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Suda: A Benevolent Lovecraftian "deity"?


Brimir
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A little.

 

She wants knowledge. The only reason she's interested in preserving things is because if things were destroyed their knowledge would be lost.

 

Of course, the implication there is that once something's knowledge has been acquired, that thing is now meaningless to Suda. 

 

Yeah, I think the same thing. Plus, I don't trust an AI. 

Work for (or with) living beeings AND AIs is ok, but only for an AI... no thanks. They're impenetrable minds scare me. 

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Imagine you are flying around in your Archwing when you hear the piping of an unseen flute. You suddenly bump into something ... you turn and you lay eyes upon the indescribable chaos that is Azathoth.

Then you cease to exist (ie: your profile is deleted) :P

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Seize him.

 

Xuimma is surrounded and grabbed by Red Veil operatives.

 

Cut his throat.

 

One pulls a knife.

 

Stop. Wait. I've changed my mind, let him go.

 

The Veil operatives back off.

 

Step back three paces, turn around, close your eyes.

 

The operatives obey.

 

Power is power.

 

Sorry, had to.

 

Power is Power

 

-Cersei

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sudanians. *pukes*

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Seize him.

 

Xuimma is surrounded and grabbed by Red Veil operatives.

 

Cut his throat.

 

One pulls a knife.

 

Stop. Wait. I've changed my mind, let him go.

 

The Veil operatives back off.

 

Step back three paces, turn around, close your eyes.

 

The operatives obey.

 

Power is power.

 

Sorry, had to.

 

Cool story bro. Let me tell you one in return.

 

During the civil wars, back in feudal Japan, and invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, just as the army was about to arrive, everyone fled in terror- everyone except the local zen master.

Upon hearing of this, the invading general went for himself to the temple to see what kind of man this so-called "master" was. Upon his arrival, he found the man standing in idle contemplation, completely ignoring his presence. Enraged by the lack of the fearful submission and deference he was accustomed to, the general roared at the man:

"You fool! Don't you realize you're standing before a man who can cut you in two without as much as blinking an eye?!"

And then the zen master answered calmly, without even turning his gaze:

"And you... don't you realize you're standing before a man who can be cut in two without as much as blinking an eye?"

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Cool story bro. Let me tell you one in return.

 

During the civil wars, back in feudal Japan, and invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, just as the army was about to arrive, everyone fled in terror- everyone except the local zen master.

Upon hearing of this, the invading general went for himself to the temple to see what kind of man this so-called "master" was. Upon his arrival, he found the man standing in idle contemplation, completely ignoring his presence. Enraged by the lack of the fearful submission and deference he was accustomed to, the general roared at the man:

"You fool! Don't you realize you're standing before a man who can cut you in two without as much as blinking an eye?!"

And then the zen master answered calmly, without even turning his gaze:

"And you... don't you realize you're standing before a man who can be cut in two without as much as blinking an eye?"

How did the general react?
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tumblr_nb59k8kHqn1roorhto1_500.giftumblr_n90ot82HJB1t3jmtdo1_250.gif

 

That is the reference, yes.

 

 

Cool story bro. Let me tell you one in return.

 

During the civil wars, back in feudal Japan, and invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, just as the army was about to arrive, everyone fled in terror- everyone except the local zen master.

Upon hearing of this, the invading general went for himself to the temple to see what kind of man this so-called "master" was. Upon his arrival, he found the man standing in idle contemplation, completely ignoring his presence. Enraged by the lack of the fearful submission and deference he was accustomed to, the general roared at the man:

"You fool! Don't you realize you're standing before a man who can cut you in two without as much as blinking an eye?!"

And then the zen master answered calmly, without even turning his gaze:

"And you... don't you realize you're standing before a man who can be cut in two without as much as blinking an eye?"

 
Congratulations, the man had knowledge of his death and so felt no fear.
 
Doesn't mean he wouldn't or couldn't be killed - unless there's an ending to this story you left off for some reason.
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My first reaction was "Hermaeus Mora". I suppose the daedric princes fall into the "Lovecraftian" category

Particularly Mora who likes to appear as a mass of squid eyes and tentacles. 

