And the first drink's free

[the_fires_deep]

A young woman opens a door, and quirks an eyebrow. There is a bar where there should not be one.

She considers her options, briefly, then decides that she really can't resist investigating. Risky? Perhaps. But it'll bug her if she doesn't figure out what's going on. She informs several people that should likely know that she is going into a strange magic bar thing, and then in she goes.

Comments

[seewhathappens]

"Yes."

[the_fires_deep]

"I'm still pretty new, for a god. Only a couple hundred years old. I uh, hope I don't run into those problems."

[seewhathappens]

"I hope the same," he says. "I advise that if you're ever tempted to become a god-queen, you think very carefully about how your neighbours will react. I don't exactly regret my empire - I think I can do much more good for many more people this way - but I wish I'd been able to come to it more peacefully. And I very much wish I'd been able to peacefully coexist with - any other gods at all."

[the_fires_deep]

She nods.

"I mean, technically it's not too late to peacefully coexist with other gods now. Long distance coexistence is probably possible. Make little bird manifestations. Send letters. Or a pebble."

[seewhathappens]

"I have embassies. My acolytes collect and distribute disease immunities in as many places as possible. I have holy artifacts in dozens of foreign ports. But I am generally very careful not to intrude on anyone's domain, unless I need to sail a ship through it, and then I have my diplomats make offerings as they pass."

[the_fires_deep]

"That works too. As cute as the pen pal idea would be."

[seewhathappens]

"It would be cute," he agrees. "I do in fact have bird manifestations, too."

[the_fires_deep]

She snickers. "Just think, you're a set of writing utensils and one godly pen pal away from something really adorable and also a huge waste in resources."

[seewhathappens]

"I could afford it," he says. "My population broke three hundred million this century."

[the_fires_deep]

Blink.

"Congratulations," she says, after a pause. "How big is your accidental continent?"

[seewhathappens]

"Large. Large enough to comfortably hold three hundred million people. And I have some unclaimed ocean to expand into if I need it, but I try to avoid that wherever possible."

[the_fires_deep]

She snorts.

"Afraid of running out of ocean and hitting another continent?"

[seewhathappens]

"Or making an ocean god feel uncomfortably crowded."

[the_fires_deep]

"That, too. Thank you for being a nice god-emperor."

[seewhathappens]

"I do my best."

[the_fires_deep]

"And if it makes you feel any better, I am willing to be godly penpals with you."

[seewhathappens]

"Thank you. Where should I send my bird manifestation?"

[the_fires_deep]

Giggle.

"Pebbles are easier."

[seewhathappens]

"While that's true, they are also less fun." He produces a wooden ring strung on a metal chain and hands it to her. Both the ring and the chain are holy objects. "It's no pebble, but perhaps it will do."

[the_fires_deep]

"Fancy. Thank you." She produces a shiny black rock, volcanic in nature, and offers it to Kirovalin.

[seewhathappens]

He puts it in his pocket.

"Thank you."

[the_fires_deep]

"Mhm!" Pause. "And now I can go explore the bar and not interrupt my conversation with you. Pardon me."

Up she gets! But of course, that's no barrier for a conversation now.

"I should probably mention," she says, via her rock, "I am a volcano goddess who has been very careful with her public relations."

[seewhathappens]

"Careful in what sense?"

[the_fires_deep]

"On my continent we have a, ehm, stereotype about volcano gods. Largely because of an obnoxious little twit far to my southeast called Kalandax. Mostly that we are crazy and murderous and like blowing things up. But either way, usually when I tell people I am a volcano goddess, they tend to back away slowly. So, careful public relations wording."

[seewhathappens]

"Oh. I haven't heard of him; I must not have very many embassies on your continent."