Food for body and thought
In the cafeteria the new students were enjoying the food and drink. Garion looked around in wonder at the wide and exotic range. He could honestly say he had never seen an android getting drunk before.
He got some food and looked around for a place to sit when suddenly he stared to frown. Something was off.
Finding a seat by a meek looking girl he sat down and told her “Hello. I’m Garion.”
She hesitantly replied “I am Jane.”
Garion told her “Something is off. I just can’t put my finger on it.”
She seemed nervous “What do you mean?”
As he thought about it, he managed to grasp a bit of what it was. “Different types of groups are forming. Some groups are forming, like to like. Others are becoming small courts for the leader of the group. There is an overlap there. Some people seem to be more cautious and looking out for something. I can’t tell what. Some are just avoiding groups altogether for now. Some are oblivious. Just watch.”
She looked around and her eyes widened now she knew what to look for.
“But why?”
Garion told her “I don’t know, but I would like to find out. There is something else I noticed. Those joining group common interest groups, let’s call them clubs, and others courts are all new to this Godhood matter. Those looking for others are mostly those who had training with godhood. Others are avoiding being part of groups. The oblivious are all new to this. Something is up, but it worries me.
There was chuckling from both sides as a man came in from Lisa’s side, and a woman from Garions. Sitting down next to them the guy told them “I am Drenak. I was born to this crap, so I know what exactly is going on. Yes, you are right something is going on.”
The woman sat down next to Garion and told them “I am Harlen. My mother was a minor Hearth Goddess. I might not like what you see happening, but no-one in their right mind does. It’s politics.”
Jane frowned “Politics? So soon?”
Drenak nodded. “Yes. What you see are just the first moves. What this lad here didn’t notice is that some of the courts are being selected with those the leader doesn’t want being eased out.”
Garion frowned by watched again, and noticed he was right. “I am called Garion, and this lady here is called Jane. By our ignorance of this matter you can tell we are new to this. What exactly is going on?”
Drenak sighed. “As Harlen told you, politics. You see those groups of people with similar interests? They will end up fighting each other to become Gods of that Domain. The courts? Often centered around people who know what they are doing. You will notice the smart ones are recruiting a wide range of people, and easing out potential rivals or those who would cause problems. They are getting up the basis of their Pantheons with them in charge.
“Those looking for something are those who know the politics and are searching for specific people who could be of use. Those whose Domains compliment their own, but are not competitors. The ones with courts are gathering whoever comes and then sorting them. These others are searching for what they want.
“Those who wish to be alone may include those who are too cautious, or just don’t want to get involved with that is happening.”
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Garion looked at them “And you two?”
Drenak smiled sadly. “I do not even wish to be here. My dad is forcing me to come. I have had over a hundred siblings, and so far I am the only one to escape being used for politics so far.”
Garion frowned. “Your father? Wait! A hundred siblings! Damn! The family gatherings have to be crowded.”
Drenak frowned at that. “Not as crowded as I wish they would be. Politics can be dangerous. That’s what happens when your grandfather’s on the losing side of a Pantheon war.”
Garion asked “What is your Domain?”
Drenak chuckled sadly. “I’ve been trying to avoid getting one. However, I’ve been locked into the Grave Domain and am by birth a Psychopomp. That is a guide of the souls to their afterlives. Considering over 200 of my siblings got killed to weaken the Gods they gathered souls for, you can see things are not exactly safe for us.
“I had a good job and minor influence as a stone mason, specializing on graveyard monuments. I would have rather had just stone working, but when one of my siblings blew my cover as a normal mortal, people kept commissioning me to make things for graves.
“I don’t want to get involved in the politics that getting followers would bring.”
Harlen whistled. “Man, that sucks. I’m here because my mom wants me to get a Hearth Domain away in some new territory. Personally, I hope I can change it to something I like. I would rather be active and help people, while having a good time. She was even against me trying to get the sub-Domain of Feasting!”
They were all confused at that. Drenak frown and thought for a bit. “I think I understand. She was trying to keep you safe.”
Harlen was surprised. “Safe? But how?”
Drenak was serious. “Few who are willing to kill for power are interested in the Hearth Domain. However, Feasting is of Joy, Revelry, Gluttony, Indulgence and Prosperity. All things that would draw attention to you. A God of Suffering would not care about someone making sure that food could be eaten safely. They would want to remove anyone who would bring about the joy feasting would bring.
“She may have seemed to be, and been, controlling, but she was trying to protect you.”
Harlen was stunned. “I had no idea! Why didn’t she tell me?”
“No idea, but you act like a teenager, so you she might have tried to stop you getting involved in politics to spite her.”
“You can’t be serious. Do you think anyone would be that stupid?”
“Three of my siblings were, that I know of. One even brought down the God he was assigned to work under when he caused problems.”
“Garion, Jane, What are you after while here?”
Garion looked a bit sheepish. “Well, I got a bit ticked off with one of our current classmates who tried to sacrifice me and my former classmates back in my home reality to fuel his Ascension. He chose to come here, and I followed to stop him harming innocent people.”
Drenak frowned. “So to align with either you or him would be to pick sides in a feud. Politics. Who was it?”
“He goes by the name The Geomancer.”
Drenak was annoyed. “Many will aid you against one who is arrogant enough to claim a Domain with their very name. I will not aid you in a feud.”
Harlen nodded, “Nor shall I. I can’t afford to, even if I wanted to.”
Addressing Jane, “Now girl, why did you come here?”
Jane looked sheepish. “I just want to learn and help others learn! They said Knowledge was the Domain I currently have the most potential in.”
Harlen smiled sadly. “Ah, Knowledge Domain. I suggest expanding it to Wisdom as well. Knowledge is the Domains of those who seek knowledge and who seek to spread it, but Wisdom is the Domain of those who ask themselves not ‘what can I learn?’ But ‘what should I learn?’”
Jane frowned. “I don’t understand?”
Garion told her “I do. Those of Knowledge would seek to learn and teach all they could. Including things best kept secret. Wisdom is the Domain of those who are willing to let things be forgotten or kept secret if there is a reason.
“Imagine is someone found a legal sub-clause where on every leap-day the laws did not exist because it was not part of the legal year. Those who follow knowledge would spread it, leading to anarchy for a single day until it was fixed. Those who follow Wisdom would contact people who could fix the problem in secret, only letting it be known after it loophole was closed. Maybe not even then as any crimes like rape and murder committed on prior leap-days would no longer be punished, thus those people would be set free.”
Drenak and Harlen nodded. They understood what he meant, even if they were not sure what he meant about ‘leap-day.’
Jane was pale and shaken even as she ate her food. They could tell she had much to think about.
The four of them had no idea that behind them, and listening in were some of the biggest gossips in the school and they were both listed for the Domains of Gossip and Rumor. By the time Garion left due to some of the more . . . enthusiastic and not so clothed antics of some of his classmates discovering new booze, word of what they had spoken of would have spread, and been highly distorted.