[ Eclipse is less subtly trying his absolute best to not stare into the distance, even though he can practically feel his soul want to escape his body. This was good news, in the sense that, well. It's not demons.
It was just also bad news, because as it turns out you don't need demons to get corrupted and go power mad and now that same power apparently got shoved into his hands somehow back home.
So instead of thinking too hard about all that he says: ]
The Order's so full of shit I'd rather hear someone with no relation to it and their take on what happened.
...ahaha. I don't know of the Immaculate Order of which you speak, but—well, what you have said speaks enough, I suppose.
As I would tell it...
When I was born, the world was chaotic, unpredictable, prone to disaster and terror and short-lived peace. There was barely an idea of civilization, beyond individual homesteads and small villages, but—as I heard it, the Celestial Incarnae tired of the rule of the Primordials, but were bound from raising a hand to them. So they imparted their power to us—the chosen of the Sun and the Moon to fight as partners, and the chosen of the Maidens to assist us.
We fought them, and defeated them—though, it was a difficult war, and many were lost, especially when the Principle of Hierarchy scorched the earth around her as she was bound. But the exaltations returned to their makers, and were returned to the world in a cycle of reincarnation. Almost like being able to see those lost again.
In the years that followed, we built our own strongholds, started our own projects. There were no limits to what we could do, it seemed. I and a close friend were teachers—she developed sorceries, and at first I taught the arts of war until I had learned more of what the world had to offer, and could teach on the natural order of the world.
I suppose you never know until you give someone power if they'll turn out to have tyranny or cruelty within them. The answer is, apparently and unfortunately, many. An acquaintance of mine—Spring Born Wind—her brother was also one of the Solar Exalted, and she had to kill him after he had to put down the rest of his circle. And then—
...and then there was the uprising. The Dragon-blooded, who had been our lieutenants and assistants and soldiers, put the sword to all of those Solars and Lunars who attended that year's Calibration feast. I'd, ah. Stayed home, actually, since I'm not very good with parties, and my sister was, ah, out of sorts, but—well, there's only so much one can do, at that point, and—maybe they weren't wrong. I don't know what happened to the Chosen of the Maidens—if they were killed, too, or if they'd just stopped listening to my entreaties.
[ voice low, contemplative—as though half speaking to herself ]
There are no Chosen of the Maidens. Of course, there are "no" Chosen of Sol Invictus or Luna, either, so. Who is to say. But there is no equivalent sort of Anathema for the Maidens.
You have not described much about the Chosen of Luna, though. If they are truly the same as the Lunar Anathema who we have hunted. —Who I have hunted.
The Lunar Anathema you hunted... I saw the memory, though, and—whoever they were, they certainly attacked you first, though... when one is hunted, maybe trying to turn the tables seems like the best course of action. I don't know.
Though—I remember someone who could turn into a sort of beast, who seemed to... have her wits more about her, now that I think of it.
[ Where does he even begin to unpack all that? Should he even try? The person with the same name as the one on his profile was mentioned? WHERE DOES EVEN START??? ]
I, uhm...
[ If he had any questions, then he's currently at a loss for words to try and ask them, especially since he's also trying to keep recording all of this. ]
me: frantically fllipping through the intro to fangs at the gate
They're, ah... well, from what you describe, changed in the later days of the world, perhaps. We knew them as our staunchest allies who fought the Primordials alongside us, changing fluidly from shape to shape as best befit the task before them, driven by their great passions and great rage at the way things were to accomplish great deeds.
A number of my fellows made political marriages with them, too, after the war, to quell a spate of infighting. I... do know that most of those who did fell alongside us.
[ still low, focused on her thoughts, her brows lightly furrowed ]
I could... show you my own memory. Of a Wyld Hunt. Perhaps that would allow you to confirm whether the.... individual.... we killed was possessed, or if he was insead one of Luna's Chosen.
[ she glances sideways at Amaranth, and looks back a little suspiciously at Gryphon Salient; since when has Amaranth had the "doubt" emotion because this feels wrong??? ]
[ He watches with trepidation, and then an expression of recognition and then concern crosses his face as the Anathema enters the memory. ]
That—that was one of the Lunar exalted, though... perhaps a later incarnation, one that I'm not familiar with. Though, I... don't have the context to know why you were at odds.
[ and then turns to Amaranth— ]
The only sort of exaltation there I don't recognize is you, actually. What are you?
