Lords of Creation - What Shall Be (IC)

[Malfunctioned]

There was the void. It was all there was and filled every part of existence that there could ever be and yet it never existed at all. It was everything that ever could be and everything that could not and from the void rose Tasrif. He saw the void and it was not to his liking. He willed himself to change and he did. He felt his self becoming real, corporeal.

Tasrif became real. As his own material formed it flowed, it then spread outwards, forming a vast flat ring in the void. That was when Tasrif found out his mistake. He could not exist as both body and soul but he couldn't not bring himself to destroy what he had first created. To solve his problem he did the only thing he could at this point, he released his soul. His aspect, the parts of him, left the sphere. Some of them shot like rockets through the void, others flowed like water and some merely came to be.

These were all his children.
These were his aspects.
These were gods.
They are you.

[Emperor Demonking]

Sam, The Void

Sam floated in the void not conscious of what was going around him as a bench started to come out of nowhere to prop Sam up. The bench started to get larger until eventually is started to encase him. Those that were looking from the outside would see a quite normal ship floating in space and hurtling towards the planet. Sam, on the other hand, had no idea at all of what was going on.

AP = 17 = 20 -3 (Airship Artifact.)

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum, the Void.
Aevum slowly became aware of his surroundings, he had no idea of where he was or how he came to be there. Around him, all he could sense was deep, dark emptyness. He looked at himself and saw only raw, primordial energy, swirling masses of reds, golds, violets, all colours of the rainbow and more. Focusing his conciousness the energy coalesed into something more substantial, a body, strong and tough. Humanoid in stature but with the visage of a noble beast. He opened sky-blue eyes and looked around, there were others like him in this void, and yet, they were different, unique.

Exploring his abilities he found that he could move through the void as he wished, the raw primordial energy that had spawned his being was still thick and flowing, easilly malleable with but a simple thought. He gazed upon the barren empty ring that made up the only substantial feature in the void. Smiling to himself he saw the potential in such a place and set to work.

First, he would need some light to work by and to warm the ring, focusing on the aether around him he formed in his hand a tiny spark, burning with a bright light and growing ever more intese with each second. Carefully he set the ball to move around the outter edge of the ring, lighting the land and bringing warmth to the void.
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Okay, first action is to create a sun, stop those stupid "Before the Sun" things with the elves.

AP: 20-3 (I'm guessing the sun would count as a major artifact) = 17 Left.

[Emperor Demonking]

Sam, The Void

The Airship suddenly turned and started to move towards the newly created sun. The turn caused Sam to bump his head against the wall and awake. He looked around at his surrounding and smirked. Picking up a harpoon, he started to make his way to the deck. On deck, the first thing he spied was the sun. "We're going to catch that we will. Go faster ship, all sails to set sail."

Looking around, he noticed that there was nobody to follow his will, though the ship itself followed his will to the letter. Not letting it phase him he merely got ready with his harpoon. As his eyes focused on the sun, he started to smell the scent of burning wood. Looking down, he noticed that the front of the ship was getting charred. He continued for a moment, but eventually realized that at that rate gthe whole ship would be in cinders, he merely threw his harpoon at the sun and then turned towards the planet.

The harpoon flew true at the sun but merely going through it (Its divineness allowing it to survive) and hit the planet. When Sam got to the planet, he noticed the harpoon and decided to land there. The Airship still flew but it was tethered to the harpoon.

[Vulaas]

Algidus, the Void

Shivering.

It seems a bit ignoble for the first thing a newly formed god to be doing is to notice how damnably cold it is, but there it is. However, something felt...right with the cold, how the chill of the disc permeated the realm. A strange creation was noticed, though, along sky, some sort of ship floating through the planes.

"Curious," thought Algidus.

Then the sun appeared, a bright orb hanging there, causing most terrible pains in his eyes. Algidus blinked, drew breath, created a flute for his convenience, and let forth into the void the first song, naming Clouds, and forming a light snowstorm over the lands to help preserve it from the harsh light of the sun.

Actions:
Start: 20AP
Create Artifact "The Twisted Flute" (3AP)
Form Weather: Snowstorms [Form land?] (1AP)

End: 16AP

[Emperor Demonking]

Sam, the Planet

Sam looked at the sky and saw the clouds. He noticed them and approved of them, for the most part, but it was important that this spot, Sam's Spot, would not be covered by clouds and should be seeable by Sam however far away he was. Not wanting to disturb the work of a fellow god. He tapped his harpoon and the biggest mountain was formed, towering over thye clouds themselves.

From the mountain he noticed that he couldn't see the rest of the world. Still not wanting to have a direct affect he created the great Dire birds to pierce the louds. Also for appearence sake he created the normal birds.

AP = 12 = 17 - 1 (shape land) - 2 (Dire Birds) - 2 (Birds)

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Void

For ages, it had been nothing. Felt nothing. It was one with the void and the void one with it, as it all should be. It basked in the sensation of being part of all of existence at once, and let itself be gently rocked on the ebbs and flows of utter nothingness.

Then something changed, and the void began to take shape... reminding it of a time when it too had a shape. For a time, it seethed, resisting the change for as long as possible. It did not want to remember. It did not want to perceive. It wanted the bliss of oblivion for all of eternity. As more and more changed, it could not help itself. It was nothing... the cast off remains of creation that had never been... but once again, it was taking form. As the blazing sun formed of the nothing, it could not resist any further. It screamed across the void as the light burned it, and it was forced to allow her to return.

She looked across the reborn world and decided it did not suit her. It would make for a fine toy, but for her it was not home. As creation took shape, she reached to the void and caused a tear... creating a smaller, separate place untouched by the will of any but herself. A lightless worth of writhing darkness given form... where the light of the sun could not stray. In this world she could exist as she was meant to... and plan.

OOC notes Sunlight is anathema to Asharra's normal form, so she's making the abyss. The abyss is something like one might expect the realm of Dagon, or the deepest parts of the ocean. (In fact, the deepest parts of the ocean might be places that connect to the Abyss, but I won't step on the toes of the sea god)

The Abyss will be a thick, lightless sea, full of monstrous almost formless creatures that exist outside creation. It is the only place Asharra can take on her true form without reality itself railing against it... and it will be where she births all the horrible abominations she's going to make. But, one thing at a time.

And you have no idea how tempted I was to call it Ry'leh :smallamused:

Deity Action: Create plane - The Abyss 3pts (Down to 17)

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum, the Void.
Aevum watched as the odd shaped object flew across the void and cast some object, a harpoon was it? at the sun, which laughably flew straight through the other side. He watched as the ship hovered near the place where the harpoon landed and heard the first trace of sound.

The melodic tune seemed to create vast clouds and snowstorms, cooling the land beneath his harsh sun. He nodded slightly in approval, the world would need protection from the sun's radience afterall. Stepping forwards he approached the veil between the void and this new world, finding the going difficult, reality warped and bent as he tried to move, the feeling like walking through thick marshland. Looking around he stepped back, realizing the world was yet too fragile for him to step directly upon it he watched from afar.
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OOC: That's how he worked out Lesser Deities can't manifest on the material plane XD

No AP Spent though, still 17.

[Moose Fisher]

The Planet

The black void conceals much from the eyes of creation. A slab, nearly as black as the void, sped toward the fresh world. The light of the sun reflected off its surface, and the colors of existence revealed the foreign object.

A stream of fire and the sound of cracking earth filled the span of a few seconds, leaving dust to settle. The force of the impact dented the world, creating the Valley of Legend.

The slab stood erect in the center of the valley, and will stand for ages. Light reflects off its angles, water and grime sliding down its surface. The forces of nature cannot wear down the slab, the strange etchings remaining crystal clear.

A prophecy was written on the slab. The letters are strange, carved by unknown hands. Those who look upon the slab know the meaning of it's words:

"One shall rise and face force known as god. Through the Great Hero shall mortality be known."



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3ap (Create Artifact: Slab of Prophecy)
1ap (Shape Land: Valley of Legend)
16ap = 20-3-1

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra Valar - The Abyss

Yes. Here it could dwell as it should. Untroubled by the forces of creation outside her new abyssal home, Asharra thought. It had been so long since she had been free to do so. What was more, she remembered... thinking back to a time before. This was not the first time she had awoken... nor would it be the last. While her fellow gods concerned themselves with creation, she set herself to another task.

In the darkness of her new home, Asharra forced life from herself. The creatures were small at first, and perfectly suited to their dark home, but they would grow. They would be her memory, never forgetting... always seeing, and learning. Passing all that they knew to their offspring, and when they perished, all that they knew would pass to her. The firstborn creatures slid forth into the abyss and swam, their eyes scanning the eternal dark as they moved through their new world.

You are Aboleth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboleth). The firstborn. She told them, though she yet had no voice, And you will ever serve me by existing.

Letting her children wander and explore, she set about creating another race that would suit her. They would slip amongst creation unseen, and they would serve her from amidst the very heart of that which she did not control. She did not yet know what the other gods would create, so she gave her new creation the power to wear the flesh of others, and walk amongst creation in their guise. The small creatures emerged from the bulk of their mother's unfathomable form, and she spoke to them as well.

You are Tsochari (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/lom_gallery/88153.jpg). She told them in her wordless voice, You will spread far and wide, wearing the husks of others... but always will you serve me. Through you, I will control even that which is not mine.

The small creatures scattered to their task... though there was nothing yet for them to claim as theirs. That would come soon enough. While they wandered, she resumed her task of creation. The last race she created would bear a form like the one she had once worn... but more suited to her new purpose. They emerged into existence as a cloud of the tiniest creatures... small tadpoles tipped in writhing tendrils. Soon, they would be more however... as their very existence would depend on others.

You will be the Illithid. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illithid) She told them, You will grow and you will spread, but you will ever depend on others for life. You will control the dark places, and you will claim for me the other beings that the gods create, so I may study them. And when I am done... you may feed.

As they swam forth into the abyss, Asharra paused to rest. Outside, the world had grown in her absence. Perhaps, it was time to explore it.

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God Actions!
Create Populace (Aboleths, Tsochari and what will eventually be Illithids) 2 pts

Remaining AP: 15

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, the Void

The void was a thing of nothing. Nothing was there not hunger, not joy, not even breath. The void was nothing. It WAS nothing, the actions of Tasrif created a purpose to the universe, an order. There could not be a 'nothing' there had to be something. The Void's nature was brought into question. Reality would reel, however, it did not. The fragments known as the 'Gods' went to start their projects, save one. One fused with the void and felt the power of nothing....and the void hungered.

A maw emerged from the void two rending claws ripping reality and grasping for material. A mass of pink and red spewed forth, it was Darrmoon. The creature's maw gaped for food, for something to fill the hunger left to the void. His inheritance was hunger, to starve for all eternity.

The Abyss

Darrmoon walked the Abyss' depths looking for something to eat, seeing an Aboleth taking it into his hungry maw the creature's slime dripping down the sides of the monstrous God's chin. A scream was forced from the creature as Darrmoon closed his mouth and then swallowed.

"More!"

Darrmoon glared about looking for another creature to eat. His hunger over-took his mind as he feasted on all the creatures he could grab.

[Ganurath]

Artis

The goddess simply observed, at first. This ring had so much potential, potential that could be tapped into. It was like a blank canvas, patiently awaiting the inspired mind that would cast a work of art upon it. There was more potential than even a deific mind could comprehend... So, she would make more minds.

First, however, she would need to make a land for them to inhabit. A vast expanse of ocean made an ideal location to begin from, coming down to the ring to float in the air, observing the flow of creation around her. Pulling out a paintbrush and summoning a series of floating paint jars, she began her work. Where she painted, land was made, suspended in thought until willed into reality.

The currents of the waters flowed westward, the warmth of dawn daily driving the air on with the expansion of heat. A mountain range was painted along the western shore of the new continent, hooking along the north to catch the moist air and keep it inland. A forest was painted along the northern half amidst hills, drawing sustenance from the trapped current. The excess water would flow among the hills southward, branching into a delta in the warmer southern plains.

Upon completing the portrait, the goddess smiled, and the image was willed into reality. She would let the inevitable inhabitants give it a proper name, in time. For now, however, she would call it... Hope.

((Action: Create Land, Nourish Land
AP: 17))

[Goglas]

Enki, Hope

The water god was born in motion and sleep. Shooting out of Tasrif, the world-god, he flew across the water with immense speed, never stopping, unaware of his surroundings, or even himself.
Time moved on, every second like a life-time of dreams, until he hit the first earth, hard.

Rubbing his head in an effort to numb the pain, Enki stood up and stretched his limbs. "That was a very good rest!" he proclaimed to the world.

Looking around, he saw a great big patch of earth in front of him, with a large river cutting through it, nourishing the plains and the forests beyond. Behind him, above his endless oceans, he saw a woman, clad in leather and iron, painting, giving form to the beautiful creation in front of him.
He walked upon this earth, right beside the river, and drank of it deeply. His beard got soaked in water, and dozens of small water-drops fell to the earth beneath his feet.

From these drops, more beings came to be. The first were blueish-white, formless, floating across the air and into the river. The second took form, like Hope's maker, only (PG13: mostly) naked, their skins green or blue, and played with the spirits.
The third took many forms, some wearing armor, some nothing at all, and swam deep into the rivers of Hope, calling them their home, gaining power from Enki's water.

The water god smiled, and turned to the woman with the brush. "Come and join us," he called out, waving.

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20 - 2 = 18 AP left.
Create populace: Water Spirits, Water Nymphs, River Gods.

[Emperor Demonking]

Sam, the Planet

Sam looked at what the other gods were doing to the planet from his perch at the top of the mountain. He looked down and noticed that along with his giant birds he also created the Griffon and the Arrowhawk. He was content with the Griffon, despite its four legs but was most intrigued by the Arrowhawk, and how it never appeared to touch the ground.

Sam decided that those who he favoured would do likewise. They would live on his ship from birth to death. He untied the ship and moved it closer to Hope, leaving his giant beasts behind, to look at the water creatures created by Enki. He shook his head at the sight of them not deeming them worthy.

AP = 12 (Creatures paid for in last turn.)

[Ganurath]

Artis

The woman raised a brow at the bearded man, bringing inhabitants to Hope. They weren't the sort of beings that she had intended for the continent, but their contribution to the land wasn't an unwelcome one. She saw the creator of these beings waving her down, and she held up a single finger. "In a moment."

Continuing her work with the paintbrush, Artis began adding communities to the forested areas. There were buildings on the ground in clearings, but most of the facilities were treehouses connected by walkways. As she painted, she let flecks of green land where they would in these communities. When she willed the towns into being, these green flecks became a people, the Faeli. Nodding in approval, she was suddenly at the bearded god's side. <Greater Teleport.>

From her new vantage point, she would observe the interactions between her devotees and the bearded god's spirits. The Faeli were herbivores, so they wouldn't have aggressive instincts beyond the need for self defense, so odds are the interactions would be peaceful. "I've been calling it Hope for now, but ultimately the choice of name falls with the Faeli. I'm Artis, by the way."

Actions: Create Populace, Nourish Populace
AP: 14

[Shmee]

Something, the Void

None can tell for sure where life and consciousness begins, yet for this one, its own life was an unforeseeable side affect of the initial creation. However, even an event such as existence was not enough to fully awaken this entity, and so it remained in stasis as the deities continued to morph existence in pure bliss.

Upon the material plane, the world continued to morph, with new land being born, and new creatures being created. Until one fateful day, a simple dove, amongst the first creatures, reaching the end of it's cycle, fell from the skies and landing on the ground, remained motionless, as its soul left the body and raced to the Void.

An insignificant event in the grander schemes of things... except that the violent sundering between the physical body and the soul sent a shock-wave, silent and undetectable to all but something residing within the Void.

It seemed liked a fine colourless mist, floating aimlessly in the vast void, when all of a sudden, it felt the little bird's passing. At first, one could have detected the slightest of trembling within the mist, as its colours started to change at a faster rate, until the mist had turned into a red cloud. From within the cloud, a noise could be heard... almost as if it was speaking

"That feeling... so exhilarating..."

Hardly able to contain itself, the entity turned its gaze towards the material plane, and seeing the world filling with life it says with a shivering voice

"More... I demand more death!"

Thus spoke the living incarnation of death.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

Moving amongst it's new home, the massive thing was pleased with it's work. No sooner had it finished however, then it felt the presence of another, as one of it's new children was snuffed out. The sum of it's memory passed to her, what little that it was... and she felt the monstrous beast that had devoured it moments before the creature's life ended. Then another and another fell into the cavernous maw. Moving it's massive bulk effortlessly through the darkness, the dark queen sought out the thing that had slain it's children. Such a trespass on it's realm could not go unanswered.

OOC: (PM for you, hun!)

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum, the Void
Aevum gazed upon the others moulding the new world, his arms crossed before him as he stood upon the edge of the veil between the void and the material plane. Something, he suspected, was stopping him reaching the world, yet there were others who walked upon the plane with little difficulty. He closed his eyes, thinking and concentrating, he could feel thier power resonating through the primordial void, each of them different but similar all the same. The ones upon the land were fainter than his own, but powerful nonetheless.

He opened his eyes suddenly, behind him he felt a ripple in the silence of the void, clear as a pin dropping. "Another player to this game it seems..." He mused, stroking his chin, "One of no small amount of power either, very close to his own..." He closed his eyes, and focused again, a tear opening in the void as another plane expanded beyond, a tear through which he stepped.

Aevum, Heliopolis
He looked around the new plane, locking the portal behind him to all with evil intentions. Everywhere he turned was clear, blue skies, above there was a brilliant burning sun. Below him a vast sea of white clouds. He found his powers were stronger here, he could mould this plane without exerting my strength. Smiling, he waved a hand as the clouds formed into land upon which he stood, right now, it was only a round plaza of stone, collossal pilars of marble around the edge holding up a roof which offered shade and respite from the sun's rays. A large fountain in the middle of the plaza spilling crystal clear water endlessly and a large golden throne sat atop a flight of marble stairs at the end. Behind him, was a 20ft. tall golden archway that seemed to go nowhere, only the vast sea of clouds beyond. Taking a seat on the throne, he smiled and summoned a large vertical gold ring, a silvery membrane stretched across its surface. He waved a hand and the silver clouds within the ring parted to reveal the new world.

"This place needs it's own guardians however..." Concentrating he formed the first creature from the light of the sun, humanoid in stature like himself, the being was over 15ft. tall, it's skin a pale porcelain white. It's face was handsome and human-like, eyes of radiant gold and hair of luminous silver, a pair of wings coming from it's shoulders like the doves of the material plane. The first of his celestials, the Angel, he called it, but yet more appeared around the new guardian, each of them powerful as the first but each one different, skin, hair and even stature varying between each individual, the took thier place at his side and around the outside of the plaza, thier wings allowing them to move through the air with ease.

The next was more bestial in appearance than the first, standing at over 10ft. tall on all fours the creature had snow white fur and sapphire eyes. It's body was as a cat, only more powerful, it's head was as his, a ferocious lion with a golden mane. On it's back were two white wings like the Angel but folded close to it's body. Though it looked as a beast, it was calm and loyal, but ruthless in battle. More of the creatures appeared similar in colour but slightly different, each one unique. "You, the Celestial beast shall be the guardians of my gates." He motioned to the large golden archway through which he stepped, the portal dormant for now. The beasts moved off to take thier place as thier creator nodded.

The last was the smallest of the creatures, a being of pure light. Barely larger than a softball, the glowing orb of light hovered about 5ft. from the ground, illuminating it's surroundings. "You," Aevum spoke, "the Archon, shall be my messengers to the other planes, you will guide and watch over chosen mortals, protecting them from evil and illuminating the darkness." As he spoke, more of the creatures came into being, thier lights all spectrums of the rainbow and more. They spread out as Aevum breathed a sigh of releif, turning his attention to the disc beside him and watching patiently, creating a plane and life took a lot of his powers.
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OOC: Okay, wow that was quite a bit :smalltongue:
Okay, let's see...
Actions
Create Plane (Heliopolis, Strongly Good Aligned, Mildly Lawful Aligned, Divinely Morphic) = 3 AP (Also Claiming this Plane as my own and as Aevum's Home Plane)
Lock Plane (Only those of Good or Neutral can pass, No Evil) = 2 AP
Create Land (Heliopolis is Divinely Morphic) = Free
Create Artifact (Scrying Disc) = 3 AP
Create Populace (Solar Angel, Celestial Dire Lion & Lantern Archon) = 2 AP

AP: 17 - 10 = 7 AP Left

[Goglas]

Enki, Hope

Enki looked in awe as the woman continued her work, this time creating creatures much like his Nymphs. He wondered whether he could ever paint others into existence like that, or if he was doomed to his water-drops and chance forever.

He looked up to the sky, and saw strange creatures with wings flying about, and another creature like himself, standing inside a great floating wooden structure.
He raised his arm and called out to this being, to know its name and learn of its creations, when one of those creatures, a small one, covered in white feathers, fell to the ground.

He picked it up just as the woman with the brush appeared before him.
"Artis," he said. "I'm Enki. Look at this," he presented her with the dove's lifeless body. "It had life, but now is nothing more than a husk. The real dove disappeared. I wonder where it went..."

[Ganurath]

Artis

The green-tinged woman tilted her head at the bird, moving closer to the bearded deity and gently taking the dead creature into her hands. Such a fragile thing... What had happened to it? Drawing from the muses she felt she was made of, the goddess came up with a story.

"It was mortal... It had mortality. A living thing is a work of art, the greatest work, but at the same time delicate. The longer any creation persists, the more effort to maintain. Eventually, it takes more effort than the creation can achieve, and... mortality."

The goddess sighed, then looked toward the ground. Her Faeli would have such questions in time. Not so soon as the bird, but by the standards of the divine it would be soon enough. Using her free hand, she cast a simple spell that slowly worked to part the earth. <Mage Hand.>

As she mentally dug, Artis turned her attention back to Enki. "With the effort toward maintainence gone, the creation will break down more rapidly, and fall to pieces. If the broken creation is buried, the parts can be used for the maintainence of plants, and old creations may be used to enrich new ones. What do you think?"

[Shmee]

The Void

The red cloud continued to swirl around the void. In some way it was pleased. The world was slowly being filled with new life... indeed, that pleased the entity greatly... and yet...

"This will not do..."

The entity craved for more death. With each soul passing to the Void, the entity would experience ecstasy of unparalleled proportions... and yet...

"This will not do at all!"

... the natural cycle was just too slow for the entity... it needed to find a way to speed to the process...

"... hmmm ... "

Looking at the souls of the dead that were gathering in the Void, it got an idea...

"Listen to me, souls of the deceased! Do you intend to remain here in the void for an eternity? Abandoned by the ones who created you, barred from entering the world of the living simply because you have died! What a tragic fate! But I am here! And I wish to help you. I shall give you the ability to return to the world where you came from. From there you will be able to reunite yourselves with your loved ones, your creators may have abandoned you to the Void, but you shall find me to be much more caring, for I shall never decline to full fill what you mortals desire the most!"

Feeling that the souls were agreeing to its terms, it says

"Very well..."

For an instant, the cloud starts to shine brightly as it ejects the souls from the Void and back to the material plane. However the souls, not belonging in this world, and in affect unable to return to their past lives, would in fact go crazy, turning into evil spirits that haunt and feed off the living in a desperate attempt to once again be alive.


OOC

AP 18= 20-2, Create Populace; Vengeful Spirits, Ghosts, Banshees, Wraiths etc..


Back in the Void, the entity grinned... that is as much as a cloud could grin... as the spirits of the dead began to spread chaos amongst the mortals. Of course it could have simply created an eternal resting place for all those souls, but this was proving to be much more fun!

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

The creature she found was cavernous in it's hunger... sending her children fleeing it's mindless wrath. The first few had tried to slow or stop the creature with the abilities their mother had given them.... but to no avail. This was not a creature born of her... and she sensed in it power not unlike her own. She wondered if it had a will of it's own beyond it's hunger. Concern for her children a secondary thought beyond testing the limits of this new beast, she decided that she would test it.

Her huge form moved effortlessly through the abyss, approaching the one who had entered her realm. Not certain if it would understand her, she sent to it visions and images... testing if communication with it was even possible. Her voice rippled through the abyss around it, seeming to come from everywhere at once.

What are you? It asked from everywhere at once, This is my home. You are not welcome here.

[Moose Fisher]

Hope

The vengeful dead wreaked havoc on the world, filling it with unpleasantness. The living were assaulted, and death continued to grow. The sad sight of ancestor tormenting descendants became too common. Hope wavered at the onslaught.

A Faeli stood against the tide of despair. Known by her kin as Nedain, the brave soul placed two branches upon her brow with cried:

"We shall not be ruled by the demons of our past! We must fight these interlopers!"

And Nedain led the charge against the vengeful dead, casting them back to the void. The dead hissed and howled, but they would return to haunt the living. The Faeli knew this as well, but Nedain removed their fear as she said:

"Nature shelters us and provides. We must wrap ourselves in its warm embrace."

The Faeli shifted the forest to their wills, creating walls of living trees and split wood. The walls held the vengeful dead at bay until they were excised once more. It was an uneasy living, but the Faeli were able to live within nature.

Nedain called to Artis:

"Shaper of our lives, deliver us from cruel fate. Craft a haven for our dead, so they do not intermingle with us."


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Raise Mortal Hero (Nedain)
3ap Create Concept (Martial Combat) (Fighter, Barbarian)
1ap Teach Faeli (Carpentry)

13ap = 17 -3-1

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum, Heliopolis
Aevum sighed sadly, shaking his head as he watched the shadows of the past wreak havoc upon the world. Although the Faeli fought bravely, he knew there would be those who would side with the dead, and the shadows would keep coming as more creatures passed on. Stroking his chin thoughtfully he gazed at the other gods. Those who had helped shape the world were fighting hard to preserve it. His sun was weakening the dead, and they fought valliantly, soon the dead would outnumber the living.

Closing his eyes he crafted a new body from the light, this one appearing almost exactly as he did, humanoid but where he had the head of a beast, this being's head was human, a long mane of crimson hair and a beard giving it a slight resemblance to himself, but also close enough to pass for one of the Faeli at a glance. Simple clothes appeared on the body of the being as Aevum nodded slowly. Closing his eyes, he transfered his conciousness to the new body and imbued it with a portion of his power. In this, weakened state, he would be able to walk upon the land as the others did. Opening a gate to the material world, the avatar stepped through, appearing on the outskirts of Hope.

Aevum (Avatar), Hope
Aevum had appeared on the outskirts so as not to attract too much attention. It was an odd feeling, taking physical form. Unlike the void he found moving on the material plane to require a little more effort than simply willing it. Taking a few minutes to get adjusted to his surrondings he looked around, amazed by the beauty of it all. He hurried to where the others were, staring at those fighting the dead. "This won't work..." He spoke softly, his voice deep and commanding, but gentle at the same time. "Though they fight bravely, they've no way to stop the spirits they destroy from simply returning, and in greater numbers."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC: Create Avatar = 2 AP

7-2 = 5 AP Left (I'm running low...)

[Moose Fisher]

Nedain, Hope

Nedain struck down the last vengeful dead, the motions memorized within her limbs. She sought out the one with the commanding voice and held him by his crimson hair.

She said, "What would you have us do, lie down and die? We fight for our kin, we fight for our Hope. How are you to protect what is loved?"

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum (Avatar), Hope
Aevum was surprised to find that she had grabbed him by the hair, to her he simply looked like another of her kind. Smiling as he faced her he spoke softly, placing a hand on her wrist as he forced her to let him go. "I am not saying for you to stop fighting, only that you are not fighting the right way." He turned calmly as the alarms rang out again, more of the creatures appearing.

Aevum raised an eyebrow as his eyes glowed, light radiating from him towards the creatures, turning many to nothing and forcing others to flee in panic. "Only your goddess can help you, by learning to channel her power you shall be able to protect your kin and ensure that the dead can rest peacefully." He knew however that kind of power came from faith, and only Artis could grant that power to the Faeli.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC: Epic Level Paladin, Turn Undead

[Moose Fisher]

Nedain, Hope

Nedain looked on in shock. This Faeli possessed great power, capable of saving more lives than she in a fraction of the time and effort. Nedain scanned the quiet field, and turned to the unknown Faeli. Her anger flowed from her eyes. She said:

"You who hold power to save, yet are slow to act, you sicken me! Where were you when the threat first arrived?! Why stand back, and wait until we suffer before offering salvation?! Do not taunt the weak with such displays! Teach us to call upon the power of Artsi!"

[Ganurath]

Artis, Hope

"The sun's movement is slow, yet inevitable. If nothing else, it has brought light to the matter at hand." Artis arrives with an abrupt teleportation, wooden holy symbols floating in the air about her. With a waving gesture, the icons fly out amidst the Faeli defenders most devoted to the ideals Artis lives by. "To those that would teach the beliefs I embody, I grant the power to create, the power to protect, and the power to bring ruin to the creatures of darkness."

Artis turns her attention to the approaching wraiths, and summons flames with a snap of her fingers. Taking up soil from the ground where a Faeli warrior had died, she begins to craft a simple clay sphere. Simple, at least, in appearance. Still glowing red after the kilnfire faded, the goddess thrust the orb toward the living dead and sucked them in, each spirit consumed sending out a harmless pulse of energy.

After the invaders immediately present were vanquished, the orb continued to take on a dull yellow glow. "The Sphere of Reconstruction will allow that which was good in the departed to be rekindled in lives yet to be born. The wicked may still return as the restless dead, but the strength I have given you shall be enough to preserve the lands."

Actions: Teach Populous Divine Magic, Create Artifact (Sphere of Reconstruction)
AP: 10

[MasterofMockery]

Kaleth, The void
The cycle began once more, and there were still remainders of the cycle before. One of these sprang in to existance, the desires ambitions of a million souls gathered together into a sentient mass. Now with the world having begun once more there was a near unlimited potential to what he could do with this universe, or maybe for it, or maybe to it. It began it's journey to see it's fellow gods.

Kaleth, Hope
"Perhaps I am not as alone as I thought."
He saw his fellow gods looking down upon their creations locked in a vicious battle. There were green skinned creatures, and beautiful nymphs and river gods, and they were locked in combat with the restless spirits of their dead. The mortals were holding out honorably, yet every warrior struck down joined the enemy ranks. It was a pity that these mortals suffered as nothing but the mere playthings and pawns of gods and goddesses. Perhaps there were someway they could circumvent them. But first he needed a place of his own.

Kaleth, The Void
Kaleth summoned the forces of creation around him and began to mold it into a new plane.

Kaleth, Valorum
From the ground rose a fortress, brought force by nothing by his will. It was designed to be impenetrable and self-sufficient. The walls were unguarded and it was filled with an eerie silence, but he had to be cautious with his power. He was surging with divine energy but if used incorrectly it would soon be gone. He walked up to the top of the central tower and sat down in a newly made chair to ponder his next moves



Create new plane= 3ap
Valorum, The Divine Fortress. Unaligned, Magically Morphic
It is not so much a plane as it is a city sized fortress. It is designed to weather any siege, whether mortal or divine. It is carved into the side of a cliff, and is made of several rings of walls, with buildings becoming more and more important as they near the Tower. The tower is a beautiful arcing thing which contains a magnificent dining hall at it's base and Kaleth's room at the very top.
AP= 17= 20-3

[Goglas]

Enki, Hope

Enki pondered Artis's words for a very long time, focusing intently on the patch of earth the bird was now buried in. "A good and honorable end for the husk, but what of the soul?" he whispered. Only then he sensed Artis's Sphere of Reconstruction.

He ran and jumped into the Great River of Hope and made his way north, to the Faeli and their maker.
"Is this it?" he asked, stepping out of the water and approaching the goddess of the Faeli. "Is that what the souls of your children can look for? A short life, an end, and then begin all over again?"

Only then it occurred to him that his children were immortal, as he and the others like him. He smiled. "Let me give them another option."

He took the Sphere in his hands, and submerged it in the waters of the Great River. When he pulled it out, the Sphere of Reconstruction was engulfed by the Ring of Choice, a circle of flowing water suspended in mid air, around the Sphere.

"When the souls of mortals separate from their bodies, they shall be pulled here. Although," he said, looking at the Undead of Hope with his divine eyes, "some would surely resist."
"Upon entering the Ring, they would have a choice: Stay as they are in their spirit form, maintaining their mind and memories, or enter the Sphere, and be reborn into a new Material life."

He walked over to Artis. "Although the question of where these souls shall roam if they decide against a new life is still to be decided, it is better than being forced into a life they may not wish for themselves once more."

He smiled again, showing no ill-will towards Artis, and greeting for the first time Nedain and the avatar of some god.
"So, where would you like to keep this Artifact of Life?"

-----------

Create Artifact: Ring of Choice.
18 - 3 = 15 AP left.

[Vulaas]

Algidus, Hope

He played, and he played, unceasingly through the activities of the other gods, but yet taking notice of their works. None really caught his fancy anyway, but it was nice to know what was going on after all. He noticed the Faeli people being created, noticed the birds appear, and the nymphs. Saw other planes being spawned around him, and saw his weather enduring around it. It was pleasing.

Still, more was desired, and knew he would need better to endure in this world. So, he took from the others, and twisted them to his purpose.

From the Faeli, he saw they were fair, but cold. He taught them to create igloo, as a protection from the chill. He exacted a toll for such knowledge, though, and twisted two into the progenitors of the Arctic Faeli, making them breed true, with innate protection from the cold, and heartier, but less deft than before.

The birds...Well, he wasn't sure what to do with them yet, but they were so quiet. Music seemed fitting, and he tweaked them ever so slightly until birdsong filled the air.

And then his first creation, clouds...Incomplete, he decided. Who else better to protect than the omnipresent clouds? So he formed the raw air into corporeal form, whirling masses, and formed massive and majestic silver beasts with frigid breath who could dwell in the clouds as well.

Godly Actions:
Teach Faeli: Building, create sub-race, create races (cloud dwellers: Silver Dragons, Air Elementals)
AP 16-4=12

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, The Abyss

The massive maw turned to the Lady of the Abyss, then seemed to shrug and turn away from her to the creatures of the abyss. He opened his hungry mouth and scooped some of the creatures into it.

"I am Darrmoon, I eat ALL!"

A massive belch came from the creature's mouth sending a shock wave through the plane. A gate opened and the massive creature moved forward seeming to eat reality. Then, he entered the portal.

Darrmoon, the Dining Table

A massive chamber had just came into being, in the middle of the chamber a large wooden table set with chairs and filled to the brim with foodstuffs. Vegetables, fruits, differently prepared creatures of the world. Fried Aboleth, Grilled Dire Birds, Illithid tendrils over pasta with white sauce. Small humaniod creatures constantly brining more food out wearing little black and white suits and shiny shoes. The little creatures were cooking the food in a corner and bringing it the dining table constantly.

Darrmoon entered the great chamber and his stomach growled as he grabbed a massive arm full of the foodstuffs stuffing it in his massive maw.

"That....abomination will not stop me from eating as I wish to eat."

Darrmoon waved his massive arm, flinging some of the foodstuffs across the room. The walls of the reality of the Dining Table, broke down and Darrmoon grinned as his Dining Table appeared in the Abyss. The massive maw smiled at the Lady of the Abyss, a tendril squirming in the corner of his mouth.

"This is my home now, so...you get out!"

Create Plane (The Dining Table) : 3
Create Populous (Halflings): 2
Create portal (Two Way, Dining Table and Abyss): 2
Shift Land (Dining Table to the Abyss): 2
Create Portal (Manafist Zone The Dining Table and the Abyss as the Same thing): 2

[Moose Fisher]

Enki, Hope
He smiled again, showing no ill-will towards Artis, and greeting for the first time Nedain and the avatar of some god.
"So, where would you like to keep this Artifact of Life?"


"Secret it safe in some distant land, where no foul eye and hand may ruin the restful dead."

Nedain faced Artis, Shaper of Faeli and Craft. Anger churned within her, but she controlled it. The creator Nedain loved was slow to act, but she still clung to Hope. She was not the one to question the gods.

"Shaper," said she, "The vengeful dead are not natural. Another god must have set them loose. May its heart be separated from its body..."

[Emperor Demonking]

Sam, Hope

Sam went back to his mountain after looking at the vengeful dead and their actions. As he travelled he saw the silver dragons and started to think about them. Once he got to the mountain his thoughts of the dragons stopped as he made up his mind. Though he couldn't think of the creatures that he wanted to share HIS ship with he could still create the creatures that would want to share the sky like Sam did.

He got the ship to start chasing one of the silver dragons. He hunted it down and killed it and transported it to Sam's mountain. Once their he seperated the flesh from the blood. The skin turned into kobolds dedicated to going to the sky in order to join their parents. The blood turned into the dwarves, dedicated to proving their craft by going to the sky.

Sam saw them both as good and with a wave of his hand he turned the surrounding land into places where they could get the needed resources required for the creatures to create their ships or any other flying contraption

Sam sent a herald to Algidus to say. "I hope you don't mind me taking one of your dragons, magnificent beasts, I needed one for my plan."

AP = 7 = 12 - Create: Dwarves (2) - Create Kobolds (2) - Mold land (1)

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian, The Void

As the world became more and more populated, by plants and animals, their collective consciousness cried out for a protector from the divine energies flying about in the world.

And one stepped forth.

Pulling himself forth from the void, Dorian stepped into the utter darkness that surrounded him, almost as if a surface was there. He smiled. "Quite a few options here. Better get to work." He looked about the Void, and saw nothing. "This... is not where my charges are. I wonder..." Peering through the Void, he saw the Material Plane, and laughed. "Ah, so they are there." He took a step to travel to the world, and promptly rebounded against the barrier between worlds.

Confused, he tried again. He rebounded against the barrier once more, and shook his head. "If the world does not want my physical form there, so be it. I shall send a proxy." Dorian raised his hands and spent his divine energy to create an avatar upon the world.

Avatar of Dorian, Hope
A large tree erupted from the ground as Dorian stepped into the world. The tree was the greatest in all of Hope, standing meters above the others. Dorian looked around from his new vantage point. Even though the world had trees and animals, it was lacking in... something... The bark on the old tree cracked open to reveal too deep-set, blue eyes. Suddenly, the tree shrank down to the size of a man, and then took Dorian's shape. He looked around. He saw some big game, but not a lot.

He was not satisfied in this first forest. He knelt down to the ground, and whispered something to the cool, fresh soil. Suddenly, small plants and animals sprang from the point, erupting in a tsunami of green that overwhelmed the forest, causing even the greatest of the trees to shake and bend, ruffling the hair of the forest.

Satisfied at what he had done, Dorian retired from the divine magic for a while, just strolling through the forest. He whistled as he went along.


20 AP- 3(Create Avatar)-2(Create Populace: Small creatures)-1(Nourish Land)= 14 AP.

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum (Avatar), Hope
Aevum looked from the two gods and eyed the artifact. Usually keeping to himself, he was unacustomed to dealing with others. He rubbed his head where the Faeli had grabbed him. It was only for a few seconds but the mortal had actually managed to cause him some minor pain. "Interesting..." he mused, stroking his chin and watching those around him. He knew not if they realized that he was not one of them, and nor did he particularly care to inform them.

"It would be unwise..." he mused, "to keep it on this plane." He looked at the sphere, "None of the gods claims complete dominion here, so there is nothing to stop the one who created these dead from striking again and seeking to claim it." He took a seat on a large boulder and continued to stroke his chin absentmindedly as he thought.

"It appears to me, that although there is great power, it is not without its limits." He mused, more to himself than anyone in particular. "Shaping the land, creating the Faeli, all of the marvels they'd created would certainly have drained a signifigant portion of that power." He looked at the sky, watching the clouds as they rolled across the sky, his sun shining down on the land.

"Perhaps, it would be prudent to entrust the sphere to my care." He said, sanding slowly, "I have already created another plane sealed against all with evil in thier hearts." He smiled, "I am sure my guardians would be more than sufficient to protect it should my wards be compromised."

[Ganurath]

Artis

The goddess examined the altered orb for a moment. Artistically, she didn't like that her creation had been altered. As an artisan, however, she saw the addition as being practically beneficial. Still... "I'll need all the strength I can muster to prevent this death god from defiling my devoted any further. Still, how could I trust my creations to another god without the risk of them taking the strength they offer?"

Before any of the deities present could object to her question, Artis holds up a finger. "Unless, that is, a pantheon is formed, so that strength might be shared and the devoted might be more easily tended to."

[Goglas]

Enki, Hope

"A distant land it is then," said the water god, The Artifact of Life floating above his outstretched hand. "Show us to this plane of yours, and these guardians you speak of, avatar."
"There, we shall see if a bond can truly be made between us."

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Dining Room

The being that stepped into the newly formed plane was not the massive thing that had lurked in the abyss. Instead she was in a visage that this world had not yet remembered... human. Tall and pale of skin, with long black hair and ample curves. Hers was the sort of form that drove men to lust and women to envy... though the lord of this place likely cared not for such things. She was near twice the height of the diminutive servant folk of Darrmoon, water still dripping from her body as she strode towards the lord of this place on bare feet.

You are a creator as well. She spoke in a strangely silken voice, Perhaps we do have something we may speak over.

The barest hint of a smile crossed her face as she gazed about.

I am Asharra, gluttonous one. And we are not the only creators that exist in this place. She told him, Each of them will create whole worlds of life for you to sate your appetite upon.

She raised her hand and channeled energy through herself... a far more difficult process outside her home realm. Slowly, a seam in the air itself at the far end of the plane shifted open... finally settling in the form of a large, sealed iron door covered in glowing runes of power.

That leads to a whole world teeming with life for you to devour. But be warned... there are those there who would likely seek to see you starve. She told Darrmoon with a satisfied smirk, All I ask in return is that you remember this gift. I may have need of your aid in the future.

-----------------------------

Divine Action: Create Portal (Dining Room - Material Plane) 2 points

(This is of course, assuming Darrmoon doesn't seek to block this action. If so, PM me please and we can work something out, then I'll edit my post)

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian tread lightly through the world. His footsteps left few marks as he beheld the wonders he had created. The forest was finally alive. There was still something... off though. Though there were many birds, squirrels, rabbits, rats, and even a few larger creatures, like deer, they had no foil. They just breed and ate, stripping the forest of leaves and berries. Dorian sighed. Something would have to be done about this.

Suddenly, a bright idea popped into his head. Predators. Hunters, to control the animal population. He smiled. Finally, the forest would be right. He moved through the forest, touching a few creatures. They all transformed into fearsome, intelligent hunters- bears, wolves, cougars, and the like. Some ran off, out of the forest, to deliver the same touch to creatures who had adapted to the planes or the mountains. Dorian laughed as the world turned, and his predators ran amok.

[Shmee]

The Void

The red cloud continued to churn in the endless void. Sure it kept sending any souls it could find back to the material plane, but it knew that it wasn't enough. The entity looked around, and upon spotting a bunch of asteroids wandering aimlessly around the Void, a terrible idea entered it's mind.

"This world needs a symbol... a reminder of the mortality of all and a portend of the end to come."

Of course, before the entity could execute its plan, it had to cause more of a diversion. Looking back on the material plane, it seemed that while the restless spirits had caused some chaos, things were calming down... this would not do at all. The red cloud starts to focus... so much death in the world... it was greatly pleased... and yet... if one was to look carefully, one could find death in the most unusual places.

It was night in the Material Plane, the blackness of night was thick over the battlefield were once the living fought against against the souls of the dead. Peace and quiet had once again been regained mostly thanks to the divine intervention of the other deities. And yet... that night... something felt wrong... perhaps it was the oppressive mist that lingered upon the battlefield? Or perhaps it was the simple notion that so many had perished on this very spot. But in the end, things had worked out for the living though... after all, the process of reincarnation had diminished the vengeful spirits to the point that they no longer posed a threat to the living... and yet something felt so wrong...

All of a sudden, the silence is broken, as a faint sound can be heard... as if something was clawing at the ground. As the night progressed, the sound was getting louder until the mortals witnessed a new macabre sight. At first it was but one bony hand, erupting from the ground and pulling up a rotting corpse, pure malice in it's eyes. As more corpses of varying decomposition started rising from battlefields and graveyards the message was very clear; the dead walked once more to haunt the living.

Back in the void, the red cloud looked at its work and was satisfied with the chaos that would follow. It should give it enough time to prepare the first phase of its plan. And thus, the entity begins to stretch itself, gathering the various rocks floating about in the Void and putting them together, until in the end, the entity had created what mortals would eventually call as "The Moon."

"I'm not done with you yet..." The entity looking at the newly formed moon still had one more thing to do "...I need you... to live..." and with that the red cloud breaths upon the moon, giving it a limited form of sentience. Satisfied for now, the entity poured itself onto the barren land of the moon, claiming it as its own.


OOC

AP 16= 18-2, Create Populace, the living dead; Skeletons ,Zombies & Ghouls
AP 13= 16-3, Create Plane (To be named later, for now its just the Moon)

Planar Traits;
Negative Energy Plane,
Heavy Gravity
Flowing Time
Self-Contained Shape
Sentient
Strongly Chaotic Aligned
(I'll describe more how the Moon works when someone does the mistake of visiting it)

[Lady Tialait]

The Abyss and Dining Table, Darrmoon

The massive incarnation of hunger grinned at the misshaped creature of madness. His bulk moving forward to the portal, his gaping maw chewing on a bit of aberration as he moved. Picking up a handful of halflings and munching on them.

"This will do. I see much food there."

Darrmoon entered the portal, to where he goes? Read on dummy.

The Material Plane, Undead Outbreak and Darrmoon

Darrmoon, the massive creature of hunger roared at the taste of the rotting flesh of the unliving. It was a taste that was almost as empty as nothing. He growled and picked a single creature of the unliving up and spit upon it.

"EAT SOMETHING! You must be full to fill my needs."

Dropping the animated corpse Darrmoon roared out the being began eating carrion, plants, anything to fill it's hunger now instilled upon it. Darrmoon's own hunger. Only the flesh of the sentient could quell the hunger instilled into the undead. At first one, then the rest. The god of death may have created them, but Darrmoon gave them hunger. Darrmoon looked into the world. If these creatures would be lacking flavor, and hence the power to fill him. All creatures may have that same fatal flaw. Darrmoon was saddened.

"Waiter!"

A single halfling coward forward to Darrmoon.

"Y-yes, sir?"

"Make the world hunger! Bring me FOOD!!! Food that hungers as I do!"

"At once sir! We shall teach them to hunger."

Darrmoon spared that single waiter, along with a small staff to go out into the world. The gaping maw of hunger and gluttony sat on the material plane eating what living he could find. Soon the undead he had shown the power of hunger began to feed on him, and he on them. A perversion of the idea of consumption.

Teach populous (Undead learn Unquelling Hunger): 1

Balance = 13 AP

[Moose Fisher]

Void

Forces shift about, invisible to the eye, collecting in pools, creating forces of great power. Power emanated from Hope, and burned ever brighter.

