Book 4: Prologue: All The Bits Of The Gods
On the side of a cliff stood a white stone gazebo. Mist fell from a great waterfall that stretched beneath it, vanishing into the clouds below. A black mountain rose up behind it, seeming to touch the sky. A circular marble table covered by a complex game-board sat in the centre of the gazebo. The edges of the board stretched into the distance while still somehow filling a defined space. Seven ornate figurines sat upon the board – a dragon, an elf, one human, two dwarves, a gnome, and a beastfolk.
Eight Gods sat around the board, each radiating an aura of power and majesty.
Two of them were drunk.
“Barck, I swear that I will tie your beard to a tree and toss it off the waterfall if you don’t stop giggling!” The Goddess Lunara, the ebon-skinned elven Goddess of Law and Order snarled.
“I cannae halp it Lunara!” The cheery dwarven God of Spark and Innovation sniggered, holding a large glass bottle to his chest and giving it a hug. The bottle sank into his green beard and vanished from sight. “This new beer from Minnova causes laughin’. They call it Gigglebrew!”
“I *hic* prefer this eisbock of Peter Roughtuff’s.” A morose voice sighed from further around the table. “Helps me forget…” Midna, the human Goddess of Spirit and Communication, took a giant swig from a black Whistlemug. Then she belched and crashed face first onto the table.
Solen, the dragon-headed God of Chaos and Freedom, frowned at the pair of drunks. “Can you two pay attention for a moment? We’re about to vote on who gets all the Karma coming out of Crack. Lunara, you may say your piece.”
Lunara stood tall and regal, her gown of moonlight spilling around her. “As you all know, my Chosen Catalyst was the one who instigated all the Change happening in and around Kinshasa. I believe Thad Harmsson should receive the resulting Karma. While he may be in prison and unable to affect much Change himself, he still has a hand in it as Minister of Finance. Additionally, none of the aforementioned Change would have occurred without his actions. Peter Roughtuff, while he may have been involved, was not directly responsible and should not receive any of the Karma. I ask that you vote to direct all the Karma resulting from Crack’s political state to my Chosen.”
There was brief applause from the tiny gnomish Goddess of Matter and Possessions, Tiara. Lunara nodded severely and stepped back from the table.