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Entry tags:
Curse with(out) a cure
WHO: Xie Lian and mostly Wei Wuxian, but open to people who want to chat up a half-naked god.
WHEN: After Xie Lian is let out of the brig
WHERE: on the deck of one of the ships
WHAT: Cleaning up after the brig will bring some... revelations about Xie Lian, of the visible kind
WARNINGS: Curse explanations might delve into explanations of why they were put on, which include war, genocide, and Xie Lian basically being really awful to a lot of people, and killing a whole lot.
[A day in the brig was certainly not the most uncomfortable Xie Lian has been in his life - he could have called it downright cozy, to be quite honest. But still, once he's out, he's happy to finally scrub some of the grime off.
A half cut barrel full of questionably clean, non-salty water is all he needs, and he shrugs off the top of his robes to wash off with a cloth.
Now, you may not all know Xie Lian is a god, but some people have seen him fight and literally punch through things. He is, after all, a martial god. And while his frame is still mostly slim, because his body is still that of a teenager, it's easy enough to see he's pretty buff and packing at least some muscle on that frame.
And then, of course, there's the mark around his neck, the one usually hidden with a bandage. To most people, it will mostly appear as slightly incongruous tattoo. To people sensitive to these things though, it becomes quite obvious what this is : a curse mark.
And a very powerful one, given that it's constraining the rather enormous amount of qi Xie Lian has, cutting it off almost by half.]
WHEN: After Xie Lian is let out of the brig
WHERE: on the deck of one of the ships
WHAT: Cleaning up after the brig will bring some... revelations about Xie Lian, of the visible kind
WARNINGS: Curse explanations might delve into explanations of why they were put on, which include war, genocide, and Xie Lian basically being really awful to a lot of people, and killing a whole lot.
[A day in the brig was certainly not the most uncomfortable Xie Lian has been in his life - he could have called it downright cozy, to be quite honest. But still, once he's out, he's happy to finally scrub some of the grime off.
A half cut barrel full of questionably clean, non-salty water is all he needs, and he shrugs off the top of his robes to wash off with a cloth.
Now, you may not all know Xie Lian is a god, but some people have seen him fight and literally punch through things. He is, after all, a martial god. And while his frame is still mostly slim, because his body is still that of a teenager, it's easy enough to see he's pretty buff and packing at least some muscle on that frame.
And then, of course, there's the mark around his neck, the one usually hidden with a bandage. To most people, it will mostly appear as slightly incongruous tattoo. To people sensitive to these things though, it becomes quite obvious what this is : a curse mark.
And a very powerful one, given that it's constraining the rather enormous amount of qi Xie Lian has, cutting it off almost by half.]
no subject
Ghosts can have different ranks, but the most powerful among them are called Supremes. And four of the most powerful ghosts are the ones who always give trouble to Heavenly Officials, so people started calling them the Four Calamities.
There is a the Night-Touring Green Lantern, Qi Rong, the only one among them who isn't a Supreme. Black Water Submerging Boats He Xuan, the one people barely ever see. The White No-Face Bai Wuxiang, who it was rumored was killed by the Heavenly Emperor. And the last one, who is the one I was telling about. Crimson Rain Sought Flower, Hua Cheng, the master of Ghost City.
[Unconsciously, Xie Lian's hand closes around the shining, crystal-looking ring that hangs from a chain around his neck.]
It was him who gave me all his energy so I could break through the curse, and kill the one who put them on me.
... You're free to try what you want, but just as a warning... It was Bai Wuxiang who created these. He was the oldest and the most powerful of all the Great Calamities. At least five thousand years old, if not more, and extremely malicious.
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What he ends up saying is: )
You had one of these Calamities give you curse markings, and accepted the assistance of another to break them, and kill Bai Wuxiang? Who couldn't have been killed by the Heavenly Emperor, based on what you're saying. What drew Hua Cheng to deplete himself so wholly?
(spoilers for TGCF if some people would rather avoid)
[Xie Lian gives a small sigh. How do summarize 5000 years of heavenly court politics?]
At the time those were put on me, they were given by the heavenly Emperor, Jun Wu, the God who was said to have killed Bai Wuxiang, or at least hurt him enough that he never reappeared after that. But... He didn't. Not really. Because in fact, Jun Wu was Bai Wuxiang, and no one in the Heavenly Court knew it.
Somehow, a long time ago, he basically just... destroyed the Heavenly Court entirely. then he came back under a disguised appearance, that of a powerful Martial God, and he rebuilt it entirely, with no one realizing that they were ruled not by a God, but by the greatest of the Calamities.
Even I did not realize, and I was... quite well acquainted with Bai Wuxiang. He tried to turn me into the new White-Clothed Calamity.
He was the one who made me ascend, too. He chose me, personally, to become the new Martial God of Xian Le.
[As for Hua Cheng, the question... brings a bit of color to Xie Lian's cheeks.]
