Side-Write: Interview with Freedom (Patreon)

It's proven an interesting exercise for exploring some of the pillars of the lore, so to speak, for Project Wild One, so I'm continuing with the idea of interviewing some of the gods from the world. This one was honestly a real challenge just because I tend to be pretty diametrically opposed to a lot of the ideas this character fundamentally embodies, and it took me a while to really orient my thoughts to sympathize with and explore them as a person, and to portray them in a reasonable way that's not too over-the-top.

As always, this isn't strictly canon so much as an exploration of what may be. I hope you enjoy the insight into the world of the game!

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(For reasons that will soon become clear, the following is a rougher transcript of my interview with the God of Freedom and may not be word-for-word accurate. I will supply some descriptions intermixed with the statements.)

(I found the god lounging in the sun on a grassy knoll, in the form of a large feline animal of some kind. I knew I was in the right area when my clothes fell off.)

Q: Hello. May I speak with you for a few moments?

A: Mmmm. Sure?

(I found I had a hard time keeping hold of my writing supplies, they kept slipping out of my grasp.)

Q: Um, sorry, just a second. ...Would you rather I didn't write this down?

A: Huh? Oh... nah, that just happens.

(The God seemed amused as I struggled to write. I found that when I did manage to write down the God's words directly, the very letters started to wander across my pad. I soon gave up on direct transcription.)

Q: Well. I see. That must make it difficult for you, if you can't pick up or hold things.

A: It's fine. I don't need things.

Q: You don't have any possessions? You never want to pick something up, or carry something a while?

A: Sometimes my feet carry me, or my wings. The world carries me a lot. I don't really have reason to carry things myself.

Q: I see. Well. That must be very convenient, but I have to admit, it makes my job harder. For that matter, I'd have a very hard time eating or drinking if I couldn't hold or manipulate anything. Do you believe that everyone should live as you do, without things?

A: Nah. Live how you like. If you wanna carry a bunch of stuff around, it'd probably be easier to get away from me first, is all.

(The God seemed to be in a different position every time I look back at them, and sometimes a different species. They were now sitting up, grooming their fur.)

Q: Well, do you have any opinions as to how the people of the world should live, then? I'm trying to collect information about each of the Gods and what they truly believe and represent, so the people can better understand all of you.

A: Neat. Uhhh... I guess if anything, I'd just say, stop worrying so much? It seems like every person I see is so worried about their stuff, or what's gonna happen later, or what happened before. Like... if that's really how they wanna live, then whatever, but it seems a lot like it just makes them angry or scared, or just feel kinda bad in general. If you're not enjoying your time in the world, then what's the point, y'know?

Q: Well... that's easy for a God to say, but mortals need to make sure they'll be safe and have the necessities of survival from one day to the next. That sounds like a very short-sighted approach, if you'll pardon my saying.

A: Look, it's not like I have all the answers. You'll have to talk to Wisdom for that. But I do know that people tend to trap themselves. They get all wrapped up in regretting things they did, or wishing things now were more like they used to be, or fearing what might come to be, or worrying they'll mess up. You think I'm wrong about that?

Q: I... suppose you're not wrong, many people do worry about those things. But if you anticipate what can go wrong, you can often avoid it, so you'll be happier tomorrow than you would be if you'd let bad things just happen to you. And if you don't think about the bad things that have happened, often it's easy to let them happen again, too. I can't claim to be too terribly wise, but I think that's fairly common wisdom.

A: Well, if you guys need to do that junk, then do it I guess. Just seems like a lot of you do it way more than you could possibly need to. And if you're still worrying about other stuff when the time comes that things are supposed to be better, then when are you actually happy? Is it all hidden away in the past and the future, where we never actually see it?

Q: That is... certainly something many people struggle with, I think.

(By this point, the God seemed to be some kind of small primate, and they abruptly scurried down into the nearby woods. I hurried to follow.)

Q: So, it sounds like you place great importance on happiness in the moment. Is it your wish that all the people of the world were happy, here and now?

