01 💥VIDEO.

[selfconducts]

[ The video that follows has production values of noticeably good-to-high quality; rather than simply record this with the communicator Baal's made use of the producer contacts Persephone introduced him to, since first impressions are everything, especially for a message like the one he's about to make.

As usual he's dressed sharply, gold chain and lightning bolt pendant standing out against the deep purple turtleneck he's wearing underneath the jacket of his red suit, and he's being recorded while seated on a pristine white couch in front of a black marble coffee table, one leg crossed over the other, clasped hands resting on his knee. Yes, he did put this beautiful room together within about a week of being here, what of it? Baal winks and then smiles warmly toward the camera, very poised and confident, though sincere. ]

H'lo. No doubt most of you won't have heard of me yet, but I can promise that'll be changing very soon. They call me Baal, which may tell you-- [ He cocks his head slightly. ] Yes, I'm a god. And yes, I fully intend on living up to the name by running in the upcoming De Chima Ambassadorial elections. If I don't yet have the reputation it takes to win then so be it, but it'd be against my nature to not even try.

[ "Baal" means "Lord," for those following along at home who might catch his meaning-- "living up to the name" and all. He continues, still smiling, though it relaxes into a slightly more neutral expression: ]

Where I come from, every 90 years there's an entire Pantheon's worth of us; normally twelve, though this time round we've been blessed with thirteen. Humans-turned-gods with superpowers. [ He snaps his fingers and the power in the room flickers, static sparks flickering around his hand. ] Our jobs being not only to take care of one another during the short time we'll have these powers for, but to inspire change and progress in humanity, who's in turn then meant to go on to change and progress the world even further. We can change people, but we don't get to change the world itself.

Some of you may have even experienced a taste of this already if you've attended any of the other gods's concerts.

[ Not going to namedrop, because that's a lot of names -- Persephone, Inanna, Baphomet, Lucifer, Cassandra/Urdr, Dionysus, fuckin' Woden -- and he doesn't know much of what they've all been up to yet, but if anyone's been moved by one or more of them then he expects that those people will know exactly what he's talking about anyway. ]

It's been a while since I performed... these days, this sort of thing's become my job. It's all right, I don't mind it. I'm the one of us that's good at it. [ It's hard to tell if that's a joke or not. ] But there's your context: the way I see it, the imPorts of this world are like a bigger version of a similar concept. Considering how ultimately our stays here are only temporary, it's a mindset I think most of us would benefit from moving forward. No matter what we want to do with our lives here, we can't hide from what we are. Don't fear it and don't apologise for it. Use it. All of us have the power now to affect humanity here for the better. Influence them and provide them with the tools to make their world better. Or worse. But obviously that's not what we're going for.

In a perfect scenario, we'd be more self-sufficient rather than rely on the US military and government for employ and housing that could go to the people who actually live here, too-- another thing I'll be working on should I be elected. And while I'd like to go on about how it should be us [ "Or me" ] who step in and handle the situation if-and-when an imPort goes dangerously off the rails as opposed to an insultingly inadequate prison sentence, I understand that's apparently somewhat controversial. So I'll let it rest for now. Come back to it again when I win.

Either way, the premise is simple: we also don't leave the world a worse place than when we started. Handle our own shit amongst ourselves when it goes that far.

[ Then, smiling broadly again, he sits back. ]

All right. I know some of it probably sounds vague, but I think I've covered enough to give you all an idea of what I stand for. If not, ask. Otherwise, for now-- [ He claps his hands twice, saying: ] Clap off.

[ And with a spark, the feed cuts and abruptly goes dark. ]

Comments

video;

[lempereur]

[ Okay, Baal, he sees you. He can appreciate a man who isn't afraid of color He's listening, and he's with you. Mostly. ]

Better to take a stance than avoid controversy. I am sure we would all like to know what we are voting for before the election.

video;

[selfconducts]

[ Baal smiles, like he was hoping someone would ask. ]

My stance is that we should be able to deal with killers and whatever other sort of rampaging hellspawn that might go all destruction-happy with their powers on our own terms. And no, I'm not saying we should kill them. Just that ordinary laws and mortal prisons aren't the solution.

