The Salvation War: Pantheocide. Part Eighty One Up

[JN1]

Nice work, Stu; good points about us humans not knowing quite when to stop when building engines of destruction, and about how much progress that can be made in as little as twenty years.

We call this the Edward The Second treatment. A human king once upset his nobles so they killed him that way.

Ouch! I believe some historians dispute that is how Edwards II died.

[Darth Yan]

Salaphael had no clue. My guess azrael or Chammy are the ones who arranged the nuke, and that azy works for the others. Also, I think that Lemy will be horrified, try to warn yah yah, almost get killed, and then when his warnings are dismissed, joins the humans; through talks with some of the humans, he comes to terms to his shattered world view, and eventually denounces yahweh. (I pmed stewart a calling out speech where an angel denounces yahweh and spits on him, and stew said he knew exactly who could use it.) Lemy will also give the humans a portal into heaven, causing mikey to undergo the mother of all villianous breakdowns.

[Simon_Jester]

You missed this bit

"His hands secured by golden shackles, his mind by the dogma he had taken for granted all his life"

yes, he could break those golden shackles easily, just as easily as he could break the shackles that hold his mind prisoner. All he has to do is start questioning the words handed down to him as holy writ. But he doesn't do either even though both are easily within his capabilities. He's holding himself prisoner by not using his physical and mental abilities to the full.

Understandable, but if I were Michael I'd want to put my prisoners in shackles I knew would at least be difficult for them to break. It's all very well to rely on the prisoner's indoctrination to make sure he won't try, but... Still.

[Hofner1962]

You missed this bit

"His hands secured by golden shackles, his mind by the dogma he had taken for granted all his life"

yes, he could break those golden shackles easily, just as easily as he could break the shackles that hold his mind prisoner. All he has to do is start questioning the words handed down to him as holy writ. But he doesn't do either even though both are easily within his capabilities. He's holding himself prisoner by not using his physical and mental abilities to the full.

Understandable, but if I were Michael I'd want to put my prisoners in shackles I knew would at least be difficult for them to break. It's all very well to rely on the prisoner's indoctrination to make sure he won't try, but... Still.

They were described as golden - not gold. It could be that they were of some sort of unobtainium that angels can't break. Of course with Stuart weighing in it is much harder to argue this point.

[R011]

Ouch! I believe some historians dispute that is how Edwards II died.

Even if it isn't, Michael's not obligated to be completely accurate speaking to one of his prisoners.

[Pelranius]

Ouch! I believe some historians dispute that is how Edwards II died.

Even if it isn't, Michael's not obligated to be completely accurate speaking to one of his prisoners.

I've heard other names for the 'treatment' though. I thought Michael would have probably come up with another name for it.

Lemuel's family could easily push him to do interesting things. What if he decides to bring his wife in (people in bad domestic situations do pretty weird things).

[White Haven]

I think the point is that Michael wanted his victims to break out if they had the will, wanted them to openly rebel against the authority of the League to give him a lever to use on their psyches with time.

[Simon_Jester]

OK, now that makes sense. Also the idea that the shackles are gold leaf beaten onto something stronger- at least something that would resist being broken, even if it's still breakable should the prisoner try to use his full strength.

[Jamesfirecat]

Nice to see that "Fluffy" won't be gearing up for another go at Earth, so that means scratch two of the four beasts.

That said, I'm surprised by how even the balance of power is in Lemurile's relationship. Given that Yahweh seems to have some serious issues with women I'm surprised that an angel can get "banished to the couch" by his wife, and he is left with no choice but to accept it...

[Ted C]

That said, I'm surprised by how even the balance of power is in Lemurile's relationship. Given that Yahweh seems to have some serious issues with women I'm surprised that an angel can get "banished to the couch" by his wife, and he is left with no choice but to accept it...

I daresay that Yahweh would approve if Lemuel just beat his wife into submission, but since Lemuel is actually a more moral being than Yahweh, that's not the sort of relationship he wants with is wife. Unfortunately, actually talking with her and working out what they need to do to repair their marriage is such an alien concept to Angels that it simply hasn't occurred to Lemuel, and the idea of a competent marriage counselor in Heaven is just unimaginable.

[Darth Yan]

bring on the lamb and dragon

[Stuart]

Ouch! I believe some historians dispute that is how Edwards II died.

Indeed so; in fact some historians believe he wasn't killed at all but was exiled and died in Northern Italy.