Dwarven lands, Hope

Urist Bershukar has been ecstatic lately. He talked with a friend recently. He admired a vein of mysterious metal recently. He was satisfied with work recently.

He is the creator of the Adamant Blade. He is a dubious worshiper of Sam. He likes copper, granite, and cats for their aloofness. He likes to consume plump helmets.

He feels like he could be drinking something other than water, but he isn't sure what it could be.

Like many dwarves, Urist Bershukar has a strong urge to reach the sky.

Nedain, Hope

What was once transparent had taken a more physical form. Flesh and bone cannot split like mist and image. Nedain did not grow weak with rest, for she prepared the minds and bodies of her people against the tides of vengeful dead. The Shaper guided them, lent power when called, yet let her children prove themselves with Nedain at the forefront.

"Blasphemous darkness, the light of our will shall cast you out!" said Nedain.

These were times of unrest. The Faeli did not rest, nor did the vengeful dead. These early battles defined the world. Events like rungs on a ladder extending to the true destiny.


--------------
3ap Raise Divine Rank (6 to 7)
Raise Mortal Hero (Urist Burshukar)
1ap Mold Land (Adamantine within the earth)
3ap Create Artifact (Adamant Blade)
3ap Create Concept (Divine Power) (Clerics and Paladins)

3 AP = 13 - 3 - 1 - 3 - 3

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Dining Room

Asharra watched the great-mawed god leave to sate it's hunger upon the material plane. She glanced about curiously after it left. It had created for itself a pocket within her lightless realm... though she could still sense that it was her home they were a part of. Curious. What's more, upon entering it she had assumed a form that felt strangely natural to her. Her memories only went back as far as the void. Why then, did this pale, pink body feel so familiar.

That she would ponder later. For now, she wished to alter her home. If this Darrmoon would reside here, it would be as she willed it. Calling to the void around her, she forced this realm to move. Up and up it rose, until at long last it broke a surface that was not there before. She shaped large islands of jagged black stone, and placed this new realm atop the largest. The light of the festhall shone out in the darkness of her realm, and was the only means by which her domain was lit. So long as no light reached the depths of her realm below... she was content with that.

There was more to be done, however. Striding across the rocky ground, Asharra crouched at the water's edge and called out for her children. To the surface came several dozen Tsochari, which she pulled from the water with a faint smile.

You will be my eyes here. She told them, in the voice of their true mother, Claim the bodies of these beings... but only some. Then play his servants, as they do. I will call for you if I need you.

Under her command, the Tsochari crawled to land, seeking the bodies of halflings to claim as their own. She allowed only a few dozen to do so, covering up the act with her sorcery to leave the other servants none the wiser of the things lurking in their midst.

Content for now, she stepped through the portal she had created as well... thinking it time that she explore what the others had created in her absence.

Asharra: Hope (The Material Plane)

The moment she emerged from the potal, the sun assaulted her with the burning fury of it's light. Even in her humanoid form it pained her and burned her eyes, the clouds overhead doing little to prevent it. Recoiling from the light, she could see nothing... and stumbled about through the snow seeking a place to conceal herself from the burning light. With Darrmoon long gone from the portal site, she was blind and alone...

What found her first... was the dead. The shrieking spectre of some mortal being came for her... thinking it had found an isolated victim to spend it's wrath upon. Letting out a scream that echoed through the snow-crested trees, it lunged at her and tore at her soft, bare skin with it's spectral hands. While the cold bothered her not, it's touch course with a foul energy that sought to tear the life from her. Weakened by the sun, she staggered away from the spirit, hesitant to blindly destroy it before she understood what it was.

Her salvation came in the form of a Faeli warrior named Elarion, attracted by the shrieks of the angry spirit. Leaping into the fray without hesitation, he cleft the spirit with his blade, drawing it's attention from the seemingly helpless woman. For several tense moments he faced the spirit, dodging it's deadly touch and striking at it with his blade... until finally he struck a deep and telling blow across it and it faded from the world with a scream of rage.

Are you all right? He asked her, only now stopping to examine the woman that he had saved.

She was a being like he had never seen... similar to him in appearance, but lush and pink and bare. Why she was wandering through the snow alone so far from any of the settlements he did not know. She was recoiling as if in pain... and he was concerned that the spirit had harmed her... as she refused to look up at him.

Instead, she thrust her hands downwards into the earth... which yawned open beneath them... the ground swallowing them both at her unspoken command, until they stood entire in darkness. Elarion recoiled in fear as darkness surrounded him, raising his blade defensively at where he imagined the woman to be.

What are you? He demanded of her.

I am Asharra. She told him in a silken voice, And my gratitude is yours.

The darkness grew thick about him as he heard her step forward, making it hard for him to find air... and his limbs grew weak. His blade clattered to the stone beneath him as he prayed his death would be swift.

I will not kill you. She answered him, as if he had spoken his thoughts aloud, In this world, I am weak. The light pains me. You will help me, and I will reward you in ways you can only imagine.

A wave of compulsion rushed over him, and gone was his fear of her... replaced instead by a deep and consuming desire. He would do anything to serve her.

Yes. He spoke, enthralled, Anything for you, my lady.


-----------------------------

To be continued when I have more time to write!

Divine actions:
Shape Land 1 pt (I'm not sure if I NEED to spend this to alter the abyss, since it's my realm and Divinely morphic, but I'll assume I do for fairness sake. Besides, she did move Darrmoon's realm, even if she didn't change anything about it. The Abyss now has a surface and barren, rocky islands.)

The rest of her actions are the result of normal, non-deity level spells... like dig and emotion. So I'll guess they're free in AP costs. Although I do have big plans for things in my next post. :smallbiggrin:

[Ganurath]

Artis, Hope

Artis felt something... off. Stowing the Sphere of Reconstruction, she points the other deities toward where the battle was taking place. "As much as I'd like to sit and chat, mine is a philosophy of moving forward. So, if you gentlemen are going to insist on contemplating your navels, I have matters to address."

<Dimension Door!> Artis was suddenly at Nedain's side, examining the battlefield. Some shambling undead were approaching, but the Shaper was quick to remedy the situation. Arcane sigils drawing themselves in the air around her pointing finger, a chain of electric bolts strike the shambling dead in the immediate area down. "My apologies for not having a more active role in the conflict. More evils have come to my attention, and hopefully I can turn them on one another. For now, I'll do what I can."

With a wave of her hand, the battlefield changed. The dying and wounded were healed, the unrisen spirits were put to rest, and the unrisen dead transformed into new trees. With the Faeli warriors replenished and the hungry dead robbed of sustenance, the battle was renewed. By the time Nedain could speak, however, her goddess was gone again.

Artis, the Moon

Protective runes circled the air around Artis, arcane magic protecting her against the most immediate effects of the environment. In one hand, she held her forge hammer. In the other, a simple brick. Standing on the air several hundred feet above the moon's surface, she awaited the attention of the deity that created the plane.

Actions: Nourish Faeli, Pestilence on Undead
AP: 8

[Goglas]

Enki, Hope

"Hey!" was all he could say before the Keeper of the Circle of Life snatched the Artifact from his hand and disappeared. "How rude."

"Well then!" Enki said to the avatar, "Apparently her own idea of a pantheon did not really suit her. I suppose we shall have to 'contemplate our navels' at some other time."
The water god looked at his belly-button, and did not understand what kind of contemplation one can have on such a thing.
He shook his head and decided he shall have to ask Artis about the matter in some other time. She seemed to be in a bit of a hurry.

"For now," he said and started to run back to the Great River, "I'm off!" and with a splash of water he disappeared.

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum (Avatar), Hope
Aevum smiled slightly as the Goddess vanished. "Interesting..." he mused stroking his chin and vanishing from the material plane, his powers waning slightly.

Aevum, Heliopolis
He returned to Heliopolis and the avatar faded from sight untill it was required again. The 15ft. tall lion-headed figure seated in the throne opening his eyes slowly. He stood and stretched, he'd learned a lot from the short time he'd visited the material plane and was eager to return another time. For now, he unlocked the portal to Heliopolis for any god to traverse, ensuring that those who traveled here would have thier powers suppressed to the point where they were as mortals.

He gazed into his scrying disc and soon found what he was looking for, he beckoned a small glowing orb to his side and whispered to it. "Little Archon, you see the woman in this disc? seek her out and and deliver to her the message I give you." He smiled and raised a hand over the Archon, the little creature glowed slightly brighter before it simply vanished, as if it's light had been extinguished.

Lantern Archon, the Moon
The tiny orb of golden light came into being about 5ft. from the goddess Artis. Slightly disorientated it approached her and spoke in a voice that sounded like soft music. "Lady Artis..." It wavered in the air as if trying to perform some kind of formal bow, "My lord has sent me here to inform you of the location of Heliopolis. He says you are free to hide the artifact there if you so desire and is looking to discus the formation of a pantheon." The archon didn't understand the message entirely, but he didn't need to. It's duty done the Archon vanished, returning to Heliopolis.

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian, the Void
Dorian returned to the Void to see the world in more of an overview, and gain more perspective than he had as his avatar. As his divine presence left the body, it transformed once again into the large tree, uprooting several others and crushing a small bear.

Dorian shook his head as he turned back into his godly self. He regained his composure and began to look over the world. Though nature was beginning to take the world, Dorian noticed something wrong.

He looked closely through the scrying mirror. He swore. "ABOMINATIONS!" He swore as he saw the undead in the world. "This is a mockery of life." Seething with anger, Dorian reached out into the world, selecting the best of the predators he had created- massive bears, lean, slinking coyotes, and packs of brave, intelligent wolves, and a hundred other kinds of predators. He touched them, and turned them into guardians of nature, bringing out the best traits, the ones most suitable to hunting the undead.

They grow stronger, faster, and better. Whenever they found an undead, they would tear it apart, limb from limb, putting them to rest. But Dorian knew that the dire animals could not be there at all times, and the undead must be defeated somehow. He used his divine energy to grant some trees the ability to think, move and talk, just as his avatar did. These mighty Treants would guard the forests when the animals could not, and they would serve as the first of Dorian's sentient followers. The would be the caretakers of the natural world, and, if necessary, its ultimate predator, using the power of the forest as their weapon and shield, strengthening themselves and harming their enemies.

Nearly exhausted from his work, Dorian needed emissaries to spread the touch of nature to all parts of Hope. Taking the largest and wisest of the treants, he transformed them into shapes like his, but far more titanic. Thus, in a pique of childishness, Dorian decided to call them Titans, for he had yet to see anything that approached their stature but the largest of dragons.

Wherever the Titans walked, they brought nature with them. Their footsteps beheld plants, grass, shrubs, and the like. Wherever they rested, plants and animals grew faster. Natural creatures of all kinds, sentient and not, seemed to gestate quicker and have healthier children when some of these special Titans, called the Lifebringers, were around.

Dorian felt a rush of energy as his actions spurred an immense growth of the natural world. He took the energy within him, taming it and storing it within him. He nearly collapsed as the weight of his actions overtook him and drained all of his energy. As he quietly lay down to rest, a subtle change overtook him- the bow on his back changed, his swords grew sharper, his armor thicker, and a shield imprinted with a beautifully painted tree with a sword and bow crossed over it appeared next to him as he slumbered.


This one's a doozy.
14 points -2 (Create Populace (Predator Animals)) -2 (Create Populace (Treants)) -1 (Create Subrace (Dire Predators)) -2 (Create Populace (Titans)) -3 (Create Concept (Nature Magic (Druids/Rangers))) -2 (Create Organization (Lifebringers)) -2 (Gain Portfolio Element (Guardians))

Leaving a grand total of 0 AP!

[MasterofMockery]

Kaleth, The Library of Valorum
Kaleth was examining the universe around him and found a profound source of magic, quite unlike his powers. He realized that this magic was separate from his divine magic, tied in not to the power of gods but to the very nature of the universe itself. This was extremely powerful, and he discovered he had a talent for it, almost as if he had been formed for it. He began to detail his findings in the library filling the shelves with books upon books on this new magic. This could be a powerful force in the great game. Now it only needed practitioners. He left, not with his divine magic, but with this new divine magic.

Kaleth, Hope
He needed disciples, if he was to be a shaping force in this new world. He glanced down at the mortals in this world. Currently, they were locked in combat with their dead, with the various powers at be, pushing them around in the world like chess pieces. They needed a hand if they were to overcome in this world

Zandrak, In the forests of Hope.
Zandrak looked across at his second in command Xanthos.
"Well, What were the causalities of the expedition."

"We lost 5 of our finest today, We damn near made it to the sea and the protection of the nymphs and river gods before the undead surrounded us. My foot got caught in a hole in the ground and I was helpless throughout the battle. I watched my brother get devoured by those things while I was unable to do anything, not help him or die in with him." Xanthos shook with emotion

"I understand your great loss, but I need you out in the field, Night will fall in a couple of minutes and I need you to defend the walls. Let the monsters feel the extent of your loss." Zandrak and Xanthos shook hands and walked out of the tent.

The Faeli stood on their ruined wooden battlements and prepared once more for a night of surviving the undead attacks. They came quickly and in great number and seemed to be filled with a hunger that Xanthos had not planned for. Within minutes they broke through the line, making a beeline to the civillian tents and screams were heard as the living dead terrorized the sleeping Faeli. Zandrak was filled with a rage at existence itself, that all of the great powers had left such suffering go unheard. The Faeli were saying prayers into a void.

Zandrak put on his helmet, and even though he was not a fighter he was going to die alongside his friends and family with dignity. It was then a light emerged in the darkness, and from it shot bursts of fire and lightning and power. The undead withered from its power and were driven back far beyond the walls. The figure set up magical barriers around the camp and a quiet spread over the Faeli and they dropped to their knees. The figure assumed the figure of an incredibly handsome Faeli.

"May I ask your name," Zandrak asked his peoples savior.

"Kaleth, and I already know yours mortal. I am impressed that you have held out with all of the odds against you for so long. Now you and your people have a chance to particpate in a great experiment.

"Of course lord, Anything to get us out of this hell."

Kaleth summoned his arcane magic and teleported the Faeli to Valorum

Kaleth, Valorum

The Faeli were in awe of this new city, after having spent their lives in forests, and all was peace. Kaleth directed them to a barracks.

"Set up your people in the barracks Xanthos, I have summoned foods and basic accommodations. Zandrak follow me." Kaleth led Zandrak into the Library.

"I want you to study these texts, and master the power of the universe itself separate from that of the gods who use mortals for their entertainment, and to master it. It will not be easy and expect no further help from me, But you will master it and you shall create an order which will grow into one of the strongest forces in this universe."


AP=17-3-2=12
Actions
Raise Mortal Hero: Archmage Zandrak
Create Concept: Arcane Magic (Wizard, Archmage)
Create Organization: Order of Magi (Loremaster)

[Shmee]

B]Artis, the Moon[/B]

Protective runes circled the air around Artis, arcane magic protecting her against the most immediate effects of the environment. In one hand, she held her forge hammer. In the other, a simple brick. Standing on the air several hundred feet above the moon's surface, she awaited the attention of the deity that created the plane.



As Artis waits levitating just above the moon, should she look down upon the surface, she would notice a barren land, devoid of any life. However, the surface was full of activity, as constant earthquakes changed the landscape, each earthquake stronger than the last. Harsh winds caused severe dust storms which continuously.

The runes surrounding Artis start to glow as the life draining powers of the Moon attempt to drain the life out of anything living. Though the spells weaved by the goddess ensure her safety, as time passes, they will weaken however.

Around her, the red clouds swirl chaotically as they unleash a barrage of lightning onto the surface, and yet from the corner of her eye, it would seem that part of the cloud was actually... grinning at her?

Seems Atris had caught the attention of something... who was more than happy to bide its time, and let the moon take care of the intruder.

[Ganurath]

Artis, the Moon

While the moon's power was strong against living things, the arcane magic that protected the Shaper was neither living nor dead, it simply was. When the red mist appears, the runes flare with new resolve, and Artis throws the brick skyward, out of sight. "Don't mistake me for some helpless mortal. I could tell that you're the one that..."

Then, she felt it, a massive teleportation of Faeli. She sighs, furrowing her brow. "You're the one that got the idea in all the other deity's heads that my Faeli are to be slain, warped, or stolen at leisure. You will cease preying on my followers, or you will be made an example of."

[Shmee]

The Moon

Part of the cloud turns into a brighter red as the entity reveals itself. No point in hiding any more really.

"Oh, is that so? You are one of the creators then... interesting, and what a fine specimen at that too! So bold and rash, to barge into someone else's home and make demands and threats without even properly introducing yourself!"

"However you give me too much credit. Your Faeli mean nothing to me in the grander scheme of things. It makes no difference to me if ten die... or a hundred die... or if they are all wiped out. So don't be arrogant in your thought that I target solely your people... they just happened to be there... so it really isn't personal. However if you feel like placing the blame on me for every misfortune that falls upon your precious Faeli, who am I to stop you?"

"Do tell me though... suppose I am not intimidated by you, and refuse your demands... what will you do? By any chance... do you intend to kill me?"

Asks the entity with a curious tone in its voice.

[Ganurath]

Artis

Artis shakes her head. "As much as I hate to admit it, death plays a neccesary role in the cycle of existence. So, I'd likely just build a prison that's beyond your power to escape, allowing the continued existence of death while minimizing your influence over it. Of course, that would be a draining effort, so perhaps an option that involves less violence."

<Gate.> With the casting, Artis attempts to open a path between planes to unveal Asharra's realm to the deity of death. "Abberations from beyond the Material, noted by me only due to their master's attempt to steal away my own creations. From what I have seen, they do not create, and they do not die. They are anathema to us both, for what little we have in common."

[Shmee]

The Moon

The entity starts to laugh

"And that is where you prove that you understand nothing! Death has a much greater influence on me, than I have on death! But still... imprisoned for an eternity you say? That would be an interesting experience as well... though probably less fun than dying."

The cloud listens carefully as Artis explains about the Abberations, at worse, it seems to be rather interested.

"Is that so? Very well, your attempts to divert my attention from your Faeli onto your enemies have succeeded. I shall go pay them a visit and we will just how much these Abberations can bleed."

With a loud shriek, the cloud enters the gate to the Abyss, as it does Atris can hear it say

"Till we meet again, I look forward to seeing how you will eventually attempt to imprison me..."

Left alone on the Moon, the entire plane is now deathly quiet, let alone an odd earthquake.

The Abyss

All of a sudden in the Abyss, a great red cloud pours out of a little hole which was the gate.

"Greetings little ones! I have been tricked into entering this world by one of your enemies! Now then... those of you who do not die, step forward!"

Before anyone can answer, an Aboleth is struck by lightening

"That was not a request by the way..." growls the entity.

[Goglas]

Enki, bottom of the sea

Enki swam all the way from the Great River of Hope, through its delta and out to the never-ending oceans. He moved about, close and far, up and down, but saw nothing but water.

At first it was pleasing, being completely surrounded by the water, and the soothing silence. But soon it became boring, the water cold, the quiet oppressing.
The water god reached a decision; He shall make his realm as that of Artis, filled with plant and life and action.

He touched down to the sea floor, closed his eyes and thought of Hope. Then, suddenly, after a few dreadful moments of nothingness, life burst out of him.
From beneath his robes gushed out a multitude of sea creatures, from his feet spread various sea plants of greens and blues and pinks. His eyes were forced open by the divine magic inside of him, and out came bauble-like forms of living water, some large, others extremely small, while a few took humanoid shapes. Lastly, from the water god's gaping mouth crawled out the sea dragons, mighty and terrible.

He looked around him, and was happy to see his creatures make their way through his realm and populate the oceans. However, after the initial chaos, it was all quite quiet again, and even more depressing.

"I want to have some friends," he said to himself. "Like Artis!"
So he closed his eyes again, and focused on her form. "Like I did with the Nymphs," he whispered to himself. "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"
Enki felt the water moving, and he opened his eyes with great delight. In front of him, behind him, all around, were his most favorite of children; The Aquatic Fey.

---------------------------------
In order of appearance:
- Create Populace: Sea animals (fishes, mammals, crabs, etc')
- Nourish land: Sea plants. Investing 2 AP instead of 1 since I am doing this all across the oceans and rivers.
- Create Populace: Water Elemental, Elementite Swarm (Water), Weird (Water).
- CP: Sea Drakes, Dragon Turtles, Dragon Eels
- CP: Aquatic Fey (Fossergrim, Kelpie, Sirine, Nixie, Ocean Strider)
- Gain Portfolio Element: Fey

So, 15 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 = 3 AP left.

[Ganurath]

Artis, the Moon

Artis smiles as the god of death departs. Deciding against tempting fate, she returns her thoughts to what the herald had said. With a snap of her fingers, she willed herself to the Heliopolis.

Artis, the Heliopolis

Assuming its steward did not impede her arrival, Artis will pull out the Sphere of Reconstruction. "Apologies for the delay. I needed to make a mural of a battle between cosmic evils."

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian, the Void

Dorian woke up from his slumber, refreshed and ready to start a new day. He peered around the void, content with the way things were going on Hope. He saw the other planes in the sky, one that burned brightly in the sky. Walking toward the light, he quickly made progress.

Dorian, Heliopolis

Dorian looked over the structure, before calling out. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra - Under Hope

For days, the dark goddess hid away from the sun in her tomb of earth. Elarion, her newest and only worldly servant... spent most of his time with her, telling her all he knew of the world above and his people. She rewarded him with earthly pleasures, ensnaring his mind to her in a way no magic ever could. She created a tunnel to the surface to allow him to leave for food, supplies and mortal concerns, confident that he would return to her. He did not disappoint.

As she waited in her earthly tomb, she was far from idle. Even while she layed beside Elarion, she was changing this world in small ways. She was changing herself in subtle ways. She took on more mortal characteristics... forcing herself to become less of the thing that she had begun her life as... and more of a woman. And as she changed, she remembered. She remembered a time before time, and another world much like this one with it's many gods and horrors. She remembered an ambitious and powerful mortal who used sorcery and willpower alone to lift herself to divinity using the things creation had left behind... the unmade bits of existence. She remembered... herself. And as she did, she changed... until the sun no longer burned her, and she could bear to walk under it's light.

As this happened, she hollowed the earth, creating tunnels and caverns that stretched far, far below the surface. Dark and foreboding, ranging from cramped to massive in size, for while she was learning to tolerate the sun, she was still a creature of darkness, and part of her would never escape it. The tunnels snaked their way beneath land and sea alike for hundreds, even thousands of miles... until a good portion of creation was connected by them. Here would be a sanctuary of darkness for her, even upon the face of creation.

One day, once her metamorphosis was complete... Elarion returned to find her standing out amidst the afternoon sun. Carrying to her the things he had brought... food and drink from his homeland that he believed she would wish to try, he looked at her strangely, confused by the change. She was out amidst the sun, and clothed... in tattered strips of shadowy, dark cloth... but clothed none the less. Her face was less amused than irritated, however.

My Lady, what happens? Are you all right? He asked protectively.

I have remembered myself. She told him, And what I once was. But in my absence, another defiles my realm... I can feel it. The memories of my slain children join to me.

If you but show me this foe, I will-

It is beyond you to deal with. She told him curtly, You would be an insect facing a storm. If you are going to serve me, you will need to be stronger in a way that weapon cannot be.

She reached forward to touch him... letting the darkness of her being infuse into his body... as well as some of her power. Recoiling in enrapturing agony from the wave of powers rippling through his body, Elarion become something unlike a normal member of his race. His skin grew dark and his eyes white... and magical energy surged through him like nothing he had ever known before.

Now you are better than your people. I am is a part of you. I have given of my blood to you. She told him, Move through the caverns I have made... find others... any others who wish to gain what you have to defend themselves against your foes. When I return, those who are worthy will become one with me, and be blessed.

As you wish. The new being that was Elarion said, his head bowed before his mistress.

Setting forth through the twisted catacombs she had made, Asharra summoned another tear in the void between worlds... as the climbed deeper and deeper into the earth there came... water. The water of her own realm. Then suddenly, instead of walking downwards into the depths of the earth, she was swimming up, towards the surface of her home... her true form bursting from her human one like a bursting leech and quickly growing to it's full, massive size. The being that was here would answer to her for it's actions. To many had decided that her realm was free ground to wander.

---------------------------

Asharra (Abyssal form): The Abyss

The massive eldrich abomination swam through the waters of the abyss, moving with great speed towards the interloper she had heard of. Already it had slain one of her children. Birthing more would be arduous... and she was tired of interlopers.

(I have NO idea what Schmee's god looks like... Some sort of mass of red clouds and energy, I think. Apologies for the bland description of)

This is my realm! She spoke in a thousand voices that boomed through the ears and mind of all who shared her realm, I do not take well to trespass or the slaying of my children, creator! Explain yourself and explain yourself quickly.


Divine actions: Mold Land (Creating the Underdark basically, in both the Abyss and the Prime) 1 point (The abyss costs nothing to mold since it's morphic to me, so I'm only paying for the prime)

Create Subrace: Dark Faeli Or what will eventually be a subrace. Right now it's one servant/hero (6th level, I think is what they can start at?) gathering cultists of the dark lady 1 point

Create Organization: Cult of the Dark Lady (Alienists + Nightmare Spinners) 2 points

Create portal: From the deepest parts of the underdark, to the Abyss. 2 points

(In an attempt to violate the laws of geometry and physics... going down into the underdark far enough will lead to caverns that spill out into steep drops into the water and rocky islands of the abyss. The abyss now has earth and jagged stone in it's "sky" as if it were contained within the hollow planet's core. This will be far more hilarious when I add another portal later that makes swimming "down" deep enough in the abyss take you into the oceans of the material plane, where you'll emerge swimming up. Apparently, the abyss is U shaped, or a mobius strip. :smallbiggrin:

Raise mortal hero - Elarion the Sorcerer

Create Concept - In-born, Spontaneous Arcane magic (Sorcerer, Beguiler) 3 points

Total: 1+1+2+2+3

Remaining AP: 2

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum, the Heliopolis
The vast expanse of the city known as Heliopolis stretched out before the two gods. The golden arch that marked the sole entrance to the plane behind them and a long narrow street before. On either side were large stone buildings of purest white stone, the path before them cobbled and sturdy. Either side, holding up the upper floors of the buildings were strong white marble columns decorated with golden symbols. The long narrow road lead to a large round plaza, a golden fountain the main centerpiece as water flowed continuously. All around the plaza led similar streets, seven in total, and directly in front of the gate at the opposite end of the plaza was a large marble staircase leading to a white stone temple, seated in a throne at the far end of the temple was a humanoid figure with a lion's head.

The lion-headed god looked up and smiled as he saw the visitors. "Ahh...Lady Artis, Lord Doorian, I thank you for your time." He gazed into the scrying disc by his throne, stroking his chin as he watched events unfold. "You mentioned something about a Pantheon M'lady?" He inquired, looking up at the open temple that gave a perfect veiw of the sun visible in the clear blue sky.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

No divine Actions since he technicaly altered his own divinely morphic plane.
AP: 5+3 = 8

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian, Heliopolis

"What's this? A pantheon? What might that be?"

[Ganurath]

Artis, Heliopolis

"If a god is a chain, then a pantheon is chainmail, the links between the chains giving one another strength." Artis makes toward the lion-headed deity, holding out the Sphere of Reconstruction. "If you would head this pantheon, I would be willing to entrust you with the fate of the dead. It'll give me the chance to regain my strength, start fresh."

[MasterofMockery]

Kaleth, Valorum

Kaleth sat at his desk in his study at the top of Valorum's majestic tower. He went down a floor and began work on a method for his armies to transfer anywhere in the world. After hours of work the last rune was engraved upon the gate and he stood back from his work. His followers now could move freely from and to the mortal world, and a magical barrier to seal it off.

Then, across from his gate he built a scrying mirror from which he could probe the world and see things as they are from the protection of his own plane. Now to find guardians of the gates. He teleported down to the faeli.

The Faeli were thriving in this new world. They had grown fit and confident in this new world. They had not set up inside of the fortress but rather in the surrounding countryside, determined to build and survive on their own talents. As he materialized in the middle of the town, his followers fell to their knees.

"You need not lower yourself to me or any power in this universe. Now I need two from your number to function as my eyes and hands when I leave this world." From the crowd, two twins came forward, both with a black cloth covering their eyes.

"Now stand and look into my eyes."

"But lord, we cannot look into your face, no matter how much we wish to."

"Obviously, you have cloth over your eyes," The twins hesitantly removed their blindfolds and saw for the first time since they had been blinded in a great fire in their youth. They stared at each other and began to weep and the surrounding crowd of Faeli were awed.

"Now, Report to my tower. You both have jobs to master, one shall control the portal room and begin to direct The Order of Magi in exploring the world. The other shall observe the material plane, I wish to contact another god."
Before waiting for an answer, Kaleth disappeared in a cloud of light.

Kaleth, The Academy of Magi

Archmage Zandrak was sitting at his desk in the new Academy, writing out plans for a new kind of magic. He jumped as Kaleth appeared behind him, and quickly dropped into a bow.

"Rise Zandrak, It is unbecoming. What have you been working on?"

"A new soldier lord, one to protect and serve all innocents from whomever they face."

"May I see the plans," Kaleth asked. He looked them over, plans for a new race of people made of metal, made obedient and protective of their masters. They would have a quasi-sentience though and would be capable of advanced instructions.
"Excellent Zandrak." He then summoned his power and began to form the first warforged. They were to be his warriors and his laborers in this new world he was building. Now he nearly had everything he needed for his plan to go into effect.


[spoiler]
Godly actions
AP=12+2-3-3-3= 5 AP
Actions
Raise Mortal Hero: The Watcher and Gatekeeper
Create Utility artifact: Scrying chamber, Portal Rooom
Create populace: War Forged

[Goglas]

Enki, Material Plane

In what seemed like ages the god of seas wandered in his realms, a Sirine by his side, surrounded by playful Nixies and water spirits, along with a few souls who have chosen against reincarnation but have yet to find a home.

They've wandered and they've seen and played, but Enki always felt as if something was missing. In fact, plenty of things were still missing, but one thing bothered him most at the moment; It has simply been too long since last he had something to eat.

"To be completely honest," he said to his Sirine, "I've never had something to eat."
And then it hit him. A sensation he had never felt before. It was wonderful, if a bit deranged. "We must go and have a look," he said with childish excitement.

Enki, in front of Darrmoon

He looked in awe at the massive maw that was Darrmoon, although the water god did not know the thing's name yet.
The Halflings caught his attention, and their obvious plight saddened him. Still, although childish, Enki was not a child. First order of business was to learn more about that strange sensation he felt from that great maw, what his divine mind already knew was called 'hunger'.

"Hello," he said.

---------
Rollover.
3 (left) + 2 (Rollover) = 5 AP.

[Moose Fisher]

Urist Bershukar, Hope

The dwarves dug deep into the dirt, chipping away stone and revealing riches. Some were brought closer to the surface to make great works for the sky ascension, but other valuables were left within the walls. Decay often arose with vengeance, seeking to drag more into its embrace. When a dwarf lost the ability to aim for the skies, a room awaited it deep within the earth. Amid the riches it would sit forever, appeased by the sacrifice in its name. The halls of the dead pierce deep into the earth as the dwarves continue to toil. Unusual discoveries were made, hollow veins and ancient constructions.

Dwarves always kept a part of their minds skyward. It was a calling, a consuming maw of wind and vapor. Devices were made to touch the skyshroud, but all failed. None could capture the essence of the fabled godship, their failure met with injury and loss of ambition.

Urist pondered the conundrum of the dwarves. They walked on and under the earth, but their real dream was the skies. The deepest recesses of the earth provided the best tools toward the farthest reaches. Dwarves knew more of the earth below than the sky above. The mountains were familiar, full of secrets. To reach the sky, dwarves must bring the earth with them. Urist wondered if the sky could be brought to the earth.

Like dwarves, mountains stretch their fingers for the sky. Mountains could scrape the sky, but more remained out of reach. The mountains helped the dwarves in their attempts toward sky ascension, it was time the dwarves helped the mountains.

Urist gathered up the dwarves, commanding them with the Adamant Blade. The dwarves gathered the earth, giving it to Nolam, the tallest mountain. Higher and higher Nolam grew, extended its reach further into the sky. Nolam brought up the dwarves, living within halls and chambers. Ever higher they climbed, reaching for the top of the sky.

Note: At this moment, dwarves do not have a concept of death in a traditional sense. To a dwarf, death is when a creature loses ambition. This ambition can range from a major goal to simple existence.


-------------

Nedain, Hope

Wave upon wave of animate death crashed against the shores of the Faeli defenders. The masses of vengeful dead lessened since their devastating push into physical form, but the Faeli won little rest. Nedain, with many sleepless nights under her belt stood upon a high rock (in these times the world shifted, leaving behind evidence still seen today) and called to the heavens and depths:

"To those who animate death, hear me! I, a being of life and mind, challenge you! By rite of arms shall we find the greater!"


-------------
1 ap Teach Dwarves: Tombs/Burial Rites
1 ap Shape Land: The Mountain of Nolam

6 = 3 + 3 (rollover)

4 = 6 - 1 - 1

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, Material Plane

Darrmoon leaned forward to see the creature who approached him. His massive tongue licking over his parched lips as he looked at the God, drool spewing down his front.

"Hello, creature. Are you something to be eaten?"

Darrmoon licked his massive maw and grabbed a giant handful of undead creatures dropping them into his mouth. A massive grin on his maw.

"If not, you must be something like Lady Ashe, yuck!"

Several Halflings start grabbing bits of undead dropping from the massive God's maw and putting into pots to fry it up, still twitching. The Halflings throwing the twitching browned necrotic flesh up into the mouth of the massive God. His hunger bring him into a feeding frenzy. Soon, he grabbed one of the Halfling chefs to eat something with a bit of flavor.

"That is better....so, thing like Ashe, what do you want?"

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian, Heliopolis

Dorian looked at the goddess. "Sounds like something that is needed. What would your pantheon be doing?"

Nedain, Hope
The Faeli fought and slew the undead in scores, and the undead dragged Faeli screaming to their death, but it seemed a stalemate, right up until both sides sensed a series of large crashes echoing up the earth.

Out on the far horizon, a huge shape loomed black against the sun. As it got closer, it took on a distinct man shape. The baying of a pack of wolves could be heard it traveled closer and closer.

Finally, the fighters could actually see what was happening. A titan wielding what appeared to be a small tree sprinted through the undead legions, followed by a pack of comically oversized wolves who would quickly kill any stragglers.

The titan and wolves slowed trying to reach the Faeli as more and mroe undead attacked. In a moment they were all surrounded, coming closer and closer to destruction.

[Shmee]

Asharra (Abyssal form): The Abyss

The massive eldrich abomination swam through the waters of the abyss, moving with great speed towards the interloper she had heard of. Already it had slain one of her children. Birthing more would be arduous... and she was tired of interlopers.

(I have NO idea what Schmee's god looks like... Some sort of mass of red clouds and energy, I think. Apologies for the bland description of)

This is my realm! She spoke in a thousand voices that boomed through the ears and mind of all who shared her realm, I do not take well to trespass or the slaying of my children, creator! Explain yourself and explain yourself quickly.



The Abyss

OOC
To answer your question, the god of death, for the moment at least, looks anything from a red mist to a thick red cloud, depending on it's mood. I shall give my character a more humanoid shape soon. Also, for the moment the death god has no name, but will be given his common name by its mortal followers later.


A loud laughter is heard across the Abyss, the entity was pleased to have caught the attention of the one who resided in this plane.

"Is it custom in this world to insult one's guest? I am not a creator, but a destroyer...ah well... I assume it is common courtesy to introduce one self before asking it of someone else... but since I am a guest in your house, I shall indulge you..."

"I have no name to call myself by... therefore you may call me by what ever name you wish to endow me with... I care little for such things. As to what I am... I am death incarnate... I am the ill will that will snuff the final candle... how do you do?" Says the entity, the last part being said with extreme sarcasm.

"Now, as to why I am here... a weird creature barged into my world... not unlike what I am doing now, and in order to save her children from the legions of the dead, she lead me into this world... where I noticed a distinct lack of things dying... and so I decided to fix this mistake because... well... its what I do best... and I dare say that I'm good at it, if one was to look at my handiwork... "

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

These are my children, creator. I created them and I own them. She spoke without voice, thoughts echoing through the lightless sea, You are not the first to come and seek them. This world struggles to unmake itself even as new things are born, it seems.

The massive abyssal thing sized-up this trespasser. The maw had been simple and single-minded, but this being was canny. She had seen it's work in the material and heard of the hordes of the dead that plagued the world outside her own. Ironically in it's drive towards death and destruction, it had created an entirely new type of life... not like the living souls above, nor the soulless things she had formed of her body.

So you tell me that you let another being simply bring you here? That the god of the dead is so easily led? The abyssal thing mocked him, This is not what I expected from the one who plagues creation. Are you a weapon of those you are opposed to? Perhaps you have realized that your task is futile and seek servitude to your betters.

The massive, tentacled horror moved for the surface... allowing the dead god to follow her if he chose. As she did, she changed, until the thing that stepped out onto the jagged rocks of her realm resembled a being not-yet born of this world. A woman... pale and bare, who spoke now in an actual voice.

See you that? She said, gesturing to a distant island that bore the only light one could find in this dark place, That is the realm of another creator. A beast of hunger who devours all. It is like you in everything but foresight. But if you continue to rail against the others above without allies, you will end up far worse than it does... for it has at least one ally. The other creators will not take to your attacks against them. They will unite to preserve what they have made, and combined, they will destroy you.

With a slight smirk, she held aloft her hand, letting a bright, burning light be released from it. Splashing and the screeches of her children could be heard as the abyssal things fled into the depths away from the false sun... It was simple illusion, of course... but even by it's light, the barren, lifeless rock and unfathomably deep seas of her realm were revealed. There was little else here. No plants, no birds, no life. Just water, rock, and the things that lurked below.

This, is your foe. She said, Without it's light, nothing above could be. Slaying a mountain of the mortal things means nothing, for they will make more. But slay this, and nothing above will survive.

Her smirk turned to a disjointed sadist's smile.

And I, can help you do it. Or we can ruin each other in our fighting, as they wish us to. It is your choice.

[Shmee]

The Abyss

"Indeed, it is exactly as you say... I was led on by the one who claims to be protector of the Faeli... rude little thing never even bothered to tell me her name... in any case, I apologize if I am not what you came to expect, though I have yet to make any serious attempts at undoing creation."

The red cloud humours Asharra and begins to follow her. It would seem that as she changed into her female form, the cloud seemed to be wincing in disgust, yet listening as she shows it Darrmoon's domain, and demonstrates the radiance of the sun.

"Ah, so I would once again be manipulated... just like I was sent off by your enemy to you, you would pass me on to become the problem of your enemy. Of course, I have no issues with that, as it gives me a better idea of just how much death I have to spread... and yet I consider all creators are my foes... just some are considered more of a foe than others... "

"Hmmmm.... destroy the sun you say... in order to destroy all life on the Material Plane..."

The red cloud starts to shrink as the god of death starts to plot. All of a sudden it says

"My dear lady! You have given me a most wonderful idea! This will prove to be most entertaining! If you revert into your previous form... I might even have kissed you... if that was possible... in any case... since I am here, I might as well make the most of it, and visit this Lord of Hunger of whom you spoke. If you wish to see what will transpire once I arrive, you may follow me... if not... until next time..."

And with that the entity enters into the Dinning Room, but not before zapping some more Illithids on its way out... just because it could.

The Dinning Room

All of a sudden, the Halflings hear a booming voice

"Ah...there is much death in this place... I can just feel it... this should prove much fun. Greetings little ones... I am death incarnate, and I wish to see just how hunger and death go hand in hand... so lets see... how about you feed me, or I kill you on the spot?"

The Halflings not really sure what to make of this... or for that case how to feed a massive red cloud, start to debate amongst them, until they are interrupted by a voice

"Ahem... waiter... I'd like to make a complaint about the service..."
The closest Halfling simply drops dead at the entity's voice (Death Domain: Wail of the Banshee) and picking up the dead body, the entity places it on a spit and begins to roast the unfortunate Halfling. Once the meat was well cooked, the death god attempts to eat it... and of course being a cloud, the roasted Halfling literally goes right through it, and landing on the floor.

"Well now... this is quite not what I expected... seems hunger is over-rated for one who can't eat..."

All of a sudden, several Halflings explode, as the death god goes on a rampage.

"Doesn't mean I can't have my fun though!"

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

Enough of these intrusions. Asharra thought as she returned to the water... and her normal, writhing form. I've too much to do to be distracted by every roaming thing that comes here with no goal deeper than mindless destruction. If this goddess above sees me as a threat to her, then a threat I will be.

Before she left to pursue her own goals, however... one thing needed to be done. It was apparent now that at least one other creator sought to slay what she had made. Perhaps this was some sort of revenge for shunting the maw into the world above... In either case, she would brook no further insult or intrusion upon her realm.

With a massive rippling of energy and a swell in the darkness around her, it was done. None but the lowliest would enter the Abyss against her will. Let the death-bringer realize he was now trapped in Darrmoon's realm with no escape but to the material again, or a plane of his own devising. With that settled, and knowledge of the world above from her disciple and mortal lover, she finally felt it was time.

Swimming down into the lightless deep, she bid her remaining children to follow in her wake. By the time she had returned to the surface, the swimming mob behind her was immense. Her children were ready to be released. Stepping from the water again, pale and small compared to her firstborn children... she smiled.

It is time, my children. A whole world lies above for us to fill. She told them, determinedly, Already, we have enemies above. Do as you were made to do, and expand. Dominate. Learn from their servants all that you can before you devour them.

Asharra raised her hands, and the abyssal sea swelled, a literal pillar of water rising to the portal she had made above, held aloft by unseen hands. The Aboleth were first, as was their lot, swimming upwards into the portal and emerging into the now-flooded tunnels of the underdark. Behind them, her lesser children followed, a literal horde of beings set loose upon the world.

With a smile, she followed them.

----------------------

Asharra: Hope (The Underdark)

Her children scattered in every direction upon emerging from the portal below. The firstborn swam for the tunnels that led to the sea and began exploring the depths at their mother's demands. They were the watchers... and their knowledge would be hers.

The Tsochari and Illithids crept for the surface, both repulsed by the sun's blinding light and drawn there by the hum of life from above. What they found was stout creatures, scrapping and chipping at the earth for colored stone. Their tunnels had struck the underdark, and they seemed overjoyed at the idea of exploring it's depths. They would not remain so for long.

It started with one, a single dwarf whom had lagged behind and been inhabited by a Tsochari. The creatures were subversive and insidious, picking more and more of them off each day... replacing them with Tsochari-inhabited vessels in small numbers at a time. Nagging paranoia built amongst the camp as the dwarves began to notice that several of their companions were acting "off", but it was too late. Now almost outnumbering the free dwarves, the Tsochari miners collapsed the tunnels to the surface, trapping the dwarves with them in the dark. Then, in a frenzy of possession and fierce violence, they attacked. The only ones that escaped were the ones who took their own lives.

The remaining dwarves were subdued and enslaved... used as vessels for the first of the Illithids to grow to their true forms. Unlike their suicidal comrades, it took them days to die, as the Illithids bored into their skulls. What remained after looked nothing like the stout creatures they had been. Gaunt and stretched, with slender limbs and a face out of nightmares. The Illithids were finally and truly born.

The Tsochari-possessed miners dug out the tunnels to the surface, emerging to their worried kinsmen above with stories of a terrible accident, but of the riches that they found below in a series of new tunnels far, far below the earth. Greedy creatures, there was no doubts of what the dwarves would do... and they would be waiting. They would dominate. They would expand.

*scare chord*

--------------------

Divine Actions:
Despite the wall of text above, her only action this time was to Lock the Abyss so people stop stomping on her crap. The abyss is now sealed to any creature with a divine rank who does not have her express permission to enter. Darrmoon's pocket of her realm is unaffected and can be entered by anyone who can find it.. but unless they have Asharra's permission or they're mortals, they can't leave the light of the festhall. Darrmoon is entirely unaffected, and can enter her realm if he really wants to... though she might seal him off later.

Lock Plane - 2pts

Total: 2 points + 2 point (weekly) - 2 points (Lock Plane) = 2 points. :smalltongue:

[Goglas]

Enki, with Darrmoon, Material Plane

Enki's face twitched with horror and disgust. He has seen some undead before on Hope, but they were fighting, not eating. Certainly, they were not eating something that was eating them. The whole sight nearly made the water god puke.

He was glad that his own children did not have to suffer thus, as after all, they were immortal, and the fishes were nothing but animals; they had no souls.
(OOC note: Enki doesn't really know that much about dying at the moment. I don't know about other gods' creations, but Enki's animals do not have souls. The only things that have souls are those beings that are conscious of themselves).

The Halflings' pain touched him deeply, and even more so the pain of those souls trapped in the bodies of the undead. Such a cruel fate. Reincarnation into a world of a mortal's pain seemed like a mercy now.

The water god dropped to his knees. His Sirine, worried, knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around him. The Nixies and spirits, feeling fear for the first time, for their god, and because of that great maw, tried to create some sort of protective circle around their master.

His stomach hurt. He was sick. But the aching of his heart was even greater. "Is this all that they are here for, to satiate the ever-hunger of some mindless thing? Are they doomed to a world of pain and fear?"
He struck the ground with his fist. "And all the others? For all the pleasure and warmth and happiness, is this pain really worth it?"
The divine put his hands on the ground, and slowly lowered his head. "What am I to do?" he said.
The Sirine tried to comfort him, reminding him of their time in the depths of the seas, but to no avail. As he heard another crunch of bones breaking inside that terrible thing, he gave in, and let the tears roll from his eyes.
"What am I to do?"

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum, Heliopolis
The lion-headed deity stood as Artis approached him, taking the sphere that was offered he smiled. "So by standing together in a pantheon we will be stronger than standing individually..." He stroked his beard and nodded, "Yes...I would be honoured m'lady." He bowed his head, "Though I may head this pantheon, we are all equals and I would never assume to command you." He turned to Dorian as the Sphere seemingly vanished, appearing at the very bottom of the everflowing fountain, protected by the holy waters.

As he was about to speak, soft wingbeats like music met thier ears as a figure decended from th open roofed temple. The figure was one of Aevum's Solars, standing at slightly under 9ft. tall the winged woman knelt low before the gods gathered. Her skin was tan coloured and her crimson hair cascaded down her back. A pair of glowing white wings were folded against her back and she wore a suit of masterfully crafted plate armour, polished to a silver shine. "You summoned me my lord?" Her voice was as melodic as her wingbeats.

