A Treatise on Godly Relationships
When I was but a wee mortal growing up on the winding thoroughfares of [DATA REDACTED], one of the (admittedly many, many) aspects of Lusternia which most caught my interest was just how human the Divine were. They had their flaws and shortcomings, they had their moments of sorrow and triumph, and they had realistic and complex relationships with their fellow Elder Gods. Whether it was the tragic marriage of Lisaera and Fain, the unrequited love between Maylea and Nocht or, more recently, the oddball sibling rivalry between Zvoltz and Mysrai, the interactions between these all-powerful beings drives much of the conflict and intrigue in the game. Since there has been such a strong interest in Elder processes in the past, I thought that I would divulge a bit of what went into the crafting of Yomoigu and His relationships with his cousins.
Obviously, the more fleshed out an Elder is, the easier it becomes to draw connections to His or Her peers. Shikari will always be devoted to Viravain, all others be damned, and Morgfyre will always be a tentacle-squid-thingy reviled by all but the Traitors and hentai enthusiasts. I did not have this sort of fleshed out backstory to fall back upon for Yomoigu. He was mentioned a grand total of three times over the course of a single book and in incredibly sparse detail. Because of this, I (and the other admin) had a great time crafting possible relationships that He could have with the others, allowing for new storylines and new conflicts.
The first thing I considered was what I DID know of Yomoigu. The overt list was very small: He was of the Fifth Circle, and he was part of the coterie which developed Fain’s Elixir. From this, however, we were able to ask several pointed questions. What did He think of his work? What did He think of the Traitors who disobeyed Elder law? Why didn’t He join the Traitors? What would others think of Him after the Traitor’s deception was uncovered, after the depths of their depravity were revealed? All of these questions had to be answered, or at least addressed, before thinking about relationships with individual Elders. And that aspect, I must gleefully admit, is some of the most fun I’ve had in the Havens to date. I have spent hours and hours in conversation with the other admin building complex histories, working out the details of the relationships, and planning future events. Because I think that it is far more fun and enjoyable for everybody involved if these tidbits are discovered organically, I must regretfully refuse to tell you anything concrete whatsoever.
At all.
Nope.
…Ok, I’ll tell you some details about one specific relationship.
Despite the running gag of Isune having more lovers than Drocilla, I wanted to establish a history with Her, not as a former mate (Yomoigu has one already) but as a friend or confidante. How would a young Isune take the betrayal of the Twelve? How would the perceptions of other Elders during this time color her perceptions? What if in the chaos following the Twelve’s discovery, she felt that her Fifth Circle friend, a known collaborator on the Elixir, was also one of the Traitors? How would Yomoigu take the betrayal of one whom he previously considered an ally? The two respective orders have begun to get a glimpse of this complex relationship, but I promise that there is more to come.
(As a side-note, anyone who is wondering WHY Yomoigu and Isune would ever become close in the first place, and why such a friendship might become strained, would be well served in taking a look at their respective philosophies.)
