Khoronzon Q&A Thread [IC/OOC]

[Khoronzon]

Khoronzonite Foreign Inquiries Commission

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Yes, we're really doing this.

Ahem...

Welcome, friends, strangers, and whoever else, to the official ^{not actually, Narshi doesn't know I'm running this} Q&A service of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon! Presented by yours truly. By which I, of course, mean... Xhasthrai, your friendly neighbourhood questionably-corporeal Grand Apostle. After all, who else could be better-suited to hosting this exciting enterprise? Or want to host it, for that matter... Oh, and don't bother looking me up on the government database. Yes, yes, I technically have an entry there, but the public access page has been neglected for some time now. We don't really do much maintenance on that side of things. And no, you don't get to access our internal network to look at the "real thing". Just follow along with whatever I say and we'll be fine. Why would I lie to you?

I would never lie to you.

Of course, I'm not actually your only host, in case you're worried about getting bored of little old me - if I feel like it, or if you ask me to, I may drag someone else in to do the answering instead. Keyword being may. Some of us are busier than others, and poor Narshi has so much to pay attention to at once I struggle to comprehend how he even does it. Just kidding, of course, we all have our methods. Now, then, with all that said - please, ask away!

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[OOC]

Felt like giving this a shot since I'm currently having trouble updating my factbooks and this might end up helping me organise my thoughts. I'm sure you've seen plenty of these threads before, and in case you do need a reminder as to how this works, it's pretty straightforward - just ask however many questions you feel like asking, whether from the perspective of some character within your nation or from your own, about my nation. With that being said, here are a few rules and general notices:

1. Please explicitly mark OOC questions as such. This thread is already an exercise in fourth-wall-breakage, but I'd rather not push it too far.

2. I will only be answering questions relevant to my own canon, whether IC or OOC. Don't expect a response for, say, "what does the Emperor think of my nation/leader?"

3. This is not a diplomatic platform (i.e. embassies, alliances, trade, etc). Again, think of this as a peephole through the fourth wall, not a doorway.

4. Any posts that go against the rules stated above will be ignored.

5. I may take a while to answer some questions, so don't expect responses to come particularly soon. I'll try to maintain a reasonable degree of activity, though.

6. Most of my factbook information is outdated. Chances are if you find something in there you'd like to ask about, it either isn't set in stone or no longer exists in "actual" canon. Not to discourage anyone, just putting that out there.

[South Reinkalistan]

"This may seem a rather... how should I say it? Uh, superficial question, but... what does the average Khoronzonite receive for breakfast?"

- Askhander Destriak, 1st Guards Rifle Battalion

[Khoronzon]

"Now, now, don't fret - I'd be glad to answer anything. Almost anything. Sadly, this is out of my area of expertise - I haven't eaten what most would consider 'food' in years, and I can't say my post affords all that much interaction with the day-to-day lives of the citizenry. The deeper you venture into my 'side' of the nation, the more removed you get from such things. As such, I'll have to redirect this to someone more qualified."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"Thrall feed. It's the most efficient form of nutrition. One large serving at the beginning of the day lasts an individual until the next morning, fulfilling all their nutritional needs and maximising productivity. ...You aren't laughing. Unfortunate. To give you an honest answer, though, it's generally some variation of rice porridge. Most people have it with slices of cured fish and various pickled vegetables, and it isn't all that uncommon for them to throw in details like sea urchin roe and blood curds to add some life to it. On the other hand, some people prefer to have it sweetened - naturally, they tend to forgo such things as fish slices. Never been one for that myself. Oh, and tea. We have that too, sort of. 'Tisane' would be more accurate, if you want to debate semantics - it's not quite what outsiders are familiar with, and doesn't come from the same old tea plant, but it has more or less the same purpose."


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

[Kiu Ghesik]

"How is it possible to be against the concept of peace? I mean, I love a good fight as good as the next person, but... even if you people never meet your match and prevail in every battle, won't you eventually run out of people to fight? And then what, what happens afterward, when you've no choice but peace? What's the end-goal, if you will?"

[Khoronzon]

"If you think I envision a scenario in which running out of people to fight is a possibility, you misunderstand the scale on which I intend to operate. This world will fall to me one day. I will extend my grasp to cover its entirety, and it will become part of myself. But even when that point is reached, my goal will be far from achieved. Make no mistake - I have no intention of casting my domain over all the stars in the cosmos. In a sense, though, my ambitions are far greater than that. In simplest terms, I was born from God, and I aim to come home. Perhaps one such as yourself, whose understanding of divinity is as a force of nature within your world, is ill-equipped to conceptualise such an ambition. What I do believe you'll understand is this: to be at peace is to falter in this journey full of hardships and barriers. Perhaps I will know peace when I finally reach the end, but that end has yet to come within my sight. And rest assured - where I'm going once my time in this world is done, there will be no shortage of conflict."


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• His Sovereign Eminence Aexhahel the Transfigured, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

As you may have noticed, the Emperor's "political views" section has been marked as outdated - or, rather, the greater section of "Reign and Ideology" has been marked as outdated, and that subsection falls under that blanket designation. Back when I wrote that bit, the Emperor was supposed to be more of a rampaging warmonger who ran his country in a perpetual state of genocidal expansion, believing that anything less would make the nation fall into complacent weakness. That mentality hasn't been completely taken out, but it's not quite as strong - perhaps evidenced by the fact that the nation isn't currently at war, although, granted, it will be, and is actively preparing for it - and it's largely been superseded by another purpose. The question still sort of applies, which is why I'm pairing this statement with an IC answer.

[Bloodshade]

“Quick question if you may and a serious one to boot, then again, you lot don’t exactly seem to be the cheerful kind anyways...

I’m rather curious. In all my travels, I’ve yet to have my curiosity peaked in reviling fashion. I won’t waste any more of your time. I just want to ask, how important is an individual in the grand scheme of things? By that, I mean, do you treat citizens like human resources or am I mistaken? Is there a greater role that you’ve assigned your people? Are they more than just cogs in a machine?

Excuse my biased tone but from an outsider’s perspective, there is no reason for me to admire such a society that you’re running.

Another question if you may? Artistic freedom? What about it? Are people free to express themselves as they may? Is art critically examined and regulated in case an artist engages in subliminal messaging? Are artists valued? A more important question, who do you consider to be a true artist in your society? What is the ideal Khoronzonite artist from your perspective?

- Kali Fiore

[Kiu Ghesik]

"If you think I envision a scenario in which running out of people to fight is a possibility, you misunderstand the scale on which I intend to operate. This world will fall to me one day. I will extend my grasp to cover its entirety, and it will become part of myself. But even when that point is reached, my goal will be far from achieved. Make no mistake - I have no intention of casting my domain over all the stars in the cosmos. In a sense, though, my ambitions are far greater than that. In simplest terms, I was born from God, and I aim to come home. Perhaps one such as yourself, whose understanding of divinity is as a force of nature within your world, is ill-equipped to conceptualise such an ambition. What I do believe you'll understand is this: to be at peace is to falter in this journey full of hardships and barriers. Perhaps I will know peace when I finally reach the end, but that end has yet to come within my sight. And rest assured - where I'm going once my time in this world is done, there will be no shortage of conflict."


