KAIJU FIGHT #5

[synfluxmods]

KAIJU FIGHT #5

CONTENT WARNINGS: cult-like symbols and implications, brainwashing.

▶ 001. LORD OF THE FOREST.

Throughout the days leading up until October 15th, the captives will be forced down to the dungeons for their “punishments” to be doled out. All of the punishments seem to be completed methodically, almost as if the followers of the Lord of the Forest had centuries of experience. While no explanation is given, it becomes clear that the sacrificial ritual has begun. While the Outsiders may not be privy to what this entails, there is one rule that will be have made clear to them: once the ritual begins, it can no longer be stopped. However, there is still a sliver of hope. On the morning of the 15th, a small message will have been pushed out by LILITH. While they haven't completely reestablished their connection to the network, they are able to get something out.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME:
HEIGHT: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
WEIGHT: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
CLASS: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
LOCATION: BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA.
ABILITIES: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
WEAKNESSES: SUNLIGHT, HOLǸ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃Y REǸ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃S, GK̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̆̃
EXTRA NOTES:

It is an incredibly sparse message. It seems to be working with any information the ocular implants were able to detect in that second, and the information gets fed back in the form of a distorted debrief sheet. However, it does act as a sign that LILITH is still actively working on gaining access to their communication lines once more, and are tirelessly working to send help. With this sudden jolt of a message, they will feel an extremely heavy disturbance composed entirely of rift energy—it appears that whatever kaiju is dwelling here is able to effectively work with the rift in order to negate abilities. But perhaps the clues all strung together have already painted a similar picture as to what is to come, and to what to continue to expect.

Now that the sacrifices have all but been made, it is time for the Lord of the Forest to be summoned.

All captives who have been forcefully dragged, or psychologically drawn to the dungeons, will find themselves face-to-face with the Lord of the Forest, also known by their title of PRICOLICI. The creature is a bit difficult to make out due to its ability to shape-shift: at times mimicking a human wearing some sort mask in the form of a wolf’s skull, and at others, taking on a form of a monstrous wolf-like creature that awaits all Outsiders— those presently within the dungeon, and those that exist outside of it, ready to be lured in.

Or that should be the case, but The Lord of the Forest appears to be a kaiju unlike all others. While it is summoned for a brief period in which the Outsiders bear witness to its true form, it seems to disperse back into the rift soon afterwards, much like savoring each of its sacrifices in a temporary state of hibernation.

(Note: Details of the specific events that happened leading up until this point can be accessed on the kidnapped log. Please be advised that there are heavy trigger warnings for these topics.)

▶ 002. FIND THE CAPTIVES.

Due to their brief communication and joint efforts following the network post, it becomes clear that all signs point to Bran Castle as the place where the captives are being held. This becomes ever more apparent as the fog gradually begins to lift, and the outline of the castle can finally be seen from the distance of the forest’s perimeter.

If there were still any doubts surrounding Bran Castle as a place of interest, many of the villagers will instantly form large groups in order to stop Outsiders from heading towards the castle. They will spare no effort to achieve this. What initially starts off as peaceful dissuasion and psychological tactics, such as using the children to cling to the Outsiders leg and crocodile tears… quickly escalates to outright fighting with pitchforks and other makeshift weapons from the farm. Additionally, Outsiders who have purchased the poison dagger from LILITH will find that the “safety” on it is released, and they can be utilized on the locals with no need for additional clearance. It looks like the network wasn't the only thing affected by the spotty connection.

In this skirmish, the Outsiders trying to make their way to the castle will find that a handful of these villagers aren’t your run-of-the-mill farmers. They’re stronger, faster, and the Outsiders will discover that they have incredibly sharp teeth. They are vampires! Or, an entity that seems close enough to the ones of legends. They will not only be attempting to fight Outsiders off, but will also resort to biting them. If an Outsider is bitten, their bodies will feel almost feverish, as if an incredibly slow-acting poison has entered their bloodstream. But, being bitten by a villager does not guarantee one to be turned. While it is possible, it is a much lower chance.

Once Outsiders do make it to the castle, they will find that there will be several more attendants from the castle waiting for them at the gates, all prepared to fight tooth and nail to prevent their entry. It’s clear the objective becomes to break past them and find the dungeons below the castle!

▶ 003. THE DUNGEON OF CASTLE BRAN.

Following the pathways of the castle to the dungeons below will not be easy. All the attendants present seem to have been waiting for them behind every nook and cranny of the castle. Outsiders will be met with their fervent attempts to stop them. It is a matter of life or death for the attendants and like the villagers, they seem to have no issue with throwing their own necks out in order to preserve the sanctity of their ritual.