I've heard other names for the 'treatment' though. I thought Michael would have probably come up with another name for it.

You're probably right but the Eddie-Two is one that most people will get right away so its a better choice for telling a story.

[UnderAGreySky]

Both TBO and Armageddon have been a nice set of tales through which I've gotten to know about human history...

....that said, the exact method of Edward II's death was something I wouldn't have minded not knowing

[Edward Yee]

Would love to see an "angelic interest" scene from Onniel's point of view. I wonder what Lemuel's idea of reconciling with his wife is? I'm guessing that it's deeper than him simply having been away for so long due to his undercover work with the League...

... unless she's been in Michael-lan's pay all along?

[Jamesfirecat]

That said, I'm surprised by how even the balance of power is in Lemurile's relationship. Given that Yahweh seems to have some serious issues with women I'm surprised that an angel can get "banished to the couch" by his wife, and he is left with no choice but to accept it...

I daresay that Yahweh would approve if Lemuel just beat his wife into submission, but since Lemuel is actually a more moral being than Yahweh, that's not the sort of relationship he wants with is wife. Unfortunately, actually talking with her and working out what they need to do to repair their marriage is such an alien concept to Angels that it simply hasn't occurred to Lemuel, and the idea of a competent marriage counselor in Heaven is just unimaginable.

Good point, there sometimes is a difference between what is allowed and what one wants. Still, given that she seems to be giving him such a powerful version of the silent treatment I wonder how long it will be till they're drawing a line straight down the middle of the house....

[Edward Yee]

Judging by their characterizations in the last chapter, I think it already exists.

[Pelranius]

Good point, there sometimes is a difference between what is allowed and what one wants. Still, given that she seems to be giving him such a powerful version of the silent treatment I wonder how long it will be till they're drawing a line straight down the middle of the house....

She might have powerful in laws who could get offended if someone started smacking their favorite little girl around.

[Edward Yee]

I swear, if Onniel and Lemuel make it out of this intact (physically), they need to appear on some sort of postwar reality TV show...

[LoofahBoy]

My my, these conspiracies run so deliciously deep. Throughout all this, through all the wars and events since the beginning of this saga, I have this gut feeling that somewhere, far from the eyes of any Angel, Demon, and Man, sits a shadowy figure by the name of Loki, laughing all the while...

Either that or good ol' Tzeentch of Warhammer fame is pulling the strings.

[Baughn]

It.. would be very like Loki, yes.

Both the playing with mortals, and the playing with fire; he's no stranger to doing things that can backfire. On the other hand, he's also very, very good at talking himself out of trouble.

Tze'entch, though.. well, I'm definitely hoping he doesn't show up. If a god like that is needed, an out-and-out lovecraftian one would fit better, I think.

[Pelranius]

It.. would be very like Loki, yes.

Both the playing with mortals, and the playing with fire; he's no stranger to doing things that can backfire. On the other hand, he's also very, very good at talking himself out of trouble.

Tze'entch, though.. well, I'm definitely hoping he doesn't show up. If a god like that is needed, an out-and-out lovecraftian one would fit better, I think.

The thing with Lovecraftian "deities" is that they usually don't give a whit about what humans are doing, we're just in their way. Though there are exceptions like Nyalathorep.

[Shroom Man 777]

I like this, more Heavenly dickeries!

I hope Dumah ends up alright, maybe even with THE AMNESIA that will cause her HEEL FACE TURN and transformation into SPACE/HEAVENLY LUGA! If she's amnesiac, she could end up re-learning Heaven's ways and ending up doubting them or something!

I like her, she's like Luga - a whore! Whores are god's most beautiful creatures!

[Emerson33260]

I like her, she's like Luga - a whore! Whores are god's most beautiful creatures!

"Beautiful" is stretching it, but as one of my friends remarked many years ago during a port call in Subic Bay, "Basic commercial sex is about the only relationship between men and women where both sides know what is going on."

[Ted C]

I like her, she's like Luga - a whore! Whores are god's most beautiful creatures!

Are we channeling Frank Miller today?

[Flameblade]

I like her, she's like Luga - a whore! Whores are god's most beautiful creatures!

Are we channeling Frank Miller today?

This is Shroomy. He doesn't channel Frank Miller, Frank Miller channels him.

On-topic, the story is continuing to be just as enthralling as ever, Stuart. I look forward to the day I can buy the dead-tree books.