#keeperofanswers

[cruel-as-the-midday-sun]

An Expected Visit

(closed RP thread for @keeperofanswers )

–––

Rakesh arrived at the grand mansion of Great Duke Guison, standing tall in the heart of the Pride ring.

It wasn’t just a home: it was a vast library, filled with books that held the secrets of Hell’s past, present, and future. The mansion’s design reflected its purpose: knowledge and power combined into one.

A servant awaited him at the entrance, bowing deeply before gesturing for him to follow.

The tiger demon had decided to listen to Sarin's advice and wear something more modern: a bottle green three piece suit with a white shirt and a floral green and gold tie.

The walk through the mansion was a familiar one. Rakesh’s sharp eyes moved over the first-floor library, bustling with Sinners and lesser demons browsing the public collection. He paid them no mind. This was not where his purpose lay.

The servant led him to the staircase, and they began their ascent. The second floor, reserved for Goetia, was quieter, its halls lined with shelves holding secrets and power most could only dream of accessing. Rakesh gave it a brief glance before continuing upward.

At last, they reached the third floor, where only the guests or the members of the family were permitted.

The servant stepped aside, opening the grand door for him.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important, old friend."

The Maharaja smirked, crossing his arms.

He loved to tease Guison at any given opportunity.

"I was in the neighborhood and thought to come visit you...I brought some freshly made gulab jamun."

He placed the small, pink and gold paper box on a table.

[queen-of-prophecy]

@keeperofanswers

Heresy's wind blew cold, and Vine sat in her tower. Feeling out the new surge of energy she had made her own.

Her foresight had given her the power to understand this. The ability to make new worlds had laid in some truly dark places in history, and it had been almost soul-sucking just to watch those dark arts unfold. But she had watched. She had learned. And since all of history and it's knowledge laid within her third eye, it was just a matter of finding it.

All Sins drew power from their Rings. Beelzabub could draw power from Gluttony to make fantastic feasts, to create food out of thin air. Satan could empower himself with the fury of Wrath, to become the titan he was born to be. And Vine knew firsthand what kind of influence lust could bestow at Asmodeus's hands.

She was drawing power from Heresy to find her own.

Magic had a different feel to it, depending on its use. Her own raw talent had it's own flavor, albeit older, from a primordial age. The power of Heresy felt...corruptive somehow. She pulled it from the Ring and felt it in her hand, and she felt as if she would undo whatever it touched. Yet with tests, there was little success. The wine in her cup did not turn to vinegar, and her silken robes did not turn to cotton.

At last she attempted with a spare piece of parchment. She had written a page of dialogue for her fanfictions on it, but had been displeased with the outcome. She touched it with the power of Heresy-

"...!"

The words on the pages shifted and scrambled. Impassioned text turned to Koine, to French, and then mixed itself. Everything that had been on it's surface was transformed, until she was left with something akin to what a toddler pretending to write might leave.

"....huh. Ha. Ahahaha...." A low laugh began. "Ahhohohohohoho!"

The laugh turned into a peal, and into a cackle. Vine nearly screamed in delight with the realization.

"....ohhh-" She had to breathe for a moment after her thrill left her breathless, panting over a page of gibberish. "-ohhh that is something now isn't it?"

The seeing glass shimmered.

"If Heresy draws its power from the written word-" She mused, the cover of the glass flashing tomes, papers and grimoires. An assistant in a hospital in Sloth boredly wrote patient information down. A teen in Envy wrote down in their diary. And at last-

A Duke observed his grimoire in Pride.

"-then I can undo everything that was ever written in Hell."

But what was the good of causing chaos in hospitals and offices? What thrill was there in bewildering the privacy of teenagers and their diaries, or bothering bored housewives and their romance novels? No. Better. She could make the maximum impact.

Vine drew the power of Heresy. Made it swell. That black magic in her hands and all it's fraudulent power. One grimoire appeared on the front of a glass, then another, and another. More images formed on the glass until it resembled the eye of fly, many reflections all at once.

The Queen of Heresy cast her curse, and watched the words that had given them so much power deform.

Vine laughed. The laugh would carry down clear into New Witchholm, and it's budding population might cower in concern at what their Queen was up to.

"Well then-" Vine returned to her seat. Old Witchholm wasn't going anywhere. Neither was she. "-no point in spoiling the future for myself when this is far more entertaining. Let's just wait and see this time."

Just as Vine had turned the primary power of Goetias into gibberish...she had turned her scorn into mirth.

[a-hell-of-a-time-archive]

@keeperofanswers

When the appointed time came, Andrealphus arrived at the Duke's mansion. He tried to bring Caim along, but she and Yui were busy looking after their fledgling, so it fell to him to meet with the Duke alone. There would be plenty of time to introduce the mothers to the entity that would soon be making his arrival in this time period.