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• His Sovereign Eminence Aexhahel the Transfigured, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

As you may have noticed, the Emperor's "political views" section has been marked as outdated - or, rather, the greater section of "Reign and Ideology" has been marked as outdated, and that subsection falls under that blanket designation. Back when I wrote that bit, the Emperor was supposed to be more of a rampaging warmonger who ran his country in a perpetual state of genocidal expansion, believing that anything less would make the nation fall into complacent weakness. That mentality hasn't been completely taken out, but it's not quite as strong - perhaps evidenced by the fact that the nation isn't currently at war, although, granted, it will be, and is actively preparing for it - and it's largely been superseded by another purpose. The question still sort of applies, which is why I'm pairing this statement with an IC answer.

"I think I understand more than you believe. If I may presume to offer counsel, and if you will take it, what you seek is impossible for men. So I would ask you, can you prove you are divine? For if you are a man then such a goal, to achieve godliness through oneness, is futile and beyond your station. The nature of man is of earth and impermanence. You cannot change that. If you are more than man, then you seek to bend a fragile humanity beyond its nature. It will shatter, and whatever good you can do, whatever you have done, will be lost. I do not believe that you want the tellers to remember you as the mad king who died clawing at the halls of heaven, but that is the fate even I can see your path will take you down. I think that you may conquer if you are divine, but if you are divine, then conquest is beneath you, is it not?

My counsel is surely a fool's counsel to one who has done so much. But it is wise in my eyes. I know you will dismiss it, but I give it nonetheless. I would be remiss to not do so. If you are divine, then you are misled, and if you are a man, you waste yourself on a deathless fancy. I do not believe you would tolerate that."

I genuinely missed the massive disclaimer, sorry. I, uh, needed to sleep. Badly. But I've read it now! And I think I understand the "actively preparing for war" part- most highly nationalistic states tend to keep themselves on a war footing to justify their policies, at least in recent times, right? The comparison to the fascist method of using a scapegoat to justify the state seizing control of the economy was what sprang to mind with that line, anyways. Either way, it was an interesting look into his mentality as a character, and it's interesting to see how the two different worldviews clash.

[Khoronzon]

“Quick question if you may and a serious one to boot, then again, you lot don’t exactly seem to be the cheerful kind anyways...

"I can already see you're asking me several questions, none of which are particularly quick. You bald-faced liar, you. That's just all the better! I do rather enjoy giving my perspective to you outside folk, it's quite entertaining. And don't be such a pessimist. We have fun just like everyone else! Well, maybe a little less often, but that just makes each occasion all the more valuable. Wouldn't you agree, Ilya?"


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"Try governing the capital for a week, then tell me if you still have that opinion."


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

"If you want to play that game, I'll challenge you to put on the Shroud. Become one of us. Can't be that hard, can it? Come on, lighten up."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"...Fine. You win."


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

I’m rather curious. In all my travels, I’ve yet to have my curiosity peaked in reviling fashion. I won’t waste any more of your time. I just want to ask, how important is an individual in the grand scheme of things? By that, I mean, do you treat citizens like human resources or am I mistaken? Is there a greater role that you’ve assigned your people? Are they more than just cogs in a machine?

"Ohhh, an interesting question, that. Not because it's unexpected, mind - someone was just bound to eventually ask us about individuality, and I'm sure you won't be the last to do so - but it's still a fun topic of discussion. As for my answer, there is a general consensus that people are resources and components. That's their primary purpose - the 'baseline', if you will. What they are outside of that, and even what purposes they serve as those things, varies based on who you ask, and is somewhat up to the individuals themselves to decide. We do let people make choices, you know. Some, especially around my side of things, even fancy themselves completely independent actors with no connection anymore to the 'worldly' state - what they don't understand is that they're still serving it, and they soon find out that they really can't escape its grasp. I just leave them be, and they all end up looping right back when the realisation inevitably hits. Everyone serves, one way or another. Every action, every tendency, siphoned back into the ever-growing machine. ...But that's just my perspective, being so close to the top and all. What are your thoughts, Ilya?"


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"At the end of the day, I'm just a rather large cog in all this, aren't I? I suppose those of us in the bureaucracy feel that more than anyone else, even in as lofty a position as my own. Just making sure everything's running smoothly, moving people and things about into optimised arrangements. Administration, day in and day out, all to work towards the grand design. His grand design. I wonder what it's like for him up there, deciding how everything else goes. You're quite close to him, Xhasthrai - is there anything you're allowed to disclose to me in that regard?"


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

"Sometimes I think he might be the least free person out of all of us. He probably thinks the same. More than anything, he wants to decide his own fate, but the barriers keeping him from doing that are... persistent, to say the least."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"I'm not sure if I should be relieved or disheartened. Seems about right; with no master in this world, he still has Ahxh to pull at his strings from beyond. Now, then - to summarise, yes, the main focus of my life is simply serving as a layer in a hierarchy of administrative power. There's more to it outside of that, but that's what it all revolves around, and what defines my person in the eyes of society at large. As far as I can tell, though, that's largely the case precisely because of how high up my layer actually is. The more things you're in charge of running, the more your life and image are defined by running those things. Of course, that also means you're less disposable and interchangeable. You win some, you lose some, I suppose."


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

Excuse my biased tone but from an outsider’s perspective, there is no reason for me to admire such a society that you’re running.

"That's very cute, dear. My apologies. I'll try my best to build a nicer society next time."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

Another question if you may? Artistic freedom? What about it? Are people free to express themselves as they may? Is art critically examined and regulated in case an artist engages in subliminal messaging? Are artists valued? A more important question, who do you consider to be a true artist in your society? What is the ideal Khoronzonite artist from your perspective?

"Thought-provoking today, are we? Very well, very well. Now, before I directly answer any of your questions, I think you may be interested in a primer, of sorts, regarding the general 'status' of art within our society. You see, roughly everyone here is an artist to some extent. We're simply raised that way, and as much as some of us like to stray from the lives we were originally intended to have, it somehow almost always sticks. Maybe we use it as a coping mechanism to deal with the crushing pressure of the Emperor's will shaping our lives as it pleases. I say 'we', but he really just lets me do as I please for the most part; just think of it as a figure of speech. Or maybe we just do it because we find it gratifying and never really lose our appreciation for it. In any case, Khoronzon's artistic sphere is by and large a product of the population as a whole, instead of a dedicated stratum of artistic intelligentsia. There are people who have much more of a stake in it, of course, but there's no real divide between people who 'understand' and partake in artistic culture and people who don't. Expressing ourselves in this way is a cornerstone of our social life.

As for your inquiries - we still aren't quite libertine about it. We don't enforce uniformity of thought - after all, what good is art if it's all predictable and formulaic? - but people aren't free to undermine the progression of the plan. No, I won't elaborate on what the plan is. You'll just have to see. That isn't to say anything 'undesirable' is simply banned and done away with. Some reroutings of communications and subliminal messages later, and everything's all good. Some expressions of dissent can even be harnessed for more... let's say productive purposes. You call for freedom and independence, and before you know it, I've led you ever-so-subtly into joining the Acolytes. You get your wish of detachment from the state and its obligations, but I still have you firmly under my thumb, and you are still useful to me. As I said before: every action, every tendency. Everything serves, and we don't even have to make our art completely uniform and dull in the process. Wonderful, isn't it? ...On second thought, you probably wouldn't say so.