 

That said the fact that Sudra is relatively benevolent, isn't an unknown eldritch abomination (she's a known type, a chephalon AI), and doesn't use a grotesque and disturbing form for her avatar kind of separates her from the "Lovecraftian" category in my mind. 

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Yeah, Old Yoggy is a more apt comparison to Mora.

 

Funnily enough, Yog Sothoth could be considered almost benevolent to humanity if one goes by the actions of his avatars. Or it could just be that current values match up and run parallel for a time.

 

Hard to tell with elder things.

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"Benevolent" and "Lovecraftian" are mutually exclusive qualities.

 

There was no benevolence found in anything or anybody from outside in Lovecraft. Period. The best you could hope for was to pass beneath notice and be ignored.

 

The theme of the Elder Gods opposing the Great Old Ones was a product of August Derleth. It didn't exist in Lovecraft's works.

 

The fundmental difference between Lovecraft and Derleth was Lovecraft viewed his universe as essentially amoral. Derleth brought Christian optimism to it, though it was essentially still a grim place.

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"Benevolent" and "Lovecraftian" are mutually exclusive qualities.

 

There was no benevolence found in anything or anybody from outside in Lovecraft. Period. The best you could hope for was to pass beneath notice and be ignored.

Nodens begs to differ. He definitely saved Carter.

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"Benevolent" and "Lovecraftian" are mutually exclusive qualities.

 

Not necessarily.

 

The Great Race of Yith (The Shadow Out of Time) definitely did seem friendly. Alien and creepy, but friendly.

Edited by Brimir
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Not necessarily.

The Great Race of Yith (The Shadow Out of Time) definitely did seem friendly. Alien and creepy, but friendly.

Indifferent would be the best that could be said about the yith and only for humans, for one they liked to cast the consciousness of whole races en masse to face their ends for them so they could continue living. It's doubtful that the bodies described for them in the shadow out of time were their first and from the same story they weren't their last. Besides all that the yith would not rank high enough to be classified as deities, more like the migo or the elder things. Even cthulhu wasn't worshipped by anything but misguided humans and was only notable in being the highest ranking member of his race on earth.

"Great cthulhu is their cousin but even he can spy them only dimly"

Edited by NevanChambers
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Indifferent would be the best that could be said about the yith and only for humans, for one they liked to cast the consciousness of whole races en masse to face their ends for them so they could continue living. It's doubtful that the bodies described for them in the shadow out of time were their first and from the same story they weren't their last. Besides all that the yith would not rank high enough to be classified as deities, more like the migo or the elder things. Even cthulhu wasn't worshipped by anything but misguided humans and was only notable in being the highest ranking member of his race on earth.

"Great cthulhu is their cousin but even he can spy them only dimly"

 

 

Well, the thing about Lovecraftian "deities" is that they aren't really deities as we would define them. They are just too alien and seemingly too powerful for us to refer to them as anything less than gods -  but so would insects perceive us humans.

 

Cthulhu didn't really have any magic or anything in the original story, he was just... alien... in every sense of the word.

 

 

I think indifferent would best describe almost every Lovecraft entity. 

 

Some are distinctly malevolent though. Cthulhu seems rather eager to kill/eat/whatever to the humans that wake him.

Edited by Brimir
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How did the general react?

 

Yes, do tell. How did the general react?

 

 

Congratulations, the man had knowledge of his death and so felt no fear.
 
Doesn't mean he wouldn't or couldn't be killed - unless there's an ending to this story you left off for some reason.

 

 

The story doesn't tell, because it doesn't matter. The zen master had already achieved his ultimate victory, so what the general did or didn't was irrelevant.

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The story doesn't tell, because it doesn't matter. The zen master had already achieved his ultimate victory, so what the general did or didn't was irrelevant.

 

...

 

Nice story. Doesn't stop the old man from dying and the General from tearing the village down for whatever value it had.

 

Overcoming fear of the battle, of the death it may bring, means nothing if you perish and the enemy succeeds in what they are after. The only victory the village could achieve is if they fought - maybe not on a field of battle, but they need to strike back against their foes. To fight, to strive for victory and overthrow their oppressors no matter what it takes. The Veil is the village I have just described, it is the village that has a chance of making something of the world they are in - not just becoming a parable in someone else's story.

 

THAT is TRUE victory.

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