[backdated to day 334] Translation issues

[fearinahandfulof]

I tried looking for more omens and portents that might be helpful for the Jaunt, because I know time is growing short. But I'm not sure how helpful they are.

What I got was this:

Cthonic beasts are symbolic of the power of the earth - implacable natural forces, like earthquakes and volcanoes. The best weapons against such forces of nature are likely to be the best hope against such creatures.

In the Olympian mindset, that means:

1. Removing oneself from the sacred ground such creatures tread;
2. Cleverness, not brawn, is the key to defeating them, unless:
3. One possesses a true, unassailable moral high ground - the gods love justice and virtue.

None of that is untrue, but I don't know how to translate it to something that would help here. And I don't know what would count as 'sacred ground' - is it just this Vale, or is it everywhere else, too?

Comments

[desperate_times_right]

If Yukki's right about how big they can get, it could very well be everywhere.

It's interesting that morality was brought into it at all. Anyone know how those things came to be?

[theflyingone]

That is normal, from what I have read of Greek myths; whether those gods have sway here is debatable. The Nation Eaters are drawn to psychic power. If the Vale was a story written by Homer, using psychic power would be an affront to the gods quickly followed by punishment. A clever hero like Herakles or Odysseus would exploit a weakness or devise a trap to defeat the Nation Eaters.

Cavosophia, who the Nation Eaters do not attack, could only be said to possess virtue because they do not possess anything at all. They have been wiped clean of their minds. I consider that another kind of affront.

And, there are outliers like Prometheus who help humanity but are punished by the gods anyway. Apparently, humanity having fire to warm themselves with is a sin.

[fearinahandfulof]

From what I've heard, gods have no sway here at all.

[Hence her issue.]

But there are people here who see Nation-Eaters as a punishment in themselves - didn't people in Fallenheart say that Nation-Eaters were called by sin?

Those with power do not generally like those without it being given it, especially if they think it is at their expense. Humans are not immune to this.

[She figures he knows that already, but...]

[fearinahandfulof]

I don't know. I wish I did.

[desperate_times_right]

I don't think it's possible to have moral high ground over the Nation-Eaters. They seem to lack the capacity to be malicious, and presumably they eat us to survive. But ... I don't know, if they were brought or released here for a reason we might have something.

[fearinahandfulof]

How would we find that out, though? Especially now?

[desperate_times_right]

I don't know. Maybe there will be archives in the spire.

[fearinahandfulof]

I hope so.

[desperate_times_right]

I'll let you know if I see anything. I'm pretty good at finding hidden things.

[fearinahandfulof]

That sounds like a very useful skill for a Jaunt like this.

[More useful than seeing omens, at least.]

[desperate_times_right]

When you guys were all in hell that time I was this like... tipsy raccoon explorer. Picked it up from her.

[fearinahandfulof]

...Tipsy raccoon explorer?

[desperate_times_right]

Yeah. Little animal in a scarf. I drank so much wine, it was great.

[fearinahandfulof]

So you can get drunk...

[That's said rather absently.]

Why did she wear scarves?

[desperate_times_right]

What?

[That is a really weird response, sorry kid]

I think they all liked to dress up a bit. It was red 'cause that's another theme for me, but a lot of other animals wore clothes, too. Guess it separated us from the ungulates, who weren't sentient.

[fearinahandfulof]

[Oh. She'd said that aloud, hadn't she?]

Sorry.

I... can't. Not unless I consciously allow the alcohol to hit my bloodstream.

[Cassandra thinks about what she says next.]

Was there a pattern to which animals were and which weren't?

[desperate_times_right]

I can't as well now that I don't actually need to eat or drink anymore, but this was before that and I was infiltrating besides. My overlay on the pirate jaunt could certainly get drunk well enough.

Hm. It was all mammals, I think. Not fish or birds. And not ungulates, so most of our carnivores ate beef. I mostly ate fish, myself, which is good 'cause I'm trying not to eat beef anymore.

[fearinahandfulof]

You can't turn that off at all?

[She doesn't really know how that skill works.]

You're trying not to eat beef?

[desperate_times_right]

I mean, I can still eat or drink if I feel like it, but it's not the same. I got pretty messed up at Yomi on the break and it only lasted for like, half an hour.

Oh, right. Might not be a thing on your world. My dad was Hindu, and they avoid killing cows for religious reasons.

[fearinahandfulof]

Oh. I see.

[Cassandra doesn't dare let herself get drunk to any degree; loss of control in her case can potentially be dangerous to everyone around her.]

It doesn't sound familiar, so it might not be, at least not where I come from.

[Instead, they have to deal with people eating humans.]

[desperate_times_right]

I don't know if 'lapsed' is the right word, but I grew up with my mother, and she didn't like me thinking about that stuff. So I'm trying to get back into it as an adult.

[fearinahandfulof]

I... gave up on our island's religions very early. Praying never really seemed to help anything, so...

[desperate_times_right]

I can understand that. I think for me it's more of a ... connection, I suppose. To where my ancestors lived, and to my dad and his myths.

[fearinahandfulof]

I don't have that kind of connection. I don't think the Organization wants us to have it.

[desperate_times_right]

I'm sure they wouldn't.

[She doesn't really know what that is but there has never in the history of the world been a non evil group that called itself The Organization]