NOVEL NEXT (Vol 5) Chapter 12: Pantheon Pillars
Having her fill of abilities, spells, and item deliberations, Sammy turned her attention to the Pantheon. She could feel her access to the ‘pool’ of FE just hovering there, ready for access. Sort of.
Still hanging out on an observation platform in the City of Tomorrow, looking down on the engineered hustle and bustle of NPCs, Sammy called out, “System, what exactly are the rules for Pantheon FE use, anyway?”
Pantheon FE can be used for nearly anything non-Avatar related if pre-approved by all parties, or spontaneously by a round of individual approvals. Exceptions for Avatar use are for spell and ability use. Primarily, the hard limits of forbidden expenditure are for PFE conversion, Avatar and Avatar Face creation, and Avatar upgrades.
In addition, acts directly related to the Pantheon that require FE must use Pantheon FE (such as raising up Pantheon clerics, or transferring a cleric).
Redberry has pre-approved all legal use on your part, subject to your approval.
“Oh! Wow. I see. So we set the rules, mostly. But she intends for me to use it how I like. Well, approve the motion! And, um, send the same to her, for her use how she likes. And notify her, if possible.”
Acknowledged, User Sammy. Request sent.
Immediately, Redberry swept into her mind in an illusory flash of greenery and a horde of bats bursting out of a cave. “Moth. I see you are finally poking around. I would prefer limits on any expenditure other than you, the leader. This will make it easier to sell the restriction to others. Again, I don’t need the pool. Consider how you want all newcomers to be limited and apply that to me. Also, congratulations on Level 7.”
Sammy stammered in response. “I- uh, er- thanks. Hmm. I hadn’t considered that. Emergency use against enemies, for sure. Investiture of clerics seems reasonable as it has a hard limit. With a maximum of seven per day? Servitor creation, 7 per week. I guess most things aren’t time-sensitive enough where approval is an issue, and we can change it if we ever get big enough that it is unwieldy.”
“Certainly. Let’s go ahead and approve that, then.” Momentarily, Redberry rejected her original notion and sent back rules for pre-approval only in the specific cases Sammy detailed.
Rules for pre-approval are enacted in the Pantheon Celestial Horizon. All other acts require approval. The System will notify about such requests immediately.
“So,” Red continued, “I have begun getting Followers who desire it converted over to the Pantheon. I believe some of yours will want it to, but most of these will likely feel hesitant. I’d suggest reassuring your Follower base they should go if they feel led to.”
“Right. I’m not going to really lose energy, after all.” Nonetheless, she felt a rather primal possessiveness rise up that she had to squelch. A deific emotional declaration of ‘mine!’ She more or less had to ‘de-invoke’ [Goddess] to shut it up.
Down, girl, down! Bad goddess. We’re gaining at a great clip right now, anyway, so chill.
“Besides that,” Redberry sent, “I believe growing the core Pantheon following will activate quests that level it up. Hopefully imminently…”
“Of course. The Freedom Domain has some nice spells. Hopefully the next will be something useful for you as well.”
“Don’t worry about it. But if it happens, it happens. And it is perhaps even likely as I don’t foresee any of my others popping up.”
“True… oh, that reminds me — do you have any idea what is required for my next Domain slot? I am a Standard Deity, but no slot.”
There was a long pause as the nature goddess considered it for a while. “I believe it was tied to both believers and church structure. One quest in the Standard Deity line opening up another.”
“Church structure? What do you mean?”
“Community and location. Your churches? Gathering places, services, and so on.”
“Do you mean utilizing [Consecration]?”
‘Yes. To start.”
“Fuck my life. I’ve avoided that to prevent them from tracking me down.”
“Well, that is smart, Moth. But you will give up that Domain slot while you do, as well as other benefits such as the Service Blessing.”
Sammy frowned balefully. Was she really going to do that? Not a chance. “I just need an island location, first. But I want my fucking Domain slot.”
“Oh? And what are you so ready and raring to obtain?”
“Magic. I’ve waited long enough.” Sammy waited for the FT to chime in and balk, but it didn’t happen. Then again, she didn’t have the option yet, anyway. If she was required to take ‘Mysterious Curmudgeonry’ or something, it was probably best dropped when she did have the selection. The carrot of [Magic] would be much more motivating.
Redberry’s mental eyebrows rose. “Bold of you, Moth. But I should expect it from someone who keeps going for the bedrock. I suppose you might have another level or two before you get there anyway, hmm? You’ve gained experience much faster than you’ve expanded your organization.”
“Yeah, well, I need to get on that.”
“I will assist by spawning many Consecrated zones myself. If they think the old ways of their oppression in my lands will continue, they will find themselves disastrously mistaken. Those Shiners have long overdue lessons to learn. Let’s scour them out of the free lands together, Samantha.”
“Ha! With pleasure, sister.”
12 Followers gained in the Pantheon Celestial Horizon. 50 FE (Pantheon) added. Priestly Ordination (Pantheon) unlocked. Priestly Transfer unlocked. Authorization follows established protocols.
New Quest unlocked: “Pantheon Pillars” — Establish 33 Followers for your Pantheon, including 7 Devouts and 3 clerics among them.
● Rewards: +50 FE (Pantheon), +2 exp in [God/Goddess/Demigod] for all Pantheon members, Pantheon Level 2 (Iconic Skill #2, Grant Prayer).