Beyond that it gets harder to say. Taking someone down is the easy part. It's what comes next that's loads more complicated: figuring out containment and doling out whatever justice they actually deserve. But if I had the power to make that call, naturally the next step would be to put some more effective alternatives to a community vote.

Video

[craftpunk]

[ Baal old buddy old pal!! ]

You didn't waste any time.

You have my endorsement, and vote.

video

[selfconducts]

Could I afford to?

[ Waste time. But also, for the love of-- ]

I don't want them.

[pummelgranite]

[ Well there goes the last of her Actually Immortal deniability. Oh well. If she didn't want her pantheon-mates blowing her cover vis-a-vis immortality, she should perhaps have mentioned the lie in the first place. Let her fans speculate and discourse, she'll be signal boosting his campaign anyway. ]

#Baal2018 #DivineIntervention more like #TheFineIntervention

[selfconducts]

✊🏿👑
Appreciate the support. Once again ta passing your connections along. You're the best.

Video

[lastofthebog]

[ Galla is seated at the heavy oak desk in her office, a few books and sheets of paperwork scattered across it in front of her. ] A man who became a God, hm? Interesting... [ She reclines in her chair, chin tipped up just slightly as she seems to consider the meat of what Baal has said. ]

So, if I have taken the measure of you correctly, your points are these: First, you wish for imPorts to embrace these new powers they have been blessed and burdened with, and you would prefer if they use them for the betterment of this world. Or at least with appropriate caution. A fair thing to wish for, I believe. Second, you wish for self-sufficiency in...all things I suppose? Housing, policing, etcetera.

Given that, my question is this. [ She leans forward here, arms resting on her paperwork and eyes bright and intense. ] With what little you know of this world and these people, how would you like to begin? What would you consider an ideal start to your hopes and plans?

Video

[selfconducts]

[ He simply nods affirmatively; yes, she's correct, those are the points he's making. ]

If not all, then at least as many as possible. There's always some amount of inescapable symbiosis between god and mortal or representative and constituent... it likely can't be avoided completely. But if we want to have a positive impact while we're here, we can at least start by chewing up fewer resources others may need more.

[ Then he holds out his hands. ]

Learning more is the next step. Research isn't normally much my thing, but I'm aware enough to know that until I do that I'd only be chasing my own tail. Talks with the government, talks with people like you, find out what can and can't be done. Then begin.

I'm assuming damage control and limitation would be the place to start. But there's room enough within that parameter to work on striking from multiple angles.

[baphlement]

So wait, let me get this straight: you're running on current events?

[Get it????]

[selfconducts]

[ ... God... why...... ]

Right. Got that out of your system now, Velvet Punderground?

Video

[purple_reign]

[ Inanna is more rattled by the sudden outing than Persephone is. Their past humanity isn't something they really want to answer questions about; it'd been nice to have a reprieve from it here. But, they suppose, it couldn't have lasted forever. They put on a proud smile to respond to him, at least. ]

You know this already, but you're going to be amazing.

Video

[selfconducts]

[ HE HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS EVEN SOME BIG SECRET... GUYS...... guys...!!!!

But since Inanna doesn't bring it up, it doesn't occur to Baal to even think about it. ]

Confidence is important. If I didn't know it then concerns would be far more understandable. [ Said in a lighthearted-enough-though-ambiguously-facetious sort of way. ] But just because I know it doesn't mean I ever hear it often enough. Appreciate the support, Inanna.

Text - ID: Bruce Banner

[monsterdoc]

I echo the questions of Galla.

How do you start? What are your first steps?

Bruce is wary of gods, and of men who would set themselves up as gods. But he does love the idea of making the world a better place.

TEXT.

[selfconducts]

I don't get what the benefit is in asking the same question twice, but obviously my same answer still applies: Learn the rules, both of the role and of the world. Determine what's needed and what can actually be accomplished. Listen. Negotiate.

Natural starting point with all variables in mind seems to be damage control, so of course that's where I'd begin.

[text]

[calltheundertaker]

Think that's the best explanation I got from any of you about all of that.

So you wanna what, start an imPort city? Have all our own government, police force, all that? Might not go over that well.

