[Carnifex]

I think it's fair to say that Hood is the strongest god currently in the pantheon:

• His name is a curse across the world (except Lether, obviously), so recognition isn't a problem
  
• High House Death has extremely active membership, though a bit of turnover
  
• He regularly harvests the souls of the dying (and their energy?)
  
• He's not afraid to regularly and consistently meddle in mortal affairs
  
• He has dominion over souls indirectly pledged to him (Dunsparrow, Toc the Younger)
  
• RG implies that he at one time held the Throne of Ice (and therefore the Hold of Ice?)
  
• He's been around a long time- Raest recognizes him, albeit as the Death Walker (pre-House?)

Why hasn't he taken on the Crippled God directly, or at least smacked down the members of the House of Chains? He's certainly not afraid to smite his own House, such as Dassem Ultor. Why did he need/demand a sacrifice at the Chaining? Was that a bribe for his collection or fuel for the power necessary to complete a final Chaining?

Finally, what is the empirical difference between the blood sacrifices given to Elder gods and the sacrifices of the living made in Hood's name? Has he elevated himself to Elder levels?

[Ammanas]

Carnifex;294013 said:

I think it's fair to say that Hood is the strongest god currently in the pantheon:

• His name is a curse across the world (except Lether, obviously), so recognition isn't a problem
  
• High House Death has extremely active membership, though a bit of turnover
  
• He regularly harvests the souls of the dying (and their energy?)
  
• He's not afraid to regularly and consistently meddle in mortal affairs
  
• He has dominion over souls indirectly pledged to him (Dunsparrow, Toc the Younger)
  
• RG implies that he at one time held the Throne of Ice (and therefore the Hold of Ice?)
  
• He's been around a long time- Raest recognizes him, albeit as the Death Walker (pre-House?)

Why hasn't he taken on the Crippled God directly, or at least smacked down the members of the House of Chains? He's certainly not afraid to smite his own House, such as Dassem Ultor. Why did he need/demand a sacrifice at the Chaining? Was that a bribe for his collection or fuel for the power necessary to complete a final Chaining?

Finally, what is the empirical difference between the blood sacrifices given to Elder gods and the sacrifices of the living made in Hood's name? Has he elevated himself to Elder levels?

I'm guessing Hood used up a lot of the souls belonging to him during the chaining. As some have speculated, Hood may have demanded Paran find him a wife. I wonder if Hood had plans for Dassem's daughter to fill that role.

Hood's demand for Dassem's daughter reminds me of 1) God/Abraham's son story from the bible and/or Rhulad demanding Fear give Mayen to him.

To your point, Hood may be the most powerful god or the god most immune to other people's power. Souls all come to Hood regardless of whether Mael or the CG provides them.

If the CG won an absolute victory and decided to mount an all-out assault on Hood's realm who knows what would happen? Maybe he could kill Hood and appoint a new God of Death.

I never quite understood what the Mason of HHD meant when he told Paran the "gate isn't open from this side." That implies death is a process--maybe outergate--lobby--gate of no-return.

[Dancer+]

Both Dassem and Toc the Elder surrended their children's souls to Hood. (See RG when Toc talks to Hood) I assume Dassem did not agree with the method of acquirement, perhaps Hood broke an unwritten rule. Hood never did smite Dassem Ultor, he was unable to. The claw attacked him at Y'Ghatan, not Hood if that is what you were referring to.

We don't know enough about how the chainings work to guess what Dassem's daughters soul was used/pre-empted for, whether it was a necessary sacrifice or a convenient right.

None of the current pantheon can directly destory the CG for one reason or another. Hood is at the forefront of the Anti-Crippled God movement however. I don't think any of the House of Chains members were particularly strong, and they were just feints by the Crippled God. The only three or four truly meaningful members of the House of Chains are Rhulad, Karsa (how much control does CG have over him), Kallor (eventual liability?) and the Unbound - of which two are already gone. Most of these are protected or too hard to kill.

All gods can be bolstered by blood sacrifice, I just think it is more effective or as a matter of discourse for the elder gods.

Hood did once control the Hold of Ice. He was Death Walker pre-warrens. We know not if Hood is able to use these souls and their energy, some have hinted that Hood is merely the gatekeeper - I'm not sure of the veracity behind this statement, he seems to be more.

[Mentalist]

Hmm
Hood was actively involved--in MoI he gave QB the power to resist the Pannion and approached Paran about not sanctioning HoC.
however, high House Death as a whole has been quite inactive for a while--also noted in MoI. it is then that we learn that Hood started to actively recruit (Baudin as Knight, Tlamandras as possible Magi, he tried to get the Grey Swords to pledge allegiance to him)
The extent of his personal power is unknown. While his cult is perhaps one of the best organised and largest + most powerful, we are yet to see him unleash his own power at anyone..

[Sinisdar Toste]

Ammanas;294031 said:

I never quite understood what the Mason of HHD meant when he told Paran the "gate isn't open from this side." That implies death is a process--maybe outergate--lobby--gate of no-return.

i always thought it meant that he had to change the gate somehow to allow heborics sould to return to his body.

