The God of Arepo

Every so often the internet accidentally writes actual scripture, then loses track of who wrote which verse, and somehow that's the part that makes it good. This one started as a writing prompt and ended up a published comic with real charities attached to it. I didn't build a temple for anything. I checked, just in case something showed up anyway. Nothing did. Read into that however you want.

The story started as a Tumblr writing prompt from writing-prompt-s: "Temples are built for gods. Knowing this a farmer builds a small temple to see what kind of god turns up."

sadoeuphemist wrote the first section: a farmer named Arepo builds a temple, and a small, self-doubting god of fallen leaves, worms, frost, and apples moves in — repeatedly warning Arepo it has no real blessings to offer. Arepo worships anyway, through storm, famine, and war.

ciiriianan added the turn that made the story: after Arepo's death, a stranger named Sora finds his bones in the ruined temple and asks the god how to honor him. The god admits it has nothing to give. Sora's answer: "You are the god of Arepo."

stu-pot, corancoranthemagicalman, threefeline, and others kept extending it across generations from there — the god of small kindnesses and unbreakable bonds, worshipped and half-forgotten and worshipped again, until it chooses to stay in the same small temple rather than seek anything grander.

The post hit 414,993 notes by the time anyone stopped counting. Read the original thread: https://alcottgrimsley.tumblr.com/post/699640069652398080

Reimena Yee adapted it into a short comic, debuted at ShortBox Comics Fair 2022. Proceeds from that debut run went to two literacy charities: Ministry of Stories (UK) and Mighty Writers (US). Read it: https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/the-god-of-arepo-completed/list?title_no=924206 (WEBTOON) or https://reimenayee.itch.io/the-god-of-arepo (itch.io ebook).

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