Lords of Creation: The World Madly Spins (IC Thread) [Archive]

Gnomes2169

2021-05-05, 01:12 AM

Myths of the Daystar's birth

Passages from Renarr's eventual Daystar church
In the beginning, the creator weaved a creation. They sculpted a world, populated it with fledgling divinities who would play with the void and the seas.

And then the creator cast it off.

And once reality was abandoned, the serpent began to feed. Many of the gods crafted by the creator fell to Wan'shi's hungering jaws, some abandoned the heavens to create their wonders on the first world, some fled to the far corners of the Void. The Daystar and Eternal Night were the first ones to fight back.

The goddesses of night and day worked together, forming a plan, experimenting to create a tool that could drive away the serpent. The Eternal allowed the Daystar to perfect her weapon in the blackest of nights, hiding even from the roving monster until a weapon so inimical to Wan'shi's nature that it might destroy the monster was perfected. And when it was ready, Night drew back, and Solace blazed in the void, a blinding beacon of light and heat that melted away all darkness, to sear the serpent, and drive it into the bowls of the earth to hide. But Renarr's creation had been too... perfect.

The power of Solace burned many of the lesser gods as well as it had burned the great serpent's body. While the goddess had secured the heavens, the other gods died all the same. And so Eternal Night reached out to remake its barriers, a realm of darkness to cloak the heavens, a realm named Nocturne. In so doing, Solace's powers were dampened, and Wan'shi could once more return to its feast in the heavens once it recovered from the harm that had been inflicted, and the first strike against the serpent ended in failure.

But Renarr was not yet done. Not yet. To some of the godlings she extended protection from the sun's power, and she brought them into Solace's chambers to begin planning their actions against the great nightmare for when it returned...

In reality...
Things were hardly so triumphant or planned as all that. And Renarr was never two separate goddesses... though eventually that fact would become less and less important.

But one thing was true. Not all gods born were equal. Some were as children, and died in their ignorance. Some were born ignorant of the world, their stillborn thoughts and creations fed the serpent. Some fled from Wan’Shi, but were too slow, or trampled underneath by their brethren. Some were simply never given domains by the creator, and were to the true gods as mortals, and in them the serpent found easy prey.

Renarr was one of the fortunate divinities that had a full mind, who was properly developed, who had power to rival the serpent's own... and she decided to try and use that power to protect herself and the lesser divinities. A place without the astral serpent's domains, where it would be at a disadvantage should it challenge her and the other gods such a place would surely gather.

Both she and Wan'shi were kin, of a sorts. Both had aspects of Darkness. Both could live in the void and draw power from it. But Renarr was a duality, and the opposite side of her coin would not steal her strength. So she reached into the strands of creation, into possibilities and impossibilities within the void, and she crafted a realm to capitalize on the advantages she had. Beyond the barriers that already surrounded the First World, Renarr built a realm. A fortress forged from bound light, a beacon in the realities to blind the Void itself, to drown the darkness and give shelter to the gods that could flee to it fast enough.

And then, in the world's first mistake, Renarr said, "Let there be Light!" And then she opened up the portal to this realm before considering and finishing the protections. A massive portal floated in the void, able to hold hundreds of the First World within it, at a distance far enough to let Renarr see what happened in its unveiling and adjust it before its effects could reach the First World. She did not know there were still godlings out that far. And she did not know how vulnerable those godlings were.

Waves of heat from Solace blasted through divine flesh, killing dozens before Renarr could react. Hastily, she reached into the power she had over the domain of Darkness and slammed a barrier in between Solace and the rest of creation. The strands pulled from Nocturne pressed in on all sides around Solace, strong around the First World, but growing gradually weaker as it approached the realm of pure light. The barrier likely saved dozens of her divine kin and kept the waters of the First World from boiling... but it also meant that Wan'shi's feast could continue without any restraint, as the night would protect the serpent as surely as it did her kin.

Exhausted, dejected in her failure, the goddess staggered into Solace, striding through the void and reaching the radiant earth of that blazing realm. There she shaped a throne, sat upon it, and then looked in shock at a handful of lesser divinities that impossibly stood before her within a protective shell from Nocturne itself. At its heart stood a godling, attuned to darkness, who had taken power from the realm of night that now protected the First World and this handful of survivors.

The Suzerain of Night looked upon the goddess from the bubble he'd created, and he asked Renarr, "Now what?"

Starting AP: 16

-4 AP; Weave Plane - Solace: A realm of pure light, in which no one needs to sleep, eat or grow tired. Every part of this plane, from the rocks, to the seas, to the sky itself, radiates its own brand of light and color. Solace's size is literally the size of the sun, and the sun's surface, its portal, is the sky of this plane, able to be seen through via divine or blessed eyes. There are paths within this plane that lead ever deeper, into tunnels and realms that have their own ecosystems and natural wonders... but all of it is empty of life, and for now there are no signs of civilization except for the throne that Renarr uses as her seat.

This realm serves as the First World's sun. It rotates, has a gravitational pull, and performs all the other things you'd expect from an earth-like solar entity. That said, it burns much brighter, and much hotter, than real life sun, and appears to be a near-white violet in the sky, rather than near-white yellow.

-4 AP; Weave Plane - Nocturne: The dark reflection of Solace, Nocturne is a plane of eternal night and darkness unending. It does not have a portal that dominates the skies like Solace, and where all of Solace is forged from blazing light, Nocturne is made from frigid shadows and earth. This realm rivals its bright counterpart in size, but without the large portal, it has little to no gravitational impact upon the First World. The temperature in this realm hovers rather close to true zero, only kept from reaching that point by the little trickle of radiation it gets from the first world.

Being a reflection of Solace, physical structures, such as buildings, lakes, rivers, etc, all have a mirrored copy within this realm. As well, the sleepless nature of Solace is mirrored here, except on this plane, existence is experienced in a near dream-like state. True sleep is never experienced, but true wakefulness is nearly impossible for a non-attuned mortal to achieve.

-2 AP; Create Portal - Solace to the First World: This portal is the surface of the sun itself. Massive, unyielding, and perfectly accessible to anyone. You know... if you can survive first the void of space and then the massive bombardments of solar radiation and heat. The star created from this portal burns bright enough to be nearly ultra-violet, though the first world sees something else due to the Strands of Night blessing.

-2 AP; Create Portal - Nocturne to the First World: The portal to the realm of night eternal is placed above the surface of the First World on the opposite side of the world from the sun. This does mean that the portal moves as the world rotates and orbits around Solace. This portal radiates cold to areas near it, hinting at the utter lack of light and heat within its connected realm. The Strands of Night blessing draws its power from this portal.

-2 AP; Create Hero - the Suzerain of Night: The Suzerain is a (far) lesser divinity from the birth of creation that managed to survive both Wan'shi's rampage and Renarr's mistake, more akin in power to a Solar or Balor than he is an actual god. The Suzerain is a pale-skinned man with slate-grey eyes and completely black hair and blood. He is elementally aligned with darkness, specifically the night, and that connection gives him just enough raw talent and power to protect both himself and the small group of other lesser godlings that managed to move with him.

There are plans for this one. The Suzerain will grow.

-1 AP; Blessing - Strands of Night: This blessing effectively strains the light from Solace in order to make it non-harmful to beings that live on the First World, effectively forming a second atmosphere that doesn't have a downside, and that extends far beyond the planet's normal boundaries. This means there's no sunburn, heat stroke from the sun, sun blindness from staring at the sun with the naked eye for too long, etc, etc... but the blessing also ensures that there is never too little heat or light reaching the First World, effectively keeping things at a pleasant equilibrium where life could flourish if SOME GODS stopped trying to eat everything.

This blessing extends in every direction from Nocturn's portal, growing weaker the closer it comes to the sun (or any other solar entity) and stronger the farther from light that it gets. This would allow for a planet like, say, Venus to exist despite Solace being a Violet star (though it would be too weak to protect Mercury), and prevent Uranus from getting any sunlight at all, if it was present within our solar system.

Total AP expended: 15

AP remaining: 1

Domain progress:
Realms (the Heavens): 10 (Create plane: Solace, portal to Solace, create plane: Nocturne) (Purposefully not taking this until ready to ascend)
Protection (Mercy): 3 (Create portal to Nocturne, Blessing; Strands of Night)
Order (Retribution): 2 (Create hero: Suzerain of Night... this will become obvious eventually)

dancrilis

2021-05-05, 06:58 AM

Kerima

Kerima doesn't remember the creator, or what exactly happened as that being left - her earliest memories are twofold, firstly there was contentment and secondly there was pain, the contentment in her mind lasted only an instant were the pain lasted for what seemed an eternity.

After the pain came the fall where she collided with the water and hit the ground beneath passing through much of the mantle of the first world as she did so - and there in the darkness, battered and bruised her blood pouring out of her, her bones shattered, her organs punctured she began to heal.

She does not know for how long she lay in the darkness or where the creatures came from, she suspects they may have been born from her body, but perhaps they came from the slain god stuff that decorated some of the passages she found herself in - either way they sought to bind her and feed on her as she healed, but there primative techniques were as nothing to her and so they locked her away and forgot about her for a time.

When she rose she had made a decision - pain was to be avoided, contentment was to be sought, and control was the means by which both could be gained.

Emerging from her tomb she ordered the first of the creatures she met to serve her - it did not and its body betrayed it causing it to suffer in agony, the second standing beside it choose to serve, this would be the beginning of her empire.

Over time she decided to raise some ground to the surface to ensure she had eyes on the surface also and warped some of her servants to better serve her purposes above, the humans of the plains, the elves of the forests and the dwarves of the mountains, these races largely copied the goblins tribal nature and so she needed a second element of control so she took those who were most devoted to her and allowed them to harness the power of their devotion to her to allow them to preform minor miracles, insignificant to a deity but fantastical to a mortal creature, she then placed these priests above all other creatures.

People of Kerima
In the underdark the first creatures that found Kerima were the Goblins, vicious and cunning creatures who established themselves in tribal communities.
For the land above Kerima mutated some goblins into various forms, the humans of the plains, the dwarves of the mountains, and the elves of the forests - each set to protect and defend the lands of Kerima and designed for that role from the stock that formed them.

Corrla - Land of Kerima
The various areas that fall under the sway of Kerima are called Corrla - this consists of a number of two main areas, the underdark caverns were her fall left her, and the surface which she raised in the aftermath of her healing, a large and geographically diverse continent teaming with life.

Create Race: Goblins (2AP) - Life (Evolution) 2/10
- Cunning and vicious creatures bound in tribal societies, breed fast and die young, standing somewhere between 2 and 4 foot on average for an adult.

Create Land: Corrla (2AP) - Life (Evolution) 4/10
- Corrla is a continent seperate from Circle Continent on the opposite side of the the First World or roughly the same size, it has many tunnles connecting to the underdark, as well as many mountains, plains and forests and populated with all many of creatures that one might expect in those locations.

Create Sub-Life: Humans (1AP) - Life (Evolution) 5/10
- Chosen from taller Goblins and manipulated to have much longer legs, while they still breed fast and die young both are much slower then for a goblin, they are also somewhat less vicious.

Create Sub-Life: Elves (1AP) - Life (Evolution) 6/10
- Humans who moved from the plains to the forest were ill suited for the environment and so Kerima changed them again giving them a much slower breeding rate and longer life so that they could learn there new enviroment well over time.

Create Sub-Life: Dwarves (1AP) - Life (Evolution) 7/10
- The first generation of humans breed with goblins producing a race who had the bulk of humans but were closer in height to goblins, there stocky creatures preferred the underground but also liked being near the surface, and an odd quirk held them to slow aging and breeding - as the humans stablised further away from goblins the breeding became impossible, many of the learned treat the story as fiction.

Create Mythical Concept: Worship (4AP) - Magic (Divine) 4/10
- All races under Kerima's domain worship her, and devote their lives to her words, even if many disagree on what exactly she wants or has said. Via the power of their worship they can perform miracles, such as healing the sick, or calling down minor curses on their enemies.

Create Mundane Concept: Language (1AP) - Society (Advancement) 1/10
- It became apparent to Kerima early that the goblins were useless if they could not be made to understand her requirements, so she instilled them with language, this has been changed, evolved and been corrupted by time into many different languages.

Create Racial Society (The People of Kerima) (2AP) - Society (Advancement) 3/10
- While the races are somewhat scattered and isolated, they all understand that Kerima stands above them and give her those who wield her power much respect regardless of race or beliefs.
- Tribal Theocracy.

Create Organization (The Priests of Kerima) (1AP) - Magic (Divine) 5/10
- These are the more direct servants of Kerima, bound by there devotion (and the power it grants) more then racial or geographic issues - it is they who ultimately control all areas of life for The People of Kerima except were the goddess herself decides to get involved.

AP Spend: 15
AP Left: 1

Omoikane13

2021-05-05, 08:37 AM

Fleeing the Devourer as a sprite of wind was natural, but arriving on the First World did not feel so. Moiraithe, for that always had been and always would be her name, found herself on a canvas that had already started to be coated in paint. She flowed and wended her way across it, taking in the newborn beings and life, caressing them invisibly. Greeting them.

Others worked on cosmic scales with their newly-flexed power, some on wide swathes of the First World. It was a sibling of pain and rules that worked on the smaller scale, on the creatures. Shaped them from its flesh and bound them, bound their minds. The wind bound inside Moiraithe railed against this, wanted to thrash and free and strike at the sibling - who seemed to know herself as Kerima - and at the ties it had made.

"Why do you tie them so, sister?", Moiraithe sent as a whisper, non-directional, to Kerima.

As the words travelled on the wind, her mind turned to what could be done to free some of these poor souls from the yoke of worship.They were primed to believe in the gods, so that was perhaps the suitable avenue. it would certainly be worse to try and upend their societal foundation, would cause undue grief and chaos and likely result in further rules being established.

A paradoxical gospel. Tell the sapient beings that it was their calling and their right to be free, to self-determine, and to act as they wished. Tell them that they had nobody they needed to follow or worship except themselves, and that the deity Moiraithe would defend that right anywhere and everywhere. A banner of freedom.

While that was all well and good, beaming dissenting thoughts into the heads of the sapient beings would again be chaotic. A messenger would be best. Something that could stride across Corrla telling anyone and everyone that enforced worship and the ties binding them did not have to be permanent, that they could live as they liked and worship who or what they chose. Something that could even wander into the darkest of places to preach freedom.

Moiraithe found a mountain wind, cold and crisp, and coiled it. Curled it and twisted it until it sped up and coiled of its own accord. Until it began to collect mountain rock and dust, plant debris, all sorts of detritus. And then she gave it a spark of life, watching as the messy form coalesced into something more like the sapient beings of the First World.

She watched as the being began to move, saw its thoughts ignite. And she gave it a task. To spread freedom, to be free itself, and to spread that paradoxical gospel.

Raise Hero: The Saorsa (2 AP):
A being formed of bound wind and debris, the Saorsa is a quick learner and absorbs knowledge very quickly. In addition, it often interprets its drive to promote freedom so that it can spread this knowledge.

The Saorsa's primary duty is to promote freedom. This usually takes the form of travelling to sapient cities and helping them with anything deemed as tyrannical worship, control, or similar issues. In addition, the Saorsa will push back against any form of government or religion that it deems to infringe on Moiraithe's gospel of freedom.

Being formed of pure wind and given life by a deity, the Saorsa is not easily stopped, but dislikes harming mortals.
(Fate (Freedom) 2/10)

AP Remaining: 14

KragBrightscale

2021-05-05, 11:25 AM

Abu Dhahab, the Great Lizard

Rise of the Lizardfolk
Gathering a few of each of the different lizards he had created Abu Dhahab blessed them with intelligence and wisdom, raising them up to true sapience. To make the most of their new found abilities, the Great Lizard remolded their bodies into a more humanoid shape. Dexterous limbs and fingers, capable of creating and using tools, mouths capable of speech, and upright bodies that could walk on two legs.

The resulting people became known as the lizardfolk, for that is what they were originally. Although sharing a common name, each lizard still retained much of the qualities of their original species, resulting in numerous subcategories or subspecies with different unique traits, strengths and weaknesses. Eventually three distinct groups emerged, largely based on size. The large and bulky Crocodilians standing at about 7 feet, the small and dexterous Geckokin reaching only 4 feet, and the most numerous yet diverse Lizardfolk usually around 5 to 6 feet tall.

Tribes, markets, and merchants

Abu Dhahab blessed the first of his sapient creations with the knowledge of how to survive and thrive in the arid climate he had created, and guided them to form a society based on trade, tribes, and distributed authority. He taught them how to make use of whatever resources they had available, and trading with Neighbouring tribes to improve the lives of those in their own tribe.

Slowly, as the lizardfolk spread through the valleys and settled in small tribal communities, cities were built as strategic trade hubs and markets started being held out of both necessity and religious devotion.

Weekly local markets where members of a tribe gathered and bartered amongst each other. Monthly regional markets frequented by merchant caravans where people could buy products not usually available, news from afar was transmitted, and fierce haggling occurred. Finally, the annual grand bazaar hosted by the largest cities and trade hubs and lasting over a week, where exotic goods, feasts, and festivities abound.

AP:14

Create Sapient Life (Lizardfolk) -2 AP
Society (Commerce) 4/10

Create Subrace (Crocodilians) -1 AP
Society (Commerce) 5/10

Create Subrace (Geckokin) -1 AP
Society (Commerce) 6/10

The most common type was also the most average of lizardfolk, whose origin were a range of medium to large terrestrial lizards. Similar in height to the humans that existed on the opposite side of the world, they exhibit a variety of different appearances such as having horns, having a frilled neck, or having ridges or spines along their backs and tails. Being the most populous amongst the three types resulted in them keeping the name lizardfolk.

The largest, and most sturdy subspecies came from crocodiles. Their thick scaly hide, powerful limbs and bodies that stood a full head taller than regular lizard kin made them formidable warriors. Like their non-sapient kin, Crocodilians prefer the water and settled primarily along the red coast in small fishing communities.

The smaller subspecies of lizard folk include those that came from skinks, chameleons, and geckos. These only grew up to a height of around 4 feet, had lightweight dexterous bodies, in addition to their specialized physical characteristics. The ability to change color, the ability to climb most surfaces, and the ability to dive into and swim through the sand. Over time, these groups combined to form the Geckokin where most individuals had some if not all three specialties.

Create Mundane Concept (Commerce) -1 AP
Society (Commerce) 7/10

Bless (Lizardfolk - Desert survival) -1 AP
Lizardfolk intuitively know where to dig to find water in even the driest of deserts, never get lost in a desert, and can go for extended periods of time without food or water surviving just on what their body has stored up. Before and after long trips Lizardfolk will eat and drink extra to refill their body’s reserves.
Society (Commerce) 8/10

Create Society (tribal merchant republics) -2 AP
Effectively independent city states, with tribal villages and towns. Major decisions that affect larger regions are decided right after the annual grand bazaar, before everyone leaves the city.
[b]Society (Commerce) 10/10

Gained domain (portfolio): Society (Commerce)

14 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -2 = 6 AP

Zelphas

2021-05-05, 01:25 PM

In the Center of Circle Continent

As Hetta observed, the other gods began to act, and she started to understand. She saw the Rules that they were using to make their world, and how to fit within them. Her frown lessens, and she sets to work.

Wan'shi's Rule (as Hetta understands it): Consumption is key.

Hetta's claws tore at the earth again, and she ripped up pieces of earth to mold into the shape of her own lower form. Casting about for a moment, she saw the new creation of lizardfolk, and took the heads of the largest of these creatures to finish her creation's frame. Finally, she placed a rune between the eyes of the beast, a simple scrawl meaning "EAT". Four of these beasts were created, in total, and she set them out from the center of her land to fulfill their directive. They tore forwards, driven by a fearful hunger, a desire to consume all that they found.

Abu Dhahab's Rule (as Hetta understands it): Alter the existent world to fit.

The goddess looked around at the hole she had created, glanced ahead at the creatures she had sent forth, and noticed that very little of the land she had used was suitable for creating them properly. She had to dig through much dirt and rock before she discovered the proper material. And so, with a wave of her hand, she converted the pit around her into the proper material. Bands of multicolored clay rose out of the pit and spread across the center of the Circle Continent, dotted here and there with little oases of rivers, lakes, and trees.

Renarr's Rule (as Hetta understands it): Balance in all things.

The consuming beasts had laid waste to much land before Hetta saw Renarr's rule and began to convert her actions. Using her humanoid hands, Hetta pulled from the clay all around her and built a series of creatures modeled after her upper half. She gave them four lower legs and a powerful lower body, but covered them with fur instead of scales and added hooves instead of claws to their feet. She made many of these creatures, in contrast to the few of the dragons, and spaced them over the plains of her continent, leaving Abu Dhahab's area free of them unless they wished to travel there. She instilled into these new creatures a sense of protectiveness and fairness, a sense of territoriality and hospitality to guests, and she gave them the knowledge to fight the ravaging dragons and halt their advance.

Looking over the creation, she felt that they were not balanced enough; the dragons were built to consume food, but the centaurs had no counterpoint to that. After a moment of thought, Hetta took up the grass that grew over the Circle Continent and twisted it, elongating it and making it droop with fresh seeds. She took this new plant to the centaurs and taught them how to grow it, so that they could counteract the dragons' rampage.

Kerima's Rule (as Hetta understands it): Creatures live upon the land.

Hetta was relieved to see Kerima raise her own land from the sea; what she had already done was within the Rules, after all.

Moiraithe's Rule (as Hetta Understands it): Unique creatures may be made to serve your will.

"Mas... ter..." Hetta is startled out of her contemplation in her Pit of Making by a blank, inhuman voice. The voice belonged to a messy lump of clay, set aside by Hetta herself in the midst of making, had formed itself into a vaguely human shape, with only the impression of a face. "Or... ders?"

AP: 14

Create Legends (Clay Dragons) - 5 AP: These dragons are beasts of clay, not flesh, and are possessed with extraordinary power and endless, omnipresent hunger.

Alter Land (the Pit of Making) -1 AP: in the center of Circle Continent is a land of rolling clay hills in many different colors, occasionally dotted by streams and lakes with trees and shrubbery. At the middle of this land is a deep pit filled with little holes, tunnels, and clumps of soft clay.

Create Race (Centaurs) -2 AP: Formed from multicolored clay, Centaurs live in stable herds throughout much of the Circle Continent. They know of the dragons, and fight them off whenever encountered.

Create Racial Society (Tribal Farming) -2 AP: Centaurs gather in herds led by a council of elders, and they live in a specific territory from generation to generation.

Create Mundane Concept (Agriculture) -1 AP: Hetta creates grains out of the grass of Circle Continent and teaches the centaurs how to grow it.

Raise Hero (the Lump) -2 AP: A massive lump of multicolored clay given life by accident, the Lump is a proto-golem. He lacks the rules that other golems will have inscribed in them in order to exist, making his fate much more uncertain.

Earth (Clay) Progress: 10/10 (Create Land 2, Clay Dragons 5, Alter Land 1, Raise Hero 2)

14 AP - 13 = 1 AP Remaining

Feathersnow

2021-05-05, 01:25 PM

Idix: The life and death of Skidi

At that first slaughter of gods, the being that would be called Skidi ran. "XiDi" or "Questing Hand Gives", in Hieroglyphics. She ran accross the heavens and dove into the sea. She dove past the sea and into the earth beneath it.

When she could hold her breath no longer, she surfaced again, at the South pole, dredging up a broken land. A land of bare rock. The land of Cliffs and Spires.

As she breathed in again, the land grew flush with trees, each tree a living spirit.

And, in an instant, the trees froze and died. Skidi looked on in despair at her first children, and ate their leaves, so their Ka would not die along with their Khet.

For each dead dryad, she learned its Ren, its True Name, and it appeared in the bark of the dead tree, and, as it did, each tree turned to stone, petrified and uncorruptable. These were the first words, each stillborn dryad is the reified Ren of a different concept, each living on, her Sah the written Word itself.

As the Great Caribou memorialized her firstborn, new life sprung up where she walked. Mosses and lichens and short, stocky sedges. Hardy, tiny green things that could withstand the cold and the dark.

Her sad task done, Skidi looked on at at the empty land. She let out three bleats, one for each of the kinds of lesser beasts.

First came the oozekind, who have no bones nor limbs and who recover from any wound. The puddings and the cubes and the slimes.

Next came the hardy crawling things, that live for days and sleep for months. The flies, and the crickets, and the crabs.

Next she called forth the birds of the air, that wander, but come home to the rocks.The gulls and the finches and the eagles.

As she ran and bleated, four hanks of hair got caught in a bough of a dead dryad.

Each grew into a kindred of greater beast, named after the tree that, though dead, gave it birth. The Seal, was born from the word meaning "She of Both Worlds"
the Fox, from the word "Cunning" the Penguin, from "Unity" and the Rat, from "Handy."

And then a fifth came forth, from fur shed on the ground, the Ghul. In the form of a seal, yet cunning like a fox. Clannish like a penguin, yet dextrous like a rat. It was everything and nothing. Formless, mutable, and seeking. This is why, today, the word for "Ghul" in Hieroglyphics is the first symbol of the names of the four kindred of greater beasts bound in a cartouche then modified by the Rune of the Questing Hand. "SFPR":Di

And then the long night fell over the Southern pole, and Skidi lay down in exhaustion. And, in the night. The first Ghuls fell on her, as she lay, unable to resist.

And, as they ate her Khet, they gained the Ka of divinity, and the learning it entailed. And they knew they had done wrong.

As they set the first fire in the first lodge, they planned, guilty yet gleeful at their new potential. By Spring, the Ghuls were fat and rich off the crafts they had learned. Not least how to trawl the seas as she had, to reap the shellfish of the coasts. Nor how to culture the mobile fungi that shambled the Land of Cliffs and Spires.

And so, in reverence, they re-assembled the bones of Skidi, and Inscribed the word "The Gift of the Questing Hand" on the skull.
And so was born Idix.

Actions]
Starting AP 16
Ending AP 0

Create land 2 AP
Nature (Tundra) 2/10)
The Antarctic continent of Cliffs and Spires is mostly bare, volcanic rock with sone hardy life.

Create mundane concept: fishing 1AP
Nature (Tundra) 3/10
As Skidi dredged forth the land, her followers net up sea food.

Blessing: All sentient beings have multiple souls. 1AP
Magic(Transfiguration ) 1/10
Inspired by the Egyptian model. Ka= vital essence, Ba= personality, Khet= physical body, Akh, complete self, Sah= self devoid of physical body.

Blessing: All things have a single true name. Each Sentient being also has a unique, personal true name. 1AP
Magic (Transfiguration) 2/10
Called a "Ren"

Blessing: The Ba of a sentient, if not bound to an appropriate vessel, can always be recalled by use of a true name. 1AP
Magic (Transfiguration)3/10
Useful for magic of various types. Especially reincarnation and necromancy.

Create mundane concept: writing 1 AP
Magic (Transfiguration) 4/10
Pretty self explanatory. Each word was first written on the bark of a stillborn dryad, which shares its true name

Create mundane concept: ooze-herding 1AP
Nature (Tundra) 4/10
Not quite farming, not quite animal husbandry.

Create mythic concept: psychometry 4 AP
Magic(Transfiguration ) 8/10
The magic of learning by handling (or eating) an object (or corpse) Allows Ghuls to retain the souls and memories of their ancestors more easily.

Create sapient race 2 AP
Magic(Transfiguration ) 10/10
Ghuls are small, dim, inept seal-like, humanoids that can subtly shape shift to be physically comfortable and merely mediocre at specific tasks

Create society 2 AP
Nature (Tundra) 6/10
The Lodges of Cliffs and Spires are a Democratic Republic based around female-line clans that live in different coastal regions of the continent.

Razade

2021-05-05, 04:45 PM

Wan'shi, The Exile: The Void

Being full never lasts. Not when you're a vast serpent coiled deep in the cold Void.

The scent of new things, strange things, aroused Wan'shi. It tasted heat and blood, divine powers and desires. All things Wan'shi savored and more. The lights of Wan'shi shifted and with a coiled strike rose from the Vast and with a gaping maw surged to swallow the new bright point on which the First World revolved. Its heat burned and pillars of smoke filled the mouth of the dragon beast before it fell back into the depths of the Void from where it slumbered. But the serpent was not to be deterred, so vast and powerful was this bright point. Again, and again, from the deep Void the snake uncoiled and struck as if to swallow the Sun, each time getting closer to its mark, each time needing more to burn. Each time it rose, new bone and blade covered its sinuous body. Not its own, no. The Gods could recognize even at a glance. The serpent Wan'shi decorated itself with the bones it could not swallow of the many and might Divinities that might have been. The beast that had been with the Void cloaked itself in their brethren, a mockery.

Yet the Serpent could not devour what it so prized, and in its hunger turned to devour itself.

The serpent Wan'Shi followed the cast off and burnt remains of its body as they fell, drawn to the First World, its ancient nest that it far outgrew. It coiled in the skies until it was akin to rings about the planet, its lights like stars cast out in the void in strange signs and markings. So caught up in its own consumption the snake did not fall upon the life that sprung to the world but instead, its bloody pieces raining down on the First World. This frenzy was not to last either, and before long the twin baleful pools of light within the beast's skull turned to the simple rock and with a hiss that shook the foundations of the very earth and skies, it descended once more and it took the form of a vast storm whose presence shifted rock and stone and trembled even the mightiest of beasts and stripped all it crossed bare.

AP: 14

Curse (The Serpent Blood Rains) -1AP: The blood of Wan'shi is caustic, corrupting and decaying anything it touches. The rains fall over ocean and land, creating blight spots on the circular continent, Corrla and the Land of Cliffs and Spires [Evil (Natural Disasters) 1/10]

Curse (Hurricane of Fangs) -1AP: A vast hurrifcane that decimates all in its path. Over the oceans at the moment but mobile. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 2/10]

14 - 1 - 1 = 12AP

SpeedWitch

2021-05-05, 07:29 PM

Excepts from a discarded essay

Many of the river archons are capable of assuming mortal form, whether as silent reflections in their waters or as grand creatures that inspire fear and awe from river societies.

The River Dia does not have such a form - not really. There are plenty of stories of her walking the world clothed in lost memories, but she has no body that is truly hers.

Some say it was forgotten. Or that Dia never had one to begin with. Some even say it was discarded to grant Dia more freedom than her river-kin, removing any tethers to mortality that could land her in the Serpent's jaws.

* * *

In the most torrid summers, the rivers start to run dry. While they love to complain about the heat, the archons clam-up as to why they're so bothered by it. "Water dries in the sun, don't you know that? It's just a fact of creation."

Only one talkative river in the numerous valleys of Wadi Alsahali spins a proper tale for the fact, one that has to do with Dia herself, and the transformation of the river archons.A few hundred leagues above the First World

A massive shield of water enveloped a swath of godlings before instantly boiling, the steam casting a massive shadow across the ocean. The destruction wrought by the Daystar was brief, but enough to end the lives of all archons who could not find refuge from the sun’s light. Those at the edge of Dia’s protection popped and sizzled into charred corpses that froze when the light faded, and those closer to the First World became steam and clouds that drifted down to the First World, and would eventually find lands to rain down on and become rivers.

Dia, meanwhile, slowly reconstituted herself from mist into a sprawling river whose waters were as dark as night. When her form was finally complete, she looked upon her shadow cast on the first world, then back at the Daystar. Still boiling, she launched herself forward and began to trek across space towards the star, determined to discover just what exactly caused so many of her kin to burn away into the ashen husks she was now passing by

Solace

A surge of black water broke upon the Suzerain's bubble and began to flood the throne room, replacing the bright tiles of Solace with an empty void. After another moment, the waves receded, and all divines in attendance understood the sound of the river lapping against the walls as speech:

... Oh. Am I. Interrupting? How rude of me. I was just. Looking. For a change of. Scenery.

The water rose slightly, climbing up the base of the throne.

All those
c o r p s e s

must really. Clutter up your view. Of that little puddle. Our late Creator left for us.Archons
Create Legends (5AP)
Lesser divines that aren't strong enough to become full-fledged gods, but still hold immense power. There were many archons brought into existence by the Creator, but the majority of them were either consumed by Wan'shi or eviscerated by the Daystar before they could even set foot upon the First World

A few managed to survive both catastrophes, or at least their essence was preserved enough for them to be remade. These lucky few retained the ability to align to divine domains as powerful extra-planar servants to the gods that rule those domains, giving the gods access to potent elementally aligned servants, should they choose to claim them.

((The use of the subspecies action on archons is flavored here as a god claiming their own archons for their divine court.))

River Archons
Create Subrace (3AP)
Also known as River Spirits, these are archons that were successfully spared from the Daystar by Dia, aligning to her river form and becoming rivers themselves. They spread out along the First World as clouds to find land to settle, then rained down to become permanent fixtures in the geography of wherever they find themselves.

While the majority considered themselves in the court of their savior, river archons were mostly free agents at the dawn of the world, many of them seeing the creations of other deities and trying to do the same, although their limited power and mobility prevents them from making impacts on a continental scale. Still, the most outlandish tales of river archons come from this time: rivers that appeared to run with salt, candy, blood. Crabs made of water that would raid villages unless offered proper tribute. Rivers that would tell secrets of creation if offered service or great treasures.

The Ring of Gods
Create Land (2AP)
The corpses of archons charred by the Daystar, some of which contain ice from Dia’s attempt to save them. The frozen ones orbit the First World in a circular pattern, Dia’s essence causing them to flow around the planet like a river. Sometimes a dead archon will twitch with divine energy and fall from the ring as a meteor or shooting star.

Remaining AP: 6/16

Kinro

2021-05-05, 09:59 PM

Lor was. It did not know how or why. All it knew was that was casting light down into a strange world down below. Light that was not his own. It came instead from another orb. This one did cast out its own light. Light so bright that is was pain to look at it. No, better to look upon the other world. And so, Lor looked on. It looked on and looked on for a long time, the looking being made easier by the not-his-light that it reflected down. It looked and saw other beings that were. These being made things and created things that also were. Lor didn't understand these things and these beings. It didn't know what they seemed to know without trying. And so, the first desire grew. The desire to know. This desire became a hole in Lor. A painful hole. Quickly, it filled the hole with light and as it did, the hole became a beautiful jewel, of light and Lor first knowledge. The knowledge of the pain of not knowing.

Create Major Artifact (The Jewel of Lor (Teach Populous))
A beautiful jewel, like a diamond, but appearing to be made of pure silver. It is forever slowly spinning and, in its reflections, one can almost seem to see new ways of doing things. Knowledge coming from elsewhere.

16-5 =11
(Knowledge(Teaching) 0+5 = 5)

The hole was mended, but the desire still burned. It looked down again and soon saw a group of being that were and they were praising Lor and asking it for guidance. It heard them and listened to them and understood. They were beings of scale and desert and of the harsh sun. They had been driven from their village by the serpent rains and they were lost and they were in the dark, save for Lor's light. They were experiencing the pain of the desire of knowledge. Knowledge of the place where they should be. But Lor did not have that knowledge. All it could see was deserts. The harsh lands of the sun. It could not touch those lands, as it could not look upon the sun. Instead, it made new lands for them. Lands that were the opposite of the desert. Wet and dark and cool.

Alter Land (The Great Marshes)
The Great Marshes are deep, dark marshes and swamps that hug the elevation east of the Wadi Alsahali plateau, extending across its whole North-South length.

11-1 = 10
(Swamp(Kobolds) 0+1 = 1)

Lor's guidance, however, it could not extend during the day, when its reflected light was hidden by the true brilliance of the sun. These people it had chosen to guide, it could only do so when the sun was gone. And so, it taught them to see during the night. It helped them to become smaller, to more easy lift themselves out of their valleys. It made them fast, to reach their destination quicker, and made them suited to their new lands. Under its influence, too, they became quick of mind and curious. The journey was harsh, taking many nights, but eventually, the beings of scale climbed out, over and down from their valley and what they found there, they called paradise. And they found themselves to be new and called themselves kobolds.

Create Subrace (Kobolds)
Kobold are a reptilian race, though not cold blooded. They prefer to live in cool, wet environments, that keep their scales supple. They see very well in the dark, especially in moonlight, but have trouble during the day. They are fully nocturnal. They stand about half the size of Lizardfolk, about the same as goblins and are fast and curious beings. Their lives are generally shorter, too, but they arrive to maturity quickly and are able to learn at a surprising rate.

10-1 = 9
(Swamp(Kobolds) 1+1 = 2)

The kobolds grew and spread quickly in their new paradise, always under the watchful gaze of Lor, who loved them most, they who shared his pain for knowledge and who loved its nights. It taught them without knowing how, the arts of writing. This they took to eagerly, carving their intricate, dense runes on every surface available to them, their very homes, even their tools, filled with carefully maintained knowledge.

Teach Mundane Concept (Writing)
Kobolds learn a symbolic, dense writing system made for carving, which they use everywhere.

0 (Using jewel)

Gnomes2169

2021-05-06, 12:55 AM

Solace

A surge of black water broke upon the Suzerain's bubble and began to flood the throne room, replacing the bright tiles of Solace with an empty void. After another moment, the waves receded, and all divines in attendance understood the sound of the river lapping against the walls as speech:

... Oh. Am I. Interrupting? How rude of me. I was just. Looking. For a change of. Scenery.

All those
c o r p s e s

must really. Clutter up your view. Of that little puddle. Our late Creator left for us.

The water rose slightly, climbing up the base of the throne.

Solace, a Meeting of Gods
Renarr had been at a loss for how to answer the question that had been posed to her. How was she supposed to plan now? She'd poured almost everything into making this fortress, this place safe from the serpent, and then she'd had to pull into her emergency reserves to correct her mistake before it could lead to utter destruction of the world below. Fumes. That's all the solar goddess had left. She needed time to recover before she made another move.

Before she could tell this impertinent godling this, however, another goddess entered the picture. The assembled unaligned archons would let out startled shouts, many of them attempting to jump away from the darkness now at their feet, terror that the serpent had managed to follow them in here even causing one godling to stumble and begin to fall, his arm momentarily caught outside of the shell of protective darkness and almost instantly becoming nothing but atomic dust as the heat touched it.

The Suzerain managed to grab that archon before the rest of him joined that now-destroyed limb. "Stop moving you fools, my protections extend only so far. You are divinities. Feel! Sense about you. This divine nature is not the snake's."

For a moment Renarr's face is a mask of heartbroken agony, and the exhausted solar goddess turned her crimson eyes to the lapping river, one hand clenching tightly at Dia's observation. In response, the albino goddess turns her head away in a bit of shame. "No one was supposed to be there..." She told the flowing river. "This place was... made too well." To both the river god and the archon hero, the goddess would gesture at the sky of Solace, parting it ever so slightly so they could observe Wan'shi's repeated failures to consume the planar fortress that this conversation was being held in. "The serpent will never reach us here. My fortress is nearly perfect. It is just..." All those corpses could be seen as well, floating in the void...

"So then, you have the power to hurt that monster, and you are instead using it to hide." The Suzerain interrupted, his tone cool, not accusatory but more observing it as a fact.

Another god may have yelled or smote the arrogant near-mortal for questioning them. Instead, Renarr pulled her feet from Dia's manifestation onto the throne so she could pull her legs in against her body. "I... wanted to protect all of you..."

"Ah yes. And you did a fantastic job of it." Now there was some sarcasm in there, and the archon of darkness earned himself a glare from the goddess.

"How dare you? The serpent would have killed you all if I just fought it. Alone, I cannot face it in the void. And none of you were-" In one, unified voice, Renarr asked, "Who, exactly, are you?"

"You can call me the Suzerain of Night. Until you've fixed this mess you've made, my true name is my own." Setting the newly maimed godling in front of himself, the Suzerain states, "And you can start fixing it now. So, again. What is the plan, bringer of light? You can burn the beast. Your fortress is made. Now what?"

What anger Renarr had displayed faded almost instantly at the most blatant reminder of her failures. For a handful of seconds she thinks, watching Wan'shi turning to cannibalize itself and become storms and disasters upon the First World. What was she going to do? "Now? We hide. We build strength. We find allies. We kill the serpent. Or... we keep hiding. No, we kill it. We will not be able to hide forever while it continues to eat and grow in power. The threat is too great, the monster needs to be stopped."

The Suzerain folded his arms across his chest and grunted at that. "Hmph. It's a start." Shifting his feet through Dia's starless, void-like form, the archon asks the river goddess, "We seem to be in need of allies, since our resident sun god has exhausted herself in an ill-planned opening gambit. It seems you want fewer god-corpses made. Think you might be able to help?"

Who died and made this archon god-king?

dancrilis

2021-05-06, 03:14 AM

Kerima

She heard Moiraithe as she spoke and choose to answer "they are mine and they need control - without it they would be lost in the dark, your creature can exist to weed out the weak but weakness has consequences", with that said she relaxed confident that her people could reject the ways of The Saorsa, however the events that occured next caused her more alarm.
Firstly a seperate deity manipulated the souls of her followers and bound them to names, then that deity was slain by those who should be loyal to it, and finally the serpant rain contaiminated areas of her continent causing chaos and death in its wake - of these the slain deity was her primary concern, this required a punishment.

Traveling under cover she moved to the Cliffs and Spires and there she took a Ghul who had feasted upon Skidi and dragged it to one of the blight spots created by the serpant's blood - she forced the creature to ingest the fallen divine power in mockery of its betrayal of its deity and held its multiple souls in place as it did so, she warped its flesh mangling it soul and body in agony which could have only one release - the conversion of two other traitors to the divine, should that be achieved the creature would be deemed to have paid for its crimes and could move on in peace.

These creatures she called Revenants, the appearance of them varied based on the base stock but all were monsterous in form guided by mystic senses that drew them to those who betrayed the divine or were unfaithful with a drive of forcing the creatures to drink there tainted blood in a transformation ritual which would ease the monsters suffering for a time and kill it on the second feeding allowing it peace, the faithful were safe from the creatures and could even likely domesticate them to an extent - Kerima granted them formidable regeneration which allowed them to raise even after wounds that would likely kill most creatures.

These creatures might have began in the land of Cliffs and Spires but she took the process back to her own land when she was done - for those who listened to The Saorsa this seemed an apt punishment, and would be another tool to keep her people in line.

People of Kerima
The various peoples on Corrla reacted differently then the goddess, much of them saw The Saorsa as a evil creature trying to corrupt them and so the priests erected wards against such, the goblins and the dwarves largely ignored the creature as they existed mostly underground but the elves and the humans were more susceptible - that was until the serpant rain, this event was seen by some priests as an omen that those who were not loyal in faith were bringing evil to the land and so they began a twofold approach, using the powers of their faith the warded off the cursed land from spreading or contaminating the waters while hunting those who rejected the ways of Kerima so that the only place they could be safe was the tainted lands - where the priests were content to allow them to eke out there pitiful existance as a lesson to others.
The second horror that arose was not inclined to let them alone however, the revenants were creatures who relentlessly hunted those who betrayed there faith but left those who were pure alone and untouched - these forces largely worked to bring greater fervor to the belief of Kerima.

Create Monsters: Revenants (1 AP) - Life (Evolution) 8/10
- Despite the name (and occassionally the appearance) these creatures are very much alive, in fact possibly overflowing with life energy, strong, fast and incredibly tough, with unnatural regeneration ability - they exist for one reason to hunt down those who betray divinities (which they can sense from leagues away) or those without faith and convert them into revenants via forcing them to consume the essence of the current Revenants, once this ritual has been done twice the creature can finally find peace, the newly created Revenants will of course have to find there own prey. With no available prey they entered a more docial state their pain somewhat lessened without a target and could even be eased by skilled healers - until such time as a target would appear.

AP Left: 0

Razade

2021-05-06, 04:26 AM

The Hurricane of Fangs: The Circle Continent

There is no reasoning with a storm. It simply moves as it does and anything in its way is of no consequence. Not to the rain or the wind, not to the razor sharp teeth that cut through ocean and dirt and drew it into the Serpent's maw at the center of the vast and terrible storm as it moved over the face of Creation. The storm moved slowly but anything on the far coast of the Circle Continent could see. Could see what bore down on them and how little one could do to stop it. It started as a dark line on the horizon. A week before that the winds picked up, a screeching hissing sound. A week in the winds on the coasts of the continent were wild and the fish of the deep washed up on shore, those not sucked into the maw of the serpent outright. Then the rains and the thunder, whipping and battering anything in its way, a simple arm of the mighty vortex.

When the storm in truth hit, shorelines were pulled under sucking waves and yet the true fury of the storm was far off and the baleful eyes of the serpent Wan'shi blazed through the clouds like balls of great lightning. As if the sun and moon itself had descended from the skies. It was as if the world was ending and for anything in the path of the storm...that may have been true.

The Depths: The Underdark

In the dark caverns and vast tunnels of the Underdark, before Goblin feet roamed the higher reaches, before there were humans or elves walked under the eyes of the Solar Goddess, the Weshesh roamed the deeps. One would hardly know, the Weshesh of the darkness themselves. Slender, indistinct creatures with keen minds and a connection with the god meat that lined the deep. They spoke through thought and sustained themselves on the rich mana that flowed through the earth and into the world above. There the Xen slaved, driven by unheard calls, collecting godflesh and the power it contained. But it was not their work beneath that busied them most, no. It was the lurking in dark nights, crawling to the surface, pulling the races of the surface into the Dark with them. Studying them. For this was what their society thrived upon, research, replication. Soon they would learn to walk in the light, among the other races. For now, they remained below.

Create Race Life (The Xen) - 2AP: Xen are a biologically morphic species, ranging from the height of goblins to the height of humans and elves. They are otherwise featureless, black skinned creatures with glowing eyes of various colors. In their native lands, the Xen wear tight clothing for convienence rather than protection but when they venture to the surface they wear masks and other coverings to protect them from the sun. Xen are naturally adept with mana, speak telepathically to any race and so long as they have a source of mana do not need to eat. When slain they simply dissipate into mana. [Trickery (Deception) 4/10]

Create Society (The Weshesh) - 2AP: Xen Society, the Weshesh, is an alien one. Weshesh view each other as equals however within their simple hovels they have a pecking order that other races would not be able to descern. Fierce mental battles take place within the Xen minds, debate and rhetoric fused with emotion and mana in a war that rages even when they rest. The Xen work towards common goals, whatever they might be, directed in this ever changing war by those holding the most power. [Trickery (Deception) 6/10]

Create Mythical Concept (Mana) - 4AP: Born from the godflesh brought from Wan'shi, mana has suffused the very soils of the First World from the depths. It is a powerful arcane energy that, when tapped, can produce devastating spells, alter terrain on a small scale, craft illusions and summon powerful elemental effects. Power drives power however and those who use mana will seek more power in it. [Trickery (Deception) 10/10]

12 - 4 - 2 - 2 = 4AP

SpeedWitch

2021-05-06, 06:07 AM

Solace, a Meeting of Gods
Renarr had been at a loss for how to answer the question that had been posed to her. How was she supposed to plan now? She'd poured almost everything into making this fortress, this place safe from the serpent, and then she'd had to pull into her emergency reserves to correct her mistake before it could lead to utter destruction of the world below. Fumes. That's all the solar goddess had left. She needed time to recover before she made another move.

Before she could tell this impertinent godling this, however, another goddess entered the picture. The assembled unaligned archons would let out startled shouts, many of them attempting to jump away from the darkness now at their feet, terror that the serpent had managed to follow them in here even causing one godling to stumble and begin to fall, his arm momentarily caught outside of the shell of protective darkness and almost instantly becoming nothing but atomic dust as the heat touched it.

The Suzerain managed to grab that archon before the rest of him joined that now-destroyed limb. "Stop moving you fools, my protections extend only so far. You are divinities. Feel! Sense about you. This divine nature is not the snake's."

For a moment Renarr's face is a mask of heartbroken agony, and the exhausted solar goddess turned her crimson eyes to the lapping river, one hand clenching tightly at Dia's observation. In response, the albino goddess turns her head away in a bit of shame. "No one was supposed to be there..." She told the flowing river. "This place was... made too well." To both the river god and the archon hero, the goddess would gesture at the sky of Solace, parting it ever so slightly so they could observe Wan'shi's repeated failures to consume the planar fortress that this conversation was being held in. "The serpent will never reach us here. My fortress is nearly perfect. It is just..." All those corpses could be seen as well, floating in the void...

"So then, you have the power to hurt that monster, and you are instead using it to hide." The Suzerain interrupted, his tone cool, not accusatory but more observing it as a fact.

Another god may have yelled or smote the arrogant near-mortal for questioning them. Instead, Renarr pulled her feet from Dia's manifestation onto the throne so she could pull her legs in against her body. "I... wanted to protect all of you..."

"Ah yes. And you did a fantastic job of it." Now there was some sarcasm in there, and the archon of darkness earned himself a glare from the goddess.

"How dare you? The serpent would have killed you all if I just fought it. Alone, I cannot face it in the void. And none of you were-" In one, unified voice, Renarr asked, "Who, exactly, are you?"

"You can call me the Suzerain of Night. Until you've fixed this mess you've made, my true name is my own." Setting the newly maimed godling in front of himself, the Suzerain states, "And you can start fixing it now. So, again. What is the plan, bringer of light? You can burn the beast. Your fortress is made. Now what?"

What anger Renarr had displayed faded almost instantly at the most blatant reminder of her failures. For a handful of seconds she thinks, watching Wan'shi turning to cannibalize itself and become storms and disasters upon the First World. What was she going to do? "Now? We hide. We build strength. We find allies. We kill the serpent. Or... we keep hiding. No, we kill it. We will not be able to hide forever while it continues to eat and grow in power. The threat is too great, the monster needs to be stopped."

The Suzerain folded his arms across his chest and grunted at that. "Hmph. It's a start." Shifting his feet through Dia's starless, void-like form, the archon asks the river goddess, "We seem to be in need of allies, since our resident sun god has exhausted herself in an ill-planned opening gambit. It seems you want fewer god-corpses made. Think you might be able to help?"

Who died and made this archon god-king?

Solace, a Meeting of Gods

The waters clung to the throne a moment longer before retracting with a splash. Renarr felt the river's attention shift to the archon maintaining the bubble of shadow.

I exerted some force to. Protect my kin. But I have strength enough for this, Suzerain.

I, The River Dia, will join you in arms against the Void Eater.

And with that proclamation, the river began to crawl up the walls and columns, covering all surfaces in a thick layer of water - even the throne (unless Renarr exerted her own power to stop this). A nearly invisible tunnel of waves extended up past the empty ceiling towards the First World. The floor itself became ice, safe for the divines to stand on, barring any nasty slips.

We must plan swiftly. Many gods have fled to that world. Many more godlings. The Serpent will claim them all. Every divine must pull their weight. Even. That. One.

Ice crackled around the throne.

Yet. With all our power. The beast may be too strong. To kill. But. It has limits. It could not enter this place.

Omoikane13

2021-05-06, 07:47 AM

She heard Moiraithe as she spoke and choose to answer "they are mine and they need control - without it they would be lost in the dark, your creature can exist to weed out the weak but weakness has consequences", with that said she relaxed confident that her people could reject the ways of The Saorsa, however the events that occured next caused her more alarm.

"A sign of weakness, sister, that you do not trust your creations to function for themselves. An indication of ineptitude, perhaps."

The Saorsa had done admirable work, and had apparently gained a fondness for a small handful of cuisines and traditions, pleasing Moiraithe. It meant that her champion was learning and living, even when difficult, and it meant that it had been tested by the world and had passed. Before, others viewed it as a tool. Having heard the creation of winds cheerfully (in a sense) recount its preferred snacks, Moiraithe knew it to be her first child. And all children of Moiraithe would be protected. Kerima was coaching the peoples of Corrla with death and fear that they needed to be controlled, that they were useless by themselves, and that the Saorsa's teachings of living as you wished were evil. Moiraithe knew that this was taking its toll on her child's increasing mind, but didn't want to get into a deific fistfight with other gods.

The results of that were plain in the blighted lands that Kerima had driven those who desired self-determination into.

Moiraithe did not wish for some sweeping combat, to use her winds to fight back storms and rains, though she could. That way lay the everpresent hubris of a deity, lay an attempt to weave fate herself. And that was not as it should be. The winds were for change, not for monuments to Moiraithe. It would be better to give the mortals the tools they needed. She would whisper some of the knowledge herself - to the peoples of Corrla, for they could not cast out a voice in their ear - and would have the Saorsa deliver it to others. She thought that the Saorsa would enjoy the new peoples and the new environments.

=====

First, a multi-purposed gift. There had been dregs and pieces of water-travel, but it would do well to have it widespread. And with the winds being key to the act, sailors at the very least would likely be protected from Kerima's revenants. She whispered the knowledge of shipbuilding and sailing the oceans to those fleeing Kerima's grasp, watched as they cobbled together vessels, sent an idea here or there to help them resolve a problem. Moiraithe then sent the Saorsa to the Ghuls and the desert races, giving the Ghuls as much improvement to aid their fishing as possible with basic barges and trawlers, and providing the gift of sand-sailing to the many reptilian races in the desert.
Sailing would promote some delightful adventures too. Moiraithe smiled at the thought. She would bring that joy to whoever she could, other gods be damned.

Second, Moiraithe had seen that mortal societies could be fearful of the Saorsa. While some saw it as a wondrous servant of a god, some were twisted to see it as a usurping demon. The answer was to have the mortals do similar duties. She would not command, not twist, not control, but inspire. She would collect those mortals that would champion freedom from fate like her, and she would inspire them and empower them. Perhaps gift these mortal champions with some small measure of power, and then simply aid them in what they wished to free.

=====

For now, that would be sufficient. To bring the mortals closer together, and to empower those of them that would defend freedom and self-determination. It was a start.

Create Mundane Concepts: Shipbuilding, Sailing (Water), Sailing (Sand) (3 AP total):
While boats and the like have existed before, the Journeywind has gifted mortal races (well, those who can use it for now, but it's not tough to learn) with the knowledge needed to truly travel the waves and dunes, and to properly craft the vessels with which to do so.

The races of Corrla know of Shipbuilding and Sailing (Water), but not openly. The Ghul have been given fresh knowledge of Shipbuilding and Sailing (Water), aiding in their fishing and general lives. The peoples across the Wadi Alsahali have been given Shipbuilding and Sailing (Sand), and this will spread easily given their trader-society.

(Fate (Freedom) 5/10)

Create Organization: The Knights of Moiraithe / Gale Knights + Bless (2 AP):
Moiraithe has empowered those mortals she deems champions of freedom everwhere, whatever race or society. If a mortal finds themselves standing up to a tyrant, shattering unjust laws, or even just living a life that helps others live theirs, they may find themselves suddenly able to shape the wind, twisting it to their needs. Some will try and create sigils and banners, but they will all know each other through being blessed by the wind.

(Fate (Freedom) 7/10)

AP Remaining: 9

Book Wombat

2021-05-06, 08:45 AM

Sen, the Hearthtender

After the creation of the First World, the shattered fragments of the Creator's Divinity began slowly to fade. Although most disappeared a few shards had come together, as if seeking companionship, and formed an unstable sparkling sphere in all colours, as if seeking companionship. This sphere soon solidified into an egg, a protective barrier between the troubles of the newly formed realm and the still fragile held within.

As time passed it protected it's still developing charge from the destructive creation of Solace but later on, the egg having no means of movement, was swallowed by ravenous void serpent along with many other fledgling deities. However, instead of being absorbed by the endless void within, the egg stayed intact and was brought to the First World before being regurgitated by the serpent into the endless waters.

While sinking into the depths of the ocean only a few moments passed beforethe egg started shaking, a spider web of cracks expanding until a small beak poked out. This newborn being, in the form of a turtle, peeked out of its shell and watched the shimmering light above the water.

Now excited to experience more it gathered the floating egg fragments and filled them with land from below, not knowing how it did but that was something to think about later, up towards the light. Surfacing from beneath the waves it felt the soft sand, the cool water and the warming light.

Then something happened, all the experiences together awakened something deep inside it, something important. It felt it crack and from it arose her identity. She now knew she was Sen, a deity, but something was still missing. Still very excited she wriggled in pure happiness and burrowed into the sand to enjoy the warmth.

After gathering her thoughts she wanted to share these feelings with others and created with her new knowledge eggs in the likeness of her own.

With them safe on the dunes, she thought about the home they would live in and set about to changing her island to something better than the mess she had made instinctively, not very hard. Some more time passed until the Shell Isles were formed to what they are now. With the last island turned into a flourishing habitat Sen felt her core become clearer, more defined revealing another part of her existence. Home, a place of safety and shelter. She didn't feel complete yet though, just one part missing.

The eggs hatched soon enough, but they didn't have the same flame of consciousness she had, only a dim glimmering ember of instinct. For all her effort they didn't stay on the islands for long and instead paved their own path into the wide wide waters of the unknown. Almost heartbroken the goddess slept. Waking up to the new day she decidd to try once more, this time infusing the eggs with the kindle of thought and imprint of home.

When they awoke she knew that she had succeeded, succeeded in creating a family, and discovered one more part of her identity. Family, those that care for each other. Now complete the Goddess of Home and Family, Sen the Hearthtender, resolved to do her best to care for her family and home.

The Shelled, as she had taken to call them, were different from her previous children, blazing fires of thought that spread like a wildfire. They stayed with her and made their home on the islands, making her happy beyond words. Although they were intelligent, communication was a limited to basic gestures and sounds. To change this she developed a way to open one's mind, to manifest thoughts as though they were words.

Happy with what she had accomplished, she blessed the islands to swim where her family willed it before sleeping once more beneath the sand ignorant of the other gods' actions...

Starting AP: 16
Remaining AP: 2

Create Land [2AP]: The Shell Isles
An archipelago of floating islands around. There is one main island surrounded by five minor ones along with a few dozen smaller outcrops which all together seem to be in the form of a swimming turtle from above.
Underwater they're all connected to a huge upside down mountain covered with the egg shell that protected Sen from the void. The whole archipelago is covered in a multitude of slow-moving rivers.
The largest is named Senter and has a seemingly impossible volcano out of which two lava streams flow splitting the island in two. Around the volcano lie fields of ash and crystal upon which strange plants grow. The island is bordered by a beach with large swathes of forests between it and the volcano. Underwater one may see the hints of a vast cave system.
The five minor islands each have their own traits:
Lakehead has two large freshwater lakes surrounded by trees carrying fruit.
Reefside is almost completely submerged and covered with corals and seaweed.
Dune has gently sloping dunes of golden sand
Stonehill is, as the name says, a large hill with several large boulders.
Greentop has many tall trees and underwater caves.

Create Monster [1AP]: Titan Turtles
Turtles, almost mundane turtles with a very hard shell. They like to swim around, lie in the sun, eat seaweed and explore. As they approach their hundredth year they can get as large as small hill, for the next hundred they tend to sleep for years at a time before dying. They're also very cute.

Create Race [2AP]: The Shelled
Around the size of young titan turtles (from head to tail as large as a human), these chelonids are quite intelligent. They can swim well and hold their breath for hours on end but are rather slow and clumsy on land. Their shell after which they're named is as tough as rock but still light enough to not be a burden.

Form Racial Society [2AP]: The Shelled
The Shelled have a council of elders which decide on the future of their race, most of the others have different areas or work such as collecting food, building houses (cave-like structures) and navigating among others.

Create Mythical Concept [4AP]: (Mind Manifestation)
Allows the consciousness to interact with others, and with enough strength even the physical world. Granted to the Shelled.

Bless [1AP]: Sanctuary Tides
The tides will carry the Shell Isles where the Hero of the Shelled wishes it to go.

Raise Hero [2AP]: Renna, Friend of the Tides
One chosen by the Shelled to guide the Sanctuary Tides.

Domain Progress:
Mind (Manifestation) [6/10]
Nature (Chelonid) [8/10]

gac3

2021-05-06, 10:47 AM

Magirus, The Shaper, The Flame Tongued, The Spicy

Magirus enjoyed the Wadi Alsahali. It was hot and it was dry. The fire inside of him burned all the brighter for it. He could feel the transformation happening among the creatures of the land. He liked these people. He liked this land. He strolled through, wearing the corpse of a bighorn sheep he had killed and eaten. He had taken the form of one of the native geckokin. They were fun. Mobile and stealthy. As he walked he searched for them, killing a handful of animals along the way and dragging their corpses behind him.

Finally Magirus came upon a small group of the geckokin relaxing around a hot spring. "Hello there. I have brought you gifts. Let me show you how to use them."

As they sat, other groups of lizardfolk passed by and Magirus brought them in to learn. Soon he had a few dozen different lizardfolk around him as he taught them to shape the corpses to their needs and make various tools to aid them. Then he taught them how to prepare the corpses to grant them power and spread it among them.

As the groups dispersed, they each were stronger than before and with a mission. They took off in different directions to spread the knowledge they were given and enhance their skills.

Starting AP 16

Bless -1AP: Malleable Corpses:
Magirus blesses corpses to be more useful to those who wish to shape them. Leather is easier to work and bones are easier to shape when heat is applied. When not being shaped, they will be sturdier and hold up better than normal.
Crafting (Corpses): 1/10

Create Mundane Concept -1AP: Cooking:
The art of turning edible material into meals. This includes a focus on making them more palatable. This would provide better results and create recipes.
Profession (Chefs): 1/10

Create Advanced Concept -2AP: Corpse Crafting:
This is an overarching realm of skills that include things like leather working, tanning, bone smithing, etc. Made easier by the blessing Malleable Corpses, Corpse Crafting covers everything form the making of clothes to weapons to tools and anything else you could feasibly make by shaping and manipulating the corpses of various species.
Crafting (Corpses): 3/10

Create Mythic Concept -4AP: Synthesis:
This is the mystic art of taking living material and turning it into potions and elixirs that grant special enhancements to the users. These involve adding heat and preparing the material in various specific ways. This includes corpses and plant material.
Example ingredients and the results: Ears of a bat: Enhanced hearing. Vocal chords of a wolf : Can mimic a wolf's howl. Pheonix ash (Not yet existing, just a hypothetical): the ability to rise upon death as a pheonix. Elephant Muscle: Enhanced Strength.
These enhancements are only improvements up to the new rank. Synthesizing the muscles of an elephant and a rhino give you the strength of the stronger, not the additive strength of both.
Magic (Synthesis): 4/10

Create Organization -1AP: Bellagirian Brigade:
The Bellagirian Brigade are an organization of essentially battles chefs. They are skilled with the above concepts (Synthesis, Corpse Crafting, Cooking) and seek to experience as much as they can while spreading the knowledge to those willing to learn. They typically arm themselves with corpse crafted cooking tools to optimize convenience.
Bellagi - plural
Bell - Singular
Profession (Chefs) 2/10

Total:
-9 AP
7 AP Remaining

Domain Progress:
Profession (Chefs): 2/10
Magic (Synthesis): 4/10
Crafting (Corpses): 3/10

KragBrightscale

2021-05-06, 01:21 PM

Destructive rain and Kobolds

As the blood and viscera of the great devourer fell upon the land it caused widespread destruction. Chunks of smoldering flesh fell through the sky like meteors and crashed into the ground causing the earth to shake. Large craters were left behind as sand and dust was thrown into the air blocking out the light of the sun. Dark clouds that had absorbed the blood of the devourer rained down acid over some of the valleys transforming it to a true land of death. As the clouds faded and the dust settled the destruction that had happened was revealed in it’s entirety.

Abu Dhahab witnessed it all happening with a mixture of sadness and lingering fear. As the sun set, he saw the lizardfolk huddling in caves they had dug in the stone. Some tribes lost everything and had to flee for their lives.

A few tribes of Geckokin fled eastwards towards a new light in the sky. A softer, cooler, silvery counterpart to the fiery light of the day. By its light they left Abu Dhahab’s domain, and found a new home. A wet land transformed by a different deity, similar to what he had done when creating the desert but taking it in the opposite direction.

The great Lizard watched with approval as the refugees’ bodies were adapted to their new environment, and new knowledge was imparted to them. Though the Lizardfolk had lost some tribes, they had gained a richness in diversity through the addition of their relatives the Kobolds. Abu Dhahab wished this new people group well, and did not rescind the blessings he had imparted earlier.

A new environment, a new resource, a new ingredient

Rebuilding their lives after the disaster from the sky, the lizardfolk made sure to create more places of refuge. Tribes now made sure to carve their primary homes into the sturdy rock formations found in Wadi Alsahali, though tents were still widely used.

Some valleys had been severely damaged, with nothing living remaining. Having witnessed the drastic loss of life and destruction of the environment, Abu Dhahab mourned. As he walked through the barren wasteland, his tears fell to the ground and neutralized any toxins still present. It would take a lot more to bring life back, but the Father of Gold saw greater profit in investing elsewhere.

After he had passed by, a tribe of Geckokin had found the ground in the dead valleys had turned white. Scraping some off they tasted what looked like white sand and it reminded them of seawater. Thinking it might sell well as a novelty, they brought some to sell at the next monthly market.

That months market was a smashing success. A roaming Geckokin Bellagirus was visiting at that time an was selling tools. She discovered what came to be called salt being sold and instantly tasted its potential. Buying up their entire stock in exchange for some bone tools and a promise to teach them some crafting skills, she quickly set up a food cart and sold meat skewers that had been seasoned with salt and roasted over a fire.

Her food sold out fast, and she had to buy more meat from other vendors as more customers came to try the new dish that showcased how flavor could be enhanced. After the market she shared the source of her secret ingredient, making salt became a hot commodity that propelled the Geckokin tribe to prosperity.

With their newfound wealth, and recently learned crafting skills, the Geckokin tribe created a fleet of lightweight vessels out of bones, with large sails capable of skimming across the salt flats. With their mobility and experience they dominated the salt industry absorbing several other Geckokin tribes and eventually formed the widely celebrated merchant group known as the Salt Flat Skimmers.

Development of arithmetic and coinage

Abu Dhahab watched in interest as his creation started rebuilding their simple yet lively society. The markets, the grand bazaars, haggling of the price of fish, and arguing over how many colorful rocks a cluster of dates could be traded for. The discovery of salt, and how it overturned the market becoming so valuable that some Lizardfolk would only accept salt in exchange for their wares.

There was still so much untapped potential. Resources that lay untouched. Wealth just there for the taking. Crude bartering was also insufficient, it was clear from what he had observed. Although the concept of weights were being used to measure goods, a palm sized or finger sized rock was not very accurate. This needed a system.

Wondering around in the appearance of an elderly Lizardfolk merchant, Abu Dhahab visited markets and grand bazaars introducing the concept of arithmetic. Numbers, counting, and calculating using sets of beads on string or sticks. None recognized who he was, but the knowledge quickly spread along with the rumor of a wise old merchant.

Meeting with the tribal leaders, and market managers during the grand bazaars, Abu Dhahab also introduced the first gold and silver ingots. Explaining their use as a standardized currency and how to create more, he taught them gold panning and how to hammer the metal into shape with the aid of heating it with fire. As they already had tools of bone, they picked up the new craft quickly.

Soon gold ingots spread throughout their markets and a few creative craftsmen ventured further by combining metal working and what they knew of corpse crafting to create elegant accessories and simple jewelry, thereby cementing the metal’s value.

Venturing forth, Lizardfolk merchants look for others to trade with

Although many tribes grew wealthy through trade, others hit a wall due to a saturated market. Feeling lost and confused as to what they should do, the answer was brought to them by the whispering wind, a strange entity never seen before. Not of flesh and blood, but living and friendly nonetheless. Not knowing how to treat the stranger, they resorted to their usual hospitality.

Sharing food and drink, they entertained their guest and learned of other peoples. People without scales, and instead had soft warm skin. Elves, humans, dwarves, ghuls, the tales of foreign societies seemed almost like fantasy. As the guest left to continue their travels, the tribe had clarity regarding the way forward. They would travel to find new markets.

Venturing further away from their homes, these brave merchants gathered together in large groups for safety. Some traveled southeast into the swamps hoping to find novel new resources. Others traveled to the Great grassy plains and land of clay in search of other civilizations. These groups of traveling merchants became known as the Mutajawil

AP: 6

Bless (land - salt flats) -1 AP
Transforms the barren wasteland into the still barren salt flats. How? salty tears.
Travel (Caravans) 1/10

Create organization (Salt Flat Skimmers) -1 AP
A group of salt merchants made up of several Geckokin tribes that pilot lightweight bone vessels with large sails. The vessels make use of the sand-sailing concept and can skim across the sand and salt flats at high speed.
Travel (Caravans) 2/10

Create Mundane Concept (Arithmetics) -1 AP
Abu Dhahab introduces the concept of numbers, counting and the use of a primitive abacus or strings and beads to calculate.
Travel (Caravans) 3/10

Create Mundane Concept (Currency) -1 AP
Introduction of ingots of gold and silver with standardized weight to be used in exchange of goods.
Travel (Caravans) 4/10

Create Mundane Concept (basic metalworking) -1 AP
The skill to create things using soft metals such as gold, silver, and copper by hammering and heating. Primarily introduced to create currency and jewelry.
Travel (Caravans) 5/10

Create Organization (the Mutajawil) -1 AP
Nomadic groups of traveling Lizardfolk merchants whose home is the caravan they move around in. They stop at different villages and cities and set up a weeklong market before moving on.
Travel (Caravans) 6/10

6 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 = 0 AP remaining

Zelphas

2021-05-06, 01:57 PM

On the Grassy Plains of the Circle Continent

The Mutajawil found an odd reception in the grassy plains at first; many of the centaurs had been forced to leave their ancestral homes due to the ravages of the acid rains, and the Clay Dragons had been able to tear through the world with much more freedom than before. One dragon had even slipped away from the watchful centaur tribes, disappearing into the south and east in the chaos of the storms and the rains. The centaurs, wary of anything lizardlike due to dealing with the Clay Dragons and reeling from the storms, were at first difficult to find, let alone trade with, but finally the two very different people began to meet. Another bump in the road came when the centaurs, complete herbivores, were offered the hides and bones of animals; their confusion and (in some cases) revulsion nearly stopped the entire trading attempt once more. And so it was by slow degrees, with many false starts, that the two different peoples began a tentative relationship.

Two things were given in trade to the Mutajawil to bring home to their lands. The first was a development in food, given to the centaurs by Hetta when she saw their difficulties and reached out to preserve them. The goddess had watched others refine and develop what their creations ate, but she had been at a loss; her centaurs ate no meat, and so she could not simply copy what the other deities had done. She found the answer by observing her creations themselves; by creating small, enclosed ovens of clay and burning the grasses and occasional trees within them, the centaurs found fire and some shelter from the storms. Hetta combined this with a mash of the grains they grew, water, and a few other herbs and grasses, placing all of this in an oven and drawing it out after a time, she made bread. Thus, baking was born in the Circle Continent.

The second thing that the centaurs gave to the Mutajawil was a warning. Every centaur tribe without exception had a story to tell the traders of the fearsome Clay Dragons, monsters of endless appetite and undying, earthen flesh. Some few Mutajawil, happening by chance to come across the tribe that was right near a Dragon's current feeding place, were brought to see the beast itself, observing how it ate the grass down to earth and rock and pounced upon anything living with speed and ferocity. The centaurs were charged with holding these beasts at bay, they were told, but the rains and storms had weakened them, and one dragon had slipped their net. Be wary, the Mutajawil were warned again and again; it may be coming to you.

Outside the Pit of Making

Those Mutajawil that entered the lands of clay surrounding the Pit of Making were always stopped a few miles from the border by a nearly-shapeless lump of smeared, multicolored clay that spoke in a toneless voice. "If... you take... you... must make..." it repeated, gesturing to the land around them. It did not elaborate. Any Mutajawil that pushed forward into the lands would find the streams and trees disappearing several days from the center; only the most well-prepared (or most foolhardy) would manage to discover the pit that currently held the goddess inside.

1 AP

Create Mundane Concept (Baking) -1 AP: The centaurs have learned to make enclosed clay furnaces, and how to mix together their grains with herbs and water to form flat cakes and loaves of bread. (Cooking (Baking) Progress 6/10)

1 - 1 = 0 AP Remaining.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-06, 03:47 PM

Solace, a Meeting of Gods

The waters clung to the throne a moment longer before retracting with a splash. Renarr felt the river's attention shift to the archon maintaining the bubble of shadow.

I exerted some force to. Protect my kin. But I have strength enough for this, Suzerain.

I, The River Dia, will join you in arms against the Void Eater.

And with that proclamation, the river began to crawl up the walls and columns, covering all surfaces in a thick layer of water - even the throne (unless Renarr exerted her own power to stop this). A nearly invisible tunnel of waves extended up past the empty ceiling towards the First World. The floor itself became ice, safe for the divines to stand on, barring any nasty slips.

We must plan swiftly. Many gods have fled to that world. Many more godlings. The Serpent will claim them all. Every divine must pull their weight. Even. That. One.

Ice crackled around the throne.

Yet. With all our power. The beast may be too strong. To kill. But. It has limits. It could not enter this place.[/B]

Solace, a Meeting of Gods
Not stopping the water goddess from spreading at the moment, though Renarr herself remains clean of the moisture and cold that was spreading, the Daystar responds. "My power can cause the beast harm. It can break the serpent's body, can burn away the darkness... but it can draw away, heal, rebuild itself from the divine flesh it has already glutted itself upon. Its essence is beyond my reach. If I had not wasted so much power here, perhaps I could have sealed or truly killed the pieces that I carved away, made them inert... But now..." The exhausted goddess shook her head.

"Perhaps you could pool your strength together?" The Suzerain recommended. "What you carve away, Dia and any other allies you find can pin down and drain of the beast's vitality."

Lifting up a finger, the sun goddess points out, "Perhaps. Though the beast's body is massive. Alone, it would take me decades, if not centuries, to fully shatter its form." She points at the unaligned archons, who were walking around in the cooler area crafted for them by Dia, their feet splashing through the river. "Fortunately, I think we might have the tools necessary to speed that along."

The other archons looked to each other for a moment, before looking to the Suzerain and drawing the same conclusion. The one-armed one let out a slow sigh and mutters, "Well. I guess I've kinda been wondering what I would look like if I glowed. Though I'm gonna get ate. I just know I'm gonna get ate."

"If it makes you feel any better, the snake shouldn't be able to digest you any more than it would be able to digest the rest of my power." Renarr pointed out.

The miserable archon shook his head and walked along the river Dia for a bit, muttering to himself, "It just ain't fair, is what I'm saying. I was supposed to be a god of parties and dice, and look where I end up. Creator got bored before I could get finished. Just ain't fair..." A little bit of the tension seemed to be relieved for the other godlings as their brethren shuffled off to be miserable, the little bit of humor, meager as it might be, helping them swallow the pill that they were needed in the struggle to preserve creation. None of them backed down.

"So then, you infuse these ones with your power so that this war against the serpent is shorter, less painful to the world itself. Dia," The archon of Night said, looking to the river goddess, "You are a being of water, and span more of the world than we could reach. Search for the other gods. See if any will join our struggle, for I am certain that they would be happy to preserve the creations they already struggled to create." Looking once more to the first world through Renarr's window, the Suzerain folds his arms and mutters, "If the beast sees us move from our fortress before we are ready, it may make another attempt at Solace... or it may strike while Renarr is vulnerable. Either way, our best course of action is likely to have her stay here and have her replenish her strength until she can infuse the others. I think that I might be able to slip away with you if you desired, Dia. I will likely be ineffective against Wan'shi to begin with, and I may be able to reach that mirror god that I saw for just a moment before the world turned it away."

Kinro

2021-05-06, 06:12 PM

The Kobolds spread quickly through their new lands, though staying well connected, thanks to their knowledge of writing and thanks, too, to a new discovery, a type of shrub that grew long, tubular branches, just the right size for a Kobold's hand and just the right hardness to be easily carved. They were cut to size into small section and carved over, allowing messages to be easily moved all across the Great Marshes, so that none of the forming tribe was ever fully out of contact with another. And so, the various tribes maintain strong bonds even as they filled the marshes.

Racial Society (Kobold Tribes of the Great Marshes)
The Kobolds of the Great Marsh is not a single entity, but rather the entirety of all the various smaller tribes found throughout the Great Marshes. A single tribe will usually consist of between one and three dozen members. While they are essentially independent, the various tribes are held together by bonds of trade and mutual assistance, propped up by an unofficial system of message passing. Any Kobold going to some tribe or other will take with them 'carving sticks', small wood-like cylinders, cut from the growth of local plants and carved with a message, to be passed along. This forms a sort unofficial, but surprisingly efficacious, post system.

9-2 = 7
(Swamp(Kobolds) 2+2 = 4)

And eventually, it came to pass that new emissaries came to the Kobolds. New and old, cousins from the lands that were no longer theirs, wearing the forms of their ancestors. Towering giants, they were, and strange. Their thoughts and bodies were slowed by the coolness of the swamps, their breathing made difficult by their humidity. They stumbled around in the dark even more so than in the light. Their feet sunk deep where a Kobold skipped lightly. To this land, they were nearly as unsuited as unsuited as the Kobolds were to the lands that first birthed them. But the Kobolds greeted them warmly, though their languages had split just as sharply as their forms. And yet, their languages had a common root. And, more importantly, a history. Soon, the Kobold tribes were seeking out old houses and, most intriguing to Lor, bringing out old carving sticks. Very old ones. Writings were nearly sacred to the Kobolds, after all, and they kept all the carving sticks that they received. These were passed down through generations or, when it became too much, entrusted to local temples of Lor. This was followed, almost inevitably, by some sending messages not to those that existed now, but to the future, entrusted to the temples for the care of those that had yet to exist. Lor saw all this now and chose to encourage it. Soon, there would rise a new caste of shaman-keepers. And then simply keepers of carvings.

Create Organization(Marsh Librarians)

An organization originating from the tradition of Kobolds storing carving sticks in the temples dedicated to Lor, joined by Kobold dedicated to the preservation of them it would spread to become an organization dedicated to maintaining and spreading all forms of knowledge, spreading through the lands separate from its racial and religious origins. Though it would always boast a large number of Kobolds in its ranks and symbols of the golden mirror would often be seen in its halls.

