Lords of Creation: In Character [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Shmee

2010-11-05, 07:35 AM

Terran, the Void

In a secluded corner of the Void, yet another entity begins to stir. It knew little of where it came from, or of its connection with the Great Chaos. All it knew, is that slowly opening its eyes it gazes at the endless Void, and saw unbridled potential. Looking down at itself, the entity realizes that it awoke and had by instinct taken a meditative pose upon a small chunk of floating rock.

"Interesting... very interesting indeed..." Says Terran as he gets up from his pose while stroking his long white beard.

As he gets up, Terran feels a sudden pain in his back, an effect from all this time that he had slumbered in his meditative pose. Rubbing the sore spot, Terran looks at his old and frail body, his skin as brown as the pure earth itself, he starts to shake his head in disappointment.

"The mind is willing, but the body is weak... this shall not do!"

Bending down, Terran breaks off a piece of the rock he was standing upon with his hand. Looking at it, the rock was no bigger than the size of a pebble. As he looks into his palm, all of a sudden the pebble begins to grow, until it became the size of his fist.

"I see... so that's how things work..." says Terran to himself "I might as well get started..."

"1...."
"2...."
"3...."
"4...."

Begins counting Terran as he starts lifting the rock with his arm, and each time he brings it down again before starting a new repetition of the exercise. As he continued counting alone in the Void, Terran all of a sudden realized that the rock within his hand was getting... rather light. Focusing his will on the object within his hand, Terran once again causes the piece of rock to grow even bigger and heavier as he continues his routine.

"58,492,174..."
"58,492,175..."
"58,492,176..."
"58,492,177..."

Each time that he would feel the load getting lighter, Terran would increase its size and mass. For how long did he continue, nobody knows... years, decades, centuries? At that time no one had any proper means to measure time... however... after a very long time... somewhere along the way, Terran realizes that he lost count. Grunting in frustration he throws away the item he was lifting, and for the first time, he looks at his body, now bulging with muscles. One again rubbing his beard, Terran nods in satisfaction

"Perfection, if I may say so myself."

His gaze once again goes over to the Void, and he is surprised to find that the 'little piece of rock' he had just thrown away had through the ages of his training in fact turned into a massive flat earthen mass which filled the Void. On the upper side of the the barren disk shaped world, stood mighty mountains and deep winding gorges on the bottom. On the bottom curved side, were also mountains, these ones pointing down at the Void, and in its centre, was the largest one, which was from were Terran had latched onto while training for all this time.

At that moment, little did Terran know that he had inadvertently created what would be the foundations for what would be known as 'The Material Plane'.

Draken

2010-11-05, 09:02 AM

Hal'Xaazar, the Void

It was born not unlike the rest, from the same place and in the same conditions, but it was so unlike them all that the god, Hal'Xaazar, with nothing but the endless, empty dark to give him something to glare at, remained unseen.

But then... There was something. A mass of earth, vast, so very vast. And high above it, or beneath it, or in any direction, for there were no marks to tell top and bottom, appeared something not unlike itself, with the same cliffs pointing towards the same cliffs. A inverted world.

And near that inverted world, not unlike Terran looking upon his unwitting creation, he made himself present, draped in a silver mantle, with no visible features, there was when Hal'Xaazar first made himself known.

AP: 12

3 AP: Create Plane: Inverted World.

AP: 9

Selinia

2010-11-05, 02:40 PM

Teikoku, the Void

"Fascinating..."

The figure whispering the word had paid close attention to the efforts of the earth god since her awakening. His work was interesting. He made something. Stone... land... she remembered these things. But this was different - it was steady, and strong, and... ordered. It belonged, in a way the nightmarish chaos never had.

With some hesitation, she alighted on one of the small chunks of leftover Creation still floating amidst the Void. To her satisfaction, it held, and she made herself comfortable overlooking the great slab of stone. Smiling slightly as she settled into a kneeling position, hands folded delicately across her lap, she watched. And more importantly, she listened. There was the booming of the earthen one's counting, and the echoes of her other brothers speaking as well. But she was far more interested in a much smaller voice. It murmured, wordless, a backdrop to everything else. But try as she might, she could not find the source.

As Terran kept time in the timeless place, Teikoku simply... observed. Silently, she watched as her brothers shaped the world, doing her best to learn from their effort, feeling she would need such knowledge in time to come. And as time passed, she learned to listen to that which had no voice. The very stone on which she rested was a silent companion, wordlessly imparting its patience and resolve whenever she seemed like she might falter, and it seemed that every new creation had a voice of its own.

Things were not yet ready. So she waited.

Lady Tialait

2010-11-05, 03:06 PM

Ding.

A blessing, a wondrous song. There could have been so much created in that single sound. At that moment a single rose peddle fell, dancing as he fell. It seemed to land in the void and start to grow.

Ding.

Again, the song had began. The rose peddle had grown to a rosebud. It's delicate form slowly opening the luxury of the silken flower opening to the newly founded void. Slowly standing in the middle of the flower a man looked around. He reached upward as if to streak his new form.

Ding.

His ears perked at the sound, he was now alive, awakened. He smiled at the sound and looked around the Void.

"Nothing? I love it. So wonderful and peaceful. There is no war in a void, no strife. I love it. I love everything."

planswalker

2010-11-05, 09:53 PM

Finding his odd-looking brother of heat to be mildly interesting but not really doing much, Sozuchi headed over to the only one amongst them who seemed interested in doing much besides talking or listening.

"So, Mr. Muscles, That was better than nothing I guess, but I have to know, why a rock? What does it do? What was the point? Rocks are boring."

Shmee

2010-11-06, 08:00 AM

Terran, the Void

Sozuchi finds Terran sitting in a meditative position, trying to calm down his body and soul after such a rigorous workout. Upon noticing another entity approaching him, Terran gets up and bows in a posture of greeting.

"I am not Mr. Muscle... I am Terran, and what you see over there is the fruit of my labour, the largest and heaviest object of this existence. I made it simply so that I may be able to push my abilities to their limits, and so I have. Unfortunately I did not make this feat in order to entertain you or others, I did this as a challenge to myself."

Looking at Sozuchi Terran asks

"And what manner of being may you be?"

planswalker

2010-11-07, 01:06 AM

Sozuchi

"I'm Sozuchi. What manner of being am I? The not-boring kind. I do fun stuff, like this!"

and with that, the white sea serpent opens his mouth and a small stream of water gushes out and soaks Terran's head. He then wills it to himself and juggles it, with the tip of his tail.

"Like this."

Shmee

2010-11-07, 08:35 AM

Terran, the Void

The god of Earth sits patiently as Sozuchi soaks his head. Patiently, Terran runs his hand over his bald wet head and at first looks at Sozuchi playing around with this liquid thing, and then he looks at the palm of his hand.

"Lets see now... pretty much weightless... not solid at all... you can barely hold it at all. Pretty much unreliable if you ask me... besides... what ever this... thing you created can do, the earth itself can do better! Observe..."

Terran takes two pieces of rock and holding them upon the palm of his hand, he closes it together, and using his strength, begins to rub his palms up and down very fast. As he does so, Sozuchi would notice that Terran's hands slowly begin to glow red with heat from the friction caused by the motion the Earth god was doing. Eventually, Terran stops and shows Sozuchi within his cupped hands, the now melted earth, the heat radiating from the liquid earth.

"The power of the Earth!"

With that, Terran flips his hand over, and allows for the hot liquid magma to slowly trickle down onto the world, the magma itself slowly seeping deep into the earth.

Lady Tialait

2010-11-07, 11:30 AM

The Void

Julian looked upon creation, he had a wonderful idea. He would create a palace of pure pleasure upon it. He would fill the world with his love. Winds burst forth from him to cover the world like a blanket.

planswalker

2010-11-07, 11:44 AM

Sozuchi - the Void

"It gets hot as well? and can be a moving liquid? I guess these 'rock' things aren't too boring after all. When you make them move. Water, though, also does something fun when you get it hot."

Sozuchi stared at the water on the tip of his tail for a moment, and it began to boil vigorously. Without any air to suspend the gas, it rose to the surface and formed a layer of steam at the top of the sphere. Within a short time, the god of water had a ball of pure steam.

"Now, this is kinda neat. The water gets all bubbly, then becomes even more moving. It can do-"

Sozuchi was interrupted by a noise from the rock below. Something was moving on it, but he couldn't see it. This fascinated him so much that he abandoned his conversation with Terran without another word and flew over the now-windy planet.

"This invisible stuff is definitely not boring, but we can't see it. Water is a lot better." With that, he took the steam-cloud from his tail and threw it below.

He tried to have lay over the air, so that pure, undiluted steam would reign supreme, but water does not work that way. It is sometimes just as unpredictable as its master. The water did not obey its will. In fact, the steam acted as if it had a mind of its own. It mixed with the air like the two were the best of friends and formed one massive fog bank miles deep. The air cooled the steam down to fog, and the steam slowed down the wind to gentle fog-currents. However, Sozuchi had not bothered to use enough steam to mix with all the air, and a large cushion of winds remained over it.

Most surprised by this turn of events, Sozuchi laughed. "Oh water, you are so surprising at times!"

It was then that he noticed the one who had made the winds that he had just tampered with. He swam through the Void over to him and said, "Hi! I'm Sozuchi! Were you the one who made that invisible stuff that moved so much? What do you call it?"

Lady Tialait

2010-11-07, 11:58 AM

Julian looked at his watery brother, smiling.

"It is called 'love'. The world should be covered by it."

Draken

2010-11-07, 12:48 PM

Hal'Xaazar - The Void

Hal'Xaazar looked down upon the world, still standing by his inversion of what existed, and tilted his head to the side as the deities showed their work, changing the Material Plane.

And as they did so, similarly the Inverted World changed, but also differently. Molten blood seeped into the roots of the material plane, but what sunk deep into the Inverted World as chilling and pale, and even as the surface of the material plane became engulfed by dense, but light and flowing, mists, the Inverted World was flooded by heavy water that soon grew still, with no current and no life to move it in the slightest. And the gentle currents of wind that covered the sky of the Material World were not the same as the forces that blasted across the surface of the Inverted World.

planswalker

2010-11-07, 02:30 PM

"Why is the love invisible? Wouldn't it be more interesting if we could look at it?" Sozuchi asks with complete sincerity.

Rizban

2010-11-07, 07:12 PM

Mondo, the Void

"This is all very dull... Really, the rock is neat, so too is the water, but so much so more is my domain. Behold, you have both already demonstrated it. My Fire has heated your rock to flow like magma. My fire has heated your water into turmoil to rise as gas and become like air. The air itself would be as cold and lifeless as the rock if not for my Fire. You see, your creations are obvious and grand, but it is the subtly of my power which has brought it all to life.

I have brought for the energy in the world which enables motion and gives rise to design. Now, I bestow upon you an even greater power, one which will suffuse all that exists, improving this creation by its very existence."

Waving his hand through the Void, he mumbles a few words. As if from nowhere, blinding light fills the universe, leaving the very gods blinking at its existence.

"I give you light! Behold its grandeur and the wondrous color it brings to everything. Its very existence imparts heat, which is Fire, and motive forces to all things.

Ah, but I see that such a creation is too grand for you."

Mondo reaches forth and takes hold of the light, separating it from the darkness. The light he draws together and collects within one of his his left eyes. This he removes from his own body and tosses into the sky above the Foundation, where it looks down upon all of creation and sheds its light equally on all that which has been created. The majority of the light shines forth from the pupil, though the remainder is refracted across the heavens, shining out into the void as tiny pinpricks of light which become known as the stars.

"The light I call Day and the darkness I call Night. May Day burn eternal across the face of the world we have wrought."

Lady Tialait

2010-11-07, 07:16 PM

"See love? I LOVE THE IDEA!" He spun around vibrant colors bounding from him. A couple of clouds of different colors are birthed from that moment. He smiled at Sozuchi.

"Now you can see why Love belongs, and embraces the world!"

planswalker

2010-11-07, 07:20 PM

"Indeed, now I can. Love blowing is nice. I still like water better, but love is definitely better than rocks."

Then, light fills the Void and momentarily blinds him. When he blinks, there's an eye in the sky, shining. Sozuchi thinks that the eye looks familiar, and he sees that the being he first spoke to seems to be missing an eye. He once again abandons his sibling mid-conversation to talk to another.

"So, mr. Eye, whatcha do that for? Why did you put your eye over the mists and make it glow?"

Rizban

2010-11-07, 07:25 PM

Mondo, the Void

He sighs a bit.

"Had you been listening, wet one, you would know, or perhaps it is too subtle for you... Just look around, perhaps you will understand for yourself."

Shmee

2010-11-07, 07:35 PM

Terran, the Void

"You are not one to speak fiery one, for though you claim, wrongly of course, that your creation far outshines everything that we have yet made, you have failed to notice that..."

Says Terran pointing at the Inverted World, hovering above the Material Plane

"... cheap imitation of our work. Every time one of us does something, it copies it... albeit imperfectly. I am curious to see how it shall react to your "Day" and "Night"... as trivial a concept as they are."

planswalker

2010-11-07, 07:35 PM

Sozuchi - the Void

Sozuchi looks over the new-formed creation and ponders what he now sees. There now was a big shiny thing over the sky. It made all that was below it brighter, more clearly visible. The mists sparkled in places where the light caught it just right. The love, as Sozuchi has been taught to call the wind, began to move over it. The overall sight was rather beautiful.

"I think I see..."

The great white serpent seems to be lost in deep thought for a moment.

Then, he notices yet another thing to distract him. A woman was sitting on a rock, and seemed to be listening very intently to something that he couldn't hear.

"Whatcha listening to?" he shouts to her as he approaches.

Rizban

2010-11-07, 08:30 PM

Mondo, the Void

He looks up at the copy.

"I see nothing of interest there, merely a childish copy of the creations of the four elders."

He looks back to Terran.

"What I do see is that you are not appreciative of what my element contributes. Were it in my nature to do so, I could remove all warmth and heat from your creation, leaving it cold, lifeless, and immobile for all time. My powers exist to amplify and embolden your own, and that is from whence my pride comes. I have glorified your creations, and you have scorned mine. This is a dire insult, for which I will not attempt to punish you, but I know now that you are no brother of mine."

Shmee

2010-11-07, 08:38 PM

Terran, the Void

"I never claimed kinship with you, nor any of the others standing here in front of us. My apologies if I offended you or your creation fiery one. If its any comfort, I shall have you know that I consider your creation as equal and important as the other creations which were made in front of us..."

Sitting down, Terran lets out a small smile

"... yet just not as grand as my creations."

Rizban

2010-11-07, 09:05 PM

"I was obviously not speaking literally..."

Selinia

2010-11-07, 09:26 PM

Teikoku, the Void

"Hmmm?"

The lady opened her eyes, looking inquiringly at Sozuchi for a moment before rising gracefully to her feet and giving a deep bow. She speaks softly, the small, confident smile never leaving her features.

"Many pardons. I hope you take no offense, but I have been listening to your own conversations... among other things. In fact, I think you would have difficulty finding something to which I have not been listening. The world is very quiet, at the moment, and it is difficult to miss one who has as much to say as yourself."

She nods slightly, placing a hand delicately on her own chest.

"But I am being terribly rude. My name is Teikoku. I know yours, Sozuchi. You are a very interesting being, and so full of questions. I wonder... have you tried taking a moment to listen for yourself? The creations of yourself and the others are full of little voices, if you can lower your own enough to hear them..."

Draken

2010-11-07, 09:57 PM

Hal'Xaazar

At the latest creation, of the fire god, Hal'Xaazar raises his hand, and clenches his fist and turns it and brings it down once again, beckoning a magnificent and terrible event, as the land of the Inverted World shuddered and cracked, and great pillars of stone split from the lands above, revealing their mirrored surface underneath the opaque stone.

And those pillars, eight in full, fell down through the heavens to the lands above, a distinct sound marking their path, until they crashed on the foundations of the material plane, rising high above Sozuchi's mists and shining Mondo's light on their surface, towards the Inverted World above, so that it received the sun's light in full, being hot even where the material plane was colder.

And gaping, deep, craters were left in the Inverted World, within which the oceans seeped, forming into violent whirlpools, while the material plane gained lonely mountains that rose tall above the mists.

But Hal'Xaazar did not like something about this setup... The Inverted World was bright above the sun, fully bright, even where the material world too was illuminated.

So he raises his other hand, and the substance that made him shifted into strings that rose and turned into a ball, which was then whisked off into the sky of the Inverted World, directly above Mondo's sun, but so very distant from it, an endless dimension between them both.

Still, this orb reflected the light of Mondo's eye that reached it through the mirror mountains, weakly, and could be seen from the material plane, far, far above and beyond, and too did it prevent the light of the eye from reaching the Inverted World beneath it, making the regions beneath its glare darker and colder places.

And Hal'Xaazar turned his head down towards the elemental gods once more.

9 AP

5 AP. Create Land (rank 3): Eight Mirror Mountains spaced evenly around the world of the material plane. Each one is about 125,000 square miles in area.

4 AP

---

The changes to the inverted world obviously make use of the Divinely Morphic trait.

planswalker

2010-11-07, 11:13 PM

Sozuchi - the Void

"I've got a better idea: I'll just make the water louder than me! Thanks for the advice, Ears."

With that, the elemental god of water is off once more.

He swims off through the Void a ways apart from the goings on of the materials of the world, and begins to spit. That stream of water pours forth slowly at first, then stronger. After about five seconds, though, Sozuchi gets bored with doing the work himself, and stops. The rather humble-sized pool of water is nicer than nothing, but the moving Love was more fascinating.

"What shall I do? hm...."

He sat there in silence, considering all that his siblings had told him. He thought of them as such, even if they were not anything like him. Each of them, in their own ways shared something with him. King Mondo seemed to share his enthusiasm with motion. Julian and he had similar means. Hence why their creations mixed so well. Even he and Terran had common ground. They both understood the power of their favored element. Teikoku gave him insight into the nature of the world. The four of them each had a special place in his heart. He liked them.

However, none of this self-analysis seemed to help him figure out how to solve his problem. In frustration, he begins to nibble on his own tail. In his agitation, he ends up pipping his own tail and piercing his skin underneath the scales. His blood, the purest water in existence, began to gush forth. He gasps in pain, and spasms. Unfortunately for him, that spasm forced his tail even deeper into his maw. Soon, he had a rather large chunk in his mouth. In his panic, he bit down, and severed the end of his own tail. Fountains of water gushed forth from both ends.

Sozuchi vigorously spat the end of his tail out of his mouth. It continued to pour forth water endlessly, as did the part of his tail from which it was detached.

In very little time at all, water was flooding all over the place. As interesting as it was, Sozuchi didn't feel like sharing his own essence with others. He took the end of his tail in his mouth and thought interesting... I can make changes to my body. I wonder...

With an effort of will, Sozuchi re-formed the tip of his own tail. However, this did not unmake the tip of his tail in his own mouth. Flustered that his tail did not obey him and reattach, Sozuchi did something else. He copied the idea of arms from his siblings and used them to jam the tip of the severed tail into the open end.

However, the water did not stop flowing, it merely began to flow into itself. It began to expand. At first, the growth was mind bogglingly fast. Within seconds, it was larger than Sozuchi himself. In a minute or so, the tail's growth was slowed to the point where it seemed to stop expanding. If one observed it carefully, though, one would see that in fact, it continued to grow at a rate equivalent to the steady increase in volume that the mass of water pouring from one end into the other produces. One inclined to do the math would soon figure out the exact number of kiloliters produced.

All of this, though did not even pass through the maker's thoughts. All he thought was, Well, I might as well make the most of it. Using his newly-formed hands, he made a slit around the inner ring of his tail. He formed the water into a thin membrane. He worked his will into it and the water stayed within the invisible bounds set for it. For the final touch, he breathed onto it. The surface shimmered, then glowed the brightest shade of blue. Sozuchi stepped through, and found on the other side exactly what he had been longing for. A place where the water flowed freely in all directions, where everything was in motion and nothing was ever the same twice. It rose forth in all directions, eternal and endless.

This water was like Sozuchi, but it was not from him. It was as pure as his own essence, yet unlike the blood which powered the Dragon Tail Ring, it was different from himself as well.

He had found it, his home, the elemental chaos. Or at least, the water portion of it. He was born here, and it was his home. He spent what seemed like an eternity frolicking in that timeless place.

Sozuchi ap:

9=12-3(create scaping artifact: the Dragon Tail Ring)

6=9-3(create plane: the Endless Riverways) more details about them in the ooc.

gp: 6

Selinia

2010-11-08, 12:26 AM

Teikoku, the Void

"What a... vigorous creature. But not important now. No..."

The goddess tilted her head to the side, as if listening intently. For a moment, she allowed her demure smile to widen into what was frankly a rather intimidating grin.

"It seems that our neighbor above has caused quite a stir. I have never heard the voices so... agitated. Nor so wakeful. The time for listening is past... it is time for action now. Go, my old friend... they are fractured. Disordered. Give them purpose. Go..."

With a graceful motion, Teikoku floated gently from the surface of her listening stone. And surely enough, mere moments later, the stone began descending - first gently, then with ever-increasing speed. Within seconds, it was lost in the mists covering Creation, vanished as if it had never been. Teikoku waited. There was no sense rushing things.

After a time, a distant rumble could be heard from deep beneath the mists. It began softly, building in volume... until it reached a thunderous crescendo, as the mists were tossed aside from beneath. It arose from the clouds like a great behemoth, mist rolling from its flanks as it thundered higher and higher above the cloudscape. Even as it stabilized in altitude, the earth buckled and splinted, forming hills mountains and plains alike across the vast expanse of rocky terrain.

As the rumbles subsided, Teikoku alighted gently on the highest peak of the highest mountain, located in nearly the exact center of the new lands. She heard the song of the spirits clearly now - no longer a disorganized mumble, but a harmonious symphony of sound and power. They were ready to awaken.

"Oh great and honorable spirits! Hear me, and heed my words! You do not need stand idle as you are shaped and worked by the whims of others! This is the power of your wills united - but it is only the beginning! Come, gather to me, and I shall give unto you the power to walk this world, just as do the Creators!"

And as she spoke, the spirits came. They came from beneath the ground, flush with their new-found power. They came from the sky above, burning with curiosity. They came from the water in the mists all about, coursing with hope of seeing whether the goddess could do as she said. All these came, and she gathered them to her, working all her knowledge into one, simple, magnificent act of creation.

She took the strength of the earth-spirits, and their solidity and purpose. It drank of the energy of water and wind, and fed upon the gleaming rays of the Sun. At last, after an eternity of creation bound up in a single moment... it was complete. She cupped in her hands a tiny green sprout, swaying gently in the winds atop the mountain. Gently, she laid the sprout to rest in the soil... and watched as it grew.

It shot into the sky, grasping at the heavens themselves with its branches. Its roots burrowed deep into the earth, tilling hard rock into fertile soil. And it cast for seeds of its own, sending more plants like it rippling across the land like a pebble dropped in a vast pond. Not only trees, but all manner of plants - flowers, grasses, fruits and vegetables... every one giving a home to the wandering spirits of the world. A place and a purpose for being. Great rivers rose from deep wellsprings, the spirits of water coursing through the lands, bringing their life-giving fluid across the isle.

So it was that the firstborn spirits walked the lands... but even so, they did so as echoes of their material bodies. A world was born, standing beside the original in form, and populated by the spirits of Creation. Beyond the borders of what they came to call the Blessed Isle, their kindred slept, not yet wakened to the Lady's call... but to their frustration, while the plants of the world anchored them and gave them order, they could not go forth and act upon the world directly.

So the spirits of the Isle came to the Lady, in her court in the heart of the spirit world, they expressed their plight... and to their joy, found her not only sympathetic, but able to provide a solution. Once again, she called upon those spirits willing to take physical form, but this time crafted them bodies that ran and jumped and flew and swam. These beasts came to rule the Isle, for they alone could carry their spirit fully within them, without touching the Spirit realm at all.

Exhausted from her works, Teikoku settled in once more in her court amidst the roots of the great elder tree. The time for action had ended. It was time to watch and listen once more.

OOC: Actions!
AP 12 - 5 (Shape Land, SR 3 - the Blessed Isle) - 3 (Create Plane - Kamigawa, the Spirit World) - 1 (Create Life - Spirits)

Final AP = 3
GP = 9

Also, in the vein of other such fluffy actions, creating the plants and dumb beasts of Creations. Humans will come in a bit. Will do some explaining in the OOC tomorrow, when it isn't so late.:smallsigh:

Draken

2010-11-08, 11:32 PM

Hal'Xaazar

Something else was made. Plants and beasts, things of life very much unlike the raw elements of the world. Dual beings whose existance Hal'Xaazar could see with his eyeless sight extending into another world, one owned by a goddess.

Spirits, she called those, and they were separate from the material world where they would tread. In stark contrast to such, Hal'Xaazar gave motion and dire intelect to the substance of the inverted world, allowing it to burst into life of its own, but different life, if similar life. The same plants and the same beasts of the same blessed isle, but nothing was quite the same, hide and bark were polished and reflective, featureless like the mirror god, and ever so slight differences marred the Island of the Inverted World, not least of which was the erosion of the turbulent winds and crashing waves.

And Hal'Xaazar's creations were made of the same as his world, they were part of it and apart from it, and as such would last forever, which he did not feel like changing. Those in the material world, they were apart from their world, and were not truly part of it, so it was fit that, in due time, their forms would fail.

Thus did Hal'Xaazar give the material world his first gift. The gift of mortality, a dire thing that was unknown to gods and to the few things that existed then, that the time a creature had in the world could eventually end.

4 AP

1 AP: Create Life: Mirror Creature (Template).

3 AP.

---

There is no real action linked to giving "death" to the world (do not Hal did not actually kill anything). But in with theme, as a deity creates life... The Opposer gives death.

planswalker

2010-11-09, 12:05 AM

Sozuchi - the Endless Riverways
Sozuchi frolicked in the eternal depths for thousands of years, playing with the eddies and currents. Over time, he came to realize that he was not alone. Throughout the eternal expanse, others played too. Sparked to life by the playfulness of a god, these creatures swam through the deeps, emulating him. He came to find them to be the best of playmates. Like him, they enjoyed the chaotic rush of the river. Some eventually decided to see what was outside the River. They asked their elder brother, "Please, show us the world outside. We know it exists. We are curious."

"Very well, but be warned: it is not home. Things there are static and boring. And dry. There is little water to be had."

the Void, then Kamigawa

An thus, Sozuchi led his lesser brethren through the Dragon Tail Ring and into the Void. The nothingness was so very different from their home. In it, their essences could not stay without a physical form long. Their elder brother taught them to make bodies for themselves, modeled after his own. Each of them chose a different shade of blue or white. When they ran out of new colors to do, the began sharing colors amongst themselves. In the end, each had a unique pattern of blue and white shades all over their bodies.

Sozuchi watched his lesser kin quibble amongst themselves, fascinated by the interplay. Eventually, all were satisfied with their forms, and decided to go exploring. They found that the only things out there to explore were the big rock with mists on it, the shiny copy of it, and the spirit world. Feeling drawn to it, Sozuchi lead them to it. They found there entities which were both like and unlike themselves. From here, they also saw the rivers running over the island that Teikoku had made. Reminding them of home, many of them settled into these rivers, and began to frolic within them.

Sozuchi, on the other hand, was far more interested in the shiny world above. He left his younger brothers and sisters to make themselves at home in Kamigawa. He went and meandered around on the strange, like-yet-unlike world that had formed over the one he had unwittingly helped make.

"What an interesting place. Who lives here?" he asked to no one in particular.

Sozuchi ap: 5=6-1(create life: river serpents)

7 gp

I am going to develop them to be the fey-like chaotic spirits of the rivers,and eventually the storms. Selenia, feel free to have your orderly spirits interact with them, even feel free to have more your-style spirits bonded to the rivers. I think it might be an interesting little tidbit if there were two varietites of river spirits, and which one was in possession of which river has an impact on the character of that river.

Rizban

2010-11-09, 12:27 AM

Mondo, the Void

What was this? These things growing like a cancer across the face of the world. At first, Mondo was appalled by what he saw marring the perfect balance of creation. After careful study, however, he realized that these "lifeforms" were as much a part of the world as Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. He accepted them for what they were, though he did not like them, the horrid, nasty things which caused endless change and chaotic changes to the world around them.

To no one in particular, "Bah, those things are disgusting. Would have been better for our world to remain as it was before their creation. Perfect and pristine, unmarred by that."

Shmee

2010-11-09, 03:11 PM

Terran, the Void

Terran too was watching as the other entities continued to tamper with his creation. In the Earth god's mind it was only natural that other entities such as himself would try and compete with him by trying to overshadow the scope of what he had just created. Well the other entities would soon find out that Terran was not someone who would pale in the face of a challenge. First off, he would show the others just how one such as Terran shapes the earth with his power.

The god of Earth closes his eyes and focusing his will on the Material Plane, he raises his hand, as mighty earthquakes start to rock the world, causing new lands to be thrust above the foggy seas.. While the other lands were alien objects, thrown from outside the Material Plane, the new land came from the earth of the world itself. The land itself had several features, ranging from lush forests to rolling hills and valleys, to gaping canyons. However the most dominating feature was a mountain range which ran through the centre of the new land, and within it, the world's largest mountain, stretching majestically into the heavens.

Mortals of the future would refer to this land as 'The Old World'.

But Terran was not done yet. He watched as the other entities began to make more... organic creations. The god of Earth watched with great interest at these lower life forms. They clearly lacked the power to shape the world like he and the other entities could... yet were others say weakness, Terran saw potential, and thus decided that he too would create these lower life forms.

Grabbing a small piece of earth, Terran holds it in his palm and with his finger nail, begins to scrape it, effectively moulding the earth into a shape that would please him. After a while, the Earth god looked at the small number of carvings he had in his hand. Smiling at his work, Terran breathes life into the carvings, and the god of Earth watched with great interest as the primitive creatures began to scurry around his palm. He refused to give these creatures a name, for that is something they would don upon themselves, yet centuries later, these creatures would take up several names, such as 'The Children of the Earth' or as they would be more commonly known as 'Dwarves'.

OOC

AP3= 12-9, Create Land SR5; the Old World
AP2= 3-1, Create Life (Primitive) Dwarves

Rizban

2010-11-09, 04:46 PM

Mondo, the Void

Upon seeing the dwarves, "What is that? Hideous! Disgusting! Abomination!

Foul, loathsome twisting of the natural order! You dare to invest the power of the very primal entities into the lower order?! How can you not see such a thing is detestable to the very nature of reality?

Fie upon you, Terran! Soon, these little creatures or others like them will be a plague upon creation. You and that spirit woman are to blame for this! These creatures will never bear the blessing of my domain! A curse upon them! Never shall they walk under the light of my Eye in peace, never shall they leave the bowels of the earth without longing to escape from my hateful gaze!

Know this well, no mortal shall ever have Fire. For all time, I forbid it to them! It shall burn and consume them, and they shall never tame it. It is my domain and my nature, and I will not share it will these undeserving lesser beings."

Goaded by fury, Mondo's eye begins to close, leaving much of the world in darkness, many of the stars also die. Though he cannot bear to cut off his own vision of the world entirely, thus the eye remains at least partially open and giving light.

Mondo then gathers together the essence of Fire from the mortal realm and simply leaves. The sun and its light remain, but no fire will burn for the benefit of mortal kind.

Tearing asunder the Void before him, a new realm opens, a primordial realm of heat and motion, perhaps the true origin of all motion throughout the cosmos. Here, much as the water god before him, he finds his native element.

Mondo
AP 9 = 12 - 3(Create Plane: Pyrokus)

Selinia

2010-11-09, 05:52 PM

Teikoku, Kamigawa

Her creations were... imperfect. This fact irked he endlessly, but she understood that there was little she could do about it at the moment. The problem lay in the simple fact that when spirits housed themselves in flesh, their essences were subsumed by the base instincts and thought-patterns of their host. They were without organization, and attempts to impose order upon them had been proven futile.

Compounding this was limited lifespan of their bodies. This had been expected - in fact, Teikoku rather appreciated it, as it released the bound spirits for other tasks - but too often, the spirits simply forgot their time clothed in flesh. Some were better about it - she noted that the lions and great apes in particular had a tendency to recall bits of their mortal lives - but it still made her future plans difficult.

She had just about resigned herself to wiping the slate clean and beginning from a different base entirely (silicon, perhaps...) when she received reports from some of her loyal wind-spirits about a beast unlike any other seen before. This was a fairly common occurrence unto itself - spirits often made small modifications to their physical forms, which added up over time - but indications were that this time was different. Filled with hope once more, the goddess called forth her Sight, intent on confirming these reports.

Sure enough, to her delight, she found them exactly as described. They took after the form of Teikoku herself, a fact she found rather flattering, but more importantly, they were carrying out the work of Order. They had done what no other beast had - they had tamed the elements to their will. They built huts of wood and grass, and tamed the wild plants into orderly fields, harvesting them for sustenance. Their numbers were small, and they were scattered across the Isle... but they were exactly what she had been looking for.

There were nine tribes of these... humans, they called themselves... across the Blessed Isle. Each one received a message from the honorable spirits of the elements. Each one sent their leader forth on a pilgrimage, seeking the source of the mysterious summons. Each path was difficult and long... but none gave up, for each knew that the spirits were relying on her.

At last, each of them came to the same destination. A great mountain, towering above the plain and hills... and at its peak, a tree unlike any they had ever seen. Its roots covered the mountainsides, and its branches grasped at the heavens themselves. They had heard legends... but until now, no human had ever set their eyes upon the Lord of All Forests - the greatest and most ancient life, from which all others had sprung. Together, they gazed in awe at the majesty of the sight... but they knew they had been summoned to the peak. And so they climbed.

The nine of them scaled the great mountain, only to be greeted by yet another wonder. Amidst the roots of the tree, a great palace had been built, casting light from its windows into the darkness of the forest lord's shade. Murmuring in awe, clutching their own travel-worn woolen rags about them, the walked through the vast gates of burnished gold. Each of them knew it in their heart of hearts... they had arrived. Though they did not know it, they had stepped into another world entirely the moment they entered as well.

They were greeted by a woman like them... and yet, unlike them in so many ways. Her every movement was carefully controlled, graceful... ordered. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, rippling with her every movement. And her clothes... the fine, clean reds and whites were unlike anything they had ever seen. Some of them, with their rough clothes, and bare feet, and unwashed bodies, felt bitterly ashamed in that moment... but rose their heads as the woman spoke.

"Greetings, honorable chieftains. You have come far, through many hardships, to gather here and listen to my words. For this, I thank you, and honor you. You have proven yourselves these past weeks of travel to be prepared to learn what I have to teach."

The lady's soft smile never left her face as she bowed gently to her guests.

"I am Teikoku. It is through my works these past centuries and millennium that your people have come to be. You exist in a manner unlike the other beasts of this world - you think, you know, you remember. But still, in you passing... you lose all that you were. I can change that."

"I can give your people the means to live on, even when their mortal shells fail them. You and your descendants shall rule this mortal world. You are the other half of the coin - long have the spirits worked to bring order here in Kamigawa, but they can not perform such a feat alone. You shall ally with them."

The nine stood, stunned, as the goddess spun from air visages of the wonders their people would forge. Then they were dismissed, given the remainder of the night to make their decision. The were given food finer than they had ever tasted, tended by the silent serving spirits of this place. They were washed, and clothed, but despite the unsurpassed comfort of the sleeping quarters... not a one of them slept.

They gathered once more, just before dawn. They had made their decision.

