When On Olympus

[UglyPanda]

"Or perhaps the point of the game was for all the players to believe they had won, that they had succeeded in some way. If there is no win condition and you don't claim to have won, then you're clearly losing, are you not?"

Lorne sees that putting pressure on Jianli's stones isn't particularly doing anything. If the boy was trying to let Lorne win, he wasn't doing a good job at it. If you let someone win, the goal is not for them to notice. Or perhaps Jianli figures that he possesses so much skill that he can beat Lorne easily in the endgame. Of course, Lorne wasn't going to let that happen. The endgame is all about structure and how strong your territory is. If anyone knew anything about those two factors, it was Lorne.

"Amael, if you keep thinking like that, you'll stop having fun. What we live for isn't to fulfill bizarre prophecies or break people's windows. We live because we were born and decided to stick around."

[Kaiser Omnik]

Amael Pradhan

"Oh, Lorne. I thought you knew me better. I am having fun! Discussing philosophy with Silete is one of my favorite things to do."

[Illiterate Scribe]

And we weren't allowed to discuss our ethics, while you sit around discussing teleology? For shame, Amael, for shame.

Cheremi smiles.

But when you speak of us creating meaning, are you claiming that there is no higher reality than our own, of which we are only derivations? We are powerful, to be sure, but the bureaucracy didn't come from nowhere ...

[Frog Dragon]

"It didn't and I don't know what happened. I have not been here forever" He thinks for a moment then saying "But even if there is something more powerful that the bureaucracy then where did it come from. We get to infinite loops and I find even deities cannot figure it out." He sighs "But insanity for knowledge is not the way to go. You would lose all. One must tread a fine line when seeking wisdom."
He turns to Amael
"Some people can forge their own meaning. We are no more perfect than them. Our power or wisdom is not infinite. Some questions cannot be answered. Some should not even be tried. Knowledge is to be seeked where you can find it. You will find none in questions that invoke paradox." "What measures a deity? Is it relative? Isn't the dragon that roams the countryside like a malicious deity to the people in it's path. Are we deities to all? If there are beings more powerful than us then I doubt it. You may go from mortal to divine and it makes one think. Why are we elevated to a new category when we could just be like mortals, except more?"

[Virgo]

Riven listens to the discussion of divine philosophy, gently tapping his metal fingers on the smooth surface of the table he's standing next to. Once Silete finishes, he smiles calmly.

"It is my opinion that we are the greatest among the spirits of this universe, whether by creation," he gestures to Amael and himself "or, as you say, by elevation. In our divinity, we have more knowledge and far more power than the mortals: our lifespans are infinite, and our ability immense."

He glides around the debating gods idly. "But we recognize the constraints of size when we say 'immense,' and we recognize the passing of time when we say 'infinite.' It is by these most fundamental constraints we are bound and to which we act as functionaries. 'When' and 'how' is our purview. 'Why' is the next question, and a question that I do not seek to have answered."

[UglyPanda]

"Does it truly matter? Mortals can get along just fine without higher intervention or any sort of life purpose and so can we."

He makes another move on the board and scratches his chin.

"You know, we've spent all this time trying to control the mortals and ensuring their survival, why don't we try to ensure they have some fun? What if we planned a festival? One that was far beyond anything they have ever seen and held it on that closet world nobody goes to?'

'We could have games and contests, food and prizes. Each one of us would contribute and each one of us would share in the joy as we open portals to this world for one week to allow each and every man, woman, and child to enjoy themselves and feel free from the pressures of their everyday lives?"

[Fishy]

"Just because you have a 'beginning', Silete, doesn't mean that everything else does. Or even needs one."

Shisezan is still grumbling, but she does seem to be calming down as the party goes on. The first few minutes of anger, destruction, and general annoying-ness after a possession gradually wear off: the part of Shisezan's mind inhabiting the Kappa slowly 'distances' itself from the part of her actively trying to destroy the universe. Without really thinking, she picks up the illusory city that she knocked over and carefully sets it back into place.

"What a wonderful idea, Lorne. Afterwards, can we have a tea ceremony and invite everyone in that pile of pebbles?" she says, gesturing at the pile of black stones by the god's side.

[UglyPanda]

"If that was a snipe at me, then clearly you have forgotten the meaning of the word fun as well as how quickly I can do my work."

[WhiteKnight777]

Xelanter

The Minister of Chance gave another soft chuckle. The world below him continued to pulse with life - tiny figures whirled about in configurations, plotting, planning scheming, loving, hating.

No rules. No score, no objectives. Merely begginnings and ends, and really, not even those.It merely is, and any meaning one gives it exists purely in thoughts.

[UglyPanda]

"I believe we've pushed this metaphor to the breaking point. Anyone have anything to say that isn't long-winded philosophy?"

OOC:
Anyone still paying attention?

[Illiterate Scribe]

When you go down far enough, it's all longwinded philosophy.

Spoiler

Show

I am if anyone else is.

[UglyPanda]

"Well I like to enjoy my conversations as they should be, shallow and petty."

[Virgo]

Riven chooses not to comment on philosophy. He know that if he does, it will turn into a fatalistic monologue. Seers have killed themselves halfway through, just to make it end.

He smiles brightly and moves back to the sideboard.

"Tea, anyone?"


OOC: I'm still here.