7 - 1 = 6
(Knowledge(Teaching) 5+1 = 6)

But as for the emissaries, soon enough, a crude common language was formed between them and the Kobolds. And then, the Kobolds began to learn. Or, at least, record. Some of the concepts seemed strange and would take time for them to digest. Metals, they had little of naturally and they easily corroded in the wet swamps and the idea of trading for bits of them seemed strange. The complexities of commerce, especially, seemed foreign, as what they found most precious was something that one could keep and give. But arithmetics, that caught on like wildfire. It was like writing and counting at the same time, like telling a story with numbers. Or using numbers to tell of a thing with precision. It wasn't long before new glyphs were invented and systems of adding them together in new form. As for the emissaries, priceless, ancient carving sticks were pressed into their hands in thanks for the knowledge they had so freely given. Perhaps a strange result for the merchants who had come to trade resources, but found a people who yet wanted none of what they had to give and gave them nothing but bits of wood with weird marks in them.

Teach Mundane Concept(Arithmetics)
Kobolds learn arithmetics from Lizardfolk merchants

6 - 1 = 5
(Knowledge(Teaching) 6 + 1 = 7

The encounter with the emissaries did more than spread knowledge of numbers to the Kobolds, it also thought them how much there was to learn beyond their swamp, new knowledge from new people. Knowledge of people. Perhaps more. So while some chose to preserve knowledge in the temples of knowledge that were now being erected, others chose to be those who gathered it. Those who tired to go East found it the most difficult. The land of their origin no longer welcomed those that had abandoned her. The harsh sun and dryness was nearly deadly to them now. But with enough work a compromise was found. Mountain hot springs were places where the hot and the cold mixed, and the wet and the dry. It was also where Kobolds and Lizardfolk could meet in environments that were tolerable, occasionally enjoyable, to each. And, just the same, these meetings were mostly at dusk and dawn, when the day and the night mixed. Other lands, the mountains to the North and the plains to the East, were much more welcoming, though none as pleasant as the Kobolds' true home in the Great Marshes. Lor worried for its people, then, and its worry became a blessing onto them, that, just as it had guided them once towards their new land, they would always know again the way to them.

Alter Land(Magnetic Pole)
A magnetic pole has been placed in the middle of the Great Marshes. And, of course, on whatever place is directly opposite to it

Bless(Magnetism Sense(Kobolds))
Blessed by Lor, Kobolds can intuitively sense magnetic waves, and so always know in which direction the Great Marshes lay. This is mostly evident to those who leave them, as , to the ones who live in them, the effect permeates too strongly.

5-2 = 3
(Swamp(Kobolds) 4+2 = 6)

SpeedWitch

2021-05-06, 06:36 PM

Solace, a Meeting of Gods
Not stopping the water goddess from spreading at the moment, though Renarr herself remains clean of the moisture and cold that was spreading, the Daystar responds. "My power can cause the beast harm. It can break the serpent's body, can burn away the darkness... but it can draw away, heal, rebuild itself from the divine flesh it has already glutted itself upon. Its essence is beyond my reach. If I had not wasted so much power here, perhaps I could have sealed or truly killed the pieces that I carved away, made them inert... But now..." The exhausted goddess shook her head.

"Perhaps you could pool your strength together?" The Suzerain recommended. "What you carve away, Dia and any other allies you find can pin down and drain of the beast's vitality."

Lifting up a finger, the sun goddess points out, "Perhaps. Though the beast's body is massive. Alone, it would take me decades, if not centuries, to fully shatter its form." She points at the unaligned archons, who were walking around in the cooler area crafted for them by Dia, their feet splashing through the river. "Fortunately, I think we might have the tools necessary to speed that along."

The other archons looked to each other for a moment, before looking to the Suzerain and drawing the same conclusion. The one-armed one let out a slow sigh and mutters, "Well. I guess I've kinda been wondering what I would look like if I glowed. Though I'm gonna get ate. I just know I'm gonna get ate."

"If it makes you feel any better, the snake shouldn't be able to digest you any more than it would be able to digest the rest of my power." Renarr pointed out.

The miserable archon shook his head and walked along the river Dia for a bit, muttering to himself, "It just ain't fair, is what I'm saying. I was supposed to be a god of parties and dice, and look where I end up. Creator got bored before I could get finished. Just ain't fair..." A little bit of the tension seemed to be relieved for the other godlings as their brethren shuffled off to be miserable, the little bit of humor, meager as it might be, helping them swallow the pill that they were needed in the struggle to preserve creation. None of them backed down.

"So then, you infuse these ones with your power so that this war against the serpent is shorter, less painful to the world itself. Dia," The archon of Night said, looking to the river goddess, "You are a being of water, and span more of the world than we could reach. Search for the other gods. See if any will join our struggle, for I am certain that they would be happy to preserve the creations they already struggled to create." Looking once more to the first world through Renarr's window, the Suzerain folds his arms and mutters, "If the beast sees us move from our fortress before we are ready, it may make another attempt at Solace... or it may strike while Renarr is vulnerable. Either way, our best course of action is likely to have her stay here and have her replenish her strength until she can infuse the others. I think that I might be able to slip away with you if you desired, Dia. I will likely be ineffective against Wan'shi to begin with, and I may be able to reach that mirror god that I saw for just a moment before the world turned it away."
Solace, a Meeting of Gods

A circular platform of ice rose from the waters.

My waters run swiftly. And my form darker than the Serpent's. If you wish to go. I will ferry you safely across the void, Suzerain.

Some of my essence will remain here. For the godlings' sakes. While Solace's goddess rests.

Meanwhile, as the armless archon walked, a small column of water shot up beside him and linked with his shoulder, solidifying into a new limb. Renarr felt the river's attention turn to her once again.

Treat them well. For life is fragile. Never forget this.

Once the Suerain stepped onto the platform, Dia would form a new water column around the platform and rush off to the First World with him in tow, following his directives to find new allies.

True to her word, some of her water remained in Solace, pooling around the archons and protecting them from its heat.

* * *

Sometime after the two had left, the newly-armed archon would notice flickers of light shining from within his void limb: flashes of extravagant parties, whispers of scandalous rumors, the rush of a good jape. Things he had long put out of his mind while the serpent rampaged across the cosmos, now perfectly preserved in his arm.Sunspots
Bless (1AP)
Dia has pooled parts of herself into Solace. These expansive waters have similar properties to that of Nocturne, moving around and freezing on surfaces, greatly reducing the light and heat in the area to just a little above 0°C. The pools follow guests vulnerable to Solace's extreme conditions around the plane and protect them from harm. Renarr or another deity can easily shunt or dismiss these pools to Nocturne with but a smidgen of their power. With proper observation methods, an onlooker from the First World can witness these pools manifest on the Daystar.

Sprites
Monstrous Life (1AP)
Thoughts and memories, once forgotten, can leave an individual in the form of a tiny, invisible, intangible speck of energy called a sprite. These sprites are relatively immune to being moved or harmed by natural elements, and can even phase through solid objects. Sprites generally trail behind the individual they were formed from in chains or clusters, trying to reenter their mind; occasionally succeeding, often causing another sprite to pop out. Severe head trauma or other ailments of the mind can sever a sprite chain, leaving those memories to drift aimlessly across whichever plane they were lost in.
Sprites usually dissipate on their own a few decades after their progenitor dies.
Other Interactions...
◆ When a creature with a soul dies, its remaining memories are encoded into its Ren, preventing them from becoming sprites.
◆ Archons and deities can easily absorb sprites into themselves or remove them at will. Sprites taken from another creature and put into a deity will be preserved even after the one who created the sprite has perished.
◆ The psychically inclined are able to sense sprites and even manipulate them, their powers in the manifestation of the mind following the same principles.

Remaining AP: 4/16

Gnomes2169

2021-05-06, 11:56 PM

Solace, a Meeting of Gods

A circular platform of ice rose from the waters.

My waters run swiftly. And my form darker than the Serpent's. If you wish to go. I will ferry you safely across the void, Suzerain.

Some of my essence will remain here. For the godlings' sakes. While Solace's goddess rests.

Meanwhile, as the armless archon walked, a small column of water shot up beside him and linked with his shoulder, solidifying into a new limb. Renarr felt the river's attention turn to her once again.

Treat them well. For life is fragile. Never forget this.

Once the Suerain stepped onto the platform, Dia would form a new water column around the platform and rush off to the First World with him in tow, following his directives to find new allies.

True to her word, some of her water remained in Solace, pooling around the archons and protecting them from its heat.

* * *

Sometime after the two had left, the newly-armed archon would notice flickers of light shining from within his void limb: flashes of extravagant parties, whispers of scandalous rumors, the rush of a good jape. Things he had long put out of his mind while the serpent rampaged across the cosmos, now perfectly preserved in his arm.

Solace, a Meeting of Gods, Ending
Renarr's crimson eyes would watch as the river goddess' form disappeared with her passenger, power gathering around her as she considered everything that had just happened. As the unfortunate archon lets out his startled yelp at gaining a new limb, the goddess suddenly sits up straight in her chair and she asks, "Wait. How did he know my name?" Renarr knew she hadn't told him.

She watches the fading divinities even closer, missing the injured archon's return to show off his new limb to the other unaligned godlings. Which was probably for the best, since he was claiming it meant he was finding his true calling as a water deity, and Renarr needed to not give herself a black eye from face palming so hard.

The Suzerain's Reflection
The journey to the first world would be nearly silent, the Suzerain kneeling within Dia's currents as she carried him outside of the serpent's sight. He was searching for the light he had seen from Solace... there. "There it is, on the dark side of the world." Close to the portal to Nocturne, as fate would have it, just beside the coiling serpent's winding tail. Stepping from Dia's flow, taking full advantage of being submerged within the Strands of Night, he whispers, "Luck in your search." And then the two split.

Floating through the void, pulling on the strands from Nocturne, the Suzerain drifted until he slowed and stopped before Lor. Taking a deep breath, the archon looked upon his own reflection in the mirror and... saw himself, but adorned with a crown upon his head, a blade in his hand. "Ah. So that is your nature." Or at least, that reflection of his ideal self hinted at a nature related to secrets and desire. And there was certainly a power here, a divine intellect.

He did not know if this god could talk.

So instead, he placed his hands on the god's frame and made bare his intentions. The desire to stop the serpent's swathe of destruction, the need he and his allies had for aid, the plan to shatter Wan'shi to neutralize the threat it posed to the world and the creations of all the gods, Lor's kobolds included. He also imposed a suggestion by using a memory, a memory of how brightly Lor shined when the mirror had reflected Solace's light, then a memory of how Solace's light and heat had Wan'shi at bay, before running an imagined scenario where the slowly orbiting god was used to magnify a much more closely placed blast of light. "Imagine what might be accomplished if you combined your power with hers." The Suzerain whispered on the off chance that the mirror could hear him, all while looking into the eyes of his own reflection to see if there was any response.

dancrilis

2021-05-07, 09:44 AM

River Archons in Corrla

On the continents of Corrla the river archons were largely left alone, or were treated as dangerous entities when they moved against villages requiring priests to call on their powers to push them back, or in some cases where revanants and river spirits entered battles against one another where neither could truely prevail. This was worse for rivers near the blight spots where the Serpent Blood's caused the waters to become corrupted with its taint - a force the archons were unable to truely resist even if they avoided the actual blight zones themselves merely being downstream was a sufficent problem.

Their aid came from what might have been an unlikely source the priesthood of Kerima had ample reason to seek to cleanse water sources of taint and confine the blight to the areas where it had fallen, and this generated some discussion amoungst the river spirits - who was the Kerima and could she protect them, moreso would she?

There were no easy answers for this - but one spirit choose to offer homage to the divinity and after figuring out the different between lip service and actual belief noted that the revanants stopped attacking it when they were close - this triggered a much greater interest in the creature and it sought out one of the priesthood, an elf who worhipped Kerima primary as a goddess of life who allowed the priest to guide her followers, thus began a long conversation which ended when the archon choose to become one of the priests directly and learned how to tap into the power of faith.

This archon began the difficult work of spreading the word to others of its kind of which there were two core tenets that it understood: worship Kerima, honour the priesthood.

This allowed the archon to protect itself from the blight as the mortal priests did and introduced new elements into the priesthood of Kerima.

If the goddess cared for lesser divinities worshipping her she gave no specific sign - which most took to be approval.

Razade

2021-05-07, 06:18 PM

The Storm Descends: The Circle Continent

There was no warning. Alright. There was a lot of warning. A giant storm on the horizon is as much warning of the storm one is going to get. No one on the ground could have guessed how terrible it would truly be.

When Wan'shi, that terrible and vicious thing, made landfall on the Circle Continent one present would only have a single term to describe it. The end of the world. Razor sharp teeth fell from the skies, angry little hail-like maws that devoured and chewed anything they fell upon as winds like whips pulled the devastated pulp up and into the storm. What was worse was the speed of the great hurricane, stalled over the north east of the circle continent as the very jaws of the serpent made contact.

The entire First World shuddered at this, deep vents in the ocean ripping open and on the circle continent, vast chasms tore through the earth and dirt like vast claw marked wounds. Even over the mighty continent rain and wind blew, nowhere safe from the storm itself. Even the parched deserts, so close to the epicenter, felt the skies open above them and cast down their contents and where Wan'shi's jaws touched, only the churning seas remained as they rushed in to fill the serpent's mouth. One might fear that the serpent might drink all the oceans up in a single gulp and strip bare the precious land beneath.

AP: 4

Alter Land (The Day of Thunder) - 1AP: Vast rifts and chasms open in the Circle Continent, creating large and vast rivers that separate parts of the continent while exposing the inland to routes to the Underdark. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 3/10]

Alter Land (The Bay of Teeth) - 1AP: A large chunk of the North Eastern deserts simply disappear, anyone caught as the storm descends describing teeth falling like hail. The ocean claims the empty spaces. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 4/10]

4 - 1 -1 = 2AP

Kinro

2021-05-07, 06:31 PM

Omoikane13

2021-05-07, 07:02 PM

"I need to ponder some ideas with you," Moiraithe told the Saorsa. Her first child had recently checked in after some travels around the various reptilian nations, and its roiling feet of debris were shaped plantigrade as an affectation from the trip. That, and it had espoused the efficacy of using the dead as building materials. She had asked if the corpses were freely given and upon hearing that they had been left the topic alone.

"Of course!"

"What do the mortals need to keep them going? In a non-obvious sense." The conversation's position roughly sixteen thousand leagues above the First World gave them both a prime view of Wan'shi's storms and destruction. "I'm not getting into some godly fight, so we need to be the ones to give them the tools to survive as worse comes."

The Saorsa thought hard. This didn't show physically as such, but Moiraithe had made the creature.

"Most of them have found their ways to hunker down and last through the storms. The reptilians even spread out. And the Corrlan just send their exiles into the blighted zones."

"Anything that would purify blight would be far too noticeable, and I don't wish to taunt the snake either. However, aiding in rebuilding is possible. Perhaps we can do for plants and smaller life what we did for the larger mortals. Let them blend and flow through the lands. I'm sure I can establish a suitable wind"

=====

"If the mortals could reach this high, storms would be meaningless. And travel and adventure would be ubiquitous."

"Well I can't just grant them all magical flight. That's not how this works."

"You gave some of them the wind."

"And if all of them had it, it would become another tool of tyranny and fate."

Both Moiraithe and the Saorsa were quiet. As Moiraithe thought, she absentmindedly prototyped, wisps of wind outlining ideas for gifts and creations. What technologies the mortals could have that wouldn't decimate their way of life, or be useless, or any number of other things. What beasts would do the same.

"I gave them ships. They took to the water and to the sand. What if they took to the sky?"

The Saorsa stayed quiet, but only because it knew its mother did not need it to say anything.

"We could use the rejuvenating winds, along with a sprinkle of extra life. Islands, so that they don't block out too much light below. Let things grow for a while, and then we'll see about giving the mortals a way to explore. Their ships are a bit too basic to ride wind. Maybe we should make them something fun while they develop."

The Saorsa brightened at that, for it knew that would be its task. To figure out what the mortal races considered adventure.

"Above Wan'shi's storms?"

"Of course. No point in lands to carve your destiny from if they get carved out by something else."

=====

Bless: The Wind of Athnuachan (1 AP):
The Wind of Athnuachan is a titantic current of air, easily kilometres of wind at least. This is no ordinary wind, no, this is a Bless action. The Wind of Athnuachan regularly travels near to the surface of the First World, battering settlements somewhat but also picking up seeds, sand, soil, nutrients, as well as small insects or similar tiny beasties. This rejuvenating material is then deposited in other locations on further "fly-bys", helping in the rejuvenation of many destroyed or barren areas. Basically, think that whole deal with the Sahara feeding the Amazon, but world-wide, magical, and looping.
Two notes:
- The Athnuachan system does affect rain, but not with any notable magic, just as a giant weather pattern could. Rain patterns are encouraged to a healthy degree, but a hypothetical deity of rain could prevent that with minimal effort.
- The Wind of Athnuachan can not fix magically destroyed areas. It doesn't even "fix" normally destroyed areas, just brings new life and general rejuvenation. Those chasms and eaten areas are there until a proper Alter Land, but they might be populated with some hardy plants thanks to Athnuachan.

(Fate (Freedom) 8/10)

Create Land + Bless: The Skysea (3 AP in total):
The atmosphere of the First World has already been graced with a wind carrying life, but now islands bob merrily in the magical, semi-solid winds in the sky. These islands are patterned after assorted samples of existing terrain, and will slowly be populated by brief Athnuachan visits.

The Skysea is also home to assorted specially designed fauna and flora that are naturally at home in the winds, including flying fish, many birds, skyborne plankton, and many other species that I may detail later/elsewhere.

The winds between Skysea islands are roughly as solid as a healthily active sea, although "swimming" deep enough will dump you back into normal atmosphere, with all the falling that implies.

in the future, it's possible that reliable craft could sail the Skysea, but that day is not here yet. In addition, the Saorsa will be travelling the lands to find out what the mortal races consider an adventure, and those answers may show up far in the sky...

(Fate (Freedom) 10/10 -- Portfolio gained)
(Air (Sky) 1/10)

AP Remaining: 5

Zelphas

2021-05-07, 09:09 PM

Upon the broken plains of Circle Continent

The Kobolds came to the centaurs, and found a species in mourning. They had known that the great serpent was coming to strike them, and so the centaurs had attempted to go against their deeply-encoded territorialism and forsake their ancestral lands in order to save their lives as the fangs came down. Some of them managed it, leaving the land of their ancestors and entering new plains that seemed (to them) as alien and uncomfortable as the fabled deserts of the Lizardfolk traders.

Not all were able to leave.

The centaur people's mourning was only slightly cushioned by the fact that a Clay Dragon had been caught at the edge of Wan'shi's rampage. The creature, so impervious to all means of attack by the centaur tribes, had fallen in the astonished eyes of the few eyewitnesses who managed to escape. Even this miracle was bittersweet to the tribes; with one Clay Dragon gone, and now one seemingly dead, they had only half of their ancestral enemy left to fight. Mixed with their mourning was confusion, and worry; without their lands, without their foes, who were they? What are they supposed to do?

The tragedies and confusion made the centaur tribes astonishingly gentle with their smaller Kobold neighbors. Where once they would have brushed off the small lizards' desire for knowledge and stories as frivolity, now they listened to their tales... and told their own. Where once writing would have seemed like a silly bit of nothing to many, now the centaurs learned it, and shared the skills of baking in response. Helped by the painful, awkward years of trading with the Lizardfolk, the centaurs and the Kobolds began their relationship on a much warmer, gentler note.

Inside the Pit of Making

A splatter of rain fell into the pit, turning a half-shaped clay form into swirling mud. Hetta paused from her work, looking up into the rains and feelign the pain and confusion of the mortals she had made. The god of the Lizardfolk, he had wept when his creations were harmed, and his tears had helped them. Hetta did not feel the same... emotions, though a vague part of her wished she could. She did feel... something, however. An unformed idea, a strong yet confused desire, that did not yet have the power to take shape.

Yet.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-07, 10:48 PM

The Suzerain did find Lor floating in the place above the planet but beneath the stars, a beautiful mirror seemingly sized for him. Its sides were covered in gold and jewels and, prominent at the top, a beautiful sliver diamond spun slowly. It faced him, unmoving. Always, it faced him and yet, never it moved. Never was there any sign in it of the Suzerain's presence, except, perhaps a sense of attentions. And, of course, the reflection it showed of the god as he could be. Nothing still happened as the Suzerain placed his hands on it, not until he had done all he wished, until he had said all that he wished to say. Then, there was movement and there were words, not from Lor himself, but from the Suzerain's reflection. The reflection spoke with a voice that the Suzerain wished he could have, and with words that he wished he could use so well, but it was Lor's mind that was spoken then.

The Suzerain's reflection spoke of Lor's beginning, when it first saw the world and its affairs, the gods, the snake, when it experienced its first and only glance at the bright orb's light and when it experience the pain of not knowing. It recounted how it had met its people. They had felt the pain of the snake and he felt their pain. But that pain had brought them to it and it felt joy at this. And they felt joy, too, in their new land that it had made for them. Lor could not thank the snake, but it could not hate the snake either. Lor directed the Suzerain's attention to the vast salt flats that the lizard god had made in his pain, now enjoyed greatly by his own creations. Again, joy from pain. The reflection returned its attention to the Suzerain and through it, Lor thanked him. To him, he could be grateful, for he had given him knowledge it could not otherwise have gained, knowledge of its own splendor. For this, it would trust the Suzerain's words and all he would have to say. But before it could help it also needed to know, the pain that the snake was yet to cause, could the Suzerain know that it was not yet again again of hidden pleasure?

The reflection returned to being a reflection as Lor awaited the Suzerain's answer. But its attention was not fully on the god. Some of it had gone down to the swamps, from which some brave Kobolds were now departing, to meet their world and those who lived in it, willingly facing the harshness of the world beyond their paradise, to find greater joy still. And it continued to watch even as it saw the snake come once more, saw its people huddle in fear as their continent split, still it hesitated. Still, it awaited the Suzerain's answer.
Reflections in the Dark
This insight brought the Suzerain a moment of pause so that he could consider Lor's implications. There was some merit to the ideas it brought up, but the Lord of Night shook his head slowly and sighed, whispering to his reflection, "There is more to this picture, great teacher." Returning to a mental exchange, the Suzerain explained that Lor's view, while valid, was also limited. It looked at the consequences and fallout that occurred immediately, and did not take into account the serpent's ultimate goals. The mirror god, his kobolds, the other mortals that lived in this land, they all lived and experienced their lives in a way that brought them joy and fulfillment, or at least that allowed them to look for the good to build upon after disaster had befallen them. They changed and innovated, growing in their world and leaving behind something when their time had passed.

The serpent was a beast, almost mindless, slave to its base urges and desires. It knew only hunger, and so it fed and feasted, headless of what it destroyed, uncaring about the harm it caused, the possibilities that it brought to an end with each bite of its world-ending jaws. The beast's hunger, its avarice, was great enough that it had attempted to consume Solace, a plane many hundreds, if not thousands, of times larger than the First World, and had only been denied by the pain the assault had caused, not the implications that a lightless land would bring to life on the First World's surface. Wan'shi had now turned its gaze to the First World, and it sought to feast until it was satisfied.

When the serpent was satisfied again, nothing would remain. No gods, no mortals, no lessons, only the sun, burning and forever denying the dark beast's desires.

Wan'shi's satisfaction would be an end to joy for all other things.

"Perhaps it is because the beast simply does not understand. Perhaps it lacks the ability to know anything other than hunger, and you could awaken another desire within it given the time. But I do not think there is any way to change its nature, any more than you could change the nature of a god." Turning from the mirror, a hand still on its frame so that he can "rotate" it (at least from his perspective,) the Archon of Night fills the mirror's face with only the sight of Wan'shi's coils, wound as they already were around the First World, and he says, "It is your nature to reveal, to discover the potential and desires of all things. Tell me, what desire do you see? Is it worthy, more than that of all other beings, who's desires must end to satisfy it? What of its potential? What could the beast become, what is its ideal nature?"

"There are other ways for hardship to find this world. Needs that go unsatisfied. Mistakes that are made that lead to a life of regret. Overlooked and unfulfilled desires that breed discontent and jealousy. Moments of rage that will echo misery for lifetimes..." Still looking away from his own reflection, the Suzerain's face becomes strained and he says, "Yes, there are plenty of small tragedies in life to overcome. You do not need this serpent's help to bring about those painful lessons in which to find joy, you need only look to your neighbors and yourself to find them, for no one is perfect or pure."

KragBrightscale

2021-05-07, 11:57 PM

River Archon in the Desert

The most veteran Lizardfolk pathfinders who lead caravans through the deserts of Wadi Alsahali speak in reverence of a great underground river.

Few have ever found it, though evidence it’s existence is spread throughout the Wadi. Beneath the surface in the form of small water pockets that can be dug down, and on the surface in the form of oases.

According to the tales of the witnesses, the river speaks to those that pause to listen. It tells tales of legendary events from the dawn of time, of the great Devourer, the burning of divine beings at the creation of the great fire in the sky, and of a celestial river who saved the remaining divinities and brought them to this world.

The Mutajawil’s return and the introduction of new knowledge

Traders and merchants are who spend the year traveling always try to make it back to their hometown in time for the annual Grand Bazaar.

When the first Mutajawil returned from their journeys east of the desert, they told tales of endless grasslands where noble yet down to earth horse people lived and grew fields of edible golden grains. The traders who had successfully traded clusters of dates for sacks of grain loudly advertised its use, and showed off a few loaves they had brought with them. The loaves were stale and hard after the long trip, but the chefs’ interest was piqued.

Lacking proper ovens, the Lizardfolk made do with heating a flat rock or gold dish over a campfire and trying to bake the dough on top. It took a bit of experimentation, and soon it was found that thinner bread could be made successfully that way. Flat breads and thin breads that puffed up with a hollow pocket soon became a staple at large events.

The caravan that had ventured into the swamp returned with different experiences to share. A new people group, similar to Lizardfolk and sharing a common ancestry, had established themselves in that humid and dark environment. Most of the group did not feel comfortable there and were thankful for the establishment of a halfway point. The only exception was the single crocodilian who had been hired and brought along as a guard.

The trade with the Kobolds had been very fruitful. Though communication had been a bit of s challenge, the ideas demonstrated where what was really important. The merchants had been shocked by the system of marking that supposedly could contain something as complex as words and ideas. Exchanging their knowledge of numbers for basic writing was totally worth it.

The Grand Bazaar’s leadership also agreed, and raised funding for a group of the brightest Lizardfolk to work on coming up with their own system of writing based on the examples they had acquired through trade. Soon they too would be able to accurately record their history, legends, and laws.

The Storm Arrives

As the Lizardfolk’s civilization thrived, Abu Dhahab routinely wandered their land as a merchant. Experiencing the joys of completing a good deal, haggling in the market, and riding the wave of development, he made a fortune. Although he could simply create a mountain of solid gold, that lacked the satisfaction of playing by the rules and relying on wit, skill, and charisma to win. At the same time, he could feel the connection to his own divine source strengthening with each successful deal. What was a god of wealth without their wealth?

As the Great Lizard was packing up his stall after a successful day selling grain, the dark clouds above finally released their stored up water. Roaring winds blew over a cart selling head scarves sending the goods and the trader into a nearby ditch. Remembering the recent acid rain Lizardfolk grabbed what they could and scrambled to get back to their places or refuge.

Suddenly the earth shook as the entire continent bore the brunt of the cosmic devourer smashing into it. The land cracked and split. One large chasm split the red coast in two and went deep into the desert. Sea water rushed into the new opening flooding it almost instantly.

Abu Dhahab’s did what he could by manipulating the sand around him to protect and move Lizardfolk out of harms way. He was however, not omnipresent, so many perished before he could save them.

Frustrated at the constant disruption of his economic projects and the death of his people, Abu Dhahab’s wrath manifested itself in the form of a sandstorm. Ashamed that he had hidden himself back when other deities had perished, angry at himself for not confronting the Devourer earlier allowing tragedies to continue, angry at the part of himself that was still afraid of facing that powerful entity, but mostly angry at that cosmic snake itself.

The Lord of the Desert clashes with the Devourer

Lizardfolk in future generations would always speak in reverence and fear of the day the Desert itself rose to avenge them. From their caves and mountain refuges they watched as the usually calm sand rose into the air. The sky turned a dusty yellow as the sandstorm and rainstorm clashed.

At the center of the sandstorm Abu Dhahab reverted to his true form and grew larger and larger. His scales shifted color to match the sand, and soon he was barely visible at all. Pushing the sand before him he made his way northeast towards the origin of disaster. It was a steady determined march.

Crossing over into the grassland, the sandstorm was visible from miles away giving those that lived there time to evacuate.

Abu Dhahab slowly picked up speed as he spotted the head of the snake as at chewed through ground. Already it had consumed so much.

Being smaller than the accursed serpent, Abu Dhahab remained hidden in the storm until he could get close enough to strike. He sent out sand at high speed that could cut through even the hardest of rock.

The sand was not very effective. For a creature that survived the heat blast of the solace’s creation, and could regenerate at a ridiculous rate, the sand barely cause any wounds. The few small cuts and scratches that it did result in healed at a visible rate.

Although it failed to truly harm the snake, it did get its attention. As it turned its gaping maw towards him Abu Dhahab started regretting his decision to fight, though anger at being considered a potential snack quickly suppressed that feeling.

Controlling the sand to condense into a huge fist, he used it to deliver a solid uppercut. The huge snake reeled back and Abu Dhahab readied himself for its retaliation.

No AP actions done this time. The sandstorm is a localized thing, shouldn’t cause permanent damage, just a trail of sand, maybe some plants destroyed.

Abu Dhahab loses a tail (will it grow back? Don’t know yet) in exchange for knocking out a tooth (which will grow back in no time I’m sure). Got no AP, what else can I do?

I’m ok with editing this if necessary, in response to feedback on discord.

GameOfChampions

2021-05-08, 02:21 AM

Lintri opens his eyes for the first time. Everywhere is either full of void or chaos and disorder, but in the distance he sees the marble. It is massive and full of potential, animals and creatures abound. He looks on in wonder for a full moment before the growing horror of the chaos growing in the world. He returned to his forge in the heavens, he would craft a race to guide and mold.

Much like crafting an item piece by piece he needed to be careful and take his time guiding it into becoming a masterpiece. He rests a dirty hand on the cold metal of his anvil and smiles. Why use metaphors for what your trying to say when those metaphors can just become the reality. Lintri returns to his forge, burying the idea he had back into his mind. He would return to that later but for now he had to create a place for his creation to live, somewhere hard enough to foster growth through hardship but not so hard as to kill them all.

He picks up his tools and returns to the anvil, he looks down on the planet and starts to gather the raw elements of the planet. collecting them and putting them to the forge, he was no beginner smith to be bogged down on what is and isn't possible. He just did. He brings them together, the classical elements of the world all gathered into one piece of land, the elements jockey for power constantly. The land is ever changing but following the set patterns he forged into the land.

Create Land (2 AP): The Changing Lands. A continent created by the God Lintri by his understanding of the classical elements and the desire to forge a place for his soon to be creations to grow and struggle in. The land changes in a manner similar to the seasons every few months a new element starts to hold sway over the entire continent. The continent starts to change, growing and adapting to the primal energies running through it now. Water may cause rivers, lakes, and snow to form while becoming colder or humid while earth may see the mountains rise and canyons form while new deposits in the earth appear.

Create Mundane Concept (1 AP): The Classical Elements (Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Metal, Wood). The elements that Lintri gathered for his creation are the ones most in abundance in the world. Mortals are able to easily learn this through observation and some other basic knowledges regarding the world. They may even be able to be harnessed...

Domains:
Magic (Elementalism): 3/10

As the creator looks at his work he gently places it down on the planet to the East of the massive central continent. As it settles in he returns to the idea that been lingering in his mind since he had the thought. He returns to the forge where he draws on the element of metal to craft what he believes will be the race he can guide into order and success. He molds the metallic energies with life and physicals components of metal until he creates the first.

The result is a silver to grey skinned humanoid figure, the color varies from darker to lighter even within their own body. Fingernails, teeth, and hair becoming deeper colored then the skin. The metal energies are powerful within the newly named Ferrin Race, it has adapted their bodies in powerful ways and left weaknesses in others. The race does have a higher denisty along with tougher skin and bones. However they also need to consume large amounts of natural iron and metals, which usually means eating large quantities of rock. When the Ferrin are in life or death situations, emotionally intense situations, or very warm climates the race can mold thier bodies slightly as if similar to metal. They can harden or soften bones/skin more, become looser and faster. However when normal or cold they can suffer from increased stiff limbs and lack of dexterity.

Now he just needs to create several thousand more.

Time passes for a whole before he is ready. They will be separate, tribal, and untrusting of each other but Lintri will guide them, show them the path to prosperity and power.

Create Race (2 AP): Ferrin Race. See above description.

Domains:
Magic (Elementalism): 5/10

Kinro

2021-05-08, 11:48 AM

As before, Lor stayed immobile and quiet as the Suzerain made his new plea, giving no sign that it was understanding or even hearing any of it. It stayed immobile, too, as the Suzerain tried to trun it. But that hadn't been necessary. Just as it always faced the god, so it always faced the great serpent. Only once the Suzerain was done did his reflection start to move again on its own.

Lor could not see itself, it explained. It would not know what the Suzerain or the serpent would see in itself, unless they chose to share it. But it understood and trusted the god's words. It had watched since it began. It had seen the snake and what it did to the world. What it had always done. Only destroy, never create. It could not tell if good would come from the destruction, but it understood that any that did would only be destroyed in turn. It would help. And as Lor spoke this decision, new swamps grew all around the wound the continent had suffered. And from those swamps, carving stick stalks grew and wrapped around its great head, squeezing it tightly, holding it still, forcing it closed. Trying to, at least. It was doubtful that it would be enough on its own. But Lor also promised the Suzerain that it would help, once it was time, to put an end to the threat.

ROLLOVER

The Kobold explorers commiserated well with the centaurs, these strange people who lack limbs and scales and were half covered in fuzziness. And enormous! Bigger even than the Lizardfolk emissaries had been. But they were refugees too, escaped from the ravaged of the great serpent, even as their own ancestors had been. And they knew well that ancestral pain, all the more because they still had access to some of those ancient carvings. but even then, that pain had allowed their new god to lead them to a new paradise, where the centaurs seemed to have no one guiding them. And there was little that the Kobolds could do. Their own, soft lands would little support the centaurs' hooved feet and the food they ate were far from these people's tastes. All that they could do was what they always had done. To record and to teach. To listen to their stories and tell their own. All this was sent back to their lands, though little did they know what was happening there.

In fact, Kobold of the Great Marshes had weathered the disaster surprisingly well, after the initial shock. Rains and rivers and wet, they already thrived in. The enormous river that had carved itself through the center, however, threatened to split their loose alliance in twain just as well. Some tribes felt isolated from what had once been their neighbors. And so, the tribes came to an agreement: what has once been an informal network needed to be strengthened, formalized. Some Kobolds needed to be assigned to ensure the prompt delivery of all carving sticks. However, there was a concern: Kobolds who undertook this new assignment would no longer have time to feed themselves, their families, their tribes. A solution came from interactions with the Lizardfolks to the west. Their cousins had started to ask for large numbers of carving stick stalks, offering strange metal bits in return. They also offered goods that the Kobolds found difficult to gather or make and wanted the same coins in exchange. It baffled Kobolds that an intermediary was needed at all, but it could prove useful here.

The Kobolds' new allies, on both sides, were, of course, invited to participate in the new network, in exchange only for agreeing to help guide messages to their destination as well. And it was thanks to this network that separate information spread through the tribes from both sides and mixed in new, interesting ways. Knowledge of baking, from one side, wasn't yet very applicable to Kobold diet, but sparked ideas of the benefits of longer-lasting food, and this it met news of the strange white substance the Lizardfolk were harvesting and its unique properties. Combined with a modicum of divine inspiration, this created new ideas and an increased interest in the Lizardfolks' coin.

Alter Land
New swamps form in the north-east of the Circle Continent, all around Wan'shi head.

Curse(?)
Carving stick stalks wrap all around Wan'shi's head, in an effort to hold it in place.

3-2 = 1
(Swamp(Kobolds) 6+2 = 8)

ROLLOVER
1 + 4 = 5

Create Organization(Kobold Post)

The Kobold Post is a system of runners spanning the Great Marshes and beyond, allowing carving sticks to be taken to their destination much more reliably and much more quickly than the informal system of the past. On one end of an engraved stick, the destination is carved, using a formal system. Into the other end, a space is also carved, into which an appropriate number of coins is placed, to be taken from by each runner once they've carried the stick the appropriate distance. The previous, less formal system still exists, but in a much more limited capacity than before.

5 - 1 = 4
(Swamp(Kobolds) 8+1 = 9)

Teach Mundane Concept(Food Preservation)

0 (Using Jewel)

Zelphas

2021-05-08, 04:24 PM

Upon the ravaged Circle Continent

Hetta stepped back down into her pit of clay, shedding her disguise. Her lower form shimmers, morphing from grey horsehide and fur to her massive draconic form once more. She was... disturbed is not the right word. In walking among her creatures, her creations, she discovered that they were suffering. They were suffering, and... it may have been her fault. Hetta wasn't sure of this--the centaurs did not know who had made them, and many did not care, so very few centaurs considered blaming a higher power at all for their problems--but she... felt it, in a way she could not entirely explain. She had made them, and so she had a duty to them.

Back in the Pit of Making, Hetta gathered together the clay that she had used to consistently shape the world, and stared at it for a long few moments. Beside her, the Lump stirred, staring without emotion at his master. Finally, she dropped the clay, rose once more, and stepped out of her Pit, making for the edges of the snake's great stormy head.

Several refugee centaurs were visited as they traveled or hid in makeshift homes by a terrifying contradiction; a creature with the top half of their own race, and the bottom half of their ancestral enemies. This creature named herself Hetta and told them that she was the one who had made them. She had given them ancestral homes because in them they could find rest, and she was sorry to see those homes destroyed. Hetta admitted that she could not defeat the snake herself or restore their homelands, but she could still give them strength, if they wished, to ensure that this would not happen to others again. Many of those lost, refugee centaurs took their once-unknown goddess up on her offer.

From these many encounters arose the Feet of Clay, an organized band of centaur refugees who dedicated themselves to first learning the laws and customs of all the many centaur tribes, and then to protecting those tribes and enforcing those laws wherever they went. The Feet traveled carrying a new type of weaponry: curved bows, perfect for firing while in motion, and arrows tipped with multicolored clay that supposedly flew truer and straighter than any other arrowhead. This group slowly spread out among the centaurs, joined by like-minded refugees and a few rare centaurs who simply felt wanderlust or a very strong desire to help their neighbors. The group came to the coasts of what remained of the centaurs' homeland, and there they met with a group that changed their focus significantly...

At the Edge of the Storm

Hetta stood above the body of her fallen Clay Dragon, unsure of what was required of her next. The lizard god fought with the snake, but that seemed unwise to her, and she could not bring herself to join. Her dead creation lay before her, but she seemed to lack the power in this moment to alter that outcome. The snake must be dealt with, but how? So she watched the storm and pondered.

4 AP

Create Organization (the Feet of Clay) -1 AP: The feet of Clay are a group dedicated towards learning the laws of the lands where they travel and then providing protection and assistance to far-flung territories within that land. Every member of Feet of Clay is a centaur at the moment, though there is nothing in their laws or rulings that forbids other races from joining. All of the founders of Feet of Clay met Hetta personally, and so they are the first centaurs to know who made them and what she is like. (Domain Progress: Race (Centaurs) 1/10)

Create Mundane Concept (Archery) -1 AP: Hetta gave the founders of Feet of Clay curved bows made especially for centaurs and poured the knowledge of their creation and use into their minds. With their natural speed and ability to fire accurately while at a full gallop, a centaur bowman is a terrifying opponent. (Domain Progress: Race (Centaurs) 2/10)

4 - 2 = 2 AP Remaining

KragBrightscale

2021-05-08, 06:13 PM

Hand of the Desert God

Abu Dhahab expected a retaliation after that first solid hit on the snake, but before that could happen the ground around him grew soft and wet. He recognized the work of the one who had taken in the Kobolds, though did not know the entity’s identity.

Out of the swamp burst thick strong plants that charged at the cosmic Devourer and attempted to bind it. A valiant effort, though the Lizard god doubted it would hold for long.

Gathering the sand together, and drawing in more from the nearby beaches the hand grew to a huge size and formed long sharp claws. Knowing that it would cost something to succeed, Abu Dhahab drew from his divine source a pure, dry and yellow power and fused it with the hand. It would be a blessing to the continent, an eternal defender against cosmic threats.

Whenever the continent faced a threat of significant size in the future, the sands would rise and form a giant clawed hand. The hand would strike at invaders, catch falling objects, and interpose itself between the continent and other dangers. Once the threat was dealt with, or the hand ran out of divine energy it would revert to ordinary sand and disperse in the wind. Energy would slowly build up again over time in order to rise again at the next time of need.

The threat at the moment was clear as day, and the hand slashed at the snake with its claws several times in succession.

Hopefully this would drive the snake off, though Abu Dhahab thought that wouldn’t be likely.

AP: 0 + 4 = 4

Bless (Hand of the Desert God) -1 AP
An enormous hand made entirely of hardened sand will rise to defend circle continent whenever it is threatened by something it’s residents can’t hope to deal with alone.
Combat (Unarmed) 1/10

4 -1 = 3 AP

SpeedWitch

2021-05-08, 11:14 PM

The Storm Descends: The Circle Continent

As Dia left the Suzerain, she looked down upon the Circle and saw the serpent cutting through it. Much of the earth was gone, massive quantities of water spilling into the underdark - not just from the ocean, but the continent's own rivers.

Her rivers.

Dia's waters churned, recalling the last time she risked her life to save her siblings. What she said at Solace was true: she had exerted herself. Much of of her energy was spent withstanding the Daystar. In this weakened state, she knew she could not save her kin alone.

So she would help her kin save themselves.

Diverging from the Surzerain's plan a bit, Dia turned towards the hurricane of fangs and dove down, ice forming at the front of her jet stream - plowing through wind, stone, acid, teeth, and all manner of grotesque things from that storm.

Seeing a river about to slip beneath the continent, she swerved to meet it and took it into her waters - a humanoid catfish immediately popping up and out of her body in a canoe of ice. The archon let out a few blubs of surprise and thankfulness before his boat suddenly swerved to the side, his river becoming a new tributary of the River Dia that stretched out from her to the lands below.

Gather the others. Evacuate the coast. Leave no one behind.

Dia kept up an exterior of ice around her waters, the ice cracking and rapidly reforming as projectile after projectile struck, preventing her from being tainted by it. Considering the threat before her, she was doing rather well.

And yet.

As she bent down and collected more of her kin, she felt the corruption they could not withstand flow through her, and she shuddered. Wan'shi had already wounded her, and it wasn't even trying. But she could not spare a thought to process the ramifications of this. She could only drive her form forward and try to freeze those infected waters, the now half-frozen River Dia using her tributaries as legs to skitter along land, sea and sky like some bizarre insect.

Time passed. The winds howled. Mountains ran with acid before crumbling. Life perished.

Dia shuddered again, but not from any acid, teeth, or defiled blood caught in her channel - was there? - yes, a few of her fellow divines weren't merely rescuing other archons, but other life as well - lizardfolk, kobolds, even a few centaurs - at first she was confused, but then she recalled her own sacrifice for her kin once more, and thought it only fair not to question it - even as one of the archons stretched too far towards a cave with a family of cowering lizardfolk inside, and was bisected by a massive fang, killing its archon instantly.Hand of the Desert God

Something shifted through the air - something powerful, but not the serpent. Dia swerved to the side as a giant hand of sand skimmed past her and rammed into the darkness at the eye of the hurricane. The shock caused Dia to retreat to the storm's edge, dragging her kin behind her.At the Edge of the Storm

As she broke through the clouds, Dia saw two forms on a nearby hill - the body of a strange, earth-like, four-legged creature, and a humanoid woman with legs like the creature's from the waist-down. Like the sand, Dia sensed something in this one - a divine, no - a deity, like herself, and so she rushed down to meet her, halting and hovering in the air from her a few meters away, the back of her form still trying to work its way out of the storm before Wan'shi got the better of her archons.

I won't waste time. I am the River Dia. I stand against the storm. As do others of our kind.

You mourn for this creature? Dia turned to study the corpse. Its likeness, essence - yes. This is your creation. And the Serpent crushed it.

There is no safety on this world. Not until it is slain. I aim to accomplish that.

Will you help us?

Razade

2021-05-09, 12:31 AM

gac3

2021-05-09, 01:18 AM

Magirus: Watching the World Burn

Magirus was enjoying the exciting things that were happening. He had managed to collect some of the sky acid and now he stood and watched as a giant wave rushed towards the coast. Interesting. This would have some interesting results. As with all aspects of creation though, many would die and the remaining would be stronger. He hated to see the death tolls rack up, but that is a part of living. We all must die eventually. The true waste in this world is waste. When life is given up, something should come from it. No one wants to see pointless death. Yet even as the world faces disaster, mortals engage in committing that kind of waste all over the place. This would not do. This would not due at all. Magirus pricked his finger and let his blood drip to the ground.

Starting AP: 7/16
Rollover!! +4
Starting AP: 11/16

Curse -1AP: Wasted Earth:
Waste is being punished. Death and destruction are a part of life, but why waste the resources? Any creature killed by a sentient and not then put to use will spoil the land in which they died, making it harder to grow crops. Enough of this death curse piling up in an isolated area could result in barren fields. Things that count as using the body and will not trigger the curse: making food, leather, corpse crafting, making bait, turning it into fertilizer. Things that will trigger the curse: burying a body in a casket, leaving it out to rot.
Crafting (Corpses) 4/10

Final AP: 10/16

Gnomes2169

2021-05-09, 01:31 AM

Reflections in the Dark
The Suzerain stood for a moment, viewing the effects of Lor's initial attempt to help... and he nods. It was a start. It would have to do. And with Dia bringing the other gods to bear, that should- wait. What was the serpent... "No." As quickly as he had arrived, the Suzerain was dragged away from Lor's side, calling to the mirror god, "The Lady of Light shall come to you soon." And she might bring an angry and hurting serpent with her.

Pulling on the Strands of Night, following them to the portal to Nocturne that rested so close to Lor's orbit, the Suzerain slipped into the realm of eternal night and let out a long, low sigh. It was already getting bad below. The gods were fighting back, but they were not coordinated, none of them were working to capitalize on the strengths that they shared, and it was making the situation worse. As long as they were on the First World and they were the largest threat, they would be the largest target, and the First World would be collateral.

Renarr had no more time to rest.

Stepping to the side of the Throne of Night, the archon leans in and whispers, as if talking to an old confidante...

Solace - the First War Council
Renarr had finished her blessings, granting the archons that had been gathered to her blessings and power that she could spare as her divinity struggled to recover from her overextension. The archons, now Solars, could stand within the heat and full radiance of Solace without fear of harm, and the unlucky one, who's name Renarr had learned was Silph, continued to show off just what he could do with his new arm now that he had the blessings of two gods!

But the moment of levity would be short lived as Renarr's head tilted to the side, as if listening to some far-off melody. And, as suddenly as that, the radiant goddess leapt from her throne and raised her hand to call the archons into attendance. "It's time."

The archons looked to her, uncertain. The goddess was still not as strong as she had been when she'd crafted Solace, but one by one they turned to face her. It wasn't a proper formation or ranks for the proto-deities, but it was enough to know that she had their undivided attention.

"Amerith, you will lead the charge against the serpent's coils closest to Solace, Michael you'll do the same with the dark side of the world. The Suzerain will join you shortly after you begin. Silph, you drew the shortest straw," Which he'd complained about and said proved his point, "When you catch up to me, you'll join me at the head." The collected archons seemed confused at that.

"Wait, what do you mean catch u-" The twice-blessed archon began to ask.

Staring at Wan'shi, seeing the wave of destruction beginning to surge across the world, the goddess answered, "I have waited too long already. You will only slow me down." And then, in a pillar of light entwined with shadow, the goddess was gone, flying straight towards the world-ending serpent...

Hello there
Wan'shi's head was plunged into the world, hundreds of teeth piercing the crust hidden beneath the waves. She had been sitting in a chair telling stories and listening to jokes.

That head began to rise, and a wave rippled from that shockwave, the seas both parting and crashing in around the serpent's head to fill the void left behind. Because she had failed to build Solace in a way that was safe for all other life, the strands of night she'd made to protect the world now wrapped around the world and protected the serpent, allowing it to coil and sew destruction.

That wave crashed into shores, destroying so much land, drowning so many lives. None of which could reach Solace. None of which could reach the sanctuary that she'd made for them, because she'd spent her power so frivolously.

Faster and faster the goddess approached the world, the streak of light behind her gaining intensity as her fury built. No. Enough. She would not fail again. She would not fail again.

When Wan'Shi's head rose from the waters, the Solars had just begun their journey towards the First World, weeks away from being able to help. But Renarr was there. Standing in the skies, a beacon of light etched in darkness. Her face a mask of righteous fury, her hair unbound and flowing. And in her outstretched hand she held a blazing blue star.

That star was leveled and then all of its power unleashed in a torrent of light and heat directly into Wan'shi's eye.

Starting AP: 1
Rollover: +4

-3 AP; Create Legendary Archon subrace - Solars: Solars are the archons of light. They are limited in number, perhaps more limited than any other type of archon except the Suzerain himself, as they do not breed, they don't seem to materialize, and they are exclusively from the survivors of Wan'shi's rampage who managed to make it into Solace. Only 12 of them will survive the battle with the serpent. Each of them will be given a name and title when I have time to write them out.

As archons of Light, Solars are highly mobile, able to cross vast distances in the void in fractions of the time it would take mortal methods, even sub-light space drives, to do so. They give off their own glow (duh), can fly (of course) and carry the minor powers of divinity that you would expect from the D&D creatures of the same name. Their purpose is to preserve the world, to make it a better place than they found it, and to mitigate as much damage as Wan'Shi and its various (accidental) creations can inflict.

Currently, they only have loyalty towards Renarr, though Dia and her water spirits are considered natural allies by these radiant archons, because of the alliance that the two gods crafted before the archons were even born, and because of how Dia went out of her way to protect them before they were inured to Solace's hostile environment.

Total AP expended: -3

AP remaining: 2

Domain progress:
Realms (the Heavens): 10 (Create plane: Solace, portal to Solace, create plane: Nocturne) (Purposefully not taking this until ready to ascend)
Protection (Mercy): 6 (Create portal to Nocturne, Blessing; Strands of Night, Solar Archons)
Order (Retribution): 2 (Create hero: Suzerain of Night)

SpeedWitch

2021-05-09, 01:40 AM

The Storm

Pests.

Small gnats buzzing around a meal. Pushing. Prodding. Annoyances. If it pushed the mighty storm back, it was only for a moment before the great serpent reared up back into the sky with a savage hiss that the whole world felt, a death rattle god and mortal alike could share in. They had interrupted the great Wan'shi's meal and a hungry snake is a dangerous snake. The only way to deal with pests like these...was to drown them. From the center of the storm, Wan'shi descended, slamming its vast head into the great ocean jaws outstreched and with a mighty twist gave the entire planet a shake.

The effects were immediate, as a global quake would do. rents in the ocean floor opened, spewing magma out to form islands across the globe. The largest formed in the newly formed bay as chunks of earth fell from the serpent's mouth in its descent. The storm exploded outwards from the mighty snake and the waves pitched and rolled until untold walls of water swept over the face of the First World. The snake had come to feed at first but now it was threatened, if it could not have it's prize the vermin could not steal it away either. From the vast oceans it drew back once more, hissing out again like thunder that cracked the skies anew. New teeth filling its maw for the many it left in the murky ocean floors below, vicious and sharp and dripping with venom. The storms roiled like a pot at boil and in the winds it almost seemed the snake said "No."

2AP + 4AP = 6AP

Alter Land (The Serpent Spite Islands) -1AP: Small volcanic islands sprout out of the ocean, the largest and most stable sits in the Bay of Fangs. They are devoid of life, for the moment, and are active and dangerous with boiling waters and spewing ash. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 5/10]

Curse (The Deluge) -1AP: The skies across the First World open and torrential storms whip the face of Creation as a mighty tsunami sweeps from where Wan'shi descends. The tsunami is large enough to reach even the sky islands and the shores of continents across the planet. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 6/10]

6 - 1 - 1 = 4APAt the Edge of the Storm

As she finished up her motivational speech, the tributaries of Dia closest to the storm began to panic - the head of the Serpent had crashed into the ocean, and with it, the formation of tsunamis that could blot out the Daystar.

The archons panicked, trying to swerve inland. Some of them lagged behind, looking up at the rolling wave before them and encasing themselves in ice to weather it out.

Ice...

Siblings. Hold fast.

As a wave came close enough to the storm's edge for Hetta to see, the black river before her changed from being half frozen to completely frozen, dropping to the ground. The effect traveled along the entirety of Dia and down the tributaries closest to shore, turning them all into black ice, and when the wave hit the archons at the edge, it began to freeze too. The process was quick, covering the front of the wave in mere seconds - but it wasn't enough to reach the water behind the wave.

Hetta watched as even the moisture in the air around Dia began to condense into soft flecks of void, frost expanding in every direction. The wave continued to advance, its ice falling upon the shores and soon, upon Abu, Hetta, Dia, and quite possibly the entire Circle Continent.Rollover: +4AP

Stygian Glacier
Counter AP Action (vs. The Deluge, 1/2 AP)
Dia channels her power through her river archons, attempting to freeze the Deluge in place, turning the wave that is about to crash into the Circle Continent into a massive curved glacier, and lessening the overall devastation the waves will have on the First World.
Another deity must invest 1 AP in this action to complete it. If no one aids after one week, the action fails and becomes Stygian Hail (Curse, 1 AP), adding to the curse and sending massive chunks of black hail onto Circle Continent, in addition to the normal effects of the Deluge.

Remaining AP: 7/16

Razade

2021-05-09, 01:41 AM

Wan'shi: Furious

More pests. This one, the bright bringer, the one that filled the Void with eat, the one that roused its slumber. The pain lanced through Wan'shi's eye and it rose once more. Back to the Void, away, away from all these buzzing things. It had had enough, enough to feed, enough pain, enough awakened time. It would flee somewhere safer, somewhere the buzzing pests would no longer be able to fight and it would devour them there.

The great serpent screamed, snapping and spitting so as to keep a distance from that terrible light.

And then the storm lifted and the skies, though dark and filled with lightning and rain, no longer hailed teeth and blood and rage.

But all was not well for the world, for the snake had basked in the heat of Solace as it fed. That hateful light. Where that persistent pest had drawn from. One could not say, in myth and song, if Wan'shi was as wise and intellegent as the gods but for sure it was as cunning and as clever as any among them and while it was not fit to craft and build, it was there with them from the first moment and it would be there until their last. Yes. The serpent could not learn, but it could adapt and with its mighty coils flinging out to space, it weathered that heat as it slammed into the surface of Solace with a hiss. Yes its scales burned but as rich with mana as the beast was now, the flames dissipated as cooling waters flushed between scales. With its mighty bulk it wheeled within the Void, jaws ready to consume that hateful light.

GameOfChampions

2021-05-09, 02:10 AM

Lintri watches as the wave grows. He had not been watching the other gods he sensed around him as they did their deeds. He was happy watching his creations grow and spread. That was until he felt the deluge of power begin to spread through the world.

He turned his attention to see the snake of the void wash waves over the world with its anger and hatred.

He frowns at the chaos and destruction being caused, starting to move towards the disaster. Thankfully it's stopped before he arrives. But not fully he realizes.

The frozen disaster has been slowed but not defeated. He arrives before the great glacier, thinking. He reaches out wielding the natural laws of the world like hammer. He reaches out with them to strike the glacier, the strike ringing out around the world as he says his first word aloud. "OBEY"

He channels the natural state of water through the glacier, willing it to return back to form in the simplest way possible.

Rollover +4 AP

Spending 1 AP in concert with Dia to counter the Curse.

Magic (Elementalism) 6/10

Gnomes2169

2021-05-09, 03:04 AM

Oh... but it shouldn't have done that
Moving towards the sun should have been a moment of concern for the goddess. It should have made her heart run cold, seeing her fortress reached, a handful of Solars snuffed out by the jaws of the snake before they could move out of the way. She should have been afraid...

But Solace was doing what it should. Drawing Wan'shi's attention, it now protected the world and those who would survive the disasters below. Of the solars consumed, those who had been fortunate enough to be swallowed whole would be preserved, at least for a time. All around the snake, the archons of light unleashed their fury, detonations lighting the monster up like the flicker of new stars, with even those survivors swallowed by the beast contributing as they could.

And one other thing the serpent's greed meant was that Renarr did not have to hold back in order to protect the world from her own power. She was exhausted, almost fully drained, but this time she was not alone.

Below, she had to trust that Dia was doing her best to protect the mortals of the world from the repercussions of Wan'shi's assaults. She had to trust that, once the seas and damage had been contained, the other gods would join her in the void. At least, enough of the true deities to tip the scales and finally put an end to the beast's rampage.

But first, she went to Lor. The great mirror held her reflection, but shimmering with heat as she was, incandescent with rage, what she saw was her aspect of war. A crown of blood and flame on her brow, the void itself burning at her feet, and her robe flowing like molten gold around her, rows of faceless soldiers crafted from darkness arrayed all around her, ready to fight and die at her command. She looked into the mirror and whispered, "The Suzerain tells me that you have joined our cause. Thank you. And I am sorry" Both of her hands leveling at her image, strands of darkness and light swirling along each outstretched limb, she aims for the reflection of the serpent's tail, the core of its being, and she warns, "Holding, refining and redirecting this may hurt."

Solace had been made to preserve. To protect against and ward away Wan'shi in all of its ravenous hunger. It caused pain, but it was not meant to kill. It was simply a matter of too much power being put into it that caused the star to slay as it did.

The recent blast of blue flames had been meant to hurt. To damage. To blind Wan'shi and drive away from the First World. It had not been a death blow, it had contained her fury but Renarr had still held back.

The blast that Renarr now unleashed into the mirror carried with it everything she had been holding inside of her. All of her self-loathing, all of her hatred at being made to feel powerless and worthless, her fear, her desire to kill. And for gods, beings made of thoughts and desires, this intention warped the blast into something else entirely. Not entirely light and not entirely darkness, what was unleashed was raw divine power, meant to dig into the serpent's flesh, to rip and tear at the gouges that had been made, with claws of darkness there to steal and seal away the snake's stolen divine power.

As long as the serpent was in the void, Renarr did not have to hold back. And she poured everything she had, all the divine might left within her, into this beam.

And this was not power unleashed by the goddess alone. Channeled through Lor, the mirror had a hand in its shaping*.

*Which is up to the mirror's player to decide and to write up. :smalltongue:

Starting AP: 2

-1 AP; Joint create land action - The Stars in the Sky: (1/2 AP) Carved from the scales of the great serpent, the stars in the void are born. Drifting ever farther from the First World from the force of the attacks that created this phenomena, these stars will eventually become astral bodies like Solace as the still-digesting god flesh inside of them causes them to swell and grow into proper masses of incandescent gas.

They will not be formed into constellations immediately. That will be up to someone else's actions (either the person that shares this action, or as a blessing in the future)

Note, this action is reserved for Dia's player to join in unless they decide to open it up to any god in general.

-1 AP; Joint create land action - The Serpent Moon: (1/2 AP) Made from the eyeless skull and the blackened heart of the great serpent of destruction, the moon is where the vast majority of Wan'shi's essence that remains within the First World is sealed. The moon might be alive and sentient. But it is not able to regenerate like before, and all of the raw power and divinity that went into shaping the moon was enough to petrify what was the soft tissue of Wan'shi's heart, making the moon a divine form of stone. The moon is also mostly spherical... and is only around 1/3 the size of the First World, instead of being around 1/3 the size of an ultraviolet supergiant star (aka Solace.)

Again, any god that joins in this shape land action can change the moon in the ways they desire, though the core aspect that it's the moon and mostly solid should be kept around.

Total AP expended: -2

AP remaining: 0

Domain progress:
Realms (the Heavens): 10 (Create plane: Solace, portal to Solace, create plane: Nocturne) (Purposefully not taking this until ready to ascend)
Protection (Mercy): 6 (Create portal to Nocturne, Blessing; Strands of Night, Solar Archons)
Order (Retribution): 4 (Create hero: Suzerain of Night, the Stars in the Sky, the Serpent Moon)

Writtensanity

2021-05-09, 05:45 AM

https://i.imgur.com/j0w3jX6.png

Briettia didn't remember soaring through the void. It had been nothing, as Voids tend to be. Then suddenly light, a sun that burned bright and radiant, in the sky. A sky, and wind! Glorious winds to soar up and-

The storms came quick, crashing on the continent. That was Briettia's first memory. The storm, and falling. Briettia tumbled from the sky, from divinity to earth. The once friendly wind tore at her skin and whipped at her feathers. In a conflict of Gods, a place where serpents wrapped around stars, nobody saw the small dot of darkness shatter in the ground, bursting into a million feathers that scattered on the winds.

Sometime later, the feathers found a home, cliff faces, edges in the scars that Wan'shi had cut through the land. Briettia found herself a form there, perched above the gaping maw of the Underdark. She wasn't a piece of the void that had fallen anymore, she was something. She had a will and ideas.

Buried in the side of the cliff face she found herself in, was a small piece of the scales of Wan'Shi. To a mortal, the scale would have impossible to move, but to Brietta it barely looked like a scale. It looked like a shell, protective, luminous and lovely. Briettia tore the nearby trees from the ground and made a nest for the scale. Infused with her love, it was no longer a scale, it was an egg.

Create Major Artifact - Utility: [Action - Create Monsters]

The Egg of Flocks

The Egg of Flocks is an egg, with a shell partially made of the broken scales of Wan'Shi. It is said that this is why Briettia considers all the mosnters under her wing her children. It casues occasional eggs from the mosnters it spawns to adopt the same black and white pattern. The monsters that hatch from those eggs are said to be blessed by Briettia.

OOC: Once per week, lower the cost of the 'Create Monsters' action from 1 to 0

AP Spent: 5 [Domain - Life (Birth)
AP Remaining: 11/16

Briettia waited in the darkness with the egg as Wan'Shi wrapped itself around the sun. For a time, she wondered what it would be? What would her first child look like? What feathers would it have? Of course, no matter what it looked like, she would protect and it love it. Would it love her? Did it have to?

It did not have to love her, but it had to love its children.

The egg hatched for the first time, a creature prepared for a world whipping winds, the world where Briettia fell. It would be her child of feathers, but it wouldn't fly yet.

Terror Birds are gigantic, flightless predatory birds. Standing between three and four meters tall, the Terror Birds hunt in small packs to bring down megafauna or herds of smaller creatures. Despite their somewhat gangly appearance, Terror Birds are capable of running at incredible speeds over vast distances.

Their beaks are too large to be traditionally piercing, so they prefer to batter their prey, using their heads like hammers or slash at them with their fearsome talons.

Terror birds are native to the circle continent. Using the vast open fields of the centre as well as the salt flats to spot prey and unlucky sentient creatures from far away.

OOC: Create Monsters Action - Lowered Cost with The Egg of Flocks = 0

https://cdn.roaring.earth/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Screen-Shot-2019-08-04-at-9.32.10-AM-768x451.png

Briettia took the first Terror Bird and she taught it compassion for its own. She taught it how to hunt to feed its children and how to protect its nest. Then she sent it out into the plains, far below the influence of the heavens. Somewhere they could move their children around, keeping them safe.

The world was too dangerous a place for her children. If some of her children were going to be more fragile, they were going to need their home. They would need a place to nest.

Briettia took off, under the dark sun and found the edge of the circle that the dark consumer was so obsessed with. Once the world had a concept of directions, they would understand that Briettia was in the South East.

Wan'Shi had cracked the land, but now they were distracted. Briettia flew high to the heavens, to the edge of the Sun that had blinded her on arrival, and latched onto Wan'Shi's back. She tore and pulled at the beast until it had paid the price for the chaos it brought, a home for her children.

Some spines of Wan'Shi crashed into the South East of the Circle Continent, spikes pointing toward and piercing the clouds. A range of mountains so tall and sharp, that they were nearly impossible to summit without wings.

Along the coast, the Spine Arerie are massive rocky spires erupting from the ground, the tallest of these spires pieces the clouds. Birds of all sizes find safe homes on the cliffsides, away from egg-stealing creatures.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mtgsalvation_gamepedia/images/0/01/Raugrin.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/721?cb=20200404091924

OOC: Alter Land - 1 AP Spent - Sky (Flight)

Briettia fell from the sky, diving away from the great Wan'Shi before it noticed the missing spines, which were barely a footnote on the size of the beast. The Goddess finally came to rest on the highest perch of The Spine Aerie, and built a nest of love and care for the Egg of Flocks, before sleeping while the egg shook and chirped with new life.

AP Actions

Create Major Artifact: 5/10 Life(Birth)

Create Monsters: FREE

Alter Land: 1/10 Sky(Flight)

Current Domain Status

Community (Motherhood) - Inherant
Monsters (Avian) - Inherant
Life (Birth) - 5/10
Sky (Flight) - 1/10

Zelphas

2021-05-09, 10:58 AM

As Hetta watches, as the world is shaken and split again, ice and fire fly through the air, the snake drops down and rises up again, she feels her nature deep to her bones once more. She is not a being of action, of creation. She has the power to make, but not the drive; she can only work with what she is given, uphold and defend the laws of others, and perhaps provide respite if need be. The great snake is too large, too catastrophic, to be breaking any laws, for nothing but himself would think of consuming all of existence without pause. This has paralyzed her, and has continued to paralyze her thinking, since she cannot act when no clear laws are in place.

Now, however... At least four other deities have decided that the snake must be fought, and she has been asked directly for help. That is direction enough. Hetta looks into the body of the river deity before her and nods, slowly. A moment later, a crust of clay forms over Hetta and the dead Clay Dragon at her feet. A chunk of rock crashes into Hetta's head, breakign it apart and revealing that the clay forms are now hollow inside.

At the Pit of Making

With all of the chaos and destruction the world over, it is unlikely that any mortal being would approach the center of the (now somewhat misnamed) Circle Continent to see the Pit of Making. If they had, they would soon see a strange sight: a towering pillar of clay, nearly as high as the new mountains, growing steadily out of the pit. At the bottom, Hetta looks over her weapon and frowns slightly; something is missing. She casts her gaze upwards and still upwards, through a break in the clouds. One draconic claw reaches up, and pulls down.

Within the Ring of Gods, several bodies and bits of dead god twitch, then begin to fall, creating a meteor shower that can be seen across the world. The meteors twist oddly in their orbit and funnel around each other, a glittering cyclone centered upon the Circle Continent. Soon after, all the meteors disappear; they all fell to one and only one place.

The pillar of clay is now twice as tall as it was before, and it shimmers with an odd, flat light, nearly vibrating with strange, regular power. Hetta puts one humanoid hand on the base of the spear contemplatively. This is better, but it still feels as though something may be missing...

2 AP

Create Subrace (Golem Archons) -2/3 AP: Emotionless beings of godflesh and clay, the Golem Archons were born as a weapon in the midst of the Serpent War, designed to strike at the beast even while it lay on the burning plains of Solace. Golem Archons are usually covered in a shell of clay of one specific color which they wear like armor, with the dead godflesh that powers them hidden within. Hetta does not have the power to bring these Golem Archons fully to life in this moment, however; it is up to Magirus to finish the creation and decide on how these archons will finally look and act. (Domain progression: Magic (Golems) 2/10)

2 - 2 = 0 AP Remaining

Kinro

2021-05-09, 11:56 AM

dancrilis

2021-05-09, 01:11 PM

"A sign of weakness, sister, that you do not trust your creations to function for themselves. An indication of ineptitude, perhaps."

Kerima - a continued conversation

She considered the other entities words for a time and then examined the deity closer "no I do not believe so, I suspect that you are merely unfamiliar with the whole of life and are overly focused on elements of it".

Extending her senses to a single mortal life and conjured the story into being as a demonstration.
The strict mother demanded much of her child who in turn fought for greater freedom - a split in the relationship occured and the child moved away, it experienced hardships in life, say the dangers of the world, hunger, pain, fear but it struggled through them all, then it settled down and had a child of its own and demanded its children follow its rules only for them to rebel in turn. The scene ended with the scene of the child mother crying at its lost child and the dangers she could not protect it from and the child themselves crying as their own children left.

"This single life story is not universal - but it is close enough, the world has horrors and dangers, and while you may dislike my methods I do provide structure for my people and allow them to grow as they should within that structure", she allowed the other goddess to follow her mind as it turned to a ship at the otherside of the world, its journey has started well but they hadn't enough clean water so rationing had to be undertaken, this lead to rule breakers and for the captain to become harsh those who broke the rules risking beatings or being thrown overboard, suddenly the ship was struck by a wave, its crew dead and gone "they choose freedom, but the journey forced order on them, and then reality killed them all anyway".

"Frankly your issue is not with me - your issue is with how life functions and how natural evolution occurs within societies".

Kerima - The World Shakes

She held herself largely away from the conflict on the other side of the planet, the snake was powerful true but the greater powers of that land none had died yet, if any did she would respond as she had when mortals had killed a deity previously for such could not go unpunished but for now she was mostly concerned with the consequences of the battle and the more subtle actions that went with it, the tidal waves and storms were severe enough that her people were impacted even from the other side of the planet and the earthquakes were a potential cause of worry also - but should everyone did she could likely merely restart, her priests had been blessed with the ability to preform miracles in her name so they should be able to deal with these events on there own.
No it was the restructuring of conceptual reality that bothered her more, specifically the Wasted Earth impact that her people would have no knowledge was coming and could damage their lands - while goblins often did eat there dead, elves, humans and dwarves often did not, worse the curse was not total but only when one sentient killed another or she supposed when one killed itself would it trigger.
Thus did she issue some edicts to her priests via dreams: Honour Kerima above all others, none shall kill themselves their lives are Kerima's not their own, none may kill another save at the direction of a Priest of Kerima, those killed in this way must be ritually burned to honour Kerima and ensure the faith of the community, no new laws may be created save by a member of the priesthood, laws created by the priesthood can be revoked or altered by the priesthood.

Thus she was content that the curse would largely not impact her people, and began a new system for the continent which should allow for further growth down the line.

The People of Kerima - The World Shakes
These were difficult times for the faithful and worse for the non-faithful, while the priests were able to ward off the worst of the weather particularly with the river archons keeping their areas in check the coastal regions were severely impacted making the seas unusable, forest fires from lightning strikes had to be contained by the elven tribes, the winds of the plains made journeys for food difficult or impossible, the goblins experienced perhaps the worst affects as caverns collapsed, where the Dwarves through skill or luck largely seemed to avoid the worst impacts.

Rollover 4AP

Create Mundane Concept: Law (1AP)
While the basic laws of Kerima were provided by the goddess herself, priests are largely free to create new laws to suit the needs of themselves of their communities.
The basic laws:
Honour Kerima above all others
None shall kill themselves their lives are Kerima's not their own
None may kill another save at the direction of a Priest of Kerima
Those killed in this way must be ritually burned to honour Kerima and ensure the faith of the community
No new laws may be created save by a member of the priesthood
Laws created by the priesthood can be revoked or altered by the priesthood.
-Society (Advancement) 4/10

AP Remaining: 3

gac3

2021-05-09, 02:02 PM

Magirus: The Pit of Making

Magirus had found a giant fang near where one of the others had attacked the snake. It may have pricked him some, but that was probably fine right? The wound was only hurting a little bit right? He made a cloak from a lion pelt to cover it and sent about his business, bringing the fang along with him.

As Magirus neared the pit of making, he saw a dragon woman working with a pillar of clay and corpses. Well this was interesting. Staring for a long minute as the pillar formed, he decided it looked like a spear but was unsatisfied with it's tip. From the edge of the pit, he lit the pillar on fire and launched the fang at it. With a bit of his will he forged the fang onto the top of the pillar, feeling it would make an excellent addition.

Starting AP: 10

Finishing Create Legendary Sub Race Action -1: Golem Archons: The golems are malleable. Being formed with the power of Corpse crafting as well as being formed from a combination of corpses and clay, they are able to shape their bodies into the forms they need, shifting bones and other materials around to support whatever form they take. They are wanderers by nature but will often settle down for extended periods of time as protectors of a location or group of people. Some even find themselves bonding with individuals and becoming traveling companions. Due to their abilities, they make excellent portable ovens.
Profession (Chefs): 3/10

Final AP: 9

SpeedWitch

2021-05-09, 05:31 PM

The Edge of the... Storm?

As the clouds clear, and Hetta pledges her support, a glint of light flashes across Dia's icy-black form; the reflection of Renarr and Lor's combined assault. And Dia sees the Serpent - but not here.

The Daystar.

There.

As the solar archons pointed at the approaching Serpent and readied themselves for battle, the darkness at their feet slips away, the water and ice Dia had left for them rushing back to the front of the Daystar, ready to intercept the Void Eater.

The water on Wan'shi's scales instantly evaporated as it collided with the sun - then halted mid-air. Then condensed. Then froze. Water from the Sunspots were rushing into the Serpent, digging in, expanding, forcing its way through to the Serpent's skin and tearing it apart. For a moment, the water froze in such a way as to hold Wan'shi still, as if on a spit. Of course, this would not stop the Serpent for long, but it was all Renarr needed for a steady target.

As sunlight kissed sunlight, Wan'shi felt the foreign water in its body - water that had proved itself capable of freezing atop the sun - give way to the might of two suns, not merely evaporating, but atomizing.

The sight was almost blinding to behold from the First World, as countless streaks of light shot in every direction across the sky, each one previously a scale of the Serpent's - now something more.

Aftermath

Many river archons dragged themselves inland away from the River Dia, some of them helping along the few mortals that they had saved. Many of the mortals would find themselves incredibly forgetful over the next few weeks, forgetting not just details about the storm, but about recent events in their lives, old memories they could no longer grasp, favors and grudges that would have to be made new again.

Meanwhile, those archons who had frozen solid running up the wave they had helped to freeze solid began to liquefy, splashing around and rushing across the Stygian Glacier. Some ran off in a direction across the ocean, some guided more chilled refuges up to the mouth of a nearby river. A few returned to the River Dia, who was still frozen, and asked what was to be done next. Dia weakly asked if they were still safe from Wan'shi's waves, and the archons took that to mean they should halt the devastation across the world. Dia didn't correct them as they scattered across the oceans to drag down the tsunamis.

The Pit of Making

Dia slithered behind Hetta, her icy form slowly melting. She watched silently as Hetta drug some of the archons she failed to save from the Daystar's creation back down to earth, making a large clay structure. She watched as humanoid figure with flames in his eyes added to the structure. She attempted to nod at him, her ice cracking a bit more and raising off the ground. She then looked at the pillar and began pooling her own water into it, at first merely intending to improve the stability of the clay.

But as her waters flowed through the pillar, she noticed something - tiny motes of energy were traveling up her waters. She watched as they started climbing up the pillar, and saw what they held - long walks home, words left unsaid, lost trinkets, insults, kindnesses... curious, but not exactly useful for the task at hand.

Dia drew the thoughts and memories back, then a new thought stuck her. Studying the design of the motes, Dia changed the life being crafted within the pillar ever so slightly: like all life, the creatures born from this pillar would be able to create sprites of their own, but some of them would be unique, in that those sprites could resonate with a deity's divine aura and absorb part of it. These sprites would them drive themselves back into a golem and twist its flesh to express a similar, if much more limited power.

Sprites that reverse-engineered creation itself. It was only fitting, Dia thought, that such a power belong to the archons who were unable to join creation in their short lives.

As the pillar's formation completed, the sky was suddenly flooded with countless streaks of multicolored light, scattering themselves amongst the night sky. Dia found her own body reflecting a similar phenomena - no, not reflecting. It was more like if the River Dia herself had become a window into space, and this effect continued down all across her form and even within the ice of the Stygian Glacier.

What a fitting backdrop. For the Serpent's final hour.

If. You require it. When you are ready. I can take whomever wishes to fight. Straight to the Serpent.The Stars in the Sky
Create Land (2/2 AP)
The stars are born from Wan'Shi's scales, the atomization of Dia's waters left on Solace helping them disperse amongst the void. These stars can be viewed in the night sky, and also through the River Dia and any black ice or water she creates, including the recently made Stygian Glacier.

Wave Archons
Sublife (3AP)
River archons that have been reborn once more as waves - these archons are even swifter than their predecesors, and can move anywhere across the oceans - though they can only move inland along large bodies of water connected to the ocean, such as rivers (if the resident river archon permits it).

Divine Thoughts
Bless (1 AP)
The golems contain normal sprites, and can also form special sprites that absorb the aura of nearby deities, reenter the golem, and make that aura manifest in some way, replicating aspects or powers of the deity on a smaller scale. Once absorbed, this lasts for as long as the golem focuses on the aura, the sprite leaving their body and needing to be suffused with a godly aura once again.

Remaining AP: 2/16

Zelphas

2021-05-09, 05:54 PM

In the Pit of Making

Hetta watched the fiery-eyed god place a proper point atop the spear she had made, and thought the work done. And then the watery spirit added to it, subtly changing and growing the latent power within the spear into something she would not have considered. Now, it is truly finished. It just needed to be cast.

Hetta responded to the river's offer with a slow shake of her head. Despite her form, she is not a god of battle, and her opening acts of creation have left her tied to the earth in a way she did not expect--though even now she can feel that grip growing more tenuous, the ground almost too insubstantial under her clawed feet. Still, for now, she would remain upon the First World.

But that does not mean that her efforts in this battle will be wasted.

Gripping the massive pillar of what once was clay between her two draconic forelimbs, Hetta reared up, lifting the enormous tower out of the ground with a rumble and a roar. She held the pillar close to her for a moment, forelimbs straining, using her humanoid torso and arms to search the sky and pinpoint the largest piece of the broken snake. Then, in a titanic heave and a roar of sound so loud it seemed to silence the air rather than fill it, the pillar was gone, disappearing into the sky and the void beyond the First World.

Upon the Void Battlefield

The multicolored spear, bearing upon its burning tip the fang of the great serpent Wan'shi, soared through the darkness of space now lit by frozen scales, striking at a piece of snakeflesh that was already beginning to twist and re-form itself. The burning tip buried itself into its own body, but the angle must have been slightly off; the fang struck bone and shattered into a thousand pieces, some still burning, some extinguished, all cascading backwards towards the massive clay pillar of the goddesses' spear.