Now, onto your other questions - I do believe I just told you that everyone, in some way, is an artist, so of course artists are valued. Regarding what that actually means... At the most basic level, an artist is someone who uses imagination and aesthetics to express feelings and concepts through the medium of 'artworks'. Khoronzonite artistic culture is, for the most part, more focused on creating sensory and emotional experiences than conveying coherent messages, and even when those do figure into certain works, the feeling of it is still what takes the foreground. All this meshes in quite nicely with the vision of the 'ideal Khoronzonite', elevating emotional feelings and expressions ever further; and this, in turn, ties into... something. The ideal artist, then, is someone who constantly pushes this barrier along, overwhelming the minds of their contemporaries and bringing them to new heights. Someone who relentlessly elevates the emotional and aesthetic qualities of the collective psyche simply by proliferating their thoughts and feelings, breaking minds along the way so that they can be reborn in a new, ascended state. This might seem a little counterintuitive to the way our society is run, from an outsider's perspective, but everything has its purpose within the greater scheme."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

[Khoronzon]

"I think I understand more than you believe. If I may presume to offer counsel, and if you will take it, what you seek is impossible for men. So I would ask you, can you prove you are divine? For if you are a man then such a goal, to achieve godliness through oneness, is futile and beyond your station. The nature of man is of earth and impermanence. You cannot change that. If you are more than man, then you seek to bend a fragile humanity beyond its nature. It will shatter, and whatever good you can do, whatever you have done, will be lost. I do not believe that you want the tellers to remember you as the mad king who died clawing at the halls of heaven, but that is the fate even I can see your path will take you down. I think that you may conquer if you are divine, but if you are divine, then conquest is beneath you, is it not?

My counsel is surely a fool's counsel to one who has done so much. But it is wise in my eyes. I know you will dismiss it, but I give it nonetheless. I would be remiss to not do so. If you are divine, then you are misled, and if you are a man, you waste yourself on a deathless fancy. I do not believe you would tolerate that."

"Such clear-cut, rigid dichotomies. Such defeatism. My, my. Who ever told you the nature of man can't be changed? Who said there can't be anything between men and gods? Who planted those silly, horrible ideas into your head? You poor, poor soul. It must be so sad, just accepting the human condition as immutable. I do suppose there's some joy to found in base human existence, but that must get boring after a while, no? Don't you ever tire of staying in your metaphysical 'place'? Maybe you just haven't reached the end of that while yet. May you enjoy your humble, human life while it lasts, Ari."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"Conquest will be beneath me one day, that much is true. But that day has yet to come. Before I can at last sever myself from this world, I must first grasp it, shape it to my will, and ultimately absorb it. You may not be aware of this, but well before my time, men have shot themselves through the heavens and set foot around the cosmos. Before doing that, they needed to first build great structures here on Earth. Everything that sent them into the expanse beyond had to first be taken out from the soil. And just as humanity's leaps away from home require fuel from within the Earth, so too does my departure from physicality and the mundane. It is this fuel that conquest must provide, that I must harvest through domination of the world."


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• His Sovereign Eminence Aexhahel the Transfigured, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

I genuinely missed the massive disclaimer, sorry. I, uh, needed to sleep. Badly. But I've read it now! And I think I understand the "actively preparing for war" part- most highly nationalistic states tend to keep themselves on a war footing to justify their policies, at least in recent times, right? The comparison to the fascist method of using a scapegoat to justify the state seizing control of the economy was what sprang to mind with that line, anyways. Either way, it was an interesting look into his mentality as a character, and it's interesting to see how the two different worldviews clash.

[OOC] That's part of it, though it's less about maintaining a pretense of war preparation and antagonism towards some outgroup for the sake of maintaining control, and really sort of the other way around - maintaining control as a means to several "greater" goals, including genuinely waging war against the entire world. How that actually plays out is a story for a somewhat different time that I've yet to do any particularly extensive work on.

[Bloodshade]

"You know, I'm awfully curious. You people keep wanking yourselves off but I highly doubt you're the biggest boys in town. Everyone's afraid of something and I highly doubt you're making many friends on your planet. Tell me, how do your neighbours view you? Who's your biggest threat and obstacle on the world stage?

Also, you people seem to be awfully confident of your own martial capabilities. That's rather characteristic of most authoritarian nations but tell me, is there any reason for me to believe that there is a bite behind that bark? What's so special about you that makes other nations tremble before your might? More importantly, why hasn't anyone decided to bulldoze such bad sports like you lot? Do you guys have any idea or are you going to give me the whole 'Tremble before our might' speech? Come on now, I'm asking in good faith. Most people are self-aware of why they've not been pounded to dust...Let's talk practically here. I don't like deciphering your poetry or anyone's poetry for that matter.

Oh and a final one, could you perhaps go into permissible detail about what weapons, doctrine and tactics your nation uses to wage war? Please and thank you."

- Victoria Hoffmeister

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"Ugh, you lot...I've got the time of day to spare and I've stumbled upon this crock of shit you call an inquiry thread so how about I entertain the emperor and his court jesters with a few questions?

To Emperor X and yes, I'm just going to call you that since I'm not going to bother pronouncing your full name. Sue me. Anyways, what exactly pushed you to be who you are today? Why do you think you're worthy to lead? You've got a mighty fine arsenal of pompous vocabulary that you can use to woo the masses but other than that, take a good look at yourself in the mirror and tell me why you think you are who you are today. I'm going to bet on blind luck. I'll cut my arm off if I ever meet a competent emperor who can pull his own weight.

Actually, I'm not done yet. I must ask and please cut the propaganda, I'm not interested in blackmailing you or undermining your rule, I genuinely just want to know. Do you think your people like you? Have you sat down with a bunch of strangers and listened to what they had to say about their mighty emperor? I doubt you even give a shit about what they think but even then, your rule must be popular in order for it to be unchallenged. Just because you have a narrow selectorate doesn't mean you can shout to the heavens about how worthy you are.

Just one more, I can't help it, dear. What's your take on religion? That's it. It's that simple. Do you think a supreme god exists? Do you think nature exists? Actually, do you think you're a vessel of a supreme deity? What is the purpose of religion in your humble abode of a nation and more importantly, do your people conform to your views on religion or is it a varied salad bowl of different religious ideas?

I've wasted my time long enough. I hope you choke on some stale bread, you rotten clown."

- Countess Ambrosia von Carstein

[Valentine Z]

Exuberant Superintendent T-2000/2904-3 Surveillant Clarissa Alanis Star Breya « La Amoureux Chéri » Millie Taissa Butterfly Mélody Coraline Jolijn Trini Clementine Hollie Samantha Zeta Harumi: Well, hello there! Good to see you all again, haha! I mean, we might not have the same ideologies and far from it, but you are all the friends of me, Clarissa Alanis Star! ♥ Anyway, two questions from me!

