With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

[RichardWhereat]

Well, if Greek gods actually get something out of that I think this might end up putting Hades above Zeus in the pantheon eventually. And right after OL got his wife to divorce him too.

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Nah, Melinoë said that it doesn't matter how many souls her father has, Zeus is still more powerful. Back when she escorted him through Erebos that first time, to see the worlds best guitarist.

 

[Old Knife]

Hades. King of the dead. Coming to a franchise near you.
I wonder if he'd turn his new power into creating a HUB for the dead so that those that die could go find their god amongst the universe's innumerable options.

 

[Pinklestia]

Billions."

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"So you both have made Hades the most powerful of the Gods of the Afterlife and give him enough work to keep him busy for millenniums? Hahaha!"

Nah, Melinoë said that it doesn't matter how many souls her father has, Zeus is still more powerful. Back when she escorted him through Erebos that first time, to see the worlds best guitarist.

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That's because Zeus is the King. If he stopped being the King then Hades would kick his ass.

 

[l---erddad---l]

My guess would be that Hades becomes the new default for people that don't have a religion.

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Nah, that's not how it works, IIRC: If I recall correctly, Hell isn't actually the default, it's that there is no default so they can just nibbity-nab any souls that don't go to an afterlife, and it just so happens that if you don't get into Heaven/whatever afterlife there is of the (G/g)od(/s) there is nothing else to go to, so you just sit there until Hell picks you up.

Although now I'm wondering if Hades could use these new souls to leverage his way into a spell that lets him do the same thing, because that would be lit.

 

[Akatsunami]

Heh, I hope this doesn't result in the underworld getting an overpopulation problem.

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More worried about earth really, those are billions of possible reincarnatees that are likely to go earthling if they dislike the ideia of Hadeism after all. Though The Elysiums are likely to become a really fun place to be in soon enough as well, so many fucking heros.

 

[TheDudeMan400]

More worried about earth really, those are billions of possible reincarnatees that are likely to go earthling if they dislike the ideia of Hadeism after all. Though The Elysiums are likely to become a really fun place to be in soon enough as well, so many fucking heros.

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I thought you had to be sponsored to get in Elysium.

 

[Siskulous]

It's Orcus. Pluto is Mickey's dog.

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The two names are often used interchangeably, but technically Orcus is the Roman version of Horkos, not Hades. They're both gods of the dead, but they're not the same god of the dead. Orcus is more closely associated with the punishment aspects of the afterlife.

It has been explained the sorts of things Paul needs to do, that does not even meet the minimum.

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It has also been strongly implied that the being who said that was lying through their metaphorical teeth. Remember that Hades was pissed and the angel who showed up while Paul was talking to him was nervous about that whole thing. Pretty clearly Paul was supposed to be judged by Hades when he died and someone cheated.

 

[dxdragon]

So, it looks like Hades just became the most powerful member of his pantheon?
Accepting billions of new souls and devotees would have to give him a huge power boost.

 

[iamnuff]

"Why would there be a horizon? This isn't a spheroid planet. We're in a pocket universe sustained by the inherent magics of a fallen titan straight out of the Dream. Don't bring your GCSE-level Objects and Motion physics into it."

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Man, Paul is really enjoying messing with her here. Especially given how he used to be at the other side of the rails on this 'shit doesn't make sense' track.

I guess this is why magic-using people are always dicks when introducing their bullshit magic stuff to ignorant yokels.
Because they were once the ignorant yokel and everybody messed with them for fun, so now that they're on the other side, dealing with someone who knows even less than they do, they're taking full advantage.

 

[Citizen]

"You're a devotee of Eris? What's the trick now?"
"I'm giving Lord Hades a few billion souls to judge."

 

[Vaermina]

Thinking about it, this is the second thing we have seen that suggest Death of the Endless isn't doing their job.

 

[SpiritualSlacker]

Zeus is going to join the Light out of frustration and rage at OL if things like this keep happening.

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No joke, that would actually be a super dope idea.

 

[Mquz]

Thinking about it, this is the second thing we have seen that suggest Death of the Endless isn't doing their job.

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Not really. Zoat linked that page of the ghost planet back during the last post, so Death doesn't do it's job there, in canon, either.