[Illuyankas]

Ammanas;294031 said:

As some have speculated, Hood may have demanded Paran find him a wife.

GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

[Zanth13]

Illuyankas;294164 said:

GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

I figured someone was going to blow up when they read that...

Poor illy, i think his head just exploded.



edit: holy crap illy, editting out all that giant font was fucking tedious.

[Aptorian]

I would like to add something to consider. Arguments like being the most active. having the most players involved in the war, not being afraid to meddle in mortal affairs and having souls dedicated to him... that's all bullshit.

We're only seeing a glimpse of what's going on and we only hear about the ascendants directly involved in the war.

I'm willing to bet every culture has a poor sod, drunken idiot or devote servant that pledges their first born, daughters or kidneys to a respective ascendant at some time.
You family is dying from the plague, you promise to give your son to the temple of Soleil or Poliel. You're in battle, possibly mortally wounded and you pray to Hood, spare me and I'll give you what you want, etc. Your crop is failing and you really hate your wife so you slit her throat and offer her to the... do we even know a cropgod? Is it Gederon? Lady of spring or something. Well you get my drift.

Gods meddle in mortal affairs constantly, we just don't see it. What do you think Oponn spends their days doing? What do you think seagods do? Or the Errant? It's pretty much all gods do... granting wishes, lending power, smithing things that mess with their groove.

The fact is we're seeing a handfull of ascendants involved in the storylines but there's an entire world besides what we see where hundreds of ascendants get around.

[Mentalist]

Well, to reply to that
We see the Ascendants that are part of the Deck--thus, they are a special bunch fro whatever reason.
Also, me saying "HHD has been inactive till recently" was aparaphrasing QB's quote from MoI.
of course, you are right, there are numerous ascendants, since every tribe in 7C could worship its own anscestor as a god. But we are shown the strongest, as chosen by the Azath--the fact that they are part of the house and part of the Deck--meaning they are a power strong enough to warrant attention, strong enough so that you can't just let it blunder aimlessly, but have to bind it with rules and restrictions.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

kud13;294190 said:

Well, to reply to that
We see the Ascendants that are part of the Deck--thus, they are a special bunch fro whatever reason.
Also, me saying "HHD has been inactive till recently" was aparaphrasing QB's quote from MoI.
of course, you are right, there are numerous ascendants, since every tribe in 7C could worship its own anscestor as a god. But we are shown the strongest, as chosen by the Azath--the fact that they are part of the house and part of the Deck--meaning they are a power strong enough to warrant attention, strong enough so that you can't just let it blunder aimlessly, but have to bind it with rules and restrictions.

Indeed.... does anyone remember the weirdest ascendant of them all, Jhess, Mistress of Weaving?

[Mentalist]

heh... personally, I stll want to see Beru....

[Sergeant Crimsonking]

When Hedge came across the Ice Throne we saw that Hood had once occupied it. Wouldn't that make him Jaghut? Or at least it is a strong possibility. His sense of humor definitely seems to be Jaghut. I know that the Jaghut refused to believe in the existence of an afterlife but would that stop one from trying to provide one; for mortals with that belief? an interesting thought. Undead Jaghut. Gothos' Father. haha.

[Aptorian]

Nobody really doubts that Hood is a Jaghut after reading RG, if they do they are just being stubborn.

In theory he still occupies the throne of ice as his corpse is sitting on it. He's just inactive, like Kellanved collecting thrones.

Hood was known as the death wanderer before he become the god of death, so it was a big leap for him to rule the dead.

[Optimus Prime]

Death Wanderer to me means that he spent a lot of time trying to gain aspect to the actual "element" of death before making a grab for the throne/warren whatever.

Hood is extremely powerful, that's pretty obvious. I still think that Hood wants release from Paran...after the CG is dealt with of course

[Kurt Montandon]

Whenever I see this headline, I start thinking "Let's talk about Hood, bay-bee, let's talk about you, and, me. ..."

Kind of like A'Karonys makes me think "Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-Ahhh'Karonys," which is just all sorts of wrong.



Sorry - you may resume your serious, on-topic thread.

[Optimus Prime]

Interesting.......:eek3:

Hood has quite possibly the most potential power of at least the "younger" gods....I mean Death comes to all eventually....

Of course, the CG could be aiming at him next...for all we know...

[OtataralDragon]

Ain said:

Indeed.... does anyone remember the weirdest ascendant of them all, Jhess, Mistress of Weaving?

I wonder if that's an alias for Spider Mogora's goddess, Ardata?

[Illuyankas]

OtataralDragon;310705 said:

I wonder if that's an alias for Spider Mogora's goddess, Ardata?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[magicrealist]

Night of Knives spoiler

Spoiler

Wasn't the women who helped fight off the StormRiders the mistress of weaving?

[Aptorian]

magicrealist;310713 said:

Night of Knives spoiler

Spoiler

Wasn't the women who helped fight off the StormRiders the mistress of weaving?

Spoiler

Agayala was her name. And I do recall some hint that might suggest that you're right.