someone who will. Can you at least perform this task?"

It hesitates. Our patience is short.

We bring Ourselves closer to it.

"Go. Now."

[2/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/23(Tue)17:13 No. 803985 ID: 395c02
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Finally, the Kataung scrambles to its feet and runs into the ruins, neglecting its spear in its haste. At least it is good for something.

It returns in due time with a much older member of its kind, one who clearly struggles with walking. As soon as the elder catches sight of us, it gasps, then falls to its knees and carries the motion forward into prostration. The other Kataung takes the opportunity to flee again.

"M-my Lord... forgive us..."

We believe this creature knows Us, at least for what We are. This is not the form of address We might have expected, but it will do for now, We think. It is something to consider.

"Stand up. We appreciate your supplication, but you cannot answer Our questions with your face in the sand."

"Y-yes, my Lord." With a bit of difficulty, it returns to its feet, avoiding Our gaze.

There is something pleasantly familiar about this.

"We know not what the one who brought you to Us might have told you, but We desire information. Can you provide it?"

"I will do the best I can, my Lord."

Perhaps these Kataung have potential after all.

[3/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/05/23(Tue)17:15 No. 803986 ID: 395c02
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"First: do you recognize Us?"

"N-not by name. We are sorry. My Lord's divine likeness is all over these ruins, so we do at least know my Lord's form." It moves to prostrate itself again. "Please forgive us, my Lord. If only we had—"

"Quiet. First answer Our questions, and only then raise your concerns, Kataung."

This obedience to Our words... Our memories may be faded, but We know that this is as things should be.

"Since you do not know, We will tell you: We are Ekwi Irrepaumal, god of the Empire of Sapengkad, which We understand to be lost. Now. How long has this land been a desert? What became of this city?"

"I... I am sorry, my Lord, I cannot say. We came to live in this ruin so long ago I can only guess, fifty generations past at least, and as far as my knowledge goes, it was already a ruin in a desert even then."

Fifty generations... a thousand years.

A thousand years We have been gone, if not more.

That is... even for Us, a very long time, indeed.

"I-if this answer displeases my Lord, I am sorry...!"

... The Kataung before us has prostrated itself again.

"Off of the ground, Kataung. You cannot answer Our questions with your head in the sand. Now. What nations exist that you know of?"

"T-there is..." It struggles in thought for a moment. "We are a lonely people in the desert, so I do not know its name, but... many miles southeast of here, after the desert stops, there is a kingdom of some sort. There is a larger settlement of us nearby; we send settlers that way at times, as this ruin cannot support many of us."

A kingdom up the old Tsedai... perhaps the Sapengkadbuk still live?

"And your presence here? Why do you live in Our empire's ruined city?"

"W-we are sorry, my Lord! Even though we are a humble people, other races have always driven us from our homes. It is said that a group of us traveled into the desert out of desperation, finding this ruin and its small spring just before they would have died of thirst, and we have lived here ever since. Please forgive us for our presence here, and spare us. If we had known..."

This Kataung's propensity for throwing itself to the ground is a bit excessive.

Still, We have some information now. We could continue asking questions, of course, and We must decide unequivocally whether or not to make these creatures our followers.

Do we only have the ability to have one sort of followers?

>We would assume any god reaching out to Us is not likely to have our interests in mind.

Are the gods of your world naturally rivals to each other? Forgive me, but in other worlds, many gods are known to collect in pantheons, and to have close relationships of various kinds to each other. The mortals who worshiped such pantheons would offer their worship to the gods as their domains appeared in their lives, so they would worship a fertility god at plantings and harvests, a war god when at war, et cetera. You would not engage in any such partnerships?

>We could continue asking questions, of course, and We must decide unequivocally whether or not to make these creatures our followers.

Judging by the one who speaks, they're not incapable of having some wits. More concerning is their attitude. Showing humility and fear before you is entirely appropriate, of course, but I get the impression that this race has been so repeatedly whipped by existence that cringing is in their bones. It would not do to have them whimpering before anyone besides yourself, would it?

