Video; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

[The video turns on and it's Maul, using his omen Venge to broadcast it. He looks serious like he's about to talk to Trench about a topic of great importance.]

For those unaware, this is the time of year when the Pthumerian or half-Pthumerian known as Santa Claus comes to Trench towards the end of the month. He can shift into many forms to fit into your home but most often looks like this.

[Venge, his Omen, turns to look at the picture that has been sketched of a fairly traditional 21st century Santa Maul has set up next to him. Yes, this presentation comes with pictures, all made by Maul himself]

Santa is one of the more benevolent Pthumerians though he is possessed of much stealth and cunning, making it difficult for people to interact with him. He is associated with deer as Sodder was but his chosen favored deer are reindeer. He uses his powers to make them fly.

[Another picture, this time showing the team of flying reindeer that looks like it was copied from an illustration of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas. This one is a little rougher, especially the reindeer, for drawing animals isn't Maul's forte.]

He loves the scent of pine and prefers if there are wreaths or full trees made of them left in the home when he visits. Those who leave him offerings of food and drink he will reward with presents. The offerings can be small such as this.

[Again, another picture showing a glass of milk and plate of cookies are shown with an equal sign followed by a small stack of presents underneath a Christmas tree that has been decorated rather....oddly with things like animal skulls and black ornaments on it.]

But he also accepts larger offerings if you wish for larger gifts. There appears to be no known way to prevent him from entering your homes but he doesn't appear to seem interested in causing harm to people, even those who fail to provide him hospitality. I have yet to run into him personally the past two years, but if anyone sees him, please let me know. I wish to test my fighting skills against him.

[.............Yes, Darth Maul just said he wants to fight Santa Claus. Will wonders never cease?]

Comments

[private]

[baiyueguang]

Why would someone invent a deity who trespasses and requires sacrificial offerings as a joke?

It's not very funny.

[still private]

[xiaoxiuya]

[Oh boy, where to even start with this]

It's based on folklore from some Sleepers' homeworlds. Santa Claus is a benevolent figure who brings toys to well-behaved children and coal to the ones who misbehave. He doesn't actually require sacrifices...and at least in my homeworld, he was just a story parents told to their children to conceal the fact that it was really them providing the toys. It's supposed to be charming?

I think Darth Maul is spreading his own version of the story to mess with people. Unless he knows something we don't???

I'm nine tenths sure he's just doing this to mess with people.

[super secret cultivator talks about if santa is real or not]

[baiyueguang]

Something like Santa Claus hardly seems beyond the realm of possibility; why go to such lengths just to be dishonest with children about where their gifts come from?

It does not seem charming at all.

And nine tenths is not ten tenths. He could be telling the truth.

[poorlittlesange]

[...oh er-ge. why indeed be dishonest with children at all? yeah it probably says something unpleasant that this is what makes Jin Guangyao course-correct and calm down.]

I see.

Thank you, shidi, for clarifying matters.

[baiyueguang]

A-Yao, really. Lying? To children? That is the age when one must most be honest, or they will struggle to trust for the rest of their lives.

[poorlittlesange]

[don't you 'a-yao' him about giving kids trust issues, er-ge, he wrote the book trust issues

deep breaths.]

Of course you are right, Er-ge.

But it is nevertheless reassuring to know that we likely do not need to reinforce the wards and talismans around the siheyuan.

[baiyueguang]

[he knows you know, he's saying this shouldn't be a thing that happens to anyone!]

That is true. I shall still acquire the necessary décor, however. Other sleepers seem familiar with this entity and should any of them visit, it may be nice for them to feel at home.

[xiaoxiuya]

[Eh? That was sudden. He wonders what he said to make Jin Guangyao do such a 180.]

Jin-ge is quite welcome. I'm sorry I can't offer more certainty in these matters, but should I learn more Jin-ge and Lan-gongzi will be the first to know.

[if we get NHS in on this we'll have enough for a conference!]

[xiaoxiuya]

I have sent a private message to Darth Maul asking him to tell me the truth. Hopefully my prior association with him is sufficient; otherwise I suppose we're putting up a Christmas tree in the courtyard. (⇀‸↼‶)

[The uncertainty is killing him, you guys.]

We didn't even do Christmas in my part of the world, it's a Western thing. Completely different set of cultural and religious values. But going by the movies pretending it's Santa is supposed to make receiving the toys more special for the children. Remember that magic doesn't exist in my homeworld. Pretending that it does is supposed to nurture childrens' imaginations and their creativity, I think. Or maybe white people are just weird, yeah that's probably it

[baiyueguang]

Is it not more important to say that they are recieving these gifts because they are loved and appreciated by their family?

[xiaoxiuya]

I mean, you'd think? But we're talking about a completely different culture here, maybe they don't want kids to trust their parents too much. I really don't know!

[baiyueguang]

That seems counterproductive to good child-rearing.

[xiaoxiuya]

So is completely restricting access to alcohol until they come of age, and yet...

[baiyueguang]

Shen-gongzi, my sect forbids alcohol within it's walls because of how we cultivate,

[And because of how weird a drunk Lan can get]

but beyond that context I think it is fine to have in moderation.

[xiaoxiuya]

I probably should have seen that coming

Of course, and in my home country only people who had come of age were permitted to buy alcohol, but there was no issue with allowing minors to drink it. However, this was considered extremely immoral and illegal elsewhere in the world.

By an interesting coincidence, the countries that taught their children to believe in Santa Claus also had laws against giving minors any access to alcohol until they came of age. It does make one wonder...

[baiyueguang]

That's rather odd attitude to have.

Would those growing up without so much as trying it not feel more compelled to seek it out later and indulge in excess? This is often a problem with have with disciples in my Sect.