Γ 9

[silk_for_calde]

[VOICE POST]Today belongs to Highest Hierax, the god of death. Given the affliction many of you seem to be suffering, I think I shall spend much of the day in prayer. Death must be honored; it is inescapable and, though we are loathe to admit it, holy

Comments

[obliviomancy]

Why should death be honored?

[Voice]

[silk_for_calde]

First-- and perhaps, relevant only to me-- because it is the domain of Mute Hierax, the fourth child of All-Powerful Pas and Ophidian Echidna. He's one of the Nine, the major gods of my whorl.
Second, because the death of the body releases the spirit to rise and walk the Aureate Path towards Mainframe, to be reunited with departed loved ones, and to attend the gods in person.
Third, because honoring a departed friend helps fix them in our memory; and our forgiveness of the wrongs they have done us and our expressions of love ease their journey to Mainframe.

And perhaps, most importantly, because it is the single unifying fact for all created things. Bios die; chems can die; tali die, and plants and animals die; and I suspect even the sun may die. Remembering that death is sacred helps keep us from fearing it.

[obliviomancy]

If it's just about your world, then why talk about it? Being remembered doesn't change anything, either. It doesn't help.

...

So it's just about fear?

[Voice]

[silk_for_calde]

I do not know if Hierax hears my prayers here; but at least one god does, and it helps me to say them, whether or not they're heard. All souls must go somewhere, in any whorl, once they depart the flesh; perhaps other whorls have no Aureate Path, or perhaps Mainframe is called by a different name, but does that really make a difference?

In your whorl, is there nothing you believe in? Does being here mean you must forsake those beliefs? I do not think so.

[obliviomancy]

... You want the deities' attention?

And no. There's nothing.

[silk_for_calde]

The deities here are not the gods of my whorl. Whether they hear my prayers or not is irrelevant. The Outsider is here; that, I feel certain of.

If you've never believed in anything, perhaps I cannot help you understand.

[obliviomancy]

How can you be sure?

Then it doesn't matter.

[silk_for_calde]

Because he is truly infinite. The other gods-- even the Nine-- live only in my whorl; but the Outsider exists outside as well. People worshiped him on the Short-sun Whorl because they lived outside as well; and in the City, the only thing I can be sure of is that we're outside my whorl.
It's not really a matter of logic, though; I'm trying to find an explanation that might satisfy you. It's just something that I know; as though I can feel him standing behind my shoulder as he always has. I'm more aware of that, now.

Well, what does matter to you?

[obliviomancy]

Why would people worship him? Doesn't seem like he does anything.

... Not a lot. You wouldn't get it anyway.

[Voice]

[silk_for_calde]

He helps in subtle ways; relies upon us to help ourselves, and aids us when we do. I don't know as much about him as I should, to tell you the truth.

Perhaps I wouldn't, but you could try to explain; I promise, I'll do my best to comprehend.