"Anything you ask of us, my Empress, we shall perform."

Teikoku's eerie smile parted as she gave her reply.

"So be it. You shall be my Daimyo. Each of you are tasked with expanding your lands - claim this Isle for humanity. Make your oaths."

None of them quite knew how they knew what to say then... but know they did. As one, they spoke the Oath to Order, and forever bound the fates of their people to those of the spirits. From that day forth, those who died were not gone, but lingered on an ancestor spirits, teaching and guiding their descendants.

The nine returned, clad in armor and bearing the will of the Empress. They united and guided their people, and it was not long before they had disciples of their own. Empowered by the ancient Oath with authority over many sorts of spirits, these Samurai were combatants like no other. They could harden their flesh as stone, or strike with the force of a coursing river. Their strength served as a beacon for all humanity to aspire towards.

And after the nine Daimyo had left Teikoku in her palace that fisrt day... she chuckled softly to herself.

"Aha... Empress... you know, I think I rather like the sound of that... Empress..."

Then her face shifted. For the first time in eons... her small, confident smile wavered, anger threatening to overwhelm her calm.

"That petty tyrant... so he thinks to enslave my children of flame? I will... no..."

She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. When they opened, her expression was one of pure malice.

"No... merely defeating him is not enough. I need do nothing. He will be crushed. Humiliated. But not by me..."

OOC: Actions!
AP: 3 - 1 (Create Life - Humans) - 0 (Free action from Organized, Form Society of Humans and Spirits - the Blessed Empire) - 1 (Lead Populace - Humanity learns agriculture) - 0 (Free action from Leader of Men, Create Class - Samurai [Mechanically, the Crusader from ToB])

Final AP: 1
GP: 11/12

Draken

2010-11-09, 06:19 PM

Shmee

2010-11-09, 07:05 PM

Terran, the Void

As Mondo throws his fit, Terran continues to play with the diminutive creatures in his hands, every once in a while poking one with his finger to see their reaction.

"And there lies the flaw in your reasoning fiery one; You assume that the creatures need to bask in your element to truly be blessed. You sentence these creatures to remain deep in the earth, and yet it is within the earth that these creatures shall be blessed! From the earth shall they be nourished, from the earth they shall find warmth and when they have lived their days, they shall return to the earth which they hold so dear."

Terran moves his finger back as one of the Dwarves bites the finger that was prodding it around.

"More feisty than fire shall they be, yet immovable like the mountains! Their thirst for glory unquenchable by any waters of the world! There will be no depth nor height that they shall not pierce with their will! Today I give you the earth, from now on the earth itself shall be your inheritance! Do I not grant this to you myself?"

Terran gently drops the Dwarves onto the Old World, next to the tallest mountain, satisfied that his creations would be tough and sturdy enough not only to survive, but to also thrive. It was thus, in obedience to their natural instincts, that the Primitive Dwarves themselves, rejected the surface world and its sun by first entering the caves which dotted along the mountain. Thus in accordance to Dwarven Lore, it was the early Dwarves themselves who rejected the Fiery One, and embraced the way of the Earth.

OOC

AP1= 2-1, Create Society; the Dwarves

Rizban

2010-11-09, 08:17 PM

Mondo, the Realm of Pyrokus

Wandering through his new found home, Mondo felt it empty and in need of greater order. The occasional rock and debris floated through the void within, but the emptiness was in need of use.

The Foundations of the World

Reaching forth towards the mortal realm, Mondo plunged his writhing arms into the earth. Taking hold of the great veins of metal, the very bones of the world, he tore them forth and drew them into Pyrokus. True some metals had been left behind, but these were few and far between. Iron and copper instantly became more rare than platinum and gold had been before. It seems as if the mortals must now do without Metal as well as Fire, though without Fire they would never have been able to forge it into anything useful anyway.

Mondo, Pyrokus

Blasting the metal with his heat, Mondo worked and forged it into a great machine, indeed all of Pyrokus was now that machine. Great cogs, springs, gears, and valves filled what once was void. Great sinews of muscle and bone grew forth from the machine, connecting it all together as one. As Fire suffused its core, the composite of flesh and metal began to churn, to work... its purpose as yet unknown.

Mondo
AP 0 = 9 - 9 (Alter Terrain SR5, remove the metal from the mortal world. Goin by volume of land affected, this should more than work, as workable metal isn't really that common.)

Selinia

2010-11-09, 09:31 PM

Teikoku, Kamigawa

"What is it, milady?"

Teikoku opened her eyes, shaking off her contemplative expression.

"Hmmm... it appears we have imitators. Yamabo, I trust you can oversee this on your own?"

"Of course, milady."

Bowing deeply, the old man went back to his work, overseeing the work to level the great mountain into tiers, upon which a proper city could be built. It wasn't easy, but the earth spirits were giving their all. It was only a matter of time.

Teikoku had to admit, she had been impressed with the degree that humanity had integrated with the spirit world. It wasn't long before some clever and charismatic humans managed to persuade spirits to work with them without invoking the Oath to Order. At first, she had been wary of these casters - power outside her control was always a risk after all - but as generations passed and their numbers proliferated, she found them to be ever more useful.

Of course, it would not do to have such power roaming amok. For that purpose, the three great Elemental Orders had been founded - Air, Earth, and Water. They taught and guided their brethren, providing spiritual guidance to compliment the physical prowess of the Samurai. These Shugenja were healers, teachers, mystics... and, in the case of the slight figure peeling from the shadows of the Elder Tree's roots... inquisitors.

"Greetings to you Kiki. I take it you have something to report?"

"D'aawww... boss... I can't just come to say hi? But yeah, we found more of those shiny people today. They aren't that tough to spot once you take away the illusions... still, it's really eating into the Order of Air's spellcasting reserves having to focus so much on illusion-busting, and I'm pretty sure that they know we know about them. On the bright side, the pointy shiny bits they carry around seem to be great for the stabbing and the cutting... woah!"

The entire mountain seemed to lurch for a moment, disrupting the balance of even the nimble air caste. She would likely have stumbled to the ground had the goddess not caught her by the shoulder. Kiki shuddered at the look on Teikoku's face.

"This. Is. Enough. The tyrant has gone too far. This ends now."

With a single harsh gesture, the Empress of the Blessed Isle vanished, spirited away by the wind itself.

*********************

The god of earth was making no effort to remain hidden, and Teikoku found him easily. Alighting beside him on his perch above Creation, she gave a simple bow, and spoke at once. Although she never raised her voice, an observant viewer would clearly note that she was simmering with anger.

"Lord Terran. I regret that we have to meet like this, but... the Burning One has gone too far. He seeks not only to deprive the world of flame, and incarcerate the spirits thereof, but to steal from your very element the stuff of crafts and tools. How long until he decides to use your dwarves for fuel, or decides to enslave them on a whim?"

After a carefully timed pause, the goddess stuttered slightly and continued. Her expression wavered for a moment, and there was visible the faintest hint of a blush.

"A-ah. My apologies, I have not introduced myself. I am Teikoku, ruler of the Blessed Isle. I come to you because... the spirits are my people. The Burning One is stronger then they, and seems to believe that this gives him the right to shackle them to his will. He is a bully... but alas..."

She gestured at herself, a delicate motion that emphasized her slender build.

"I have neither your strength, nor your skill at arms. And so... I come, asking of you your aid in this matter, that we might foil this villain's plot before it proceeds further."

The goddess paused here, waiting for a response and attempting to gauge the monk's reaction.

OOC: Actions!
AP 1 - 1 (Create Class - Shugenja)

Total AP: 0
GP: 12/12

Level up!

Shmee

2010-11-09, 09:56 PM

Terran, the Void

Indeed Teikoku finds Terran sitting in his usual meditative pose on an asteroid, mostly focusing on the Dwarven race. Even though he does not shift his eyes away from the material plane, it did not mean that he did not recognize the goddess' presence.

"Indeed... the fiery one has caused me mild annoyance with his actions."

Terran takes a deep calming breath before continuing

"There... all gone now. I refuse to do anything while I have anger, no matter how insignificant, swelling within me. That is where the fiery one and I are at odds. He takes slight at the most insignificant of slights, yet failing to notice what is important."

Finally the old man turns his gaze upon the spirit goddess

"It is not you whom the fiery one blazes against, but against me. I am afraid that your mortals were simply caught unwittingly in our little spat. But I am not one to turn my back on those who are in a situation due to a matter that should have only concerned me. The fiery one craves for attention, and I intend to give him all the attention he seeks, by humbling him."

Terran turns his gaze towards the Blessed Isle and rubs his beard.

"Have your people gather their strongest and bravest of souls. Those who do not fear the prospect of hardship or sacrificing their lives in order to raise themselves from the common rabble and become my tool of humility."

As the god of Earth waits for Teikoku, he once again casts a glance at the Old World, were the Dwarves were beginning to expand deep into the earth.

"No credit shall be given to anyone but yourselves and the earth! The earth is your father, and so the earth itself shall serve you. What need do you have of such things, when I offer you mastery over all earth?"

With that Terran simply breathes over the world. Within the Mountains of the Old World, the Dwarves are surprised to find the Earth coming to life, and serving and helping them part the ground as the Dwarves continued to dig deeper.

OOC
AP0= 1-1, Create Life: Earth Elementals

GP:12 Level up! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCLIg6WT7zM)

planswalker

2010-11-09, 11:33 PM

The Inverted World

As Sozuchi approached, Hal'Xaazar cast his form into that of the Water God, but off as he was, silvery and reflective, and he spoke with a soturn, tired voice.

"This mirror realm... We exist here. Me and those of my creation... This is the Inverted World, and I am Hal'Xaazar."

Then suddenly, Hal'Xaazar returned to his previous shape, gazing down to the mortal world, and around him, creatures like humans and dwarves rose from places that were not close, walking roads that could not be seen, but these beings were like Hal'Xaazar, faceless and strange.

But in the same blink of an eye, he was in Sozuchi's shape again.

"And these are the inhabitants of this world... The Nerra... Good name... Yes. Good name..."

Around the two gods, the nerra briefly stood, until some of them gazed upwards and others outwards, and many of then vanished through the same unseen passages they had taken to arrive. Hal'Xaazar knew they were walking the worlds, many still in their own, mainly to the lands of the mirror world that matched the Blessed Isles, but a few gone to human lands, in the material world, where they would do what they knew to do best... Blend.

"It is not... Safe... For you to stay... You might be... Reflected."

3 AP

1 AP: Create Race: Nerra.
1 AP: Create Society: Mirror Empire (located in the Inverted Blessed Lands)
1 AP: Create Class: Beguiler.

AP: 0
Growth: 12/12 (LEVEL UP!)

Sozuchi - the Inverted World

"That sounds... Interesting! I wonder what a mirror-me would be like? How long did you say that it would take?"

However, the mighty god of water did not stick around long enough to find out. Things were happening above him in the not-shiny world, and he wanted to see what was going on.

He saw that some of the walking things had decided to work with the spirits and do stuff. Sozuchi found this to be a great idea, and decided to do the same with his siblings. He will give them nieces and nephews to play with.

He also saw that Mr Muscles and Ms Ear had decided to create lands, and he decided that they were being silly. Land was no fun, water was!

So Sozuchi set about to create waters that didn't have any boring parts to them. Unfortunately, he never could figure out how to do that. Despite his best efforts, some land was necessary to get the water moving. Thus did he make the land later to be known as Water World.

It was a land filled with steaming hot springs that bubbled forth and spilled into rivers, which cascaded over waterfalls, which poured out into edge of the land, and was soaked into the earth, then below it, spilling out forever into the Void. More water filled the hot springs from the Riverways, keeping the springs eternally full. Strange was the plant and animal life that thrived above the waters, and stranger still was they who lived below.

ap: 2=5-3 (create land: Water World (sr3, +1 to sr from artifact))

10 gp

Water World

The River Serpents who had been mingling with their kin from Kamigawa heard the call of their older brother and went to stay in his land. They found it much more to their liking. They lived in the river as spirits, as chaotic and unpredictable as their older brother. When the Chepts would eventually find them, they would be called the Faeri Riversa, which means "free waters" in their tongue. Only to those who perceive the spirit world can their forms be seen. To all others, they are naught but a spirit of unpredictability in the waters. Those who wish to use of them must take care to make sure that the spirit of that body of water gets what it wants in return. Which can be rather tricky to determine, since the Faeri do not stay attached to any one piece of water but continually migrate.

Sozuchi was happy that his siblings liked the land, but this land was only the foreplay for what he had in mind. He set about to create the very first of his children.

He took a portion of water in his tail, the hands he once had long since forgotten and dropped off unmissed, and began to play with it. As he did so, specks of dirt and air mixed in with it. This was fine to Sozuchi, he did not care. For the majority of this being was water, and that was what mattered. The other bits just helped to make him different from his aunts and uncles. After not too long, Sozuchi declared it finished, and set it next to a hot spring in the center of Water World.

And thus was Chept born. He had a head in the manner of the Faeri, in the likeness of a sea serpent. His body sported two strong arms, a solid torso, a lithe and muscular tail, and two strong legs. His flesh was a multihued patchwork of blue and white. When he opened his eyes and saw the water, Chept was very happy. This was what home should feel like. Syidon, a Faeri, approached him in a dream and told him about his heritage. Not long after, the Faeri came to love and dote on their nephew, granting him free use of Water World so long as he promised to live forever. Not realizing that he wasn't allowed to do so, Chept agreed.

When Sozuchi realized what his son had done, he did not scold him, but summoned him before himself in the Riverways.

"What you have done is forbidden by some of my siblings. They say that lesser beings should not be immortal. I, however, think that a stupid rule, just like all other rules that don't get broken from time to time. However, there are five of them and only two of us, so let's do things all right and proper, so they won't whine at us.

My son Chept, Do you so swear that you will live forever, but only so long as you serve me as a messenger or forever ends, whichever comes first?"

Not fully getting why this is important, but deciding to play along, the serpent-headed being agrees. "Yeah, I do."

Done with ceremony, which Sozuchi considers best when short and to the point, he ends it by saying, "Good, now go back to Water World and have fun! The only message I ask that you tell any mortals you meet is this: Water is the Best!"

With that, Chept returned to Water World, where he frolicked with the strange animals of the waters and the even odder aunts and uncles of his, the Faeri. They were happy, and all was well.

ap: 1=2-1 (create life: Serpent-headed Chepts)

11 gp

The first one is called Chept, but he is not going to be the only member of the Chepts. How i'm gonna have it work is that each different head of the Chept race is its own distinctive species with its own racial traits. The first born are the Serpent-Chepts. Unlike most though, they are a unique breed. They do not age or die as most races do. However, each of them is hand-crafted by Sozuchi to be his messengers, prophets, and leaders in the mortal world. Only one serpent-chept will be created each week, using my mythic trait. The other five species of Chepts will be more like what one is expecting from a create life action: a set of creatures of one species which breeds more of its own kind, then dies. Each of my serpent-chepts, though will be my immortal heralds.

so then, continuing with the bookkeeping: 0 ap: raise Chept to be my first hero (free from mythic trait)

Kamigawa

The Samuri found that not all the spirits were of their Empress' domain. Though most migrated to Water World, a third of the River Serpents did not migrate over there. They stayed behind to keep the water spirits of the land from becoming too boring. Those who did became known as the Kappa, the chaotic ones. Though not a large part of the human's society or mythology, they were present at the fringes, creating the slightest smudge on the perfect order within their society. Those who practiced communing with these chaotic spirits soon came to find that the Kappa loved to teach those willing to embrace their outlook on life. Combined with the human self-discipline, these oddballs of Human Society learned the magic of Free Water. They did not conform to the restrictions of their society, and often disobeyed minor edicts just to prove that they could.

They came to be known as the Ronin, those who abandoned the way of their people and consorted with the disorderly spirits. The name "Kappa-Mul-Masulsa", literally "those who practice chaotic water magic" was branded to them as an insult, but they came to embrace it as a badge of their cause. The Kappa-Mu Ronin learned power quickly from their mentors. Capturing one proved as difficult as their patron spirits.

ap: 0=1-1 (create class: Ronin, mechanically an invocation class similar to dragonfire adept or warlock, but with less damage-dealing prowess and an aquatic flavor.

gp: 0=11+1(ap spent)-12(advance DR to 2)

weekly income is now 5. Will get 1 bonus ap next week due to spending all my ap this week and having the Impulsive feat.

btw, Selenia, if a few chaos mages bother you, PLEASE talk with me so that we can figure out a peaceable solution to this.

Selinia

2010-11-10, 12:04 AM

Teikoku, the Void

"Arigato, Lord Terran. You have the thanks of myself and my people. I shall do as you ask, and call upon those who seek to aid their fellows."

Bowing deeply, Teikoku left Terran to him contemplations, vanishing with the same abruptness with which she had appeared.

***********************

The call went out across the whole of the Blessed Isle - that the great Terran himself would train a chosen hero to free the long-suffering spirits held in captivity by the cruel lord of flames.

From all corners of the land came the greatest of heroes, gathering at the base of the great mountain under the eye of the Empress herself. Each hoped to be chosen. There came Lady Arashi, the Crashing Wave, who could calm a tsunami through sheer force of will. There came Lord Asano, the Master of Ten-Thousand Needles, whose twin blades were said to move so fast they made the rain stand still. There came the Revered Jishin, head of the Shugenja Order of Earth, who could raise a mountain with a single word.

And there came Buki, Samurai of the South. In his long years, bandits and troublemakers beyond count had fallen to his mighty daiklaive. His blows fell like the pouring rain, and his strength was like a mountain. His fury in battle was like an inferno, and none escaped his rage. The tools of his enemies broke against him. As far as some were concerned, he had already won the challenge, whatever it may be.

Shujin was honored to serve as his page.

It wasn't as easy as it looked, serving someone as demanding as Buki. You needed to be quick, think ahead... most importantly, you had to be good at reading people. But it would be worth it - in just another year, he'd have served his term as page with flying colors, and would be ready to begin his training as an initiate in one of the Shugenja orders. Maybe water... he'd always felt like he was a decent empath anyway, and water spirits seemed like agreeable sorts...

Shrugging his pack into a more comfortable position, the page picked up his pace to keep pace with his master. They were very nearly there, and the banners could be seen flying in the wind at the tourney grounds...

********************************

"This is merely idle speculation, but I am curious... why did you not volunteer?"

Teikoku sat in a finely appointed viewing box, positioned a short distance up the mountainside and providing an excellent view of events at the base. It had been a trivial thing for the earth spirits to construct, and it was proving to be well worth it. Her question was directed at the youngest of the three Order heads... and the only one who had not attempted to join the group of candidates. Incidentally, she was also one of the few people Teikoku genuinely considered a friend, despite her... faults.

"Meh. This whole chosen one shtick I can see going down three ways. Firstly, it could be random, in which case my odds would be awful, and I'd have to stand all day in the hot sun for nothing. Secondly, it could be an actual legitimate contest, which would be worse, because, "Hey, look at me, I can turn invisible!" isn't exactly as impressive as one of those people who uppercut hills."

She leaned back, arcing her back from her kneeling position to stretch after so long sitting still.

"And thirdly, Terran could already have someone singled out ahead of time, and this is all just for show. In that case, if it IS me, it gives him a chance to dramatically shout "NONE OF YOU!" and kick in the observer's box. And you know, who am I to spoil drama like that? Gotta go with the flow."

"Anata wa taidana baka, Kiki desu..."

"Guilty as charged, boss. Guilty as charged."

Teikoku chuckled softly, and for once, her laughter was genuine. At that moment, the last remnant on the Sun's light vanished from behind the mountains. On cue, the goddess rose, her speech carrying across the valley floor, and into the heavens.

"You here tonight have answered the call to place your people above all others. You do not fear death. You do not fear defeat. This is the final warning - beyond this point, you may turn back. Leave now, or commit yourself wholly."

She gazed across the darkened plains. Great braziers of dry wood had been set up, though they could not be lit. None left. She had not expected them to. She addressed her next words skyward.

"Lord Terran. The heroes of this land have gathered. Make your choice, by whatever method you so decide."

The tension was palpable as people awaited the appearance of the earthen god. The moment of truth was fast approaching...

Shmee

2010-11-10, 12:09 PM

Terran, the Void

Terran looks at the Humans who have gathered with great interest. So these were the best that the race could muster.

"Very well... I shall determine who shall be your champion through the means of a test. Each one of them shall be given as much time as they want to complete it."

With but a wave of his hand, the god of Earth causes a huge rock to be trusted from beneath the ground. With that, Terran issues his challenge

"Try your best to topple it with your bare hands..."

with that, he sits back to watch how the Humans will face this challenge.

Lady Tialait

2010-11-10, 12:28 PM

The Void

"Soooo boring, I know! I will create someone to talk to, some one to spend time with, someone to give LOVE TO!"

His fingers twirled around creating a lean perfect creature. It danced with Julien, they kissed passionately. They then broke and stared into each other's eyes. Julien mouthed 'I love you' to his new creation. The creation leaned in and kissed Julien softly on his soft lips. The Love God moved away and repeated the process for many many more. He looked at his lovers, he had a name for them.

"Beloved, my dear dear beloved."

He blessed them with the ability to join him at any time they wished, just by feeling the love he gave them. And then he realized, he had many lovers but no place to enjoy them at. He waved his hand out gathering his air in his hand. It formed into a lovely cloud. He dropped it shaping it into a palace. The palace made of clouds, and rose peddles. He laid down on a soft bit of cloud and allowed the new Beloved to join him.

"Look at the world, now around you, now to the world. Sadly, the world is not like here. But, if you were to go down there and spread my love, it could feel like it does here. Look at me. I have blessings for you. Now my blessings are diamonds. I am on a cloud."

As he holds out his hand thousands of small drops of pure bliss fall upon the world. Wherever they land the was less full of gloom. The beloved floated down to the world, to spread the love of Julien.

Create Life (Elves/Beloved) - Create Society (The Lovers of Julien) - Create Plane (The Pleasure Palace) - Bless (Magnitude 3, only applies to Beloved who have the Diamonds of Julien, it blesses the next work they do with Julien's grace.) = 0 AP left.

Selinia

2010-11-10, 01:08 PM

Humans, Terran's Trial

Some of the more brash contestants made for the stone at once, slamming into it with brute force. This was about as effective as one could imagine, and several disgruntled warriors stormed away in frustration then and there. The more thoughtful hung back, attempting to work out the nature of puzzling stone.

The Head of the Order of Earth attempted a fairly straightforward solution - he commanded that the earth divulge its secrets, and tell him how to solve the test. Infuriatingly, the stone remained silent - Terran had apparently anticipated attempts to use spirit magic to crack the test, and had driven such beings from the testing stone beforehand.

Numerous other methods were tested throughout the night, and well into the next day. Some, in retrospect, seemed rather silly (an attempt to shear the stone in half with a well-placed blow), while others were executed soundly, but thwarted by some preparation of the earth god (the head of the Water order, for instance, had thought to summon a waterspout to erode the stone to nothingness at lightning speed... only to find the material immune to such shenanigans). But one hero had not yet even tried, being lost in thought.

At last, as the sun hung high in the sky, Buki stood calmly, the crowd parting to let him access the stone. He gave it a few experimental shoves, to no avail... then did something unexpected. Rather than attacking the stone itself, he cast aside his weapon and began digging furiously into the soft earth at its base. His arms were a blur as he tore through the soil, slowly deepening a narrow pit around the monolith. After a time, he stopped, bent over, and carefully examined the stone's base... when he rose, he glared at Terran with venom in his gaze and spoke a single word.

"Fraud."

With a gesture, he sent earth spirits scurrying to finish what he had started, clearing away the earth beneath and around the stone pillar. The crowd was filled with muttering at what the samurai had revealed - the stone was floating, immovable, even with all support stripped away.

"I did as you asked, Lord of the Earth. With my bare hands, I stripped away every reason for that stone to remain standing. And yet it still does. Magic does nothing. Weapons do nothing. And, despite your insistence, bare hands do nothing. That stone cannot be moved, as simple as that. This farce of a trial was without meaning. I do not appreciate being lied to, Lord Terran, and will not continue on this meaningless endeavor. Find your hero elsewhere."

As the earth god merely remained silently watching, many of the assembled crowd shook their heads in disgust, and the gathering began to disperse. Attempts at moving the stone had all but stopped.

Still, as young Shujin helped his master pack up their tent and supplies, he had to wonder... why did Terran not respond? He had expected at least an acknowledgment of Buki's discovery - part of him had actually expected him to declare Buki the winner, with the discovery of the impossibility of the task being the true victory condition. The fact that Lord Terran still sat, watching the empty field implied... the condition had not been met. The young page jolted with the realization of an intriguing possibility. Something no-one had tried.

"Lord Buki... may I have leave for a short time? There is something I wish to try."

The old samurai was still grim-faced from the incident at the proving ground, but his look softened as he clapped his page on the shoulder.

"Just this once. It was my foolishness that dragged us on this absurd endeavor, but still, it is not every day a strong lad such as yourself gets a chance to visit the Capitol. Be back by sunset - we'll be leaving with a caravan back south."

Shujin nodded and grinned, racing from the tent back towards the by-now deserted proving grounds. Sure enough, the stone was still there, hovering impossibly... as was Lord Terran, still overlooking the scene despite the lack of challengers. The page took a deep breath, hoping this wasn't as monumentally stupid as it seemed in his head... and strode quickly towards Terran. Then he made his gambit, trying what no other contestant had.

"Lord Terran... how would one go about moving that stone?"

Shmee

2010-11-10, 01:52 PM

Terran, the Void

Having not said a single word through out the entire day,Terran finally breaks his silence, as he goes to answer the young Human

"Little one, let me ask you a question instead; where is everyone else? Have they not already placed it firmly in their mind that the task is impossible and have thus quit at the first sign of hardship? They had already failed before they even began, because their conviction was not resolute."

"They failed because it is simply glory they seek, and yet look around you... glory is fleeting. They focus on the all the trivial matters instead of looking inside them rather than try to bring out the true potential within them. That is why they could not move the rock."

"So little one... what do you intend to do now?"

Selinia

2010-11-10, 02:44 PM

Shujin,Terran's Trial

"I... I really don't think that's a fair assessment, Lord Terran. There were a few just here for the glory, sure, and yeah, most of them left when it was made clear that they had failed. But loads more stayed. Sometimes you can give something your all, and have it still not be enough, but there's no reason to keep failing at something."

Shujin just kept talking, doing his best to imagine the mighty monk as one of his Earth Order instructors.

"My liege, Lord Buki himself, gave the demonstration his all. Our strongest warriors and casters alike could do nothing to it. You say we gave up when the task seemed impossible - and yet you still have yet to prove to us that it is not. Just show us the solution. Go ahead and fail us - if we actually missed something, fine, we lost fair and square. But I don't like the thought of you coming down here and humiliating all these mighty heroes with a rigged challenge, when all they wanted was a chance to help their people."

Shmee

2010-11-10, 03:15 PM

Terran the Void

"I don't think you are in a position to assess anything young one. Through out the entire day, when did you ever hear me of actually rejecting any one who tried the challenge? Oh no! They failed themselves, and as a result have only themselves to blame for their humiliation. I could show you the solution... but then what? Shall I for ever be holding your hand and teaching you how to breath? I can only teach you this much. If you feel that you have reached your full potential, then you may as well return home, satisfied that you have hit your peak. If not, then you must strive to reach it."

Selinia

2010-11-10, 03:27 PM

Shujin, Terran's Trial

"You may not have given any indication of failure, but you have certainly not given any indication that we have succeeded either. You gave your instructions - that they try their best to topple the pillar. Many tried. Not a one of them gave anything but their all. None of them toppled the pillar, but all of them tried."

"Either they succeeded, or they failed. If they've succeeded, you have an interesting way of showing it. If they've failed, then surely showing them what they did wrong can only strengthen them in the long run. A good teacher doesn't hesitate to let his students fail, but he must also show them how to succeed - else, what is he really teaching?"

"So... what was the solution to your test, if we failed so miserably? Or shall you simply leave us, having taught nothing?"

Shmee

2010-11-10, 03:37 PM

Terran, the Void

"Indeed... they tried once, and convinced of their own failure they gave up in frustration, and began throwing the blame on others for the limit that they themselves have placed upon themselves. How can I teach anyone when none have the patience to seek to be corrected? Do you expect that any training may be done within a heartbeat? The earth itself is immovable... and yet, with the centuries, a little hill can slowly become into a mighty mountain."

"You already assume that all have failed... but in my eyes, I see one with potential who has yet to try..."

Selinia

2010-11-10, 04:00 PM

Shujin, Terran's Trial

"Who? Me? You haven't tried either, you know... okay, look, I'll humor you here. You obviously want me to break a leg or something..."

Grumbling, the boy stormed over to the stone, still hanging in the air in the crater Buki had crafted around it. Throwing his weight against it... nothing happened. He summoned up each of his feeble cantrips in turn, giving a mental glare at his companion spirits when they questioned his logic. He spent a solid hour attempting to move the stone, to no avail, before stomping back to Terran, breathing heavily and covered in mud.

"See? See that? There you go, I tried. And you know what? If I went back there right this second, right now, I'd fail exactly the same. I dunno about you, but humans can't suddenly do something after failing at it once! You want me to move a godsforsaken stone? Well, here you go!"

Fuming in obvious frustration, the page grasped a small stone from the ground, tossing it at the earth god's feet.

"And you know what? Maybe if we did that a million times, we could do it with a bigger rock! Whoopdee doo! I guess you're just going to wait here then, for everyone to go through whatever years of training they need to come and fail again? There's persistence, which is all well and good, but doing the same thing, under the same conditions, and expecting a different result is not only stupid, it's the actual standardized definition of insanity!"

Shmee

2010-11-10, 04:58 PM

Terran

Terran looks at the young Human, and picking up the pebble, he gives a slight grin at the Humans response. All of a sudden, Shujin looks back and finds that the rock begins at first to teeter and then begins to collapse, threatening to crush him. As he closes his eyes, expecting the impact and his death, he stands still for a few moments before realizing that he was still alive. Opening his eyes, he sees Terran easily holding the stone up with one hand.

"Exactly young one. With enough patience to try a million times in the end you may very well be able to topple that rock. Perhaps not the way you currently are, but with proper guidance, you shall be able to surpass what you think is your limit. From today, I take it upon myself to train you. I shall first teach you the patience required, and then in turn you shall take it upon you to train others."

Seeing how Shujin looked perplexed, Terran explains

"You succeeded were others failed because you kept insisting... you kept looking for a solution even in the face of the impossible. While others gave up, or called fraud, you did not stop trying to find a solution. If I am to train you, you cannot expect me to provide you with all the answers, that is something that you need to do alone, even in the face of frustration, if you are ever to unlock your full potential."

"Now then... you have till morning to put your affairs in order, after that, you shall be mine to mould. Enjoy it while you can, in case you did not notice, I am quite a demanding master."

OOC

AP0= 0-0, Use Mythic Power, raise Hero; Shujin the Human Hero

planswalker

2010-11-10, 09:22 PM

Chept - Water World

Chept was very happy. His aunts and uncles doted on him endlessly, and played with him. Together they learned much about the world around them. The odd plants and animals that lived here were ever so much fun to explore. However, eventually Chept grew bored. However, no matter how much he loved his aunts and uncles or how much they loved him, he was altogether a different sort of creature from them.

He asked his father why it was that there was no one like him.

btw, Chept is a Ronin, which in the Chept society is simply called a spirit adept.

Sozuchi always had time for his son. Chept traveled to the Waterways to consult with him. In the outside world, one year passed. In the Riverways, Sozuchi taught his son many things. Ten thousand years passed, and Chept learned the answers to many questions. The man who returned to Water World was not the same one that had left. He had learned wisdom and patience. Unlike his father, he had the patience to wait for the right timing.

Soon, the time would be right, and others like him would share in his fun.

Selinia

2010-11-10, 09:35 PM

Shujin, Terran's Trial

"Wha... wha... uh, um, yes, master Terran! As you say!"

Trembling slightly, the young page backed slowly away... eventually breaking into a flat-out sprint for the nearest Tori Gate. He needed to get back to his camp - it was almost sunset, and he could get back to Lord Buki, and they could get into that caravan, and he could forget this ever...

"Oof!"

Just as he was about to set foot through the vivid red arch marking the path out of the spirit world, a hand clamped down on his shoulder, yanking back violently and laying him flat on his back. He grunted again when a foot planted itself firmly on his chest - and scowled when he realized that his assailant was just a girl, not much older than him. With a wide grin, she leaned down addressing her captive audience.

"Heee~eeey... where are you going right now?"

"I was... umm..."

"That was some impressive Drama back there. Really, I didn't expect that macho guy to be so big on obscure puzzle solutions... anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kiki, and you're..."

She squinted a moment, then groaned and took her weight off Shujin's chest.

"... a boy. Dang, and I was just thinking you looked kinda cute... anyway, the Empress wanted to give you this..."

As the boy returned to his feet, he found a simple bronze pendant, embedded with a breathtaking ruby, being shoved unceremoniously in his face. Taking it, he gave a questioning look at the attacker, who continued cheerfully.

"It's the pendant denoting the head of the Order of Flame. Will be. Would be, if we had an Order of Flame. Anyway, it bears the blessing of the Empress - if you can truly free the spirits of flame after all these year... it's yours. Also, you may not be the cute girl I thought you were, but given your general disposition when I found you... I think you could use this too."

He deftly caught the second item she'd tossed him. It was another pendant... but it was much smaller. It was battered, and silver, and it showed signs of age. He liked it at once. Squinting through his nearsightedness, he brought it up close to his fact, reading out the High Imperial inscription that had been crudely carved into the back.

"Watashi wa nigete wa ikemasen..."

"When you find yourself thinking of doing something monumentally stupid, just repeat that until it sounds less stupid. Worked for me, anyway."

"I... wait, what?"

"No need to thank me! Good luck with your training, and... well, we're all counting on you. No pressure!"

"Indeed..."

Shujin gazed after the retreating girl for a moment, then at the two amulets in his hands. He stowed the great bronze disk in a pouch - it felt... ostentatious. But the little silver amulet he hung proudly around his neck, muttering the engraved phrase to himself as he viewed the gate in front of him with new resolve.

"I must not run away."

Taking a deep breath in, then letting it out, he set his face and made for Lord Buki's tent. He could spend the night explaining... but he would be back by dawn.

"I will not run away."

planswalker

2010-11-11, 12:08 PM

Chept and Sozuchi - the Riverways

The two of them, father and son, considered how best to alleviate Chept's loneliness.

Much as he had with Chept, Sozuchi formed another being in the form that he had Chept. This one was more lithe, more graceful. She was called Banchept, and she was beautiful.

Using Mythic power to raise Banchept up as my next exarch. She is the pretty version of Chept. The first Chept female.

Chept and Banchept - Water World

Chept at once fell in love with her, and brought her to the world their father had made. He showed her the wonders to be found within. Banchept came to love Chept just as much as he loved her. Together, they enjoyed the world.

Much as they had with their first nephew, the Faeri doted on their niece. They found her to be the most beautiful thing besides the Riverways. They made the same promise to her as they had to Chept: live forever and enjoy the Water. She accepted.

Over time, the two of them longed to create life on their own. However, no matter how hard they tried, they never could. Not with magic, not by the methods used by the lesser creatures, not even by the methods of their aunts and uncles, spawned by the Riverways. Although they had joy in each other, they found sadness in the realization that they could not create life on their own.

Sozuchi, Chept, and Banchept - the Riverways

Sozuchi saw how sad they were, and summoned them to the Riverways to ask them what was wrong.