You would need to stiffen their spines to make them at all useful. What powers are at your disposal, aside from occupying a huge body, and your basic divine senses and speech? You may need to make demonstrations.

>>803986
I actually kind of feel bad for this little guys. Ask more about their people. I mean if we do decide to make them followers even if for no other reason then to try and preserve these ruins from our fallen empire then knowing their wants and needs could make them more likely to truly worship you instead of just pay lip serves.

>>803984
>Our former nature pointed Us to the latter
Oh. Your people noticed your absence and assumed they had displeased you. The nation must have descended into more and more desperate attempts at placating you. Weakened by such chaos, they would have been easy pickings for a rival god. It's possible one of your rivals noticed you were missing, as well, and directly assaulted your lands to wipe out your worshipers completely, to make sure you never came back.

>>803986
We could take them in, but on one condition: they clean up this settlement. Repair it, make it more like it once was. If they are to be part of our flock they must live in a way that is worthy of respect. If they don't consider themselves able to do such a thing, due to (expected) lack of knowledge and expertise, then We will at least allow them to live here so long as they try to preserve the ruins, but We will not aid them or accept their worship.

I think we can do better than these folk, to be honest.

>>803986
>other races have always driven us from our homes.
Ha! Just imagine if you allowed them to be your followers, they'd become powerful enough to take revenge against the other races for mistreating them!

They already followed you, though they knew not your name. Head south to see what became of their settlers.

>>803986
Everyday your people shall pray to me and I shall return one day to lift you from the sands of death. We should check out this other place unless you wish to sunbath for a bit.

We seem tending towards ignoring them. I see no reason to make waste of those who would follow Us but that is Our decision to make; not a single thought's.

>>803986
That explains it. The small spring is the last remnant of your godly power in existence and sustained this group of faithful beings. In a way, their directionless faith might have helped awaken you.

Either way, I suspect a Kingdom will already HAVE a deity at this point, and going into a fist fight with a fully powered god, even with your divine physical construct, is an idea so horrible it should not be countenanced.

We're stuck with the Kataung. Live with it and embrace it. First off, we need to figure out how to get the others to be as un-spineless as this one. Yes, this one barely has a backbone at all, but it's still better than nothing. Then we need to examine the spring and ensure it is sustained by our godly powers after forcing these creatures to worship us. If divine power is all that prevented these lands from becoming a blasted wasteland, this place is gonna need all the divinity it can get.

Hmmm.... A Persecuted people. Perhaps in the past they were mere savages, but a thousand years is indeed a long time. They have a history now. Likely a difficult one that has been romanticized over and over throughout the generations.

If the Katung remain among the lowliest of this world, then the emergence of a living god who favors them could send shock-waves throughout their communities the world over. Smile upon them, destroy a few of their enemies, carve them some fertile borders... And watch as every Katung in the realm makes pilgrimage to this new holy land.

An empire in a day.
This one has been helpful.

The downtrodden, casteless, unenlightened survivors. I dare you to find a more susceptible culture ripe for indoctrination. They will do.

Get your priests and preachers here. Their bitter life experiences will keep them honest, at least for a single generation. Hopefully you can get them to develop a philosophy before they grow too corrupt from prosperity.

>>803986
oh for goodness sake.

'Cease your apologies, I was the divinity of a thriving empire, not of desert ruins. I have no reason to take offence at action performed in recent memory, and less to enact retribution.'

I just had a thought: What if We took a volunteer with us? They would have better knowledge of the current world and would give Us a better understanding of their people! They'd be like a kind of... celestial... envoy..?

If so, I would suggest dropping the godly pretense when speaking to this individual. Speaking candidly would help them feel more comfortable and would probably work out better in the long run.

Look, you are an ancient, physical god, you are allowed to window shop for a while, you dont have to get the first race you find laying around... I say keep going. We can comeback later if we want.

>>803986
examine genitals. both yours and the little guys to make sure they are on right

So if gods are formed from mortals believing/worshiping them, what happens if other gods believe in or even worship something higher?