"Indeed Alexandreia, you are the most powerful of my protectors, I need you for a special purpose." He placed a hand on her head and she was enveloped in a golden light, dancing like fire along her body. As she stood a large greatsword appeared in her hand glowing with a golden radiance. "You are to aid Lady Artis and her Faeli in any way you can, Artis, you have entrusted me with the lives of your children, so I entrust you with my finest warrior." The solar nodded before bowing before the Goddess. "And of you Lord Dorian?" He inquired, "Do you accept to become part of this pantheon?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC
Actions
Crate Pantheon = 2 AP (Assuming Artis and Dorian agree)
Raise Mortal Hero Alexandreia Solar Paladin = 0 AP (I think...technically)

AP: 8 - 2 = 6 AP

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: Hope

While her children set about their expansion, Asharra followed the firstborn as they set forth through tunnels that lead them into the massive oceans of creation. Her human-like form was frustratingly unsuitable for moving quickly through the water, and the aboleth left her behind in their haste. Once she had reached the open sea, she attempted to take on her true form, and received only pain in reply. Her natural form was anathema to this world, and creation itself seemed to bar her from it. Irritating.

Instead, she warped her humanoid form into one more suited for swift travel through the seas, replacing everything below her waist with a seething mass of tentacles not unlike those of her natural form. Pleased with the result, she set about exploring the seas.

OOC: Just filler for now. In a few, I figure she'll wander across the weeping sea god... but I'm giving Rae a chance to join the game before I interrupt that scene.

And for the interested, this (http://www.felarya.com/wiki/images/2/2d/Cecaeliawiki.jpg) is pretty much Asharra's aquatic form. Minus the staff.

[Lady Tialait]

The Feast of the Feasting, Darrmoon and Enki


A single halfling walked upto Enki, a wide smile on his face. His black and white robes cut close to his body and a white bit of fabric slung over his outstretched forearm. The halfling's formal clothing could, in time, be known as a butler's uniform. The short creature bowed to Enki then spoke softly.

"Welcome, I apologize to you for the rudeness for the holy creator. He is starving. A luxury we have not allowed. You perhaps are not blessed with the feeling of starvation? Or perhaps you have, yet have not learned the blessing."

The halfling seemed to glide up to Enki breathing deeply with his widened nose. His eyes closed for a moment in what seemed pure pleasure. The halfling smiled again, his sharpened teeth glittering he approached the distraught God. He quickly took the divine's hand and kissed it softly followed by a quick lick. The creature stepped back in shock dropping the God's hand.

"Why...you are quite the rare treat. You not only have never felt the pleasures of starvation, but have never hungered. Allow me to explain something."

The halfling clapped his hands and two halflings approached wearing pure white outfits holding black plates filled with bits of twitching undead flesh.

"Hunger shows one that they are in need of being filled. To be full. One could say that...hunger is the body and souls way of telling a being they can give themselves true pleasure."

The halfling broke off a single finger from a hand on one of the platters and pressed it against his lips then pulled back.

"Consumption is a holy act."

The tiny mans tongue danced over the putrid flesh for a moment, then he snapped his fingers and a table is brought out by two more of his kind wearing pure black robes and handing the butler a tool a sharp knife. The halfling grinned grabbing a hand of undead flesh and slamming it against the table that was wheeled out to them. Quickly the knife turned the twitching undead flesh into a pile of mush that still tries to move and bring itself back together.

"Allow me to explain. Food is the holy sacrament a tool of worship. All meals must be tenderized, prepared. The eater must have a relationship with it's meal. Then when each shred of flesh is taken from the food, it's worth the blood you shed. Wouldn't you agree?"

The small man licked his lips taking a single bit of the undead flesh and feeding it to one of his assistants. He grinned at the man before taking the knife to kill the man placing his body on the cutting table to be prepared.

"Or...is my worship a waste?"

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian smiled. "I believe I shall join your pantheon, yes." Dorian drew a wooden sword from his sheath and lay it on the ground. "I present one of my prized blades as a gift for entering."


6 AP (Two rollovers) -1 (Join Pantheon)= 5 AP

[Shmee]

The Dinning Table

The massive red cloud looks around at it's handiwork. All over the Dinning Table, scores of Halflings are laying on the floor dead, others running around screaming in panic. The screaming stops as the death god pauses his rampage and looks around at the immaculately prepared table, stretching for miles, filled with countless dishes of all sorts.

"What a sad fate... born merely for the purpose of digestion..."

As the entity looks at the dishes on the table, it gets an idea on how to leave its mark on this world. A voice is heard all over the Dinning Table.

"RISE UP!"

At first nothing happens. In fact at the other end of the Dinning Table, the Halflings are serving food unaware of the carnage that is going on... that is... until one Halfling waiter, rushing from the kitchen, prepares to serve a roast chicken. The Halfling places the dish on the table, and turns his attention to serving a salad... however, upon looking at what he had just served, he notices that the roasted chicken is... crawling around the table. The Halfling, unable to beleive his eyes, approaches the chicken for further inspection, at which the zombie chicken jumps at the waiter, ripping his face to shreds.


OOC

AP 18 = 19-1; Pestilence; Night of the Living Full Course Dinner



All over the Dinner Table, chaos erupts, as the dishes rise up from the table and begin to attack the waiters, and spreading death all over. The god of death bursts into a hysterical laughter, as it watches a succulent spit roast pig trample to death yet another unfortunate Halfling.

"Oh I do enjoy finding new and imaginative ways for killing things!"

As more and more dishes rise up to wreak vengeance upon the very ones who cooked and served them, the death god took care to absorb every single death, as it began to grow in power.


OOC

AP 15 = 18-3, Raise DR to 7.

Actions done:
Created the Moon
Created Vengeful Spirits
Created the Living Dead
Night of the Living Full Course Dinner

(I just realized that I have not given my character any class levels... so I'm going to fix that. So I'll make him a... Dread Necromancer 10/ Cleric 10/ True Necromancer 8. So with the raise of DR, he is now a Dread Necromancer 12)

[Raesha]

Aroha, with Enki and Darrmoon, Material Plane

The first tear that was ever shed by a God fell to earth... and knew itself. It felt the burgeoning life around it and knew love and grief all in the same moment. Life was pain and struggle and suffering and yet held such beauty. It sensed it's creators grief and would have wept for him itself were it but not a tear. And so it would not be.

It could not bear the feelings of pain and frustration that came from it's creator; the fear and suffering from the small ones about him. Using the force of it's will and the strength of the one who shed it, the tear took shape. It expanded itself, rising up from the ground, at first nothing more than a indistinct mass of water. It decided it would be a woman; a bringer of life and comfort. She would take in the pain from this world and give peace in its place. All creatures who felt pain would know her healing touch. They would all be her children and feel her love. If no one else, she at least would show them mercy.

The indistinct mass that floated before Enki began to take the shape of a woman, the water seeming to solidify into something more before his very eyes. When all was said and done the young woman that stood before him was beautiful. She was tall and slender with waves of dark hair falling down her back. Her skin was almost as white as the hooded dress she wore and her eyes, which had begun to shed tears as soon as she opened them, were amethyst.

Aroha knelt before her father and touched his face with her cool, pale hands.

"Do not weep, my Father, for I shall weep for both of us. Let me take your grief so that you may know peace."

[Goglas]

Enki, same place

Enki's desperation overwhelmed him, as he could do nothing but watch with wide, watery eyes as the Halfling explained himself and his god. Seeing their customs and the commandments of these creatures, forced on them by their god, unfold right before him was bad enough, but to understand their reasoning was even worse.

He felt all strength escape him. His insides turned as the head butler, or so he assumed the twisted creature in front of him to be, took hold of the knife presented to him and started to cut open one of his own.

His head dropped to the ground again as his body gave way to something nasty and dark inside of him, trying to crawl out. It was then he saw one of his tears beginning to take shape. Quickly he put his hand over his mouth and barely held it back.

His daughter's touch was almost enough to take all his pain away. He held her hand against his cheek and was finally able to smile. It was not a feeling of happiness, or fun, or satisfaction. It was pure comfort.

"Daughter," he whispered, using his sleeve to wipe away the tears, "I'm so sorry."
His grief taken away by his first born, he could feel nothing now but anger. He stood up and grabbed the wide-nosed Halfling by the collar, and with a great shout threw him at Darrmoon.
He jumped up above the spirits and the sprites, roared with the strength of the depths and lunged at the Great Maw.

-----
OOC: Also, 2 more AP from second rollover. 5 + 2 = 7

[MasterofMockery]

Kaleth, Valorum Tower Study
Kaleth Paced in his study, looking out his crystal window at what his followers had made of his city. Now the warforged have spread throughout the city and were beginning to remake themseves. He felt more powerful than he had before, with a new grasp on his divinity. Now he needed to find allies.

Kaleth, Valorum Portal Room
" Watcher, have you found anything of note."

"Yesss...lord." The long nights standing over the scrying had worn away at the watcher reducing her to a skeleton, but she was grinning a fierce smile. For years she had been blind to the world, but now she saw further into the nature of the world and into the souls of mortals and gods. "I believe I have found several new deities all gathered together for some purpose.

"Excellent, have the gatekeeper redirect the portal to the plane, and send a message to Zandrak he will be my first representative, while I shall prepare for my entrance."

Archmage Zandrak, Heliopolis

He looked at the pearly gates of the city in wonder and tapped a nearby archon.
"Sir, I have a message for your master. could you lead me to him."

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, The Material Realm


Darrmoon was busy as Enki charged him. Eating tons and tons of flesh was a very engrossing task. Thankfully for those yet born, the Halfling Chef had been preparing the vexed God. Milking the emotional turmoil, pushing for more suffering. Letting the flavor of the dread mature into a spicy rage. The flavor was mature, the power of the emotion tainting the meaty flavor of the power divine. Yes, this meal was a masterpiece. One thing left to be done about all of it.

"My lord, the flavor is perfect. DINNER IS SERVED!"

The great mass of pink turned to the charging Enki, opening his massive maw in a gesture of hunger and consumption. This moment had been acted upon again and again by all hungry. One chew, two, three, then a swallow. The ritual was done. Enki was no more.

"Yum. MORE!"

[Goglas]

Enki, inside Darrmoon

Darrmoon's maw was simply too enormous to dodge, and Enki's trajectory had already been decided seconds ago. It was too late. His rage turned into fright as the Great Maw closed around him, and before the first sharp teeth sliced through his flesh, he was already screaming in panic.

The first chew removed his left hand and sliced deep across his back. The second took off a finger and pierced his abdomen, his insides stretched against the huge monstrous teeth and his body dangling like a puppet on strings.
The third chew separated his insides from his belly and he dropped on the thing's tongue. All was dark around, and extremely sticky. Before he could even moan at the pain, the tongue moved up and down, creating a small wave that pushed the water god to the beast's throat.

It was done. He would soon die, and he knew it. Covered in all the juices of Darrmoon's indigestion system, Enki was willing to let go of life. But the thing inside him was not. It still clung there, inside of him, perhaps even to his soul.
"Push, father!" it called out to him. "Destroy this thing!"
Enki's hand turned to a fist, and a sword appeared. Whether it was his own magics that brought it to him or that of the thing inside him, Enki was not certain, nor did he care at that point.

The sword, later to be known as Halfling's Bane, rose up by its own strength, and pushed Enki to his feet. The water god screamed, panic, fear, rage and that thing inside him all pushing him forward, and sliced open his way to freedom.

He staggered out, the light of the sun blinding him. Pieces of his flesh, still being eaten by Darrmoon's black juices, fell to the stained ground as he walked.
Halfling's Bane fell to the ground, and Enki dropped to his knees beside it.
He coughed, again and again, covered in the juices of Darrmoon and in his own blue blood, until he could hold the thing inside him no longer. He let it all out, small pieces of flesh and blood and juices all mixed by black, murky water.

When he was done, he coughed once more and fell unconscious into his own vomit.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: Hope

The great seas of the material were vast, and teeming with life of all shapes and sizes. Swimming through the deep oceans, Asharra was impressed at the sheer amount of things dwelling in this world. Everything from the tiniest fish and plants, to massive eels, to strange fey creatures could be found amongst the waves. She searched onwards, until a staggering pain rippled through the seas, along with the scent of blood upon the water. It was like nothing she had ever felt before... the pain of so much at once. It was as if the very seas themselves were suffering. A creator was fallen.

Speeding through the water, Asharra followed the pain to it's source. Every creature in the vast ocean could sense their lord's suffering. He was torn and broken... barely alive. The essence... the very life blood of a god trickled into the water beside the cavernous maw. She knew that creature all too well... The tattered one and the woman beside him less so. It would do her no good if the maw consumed the power of another. She would not have it become stronger than she.

Darrmoon!

Rising from the water and literally growing in size as she did, Asharra looked over the scene with anger in her eyes. Soon, she was utterly massive in size, her humanoid torso above the waters of the great sea as the tentacled mass beneath snaked through the sea below.

Enough of this! Unless you think you can best me as well in that wounded state, I suggest you return to your home! Or must two be slain today?

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, Material Realm

The massive creature looked at the Lady of Horror. His mouth agape as he spoke.

"What? You would deny me a meal? I should eat you...but you are not prepared. Food that is not prepared is a waste to devour."

Darrmoon turned slowly and moved to go to the dining table. It was time to deal with the creatures left there, and teach a being the meaning of domain.

[hatredspawn]

Nothing: Hope (darrmoons wounds)
As the great maw turns to leave his wounds pull open slightly and a thick dark ooze pours forth staining the ground. As the ooze pours out and spreads it begins to take the shape of a shadow of overhead light and the surrounding light begins to fade. When the oozing stops nothing begins to rise.

"So much something"

As Nothing reaches full hight he steps from the pool of ooze and begins to walk off.

"I must find less"

[Moose Fisher]

Dwarves, Mountain of Nolam

Higher and higher did they build their dwarven mountain, pushing though the blue sky.

"We shall reach the skyshroud," they said with great pride, "The sky and heavens shall fill our grasp!"

Towers and dirt and trees and waterfalls made up Nolam, the great earthen finger. The dwarven earthmasters knew the secrets of stone, whispering the knowledge to Nolam. The splendor of the dwarves could be seen from distant lands, and the dwarves smiled at their high status and coming ascension. The dwarves were Nolam and Nolam was the dwarves. Their reach would extend to the realm of the gods!

Progress did not come with ease. Strangers from below the earth wished to take the Mountain of Nolam. Blasphemous creatures, they knew not how to build like dwarves yet wanted sky ascension for themselves! Their forms were many, yet united with their actions against their hosts. Clothing of skin hid their lies and attempted thefts of mind were made, but the strangers could not steal the essence of a dwarf! They knew not how to build like dwarves, nor did they know the father's father's and mother's mother's and those beyond. They tied their beards wrong and wore insulting braids, signs of their parasitism! A dwarf was ever vigilant against the strangers. Those who shied from community or grew lax of traditions were stripped of ambition for the sky and sent deep into the depths of the Abyss.

Urist Bershukar advised on the growth of Nolam and worked alongside his kin at the top.

"We shall tear the skyshroud," he said with his kin, "We shall build beyond into the realm of the gods!"


-----------------

Current AP: 7 (4+3rollover)

1ap Teach Dwarves: Masonry

6 = 7-1

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: Hope

Asharra watched as the gluttonous one left. She was certain she could best it had it choose to fight, but she much preferred that such was not the case. No sense in risking destruction if it could be avoided.

Gazing down to the tattered god and the woman beside him, she mused over her options. Earning an ally seemed the best idea... as she had likely just made an enemy in Darrmoon. The woman seemed similar in form to her own humanoid state... something she found curious. Another creator almost certainly. Shrinking down again to the same size as the woman before her, Asharra shed the writhing mass of tendrils that formed her lower half, instead taking on her own human form to match. She stepped dripping from the water and approached them both.

He must not perish. She said insistently, Get him away from here far and fast. There are other things. Worse things... that would revel greatly in slaying a creator.

Asharra held her hand over the pool of blood, bile and torn flesh that had been rent from Enki. At her will, the substance rose from the water and swirled about herself before it steamed into her hand and literally sunk into her flesh. After a few moments it had vanished into her, leaving nothing to stain her pale skin.

Suddenly, her mind and body were awash with the mingled essence of the gods themselves... the very lifeblood of a creator mixed with her own, filling her with a rush of power as it seeped throughout her being. For a moment she was still, her body shaking slightly under the influx of power... then a wicked smile crossed her face.

Mmm... Such power. She said with a silken laugh and a devil's grin, Best to keep from the wrong hands, hmm?

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Godly Actions

Technically this post is a smidge early, as I won't have the AP for this until the rollover on sunday, but I wanted to post now to give Raesha a chance to reply quicker, rather than sitting on my hands until sunday about it. If that's a problem, I'll rescind this action and push it forward a day or so.

I'm guessing it's ok though, so just assume this all actually happened on Sunday, post rollover.

Evolve Physically: Aka: The Quickening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TbsLV2yklw)! Due to the many changes she's forced on herself of late. (Re-learning her human form, adapting to the sun, and most of all, absorbing the shed blood and bile of Enki and Darrmoon) 3 pts

Next post, she'll be birthing a certain Aboleth as a side effect of her divine theft/absorption. :smallbiggrin:

[Raesha]

Aroha, Material Plane

The woman now standing before her seemed off somehow. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was about her... but at the moment it mattered little to Aroha. She had helped save her father from the maw. She was grateful.

Her gaze drifted from the woman to the broken form of her father. The tears that consistently trailed down her face began to flow a little faster. So much pain. It was a blessing he was unconscious. She moved over to him and bent down to gather his battered body in her arms.

"Thank you... for helping him. I'll protect him until he is strong again."

Aroha suppressed a shudder as the woman absorbed part of the flesh and ickor that had been left behind. The woman's smile was disquieting, as were her words... but Aroha chose to ignore these things for the time being.

"If you tell me who you are, I'll be sure to tell my father to whom he owes his gratitude."

[Kogan Urufu]

Aevum, Heliopolis
The lion-headed god nodded slightly and smiled, his eyes glowing gold as the light spread across his body and infused his being, the three gods were linked together in a pantheon. “There, it is done.” He spoke and returned to his throne, the solar picking up the wooden blade and smiling as she bowed to Dorian.

Solar Gatekeeper, Heliopolis
The nine foot tall humanoid turned, his silver skin glimmering in the sunlight as he looked at the figure before him. His eyes, two pools of liquid gold regarded the creature curiously. “You are mortal are you not?” He raised an eyebrow, “We do not often get living mortals in this place.” His voice was deep and slow and seemed to echo throughout the plane. “Very well, follow me.” He walked towards the gates as they swung open silently as the solar made his way along the street, the white marble stones almost glowing in the sunlight.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC
Divine Actions
+3 AP Weekly Rollover
-3 AP Raise Divine Rank (lost count of the actions I've done, but it must be at least 4 by now)
-3 AP Evolve Physically (I just became the leader of a Pantheon)
AP: 6+3-3-3 = 3 AP, Divine Rank +1 = 7, +1 Pantheon AP (Shared with Dorian and Artis)

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The coasts of Hope (Alongside Raesha and Enki)

Father? She had called this broken one father. Asharra felt from this woman the radiance of a creator herself, and yet she had been created by another? She did not know that birthing another god was possible. The wicked smile gracing her lips deepened.

Asharra. She spoke simply, When your... father... is well, tell him to seek me out. In the deepest parts of the deepest sea, he will find the way to my realm. I will await him there. But tell me... what is your name?

[Raesha]

Aroha, Material Plane

A name? She had no name. She was mercy. Asharra watched her and she fought the urge to squirm under her disquieting gaze. She shifted her father's still form in her arms and unconsciously began pumping healing energy into him, drawing his pain into herself. The less he suffered the better.

"Aroha... you may call me Aroha. I'll be sure to tell him to seek you out when he is well again."

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The coasts of Hope

Aroha. I will remember it. She promised with that wicked smile. I'm certain we will meet again.

And with that, she was gone, returning to the sea, and her aquatic form. An idea had formed in her head... One she was eager to test. She could feel new power in her form, and wished to test it. Leagues went by as she swum to the series of tunnels she had created... making her way into the underdark. She could already feel it forming inside her at her will. She made her way through the deepest tunnels, returning to the darkness of the Abyss.

------------------

The Abyss (Click for musical ambiance) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3AqbkvKMiA&feature=related)

In the dark depths of her realm, she returned to her true form... the writhing mass of eyes and tendrils that made up her body stretching for miles in the endless deep. Her children gathered around her, curious... as she birthed new life in a way she never thought possible. The very essence of divinity seeped into the being she brought forth into her dark world... A god was born.

It bore the form of her firstborn children, the Aboleth... though it dwarfed them in size, and she could feel the waves of power rolling from the newborn god. It was perfect. As it emerged into depths of her realm, she spoke to it in her true voice, the deep, echoing sound coming from outside and within at once.

Welcome to existence, my son.

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

At long last, the time had come. Complete sentience. He felt the world shudder at his presence, and the fear gave him satisfaction. His body, vast and squamous, brimming with eldritch power wrapped about his boundless mind. He could feel every pulse of the Universe, and his mind reached far unto the blackest voids of space...and beyond. He felt the frozen water caress his form, knowing at once that he was home. The blackest depths of an antediluvian sea...this was where he belonged. His three eyes opened, various membranes sliding out of place, his eyes bulging out slightly from the relieved pressure before settling back into their sockets. He reached out to grasp a passing aboleth with his mighty tentacles, and observed it. After a moment of admiring its form, he let it swim from his grasp. His gaze then turned to his Mother. He found her form to be...exquisite. Indeed, she had power...but yet he could feel that his was greater. He knew his origin well...born of three gods...superior to them all.

When he spoke, his voice echoed through all of his gills. It was deep, powerful, commanding, and altogether abhorrent. Only a being like Asharra could truly hear such a voice and feel nothing.

"At long last, I dwell amongst the Creators. Mother...your world is beautiful. A realm of endless blackness, of frozen water...this is a world that shall endure for millenia...and yet never change. I know that the rest of the world thinks otherwise...insolent wretches." he growled, his tentacles curling slightly with rage before relaxing.

"...How fares the Father that takes a humanoid form? Does he live?" he asked nonchalantly, settling into his seemingly emotionless state. In truth, he cared for the state of his Father. He had many questions to ask his Mother and Father. He hungered for the knowledge that his mind had yet to receive.

[Shmee]

The Dinning Table

The god of death, watched as the living dead ravaged throughout the dinning table. Helpless Halflings falling everywhere, only to join ranks with the attacking dishes. It had been fun at first, but now it was starting to get rather boring. Deciding that it had enough exploring around the various planes, what being a rather easily distracted creature, the entity decides that it has been sidetracked enough, and should return to what it intended to do, before it was interrupted by Artis' intrusion.

And so, the god of death departs the Dinning Table for the moon. Of course it doesn't mean that the living dead have stopped attacking anything that moves within the Dinning Table of course.

The Moon

In the skies above the wastelands of the moon, a bright flash erupts, as the god of death returns to its home. Back on the material plane, the Moon was always a point of great interest amongst the mortals. Dominating the night sky, it gave out an eerie colour as it rotated through its cycle of phases. However, eventually mortal astronomers noticed something odd... every time, there was a full moon, it was noticed the moon was getting... bigger?

It didn't take too long for astronomers to realize that the moon was not getting bigger, but was in fact giving off such an impression, due to the fact that the moon was coming to a closer proximity towards the earth itself.

Back on the Moon, the red cloud watches the material plane with evil intent, and shouts so that its voice can be heard throughout the entire Moon.

"And so the time comes. Awaken my friend! Stare down upon this sleeping world with me, as it awakens to see the sign of the end which draws near!"

There was no response upon the lifeless moon to the command which was given, save for the eerie silence. All of a sudden, the silence is broken with what seemed to be a long drawn moan, as violent earthquakes erupted all over the surface, causing massive chasms all over the surface, as the sentient Moon, obeying its master's command began to awake.

Back on the material plane, mortals looked into the night sky with awe, as the Moon slowly opened its massive eyes, full of malice, to peer onto the world. As it did so, more earthquakes erupt upon the Moon's surface as a grin is slowly formed, until the Moon, now fully awakened, leers maliciously onto the world, eagerness in its eyes to full fill its purpose.

"Patience my friend... patience. They have yet to know the true horrors of the Moon!"

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

You know of him? Interesting. She "spoke", impressed at the new creature's knowledge.

It seemed to have gained the knowledge that she herself possessed somehow. Or perhaps there was another reason. Facinating. Given the gift of her firstborn of memory, perhaps her spawn too gathered the memories of others of his kind.

He will live. His child tends him now, and I sense that she is powerful. She told her "son" with amusement as his lesser brothers and sisters gathered around him in awe, They will come to seek us when he is well, I am all but certain. But do not trust him. All who dwell out under the sun of creation will loathe you. Know this.

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

He brushed aside any creatures he felt were drawing too close to his form. His three eyes were constantly taking in his surroundings, with one of them always focused on his Mother. He took in her words, his mind translating every possible meaning those words could hold, and recording them. He filled his brain with possibilities, and still, it always had room for more.

His Mother spoke of Trust. He knew well to trust no one. He was certain that he could not fully trust her. She had her own goals and interests after all. While they may share goals for a time...paths always diverge at some point. He would always keep that in mind.

"I need no love from those selfish enough to believe that they deserve existence any more than we do. I shall turn their loathing into fear, and their hatred into madness. ...Mark my words, Mother. ...There will be a day where you shall be able to swim across a boundless sea, bereft of shorelines, and bereft of sunlight. And I shall be the one to deliver that fate unto them." he said coldly.

He paused for a moment, thoughts of his Father coming back to him.

"Surely" he said with some disbelief, "my Father realizes that his domain is cut off from the rest of the world. Should he not despise the land-dweller as well? Certainly, we need not trust him, but at the very least, should he not be our unwitting ally?"

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

I know not. All I know of your father is the taste of his blood. She told Ulthrogrog, And that he is foe to the beast that shares this realm. The one who lurks up above. It is likely foe to us both... and it will devour you if given the chance, as it tried to devour your father.

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

Ulthrogrog silently noted his mother's lack of omniscience.

"The creature is welcome to try. I am thankful for your warning, Mother. I shall be wary...while dreaming of its destruction." he said, drifting off slightly as he spoke of dreams.

He quickly became introspective, forgetting that existence of all else but the depths of his own mind. The mere mention of dreams made him think of the concept of the mind itself. He knew that he was capable of altering the world with his own...he was curious if others could as well. He reached out, knowing he could touch the minds of every creature in existence, reading their surface thoughts. He plunged deeper and deeper, removing the more insipid thoughts from his perception until he was only aware of the thoughts of his lesser brethren. To him, their minds were lakes in comparison to the ocean that was his mind. The creatures writhed and bellowed in agony as he plunged ever deeper into their thoughts. He saw the potential for something deep inside of them, a latent power waiting to still be unlocked. Their boundless minds had the potential to do as he did. To walk the corridors of others' minds, with or without their consent.

"Mother. You have bestowed the gift of Arcane power upon your children. But they have so much more potential...I shall show you what your children are capable of." he said proudly.

Thousands of sickly, bright-green tendrils extended from his forehead, burrowing into every aberration that his mind could percieve. Their mental anguish was excruciating, bolts of the energy licking across the flesh of the tormented creatures. Many began to bleed from their eyes and mouths, their brains expanding until they pushed through their skulls, leading to death. But for those strong enough to endure this trial had their vast intellects fortified further. From the mighty aboleth to the lowly illithid tadpole, they were all touched by his mind. He knew he had unlocked the potential for a great new power amongst his Mother's children. In an act of mercy, the mighty Aboleth god rejuvenated those that had been slain by his gift.

"The weak shall perish, but we are beset by enemies on all sides. We cannot afford to lose any of our own kind. When we are all that remains...then we shall cleave the weak from the strong." he said sagely, "I shall remain here with you until Father comes. He and I have much to discuss. All three of us do..."

--------------
Godly Actions

Create Concept-The Power of the Mind (Psions and Erudites) 3 AP

20-3=17 AP

I hope I did all of that right.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

Already her child impressed her. Her children grew strong... far stronger than before. Her domain filled with the muddled, alien thoughts of aberrations as they explored this new power. She did not know if she would always be able to trust Ulthrogrog... but it hardly mattered. His very existence would do much she wanted done.

Impressive. You are every bit my equal, my child. Tell me... what will you do if your father stands against you? Where does your loyalty to him lie?

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

Ulthrogrog surpressed the urge to correct his Mother, to tell her that he was her superior. However, he did not wish to displease her so quickly after impressing her. He took pride in her approval.

He thought for a moment on her other words. He knew that if his Father were to stand against him, he would do everything in his power to prove him a fool for doing so. He knew his Mother, by her very nature, was an inconstant being. Although he respected his Mother, and thus far had no reason to despise his Father (he hardly considered Hungry One his father in any sense of the word, so the brief thought of He Who Must Consume passed from Ulthrogrog's mind very quickly), he refused to be a slave to either of them. Both would call it something different, but in the end, a follower is a Slave, and a leader is a Master. As far as he was concerned, at least.

"My loyalty is my own, Mother. Never raise a hand against me, and I shall never be your foe. But I shall not be your follower. My mind and power are independent of your influence, and I intend for it to remain as such. However, I am your Son. I shall never be the one to initiate betrayal and conflict between us. This I swear. If Father does stand against me, he will have much to regret. I do not wish to make an enemy of him, but if he makes an enemy of me, I shall have no choice in the matter. I hope he makes the intelligent choice and stands beside me. Beside you. Beside us."

He paused for a moment, his mind ablaze with something he could not describe. It was a feeling he could not identify. It made him simultaneously angry and uncomfortable. Angry for not knowing the nature of something that dwelled within his own mind. Uncomfortable of the fact that there could exist something that he could not identify. However, he could not control it. He spoke once more, retaining his cold aura of authority.

"Mother. It would be logical to solidfy our alliance before Time alters our perception, as it is prone to doing. I wish to make an oath of my previous statement. A bond that would punish the traitor, should either of us forget what was discussed here." here the Son extended a tentacle towards his Mother, "Will you swear to me that neither you, nor a machination started by you, nor a machination involving you, or I, nor a machination started by me, nor a machination involving me, shall betray each other. So long as we are aware of the treachery, so long as we both exist? And should we dishonour this agreement, rest easy knowing that the traitor shall be harshly punished by the Law and Power that I invest in these Words?"

As he spoke, each word, indeed, became heavy with eldritch power. Each one carrying a meaning beyond what they stated. Each syllable holding a power that promised to deliver upon what it promised. He kept his tentacle extended, hoping that she would honour this request from her Son. Even if he never understood the feeling that boiled within him, he would at least know that this would banish it from his mind for eternity.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra

The laughter of a thousand alien maws rung out through the Abyss.

Law? Law has no power here. It is a meaningless word of mortals who wish to pretend there is order and form to the world. She said in endless amusement, I have no reason to destroy you... not even to harm you. Why would I slay what I have birthed? I do not even seek to control you. I have enough servants.

The abyssal form of Asharra swam upwards towards the very surface of her realm, to where the light of the Dining Room burned faintly in the distance. The screams and dying groans of the halflings could be heard even from here.

I have no goals, my child. I simply... do. Even I do not understand it. She said, her massive form reduced to he small, harmless visage of a human woman as two of her Aboleth children carried her to the rocky shore. I spread... and create... and entwine myself with all that is. Perhaps one day, I will be part of everything. All knowledge, and all life will be part of me. But as long as there are creators, more will be made that I am not... and there will always be creators. So my task is as pointless as everything else. I am pulled by the strings that made me what I am... and no promise I made to you could change that. I will not insult you by claiming otherwise.

The pale woman looked out to the Dining room with an amused expression, the shrieks of the dying reaching her ears.

What is your goal, my child? To what strings do you dance?

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

Ulthrogrog was correct about one thing. He felt the unknown feeling within him no longer. It was replaced by anger. To have his bargain spat upon so handily was more than enough to cause the Son to grow furious with his Mother.

He breached the surface, a titantic geyser of Blackwater erupting in his wake. Even to the beings that dwelled here, its mere touch could be anathema, sapping away life and replacing it with naught but the void. The water struck the shore, but he was not angry enough to direct it towards his Mother. The pure Blackwater fell about her, a substance that when wielded by Ulthrogrog, could even be anathema to her.

Yet, it slid back and away, congregating about him once more. He now easily dwarfed Asharra, and if he so desired, he could crush her to a pulp. Alas, he could still not summon up enough hatred to do so. His wrath was surpressed, and slowly, he became cold once more. Thunder rumbled in the sunless skies of the Abyss, and although Ulthrogrog's demeanor seemed calm, the seas boiled and tossed about with his fury.

"You speak of the nonexistence of Law, yet speak of the unchanging nature of the world. No matter how much change this world endures, as you said yourself, Mother, there are things that shall always be. That, dearest Mother, is the true essence of Law."

His voice boomed forth from the orifices lining the sides of his head, a thousand voices all conforming to the same statement.

"These 'strings' you envision are of your own construction. You know naught of what you do, yet speak as if you understand all while making claims to the contrary. You may call my goals and desires what you wish, but as I can decide my own path, I know they are not strings. I am the Master of all that I do!"

He composed himself completely, each one of his words spoken in careful cadence and measure. Although the seas were still filled with mighty waves, and the thunder still echoed, they mimicked his order and composure.

"This is my goal, Mother. I shall strike at Creation itself. First, the land-dwellers will know the suffering of the deeps. Then, all will despair to see that the Sun has lost its glow. When the world is covered in constant, unchanging darkness, then I shall snuff the stars. Then I shall snuff the Creators who dare to push us aside like refuse. And then, I will find the Origin of all that once was, is, and shall be. And when I do, I shall be Master of Fate. Then you shall know that Order is not a mortal-born concept. For you shall be living in a world where naught but Order exists. Creation shall drown, Mother. The seas shall spread to all ends of the Universe by my tendrils. Then you shall know who pulls the strings."

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Abyss

Ambitious for one so young. Asharra spoke with a cruel smile. Clearly the mingled essence of three gods had made him powerful. Or perhaps just foolish. His fixation on order had not come from her either. Perhaps one of his parents?

Asharra stepped to the edge of the water, her human form small and insignificant in appearance beside the titanic body of her Aboleth son. Still, she did not fear him. She feared nothing, in fact. Creation? Existence? Life? It was all temporary, even for gods. She had been nothing before, and some part of her longed for it again. Curious.

Very well, my child. Cast your spell again, I agree to your terms. She told him in a calm, silken voice, extending a hand out over the water, I would no sooner betray you than I would myself.

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

Truly, his mother was inconstant. First, she dismissed his pact on its pointlessness, and now she desired for him to intiate it again. There were a multitude of reasons could be doing this. Perhaps she was merely humouring him, after seeing him display his strong belief in Order. Or perhaps he had convinced her of something after all? Whatever the case, he would seize this moment while it still existed. For in the blink of an eye, he knew that all could change. His voice boomed forth, the words of the Pact heavy with power.

"Will you swear to me that neither you, nor a machination started by you, nor a machination involving you, or I, nor a machination started by me, nor a machination involving me, shall betray each other. So long as we are aware of the treachery, so long as we both exist? And should we dishonour this agreement, rest easy knowing that the traitor shall be harshly punished by the Law and Power that I invest in these Words?"

He extended a tentacle and gently wrapped its tip about her comparably tiny, frail hand. No words needed to be spoken, for the Laws of the Universe, as inperceptible as they were to others, resounded in confirmation of the Pact. A soft pulse of midnight blue energy radiated outwards from both of their forms, and faded into nothingness. His tendril lingered upon her hand for a moment, before sliding off, leaving its slimy residue even after it left. Shortly after, a small green symbol of arcane power appeared upon Asharra's palm. A similar one appeared upon Ulthrogrog's tentacle. It was done.

"Through this symbol, we shall know the state of each other constantly. When it detects the act specified in our Pact, its retribution shall be...most deadly. And it shall, of course, alert the other to this betrayal...not that you have any reason to turn on me, or I, you. It shall also let us know when the other is in danger...whether or not we aid each other when that time comes, is entirely up to us."

"I shall not fail in my goals, Mother. Your dreams may yet become a reality."
-----------------
Godly Actions

Forged Pact-"The Love of a Son" or "Pact of the Dwellers in the Darkness" 2 AP.

Essentially, this functions as a reversal of an "Aid Ally". If Asharra or Ulthrogrog get any funny ideas (or rather, act on any funny ideas), it will lay down a great retributive strike on the guilty party (the power of which is not instantly fatal, but the injuries will be crippling.) I also functions as a bit of an alarm system for the Aid Ally function, although either one would still have to spend the AP to perform the Aid Ally function, as normal. I know I am taking a lot of creative liberty here, but, since he is a SUPER LAW GOD, I figured it was not too off.

17-2=15 AP

[Moose Fisher]

Urist and Dwarves, Mountain of Nolam

Urist Bershukar stood atop the greatest work of the dwarves, Adamant Blade in hand. Ever higher they rose in the sky, searching for the top. The thin blue marked their progress, and the moon grew large, yet they still climbed.

The great height made breath feel light. The shroud was close. The Adamant Blade, his work and arm, gleamed with purpose. Urist felt the dwarves were on top of the world, yet there was something pushing him to go further. Climbing this far meant the dwarves were strong, but they needed to press on beyond the expected limit.

Lifting the Adamant Blade, Urist pointed it to their next destination, beyond the world and sky. The blade cut into the fabric of the skyshroud, tearing a way into Heliopolis. A realm of god would have mortal feet tread upon it.

Urist and Dwarves, Heliopolis

Urist Bershukar and the dwarves were amazed at the sight before them. A strange land of strange beings. The air carried a power, and tall gleaming buildings stood. The angels gathered to see the new visitors, and the dwarves huddled in protective vigilance.

Urist Bershukar stood on top an altar, calling out to all in the strange plane with Adamant Blade held high.

"We built the tallest mountain to reach the sky! We have torn the skyshroud! In these strange lands, we shall show our strength by building to the top and beyond!"

The dwarves cheered, the angels stood perplexed, and the Mountain of Nolam reached into Heliopolis.


------------------------

9 = 6+3(rollover)

3ap Raise DR (7 to 8)
Create Herald (Urist Bershukar)

6 = 9 - 3

[Kogan Urufu]

Solar Guardian, Heliopolis
The gold-skinned figure raised an eyebrow as the clouds below parted, the top of a great mountain rising from them, humanoid creatures, no more than 4 and a half foot in height began to decend from the mountain, stepping onto Heliopolis. The leader was clutching some kind of blade in his hand and yelling out for the crowd.

Spreading his snow wite wings he rose into the air, approaching the mountain before stopping in front of the dwarf, his wings beating lazily as he stood in mid air. His silver eyes regarded the small creatures with a mixture of indignation and contempt. "Would you mind telinginforming me as to the reason you are here, uninvited and unannounced?".

[Moose Fisher]

Solar Guardian, Heliopolis
The gold-skinned figure raised an eyebrow as the clouds below parted, the top of a great mountain rising from them, humanoid creatures, no more than 4 and a half foot in height began to descend from the mountain, stepping onto Heliopolis. The leader was clutching some kind of blade in his hand and yelling out for the crowd.

Spreading his snow white wings he rose into the air, approaching the mountain before stopping in front of the dwarf, his wings beating lazily as he stood in mid air. His silver eyes regarded the small creatures with a mixture of indignation and contempt. "Would you mind telinginforming me as to the reason you are here, uninvited and unannounced?".

Urist gaped at the glorious being of creation, a watcher of the people's of the world. Urist, like many dwarves, still held onto his ambitions and fortitude. He beat his chest and proudly said for all to hear:

"Why, we have the burning desire to reach the sky! Our hands carved a great mountain so we may come closer to our desire, but we knew there an even higher place to reach! This place was at the top of the sky, hidden from our worldly eyes, but now we shall reach on high! There is no place to go but up, and we shall go above this world of yours!"

The dwarves cheered and applauded, their spirits a-fire. These winged creatures were strange and held the gift of flight, but the dwarves would reach higher than them regardless of their stature!

[BloodyAngel]

Tsochar-inhabited Dwarves: Heliopolis

The dwarves cheered as they reached the heavens and rent then asunder, revealing a new world. It was not long before the inhabitants of this world took notice of them... and the tsochar were ready. For a long time, they had toiled away inside their inhabited forms... knowing that their mother wished they to spread... and observe. They made occasional contact with the Illithids down below the earth, who were spreading in their own way, claiming the occasional new vessel from amongst the dwarves that strayed too deep. The Tsochar informed them of the dwarves and their leader... as well as his goals and weapon... an artifact of great power that must have come from the gods themselves.

This day, as they stared out into the new, radiant world they had discovered, they knew they had found something that their mother would be most interested in. Even in their stolen forms, the sun here was uncomfortable, and they shielded their eyes as they looked up at the radiant creature that landed in their midst. One dwarf in the back slipped away while the majestic creature captured the attention of all... making his way down the mountian slowly to bring this news to where it needed to be. The others did as they always did... and simply observed.

----------------

Elarion Duskbringer: The Underdark

With the sound of tearing flesh, Elarion rent the chained kobold in a clean cut down his abdomen. The slave's screeched echoed throughout the massive chamber as it hung helpless over the carved stone altar, it's blood pooling on the already heavily stained rock. Just beyond the altar, the jagged rocks dropped off suddenly into an underground sea... it's dark waters descending far, far below the earth into another realm entirely. Motions in the great sea hinted at the beasts it contained... Aboleth and Tsochari mostly. Servants of the dark lady.

Mistress! Hear me! Elarion called out to the black sea, I have done all you asked! Praise of your name fills these caves! More slaves are taken every day! What more do you wish of me, my mistress?

The blood of sacrifice dripped from the altar of the dark lady into the water below... and the sounds of movement from it increased... but still his lady did not appear before him. For too long now he had been without her, and a longing had been building in him that nothing seemed to satisfy. He needed her, like a drowning man needed air.

Has the lady abandoned us? Said a Faeli woman to his side.

Her name was Keia, and her home village had been overrun with the dead before Elarion had met her and put the dead to rest with his magics. Keia had showed him her gratitude in more ways than one, and had been one of the first to join the cult of the lady... bringing the survivors of her home with her. Since then, they had grown strong in this cavern of monsters alongside the lady's other children... the Illithids.

Do not ever speak such things! Elarion said in a mix of anger and fear, We are her chosen! I... am her chosen! She has given us power and safety from the dead above, and you would doubt her?!

Keia recoiled from him, pale hands clutching her holy symbol.

I'm sorry. I did not mean to doubt.

Never do so again. The lady will return to m.. to us. She is testing us. He assured himself.

Of course. She said with a bow of her head.

Elarion and his magic had saved her life and brought her to this safe haven beneath the earth. No matter how the lady's other children disturbed her, she trusted Elarion, and she could tell that the lady's absence weighed on him. He spent his days tense, and slept fitfully. Nothing she could do seemed to fulfill him. Of late, he even seemed too disinterested to share her bed.

We must do more. The lady does not reward the weak. We must prove to her that we are worthy of her blessings! Elarion said determinedly, We must expand.

All who would join us have. Keia reminded him, Most of the others have sworn allegiance to the sky lord or the shaper instead. How will we convince them to join us instead?

We have no time to convince them. Already the moon has shifted... the dead grow stronger. The enemies of the lady are massing, and they will see us slain. Elarion told her, something close to madness behind his eyes, We must bring them into the fold no matter the means.

She knew what she meant to suggest, and the idea worried her more than anything she had seen in the caverns. Her mouth opened, but she could not bring herself to speak before he answered her question on his own.

Ready our arms and armor... and cut down that worthless thing. We will go to the surface and bring the other tribes onto the true path if we must drag them here in chains to do it.

----------------------

Asharra: The Abyss

The power seeping forth from her child was impressive... strong enough to affect even her, now that she had agreed with him. Where his personality had come from, she did not know, but it was all the same.

Do as you will, my child. I will never harm you. She said contently, Your powers are vast and this place as much your home as mine. Do as you will... There are whole worlds yet you have not seen.


--------------------

Divine Actions (Sorta)

Raise mortal followers - Elarion to level 12 (Sorcerer 6, Alienist 6) Keia to level 6 (Sorcerer 3 / Cleric 3) I'm guessing this is allowed despite my god not being present beside them, as they've been gaining exp and praying to Asharra constantly.

And for the record... my version of Sorcery and inborn magic spread quickly amongst the Dark Faeli... as well as their obvious change in temperament and appearance. Their findings have showed that the lady's blessing (IE: Sorcery) spreads through worship and intimacy with those already blessed. That's right... being a drow or a sorcerer is an STD. That IS how Elarion got the power, after all. :smalltongue:

That should encourage lust AND make for a pretty heavy increase in population over time. Of course that means the way to change regular Faeli to Dark Faeli is a bit squicky... but it IS Asharra we're talking about. Destroying the world via her girlie bits since the dawn of time!

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

Ulthrogrog nodded his massive head deliberately at the goddess, his tentacles sliding back into the sea.

"I thank you, Mother. Then I shall make this my home, for the time being. ...I have touched the minds of all of those in these other worlds...perhaps it would do me well to learn of my enemy. Yet I know that the Laws of this Universe shall not allow me to tread upon the Material Realm. ...I shall invest some of my essence upon the Plane. Should Father visit us while I am busy, alert me. I should like to know where he and my Sister stand."

He plunged back into the blackest depths of the Abyss, swimming ever deeper, finding a place where he could truly be alone. He wrapped himself in darkness and frigid cold, intent on not being disturbed by his lesser brethren. They took the hint well enough.

He began to concentrate his power into a single point, scrying into the Material Plane and observing the best place to manifest this power. He was disgusted with the land the marred the surface of the ocean. To him, they were like festering sores upon the world, the creatures upon them were nothing but parasites writing about in their own pus and blood. The light that reflected upon the seas did not suit his liking. He continued to move his vision deeper and deeper into the seas, until he reached the coldest, darkest depths he could find. They paled in comparison with the seas of the Abyss, but they would have to make due. The Blackwater manifested and coalesced into a perfect, featureless sphere of sable. It began to take his shape, and while it was still massive compared to his brethren, it was nothing compared to his true form. He bestowed within this shell a fraction of his essence, enough so that now, his mind existed in two planes at once. He moved his perception to his shell, leaving his true body behind.
-----------------
Ulthrogrog-The Oceans of Hope

The transfer was jarring at first, but he quickly adapted. He quickly filled the trench with Blackwater, claiming it as his own. Any creature that was not quick enough was soon consumed by the Blackwater. Animals and other such mundane creatures were killed and dissolved in mere moments, as did many of the water-dwelling fey. However, he quickly took interest in the creatures, grabbing as many as he could in his tentacles, sustaining their life. It was nothing short of sheer torture for the creatures. He muted their cries for help, crushing their minds expertly so that nothing but catatonic, but living, shells remained. The hundreds wrapped about their tentacles were subject to a horrific change. They lost all of their beauty, their faces lengthening into fish-like snouts, filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth. Their eyes became completely black and bulbous, their hands warping, growing thick webbing and heavy claws. Their bodies bulked considerably, layers of supernatural muscle fortifying their now-scaled forms, replete with sickly green veins of Psionic and Arcane power. Their scales were the same deep, near-black midnight blue as their father's liquid-like skin. The creatures resembled the near-alien benthic fish whose corpses surrounded them, merely with a humanoid form.