Every single shard of Wan'shi's fang was snatched out of the air by arms of clay, which erupted out of the clay pillar all the ay up and down its length.

The Golem Archons separated themselves from their counterparts and formed a host in the Void, each one a single color of clay, no two exactly alike in shape or hue. Bearing their new blades of bone, some still burning, some not, they set about the work for which they had been created, scattering across the sky to seek out and strike at the pieces of Wan'shi which still lived, still grew, and thus were still dangerous.

A curious thing happened next, seen by all of those deities who went personally into battle; the Golems that drew near to them in the conflict would change, becoming somehow more like that deity...

Writtensanity

2021-05-09, 09:52 PM

https://i.imgur.com/j0w3jX6.png

The falling fang shards of Wan'Shi rained over The Spine Aerie, cracking and splintering against the rocky mountains that had formed from the devourer's skin. The clattering of these spines awoke Briettia from her post-creation slumber. The goddess opened her eyes to see the tooth shards breaking on the ground, and the birds of the aerie fleeing to escape the wreckage of their nests.

Briettia had made this land to keep her children safe, but the Gods couldn't keep their petty squabbles away from the mortal plane. They were breaking the very thing they'd been battling Wan'Shi to protect, and the damned end of days was still alive.

The scorched fang shards of Wan'Shi reignited with the light of the sun around Briettia, and searing heat pushed away the permanent fog of the cloud aerie. Briettia called the shards to her and coated her wings in searing teeth. Wan'Shi and the Gods were infinite, and so were the snake's fangs. By the time Briettia was done forming her new wings, her wingspan covered The Spine Aerie in darkness, a shield against the debris of the battle of the stars.

Briettia took off from the earth, and her massive wingbeats could be felt around the circle continent. The goddess careened toward the writhing serpent, her wings taking on the brilliant glow of the sun. As she approached, she saw the Golems and Archons of the other gods attacking the constantly regenerating Wan'Shi. The Nestwarden unleashed the broken fang of Wan'Shi with a mighty gust from her void-like wings. Her hailstorm of venom and vengeance flew past Wan'Shi, piercing deep into the Sun itself.

The blood of nests that were broken in the Aerie burned in the Sun, and Briettia forged it into vengeance and retribution incarnate. The parts of the Sun that Wan'Shi killed, Briettia absorbed into the blood as well. Finally, she turned the shards of Wan'Shi's fangs into terrible beaks. Briettia beat her wings to blow life into her creations within the sun, and from the blood of Nests that were broken, the first Phoenix erupted from the Sky to burn Wan'Shi, followed by a flock. A flock that Briettia would never need to protect again.

https://i.imgur.com/50EG4u9.png

Spellpyre Phoenix: Magic the Gathering

Briettia is spending 5 AP on the 'Create Legend' to make Fang Phoenixes.

Fang Phoenix are massive birds made of Sunlight and feathers of Briettia herself. Though there are some small Fang Phoenixes, the majority of the species have wingspans of over 300ft, it is difficult to tell their standing height, as Fang Phoenixes do not land unless they are at the end of their lives.

Upon 'death' Fang Phoenixes return to their original state of blood and a shard of Wan'Shi's fang. Once any part of the remains is exposed to Sunlight, the rest of it will erupt into the brilliant being of Sunlight that they once were.

Rather than hunting traditionally, fang phoenixes simply fly close to victims they are looking to hunt, as their scorching wingbeats will cook most creatures without magical protection alive. Once their prey is cooked, fang phoenixes skewer them on their 'beak' which is more akin to a needle-like stabbing implement. Rather than eating their prey, they let it burn away in the Sun's light. This action seems to feed them.

Fang Phoenixes' massive size and magical nature allow them to be migratory over the massive circle continent, and even to lands beyond. Though the creatures have two known nesting grounds, The Spine Aerie and the Serpent's Spite Isles, they can be found hunting all over the known lands of the mortal plane.

Due to their highly territorial nature when it comes to hunting grounds, it's extremely rare to see more than one Fang Phoenix outside of the Serpents Spite isles or the Spine Aerie.

Because of their regenerative nature, it's theorized that there is a set population of Fang Phoenixes on the mortal plane and that there will never be more, though some maintain that a force similar to that of the sun, like an erupting volcano, could set more Phoenixes alight, or even create an entire new flock under a different name.

AP Cost: 5 (5 Remaining)

Domain: Life (Birth) - Now 10/10 needed for Ascension.

Most of the Phoenixes remained in the sky, blocking and battering Wan'Shi with their solar wings, but some swooped from the sky like falling meteors and crashed into the ocean, before erupting into the world with a plume of steam and salt.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-09, 11:04 PM

Tsunami

Abu Dhahab was both disappointed and relieved when the giant snake ignored him. His giant sand claw had raked the side of the devourer beast’s head drawing blood and ripping out chunks of flesh so he thought he had hurt it. Not enough it seemed.

The devourer raised its head before plunging it back down into the ocean. The wave that formed was unlike anything the world had ever seen so far. Taller than the tallest mountains on circle continent, the destruction it caused would be cataclysmic in scale.

As the tsunami approached, the Great lizard spotted something approaching from the distance and felt the resonance of another divinity. He recognized the cosmic river deity who had saved many minor divinities from the solar flare. Although Abu Dhahab had witnessed some of the chaos at the dawn of creation, it was through his interaction with the chatty river archon Nafura who resides in the desert that he finally learned of who Dia was.

Raising his arms, Abu Dhahab controlled the sands of the beach to rise up to form a tall wall in the shape of a chevron before sending it pushing towards the incoming disaster. The hand of sand lead the charge at the tip of the formation. When the wave met the incoming wedge of sand it started splitting, though it didn’t take more than a few seconds for it to overcome the obstacle and continue on its path.

Although he only succeeded in slowing the tsunami down, it was enough time for the incoming deity to make their move, and move they did. Together with a battalion of river archons, Dia unleashed a powerful freezing effect and froze the wave just as it was breaking at the shore. With the help of another deity Abu Dhahab did not recognize, the tsunami was pacified, and the continent protected.

Thank you both for your timely assistance, many lives and societies were saved by your action.

Cosmic Combat, Slaying Spear, and Holy Sand

At that moment, a searing light shot across the sky burning a hole through the dark storm clouds. Another deity was incoming at an incredible speed. Like a meteor, they smashed into the devourer, searing the flesh that had almost healed. After a brief scuffle, the snake seemed to flee and departed the world again.

It was soon apparent that the Devourer was only shifting target, and was now planning on avenging itself against that which had burned it.

Shooting off into space, the shining deity was gone again as quick as they had appeared. Abu Dhahab had not managed to even react to their arrival before they both left. With mixed feelings, the Great Lizard wandered over to where the snake’s head had impacted the planet. Its potential for destruction was incredible.

As he arrived at the site, now a smoking crater filled with molten rock, he spotted another familiar deity rummaging through the wreckage. Pulling up a huge fang larger than a Crocodilian, the deity who had taught the Lizardfolk how to make use of every part of a corpse seemed satisfied and wrapped it up in the skin of a great beast before heading back to the continent.

Passing each other, Abu Dhahab gave a polite nod in greeting and gestured to the wrapped up fang. Good find! Such high quality materials are rare. Though there’s plenty more from where that came from... Not really waiting or expecting a response, the Great Lizard moved on to search a bit himself. The other deity seemed preoccupied with considering how best to make use of the fang.

Through his connection with the earth and sand, Abu Dhahab could sense a number of large objects still throbbing with that unpleasant aura of the Devourer. Forcing them up to the surface, they were soon revealed to be a large collection of teeth. Each tooth, though smaller than the magnificent fang he had seen earlier, was still significantly large.

Gathering them up he returned to the shore, only to see a huge clay pillar forming in the distance. It seemed the creator of the continent was also displeased by the space serpent’s wonton destruction. This he would have to get in on.

Rushing over, he witnessed the completion of the divine spear that would pierce the cosmic destroyer. He spotted a familiar fang at the tip of the spear. Chuckling, he agreed completely with its use.

Nice spear! I don’t think we’ve officially met before, but my people, whom you’ve probably seen, refer to me as Abu Dhahab. I believe you’ve already completed the weapon, but I’d like to contribute too. Take these, they should be useful.

As crafting was not his speciality, Abu Dhahab passed most of the teeth he had collected over to the deity that had claimed the largest fang. Magirus skillfully attached them to the shaft of the spear. These would become fearsome weapons in the hands of the golems that would emerge from the spear.

With an impressive display of force, the spear was launched into space at its target by Hetta. As the snake dealt with other threats, it wouldn’t notice the spear until it was too late. Abu Dhahab watched the battle unfold, flexing his fingers in irritation. The battle would likely be over before he arrived if he had to fly there personally.

His observation was interrupted by Dia’s sudden, but well timed, reappearance. They came with an invitation to join the cosmic action in person that Abu Dhahab could not refuse.

My people can not rest until this threat is pacified. Though I am fast on the ground, I believe your speed may be of help this time. I accept your offer, Let’s go!

Taking the remaining teeth the devourer had left behind, Abu Dhahab ground them down into a fine black sand. The ability of the Devourer to consume other divinities and their sources of power was tamed and repurposed as Abu Dhahab refined it with his own divinity. He purified away the taint and lingering aura until the sand turned golden, shimmering in the light.

This was now holy sand. Capable of hindering and obstructing any non physical power. Gathering it, Abu Dhahab condensed it into gold bracers that he wore on his arms. It would be returned to sand when he arrived at the snake where he would use it suppress the snake’s regeneration and mana.

Leaping into the air, the Great Lizard was once more going to face that detestable snake.

3 AP

Bless (Holy Sand) -1 AP
Holy sand is formed when WanShi’s teeth (or anything containing WanShi’s aura of devouring) is ground up and refined by a divine power associated with deserts or sand. The sand counteracts/suppresses/ weakens/obstructs/hinders affects/abilities/powers that are not purely physical in nature. The effect is stronger against weaker targets, so it’s more effective in suppressing a monster’s magical abilities than a legendary life form’s ability. This can not cancel/destroy the affect/ability/power, just reduce its potency. Exact effects on specific abilities can be discussed and agreed on.
Combat (Unarmed) 2/10

3 -1 = 2 AP

GameOfChampions

2021-05-10, 12:22 AM

Lintri: The Changing Continent

He watches as the mass of water makes it way around the world, it crashes into the Changing Continent. He watches as thousands of the Ferrin die along the shores. The water washing over the continent forces the change early, the elemental energy suffising the land and empowering the natural change. The land grows wet and cold. Bodies of water form, weather changes, and the temperature drops.

The god is saddened slightly but this is what he expected to happen, not this early but happen none the less. The Ferrin struggle as he watches, unable to handle the great change and the next cycle decades away.

He looks at the suffering race and then leaves. Traveling through the world to see the various races. He watches the goblin races populate the Circle Continent, the centaurs travel the plains, the lizard people in their swamps. He sees them travel, populate, and live. Then he notices the shining races populating the world in lesser numbers.

The Archons in their various forms with several holding close ties to the elementals energies around them. The Phoenixes flying through the skies as they leave burning trails behind them. The clay dragons molding the earth thst defines them.

He looks at them and then considers the Ferris, could they not do the same? The travels back to the Changing Continent and examines the Ferris. Lintri looks,at how those races have innate connections to the elements, how the elements connected to to the world, and how the energy can be wielded by him.

He gathers that connection, solidifying it and growing it. As it reaches a peak he brings it down, imbueing the Ferris with the connection. Allowing them to connect to the elements. It wouldn't grant them the ability to wield it but it would allow them the option to tame, work with, or manipulate the elements. He uses the connection to solidify the natural connection the Archons, Phoenixes, and Clay Dragons have to their elements. Their natural abilities will make the magic easier, granting them deeper connections to their elements and channel the elemental energies for longer times.

Satisfied the Forging God looks upon his newly forged connection between the elements and the races of the world.

He watches the Ferris start working beside the elements, their new magic allowing the successful ones to save their people. Fire is the predominant element being connected with, no surprise there considering their need for heat. He watches a Ferris shaman shape a campfire into forms, making a Ferris figure to amuse some children.

In a fit of amusement the god reaches down to the figurine and feeds a thread of consciousness into it. The form solidifies beyond the shamans control and the little humanoid shaped fire begins to stumble around. Moving to pieces of wood and burning them up.

The shaman and warriors of the group panic, quickly moving to break it apart. The shaman doing the final blow of ripping the elemental apart. Lintri shrugs and moves on, or he would until he notices something.

He notices the thread of consciousness race through the entire element of fire, the consciousness infecting the element in places all over the world. His consciousness expands as he sees little elementals of fire start to pop into being from large collections of the element. He watches the shamans start to fight them, time passing as their connection to the the new magic grows. The shamans eventually become able to interact with the creatures. Some dominating them with their will while others treat the little fires as friends or pets to be loved and trained. The elementals quickly are becoming an integral tool to the Ferris

Create Mythic Concept (Elementalism) 4AP: Lintri looked for materials to forge in the opening days of the First World, he found the 6 elements in abundance and dubbed them the classical elements. He used them to create races and lands, not thinking of them as anything more then materials. As the world progressed he learned it was more then just materials. The elements were sources of energy, linked to life in intricate ways, and able to be interacted with. He grants the ability to interact with the elements to the mortal races. In some it just confirms what is already part of them, enhancing it and empowering it. In others it hrants the ability to do so in those willing to work with the elements. Taming the elements, befriending, or dominating. All ways to interact with the elements.

Create Monstrous Race (Fire Elemental) 1AP: Lintri threaded consciousness into the element of fire and it bonded. Now when there is collections of fire energy elementals will form. The Ferris have dominated the elementals as their connection to Elementalism grows.

Magic (Elementalism): 10/10

Society (Imperialism): 2/10

Feathersnow

2021-05-10, 05:55 AM

Idix
The First Gom'Jabbar

Acis'sej was the eldest of Three-Tern lodge. Once they were all equals, all of that first generation that was on The Hunt. The Last Hunt. The Only Hunt. The hunt that took down the God-Beast ln known only as Skidi.

But that was lifetimes ago. They had all been many things over many lives, and scattered far across the continent. Many more had been taken.

No one knew where the Revenants came from or why, but they ate souls until they died of surfeit, spread like bad ice over a bay at dawn, and hates elders like Acis'sej the most.

Some theorized that it was some revenge loosed on the world for killing Skidi. And some said the youngest, those who knew the before-time only from stories and borrowed memories, those who prayed to Idix and marked the eyes of dead beasts with black ashes before eating them... Some said the innocent ones were only attacked by Revenants in self-defense.

But, innocent or guilty, the world was a poorer, more lonely place now. Most children had only a few lifetimes before they were taken. Most of the Ka and Ren of the Ancestors were eaten and sealed away behind the Revenants' plague.

But, for a while, the plague seemed contained. There was a protocol. The lodge would surround it, throwing rocks unt it was too broken to move. It might get a few of them, but they couldn't break out before they all fell. Then they would torch the remains. Then they would gather up all the rocks and ashes and meat and bones and put it in a net, and drag it to a trench deep off shore...

That held the monsters for a while.

But then, a few hundred hours ago, everyone asleep reported seeing Idix in their dreams, beckoning thrn to run inland. Then the seas turned nasty and the skies went weird. The lodge ran, taking as much food as tgey could carry and their herds of slimes with them. The lava tubes miles inland might be safe.

Acis'sej was the lastbone out, double checking for the child-bodied and anything valuable. The Ghul saw the sea retreat to the horizon and reach to the sky.

And, perhaps, worse, they saw the trench where they dumped the Revenants. Empty and exposed to air!

It was on the elder like that!

It pinned the Ghul and then clawed at its own chest, ripping out a chuck of flesh. With one mitten-like claw, it forced open Acis'sej's muzzle. With the other, it rammed down the corruption!

Acis'sej was awash with pain! Hunger! Guilt! With what might have been the last thought of the last true Elder, they called out to the god they had made. The golem-god of bones. The Deathless Deer who Acis'sej's mit, in another life, had dubbed "The Gift of the Questing Hand" in the holy tongues of the stillborn dryads.

And they were in Another Place, past the pain. In a plain like a dream, like a river of frozen fire, like flowing ice, like nothing at all. Chasing a deer, like they had done only once before. And each hoofprint was a cartouche, a sentence in the High Tongue. Regression to the Asymptote. Consume the Corruption. You are the Hand.

And Acis'sej was back in their body. And they were fighting. Each blow was the memory of every Ka-Ancestor. Each swipe was the claws of a beast. The force that impelled them was the strength of a dead god. No. A god that lived on in every Ghul!

Acis'sej reversed the pin and, for the second time in a dozen lifetimes, used her fangs not to cut dead meat but to rend living flesh!

As the Revenant died the memories of each stolen soul returned. Acis'sej knew their womb alone could bear the Ren-child of this lost sibling. They would find a male-bodied partner and begin the work of rescuing the lost...
And there was so much more to do! Others must learn of this new power!
Others must help the great work of. restoring what was lost! It was a lucky break, even with the new power of channeling memories, that Acis'sej had overpowered the Revenant... Next time would be harder.

Acis'sej made it to the lava tubes and collapsed. In their dream, Idix appeared and beckoned. They followed her in the air, flying to where the birds go at night, in the burning utter North. In the sands, a creature, neither fish nor fox nor Ghul, but with aspects of each stood. A cartouche ssid it was The Spicy. And Idix beckoned to attend him.

Starting AP 4/16
Ending AP 0*/16

1 AP Bless- The Gom'Jabbar
A Ghul that eats the flesh of a Revenant will not transform into a Revenant until they would otherwise die. At this point, the extreme regeneration of the Revenant animates their corpse.
War (Psychic Warfare) 1/10

2*AP Mythic Sub-concept- Prana Bindu
This martial art is the channeling of memories into improved physical prowess
War (Psychic Warfare) 3/10
*This action may be split with another player, pending agreement.

1* AP Mythic Sub-concept- Pharmakeia
The magic of ingestion of items to gain supernatural power. This especially takes the form of gsining the powers of dead enemies
War (psychic warfare) 4/10
*This action is being split with Magirus

Razade

2021-05-11, 02:06 AM

Wan'shi: The War in Heaven

The Gods may have had their plan, their power, but they did not have one thing that would make slaying and binding the Void Serpent, the Exile, easy. They did not have a body that could easily wrap around the First World and more and squeeze it to powder. Nor did the Gods have the primal animal desire to fight through pain, through misery, through overwhelming odds when running was no longer an option. It wasn't. The Gods had cornered the vast serpent in its only true home, The Void, and while they may win the day, it would not be without consequence. The Snake was equal to them even before its first feast.

The serpents jaws were swift, biting and tossing Gods about in their divine conflict even as meat and scales were torn away. Venom flowed as did blood through the cosmic Void even as parts of regenerated into monsters all their own. None would last, the Gods rose an army against it, but the Void Serpent was an army in itself and for each blow, its mighty coils finally connecting with the Sun, its blood surging in waves into that Divine place and evaporating. The sun's shine would forever be part and parcel of this war.

If it could not win, it would eat as much as it could as the armies rose into the Void, as the other Gods soon joined and the vast laser struck. Wan'shi opened its jaws wide and, in even a brief moment, connected with the darkness of Night that Renarr had made with their creation of Light. It sought, in that ever dark place, a refuge as its body was torn apart with surgical grace, but the mighty forces of the Gods brought it back but not alone. Wan'shi, that adaptable horror, trailed black lines of force in its maw and the cold of Nocturne bled out into the Void itself. The Gods would not have noticed, hot by the Sun and by their blood, but their lesser creations would bare the brunt of this new element of the Void. Solar, Golem, anything born by Divine hand froze and turned to icy stone, clumping together to form vast asteroids around the snake to shield it, points of cold light to hang in the Void when it was gone. The Gods would fall to this too, if they lingered long, so long as mana, now touched by both the Sun and Nocturne and the very moon Wan'shi became moved in the heavens.

Little of it mattered, the actions of Wan'shi a delay, not a true route to the victory it sought. It had but one last attempt, to shed itself and hide until its scales would return and its teeth grew anew. With all of its might, as the lights of its eyes that had once served as the sun and moon of creation dimmed and its mighty skin was stretched to form the stars, from the depths of the mouth soon plugged with its own still beating heart, the serpent spat forth the last of its former meal. It looked like the Gods. Or many of them. Humanoid but...twisted. Still yet to be fully born, a pitiable thing, a stillborn God infused with the essence of the serpent. While it could not see, could not hear, its mouth opened in a toothy pit and all across the face of Creation, the Void, the Sun and stars and moon and even the darkness of Nocturne the Void Serpent's voice reached.

Born of Creation
Abandoned by Creator
The Gods seek to delay the inevitable

The stars will fade and fall into the oceans
The light of the Sun shall grow abominable to those on the lands
And the cold winds of Nocturne will blow across the deserts, turning all to stone
There is no escape
There is no hope
All will be consumed

The Gods in their envy shall rise up
Deserious, vain, and greedy
Their little soldiers, primed and plain
Will fall to chaffe, or unsown grain
Empty bellies grumble, the plates of Gods bare
Covetous, neighbor will take from neighbor
Allies born in conflict
Locked forever in first meetings

When the Gods do war across Creation
And the time grows nearer now
Their duty to keep their creations safe
Will distract them from the gate
In their fallow absence
Their punishment await.

With that. Wan'shi was dead, vanquished and sealed. What remained fell into the deeper Void, forgotten in celebration and haste.

Chronicles of the Deeper Darkness: Volume One

Below is an excerpt from the first volume of Chronicles of the Deeper Darkness, a treatise on the the possible origins of the peoples that called themselves the Weshesh. The writer is attributed to an Elven sage known as Tok Fan'Far who was old even when the Weshesh first appeared on Corrla.

"It is said to have begun after the Days of Thunder when the great Void Serpent Wan'shi was slain by the Dawn Gods in their palaces for its hunger. The shaking of the earth did stall and the vast wave that washed upon our shores was abated. It was not long then that they appeared with words of strange arcane text and the secrets of mana. We asked from where did they come and they simply pointed across the seas and said in Elvish that they were our kin but in their travels they could no longer bare to face the sun or the moon in the sky. It was an odd custom but in respect we abided by it. We did not know how truly strange our visitors would show themselves to be until much later, later when we discerned some truth to their claims and their true location of origin."

Some diagrams of the oceans at the time, weather reports far too strange to calculate and a recurring image of a snake eating its own tail follow in the documents.

"They called themselves the Weshesh, a name we would learn others used. Like us they were not merely all Elven but a conglomerate, banded together in hardship. They had little to trade but were deeply curious about our own cultures, our own ways of being and so with what little they had we let them in. They did not remain in place for long and when we observed them together their strangeness grew. None spoke amongst one another. They sat, cross legged, on the dirt and each moved with a will as if even by their stillness they conveyed their wants and desires. We never saw them eat, the strange lights that shone behind mask and canvass fold never seemed to dim. They simply would find a place after their work and...sit. Silent. Motionless. My children and their children found them unsettling. I was intrigued. How did they communicate without any outward markers of speech or motion? What was truly behind their coverings. Would I find an elf like myself in what seemed to be their leader? Old, gray and frail? It moved like me, more and more each day it seemed, bent and hobbled and slow. My son thinks it is but mockery but perhaps these people merely could not show their frailness on the open and violent seas."

The Weshesh in the Deserts

The first of the Xen came to land as the pitching and heaving ended. Dressed as they were in heavy clothing and masks, they set to work from their tunnels out near one of the many new rivers bequeathed by the Serpent. These were the first attempts by the Washesh to do anything under the sun and it had taken long years with the storms and the floods and the pitching earth to reach here. They were battered but they moved with a purpose. They had been moving with a purpose since the great Serpent had fallen to their depths and the other Goddess too. The architecture was strange here in the world above, not contoured to cavern and cliff face. It was not something the Weshesh were adept at...yet. But almost overnight they had a settlement and when the trading lizard people were seen in the distance they lit torches as if to invite them in.

4AP

Curse (The War in Heaven) -1AP: Wan'shi has only spoken once in all of Creation. Its last words, a prophecy. Gods and Mortals alike will fall to their baser instincts, words will grow confused and war will foment between all peoples as bread leavens with yeast. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 7/10]

Bless (Mana Flood) - 1AP: So long as the Sun and Moon shine upon Creation, the mana inherent to Wan'Shi's very essence will forever rain down upon it. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 8/10]

Curse (The Roots of Darkness) - 1AP: The Void itself is hostile to the Gods and their creations. The chill of Nocturne now fills that Void such that the Gods of Creation will slowly freeze into asteroids in that place like so many fallen solar and those born from them. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 9/10]

Create Monsters (Shedskin Beasts) -1AP: Monster snakes still ply the darkness of the Void, immune from the Roots of Darkness, praying on anything they can find including each other. [Evil (Natural Disasters) 10/10]

4 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 = 0AP

Writtensanity

2021-05-11, 03:18 AM

https://i.imgur.com/j0w3jX6.png

At some point during the mother's rage, Wan'Shi stopped moving. The greater gods of the world sealed the power of the creature far away, but not before it could speak for the first time in creation. It spoke about how God's fought, everything ended and a natural order that no mother wanted to see for her child.

Wan'Shi had placed that curse, but Briettia wasn't sure it hadn't always been there. The gods were in the middle of celebrating their fight after all. Victory. Death.

Briettia wasn't a Goddess of Victory or Death, she was barely a Goddess, but she was a divine, a divine or something so far from death that the idea broke her.

Cashing in my 10AP investment to officially give Briettia the Domain of Life(Birth)

The Nestwarden didn't get angry at death, like she had before, instead, she felt tears for the first time. She wailed out into the endless void, a harrowing screech that would haunt mortals below. Briettia's wings grew black and sullen, she shrunk down back into what she'd been during her time out in the void.

A little thing that eventually fell.

Some of the first Fang Phoenixes, those that had stayed above to help their mother with Wan'Shi were struck by the snakes curse, turning to stone, and tumbling down toward The Spine Aerie. They smashed into dozens of pieces on the ground, cold and broken. The sun's rays filled the phoenixes with rebirth, but the stone would not let them reform, so they remained broken, dozens from one.

The first Harpy Flock.

Create Subrace - Fang Phoenixes
Original Cost: 3 AP
Lowering Harpies from Legendary to Sentient Race
New Cost 2 AP

Legends say that harpies were born of the fang phoenixes that fought with their mother in the great sorrow. The original flock were pieces of broken Phoenix that gave up their power of revival to come back one final time as many. They are mostly native to the place where the phoenixes fell, The Spine Aerie.

Appearance:

Harpies are easy to disregard as a combination of classically humanoid traits with bird features, but there are some critical differences between them and the creatures they look like.

One of the main ones being that harpies are monogendered, exclusively female with very few of the traditionally mammalian traits that tend to identify creatures as female. Though their facial structure, which is humanoid, does read female. (Name missing things are that harpies have no breasts, no sex organs and don't have a wide-hipped bone structure.)

Despite some depictions showing harpies as having wings and no arms, or arms and wings on their backs, neither is the truth. Harpies have two sets of wings, one on their backs similar to angels and one where humanoids arms are. The frontal wings are connected to something very similar to arms but are often used for stabilization in flight while Harpies use then talons to carry things.

Harpies wings are notably pointed and covered in light, shedding feathers. They are thin compared to gliding birds, which lends to Harpies preference for shorter flights and dive hunting. (Like Falcons as opposed to eagles or hawks.

Harpies have an over 14-foot wingspan, but most stand just under five feet tall when walking.

Mythical Blood:

Harpies are related to the great Fang Phoenixes, and inherited a small bit of their magical rebirth. Rather than traditional breeding like most species, harpies reproduce at the end of their life, burning away into eggs.

The longer a harpy lives, the more eggs will spawn from their death, with happy Matriarchs having twenty or more eggs in a clutch. Because Harpies are destined to never see their mother, a curse passed on from Briettia's mourning of Wan'Shi, they are instead cared for by their mother's Clutch Sisters, who form the critical mother-daughter relationship.

Harpy's bodies burn into eggs approximately 24 hours after death.

-----

Domain Progress:

Harpy Creation: Domain Sky(Flight)

AP Cost 2

Total Progress: 3/10 for Sky(Flight)

Current AP Pool: 3/16

Wan'Shi deserved a mother, as all things did. Briettia did not know what she had been born of, but all things should know their origin and get their love and hope from that source. The eater of days knew not but hunger, because there had never been a loving hand to feed it.

Briettia stole off into the dark sky, just as Wan'Shi had spoken its last words and cursed the land. The Nestwarden found its skull, encased in Bamboo and hidden just before the stars. With a talon, Briettia carved out a piece of skull, impossibly large to a mortal, but so small to a God. She imbued the skull with her love and essence, and suddenly her piece of the skull wasn't bone or death, it was an egg, and life.

The new mother swooped back to the first world, the egg in clutches. She could feel its weight. Massive amounts of mana and will pushing through the shell. Briettia picked the egg up in her arms and cradled it in a mother's love until it calmed.

Briettia would prove her point with love, or she would need to accept that Wan'Shi's prophecy of the end was right and that some evils were meant to be.

Briettia has taken a piece of Wan'Shi and plans to give it life, love and a chance. Whether it hatches as a creature that will bless the land or curse it has yet to be seen.

No matter what it is, the essence of Briettia within will give it flight, representative of her love.

OOC:
I am handing the reigns to @Razade for this. What has Briettia done eventually? If more AP is needed to make the action come true I will invest it at your request.

-------
Domain Progress:

Wan'Shi's Legacy: Domain Sky(Flight)

AP Cost 1

Total Progress: 4/10 for Sky(Flight)

Current AP Pool: 2/16

SpeedWitch

2021-05-11, 07:15 AM

The Pit of Making
(Prelude to the Prophecy)

Dia watched the stars go by, knowing that she had already played a large role in the Serpent's destruction. But she felt her essence rapidly vanish from Solace, and knew the Serpent wasn't dead yet.
Hetta responded to the river's offer with a slow shake of her head. Despite her form, she is not a god of battle, and her opening acts of creation have left her tied to the earth in a way she did not expect--though even now she can feel that grip growing more tenuous, the ground almost too insubstantial under her clawed feet. Still, for now, she would remain upon the First World.

But that does not mean that her efforts in this battle will be wasted.

Gripping the massive pillar of what once was clay between her two draconic forelimbs, Hetta reared up, lifting the enormous tower out of the ground with a rumble and a roar. She held the pillar close to her for a moment, forelimbs straining, using her humanoid torso and arms to search the sky and pinpoint the largest piece of the broken snake. Then, in a titanic heave and a roar of sound so loud it seemed to silence the air rather than fill it, the pillar was gone, disappearing into the sky and the void beyond the First World.Taking a moment to comprehend Hetta's actions, Dia spoke:

I. Did not expect them to go off on their own. The blessing I gave them... Dia trailed off as Abu Dhahab began to speak.
My people can not rest until this threat is pacified. Though I am fast on the ground, I believe your speed may be of help this time. I accept your offer, Let’s go!Dia's form shook, the last of her ice melting away.

Very well. The River Dia moves to meet the Serpent.
Leaping into the air, the Great Lizard was once more going to face that detestable snake.Dia attempted to conjure a platform for the Great Lizard (and any other god that wished to come along). However, instead of ice, a fishing boat popped out of the waters to catch him. Dia processed this for but a moment before remembering that there was a Serpent to slay, and took off into the atmosphere.

Across the Void
(Prelude to the Prophecy)

A nearly invisible river shot through a sky full of stars, propelling a fishing boat at the top of its jetstream. As the group entered the void, Dia, curious about the gods she had met and worried that she may be flying toward her doom, tried to start up a conversation, mostly questions about the world they were leaving behind, whether to distract herself or gain resolve for what they were fighting to protect.

So. How goes things. On that tiny blue sphere?

What do divines. Do? With those rocks and waves?

Hm. I just realized. Despite collaborating with you all. I have yet to learn your names.

The War in Heaven
(Prelude to the Prophecy)

As the sun's light grew more intense, and the group came within range of the conflict, Dia tipped the boat up: not towards the massive snake roiling in the flames of Solace, nor the vicious regenerating golems fighting all across it, but at the harpy that was clawing at the sun.

This. Deity? Is not known to me. Friend of yours?

As Dia neared the Serpent, some of the golems began to manifest water-like qualities, slipping in-between the jaws of the Serpent and others freezing themselves in place to avoid being thrown into the void.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-11, 08:20 PM

Travel by Divine River

Standing on the small boat that had appeared beneath his feet, Abu Dhahab kept his balance as the divine river shot off into space. It wouldn’t be a long trip, but he had plenty of time to respond to Dia’s questions.

Things were going well for the most part. Until that snake returned. After that... not so much. I’m known as Abu Dhahab by the way, and though you may not have heard of me, I have long known of you through one of the rivers you saved. They have taken up residence in the land I created and are revered by my people.

What we do down there? Well that depends on the individual. We all have some intrinsic tendencies. Whatever being that created... well, everything... must have put some of that same tendency in us. I cannot speak for the others, but I for one get much satisfaction from seeing the lesser life forms I created develop and prosper through cooperation and exchange.

The snake, though I disapprove of their methods, is at least true to what I believe is it’s intrinsic tendency.

It seems we have arrived. I will join the fight. I enjoyed our chat, let us meet again should we succeed in this battle.

Abu Dhahab jumped off the boat as it dematerialized. Although he regularly mingled with mortals and spoke to them, it had been enjoyable to finally speak with another deity. Now it was time to fight, and he had a few more ideas that he hoped would be more effective.

Golden Lizard Palm, the Birth of Martial Arts

The battle had already devolved into a chaotic mess. Searing flame and condensed energy beans lit up the void while Golems hacked away with vengeance. A winged divinity clawed the snake ripping out part of its spine, before creating huge flaming birds that also joined in the desperate battle.

The heat of battle sent Abu Dhahab’s blood pumping. With a roar, he joined the fray. Punching, kicking, swiping with his claws. The great lizard unleashed the normally suppressed instincts of a warrior. Slowly, his movements became more fluid, the timing of his strikes more effective.

Holy sand swirled around his fists as he continued to fight. The snake was fierce however, and though cornered, it lashed out time after time with brutal attacks that threw off the divinities and their army. Smaller snakes started forming from the chunks of severed flesh, and Abu Dhahab soon found his hands full holding them off.

Gathering his sand into a large golden palm, he struck the closest of the smaller snakes. The impact was initially less impressive as expected, then the back of the snake ruptured as it’s insides exploded.

Fatality!

The Fall of the Devourer, and the Prophecy

Before he could return to the main battle, Abu Dhahab spotted the Great Serpent charge once more at that enormous ball of flame. He watched as its size and brightness lessened ever so slightly. Having finally succeeded in taking a bite out of its nemesis, the snake finally succumbed.

As it died, it finally spoke. Surprisingly eloquent, its words a prophecy for future conflict and strife. The smaller snakes scattered into the void, where they would no doubt multiply and forever pose a threat to any who wished to travel through space.

As the other deities went about sealing its skull, or flying off with a piece as if claiming a trophy, Abu Dhahab was silent. The words spoken were ominous, and if they ever were fulfilled, he would have to be stronger if he wanted to protect his creation.

His imagined scenarios chilled him to the bone, or maybe that was just the void stealing his warmth. His fury had been calmed, and he looked around. As his warrior instinct returned to dormancy, Abu Dhahab returned to his merchant ways. Priceless materials were everywhere.

Epic Loot, Golem Recruitment, and Plans for a Journey

Using his divine sand the Great Lizard gathered up bones and scales that the snake had lost during the fight. He found a few half destroyed golems, and refilled them with divine power until they started reforming. Influenced by his aura, the golems grew small golden scales.

Created to serve a purpose that no longer existed, they stood motionless, lost and unsure of how to move forward. Seeing them, Abu Dhahab realized another truth. Successful revenge gives way to emptiness, a lack of purpose and drive.

These odd life forms had once been one of the divine. They were almost eaten, they were burned, then frozen, being mostly dead, they were transformed into a weapon, and given a malleable body with which to exact vengeance. Now they just floated in the void, shells of their former existence.

Taking pity on them, Abu Dhahab gave them an offer.

My fellow siblings, now that the snake is no more, follow me to return to the world below. Observe the mortals and their short yet fulfilling lives, perhaps you will rediscover what you have lost. The deserts will always welcome you unless you become like the serpent. You’ve had it rough, rest your minds and souls, find peace within the beauty of creation.

The golems responded in different ways.

Some refused outright, tired of being played around with and living at the mercy of other divinities. They descended to the planet on their own, to hide or form their secluded communities. Their remaining divine power enough to conceal them

Others seemed too badly damaged by the fight, and just floated there with a blank look. There would be little hope for them if nobody dragged them away.

The remaining few nodded or weakly agreed, following him on his return journey. Abu Dhahab had them carry some of the spoils as he guided them slowly back to his deserts.

As he flew home, the great lizard spent his time grinding and refining more holy sand using some of the Serpent’s bones. He’d save a few of course, to see if he could sell them to the deities who had remained on the planet.

A trip would be nice, he thought. He’s spent most of his existence just in the desert he’d made, and while he still had many ideas for things to create, the world was full of unexplored beauty. After settling the golems and checking on the Lizardfolk, he’d start his journey.

AP: 2

Create Mundane Concept (Martial Arts) -1 AP
A combat style that makes use of the original weapon: the body. Through diligent practice and discipline, a warrior can improve their strength, reflexes and flexibility to unleash powerful strikes with any part of their body.
Combat (Unarmed) 3/10

2 -1 = 1 AP

Zelphas

2021-05-12, 12:34 AM

The War in Heaven, Seen from Earth

Hetta watches the battle play out across the skies, noting the strengths and weaknesses of the Golem Archons she had sent to the skies. It seemed that their autonomy, their sentience had been both boon and bane to them; it allowed them to wield godlike powers with skill and precision, but it left them open to corruption from outside forces. Better to cut that in less-powerful iterations, then.

She heard Wan'shi speak his baleful prophecy; no god could avoid it after all. She nods once it is finished, almost smiling. Finally, someone had given clear guidelines for how the future will play out. Perhaps Hetta should aid in crafting this "punishment" for the gods... but that could be dealt with later. It seemed that despite the urgency in the prophecy, there was still some time; gods had yet to do battle with gods directly so far, except for the gods who faced the Snake.

Within the Pit of Making

Hetta dug and shaped, shifted and carved; her next plans would take time to bring to fruition, but she had all the supplies she needed within her small patch of the First World. With Wan'shi temporarily locked away and the Void growing inhospitable to gods and mortals alike, interest would turn inevitably to the First World, and so new laws and rules would soon be made. She needed to be ready for when that time came.

At some point, a slow trickle of Golem Archons began arriving into the Pit of Making, a very few number of that multitude falling to earth nearby or returning willingly to one of their creators for instruction and guidance. Hetta put those who presented themselves to her to work digging and organizing in the Pit or watching over the Feet of Clay as they slowly expanded, often putting them under the supervision of the Lump. She did not seek out any of the Archons for herself, and she did not react if they decided to leave and wander on their own after a time under her service; they had been built for a purpose, and they had fulfilled it. Anything beyond that was beyond her purview.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-12, 02:21 AM

For the second time in its existence, Lor gazed at the Sun and for the second time, it felt the pain of gazing at her terrible beauty. But this time, it did not look away. It had a duty to perform. One that it had fully accepted already. Nothing needed to be said. It accepted the goddess's ray, but, for the first time, it did not release it immediately, instead, taking it upon itself. Its mirror surface now no longer reflected a dispersed, pale light, it no longer reflected to herself Solace's crowned form. Instead, the surface went fully red, slowly shifting to orange, yellow, white and then, finally, a beautiful, deadly blue-white. And then, finally, as the great serpent was nearly upon them, pure black as, from the very spot that Solace had aimed at, came a line so thin and focused that it was entirely invisible. This, as it ran across the serpent's great form, carved its flesh as is it was the finest knife. Its head was severed from its body and its great body itself cut into a thousand pieces by the combined powers of the gods of the sun and the moon. And yet, Lot was not done. The carving stick stalks that remained around its head took root and grew. They took hold of the serpent's dark, poisoned, still-beating heart and forced it into its mouth before wrapping tightly around it, forcing the mouth closed and sealing it shut. The, Lor used the goddess's light again, still unbearably hot, but not so focused, cooking the entire thing until it had tuened into stone. Lor's surface returned to normal, then, its diffused light shining upon the world below even as it reflected the sun goddess once more. Except for one spot, the place from which the cutting beam had emitted, which was now pure blackness and would never reflect anything ever again.

But even through all these effort, Lor wondered if the job was truly done. Even though it was now merely a head, and made of stone instead of flesh, would this be enough to truly stop one such as the serpent was? It implored the goddess to tell it if there was more that could be done.
War in Heaven
The release of that much power didn't just scar the mirror. Even before Lor began to release all of that pent-up divine energy, Renarr had listed to the side, the goddess curling around her core with her hands blackened and curled against her chest. Her flesh, divine as it was, would one day heal, but along the veins of her forearms there would be a grey discoloration, as if they had been blackened by soot. Weakened as she was the fires that blazed around her body and in her eyes had gone dim, her Daystar aspect having been tapped of almost all the strength that she had been born with, leaving only the Eternal Night to witness the wrath and ruin that was wrought upon the great serpent. For a while, that aspect would become dominant.

In her exhaustion, there was no celebration in seeing Wan'shi die. Even without its proclamation, without the curses and horrors spawned in the beast's death throes, Renarr's mouth was filled with ash as the cost of destroying the beast, of all the damage it had done, remained at the forefront of her mind. When the last of Lor's beam would fade away, leaving nothing behind but a corpse that was even then being broken down and fading away into the stars, the Dawnstar was not elated, but numb.

And of course, in one last burst of venom, the serpent cursed them all to war and further bloodshed. After all of that, with so many new mortal lives lost, the slaughter of so many proto-deities and the shattering of the Circle Continent, the destruction would not stop. And if she had fought the serpent instead of hiding, if she'd stood with those minor deities who had been brave enough to face the beast instead of running away... maybe all of this could have been avoided. It hadn't taken all of the true gods working in concert to kill Wan'shi, after all, and that had been after it had gained such power from digesting so much divine flesh...

Softly, she whispered to herself, "Coward." And the Eternal Night knew it to be true.

As Lor asked its question, drawing the goddess from her spiral of self-recrimination, she looked upon the great mirror and saw, her heart wrenching, the blackened spot on the great moon's surface. Her hand reaching out, she touches the blemish in its beauty and whispers, "Oh teacher... I am sorry..." She did not know how to answer its question.

The Suzerain, however, did. Arriving on the Strands of Night, looking up to see what was happening to the golems, phoenix and solars who would not flee to the refuge of the First World, Solace or Nocturne, and 'seeing' the ripple of power for that petrifying curse drawing closer, the archon takes the weakened goddess into his arms and he tells Lor, "We endure. We remain vigilant. We remain united. The serpent has put poison into this world, and we must be ready to neutralize it." Nodding to the rippling curse, the Suzerain adds, "But for now, we must leave this place, and return to the First World's surface." He and Renarr would be vulnerable, even if the curse was borne of Nocturne, as he was not a true divinity, and the Dawnstar had been weakened so much...

Without the luxury of being able to wait, the archon of night rode the tides of darkness towards the First World's surface, and the protection that all the gathered divine powers there would provide. He could only hope that Lor would understand the need, and find a way to protect itself or leave the deadly trap that the Void had become. In his arms, Renarr's curled up form looking so very small and weak, the goddess would close her eyes, and then snap them open and look up in sudden realization.

"I remember you." She said. Within the atmosphere of the first world now, the Suzerain stopped at those words and his expression turned hard. "From the start. I remember you. You were there when the creator-"

"Hush now. Rest. You need to keep your strength." The archon states, as if chiding a child.

Undaunted, the goddess whispers, "It was supposed to be you, wasn't it? The creator gave me control of the Night, but it was supposed to be you." He answered her with silence, starting to move once more towards the surface of the world. "I wonder if he made a mistake." Again, silence. "I'm weak enough, you know. You could claim the throne, regain your birthright. Become whole."

Finally, the archon answered, "I know."

Looking into his face, trying to understand, Renarr asked, "Then why don't you?"

Setting foot on the edge of Corrla, still holding the goddess against his body, the Suzerain's eyes would scan the world around them to see if there were signs of any other being, and he answers again. "I will not be enough." Taking his first step, he chooses a direction inland at random and admits, "I am too arrogant. I am tempted, and I do not know how much of that is the serpent's cursed influence or my own weakness. The creator chose not to finish me after giving me sapience. You do not deserve to die." Softly, he adds, "You were not a mistake."

Slowly the goddess would curl in his arms, one hand clutching his shirt as she pressed her face against his arm and, as dawn began to rise on this continent, she wept. For the lives lost, for the work that had yet to be done, in relief and resignation. In the light of Solace she grieved, with only the Suzerain as her witness.

In the aftermath
Worship was a strange and fickle thing. On the circle continent, shattered and obviously misnamed as that place now was, witnesses to Renarr's assault upon Wan'shi had been plentiful, though few would know the truth of what she was, or where she had come from. To many, she had simply been a blazing light in the sky, wrath and judgement incarnate, dealing the serpent a terrible blow before fading away as quickly as she had come.

Some would say that it was a sign that there was a protector of the world, a deity of light who came only to strike down the great monsters when needed, before fading once more into myth. Others that Renarr's manifestation in the sky had been an attack from a jealous god who sat upon a throne in Solace, who had reached out to murder Wan'shi and to claim the Void for herself, an opportunist who had simply used the other gods to further her conquests. And still others claimed that she was a servant of the god that they had already worshiped, or a manifestation of their divine aspects that had been crafted to stop the serpent's destruction, a star called from the sky to smite the astral beast for the harm it had caused.

And because of Wan'shi's curses, the few remaining solars that were now confined to Solace would be unable to correct all of these misconceptions. And since Renarr and the Suzerain were on the other side of the world, leaving only Lor and Dia to really tell the truth, the second-hand misinformation would find plenty of purchase among the various races.

In Corrla, however, where only the aftershocks of the battle had really been felt, and rumor was all that could be confirmed of the conflict's exact details, it was said that a goddess of darkness had struggled against the beast who's coils had so wrapped around the world and filled the skies. A goddess who had tried to protect the world since the beginning, when the sun was crafted by her sister in its terrible, deadly majesty, and who had shielded the world from the serpent's path of ruin as she had spared it from the sun's burning gaze.

Details beyond that were confused. Some claimed she had bested the serpent and scattered its coils to the night sky, giving a new gift to the mortals in the form of the stars above, and the new moon to illuminate their travels at night. Others that she had failed in her struggle, and her powers had been usurped for a moment by the serpent to sew discord and strife within the hearts of mortal kind, before her solar twin had rescued her and helped to finally slay Wan'shi. A minority simply claimed that this goddess was an aspect of Kerima that had not been known before, for if the creator goddess had made the earth, would it not make sense that she would also have dominion over the heavens and the void? What was agreed upon was that a pale goddess cloaked in robes of violet walked the lands with her consort, simply looking upon the mortals that they encountered, before they faded away in the light of day like a dream.

Regardless of the reasoning, location or the aspect, some worship for Renarr began to find root throughout the world. Where before the goddess had been relatively unknown, now mortals had reason enough to start finding faith in her, though it was a fledgeling and incredibly scattered thing. In Corrla in particular it was a minor faith, always secondary to Kerima where it was even allowed, often only with the interpretation that Renarr was simply an aspect of their primary deity. In the Circle Continent, her Night aspect was almost entirely unknown, referred to as a separate deity if it was even mentioned at all.

In these early days, it was a confusing time to be a part of Renarr's flock.

Writtensanity

2021-05-12, 03:41 AM

Annethenia was the eldest harpy in her flock. Her clutch-mates had hatched just after her putting her in charge of the decision-making for all of them for her entire life, but that had never made her less hesitant about those decisions. Especially ones like this.

The Spine Aerie was vast, but her ageing sisters and the pair of clutches under them could no longer compete with the other hunters from nearby Harpy flocks. They were younger, faster, and had a generation more instinct than Annethenia and her kin did. If they wanted to hunt, if she wanted her clutch to be raised in a safe place, they were going to need to hunt outside of the Spine Aerie.

It was midday, the perfect time to hunt. She needed to make a decision now. Annethenia called to her sisters, a rallying cry similar to a hawk, they called back in agreement, and the flock of thirty leapt off the clifftops of the spine Aerie and out into the near featureless plains of the lands beyond.

The peaks of The Spire Aerie that fenced the inland were mighty, tall enough to pierce the clouds. Annethenia and her sisters dove through the clouds, piercing them and coming out the other side as new hunters on the plains. A new kind of hunter. Fang Phoenixes were deadly, but they were easy to see coming, solar as they were, instead she and her sisters were small and daggerlike through the clouds, and many creatures weren't used to looking up.

It didn't take long for the predators to find prey. There was a head of it on the ground, something close to the mountain goats they'd seen in the aerie. They didn't know it at the time, but they were looking at horses. The species didn't matter at the moment though, because what mattered was food.

There wasn't much of a chase. Without the brilliant light of a phoenix, the horses didn't know to run away, they hadn't been taught that predators could come from the sky. The harpies couldn't dive down and snatch something as big as a horse, but they didn't have to. Before the rest of the heard ran away Annethenia and her brood dropped on three of the large horses, and the poor creatures had no way to fight back against the harpy's cutting talons.

With their kills caught, the sisters rejoiced for a moment before calling their children over to join the feast. Annethenia watched with the proud heart of a mother as her flock not only ate, but had excess for the first time in months. She caught her sister looking off at the horses, which had stopped stampeding far away, but not nearly far enough to escape a harpy's sight.

"Kaliadena?" the flock leader asked.

"Are we going to follow them?"

"For a time, yes."

----

Twelve days into the great hunt, the horses turned around, back towards The Spine Aerie, having been run ragged by the well-fed and motivated harpy flock. Annethenia had made the decision to keep moving, fly further away from the Aerie to see what laid beyond, after all, they had more meat than they could carry and nothing out here seemed to challenge them.

The landscape of the plains had also changed, the grass was greener and the rain was more frequent. Trees, something that the harpies had seldom ever seen, were suddenly commonplace in this strange land.

And then, without warning, there was a wall of trees. Massive and imposing, standing over the slightly damn grass of the lands beyond the plains. Annethenia had taken some of her oldest sisters and flown up to the trees to see what was happening.

The harpy flock leader spotted movement in the undergrowth and swooped down through the canopy and onto the soft ground, which almost stuck her fast. There was a small creature there, at least by aerie standards. A small lizard like creature that seemed to have just woken up, carrying a stick carved with intricate carvings from top to bottom. The harpy's sisters landed in the trees above the matriarch, who didn't immediately strike her pray, because there was something different about it, something intelligent...

Just a little fiction about the first meeting between harpies and kobalds. They might live pretty far apart but they are the closest thing to neighbors that The Spine Aerie has. Notably, the lack of teach actions mean that the Harpys are behind the Kobalds when it comes to society at the moment, but it's up to @kinro to decide how the rest of the meeting goes! You have my permission to control the harpies :)

dancrilis

2021-05-12, 06:09 AM

Kerima - The Gom'Jabbar
She had payed little attention to the southern continent since the crime they had committed had been answered, but she did feel that some revenants were no longer as useful as they had been as punishing them, the deity Idix who had seemingly raisen from the corpse of the slain had chosen to shelter them for reasons that Kerima could not understand - but did not object to, a punishment had been handed out and rules to avoid it had been set, if the Ghul's worshipped this Idix they could be sparred, and if this Idix choose to offer them another chance to spare themselves she supposed that was fair also.

Kerima - The War in Heaven
She had avoided the conflict largely other then to casually supervise events but the prophecy stood out to her - chiefly as that was how she had always understood the world, life sought to improve itself, larger animals eat smaller animals, the smaller in turn could wait for larger to die and eat them in turn or ambush them with numbers or poison, life was a struggle and while the deities were nearly infinite they had limitations and everything else had more.
As such she didn't truely understand the curse - until she noted that some mortals were now chosing to interpret law in a manner that benefited themselves rather then as clearly intended. This resulted in action - the Ghul who had become the first revenant had been examined carefully and she now used one of the items she had learned for it to control the passage of law to be less open to personal interpretation - overnight she bestowed writting to her people, the priests foremost but all should now what was written and how it should be understood.

Kerima - The Arrival of the Weshesh
The goddess had little interest in the Weshesh personally other then to note that they were not her creations and so were not what they claimed to be, if they began to worship her she would accept them as she did the river archons, if they did not they would likely be driven from her lands, and if they offended her she would see if they had what it took to stand upto her wrath.

Corrla - The Arrival of the Weshesh
The Weshesh might find the society of Kerima to be somewhat insane, everytribe seems to have its own language which became less and less similiar as you moved from the tribe - but still the people seemed to have an incredible ability to understand language also, the basic laws of the society were fairly clear, but every priest (the obvious leaders of the society) might have any number of personal laws that were entirely at the whim of that priest. These priests wielded formidable magic also centered on control, security or health - it was rarely used to directly harm but people they spoke to were clear that such as less a restriction and more that the for a priest to harm others was limited.
Then there were the monsters - powerful monsters of flesh who shrugged off nearly any attack and even ones that downed down often didn't keep them down for long, these creatures attacked without warning to destroy, sometimes criminals sometimes normal people but in every case the people on the land simply accepted that the individual had erred and could redeem themselves through correcting others.
In areas blighted by the serpent's blood small groups of outcasts eked out a life until these monsters eventually got them - some seeking to flee to lands unknown on the hope of escape.
The Weshesh received very mixed greetings from the natives, but providing they didn't offend the priests they were largely left alone to go about their business.

Corrla - The Arrival of Renarr
For the people of Corrla in general the arrival of Renarr was less impactful them might normally be understood, most things were seem as a representation of Kerima's power and so a new manifestation of power was not held in much more awe then when the spirits of the river has embraced Kerima or when the Weshesh arrived - some however in the blight lands tainted by the Serpent looked at the new goddess as a potential savior or an agent of hope, they had fled Kerima and rejected leaving the land of their birth - but in the worship of a new goddess they could avoid the revenants and return home. Others of course saw this as a trick of Kerima to lure them back to the flock and rejected everything to do with the new goddess out of hand and branded those who choose to worship her as heretics and cowards, in many blight lands things only got worse.

Kerima - The Arrival of Renarr
Her people began to mention in their prayers some new power in the land being seen, much like when the River Archons or The Weshesh appeared or when The Saorsa had began to interfere Kerima saw no particular reason to act, her priests would keep her informed and she would monitor any changes in reality such as corpses blighting crops, or life moving to greater conflict and would act as needed at the time.

AP Current: 3
Teach Mundane Concept: Writing
- Taken from the Ghul's Kerima provided her people with writing to go along with language, where primative writing existed before now it flurished through her people - this was intially to deal with maintaining clear laws in the wake of the curse of Wan'shi which caused some mortals to place law as dependant on what they felt it should be rather then what it was leading to greater conflict, but rapidly writing changed and evolved to match the large number of languages which were present on Corrla.
Domain: Society (Advancement) 5/10)

AP Remaining: 2.

Kinro

2021-05-12, 09:12 PM

Lor could not see itself, of course, but it could feel the spot in itself that felt... wrong. But there was nothing that could be done about it. It had to be done, as it indicated to the sun goddess. It had helped to kill a great being, through destruction of a sort that it hoped never to bring to bear again. It was fitting that it should pay the price, just as she clearly was. It bade farewell to her then, as the Suzerain came to take her away, leaving Lor alone once more. Alone in the Void, which was already becoming cold, thanks to the great serpent's death curse.

And so, Lor called up to itself the some of the golem archons that were now also floating aimlessly nearby, their design accomplished. It gave them new purpose, to carry it to the stone head of the serpent, that it and they could watch over it, so that it might never again revive and act out its foul will upon the world. And as they carried Lor, they became alike to it, looking as if they were made of silver and reflecting all around them. But stone head itself was still nothing more than stone hanging in the void. And so, the head, it declared to be not a stone, but a world into itself. And with the world below, it formed a bridge that those who would find it and were worthy and willing could take to join with it and always keep watch, against Wan'shi and those who, like him, would threaten the world with great and unfathomable evil.

But it was not evil, that one little creature back on the world was concerned about. And her concerns were quite fathomable indeed, mainly regarding the clinking of coin that could be heard in the carving stick that she was carrying and looking forward to the baked, salted fish that she knew she would find at her destination. It often amazed her how well these centaurs, who couldn't even eat meat, could make a simple fish taste. Of course, it greatly helped that their race didn't mostly live in a dank, wet swamp, which, as lovely and wonderful as it was, wasn't very conductive to the starting and maintaining of fire. And, of course, there were always the traditionalists at home who grumble about their culture being tainted by the lizard merchants and their coin. Neela Softscale, for that was this Kobold's name, sympathized in a way. As a runner, one of the few that made the arduous trip to the plain, to the centaur runner who would carry it the rest of the way, she took pride in having a profession that dated back to when simple carving sticks were carried for nothing else but the simple joy of sharing knowledge. But there was that and then, there was the taste of salted, baked fish.

And it was likely for that reason that Neela was still out so late that morning, when it was already getting too light to see and she was getting too tired from her long night. She was no great explorer, like the ones who had first made contact with the centaurs, no scholar, like those that had first found a common language with their tall cousins from the fierce deserts. She was nothing but a simple runner. And yet, it was her, of all her race, that the harpies first saw, as they had flown far from their nests as they chased after their meal. All the way to where poor Neela was trying to find a place to finally rest. But, tired as she was, it was hard not to feel the sensation creeping up her spine as she was suddenly being watched by massive, silent predators. She looked up and... birds. But not. Like a strange mix between a bird and a centaur, each of them bigger than she was. There were... she didn't know. Too many. Too many to be looking at her like that, so carefully, studying, as if they were trying to determine whether she was food. Maybe hoping a bit too much that she might be. Her back hit a tree. She hadn't even realized that she had been backing away, her carving stick clutched between her arms protectively, her whole body shacking in fright. They were half centaur. Could they speak? Nothing but centaurs looked like centaurs, that she knew, and centaurs could speak. Maybe these centaurs-birds could, too? "He... Hello?" she called out in a hissing, guttural language that the harpies would have surely never before heard. "Please don't eat me?" she pleaded.

Alter Land(Serpent Moon)
Make the Serpent Moon livable to all species, protected from the cold of the void. Mana now falls from it and a silvery sort of edible grass that all species can eat grows freely upon its surface.

4 -1 = 3
(Protection(Guardianship) 0 + 1 = 1)

Bless(Moonbeam)
A beam of moonlight appears upon the world below, always in the area where the Serpent Moon is highest in the sky. It is always there, somewhere, though nearly invisible during the day. Those that find it and are both willing and worthy to join the guardianship, can take it to be transported safely to the moon. Any of those who are on the moon can easily know where the beam currently falls and take it down.

3 - 1 = 2
(Protection(Guardianship) 1 + 1 = 2)

Create Organization (Moon Guardians)
The moon guardians are those that have chosen to keep watch over the head of Wan'shi, the great serpent, one who once tried to devour the world. They guard against his reawakening and watch over the world below, in order to prevent such great evil from rising again.

2 - 1 = 1
(Protection(Guardianship) 2 + 1 = 3)

Also, claiming the Swamp(Kobold) domain, before I forget again.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-12, 09:28 PM

Writtensanity

2021-05-13, 03:13 PM

At the Edge of the Swamps: First Contact

Annathenia had the small creature shaking, which was something she'd seen many times before she clawed little things off the ground, but they it had done something that she'd never heard before.

Animals squawked and bleated when they were in danger, but this thing was making a series of strange noises, each one unique and structured. Additionally, the little thing wasn't terrified like animals were, scampering away, she could hear fear in the strange noises it was making.

"Sister?" one of the other harpies asked of Annathenia. "is it trying to talk?"

"It doesn't seem very good at it," another sister commented.

"Maybe a phoenix would understand?" a third chimed in.

Annathenia didn't respond, instead taking several cautious steps toward the creature. It was dressed and carrying many things. It was clearly smarter than other animals that the harpies had seen before. That said, the girls being so close to it seemed to be making it afraid. "We're not going to eat you," Annathenia responded, "I just want to see what you're doing." That said, compared to the small creature's language, Annathenia's speech sounded like birdsong.

The harpies would follow the little creature, as far as it went until there were more.

Kinro

2021-05-13, 04:28 PM

It's in times of greatest adversity that one's mettle is sometimes revealed. And so, when one of the bird-centaur approached her, Neela only clutched her carving stick more tightly, protecting it. Not that it was, in itself, all that important, but rather what it represented, her duty, her almost sacred duty, she was willing to protect with her life. But it wasn't the carving stick that the creature wanted, nor Neela's life, at least for the moment. Instead, it stopped and... sung at her. A strange, somewhat dissonant bird-like song. And then it left towards the tree again. Had it been trying to... communicate somehow? Could these truly be new intelligent beings? She couldn't... she couldn't think clearly. She couldn't go on much further either, light-blind and tired as she was, even more so now that the terror had drained her as well. As it was, she barely managed to drag herself to her usual mid-way resting area drop onto her moss bed and fall into a deep, but fitful sleep.

---

After their short greeting, the harpies did continue to follow the strange, small creature until she seemed to suddenly decide to collapse. Did she pass out from sheer terror? But then, why not do so at the time when her fear was at the highest? Instead, she seemed to have decided to simply... sleep. During the day. Apparently unbothered by the harsh rays of the sun shining right on its face. Annathenia decided that the creature should continue to be watched, ordering some of her flock to the task, while others continued their hunt until a signal would be sent. And then, the day passed, watchers alternating but never reporting more than the creature stirring in its sleep. That was, until dusk arrived and Annathenia received message that the creature finally seemed to be waking.

---

Neela awoke with a yawn. Immediately, she noticed that she was very much alive. And, looking up, she saw the centaur-birds again, fewer now, still watching her. This worried her a lot less than before. Not exactly because there were fewer, as more soon started to arrive, but also because they had clearly showed that they were not interested in eating her. That was, unless they were the most patient carrion-eaters she could imagine. Well-rested now and with the terror much reduced, Neela could think much more clearly. And so, she had to make a choice. To go forward to her destination and seek help from the centaurs or return to her tribe and seek advice from the elders there. But as much as she longed for those salt-baked fish, it simply wasn't a choice. If these creature were truly intelligent, this discovery was much too important to leave to the centaurs. Not that she didn't love her centaur friends, but her racial pride still wouldn't allow it. So she stood and she started walking, occasionally looking up to ensure that the creatures, soon all returned, were still following. Unfortunately, though they did, it wasn't for very long, a few hours at most. As she had suspected, they were light-lovers, as the centaurs were. They wouldn't be able to follow her in the dark anymore than she would be able to lead them in the light. Dawn and dusk where when they could travel together. This would mean that what would have been a day's journey would turn into many. But Neela was willing to endure it, as long as the creature were, too.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-14, 02:05 AM

Corrla - Lord and Lady of Night
From the Blight Lands parables
It was in those days, when the twin gods had been weakened by their war with the serpent, that the Eternal Night wandered with her consort to see how the Great Devourer's influence still weighed upon the world. She wandered the world in the darkness, finding all the peoples or Corrla, watching their lives and struggles, and finding a new evil. So many in these lands worshiped a petty goddess, a tyrant who demanded abject worship and gave little in return, turning mortals into drones that worked and toiled for her amusement.

But not all would give in to Kerima's tyranny. Driven into blighted lands and hunted by their own dead, the Free Peoples of Corrla struggled sorely. And then the mana rains began, the final laugh of the Devourer that brought further ruin to the Free Peoples as addiction and madness claimed them.

When the Eternal Night first came, many feared her and proclaimed her a false prophet, a tool of Kerima's tyranny meant to fool the weak minded to bring them back to the fold. They did not understand her empathy, and spurned her protections. And this she allowed, for she understood that life must be free to choose their own paths, filled with hardship though they might be.

But some became her apostles. Some believed in her generosity, and these she embraced, sparing them from Kerima's spite and the revenant's hunger. Charged by the Suzerain, these apostles went among all the peoples of Corrla, and though many were punished for their faith, they did not submit to despair. For theirs was a goddess of compassion, not retribution, and her arms would embrace any that needed her.

The faith at that time did not know of her twin, the Dawnstar, for she rested within Solace. But she and her Solars would soon come to the world, and the twins would work in earnest to make of this world a better place.

In truth, Renarr did wander Corrla for a time with the Suzerain, though unlike the claims made by the fables she did not do so out of a sense of justice or to right any wrongs, but because she wanted to see all the places that she had struggled so hard to protect. And while the single-minded worship among all the races of Corrla was, ultimately, somewhat disturbing, it was not something that Renarr was willing to confront the goddess over. These were likely Kerima's creations, after all, and similarly to how Renarr would not listen to anything the other goddess had to say about how to run Solace, the Dawnstar was certain that Kerima would disregard any comments on how she treated her mortals.

Those who lived in the Blight Lands, however, were another matter. Without any loyalty to Kerima, few resources to their name, Revenants that hunted them in the night, desolation wrought by the wasted corpses and madness spawned from the constant hunger to find mana, which so many of them couldn't even channel, these people broke Renarr's heart. And she couldn't help herself. With the Suzerain at her side, Renarr would strive to wipe the blight lands clean of the one threat they could handle alone in her weakened state, saving hundreds from the predation of revenants by destroying the monsters that were haunting every community they encountered.

Within a week the revenants were either wiped out or driven away in every major settlement within the blight lands, but still, so many mortals remained warry of the goddess and her consort. Renarr couldn't blame them. After all the various gods had done to harm these people, directly and indirectly, the hostility of so many of them would be inevitable. So inevitably, the revenants began to return, an unending plague to haunt the nonbelievers.

A few, though, found faith in Renarr, and clung to it as desperately as a drowning man clings to any piece of flotsam. These ones Renarr assigned to the Suzerain's protection and care, telling him, "I cannot spend all my time here. Take this ones, bring them from the lands tainted by the serpent's blood, and shield them from persecution. There are other places that I must go, but I will be back soon." And then she was gone, traveling to the Circle Continent to see what life had been shaped into there.

In her absence, the Suzerain... well. He didn't tell the newfound faith of Renarr to go out into Corrla to try and convert the others, but he didn't exactly stop them either. The Archon of Night figured that these people had been ordered around and told what to thing by divine beings enough, and besides... if it meant they could convert more people in the Blight Lands and they could grow this community further, than who was he to stop them? There would be safety from Kerima's more militaristic faithful in numbers, even if his presence all but guaranteed the fledgling community's safety, and if the worship of these mortals could help Renarr recover from her weakness faster (which he theorized that it would,) then he would gladly make this church as large as he could.

Though he did ensure that those with more militaristic and vengeful mindsets did not leave as apostles... and he ensured that those warmongers among Renarr's faith who slipped by him would silently disappear, pulled into Nocturne's frigid expanses and hidden away. The Suzerain did not need to spark conflict between Renarr and Kerima, not after the previous war had been so costly, so he would ensure that the priests that made it into the rest of Corrla were the peaceful type simply preaching in good faith, and he enforced the idea among the apostles that this was a faith that demanded compassion and peace, rather than violence and retribution, even if he, himself, wasn't exactly the paragon for such a seemingly naïve ideology.

The Suzerain never claimed to not be a bit of a hypocrite.

Writtensanity

2021-05-14, 02:31 AM

Five days into the shortened flights of dawn and dusk, Annethenia sent her oldest sisters back to the nest in the Spine Aerie with the food they'd hunted in the plains. During their short time travelling, they were busy moving with the small creature, and hunting in the swamp was more difficult for the harpies. They'd fished before in the clear oceans around the Aerie, but the water here was murky, and it was nearly impossible to find a good place to dive from the sky especially as the forest got thicker.

The smaller group of harpies made do for the day, but as her sisters found pearches to sleep on for the evening, Annethenia saw the small creature, Neela - as Annethenia had learned from some ENTHUSIASTIC pointing at herself by the Kobald - open her bag and found it completely empty. Whether she was out of food, or it had been stolen by a forest creature, Annethenia didn't know.

Maybe it was dumb that Annethenia still cared about the missing food in the morning. After all, this Neela was so small and different that she could never be a mother to it; but at the same time knowing that Neela was starving gnawed at Annethania's stomach like real hunger. Once the small creature was asleep, just past dawn, Annethenia explained to her sisters.

"What does it eat?" they asked.

"I don't know, it has said the words but we don't know them yet."

"It speaks so strangely," one of her sisters commented. "What can we do if we don't know what it eats?"

"Hunt everything that cannot run from us," Annethenia answered.

----

When Neela woke up she was surrounded by either a banquet or a horror movie, depending on perspective. A dozen fish, four snakes, an honest to goodness alligator and two deer were laid out around her, arranged in what the Harpies considered 'Neela sized' chunks.

Waiting, eight exhausted harpies and Annethenia with a new alligator claw mark on her leg saw Neela awaken. "Neela! Eat! Food!" she waved over the small Kobald. She was guessing at the latter two words, but, maybe by divinity, she got them right.

----

If Neela looked up anytime that night, she would see something silhouetted against the moon. Great wings, bigger than any she'd ever seen, and two eyes, clear as the moon, watching her. The second time she looked up, Briettia would already be back in the Fang Aerie.

Kinro

2021-05-14, 07:19 PM

Neela woke to find one of the creatures making sounds at her that were... close to words she knew. As spoken by someone who was not only unused to the language, but also couldn't reproduce most of its sounds. She got the gist of it, however, thanks to the bounty that had been laid at her feet. Thankfully, the Kobolds were quite used to taking from the bounty of the land they loved in. And, since fire was difficult and unpleasantly bright to work with, raw fish and snakes were a common part of their diet. Crocodiles and deer, less so, but Neela gratefully took what she could and ate her fill. She hadn't planned to be gone for many days and she was no great hunter, so her food had been running scarce. She couldn't eat nearly as much as she had been given, however, so once her belly and her pack were full, she stepped away and gestured for the creatures to have their turn, hoping that it wouldn't offend them that she was suggesting that they would have her leftovers. Either way, she continued to lead them afterwards, though the dusk, the dawn and nearly one more dusk after, until they finally arrived at her tribe. There, she was greeted warmly, of course, but almost offhandedly. Not that she took offense as, now amongst her people again, she shared in their excitement of discovering what might be a new people. People to whom they could teach what they knew. People that might teach them in turn. From every hut, kobolds bursted out as the news spread and the creatures would surely have been swarmed if they hadn't been up in the trees. Runners were sent off to spread the news and fetch great scholars from temples and libraries, while kobolds from the tribe were already ready with blank carving sticks, some making observations, some trying to speak and, most importantly, listen, so that they might try to record the creatures' language and, perhaps, begin to find a way that they might understand each other.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-14, 10:21 PM

Returning Home

Abu Dhahab lead the small group of divine golems through space and back to circle continent. Descending from above and walking through the air at a leisurely pace the group arrived at their destination. The heart of the desert.

This would be the center for something new, the Great Lizard decided. An attempt at creating a special place, holy in a way.

The golems were tasked with digging a large pit, while Abu Dhahab called for the river archon Nafura. When she arrived, the Great Lizard asked her to always keep a part of herself here, for he was creating a home for her and the golems. With a few trees transplanted, and water filling the pit, the foundation for a beautiful Oasis was created.

Abu Dhahab spread most of his Holy Sand around the oasis, protecting it from supernatural harm. With Nafura and the 7 Golems holding the fort, it would be a secret secluded place of refuge. Hardly any living creature could make it this far into the desert safely, but those that would might find a place of peace where they could for rest.

Abu Dhahab wasn’t finished with the place, and planned to return to make some more alterations to the landscape, but after the fight he felt his divinity a bit sapped. Completing and naming the place could wait until after his trip.

Abu Dhahab, the Mutajahil

Walking slowly through the land he created, Abu Dhahab visited every market he came acccross, taking on the role and persona of a well traveled Mutajahil. As he traded his wares, he listened in on the gossip, and spread a few rumors himself of the divine battle that took place out amongst the stars and the defeat of the terrible devourer.

The stories spread quick, they were unlike any they had heard before. A snake large enough to wrap around the world, the explanation for all the natural disasters, the alliance of the gods that fought to defeat it. A spear created from the bodies of fallen deities that split into countless golems. And finally, a lizard god, similar in likeness to themselves and a being of the desert and a merchant, who wielded sand, fist and claw to avenge them.

At every marketplace for years to come, variations of the tales would be spread. Sometimes with the role of Abu Dhahab exaggerated, as the thought of a deity similar to themselves really appealed to their taste. Some Mutajahil claimed to have seen the deity himself descending from the heavens with 7 helpers and that the divine caravan visited the desert, waiting to be found. A number of merchants started adhering to the growing following that revered the scaled god of commerce.

New rituals were created by some smart businessmen who saw the potential for profit. Feasts, auctions, and blind purchasing of containers with unknown contents. Markets grew in size and liveliness as the desert tribes started to prosper again.

Abu Dhahab was pleased with how his people had bounced back after the constant struggles they had faced. It was time to move on.

Setting sail from the southernmost tip of the red coast on board a small merchant vessel, Abu Dhahab used his divine power to drive the boat southward. The only other passenger apart from the 3 crocodilian crew members on board with him was an old retired Geckokin Mutajahil. Zaki had been an intelligent and resourceful merchant during his prime, sailing the sands to trade salt and earning a fortune. He had traded mostly with the Kobolds who met with his caravan at the agreed upon halfway point that was now a thriving trading post where members of both races could be found.

Zaki had wanted to do one last trip, a voyage across the open seas that none of his people had dared before. When Abu Dhahab found him and suggested they do it together, the old man had been ecstatic. Gathering up some trade goods that wouldn’t spoil on the journey, the two loaded up their boat and set sail.

Without Abu Dhahab personally guiding the boat, and protecting it, the small vessel would never have made it. The Crocodilians grew suspicious of their good fortune as time went by, but as their families had been paid in advance, they stopped worrying things and went with the flow.

Lizards in the Land of the Ghuls

As they journeyed further south, the weather grew colder, and the small group had to wear some of the clothes they had intended to sell. Sheepskins and thick robes and multiple scarves, the group bundled up.

Morale started dropping after they passed a few huge floating chunks of ice. It wasn’t until they spotted land the next day that the mood improved.

Tall thin spires stuck up out of the frozen sea like spears aimed at the heavens. The merchant vessel weaved through the gaps in search of a place to land until they arrived at some steep cliffs cliffs that extended as far as the eye could see. The way was shut.

Getting impatient and aware of his companions growing disappointment, Abu Dhahab stood at the prow of the boat facing the cliffs in the distance. Leveraging his control over sand, the Great Lizard started eroding cracks between the rocks for a portion of the cliff face. Soon large chunks of rack were cracking off and falling into the waters below until the whole section collapsed in an avalanche. A path had been created.

The boat finally arrived at the newly created shore. The group loaded up supplies and trade goods into sacks and made their way up into the foreign continent.

What greeted them was a surprising sight. A group of chubby creatures running for their lives. The creatures resembled seals that the Lizardfolk had seen resting on the large floating ice chunks, except they had more developed limbs and could run upright.

Chasing them were monstrous versions of the themselves, bodies disfigured and bloated looking with bulging muscles and a crazed expression on their faces. Ignoring their injuries these monsters would leap at and try to capture the slowest of the seal-folk.

As the lizards watched, one of the seal creatures were caught and forced to eat part of the monsters’ flesh. The unfortunate victim soon grew bloated from being stuffed with meat almost equal to its own body mass, it’s skin tearing and muscles ripping, shrieks of pain and disparity escaped its mouth until its eyes clouded over and the madness took it.

Disgusted by what they had just witnessed, the Lizardfolk convoy didn’t know how to respond. Seeing potential customers being hunted and tortured in front of them was jarring, and reminded them of the ominous prophecy that rumors told of.

Suddenly, as if realizing that escape was unlikely or just tired of running, a few of the older seal folk turned around to face their terrifying enemy. The fight that ensued was an instinct driven slugfest. The sealfolk used fishing nets to give them a slight advantage, managing to bring down one of the monsters. That didn’t last though, and soon a few more sealfolk were caught and pinned down, another torture scene was about to unfold.

Abu Dhahab had had enough of such abominable behavior and decided to step forward. He felt a slight hint of divinity coming from the monsters as he charged, for who else could create so potent a curse. Disappointed that yet another deity was causing harm he lashed out with few palm strikes and smacked the monsters into the ground. Reduced to little more than paste, the parts of the disgusting monsters that remained kept twitching until he sprinkled some holy sand on them.

Turning around and walking towards the sealfolk, he took pity on the odd but obviously sapient creatures in front of him, they needed a way to drive off those monsters on their own.

Abu Dhahab decided to teach them martial arts. Demonstrating a few stances and moves, he quickly realized the differences in body structure. There was something odd about the creatures too, as they all had more sprites than usual trailing behind them.

Inspired, he imparted some of his understanding for how to fight unarmed through an implanted fabricated memory of someone practicing fist and palm arts for years.

The result was unexpected more successful than anticipated as the memory didn’t just affect this group, but spread over the continent and attaching itself to almost a fifth of the population. Abu Dhahab’s gift later combined with Idix’s bestowal and the creatures’ own inherent abilities and evolved into something amazing. It was the birth of a new fighting style: Prana Bindu

Slightly dumbfounded at the accidental ripple effects, Abu Dhahab decided to let it happen and hope for the best.

Using his divinity to overcome language differences, Abu Dhahab introduced the group of Lizardfolk that were staring at him in shock after his recent display of martial prowess.

We are people from a distant land. We bring food, clothing and other supplies that might interest you. Would you be willing to host us for a while until we continue our trip? I can fend off the monsters while we are here.

AP: 1

Create advanced concept (Prana Bindu) -1 (split with Idix)
The fusion of martial arts with extreme body manipulation and a strange connection to memories. Exceptionally suited to Ghuls due to their inherent abilities and continues reincarnation within their community. It’s expression varies when learned by other races, but the ability to fight unarmed and heightened precision is universal. The connection to memories is vague, unverified, and needs further documentation.
Combat (Unarmed) 4/10

Feathersnow

2021-05-14, 11:36 PM

Naluluri looked on the strange creatures and their mighty leader with awe. The sisterhood, as it would come to be called, for all the warriors were female-bodied to better do the work, had hunted many Revenants since Acis'sej had first passed tge Gom'Jabbar and reversed the tides of the generational war. But, now! Never had they dreamed they could fight like that! Each Ghul, armed with the gift of these new "martial arts," was nearly the equivalent of half a Revenant in combat! And they still had the advantage of swarm tactics and raw ferocity.