Once inside, Andrealphus greeted Gusion with a bow. "I am here, as per your instructions." And on time, to boot!

[botanikos]

"Why the FUCK would you tell a child, let alone my little girl, that Santa isn't real?"

[copaceticjillybean]

“Ya hear somethin’? Maybe the sound of a sad losa with no parental skills commentin’ on somethin’ he knows fuck all about, despite havin’ the whole future at his pointy lil’ talon tips? An’ sayin’ that me thinkin’ abandonin’ children is disgustin’ is somehow a ‘world view’ problem an’ not just common sense?”

“No? Good, be neitha.”

[a-hell-of-a-time]

"Duke Gusion is a good man and all, but never get behind the wheel with him."

[autarchi0s-a]

If there had ever been a time where Stolas wished a yearly Cleanse came and tore his heart out at spearpoint, this would be just such an occasion.

Somehow, and without conducting any previous audits, the heft of a heavy accusation now weighed upon the prince's shoulders. And with it came the inevitable scrutiny of his very own family - namely, his father. The last person Stolas wanted sticking their beak into his business. There was no shortage of reasons as to why he would prefer to keep it all under wraps. It showed in the smallest cracks behind the owl's otherwise near-perfect poker face.

A grand number of Goetia, father and son included, took the evening off to gather at a round table meeting. On one end sat Stolas, spine straightened in a fine angle, shoulders stiff, and elbows off the table. As instructed. Always. On the other, the disapproving gaze of Paimon, who lounged more comfortably upon his own throne with a glass of wine in hand. And at a point of convergence in between them both, surrounded by other imposing members of the royal court, is where their trusty mediator would be sat.

Their debate had yet to begin, and the tension in the air felt so permeable, a blade could slice through it. Behind Stolas' prim, proper and mild-mannered visage, the man inside was crumbling, feeling as though he could vomit... and he probably had, minutes before arriving at this reunion.

"...well, this is awkward. Are you going to lead off this bloody meeting or what? I've no time for badinage." the king deadpans, leaning and glancing towards their stand-in as he awaits the officiation of the usual formalities. Knowing the discourse could become heated, all parts had convened on allowing Gusion to serve as an arbitrator, a middle party of sorts. It remains to be seen if he will, indeed, serve to qualm any potential discourse of an unruly persuasion.

|| -- @keeperofanswers

[the-smallest-star]

🧠 (from @keeperofanswers)

Send 🧠 to telepathically overhear one of my muse's thoughts!

".... I can't tell if he's mad at me. He looks frustrated. I've never seen him in my life, how do I manage to piss of people I've never met. Was it something on Sinstagram I posted or something?"

[avispatr]

❤️‍🩹again for Phel, Gusion, and Baal

@keeperofquestions

" You are too subtle, too prone to go along with the designs of others. While you are not among the most elite of our flock, you need not always be so agreeable. There will be equals who push boundaries, superiors who overstep, and subordinates who forget themselves."

@keeperofanswers

" What purpose is there to be an observer? You treat life as if it were a show. I can only imagine how hollow you must feel to find this brand of purpose worthwhile. I confess I have always pitied oracles and seers. To be ever watchful, but never active. How can one's life be of any satisfaction when surprises have been replaced with predictable knowing? "

@smokebaal

" I do not know why you pretend to care so much about the pecking order. If you truly wished to be my equal or dare I say my superior you would put more work into your affairs aside from your petty appearance. You are poor at making friendships brother, and your tastes in women is too progressive to merit you strong and capable children.

There is a reason I have taken many a wife in my day and sired many a child with each. Children are power, the disparity between us exists purely because more people in power are my descendants or my close friends. Your armies could be twice the size they are and you could never hope to call yourself senior to me in anyway. Your choice of elder appearance serves only to showcase your growing insecurity."

[cruel-as-the-midday-sun]

Ready, FIGHT! (for Gusion / @keeperofanswers )

Battle Arena: Dhalsimer Temple

Narrator’s Intro to Scene:

"Enter the heat of battle, go for it!" (Street Fighter III: 3d strike)

Arena Music:

My Muse’s intro:

"In the wild, only the strongest survive. Let me show you where you stand."

My Muse Wins:

"So much for seeing the future, Guison. Did your visions fail you, or was your arrogance your blindfold?"

Draw:

"It seems even fate cannot decide between us. Next time, I’ll make it clear."

My Muse Loses:

"You may have struck me down, but every predator learns from its wounds."

Flawless Victory:

"Your foresight failed you, Guison. That’s the problem with living in the future: you forget to survive the present."