He repaired their minds, solidifying their obedience to him. He released them from his grasp, but they did not leave his side. Amused at his creations, he issued forth an order.

"Multiply, my children. The sea is your own. You are the rightful inheritors of this realm. Do not harm your brethren, but do educate them in the way of our supremacy. Those who dwell beneath the waves are the Blessed Ones who shall be spared the coming Black Tide."

It was only by the power of his deityhood that the creatures understood his strange speech, each singing praises to him. However, they paused, no stunned that they did not know the name of their creator. They feel silent, until a single one swam forward, the largest of the bunch, bowing in deference.

"Forgive us, O Watcher in the Depths, for we are but ignorant wretches. What name shall we sing in praise when we deliver your message unto others, and do your work?"

Ulthrogrog thought for only a moment, searching deep inside himself, and at once knowing the syllables of power that formed his being.

"I am Ulthrogrog, The Watcher of the Deep. He who asks questions in search of knowledge shall be praised, and he who mires in ignorance shall perish. Challenge not my power, but remain learned nonetheless. Knowledge of the Laws of the Universe is essential to learning to control them. Destroy the Land-Dweller, protect the Ocean-Born. Those are my commands, that is my wish."

He touched the creature who had been brave enough to gather knowledge from a being he did not know, and instilled it with power greater than that of his brethren. He named the creature "Daeldroth", and taught it the ways to channel Ulthrogrog's divnity.
--------------

Daeldroth-Ocean of Hope

"Heed my words, my brothers and sisters!" hissed Daeldroth, clearly enjoying the power his god had allowed him over his kind, "Our task is clear! Our numbers are few, and the Land-Dwellers are many. We must bolster our ranks! Our god, Ulthrogrog demands that we bring war unto those who walk in the light of the Sun! We must look to our former kindred for aid. They shall give it, whether they are willing, or whether we have to employ...our more convincing ways given to us by our most mighty god!"

They all let forth a final wave of praise for Ulthrogrog, and soon left his physical sight.

Daeldroth and his brethren set forth, converting the willing, and dominating those who did not wish to worship this newborn god. All experienced the transformation at the hands of Daledroth, who had been infused with the aboleth god's flesh-warping slime and corrupting Blackwater. Slowly the warped humanoids became more and more common under the sea, but they made certain to stay hidden within the Blackwater Abysses. They knew well that they were now biding their time. They would need far greater numbers to destroy the Land-Dwellers.

---------------

Ulthrogrog-Ocean of Hope

An invisible change was coming over the world, as no god other than his Father had a vested interest in the seas. He felt power coursing through him, as if the alterations he had made to this world had bestowed him with greater strength. He indulged in the power, greedily devouring it, but when he was finished, he was still hungry for more. Still satisfied with his work thus far, but still not done with his business on the Material Plane, Ulthrogrog began to make his way towards the shores, intent on setting the ground for his aspirations.

----------------------
Godly Actions

Choose Home: The Abyss

Create Avatar, Mold Land, Create Subrace (Ocean-Born aka Phrenic Skum) -5 AP

Raise Mortal Hero-Daeldroth Phrenic Skum Cleric Lvl 6-No cost

Increase DR 6+1=7, -3 AP

15-8=7 AP

[Raesha]

Aroha, Material Plane

She carried the unconscious form of her father. She did not know for how long she walked, and truthfully it did not matter. Her body did not tire. She stopped when she reached a shore. The ocean was vast and there were cliffs of white that gave way to a sandy beach. Her father would like it here, she knew. The gentle lapping sounds of the water would comfort him. She set him down on the sand and pushed out with her power. The ground around them trembled slightly as tall marble pillars broke the surfaced and rose high into the air about them. The sand swirled and fused adding structures of radiant glass to the magnificent architecture of the forming temple. This would be her home. Elysium. A place of beauty and peace. None who sought to harm them would be able to enter.

The building was open and inviting, tucked against the back of a sea-side cliff, the waves of the nearby ocean almost reaching it's marble steps. Long, diaphanous curtains hung from the open archways and fluttered in the wind. This would be their sanctuary while she worked.

She laid her gentle hands on Enki's torn flesh and began to mend. Her ever-present tears flowed faster as she pushed her power into her fallen father. As his bones began to reknit and the gashes in his flesh closed, she made sure to draw his pain into herself. This healing would be painful and she did not want him to suffer. She would bear the burden for him.

After some time, her work was finished and she sat back to look upon her creator. He was once again whole and unblemished and she felt a sense of pride in her accomplishment. His wounds had been grave. Despite the fact that his body bore no mark of his previous injury, he was still asleep. The mind could be a fickle thing, so much harder to heal than any bodily injury. She sat back to wait until he regained consciousness. Her father was strong, she knew he would make it through. In the meantime she was content to sit and watch the ocean, feel the cool ocean breeze on her face and gaze at the wonder of this new world she had been born into.

Mold Land -1AP (created temple from cliffs and sand)
Create Artifact "Elysium" -2AP (none who enter can do harm)
Starting AP 20 + 2 (sunday rollover) -2 -1 = 19

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, The Dining Table

Darrmoon entered his home, there was no food. Undead, the creatures of Death that dared to walk. Creatures who brought no satifaction to the starving gut of Darrmoon. Creatures of not. Darrmoon cared not for them, and did not care to eat them any longer. The material plane swarmed of them, and now his own table was taken over by the spiral of undeath leading not to flavor or to satifaction, but to ruin. Undead.

The scourge would not be allowed in his domain, he was the avatar of hunger, food would be aboundant not rare. The halflings were to serve him, to feed him, to give him new flavor. The undead currupted his power, his flock, and his way of thinking. They would eat without filling and give such things to Darrmoon.

Was the Abyss the only place that could fill his gut and bring him peace? Was the Lady Ashe the only creature who understood flavor? A dark grimmice came over Darrmoon, how dare she? How dare she bring into her busom the only flavor Darrmoon felt fullfilled by!? He would have vengance, this would not be allowed. Darrmoon consumed the Dining Table in whole, spitting the massive plane back out, a barrian waste.

(Shape my Plane: No longer a Table, now a wasteland devoid of anything, save the refuse of a meal eaten. (bones, bits of rotten fatty bits, broken china.))

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian, Heliopolis

Dorian smiles at the solar, and then bows to Aevum. "I must take my leave now. Good day to you, sir." With a word, Dorian disappears.

Dorian, the Void

Dorian stepped into the void and sighed. He needed a home. He was sick of the void, where no life could reign free. Determined to do something, Dorian reached out his hands and pulled forth power from all of nature, bringing about his own plane, and empowering himself.

OOC:

Ugh... I hate dancing.

5+3(Rollover)- 3 (Raise Divine Rank 6-7) -3 Create Plane (Kalintar)

[Moose Fisher]

The Moon

The red cloud floated in the skies above the moon, peering down upon the world. The end to come was drawing nearer... even though it was coming a little slower than it would have liked. The wait was excruciating for one as excitable as the god of death, and yet it would wait, simply to savour the feeling of pure dread and horror when mortals and creators alike would realize the futility of it all.
T
It is then, that the entity of death heard a single challenge.
H


Nedain, Hope

"To those who animate death, hear me! I, a being of life and mind, challenge you! By rite of arms shall we find the greater!"

E
A mortal... daring to challenge the living entity of death? Perhaps it could spare a moment of distraction while it waited for the end... yes... the god of death would indulge itself with a little entertainment.

Nedian Hope
F
As Nedian and the Faeil braced themselves for yet another wave of corpses, they notice something weird. The living dead have stopped their advance, and have all turned towards the giant leering face of the Moon, as if something had given them the command. All of a sudden, the in unison, the living dead opened their mouths and began in a cacophony of howls and roars to sing praises, in their own way, to the Moon.
R
Suddenly in front of Nedian and the rest of the defenders, the cacophony of the living dead is drowned out by a mighty gust of unholy wind, as a gate is opened.
E
"I have heard your challenge, she who is a being of life and mind! The living dead have halted until you cross the threshold of my lair. Once you do, the waves of the living dead shall crash upon your allies with even greater ferocity!"
I
"Then I shall cross," said Nedian, "We all must give ourselves to bring peace."
H
Nedain stepped forward and was dragged by the red mist to its lunar domain. All held Hope as the vengeful dead crashed upon their battlements.
E
The Moon
R
The lunar domain was a hateful place. Life cannot live where death reigns. Nedain felt the pull toward eternal rest, but her passion secured her.
R
"Animator," Nedain called, "show yourself and face the challenge."

The surface erupts in a series of violent earthquakes, as the mortals fighting on the material plane would notice that the Moon's face starts to shift into one of sarcastic amusement.

A voice booms from everywhere across the Moon

"Pathetic little mortal, you tread upon my realm. I am nowhere and everywhere at the same time! Perhaps you shall prove to me that mortals have more manners than the creators and actually indulge me with your name? After all, we shall be spilling our blood soon..."

"I am Nedain. Face your challenge."

"I am sorry... I may have many things... but a face... is not one of them..." Answers the cloud sarcastically.

The voice was biding time, threatening lives in peril. Nedain knew every minute was to her enemy's advantage.

"We all have a face," she said, "Yours isn't physical. You fight through proxies and manipulations. If we are to fight on even ground, you must bring a physical face."

"Ah, but I am afraid we are not on even ground, but though I normally do not do special requests, I shall make an exception for you... consider it as your dying gift."

With that, the red cloud begins to gather itself up into a single point, and with a roar, slams itself onto the surface of the Moon not too far from Nedain. A bright light starts to shine from within the rotating pillar of cloud, until all of a sudden, the cloud disappears, and from it emerges a new figure.

The humanoid creature was a head taller than Nedain, dressed in impeccable clothes which would remind one of the way that nobles dress amongst the mortals. It's leathery-like skin was the colour of deep blood red, and one would notice its equally red tail which ended in in an arrow-like tip. The creature's leathery face was dominated by a huge toothy grin, which almost went from one ear to another and its golden eyes, full of hate and malice.

"There... does this suit your needs?"

Sneers the god of death as it places a top hat on its head to cover its pair of huge horns protruding from its bald forehead.


OOC SHMEE
AP 18= 21-3, Evolve


The face of evil had revealed itself! A form of oppression and manipulation, it was the enemy shackling the world to the sins of its past. Nedain cared not for its garb of theatrics, for it knew they were tainted by its rotten core. Nedain said:

"We are equal, Animator; to battle!"

And evil and mortal fought. Nedain weaved about, limbs darting to and fro to collide with her foe. Her feet were hardened with burden, her hands strengthened by action. Her blade, from craft whispered into the ears of Faeli by the Shaper, shined light about the battlefield.

The lunar domain leeched the life of the one from the world, yet she pressed on. Every motion was for her people.

"This may be your domain," Nedain said with sweat forming on her branch-adorned brow, "But I shall fight for the cause I know is good and right!"

In response to Nedain's attack, the god of death makes a quick flick of his hand, and creates a cane, which he uses to parry her blows. As they cross weapons, the animator pushes his face closer and closer to Nedain, while she is sweating from the effects of the Moon, the death god has not even started to sweat. With a push, he sends Nedain hurling away.

"Oh, but we are anything but equals my dear..."

Says the animator as he slowly makes his way towards Nedain, wanting to make sure that this mortal is aware of the folly of her actions, and wanting to savour the taste of her despair.

"Right... wrong... good... evil... it all means nothing in the end, and that is something none of you can understand!" yells the Animator as he lunges forward towards Nedain with a stabbing motion of his cane.

The blow sends Nedain tumbling across the dusty plains. Her breathing grew heavy from the choking vapors. The Animator claimed it was greater, but it spoke from a higher position than she. Nedain lifted herself up, her body aching but her spirit burning bright.

A cough, a sputter, the mortal seemed weak to the god. Fragile and fleeting as a Mayfly were they to a higher power. However, the mortal does not accept its fate, it presses on and shines!

Nedain stood tall and faced her foe. She felt a power rise within her, fueling her will. The branches on her forehead became antlers, a symbol of her cause.

"I may appear lowly, but that is where you are wrong! I do not cower before you, I seek to tear down the tower you stand in! My cause is right for I know it is, and its greatest value is what I give it!"

Nedain charged the evil one, aiming for the despicable face.

"Face retribution for your deeds!"


OCC MOOSE_FISHER
Create Herald (Nedain)
3ap Evolve Physically
3 = 6-3

Sparks fly as the weapons once again cross.

"Ignorant little gnat! Fight on! For all the good it will do you! Struggle against your fate all you wish! It matters little! This if the very reason why I hate you mortals... I despise you with every fibre of my being! Your stubborn refusal to just sit there and dies annoys me! "

All of a sudden, the Moon itself jumps into the fight, an earthquake causing Nedian to lose her balance and fall to the ground. The death god approaches her, his cane in position to deliver the final blow. It had been fun at first, but now this charade was starting to bore him.

"Perhaps you should have been more specific with the terms of the duel..." he says chuckling evilly "...a lesson to be learned for the next life... except there won't be one for you... I will ensure of that... personally!"

In a blur of motion, the god of death goes for the kill.

But, for Nedain, the acuity of her mind and spirit deflected the blow. She set her blade to her side and thrust with all her might. The virtuous blade cut through air, cane, and flesh. The face of the Animator had been marred!
Hey look a secret message
Nedain rejected the god of death with the impact of her heel and a flip back to her feet. A smile came to Nedain's face.

"First blood, the battle is mine! Knowing your nature, a drop of blood is not enough to satisfy. For one who revels in death, it is the only end."

The blade hovered to the side, ready to be called upon for another taste of blood. Yet as threatening as Nedain was, the god of death was completley ignoring her, but was staring intently into his palm, in complete disbelief... his own blood... his divine blood... shed by a mortal...

Discarding the blood from his hand, the Animator turns towards Nedain. While his face still had his perpetual toothy grin, she could tell by the look in his eye that he was not pleased at all.

"Filthy... little... sheep.. now you've done it... I had thought to play with you, but now you are so very... annoying... AND I HATE BEING ANNOYED!"

Screaming, the death god slams the remains of his cane onto the surface of the Moon. As if commanded, the Moon begins to shake violently, to the point that even the Animator had to steady himself.

"And so... the end begins... all thanks to you..." he hisses at Nedain.

"The end? W-What do you mean the end?"

The god of death simply points in the sky, the battle being paused briefly

"Look over there... your precious world which you wish to protect. Do you notice something Nedain? Do you notice how its quickly getting larger? Well... its size is not changing... its just that the Moon is about to full fill it's purpose... and bring the death of this world!"

"You see, I crave death... the sensation I get with the death of a single creature ... cannot be described in words... and so what would be the ultimate experience... why that would be to create a living Moon... and kill it both along with everything else in the world!"

"That's right! It is destined that the Moon would collide with the world! However, I had originally planned to make it a slow gradual process... you know... savour the sensation of despair as the mortals watch their doom creeping up on them."

"But now, you have forced me to go ahead of schedule... where the Moon might have crashed on the world within a few centuries... it shall now collide within an hour!"

Indeed, the Moon was now rapidly descending upon the world in a mad collision course. The face upon the Moon now turning into one of insane glee as it prepared to die, along with the rest of the world.

As the Moon began to come closer to the world, it's gravitational pull began to wreck chaos all around the world. Major earthquakes began to shake the world, and the coastal areas were hit by major tidal waves, everywhere mortals where running in fear and panic as the end continued to draw closer.

Back on the Moon itself, the god of death was soaking in every single death and was in a state of near ecstasy.

"This is pure bliss! Now then my dear Nedain... know this... our conversation... our fight... is being broadcast around the world... that's right... all your precious mortals and their creators can now watch as their 'Champion' tries to save the world."

"You were right Nedain... a drop of blood is not enough to satisfy me... that is why the blood of the innocent shall flow without end! Lets see for how long you shall shoot that mouth of yours... I'm willing to bet for no more than an hour..."


SHMEE

AP 15 = 18-3, Pestilence x3 on all creatures on the material plane

AP 12 = 15-3 Raise DR to 8 (Dread Necromancer 12, True Necromancer 10, Cleric 10)
Actions done: Evolved, Pestilence x3


The people of the world stood in fear of the antithesis hurtling toward their home. The world was trembling, yet there was still Hope. Through the Void Nedain saw her people and the ones who shared the world.

Nedain's face hardened and hid her fear. As the Animator let words spill from his mouth Nedain planned. She knew what must be done, she knew what she fought for. She felt she was part of something larger than herself, an entity composed of the world. The people looked on with Hope, their fear lessened.

A tooth of the lunar domain was ripped out of its root and planted into the face of the battlefield. Great force shook the ground and riddled it with cracks. The tooth stood tall, sharp point piercing the Void.

The evil one continued to grin as Nedain faced it. Words still poured from its mouth as wicked as its nature. Nedain stopped the flow with her fist. She said:

"We are not playthings for Powers!"

Another blow sent the Animator high. Nedain rose to meet it. The two forces spiraled about in struggle, but only one would be the victor.


OOC MOOSE FISHER

2ap Portfolio (Mortals)
0ap Shape Land (Moon's Tooth) (Shmee let me do this for free since it's his plane)

1=3-2-0

"Futile! Everything you do is futile! Your time has run out!" Yells the Death god as he lunges for another attack.

On the Material Plane the Moon was beginning to penetrate the atmosphere. For all mortals, it did indeed seem that the end had arrived. The gravitational force of the moon caused devastation amongst all mortals. The earthquakes were now so severe that entire continents were being split, entire mountains would collapse as lava began to erupt from beneath the earth. The death toll was indeed high, as there was no sanctuary from the death of all, which was now mere moments away.


OOC
SHMEE
AP 8= 12-4; Pestilence x4 on all mortals on the Material plane
AP5= 8-3, Raise DR to 9, (2 Levels of True Necromancer)

W
"IT ALL ENDS... NOW!" Screams the death god as he prepares to finish this fight, once and for all... victory was in his grasp.
I
Yet he was in the grasp of Nedain. With a shout he flew back to his lunar domain, pierced by the tooth with violent force.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
L
The powerful blow created an up welling of dusty ground, shattering the lunar domain to pieces. The house of evil was forever marred. The cresent shape of the lunar domain reminds us of these events. The world looked up to see their death not halted, but careening away into the Void.
L
Though the larger disaster was averted, it did not come without a price. Pieces from the moon started to slam onto the world, some as meteors, spreading death and devastation amongst the mortals. However the greatest disaster was a large portion of the moon crashing into the world, and thus creating a new corrupted land.


OOC
SHMEE

AP 2= 5-3, Pestilence x3 on all Mortals
AP 0= 2-2, create land


R
The dust settled, revealing the final fate of the evil one. Corrupted body and corrupted heart impaled by self-consuming tooth, separated and ruined. Motion still stirred within death, but it slowed to a sluggish threat.
E
Impaled upon the Moon's Tooth, the god of death was struggling, unable to believe what had just happened. How could he... the living manifestation of death, be defeated by a mere... mortal... no! It wouldn't end that way... he wouldn't let it...
T
Still impaled, and bleeding from his wounds, the god of death struggles to muster all his remaining power as he grabs the mountain impaling him and tries to free himself.
U
"No..." he gurgles as he starts to cough up more of his vile blood "... I am... all powerful... I shall be... the death of this world..." Feeling his powers abandoning him, he musters the only thing he has left; his hatred

"...curse you... curse you all... curse you mortals... curse you... NEDAIN!!!"
R
Once again, coughing up blood, the god of death struggles in vain for one more time, before falling back limp, having breathed his last. The heart would beat for many days until that too eventually stood still. Woe to those who seek fellowship with its darkness. In the grip of the tooth of evil shall they remain, a lesson of the folly and self-destruction of the wicked.
N
Nedain continued to drift through the small Void between the world and the lunar domain. Her words were true and her cause victorious. There was Hope.

The herO returNed to her homEland, helping her battered people rebuild and fetch bountiful harVests. Far and widE waS the spread of life esSence. Blackened horns clatterEd upon the ground, the remaining symboL of the Hero.


OOC
MOOSE FISHER
1ap Nourish Land

0=1-1

[hatredspawn]

Nothing

As the sky falls and remnants of the moon slam the surface of the land, a large chunk lands very near to the being, and it finds a place where it can be comfortable.

" I shall make nothingness here and all who visit shall know that nothing is here and here is nowhere"

Nothing crawls beneath the chunk of moon and make less. As the nothing spreads the plants wither and die, the animals flee and water rises brackish from the sea nearby. The land grows dreary and clouds gather about the realm.

"This shall be mine and no-ones. there shall be nothing here."

not exactly sure what my starting ap os but I know I have at least 2 so
1=2-1 (create land "Dark Marsh")

[Moose Fisher]

Dwarves

A skyship fell toward the world. Its owner wanted to crash it into the world in some strange desire to seek the ground. A great rumble wracked the ground and collapsed many homes, yet the Mountain of Nolam stood. Lifeboats of the skyship fell and crashed into Nolam, yet the architecture of the dwarves remained. Dwarves lost the aspiration for the sky, buried beneath rubble and earth. Those who remained watched the battle on the skyship, cheering on the one with the horns. Nolam still stood at the end, but construction was halted for recovery and repairs.

Faeli

The forests and walls of the Faeli settlements splintered under the lunar assault. Death came in droves, yet no vengeful dead came. The Faeli knew Nedain halted the assaults of the vengeful dead, and were thankful as they rebuilt and harvested the rich crops. Stories of Nedain's battles were passed down through oral traditions and were eventually immortalized by the written word.

Dark Faeli

A dark faeli wandered the dark tunnels of the caverns. In those winding depths she finds a clear pool, its cleansing waters soon rippling across her dark skin. She examined herself in the reflective waters, face framed by curving horns and eyes two red stars. She sighed and dove back into the purifying water.

She was Erah. She was a changed being. Erah was taken by the Children of the Dark Lady, succumbing to the transmutations of all dark faeli. Along with the dark powers and pleasures bestowed upon Erah were the pair of horns declared as a portent. To Erah the horns were likened to a symbol of fortitude, something she relied on in her days.

Erah dried herself on the rocky shore and left the pristine pool for the dark tunnels of the caverns. The light of the surface was a more desired location than the dank underworld. Faeli children were frequently told of the dangers of darkness to stay in safety and remain obedient. As adults they saw the horrors of the vengeful dead and cherished the lessons of their childhood. Erah had learned of the other horrors of the dark. While living with her new kin provided benefits and agreed with the changes in her nature, the other Children of the Dark Lady disturbed her. They were abominations like that of the vengeful dead, dwelling within the deepest darkness. The old stories equated darkness with death. These stories were influenced by the vengeful dead, but Erah noted the similarities between them and the Children of the Dark Lady. Possessive spirits and flesh eaters, the creatures within the earth may also reside within the old stories.

Erah needed to speak with her kin.


------------

Raise Mortal Hero: Erah

[Shmee]

The Material Plane

And so it was that the Lunar Advent came to be. The great story about how a single mortal defied the gods to bring salvation to the world, and yet, there was always the grisly reminder of what may have been. The night sky, dominated by the now crescent-shaped Moon, glowing eerily in the dark, and there, the grisly tomb of the one who tried to undo creation.

Though the collision was avoided, it was not without a great cost to all. The Moon piercing the world's atmosphere had caused great chaos everywhere. However the consequences of the Lunar Advent would not be fully realized yet, for the Moon itself is sentient, and so, when Nedain impaled it with the Moon's Tooth, not only did it's flesh descend like meteors upon the world, but also a substance found deep under the Moon's surface.

The metalloid substance, impacting deep within the earth with the rest of the Moon pieces was a substance most foul. Any mortal unfortunate enough to touch the raw material with their bare hands would find themselves feeling weak and sickly... as if their life was being drained from them. Indeed, unsuspecting villages that lied too close to deposits of this material for a long time would find themselves, frail, pale and skinny.

Yet, there was a lot more, that the mortals did not yet know, about this rare yet most unholy substance, that centuries into the future would be known as Frehenite.

The Moon

Even in death, his legacy lived on. The stiff corpse of the god of death remained impaled upon Moon's Tooth Mountain, as his blood began to trickle down the mountain, and began to seep into the corrupt ground of the Moon.


OOC
AP 1= 4-1, Raise DR to DR10 (2 more levels in True Necromancer)
Actions done:
3 Pestilances
Created Land: Despair

AP0 = 1-1, Create Frehenite

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, The Dining Table

Darrmoon wept. There was nothing but to attack the lady Ashe and claim her realm for his gullet. The squid creatures were not his favorite food. Enki was. He was perfect in flavor, a combination of despair and zeal. Sinless, but had and understanding of sin. Darrmoon rumbled.

"Chef! I need you here NOW!"

The wide-nosed halfling seemed to appear from nowhere. He bowed deeply before Darrmoon.

"My great lord? What upsets you? Do you need something to settle your stomach after a great gorging of a massive meal? Do you need perhaps some beverage to wash away something that offends your palette?"

The Halfling stood before the massive pink mass of hunger without fear, waiting to serve him. Darrmoon had an idea. He would send this creature out to prepare the greatest feast of all.

"Chef! Prepare me the greatest dish of all! Creation!"

The wide-nosed halfling grinned. This would be the great dish he would ever create. He was to bring it all together, he would need the proper tools. His own power would be dwarfed by other great powers. He would ask a favor from the Great Darrmoon.

"Sir, I would ask one tool. A boon. The power Divine."

The humbled halfling almost seemed embarrassed to ask for this boon, it was not for him but for all creatures. He needed the power of Darrmoon to properly create this meal. Darrmoon looked at his Chef, he saw only servitude.

"I will grant you this boon!"

Power seemed to radiate out of Darrmoon and circle the Chef. The wide-nosed halfling shivered and moved as the power forced itself into the creature's mortal form. He was going to soon wield all the powers of the Divine, the Creators, Darrmoon's own powers in this small creature. A maelstrom of power circled the halfling and he was tossed about throwing bits of refuse and litter from around the once grand feast clung to the newly empowered being. A chittering sound came from the newly birthed creature as he moved forward walking on legs made from bits of bone with meat falling from them. One arm but a bone with a long towel trailing down to the ground to wrap around his side and become one with his legs. Undead flesh dropping off his body. His other arm holding a goblet that seemed to overflow with the power divine he was granted by Darrmoon.

"Darrmoon, I go to prepare the world for your Dining Table."

Chittering as he left the newly birthed creator opened a portal to the mortal realm to perhaps doom all. What form would his doom grant the world?

24 AP = 3 Beget God (The Chef DR 1, Domain Corruption, Evil. Portfolio Servitude) -21 Transfer to The Chef - 24 AP

----------------------------------------------------------------

The Chef, Despair

The Chittering creature once known as 'The Chef' walked the world, looking for an idea.

"Thissss....placeee...."

Quickly a snapping took place as the monstrous creature's head snapped and cracked turning a full circle before he spoke again.

"Ah, that feels better. This place will be perfect for the kitchen of the halflings. Yes, a perfect place indeed."

The monster poured the power of Darrmoon upon the land it began to green in an area, soon Halflings began to walk to the green land. The monster's form slowly became more green. He grinned as he continued to pour the power into the land. Darrmoon would get the a most wonderful taste from this place.

However, a place of life was sure to bring forth the undead to expel Darrmoon's woe upon the place. What such creatures never expect, if they do indeed think is that a Godling would be there to meet them.

"No no no. This will not do. None of your kind. Hmm."

Quickly the Godling splashed a bit of Darrmoon's power upon the ground again. The Green Lands sunk quickly into the earth then quickly rose leaving a narrow path up to them. At the entrance to the newly formed green platform a golden gate rose. It's form banishing those not written on a Golden Table sat at the base of the Great Gate. A massive creature sitting next to the tablet to watch for any who would enter. To proof him against death a draft of Darrmoon's power was granted to him.

"Now to began the true business of my Lord."

Quickly all the halfling race were gathered from the scattered tribes and brought before the Chef on the platform of Green. The Green Lands would be their home.

"My children. I shall reveal the truth of all to you. As you are my brother and sisters and we must protect each other. However, you must obey my commands perfectly."

The Chef explained many things to those halflings that day. And each lesson was accented with a small drink of Darrmoon's power. Till every Halfling understood. They were the creatures to create a perfect world. With only a tinge of bitterness. This would be provided in the nature of all creatures. They would only guide such beings away from the bitter taste of Evil, and away from the sweetness of Good. They would also keep the bland taste of neutrality from showing too far. The world must have both bitterness, and sweetness, a spice of passion and a baseline of neutrality to destroy any aftertaste. To help in their studies they learned the arts of agriculture, culinary and etiquette. The Chef was far from done. He had the power of a Creator. He would create.

5 AP = 1 Bless Land: The Green Lands in Despair - 1 Shape Land: Raise the Green Lands with only a Narrow Path to get to them - 3 Create Artifact: The Golden Gate and Guest Book - 2 Create Populous: Trolls - 0 Create Harold of the Chef (The first Troll) - 2 Create Organization (The Art Institute of Culinary) - 2 Create Organization (The Great Hall of Perfection of Works in Agriculture) - 2 Create Organization (The University of Greater Etiquette) - 3 Teach Populous x3 (Culinary, Agriculture, and Etiquette) - 21 AP

[Draken]

Grinding gears ringed through creation, heralding an arrival.

Pipes and cogs and bars and sheets of metal turned in an instant, existing from places unknown, and among vast, ruidous, halls ringed the steps of armored feet. One pair at first, and then many, many more.

"Hohohohoho! I smell something in the earth! Go! Go my friends! Go to the world bellow, right as we join the choir visible we must not delay, postpone or wait! Act! Act, act, act! The wild, the dark and the stone, I sense them. Hohohoho. But the people of Iron, there are none, this is so wrong, wrong, wrong. But I will make it right, right right!"

Material World, Hope and Despair

Small, but heavy, feet treaded the earth, owned by small men and women with ashen skin. They walked the mountains, the caves and the tunnels. And there they settled, strangely clad and holding tools unknown to the people of the world. They settled in the depths, but not too deep, and where it was hot, by the sun or by the fire beneath. They dug and built and carved. And by event, they would meet the other races of the world.

Inovation

Ironmaster Ichmod looked at his people in the world bellow, clapping his hands at their dilligent work and feeling his power grow greater as they labor away.

"Wonderful! Wonderful! The preparations begin! Hohohoho!"


23 AP:
3 AP: Create Plane (Inovation, the Gear City. Traits: Infinite, Normal Time, Objective Directional Gravity, Highly and Divinely Morphic, Enhanced Magic (All infusions and spells that deal with metal are extended or empowered), Impeded Magic (All spells and effects that deal with rust are impeded).).
2 AP: Create Populace (Iron Gnomes).
1 AP: Teach Populace (Mining).
1 AP: Teach Populace (Metalworking).
3 AP: Raise DR to 7.
1 AP: Teach Populace (Fungiculture).

AP left: 12 AP.

If it is not obvious, fungiculture is like agriculture, but growing fungi underground as opposed to actual plants.

[Lady Tialait]

The Chef, The Green Lands

The Chef looked over his creation and quirked his brow. The Goblet of power was almost half-empty. He still had much work to do. Might as well get it done. He tipped his goblet out and the ground grew small creatures with smooth skin and long legs. They walked around mewling and rubbing against halflings, standing almost as tall of the halflings. They came to know them as legglins. From the same drop two more creatures were born. A fat creature that grazed on the Green Lands and grew fatter. Very tasty, if it was to be described you would almost think it it cow, but it's taste would be that of pork. And it was only about the size of a medium sized dog. The halflings came to know them as Pows. The third thing to come from that drop of the power was a giant bird-creature that often ate five or six pows a day. However, their flesh was super-tender and made a very sumptuous meal. They were known as Clawfeet. The animals of the Green Lands would serve the meals and the great schools there. A splash of the power was given to the halfling race again, teaching them how to raise such beings. Farming was to began.

2 AP = 2 create populous (Leggins, Pows, and Clawfeet) - 1 Teach Populous Domesticating Animals - 5 AP

[Moose Fisher]

Valley of Legend

The lunar shards fell and brought death to the world, but one land found life. The Valley of Legend teemed with plants and beasts. It was a land full of Hope, without Despair.

With life came even greater prosperity. Man and Woman were shaped within the protective walls of the valley, living off all the land offered. The children of Man and Woman traveled far to appease their wanderlust. The land held sights both Man and Woman wished to see, secrets Man and Woman wished to know. Man and Woman looked up the skies and out across the seas and wished to travel even farther than their lands.

Man and Woman were beings of action and spirit. Destinies were laid out for all.


------------

4=0+4
1ap Nourish Land
2ap Create Populace: Humans

1 = 4-1-2

[Selinia]

When she awoke, the first thing Klashanna knew was her name. It is a well documented fact that gods and goddesses know their name upon their birth - for who else would name them?

Indeed, the first thing she knew was her name. A close second, however, is that the molten interior of a volcano is an awfully uncomfortable place to wake up.

Of course, many volcanoes across Hope were erupting - once again, it is a well documented fact that world shattering events cause volcanoes to erupt - so Klasanna's emergence went more or less unnoticed amongst the Faeli. Just one, massive, fiery explosion among many.

As she sat (well, floated - you can't properly sit without gravity) in the Void, Klashanna watched, and thought, and even spared a bit of attention for the purpose of dusting volcanic ash off her crystalline form.

Her first thoughts were of her Purpose. She was a Creator - she knew that - but her thought were filled always with tools, and wheels, and cogs and gears and a multitude of things that did not yet have a name. And as she thought, it dawned upon her - these were the tools of mortals! Mighty tools, to rival even the Creators' might in time - tools no other deity would believe them capable of forging!

Her flush of excitement was short-lived. She sent her vision across the world - and was met with crushing disappointment. The mortals had none of the thing she had seen in her dreams! They lived and died solely at the behest of their Magics - and they not once questioned the situation. Crushed by the revelation, Klashanna withdrew her vision once more.

With each of the mortal races, it was the same. The Faeli did not seek progress - their magics cared for them, and they needed little else. Their dark cousins seems promising at first - they embraced change and mutability... then Klashanna's Sight stumbled across one of their ceremonies, and she did her best to forget the Dark Faeli altogether. The Dwarves had ambition, but their aspirations were dead, inflexible things, and they shunned the idea of change. The humans were the most promising of the races, but their young race was too busy exploring the nooks and crannies of their new world to ever stop and think about what they found. The halflings were overlooked -as was their way.

But it is not the way of any great inventor to remain defeated, and Klashanna was no exception. If none of the mortal races were ready to progress, then she would make one that was... but that was building the roof before laying the foundations, first they needed a place to live. And she need a place from which to guide them - the void was not only phenomenally boring, but also quite cold. She sensed there were other Creators about, and one would likely let her enter their realm if she asked nicely, but it simply wouldn't do to let them interfere with her work. She needed a plane of her own. As she gazed down at the world beneath her, she decided that this was a good a place as any.

And as she constructed her soon-to-be home, she delved deep into the recesses of her own mind and produced such things that would surely be thought magic by the mortals of the day. Columns of orichalcum, conduits of raw energy, crystalline windowpanes which could display intricate images of the world below without a wizard to guide them. Eventually, it hung, complete, above the world - her first creation. It was her home, her workshop, and was barred from interference by the magics of the other gods.

AP 17: 20-3(Create Plane-Celestial Observatory: Normal Gravity, Normal Time, Finite Shape, Alterable Morphic, Mildly Good Aligned, Dead Magic)

But there was no time to rest - not yet, anyway. As mortals marveled at the blazing new star in the heavens, Klashanna was scouring its databases in an effort to plan a new continent. After mulling over everything from population migration patterns to estimated times to first contact with another race, she at last had the pattern-form of her new continent ready. She had chosen to raise it west of Hope, separated by a particularly rough sea. But not as large - if their homeland was too massive, her people would never seek out the lands of others. With the plans firmly in hand, she strode out of the Observatory and into the Void, so that she might begin work on the new continent.

As it rose from the sea, Klashanna noted that the land was rocky and barren - not even the ocean floor had escaped the cataclysm. Such a place would never support a thriving civilization. She covered it life, borrowing the best of what she had seen in Hope for the benefit of her new continent. There were forests, but they were not the primal, savage things of the nature god - rather, they were carefully paced, and filled with sturdy timber that would make for fine building material. There were hills, but the towering mountains of the Dwarves were not among them. Instead, they were verdant, rolling, and filled with all manner of minerals. But, in her own humble opinion, the master stroke had been the rivers - dozens of them, crisscrossing the land like a pile of blue ribbons, bringing life wherever they flowed and, more importantly, linking every part of the continent with their gentle flows.

AP 14: 17-1 (Shape Land) - 2 (Nourish Landx2)

Pleased at her handiwork, Klashanna retreated back to the Celestial Observatory to begin planning the race who would bring Progress to the world. There was much to be learned by watching the other mortal races, and by studying the works of the other Creators, she learned much about how to harness her own power. Her first thought as she began her work was of a way to ensure her people worked as one. Such was her first thought. A close second was that Creators get very little time to sleep.

AP 11: 14-3 (Raise DR to 7)

Edited to change East to West - the new continent is WEST - not east - of hope.

[BloodyAngel]

The Underdark

Violent earthquakes tore through the tunnels, shifting and collapsing whole sections of the underdark as they went. Up above, a titanic battle took place between the god of death and a hero that the Dark Faeli had only heard of. Scores of the dark lady's children were crushed or forced to flee the tunnels as the land itself shifted... the rock cracking and molten magma emerging in places. In others, whole sections of the underdark collapsed, leaving colonies of Illithids trapped or crushed entirely.

To Elarion, high sorcerer and devoted of the dark goddess... it was a sign. The surface was ravaged, and their foolish kin had begun a battle that was seeing the earth ripped asunder. He had misinterpreted the lady's wishes. Had they expanded quicker, not only with those who chose to come but by force of their magics... there may be enough of his people to survive the coming cataclysm. This way, they were few in number... The chosen of the Lady would live or die on his decisions. He refused to fail.

But they would never make it to the surface... and the risk of the tunnels was great. He refused to sit idle and hope. The lady wished him to prove himself, not beg succor and show his weakness. His people had only one chance to survive.

Make for the depths, and the pools of sacrifice! He gave the order to his people, even as the ground shook around them.

Keia knew what he intended... and fear gripped her heart. Not one of them had dared try to enter the realm of the lady itself. The things that lurked in the dark there sent shivers down even her spine. But she would not doubt him aloud again. Faith was all she had to depend on now.

Move, Move! She called out, guiding what remained of the Dark Faeli down into the deepest tunnels. Half their number had already been lost in the initial quakes and eruptions... more would likely be lost along the way.

How right she was. The exodus to the deepest tunnels was a costly one, as they quakes were diminished, but the scalding hot blood of the earth itself was an ever present danger. She did all she could to mend the injured... and to help Elarion along his course. She had never seen him more driven. If this cause was madness, she would accept it willing, and follow him into death with her eyes wide open. To die beside him... that was an end she could find solace in. At the very least, she would see that he did not die alone.

After a desperate search for a safe tunnel to use, they finally came to what would be the life or death of them. Stepping forward to the shores of the dark sea, Elarion gathered his willpower and pulled his knife from his belt. It has spilled the blood of many a slave, but today it would find different fare. He could not fail at this.

Lady! He called out over the rumbling around him, I have done all you asked! The only blood left I can give you, is my own!

Dragging the blade across his palm with a wince, he held his hand over the dark waters... knowing full well what horrors lurked beneath. His blood sunk into the water in tense silence for several moments... before Keia stepped up alongside him, and mimicked the gesture... adding her own blood to the pool.

Our lives... our souls... are yours. She spoke aloud, Our everything, is yours.

One by one, the Dark Faeli moved to the shores to add their blood to the waters... a desperate hope better than none. Were they not the lady's chosen? It was all they had been told. Even the most doubtful of them feared to be the only one to abstain. The water churned as it was stained red... and a low rumbling from the earth began to rise. Standing in nervous anticipation, the Dark Faeli waited for what would be their salvation or their death. Only one was without fear. Elarion, the first of their kind and chosen of the goddess herself. He knew she would not abandon him.

He was not mistaken. Erupting from the water came dozens upon dozens of writhing black tendrils... lashing through the stagnant air to grab the first of her chosen and drag him beneath the black water. He heard Keia call his name in worry as he was pulled under, but he cared not. His goddess had come for him, just as he knew she would.

--------------------

Asharra and Elarion: The Abyss

The water was frigid and dark... the crushing pressure around him making his head spin as he was dragged into the deep. As he was moved, he felt himself empowered. The icy water did not bite into his skin. The darkness did not cloud his eyes... and he could draw breath as easily as he did upon the land. The essence of the Abyss itself wormed into him, and he was enraptured of it's power.

He broke from the water into a lightless cavern of unfathomable size... above him, water pooled in a hole in the cavern's ceiling... somehow held above by a force unknown to him. Below him was more blackness and a massive sea that seemed to spread in all directions, with only a few barren, rocky islands dotting it's surface. The tendrils carrying him descended far into the water below, and they did not pull him under... instead depositing him on one of the rocky landmasses and withdrawing into the depths below.

As he looked at the land around him, from the water below came the object of his every longing... the reason of his being. Pale and bare, just as she had been when he had first found her... the frigid water of the abyss dripping from her milky skin... before him stood his lady. Immediately he dropped to his knees, bowing his head.

My goddess...

Shhh. She told him as she drew close, placing a cold, delicate finger to his lips. You have done well, my love. So well.

Her words twisted into his head, leaving him enthralled with her words of praise. He would do anything for her... He would kill... Or he would die. He would believe every lie she told him... and do as she willed. She guided him to his feet, watching him with her mis-matched eyes.

With a tender hand, she stroked his face. Power will be yours, my love... for you have a task of you. But first... I will be yours.

She pressed her lips to his as their bodies moved together... and in the darkness, they became one.

------------------

Godly Actions! AP: 2 +3 (rollover) - 2 (Gain Portfolio: Lust), - 2 (Gain Domain: Lust) - 0 (Raise Mortal Follower: Elarion Sorcerer 6 / Alienist 10 / Nightmare Spinner 2) = 1

That's right, the god of lust is eeeeeeevil! Of the Dark Faeli above, I shall write more in a day or so.

[Draken]

Despair, Grindforge City.

The largest fortress of the gnomes of despair had been carved in the face of a volcano, and reinforced with walls of metals only the gnomes knew how to craft. In the time of their stay in the world, they had made many other settlements in the continent, but this was the greatest, their capital, here the clans gathered in council, here the most holy cerimonies were held and the greatest achievments were made. Here, the gnomes found new ways to work all metals of the continent, ways to employ fire, and earth and liquid things that could or could not be called water, along with eldritch artifice.

Here, the Iron Gnomes hammered their heads to find a way to use the most stubborn substance in the continent. Frehenite. Cursed blood of Freiherr! The thing just wouldn't bend. They could smelt it, right, but there was little point. It reeked of gasthly energies, it drove those who tried to work or use it into a deathly pallor.

The metal was relatively plenty in the storages. The gnomes hauled it into cold iron vaults from within which the metal could do no harm. There was plenty they could try, magics of many kinds, the Great Order of Artifice tooled away at thinking the best options... Or rather, as fits gnomes, they tooled away thinking which options to try first, because they would try everything, and a new idea always showed up, causing the gnomes to stop preparing the chronogram to ready the specifics of the new experiment.

Things stalled, for sure. And Ichmod knew he had to do something about that.

Nah, he actually didn't. Ichmod happily wandered the void, looking for other creators to meet, humming a catchy tune and twirling his pick in one hand.

Back to the gnomes.

In time, the preparations were complete, and the artificers began their work, many things were tried. The metal was smelted, it was crushed under incredible pressure, it was alloyed with other materials, it was freezed, it was chocked, it was even gorund to dust and used to grow plants a few times.

Two things did work, gnome priests suffused the metal with energy, energy channeled from the very essence of life and death, and the metal reacted, its foul radiance became contained, and the metal became of a deep indigo tone in one case and of a jade-like green color in the other. Primordial Frehenite and Pure Frehenite is how the gnomes called those new metals, created from the frehenite ore.


12 AP:
3 AP: Create Concept: Artifice (Classes: Artificer and Alchemist).
2 AP: gain Portfolio: Arcane Artifice.
2 AP: Gain Domain: Artifice.
3 AP: Gain DR = 8.

Ap left: 2.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Vermin Lord

From the Earth there comes a great rumbling, soon earthquakes begin to shake the landscape, trees fall, animals run in fear. The rumbling begins to grow more focused, the earthquakes radius begins to shrink, until at last the land cracks, splits, and begins to tumble down as a massive new creature, yet unseen on the world, covered in armor with thousands and thousands of legs and massive curved pincers like the scimitars of giants, rips itself from the Earth. The creature casts about, but besides a few animals, some stiff with fear, others running as fast as their legs can carry, and some trees and bushes, there is no great amount of life. The creature turns and heads for some of the frozen animals, slowly at first, revealing itself to be even longer than it first seemed as more and more of it's body pulled free of the hole. As the creature drew near the animals, they finally bolted with fear. The huge creature surged forward with a blinding burst of speed, it's pincers tearing into the animals, it's legs bringing down two, three, four. Settling it's great body, it begins to feast upon the animals, devouring them skin, bone, and all. At last, it's meal done, the beast heaves forward and finishes pulling it's hugely long form from the ground.

The creature lifts itself up as high as it can, it's huge armored body resting on countless legs, thousands and thousands more waving lazily in the air, it looks like an unholy snake-like thing. When it seemed half as tall as a mountain at least, the beast began to wave back and forth and utter a keening, chittering wail that could be heard across the world, echoing untold times over canyon walls and through mountains, such that it became a near deafening chorus. The sound was a herald, and all about the world creatures began to pull themselves from the cracks in the earth, the holes in the walls, from the darkened tunnels of the underdark. from every corner, in every house, in every forest and field and city, they began to swarm forth. A million times a million and but more kinds of creatures, armored with many legs, rats and carrion eaters, creatures that buzz and slither through the dirt, that swim in the sea and fly in the air, who spin webs, who build hives, construct huge tunnels. Who live in wood, in stone, in dirt and in water. Countless creatures seemed to burst in the world, and they ceased every opportunity they could. Soon the corpses of the dead became home to maggots and flies, ants and countless other insects, standing objects of any kind hosted spider webs, every rock hid thousands, every tree was a home to thousands more. In every nook and cranny they came, and in every nook and cranny they lived.

18AP=20AP-2AP Create Populous: Vermin (insects, arthropods, rats, spiders, etc.) I'm not counting the earthquakes as an AP expenditure because they didn't really harm the landscape that much, and they didn't cause enough change for a shape action

[Lady Tialait]

The Chef, The Green Lands

The Chef watched his world come together, his little bit of perfection in an otherwise darkened land. He loved it. It was his way to love it. However, he saw something....wrong in his kitchen.

"What is this?"

A small creature crawled over a pile of freshly picked cabbages. The empowered Demi-God peered at the small creature and reached down to pick it up.

"Hmmm.."