 

[WaleXdraK]

Why are people scared of Hades increasing his purview like this? This is a good thing! The Underworld is a better afterlife than Hell or Purgatory, possibly Heaven (no details on that one that I can remember besides fancy architecture). It's definitely a better deal than floating in the void of space for eternity.

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Well, while Hades isn't as bad as Ares he had his moment as an antagonist (i speak of comics not WTR) furthermore i don't think the other gods (more particularly Zeus) are going to be happy about that since i think having Billions peoples in his Domain will make him way stronger.

 

[FreeGod]

"I'm prepared to judge you, and I'm sure that you'll be more trouble than anyone else could dream of being."

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Paul just gave his future judge the biggest bribe Hades has ever seen.

 

[Coda]

"I only breath out of habit."

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breathe

 

[Mr Zoat]

Paul just gave his future judge the biggest bribe Hades has ever seen.

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No, that would be quite improper. It's a donation.

breathe

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Buggy123]

No, that would be quite improper. It's a donation.

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Must... not... bring up... politics...

 

[Itypeslow]

Lantern Dul reaches awkwardly out and puts his hands on the man's neck.

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Remember what happened last time you misgenderd a fictional character?

 

[Mquz]

Paul just gave his future judge the biggest bribe Hades has ever seen.

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Hades is an honest judge... donations won't work. Which is really the biggest difference between a bribe and a donation - if it affects the resulting decision.

 

[Ardy]

Hades is an honest judge... donations won't work. Which is really the biggest difference between a bribe and a donation - if it affects the resulting decision.

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Yeah, Hades just takes into account all the good and bad things you did.

Lets see, on the good side you...

Once helped an old lady cross the street...

Donated blood twice a year....

And converted several billion souls to my religion.

You're looking good so far but I'm a little concerned about all this business with leading on my daughter.

 

[Vaermina]

Not really. Zoat linked that page of the ghost planet back during the last post, so Death doesn't do it's job there, in canon, either.

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Last story post didn't have any links, try again.

 

[Ganurath]

Nah, Melinoë said that it doesn't matter how many souls her father has, Zeus is still more powerful. Back when she escorted him through Erebos that first time, to see the worlds best guitarist.

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I don't think she expected someone to have a few billion spare souls lying around.

 

[Mr Zoat]

22nd January
21:21 GMT

Krandor Vat sat in his dimly-lit study. Ultra-secure briefing pads littered his side table and desk, the simple programs running on them designed to erase all data and then burn out if it even looked like an unauthorised person was looking at them. Most of the content was concerning, though he would admit to himself that little of what was there was actually surprising. As a youth, he had been exposed to magic when Hyathis purged the Equalisation Plague from his body and restored to him the ability to be an individual. Having seen the transformation Thanagarian society went through -with access to the somewhat more objective first hand accounts, rather than the 'cultivated' version he'd seen put into circulation- as a result of magic, combined by twenty years of intelligence reports as Imperial Intelligence fed everything they had on Hyathis's current capacities to him as head of the High Council…

No. It would be lying to say that he believed himself to be beyond being surprised. But he hadn't had a reason to personally review the reports coming from Katar Hol and Shayera Thal. He was but one man, and he knew better than to try to micromanage everything. But now that Earth's-.

Oh, that name. It was almost as if someone made it up as a demeaning insult, only for the locals to take it as a compliment. 'Our whole world is downside'. He felt his lips curl in amusement. But with that place's problems having an increasing impact on the Thanagarian Empire, it seemed prudent to conduct a brief review in order to be properly informed.

Earth was no laughing matter. A figure made of water nearly drowned half the planet, and life continued much as it had before. A demon stole all of their children, and the matter was resolved within a day. Demented geniuses made weapons in secret laboratories that even the Thanagarian Empire's greatest scientists couldn't match. And time travel! One of the reports stated that the Thanagarian Empire would eventually annex the place. Frankly, he wasn't certain that was a good idea.

There was a hum from across the room, and he tidied up the report pads slightly as the teleporter and teleport-filter matched wits and codes for a few moments. Anyone trying to teleport into his presence without exactly the right authorisation would -at best- swiftly find themselves deflected into the holding cells operated by the Ravens. Of course, no system could be perfect…

The area lights up for a moment, and then Andar Pul appears. The High Mor gives him a moment to regain his bearings -he remembers his own superiors being less accommodating once upon a time- before he begins getting answers.