Naluluri listened to the strange jabber of the leader. Never had a Ghul encountered an intelligent creature that could not speak the High Tongue, other than an infant. They took that approach. "HELLO! I AM Naluluri!" Accompanied by elaborating gestures. "Come this way!" Pointing to the village.

They came to the Lodge of Many Trees, a sprawling hive-like building built into a cliff face, with adobe used to expand ourward past the natural caves.

To the Ghuls, there was nothing noteworthy about how they used bones and poorly tanned skins as a primary building material for their homes and few, rudimentary, watercraft. They brought out a feast, as befit heroic visitors: spoiled fish, still squirming oozes, and dead animals, barely even butchered and not preserved or cooked in the slightest.

As the Reptilian guests looked on in disgust and bewilderment at this offering, a fishboat came in, pulling fresh fish. The fishers brought the fresh fish directly over, with much haste. In a broken voice, not knowing the words they said, a fisher croaked, in a language no Ghul had ever spoken "Idix Provides."

To Naluluri, in the High Tongue, they said "The Pursued led me to do this in a dream. I think these guests only eat fresh food! How bizarre!"

Then, to the astonishment of everyone, Idix Herself appeared! She bowed to Abu Dhahab and cantered in a circle around the group, then running off and disappearing. Her hoofprints wete stamps of words in the tongue of the desert and again in the tongue of the tundra.
"Welcome"
"Far North [Where the birds go at Night]
"Friends"
"Much to learn"
"Much to teach"

Razade

2021-05-15, 12:58 AM

A Mysterious Village

Sarbaz was one of the more experienced caravan leaders who frequented the route between the prosperous port town of Jazala located half way down the red coast and the Northeastern tribes that lived on the edge of the Desert. This trip had gone well so far, after a successful week of trade during the Grand Bazaar held at the port town, the caravan was ready to return home.

Loading up their goods they set out towards the desert. The caravan had been lucky enough to acquire a few of the large carnivorous birds that had started roaming parts of the desert. The birds were surprisingly capable of thriving along the edges of Wadi Alsahali, where smaller creatures could be hunted for food. Capable of running fast and surviving the dry barren landscape, the few that had been caught became excellent pack animals.

The caravan passed through the red coast without incident, but as they arrived at the last rock formation before the great sand dunes the foremost meme we of the group spotted some lights.

Amongst the rocks, a narrow channel had been carved and the light seemed to come from further in. Curious, the caravan approached. It was good to rest before attempting to cross the dunes, and maybe this was another caravan they could have change news with.

What greeted the Merchant group as they passed through the natural gateway was a village. It was unlike any settlement the Lizardfolk had ever seen before, and Sarbaz had even visited a village in the swamps once. Coming out of what seemed to be their homes, humanoid figures emerged to meet them.

These people were dressed strangely, with not a spot of skin being shown. Wrapped in what Sarbaz thought was some kind of new material, the Lizardfolk felt their merchant senses tingle. A foreign tribe, with foreign clothing, and possibly exotic wares or knowledge to exchange.

Putting on smiles, some of the Lizardfolk unpacked a few sacks of goods onto a spread out piece of leather. Dates, salt, salted meats, grains, jewelry and trinkets made of bone and gold, a piece of wood carved with writing, and some small pearls and colorful rocks.

Sarbaz spoke for the group, introducing themselves and their wares. Pausing, he waited for them to answer, hopefully the strangers could understand.

A couple crocodilians kept the terror birds docile, but were ready to spring to action should things go south.

Left the description of the village and what the Xen are wearing mostly to you. The lizardsgolk are interested in purchasing some of the clothing they see the Xen wearing, and hope to trade their wares, or at least establish an initial connection.

What would be immediately apparent in this strange city, aside from how clean and quiet it iss, is that the peoples that greet the Lizardfolk do not match the domiciles they exited. Structures seem too large for these brightly dressed beings. Not that they are short, something close to 5'11'' at their tallest, but the doors are wide, tall and the foundations heavy. They are, all the same, a welcoming people, offering food and drink to the Lizardfolk along with plenty to trade. Obsidian from the new volcanoes, rock and ore from the lands beneath the sun baked surface, knowledge of hidden words that could tap into the mana that now poured from both the ground and sky and a strange drink, thick and black with a taste like smoked mushrooms though the people were not keen on disclosing where this substance derived. Its potability was also lacking, heavy gourds only allowing a little to remain fresh inside though effects were profound, as if the drinker became a source of mana all their own for a time.

The Xen were not a hostile people however dealt mostly in the same silence they were discovered upon, seeming most interested in the birds the Lizardfolk rode, more so than many of their foodstuffs.

Writtensanity

2021-05-15, 04:23 AM

The journey with Neela had been long and arduous to get to the Kobald village, but that was mostly due to the lack of time Harpy's could travel with Neela. With knowledge of where the village was, return trips would be faster. Should they be invited.

The attempts to communicate with writing and other platforms are... difficult. Though the Harpies are clearly intelligent creatures, there is such a gap in development between them and the Kobolds on a societal level that some parts are missing. Simply put, Annethenia and her sisters could not learn everything that they needed to know to fully communicate with the Kobolds. That said, it doesn't stop the Harpies from trying, and brilliant Kobalds are able to make progress in translating some of the Harpy language to their runic writing system. The words were fine when written, though biology made speaking each others words incredibly difficult.

---

Something strange happened during one of the later visits, late at night the Harpy's arrived without Annethenia at the helm, despite the fact that she'd been leading each of the meetings. Instead, the Harpies brought a small bounty of well-protected eggs covered in ash with them. The eggs hatched that evening, 17 baby harpies, covered in more feathers than their mothers until they were mature, chirped around the Kobold camp.

Something else had also changed about the harpies, they had become more organized, less random happenstance and more missions from the Aerie. They'd adapted to match the Kobolds.

The Harpies of the Aerie have adopted a tribal society to match the Kobald's who introduced them to the concept. Unlike the Kobald societies that are held together greatly through mutual trade, the Harpies are situated by hunting grounds, using slightly spread out tribes, some even outside of the Aerie, to scan and find prey over great distances using flight to their advantage.

To an onlooker, it would be clear that the Harpies are essentially adopting the Kobald culture, adapted for the difference in scale and speed of their travel.

AP SPENT 2: Sky(Flight)

AP REMAINING 0/16

Domain Progress: 6/10 for Sky(Flight)

With the new organization, it's easier to for the races to understand one another but the Harpy's initial attempts at learning the writing of the Kobolds are slow going, even with young Harpies spending some time around the creatures. Should the Kobolds choose to help them, the Harpies would surely adopt the lessons of writing earlier.

The Harpies don't know writing yet and are attempting to learn it from the Kobolds, this would take cooperation from the Kobolds that I don't wanna hand wave. You may choose whether to spread the concept, otherwise the Harpies will learn it from Briettia later.

Kinro

2021-05-15, 12:22 PM

The harpies were invited to the Kobold village, of course. They were welcome, even. Overwhelmingly so. And as they seemed to have decided on this particular village as being their favoured one, many scholars moved there, intrigued by the new creatures. Slowly, lines of communication started to form, helped by the fact that everything that could be recorded was, so that the Kobolds could study the Harpies' language even outside of the few hours when both species were awake. But the true breakthrough came when an old Kobold brought out a new device of his invention. Based on calling lures for animals, it was long, thin and hollow, with holes carefully carved along its length as well. He showed how, by placing fingers carefully and blowing into one end, sounds could be produced that, while they didn't quite match those of the Harpies, came closer to them than anything a Kobold could naturally produce. Of course, progress was still slow at first, but some grew increasingly skilled with the device, allowing them to 'speak' with increasing facility. Neela, especially, who had started to spend much of her time in the company of Harpies, some even choosing to accompany her on her post runs, showed a surprising aptitude for the device. It would be a few years until she grew into her full potential, but it would one day be said of her that she was the first Kobold to become fully fluent in the Harpies' language.

---

When the Harpies chose to bring their eggs to the increasingly famous Kobold village, the Kobolds were, of course, completely delighted when the Harpies presented them with new eggs, from which soon hatched new Harpy chicks. The whole village fully committed to help raise the chicks, as well as they could, though with so few waking hours in common, most of the work was still done by the harpies themselves. Still, it was to these chicks that writing was first taught and it was from these 17 chicks, more used to Kobolds than any others, that the tradition eventually grew spread, along the villages of the Eastern and North-Eastern borders, of mixed villages, both Harpies and Kobold living together. And it's no coincidence that it's from this region that comes the best Harpy stick runners and librarians, as well as the best Kobold musicians.

---

Meanwhile, from the South-Western border, near the sea, other ideas were taking form. Now that the Serpent's Tail had formed, the great river that nearly split the Marshes in two, a tradition of boating had surfaced to bridge the two sides and maintain the Post network. These boaters became increasingly skilled and their boats increasingly well made, to travel further and further. To the sea, where different fish of new taste could be found, along the coast, in search of the rumoured Second Marshes and beyond. With their innate senses allowing them to never be lost at sea, they could be bolder than other races might have been and, before long, Kobold explorers would set out on great ships, to seek out new knowledge from beyond the unknown horizon, soon learning to read the stars to guide their path as well.

Rollover
1 + 4 = 5

Create Mundane Concept(Musical instruments)
Legends say that the first musical instrument was carved out of a section of carving stick stalk in order to allow Kobolds to speak to Harpies in their language. It was said that the sound was so fine in the hands of a skilled user that all who heard it wanted one for themselves. It soon spawned refinements and derivatives that all spread to the four corners of the Great Marshes, and beyond.

5 - 1 = 4
(Knowledge(Teaching) 7 + 1 = 8

Teach Mundane Concept(Writing)
True to their reputation as the center of learning of the Circle Continent, it was from the Kobolds that the Harpies, too, learned their written language. The symbolic writing, first refined to the needs of carving as much information as possible on a single carving stick, proved to be quite flexible in fitting well to the other languages of the continent. The dense system, however, proved to be too complex for the cares of the other races, so their writing inevitably began to drift away from it.

4 - 1 = 3
(Knowledge(Teaching) 8 + 1 = 9

Teach Mundane Concept(Sailing)
0 (Using Jewel

Create Mundane Concept(Navigation)
3 - 1 = 2
(Knowledge(Teaching) 9 + 1 = 10

Claiming Knowledge(Teaching)

KragBrightscale

2021-05-15, 01:40 PM

What would be immediately apparent in this strange city, aside from how clean and quiet it iss, is that the peoples that greet the Lizardfolk do not match the domiciles they exited. Structures seem too large for these brightly dressed beings. Not that they are short, something close to 5'11'' at their tallest, but the doors are wide, tall and the foundations heavy. They are, all the same, a welcoming people, offering food and drink to the Lizardfolk along with plenty to trade. Obsidian from the new volcanoes, rock and ore from the lands beneath the sun baked surface, knowledge of hidden words that could tap into the mana that now poured from both the ground and sky and a strange drink, thick and black with a taste like smoked mushrooms though the people were not keen on disclosing where this substance derived. Its potability was also lacking, heavy gourds only allowing a little to remain fresh inside though effects were profound, as if the drinker became a source of mana all their own for a time.

The Xen were not a hostile people however dealt mostly in the same silence they were discovered upon, seeming most interested in the birds the Lizardfolk rode, more so than many of their foodstuffs.

Dark Brew, Strang Words, and a Potentially Big Sale

Sarbaz and the other merchants were delighted when the colorfully garbed strangers seemed to understand their intent to trade. It was unclear if they understood what had been said, but gestures seemed the way to go. These people were quick on the uptake.

Some of the merchants attempted to mimic the odd sounding words that their hosts were using to interact with the so called “mana”, though there was no noticeable affect when they did. Unsure of what the words meant or how they were supposed to work had sparked their curiosity, and using their recently developed writing system they attempted to record each word they heard on some long rolls of snakeskin leather. A copy of the record was handed back to one of the strangers who might find it interesting.

In return for the foreign knowledge that they had yet to decipher, the Lizardfolk also demonstrated concepts of numbers, counting, and basic addition and subtraction using their strings of beads.

For safety reasons, and not knowing what was being served, only half of the merchants partook in the food and drink offered. It was different from their usual diet and while smokey flavors were something they knew and enjoyed, they had never had that in drink form before.

There were even less who tasted that Smokey drink. Those that did, mentioned feeling a strange sensation in their body. Like something was flowing through their blood. They felt energized and full of potential, as if nothing was impossible.

Sarbaz being one of the older members politely declined the food and drink, and assigned a few other elders to keep an eye on those that drank the weird brew in case they showed any unexpected side effects. He intuitively felt that it must be unnatural, though it would be rude to voice that and stop others from partaking.

Though he couldn’t see their eyes, he noticed several of the silent ones gesturing at the large birds they used for carrying goods. It seemed that he might be able to make a good sale, this would also serve to distract him from the slight unease he was feeling. The ores, strange rocks, and other goods these people had brought out would no doubt sell well at the next market, so he decided to see how much he could get.

Separating 2 of the birds from the rest of the group, a male and a female, Sarbaz along with another few merchants tried to communicate their intent to sell. They wanted one of those large jars of unidentifiable liquid in hopes of having their craftsmen study it and its effects, for there was definitely something unnatural about it.

There was also something odd about the fact that he had never seen this settlement here before during any of his previous journeys. He could tell from the condition of the housing that it was all recently built. Not that he was going to voice his concerns, and the caravan was set to move on as soon as the sun set and the sands were cool enough to walk on.

Naluluri looked on the strange creatures and their mighty leader with awe. The sisterhood, as it would come to be called, for all the warriors were female-bodied to better do the work, had hunted many Revenants since Acis'sej had first passed tge Gom'Jabbar and reversed the tides of the generational war. But, now! Never had they dreamed they could fight like that! Each Ghul, armed with the gift of these new "martial arts," was nearly the equivalent of half a Revenant in combat! And they still had the advantage of swarm tactics and raw ferocity.

Naluluri listened to the strange jabber of the leader. Never had a Ghul encountered an intelligent creature that could not speak the High Tongue, other than an infant. They took that approach. "HELLO! I AM Naluluri!" Accompanied by elaborating gestures. "Come this way!" Pointing to the village.

They came to the Lodge of Many Trees, a sprawling hive-like building built into a cliff face, with adobe used to expand ourward past the natural caves.

To the Ghuls, there was nothing noteworthy about how they used bones and poorly tanned skins as a primary building material for their homes and few, rudimentary, watercraft. They brought out a feast, as befit heroic visitors: spoiled fish, still squirming oozes, and dead animals, barely even butchered and not preserved or cooked in the slightest.

As the Reptilian guests looked on in disgust and bewilderment at this offering, a fishboat came in, pulling fresh fish. The fishers brought the fresh fish directly over, with much haste. In a broken voice, not knowing the words they said, a fisher croaked, in a language no Ghul had ever spoken "Idix Provides."

To Naluluri, in the High Tongue, they said "The Pursued led me to do this in a dream. I think these guests only eat fresh food! How bizarre!"

Then, to the astonishment of everyone, Idix Herself appeared! She bowed to Abu Dhahab and cantered in a circle around the group, then running off and disappearing. Her hoofprints wete stamps of words in the tongue of the desert and again in the tongue of the tundra.
"Welcome"
"Far North [Where the birds go at Night]
"Friends"
"Much to learn"
"Much to teach"

Meeting the Deity of the South
Seeing the Deity appear before him, Abu Dhahab bowed politely in return. A greeting and gesture of goodwill. Though they left soon after stomping out a written message, the Great Lizard felt that familiar spark of divinity. Another deity that from what he had observed, hoped for their people to succeed. This land would surely prosper if given time.

Having accomplished what he had intended for the trip, Abu Dhahab returned to his role as a merchant. The oozes that were served before the fish arrived had been fascinating creatures. They would likely dry up in the desert, though that would have to be tested first. The Kobolds to the south of the desert might be able to raise them in their swamps, but that would require them learning how to herd them.

The Lizardfolk group of 5 decided to spend a few weeks in the cold southern land, and with the help of Abu Dhahab’s divine abilities some basic communication was established. The old merchant Zaki was having a great time puzzling out the foreign language, and although he had a hard time pronouncing certain sounds he was making steady progress.

Although slightly surprised by the ghul’s tendency to scavenge and eat the spoiling of carcasses, it wasn’t too foreign of a concept. With a bit of salt, and some simple grilling over an open fire, the group eventually adapted to the local diet. The slimes were still hard for the crocodilians to eat, for textural reasons until they too were cooked in a bowl of seawater until it dissolved into a creamy soup.

Abu Dhahab spent his time for the most part training some of the younger ghuls and the crocodilians in the way of martial arts.

Time flew by and it would soon be time for the Lizardfolk to depart.

AP = 0 + 4

Zelphas

2021-05-15, 04:34 PM

In the Pit of Making

Hetta toiled deep within her chosen domain, crafting and designing alterations and derivations to the Golem Archons that she made not long ago (by her understanding, at least). Countless humanoid, centaur-like, monstrous, and just plain bizarre designs are conceived, built, and demolished by the goddess as she works towards a half-thought idea. It isn't ready, not yet; something else seems to be required... An odd side effect of corpses and clay was found; not what she wanted, but interesting enough. Hetta enhanced it and sent it upwards with an errant thought, returning to her work and forgetting it a moment later.

In her constant toil, some clay fell over the body of the fallen Clay Dragon. Hetta didn't seem to notice.

At the Eastern Edge of the Claylands

Rula went to visit her father, carrying what flowers she could find in the broken lands that were once the centaurs' great plains. The chaos and destruction of the great snake, the loss of one Clay Dragon, the death of another, and then this curse upon the ground... the centaurs had spent their lifetimes preparing to contain and fight against foes who would consume those who fell in battle against them, leaving nothing to bury. Therefore, to bury their dead had been a great honor and respect, a chance for the honored warriors to pass their endless burden to the next generation and finally rest.

Apparently, some god had taken offense to this time-honored tradition. The blight to the ground crept out from the graves of the honored dead and began to poison the crops and fields, causing the beleaguered centaurs to add famine to the already-overlong list of problems. What was worse was the seemingly capricious way that the blight operated; some graveyards were clear of its taint, while others fell into ruin almost immediately. The added discovery that if they... used the bodies of their dead in some way... the blight would cease, was one of the first truly divisive moments in the centaurs' history. Some tribes, desperate for fertile land, turned their honored dead into fertilizer for their fields; Rula could hardly imagine it. Other tribes kept their pride, making the hard decision to move their cemeteries away from their homes and their fields. The blight crept farther each year, and so each year they had to move farther away. It was worth it for the sake of their ancestors--or so Rula thought, though some grumbled.

And so, when she saw new grass and flowers growing where there was death and blight the last time she visited, Rula's first reaction was not relief, but anger. Someone had desecrated her father's remains. Someone had ripped him from his final rest and used him for their own selfish gain. Rula's steps increased into a trot, then a gallop; she trampled over the new growths, heedless in her attempts to see what had been done to her ancestors.

A waist-high ring of odd cylindrical plants popped into her view suddenly, but she leapt over them in a single moment--and suddenly found herself landing at the edge of the grave plots, now thick with new grass. She searched frantically through the graves, but none were disturbed; she had only been gone for a month at the most, and yet all of the graves looked as though they hadn't been touched for years. Her anger replaced with confusion, Rula walked back to the edge of the gravesite, seeing the new growths as though for the first time. They smelled... sweet, like berries, but at the same time not like them at all. Hesitantly, unsure of where they had come from, with a sense of reverence from the sacred ground upon which she stood, Rula reached out to pluck a leaf from these tubular plants, raised it to her mouth, and began to chew.

In that moment, the culinary world of the centaurs was irrevocably changed, once again.

In the Wadi Alsahali

It started off as concerning reports and rumors--a caravan vanishing between the Wadi and the claylands around the Pit of Making, a small outpost no longer making reports, a large, fast shadow seen one moment in the night and gone the next. Then, the survivors came in, by ones and twos, their stories almost easy to dismiss if not for their number and consistency--and, spread out as the survivors were, that number and consistency was easy to ignore for all but the sharp-eyed. It wasn't until an entire town disappeared in a day and a night, swallowed up completely except for those who managed to run, that the truth broke fully upon the traders and merchants of the Lizardfolk. The warnings of their centaur business partners had not been completely in vain.

The lost Clay Dragon was finally found.

0 AP + 4 AP = 4 AP

Bless (Grave Sugar) -1 AP: In certain areas, where the proper mixture of dirt, clay, and sentient remains can be found, an odd tubular plant arises with a sweet smell and taste. This plant can be further refined into sugar, revolutionizing the baking industry of the centaurs. Grave sugar can grow naturally if the conditions are met and can also be cultivated; both factors technically use the bodies in the vicinity as fertilizer and therefore fulfill the requirements of the Wasted Earth Curse. (As a side note: the centaurs haven't figured out the "killed by a sentient" clause of the curse, which is a part of their confusion over the whole matter.) (Domain Progression: Cooking (Baking) 7/10 AP)

Curse (The Lost Clay Dragon) -1 AP: The lost Clay Dragon, that deathless, bottomless pit of hunger, has resurfaced in the Wadi Alsahali, and is currently chasing down and eating anything it can find. It will go wherever there is food, but since everything is food to it, there is no telling where it may go next. (Domain Progression: Magic (Golems) 3/10)

4 - 2 = 2 AP Remaining

Razade

2021-05-15, 06:14 PM

Meeting in the Desert

The Weshesh are, perhaps surprisingly, more than alright with such a deal. Both in the exchange of knowledge and for the strange birds that the hooded people seemed more and more intrigued by as they were given some over to inspect. The return offer of sale was generous, many bottles of the strange brew produced from dark cellars. At worst, the stuff was only mildly addicting, at best it seemed to empower those with the gift of mana. What it was, time would tell, but the Weshesh saw no concern obviously in letting the Lizard people take as much of it away as they wished. They remained generous guests, finding places for their guests to rest though never allowing them inside the pristine structures, the only truly tense moment should any attempt to investigate inside. When the sands were cool, they bid their new friends

The Void

The War in Heaven was over, the aftershocks rolling out across creation and the great Void Serpent Wan'shi was dead and cannibalized by the victors. What was not useful to the gods cast to the Void the beast had slumbered in before their arrival, in those brief eons after the Creator had created Creation and the Gods of Creation drew forth. Down the refuse fell, down the viscera and tainted flesh. But the great Wan'shi, like any snake one might slay, still thrashed as its nerves and divine energies coiled within it. Though it had no mouth, its head removed, the meat and flesh still ravenous devoured itself and the Void around it blindly until it chewed away the very darkness itself.

And there, eternal, was Garganta. A mirror to the Sun and Nocturne, where both were the extremes of heat and cold, Garganta breathed and spit hot breath and sucked the cold curses of Wan'shi and in but an instant the many frozen Solar descended into that vast pit. The entrance to Garganta was not always open, not even if that abyss yawned forth was it visible from the First World. Within the mighty plane, it spiraled down, down like a throat leading to some unseen stomach, its surfaces lined with sharp mountain peaks like teeth fit to claw down its meals. Light somehow, somewhere, streamed into the humid realm, the ice on all it swallowed slowly melting.

Weave Plane (Garganta) - 4AP: Garganta sits at the bottom of the Void, drawing those frozen by the cold winds of the Void itself down into its depths. Garganta is, at current, a lifeless place, empty halls of bone castles filled only with screaming winds. Storms wrack the many surface levels of the endless spiraling series of plateaus and other landmasses that cling to the cliff faces that make up the plane. These lands are larger than the first world at their largest, housing near endless land, while many are no smaller than a finger, giving hope that one might climb out of the plane. [Life (Demons) 4/10]

dancrilis

2021-05-15, 07:26 PM

Elves and Weshesh

The elven tribes were not as diverse as the humans or goblins in culture so the Weshesh were likely fortunate to encounter them before the others, the writer Tok Fan'Far who predated writing and one of the none priests to take a serious interest in cateloging items visited them frequently - and reported back to the priests all he knew, both out of loyalty but also to give the newcomers a chance to dedicated their lives to Kerima correctly.

On one trip however he came to warn the new comers that one of the priests would be visiting soon and that they were in danger as the priests could be tempermental and wielded immense power both culturally and personally - and would be seeking to determine if the new comers were worthy of relations with the People of Kerima.

Underground Space Requirements
Prior to the laws of Kerima skirmishs between the two people were common but with a priests blessing to engage in conflict both groups were at something of a loss - the goblins breed quick and eat plenty and so needed ever increasing amounts of space, where the dwarves with their longer lifespans were very attached to items and territory they had had for decades or centuries which had lead to earlier conflicts.
Some priests of both groups met to discuss the issue and via writing and documentation of issues they together determined a method to expand the territories.
Goblins took rapid advantage of this talent to provide themselves greater space, where Dwarves were much more inclined to create new space carefully so that it could last the test of time.

Kerima - Revenant's being attacked
She had noted that the new deity of the south had began to offer some protection to her people and so had not interfered - but now two other deities were simply destroying her creatures, one in the south and one on her own land.
She pondered this for a time the serpent curse was intended to force conflict and so the deities might not be in control - if she responded she would also be feeding into the curse, it was a troubling dilemma for her, she likely could simply tear the curse from the fabric of reality and use it for her own ends the dead serpent could hardly complain after all but it would require a fair amount of power and effort to do so and the consequences might be unknowable - particularly if the deities were infact operating on their own rather then at the behest of the curse, after all the wind entity had began to bother her prior to the serpants attack.

The soul stuff of the Revenants on Corrla she did decide to gather up for later however, the punishment for lack of faith was intended to be temporary not permenant and so the creatures likely deserved some peace at some point - after she determined what to do to have them pay off the rest of their sentance.

Traveling first to the site on the southern land she collected the remnants of the fallen revenants and then traveled back to Corrla to do the same - but as she did she noted that in the blighted lands there was a creature like The Saorsa - something lifted above normal mortals or even archons and tied to reality in some way - and acting as a guide to those who lived in the blighted areas, her voice was calm and quite but the creature would hear her and note displeasure in her voice "explain".

AP 6, (2 + 4 rollover).

Create Concept Mining - 1 AP
- Both Dwarves and Goblins are highly proficent at creating living areas and tunnels for themselves, these skills the priests pass to others of the people as needed but humans elves and river spirits have little use for such skills.
Society (Advancement) 6/10

AP remaining: 5

Omoikane13

2021-05-16, 12:00 PM

Earlier
The journey of Corrlan refugees was not easy. Rudimentary fishing and preparation had meant that the sailing had started tough and got worse. Tidal waves and destruction were spreading across the seas as well, and it was only through those blessed Knights that ships were preserved. The Saorsa, having affection for the peoples of Corrla that had unyoked themselves, lent a metaphorical hand as well, collecting and delivering what food from the mainland that it could. A twist of Athnuachan winds found themselves near the ships as well, though provided little more than a cleanse or a plant, propulsion left to knightly control.

Moiraithe watched as this occurred, not dispassionate. More apassionate. It was in her nature to promote adventure, freedom, movement like the winds, but many times this did not come with the affection tied to direct creation, such as the Saorsa. But that was beside the point. It was evident that the mortals would need assistance.

Moiraithe had also noticed that some had begun to worship her. This was not a problem in and of itself, but she noted that she should squash any uprising of rules or regulations inherent in that worship. The thought of worship also brought her thoughts to what Kerima considered rebuttal, but the narrow focus on smaller examples or natural consequences as justification for the repulsive society she had constructed to feed her ego was not worth an ounce more attention.

*****

The Skysea still sat, gently empty of any higher life. Or at least, previously gently. The more vicious skyfish had prospered in the scattering chaos of the massive tsunamis, and the multitude of islands had been knocked like marbles on stone, splitting what had been roughly one ecosystem into many, many smaller, drenched ones. They would need consequent repair before she could continue her plans, but that was not impossible.
Moiraithe had been disappointed that even the birth of Harpies had not led to mortals truly looking towards the sky, but this could all be remedied. The world churned, and Moiraithe admonished herself for not being the actor that churned it.

"I wish to give you more boons. I feel that I have been remiss in not helping you in the same way the others help their flocks."

Moiraithe formed a representation of herself, a sharp-featured human woman in combat leathers. One of the refugee ships was being guided by a young elven knight of hers, and it was this mortal that she consulted.

"Lady Moiraithe!" the elf yelled excitedly, and hugged her representation, not flinching at it being made mostly of wind and deific power. Moiraithe couldn't help but smile at this. Even the closest things she had to priests didn't kowtow at her feet or obey her every whim. They hugged her.

After a few moments, the elf pulled away, ears bouncing, "Boons, yes, apologies. We've been very grateful of what food you can provide."

"I want to give you more."

"I'm sure we'll manage, milady. Hope still stands strong, and everyone's bonded surprisingly well. The seas have been torture though, to be frank."

Moiraithe nodded slowly, and a gift began to form in her mind.
"Has your blessing been of use? I've watched the winds push you along at a fair pace."

The elf grinned, a workman with a particularly effective tool. "We always need more, but a little redirection of waves or billow in the sails has saved a few lives. And it was invaluable getting out of that blighthole." There was a sombre moment, and the elf's face dropped. "Wasn't that much good against the titanic wave, though. We lost a good few ships in that one."

Moiraithe leaned forward, pressing her constructed forehead against that of the elven knight. "I am going to give you knowledge, and I am going to grant all a capacity. I want you to spread this among the ships, and I want you to use it well. I believe, if used properly, it could grant you freedoms unknown." Moiraithe looked upwards, internally tutting at the disarray of the Skysea's islands. Wan'shi's work would need to be fixed soon.

The knight blanched, and then went truely pale at the combined sensation of Windweaving coming into being and knowledge of such appearing in their brain.

"Any questions, just ask. But no worship. You are not mine, just as you are not hers."

"We are not hers," the knight agreed, doing a cross-chest salute and gritting their teeth. It would take some time to shuffle through the new knowledge, but the First Weaver would bring the mortals something powerful, and something useful. Once they could array themselves properly to use it, yes, but that was not far off.

"Spit in the eye of fate. I'll try and provide some more help once you've landed."

*****

The mortals arrived at what was an incredibly impractical time, on a larger scale. Though mostly inured from the widescale destruction taking place further north of their landing site, that did not mean that they were exempt. The joy of land was forgotten for now, with many choosing to reside in their temporary, newly Windwoven fortresses west of what many mortals called the Spine Aerie. Well, fortresses was a generous word. Longhouses, formed of the ships that took them across the seas.

They were...behind. Moiraithe disliked granting them too much when she felt it would steer their fate, but too little would mean that mortal lives would be pulled into a god-caused fate of certain death. It would be acceptable to help the growing, new society with these problems. They would need it.

The piecemeal society that had formed at sea had taken to Windweaving naturally, and it had been key in carrying them to their new home. They'd found some proper uses of it once they'd settled somewhat into land life and been able to assign time to experimentation. With a nudge, they'd developed refined procedures for both land and sea sailing, and their existing ships had formed a good foundation for proper study of shipbuilding. Moiraithe had also plucked some basic ideas from the flocks of other gods and given them the basics, and things were rounding out nicely.

Moiraithe watched as they grew, and was extremely pleased as they found their footing. Deciding on a name for themselves - the Marreill - the peoples she had helped began developing moving settlements, using Windweaving to prevent them becoming too heavy. Most of these were sea-bound for now, but the concepts were promising. This was a reaffirmation of her decision to help, and she would keep a close watch on the travels of the Marreill. It was perhaps a little to soon to consider them "her flock", but there was a certain...affection.

Form Society: The Nomadic Marreill Peoples (2 AP):
The Nomadic Marreill Peoples are the collective of humans, elves, and goblins that fled Corrla, finding themselves in the south of Circle Continent. They are currently centred on a collection of scuttled ships west of the Spine Aerie, and are in the process of transitioning to large, Windwoven town-ships.

There are no overarching, concrete rules for the Marreill, but there are a few tendencies and traditions:
- Most, if not all town-ships or settlements will house a Knight of Moiraithe.
- Having started as a union of humans, elves, and goblins, the Marreill are generally welcoming of other races. This is not a universal, but a large majority.
- The Marreill do not tend to settle down much. There are a handful of permanent settlements, but most live on the town-ships.

Teach: Writing, Fishing, Arithmetic, Currency (4 AP cumulatively.)

Exploration (Travel) 6/10

Create Mythical Concept: Windweaving (4 AP):
Windweaving is the capacity to control and contain air as a solid substance with a variety of properties. The ability is technically learned, but there are multiple factors which make the actual practice far more viable:
- A Knight of Moiraithe's instinctual control of the wind allows them to Windweave with far more ease than any other mortal, and even the newest knight is effectively a mortal master of the art.

- A being with some natural connection to the sky or wind has a similar accelerated process to learn how to Windweave. As an example, a Harpy's capacity for flight will come with natural instincts for doing so; the flight instincts of a Harpy would make them a naturally better Windweaver than a human.

- Education from someone trained/able in the art is incredibly beneficial, skipping a good few roadblocks.

- To a smaller degree than the rest, Windweaving is easier to those that are able to align with wind philosophically (that is, freedom, movement, flowing, etc.). This is not much of a benefit, and isn't well-defined enough to be, say, studied, but it means that Windweaving will crop up more often on a societal level when in a "Chaotic" society as opposed to a "Lawful" one.

A quick summary of Windweaving. This is not exhaustive, but merely the uses provided by Moiraithe upon granting Windweaving to mortals:

Liquid: Wind woven into a liquid form is lighter than normal air, and resembles fast-flowing fog. This form could find use in flotation bladders, balloons, and can also be concentrated into strong enough containers to help lift heavier structures.

Gas: Wind woven into gas form is practically the same as normal wind, but with a few differences. Weaving wind without it changing state essentially provides a solid that cannot be treated as a solid. Gasform wind can only be moved or manipulated with further woven wind or controlled wind, and it functions to push air in defined patterns. For example, a bar of gasform wind would push the air around it from one end to the other. This would typically push the gasform wind bar forward.

Solid: Solid wind is in fact two types of woven wind. Solid wind itself forms a lighter-than-air solid material that can be worked to a degree between fabric and hard metal, based on desired construction and the skill of the creator. Solid wind can also interact with gasform wind, meaning that, for example, gloves of solid wind could manipulate gasform wind.

Wind-imbued materials are similar to solid wind in properties. First, shape wind somewhere between liquid and gas. Then, you kinda have to 'push' it into another solid material. If successful, this material will have its weight lessened (not to the point of lighter-than-air), but will maintain most other material properties.

Air (Sky) 5/10

Remaining AP: 3

Writtensanity

2021-05-16, 10:21 PM

Neela was the oldest of Annethenia's brood, and one of the first to be raised in the Kobald villages. She'd hatched there as a sign of goodwill, and raised there originally for convenience's sake, but eventually, it was clear that the Spine Aerie wasn't her or her sister's homes. They were the first Harpies to be native to the swamps of the Kobolds.

Despite living in the same places, having different sleep cycles made complete cohabitation difficult, and as such combined Harpy / Kobald villages tended to have two lairs, the Kobolds were on the ground and the Harpies in the trees, otherwise, the constant morning chirping of young harpies would have driven the Kobolds into a blood rage.

This dawn, Neela was trying to help her namesake with matching the Harpy's language using their new instruments. The Kobald that had befriended her mother was the most talented in the village but the speech was still silted and often incorrect. So they had lessons, teaching each other to write and speak in the other's tongue.

Neela the Kobold played a note.

What are you trying to say? The harpy Neela asked by holding up a small strip of bark she was marking with charcoal. Technically she could have just asked the Kobold, seeing as they could both mostly understand the other's language, but the point of this morning was practice.

What your people call- the Kobald Neela stopped using the instrument for the last part. "Alligators," she said in the Kobald tongue.

Alligators?" The harpy wrote back. The Kobold nodded. The Harpy gave a short whistle and half a song.

Neela the Kobold played the word back.

Neela the Harpy shook her head. Too high, you're saying snake. she wrote.

---

AP ROLLOVER -

+ 4

4/16 Remaining

Somewhere in the Spine Aerie, the Egg of Flocks shook, it would hatch into something new soon.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-16, 10:36 PM

The Caravan Departs, A Successful Trade

Some of the merchants were opposed to selling their beasts of burden as that meant going back to carrying things on their own. Sarbaz was firm however, and the trade was completed successfully. Loading up as much of the dark drink as the remaining terror birds could carry, the merchants made do with carrying the rest of the rock fragments and ores in sacks suspended on rods between them.

As the two groups separated at dusk, Sarbaz handed over a special token to the one he had sold the birds to. It was small piece of the writing cylinders that the Kobolds had spread carved with his name and the symbol of the Mutajahil, an intricately carved gold coin, embedded in it.

Sarbaz tried to explain that this could be shown to other merchants to prove that they had traded with a Mutajahil before, and that the deal had been concluded successfully. It would make it easier for them to enter and participate in a market, should they decide to visit a trade hub or city.

As the group left and started their trek across a narrow part or the desert, the merchants who tasted the brew were still mostly normal. A few mentioned feeling extra alert, and even a bit restless. This didn’t bother Sarbaz though, as some plants would have the same effect when chewed on. It was something else that made him pause. Something about their eyes seemed different.

The Caravan slowly made its way through unmarked paths that they instinctively knew to follow. The old merchants taking the lead and passing on the knowledge of how and where to dig to find water. A couple of the youngsters who had tasted the smokey brew liked the flavor a lot and spent some of their personal earnings to trade for a jar of the drink. Taking a sip every now and then the two were in high spirits.

The few devotees of Abu Dhahab that were part of the group ritually counted the beads on their strings, some had coins with a hole in them threaded on strings too and counted them too with devotion. Flipping coins, and making coins travel across their fingers were also considered rituals that payed homage to the god of wealth who watched over traveling merchants and their caravans.

And so they continued until they arrived back at their hometown. Tales soon spread of the mysterious city and its equally mysterious inhabitants. Stories of a black drink that tastes and smells smokey but somehow ensnares those who drink it drawing them back for more

It has been a few years since the first batch of Underbeer was introduced to our market. That mysterious brew sold only by the masked foreigners who occasionally participate in the markets of towns and cities near their city. No one has managed to replicate it so far, and its effect on those who drink it has caused it to receive mixed reviews.

Recent attempts to document and study these effects have revealed some puzzling details, in particular in relation to the intensity of the initial exposure.

Those who drank only a little suffered mild stomach pain as the feeling of being energized slowly faded over the next week. Returning to normal, however, was accompanied by a vague sense of loss, as if something amazing had been just within reach that they would never grasp. These Lizardfolk, after going without drinking underbeer for an extended period (exact time frames still undergoing investigation) would have bodies that began to reject the drink outright (often resulting in sudden and painful bowel movements where their body tried to remove the substance as fast as possible).

The Lizardfolk seem naturally quick to build up a resistance to the drug’s effect, when compared to tests done using small mammals.

Lizardfolk who after tasting the brew kept drinking it for extended periods or in large quantities, were definitely different. Their eyes would eventually change, with their irises shifting to various unnatural colors and shapes. These changes seem to be permanent, and even avoiding the drink will not reverse its effect.

Those that had passed this point of qualitative change would gain a greater affinity to the brew instead of a resistance, a single sip becoming the most delightful of pleasures. There are rumors of some having unlocked supernatural powers, though these stories have yet to be verified. Many of these individuals seem to have developed an unusual obsession with the drink, to the point that some of them have established a merchant group that primarily focuses on the purchasing, distribution, and resale of underbeer.

It is yet to be clear what the full effects of drinking the mysterious mixture has on Lizardfolk physiology, and what changes it’s continued presence in our society will result in. More observation is needed.

-Tarik Abdel’Oloom

I plan on spending an AP or even 2 on the the effects of drinking underbeer for the Lizardfolk, effects on other races will likely be different.

Idea, yet to be implemented:

a bless, the awakening of some power depending on intensity of initial exposure. Possibly: if you train martial arts and only take a sip: the influx of energy provides the spark for your body to start producing ki. For those who drink a lot, the new power becomes dominant and you get sorcerers. For ordinary people who just drink a little, gain a minor resistance to magic.

Kinro

2021-05-16, 11:40 PM

Neela nodded. The Kobold one. As flattered and honored and everything else as she was that one of the first harpies born in the Kobold swamps had been named after her, it certainly also caused plenty of confusion that it had been done that way. But that wasn't what she had nodded about. Rather, it was to Neela's response. She knew it wasn't quite right. And not just because she hadn't gotten the symbols quite right. She idly smudged the incorrect spots and rewrote them. Mostly, it was because she had certainly heard the same thing being song at different pitches before. The notes were crucial, irritatingly, were not absolute. The meaning seemed to lie within the relationship to the previous note, as well as to some base tone belonging to whole sentence-melody. And she swore she was starting to see wider influences. From the speaker's previous sentences, perhaps from the entire conversation. All of this would, of course, be easy to grasp to a species as melodic as the Harpies were, but to Kobolds like herself, it was a struggle. Perhaps, it wouldn't always be, however. She did follow the research from the scholars from the library that had been recently built nearby. They had started to figure out rules, it seemed. But Neela found that she spoke best when she ignored the rules and let the notes flow as her fingers gracefully flew over her instrument.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-17, 02:15 AM

Kerima - Revenant's being attacked
She had noted that the new deity of the south had began to offer some protection to her people and so had not interfered - but now two other deities were simply destroying her creatures, one in the south and one on her own land.
She pondered this for a time the serpent curse was intended to force conflict and so the deities might not be in control - if she responded she would also be feeding into the curse, it was a troubling dilemma for her, she likely could simply tear the curse from the fabric of reality and use it for her own ends the dead serpent could hardly complain after all but it would require a fair amount of power and effort to do so and the consequences might be unknowable - particularly if the deities were infact operating on their own rather then at the behest of the curse, after all the wind entity had began to bother her prior to the serpants attack.

The soul stuff of the Revenants on Corrla she did decide to gather up for later however, the punishment for lack of faith was intended to be temporary not permenant and so the creatures likely deserved some peace at some point - after she determined what to do to have them pay off the rest of their sentance.

Traveling first to the site on the southern land she collected the remnants of the fallen revenants and then traveled back to Corrla to do the same - but as she did she noted that in the blighted lands there was a creature like The Saorsa - something lifted above normal mortals or even archons and tied to reality in some way - and acting as a guide to those who lived in the blighted areas, her voice was calm and quite but the creature would hear her and note displeasure in her voice "explain".

The Lord and Tyrant - Blight Lands of Corrla
The Suzerain had been helping members of the new perish erect a hut, his immortal flesh and power making him a prime candidate to hold the logs that would serve as the central support pillars for the structure, but at Kerima's whisper the Archon of Night would tilt his head to the side and tell them, "Idayle, Kenst." An elf and a goblin looked to him at the mention of their names. "The goddess talks to me. See that this is finished in my absence." Using threads from the Strands of Night to keep the foundations in place, the Suzerain would then leave the mortals to commune with Kerima.

It wasn't a lie. He just didn't specify which goddess he'd gone to talk to.

Once he was separate from the mortals of the blight lands that worshiped Renarr, the Suzerain stretched his arms and he answered the question. "Kerima, I presume? I am doing as my goddess commanded, and I am helping these mortals. They have rejected you, and because of that they live hard lives in harsh lands, and my lady would rather not see them suffer needlessly." Holding up a finger he points out, "We have not forced or compelled them to join us. We merely offered to help and a place to live without persecution, and many of them have rejected that offer. In fact, those who have accepted are in the startling minority. And I have taken steps to ensure that your faithful will not suffer violence because of Renarr's fledgling faith in these lands. So. What can I do for you today?"

Renarr - Experiences with Mana
During her wandering, Renarr would find that the First World was now far, far more infused with mana than she had at first realized. What she thought had been a byproduct of some property in Corrla was revealed to be a universal thing, that background radiation of divinity pouring from every star and from Solace itself. That was... well, that was going to cause trouble. Mortals, being imperfect vessels, were always striving and grasping for something to elevate themselves, and mana was a seductive source of power and ascension. This trickle of divinity would be... intoxicating to them. It would consume every aspect of their lives, driving mortals to grasp for more, and in doing so they would grow jealous, spiteful, divisive.

This mana rain would sew seeds of discord and fuel the Serpent's curse, and it would do so by creating terrible, undying mortal tyrants.

But this mana was also a tool that was open, spread freely among all the mortals in the world, and it was a power that she herself used. It was, after all, just the unrefined form of her divine essence, and the essence of every god. The only reason it was a problem for mortals was that it was an unrelenting tide of power that their bodies were not designed to accept, battering at every creature's psyche whether they tapped into the source or not. Slowly, of course, subtly, but the influence was still there.

Renarr could not justify removing the magic entirely from the world, because it would be wrong and spiteful of her to do so. It was just a tool. Nor, in her still weakened state, could she justify changing its nature to remove its addictive properties, as that would stretch her far too thin for far too long, and she needed to accomplish other tasks. But she could still shield some mortals from the more corrupting aspects. And she would do so gently, remembering Dia's words back in Solace about the fragility of life. Renarr would not change the nature of her chosen mortals, but instead, she would enhance the benefits they gained from holding faith in her, regardless of which aspects they worshiped or even if they worshiped her in a way that would let them channel divine power, granting her mortal followers protection from Mana's corrupting influence. And, unbeknownst to her, granting those same followers ways to influence mana in their own special ways, depending on which aspects they chose to give faith to.

Sighing as her blessing took effect, some of the burden from protecting the minds of her faithful in Corrla already being felt, Renarr took a step, and walked the First World. Now. To make some more followers, so that this blessing actually meant something.

Renarr - Elsewhere
The goddess of the Sun wandered the world. From the coldest places in the land of Cliffs and Spires, to the highest peaks of the Skysea, she wandered and looked for signs of life. And she found it aplenty. While the world was damaged by the rains of blood and the floods that had been born of the War in Heaven, the peoples who populated it were already beginning to rebuild. Of course, she hadn't yet returned to the Circle Continent, where the most damage had been done... but she could delay only for so long.

In the full light of day, Renarr stood above the land and surveyed the damage from afar. The rents that lead down into the darkest places, cracks that had flooded with water, the north, where a massive glacier still stood, and volcanic islands where great birds of fire now resided. It was... not as bad as it could have been. There was, after all, still a continent to look at. And despite the blight spots, there was still plenty of livable area to make use of. If a problem with the land needed to be fixed then Renarr would leave the other gods to do it.

So she went to the people. And here she found... well, nothing short of remarkable progress. Communities, trade, cooperation, these peoples were already well on their way to fully recovering. But there were a few obstacles to their lives at this point. The blight of the wasted dead, blight lands where serpent's blood had fallen, and conflict between peoples were still present, though Renarr did not know how much of that last problem was caused by the serpent's death curse. And then there were the monstrous forms of life, the great phoenix and the wandering clay dragons, and even here some small pockets of revenants.

Her Solars were trapped on Solace, and the Lands of Light were barred from any who might seek shelter. The portal that currently lead to that realm had been made inaccessible by another of the serpent's curses, but the presence of the Void had proven to be too much of a barrier for non-divine travel even before that. So Renarr would fix this mistake.

In the southern part of the Circle continent, Renarr floats down from the heavens and sets foot just at the edge of the swamps. She looks back into those overgrown lands, and then looks away. Lor had this place well in hand. Instead, following the coastline, Renarr approached Marreill. These mortals... she hadn't seen any of their kind outside of Corrla except on ships and here. Their journey must have been long, incredibly hard, and after all the events of the Serpent's assault upon the First World, and the tyranny of the goddess that they had fled, Renarr was certain that they would want nothing to do with the divine. Only, there was divine influence here. Subtle, more of an impression than an overt demonstration, but still present. And some of them still remembered the Dawnstar's strike against Wan'shi... and did not reject her out of hand.

Yes. This would have to do. Renarr entered the mobile community with her divinity masked, and she just watched the comings and goings. For just a few moments she was just a barefoot albino human woman, witnessing the hustle and bustle of people simply living their lives in a fledgling community, and she would cherish that memory for a long, long time. But she had a gift she needed to give them, and shortly after noon her true form would be unveiled.

Standing among them in a robe of flowing gold, the goddess drew a few wondering gazes and a congregation of mortals, but she did not address them directly. Instead, looking to the distant forms of the Spine Aerie to the east, she lifted her hand and created a beacon. A portal now stood to Solace on the first world in reach of mortals, shining like a star, even in the light of day, but much smaller and safer than the first portal that she'd created that now dominated the sky. A few harpies would be the first beings to gain access to this area, since it was built about half-way to the peaks of their home territory. And that nest of harpies would be the first witnesses to the twelve archons that surged from there moments later, and they would be the first to see those archons traveling towards the Circle Continent's southern peninsula.

To the mortals who had stopped and witnessed her action, no matter how large or small that group might end up being, Renarr states, "You have struggled. Suffered. Have been driven from your homes for your choices. And despite all that, you have made your own lives and your own small miracles." Gesturing to the new, distant portal, the goddess states, "I created Solace to be a sanctuary. A place safe from the serpent... but it is empty. Without life. And has been left this way by my own foolishness and the serpent's curse. No more. Should you wish it, should you need it to escape persecution once more, this place is now safe" Thank you for that, Dia, "and it is open to you, and to any other who can find it." And with that, Renarr sat herself down in the center of town and waited for her archons to arrive.

And, like a teacher, if anyone had questions for her, the goddess was willing to talk to them and answer. A few misconceptions of the Dawnstar faith might be cleared up on this day, at least among the Marrellie peoples. Those who talked to her would come to know her as a protector rather than the cold judge that so many thought her to be, and as that image became concrete in their minds, so too did it become a mantle that cloaked Renarr in power.

Starting AP: 0
Rollover: +4 AP

-2 AP Create Portal; Solace -> The Circle Continent: A safe portal crafted into the side of the Spine Aerie mountains, this portal connects Solace to the First World in a way that does not require travel through the Void. This portal also allows mortals to enter Solace itself at a point that is about 5 kilometers from Renarr's throne on the solar plane, and is wide enough to allow twenty elves standing shoulder to shoulder to enter the portal at the same time.

The area that opens onto the First World is kept safe by a combination of Renarr being careful and the Strands of Night that already existed. Therefore, the portal never sheds so much heat that it can become so much as unpleasant, let alone dangerous, but enough heat leaks through to keep the area warm and illuminated with a soft white-violet light even should the portal be completely enclosed within a glacier.

This portal provides no special protections from Solace's environments to creatures that pass through it, though Dia's Sun Spots are able to protect non-aligned mortals that enter.

-2 AP counter bless; Faith's Shield (countering Mana Flood): Any being that worships Renarr, whether it's as a primary deity or not, is protected from the addictive properties of mana, though the temptation to claim more of that addictive magic is still there for all but the most devout. In addition, depending on the specific aspect that a creature worships, a creature that worships Renarr and that channels mana is able to interact with the magic source in one of the following ways:

Dawnstar Worshiper) Creatures that worship Renarr's Dawnstar aspect are able to channel more mana, though actively doing so makes their resilience to the magic's addictive properties less effective. The mana feeds on the Light that they channel, like Wan'shi was so desperate to do, amplifying the amount of energy that can be expelled at once. Dawnstar priests also tend to be magi because of this, and Dawnstar mages tend to gain renown because of this heightened capacity.
Eternal Night Worshiper) Creatures that worship Renarr's Eternal Night aspect become more resilient to magic in general, especially mana-based spells, and can reduce or negate the effects of magic entirely around themselves. This also makes them highly resilient to the corrupting influence of mana, since the mana they channel is often just used to deny mana's influence. Wan'shi was already a god of night when Mana was born from it, so channeling Nocturne's power only increases the hunger inherent in the mana, causing it to cannibalize itself when channeled.
Twilight Goddess Worshiper) A being that worships both major aspects of Renarr gains the benefits of both sides of the blessing, though they maintain the baseline resilience to mana's addictive properties, since their worship of the Light makes the corruption a bit easier and Dark makes it a bit harder in roughly equal measure.

Total AP expended: 4

Remaining AP: 0

Domain Progress:
Realms (the Heavens): 10/10 (Create plane: Solace, portal to Solace (in void), create plane: Nocturne) (Purposefully not taking this until ready to ascend)
Protection (Mercy): 10/10 (Create portal to Nocturne, Blessing; Strands of Night, Solar Archons, Counter-bless; Faith's Shield, portal to Solace (in Spine Aerie)) Domain obtained!
Order (Retribution): 4 (Create hero: Suzerain of Night, the Stars in the Sky, the Serpent Moon)

KragBrightscale

2021-05-17, 07:13 AM

The return voyage to circle continent

The trip to the souther lands of cliffs and spires had been to inspiring to the lizard deity, seeing the ghuls’ mystical abilities and inherited memories (their reincarnation it would seem) had given him much to think about.

As the group communicated their intent to leave, Zaki stepped aside. He was old and tired, and feared he would not survive the return journey. Instead, he wished to live out the rest of his days amongst his new friends. Though different in shape and culture, he enjoyed that even the youngsters seemed to have an old soul and would gladly stop and chat about old times.

Saying their goodbyes, Abu Dhahab and the Crocodilians sailed back to the red coast.

On the way they passed the what seemed like small islands moving across the surface of the water. Approaching for a closer look, the crocodilians were surprised by the large reptilian heads that emerged suddenly.

Realizing that this must be the creation of yet another deity, Abu Dhahab was impressed. Large reptiles, with their own portable home in a way. He would need to see what else they had created, but that would have to come later. The Desert called him, reenergized it was time to finish that oasis plan.

dancrilis

2021-05-17, 07:58 AM

Kerima and the Suzerain

She considered the creatures words for a moment to and decided that she would likely need to give an explanation to her question if she was to get anything useful from it "you misunderstand - I don't care about those who reject their place, if I did they would be dealt with, I also don't care when they choose to worship other divinities - if I did I would have had the revenants spare only those who worshipped myself rather then any divinity".

"The people are free to choose and free to choose to punish those who reject the ways of society - without freedom there is no will, without will life is merely confined to its lowest state. Some choose poorly that such is the price of progress - and it should be an mostly mortal affair" her eyes were reviewing a flower that was growing and changing in her presence "the actions of divinities can raise questions however, such as when your mistress destroyed some revenants, or when her ally against the serpent did the same in the south".

She conjured the tortured soul stuff she had collected from the revenants "when a mortal punches another flakes of skin or sweat may transfer between them, such as it is with divinities also we leave a mark with all are actions" she split the strands of soul stuff and extracted the barest remnant of Renarr's and seperately Abu Dhahab's power for demonstration purposes before allowing it to return to the whole "the battle with the serpent was not my concern but it might have become so and so it was monitored to an extent, particularly given the beast's carcass is now spread across reality".

Her voice was dispassionate throughout all this "as such I am aware of the creatures curse and shortly after it was delivered deities begin attacking creatures far below them in the cosmic order, creatures who serve a primary role as divine punishment for an act of deicide when the world was younger, and a secondard role of ensuring that mortals revere the divine, and a distant tertiary role of acting to support the structure of the society of this land in particular".

"So what I want you to explain is this - is your mistress's proximity to the utterance of the serpent's curse impacting her behaviour such that she has begun to engage in wanton displays of power against creatures that are less then gnats to her, and thereby the likely disruptive behaviour of the others who were most actively engaged in the battle" she felt now she had now clarified her question enough that the servant should be able to understand it "such would likely either be or become a concern" her eyes now fixed on the Suzerain.

Writtensanity

2021-05-18, 04:37 AM

The egg of flocks cracked and hatched, but nothing came out. The egg resetting as if nothing had happened. The Spine Aerie unchanged.

Above the artifact, Briettia hovered, the essence of life in her fingertips. Sparks of divinity rained down onto her talons and she held her creation close to her heart for a moment, letting it know what a heartbeat was. Briettia released the essence of life onto the wind. She flapped her mighty wings once, scattering the essence and teaching her life to find gales.

---

According to the first Harpies that saw them, they came from somewhere over the sea.

According to the first Elves, they came to attack to the ships.

According to everyone after the first month past their arrival, the safest thing to do as soon as you heard the singing was getting inside.

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f1/c2/b1/f1c2b1dc64eca9d0bf1c371a298c33dd.jpg

The Egg of Flocks has spawned Hallowcallers to the coasts of ALL lands.

Hallowcallers are large, four-legged avian predator monsters that primarily hunt large terrestrial and marine mammals like seals, goats, cows and horses. They do not seem to go out of their way to attack cities, but they also do not try to avoid them.

Hallowcallers get their name from their hunting strategy, in order to fly long distances their bones are hollow and they are not as strong as their size would imply, meaning that they are ill-accustomed to a long fight. Rather than pinning and hunting down prey, Hallowcallers hunt by creating dissonant tones that disorient and confuse creatures as they fly overhead. Once a creature is confused, they will close in and release short sonic bursts that break eardrums and stun prey long enough for a quick kill.

The cry of a hallowcaller is less effective against intelligent species, meaning that most sentient races only need to worry about the combined effects of a hallowcaller flock, or the short sonic blasts they release while closer to the ground. Unless a boat is trapped at sea, or something similar, finding cover from a hallowcaller is more than enough to deter it into finding easier prey.

Size: Mature Adults 2.5 m long from beak to tail with a 7m wingspan.

Habitat: Coastal

Preferred Meal: Large easy prey. Livestock and such.

OOC:

AP Cost: FREE with the Egg of Flocks, no Domain Progress.

---

Deep in the swamp, Neela pondered during the daytime when her companion was asleep. She'd learned so much, and the Kobolds had so much to teach her but- there were thousands of Harpies back home what made little sense to her would mean nothing to them. Even as travel between the Spine Aerie and the Great Mashes became common, using writing back in the Aerie meant bringing a Kobold translator and Neela remembered being carried as a hatchling.

It wasn't comfortable for long trips, even if you were sleeping.

That and the Kobolds looked too much like prey when carried by a Harpy, it was unsettling. Neela's mother had been the first to find the Kobolds so Neela knew that hadn't happened yet.

Something shattered Neela's concentration, a large impact out in the forest, something that she should warn the sisters about but- at the same time, somehow, someway, she knew that there was no danger.

Two wings split the treeline, extending like midnight across the sky, and then folding once more, a sliver of dark cutting through the daylight. There and not.

Neela flew to the break in reality, and found that it wasn't a break at all. It was a small little black thing that had fallen from the sky. As Neela approached, the thing turned to face her with gleaming eyes of silver. The creature was somehow like her in every way and unlike her in an infinite amount more. It as predator and prey, creator and creation, blood and talon, beak and claw. It was-

It was too much.

Black.

A kobold found Neela, but it was not her friend Neela, but another named Didri. Didri was a quiet hunter who had never said anything to Neela, but he found the young Harpy and shook her. He had thought she was something quick to hunt and easy to bring back to the tribe.

Neela didn't wake, so with a grumble, Didri dragged her back to the village, paying no notice to the talon clutched in her hands, a talon blacker than midnight, and more than anything a mortal had seen.

Briettia has given a gift to the Race of Harpies, a minor artifact.

Briettia Midnight Talon - Minor Artifact (Create
Mundane Concept)

This talon, when cut into a Harpy’s skin leaves a deep black scar and instantly grants knowedge of their greatest life’s work to those around them.

Interestingly, the talon can be used on someone twice, but it only even effects the exceptional.

AP Cost = 3
Current AP: 4
Remaining AP: 1

AP Invested Into:
Society (Wilderness) 3/10

Kinro

2021-05-18, 07:33 PM

Neela wasn't worried in the evening, when she couldn't see her feathery friend. When she was on a run, as she was now, they could only reasonably meet once a day. Harpy-Neela would surely be at their arranged meeting spot by the time Neela got there. She wasn't, unfortunately, but that sort of thing happened occasionally as well, then the Harpy got caught in a particularly difficult hunt. It was on the third dusk without a trace of her that she got particularly worried. This had never happened before! They had always, always met at the end of each run! Now sick with worry, she barely took time to drop off her carving stick and ask her centaur colleges to keep an eye out, before turning around and starting to run back. A true run this time, not the leisurely stroll that was her usual. Thankfully, small kobold legs were still fast and sure over swampy grounds and she knew the way well. It was only two day before she returned to the nearest village, near exhausted, half-blind from the light of well-past sunrise. The poor, bewildered villagers directed her to the nearest harpy hut and, there, Neela begged to be allowed in. And it was said that the desperate melody that came from her flute that day was more beautiful and more heart-wrenching than any that a Kobold had yet produced. Or yet would, for a long time to come. But still, she refused to allow herself a moment's rest until she saw Neela again. It was only once she saw her friend, nestled onto herself as she usually was, clearly breathing peacefully, that relief washed over Neela and she collapsed into a profound sleep.

---

Of course, as the Kobolds would soon find, it Harpies were no longer their only neighbors from the spire. And while the Kobolds had started to build greater ships to take them to explore far, they surely couldn't help but notice the even greater one that came to them instead, to land at the foot of the mountains of those that were their newest friends and allies. Great ships, they were. Much greater than any yet built by Kobold hands. And while the Kobolds were wary of these strangers that would come to settle these lands, they were also eager to meet them. And do, delegations were sent, over land and over sea, each bearing gifts of friendship, and scholars to record and assist in these new encounters.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-18, 11:07 PM

Changes at home, The Origin of Ki

Abu Dhahab and the Crocodilian crew arrived back at the red coast and split up. Tales of the voyage spread along with knowledge of the southern continent and the ghul that inhabited it. An increased interest in sailing launched the people of the Red Coast into an age of sea fearing.

Crocodilians were the most common crew members for the new fleet of vessels that made their away around the coast of the continent while keeping the shore within sight. Intercontinental travel would, however, require more technology or special abilities that the Lizardfolk had yet to discover.

Visiting the markets, Abu Dhahab soon heard about the destruction of several settlements and the spread of a new questionable drink. There were also rumors originating from those that traded with the Kobolds of intelligent bird people who speak through song, and talk of other soft bodied people who occasionally roamed the foothills of the mountains on the other side of the great marshes.

Things were happening, both good and bad, but such was life. Although many Lizardfolk had adopted martial arts as part of their daily routine, there were not any who were strong enough to stand up to the overwhelming powers that so often brought destruction.

To solve this issue, or at least give them a fighting chance, Abu Dhahab made use of what was already available.

Abu Dhahab studied a sample of Underbeer, the black drink that had lead to the rise of a new merchant entity: the black market where anything could be sold, and identities were kept secret by adopting outfits that imitated the Xen, showing no skin or scales, and hiding your face behind generic masks.

After noticing a disturbing detail, Abu Dhahab gathered several of those who had consumed the drink and checked their body status. His concern was made worse by what he found. A very familiar aura saturated the dark drink, and too a lesser extant leaked out of the bodies of its consumers.

The Cosmic Devourer that had taken an alliance of divinities to defeat had somehow managed to spread a portion of its essence, raw, powerful, and full of potential throughout the world. While Abu Dhahab was aware of the ever present mana in the air, this was a much stronger concentration of it.

Looking again at the bodies of those who had mutated eyes, the Great Lizard noticed that the rest of their bodies was already at maximum capacity, and the excess energy was just leaking out, damaging their body in the process.

Deciding to bless the world in an attempt to keep the lingering aura of the great snake from corrupting his people. It was too late to reverse the effect of the brew in these individuals as some of it had fused to their bodies, so he blessed their bodies with the potential to mutate, reforming their bodies to better adapt to the unnatural energy and possibly harness it.

To those who had yet to reach the point of no return, Abu Dhahab blessed with the potential to digest, refine, and make the energy both that in the drink and what is present in nature their own. This energy was later known as Ki.

To gather and refine mana into this energy within the body, Abu Dhahab created a set of breathing exercises combined with martial arts. Together with a set of methods to strengthen the body using Ki, he spread its knowledge amongst the most disciplined of martial artists.

The introduction of underbreer to our society was possibly one of the most significant pivotal events since the fall of the Devourer. It marked the beginning of the discovery of new powers that resulted in several new groups forming within our society, and a complete revolution in how battles are fought. With it also came new industries, new markets, and new profits. Several discoveries were important to this development.

First, the discovery that martial artist who took a sip of underbeer prior to intense training could maintain an increased intensity for longer than usual, these individuals would also not show any of the other usual side effects. Some described feeling a unique pulse or flow within their body that transported the energy to where it was needed.

Second, those that indulged in the drink continued to show signs of divergence. Unlike martial artists whose bodies got strengthened, these individuals’ bodies seemed to mutate. The most common mutations apart from the already established eye mutation is the growth of larger horns, thicker heavier scales, or wings capable of little more than gliding. Some drank more than they could tolerate and threw up, but unlike normal Lizardfolk these mutants would have flames, ice, smoke, sand or other unnatural things come out of their mouth.

This lead to the belief that the drink contained some sort of raw energy that could be digested like food by the body in small doses and combined with exercise, but too much would cause the energy to permanently change the body instead. Opinions have been divided ever since on which effect is most desirable.

-Tarik Abdel’Oloom

Satisfied with the blessing, Abu Dhahab decided to try meeting with the deity who resides in the Pit of Making, the first deity of the continent. There was a creation of hers causing chaos in the desert.

Arriving at the edge, Abu Dhahab called out:
Oh creator of this continent so many now call home! I’m known as Abu Dhahab, a being like yourself whose work is the western desert. I have come to meet you, my neighbor.

4 AP

Bless (Potential for mutation or Ki) -1ap
In response to the blessing of mana being everywhere, and underbeer being in a way that in concentrated form, this blessing allows BEINGS OF FLESH AND BLOOD, whose bodies absorb mana to channel that into something else.

Option 1) Ki (requires a fit body, and martial arts, provides general boost to physical abilities. Fancy Ki stuff will require the concept)

Option 2) mutations: Those who don’t practice martial arts, are not fit, and/or are exposed to too much mana at once, cannot convert it into Ki, but instead have their bodies mutate to accommodate the energy. Mutations vary a lot, though within a race mutations will be similar. In the case of Lizardfolk (+Geckokin +crocodilians) most common is coloring, eyes, scales, horns, wings, breath weapon in some combination.

Note1: Once refined into Ki, the energy is no longer mana, and no longer has any connection to the space snake (now it’s your own essence)
Note2: Mutations make the body more suited to mana. It’s absorption, it’s retention, and manipulation. Mutate make use of normal mana (snake essence).
Note3: Lizardfolk are physical focused so mana affects them mostly in that aspect. Other races may respond differently to mana.

Combat (Unarmed) 5/10

Create mythic subconcept (Ki) -2 AP
Ki is a subconcept of mana, it includes the method for cultivating Ki in the body and it’s use as a strengthening/buff that lets you do cool monk stuff. magic looking stuff or elemental bending requires extensive training and attunement but is possible.

Note 1: Ki cultivation is basically the absorption of mana and its refinement into Ki which is totally your own energy.
Note 2: Ki training involves meditation, breathing exercises, movement techniques, martial arts and more.

Combat (Unarmed) 7/10

Total AP:
4 -3 = 1AP

Razade

2021-05-19, 02:29 AM

The Weshesh: The Underdark

Long had the Xen toiled deep in the pits below the watchful eye of gods, away and in the dark places where even Dwarves and Goblins would not, could not, tread. The Xen's cities spread, the Weshesh grew like a crawling fungus where lava veins ran thick and hot, where strange gems gave off light that could twist the mind, where whispers of the dead godflesh beckoned, only to consume those not strong enough to resist their calls. They whispered dark things that made the gloom seem as bright as day. The Serpent had been slain, but its touch would never fade. That Wan'shi was not so simple a snake, that its chosen had been denied.

The Weshesh took to these mad whispers, ensconcing themselves in the very flesh they had been born from, where mana had accumulated in both their bodies and in the depths like a miasma. Where their minds were filled with the lessons of the surface dwellers. The Xen where but the caretakers and stewards within the Weshesh. It was obvious now. To infiltrate and to acclimate other societies for what was to come. To chart the tunnels, so many tunnels, that ran to the many islands now dotting the world that seeped with the world's blood. In the silent cities of the Weshesh a word echoed throughout the minds of those who came first, the childless parents, the instructors, the nursemaids to the true Chosen of the Serpent. Across the vast Underdark the chant went out, hissing voices as void black faces parted, fierce fangs erupting.

"Orcs."

Zelphas

2021-05-19, 09:19 AM

In the Pit of Making

There is no response from within the pit, but a set of clay steps slowly rise up to make it simpler to move down. Abu Dhahab can follow the sounds of digging and scraping deeper within the depths of the pit, passing by the occasional Golem Archon mining clay out of the walls or organizing the clay into different colors. The archons, given thought and shape by the apssing of another god, nod to Abu Dhahab as he passes, but otherwise remain focused on their work.

Hetta is in a large chamber deep within the earth, fashioning an abstract shape out of blue-black clay. To her right stands the Lump, abandoned bits and swirls of clay around it, watching its master work with a blank lack of emotion. In between Abu Dhahab and Hetta lies the body of the dead Clay Dragon, though it is nearly unrecognizable from its brethren now except in form. Bits of clay and dirt have collected onto the creature, smoothing out and blending together until what is obviously muscle and bone lies on the ground now. Two large chunks of multicolored clay have fallen on its shoulders, bending and flattening over time into large, membranous wings. Hetta's power circles over the creature, seemingly an unconscious side-effect of being in her presence for too long; this is not the first time she has accidentally brought something to life, after all. Still, the creature does not stir or wake; it lacks something, and Hetta is too distracted by whatever has caught her fancy to finish it.

At the other god's presence, Hetta glances back, once; then she returns to her work.

2 AP

Create Legend Subrace (Earth Dragons) -2/3 AP: Born from the shell of a Clay Dragon and the extra clay touched by the hand of Hetta and discarded while she worked to make golems, Earth Dragons can be any color that clay can also contain and have a strong connection to the earth, preferring to make their lairs underground or within mountains. Since they come from the things that Hetta threw away while perfecting golems, Earth Dragons are naturally willful, prize freedom very highly, and often have large personalities. Abu Dhahb will add the last AP to make these dragons happen, so he can add more information to how they work once he does so. (Domain Progression: Magic (Golems) 5/10)

2 - 2 = 0 AP Remaining

zzzzzzzz414

2021-05-19, 10:33 AM

A list of stories, which may or may not contain truth.

The Emergence of Kassa

Born of Creation
Abandoned by Creator
The Gods seek to delay the inevitable

The stars will fade and fall into the oceans
The light of the Sun shall grow abominable to those on the lands
And the cold winds of Nocturne will blow across the deserts, turning all to stone
There is no escape
There is no hope
All will be consumed

The Gods in their envy shall rise up
Deserious, vain, and greedy
Their little soldiers, primed and plain
Will fall to chaffe, or unsown grain
Empty bellies grumble, the plates of Gods bare
Covetous, neighbor will take from neighbor
Allies born in conflict
Locked forever in first meetings

When the Gods do war across Creation
And the time grows nearer now
Their duty to keep their creations safe
Will distract them from the gate
In their fallow absence
Their punishment await.

It was with those words - the serpent's last curses as its essence boiled away into the void, condemning the world to ruin and rot before finally dying - that the one who knew herself as Kassa blinked, stirred, and decided that it was finally safe to emerge from her hiding spot.

The ages had dulled and blurred the time before the Serpent war, the age of the Creator - but Kassa remembered its end with perfect clarity. She remembered the suddenness of it, the mouth of the void itself seeming to open infinitely wide before snapping shut, tearing through holy hosts of thousands like vapor - and Kassa knew the emotion that would come to define her existence. Fear. She remembered knowing, down to her divine essential core, that she would do anything to avoid that mouth. She remembered running, blindly fleeing to the world below, stomping and kicking and shoving other godlings into the waiting jaws behind, digging frantically into the earth she found there, coating herself in filth and mud and making her divine essence as small as possible. And there she waited, and listened. She waited as the earth buckled and transformed around her. Waited as other gods pulled life from the soil. Waited as the heavens themselves shook and rang with the fury of the Serpent War. Kassa had many vices, but impatience was not one of them. She would not risk the danger of fighting that thing; she would wait as long as it took.

But now the serpent was dead. And at long last Kassa could allow her curiosity to burn away her fear. With some difficulty, she pulled herself from beneath the ground, and looked about in awe; the land around her had changed greatly during her vigil, becoming a land of ragged cliffs, rock, and sand. She had no body of her own, so she quickly pulled one together from the rags, bones and dust she found around her and set off, determined to see what had transpired on this world during her absence.

Kassa wandered the circle continent for quite some time, stealing guises and supplies as she went, hungrily devouring the knowledge and stories of this place and its people, as well as the divines - others like her, she assumed - who had survived the serpent's feasting and had begun breathing life into this land: the great lizard, the clay-mother, the guiding wind, the tyrant-across-the-sea, and many others. The teachings and crafts spread by the Skull-Headed-One in particular Kassa observed with rapt attention and approval, watching with careful interest as the lizard-people stripped the corpses of the dead for every usable bit - nothing left to waste. It resonated with her, in a way that felt oddly right yet somehow incomplete; and within her, ideas and desires she could not place began to grow.

[SPOILER=Kassa and the Swamp]
After she had roamed and begged from camp to camp and village to village for many days and nights, amassing stories and leaving little but empty foodbags in her wake, Kassa found herself deep in one of the swamps of the Great Marshes, far from any settlement or civilization. Kassa's eyes settled upon the massive, towering trees in particular. These were trees that had been rooted here almost since the dawn of creation, with trunks wide as five men, bark like stone and canopies that cast the whole place in eternal twilight. Kassa looked up at the ancient things, and felt an odd sort of distaste bubble in her gut.

It just seemed such a...waste, didn't it? All that life, all that potential; all poured into a single thing, one that would only grow bigger and suck up more, too grand for any disaster to shake or tool to cut. All that sun and water and soil that might otherwise go to the worms of the ground, or the struggling, wilted saplings at her feet. Kassa thought again of the bone-shapers and the teachings of their fiery Skull-Headed God. To prevent the waste of the dead was all well and good. But what if the waste was still alive?

Kassa cast her gaze down to the stagnant water below, where fungi and mushrooms fed on the wood of fallen branches, breaking down and decomposing them. This was good; but what, she thought with a little grin, if they didn't have to wait for death? Kassa lacked the inventive spark required of true creation. But she was a skillful thief. With one hand, she plucked a bit of fungus off a log; she felt its hunger and fed it with divinity, with a desire for more. With the other, she took one finger and bored a hole into the trunk of the great tree, deep into its woody heart, and placed the fungus there.

It took many days for her work to come to fruition, but fruit it did. The bark began to come off in gray flakes and chunks, bright crimson fungus sprouting through the holes as sickly yellow leaves rained down. With a mighty roar and crash heard for miles, the first of the great wooden giants was slain. But, as Kassa was delighted to see in the coming days, it didn't stop there; the little fungus was surprisingly adaptable. It quickly spread, not just to other plants, but to living animals and even dead ones, corpses pulled along and compelled to spread spores by their newly-appointed master. As she left, the swamp around her seemed painted with blood, as the worms and flies swarmed upon their new feast.

As she continued her trek into a non-infested portion of the swamp, Kassa decided to try her hand at something else. She observed the many mosquitoes that swarmed the marshes, biting and sucking the nutritious blood from the larger animals. They themselves were then eaten; the blood was thus cycled widely and freely. Not bad, she thought; but still, the great boars, the massive alligators, the big cats and other large beasts - they all seemed barely affected. And they all held so much blood; enough to feed thousands of smaller things or more. If sharing a little blood was good, a lot was surely better, no? Kassa firstly snatched a pair of mosquitoes, and fed them a bit of her own divine blood. So delicious, so filling was the treat that they grew swollen and monstrous; far moreso than their fragile insectoid wings could carry. Thinking quickly, Kassa deftly stole two sets of bats' wings to fasten to them, and in addition several fangs of venomous snakes, fashioning them into claws that could latch onto and numb their prey. Work done, Kassa released the two fell things, watching in satisfaction as they drained a massive hog in moments. The swamp was their home for now; but their hunger would spread them further, she knew, on to prey on the massive beasts of the plains and deserts as well. And their greed would of course lead to corpulent death, leaving the squirming things of the ground with a grand feast indeed.

Having had enough of the swamps for now, Kassa meandered back northward, towards the site of her arrival on the First World, and, wandering in the desert, came upon an interesting sight. A large pack of jackals had found the carcass of a great hippo; a rare and quite fortunate find, for Kassa could tell from the ribs showing through their skin that they were on the verge of starvation. The many blights caused by the serpent and the expansion of the lizardkin tribes had clearly taken a toll on their hunts. And so she could also tell that even a meal this great would not be enough to feed them all. Kassa watched as the biggest among them muscled their way to the center, pushing away and snapping at the others, asserting their authority. And at the edge she noticed a runt; thinner, weaker, closer to death than the others. Without this meal, he would quite assuredly die; and yet, after a few moments of struggle, he seemed to give up. Accepting his fate.

What a thoroughly absurd thing to do, Kassa thought. Taking the form of another small, weak jackal, Kassa crept around the edge of the feeding frenzy; a few of them snarled suspiciously at her, but otherwise seemed to dismiss her. They had other things to focus on, after all. After a moment's searching, Kassa picked up a small, triangular stone off the ground and ran her claws across its edges, sharpening it to a fine point, before skulking over to the runt.

"There isn't enough, you know," Kassa whispered in his ear in the simple language of jackals. "Will you really sit here and die as your brothers and sisters eat their fill? Do you truly care so little for the breath in your chest, the warmth on your back, the taste of fresh blood? The spark of life within you? Someone here must sacrifice it, after all. So tell me, will it be you..." Kassa hissed, pressing the stone into his paw, "...or one of them?"

In that moment, something filled the jackal's eyes, and his paw closed around the stone, fingers curling in a way they hadn't quite been able to before. The runt rose up on his hind legs and, hesitating only a moment, plunged the sharpened stone into the back of his largest packmate's neck.

