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With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

Reader mode
Mr Zoat said:
"Not ex nihilo. Conceptually, they design and build. Fire is something they use and manipulate, not something they conjure into being. And Hellenism doesn't really have a fire god, so if they'd wanted to negotiate for some sort of divine fire they'd have had to trade with someone outside of the pantheon."
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Someone needs to point out to Zoat that Hephaestus is the Greek God of Fire and Vulcan is the Roman God of Fire...

Rassem frassem kids these days not knowing their ancient mythology...
 
Vaermina said:
Someone needs to point out to Zoat that Hephaestus is the Greek God of Fire and Vulcan is the Roman God of Fire...

Rassem frassem kids these days not knowing their ancient mythology...
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Zoat probably decided to not make them the gods of those things here, but the mortals of Earth 16 probably saw them a fire gods, but that didn't make them fire gods.

Remember when Hephaestus said that myths say a lot of things?

Not everything a myth says is true.

Though yeah even if they aren't fire gods here it is surprising that they just didn't learn to conjure fire without relying on their Domains, like a mortal that conjures fire with spells.

Unless their divine nature makes that difficult or impossible for them, like it potentially being impossible for Poseidon to conjure fire because he's a sea god.
 
Mr Zoat said:
"No. I'm-. My face is part of my concept, but I don't like it all that much." He unstraps the giant arm's control mechanism and uses his now freed hand to tap his mask. "I'm trying to find out if I can change it. I've managed to make to face conform to the interior surface of the mask, but only so long as I'm wearing it."
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to make my face conform?
 
Mr Zoat said:
13th April
22:12 GMT +1

Koriand'r looks around the Mount Etna countryside with an expression of puzzlement on her face.
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And now a visit to Hephaestus. Checking in on meta-material work and other projects, eh?

"This is the home of your gods?"

"No, just two. They were worshipped before modern foundries were invented, so it was easier for them to build their main workshop in a volcano so that they'd have a source of heat."
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Ha! Divine Hipsters. Using Geo-thermal energy before it was cool.

She frowns as she lands on the ground next to me.

"If they are gods, could they not create fire for themselves?"
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While they may have Fire as part of their divine portfolio (as Vaermina pointed out,) any fire they create might not be suitable for their needs. Too inconsistent in temperature, perhaps, or prone to dissipating when they lose focus on it.

"Not ex nihilo. Conceptually, they design and build. Fire is something they use and manipulate, not something they conjure into being. And Hellenism doesn't really have a fire god, so if they'd wanted to negotiate for some sort of divine fire they'd have had to trade with someone outside of the pantheon."

Koriand'r doesn't seem to have as much trouble with the idea as Lantern Dul did. Which is not entirely surprising; while Thanagar and Tamaran were both shaped by active gods, X'Hal is still widely worshipped while the Seven Devils very definitely aren't. Actually…
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I mean, when your goddess actually walked amongst her people, it's a strong reminder of her existence.

"How much contact do X'Hal and Auron have with Tamaran?"

"We have not had contact with either of them for longer than we have lived on Tamaran. When X'Hal's rages grew too great and too frequent for any mortal to survive, it was Auron who persuaded her to leave Vega. I do not know where either of them are now."
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So she might be out there, rampaging through some remote part of the galaxy... Scary thought.

I suppose I can put a pin in the idea of bringing them back to Vega, then. At least until we get some idea of exactly what the psions did to her.

"I suppose that it's not exactly the same thing. X'Hal underwent apotheosis. Hephaestus and Vulcan were born as gods."
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And not a pleasant apotheosis, either. If it was anythign liek the experiments from the Titans comics, it would have been flat-out torture.

And unlike when I first came here, it's no longer necessary to use their original stairwell. Because disguised as a blank rock face…

I walk into the wall, and the dolmen gate built into it takes me into… An antechamber which they built because they kept getting birds trying to nest on the rock and flying through. The guardian mechanoid on guard duty inside switches to 'active' mode, standing more upright as it fixes its eyes on me.
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Heh. their own automaton doorman. Helps with unauthorised visitors.