"High Mor."

"Senior Analyst. What news?"

"The strike against the Thasaro cult was a success. Their Blessed One was killed, along with most of their paramilitary arm. I've given conventional law enforcement their orders to deal with the rest."

"Not too thoroughly."

"I felt it best to avoid even implying that. Much as I'd like to write them off as a bunch of deluded fools, they have been running a subversive organisation for thousands of years in the face of government opposition. I doubt we could catch them all even if we wanted to."

"And our inside man is.. in place?"

"Yes. And with Kartez dead, it's likely that the cultists' other leaders will begin to shift their position."

The High Mor bows his head slightly. Almost perversely, Kartez had wanted to use his cult's unusual powers to show their worth to Thanagarian society at large and earn acceptance. And Vat couldn't be certain that it wouldn't have worked. Some more excitable members of the High Council might have gone for it if a Blessed One could defeat a Lantern.

Idiots.

"He knew nothing about the transmutation process himself?"

"He believed that it involved ritual murder, but was unaware of the specifics."

"Pity. I've always thought that executions were wasteful. Are you certain that he told you everything?"

"Everything we could risk asking. The Illustres's technique…" His wings twitch slightly, an unusual nervous display from the normally controlled operative. "Kartez genuinely wanted to help us. It was unnerving."

"Can Lantern Dul perform the same technique?"

"She claims that she has far less control. I'm inclined to believe her, but if need be I can ensure that she gets practice."

"Do so, do so. And the Illustres himself? Is the.. report from the cruiser's commander accurate?"

"The cruiser's sensors are only slightly enhanced, farsight class four. They aren't precise enough to decipher gravitic phenomena with complete reliability, but… I'm inclined to believe it."

That.. was.. troubling. While getting hard figures on what Sector Lanterns could do merely required expending a small number of privateers, no one Imperial Intelligence had been able to contact knew what the limits of Lantern power were.

"At least I can avoid wasting resources trying to develop singularity weapons. The soldiers involved. They're reliable?"

"Yes." Meaning that they wouldn't talk about mission-specifics when they weren't supposed to. The High Mor believed that his people made excellent warriors, but not all were suited to discreet work. "But I wouldn't want to order them to fight a Lantern at any point in the near future. Not after a display like that."

"Is he working with Hyathis?"

"All of the junior analysts I had examining our footage agree that he was telling the truth. Which might be a problem, because if he needs anything else from her he might make a similar deal again."

"Mm. And if we need to do something to prevent that… How did he respond to Operative Bleez?"

"Outright seduction was always a long shot. Particularly given the fact that none of the attacks he endured were true threats to him. Nonetheless, he responded positively. I believe that it's worth arranging for them to remain in contact. His.. idea, about using this opportunity to reduce colonial autonomy..?"

"No. The current arrangement works well enough, and we need their cooperation more than their compliance. As the new colonies become more populous they'll cease to be so significant anyway." The High Mor thinks for a moment. "Are Hol and Thal still dependable?"

"No. We can rely on them for accurate intelligence, but they've gone native. Which should have been predicted. The element of Earth society they joined lionises heroic iconoclasm. They fit in well…"

"Quite. Too well. I fear we have to use them anyway, for another purpose."

"High Mor?"

"Earth has many gods. It's been playing on my mind that one of them might prove to be a better solution."

"I'm… That.. would.. mean that we'd wasted a great deal of-."

Vat silences him with a gesture. "Do not worry yourself about that. Your job, Andar Pul, is to make things happen. And you've risen far by being very good at it. Mine, is to decide whether or not those things are worthwhile." A gesture of obeisance from Pul's wings. "Were we able to get a sample of the… Ancient ship's hull?"

"No. Attempts were made, but none of the tools we could have used without it being immediately obvious made an impact." He pauses as he tries to decipher his superior's intent. "Such a material has applications-."

"The Illustres was open regarding concerns about Onimar Synn. With a first hand account of Ancient Thanagar's theocratic government in our hands, it would be… Convenient if we could learn the secrets of Nth metal transmutation from another source. One without the risks he feels exist."