- What is the ratio of AI citizens in your nation? I mean, if there are any, of course! I reckon that you have a few!
- Do you have a cat? Here is a helpful entry on what a "cat" is if you don't know!

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Foresittend Marcus Alan Ariel Maximillian “Infinity Hunter” Swifty Felix Maverick Prometheus Revlin Lynx Artyom Lichtenstein Baptiste C. Viot. Talon Haydn Lincoln Taal Reynolds Fang Wu Ying: This might come off as unorthodox, but I am itching to ask this question: Are there any particular type of worms - Eldritch or otherwise, that inhabit or are utilised? I think you might have a bit of idea regarding myself, so this is more of me asking for an opinion about me in an indirect sort of way, please excuse me for that.

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Head Diplomat Charlene Jeannie Natalia Adeline Marceline “Wanbyeoghan Hyeobsang-Ga” Celestie Christine Irelle Dva. Arianna Rees Edith Novena Annie Ciara W. I. Bethany Myong Suh-Hyung: You know how one of my abilities have the unmentionables and basically overloads an organic being with imagery that is too much for them to handle. I will simply call this "mind-screw" because I don't want to get hit for something NSFW, let's put it at that. So, does your nation, or your army, has something similar like that?

[Khoronzon]

You know, I'm awfully curious. You people keep wanking yourselves off but I highly doubt you're the biggest boys in town. Everyone's afraid of something and I highly doubt you're making many friends on your planet. Tell me, how do your neighbours view you? Who's your biggest threat and obstacle on the world stage?

"Everyone's afraid of something, that much is true. But why does that something have to be a mundane, worldly thing? Of course, it isn't my job to speak for everyone in the nation, and I won't claim to, but geopolitical struggles aren't what scare me. It's true that we don't have a few nice little things like state allies or diplomatic agreements or what have you, but really, how much do those things matter? Maybe a fair bit. I wouldn't know. Doesn't make me any more fearful of things like 'countries' and 'militaries', not when the floodgates open and they all fall down like matchsticks. Sadly, I can't just tell you what's behind the floodgates - that would ruin the fun. All you need to know for now is that it's scary. Much more than any missiles or embargoes people can throw around."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"Xhasthrai's riveting sermon aside, our main rival in the world is this happy bunch known as the Republic of Nations. Used to be called the United Nations, back when they were a world-spanning intergovernmental organisation, then they renamed themselves just over two and a half centuries ago after a particularly devastating war left most of the world in shambles, for the sake of marking their consolidation into a central global authority to ensure rebuilding would proceed smoothly as a joint effort. Of course, back then, none of the national governments were in much of a position to refuse, though things started to crumble a little once people were getting back on their feet. Breakaway states started forming left and right, and the RoN was too busy dealing with internal problems to really do much about it, so their project to move humanity beyond the age of nation-states ended up falling flat. But that's enough history for now, unless you start asking me more about it. They're still the largest and - excluding us - most powerful state in the world, though regarding power, it's a bit of a toss-up. We have technology they can't wrap their heads around and superior military capabilities, they have greater industrial capacity and uncontested international influence. They do often seem like they're only held together by duct tape, nostalgia, and resentment, but as much as internal conflicts tend to flare up every now and then to make it look like another fracturing is just around the corner, it never happens.

As for how we're seen, it's generally as a vaguely hostile informational black hole that humanity should work to contain but which would be too difficult to simply stamp out. We certainly aren't trusted or welcomed, and our people, or at least our predecessors, are largely considered responsible for the aforementioned world war. We aren't recognised as a nation, a legitimate polity, or even humans, but rather an overgrown hive of aliens that should be closely watched for expansionist tendencies and guarded against. Most of us find it rather flattering."


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

Also, you people seem to be awfully confident of your own martial capabilities. That's rather characteristic of most authoritarian nations but tell me, is there any reason for me to believe that there is a bite behind that bark? What's so special about you that makes other nations tremble before your might?

"There is no reason. One should certainly hope there isn't. Our military secrets are very closely guarded, imagine how dreadful it would be if an alien civilisation untold light-years away just happened upon them. The entire command structure of the military would be a wreck, I tell you! And I'd probably be blamed for it somehow. No, please, there's nothing special about our armed forces. They're just very large. We have more infantry than any other nation on the planet, and we just have them march around in perfect unison. The earthquakes accompanying the sound of their synchronised footfalls makes the enemy evacuate before the fighting even starts."


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• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"...On a more serious note, a fairly important thing to realise is that we really don't have much overt 'bark', at least as far as the polities of our world are concerned. The only extranational communications we conduct in any notable capacity are carried out by undercover agents to clandestine foreign actors. We don't parade our strength for other states to see, nor do we make threats or overtly declare our superiority - we simply are, and we find that sufficient. You may be seeing some of the Emperor's personal broadcasts in here, but those are far from reflective of how he conducts foreign policy. His normal approach wouldn't be very conducive to an inquiry service, you see. This is a very rare inside look.

Regarding your question, the main reason people are scared of us is the control we have over the flow of information. Our communications technology is a complete mystery to the rest of the world, and the only information that escapes our national network is what we allow people to see. There's no way for our enemies to break into it with the methods they have, as well-equipped as they may be for conventional cyberwarfare. What they end up with is a void of knowledge peppered with the odd satellite image and hints at incomprehensible technology and ludicrous military manpower. Of course, not all of our military technology is particularly esoteric for other nations - we still throw chunks of metal at very high speeds, just like everyone else - but overall, we don't make for a very attractive foe to try and engage, especially since we're also associated with memories of the Third World War and the devastation our predecessors wrought. There have still been a few engagements, most of them relatively minor, but this image of ours only becomes further solidified each time. People aren't very good at fighting what they don't understand, as it turns out."


---

• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

More importantly, why hasn't anyone decided to bulldoze such bad sports like you lot? Do you guys have any idea or are you going to give me the whole 'Tremble before our might' speech? Come on now, I'm asking in good faith. Most people are self-aware of why they've not been pounded to dust...Let's talk practically here. I don't like deciphering your poetry or anyone's poetry for that matter.

"One thing about us that everyone in the world is aware of is that trying to invade us, or to cripple us beyond recovery, would be a colossal effort. We haven't always been at the stage we are now, but in the period during which we had to consolidate ourselves as a powerful state, the world was crippled by political turmoil and the reconstruction efforts of other nations that newly broke off from the RoN. They all figured that as long as our race was contained within our own enclave in Siberia, eradicating us fully was more trouble than it was worth. By the time anyone was in a position to potentially do something about our existence, we'd become too entrenched. Nobody wants to invade a desolate wasteland full of fortified cities built around completely unfamiliar infrastructure, guarded by an unknown but certainly high amount of inhuman soldier drones. Nobody wants to fly their fancy aircraft into the airspace of the most militarised state in the world, when they don't know how their enemy's detection systems operate, precisely where and when they can expect air defence to show up, what kind of warning they'll get before their plane gets blown out of the sky, and whether the strikes they risked so much to land even cause critical damage to infrastructure when so much of it is either fortified or underground. And nobody wants to back us into a corner with the nuclear option and force us to retaliate with everything we've been hiding. To put it simply, getting rid of us would cost far too much to bear."


