09 | the virtuous among us

[alephbet]

Characters: Aleph and you!
Setting: Floor 3, Floor 13, Floor 19, Floor 25 (afterwards)
Format: Starting with actionspam, but will match you.
Summary: Aleph is in search of something in particular: a Bible. He has no success and eventually retires to the meadow.
Warnings: Will edit if anything comes up.

[Floor 3]
[The first place to look would of course be the library.

But, it seems that religion and history are intertwined, and the histories of the worlds aren't covered in this library. No matter how hard he searches, Aleph can't find a single religious tract or book of divine scripture.

He's basically going to check every section of the whole library before he gives up, though. It'll take him awhile and make him obviously noticeable.]

[Floor 13]
[Churches generally have religious books in them, don't they? To read from and all.

This one doesn't seem to. It's not a clearly Mesian or Christian church, and he doesn't know well enough to determine if it's anything else, but he thinks its pastors must be hard on their luck if they have to recite everything from memory.

Aleph will turn this floor inside out trying to search, including looking under pews.]

[Floor 19]
[Now, he's pretty sure that this research library doesn't have anything either, but just in case...

He'll go over this entire library section looking, though with less enthusiasm than the other floor's library.]

[Floor 25: afternoon]
[Well that was a waste. Still, it was something to do. And...

Aleph knew vaguely that other worlds had kinder Gods than his had. Different Gods. But he failed completely to understand why they got so upset about the prospect of a different god than theirs being killed. He only sort of knew why Lucifer got such a bad reputation, in the barest possible sense.

He'd been reading books for a year to improve his ability to read, and to not be bereft of all knowledge but how to fight. It seemed time to get around to some of these, if he could find any of them.

Failing that, picking daisies and making them into a flower chain was never a bad use of time.]

Comments

[alephbet]

Do churches like this usually keep books around somewhere? I'm looking for a bible but there's none in the library.

[thirtybits]

Usually, I think...but I can't say I've seen any.

[Is that a bit of nervousness spreading across his face? Yup. What do you need a bible for?!]

[alephbet]

Me neither... I really don't think there's one available in this tower. Maybe I should have found more time to read at home...

[thirtybits]

Well, if things are different in your world, you might not have it to begin with...

[alephbet]

They have a religion. I know it's related to a popular religion here, or at least the name of the God is the same.

[thirtybits]

Oh? What is it? Most are related in my world, anyway...

[alephbet]

My world's dominant religion is the Mesians, and the god is called YHWH.

....Was called? If a god is dead do you call the religion by the past tense? I bet bibles don't cover grammar.

[thirtybits]

Oh, yes, YHWH is used to refer to God in my religion. More so during my time, though, I don't think anyone uses that name anymore, it's been replaced. Other religions stem from it as well, but I couldn't say if they've ever used YHWH.

...Um...what do you mean by dead, though?

[Not dead dead...right? Gods can't just die?]

[alephbet]

I mean dead. Even gods can be killed.

[...he gets the impression this won't have a good reaction on Judas either.]

[thirtybits]

...Oh.

[That's...definitely shocking. But on the other hand...]

Someone told me He was terrible to mankind, so I suppose that's good for the people of your world, at least.

[alephbet]

It was kill Him or most of humanity would die, so I don't regret it, but... That's part of why I'm looking for a bible. I don't know any God that isn't completely horrible.

[thirtybits]

...Wait, you mean...?

[alephbet]

-yeah, I personally killed God back home.

[thirtybits]

At least a few things are starting to make sense.

[alephbet]

Like what?

[thirtybits]

You were called something like 'the Messiah', so I guess if you were fighting againt a cruel god, and succeeded, that explains how and why.

[alephbet]

I try my best.

[Aleph tries to be humble about these things.]

[thirtybits]

What is it you wanted to read about, then?

[alephbet]

When I mention the killed God thing, people get upset even though it's not their God. I don't know anything about a God who actually cares about humanity, so I don't understand why they're upset, and I think my attempts at sympathy fall flat.

[thirtybits]

Ah, well, there are plenty of passages that might seem unjust even so. Although they're usually 'for the greater good' or to prove something. I guess you should be aware of that, so you don't get the wrong impression.

[alephbet]

It doesn't matter if I can't find one in this tower...

[thirtybits]

I, uh...could tell you a lot of it.

[alephbet]

Would you? I'd be very grateful.

[thirtybits]

I don't really know much past a certain point, if you're interested in the most common form, but...is there anything in particular you want to know?

[alephbet]

Um, well... What is there to know about?