[Video] Eos Files: The Case of the Missing Gods

[kingkingcxiii]

[When the video starts, it shows Regis is settled into one of the chairs in the back room of the new house he, Cor, and Ignis so recently moved into.  There are several papers just visible on the table in front of him and there is a notebook propped against the knee he has casually crossed over his other leg.  It's obvious he's been going over the notes in front of him for a while.  If nothing else, all the large windows in the room show it's now well after dark.]

"Rawna granted me strength of heart and Ainea gave me love to guide it. Diacht taught me honor and Ohma the wisdom to wield it. Mighty [NAME ILLEGIBLE] molded the weapon to my fingers and [NAME ILLEGIBLE] pointed it at my enemies. Thus I am victorious when none else are, and so by rights I claim this land for us and all our generations after. Though far we have fallen from our original grace, forever shall we prosper."

[The words he starts the message with are spoken with the air of someone who has said them many times before.  Those from Eos will also likely be struck by the similarities the passage has to certain events in their own history, both past and future for those who know it.]

This is the passage I found when we were allowed into the Archives a few months ago.  I was not able to post it to the network at that time, but it and a passage found by Emet-Selch mention gods that we have, until this point, been told nothing about.  After discussing the passage with several people, I came to the decision we should look more into these missing gods both to find out who they were, but to also find out why we are not helping to strengthen them as well as the four we are all more familiar with.  Ardyn, Ignis, Emet-Selch, and I have all spent the last month and a half or so speaking with various natives, priests and scientists on this matter and have come to the decision we should share what we found with everyone in hopes of sparking more ideas.  As three of us are from the same world, there is also a very real chance we could be biasing our views without meaning to.

[Regis pauses to motion at the papers scattered in front of his propped up tablet and then lifts the notebook resting on his lap briefly before settling it back down.]

Our results were...  To be honest, they are rather disturbing in both their similarities and the completeness with which the natives--priests, normal people, and scientists alike--believe what they told us.  Not a one of them can recall who these missing deities are.  Some of the priests were kind enough to run diagnostic checks on themselves and the only thing they found is that they must have purged any related information centuries ago because it was no longer needed.  Even more worrying, some of the scientists we spoke with found that the areas in their memories related to such information were corrupted and unaccessible due to disuse.  They actually needed to purge those sections while speaking with us.

On Eos we have our own, not missing, but exiled god.  Even once his fellows killed him to stop his rampage, he was not erased from our history.  In fact, his story remains a very important part of said history which makes me very suspicious of how thoroughly these two gods have been erased.  The passage I quoted above makes it quite clear that these two gods care little for love and kindness.  As we have no names for them, I will use those that Ardyn gave them when we spoke: 'Wrath' and 'Retribution,' two forces that are strong in their own rights, but in a very different direction than those represented by the gods we currently know.

[His gaze turns from the tablet for the first time, and those who have been out to the house may realize that he is looking in the direction of the wall and where it failed in October.]

The natives may not remember who these gods are, but if anyone can challenge the strength of one god it is that of another.  I cannot help but wonder if there is some kind of link between those missing gods and the attack we witnessed in October.  After all, there is no better way to harm your enemy than destroying what they hold dear and we have seen just how thoroughly everything outside of the wall has been destroyed.

[Regis turns his eyes back toward the tablet.]

This is where I would like to ask for the assistance of the rest of you.  Do you have further ideas as to how we may pursue information on this topic?  Have you come across something that might tie into our investigation?  Even stories of how fallen gods are treated upon your own worlds are welcome.

I thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.


(OOC: This post is open to all and anyone from the investigation group may answer a tag.  If you wish a response to be private or directed to a certain character on the team, please mark that in your subject heading.  Thanks!)

Comments

[kingkingcxiii]

Have you put a proposal to the natives for help in getting these supplies? Since it will help us learn about the world outside, it theoretically serves to further their own purposes. Better understanding of the outside will allow us to better help the gods regain their strength. It's one thing for us to strengthen them through contact, but that doesn't seem as if it is doing all that much very quickly. If we can help lighten the burden of the world outside, then perhaps they will regain strength more quickly.

[Though the mention of the Starscourge is brief, it still brings a frown to Regis' face. Better the black liquid remain an unknown, honestly, than it become the next plague.]

If there is a natural way, it may be best to focus on that first rather than something that is unique to our world.

[It's a suggestion and a warning. There is risk of the scourge gaining ground here through Ardyn's very presence, not that it is any fault of his. So far, they have been lucky. He doesn't want to push that luck.]

It will be difficult to get the kind of equipment we need for this, let alone the spider itself and I don't think the natives will be much help here. They still haven't given you more access to their labs, I take it?

[Regis nods, thinking on this last point for a moment before speaking.]

And if the power is of divine nature? Is it possible the gods provide the power just as they give their power to keep the barrier going? If you wish to study the source, you may want to begin with studying them.

[original_is_best]

[He raised a brow at Regis at the suggestion, but he wasn't necessarily against it. Not exactly.]