---

• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

Oh and a final one, could you perhaps go into permissible detail about what weapons, doctrine and tactics your nation uses to wage war? Please and thank you.

"You've probably gleaned a few basic facts about our doctrine by now, albeit mostly on the defensive side of things. We keep ourselves alive by ensuring that the only thing the enemy knows about us is that attacking us would be very difficult, and we do so quite well. Of course, maintaining this requires a whole lot of strategic revision and constant analysis of engagement data to make sure we always adapt to whatever intelligence the enemy does gain and don't let them become familiar with the specifics of how we operate. The tactics and technologies we use in combat evolve with each round of data processing, both in the middle of an engagement and after the fact once it's all been properly recorded. This also means that I, as a civilian bureaucrat, often end up just as much in the dark about the latest military updates as the enemy is, so take whatever I say with a pinch of salt. However, a few things do tend to generally remain consistent - mainly emphasis on outranging and outmaneuvering the enemy, which is reflected a lot in equipment design, as well as disrupting their communications as much as possible.

On the topic of weapons, there's a lot of information that I simply don't have access to. Fun things, clearance brackets are. That's mostly regarding higher-end stuff, though, which I wouldn't tell you about anyway. In any case, a lot of our weapons are pretty standard - blow something up at one end of a tube, and have the expanding gases push something else out the other end. I'm sure you're familiar with all that. We tend to use electromagnetism instead of explosive propellants on bigger, less portable guns, and some more experimental designs use a whole other force I'm not quite allowed to describe, but it's still the same principle. Something else we use a lot that you might be a bit less familiar with is our particular brand of biological weaponry. It would take rather long for me to go in detail but to summarise, we employ a wide variety of extensively engineered organisms - 'biosynths', we call them - for an equally broad set of military tasks. Our light infantry in particular is mostly made up of one such creature called a Phalangium, which is organised in small 'packs', each one being coordinated by a central consciousness to compensate for their lack of individual intelligence. Other roles biosynths occupy include, without being limited to, anti-personnel munitions, infantry and vehicle armour, and anti-agriculture weapons."


---

• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

For the sake of not making this take too long, I've decided to cut this up so that my answers to Ambrosia's and the Valentians' questions will be in separate posts. Expect the latter to come soon-ish, the former will probably take a bit longer because anything regarding the specifics of the Emperor's life is rather difficult at present since I'm still sorting out what's canon and what isn't. He's also been renamed from Aexhahel to Evehxhas. There's actually a reason for this beyond just sounding different. I might still change it, but the "hxha" part is important for lore reasons and isn't a Hoxha reference, before anyone points that out.

[Khoronzon]

- What is the ratio of AI citizens in your nation? I mean, if there are any, of course! I reckon that you have a few!

"Artificial intelligence, hm? That's a bit of an interesting topic within the Supremacy, though I will tell you that we don't have any such beings of the sort you're probably familiar with. Some do use fairly conventional circuitry, but even then, that isn't where their consciousnesses really come from. As for how many of them are counted as citizens, and how their numbers compare with the 'ordinary' population, I'd say... one AI citizen for every 50,000 non-AIs? Somewhere in that ballpark. Every individual AI that possesses real sapience is given some form of citizenship, but there isn't really a whole lot of those individuals."


---

• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

- Do you have a cat? Here is a helpful entry on what a "cat" is if you don't know!

"I know what a cat is, thank you very much - and I do, in fact, have one. A white, puffy little thing that I've decided to call Sashi. Before you ask, that's not a real garden he's sitting in, it's a hydroponic chamber I had installed in my apartment to grow cat grass for him to chew on. We don't really have 'outdoors' here in Vohzhrost. There's another cat around here I keep running into, which, according to Xhasthrai, is supposed to be named Teppom. I've never quite been able to interact with it, though, it just appears in a corner of my eye and then slips away without a trace."


---

• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

Are there any particular type of worms - Eldritch or otherwise, that inhabit or are utilised? I think you might have a bit of idea regarding myself, so this is more of me asking for an opinion about me in an indirect sort of way, please excuse me for that.

"...You're asking if there are worms in Khoronzon. Now, as funny as it would be to tell you that the damage left by the Third World War and the environmental decline that came before it resulted in the total depletion of native worm populations in our geographical area, this is supposed to be an honest, upstanding inquiry service, so I'll give you an honest, upstanding answer. Yes, we do have worms. Of course, 'worms' are a very broad and diverse category so I can't quite go into detail about any substantial portion of them, but rest assured. I feel like you're most interested in what worms we actively use, in any case, which narrows it down somewhat. One example we have is a fairly humble creature we call the 'feedworm'. Much like silkworms, feedworms aren't technically worms of any sort - they're the larvae of a special breed of genetically engineered fly, which we use to turn food waste and other organic debris into nutrients for agriculture. The maggots themselves then get ground up into a nice, rich gruel to be fed to livestock. Well, I say 'nice' but I've never actually tried it, and I really don't want to. The 'nice' here means 'useful', not 'appetising'. Don't worry, though, there's a lot more to our worm repertoire than nutrient sludge. I know you like your worms, and you'd surely be rather disappointed if that was all we did with ours. There's also a decent collection of specially-engineered parasitic worms used in various military applications, which is the main other use they have as far as I'm aware. Nothing quite like your suit though - or, at least, nothing involving worms. We do have colonial organisms that get symbiotically grafted onto people to boost their capabilities, but those are more amorphous blobs of microscopic zooids, not worm swarms."


---

• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

You know how one of my abilities have the unmentionables and basically overloads an organic being with imagery that is too much for them to handle. I will simply call this "mind-screw" because I don't want to get hit for something NSFW, let's put it at that. So, does your nation, or your army, has something similar like that?

"Why of course we do! Hiihiihiii... Ah, sorry. Yes, we are indeed able to transfer information offensively into other people's minds. Not all of us, mind, at least particularly effectively, but with enough training it can be quite the weapon. If you're good enough, you can give people brain death this way, and if you're really good - like I am - with the right combination of signals, you can pull someone's conscious essence right out of their brain. And eat it. It's not just limited to organic beings either - as long as it can process information in some way, its processing mechanism can be flooded with harmful signals. Naturally, it's one of our military's main tools in information warfare. That last bit about conscious essence only applies if they're sapient, though."


---

• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

[Zitravgrad]

"The taste of nostalgia in the Season of the Sorrowful Blanketed Sun... I go everywhere I know, looking for an answer, for a few questions which might sound self-centered or odd to you. Nonetheless, I wish that my wordings are not offensive."

"Black-sun-of-lost-season dominates warfare, and I was born under it -- or so I was told, I don't know Black Providence's lore that well, to be honest. Is it an oxymoron to value peace and order while a sensation of bloodlust still runs in one's body? You see, war is the legitimatized form of violence humans may commit to each other -- boiling superficial reasons down to instinctive killing of one another. Is it contradictory for one's trigger fingers to still itch after wartime is over? They say war is hell, but some seem to revel in hell."