It took a moment for the realization to spread; the others stared frozen at their dead brother, and the now-standing runt looming over him, confused, incomprehending. "Now is your opportunity," whispered Kassa. "Seize it." The runt nodded and, turning to the others, began to speak, in a tongue like theirs but fuller, more complex. He told them that he had indeed killed the strongest; that this stranger had given him knowledge and power; power that could also be theirs. They could embrace this new strength, and live; or kill him, reject it, and die. The truth of the stranger's gift lay before them. After a moment, one of the jackals drew closer, sniffing this stranger curiously; then came another, and another, desperation overcoming their fear. And so Kassa grinned, and began to whisper. She told them the stolen stories of tools, of armor, of weapons, of building. She told them the stories of the bone-carving lizards, and the great swollen cities with their food-laden caravans. The more she spoke, the more the jackals changed, spines drawing upright, forepaws becoming clawed hands. Over the next many days and weeks she taught them; showed them how to make the corpse-crafts of the lizardkin and the bows of the distant horsekin; showed them the best methods and tools with which to prey on the great fat caravans; showed them how to draw from the animals, not just life and power as the lizardkin did, but death and weakness as well, mixing plants and animal parts into potent poisons (though they could not yet grasp the full art of Synthesis). They created a new name to distinguish themselves from the mere animals they had once been; and so the jackalkin, the first Gnoll Pack, were born.

Kassa wandered the desert valley for some time, teaching more jackals her secrets. The gnolls thrived and excelled, and the pack after some time swelled and split into more nomad-tribes. Kassa had taught them well indeed, and they ate better than any in the valley had in a long time, feasting on stolen goods and reveling in "coins": curious shiny objects that, for some reason, the lizardkin were eager to give up many useful things for.

She had perhaps, Kassa thought, taught them too well. She observed as the gnoll-packs grew more settled and complacent in their dominance; she watched as they began to cease robbing, and instead extract coin from the fearful caravans for the mere threat of robbing. Stagnating. All things needed a check, lest they become corpulent and wasteful like the grand swamp trees and the grand swamp beasts. So Kassa decided to make one.

Kassa took the guise of a frail, elderly gnoll and approached one of the gnoll encampments one evening as they rested and celebrated their conquests, complaining to them of her hunger and weariness. "Please," she begged, "share with me just a little of your food and comfort, and in exchange I will brew you a potion; one to make you strong, and protect you from weakness and corruption." The gnolls, not recognizing the stranger but feeling pity for her (and filled with excitement at the offer of greater power), accepted. So Kassa took a bit of their fur and blood, a few herbs and roots, and the final, most important ingredient - a piece of silver, generously provided from the gnolls' growing hoard - and began to brew, filling a great clay cooking pot with bubbling gray fluid. Once finished, she bade everyone step up and drink their fill; and they did, allowing Kassa to slip into the night unnoticed.

She did the same to the other gnoll tribes; and after some time, screeches, yowls and curses began to echo down the valley as the effect of her brew became clear. The precious gold and silver ingots they had taken began to burn and boil their skin and foul their lungs; Kassa had made the essence of the metals toxic to them. But, as she had suspected, the curse was not distributed evenly: the largest and greediest of them had drunk many times their due, while the smallest had gotten barely a sip. And so when the largest ones dove back into their piles of treasure, the metal did not merely burn them but burned into them, sticking to their flesh, the curse sinking its claws deep into their being. They ran into the night screaming in agony as the magic tormented them, began to twist them, pain wiping knowledge and self-awareness from their minds. And so the first Direwolves were born.

Kassa left the valley, a satisfied smirk on her face, as the anguished cries of her brothers and sisters echoed behind her, cursing her betrayal.

Create Monsters - Crimson Blight (1AP)
The Crimson Blight is a group of closely-related parasitic fungi found in the central swamps of the Great Marshes, immediately identifiable by their bright blood-red color. Once these fungi infest a living tree or plant, they can kill it in a matter of weeks; however, its effects on animal matter are much more horrifying. A living infected creature will first begin acting erratically and aggressively. Then, after a week or so, they will "die", but keep moving, fungus beginning to sprout from its body as the organism takes full control of their limbs and uses their body to spread itself. Dead carcasses can also be "resurrected", provided they are mostly intact. The infecteds' mindlessly aggressive behavior actually makes them quite easy to kill; however, killing them also spreads a cloud of spores, and the meat, if not carefully treated, will lead to infection if eaten.
[Death (Plague) 1/10]

Create Monsters - Stirges (1AP)
A stirge is a mosquito-like creature about the size of a bat, with a long proboscis, leathery wings and sharp, venomous talons. Its primary diet is blood, which it obtains by latching onto and draining other creatures, using its venom to numb its prey. Solitary, they are not terribly dangerous, but they tend to hunt in large swarms, who can provide enough venom to paralyze a large animal and then collectively drain it in minutes. Unlike most animals, they have no regulator on hunger; a stirge, given sufficient prey, will feed until it cannot move. They cease hunting only briefly to mate, laying eggs in stagnant freshwater. Though they prefer wet, humid environments like swamps, they can breed and multiply anywhere that there is standing water. They tend to target large, warmblooded terrestrial animals, but they have poor self-preservation instincts and will attack almost anything.
[Death (Plague) 2/10]

Create Race - Gnolls (2AP)
Gnolls are bipedal, desert-native canid beings roughly 4-5 feet tall, with prominent snouts and speckled fur ranging from brown-gold to gray. They primarily walk upright, but can run quickly on all fours if necessary. Their diet is omnivorous, though primarily meat, which can be easily torn with their large, sharp teeth. All gnolls share a unique magical curse; gold and silver, along with any other precious metal used commonly as currency, will burn their skin, and cause any who stand too near large amounts too long to grow nauseous. The intensity varies, but it is universal.
[Craft (Apothecary) 2/10

Teach Mundane Concepts - Language, Archery (Gnolls)(2AP total)
[Craft (Apothecary) 4/10

Create Mundane Concept: Poison-Crafting (1AP)
Kassa has taken much far-flung knowledge and refined it, teaching the gnolls how to create various poisons from herbs, fungi and venom glands, with many effects ranging from sleep, to paralysis, to sickness, to death.
[Craft (Apothecary) 5/10]

Create Mundane Concept: Simple Medicine (1AP)
Kassa has also taught the gnolls how to make new and better medicines and poultices, stopping disease or infection and treating wounds.
[Craft (Apothecary) 6/10]

Create Mundane Concept: Banditry (1AP)
Kassa and the gnolls have refined the skills of other, lesser brigands, creating tactics and tools of ambush and stealth, as well as ways of hiding their tracks and following the ones of their targets.
[Deception (Thieves) 1/10]

Teach Advanced Concept: Corpse-Crafting (Gnolls)(1AP)
[Craft (Apothecary) 7/10]

Create Racial Society: The Pack-Tribes of Ufrot-Assag (2AP)
Named for the valley they first came from (translated roughly as "Scar of the Traitor"), the Ufrot-Assag tribes are wandering nomad groups composed primarily of Gnoll families, spread across the northern and central sands of the Wadi-Alsahali. They are hunter-gatherers, but many also supplement their findings with regular raids on trade caravans and outlying villages in the region; Ufrot-Assag raiding parties are infamous for their swift surprise tactics and poisoned arrows, as well as their odd practice of leaving any gold or silver untouched. They are also skilled apothecaries, able to create many types of poison and medicine from the animals they hunt, in addition to weapons and hides.
Gnolls first became sapient through the sharing of stories and skills, so they hold knowledge, and the passing-on of knowledge and skill, in high regard; though they have no written language, they have a very well-maintained oral tradition of shared fables and craft-knowledge. Their elder crafters and storytellers are even more venerated than their warriors. Elders thus form the informal "leadership" of their relatively loose and egalitarian societies. The various pack - tribes have many grudges, rivalries and fights over territories; betrayals and skirmishes are common. However, multiple tribes will form together to face outside threats, so long as they are not mortal enemies.
The Gnolls' relationship with Kassa the Traitor is complex; she was the one who gifted their kind with knowledge, but she also betrayed the first gnolls, cursing them and creating the Direwolves, the Ones-That-Must-Not-Be-Hunted. She is thus a gray figure, revered or reviled by a few, but mostly portrayed as a flighty and cruel trickster, more sister than mother. Reverence of Magirus the Shaper, Elder of Corpse-Craft, is more common, picked up from various geckokin*.
[Deception (Thieves) 3/10]

Create Monsters - Direwolves (1AP) A direwolf is a magical predator found across the Wadi-Alsahali. They are massive, abominable creatures of desiccated skin, dried bone and tarnished metal, in the rough shape of a canine 5-6 feet tall and 8-11 feet long. They do not eat or sleep, propelled only by the powerful curse that created them. They wander aimlessly through the sands, blindly lashing at anything that crosses their path - including each other- with massive teeth and claws. However, they shy away from any worked metal. Its touch is like burning poison to them - silver, in particular, is near lethal to them. However, metal that actually touches a direwolf's form, if not immediately withdrawn, will "stick" to it, becoming part of its form and enveloped in its magic. Though few in numbers, even a single Direwolf is incredibly dangerous.
[Death (Plague) 3/10]

Direwolf's Gift - Curse (1AP) Any metal that touches a direwolf's form will become deeply cursed: degrading more quickly, causing blisters and rashes to the skin of any who touch it, and causing illness to any who stay close to it for too long. The curse affects gnolls and other canine creatures more severely, and may cause them to turn into direwolves themselves. The curse can be spread by touch; metal that touches cursed metal will become cursed itself.
[Death (Plague) 4/10]

Planned Domain Progress:
Deception (Thieves): 3/10
Death (Plague): 4/10
Craft (Apothecary): 7/10

Remaining AP: 2/16

*Implies some geckokin-gnoll interaction that hasn't been worked out yet and that I don't want to handwave. Can change according to discord feedback.

Kinro

2021-05-19, 05:17 PM

Perhaps if the Kobolds had known of the threat caused by the new fungus sooner, they would have been able to react better. Or perhaps not. But as it was, it wasn't until the first few great trees had mysteriously fallen that scholars had noticed and begun to investigate. Not until the first of those had fallen prey to the fungus that worry began to spread. But when those began to rise again, it was much more than mere worry that gripped the populace. And by the time that the great city of Turkal fallen, destroyed under the weight of its own dead, it was clear that desperate measures needed to be taken. Simple things like restraint or compassion could no longer be afforded to this menace that clearly threatened the entirety of the Great Marshes and all who lived within it. An this came to be the Order of the Dead. Donning crude protections against the scourge that they were sworn to contain, they were all things. Respected and reviled. Seen as the greatest villain and the greatest heroes of all of koboldhood, certainly cast away from all others, they gorged on underbeer to gain the mutations it conferred. From it, they gained a resistance to the debilitating effects of the fungus as they still lived, their dimmed eyes could more easily withstand the fury of flame and their sickly red scales were toughened to their heat. For fire was their weapons. And it is yet not know whether their callousness was also a mutation or merely a consequence of their mission, of the Great Purge, when a vast area around what is now known as the Plaguelands was scorched to ashes, with nonthing allowed to escape the blaze, not plant, animal or otherwise, for the living was known to carry the fungus as well as the plague. It was only later that it would be understood that, with sufficient time and sufficient isolation, it could be determined whether one was infected or not. But at that time, that was not there. All there was was fire. And since then, the Order of the dead has kept this place, maintained the Deadlands in order to keep the Plaguelands contained. And whenever signs of the fungus become known elsewhere, it is well known that they will descend upon it and destroy all that it touched with brutal efficiency.

Create Organization(Order of the Dead)
2 - 1 = 1
(Protection(Guardianship) 3 + 1 = 4)

Create Mundane Concept(Quarantine)
1-1 = 0
(Protection(Guardianship) 4 + 1 = 5)

KragBrightscale

2021-05-19, 09:46 PM

Hard Work, Silence and Satisfaction
As Abu Dhahab ventured into the Pit of Making, he spotted the busy deity working with the clay around them. There was a brief moment of eye contact. Abu Dhahab nodded politely and didn’t disturb the deity any longer, instead taking a closer look at what else was down in the pit.

He spotted the Lump, which was an odd being. He could feel the raw potential inside it, and at the same time it seemed to be extremely mundane and simple. There were other creations spread around the pit. Sculptures in the shape of various creatures, some which he recognized other that had yet to exist.

There were golems in the pit too. Hard at work like their creator, Abu Dhahab could tell that this was not forced upon them, but a task they willingly participated in. It was as if the simple yet hard labor gave them endless satisfaction.

At that moment, Abu Dhahab thought back to the time he spent creating the vast deserts and carving out the red coast. It was indeed a time where he felt fulfilled and at peace. Creating the Lizardfolk, teaching them, and working as a merchant were also special moments.

Inspired, Abu Dhahab decided to do some work right there. Looking around for an idea of what to work on, he spotted something unattended in near the edge. Taking a closer look, he saw that it was another sculpture, though the size and details that went into it were more than many of the others he had seen.

A large body, similar to its creators own lower half, but with what seemed to be the head of a crocodilian? Abu Dhahab sensed the vitality within it, dormant, but powerful. It was as if this was an open invitation to collaborate. No one seemed to mind when he sat down near the clay dragon to get to work.

Drawing up metals and colorful translucent crystal from deep within the ground, Abu Dhahab started shaping and carving it into glimmering scales. The sculpture seemed to already have most of its interiors completed, so that’s what he worked on.

Time went by as the two deities worked in silence, the peacefulness only interrupted by the Lump’s occasional roaming to see what others where doing.

After crafting a mound of scales, Abu Dhahab patiently attached them one at a time to the great sculpture so that they overlapped perfectly. Most of the scales where gold forming a base on which patterns of silver and other precious metals could be seen. The crystals were arrayed down the Earth Dragon’s spine and tail.

Taking out a few of WanShi’s scales, the Great Lizard ground them down and purified them before mixing it into molten mix of other metals. The alloy turned blue as it reacted to the mana in the air.

The hardest and sharpest crystals were almost black in color, and Abu Dhahab shaped into horns and claws. Carving them full of narrow channels he then inlaid them with the blue alloy.

Standing back, Abu Dhahab admired his handiwork. It was truly magnificent. He could feel that it only lacked one step before it would be truly alive, as if it’s potential was bursting to break free and blossom.

Tossing the extra gold and crystal that he hadn’t needed to the Lump, Abu Dhahab called out to the other deity working not too far away. He thought he had spotted them glancing over occasionally, though maybe that was just the lump.

The creature is almost complete. As the first to work on it, and the one who put the most effort into its creation, I think you should be the one to put the finishing touches. All it needs is a pair of eyes.

Stepping back to give the silent crafter their space, he waited for them to finalize their collaboration.

Banditry and Hostile Neighbors
The deserts of Wadi Alsahali had never been safe places. The main factors being the sun and the lack of water.

The beating hot sun, that reminded the Lizardfolk of the legends told by the living river Nafura, made travel by day almost impossible as the sands would get hot enough to cook with (which many people did, meat left out on the salt flats in the dry heat is one of the most common food to bring on long journeys).

Lack of water meant desert dwellers needed to dig deep to find any water, and those that ran out would end up as dried husks, that eventually get worn down by the endlessly shifting sands.

There had been numerous natural disasters that resulted in massive losses of life and property, then came large birds. Some soared high, living creatures of flame, yet another reason to avoid travel during the day. Most of the birds that settled in the desert were large flightless ones. Long powerful legs, with sharp talons and a beak made for tearing flesh. These birds inspired terror in traveling merchants for a long time.

With the development of caravans and sand sailing, many merchants could avoid or protect themselves from the carnivorous birds, but now there were predators that specifically hunted groups of merchants.

A fierce yet sly group of doglike people had started forming groups that attacked and pillaged. These bandits often hid amongst the rock formations caravans would have to pass, ambushing the Lizardfolk merchants from above with rocks, or shooting arrows from a distance.

The worst hit were caravans of ordinary Lizardfolk merchants. Geckokin were light and small enough to make use of sand sailing, so their caravans were more like fleets of highly mobile skimmers. Only the greatest strategists among the Gnoll bandits had managed to successfully disable some skimmers before they could escape.

In a way, Geckokin had a lot in common with the gnolls, preferring smarts over brute force. There were even rumors of a fleet of sand skimmers that had gone rogue, willingly trading with gnolls and even robbing other Lizardfolk. The black market already worked on anonymity, so selling stolen goods was easy.

One could say, that the merchants who ran the black markets were some of the few who actually saw the appearance of gnolls as something highly profitable, for who was to know if under the dark cloak of the merchant in front of you was a lizard or something else.

Crocodilians on the other hand were a group that highly prized personal strength, with most young crocs getting intense martial arts training from their parents or whoever was most accomplished in martial arts in their family. This, combined with their thicker and tougher hide and scales meant any attempts at robbing them would be a brutal fight with lots of casualties.

This lead to the most numerous of the three races to also be the most targeted. Softer targets that couldn’t escape as easily, times were rough until some merchants learned that paying a toll for passing through certain Gnoll controlled areas would buy them some safety.

Things started improving, and caravans had decide between taking the long route to avoid bandits, or pay the toll to use the short route. Then suddenly, gold stopped being able to buy safety. Something unexplainable seemed to have happened amongst the gnolls, as they no longer would want anything to do with gold or other precious metals.

Some merchants took this as great news. Their wealth would finally be safe from the bandits. Unfortunately, merchants usually relied on having goods to sell, and those were still desirable to the bandits.

Create Legendary Subrace (Earth Dragons) -1/3 AP (split with Hetta)
Huge wingless dragons that like caves and mountains where they can find precious ores and minerals to eat. While they do also eat meat and other things, the ores and minerals in their diet gets refined and absorbed by their scales, bones, claws and horns. Depending on what an earth dragon eats while it is young, it’s coloring and scale material will differ.

Being made from the remains of fallen archons and golems the dragons often absorb fragmented sprites that are drawn towards the essence of who they belonged to. Due to the ever present mana in the environment, and some dragons ingesting condensed mana crystals, instincts of hunger and greed sometimes become overdeveloped. This results in a wide range of personalities where a archon’s divine inclination either suppress, balance out, or strengthen those instincts.

Earth dragons reproduce, but at a slow rate, and the dragon eggs may just seem like a large mineral rich or ore containing rock. With long lifespans and no natural predators, their numbers are usually kept to reasonable levels due to conflicts between dragons.
Combat (Unarmed) 8/10

AP: 1 -1 = 0 AP

Feathersnow

2021-05-20, 01:42 AM

Idix
Meanwhile, the Birth of the Sisterhood
In the days Abu Dhahab sojourned among the Ghuls, many dreams came to the Ghuls of the Black and White Lodge.
The first was to go to a seemingly random spot in the cost, where they found a dying creature, with skin like a whale except for a crest of hair like a penguin atop his head. Laup, who found the creature, the Foreigner, knew he could not be saved. But, he could be preserved! Laup gestured, trying to get him to say his name, so his Ren might be remembered. "Thurier" croaked the dying elf.
After Thurier passed his flesh was cut up small, passed across the Lodges to the oldest-bodied. But a few extra bits were taken to the Lodge of Many Trees
At that same time, the rare, psychoactive Pink Pudding Slime was found and cultivated. Combined with the knowledge spread by Dreamwalker Acis'sej, it allowed telepathic communion. Though it only grew wilf far inland, a breeding culture was brought to Many Trees along with the morsels of elf and the carefully transcribed Ren of Thurier.

Laup couriered the items to Many Trees on the ladt night before the Crocodilians and their Lord were to leave.

The Ghuls insisted the visitors all partake of a special soup, a lavender broth with traces of an unidentifiable meat. That night, as the mortals slept, they dreamed of Idix, and of flying. Of vast rafts like cities, and of shaping the winds. And the Crocodilians remembered much of the Land of Cliffs and spires, for pieces of deas Ghul were mixed in, frozen until now by the vague images that Idix used to communicate with her flock.
Abu Dhahab could tell these few had been given a gift by Idix, but the extent wasn't yet manifest.

After Abu Dhabab left his journeymates to visit the great sculptor, the Crocodilians each partook of the Pink Pudding, the cultures of which they kept even as they liquidated most of the dryad flesh, oozes, and scrimshaw brought back as trade goods.

They found themselves speaking to Naluluri and each other. The Ghul spoke "We are sisters, now. Male-bodied or Female-bodied, it mstrers little. You have eaten of Ghul flesh and are the Ka of Skidi. You have eaten of the flesh of the Elf called Thurier, and are of the Ka of the Sisterhood of Navigators. You were the first to come to our land as friends, so Idix shares her gifts freely with you.
Take them and spread them! But remember your Sisters when the lines between the powers are drawn, and do not serve our enemies, nor will we serve yours"

"Spread our Sisterhood, but be careful, our techniques are powerful and should be protected from outsiders. Know, too, the one called Thurier is our sister now, and your friend Zaki has passed, but sleeps alongside the former elf in my womb"

Starting AP 1+4(rollover)

Create society 1AP
The Sisterhood of Navigators is a transnational group devoted to offering sea and air travel to anyone not working for Kerima. They accept anyone, regardless of sex, gender, or race, willing to pay cult to Idix, eat sentient flesh, and forswear all loyalty to Kerima. All sisters, regardless of race, have access to Psychometry, Pharmakeia, boating, fishing, ooze herding, Prana Bindu, martial arts, navigation, and Windweaving
War(psychic Warfare) 4/10

Teach mundane concept- Navigation 1AP
Imbibed with the flesh of a dead gale knight, mundane techniques of determining location were spread by Psychometry to the Sisterhood

Nature (Tundra) 7/10

Teach Mythic Concept- Wind weaving 2AP
Alongside mundane navigation was learned the power to shape wind to make sea travel safer and limited air travel possible

Nature (Tundra) 9/10

Remaining AP 1

Gnomes2169

2021-05-20, 02:56 AM

Suzerain and the Tyrant
The Suzerain considered that question in silence for a few moments, seeming to be deep in thought. For a time it seemed he might not even respond at all, but slowly his left hand trembled at his side, his chest heaved as he took in a deep breath, and... he laughed at Kerima. The laughter was cold, without mirth, as if someone had insulted him in such a ridiculous way that it was his only response.

"You think... that I can speak for Renarr? Oh, I don't even worship her, let alone answer for her actions." In fact, his lack of faith in the goddess had been how they had hunted revenants as well as they did in the Blight lands. After all, an archon of his statue, with command over the Strands of Night that he had, holding no subservience towards the deity that supplied that power? That would be a lodestone of heresy for the cursed beings. "Oh, yes, I have advised her on occasion, but she acts in the way that she believes is right. And when she's right, I support her, regardless of her reasoning. And these... tools of yours." He said, plucking a strand from the divine energies arrayed before them, with a signature matching the divine power that he wielded, "Well. Let me see if I can explain why I agree that they deserve annihilation."

"Goddess, you state that free will must be allowed. You tell mortals that they are free to step forward without prostrating themselves before a divine altar, even as you press the tip of a spear against their throat. You tell these same mortals that they can step to the left or right and worship other gods to avoid that spear, yet you dangle them over a pit of serpents and you create a system of laws that demands that they be subservient to you above all others." Holding up a finger, with genuine rage in his voice, the godling adds, "And before you say it, you made that your first law. The law more important than any other, the one that all mortals who follow you must follow and see enforced. If you didn't see how this would drive them to persecute those who turned from you, then fix your eye sight. You're a full god. Blessed and ordained by the Creator. I'm certain that wouldn't be a problem for you. And if you saw what would happen and did not..."

He seems to cut his own thoughts off through a conscious force of will, his jaw grinding as he seems to battle something internally. Waving his hand over his shoulder and turning his back to the goddess, not even registering the changes being done to the plants and landscape around him, the Suzerain states, "Find Renarr and ask her these questions yourself. This 'gnat' has nothing more to say to you." And he begins to walk back towards the community he is helping in the blight lands. Muttered as if to himself, he adds, "This gnat does not know if he can speak for himself."

The Suzerain - Teaching
The Suzerain was not an omnipresent teacher. He often entered different places within the Blight Lands, helping to drive away the revenants, to help them build and scrape a living in the wastes, before moving onto the next community to discover their trials and tribulations. He did not listen to those too proud to accept his help, who told him to leave, because he honestly did not care what the arrogant had to say. He was not there for them. They could afford to spurn him and his assistance. Those he helped could not.

Eventually he became a well known, sometimes mythical, figure among the outcasts. A wanderer who appeared at his own whims, and left when his own criteria satisfied him. When he was challenged, he brushed aside his foes like children armed with wooden spoons. And life became a little bit... better. And he talked. About far away peoples, conflicts, histories that had already been shrouded in myth. And some people listened to what he had to say. Mostly about the war of the Serpent and the Gods and Archons that stood against the world eater, since that's what so many of the children and their curious parents wanted to hear. Some people asked questions, wanted to know about these places beyond their own broken homes. About the gods who slew the serpent, and heroes of distant shores.

The Suzerain did not know enough to answer these questions.

So he returned to wandering, going to the Circle Continent to walk its lands, listen to its people talk about their gods. To discover what those mortals said, what the gods taught them. What they valued, at least to his understanding, and when he returned to Corrla, he brought these lessons with him.

Of Renarr he knew the most, so when asked about the Eternal Night he told them, "She is a contradiction. Light and dark, Day and Night, unfettered Truth and secret Desires. Her temper is fiery, her wrath terrible, and it makes her hesitant to act. Because she cares for life, she is gentle, and the harm she causes scars her heart as the war she waged on Wan'shi scarred her body. Learn from her consequences, how to consider what your actions might bring before you make them. And how to be warry about being too hesitant to act."

Of Dia he said, "The river goddess had her own archons here, loyal to her, but in the way of children to their mother. She acts to protect hopes, dreams, and as a shield for mortals against disaster. When Renarr was prepared to hide from the world and from the consequences of Solace's creation, Dia was the one who pulled her into the world and called her to action. From her, learn that all life has its worth, how to hold to your convictions and desires, even when the world would punish you for them. Learn also the value of community, how holding up and inspiring others can bring about true change."

Of Hetta he said, The great maker works tirelessly within her pit of clay, pulling from the earth wonder after wonder, work after work, always trying to understand the ways of the world and its forces. From her learn how to master your world, to bring life from this blasted land and to make it serve you, for even here, in these twisted lands, life finds a way. But also be warry, for she teaches that one can discover truths but not understand what they mean, and a shallow understanding can lead to monstrous creations, like the clay dragons that roam the circle continent even now."

For Abu Dhahab, the Suzerain said, "Ah, the lord of commerce teaches that everything has a price, that all actions carry with them a reaction, and that must be weighed and considered. His is a path of enlightenment through self improvement and the bonds that create societies, though at times he does not think enough before he acts and puts himself into dangerous situations, as he did when he struck out against Wan'shi alone. From him, learn the value of what you create, and also learn to have a healthy sense of caution, for you are not an immortal god lizard who will be alright despite the odds being stacked against you."

For Magirus, the Suzerain taught, "The lessons of this god is simple. Everything has a use. Waste should be looked down upon, punished even, for all the things of this world and the worlds yet to come can be made into something more than they currently are. He chooses to focus mostly on corpses, but the ideal is rather universal."

When they asked of the last Godslayer, Lor, the Suzerain was quiet for a time, and then said, "The Mirror God shows reflections of what could have been, of what is, of what is desired. It is a teacher, and like a teacher it illuminates the parts of us that we are aware of, but do not wish to confront. From Lor, learn how to look back on your actions, and how to look forward to the person you want to be. Ask yourself if you are walking the right path, or if you have strayed and become someone you no longer recognize when you look at your own reflection.

Whenever he was asked about Wan'shi, the Suzerain remained silent until someone finally changed the subject.

When a curious few, typically of the younger generations who had been born into exile, asked about how he viewed Kerima, earning him and them scorn from the others, he told them, "In truth, I do not envy her. She is a goddess of life and order, and those two aspects carry with them inherent conflict. Life seeks to grow, to change and reach without any restraint. Order seeks to impose its own will upon the living, to bend life into a shape where its inherent chaos can no longer taint the laws and restrictions it imposes. Unlike Renarr, who has a set dichotomy where darkness retreats before the light, but then fills in after the day has gone like the flow and ebb of the tides, Kerima's very being, her disparate aspects, are in eternal conflict. She often goes too far, perhaps favors order too much, but... that is how I understand her."

When asked why they should care about these distant lands with their exotic, far-away gods, gods who would never find them, gods that would never care about them, the Suzerain told them, "I did not tell you about them so you could prostrate yourself before these gods. You already know they are flawed, fallible like all others. Your lives are testaments to this fact. I teach you these things because the gods are more than powerful beings, they are personifications of ideals and pieces of the natural order. Anyone, regardless of their faith, can learn from them. Some, like Renarr and Kerima, are living contradictions and show us that we can hold those conflicting ideals without shame. Some, like Dia and Abu Dhahab, can be role models for advisors and leaders."

I teach you also their mistakes. So that you can understand how they have their own limits, understand how they fail at a metaphysical level, so you can understand that your own failures are not caused by some inherent flaws in your being. No one, and nothing, is perfect."

So why should we worship them?

"For the same reason you believe in your community leaders, and the same reason you follow the examples of your elders. Because you find something worthy in them, a cause to dedicate yourselves to, something righteous or deserving. But that choice is yours to make, to act upon. Not mine to force upon you. Not some god's to demand or ordain. If you find none of them worthy, or if you do not need some divine symbol to stand in for your own morality, then spit in their face and turn away, forge your own path."

And so many in the Blight lands still rejected the worship of the gods. But even among these godless a group formed around a champion, a prophet. Their faith in the Suzerain was not easy, it did not bring them magic or power right away, would not protect them from the revenants, and it did not have a willing idol to worship, as the Suzerain rejected the notion out of hand. He was no god, but for these few that did not matter. He was their protector, their teacher, their savior. And that was enough for them.

Renarr - The Circle Continent
Renarr waited within Marreill long after her presence was novel, a goddess simply curious about the peoples who lived there, who looked in upon them and from time to time granted some small miracle or boon when it was needed. She kept her influence subtle, redirecting a falling timber here, keeping a fire from spreading there, encouraging an honored community elder's body to heal from disease just a day or two faster than it should... never something as overt as the creation of the portal to Solace that could still be seen from the heart of the mobile community.

She did not leave because she was waiting for the expedition that was gathering to go and explore this portal to the new realm. Most of that expedition was composed of elves, who's longer lives gave them a larger incentive to find a place that was larger and more secure than their goblin and human peers. There were still humans and goblins, of course, who simply wanted to wander and explore Solace's many layers, but they were adventurers, not settlers. They were not yet weary of travel, and would likely rejoin Marreill to continue their wandering in time. The elves... were tired of moving about. Were tired of the lack of stability. They just wanted to finally sit down and rest.

They would find it in spades there, at the southern valley of the Aerie Spine mountains. They would also find twelve radiant beings awaiting them.

Well, awaiting Renarr, at the very least.

Flying down to their goddess as she arrived as a pair, two of these beings approached the Dawnstar while the others either waited or talked with the harpies who had taken notice of the portal and continuously slipped past the Solar who barred the way. One of them was the twice-blessed archon, Silph, who bowed to Renarr as a courtesy when he landed, but quickly righted himself. The other, a woman with the bearing and expression of a heroic statue carved from marble, would kneel as Renarr approached, and refused to stand until the goddess commanded it of her. This was Amerith, the only other surviving commander of the Solars who had battled Wan'shi besides Silph.

As the elven settlers began to set up camp, and the human and goblin explorers plotted how they would scale the mountains to explore Solace now that it was revealed to them, Renarr conferred with these two Solar and then set a plan into motion to organize her remaining archons, how to use them to change this world.

For Silph's part, he was soon flying off to find where Dia had gotten herself to. He was to be Renarr's liaison with that goddess, a promise that she remembered the river goddess' words, and would work to protect this world more wisely than she had at the start of creation. But Silph was supposed to go beyond that and find the other gods who had stood against Wan'shi, so that the gods could confer on the serpent's prophecies and on how they would respond now that the beast was dead, but its influence still remained.

So, finally time to expand upon these individuals, now that they have access to the world and can finally be relevant to the P L O T.

First thing, some ground rules about these archons: Solars are archons that all share a single, potent blessing bestowed upon them by Renarr. This blessing is divided equally among each Archon, meaning that if a Solar dies, then the others grow more powerful. Should only one Solar remain, they would theoretically hold equivalent power to the Suzerain of Night.

That said, being as restricted in population and potent as they are, actually killing a Solar and keeping them dead is incredibly difficult for a non-deity to accomplish. They are connected to Solace, and unless their soul is separated by powerful magic that creates the metaphysical tether, it will be draw the fallen Solar back into Solace to form a new body should their current shell be killed or destroyed.

The twelve Solar are divided into 4 separate Virtue courts, and each of them represents one of the aspects of those Virtues that Renarr's faithful (especially her Dawnstar aspect) extol as the basis of their religion. Very few Solar remain in a particular position for very long, and sometimes multiple Solar can take up the same mantle at the same time when the need arises, but in general this is what mortals classify these godlings as:

The Court of Society/ Nations (depending on who you ask)

Cassius, Archon of Rulers: Cassius is a serious individual who sees it as his responsibility to nudge societies and their rulers onto a path that will make their countries stable and just. He is an advisor, called upon to be an impartial, if compassionate, judge by many courts on matters of proposed laws and judgements for serious crimes. He is often associated with good kings and wise counselors, and his name is often invoked by those who want to appear to be good and just.
Bruss, The Planner: Bruss is the strong, silent Solar, the one who teaches through action rather than words, and who is often dedicated to the actual construction and distribution of societies. He's also interested in matters of trade, and is often invoked in diplomatic disputes over border territories, in both cases being seen as a symbol of a fair deal for both sides.
Thill, Archon of Growth: Thill is a motherly figure, seen as a bringer of good harvests and full houses. She helps with the logistics that come with growing populations, and is seen as a patron saint of parents and guardian of children.

The Court of the Divine

Silph, the Emissary: Silph is known as the Unfortunate, for misfortune always seems to befall him. To the point where it is actually predictable, and he's apparently developed a natural resilience to being all that affected by it. If you know a piano is going to fall on you, after all, you can jump out of the way... most of the time. Silph is also known as the Twice-Blessed, because his arm is a gift from Dia, making him a rare archon that has more than one aspect applied to him. Given he has the influence of two gods already, that makes him the perfect herald and emissary for Renarr to the other gods of the world.
Herend, Archon of the Archive: Herend is Silph's scribe and assistant, and probably the only being in existence that can understand the Twice Blessed perfectly despite all the layers of sarcasm. The two have a brother-like bond, and it often seems like they finish each other's sentences and jokes... because they may have rehearsed for those situations ahead of time. Herend works as an archivist for all the creations of the other deities, and he is ever looking into the activities of the divine so that he can report it to the other archons.
The Watcher: This archon has no name beyond their title. The Watcher never moves to a different role, and often stays within Solace, watching Gargantua from the surface of the sun in a tireless vigil. The Watcher is always alert to the influence and movements of Wan'shi's unused flesh, and is always attempting to assess the danger posed by any particular piece of Wan'shi's legacy. Since it seems the serpent refuses to accept it is dead, the Watcher's work is never done. They are a saint of inquisitors and others who resist the influence of Wan'shi's cults.

The Court of Guardians

Amerith, Archon of War: Once one half of a twinned deity of love, Amerith was never finished by the creator, and this left both of her halves as easy prey for Wan'shi and vulnerable to Solace's scorching presence. Fortunately, both of them were rescued by the Suzerain's protective shell, and both of them became Solar back when Renarr first forged the race. Unfortunately, Amerith's other half did not survive the battle against the serpent, and she watched her paired love become petrified within the void in an instant. While she was always a bit militant, that loss broke something within the archon, and now she views herself as nothing but Renarr's weapon, her tool to combat evil, and she has given herself fully to that cause. She is a patron saint of honorable warriors, and may very well inspire the stoic hero trope in this world.
Ilmas, Archon of Healing: Ilmas is one of the least war-like of the Solars despite his typical position within the court. While he is often present in conflicts, it is as a healer that comes to bind the injured and to cure the maimed rather than a combatant himself. He also goes to communities that suffer from plagues and other outbreaks, lending his aid to mortals there to train healers and to cure the diseases himself as best he can. He is, unsurprisingly, an inspiring figure for doctors and other healers.
Zariel, The Slayer: Zariel is the archon that is in the First World the most. He's also the one that ends up needing to remake his body the most. This is because he is adventurous, seeking out monsters that could be a threat to mortals and societies in order to challenge them, often founding and joining expeditions into the wilder places of the world. He is the champion of adventurers and explorers because of this.

The Court of Compassion

Hellita, Archon of Love: The solar of families, lovers and other such emotional stuff. Despite being the most common representative of this virtue, Hellita feels like she is a pretender, always comparing herself to what Amerith could have been had the world not been so cruel, and so she always pushes herself harder than the other Solar in the court to live up to her title. She is an obligate pacifist, never harming mortals, and her magic has been modified through a conscious effort to enchant and ensnare the hearts and minds of others. She is often involved in a dozen romances at the same time, but she lives each one out to its last day, and because of this example she is often a patron saint to couples both young and old that hope to spend the rest of their lives together.
Ennis, Archon of Empathy: Also known as the Peace Maker, Ennis is an outgoing yet thoughtful individual. This solar gathers as much information as he can about the conflicts he witnesses and the people who are involved in those disputes, doing his best to understand the factors and ideals on all sides so that he can bring about the right (in his eyes) solution. His understanding of others and their motivations are why he gained this title, but despite his general favoring of peaceful solutions, he is still willing to fight and slay those who are cruel and twisted. Because sometimes, understanding where a person comes from and what drives them does not redeem them, it only makes it more important to see them stopped.
Varral, Archon of Understanding: While he may seem a strange inclusion in this court, this dispassionate archon is still a being who exemplifies the virtue. Calm and reserved, this archon seeks to learn, to delve into the workings of the world and its peoples and all the things that make it tick. And once he figures something out, he then begins to think of ways to apply that lesson to the world in a way to make it better than it was. While it may be a quiet and subtle effort, and thus often thankless, it is all in the name of improving other's lives. Those who he inspires are the support staff and other individuals that keep the world running, but who never have songs written about them like the great heroes of yester yore.

dancrilis

2021-05-20, 06:51 AM

Kerima
She noted the creature leave but didn't pay it to much attention its understanding of choice and consequence seemed lacking to her but more importantly it didn't seem to have any answers on the serpents curse - and she wondered if it could in fact have answers, the curse would impact it as well as other creatures and all were largely not relevant, only if it affected entities at her level did it ultimately matter and if she was unable to determine if she was affected or not then it was unlikely that others could either.

The free will of mortals was easy, they had it because they were allowed to have it - for deities they simply had it no allowance was needed, so how could one determine if they were impacted, the serpent was likely not powerful enough to override a deities free will - but the thought that it might could cause the prophesy to be self-fulfilling.

Priest of Kerima
Though the Suzerain remained in the blight lands where the priests avoided except to occassionally ensure that corruption was not seeping out some of those who listened to him did occassionally leave, either to speak to family or because the life outside the influence of Kerima was not what they expected from freedom, these people told many stories much of which was ignored as the rambling of criminals and madmen but occassional stories that emerged did ring true with what the priests knew from the river archons. These potential revelations might have been more distruptive to society except for these lesser divinities having shared much of their knowledge with the priesthood and so having a seperate entities confirm much of it didn't truely impact society, those who rejected Kerima - and society at large - were unlikely to embrace other entities who offered even less in return, especially while Kerima's faithful held control over the levers of power and law itself derived from her word.
Still the priesthood monitored the situation for disruptive elements - particularly information regarding the entity that became known as 'the storyteller' was treated as something monitor carefully.

The Dwarven Clans
With the advent of mining and the avoidance of conflicts with the goblins the Dwarves entered a golden age - and it was during this time that the first Dwarven Clans formed, dedicated specifically to the interests of their own race rather then society at large this was certain to cause conflicts with the priests of other races and so became a struggle for the entire priesthood, traditionally priests were above racial distinctions and a goblin priest could order an elf to do what they wanted but as many dwarf priests were also the heads of clans and objected to their people following the words of other dwarven priests let alone non-dwarven priests tensions were certain to raise in the priesthood, made worse as the dwarves considered themselves incorruptible as they had never turned from Kerima as others had done.
The compromise came from a somewhat unexpected source - the river archon Xill represented one of the largest underground rivers on Corrla while a faithful priest was always somewhat surprised by the fervour of mortal, and as one who provided much clean water to both the dwarves and the goblins she was respected by both and had the ear of her sisters on the surface who could influnce the human and elven priests. Her comprimise was thus - the priests of a race will lead that race, and matters that affect multiple people will be brought to the priesthood for review and decision making - no longer would a goblin be able to dictate how a dwarf should worship but nor would a dwarf be allowed to determine that an elf was out of line, the expection being of course the laws handed down directly by the goddess who the entire priesthood were obliged to uphold.
The dwarves for there part were satisfied with this - and began their great works to honour the goddess, building temples in her honour from the stone they had extracted and overtime allowing those secrets to the other races.

Kerima herself did visit these temples when she noted the concentration of prayers being held in them rather then in private - and deemed the change in society good, the priests were now justified in splitting the races and the faith of the dwarves (and some others) increased through this recognition.

The Elven Beastmasters
Many of the elves lived on the coast and so were the first to be impacted by the arrival of the Hallowcallers, ripples went through the coastal regions as unlike the revenants who were a known threat and only then to the unfaithful no one knew were these new horrors had come from, as a largely peaceful people the only responce was to rely on faith and to pray. One faithful elder who in his youth had never had the devotion to become a priest and whose great-granddaughter was in the path of one of the creatures called to Kerima in a silent prayer, and for whatever reason the goddess chose to answer "this time I save you next time you control it", he found himself and his great-granddaughter back in there hut safely, but the divine task was clear he would learn about these creatures and all creatures and how to bring them to heel.

Starting with simple animals, birds for alarm, dogs to hunt, cows to milk or eat - all animals were to serve the goddess, and once he and his family knew this it was time to move on to the true goal, revenants were known and nearly harmless to the faithful unless provoked - but could them be guided, could they be trained and controlled, the answer was yes - sure it seemed unethical to some but if you had a member of the unfaithful you could use them to guide the revenants where you needed them and have them perform basic tasks, the final test of the mans life was to find and tame a hallowcaller and over years - longer then a goblin lives - he did so learning the sounds to bring it to bare, learning to get it to go where you wanted, and even learning to have it carry you were you needed to go - the goddess had set the man a task and he had completed it, he died content.

His family took the secrets and made use of them, taming the creatures for Kerima and her people, and some even became priests - revealing the wider world of magic to them were they noted the sprites for the first time, and made use of them by examining the stray thoughts of individuals or by assisting people with matters that had been pressing at them.

AP 5:

Form Organisation (1AP) : Dwarven Clans
- This forms the ruling council for the dwarven people, each clan head is a powerful Priest of Kerima and the race is especially devote, but the clans are mostly about improving the lives of the dwarven people rather then matters of faith which are left to the Priesthood to handle - skilled craftsmen might infact outrank junior priests in some clans subject to the structure the head priest has established.
Magic (Divine) 6/10

Mundane Concept (1AP) : Masonry
- Initially developed by the dwarves who remain the masters of the art, this skill has been spread to the other followes of Kerima over time.
Society (Advancement) 7/10

Mundane Concept (1AP) : Animal Husbandry
- Initially developed to a basic level when animals and mortals first came in contact, this skill was mastered by a family of elves who sought to unlock greater secrets, this is not about a specific animal but more about how any animal can be made to serve.
Society (Advancement) 8/10

Advanced Concept (2AP) : Monster Husbandry
- The true goal of life is to master others, and this is what an elven family spent many years developing - even the fiercest monsters can be tamed and made to serve, it may not be pleasant but the safety of the community and the glory of the goddess can justify any actions.
Society (Advancement) 10/10

AP remaining: 0
Unlocked domain/portfolio: Society (Advancement)

Zelphas

2021-05-20, 01:38 PM

In the Pit of Making - The Final Part

Hetta looks up from her work, glancing over at the newly-formed creature on the ground and the lizard-god who had remained for a reason still unknown to her. She remains frozen for a moment. Well, collaboration is within the rules of godly work, as their actions regarding the Golem Archons have shown. She moves over, her humanoid hands taking the gold and crystal from Abu Dhahab and beginning to work them like they were fine clay.

Hetta's draconic forelimbs, however, move forward, reaching towards the new dragon's empty eye sockets and then through them. The clawed limbs work unseen for a long few moments, then withdraw, just in time for Hetta's humanoid hands to finish their work. The eyes are two orbs of clear, silvery crystal, shot through with flecks and specks of gold; the pupils are currently empty. They will be filled with the first material meal that the new Earth Dragon eats, and the same will be true for every Earth Dragon born from now for as long as the race ends.

As soon as the eyes are inserted into their sockets, the Earth Dragon shivers, scales clinking and falling into place. It blinks once, then opens its eyes fully, the orbs unseeing until it takes its first meal. It begins to rise, until one of Hetta's draconic limbs lands on its head, stilling the creature immediately. It lets out a low hiss, a garbled word similar to the Lizardfolk tongue but slightly different. Hetta does not respond. She is about to send the new creature off to what will be its new home, but she pauses, glancing over at Abu Dhahab. The god seemed fond of words, and it did have a hand in this creature's creation.

After Abu Dhahab speaks (or a significant pause), Hetta waves her humanoid arms once. The Earth Dragon, first of its kind, disappears, reappearing far away in the mountains of the Wadi Alsahali. Crossing her humanoid limbs, Hetta looks at Abu Dhahab, tilting her head slightly. He has her attention, for the moment; did he want anything else?

South, where the Great Marshes, the Spine Aerie, and the Everrun Plains all meet

Keli Limpfoot walked through the odd new towns of Kobald and Harpy on his route, always being careful where he set his foot on the soft, strange ground. Not many centaurs became traders, and fewer still left their ancestral lands, but a childhood injury had left Keli unable to put all of his weight on his right forehoof, and the careful walking this injury necessitated meant that he was uncommonly good at traversing the spongier, more uneven lands at the edges of Kobald territory. He wasn't the fastest trader, by any means, but he could go farther than most centaurs could, and even with his injury centaurs still warmed up more easily to their own kind than to others.

Keli nodded and smiled to those who knew him and greeted him on his route, whistling tunelessly in response to a few harpies (who responded with an outburst of noise that he always hoped was laughter). Many of his kin were still suspicious of these new air creatures, especially when so many other winged beasts are a danger. Keli wished they could come and see this land, where the gentle Kobalds lived with these new races in harmony; it would do well to allay some of their suspicions.

A sudden sight makes Keli stop short, his surprise almost allowing him to ignore the flare of weakness and pain in his right forehoof as he balances awkwardly on it for a moment. There was a creature walking through the town which he has never seen before. From the waist up, it looked like a centaur, but... where were its legs? Where was its tail? Where was its fur? Some discreet inquiries among the learned Kobald scholars gave Keli this creature's name, as well as a bit of where they came from. For perhaps the first time, Keli sought out one of the writing-sticks of the Kobalds, eager to keep this new discovery in writing. It seems he still has some stories to tell, after all.

North, where the Everrun Plains meet the Guardian Glacier

The centaurs had heard of the new race appearing in Lizardfolk lands, creatures who had fur like them and used their bows, but were otherwise almost completely different. The caravans between the two races had suffered because of these new people, and some of the centaur tribes had suffered as well as a result, but no sign of these "gnolls" had been seen beyond the Wadi Alsahali. Until now.

Rumors of a pack of non-Lizardfolk creatures walking on two legs near the far-flung centaur town of Icewatch was enough to alert the Feet of Clay troop nearby. Led by Telo Farshot, the group of twenty galloped to Icewatch with all speed and began searching the area for signs of the new arrivals. The centaurs were tense, their bows half-strung and ready. They disliked the idea of fighting against other sentients, but the stories they had heard from surviving caravans was enough to keep them on their guard.

Earth Dragons now exist! They are currently in the mountains to the north of the Oasis, but they will most likely spread to any mountain that they can get to (who knows what will happen to them if they go to the Underdark...) They are fully sentient, though they have not yet been taught anything that the other races know.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-05-20, 04:28 PM

The centaurs had heard of the new race appearing in Lizardfolk lands, creatures who had fur like them and used their bows, but were otherwise almost completely different. The caravans between the two races had suffered because of these new people, and some of the centaur tribes had suffered as well as a result, but no sign of these "gnolls" had been seen beyond the Wadi Alsahali. Until now.

Rumors of a pack of non-Lizardfolk creatures walking on two legs near the far-flung centaur town of Icewatch was enough to alert the Feet of Clay troop nearby. Led by Telo Farshot, the group of twenty galloped to Icewatch with all speed and began searching the area for signs of the new arrivals. The centaurs were tense, their bows half-strung and ready. They disliked the idea of fighting against other sentients, but the stories they had heard from surviving caravans was enough to keep them on their guard.

The pack was not at all difficult to find; even in the fading light of the evening sun, the signs of their passage were clear: a wide trampled path through the grasses, headed due west. If the obviousness of their trail didn't make it clear that this was no stealthy pack of bandits, their appearance confirmed it. Though the strange, dog-like creatures were alien in appearance, the tiredness and pain in their faces was still clear enough. The group numbered a little over thirty, many of them seemingly small children or wrinkled elders. All were stooped with exhaustion, tongues lolling and tails drooping. Many seemed to be nursing serious injuries as well, deep cuts and gouges wrapped in bandages; a few especially grievously wounded ones were being carried on stretchers by the strongest among them. And yet, despite this, there was an unmistakable hurriedness to their gait, a simmering desperation just beneath panic. Children struggled to keep up with their striding parents, who kept tossing glances over their shoulders at the horizon. It was one of the strong-looking youths who first spotted the centaurs; her eyes widened, and she immediately began trying to communicate something. Her growling, guttural language was incomprehensible. But the meaning of her wild gestures was unmistakable.

DANGER

CLOSE

LEAVE

But at that moment, a sound split the evening air, impossibly loud; like the raging wind of a storm but more ragged, more guttural. A shape appeared on the the horizon, silhouetted on a hill by the orange light of the fading sun. Distant, but the centaurs could tell it was massive-easily over seven feet tall. It was like a nightmarish shadow of a wolf, jagged and bony, hanging scraps of flesh and skin fluttering in the breeze, the massive scraps of copper and bronze embedded in its rotten hide gleaming like fire.

The beast finished its howling and lowered its head. It scanned the plain before it, froze for a moment - and began to bound towards them.

The gnolls began to run.

No AP spent.

Zelphas, I'm leaving exactly how they end up dispatching this thing/how the fight goes up to you. Feel free to take control of the Gnolls as well; a few of them are in fighting shape and have shortbows, poison, and daggers, but they also will not get close to the direwolf (or its remains) under any circumstances.

Zelphas

2021-05-20, 05:04 PM

The Feet vs. the Direwolf

Telo Farshot called his warriors to a halt, looking over the band of the old and the young. These are obviously not warriors, or bandits, they looked like... a memory surfaced, kneeling by the Kobald storyteller as she recounted the reason the Guardian Glacier existed, as well as the birth of the Feet of Clay. They were refugees, that was the word. Like the progenitors of the very organization he and his band were sworn to, these people seemed to have been run out of what was once their home, unable to return. The surprising compassion which welled up at this realization was soon undercut by caution, as one of these creatures began to desperately gesture at Telo and his troop to leave.

Then the howl split the air, and Telo knew he had only so much time to react. "Spike Circle, centered on me!" he shouted, turning to gallop directly between the running gnolls and their terrifying predator. Around him, the members of the Feet of Clay began to scatter seemingly at random around the open field. "Close the circle after the others are free! After!" Telo called out, continuing to move. He found the point directly between this monster and its prey, came to a halt, and began calmly to fire.

Five arrows found their mark in the direwolf before it reached him, and yet the creature did not falter. Telo pushed down the weight of dread with centuries of instinct from centaurs fighting the Clay Dragons; they would never fall, so why despair when they do what is expected? Still in that stillness of concentration, Telo drew another arrow, heedless of the creature's disgusting stink, its claws bearing towards him. Just as the creature seemed close enough to strike, another centaur flashed by its flank, sinking three arrows into its right side in quick succession. Instinctively, the direwolf turned to snap at this new interloper, but she was already away. Telo, seizing the moment of distraction, leapt backwards... and found himself filling a gap in the circle of wheeling, firing centaurs.

And so it went. The centaurs cantered around the direwolf in a continuous wheel, firing arrows into it with careful, measured rhythm. Every time the direwolf chose a target and leapt forward, another centaur would detach itself from the opposite side and approach, drawing the wolf's attention and keeping it penned into the center of the ring. They misjudged the direwolf's speed at first, and three centaurs fell before its attacks, but soon enough the rhythm was tight. A few of the braver, healthier gnolls, seeing the centaurs fighting, took up their own bows and joined them. This led sadly to two more deaths, these times by gnolls who didn't fit into the rhythm immediately. It wasn't until much, much later, once the language barrier was overcome and the two races began to talk, that the centaurs learned of the origin of these creatures and why they were such a danger to the gnolls, but even in this first battle they discovered that the smaller races could not come near teh large wolf without sickening and perhaps being attacked. And yet, the direwolf seemed to seek them out specifically; so the slower, smaller gnolls became the chokepoints and decoy targets in the great wheel, the centaurs using the rage of the direwolf to make it vulnerable and attack even more.

At some point, the centaurs began to sing, a simple ringing song meant to keep the arrow shots and hoofbeats in time. The gnolls could not understand the words, of course, but their snarls and snaps were adequate percussion.

Then, much to the surprise of the centaurs (who had already sent outriders to the nearest town to warn them that a Clay Dragon-like beast had arrived and would need containment), the direwolf, filled with arrows, exhausted from lunge after lunge, slumped down and died. A few more arrows were shot into the carcass before Telo could call a general halt, the centaurs so used to fighting a deathless enemy that the death of this one came as a real shock to them. Slowly, the canter became a trot, then a walk, and finally they stopped, looking over the six dead--three friends, one enemy, and two who could only be called allies after a battle like this--and across at the living, faces both old and very, very new.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-05-21, 12:41 AM

It was dead.

It was dead.

The shock from the gnolls in the assembled circle of warriors was, if anything, even greater than the centaurs'. Direwolves were not hunted. Direwolves were not prey. Direwolves did not die, except at the claws of another Direwolf. Direwolves were indomitable, forces of nature, the divine curse of Kassa the Red-Fanged made flesh. Direwolves were things to run from, hide from. A mortal could not kill one any more than a scarab could kill a sandstorm. That they and these horsekin warriors had done so was...unthinkable. Unprecedented. Nothing short of miraculous. Some of the elders (who had regrouped with the others who'd fled, at a makeshift camp distant from the fighting) refused to even believe it until they saw the beast's corpse for themselves.

What followed was jubilation like none the pack-tribe had ever known. Their stores of food were limited, but they feasted as well as they could nonetheless. The living hunters, gnoll and horsekin, were praised and celebrated, the gnolls' wounds tended and bound by the healers. The grateful healers, through much gesturing and indication, rather insistently attempted to offer aid to the wounded horsekin as well (it helped that Ufrot-Assag gnolls were quite expressive in their speech). Those that accepted would find their injuries cleaned and bound with remarkable skill, treated with strange ointments and poultices that soothed their pain. Old stories and songs of the victorious living and honorable dead were recounted, and new ones were created by the Elder Storyteller, recounting the great battle with much gusto to the bright and eager-eyed children. Even a few horsekin, who didn't understand a word of Gnoll, might nonetheless find themselves briefly enraptured by the sheer emotion and drama of the performances. As the night wore on, the rites of passing were performed; the dead hunters taken aside and ritualistically stripped, their flesh returned to the ground and their skin and bones crafted into tools and weapons, carrying their spirit onwards. And as the fires died, the elders conferred, discussing what to do next about these powerful outsiders.

The gnolls remained camped near the village of Icewatch for several more weeks, offering more medical aid (and bone-carved tools, though those were quickly rebuffed) to any who needed it as a sign of goodwill and gratitude for slaying the beast, while trying to learn more about these strange people, their land, language and customs. They kept a wary but distant guard over the slain direwolf. The metal must be buried, or somehow disposed of, the gnolls explained once they knew enough of centaur tongue to do so; it will poison any wolves, dogs, or gnolls that come near it, creating more direwolves.

Tempered by gratitude from the gnolls though it was, the distrust between the two societies did not thaw overnight; though this pack-tribe had not been one of the bandit ones, the stories of slavering, fiendish dog-marauders were remembered well by many centaurs. And the gnolls, for their part, found much of their culture confusing; in particular the idea of burying one's dead, rather than carrying their bones and spirit with the pack, seemed wasteful, almost blasphemously disrespectful. Still, as their grasp of the centaurs' language improved, the gnolls were able to learn more of the Everrun Plains, of its goddess and of the Feet of Clay who had so bravely aided them.

And one morning, the village would awake to find three gnolls approaching, three of the warriors who had survived the great battle with the Direwolf. They explained, in fragments of halting Centaur tongue, that they wished to join the Feet of Clay, to learn more fully of their ways and return them to their own people.

A bit of a time-skip covering a bit of what the gnolls do next; Zelphas, I leave it to you to describe what the centaurs' reactions are, and how the Feet of Clay end up responding. If they do decide to accept the gnolls I can do another little follow-up detailing how it spreads back in gnoll lands and how the traditions are adapted.

Zelphas

2021-05-21, 07:51 PM

The Feet of Clay Step Westward

The centaurs thought by their forms that the gnolls would be strict carnivores, just as they were strict herbivores. The fact that they could eat and enjoy the bread and new sweets of centaur society was a welcome surprise; it was difficult to hate a race, the centaurs had found, when you can sit at the same table with them and eat the same food. They had been forewarned about the practice of stripping and...repurposing the dead by the stories of the Lizardfolk, but seeing it in person still disturbed many. The widely differing concepts of what counts as "respecting" the dead was perhaps the highest hurdle between the two races.

And yet, the centaurs and gnolls found another unlikely commonality: their views towards their creator-god. Hetta had made them, it was true, but she had also made the Clay Dragons, their ancestral enemies, and she had never explained to them why she had done so. The most devout offered up concepts of strengthening the race or keeping them from growing complacent, but the fact remained that Hetta was the source of both blessing and curse to the race she had made. And so, the centaurs found an odd sort of camaraderie when they heard the broken accounts of Kassa, the god that had given the gnolls their hands and their wealth and then stripped it away by trickery. The two gods could not be more different, and yet they were also similar.

At first, the centaurs of Icewatch respond to their new neighbor's request with... confusion. Since it was born from the mass destruction of ancestral homelands, the Feet of Clay has always been a centaur society. The Feet of Clay contingent debated this idea for several hours; they had worked most closely with the gnolls and so had the strongest sympathies for them among the centaurs, but centaurs had been made by a goddess of Order, and so new concepts were honestly difficult for them to grapple with. The almost-comically circular conversation was disrupted by a young centaur named Raki, who eventually was called Deepmind, when he asked simply if there was anything in the rules of the Feet of Clay that prohibited other races from joining. No one there, even the most learned members, could remember such a rule.

A delegation was sent to the headquarters of the Feet of Clay, bringing to them the request from the gnolls. There, the debate raged for weeks, with several conservative members up in arms against the inclusion of these "bandit" people who they knew so little about. Throughout this, however, Raki's patient question was repeated again and again, and again and again there was no answer. The Feet of Clay were never specifically stated to be centaur-only, which from a certain point of view meant that they were always open to the inclusion of other races.

Eventually, three full months after the first direwolf of the east was slain, an official delegation arrived in Icewatch and the new semi-permanent settlement of gnolls nearby. (The gnolls may have been expecting to return to their nomadic ways, but the centaurs knew the value of good medicinal knowledge, and after the first unfortunate exchange they paid the gnolls in bread, wheat, and information on how to properly plant and tend small fields of their own.) The delegation had an official document, with plenty of official language even in the simple tongue of the centaurs, but the gist of it was told clearly to the gnolls: their wish to join the Feet of Clay had been accepted. For the first time, non-centaurs were given the clay-tipped arrows that marked the organization, and the Feet of Clay began to spread outside of centaur lands.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-21, 11:34 PM

The First Earth Dragon

Abu Dhahab watched with interest as the earth dragon was given eyes. He was initially surprised when the Hetta silently paused while looking at him, then he understood.

With a chuckle, he realized that he had been categorized as someone with many words. Turning to the dragon that stood there cocking its head and taking in the sound of the golems mining, he noticed it seemed to enjoy the rhythm. The other deity was still waiting so he quickly said a few words.

Auratus, first of your kind, through patience and diligent work you were created, may you too find satisfaction in physical labor as you dig rock and soil. A part of you comes from divine beings, may their memories guide you to your destiny.

With a sudden hand movement, the dragon was gone. Sent deep into some mountain where it would dig and eat minerals until it was several times its current size. Eventually a second generation would emerge and then a third.

Turning to the productive deity nearby, he wondered if she ever spoke.

I have heard of your name through the tales that spread to my people, Hetta. It was a pleasure to join you in creating once more.

Do not feel pressured to speak, your silent labor has tought me something valuable. I came to thank you for doing your part in defeating the Devourer, and leave now wiser than when I arrived.

Crocodilian seeking Adventure, Timsah faces the Bloodsuckers

The tales of the three sailors who had accompanied an old merchant and mysterious warrior gained popularity amongst those living along the red coast.

There had been many exciting stories about trades with exotic four legged people and of dangerous forays into the swamps, but crocodilians had never been the main characters. This time was different.

Sailing the rough seas near the red coast, crocodilians were generally the best crewmen a lizard could ask for. Strong, sturdy and excellent swimmers. Although some joined caravans to act work as guards (especially with the emergence of banditry) fishing was still the most common occupation.

It wasn’t until the three croc heroes returned with knowledge of how to use nets to fish that the industry really took off. Previously fishermen were using tridents to spear large fish, which was both dangerous and labor intensive. Several fishermen would work to gether to drive the schools of fish towards shallow bays where the others waited with spears and tridents.

Now a single crew could bring in a haul as large on their own, freeing up more crocs to pursuer the latest trends : sailing and exploration. Crocodilian ships were now attempting to sail around the continent. They’d seen islands before and sailed around them, how much bigger would the island that contained the desert be?

Timsah was one of these new adventurers. Having sailed since she hatched on board her parents ship, she’d always felt more comfortable out on the big blue. Spending much of her free time on training her body and martial arts she became well respected amongst other sailers in the area. When news of the voyage to the south spread to her fishing village, she immediately knew this was for her.

A couple months later, she was on board a merchant vessel as first mate and sailing south east around the coast. The ship was part of a small fleet, and several other ships could be seen sailing nearby. Seeing the massive mangroves as they sailed along the edge of the swamps was an amazing experience, though it came with danger.

A small dark cloud rose out from among the trees as they passed by, and when it got closer someone yelled,

“bloodsuckers!”

Immediately the more experienced merchants locked themselves in their rooms and yelled for the crocs to dive into the water. Throwing stones at the cloud a few crocs managed to take down a some of the oversized mosquitoes. Normal mosquitoes had no chance at piercing a Crocodilian’s hide, and while it was definitely possible, it wasn’t easy for the larger ones either.

Merchants trading with the Kobolds had started encountering the horrible bloodthirsty creatures and found that crocs were again the best defense apart from escaping and hiding. Diving into the water, the Crocodilian crew stayed near the ship waiting.

The cloud descended on the ships, and the blood crazed beasts flew around searching for prey. Crocs only had part of their bodies exposed and swatted any the came close into the sea where they flopped around in anger trying to approach but lacking the ability to swim.

Other crocs stood out on deck and used martial arts to deflect all incoming beasts creating mountains of corpses around them. Eventually these would get bitten a few times and need to retreat to the water.

Timsah felt her heartbeat quicken as her body prepared itself for combat. These large bugs knew no fear and would always fight to the death. Taking a deep breath, she regulated her heart rate and steadied her nerves. Standing on deck with a few of the other warriors, she felt anticipation building up.

When they finally arrived at her ship, Timsah unleashed a barrage of lightning fast punches and kicks, her tail also slapping out with deadly accuracy. The fight went on and Timsah lost track of her surroundings.

It was almost as if she didn’t need to think, her body moving on its own to intercept, strike, and crush bugs near her. It felt like she was swimming, moving though something thick as everything seemed to slow down.

Then she felt it. A warmth flowing through her, like blood but more at the same time more special. She felt the warmth flowing from near her stomach to her right hand. Then with a loud yell, she thrust her palm forward toward the remaining bugs. A faint image of a giant palm materialized in front of her palm and it flew forward, knocking the rest of the bugs into the sea before fading.

A wave of exhaustion and nausea overwhelmed her as she slumped down on the deck. That had drained her of everything she had, and though she was losing consciousness fast, she smiled. Ki.

that point and she passed out. When she awoke, she spotted a tall mountain spire through her cabin window.

Crocodilian ships can now be encountered along the coast near the great marshes and spine aerie. They usually have a few merchants on board who would be keen to trade their salt m, dates, and jewelry amongst other stuff.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-05-22, 12:14 AM

The gnolls settled into this new mode of existence with some trepidation; many of the elders felt that the idea of adopting these foreigners' customs as their own, or settling in this new land as they had begun to, was foolish and dangerous, incompatible with the ways of life that had served their many forbears well. These complaints only increased when the centaurs themselves could not decide on a course of action; this entire endeavor was clearly a waste of time. After months of waiting for this delegation of centaurs to return, many insisted it was time to move on.
But others pushed back; Aruhya Ufraghar, the gnoll who had first warned the centaurs, later to be known as the first and greatest of the Western Clay Feet, was chief among them.
"They did the impossible. They slew a Direwolf," she insisted. "We would be dead if not for their knowledge; too many have already died without it. I will stand here until my bones become ash and the sun becomes stone rather than allow that knowledge to be lost to us."

And so, the gnolls waited. The strange brown loaves of the centaurs were curious; similar to some of the flat breads of the lizardkin, but different. And the knowledge of how to raise their own from this soil (so much more fertile than that of their homeland!) was greatly appreciated. And soon, their patience was rewarded; the first of the Western Feet of Clay were inducted. And though many went with their Feet of Clay brethren when they returned to the Wadi-Alsahali after their training, many stayed, finding this place rich and fertile for settlement. They were the first, though they would not be the last.

The new-minted Feet of Clay were at first met with suspicion upon their return to the lands of the Ufrot-Assag. The tales of a slain Direwolf were scarcely believable; and these strange, now-tribeless gnolls brought with them strange ideas, strange accents, strange gods, strange promises of what could not be true. The gnolls knew well to scarce trust a stranger offering gifts, even a stranger that looked like one of your own. But their results spoke for themselves; and soon their numbers swelled, the stories of their deeds spreading across the pack-tribes.

The roles of the Western Feet of Clay were twofold. The first and largest was the elimination of monstrous threats; armed with the tactics taught to them by the centaurs, the Feet of Clay acted swiftly to hunt down and destroy many of the Direwolves wandering the dunes, securing cooperation where they could with the geckokin to dispose of the cursed remains. They fought too, against the new swarms of blood-sucking beasts emerging from the south; when their usual archery proved less than sufficient against these smaller, more agile foes, they developed new tactics of weighted nets and blood poisons to combat them. Through them, the threat of Stirges and Direwolves to all desert-dwellers was much reduced.

Their second role was in safeguarding the oases. Though many knew and revered the Great Oasis of Nafura, the many smaller oases were also of great importance to the Ufrat-Assag, vital places for rest and refreshing of water supplies for all its pack-tribes - including those that were mortal enemies. An oasis becoming a site of conflict between two tribes - or worse, becoming contaminated by Stirges - was a great catastrophe. Neutrality and peace had to be maintained; and the Feet of Clay, in absence of set tribal lands with set "laws" to uphold like their eastern brethren, became the ones to maintain it, as well as the small amounts of infrastructure at each oasis. They at first merely ensured that any who visited were allowed to rest and take water without interference; but as their influence grew, they soon became the source of a sort of informal over-law among the Ufrat-Assag. It became clear that pack-tribes known to prey on the caravans of the Centaurs would be barred from oases under Feet of Clay protection. And as certain pack-tribes began to open "trade"* with some of the geckokin, preying on their caravans became disfavored as well.

And so, over many generations - due in part to the influence of the Feet of Clay - relations between the Ufrot-Assag and the merchant republics of the Lizardkin, as well as the tribes of the Kobolds, began to soften. The gnolls did not participate in the bazaars, nor deal much with traveling merchants; however, they did establish relations with certain cities and settlements for certain goods, trading their medicines and poisons for tools, weapons, and ingredients of the apothecary arts that couldn't be obtained in the desert, brewing swamp fungi and venoms into many new mixtures. The Feet of Clay extended their oasis taboo to protect them as well, and so, though many powerful bandit-tribes still remained, their numbers shrank as they were increasingly separated from the rest of the Ufrot-Assag - even as their members, by necessity, became more skilled, and more connected to the expanding black markets.

The musical instruments of the kobolds, in particular, were wildly popular, and spread widely; every storyteller of the Ufrot-Assag soon had some. These new instruments, along with the wandering of the packless Feet of Clay, soon inspired the emergence of another group; calling themselves the Sandsong, they took on roles as wandering tellers and gatherers of stories and information among the many pack-tribes of the Ufrot-Assag - and, increasingly, among the settlements of the Lizardfolk and Kobolds as well.

Starting AP: 2/16

Create Organization: The Sandsong (1AP)
The Sandsong are a group of travelling storytellers and singers, not part of any particular pack, but rather wandering freely among the various pack-tribes of the Ufrot-Assag and occasionally the settlements of the Lizardkin and Kobolds, almost always with an instrument or several, operating sometimes in bands of 3-4 but often solitary.

Their unofficial roles within the Ufrot-Assag are twofold: first, they help to promote unity and levity among the often disparate and distant tribes, as well as between the tribes and outsiders. They ensure these groups' stories are told and shared with each other, keeping the breaches between pack-tribes from becoming large enough to escalate to conflict, as well as warming relations between gnolls and outsiders. Secondly, they act as conduits and preserves of news and information. They bring knowledge on the whereabouts of monsters, of disasters and great upheavals, of new developments in foreign and distant lands; many Clay Feet rely upon them for information. They also ensure that stories and knowledge do not die if a particular elder or tribe does, spreading them far and wide instead, and searching for stories and tales that have been isolated or near-forgotten. Many are devotees of Dia, The-River-Who-Watches-Lost-Things.

Remaining AP: 1/16

*The Ufrot-Assag do not place much stock in possessions; they generally make, hunt and gather what they need as and when they need it, with a small amount preserved for emergencies. The idea of having and carrying things for the pure purpose of *maybe* selling them, as the merchants of the Lizardkin do, seems useless and wasteful to them; a wholly unnecessary expenditure of energy. The Ufrot-Assag thus do not often carry or make the excess goods to trade with bazaars or traveling merchants (and they certainly do not carry coin); and many question the value of trading their things for others' things when they could simply take those things instead.

However, the Ufrot-Assag do value skill, the knowledge of making, very highly. Skill is considered the foundation of unity within a pack-tribe: you help and remain with your pack-mates because they are useful to you, and you are useful to them; you survive together. "Stabbing the Knife-Carver" is a common gnoll idiom for sabotaging and ruining yourself. For this reason, pack-tribes are often quite egalitarian and open to outsiders; blood ties matter little, so long as you have a skill useful to your pack-mates. And likewise, it is not uncommon for willfully useless members to be exiled. (Of course "useless" has many meanings; even the weak and infirm of body are very frequently trained as respected storytellers. Some pack-tribes, however, are crueller.)

So, as they began to explore relations with other societies, it did not take long for them to expand this attitude to others. This village uses their skills to make things that are useful to us; therefore, we do not prey on them, and use our skills to make things that are useful to them. So, though they do not often participate in markets, it is not unusual to make specific arrangements with specific settlements and villages: we give you all the medicine you need, you give us all the herbs we need; together, we survive.

SpeedWitch

2021-05-22, 06:41 AM

Silph - Fishing on Nocturne
You'd think it'd be easy to find a giant flying river of stars long enough to split the Circle in half - not so if that river is hiding in the sky at night. Or beyond. Silph circled the world three times before trying the portal to solace and skirting around the Daystar. At last, he spotted the River Dia flowing atop the entrance to Nocturne, a small wooden boat at its center. An old lizardfolk was sitting in it, red light gleaming in his claws.

Silph touched down across from him, and the lizardfolk stood-up, sinking what looked to be a lightning bolt stuck to a string through a flaming red orb. He then pulled back a shoot of bamboo in his other hand and then swung it forward and up at the void, the string attached to both both rod and hook carrying the orb up and away, across a distance so far and vast not even Renarr had devised a measurement for it. It faded into the darkness, then shone in a burst of light that instantly eviscerated countless of Wan'shi's spawn, and sent countless more scattering across the void. Where there was darkness, a star now shone, red as dawn.

"Huh. Thought we'd get at least halfway through before someone noticed us."

A young kobold girl sat behind Silph, idly kicking her legs - he didn't know when she got there or how. "So, Surz need a ride back?" she asked, smiling. Silph noticed right away that behind her crooked teeth, there appeared to be no more flesh - it was as if the back of her skull was missing, though he couldn't confirm that from this angle. "Don't think I can help with that one. Strangest thing: you'd think making big fiery balls of gas all over the place would warm things up, but apparently the void's gone colder than Nocturne these days. Probably got our recently departed snake-friend to blame. Should probably give it a better name than 'Snake'... anyways, I've just been hanging out with papa Alcyone here, trying to mimic what mortals do when they need to think long and hard about things."

The lizardfolk yanked his line back across the vast distance of space and glanced over at Silph, his crocodilian eye briefly turning clear as water to reveal clay and stone underneath. Then he turned back, casting his line out, yanking a star across the cosmos and tapping it lightly with one finger, before hooking it again and tossing it back out in a new location. He repeated this process several times, a pattern slowly emerging from the void.Starfisher Rod
Create Major Utility Artifact (Alter Land, 5 AP)
Crafted from memories and infused with Dia's power, this rod can fish up stars in the void, reel them in as a harmless ball of light, and recast them elsewhere. The stars can also be inserted with sprites while in ball form, making them a permanent part of the star. This effect can be used to create unique patterns and constellations that stick out to mortal eyes, whispering memories to them from across the void.

Alcyone Salmon Constellation
Alter Land (1 0 AP)
A red salmon fish, also known as alcyone salmon, a name that popped into the heads of the first star-cartographers. This breed of salmon went extinct after Wan'shi devastated the northern coast of Circle Continent. Those who gaze up at this constellation long enough can perfectly visualize the natural life cycle of an alcyone salmon, swimming up and down a nameless river across the Everrun Plains.

Stargazing
Create Mundane Concept (1 AP)
With the stars settled into place, mortals will naturally stare up at the stars at night, finding patterns, crafting stories, and admiring the beauty of Wan'Shi's scales. This activity will only grow more popular as more constellations are formed, inspiring artists across the world.

Remaining AP: 0

Writtensanity

2021-05-22, 07:07 AM

Neela awoke to chirping birds in the middle of the night. Chicks. One of her mother's last sisters must have passed during the evening and-

The Harpy shot up with a start, the last thing she'd seen was... impossible. A creature both small and infinite. The kind of thing you saw in a dream you couldn't remember when you woke up.

Neela had been awake for all of it.

In her claws, still clutched against her chest, the midnight talon drained light from the room. Neela looked down at it with sudden understanding. It looked like it was just a talon, but she could feel that it was a gift. a Donation from The Mother.

Neela had seen the Mother like Annethenia told her she had before she hatched and would once she was ash. The mother had started the cycle, and the Harpies would shard until they returned to their lives as mighty Phoenixes eventually. Neela was just part of the cycle, but now she was part of the cycle holding something given to her by the beginning of it.

As Neela thought, the talon in her fingers hummed and the Harpy knew what she was going to need to do. It was going to hurt, but it was the only way to use the gift that the Mother had given her.

Neela dug the talon deep into her skin, leaving a long scar, black as the talon itself, and poured her blood onto the floor of the room. Somehow this process stopped hurting past the first few seconds.

Words and ideas seeped into the floor and spread out, spreading to the Harpies and Kobolds. Neela's greatest eventual contribution skipped years of development and hatched right now.

Using the Briettia's Talon for a discounted - Create Mundane Concept Action

Translation - A series of structured rules that apply to languages and writing, allowing for faster more efficient translation of the language systems used by different races.

Ap Spent: 0

Kinro

2021-05-22, 11:36 AM

The Harpies had understood Kobold Neela's plight and, after her collapse, she had been laid alongside her Harpy namesake to recover. And her exhaustion had been so great that even the darkness of night hadn't woken her up, only stirring once the Harpy began to cut into herself, only fully awake once she was done, seeing, then, the dark, dark scar and the blood on the floor. Immediately, and in a practice move, she took her flute from its holster and brought it to her lips. "Neela! What happened? Are you alright?" she asked, her song... perfect. The melodies just as they should be, even the tone of concern suffusing the piece in just the right way. She had been nearest when the blood was spilled and, in her distress, hadn't realized her sudden mastery of the Harpy language.

ROLLOVER

0 + 4 = 4

Teach Mundane Concept(Translation)

0 (Jewel)

KragBrightscale

2021-05-22, 12:59 PM

Jabal Alsalaam
Returning to the desert, Abu Dhahab stopped by to see how Nafura and the golems were doing. Although there were many oases dotting the arid land he had created, none were as large or beautiful as Wahat Alraha. Being maintained and cared for by the living spring of water herself the place had somehow become an important destination for all races that have inhabited the desert.

The blessed sands surrounding the oasis provided special protection against cursed creatures and unnatural ailments, while the golems could defend against larger beasts that threatened the sanctuary. Having participated in the fight against the Devourer, they managed to fend off the marauding clay dragon that occasionally roamed too close without too much trouble.

As a result, a thriving town had organically sprung up nearby, markets were held weekly, and several nomadic Gnoll tribes would stop by from time to time, their storytellers gaining a following amongst the more permanent inhabitants. A few Kobolds had set up a post for their message delivery system, and started growing a few of the plants in the oasis that they used for writing on. Music was growing in popularity and some craftsmen had succeeded in using hide stretched over a frame to create rhythmic percussion instruments.

Such a large gathering of various races was naturally a little chaotic. While Lizardfolk discussed their ideas for the development and regulation at certain gatherings in the marketplace, other races had their own forms of leadership. Differences in culture and practice led to periods of unrest though nothing escalated to full on combat as Nafura and the golems were a deterrent.

