The Neglected Domain

In the days following the Imperium's Fall, the minor gods wondered what might've caused such awful tragedy. They wondered if there was anything they could've done to prevent it, perhaps some flaw in the world they might've overlooked. Sanguirev, god of death, had cast her domain across the realms before the rest of the gods banished her from the Eternal Feast. And mortals were unreliable, of course, oft blinded by their own vices. But was there something else as well that had led to such widespread corruption?

Capris had a notion of what this something else must be, and so she called her brethren to the Eternal Feast to discuss the matter.

"The major deities are passed," she told the minor gods, "And with them gone, there is no one to call mortal love into their domain. In their absence, what has taken root in the hearts of mortals but horrid and rotten things!"

The rest of the gods all grumbled amongst themselves at this idea. She spoke true. The major deities had all shared the task of fostering mortal love, and since they had perished, humanity had churned with hatred. The Imperium's Fall was prime evidence of that.

Malevex, for his part, saw no issue with this. "Perhaps horrid and rotten things have always held root in the hearts of mortals!" he told Capris, but Capris did not take his bait.

Several of the other gods were also apprehensive. "We cannot simply create a god of mortal love," Xaltra reminded Capris. Capris nodded.

"Which means the domain should fall to one of us. Whichever of us is most suitable to watch over such a powerful domain."

"And how shall we determine that?" asked Capris' sister, Sophrae.

Capris thought for a moment. "Well, you and I at least should not be considered, as we are gods of the moons and so our domains fall partly outside of mortal realms." This was also true, but did not provide a solution for determining who should watch over the domain.

"How about a contest?" Psyche suggested, "Whichever god can find the most mortal love in the Imperium's tragedy shall be given the domain of mortal love. And you two gods of the moons shall be our humble judges."

The other gods grumbled about this idea as well. A few deities asserted that there was no love to be found in the Imperium's tragedy, however the majority agreed that some instances of it must've persisted even through such horrors. In the end, none of them could come up with a more promising idea than Psyche's.

"We shall give you all a fortnight," Capris told the rest of the gods after consulting with her sister. "Then you shall come and whisper to us where you have found proof of mortal love. We will give consideration to each and every one of you who whispers to us, no matter your present domains."

"Any of the minor gods?" Libere said to Capris, and Capris nodded.

"Any minor god, aside from myself and Sophrae," she told them.

So the rest of the gods all meandered off to find proof of mortal love within the Imperium's tragedy. The Fall of the Imperium had had far-reaching consequences, had altered the lives of many people across the globe, and so there was much ground to cover. But at the end of the fortnight, several minor deities returned to the Eternal Feast having found evidence of mortal love, and came before the two moon gods. Capris and Sophrae sat on their thrones at the head of the Feast to receive the whispers, and called each god up one by one.

Typhus, arcanic god of storm, came up first and whispered, "The boats that find their way through the storms off the Desdin are all proof of mortal love. The sailors brave these storms, steering their ships and working their sails at the perils of the sea because of love for their passengers, their fellow crewmen."

"The blood that is spilled across the Masked Halls is proof of mortal love," Malevex, god of war and vengeance, said. "Every individual who stepped in front of another during the invasion of Cravv, who spilled their own blood to protect their friends and family."

Psyche, arcanic god of clairvoyance, whispered to the goddesses, "The letters that children carry with them into Chamberv," she told them, "Parents explaining why they stayed behind and reminding their children they are loved. That is proof of mortal love."

"The food shared along the Obsidian with those children -" This was Azraskus, god of crops. "- and with all the folks who find themselves escaped from the Fall, is proof of mortal love."

Spectra, arcanic god of light and wave, told the moon gods, "The lights in front of the temples are proof of mortal love. The people ask us for aid, even if we may not give it, so they might care for their comrades and compatriots."

Many more gods whispered to Capris and Sophrae, but none found evidence of mortal love which struck the moon gods as worthy of the domain.

They were still mulling over what to do about this predicament when a grim shadow cast over the Feast's halls. The gods all started, and turned to see Sanguirev at the foot of the Feast. Libere, her consort, stood resolutely to the side.

Capris scowled. "You are not welcome here, and never have been," she told the god. The rest of her brethren all buzzed to one another at the strange turn of events, but Sanguirev paid them no mind.

"You said you would give any minor god your consideration, did you not?" She trailed across the room as she spoke, leaving behind wisps of hell and ash. "I only ask that you hear my whisper, and then I shall be gone from your Feast."

"But you?" Capris could not help but spit, "What could you possibly know of mortal love, with all the pain and destruction that smothers your domain?"

Sanguirev narrowed her eyes, but came to whisper in the moon god's ear: "Every gravestone carefully wrought and carved, every bone onto which the stories of the deceased are etched, every flower and feather placed onto the eternal bed of another. This is proof of mortal love, and I have known such sentiments more intimately than you or your kin ever will. As long as mortality itself persists, so too does the mortal love under my domain."

There was little argument to be made against Sanguirev's words, though the two moon gods tried to come up with something. In the end they conceded that Sanguirev, despite her less than lovely nature, was best suited to watch over the domain of mortal love, and so the god of death returned to the realm of mortals with this domain in her grasp as well.