[text]

[selfconducts]

[ That part surprises Baal a bit, but maybe not completely. He hasn't even thought about the implications of explaining it all much yet, beyond giving context to his platform. ]

Like I said: I'm the one of us who's good at it.
Most of us enjoy maintaining a degree of mystique. And in a place where things are as different as they are, I don't doubt a lot of it sounds like a load of bunk to some ears.

Not exactly. No. I'm not saying we isolate ourselves apart from them, just work to make ourselves not reliant on them. It's not our job to be their burden, after all. Quite the opposite of that.

video;

[recommendations]

[ This is all very interesting, even if the idea of a human being calling themselves a god is a little strange to Momo. ]

You mean to say that, on your world, only thirteen people have quirks? Ah, I mean powers?

video;

[selfconducts]

At a time. Yes. [ Though, when put like that... he has to reconsider slightly. ] Though it's not always that simple. Certain gods can be spread among more than one person but still count as "one." And...

[ There was Ananke, the woman tasked with "finding" them all every 90 years to begin with. She certainly had powers too, although Baal's not sure how to bring her up without opening up a whole new can of worms. ]

Some of them can give power to others. Not the same kind, but enough that it makes a difference. [ It's a nonchalant addition, despite his hesitation. ] Why do you call them quirks?

voice

[queenofseers]

[ Oh, god, he's actually doing it. Of course he's doing it.

It's not like Cassandra doesn't think Baal can do it- for all her disagreements with him, she knows he's been fairly capable at representing the Pantheon. That, and...she can't say she doesn't appreciate him proposing new ways of handling dangerous imPorts. She knows exactly what that's about, and she's grateful. But: ]

I still don't think you know what you're getting into.

voice

[selfconducts]

[ CAN'T STOP. WON'T STOP. Don't know how to stop?? Whatever. Either way, yes, he's back on his bullshit in record time. ]

I'll figure it out. As it stands it's already only a matter of time before what I know of this place ends up surpassing how much I knew in our own world. Within weeks would be my guess.

[ video ]

[fourlevels]

[ Viktor's not one to concentrate on politics if he can help it so he focuses on something more familiar, his expression breaking out into a pleased grin. ]

Oh! You came here too! I bet Inanna is pleased, right?

[ video ]

[selfconducts]

[ THAT IS... NOT A RESPONSE BAAL WAS ANTICIPATING... it's fine. He can be cool. ]

Oh. So Inanna's mentioned me?

[VIDEO]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

You'll excuse my skepticism, but I have some serious doubts that a god has humanity's best interests at heart.

In fact, I thought it was more the standard for gods to use people like game pieces.

[VIDEO]

[selfconducts]

Standard practice according to what? Experience or mythology?

Of course, you can believe what you want. I won't stop you. But mythology and belief can both be unreliable.

Video

[halfblaked]

Oh, my goodness! I can't believe I'm running against you, Baal.

Lucky me.

[ GET READY TO DEBATE. ]

I do wonder, of course, how our different experiences will color our platforms.

Video

[selfconducts]

[ Well, well, look who it is: this entirely random uni professor! Er. That is to say... some of his competition. ]

No one's forcing you if you're intimidated. But I do welcome the competition, so yeah. Lucky you.

Only one way to find out. What is your platform?

video; i'm sorry

[shittywizard]

Full disclosure, I didn't listen to a single thing you just said, but I would love to watch you say all of it a second time.

video; but ARE you...

[selfconducts]

Should I have included a link for download? Hang on.

[ user BaalOrNothing has attached video file 📎Intent_to_Campaign.avi. ]

Watch it as many times as you need to process the message.

video »

[lesterzeppelin]

[ So he's from Persephone's world. Lester can already see that others have echoed his questions - How can a god have humanity's interests at heart, etc? - but all he can think to blurt out is: ] What do you mean, 'you can't change the world itself?'

You and Persephone and all of them - you're gods. [ and if there's a slight bitterness to his tone, that's probably a trick of the imagination. ]

video »

[selfconducts]

[ Baal's eyebrow quirks up at the tone, but he continues in one that's calm while still confident. ]

Unlike in ancient times, I doubt anyone would trust us enough to put the fate of the world itself in our hands alone. And even if they did, even if we all wanted to, two years isn't enough time to change the big things. That part's just not up to us, but we can share our tools with the people who live here. The world really belongs to them.