Thus a tense peace was maintained until the feet of clay arrived. An organization dedicated to protecting and skilled at maintaining order, their presence quickly resulted in an overall improvement in the situation. Nafura and the golems, weary from all the liveliness of mortals, were relieved that they no longer had to intervene to keep the peace.

Abu Dhahab, on the other hand, enjoyed the busyness, the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. Roaming the streets shaded by date trees he noticed that while this was definitely a special place for mortals, as was his intent, it no longer was a place of tranquility for the weary. The golems had hidden themselves as soon as order was established, and Nafura communicated discomfort at being stagnant for so long.

Walking a little to the north of the oasis, Abu Dhahab saw the rocky plateaus and mountains in the distance. That would work, he thought and stuck his hands into the sand.

With a gentle pull, he raised his arms, and in front of him, a tall plateau was formed. Rising to a hight several times that of the desert rock formations it pierced through the clouds. Steep cliffs surrounded it, and there was no way to reach the top yet.

A lot of sand was kicked up with the rise of this new land feature, and the skies were obscured for a week. The people living at the oasis nearby took shelter within their buildings and tents unable to see what was happening outside.

Remembering his recent enlightenment, Abu Dhahab got into the satisfying detail work of carving out steep stairs into the newly formed rock, wrapping it around the plateau until it reached the top. He carved channels for water to run down from above without washing across the stairs, and connected them all to the oasis.

At the top, Abu Dhahab carved out a smaller space for Nafura to rest before inviting her to move there. From now on, she would primarily stay at the top, but would also flow down the channels and refill the oasis. Returning to a state of motion would definitely be more comfortable for the river archon.

The golems too, were invited up to the top, where Abu Dhahab demonstrated true martial arts and methods for cultivating Ki, giving each of the seven different sets of techniques. Not interested in the happening of the mundane world, the seven would remain on Jabal Alsalaam passing down their skills to those they deemed worthy, eventually becoming the revered elders and guardians of a new organization.

Creating more of the holy sand, he filled a trench with it around the top of the rock. This would protect those who dweller here later from harm and corruption. Creating some fertile soil and bringing up some date trees and other plants the place had become a paradise of vitality, a stark contrast to the surrounding landscape.

The Ascetic Order of Zahd

As the dust cleared and Abu Dhahab went on his way, the people of the oasis finally noticed the change in landscape. This was obviously a divine act, for who else could shape the world with but a thought?

The new rock formation stuck up in front of them, and a seemingly endless stairway climbed up it past the clouds. Water cascaded down weaving through the pathway up, sometimes passing beneath it with the natural bridge crossing the water, other times passing above it as the path passed through a tunnel. A hint of green could be spotted here an there along the channels the water took, but the top was impossible to see without ascend the stairs personally.

Some were eager to see this new land for themselves, packing some supplies and setting off, but few made it to the top. The grueling climb, and thinning air made it almost impossible for ordinary mortals to ascend. While water was readily available, the hike up takes days so those climbing would have to bare the burden of carrying their own food.

The first group of hikers thinned out quick, and soon it was only those who had trained their bodies that remained. This was a mix of different races. Crocodilians with strong bodies, lightweight Geckokin, Lizardfolk who had awakened Ki, even a couple Gnolls and a Kobold were amongst the first to climb to the top.

At the top, they were met with Nafura herself who explained that this was to become a holy place, where people could search for truth and inner peace while training their bodies and disciplining their minds. Those who could forsake their mortal ties and selfish desires would be welcomed to stay, otherwise they would be asked to leave after a day of rest and recuperation.

Those that chose to stay were questioned individually by the golems and tested for their potential. Aptitude for martial arts and Ki training was not a hard requirement, but living there would be harmful for anyone who could not achieve at least a basic level of Ki cultivation.

News soon spread from those who returned from the peak, of a beautiful place separated from mortal affairs, and dedicated to cultivation, discipline, peace, truth, and martial arts. As people traveled to visit the place over the next years, the group of initiates residing at the top became a larger community.

Each initiate had their own daily tasks to fulfill, and the community was entirely self sufficient as food was grown in the fertile soil. Daily exercises lead by the most senior members taught everyone the foundational basics until they were good enough to seek a personalized technique from the golem elders. When teaching, the golems made use of their adaptable bodies to take on the same form as their students, ensuring the optimal compatibility between them and their techniques.

Eventually some members were allowed to descend and establish a presence in the mortal societies below. Defending the weak, caring for the poor, defeating monstrous beings that threatened communities, and looking out for potential seedling who could be invited to join.

Eventually the group became known as the Ascetic Order of Zahd, whose members were referred as ascetics, monks, or Zahids depending on who you asked.

AP= 0 + 4

Alter land (Jabal Alsalaam) -1 AP
A towering plateau rising from the sand into the clouds with a winding stairway leading to the top. A river archon lives at the top providing water for the community and sending water down to the oasis below too. Protected from corruption and unnatural evil with the blessing of holy sand, the place is a sanctuary for martial artists and those who seek tranquility and enlightenment.
Combat (Unarmed) 9/10

Create Organization (Ascetic Order of Zahd) -1 AP
The monastic order headquartered on Jabal Alsalaam. They are not limited to any one race, and don’t discriminate against any either. United in their pursuit of truth, enlightenment and inner peace, they live a communal life of discipline and selflessness while honing their bodies and minds through meditation and martial arts.
[b]Combat (Unarmed) 10/10
Portfolio acquired

4 -1 -1 = 2 AP remaining.

Razade

2021-05-22, 04:56 PM

Garganta, Occupied

In the wet steaming air of Vast Garganta, the 12 Solar who had lost their very lives in the war against the Void Serpent Wan’shi, frozen by the winds of Nocturne, had slowly begun to melt. There in the very body of the ancient God Foe, their small divine spark mingled with the miasma of mana that dwelt in that pit and slowly, ever so slowly, that which had fallen began to rise anew. The Great Abyss was empty, devoid of life, but as the first took their breath and assembled in the depths of mighty Garganta.

Rong Tou, beautiful and elegant as she had been in life, was standoffish and cold as the meeting drew together there in the belly of Garganta. Dark of skin and hair with clever eyes of emerald she was not who she had been when she was the twin of some Solar. Love was not in her nature, but her tongue was honey laden and sharp. She, like her former savior, was the cold of shade drawn from the sun. With her every whisper she cursed Renarr and worked to undo the Goddess’s works. Their special Gift was to appear as a God in truth, not merely some lesser thing.

Huu was second to the meeting, apathetic yet present all the same. Most like the Orcs, she was draconic and broad but not in a muscular way. Hers was the broadness of sloth, her belly hanging over her legs, a diaz carried by unseen forces. She spoke as Hetta, when she spoke at all. Huu made all who came forward slothful and hesitant, such that few could stand to fight her face to face.

Wan Lee Suk was a slender and meek thing, ever concentrated on that which shined. Long fingers grasped at anything valuable, tongue snaking out to wet dry lips. How like a worm he was, slithering here and there for greater power in the assembled. When those who asked, he would speak the name Abu Dhahab, but only if the price was right. Wan Lee Suk knows the price of all things, merely at a glance.

Fah Ling was two sides of a single coin, transmutable yet harsh when any conflicted or contradicted their current form. Vain and ill-tempered, they arose such a fury when not respected that it is said mortals would cry blood at their appearance. They demanded Worship as only Kermia could. Fah Ling’s voice can command any mortal in hearing, and trap those of weak heart to their bidding.

Ahn Fang was born with wings, yet they were fragile things. Grounded for they were too afraid to fly, too quiet to show their majesty. They walked wherever they might go, their feet bloody and raw. They were Moiraithe, should any ask, yet too scared were they to speak their name unprompted. Ahn Fang can summon mighty storms with a thought, strong enough to strip flesh.

Hou Zhe Fu had died twice. First when the Solar Winds of the Sun had blasted them, yet they clung to life all the same, finding the breath to stagger into the warm embrace of Renarr only to die from the cold. Half their body was rotten and blue, the other charred and black. They chewed their lips for food, and rasped Idix when joining the roll call. Hou She Fu cannot die, or so the stories say. Even chopped to bits, one day, Fah Ling will return. It will be Wan’shi and Fah Ling that will witness the end of all Creation.

Dae Gim was a languid thing, more swap than river and Dia was their facade. Never committing to one side, they simply traveled between their brethren, eager to help but too concerned with their own state to be of help yet basking in glory when it was given. Dae Gim knew all the stars in the sky and can speak prophecy.

Xin Sik Woo fawned over themselves yet refused their own image, the most beautiful of the Fiends. Always a mirror in hand, the Fiend was bitter when any would look upon them and compliment. They spit back offenses and cruel jabs at those that witnessed them and with their words made it reality. Their most vile words were reserved as Lor, acting as a dark mirror to honest thoughts. Xin Sik Woo can transmute flesh with but a word, or drive mortals insane with harsh words.

Kyu-hyun was a speedy thing, eager of action and conviction. Of the Fiends, they alone were most motivated and found easy worship in the Shelled for they took over the appearance of Sen the Turtle God whose body now lay within Garganta. Kyu-hyun can be many places at once, in many guises.

Kyung Nam strove to create yet could only build that which would harm. A great blacksmith yet poor of quality in much else, they offered twisted metal things in place of honest work. Magrius, the Shaper, would be their name claim yet even this they overwrought and wielded like a weapon of war. Kyung Nam can transform their body into any weapon and wield it with mastery.

Ye-Won Sok wore armor unlike the other Fiends, more durable even than they. Behind this mighty armor, they remained silent for an affliction had struck them most foul yet they possessed as all knew great qualities yet to be seen.Ye-Won Sok breathes disease and their touch is poison to all they will it to consume.

Geon Yu then was brave Briettia, though they were not so brave and not so Briettia. Too eager to rest on the many eggs of demons yet unformed, they watched from the mighty roosts of Garganta than join the roll call. Geon Yu can create temporary monsters from their clutch.

And here then were the twelve Fiends and with a meeting in the dark pits of their home, the mission had begun. Rong Tou gave her bow, for she was most active of the 12 and had Gods to fool.

The Birth of the Reclaimers

Deep in the dark vast tunnels, the Xen worked. Many of their kin had been placed inside the crucibles. The transformation was at hand. As the birth cries of the Fiends rippled out, the appointed hour struck and there as mana was flooded for just the briefest of moments with the corrupted Solar’s power, the crucibles sprang forth. What had once been Xen had transformed, a true blessing from The Void Serpent. No longer were they wirey, black things that shunned the light. They were tall, broad shoulders and heavy of muscle and unashamed at their nakedness. In the dusky light of The Underdark they crept, slowly converging upon the greatest of the Xen cities. Where once had been silence in the gloom, voice echoed out. The Orcs had their own tongue, not speaking in the mind like Xen. Harsh, cruel, and guttural, fit for warsong and foul language. It was the language of a child, the Xen understood, and they would set to teach their betters so they might walk in the light of day. That would take time, time the Orcs were not eager to wait on nor were the Xen able to argue. The path towards the Serpent had begun and this was yet one of the many challenges the Exile would command.

In the dark they were clothed, given tools and weapons and in the tunnels they traveled. There they were spoken to by the Xen, their children taught to listen to their teachers, that there was an order they must obey, for the Orcs were not merely fit to eat and slay. They were to be God Killers. Their hands would be the hands to break the Moon, to free the Serpent, to become masters. Even as they spoke however, the Xen knew. Knew that things had changed. No longer would their homes be silent, no longer would they be working to a singular goal. They were to the Orcs as grandparents were to grandchildren, their number few but their purpose large.

Firespine Island

The first Orcs to crawl to land came out where Wan’shi had devoured the Earth itself, called to the violent peaks of their God’s fury. They stood looking out over the ocean to the many small peaks that dotted the horizon before turning to the vast wall of ice that blocked The Circle Continent. Their inheritance was fire and ash, small creatures to feed off of yet a promise for more. The most fertile and advanced continent was on their doorstep and they would soon say hello.

Turtle Islands

From the central volcano of the center they slowly came. First it had been the Xen in the twilight of the Turtle God’s slumber, dressed in shells of their own making to mask their appearance further. They had traded, learned the mind magics easily for they were naturally telepathic, and made good on the trade off with the Shelled. In time they simply integrated with the peoples of the Turtle Islands, moving about the other islands as they saw fit.

It was, like with all other meetings, simply to glean information, to prepare for the true Reclaimers. When the Orcs arrived to the Turtle Islands their meetings were less friendly, less focused on trade. For in those many years the Turtle God had gone silent. Abandoned their people, to languish, to witness the vast wave that swept the world, to weather the storms, to see volcanic islands rise from the sea. The world had almost ended for them but no one interceded on their behalf. The Orcs came with a message, their Faith. Wan’shi and the Twelve were the only way. The Gods had abandoned Creation to their favored peoples and only the Weshesh could rise to the Void and take the Gods in their halls.

Many Shelled refused the offering to join the Weshesh and took to the seas to find new lands. To speak of the Orcs and their Gods and their ways but many remained and became one with the Xen and the Orcs. While the Xen were the caretakers and teachers of the Weshesh and the Orcs the royalty, the Shelled would find no small job of their own. With the powers of mental manifestation, they were tasked to build, to repair, for they could do so with mana and mentalism in ways the Orcs could not with Worship and mana.

Far from the volcanic peaks of Firespine Island, the Orcs of the Turtle Islands reported food aplenty, though with long travel in the Underdark and no method to preserve it, the islands were a breadbasket only for the Orcs present. It was here however, free of the struggle so many other units suffered under, the Orcs received their second lesson of the Xen. Structure. Where once the Weshesh were a singular people, now three walked under their banners.

The Weshesh were built around the Orcs, that much was known, yet all had their part in the slowly growing cities and homes they built about the islands. Castes slowly began to form between the roles present. The Shelled found themselves fully within The Builder caste while the Xen fell quickly into the scholarly class, the only ones who knew how to write or to trade. The Orcs would one day fill both, and many more, to be detailed later.

Rong Tou: Spire Aerie

With a step the Fiend Rong Tou slipped into the First World, and immediately sensed it. A piece of the Void Serpent yet dwelled here. With another jump she slipped to the Spire Aerie though made no hostile move. After all, she was a God for any and all to see, and a God should not be so rude as to start with violence. Instead the fair Rong Tou observed, searching only for the Void Serpent's piece.

AP: 4

Create Legendary Sub-Life (Fiends) - 3AP: Fiends are powerful demonic beings though one would not know by looking at them. Humanoid, looking much like Solars or even Elves or Humans of the First World, Fiends are in limited supply. Only 12 in Garganta, they are a mockery of the first 12 children of The Creator. Fiends can teleport from Garganta to the First World natively, bypassing the Void as well as produce feats of mana without any mana present as they are powered by the stuff on a fundamental level and exude it all around them. Fiends also have unique powers granted to each along with highly durable flesh, not needing to sleep, breath or eat. [Life (Demons) 7/10]

Create Sentient Sub-Life (Orcs) - 1AP: Orcs are tall, broad shouldered, muscular and humanoid. Orcish skin color tends to be muted olives, browns, rust reds or dark grays depending on where they are born though they are a highly morphic species and can have skin tons of bright colors along with markings. Orcs have thick tusks on their bottom jaw and serpentine or draconic features though these are also highly morphic. Orc men tend to be taller and broader than women, where women tend to be slimmer and faster. Orcs in general have a deep connection to mana, can see in the dark, endure extreme weather and temperature and have a potent sense of smell and hearing. [Life (Demons) 8/10]

Writtensanity

2021-05-22, 10:28 PM

,Briettia: Spine Aerie

Rong Tou's presence in the Spine Aerie wasn't quiet for long. her form, mostly humanoid but without wings, was an oddity to the Harpies of the Aerie, and more importantly, the might Fang Phoenixes, bright as the sun, bowed to her in reverence.

Phoenixes were born during the creation of the moon and Spine Aerie and had infinite lives. Their memory of the divine was immaculate, they could feel it in the air and gave Rong Tou that same respect that they gave Briettia. The Phoenixes' reaction drove excitement among the Harpies, who flocked to watch the divinity.

The Harpies scattered a moment before the Phoenixes sprung to action, circling Rong Tou and cutting off any prying eyes. Once the air was clear, the Phoenixes left to hunt, and Rong Tou was alone on one of the higher peaks of the Aerie.

Until she wasn't.

A gale heralded Briettia, who'd been halfway across the Aerie when she'd heard the news of another divinity. She had met others before, once, and it had been for violence that she regretted. This time had to be different.

Briettia spoke for the first time.

"Welcome Goddess, to my home, the Aerie."

Briettia swept one of her wings, casting the feathers and remnants of empty nests on this peak out to the winds while leaving full nests untouched. "Pardon my curious children, they have no knowledge of Gods other than myself. I've kept the Divinities I've met at arm's length but- I do not know you."

---

A Tale of Two Neelas

Harpy Neela nodded to her friend when they asked about them. "Of course something wonderful has happened but I don't know how to describe it! I need to tell you." Harpy Neela took a knee and started scratching out her message again in the Kobold text that she'd been working on. Similar to the song, it was perfect.

It wasn't until several minutes of the pair going back and forth that they realized many of the other villages, Harpy and Kobold alike, were staring at them. They had been communicating, both in writing and song, perfectly for their entire conversation without stopping. Sentences had been shared between experts before, but something like this was unheard of.

At first, they wanted to explain it as happiness guiding their hands, but when Harpy Neela touched Kobold Neela they suddenly both understood. There were methods and rules to the song they could both sing, but thousands of hours of study had melted away between them, and suddenly ideas that had felt so infinitely arcane, the difference in languages, melted away to- to something that could be taught with a bit of patience and time.

Through this method, the Harpies adopt writing in the style of the Kobolds rather than trying to make their own. Though the different mouths and vocal chords of the species make vocal communication difficult, with translation it's much easier for Harpies to fully learn the written language and integrate better with Kobold society.

A Step Over the Line

The Hollowcaller cried out to the empty sky as the Elvish family tried to convince it to come back inside of the evening. It had been their loyal pet for months, having been broken in and brought to heel by the followers of Kermia. It was far from the only Hallowcaller that had been made to work as a scout and come back to the same roost each night.

Never again.

The starlit sky had been blocked out, for just a moment by the Goddess of Motherhood, wearing her other face. She hadn't hatched Hallowcallers from the Egg of flocks to see them become the horses that they preyed upon. The Hallowcaller felt her will, and it rebelled against the life it had been forced into.

Whether it killed its masters or not was irrelevant, what mattered was that the Hallowcaller was free, and others would be too...

ROLL OVER (Current AP 5)

Curse - Wild Blood

The monsters of the world were created as monsters, not mundane life, and they would prove to be more chaotic and powerful than chains could consistently contain. Similar to how lions and tigers will randomly turn on their keepers on Earth, the monsters of Briettia's flock will never be tamed by blood. They may be kept, they may be used, but without warning they would revert and the fox would be in the hen house.

This affects all monsters, including those previously mentioned as partners by some races like Terrorbirds.

AP COST 1

Domain Contribution: Society(Wilderness) 4/10

ezekielraiden

2021-05-23, 02:56 AM

Prologue I: To Fight and Die in Starlight

The might of the gods was great, and none of the little godlings held any hope of besting their contributions to this battle. But still they fought, despite knowing the lethal cold of Wan'Shi awaited. Some did it for pride, others for vengeance, many for love of their Home, but none did it to save themselves; to join Renarr and Lor and Dia and the others against that vast hunger beyond the lot of gods, against Oblivion Alive, was nothing short of suicide. They all knew this well, but nonetheless did they join the gods, these archons whether golem or not, united by one will, souls bent toward one aim. They who fought had nothing to lose, for they knew there would be no difference between losing now as fighters, and losing in the blink of a godling's eye as cowards.

Some--perhaps many--died ere they touched the beast, scattered on winds of tooth and talon or consumed in a fury of flame-beyond-flame. Those who made the journey fought with truly single-minded focus; some were crushed under the Serpent's coils, some unready for the Void's bitter bite. But they were many, so, so many against the Serpent's one, and the planes themselves tremble before such unity. Each blow was but a pinprick, a gnat's itch, a flea's bite; by itself, any archon would have been nothing, not even worthy of the Serpent's attention, let alone its ire. By the thousands, though? The millions? Even the mightiest would feel their touch.

With so many, focused so intently on a single goal, what of the thoughts, the memories? These warriors had no time to focus on retaining anything that might split from them, lest they fail to break free of the Serpent's timeless menace. So did the dark of the Void shine, to those with eyes to see them, with nigh-uncounted lights. None, of course, near so bright as Renarr and her works, none so great as to catch Lor's ceaseless gaze, but real nonetheless: the hope-against-hope of so many that the fate that is Wan'shi, that Wan'shi is, could be defied, overcome, surmounted.

The godlings were not alone, however. The gods' children joined them, albeit fewer in number. They, too, loved their Home and would not abide its loss to the Nothing-that-Hunts. And they, too, went to fight and die in starlight, that others might live. Whether their sacrifice paved the way to victory, or simply filled the time before Renarr and Lor's telling blow, none can say. But when that light came, the light of the Sun-of-War, and the light of Truth-that-Sears, they all took their deaths with hope, and breathed their last in the mana of Wan'Shi.

Prologue II: In the Wake of War, Came Words

Last breath, first words. A poetic end, if indeed anything can be the "end" that which is Ending itself. The words cut through reality, not like a hot knife, but a frigidly cold one, the vivisector's scalpel piercing through walls and worlds like the thinnest skin. Words pregnant with prophecy, filled with fate and fatality alike.

Born of Creation
Abandoned by Creator
The Gods seek to delay the inevitable

The stars will fade and fall into the oceans
The light of the Sun shall grow abominable to those on the lands
And the cold winds of Nocturne will blow across the deserts, turning all to stone
There is no escape
There is no hope
All will be consumed

The Gods in their envy shall rise up
Deserious, vain, and greedy
Their little soldiers, primed and plain
Will fall to chaffe, or unsown grain
Empty bellies grumble, the plates of Gods bare
Covetous, neighbor will take from neighbor
Allies born in conflict
Locked forever in first meetings

When the Gods do war across Creation
And the time grows nearer now
Their duty to keep their creations safe
Will distract them from the gate
In their fallow absence
Their punishment await.

Creation shuddered for a moment under the weight of this death-wail, and then all was still for just a moment. For the first and perhaps only time, all of creation stood silent and still, a fleeting instant of shock and listening. Only time could tell whether this was the calm after the storm, or merely the storm's eye. Or perhaps, in some way cognizable only to those for whom existence is as malleable as clay, it was both, and neither.

One small part of the battle-wreckage remained disturbed by the words. A remnant of ice and light, earth and essence that evaded the sight of other gods--and yet it seemed to call to it many of the Sprites that were strewn about by the Serpent's thrashing. Compacted from the parts of slain divinities, it yet harbored some tiny, trembling ember of life. Into that spark, the fuel of memories went. Memories of fighting on despite the horror before and beneath, memories of giving everything to save another that might never be seen again, memories of sublime pride at standing upon the shoulders of gods to fight a common foe. Memories of light overcoming darkness, unity vanquishing entropy, hope surmounting despair. Memories that lived on, even as those who lived them did not.

From this, and the rich mana bled by Wan'Shi under Lor's blade of light, the spark quickened. Defiant to the last, the spark reached out toward the light and life of the First World, what it remembered--from so many lives--giving the ultimate measure in the vain hope of victory. So much yet could be done! So many stories yet could be told!

Fate and Defiance: The Tangible Wish

The spark strained against its confines and the dying of the lights. To fall into the final rest now would be a travesty, unacceptable. No. It would not, could not surrender so. If the Serpent could be defied, so too could this. Of course, the tomb does not open its doors lightly, but the tomb is a quiet place, ill-ready for the throng of a thousand, thousand voices crying out in unison. As they did, the difference between many and one became thin, indistinct. The debris drew closer to the First World, until it fell in searing brilliance--an echo, perhaps, of the light that had so wounded Wan'Shi. But this light did not destroy; instead, it smelted, forged, unified, until it slammed into the Guardian Glacier--where yet more sprites joined its song.

Formed as it was, this nascent god could not have avoided some semblance of the dark Serpent's form. But where Wan'Shi was dark and cold, clothed in sinew and flesh, this was bright and warm, and its mantle shimmered with scale and feather. Strong, as the hearts had been that beat as one so Creation might endure, but svelte, twice refined in flame and twice quenched in ice. In form, glorious; yet in motion hesitant, at least at first, for though it--he--had memory of limbs and locomotion, these were new-forged and only just coming to know their strength.

The child-god rose from the caldera-crib, riding the air on resplendent wings, simultaneously as fresh as a newborn babe and as old as the oldest memories that made him. He remembered them all--and always would. That, too, was part of the glory. Indeed, it was the greater part; to know, to be born from, those who had given their final measure, knowing they would in darkness fade. For no greater love has a soul than this: to lay down its life for another, not for crusades or fame, but alone in the dark, where no one would know or see or remember. No one, except him.

"We will remember you. We will remember that you once lived. We will. This, I swear, until the stars grow cold and the sky entire falls into the sea. For I am..." He paused, considering, remembering. And then he knew. "I am Arkhos, and in Oaths shalt thou find me."

He looked out, across the vast sea. So many stories yet to tell. So many memories, yet to be lived. The world had proven it could defy fate, at least this once. What else might it achieve, in defiance of prescripted fate? "Ere we begin, a foundation needs must be laid. No--not foundation, it is yet too early for even that. A tool needs must be shaped, to shape the founding stone."

What tool could work the very shape of reality? Perhaps one of like mold to his own, but smaller, more focused. Yes, something built, something beautiful and beloved, though born from grit. The red beaches of the West held something of its like. Little things, found in shelled creatures, things that gleamed in soft colors of dawn. A pearl: layer upon layer built up. From a large shell, old and gnarled, one that surely must have remembered some few early days of the First World, he took a pearl and poured some of his power into it, granting it further layers and lustre until it filled his taloned hand. Its value would be beyond mortal counting for its size alone, but hollow gaudy baubles held no interest to Arkhos. Instead, its surface shone with more than just lustre. Remembering Lor, Arkhos gave this pearl reflections not of what was, but what might be. Something both of the physical world, and of the hoped-for world. The Tangible Wish.

It would be the first of many works for Arkhos. Fate and defiance had not yet found the final play of their game, not yet. Before he set about his other labors, however, the Shining Wyrm felt thanks due to his divine parents, those who stood in might and majesty against Wan'Shi. They would surely wish to know the memories of those who joined them were not lost.

Create Artifact (5 AP): The Tangible Wish (utility, discounts Create Artifact) [Domain: Liberation (Aspiration), 5/10]

Remaining AP: 11/16

Razade

2021-05-23, 02:59 AM

Rong Tou, Briettia: Spine Aerie

Rong Tou was as cool as always, watching the display with her measured gaze with faint smile knowing that it was all for her though feeling little. When she was alone she leaned down to pluck a single smoldering Phoenix feather from the ground, blackened and almost ash yet somehow the delicate thing remained strong in her fingers as she tucked it carefully into her dark hair. She was all smiles, though they did not reach her eyes, when the Goddess of this peak came calling, offering a slight bow. "I am Rong Tou your Eminence, you whose children would tame the wind and whose song sings forth beauty across the mighty plains of this land. I come to you in this late hour for as the Void Serpent Wan'shi did war across the heavens I could not stake claim to my true domain, the very corpse filled sky you see above when the Sun has sank beneath the horizon, the true Empress of the Void. Yet as I gaze out onto this land, so devastated by godly hand and serpent alike, I see no room for my own children to grow without conflict. Is this the way of the Gods who slew the serpent? Surely if there must be war, it would be to bring peace?"

The small Fiend turns, gazing out from the mountaintop to the vast shield of ice. "Ah, but my manners your Eminence, you whose talons are sharp like obsidian and whose plumage is the envy of all who take witness, a gift for you. We are sisters, yes?" She turns once more, holding out a fiercely burning orb of gold. Oh how it shines beneath the sun, glinting and glamouring so. It has no power, no use, simply a bauble. "For you, your Eminence, you whose cry sounds like thunder and whose flock which migrates rolls like storm clouds." Rong Tou holds their hand out, the trinket hovering over glove covered fingers, blazing all the brighter.

Zelphas

2021-05-23, 01:14 PM

Within the Pit of Making

Hetta's claw carves a careful rune into the side of the clay creature standing before her. as the rune is completed, it begins to glow, lighting up all the other markings across the figure in one flash of blue-white light. The light subsides, but does not fade entirely, simply outlining the marked runes all along the clay figure's body. The newly-made Golem turns and begins to dig at the rock and clay of the pit, its movements precise and mechanical. The Lump watches with muted interest.

Hetta nods to herself, finally satisfied. It had taken much trial and error, so much so that the entire Pit of Making was littered with various sculptures and statues, but she had finally re-worked the Golem archons into a simpler, more straightforward concept. No personality or thought existed in these new creatures, simply rules to obey and the energy to obey them. Much simpler, much more straightforward. Hetta looks over to the scroll of arcane runes which she prepared over her experimentations, each sigil clearly marked and notated with what rule it imposed and how to combine them. To a mortal, it might be a life's work to discern them all, but the simplest runes could be picked up by almost anyone with an interest in them. Now to find the mortal to give this scroll to... Hetta picks it up carefully and turns here gaze towards the centaur homelands.

Behind her, noted by the Lump but unnoticed by Hetta herself, one of the unmarked, discarded statues turned its head, just a tiny fraction.

On the Red Coast

The gods-cursed statue was smiling again, Szadi knew it. At least its teeth weren't red this time.

The statue, being a rough figure of a Crocodilian made out of clay, had been a gift from the centaurs, a commemoration of the trading relationship between the two races. To be honest, the Lizardfolk hadn't known what to do with the thing; they knew the centaurs were a proud people, so they couldn't just destroy it, but it didn't have much value to be sold. The statue had bounced around from town to town, bundled along with a trade deal as a "bonus" each time, until a group of Crocodilian sailors struck with a bizarre (for Lizardfolk) bit of pride in place had purchased it deliberately to set it up in the harbor square of the town. Szadi passed this statue countless times on his way to work in the stalls, or on his way to the underbeer pub for his nightly needs, or on the way home afterwards, and had barely even looked at it.

Then, two weeks ago, his gaze had slid over the thing as always... and been arrested by the glint of red. The Crocodilian's mouth was open, but... hadn't it always been closed before? He couldn't remember. In any case, the teeth were modeled in a deep scarlet clay, which was unusually macabre for centaurs--at least, for what he'd heard of centaurs; Szadi had never met the mammals himself. His musings lasted only a moment, pushed aside by the profit and loss of the day and the slow build of craving for underbeer that had been his life for years. He heard about the strange death in the marketplace that day; the night before, someone had been mauled in their bed, killed and seemingly partially eaten. He didn't put the two together until another day, another red smile, and another death.

Szadi shook his head. His friends were right; he had been overindulging on underbeer, and it was muddling his thoughts. Statues did not eat Lizardfolk. It was nonsense. Turning up his snout at the grinning clay figure, Szadi resumed his walk towards home and his bed.

The clay crocodilian's eyes followed him. He did not notice.

Within the Dwarven Halls

The door had stopped shaking, but Dhokhus dared not unbar it. The attack had been sudden and swift--one moment, he had been walking the halls of the temple and lighting the candles at the plinths of the revered ancestors, doing his duties as a lowly young priest with the proper zeal and devotion. The next, a massive blow to the head had sent him crashing to the floor. He still could not believe what he had seen. Kerd the Faithful's statue had lifted itself from its plinth and struck at him! But it wasn't Kerd, not anymore. The statue had claws, and strange wings, and its face... it's face....

Dhokhus stared at the door, debating whether it was safe to find the head priest, and what he could tell him if he did. "A statue came to life and attacked me?" Who would believe that? The wounds on his head might give him some credence, but if the thing was still out there... he glanced around the room, looking for something to help him. Extra candlesticks, a mop, a bucket, a pair of granite, clawed feet--

It had found its way inside, impossibly. Dhokhus never found out how. It was upon him before he could raise his eyes, his throat crushed before he could scream, the magic of his devotion torn out and consumed along with utterly unnecessary amounts of flesh and bone. The new gargoyle left its meal in the closet, the blood absorbed into its granite skin, and resumed its place upon the plinth, waiting for the next priest to come by alone.

Rollover! 4 AP

Create Mythical Sub-Concept (Golemcrafting) -2 AP: Golems require three things: a physical body, generally a humanoid one (though skilled crafters can use animal or even stranger forms); a magical source (mana is the easiest and most plentiful, but not the only possible source); and at least one Rule written in runes upon their forms. The golem will follow whatever rules are written upon it until it is destroyed; it can have and follow open-ended rules such as "Obey". If a golem has contradictory rules written upon it (such as "Kill" and "Never Kill"), it will tear itself apart upon activation, releasing all its magical energy in an explosive burst over a large area. Centaurs are the first races given the set of rules needed to create Golems. (Domain progression: Magic (Golems) 7/10)

Create Monsters (Living Statues) -1 AP: Due to a quirk in the creation of Golemcrafting, the concept of "statues" has been imbued with the ability of these statues to come to life if the conditions are met. Any statue or sculpture depicting a living being can, if exposed to enough magical energy, become a Living Statue, a mindless automaton driven only by the need to find and consume more magical energy. The magical energy needed to turn a statue into a Living Statue is relatively low for statues of sentient beings, higher for animals, and extremely high for currently unreal or impossible creatures. Since mana rains down from the sky, any and all statues that are outdoors have at least some chance of becoming Living Statues. Living Statues seek out magical energy until they run out of energy themselves, after which they become inert once more. (Domain progression: Magic (Golems) 8/10)

Create Monsters (Gargoyles) -1 AP: If a Living Statue manages to consume a certain amount of magical energy before its reservoir runs out, it is transformed into a Gargoyle. Gargoyles have slightly above animal level intelligence and a sadistic streak; they are ambush predators whose only desire is more magical energy, but they also seem to revel in terrifying and wounding their chosen prey before consuming them. When hiding, Gargoyles look like the statues they once were, but when attacking they can manifest stony wings (if they had none), claws, and large, jutting fangs. Gargoyles can last much longer than Living Statues without magical energy as fuel, but will eventually starve to death if denied for too long, crumbling into dust. (Domain progression: Magic (Golems) 9/10)

KragBrightscale

2021-05-23, 05:33 PM

Prelude to Ascension

Abu Dhahab was pleased with how Lizard-society had developed. He enjoyed spending time amongst them, hearing their stories, and observing them live out their mortal lives. He had been with them since they first drew breath, born from his own flesh. He had given them intelligence and raised them up to be both shrewd businesspeople and noble warriors.

Soon, however, he would have to leave all this behind and no longer walk the lands he had created in person. He could feel the time approaching, the moment of his ascension. His time amongst the mortals was not just frivolity, there were important experiences that had helped him step towards his enlightenment.

Surprise and Fear were some of the first emotions he had experienced. Surprised by his sudden existence, and the sudden disappearance or demise of his creator. He was still Confused as to what had happened back then, it all being too quick. Overwhelming Fear, caused him to hide in Shame as his fellow divinities where consumed, burned, and frozen.

It was only after he created his own land and people that he experienced positive emotions. Happiness at the Lizardfolk’s initial successes and interaction with their neighbors, he shared in their Joy at celebrations during the annual grand bazaars. He watched with Amusement as they came up with rituals and sayings in his honor, and partook in a few himself.

With the return of the serpent and the ensuing destruction, Abu Dhahab felt Sadness at the losses his people suffered, shedding tears of Grief for the first time. With Compassion, he tried to help them recover, but the snake would not cease.

Anger burst forth, suppressed too long by Fear to be held back any longer, and in recklessness he attempted to drive the snake back on his own. Injured during the battle in the void, he felt the same Pain his people had felt. When the fight was over, Relief washed over him, though the omen of conflict to come brought back his Doubt.

The newfound Peace was strange to him so he wandered around in Hope of finding what he was missing. In the south, he was Disgusted by the divine punishment that had plagued the people there for generations, and Intrigued by the mortals’ funeral rituals that allowed them to live multiple lives.

Traveling east, he met another deity and remembered the Satisfaction of pouring everything into what you do. His journeys had taught him much of what it was to be mortal, and he was almost ready to ascend to become a true deity.

He had done much for the Lizardfolk personally, and while he would still look out for their well being, it would be from a distance. He hoped the tools he had provided so far would allow them to surmount future challenges.

Jisr Archipelago

He had one more trip to make, a new place to explore while he could still walk the land. And one more act to do before then too, another opportunity to work the land personally with his hands.

Things had begun shifting as new divine beings were establishing themselves on the circular continent. New peoples were making it their home and as populations grew, so did competition over land and resources, conflict was increasing as the snake had foretold. To continue to flourish, the Lizardfolk and other races would need more space, and that’s what he intended to provide.

From the southwestern edge of the Red Coast, Abu Dhahab began walking across the water towards the other continent he had heard of from rumors and seen from space. He walked slowly with measured steps, stopping whenever the nearest land to the east was almost out of sight and raising up an island.

Many islands would be spacious enough to support a large tribe. Some were larger with tall mountains where large birds started nesting. Others were flat, with grassy plains and only small shrubs. Others still were overgrown with massive trees. There were small sandy islets too, though only one island was large enough to have a proper desert. Remembering the land of the ghuls, he raced his path somewhat to get nearer the cold, resulting in a few islands getting plenty of snow each year.

As he worked and made his way across the ocean, he found several volcanic islands that must have sprung up when the great devourer struck the land. Knowing the soil there to be fertile, he included them in the archipelago too. He did not stop to design and shape each island, and a large number of the islands were just simple rocks or mounds raised out of the sea whose purpose was to guide sailers towards the next island.

The journey took months, and by the time he arrived at Corla, sailers had already started exploring the islands closer to the red coast. Eventually, there would be some who ventured further west to arrive on a foreign continent and they would understand. These islands were a bridge, connecting continents, people, cultures, earning it its name “The Jisr Archipelago”.

The Lizardfolk who ventured east were particularly excited about discovering a large desert island. Dry, sandy, rocky, with palm trees and other vegetation only along the coast. It was perfect, unoccupied and just like the deserts back home. Soon small settlements would spring up, and the major Lizardfolk organizations would all establish a secondary headquarters on the island.

AP: 2

Create Land (The Jisr Archipelago) -2 AP
A chain of islands stretching from the circle continent to Corla in an arced path that brings it south and closer to the land of cliffs and spires. There are islands of all types, and sailers will have an easier time making the journey between them as each island isn’t far from the next.
Travel (Caravans) 8/10

2 -2 = 0 AP remaining

OOC: rough map will likely be added to discord at some point.

Writtensanity

2021-05-23, 07:49 PM

Briettia: Spine Aerie

The Lady from the Void was verbose. Though her voice sounded strange, to Briettia, so far from birdsong, she weaved words into lyrics and tunes that matched the most blessed of the Harpy Choral Singers. Briettia accepted the bauble she offered, the midnight of her talons clashing against the harsh sunlight beaming off of the miniature sun.

"I do not know if we are sisters, it is hard to give a name to beings that come from nothing. I fell from above the Sky, but that doesn't mean that the Sky is my mother and its children are my sisters." Briettia crouched down, holding her free hand over one of the eggs on the peak the pair had met on. "This is the daughter of a Harpy," she said, "and these are her sisters."

"Unless," she picked the first egg out of the nest and infused it with divine power, "you speak of sisters in the way my Daughters do. Family far apart, somehow related by creation."

"If I call you sister, you must know what I am, and what I create," Briettia explained, and the shell of the egg cracked. Briettia motioned with her wings for Rong Tou to grab the egg as it was hatching, "and help me create it if you wish to act as family."

Paying 1 AP for 'Create Monstrous Race' action, offering many points of creation to Rong Tou.

Limitations - Monster Must be Avian

Result: Mockingbirds: These creatures are made of soot, always traveling alone however in truth they are hundreds (if not thousands) of birds in one. These monsters, once they have found a roost, will spread, being a general nuisance. They have the gift of speech and while mostly they say useless things, they have a knack for discerning one's greatest shames, which once found they will qork incessantly. They cannot survive in the First World long, appearing from gates and planar tears to merely squark obscenities at those they encounter before turning to ash

AP Spent: 1
AP Allocation: Sky (Flight)
Domain Progress: 7/10
AP Remaining 3

Gnomes2169

2021-05-24, 02:13 AM

Silph and the River
The archon took in the sight of the river goddess and her companions, and he shook his head. Now what in the name of the First World was this?

Drifting over on waves of light to join them, the Solar would shudder at the close proximity of Nocturne's gate and he stopped beside the boat. Now what in the world...? Looking over his shoulder, the twice-blessed archon asked, "So Herend, what do you make of this?"

The other archon, a slab of slate in one hand that he scribbled on a bit in order to record the creation of new stars with, looked up and noted, "Hmmm... not entirely sure, but it does seem rather illuminating, doesn't it?"

That drew a bark of laughter from Silph, who moved over to sit beside Dia and the lizardfolk. "Well I'd say that's just about the most clever thing I've heard you say in three years, Herend."

"Ah, and here I was doing so well at being blissfully inane. Now I've gone and raised expectations for future conversations."

"Alas."

Nodding solemnly, the scribe agreed, "Alas indeed."

Finally, the Solar would look at Dia's mortal guise and look her over for a bit. "And as for you... do you know how hard you are to find? Renarr finally opens up a portal and sends me every which way to meet up with you again, and where are you? Sitting outside the Suzerain's realm. Fishing." Coloring his words with a little bit of feigned pain and insult, he informs the goddess, "I'll have you know that in my search, I was beset upon by no fewer than two phoenix and one of those mini serpents that thought it could burrow into Solace. All because you couldn't just fish in a lake like a normal person. Oh well, you aren't the most unstable being I kno- Oh. Speak of the snake and he shall appear." The solar looked down towards the First World as he said that, and a new pair of figures rose up to pass them.

One was the Suzerain. In his hands there was a squirming goblin that looked a bit malnourished and incredibly scuffed and terrified. The archon of night didn't even slow down as Silph waved at him.

"Hey, uh, Suze? What are you doing with that mortal?"

"Mortals think that Nocturne is just a part of the void. They can't see it in the night sky, apparently. I'm showing this one." The Suzerain explained, stating that as if it was the most logical thing in the world.

"Uh... Suze? That's a mortal." The emissary pointed out, shivering as a breeze from Nocturn passed him over.

Still not stopping, starting to move past Dia's river form in fact, the Suzerain asked, "Yeah, and?"

Silph looked back at Herend, who shook his head and shrugged to signal it wasn't their problem, and then the solar looked at the back of the Lord of Night. "Well. Alright then. I'm sure he knows what he's doing. So Dia... caught anything good yet?"

Suzerain and his Flock
The real reason the Suzerain had been carrying the goblin was that he was trying to show the boy he had nothing to fear. Not from Nocturne, at the very least.

On his last visit to the mortal world, the Suzerain had travelled from Corrla to the Circle continent using his most standard route and... that turtle island he'd passed over every time he made the trip had been gone. While he'd known the island floated, the fact that it had just disappeared was new, and deeply disturbing. Where had it gotten off to, why had it moved so drastically?

It had not taken too long to find it, but what he saw was... troubling. The peaceful turtle people now seemed to be under the thumb of a new race of mortals, mortals that he had never seen the likes of before. He shook his head at this, and made sure to carry the word of these creatures to Renarr as he also approached to receive a boon from her. A parcel of divine power to shape as he needed.

He obtained it.

And then he returned to Corrla.

His flock had grown among the outcasts, and while he was no true god the Suzerain still felt responsible for these people. The lack of food, the danger of the revenants and all the coastal birds, the potential danger of these new 'orcs,' all of these things concerned the Lord of Night. His people deserved better. They deserved a sanctuary. And while the portal to Solace was still far away... the sunlit realms were not the only refuge that Renarr had created.

With a wave of his hand and words of potent binding, the Suzerain used Renarr's power to craft a blessing, one that could bring his mortal followers to Nocturne, that could save them from this mortal realm of living death. Some of his followers accepted his offer and found that the Strands of Night simply took them there in the blink of an eye. Others required a bit of... encouragement.

Either way, travel between the First World and Nocturne had finally begun, even if this heavenly realm was a bit less developed and much less populated than its shining cousin.

Birth of an Empire
The elves that had come to settle the coastal valley beneath the portal to Solace would have begun to expand their population. The initial expeditions into the realms of light had proven promising, though the paths there were narrow and somewhat difficult to traverse, and the sun itself had little within it to sustain a growing population, much like Renarr had told them. Still, the properties of the plane on mortal life had begun to be explored, and soon enough there would be the outskirts of a town forming within Solace proper.

And then, another breakthrough was discovered. Because entirely by accident, the archons started to have children with the elves that were making this new community.

Strangely, the Solars who discovered this compatibility would not be from the Court of Compassion, much to Hellita's chagrin. Instead, oddly enough, the first child of a solar would be born from Amerith, and the second and third (twins, of course) would be fathered by Zariel. Both from casual relationships these gods had with some of the mortals that they had taken responsibility training for war.

Some of the elven elders, mostly those who had made the initial journey from Corrla, were immediately suspicious of this seemingly random occurrence. How could the Solar and the elves breed? To them it seemed like a trick of the divine, and perhaps it was something that Renarr had created, but if she had it was only so the colonists and her solars would work together more closely. Bonds of family tended to work like that, after all.

Many among the younger generation took this interbreeding as a sign that the expeditions into, and colonization of, Solace was blessed by Renarr herself, and so revered these children for that perceived pact between them and the goddess. Soon enough, being related to one of these beings that would become known as Solari was known as a good omen among their society, which continued to grow and grow...

Eventually, the majority of the population of this society became sedentary, settling in and claiming the gate to Solace as their permanent home, though some of the wanderlust inspired by Moiraithe would stick around, inspiring the citizens of Shaline to form expeditions into the rest of the Circle Continent, or into Solace itself, to find all the hidden secrets that the plane might hold. And speaking of...

Start of an Expedition
The goblins and humans who had accompanied the elven settlers so that they could explore the depths of Solace left shortly after the first buildings on the First World side of the portal had started to be created. It was time to see just what they could find, and how many layers deep they could reach, and so they set out on what they assumed would be the last adventures of their lives.

Unbeknownst to them, Renarr had given this expedition a gift of longevity, which their presence in Solace would expand upon, meaning that these mortals of the Lost Expedition would live for hundreds of millions of years, should they continue their explorations. They would return long before this, but before that fateful day this expedition would return home only to discover how much everything had changed. Their expedition would delve the farthest, even those manned by the Solari.

Shame it would take so long. Not that they would know that, as time had less and less meaning the closer to Solace's core one managed to become.

Renarr and the New Gods
Renarr sensed two new divinities upon the Circle Continent, one near and dimmer, and the other far and bright, almost as bright as her. She considered these two for a few moments, but instead of going out to challenge them, she stayed beside her portal and simply waited. If they proved a challenge or hostile force, the goddess would act accordingly... otherwise, she apparently had a society of mortals to nurture and lead.

Starting AP: 0
Rollover: +4

-2 AP; Create Racial Society - Shaline, the Radiant Empire: Shaline is an empire that spans realities. While it was born in the First World at the southern end of the Aerie Spine, easy access to Solace gave its peoples the chance to truly expand. Since the realm of Light's properties reduces the strain of resources on the mortals who live within it, greatly reducing their need for food and water, the population of this society was able to explode, despite the over-all land mass they were able to claim on the First World.

However, Solace is unable to sustain farms, since everything there is made of light and there is no soil and true water to plant seeds within, and whatever life is native to the plane tends to be motes of sentient mana or the cast-off sprites of those 'buried' within the radiant realm. There are also no trees, and the soil itself is just semi-solid light, which means that building materials for the houses in Solace have to be imported. So to feed and shelter their growing population the peoples of Shaline maintain a part of their civilization upon the First World, and this society is happy to work and trade with any that would come to them.

Being descended from the peoples of Corrla, even if they were renegades, this society inherited a nack for the construction of a government, though the laws are much more lax than those of the homeland they left behind. Their hierarchy is as follows:
1) The Empress: Renarr. While some of the eldest elves were weary of placing a goddess at the head of their new society, Renarr's role is incredibly small compared to Kerima's. She effectively only gets involved in politics once priests get into a theological debate, a new foreign society is discovered, a god needs to call on her or her empire, or the empire goes to war. Beyond this, she is a near-mythical and revered figure, but is not a part of people's daily lives.
2) The Solar. These are seen as Renarr's emissaries, her immortal representatives within Shaline, and they are seen as an extension of her will. The Solar only go where they are needed and avoid making rulings in Renarr's name unless she specifically tells them to, but there are some notable exceptions. Cassius effectively serves as the head of state for the section of Shaline in Solace proper. Bruss and Thill rarely leave the first world colonies, and help administrate trade and resource distribution. And Hellita often visits her children, who tend to be provincial governors and the like, to catch up with how they are doing.
3) Firstborn Solari and major members of society, such as Mayors, provincial liaisons, ambassadors and the heads of merchant houses. While being directly born of a Solar might not grant any overt advantage to a mortal in terms of power, it definitely does in terms of social standing and solari directly benefit from this. Firstborn solari in general often receive the best education (directly from Solar themselves), have long lives to perfect their craft, and find themselves favored for positions of power within Shaline. However, other members of the races within the empire can still achieve this status if they can prove themselves to be proper leaders.
4) Other Solari and notable mortals of other races. Beings of this tier are the lowest rung that is allowed to own property within Solace itself. While solari of every generation belong here, certain high merchants, famed warriors, magi and priests are also able to attain enough influence and reputation to gain access to this boon. This tends to be a wealthy class, and out in the First World these people often find themselves in positions of authority, such as being the heads of a city watch, or the masters of a caravan.
5) Pretty much everyone else. While there are no slaves in Shaline, the mortals who do not share any perceived divine connection to Renarr will find it hard to advance to the higher echelons of society, though this hardly means they are abused. It is just difficult for them to gain access to the lands within Solace that are mostly reserved for the Solari, lords and ladies of their society, and their families.

As for the laws of this society, it changes based on the specific location. In general, theft or slander are frowned upon, assault is punishable with imprisonment, and murder and treason are dealt with by swift, efficient executions within Solace itself. Some colonies are more lenient on the stabbing, however. The only universally true law is that worship or veneration of Wan'shi in any form is punished with exile.

-1AP; Create sub-race - Solari: The children of Solars and certain mortal races, specifically a subrace of (in order of common ancestry) elves, goblins, humans and dwarves (which are functionally non-existent, due to their overpowering loyalty/ connection to Kerima.) For reasons yet unknown, these races are the most compatible with the Solar, though given the archons are basically constructs of mana that likely has something to do with their spiritual ancestry than anything genetic.

Solari physically resemble their mortal race in proportions and size, but there are a few stark differences. Their skin color ranges from a deep burnished copper to a bright, ashen white, their eye color can fall under any of the color spectrum (including ultraviolet, though only the direct children of Solars seem to have that trait), and their hair is golden or white.

Despite the otherworldly appearance, this race is hardly particularly supernatural. While they have some natural resilience to heat and light (granting them resilience to fire and radiant damage, to put it in D&D terms,) and their eyes function perfectly in the dark, these beings have nowhere near the power needed to elevate themselves above other mortals. Their most notable magic-like trait is their longevity, and most Solari will live even longer than elves by two to three times. This leads them to a similar problem as elves, as the most ancient of Solari will slowly become withdrawn and aloof from the concerns of 'more' mortal races.

The direct children of Solar, the first generation specifically, are naturally inclined to mana magic, and seem to be able to master it faster than other solari. Their lifespans also seem to be longer, though at that point these ancient beings no longer die of old age anyway, as there are enough beings who would seek to cause harm to Renarr, or accidents will happen, so such longevity is basically an arbitrary number.

While the first generation or three of these mortals were born of a true pairing between a Solar and one of the mortal races, solari themselves always breed true with the other compatible mortals. This has lead to the younger generations becoming less and less directly connected to the Solar, and an eventual reduction in the population of non-solari around the portal to Solace in the mortal world. Because of their incredibly long lives, and the general importance placed on the light born and how much having a Solari in the family is seen as a good omen in Shaline, this race will eventually be able to populate nations, despite the humble beginnings of just a few dozen beings born in some hidden away refugee town.

When a solari dies, it is customary to return their body to Solace, where it will disappear into the star itself and become one with the light. Their sprites sometimes cling to them until the end of this journey, and are sustained for a time by Solace before they too eventually fade.

-1AP; Blessing - The Suzerain's Chosen: The Suzerain has given his blessing, and a small fraction of Renarr's power, to some of the mortals that worship him. These mortals can now transition between the First World and Nocturne without the use of a portal, and without needing to physically travel into the hole in the sky. This blessing protects those who invoke it functionally immune to Nocturne's chill and to lesser natural frosts, and allows these mortals to function as normal within Nocturne, instead of being half-asleep like most mortals that visit the realm wold be.

The Suzerain and his most fervent disciples is Corrla are the ones who determine who gets this blessing, and it is automatically stripped from (and cannot be given to) any mortal that is unwillingly, or unwittingly, transformed at a physical and spiritual level. So Revenants that form in Nocturne from someone who had this blessing will be unprotected and instantly frozen, while lizardfolk who drink too much Underbeer without understanding the cost will suffer a similar fate.

Total AP expended: 4

Remaining AP: 0

Domain Progress:
Realms (the Heavens): 10/10 (Create plane: Solace, portal to Solace (in void), create plane: Nocturne) (Purposefully not taking this until ready to ascend)
Order (Retribution): 6 (Create hero: Suzerain of Night, the Stars in the Sky, the Serpent Moon, Craft Society: Shaline)
Life (Twilight): 2 (Sub-race: Solari, Blessing: Suzerain's chosen)

Razade

2021-05-24, 05:32 AM

Briettia, Rong Tou: Spine Aerie

Rong Tou holds out her hands, taking the egg with a sparkle in her otherwise distant eyes. "Such a fine gift, I am humbled by your generosity." she intones, bowing low. "I will return to you in time, but this little one must away. Another sister should share in our meeting. We must set this world right. Await my return as I long to see you, sister." Then Rong Tou was gone. No motion or sound, simply away. But not far.

In the city city of gleaming light, there Rong Tou slipped through. It called to her, that impressive Gate, and at its base she set the quickly hatching egg down upon it. "Fly." she whispered, and there too was she gone. From the egg spilled a cloud of soot in the shape of bird wings and each took flight through the Portal. A Planar scourge that even spread along with Rong Tou to Garganta.

AP: 0

Spending the 1 granted AP on

Mockingbirds: These creatures are made of soot, always traveling alone however in truth they are hundreds (if not thousands) of birds in one. These monsters, once they have found a roost, will spread, being a general nuisance. They have the gift of speech and while mostly they say useless things, they have a knack for discerning one's greatest shames, which once found they will qork incessantly. They cannot survive in the First World long, appearing from gates and planar tears to merely squark obscenities at those they encounter before turning to ash.

dancrilis

2021-05-24, 05:52 AM

Corrla - The arrival of the Shelled
The shelled that arrived on Corrla had a difficult time, through fate or chaos those who landed on its shores were those who retained or had developed faith in Sen the god of their origin - they had fled the orcs who spoke ill of the gods and made their way across the sea ... and there they met monsters, the revenants did not recognise faith in dead gods and began to seek to end their torment on these new people. The Shelled fought back as best they could but what hope they did have against an ever expanding host of monsters.
None.

Nearly the entire population of shelled were converted into revenants before the people of Corrla even knew they existed - and that would have been the end of them except for one a Shelled called Nuza who fell into a cavern and landed in the river Xill - the river archon heard the creatures prayers and saw them for what they were true prayer to an entity that had existed and would likely have protected them except that it was gone, and so tapping into the mind of the turtle man she instructed it to beg Kerima for help instead and deposited the creature back on the surface safely.

Nuza didn't know how the water had spoken to its mind but understood the message and Xill didn't really expect intervention for Kerima but had done her duty as a priest, however when Nuza prayed Kerima did in fact hear and did take an interest - the revenants purpose had been to punish criminals and to mandate faith, it was an oversight on her part that faithful people could be abandoned by thier deity and the goddess could be cruel and harsh and had no interest in the standards others might try to hold her too, but she did hold herself to some personal standards, mistakes could be corrected.

Turning the revenants back to shelled was a somewhat complicated process that required fine tuning of the body mind and soul, but she set herself to the task fairly, the Shelled would be welcome on Corrla providing that they worshipped her from then on - and now they knew that - some were tramatised by the whole experience and left the land again, but many stayed and mingled with the natives, some of whom treated the shelled as almost blessed creatures as afterall Kerima's touch could be noted on them and that was very rare.

Of course that made the life of Weshesh on Corrla much more difficult as now the society knew them as enemies of the gods and this seemed to mean enemies of Kerima, word spread slowly but it spread all the same.

The Retrieval of Sen
After fixing the shelled Kerima had a different problem - their previous faith had been genuine and she could see it had pointed to a divine being who was blocking it or was absent, she had no particular interest in most works of other deities except that she would prefer them to stop rewritting reality on whims, but that meant she didn't particularly wish to interfere with their works either. Still it grated on her to have her revenants used to punish those who seemed innocent of any actual crime, and having taken many of them apart and put them back to gether on many different levels she was confident they had not erred against what she regarded as correct behaviour.

Noting the phantoms of divine power she brought herself to the presence of where most of it lay, expecting to find more of a trail which might point to the actual divinity or to its reasons - instead he found herself looking at a small turtle, only enough to fit in a humans hand, and dead.

She saw no actual wounds on it, nor why it may have died, had it simply expanded its energy and died unable to support itself in creation, or had it died when the serpent attacked creation swallowed invisibly as a speck of dust in a tornado, she could not say - it was only now that she looked around to where she was and noted the landscape, construsted of dead flesh she determined not a true deity as near as she could see but likely close enough for most purposes, and with a lot more energy then the corpse in her hand if she didn't miss her guess. Still not an immediate threat but not a place she wanted to stay, she decided to take the turtle and store it somewhere that she thought more appropriate.

The Beastmasters consider the avian rebellion
The beastmasters were a careful bunch, normal animals could be difficult and these that seemed unnatural were even more so - still once an animal was brought to heel it normally stayed that was, the hallowcaller not returning to its nest was a blow to the families wealth and prestige, but not as bad as the stories that emerged later of beasts attacking their handlers or owners, killing some and maiming others.
These outbursts were rare and a skilled owner could normally see behaviour in them before it occured it which point the beast could be killed, freed or retrained subject to the will of the local priest. Some sought vengence against the rebellious birds - they could hardly rebel if they lacked wings, legs and were muzzled so there cry could only be used at the will of the handler, and they would still be viable for breeding, but for now those voices were mostly quited by calmer heads - the birds might be tempermental but no more then many wild animals could be.

The Dwarves and the Gargoyles
Many people might treat the corruption of their work to be a curse, others might think they had angered the goddess, some might even think to walk away from their culture and try a different path ... they dwarves were not many people, they toiled because they liked toil, and worshipped because they liked worship, and dealt with hardships because frankly they liked hardship.
If statues were coming alive and killing people that was just a hardship to overcome, something to be figured out, put in its place and used if needed or suitable for some future hardship.

The first few attacks were surprising but the priests knew how to create wards and consistently developed new ones - setting an area to surveil was time consuming and rarely used but it was not impossible, and once one did that the stories of statues moving and transforming was determined, the next step was to solve the issue. Destroying the statues was possible but seemed wasteful and many dwarves liked making statues to honour their people, so instead a number of options were tried and tested, bars to contain the statues, fusing the statues to some base material, and for highly skilled priests simply cursing the creatures to form from sandstone or the like which could break easily if needed.
Some even began to see about taming the creatures as they had heard some elves were doing.

The Goblin Hordes
Goblins were not like the other races, they breed fast and died young and so needed consistently more and more space, this also resulted in goblin priests caring little about the lives of normal goblins - and before the priesthood granted racial control they cared little about the lives of non-priests at all, leading to the deaths of numerous people in early mining accidents for areas that needed to be build fast rather then well. This lack of appreciate for life was prevalent in goblin culture - and before the laws of Kerima prevented killing without authorization most problems were solved with a quick murder.
With the prohibition on killing and a further prohibition on targeting other races goblin society looked inward, priests - even friendly ones - would wars against each other simply to wittle down the numbers, and provide a show to spectators, gambling on the outcome of mass battles was popular where the stakes might be bragging rights or being sent to some front line somewhere.
Still the goblins quite enjoyed the lives they had - full of excitement, and their priests knew that they likely had the greatest fighting force on Corrla - even if much of it was hidden in the darkness.

Oran

2021-05-24, 09:27 PM

Awakening

Mana, the essence of the great serpent rained down across creation, from the first continent to the farthest reaches of space. Many scholars have pondered whether The Shrouded One was either created from or drawn to the mana, yet it still remains unknown. Khalor was transfixed and ensnared by the Truth, unawares of the carnage and creation surrounding them. That is until this flood of energy caught their attention. Curious, they drifted from their place in the vast nothingness to the outskirts of the First World, watching, waiting and observing. They could sense the other gods, but Khalor was confused at their actions.

"They are here, but they do not see. They create life, but shelter them from IT̟͐.̺̈́ ̗͠W̨̚hy d͙̃o͕̿ ̨̄the̛̻y̛̪ ̮́noţ͝ k̙͐now?̺̕ W͆͢ḩ́y̼͐ ̟͆d͋ͅo the̠̔ỵ̒ hi̘̽d̼͗e?̙̀ W̩̅e͒͟ ͕͘mu̯̾st ̨̲̐̐s̰͔̄̅ḩ̗̄͡o̺̙̽͊w̡͖̐̐ ̱̐̂͟t̘͓̊̓h͎̩̏͠é̟̺̑m̼͈̂͡.̲̗̏̾.̬̟̾͂.̛̖̞̈

Enlightenment

Khalor landed on the first world, still murmuring to themselves. The first mortals they came across were shown everything, but that merely left them in broken gibbering messes. No matter, they were in no rush... Khalor instead tried something else, to distill the smallest essence into a single geometric symbol, the true representation of the word. Through this, all will come to know, all will see. The Shrouded One walked amongst the mortals, through their markets, villages and cities, spreading this knowledge to anyone who would listen and learn.

Runes are the simplest form that mortals can manifest the Truth. Every object or word has a particular rune associated with it. In order to inscribe or enchant a rune, the individual must 'comprehend' the meaning of the word. The power of the rune scales with the depth of the individuals understanding.

For example, someone can inscribe the rune for 'fire' onto a rock and heat it, but only say an arsonist or pyromaniac could make it burst into flames with a singular rune. The more runes inscribed on an object, the more powerful the effect becomes.
In order to use and sustain rune magic, the individual opens themselves up to a small amount of otherworldly influence, whether they are aware of this or not. This will always take the form of strange abstract dreams, whispering voices or a general sense of unease. The amount of this influence correlates to the number of runes the individual is maintaining.

AP Spent: 16-4-1=11

Domain Progress
Runes (Enchantment) 4/10 (Create Mythical Concept: Rune Magic)
Dreams (Nightmares) 1/10 (Glimpses of Verity)

KragBrightscale

2021-05-24, 10:25 PM

Weary Shelled find shell-less Relatives

Some of the Shelled had felt something was off about the recent arrivals to their island abode, the sudden shift from a peaceful paradise to hearing proclamations of conflict, revenge, and gods. Yes, the wave had been terrifying, but they were all excellent swimmers, so most of the damage had been to the island itself and their construction.

Thus, they left, bidding farewell to their most respected leader and pillar during the times of uncertainty. Renna had chosen to remain with the islands, loyal to the duty given to her by their creator until either she perished or the sanctuary tides fade. Along with her, stayed most of the population including those too young or too old to make the journey.

Saddened by their farewells, small groups of Shelled left the islands in search of a new place of peace. Some rode the titan turtles as they left, the only other creatures they had seen who resembled them.

Arriving at the red coast, a small group of the shelled and their giant simple kin established a small village on an uninhabited island. Soon they were discovered by Crocodilian fishermen who introduced them to the continent they had arrived at.

The Crocodilians were surprised to find a group of people who looked vaguely like lizards, but had hard shells on their backs. The Shelled were equally surprised, these so called Lizardfolk seemed closer to them physically than their homeland’s other races, yet they too did not have the security that came with having a shell.

With time, new generations of shelled would come to call the red coast their home. Some of the original refugees had learned martial arts, and quickly grasped Ki. Though slow and steady on land, their movements resonated strongly with this mysterious energy. A few of the most dedicated Shelled made the arduous journey across the sand dunes, miles from the waters they had always lived besides, arriving at Jabal Alsalaam.

At its peak, they found a welcoming community, people of all kinds of races that walked the path of selflessness, discipline, and self improvement. The Shelled were particularly good at the meditative Ki exercises due to their visualization techniques, with some rising to positions of leadership and passing on their knowledge.

Abu Dhahab Wanders around Corla

Arriving at the continent he had heard of yet knew little about, Abu Dhahab decided to explore. No Lizardfolk travelers had ever made it so far from their desert homeland, so his presence was a surprise to every place he visited.

Starting from the outskirts, small villages and towns, he played the role of a merchant, selling dates, salt, and other wares not usually found on the continent. His friendliness overcame some of the initial distrust, and his wares were popular.

From the people, he heard the stories of the land, of the society, the priests who were both authoritative rules and compassionate healers. He heard of the widespread worship, and observed as religiously themed songs and stories were taught to the next generation.

He was kindly warned of the revenants and enthusiastically invited to join in the worship of Kerima by some concerned grandmothers, for that would guarantee his safety. He met priests and told them of the Lizardfolk who lived in a dry sandy land, yet thrived through trade with their neighbors, and how more of his kind would likely cross the sea to arrive with time. He also let them know that while the Lizardfolk merchants likely wouldn’t settle on the continent or participate in worshipping Kerima, they already had a deity watching over them so there was no need to worry.

Wandering through a couple blighted zones in the south, he saw the people who had learned to survive despite all odds. A resilient group, yet also pitiful. Tossing out some of the holy sand he had made, he treated some of those who suffered from overexposure to mana, and other unnatural afflictions. He sold his wares there too, at discounted prices and in exchange for whatever the people offered.

Finding out that these people were already familiar with many of the deities that he had met, Abu Dhahab told a few more stories, of the land where many of those deities reside, and shared the news of others like them who had successfully made the journey across the sea and established themselves there. He told tales of a frozen land, where yet another people had faced the threat of revenants for generations and still stood strong.

Many places he went, he did not show himself, and some places he just vanished when it was clear he wouldn’t be welcomed any longer. With scales shifting to match the surrounding, he camouflaged himself to just silently observe the various peoples, until he had seen enough.

Although his appearances would definitely be noticed when priests and others reported meeting him to their superiors, Abu Dhahab had not used his divine energy and there was no hint that he was anything other than mortal. Another deity would likely recognize his identity when meeting in person, but Abu Dhahab was interested in experiencing things for himself before meeting Kerima or any others who might be there.

His prior knowledge was limited to the stories passed on from those who fled Corla, and his encounter with revenants. Such a one sided negative account might affect his attitude and judgement so he purposefully sought to learn more before first and avoided detection until he was ready.

ezekielraiden

2021-05-25, 11:21 AM

Quis Ostendet Ipsum Ostendens?

Arkhos could quite easily have spanned the leagues between the red coast he had come to and any other location on the First World in very little time, but he chose not to. Instead, he flew unseen, to marvel at things, and to enjoy the unique experience of seeing something deeply familiar for the first time. The First World was scarred and wild, but it was beautiful and vibrant as well. So many things, that could now choose their stories for themselves, whether or not they knew of it.

Briefly, he passed beneath the waves, as the course of his journey took him toward the approaching edge of night. Even here, out in the vast waters, there were many living things, from the tiny to the enormous. The wyrm's soul buoyed with joy, and on that buoyancy he flew up through the waters to the surface. There, he looked, and saw the moon, that had been--that still was--Wan'Shi. Somewhere in the recesses of his divine being, he sensed the presence that lingered there on its surface, watching as they always had. Lor, whose blade of light brought the Serpent low. One of Arkhos' many parents.

It would be a fitting place to begin meeting them, the shivered husk of their opponent. That tale was ended; the victors wrote it, and the vanquished became its villain. Arkhos' mind filled with quiet, melancholy thoughts, as he swam through the Deep between the First World and Wan'Shi-that-Was. He owed his existence to Wan'Shi's death; had it not died, all that he was, all that he could ever have been, would have been consumed as surely as all Wan'Shi's previous victims. Yet there was a sadness, in knowing that now something no one had understood, would never be. There would be no one to remember Wan'Shi's part of the story. He began to consider how this might be addressed, but left those thoughts for another time, as he landed for the first time on the moon's surface.

Like the First World, it was full of life, but of a different nature. The silvery grass was beautiful, in its own way, and made of the whole place like a more diffuse mirror. An appropriate result, given Lor's nature. Arkhos went unseen among those who had been called here to act as guardians. He did not wish to disturb their work with his presence, simply wishing to visit Lor. Of course, with the sight of a deity, he doubted it would be surprised by his approach; to conceal oneself from mortal eyes was a far easier task than to conceal from another god, and Arkhos did not even try.

As he drew near the mirror's near-perfect reflection, he saw himself entire for the first time, and he saw another thing as well. The near-perfect reflection. A small, black spot, all the more noticeable for being the only blemish, could be seen on Lor's surface. This, too, he would remember: that sometimes, in defense of another, it may be necessary to kill...but killing of any kind leaves a scar. The sword is always a mobius, cutting victim and victor both. Sometimes, there might be, or become, no other choice.

A wordless lesson, a gift, and he had only just arrived! "I greet thee, Lor. Well I know how thy gaze looks through the length and breadth of the world, for though thou knowest me not, thou hast known those who became me. I owe my birth to thee, and thy allies, for had you not slain Wan'Shi, those whose memories I carry would be naught but ash upon the wind. I come here because..." He paused a moment, not entirely sure the right reason. "Because I wish to know thee, and share. Already hast thou given me wisdom; I shall in like kind give to thee."

He searched his length, taking advantage of Lor's reflection of himself, until he found just the right one. A scale of perfect, silvered-mirror sheen. He plucked it from his skin, and dabbed the blood that followed its departure. "The lesson graven upon thee, I would not remove, even were it in my power. But thy beauty need not be dimmed by the weight of wisdom; pray accept this, my gift to thee, in thanks for thy sacrifice and thy teaching." The scale, charged with divine power, became something more than just a plucked chunk of god-hide. A tiny shield, polished to a mirror shine. It would not be able to remove the burned spot, but it could serve two purposes: it could be worn there, a badge of honor rather than a mark of shame. Or, it could be looked upon, for it was also a mirror, and Lor could see itself directly, albeit in miniature. Arkhos hoped it would meet Lor's approval, being as it was the second work of his (divine) life. Its outer surface, like a mirror, but showing what others see, not what the mirror sees--left and right in their proper places. The inner surface, that is where the magic truly lay, for when concentrated upon, it could show past knowledge, or at least past memory.

Bless (1 AP): The Scale of Sight. [Domain: Good (Self-Sacrifice), 1/10]
Its outer (convex) surface shows things as they truly are, as others see them, so that Lor may see what others see when they look upon it. Its inner (concave) surface, when concentrated upon, shows what others have seen in the past. It cannot uncover truths that have been completely forgotten or never observed in the first place, but if they are kept in memory or known in record, the scale can show them.

Remaining AP: 10/16

In-progress domains:
Liberation (Aspiration) 5/10
Good (Self-Sacrifice) 1/10

dancrilis

2021-05-26, 10:04 AM

Kerima - Preparation

The corpse of the turtle god stored safely in a divine box intended to simply extract the health and will of any who approached she was confident that no none deity would be able to even interact with it, let alone open it - it would be suitable until she got a more suitable location constructed - and that was part of her next plans.

Gathering up the essence of various divine beings she began to filter them and extract the remnants she could to act as a baseline for her own plane - from the fire that burned her revenants she could determine heat, from the fists that had destroyed others she could claim conflict - useful if her plane was to grow and thrive rather then stagnate, from the revenants themselves she would introduce the entropy of the serpent to be used mostly to ward off such in her plane but also to act as a potenital punishment or reward and she also extracted knowledge potential of the deity that had first caused their creation, she took one of the gargoyles who her dwarven populace had noted and found that they were tainted with another entities power a creature of peaceful rest - she was puzzled somewhat by that given the creatures but ignored it, her plane was something of a reward for her people so peace would be useful at times. Her own power would be used for life and order - her mortal followers could live forever in her service in her new realm after their death on this one, the river archon Xill had impressed her by bringing the shelled to her attention so she finally examined them more carefully and noted the touch of some deity of water superficially but where 'water' might be better viewed as the ocean of reality and the mind which she hoped to use to help stablise her plane, the turtle god was effectively without power through whatever means it had died had left it empty - but the shelled had there own magic which rang out with its former power, and via that protection and home the gods purpose could likely still be met even if she had no knowledge if it would approve or not.

In truth she had little from more then what the various power felt like - but that would be enough for her to have act as a template for her own realm, and she began to construct a tiny microcosm of this in one of the rooms in a temple she enjoyed - no longer would she sit in the pit now she would enjoy the view from the top.

Corrla and Abu Dhahab
Had the deity arrived earlier he might have been met with more concern but with the arrival of the shelled previously he was an oddity but providing he followed the laws and didn't cause a problem most were willing to have him stay with guarded suspecion, a number of items might however stand out to him, the People of Kerima counted six groups amoungst them, the humans and elves were plentiful and much like what he was familiar with from those who journeyed across the sea - and occassional goblins were around though most of them on the surface were in the blight lands having fled the below, the odd loyal goblin on the surface was a curious creature more likely to engage with him then others but with little in appreciation of personal property other then what the goblin considered its own - if challenged the goblin would point out that the laws of Kerima did not prevent theft specifically and while most local priests did they often issued orders such as 'you cannot steal from the faithful of Kerima' and the merchant claimed to have his own faith - so loophole and as the goblin was faithful the lizardman could not steal items back frequently ending with a statement of 'so there', if Abu Dhahab approached the local priest the priest might trade intervention if they felt like it but remind the lizardman that if he merely embraced faith he would be fine.
The Dwarves were seen mostly in larger settlement and often had there own areas finely constructed - and always a local dwarven priest with them, mostly they seemed to act as supervisors on human towns to get them into better shape as something of a pilgrimage to assist people but with a fairly clear understanding that they wanted to get back home to 'proper civilisation' shortly, they had little interest in the lizardman at all - but fairly polite when spoken too.

The other two races might be those that surprised the deity the most firstly the Shelled existed in only the northern reaches of the continent and were clearly not native and didn't have the ingrained generational worship of Kerima in their culture, they would initially be very curious about the lizardman, someone who looked more like them ... but as it became clear he was not created by their progenitor the interest faded, when questioned they would explain what they knew about the orcs and how they had suffered horrors when they first landed but that through the intervention of the goddess their unknown crime was forgiven ... although many had left anyway and many who stayed were traumatized, the people of Corrla had made them welcome and provided for them in some initial hard times, the personal intervention of the goddess granted them a lot of social benefits ... even ignoring that she had restored them from the horrors they had become.

Lastly River Archons - some of the minor divinities had taken to active worship of the greater divinity, they offered their waters to the communities they served and were treated with respect in return - priests helped cleanse them of corruption around the blight areas and in some cases priests had redirected entire rivers to avoid those areas, the archons were much less faithful on average them other creatures having a greater understanding of reality made it difficult to truely worship - but still many achieved it well, the great underground rver of Xill apparently even had the favour of the goddess herself after some involvement with the shelled when they first arrived.

Kinro

2021-05-26, 08:47 PM

Neela was amazed at the perfection of her harpy friend's writing. She listened carefully to all that was said, responding in Kobold words and flute-speech, each as easy and natural as the other. They were both, she now knew without needing to know, one and the same, at a fundamental level. Of course, she still fretted about the black scratch on her friend, but she had bee assured that it was alright, that it had been a metting with her own goddess. Brietta, one so different from Lor, their own silent guardian on the moon. Soon, of course, she would need to go and spread this new knowledge. Kobolds, who were already familiar with so many languages, their libraries and post network spreading into all teritories, would see all differences in languages melt before them. Something joyful indeed. And so, with this small gesture, and thanks to deepening friendship with the Harpies, the Kobolds began to see the deity, Brietta, too as one of interest.

Meanwhile, back on the moon, Lor was looking upon the creation of the Orcs with disquiet. It knew that they were loyal to the great serpent it had helped to vanquish. It was true that in most mortal affairs, it remained neutral, the destruction of the serpent having left no taste in it for more of the same, but the revival of Wan'Shi, that had to be avoided at all costs. It was why it had begun to gather its guardians, those that looked in awe at Arkhos as he came to join Lor for a meeting of gods. Not as much awe as, perhaps, he deserved, given the peculiar experiences of all who lived there, but awe regardless.

Save for the one spot, Arkhos's reflection was not merely perfect, it was more than perfect, reflecting him as he most wished himself to be. But other than the reflection itself, there was no movement in the great mirror and no response, not until he was fully done speaking. Only then did the reflection move, but not as Arkhos moved. And it was with Arkhos's words that he was welcomed to the Serpent Moon, of which Lor had appointed himself guardian. He saw himself speak to one of Lor's attendants, two of the archons who had taken him to his place, each covered in shining, reflective silver. On Lor's instructions, given through the reflection, the archon took the scale and... where he placed the scale didn't seem to be anywhere close to where Lor's surface was. And yet, when he let go, there it was, exactly where the hole has been, showing a smaller, different reflection that spoke in unison with the first to thank Arkhos for his gift and to tell him of what was on Lor's mind. The appearance of the orcs and their hopes of reviving the beast upon who's head they stood. In exchange for agreement to answer any questions the new god had, Lor asked him about his own intentions. Would he assist in foiling this new threat? Remain neutral? Or show himself an enemy? The questions asked, the reflections ceased to move and speak of their own accord and become reflections once more. Both different, neither true.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-27, 03:22 AM

The Suzerain - Corrla
Abu Dhabab's journey would not go unnoticed. While the great lizard's divinity was masked, the trade and tales would be hardly be hidden, especially in the Blight Lands where such commerce was practically unheard of. The Suzerain would find signs of that mercantile passage when he returned from his work in Nocturne, and it would make him curious. Having looked down upon the First World from the border of Eternal Night's realm, he would of course have seen the new island chains connecting the major continents. However, he hadn't expected the lizards to chase profits this quickly... and especially not among the poorest peoples in any land.