[1/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/12/18(Mon)16:15 No. 852559 ID: 13cc26
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>Are the gods of your world naturally rivals to each other?
It is said, in the time before even Us, that the old primeval gods once cooperated with one another. By Our time, however, they had all become blind, stupid and hateful. Ilesai, Iakna, Ngkau... they are hardly even gods at this point, almost unable to make decisions of their own will.

But the primevals are of a very different nature than Ourselves. All gods who thrive on followers are naturally rivals to one another, or so it was in the days of Our lost empire. Even if this has changed, given Our current state, We believe it would be wise to assume other gods are hostile for now.

>The nation must have descended into more and more desperate attempts at placating you. Weakened by such chaos, they would have been easy pickings for a rival god.
Surely the Sapengkadbuk...

>It's possible one of your rivals noticed you were missing, as well, and directly assaulted your lands to wipe out your worshipers completely, to make sure you never came back.
... but We were so much stronger than any other...

... We must reluctantly admit that this scenario is more probable than We would like.

>Do we only have the ability to have one sort of followers?
Before the Translation, in the days of Our lost empire, Our followers were the Sapengkadbuk. Our people sometimes grew to include related groups, but... never anything like the Kataung.

... Still, We suppose We need not be limited by the ways of Our lost empire in this regard.

>Showing humility and fear before you is entirely appropriate, of course, but I get the impression that this race has been so repeatedly whipped by existence that cringing is in their bones.
We are indeed concerned.

>What powers are at your disposal, aside from occupying a huge body, and your basic divine senses and speech?
With Our followers gone, We... know not what abilities We still have. We may need to experiment, later.

>they'd become powerful enough to take revenge against the other races for mistreating them!
We are unsure the Kataung alone can supply the necessary quantity of followers to allow Us to challenge the other races and their gods.

Bringing a race such as the Kataung from the very bottom is not how We envisioned our Translation, but...

... We can see the appeal...

>We're stuck with the Kataung. Live with it and embrace it.
...

The Kataung before Us has been patiently waiting for Us to respond. ... On its hands and knees.

"We do not appreciate being made to repeat Ourselves, Kataung. Get up. We will not say it a fourth time."

"M-my Lord—! I-I am sorry, please forgive—"

"Cease with your endless apologies."

It looks up at Us silently. We can sense its fear much more strongly now, but perhaps it will stop wasting Our time with unnecessary words.

>The small spring is the last remnant of your godly power in existence and sustained this group of faithful beings. In a way, their directionless faith might have helped awaken you.
We should have sensed them as followers when We called out. Though, perhaps...

"Now. There is a spring in these ruins?"

"Y-yes, my Lord. In the center. It provides the purest of water, despite its location."

Is it possible that some tiny measure of Our power remained here, in some way?

We begin to have a thought... We know but one way to answer this.

[2/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/12/18(Mon)16:16 No. 852560 ID: 13cc26
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O nation of... no.

O followers of Ekwi Irrepaumal, known and unknown, your God calls you!

"Ah—?!"

... !

It pales in comparison to the power We once knew. Indeed, We might describe it as pathetic.

But, at the same time, these Kataung...

>They already followed you, though they knew not your name.
We suppose the choice has already been made for Us, in a way.

[3/3] Ekwi Irrepaumal 2017/12/18(Mon)16:17 No. 852562 ID: 13cc26
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"Kataung. ... Servant."

"M... my Lord..." We note that the creature now struggles to stand...?

"We know not how it has happened, but We have become aware that your people are, in a fashion, already followers of Ourselves."

"... w... what does this mean... my Lord...?"

"Our followers are entitled to Our power and protection, in exchange for their unyielding faith and loyalty."

The Kataung gasps as it realizes Our meaning. It appears ready to again throw itself at Our feet in the sand, but hesitates, remembering Our command.

"Go forth and inform your people, servant..."

