"Oh-ho!"
Standing in Zhentil Keep, Aaron watched Xvim rise into the sky, a trace of amusement appearing on his face.
Sure enough, Xvim had chosen this moment to rush into godhood. Bane's son could wait no longer. To ascend sooner, he had even willingly submitted to Aaron and surrendered his supremacy over the Moonsea in exchange for Aaron defeating Manshoon-and Cyric behind him.
Xvim's plan was simple: become a god first, no matter what. Once he became a true god, wouldn't exterminating mortals take no more than a flick of his finger?
Aaron understood Xvim's thinking, but he did not agree with it.
Aaron had understood one principle long ago: you could not pursue godhood merely for godhood's sake. After holding a divine portfolio for a long time, the gods of the Realms left their own deep imprint upon it, while the portfolio itself influenced them in return.
For example, if Aaron ascended directly through [Murder], then his work after becoming a god would be to constantly seek murder, commit murder, and spread murder, because that would be his duty.
That was not what he wanted. He wanted [Chaos] as his primary portfolio, with murder merely an adjunct. Aaron had always believed that [Murder] was a means, not an end.
Thus, he had not stopped Xvim from ascending. Xvim was Bane's own son, one of his most cherished children. This inheritance had been his to begin with.
What Aaron needed to do was reap the greatest possible benefit from Xvim's ascension.
He heard Xvim's prayer of ascension.
Bane had four major portfolios: [Fear], [Strife], [Bureaucracy], and [Hatred]. Xvim defined himself accordingly, emphasizing that he was the lord of all four portfolios and Bane's most legitimate heir.
He would become the patron god of bureaucrats and protect their souls. He would