A: Sure, I guess. Wouldn't that be nice?

Q: Would you say that is your... purpose, as a God? To ensure the happiness of the people of the world?

(Here, the God made a rude noise, climbing a tree and swinging about seemingly at random.)

A: People, people, people. Purpose. I'd like everyone to be happy, even the ones you probably aren't calling people. But I don't think that's my purpose. I dunno if I even have one. That doesn't sound right.

Q: Don't all the Gods have a purpose? I've heard it said that your purpose is to counter the God of Justice, or to free criminals, or to fight oppression. Nobody can seem to quite agree on why you're here.

A: Why's anyone here? Shit happens. I don't need some big reason to be. I'll do what feels right to me, what feels good, and that's that. Sometimes I do those things, sometimes I do nothing, or some other thing.

(The God paused to look at me, and suddenly the God appeared to be almost a duplicate of me, but modified to be, I'd guess, sexually attractive to me.)

A: Y'know what'd be a lot more fun than talking about dumb stuff?

Q: I'm... flattered, but I'd really like to know more about you, please.

(Now the God dropped from the tree to advance on me.)

A: I'm very giving. People say I'm wild, but I'd say I'm passionate. If you choke me at just the right time, I'll cum like crazy.

Q: Please... stop. I just want to talk. I want to be able to tell people about you.

(Thankfully, the God stopped, sighed, and did a backflip to hang from a branch as a bat.)

A: I'd rather you told people I'm an amazing lover than whatever nonsense about me having a purpose or not. What's this really about?

Q: There is... a divide between the people and the Gods. A wall. Most of us really don't know much about you at all, or even understand why you act the way you do. It's frightening, and frustrating. We want to understand, and I'm trying to do my part to help us all understand each other just a little more.

(A period of silence followed as the God considered this, and slowly they began to swing on the branch, until they swung upright to perch on it as a very large bird, weighing the tree down somewhat.)

A: ...I don't mean to scare people. And I don't think the others do either, mostly. But I guess that makes sense. Sometimes I free people that go on to do bad things. Sometimes people get hurt just from how wobbly stuff gets around me. I know I'm not perfect, and I don't always do the right thing, and I'm not even that smart. But... I do want people to be happy. I want everyone to be happy. I'm just not going to sacrifice the moment to chase after vague maybe's in the future. ...A lot of it isn't even worth anything in the end, anyway.

Q: ...A lot of... what?

A: I've been around a long time, now. I've seen and heard about plenty of big, intricate plans for how to make everything right that went to shit even without me around to make things unpredictable. There's always been chaos in the world, since long before I showed up, and it doesn't take a miracle for the unexpected to happen. Sometimes, I surprise people just to remind them... don't assume you can control things. Don't assume anything will stay the same, or go how you want, or how you expect. If you hold someone down, be ready for them to slip free. If you pin everything on one thing going just right, you're selling the good you have now to buy misery tomorrow.

Q: ...So... you really just think people shouldn't plan anything, that... the future is beyond their control?

A: ...I guess I'm just tired of people looking so surprised and hurt when I add a little extra wildness to the mix. It's just about all stuff that could have happened anyway. People act like it's my fault when things don't go according to their plans. Well, either plan for things going wrong, or be ready for your plans to fall apart. Cause that's what often happens, with or without me. ...For a lot of people, that's a relief. A second chance, or a change of pace, can make all the difference in the world. Some people can't even see they've been freed from their own traps, their own shackles, until long after I'm gone. Not like I want thanks or anything, but it'd be nice if people didn't act like it's a disaster when I show up.

Q: Well... maybe this will help a little with that. I'll... try to share your thoughts and concerns with the people, as best I can remember them. Is there anything else you'd like the people of the world to know?

A: ...Don't wait for me to show up. You can let go of your own past, and you can embrace your own present, and you can be ready for any kind of future that may come, even without me there to remind you.

Q: Thank you. It's been-- okay. Farewell.

(The God flew off at this point, or at least, I think they did. They seemed to disappear completely from sight when they were barely above the treetops.)