text; un: reiner

[hometown]

I've got a question for anyone willing to answer.

Would you say you come from a generally peaceful world or a violent one?

Comments

text; un: ugh

[nyxedmessages]

Hah, a mental exercise, is it? Very well, such curiosity should be rewarded.

My Realm is a peaceful one, though mortals don't usually see it that way. You have to die to get there, after all! And you'll probably die again while you're there.

Still, I can usually keep it all pretty calm.

Tell me about yours!

[hometown]

[ Reiner reads the message twice. Thrice. He has so many questions, and he still hasn't quite absorbed it. ]

Well, death is permanent in mine. It's violent, too. There are always wars and a need for more soldiers. The value placed on a person's life can vary dramatically.

[nyxedmessages]

Death is pretty permanent in most mortal realms. My realm is the afterlife, which is why other people are always coming in from elsewhere after they die.

Do you guys have any cool technology that's not here?

[hometown]

[ Again, he reads the message more than once before replying. So many questions! ]

Not exactly. Technologically we're way behind this place. We have some weapons designed to combat threats unique to our world. I'd imagine that's true for most violent worlds.

[ But far more importantly: ]

So, your realm is the afterlife—the place people end up after they die. And you're in charge of it?

[nyxedmessages]

What kind of technology, and what kind of threats? If you don't mind my asking. I am just curious, so no worries if you would rather not share.

[He likes learning about other worlds, but if someone isn't the type to share, well... far be it for him to pry. He has his secrets too.]

That's right. I'm the Lord of the Dead. So you see how designating it as "violent" or "nonviolent" could be a little difficult. A lot of people in my realm have experienced violence, but it really isn't as bad as people might imagine.

It's no paradise either of course. Not for most.

[hometown]

I don't mind answering. The weapons are used to combat beings called "Titans." They're humanoid and very large, as the name suggests; most fall between 2-15 meters tall. People invented vertical maneuvering equipment (or omni-directional mobility gear) to fight them. With that gear and the right training, a regular human can zip around on cables and fight Titans effectively.

[ Reiner deliberately neglects to mention the weak point that ODM gear is designed to exploit. His Titan isn't particularly vulnerable to it; however, he's not the only Titan shifter here. ]

I've gotta admit, that's a lot for me to wrap my head around. But I'll take your word for it.

Is there a specific reason it's a paradise for some but not for most?

[nyxedmessages]

That makes sense! Specialized equipment for a specialized problem. It would be very useful for those who do not have flight or teleportation magic. I admit I'd like to see such a fight, but it's mostly for curiosity.

Well, it's the realm of the dead- humans usually hate it at first. A lot of monsters and corpses and species they're not used to, some of which might prey upon people more and then. I sort the dead according to their deeds in life, and their lot reflects such deeds.

It's no Hell where we mete out eternal punishment MOSTLY, but you know. People who can't function in polite society(morally) have their own society that they have to deal with. People who can are well taken care of, I've spent most of my life trying to improve the afterlife via technology, knowledge, and procurement of resources.

[hometown]

[ Once again, it's a lot for Reiner to try and wrap his head around. He does his best, starting with asking, ]

How long do people stay in your realm?