Taking the small creature to his lips he quickly crunched it, trying to taste the better parts of it.

"Nu. This will not do! This thing ruins all it walked in!"

Spitting the bits of roach out. His eyes narrowed as he snapped his fingers.

"Sous-chef, Expediter, Saucier, Poissonnier, Rôtisseur, Grillardin, Friturier, Entremetier, Tournant, Boucher, Pâtissier, Garde Manger, COME! I need to speak to you of an atrocity! Blaspheme! We must destroy all this that dares desecrate that witch is holy!"

The Chef looked at the assembled group of Halflings he had called.

"This...my dearest sons, is what one calls verminal! This is a creature who destroys and does not love the hunger it is blessed with. They are no better then the soulless corpses that to this day chew on our master!"

Flicking from his fingers a bit of a chewed roach he growled.

"Expediter! I never want to see one of these...things... served to anyone who enters this place. This is a holy place, a temple to food. This is the great restaurant! Bring me one of the Commis, it's time he is granted his true name."

The halfling named Expediter ran off to get one of the children. Soon he came back with the 'Commis' bringing him to the Chef.

"This one Master Chef is the most promising for promotion! He is clean, effective, and friendly."

The Chef moved to the youngling and grinned.

"I shall name you....."

All the members of the 'Staff' a council of elders leaned in, waiting in anticipation. The Chef lingered on the last bit, allowing the tension of the moment to increase. He then smiled.

"Dératiseur."

The halflings stopped, confused. 'Dératiseur'? That was not a true halfling name. It was a name that invoked...death. It didn't even truly bring any honor to the youngling. The child looked confused. He looked at the Chef and spoke meekly.

"Master Chef....I take the honored name and employ of Dératiseur...I was unaware of how to do such a job. Please, explain it to me."

The Chef gave a devilish grin.

"My young Dératiseur, yours is a simple job. Kill the verminal in my Green Land!"

1 AP = Teach Population (Exterminators) - 1 Curse Vermin (Exterminators killing them.) - 3 AP

[Selinia]

Klashanna spent many days engrossed in her studies, but at long last, she had finished her designs for the race which was to bring her Vision into the world of mortals - a people bound by ties of blood and driven by the burning desire to build and improve.

AP 9: 11-2 (Create Populace - Saerites)

And now everything was clicking into place - she placed her first creations - five Saerites, matriarchs, Queens of their people - in the center of progress. For a time, they slept as they bore their children. But such short spans of time are to the Creators but a blink of an eye - and when their first children were just reaching adulthood, Klashanna awoke the Queens - for she had a message for her people.

For each of them, the message was the same - "Awaken, and know that those around you are your Children - and know that those beside you are your Sisters. Know that this your children and grandchildren will cover this land, and build such wonders as have never been seen in this world except by the will of Gods and Wizards. But most vitally, most importantly, know that you are never alone. Each of you shall take your children - far from here, each of you will build a City. And around these cities, you and your decedents will build great Nations - separate from each other, but bound in fellowship and alliance, for Many united are always stronger than One, no matter how mighty it may be."

AP 6: 9-1 (Teach Populace - Nationhood) - 2 (Gain Domain - Civilization)

And then she turned to the Children - some fully grown, some still carried in the arms of their brothers and sisters. And she gave them another message - one which shaped the history of the Saerite people for ages to come - "You - all of you - are creations of the most precious and wonderful sort. For it is your destiny to create in turn!" And here, something odd happened - Klashanna laughed. Her creations were more wonderful than she could have ever imagened - even now, she could see them, see their thoughts begining to wheel and turn as they listened to her words. "You will create, and your creations will change the world in a way the gods could never dream of. United, there is no problem you cannot solve, no challenge you cannot surpass. However! It is not enough that you merely build, not enough that you learn - to truly Progress, you must also teach."

"Your creations will bring light into even the darkest of places. They will give strength to the weak, bring knowledge to the ignorant, protect and serve the Mortal peoples. All of this and more - but first, you have to earn it. After all, it wouldn't mean much if I just gave it to you."

And then she vanished. Or, to be precise, stopped appearing. For the most part, the Saerites followed her instructions - the five great cities were founded, and around them, nations were built. Three of the queens vested their power in their children - great councils were formed, where the voice of the nations' Citizenry could be heard. The fourth queen sought stability, and kept control of the nation in her own hands - though she held it gently, lest her children demand that she follow her sister's lead. The fifth and final queen saw the choices of her sisters and deemed a middle road the wisest course - maintaining control, but allowing herself to be swayed by a council of advisers chosen from among her children.

And while Klashanna never again manifested so clearly to her people, she couldn't help but nudge them every once in a while, whether it be a vision in the dreams of a master mason, who awakes with the most marvelous idea to move heavy objects, or a subtle wedge of thought that sets the wandering merchant thinking how much easier travel would be if the ground was smooth and flat and paved with stones. Sometimes her intervention was suspected, and "being touched by the goddess" became a common term for a sudden flash of inspiration. Some of these people - craftsmen and inventors without equal - went on to become legends in their own right, making discovery after discovery, always leaving the world a little brighter than they found it.

AP 1: 6 - 1 (Teach Populace - Engineering) - 1 (Teach Populace - Roads) - 3 (Create Concept - Research & Development; creating Tinker and Engineer classes)

And as the Saerites learned, they never forgot their goddesses reminder of the importance of teaching as well. Children were taught the basics by their siblings, and knowledge was widely understood to be free to those who asked.

AP 0: 1- 1 (Teach Populace - Education)

And from her viewpoint in the Observatory, Klashanna watched it all. And filled with the satisfaction of a job well done, she thought that things might just be looking up for the blasted world she had been born into.

[Draken]

Small Ichmod took a seat in the void nearby Klashanna, watching her do her work with his short legs dangling in the air.

"Hohohoho. That looked like quite the work!"

The grey gnome waved at the goddess as soon as she gave him her attention.

[Selinia]

Klashanna looked up from her observation of Progress, looking curiously at the small, gray figure. She knew at once that it was a fellow creator - the fact that he wasn't explosively depressurizing in the Void was a nice tip - but didn't resemble any of the Mortal races she had observed when she was born. Likely another young god then, despite his chosen appearance.

All this was going through her head as she watched the little figure hail her. Deciding it would do her good to get to know her fellow Creators, she replied in kind.

"Indeed, I'm rather proud of them, to be honest. But the void offers a poor view, and I know from experience that its uncomforably cold. If you'd care to step inside, I'd be happy to talk to you."

OOC: Just a friendly reminder, the Celestial Observatory is a Dead-Magic zone. So, among other things, no floating once you get inside. :smallwink:

[Lord_Asmodeus]

God of a Trillion Legs

The gigantic arthropod had been crawling about devouring herd beasts contentedly, when it felt the threat to it's spawn. It had expected deaths, thousands and thousands of deaths, but there were countless of them. But somewhere there was a determined effort to rid the world of his spawn, and this it could not capitulate. Turning it's insanely long body, the beast began to run. To run as fast as it possibly could. It's million times a million legs, each taller than a man, powered it with impossible speed across lands and seas, winding past towns, settlements and cities, always in distance to be seen, the clattering of it's feet was like the stampede of a thousand armored destriers to be conservative. Anything that stood in it's path fell. Trees, animals, rocks, people, all fell before it. Such a clamor it rose, and as it ran a great dust storm gathered in it's wake, like the plume of burning cities in a conquering armies wake. At last, it began to draw close, the continent of it's birth speeding away behind it.

The Green Lands

In the distance it was seen, by the dust cloud, like an angry storm fast on the move rose behind it. It was huge, and unlike any creature ever seen. It seemed never ending, it's body and legs stretching for miles. It's front end plowed mercilessly on, until finally it began to slow as it neared the city. It pulled itself into the center of it's spawns' deaths, reared up taller than the tallest tree, and let out a horrible screech, which was answered by countless tiny creatures across the city. The God of a Million times a Million legs had arrived in the Green Lands.

17AP=18AP-1AP Pestilence/Curse land (created huge dust storms that would cause havoc on crops and livestock, and would likely kill as well)

[Draken]

Well, you float by default in space, nothing to stand on after all. :smalltongue:

Ichmod hops to his feet. Walking into the plane besides Klashanna.

"Hohohoho. True, true. Lead the way, lead the way."

Once inside, Ichmod feels the magic weaken and fade.

"This is most odd! Where did the magic go? It was just here a moment ago!"

[Lady Tialait]

The Chef, The Green Lands

The Chef looked over his Green Lands, now Dust raining down upon them, ruining many crops. Many of the Commis were killed from suffocation. A triple threat to his land? First, the meal started attacking, forcing the Master to destroy their true home, the Dining Table. Next, in the Material Realms Death itself destroyed all, leaving only destruction and despair. Now, in his own sanctuary....a storm of dust? This would not be allowed! He would have to learn a way to stop it. Quickly he pulled out the Chalice of Never Ending power form Darrmoon. He would stop this and prevent it from happening ever again. Darrmoon's might would be here to destroy the source of the attack! He tipped the Goblet over, and a single drop of divine power fell to the ground, the plants and livestock grew back, in spite of the dust storm.

The Chef stepped back, the Goblet of Darrmoon's power was empty. This could not be. Darrmoon's power was without limits! There must be more! The Chef quickly moved to travel to see about more power from Darrmoon.

0 AP = 1 Bless Land (More Green) - 1 AP left.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged One

The beast keened and roared, it smashed down on the ground and scuttled through the streets, searching for a being of divine spark, or of reasonable ability to understand it. It wished to speak, to let it's anger be known, but it had no words, for it could not speak any language. So instead it searched, and woe betide the "Workers" that got in it's way as it searched for the "Queen" or something of comparable standing to communicate with.

[Lady Tialait]

The Green Lands

Search as he might, the Many-Legged One would not find a Godling here in the Green Lands. However, he would find one nice meal. A single Golden Gate could not hold back the might of a God, but it could hold out the blights he would bring. Seeing the searching God, a halfling waiter rushed over to him.

"Evening sir, Would you be interested in taking a seat?"

The halfling ushered the massive bug to a massive chair.

"I should have expected our franchise owner was correct in prescribing this size of seating in parts of the complex."

The seat was given to the massive insect and a menu left on the table, lighted slightly with a modest candle and flower arrangement.

"Now sir, what would it please you to drink?"

Smiling sweetly the halfling stood with his hands behind his back, waiting to take the drink order.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God

The creature did not understand, but it spoke, and that was more than the others. It wished to communicate, but the Many Legged One did not understand it's words, and it's gestures meant nothing. Perhaps a gesture of it's own would be more showing. Swarming over the chair, massive as it was it was far too small to accommodate the Many Legged One's bulk even if it had the anatomy to "sit". Instead, it trampled over it and fixed it's attention on the slayers of it's spawn. Chitting madly it rushed forward and tore one apart with it's huge mandibles, gulping down the pulpy remains, and stormed to the next and did the same, and so on twice more, before turning to the speaker, to which it shrieked, bloody gobs flying from it's horrific maw, as the vermin swarmed at it's feet, hiding in it's shadow.

[Lady Tialait]

The Green Lands

The halfling stood there smiling.

"'The Blood of your Foes' if I heard your correctly, a very good choice. Will that be with or without the flesh of said foes? An appetizer, perhaps?"

The halfling grinned.

"I understand the type. I shall have you a feast prepared in a way you will enjoy most completely."

The halfling scurried away and two halfling returned, hauling a large platter that they sat on the table before the massive chittering creature.

"Bon Appetit."

One of the halflings said as they lifted the great platter's lid, two small halflings were tied up struggling against their binds. One screamed through a gag that was placed on it's mouth. If this was the appetizer, what was to be the main course?

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God

The behemoth looked at the plate with his many eyes and twittered in disgust. With a front leg it flung the plate aside, ignoring the bound halflings. Twittering again it turned back and slaughtered another pair of exterminators, then rose up and gave a hollow whistling call. The vermin hiding under it's form, insects, rats, spiders and more, echoed, and so did vermin all about the city. Then, they came to him in droves, in floods. Soon, all the vermin gathered at the massive arthropods feet, crawling about his form, writhing beneath and around him. He gave another hollow whistle, and again the whistle was repeated by all the vermin.

[Draken]

The path of destruction of the Many Legged God did not go unnoticed by the iron gnomes of despair either. A small comitive followed the deity to the Green Fields, where the iron gnomes were awed, for this place was very unlike the rest of the continent, and the halflings were the first other sentients they met.

Oh, and there was a god, there was that to.

An armored gnome took the lead in adressing the halflings, his skin was not ashen like the others, but of a tarnished platinum hue.

"Hello friends! Might I ask who you are and where you are and who is him, her or it?"

Him, her or it, of course, refered to the Lord of Worms.

OOC: Bolded because that color is awful to read.

[Selinia]

She had been curiously viewing the little gnome god as he entered the Observatory, hoping to gauge his reaction to her creation. After all, while she was rather proud of it, Klashanna had no idea how it compared to the homes of other gods.

However, of all the responses she had expected, uncertainty was not one of them. It honestly hadn't occurred to her that the dead magic zone could unsettle a visitor.

"The magic? The magic... isn't here. I built this as a place of study, of invention. Magic would have interfered so... I locked it out. It just would have been getting in the way. I'm certain you understand the importance of scientific rigor, being a Creator yourself... correct?"

"In any case, I assure you, you have nothing to fear here. There may not be any magic, but I've installed some protections of my own." This last sentence jolting her memory, she made a few subtle gestures to a nearby scanner, placing the iron gnome on the "don't fire" list - she shuddered to think what would have happened if he'd wandered off before she did that.

"But come, come on! I've got so many things to show you! And you're the first Creator to see my Observatory up close - it's desperately in need of peer review, so I'd be thrilled to hear your professional opinion."

OOC: Assuming Ichmod doesn't protest, Klashanna will give him a tour of the Observatory, jabbering happily in technobabble at the workings of her various inventions, but always ready to shut up if asked to or if Ichmod has input. Assuming nothing particularly noteworthy happens on the way there, they wind up in the Observation room, which is currently processing feeds on events all across Progress. Information on Hope and Despair is conspicuously absent.

[Draken]

Ichmod looks up at Klashanna.

"That I most certainly am! You may call me Ichmod, Ironmaster Ichmod! My creations are the iron gnomes who live beneath the earth in the continents not yours. Artisans, artificers, and researches like you said. Have you seen them? They look just like me! Hohohoho. Or do I look just like them... Decisions. Decisions."

Ichmod nods sagely as he is guided through the place, deciding to save his real questions for the end of the tour.

Once in the observatory, Ichmod looks up at the processing machine, and then turns back to Klashanna.

"Astounding! Astounding! But tell me, if you have locked the magic out of here, what powers all of this? Where does the energy come from? Even the Molten Halls of Inovation do not generate enough geothermic energy to power my entire plane!"

[Selinia]

"Where do I get the energy... oh yes, of course! How could I have forgotten to show you the very heart of the Observatory?"

Klashanna quickly moves over to one of the many viewing terminals and imputs the proper sequence on the control orb. "Reroute current feed to Spark Chamber overlook."

The screen flickers momentarily before solidifying in a display to put the Observatory's other wonders to shame - a vast chamber, criss-crossed with tubes and conduits, the air hazy with coolants and intermittently illuminated by currents of raw energy. Even through a viewing screen, the sheer amount of power being shuffled about is immediately apparent.

Stepping away from the console to give Ichmod a better look, she spoke again, the pride in her work clearly evident from the energy she puts into her words. "I was baffled by that myself, at first - nowhere, not even an active volcano or magma flow, supplied even close to the power needed to run the Observatory's many functions. But then it hit me - I didn't need to create more energy, I just need to... unlock... what was already there." She gestures at a metallic sculpture on the wall. "What I was looking for was already there, bound up in things just by existing! In a single pound of metal or stone, there is enough energy locked away to power a city for months!" And here a slightly worried look comes over her face - "Or... misused, destroy one in seconds..."

Klashanna stood silent for a moment before continuing, her good cheer as strong as if it had never left."But impressive as it is, the Spark is just that - an energy source. Its worthless without something to power..." Here she seems to be mulling something over, as if she cannot decide whether to spit something out. After a few awkward moments...

"What is the world like? Until I talked to you, I'd never really given much thought to how things were progressing outside of Progress. But you say your people are on the other continents? Have they met with the other races? My work has consumed all my attention - I find myself desperately uninformed at this juncture. Do others progress as quickly as my Saerites? Are the other lands beginning to heal?" The questions pour out of her, her eyes alight with curiosity.

Her hands are placed upon the command console, ready to answer her own questions, but she seems to be awaiting an answer from her fellow Creator, whether out of politeness of because she desired a firsthand opinion.

OOC: Yup. The Celestial Observatory is powered by Fission. Or possibly Fusion, I'm not sure - some sort of atomic reaction, made absurdly efficient. Klashanna has that single-minded genius personality - she got so wrapped up in her own Creations that she stopped paying attention to the other stuff - and she's only just now realizing that.

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-Ocean of Hope

As great chunks of rock burrowed into the flesh of the sea, Ulthrogrog refused to allow the plans of any god to interfere with his aspirations. He could sense the Death that permeated through the land, and knew that this nothing less than the work of a god he had yet to meet. He quickly headed for Blackwater Rift, gathering his children and their converted into vast cities that he helped them sculpt with his divine power, and twisted the land to his favour to prevent the debris from destroying his children's hard work. Many of the rocks that made it past these spire-like barriers were dissolved by the Blackwater, and the dwellers in those shadowy depths were largely unaffected by the conflict between the Death God and the Mortal while Ulthrogrog kept watch. When it had come to pass, Ulthrogrog growled forth a thousand curses from his throats.

"Accursed wretches! How dare they pollute the seas with their purposeless destruction, with their foul corpses! No...it will not happen like this. I shall be the doom of them, no other god or goddess shall!" he bellowed in the depths, causing his people to cower in fear of his wrath.

In spite of rage, he reassured his children instead of exposing them to this anger. He did not yet wish to bring his wrath down upon his children after doing so much to protect them, but he resolved to never hesitate to punish them should they show any true doubt of his ability. In order to encourage their faith further, he increased the power of Daeldroth, demanding that his people further empower him with their worship. They did so gladly.

He worked his way back to the shore, intent upon surveying the destruction the land. He crawled up onto the beach, the waters of the ocean wrapping about his massive form, as his filth and corruption spread onto all things. The sand turned into a black semi-liquid, and the creatures warped into twisted, alien versions of what they once were. He desired for Watchers to act in his stead, knowing full well that his avatar could not watch for his people forever. He took a jellyfish forth from the ocean, noticing its buoyancy, how it could float through the oceans with ease. He created a duplicate, and investing divine power into both, placed one back into the oceans, and another upon land.

The transformation that followed was satisfying to Ulthrogrog. The creature that was placed upon the land quickly lost its soft form, becoming wrapped in armoured plates formed from bits of the blackened sand. These hardened into flesh that was stronger than steel, its tentacles moving upwards upon its head whilst its body floated in mid-air. His desire for a Watcher manifested in the tentacles growing bulbous eyes on their ends, a large central eye opening in the main body of the spherical creature, a gaping maw lined with cruel teeth splitting open. Its flesh still dripped with ichor, and it observed the world, floating above the ground with ease. It awaited the word of its Creator.

The creature of the seas became infested with Blackwater, growing to a titantic size, its tendrils sparking with great power. Upon the circumference of its mantle grew pupiless, clear eyes, each glowing a sea green. Sickly green bolts of arcane and psionic power flickered between its tentacles, and this power pulsed throughout its clear body. It, too, awaited the word of its Creator.

"My Watchers! Go forth and do as your name commands. Behold the land and tell me of its devices, and Observe the sea and my people so that they may thrive without my protection. In this, your further my goals, and please your Creator. Your loyalty shall be rewarded in due time."

The two Watchers of Land and Sea bowed their bulbous heads deeply, the Watcher of the Sea swimming back to the depths, while the Watcher of the Land began to burrow into the earth by producing a green beam of energy from one of its many eyes. Each time this beam struck solid matter, it would dissipate into nothingness, providing a clear tunnel into the darkness of the earth, reaching the depths of the Underdark, where it would wait until the sun fell. In darkness, its observing could go unnoticed, and it knew its master wished for secrecy.

Satisfied with his work, Ulthrogrog delved back into the seas, feeling his power growing ever stronger as his children grew in number. He was tired with the vast amount of miracles he performed, and decided to rest for a time. He could only hope that he would be able to resume his plans as soon as possible. Abandoning his Avatar, Ulthrogrog's conciousness was in the Abyss back more, awaiting for his Father's arrival.
---------
Godly Actions

Rollover-7+3=10 AP

Mold Land-Blackwater Rift is now filled with Skum-built architecture and is filled with vast spires that prevent dangerous debris from sinking into the Blackwater Rift and ruining the Skum cities.-1 AP

Nourish Populace (Skum)-1 AP

Guide Populace-Daeldroth-Phrenic Skum Cleric 12-2 AP

Create Populace-Beholders and Cnidarians, Watchers of the Land and Sea-2 AP

Increase DR-7+1=8-3 AP

Total AP Spent-9

10-9=1 AP

[Draken]

Ichmod nods as he hears the description.

"Interesting. Interesting. But it seems to me that it could have been much easier to do like I did. I have bound ley line fluxes coursing through the plane to the mechanisms. The magic flows spread quickly through the rune matrix, and once set, the energy never stops flowing. Also makes for great decoration! All the swirling lights and sigils."

The gnome punctuates his explanation with circular finger and hand motions.

"As for the world... Well. I must say I have not settled myself that long ago, so I do not really know any other deities. But I head about them! Oh yes. Yes. Yes! I heard of the death god who lives in the moon. The continent of Despair is his doing, kinda, funny name isn't it? Despair, it is a chunk of the moon! There is also this hero, Nedain, but I heard he is mortal! How odd! Where could he have cme from? He battled the death god and was victorious... But then again it caused a great cataclysm shortly before I arrived... And my gnomes have just met these halflings! I have sensed the presence of not one, but two godlings there... One of small critters and the other of... I didn't really see him. And I also felt another godling in the depths of the land! And my scans indicated vicious monsters down there... So I instructed the gnomes to not go too deep, without strong weapons and spells anyway! Hohohoho! And there are many! Many more! But I know them not! I have not even met the ones I mentioned even!"

And then Ichmod crossed his arms and lowered his head in thought.

"As for how the races progress? Hmm... I am fairly sure my gnomes cannot be bested in the field of mystic artifice. And they have not given out the knowledge of metallurgy to other races, so I will be biased and say that they progress better than the others. But I have seen other races! There are those fairies-falie- faeli! Yes! Faeli! They work well enough with wood. And there are the dwarves, who are really good with rock and stone, and te humans are new, but I see potential! And the halflings in Despair look very focused in their cooking. So they probably progress quickly in the field! And there are... Uh... I think there are races deeper underground, but I don't know them. And undersea too, but I don't know those either. But that will be solved! Yes it will!

[hatredspawn]

Nothing: Dark marsh

As the land decays and life fades from his region Nothing feels his self increase

"Less is less and that is great."

As his powers grow Nothing must expand his realm and pushes his divine essence into the dark marsh. As the power pours forth the borders of the marsh expand and begin to encroach upon the land of the faeli.

rollover + 2
AP 1 + 2 + (thank you tia) 2 = 5
raise DR to 6 --- 4 AP
shape land : Dark Marsh (expanding borders) --- 1 AP
AP 0 = 5 - 1 - 4

[Selinia]

"Perhaps it would have been simpler... but I stand by my decision. For all its flaws, technology is one thing that magic is not - consistent. Think of it like..." Klashanna gropes for an analogy, "...like a building. Once technology has laid the groundwork, it merely needs to build upon itself - one discovery leads to the next. Whereas magic is more like a... sculpture - impressive in its own right, but fixed and inflexible. I've studied at length on the subject of the arcane - if a wizard wishes to create a new spell, she must start at the beginning every time - whereas technology need only discover the next step to progress."

She gestures vaguely to the Observatory as a whole, "For all its wonders, I believe that even this is but a fraction of what it possible - I merely need to find the next step to advance it further."

"But I feel that you know your own domains best - perhaps at some later date, we will find a way to test our theories against each other? But what is this you say about a mortal slaying a god?" As she speaks, Klashanna turns the viewing device to Despair. "If it was self-defense, than I understand the need to fight - a hunter set upon by a lion must fight it off... but Mortals and Creators are thinking beings! What could one of us have done to earn that sort of ire? Surely if they had a disagreement, they could have reached a fair compromise!" Klashanna is visibly distressed - growing more so as she takes in some of the grim images feeding back from Despair - a throng of zombies overrunning a small farmstead... a dark and silent town, doors locked for fear of the things that go bump in the night... a man burned alive for fear he had been bitten by a ghoul...

"What is this? What are they doing? He defended them from monsters... and they repay him like this? I... I need answers. What caused all this?"

[Lady Tialait]

The Green Lands

"Sir, I'm afraid we do not understand what you are wishing to have. Perhaps this gnomish gentleman can translate for us."

The very confused halfling looked at the mass of insects.

[Draken]

Iron Gnomes in the Green Lands.

The Platinum gnome raised his arms and shouted.

"He? Sure, sure. We can help! Daxterius! Bring me the UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR!"

An iron gnomes rushes to the back of a cart, and brings out a necklace.

"Behold! The universal translator!"

The platinum gnome puts the necklace around his neck, and then turns to the vermin god.

"Ahem... SPEAK IN TONGUES!"

And shouts the command word, causing the item to cast Tongues on the god.

Rule 1: Always bring a translator if you think you might have to deal with people who don't speak your language.

[Moose Fisher]

The Underdark

Erah spoke with Retenen, a hunter.

"Retenen, do you remember the old stories, the stories passed down our former shape?"

"They are not that old, Erah. Do you mean of our time above?"

"Yes, the land of light. Our elders used to tell stories of heroics and darkness. They told us children to never wander away into the dark."

"That is superstition, my child. The coming of the dead showed that daylight was no assurance of safety. Death can move to claim us at any time. We must always be prepared. Thanks to the blessings of the Lady, there is no dark for us anymore."

This was true, the Dark Faeli could see clearly in the night. Yet their ability in darkness left them without brilliant colors. Vengeful dead came in all times, but night made the Faeli vulnerable. Erah was thankful for the gift, but she longed for color.

Erah spoke with Tolara, a priestess.

"Tolara, do you remember the old stories, the stories passed down our former shape; why were we afraid of the darkness?"

The priests and priestesses were by far the most devoted to the lady... and bound to her in a literal sense. Elarion the chosen was the only male priest of the lady, and according to their belief, her consort and lover. The priestesses shared in his blessing through intimate communion with him... that their children would be born blessed.

Tolara gave the young woman a narrow look as she approached. The girl had been blessed strangely, but the goddess had been silent on the matter. For now, it was considered a blessing... but none of the other children of the lady bore such a deformity... and at times, they wondered if it was the lady who had chosen her.

"Why do you ask such things child? The world above is full of death and false gods. Only the messengers go there by choice... and only to bring more here and spare them from pointless death."

The Dark Lady's influence was strong in the clergy, but they may have held what Erah sought.

"I was contemplating the interplay of the dark and light. In our changed forms we are closer to the darkness, but could there be more under the abyssal depths than we are aware of?"

"Of course there is. The depths are home to the lady and her servants. It is not for us to be. There are hungry things there."

"Dangers lie within the darkness. Thank you Tolara."

Despite the gifts bestowed by the Dark Lady, the Dark Faeli were still wary of the darkness. From it came horrible beings whose secrets were cloaked in abyssal shadow.

Erah spoke with Utwan, an arcanist.

"Utwan, do you remember the old stories, the stories passed down our former shape; what lies within the abyss of the Asharra's domain?"

"Mmm." The sorcerer mumbled, seeming somewhat distracted, "Think you of going there, Erah? There are easier ways to die. If you are tired of life, you would do us all better as a breeding slave. I have heard the Illithids can strip your mind so barren that you will be entirely unaware of what is done to your body."

The sorcerer smiled a disjointed smile, looking the young woman up and down. Sorcerers of the Lady were often... touched. They knew full well what lied beyond the pools of sacrifice... and that knowledge did not come with a price.

"To understand what lies below would break you, child. Those who have seen it are changed... only the strongest souls survive. To be honest, girl... I do not think you have the will for it. Why are you so curious?"

"I have pondered the interplay of light and dark. We live within darkness, Utwan, yet there exists and even deeper darkness. Like our former shape we keep out of the dark, warned and coddled as if children. Unless I am proved otherwise I shall know we have exchanged one master for another."

"Arrogant girl." The sorcerer spoke with a sneer, "Of course we have a master. The Lady guides us, and protects us... even as she demands things of us. Think you that you can fathom the will of the goddess? Do you think you are above her, perhaps? That her will holds no sway over you?"

Hunching low, Utwan hushed his voice.

"You would be wise to not say such things. Or you will find yourself given up as sacrifice." He warned her ominously, "There will always be things beyond us. But we are chosen. The Lady's blessings are upon us. We are most favored amongst her children."

The urge to strike the arcanist down was strong in Erah, but she held control of her emotions.

"Our forms mark us as children of the Lady, but the proof of favor is as murky as the sacrifice pools. If we are free from what held us in our former shape, we do not need keeping between worlds."

Erah walked with her kin through the caverns. Before, she wanted illumination for herself, now she wanted illumination for all her kin. Something lurked within the abyss, hidden from eyes capable of seeing in mundane darkness. Secrets were hidden from dark faeli. The dark pools and alien beings were a bulb, roots underneath twisted through darkness.


----------------

((Another part of Erah's story. I'll need to write more in the future

Thank you BloodyAngel for your responses.))

[Halna LeGavilk]

Dorian, Karlinto

Dorian sized up the emptiness of his new plane, and the destruction of the old world. Few of the titans remained, and though the treants and dire animals flourished in the destruction and disorganized undead, but still, Dorian worried about the meager protection the material plane offered his creatures. Though he was a hunter, and Dorian knew that death was part of the natural cycle, but such destruction...

Dorian shook his head. Here was the only place where he could truly protect his creatures, his people. He lifted his arms and brought his people there. A huge shift rent the material plane apart, tearing up whole forests and plains, uprooting a whole mountain. He brought them to his plane to protect them, to shelter them, and, one day, to release them upon the world, once again, the deadliest hunters ever...


2 AP +3(One rollover) -2(Guide Populace: move his creatures) -2(?)(Shift land: obvious)= 1(or 0, possibly)

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God

The huge trillipede's howling, clicking voice suddenly began to stream through the translator as more recognizable language. "... Shall cease your extermination of my spawn, many may die, but your peoples efforts to eradicate my creations must end!"

[Xuincherguixe]

Sivil, the magnificent

Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in a city. It was a hard life but for the most part everyone was happy. But there was one man who was not happy.

"Confound it this isn't right!" the man screamed as he smashed through a table with his iron scepter.

"... But sir. These people, they have nothing. We can't ask for anything!"

"Find a way! I will not be made the fool of!"

Sivil was a wizard. Perhaps the most powerful wizard in the world. There was nothing he couldn't do. He worked hard to get where he was, and had no patience for others. And so when he was commissioned to eliminate the pests from a farm, he naturally assumed that they would be able to pay somehow.

But these peasants could not afford to pay. And everyone just assumed that because it was the right thing to do, that they wouldn't have to.

And Sivil was furious. So furious in fact that the next day he vanished without a trace.


Sivil constructed a tower for himself, for he believed himself so much above others. It had been like this for years. On occasion people would seek him out. Almost all requests were denied, because they could not meet his demands.

But then an idea occurred to Sivil. Surely with his great power, had he not become like a god? Does it not stand to reason that he should be treated as one?


And so, he returned to the city, floating on a magical throne.

"Sivil, the magnicent has returned. And he has found a payment plan for you." He pointed at one of the nobles houses, "Build for me a grand temple. Amongst the most worthy I shall appoint messengers to carry to me your wishes. I shall provide a list of services, and how long it is you must work for me."

The citizens were outraged, and began to throw rocks at the floating throne.

This infuriated the wizard. He was doing these people a favor. He owed them nothing. Certainly he had the means to do all the labor he desired himself already. Was this not the act of a benevolent god?

And so he pointed his staff down and was about to destroy the whole city before he realized this was not a good strategy.

"I suppose it is understandable that you have your doubts of my power. Very well then." And so he pointed his staff in the forest, and there was a flash of light.

"If you change your mind, you may pray to me there."

And so it came to be that not long after, a horde of the Undead had risen and were marching on the town. Sivil had not forgiven anyone. He had merely devised a new plan. For what if a horde of monsters attacked the town. Monsters he created!

Sure enough, they prayed to be saved. And once again Sivil made the same demands. This time, they were much more willing to listen.

And sure enough Sivil destroyed the army he had created, shooting them all down with lightning. All about the showmanship. Sivil had his temple. And people began to work for him. He had established a cult for himself.

And this still wasn't enough. For as his power grew, so to did his need for more.

By this point he had effectively taken control of everything, and the people no longer said no to anything he did. And so, he came up with a plan. The promise was eternal salvation, but to obtain it they had to die first.

Didn't quite work out that way though.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra & Elarion: The Abyss

Power unlike anything he had felt surged over his body. His mind reeled under the force of all around him even as his very blood burned with the gift of sorcery. Such rapture he had never felt before, and he craved all of it he could get.

The world above changes. His mistress told him, stroking her hand down his chest, The waves of death and the shattering of the moon are but the beginning. It will not stop.

What do you will of me? Elarion asked her without hesitation. He was bound in chains of lust and power... a willing slave.

There will be no peace or freedom for you so long as the world contains other gods and their creations. She told him in a silken voice, So long as there are other creators and their children, there will be fights between them... with only death in their wake. You will purge this world, my love... And rule over what remains. All will join me as ally, servant or slave... or it they will be destroyed.

We were massing to conquer before the moon fell and the earthquakes came.

Admirable, my love... but more must be done. Several surface tribes mean nothing. All has been put into motion for something greater. You will lead the force that brings darkness to this world.

Anything. He said, placing a trembling kiss upon her soft, pale neck. Tell me what I must do...

---------------------

Keia: The Underdark

It had been near a week since Elarion was pulled under the water of the pools of sacrifice. Keia and her people had stayed in the deepest of tunnels, and by grace of the goddess, they had held. The earthquakes had ceased, and the world had calmed. Elarion's apparent sacrifice had spared them. She found herself unable to join her people in their prayers of gratitude to the lady, however. She sent them to explore the tunnels above and inspect the damages while she stayed beside the pools alone. No one would see her cry.

For days she stayed beside the pools, hoping and praying for her love's return. She offered her blood, her body and her soul to the goddess in his place... but still the waters were quiet. If her tears and blood were not enough... she knew not what more she could give. She thought of walking into the icy waters and letting the lady claim her as well... but doing so would spit upon Elarion's sacrifice. He wished his people to live and prosper. She would honor him, and lead them as he would.

-------------------------

Under the guidance of Keia and the coven of the dark lady, the Dark Faeli cleared their tunnels and rebuilt their homes. They settled and they grew, moving to the surface and absorbing broken tribes of Faeli who had been struck hard in the wave of pestilence and destruction that had ravaged the surface. Their numbers grew, and children were born. Using their magics, they observed the changed world and the new beings that had sprung up upon it. New lands and new races had been born... and they learned all could of them. They prospered as well as they could, and Keia was content... if quietly wounded inside. Unlike the rest of her people, she did not indulge in lust, or take another lover to comfort her.

One night, like any other... she slept fitfully. She dreamed of Elarion... though he was far off and calling to her. She heard his voice growing distant as she struggled to reach him in vain.

Keia, please... I am lost. I cannot find the way alone. I need you.

No matter how she ran and cried out for him... his voice faded away into nothing, and he was gone. She woke with a start, glancing into the darkness of her room. It could not have just been a dream. He was trying to reach her. The goddess had granted her prayers! Quickly throwing on nothing more than a light robe to cover herself, she ran through the dark tunnels... her heart pounding. Down into the depths of the earth she ran, to the sacred site, and the pools of sacrifice. The shrine they had built to honor Elarion's sacrifice stood silently in the dark, as the cold water lapped at the rocky shores of the great underground sea.

Keia stepped into pool, the frigid water rising up about her bare legs as she looked about hopefully. It could not have been just a dream. The sea beat against the rocky shore, coldly indifferent to her longing and desperate hope. It was quiet... No one was here. Her heart sank.

Please... She said quietly, clutching tight her symbol of the goddess, her red eyes watering.

From below, she saw a shape moving through the depths... The three red eyes of an Aboleth shining up from the deep. It's form was massive, and she resisted the urge to flee from it's presence. If the goddess had sent this creature to kill her, she knew that running would aid her not. Instead, the massive being surfaced, and swam it's way to beside the shore, where she noticed it carried a much smaller form in it's writhing black tendrils. Pale and bare, but alive... was Elarion. He coughed up water as he was set down upon the rocky shore.

For the first time in a long time, joy crossed her face as she ran to him, and threw her arms around him as the pain she had felt in her heart melted away.

Thank you! Oh goddess, thank you! She called to the massive aberration, I will never doubt again.

The great beast returned to the depths, as she hugged Elarion tightly. He was cold and soaked, but she cared not. Slowly he looked up to her, his eyes hazy as he tried to make sense of the world.

Keia?

I found you. She said tearfully, as she helped him to his feet, Please... never leave me again.

For a moment, he looked at her before he let his arms slip around her in a tight embrace. Her body was warm and her heart racing.

How long has it been?

Come. Let us go home. I will tell you everything along the way.

---------------------------

Godly Actions: Drama!

But seriously... it's all building towards something. :smallwink:

Raise Mortal Followers: Elarion (Sorcerer 6 / Alienist 10 / Nightmare Spinner 5). Epic level! Keia (Sorcerer 4 / Cleric 3 / Mystic Theurge 8)

Soon, the good stuff begins.

[Shmee]

The Green Lands


Amongst the Halflings, none were considered as filthy and disgusting as the Flatfoot Clan. Besides having very poor hygiene, especially when preparing food. Dishes laced with hair was not uncommon, nor was it uncommon for them to spit into the food prior to serving. The last straw was when they caused food poisoning to half their village for the fifth time.

Thus for their crimes against culinary cuisine, the Flatfoot tribe's permits as chef were revoked, and they were sentenced to expand the village's food storage, and of course exterminate vermin that often infest the stores.

And so, the Flatfoot Clan began to dig deep within the ground... and it turned out that they were better at this type of work, rather than cooking. For this reason the Clan spent decades underground, never coming out of their storage room, which now became their home.

Until one day, as members of the clan who were expanding the storage room opened a passage into a grotto. The Halflings were amazed at the sight, besides having discovered an underground river, the entire cave was full of pretty deep indigo coloured rocks, which pulsated at their presence. It wasn't long before the Greedy Flatfoot clan made the grotto into their new secret lair... it wasn't long before the Flatfoot clan disappeared completely.

Several years later, the Halflings were surprised when one day weird creatures walked out of the storage room. They were no smaller than the Halflings themselves, but that is where their the similarities ended. These skinny and hairless green creatures seemed hyperactive, their screeching voices a cause of great annoyance... and yet no one could deny the sheer maliciousness that could be seen emanating within their red eyes.

The Goblins approached the Halflings and presented them with a cooked dish... a Goblin speciality which they referred to as "Mystery Meat" The cautious Halflings at first inspected the dish, and not wishing to offend these creatures, they took a bite... and found that it was in fact quite tasty... until someone bit on something hard... spitting it out into his hand, he found that he had bitten on a Halfling's severed finger.

The shock on the Halfling's face was the signal for the Goblins to start attacking and go on a rampage all over the Halfling Village. Some of the Halflings where butchered and grounded into more Mystery Meat, the rest were dragged down into the storage room, never to be seen again.


OOC
AP 3= 4-1, Create Sub-race (With Tia's permission of course): Goblins

[Lady Tialait]

The Green Lands

The group of waiters looked at the massive insect.

"Um..we never have attacked your kind? You are way too big. All we have done is serve you food."

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God

The huge trillipede continues to trump and shrill, as the translator blares accordingly. "Not my kind, my SPAWN, your folk have begun a campaign of extermination upon all the creatures I have created, they clean this world of it's detritus and filth, and you kill them in your kitchens and homes where cleanliness would be most welcome."

[Lady Tialait]

The Green Lands

The waiter scratched his head.

"Then, I guess...Um...What? We are simply making sure there is no creatures in the food, destroying it's flavor. You would have us not bring pleasure? You wish harm on others? It does not matter, we can will not go against the will of the Chef. He is the greatest authority over the Green Lands."

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God

"You say you only keep them out of food, why then are so many of your people dedicated wholly to destroying them whenever they find them. This is not merely keeping them out of your food, it is eradication."

[Lady Tialait]

The Green Lands

The waiter sweats a bit, and nervously looks about.

"Um...you'll have to talk to the Manager about this. I don't have any answers for you, sir."

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God

"Then where is this "manager" you speak of?"

[Lady Tialait]

The Green Lands

The waiter shrugs. This was all he would say in the matter, no matter the prodding.

[Moose Fisher]

Solar Guardian, Heliopolis
The gold-skinned figure raised an eyebrow as the clouds below parted, the top of a great mountain rising from them, humanoid creatures, no more than 4 and a half foot in height began to descend from the mountain, stepping onto Heliopolis. The leader was clutching some kind of blade in his hand and yelling out for the crowd.

Spreading his snow white wings he rose into the air, approaching the mountain before stopping in front of the dwarf, his wings beating lazily as he stood in mid air. His silver eyes regarded the small creatures with a mixture of indignation and contempt. "Would you mind telinginforming me as to the reason you are here, uninvited and unannounced?".

Urist gaped at the glorious being of creation, a watcher of the people's of the world. Urist, like many dwarves, still held onto his ambitions and fortitude. He beat his chest and proudly said for all to hear:

"Why, we have the burning desire to reach the sky! Our hands carved a great mountain so we may come closer to our desire, but we knew there an even higher place to reach! This place was at the top of the sky, hidden from our worldly eyes, but now we shall reach on high! There is no place to go but up, and we shall go above this world of yours!"

The dwarves cheered and applauded, their spirits a-fire. These winged creatures were strange and held the gift of flight, but the dwarves would reach higher than them regardless of their stature!

The angelic host seemed to be at a loss of words. These mortals carried themselves with great pride and were certainly dedicated to reach their heavenly city. They congratulated the dwarves for their hard work and escorted them back to their tower.

Urist Bershukar adjusted his horned helm as the tear in the sky shut itself neatly. They were rejected, but they would return! Repairs were still needed to fortify Mt. Nolam, but the dwarves would be back. Dwarves were not to be denied of their ambitions!

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God

If you will not tell me I shall slumber and wait for this managers arrival, and if he is not here when I wake, I shall depart. But, in the meantime, I provide you with a gift, and a guardian."

The huge Trillipede indicates the surrounding lush landscape. Even as his mad chittering hiss was translated, the surrounding plant life began to grow to mad proportions, fruit bearing trees and plants grew to huge heights, their fruits swelling massively, and flowers of larger than a man began to pop up all over the place, it was a garden of giants. And, high up in the crook of now massive trees, there was a strange edifice unlike any seen by the halflings, and they were there in numerous trees, and even on buildings, and they were huge. From inside the massive structures began to crawl strange creatures. They had faces and bodies like humanoids, but their eyes were black, they had antennae that constantly twitched, and large thorax's with wicked barbed stingers at the end, they were striped yellow and black with huge wings, they had a pair of arms and four insect-legs. The huge bee-folk began to fly about, landing on flowers and collecting nectar, going from plant to plant, carrying massive pollen on their furry bodies.

The trillipede spoke again his odd voice screeching even over the translator. "I have granted you the gift of grandly proportioned foods, that you might feel as my children in your own home. These creatures, the Abeil, shall help keep this grand garden alive, and they will also grant you some of the honey they create, but in turn they shall be your minders. Keep my children out of your food if you will, but you will not be allowed to slaughter them wholesale in the presence of my new children."

That said, the huge creature retreated into the massive forest, curling up amidst trees and bushes that made the epic sized creature seem only somewhat massive and monstrous.

14AP=17AP-1AP Nourish Land (Garden of Giants) -2AP Create Populous: Abeil

[Draken]

Green Lands

The iron gnomes heard the exchange with increasing bewilderment, until the godling went to sleep.

"So wait. First he was angry that his creations where being exterminated, then he created helpers for the exterminators, and then decided to take a nap right here?"

"Looks so. Astounding sir?"

""No, not really. Mission's over friends! We found the godling! We discovered what he was up to! And now we return to Grindforge city!"

"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"

And the gnomes prepared to depart.

[Goglas]

Enki and Aroha, Elysium, Material Plane

The sea god had been drifting across a lifetime of dreams in his mind, as he did when he was born of the World-God.

At first, he dreamed of nightmarish sights and sounds, reliving his time in Darrmoon's stomach a thousand times over. Throughout all that time, he could sense the small flicker of light in the darkness, calling to him.
It was only after his daughter focused herself wholly on healing him that this light grew stronger, closer, until it engulfed the darkness.
For a few moments, he could see nothing but the blinding light of her touch, until the windows of his soul reopened and he could see the world again.

The image of his daughter enjoying the sounds of the waves beating against the shore, in this beautiful place she had created, was more than enough to calm his spirit. His experience with Darrmoon seemed but a distant memory now.

"Daughter," he called out to her, softly, and tried to lift himself from the marble floor.
She looked up from her musings at the sound of her Father's voice. She smiled at him serenely.
"Father... I am glad to see you awake. You should rest some yet. Your body is whole again but you may feel some disorientation from the healing. Stay and be at peace. We are safe here."
She rose and moved closer to one of the archways, placing a hand on the smooth stone column.

Enki nodded and walked further into the temple, to shield his eyes from the sun outside. He sat down and rested his back against the wall.
"You made this place. I can feel it." He smiled faintly, "it's beautiful."
"Tell me, child, what happened back there? How did you rescue me from that monster?"

She looked over at him and moved to seat herself before him.
"The Lady Asharra came and drove the maw away and I was able to spirit you to safety and heal your wounds. Do you know the lady? She is a creator as we are yes?"

"The lady Asharra?" he said. "I know of no such being. Why would she rescue me?"
Enki got up slowly, still leaning against the wall. "You must show her to me, so I may thank her. Do you know where this Asharra is?"

She moved quickly and gracefully to help her father stand.
"Slowly now. She said she would be awaiting you at the darkest part of the deepest sea. She said you would find her realm there... but I do not think it would be wise to go until you are completely recovered."

"I know much of my realm, and many others, but I have yet to visit the darkest deeps," he said, making his way to the temple's entrance. "Something always drove me back, a strange, foreboding feeling."
He shook his head. "If she is there, I shall put such feelings aside. I must see h-"

He silenced, and his legs gave way. If it wasn't for his daughter's support, he would've fallen to the floor right there, perhaps back into his nightmares.
With widened eyes he looked beyond the shores outside the temple and to his realm.
"My seas..." the words barely escaped him. "What happened to my seas?!"