"Orange Lantern Illustres and guest to see the forge-gods."

The guardian mechanoid is a dramatic improvement on the tripods they used to use. Rather than have a single animating spirit they have hundreds bound to the microscopic mechanisms of a mechanical Babbage engine. The process makes it capable of far more complex decisions as well as substantially increasing its agility and dexterity. It isn't a person and it isn't much of a conversationalist, but it's remarkable how they've taken the whole arcane technology thing in such a different direction to the Atlanteans.
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So, a sort of virtual intelligence. On running purely on a mechanical computer. How old-fashioned.

"Communing."

Koriand'r comes through the ring behind me and takes a look around.

"We are inside the volcano?"
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Well, that depends on your definition. Etna's taking a nap right now.

"It's really more of a mountain these days. She's-" I point to Koriand'r with my right hand. "-the guest."

"Communing. Lord Vulcan responds."
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Hephaestus must be busy. Probably forging something complicated.

"Thank you."

"Follow."

Its upper torso rotates, legs already in motion as it leads the way into the Mount Etna facility. Runic panels built into the walls are their power cables and fibre optic lines, magitech crystal chandeliers their light sources and-
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I see the boys have been upgrading. No messy braziers.

We walk past a specialised cleaning mechanoid as its partially aqueous body removes whatever dust build up inside a mountain from the floor and walls.

-bound spirits their servants. Their actual helpers are human, and last time I visited they were inducting a few that Lord Vulcan had picked up. I'm not entirely sure how no one has twigged about-
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Oh, gods. Don't tell me they've got a gelatinous cube shlorping its way around. If not, don't let them see a D&D Monster Manual. :p

"Paul!"

-Etna being reactivated.
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They're probably being discreet. Why set the mountain to spitting out fireballs when you could use that heat in the forges?

"My Lord."

Vulcan's wearing a full face mask which puts me in mind of the masks Roman standard bearers used to wear. And… Hang on. How is his nose fitting under there?
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I'm guessing he's trying something new.

"What are you working on?"

"Ah." He holds up his right arm, which has various runic bands strapped to it. "Watch."
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An Omnitool? That would be in character.

He clenches and unclenches his fist, then swings his-.

A giant mechanical arm swings across the workshop, the open palm stopping next to us.
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Oh, clever.

"I read an article on telepresence." He clenches his fist again and pulls his arm towards his chest, which causes the mechanical arm to fold back up. "And I realised that it was far easier to get around signal speed limits with magic than with radio waves. Well, until you leave the planet, anyway."
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Very clever. Hope it has full force feedback, though. Don't want to accidentally crush something valuable.

"Did you give up on the mechanical prosthetics?"

"No, those are ready." He shrugs, his mask still in place. "But if the Atlanteans are opening up, no one is going to want a mechanical limb when they can get their original limb grown back at a fraction of the cost."
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Dude, you underestimate the cool factor of metal. Cyberpunk fans alone would cut off their own arm to have a silver-plated limb...

I nod. "Probably not. This is-" I gesture to Koriand'r. "-Lantern Koriand'r. I wanted to introduce her to one of my gods while she was on Earth."

Koriand'r comes to attention and does a Roman salute. "Hail Vulcan!"
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She's been studying. Just don't go doing that outside. Very easy to confuse it for a Nazi salute (the two are really similar.)

"Hail Koriand'r."

"Did you make a new face for yourself?"
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Ah, Kori, direct as ever. Then again, they might well find that refreshing.

"No. I'm-. My face is part of my concept, but I don't like it all that much." He unstraps the giant arm's control mechanism and uses his now freed hand to tap his mask. "I'm trying to find out if I can change it. I've managed to make to face conform to the interior surface of the mask, but only so long as I'm wearing it."

"That's still a significant achievement."
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Now, if he can get it to stick when he's not wearing it...