...I suppose it's not so strange, that other gods would have their own exalted, though I can't say that I've heard of such a thing happening. But it seems time has gone on a great deal without me, and many things have changed—and you've believed me on things that must sound far stranger to you.
No, I wouldn't say–well, there was no such thing as this concept of "anathema" in our age. What you have, though, seems a great gift.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
...And yet you are sure that these were the Exaltations of the Celestial Incarnae, not the corruption of demons.
[ a careful breath ] I would hear the history of Creation as you would have told it.
no subject
...we all know so little. The Immaculate Order has its own history, but comparing notes, it seems off.
no subject
It was just also bad news, because as it turns out you don't need demons to get corrupted and go power mad and now that same power apparently got shoved into his hands somehow back home.
So instead of thinking too hard about all that he says: ]
The Order's so full of shit I'd rather hear someone with no relation to it and their take on what happened.
no subject
As I would tell it...
When I was born, the world was chaotic, unpredictable, prone to disaster and terror and short-lived peace. There was barely an idea of civilization, beyond individual homesteads and small villages, but—as I heard it, the Celestial Incarnae tired of the rule of the Primordials, but were bound from raising a hand to them. So they imparted their power to us—the chosen of the Sun and the Moon to fight as partners, and the chosen of the Maidens to assist us.
We fought them, and defeated them—though, it was a difficult war, and many were lost, especially when the Principle of Hierarchy scorched the earth around her as she was bound. But the exaltations returned to their makers, and were returned to the world in a cycle of reincarnation. Almost like being able to see those lost again.
In the years that followed, we built our own strongholds, started our own projects. There were no limits to what we could do, it seemed. I and a close friend were teachers—she developed sorceries, and at first I taught the arts of war until I had learned more of what the world had to offer, and could teach on the natural order of the world.
I suppose you never know until you give someone power if they'll turn out to have tyranny or cruelty within them. The answer is, apparently and unfortunately, many. An acquaintance of mine—Spring Born Wind—her brother was also one of the Solar Exalted, and she had to kill him after he had to put down the rest of his circle. And then—
...and then there was the uprising. The Dragon-blooded, who had been our lieutenants and assistants and soldiers, put the sword to all of those Solars and Lunars who attended that year's Calibration feast. I'd, ah. Stayed home, actually, since I'm not very good with parties, and my sister was, ah, out of sorts, but—well, there's only so much one can do, at that point, and—maybe they weren't wrong. I don't know what happened to the Chosen of the Maidens—if they were killed, too, or if they'd just stopped listening to my entreaties.
no subject
There are no Chosen of the Maidens.
Of course, there are "no" Chosen of Sol Invictus or Luna, either, so. Who is to say. But there is no equivalent sort of Anathema for the Maidens.
You have not described much about the Chosen of Luna, though. If they are truly the same as the Lunar Anathema who we have hunted. —Who I have hunted.
no subject
Though—I remember someone who could turn into a sort of beast, who seemed to... have her wits more about her, now that I think of it.
no subject
I, uhm...
[ If he had any questions, then he's currently at a loss for words to try and ask them, especially since he's also trying to keep recording all of this. ]
me: frantically fllipping through the intro to fangs at the gate
A number of my fellows made political marriages with them, too, after the war, to quell a spate of infighting. I... do know that most of those who did fell alongside us.
no subject
[ still low, focused on her thoughts, her brows lightly furrowed ]
I could... show you my own memory. Of a Wyld Hunt. Perhaps that would allow you to confirm whether the.... individual.... we killed was possessed, or if he was insead one of Luna's Chosen.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Very well.
[ A few quick navigations through her phone's menu... and then this memory plays once more.
Throughout it all, Amaranth sits almost stiffly, watching Gryphon's expression. ]
i'm cutting the line because everyone else has already seen this one
That—that was one of the Lunar exalted, though... perhaps a later incarnation, one that I'm not familiar with. Though, I... don't have the context to know why you were at odds.
[ and then turns to Amaranth— ]
The only sort of exaltation there I don't recognize is you, actually. What are you?
no subject
Not Anathema unless you're an Immaculate with a rod up your ass, if that's what you mean. [ voice too taut, like the string of a lyre about to snap ]
I am... [ a careful exhale ]
...the Chosen of a war god. Which god, or how I came to take the second breath, though, I cannot say.
no subject
No, I wouldn't say–well, there was no such thing as this concept of "anathema" in our age. What you have, though, seems a great gift.
no subject
In truth, I do not question its worth.
But everything I have thought I knew about the purpose of Exaltation is now unsettled.
...So.