"My children, why are you sad? Is the waterways of water world not fascinating? Are your aunts and uncles not kind? Have my other siblings been mean to you? Eye, Ear, Muscles, or Lover? Has Mr Shiny threatened you? Tell me what is wrong you I can make you happy."

Chept answered, "Daddy, you are very generous, and we have anything we could ever need. Our aunts and uncles are wonderful to us, and your other siblings have never shown their faces to us. However, we are sad because we cannot have children of our own. We cannot create life as you can, nor others spawn from the Riverways as our aunts and uncles do. We cannot even create life in the manner that the other creatures on Water World do. Why must we never have children?"

Sozuchi grew serious for the first time in his existence. "My children, that is the price for immortality. Others have declared that the lesser beings must have an appointed time to die. However much I do not like it, that is how things are. I have found an exception around this, but even so, there is a cost. In order to not arouse the ire of Hal'Xaazar, there comes a cost to immortality. By accepting the Faeri's bargain and embracing the water to live forever, you must give up the ability to create new life of your own. There is no means to create more of you than by the exact same means that you two were formed. I must create more of you myself. However, nothing is ever static with me or my siblings. If you so chose, you can make a new bargain with your aunts and uncles, give up immortality and oneness with the Water to be able to have children of your own. However, should you do this, the Riverways will be closed off from you, and Water World will not be the paradise it is now. Your aunts and uncles will demand a price from you and your children each and every time you partake of their water. Alas, I cannot enter the World, for my being is too great to be contained within, and you would not be able to easily leave the World to enter my realm. Is having children of your own worth this cost?"

When faced with the decision between their father, aunts, uncles, immortality and the Water itself or having children, the two of them cried. However much they wanted children of their own, it was not worth the cost of separation from everything they had ever known.

Banchept answered for them. "Daddy, surely there is some other way? You say that we cannot have children and be immortal both, but what about others? Could you not make others like us who were not immortal? Could they not have children for us to dote upon, just as the Faeri dote upon us?"

Sozuchi's eyes lit up once more with humor. He laughed the pure laughter of one who was just told the simple solution to what seemed an impossible problem.

"Indeed, Banchept, indeed we can. I can make others like you, but different enough from you that your aunts and uncles will give a different bargain. Look out in all of Water World, the two of you, and select an animal. I will take it and form it into the likeness of the two of you. Those I make from them will be your lesser siblings, and they will be able to have children for you to love. Choose wisely, though, for not all animals are the same sort of parents, and those I make like you will take after the animal from which they come."

Overjoyed at this new, the two lovers set out at once to decide which animal would be chosen. They eventually decided on the crocodile, for it was most like their aunts and uncles than any other creature in Water World.

Sozuchi honored their choice, and formed from the crocodile the first chepts who could breed and have children. They had the strong heads and jaws of the crocodile, and bodies like that of the First Ones. Their tails were broader, thicker, than that of their older siblings, and the Faeri called them them the Croc'chept. They loved them, but not nearly so much as they did the First Ones. They allowed the Croc'chept to use the waters, and even commune with them, but withheld from them the full embrace of Water that the First Ones enjoyed. They asked in return that they make their older siblings happy, and have children. Thus did the Croc'chepts, who named themselves after their older brother, come to be. They came to revere the First Ones as immortal representatives of Sozuchi on Water World, and obeyed their every desire.

Chept and Banchept found their lives filled with the joy of children. As some grew up and moved off to have children of their own, others would bring their children to them to be blessed by the First Ones.

However, true to the common natures of all of Sozuchi's water relatives so far, the Crocs loved freedom the most, and every couple was independent of all others. No one answered to anyone else, and all enjoyed the bounty of the land.

ap: 5=0+5(rollover)
bonus ap: 0=1(from Impulsive)-1(create life: Croc'chepts, the crocodile Chepts. they will be the religious leaders in Chept society when I get around to making them a society. For now, they are independent family groups of no more than twelve hunting and fishing off the land.

Rizban

2010-11-11, 12:35 PM

I wasn't expecting rollover until Sunday. That was completely unexpected, so I'm going to go ahead and use my Mythic ability from last week now and not count it off on this week. Please give some warning before making significant changes like that, at least two days because not everyone will be able to be on every single day.Pyrokus

The great machine of Pyrokus hummed quietly to itself, twisting and clanking away in the fiery nether of the plane. After a time, great membranes part, and the diaphanous doors at the heart of the machine part. What emerges is vaguely humanoid but looks like nothing more than a great blue steel top with pointed metal "arms." Lacking legs, the thing hovers a few inches above the ground, its chassis coming to a viciously sharp point at the bottom. Jagged gears and a sickly green light can be seen through the small gaps in its armor at the joints, and a sense of malice and justice flows from within.

Invictus the First Varakhut awakens to a life like state. Though not truly alive, the construct is animated by the elemental powers of Metal and Fire working in tandem. Its goal is simple and clear: Inevitability. The Laws of the universe must be enforced. Being dimly aware that it is only the first of its kind, it is concerned with enforcing but a single aspect of Law: the sovereignty of the gods. As long as Invictus the First Varakhut and his future brethren still function, no mortal shall ever usurp the power of the gods.

Mondo
AP 0 = 0 - 0(Mythic: Create Exarch - Invictus the First Varakhut)

Varakhuts are Inevitables originally found in the Fiend Folio; however, I like this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5000552&postcount=37) updated version better.

Draken

2010-11-11, 09:38 PM

Hal'Xaazar

So much time had passed. New lands had risen, and new peoples joined the world beneath. And always, always did the Inverted World follow suit.

Deep beneath the caverns of the Inverted World, the nerra toiled in their civilization, a twisted view of the dwarven paradigm, the people of the mirror sent their agents to their mortal equivalents, like it had been done to humanity.

Everywhere in the material, elves appeared, and scattering with them were the Nerra, but those proved themselves much less subtle than their kin, hateful to the extreme, in contrast to Julian's creation.

And in a land that mirrored Sozuchi's, one poisoned by damp, alkaline substances the Nerra enacted atrocious designs, their powers and their magic unchecked, achieving new heighs.

AP: 6 (5 Rollover + 1 Impulsive)

1 AP: Create Civilization: Mirror Deep
1 AP: Create Civilization: Mirror Tribes
1 AP: Create Civilization: Mirror Defilers
1 AP: Create Class: Warblade
1 AP: Create Class: Sorcerer

1 AP left (Impulsive).
Growth: 5/15

planswalker

2010-11-12, 12:40 AM

Chept - Water World

Chept was very happy with his life. He had lots of children to teach, play with, and learn from, and had the most beautiful wife in all creation. However, he grew curious one day. Sozuchi had taught him about Mr Eye in his ten-thousand year discipleship, and he wondered what happened to the Fire. So, one day he decided to investigate.

He walked between the planes of reality. This time, though he did not walk to his father's domain, but Mr Eye's. He enters the place without passing through it, merely materializing within. He approaches King Mondo and asks, "May I please have some fire to play with? It sounds like interesting stuff, from what Daddy says."

Rizban

2010-11-12, 01:15 AM

Mondo, Pyrokus

Mondo seems slightly irritated by the intrusion, or perhaps mild annoyance is merely his natural state. Though his voice has a hint of patronizing scorn in it, it is mostly a kind and grandfatherly tone.

"Little one, Fire is not for you. It will do you nothing good.

Have I not given the world warmth that it might not die? Have I not given the world light that it might flourish? Have I not set times and days that you might have a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to be silent and a time to speak? There is a time for all things and all things in their time."

These things are enough for you. What more is there worth doing than to be happy and do good while you yet live? Go now and find satisfaction in all your toil - this is the gift I have given you."

As Chept listened, the great machine that is Pyrokus continued to churn. From deep within, new things appeared, wondrous and horrible to behold. Constructs similar to Invictus the First Varakhut emerged, first the Maruts to enforce Death, then the Zelekhuts to enforce justice. These crossed the planes with strict intent and goals in mind, where the mortals came to call them Inevitables after their single-minded dedication to accomplishing the task, so too did additional Varakhuts emerge from within.

Mondo
AP 4 = 5 - 1(Create Life: Inevitables - Maruts, Varakhuts, and Zelekhuts)

planswalker

2010-11-12, 01:48 AM

Chept - Pyrokus

Chept listened respectfully to his elder, then responded, "What you've given is nice and all, and is enough to be happy with, but your 'fire' thing looks like so much fun. May I please play with it a little bit? I promise to give it back."

He attempted his best to show his inner sincerity. Sozuchi has never lied, and Chept doesn't see why he should either.

Rizban

2010-11-12, 04:29 AM

Mondo, Pyrokus

With a wave of one grotesque arm, Mondo indicates the walls of flame encircling the entire plane, the tentacle stalks on his head writhing in irritation.

"Enjoy yourself... for however long you can."

Mondo turns and begins to move away from Chept at a moderate pace, the mass of tentacles which form his lower body leaving an irregular trail of molten metal as he propels himself across the surface of one of Pyrokus' massive gears.

Shmee

2010-11-12, 10:19 AM

Terran, Kamigawa

It was thus, that Terran took in Shujin and began teaching him his form. Where Mondo had made weapons rare by stealing a good portion of the world's metals, Terran aimed to create a weapon that no one could ever steal, for the weapon would be the body itself. The spirits of Kamigawa were witnessing the birth of martial arts.

But besides teaching Shujin several forms of striking or grappling the god of Earth was also showing the young Human a way of life the likes mortals had never seen before. Demanding strict discipline, Terran formed a Code of Honour which was the first thing taught to Shujin, who had over the years become accustomed to the Earth god's methods of teaching, for besides training the body, Terran insisted on training the mind, which meant spending countless evenings with his students discussing the greater philosophies, and debating on all forms of issues. Although his master's form of teaching was at first frustrating, Shujin eventually became accustomed to his master's teaching style, which was all good, because little did Shujin know that Terran expected his student to one day in his turn become the master and pass his knowledge to others. Shujin was merely the first.

The Dwarves

Deep within the mountains of the Old World, the Dwarves continued to expand their civilization with the aid of the Earth Elementals. As they continued to dig deeper, they ran into some most bizarre creatures. The Dwarves had run into several different type of these creatures, but most were shapeless blobs that had an acidic coating. Although these creatures were sentient, they did not seem to possess the level of sentience the Dwarves had achieved, and while a lot of these creatures were considered dangerous and to be avoided, others were tamed by the Dwarves, who used their acidic properties to continue digging deep within the earth.

As the early Dwarves continued to dig into the earth, when ever a group of them would find a pocket of magma, they would settle in that general area, using the liquid rock's properties to help them fuel the foundations of their civilization. The Dwarves only used the gifts that the earth itself gave to them, as in the end they had founded thirteen kingdoms all around the mountains of the Old World.

OOC

AP4= 5-1, Create Class: Monks
AP3= 4-1, Create Life: Oozes
AP2= 3-1: Lead Populace: Dwaves; Geocrafting

GP: 3/15

Incendax

2010-11-12, 01:24 PM

Sora, Pleasure Palace.

The sudden shock of existing was rapture for Sora, and what followed was even greater. He found himself standing before someone wonderful, someone fantastic, and someone he loved beyond all compare. As they shared their first kiss, he knew that this feeling was the most unique and wonderful thing he would ever experience... and then it stopped.

Sora turned to watch Julien move away and embrace a new creation. This new person shared such a passionate moment that Sora felt the first pangs of jealosy. Sora wrestled with that internally as he watched Julien step away from this new being and love again, and then another, and slowly Sora came to understand that loving is simply what Julien did. If he kept Julien to himself then Julien might wither away and the world would never know love like he had known.

He watched as Julien gathered up all his beloved and let them float down to the world. Sora did not depart the pleasure palace, but instead turned to Julien with sincerity in his eyes.

"When you let me go and began to create the others, I felt a deep loss that threatened to tear me apart, and I wanted to gain back your love more than anything. Do all things feel the same way when you let them go?"

Lady Tialait

2010-11-12, 01:28 PM

Julien, Pleasure Palace

The God quirked his head and leaned into his once lover. He flicked his hair back before kissing Sora softly on the cheek.

"Love cannot be lost, it only changes. My beloved, the world needs you. You are a wonderful creature."

His hand caressing his lover's cheek. He gracefully releases his breath upon the face of Sora.

"Go forth, my love. And create many mores to share my life."

Incendax

2010-11-12, 01:58 PM

Sora, Pleasure Palace.

Sora blushed when he was kissed once more, and with this kiss he came to a sudden and startling realization. The second time he was shown the love of Julien was even greater than the first. He lost himself in the breath and displayed the largest of smiles when it was concluded.

"Love can change? Yes I suppose it can... I think your love is all the sweeter because I did not have it for a short while. I wonder if the other beloved know this? Do they feel as I did before I knew your love a second time?"

As they spoke, Sora turned his attention to the world below and tried to go forth as every other Beloved had done before him. He felt his essence stirring as it began to rush forward, but suddenly felt a crushing impact that sent him staggering to the floor of the Pleasure Palace. All across the world of mortal creatures there was a distant ringing sound, as if something had just struck glass. From his prone position, he gazed up at Julien with confusion across his features.

"Why does the world reject me when it accepted all the others? I tried to step into it, and yet it feels as though the entire world is surrounded by some kind of crystal dome..."

Lady Tialait

2010-11-12, 02:31 PM

Julien, Pleasure Palace

The elegant man pulled his beloved up, and smiled.

"My sweet dear. You are given the gift to love the world, like I do. This gift means you may not walk the world, but you may give your gifts upon it."

He pulls a single diamond from the scattering out.

"This was my gift to the beloved, and it has yet to show it's power. It is not only my gift to my beloved, but to the world. All shall be revealed with time. My love, you should give the world your gifts."

Embracing his lover once again before he drifted away to the next one. Sora would always have a special place for Julien, then again...all his lovers did.

Incendax

2010-11-12, 03:16 PM

Sora, Pleasure Palace.

Sora rose up with the aid of his lover, and nodded at his sage advice. He knew that this last embrace would be the only one he would experience for a long while. The newly begotten divine had been tasked with the creation of more things that might share the love he had experienced, and he had no intention of letting his lover down. With a more ferocious determination Sora turned his gaze upon the world once more.

His essence proceeded more carefully this time, probing at the world and trying to go to the place where the rest of the beloved had gone. He felt himself touch... something... smooth and sleek. He could not see it, but he could feel it beneath the caress of his being. His essence wandered this smooth sphere and searched for some way to enter, but no matter where he shoved he could not find a weakness.

Finally, the essence of Sora was so exhausted from the hunt that he slumped against the barrier to take a nap. Within just a few moments Sora was awakened by a startling sensation, and looked behind himself to see that some part of him had 'leaked' into the world. It was only until he relaxed and surrendered that he was able to cross the boundary. Sora was delighted with this discovery, and assumed he had created a beloved just like Julien had done! He was wrong.

It took many years for Sora to uncover the truth, and he supposed he would hold onto the secret for a while. The essence that 'leaked' from him took the shape of one of the Beloved at first, for he wished to follow after them and see how they were dealing with the world around them. He spent decades with them, learning of them, loving them, and creating more of them to be loved. They were the first to receive the blessing of Sora, since it was only proper that he pay his respects to the one he loved the most.

And so it was that the first Avatar was created, for Sora would always be the closest to those who could feel love and loss alike.

AP 10 = 12-2. Create Avatar.
AP 7 = 10-3. Bless + Lifegiver. This represents a population boom for the elves at MR3.

Obscurejones

2010-11-12, 06:09 PM

Josiah, the Old World
Deep within the kingdom of Stonedeep not all dwarves toil against rock. One toiled against death. From his childhood Josiah fought against his own demise. Where other dwarves would be at the far front of new mines or volunteer to to train the oozes Josiah would hang back, constantly avoiding any chance it would be his time to return to the earth. And for many years he lived a quiet, safe, cowardly life.

But then, as it must for all living beings, Death came for Josiah. And it came not in a thundering of falling rock, or at the hands of some terrible beast, but from the littlest and most common of things. A common cold. And when he found himself returned to the earth Josiah realized that this was good.

"It is right that I should die. It happens to all living things. Who was I to think I could escape my fate? It is a certain arrogance to seek immortality. I thank Terran that a sickness finally came for me. If only there was some way that I could rise again, not to live once more, but to teach, and show my fellows what I have learned."

Shmee

2010-11-12, 06:44 PM

Terran

As Josiah lets his conciousness slowly become one with the Earth, it was at least cold comfort that he would be able to aid his descendants just like his ancestors have helped him. However, all of a sudden, were Josiah would expect to become as the earth, he finds his conciousness slowly returning to him enough that he can open his eyes and find that he is in the palm of an old man. Looking at the Dwarven soul, Terran tells him

"Little one... I have heard your final thoughts as you slowly became one with the earth... for am I not the earth itself? You disappoint me Josiah. Where is that Dwarven spirit which I moulded from the earth itself? The will to fight against all odds and achieve greatness? There is no such thing as arrogance when seeking to overcome the impossible. It is the very essence of being a Dwarf... and I would know, as I am the one who created you!"

"So you say that its impossible to gain immortality? Behold as I prove you wrong! Not only shall you gain it, but I shall strip you of your Dwarven form, and give you a new one, for you shall be just like me."

With that Terran breaths on Joshiah, bringing him back to life and giving him a measure of divine spark. Joshiah finds that once again he is alive, although with a different form. Still sitting in his meditative pose, Terran is stroking his beard, curious to see the new godling's reaction.

Obscurejones

2010-11-12, 07:01 PM

Josiah, Terran's palm
Josiah looks around and his newly formed body begins to rot away as vines and moss creep up an over his mouldering flesh. As he cranes his neck little bits of rot and plant fall away.
I am blessed surely by this gift. But where immortality may serve for the mighty gods, who deserve such gifts, I would that I could have served my world as had those before me, by dying in my time and returning to the earth.

But, if one as wise as yourself great Terran, Lord over the Earth, sees fit that I live, than I shall live to teach. To let all know that there is no shame in the natural order, to let it be known that even in death and decay, all serve your eternal might.
He bows in deference to his creator twice over.

Shmee

2010-11-12, 07:17 PM

Terran

"You need not worry about the Dwarves. They have been blessed several times over and are destined for great things. You shall serve this world in your own way... like we all do. You shall live Josiah, to teach, for the world is still young and mortals need our guidance. There would be some who wish to upset the natural balance of our world, and you shall have to prepare yourself, and the mortals to stand on their own two feet. The only ones who serve my own strength, are my muscles themselves... and they in turn serve to guide the world itself."

"I do not ask for servitude, nor do I require worship. Once a Dwarf, you should know that well. But just like your people, I give you a free hand in doing what you think is right. We, the ones whom the mortal refer to as 'the divine ones' have a role in shaping this world... some to uphold creation, and others to upset the delicate balance."

"So... Josiah... you are now divinity. What shall you now do?"

Obscurejones

2010-11-12, 08:42 PM

Josiah, The Void
To begin I believe I will make myself a world.
Josiah plucks a bit of flesh and root from his chest and tosses it into the void, letting it spin and grow becoming a lush and vibrant forest, full of life and life gone sour, air heavy with the stink of rot.
It will be a place for spirits like myself, their flesh gone to restore the earth, their souls working to maintain the order.
He reaches out into the world and picks a few like minded souls who will need to face their deaths, and eventually to toil in his world.

AP 9=12-3 Create Plane (The Rot)
AP 3=9-6 Curse MR 5, All beings who fight their demise through cowardice will find themselves afflicted with a wasting disease and their souls bound for The Rot
GP 9

Shmee

2010-11-12, 08:48 PM

Terran, the Rot

All of a sudden next to Josiah, Terran rises from the earth, and looks around stroking his beard.

"I see, very interesting... so have chosen to use the power you have just gained in order to uphold creation. A warning however, while trying to maintain order is good, beware that you do not become too stagnant in your efforts. Even the earth, yields and shifts position every once in a while. So Josiah... would you explain to me... who are these people, and what do you intend to do with them?"

Obscurejones

2010-11-12, 08:53 PM

Josiah, the Rot
They are cowards, like I once was. They will help me to monitor for those who would violate the order and help me to forge tools to keep the world running smoothly.

Selinia

2010-11-12, 09:09 PM

Teikoku, General's Sanctum, The Imperial Palace

"Hehe... I win again, Kiki. You're too rash."

"But... but... aaagggh! I was so close that time! Empresssss! He must be cheating!"

Teikoku made noise somewhere between a sigh and a chuckle, shaking her head at her youngest general.

"He's right. You see an opening, and you rush all your forces for it. You stop using strategy at the first whiff of victory, and your army comes apart at the seams. Pay attention, and start again. Your magic is strong, but being a leader is more than just power."

The air order shugenja grunted and walked over to her side of the room once more, casting a withering glare at her opponent. Old Iwaishi stood, motionless, the smug grin still on his face.

"Right. Right. Milady, if you would..."

Teikoku nodded, gesturing sharply at the room.

"Board reset! Launch scenario 103! Kiki, you control the Isle's forces! You goal is to repel the assault by any means necessary! Iwashi, your goal is to eradicate all humans on the Isle using your invasion force! Begin!"

As the goddess spoke, the hexagonal tiles of stone across the room roiled, rising and falling beneath the glass floor supporting the room's occupants. After a few moments, it settled into a nearly exact birds-eye view of the lands Blessed Isle, right down to delicate crystalline markers of various colors representing troop dispositions and settlements.

Kiki observed the board for a few moments, then look questioningly at the Empress on her throne.

"There... aren't any enemy troops. I'm sorry, I haven't run this scenario before - what exactly is going on?"

"Heh... you wouldn't. It's brand new. Time to think on your feet girl!"

Suddenly, a jarring note rang through the chamber as a red crystal figurine symbolizing a small town garrison shattered into tiny pieces. In it's place was a silvery-gray disk. Within a few seconds, an infantry marker of similar coloring slid into place next to it, originating from the disk's hex. Kiki scrambled to move her own forces into place, a look of intense concentration on her face as she set up battle-groups and consolidated her lines of supply... only to have two more of the silver unit-spawning disks appear in different locations.

The scenario went on for some time, and Kiki's human forces admittedly put up an excellent fight. But eventually, the board was simply covered in silver, a chime sounding and the map sinking back into the floor.

"What... what the hell was that? That wasn't even close to fair! I mean, I mean... what the hell was that?"

"Milady... maybe you could explain? My lungs are not what they once were..."

"Of course. I apologies, but you have just been pitted against a recent worse-case scenario I've been considering. It's those mirror folk you've been tailing with your spies - we used what we know of their capabilities to devise a possible scenario should they attack us. It is... not good, as you can see."

"So... the scenario is supposed to be unwinnable?"

"I pray not. Just as I pray that this is a severe overestimation of their forces, and that they have no intention of attacking us. Still, I believe there is a solution to this battle. That is why we're here, and that is what this place is for. I'll take control of our forces this time - you two command against me. Board reset! Launch scenario 103!"

OOC: Actions!
AP 5 - 0 (Free action from Leader of Men; Lead Populace - Humans learn Strategy)

Final AP: 5
GP: 0/15

planswalker

2010-11-13, 01:42 AM

Chept - Pyrokus

Chept immediately begins to play with the flames around him. At first, they are very beautiful, and the endless interplay of shimmering shapes fascinates his love of the dynamic.

However, then he tried to hold a flame in his hand, and found that it would not obey his will like water would. This aggravated him, but he took a deep breath and treid once more. When the flames did not even bother to respond with a "no", he grew irritated at it and threw the burning stick away.

In one last desperate attempt to get fire's attention, he poises himself to leap over the edge of Pyrokus into the all-consuming flames at its edge. Surely if he swam among them they would take him seriously.

However, as he begins his dive, his hand touches the flames and is consumed in a moment of purest agony. He recoils before the rest of him follows the fate of his left hand. In a panic, he flees Pyrokus.

Chept, and Sozuchi - the Riverways

"Daddy, mr Eye's flames hurt me and took off my hand! Why is his fire so different from our water?"

"It has to do with the nature of the two elements. Water is freedom, but fire is energy. Too much energy can destroy things."

While he is explaining this, Sozuchi wraps his son's stump of a hand in the tip of his tail It glows brightly for a moment, and is restored as if it had never passed through the flames.

"Be always careful with fire, for it is deadly when uncontrolled. It may be able to kill even you if sufficiently powerful and run rampant. Hence why Mr Eye is so much more uptight than we are. Ours is the element of fun, his responsibility. I feel pity for him at times to not have his element be his best friend."

With that, Chept returned to his wife and the Croc'Chept.

Chept and Banchept - Water World

Although they loved the Croc'Chept, the happy couple soon noticed that they were less than ideal parents. Except for the two dozen or so children in the care of the serpent-headed couple, the croc children were not raised for more than a week before being required to live on their own. This made them unhappy, and they sought to find a more suitable parent to nurture their children.

They observed all the animals, and decided on the eagle. It was a majestic and noble creature, that cared for its young for years until they learned to fly.

Chept and Banchept brought the eagle before Sozuchi and asked him to give them the blessing of the Eag'Chept just as they had the Croc'Chept. Sozuchi gave them what they asked for, and the eagle-headed Chepts were born.

They were regal in bearing and beautiful in appearance. The faeri came to honor them for their form, and made a pact with them: So long as they would remain beautiful, they may use of the water freely on Water World. They also soon came to be respected by the Crocs as well for the awesomeness of their figure. The Eag'Chept were come to be honoredfor their dedication, beauty and physical perfection.

The Eag'Chept soon came to be the nrsemaids and caretakers of te weorld.

Sozuchi - the Riverwqaus/

Sozuchi decided that regular this ear. Hyper blue chips floated in green salsa.

Not completely sure what all this meant, Sozuchi realizes that he doesn't even recognize all of these thigs. I wonder if this is what mortals call dreaming? he thinks to himself.

ap:; 4=5-1 (create life: the Eag'Chepts.

gp: 1/15

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-13, 02:27 AM

Sora blessed the elves, creating many many more to populate the world. But not all of these elves were the same. Some among them were born different, unable to fly. They wondered why they were unable to fly. And so they went to the firstborn of their kind, the first unflying elf, Quarland. Unknown to all, the power of Sora and Julien had seeped through into this elf, inbuning him with the divine spark.
The unflying ones asked him, " Why do we not fly?"
But Quarland could not answer them, so he went to Sora, to aks for his people " Why do we not fly?"

Incendax

2010-11-13, 04:42 AM

Sora-as-Avatar, the World.
Sora did not know that the elf standing before him was beginning to swell with divine power. He did not know because the World was forbidden to the divine, and he would soon discover that the elf had been cast out. Instead, Sora took the shape of the most physically appealing thing the elf could imagine and gave him a welcoming smile.

"When you were first born I came to you in your swaddling clothes and took the gift of flight from your body, just as I did with many elves that were born after you. I have presented you with a challenge that you must overcome, so that when you experience the love of Julien you will have known loss and be able to appreciate his love all the more."

Sora, the Void.
High above the events that were taking place in the world, Sora allowed his mind to wander as he watched all the amazing things that had been created by the elder gods. The elves were the creation of Julien and know his very first blessing as a way of thanks for the love he was shown. Yet, within the depths of the earth there were creatures of stone that toiled day in and day out. Within the swift currents there were a wide variety of creatures that enjoyed life and revelled in their diversity. Why, the world even possessed creatures of great spirit that adapted quickly to whatever challenges they faced.

Sora, the Rot.
Sora departed the Void and soon arrived in the Rot, for that is where the trail of essence seemed to place Terran. It was a strange environment and Sora was somewhat surprised to discover that a new divine entity had been created, for this was presumably the child of Terran just as Sora was the child of Julien. Sora affected a stern thump to the chest which he had seen many of the dwarves do as a gesture of respect.

"I hope I am not intruding upon anything vital. I had wished to speak with Terran on an issue of importance to me, but I will be happy to wait until you two are finished."

Shmee

2010-11-13, 08:15 AM

Josiah, the Rot
They are cowards, like I once was. They will help me to monitor for those who would violate the order and help me to forge tools to keep the world running smoothly.

"I see, so as penance for what you consider a sin, they shall toil to aid you in ensuring that others do not make the same mistake. However, be on your guard, least you gain the ire of some of the other gods, angry that you are meddling with the souls of their mortals."

As Terran is talking all of a sudden Sora arrives and makes himself known. Terran acknowledges him with a small nod of the head.

"Greetings young one. Speak your mind, for you are not interrupting anything of importance. I am never one to deny someone who seeks answers."

daelrog

2010-11-13, 11:59 AM

Edistris Estras, the Void

As the god of water dreamed, a spark flickered deep within the Void. A concept, that of what the mind does when it dreams. Colors began to stream from the nothingness of the void, like ribbons flowing through still waters. From one ribbon shot out a motuh, screaming in the throws of birth. Another ribbon grew a pair of wing, and began flutter around the others. It was madness incarante as a wave of all five senses spiralled out of control, where none were present.

"Life..." A humanoid arm extended from the mass, wreathed in fire cold to the touch. As the arm swayed upwars, and still image of it remained of it for a brief moment before disappearing. A second arm appeared covered in regal tattoos that churned and mixed with one another. And then its head emerged from the nothingness.

The new god rolled its eyes into the back of its head in ecstasy, rolling its head around, feeling its essence stretch for the first time. Dark azure hair floating above its head as if in water. Simmering bits of ash drifted from its heels, though it was not on fire. The humanoid, male form reached into the swirling mass of dream and emotion for which it was wrought and from it a suit of clothing weaved itself onto the god's body. It was plain and white, until the first mrotal's dreams shot out into Edistris like an arrow, washing his attire in the color of flesh. Then half of it began endless spirals of silver.

The writhing mass belched out one last gift onto its creation, before the ream of a god faded away. A throne of laughing tortoises emerged, which the fledgling god sat upon immediately. "Should I make the world burn?" He looked onto the mortal world, full of hopes and dreams, full of envy and bias. It was a world full of lies, some intentional, some not. It was a world not completely truthful onto itself, a sort of dreamliek reality where the weak were strong, where all in command were just. However, something was wrong.

There were other gods... forcing their wills, demanding the harsh reality onto those who sought to lose themselves elsewhere. "Should I allow mortals to do as they please, to lose themselves in their own thoughts, even if they lose themselves in their own imaginations?" The god licked his lips and tasted his own skin for the first time. It tasted good.

The god of dreams and lies looked around the unvierse, and with his eye within an eye tried to boserve the other deities.

Incendax

2010-11-13, 12:00 PM

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-13, 01:10 PM

Quarland heard Sora, his creator. He understood what was said, it fit with the teachings of Sora and Julien that he had been taught. But despite this, Quarland felt great rage. He felt angry and betrayed. He wondered why felt this way. It did not fit into what he had been taught above love and acceptance. But the feeling of betrayal was too great for him to resist.
He replied to Sora angirly, " Fine, you have betrayed me and my people, for no reason but to make us struggle. Know this, my people no longer follow you or your ways. We will be strong on our own, we do not need you."
And so he stalked off in great rage. And upon his face formed a mask of blackness, of shadow and betrayal. As he went down to his people, they saw someone who was not the same elf that had ascended to speak to Sora. This one was taller, stronger, more mysterious, and wore a terrifying black mask. And Quarland spoke to his people and said, " I asked our god why we were made unflying, and she said we were not born with love, that we should find it our selves. It was to challenge us. I was filled with rage and betrayal.We do not need love! We are no longer the people of Sora! We will be stronger than Sora's elves! We will survive without flying! We will overcome this challenge, but not with the god who gave it to us!" And at first the elves were confused, but the authority of their new god could not be denied and they rallied behind him and his call of strength, even as he took them and placed them upon a great isle, a massive jungle, and spread them throughout it.

12 AP -5ap=7AP
Make Aura, (large island, jungle)

planswalker

2010-11-13, 02:06 PM

Sozuchi - the Dream

In his dream, a massive entity that was not merely a figment from his thoughts emerged. Sozuchi swam through the river of green salsa in his dream and approached the figure.

"Hello there! I'm Sozuchi, and you're not just a figment of my dreams, are you?" As he says this, a large platter of mushrooms passes by. Sozuchi casually gobbles them down while waiting for a response.

Water World

the Eag'Chept and the Croc'chept soon found friction between themselves. Both thought of themselves as the favored children of the Parents, Chept and Banchept, and both were right. The couple loved both races equally.

However, neither the Eags nor the Crocs were satisfied with this answer, and grew apart over time. Rather than live together and learn from each other, the decided to go their separate ways, and only associate with each other when they had to or when Chept or Banchept were around.

The two eventually caught wind of this, and decided that something must be done about this. They did not like seeing their children fight, so they went to their father in the Riverways, only to find him sleeping. They were not even aware that Daddy could sleep, but apparently so.

Rather than try to wake him (which Chept thought most likely impossible to do and Banchept deemed a poor decision should they happen to succeed and awaken a god who might be cranky at being disturbed) the two took from their father's slumbering body a single scale which they brought back to Water World.

With it, they fashioned a new race of Chepts, a race to unify the other two. Searching for the proper animal for the job, they eventually settled on the wildcat. It was graceful and powerful, agile and studious. Surely such an animal would command the other two's respect and force the three of them to happily co-exist together.

Unfortunately, the Cat'Chepts proved to be too predatory. They considered the other two species to be beneath them, and ignored them entirely. The Faeri found them to be quite powerful, and made an agreement with them. In exchange for being able to be called on for a service of the Faeri's choice nce every two and a half years, the Cat'Chepts could freely partake of the waters and even be allowed to be tutored in the art of water magic.

The Cats eventually came to despise the other two, and began hunting their children for sport. This caused the Crocs and the Eags to finally have to work together for their very survival. The Eags had keen eyes which allowed them to see the Cats coming before they could pounce, but were weaker than them physically and could not hope to match them in a fair fight to defend their children. The Crocs were much stronger than the Eags or the Cats, and could easily beat a Cat in an fair fight, but were often clumsy and slow, unable to catch them or see them coming, and the Cats could strike at their children and kill them long before the parents could react to their presence.

Together, the Eags and the Crocs were able to defend each other, one covering for the others' weaknesses. They began to integrate their family units together, a Croc couple guarding an Eag couple's children as well as their own, and the Eag parents would keep alert to spot the Cats before they could strike.

Chept and Banchept learned about the horrors that the Cats were perpetrating on the Crocs and the Eags, but there was little they could do. The Faeri had blessed them, and they were too numerous to deal with. Each Cat was a lone hunter, completely independent from each other. They only payed attention to their own children long enough to teach them to hunt, then they left them to learn the art of killing on their own.

Feeling powerless to stop their wayward children, and ashamed to tell Daddy what they had done, the Parents of the Chept Races hid in the Riverways, hoping that something would come along and fix things.

ap: 3=4-1(create life: the Cat'Chept, the predatory killers)

gp: 2/15

btw, if someone would like to interfere in the goings on at Water World talk to me about it and I'll work something out with you. I'm trying to leave plot hooks all over the place for another god to be able to interact with me. Chept and Banchept can planeshift to any dimension they need to get to to work with you. Please don't feel like you can't kick my toys around a bit, so long as you give me a heads up on where you want it to go.

daelrog

2010-11-13, 02:27 PM

Edistris Estras- the Dream

The newly created god blinked at his creator's words. The metaphoirc light bulb went off as the sudden realization of others' existence was fully realized. The other beings in the world, the other gods were not just moving forms, but actual things with a will of their own, with the ability to cause ripples in the universe that extended even to itself.