>What if We took a volunteer with us? They would have better knowledge of the current world and would give Us a better understanding of their people!
"... and when you return, bring Us a volunteer. We wish to take one of you as a companion on Our journey."

"Y... yes, of course, my Lord!" The creature runs back into the ruins, stumbling.

>If so, I would suggest dropping the godly pretense when speaking to this individual.
Absolutely not.

Now at this point, the prophet will begin shouting and ranting about the coming of gods and their new status as chosen. Without evidence, he will be deemed a pariah and punished. Even if you appear after the fact, it could cause serious division, as many will re-interpret their punishment of their new leader and savior as a fraud who worships kaiju. And if you start poking things immediately before that, they might focus on you as a greater threat.

You need to play this smart.

Begin by walking slowly towards the city. When the masses finally notice you in earnest, wait and stare back. Wait for your prophet to bring the volunteering champion forward, then talk to them and only them. Ask your champion what they need right now, and get to that.

Do not speak to your followers. The more you demand and cow, the stupider they'll get. You need both mystery and power in balance to dominate their intelligence to your will, anything less will get you fanatics or idiots.

Until We speak to this individual We can't rightly choose the best next course of action.

We were planning to pursue the Nulgasum lands to seek the Sapengkadbuk's origins. We should ask this individual what he knows of the Sapengkadbuk and their fate. We can alter Our plan based on what information We unearth this way. Ask their opinion as to where they believe We may find Our previous worshippers.

We should do something for the Kataung both in return for their help and to ensure their continued reverence. Can We make food and water easier for them to come by?

As for the manner by which We address Our new companion, maybe you will warm up to the idea.

>>852562
There's something very satisfying about their form of worship until now. They didn't know your name or nature, just likenesses in stone. Yet those indistinct hopes and prayers
seem all the purer for being yours regardless.

It's unfortunate that they seem so unused to standing tall, it might be difficult for them to learn.
No challenge for you of course, you have time.

Specify that they should not be afraid of heights, because they will be riding on top of the munificent Ekwi Irrepaumal.

You should probably take the moment of solitude by trying to work a small miracle of some sort to test your current power. Perhaps a fruit tree beside the spring to provide them some additional sustenance.

>>852562
Prepare to bring forth water, and lots of it!

>>852582
Uhh, can we get a rain check on the golden shower?

>>852562
>We note that the creature now struggles to stand...?
What'd you expect would happen? Remember, that guy was a much older member of its kind and clearly struggles with walking, which is why there was someone helping him come to you earlier! And let's not forget that you just used some of your divine powers to call for your followers while he was right next to you, so of course being that close to you when you did that was going to make him a little shaky!

>"...and when you return, bring Us a volunteer. We wish to take one of you as a companion on Our journey."
You probably should've specified that you want their bravest and/or most adventurous to come with you. That way they would be less afraid of you.

.....well, not enough to be unafraid of you, but just a little less afraid of you.

>>852585
Ewww! He didn't want to pee on them!

He just wanted to maybe improve the small spring in the ruins that these guys have been drinking from!

>>852590

If someone is volunteering for this position, they probably can tell by looking in Our general direction what they are getting themselves into. They don't need to be particularly brave; they just need to be in the right mindset. We aren't choosing Our mortal champion or anything like that.

Now what's this nonsense of shunning pariahs, fraudulence, and threats?
Nay. Quite the contrary, it has been established that they already worship Us by -albeit vague- indirect lip service. Almost by purest happenstance. And calling out to them, well, We can safely assume that anyone related to this individual (as in the entire bloody "village") will have similarly felt the same thing. We rather seriously doubt random forgotten gods come along and start literally tugging the strings in the hearts of mortals every other day. That kind of spiritual experience? No, no that's world altering for simpletons like themselves. They're gonna all already know the jig is up. Just saying. :V

They'll react with a great deal of confusion if anything, a none too insignificant amount of fear to boot,... and from what We have seen they're far too cowardly and spineless to do anything. Not "do anything to displease Us" but "do anything period." Kinda pitiful, but kind of endearing in its own perverse way.They are free to be shaped at the faintest whim and they'll throw themselves into bedlam to do so.