The fact that it was just a single merchant, and that the merchant seemed to be keen about spreading stories of the Circle Continent, would only pique the archon's interest even more. And so the Suzerain followed in the footsteps of this lizard, intent on figuring out just what kind of being he was dealing with here. A master of Ki might be able to move as freely as this apparently agnostic lizard was able through the lands of Kerima, with confidence that no Revenant would overcome them, but the lizard also seemed to be a pacifist, or at least gentle in intention. Not violent enough to dissuade a revenant's attentions. How very peculiar.

Throughout the blightlands, the Suzerain would approach his faithful and tell them, "When this merchant returns, find me within Nocturne and let me know." Let's see just what this merchant actually was. Yes?

Renarr - Some dumb birds
The Dawnstar would react to the birth of the Mockingbirds quickly, and she would do so pointedly. Catching one of the sentient puddles of ash in her hand, the goddess walks with that babbling thing out of Solace's domain... and then she goes to the source of every damned bird in this world.

Holding the Mockingbird in one hand, the small creature still unleashing one long, unending death scream that so perfectly echoed the dying cries of many hundreds of godlings as they were burned away by Solace's light, Renarr extends her arm to Brietta, tilts her head to the side, and then demands, "Explain this, if you could. Please. They are... rather horrible."

KragBrightscale

2021-05-27, 07:05 AM

Abu Dhahab on Corla

The Great lizard found the differences between the races on Corla interesting. That such a variety of peoples were all the creation of one deity was admirable.

A goblin had tried to run off with a handful of his wares, and when confronted began nervously, yet self righteously, spouting off arguments for why what they had done was totally acceptable, even throwing out Kerima’s name and her rules to back up his claims.

Abu Dhahab found the whole interaction amusing, and let the goblin go, though not without a warning. Picking up a rock the size of the goblin’s head, he crushed into powder before sprinkling it on the ground. Seeing the goblin gulp and take a few steps back, Abu Dhahab advised them to be careful about who they steal from in the future, as not all foreigners who would be coming here were as forgiving.

Seeing the familiar river archons, Abu Dhahab was surprised when many of them turned out to be loyal followers and worshippers of Kerima. It was strange to him, these beings could almost be considered deities themselves if not for the unfortunate events that lead to them becoming archons. Why a weaker sibling should worship a more powerful one was beyond him, but seeing the archon priests things made a little more sense.

It was a transaction, a trade, worship in exchange for a portion of Kerima’s power. Abu Dhahab understood that. The river archons in the deserts of Wadi Alsahali didn’t worship him, but they did respect his will to benefit and protect his people, and therefore worked towards that same goal in exchange for being allowed to make the place their home too.

Talking to one of the river archon priests, he mentioned his desire to speak with Kerima, and heard from them that he could find her in one of her temples.

Walking over to the temple where he sensed a strong divine presence, Abu Dhahab hid himself from mortal eyes. He did not know how they would respond to seeing another deity visit their god, and had no desire to cause trouble.

Abu Dhahab meets Kerima

Unsure of where exactly was most fitting to meet, Abu Dhahab entered the temple and walked around until he finally saw her. Offering a polite nod, he brought both his hands together in front of him. One hand a fist, the other a palm, a salute that had gained widespread use amongst martial artists.

Greetings, Kerima, ruler of Corma. I come in peace, to seek answers to some questions I have. You have established a thriving society, in particular for those who adhere to the rules. Perhaps your answers may be of help to my thinking.

Sitting down cross legged on the ground, Abu Dhahab took out a couple cups of carved stone, a pouch of fresh green leaves, and a stone hand mill.

Your reputation amongst many of the mortals on other continents is unfortunately rather poor. Observing your domain, however, I was glad to perceive a more balanced truth.

Taking a handful of the leaves, he held them and sucked the moisture out of them with a hot desert wind. Within the palm of his hand, the shriveled leaves were dark and fragrant. Placing the leaves in his mill, he began to slowly and methodically grind them into fine powder. He continued to talk as he worked.

What confuses me about your society is the insistence that mortals worship you, and if not, then at least they must worship some other being like us.

While I can clearly see how you have worked for their benefit by providing fertile lands and various knowledge and skills, why do you demand what would likely have developed naturally? Those who worship me, do so without me requiring it, merely knowing of what I have done for them or witnessing my power is enough to inspire that reverence.

Your mandate has undoubtedly resulted in a larger percentage of worshippers, but is there some tangible benefit in that to you, or myself, as the recipient? Or is the recognition and flattery of those less than us something that should be seen as important?

Pausing silently for a moment, to ponder the questions he raised, Abu Dhahab poured the powdered leaves into the two cups and put away the mill. Drawing water out of the air he quickly heated it to the right temperature with his Ki before pouring that too into the cups. Looking up at Kerima again, he asked the question that he has been considering for a long time.

Why should a mortal worship beings like ourselves. We are in no ways perfect and infallible. Was not the Serpent one of us as well? Our knowledge and power is limited, and like mortals we too are prone to make mistakes. Ours just have the potential for far reaching consequences.

Reaching into another pouch, he pulled out a finely crafted whisk that had been made from the cylindrical plant that Kobolds used to write on. Stirring the powdered leaf and water together gently he continued.

I’m not saying that worship is wrong or inherently harmful, in fact I believe through reverence of higher beings, a mortal might gain the motivation to better themselves and their society by following our example and teachings.

However, if mortals choose their own path, why should we use our divine might to punish them? It seems... petty.

Taking in a whiff of the fine tea he had just made, Abu Dhahab smiled with satisfaction.

This cup is for you by the way, should you want to try. It’s made using leaves from a new plant I created while making the islands that lead me here. It will likely become widespread in consumption once merchants get a hold of it.

SpeedWitch

2021-05-27, 08:44 AM

Silph and the River

Finally, the Solar would look at Dia's mortal guise and look her over for a bit. "And as for you... do you know how hard you are to find? Renarr finally opens up a portal and sends me every which way to meet up with you again, and where are you? Sitting outside the Suzerain's realm. Fishing."
"I mean. I didn't know you were looking for -"

"I'll have you know that in my search, I was beset upon by no fewer than two phoenix and one of those mini serpents that thought it could burrow into Solace. All because you couldn't just fish in a lake like a normal person.
Dia's face went red, and she hid her snout in her hands. "Really making me feel as young as I appear..."

Oh well, you aren't the most unstable being I kno- Oh. Speak of the snake and he shall appear." The solar looked down towards the First World as he said that, and a new pair of figures rose up to pass them.
Dia peeked between her fingers and watched the archons converse, curious about what the Suzerain was up to but too flustered to engage, though her rivers did part for him as he left.

Silph looked back at Herend, who shook his head and shrugged to signal it wasn't their problem, and then the solar looked at the back of the Lord of Night. "Well. Alright then. I'm sure he knows what he's doing. So Dia... caught anything good yet?"
"I mean. Sorta. Alcyone here is the one fishing, though."

Dia gestured at the golem reorganizing a nebula into the shape of a fish. "I just made him the rod. He got his name from falling into my waters and taking in some of the memories I brought with me from Circle Continent (which is apparently a thing I can do, by the way). It's why he looks like him, and I look like me.

"As for fishing up these - what would you call them - Nightstars? Maybe just Stars? At first it was just to check how durable they were, what with the whole prophecy about them falling from the sky - but these things have enough fuel in them to last eons. So we started playing around with them, and what do you know, sticking a memory in one makes the memory last just as long. So, figured I'd turn the Snake into storage. Have something good come from all this. Think Magrius would agree."

Dia looked back out at the now finished constellation. "I hope these stars last. And don't drop into the ocean. Honestly, I think I'm just trying to distract myself from what that Serpent said - or, defy it? I don't know if it's all these thoughts and memories flowing through me, some grander purpose given to me by the Creator, or I'm just really, really petty."

"... Mmm. I really rambled on there. Um. Hmmmm. How you been doin?" Dia gave the pair of archons a weak smile. "Don't think I've met you before - Herend, right? Another one of Renarr's?"Life (Celestial)
Domain, Portfolio
Dia's actions have landed her as a guardian of celestial life. While she isn't well known among most mortals, she is revered among river and wave archons alike, as well as certain golems, and she's even earned some respect from the Solar Court.

★ Mind (Forgotten Memories)

★ Night (Stars)

★ Life (Celestial)
➤ 5 AP - Archons
➤ 3 AP - River Archons
➤ 2 AP - The Ring of Gods
10/10 AP

❖ Life (Protection)
➤ 1 AP - Sunspots
➤ 1 AP - Stygian Guardian Glacier
➤ 3 AP - Wave Archons
➤ 1 AP - Sprites
➤ 1 AP - Divine Thoughts
7/10 AP

❖ Thought (Preservation)
➤ 1 AP - Stars
➤ 5 AP - Starfisher Rod
➤ 1 AP - Stargazing
➤ 0 AP - Alcyone Salmon Constellation
7/10 AP
Rollover: +4 AP
Remaining AP: 4/16

dancrilis

2021-05-27, 11:39 AM

Kerima - Deity Discussion

She got word through prayer of a stranger, and from there it was not difficult to puzzle out that it was another deity - as they approached she put away the box containing Sen and the initial planer work in a tiny temporary pocket plane she created.

Getting a feel for them she noted that they were the one who had destroyed the revenants in the southern lands but that they had been more restrained on hers ... it was enough to allow a conversation.

She noted the sign of respect and inclined her head slightly to acknowledge it and listened as the they spoke - noting that they did not offer their own name while they did use hers, an oversight or delibrate she didn't really know, perhaps cultural or bound to their sense of self perhaps - or merely nervous at interacting with a being of equivalent power.

"The people of the south commited deicide - the revenants were a just response. For the rebels who journeyed across the sea for freedom I do maintain an awareness of them - it seems that many of their descendants have cast that freedom aside and submitted to a different power one who keeps them in second class status where their siblings here can attain any position within society be right of merit rather then blood - it is rare but occassionally some turn back to me in prayer I suspect that if those who traveled across the ocean knew what their descentants would do they would have never left. Regardless I have little interest in the other continents".

She paused to consider her response to the question of worship "much of my actions are deliberate though I don't hold myself to that if I feel like acting in haste - worship is a valuable tool for society through the deep connection to a deity a mortal can replicate some abilities that they consider to be miracles, and can do so without corrupting themselves on the essence of the serpent or considerations of personal power. Such a tool allows for the structure of society to develop in a broadly peaceful and ordered way - at least in its early days, without a binding element the goblins would have tried to overwhelm the dwarves through sheer numbers when space became an issue, the elves and humans would have fought for dominance of the surface - the chaos would have been annoying. Vastly different lifespans lead to different cultures need a method of control that all respect, worship is instilled in my people from the time they developed language - and it has worked well".

"Attempting to deny them the chance to worship you would likely eventually lead to my people and yours to go to war - which one of us would take offence to and the other would respond, such a conflict could devastate the planet and distract me from more important work so yes I do not solely demand personal worship, though the laws of my societies do place me at the forefront".

"At a higher level if you are seeking some gain that I have over you in terms of power from that - that I could siphon the energy and slay you? No, that is not a thing that mortal worship allows - given the deity in the south and the one who created the shelled I am starting to believe that deities can only truely die when they will it or more accurately lose the will to continue - even the serpent dismembered as it is maintains more vitality in its guts then I would have expected, I supect it merely sleeps - though as you say I could be wrong."

"The recognition is however important for mortals - they do better when they believe that there is someone out there who will punish them for overstepping or reward them for faithful service, this applies to more them merely ourselves if a mortal believes that punishment is possible from powerful unknown entities then they would feel it is certainly possible from people closer to home. But I won't lie I do like feeling connected to my people and know that they feel connected to me - many prayers I hear are meaningless but some I act on and some are simply entertaining".

She witnessed the Ki being used "you are co-opting the serpent's energy" again it was merely a fact rather then a condemnation.

"Your simpliest question is why should a mortal worship us, and the answer is because we demand it - or in this specific situation I demand it, the fact that there are practical benefits and certain consequences is reason enough for them to do so. If the some being infinitely more powerful then us capable of unleashing blessings and curses beyond our understanding - and they issue a command to revere them the only reason that we could refuse is if they allowed refusal, but it would likely not be sensible to do so. My people are literate and driven and some of them do stray from the path that society lays out for them - they are free to do this because I allow it, but if one chooses a life of hardship then one cannot be surprised when one finds a life of hardship".

She examined the tea and took it apart conceptually and reassembled it as it was but with all traces of mana removed before sipping it "it will likely do well for you - but I would leave the serpent out of the ingredients, at some point in the future I intend to remove the mana that infuses my land".

"I assume I have answered your questions?" she wasn't sure why they wanted to know, but she wasn't sure that she cared why they wanted to know either.

Writtensanity

2021-05-28, 04:20 AM

"Explain this, if you could. Please. They are... rather horrible."[/QUOTE]

Renarr had accosted Briettia beside her most powerful possession, the Egg of Flocks, on top of the Spine Aerie. This was the second divinity that had visited her, and this visit seemed to be less... tactful than the previous one. Briettia reached out with one of her wings, just far enough that the tip fo the feathers were touching Renarr's hand and offering refuge to the Mockingbird. As the little thing hobbled onto Briettia it's cries changed from the anguished death of Archons to the screams of Hallowcallers getting captured mixed with eggshells cracking and crying children.

"Horrible?" she asked once the Mockingbird had nestled on her shoulder. "You find my daughters horrible?" The mockbird sputtered and turned into ash just as it reached Briettia's neck. "They speak our failures, and we should learn from those. Learn to prevent them."

Briettia folded her wing back into place and turned to stare at the Egg of Flocks. "The mockingbirds are my divinity and Rong Tou's vision. A gift of trust, to show me that she understood." Briettia knelt down and brushed her fingertips over the Artifact. "I offer you the same gift of Vision, Sister, show me what Solace's dreamer shapes. We know what I did with Solace itself."

Briettia is offering Renarr to shape the coming creature from the Egg of Flocks.

Limitations: The Creature Must Be Avian, The Creature May Not Be Predatory to Mocking Birds.

The Beast Cagers

Briettia saw the action of the tamers and heard the propositions of the more militant among them. She had hoped her actions would have made them understand that the Monsters of her flock were not to be tamed and treated as beasts of burden. She had given them a warning and they had still defied the will of the Wilds, in fact, they had doubled down on trapping her Daughters.

This would not stand.

Briettia fashioned one of the carving sticks the Kobolds loved and poured her will into it. Words burned into the surface of the wood, an ancient language of understanding instead of words. Anyone, anything who read her plea would understand the natural order Briettia demanded for her children. They would understand her call and their blood would summon something new into the world.

The Wild Manifesto had been written.

Briettia is creating The Wild Manifesto, a piece of writing that inspires the reader and grants the use of powerful blood magic. The one-time birthing of a new species into the world.

Minor Artifact > Discounted Action is Create Monsterous Race

The Wilds Awaken

Within the Spine Aerie, literacy was still intermittent. Most reading was done by the Harpies of The Great Marshes. It was one of those Harpies, Lythilia who found the Wild Manifesto beside her nest on a morning with a blood sunrise.

Lythilia picked up the writing stick, the black ashen writing of Briettia burned words contrasted with her snow-white wing feathers. Lythilia was a new member of the messengers, and still struggled with reading sometimes, but this morning the words flowed so easily that she even spoke the first several.

"Daughter, I'm Sorry."

By the time Lythilia understood what she needed to do she was resolved enough to do it. Lythilia knelt over The Wild Manifesto, and took out a small knife, crafted by one of her razor talons that had fallen off months ago, and paid the blood price.

The Wild Manifesto sat in a clutch of 4 eggs once Lythilia's body burned away, but something much worse had already been birthed that day. Blood had wrapped into pale meat and sinew, a night hunter bent on revenge.

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ad/41/49/ad41497f465d348cff55b60234b4746c.jpg

Blind Spectres are large pterosaurs, ghost-white with eyes that match the appearance of many blind species. Despite their massive size, they are able to glide through the air noiselessly, often appearing as silhouettes or apparitions against the sky on cloudy nights.

Blind Spectres are ambush predators, swooping in suddenly and stealing away a single creature, typically swallowing it whole. That said, once one has found food, others are attracted to the pheromones, meaning that it quickly becomes a deluge of Blind Spectres circling around a single source of prey. If at any point they outnumber the prey, they will land to strike out at them.

Despite being unwieldy on land, size comes with strength and Blind Spectres are capable of breaking down walls of all but the strongest built wood dwellings or secured stone with a swipe from their wings. Additionally, they are incredibly difficult to kill with most traditional weapons as they are protected by thick skin, and their primary method of attack, their wings, has over triple the range of a held sword or spear.

Blind Spectres notably don't eat children.

Their favourite food above all others are Goblinoid races, and they can track the cries of panicked monsters from dozens of miles away.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-28, 07:00 AM

Deity Discussion

I see, so the Ghuls had such a history. It must have happened near the beginning, while the deity was still young. Perhaps it was weakened due to the Devourer’s attacks, many of us perished during that time. For their death to anger you so, did you know them?

The Ghuls seem to know better than to harm another deity now. I encountered one when I was there whom they seem to view highly.

I hope you were not too offended by my heavy handed response to the revenants I encountered. I was not aware at that time of any reason a deity would wish to cause such suffering. While they could supposedly find peace by infecting more of their own, such a peace would be but a mockery as they must face the responsibility of harming their own loved ones. So I fulfilled their wish, and stopped them.

As for the so called rebels, my understanding was that they lived as outcasts, rejected for their desire to be free in thought, action, and in what or who they place their reverence. I’d be if surprised any who left would be inclined to pray to the deity of a society that hurt them, especially after generations of being brought up with exaggerated descriptions of your tyranny, so forgive me if I don’t take your word for it.

I must admit I’m not very familiar with that society that lives under the rule of another deity apart from what the merchants of my people hear through their trade, but I believe that was just a small portion. As for their ancestors of regretting, I guess we should disagree again and move on. If their life was anything nearly as hard as the lives of those living in the blighted zones of today, I’m sure they would still go, in fact expect some of those living in those zones today will leave now that the journey is less perilous. At least they would have land they can use for agriculture, no fear or revenants or corruption.

Returning to the topic of worship, the thing he found most interesting on Corla, Abu Dhahab continued.

I have seen the benefit of mortals acting as a conduit for your power to bring healing. I can understand the appeal, and it does give you some measure of constant control. Being your power that they wield, it is yours to take away should they displease you.

My talks with the priests led me to the conclusion that your system of worship is really two things entwined. You can correct me if you feel this is not the case, but I believe I am close to the truth.

Firstly, worship, or reverence, which I’ve seen can come in various forms and be directed at anything despite what your priests may argue. Secondly, bestowal or approval. Bestowal is really the point of interest here, and what seems to be the key factor for the division of faithless and faithful in your society, as well as what revenants seen to be using to judge if a person’s worship is valid.

This is also where worship of a powerful being differs from worshiping something without power. When mortals worship you or another deity, should that deity accept it, they seem to receive a noticeable aura or connection to that entity. This is little more than declaring that the mortal belongs to that entity or has their approval. Why your revenants targeted the shelled, for example, would seem to align with my theory. Their object of worship was unfortunately incapable of bestowal.

Noticing Kerima’s action of reassembling the tea, he continued.

I see you too are wary of the ever present energy in the air. Though no longer a body that devours the world, the serpent’s essence has saturated this world. In a way you could say that it lives on, or at least it’s power does.

Your hope to eventually rid your lands of mana is understandable, but I feel it might be difficult to ever remove the snake’s essence completely from this world. To achieve that goal it may require a separate space entirely.

Some of my people had been exposed to too much of this mana, so I created a way for them to avoid corruption.

Calling up a wisp of Ki, Abu Dhahab swirled it in his palm.

This is Ki, it is what is left when you strip away all impurities contained in mana and mix in your own aura. While it may have come from the snake, before that it belonged to the entities like ourselves. If you look closely you’ll find that this energy is now completely mine, the refining has returned it to what it was before the snake devoured it.

You could compare it to what you just did with the tea I made, separating out that which you do not want.

Through hard work, my people can purify the mana in their bodies and cultivate their own Ki. The process is slow and requires patience, diligence and discipline. You could say those are the qualities I have selected as determining a worthy recipient of the ability, instead of being based on worship.

Taking out a pouch of Holy Sand, he passed it to Kerima.

This too is something I’ve created to suppress the corruption of the snake. I was interested to find that it also suppressed other supernatural things such as your revenants and some of the other diseases going around. Keep it, as a gift or as an exchange for the answers you’ve given me.

My earlier question regarding the benefit of worship was not out of the fear that you might overpower me, I hope you understand. I can clearly sense that we are of similar strength, and it seems you too are approaching ascension. I think as just curious to why you would emphasize worship so much In your society, I thought there might be something special about it apart from being just something you wanted.

Your responses has helped me arrive at what I wished to know, the answer was prayer. Direct communication between mortals and deities, that is what I think is most interesting about what you have established.

I personally prefer in-person interaction, but the time to depart is fast approaching, so I will need to come up with an alternative. Our talk has given me some ideas, so thank you.

I will be on my way, but if you ever have questions of your own, or wish to make an exchange of sorts, come find me or pass along a message through your priests.

Finishing his tea, Abu Dhahab stood up prepared to leave.

Oh, right. I’m Abu Dhahab by the way. Talking to the people here it seemed someone has spread some interesting stories about me, so I though you might recognize or know who I am, and somehow forgot to mention it earlier.

Writtensanity

2021-05-28, 10:30 PM

The Harpies of the Great Marshes

There was a sense of disquiet among the Harpies of the great mashes as the Kobolds started to consider Briettia as part of their occasional prayers and offerings to the moon. The largest source of the unrest wasn't that they were jealous of others worshipping Briettia or offering her reverence, it was more that the Hapries had never considered that the Kobolds form of worship was...applicable to Briettia.

When it came to telling stories, it also didn't help that the harpies were a younger race than the Kobolds. They had arrived after the battle with Wan'Shi that the Kobolds would tell grand stories of. Their only connection to that were the tales of the Fang Phoenixes, but none of them came to the Marshes and the Fang Phoenixes weren't talkative at the calmest of times.

For the first time, some of them joined the Kobolds in worship and gave equal rites to Briettia and Lor.

The Plains and Hunts

Hennata was a hunter from the Great Marshes, her sister in work was a huntress from the Aerie, Gialia.

Hennata had been waiting for hours for Gialia to join her for her hunt, but instead, she'd been catching nothing on the edge of the Mashes. It was late in the day when she spotted another Harpy from the Aerie up high, circling and looking for a sign of a sister. She waved the messenger down.

Gialia had gotten her talons stuck in a horse she was taking down. Crushed under it.

Later, deep in the Great Marshes, Hennata was on a mission. She spent days when she was done hunting trying to make something that could outdo her talons, let her stay further back so that this wouldn't happen again, but everything was too clumsy, everything was heavy or inaccurate or- Just less perfect than the mother had made them.

Finally, at the edge of her sanity when it came to trying, she was approached by one of her nest sisters, Neela, the carrier of Briettia's Talon. Hennata's mission hadn't been joy-filled like Neela's was, and she gladly snatched a possible ending away from her sister and splattered her blood on the ground.

Half a week later, the deeper in the plains than was safe before if the Centaurs finally saw Harpies aside from small flashes in Kobold villages, they would be wielding perfect and honed javelins. They dropped them from a hundred feet on stationary prey, and anything they needed to chase couldn't outrun the flying harpies harrowing it with multiple spears.

No more harpies would die when talons were caught in their prey.

Creating Javelins as a mundane concept using Briettia's Talon for Harpies to use during flight and as dropping weapons.

By proximity, the Kobolds can know of Javelins immediately.

Action Discounted by Artifact: No domain progress.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-29, 12:35 AM

Just outside Nocturne

Silph and the River

"I mean. I didn't know you were looking for -" Dia's face went red, and she hid her snout in her hands. "Really making me feel as young as I appear..."

Dia peeked between her fingers and watched the archons converse, curious about what the Suzerain was up to but too flustered to engage, though her rivers did part for him as he left.

"I mean. Sorta. Alcyone here is the one fishing, though."

Dia gestured at the golem reorganizing a nebula into the shape of a fish. "I just made him the rod. He got his name from falling into my waters and taking in some of the memories I brought with me from Circle Continent (which is apparently a thing I can do, by the way). It's why he looks like him, and I look like me.

"As for fishing up these - what would you call them - Nightstars? Maybe just Stars? At first it was just to check how durable they were, what with the whole prophecy about them falling from the sky - but these things have enough fuel in them to last eons. So we started playing around with them, and what do you know, sticking a memory in one makes the memory last just as long. So, figured I'd turn the Snake into storage. Have something good come from all this. Think Magrius would agree."

Dia looked back out at the now finished constellation. "I hope these stars last. And don't drop into the ocean. Honestly, I think I'm just trying to distract myself from what that Serpent said - or, defy it? I don't know if it's all these thoughts and memories flowing through me, some grander purpose given to me by the Creator, or I'm just really, really petty."

"... Mmm. I really rambled on there. Um. Hmmmm. How you been doin?" Dia gave the pair of archons a weak smile. "Don't think I've met you before - Herend, right? Another one of Renarr's?"

"Well, we most certainly met before! I'm just not as memorable as ol' one-arm here." Herend would tell the river goddess before Silph had the chance to speak up. "You met all of us Solars, in fact, since all of us are from that original group that hid in the Suzerain's bubble! Also, we're all the same age. Or close enough to it for that not to matter in the eyes of the creator. So if you feel childish, just remember... you're probably never growing out of it. Now, more importantly..." Floating on over to the fishing golem, chisel and stone tablet in hand, the scribe would look at that rod and ask his fellow archon, "A fishing rod that fishes up stars from the insides of snakes, you say? How... very, very interesting."

Letting the other solar ask Alcyone all manner of questions about how the rod had come to be and how it worked (which likely included a request to demonstrate it for him once or twice,) Silph shakes his head and mutters, "We're lucky. If he could have thought of a snake pun, he would have absolutely said it without any remorse."

"Now come on golem, don't make me fish up this information! You can't keep stringing me along without giving me a bite to work with here! I'll worm a response out of you yet, eventually you'll fall for my bait!"

"..." Looking directly at Dia's new small lizard avatar, and only her avatar, Silph tells her, "Well I have a migraine, but other than that? Doing fine. Renarr made a new portal into the world, so I'm finally able to walk around on and experience this planet. And it's beautiful! I've almost been eaten no fewer than five thousand three hundred sixty times, but still, I'll trade sitting around swapping stories of what might have been with the other Solar in Solace." He's probably exaggerating. He's only been in the world for the better part of a year at this point, give him a few centuries and his estimate on near-gastric experiences will be more accurate.

Tapping his chin with his "river" arm, Silph would add, "Though I suppose I should ask since I was sent... Renarr wanted to know if there was anything she could do for you? She remembers the lesson you taught her about life, and she has seen how you protected the world from the wake of destruction that Wan'shi attempted to unleash. She also views you as a friend, and would invite you into a formal alliance just in case the need to work together comes up again in the future. She wants you to know that you aren't alone in your petty defiance of the snake's prophesy of DOOM." There. That should about cover what he was actually sent here to do.

Within the Spine

Renarr had accosted Briettia beside her most powerful possession, the Egg of Flocks, on top of the Spine Aerie. This was the second divinity that had visited her, and this visit seemed to be less... tactful than the previous one. Briettia reached out with one of her wings, just far enough that the tip fo the feathers were touching Renarr's hand and offering refuge to the Mockingbird. As the little thing hobbled onto Briettia it's cries changed from the anguished death of Archons to the screams of Hallowcallers getting captured mixed with eggshells cracking and crying children.

"Horrible?" she asked once the Mockingbird had nestled on her shoulder. "You find my daughters horrible?" The mockbird sputtered and turned into ash just as it reached Briettia's neck. "They speak our failures, and we should learn from those. Learn to prevent them."

Briettia folded her wing back into place and turned to stare at the Egg of Flocks. "The mockingbirds are my divinity and Rong Tou's vision. A gift of trust, to show me that she understood." Briettia knelt down and brushed her fingertips over the Artifact. "I offer you the same gift of Vision, Sister, show me what Solace's dreamer shapes. We know what I did with Solace itself."

Briettia is offering Renarr to shape the coming creature from the Egg of Flocks.

Limitations: The Creature Must Be Avian, The Creature May Not Be Predatory to Mocking Birds.

Renarr blinks when Brietta talks about regrets, and she watches the little bird crumble to ash and wither away, the albino goddess thinking for a moment about how to phrase what she wanted to say before speaking in a small voice hardly befitting one of the primary guardians of reality that had killed Wan'shi. "Remind us of our failures? Nest mother... I can't escape my remainders."

"Look up. The corpses of gods that I killed in a moment's negligence hover in the night sky, orbiting the planet. They are petrified, charred and then they were frozen by the Serpent's curse that cut this world and its mortals off from the heavens. A curse that the serpent made using a realm I created. When I look up, I do not see the sun, the stars, or the things in the sky, I see the blood on my hands that I still cannot..." Looking down at her hands, at the veins blackened by the strike she'd unleashed into Lor's surface, the goddess shakes her head and then gestures all around them.

"Then, feel the air around us. All this mana, this digested divine essence... feel its abundance. It's because I failed to make Solace safe, a sanctuary from Wan'shi's predations. None of the gods could hide in it. It's because I failed to strike at the serpent when it was still young, when we were... almost equal. Before it had grown fat off the flesh of the divine. I failed to stop Wan'shi, and I inhale that failure with every breath, I feel it press against me in the breeze, I carry it as a burden to protect my faithful from the influence of Mana that would slowly drive them insane. I carry its weight.

"Recently, I tried to do something nice for my Solars. They were... unique. And that uniqueness meant that they could not procreate like mortals, or even other archons. Because of the blessing I gave to them cannot be divided, only consolidated, they cannot have children with one another. I... saw that a group of elves had moved to the portal to Solace, elves who worshiped me and who accepted me as their goddess. Who saw my Solars as heralds. And I thought... well... I may not be able to make more Solar, but I could still allow them to have children with these mortals, couldn't I?"

Though out this ramble Renarr's voice had remained even and cool, almost detached from what she had been saying, but now lines of glittering starlight slid down her cheeks. Voice unchanged, the Eternal Night aspect said, "The solari are few, but already they are being heralded as superior to their elven kin. Not because I commanded it, nor even because of some inherent magical trait that sets them above the rest. It's because my mortal followers believe the Solar to be my voice, my will in the world, so the children of my heralds must be blessed, mustn't they? I did not design the Solari with greater knowledge, they just live so long that they can master more skills and they naturally end up with more merit, moving them to higher positions within my society. I didn't want them to out-live their competition, I just wanted to give my Solar more time with their children before they had to say goodbye.

"I did not want to be a tyrant. They have made me their empress." Closing her eyes and clenching her hands into fists, Renarr makes a Wish. "I do not need reminders of my failures. I need a reminder that I will not always fail. That I can still have hope, and that someday, I will be able to make things better." And as she wished, it became an idea within the egg, an idea that would soon hatch into something... truly beautiful.

So I'll be taking Brietta up on that free Monstrous Life offer, and I'm making Birds of Paradise. So. Here's the writeup:

Monstrous Life; Birds of Paradise: G, Creature - Bird, 0/2, Flying, Tap: Add 1 mana of any color Birds of Paradise are ethereal beings that only rarely take corporeal form in the First World. Also called Nest or Cradle Wardens and Dream Guardians, these birds are beacons of positive emotions. Their songs are said to ward away nightmares, and can calm or mute violent emotions. These birds tend to flock around beings who have multiple sprites that are formed from dark and repressed memories, suggesting that they are able to see sprites to a degree.

When fully ethereal, these birds are little more than a prismatic pattern that hovers in the sky, much smaller than their actual form (about swan sized.) On the first world, it is impossible for them to transition beyond this ethereal form outside of being bound by powerful mana rituals. While ethereal their positive emotion abilities are vastly muted, but they cannot be killed via mundane means. They can be driven away by powerful enough scenes of violence, or by being attacked by a creature they are trying to comfort, however.

Upon any other plain, Birds of Paradise are always physically manifested. About the size of a bull elephant in this form, these birds glow like a living aurora, and their abilities are far more potent. (To put it in terms of D&D 5e, they go from DC 12 to DC 18... or in 3.PF, they go from DC 13 to DC 24, because that's how scaling works in that system. :P) When physically manifest these birds can actually be killed by people with swords... as long as those people are warded against mental manipulation.

A feather from a Bird of Paradise that is given from the bird freely is said to carry luck in it, and these feathers are highly sought after for that reason. Throughout the Shaline empire and their direct trade partners, it is explicitly known that feathers taken from a Bird of Paradise by force are worthless, and if one kills a bird for their feathers, it brings ruin instead of luck. This may not be true, but it is what Renarr told her people, and hunting these birds within Solace and Nocturne is seen as deeply heretical and Not Cooltm

Razade

2021-05-29, 04:29 AM

The Steady March to the Shared Continent

It had not taken the Orcs long to discover that their new home, shared by the Weshesh, was mobile. Slow through coercion and threat as it moved at the whim of someone whose Goddess no longer drew breath, but mobile all the same. In its slow travels, the Orcs and Shelled had built upon the face of the islands, a central city looking around the mountain on Sentar and up towards its peak as smaller towns and foundries began to take shape.

The orcs had come to enjoy the taste of the large turtles native to the lands and to use the thick and sturdy shells that were left over. Armor and plating for defensive structures that ringed the shores of their mobile home were a common Orcish element of the Turtle Island tribes. The Xen quickly settled the sprawling ring city as its directors, aiding in the slow spread of towns out from its center to fill the wilderness.

Tundra Orcs

From the deserts they rose, the single city the Lizarfolk had found occupied by the Xen acting as a slow funneling entry point to the Circle Continent. But the Orcs were not merely content to hold this small city, wishing for fertile ground to feed their quickly growing people. So it was that there in the presence of the ice sheet the Orcs made final camp. The lands were cold, something they were not accustomed to, but the ever adapting Orcs would overcome it. Here, many Tribes would say, was their central lands for at the foot of the ice shelf they saw opportunity and in the taiga and swamps and low wet lands, the Orcs found something they had no elsewhere. A land that suited them perfectly. The hot arid lands, the rocky volcanos and even the pleasent Turtle Islands were not their ideal home. Adapted to, yes. Thriving in, only through the good graces of the Xen and the Shelled. While those other races might hold power in the extremes of what one might call the Weshesh Diaspora, it was here where the battle with Wan'shi had truly taken place they felt most at ease.

Orcish Envoy to the Aire

With whispers from the Idol Gods, the Orcs sent more tendrils of their influence across the Circle Continent. From the blasted deserts the Orcish Party crawled. High into the peaks, treasures from the depths glinting in large hands. Their leader, Broken Tusk and Red Meat was central, her fangs chipped and broken from fierce battles with five mates that displeased her. Back home in the great Xen city she had left five children, each stronger than the last. She hoped to return.

Corrla Orcs

It was only a matter of time that the Orcs would rise from the tunnels of Corrla and take foot upon the lands under the cursed Sun. They, unlike the Xen who were more than happy to trade and share ideas with the many people of the continent, stuck to the shores. There they dug canals and trenches, vast places where shallow waters allowed for fishing. As if conducted by some unseen design. They built only small huts along the shores, some brave enough to swim to the many islands they could see from their vantage to do the same.

The Weshesh: Culture and the Rise of the Orc

With the Orcs birth, a vast shakeup trembled across Weshesh society. No longer was it a matter of the Xen and their silent empire in the tunnels. The Underdark was quickly becoming a vast network for the many Orcish tribes to coordinate and travel. While the castes of the Weshesh had remained, builder and mage and leader, the Orcish tribalism had shaped the Weshesh in ways profound. Each tribe was made up of many castes, some specialized to the regions they dwelt within. The Xen remained as advisors but each tribe within the culture began to hold bloodlines in esteem. Strong orcs, of strong blood, climbed to positions of power, advised by Xen caretakers and ruling over the Shelled and any other peoples that would join their cause. Only Orcs, at least for the moment, could become Chiefs of their Tribes, and only Tribes could lobby for powers where they were in conflict with junior races.

dancrilis

2021-05-29, 08:37 AM

Kerima - Deity Discussion

"No I did not know them" she said when Abu Dhahab assumed such "but their influnce is widely felt, they were the one who created composite souls and who deemed that every sentient being would have a unique name tied to its very nature - but yes the people of the south have now gained a new patron and I do not intend interference".

"Your actions were more a concern due to timing - shortly after the serpents curse both you and another deity took time to engage in similiar conflicts, I had concerns as to if those who had entered that battle had been driven mad - but that does not seem to be the case".

"As for those who pray - many mortals rebel against their parents, and being told that your people escaped tyranny on the quest for freedom does not sit well with being a second or third class individual for some, but I would not consider them truely faithful more scattered prayers on occassion - perhaps I will answer at some point. As for those who left initially - they didn't leave to secure a better life they left because another of our kind instilled in them a call from freedom and provided an agent to spread that message - in truth I have not noted their works in some time" she may have to investigate such she decided.

On the topic of worship "you have seemed to have made a mistake - it is not my power that they wield, the worship allows the mortal to forge a connection to me - or I suppose you or any other - and if that connection is strong enough it allows them to replicate the barest shadows of our power but it isn't a drain on us, the power is their own generated from their own worship of us but yes we could sever the connection if we felt like it. Other then that you have the gist of it".

She took the bag of sand "this may be of use - I am working towards a seperate plane of existance and this may be more useful then the remnants you left of the revenents".

Nodding at the other deity as they moved to depart "yes word of your continent has reached my lands - an entity ties to one the deity that the elves who left fell under spreads his stories of such," a map of Corrla appeared in the air at her will, "there is the most sizable amount of their dealings as I understand" she gestured to one of the largest blight areas "should you wish to discuss what they are saying about you".

The Blind Spectres and The Feasts
The emergence of a new predator for the elves was not met with horror or revulsion - the first few attacks did kill a number including some settlements wiped out except for the children, and that was a tragedy which would stay in song and story for generations, but ultimately the elves had brought both normal creatures and creatures of legend under control, they were prepared to do it again - theirs was not merely a job or a calling it was a divine mission to master life and they would do it.

Goblins treated life as cheaper then elves and the new predators seemed as partial to the flesh of the goblins as they were to the elves so goblins were hired as bait for the creatures to lure them out, other animals were tamed to be on the lookout for the giant birds and then when they tried to swoop down and attack they would find priests would masked their smell and sound using invisible wards to distrupt flight, as the giant birds fell to the ground there would find tar being thrown at them and and lit on fire to burn them alive.

Great feasts were held in celebration - entire goblin and elf tribes would feast on even a single bird but they learned quickly that the cries of one would attract more, who could be taken down in turn with successful planning, relations between goblin and elf improved a lot based on these joint cultural activities.

Of course some beastmasters were more interested in taming the birds them in simply mastering them, and so nests were found where and looted after the parents were dead to see if they could be made more useful and indeed the cries of the birds and the and there ability to note pheromones was indeed useful, unruly ones could be eaten and more docial ones could even be used for long distance travel by dangling a ball of sweat infront of them - although this had many dangers for any riders, particularly when the animals wild blood won out on occassion.

The Arrival of the Orcs
Where the Xen had arrived as a curiousity the Orcs following the warnings of the Shelled met a much more dubious introduction, priests monitored them carefully, sprites were captured via wards and examined for traces of dubious intent - the race was not driven from the shores immediately as calmer heads felt that they would be given a chance and the Laws of Kerima protected them from attack without a priests blessing but the laws also gave the orcs no means of retailation should the priests decide to take action - particularly the first law was monitored in all dealings with the new comers.

ezekielraiden

2021-05-29, 10:13 AM

Save for the one spot, Arkhos's reflection was not merely perfect, it was more than perfect, reflecting him as he most wished himself to be. But other than the reflection itself, there was no movement in the great mirror and no response, not until he was fully done speaking. Only then did the reflection move, but not as Arkhos moved. And it was with Arkhos's words that he was welcomed to the Serpent Moon, of which Lor had appointed himself guardian. He saw himself speak to one of Lor's attendants, two of the archons who had taken him to his place, each covered in shining, reflective silver. On Lor's instructions, given through the reflection, the archon took the scale and... where he placed the scale didn't seem to be anywhere close to where Lor's surface was. And yet, when he let go, there it was, exactly where the hole has been, showing a smaller, different reflection that spoke in unison with the first to thank Arkhos for his gift and to tell him of what was on Lor's mind. The appearance of the orcs and their hopes of reviving the beast upon who's head they stood. In exchange for agreement to answer any questions the new god had, Lor asked him about his own intentions. Would he assist in foiling this new threat? Remain neutral? Or show himself an enemy? The questions asked, the reflections ceased to move and speak of their own accord and become reflections once more. Both different, neither true.

Arkhos marvelled, though not to the point of impoliteness, at Lor's visage. Only a few of his memories were of Lor, and of course none of them were from his current perspective. There was a kinship between them, seeing what things could be in what things were. That simply cemented Arkhos' commitment to meeting the gods that had given him life and finding common ground with them...though he knew that both the challenge of doing so and Wan'Shi's great Curse would not be easily overcome.

"I stand with thee and thine, Lor. This is my Home. Those whose memories I protect fought and died on the thin hope of saving it for others. I should need to become other than what I am, to abandon its defense now. Indeed...let us add unto it our first work of substance." Arkhos looked with godly sight down on the world below, and remembered. One of the gods had created....eating-beings, albeit few in number. As he surveyed, he found that they had been expanded upon, changed; where before they were of clay, now they were of earth general, in ochre and amber clad. Yet unlike himself, and indeed unlike Wan'Shi, they still walked upon the ground. They could yet become more than they were, they could rise higher and see farther.

Arkhos pulled upon the metaphysical threads of the Tangible Wish. To make, to refine, to build up: that was how he would call out to these mortals. But to refine, one needs must have the tools. From the possibilities, he fashioned something divine. An artifact of making, but not for making tools. No, this was an artifact for reshaping the delicate threads of life, upon which the soul could be shaped. That delicate nature wove into the artifact, something that could be as fragile as breath and as sturdy as the mountain. The Glass Anvil, upon which one might find self-improvement; indeed, on which the Self might be Improved.

He spoke to some few of these earth-dragons, a distant voice, but clear like the bell that rings out in the night. "If thou wouldst be more than thou art, if thou wouldst seek beyond the confines of the earth, heed my call, and thou shalt come to me." Some came. Far, far from all. But enough. A seed, a beginning. They looked at Arkhos in confusion and interest and wonder, and likewise at Lor, whose mirrored surface they no doubt had never seen before. Among the silvered grasses of the moon that slept, these few earth-dragons were forged in soulfire and quenched in reflection. Some, their red-brown hides darkened even as it gained luster. Others retained the fire of the forge in their gleaming scales. In color, five: gold, silver, copper, iron, and cobalt. Not truly made of metal, no more than Arkhos himself was, but shining like it, the outward reflection of their purification. Sharper, more focused than their earth-dragon brethren, and given the gift of wings like their adoptive father.

"Come, my children. These tasks I give you: protect your home, and those who live within it. This moon, and the First World below. You shall ride the winds, powerful, blessed, wise. Use not your gifts in vain. Be strong, ever ready to assist those who would forestall the waking of the Serpent that sleeps within this moon. Fall neither into the temptation of control, nor that of idleness. Be vigilant, and most of all vigilant on yourselves. My blessing is upon you."

The irony, of course, was not lost on Arkhos. That his first creations should be made so close, in both distance and form, to the very thing he opposed even before his birth. Yet it was as it needed to be. Here, they could learn, in safety and quiet, before returning to the world below. Empowered and enlightened, given a safe creche to raise their young, a safe eyrie to return to when hurt, they could be guardians wise without needing to take and rule and control.

He returned his attention to Lor. "I thank thee for thy welcome and thy wisdom both, Lor. I pray these children be welcome among yours, and learn from thee, for thou hast seen more than I of the Serpent and its ways. They shall be powerful guardians, shouldst thou need to call upon their strength." Looking back at the First World, he added, "There remain other meetings I must make. There are many whose labor gave birth to me. Until we meet again, friend."

Create Artifact: The Glass Anvil, (Utility Artifact for Create Legends). 4 AP (reduced from 5 by the Tangible Wish). Domain: Liberation (Aspiration) 9/10
Create Legendary Life, subspecies of Earth Dragons: Metallic Dragons. 2 AP (reduced from 3 by the Glass Anvil). Domain: Nobility (Leadership) 2/10

In-progress domains:
Liberation (Aspiration) 9/10
Nobility (Leadership) 2/10
Good (Self-Sacrifice) 1/10

Total AP remaining: 4

SpeedWitch

2021-05-29, 10:46 AM

Silph and the River

"You met all of us Solars, in fact, since all of us are from that original group that hid in the Suzerain's bubble! Also, we're all the same age. Or close enough to it for that not to matter in the eyes of the creator. So if you feel childish, just remember... you're probably never growing out of it."I - I'm not - that's not what I meant at all!" Dia pouts, but Herrend has already moved onto the golem. "Bullying me like I'm a hatchling..." She does her best to ignore the following bombardment of puns.
"Well I have a migraine, but other than that? Doing fine. Renarr made a new portal into the world, so I'm finally able to walk around on and experience this planet. And it's beautiful! I've almost been eaten no fewer than five thousand three hundred sixty times, but still, I'll trade sitting around swapping stories of what might have been with the other Solar in Solace." The kobold laughs. "Good. That means I'll get to see more of you - I've been in the void for too long. I need to get back down to the First World and check on everyone down there. I haven't talked to any of the other river archons since I took Abu to fight the Serpent, and I think there might be a new batch of them I need to thank for helping me scoop everyone up during the storm."
Tapping his chin with his "river" arm, Silph would add,"Though I suppose I should ask since I was sent... Renarr wanted to know if there was anything she could do for you? She remembers the lesson you taught her about life, and she has seen how you protected the world from the wake of destruction that Wan'shi attempted to unleash. She also views you as a friend, and would invite you into a formal alliance just in case the need to work together comes up again in the future. She wants you to know that you aren't alone in your petty defiance of the snake's prophesy of DOOM."Dia considers this, closing her eyes and mimicking Silph's action with her own arm - an arm that begins to transform into that familiar clear starlit water. It spreads across her whole body, the image of the kobold girl falling into the waters, until Silph finds himself facing the jet stream he first saw in Solace. To be honest. I knew life was fragile. But at first. I think. I only cared for my own divine blood... I could not entirely grasp. Why my kin risked themselves to save others.

The face of the kobold flashed across Dia's waters. I needed to see them. To feel them. But even the knowledge I have now. Is not enough. I have much more to learn.

I want to connect the disparate courts. The Rivers. The Solars. The Waves. The Golems. And any more that may be out there. We will be a beacon of hope for the world. United in its protection. Guides to mortals. Champions of peace.

Or something like that. A sprite glints beneath her form. These mortals have wonderful ideals. I mean to see them fulfilled.

Without warning, the jet stream shoots off across the surface Nocturne, and the rest of the river begins to follow, destination: The portal to the First World.

Meanwhile, unlike Silph or Dia, Alkyone looks directly at Herend, waiting until he's all out of puns, at witch point he pops out a few sprites from his own head, and begins putting them into new stars. Whether out of spite or genuine appreciation for his comedy routine, Herend's Grin makes its way permanently into the night sky.Of Saints and Archons
As the world finally settled in the wake of Wan'shi's destruction, mortals found themselves drawing closer to divinity, wielding powers that were once thought to only be achievable by gods. Two major factors in this, discovered by many cultures around the same time as each other, were the Godborn and the concept of Veneration.

Godborn were children of archons and mortal races. These children would often grow to live incredibly long lives, display mystical powers similar to that of their parent archon (especially those of the elemental variety) and, allegedly, be capable of becoming new archons themselves. The stories of how a godborn may ascend vary between courts. For example, on the Circle, the child of a river archon is said to be able to fully cast their mortal yolk off by swimming up and down the length of an archonless river nonstop, until their sweat and oils have become a permanent part of the river.

Veneration was something similar, but distinct from Worship, both in the mystical and spiritual sense. Those who venerate particularly important religious figures in their own faith, whether alive or dead, often find the powers they gain from Worship to manifest in different ways than expected. Saints of war or conflict, for example, might lead to more volatile expressions of power, while saints of knowledge or secrets inspire worshipers to use their deity's aura to further science or develop powerful sealing magics. Furthermore, whether due to having a clear role model to base oneself off of or simply because of the nature of Veneration itself, Venerating saints have made powers from Worship more accessible to both mortals and archons - the barrier for fanaticism has been substantially lowered.

Many young godborn - especially of the river variety - now walk the Circle, telling tales while dazzling their audience with floating water, baring ice weapons against gnoll bandits, experimenting with elemental abilities alongside ki, and desperately selling pet crabs that won't stop manifesting around them. The Sisterhood begins to see faint glimmers of power among their ranks the more they champion and share tales of the strongest and most virtuous sisters. The orcs and the shelled begin to have chance encounters with the wave archons that roam the oceans, whose tales and flirtations leads to their own experiences with Veneration and godborn. And in the most blighted area of Corrola, a human boy no older than 8 stares down a pack of revanents, each desperately fighting against their own boiling skin to reach him and the dozen or so faithless behind him, and each falling apart inches from his feet.Herend's Grin
Alter Land (0 AP)
A constellation resembling a rather smug solar. Those who gaze up at this constellation at night are filled with the urge to recite terrible puns. (Alkyone switches out the stars of this constellation sometimes so that new jokes regularly find their way into it.)

Godborn
Bless (1 AP)
The children of archons and mortal races, possessing remarkable constitution, magical abilities, and the potential to ascend and become a new archon.
((Players can decide how godborn descendants from their court are able to become archons, or if their court can even have godborn at all.))

Veneration
Mythic Subconcept (2 AP)
Those who model themselves after notable religious figures of their own faith or pay reverence to these individuals may find the divine powers they gain from Worship altered to match the ideals these figures strive for. These figures are commonly known as "Saints". Veneration still requires Worship of an actual deity to function.Worship: Dia
Venerate: Saint Ghubab, Seeker of Lost Things
Powers: Commonly find lost objects under starlight, whether belonging to themselves or others. The especially faithful can find lost treasures hundreds or even thousands of years old.

Life (Protection)
Domain (Portfolio)
Dia has dedicated herself to the protection of all life.

★ Mind (Forgotten Memories)

★ Night (Stars)

★ Life (Celestial)

★ Life (Protection)
➤ 1 AP - Sunspots
➤ 1 AP - Stygian Guardian Glacier
➤ 3 AP - Wave Archons
➤ 1 AP - Sprites
➤ 1 AP - Divine Thoughts
➤ 1 AP - Godborn
➤ 2 AP - Veneration
10/10 AP

❖ Thought (Preservation)
➤ 5 AP - Starfisher Rod
➤ 1 AP - Stargazing
➤ 0 AP - Alcyone Salmon Constellation
6/10 AP

Remaining AP: 1/16

zzzzzzzz414

2021-05-29, 12:05 PM

--

Kura took one last, lingering look at the familiar village of Icewatch, illuminated by the pink rays of the rising sun. Taking in the details she knew she would not likely see again.

It was for the best, the gnoll elders had concluded. They were people of the sands - to the sands they would return. They had begun to settle here, it was true; Kura had never known anything but the grasses and tundras of the Everrun. They had learned to hunt the great grazing beasts of the plains, had begun to trade medicines and goods with the Centaur villages, had given some of their warriors to be trained under the Feet of Clay. They had hoped, perhaps, to build something new here. But in the end, it was not to be; this land was not theirs; this had been but another stop on the endless journey of the Ufrot-Assag. The newcomers had made that very clear.

Kura was not certain what to make of these new people, these..."Orcs", of the Weshesh who had come to claim this land, of the words they brought that had so tempted her elder brother and her cousins. She had overheard the elders and storytellers speaking of it, arguing and whispering well into the night and casting nervous glances to each other in the day. But she was merely an apprentice bone-carver; it was not her place to worry overmuch of such things. Their ways and their stories certainly seemed...strange. Not at all like the stories she had heard as a child. But then again, the elder storyteller had once told her, the ways of the Centaurs had once seemed strange as well. Even after the Slaying of the First Direwolf, their relationship had been marred by fear, suspicion, unfamiliarity - yet now, Kura could not concieve of life without them. The thudding of hooves that greeted them at every village. The delicious bread traded for medicines and grassweavings. The games and songs they shared, the evenings in the summer months spent chasing Etha Greenhoof and her little sisters through the golden fields of grain, pretending to be Feet of Clay chasing Clay Dragons, spinning in circles until they collapsed under the night sky and stared at the stars together and got Etha's long auburn hair tangled with hers when they turned and-

Kura stopped. Breathed in. Breathed out. Kept walking. It didn't matter anymore, anyway. They were people of the sands. To the sands they would return. In the end this had been nothing but another stop after all. The ones who had gone with the Weshesh had made their choice, and the rest...well, there was no reason to stay. To fight this new and aggressive people for lands that were not theirs to fight for. Things would not always be this way, she knew, no matter what some said. Just as it had been with their people and the centaurs: old tensions would eventually die, understanding would come, stories and ways would be shared. And there would be peace.

...and yet.

Kura knew it was foolish. Superstitious. Nothing but old suspicion, fear of the new raising its hideous head to whisper worthless nothings. But she could not shake the moment from her mind. The moment she had looked into the eyes of one of the orcs, who had spoken so passionately of liberation and power and the people that would shake the gates of heaven - and seen something ugly there. Something dark. Something colder than the bitterest tundra wind. Something that did not promise peace.

So Kura looked back once more, to the place beyond the horizon, where her brother and cousins even now labored to bring into being the glorious promise of the Weshesh, and wondered.

--

Xadi Ishala scraped distractedly at the point of her clay-tipped spear. She was supposed to be watching the central bazaar for thieves and pickpockets. But for some reason she couldn't take her eyes off the new recruit posted across the massive, bustling plaza. Idij Wadalan, recently finished with training, a fellow crocodilian with a small set of horns indicative of a prior Underbeer problem. He was one of the most recent wave of Feet of Clay inducted to help deal with the growing needs of the city of Wahat Aralha.

The Feet of Clay had traditionally been simple keepers of peace. Protectors of the weak, assurances that violence would not threaten the lives of the peaceful. Old grudges and outside power meant nothing in the oasis; all were welcome to drink their fill and go in peace. But then the villages grew, and the villages became towns and the towns attracted the great bazaars and marketplaces and now it was much more...complex. And the role of the Feet of Clay had become larger and more complex with it, especially in the wake of the departure of the guardian golems.

Gone were the days Xadi's grandfather had spoken of, when the Feet of Clay were more-or-less roaming hunters of beasts and monsters. Now, more and more, she and her brethren were called upon to find and pass judgement upon thieves and pickpockets, to enforce the Oasis Taboo against those who had broken and cheated the bazaar's laws of trade, to act as mediators to settle disputes of property and ownership between the squabbling market vendors. And their demands only ever grew.

Xadi picked at the tip of the spear again. Its presence here in this place was...honestly almost ornamental. Because the cloak of a common thief was not where the power in Wahat Aralha lay. It was in the disputes of trade and property, the judgements of many dozens of gold ingots, the enforcement of the principles that governed trade in all Wadi-Alsahali. The judgements that she and her compatriots made, and that would be followed, lest the offender face the Oasis Taboo. That was power. Power reveals, her father was fond of saying. What would it reveal about Idij Wadalan? Or herself, for that matter?

She didn't know. Xadi was quickly realizing that she did not know that about any of them. And she did not know how to feel about that. She tried to shake such thoughts from her head. Trust was the foundation of the Feet of Clay. She had to trust them to strive to uphold the ideals they had all sworn to. If you could not trust your compatriots entirely and fully on the battlefield, you were dead.

But they were not on a battlefield. Not anymore. So Xadi stared into the impassive face of Idij Wadalan, and wondered.

--

It was fine. Taken in moderation, it was perfectly fine. Gahren Ufragahl peered through the flap of his tent at the three youths seated around the dying embers of the fire, laughing merrilly and passing around a skin of the dark, foamy liquid.

The beverage, this "Underbeer", was a curiosity that a few had somehow acquired through the lizardfolk merchants, and had quickly grown in popularity among the pack-tribes. For most, it merely induced a pleasant sort of feeling, and a desire for more. For some, it led to changes of eye color, and manifestation of odd abilities. Gahren had heard rumors of a few who had studied the fighting techniques of the lizardkin, and were able to harness greater power still. But for some, those who over-indulged, it led to...changes. Alterations in the color of one's fur. Increases in size. Changes to the fangs and claws in particular were not uncommon; some seemed to acquire a venomous bite, or hardened claws that shone like bronze. Most worryingly, though, over-indulging seemed to amplify the effects of their ancestral curse, increasing their sensitivity to the bright metal of the lizardkin; or, sometimes, making them sensitive to all metal.

It was this last that had most worried many elders, leading many pack-tribes to expel those who had begun to show serious mutation; the risk that this strange drink could somehow trigger the Direwolf's Curse was too great. But their tribe had decided against such extremes. Even those who had mutated were welcome to stay, and even continue to drink; so long as it was kept in moderation. Gahren had not been one of the votes in favor of this arrangement. But it was the will of the pack, and so he followed. As they were in many things, the others were probably right; he was an aging gnoll, stubborn in many ways. He knew he was too slow to trust, too slow to accept the new.

Still.

Gahren looked upon the gleaming teeth and claws of one of the laughing youths, so like the ones that had torn apart his mother and father long ago, and wondered.

--

Regna Ufalga tossed the fruit in her hand. Bright crimson. Plump. Skin smooth and shiny. She almost felt compelled to eat it, though the Elder Apothecary had warned her in no uncertain terms what would happen to her mouth and throat if she did. A blessing, it was being called.

It certainly didn't look that way at first; when her pack first found the strange, spiny plants bursting from the ground on the sites where the metal of slain Direwolves had been buried, bearing cursed needles of the same metal the beast had borne, many said it was an ill omen; perhaps the Shaper enacting punishment on those who had buried part of their kill rather than use it, or the Traitor exacting revenge on the slayers of her beasts. But then the bright red fruits had begun to grow.

The pack-tribes themselves could not harvest them, of course, but cooperation of the lizardkin was secured, and what the master apothecaries discovered in its flesh was nothing less than miraculous. A reagent of incredible power; a liquid that, if properly treated, led to mixtures unimaginable, poisons and tonics of bizarre and incredible effect. The possibilities were numerous, and still being discovered. The curse had been conquered, the elders declared, and from its fruit the Ufrot-Assag would feast heartily.

So Regna had not spoken up about what she had seen, the night before that first miraculous plant had appeared less than a stone's-throw from their camp. She had been tired, and it had been dark, and it could have merely been a mirage, or a dream, or her own mind playing tricks with the shadow of a wandering desert hare. She was likely wrong. She was wrong about most things, as her sisters delighted in reminding her. But try as she might, she could not stop herself from replaying that same all-too-real scene, over and over: an old crone, crouched upon the earth on hands and knees, right on top of the spot where the direwolf's cursed metal was buried. Digging.

So Regna tossed that same too-red, too-shiny, too-tantalizing fruit in her hand again, and wondered.

--

Korugen Ufgrunag had never liked children. Loud. Obnoxious. Questioning. Disobedient. Getting into things that were not theirs. Getting into places they had no business being.

Looking in exactly the wrong direction at exactly the wrong time as he slipped some well-deserved poison into the cup of that underswill-drinking brat.

"How ironic," the old gnoll muttered bitterly, "that my life now depends on one."

The former master apothecary wiped his brow yet again, struggling to keep up with the dust-caked geckokin child clambering nimbly over the rocks ahead of him. Korugen winced as his leg flared painfully; he bent down and readjusted his makeshift bandage again. The bleeding had stopped; but of course, it wasn't the bleeding one had to worry about with a bone-scorpion sting. He could already feel the numbness beginning to spread. Of course, of course he had to run into the one venom he had no prepared curative for. On his first day of exile, no less.

"Hurry, Elder!" the girl shouted down to him, having noticed his pause. "It's right up here, let me show you!"

Hrmph. Leading him to a cookpot, "right up here", buried in a pile of rocks, in the side of a canyon, in the middle of the desert. Thrice-damned idiot child was leading him to a nice empty hole to curl up and die in, most likely. Still, he sighed to himself, it was this, or certain death. Exile knew no exception, and the small oasis-village receding behind him and their horse-worshipping "protectors" would surely have learned of his sentence from the tribe by now. If nothing else, he supposed dying in a hole sounded better than being picked apart by vultures. With one last heave, Korugen clambered up into the shady little cave the child had scampered into, and was greeted by the sight of her beaming proudly next to...huh. She hadn't been sun-addled after all, it seemed. There it was: a cookpot. Old and crude, the rim cracked with age, but usable enough. A bit large for his purposes, but usable. Perhaps I can water down the remainder, he thought idly as he shuffled past the girl and took a seat on the rough floor, and just trade it to the lizards. It's not as though they'll be able to tell the difference. And it was the perfect size for what he had in mind after that.

"Ishra and I found it when we were playing yesterday! Is it good enough to make your medicine with, Elder?" the lizard child burbled.

"Medicine, yes. Now go fetch some firewood like a good girl," Korugen grumbled distractedly, waving a claw in the direction of the cave's exit. Sure. Medicine, and then enough poison to foul that whole damned oasis. Thirty turns of good, faithful work he had given to that pack-tribe - three apprentices trained, countless of their ungrateful flea-eaten hides healed and stitched up. But try to get rid of one impertinent swill-guzzler - the same one getting all his little friends hooked on that foreign lizard garbage too, by the way, spreading the contamination - for the good of the pack, and that was it. Well, frankly, any pack-tribe willing to make a decision that foolish was doomed to death anyway; he was merely going to hasten the process. And if a few of the lizards and horse-worshippers got sent along as well? The old gnoll grinned. Well, that was just a nice little bonus. The lizards had probably traded them the stuff anyway; every one of those underswill-drinkers and their peddlers should go choke on their own guts and die, as far as he was concerned. But first, he had to live.

Thoughts set, the elder apothecary set about his work. Fire was built, oasis-water drawn and brought to simmer, ingredients brought by the lizard-child carefully measured and prepared. He had no idea why this mud-caked urchin had cleaved to him so, but far as children went, the girl was remarkably tolerable. No noise, no aggravating questions, just dutiful fulfillment of his orders, and the occasional bit of effusive praise. Fairly knowledgeable of plants too, it seemed. Any one of his old assistants would have messed up at least one of his requests. Korugen would have taken her as his own apprentice if the idea of raising a child did not turn his stomach. She did seem to have an irritating habit of messing around the edge of the pot when his back was turned, chewing on some snack she'd picked up. He had to shoo her off several times. Didn't need whatever that red fruit was getting in the pot.

By the time the sun had begun to set, it became clear something was wrong. Korugen sniffed at the murky brew, going over the steps he'd taken again and again, becoming increasingly worried as the potion neared what was supposed to be completion. This...was not medicine. He had no idea at all what this was. The color was wrong. The consistency off. A stench he did not recognize wafted across his sensitive nostrils. A growl, half frustration, half panic, rose in his throat. How could this have happened?

"Is it finished, Elder?" the lizard girl intoned sweetly. Korugen rounded on her, snarling.

"You! You must have done this, foolish child! You brought me the wrong ingredients!"

"But Elder," the girl replied, innocent tone entirely unshaken, "I gave you the ingredients you wanted. You said so yourself. Isn't this what you wanted, Elder? It'd be such a waste to get rid of it."

Slightly confused by her phrasing (and a little unnerved at her lack of fear at his outburst), the old gnoll just turned to put out the fire, waving a claw at the cave entrance. "Then you...I don't know, you must have contaminated them somehow. Just go home, little brat, you've bothered me enough today."

"Oh no, it's fine, Elder, I can stay. I want to help! I want to help you get what you wanted," the girl beamed.

Too tired to argue, Korugen finished putting out the fire and curled up to sleep. His strength for the day was sapped; he would dump and clean the pot tomorrow, and start again, paying a bit more attention to those herbs. He had time; the bone-scorpion's venom was deadly, but slow. He surely had at least another full day before his condition became truly serious. At least, he was fairly sure he did. He was having trouble remembering for some reason; his head was swimming, thoughts becoming foggy. He suddenly felt quite aware of how numb his leg was. He just needed rest, that was all. A nice, long rest. The last thing the elder saw as his eyelids closed was the smiling geckokin girl, the moonlight giving the right side of her face an almost skull-like cast.

The next morning, the pot and its contents were missing. Korugen Ufgrunag never awoke to notice.

Rollover(s): 1+4+4=9/16 AP

Wolfsbane (Bless?) [1AP]:
Wherever cursed metal taken from a direwolf is buried, a strange, yucca-like plant with needlelike leaves will begin to grow. The needles are made of the same type of metal that was buried, and are afflicted with the Direwolf's Curse; however, it also bears a bright red, palm-sized fruit that is a very powerful reagent, useful in making or strengthening a wide variety of medicines, poisons and other brews. It is an especially potent ingredient in the art of Synthesis.
Craft (Apothecary) 8/10

The Traitor's Cookpot (Create Minor Artifact [Curse]) [3AP]: An old and crude earthen cookpot, often said to be one of the original pots used to brew the potion with which Kassa the Traitor cursed the first gnolls; it is rumored that the old clay is still stained with its poison, spoiling and warping anything that is brewed in it.
Though its legends seem to follow the lizardfolk, the cookpot never stays in one place for long; something about it seems to inspire covetous bloodshed and mysterious loss. The artifact has been lost, found, bought, sold, stolen, killed for and lost again more times than can be counted; but wherever it re-emerges, death and pandemonium are said to follow.
Death(Plague) 7/10

Tainted Underbeer (Curse)[Created through Artifact: 1 0AP]: A mass poisoning/plague affecting numerous seemingly-random batches of Underbeer across the Red Coast and Wadi Alsahali. Numerous cities, villages, and pack-tribes were affected; dense cities (with the notable exception of the city of Wahat Aralha) and areas with heavy underbeer usage were the most heavily impacted.
The plague consists of two parts: primary and secondary infection. The primary infection affects all who directly drank of the poisoned underbeer, with the exception of a few incredibly powerful masters of Ki: within a few hours of drinking it, the affected individual, overloaded with mana and cursed magic, will quite violently explode, dispersing a miasma of toxin over a wide area. The secondary infection affects those who breathe in this miasma, (again with the exception of masters of ki, or those with access to mana-dampening power). Those with exceptionally high mana reserves will also explode, creating a gruesome chain reaction. Others, however, are instead severely mutated, the magic of Abu Dhahab's blessing interacting with the remnants of Kassa's curse to create incredibly severe and dangerous mutations to try and contain the magic. These mutations vary from individual to individual, but most are quite extreme.
For lizardfolk, these mutations often come in the form of multiple extra limbs, eyes, mouths or wings, increases in size, as well as development of powerful, often totally uncontrollable breath weapons. For gnolls, these changes often come in the form of multiple limbs, eyes, and mouths, increases in size, lengthening of fangs and claws, and, for a few, transformation into Direwolves. Regardless of species, many also developed powerful and difficult to control wild magic, and sudden changes in behavior: becoming much more aggressive or frightened, and a few completely losing all sense, rampaging like maddened animals. Though the poisoning itself was an isolated incident, affecting only a few specific batches of underbeer, the effects on individuals are seemingly permanent.

0AP spent; no domain progress

9-1-3 = 5/16 AP remaining

Kinro

2021-05-29, 12:25 PM

The children of Arkhos would be received well amongst the Moon Guardians, as were all who would guard against Wan'Shi's dark devices, and Lor told Arkhos as much, before biding him farewell. He turned, then, his attention towards the First World below once more. The threat of the Orcs was spreading, but as ever, as it had been with Wan'Shi himself, Lor was doubtful. How should it act? Should it act at all? It didn't know. It was only a mirror, only able to reflect what was or what might, not what should be. It needed someone else, someone who could walk the world as it had never had, who could learn and think, advise and act. And it knew just who it should be, for it had seen the one who had been, in her humble way, at the center of much of the most important events of Kobold culture, carrier of the carved word, friend to the centaurs and first friend of the harpies, name-sister to one, who had been chosen by another god in turn.

There was no vision that appeared to Neela that day. No apparition, no great words for her to hear. She simply knew. Knew she had been chosen. Knew she had a choice to make. There was no question of worthiness either, for the divine essence of Lor was already in her, filling her to bursting, allowing her to know all that she needed to about the path she was being offered. But her simple mortal vessel was not one that could hold the essence for long. And thus, her choice, to let it go and remain the humble kobold that she was, or to accept it fully within herself and become more than she was. She begged for time to make a decision, but knew already she couldn't have any. She begged, then, to be allowed to do one last thing. Her choice had been made, she would become Lor's chosen, but while she was still herself, she wished to carve one last stick.

This much was granted and, as Neela's body prepared itself to accept the power already within it, she took a carving stick and carved, in the beautiful, dense kobold script, a letter to the name-sister she had grown so close to, telling her of what was happening to her, the joy and honour of being chosen, the regret that she was no longer going to be as she had once been, the fear that they might be forced to grow apart and the hope that they wouldn't. And so much more, her feelings pouring into the stick just as the divinity was pouring into her. Her work was finished when the stick was full. She left it where it would be found and brought to the harpy and she strode away into the silvery light of Lor.

It was there, under the direct gaze of Lor, and with her final task done, that Neela was able to embrace her change. She became a perfection of koboldhood, as if she had become, in form, what she would have seen in Lor's surface, covered in scales of silver and gold. She bore her flute still, symbol of friendship with other races, and the carving scroll, but also, she carried a javelin, of the sort that harpies had brought to them. Often used as a spear, it had proven effective against the scourge of the stirges. She could not merely be the peaceful Neela now. She must also be a defender where needed. A sigh of relief left her as the energies that had been warring inside of her settled into this form, suited for them, but the relief didn't last long. She knew much of what Lor knew and, so, she knew of the orcs and the threat they posed.

Neela could run fast now, faster than a centaur even. And she was no longer bound to the cycles of night and day as she once had been. Her aim was the plains, to which the orcs were the closest, and the libraries there. By now, they dotted the plains here and there, centers of culture and cooperation of the races. But they needed to be more. As they protected the precious carving sticks within, so they must protect the people. Neela would teach them, knowledge from lands far away and knowledge new. How to build stronger, and stronger still. To craft armour like the orcs', for defenders and buildings also.

Rollover
4 + 4 = 8

Raise Hero(Neela)
Exalt Hero(Neela)
8 - 5 = 3
(Protection(Guardianship) 3 + 5 = 8)

Teach Mundane Concept(Masonry)
0 (Using Jewel)

Teach Mundane concept(Basic Metalworking)
3 - 1 = 2
(Protection(Guardianship) 8 + 1 = 9)

Create Advanced concept(Armorsmithing)
2 - 1 = 1
(Protection(Guardianship) 9 + 1 = 10)

Claiming (Protection(Guardianship)

Ascension

Writtensanity

2021-05-29, 08:44 PM

The Wild Daughters

It started with 4. Four eggs surrounding the Wild Manifesto. Four harpy chicks, black as night and hatched with a driven purpose. The oldest was Lythilia, taking her mother's name, and they were raised under the kind wings of a small Harpy family that found them as fledglings on the rocks. The clutch that took them in was a medium flock of sisters, twenty-two Harpies from three generations.

Within months of taking in the fledglings, there were twenty-six harpies of many colours and united with a driven purpose. The news of four Goddess-touched harpies spread quickly through the Aerie, and the girls grew at a shocking rate, and Lythilia took up her mantle as the first elder of her makeshift clan barely a year after her birth.

Harpies from all around abandoned their original clutches to join the growing collective, eventually returning with a new message and purpose. Their sisters didn't need to join them in their quest, but it was suddenly difficult to find a harpy clutch within the Spine Aerie that didn't have at least one connection to the new order.

The Wild Daughters had risen, and they were here to break chains.

https://i.imgur.com/I7ODdOe.png

The Wild Daughters are an organization devoted to the growing Wild side of Briettia. Though they will not turn away other races, the beginning of the organization is entirely Harpies from the Spine Aerie and the occasional devotee from the Great Marshes.

Typically members of the Wild Daughters are marked by the black dyed clothing that many of them wear in preparation for 'the great battles to come'. Most also have bird-styled masks carved from light avian bone, but they don't wear those outside of rituals or later combat.

The Wild Daughters have access to wild blood magic from the Wild Manifesto. Unlike other Harpies, they spend their time dedicated to improving in combat, gaining everything else they need from trading hunted food.

Unlike most Harpies in the modern-day, Wild Daughters refuse to use tools like spears to take down their prey, though they masters of using them in forms that will keep up with, or hunt, sapient races.

--

(Rollover AP+4)
AP COST 1
AP ALLOCATION: Society (Wilds) - Now 8/10
AP REMAINING: 3

The Wild Daugthers brought something else with their blood magic, a pure gift from Briettia that would let them thrive without needing to offer direct worship to the Goddess herself. She didn't need to be venerated, they just needed to follow their purpose.

Subconcept of Worship

Druidic Worship is the veneration of the wilds, sometimes in the form of groves, animal companions or simply living in harmony with the wilds. Druidic Worship is a naturalist form of magic, and includes some of the more primal aspects other forms of worship don't, like blood magic.

Those devoted to the wild can perform some similar miracles to those following traditional worship but is mainly manifests in more nature-based ways. An example is that a creature that is healed through Druidic Worship would still scar, as the healing is accelerated as opposed to taken care of by the divine.

Perhaps the signature thing that separates Druidic magic from other forms of Worship is that it can easily be channelled into bonds with animals and monsters in a strong empathetic link. It isn't uncommon to see members of the Wild Daughters hunting alongside Hallowcallers using this technique.

Druidic magic is also useful for breaking 'man-made' objects and enchantments.

Finally, Druidic Worship is primarily practiced by the Wild Daughters, who will gladly spread it to any they run into, as the Worship aspect of the magic prevents it from being used against their goals.

--

AP COST 2
AP ALLOCATION: Society (Wilds) - Now 10/10
AP REMAINING: 1

Briettia is now a Goddess of the Wilds.

Renarr and Briettia in the Spine Aerie

Briettia let Renarr talk, after all Briettia had traditionally been a goddess of few words, and now wasn't the time to interrupt. Renarr said her prayer, something strange for a Goddess, and the first Bird of Paradise erupted from the Egg of Flocks, brilliant and iridescent, holding its extraplanar form from proximity to the twin Goddesses.

"She's beautiful," Briettia said, letting the bird peck at her wings before moving on to inspect the sun Goddess. "Clearly a child touched by the light."

After letting the bird inspect Renarr, Briettia waved her hand toward the Egg of Flocks and gave her blessing. Suddenly, Solace was filled with Birds of Paradise, like they had always been there, such was the power of the Egg of Flocks.

"I do not accuse you of being a Tyrant sister," Briettia clarified as the bird flew away, "I believe we may have started this song on the wrong note, considering your... interesting opinion of some of my other daughters." Briettia took a deep breath, "But I must level a warning. The Elves, the Solari brides, they have stepped too far into the realm of freedom and are crushing the natural order of my children. Damnation comes for them if they continue to try to tame the wilds. You must teach them to exist around the wonders of our world before the wonders crush them."

"I offer this warning as a gift, a gift of time and compassion."

After her warning, Briettia takes a step forward and offers to wrap her wings around the Goddess in an embrace. "We don't need to have never failed Renarr, but we do need to be better."

The Wild Daughters meet the Elves

The Harpies had stayed away from the portal to Solace for a long time. The meeting with the Kobolds had been a happy accident but it was difficult to convince a single clutch that they should risk they necks speaking to a new species. In the end, it wasn't a single clutch that met the Elves outside of Solace, it was the Wild Daughters, over a hundred of them.

Heralded by a cry from nowhere (https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dota2_gamepedia/images/6/65/Vo_phoenix_phoenix_bird_victory.mp3/revision/latest?cb=20201018134738) the daughters dropped from the clouded sky like sudden spears, surrounding most entrances to the small city that had build up. They threw writing sticks at the feet of the nearest elves, but, despite being armed, made no obvious moves to attack. This was a warning more than a meeting, but it wasn't war. They were delivering a message, a demand for the elves to release the wild salves they'd taken or risk the further wrath of nature.

Depending on the reaction from the Elves, or the eventual process or translation, it might be.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-05-29, 09:16 PM

The Wind of Athnuachan did not have a "mind", per se. It had once been part of a mind, one might say; it was a wish, a desire, wrapped in the spirit of the winds and fueled by the infinite flame of divinity. But it had no wills or wants any more than gravity did; it was merely the living expression of another's. It did not merely want to spread life; spreading life was its essence, its being. It did not think, or consider, or care; it simply was, and did.

So it did not think, or consider, or care, when it happened to blow over a land of blackened ash and dead wood one morning. It merely saw life; isolated, dying, choked on ash and surrounded by death. And so it did what it was wont to do, and picked it up; it carried the helpless spores across swampland, across desert, across plains and vast ocean.

And when the spores finally settled, in an unassuming, lushly forested northeast corner of another continent, it did not think. Or consider. Or care.

--

Silya Kjelldottyr tilted her head quizzically, squinting as she tried to confirm what she was seeing.

Huh, the young elf thought, examining the unusual red growth on the sickly-looking tree before her, I don't think I've seen that type of fungus before.

SpeedWitch

2021-05-29, 10:58 PM

River Travel
As Dia and her archon company shot across Nocturne, she began to undergo yet another transformation, her form shrinking and with it the Night Sky all across her body, stars clustering and becoming brighter and brighter. Peering over the side of the boat, the river had transformed into a single wave of water rushing across the frozen plane.Not Gone, Nor Forgotten
Sprites are often made from misplaced thoughts or memories, but these are not the only ways they can manifest. A more powerful variation of sprites can come about when an individual experiences a powerful emotion, leading to some of the excess of that emotion coming off as hundreds of sprites that replicate a memory or memories associated with that emotion. These clusters of sprites, known as specters tend to linger around certain places - or in rare cases, around the person who made them - and occasionally fill living creatures that pass through them with visions of the memories they contain. While these visions may sometimes appear to interact with those capable of seeing them, this is merely the specter trying to return to what it believes to be its original mind. This connection is easily lost, or even incapable of being formed, depending on the thoughts of the affected individual - one walking through a specter's domain is more likely to encounter it if they're experiencing or feeling similar emotions or sensations that match-up with the memory itself.