"I... am me. Tell me... who are you?"

planswalker

2010-11-13, 02:31 PM

Sozuci the Dream

"Why, my name is Sozuchi, like I said earlier. I'm the one whose dream this is, or at least, this started as my dream. I got bored one day and decided to see what would happen if I chose to fall asleep. I'm the self-proclaimed god of all that's not-boring. You said that you are yourself. Can you tell me your name?"

Obscurejones

2010-11-13, 02:36 PM

Josiah, The Rot

While Terran and this new being spoke, Josiah contemplated how best to show the dwarves that death was still a necessary part of life, to reveal to them how decay even it's squalor fed new growth. As he thought he absentmindedly plucked a mushroom from his eye and nibbled on it. Surprised he looked down at what he had found.

Grows without need of light, returns flesh and offal to the soil, and nourishing in it's own way. A splendid gift to my former brothers.

With that Josiah crumbled the fungus from his eye and scattered it over the Old World, and some of these new growths walked amongst the dwarves, and aided them in learning how best to appreciate this gift. And the dwarves took well to it and some learned to nurture the earth and how to sustain and grow through death and welcomed their new companions.
AP 2=3-1 Myconids, they're your basic mushroom people from fantasy but with the twist that they encourage the cultivation of nonsentient mushrooms.
AP 1=2-1 Lead Populace, The Dwarves gain Agriculture, at least as far as mushrooms are concerned.
AP 0=1-1 Create Society, Integrate the Myconids into the Dwarven kingdoms

GP 12=9+3
Level up!
DR 2

Incendax

2010-11-13, 02:48 PM

Sora-as-Avatar, the World.
Sora watched the angry elves speak their mind and raise their voices. As first he felt confusion that they would not wish to aspire to the love of Julien. Then, he began to feel rage that they would consider his challenge to them nothing more than a farce to be dismissed. The avatar raised it's hands to the sky and pulled at the divine threads that linked him to his godly essence, and he began to strip his blessings from the angry elves.

"I who have given you life shall not be spoken to in such a manner. You are fools for turning away from the love of Julien, for it is so close if only you will strive to grasp it!"

Sora was going to leave them all barren, completely bereft of the ability to reproduce so that his horrible mistake would not soil the world and taint the love of Julien. At the last moment, Sora felt a pang of guilt and ceased this horrible curse. Some part of him wanted to see just what these angry elves would do with their lives. He wanted to see if they could be happy without the love of Julien and grow to be strong in their own way.

Sora was somewhat depressed after this fateful turn of events, and he left the flying elves with his blessing and set out into the wildness for countless years. It was here that he would learn of the struggles and challenges that every creature faced. It was here that he would learn that the strong overcome the weak unless they adapted a new and inventive strategy to overcome the challenges that the world had to offer.

daelrog

2010-11-13, 02:51 PM

Shmee

2010-11-13, 02:53 PM

Sora, the Rot

"I have come to ask if the Dwarves appreciate all that you have done for them? What are the challenges they face in their daily lives, and how do you think overcoming these challenges has made them respect your lessons all the more? Do you think these challenges have made them stronger as a result, or have you just gifted them with the strength that I see?"

Terran rubs his beard as the young god speaks his mind.

"A fair question. I do not demand worship nor respect from anyone. If others deem me worthy of it, then I shall gladly accept it... if not, I shall have to contemplate the reasons why. The Dwarves do not worship me, in the manner that most mortals do, but they do me honour when they do all they can to full-fill their ambitions and surpass the greatness of their ancestors. The challenges they face at the moment is to establish their kind, its a slow and gradual process. Of course I could always help them, but if I keep having to coddle them each time they face a difficulty, how shall they ever learn to fend for themselves?"

"You have to understand young one, each mortal is different, even those of the same race. True, with your powers you can make your mortals more prone to some characteristics, rather than other, but you cannot change the fact that each mortal is unique. With that uniqueness comes the difference in potentials... shall the Dwarves ever reach that potential? It is up to them. I blessed them enough to stand on their own two feet. Further than that they are on their own, unless of course, under extreme circumstances I am forced to directly intervene."

"But you need not ask me... why don't you ask one of the Dwarves? Here... is Josiah... once a proud member of the race of Dwarves. If anyone he would know better how to answer your questions."

Says Terran introducing Josiah to Sora.

Lady Tialait

2010-11-13, 03:06 PM

Julien, the Pleasure Palace

The lord of Pleasure looked upon the world, not with worry, but a longing gaze. His beloved could walk the world, but he could not. He loved the world. He would follow the pattern of his beloved. No, he would create his own truth.

Walking through his Palace he smiled, finding a sweet beloved. A female of extreme grace. The Love God leaned into the graceful being and kisses her softly, bringing her into a tight embrace. Flowing silken curtains wrapping around the pair as Julien spoke.

"Ah, my dearest. My beloved. I have a task for you. Do you accept it?"

The female elf blushed hotly and nodded. How could she reject the lord of love himself?

"Yes, m'lord. I would do anything for you."

He smiled and pressed a finger against her nose playfully.

"You shall be my avatar, to enjoy the world via proxy for me. Love them all. My dearest Evaline."

With a parting kiss, and the parting of power from the God to his Avatar Evaline desended upon the world to spread the word of Julien.

5 - 3 Create Avatar = 2 remaining.

3/15 spent.

Draken

2010-11-13, 03:21 PM

On the Nerra

Nerra. The secondborn race of creation. The undisputed rulers of the Inverted World. Humanity knows about them, they understand their threat, because the nerra are masters of disguise, and because they can cross the planes with the ease of walking through a door, and by Hal'Xaazar's edict, the Nerra own immortality, while the people of the material world know that death draws ever closer.

The vast nerra nations gather in the equivalent places to nations of the material plane, one mirrors the human empire of the blessed isle, one mirrors the dwarven holds of the Old World, one mirrors the Chepts of the Water World, and one even mirrors the elves, in all of their forms. And the nerra interact with those, wheter they are known to them or not.

Through their guises and their magic the nerra take the positions they need amongst mortals, in order to provide to their people. Because to these outsiders, man and dwarf are but pieces to be moved in the political games of the Inverted World, their needs and lives are fleeting and trifle.

The nerra of the blessed isle find themselves with slight troubles in their infiltration, as the spirit mages unearth their disguises and keep tabs on them, forcing constant substitutions and sometimes even taking their weapons.

But among the dwarves, it is much easier, these short sons of earth know little of magic, very little indeed, and so the nerra walk among their tunnels without risk of discovery. Working their way, though guile or magic and even by outright substituting individuals, into positions of command.

1 AP (Impulsive)

1 AP: Create class: Rogue

0 AP.
Growth: 5/15

planswalker

2010-11-13, 07:47 PM

Edistris Estras - the Dream

The god moved its head to the side, three facial expressions standing sitll in a single moment. A small smile crept to his face as his name flowed out of his tongue. "Edistris Estras. Self-proclaimed god of all that is not boring... tell me, am I... boring? If not, does that make you lor over me?" His eyes began to twinge with ethereal fires. The cherub-creatures who had at this point been circling around and humming, stopped. they all turned to Sozuchi.

At this question, Sozuchi laughs, twisting his form back and forth, unable to control himself."Eddy, I am the lord over no one. You, my friend, are surely not boring in the least. If you want to worship me, I guess you can, but there is no need. I am the god of not-boring because the not-boring need someone to help increase the presence of not-boring, not because I rule over them. If I did, they couldn't be not-boring. Freedom is the essence of excitement. My entire world is based off of that principle."

He pauses for a moment and considers this most interesting of people. "Please tell me, by what principle do you live your life?"

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-13, 09:24 PM

As Quarland ascended into the realm of the divine, he made himself a home, a sanctuary plane. Calling it the Twilight Jungle, he made a deadly tropical paradise, filled with killer animals and strange creatures. At the center of this rain forest he built himself a palace from the jungle.
Back on Aura, the elves formed tribes and warred, traded, and lived amongst themselves. Quarland saw this and was pleased, but he yearned for a true civilization. And so he sent word to his shamans for a great contest to begin amongst the tribes, for the strong tribes to weed out the weak. And so began what would come to be known to the elves as the Unification Wars...

7AP-3AP=4AP
Build plane, The Twilight Jungle

daelrog

2010-11-13, 09:32 PM

The go of dreams smiled, and the fires in its eyes immed down."What a marvelous question." Already Edistris had reservations on this serpent. The way it said Edistris's name sounded off, and not in a good way. "Observe."

The cherubs sounded off a perfect 7th with their voices. The laughter of the throne grew louder and louder. The fires with the dream god's eyes spearked until they were completely ablaze.

He looked upon the mortal world, and extended his will onto it. Edistras Estras laughed as he did so, seeing as he planted the seed that would wrought the end of the other godss omnipotence.

"Can you feel it, Sozuchi? The dreams of mortals? They dream of greatness now. They dream of having more than they do. They dream of a world where they are their own gods. They will want to build kingdoms on their own. Build wonders the likes we can never imagine. It will not be long before they act upon those dreams."

AP 5 = 12-7: Curse: Bestow upon all the mortal races dreams of grandeur, to bring about the will to break free of the machinations of the gods.

planswalker

2010-11-13, 09:43 PM

Sozuchi - the Dream

"It very well may be so. Should this truly matter though? If they worship us or not, we are real, we do exist, and we have power. I choose to use my power to make life interesting. Do with yours as you wish, Eddy the most interesting of form."

With that, Sozuchi chose to wake up. He was not all too certain about the being he had just met, but he looked forward to seeing what it would do. It definitely was not as boring as Ms Ear or Mr Muscles.

Incendax

2010-11-13, 10:17 PM

Sora, the Rot.

"You have offered me sage wisdom Lord Terran, and I believe your words have provided me with the clarity I need to do as my Lord Julien has asked. I have felt the greatest love only when it was taken away from me and I could appreciate the contrast. In the same sense, I will offer a challenge to the dwarves so that they may overcome it and know that their determination and diligence was vital to their success."

And Sora turned then to face Josiah and a smile spread across his features. The god thumped a fist against his chest to display the same respect that he had demonstrated to Terran.

"I am Sora, the Oldest of Children. It is a pleasure to meet you. I sense that you have a great purpose in the world, but I cannot yet tell what it is. Knowing what I do of Lord Terran it must surely be important."

Sora-as-Avatar, the World.
Even as Sora spoke to Terran and Josiah, the avatar acted upon the newfound convictions of the godly essence that pulled its strings. Over the decades he had visited all the wild creatures of the world and studied their births and deaths so that he could bring new things into existence. But it was only after he had found his purpose that he began to bring about the first of his challenges.

Sora walked among the dwarves for the span of a year and a day, until he had fathered a single perfect dwarf to call his own. When this lone dwarf came of age he lead her out of the caverns and carefully avoided the rays of sunlight that were so cursed to them. He brought her to a place of deep jungle where the game was plentiful and seduced his own daughter in this way. A new life was brought into this world and it would be the first of many. Looking back on this fateful day, many scholars would note that this was the point where Sora had first earned the title Father of All Monsters.

AP 7 = 7-0 Create Life with Progenitor (Giants).

Obscurejones

2010-11-14, 12:41 AM

Josiah, The Rot

Josiah looked absentmindedly up from his process of seeding the earth. Raised a mossy eyebrow at the chest thump. Made a deferential nod of his head.

I am Josiah, and I suppose I would be the second child. I hope you'll excuse me if I don't return the gesture. I'd likely dislodge something virulent. I hope that your estimation of my potential is correct. For the moment I merely hope to preserve order. Speaking of...

Josiah glanced out over the world and saw his Myconids integrating themselves into the Dwarven kingdoms. But he also saw Nerra putting themselves in positions of power, Giants breeding in the forests above, and Dwarves perverted by dreams of revolt.

I fear our passive roles may soon not be enough.

Incendax

2010-11-14, 03:20 AM

Sora, the Rot
Sora inclined his head and gazed over the world but did not, at first, see what Josiah was speaking about. It seemed that Sora was not able to easily pierce the stealth and illusions of the Nerra and had taken no interest in the Inverted World thus far. And so Sora attempted to comfort Josiah with the utmost of courtesy.

"If you are worried about what I have created, then please put your mind at ease. The mighty creatures my avatar has brought forth still obey the rules of mortality as any creature might. If you are instead worried that I have given birth to cowards then I would ask for your aid. Can you help me to teach them to never be fearful in the way that would doom them to this realm of yours?"

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-14, 04:15 AM

At the start of the Unification Wars, there were more than three hundred-eighty tribes of us Forsaken, and none had ever seen true war. When the call came from Our Masked Lord, Quarland the Dark, we answered. The first several cycles* were unorganized, chaotic. An unprepared massacre of astronomical proportions. Hundreds of thousands died in the first twelve light cycles. Some tribes were destroyed, many weakened, and some enslaved. The tribes were shocked. All of the tribes had fought before, but never on this scale, never total war. But total war was what was demanded of them.

A tentative peace was quickly established, all tribes shocked at the casualties that had come from unplanned, chaotic war. The peace, if you can call it that, was no true peace. It was a cold war consisting of a few cycles. Hundreds of skirmishes broke out, but no true war. Our records, though damaged, indicate that it lasted around fifteen cycles. No one knows who really broke the peace first, nor how. We simply know that at this time, of the more than three hundred-eighty tribes, less than three-hundred fifty remained.

The period from the start of the war to the end of the peace is generally known as the " Hot and Cold Phase" , in accordance with the "hot" massacre opening stage, and the "cold" peace. The Hot and Cold Phase isn't very well remembered however, for the next stage is the most influential and memorable.

The "true" Unification Wars are said to begin here, for here is when tactics, grand scale battles, and power groups were begun to form. The True Unification Wars are split into three periods.

First Period: Basic tactics emerge, skirmishes still primary engagement, some tribes begin to consolidate power, enslaving or conscripting beaten tribes.
Later, larger engagements begin, measured in thousands of combatants. Large tribes reach sizes of around 750, with non-tribe troops or servants around three times that. Shaman warfare begins to see widespread use, still unorganized.
Crossbow invented.
Number of tribes at end: approx 290
Time: approx 1500 cycles

Second Period: Combat as we know it appears. Large scale battles become fairly regular, although skirmishes are still more numerous. Fighting becomes most furious in Forsaken history. Military technology begins to develop. Tribes rules non-tribal populations of several times their number. Commoner and noble classes begin to develop.
Vast numbers of tribes are destroyed in this period. Rules of conduct begin to develop: If a tribe is conquered by another tribe, it becomes subservient to that tribe and loses it tribe status, losing rights and being forcibly employed.
Longest period of warfare, spanning most of our history.
Basic structure of modern society begins to emerge.
Revolver crossbow invented.
Number of tribes at end: approx 67
Time: approx 800000 cycles

Third Period: Combat consists of 95% skirmishing, 5% large scale engagements, consisting of tens of thousands of troops.
Tribal warfare begins to change, as enemy tribes are too powerful to simply assault. All technology greatly increases in this period.
Tribes begin to become known as "Houses".Structure of society emerges. Shamans organize into modern priesthood, fiercely competitive.
Number of Houses at end: 39
Time: 3298 cycles

The next phase, The Stabilization Phase, will be written in the next annal. It concludes the Unification Wars into the society we know today, and chronicles the feats of the legendary High Monarch Alex'en'quios the First.

*A cycle is twenty five ruis, the equivalent of an hour

-Grand Historian, Xian'ris,
College of History,
Cycle Date: 131, 894
Reign of High Monarch Stepn'ine'quios II

4AP-1AP=3AP
Create class: Cleric
GP: 9

planswalker

2010-11-14, 08:15 AM

Chept, Banchept, and the three races - Water World

The Tribe Wars were getting out of hand. The three races had a sharp and bloody division between them, and nothing seemed able to fix things. The Crocs and the Eags had at last worked together and come to trust each other, but the Cats were proving to be a far worse problem than existed before.

However, Chept and Banchept did not hate their wayward sons and daughters. When the other two races were not around, the Cats were very wonderful to play with. Chept and Banchept came to appreciate the better nature of cats. However, no Cat would take to instruction to change their ways.

Thus, the bloodshed and blood sport continued unabated. This weighed heavily on Chept's and Banchept's hearts. Eventually, the decided that whatever punishment Sozuchi gave them for stealing from him could not be worse than what was happening amongst their children. With resignation, the two of them brace for the worst and enter the Riverways.

Sozuchi - the Riverways

After waking from his strange dream, Sozuchi continued to cavort in the Riverways, trusting his children to look after the Eags and the Crocs. He was unaware of what they had stolen from him and what they had done.

When they appeared before him, he greeted them warmly. "My children, welcome! I am so happy to see the two of you come visit me. How are the Eags and the Crocs faring? Do they raise many children for you to nurture?"

Chept stood forward to accept the blame for what they had done. He was the one who had spent ten thousand years training with Daddy and should have known better. "Daddy, we messed up. The Eags and the Crocs had grown to not despise each other, so we create the Cats to make them love each other like we love them. However, the Cats hated the other two even worse than they hated each other, and began killing their children just for sport. The Crocs and the Eags did do as we wish and come to trust each other, but now the Cats are doing far worse to them than they ever did to each other, and they are growing to hate the Cats worse than they ever did each other."

Banchept stepped up and said, "Daddy we know that we messed up. Will you help us fix things?"

"How did you create the Cat'Chepts? I do not remember making them for you?"

Chept was filled with shame at this question and replied, "We came when you were sleeping to ask you to make a race for us, but you were asleep, so we took one of your scales and did it ourselves."

"What you did was foolish for two reasons: First of all, you cannot force love to happen any more than you can tell Love what to do. Secondly, why you create something is just as important as how you create it and what you use to make it. The Cats, made from wildcats I assume, were formed after your intents. You made them not to love them but to make force others to love each other. Without that love, they came to despise the others for whom they were created to to serve. This caused the less desirable qualities of the wildcat to emerge and produce the predators that you have. However, even then, they still fulfilled their purpose for you. Be very careful what you make and how, for by that measure shall it act in return."

"What can we do?" they asked.

"I will make a new race, one which shall be mischevious like no other. Its tricks and jokes shall humble the three arrogant tribes, and they shall learn to respect each other. Choose the animal you would most wish to see fill this role, and I shall do this for you."

Chept and Chepta looked throughout all of Water World, and chose the Salawa, a rare and powerful creature. Its form was similar to that of the fox and the jackal, but much thinner, more agile. Its snout was curved downward, its ears were large, erect squares on the top of its head, and its tail ended in a tufted fork. Its thin black coat hid it amid the plants of Water World. It was rarely seen by the inhabitants, and the Chepts had never thought much of them.

Their stealth made them the perfect candidates in Chept's and Banchept's minds. They presented it to Sozuchi, who proceeded to form it into the Set'Chepts. They were far smaller than the other chepts, and far more cunning. They could remain hidden when they wished not to be seen, and the Faeri liked them. If they would work to unify the tribes, the Faeri would bless them with powers of stealth and evasion such that it would be easier to catch mist than the Set.

Thus was the long process of unification begun.

ap: 2=3-1 (create life: the Set'Chepts)

gp: 3/15

Rizban

2010-11-14, 12:03 PM

Mondo, Pyrokus

And lo did the great machine that is Pyrokus continues to churn, blood and vile chemicals forced through the great artery networks as the cogs turn. And Inevitables continue to emerge from within. Yet now, something new crawls its way forth from the depths. And behold, they are like Mondo in form and purpose and follow after his Eye.

And thus did he set the Little Eyes upon the Great Eye in the heavens that they may watch over it as he watches over the world. The Sun Tyrants grew more powerful and covered the roof of the sun with their progeny, swearing to defend it against all who would meddle in the Natural Order of the Great Eye. And Mondo saw that it was good.

Mondo
AP 2 = 4 - 1(Create Terrain: The Eye of Mondo - I'm turning the Eye which is the sun into a small landmass hovering in the sky) - 1(Create Life - Beholders the Sun Lords)

Shmee

2010-11-14, 02:14 PM

Josiah glanced out over the world and saw his Myconids integrating themselves into the Dwarven kingdoms. But he also saw Nerra putting themselves in positions of power, Giants breeding in the forests above, and Dwarves perverted by dreams of revolt.

I fear our passive roles may soon not be enough.

Terran looks over at the Dwarves and simply chuckles "I worry not... let them dream of grandeur without our aid. It is exactly what I want the Dwarves to achieve. Why stop a god who is actually advancing my plans for the mortals. Let the Dwarves be masters of their own destiny!"

He waves his hand in a dismissive motion

"I shall have to find out who did this, and thank them. The Dwarves are capable of dealing with their own problems without my direct intervention. I worry not, for I have already taken measures, that will only act if their situation is dire."

Obscurejones

2010-11-14, 03:50 PM

Sora, the Rot
"If you are worried about what I have created, then please put your mind at ease. The mighty creatures my avatar has brought forth still obey the rules of mortality as any creature might. If you are instead worried that I have given birth to cowards then I would ask for your aid. Can you help me to teach them to never be fearful in the way that would doom them to this realm of yours?"

Josiah, The Rot
Your giants and these dreams frighten me less than the mirrored beings. They violate both the natural order of death and the natural growth of life. I wonder what sinister intent they have for our fledgling world.

As for cowardice, it will rear it's head in any place. Where there is life there will be some who cling to it too much. It is a sad fact, but one I can see no way to change.

Draken

2010-11-14, 04:26 PM

The Rot

Great Hal'Xaazar knew that young deities had appeared, and of those he knew little, unlike the siblings that appeared with him, for he was everything they were not, while the same was not necessarily true of these younger ones.

So did the mirror appear before Josiah, showing him a familiar face, until that face faded into silved and the mirror melted into a God who took his shape, but not his features, and most definitelly not his demeanor, for this Hal'Xaazar was, in the familiar tone of his voice, completely unlike the god of decay.

"I created the institute of death, and I gifted it unto the material world. The Nerra are not bound by it, for they are not of that place, so do not make the mistake of thinking it against the order of nature, worried little thing. Their nature and their place in the greater order of the cosmos is kept."

Hal'Xaazar acted as if he were alone with Josiah, seemingly not aware of Terran or Sora, yet.

Incendax

2010-11-14, 05:00 PM

Sora-as-Avatar, the World.
Sora spent many decades with his 'bride' fathering children that were mightier and stronger than any mortal dwarf and yet a pale shadow of the godly essence of their progenitor. The children grew at a slow pace, and so it was that Sora had time to reflect upon what he was making and decide upon a future for them. These creatures were to be primordial challengers to the races of the world, and should represent a danger for each race to overcome and grow stronger from. Sora knew this meant that many of his children would have to die, and yet he could accept this loss on account of what Julien had inadvertently taught him. He had given birth to countless mundane creatures since his arrival in the world and he knew many secrets from the animals, plants, and spirits that inhabited both. Perhaps he would share some of these secrets with his greatest children when the time was right.

Sora, the Rot.
Sora stood in the presence of the Great Opposer and for the first time felt genuine fear. The god almost quaked in his boots and knew then the dangers that the world faced at the hands of this malicious creature. His mind could see them sweeping forth to murder all things, leaving nothing to share the eternal love of Julien, nothing to share the boundless fun of Sozuchi, nothing to earn the respect of Terran, and no spirits to keep Teikoku from descending into madness.

Rizban

2010-11-14, 05:01 PM

The Eye of Mondo

The beholders did as they were created to do: behold the world below. Yet they watched the mortals and then did what was forbidden to them, imitated the mortals below. Turning upon one another, they became dark and twisted, corruptions of their original purpose. Trickery, deceit, murder, and self glorification. These sins of mortals became the sins of the Little Eyes.

In his fury, Mondo considered destroying his own creation, yet did he see one other option. Mondo reached down and plucked a new beholder from Pyrokus the moment it emerged from the great machine and transformed it. It grew tall and powerful, sprouted limbs, and its flesh pulled taut across its form. The great toothy maw became a horrid grin, its one great eye becoming a sickening, dark abyss in the center of its skull.

Setting this new creature upon the back of the Great Eye which is the Sun, Mondo issued this command.

"Subjugate these Little Eyes of mine that they might return to the path. They have become like the mortals, and this should not be so."

Thus did the god Duc de Redouter gain life and power and receive his purpose.

[hr]The Foundation of the World

Mondo had looked out upon the world as the first life had been created. Though he found it personally repulsive, it was in line with the Natural Order of the universe. As such, he tolerated it and eventually came to accept it as potentially necessary for the long term stability of creation.

Then came the dreaded Humans and Dwarves and Elves and other abominations upon the face of the world. Foul and dark, these beings defiled the world around them and destroyed all in their path in a pitiful mortal attempt to recreate the world in their own images. Disgusting. Vile.

Forests were leveled, mountains dug up, and the Natural Order threatened. The plants themselves cried out for protection and justice from the genocide directed against them. The gods ignored these pleas, absorbed as they were in the affairs of the lesser mortal disease. Mondo alone heard the plea and gave that plaintive cry a voice, a form, and purpose. Thus was the goddess Seelia born into the world.

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-14, 05:11 PM

Once the Forsaken had warred for over two hundred fifty years, Quarland was satisfied. His people had made themselves strong, they had learned of war. And so Quarland wished to return his people to peace. He wanted to establish an authority among the warring Houses and priesthood. So he turned his eyes to Aura, to find one who could establish dominance.
His eyes searched for many cycles, until he found a Forsaken he approved of. The youngest son of the House of En'Quios, Alek. Or as he would come to be known, Alek the Great.

Alek was the youngest of nine in one of the eldest families of the House, but he was first in line for leadership of his family. A perfect follower of the ideals of Quarland, he had murdered his way up the line, defeating his brothers and sisters in multiple battles of will, strength, and power. He was also a well-known reveler and his hedonism was well-known.
The leader of the House, a cleric of Quarland and head of a different leading family of the House, and Alek had been having a power struggle for over a decade. Despite nuumerous battles, none had emerged the victor.
In a vision, Quarland appeared to him and told him, " Alek'en'quios, I have chosen you to be my conduit, my sword amongst the Forsaken. You are strong, ambitious, and hedonistic, a perfect example of my image. You will forge from these Houses a great nation. Go and make it so."
At this, Alek was filled with divine power, stronger than the most powerful cleric of the Houses. Alek gave thanks to the Masked Lord, and prepared his ascension to power. The next day, taking his forces as witnesses to his rivals fortress, he laid waste to the entire complex with no assistance.
Having taken dominance within House En'Quios, he marshalled the House's troops to war...

3AP-0AP= 3AP
Raise Hero, (Mythic=free)

planswalker

2010-11-14, 05:37 PM

The Chepts - across Water World

The Set'Chepts did exactly as they had been created to do: they humbled the other three races. A Cat would be stalking her prey, only to find that she pounced upon a tree. Crocs would go fishing and think they had speared a massive lunker, only to find a minnow on it when they retrieved their spears. Eags would gather up followers from among the Croc children, only to have them run off into the surrounding trees, never to be seen from again. When they have to tell the parents of this, they answer that they never sent their child to them.

Thus, over the course of generations, did the three come to be in harmony, or at least not open strife. The three each came to view their talents as good, but not infallible. The cats even came to have a grudging respect for the Crocs' strength and the Eags keen perception. Once the three had stopped openly killing each other, the Set emerged from the underbrush and mingled with them, leaving the Eags to care for their young, helping the Crocs spot game, and following the Cats, teaching them better stealth techniques.

Chept and Banchept were happy once more. They now had four races of children who, if they did not always get along, did not kill each other openly. All of them adored the Old Ones, and rejoiced in their blessing.

The Faeri watched all of this with glee, and waited for the time when they should intervene.

daelrog

2010-11-14, 06:02 PM

Edistris Estras - The Void

Edistris watched as slowly, utterly slowly the dreams of mortals began to take hold. There were those however that did already question, that already thought of more than that which was in front of them. With the flick of his fingers, he set upon the world a new kind of profession, one of thought.

Still, the mortal races could not progress as were. There was something in the way. Power was what he desired. He did nto dare face another being such as he without something with which to increase his power, his ability to exert his will onto existence. From his hand grew a single, black feather, that held no light. With this, he could destroy kingdoms. With this simple feather, that in truth was no actual feather, he could fight even a god.

4AP:5-1
Create Class: Philosopher

0AP: 4AP -4AP (Artificer power gives one free additional AP for artefacts)
Create Battle Artefact: The Nightbird's Feather: +2 bonus to combat ranking

12/12 AP. Reaches Divine Rank 2

Eye of Mondo

Edistris's throne flickered away, and headed for the Eye of Mondo.

"I am Edistris Estras."

Obscurejones

2010-11-14, 06:03 PM

"I created the institute of death, and I gifted it unto the material world. The Nerra are not bound by it, for they are not of that place, so do not make the mistake of thinking it against the order of nature, worried little thing. Their nature and their place in the greater order of the cosmos is kept."

Josiah, The Rot

And for death I thank you. But to see any creature untouched by death fills my heart with despair. For can any growth come unbalance by decline, any triumph without woe, and life without death in it's own season? If your goal is to oppose and seed the earth with your creations, devoid of your own gift of death, than I suppose it is my role to stand in turn against you.

And as Josiah spoke the first of the spirits promised by his curse fell upon the earth, a culling of the weak and timid. And their souls came unto the Rot and were set to work. And Josiah reached into the Rot and plucked out a single bone, gleaming an white, picked clean by the little things that return flesh to the earth. And he wrapped it in a vine from his own body and gave it to his subjects to refine. And while they worked he left the Rot and searched the heavens for those who could aid him in crafting a weapon with which to defend.

Josiah, Pyrokus

And Josiah sought out the realm of Mondo, for though his dwarven upbringing had taught that Mondo was tyrant and opposed to the dwarves it had said also that he favored order and was a maker of great works.

Lord_Asmodeus

2010-11-14, 06:05 PM

Duc de Redouter, Eye of Mondo

The Duc came into being, and he soon began his work. His task was to bring the Beholders in line, and he would do so. He could, of course, bring them to heel with force, but this brute method did not appeal. He would build only their enmity, and they would likely rebel every chance they had. He could make them fear him, but they would also hate him.

No, he had a better plan to bring them in line. Slowly, over time, the most powerful of the beholders, those who had gathered followers and commanded others of their kind, began to disappear. The circumstances of their disappearances were never well established, and soon whispers began to form about a menagerie of different possibilities, though many believed a more powerful beholder was eliminating rivals, a widespread rumor spoke of a great beast of metal and fire, with molten iron for veins, which some say they had seen before the beholders disappeared.

Soon, sightings of this "creature" became more common, beholders spoke of it's appearance as a sign of Mondo's displeasure, others believed it was some sort of abomination that came from the sun itself, and still more believed it was a manifestation of their own sins. Many more beholders of power began to disappear, fear and panic were spreading throughout the beholders, none knew where to turn. Finally, the last straw came, as the titanic creature appeared brazenly in the midst of the most powerful beholders group of followers, resistant to all of their attacks it killed a number of them, who began to fade into the sun, and dragged the beholder-lord himself into the sun, disappearing before the eyes of all who survived. What little organization was left among the beholders disappeared, their fear ruled them. They could not stop this creature, they were doomed for their crimes.

However, a hope appeared. A new creature, who claimed to be a representative of Mondo himself, came to the Beholders, tall and lithe, his fang-filled mouth spread in a great grin, a massive black pit in the center of it's head, it's brownish skin stretched taught over it's frame, it exuded confidence and power. The Beholders began to flock to this new being, but many more were skeptical. He would fall, they reasoned, just as all the others had fallen. But this time was different. The massive fiery beast did arise once more, but the Duc was there to meet it. The creature fought and smashed the Duc, flinging it's molten form against him, but he did not yield. With his clawed hands and his massive fangs he tore into the creature, and for once it was not so invulnerable. He ripped it apart, piece by piece, and devoured it's essence.

Standing alone, the victor, the Duc gathered the most powerful of the remaining beholders to him, and spoke to them. He told them that the beast had not been alone, and as they had speculated, it had formed in response to the sins of the beholders. As they acted as the mortals of the world, and sinned as they did, the beasts would arise from the sun. The mortals were protected by the great distance, but the Beholders had no such protection. The Duc could protect them as much as he could from those that remained, but if the Beholders continued on their current path, even the Duc could not save them. The beholders scattered to tell all the others, to spread the word and to help bring an end to the Age of Sin, and the Duc smiled wider. From the aether itself, he seemed to pluck a jewel, fiery orange-red, formed into the likeness of an eye. The Duc stored the jewel in the abyss in his skull, and looked about. The massive monster had of course, been a part of himself. They were not independent beings, and he would make sure there was always one or two around, to remind the Beholders what awaited them should they begin to sin once more...

11AP=12 AP-1AP Lead Populous
1/12 Growth Points.

Moranica

2010-11-14, 06:11 PM

Seelia, the foundation of the world

IEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

With a loud piercing scream a plant erupts from the ground. A long stalk shoots upwards, vines encircling and intertwining the stalk until they reach te top, leaves sprouting everywhere, until it stops. The thick mass of vines and other plants part and fall to the ground. A being emerges. However beautiful to behold, it cannot hide the pain and anger that radiate from her face.

Why, why are they doing this? she ask the nearest other being (Mondo).

Rizban

2010-11-14, 06:28 PM

Mondo (http://loc.mornproductions.com/Mondo), Pyrokus

As Seelia takes shape and looks around in wonder and horror, the mortal realm rejects her. Sent flying off into the Void, Mondo snatches his daughter and carries her safely to his home in Pyrokus.

"Child, they do not understand, these lesser creatures created by the capricious gods. The gods made them in their arrogance, and their offspring share that arrogance. You do not fit their view of the world, and so they seek to destroy you as they attempt to remake the world in their own image as the gods before them have tried.

I have given you a blessing that is also a curse. You now have the power to defend yourself and your kind against them; however, you are doomed to never again enter the world you called home. That is the price of your strength, though I do not think you to hate me for it."

Shmee

2010-11-14, 06:34 PM

Terran, the Rot

Terran is in his usual meditative position, and simply smirks as Josiah leaves. Without even looking at Hal'Xaazar, he says

"You could have had the courtesy of revealing your true form... or is there not even an ounce of originality within you?"

Moranica

2010-11-14, 07:03 PM

Seelia, Pyrokus

Never again shall I feel my roots in the earth, the sun overhead. Never again will I blossom and seed. But I will nurture my friends. This new power you have given me has given me much. Now the plants will be able to do something. Seek refuge from the onslaught.

Thank you father, if that is what I may call you, for giving me this possibility. I have much to learn and much to do for plants to truly flourish, but I will start now.

First I will create a haven for all natural creatures to live in. I shall call it Sa'Mondo, because it was you who rescued us. It will big enough to harbor anyone. It will have forests ranging from tropical jungles to decidious and evergreen forests. Mighthy rivers flow through it to bring water to all. Even a swamp for those plants that require lot's of water. In the center of it all I will start teaching those who will be it's keepers. The na'tan will house them and teach them about the plants and the forest. Being the keepers of this vast land they must be able to travel around fast and communicate with the living beings around them. At the last, I will create a species resemblin my image, so that all know which lands they tread on when they enter Sa'Mongo.

After this enormous burst of need, anxiety and determination Seelia collapses. It takes several minutes for her to gain back her strength.

Pfff, I hope I did good, I hope now all will be better.

3 AP= 12-9, create land SR 6 (pangea size) discounted by Landshaper
3 AP= 3-0, create life (Na'tan) (free from progenitor)
2 AP= 3-1, create life (shifters)
1 AP= 2-1, Lead populace (rangers)
0 AP= 1-1 create life (nymphs)
DG 12/12 DR2

Draken

2010-11-14, 07:13 PM

The Rot

Hal'Xaazar shifts towards Terran, and as he does, his form changes, into a featureless mimicry of the earth god, and so to does his voice change, to Terran's sound, but not his tone, but something different, whispered.