“And there we go,” Redberry commented. “We have begun down our mutual quest line. Eventually, there are Pantheon Servitors, by the way.”
“Fuck yeah! Hmm, what would that be for us? I guess we’ll cross the bridge when we get to it, huh?”
“Indeed. I’m sure you have enough on your plate for now, as do I. I’ll be contacting you in a few hours to transport you and Bast in-world to the relevant location for the ritual for Marjorie. Be at the prior celebration site before then. Bast already is. I’ll warn you that your time will be limited before we sequester her for a few days at the least.”
“Understood! Long enough to appreciate a miracle. I can’t wait to see it.”
“So you will, dear. Let Marjorie know. She’s inaccessible to your realm. Only you can contact her.”
“I think Azure can, too… but actually, I may be able to fix that momentarily. I can move dead people from the Mazes to my new Afterlife. I think.”
“If you can make her more accessible, do so. It will ease the energy required as well as communication needs.”
“Got it. I’m on it! Later, Red.”
“Soon, rather. Until then.” Redberry disconnected.
Oops… need to tell her about Zadkiel. But I guess that’s a complication that can and must wait. Better she stay focused on what she’s doing.
When Sammy checked on Marjorie, she got the okay to pop over. As was so often the case, she was on the balcony having tea and petting her doggo Mr. Perfect in her lap, while reading a book.
The beagle woofed and hopped down to excitedly run over and greet the daughter goddess. He put his paws up on her leg, tail wagging, and woofed again insistently. Sammy knelt to pet him and give him some hugs and pats while dodging the full brunt of his licking. Her neck took one for the team.
Mr. Perfect was satisfied with this, soon hopping down and hopping back up into Marjorie’s lap. Marjorie looked down at him rather sadly before her eyes rose again to meet Sammy’s. “What will become of Mr. Perfect, Your Majesty? I imagine he can’t come with me. He isn’t made for the world, besides.”
Sammy blinked a few times, having never considered that complication. “One way or another, you can visit him.”
Marjorie had a hesitant smile. “Is this truly possible?”
“Well, all dogs go to Heaven.”
“Your pardon?”
“I can now connect Mazes to my Afterlife. I can completely preserve and move him around, essentially. Technically he’s just my hallucination to begin with.”
“I see.” After a pause, she took a breath and replied, “I take it the ritual is very soon, and you want me to move to this new realm, too, as facilitation?”
Sammy smiled. “Sometimes, I think you’re more intuitive than I am.”
“Oh, not so, my daughter. Just familiar with the ways and principles of magic.” Doggo in hand, she rose. “Do we leave immediately?”
Sammy nodded, feeling a pang of sympathy. Dead or not, the place had been a sort of home for her. She was… quite literally going to be rooting elsewhere. Something in her expression made it clear she understood this.
Turning and beginning to walk through the room, Sammy said, “This won’t go away, Momma. I can Maze you back here when you want. I could move anything and everything to Heaven, as well, but it's a bit more complicated to go there, I guess. Maybe not for what you’ll be? We’ll see.”
“Indeed,” Marjorie said from behind as she followed. “I appreciate it, Samantha. For now, it is no bother. I’ll visit this realm you’ve created for the interim between my-... my rebirth. What is it like, then? The Afterlife. Heaven.”
Sammy grinned as she walked out of the room and into the hallways of the keep. “You’ll see. It’ll be a surprise. You can put down Mr. Perfect, by the way. I promise he won’t get lost.” The beagle woofed his agreement immediately.
“Ah. Yes, of course…”
Sammy forged the [Spirit Bridge] to Heaven as a walkway out over the void. She could tell the whole matter was some sort of byproduct of the Bridge of Edges, though it did not run through it so much as alongside it… grown out of the other side of its inverted surfaces.
Great double doors opened themselves from out of the keep’s hallway, and they headed over a luminous rainbow bridge suspended above the great sky of many clouds and colors that Marjorie loved so much. The wind whipped fiercely at them, billowing Sammy’s robe and hair, making her look cool, she was sure… which was entirely the point.
If I invented wind, this is totally why. Heh.
“Why is it so windy?” Marjorie muttered under her breath as she followed.
The bridge extended far into the distance with no apparent end. Sammy’s control of the environment began to wane after a minute or so. The sky warped and melted into a watercolor smear, and gradually morphed from this into the kaleidoscope-like mind-bending landscapes of the inner Maze-realms, only more as seen from a far distance than within. Somehow, it made it even more twisted-looking.
Fortunately, the bridge was much easier and simpler to traverse than that realm’s contorted and confusing landscape.
Marjorie marveled at it all. “Amazing… this is how you traveled to the Hall, correct?”
“Indeed it is! But more like in it than observing its outer surface.”
“I wonder if there is any danger to it?”
“Inside? No. There’s no way in from out. There might be danger here on the surface. But we won’t be here long. And I’m… well, in such spaces I’m no one to fuck with.”
Just then, Sammy felt the telltale ‘pop’ of transition from the mindscape to a realm where her Avatar was being translated again. As always happened at a sudden shift, she was back in her Relic Armor. Simultaneously, she felt Marjorie’s Fate Ties shunt into Heaven.
The soul known as ‘Marjorie’ has been anchored to The City of Tomorrow as a guest.