"I suppose. Though speaking of achieving things; did the Hawks from the Justice League tell you that they've been visiting me?"

"No. We're not on.. particularly good terms. Did they want anything in particular?"

"Nth metal." He picks up a small ingot from his work bench. "Interesting stuff. Transmuted lead, with a variety of fascinating properties. They made me an offer."
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Probably a lot easier to make with magic than physics. I remember OL-phidian nearly collapsing the Mountain with a gravity well trying to make some for Kon's flying armour.

"They want to buy as much as you can produce?"

"And in return, I get my choice of unlimited resources, or unlimited resources and to be their new chief god. Do you think it's an honest offer?"
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Given Thanagarian Materialistic beliefs, it's probably not a big deal to genuflect his way occasionally.

"They really need the Nth metal. But… They're materialists. They aren't used to worship, and they're generally treat other species as inferior."

"Does that extend to gods?"

"I don't know. I doubt that they've been in this position before." I shrug. "I'll miss you if you go, but this is a good opportunity for you."
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Heh, imagine what scholars of mythology would make of that.

He nods, then makes a beckoning motion with his right hand.

"Come, Lantern Koriand'r. I'll show you around."
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Keep it in your pants, old man. Remember the rules of hospitality.

Yet more check-ins. Wonder what Hephaestus is up to that he couldn't make a showing? Consulting with someone, perhaps? Man, what else are we going to see OL look in on this episode? What about the team?
 
Chojin Patriarch said:
So she might be out there, rampaging through some remote part of the galaxy... Scary thought.
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She may have also been taken to some part of the galaxy where there isn't sapient life by her son, so she doesn't hurt any sapients.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Wonder what Hephaestus is up to that he couldn't make a showing?
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He's either working on something that he couldn't leave to greet them, or he may not be there right now.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Man, what else are we going to see OL look in on this episode? What about the team?
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If this episodes continues like this then it's most likely going to be a 'Slice of Life' type of episode.

We may see Kori tell the Team what she and her sister have been doing since Paul left, what they did when he was still there etc., and probably also see his various other projects.
 
RichardWhereat said:
Mr Zoat, in New Earth, Heff is a God of both Fire and the Forge.

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Hephaestus_(New_Earth)
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Yes, but while this story borrows heavily from New Earth continuity that doesn't mean it's going to use every single thing about it.

Remember that in New Earth Komand'r was responsible for her and her sister ending up in the Psions labs when she betrayed her people and planet for petty revenge, but here they ended up there because their brother joined a resistance movement.

Captain Nazi was the product of science in New Earth, but here he is the product of magic.

This among various other things are just some of the changes Zoat has made to his story.
 
Darko said:
Captain Nazi was the product of science in New Earth, but here he is the product of magic.
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Captain Nazi claimed to be the embodiment of Nazism in the comics, that he'd live for as long as there are nazis.

Now he might have said it because he was on a three day coke binge for all we know, but he did say it.

Darko said:
Though yeah even if they aren't fire gods here it is surprising that they just didn't learn to conjure fire without relying on their Domains, like a mortal that conjures fire with spells.

Unless their divine nature makes that difficult or impossible for them, like it potentially being impossible for Poseidon to conjure fire because he's a sea god.
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It isn't unsurprising that this story would leave out the whole "Olympians are all wizards who like Zatanna can do whatever the fuck they want" aspect from the comics considering all the New God buffing in this story.

Rather hard to take New Gods seriously when the Olympians are infinitely more versatile.
 
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Stsword said:
Captain Nazi claimed to be the embodiment of Nazism in the comics, that he'd live for as long as there are nazis.

Now he might have said it because he was on a three day coke binge for all we know, but he did say it.
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He was most likely just talking out of his ass when he said that.

There is nothing in the DC wiki, aside from when he said that he is supposedly the spirit of Nazism, that corroborates his statement of him being anything other than just an enhanced individual.
 
Handlewithcare said:
God shopping. How...reasonable?