"I am the opposer, what you see is what you show, seen from another angle. Gather in conclave to adress me, and you shall meet the Great Opposer."

Hal'Xaazar then sat in the same position as Terran, and from him stretched a silvery pool, from which came bubbles of screens, showing the miriad deities.

"They are so many, with so many goals... Small Josiah thinks I want to simply stomp on them all, and see their creation shattered into nothingness... That is silly, if that happened... What would I oppose? And if I were not here, to threaten... Where would be his precious achievment? Am I not the only reason he himself exists? Isn't it magnificent that he sees fit to oppose me? Hohohoho..."

With that, the silvery pool turns to a blob, engulfing Hal'Xaazar, or maybe he himself becomes the blob, and then it suddenly vanishes in the air.

Shmee

2010-11-14, 07:42 PM

Terran, the Rot

"I do not mind that you wish to oppose. After all, without opposition one grows complacent and thus can't continue to grow. No... what I do mind... is your mimicry. Each time you mock with your own imitations the hard work and aspirations of others... and... I seem to be talking to myself..."

Says Terran realizing that Hal'Xazzar had left. Shaking his head he gets up and dusts himself. Realizing that he had nothing left to do in this world, he returns to Kamigawa where he sees Shujin awaiting his return.

"Revered Master, why didn't you grant me the same powers you did to Josiah?" asks his student with a frustrated tone... after all, he had just finished doing a thousand laps around the building.

"Because Shujin, your destiny and his are different. Just because you lack the power I gave him, the deeds you shall do will be much greater and echoed amongst your people for generations to come. You shall reach your potential through hard work and training... and for questioning my motives... another 1,000 laps..."

Shujin starts to groan

"Do you want me to make you jump-rope while running those laps as well?"

"No Revered Master..." says Shujin as he begins once again to run.

Rizban

2010-11-14, 07:45 PM

Incendax

2010-11-14, 07:46 PM

Sora, the Rot.
Sora became aware of how unsettling the Great Opposer was to him and so he retreated with some haste. Sora thought back over the encounter and could not settle upon any one form that would be attractive to Hal'Xaazar and in some strange way that made Sora feel less powerful. So it was that Sora was the last to depart the Rot.

Sora, the Void.
Sora gazed down upon the world from just beyond the crystal dome that separated him from the morals below. He watched as his Avatar spread his seed across the savage lands of the old world and nurture a very specific. He knew his children would need great strength to pose a challenge to the other races. Sora turned opened his palm and within it appeared some of the most powerful and mighty beasts of the wild. The mighty elephant with its ferocious strength, the durable goat with its endless constitution, the predatory snake with its flawless dexterity, the curious monkey with it's cunning intellect, the loyal wolf with it's practical wisdom, and the noble lion with it's proud charisma.

"I will take from you six creatures your greatest strength, but you do not need to worry that your sacrifice will be in vain. In my eyes you will be immortalized for your generosity, and each of my children will bear your strength to face the troubles that lie ahead. Come now, I have need of your guidance."

And so it was that Sora fashioned from these six creatures a singular staff that bore the unique faces of each creature. The staff would forever serve not only as a symbol of fertility in the hands of Sora, but bestow upon his children the might of the wild creatures that he had also fathered.

0 AP = 7-7 Create Artifact (Chimera Staff) which provides +3 MR to Bless.
Growth 12/12. Level Up!

Moranica

2010-11-14, 07:53 PM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"'Father...' Little could please me better.

Though you may never return to the world below, you are welcome to remain here in Pyrokus with me. I will give unto you a number of the larger cogs that you may lay down earth upon them and take root and flourish here. You may as well bring your children unto the cogs, though you must ensure that they never interfere with the working of the machinery. Pyrokus must continue to turn."

Thank you, father. For now that will be fine.

Lord_Asmodeus

2010-11-14, 07:59 PM

Duc de Redouter, Eye of Mondo

The beholder Tyrant notices the approach of Edistrus, and went to meet him, keeping a careful eye on the beholders, the fiery orange-red jewel acting as the pupil of his abyssal eye. "Who do I have the honor of welcoming to the Eye of Mondo?"

daelrog

2010-11-14, 08:11 PM

Edistris, Eye of Mondo
OOC: Beat me to it LA. After seeing Rizban's response OOC, I thought to myself "Well at least Duc is there."

Edistris smiled. "I am Edistris Estras, god of dreams and lies. I have come because the dreams of the petty mortals are pleading for fire, and I think it is a delightful notion. What are your thoughts..."

He waited for a name.

Lord_Asmodeus

2010-11-14, 08:20 PM

Duc de Redouter, Eye of Mondo

The Duc bowed to the god. "I am the Duc, the Duc de Redouter" without pausing to explain what that meant, the Duc continued "I know little of the desires of the mortals, it is merely my duty to keep the Little Eyes from behaving as the mortals do. If you are looking for Mondo, you have come to the wrong place, this is merely his Eye, Mondo dwells in Pyrokus." The Duc concludes his explanation, assuming the god could find his own where there if need be.

daelrog

2010-11-14, 08:33 PM

Edistra Estras-Eye of Mondo

The god did not move. He enjoyed this spot where the light shone. "Duc..." The world stretched out as Edistris tasted it on his lips. "Are you satisfied with being in charge of floating eyes? Do you fancy that your potential? Perhaps I have found the right god after all."

Lord_Asmodeus

2010-11-14, 08:57 PM

Duc de Redouter, Eye of Mondo

The Duc pauses, as if he had never considered that. "Well, perhaps I COULD extend myself a little bit. Perhaps if the mortals did not always act as they did the Beholders would not be so tempted to act as they do... but then, Mondo is always watching here, this is his eye after all."

Despite his words however, something implicit in the way he said what he did may give the idea that his words are not meant quite as literally as one might take them...

daelrog

2010-11-14, 09:10 PM

Edistris Estras-Eye of Mondo

"A little? Yes, only a little. The Duc can see the image of an eye grow inside Edistris's pupils. An image forms within its image and extends perhaps to an infinite amount of eyes within each eye. "Let me leave you with one parting thought then, Duc. If your obstacle is not with your little eyes, but with all the other mortals, then why do you sit idly by as you do? If your little eyes truly are plagued by everyone else, your task will never be complete under the current flow of existence is changed to one... more in line with what you desire."

Edistris drifted away, and then dissipated to go see the lord of fire.

The Edge of Pyrokus

"God of fire, you have already seen me, no? Could your eye hear as well, or must I introduce myself once more?"

Rizban

2010-11-14, 11:18 PM

Obscurejones

2010-11-14, 11:49 PM

Josiah, Pyrokus
Josiah quietly waited for Mondo to complete his other conversations. Looked over the Inevitables, admiring their marriage of form and function, their dedication to order.

Rizban

2010-11-15, 12:04 AM

Mondo, Pyrokus

Mondo notices Josiah and turns his shoulder towards Edistris.

"It appears as if another dwarf has entered my realm. Does your master send you to try to claim my element? I wondered when the next would appear."

Obscurejones

2010-11-15, 12:10 AM

Josiah, Pyrokus

Josiah bowed to the elder god and when he spoke his tone was one of the utmost deference and consideration.

I am here of my own devices. I have no desire to steal what is rightfully yours. I am here to pay my respects. I have admired your work. While I consider myself a mild craftsman you have made great wonders, fixing your eye in the void to provide light to our fledgling world, and creating great races to maintain order.

I have some interest in order myself and was wondering if I could study under you and perhaps one day request your aid in making a tool to maintain the order against those who would see the heavens and earth in chaos.

Rizban

2010-11-15, 12:14 AM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"And what, exactly, do you expect to learn from me? I am no sage or bearer of great wisdom. I see what must be done; then I do it, no matter how difficult that may be."

Obscurejones

2010-11-15, 12:21 AM

Josiah, Pyrokus

"I wish to learn your art at the making of things. My father though he possess his own virtues is not a craftsmen. He is a perfecter of flesh, not of steel. If I sought to perfect my sinews or lift a great weight I could turn to him.

But If I were to make a tool, especially a tool of order it seemed obvious that I must turn to you for guidance. I wish for your knowledge and skill for where you see what must be done and make your metal children, so to do I see a need for a weapon that may force back oncoming destruction."

Rizban

2010-11-15, 12:57 AM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"Interesting. If you desire to create weapons, then you should speak to one who would have use for such. I create only tools; however, I might have a solution for you, should you care for it.

Do you accept my proposal?"

Obscurejones

2010-11-15, 12:59 AM

Josiah, Pyrokus

As I have said, I trust in your wisdom. What is your proposal?

Rizban

2010-11-15, 01:18 AM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"So, you refuse it then."

Obscurejones

2010-11-15, 01:20 AM

Josiah, Pyrokus
I must confess to some some confusion. Whatever it is, I accept it.

Rizban

2010-11-15, 02:13 AM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"Very well, then I shall return shortly."

Mondo drags himself across Pyrokus back to the diaphanous maw of the machine where his tentacles wrap themselves around several fluid filled sacs and begins to squeeze them in varying patterns, making almost a musical sound as bile is forced through the system.

Moments later the machine begins to belch forth smoke and a fine spray of molten mithril. The process completes, the membranes pull back, and an Inevitable unlike any other before it emerges from the depths. It body of adamantine and mithral and obdurium, scorched black by the Fires of Pyrokus, though shimmering gold filigree glints flawlessly across the plates of its body.

Mondo snatches up the construct in his claws and carries it back to where Josiah waits. He sets the machine down before the dwarf and says, "Here I give you Belos, the first Viasura, Inevitable of War."

Imparting the form with a flickering of his own Fire, Belos snaps to life, his purpose already programmed. It is he who will forge the weapons of war for the Inevitables and he who will teach Josiah what he wishes to know.

"You have now what you came seeking. Remember this only, be careful in attaining what you desire. It is always less and yet far more than you ever imagine."

Seramus

2010-11-15, 03:17 AM

Belos, Pyrokus.

The awe inspiring form of Belos lurches to life as the divine fire races across his countless metal plates. It follows the sweeping curves of gold filigree until it finally pours into his fearsome black helmet. The blaze continues to rage with a fury that is clearly visible through the visor slits, and it increases in intensity until it casts a somewhat orange glow upon all things standing before him lest they shine with a radiance of their own. At first there is a long rumble in his chest as his speech servos churn to life, but that rumbling eventually becomes a series of booming words. Each statement is a grand proclamation.

"Greetings! I am the unit designated as Belos, the Inevitable of War. I am the greatest weapon ever crafted by the gods, and by the divine will of Fire Lord Mordo I am the greatest craftsman of weapons. I have in my arsenal the concepts for countless blades, projectiles, blunt instruments, and arcane devices that could sheer the essence of a god in twain. Given adequate facilities I can cause the very heavens to quake in terror, or equip them to throw back any invader."

The joints of his adamantine and mithril form possessed countless fine gears that allowed him to smoothly lean down towards Josiah in what might be a very intimidating manner. This time his voice was a mere inquisitive whisper.

"Would you like to know more?"

Moranica

2010-11-15, 06:31 AM

Seelia, Pyrokus

After watching the world and the other gods, much becomes clear to Seelia.

"How fitting that you who are my father, are also the one who gave us the energy to grow. We shall always look upon your eye as you look upon us.

I thank you also for putting away our most hated enemies, fire and metal, for these have to power to destroy us.

Now that I have created a haven for al creatures natural, I should learn more about the powers that be. I will go and speak with Terran, Josiah and Sozuchi for they complete the circle of life. You (Mondo), Terran and Sozuchi have created the basics from which we can grow. Josiah makes sure it returns after death, so it can be used again.

Seelia, Pyrokus

Josiah, what I grow, you destroy, from what's left I grow again. We can not work without the other. We should work to maintain this cycle. Therefore I would like to ask you this: Please don't have Belos teach the world how to make axes. They bring nothing but pain and suffering to the world. The creatures on the world must learn that nature is forever, and thus they will learn to coexist with it, rather than feed of it. Wouldn't you agree?

Obscurejones

2010-11-15, 09:11 AM

Belos, Pyrokus.
"Greetings! I am the unit designated as Belos, the Inevitable of War. I am the greatest weapon ever crafted by the gods, and by the divine will of Fire Lord Mordo I am the greatest craftsman of weapons. I have in my arsenal the concepts for countless blades, projectiles, blunt instruments, and arcane devices that could sheer the essence of a god in twain. Given adequate facilities I can cause the very heavens to quake in terror, or equip them to throw back any invader."
The joints of his adamantine and mithril form possessed countless fine gears that allowed him to smoothly lean down towards Josiah in what might be a very intimidating manner. This time his voice was a mere inquisitive whisper.
"Would you like to know more?"

Seelia, Pyrokus
Josiah, what I grow, you destroy, from what's left I grow again. We can not work without the other. We should work to maintain this cycle. Therefore I would like to ask you this: Please don't have Belos teach the world how to make axes. They bring nothing but pain and suffering to the world. The creatures on the world must learn that nature is forever, and thus they will learn to coexist with it, rather than feed of it. Wouldn't you agree?
Josiah, Pyrokus
Josiah looked first to the newly formed Viasura and then his fellow godling. When he spoke it was slow and measured, each word carefully chosen to allow no doubt as to his intent.
I would be loath to bring harm to nature, for as you have said cousin Seelia, it is as much a part of me as I a part of it. So to that end Belos, I believe I would hear more of these blunt instruments.

Selinia

2010-11-15, 11:16 AM

Iwaishi, Boughs of the Elder Tree, Kamigawa

The sight would be, to an outside observer who managed to get this far up off the ground, rather absurd. The tiny, withered old man sat in a crook in the vast branches like a child in an orchard tree. And he appeared to be talking to himself, to those who lacked the patience to listen to the other half of the conversation.

"Haha! Of course, of course. She's a fine girl, she just needs practice. No, no... that is not what worries me..."

The reply came as a deep rumbling in the spirit world, too long and slow for most to be able to make out the words. But if Iwaishi's long life had taught him anything, it was patience.

"Haaaaaarruuumm... what... then... ills... you... friend?"

"Nothi... bah, you know what, why hide it? My project is... not going well. I do not understand! It should be possible, and I know of none with more powerful magic than I, save the Empress herself."

"What... if... it... is... not... power... that... matters?"

"Indeed. As always, I will continue. We must find the answer somewhere. The only question is..."

"...time. You... are... dying. You... fear... passing... on?"

The old man closed his eyes and lifted his face towards the heavens.

"Of course not. Five centuries I have walked these lands. Four of them I have served Her Majesty as one of her Generals, and master of Earth. I have lived well, and look forward to being able to rest and help whoever comes to fill my shoes. What I fear is that I will die with my work unfinished..."

"Many... years... since... you... began... this... work. What... drives... you... so?"

"Call it mad, but... a dream."

Iwaishi reached up and grasped his hand into a fist, as if holding the stars themselves in his hand.

"This will change everything, my old friend! Such power in the hands of humanity! The power to take the world in our hands, and pierce the heavens themselves!"

"...This... you... have... already..."

"Say again?"

"All... you... need... do... is... use... it..."

Draken

2010-11-15, 11:35 AM

Inverted World

Hal'Xaazar appeared in the inverted world, standing on the pristine waters of a vast ocean, no longer in anyone's shape, but his own.

"Josiah."

With that one word, the surface of the ocean before Hal'Xaazar turned silver, and the silver rose above the waveless surface into a decrepit form, engulfed in vines, but featureless.

"It is impressive, that you would see fit to oppose me, but such is a focus I cannot grant you, child, thus must I mirror Terran and Mondo in deed, and see to it that you are properly opposed."

As Hal speaks, the false vines whiter away, and the false flesh rots down until only bones remain.

"I gave death to the mortal world, and from it you were born, but now you and yours think to enforce it beyond the boundaries I set, and that I shall oppose, this misconstruction of my command."

With a movement of his hand, Hal'Xaazar changes the silvery surface into a golden hue.

"Never was it my intent that death form a cycle, and never was it my command that the dead lay still... Life may fade, but death may be eternal."

The sea turns back to normal, as Hal'Xaazar adresses his creation.

"So Terran thinks I can make nothing new? Let's see about that, Immortas."

It is undeath time!

Lord_Asmodeus

2010-11-15, 12:17 PM

Duc de Redouter, Mondo's Eye

As the liar god leaves, the Duc snorts in his mind. Did he think the Duc a fool? If so, his cover was working at least well enough to fool the Liar. Of course the Duc had ambitions beyond this place, he was created too grand of a nature not to. But he was no fool either. He would not openly work upon the mortal plane, even if he thought Mondo would approve. No, best not to rouse suspicions any more than he needed to. Mondo might be watching him more closely now thanks to his conversation with the Liar, but if his suspicions were seen to be unfounded, Mondo would become less sensitive to minor suspicions.

However, while the Duc would lay low here, being seen as trustworthy, he would still work on the mortals. All would be brought to heel by the Duc, even if they never knew he existed...

Kamigawa

And so on the world below, he began his work. Working atop the Eye, the Duc had watched creation, and watched the gods as well when he could. He would of course need to subvert their efforts to achieve his own. Their plans and goals were but casualties in his efforts. First he began with The Rot. The Duc had noted the effects of the Rot on the mortal population, had seen the realm from afar, he knew the terrors such a fate could hold for the fragile creatures, slowly decaying on their rock, and he would exploit it. But whom to approach first? The Elves lived long, their fear of death was not so strong, the Dwarves were hearty, they would not give easily into his whispers... but the Humans. The humans were strong of character, but short of life. That would ultimately work against them... yes, the Humans would be an ideal place to start.

With an act of will the Duc exerted himself in the mortal world, though not physically, and he did well to keep such actions hidden, both physically and covering the small divine exertions he used to push his efforts. Slowly, on the world below, he began to affect the minds of the humans, and he began to speak to them. Shadowy figures, half-unreal would whisper to the humans in their dreams and in their hearts, but all they remembered was hearing whispers from some companion unremembered, and rumors began to spread. The humans began to become more aware of the Rot, and the dreadful fate that took hold of those who showed too much caution, but as ever with such things, the message became... muddled, with time.

Where once cowardice was rewarded with slowly rotting away in The Rot, soon those too overcautious slowly began to weaken and age in the mortal realm more quickly, and in The Rot they would toil as slaves until their bodies gave out and they died a slow second death, and eventually the line between any caution and cowardice began to thin, and became blurred. The whispers spread, the rumors grew louder, and soon their was a clamor all about the Human Empire. Word was spreading that those who gave into their cautious nature no longer became spirits, their souls were spirited away, cheated of their rightful place, and would slowly melt and dissolve as they worked slavishly in the hellish afterlife of the Rot. No Caution could be heeded, if any man woman or child wished to join their forebears as ancestors, they could not wait for their lives to end naturally, they must throw all caution to the winds and the spirits, and embrace danger and risk. Their lives would be meaningless, and they would not last. There was such a thing as too careful, and no one could risk incurring the wrath of the being they began to know as the Decaying Demon, Josiah, who they cursed with their dying breaths, as they spent their lives rashly, risking everything to avoid the Hell of the Rot.

5AP=11AP-5AP Curse Kamigawa, people everywhere take needless risks, people throw caution to the wind and go out to prove themselves not a coward, killing many -1AP Lead Populous Humans think Josiah is Evil.
7/12 Growth Points.
(I didn't know whether Kamigawa was to be counted as a large or a smaller kingdom, will change if necessary)

Seramus

2010-11-15, 12:58 PM

Belos, Pyrokus.
Belos smoothly raised itself back to his full height with a brief 'whirr' of the relevant gears the moment that Josiah makes his request. The inevitable begins to contort in a slightly awkward fashion as metal plates slide across his exterior with flawless craftsmanship. Each time that a plate slides away, Belos flexes in a manner that causes some form of blunt instrument to spring out in a menacing and attack-worthy position. The number of weapons displayed is extensive and it quickly becomes obvious that there is not enough space within his admittedly massive frame to contain them all. His voice is, as expected, booming and he goes through the list with practiced efficiency.

"Aklys, Bulawa, Club, Chúi, Hakapik, Hoeroa, Kotiate, Leiomano, Mace, Mere, Millwall Brick, Morning Star, Patu, Pernach, Shillelagh, Tewhatewha, Waddy, Wahaika, Hammer, Ball-Peen Hammer, Bush Hammer, Claw Hammer, Dead Blow Hammer, Framing Hammer, Froe, Gavel, Mallet, Power Hammer, Reflex Hammer, Sledgehammer, Maul, Splitting Maul, Steam Hammer, Toffee Hammer, Trip Hammer, Upholstery Hammer, War Hammer, Baseball Bat, Baton, Bo, Brass Knuckles, Cane, Chainlock, Cosh, Eku, Gunstaff, Hanbo, Jo, Lathi, Naboot, Otsuchi, Otta, Quarterstaff, Shareeravadi, Tambo, Tonfa, Yubi-bo, Macana, Maquahuitl, Scutum, Quauhololli, Greatclub, Flail, Heavy Flail, Double Flail, Triple-Headed Flail, Scourge, Goremaul, Grand Goremaul, Craghammer, Mordenkrad, Lucern Hammer, Bec De Corbin, Tetsubo, and a Large Rock."

"The weapons I have just shown you represent less than 7% of the designs contained within my mental archives. All can be extensively modified with machinery or enchantments to become suitable for use at the hands of a god for whatever project he or she deems worthy of such a profound weapon."

Belos gives a final flex that causes any remaining weapons on display to snap back into their resting positions with only the sound of a few clicking gears. All the heavy adamantine and mithril plates across his body settle into their original place. He then inclines his head approximately 15 degrees to the right and once again speaks in that inquisitive whisper.

"Would you like to know more?"

daelrog

2010-11-15, 01:27 PM

Mondo, Pyrokus

Mondo turns away from his daughter to allow her to take her first steps in the world alone, as all parents must some day do. Sadly, it comes all too quickly for those of the divine.

As the new godling approaches Pyrokus, the crown of eyestalks atop Mondo's brow begin to writhe in irritation.

"What do you want, Edistris? Did not your deception of Duc sate your thirst? You shall find no satisfaction here."

Edistirs waited and observed as Mondo finished his dealings with other deities before he spoke. "Mondo, my satisfaction does not derive from some trivial concept such as getting what I want all the time. My joy stems from seeing others struggle to make their dreams a reality, wehther that reality is ismply in their minds or not." Edistris stuck his hand in the fires and elt it dance around his fingers. "The mortals are not too different than your flames, great one. Reactionary, dangerous, fickle, but also holding a great deal of potential. Tell me Mondo, what determines the value of something, whether it be a mortal village, or an element at our command, or even the value of one of us gods?"

planswalker

2010-11-15, 01:54 PM

Chept, Banchept, and the Chept tribes

The nomadic family hunter-gatherer family groups were always moving, always flowing, and ever not-boring. This made Sozuchi very happy, and he contentedly watched his children his siblings interacted with them in new, strange ways. He himself frolicked in the Riverways, keeping watch on the World to ensure no water was harmed by becoming stagnant.

To Chept and Banchept, though, their children had so much more potential than this, but it just was not being realized. They could see that the Croc who developed a better tool for hunting could benefit greatly from the Cat who developed a piece of clothing to better grip their tools when slicked by water. However, these wonderful inventions never lasted longer than a generation or two, if the technology happened to be passed on to children. None but the Eags were very attentive parents, though, and the Eags rarely invented anything. When they did, it often was something that was only useful to the inventor, and not to the Chepts as a whole.

They longed for something which could aid their children in improving themselves. They once more sought out their father to help them achieve their goals. They traveled to the Riverways once more.

Sozuchi, Chept and Banchept - the Riverways

"Daddy, we want something to help our children remember when they learn something new. They invent wonderful new things, but the knowledge is not passed on, and it is lost until someone else re-invents it. They are beginning to repeat themselves in cycles, and need to retain what is lost to advance forward." Banchept asked of their Daddy.

"Their knowledge is growing stagnant, you say? THis is not good. It too must flow, and be not-boring. Select an animal and I will raise it up to be the wise ones among the Chept. They will remember all that their parents know, even as they never know them. Anything they are taught by another Chept will remain with them and their children forever. Go now, and select your next race of children."

The two went out to Water World, and selected the next animal to become a Chept. They looked far and wide, and eventually came to settle upon one that suited their purposes. It did not care for its children, but their children seemed to know from birth exactly what it took to survive. They took and presented it to Sozuchi to transform.

He was pleased by their choice, and shaped from it a mighty race. The mighty anaconda was shaped into a large, powerful race, nearly as large as the Crocs. The Boa'Chepts were born. Each of them knew little for now, but they would grow more knowledgeable, and their children would retain all that they knew.

Pleased with their latest children, Chept and Banchept lead them to Water World, where they began to interact with the others. Over the next few generations, the Chepts came to revere the Boas for their immense wisdom.

The Faeri found these children odd, and therefore refreshingly not-boring. They aided their spirits and helped them to unlock the memories of their ancestors. In return, they asked only that the Boas live for the present, and never become too involved with the past.

Over the course of a century, the Chepts began to advance. With the Boas to guide them, they eventually came to create a city. This city, though, was unlike any other, for it did not rest upon the land, but floated upon the waters, each building floating independent of all others. With the might of the Crocs, the agility of the Cats, the nurturing of the Eags, the cunning of the Set, and the wisdom of the Boas, the floating city of Sozengrad was born. Ever moving along the riverways, it could even move against the current with the might of its enchanted River Adept magics.

This city was the religious center of the Chept peoples, where Sozuchi was revered and the Old Ones were worshiped.

the Chepts have the Ronin class, but call it the River Adept. also, bookkeeping:

ap: 1=2-1 (create the Boa'Chepts)
ap: 0=1-1(lead populatce to create their first civilization, Sozengrad)

gp: 5/15

Rizban

2010-11-15, 03:34 PM

Edistirs waited and observed as Mondo finished his dealings with other deities before he spoke. "Mondo, my satisfaction does not derive from some trivial concept such as getting what I want all the time. My joy stems from seeing others struggle to make their dreams a reality, wehther that reality is ismply in their minds or not." Edistris stuck his hand in the fires and elt it dance around his fingers. "The mortals are not too different than your flames, great one. Reactionary, dangerous, fickle, but also holding a great deal of potential. Tell me Mondo, what determines the value of something, whether it be a mortal village, or an element at our command, or even the value of one of us gods?"

Mondo, Pyrokus

"An extensive mathematical calculation including all known variables, relevant theories, standard basic assumptions of the Natural Order, and enough Chaos Theory to achieve output normalization."

daelrog

2010-11-15, 03:43 PM

Edistris Estra, Pyrokus

"Very well said. Theories, assumptions, variables. The worth of something is not constant. You might just say that to qualify one thing as better over the next is something of a lie. Then again, I find great pleasure in seeing men dream over gold when their houses are made of much more manageable materials. It is interesting to see what makes one woman more desireable when both are equally able to bare children. However, I wonder if you feel the same way. Do you enjoy scoffing at the works of other gods for the humor of claiming yourself better, or do you truly mean it?"

Rizban

2010-11-15, 04:01 PM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"When have I ever claimed myself greater than my peers? You have never heard me say such a thing, nor would you hear it even in my dreams, assuming I ever took the time to dream.

I will say only this truth. I am better in Fire than my peers, just as Terran is better in Earth, Sozuchi is better in Water, and Julien is better in Air. Thus were the elements portioned, and thus does each have his prowess.

I do not understand your purpose in this line of reasoning."

Obscurejones

2010-11-15, 04:04 PM

Belos, Pyrokus.
"Aklys, Bulawa, Club, Chúi, Hakapik, Hoeroa, Kotiate, Leiomano, Mace, Mere, Millwall Brick, Morning Star, Patu, Pernach, Shillelagh, Tewhatewha, Waddy, Wahaika, Hammer, Ball-Peen Hammer, Bush Hammer, Claw Hammer, Dead Blow Hammer, Framing Hammer, Froe, Gavel, Mallet, Power Hammer, Reflex Hammer, Sledgehammer, Maul, Splitting Maul, Steam Hammer, Toffee Hammer, Trip Hammer, Upholstery Hammer, War Hammer, Baseball Bat, Baton, Bo, Brass Knuckles, Cane, Chainlock, Cosh, Eku, Gunstaff, Hanbo, Jo, Lathi, Naboot, Otsuchi, Otta, Quarterstaff, Shareeravadi, Tambo, Tonfa, Yubi-bo, Macana, Maquahuitl, Scutum, Quauhololli, Greatclub, Flail, Heavy Flail, Double Flail, Triple-Headed Flail, Scourge, Goremaul, Grand Goremaul, Craghammer, Mordenkrad, Lucern Hammer, Bec De Corbin, Tetsubo, and a Large Rock."

"The weapons I have just shown you represent less than 7% of the designs contained within my mental archives. All can be extensively modified with machinery or enchantments to become suitable for use at the hands of a god for whatever project he or she deems worthy of such a profound weapon."

Belos gives a final flex that causes any remaining weapons on display to snap back into their resting positions with only the sound of a few clicking gears. All the heavy adamantine and mithril plates across his body settle into their original place. He then inclines his head approximately 15 degrees to the right and once again speaks in that inquisitive whisper.

"Would you like to know more?"
Josiah, Pyrokus

Josiah contemplated for a moment. Thought of the bone his workers were already refining.

Could you show me cudgel and club again and expand upon those two weapons?

daelrog

2010-11-15, 04:09 PM

Edistris Estra- Pyrokus

Edistris steps off his throne and stands up, the image of him sitting breifly lingering for a moment longer than is natural. "No need for modesty. You scoff at, and deny the creations of your fellow gods. How can you assert you respect the prowess of the other powers when you see their actions as folly? Are not the mortal races mere extensions of the gods that created them?"

Rizban

2010-11-15, 05:41 PM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"You misunderstand my distaste for pride and my compassion for greed. I sense you do not agree with my actions. Why is this?"

planswalker

2010-11-15, 06:22 PM

Sozuchi - the Riverways

Having frolicked in the Riverways while his children flourished, Sozuchi looked out upon the world at large, and found it far too boring. No one was doing anything fun, and the Blessed empire, the dwarves, and the elves were far too docile. It was time to show them how dynamic the weather could be. First though, he would rest. Creating five races had tired him for now. For countless eons in the Riverways, Sozuchi rested, biding his time. He had his siblings go forth into the world and whisper in people's ears as they dreamed. Dreams of wind, water, ice, lightning, and noise. Few payed attention to those dreams, but those who did would soon come to be heralded as prophets. For now, though, things were calm.

A Storm is Coming

DragonOfUndeath

2010-11-15, 07:00 PM

"Never was it my intent that death form a cycle, and never was it my command that the dead lay still... Life may fade, but death may be eternal."

The sea turns back to normal, as Hal'Xaazar adresses his creation.

<I am at peace, i am unmoving. wait... my thoughts, they move. i am not stasis. who am i? who is me? i..feel a presence. i hear his thoughts, his voice>

"So Terran thinks I can make nothing new? Let's see about that, Immortas.".

<He called my name, i am... IMMORTAS>

Inverted World

a golden skeleton materializes in front of The Opposer.

<I see your wish, you want me to oppose this new God, Josiah. It shall be done, my creations shall fight death as his promotes it, my creations shall defend Cowards as his fight them. Goodbye Creator of Opposition, may the world continue to be reflected>

Immortas disappears from The Opposers sight.

He appears briefly in various Planes before disappearing again, after visiting most of the planes he realizes none of them have Stasis. He creates a Plane that embodies that and settles down in it to contemplate his next move.

OOC:
9AP: 12-3 Create Plane (Fileun)

daelrog

2010-11-15, 07:06 PM

Draken

2010-11-15, 08:04 PM

Blessed Empire

Nerra were relatively known around the blessed empire, not by that name, not by any particular name other than the obvious description, as the mirror people.

It likely came as a surprise, when a delegation of the mirror people appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, before the palace of the Empress herself, without their usual guises, and sporting guards wearing odd, mirrored armor, in addition to their usual shining weapons.

At the helm of this delegation was a nerra in a black robe with a red underline, and no weapons visible on his person, and this individual adressed the empty space before him, expecting Teikoku to be listening.

"Greetings, empress of humanity, I am Val'Amun, here in the name of the Nerra, and of Hal'Xaazar."

Mythic Power: Raise Mortal Hero: Val'Amun, the Instigator.

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-15, 08:13 PM

The Waterfall Palace, The Twilight Jungle

Quarland looked upon his servant Alek as he set forth his armies and decided he had done enough for now with his people. He turned his mask to the cosmos, where his fellow divine lay.
And he saw, in the great Riverways, the god Sozuchi. Quarland had met few gods, and one of the powerful original gods seemed a good start for his introductions. He was also curious as to how these dreams he saw Sozuchi sending out would work.
Calling upon his divine power, he went to the Riverways, and came before Sozuchi. "Greetings." he called to the older god. "I am Quarland, God of Revelry and the Forsaken."

I'm guessing announcing oneself as the God of Betrayal would be inadvisable."

Alek'en'quios, Aura

Alek, imbued with the divine power of Quarland, set out to unite the Houses into a functioning nations. House En'Quios was of middling size. It was the nineteenth highest power among the Forsaken, far below the armies of the truly Great Houses.
But Alek's tactics combined with his divine power and the religious fervor of his troops, following the champion of their god, could not be denied. Alek's troops conquered four smaller and similar sized houses, integrating the remaining nobles and commoners into their ranks, increasing their troops to over 75,000. Despite this, they sat only at fourteenth.
So it was meet with great surprise when House Oer'Euyri learned that a House with an army only two-thirds the size of theirs was preparing for war against them. They set out for battle, laughing at the foolishness the supposed Chosen of Quarland had shown. Only to be thoroughly routed, and sent fleeing into the sunset. Escaping far away, House Oer'Euyri survived with less than 25,000 troops to their name.
No House could believe it. They called it a fluke when Oer'Euyri was routed. They said "Coincidence!" when the House Tri'Troy'I fell. They called "Impossible!" when House Mez'Uruyani, the most powerful House fell.
Whether they believed it true or not, the Houses were forced to accept that this upstart House of En'Quios was the singular most powerful House in existence. Secret meetings were held. Information was gathered, collaborated, and confirmed. In dark back rooms in House fortresses and House-independent cities, pacts were signed. And from this rose a great Coalition of Houses, to check the rising power of En'Quios.

planswalker

2010-11-15, 08:27 PM

Sozuchi - the Riverways

Sozuchi gives a mock salute with his tail, and responds in kind, albeit satirically. "Hello there. I am Sozuchi, the god of all things not-boring, master of all things flowing and obviously the Most Important Being, for things would be boring without me."

Unable to keep from laughing at his own pretension, Sozuchi breaks into laughter for a moment before regaining his composure. "I am sorry for the humor, but I find titles to be silly things. If we are worshiped, the I guess we are gods, but titles are a thing for those who feel insecure based on their merits alone, no offense intended. I'm sure you merely meant it as a descriptor, but I refrain from them as a personal choice. Anyways, I'm sure you did not come here merely to introduce yourself, Q. What draws you to the Riverways?"

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-15, 08:50 PM

Shmee

2010-11-15, 08:56 PM

Terran, Kamigawa

Terran was still busy with his student, going through rigorous training techniques, and now that Shujin had mastered the basics, Terran had moved on to teach the young Human some devastating techniques which included manipulating pressure points on the enemy's body. Finishing with the routine, Terran sits down to cool off.

