Prompt: Of Man, Lamia, and Goddesses (Part 19)

Summary: In a parallel universe much like our own, a series of divine mishaps creature a world where lamia replace human females as the eternal partners for men. What follows is a series of vignettes of how this world evolved over time. Commissioned by downhillrabbit6.1 for the month of February 2024

[Story Listing]

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Part 19 (Feb '24)

The Religious Subjugation of Monster Societies

A common thread tying together the various interactions between mankind and monsters was a one-sided antipathy against mankind. It was lamia, then, who would serve to be the greatest allies in reining in groups of hostile monster girls.

Early philosophers likened the planet itself to a living being, with monsters representing a natural defence mechanism to oppose the expansion of mankind. The only monsterfolk that weren't outright hostile toward the designs of man were lamia, and the other species that lamia were able to subjugate themselves. What began as a far-fetched myth, however, served as the basis towards further theological studies, as mankind began to understand the nature of the monsters that were outwardly hostile towards them.

Very early anthropologists determined that the best way to learn of these monsters were to study them within a close distance, disguising or hiding themselves for the purposes of observation. This was a strategy that brought on considerable risks, as a monster who could detect a human in their vicinity would be assaulted, and either kept as a trophy (if male) or summarily killed (if female). Many would be unable to return to human society to disseminate their findings, but the discoveries that were made sparked further inquiry.

One curious common thread amongst monster societies were their forms of spirituality, often centered around the veneration and celebration of oracles within their clans, who were often elevated to the status of spiritual leader. Oracles claimed direct connections to the goddesses to whom the monster girls worshipped, and who provided guidance and direction towards the masses. Further inquiry and the comparison of findings confirmed that, while the name of the goddess would vary, the structure for spiritual soul-searching and worship was commonplace. Infrequently, one goddess would be referred to as the patron protector of multiple clans of monster girls, even those representing different species. Early on, philosophers found this distinction a compelling commonality, and studied the phenomenon further.

While it was dangerous to study oracles from afar, lamian raiders had proven their skill in stealing away slaves and other goods in frontier raids. In the service of mankind, lamia were enabled to perform more daring raids against monster girl colonies, stealing away their spiritual leads and delivering them to human population centers, away from the rest of their tribes. The most common technique a lamia would employ would be to devour the oracle whole, then expel the weakened target once she was back in friendly territory; acting quickly was imperative, as lamia had not yet evolved the ability to safely keep a devoured entity in their tail, though raids like this would spur on changes for future generations.

Once an oracle was secured, she would be subject to intense scrutiny and interrogation, often away from the public eye. Dungeons constructed underneath castles and prisons were often dedicated to the interrogation of oracles. While the prevailing reason for such measures taken was for the purposes of dispelling blasphemous notions, curious theologians had questions regarding the series of strange coincidences centering on such oracles, answers that oracles were not willing to share, on account of the will of the goddesses they serve.

Religious bodies sponsored lamia who served as Heterosian inquisitors, acting on behalf of humanity. Left to their own devices in dark dungeons, they were instructed to extract the truth of their goddesses from the oracles, by any means necessary.

Inquisitors honed various techniques to extract information from unwilling oracles. One such measure was to wrap their quarry in tight coils, squeezing and leaving them struggling for air, while leeching off of their body heat. More experienced inquisitors would devour the oracle whole, and leave them within the length of their tail, releasing them only when they seemed to fall unconscious. Lamia, being cold-blooded by nature and by physiology, would also ensure that the dungeon was heated to a temperature comparable to that of a desert, nourishing themselves by licking droplets of sweat from the captive oracle.

The methods of interrogation would vary based on the species of the monster girl as well. Alraune were a particularly fond choice of prey for lamia, as the nectar from their buxom served as a refreshing tonic for lamian inquisitors, especially when nursed from the breast. For golems that were resistant to conventional means of torture, lamia would meticulously chip off gems, the centers of pleasure, and pleasure the golems by fingering the cracks and holes left behind.

The interrogations of multiple oracles within the confines of Heterosian church prisons, at the hand of lamian inquisitors,  were recorded across centuries, and their records have only recently been made public. The interrogations did reveal a disturbing truth about the nature of goddesses to humanity. Oracles, separated by location and isolated, often conveyed similar stories about the nature of their matron goddesses. Specifically, goddesses would frequently demand human sacrifices, as well as the destruction of mankind to appease their countenances and guarantee peace to their communities.

Through various interrogations, Heterosian church elites nearly grasped, but failed to appreciate the meaning behind these commonalities, disregarding the commonalities as the bluster of so many blasphemies, hostile groups. Later scholars would review these records and postulate that the goddesses were not some isolated fabrication of mythology, but tangible beings who occupy a realm beyond that of mankind; that myriad goddesses existed, collaborated, and by and large detested mankind as an aberration of their divine plans.

As humankind and lamian worked together to overrun the other species of monster girls, the truth of their nature remained a secret to the overall public until records were made public, with the Heterosian religion pushing and, eventually, succeeding in becoming the foremost philosophy. As truths regarding the nature of the world were revealed, the Heterosian church became increasingly intermingled in the affairs of government and politics, along with technological sectors, and became a key proponent and guarantor of the defence and protection of mankind, and the advancement of their objectives. Inextricably, lamia would be linked to the fate of mankind, as a consequence of both mankind's designs as well as the whims of the goddesses above.