Althos listened as the jackaloid adherent who was muttering under his breath continued to mutter the dogma the deity had just finished making. He enjoyed the sound of the words as they left the canine-like creature's lips. He felt the beast's devotion flow into him. He allowed himself to enjoy that sensation for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.
After a few seconds passed the deity focused and continued his speech from earlier. [If only all jackaloids could be as devout as your packmate here.] He thought, transmitting the message to the minds of the jackaloids with a bittersweet expression on his face to help persuade the creatures before him that the mental words were genuine.
Then he pretended to refocus. [I have come to you because I believe in the sincerity of your devotion. I believe in the genuineness of your sacrifices. I acknowledge the power of the knowledge you've gathered and given to me, as well as your peers. Those things have moved me. Because of that, I want you to be exempt from the punishment we will mete out to your pack.] He said to them, his gaze falling on each of them, and his eyes appearing to glow proudly at them.
The jackaloids weren't actually the wisest of their pack, and they were under the influence of the faith domain, so they easily believed the words of the deity. They stared at their lord in awe, eating up the words of the deity.
At that moment the deity considered how to really make this dramatic. Then he quietly began to come up with a scheme. What if I make it seem as though something has happened to the creatures who aren't them? Something that makes it so that they don't remember me? Something I can correct? That would make them feel valuable, wouldn't it?
He reflected on the possibility of constructing a quick scheme for just a second longer. As he did so he came up with more reasons to do it. This would allow them to rationalize why no one else remembers me in their settlement. It would also make them special in the eyes of their peers, as they were the few who resisted whatever corrupted the memories of their allies. That was enough for the deity to decide to come up with a scheme.
The deity's scheme quickly began to take root in his mind. It came together in seconds, as a consequence of his newfound deceptive abilities.
[I fear that something has happened to your pack. That maybe they are suffering underneath a sort of spell that prevents them from remembering me. But with your help, we can correct that.] He said, intending to instill in them a firm belief in themselves.
He continued his mental words. [With your help, I can undo the insidious magic that has taken your kin from me. And then we will punish them, just a bit, for making this necessary in the first place] Althos said, his voice stoking newfound anger within the jackaloids, anger leveled in part at a mysterious and faceless enemy and in part at their packmates for failing their shared master.
[Together, we will correct the rest of your pack. We will save them from this terrible fate.] Althos said to them, in the way of the mental connection he had built that connected them all. [Your mission is to aid me and each other in achieving this goal.]
His words echoed throughout their minds and the creatures, practically docile puppies in his presence, readily agreed to aid him.
He smiled down at them, satisfied that they had agreed with him with little resistance. Before he began to ready himself for what came next, he pondered the potential of the strange deceptive power he possessed. Deception is... powerful. With this, there's a lot I could do quite easily. He thought about its strengths for a few moments. And then he began to debate himself.
Is honesty better than deception? Which should I focus on? He pondered that for more than a few seconds. With my cosmic power deception isn't just lying... whose to say that I can't rewrite history? Especially if I ever gain influence over the time domain? With deception, I may gain great power quite easily. His mind was racing at that very moment, having seen how easily he gained new worshipers through deception.
But I seek knowledge... and there's a limit to the knowledge I could gain if I focus exclusively on deception. He realized that with a start and grimaced as he considered it. I need... both. I must not lose sight of that. Power without knowledge, the sort of power to be gained through deception, is not what I seek. He realized, accepting this after a few seconds of deliberation.
With that he refocused on the scene in front of him and commanded the jackaloids to follow him, speaking in their native language for the first time. He mentally commanded the dire scorpion to do the same.
He swiftly began to walk, walking in the direction of the camp of the jackaloids, where more of the creatures laired and would soon become his worshipers as well.
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The deity and the strange retinue he had gathered followed him through the desert. They spent hours wandering over an unknown number of sandy dunes, through vast expanses of sand-covered planes, and more all underneath an artificial night's sky. Above them, the false moon shone eerie purple light down on them.
The deity was unbothered by the heat of the desert, but he was mildly annoyed by the sensation of sand underneath his feet. He did his best to ignore that minor inconvenience, and to soldier on. Eventually, he gained the ability to ignore the discomfort the sand inflicted on him.
The scorpion speedily followed its master, keeping up with him with relatively little difficulty thanks to the energy flowing through its veins. Not far from it were the jackaloids, who themselves were energized and renewed by the presence of their deity. They also scrambled up sandy dunes, raced across desert plains, and worked to stay close to their master.
No words were exchanged between the three distinct types of creatures while they wandered the desert. It was only when hours had passed, that Althos thought to reach into the mind of the scorpion and acquire a copy of its memories for himself. He did this stealthily, choosing not to destroy the thing's mind in his wake, and he did it quickly.
He gained an intimate knowledge of the scorpion as a consequence of this action, but he didn't gain much else. That said he still appreciated the knowledge that now filled his mind about the scorpion. He now knew all that was known about the scorpion he had turned into his newest familiar, and familiarized himself with the knowledge while inching closer and closer to the jackaloid camp.
