the theology of lovemode
this is going to be all text and a few borrowed pictures, so THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!
In LOVEMODE, the universe is set up such that there is <God(s)> and there is the <Adversary(s)>! Reality runs in cycles and each incarnation of God rules their domain as they see fit. When humanity outgrows God and the spirit of the times change, it yields the Adversary (literally "Satan" in Hebrew).
The adversary comes in a variety of shapes and appearances, but typically rises due to action/in-action of God. They are an abnormal being: unaffected by God’s presence and Unkillable.
When God senses an adversary and vice-versa, the jolt is instinctual:
An adversary is marked by a lack of fear in the presence of God.
God feels a threatening sense of unease.
As the adversary moves and God is endangered, the universe begins to swell, corrupt and disintegrate with its inhabitants not knowing any better. For this reason, Lovemode-- being the shoujo manga universe it is-- falls apart into star-studded/noticeable shoujo novelties with only Kitakami and Aika noticing.
When God is killed, the universe resets on itself. All the things the God has done in his/her time, however, remains. (for example, the first god creates time; time remains a part of the fabric of the universe unless future gods choose to change these aspects specifically.)
As God and the Adversary are part of their old universe, they go down together.
In knowing that they will sacrifice their existences for a newer, hopefully improved God and universe, the adversary must fulfill their destiny with complete certainty. Where that certainty stems depends: some really believe in their ideals, while some just hate the universe, themselves or God.
Gods never have any memory of their prior incarnations. They simply awaken and that is the beginning of their lordship
The adversary comes in a variety of shapes and appearances, but typically rises due to action/in-action of God. They are an abnormal being: unaffected by God’s presence and Unkillable.
When God senses an adversary and vice-versa, the jolt is instinctual:
An adversary is marked by a lack of fear in the presence of God.
God feels a threatening sense of unease.
As the adversary moves and God is endangered, the universe begins to swell, corrupt and disintegrate with its inhabitants not knowing any better. For this reason, Lovemode-- being the shoujo manga universe it is-- falls apart into star-studded/noticeable shoujo novelties with only Kitakami and Aika noticing.
When God is killed, the universe resets on itself. All the things the God has done in his/her time, however, remains. (for example, the first god creates time; time remains a part of the fabric of the universe unless future gods choose to change these aspects specifically.)
As God and the Adversary are part of their old universe, they go down together.
In knowing that they will sacrifice their existences for a newer, hopefully improved God and universe, the adversary must fulfill their destiny with complete certainty. Where that certainty stems depends: some really believe in their ideals, while some just hate the universe, themselves or God.
Gods never have any memory of their prior incarnations. They simply awaken and that is the beginning of their lordship
god #1: creation
on the first day, god created the world.
The first God awakens like an artist snapping out of a brief daydream. Looking down and shaking off the daze of insentience, she notices that she has been working on something and continues.
This architect-God is characterized by a love of creation and building; her universe becomes similar to an Escher sketch! It is her doing that fractals/mathematical patterns exist within the fabric of all future universes. She takes a brief foray into the biological, sewing genetic components and creating living creatures but-- finding that their living seeds are less predictable and refined is not interested in them. Life is limited to only a few planets as a result. Eventually, the architect-god reaches a point where she begins to run out of room… |
god #2: time and death
Thus, to make room, God creates time, a necessary component of decay and then death. The number 1 scribed in her right hand becomes a 2 in her left hand.
Her favorite sound becomes the ticking of clocks because it is as rhythmic as the ocean tides. When things fall apart, She is able to recycle their components and generate new projects.
With death and time comes change and urgency, a fear of being forgotten only known to man.
The first Adversary arises to leave their mark on the ever-dying, ever-changing world.
He kills God to usher in a new universe. The cycle is jump-started with a curse: God no longer stands above the universe, but as a part of it.
Her favorite sound becomes the ticking of clocks because it is as rhythmic as the ocean tides. When things fall apart, She is able to recycle their components and generate new projects.
With death and time comes change and urgency, a fear of being forgotten only known to man.
The first Adversary arises to leave their mark on the ever-dying, ever-changing world.
He kills God to usher in a new universe. The cycle is jump-started with a curse: God no longer stands above the universe, but as a part of it.
but, on the second day, god created time, change and death.
god #3: judgement | diether belongs to nie, oswaldt belongs to me!
The next incarnation creates morality, believing that given a sense of right and wrong, Man will adapt his views as good and naturally fear what is wrong.