Outsiders will also find various areas in which wolfsbane will be in bloom. Unlike typical wolfsbane these seem particular potent and will make the air taste bitter, and cause tingles, nausea, and hypotension if exposed to for too long. It appears even the attendants avoid them to a degree.

For those who make it to the dungeons, they will find that it is a lot bigger than it appears on the surface. A lot of its structure seems to lead deep underground, suggesting that it may even extend further out from the perimeter of the castle itself. There is a certain smell to the place that cannot be masked, years of sacrifices evident in every inch of its walls. There are over hundreds of cells, some still holding skeletal remains, alongside other ancient looking items: an old book, a worn out doll, a bloodied servant’s apron—they all appear to be pieces from a past that was long forgotten.

The Outsiders will not get to explore easily, however. As soon as they make their way past the threshold where the cells are all lined out, they will feel a chill up their spine. It's almost as if eyes are watching them in the dark, and they are. If they look up, they will realize there are hundreds of bats with glistening teeth that are all lining the ceiling, all lying in wait. They are minions of the Lord of the Forest, and their supersonic screams can stun and cause momentary deafness.

To make matters worse, it is not just their sharp teeth that hurt on impact, but they have a keen thirst for blood similar to the villagers. Being bitten by one will cause the Outsider to potentially begin to lose control of themselves and will have an insatiable thirst for blood, even at the expense of their fellow teammates. Additionally, those who are bitten will find themselves moderately more susceptible to psychic brain washing, and may cause them to momentarily join the enemies side.

▶ 004. THE FINAL RESCUE.

While the battle has already started within the village and the castle, suddenly the familiar ping of their oculars will alert them to the following message from Yamakawa—

"Angels of LILITH, we have connection. Rescue your team mates no matter the cost!"

With the connection reestablished, the main objective of the mission becomes one thing: RESCUE. For Outsiders who may have still been left at the village, or engaged within their own horrors, they are all advised to head to the dungeons as soon as possible. The coordinates for the deepest cells are sent alongside directions, with a constant warning to avoid direct contact with the kaiju there. The kaiju has long been absorbing rift energy and LILITH strongly advises against any attempts to engage with it until more information is known.

After half an hour, LILITH gives formal clearance to kill anyone interfering with the mission. Villagers, cult members, anyone. This includes Outsiders who may have temporarily been brainwashed, with the caveat of bringing back their bodies as they may be able to save them.

As they get further into the dungeons, they will find themselves susceptible to the side effects of rift poisoning. It is far more potent with each step, and will take laser focus to make one's way all the way to the last holding cells. There they will find the several of the castle’s most devout followers desperately calling out for The Lord of the Forest, as if summoning its presence.

…


…

…

… and The Lord of the Forest answers the cries of its followers. The initial part of this battle is difficult as the kaiju's abilities paired with the abnormalities of the rift result in weakening the powers of all living organisms around him, including the powers of the Outsiders. However, due to the phases of the moon, its abilities to nerf powers seem to have diminished slightly - they are able to use their abilities at a lower output, or at times they will find their abilities can cut in and out. After five to ten minutes of the Outsiders actually engaging the creature, they will find LILITH has effectively sealed the rift below the dungeons. It is far from perfectly done, but will allow the Outsiders the window of opportunity to use their all in their battle with the Lord of the Forest before backup arrives.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: PRICOLICI
HEIGHT: VARIES
WEIGHT: VARIES
CLASS: EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
LOCATION: BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA
ABILITIES: SHAPESHIFTING, IMMORTALITY, NIGHT VISION, SUPER STRENGTH
WEAKNESSES: SUNLIGHT, HOLY RELICS, GARLIC, WOLFSBANE
EXTRA NOTES: This kaiju has a malicious intent to all humans besides those who praise it. It's said it will bless all of its followers abundantly on this Earth and grant them immortal life.

The battle against the PRICOLICI will not be made easy, especially as its weaknesses are not as straightforward to tap in as most elements. However, LILITH will provide utmost support for the Outsiders who want to try their hand at defeating it. While it was once believed to be immortal, perhaps due to the disconnection of the rift and the moon, it does seem weaker the longer the Outsiders engage with it. There are also pockets in which wolfsbane bloom in secret in the dungeon, and the PRICOLICI will evade these specific areas, as well as any places containing holy relics.

▶ 005. AFTERMATH.

