Barcus listens, and more than anything else it reminds him of stories about the Nine Hells. Devils and demons are two different things where he's from, evil order versus evil chaos. Both are terrible, but devils at least can be reasoned with, or bargained with.
In light of that, it seems suddenly more understandable that Gadriel should feel so certain about the risk of the Warp being present in Caldera. It's not as if demons were likely to stop expanding at one universe, if there was nothing to stop them. The same must be true of Gadriel's chaos gods.
"Do they fight against one another, as well?" He asks, curious despite being a little unnerved.
"Of course. Each thinks they have the better claim. They fight over how many cultists they have, and how intense their worship is. They fight over the souls in the warp. And they fight each other, though not directly, through proxies.
The only difference is the Chaos gods themselves cannot manifest in the material world. They must bind one of their daemon princes or daemons to a living host." Which is even more horrifying than it sounds but it's too early to have Barcus needing smelling salts.
"Some--heretics--speculate that the reason the Imperium has made the inroads it has is that Chaos is busy fighting itself." So we do not subscribe to that opinion. But it's there.
"In my universe there are the Nine Hells," he says slowly, thinking it over. "And the Abyss. And there's been a war being fought between them since before the material plane even finished forming. The devils of the Hells fight the demons of the Abyss, and the fact that they're all still fighting one another seems to be the only thing that distracts them from engulfing the rest of our universe. Or trying, at least. We'd all certainly fight if it came to a full invasion, but..."
He hopes it never comes to that.
"I've heard of possessions like that, but only in rumors. Whether it ever actually occurs or whether it's just a scary story, I'm not sure. I do know that devils will buy mortal souls whenever they can. Seen that happen."
"Our daemons need the materium, need us, to stay alive. They need our suffering or our excess or our blood to stay in power. So they fight us, to get them." So, that's fun. Nothing like being wanted. "Most humans cannot endure even proximity to the warp--it drives them mad. They have to be. Uh."
Right, he's talking to Barcus who is tender hearted. "T-taken care of?"
"Possessions happen. Many baselines know nothing of the warp or such things, for their own protection." It's just nicer to pretend it all doesn't exist. "Many people do not want to realize how little control they might actually have in the world." WOW this is such an uplifting conversation that even Gadriel's getting depressed.
"But why do you think of these now? And how can I help with this sword?" Moving makes things less terrible.
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thecodexabides) wrote2025-01-01 01:22 pm
no subject
In light of that, it seems suddenly more understandable that Gadriel should feel so certain about the risk of the Warp being present in Caldera. It's not as if demons were likely to stop expanding at one universe, if there was nothing to stop them. The same must be true of Gadriel's chaos gods.
"Do they fight against one another, as well?" He asks, curious despite being a little unnerved.
no subject
The only difference is the Chaos gods themselves cannot manifest in the material world. They must bind one of their daemon princes or daemons to a living host." Which is even more horrifying than it sounds but it's too early to have Barcus needing smelling salts.
"Some--heretics--speculate that the reason the Imperium has made the inroads it has is that Chaos is busy fighting itself." So we do not subscribe to that opinion. But it's there.
no subject
He hopes it never comes to that.
"I've heard of possessions like that, but only in rumors. Whether it ever actually occurs or whether it's just a scary story, I'm not sure. I do know that devils will buy mortal souls whenever they can. Seen that happen."
no subject
Right, he's talking to Barcus who is tender hearted. "T-taken care of?"
"Possessions happen. Many baselines know nothing of the warp or such things, for their own protection." It's just nicer to pretend it all doesn't exist. "Many people do not want to realize how little control they might actually have in the world." WOW this is such an uplifting conversation that even Gadriel's getting depressed.
"But why do you think of these now? And how can I help with this sword?" Moving makes things less terrible.