the money's the same | Glowfic Constellation

"I think you have offended against Shelyn, in that, but not gravely. It would not damn someone on its own. But all our arts are nothing compared to the works of Shelyn, and She loves them anyway, so for the sake of your soul I think you should try to turn away from your anger at him."

She doesn't really have any idea how to do that but she can try. "I've... wronged Desna by wishing not to have nightmares anymore? That's all I can think of."

He nods. "I think you are starting to recognize the Evil in yourself. I expect Abadar will be able to help you.

Do you think those are all your offenses against the righteous gods, or would you like me to guide you through others you may have committed?"

"You should probably go through the rest of them."

"It is an offense against Desna to harm a traveler or a guest, or to destroy a road or bridge. It is an offense against Iomedae to flee from battle, or to break a righteous oath, or to fail to strike down the Evil within our hearts — I think you are already repenting of that. It is an offense against the Everlight to be driven to wrath or revenge against another who has wronged us."

"...Does it count if they're an Asmodean priest?"

"It is said that in the earliest days of Creation, the Everlight worked with Asmodeus Himself to seal away the World-Eater."

Penèlope is not really sure how anyone ever manages not to be damned but the sword-priest made it clear that that's heresy. Maybe if she just never does anything after the Atonement she'll be okay. "I have done a lot of that."

"Many of the Neutral gods are also righteous, and offenses against them are likewise Evil.

It is a great offense against Pharasma to create undead, or to benefit from their labor. It is an offense against Gozreh to despoil nature, or to refuse to eat the flesh of animals or the fruits of plants."

"I've done that. ...Despoiling nature, not refusing to eat animals or fruit." Is that a thing people do?

"It is an offense against Irori to rely on others, or to abandon self-perfection, or to give yourself over to your impulses, or to refuse to take pride in your achievements."

"What counts as — giving yourself over to your impulses?"

"It is different for every person. No two people are tempted in the exact same ways. But some of the most common are drunkenness, lust, violence... in your case, perhaps self-mutilation..."

Is it sinful to have sex. "I've probably given myself over to lust. With my husband, and with other men."

"May I ask whether you have ever killed your child, born or unborn?"

"No." She'd have mentioned it. The sword-priest made it very clear that was Evil.

He is giving her some sort of look. "There are many Evils parents do unwittingly to their children. Would you like me to list them?"

"I don't have any children."

"You must be very lucky, to tell me in one breath of how often you've given yourself over to lust and in the next to tell me you have never become pregnant off it."

"—It was always my husband who killed them. He had a spell for it, he said their spirits would be less likely to rise again than if I smothered them." She hadn't wanted him to. But he said they couldn't afford to care for them, not until he'd paid off his debt, and he wasn't wrong, they didn't know then what would happen to the paper.

"Pharasma teaches us that one of the most sacred obligations is that of a mother to her child. Do you think she will hold you blameless merely because it was your husband who technically did the deed?"