The remaining villagers do their utmost in attempting to ground the LILITH medical cruiser, using cannons and other primitive weapons against it. Fortunately, they do not succeed. With the LILITH medical crew all present, they begin their work promptly. Outsiders can not only use the medical cruiser as a temporary base and resting point, but those with severe injuries are ushered in for emergency surgeries and other necessary procedures. Those who can heal are encouraged to take care of the ones with less major injuries in order to lighten the load on LILITH’s medical robots... and Dr. Spim, of course.

When the final battle finally winds down, several more mission objectives crop up. While no formal decision is pushed on the Outsiders this time, they are given several choices.

Although LILITH has permitted Outsiders to take their own stance in whether they want to kill those involved in the ritual, including the villagers, they do state the final request to spare the children, which they plan to bring back to Neo Tokyo. Those who do not wish to engage in the taking of lives will be encouraged to continue assisting and escorting any injured Outsiders. Finally, all Outsiders are tasked to take with them any goods that LILITH could benefit from, including any sources of food.

Once this has all been completed, they will all be encouraged to leave Transylvania behind.

Back at base, they are presently working on the cure for those who were bitten and turned. While the brainwashing element has been resolved through persuasion tech, it wasn't possible for them to fully reverse the other side effects. LILITH staff are requesting those affected to remain indoors until they figure out what they need in order to completely rid them of this ailment.

(Note: The above mission objectives in this section are all optional! Please remember that you only need to engage in the plots and ideas you are comfortable with. If you would prefer your character to leave early to take the others back to recover at base, that is completely fine. We want this to be flexible and for people to play with what inspires them. You are also free to come up with other ways your character can help during this time, as long as it does not break any game rules.)

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to fifth kaiju log!

Thanks to the Outsiders' efforts, they were able to engage with the kaiju in this fight. Due to them piecing the clues of the skulls helping to destroy the fog, they were able to gain access to Bran Castle. As they have also kept their suspicions of the villagers, some even including to sacrifice them, they were able to unearth them being associated with the cult, and able to uncover their involvement. Outsiders were also able to add wolfsbane as a weakness to the kaiju due to the messages exchanged between the kidnapped and non-kidnapped - and so this detail was also added into the log. We appreciate everyone’s engagement in this and hope you have fun with this outcome!

Feel free to NPC your characters' fights with the minions. The main fight with the largest one will be determined via a HP-based system (See below). Feel free to ask any other questions below! Additionally, we did clarify some questions in regards to vampires/general weaknesses here, as well!

For the vampire prompts, feel free to work with the setting in how you want your character to experience being turned, and potentially turning others. It was made vague to allow flexibility, so if you'd like to have your character just feed off of people without turning them, that works. If they want to turn all their friends, that is also 100% okay. Those who have been turned are welcome to play with that as they see fit. As mentioned, LILITH will be actively working on the cure, and this will be something revisited in the TDM, or on our quest board, so be on the lookout for that!

All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards October AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. LORD OF THE FOREST: On the days leading up to the 15th, kidnapped characters are brought to the dungeons to receive their punishments. The punishments are administered in a way that suggests that the followers have many years of experience, and that they are all part of a sacrificial ritual to summon the Lord of the Forest; once the ritual begins, it can't be stopped. On the morning of the 15th, LILITH is able to send out a distorted monster debrief sheet that the captives will be able to briefly see before experiencing a heavy disturbance of rift energy. Captives in the dungeons will also be able to see the Lord of the Forest, but it will disperse back into the rift after being summoned.

2. FIND THE CAPTIVES: The Outsiders figure out that the captives are held in Bran Castle; the fog gradually lifts and the outline of the castle will be visible. The villagers will do everything they can to prevent the Outsiders from reaching the castle, from using the children to persuade them to stay to more violent means. Outsiders who have a poison dagger from LILITH are able to use it on the villagers without prior clearance due to the spotty connection. Vampires are among the villagers attacking the Outsiders; if they are bitten, their bodies will feel feverish. Once Outsiders reach the castle gates, they will have to break through the castle attendants to reach the dungeons.

3. THE DUNGEON OF CASTLE BRAN: Outsiders must fight through more attendants inside the castle as they make their way down to the dungeons. The layout of the dungeons is much bigger than it may seem on the surface—with over hundreds of cells, some of which still contain the remains and personal effects of previous villagers who have been sacrificed. Bats, minions of the Lord of the Forest, will attack the Outsiders and those who are bitten may begin to lose control of themselves with a thirst for blood. Bitten Outsiders may attack their teammates as a result, and may also be more susceptible to psychic brainwashing.