His name is Oswaldt (pronounced German aws-valt; derived from the old english elements os "god" and weald "rule"), and his universe is a pastoral countryside connected to various other small cities via train (like Fullmetal Alchemist’s Risembool.) Oswaldt carries a persona like that of a tired and gentle father, his code of conduct advocating a move toward universal perfection. He sees humanity as his children/lambs to be lead to Purity and Absolution.
Oswaldt spends most of his life traveling around leading others to make the correct decision, whether or not it brings them genuine happiness. His effect is that of safety and guilt. Should you follow his code, you feel at peace/on the right path. Should you not, you feel like a troublesome child beneath the judging gaze of an adult.
When Oswaldt learns of the adversary system, he travels to find his opponent-- a young boy by the name of Diether (means “warrior of the people”, derived from the Germanic elements þeud "people" and hari "army"). Because Oswaldt firmly believes in his ways, he adopts Diether to convince him of his path without any trickery.
He tells the toddler Diether that one day he will come to a very important judgement/decision… but, until then Oswaldt will raise him according to God’s will, guiding him to what Oswaldt thinks is very obvious! Then when Diether can make the decision himself, he is free to do so.
The first three years of Diether’s life, Oswaldt raises in a small town. When he is eight, Oswaldt takes Diether out to travel with him.
Diether is unaffected by Oswaldt’s *~powers*~ and is thus free to choose as he wills. Diether watches Oswaldt explain his actions. The more he disagrees with God, the more the hills swell and the skies crack.
The less, the more normal things function.
It oscillates between swelling and normalizing.
They grow very fond of each other… however, Diether is taught that he must make his decision unclouded by the bias of love.
As a young adult, decides that he will kill his dear father to fulfill his duty and loyalty to his own beliefs. As the cracking intensifies, Oswaldt looks from the window of their home to his one and true son… a person he has raised to judge like his father but through a completely different lens.
And that is what morality is; judgment based on wildly different perspectives and experiences. There is no right and wrong, only grey and grey.
Without having to ask, Oswaldt accepts his judgement… Diether kisses his Oswaldt’s forehead and then kills him, glad to go down with his father.
His name is Oswaldt (pronounced German aws-valt; derived from the old english elements os "god" and weald "rule"), and his universe is a pastoral countryside connected to various other small cities via train (like Fullmetal Alchemist’s Risembool.) Oswaldt carries a persona like that of a tired and gentle father, his code of conduct advocating a move toward universal perfection. He sees humanity as his children/lambs to be lead to Purity and Absolution.
Oswaldt spends most of his life traveling around leading others to make the correct decision, whether or not it brings them genuine happiness. His effect is that of safety and guilt. Should you follow his code, you feel at peace/on the right path. Should you not, you feel like a troublesome child beneath the judging gaze of an adult.
When Oswaldt learns of the adversary system, he travels to find his opponent-- a young boy by the name of Diether (means “warrior of the people”, derived from the Germanic elements þeud "people" and hari "army"). Because Oswaldt firmly believes in his ways, he adopts Diether to convince him of his path without any trickery.
He tells the toddler Diether that one day he will come to a very important judgement/decision… but, until then Oswaldt will raise him according to God’s will, guiding him to what Oswaldt thinks is very obvious! Then when Diether can make the decision himself, he is free to do so.
The first three years of Diether’s life, Oswaldt raises in a small town. When he is eight, Oswaldt takes Diether out to travel with him.
Diether is unaffected by Oswaldt’s *~powers*~ and is thus free to choose as he wills. Diether watches Oswaldt explain his actions. The more he disagrees with God, the more the hills swell and the skies crack.
The less, the more normal things function.
It oscillates between swelling and normalizing.
They grow very fond of each other… however, Diether is taught that he must make his decision unclouded by the bias of love.
As a young adult, decides that he will kill his dear father to fulfill his duty and loyalty to his own beliefs. As the cracking intensifies, Oswaldt looks from the window of their home to his one and true son… a person he has raised to judge like his father but through a completely different lens.
And that is what morality is; judgment based on wildly different perspectives and experiences. There is no right and wrong, only grey and grey.
Without having to ask, Oswaldt accepts his judgement… Diether kisses his Oswaldt’s forehead and then kills him, glad to go down with his father.
on the third, god created judgement. but He is judged in turn.
god #4 - faith | belongs to nie!!!