It may be preferable if someone else handles relations with the natives. I am not against cooperation with the natives, but I work best away from potential prying eyes.

[He had been getting into potentially illegal stuff. While he'd been keeping things quiet, he didn't need natives looking into his stuff. He had his suspicions and he was fine with working with them, but...]

If we are to work with them, it is best to also maintain work that is separate as a precaution. The natives themselves may be and probably are little more than pawns on someone else' board.

While I would still like to gain access to their labs and I may make more attempts, I have been working on my own. It does require more time, though.

[Being deprived of his labs will do that. It was a frustration, and one he very much placed at the feet of those who removed him from his home. They had not only taken from him, but they were now impeding him from recovering what he had lost, which certainly didn't go without him bearing some sort of grudge.]

I have considered the power source may be the gods. After all, the conduit reacted to magic, including yours, which we know to be of a divine nature.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Isn't it fortunate that there is someone right here who is good at dealing with the politics of any given situation?]

I can attempt to make the contact for you if you wish. While I understand the need to keep as much separate as possible, I think that having one project to let them focus their attentions on is a good idea. It will serve as a distraction from the other projects. The airship is a very logical thing for us to work on and be transparent with. Indeed, we can probably use it as an excuse to get some of the materials you may need for the other experiments. They have no idea exactly what would go into making a magitek engine work after all. Delicate tools could be an absolute requirement and if some of those just so happen to work well for the spider experiment then...

[Regis trails off with a gesture from his hand. He's certain that Verstael can see where he is heading with that thought.]

The way it reacted to my own abilities is what makes me lean toward the gods possibly being the source instead of something else. It seemed hesitant to react. Almost as if it recognized my power was of divine nature, but also could tell it was not the right divine nature.

[original_is_best]

If only His Radiance were here. He excels at diplomacy.

[He allowed himself a moment of wistful thinking. But, back to business.]

What reasoning would we give for building a dropship? [Considering the true purpose - the ability to go outside the barrier - he wasn't sure how they would react. Even if they gave an excuse, it wasn't a very large place all-in-all. They needed a good reason to need an airship.]

...Then the theory seems to have merit. The gods are likely a power source of sorts.

Yet I don't think anyone has seen them in person yet, as far as I'm aware.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis has to fight the urge roll his eyes. He's tempted to tell Verstael that if he wants they can wait for His Radiance to arrive, but he bites his tongue. This topic is too important for pettiness to derail it.]

That is simple enough. As I mentioned before, being able to go outside allows us to look for ways to decrease the burden of the barrier on the gods as they recover. I suspect part of the reason we have seen so little improvement is because most of the energy we have provided to them is going to keep the barrier strong.

[He knows well how that goes.]

On top of that, it is natural for us to want a way to protect ourselves should the barrier fall and we know now this is a possibility.

[He pauses a moment to think and then nods his agreement to Verstael's statement.]

You are correct. I don't think anyone has actually seen them. The closest we have gotten is seeing their animal familiars. Perhaps you can start there? You could also speak with the priests and see if there is a way you could set up a meeting with one of them.

[original_is_best]

[He had doubts about the dropship. The natives might very well not take kindly to them potentially 'escaping'. Perhaps it was best to keep that to himself for now.]

I can find something.

[Certainly there was much to research and there would be things that were less controversial.]

I will ask Will if he can gain an audience with one of the local deities. He has pursued a more traditional relationship with them.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Why every should they think of it as escaping? It's all about the pitch, Verstael and what you do and don't bring up. Fortunately, Regis is well aware that Will is very good at such things.]

There is a reason I hired him to be my speechwriter.

[If Verstael won't let Regis speak to the natives about these things, he can at least agree that Will is a good choice to do it instead.]

[original_is_best]

You're making speeches here?

[He quirked a brow. Regis did have some of his retinue, but it didn't seem large enough to require speeches.]

[kingkingcxiii]

[Regis gives Verstael a confused look. It was a joke. He was jus-

Nah, never mind.]

No, there has been no need, though should the need arise for some reason, I don't see anything wrong with putting my training to work to help us.

[original_is_best]

[Did this man look like he joked around a lot? He absolutely wondered if Regis was breaking out into random speeches in his home to a crowd of four.]

I see...

I will admit, seeing as you are still but a prince in my time, I am not fully informed of your competence as a leader. Should you believe yourself capable, however, I do believe we require some more diplomats who can ingratiate themselves with the natives.

[kingkingcxiii]

To this point, I've been focusing mostly on making sure my people are taken care of and not in need.

[And, Verstael has no doubt notice just how many of his people are here. It's kept him busy.]

As things are starting to settle, though, I plan on speaking more with the natives. This investigation is only a first step.

[original_is_best]

Good.

[The more inroads they could make the better. Just because Verstael wasn't the man for the job didn't mean that the job didn't need to be done.]

It is likely we have exhausted what we can learn from this at the moment, however.