[network] @curiouschloride | Day 360 | Video | There'll be peace when you are done [open]

[motherserpent]

[CW: references to religious violence; disrespectful discussion of both Abrahamic and Nahuatl religions fairly likely in comments.]


[OTA]
[The Tess who appears on the screen is a rather tired-looking Tess.]

I, uh.

[She glances down; clears her throat awkwardly.]

If anyone actually, uh. Actually took the blood sacrifice thing seriously? I need you to just not. Please. Offer's rescinded, no blessings for blood. Even if it worked--and it's not going to work; I was just being--I was being stupid. Even if it worked I don't...I don't want that. And I'm sorry, I'm sorry I said all that stuff. I'm sorry for the things I called everyone.

[Her face contorts in guilt, but she forces it neutral again.]

And...if anyone's seen my snake? I know you don't owe me anything, but if you could let me know if he's okay, I'd just...I'd really appreciate that.



[Private to Flynn]

Flynn, I...I'm really sorry. That wasn't okay; none of that was okay. I shouldn't have put you in that position. I'd get it if you didn't want to talk to me again.

Comments

[motherserpent]

I'm going to have to haul my ass back downtown, aren't I? I just ate goddamn everything I was carrying, no thought for the future.

[cahooted]

Hey, at least you travel light? I know I should get rid of some stuff but I just keep on hoarding and cursing all the way to the next house. And then forget all about it until the next morning.

[motherserpent]

You build good packing habits when you don't live anywhere in particular. It's a real pain in the ass to roll in to a new city with more than one suitcase.

Anyway, Roy's more than big enough that I don't want to carry a bunch of crap on top of him.

[cahooted]

Good point.

[At the mention of the Coatl his face lights up.] Tell him I said hi, yeah?

[motherserpent]

Yeah! Gabriel and what's-his-face found him, so he's okay. They tried to feed him jello, I guess? But he's okay anyway.

[cahooted]

Nothing wrong with jello.

Unless he can't eat jello.

... I may get a little stuck on the fact here that they have jello.

[He loves jello.]

[motherserpent]

Uh, he's a snake, of course he can't eat jello.

You'll have to ask them where they got it. I bet the grocery store has it, but it'd be powder....

[cahooted]

Well, but he's also kind of a magic snake? So I thought maybe...

But thanks for the tip. I'll definitely do that.

... Are you gonna be okay?

[motherserpent]

I mean, as okay as anyone is in this place?

This is all...really embarrassing. And this place sucks. But this is still kind of easier than an average Tuesday, not gonna lie.

[cahooted]

Yeah. This town just really doesn't give you a break, does it.

... What happens on an average Tuesday?

[motherserpent]

We nearly get killed sending a Titan to the underworld, usually. Or Bjorn fathers another two dozen children, or someone attacks one of our friends and we have to go kick some asses and then everyone's all pissy about interpantheon interference, as though we didn't all have bigger problems.

[cahooted]

[...]

Wow, Bjorn is a busy guy. I'd hate to think what the aliment check looks like.

[motherserpent]

What, you think the god of boats is going to pay alimony? Shit, and here are all these families who are convinced it's an honor to raise his spawn.

[cahooted]

I thought you were... modern and all that.

[motherserpent]

I mean, Ragnarok. The human race kind of got set back a few centuries, and some people act like they're kind of okay with that.

[cahooted]

Oh, right. That.

[That little detail about her world he ripped away some time ago.]

... You mean like cultists? People going after the old ways?

[motherserpent]

The old ways got to be the old ways because they work, on some level. Modern gods...things that work in the kind of world I grew up in don't always translate to the kind of world where people are living in fortified settlements so the Titans don't take them.

And we like to call it our village, not a cult. I mean, it's totally a cult, but we have to work with what we have.

[cahooted]

Right.

[...]

Can't you like.

Make a big speech to people about not being... cultist-y?

cw human sacrifice

[motherserpent]

I mean...we need them to be a little cultist-y. We don't have enough of them for ambient belief to be enough; we need some forms of ostentatious worship. But we issued a couple decrees, you know, like no more human sacrifices -- thanks, guys, super appreciated and those people totally have a place of honor among the dead, but we've heard your call and the new era has begun, cows only, please and thank you.

cw human sacrifice

[cahooted]

[That's... a bit much but he's also glad the human sacrifices have been canceled?]

So you draw your power from these rituals? That's why you tried – uh, the other you tried to get some done? Is it like a temporary boost?

[motherserpent]

I mean, yeah. The point is that they're giving us something. Time, energy, love. Belief. Sacrifice, you know? When people give something up for us, or when they tell each other about the things we've done and remember us, it feeds us. Big, splashy stuff means big, splashy energy. Blood is...generally effective.

[She makes a face.]

I always wanted them to paint or play music for us, but...asking for cows is more straightforward. Apparently.

[cahooted]

Are there a lot of cows left in the apocalypse?

[motherserpent]

They had ten years to get together, catch whatever cows were wandering around after the downfall of civilization, set up agricultural systems. There's not a ton of anything, though. That's why it's a sacrifice. Time would even be a sacrifice, frankly; they've got shit to do to keep themselves alive and fed.

[cahooted]

That... makes sense, I guess. Everything that is hard to give up counting.

[He pauses again, trying to picture it. As morbid as it is, it's also fascinating.]

Do you have any trouble with, uh, rivaling gods? Atheists?

[motherserpent]

Atheists are -- whatever. That's free will; it's kind of an opt-in system that way. Kind of. As for gods...not yet. Hopefully not for a long time. We've got enough on our plates without adding politics to the mix. So far everyone who's still alive is an ally or at least indifferent to us, but I bet that changes when things quiet down.