"Meanwhile, I have attempted to make an understanding that Khoronzonite is a new race, created by genetic engineering. But even then... even now... does the essence of animalistic instinct still control your subconscious? The survival instinct and the call of the nature... the violent ones. In short, is war a cultural or biological phenomenon?"
Respectfully yours, with due regards -- His Excellency, Kazimir Ivanovich Miroslavsky
Premier of the United Federation of Zitravgrad, Commander-in-Chief of Zitravgradian Armed Forces, Director of National Law Enforcement Committee

[Valentine Z]

Trade Representative Charmaine Marissa Hannah “Universal Börsenmakler en Verkäuferin” Katherine Vivian Hadriane Gwyneth Amy Emilia Margrit Vera Carina Ivanne Augusta D. Melny Teresa: This unfortunately might sound a little unusual and weird to you and me for asking, but I was just wondering for the fun of it, and just as a little side trivia: What is the primary mode of transportation in Khoronzon? Do people prefer cars instead to the buses and trains, or vice versa? Do you have intra-dimensional portals for fast-travel within your world?

[Khoronzon]

This unfortunately might sound a little unusual and weird to you and me for asking, but I was just wondering for the fun of it, and just as a little side trivia: What is the primary mode of transportation in Khoronzon? Do people prefer cars instead to the buses and trains, or vice versa? Do you have intra-dimensional portals for fast-travel within your world?

"Definitely vice versa, and by a wide margin. Trains are also somewhat preferred over buses, though my perception may be a bit biased what with my being the central administrator of the single most train-heavy city on Earth. Our Earth, mind you, though you'd probably be hard-pressed to find somewhere with as dense of a rail network as Vohzhrost on your planet. Cars aren't completely unheard of, but not many people use them, and even less use them for simple day-to-day travel. They're thought of as what you use when you need to not take public transit. It's something of a big deal to own a car, and even more so to use it - it generally means you're doing something important and, to some extent, confidential. And as for portals-"


---

• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

"Now, now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, shall we? Some things don't need to be broadcast to foreigners, even if they ask nicely. With all that said - yes, we do have what you would refer to as 'fast-travel', including a network of interconnected 'portals'."


---

• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

"Wait, but then why'd you-"


---

• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

"Hush... Please. As I was saying, we do indeed have those. Not everyone can use them, though - both in the sense of relatively safe physical ability and in the sense of legal authorisation - but they are there for those of us who can."


---

• Xhasthrai, Grand Apostle of the Shrouded Ones

My apologies to Bloodshade and Zitravgrad for taking so long, both of you probably already know I'm not ignoring your questions but I may as well put this here anyway. I swear I'm working on it, but they're all pretty difficult - which is a good thing, by the way, it really does help me develop my ideas. I'll probably end up finishing Zitravgrad's first, then Bloodshade's, maybe within a week or so but I'm terrible at maintaining schedules so bear with me.

[Khoronzon]

The taste of nostalgia in the Season of the Sorrowful Blanketed Sun... I go everywhere I know, looking for an answer, for a question which might sound self-centered to you.

"Quite the poet, aren't you? Come now, troubled soul. Tell us what you seek. Share your burden with those who will take it."


---

• Vasilias SVZ75, Captain of SARCODINA Squad 001 "Gatekeeper"

Is it an oxymoron to value peace and order while a sensation of bloodlust still runs in one's body? You see, war is the legitimatized form of violence humans may commit to each other -- boiling superficial reasons down to instinctive killing of one another. Is it contradictory for one's trigger fingers to still itch after wartime is over? They say war is hell, but some seem to revel in hell.

"Some do indeed. I know that all too well. But if I was left to indulge to my heart's content in senseless bloodlust, I'd turn into something unrecognisable. I've come close enough to doing just that to know it isn't something I want, and I'm sure you're the same way. We all have things we value besides terror and power. You, I gather, have a wife and family that you hold dear. Things to keep you grounded while that hunger for cruelty sets in. To value peace and order is to want to keep those things safe, during the break periods between each inevitable flaring-up of barbarism."


---

• Vasilias SVZ75, Captain of SARCODINA Squad 001 "Gatekeeper"

Meanwhile, I have attempted to make an understanding that Khoronzonite is a new race, created by genetic engineering. But even then... even now... does the essence of animalistic instinct still control your subconscious? The survival instinct and the call of the nature... the violent ones. In short, is war a cultural or biological phenomenon?

"Of course it persists. Rest assured, the thrill of predation is a feeling we're well familiar with, even now. Perhaps even more than ever. Both our culture and biology are being pushed in the direction of outward savagery, feeding into each other and building a growing collective desire for prey. We sate ourselves on thralls and exiles, and feed on our human lessers to fuel our own sense of superiority, but that isn't always enough. Ironic, isn't it? Farming doesn't provide us with enough sustenance, so we'll soon have to go out and hunt. I suppose that's how it goes when what you're hungry for isn't quite so tangible."


---

• Vasilias SVZ75, Captain of SARCODINA Squad 001 "Gatekeeper"

[Valentine Z]

Vice Foresittend Jolyn Maxine Caulfield Moira “Неуловимая, Женщина-шпион” Marlene Wendy Lucille Lapis Jill Khorosheva Vin. Zolina łnt. Natasha Vasilisa Helen Ceeta Tescelyn Maximovna: This might possibly be a mix of the most trivial question, or that it might be the most classified, given how education can be quite a... secretive thing in most countries. I have a feeling yours fall into the latter, and I did not mean this as snark, mind you. Anyway, the question I would like to ask: What is the most favorite and least favorite subject amongst the Khoronzian kids? Or the teens in their middle school? College? That is, how did the favorite subjects change as the age goes?

[Khoronzon]

Ugh, you lot...I've got the time of day to spare and I've stumbled upon this crock of shit you call an inquiry thread so how about I entertain the emperor and his court jesters with a few questions?

"You can drop the pretense, Countess. It's alright to take an interest in things, even if they don't line up with what you tell yourself is good. No need to act like it pains you to get your curiosity off your chest, it's unbecoming."


---

• Evehxhas, the Ascendant, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

To Emperor X and yes, I'm just going to call you that since I'm not going to bother pronouncing your full name. Sue me.

"Could three syllables really be that hard, or is it the ID number you're having trouble with? You don't have to include that, you know. Perhaps it's the guttural consonants that you're finding difficult? That's strange, I thought you were quite experienced in the use of your throat. Maybe you just have the linguistic skills of a bumpkin and can't pronounce foreign words to save your life. Never really took you for the type, but who am I to judge?"


---

• Evehxhas, the Ascendant, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

Anyways, what exactly pushed you to be who you are today? Why do you think you're worthy to lead? You've got a mighty fine arsenal of pompous vocabulary that you can use to woo the masses but other than that, take a good look at yourself in the mirror and tell me why you think you are who you are today. I'm going to bet on blind luck. I'll cut my arm off if I ever meet a competent emperor who can pull his own weight.