From a bird’s eye, their world hung like a wind-chime without a roof. Theory connected divinity to this phenomena, this world held skyward by nothing to nothing. The pearl white minerals were angel teeth and bones to some, the thrushes of mud and fungus the goo remains of their bowels and muscle. We celebrate those beings that died so that we may live, do little, use little to keep afloat. Some people will find reason in anything, Merluccii thinks, even dirt. She observed the glittering water as it bulged like heated glass over the edge of this platform—one of many cut plates connected at random by these flights of stairs. The cool wind upsets the creek’s otherwise steady outline. Against the purple and reds of the wildflowers, she glows like those teeth and those bones. The horizon has beckoned to her since childhood and, always, she has failed to corner the root of these urges. Everything else a distraction, Merluccii realizes. Following only the opposite the unseen leash, was God in their true and corporeal form. |
Summarized for Nie:
The world is a lush, Eden-like jungle cut to a series of platforms and connected by flights and flights of stairs. Thousands of religions have formed to explain the structure of this world and thousands of soldiers transverse these stairs to engage in endless Holy War.
In actuality, the God Dasyati is deistic, preferring to enjoy the sanctity of nature. She created stairs to access all parts of her world. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Merluccii is a child prophesied by one religion to be humanity's savior. Said religion destroys the cult in which she'd been born and claims her as their Chosen One.
Deeply religious and devout, Merluccii grows to believe that her inklings toward God's identity and whereabouts is proof that she is Holy. But, in actuality, Merluccii is this world's adversary. And, whether or not she is the true prophet of that religion, she is still God's adversary and an avatar of humanity.
Merluccii finds Dasyati in the clearing of a meadow. Before she can think, she asks: "Are you God?"
Dasyati ignores Merlucii, believing that people are more trouble than they are worth.
Merluccii hunts Dasyati to convince her otherwise, and to urge her to appear to people and end all wars for good.
Dasyati is all nature and rich tones. Merluccii's ability is one in which she turns manmade structures from the ground. She glows pure and clinical white against the world.
Eventually, Merluccii catches Dasyati. Though Dasyati is undoubtedly God, Merluccii's disappointment is so great it becomes the urge to kill. Merluccii curses God for her selfishness. Dasyati curses the Adversary and the rest of Humanity along similar terms.
The world is a lush, Eden-like jungle cut to a series of platforms and connected by flights and flights of stairs. Thousands of religions have formed to explain the structure of this world and thousands of soldiers transverse these stairs to engage in endless Holy War.
In actuality, the God Dasyati is deistic, preferring to enjoy the sanctity of nature. She created stairs to access all parts of her world. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Merluccii is a child prophesied by one religion to be humanity's savior. Said religion destroys the cult in which she'd been born and claims her as their Chosen One.
Deeply religious and devout, Merluccii grows to believe that her inklings toward God's identity and whereabouts is proof that she is Holy. But, in actuality, Merluccii is this world's adversary. And, whether or not she is the true prophet of that religion, she is still God's adversary and an avatar of humanity.
Merluccii finds Dasyati in the clearing of a meadow. Before she can think, she asks: "Are you God?"
Dasyati ignores Merlucii, believing that people are more trouble than they are worth.
Merluccii hunts Dasyati to convince her otherwise, and to urge her to appear to people and end all wars for good.
Dasyati is all nature and rich tones. Merluccii's ability is one in which she turns manmade structures from the ground. She glows pure and clinical white against the world.
Eventually, Merluccii catches Dasyati. Though Dasyati is undoubtedly God, Merluccii's disappointment is so great it becomes the urge to kill. Merluccii curses God for her selfishness. Dasyati curses the Adversary and the rest of Humanity along similar terms.
on the forth day, god chooses to leave man be, but god is inseparable from man.
rando notes i'll expand on later:
God #5: God creates reflection and self-doubt so that man may be distracted with his Self. God is killed out self-hatred (as the adversary desperately wants to escape this life and universe).
God #6: God creates love and fate so that man may be distracted as such. God is killed in the name of love– an impassioned declaration of absolute loyalty between the lover Adversaries!
and on the 7th day God rested. Kitakami doesn’t create things, but his lethargy leads him to aimless destruction.
God #5: God creates reflection and self-doubt so that man may be distracted with his Self. God is killed out self-hatred (as the adversary desperately wants to escape this life and universe).
God #6: God creates love and fate so that man may be distracted as such. God is killed in the name of love– an impassioned declaration of absolute loyalty between the lover Adversaries!
and on the 7th day God rested. Kitakami doesn’t create things, but his lethargy leads him to aimless destruction.