[ He cocks his head slightly. So, this guy knows Persephone? ]

Contrary to popular belief, we're not here to fix everything. That part's a joint effort.

audio;

[dragony]

Usually I'd say someone running for this level of responsibility, this soon after their arrival, is presumptuous in the best of circumstances. Incompetent, arrogant, ignorant, power-hungry... these elections always seem to draw out that type, like flies to sugar and rot.

But, you seem to have a better idea than most, what you're getting into. At least, you do a better job of sounding the part.

[ Despite the volume of disparagement and inherent insult, her tone is relatively pleasant; she's not going out of her way to be an asshole, she's ✨︎ just saying ✨︎

And hey, if he can't handle this much, he's definitely not fit to serve, so. ]

With that in mind — can you tell a little more about what you've accomplished, in your own world, specifically? To make up for your lack of record in this one.

audio;

[selfconducts]

I won't claim it isn't still presumptuous. To an extent I find most politics are, which is why normally I try not to involve myself.

But where I come from, my job isn't too unlike what they expect from Ambassadors here, or so I'm told: I meet with the Government and soothe brows regarding how we manage our time here on Earth. [ A diplomatic simplification, but not untrue. ] Of the group, I'm the one who's been doing this god thing the longest, so I'm the one who's responsibility it is to make sure the rest of us are using our power for the betterment of human progress. That if someone goes off their head they're dealt with.

I'll be honest that I've made mistakes. I'm still learning, so it's much of it's still been a work-in-progress. Even a year and a half in it's easier to measure leadership in perspective rather than accomplishments, but someone has to step up all the same.

Voice

[marr]

[Marr is new to democratic processes. This should be interesting.]

What do you consider necessary for us to call ourselves self-sufficient.

[He's not sold on the 'God' part, but he's accustomed to beings with a sense of grandeur. All these views seem reasonable.]

Voice

[selfconducts]

I think the place to start is having our own spaces. Employing each other. Having our own places to live. The less we're reliant on the people here the better it is for all of us... but I understand how that can't happen overnight. Someone needs to first establish those resources before there can be functional alternatives, Rome wasn't built in a day. Which is why it'd be on my agenda.

video

[khajidont]

Huh. [ Another one from Persephone's world. Interesting. ]

No offense, but you only just got here. What makes you think you know how this place ticks after - what, a couple of weeks?

video

[selfconducts]

[ IIIIT'S BEEN... ]

One week. [ Even better! ] I don't expect to, but there's no better way to learn than by getting involved. And the way I hear it, no one else has got this place figured out either, so if anyone's stepping up it may as well at least be those with somewhat equivalent experience.

Video

[viced]

Wow, I've heard of motivated, but this is a whole other level. You're putting me to shame.

[ There's no malice, though. Actually friendly. ]

De Chima is a city near and dear to my heart, I think it would be lucky to have someone so motivated as an ambassador. How much...have you familiarized yourself with the local politics?

Video

[selfconducts]

Yeah. I'm both new round here and not from America, some study on local politics should probably go without saying. [ His smile's thin but mostly genuine. ] I appreciate the support. So you would be...?

video;

[the_caped_crusader]

[Normally you'd find Bruce Wayne behind an equally pristine table and seating, but at the moment he's been indisposed by a self-imposed sabbatical.

He does have an equally fine beard, however.]

It's an assertive platform, I'll give you that. But answers later don't make for successful campaigns now-- let me speak from experience. [He smiles.] So I have to ask: what are your ideas on handling 'off-the-rail' imPorts?

video;

[selfconducts]

[ Baal resists any impulse to roll his eyes or pop off the way he used to whenever he'd get questioned in what seemed like a vaguely condescending way, but no-- right now this is actually valuable enough to hear. Baal doesn't have much experience actually being involved in politics. PR, at best. ]

I'm not here to start claiming I can do this or that until I know how much I'll actually have the power to change. [ He adjusts his cuffs idly. ] And even then, any alternatives to the methods currently in place for dealing with trouble should be put to a community vote first. If a change gets made, it affects us all. If a change can get made, then I'd like to speak with other representatives about applying it more broadly across all our cities. As for ideas...