"As fun as it would be to simply assert that I am the son of God sent to rule the cosmos and that you have no place questioning my worth, that wouldn't make for a very interesting bit of informational exposition, would it? Besides, I respect you. What? Do you doubt this? What reason could you possibly have for such a thing? In any case, the issue of why I got where I am is a bit of a complicated one. I'm personally of the opinion that I would've inevitably ended up here regardless of anyone initially choosing otherwise, even myself. Of course, the simple answer is that I was made Emperor because a powerful religious cabal believed very strongly that I should rule, and I followed along, found myself agreeing, and played my part well. The cut-and-dried historical account, no more, no less. But that isn't what you're after, now is it? So, moving on, I can go at this from two angles - why they wanted to crown me, and why I wanted to be crowned.

In the case of the former, there's been a 'prophecy' of sorts circulating among certain religious circles since well before I was born, regarding a coming ruler, born of divinity, who would bring the Supremacy into a new world and elevate it to spiritual heights beyond imagining. Apparently, all that lined up with me - so, when I was fifteen years old, they found me and took me under their wing. Before long, I went from apprentice to leader, had my mind pushed out of my brain into... whatever it is now, cannibalised my predecessor's body and soul, and here we are. Gross oversimplification, of course, but I'm not here to tell you my life story.

As for the latter - it's a bit less straightforward. There is in fact an element of truth to the story of my 'divine birth', a fairly strong element at that, as I'd come to find out over the course of my insurgency. There was no grand plan from the cosmos to put me here, though - a small piece of my 'parent' accidentally wedged itself into a certain embryo in Vohzhrost, went dormant, fused itself with his mind, and that was that. Not quite as prestigious of a backstory, but it did nonetheless leave me with a major edge in this world, hence my earlier statement that I would inevitably become Emperor regardless of anything that might've happened differently in my life choices between my birth and now. When compared to the likes of humans, and even transhumans like my countrymen, beings such as myself have a distinct advantage in processing and absorbing information - provided we don't collapse under our own psychic 'weight', of course, something more 'solid' creatures like yourself don't really have to deal with. That special aptitude of my kind gives me the ability to make use of power in a way none of my contemporaries can, which in turn makes me desire power and go after it.

Once I did decide I wanted to follow along with my cult's wishes, though, it wasn't so simple as merely 'wanting power' or being a 'good ruler' of this state and its people. The more I expand beyond my corporeal shell, and the more in touch I become with what I am, the more suffocating it feels to live here. I can't stay in this world forever, but just leaving isn't so simple of a task. This is why I rule this nation the way I do, building off of religious fanaticism and promising spiritual enlightenment, all for the sake of laying the foundations from which I can make a proper return to where I belong. And as a token of gratitude - though it isn't like either I nor my subjects have much choice in the matter - I'll be taking them all with me, sheltered within my being in new forms they'd never imagine. In a way, all that 'prophecy' business was ultimately right. It's quite frustrating, really, when I think about it.

Now, then, I suppose it's up to you to decide. Are you going to cut your arm off, or was that insufficient? If you do go through with it, I should like to receive it in prime condition, as fresh as you can manage, at the Nexus in Vohzhrost. You seem to have put on a bit of weight lately, I'm sure it'll have some nice marbling to it. Feel free to add your favourite seasoning too, if you'd like - and don't go trying any funny trickery on me, I'll see right through it."


---

• Evehxhas, the Ascendant, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

Actually, I'm not done yet. I must ask and please cut the propaganda, I'm not interested in blackmailing you or undermining your rule, I genuinely just want to know. Do you think your people like you? Have you sat down with a bunch of strangers and listened to what they had to say about their mighty emperor? I doubt you even give a shit about what they think but even then, your rule must be popular in order for it to be unchallenged. Just because you have a narrow selectorate doesn't mean you can shout to the heavens about how worthy you are.

"Now I won't claim to go out of my way to hear the thoughts of the citizenry on my rule, nor do I spend any particularly notable amount of time physically in their presence, but given the way our communications infrastructure is designed, I can't help but pick up on what people say about me. It's like the background ambience of rulership. I'm sure you'd love to have the constant buzz of The People wired into your head to tell you what to do, but alas. Such a gift had to be wasted on the likes of me. In any case, given that, 'liking' isn't the first thing that comes to mind - it's more a mixture of fear, respect, and reverence - but I'd say that by now, after the unrest that would naturally follow an Emperor being killed and replaced by someone less than half his age has died down a little, public opinion has certainly been warming up. Some still think I'm insane, overbearing, and whatever else - most people do, really, at least to some extent - but you can't please everyone. I'm sure that you, as the head of a rather more democratic state, are quite in touch with that fact.

You may now be wondering who I am pleasing, or in other words, which sections of the population I draw my strongest support from. While the portion of people who support my rule at all is steadily growing, for the time being, my greatest advocates are the military and academia, as well as supremacist and transfigurationist* ideologues. There's admittedly quite a bit of overlap between the former two and the latter - a military career lends itself to supremacism and vice versa, and the same applies to intellectualism and transfigurationism, at least within our culture - to say nothing of the overlap between the two ideologies, either. The clergy and the devoutly religious are an interesting case - they tend to have the strongest opinions of me, whether positive or negative, with very little in between. I'm either the voice and avatar of divinity or a heretic propping himself up as a false idol. They tend to shift towards favourability as time goes on, though."


---

• Evehxhas, the Ascendant, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

*OOC: "Transfigurationism" is the Khoronzonite equivalent to transhumanism, since the term "transhumanism" is more or less obsolete in their case given their already being "transhuman" in some sense.

Just one more, I can't help it, dear. What's your take on religion? That's it. It's that simple. Do you think a supreme god exists? Do you think nature exists? Actually, do you think you're a vessel of a supreme deity? What is the purpose of religion in your humble abode of a nation and more importantly, do your people conform to your views on religion or is it a varied salad bowl of different religious ideas?

"You promised one last question, and you gave me six. None of which are particularly simple, either. Rather enthusiastic to hear about my opinions and practices, aren't you? Tsk. No matter. Regarding religion, I suppose you may have gleaned a bit from some of my earlier statements. I do believe in gods in a sense, and in souls, the immaterial, and 'higher' worlds, though this is less out of pious faith than it is out of observation and experience. As for a 'supreme' god - that's slightly harder to say. The 'god' I follow, the one from which I was born, is superior in noetic mass* to the combined pantheon around which the Supremacy's former religion revolved before my ascent, but I find it unlikely that it would be the 'supreme' entity within its realm. Perhaps there is one, at the centre of everything, but I've yet to find its presence. For now, my progenitor is the highest form of divinity with which I and the state I govern are concerned. That should also answer your question about me being a supreme deity's vessel - in a sense, yes, but its supremacy is questionable and I'm really more of its offspring.

Regarding the underlying 'nature' of sapient beings, I don't think such a thing can truly be said to exist. The metaphysical world is just as discordant and erratic as the material, if not more - everything changes, everything shifts along the currents when pushed with sufficient force. There's no grand plan that sets things in stone the way they are. This especially applies to thinking minds - if anything, their sole consistently underlying trait is malleability, constantly being shaped and reshaped by circumstance. One simply has to be in touch with the flow of circumstance, and even what may appear foundational can be moved around like loose bricks. Much easier said than done, but that's just the way things are.