For Shujin, there wouldn't be any rest yet. Although his skills had improved greatly, Terran insisted that his young student should never let his great power get to his mind, always remembering his humble roots, and thus the god of Earth had bidded his student to sweep the training grounds. As the monk continued his chore, Terran asks

"Shoujin... I have heard whispers. What have your ears picked up from amongst your kind?"

"Whispers, Revered Master... ones of fear about the Rot and Josiah."

"Indeed? And what do you make of these whispers?"

"I cannot tell... for while I have not seen the Rot with my own eyes, I did witness the birth of Josiah by your own will, Revered Master, and I trust in your judgement that if the Rot was as terrible as the whispers claim, then you would have acted in your own way."

"You speak the truth, yet your kind still fears what needs not be feared... and so I ask... who spread these whispers?"

"Revered Master, I cannot explain it... its as if I go to sleep comforted, and wake up in fear about what may happen."

"So you say that these whispers come in your sleep Shoujin?"

"I cannot tell Revered Master... I can only tell what I feel..."

"It matters not Shoujin... I may know of someone who can help us get to the bottom of this..."

With that Terran gets up. However, as Shoujin continues to sweep, the dust that was kicked up from the broom enters the Earth god's nostrils. For a few moments, Terran starts to squint, followed by making some funny faces

"Ah.....ah.... ah.... AHHH.... AHHHH.... CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Terran lets out a monstrous sneeze, its pure power, levelling several houses in it's direct blast-wave. Such is the strength of Terran, who goes over to see the damage done, as the dust begins to settle.

Draken

2010-11-15, 09:01 PM

Inverted World

Hal'Xaazar's faceless visage did not shift as his creation came to life and went on to walk the planes, but he did turn his back on that position, and raise his hand, five silvery blobs rising from his open hand and stretching into flat screens, upon which the images of Terran, Teikoku, Mondo, the Sun and Shujin. And he focuses on Mondo and the Sun

"Fire was taken from the world before mortals could acquaint themselves to it... Such potential prevented, it cannot be."

Then a sixth screen, showing Seelia.

"And now, your daugher bears the mantle of mindless life, so dependant on a gift you have partially denied."

Hal'Xaazar uncerimoniously shatters the mirrors of Seelia and the Sun, while casting the image of Mondo on the water at his feet, where the silver disk spreads on the surface, as the Opposer turns to Shujin, Terran and Teikoku.

"You seek to regain fire... But for what reasons? All the wrong ones, it is not needed after all, they never knew it, they do not truly miss it... But there are your spirits, of course. Still."

The three images float up behind Hal'Xaazar, even as the silvery pool before him rises into a statue of Mondo's monstrous form, and Hal'Xaazar's dexterous fingers stretch into fluid stalks with which he sculpts the image into a figure completely unlike that of the primal Fire God.

"You will show them how important fire is to the world... To all of them, including to the fire god who shall be your enemy, you will give them the direst of seasons, Saeric."

Cue, Solipsism.

planswalker

2010-11-15, 09:09 PM

Quarland, The Riverways

Quarland is put at ease by this god's laughing manner and attitude. He decides he likes this god.
To Sozuchi's question, he replies," Actually, I kind of was just here to introduce myself. Just going on a round through all the divinities i haven't met. Which is, well, everyone, besides Sora." His lips curl back in a sneer as he remembers that meeting. " Anyway, you're only the second other god I've met, but you're already my favorite. I just wanted to know what's with that storm your brewing up, sending the mortals dreams and such. I won't interfere, of course, whatever it is, I hope it'll make my elves stronger."

Sozuchi - the Riverways

"Oh, by all means interfere. My purpose is to make the world more exciting. The more hands in the pie, the more chance for excitement. These storms I am brewing, well, they are simply my next experiment. I want to see what happens when something not necessarily friendly happens to the mortals that they have no control over. Strength is bred through challenge, and these storms will definitely be most challenging."

The serpentine face contorts into an expression that is at first unrecognizable, then subtle details form, revealing a mischevious grin on a face that shouldn't be able to do so. "Wanna help?"

Rainshine

2010-11-15, 09:37 PM

Akhat -- Kamigawa

But the dust did not settle to the ground. As it fell, it fell around... something, outlining a shape, vaguely humanoid, but shifting beneath. Slowly, the dust began to circulate, revolving around the shape, as if some phantom wind were blowing on it. As the wind blew, so it began to change shape, until the shape mirrored that of Terran. It whirled for moments, endless moments, in such a shape, then changed again, growing into a six limbed creature, standing on four, with two outstretched. From somewhere within the cloud, there came a hoarse rumble.

"Akhat stands before you."

One limb reached out, growing some sort of smaller appendages, that flexed and moved, then vanished back into the cloud. Another rumble, quieter this time.

"And who do I have to thank for this form? You, strange creature?"

The limb gestured at Terran.

"Your form is different, the same material, but... different. Worse?"

Rizban

2010-11-15, 09:40 PM

Edistris Estras, Pyrokus

"I want to see for myself what the mortals are truly capable of. The current situation for them is meaningless, chained by their creators, denied the means with which to grow. I believe judging the inhabitants of the world right now is acting hasty. Only with power can a creature's true character be tested."

He pulled a single black feather out, holding it in his left hand. "Without fire, they may as well be destroyed here and now, before their dreams take them to this place, and trust me, they will."

Mondo, Pyrokus

"You speak in meaningless conjecture as if it were fact.

Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and the elder gods will call the past to account.

As for mortals, the gods test them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of mortal beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; mortals have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return."

Shmee

2010-11-15, 09:43 PM

Terran, Kamigawa

Shoujin simply points at the direction of his master, who at that moment was scratching his bald head at the destruction he had unwittingly caused.

"I guess that would be the one who will also have to clean this mess."

Looking at Akhat from top to bottom, Terran introduces himself

"I am Terran, the Immovable Mountain... and it seems that as I have unwittingly caused your existence, I have a certain measure of responsibility towards you... so tell me Akhat who stands before me... what manner of creature may you be?"

daelrog

2010-11-15, 09:59 PM

Edistris Estras-Pyrokus

"Your words ring true, for now. I wonder if the mortals will stay satisfied with that truth, or if they will make their own vision of themselves. I wonder whether or not they will live up to such a vision."

He glanced briefly at Seelia. "[COLOR="teal"]Your offspring should visit me once our places in the universe are settled. However, for now I feel it is time I exerted my will elsewhere. It is only decent that I let you have the last word on the matter though."

Rainshine

2010-11-15, 10:00 PM

Akhat -- Kamigawa

The creature shifted again, growing up, up, almost seven feet tall, two limbs fading as the swirling began to diminish. Slowly, legs and feet formed, arms and hands, and lastly, the beginnings of a face, with mouth, slit nose, and ears. Then, with a puff of air, the dust... vanished? There was a solid figure standing, skin a dark gold, head pointed at Terran, made all the more incongruous by the complete lack of any visible eyes.

"A mountain? Mountains are made orf rock. I am not rock, but I am."

The head tilted up, considering.

"Sand! I am a creature of sand. A mountain stands firm, but sand blows where it will, scourging flesh, and making clean..."

Tilting back down at Terran, the fingers flexed in and out on the arms, that seemed to be growing just a little.

"Thanks you, Terran, for bringing me to be."

The hands clapped together, suddenly, soundlessly. As they parted, a flood of sand began to pour down around Akhat's feet. It continued until it reached his knees, then stopped. The head looked down, mouth twisting, and his wrist flicked. The sand went airborne in a sudden, twisting sandstorm, ascending in a column until it vanished from sight.

"I see... Interesting."

Selinia

2010-11-15, 10:01 PM

Teikoku, Audience Chamber, The Imperial Palace

"Welcome, ambassador of the Inverted World."

Teikoku enters the room mere seconds after Val'Amun speaks his introduction, trailing three rather formidable individuals with whom she had obviously just been conversing. She remains silent as she takes a position in front of her own throne, turning to address the visitors rather than seating herself.

"I must ask your purpose here, however. The existence of your people has long been known, but you have rarely acted so openly as this. Always you have hidden behind a multitude of deceptions, and I do not pretend to assume you have stopped doing so. So you will forgive me if I am... less than trusting of you."

The goddess then falls silent, clearly awaiting an answer. Her companions are clearly appraising the Nerra - the girl attired in the robes of the Order of Air with curiosity, and woman in the blues of Water with caution... and the wizened old man with the unsettling gaze of one who knows entirely too much.

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-15, 10:27 PM

Quarland smiles evilly, " Oh, yes please."

Rizban

2010-11-15, 10:41 PM

Edistris Estras-Pyrokus

"Your words ring true, for now. I wonder if the mortals will stay satisfied with that truth, or if they will make their own vision of themselves. I wonder whether or not they will live up to such a vision."

He glanced briefly at Seelia. "Your offspring should visit me once our places in the universe are settled. However, for now I feel it is time I exerted my will elsewhere. It is only decent that I let you have the last word on the matter though."

Mondo, Pyrokus

"Enough has been said. You may leave."

With that, Mondo turns his back on Edistris and returns to watching his children from a distance, for the first time, his countenance becomes soft and kind.

Draken

2010-11-15, 10:44 PM

Val'Amun, Audience Chamber, The Imperial Palace

Val'Amun might have smiled, if he had a mouth to do so.

"Of course, I ask you to understand that we are not nearly as centralized as you are, great Empress."

Val'Amun raises his hands, and above him appears an image of the material world and the inverted world, a magnificent illusion, reduced to scale.

"The Inverted World is as vast as this material world, but we Nerra are numerous and not unified amongst its many lands, not like you. I do not represent our race as a whole, but those of us who live here..."

The image begins to dissipate until only the Blessed Isle and its mirror match remain.

"In the lands that match your own. Not all of the nerra among you are ours, many are mere travelers, interested in your culture, but mindful of their secrecy, others are, however, our scouts, to see if it would be good to trade with your people."

He lowers his arms, joining his hands under his sleeves, and the last of the illusion dissipates.

"Wariness is to be expected, but we would like to lift this veil of mistrust with a gift..."

Two members of the comitive move forward, pulling a pedestal bearing an ornate armor, made of similar material as that worn by the guards of the comitive, but crafted like those worn by the prestigious commanders of the Blessed Empire, alongside it is a daisho of the same reflective material.

"We have noticed that you rely mainly on wood, leather and stone, along with what rare silver you can find. This is glassteel, it is strong and durable, and easy to acquire, in our world, although harder to locate in this one. And one of the many things we can offer, should the hand of friendship be extended."

The two members of the comitive pull the pedestal further forward, as much as they are allowed to, before making their way back to the center of the comitive.

planswalker

2010-11-15, 10:56 PM

Quarland smiles evilly, " Oh, yes please."

Sozuchi - the Riverways

The great river serpent's eyes lit up with mischief at this. "Ooh, this should prove most fun! All I ask of you is that when storm clouds break out over the world, add your own twist to them, however you want. Oh, and feel free to tell the other gods you plan on meeting all about my plans. I'd love for this to become a party!"

Gunther

2010-11-15, 11:05 PM

And Lo, There Was A Kali.

"...I have it." Kali remarked, looking over the distant fields. He had spent so long searching, looking for an answer. Years of research, decades of effort, so much time and precious willpower put into uncovering the secret. His body had become faded with age, his mind dulling at the edges. He had been driven forward if only by this singular goal, his body left to atrophy. He had forsaken so much to get to this point, and as he clawed his way across the grassy knoll- one of but a legion- he could only belatedly realize that his legs had, in fact, given out. They had rotted away to some necrosis that had made his body burn with fever, not that he could really care so far into this malnutrition delirium.

The Goddess had sought to punish his flesh, to hinder his spirit through such mortal things as disease and famine and drought! Even as his arms revolted crawling up the hill any further, the starlit sky seemed to beckon him closer. Finally dragging himself atop the grassy knoll, he turned himself upon his back, at last deigning to stare into the heavens.

Teikoku be damned for her petty diseases and interruptions.

And whatever other Gods sought to interrupt his search for this question's answer. An answer he now knew.

"I know now, I know so clearly." He rattled out, even as his physical shell died.

"What makes a God?"

And his divine one was formed. Not by intended hands, or by some purposeful rhyme or reason, but a sheer necessity of the laws of nature. The laws of the world so freshly born from the fires of creation. So much power, expelled so furiously upon the soil, was designed to have an equal and opposite reaction. In producing so much, something else must be made, divine energy cannot be so easily configured into matter without some process- some consumption along the line.

And Kali had been wrought of that consumption, logic and reasoning having served as a beacon for those stray, ethereal motes- so much contributed by the hand of Teikoku, and yet so much more contributed by others. The world below him was blindingly complex, even as he stared down upon it from the ethereal realm.

Kali looked at his body for quite some time, his new form- his divine form- no longer needing sleep nor food nor drink. His body seethed with the very essence of what it meant to be a god, and as he looked upon this world the First had shaped? He found that it was, indeed, a grand construct. Things he had never grasped in his mortal life, from the base components of the Human form to the various compositions of minerals that made up the soil, now burned so clearly in his mind. Atrophy was his foe for all eternity, but he now was a living, divine torch with which to burn it all away!

But mankind was a weak creature. Prone to violence. Fear. Though they formed kingdoms, they sought unity rather than thought. They had vestigial organs that simply served no purpose. They had the spark of creativity, yes, but it did not burn within them as it did within Kali!

And it was thus that Kali made a new species, shearing the husk of his former flesh and drawing from his divine energies a creature that would be so much more than man would ever be. It would not have need for uselessly long limbs, or vestigial organs to simply make it look pretty. It would be a creature of unbridled inspiration and thought, and Kali would burn into its very genes the concept of thought.

And so, with suitable theatrics upon the grassy fields, the first Gnomes were born. Wretchedly small things, they were not made by whatever standards of attractiveness that existing mortals abide by. Rather, while Kali had made it so they could reproduce- and reproduce frequently when the need arose- he had given them slightly larger, and much more active, brains.

Of course, being relatively inexperienced at this sort of thing, the first Gnomes Kali made had ended up using too much of their brain, and promptly forgot how to breathe whilst embracing unparalleled levels of brain activity.

The second batch of Gnomes, while designed with automatic actions like breathing and knowing how to move their fairly small limbs, were more in-line with what Kali had envisioned. However, he had made them a bit too creative rather than intelligent, and they had promptly degenerated into a free-for-all of vicious hands-on bloodletting when they realized that the Gnome next to them didn't taste half bad.

And so this went on, Kali constantly having to revise his concept of just what his grand race would be. Though the resulting catastrophes to what he would find an acceptable creature (for the meantime) would have been hilarious to most others, the progenitor of Knowledge was a bit more reserved than laughing at the blood-soaked hill.

When he finally was satisfied, at least enough that the Gnomes did not kill themselves, each other, or take a good stab at killing the soil they stood upon in the name of curiosity, Kali had decided it high time to let his people free.

Free to inhabit a new home. Which, of course, he would have to build. Though his powers were barely touched, he felt no small amount of irritation at this point at just how difficult it had been to get a single primitive species working in a fashion that didn't end with total extinction in just a few moments. Even with this latest incarnation, they were already trying to discover their limitations (Mostly by having one beat up the other as the rest watched, until 'the other' in that situation stopped breathing and started smelling).

Still, what was done, was done- Kali had made the Gnomes just as he had wanted, creatures driven by motivation. Even if their beginning was laced with such odd activities as bashing one another over the head, he had a feeling that they would work out in the end. If not? He'd just start from scratch. Again.

Exerting his divine will once more, the godling lanced the soil before the milling Gnomes with a beacon of pure energy. Where other gods had sought to make massive continents, spread out so far and so wide, he looked upwards, towards the heavens that had once been so tempting to him- but were now so very, very well understood.

And he forged from the soil so skewered something grand, isolated, yet so very grand. Layers of meta and soil were yanked upwards, divine energy coruscating up and down the length of the structure. Built by what he had witnessed within the Blessed Empire, he designed it with grand scope in mind. There, there were the massive balconies, jutting forth on equally massive plateaus! There crops would be grown on the mineral-rich soil, so much being shaped and sculpted from what had already been put there. There! So large an area, so rich in resources, was consolidated. Metals were dispersed below this forming structure, the soil rebelling as something new- something grand was being forged by divine influence. Just as gods had made mountains, so- too- was Kali now creating a new home for his people. The size of its cavernous halls could accommodate things countless times larger than the Gnomes that they were meant for, massive spaces of seeming emptiness built within, darkness stretching well beyond what the eye might see.

And yet, for all its grandeur, the tower was not some ultimate product. Just as its interior was so empty, the metals and gemstones and gold beneath its stone and earthen cellars left untapped, so- too- was the deity's thirst for knowledge unfulfilled. It would be the task of his Gnomes to take this grand structure, with its immense bulwarks of earth and stone, with its veins that ran hot with now-cooling magma and the diverted rivers that even now bled water into its lowest levels, and make it into their home. He gave them what knowledge he had ascended with, the basic tools with which to begin making a true home.

And then, he sat back and waited. How the Gnomes progressed from here would be interesting. A learning experience.

Create Life- Gnomes. 1 AP

Create Society: The Citadel. Free due to Organized.

Landshape: The Citadel. ~10,000 sq miles of a mean, lean, shaped tower. 1 AP

Lead Populace: Agriculture invented. Free due to Leader of Men.

Lead Populace: Tool making introduced. 1 AP

Lead Populace: Writing introduced. 1 AP

Lead Populace: Engineering introduced. 1 AP

Lead Populace: Basic chemistry/alchemy introduced. 1 AP.

Total AP left: 8 AP

DragonOfUndeath

2010-11-15, 11:48 PM

a reverberation through the Planes snapped Immortas out of his meditation. He sent himself through the Planes to the source of the disturbance and noticed a godling creating a bunch of short utilitarian race, he watched soundlessly from a distance as they died, recreated and died again. after some time of this Immortis noticed they were improving, they weren't senselessly killing each other or dying from flaws in their anatomy. eventually the godling (Kali his mind informed) found a form suitable and created a giant tower as their home. Immortas appeared next to Kali, his laughing skull face as blank as ever and his golden body still in the kneeling position he was created in. he spoke.

<Welcome to our circle Kali, were you planning on meeting the other Gods before changing more things?>

Selinia

2010-11-16, 12:06 AM

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-16, 12:25 AM

Alek, Aura, House Rez'phauroo Fortress

Alek cleaved a diagonal slash through the Rez soldier with his bone sword. Two more came charging at him, one from his left, one from behind. He rolled sideways, catching the one behind with a one-handed stab and backstabbing the surprised other one with his dagger. Looking around, he realized there were no more around him. He focused his thoughts, sensing many life forces in the heavily barricaded great hall before him. He approached the door. An arrow shot at him from one of the towers of the fortress. He spun, caught the arrow, and hurled it back. The archer fell.
Alek cocked his ear for the sounds of battle coming throughout the mammoth stone structure. They were dying down now, as the remaining defenders fled into the jungle or surrendered.
Concentrating on the hall in front of him, he focused his reserves of divine power into a blast, demolishing the centuries old stone barriers and the wards. He calmly strode through the dust.
Movement. Two Rez charged him directly. He sidestepped, blocked, and shoved one of them into the other. They both stumbled, and he impaled both. More shapes approached him. Leaving his sword, he threw his obsidian dagger at one, braining him. Five more rushed him, two circled.
Using his bare hands, he grabbed one's sword arm, and wrenched him into the path of another's downward slash. His blade bit into him with a sickening squelch. He sidestepped a stab, and punched the attacker in the chest. It collapsed inward. A pistol crossbow was fired at him. He ducked, pulled him dagger from the head of a dead Rez, and threw it.
From the darkness, a creaking sound came. With thunderous steps, a fiftenn foot obsidian golem approached. It's razor sharp edges shined. Alek backed up warily, then grabbed the arm of an attempted backstabber, and threw him at the golem. His body was cut in half. The golem put on a sudden burst of speed, closing the distance. Alek ducked the first swipe, but cut his arm on the golems knee. He dived through the golem's legs, cutting his stomach. The golem started to laborously turn. Alek didn't give him the chance, picking him up, despite the deep cuts he received. Alek flexed his muscles and power, throwing the golem at a group of soldiers, who sat watching warily. It tore through them, and shattered against a wall. A Rez cleric started to cast, but another stopped him.
An aged Rez noble stepped out. "We surrender.", he said, showing no shame. " We cannot defeat you. You truly are the chosen of Quarland." The cleric kneeled. As did the remaining troops. And so did what seemed to be the entirety of the House's nobility, standing behind their leader.
"You are now servants of the House of En'Quios," recited Alek, as he had so many times before. " You will assist us in establishing a nation for the Forsaken, as per the Holy Mandate given to me by the Masked Lord, Quarland the Dark. Do you comply?" As if he didn't know the answer.
"Yes.", the cleric responded. " Long live our monarch, Alek the Great."

Seramus

2010-11-16, 12:40 AM

DragonOfUndeath

2010-11-16, 12:54 AM

Immortas: The Void

the creation of the 'gnomes' by the godling Kali intrigued Immortas, as he was talking to the godling he sent a sliver of thought through the world and took a closer look at the beings inhabiting it.
He saw the humans, the Blessed, the war-torn Forsaken and lastly the dwarves, these dwarves bore a striking resemblance to both gnomes and humans as if they were a kind of missing link.
Curious he snatched a few from the Material Plane and deposited them in the empty Plane of Stasis (Fileun).

Immortas: Fileun

he watched them amusedly as they struggled to run until they collapsed to the ground from exhaustion.
inside their bodies he saw Decay and Entropy eating away at them, they needed to take things in and out of their body to survive and eventually they would succumb to the disease his father had spread through the world. seeing the Death his mirror Josiah proclaimed nearly unbalanced the order of his thought. Immortas decided to remove this Entropy from the dwarves as proof it was not needed, that Josiah was wrong to proclaim it as inevitable.

his thought picked the dwarves up again but this time started to change them, to warp them into Stasis, he removed the need for food, water and waste but as he was inexperienced at Creation he knew the things needed Blood to fuel movement and brain function, cursing his inexperience he replaced the organs now not needed with the other organs needed to live, he sharpened their teeth sharper than any wood, rock or stone ever made, he elevated their brains copying the process he had stolen from Kali's thoughts, he made their brain emit a pulse designed to make the hearer look upon the creature as if it was the most beautiful thing in the world, their reflexes no longer bound by the speed of electricity rocketed up several orders as the spinal cord was removed.

After a long time had passed he was finished, the vampires (as he called them) were fast, agile and fanged, their brains worked faster than all but the gnomes and their eyesight worked far better than the best elf, their fangs dripped poison that would turn any creature bitten into a vampire in a matter of hours.
their only weakness was one discovered after he had finished; the Curse the dwarves labored under still affected the vampires, albeit only slightly, they could withstand the Sun for several hours but must retreat into darkness to recover.

Next he needed a place to put the vampires he had created. his eyes fell on the Blessed Isle, his thoughts remembered the Inverted World an idea popped into his head, near the Blessed Isle he rose from the fog a flat Plain so barren that nothing lived, no trees dotted the landscape, no birds squawked incessantly, no Human built so much as a hut to protect from a non-existent wind. all was still, peaceful, stable.

OOC:
9-5=4AP: Create Life (Vampire) (offset by Progenitor)
Create Land (Barren Plains) (SR3)
GP: 8/12

Incendax

2010-11-16, 01:40 AM

Sora, the Void.
Sora made many plans for the future and often dreamed of many races that he could father. To him the creation of life was like art. He could breed two species together and father a new race that might have a mix of the strengths and frailties of both. Sora learned that specific breeding would generate rather specific results, and certain qualities could be intentionally bred with those of similar quality and create a product that was even stronger than the original. This would all come in time, but first Sora needed a place to ensure that that his children would grow strong. It took many centuries before he became certain of his destination.

Sora-as-Avatar, the World.
Understanding the motives of his true form, the avatar of Sora went amongst his children and held many contests to determine their true worth. The contests were varied in nature, but the winner was always chosen by Sora to be the parent of a new generation of children. For decades these challenges were held, and while the exact details of the contests changed from year to year they never wavered in nature.

The first contest was one of sheer might, for Sora required his children to be strong of body. Such contests often involved the lifting of increasingly impressive rocks, bending objects that were nearly impossible to bend, or wrestling a mighty beast to a standstill so others could kill it and eat it.

The second contest was one of sheer endurance, for Sora required his children to be strong of heart. Such contests involved standing out in the freezing cold, enduring the string of countless insects, or submerging themselves in the waters of the Water World until they would pass out.

The third contest was one of sheer intellect, for Sora required his children to be strong of mind. Such contests involved reciting the oral traditions of his people from start to finish, detailing all the animals of the world, or watching the skies for the subtle changes of weather that were beginning to manifest.

The third contest was one of sheer passion, for Sora required his children to be strong of spirit. Such contests involved naming grand goals and then striving to accomplish them within the span of a week, writing epic ballads of poetry that expressed the soul, or empower themselves with boundless rage against a worthy opponent.

Solipsism

2010-11-16, 01:45 AM

Saeric and Hal'Xazzer - The Inverted World

Stepping out of the mirror, Saeric was truly born. His first breath fogged and fell, the voice that followed seemed just as heavy. "And so it shall be, He Who Gave Me Form, and so it shall be, but that is only part of it. They seek the chaos of fire, I will show them the order of it's absence. Eventually, they will come to know the beauty of stillness."

Turning as though to leave, a thought struck him and he spoke again. "Others shouldn't know where I come from; the hardships I mean to strike will be harsher that way. While I have no right to impose that on you, nor nothing to offer in return, I do think you'd see the logic behind that. Besides, perhaps this secret would bind us together." Not waiting for a response, he moved on to the void. He couldn't force an outcome on his father. It just didn't matter if he stayed longer.

Saeric - The Void

From his vantage here, he looked down on the material world. Here was where he would do his work, spread his order, prove his truth better than all other. Raising his hand, he decided to start his work on the edge of it, shaping land that was cold and barren. Ice and snow would have covered it, had the world yet known storms, but, for now, an intense chill filled the air. Hardy, durable plants sprung in the slightly lit tundra. Here he made large beasts, mammoths he would call them, great animals that could survive these lands.

Farther from the light, where darkness was near constant, he laid his touch on the world again, this time pulling figures reminiscent of himself from the lifeless rock. For the most part, they looked like men but standing twice as tall and with stone protruding from their skin. Looking at them, knowing his creation well, Saeric felt no pity for them. They could live here, if they took from the mammoths. Reaching to one, he whispered their fates in her ear. "Bind them as a whole, and you can struggle here, daughter, but let them break apart and you will all fall silent."

For years he watched as the young woman he touched grew. A huntress who could take down the great beasts with ease, a mother of three surviving children, and, above all else, a leader. She united the First Clan and searched out the others, brought them all to prosperity and gave their race a name. "Goliath" she called them, meaning "united" in their language. Her they called Thymilgol, or "She who brought us." Strong and ordered, he was proud of his creation.

Taking cold and molding it, he threw it to Thymilgol. Arriving next to her, she felt nothing but a slight breeze as it passed by. Anywhere else, a dense fog would have made it's presence known, but with so little moisture in the air here, it seemed as though nothing was there. Her only other sign for it's existence was when it reached for her.

Touching her arm, she suddenly felt cold like nothing ever, even in the Lightless Mountains. "Be you not afraid," a voice spoke in her head, colder than ice, yet warmer than that she had heard before, "I speak His words. I carry His favor and His accursed blessing. As of now, you are the only one the Frozen Lord has deemed worthy to hear me, but, eventually, all who live will know who We are. Call me Winter's Breath, but know that's not your Father's name. I speak it once and only once, so remember it well. He is Saeric."

With that the chill left her, and so did the attention of her patron. Saeric hadn't lived for long, though he had sprung from that mirror with purpose in his mind, and he honestly knew nothing of divine politics. For now, he sat in the Void, waiting. Surely someone would come around to meet the new god, someone he could get information from.

AP 7 = 12-5 Create Terrain - Test of Courage (mildly crescent shaped with the outside edge reaching into the lighted area of the world, but the ends reaching out from it. It becomes more and more mountainous as you leave the light.)
AP 7 = 7-0 Create Life (Free from Progenitor) - Mammoth
AP 6 = 7-1 Create Life - Goliaths
AP 5 = 6-1 Create Society - The Clansmeet
AP 4 = 5-1 Raise Hero - Thymilgol
AP 2 = 4-2 Create Avatar - Winter's Breath
GP = 10/12

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-16, 01:58 AM

Quarland, Riverworld

Quarland's eyes lit up with anticipation. " Well, until then, I'll spread word to others. This is going to be fun!" With a flash of darkness, he dissipates.

Quarland, Audience Hall, Imperial Palace

Smelling the sweet scent of political intrigue and potential violence, Quarland teleports into the Empress' palace to watch the proceedings. He tries to stay as unseen as he can, but is unsure of his success.

Alek, Aura, The Bare Waste

The Bare Waste.
That was what they called this place now.
Never had a more fitting name been made.
The Bare Waste was a wasteland, scarred by divine magic in the earlier wars. No trees or plants would grow. No animals could survive there.
And yet this was the battlefield. The troops of House En'Quios, over one million strong, faced the combined strength of the Coalition. One million verses three. For the first time since he began his crusade, he felt nervous, unsure. Surely the cost of unity was not this high. Even if he won this battle, would it be worth it? He berated himself for his blasphemy. Of course it was worth it, such was the teaching of Quarland. The strong would survive and thrive.
His daughter, Vikierna, approached him from behind. " The Coalition's forces approach.", she said quietly.
Alek sighed. So be it. He drew his sword, white bone shining. "Prepare to charge." he ordered.
The army responded. Regiments formed. War songs were sung. Troops moved into positions. Crossbows reloaded and clicked. Alek moved to the head of the wedge. Raising his bone sword high, he gestured forward.
The ground shook. Pebbles dislodged with the clamor. Both sides advanced with the steady, slow march of unwanted destiny. Whatever the result, Alek's crusade ended here and now.
The two armies closed the gap.

DragonOfUndeath

2010-11-16, 02:04 AM

Immortas-The Void

hearing the mental call for someone Immortas appeared before the new god.

Hello Brother, I see our Father, The Opposer is hard at work churning out new gods. You seek information about the other gods unless your thoughts lie?

Solipsism

2010-11-16, 02:40 AM

Saeric & Immortas - The Void

Giving this newcomer a hard look, Saeric opened his mouth to speak. "Indeed, brother, I need as much information as I can get. I must know how to push them but not draw ire, to prod but not be kicked. I need to know who to bargain with and who to avoid, but, most importantly, I need to know who created everything on that world. I have... offers for them. Gifts, at the least." Ice glazed his eyes at the last comment, something that could have been fire in any other, but it was gone in his next blink.

"I am Saeric, brother, and anything you have to give me would be much appreciated. I will repay you one day, part of my being walks the Forbidden Ground as we speak. He can carry my blessings to any peoples I deem worthy and, for information today, I would grant you that to a champion of your choice."

Obscurejones

2010-11-16, 03:14 AM

Belos, Pyrokus
The adamantine and mithril inevitable gave a single flex, and from two compartments sprang the previously seen cudgel and club. These two weapons were crafted from the same adamantine that Belos was composed from, and had somewhat intricate gold filigree tracing a pattern of fire across their black surface. Belos let forth a brief click of gears as he deftly turned to the side and demonstrated numerous different strokes of each.

"The cudgel surpasses the club in durability and striking power, since it is wrapped with brands of metal. In some cases these bands of metal had knobs upon the end to enhance the ability to bend the armor of an opponent. A club only surpasses the cudgel in availability and stealth. The former because any improved weapon has the possibility of being used with the same attack patterns as a club. The latter because a club is not as obviously defined as a weapon."

"Rest assured that I am capable of creating a cudgel or club to any specification that you desire, provided that you sign numerous documents binding you from preventing such a weapon from being utilized by anyone but yourself or your direct representatives. Further details may be provided upon request. I am capable of crafting a bludgeoning weapon that can shatter the earth with a single stroke, hammer the soul of your opponent out of their own body, or punch a hole through reality itself. Do you wish to sign?"

Josiah, Pyrokus

Josiah weighed his options and again thought of the bone his workers labored to refine. He lifted his head and hand once more to sign a compact with Belos, when suddenly he found himself doubled over, grasped by pain.

That... That is surprising. One moment cousin while I locate the source of this new sensation.

And so he glanced out from Pyrokus, sweeping his eyes over heavens and earth searching for the source of his suffering. And his eyes fell upon the Vampires, that newly formed offspring of the Dwarves. These creatures were wrong, and were anathema to his very soul. And even the heavens of Pyrokus saw a god changed by his anger. And Josiah did quake with rage and turned his gaze back upon Belos.

I would have a cudgel, that I may drive these abominations from the earth, and their god from the heavens! I will shatter his bones, drive his creations into the earth, strike every trace of this foul life without end from existence! I sign, Belos and may the great creators have no mercy for whoever stands before our creation.

And with that, Josiah plucked his bone back from the Rot and laid it before Belos. And where once it was merely a bone, it now lay gleaming before them, an ivory shaft of the purest white wrapped in vine but also in enchantments of destruction, soft and subtle, a weapon to warp the flesh and call plagues down upon any who would stand before Josiah and his newfound ally in war.

DragonOfUndeath

2010-11-16, 03:44 AM

Immortas and Saeric: The Void

<Mondo, your opposite is full of pride in his work and disdain for the powers of others, he will deny this to the last but he believes Fire to be the most powerful of the 4 Elements and any gifts you give him he will think insignificant or worse than what he could have done

Sozuchi, the water god is ever moving, flitting from one subject to the other, any gifts to him must seem unboring to him though what that means even i can't work out

Kali, a new God will forever seek knowledge and progress no matter the source. a gift of knowledge is the most prized for hi->

Immortas suddenly disappeared leaving Saeric with some final words:

<Josiah wishes to oppose my creations the Vampire, i must strike first before he can use his new weapon, i shall be back later>

Immortas: Fileun

In his home Plane Immortas studies the thoughts of Belos, sifting through the schematics looking for what he needed to defend himself, finally he found it. he summoned two golden strands each 1/2 his size. with a thought they solidified into a form resembling the short-swords the mortals sometimes used.

his weapons hovering around him as if held by invisible bodyguards he turned his attention to the Material Plane, He focused on a village in the Blessed Isle turning a dozen or so into vampires and setting them loose on the rest of the town, the militia fought back but were eventually turned as well, as the trained warriors turned their memories of fighting were spread through the rest of them by Immortas making each adept at fighting with the crude weapons the villagers had created. Assured his Vampire's numbers would grow he returned to the problem of Josiah. he disappeared from Fileun.

Immortas: The Rot

In a forest of rotting vegetation a crouching skeleton appeared, his laughing skull at complete odds with the emotions coursing through him.
<Come and face me Josiah! Gaze upon your opposite in fear>

OOC:
5-3 (Twin Blades of Stasis) (Battle Artifact +1)
2-1 (Curse Towns with Vampire Plaque)
1-1 (Bless Vampires with Combat Proficiency)
0AP
GR12/12 DR+1

Gunther

2010-11-16, 07:04 AM

And Lo, Kali enjoyed what he had wrought
Kali, for his part, was fairly surprised at how his Gnomes were doing. He had introduced the basics of agriculture, tool making, literature, so many magnificent things! Things that the world could use thrice over!