She followed her fathers gaze and looked upon the ruined landscape with horror, her vision blurred by her tears.
"By all that is good...who would do such a thing? How many must have suffered. How many must suffer still. I must help them."

"It seems the world would not allow me time to recover, daughter," he said and took a step forward. "Help those you can. I must go and see to the state of my realm."

He kissed Aroha on the cheek and wiped away one of her tears. "I shall see you again soon, I hope."
He turned and ran into the sea, and quickly passed from her sight.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The Oceans around Hope

With her mortal lover gone and set to his task, Asharra slipped again into the tunnels above, moving once more into the seas of creation. The world had changed, and she wished to observe it.

The face of the world itself had changed... New land marred the seas, rippling with foul energy like that of the walking dead. Everywhere there was death, and the rush of it had birthed all manner of new gods and potent creators across the material plane. The tattered essence of a god was strong... So many seemed to have sprung up in it's wake. Of all the strange sensations rippling throughout the world, she felt one thing familiar. The stolen essence of the sea god within her pulled at her senses. He had awoken.

Swimming at high speed through the deep seas, she sought out the sea god... finding him as he swum through his realm, looking in horror at the tattered world around him. Any god who had birthed a creature like the woman she had met tending to him was a far different being than she. Subtlety seemed best.

I'm glad to see you have recovered. She told him, as she closed the distance between them, The world has changed in your absence... yes? Such tragedy.

(Note... Asharra is in her ursula-esque (http://darksiren.net/stuff/Cecaelia_by_GENZOMAN.jpg) form while swimming about the material plane)

[Lady Tialait]

The Dining Table, Darmoon and The Chef

The Chef walked through a door-shaped portal, skittering to Darrmoon.

"My lord, I come with news. The world is about halfway prepared. The recipe is going well, the aroma is amazing. There is one issue, my sire. My cup is almost empty. I was wondering if you would supply me with more power?"

Darrmoon looked at The Chef.

"You hunger, not for sacred food, but for power. This is an unholy hunger, and to be punished. You will give me tribute! Your tribute will be in the form of a thousand year sleep. During this time you will fall into my gullet and at the end if you no longer hunger for power you may go back to preparing my meal!"

Darrmoon did not wait for a response and wrapped his mouth around the mutated food encrusted hafling DemiGod, the creature submitted. Nothing was greater then to serve his God. Even if he was to devoured. He had sinned, this was punishment. A sorrow would overcome the lands of the mortals.

1 = 1 Curse Population (Great Sorrow) - 2 (The Chef)

[Xuincherguixe]

Sivil, The Void

The ritual had worked well. Far too well. For Sivil had grown so far beyond the world he was no longer able to touch it.

"Blast and confound it! I should be able to do as I bloody well please!"

He paused and considered, "Wait. I can do as I bloody well please! Fine then. As my first act I shall create a new world! And it will be perfect. For it shall be cast in my image! And I require agents! And followers!"


Hell: The Eternal Service

They would eventually be referred to as Devils, these creatures of Sivil. His schemes were vast, and complex. Therefore he needed a vast agency to accomplish them.

The Barracks occupied the first layer. From here was the staging point from which attacks would be launched. And it was also the training ground for the mercenaries amongst the devils. A massive defensive position designed to resist any siege.

The forge would be the second. Unrelentingly hot. Here the laborer devils would manufacture their various goods.

The market place lay on the third layer. Upon the outside was a vast marketplace from which the merchants would sell their commodities. Shrewd, greedy, and always trying to get the edge on a deal. Anything one could desire can be found here, be it Hell's unholy weapons or the pleasure's of the flesh. But make sure you read the fine print before signing anything

Those devils were nothing compared to the calculating, cruelty of those who dwelled within the forth layer, The Tower. For this is where the majority of the planning in The Eternal service was made. While policy was dictated further below still, the actual implementation was primarily made here.

On the fifth layer, was the vault. Here is where important documents and other items of value are stored. A horribly mundane task awaited the devils here, for they are to watch over the contents. One of the safest places in the multiverse to store things. The Eternal service even offers to hold items through to future lives. If you can remember your vault number.

On the sixth layer is the golden castle. Here is where the greatest of devils took residence, most notably the arch devils whom each occupied an entire tower. Most of the devils you find here however would be the many servants who attend to the occupants. This is what every devil dreams of, but few will ever have. A layer of extravagant excess and vast inequality. Nowhere is the wealth disparity greater than here.

The Throne room, represents the seventh and final layer. It is from here that Sivil spends his days. Few ever see the throne room, as only Sivil's greatest of servants is allowed presence here. It's massive golden throne place on steps, each of which are individually three times taller than any man hammer down the point. All are beneath the magnificent one.


Create Race: Devils -2 (The general low class ones)
Create Plane: The Eternal Service -3
Create Subrace: Merchants, Bureaucrats, Aristocracy (more are likely to come): -3
Create Organization: The Eternal Service: -2

Total 10

[Shmee]

Green Lands



"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"
"Woohay!"

And the gnomes prepared to depart.

As the Iron Gnomes made their way back towards Grindforge City, they had to pass by a treacherous mountain range that separated the Green Lands from the rest of Despair. This mountain range, centuries ago was once part of the Moon's evil smile as it prepared to crash upon the world.

At one point in their journey, the Gnomes all of a sudden hear a cacophony of diffrent screeching sounds, as they find themselves confronted by a group of short ugly green creatures. The Goblins, having been driven away from the Green Lands had made these mountains their home.

One of the Goblins... their leader no doubt, takes his ceremonial place of honour which is bestowed upon the leaders, that is in the rear of the Goblin group, starts to point towards the Gnomes, yelling something in their gibberish language.

Having no choice, the Gnomes bring out their necklace, and upon using the command word casts Tongue on the Goblin. After all, this worked perfectly with their encounter with the bug god didn't it? Gnomish ingenuity of course!

And so, the Gnomes listen to what the Goblins have to say
"Lack of information about our children is a fair assessment."

What they actually said...
"We are the Goblins! You short ugly people are trespassing in our lands! "

Huh what?

Once again, the Goblin screams from the rear of the Goblin group

"Oops! In order for our country is still a secret meat!"
"Curse you! Leave our lands now or we shall grind you into mystery meat!"

No sense could be made from the Goblins, and it seemed that the group were becoming more threatening with each passing moments. What would the Gnomes do now?

[Draken]

Between the Green Lands and Grindforge.

Nicabod, the platinum gnome, scratched his chin at the goblin gibberish, trying to make sense of it.

"Screw it. I will use the thing on myself."

Nicabod said the command word, and cast the spell on himself, so that, if he wouldn't be capable of understanding, at least the goblins would.

<"Hail and well met! We need to cross this passage to reach our city, and would like if you allowed us through."

"We also have no clue what you were saying. Perhaps the universal translator needs tuning! Hoho!">

But mind you, Nicabod was no fool, and even as he spoke to the goblins, two knights, with their dark adamantine skin, came to the front to protect his flanks, and armored ones who could pass off for humans due to their size also came to the front.

[Shmee]

Goblin/Gnomish standoff

If Nicabod's trick actually worked, it was really impossible to say. Yet it seemed to agitate them more. Indeed, to the Goblin's ears they may have very well heard the Gnomes tell them

<"Welcome! We have to take some of our cities, please contact us if you will. We did not tell me any ideas, can be admitted to explain the world, ohoh!">

To which the Goblin leader shrieks back

"What is this site? Hills City of crime! Well, I look forward too!"
"What is this? You wish to bring your cities into our mountains! You trespass on our land and insult us in our face? You will now die!"

Pointing from the back of the group, the Goblin gives his command

"Attack to kill me! The successor of the mountain town want!"
"Attack, kill them all! Do not let a single one escape and bring their cities to our mountains!"

And with that the Goblins attack the Gnomes


For those who are wondering "What the hell is going on" check out this site. (http://www.conveythis.com/translation.php)

[Moose Fisher]

Erah, Underdark

In the dark caverns of the world, Erah moved about her kin. She took lovers and bowed to those of higher status. She raided the surface for supplies and new converts, the surface light warming her face. The shards of the moon gave the world a harder edge, but Erah could see life returning to glory.

She lived within that dark society, searching for its secrets. To speak openly was heresy, so she whispered to seduce and twist pride.

"Are we not the Lady's favored?" said she, "What use have we for our weaker siblings? Their forms loath sun, while we do not. They steal the minds and skin to imitate us, but their aberration shows. The other Children hinder us, and hide secrets in deeper darkness in spite. We have no need of them, for all will be illuminated."

It was a slow process, but Erah began to gain a following. Scattered actions demonstrated the growing refusal of the aberrant. The numbers of Erah and her allies were still too few for an open rebellion, but a seed had been sown.

[Draken]

Nicabod's eyes went wide as the goblin horde charged in, because they were many. Really, really many.

<"RUN!">

And with that order, the gnomes sprinted the other way, looking for a narrower passage where they could hold a choke, but leaving their two wagons behind.

---

Ichmod, the Observatory

"I feel a disturbance."

[Goglas]

Asharra and Enki, The Oceans

As the Dark Lady first spoke, terrible fright came over Enki and a chill ran down his spine. Something great and terrible has come. He immediately turned and prepared to defend himself.
Yet for all the warnings of his divine mind, for he could sense there was something very dangerous about this woman, the strings of his heart took control of his body as he first laid eyes on her. Her beauty far surpassed any that he has seen in his long life, and her words were comforting. Although her form was new to him, and a bit alien, he nevertheless felt a certain amount of familiarity to her.

He shook his head slightly to regain his focus. "The Lady Asharra?" he said after a few awkward moments of silence. "Tragedy, yes. I wonder what happened to cause such a catastrophe in my seas."

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, The Oceans

A great portal opens beside Enki and Lady Ashe. A large mass of pink with a hungry maw filled with teeth slowly slinks through the portal and suspends itself next to the two divines.

"Peace! Hunger has not consumed me!"

Darrmoon's tiny eyes stared at the two Gods.

"I am here to help, we must bring the world to perfection, everything tastes better when it is not....burnt. I do not like the world of the destruction, and woe. What can I do to help?"

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Many Legged God, Green Lands

The trillipede slumbered under the boughs of the massive trees, Abeil flitted from tree to tree, flower to flower, spreading pollen and life, their huge hives literally abuzz with activity. As the god slept, he came upon an idea in it's dreams. He would create another peoples, to work with his Abeil. They would serve to carry the Many Legged Gods will anywhere in the world it bid. While it slept it created for itself a cocoon, and it began to change. Many of it's legs disappeared, it's body shrank to three large sections, and it developed a colossally bloated thorax. It's head was like that of a massive ant, though it seemed far to small for it's swollen form, as did it's legs, but keeping with tradition it kept at least hundreds of legs on it's body. Soon, it burst from it's cocoon with it's hugely swollen body, mucus and saliva dripped from it's mouth and poison dripped from a huge stinger on it's thorax

Staggering to it's countless feet, impossibly long but still seeming too short and thin to possibly hold it's great bulk, the Many Legged God began to burrow. It, now she, dug deep into the earth, until it came upon the twisting passages of a cave system, she burrowed until she came upon a huge, hollow chamber. She staggered into a corner of the cavern, and began to lay thousands and thousands eggs. In hours the eggs had hatched. The beings that came forth were similar to the Abeil, they had four legs and two arms, but their heads were more waspish than the Abeil's humanoid heads, for they were ant men. Indeed, even their arms and centauroid bodies were vastly more akin to ants than Abeil were to bees. Quickly, the worker Formians, for that was the name of these new ant-folk, began to move the eggs still being hatched, and as warriors began to hatch as well they ventured forth to gather food and any other supplies they might find. Some began to venture to the surface through the massive tunnel burrowed by the Many Legged God, gathering hugely tall grass, food and fruit, and even dead animals. There they made contact with the Abeil, and they both knew their purpose in relation to one another.

Beneath the Green Lands

As soon as their numbers had swelled significantly, the Formians began to dig tunnels through the rock and stone of the underground. They mostly used their clawed limbs, both hands and front legs, but when they could find metal tools from the surface like picks and such, they used these to augment their already prodigious digging skills, granted them by their great strength, ceaseless determination and numbers. Using drone-like teamwork the Formians began to hem and hew a system of massive tunnels underneath Despair. Massive ant hills began springing up about the continent, with Formians coming to the surface to gather resources and explore. After some time, the extensive system of tunnels stretched all throughout Despair, these tunnels became known as The Colony.

The Many Legged God, seeing the rapid expansion of the Formian lands, began to use give birth to three Formian Queens. When they hatched, these queens spread to the three OTHER corners of The Colony under Despair, and began hatching more Formians, the reds, the blacks, and the yellows, with most Formians being brown. Soon, the Formians began to expand even under the sea bed, and The Colony became connected with the Underdark of Hope...

10AP=16AP-3AP Evolve Physically -2AP Create Populous: Formians -1AP Mold Land, create The Colony (essentially the Underdark under Despair) raise mortal heroes: 3 Formian Queens. Don't worry though, they're fat and bloated and can't really leave their one cavern chamber, so anyone they want to fight has to come to them)

[Shmee]

Nicabod's eyes went wide as the goblin horde charged in, because they were many. Really, really many.

<"RUN!">

And with that order, the gnomes sprinted the other way, looking for a narrower passage where they could hold a choke, but leaving their two wagons behind.


The Goblins yell as they see the Gnomes running away

"Yes Ah! Need a little scared! I bite my feet!"
"That's right! Run away you little cowards! I'll bite your legs off!"

As the Gnomes make their tactical move, the Goblins are in hot pursuit, screeching their war cry as they approached for the slaughter... that was, until they reached the abandoned wagons.

Being greedy little buggers, they just couldn't pass the chance to score some sweet loot. Of course, the leader doing the important job of guarding the rear came out demanding his larger share of the loot.

"Hey! Here I am! This means that all the *beep* you first!"
Hey! I am the leader around here! That means I get the first pickings!

With that the Goblins start to argue amongst them, about who gets what. Seems they have completley ignored the Gnomes.

[Draken]

Nicabod looked back on the pursuers, and noticed them stop to scavenge their stuff.

<"Heyheyhey! EVERYBODY STOP! No one mucks around our stuff! Markle! Bortho! Line with me and shoot 'em up!

Two gnomes with golden skin came form the gathering and joined Nicabod, hands raised and ablaze, while Nicabod himself charged several small orbs of gray light between his hands, in front of himself.

Nicabod shot the five projectiles unneringly at the goblin chief, while Markle and Bortho threw the flame son their hands at his gathered minions.

Meanwhile, the two adamantine gnomes and the two gnomes in larger armor took the front again, now in a narrower, more defendable position.

Nicabod is using his Magic Missile spell-like ability. Markle and Bortho are using their Create Flames spell-like ability.

[Shmee]

The Goblin/Gnome confrontation.

The Goblins hear the Iron Gnomes yell

""Heyheyhey! Enough! We have no planet, something! Mark! Powles! Me and my shooting is online!"

As the Gnomes begin to unleash their spells against the ragtag band of Goblins. Their leader, seeing the barrage or projecticles coming his way makes a bold decision, which shall be sung as the greatest military passage in Goblin history

"Black Magic! Teaching activities such as eating! Can not believe that the child storms!"
"Evil magic! They have bad voodoo and stuff like that! Grab what ever you can boys and lets scram!"
And thus before they beat a very hasty tactical retreat, the Goblins grab what ever they can from the abandoned wagon. Before they disappear from view, the Goblins leave an ominous warning

"It's not all! I do not think other people! We take you to our town in the mountains! If you want to kill one of our special form of method!"
"This is not over! You haven't seen the last of us! We shall never let you bring your cities into our mountains! We shall kill anyone of your kind that we find in our way!"
And with that, the Goblins are gone.

[Selinia]

The Celestial Observatory

Eventually, Klashanna manages to tear her eyes away from the horrors of Despair being displayed onscreen. After a moment's hesitation, she speaks once more. "I have so many questions... but I can not expect you to answer them all. I hate to be rude, but I see only one course of action to take, and it will consume my full attention for some time. If you wish, you may make use of the Observatory's functions for as long as you wish." At this, she smiles with genuine enthusiasm. "I am glad to have found an ally so soon - when you leave, be sure to take this - think of it as a gift to celebrate our meeting." At this, Klashanna produces what seems to be an odd, blue-tinged scroll, covered with images of what appear to be suits of armor.

"They really aren't terribly practical I'm afraid - I doodled them up before I remembered that the Saerites are quadrupeds - but I'm sure that with a few modifications your people could find a use for them. They were meant for heavy industrial work, but one advantage of the humanoid form is its versatility. Now... if you will excuse me, I have a great deal to do - and far less time than I'd like in which to do it."

Even as she finishes this last sentance, it is clear that the goddess is lost in her own thoughts once more - she strides quickly from the room, muttering to herself...

"...of course...substitute blood for ichor...divine regeneration factored in..."

Hoffnung, Coona, Progress

The applause was thunderous.

The Steamwheel clique basked in their victory - they had done it! Weeks, months, even years of feverish research had finally paid off - Collaboration was the final test; to see if their invention would be embraced by the Nations as they hoped it would. Judging by the response... it had been.

Ember really felt she should say something - as the clique's spokesperson, it was her job to explain what exactly their machine was. But for the moment, dazed by their success, all she could manage was;

"Ladies and gentlemen - I present to you - The Steam Engine!"

Had she known what was to come, she would likely have fainted.

AP 5: 6- 1(Teach Populace - Steam Power)
EDITED for punctuation.

[Draken]

Celestial Observatory.

"Hohoho. Pleasure meeting you too! And thanks for the gift, I will have to think of something for you too!"

Ichmod, still sitting on the chair as Klashanna left, looked over the designs. Armor? No, he was already wearing one! It would be silly to give him designs for armor. Oh, wait! Self-mobile armor! But the gnomes did have something like that, enchanted suits with extra bulk, that made the wearer larger and stronger (but clumsier).

That seemed to be the design. But without the magical links he was used to, nope, nope, levers and cogs, mainly. Interesting, but seemed much more prone to technical difficulties than the magical version.

Hmm... That paper felt funny to the touch, poke, poke, poke. No, focus Ichmod! Robots!

Hmm... There was an interesting word. Robot. Rooobot. A self-powered machine, no driver, no rider. But... All those gears, it was really fun to see how they connected but it all looked really unpractical! How to change that, how, how, how. Oh, yes! Just a small alteration the pistons and the levers, substitute the hidraulic pumps and the power sources for runewire to unclog space. Yes, yes. It all cobbled up itself in his mind... But that word did not fit anymore... Robot. No, no. A new name was needed.

"Golem! Hohohohoho! Yes! That's it!"

With that small surge of inspiration, the short god could no longer sit idle, his skin shifted to a lighter metalic sheen, and he dashed through the halls to the door, and as soon as he felt the magic return he opened the iron gates of Inovation in the middle of the void, striding into his own halls.

Ichmod had a design, and from the world beneath, he gathered the mumblings of gnomes who had been assaulted and thieved by a new race, so his deisgn would soon find use. His golems would serve well as the soldiers of the gnomes.

5 AP:

No action yet. Hah! Just listing the AP.

[Goglas]

Asharra, Enki and Darrmoon, The Oceans

Enki's first suspicions were right. Something terrible has come; The Great Maw.
Halfling's Bane materializing in his hand, the god of water gave a great shout that shook the waters around them and prepared to strike.

(OOC: Giving Asharra the chance to interfere, if she wants.)

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra: The seas of creation

This death happened at the will of one. A single creator caused this blight and destruction. Asharra explained,It will continue to happen as long as there are others who possess this power. Nothing will be safe.

Before she could speak further, the maw god itself appeared in a burst of magic and rage. Enki immediately pulled his weapon, not shocking considering his earlier encounter with Darrmoon. Bloodshed now would ruin everything.

No! She spoke with a voice that rippled across creation with far more force than her small form could speak aloud, We do not fight now, Enki. Still your blade. You would fare no better than last time.

Asharra turned to Darrmoon with narrowed eyes... not certain she could trust the creature. It had never attacked her in the past... but that by no means made it reliable.

The destruction of this world affects even you, Darrmoon. Finally you realize. She said evenly, showing no fear of the beast, but neither trying to antagonize him, So long as there are creators to war and fued...there will be death and destruction.... fire and ruin... All will burn or fall rotten, and fade.

She looked up to the sky, squinting in a pain that neither god could understand under the sun's glare.

While others do nothing. No one will rise to defend this world we have made if we do not. Change must come at our hands. She said, the fainted of smirks crossing her face as an idea came to her, But we must be able to trust one another... or we could just as easily fall into fighting and ruin all ourselves. If you will indulge me... I have a solution.

She looked off into the massive sea, and pointed off in the distance to where she knew, deep below the surface... her son's creation rested. She knew what she would do.

In a trench in the deepest sea is a creation born of us. Of your mixed blood, born to life in my body. He will join us as well... and together, we will be strong enough to tear these other creators apart and prevent them from ever again ruining this world. Come. We must speak with him... for he can forge a bond between us that will strengthen us all for the task ahead.

------------------

Godly Actions: AP 1 + 3 (rollover) = 4

So... who's up for forming a pantheon before we sack the sun? :smallwink:

[Selinia]

Staunen, Pulse, Progress

As much as other nations love to deride them as dreamers and airheads, Pulsites are remarkably efficient when motivated - the network of roads covering the continent is testament to that. As if any further evidence was needed, one need only look out at the harbor - a mere three months from the creation of the first functional steam engine, a group of enterprising cliques had assembled a device unlike anything the ocean had ever seen.

The Elegant Progression utterly failed to live up to its name. Massive, ungainly, and covered in metal - by conventional wisdom, the thing should not even float, let alone sail. Yet float it did - and without a sail, the relentless and unpredictable winds of the eastern sea lost their power over it. Instead, it used an ingenious variation of the steam-powered wheel that had been sparking a flurry of invention across every Nation.

At long last, it seemed that the sea had been conquered - of course, the logical next step was to find out what was on the other side. The erstwhile inventors-turned-adventurers found no shortage of volunteers - far from it, it seemed every saerite from here to Grimm wanted a spot on board the marvelous new ship (or one of the derivatives already under construction.)

In the end, a crew of two hundred was settled upon, led by the (in)famous Captain Jules. No one knew the seas better that him - he should, being the survivor of over fourteen shipwrecks (obviously not the SOLE survivor - the number of crew mates that survived was a major factor in deciding on his leadership.)

In any case, it wasn't long before the Progression pulled out of harbor and began chugging its merry way towards the unknown East. On board were everything from architects to zoologists, cartographers and woodsmen, chemists and linguists... cliques of every form and function imaginable.

There were even a couple of sailors, but nobody paid them much attention.

The ship is en-route to Hope - I'm giving an opportunity to interrupt here, since the oceans seem to be chock full of gods, none of which have any particular love for Klashanna or her Saerites...:smalleek:

Just keep in mind - the ship is unarmed, but it IS essentially an Ironclad, so it will take some effort if you want to damage it.

[Lady Tialait]

The Oceans, Darrmoon

The massive creature recoiled back a bit from the blade. Then settled when Lady Ashe held Enki back. He listened to her and then nodded. He would join such a pantheon. He would join, and in time, devour it.

"Rotten meals have no flavor, and burnt meals are beyond the power of a being to enjoy. I will not allow such things too happen. I am hungry, I am starving, however, I can hold my urge back. There is something in my gullet, instead of nothing."

Darrmoon moved to look at Enki.

"Eating is a natural thing for all things to do. You understand nothing of this."

He then turned to Lady Ashe.

"We have had our moments of conflict. We shall have them in the furture, the predator and the prey always are in conflict. You will continue to create foodstuffs, and I will continue to eat them. As long as the world we have worked on is not burnt and rotted away."

Darrmoon nodded.

"Let us go make this...pantheon...this union of our powers."

[Draken]

Iron Gnomes, Despair.

Nicabod's expedition returned to Grindforge short several inventions, fuming from their ears, literally in the case of the Gold clan members.

Nicabod took the events of his expedition to the council of the clans, the Halflings, the Green Lands, the godling he dubbed the Lord of Worms, and lastly, with fury, the goblins.

His outrage was shared by the elders of the clans. This would not do. Not at all! But Ichmod had given then plans, designs they could use for this, and prototypes were already done and functional, Golems, as the gnomes dubbed them.

A golem towered easily four times the heigh of a gnome, even larger than your average Big Armor. Like much the gnomes made, it had a purpose, and its purpose was brute force.

But it was not enough, hardly enough, the gnomes had plans for something much, much, bigger.

5 Ap:
-2 AP: Create Populace: Golems (all kinds).
= 3 AP left.

---

Iron Gnomes, Hope.

Hope was vastly more settled than despair, the Iron Gnomes had met many races in this land, Faeli and Dwarves, and founded a few small settlements on hills and valleys in this land, but nothing quite like the titanic fortress of Grindforge in Despair.

And then, they discovered Valorum.

A fortress inside the mountains, but there was something else about it, the edge of Valorum was also the edge of the world, and the iron gnomes could feel it, beyond the gates was an entire, separate plane.

Well, not entirelly, it did take space in the material plane after all.

But still! It was like the material plane! But it also felt somewhat like the halls of Inovation from whence they came! With magic in the very air!

And inside... Faeli, faeli and... Ichmod had sent plans for golems to all gnomes, but here there were similar things! Like half golems and half living beings, or like gnomes in Big Armor. They called themselves Forged, and the forged and the faeli spoke of a god that had created it all, Kaleth, but the god had vanished, and they knew not where to.

The iron gnomes heard what the two had to say about Kaleth, who made it all and about his vanishing, and then they spoke of Ichmod, who was their own maker.

Ichmod's concerns did match those of the people of Valorum, and the iron gnomes were welcomed to stay, which they did. Both within and around Valorum they made their camps, settlements, and then their city - one to match distant Grindforge - which was named Steelamach, built within and around the mountain, and around Valorum.

[Moose Fisher]

Dwarves, Mt. Nolam

Ever the diligent workers, the dwarves finished the fortification of their greatest work. Atop the tallest peak of Mt. Nolam, the artificial mountain of the dwarves, stood Urist Bershukar. Adamant Blade in hand, horned helm on head, he looked upon the world he had seen below him throughout his long years. Urist called out to world and godly realms:

"We have long looked to the sky as our true homes. Despite our flightless forms, we have toiled to bring ourselves to the sky. Mt. Nolam is the greatest work of this world, extending high enough to touch the heavens! No other has worked harder, no work is more prominent, Nothing will claim higher authority!

I have seen the lands beyond the skyshroud, the heights beyond the heights of the world. Beings of might and flight reside in these lands. They are amazed by our works, yet they turn us away!. As those who seek the top, we must extend to these lands and go beyond all else! Nothing will deny our manifest destiny!

There will always be those who defy expectations, to do what is considered impossible. Resistance will be met, but those with spirit and tenacity will plow through! Nothing will stand in our way!"

The sweep of the Adamant Blade ripped a hole in the sky, opening the way to the realms of the gods. Beyond the tear stood a shining city of lights and devices. The dwarves extended their mountain into the strange realm. Expecting opposition to their intrusion, armored warriors marched from the growing tower and laid claim to new territories. Structures were torn down and converted to new heights of Mt. Nolam. All was fit only for addition to the world's greatest work.

"These devices are sturdy," said Urist Bershukar, "But they deny us the pride of achieving by our own hands. We must reach the top of this land and reach beyond its borders, for there is no limit to our progress!"


-------------------------

2ap Create Portal (Material to The Observatory)
1ap Shape land (Mt. Nolam extending through The Observatory)
2ap Guide Populace (Dwarves 'declare' 'war' on The Observatory)

0ap = 5ap - 2 - 1 - 2

((I grew tired of waiting...))

[Shmee]

Despair

With the heroic sacrifice of the Faeli hero, Nedain, the Lunar Advent was thwarted, and the mortal races of Hope had triumphed over the legions of the living dead. Even if victory had come at a great cost to the living, the Living Dead on Hope were hunted down until they are no more than creatures that mothers tell to their children in order to make them behave.

But the Living Dead never rest. The land known as Despair does not allow them rest. It is on this continent, where the shambling corpse roam the wastelands to attack the living. In some places, they are more common, in others less. However, no where else, can a greater concentration of the Living Dead be found on the Southern peninsula of Despair.

Should any living mortal make their way through this cursed and desolate land, they shall tread through the kingdom of the dead... the land simply known as the Fields of Absolute Horror. A permanent unholy aura of evil emanates from the very land, as very night, when the Moon dominates the sky, the Living Dead arise, to once again extract their unending vengeance against the living.

[Goglas]

Enki, The Oceans

"Eating in not natural!" Enki screamed, sword still in hand. "Your consumption of any and all things is as abhorrent as those undead you feasted upon."
"I will not allow you to speak your blasphemy in my presence. You'd do well to keep your maw shut!"

His blood burned and his hands shook, yet he did not move. "Your words, Lady, carry weight," he said, still looking at Darrmoon. "But I will not bind myself to this...thing. Show me to this entity you speak of."


The Elegant Progression, East of Progress

As the great ship made its way through the water, a stirring was felt from beneath. The ship rocked from side to side, violently, when out of the deeps burst out a huge dragon head, connected to a gargantuan, serpent-like body that disappeared into the sea, past the sun's rays.

The Sea Drake took the entire ship in view, looking at all the small creatures from above.
"Who dares trespass into my waters?" said the Drake, his voice low and booming, his gaping mouth revealing rows of sharp teeth.

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, Enki, Lady Ashe, The Oceans

The massive creature looks at Enki as his tongue reached out and grabbed a single fish. He moved it around over his tongue as he stared at Enki. His drool tainting the water around him as the fish changed slowly. Becoming longer and more and more viscous. Darrmoon grinned some as he spit out of the fish. The fishes open maw resembled the open maw of Darrmoon himself. It swam around, more and more fish transformed till there became a small army of hungry fish. These fish were to come to be known as 'Sharks', a bastardization of the Aquan name for Darrmoon: Sharraak.

Darrmoon had given his curse to these fish. They too hungered ever. This effect would have another effect on Enki, something Darrmoon was counting on. Enki would feel the hunger he had been meeting. Darrmoon's maw of teeth and drool grinned wide.

"Now feel hunger. Then tell me if consumption is unholy. Tell me eating is unnatural. Tell me you do not wish to eat with hunger less then MINE!"

1 AP = 1 Curse (Hunger to the Sharks) - 2 AP

[Selinia]

The Celestial Observatory

"++Warning -- Dimension Breach Detected in Sector [3] -- Containment Protocol Failed -- Initiating Self Defense Protocol ++ Warning -- Dimension Breach..."

The harsh blaring of the alert message jolted Klashanna from her trance-like concentration. A dimensional breach? Another creator, perhaps? No... another creator would have alerted her sooner. Perhaps some sort of beast then? She felt a momentary pang of worry - the observatory's defenses were fierce - a being incapable of understanding the various warning signs would put itself in imminent danger.

Pulling up a viewing screen, Klashanna toggled to the location of the breach.

"Dear... dear... oh nonononono...."

Displayed was something out of a nightmare - mortals - people, intelligent beings - were marching up through the depths of the Observatory. Willfully marching past every warning sign, ignoring the blaring alerts to halt for their own good. With every step, more died. Clunk - a corridor incinerates an entire column, and the dwarves keep marching. Clunk - a bolt turret sprays high-explosive death into their ranks, and the dwarves keep marching, tearing down the device and moving the scrap still further upward. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.

"STOP! Power down all defenses! Activate passive containment measures ONLY! Those are PEOPLE down there!"

Moving with all the haste she could muster, Klashanna fled down into the lower regions of the observatory, searching for the dwarves. Before long, she found them - clunking along, stripping the walls of everything from statuary to electrical wiring.

"What are you doing?" Klashanna's voice is chocked with a mixture of grief and frustration. Turning to the apparent leader of the dwarves, she posed the question again. What are you doing? Surely you could see that your action were costing the lives of your own people - if I hadn't overridden the system, you would still be under fire! If you wished to enter the observatory, all you needed to do was ask! What could possibly compel you to march into my home, bringing nothing with you but destruction?" At this she gestures to the trail of stripped walls and broken devices left behind the dwarves. Silently smoldering, she awaits an answer.

OOC: I'm assuming here that the "Languge of the Gods" is understandable by all mortals, in spoken and written form. This is the basis for Klashanna's frustration - if not, then just assume the "warnings" were incredibly intuitive images or some such thing.

The Elegant Progression, East of Progress

The sight of the mighty sea serpent threw the ship into a frenzy of activity - everyone was trying to do something, but there seemed to be little agreement as to what that would be.

"...intellegent life! Already!..."
"...and I'll grab the sketchbook and, Art, you better be taking notes on all this!..."
"...in perfect Saerite too! Marvelous, why..."
"...Oi! Mister sea-serpent!..."
"...obviously a reptile, back me up here buddy..."
"STOP."

This last echoed across the now remarkably silent deck as Captain Jules took the deck. "This is the first contact the Saerite Nations have ever had with another intelligent species! It is our solemn duty to treat them with dignity and respect! Now," turning to the great drake with an almost comical politeness in his tone, "good sir, to answer you question, we are on a voyage of discovery, to parts unknown. Our mission is to discover new lands and cultures so that we may exchange good and ideas for mutual benefit, and then return triumphantly to Progress!" There was some scattered applause at this, but a quick over-the-shoulder glare from the captain achieved silence once more.

"It would seem we have just succeeded in at least one part of our mission statement via this most auspicious meeting. Now, if I may, good sir, I would pose the same question to you - what brings you to this meeting on this fine day? Chance, perhaps? Or do your people too, wonder at what lies beyond the horizon? Or another reason I have failed to guess?"

OOC: AP 3 : 5-2 (Gain Portfolio Element - Enlightenment [RETROACTIVE])
This is just a hotfix on account of my messing up and taking Civilization without an appropriate Portfolio element. If possible, just consider Klashanna to have always had this. This has been gone over in the OOC thread, and I think theis was the best presented solution.

EDITED to bold Jule's speech for ease-of-reading.

[Moose Fisher]

Urist Bershukar, The Celestial Observatory

Urist Bershukar set down his planning slabs and shouting orders at the arrival of the owner of the mechanical land. He shifted his helm, looking into the eyes of a god. He said:

"We're building. Long ago we were left on the ground, yet our hearts yearned for the skies. We created the greatest work in the world and reached the top of the sky, but we couldn't stop there. We are building beyond the sky, to these strange lands, and when we reach the top we shall build to whatever lies beyond!"

Urist looked to the dwarves lying about and being carried off to the tombs.

"Cost in lives? Destruction? Don't be ridiculous! We all work for our ultimate goal of reaching the top, there is no greater glory. Some may lose ambition and need to be sealed within the walls and earth, but as a whole we are strong! Your warnings and attacks impose limits. We do not accept limits. You may resist, but we will fight back. Nothing can stop us from our goals!"

A metal tower of the mechanical realm fell at Urist's words and was dragged off to join Mt. Nolam.

[Selinia]

Now, up close, Klashanna recognized the invaders for what they were - dwarves. She had seen them when she was, for lack of a better term, born. She remembered their tenacity, and thought it was unsurprising that they would look on her as an equal, despite her divinity. To those so used to looking up, everything tends to be seen down the length of one's nose.

But even so, some part of her was delighted - these dwarves had broken into the realm of a goddess under their own power - no mean feat to be sure.

But their reaction to their dead disturbed her greatly - no grief, no sense of loss. Just another casualty to their people's ambition... for what? The Top? Klashanna's mind raced - she could think of no such thing as "The Top" - to her knowledge, the void was infinite.

"I apologize deeply for the striking down of your people - I did not wish their death any more than you did. The warnings were not meant to limit you, only to guide you towards a more productive course of action. Had you heeded them, those dwarves would still be alive. However, I am confident that a deal can be made that satisfies both of us. I have many things that could help your people, but confess that I am at something of a loss as to what you want. You say that you seek out the Top, but surely you understand that there is no such thing? Beyond this structure lies only the empty Void - it is not a place where mortals can survive. But tell me - what is it that you believe you will find, when you reach the top? I may be able to aid you."

OOC: Just a note - the observatory isn't all that big - maybe the size of a large castle, at most. I get the impression you think its much bigger, from terms like "lands" - its a single building. A really advanced, impressive building, but not a "land" by any stretch of the imagination.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formians in the Underdark

The Ant-folk had broken through to an odd set of tunnels beneath the ocean bed, what seemed like an entire system of tunnels like those they themselves had dug. They moved far from their Divine Queen and Her Children, and so they moved cautiously. In such a strange situation, so far from true safety, they should have been afraid, but fear was not an emotion the Formians often felt for themselves. Had their queen been under attack, or their homes ransacked, they would feel fear for the safety of Queen and Country, but fear for themselves would be an out of place sensation, and so they trudged on in search of new knowledge, apprehensions and worries aside. With them they carried eggs for both Formians and Abeil, in the hopes of establishing a small Abeil colony and supplying fresh workers and warriors once they reached their destination, though they did not truly know what their destination was.

They moved with warriors in front and back, and because of their powerful limbs and adept ant-feet, they could walk on any combination of roof, sides, and bottom of the cavern. Soon they were greeted by a crossroads, and a small cavern. They decided this would be their outpost. They moved into the cavern and established a presence, sending back their fastest scouts to report back and request more troops, but for now they would rest and await reinforcement before they moved on into what they could not know was the greater underdark.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra, Enki and Darrmoon: Seas of Creation

Enough bickering. We must cooperate, or we will fail. She spoke, placing a gentle hand on Enki's shoulder, To free creation from this never-ending cycle of death and decay, we must destroy those who wield the same power we do... and we must ensure that we are unified in purpose.

Asharra swum behind Enki with a faint smile, her arms curling over his shoulders as she drew herself close to his back, her voice faint in his ear. Her touch was yet another new sensation to him, stirring feelings and sensations that were entirely new to him.

Please. I cannot do this alone. She pleaded in a silken tone, This creature is only what it was born to be. It did not choose this path. A truly compassionate soul would forgive.

Her words were honey... her tone soft and enticing. Her hands slipped lightly down his chest, as she leaned in close to his ear and spoke one last time in her silken voice.

... Do so, for me?

In either case once all is said, she will lead the two towards the domain of her son. He too would be part of this plan of hers, she was certain of it.

-----------------

Elarion and Keia: The Underdark

With the return of Elarion, the Dark Faeli became more devoted than ever to their dark goddess. Elarion returned with magic until any of them had ever seen, using it to quickly move large numbers of his forces in strategic attacks on the surface... not even particularly aiming for Faeli settlements. As many prisoners as could be taken were brought with them back to the underdark and enslaved with his powerful magics into subservient beings that lived only to serve the Dark Faeli and their goddess. Enslaved dwarves expanded their tunnels, while bound humans and kobolds were trained as cheap, expendable warriors. It was obvious that Elarion prepared for something, but as only he heard the voice of the goddess, the rest of his people knew not what.

In the meanwhile, a growing faction began to marshal around the cry that they alone should serve the dark lady, and that the abominations that they shared their cities with were both unneeded and disgusting. Racial purists were hardly frowned upon, and so this belief was not challenged. If anything, the Dark Faeli took to the idea of superiority fairly well, and the goddess was strangely silent on the manner. The Illithids themselves, as alien and unintelligible as always, seemed to ignore the sentiment, only acting against it if physically threatened... something most of knew better than to do.

Amidst this flurry of activity and change, the Dark Faeli grew, expanding aggressively and converting every Faeli they could drag underground into a fanatical one of their own. These converts who had to be forced to see the Dark Lady's glory and power were given far less respect by their fellows... as they found yet another thing to judge superiority on. The race seemed kept from degenerating into infighting only by the undeniable superiority and leadership of Elarion, who was unmatched in power amongst them. The envious of his position held their tongues, for none wished to incur the goddess' wrath.

[Goglas]

Asharra, Enki and Darrmoon: Seas of Creation

Enki's stomach growled fiercely for the first time in his life. The pain was so acute he could not help it but drop his sword, fall down, still drifting in the water, and put his arms around his belly, twisting and turning, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

"You call this natural?!" he managed to say as he tried to breathe between the sharp stabs of pain. "This is worse than your stomach." He cried out again, his own stomach twitching and consuming itself for lack of food.

Then he could feel it, her gentle hand on his shoulder. Her arms embraced him, and her warmth eased the pain. Her words took over his mind until he could feel nothing but the desire to please her. A wicked game these two had played on him, intentionally or not.

Yet he did not care. For a few moments, the pain was gone. "For you," he said, and tried to rise to his feet, slowly.
Enki looked at Darrmoon and into its black soul, and planted in its mind all the hate and malice he could muster, and the promise of vengeance.
He turned, tired, angry, and smiled as he saw Asharra's eyes, and looked to her to show the way.


The Elegant Progression, East of Progress

"A voyage of discovery," the Drake repeated and grinned. "You would find you were better off staying in Progress."
The Sea Drake stared into the captain's eyes for a few moments, to gauge his courage. He grinned once more and turned his head towards the south-east.
"There you would find another continent, called Hope. There are creatures there unlike you or I. But I would stay clear of the waters to its east. There is a stirring there, in the water. Something terrible is about to happen."

The Drake looked at the horizon, and seemed to have lost itself in its thoughts for a few seconds. It blinked, and looked back to the captain. "As for your question; I am here because this is my home, and you have intruded into my territories. I would let you pass, Saerite, and even escort you out, but you must pay for your intrusion. A hundred chests of gold."

It smiled now, as much as a dragon could, and its eyes shone with greed.

[Selinia]

The Elegant Progression, East of Progress

At the dragon's words, a murmur went up amongst the passengers...

"...hundred chests? What could it possibly do with..."
"...taking notes? Displays - Signs - Of - Overt - Avarice..."
"...freedom of the seas! No more claim than..."
"...should i know? We didn't test its resilience against..."

This time, the captain did nothing to quiet the muttering, instead keeping his full focus on the great serpent. "Good sir, I am sorry that we have intruded upon your territory - we had no way of knowing that there would be beings that laid claim to the seas themselves. However, as sincere as our apology is, your request is not possible for us to fulfill. We are an exploratory ship, not a merchant vessel - our holds are stocked with personnel and foodstuffs, as well as a variety of instruments, but we have no treasure on board."

"However! We do have with us some of the finest minds and scholars of the five nations. If you would allow us passage through your lands... err... seas... to this place called Hope, then we will do our best to answer any question you might have. A gift of knowledge, as it were." At that, Jules looks expectantly - and not a little nervously - at the formidable creature of the seas.

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra, Enki and Darrmoon: Oceans of Creation

Come. She said simply... diving beneath the rolling waves and moving swiftly through the seas, as if she had been native to them all her life.

With the two gods following her, she swam deep... where the water grew dark and thick. Outside the deep, blackwater-filled trench... she stopped them, and floated for a moment as she looked over her son's domain.

The water here is deadly... perhaps even for the likes of us. She warned the others... primarily Enki. My son enjoys his privacy.

She knew the beast within was not truly her son... but the others did not... and she saw no need to give them that information. With a few gestures of both her hands and the seething mass of tentacles emerging from her waist, she cast a spell of sending. As she channeled her spell, her eyes shifted, turning into a solid, soulless black as if ink had been seeped into them. She knew in all likelyhood, he was aware of her presence... but it was always polite to announce oneself.

My son... I am here with others who would join us. She spoke seemingly to no one, Show yourself, for I would speak with you.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formians in the Underdark

Soon the Formians plea for assistance was answered by a contingent of red soldiers and workers, accompanied by a royal daughter of the Red Queen. The lesser Formian Queen, the divine spark in her body diluted but still present, set up in the small base chamber which had been made at least twice as large by the work of the Formian workers that had been hatched in the meantime. A true expedition was about to begin. Soon a platoon of Soldiers were sent down each path with smaller scouting Formians among them, who could act both as scouts and couriers to the Explorators Chamber as it was now called. They also brought a small number of workers to help widen chambers, help with manual labor and to map the ever more complex chambers of this strange new subterranean world.

The Abeil eggs had also been hatched, as the Formians did not want to risk waiting too long until they reached the surface. The Abeil were not as agile in tunnels as the Formians, but they did live in the honeycombed tunnels of their hives, and so were accustomed enough to tunnels to be of use underground. While their ability to fly was not as helpful as on land, it was still a welcome and versatile addition to their numbers. And so the task of exploring and cataloging this vast new system of tunnels had begun, though at this point the Formians had only begun to explore the Underdark under Hope as it connected with the Tunnels under Despair dug by the Formians themselves.

The Colony, AKA Tunnels under Despair

Ever since the ants had been digging tunnels they had been discovered odd glowing rocks they could not identify. They had strange effects they wished to study, but when they brought them before the Many Legged God he grew suspicious, and ordered them kept separate from the rest of the ants. Only a few enlightened workers and their guards were to be permitted to be around them in any concentration, and so all such examples found were often carried to a vast chamber known as The Repository. Here some of the greatest minds of the Formians labored with workers and warriors alike to puzzle out the strange effects of these new stones that unbeknownst to them, was known as Frehernite.

[Moose Fisher]

Now, up close, Klashanna recognized the invaders for what they were - dwarves. She had seen them when she was, for lack of a better term, born. She remembered their tenacity, and thought it was unsurprising that they would look on her as an equal, despite her divinity. To those so used to looking up, everything tends to be seen down the length of one's nose.

But even so, some part of her was delighted - these dwarves had broken into the realm of a goddess under their own power - no mean feat to be sure.

But their reaction to their dead disturbed her greatly - no grief, no sense of loss. Just another casualty to their people's ambition... for what? The Top? Klashanna's mind raced - she could think of no such thing as "The Top" - to her knowledge, the void was infinite.

"I apologize deeply for the striking down of your people - I did not wish their death any more than you did. The warnings were not meant to limit you, only to guide you towards a more productive course of action. Had you heeded them, those dwarves would still be alive. However, I am confident that a deal can be made that satisfies both of us. I have many things that could help your people, but confess that I am at something of a loss as to what you want. You say that you seek out the Top, but surely you understand that there is no such thing? Beyond this structure lies only the empty Void - it is not a place where mortals can survive. But tell me - what is it that you believe you will find, when you reach the top? I may be able to aid you."

OOC: Just a note - the observatory isn't all that big - maybe the size of a large castle, at most. I get the impression you think its much bigger, from terms like "lands" - its a single building. A really advanced, impressive building, but not a "land" by any stretch of the imagination.

The Top was their goal, the Top was their life. But even at the Top, there is space beyond. The dwarves continued expanding and raising Mt. Nolam with every brick and slab of metal. Where a ceiling blocked progress, a hole provided entrance. The dwarves continued to toil as Urist spoke:

"You speak of limits to those you think lesser than yourself. Death does not affect us, for there is only the loss of ambition. We will not compromise, resistance must yield to passion. Do not say what we seek is impossible, for we will make it possible.