Boy do We have our work cut out for Us with these poor wretches,...


Now, all serious business,... Yeah, no, fuck that noise I'll buy that for a buck fiddy and a half.
We really do need to play this one by the cuff, and yes that does mean we really need to play up the mystery. Hell, we are probably quite literally the biggest fish presently walking the earth. Godly shenanigans quite literally flows through whatever vein analogues run through that actual glorified colossus. So the question is precisely how do you exploit any advantages available?

Well for starters, assume that, by virtue of sheer size, magnificence, dignity, and yes even power over these little things you're "overbearing" in every sense. That's bad, at least in this case. Your mere presence is going to set them back further and further from ideal usefulness, and (my personal, ultimate goal at least) not being insufferable. Getting them to think, and getting them to reflect are the best ways to get them using their brains. And when they're using their brains, they might just realize they have SPINES for a REASON. The best way to pull that off thus far at least is to play the part of the aloof totally-seriously-100% holier-than-thou divinity. Keep them at an arms length. Don't let them try to defer to you for everything. Keep squashing those damnable platitudes (okay seriously I really want a crusade to hunt down and eradicate the things. Can we murder concepts? I hope so.) Better to be a god of logic and reason with followers that go out of their way to serve your whims before you even know you want them. Than you know,... the mindless alternative that are too ass backwards to follow the simplest instructions without start a "holy" civil war. Many times over. That lasts for centuries.

The only thing they need to know is that you are their mysterious benefactor, and as long as they keep paying you genuine respect they'll be able to expect the same in return. I mean, I don't know if you noticed, but this tiny ass village full of ignorant creatures no better than children somehow through sheer force of innocent honesty managed to generate enough force of belief that it registered at all, let alone enough to be a NOTICEABLE quantity in comparison to your memories of the faith we can assume the Sapengkadbuk EMPIRE managed to crank out. (Ya know I'm going to start calling those poor blighters Sapens, that's getting out of hand) That's kind of nuts. As terrible followers they may be, considering your current position that is nothing to turn your snout up at. Easy to keep in line, and if they step out they can still be easily cowed back, a good population of them would serve as -if nothing else- a good, cheap, dirty, but reliable generator of power for you. Compared to no power, that's one hell of a starting boost.


AND SO! The best place to start doing so, I agree, is with taking the opportunity to try working a small miracle. Get a feel for the scope of your meager power, and get used to have to exercise A WHOLE LOT of finesse if you want to do anything. The bottom of the barrel requires deficiency! And your target should be simple. Fruit tree? Too paltry an effect, and inefficient. Nay, the bottle neck is that these ruins are not capable of supporting a larger population. And a small population will always be more primitive unless they can become sufficiently advanced, which they can't do without a larger population anyway. Helluva pickle huh? So let's start by filling their water barrels! Water is everything in a dessert and it is far easier to gauge just how much of an effect you have with a simpler task like strengthening the spring. Any small amount helps, and ideally we want an oasis here anyway if we want to begin rebuilding the not-desolate-wasteland that was the old empire. In turn,they will be grateful and all the more fervent in their worship. Which in turn strengthens you and lets you further improve their living conditions. Quite simply getting them to associate your pleasure with benefits for them and you're golden! well more golden than ya already are.
Details.
And hey if you feel adventurous afterwards, ya might try rejuvenating that poor old chump as a reward for being,...
...
Ugh, I'm hesitant to say "useful" but at least "helpful" compared to our only other example of their kind. Gotta start somewhere with the little blighters.

What happens if a god worships another? Could you get under another one's protection that way, if you had to?

>>853357
Blasphemy! How dare you suggest that the magnificent Ekwi Irrepaumal prostate themselves before another! Oblivion would be preferable!

>>852562
If your guide knows not of a direction to head in pick a random direction (I am sure the progenitor god above Typo will provide a plot along the way) and walk while protecting your guide in your hands while traveling so as not to kill him with air resistance.