[ He has some, but he has to consider for a moment if they really will be practical here. But well, he'll figure that out while he works through his phrasing. ]

No civilian police. We go after and detain our own by whatever means necessary... [ A beat. ] Short of death, I mean. That won't always be possible, but as much as it can be avoided we should be aiming to. Since only we really have the ability to bring down these threats efficiently, that would also contain the amount of damage or casualties that might result if someone goes off in a big way. In theory.

[ Avoiding damage has never been his strong suit, but. ]

Containment won't be too complicated, but actually bringing people to some kind of proper justice after they're in custody will be. But that part's always complicated. I don't think I'll have a solution until I hear from the people I'm representing what they think most needs to change.

video.

[functusofficio]

[ She's fascinated, honestly. And she can at least match display for display in terms of presentation in clothing, if not in powers. She's at her desk, flowers behind her on shelves in an otherwise serious office, papers and folders to her side as she considers him. ]

I'll be very interested to watch your run, Baal. You've given a strong declaration of intent, even with the specifics you wish to understandably avoid.

However, knowing those specifics would be important for an election. One cannot simply say "when I am elected I'll let you know". I would be very interested in knowing further your thoughts on the justice system here and how you would like to amend it, as it's something I've been looking at myself in my role.

I am also curious as to how seriously you take the idea of being a god.

video.

[selfconducts]

[ Oh, there's the other one. Baal definitely can get behind her aesthetic.

He sighs, but simply prepares to explain himself again, since apparently that's a big part of this politician thing. While he gets it, gets why, it's still a bit frustrating-- nothing he ever had to deal with back home, because the only political thing he ever had to do there was reassure politicians that yes, while the lot of them can be dangerous, he's got a handle on stopping any of the other gods on a rampage.

This is similar, but also completely different. ]

Only so much I'll know until I'm elected, but I follow you. I'd be in talks with the government first, to keep my plans in line with what can be done. Whatever can I'd then want to then discuss with the other Ambassadors as something that could apply across all our cities. Unified front, yeah? Consistency. People like that.

What I do think is that it should be us managing the threat we ourselves can and likely will pose to the rest of the civilian communities. Not to mention ourselves. What's a regular cop meant to do about that? It's dangerous to them, and dangerous to those less strong of us who may then end up targets to take out that fear on. Sort of thing happens all the time.

So it's us who detain and contain them, but then the hard part's what happens after. Bringing them to some sort of justice. That would need a vote... offer some alternatives that best address what our sentencing needs really are.

[ It's a lot-- a lot that would need doing, wrapped up in even more variables that are just impossible to make promises for in advance, but he feels like that covers the general idea. ]

"How seriously" meaning...?

video.

[areou]

( for the love of ares someone shut this guy up. her eyes are rolling so far back into her head they might get stuck. )

Too long, didn't listen. Also don't care. You lost me at "I'm a god."

video.

[selfconducts]

Lost you how?

If you're about to ay "blasphemy" then save it.

video

[fource]

I think you're absolutely right.

[Quatre is not a person who really understands the purpose of election speeches. It's not (just) because he's young (though he is); it's because they didn't have democratic anythings back home. So all of the questions that other people are asking, about platforms and plans and specifics, seem secondary to the big picture world view that Baal's describing that gels really well with his own. Leaders are about inspirational speeches!!]

We'll go home eventually, but the rest of the world has to live with what we've done here. If we're not trying to change this world for the better, what's the point? You've phrased it very well. Thank you for sharing.

video

[selfconducts]

Thanks. It's nice to hear someone doesn't mind saying it.

[ Politics run a bit differently where Baal's from, too, although admittedly not that differently-- the shape of world politics is not so different here from what he's used to, since here they still have imPorts for lack of a Pantheon, and here as well as home, neither seems to have influenced the shape of politics to a major extent.

So, never having even wanted to be involved in politics himself before now, Baal would agree: inspiration and big picture is more important than policy and red tape. ]

Some might want to argue we have no responsibility for a world we didn't ask to be part of, but that's how it always goes. Most of life is made up of things we never asked to be part of. If people don't like that, then fine. But if we can leave the world better than it was when we were on it, why wouldn't we?