Long have we yearned for the skies, a task not easy for our kind. Our early craft failed, but through continued effort we discovered a path to our dreams. A towering mountain we created, a testament of our practiced craft. We built to the skyshroud but we could not stop, for stopping is to deny further improvement. Now we build beyond the sky, beyond the beyond, to the reaches furthest from our grasp and beyond! Where we are now is but a step of a towering stair!"

Urist Bershukar reached for the Maiden of Invention. He and her were to speak on level ground. The horned helm of leadership and determination provided greater stature.

"You say we cannot survive the greatest height of our ambition, but that is where you are wrong. We shall find a way to survive ourselves or from others."


Urist is threatening the use of force! He could also mean learning from others... But he's saying the last bit in a threatening manner. The tone of voice will be lost to time, but the words will remain.

[Lady Tialait]

Darrmoon, Enki, and Lady Ashe. The BlackWater Ocean

Darrmoon's blubbery form sneered at Ash's comment about the waters being poisonous.

"That must be fixed then."

The massive creature looked at Enki.

"Your oceans are currupted, do you find this as discusting as I? Hmm?"

Darrmoon then laughed to himself as the three creators moved to the one buried deep in the blackwater sea. He would see what was corrupting the existence of himself. This was slowly becoming another of the Dark Lady's ploys to destroy him. It mattered not. The realm of the Abyss would be eaten when the rest of the world was. Nothing would escape the meal. This would come later, for now he would have to remove the threat of Death upon the flavor, then he would have to remove this 'child of ash' to finish the job. This would be the mission The Chef would have to take, once his term in the gullet was served.

[CrypticOcean]

Ulthrogrog-The Abyss

As he received his Mother's call, Ulthrogrog transfered his being into his Avatar. He was curious as to what business had called her to the Material Plane...and to his Rift, of all places, but he was certain that he would have those answers shortly enough. He sensed others amongst her...and those were enough to pique his interest.

The Oceans of Creation-Ulthrogrog, Darrmoon, Enki, Asharra

His eyes flared open, and his mighty tendrils undulated forth from his Blackwater Rift. He gripped two mighty spires, and pulled his massive form forth from the darkness. A free tendril caressed his mother's hair briefly before quickly drawing back. Each eye gazed upon each Creator, although the greatest scrutiny was upon Enki and Darrmoon.

"I see that my progenitors have all gathered together once more, and as it has happened before, I am once again brought forth by your combined existences." here his gaze was leveled solely upon Asharra, "What did you desire to speak to me about, Mother? You say that my Father and the Catalyst would seek to ally themselves with us? Intruiging, certainly...although to what end, I wonder?" he mused, his gaze falling back upon all three gods once more.
---------
Godly Actions

Rollover +3 AP-1+3=4 AP

[Goglas]

Ulthrogrog, Darrmoon, Enki, Asharra - The Blackwater Ocean

He followed her all the way north, his mind urging him to attack the Great Maw now, when its back was turned. Yet he could not divert his eyes from her form for even a second.

As they drew closer to the Blackwater, Enki began to change, his very essence darkening, his forgotten bond with both the divines becoming stronger. Then his son appeared, alien and massive, and the shock was so powerful Enki could barely hold back his laughter.

He let his son say his piece and then approached him and the Blackwater. "Deadly?" he said, "corrupt?"
He held out his hand and let the unholy waters swirl around his arm, slowly spreading to his entire body. "No, not deadly. These waters are as much part of me as my son is. How could these waters be corrupt?"
He smiled and touched one of Ulthrogrog's tentacles. "He's family."

The Blackwater around the ocean god suddenly jerked, retreated from the divine and plunged straight into his mouth.
He choked and turned from the others. After a few moments of silence he began to laugh again. "What do you know? I'm not that hungry anymore."


The Elegant Progression, East of Progress

The dragon's smile was gone. "You think you know more than a dragon? I am wiser and possess more knowledge than all of your scholars combined!"
"Remove yourselves from my waters and go home. Don't come back until you have my gold."

The Sea Drake moved from the side of the ship to its front, to block any attempt to move forward. "Go. Now."

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra, Enki, Darrmoon and Ulthrogrog: The Blackwater Rift

Asharra quirked a faint smile as Enki proved more durable than she had expected to the effects of her son's tainted waters. He would make a fine ally... and Darrmoon had already proved himself capable of besting a god.

Ulthrogrog. I desire your aid. She spoke evenly, comfortable in the face of her son's massive form, We tire of the pointless feuds between creators tearing all that is apart. With out combined might... we will end these other beings who would call themselves gods, and guide the world as we see fit.

Idly, she traced a hand down of one of Ulthrogrog's massive tentacles.

I invite you to join me. To join us. She said, her black tendrils snaking to grip Enki's hand, and touch Darrmoon. We can bind ourselves as one and become strong. You all only need agree.

--------------

Godly Actions: Create Pantheon (assuming at least two others agree to join) -2 AP = 2 AP

Our purpose... Deicide. The death of any and all gods who oppose us! I'm willing to simply join the pantheon rather than lead if is someone else wants to handle that. Let me know, and I'll refund myself the AP. :smallbiggrin:

[Lady Tialait]

The New Pantheon, the Blackwater Sea

Darrmoon nodded, he would go with this plan. Dead things cannot eaten with any amount of enjoyment.

"Very well, I shall join."

The massive pink blob sent out a surge of divine energy to circle around the newly forming pantheon. He would be a member of this group. He would bring them into the fold. He would make them help the Chef.

0 = 1 Join Pantheon - 1 AP

[Selinia]

The Observatory

Klashanna, sensing the cold fury in the voice of the dwarven leader, and his motion to pull her down, quickly knelt on her own accord, putting her eye to eye with the smaller creature.

"Your ambition... your drive... these burn with a ferocity I have never seen outside the ranks of the Creators. For that, you have my respect - no, my admiration. I do not seek to belittle you. In fact, I wish to aid you however I can. I will clear a passage for you through this place, so that no more of your people... lose ambition from the hardships they face. If you wish to continue beyond, i will show you how to survive the trials of the Void, that you may continue your work."

"In return, I ask only one thing - I beg you to consider what has been said here. Ambition is the light and flame that drives us to excel, to progress. From it springs hope, courage, and all manner of wonderful things. But left to burn uncontrolled, it can rage and consume until nothing remains but a dried out husk. I do not ask you or your people to lose their ambition, but to harness it, control it, and use it to better yourselves. Rule your ambition, do not let it rule you. I do not ask that you act on my words at once - merely that you give them thought."

Still kneeling, the goddess extends a hand to the dwarf - a gesture of equals. "What say you? Will you take my offer, and allow us to aid one another?"

The Elegant Progression

Stone-faced, Captain Jules gave the order to turn the ship around. This was a research vessel, not a warship, and they could not hope to do battle with such a creature and emerge the victor. Even if they could, too many innocent lives would be lost. "Indeed, we shall leave, good sir. And when we return, I pray we will be able to negotiate on more even terms. Good day."

Their return to Staunen Harbor was bitter in the extreme. When the ship had been spotted, people had rushed to assemble - the explorers were back so soon? What tales they would tell! What wondrous things could lie beyond the sea?

They expected the disembarking heroes to come with their head held high, laden with exotic treasures. What they saw was quite different. One by one, the passengers debarked, stony-faced, stooped in shame, cliques leaning on one another for support. Jules came last, and stormed at once to the delegations of the nations, ready to tell them what had happened.

To the Lady Isabella and the ambassadors of the other nations, he spun his tale - of how, so early into the voyage, another intelligent species had been met. Of how it had demanded outrageous tribute for the simple act of sailing through "its" waters - the tactic of a common thug. Of how it had insulted and belittled the Saerite people at every opportunity, openly threatening the use of force against and unarmed vessel on a mission of peace.

By the time he finished, Jules was shouting over the uproar in the council chamber...

"...an outrage! Clear abuse of power..."
"...we to sail the seas with these thugs patrolling them..."
"...with peaceful intent! And STILL they..."

Isabella raised a hand, and the chamber quited at once. Although she was not the ruler of Pulse, she was one of the Five - most here were her children or grandchildren, or those of one of her sisters, and commanded their absolute respect.

The normally easygoing and upbeat maiden was stony-faced as she spoke. "These people... no, these... Creatures... are nothing but a setback. They are so convinced of their own superiority that they are blind to the idea that they might be wrong. Lady Turina of Grimm was just speaking to me about a new discovery made in the Vallan mines - a stone that, when specially prepared, explodes with great force. Our finest minds shall be turned to a way to wield this new tool against these... dragons."

"Captain Jules, you showed great wisdom on your journey, and prevented what could have become a terrible catastrophe in less steady hands. From this day forth, you will be Admiral Jules, and you shall lead the new fleet in search of this place... Hope. We must show these things that Saerites are not slaves to their whims. Perhaps they will be more willing to see us as equals once we have dealt them a blow."

And so the days and weeks passed, as the new fleet took shape in the harbor. Five ships, led by a refitted Elegant Progression. Their armor was thicker, their decks deeper, and every one was outfitted with dozens of the strange new invention from Valla. Great, black things of cast iron, there was no beauty in them, no clever turn of form - only power.

They were Cannon, and they would be the instruments of the Saerites' vengeance.

OOC: AP 5 : 3 + 3 (Rollover) - 1 (Teach Populace - Gunpowder)
Right now, the saerites only have Cannon, but they'll likely pick up other uses as time goes on.

[Moose Fisher]

The Observatory

Klashanna, sensing the cold fury in the voice of the dwarven leader, and his motion to pull her down, quickly knelt on her own accord, putting her eye to eye with the smaller creature.

"Your ambition... your drive... these burn with a ferocity I have never seen outside the ranks of the Creators. For that, you have my respect - no, my admiration. I do not seek to belittle you. In fact, I wish to aid you however I can. I will clear a passage for you through this place, so that no more of your people... lose ambition from the hardships they face. If you wish to continue beyond, i will show you how to survive the trials of the Void, that you may continue your work."

"In return, I ask only one thing - I beg you to consider what has been said here. Ambition is the light and flame that drives us to excel, to progress. From it springs hope, courage, and all manner of wonderful things. But left to burn uncontrolled, it can rage and consume until nothing remains but a dried out husk. I do not ask you or your people to lose their ambition, but to harness it, control it, and use it to better yourselves. Rule your ambition, do not let it rule you. I do not ask that you act on my words at once - merely that you give them thought."

Still kneeling, the goddess extends a hand to the dwarf - a gesture of equals. "What say you? Will you take my offer, and allow us to aid one another?"


The dwarves laughed heartily at the words of the Maiden of Invention. A smile came to Urist's face as he, a mortal, shook hands with a god.

"You speak to us as if we were children! There is nothing to worry for those who look skyward to their dreams."

Urist motioned to the dwarves to continue the expansion of Mt. Nolam. Devices and plates were stripped for conversion to the world's greatest work.

"This place shall become a stepping stone in our path. These fortifications shall be ours and you will bring us ever higher beyond the Top. Make haste, you must serve us well so we may build above the gods! Just as our might has conquered a divine, so it will conquer the hostile Void!"

The dwarves cheered and continued to work. The Celestial Observatory would soon be no more but a series of rooms within Mt. Nolam, the world's greatest work.

[Shmee]

The Goblin Lands


A Passage from the Great History of the Goblins

"I love the mountains, to meet the traitor soul is not mentioned. Continue to grow, and asked him to leave the city life."
And so the Goblins, cast aside by the treacherous Halflings made their way into the mountains, forever to be exiled. Yet they continued to expand, and soon the tribes began to build their cities.

The Goblins had established themselves within the mountains of Despair. At first, the original Goblins had separated themselves intro tribes, due to the fact that no one can stand the Goblins... including the Goblins themselves. However, after a few tribes were wiped out as a result of the roaming Living Dead that plague Despair, it was decided that there is safety in numbers, which is why the Goblin tribes moved close together, and eventually founded a principle city.

That is how the capital of the self proclaimed Great Goblin Empire was founded. By the standards of the other nations, the "Big City" was the size of a small fortress at best... not that the Empire was that big either, but you try telling that to the Goblins.

The city is surrounded by make-shift palisade walls which gives at least a minimal form of protection. The houses within the Big City was no more than tents, with the odd few buildings here and there. One such building dominated the skyline of the city; and by dominating it is meant that it is the only building that is over 2 stories high; and that is the Senate building of the Empire.

It was agreed by the leaders of the Goblin tribes that some form of government would be needed, a place where the law of the Empire could be debated and formed for the greater good of the Empire. Instead they got the Senate, a room full of hyperactive Goblin leaders yelling gibberish at each other all day long, barley any decisions made, fist fights happened daily corruption running rampart and political backstabbing and assassinations were a common occurrence. All this under the watchful eye of the Chancellor, a figure head elected every 2 years to rule over the Senate... however due to the nature of Goblin politics, a Chancellor's reign only ever lasted on average for a couple of months. In fact, being nominated a Chancellor was short of being a death sentence, which was the reason why the Chancellorship has a deep history of paranoia and mental insanity, which gave even more reasons for the Tribes to arrange the assassinations... such a vicious cycle.

In front of the Senate, a single Goblin approached, with a strange object in his hands. It was the leader of the Goblin Raiding Party who bravely managed to thwart a large Iron Gnomish Invasion upon the Goblin Mountains and at the same time looted their valuable treasures. At least that was the Goblin version of the event.

Not really sure what this Gnomish technology was, the Raid Leader was asked to demonstrate what this necklace of translation could do. Of course according to the Raid Leader's story, he had used the Gnomish technology against the Gnomes when he repelled their invasion, and so now in front of the entire Senate, he had to show how he had done it. Grabbing the necklace, the Raid leader start to rub it. Upon seeing that nothing happens, he starts to click on the gem in the middle. Seeing the Senate getting impatient, and many of the Senators contemplating how to torture him, the Raid Leader gets frustrated and throws the necklace onto the floor. Upon impact, something happened, which causes the entire thing to malfunction and then proceed to explode, reducing the Raid Leader to Ashes and blowing up half the Senate building.

As soon as the dust settles, the Chancellor emerging from behind his seat, observes the damage done to the building, and being happy that he survived yet another close call, he passes the motion to the surviving Senate that the brightest Goblins should begin researching in the technology of "Things that go BOOM!" or as the Goblins call it... "What are the Steps" technology.


The Moon

For centuries the cold corpse of the god of Death remained impaled upon Moon's Tooth. His blood had slowly seeped into Moon's Tooth itself, and was now seeping deep into the ground of the Moon. A grisly reminder of the End which almost happened.


OOC

AP 5= 7-2, Gain Portfolio; Devastation
AP 3= 5-2, Gain Domain; Destruction

Actions done for the Destruction Domain
Pick any of the 10 Pestilences... seriously...

[Selinia]

The Observatory

Klashanna gazed upon the dwarves - she hated herself for what she was about to do, but it seemed to be the only option. There was no other choice but to slay the dwarves outright - which was no choice at all.

"You twist my words and my intentions, but even so, a Pact has been sealed. I will lend you passage and aid, and in return..."


"You Will Think About It."

The words of the Maiden of Invention flooded into the mind of Urist - they broke upon the iron wall of his ambition, but already they were moving on, on to the other dwarves in his company, on to those guarding the entrance to the Observatory, on to each and every dwarven mind. No two dwarves heard quite the same thing, but some later described it as hearing the color gold. Laughter - not at the defeat of an enemy or completion of a project, but simply for its own sake. Love - not for an idea, or a people, but for a person. And other things - grief for a fallen friend, hope for a brighter tomorrow, and most strangely of all - ambition. Ambition aimed not upwards - ambition to make things better - ambition that made you say "Because" and ask "Why."

Many - perhaps even most - were able to shut out the infernal, disturbing golden light, fortifying their minds as their leader had done with great walls of Ambition for the sky. But here and there, a dwarf's fortress would have a chink in its armor, and the light would fill him with its message.

When the light died down around them, these dwarves found themselves changed. Their hair and beards were no longer the brown or black of typical dwarves, but a deep and lustrous gold. Their skin had darkened to a metallic bronze, and was hot as if with fever, but they were not sick. But most importantly, they found that the light had not died down inside them.

Still they felt it! That infernal, awful, WHY! The HOW and BECAUSE! It burned inside them, twisting their Ambition - they no longer felt the need to reach ever upwards! But soon they realized that their ambition had simply taken another form - they must aid their fellow dwarves! There were so many things that their life was lacking, and now they could build them all! THIS was to be their ambition - and as they thought about what they had been like, before the Light, it dawned on them.

Building a mountain to the sky would probably have been easier.


OOC: AP 4 : 5 - 1 (Create Subrace - Gold Dwarves)

As the dwarves struggled with the Light she had set upon them, Klashanna slipped quietly away. Silently, the door of the observatory slid open, a clear path upwards, should the dwarves choose to take it. But for now... she rested, and some part of her wished she could cry.

Staunen Harbor

They were ready. If the Elegant Progression had been ugly before, it was doubly so now, both in appearance and purpose. It bristled with Cannon, and it's holds were filled with what the alchemists termed "Bombs" - great metal barrels filled with powder and metal shards that could be dropped into the water to strike a deadly blow against any creature of the sea.

Its four new sister ships were no different in function, though they shared superficial differences in form. The Price of Progress, the Nations' Reach, the Distant Shore, and the Sense of Wonder were ready to sail at a moment's notice, and that moment had finally come.

The ships mission was adamantly the same as last time - find new lands, new people, and trade ideas and goods with them for mutual benefit. But this time, they would not be stopped by petty thugs, dragon or not. As a prominent member of the Council of Pulse had pointed out, it was likely they would get more with a kind word and a cannon, than just a kind word.

The linguists, researchers, writers and scientists were still on board, spread amongst the five ships, but they shared the space with sailors and soldiers this time around. The soldiers of the five nations had never fought a war before, but they had done battle with the horrid Dire Beasts that were sometimes stumbled upon in the less settled regions of Progress, and they had been trained in the use of the Bomb and Cannon.

The five ships, lead by Admiral Jules from the helm of the Elegant Progression, pulled out of harbor to thunderous fanfare. They were on a journey of discovery once more - and nothing would stand in their way.

OOC: Free action: Raise Mortal Hero (Admiral Jules)
Once again, the ships are en-route to Hope. Left to their own devices, they will reach it before too long, so here your chance to intercept, if you wish.

[CrypticOcean]

The Blackwater Rift-Asharra, Darrmoon, Enki, and Ulthrogrog

"Yes, Father. A Son who hopes to see that his Father's seas thrive...and to see all who would dare to defile and mock them be consumed by our wrath. I am glad that we have finally met at last...to see the face of he who tore his way from the Starving One's gullet."

His father's reaction to the Blackwater was an interesting one, to be sure, although this was hardly a concern to Ulthrogrog. An alliance between them would certainly help him cement his goals. He eyed Darrmoon momentarily. He was confident that the ever-hungering god would betray them the first chance he could. Darrmoon's only concern seemed to be Darrmoon. He had already agreed to join the Pantheon, and Ulthrogrog was not willing to ignore this pact simply because he disliked one of its participants. He would have to keep an eye on Darrmoon, perhaps find a way to make the ravenous beast more managable.

"My dearest Mother, my noble Father. These seas shall never be safe so long as the selfish creators of the Land and Sky exist. This alliance, forged between the gods of realms unseen, shall allow us to protect this world from their foolish actions. I agree to this culmination of our power, to become anathema to these so-called "Creators" whose feuds threaten our world."

Ulthrogrog contributed his share of power to the circle, solidifying the bond between the three who had sworn the oath. He awaited for his father to follow suit.
------------
Godly Actions

Create Pantheon-1 AP

5-1=4 AP

[Goglas]

The Blackwater Rift-Asharra, Darrmoon, Enki, Ulthrogrog

His son's mention of Enki's time inside the Great Maw disturbed the god for a few moments, but not as it did while he was with his daughter. Yes, Ulthrogrog was family too, and his obvious appreciation for his father's realm pleased him greatly. How much he loved his family, even now, under his darkening soul.

Enki lifted the black tendril in his hand to rest against his shoulder and kissed it softly, caressing it and treasuring Asharra's touch.
"Very well," he said faintly, almost absent-minded. He outstretched his free hand and let the Blackwater in him flow through his veins and mutate his body. With a hint of pain, and a small measure of enjoyment, several small eyes opened along the water god's right forearm and transformed his fingers into thin, bony claws.

With the tendril still on his shoulder, Enki moved his head to the other side slightly and exposed his neck. A quick cut with one of the claws and his divine blood flowed out, drifting through the water around them and coalescing with the circle of power around the gods.

"Hmm...Pretty."


The Five Ships, En-route to Hope

The same stirring from beneath was felt once more, only this time closer to Progress' shores. It has been a day and a half at most since they left the harbor, and already the Sea Drake's massive head loomed above the water.

It circled the ships slowly, examining their new instruments of war. "Hello again, Saerites. Have you brought me my gold?"


OOC:
Rollover 13 + 2 = 15
Join Pantheon: 15 - 1 = 14 AP left.

[Lady Tialait]

The Blackwater Rift, Darrmoon, Enki, Lady Ashe, and Ulthrogrog

Darrmoon grumbled, he was tired of listening to these creatures who did not wish to do anything but have a family meeting.

"My fellows, we must act quickly. As we are the protectors of the world, the oceans are not the best place for all of us to be. Enki, Ulthrogrog, you both treasure the oceans, in your own way. I would not dare ask you leave it.

I do not know if you have felt it, but the creator who created the sun has faded. It is a place that could see all things in the world and wait for something to threaten the world, for death to come again. I no love for a dead world. I consume, but I do not wish ill.

Lady Ashe, we have had our problems, same as I have had with others. I consume, it makes problems. Perhaps we could go to the sun and place either you, who belongs to the abyss, or me who belongs...were there is food. Yes, the sun would be the perfect seeing point for all things. I would exile myself from the world to make that my home. However, what do you say? Be rid of me from your oceans...all you have to do is help me conquer the sun.

One lookout gained, and one big bad Darrmoon lost. Everyone wins, I can consume, and it won't effect the oceans."

Darrmoon belched, he hated channeling that awful halfling's etiquette, but what could he do?

[BloodyAngel]

Asharra, Enki, Ulthrogrog and Darrmoon: The Blackwater Rift

You guess my intentions. Asharra said with a bemused smile at the maw-god's sudden eloquent words, The sun god has laid idle as this chaos has befallen the world. He concerns himself only with guiding the souls of the dead. Were he to act, there would be no dead. He is the first that must fall.

She traced a slender tendril across Enki's back as she swum past.

To slay this one, we must remove both his defenders, and the source of his powers... the sun itself. Darrmoon, I leave that to you. Surely the devourer of all can handle this task. She spoke, then turned to the others, The two of you, I will need by my side.

------------------

AP: 2 + 3 (Rollover) = 5

Pantheon AP = 1 (Rollover)

PM's incoming for all! If anyone needs the pantheon AP, send me a PM. Otherwise, Asharra will likely be using it during the attack.

[Selinia]

The Saerite Fleet, East of Progress

Jules eyed the great creature warily. Truly, he did not want a conflict, but there seemed to be little choice in the matter.

"So, it seems we meet again, good sir. And sooner than we had expected - are these too, now your waters? It seems your realm is expanding quickly. How long, I wonder, would it be before you appear in Staunen harbor, and make your demands?"

"No, we have not brought any gold. As you can see, we are no longer an unarmed vessel, at the mercy of any who choose to exploit us. Our weapons are powerful, good sir, and we are well capable of defending ourselves. I believe that, as our situations have changed, a simple re-negotiation is in order. We are happy to trade with you and your kind - as equals, not inferiors."

"There is much you could gain in trade with our people - and nothing to gain from conflict with us. I am sure a gentleman such as yourself can see that. Your initial proposal was borderline extortion - we will not pay any such tribute - but if there are regions of the sea that you would prefer we did not sail, I am certain that a fair compromise can be reached."

"So, what say you, Sir Dragon? Shall our peoples trade as equals, or will you force us into senseless and unprofitable conflict? The choice is yours to make."

The Admiral had no idea how the creature would respond to his proposal - itself a thinly veiled threat. With a subtle gesture he signaled his gunnery chief, and another alerted the other members of the command clique stationed on other ships.

++Ready Weapons // Do not fire unless attacked // If conflict ensues, open fire with intent to neutralize threat // Lethal force is authorized++

Below decks, there was a flurry of activity as civilians were quartered in armored safe rooms and the military cliques took up position. Cannons were loaded with heavy shot and rolled into position. The bombs were placed in their locks, ready to be lit and punted out into the ocean should the dragon come too close.

The gunnery chief tensed - now they waited. She really felt like she ought to say something - as mediator and de-facto leader of the assembled cliques, it was her duty to ensure everything went smoothly below decks.

"Umm... well, here we are. This is what we've been trained for. I know all of you are nervous - this is the first military action of the United Navy. We all are hoping that what we learned won't be needed, but..." her voice trailed off lamely. "...be ready. That's all. I don't want to lose anyone. If it comes down to it, we can't hesitate. Everyone on board - everyone back home - they're depending on us. So lets win this thing."

OOC: AP 7 : 4 + 3 (rollover)

[BloodyAngel]

The Underdark

Move. Mother demands it.

The telepathic sending was repeated unending as the Illithids moved through the caverns of the deep earth, headed for a place that they had never been, but all felt drawn to. A small band of only thirty or forty of them moved... their thralls and slaves leading the way and testing dangerous passageways ahead of the main force.

Upon entering a newer tunnel, the haggard dwarven slave leading the way paused... his long experience with the earth telling him that the tunnels ahead were recently altered. No sooner had he thought as much as the tall, gray-skinned slavemaster behind him took heed, and stepped forward to observe, it's tentacles writhing as it took in the scene and scanned the area for thinking minds.

Go. It's mental command rung in his head as it pointed down the newly dug tunnel, All must go to mother. New slaves we will make.

The dwarf knew better than to deny his masters, and bring down the crushing agony of their mental powers. He was one of the few with useful enough skills to be left with most of his mind intact, and he wished to keep it that way. Brogan Skycaller had once been a great craftsman and master stoneworker before his capture... having worked personally on Mt. Nolam itself. Now his clan was dead or mindless slaves... his wife had been given to sate an Illithid's hunger, and such was his fear of the tortures these creatures could inflict upon him that he served them without much question. He knew that otherwise, he would suffer the hell of being implanted with the small, ropey, worm-like creatures that the Illithids bred.

To walk about against your will, a prisoner in your own body... that was a hell far more terrifying to him than death. Vessels of the worm-things still had thoughts, the Illithids had told him... they were aware. At times they let him hear them. The fevered, desperate screams of madmen, helpless to even end their existences. The thought of it made him shudder.

Brogan crept into the tunnels ahead, not certain what the Illithids had sensed that they wished him to seek out. They had mentioned slaves, but what lurked in the tunnels that were not already theirs? He worried briefly that another dwarven clan had wandered into the darkness of the deep caverns. Could he even bring himself to warn them? Would it do any good at all... or simply bring hell upon him to no avail?

Instead what he saw as he crept into the tunnels ahead was nothing like any creature he had ever seen. They appeared as an unfamiliar kind of insects, but far larger... Even in the darkness of the caverns, they seemed to take notice of him. For a moment, the ragged dwarven man stood confused... not certain what to do. The illithids must have been confused as well, for they were slow to respond to his thoughts.

Wha? I... He stammered, not certain if the creatures even spoke.

Subdue the slaves.

Only moments after the telepathic call from behind him, Brogan collapsed to the ground in agony, the psionic blasts of the Illithids blanketing the chambers as they surged in behind the hapless scout.

------------

I'm leaving how well the Formians handle mind blasts to you Asmodeus. To battle! :smallbiggrin:

Oh, and godly action: Raise hero Brogan Skycaller. Expert 4 / Ranger 2

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formians in the Underdark

If the twisted Illithid were expecting a fight from these spindly creatures they were to be disappointing. Several of them were knocked unconscious in the first barrage, but well over half resisted or were not hit, turned silently, and scurried away as fast as they could. Some of them dragged fallen comrades as they retreated, carrying their fellows as if they weren't even their, sometimes dragging them behind them.

The Formians forms retreated into the dark and gloom of the newly carved tunnels, but this conflict was far from over. Mere minutes after the last of the strange insectoid creatures retreated, a strange scuffling sound emanated from the passage they had retreated into, and it grew louder and louder until finally it's cause was horribly visible. In place of the spindly Formians they had encountered, a veritable horde of Soldiers came scurrying up the passage. Where the other Formians had been small and skinny with small heads with predominantly brown carapace, these were bulked up versions with huge heads decked with cruel pincers, powerful claws reared in front, some gripped crude work tools and weapons, but most seemed content to use their natural weaponry, which included a large poison stinger which seemed much smaller on the earlier Formians, they also came in both brown and red coloration, and in their wake some of the smaller forms scurried, though their purpose was unknown. All the Formians charging up the tunnel crawled all around it, on the ceiling and walls as much as the floor.

[BloodyAngel]

Brogan Skycaller / The Illithids: The Underdark

And just like that, things went from a simple taking of captives into an all out battle in the cavernous tunnels. Brogan curled up in mental agony as the Illithids blanketed the area with psionic screeches and pain. By the time he was able to see clearly again through bleary eyes, the battle was raging. His head pounding, he wiped his eyes and saw why hos torment had suddenly stopped.

One of the Illithid sorcerers had summoned a wall of blackened stone from the earth, funneling the horde of insects into a narrow area so the Illithids could overlap their psionic blasts at them as the bug-things rushed forward. For every attacker that fell under the onslaught, more came... literally crawling over their own downed warriors and rushing the Illithids. The slaves were pushed forward to take the brunt of the damage at first... and while they were cut down, the Illithids levied all of the psionic and sorcerous might they could at the incoming horde.

Calling to the goddess, they summoned writhing black tendrils from the ground to constrict the attackers and their own slaves alike... then set upon those rendered immobile with gouts of acid and blasts of frigid cold. Still more of the beasts came... breaching the lines of poorly armed and armored slaves easily enough, even as their numbers fell to the Illithid's attacks. The creatures seemed to no no fear, and were unconcerned how many losses their side had suffered.

Brogan crawled on hands and knees off to the side of the battle, knowing that the crossfire here was deadly. From a narrow groove in the rough stone wall he watched the battle in awe and horror, as the insects finally reached their quarry and began tearing into the Illithids. There was no malice in their attacks, but the sight of the swarming horde was terrifying in a whole different way. Brogan closed his eyes and prayed to gods he had long felt had abandoned him, that no matter what happened... the ones who slew his clan fall this day.

The high sorcerer of the Illithids stood furthest back, guarded by his fellows. Despite their massive mental and magical prowess, they were no match for the insects in close, and they were far outnumbered. Illithids fell to poison and injury, giving disgusting wet burbling sounds as they writhed in their death throes on cold, unfeeling stone. The insects crawled over them without concern, moving on to the next foes with soulless precision.

Despite heavy losses, it became apparent that the swarm was winning. The high sorcerer, sensing this, cast a spell to teleport himself from the tunnels, leaving the others to their fate. From there, the conflict was nearly one-sided... and in only a minute or more of fighting, every last Illithid remaining lay dead or dying. The ground was littered with the bodies of slaves, Illithids and a great many insects... but the swarm had won.

Brogan curled himself into a small ball, hoping that the creatures did not notice him in his hiding spot... but they were at home in the dark. No matter how he tried to still his breathing, he heard one crawling towards him. He knew he had no chance on his own. One unarmored dwarf with nothing more than a short knife against something that had slain the beings that had haunted his nightmares for he knew not how long? Mustering what was left of his dwarven pride and courage, he stepped out from his spot, arms in the air.

Ah surrender. He said, little hope in his voice.

At least dying here would be quick compared to what might have awaited him with the Illithids. And he would very much like to see Gretta again.

------------------------

Formians win. Fatality!

(Sun slaying to follow. That will be a huge post.)

[Raesha]

AROHA, Elysium

Aroha stood within the peaceful pillars of Elysium and let herself feel the world around her in turmoil. What was the point in bringing forth life when the creators did little more than torture their creations? These souls were not faceless peons to be used at a whim and discarded. Each soul was precious. Each was unique. She would save them.

The turbulent waters of the ocean lapped on the shores outside her temple. The salty breeze whipped her dark hair and cooled the warm tears on her face. She closed her eyes and focused her mind. She sent her thoughts out into the dark world that had formed itself around her. She reached for the poor creatures in pain and suffering. Those with fear and with little hope. Come to me, she called to them. Come to me and I shall grant you peace.

Her message sent, she sat on the cool marble steps and gazed out at the ocean. She found it fascinating that something so volatile and changeable could bring such a feeling of peace. She sat and watched and waited. The first would come to her soon. He was already on his way.

GIDEON, Material Plane

He had left the Valley of Legend to seek all that this unknown world held in store. He had been bright-eyed and excited. Had he known then what kind of place this world was... he may not have left the safety of his home.

He had been traveling for sometime. He had seen all sorts of wonderous and humbling sights. He had seen the wrath of the Creators and the destruction that wrought.

His sight had been taken from him. The ground had trembled and quaked... and he had fallen. So simple a thing, really. One stumble was all it had taken to plunge his world into unending darkness. His head still pained him from where it had stuck the rock. His life had become a never-ending night of pain and desolation. All he yearned for was an end to this.

He had followed the sounds of the sea for who knows how many days and nights. His limbs were tired and he sat to take his rest. How much longer could he do this? It was only a matter of time before he came upon something that would end his life. He rubbed his aching head and sighed as the cool breeze wafted against his skin.

Come to me. He lifted his head, startled for a minute by the soft, feminine voice that drifted thru his head. Come to me and I shall grant you peace.

He stood again without realizing and began to walk with renewed purpose down the beach. The bearer of this heavenly word was nearby. He could sense it. He didn’t truly understand how, but he knew exactly where he would find her.

He walked for days. The need to find his whispering siren consumed him, gave him strength. He stumbled slightly as his foot made contact with something solid. He tentatively reached down to touch the object. It was smooth and cool to the touch. Stone. He had made it.

AROHA and GIDEON, Elysium

The goddess watched as the first approached her home. He was too lean to be described as healthy and his skin was sun-burned. The tawny, sun-streaked hair that sat atop his head was the same shade as the scraggly beard that graced his jaw.

His eyes were a pale, milky whiteness that saw nothing and her heart went out to him. She descended the steps of her temple and stood as he made his way to her.

He could feel her standing before him. If he tried hard enough, he imagined his minds eye could almost make out the shape of her. He knelt in the sand by her feet.

“My Lady, I am Gideon. I have come as you wished, to seek what peace you offer.”

Aroha smiled and knelt beside him. She took his face between her hands and took his pain with it. She leaned forward and kissed both of his eyes, healing him of his blindness.

“There now, Gideon. Know my mercy. You are the first and loved above all others. Look upon the world with new eyes and be at peace.”

The milkiness of his eyes receded and her face came into focus. He looked upon her tear-stained face. Her strange, other-worldly beauty should have frightened him, but he knew no fear. He bowed his head in humble reverence.

“My life is yours, My Goddess.”

She smiled serenely and rose to her feet.

“Come inside where it is safe. Others will make their way here before long and there is much to discuss if we are to save those who inhabit this world.”

He watched her gracefully ascend the steps that led into her glorious temple and followed closely behind.

Godly Actions: Raise Mortal Hero; Gideon (Cleric 9)

[Moose Fisher]

The Observatory

Klashanna gazed upon the dwarves - she hated herself for what she was about to do, but it seemed to be the only option. There was no other choice but to slay the dwarves outright - which was no choice at all.

"You twist my words and my intentions, but even so, a Pact has been sealed. I will lend you passage and aid, and in return..."


"You Will Think About It."

The words of the Maiden of Invention flooded into the mind of Urist - they broke upon the iron wall of his ambition, but already they were moving on, on to the other dwarves in his company, on to those guarding the entrance to the Observatory, on to each and every dwarven mind. No two dwarves heard quite the same thing, but some later described it as hearing the color gold. Laughter - not at the defeat of an enemy or completion of a project, but simply for its own sake. Love - not for an idea, or a people, but for a person. And other things - grief for a fallen friend, hope for a brighter tomorrow, and most strangely of all - ambition. Ambition aimed not upwards - ambition to make things better - ambition that made you say "Because" and ask "Why."

Many - perhaps even most - were able to shut out the infernal, disturbing golden light, fortifying their minds as their leader had done with great walls of Ambition for the sky. But here and there, a dwarf's fortress would have a chink in its armor, and the light would fill him with its message.

When the light died down around them, these dwarves found themselves changed. Their hair and beards were no longer the brown or black of typical dwarves, but a deep and lustrous gold. Their skin had darkened to a metallic bronze, and was hot as if with fever, but they were not sick. But most importantly, they found that the light had not died down inside them.

Still they felt it! That infernal, awful, WHY! The HOW and BECAUSE! It burned inside them, twisting their Ambition - they no longer felt the need to reach ever upwards! But soon they realized that their ambition had simply taken another form - they must aid their fellow dwarves! There were so many things that their life was lacking, and now they could build them all! THIS was to be their ambition - and as they thought about what they had been like, before the Light, it dawned on them.

Building a mountain to the sky would probably have been easier.


OOC: AP 4 : 5 - 1 (Create Subrace - Gold Dwarves)

As the dwarves struggled with the Light she had set upon them, Klashanna slipped quietly away. Silently, the door of the observatory slid open, a clear path upwards, should the dwarves choose to take it. But for now... she rested, and some part of her wished she could cry.




A force beside Klashanna acknowledged her struggles. The burden felt lighter when another carried it as well.

The dwarves noticed the change amongst themselves. The looked at the community and values around them, the looked at the future and emptiness above them, the looked at the past and accomplishment below them. The dwarves had built to the sky, they had shown the divine what they were capable of, they needn't destroy themselves with constant climbing. The dwarves embraced their fellows and returned to the mountain ranges of old. They bid farewell to the Observatory, to the towering Mt. Nolam. The ground rumbled as the connection between the world and realms beyond collapsed, and the mountains became fully inhabited once again. From the broken constructions came new towers for the dwarves to live within, and lesser mountains once ignored released their secrets and became home. For ages after the dwarves would uphold the values of community, tenacity, and craftsdwarfship. They were a fortified culture within the hard rocks of the mountains of Hope.

As for Urist Bershukar, he withdrew from leadership of the dwarves. He had led them for many years, and time was taking its toll. He was growing old, and it was time for the young to build upon the foundations of their ancestors. Urist never accomplished all of his dreams, but his legacy would survive. He passed on with peace, eyes toward the sky.


----------------------------------

4ap from rollover

3ap Raise DR (8 to 9)
1ap Shape Land (Collapse Mt. Nolam and create smaller mountains and towers)

0ap = 4-3-1

[Selinia]

The Observatory

Klashanna was once again in the observation room, viewing the new lives of the dwarven people. It seemed that her fears had not come to pass - the mortals had embraced her lesson, and were better off for it. It had not happened the way she had hoped, but it was turning out all right in the end.

She walked through the hall of her sky-borne home, raising a fallen pillar here, repairing a crushed mechanism there. The dwarves had done no real harm - the observatory was almost a thinking thing in its own right, and could heal the superficial damage done to its interior with little effort.

After a time, the Maiden of invention retired to her study. She had taxed herself - teaching an entire race is no mean feat - and for now, she took a moment to rest, study, and replenish herself. There was still much work to do if the world was to be fixed - she had not forgotten about Despair - but for now, things were looking up.

OOC: AP 4 : 7 - 3 (Raise DR from 7 to 8)

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formians in the Underdark

The Formians who approached the dwarf either did not understand him, or merely didn't bother responding. Instead, one of them merely picked him up and began to travel back the way they had fled earlier. Other survivors, none of which were Illithids, were also being picked up and carried, those with injuries being treated as well and gently as possible. All those doing the handling were the smaller spindlier kind of Formians, while the Soldiers stood around guarding them and the survivors, or making sure all of the Illithids were truly dead.

The Formians brought the survivors to a large chamber being carved out by dozens and dozens of workers, and protected by numerous Soldiers. The Formians crawled about the walls and ceiling, and in a top corner of the cavern a honeycombed hive sat on the wall, and curious humanoids that looked only vaguely similar to the ant-men emerged from and entered the strange construct, flittering about the room on buzzing wings moving faster than the eye could follow. As the Formians passed some stopped for a few moments and observed the new arrivals before continuing on with whatever it was they were doing. Eventually, Brogan Skycaller and the other survivors were brought to a corner of the room in which rested a huge bloated version of the ant-folk. She was bulky in the extreme and was constantly expelling eggs from her abdomen, which were picked up and ferried to and fro by numerous workers. The huge creature merely looked at the dwarf and waited, as the rest of the cavern remained a buzzing hive of activity around them.

[BloodyAngel]

Coming of Darkness: Part one.

From across creation they came, moving through dark tunnels interwoven far beneath the earth. An army of soulless beings they were, led by the fallen ones that had long ago saught shelter from the things that ravaged the land. That they were now allied with a force as monsterous was an irony lost on them. They moved to join their dark mistress, and do her bidding.

Far above, Averum, lord of the sun and guardian of the souls of mortals, looked over the world from his palace in the heavens. With the fall of the moon and the destruction it had wrought, he had decided that to interfere directly in mortal affairs would cause only despair and suffering. Now, he concerned himself with little more than providing divine power to those who deserved such a gift, and seeing that the souls of the dead were gathered in the great ring, a place where they could rest in peace and bliss. Shaking his lionine mane, the sun god turned to see Azariel... one of his celestial servants.

"Lord, a force moves upon the earth with foul purpose." The celestial spoke, his voice beautiful and empherial, "They are geared for war."
"I am aware. They would bring war to us." Averum asked, looking down over creation with disappointment in his divine voice, "Has not enough suffering taken place already?"

"They are led by a Faeli, my lord. One more powerful than any mortal we have seen." Azariel spoke, his head bowed in reverance, "From where he has gained this power, we are uncertain... but he leads an army of unclean things from beneath the earth. Their intentions ripple on the wind, but not their reasons."

"They are sent by another." Averum spoke grimly. "We must be wary."

With that, the sun god drew his blade, as armor of shimmering gold appeared on his magestic body, shining with the light of the sun itself. All could feel the resolve that radiated from him, and knew that their lord would sit idle no longer.

"Be ready. I fear we must go to war."

------------------------------

"Where is the mountain!?" Elarion called to the sky as he stared out at the remains of the great mountain that had once touched the sky, "WHERE IS THE THRICE DAMNED MOUNTAIN?!"

Keia flinched, wary of her lover's temper. After coming all this way, the invaders had found the once-great mountain of Nolam gone... only several smaller crags in it's place. They would not take the army into the heavens above. Elarion's rage was terrifying to behold as the thought that he had failed his mistress filled his mind.

"Elarion, I..." She said timidly, stepping towards him.

"Quiet!" He demanded, his fist clenching tightly as if he might strike her. She obeyed him.

He refused to fail his mistress in this... The most important task he had been given... the culmination of everything that had been done. There must be another way to reach the heavens. With all the power she had given him... he would find a way.

"The lady will bring us to where we need be." He said, his voice low and ominous, "We only need a sacrifice. We make for the surface!"

--------------------------

Elsewhere, in the depths of the sea... two lovers entwined beneath the rolling waves. Enki, god of the sea and lord of this watery realm, and Asharra, the dark lady of the Abyss, were one. The sea god was enraptured, filled with a bliss he had never known.

"We have little time left, my love." The goddess purred to him, her voice filled with unspoken promises.

"Let us spend it together." Enki asked, his lips hesitant to part from her neck.

"Mmmm... I would love nothing more." Asharra said with a tone like soft silk, "But the others will be in place soon. We must join them."

Reluctantly, Enki nodded and the two parted, as he swam for the surface... allowing her time to follow him. The sun overhead was bright as ever... but he knew it was not to last. The plan was flawless... he knew his part in it well. Soon, a god would die.

"It won't be long now." He said, eager to assure her, "And then we can begin fixing this world."

A wicked smile was her only reply.

--------------------------

Upon the face of creation, a great slaughter had taken place. Surging from the depths below, the great force of creatures both dark and alien had overrun the town of Aurielle, home to just over 600 beings. Over the course of two days, had put every last man, woman and child to the sword... forming of their bodies a massive ritual circle.

Under the darkened sky, as the carrion crows circled above, Elarion beseeched his mistress for her blessing... to move the force he had assembled for her to the heavens... that they might make war upon her behalf. Keia oversaw the ritual, but with heavy heart. The slaughter she had seen placed upon these innocent people... The screams of the sacrifices as they were slowly bled to death. It sat poorly on her conscience.

She was not the only one to question things. Several of her people had even ignored the call to war, following instead the words of dissent sown amongst them by the traitor, Erah. Her birth had been thought a blessing at first, but now her name was blasphemy amongst the priesthood of the lady... She and the ones who had stayed behind would be punished when all was done. She did not want that fate. She did not want to be parted from Elarion. He knew things she did not... he had spoken to the lady personally... He had to understand why this was all neccessary.

The blood of the last of the sacrifices pooled onto the ground into carefully-made runes upon the stone below, and drawing his knife... Elarion added his own blood to the center. Calling to the earth beneath him via a song of spent life. He would not be disappointed. With a sudden shudder, the earth roiled and turned... trembling as if it sought to consume the entire force. Elarion could feel his mistress' power surging around him, and he closed his eyes in acceptance, ready for her aid or her judgment.

Then, with the sound of ruptured stone, the earth consumed them all... receding after how long they knew not, to leave Elarion and his army beside the gates of Heliopolus itself. The war had begun.

(More to come soon!)

[Shmee]

The Goblin Empire


"The desperate race began under the Goblin. I'm not saying that we know that the world is likely to require unprecedented ambition."

"The great Gobliny race thus began to expand all over the Mountains of Despair. Little did they know that their infinite greed would soon unleash a menace of unparalleled proportions, upon the entire world. "

Due to the Goblin's fast reproduction rate, it wasn't long before the Big City, capital of the Goblin Empire began to get overcrowded. In typical Goblin tradition, at first, the Goblins decided that the best way to deal with this issue was to ignore it. Unfortunately, after a few decades, the issue became so bad that it could no longer be ignored, and the problem of over population was brought up to the Goblin Senate. Another Goblin tradition then kicked in, as Goblin politics dictated that the issue should be dragged so much, to the extent that in the end, the Senate agreed to provide the homeless with a dagger each, so that they may do the world a favour and kill themselves.

Unfortunately, the plan backfired, when somehow the now armed homeless began looting and rioting, and chaos (well... more chaos than normal) erupted all over the Big City. Of course, at first, the Senate chose to ignore it... after all the issue of over-population is solved as long as Goblins die, but eventually the riots were threatening to turn into a full scale civil war, so once again, the Senate was brought in to decide on how to not only deal with the issue of over-population, but also the riots.

One method that the Senate could have dealt with this problem was of course, expanding the Big City... but that would require too much work. Instead what they decided to do, was to round up all the homeless from the streets and herd them far away into the mountains, where they would be left to their fate, and hopefully, be eaten by some of the wandering Living Dead.