While I may have already given you some details regarding the purpose and function of religion within the Supremacy, it isn't exactly as straightforward as stated. Even before I came into power, the religion of Khoronzon has always served the purpose of keeping its people in tune with the immaterial and guiding the development of their noetic faculties. With me around, that guidance has merely been amplified and directed towards a particular purpose of mine. This doesn't lend itself very well to religious diversity, as you may have guessed. It isn't just me and my grand scheme that necessitate this level of homogeneity, either - people rely on ritually-sustained 'patronage' from certain religiously connected beings to assist in the drawing out of their nous and its abilities, and too much inconsistency in this regard within the nation's internal noosphere would cause all sorts of problems. Besides, once you've had a certain conception of spirituality and metaphysical beings violently broken into your head through phylaxolysis, it leaves you rather closed to belief systems that don't fit with what you've been introduced to."


---

• Evehxhas, the Ascendant, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

*OOC: "Noetic mass" is an in-universe metaphysical term related to the concept of noopraxis, which, roughly speaking, refers to how "big" of a clump of information a given "mind" is. The word "mass" is used here instead of any alternative like "volume" because it's also subject to an analogous concept of "gravity" called noogravitation, which I'll write about in the appropriate factbook sometime soon-ish.

I've wasted my time long enough. I hope you choke on some stale bread, you rotten clown.

"You too, dear. xx"


---

• Evehxhas, the Ascendant, Emperor of the Divine Supremacy of Khoronzon, Scion from Beyond the Gate

[Wink Wonk We Like Stonks]

[OOC]
who's on your flag?

[Khoronzon]

[OOC]
who's on your flag?

OOC: It's an original character by this artist, which reminds me I should probably credit them in my sig. Thanks for indirectly bringing that to my attention, I suppose.

[Koinonia Poleis]

“Hello to you, Emperor - or whoever shall be answering on his behalf! You scare me, so I will just go straight into the questions altogether.

When it comes to the thralls you- ehh… consume, are there any preparations for when you eat their brains? For example, is it like an actual ‘sit down and eat’ means or is there another way you magicians consume the brain matter? Speaking of thralls, are they made in those massive baby-making facilities as well or do they get their own kind of facility?

Is there anything you would consider a ‘threat’ to your great empire? You can’t think you’re entirely indestructible from that mighty throneroom of yours, could you? I know syn- … You know what? Nevermind, forget I said that last bit. Still though, is there anything you would consider a threat to your rule?

Speaking of thronerooms, are there any people who enjoy a ‘hedonistic’ lifestyle within your realm? Hopefully not, because then there’s something we can agree on, no? But if there are, how did they achieve that kind of lifestyle? Alternatively, if anyone appears to be getting more than their fair share of earthly pleasures, do they get any form of punishment?

What is your opinion on president-elect Joe Biden? No, no- I’m kidding. Ohhh, but seriously though. I have heard rumors of a ‘based and redpilled’ alliance that has been founded to ‘meme on neoliberals’ like President-Elect Joe Biden - whoever he is. Do you happen to have anything to do with such an alliance?”
- Lycophon of Thebes

[Valentine Z]

Foresittend Marcus Alan Ariel Maximillian “Unendlichkeit Jäger” Swifty Felix Maverick Prometheus Revlin Lynx Artyom Lichtenstein Baptiste C. Talon Haydn Lincoln Taal Reynolds Fang Wu Ying: This might perhaps be a rather unusual question, and I am sorry if it will take you a while to answer, so... anyway, here is the question that I am curious about: How much energy does your nation consume on a yearly basis? Maybe all-time energy consumption, and how much energy do you think that your universe specifically has? Do you have a portal to other dimensions in case of... collapses?

[Khoronzon]

Apologies once again for being so late with my response - I initially planned to give Khoronzon a stratified and compartmentalised education system in a vaguely similar vein to the German Hauptschule/Realschule/Gymnasium model, and trying to elaborate on that both took precedence over actually answering the question (since my answer would have to be based within the context of the system) and was rather tedious to try and plan out. I later decided that my plans didn't actually make IC sense with what I'd already written down regarding Khoronzonite education and child-rearing, so I scrapped the idea, but then I got caught up in somewhat less imaginary educational issues and forgot about this thread for a bit. I'll try to be somewhat quicker answering any future questions that come up, but stuff happens and sometimes it's just hard to find or make time.

Also, a good chunk of the answers I've already given are no longer applicable to my current canon, which is, uh, fun. So if you feel like asking stuff about Khoronzon's geopolitical situation or social customs, don't feel deterred by the previous answers I've posted, because while I can't really be bothered to read over them in detail again, I do know that there's some major points I've made which are no longer canon.

This might possibly be a mix of the most trivial question, or that it might be the most classified, given how education can be quite a... secretive thing in most countries. I have a feeling yours fall into the latter, and I did not mean this as snark, mind you.

"You'd be sort of right. Information about our education system is indeed obscured from foreign viewing, but that's mostly because everything is, rather than because we specifically want to hide the details of how we raise our children. Although, naturally, it is still important - can't have external powers trying to stick their grubby hands into the process, and they definitely would if they had any opportunity to do so. Not saying you have grubby hands, of course."


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost

Anyway, the question I would like to ask: What is the most favorite and least favorite subject amongst the Khoronzian kids? Or the teens in their middle school? College? That is, how did the favorite subjects change as the age goes?

"That's a rather nuanced and complicated thing for me to give any definitive answer about. Many people like and dislike different subjects, and our education system tries to make it so that there's less of a disparity between what's considered 'boring but necessary' and what's considered enjoyable - emphasis on 'tries', as, of course, some forms of knowledge just tend towards requiring comparatively tedious methods to be imparted, and not every course can or should be restructured in a maximally likeable fashion. With that said, though, it isn't as if I can't give you any general trends - I just had to get that out of the way so you know to take these with a grain of salt. Oh, and I'm also not the Emperor, nor do I specialise in education. Just so you know.

Now, to properly answer you - as far as I can tell, the main contenders in terms of approval ratings are, in order of most to least widely favoured, information technology, visual arts, music, and physical training. There's also a few with smaller but rather passionate followings - language, history, mathematics, and politics are the main ones in this case, in the same order as before. As for demographic subsets - while the same eight courses I just listed tend to stand out across the board, there are a few statistically significant deviations between castes. O-class students of all ages lean more towards music and PT while being less inclined towards mathematics and politics, S-class students favour politics, language, and history a fair bit more than average while lacking any particularly notable disinterests, and V-class students have a preference for mathematics, IT, and visual arts, but aren't generally as keen on PT. Age is also something of a factor, with visual arts and PT being, somewhat predictably, very highly favoured by younger students, but gradually tapering down as they start developing preferences for other subjects over the years, including ones that only become available relatively late into their education such as politics and IT.

As an end note, it might be worth stating that the data I'm going by only covers Hatchery-level education; in other words, I'm not accounting for higher education, which gets rather more complicated and diverse. I also just don't have all the statistics on hand for that level, and I'd rather not have to dig through the Education Ministry's files. I do hope this is sufficient for your curiosity, though, or whatever other purpose you may have had in mind."


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• Ilyaron EGN67, Municipal Administrator of Vohzhrost