Deals

Background and Evolution

The twins did not at first regard themselves as deities, and perhaps for that reason, were ever more willing to aid the humans who sought them out. Though they rarely peddled their more powerful abilities, ever expanding a list as it was, for long before leaders asked for transformation, humanity learned its finer tricks from the charity of Life and Death.
It was wholly from human influence that they came to demand worship: before then, humans' affections and laudation greatly flattered them, and so they asked for less in return. It was such that some of the great early scientific discoveries were recorded, and simultaneously the most devastating ransacks and pillages between sovereigns occurred. Habitually, the twins picked favorites of the ancient peoples, and would support them in whatever methods necessary.
From these first partnerships between whole societies and the twins, it became that deals became popular. Though their façades often changed to fit within the local pantheon, a certain amount of reciprocal influence between worshippers' perceptions and their preferred styles followed throughout history. In either path, it became that at the very least, they would occasionally answer the requests of the most devout—though, notably with the requests most often made of Death, many were out of their fullest ability, or created tragedies that would ironically strengthen the myths surrounding them. (It is no coincidence that Orpheus'1 music, while plenty of an offering, was not enough to bring back the dead.)
In the modern iteration, deals are generally more concrete, and mutually assured, but with more likely success, the price for magic climbs ever-higher. Only heads of state or those close to them can afford to make deals, although both continue to pick favorites both among the nations and on Earth with whom they may hold a relationship that better resembles those more common in antiquity, often based around a main, extended contract.

Payment Methods

Historically, payment would often resemble something which tailored to the twin's interests (the fine arts for Death; materials or new information concerning the hard sciences for Life). While this is still somewhat in use for deals based on material trade, generally those made with Life, more significant payment is often required for deals of the past several centuries. Instead of either accepting or denying the offerings of individuals, the details of the payment is generally decided by the twin in question.
While material payment is upfront and in full, soul- or otherwise energy-based payment is dependent upon what is received. Protection and other active requests are generally paid over the duration of the request, while one-time actions may require equally quick payment. Heads of state generally dodge some of the more hefty charges with promises of political activity (or, more often, cessation thereof). Though this may seem minor on the surface, it has been claimed that wars unfavored by one of the twins have been ceased or turned in the opposite direction as a result of a leader's deal.
Material and energy payments aside, antiquity holds a number of examples where deals became petty gifts—if not antagonizing the receiver, then often enough the other sibling. Life is particularly fond of any such deals, holding less interest throughout time in most offered payments. By the most cynical estimate, the Royal Weapons are the highest form of this2.

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1 "Orpheus": referring to the Greek figure of mythology who played his lyre to please the rulers of the Grecian underworld so he may bring Eurydice back from the dead, but broke the terms of his contract and, being expelled from Hades, lost her again.
2 "the Royal Weapons are the highest form of (sibling pettiness)": made by Death with the ability to kill the gods, they both directly threatened Life and were likely, although not solely, to promote (in Darvaz's case especially) massive destruction and general warfare between the nations. Had the gifting of Elemental Transformation to the clans been solely Life's doing, rather than joint action, it could be argued that gifting them freedom from aging or bodily disease constitutes as the largest-scale act of pettiness between the two of them, but this is nullified by the fact that Death aided with the technical transformation process.

A list of dealmakers, for real examples:

• Abayan—2002/Death
• Delta—1920s/Death
• Zeta—1920s/Life
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