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After several hours of endless walking and ceaseless exploration, Althos and his new servants began to approach the camp. The first sign of it in the distance, beyond at least one group of towering sand dunes, was the sight of smoke rising into the air beyond the dunes. Althos saw the smoke and was encouraged by the sight of it.
He was certain that it was the location of the jackaloid camp due to the memories that swirled through the part of his mind that organized all memories he had, regardless of whether or not they happened to be his memories.
At the moment he saw the smoke he was in the center of one of the vast flatlands the desert had in abundance. He and his worshipers didn't mind this, as these areas gave them chances to merely walk instead of having to climb. He nearly doubled his speed once he saw the smoke, and the creatures behind him struggled to keep up with their divine master.
The deity raced forward, slowing himself just enough to be followed closely by the creatures who served him. It took him just minutes to cross the vast flatland before him, and begin to climb the dune closest to him. Upon reaching the foot of the dune, his enhanced senses confirmed the proximity of the jackaloid camp, and his mental radar alerted him to the presence of exactly two dozen jackaloids in the nearby camp.
He was encouraged by this, and it pushed him to rush forward. While rushing forward he used magic to restore the stamina of his followers, and in seconds he had reached the top of the sand dune that stood between him and the camp of canine-like creatures.
He looked down from his perch at the zenith of the dune, to peer into the camp and was overjoyed by what he saw: the homes of dozens of soon to be worshipers.
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Below Althos was a tiny camp. He could see every part of it from his unusual spot at the top of the dune. The camp consisted of a single small but well-tended campfire that emitted the telltale smoke Althos had spotted earlier, as well as a number of tiny yurts placed in a protective circle around the campfire. The campfire was clearly looked after but from his perch, Althos saw no singular attendant in place to watch over it.
The deity continued his observations as he heard his followers racing behind him. They pounded the sand beneath them with their footfalls and Althos chuckled as he heard two of the jackaloids almost lose their footing for an instant due to the speed with which they were clambering to the top of the dune.
Althos wondered if the other jackaloids heard his servants, but then quickly realized that he didn't care if they knew that he was coming. It makes no difference to their ability to resist me after all. Why should I care if they are aware of my presence, while I wipe out their memories? They will soon be mine.
At that moment Althos was enjoying the power of the title of the Lover of Lies while acting in a way that it empowered that particular title. The domains and subdomains that benefited from that title, deception, illusion, and a handful of others, enjoyed the deity's attitude as he readied the assortment of powers he'd use to quickly turn the jackaloids into the newest and most loyal members of his cult to date.
After a few moments passed, Althos was joined by the five creatures he had transformed from hunters and hunted into his newest servants mere hours ago. The deity didn't gaze upon them, but he did give them a few seconds to naturally recover their energy. Then he wordlessly used his magic to cure their fatigue, his magic breathing life, and energy into them once more.
Then the deity took the lead once again, beginning the walk down towards the camp of jackaloids. His followers eagerly followed after him, and only one had a question for him. The young dire scorpion who was now an awakened familiar of his sent its master a mental message. [Master, what do you seek to do to these creatures?] The thing asked, curiosity filling it.
[I will make them mine. Ours, really. Do you know what I did to the creatures who were hunting you?] The deity asked, well aware of the answer.
[I do not if I am being honest.] The scorpion responded, knowing that its master predicted it would be ignorant of the powers the deity used to bend the jackaloids to his whims, and rightfully figuring that honesty was, in fact, the best policy when it came to Althos.
Althos nodded subtly at the thing's truthful declaration and grinned even though the scorpion couldn't see it. Then the deity communicated, sending the scorpion its thoughts. [I wiped their memories. I then replaced them with memories of my own creation. In the memories I constructed they have always worshiped me. This and more is easily within the scope of my abilities.] Althos said, being forthright with his familiar.
The dire scorpion peered at Althos, stopping in its tracks for a few seconds. It thought about what the deity had just told it and then asked two questions.
[If you did that to them, how can I know you haven't done that to me? And that you won't?] The questions were audacious, bold, and Althos respected the creature for asking them. The deity took a second to think about how to answer them.
I'll just be honest. Honesty, in this case, makes me look good. The creature assessed the situation he was in. He very quickly realized that the question was easy for him to answer honestly because the truth made him look good. Then he set about answering it.
[Think. Can you remember a part of your life in which you didn't know me?] The first part of the deity's response was an instruction to the arachnid. The deity knew the answer to the question already and had asked it to lead the scorpion to rationally think about its situation instead of asking endless circular questions.
In seconds the scorpion answered its master. [Yes I can.] Its response was simple and honest. Althos responded almost immediately to the scorpion.
[That's your proof. I haven't stolen any of your memories, and in fact, I saved you from an eventual defeat and then death at the hands of the jackaloids. You are not my enemy. I do not need to deceive you. Instead, I will strengthen you. I will make you more than you could be on your own.] Althos said, his words honest and he even allowed his emotions to flow into his voice, to make his words more persuasive.