In-fight Taunts:

"Your blade is dull, your spirit weaker."

"My claws are sharper than your steel."

"You claim to know the future, but here you are, struggling in the present."

@keeperofanswers

[queen-of-prophecy]

@keeperofanswers

The peaceful respite of the Duke's home was positively primed to be interrupted.

Amidst the antique books and tomes of the treasured library, with its valuables and collected pieces from as far back as the Mesopotamia Dynasty, a bright, vivid portal opened up right in the center. As if showing off, it cast a gale through the library that rattled the shelves and windows, sent papers flying from the tables into a vortex, spinning, circling. Then as if struck by an irrefutable command, they stopped stark before the portal, lining up slowly in a dramatic arc.

The figure who stepped forth was graceful and bold, equal parts womanly beauty as she was unceasing arrogance.

"My darling Duke!"

A voice, flexed with dramatic tones, like a Shakespearean actress about to do her lines. The figures eyes gleamed brightly, and from the portal flew out a sextet of hands, spinning around her like a top, and completing the outrageous entrance. The vortex closed, and all the papers fluttered to the ground.

"Your radiant Queen has returned!"

[a-hell-of-a-time-archive]

@keeperofanswers

Focalors was not one to mingle with most goetia, only showing up to functions and meetings when summoned. While there were a few she got along well with, Gusion wasn't one of them. She found her fellow Duke to be far too stuffy and uptight, not unlike Paimon whom she also cared little for but listened to out of respect for their stations.

When she found herself on his doorstep, a heavy sigh left her beak as she was shown in and to his study.

"Dare I ask why you summoned me out of the blue?" she asked, her tone one of boredom as she placed a hand on her hip.

[starsaught]

(From @keeperofanswers)

It was placed wrapped in the place where the palace servants sorted the incoming mail. A crystal ball that seemed to have a stellar pattern to it. Activating the orb would showcase an array of stellar arrangements overlaid with alchemical symbols and astrological charts- a way to use the stars to compose one's own spells, but in a safe and formulaic way.

Attached was a letter.

Princess Octavia ars Goetia,

Given recent events it was finally the appropriate time to give you this and your birthday served as a reasonable excuse to do so. It will be useful in the coming months as you will be relying largely on yourself for quite some time. I can allow you the use of the goetia-only floor of my library for further information but your path at this point is up to you.

Duke Gusion ars Goetia Knower of All Things Past, Present, and Future Answerer of All Questions Commander of Forty Legions

Upon receiving the rather heavy-set box, Octavia carefully removed the crystal from the confines. Talons carefully ran along the smooth surface, feeling the warmth of familiarity, the stars never withheld their presence from her - even in the basic alchemy, the traces of their names still rang true.

Octavia had almost missed the note, picking it up to read it. Leave it to Guison to know the proper time to leave her a gift, although he never seemed the type to her at least.

It was a privilege to finally step in the vast library the Duke owned. It would be foolish of her not to take the invitation & seek it out for when she needed it.

[copaceticjillybean]

Gusion, Vox, Andrealphus for the meme B)

“Oooh, now this is an interestin’ group to choose from!”

“Well let’s rip the bandaid off firs’-I’d have to kill the Duke. Look, I hate to lose a fella librarian…but I’m still not really happy with ‘im over that Santa debacle. So I’d be doin’ a service for the sake of all the lil’ hellborn’s Christmas whimsy out there.”

“An’ Mista Vox’s place on the list stays the same-again, I will not elaborate on the why or how-keep ya imagination runnin’~”

“As for marriage…I really think Amdrealphus an’ I could be real happy togetha, if we were to tie the knot. Sure, we’d have to be willin’ to compromise on some things, but I think we got the mutual respect to make it work long term. So yeah-I’d marry Andrealphus, no question about it!”

[a-hell-of-a-time]

keeperofanswers: "I have an unwed daughter, Andrealphus. Add her to the listing."

"Very well, but I will need her name so I can present the list properly to His Majesty."

[avispatr]

💗 for Duedephelon, Gusion, and Baal

@keeperofquestions, @keeperofanswers, @smokebaal

@keeperofquestions

" You are a mild mannered man, one with the composure necessary to make important decisions. You remind me of the Roman Emperor Anastasios I as well as the Caliph Uthman ibn Affan. Reliable, composed, disciplined."

@keeperofanswers

" You are an ever persistent force within the Goetia with your prophecies, and unlike certain malignant women within our ranks you do not use them as cause to cause mischief for its own sake."

@smokebaal

" You are the only leader amongst our flock aside from myself with any stock. Vine's authority exists largely because you and I have allowed it. I am made the happiest of men to know that I do not steer the ship alone, even if the directions we wish to sail are not always in communion."