Well, he's... he's my husband now, but also, for a long time, he was my only believer. he's probably one of the main reasons why I didn't simply dispel and disappear, because strong belief makes a god strong.
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You married your biggest believer? Now, now, I'm starting to feel some bizarre kinship with you! Though in the minds of most I know I'm sure I'm far more akin to your husband.
( not for power, not remotely, but his wry smile is a joke in and of itself: he's a man who died while living, then lived through death. complicated things, and so steeped in death and the resentful energies of those who died violently as to be draped in their hauntings as unhappy vestments.
what he does not say is: this jun wu sounds like he believed in you too. negative belief, in its sense, does not equate to support. it is nothing akin to worship. twisted mirrors are poor reflections of themselves, and ah, he can't help but think of Calamities as holding greater resentments of some kind, too keyed into what he's known through several lifetimes. fallacy, and so he doesn't speak it. )
All that, and I'm only the more curious to try. Ascending seems like a very... ah, hahah, manipulatable event if others are arranging it.
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[And really he doesn't have to justify himself! And in fact, Wei Wuxian doesn't seem to be judging him at all, so...]
It's possible to ascend on your merit alone. In fact, the third time I ascended, that's how it happened, I never actually planned for it or anything. But sometimes, yes, another God will see you perform a great deed and petition for you to ascend and it can eb granted that way. I also got permission to bring two of my followers with me, so they ascended at the same time and now they're full Martial Gods as well.
My first Ascension though... Since I've learned the truth, I've started to question everything. I'm pretty sure all of it was staged, from the start.
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The problems with politics when we're young and blind enough to believe there's only merit and good faith in what we encounter head on.
( but he waves a hand, dismissing the inevitable joys and calamities of youth. )
Such an interesting thing, for there to be a layer of Heaven that can, on its own, ascend or descend people of note, one way or another. Glad there's nothing of the kind that we know about back home. Sounds long term messy.
( he claps his hands, eyes dropping to Xie Lian's neck again. )
May I see your ankle too? To get a sense for the patterning this poor faith actor used.
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... Although to be fair, I did kill a demon. Probably set on my way on purpose, but still.
And the heavenly Court is... well, you know how a human Imperial Court is? Exactly like that, except people have hundreds of yeas to hold grudges and plot against one another, basically. And compete about who ahs the best temples and the most believers.
[He'll get back into the top of his robes, although not cover the mark for now, and then have a seat so he can remove his boot.
The mark around his ankle is of similar design as the one around his neck, just smaller to fit around the joint.]
We call them Cursed Shakles. They seal a good amount of my spiritual power, more than half. [So yeah, whatever you have witnessed him doing so far? less than half of what he can actually do at full power.]
They have additional effects too. The one around my neck makes it so I can't die, not matter how injured I am. The one around my ankle seals my good luck.
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Those were asked for too, or done without awareness?
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[So, the person who put the curse on decided about the specifics, but he kind of agreed and didn't object.]
The fist time one was put on, I didn't really get a choice, it was an actual punishment. The second time... The second time, he actually managed to make me ask for them. I really believed it was deserved then. I did... I did a lot of things I'm really not proud off, and to be honest, being away from the Heavenly Court for so long ended up being a relief, even if it wasn't always easy.
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Having never dealt with a true empire or imperial court in my life, and only the collective council of several large clans overseeing a set area... I can imagine, but not quite. It's mortal in a way we weren't, in the lands I'm from.
( stated as observation, without weight behind it. that a man, or a god, can be manipulated into believing this or that about themselves, especially when they've done wrongs? oh, he can understand that too well. )
It's a long, involved history, and I'll just add my little part to it, shall I?
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And there's an over abundance of kings, queens, princes, princesses, and generals among them, too, so I'll let you imagine how that works out when they all have to live together.
[Did he mention he is a prince? Probably not. And he probably won't unless asked.]
You can tinker with them if you like. I can't die anyway, so there's not much risk to hurt me.
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Powerful people by birth or achievement, used to being listened to or at least entertained for their opinions? I'm amazed if anything ever gets done.
( there's a reason Lan Zhan was stuck as chief cultivator, and why one was ever brought into being as a position in the first place. at least that one was more elected... more. )
Ahahaha, that's not as comforting as it sounds for me or you, but thank you, I will. Would you have time tonight for me to try and sketch out both your curse marks?
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[It's mostly, true, though, nothing really ever gets done in heaven because there's only like maybe five people who actually do anything.]
I take it curses are different where you're from?
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( to the not quite question, he nods, tossing a hand. )
Yes, in cost, and effect. You'd wear the signs of any curse you cast, with a number killing you in the process of enacting the curse itself.
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[Sorry, Wei Wuxian, he doesn't speak boat.]
Hm, that makes sense if it's a mortal casting the curse. Depending on what you want it to do, the price can be steep.
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(And who knows, if you by any chance find a way to break them, it might help.]
It's a bit weird maybe, but it doesn't bother me so much having them back. I'm so used to them.