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[monzun]

 

Monzun has been trying their Hand at a little necromancy.

Some gods had skill in that, but Monzun had only known those as enemies; otherwise, humanity itself had better luck in reviving themselves through spiritual means. It’s a skill they find tricky at best. Healing the body is only part of it. The ‘spirit’ (or ‘soul’ or ‘life force’ or ‘ghost’, for just a few mortal terms) is just as necessary.

The Void is distant, but some of the spirits of humanity appear to reach for it. Monzun’s first successes caught such spirits and forced them back into their bodies before they could be left behind, with the memories of what they were trying to reach for gone when commanded to explain.

Generations pass.

Monzun’s reach extends agonizingly slowly.

If anything, learning to conjure bodies for spirits may go against the revival of gods lost to the Void…but any skill has its use. Mortals are exceedingly grateful for revival. Faith spreads and empowers their Creed-boosted capabilities even higher.

Monzun continues trying.

(If there is any god that chose to reign over death, they have yet to show their Hand or anything else at Monzun’s interference. The crueler, more paranoid part of them expects retaliation eventually. The kinder part of them wonders if they should eventually take on this duty, with how terrified so many seem to be of it. But this is all for later.)

Eventually, they find their reach beyond anything they have yet to know. Still far short of finding lost gods, but still encouraging.

A lost soul.

They bring their holy fingers around it and Heal and build and read its memories, growing a skeleton and wrapping it in all its needed parts for functionality.

Monzun comes back to the world in the shadow of their Temple holding a very odd man, their massive Leopard Creature standing to sniff and prod at him.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[monzun]

Monzun does not recognize the name, but in truth, they recognize few. Mortals can be fickle little things, and the ones that recalled the gods that lived in generations past discarded as much as possible, or guarded the remaining scraps of handed-down memory with deep fear.

Frustrating, but after Nemesis' horrifically cursing their own land for generations when they were gone for a measly century or so, they can extend sympathy. Gods, plural, indicates his peoples' allegiances changed often.

"You sound most loyal to your Flame Dragon Cepheid. I do not intend anything dangerous to you for following that god," they assure in soothing cant. "I would like to know of them, and of your healing."

[redprayer]

Rezo actually hadn't considered that Monzun might harm him for following Cepheid, but he can hardly manage to worry or not worry about that when he's jarred by Monzun's question.

How... How does someone not know of Flare Dragon Cepheid? He's Cepheid.

But then, Rezo hadn't known of Monzun.

Rezo takes a breath and thinks of all the times he's been called upon to tell the stories of Cepheid, particularly to children young enough that Cepheid was still little more than a strange statue that the adults would gather around. And he dutifully begins to explain.

"There are many stories told of how Cepheid and his counterpart, Ruby Eye Shabranigdu, came to be. When I was a child I was told that they were born from the clashing of powerful astral energy within the Sea of Chaos that surrounds the world. Cepheid loved the world and sought to protect it, while Lord Ruby Eye hated the world and sought its destruction. And while Cepheid was nourished by the love of humanity, Lord Ruby Eye fed upon their pain.

"From primordial times the two have battled over the fate of the world. Cepheid was aided by his servants, the holy dragons, while Lord Ruby Eye created powerful demons. Their final battle occurred thousands of years ago, when Cepheid was finally able to break Lord Ruby Eye into seven pieces and seal those pieces away.

"Having neutralized his enemy, Flare Dragon Cepheid used the last of his strength to create the other four gods of our world. These are the Dragon Kings: Aqualord Ragradia, the Water Dragon King of the North; Flarelord Vrabazard, the Fire Dragon King of the East; Airlord Valwin, the Wind Dragon King of the West; and Earthlord Vangort, the Earth Dragon King of the South.

"After creating the Dragon Kings, Cepheid sank into the Sea of Chaos. But though he was killed, he did not entirely die. His power and presence still lingers in the world, and the Dragon Kings and the holy dragons keep vigil over the world in the event of Lord Ruby Eye's revival. And the gods and the demons continue to fight over the world to this day."

Rezo hasn't gotten into how he himself fits into all this, even on a cursory level, let alone told Monzun of his work as a healer. But that's already quite a bit of information to digest, if Monzun truly has no background in all of this.

...pretend they said Flare Dragon in that last one. my mistake, not theirs hgfdj

[monzun]

Monzun listens carefully, and their Leopard does as well, pausing in purring (though not in petting).

Parts of this tale are familiar. Old as time, old as cycles, old as gods being cruel and kind. The destruction of all seems pointless, however, and either a misunderstanding of humanity or of Monzun--they naturally presume the former. What is a God without...well, anything? People, at least, even if only seen as easily-killed and replaced fodder, are necessary for existing.

This is a weakness most gods would not admit to. Certainly Monzun has not, and they are less fearful or arrogant, they believe, than 'Lord Ruby Eye'--or Nemesis, as they naturally draw parallels to.

A god that died but did not die is just as doubtful. Gods that fought in the Void itself piques their interest heavily, however. And humans, for all their faults and fragility, have their own power...

If a priest of a dead god is here...perhaps he can be more helpful than only for practicing their own revival skills.

"I do not know of any of these gods." They aren't certain what a 'dragon' even is. Some of their people claimed these things should be slain in Monzun's name. So they appear to be something frightening. Something that almost sounds like a Creature.

...What rule is it that a god needs to have only a single Creature in the first place? Nemesis had the Guide and Ichor--and the Ogres, were those Creatures, or demons?

("Hey! Don't besmirch my bad name!" their cruel conscience chides.)

"And I believe I know why," Monzun says heavily. "There has been a terrible war, and much history and the gods are gone."