And yet, the Gnomes hadn't quite used it in the way he had expected. Not at first. When he had taught them how to captivate plants and tame the least feral beasts, they had decided it best to see just how to use this new found knowledge to try and grow fields of opiates, and tame the most feral of creatures. Whilst there were basic crops being grown, his Gnomes had taken his teachings well out of the context they were intended in.

It nearly brought a tear to his eye to see so much unexpected creativity, so much learning being accomplished without his guidance. There were fatalities, of course, but dead Gnomes was hardly something he was surprised at- though they had become exceptionally good at disposing of the bodies that resulted from their curiosity. A few tears, a "Oh my Kali, they killed Boddypen!", and a quick heave-ho into the nearest river out of town.

Kali had not even contemplated making an avatar until Immortas had approached him, the new godling content to watch just what he had created, like a young man witnessing a colony of ants that he had just poured large quantities of hallucinogens over.

"Other gods?" Kali asked, "Oh! Yes. Yes, that would be courteous, now wouldn't it? So! I take it you are some herald of the other gods, here to help show me the ropes as it were?"

Down below, one of the Gnomes had attempted to take tool crafting to the next level, having created a 'wood forge' to try and make wood into tougher, much more useful forms of wood. However, wood is not like iron, and soon the entire workshop had collapsed upon itself, the attempt at rigging a sharpening wheel for sticks resulting in absolute carnage. Kali logged the attempt regardless, filing it away for the sake of knowing.

Obscurejones

2010-11-16, 09:30 AM

Josiah, Pyrokus

While Josiah waited for Belos's mighty Viasuran cogs and gears to wind into action he turned to Seelia.

Cousin, as you have said the mortal races must learn not to feed on nature but to coexist. I have seen upon the earth a race given only to feed, that will see the earth barren and devoid of honest life. What aid might you give me against these abominations, the vampire?

Seramus

2010-11-16, 10:09 AM

Belos, Pyrokus.
Belos waited patiently as Josiah recovered from his momentary bout of pain, as a single plate slid open to reveal a compartment containing nothing more than a stack of papers and a golden quill. In some ways this quill could be considered an artifact on it's own, for it bound the user to the non-disclosure agreements that Fire Lord Mondo required of all gods who would petition Belos for weapons. When Josiah swiftly goes over the paperwork, he finds that the letters written by the quill glow with golden radiance for several long seconds before settling down upon the pages with finality.

After presenting the papers, Belos was frighteningly still. With the last signature he bursts into a flurry of activity as his gears click and whir, with compartments snapping forth all the tools of the forger's trade. Belos took the ivory shaft in his clamps and walked through the machinery of Pyrokus until he came to the furnaces. The flurry intensified now, as Belos became nothing more than a blur. Countless little tools adjusted the shaft, etched into the bone arcane symbols, heated the bone with the fires of Pyrokus, threw strange powders upon the shaft, and repeatedly hammed at the shaft.

Every single tool snapped back into their compartments and Belos held the shaft away from Pyrokus, so that the winds of Julien could quench that terrible heat. When it was safe to touch, Belos handed the shaft back to Josiah. Now the bone glowed with a fierce power and sigils were painstakingly etched, while bands of adamantine were wrapped about the head.

"Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of a mighty and terrible weapon forged by the Lord of War. No doubt you will wish to direct it towards your foes immediately, but it is my duty to inform you that the contract you signed permits you 10 seconds of Divinely Morphic power to reshape the weapon as you see fit. Only my forging brand is incapable of being changed, save moving it to a location you wish. Your 10 seconds starts... NOW!"

Incendax

2010-11-16, 11:00 AM

Sora, the Void.
Sora set forth the call to his children from high above the world, for it was time for their greatest challenge to date. If his children were to understand hardship and loss they would have to struggle through the endless forests, the heated deserts, fantastic climbs, and the eternal darkness. It was time for his people to stop living off the largess of other gods and find a home for themselves. Once the call was sent out, Sora took the time to see the many and mighty predators that had grown upon the world of light. Some of these hunters were divinely inspired, and Sora knew that in time the battle would come to his own doorstep. So it was that Sora took stock in each of the new gods that had sprung up since he last bothered to notice such things and discovered a god capable of forging for him what he needed most. Sora took his great Chimera Staff in hand and left for Pyrokus immediately.

Sora-as-Avatar, the World.
Sora heard the call of his godly essence so high above and so did his numerous children. Many of them took heart to know that their god watched over them with a loving eye, and more curiously many grumbled with discontent that was somewhat uncharacteristic. Sora inquired as to why their spirits had wavered, and those who were bred for intelligence claimed that they were eager to go forth into the world and prove themselves without a god looming over them like babies. Sora's face twisted into a grin as he thought of what his godly essence desired, and so he laid out his grand plans before all the giants.

Those who were intelligent found many flaws with the plan but when faced with the charisma of the avatar they were brought to heel and aided in correcting most of these flaws. Those who were mighty at first balked at such annoyance, but when Sora explained that there would be many foes along the way they warmed to the idea. Those who were passionate objected the strongest of all, and they divided their opinions sharply. Sora allowed those who were most discontent to stay behind in the world and fend for themselves. He let them know that he was most proud of them, and if they had the strength to survive on their own them they were greater for it. Of all his children, only those who were bred for endurance looked towards the challenge with eagerness.

It took only a few weeks to gather up the necessary supplies, for the blessings of Sora were visited upon the plants and animals near his children and there was always plenty to hunt and harvest. At long last they answered the call of their god and let forth a great shout that carried across the winds of Julien far and wide.

The giants had begun to move.

Obscurejones

2010-11-16, 12:58 PM

Josiah, Pyrokus

Josiah reached down and dragged Belos's sign into a more prominent position on the weapon. Gave it a few practiced swings and his normally benevolent face creased into a frown, dislodging some debris. He gave it a few more swings.

I seem to be... Rather a novice at this. Could you perhaps teach me how best to use this new weapon?

Selinia

2010-11-16, 01:16 PM

The Weaver, The Blessed Isle

This tale begins sometime back from now, with a man in a humble corner of the mighty Empire of Humanity. His humble cottage, with his humble tools, was located nicely on a crossroads through which many traveled, but where few stopped. But for those who were willing to rest their bones in his company, the man was a good and true friend to any traveler.

For though his body was crippled since birth, he was a master at his trade. He would could spin from mere tatters a fine and sturdy cloak, or mend a fraying tunic. All he ever asked in return was a story of the lands beyond his little home, and a scrap of cloth to remember his guest by. He rarely met the same traveler more than a handful of times, but he was never lonely, for he loved his work with a passion few could match.

He would claim from time to time he knew every road on the Isle by name, and after a manner, he did. His precious scraps of cloth told a story with every stain and tear and patch. This one traveled the lands on the back of an honest merchant, who brought himself up from poverty with nothing but his wits and a good pair of traveling shoes. That one was the hem from the battle-dress of a noble Shugenja, cut to ribbons in a fierce battle against foul bandits.

Word of his skill - perhaps by fate, or merely coincidence - traveled through the lands. From a samurai, to her daimyo, and eventually to the ears of the Empress herself. It was not often that a noble would sing such praises of a commoner, and Teikoku's curiosity was aroused. She sent a summons for the man, and an escort to help him to the Capitol. The weaver happily accepted, packing up his tools at the prospect of an honor few ever received.

By now, he was an old, old man - though as skilled and vigorous as ever. He was offered a chance to immortalize himself forever, with the most elaborate piece of weave-craft the world had ever seen. A great tapestry, to be hung in the Empress' own audience chamber. On it would be a map - the most detailed, beautiful map the world had ever seen, to display to all the wonder and beauty of the Empire. The craftsman knew his days were coming to a close, and happily accepted.

He was offered all manner of maps and charts to work from, but he refused them all. He would work from his tales, and his old friends - for even on his journey, he had not abandoned his collection of little scraps. For a year and a day he worked, stitching endlessly, a smile on his face the whole time. But on the last day, he stopped. He looked at his masterpiece, complete but for one tiny detail - all that remained was to make the final stitches, and weave his signature into the fabric. He was happy - he had been afraid he would not finish...

And then, peacefully, happily, the craftsman passed away.

The Empress looked at his work, and was impressed. Not by the beauty of the fabric, though beautiful it was, but by the purity of intent that had formed it. The man had lived for his work, selflessly pouring himself into the task he loved right until the very end, and never once asking for anything in return. Quietly, she summoned the old man's spirit to her presence, and offered him a boon for his lifetime of efforts. Whatever he asked, he would receive.

The spirit pondered for a long moment, then gave a simple request. He wished to have a chance to walk the roads he had spent his whole life dreaming of. Teikoku chuckled at the simplicity of it - although truly, it was not far from what she had expected. So she took the man's spirit, and bound it to the multitude of cloths he had loved so dearly. The creature shambled to its feet - a patchwork man, with all manner of colors and patterns across its body - and donned the craftsman's hat. With a bow of respect and a nod of thanks, it set out merrily along its way. It is said that all roads lead back to the Capitol, and Sleeves was determined to take every one.

But something happened, as the Weaver happily pounded along his trails. The spirits of the road welcomed him - and he them, finally meeting his old friends in person. Perhaps it was his entourage of spirits. Perhaps it was something about the raods themselves. Perhaps it was simply what happens when one loves something more than life itself.

But Sleeves became a god, walking the paths of Kamigawa. And so he remains, the traveler's friend forevermore.

Solipsism

2010-11-16, 01:44 PM

Draken

2010-11-16, 01:50 PM

Teikoku, Audience Hall, The Imperial Palace

The nerra's brief description of the state of the inverted world was more or less what she had expected from her research into them. They were a fractured mirror, and just as the world lacked unity, so did they. But broken glass was just as deadly as is was when whole.

"Your gifts are fine, and I thank you for them. But one does not build trade on gifts. Nor do trinkets, however fine, relive you of the veil of suspicion. What do you wish from our lands, that you would trade this glassteel for? Why do you approach us now, when for so long you worked to remain hidden?"

Meanwhile, Teikoku was making careful mental note of the being who had decided that her Isle would make a fine place for a divine construction project. The essence felt familiar, like that of her humans... she looked forward with curiosity to meeting it. But for the moment, her attention remained fixed on the Nerra.

Val'Amun and Teikoku

Val'Amun's words began again, like a siren's song, but void of magic, because it would be more than unwise to try to addle the mind of a deity with any enchantments.

"Because you can offer something we desire, of course. A simple luxury we appreciate, art, culture. That is what interests us most. Painting, sculpture, dance, yours... Appeals to our tastes." - More literally than one would imagine - "And our gift is but a sign of goodwill, and it serves another purpose, as a testament to the quality of what we offer."

And that last question... Why now...

"And we approach you now because it is when we are confortable with, it is now that we find that you may offer what our people seek."

planswalker

2010-11-16, 02:41 PM

Saeric - The Void

Saeric watched the spot that his "brother" had left for a short amount of time, to make sure he'd actually gone like he'd said. Content in his absence, he began moving towards the Endless Waterways. Stopping at the edge, not quite knowing how this deity would take to parts of his kingdom freezing, he let out a call, "Come, meet me, Sozuchi. I have an offer for you, something to make your creations' lives far more interesting." His face gave icy cracks as he put on a smiling face for this deity. "Fun" was the word that had run through his head when the Nameless Brother described him, and "fun" was not "demure."

Hearing another deity call out to him, Sozuchi respond. "Ooh, another new one! You people are popping up all over the place these days. Incoming!"

With that, a massive splash is followed by a tidal wave of water as Sozuchi exits the Dragon Ring.

"As the god of not-boring, I'm always interested in meeting someone who can make things interesting. What's your offer?"

Gunther

2010-11-16, 03:10 PM

A Surfing Machine?

The Citadel had become fairly active since the Gnomes had first moved into it. It had been a handful of months, and though they had done their part in helping inhabit this new home. Those within it knew that it had been built for them, even though a measure of their number had decided that the area outside of the tower was much more worth their while. Those who decided that had either been eaten by wild critters, "slipped" and had their heads caved in, or degenerated into some other horrible fate. For now, the Gnomes were content to work within their tower-city. Even by generous estimates, they had barely begun to make their way through the lowest levels! They had been forced to operate by what sunlight they could steal, and things within the Citadel became very interesting at night.

It was by the fourth day of exploration, and the latest handful of staircase-related deaths, that the current leaders of the Gnomes (Those who had thus far proven themselves bright enough to not get killed either by curiosity, stupidity, or some mixture thereof) decided it was high time to see just how other races were handling the issue of dealing with pitch blackness inside a crowded workshop in the wee moments before dawn.

How did they know there were, in fact, others out there? It was quite simple, really: Kali wouldn't have put them on a world all by themselves, now would he? It'd have been downright illogical for there to be nobody that the Gnomes could study/learn from/make peace with/secretly experiment upon.

And so they had begun work upon the only thing that actually made sense. From what they could tell, there was a massive mist beyond the continent they were on. As the majority of the Gnomish people convened on how to just surmount what looked like a sea of mist, those with a bit more sound head on their shoulders decided it was time to try and see what they could find on their own continent. Taking what stone-tipped spears they had available, as well as spare papyrus, some waterskins, and far too many tools and spare writing styluses carried in a myriad of animal skin satchels. After all, finding some foreign folk was great, but what was the point if you couldn't begin taking the best bits from their culture and spreading it amongst your own? Especially since it gave the right to make a fuss about things if it all didn't go according to plan!

With those Gnomes since departed, and automatically assumed dead, the remainder within the Citadel began the only-recently-invented ancestral tradition of experimenting, testing, and then seeing what needed to be written down and improved later. Using sinew ropes and plant fibers, they built the wooden frames from the lightest timber they could find (Mainly because it was easier to carry up the stairs, since no Gnome had any interest whatsoever in making an elevator of any sort within the Citadel yet, least of all in the dark).

Weavers weaved, knitters knit, and the self-appointed overseers of the project were often dethroned by their underlings who thought they could make the project better than what their predecessors envisioned. It was the modus operandi of the Gnomes, but even though their methods were madness, it was the end result that mattered. A crude hull took shape as they bound the hulls together with hardened amber, the precious light of the day being used to its fullest extent. With the chilly weather of the Citadel's upper levels like this, they didn't even really have time- or inclination- to take restroom breaks whilst building. A small mercy for all of creation's lovely little disease-ridden critters under the tower's shadow.

Oars, ending in webbed fins, were mounted upon the sides of each hull, the plant fibers catching air as the Gnomes attempted to imitate birds. Animal skins were sewn together into massive pieces of canvas, which were then stretched further out to make wings along the oblong hulls of the ships. Wicker baskets of supplies were gathered for each of the craft and- were this a different era- an orchestra may have been playing and a countdown begun as the Gnomes destined for these first craft readied their minds and bodies.

As it were, however, there was just a lot of over-eager chefs dabbling in a metaphorical kitchen. With a dozen of the oblong craft designed, each with their own little flaws and quirks, almost half failed to make it off the plateau they had been building on. One even did it in a spectacular fashion, suddenly rolling backwards as it caught a stray air current before being pulped against the Citadel walls.

The rest, however, were on their own. Crews of ill-prepared and overly active Gnomes screamed in unison as these improvised craft darted towards the misty seas, oars flapping furiously as they tried to catch air. Holes cut into the hull to look through were cause of alarm as the clouds of mist rapidly approached the mortals that would dare defy gravity.

Two of the crude boats sank right through the mists, their crews slated for some horrible, watery fate. It should be notable that the last reported words of the four ships that didn't dart right through the mists like dead weights, the same words uttered by every mortal being aboard those craft were,

"Oh sh-"

Actions:
Lead Populace: Learn how to make sailing ships, particularly those able to cross the Mist Sea. 1 AP
7 AP remaining

Sozuchi, Chepts, and Gnomes- Oh my!
"-ucks!" The Gnome envoy, Turkin, finished, "Shucks!" He repeated, as the craft began to mellow out. They had likely hit a wind current, or some other magnificent savior of a phenomenon. Looking behind him, the Gnome saw that the rest of the inhabitants of the ship had more-or-less survived. They had been either extremely lucky or extremely intelligent for their own ship to survive where all the others had, most likely, died horrible deaths. Horrible, horrible deaths.

"Everybody okay?" He asked rhetorically, which was returned with a series of huffs, puffs, and more than a few harumphs. They hadn't lost any of the oars, thankfully, but it did seem that a few baskets of provisions had gone sailing right through the view hole. It was a feature more than a design flaw, really. Food and water were supposed to be lost.

"Can we do that again?" Another Gnome, Looprick, suddenly pitched in. "That was great! I haven't felt a rush like that in my entire life!"

"No. No we are not going to do that again." Turkin pointed to the viewhole, "Because if we do that again, I am making sure that you are going out the viewing hole, rather than our remaining supplies."

That shut up the lone voice fairly well, the others having gone to their duty of trying to row and keep the ship afloat, even as they came fast approaching towards the lands of the Chepts. Not that Turkin or the rest of them knew that, of course- they were just trying to make a fairly controlled (crash) landing on this new continent. With any luck, they'd actually still be alive by the time they landed!

If not, then oh well. At least they proved the design worked!

Gnomes in the Blessed Empire. International incident, or beginnings of a great friendship?
Moving on foot, Roonmil and his not-so-very-merry-band had traveled along the Blessed Isle. Whereas the others had got to work on the great and awesome community project, was the common complaint, they had been left to search for other life on their own landmass! As if Kali wouldn't have given them some sign before now that their home was shared with someone else!

Of course, these complaints had only begun once supplies had run out. Fruits, it turned out, didn't last too long when there wasn't a cool, dry tower in which to keep them stored. Double went for meat, which they had been forced to hunt with complex trapping plans composed on-the-go. As it were, they probably had a few more days left before starvation actually kicked in, maybe a week before eating the weakest of the group stopped being a viable alternative. With no real idea of just what other life looked like, Roonmil and the others hauled their wicker baskets and satchels along, searching for fellow intellectuals. Hopefully attractive ones, with large foreheads.

Unless, of course, other life found them first. Which Kali would have been interested in also, had he not been occupied with other things and other people, at other times.

Kali-Mondo!
The deity of knowledge would, for the first time, stretch his limbs a bit. Sitting around and watching his followers was fine and entertaining, and taking care of the souls of the dead wasn't that bad either, but Kali certainly hadn't attained godhood just to leave knowledge empty. Even as the Gnomes wrote up theories and books about just how their sailing craft worked out in the end, Kali was active.

Making himself present before the master of metals, Kali politely tapped his feet, the balding godling clearing his throat as he spoke up to the fellow deity. What sort of protocols were there for this thing? Back in the Blessed Empire, at least, he knew how to approach another equal!

"Excuse me? Mister Mondo? God of Fire, Lord of Metal? I believe I'd like to speak with you on a very important matter! Particularly, the matter of getting some of this 'metal' of yours to study! Contributions to knowledge are very much appreciated!"

Selinia

2010-11-16, 03:26 PM

Solipsism

2010-11-16, 03:27 PM

Sozuchi & Saeric - The Void

Continuing his odd but fitting smile, Saeric tried to lighten his voice. Still it was cold, but more being buried in snow than immersed in icy waters. "I hold in my essence a new feeling, something only my own creations have tasted. A brand new sensation, something your children have never felt before. If I'm right about my gift, I can let them play twice as hard as they ever have, celebrate like nothing before, and, generally, let them be as 'not-boring' as they can be."

Letting that sink in for a few seconds, he continued. "My offer is this, something new for your children, something to let them have even more fun. If I fail, I ask of you nothing, but if I succeed, I ask for but a handful of water of my choosing, to play with myself. For now, if you accept, I can only bless some of your children with my gift, but I feel that would be better. If I fail, I only fail a few, but, regardless, they will have tales to embellish on for their brethren."

planswalker

2010-11-16, 03:36 PM

Torkin - Water World

Torkin was a typical Croc'Chept, not special in any way, really. He hunted and fished for himself and his mate, as well as any children they had who were not yet old enough to fend for themselves. He was part of the Wet Stream tribe, and the fellow Wetters were good companions, when something drew them together to need more than just himself and his mate. The Wet Stream tribe was decently well off. They were primarily a tribe of Crocs, but a few Eags cared for the young during the workday. There were even a few Cats and Set in their group, who provided useful skills to the community. They even had the honor of hosting a small family of Boas, the lore keepers of Water World. He was not a leader by any means, but he was self-sufficient and able to think on his own.

He had heard the stories from the Boas, of course, about Chept and Banchept, the lord and lady of Sozengrad, his people's mighty achievement. He even believed them, but such affairs had never been a part of his life, here at the Misty Edge of Water World. He was a typical Croc, destined to a typical life with little in the way of greatness in store for him other than the honor of being a good hunter and a fertile father.

Typical, that is, until he was out hunting on the edge fo the Mists when the strangest of craft crash-landed in a patch oof swamp not too far from his hiding spot. The Salawa he had been pursuing fled, and with his hunt ruined anyways, Torkin approached the strange wooden craft that had sailed through the mists. Taking his crocodile bone spear in one hand, he used his other to pound on the side of the hull. "Did anyone survive?" he asked.

Sozuchi & Saeric - The Void

Continuing his odd but fitting smile, Saeric tried to lighten his voice. Still it was cold, but more being buried in snow than immersed in icy waters. "I hold in my essence a new feeling, something only my own creations have tasted. A brand new sensation, something your children have never felt before. If I'm right about my gift, I can let them play twice as hard as they ever have, celebrate like nothing before, and, generally, let them be as 'not-boring' as they can be."

Letting that sink in for a few seconds, he continued. "My offer is this, something new for your children, something to let them have even more fun. If I fail, I ask of you nothing, but if I succeed, I ask for but a handful of water of my choosing, to play with myself. For now, if you accept, I can only bless some of your children with my gift, but I feel that would be better. If I fail, I only fail a few, but, regardless, they will have tales to embellish on for their brethren."

Intrigued by this offer, Sozuchi agrees, not seeing the harm. The Endless Riverways were, after all, endless. "You offer something priceless if correct and harmless if not in exchange for something I have in infinite supply? Of course I will. Tell me, how many do you need of what kind, and what exactly do you mean to give them?

Shmee

2010-11-16, 03:37 PM

The hands clapped together, suddenly, soundlessly. As they parted, a flood of sand began to pour down around Akhat's feet. It continued until it reached his knees, then stopped. The head looked down, mouth twisting, and his wrist flicked. The sand went airborne in a sudden, twisting sandstorm, ascending in a column until it vanished from sight.

"I see... Interesting."

"Indeed it is... and so Akhat, just as I asked Josiah, I shall ask you the same question: what shall you do now?"

The Dwarves, the Old World.

So it was, while the other races of the world toiled under Mondo's Eye, unbeknown to the rest of the world, the Dwarven race continued to grow and expand deep within the mountains of the Old World. Along with their Myconid allies, the Dwarves began to carve their cities into the very stone itself. Soon huge chasms beneath the earth held the cities built by the thirteen major Dwarven Clans, each rules by the clan patriarch, also known as the Deep-Kings.

Dwarven politics was a complex system of alliances bound by oaths and honour between families. Smaller families would try to raise their standing by merging with bigger families, to the point were a single family was able to control the Dwarven markets, which comprised of various goods, ranging from domesticated oozes, to simple foodstuff, to the lucrative trade of gems and other sorts of rare stones, via different aggressive means such as predatory pricing, and different types of price wars.. When a family reached that stage, the patriarch of the family would gain the title of the Deep-King, leading to some furious trading wars amongst the Dwarves cities, both major and minor.

Out of the major clans, the greatest in stature were the Stonedeeps, the Rockbiters and the Slateflingers, who based themselves within the largest of Dwarven cities, were there was the most trade to be found. The several lesser clans would ally themselves with any of the three factions, as they tried to expand their influence over more Dwarven cities, always at the expense of the other factions.

Solipsism

2010-11-16, 04:17 PM

The smile deepened. "Weak as I am for giving my own creations life and home, I can only affect a small village, at the most fifty of your creations. It will take me a month to completely give, but, at the end of that month, it will show its rewards. I feel that their revelry will be deafening, but I make no guarantees on that front."

Contemplating how to describe his gift, his smile weakened. Frost fell from his face, but he caught it and held it tight in his hand. "I cannot accurately describe it, not well enough to suit myself. It is who I am, who I was, and who I will be, and my creations believe it the same for them. Why describe it as anything other than who I am? In it's simplest for, it is what the universe demands when Fire is truly gone, but I don't believe it to be that simple. Watch it and see if you can name it, for I cannot."

Motioning towards the world, his smile grew once more, "Come, show me where you wish my gift to land, the people we shall make more fun."

planswalker

2010-11-16, 04:23 PM

Sozuchi and Saeric - the Void above Water World

Sozuchi called Chept and Banchept, who assembled ten of each race of Chept, and gathered them just outside Sozengrad's current location. The ones chosen were from every stage of life and area of expertise.

Chept then used his mastery of water to cause a geyser to spout forth a stream of water miles into the air.

"Right there would do nicely" Sozuchi replied.

Seramus

2010-11-16, 04:40 PM

Belos, Pyrokus.
The viasura that referred to itself as 'Belos' paused to contemplate the request made by Josiah. You can literally hear little gears clicking as the god of war mulls over the idea of teaching Josiah how to handle himself in a battle. For half a moment it seems that he has struck upon a solution, but that hope is dashed as Belos continues to let his gears whir. Suddenly the servos in his chest churn to life as his voice booms over Pyrokus.

"Using composite experiences within my archives, I have formulated the optimal method to train you to be a capable combatant. This training will result in full competency with your cudgel, and allow you to interface with similarly trained individuals on a transcendent spiritual level. I can make you better, stronger, faster. I have the technology."

1 AP, Create Class(Fighter). 11 AP Remaining. 1/12 Growth.

Gunther

2010-11-16, 05:02 PM

Solipsism

2010-11-16, 05:28 PM

Sozuchi & Saeric - The Void

"Yes, that should do nicely..." the god said, extending his hand and throwing what frost he had caught earlier. Bursting when it hit, the flake spread around those who were gathered. The water in the air turned to snow, the outside of the geyser hardened and shattered, and a freezing chill ran through the Chept. For half a second this lasted, but then the snow and ice melted and the peoples knew temperance once more. A few shivers passed through at the memory, however, and the people's rubbed themselves and hopped about in protest.

Pointing to them, his smiling visage finally relented. "There is my blessing, my curse, one in the same. Absence, true absence of the heat of fire. I give your people a month of it, not the harshest, but harsh enough. In a day's time, they will begin to feel the chill returning and dread it, but a day before the end of the month, they will wish it was so warm. At the end of that day, it will be gone, and all will rejoice, invent new games to play and new things to do in revelry that my blessing has left. A season of hardships to forge a season of hope, but the first your people will survive only because I am still weak."

The look in his eye became contemplative, his mind wrapping around what he was to do. "Seek fire, God of All Thing's Not-Boring, seek it to make my gift more interesting. Once it graces that plane again, I will have no reason to hold back my gifts as I have done here. I cannot win this world if I'm not challenged."

1 AP = 2-1 Bestow Blessing/Curse - Winter

Draken

2010-11-16, 06:51 PM

Teikoku, Audience Hall, The Imperial Palace

"Very well then."

The Empress had taken a long moment in consideration of Val'Amun's words. But in the end, her reply was simple.

"You may trade freely with the people of my Empire. Perhaps you will be proven trustworthy. Perhaps you will be proven duplicitous. Your people are being given this chance - it is up to you how you will choose you will choose to use it. I sincerely hope for the best, but be warned that we will prepare for the worst."

She gave the nerra a steady look before breaking off and turning away.

"Enough. You are dismissed."

She had other matters to attend to. These mirror folk were an issue to be managed. Her adepts' investigations into their nature and plans would continue, as fervent as ever, and for now caution tempered with careful observation would seem the best path. There was no need to make enemies needlessly.

Val'Amun, Audience Hall, The Imperial Palace

Val'Amun gives Teikoku a bow.

"You will not regret your decision, gracious empress."

With those words, they step through the planes, reappearing in the material portion of the blessed isle.

In no time, the nerra appeared among humanity, shedding their disguises, many a shopkepper revealed himself one of them, and added to his wares new objects, miriad of them, from the practical to the decorative, utensils, tools, jewelry, arms and armor, all made of glassteel, all for the odd prices the nerra asked, sometimes more usual bartering things, animals and coins, but small works of art were also, if not even more readily, gladly accepted.

Incendax

2010-11-16, 07:03 PM

Sora, Pyrokus.
Sora arrives at Pyrokus only to discover that it s remarkably crowded. He strides past the familiar figure of Josiah and gives a respectful thump to his chest in the dwarven fashion. For the moment he does not even recognize that Belos is anything more than one of the many Inevitables that prowl the world. He makes his way directly towards the entrance chamber where Mondo greets his guests and gives a single ring to the great brass bell that hangs beside the doorway. Sora waited patiently for the mighty elder god to respond to the summons.

Sora-as-Avatar, the World.
The many giants that were the children of Sora left the Old World behind them with some misgivings. The young and and the old alike shared tales of what would be later be considered the 'Age of Exodus', and the great mountain slowly became nothing more than a distant speck. With their long legs they consumed league after league, and yet the distance they had to travel was beyond imagining.

The hardships had only begun, for the giants were not used to travelling for without stop. Their legs ached, their feet blistered, and their thighs chafed. Beneath the glaring Eye of Mondo they would sweat to exhaustion and many even passed out from exertion. It became the burden of the mighty and the durable to carry these fallen family members, and the might did not do so without great complaint. Many of the savage beasts of the land were afraid of such massive beings, but more than a few reared forth their massive heads and sought to devour the children. It was a tragedy to lose the old and feeble, but did not their god claim that only the strong would survive this trek?

Eventually the people of Sora crossed several great steams and stood before the single largest jungle that they had ever encountered. It's foliage was dense and twisting, with sharp barbed vines, trees that loomed even taller than the tallest giant, and the heady aroma of countless flowering plants. Many of the giants were unsure how to continue, and yet the most intelligent among them ordered the mightiest of giants to the front of the group. These towering behemoths were all muscle and thick skin. With a grunt of displeasure, the mighty begin to rip through the trees and foliage with great grasping hands to clear a path for their fellow giants.

And so it was the giants had entered Sa'Mundo and committed a terrible sin.

Obscurejones

2010-11-16, 07:06 PM

Belos, Pyrokus.
"Using composite experiences within my archives, I have formulated the optimal method to train you to be a capable combatant. This training will result in full competency with your cudgel, and allow you to interface with similarly trained individuals on a transcendent spiritual level. I can make you better, stronger, faster. I have the technology."

Josiah, Pyrokus

A disturbingly bright grin split the rigor mortis of Josiah's face. He gave the cudgel a few more swings, these ones a bit more debonair then his previous stilted failures.

Then do so my metallic cousin. Let us see if between your knowledge and my mouldering flesh we can make a warrior. Perhaps even a competent, adequate, or good one.

Fisher

2010-11-16, 07:16 PM

The Weaver

It was a novel thing, traveling. In life the world seemed to end just over the nearby horizon. Now all of Kamigawa and more were mere steps away. He owed Empress Teikoku a great debt indeed.

Instantly traversing throughout the Blessed Isle, Pyrokus, Water World, the Rot, and the ends of the Void, Sleeves could barely stand to tarry at any one location for long. Like a wandering specter he appeared and disappeared for mere seconds at a time. At first it was exhilarating. There was nearly nowhere he couldn't go.

Slowly, however, with each destination the experience began to feel more hollow and cheap. The travelers and merchants had always lauded the new sights and braved perils. Their journey had been far more worthwhile than the destination. Moving seamlessly from location to location felt as pointless as making a lone sock.

Done with the rounds throughout the Void, the Weaver returned to what was once home. Smiling to himself beneath the layers of cloaks and rags he rested an over-sized sleeve upon one of the shack's flimsy walls. Fond memories of past visitors and projects nearly overwhelmed him as he stood before the small shack. After a long pause he finally turned away and departed, on foot, towards the far off horizon.

10 AP = 12 - 2
Bless 1 Any who rest at the shack will find themselves completely refreshed and restored after a brief rest. Curse 1 To whoever damages or destroys the Weaver's old home will be afflicted with an incurable wanderlust. For the afflicted and all of their future descendants will be unable to find rest wherever they go until they personally restore what they destroyed.

10/12 AP remaining.

Rizban

2010-11-16, 07:53 PM

Kali-Mondo!
The deity of knowledge would, for the first time, stretch his limbs a bit. Sitting around and watching his followers was fine and entertaining, and taking care of the souls of the dead wasn't that bad either, but Kali certainly hadn't attained godhood just to leave knowledge empty. Even as the Gnomes wrote up theories and books about just how their sailing craft worked out in the end, Kali was active.

Making himself present before the master of metals, Kali politely tapped his feet, the balding godling clearing his throat as he spoke up to the fellow deity. What sort of protocols were there for this thing? Back in the Blessed Empire, at least, he knew how to approach another equal!

"Excuse me? Mister Mondo? God of Fire, Lord of Metal? I believe I'd like to speak with you on a very important matter! Particularly, the matter of getting some of this 'metal' of yours to study! Contributions to knowledge are very much appreciated!"

Mondo, Pyrokus

All these constant interruptions. Had he known that protecting the mortals would have drawn this much attention, he might have considered leaving them to destroy themselves and the world around them. No, he would never actually have done that. That was just frustration speaking.

"Why? What purpose can you have for desiring Metal?"

Sora, Pyrokus.
Sora arrives at Pyrokus only to discover that it s remarkably crowded. He strides past the familiar figure of Josiah and gives a respectful thump to his chest in the dwarven fashion. For the moment he does not even recognize that Belos is anything more than one of the many Inevitables that prowl the world. He makes his way directly towards the entrance chamber where Mondo greets his guests and gives a single ring to the great brass bell that hangs beside the doorway. Sora waited patiently for the mighty elder god to respond to the summons.

"Another supplicant. Forgive me that I do not recognize you. There are so many gods popping up and coming to visit me these days that I can barely tell one from the next."

DragonOfUndeath

2010-11-16, 08:02 PM

Immortas: The Rot

tired of waiting Immortas disappears from Josiah's Home

Immortas, Josiah, Belos, Sora, Mondo, Kali: Pyrokus

<so you ignore my challenge in your home without witnesses, do you? Maybe the presence of these gods will make you take my challenge seriously. I, Immortas, Ruler of Unlife challenge you Josiah, Deathbringer in front of Sora, Lifebringer, Mondo, Lord of Fire, Kali, Knowledge-Seeker and Belos, Warheart to a duel tomorrow. Name the place of the duel.>

Rizban

2010-11-16, 08:26 PM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"You break the Natural Order of the world, then you invade my home threatening violence. You are not welcome here, Blasphemous One."

With a flexing of his muscles, Mondo causes the very fabric of Pyrokus to flex and warp, ejecting Immortas from the plane. The divinely morphic quality of Pyrokus then ensures that any future attempts of Immortas to force his way in are met with impenetrable walls of Fire and Metal.

Turning back to his children, his allies, and the other supplicants, Mondo speaks calmly.

"I apologize for the rude behavior of that one. I will not tolerate such asinine doings in my home. You will do well to remember this."

Incendax

2010-11-16, 09:09 PM

Sora, Pyrokus.
Sora watched calmly as the newest godling named... (what did he say his name was? Immortas?) was entwined by the very fabric of reality and boldly ejected from the realm of Pyrokus. He would have to remember that little trick if he ever created a home for himself. Still, the duel had been declared before nearly a half dozen divine entities and he could not help but wonder if Josiah would accept. Sora waited patiently for his turn to speak to the elder god, and when the time was right he kneeled respectfully.

