Truth or Dare: Nexus Edition

[the_rebel_son]

Lucifer isn't quite sure how this madness started. The angels had opened up the council chamber for visitors and of course Beelzebub had started them drinking, then they got rowdy and people started joining them. Who had brought up the idea of Truth or Dare was unknown but it rippled through the amassing group to a uniform good idea, despite the objective nature of it being a disaster.

Then there was some vote that Lucifer missed where Galahad, Prometheus, and Belial were made judges to keep things in line. That might have been the most reasonable and sane thing since this conversation started. Chairs were rearranged to a big circle.. and all the chairs from the villa had been taken. It was crowded, specially when they decided the judges should have chaises to lounge on. This was some true ancient Greek style madness with the drinking and the topics that were sure to come up. Still, it was all fun and games, right?


Rules of the Road:
1. Top level with your character.
2. Note if you are opting this in as canon for Nexus. This may be done in top level or in individual responses (If there is any questions about this please seek out players OOC.. Discord, PM in Dw etc)
3. A character may only ask truth or dare of the same character once.
4. However, a character may ask as many different characters as they please.
5. Characters may ask questions without doing a top level. However the 1 per the same character applies
6. If your character is crossing threads for a dare, please link back to the original comment where the dare was issued.
7. When in doubt ask?

Comments

[goldenwolf]

"I can only assume that you have shared qualities with them that they also see in our kind." Mammon was completely neutral on the idea but there were, at least some, similarities between whatever type of immortal Dorian was and a fallen angel.

"Information?" Then the angel smiles and it grows until he laughs. "I've always favored the gold gilded walkways and spires of heaven; encrusted with fine gems. The hypocrisy of that being the request of a God who speaks of the sin of avarice as one of the greatest evils has a pleasant feeling to it. His throne too laden with gems and gold."

[mayfairmonster]

"The same that I just shared with you." Dorian issues a short, amused huff, as he remembers telling both Sin and Lucifer separately about this particular ability. All of the angels either seem to like, or seem compelled by, drawing parallels between him and themselves. "Your kind seem to like consolidating immortals and their favored humans among themselves-- collecting, one might even say." A beat, as he looks indicatively around the party. "And by the looks of this party, you've all done an impressive job of it."

The comment about God's throne gets a short, cynical laugh from the immortal. "So it's less of the walkways and throne themselves, but your own amusement at God's hypocrisy?"

"And what kinds of information interest you? Or do you not discriminate?"

[goldenwolf]

"We fell long before humans and those of Earth were created." Mammon shrugged joining Dorian's gaze considering the party goers. "... but we were intended to watch over and aid humanity. Without the gates of heaven holding us at a distance it's not surprising to see from any of the fallen." Mammon grinned as a sidelong gaze settled on Dorian. "The benefits are mutual from the what I have noted of the collection, a thing you've taken advantage of yourself in the bed and favor of royalty among us."

The angel was merely calling attention to the fact that the one talking about collecting had at one point or was still part of the collection he spoke about. Mammon knew about Sin, she was clearly fond of this immortal, and the gaze on Lucifer earlier drew curiosity.

"The walkways and structures of heaven are indeed of a splendor and glory worthy of envy, but it is amusing to know God is as far from His own laws as we are, maybe farther."

"Everything has potential worth. Knowing is always better than remaining ignorant."

[mayfairmonster]

Dorian's drinking continues, with another thoughtful sip of wine taken as he listens to Mammon. A smile tugs at his lips again as the angel points out his entanglement with his family. The other man isn't wrong about that, and Dorian can't deny the truth of it either. He'll always consider himself his own man to a certain degree, but this is the most time he's spent in close contact with a group of the same people in a while.

"'Taking advantage of' is a strong way to put it," Lucifer might see it that way now, but Dorian doesn't know for sure. He wonders if Sin does. "Would your family see it that way with regards to themselves?" His eyebrows rise as he watches the other man closely. It would be quite something to hear, if the angel really thinks it's the case.

"So you think of yourself as a scholar of everything and anything?"