4. THE FINAL RESCUE: LILITH confirms the main mission objective of rescuing all the captives and gives formal clearance to kill anyone interfering with the mission, which includes any Outsiders who may have been temporarily brainwashed. The bodies of any fallen Outsiders must be brought back as LILITH may be able to restore them. Going deeper into the dungeons will cause side effects of rift poisoning to manifest. The Lord of the Forest appears to engage the Outsiders; its ability to weaken abilities is diminished slightly due to the phases of the moon. Five to ten minutes into the battle, LILITH seals off the rift below the dungeons, allowing Outsiders an opportunity to go all in on attacking the Lord of the Forest.

5. AFTERMATH: LILITH's medical crew arrives to begin treating injured Outsiders. Those who are able to heal or have medical experience are encouraged to treat Outsiders with minor injuries to lighten the load on LILITH's medical staff. Once the battle winds down, Outsiders are given several options on what to do next: kill the followers and the villagers, but sparing the children (who will be brought to Neo Tokyo); continue assisting and escorting any injured Outsiders to safety; taking any goods from the village that will benefit LILITH, including food sources. Once completed, Outsiders will leave Transylvania to embark on the journey back to Neo Tokyo.

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Comments

a 2-flavored wildcard

[fursuit]

[ Look, he knew it was a rescue operation. LILITH had been clear about that, and with a quarter of their forces missing, that’s definitely the priority. Makes sense. But Tezcatlipoca hadn’t exactly expected to be the one doing the rescuing. For a god that glorifies struggle and survival, it just doesn’t feel right for him—it’s something for them to figure out themselves or to leave it to others as he just forges the path.

Most people he’d overlooked for exactly that reason. There were others that could handle them. But… Some were in worse states than others. He couldn’t exactly expect a man with his legs dashed to pieces to get out of there on his own. So, even if it was begrudgingly because of his own odd principles, he’d dragged Aventurine out of the dungeons of the castle. He didn’t exactly have a plan on where to take him, but anywhere else seemed like an improvement.

It'd just been luck that he’d run into Ratio.

He gives them their moments, and he has full plans to rush back into the fray and bloodshed with vigor, but also? He’s fucking tired. He might be a god, and a formidable one at that, but manifesting his armor and slashing through bats and people alike doesn’t leave him unscathed. He’s dismissed the armor for the moment to relax on the usage of mana, and he thumbs over a deep gash in his right leg. He hadn’t even felt that one.

He's not paying too much attention and misses Ratio wrapping up his conversation with Aventurine, so when he offers his assistance, Tezcatlipoca looks up, then huffs out a laugh. ]

Yeah. Wouldn’t turn it down.

[ He’s got healing magic, he’s guessing? Good to know. ]

[curingidiocy]

[ It isn't in Ratio's nature to be an active participant in missions and plans. It usually befell to him to move in the background, handling research and small but important details that would give a plan the greatest chances of success. Hence why he'd chosen to support the team from the back, offering healing, support, and knowledge.

He hadn't expected to see Aventurine for a while because he was not at the forefront of the search and rescue. But when Tezcatlipoca brings the gambler to him, body battered and barely hanging onto consciousness, his heart drops and he rushes forth to collect his lover. A visual scan of the man reveals several things to the scholar: that he was alive with considerable injuries, but he was not in mortal danger.

Relief floods him and he speaks quietly to Aventurine, assuring him that he was here and would tend to Aventurine's injuries as best he can now. It takes some time for him to further determine the injuries his lover bore, and he eventually realizes not all of it is treatable by him alone. LILITH would have to step in and perform surgery to fix those shattered bones.

But he does all he can, and eventually, Aventurine settles down and is lulled to sleep. At that point, Ratio relaxes and turns to Tezcatlipoca, who has yet to leave. A quick look reveals several open wounds, so when Tezcatlipoca accepts the offer, Ratio summons a medical kit from his subspace storage and sets it down next to the god's leg. ]

Your wounds must be cleaned first before I can close it.

[ He pulls out all the necessary items from the kit and gets to work. ]

[fursuit]

Ha, so not magic, then.

[ He doesn’t bother keeping his thoughts to himself on that one, but the laugh is humored, and he shifts so that Ratio has better access. So, clearly, he’s not opposed. Just maybe lightly surprised since practical experience seemed secondary here. Guess the “doctor” isn’t just the philosophical kind. ]

Don’t worry about the smaller ones. Once I take a breather, I’m headin’ back out. Still got a kaiju to kill.

