ic inbox

[lingeringhope]

[Hope's voice is clear and clipped.]

If you would like to leave a message, you may do so here. I can't promise to respond. I have many demands on my time, and this sort of thing is far down the list. Still, if you would like to, you may.

Comments

[Action]

[elegant_and_proud]

[That's actually rather sweet of Hope to worry about her safety, even knowing that some of it is self-serving on his part.]

I have dealt with dangerous and intelligent foes before, Hope. I have also fought and won when greatly outnumbered. My previous line of work was rather mercenary in nature.

[Action]

[lingeringhope]

I will admit that it's difficult for me to understand that way of life, but I can be appreciative of the skills it imparts nonetheless.

[Action]

[elegant_and_proud]

My way of life makes it easier for me to understand that nothing that's been done to produce emotion from us has been out of malice, and that helps me to see the bigger picture.

[Which is why she can see how terribly it would go if enough people chose to help the Null.]

I am positive that I can talk down one of the people who expressed interest in helping the Null, without him revealing my true intentions to the Null. I doubt I could persuade him to help you because he hates all gods - not just your kind. But he has dangerous abilities, and it's better if chooses neutrality over helping the Null.

[Action]

[lingeringhope]

I appreciate your understanding, as well. Few seem to have such an unbiased view of things.

[And it's super annoying.]

Is there anything that I can do to help you? I make no promises, but it would be good to know.

[Action]

[elegant_and_proud]

In all fairness to the other more biased residents, when I was brought here, I was fifteen minutes away from total oblivion. That does help me to keep an open mind about the situation.

[For beings that feed on emotion, and who are good at drawing out the emotions they need to feed on, they're terrible at understanding the longer term emotional consequences of the things they do to people. She can only guess it's in part due to their previous hosts being able to feel emotions at will.]

With him specifically, likely not. That hatred is almost...biological. It's an instinct. Any help he gives will be indirect. He will not fight the Null to protect you, but he will fight by my side.

[But since she's in an advice-giving mood, she will give what suggestions she can.]

For the community as a whole, giving us some choice in how we give emotion to all of you would help make people less resentful. People do not like feeling powerless. Many enjoyed the competition from months ago. I would suggest you do what you can to talk the others out of doing things that will endanger our lives, too. Particularly things like when those constructs of our loved ones were draining our life force. No matter how unbiased and reasonable one tries to be, it's quite difficult not to take something like that rather personally.

[Action]

[lingeringhope]

I always try to talk the others out of anything that is likely to cause death. I'm not terribly fond of spending the power to bring you back. But it is an extremely emotional event, both for the one experiencing it and for the ones who care for them, so it's an easy well to draw from.

I am not the leader of my brethren. I can ask, [and complain, which he does often] but they don't have to listen. I am already doing what I can. I understand that to all of you it doesn't seem like enough.