The recipient of the message considered what the deity said. In time, as Althos and his worshippers neared the bottom of the dune and the area just beyond the camp of jackaloids, the scorpion readied another mental message. Within seconds it sent its thoughts to its master.
[I apologize for my question. It was out of line. I appreciate that you didn't touch my memories and I recognize why you decided to take and twist the memories of the jackaloids. I believe, after hearing your explanation, that that was the best move. But... you didn't answer my second question.] The scorpion's mental voice was filled with respect for the deity, and caution surrounding what happened next.
Despite the respect and caution, it felt towards Althos, it still voiced its concern. Althos grinned yet again. This is a smart scorpion. Acquiring it honestly was definitely the right choice. Althos thought to himself, as he thought about how to respond to the second question the thing had asked him.
It took him a bit longer than last time to answer this question quite simply because it was a harder question to answer effectively and in a way that promoted loyalty.
[I aspire to become a deity of vermin, among many other things. I want to inspire genuine, and honest loyalty in vermin of all sorts, including scorpions. I want to earn your devotion and invoke in your kind feelings of love, loyalty, and awe. I think the best way to do that would be, to treat you with respect, empower you all, and work to improve conditions for your kind.] The deity's answer was confident, well-reasoned, and honest.
So this is... my new master? If he means what he says then maybe he'll achieve his goal one day. And if he does... who knows what may happen to creatures like me. The scorpion thought to itself, after hearing the deity's response and assessing it for a few moments.
As the scorpion was mid-thought the party reached the edge of the campsite. The deity in front of it came to a stop and rose his hand to gesture to his followers to stop. In front of the party stood a number of yurts arranged in a protective circle around a tiny campfire that was obscured from sight due to the dimensions of the objects that housed the jackaloids. These yurts were perfectly still, but the deity knew they were far from empty.
Then Althos began to emit canine-like noises loud enough that the yurts in front of the party went from being silent, still places, to the sites of sudden, explosive movement. The party heard and in seconds saw the frenzied activity as the jackaloids, now alerted to the presence of intruders, reacted to the sudden closeness of unknown interlopers.
In a matter of seconds, the tanned doors of the yurt closest to the party burst open and three jackaloids that were taller and more muscular than the ones that had hunted the dire scorpion emerged from them, carrying an assortment of weaponry on their persons.
They looked at the party with rage and confusion, their hands tightly holding onto their armaments. They were all in their human form, something unusual for their kind who normally preferred their hybrid form.
They were clearly caught off guard, but unlike other members of the mobile settlement, they appeared to not have been sleeping. The yurt contained two male jackaloids and one female. Althos knew their names at a glance, thanks to the memories of their packmates.
Althos knew that two of them had been mating when he interrupted their coitus with his wild noises, because of the fact that they smelled of sinful bodily fluid and the fact that they were nearly naked, their bodies scarcely covered by ragged loincloths.
Althos grinned at them and then spoke in the canine language of the jackaloids. "My children! I've missed you." His voice, to those unfamiliar with the language, sounded wild and animalistic but in the ears of the jackaloids was clearly intelligent, grammatically correct speech. This mystified the creatures, who took a step back towards their yurt in confusion and fear.
The one of them who hadn't been mating snarled at Althos, and hunched over, as if preparing to shift into a form it felt more comfortable battling in. It inched closer and bared its weak, man-fangs at him, which provoked a response from one of the jackaloids he had turned into a worshiper of his.
The creature moved from behind Althos, to out in front of him in an instant, and menacingly threw itself quite close to its fellow jackaloid. It snapped in anger at the savage warrior. "How dare you snarl at our master!" It barked, its voice alight with rage at the disrespect its packmate had shown to Althos.
Althos grinned at it and spoke softly to the thing. "There, there... I am feeling merciful tonight." He said, smiling and closing his eyes as he enjoyed the pride he felt in his newest servants. His next words were directed to the jackaloids who had yet to join him.
"As you heard me say before, I am feeling merciful tonight. Surrender and return to my dark embrace and I shall only punish you a little bit, for falling victim to a ruse that wiped me from your memories." He said, his words stern. The jackaloids that weren't his worshippers looked at him with genuine confusion and fear in their eyes, unsure of what he was talking about.
While he said that he touched the minds of the three jackaloids and teased them. He gave the creatures a faint sense of something akin to deja vu, so as to suggest that these creatures had somehow forgotten his true identity and to make them doubt that this was the first time they had met.
He grinned sardonically at them, his gaze making them begin to question their instincts. The creatures were unsure of what to do, and behind them, others in their pack began to steadily exit their own yurts.
In a matter of moments, two dozen jackaloids looked at him, unsure of who he was or what he wanted. Their eyes were filled with a variety of emotions, the most common of which were confusion, fear, and anger at what a handful perceived as an insulting prank.
Althos' eyes lit up with delight as he studied the creatures in front of him. And then he opened his arms wide as if preparing for an embrace. "I've come home, my children!" He said in the ancient tongue of the jackaloids, his eyes taking in the sight before him with joy and pride as he readied himself for a period of intense activity that'd undoubtedly reward him with faithful new worshipers.