[ This one is much more personal than the last, after all. Granted, his reasons are pettier than most… But it works well enough for the overall goal. ]

[curingidiocy]

LILITH's healing implant.

[ That's all he offers as an explanation.

With a bottle of water, he rinses the gash on Tezcatlipoca's leg, and wipes the skin around it with a cloth. Then he carefully removes any bits of visible debris in the gash with a pair of tweezers. When he's satisfied that the wound is clean, he uses both hands to press the wound close and activates his implant. Tezcatlipoca will immediately feel the ticklish itch of flesh growing and mending itself. ]

If you have any other serious wounds, or need anything else, inform me immediately. I will provide what I can.

[ He's still a little peeved at Tezcatlipoca for the human sacrifice ritual he performed, but he does not allow it to transfer into his treatment of the god's wounds. But if he presses against the wound a little harder than he's supposed to, well, who'd know? ]

[fursuit]

Gotcha, just thoro—Tch.

[ His response is cut off by a click of his tongue and a hiss as Ratio gets to that thorough work, since it doesn’t feel great. He won’t complain about it, and in fact, he wonders if other wounds he’s gotten patched up should have been treated this way… Well, too late now, he decides, and he just focuses on his breathing until Ratio presses at his wound.

That’s a little more intense, especially with the extra pressure, and he expresses it as a sharp laugh. He’s a little more familiar with pain than most, since it’s a natural part of his domains and his worship, but still. ]

Nah, that’s the main one, but… That’s a firm touch, ain’t it?

[ Is he mad??? Why would he be mad???

…No, Tezcatlipoca does have a good guess if that’s the case, but he’d rather Ratio say it than he assume. ]

[curingidiocy]

You'll live.

[ He lessens the pressure on Tezcatlipoca's wound anyway, once he's certain the flesh has adhered together properly. Now, he looks over Tezcatlipoca again, in search of more wounds of a similar size to the one he's treating.

Nothing else big enough to warrant a large amount of concern, relatively speaking. But it's enough time for the thoughts in his mind to stew, so when he returns his gaze to the wound in front of him, he speaks. ]

...if we were to encounter a situation similar to this in a future mission, would you repeat your actions?

[ It's asked in a calm, level manner, but there's no mistaking the gravity behind it. Ratio intends to assess the god based on his response. ]

[fursuit]

[ His expression stays mischievously light at the scolding, since, wow? People here really have no respect. Like, sure, they may not know his divinity or how serious a thing that could be, but still!

(Yet, he likes it more when people go against him.)

However, as Ratio returns to his work and asks the more serious question, Tezcatlipoca’s expression mirrors it. He cools, and a small sigh is almost like he’s exhaling the lighter affect. But his answer is immediate. There’s no hesitation at all. ]

Nope. I’ll take that as proof that my divination doesn’t sway this world like it should.

[ Something he blames LILITH for, even if it’s nothing barbed. They weren’t able to capture all of the essence of what he is, clearly, because even if this is a different world, that shouldn’t necessarily matter. It’s Earth, and his culture existed in its history. That’s enough for his Authority to linger, at least if they’d been able to grasp it.

However— ]

Make no mistake, though. If it had worked? I would.

[curingidiocy]

[ Good. He's learned his lesson. That's all Ratio needs to know.

Neither is he surprised by Tezcatlipoca's admission. If it'd worked, even Ratio would acquiesce to its occasional use. But— ]

Only after considering less harmful options, I'd hope. A life's potential should not be extinguished without careful consideration of the situation and what options we have.

[fursuit]

[ He clicks his tongue lightly, since that’s about the response he expects, but it still feels a bit like a lecture again. More than other things, it rubs him the wrong way, though. He can’t fault Ratio for it, exactly, since he’s a humanity that’s far removed from the gods that created them, but still. It’s a bit annoying. ]

If it gets to the point I consider it? There ain’t a less harmful option. Takin’ a peek into the fabric of the world doesn’t exactly come cheap.

[ He could have offered his own organs and saved the life, perhaps. But he thinks that’s a much worse deal, since that means LILITH would be down a fighter, and a strong one at that. He shakes his head. ]

...But don't get me wrong. It's better when people volunteer for it. Just wasn't an option here.

[curingidiocy]

[ God Tezcatlipoca may be, but they are so human he cannot help but think of them as just another person, albeit with lofty views and broad perspectives. Somewhat like him, because even Ereshkigal has pointed out before that Ratio bears some similarities to the gods she knows.