[goldenwolf]

"Is it?" Mammon counters, more with curiosity than rhetoric. He continues, even toned and with acceptance. "We are ancient, even by the standards of gods. We understand that all initial contact is with someone who wants the benefits of our company. It may be as benign as simple curiosity or our reputation for sin and pleasure freeing people from thier culture's restrictions. Others may have more demanding benefits of protection, information, or coming at us with preconceived demands of what they want or expect from us."

Mammon paused to observe the man beside him. "Even when we initiate an interaction, as the more powerful component, we must be wary of others using us to thier benefit and our detriment."


He figures that is enough to say on that subject. "It is the natural condition when you reach a certain length of life."

[mayfairmonster]

Dorian's smile grows --it's pleasant, polite, a little distant-- but inwardly he wonders how much he should say about this particular subject to an angel with an observant temperament like this one. Mammon reminds him of Death in this way, if seemingly more detached. A person like this is interesting to him, but someone worth watching his step around.

"That's why, in my home world, I take steps to guard my privacy." Which he knows isn't an option for the angels for many reasons, but Dorian's just trying to relate to Mammon and his family. "The powerful and the unusual attract attention, curiosity, people's desires--" A thoughtful beat. "For the record, I knew very little about any of your family members before I approached them."

That answer's a little vague in his estimation, so Dorian tries a different approach. "Do you like to read?"

[goldenwolf]

"We do too." Mammon agreed. "There are very few who know more about an angel than they wish you to see."

Dorian's comment gets a quiet laugh. "I find it hard to believe you knew little about the devil."

"We all do." Mammon's expression turned devious. "We're in a competition to see who can finish reading all the books in the library first."

[mayfairmonster]

"I know more than I ever wanted to about my Lucifer. But I wouldn't compare yours to him-- especially not after coming to know him better."

"Oh?" Somehow he's not surprised by this. "Who or what do you like to read, particularly?"

[goldenwolf]

"You are friends with Lucifer?" He asks off hand. The glances from earlier lingering in his mind.

"We're competitive with each others sometimes." He mentions with a good humor. "Civilizations and culture."

[mayfairmonster]

"In a manner of speaking. Friendship is something of a complicated thing with me. I like him, certainly." Which is the version of his thoughts on it that he'll share with someone he doesn't know very well yet.

"Any particular authors? I've indulged in some non-fiction on those subjects in the past, but lately I mostly read fiction and poetry."

[goldenwolf]

"Friendship is a complicated thing with our king, but you have his trust which means a lot to the other angels." Mammon is speaking rather neutrally.

"Malthus is morbidly fascinating, but in general, I will reading anything."

[mayfairmonster]

Dorian elevates at eyebrow slightly at that. The angel has been an ongoing fixation for the immortal for a few months now, which makes an opportunity for information or gossip difficult to resist. "In what sense?" Because while he can believe that Lucifer trusts him in some ways, the idea that the angel trusts him wholesale seems a bit laughable by this point. "And does that mean I have your trust?" Okay, that part might be mostly playful in tone-- but it also serves the purpose of lightening the air of the conversation and whatever intensity might leak through his curious questioning.

Trying to get conversation out of this angel is a bit like pulling teeth, and Dorian's starting to tire of putting in the effort on this front. "Malthus. I think I've heard of him. He was a scholar from the late 1700's, yes?"

[goldenwolf]

Mammon gives Dorian an incredulous glance. "You stay in his home with his daughter?"

It is halfway between a statement and a question. "Lucifer cherishes his privacy and his children. You appear to have access to both."

Mammon laughs. "If you earn it." It's a teasing sort of tone, as if challenging Dorian to gain his trust.

"Yes." Mammon affirms. "He wrote about the path to human extinction and population decimation. I find his bold discussion of human error and scolding tone in his essays refreshing. It's one of a handful of human texts that has directness with human destroying themselves."

[mayfairmonster]

But for how long, Dorian can't help but wonder. "I haven't exactly been subtle, I know," Dorian acknowledges with a smile.

"Oh? Is that what you think, then?" he asks, purely out of curiosity. "That we're destroying ourselves?"

[goldenwolf]

"Subtlety is uncommon in our near orbit." Mammon comments. It was true to most who sought thier company.

"No. I like the forthright discussion of doom."