"Most brilliant of the elder gods, I am Sora the Lifebringer, Twice Beloved of Julien, and the Oldest of Children. I have come to you because you are said to craft items of wondrous might, such as the brilliant eye that hovers above the world, and this entire realm that is marvellously crafted of fire and metal. I wish to commission your assistance for the creation of an artifact of great power, such that I may better defend my children from predation. I am proud of them, and they will grow strong with their own struggles, but divine forces abound that seek to oppose or annihilate them before they have been given a fair chance to shine."

Rainshine

2010-11-16, 09:15 PM

Akhat -- Kamigawa

The figure stood silently, contemplating as time washed over him. Finally, he spoke.
"I will be the coming of the sands, to wear away the people. To perfection. Behold, the desert shall arise, and make bleached bones of the weak and the unworthy."

And with a bow, he vanished into the Void.

Akhat -- Void

Beneath the blazing eye, Akhat clapped his hands, and poured out sands upon the material plane. Rock worn down with wind and water, the sand of his body. He took the sands and spread them far and wide, to be scorched, multiplying them, and it pleased him to see. "This is my flesh, the lands that I make, where people will be brought low and humbled, and will fight the land for their very life. They will be shaped and worn to perfection. Those who cannot be perfect will vanish beneath the storms."

He reached down, shaping the land, creating vast dunes of sand, wide spaces of flatness, depressions and valleys, and abutting cliffs of hard rock around. He suffered not the water-rich plants of other domains to grow, but instead brought forth others, low bushes and spined plants, things that were as harsh and unforgiving as the land that they would dwell in, as the people who might survive in such a land would be.

AP starting 12
12-9=3 Create/Alter Terrain (Making SR5 desert)

Rizban

2010-11-16, 09:18 PM

Mondo, Pyrokus

"Welcome, Sora. I have completed most of my works already, and I have given such responsibilities over to the governance of my children. You seek Belos, who stands here before you."

Gunther

2010-11-16, 09:28 PM

Kali-Mondo
"Oh, ah, purpose?" Kali asked, thinking a bit. "Purpose is actually a very interesting point to bring up! Purpose is a derivative of knowledge and conjecture, an intended course of action created when one combines what one knows the status quo to be, and then works to change it with what they wish to be reality."

Tapping his chin, he thought, "Purpose? Oh, yes! That could prove quite interesting- I simply ask for some of your Metal, and whatever else you seek to contribute, to better learn of it, and to provide a standard by which mortals can categorize it. It's more of a courtesy that I ask you to provide it, really, rather than a vital necessity- I'm quite sure mortals will find some of it on their own, but I'm certain it'd serve to help species if there were references on how to identify it and the various means it could be utilized with."

Kali paused for a second at this, realizing that he had- in fact- been blathering. "Err, yes. In short? It'd be appreciated if you could give me and my people some of your Metal, so as to better help myself and mortals understand it. Develop it. Know it."

Duel At High Noon?
"Duel?" Kali asked abruptly, scratching his chin, "I mean, I'll admit, those Vampires of yours are...unique, but in the grand scheme of things?"

He shrugged, "They just seem to be parasites. Very unique ones- ones that will, most likely, will be something dissected later on. A disease that causes someone to change into what infected them in the first place? Not bad. Not bad at all. There's just quite a bit to deal with. Would you like to donate one or more of them, however? I'm certain they'll make lovely additions to the growing knowledge of my Gnomes...in their current incarnation, anyways." Kali rued at the last sentence, still slightly bothered by some of the glaring "quirks" his creations exhibited.

"But still, I'm afraid a duel is simply out of the question. I really do have no interest in some festival of deities bashing one another over the head! That's what mortals tend to do, after all."

Seramus

2010-11-16, 10:57 PM

Belos, Pyrokus.

"Do not worry. I am confident that my training will result in the overwhelming defeat of your opponent, and then all the heavens will know the undeniable value of divine weapons forged in Pyrokus. But before we begin it will be necessary for me to craft a training tool of my own, lest my own creation threaten to dent my flawless adamantine form. Please be patient while I engage in my craft. Upon completion we will begin your training in Earnest.

The inevitable did not wait for an answer. The gears at his waist spun eagerly as the adamantine creature turned it's fierce orange glow back to the very forge where it crafted the cudgel. A strong flexing of servos slid away countless armored plates. Tools leaped out at the ready for the second time since his creation. Belos worked faster than before, with each tool snapping into the flurry to complete it's job with perfect efficiency. Not a moment is wasted, and yet the process seems to take far longer than that of the cudgel. Perhaps hours pass. The object of Belos' attention is heated, then quenched, heated again, and quenched again. Countless times this process repeats itself until the very air seems heavy with some unnatural force.

Belos releases a burst of steam from his visored helmet. It was the closest thing to a sigh of satisfaction that he was capable of generating. The armored plates began to slide back into place like the slow relaxation of taut musculature. His gears began the smooth transition that turns him about to face Josiah once more. Within his grasp is a black... something... that seems to gently pull at everything within sight with it's own alien gravity.

"Behold. The Black Blade of Disaster."

11 AP, Create Artifact(+5 to Battle). 0 AP Remaining. 12/12 Growth.

Obscurejones

2010-11-16, 11:12 PM

Josiah, Pyrokus

Josiah beheld the newly forged weapon with a reverent awe. Was this, this edged destroyer, what Seelia had feared and begged him not to forge? He could see why. It struck him as a weapon of brutal intent. Then again, who was he to judge, who had traveled far and petitioned gods simply to procure a means of caving in his rivals' skulls.

It is most impressive cousin. If I am not mistaken it possess a little more power than my own implement.

planswalker

2010-11-16, 11:17 PM

Sozuchi, Chepts, and Gnomes- Oh my!

Turkin, hearing the knocking outside of the hull, gave a small huff of relief. Apparently they hadn't all died on impact, and had- in fact- landed successfully at their destination. Where that destination was was, in fact, another issue entirely. Fumbling about in the dark, he felt at least two of his fellow crew members were unmoving.

Well, that wasn't good. "Anybody else make it?" He asked, finding one of the wicker baskets before groping around. Eventually, he found just what he needed- a stone-headed hatchet.

"Aye."
"Yes!"
"Yep."
"M'hm."
"I think I broke something!"
"No you didn't, shut up. Besides, how can you break your body?"
"I...Good point! I'm okay!"

That was five voices. Good enough, Turkin thought, as he began hacking into the hull. If he was lucky, a bit of hull damage would be the least of their worries. At last putting a few good holes in the hull, he began tearing away the rest with a bit of help. Still being the smartest of the Gnomes present, he brandished his axe at Ninnock.

"Ninny! Congratulations, you get to go check outside!" He ordered, manhandling the flaxen-dressed Gnome out through the crude hole.

"But I-" He began, as he eventually tumbled down off the ship's hull. Several sets of eyes peeked out after him, praying to Kali and anyone else that this place was not only inhabited, but inhabited by very helpful savages that wouldn't try to maim them or eat them.

"Gah!" Ninnock cried, seeing the Chept before him, "Err, I mean, he-ll-o?" He asked, speaking slowly, "I. Am. Ninn-ock." He pointed to the ship with both hands, smiling. For all he knew, that spear could very well have been, well, it's appendage.

"Nice. To. Meet. You." He added, giving a very slow wave.

Torkin - First Contact

Torkin was puzzled by the strange creature that emerged from the hole chopped in the ship. It was about the size of one of the Set'Chept, but where the Set were small and clever, this creature seemed small and clumsy, at least on first impression. It also was speaking very slowly, as if it had hit its head too hard when it crashed, like an eag'chept that was hatched from its egg too soon.

"You as well. I am Torkin, of the Wet River tribe. Who are you, and how did you come to water world?"

Sozuchi & Saeric - The Void

"Yes, that should do nicely..." the god said, extending his hand and throwing what frost he had caught earlier. Bursting when it hit, the flake spread around those who were gathered. The water in the air turned to snow, the outside of the geyser hardened and shattered, and a freezing chill ran through the Chept. For half a second this lasted, but then the snow and ice melted and the peoples knew temperance once more. A few shivers passed through at the memory, however, and the people's rubbed themselves and hopped about in protest.

Pointing to them, his smiling visage finally relented. "There is my blessing, my curse, one in the same. Absence, true absence of the heat of fire. I give your people a month of it, not the harshest, but harsh enough. In a day's time, they will begin to feel the chill returning and dread it, but a day before the end of the month, they will wish it was so warm. At the end of that day, it will be gone, and all will rejoice, invent new games to play and new things to do in revelry that my blessing has left. A season of hardships to forge a season of hope, but the first your people will survive only because I am still weak."

The look in his eye became contemplative, his mind wrapping around what he was to do. "Seek fire, God of All Thing's Not-Boring, seek it to make my gift more interesting. Once it graces that plane again, I will have no reason to hold back my gifts as I have done here. I cannot win this world if I'm not challenged."

1 AP = 2-1 Bestow Blessing/Curse - Winter

The Chept were terrified at this sign. The water had been killed for an instant, frozen solid and immobile. Surely this was a sign that Sozuchi's blessing had been withheld from them. They fled in panic, only to have Chept and Banchept exhort them to return and face this abomination. Such a work was not of Sozuchi's doing, but of another god who had tricked him.

Sozuchi and Saeric - the Void

The actions of this god of cold horrified him. Never before had someone dared to do what he did in the guise of a gift. He had murdered water. To Sozuchi, motion was the essence of life. To see the pure and holy waters of Water World locked away in a crystalline prison was almost more than he could bear.

However, he held back one hope, one reason not to attempt to destroy this evil being all at once. Maybe it did not understand the import of what it had done. Maybe it did not understand the nature of its crime. He had faith in the Chept to be able to handle themselves in this affair, he had created them strong and diverse, and they had primal magics at their disposal to aid them. However, this crime against Water could not be tolerated.

"You call it a gift, what you did? You murdered water by freezing it, making it immobile, and you call it a gift? My people are strong, they will overcome this hardship like they do any other: unified together. However, you have victimized the very essence of joy with your gift. You freeze the water, make it immobile. Explain to me why I should not attempt to destroy you right now."

Solipsism

2010-11-17, 12:37 AM

planswalker

2010-11-17, 01:04 AM

Sozuchi & Saeric - The Void

Saeric turned to Sozuchi, all emotion gone from his face, "This is not the world I want, either, but it will happen now. I show this to you first among all others to let you know why fire must be returned. You will be the one most affected, so it is your right to see what will happen in the alternative. My life is threatened for that, yet I have spoken no lie to you in all of our dealing, and that is why you're not going to kill me. You agreed to this, it is as much your sin as mine, but blame right now is not important.

"One month I said, and one month it shall be. Only those peoples touched here will be affected, but you should comfort them and let them know it was I who did this. At the end of that month, you either owe me nothing or a handful of water, but know you can kill me afterwards on the first and your own hand may be the judge of the second." Turning back to watch the world, his eyes betrayed his contemplation of what would happen.

"Besides, I did not kill your water, just slowed it. It kept moving through every trial I put it through, even it shattering was the work of it moving more and more when other elements would have stopped. I do not think I could ever make it quit moving, such is the strength of your element. No, the closest I could ever come would be if I touched it, and that is why I did not enter your realm, nor why I would take water in my own hand. That I will promise you for free, to never touch any water, or present myself promptly for your judgment if I do." He continued to stand in the void, staring at the world. He would not retreat now, even from one as powerful as Sozuchi; besides, he had no way to retreat.

Quite mollified by this speech, Sozuchi at once forgave him. He himself did not enjoy being angry with another, and truly, the water was not murdered. He saw that now, and in fact ice was merely a slower state of water than a liquid. One which could do new things that the base liquid couldn't. This would be very important to keep up with for later.

Humbled by this revelation, Sozuchi says, "Please forgive me for jumping to conclusions, it is just that I have never seen water treated so. Indeed, you have opened my eyes to the value of fire. You have taught me a lesson here today, one of great value. My debt to you will be paid in full. Take this, and may it grant you all the water you need."

With that, Sozuchi bites off the smallest tip of his own tail and spits it out towards Saeric. Water gushed from the severed end until it made contact with Saeric, where it immediately froze. With a minor effort of will, Sozuchi regenerated the lost bit of flesh.

"Take this as my payment. Whenever you release this tail charm, water shall stream forth endlessly. I give this to you as your payment for the lesson, and relinquish this to you. Do with it as you will, and do not fear reprisal. What I have relinquished, I cannot then claim dominion over. For such a critical lesson taught, I would call you friend."

apocalypsePast2

2010-11-17, 01:31 AM

Alek, Aura, The Bare Wastes

The armies charged forward... and stopped.
Every Forsaken on Aura heard the voice of Quarland, echoing through their skulls like a drum. " Your worth has been proven, all of you. The House of En'Quios and the others, all of you have done well, you have proven yourself strong. But you can no longer be divided, not to this extent."
Alek breathed a sigh of relief. Quarland was not allowing for this slaughter to happen.
Quarland spoke to his people again. " House En'Quios will be brought down, no stronger than any other House and no longer ruled by Alek. Alek will be your lord. If he can keep his spot, he has earned it. I name him now, first High Monarch of the Forsaken Elves, leader of all Houses. You may war amongst yourselves, but you owe allegiance to the High Monarch, such is my word."
At this, many nobles who had been full of relief and joy, were filled with fear. Their enemy for decades was now their lord?
But Quarland spoke again, " Remember my children, all ranks can be replaced..."
And so the Forsaken saw Quarland's will. Alek the Great was made High Monarch, and the Houses dispersed to once again play their deadly games of assassination and intrigue. And among them was House En'Quios, equal and not above.
Thus ended the Unification wars...

Alek felt the divine power of Quarland leaving him, and felt confusion. He asked the Masked Lord, " Why are you withdrawing your blessing Lord?"
The Masked Lord responded, " If you are truly strong enough to be my chosen, you don't need advantage. Oh, and here." A circlet, made enitrely of metal fell from the sky. Metal. Pure metal. The circlet would have been worth more than the combined wealth of any three Houses.
" A coronation gift."
Alek went to his personal fortress, now the Castle of the High Monarch. A celebration was held, thousands of nobles flocked to the hedonistic revelry like flies to carrion.

Two cycles later, the party continued.
On a high tower, Alek leaned on a balcony, looking out into the mists. It was always dark on Aura, as it lay outside the sun circle. He pondered quietly. He heard footsteps behing him. It was his daughter, Vikierna, in a ballroom dress that was the style and holding a mask. The masked ball was one of the greatest hedonistic celebrations of Quarland, almost holy in its excess. There must have been one going on somewhere. Alek turned back to the endless mists.
"Do you think there's something out there?", he asked.
"Out where?", she said, "Across the mists?"
"Yes, we've spent so long warring amongst ourselves, we've never tried to explore the world. That's going to change.", he declared with finality.
Vikierna move beside him. " Yes, it will.", she said. " One way or another. But do you think you can really rule effectively over people you have warred with for so long?"
Alek sighed, " I hope so, at least I'll try until they try to replace me." He smiled wryly. " But I don't plan to make that easy for them."
Vikierna too smiled. " Yes, after all, it is very hard to replace someone who has already been replaced."
Alek turned in confusion, but stopped. Perhaps he was trying to make sense of that statement. It was a confusing one.
Perhaps it was the dagger in his spine.
Vikierna removed the priceless metal circlet from her late father's head. Then she removed her obsidian dagger, wiping the blood on his robes. Then she turned out to look at the mists her father had been watching. She raised a glass of potent alcohol.
" A toast." she said mockingly to her father's corpse. " To whatever lies beyond the mists. And to Vikierna'Alek'Quios. Second High Monarch." she downed the glass and descended the stairs, leaving the body behind.

3AP-3 AP=0AP
1 AP:Establish Civilization: Forsaken Empire ( FINALLY!)
1 AP:Create class: Assassin
1 AP:Lead Populace, Help unify Forsaken (AP dump:smallwink:)
GP 12/12 DING!

Seramus

2010-11-17, 01:33 AM

Solipsism

2010-11-17, 02:12 AM

Gunther

2010-11-17, 05:50 AM

Sozuchi, Chepts, and Gnomes- Oh my!
"Wait." Ninnock said to himself, "Wait a- You speak our language?!" He suddenly blurted out, looking back to Turkin inside of the craft. The Gnome envoy was suddenly clambering out of the crude hole in the side of the crashed ship, stone hatchet in hand as he tried to go over in his head just what he was supposed to do in a situation like this.

Oh right, there wasn't anything that he was supposed to do. They hadn't expected to find anything more interesting than some rainbow-colored toads, let alone this big, very tough looking thing with a very nasty looking bone spear. And it could speak with the Gnomes, even though it seemed to use some bastardization of Gnomish. Which, as each crew member knew, as the only language actually worth speaking.

Behind Turkin, one of the scribes had taken half of a broken stylus and was quickly writing on one of the scrolls of papyrus, trying to write down everything pertinent. Unfortunately, the scribe was a poet, and tended to over-emphasize everything from the color of grass to the size of the Wetter before him. The other scribe next to him, however, was more than obliging in his fact-checking.

"Greetings! I am Turkin, official Envoy of the Citadel Gnomes!" Turkin introduced himself, skidding down the hull only to land atop Ninnock- who, for his part, gave a small yelp.

Turkin helped the displaced Gnome up with a brief heave, the poor thing coming back up coated head-to-toe in black mud. One of the ship crew gave a high-pitched squeak before passing out, thinking him some sort of monster.

"Pardon my remaining crew." Turkin glossed over, "They've never met such a fine, uhh, Wet River person as yourself. Or even been in a place like this before. A water world, did you call it?" He asked suddenly, swatting at a stray mosquito. "Quite unique." He commented, "Hardly anything like home at all!"

"Speaking of which," He jerked a thumb at the 'landed' ship, complete with a hole in its side, "We came in on this mist-flying-thing. Someone called it a 'vessel', but it doesn't really hold much anymore, now does it?" He grumbled, "All it's got anymore is a handful of old tools. Anyways!" He veered the topic, nodding to himself.

"I am Turkin of the Citadel, Gnomish envoy to your fine, uhh, world of water! Would you be so kind as to help tell us of your people, culture, and eating preferences?" He asked, eying the large spear not as of yet dropped.

planswalker

2010-11-17, 06:25 AM

Sozuchi & Saeric - The Void

Taking the charm, he placed it in a fold in his clothing. He had no use of the thing now, not until he had a realm of his own, but he was grateful for it. "Some might call you rash, Watery One, but that's poor characterization on their part. You're honest, always letting your true feelings be known, whether happiness or wrath. As for the title of friend, I accept, I would be honored to be known as such by you, and would know you as the same."

Saeric moved his eyes off to his own lands and a frown spread on his face. "Maybe later I can enjoy your company, Sozuchi, but, for now, it seems I have neglected my own children. Take good care of yours, friend. Those who will learn the same lesson as you did today will have it hard, and I fear they were not made for it like my own." With that, he left Sozuchi to whatever tree the seeds he had planted would turn into. He needed a better vantage to see what was happening in his realm

Winter's Breath & Thym'gol- Test of Courage

Again she pestered the avatar, again and again with the same problem. Did she not see how useless this was? He could not make food for them, this was his Master's land, and he could do nothing without his will. The mammoth was too formidable a beast to supply the entire Clansmeet, but that was how the world had been made. Did she not see that to change that would make the world meaningless? Yet still she continued, making new arguments each time. He had no answer for her, not until He gave one, but she kept trying. It was a relief when Saeric finally contacted him.

"Do you not understand? If the Mammoth kills half the clans, we will be too weak to take others down! We will -" A familiar touch stopped her mid-sentence, faster than any word would have, "Silence, Thym, He has spoken. His words are thus, 'Make a weapon of wood and bone, a flexible rod with tendon from the last kill binding it into a curve. Fashion straight sticks with sharp bone tied to the end. Use these to take the beast from a distance.' Go now, and bother me no more. He has given you life, supplies, and now a tool. Bother me no more."

The next kill brought harm to no other, nor the one after that, and so on and so forth. Only those who forgot how to act as one were ever in harm's way among the Goliath, and no one forgot that in this cold.

AP 0 = 1-1 Lead Population (Tool-Making)
GP = 12/12 Ding! DR 2!

Sozuchi - the Void

Sozuchi bid farewell to his new-found friend and set to work on his latest dream. He quite thoughtlessly borrowed some of Julian's air, or Love as he had been taught to call it and had taught his followers. In it he mixed some superheated steam, and bits of dust. Once the brew had cooled, he tossed in some bits of ice. Still, something was missing from this creation. It was not quite ready yet to be dispersed into the world. He was not sure what it lacked, but sought to add something more to it. For now, he left it to cintinue mixing while he pondered what else to do with it.

Sozuchi, Chepts, and Gnomes- Oh my!
"Wait." Ninnock said to himself, "Wait a- You speak our language?!" He suddenly blurted out, looking back to Turkin inside of the craft. The Gnome envoy was suddenly clambering out of the crude hole in the side of the crashed ship, stone hatchet in hand as he tried to go over in his head just what he was supposed to do in a situation like this.

Oh right, there wasn't anything that he was supposed to do. They hadn't expected to find anything more interesting than some rainbow-colored toads, let alone this big, very tough looking thing with a very nasty looking bone spear. And it could speak with the Gnomes, even though it seemed to use some bastardization of Gnomish. Which, as each crew member knew, as the only language actually worth speaking.

Behind Turkin, one of the scribes had taken half of a broken stylus and was quickly writing on one of the scrolls of papyrus, trying to write down everything pertinent. Unfortunately, the scribe was a poet, and tended to over-emphasize everything from the color of grass to the size of the Wetter before him. The other scribe next to him, however, was more than obliging in his fact-checking.

"Greetings! I am Turkin, official Envoy of the Citadel Gnomes!" Turkin introduced himself, skidding down the hull only to land atop Ninnock- who, for his part, gave a small yelp.

Turkin helped the displaced Gnome up with a brief heave, the poor thing coming back up coated head-to-toe in black mud. One of the ship crew gave a high-pitched squeak before passing out, thinking him some sort of monster.

"Pardon my remaining crew." Turkin glossed over, "They've never met such a fine, uhh, Wet River person as yourself. Or even been in a place like this before. A water world, did you call it?" He asked suddenly, swatting at a stray mosquito. "Quite unique." He commented, "Hardly anything like home at all!"

"Speaking of which," He jerked a thumb at the 'landed' ship, complete with a hole in its side, "We came in on this mist-flying-thing. Someone called it a 'vessel', but it doesn't really hold much anymore, now does it?" He grumbled, "All it's got anymore is a handful of old tools. Anyways!" He veered the topic, nodding to himself.

"I am Turkin of the Citadel, Gnomish envoy to your fine, uhh, world of water! Would you be so kind as to help tell us of your people, culture, and eating preferences?" He asked, eying the large spear not as of yet dropped.

Torkin - first contact

The powerfully built creature with the head of a crocodile, a thick gray hide, powerfully muscled arms and legs, and a thick, broad tail looked at these rather excited creatures for a moment, then proceeded to answer the question to the best of his ability.

"I am not a Boa, to have the lore of our people known from birth, but I will tell you of what I do know. We are the Chepts, the children of Sozuchi, creator of Water World and lord of the Not-boring. There are five of us crafted by his hand, and the Old Ones, who lead us."

"We are five races, lead by the immortal Old Ones, the favored of the Faeri. I am a Croc'Chept, of the firstborn race, made from the crocodile to give Chept and Banchept, the Old Ones, children to love. I have served this capacity honorably with my wife, and one of our children was even chosen one time to be raised by the Blessed Couple. Second born are the Eag'Chept, created from the noble eagle to help the Old Ones raise and nurture our people. Then came the Cat'Chept from the wild cat, the killers and hunters. Our peoples and theirs warred for centuries, until Sozuchi took the Salawa and created the clever Set'Chept to bring peace between us. No one is certain how they did it, but the Kin Wars are a thing of the past. In fact, my best friend in all the World is a Cat. The last born are the Boa'Chept, formed from the wise anaconda, whose children inherit all their parents know. They are the wise ones among us. If my terribly brief story does not fully answer your question, you should ask one of them."

"As to our culture, just like our father the Great Dragon, we seek to always be free and flowing as the rivers. Even our great city, Sozengrad is founded upon this principle. It floats along the rivers, never holding still. We are a free people, protected by our aunts and uncles, the Faeri. Before you drink of the sacred waters of Water World, it would be wise to get their permission first. Those who break a deal with the Faeri are never heard from again."

"As to our eating habits, I cannot say. I'm partial to Salawa myself, when I can catch it. In fact, I was just about to spear myself a nice dame when your ship crashed and scared it off."

Obscurejones

2010-11-17, 08:21 AM

Belos, Pyrokus
Every single gear within the armored body of the inevitable slowly began to wind up. The sound was quite audible as the forge was filled with the echoes of 'click, click, click'. Long moments passed this way until Belos seemed to be practically quivering with tension. The black object within his grip quickly widens and elongates until it consumed the dimensions of a great two handed blade. Nearby objects within the forge are inextricably drawn towards the gravity of the blade, toppling off their workbenches and wall racks with clatters and crashes.

Suddenly, the adamantine armored figure springs into motion; the blade comes crashing down straight towards Josiah's head! Yet, while the blow seems enough to shatter a planet it will prove to be just strong enough for Josiah to repel if he puts his strength into it. The moment he does, Belos rotates along the axis of his body to bring his elbow crashing down towards the back off Josiah's neck. The assault is just slow enough to demonstrate the way Josiah's momentum was used against him. Regardless of the actual outcome, Belos transforms into a blur of whirling, slashing, unbalancing mayhem that practically forces Josiah to react lest he face humiliating consequences. The night is young, and there is plenty of time for practice.

"Again. Again. Again. Again. Again! Again! Again! Again! AGAIN!"
Josiah, Pyrokus

Josiah blocked the first blow with an expression of surprise and a quivering hand. The second a hint of anger and with a solid enough stance that the blow rattled his old bones. The third with a hint of fear and his mighty cudgel nearly slipping from his hand.

By the fiftieth blow he began to understand the basics. By the hundredth, he began to see the efficient patterns in his viasuran ally's movements. By the thousandth blow, their duel was a glimmering black and white dance of harmony, adamantine and ivory forming a yin and yang of arcing lines through the air between them, bits of flesh and offal flying from Josiah's spinning body.

Somewhere near the millionth blow Josiah thought he saw an opening. Swung.

Shmee

2010-11-17, 08:50 AM

Terran, Kamigawa

Once again breaking from his meditation, Terran looks at the world as it develops. Huge landmasses dwarfing his own creation now dominated geography of the world that the god of Earth had once lifted. And yet, in his mind, Terran still considered the Old World to be superior in all aspects except one. Through out the other lands, the mortals continued to expand upon the surface... save for the Old World, were the Dwarves were expanding underground. Granted, there were some Elves which Julien had sent, but in Terran's eyes, they did not count.

"I shall not have my creation surpassed by anyone..." Says the god of Earth as he gets to work, to create more mortals, more impressive than any other yet made.

Summoning a piece of stone from the earth, Terran clasps it firmly between his powerful palms and begins to squeeze hard until it is reduced to rubble. Allowing it to pour from his clenched hands into a pile in front of him, the Earth god begins with his finger to sort out the precious stones from the rubble, until in front of him lied a piece of unrefined Sapphire, Topaz, Crystal, Emerald, Obsidian and Amethyst. Nodding his head, he begins to chip with his finger one by one each precious stone, until he had created a form which pleased him.

Terran then drops the precious figurines, allowing them to scatter throughout the Old World, and then by willing it, he gives them life. The new creatures, whose eldest ones surpassed the size of the Giants, were of the scaly sort with huge wings. Most of them made their lairs deep within the earth, while others remained on the surface, amongst the mountains and trees of the Old World, mostly each remaining in its own territory, but also interacting with any mortals they may encounter. Thus it was, that the Gem Dragons made the Old World their Home.

Back on Kamigawa, Terran was busy with yet another draconic figurine, this one more elaborate, and unlike the normal dragons, this one was larger, more powerful and this one made out of a ruby. Breathing life into this one, Terran looks at his work and nods in satisfaction.

"I am placing you in charge of your brethren, I grant you a portion of my strength and wisdom, so that you may guide not only your kind, but all mortal races upon the Old World."

Thus, the god of Earth watches as the dragons settle all around the Old World.

OOC

AP1=2-1; Create Life: Gem Dragons
AP1=1-0; Raise Hero: Sardior (Use Mythinc Divine Power)
GP:4/15

The Dwarves

There was an air of excitement going around the Dwarven cities, deep under the mountains. It seemed that as the competition over trade grew, so did the need for more goods to be created, as it would open new markets. One such market had just been opened, and already the Major Clans were sending expeditions to find a special type of rock, which had been proven to be highly combustible when in contact with heat. Naturally, the Dwarves had no fire... no mortals had, but it did not mean that the heat provided by the magma near the Dwarven cities would not do, when it came to keeping this rock hot enough for the Dwarves to work on it. It was thus, that the Dwarves began mining this precious stone which they named: Coal. Naturally other mortals could find this rock, but besides the fact that the Dwarves had easier access, this rock would still be mostly useless to other races, due to the lack of fire.

It wasn't long after the discovery of coal, that new professions and industries began opening within the Dwarven cities, still reaping the benefits of the earth, which Terran himself had given to them as an inheritance.

Where Immortas is

All of a sudden, a small pebble appears in front of Immortas, delivering a message.

My ears have picked up your challenge towards the one I created, and I request to speak to you in person at your leisure. You shall find me in Kamigawa, should you agree to meet me.

The Immovable Mountain.

Incendax

2010-11-17, 08:51 AM

Sora, Pyrokus.
Sora gave a respectful nod to the Elder God and dismissed himself. He strode down the hall past that same large brass bell in the direction that Mondo indicated and soon heard a sound. He followed the clanging and crashing until he stood before the absolute mayhem going on between Josiah and Belos. He watched with what could only be described as total awe. Sora spent all his time in the savage lands where low animal cunning and sheer ferocity was the way everything fought, yet this was actual art. Sora judged that the inevitable was likely to be the person he was seeking, and decided to introduce himself regardless of the circumstances. He was happy to wait.

"Greetings, Belos. My name is Sora, Twice Beloved of Julien, and Oldest of Children. I have spoken to the elder god and he has named you as the entity most likely to be able to fulfill my request. I wish to commission your assistance for the creation of an artifact of great power, such that I may better defend my children from predation. The rest of this speech you have likely already overheard from my earlier introduction, but my need is still great."

Rizban

2010-11-17, 12:24 PM

Oops, missed this post...
Kali-Mondo
"Oh, ah, purpose?" Kali asked, thinking a bit. "Purpose is actually a very interesting point to bring up! Purpose is a derivative of knowledge and conjecture, an intended course of action created when one combines what one knows the status quo to be, and then works to change it with what they wish to be reality."

Tapping his chin, he thought, "Purpose? Oh, yes! That could prove quite interesting- I simply ask for some of your Metal, and whatever else you seek to contribute, to better learn of it, and to provide a standard by which mortals can categorize it. It's more of a courtesy that I ask you to provide it, really, rather than a vital necessity- I'm quite sure mortals will find some of it on their own, but I'm certain it'd serve to help species if there were references on how to identify it and the various means it could be utilized with."

Kali paused for a second at this, realizing that he had- in fact- been blathering. "Err, yes. In short? It'd be appreciated if you could give me and my people some of your Metal, so as to better help myself and mortals understand it. Develop it. Know it."Mondo, Pyrokus

"I removed Metal from the mortal realm for a purpose. If your purpose is to return it, then I cannot allow such."

planswalker

2010-11-17, 01:20 PM

Sozuchi - the Void

While he let the storm clouds brew, he let his mind wander, and realized that he needed to get fire back to his people to help prevent too much water from freezing and blocking the rivers.

He didn't care to go himself, though, since his brother didn't seem likely to be reasonable, so he instead had Chept and Banchept assemble a team of specialists.

After much searching, they chose the best and brightest of each race, and assembled them together in the heart of Sozengrad.

"My children, Fire has been withheld from our world, and Sozuchi has decreed that we need it back. We will select five champions, one from each of your noble races, to go forth and conquer. Show us why you should go to represent your people."

Each race went forth, and held competitions to challenge themselves to find out who was best.

The Crocs held competitions of strength and hunting prowess. Golath won by tearing out a three year old tree from the ground with his bare hands.

The Eags held a contest to see who could lead the best under difficult circumstances. Shota won by guiding her group of children to climbing over a waterfall without losing any.

The Cats merely stalked each other, and marked each other if they were hunted. The one who didn;t get marked before the others won. She was Bastet.

No one is sure what the Set did to determine their champion. They all disappeared for a day and a night, and Samus was chosen to represent them. No one was even sure which tribe she was from.

The Boa held a competition of knowledge. The one who could recite the most thorough narrative of the foundation fo the World won the right to go and record these events for posterity.

The Five were chosen, and Chept sent them to Pyrokus. What they found there defied the imagination.

Riz, please have them meet whomever/whatever you wish when they get there. My only request is that in the end, the Boa makes it out alive to share the stories of what happened.

Rizban

2010-11-17, 01:34 PM

The Chept, Pyrokus

The five chosen Chept arrive in Pyrokus standing on a large, steel gear about a mile in diameter and only slowly turning. This particular gear seems attached only to one other gear on the far side and a large bundle of muscle fibers some 100 feet in diameter in the very center. Crossing to the underside of the gear reveals no other features.

The great wall of Fire marking the outer edge of Pyrokus burns brightly a mere 6 feet away from one edge of this gear.

planswalker

2010-11-17, 01:45 PM

The Chept, Pyrokus

Unsure what to do, Shota, the party leader calls out, "Hello, is anyone there?"

Seramus

2010-11-17, 01:49 PM

Belos and the Cheps, Pyrokus.
From somewhere deep within the sides of the bowels of Pyrokus comes an great booming voice. It has a slightly resonant tone as if it were being spoken with a slight echo from some discernible source. No sign of the speaker is within sight, but the sounds of constant battle reverberate all across the giant cog.

"You have to ring the giant brass bell."

Belos, Pyrokus.
The automata sees the approach of the cudgel and almost steps out of range with a single calculated step. Instead he accepts the blow upon his ebony and gold armor, which causes a thunderous boom to rattle across the entire length of Pyrokus. The cudgel has knocked a sizable dent into the armored leg of the inevitable, and no less than three cogs shatter off to skitter across the ground. As the dust clears, Belos clearly begins to favor his undamaged right leg while he prowls around his student with a slow 'click, click, clicking'. His visor never swivels towards Sora, and yet he returns the address.

"Greetings! I am the unit designated as Belos, the Inevitable of War. I am the greatest weapon ever crafted by the gods, and by the divine will of Fire Lord Mordo I am the greatest craftsman of weapons. I have in my arsenal the concepts for countless blades, projectiles, blunt instruments, and arcane devices that could sheer the essence of a god in twain. Given adequate facilities I can cause the very heavens to quake in terror, or equip them to throw back any invader."

Belos lunges towards Josiah once again, but this time his tactic is different. He begins to demonstrate more tactical maneuvers, focused almost entirely upon baiting his enemy into making a critical mistake. Feints, flanks, ruses, pincers, envelopments, formations, and attrition are all displayed on a personal combative level. Without breaking stride, save the damaged leg, Belos inquires of Sora in an inquisitive whisper that is barely audible over the constant sounds of battle.

"Would you like to know more?"