I can already see the protests: "Damn aliens stealing our gods!"

Also, I would very much like to see more magitech. I love what you come up with.
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Thur stealin' ahre Gahds!

Albert Scoot said:
Who wants a fragile fleshy limb full of parasitic cellular life that complains all the time when you can get an amorphous metal anything/everything bro-limb bolted on instead.
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Agreed! Cybernetic arms are way cooler than fleshy ones! Just look at Cable, Winter Soldier and Cyborg!
 
What is so wrong with Vulkan's face that he wants to change it?

Also, does he have to move to another planet if he becomes a chief god? Doesn't worshiping him from a distance work?
 
transhumansage said:
did paul and starfire ever do it?
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No.

Renegade had a threesome with Kom and Kori after he rescued them, but they aren't in any romantic relationship.

Kom wanted to court renegade, but they weren't all that compatible, seeing as Kom wants a mate that agrees with her on all her decisions without questioning her and is more interested in brute force conquest, unlike the renegade who likes to play things safer and smarter.

Kom did jokingly say that she may have a fling with Paul after he found out about Kori's arranged marriage, but it didn't happen.

When their father asked Paul if he wanted to marry Kori he told him that he isn't looking for a romantic partner right then, plus he had Jade, but he thought that he may grow happy with Kori if they did pursue a relationship, but he wasn't interested then.

So no Paul hasn't had sex with Kori, their relationship is purely that of coworkers.

The same goes for renegade now, even if they did have sex at least once.

Massgamer said:
What is so wrong with Vulkan's face that he wants to change it?

Also, does he have to move to another planet if he becomes a chief god? Doesn't worshiping him from a distance work?
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He's not exactly all that pretty to look at.

He's not deformed like Hephaestus, but he is fairly ugly.

He's most likely trying to reinvent himself now that he is getting more worship and is doing new things.

He may need to go to another planet now to establish his new religion as magic doesn't work all that well in the vacuum of space.

He may be able to do things on Thanagar from Earth, but that may be years off.
 
Massgamer said:
What is so wrong with Vulkan's face that he wants to change it?

Also, does he have to move to another planet if he becomes a chief god? Doesn't worshiping him from a distance work?
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Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was horrifically disfigured as a child, and a disgusted Hera threw him off Mount Olympus, crippling him. (goddess of familial love my ass - I know, Aphrodite is the motherly one, sue me, I was making a joke, yada yada.)

Heffy landed in the town of Lemnos, which then became a holy site, and it's soil was said to have healing properties, from when it was soaked in Heffy's godly ichor.

Vulcan is basically Heffy, but Roman. The Romans had a serious case of religious kleptomania. If you want to talk cultural appropriation, they were the leaders in the field.
 
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Idkusername said:
Hephaestus was the son of Zeus and Hera. He was horrifically disfigured as a child, and a disgusted Hera threw him of Mount Olympus, crippling him. (goddess of familial love my ass - I know, Aphrodite is the motherly one, sue me, I was making a jaake, yada yada.)

Heffy landed in the town of Lemnos, which then became a holy site, and it's soil was said to have healing properties, from when it was soaked in Heffy's godly ichor.

Vulcan is basically Heffy, but Roman. The Romans had a serious case of religious kleptomania. If you want to talk cultural appropriation, they were the leaders in the field.
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I think that in the comics Darkseid was responsible for the Roman gods existing when he somehow made the Greek gods split into their Roman counterparts.

I think he did that because he was worried about their power.

The Darkseid in this story has been to Earth in the past, so it's possible he also did something similar here.
 
moralrelativity said:
Funny, but I don't expect any protests. How many people actually know that the roman gods continue to exist? And how many really care?
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Some people may now know that pagan gods really exist after the Oceanus thing and Poseidon coming to fight him.

Though yeah probably not a lot of people will care.

However remember that sometimes some groups which have xenophobic philosophies in their cores will just protest anything, no matter how stupid it is.
 
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