"Should I put the operation on h-?"

"No. No. Proceed. There's no reason to limit ourselves to a single angle of attack. I think I will encourage Hol and Thal to reach out to our time-lost cousin. As a patriot, I rather like the notion that our forebears cast down our gods by brute force and tenacity. It rather puts our supply problems in perspective."

"Is it worth publicising?"

"Not yet. Perhaps.. when we get a little more detail. That aspect won't be your problem, and a hero we can't reliably kill could become an inconvenience."

"The.. book she was talking about?"

"The Illustres was right. Outright stopping it would be… Difficult. Openly celebrating it would be more sensible, though I'd rather like to influence her ahead of publication." The High Mor gestures to his desk and Pul puts his full written report down on it. A long night of reading ahead. He really was getting too old for this. One last crisis… "That will be all. Thanagar soars supreme."

"Thanagar soars supreme, High Mor."

 

[Mr Zoat]

Remember what happened last time you misgenderd a fictional character?

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Thank you, corrected.

 

[Vaermina]

"Mm. And if we need to do something to prevent that… How did he respond to Operative Bleez?"

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Paul got played.

 

[Ngamer11]

How did he respond to Operative Bleez?"

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Wait, she actually is a spy?

"Are Hol and Thal still dependable?"

"No. We can rely on them for accurate intelligence, but they've gone native. Which should have been predicted. The element of Earth society they joined lionises heroic iconoclasm. They fit in well…"

"Quite. Too well. I fear we have to use them anyway, for another purpose."

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Are Hawkman and Hawkwoman going to be burned by their handlers?

"Earth has many gods. It's been playing on my mind that one of them might prove to be a better a better solution."

"I'm… That.. would.. mean that we'd wasted a great deal of-."

Vat silences him with a gesture. "Do not worry yourself about that. Your job, Andar Pul, is to make things happen. And you've risen far by being very good at it. Mine, is to decide whether or not those things are worthwhile."

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Well... How long before Onimar Synn shows up to take over?

"Were we able to get a sample of the… Ancient ship's hull?"

"No. Attempts were made, but none of the tools we could have used without it being immediately obvious made an impact." He pauses as he tries to decipher his superior's intent. "Such a material has applications-."

"The Illustres was open regarding concerns about Onimar Synn. With a first hand account of Ancient Thanagar's theocratic government in our hands, it would be… Convenient if we could learn the secrets of Nth metal transmutation from another source. One without the risks he feels exist."

"Should I put the operation on h-?"

"No. No. Proceed. There's no reason to limit ourselves to a single angle of attack. I think I will encourage Hol and Thal to reach out to our time-lost cousin. As a patriot, I rather like the notion that our forebears cast down our gods by brute force and tenacity. It rather puts our supply problems in perspective."

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On the one hand, they know their ancestors killed their oppressive gods. On the other, they might go back to worshiping them.

"Is it worth publicising?"

"Not yet. Perhaps.. when we get a little more detail. That aspect won't be your problem, and a hero we can't reliably kill could become an inconvenience."

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Sharon Parker, watch your back.

"The.. book she was talking about?"

"The Illustres was right. Outright stopping it would be… Difficult. Openly celebrating it would be more sensible, though I'd rather like to influence her ahead of publication."

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Get the truth out before they have a chance and make it common knowledge across the galaxy. That would be fun.

 

[Buggy123]

Well, that's interesting. And terrifying.

It's nice to see a competent (evil?) empire for once.

 

[Mr Zoat]

Wait, she actually is a spy?

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Thanagar is a police state. I'd be surprised if he met anyone who wasn't an agent.

Are Hawkman and Hawkwoman going to be burned by their handlers?

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No. Thanagar can't burn them. It's only a hope that Thanagar can be reformed that keeps them in contact now. If Thanagar broke off contact they'd just request asylum and share some of their technology with the locals.

 

[Oglymogly]

I got to say, I really like these occasional non-SI interludes. I'm glad you decided to start doing them.

Well well, the SI was rather smoothly managed then, huh? It's always good to be reminded of a characters blind spots after such a impressive showing..