However, things did not go as planned. While the Goblin exiles were under constant attack by the odd group of Living Dead, they found that the concept of 'safety in numbers' worked real well... especially when you offered the most obnoxious Goblin of the group as bait, while the rest ran away. Eventually, the exiles grouped together and found a city of their own.

Finding that the location was in fact rich with Frehernite Ore, the Goblins began to dig, and soon, they founded what would be roughly translated as "Bad City", and so they began to prosper. That is... until word came to the Senate, back in the Big City, that the Goblins of Bad City were not paying their obligatory Goblin Taxes which, coincidentally, had just been passed as a law.

So it wasn't long before the Senate sent a tax collector to Bad City demanding tribute... and it wasn't long before the tax collector was killed... not that it came as a surprise, since Goblin tax collectors have a very limited life span. However, this was merely the excuse that the Senate wanted, as they declared Bad City, as a city in rebellion and quickly sent their troops to stop the "rebels". And so this is how the First Goblin Civil War began, and after a bloody war which lasted for years, Bad City was finally brought under Senate rule.

Even though the war had costed countless Goblin lives, the Senate still considered the whole affair a great success... after all, they had solved the problem of over-population hadn't they? Goblin politics at its best!

That is... until the same problem once again erupted, this time in both cities. And that is how, the Goblins, slowly, but surely began to expand their Empire across the Mountains of Despair.

[Draken]

Steelamach, Hope.

News reached Steelamach of many events in the continent. Mount Nolan had been colapsed, and the dwarves who dwealt within had changed to an entirelly different lifestyle.

One far less insane, the iron gnomes agreed.

But there were dire news as well, news of an army from the depths rampaging through the continent, sacrificing the Faeli.

And the faeli of Valorum were urging their new neighbours to help fight that horde... But the gnomes refused to declare war, the council of clan elders decided, and the vast majority of the gnomish people agreed, it was not a good idea to charge in against this enemy. The warforged were split, some sided with the gnomes, others with the faeli.

The faeli were downcast with the aparent apathy of the artificers to the plight of their kind, and a small group of headstrong wizards decided to steal golems to take with them, into the battlefield.

But gnomes never take ligthly to theft, and the crime of a few swiftly became the crime of many, with civil war erupting between Steelamach and Valorum.

But the war was short, only a few weeks, Steelamach had been built around Valorum, and all supply lines all crossed the gnome's territory who cut them off and left the faeli to hunger until they gave up, any actual combat ended in less than a week.

With the end of the 'war', the iron gnomes banished the faeli of their ancestral fortress, sending the proud wizards back to the woodlands from whence they came, and taking over the mountains fully, at long last.

As for the thieves and their golems... They followed a trail of destruction, and eventually found the end of the tracks... Where there was nothing, fur the army had been taken away.

---

Grindforge, Despair

In Grindforge, things were different, scouts announced the haphazard expansion of goblin settlements, and the iron gnomes of that land toiled long and hard to prepare for what was to be the most completely one-sided war of all time.

And they had been divinelly inspired to it. The artificers had seen in dreams, in divinations and in runes what Ichmod worked on, and the design was as no less grandiose in scope than it was terrible in immediate purpose.

In vast caves in the mountains, true batallions of gnome mastermakers worked in the design, foundations built upon vast artificialy created surfaces, free from the unyelding grasp of the land, and veritable fortresses built upon those foundations.

Unknown to them, the gnomes toiled towards making true the goblin's belief of their intent.

Enter: 6 AP:
Spend: 1 AP: Teach Populace: Flying Citadels (Mobile Fortress, Flying City, Mobile City, what works best).
Final: 5 AP.

[planswalker]

Solaron: the Sun

The Sun has been burning since near the beginning of creation. Nearly immediately after, something has been germinating within it. Although the Sun was just a tool of one of the first Creators, it's incredible importance to every living surface-dweller over time gave it a power all its own. That power lay dormant for eons. However, when the shards of the Moon came to fall upon Hope, the shock was felt even at the Sun. An urgency and immediacy began to take shape within the potential at the heart of the Sun. A presence began to coalesce withing the Truelight at the Heart of the Sun. Once it became coherent but before it became aware, it slowly began to rise from the purest fires at the Heart to the Skin. When this bewbor being first burst forth from the surface of the Sun and, it became aware. It gazed upon the world, and thought it seemed a rather dark and dreary place.

Solaron: Hope

It went down to there in the only form it knew, as a brilliant sphere of light,a tiny little Sun about the size of a pebble that shone with blinding radiance yet little heat. It traveled across the entire world in a day, keeping up with the high noon sun. It found that the world was a place of shadows, even at midday, with light and dark vying for dominance at all times. It found this to be a good thing. This meant that there was hope for this world, that it may someday Shine with all the Splendor that is found in the fiery Heart of all things.

It began by seeking out those among the mortals who also sought the light, and taught them His ways (his newfound followers referred to him as male, although a ball of light is technically genderless). They were taught how to extend light to even the darkest corners of the land. He called them his Radiant ones, and they called him their teacher. He was content with the world as he saw it.

Then he he heard that the night, the time ruled by the moon was different from the day, the time ruled by the Sun. He hid his brilliance within the form of a metal orb, to keep his very presence from disrupting his observations. He found this aspect of the world to be far less pleasing. It was far too dark and cold, and things which hated the light crept upon the land and slithered within the waters. There were even creatures born entirely from the opposite of Light, the undead. When he came across a particularly powerful specimen in the lands of Despair, he felt a coldness that was completely alien to him. He could not stand this being and struck out against this coldness with a completely unknown to him before now, a hatred born of an instinctive antipathy to all things born from the opposite of his nature. This outpouring of power cracked his iron shell, and the brilliant beams of his true form shone through, radiating the night and obliterating the repugnance from this world. He realized that his Power was antithetical to the Power that fueled the undead, born from the elemental opposition of the two energies' polar opposition. He sought to guide the mortals of Hope to be able to fight this menace in a new and more powerful way. They called themselves the Harriers of the Dead. His two new orders of disciples together formed the Children of the Shining one. They gave a name to this new power they revered so much, calling it Solaron, the Shining Light.

These efforts pleased him greatly, but he found their efforts alone to be insufficient, so he set about making something New. Creatures whose very nature was to fight the Blight of Darkness. He formed a creature made from all the various colors and varieties found within the Light. He took a small portion of the Truelight from the Sun and formed it into a massive egg the size of a barn. Out from it hatched the first dragon born entirely from light, whose iridescent scales shone with all the colors of the rainbow, and were called Prismatic Dragons. He gifted them with the ability to shape Light itself, and tasked them to create lesser beings to share the Light and and protect the living from the walking dead. They took their blood and suffused it with the Life of Light. Thus were Prismatic Golems born, shimmering entities created to protect the righteous and bring light to the darkness. The leftover bits of eggshell from the hatching of the first Prismatc Dragon was so filled with Life that as the bits of shell turned brittle and crumbled to dust, each mote of dust took on a life of its own, and became shimmerlings. They are beings of light on the smallest scale, each flashing its own unique color. Solaron uses them to whisper his desires to the mortals who follow him.

Solaron: The Shining Land

Such new and shimmering color in the world pleased him greatly, and he made a new home for his creations, a new land on Hope filled with Light and Laughter, where the land itself was hurtful to the Darkness inside the undead and a blessing to all those with the Spark of Life. He took a piece of his own Heart and mixed it in with the very foundations of this continent. He gave this land as a home to all beings born of light. Though his creations could be found throughout all of Hope, they are rare and fleetingly encountered by mortals not favored by the Shining One. On this new continent, however, shimmerlings are so numerous that the air at night glows with glimmering radiance. Prismatic Dragons raised their young here and cavort in the air with simple bliss. The golems they create here grow larger and more powerful than those formed elsewhere, forming silent guardians benign to all with goodness in their hearts. He lived among them and partook in the Joy of his creation. The light from this new land was so radiant that at night its colors could be seen shimmering in in the sky on the nearby continent. He welcomes all who seek to live in peace to join him, so long as they abide by his simple rule: do no harm to another fellow creature with the Spark of Life within it.

Although his followers and creations please him greatly, he finds that he desires something more, but what that is, he does not know how exactly. He knows that others like him exist, but has not directly dealt with them before. He wishes to know what they are like, and if they too share in his joy of all life. To that end, he wanders the land from time to time, teaching new followers of his ways, and asking them for anything they know about the other Creators. Unfortunately for him, mortals rarely have a clear or coherent picture of the gods, and he found contradictions among them about such basic things as how many even exist.

divine actions:
AP: 7=20- 13(total cost of actions)

-2(form organization:Radiant Ones (master of radiance prc))-2(form organization:Harriers of the Dead (consecrated harrier prc))-3(create populace:prismatic dragons, prismatic golems, and shimmerlings.)-3(create new plane: the Shining Lands [minor positive dominant, minor good dominant, divnely morphic to me, finite, otherwise as material plane])-1(shape land: form a large, thin sandbar ring offshore of the main continent)-2(create portal between Shining lands and Material plane [border of sandbar, vision clearly passes through either direction])

[Shmee]

The Moon

Centuries had past since the Lunar Advent, and the heroic sacrifice of Nedain had become a tale of legends, yet the lessons of her death forgotten, as even the Faeli had stopped tending to her grave, as her antlers, adorning the site, has become entwined amidst the leaves of the trees which surround her final resting place.

Yet, there are some, who have not forgotten. Since the catastrophe of the Lunar Advent, the Moon, reduced to a permanent crescent shape, when the Faeli hero impaled the god of Death with Moon's Tooth. For centuries, the god's blood slowly trickled down Moon's Tooth, until it became a deep red colour. When Moon's Tooth could not absorb the blood any more, it began to trickle onto the surface of the moon, and as the centuries passed, so too did the surface acquire the deep red colour.

And yet, there was still nothing alive on the Moon. For the god of Death, his defeat meant that his corpse was now but a monument to the pure destruction that the folly of a single god. The Moon itself, once alive itself, has been still for centuries, once an active world with constant earthquakes and storms as it would twist and contort it's face to prove to the world it was alive.

The only thing that had changed, was the fog. At first, it started as a fine mist, but as the centuries passed, the mist began to get thicker, until the red fog was so thick that one could barley see a few metres in front of them.

The fog soon enveloped the entire plane... except Moon's Tooth, where the god of Death still bleeds from his grizzly tomb.


OOC
AP0= 3-3, Raise to DR11
Gain 2 Levels of True Necromancer
Actions Done:
Created Frehernite
Created Goblins
Got the Devestation Portfolio
Got the Destruction Domain

[BloodyAngel]

The Coming of Darkness: Part Two
Death of the Sun

"Lord! Enemies are outside our gates!" Azariel spoke, his gleaming bow in hand, "We are besieged."

Aevum stood tall atop his golden palace, his celestials and mortal followers alike rushing to repel the sudden invasion. The gates to Heliopolus were strong, and bound with divine magic. He hoped that they would stand, for he had seen enough death. He now knew that a god was most certainly behind this attack.

"Warn them but once to turn back." Aevum said with sadness in his voice, "If they refuse... we have no other choice."

With a sudden burst of energy, a being appeared beside him. A familiar face that he had seen before. They had spoken in friendship once.

"Enki. You have come at a poor time." Aevum told the sea god sternly, "This place is not safe."

"I know. I have seen this force commit horrible deeds on creation. When I felt them come here, I knew I could not watch any longer. I have come to help!" Enki told him, "I am tired of pain and suffering caused by the warring of gods. It must stop!"

Aevum was silent a moment before he nodded his head slowly.

"Very well then. Prepare yourself."

---------------------------

"The celestials are attacking, my lord!"

Elarion looked up at the gates of heaven arrayed against him. He would not fail at this... not after all his mistress had entrusted him with. His expression was intense and determined, the thought of failure now was alien to him. Keia stood by his side, seeming far more nervous and frayed. He was impressed she had lasted this long. Her devotion to him was strong. Perhaps it would even see her through what was to come.

"Route them. We do not press for the gates yet!" Elarion called to his second, as the shining bows of the angelic choir rained down upon his forces.

The searing light of the holy burned the flesh of all it touched, sending more than a few abominations to their end. As soulless creatures, no afterlife awaited them... only oblivion. Elarion knew the time was not yet right. For now, his soldiers held... returning fire upon the celestial host with their sorcery and bows alike... defending themselves from the worst of the onslaught with their magics, and the bodies of the dwarves they had enthralled along the way.

The sorcerer beside him was struck by a bolt from the angels above, falling to his knees with a cry of anguish as the holy fire surged over him. Keia looked to Elarion, who payed the man no heed as he awaited the sign to attack. Pity touched her heart, and with a murmured apology, Keia pulled her blade and gave the burning man a merciful death.

"Just wait." She whispered, seeming to seek assurance more for herself than anything, "It will all... be worth it."

-------------------------

"Such size. Such flavor it must have!" The god of hunger shrieked, looking up to the sky, "I must taste it!"

With a massive roar Darrmoon rose into the sky, his form growing as he left the face of creation. From across the land itself he could be seen... the gargantuan maw of the gluttoneous one drawing closer and closer to the sun above. For a moment, the sheer size of his form eclipsed the sun... a sight that had never before been seen by the mortal races of creation. They looked skywards in fearful anticipation, unease settling into their souls as if they knew the disaster that was about to fall over them.

Then, with a massive crunching sound that could be heard the world over... the sun was torn by great gnashing teeth. Chunks of it's radience fell from the sky as the great maw devoured it's meal... as if the sky itself was crying tears of fire. The crunching and tearing continued for less than a minute, and then... there was only darkness.

-------------------------------------------

Aevum was confused. The attackers had reached the gates and simply ceased... and he felt no god or goddess among their numbers. Enki stood resolute by his side, but there was no press against the gates. Something more was happening here. What was more, suspicion began to build in him about the sea god's timely arrival. A nagging worry that he felt deep inside. He felt heavy, as if something horrible hung over him, ready to fall.

"Enki. I would ask you someth-" He spoke, turning to the sea god only to pause in his words as a terrible shudder fell through the air.

Aevum suddenly felt a sudden tearing pain in his chest, strong enough to send him to one knee clutching his chest. It was as if his heart had been torn from him in one brutal motion, and for a moment, he could not see. He was far from the only one.

The world went dark. Where once had burned the sun, lifegiving force or warmth and light for all living things.. .there was now nothing. The great maw of the devourer had seen to that. Millions of eyes scanned the sky in fear and disbelief as light itself was extinguished, and all that illuminated the lands was the faint glow of the broken moon.

"My lord!" Azariel exclaimed, landing beside his fallen creator and taking his arm.

"I... will endure."

Aevum's voice seeming weaker than before as the pain in his chest refused to cease. A large source of his power had been torn away. What was worse, the destruction this would cause upon the earth was unfathomable. He could not let the world die.

Focusing him mind to blot out the pain, Averum looked about. He and his celestials still shone with divine light. It would have to be enough. Taking firm grip of the hilt of his holy sword, Averum's heart sank as he took notice of what he had feared.

Enki was missing...

-----------------------------------

"Now!"

It was an impressive sight, the death of the sun... but Elarion was concerned with only one thing, and that was the task his lady had given him. As the world fell dark... fear and confusion spreading throughout the celestial ranks, they moved. At last, he unleashed his magic, gesturing to an angel above, who fell screaming to the earth as her flesh warped and tore of it's own valition, her wings unable to support her. She survived her fall, but not the mass of abominations who swarmed over her, plucking her skull clean with their tendrils.

There was no further waiting... The armies of the Dark Lady rushed the gates of heaven, slaying all who barred their path. The illithids did not even pause to enslave or enthrall their victims, simply giving a quick death to any being, angel or mortal who stood before them. They were without fear. The lady had been right, robbed of the great symbol of their lord's power, they were feeling the same weakness that he was. They were far from slain, but they were diminished. Elarion's forces had a chance.

From inside the gates of heaven, doughy bands of loyal mortals held fast... praying to the lifegiver for strength as the attackers surged against the gate. It would take them time to breach it, they hoped. Time enough for the celestials to recover.

It was not to be. From inside their own walls, a band of dwarves moved, as if to reinforce the gate itself. Harried as the defenders were, none took note of how calmly they acted despite the death of the sun, or of the eerie way that they all moved as one, as if they all shared but one mind. No, they were not aware of the tsochar-possessed dwarves until they pulled their blades and maces and attacked the gate's defenders unaware. Even outnumbered, the sheer surprise of their attack was enough, as the guardians of the gate of heaven fell in a brutal and bloody melee against some of their own who seemed to feel no fear or pain. The gates were opened from the inside by the survivors... as the attackers rushed in. Great Heliopolus turned from a holy place, into a battlefield.

[planswalker]

Solaron: The Shining Lands
As the entire world grew dark, the Shining lands remained a glowing beacon of light, though one of dim twilight compared to the Radiance that Was. With the Shining One present among them, those living in the Shining Lands still had his light, but this is only twilight compared to what Was, a dim glow of twilight amidst the total darkness of the world.

Solaron watched in first curiosity, then confusion, then fear as the horrid maw ate his birthing place. He knew at once that the being he saw had powers like unto himself, but at the same time nothing like himself. Whereas the Shining One was a gentle creator, this being appeared to do nothing but destroy. Such a thought shocked him to his core, but he did not turn to hatred, but sorrow. He mourned the loss without harboring resentment at the one who did this. Such things were still alien to him. He did not understand the concept of revenge yet.

However, as the Sun died, he felt a new life emerge at its death throes. A new being, one who shared his birthplace and essence, yet one who was opposite in power from himself. While he was a beacon of light with little heat, he sensed that this new presence was born of the intense Heat that Was, one of fire and passion, one who would Do. The thought of this new life born even as the Sun died filled Solaron with comfort. Darkness may have overcome for now, but Light, Life, Fire, and Passion would rise again. And when they do, the Darkness would be diminished.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Mountains of Despair

As the Goblins began to spread through the mountains of Despair, they began to notice strange edifices that jutted up from the ground, odd hills that had openings at the top that seemed to go down forever, and as the goblins dug deep into the earth they could dimly hear scuffling, as if made by digging or movement far deeper into the lands of Despair. Eventually, as they became more and more prevalent they began to notice strange creatures that would occassionally emerge from the huge hills carrying strange white things out of the holes and various objects and foodstuffs down into the massive hill, and if the creatures noticed them they gave no indication. What's more, they would find strange structures built in high places around concentrations of plant life, though as of yet nothing had come from these.

[LordMika]

The Coming of Darkness: Part Two
Death of the Sun
Then, with a massive crunching sound that could be heard the world over... the sun was torn by great gnashing teeth. Chunks of it's radience fell from the sky as the great maw devoured it's meal... as if the sky itself was crying tears of fire. The crunching and tearing continued for less than a minute, and then... there was only darkness.........

And Darkness Smiled.

[Shmee]

The Goblin Empire

Word had reached the Senate about the weird mounds being sited in certain parts of the Empire. The Goblins were worried. Besides the constant civil wars, the Living Dead trying to eat them and the Gnomes threatening to bring their cities to the mountains, the last thing they needed was a new threat.

But first, they would have to determine the intention of these weird creatures. And so it was decided to send a parley party to determine their intentions. Unfortunately, no one was brave, or stupid enough to accept, and so they plucked out a prisoner from their dungeons and gave him the title of Chief Negotiator.

A while later, as the Formians were minding their own buisness, they hear a weird noise, as they see the Chief Negotiator, tied and gagged, rolling down a cliff towards them, as the Goblins who "escorted" him, seeing that they had done their duty, ran away.

And then... the lights went out...

The Moon

Perpetual darkness enshrouded the Moon, as the Battle of Heaven raged on. The death of the sun threatened to usher an age of darkness and cold which threatened the land as never before... or did it?

How ironic that the Moon, once the portent of doom, destruction and of the end to come was the only thing remaining in the skies that emitted some form of light. The mortals had all but forgotten... the gods had also forgotten.

As the sun was eaten, its death sent shock waves, invisible and untraceable but to the person who was attuned to it. For centuries, mortals and gods fought amongst each other, each death washing over the moon... washing over Moon's Tooth... and washing over the dead god.

All of a sudden, for the first time in centuries, massive earthquakes began to erupt all across the Moon, as the wind began to blow at gale force. In but a moment, the Moon once again sprung to life, having recovered from the events of the Lunar Advent, as it opened its eye to gaze upon the world, and let out a sinister leer, as the mortals watched the profile face of the 'Man on the Moon" awaken.

The winds and earthquakes had died down on the surface of the Moon, but the red fog, as if in response to the Moon's awakening, had begun to rotate violently, as flashes of thunder erupted all over the place. It was almost as if the fog had become sentient, as it began to gather itself into a single point high above in the Moon's sky.. and all of a sudden, letting out a growl, the fog slams itself onto the surface, as a light momentarily shines from within it, then fades.

Then all was silent again. The thick fog, once again covering the entire Moon was now nothing more than a fine mist. However, a silhouette could be seen, floating just a few inches above the surface. The creature, was just as insubstantial as the mist that surrounded it. The creature was dressed impeccably, almost as some of the mortal lords dress on the Material plane, yet it had no legs, instead its form would simply fade waist-down. The creature's face had a faded light red colour, and was dominated by a toothy grin.

The creature glances at its hand and produces an incorporeal top hat, and proceeds to place it on its head, thus covering its massive set of horns. Then turning its gaze towards Moon's Tooth, it looks at the lifeless body impaled upon it.

"Bah! Being dead is such an inconvenience..."

Growls the ghostly form of the god of Death.


Roll-Over!
2=5-3, Create Avatar

[Selinia]

The Celestial Observatory

Something Awful was about to happen.

Klashanna was jolted out of her studies (some small part of her mind ruefully considering that something like this seemed to happen every time she took a little bit of "me-time") by this premonition.

It is difficult to say how she knew this - perhaps it is something that comes with being a goddess - but she couldn't possibly be more certain. The question was... what? She hastened to the observation room, but soon found it wasn't necessary - she could see just fine from her window.

There is a level of horror that is impossible to convey with mere words - how does one capture a thought the size of a planet? The years of agony and starvation, the slow freezing of the seas, the suffering, the collapse of cities... everything that you have spent you existence building crashing down around you to the cadence of a mocking laugh? It is said that nothing is more frightening than the unknown.

Those who say it have never, truly, Known, else they would have swallowed their words.

As she watched the... thing... devour the world's energy source, a tiny flicker began to burn brighter in the back of her mind. I have said before that it is not the way of inventors to remain stymied for long - let alone their goddess. There is always that niggling voice saying "You can fix this!"

Sometimes its even right about it.

Slowly... too slowly!... a plan began to take form in her mind. But first, there was something that needed tending to - the more she thought about it, the more she realized that what she had seen was technically impossible - the Sun wasn't an ordinary star - it didn't function like her observatory's Spark. It was, for lack of a better term, Divine. Things like that don't just get eaten - they leave something behind, even if its just a pale image. Resolute, she set out to find what she was sure was out there somewhere...

Hoffnung, Progress

"This occasion should be a joyous one. For as long as we have existed, Collaboration has been a time of triumph. Of hope. Here, barely a year ago, the first steam engine changed the world."

"None of you could have missed what has happened by now. The astronomers may argue about the hows and whys - they likely always will - but the fact remains that for seventy-two hours the sun has been in a state of non-existence. The world has gone dark. Our young species is facing the greatest threat of its brief existence."

"I have spoken to this congregation hundreds of times - giving congratulations and thanks. I have spoken as your Queen... as your parent even. Now I speak to you as a fellow saerite only."

"Gathered here are the best, the brightest, most incredible minds of our time. Gathered here is the wealth and united strength of the Five Nations. Spare no expense, stop at nothing, do whatever you must to fulfill this one... simple... request."

"Save our people. Save Progress."

~Speech given by Queen Serra of Coona, shortly after the beginning of the time of darkness.

Grimm, Progress

"Bollocks."

There was nothing readily apparent that could have caused this exceedingly dull outburst from the grizzled saerite at the kitchen table. However, he was reading the newspaper. Anyone who knew Seamus Ashcroft knew that newspapers and "Bollocks." went together like bacon and eggs.

Perhaps following this line of reasoning, a somewhat louder proclamation of, "Girl! Breakfast! Where?", accompanied by a thumping of a heavy iron walking stick. As if on queue, a young girl barreled through the door supporting what appeared to be several times her weight in firewood, almost tipping over as she kicked the door closed with a hind leg.

"Almost ready Mr. Ashcroft! Firewood is getting harder to get every day! And bacon tastes awful raw, and eggs raw are unhealthy!" She spoke in a manner that demanded exclamation mark for the most mundane sentences. "Do you think its really going to keep getting colder, Mr. Ashcroft? I heard the Deeprun clique talking about expanding the mines, on account of it being warmer down there!"

"Breakfast! Now!"

This line was repeated half a dozen times over the course of the next few minutes - both participants knew their place in the conversation, and it was one that had taken place, with variations, every day for the last six months. Normally Seamus would not consider taking a rotation of his clique's children, but after years of being browbeaten with how this one was a genius, he had had to see for himself.

Seamus was the sort of man that made Valla tick - a practical man, with a practical job. In his case, physics. Not the high-fa-looting physics you'd see in the universities of those air-headed midgarians, but the practical questions of how to make things work. Absently, he re-wound his watch.

Watches were important now - loosing track of time had become all too easy in the three weeks since the Darkness. It perhaps said something about the populace of Grimm that life had gone on more-or less as usual, but with more watches. At some point, the eggheads will figure it out - the latest scoff-inducing story in the newspaper had been about a Pulse clique that claimed that they could cage lightning - the things that see print these days...

"Breakfast!" - which seemed to consist of hastily cooked eggs and rather burnt bacon - was served quickly. He had to give her credit - whatever else might be said about her, Asuka Ashcroft (like all saerite children, taking the name of her foster clique) was enthusiastic. He had hardly set down the paper before she had begun to read.

"Well, what do you think girl? Are they pulling our legs?" He was honestly curious to know what the bright young child thought of the story.

"Perhaps..." her face was all exaggerated seriousness "... but I doubt it. I mean, its possible in theory, just not practical. Steam can be harnessed and generated, but lightning? You don't see it outside of storms and... magnets..."

A slightly dreamy look came over her face, "Ummm... today's my day off for the week right? Can I borrow some of your books on magnetism? I need to check something. Thanks!", it takes a peculiar mindset to take a split-second silence as permission, but it is one apparently possessed by mortal children across the cosmos. Shaking his head, Seamus left for work, picking up the latest newspaper on his way.

"And would you look at this? As if the Queens would ever meet again in person..."

"Bollocks."

And my big response to the sun-snuffing is... at least half taken up by a slice of life story? Wha?
OOC: AP : 7 (4 + 3 (rollover))
EDITED to remove a stupid plot element made irrelevant by our new Light deity.

[Rizban]

Minrhet, The Shining Lands

As Solaron's sorrow grew, Minrhet's anger blossomed.
Walking up behind Solaron, he places a hand on Solaron's shoulder.

"Brother."

[planswalker]

Solaron and Minrhet, The Shining Lands
The pebble-sized ball of light breaks itself from its sorrows long enough to notice this new presence in the Shining Lands. What is this thing standing before him? He knows instinctively that this being is like him and the sun-eater, yet not like the sun eater. He is more like the Shining one than that ravenous destroyer. He called me "Brother", and he is right. This is the presence that he felt when the sun died. "Brother? Yes, we are. Born from the same source, no more than a decade apart. Inconsequential timespans to us. 'Twins' even. You know that the source of our life is gone. Yet I feel that you and i are also different. I am sad about this, yet you feel something else about this. Anger is the word, i believe. Why?"

[Rizban]

Solaron and Minrhet, The Shining Lands

"It is justified, a righteous fury against that which would destroy our birthplace and eventually us as well, that which would consume and destroy all things. Together, we will survive this horror and emerge stronger for it."

[Goglas]

OOC:
Rollover: 14 + 2 = 16
I rushed this scene so Selinia could move on with the ship, as I've already held it off for a few days, and would probably be unavailable for the next few.
This is before the darkness fell, at Selinia's request.


The Saerite Fleet, East of Progress

The Sea Drake eyed the Admiral for a few tense moments, then slowly opened his jaw. "You have quite a lot to say, little Saerite, for one who is-"
That last word trailed off the dragon's tongue as it felt a strong wave of energy move across the water. Something was wrong. The master of all things that are in the water has abandoned his realm, for the very first time.

The Drake growled and looked at the Admiral. "Sail north until you reach Valla, then make for the east, if you do not wish to pay for passage in my waters.
And don't land at night. There are things happening on Hope which are better left unseen."

The dragon lowered its head and disappeared beneath the water.

[planswalker]

Solaron and Minrhet, The Shining Lands

"I know that you are right. We must heal the hurts that have been caused. Not just to us, but to everyone Born of the Light. We need to rebuild and make the world stronger than it was before. You are my brother and I know that we together will bring about New Light into the world."

[Rizban]

Solaron and Minrhet, The Shining Lands

"Agreed. Let us begin. What would you have me do first, my brother?"

[planswalker]

"It will take us time to build a new sun. But the mortals on this world cannot wait that long for a new Light and a new Warmth, they must have comfort now. We also need to find others like us, those who will Create, ones who can help us. I shall go forth and seek out those who could help us restore Joy to the lands."

"I can sense that you are different from me. You burn with the heat of passion. You can inspire mortal minds and warm their hearts. You are also a being of action and planning. I charge you to give the land a source of Warmth to last them through this time of Cold. Stir in them a Passion to see this world made bright once more, and ready them to do what they need to in order to bring back Joy. I entrust you to do this as you see fit. Together we shall unify the Creators of Light and inspire the mortals' minds and light a passion in their hearts. "

"I shall also send out my followers to defend the peoples and ready the world for this day. I shall send forth my Dragons as beacons of light, teaching the people to Hope for the New Dawn which shall come. With them i shall send the golems to protect the people from the Nightmares of the Dark. My messengers, the shimmerlings shall spread forth and whisper my words of hope into every land. My mortal disciples shall be sent back to their people to teach them my ways, and to share with them the Joy of Hope which shall be with them, even in this Blackest Night. we will become a symbol of hope to them."

With these words, Solaron began a change in his paradise. He sent forth his dragons to go to all the cities of all the peoples and show them that color and light were not gone from the world, even with the Sun gone. He charged his golems to go forth and protect all creatures from the soulless, whether dark undead or twisted abomination. The shimmerlings went forth into the world and whispered his message of hope. His Radiant Ones were sent back to the people to show them a precursor of the Light of the New Dawn. He sent forth the Harriers of the Dead to keep the undead from exploiting this time to overwhelm the people. He took the fabric of his Shining Lands, and increased their glow until the land itself shone as midday. Thus was there a refuge from the Dark, if not the Cold, of the World without Sun and a message of hope for those who feared the dark.

And then he did something new. He took on a form other than that of his parent. He took on the shape and color of one of his Dragons. He gave himself a form which could inspire Hope to the People. He grew his form from the size of a pebble to that of a mountain. Then he went forth on his new-found wings and sought out others like him.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formians, Mountains of Despair

The Formian workers notice the struggling goblin, their eyes accustomed to darkness and not being the strongest of their senses, they pick up the goblin. They carry the Chief Negotiator into their great hill, down down down into The Colony. If the Goblin can see he notices he is in a huge network of tunnels, Formians busily go to and fro, smaller worker Formians as he has seen, and huge bulky Soldier Formians with massive heads and pincers, with poison stingers like small swords and thick-built bodies.

The Goblin is carried for hours through similar tunnels, briefly noticing Frehernite being carried by certain workers, always through different tunnels, always in one direction. Eventually the Chief Negotiator is taken to a massive chamber that has obviously been excavated and expanded upon for many years. Formians crawl all about the huge chamber working on various buildings, moving materials here and there. Attached to the ceiling and walls are huge honeycombs from which strange humanoids of black and yellow stripes emerge and fly around, they bear some resemblance to the Formians, but also many differences as well.

Finally, the greatest sight in all the cavern is revealed to the Chief Negotiator, a massive bloated Formian with far too many legs, the creature is insanely large, it's numerous legs each of which is taller than four goblins put together, do not seem like they should be capable of lifting the creature up and moving it about. As the Chief Negotiator is released from his bonds, he stands before the Many Legged Goddess Herself. The huge Goddess has her full attention on the goblin, and begins to speak. "Mi mód -ból teremtés van ön?"

[Rizban]

Minrhet, The Shining Lands

He raises up on hind legs, taking the form of a terrible dragon glowing red from its internal fires. He stands only twelve feet high when, and his body looks thin and frail for a dragon. He quickly wraps himself in a spiraling cloud of dust and sand, which then forms into loose flowing robes covering most of his body, a small turban sitting atop his head.

"Spread heat." Yes, that is very specific. Thank you, oh illuminated brother... Minrhet contemplates for a moment, then decides on the simplest course of action. Tilting his head towards the sky, he breathes fire long and hard.

Fire falls across the world randomly, spreading heat. It falls too little in some places, affecting nothing, too much in others, causing destruction, and just the right amount in others, beneficially warming the population.

He then curls up and takes a nap, his warmth suffusing the Shining Lands and seeping out into the world beyond.

14AP =
20AP (starting AP)
- 1 (Nourish Population: Random Group 1)
- 1 (Nourish Population: Random Group 2)
- 1 (Nourish Population: Random Group 3)
- 1 (Pestilence: Random Group 4)
- 1 (Pestilence: Random Group 5)
- 1 (Pestilence: Random Group 6)

[Shmee]

The Formian Lair

The Goblin Chief Negotiator is untied, and is spoken to by the goddess standing in front of him. Normally, the Goblin would have just panicked and run away. Instead it was so fearful of what might happen to it, that it remained frozen on the spot, as the goddess talked to him.

"Do not see the accused?" At least... that is how the Goblin understood the goddess.

Not really understanding what is going on, the Chief Negotiator decides that the best way to get out of this mess is to bluff his way out.

"During the negotiations, I decided to adult! As the benefits and privileges granted by the Senate album, Empire! Thousands of anti-riot troops prepared a warning shot at my team! You know, the best place!"
I am the Great Chief Negotiator! Given Honour and privileges by the Senate of the Great Goblin Empire! I warn you, hidden are a thousand of elite troopers ready to pounce at my command! You better know your place!

The Faeli Lands

In the pitch darkness of the eternal night, a lone figure could be seen visiting the abandoned tomb of Nedain, the Great Faeli hero. The figure, while still smiling, seemed visibly upset at the condition of the tomb of his greatest rival.

The god of Death looked at Nedain's antler's and ran his incorporeal hand through them, remembering the desperate battle she had fought to save her people, and all living mortals. Then looking at the sunless sky, he gives a sigh

"Well... here I am Nedain... and there you are... you mortals are such fickle things... for you, centuries have passed since we last met, yet to me, it seemed as if only a moment passed since you impaled me... and yet... unlike you, the shackles of the grave cannot hold one such as myself."

The god of Death continues to speak to Nedain's grave

"Look at the sky Nedain... and see what they have done. Others have stepped in my place. Where are the gods whom you worshipped now? Were are your allies? Where are you, Nedain? All of them... gone and dead... and yet... I am still here, and I am still seething with hatred. Hatred for you mortals... and hatred for the Creators who would dare imitate me... oh yes... now that I have returned... there will be hell to pay."

"I shall start off with your precious Faeli, the very people who wished to defend. Do not think that it is beyond me to raise yet another army of the Living Dead and have the finish off your people. Imagine... the pure horror as they see their great hero Nedain, returned as a vengeful spirit, and leading the dead against her own people. Tempting as it is... I shall not do so. No... unlike the other Creators, I have learned my lessons from the past... no... it shall be the Faeli who shall destroy the Faeli..."

The god of Death tips his hat towards the grave, in a sign of grudging respect towards his fallen foe

"Farewell Nedain... where ever you are. I hope that you shall be watching the horrors that I shall unleash. Do not curse me Nedain... for you had done well and killed me... no... curse the ones who allowed my return."

The ghostly figure begins to disappear, cackling until only his voice is heard

"Let us see, if a new hero shall rise and save the day once more..."

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formian Colony, Many Legged Goddess

The bloated Formian queen sits a moment and listens to the goblins speech, and then merely waits as she interprets what she heard, as it made little sense on it's own. When the queen felt she understood, she responded. "Én egy vagyok istennő , és gyermekeim lakik -ban számtalan számok alatt a teljesség ebből szárazföld. Ön és én -a Birodalom nem tud megfélemlít én."

[Shmee]

The Goblin Chief Negotiator

"Applied based on the number of children I am goddess exhaustive, but many of them live in mainland alt. Easy selection of the neural cell Empire."

Bah! Once again all these foreigners are talking gibberish. Why can't everyone speak Goblin? At least its a nice and easy language to understand. To make things worse, it seemed that underneath the lands of the Great Goblin Empire, another empire was growing... that of the Neural Cell Empire. This was dire news indeed.

The Goblin had noticed that the big insect had not fallen for his clever bluff... perhaps some boot-licking would save his hide perhaps.

"One of the very important things, and tense empire leader! Why fight? Without peace proposal, better than you. It is a gift from the Fox empire"
"Oh big creature and leader of the Great Neural Empire! Why should we fight? Instead allow me to make a peace offering to one as powerful as yourself. Please accept this as a gift from the great Goblin Empire. "
The Goblin starts to frantically search his pockets for something to offer to the giant creature. Alas, being freshly plucked from prison, before being given the title of Chief Negotiator, meant that he had little to nothing when it came to personal belongings. In the end he produces a ball of string, and offers it to the goddess.

"Education. Our people, they are valuable, so people can throw in many years! The value of the property!"
"Here. For our people, this yarn is so valuable that a person may live off of it for several years! Its worth a fortune!"

[Draken]

Grindforge, Shortly after the Sun's End

Nicabod, elavated to magistrate of the first Sky Citadel, Miiredoch, watched alongside his fellow iron gnomes as the hatch of the mountain opened to let the city take its place among the clouds, it was bright midday and the sun would shine through the iron gates to announce their-

Uh. No light. Nicabod, and his fellow gnomes, went for their time checkers, and they all showed it to be almost lunch time.

Weird. That would require examining later on, but it would not stop the celebration at hand! Nay! Miredochis would take to the sky, and with it, the war would be taken to the wretched thieves, the goblins!

The Sky Citadel rose to the sky, sustentated in the winds by eldritch engines, a great castle on top of a vast disk of metal and masonry.

Dun, dun, dun...

Steelamach

The gnomes of Hope were quicker to notice the vanishing of the sun than their brethren in despair, but their reaction was much similar, mild confusion at the fact, but with the addition of greater worry for the environment around them, even if it did little to affect themselves, for gnomes lived underneath, they hd always gone by easily with sunlight as little more than something to be enjoyed in free time, hardly vital, their light and warmth came from underneath, and from the magics of Gold (the Gold clan, that is). The world could revolve around the sun, but their world did not.

----

Ichmod

Ichmod rewinded a record of Darmoon's deed, was that a creator? One he had never seen before. And there where hints of activity in the moon. And the planar sensors were going wild.

"What could possibly be happening?"

The Ironmaster took his helmet and his pick, and rushed out of the Halls of Inovation to the greater Void beyond.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formian Queen

The huge queen again listened intently, hoping to glean the truth of the goblins words. Finally, she plucked the string from the goblins hands in a disturbingly gentle and agile movement, and spoke a single phrase. "Értem béke"

[Shmee]

The Chief Negotiator

"Boykk look." says the queen.

The Chief Negotiator looks at her with a confused look on his face.

"Boyko said the woman's name does not matter." he answers
"No. My name is not Boykk, that is a female's name anyway. "

Now he had the creature where he wanted. Bringing out a piece of paper, he waves it infront of the Queen, all the while pointing excitedly at the dotted line on the bottom.

Should the goddess pick it up, it would read

"I have a sound mind and body, all land and property in the Senate, import and export of the empire also realize that I and my fellow citizens: The provisions of the Senate, refused to arrest."
Add your white text here...
Also if someone squinted hard enough, they would find on the bottom of the paper, written in fine print

"Approval of Parliament, the Commission is 10%."
Don't you just love white text?

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formian Queen

The Queen reads the paper and then settles back oddly. Suddenly, the words on the paper change, and are thankfully in the same language. The paper now reads "I agree to peace between us"

[Shmee]

The Chief Negotiator

The Goblin snatches the paper, and reads what the Queen had written. At first he seemed rather dismayed, mainly due to the fact that had she signed the original paper, all her land and possessions would have been forfeited to the Goblin Senate, plus his 10% commission. However it would seem that after all, the Neural Cell Empire seemed to be asking for peace, so it was better than nothing at all.

"This information once the Senate! A large number of nerve cells in the realm of peace between the guide!"
"I shall take this paper immediately to the senate! They shall know that there shall be peace between the Neural Cell and the Great Goblin Empire!"

And not wanting to waste anymore time, least he somehow pushes his luck too far and gets eaten, the Chief Negotiator grabs the paper, and stuffing it in his pocket makes a quick dash for the nearest exit to the surface, all the while screaming in joy

"March! March!"
"I am alive! I am alive!"

Having found the exit, the Chief Negotiator began to run back to the Big City as fast as his legs could take him.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Queens Chamber, Under the Green Land

The Queen indicates the retreating Goblin and chitters to her entourage. Soon a pair of powerful soldiers are escorting the Goblin out of the chamber. Far from protecting or guarding the Goblin, or others from him, they were merely there to make sure he made it to the same tunnel he entered, as he was countless miles from that location.

[BloodyAngel]

The Coming of Darkness: Part Three
Love and Madness


"My love! There are too many of them!" Keia called over the din, doing all she could to layer spells of protection on her own front line.

With the gates breached, the celestials had retaliated with far more force than they had shown before. Perhaps it was desperation, or perhaps they had never been using their full strength, but as the invading force made it's way into Heliopolus itself, they were set upon on all sides. The full power of the armies of heaven was frightening to behold, as scorching light and holy weapons were used to their fullest against the invading mortals.

"We. Do not. Retreat!" Elarion growled to her, calling forth a wave of dark energy that rippled amongst the enemy, leeching the life and fluids from them en masse.

Keia had never been more afraid in her life. Her people were dying around her, and Elarion was obsessed. She knew he would not call off the attack unless the goddess herself demanded it. He would die here. They would all die here.

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"Your children are faltering mother. They will not win." Ulthrogrog spoke, his telepathic voice rippling through the darkness of the Abyss. "They may not even draw out our prey. He must realize that this attack is meant for him."

The massive bulk of Asharra's true body writhed in the darkness. After all she had put into that mortal, he had best not fail her. Everything had been planned out, down to the last detail. She would never have another chance like this one.

"We shall see." Her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, as her miles-long body seethed in anticipation. "Just be ready."

"I remember our agreement. Just remember your part in it."

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Bodies littered the ground as the attacking force was stalled. The celestials were too powerful, they could make no further headway. Their troops were faltering, questioning their orders. Not all of them shared Elarion's fanatical devotion to winning the battle.

"Move! Keep moving!" He called to his soldiers in a rage, "We cannot lose!"

The Illithids pressed on, oblivious to fear or death, but for the Faeli, it was too much. They knew that fighting on now, was suicide. They had lost. The celestials encircled their battered attackers, great Azariel himself landing on a tall spire and calling down to them in a voice that shook the air itself. Torn and bloody, he was still a magestic sight, his entire body glowing with divine power as a great flaming sword rested in his hand.

"Surrender! There need be no more death!"

"Never!" Elarion called, weaving in haste a spell of great power.

With a violent burst of energy that literally seemed to tear from his veins itself, Elarion hurled a bolt of blood-red lightning towards the magestic being. The most powerful of his spells... he had been saving it for the sun god himself, but now as he sat so close to death, he saw no other choice. The spell tore from the caster his own blood and life, giving literally all he had to slay his foes.

It was not enough. With one beat of his wings, Azariel rose into the sky, calling out the name of Aevum himself for protection as he called a glyph of protection between he and the deadly bolt. The lightning scored across thin air with a horrendous sound, it's power thwarted by the will of the gods themselves. Azariel and his angelic host was unharmed.

"NO!" Keia called out in vain as her love collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from the many wounds the spell had torn across his body.

She ran to his broken form, desperately channeling the last of her curative spells to no avail. He was lost to her now... no magic could bring him back. Tears streamed from her eyes as she craddled his unmoving body.

"It is over. Place down your weapons." Azariel spoke determinedly, steeling his heart against the sight of the sobbing woman.

Keia lifted her head to the angelic general, hate in her eyes. Before she could speak, however... the air was torn apart by the emergence of a new player onto the battlefield.

"Ah, Good! Still food left to devour!" Bellowed the great-maw of Darrmoon as he burst from nowhere in a burst of magical energy. "Come to me, little things. I HUNGER!"

[Draken]

Gnome Diplomacy: Goblins and their Allies.

Gnomes are friendly and pacate, prefering to research, develop and test new magical artifacts than anything else.

That... Until you cross them, an angered gnome is all but friendly, and he will hold the grudge for a long time, or until proper amends are made, then it is all good and fine again.

Unfortunatelly for the goblins, even with the language barrier, the responsible for the slight against gnomekind died, and with him, any chances of amends.

Which brings us to this moment...

The moment after the launch of the first Sky Citadel, Miredochis, under the command of Magistrate-Admiral Nicabod Marathuris Jebbediahstrom Maribethstir of Platinum. One of the very gnomes who was slighted by goblinkind.

And now, at the helm of Miredochis, Nicabod brings his vendetta to the goblins, to an outlying city of the growing Goblin Empire, he brings War... No, he brings a Genocide, intent that no leper halfling he meets, man, woman or child live that day.

And by a trick of fate, the Chief Negotiator's entourage is the first goblin force to cross the path of Miredochis, they and the two formian guards.

Mercy and reprieve are not given, as the citadel slowly hovers above the creatures, the first searing rays of flame rain down, striking with precision and charring their way through humanoid flesh and bone, swift, clean and through. But not without giving the goblins the chance to flee in terror, for the gnomes did it, they brought their cities into the goblin mountains.

Sky Citadel Miredochis is firing Scorching Ray down on the goblins of the diplomatic delegation to the formians, and on the formians soldier guardians themselves just because. No actual gnome can be seen. Just the flying saucer city.

Also, action:
0 AP: Raise Hero. Admiral-Magistrate Nicabod Marathuris Jebbediahstrom Maribethstir of Platinum. Platinum Gnome Fighter 2/Artificer 13.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Formians, Mountains of Despair

The Formian Soldiers looked hatefully up at the giant fortress, shrugging off the husk of the goblin emissary they had carefully guided to this point. They scuttled back into hill they had recently vacated, and not long afterwards a small host of Abeil fly upward out of the hill and head for the massive flying city. They fly about Miredochis seeking someone to speak to, upon spotting any Iron Gnome they fly to him and speak in their strange insectoid tongue. "Hol van vezetőitek?"