But Tezcatlipoca's response is one that he can accept. It's practical, and Ratio cannot complain if people actively volunteer themselves for such a thing; at least if they're aware of the full consequences of such an action. He is not a saint after all. ]

Even for you, it requires human sacrifice to see such a thing? Or is this a limitation of the avatar you occupy?

[fursuit]

[ Tezcatlipoca sighs and reaches up to rub at the back of his head. This is the kind of thing that Dr. Ratio might recognize immediately, since it's likely to be a bit of a reflection... It's absolutely the face of considering how to explain something very complicated to someone you expect isn't going to understand you. ]

More the former. It's just how it works, regardless of whether I've shoved myself into a vessel or not.

[ He lowers his hand from his head, but only to wave it a bit dismissively. ]

We created people, so the idea is that it's givin' back the life to us. It's more complicated than that in reality, but the theology the priests created ain't a bad analogy.

[curingidiocy]

[ The fact that he's on the receiving end of such a face is almost insulting, and a part of him takes offense to it. But it's understandable that a god would believe a mortal to be incapable of understanding a concept that is likely meant to be beyond their comprehension.

Giving the life back... As a non-theist and scientist, the idea seems absurd to him. That gods are responsible for humanity's creation, and thus they are owed the debt of life. Perhaps that's how it is in Tezcatlipoca's world, but for his own, where no such gods like him exist, it's unfathomable. ]

...I see.

[ It's clear to see that Ratio isn't fully satisfied by that explanation. ]

I suppose you don't have any other displeasing rituals up your sleeve now that you've confirmed that they're ineffective.

[fursuit]

[ Tezcatlipoca clicks his tongue again, since it's not like he was expecting acceptance, exactly, but the response is still a little rude... Is this what he expects from Ratio? Absolutely. He's not any more pleased to be on the receiving end of it, though. ]

Well, when you put it that way, yeah, got plenty, and I'll try 'em all out.

[ It's clear that he means this out of spite, so it's a joke? Probably? ]

But that's one of the biggest I can pull off in this form. Don't see the others comin' up.

[curingidiocy]

[ That's a flat look he's getting from Ratio. Even though he can tell it's in jest, joking about something as serious as death has never sat well with him. That being said, from a purely intellectual perspective, he's curious. Even though it isn't knowledge that will be useful, he still wants to know more, if only to understand Tezcatlipoca as a god. ]

When you have time, I'd like to learn more about these rituals.

[ Who knows? Maybe that knowledge will find use here at least. The one Tezcatlipoca used to try to summon the Lord of the Forest caused some reaction, though it may only be due to the death of the villager. Doesn't mean other rituals may not be useful, or usable. ]

[fursuit]

[ The request gets some of Tezcatlipoca's ornery bluster to die down, but it's a bit confusing. He seems surprised about it, but it's hard to guess why. It wouldn't seem like he'd be surprised that Ratio is asking, of all people, after all.

...But in truth, it's simpler than that. Ratio is just the first person to express interest at all. ]

You really wanna know?

[ His tone matches the fact that some of that bluster has died down, even if it's still stern overall. That could just be from being sore, though. It's hard to say. ]

I'll warn ya, they ain't for the faint of heart, generally speakin'. Our world is based around the cycle of life and death, and it's expressed through the body.

[ A pause, since he feels like the warning is given, but. He adds with a more agreeable tone: ]

But if you're serious? Yeah. I'll teach ya.

[curingidiocy]

I'm not interested in performing them, but I am curious to learn their history and cultural significance, as well as the mechanics involved in their effects.

[ One never knows where the next breakthrough in science might be found. Even senseless rituals could be a source, though Tezcatlipoca's rituals are far from senseless. ]

So long as any demonstrations do not involve real sacrifices, I will have no complaints.

[fursuit]

[ He waves a hand dismissively. ]

Well, yeah, figured that, doc. You don't strike me as the kinda guy that's going to be down to start consumin' flesh.

[ What's a little ritualistic cannibalism among friends, though? But, no. He wouldn't actually expect even people taking part to dip into the rituals that far. It may be part of them, but that's a line that people tend to have. He gets it, but he'd also argue that it just holds a very different meaning for his people. ]

But if it's just for academic interest? Wouldn't mind that either.

[ He pauses again and seems to be considering whether to add something... Then shrugs. ]

It's a good thing to learn them and remember them. Even if you won't use 'em. It... Well. Long story short, ain't practiced anymore.