Many specters of the negative variety lie around the northern side of Circle Continent where Wan'shi unleashed its wrath (except around the area of Guardian Glacier), and the burned swamps and woods where the Crimson Blight originated are absolutely littered with them.

In Corrla, there are untold numbers of specters created from those who succumb to revenant corruption, the majority of these spectres hanging around revenants like a miasma. These are rarely noticed by revenant tamers however, that honor being reserved for the quarry of revenants, who are much more likely to experience the required emotions to witness them.

And all along the Ring of Gods, those archons who were strong enough to resist the powers of Renarr and Wan'shi were able to unleash enormous specters in their pain before perishing.Rollover: +4 AP

Mouth of the River Dia
Create Avatar (3AP)
A vessel for Dia to use for interacting with the First World, able to shift and change between individuals from Sprites Dia has collected. More info to be added later.

Specters
Create Monstrous Sublife (1 AP)
Large groups of Sprites that are essentially excess copies of memories and emotions created from a living creature. The majority of these are created from powerful negative emotions, especially around the time of death. These specters can interact with other living creatures and instill psychic visions in them, usually requiring the creature in question to be feeling similar emotions or sensations to the memories the specter contains. Sometimes a creature inside a specter might get to thinking they're able to talk and interact with the specter itself, but this is just the specter trying to build a bridge to their thoughts; specters can appear sapient, but do not retain new information if the affected creature leaves the area.

★ Mind (Forgotten Memories)

★ Night (Stars)

★ Life (Celestial)

★ Life (Protection)

★ Thought (Preservation)
➤ 5 AP - Starfisher Rod
➤ 1 AP - Stargazing
➤ 0 AP - Alcyone Salmon Constellation
➤ 0 AP - Herrend's Grin
➤ 3 AP - Mouth of the River Dia
➤ 1 AP - Specters
10/10 AP

★Lesser Deity★
Rank up! :D

Remaining AP: 1/16

KragBrightscale

2021-05-29, 11:02 PM

The Ascetics of Zahd

Reports of growing unrest on the continent reached the continent ears of the upper echelon of Jabal Alsalaam.

A new people that had risen up amongst the silent Xen staking claim to the northern lands causing Gnoll tribes to push into the desert. Larger populations growing around the scattered oases had put a strain on the law enforcement and administration, and banditry was seeing another surge in popularity.

Mutations were already happening before, but something changed recently resulting in a more widespread corruption, multiple deaths, uncontrollable and extreme mutation, and the destruction of property.

The number of petitioners coming to ask the order for help, and the number of those seeking out the order to find a safe refuge had burdened the mountaintop organization and distracted the newest recruits. It was time they stepped up, or rather, stepped down, and took things into their own hands.

The order had grown a lot since it’s early days. The whole plateau at the top of Jabal Alsalaam was now in use. Dorms, dining halls, meeting halls, courtyards, sparring rings, a library tower, cultivation and meditation caves carved into the rock, herb gardens, orchards, and a few plots of land for growing grains. There were even several smaller pagodas, gates, and places to rest along the long stairway leading up.

Members of the order had grown to include all three races of the Lizardfolk, Kobolds, gnolls, shelled, and a few individuals from other races. There was even an earth dragon who had carved out a dwelling place near the stairs and acted as a guard.

The council of elders, as the first initiated and some of the most respected of the next generations had begun to be called, gathered to discuss their role on the continent and in the world. The conclusion was that all initiates would be required to do periods of service from time to time where they would respond to the requests for help and news of places that needed their aid.

To the oasis below and the other oases in the wadis, groups of ascetics would now be found. Agents of peace, charity, and healing. They would protect the weak from exploitation, treat various illnesses, and their martial prowess made them effective deterrents to crime, once a few uninformed thieves were beaten and force to work cleaning the streets under the watchful eyes of the simply garbed ascetics.

The presence of these disciplined and selfless individuals lessened some of the burden that had been tying down the feet of clay, and while both groups had their own ideals, there was generally mutual respect between them.

In places where tainted underbeer had resulted in chaos, the presence of the ascetics helped many more survive. Those suffering from uncontrollable mutations were either pacified and treated, or forced to move away from populated areas to avoid causing more harm, depending on the severity of the affliction and the capabilities of the ascetics involved.

Unfortunately, news of another outbreak of mutations usually arrived at headquarters after most of the damage had been done. Those who grew new body parts could never I grow them, and amputation was only worth doing if the growth threatened the afflicted’s life. In the rare chance circumstances where the outbreak happened close to a group of ascetics, the monks could use holy sand and their Ki to suppress the mutations and drive out the excess energy.

When mutation had been isolated incidents that happened to those who drank too much underbeer, few cared or pitied them. They brought it upon themselves with their lack of discipline. Now that those who drank it sometimes exploded and caused those around to mutate, underbeer became illegal to consume, possess, or sell.

the rise of the Veiled Shadow

The number of mutants Lizardfolk grew dramatically. It no longer was strange to see crocodilians with long horns, or Geckokin with extra arms, or Lizardfolk performers spitting flames or acid. There was still a stigma attached however, and finding employment was often a challenge. This lead to some mutants taking on riskier jobs for black market customers.

As the shady dealings of black markets increased in scale and its veiled merchants gained wealth, gangs started forming around individuals of power and influence. In fighting and the threat of getting caught and punished by either the incorruptible ascetics as well as the occasional raids conducted by the feet of clay forced the independent gangs and black market controllers to gather their forces under a single banner. The Veiled Shadow.

Identities would be secret, as every member was required to wear veils and other clothes to mask their appearance. Members could be from any race and all walks of life, and as long as a customer had enough wealth to pay, no task was off limits. Theft, arson, vandalism, blackmailing, espionage, smuggling, murder, personal entertainment, bodyguard services, exploration, networking, any service could be purchased for the right price.

Members will sometimes infiltrate the Mutajahil’s caravans to acquire insider knowledge, hide from law enforcement, and make use of their established connections and reputation to accomplish their assignments and make extra profit.

AP: 0+4 (rollover)

create organization (the Veiled Shadow) -1 AP
An underground criminal organization that runs the black markets, and offers any illegal service and product one could desire, for a price of course. The leadership all keep their identities secret and wear veils and other disguises at secret meetups. Members can move up in rank through financial donation and completion of assignments. In public, though some may recognize each other, acknowledging another member is grounds for punishment. Most merchant caravans will have at least one member of the organization, as information gathering is key, these can offer a selection of restricted goods and services to buyers who know the secret code words if the circumstances allow for it.

Travel (Caravans) 9/10

4 -1 = 3AP

Razade

2021-05-29, 11:36 PM

Rong Tou: The Void

Going God to God had been...mostly inefficient. There were many others but to collect each in its own time would leave the plans of her brethren wanting. So the Fiend slipped back into the Void and with mana and guile she peeled back layers as the heart at the center of the moon throbbed and beat like thunder. There, behind The Void had been a space. Elsewhere. It was there she took the spark of mana and let it grow, a vast ring of land spreading out in all directions and at its center loomed cathedrals and castles and many places the Gods might make their home. For in this act, she sang and her voice was as pure and clear and clean as it ever was as a Solar. It rang out in The Void where only the Gods could find its entrance, and there in the great city she found a home. Quaint and small, a church and small hamlet where she would make her place known. Then she waited.

The Turtle Islands and the Sahaugin

It had taken time, time enough to build, time enough to explore, but it came to pass that the Turtle Islands moved at the direction of the Orcs and their co-opted home. Sentar came to claim the oceans between Corrla and the Circle Continent and there its mana leeched into the waters. Orcs twisted and grew in those ocean currents and all about the Jisr Archepilago talk of fishmen were common. Speaking Orcish they called themselves Sahaugin and with purposeful will they began to build docks and mooring. For why, was soon enough as floating islands spread about the four part land masses. The frozen North, the shores of Corrla and the Circle Continent were graced by these now floating fortress islands, seeming to pop up at random, far faster than currents would dictate. There, on these lands, were Orc and Shelled alike to trade.

Create Plane (The Plane whose names are many) - 1AP: The plane, whose names are many, is a sprawling affair though not limitless in the same way Garganta or the Sun might be nor is it visible from The First World. It is a perfectly circular space filled with mountains, rivers, lakes, forests and a high vaulted sky with a vast empty city at its center. When buildings and space fill up, another ring of the plane will appear, twice the size of the original. [The Planes (Portals) 1/10]

Alter Land (The Pathways of the Orcish Isles) -1AP: The former Turtle Islands have now split apart. One of the six making its way along inside of the Jisr Archepeligo while another the outside. The central island has been placed between the two continents as a waystation, its volcano acting as a natural source of mana and a permanent connection point to underwater pathways to the Underdark. The three remaining islands make a transit along the entire continental mass of the three lands, stopping at various volcanic islands for trade. The heart of the Weshesh settled, the home of demons claimed. Other ships may make use of these faster paths but they must know and be friends with the Orcs for now. [Life (Demons) 9/10]

Create Sub-Race (Sahaugin) -1AP: From the vents in the oceans leading to the Underdark, orcs have long adapted to breath without lungs. These creatures, Sahaugin, are broad, squat monsters mostly mouth and claws. They are more cunning than their orcish cousins but not nearly as smart or as good with mana. Brutish, hungry, strong and capable of building beneath the waves, the Sahaugin are a vital part of the Weshesh. [Life [Demons) 10/10]

Bless (The Passage of the Orcish Islands) -1AP: The islands of the Orcish Islands tap into potent mana streams, traveling not only through the various islands of the Jisr even at the most narrow connection as if teleporting, but also through the Underdark through natural portals. [The Planes (Portals) 2/10]

I ascend.

Gnomes2169

2021-05-30, 01:18 AM

Silph, Dia and Herend, on a boat

Silph and the River
"I - I'm not - that's not what I meant at all!" Dia pouts, but Herrend has already moved onto the golem. "Bullying me like I'm a hatchling..." She does her best to ignore the following bombardment of puns. The kobold laughs. "Good. That means I'll get to see more of you - I've been in the void for too long. I need to get back down to the First World and check on everyone down there. I haven't talked to any of the other river archons since I took Abu to fight the Serpent, and I think there might be a new batch of them I need to thank for helping me scoop everyone up during the storm."Dia considers this, closing her eyes and mimicking Silph's action with her own arm - an arm that begins to transform into that familiar clear starlit water. It spreads across her whole body, the image of the kobold girl falling into the waters, until Silph finds himself facing the jet stream he first saw in Solace. To be honest. I knew life was fragile. But at first. I think. I only cared for my own divine blood... I could not entirely grasp. Why my kin risked themselves to save others.

The face of the kobold flashed across Dia's waters. I needed to see them. To feel them. But even the knowledge I have now. Is not enough. I have much more to learn.

I want to connect the disparate courts. The Rivers. The Solars. The Waves. The Golems. And any more that may be out there. We will be a beacon of hope for the world. United in its protection. Guides to mortals. Champions of peace.

Or something like that. A sprite glints beneath her form. These mortals have wonderful ideals. I mean to see them fulfilled.

Without warning, the jet stream shoots off across the surface Nocturne, and the rest of the river begins to follow, destination: The portal to the First World.

Meanwhile, unlike Silph or Dia, Alkyone looks directly at Herend, waiting until he's all out of puns, at witch point he pops out a few sprites from his own head, and begins putting them into new stars. Whether out of spite or genuine appreciation for his comedy routine, Herend's Grin makes its way permanently into the night sky.

Letting Dia talk, Silph considers her plans and desires and he rubs at his chin, considering just what could be done to act on them. How could his goddess help her enact those plans? Most of it seemed like a personal quest or the actions of a full coalition of gods acting in tandem... but then it hit him. "Dia. To make good on your plans, you would need a true neutral ground. A place where mortals of all stripes could come and coexist, without any kind of interference or national pride to get in the w-" But before he could truly propose anything, Dia began to zip around at the speed of space, and the twice-blessed archon, not expecting the sudden shift, pitches forward and slams face-first into the bottom of her boat. Thus, the Emissary of the Solars completely missed the first manifestation of the river god's avatar, and when he sat back up he wouldn't notice the difference between Dia prime and Dia small.

Herend, meanwhile, had felt the first shifting of the great astral river, and, the moment it began to move the boat, he just... hopped out. After all, someone needed to keep Alkyone company, and he needed to write down that his face was the second constellation born in the sky. For the glory of Renarr, of course. Of course. Of course.

The Suzerain's Veneration

Of Saints and Archons[/B]
As the world finally settled in the wake of Wan'shi's destruction, mortals found themselves drawing closer to divinity, wielding powers that were once thought to only be achievable by gods. Two major factors in this, discovered by many cultures around the same time as each other, were the Godborn and the concept of Veneration.

Godborn were children of archons and mortal races. These children would often grow to live incredibly long lives, display mystical powers similar to that of their parent archon (especially those of the elemental variety) and, allegedly, be capable of becoming new archons themselves. The stories of how a godborn may ascend vary between courts. For example, on the Circle, the child of a river archon is said to be able to fully cast their mortal yolk off by swimming up and down the length of an archonless river nonstop, until their sweat and oils have become a permanent part of the river.

Veneration was something similar, but distinct from Worship, both in the mystical and spiritual sense. Those who venerate particularly important religious figures in their own faith, whether alive or dead, often find the powers they gain from Worship to manifest in different ways than expected. Saints of war or conflict, for example, might lead to more volatile expressions of power, while saints of knowledge or secrets inspire worshipers to use their deity's aura to further science or develop powerful sealing magics. Furthermore, whether due to having a clear role model to base oneself off of or simply because of the nature of Veneration itself, Venerating saints have made powers from Worship more accessible to both mortals and archons - the barrier for fanaticism has been substantially lowered.

Many young godborn - especially of the river variety - now walk the Circle, telling tales while dazzling their audience with floating water, baring ice weapons against gnoll bandits, experimenting with elemental abilities alongside ki, and desperately selling pet crabs that won't stop manifesting around them. The Sisterhood begins to see faint glimmers of power among their ranks the more they champion and share tales of the strongest and most virtuous sisters. The orcs and the shelled begin to have chance encounters with the wave archons that roam the oceans, whose tales and flirtations leads to their own experiences with Veneration and godborn. And in the most blighted area of Corrola, a human boy no older than 8 stares down a pack of revanents, each desperately fighting against their own boiling skin to reach him and the dozen or so faithless behind him, and each falling apart inches from his feet.

There are people who will jump upon any path to power. The Suzerain and his faithful would not be counted among those power-mad fools, if only because it would disrupt his plans and the reputation he wished to make of Renarr's church within Kerima's lands. However, when Veneration began to spread through the world in its ripples and waves, this archon's followers would be some of the first and the most potent of its practitioners. Before the advent of this magic they had, after all, been faithful despite there being no divine power or protections being granted to them.

That faith now served them well. Where before the Suzerain's chosen had to flee to Nocturne to escape the Revenants and those of Kerima's flock who persecuted them when they left the Blight Lands, now these Acolytes could fight back, to a limited degree. Magic that manifested as strands of living night to bind and freeze revenant flesh was the most common, as all knew that the Suzerain was a being of elemental night itself, but he was more than that to them. The fledgling churches to the other gods that existed within the Blight Lands also viewed him as a herald of the gods of the Circle Continent, and, wrongly in some cases, they saw him as an embodiment of the ideals that he claimed each church championed. A saint of the coalition, as it were.

So it came to be that faith in the Suzerain, at least in the blight lands, was also a path to accessing magic that echoed the divinity of true gods, at least to those who held another faith.

For Renarr's faithful, small displays of light and heat could be manifest in addition to more potent night weaving, but these worshipers could also create barriers of force as he had always cast her as a protector.

For Abu Dhahab, a form of proto-ki began to be developed, the quests for physical perfection leading to an echo of true spiritual enlightenment that the lizard preached, but since the Suzerain had cast him as a shrewd merchant, there were also displays of magic that could only be described as fast talking. The merchants among them always got the best deals, and it was because of their glib tongues.

Hetta's shaper cult would develop the ability to shape the ground under their feet, allowing them to craft their world as much as they could, given what the Blight Lands gave them to work with. They could also craft artificial life from the salt and dirt of their lands to a limited degree, though these constructs never lasted long and served more as assistants than they did beings of labor or protection.

Those who saw him as a saint of Dia received control over the manifestation and purification of water, and when working with members of Hetta's church they were able to make actual, stable farms within fertile soil, even if the crops were ultimately more withered and rotted faster than in less inhospitable climates. And since the Suzerain had called her a healer and guardian, these priests would manifest the more typical divine miracles as well, if far more limited than the ones Kerima's devoted possessed.

Magrius' faithful would slowly wither and disappear as their god's influence in the world waned, but some small amount of them remained as a memory. Able to animate the corpses of the dead and put them to use, this sect of the Suzerain's cult became known as death-sculptors, and slowly faded to the shadows of the blight lands to bide their time.

Finally, Lor's students would gain the ability to tap into knowledge that others possessed without having to learn the skills themselves, though actual mastery would not come as readily, and that knowledge would soon fade if their source left them. They could also identify the traits of objects they encountered in the world, be they mundane or magical, though it often took them intense study to truly tease out an object's secrets.

With the sudden surge in power of these devotions, the Blight Lands began to change. Where before there was nothing but scattered outcasts struggling against monsters, with only the Suzerain's intervention and luck to pray for some relief, now the exiles of Corrla had teeth with which to fight back against their fate. And, scattered though they were, that was all that these desperate peoples needed to begin forming communities of their own. It wasn't a proper society yet... but they weren't completely powerless anymore either.

Renarr and Brietta - The Spine Aerie

Renarr and Briettia in the Spine Aerie

Briettia let Renarr talk, after all Briettia had traditionally been a goddess of few words, and now wasn't the time to interrupt. Renarr said her prayer, something strange for a Goddess, and the first Bird of Paradise erupted from the Egg of Flocks, brilliant and iridescent, holding its extraplanar form from proximity to the twin Goddesses.

"She's beautiful," Briettia said, letting the bird peck at her wings before moving on to inspect the sun Goddess. "Clearly a child touched by the light."

After letting the bird inspect Renarr, Briettia waved her hand toward the Egg of Flocks and gave her blessing. Suddenly, Solace was filled with Birds of Paradise, like they had always been there, such was the power of the Egg of Flocks.

"I do not accuse you of being a Tyrant sister," Briettia clarified as the bird flew away, "I believe we may have started this song on the wrong note, considering your... interesting opinion of some of my other daughters." Briettia took a deep breath, "But I must level a warning. The Elves, the Solari brides, they have stepped too far into the realm of freedom and are crushing the natural order of my children. Damnation comes for them if they continue to try to tame the wilds. You must teach them to exist around the wonders of our world before the wonders crush them."

"I offer this warning as a gift, a gift of time and compassion."

After her warning, Briettia takes a step forward and offers to wrap her wings around the Goddess in an embrace. "We don't need to have never failed Renarr, but we do need to be better."

The goddess would look at the child born of her desire, and for a moment the beauty of the creature would bring clarity to her. Setting a hand on the first Bird of Paradise's beak, the human-sized goddess almost dwarfed by the massive bird, she whispers, "This will be the second time working with another goddess brings about something better than what I could have made alone..." Tears fading, the goddess lets the newborn bird go where it will, and then closes her eyes as she feels a new population of the iridescent avians come to life within her realm. "Thank you, Brietta, for the opportunity."

As she gets pulled into the other goddess' embrace, however, Renarr is stiff, awkward even, and it's not just because of her Eternal Night aspect's shy nature. Struggling to maintain eye contact with the bird god, Renarr tells her, "Wait... they're doing what to your children? None of my people have even met your harpies, and the most they do to the birds that come out of the seas is drive them away. We hardly hunt them or enslave anything beyond the goats and oxen that serve as livestock. I... I think you may have mistaken something here. I did not create the elves, I just took in refugees from another continent."

The Shaline Empire and Wild Daughters - a Misunderstanding

The Wild Daughters meet the Elves

The Harpies had stayed away from the portal to Solace for a long time. The meeting with the Kobolds had been a happy accident but it was difficult to convince a single clutch that they should risk they necks speaking to a new species. In the end, it wasn't a single clutch that met the Elves outside of Solace, it was the Wild Daughters, over a hundred of them.

Heralded by a cry from nowhere (https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dota2_gamepedia/images/6/65/Vo_phoenix_phoenix_bird_victory.mp3/revision/latest?cb=20201018134738) the daughters dropped from the clouded sky like sudden spears, surrounding most entrances to the small city that had build up. They threw writing sticks at the feet of the nearest elves, but, despite being armed, made no obvious moves to attack. This was a warning more than a meeting, but it wasn't war. They were delivering a message, a demand for the elves to release the wild salves they'd taken or risk the further wrath of nature.

Depending on the reaction from the Elves, or the eventual process or translation, it might be.

The city would react to the sudden appearance and assault with more than a bit of terror. Calls went out to draw back from the outskirts and to stay inside of shelters, while the few magi on that side of Solace's portal were scrambled to create barriers and blunt the assault of these harpies. The flying creatures were a problem for this fledgling society, who lacked the archery of the more inland civilizations, and their magic was not as developed as they might have needed to actually attack the flying and harrying force that the Wild Daughters represented.

Fortunately, not all of the defenses of this place were as landlocked as the elves and Solari that populated it. Less than thirty minutes from when the commotion started, a messenger managed to reach the portal to Solace and the Archons that waited just on the other side. A couple minutes of deliberation after that, with the scouts and Solar noting that no one seemed to have been hurt thus far, a group would be sent out. At their head flew Amerith, who announced her presence with a flash of light so intense that it blacked out the light of Solace for a moment as the Strands of Night reacted to it and attempted to mute her unveiled power, and in her shadow came a group of first-born solari and elves who formed the most experienced mages of the nation that could be scrambled together at such short notice.

Once she had the harpies' attention, Amerith floated down to the portal of Solace and then sat, seemingly bored since she'd been told that combat should not be anticipated, and a new trio of solar flew from Solace's gate as well. Cassius, who'd decided to come as a representative of Renarr since she wasn't present, Ennis, who was chosen because he might be able to unravel the emotions of these harpies and bring about a more peaceful solution to this whole mess, and Varral, who instantly went for one of the sticks so he could decipher the language written on them and hopefully figure out how to actually talk to the bird-people. These three and the mage council would make their way to the outskirts of the city in order to meet with the harpies on more neutral ground.

Starting AP: 0

Rollover: +4

-1 AP; Create Organization - The Blight Land Chapters: While technically a part of Corrla's society for the moment, this "organization" is actually a loosely associated collection of towns and villages that are connected through their shared exile in Corrla's blight lands and their association with/ veneration of the Suzerain. These chapters work to make their homes better for the people that live within them, and have actually demonstrated that they have enough power to accomplish this goal. The chapters of this "organization" will naturally attract other people within the Blight Lands, since they offer the best protection and the best chance of survival in these wasted places, and they turn away no one but murderers and those who would bring war to their lands.

-1 AP; Create Organization - The Council of Radiants: The Radiant Council of Shaline are mana practitioners of some skill. While it is called a council, and its most senior (as in oldest or most influential, not necessarily its most powerful) members actually have a vote in how the organization is run and exert incredible influence over their society, it's really a school for mages within the Shaline Empire. As such, most mages within the society are able to draw a direct connection to this organization, and can draw upon their resources and a network of scholarly allies should the need arise.

Being a full graduate of the Council is enough by itself to raise an individual to the third tier of Shaline society. Thus, graduate mages tend to be involved in local politics, acting as provincial governors or their advisors, or they move to Solace to continue their studies within the presence of their goddess and without the need to truly rest. There is no racial or societal requirement to join the Council, but those with at least a little bit of money to pay for their initial education are able to be accepted and graduate at a higher rate than those without.

The highest members of the Council maintain a chamber 100 meters from Renarr's throne, where they converse, study magic and the various works of the gods, and try to interpret the Daystar's will. While other members of the government look upon these stuffed up mages as self-important, sometimes senile, fools, this chamber is still one of the most important places within the Empire's heart.

In these early days, the Council serves as the police force and elite of Shaline's army. While they prefer not to rely on brute force and bloodshed to accomplish their goals, they are also not opposed to using it if the need should present itself.

Total AP expended: -2

AP remaining: 2

Domain progression:
Realms (the Heavens): 10/10 (Create plane: Solace, portal to Solace (in void), create plane: Nocturne) (I'm ascending this week, so CLAIMED)
Order (Retribution): 8 (Create hero: Suzerain of Night, the Stars in the Sky, the Serpent Moon, Craft Society: Shaline, Create Organization: Blight Land Chapters, Create Organization: The Council of Radiants)
Life (Twilight): 2 (Sub-race: Solari, Blessing: Suzerain's chosen)

zzzzzzzz414

2021-05-30, 02:54 AM

The effects of the tainted underbeer plague were utterly devastating. Many of the major cities along the Red Coast were nearly destroyed, suddenly overwhelmed as friends and neighbors suddenly transformed into what could only be called monsters, dealing massive amounts of death and destruction. And its effect on the Ufrot-Assag was, if anything, even worse. The plague apparently had the ability to transform gnolls into Direwolves; and the nature of the Direwolf's curse meant that where there was one direwolf, there would soon be more. Entire pack-tribes were destroyed overnight, and in their place, a scourge a Direwolves none had seen since the first Curse itself was unleashed. Even with the assistance of the Ascetics of Zahd and their curse-neutralizing blessed sand, and the Sandsong acting as a network of news and information, the Feet of Clay were utterly overwhelmed in the early days of the plague, forced to focus their limited manpower on aiding the largest cities and containing the ever-growing hordes of Direwolves.

So, there was nobody to respond when they came.

Like jackals pouncing upon a wounded animal, the most powerful of the bandit tribes - pushed to the edges of the continent, forced to bide their time and conserve their strength - took their opportunity to strike, organizing as they never had before. The smaller outlying villages and oases were hopelessly ill-prepared to resist, fleets of sand-sailers manned with archers completely overwhelming the paltry local guards before any could stop them. Their roving fleets soon became a well-recognized terror of the southern Wadi-Alsahali; and as their power and spread grew, so did their need for recruits.

Whispers of this newly organized bandit clan - of their need for powerful warriors,and their willingness to pay good gold for them - began to spread among the growing camps of refugees, and exiled mutants banished to the fringes of civilization.
"They have taken everything from you," the calls seemed to come - yet from who, nobody could really say. "Why should you sit in the wilds and starve for something that was not even your fault? Why should you not use these abilities you have been given, and take what should be yours?"

Few could argue with it; many of the pack-tribes and cities had been merciless, exiling all who showed even a hint of mutation. And the plague had left many with grotesque, but incredibly physically powerful physiques, as well as incredible natural weapons and strange magical abilities. Many accepted the offer of the Makhalib Maksur, as the bandits had begun calling themselves; and the Makhalib Maksur soon discovered that one well-trained mutant warrior was worth three mundane ones.

By the time the Feet of Clay and the Ascetics of Zahd had secured the effects of the plague long enough to turn their eyes to the south, the bandit clans, empowered by waves of new, powerful sorcerers and mutants, had already broken off significant portions of the southwestern coast, even managing to capture the key port city of Il-Dahara. And as the leaders of the Makhalib Maksur coordinated and consolidated their power, beginning to construct ships and build new bases on the nearby islands of the Jisr Archipelago, they realized they had begun to build something much more than a mere bandit clan. Something powerful enough to raise a new banner over the Circle Continent.

5/16 AP Remaining

Create Organization: The Makhalib Maksur [1AP]

The Makhalib Maksur are an organized clan of pirates, bandits and mercenaries. Though their main centers of power are in the western-most islands of the Jisr Archipelago, they operate clans and fleets in almost every part of it, as well as up and down the Red Coast and in parts of the southern Wadi Alsahali. The organization is technically a coalition of various bandit clans and fleets, so their organization varies; some are strict ranked hierarchies, while others are more egalitarian.

They are especially well-known for their high membership of mutants and sorcerers created by the tainted underbeer plague, or by underbeer in general. Almost all fleets have some percentage of mutants or mana-users, and often at least one so-called "Chosen of Kassa" (one of the tainted underbeer mutants) in a high position. This makes them quite difficult to fight, as their enemies can never be sure what kinds of abilities they may be up against.

The Makhalib Maksur's main role is as the enforcers, protectors and main source of income and plunder for the Kalarian League; however, they are technically independent, and often hire themselves out as mercenaries and privateers for any willing to pay; so long as it does not interfere with the interests of the League. They work closely with the Veiled Shadow; the shady merchant organization often fences their spoils and brokers their services. However, very few Makhalib Maksur are direct members of any significant status.

Trickery(Thieves) 4/10

Form Racial Society: The Kalarian League [2AP]
The Kalarian League is a confederation of islands, villages and bandit clans, led by loose councils of merchants and pirate lords. They control a significant chunk of the southern Red Coast, as well as large portions of the western Jisr Archipelago, and the surrounding volcanic islands. Though they are supported by a certain amount of fishing, they primarily support themselves through piracy, smuggling, and raids; preying on the rich and growing trade of the Jisr Archipelago trade routes, profiting off the sale of underbeer and other contraband goods, and plundering many coastal villages of the Lizardkin and Kobolds. Their settlements and fleets are mixtures of Gnoll and Lizardfolk (especially Geckokin); almost all bandit and pirate fleets contain at least a few lizardfolk members, as gnolls cannot directly handle the hauls of gold or silver. Though the Makhalib Maksur and Veiled Shadow are technically separate organizations from the League, they are very deeply intertwined, and share much of their leadership; the councils and various village leaders/island chiefs are almost entirely composed of Makhalib Maksur captains and Veiled Shadow representatives (though not necessarily their actual members, whose identities must remain hidden).

The Kalarians broadly take a very different view of Kassa than the Ufrat-Assag tribes many of them came from. She is still viewed as a dangerous and conniving trickster, but also respected and revered to a greater degree, held as the creator of the curse-plague that gave many of their mutant brethren their abilities and allowed the creation of the League, smiling upon their clans and their fleets. Kassa and Abu-Dhahab are often honored and worshipped together as the two faces of Underbeer's power. The latter as its blessings and abilities, as well as the grand profit to be made in its trade, and the many great things that can be built upon it; the former as its curse, as the destruction and death of the great plague, but also the incredible and unpredictable power that warps bodies, grants magic and shatters societies. A small but growing fringe, inspired by the words of the Weshesh, also honors the Great Serpent as the ultimate provider of Mana; however, the stories of the Serpent War are still too ingrained and retold for them to gain much traction yet. Underbeer, and those empowered and mutated by it, are obviously held in special regard; those mutated by the Tainted Underbeer, in particular, are often known as the "Chosen of Kassa", respected yet feared, blessed yet cursed. The League are thus enthusiastic clients of the Weshesh, buying Underbeer in great quantities from their traveling trade island both for personal use and for smuggling to the mainland through the Veiled Shadow.

Worship of Idix is also unusually common, influenced by their connection to the sea and the connections to the ways of Magirus that many still follow (though his name and his connection to those teachings has greatly faded over the generations). Though Idix's teachings are incompatible with a life of piracy, joining the Sisterhood is usually considered a respected alternative to joining a Makhalib Maksur fleet.

Trickery(Thieves) 6/10

5-2-1 = 2/16 AP remaining

dancrilis

2021-05-30, 08:53 AM

Kerima - Planer Crafting

Her pieces put together and the other deity gone she restarted her work, taking her miniplane she cut it off from known reality and stood in non-existent space away from the first world and away from the other planes, and she expanded her realms infinitely - but one could fit an infinate number of infinities into a single infinity and that was her next move, space in this place would fold around itself to allow for a truely unlimited population without end, reviewing the work of the dead god of the south this place would ensure that when the Khet of her followers passed on any plane they would end up here in total with all aspects of themselves intact and healthy, she then mimiced aspects of the mind manifestation of the dead god Sen to ensure that when the they arrived they could manifest around them what they expected for there afterlife. This way her people would be able to serve her for eternity in a paradise of there own making, unless of course she found them unworthy.

The Elven Forests and the Crimson Blight
Initially the elves suffered horribly due to the blight, entire crops and villages were blighted made worse when the infection got unto birds and began to spread quickly via the air in truth the crimson blight might have decimated the continent - but the people who lived on Corrla had developed miracles at the same time they developed language and they were highly proficent with such, some areas cursed entire areas to sap all health from the blight and kill it without harming the host, other areas merely sent the fungus into a 'sleep' state where it could be awakened should it be needed.

The River Archons protected settlements from the spread of the fungus via water - often drowned animals or people infected with it providing that the river archon themselves either counted as a priest or had the permission from a priest to kill, the bodies dispatched for burning.

The ones who might have sufferered worse from the infection due to there lack of experience with the powers of worship would be the Shelled but some experienced priests had joined them to guide them into society and so they were protected - how the Orcs, Xen or those in the blight lands reacted to the disease the people of Kerima largely didn't care about.

Current 8.

Weave Plane: An infinite amount of planes contained in one, there planes are empty for now but will populate once Kerima implements a method of moving her faithful to this as place as an afterlife (or more accurately a second life).
Magic (Divine) 7/10

I will spent the rest of the points over the week, if anybody wants to notice and interfere feel free.

Current AP 7.

KragBrightscale

2021-05-30, 01:30 PM

Merchants of Circle Continent struggling

Where once trade caravans had peacefully made their way across well known desert paths, dangerous criminals had set up ambush points. The seas were no longer as welcoming to the Mutajahil, as fleets of pirates would plunder and hijack their ships. Though some bandits and pirates would let their prey leave alive, there were also many who perished.

Combined with the recent destruction and chaos caused by tainted underbeer, the bazaars and markets were noticeably less lively and celebratory. It was a low point for merchants and the Market Republics across the Red Coast and Wadi Alsahali.

Caravans became rare sightings and merchants turned to other sources of income. Crafting saw a rise in popularity as trade became too dangerous. This resulted in many cities losing access to resources they had grown used to having. Trade with other societies was also reduced, though the possibility of trade with Orcs and Sahuagin started being explored in the northern regions.

The new colony on the Jisr Archipelago was hit hard by the rise in piracy, effectively being cut off from their home continent. Merchants there took their newly discovered tea leaves, dates, and other goods westward to Corla, as the newly formed pirate society had not stretched their fleets thin enough to reach that far yet.

It was during this time that a few of the older merchants put forth the suggestion to seek aid from the deity who had started their merchant traditions. The followers of Abu Dhahab amongst the Mutajahil and the Market leadership flipped their coins, counted their number beads, and mumbled their requests and hopes for protection. Some where skeptical, but tales had spread of priests and those who had gained power through reverence, so they tried nonetheless.

Abu Dhahab hears a prayer

Abu Dhahab hadn’t really paid much attention to those who claimed to be his devotees before, he had occasionally encountered some while disguised as a merchant and found it all amusing. It was not until his talk to Kerima that he started seeing the value of having them. Rather than the worship and praise, which Abu Dhahab didn’t really care for, it was the potential for communication that appealed to him.

He could feel that as his power grew, an unseen force in the world was rejecting him, and if not for suppressing his power he would have had to leave already. From his meditation in a cave on Corla whispers soon reached his ears. Faint at first, but as he focused in on them they became clearer. His eyes closed, he soon pictured numerous scenes of nervous and desperate Mutajahil. Things seemed to have shifted over on center continent, something that hindered the healthy development of commerce and trade that had been the core of Lizardfolk civilization.

With a sigh, Abu Dhahab stopped suppressing his power. With but a thought, he sent a response to the minds of those who prayed.

I have heard your cry for help, and will give you my blessing. Trade, communication, and the interaction and relations that arise from that are things I see as important so this time I will intervene on your behalf. But know this, it is not my desire to see you depend on higher powers such as myself to solve your problems.

I have given you much that could be used to solve things on your own, and in you is the potential for self improvement. Make use of your connections, your strong bodies, the knowledge gained through interaction with other, your familiarity with the routes you travel to overcome the odds against you. Know that few other people have received as many blessings as yourselves.

I can no longer be amongst you all and enjoy your bazaars in person, as this world can’t contain someone of my power. I will however, listen should you speak my name, or watch when you complete a deal in my name.

The Mutajahil and other merchants who had been desperate before, were filled with hope. It was true, the Lord of the Desert and Father of Gold was still with them. They felt a strange connection to the world around them, weak alone, but stronger as more of them gathered together. Through this connection caravans of the Mutajahil, and other followers of Abu Dhahab could make use of mirages to hide their presence from those who would harm them. Enemies who entered the area affected by the mirage might hallucinate or be trapped in illusions until the caravan had passed.

As a form of thanks, the Mutajahil would each offer a gold coin or other token of wealth to the desert after a successful journey. The coins would be buried within the sands, and even greedy individuals who witnessed the ritual were unable to dig them up, for they now belonged to the Lord of the Desert, and without his permission, none could find or receive his wealth.

Ascension

As his blessing took effect, Abu Dhahab knew his time to leave had come. The world had noticed him again, and was rejecting his power. Sighing, he let go of his control, and allowed his experiences, emotions and enlightenment to fill him until they arrived at a new sense of peace. His Ki flowed through his body strengthening it further and expelling the last bit of impurities that had accumulated by being in a world saturated with mana.

Taking a step out of the cave, he rose into the sky. As he departed, all martial artists who had achieved some measure of success in Ki refinement felt their Ki tremble in excitement and broke through to the next level. Gold coins everywhere jingled as they resonated with the ascension, and strange images formed in the desert, mirages that showed scenes of the beginning of the Lizardfolk and their eventual growth. Then with a sudden silence, it was over.

Abu Dhahab looks for new opportunities

Back in the void where he fought the snake, Abu Dhahab felt a little sadness. Things were different now, he was different. Could things have ended in another way if he had his current capabilities back then? If the snake could be reasoned with or restrained until it gained enough intelligence or awareness to understand the harm it was causing? Maybe, but he knew it was meaningless to dwell on what could have been.

As he moved through the void, he felt something he hadn’t noticed before. Something fresh and new, full of potential. It was a nostalgic feeling, like when he first descended to Circle Continent, it had been so flat, so simple, undeveloped, and full of potential.

Intrigued he used his heightened ability to find the source of what he sensed. A clear and melodious song reached his ears. The familiar feeling of mana. A place behind the void. A small city, yet to be inhabited, a land, yet to be fully shaped. Abu Dhahab was immediately interested. Moving towards the only other presence he could feel, he soon arrived at a small hamlet, outside the small church building, someone was there waiting.

Approaching calmly, Abu Dhahab gave his usual greeting and looked around.

Greetings, I do not believe we have met before, I am known as Abu Dhahab. Tell me, what is this place? It feels young and full of potential, yet still lacking in substance or energy to sustain it. I assume you were involved in its initial creation. I am interested in this place and willing to provide of my strength as an investment to further establish it, but what would I get in exchange? As a deity of commerce and wealth I prefer transactions rather than gifts.

AP: 3

Bless (Caravan Mirages) -1 AP
Caravans that have at least 1 Mutajahil or other follower of Abu Dhahab can hide their presence with a powerful illusion. Those who are not included in the illusion’s protection and enter its area of effect, suffer from hallucinations and may be trapped in illusions until they accidentally leave or the caravan moves on.
Travel (Caravans) 10/10 Acquired

Total domain (portfolios): 5

1)Wealth (Gold)
2)Earth (Deserts)
3)Society (Commerce)
4)Combat (Unarmed)
5)Travel (Caravans)

Ascension to Lesser Deity

3 -1 = 2 AP remaining

Writtensanity

2021-05-31, 01:50 AM

A Misunderstanding

Lythilia, the jet black harpy at the head of the Wild Daugthers that had arrived at Solace was two things; confused and pissed.

Even before the Solar had arrived she'd been annoyed. These were ELVES, she'd heard about them and she knew that these were the slavers that she was supposed to be hunting, but there was nothing here, just panic and some goats.

It hadn't taken long for some of the scouts, some bonded with Blind Spectes reported that their companions didn't smell any panicked monsters. The settlement might as well have been empty as far as the Wild Daughters were concerned. Lythilia sent some of her companions off to the surrounding mountains to ensure that the Elves weren't hiding anything, but they returned empty-handed too.

Lythilia's confusion was at it's height when the world had strobed for a moment, blinding light searing out of the plane of Solace. Resplendent Solars erupted from the mouth in the mountain, followed by the dimmed Solari. Originally, Wild Daughters scattered into the air, taking off in any which direction, but a few stalwart ones, and most importantly Lythilia stayed in line. As the Solar sat down, a safe distance away from her, most of the Wild Daughters fell back into line behind their 'leader' though they didn't know if they were spectating or about to be a brutal experiment in a Solar's power.

Before almost any progress could be made in communications between Birdsong and the many different languages the Solars tried, a second sun appeared in the sky for a moment, before it crashed down to Earth on a peak barely high enough to protect the assembled harpies from its heat. The Fang Phoenix that arrived spread its firey wings, all 300 feet of them, to cover the sky and snatch the attention of the Daughters, and likely everything else for miles.

The Fang Phoenix didn't have a mouth to open, instead, it turned its head to Lythilia and birdsong rang through the heads of all the villagers and all of the daughters. Once Lythilia responded, the creature turned to the Solars.

"They are confused by this Village. They know the Elves are slavers of the mother, but this village does not have slaves. "

Lythilia cried up to the phoenix.

"They want to know who you are if you are not the Elvish chainmasters."

A Friend Moving On

It was a wonderful idea to have Kobold Neela awake during the days. It was less wonderful to have her suddenly be so needed for anything and everything. Of course, Harpy Neela had things she needed to be doing as well. She was technically the eldest hatchling of the Harpies that called the village their nest and that came with responsibility, but it wasn't anything near the new duties of Kobold Neela. She was a Goddess' messenger.

Maybe Neela had briefly been a messenger for Briettia until she gave away the talon, but she certainly wasn't anything like that now. As far as she could tell Briettia didn't talk at all, let alone need a messenger.

Of course, Lor was a mirror according to the Kobolds, so Gods just seemed funny that way. Come to think of it, Fang Phoenixes could talk too, and they didn't have mouths.

Harpy Neela stopped trying to read the message that her friend had left her, she was never able to get more than halfway through. Maybe it was because it was literally written by a divine hand, but the emotions were overwhelming before she got to the end.

She'd also refused to let anyone else read it. It had been addressed to her, and it felt weird to have anyone else see it all before she could.

Kobold Neela had gone to the plains, and despite being born in the Marshes, Neela was certain that she was going to follow so Kobold Neela could read her the rest of the message.

---

The rest of the Harpies were less receptive to Harpy Neela's suggestion of heading out into the plains. They'd been among the Kobolds for a while, and they knew there were other races out there, but they'd stayed away for a simple reason...

The Everrunn plains were no place for creatures that relied on height and slept in high perches or clifftops. A Harpy exhausted from a day of flight could typically hide from any predators, but in the plains they would be on the ground, sitting ducks. Not to mention tales of centaurs speed meant that the harpies wouldn't be able to outrun them for long if things went sour.

"Mom didn't meet the Kobolds and run away," Neela pointed out, "Our clutch- We come from the first explorers. We should continue that legacy. We're not going to stay in the Great Marshes and Spine Aerie forever. There is so much more out there."

The Harpies weren't convinced.

"Are you telling me Kobolds can make it out there, but we can't?"

There was a murmur to that.

One of Neela's younger sisters, from Annathenia's clutch, dropped down from the branch she'd been watching from. She was a Wild Daughter, one of the scarce few in the Great Marshes. She wordlessly pulled out Briettia's talon and Neela's eyes widened as her sister plunged the Talon deep into her wrist.

""Blood magic of the wilds sister," the Wild Daughter said as her essence dripped to the floor, ""The blood of the chosen will solve our problems."

The Wild Daughter's eyes filled with an inky black. ""And the power of the Wilds will be our solution."

---
Predator and Not Prey: Meeting the Centaurs

Getting this far out into the plains hadn't been easy. Even with the magic of devoted Wild Daughters, it had been weeks of labour to make travel safe.

Floria was a forward scout, a hunter and protector of the Wild Daughters that were growing the nearest outpost. It was the second job that had her over a hundred feet in the air, scanning the horizon for prey. Honestly, the horizon line was the best thing about the Everrun plains. There was nowhere to rest but hunting here was so much easier than in the marshes, and way less likely to be interrupted by something bigger than in Aerie.

Not that Fang Phoenixes didn't exist out here, Floria reminded herself.

Success! Floria spotted shapes on the Horizon, four legs, likely horses. Easy and plentiful prey. Floria considered going back to fetch her sisters to help her carry, but decided that making sure she caught the prey first was more critical.

The Harpy glided through the clouds above the creatures and got into position to dive down on them. They were grazing, distracted and dead soon enough. Just as Floria started her dive the creatures spooked and took off. The Harpy swore and changed her flight path but the dive was already ruined, she was going to have to straighten out and give chase. That was a lot more effort but it would be fine. She picked a spear out from her small collection and moved to swoop horizontal to the ground, just at the right angle to assassinate one of the-

Once she was close enough to pick up the problem with these creatures she was going to fast to make a safe landing. She saw the upper torso of the creatures, difficult to see from the top. These were the people she'd been told about, Centaurs. She was hunting people.

Floria folded her wings to ruin the dive and through off her course and then shot them back to try and slow, but it was too late, too sudden and wind just didn't work that way. Breaking the dive threw the Harpy off-balance and as she finally caught up with the, likely very surprised, centaurs, she touched the ground and a dive turned into a crash landing.

Wing bones snapped as Floria kicked up dust and tumbled on the ground. She couldn't catch her breath to scream by the time she stopped. There was nothing but pain in her ruined wings and probably more broken.

Floria saw the Centaurs coming toward her and her last thoughts before passing out from the pain were of the writing stick on her side alongside the spears. She was supposed to give it to the first centaurs they say.

Using Briettia's Talon to make mundane concept: Waypoints.

Simple abandoned posts for travel along long journeys, waypoints help make things safer from natural predators without needing to commit to making a full village at every several days travel needed. For Harpies, who need safe perches, these are especially important.

Typically, Harpy-built wayponts have large trees as centres, in places like the Everrun Plains where these are scarce, the trees are grown using Natural Worship from the Wild Daughters.

Free Action from Briettia's Talon.

Razade

2021-05-31, 04:21 AM

Rong Tou: The Plane with Many Names

The first true divine feet upon this new expanse alerted Rong Tou immediately and with a simple jump they were present. With a bow, Rong Tau swept a hand over the vast city that surrounded them. "Illustrious one whose touch graces the sand, I am Rong Tou. Would that I have met you sooner, as I would all my kin, but the Void Serpent had chased me here to this empty and unfinished place and I scarce could leave it out of fear. Your presence...has the snake been vanquished at last?"

With another small hop, Rong Tou was gone, then again appearing perched on the roof of the simple church. "This is my home but it is no place for a least Divinity such as myself. I made it in hopes to bring the bright shining stars to meet but none came. The place lingers on the edge, I fear I will go with it should it return to the Void. To invest is to use, there is nothing else to offer here. Though should there be? A meeting place where none may harm you, a realm to trade without fear of war, is a far greater resource than anything I could provide. A home, safe from the Serpent, a home safe from other Gods who might do war upon you. So long as the mighty city of Heping stands no God may cause grievous wounds to another. The laws of the city are as absolute as I can make them with my limited power. To cause harm on another God, no matter how minorly divine they may be, is to incur the wrath of Rong Tou and to be cast once more out into the cold Void."

KragBrightscale

2021-05-31, 09:26 AM

Abu Dhahab, the plane of many names

The celestial serpent devoured many, there is no shame in having hidden and sought refuge, I myself hid at first too. Vanquished? I do not truly know. It was defeated long ago and its body separated, yet traces of its aura can be still be felt even here, and it’s essence has saturated the first world.

Though I participated in the battle to put a stop to its rampage, my role was insignificant, and had it not been for the threat to the people I created and creation itself, I would have preferred to let it be. Unfortunately, the snake did not show any ability to communicate and seemed to be driven mad by its intense hunger, else persuasion might have been used instead of violence.

Looking around at the city, Abu Dhahab step up on top of a steeple for a better view. The desert tribes had built a few cities near the coast, but few places in the Wadi could support a city as big as this, and none were as orderly in layout. If what Rong Tou said about the future of this place was true, it would definitely be a lucrative market for him to deal with.

To invest is to use? Makes sense. This place is still undeveloped without much that could offered except the promise of future prospects. If this truly becomes a safe place where deities meet, a place of trade and prosperity, it will be a place I want to be.

With a step forward Abu Dhahab appeared in front of Rong Tou again. Holding out a scaled hand he gathers his divine power.

I am willing to invest, and willing to agree to a non-aggression pact for this place. I have yet to see direct confrontation and combat between deities on the first world, but the snake left a prophecy before its defeat of wars between the divine, so I am also willing to assist in enforcing a law that protects the peace. Let us make this a formal agreement, for I am one who keeps his words.

I, Abu Dhahab, agree to contribute to the formation and stabilization of this plane and to invest towards its future development, I agree to uphold its law of non-violence and to help enforce it should that be necessary. This I agree to in exchange for part ownership and the right to live here and conduct business here, and the promise of non-violence towards myself.

Shake my hand if you find my terms acceptable, I don’t think I am asking for too much, as this is what you offered. Consider it but a formality, as I have yet to develop a method to keep other deities from breaking their oaths, but with this I will at least know if and when they do.

I was inspired by your laws that apply to deities, so this is my first time trying it out, perhaps such an agreement could be used to help enforce those laws.

Abu Dhahab starts releasing some divine energy into the space around him, immediately the plane gains some more stability, and the effect starts spreading slowly throughout the city. Golden sand swirls over some strategic locations and a few buildings get worn down and replaced with large courtyards and open squares for future market places. One of the many churches also gets eroded by the sand and out of the swirling stardust, tall narrow towers emerge, connected by numerous small bridges and wrapped in stairways. At the base of the towers, walled courtyards and a gathering hall also forms.

Surrounding the city with the exception of its official gates, a powerful mirage appears, giving the illusion that the city stretches on infinitely. Should anyone attempt to walk through it from inside the city they will find themselves appearing at the direct opposite side of the city. This also protects the city from intrusion, as those attempting to enter from places other than the gate will find themselves turned around and moving away from the city without them realizing. The affected area is not fixed, and allows for expansion. As long as construction outside of the current city limits is approved by the authorities, the mirage will shift to include it.

Although not visible on the surface, valuable resources such as ores, rock salt, and other mineral deposits grow underground, ready for anyone who digs deep enough to discover.

This is still but a mirage, but with a though it will be reality. Take my hand, and I will be onboard.

As soon as Rong Tou accepts:

Split AP action: Weave Plane (name TBD I think) -1 AP (2/4 AP provided for the action so far, still need Hetta and Renarr to contribute)
Abu Dhahab adds stability, spaces for markets, his own home, mirage around the city, and abundant natural resources underground.
Compulsion (Contracts) 1/10

2 -1 = 1 AP remaining

The mirage boundary functions in a way like folded space, so you could potentially walk forever in one direction and keep looping through the city.

Zelphas

2021-05-31, 05:37 PM

Strangers on Ancestral Land

Knowledge of golemcrafting spread steadily through centaur society. With the assistance of untiring automatons of clay and rock, which could be formed into small, nimble shapes to complement the size and strength of the average centaur, the plains people were able to work towards bigger and more complicated inventions. Soon enough, beginning in the windier reaches of the north and east and traveling slowly downwards, the centaurs constructed massive buildings of rock and wood, hollow tubes filled with machinery and surmounted by enormous flat sails that spun in the winds of the plains. These machines were used mostly to crush grain into powder, though at least one enterprising clan managed to set up a series of smaller machines that wove wool into plain, rough blankets. Nearly every town in the Everrun Plains eventually had one of these enormous machines at its outskirts, and while some complained of the noise, the benefits far outweighed their dislike.

Another invention--much smaller and simpler, but no less useful--made its way into centaur society at this time. Inspired by their creator-goddess' Pit of Making and the stories of her first teaching baking to the centaurs, a priest of the fledgling and often-confused church to Hetta tried to put a clay bowl into a baking oven to see what would happen. (He may have been one of the only centaurs to try underbeer, though that fact is unproven.) The result, by luck of chance, was a much harder, more durable clay bowl. A bit more time and experimentation created new vessels glazed with a shiny polish and given many different designs and colors, opening up another bit of merchandise to trade with the Lizardfolk and beautifying centaur society.

These three aspects of technology--golems, pottery, and windmills--became hallmarks of centaur society upon the plains for one main reason: the rise of the orcs. Rude, brash interlopers, who appeared far too suddenly upon the tundra and the ice of the north, drove out many of the gnolls that the centaurs had allowed to settle and turned others towards their odd cause, and then dared to settle upon the ancestral lands of the centaurs as though it were their own. The centaurs had never in their history gone to war against a sentient race--they battled with the Clay Dragons, and with the direwolves from the west, and with the various birdlike monsters that seemed to swarm up from the south in periodic waves, not with people who could think and reason. And so, they did not immediately push out these invaders in their lands. But they were cold to these new people. Orcs never found companionship or welcome within centaur lands; few spoke to them, and fewer were willing to sell to them. The Feet of Clay watched them closely so long as they remained in the ancestral homes, and their bows were always strung. Any who proclaimed allegiance to the new "Weshesh" were treated with similar hostility and suspicion. No centaur joined the weshesh; whether it was that simply no centaurs wished to join such a society, or that any who did were never allowed to reach orcish lands, was never known.

Another unfortunate side effect of the orcs' arrival was that the centaurs' opinion toward other races began to cool as well. Golemcrafting was kept a closely-guarded secret, usually known only to the chief of the local centaur tribe and the one he chose to succeed him. Pottery was similarly hidden, though all who knew how it worked knew that any society that knew baking would soon pick up the knack. No non-centaur was ever shown the inside of a windmill.

Predator and Not-Prey, Part 2: Not the Wild

Quli was waiting with a freshly-baked loaf of bread when the harpy awoke from her painful unconsciousness. Ritha, one of the very few gnoll herbalists who had been convinced to stay by the people of the village and the distance from the interloper orcs, had already been and gone several times, assuring Quli's parents that the harpy would awaken and would be hungry when she did so. He had said little about her wings, but life from death is always a fair deal, isn't it?

The young centaur had a feeling that this meeting should have been momentous, the first harpy seen on centaur lands, the first one to meet with the tribes of the Everrun on their own territory, but she was too busy to concern herself overmuch with that. The centaurs, as they realized that their opinion of outsiders was beginning to cool, had looked to their creator-goddess to see what they should do next. Hetta was notoriously silent on almost all matters; the devout said that it was her actions that spoke for her, and from that came the idea of balance. The orcs had no place to stay in centaur lands; no food was given to them, and no house would open its doors for them. And so, the centaurs created houses for outsiders which they did wish to see, and prepared food for them and rest for their journeys. Since most of the visitors to centaur lands were lizardfolk, and since those people seemed utterly confused by the concept of "gifts", these new places of rest began to charge for their services, and so inns were born. These large, single-story houses were often placed in the center of centaur towns or nearby, an boasted several places to sleep where other races could be comfortable, dedicated cooks, and (whenever possible) a gnoll or gnoll-trained herbalist to help with the aches and pains of the road.

Of course, Quli didn't know or care about the history behind inns, either, or at least she didn't care that much. Since her father had decided that someone needed to be in the room with the harpy at all times just in case she woke up, Quli had been working double shifts so that her parents could stand and watch a bird-person sleep. She finally asked to take a shift herself just so that she didn't have to run around serving food and cleaning rooms for a little bit longer. It would be just her fortune that the harpy would wake up right when she was there; at least she had remembered to grab the bread.

Quli stepped carefully over to the door and pulled it open, sticking her head out. "DAD! THE HARPY'S AWAKE!" she roared down the hallway of the inn, then closed the door quickly. Making her way to the harpy's bead, which had been built more for a Lizardfolk than a creature of her size and shape, Quli bent forward at the waist, slipping one arm behind the harpy's head to prop it up while she brought the bread to it's mouth with the other. "It's good bread, and Ritha said you'd be hungry," she began, then thought for a moment. "Wait, Dad said that stick said you couldn't speak our language, but that can't be right. Everyone who can speak can speak this language, right?" she laughed to herself, still holding out the bread.

Inside the Pit of Making, for the last time

Hetta watches the other gods begin to ascend, leaving the First World entirely and either making or inhabiting new planes of existence. She glances at the pit that had been her home for centuries, realizing that it has served its purpose and she has no further use for it herself. She looks at the Lump and nods, once. The Lump, the only golem without orders, looks at his mistress, his bare impression of a face clouding in an almost alien emotion to him--confusion. "Why--" he begins to ask, but Hetta steps aside and is gone, never to return to the First World again. The Lump looks around the Pit of Making, watching the golem archons continue to sculpt and sort. The various statues and gargoyles fed by Hettta's power slowly begin shifting out of the Pit, looking for more food now that the godly presence that sustained them has left. In the center of the Pit, the Lump does nothing... yet.

At the Center of an Untended City

Hetta feels a sense of... something, something like nostalgia, as she steps through the worlds and into the new ring-like plane. Once again, she looks around a circular plain, unsure of what to do next. Once again, she finds herself at a loss, certain that something important is... missing, here. Draconic claws flat against the cobblestones of the road, Hetta folds her humanoid arms, looking around and... waiting to see what comes next.

Behind Hetta, unseen and unknown by the goddess, her shadow twitches and boils, fragments snapping off to scatter throughout the world, each piece containing a tiny shard of power to become more than the average shadow is.

0 AP + 4 AP - 4 AP

Create Mundane Concept (Windmills) -1 AP: Using Golems, the centaurs have made windmills to help with large-scale grain production and harvesting. (Domain progression: Cooking (Baking) 8/10)

Create Mundane Concept (Pottery) -1 AP: By modifying bakery ovens, centaurs have managed to perfect a system of firing clay to produce durable, beautiful, toughened pottery vessels. Pottery is the primary art form of centaur society at the moment. (Domain progression: Cooking (Baking) 9/10)

SIDE NOTE: These two concepts, and the Mythic Concept of Golemcrafting, are not being taught by the centaurs to any other race at the moment.

Create Mundane Concept (Inns) -1 AP: In order to drive home the difference between the outsiders that centaurs like and the ones they don't like, centaur society has created innkeeping specifically to cater to non-centaurs who aren't orcs or members of the Weshesh. (Domain progression: Cooking (Baking) 10/10)

Weave Plane (I think we're going with the Concourse) -1 AP: Hetta's contribution: Shadow golems. these tiny, extremely strong constructs repair any damage done to the city in the center of the plane, and can possibly be a part of the consequences of anyone who does violence upon the plane. Shadows on this plane are noticeably deeper and sharper than shadows on the First World. (Domain progression: Magic (Golems) 10/10)

Ascension Get!

0 AP Remaining

Gnomes2169

2021-06-01, 02:39 AM

A Misunderstanding

A Misunderstanding

Lythilia, the jet black harpy at the head of the Wild Daugthers that had arrived at Solace was two things; confused and pissed.

Even before the Solar had arrived she'd been annoyed. These were ELVES, she'd heard about them and she knew that these were the slavers that she was supposed to be hunting, but there was nothing here, just panic and some goats.

It hadn't taken long for some of the scouts, some bonded with Blind Spectes reported that their companions didn't smell any panicked monsters. The settlement might as well have been empty as far as the Wild Daughters were concerned. Lythilia sent some of her companions off to the surrounding mountains to ensure that the Elves weren't hiding anything, but they returned empty-handed too.

Lythilia's confusion was at it's height when the world had strobed for a moment, blinding light searing out of the plane of Solace. Resplendent Solars erupted from the mouth in the mountain, followed by the dimmed Solari. Originally, Wild Daughters scattered into the air, taking off in any which direction, but a few stalwart ones, and most importantly Lythilia stayed in line. As the Solar sat down, a safe distance away from her, most of the Wild Daughters fell back into line behind their 'leader' though they didn't know if they were spectating or about to be a brutal experiment in a Solar's power.

Before almost any progress could be made in communications between Birdsong and the many different languages the Solars tried, a second sun appeared in the sky for a moment, before it crashed down to Earth on a peak barely high enough to protect the assembled harpies from its heat. The Fang Phoenix that arrived spread its firey wings, all 300 feet of them, to cover the sky and snatch the attention of the Daughters, and likely everything else for miles.

The Fang Phoenix didn't have a mouth to open, instead, it turned its head to Lythilia and birdsong rang through the heads of all the villagers and all of the daughters. Once Lythilia responded, the creature turned to the Solars.

"They are confused by this Village. They know the Elves are slavers of the mother, but this village does not have slaves. "

Lythilia cried up to the phoenix.

"They want to know who you are if you are not the Elvish chainmasters."
The arrival of the phoenix would stagger the mortals who weren't hovering above the mountain valley floor. Cowering a bit, looking to each other as they considered what exactly their magical abilities could do to such a beast, the councilors became much less certain of their odds if this came to conflict. Turning to face this new threat, Cassius and the other two Solar would float up beside one another to interpose themselves between their mortal allies as the bird.

And then the phoenix spoke.

The chattering between the mages stopped. Cassius also stopped at that, tilting his head at the phoenix as if struck by the sudden realization that the bird was more than just a giant grumpy fire chicken and it had a brain in it. Fortunately, Ennis was there to grab his fellow solar's arm before his fellow archon could say this and make an oaf of himself. Varral, meanwhile, turned back to his gathered sticks in order to decipher the words written on them.

Translating what the phoenix said to the elves and solari that had accompanied the three archons, Ennis would put up his hands defensively as the collected mages took the accusation... poorly. Cassius, still acting as Renarr's representative in this negotiation, told the phoenix, "These are elves... and descendants of elves. But they are not slavers like you accuse them. In fact, some of them were themselves enslaved by priests of a tyrannical and uncaring goddess." Elves did live for some time, after all, and some of the eldest members of the council were of the first generation that had fled Kerima's lands.

One of the solari made a rude gesture at the various birds... which Cassius hoped the birds would not understand. "They... would appreciate not being referred to as such."

He waited for a bit longer as elves talked to him, and then he told the phoenix, "The elves that you want, and their whole stagnant empire, are to the west, across the oceans and seas. The journey there was long and difficult for these mortals, and they wish you the best of luck if you choose to take it." Cassius's tone as he says that is neutral, friendly even, and the wish is delivered with genuine flare. "Now... who exactly are we talking to, and could you stop terrifying the citizens, please?"

Farewell Friends
Amerith would have stood up when the phoenix arrived, the Archon of War beginning to shed radiance once again as it looked, for a moment, like her talents might be needed. Oh, yes, Zariel might be the one who did the monster slaying things more, but fighting such a monster would still be a challenge that was worthy of her skills... and then... it just... talked. For the second time that day the solar sat down, radiance fading and thrill melting away into a disappointed sulk, and she stared at Solace's portal. So she was the only one that saw when Renarr appeared on the platform beside her.

The goddess attempted to hide her arrival, blanketing her presence as well as she could from the semi-divine senses of the legendary beings near her, but even now raw divine power began to leak from that shell. Renarr's ascension was close at hand, and nothing would be able to stop that process now that it was started.

The goddess looked... exhausted when Amerith stood up and bowed. Gentle words drifted to the archon of war, telling her, "Oh Amerith... don't let that be my last sight of this place." The archon's head turned up at that, and she rose, uncertain what her goddess meant. Renarr's smile was patient as her most devoted follower's confusion grew. "This will be the least fair to you. I know that after the battle with Wan'shi you changed." The solar said nothing. What she had been, who she had lost, meant nothing now. "I'm going to have to go for a while."

That finally drew a response. "Go? Very well. Where do you need me to go?" The archon asked, standing at full attention. She may have a solari child that such a sudden disappearance would disappoint, but her duty was to Renarr. They would understand.

Shaking her head the goddess told her, "No, my loyal guardian. I go somewhere you cannot follow me."

Amerith's confusion returned as she tried to understand. Talking one step towards Renarr, then another, the solar held out her hand and said, "But... my goddess. I am your sword. Where you go I fly beside you. Who you stand against, I defeat. As you command-"

"No, Amerith. No." The words, snapped at her, would draw the archon short mere steps away from the goddess, close enough to almost touch her. "Just... please. Listen. I can no longer be within this world. My time grows short. I must go. And where I go, you cannot follow me."

Betrayal. Another sense of agonizing loss that her passionless face did not show shot through Amerith's body like a lance. After losing her other half, Amerith had relied on her position as Renarr's blade to keep her grounded, and now she was being tossed aside. Abandoned. Again.

A hint of emotion must have crossed her face, or perhaps Renarr simply knew her archons well enough, because the goddess' expression softened and she closed the distance between her and her guardian to draw the solar into a tight embrace. "I will not be gone forever. The others will look for me, they'll think that I am in danger, or that this is a test. I need you... to keep it all together while I am gone. I will return to you, Amerith. I will not abandon you forever." The archon found herself clinging as tightly as she could to the goddess, as if to deny the laws of reality itself, as Renarr whispered her final words on the First World.

"Find something to live for while I am gone."

And then, like so many motes of light, Renarr disappeared from the surface of the First World, her passage silent and witnessed only by her most loyal servant. A servant who now stood in the center of a wellspring of power, one last gift from Renarr before she left, and who stood straight, muttering and assuring herself. "She will return. She will return." And Amerith would assure that the empire was still standing when Renarr did.

In a new realm

Rong Tou: The Plane with Many Names

The first true divine feet upon this new expanse alerted Rong Tou immediately and with a simple jump they were present. With a bow, Rong Tau swept a hand over the vast city that surrounded them. "Illustrious one whose touch graces the sand, I am Rong Tou. Would that I have met you sooner, as I would all my kin, but the Void Serpent had chased me here to this empty and unfinished place and I scarce could leave it out of fear. Your presence...has the snake been vanquished at last?"

With another small hop, Rong Tou was gone, then again appearing perched on the roof of the simple church. "This is my home but it is no place for a least Divinity such as myself. I made it in hopes to bring the bright shining stars to meet but none came. The place lingers on the edge, I fear I will go with it should it return to the Void. To invest is to use, there is nothing else to offer here. Though should there be? A meeting place where none may harm you, a realm to trade without fear of war, is a far greater resource than anything I could provide. A home, safe from the Serpent, a home safe from other Gods who might do war upon you. So long as the mighty city of Heping stands no God may cause grievous wounds to another. The laws of the city are as absolute as I can make them with my limited power. To cause harm on another God, no matter how minorly divine they may be, is to incur the wrath of Rong Tou and to be cast once more out into the cold Void."

Abu Dhahab, the plane of many names

The celestial serpent devoured many, there is no shame in having hidden and sought refuge, I myself hid at first too. Vanquished? I do not truly know. It was defeated long ago and its body separated, yet traces of its aura can be still be felt even here, and it’s essence has saturated the first world.

Though I participated in the battle to put a stop to its rampage, my role was insignificant, and had it not been for the threat to the people I created and creation itself, I would have preferred to let it be. Unfortunately, the snake did not show any ability to communicate and seemed to be driven mad by its intense hunger, else persuasion might have been used instead of violence.

Looking around at the city, Abu Dhahab step up on top of a steeple for a better view. The desert tribes had built a few cities near the coast, but few places in the Wadi could support a city as big as this, and none were as orderly in layout. If what Rong Tou said about the future of this place was true, it would definitely be a lucrative market for him to deal with.

To invest is to use? Makes sense. This place is still undeveloped without much that could offered except the promise of future prospects. If this truly becomes a safe place where deities meet, a place of trade and prosperity, it will be a place I want to be.

With a step forward Abu Dhahab appeared in front of Rong Tou again. Holding out a scaled hand he gathers his divine power.

I am willing to invest, and willing to agree to a non-aggression pact for this place. I have yet to see direct confrontation and combat between deities on the first world, but the snake left a prophecy before its defeat of wars between the divine, so I am also willing to assist in enforcing a law that protects the peace. Let us make this a formal agreement, for I am one who keeps his words.

I, Abu Dhahab, agree to contribute to the formation and stabilization of this plane and to invest towards its future development, I agree to uphold its law of non-violence and to help enforce it should that be necessary. This I agree to in exchange for part ownership and the right to live here and conduct business here, and the promise of non-violence towards myself.

Shake my hand if you find my terms acceptable, I don’t think I am asking for too much, as this is what you offered. Consider it but a formality, as I have yet to develop a method to keep other deities from breaking their oaths, but with this I will at least know if and when they do.

I was inspired by your laws that apply to deities, so this is my first time trying it out, perhaps such an agreement could be used to help enforce those laws.

Abu Dhahab starts releasing some divine energy into the space around him, immediately the plane gains some more stability, and the effect starts spreading slowly throughout the city. Golden sand swirls over some strategic locations and a few buildings get worn down and replaced with large courtyards and open squares for future market places. One of the many churches also gets eroded by the sand and out of the swirling stardust, tall narrow towers emerge, connected by numerous small bridges and wrapped in stairways. At the base of the towers, walled courtyards and a gathering hall also forms.

Surrounding the city with the exception of its official gates, a powerful mirage appears, giving the illusion that the city stretches on infinitely. Should anyone attempt to walk through it from inside the city they will find themselves appearing at the direct opposite side of the city. This also protects the city from intrusion, as those attempting to enter from places other than the gate will find themselves turned around and moving away from the city without them realizing. The affected area is not fixed, and allows for expansion. As long as construction outside of the current city limits is approved by the authorities, the mirage will shift to include it.

Although not visible on the surface, valuable resources such as ores, rock salt, and other mineral deposits grow underground, ready for anyone who digs deep enough to discover.

This is still but a mirage, but with a though it will be reality. Take my hand, and I will be onboard.

At the Center of an Untended City

Hetta feels a sense of... something, something like nostalgia, as she steps through the worlds and into the new ring-like plane. Once again, she looks around a circular plain, unsure of what to do next. Once again, she finds herself at a loss, certain that something important is... missing, here. Draconic claws flat against the cobblestones of the road, Hetta folds her humanoid arms, looking around and... waiting to see what comes next.

Behind Hetta, unseen and unknown by the goddess, her shadow twitches and boils, fragments snapping off to scatter throughout the world, each piece containing a tiny shard of power to become more than the average shadow is.

Renarr's rejection from the First world sent her spiraling through the endless eternities, aimless, fluttering between places half formed and fully realized. She could have, at a moment's notice, settled herself within Solace or Nocturne, those realms calling to her drifting soul like distant, waiting homes. But she didn't want to go there now. The mortals that were starting to populate these place would demand her attention, pull her and push her to keep acting and changing the realms to suit their needs, and she was... tired. Pulled too many places at once. Her people needed to learn to be self-sufficient, and while the Suzerain could teach them, she knew that the moment she returned she would immediately begin taking command and responsibility for the whole mess once more.

She needed a place that she could rest. Where she was not the only divinity to call upon when something inevitably went wrong or was needed.

So it was that her drifting brought the goddess to the half-formed realm at the edge of the realities. Forming from the mists, appearing first as a well of darkness before coalescing into that pale young woman, Renarr stood behind Abu Dhahab and listened to the contract being given. She felt Hetta's arrival, and saw the splintering of the Great Maker's shadow to create custodians to maintain the realm. And she felt that there still was not a full stability to the place, despite the contributions of three separate deities. Letting out a long-held breath, the goddess stepped out, looking at the church and all the streets of the realm. It was ordered enough, had room to expand, it could be a home to many peoples... but why should she give the little bit of divine power she had left to finish this creation, when there were so many other realms that could use her touch? Then Renarr faced Rong Tou.

That face was so, so very familiar.

Casual interest in this plain became tinged with sympathy. Where had Renarr seen that face before? That was it. Similar, so very similar, to Amerith's, almost a twin... but then, why did that matter? After all, the Creator had made many iterations of each minor divinity, there was bound to be some crossover, right? It did not make a difference if this one shared the same face. Yet still.

"You have started a fine plain, but your inexperience shows." Renarr starts, "The contributions of my fellow gods have helped some, but this realm is still unstable. Even now, the mists are beginning to close in closer, and I can feel the divinity expended slipping... But your goal is a worthy one." Holding up her hand, the goddess of the sun, night and shaper of multiple realities held the last parts of her excess divinity in an orb. "Mortals should have a place where they can come, free from all the interference of the gods, their own squabbles back home, or the interests of nations. A place safe from predation. A place that will protect them, without any strings or blessings required.

"Let this be that place." And with that proclamation, that orb of divinity dissolved and the plain became much more solid. That ripple brought more than just stability, though, and each god would feel as if there was now a fifth presence with them, watching them, judging their every action... and then ignoring them. The plain itself now had a semblance of life beyond its shadowy golem custodians, a presence that would manifest itself only when someone broke the peace.

It was only then that Renarr turned to face the lizard and Hetta, and she states, "Also. I have never seen either of you before, have I?"

Search for the goddess, the first forces
Renarr's full disappearance would go unremarked at first. After all, Solace still blazed in the sky, the Solar didn't fall apart, and the world didn't come to an end. And besides, Renarr could disappear among them to live the life of a common citizen of the Shaline empire, or she could have traveled to another land, which were both things she was known to do. So as the first year passed without her returning, her mortal followers did not pay it too much mind.

By the time the tenth year passed, though, a stronger sentiment of worry had begun to take hold. Where had their empress gone? Renarr was not among the citizens of the empire, all of them had been checked and their bloodlines were accounted for. So she must have left at some point, to explore the world. So why had she not come back?

Not for a second did the idea that she had just abandoned them get seriously considered. Renarr was too devoted for that, and she would have told someone about it. No. She must have been captured by another god, or trapped by a curse left by the serpent and its disturbingly growing cult. Perhaps she had found a civilization that needed her help more than theirs. Perhaps this was a test to see how the mortals of her realm would react, and she wanted to see how they would get her to return. There were no other explanations for her long absence.

Regardless of why she was gone, the mortals of the Shaline empire were determined to figure out where she had gone. And they made plans to retrieve her and bring her back to her now-empty throne.

Travelling north, Zariel lead a team of his disciples beyond the Spine Airie mountains and into the rolling plains. Consumate monster hunters and explorers that they were, this expedition was as much meant to find out what awaited any inland expansions for the empire as it was meant to find traces of the vanished goddess.

Traveling west instead, Ennis and Varral would make their way towards the great marshes, where they hoped to find the kobolds. They hoped to find someone able to contact Lor, and hoped as well that the mirror god would have some news or inkling of where to find Renarr.

And all the while, Amerith stood beside Renarr's throne, telling anyone who asked, "She will return." And not a thing more.

Starting AP: 2

-1 AP; Blessing - A Place of Power: The platform in front of the entrance to the First World's portal to Solace has been invested with power. While it's strongest just in front of the gate, this wellspring of divine might extends to the outskirts of the First World portion of the Shaline Empire's capitol city. The blessing greatly enhances the power and will of anyone who is faithful to Renarr and the city's people, empowering them to face foes that would normally be far beyond them. An apprentice mage at Solace's doorstep could defeat a direwolf, while a solar could fight the Suzerain (as he currently stands) to a standstill.

This blessing does not extend into Solace itself, it just makes the entryway nearly impossible for an enemy army to assault without direct divine support

-1 Joint Weave Plain; The Concourse Arbiter: The plain of Concourse is a semi-sentient being that is aware of all actions that take place within its boundaries. Able to see the sprites of others and to sense when violence is being inflicted within its realm, this world spirit is dedicated to one thing alone: ensuring that no mortal being causes harm to another without swift and semi-disproportionate retaliation. Because of this being, war between the races, regardless of which side start it or which faction a creature belongs to, is incredibly rare on Concourse simply because being caught by the Arbiter carries with it a potential fate worse than death.

To mortals the Arbiter seems capricious, striking at many murderers and violent instigators long after they finish one job, or just before they can start to sew discord. In reality, the realm has a strict streak of divine justice that bases itself off of the sprites of beings within it rather than some other arbitrary criteria. Judgement can therefore be momentarily diverted by magic that protects minds, but the plane can brute-force its way past such protection unless it is divinely powered, and will do so should a being remain shrouded for too long. It also seems to be slow at times, and to preemptively strike wrongdoers at others, simply because of the time it takes for these sprites that are drenched in violence and violent intent to manifest.

The Arbiter only cares about violent crimes, such as assault or murder, and it only cares about them if they occur on the plain of Concourse itself. Crimes of lesser nature or from a different plain are ignored entirely. The Arbiter can manifest an avatar and it can take control of Shadow Golems in order to inflict punishment. These judgements are always spectacles, are extreme, and only very rarely end in the quick deaths of the guilty. A being that wages war within the Concourse, for example, will be taken by the Arbiter and flayed on a street corner, only to be healed and then for the process to begin again until that being has suffered one year of torment for every year of life their actions stole from their victims. The Arbiter never shows mercy, but direct divine intervention can pull a mortal out of the proverbial (and sometimes literal) fire.

Total AP expended: -2

AP remaining: 0

Domain progression:
Order (Retribution): 10 (Create hero: Suzerain of Night, the Stars in the Sky, the Serpent Moon, Craft Society: Shaline, Create Organization: Blight Land Chapters, Create Organization: The Council of Radiants, A Place of Power, Joint weave plane: The Arbiter. And with that, the domain is CLAIMED)
Life (Twilight): 2 (Sub-race: Solari, Blessing: Suzerain's chosen)

Renarr now has 5 domains and ascends to lesser deity

Writtensanity

2021-06-01, 04:05 AM

A Misunderstanding

"They should be afraid," the Phoenix communicated flatly, "they are my prey, if I were not here on the will of the Mother it would be the end of this Village and all of those in it. I am like you Solar, I am of Solace and as long as Solace shines on my body I cannot die." The phoenix folded its wings, which made it somewhat less intimidating though the creature was still at least twenty metres tall. "But food that has caged itself is hardly a hunt. And this is not my huntsday."

Finally, on being asked its name the Phoenix shook its head. "My name is not in this language of Solace. The mother speaks my name, as she did before this encounter began."

With a proper translator I didn't take long for the Harpies to understand the situation, but it was clearly still confusing for the harpies to have members of the race who were so... separate from one another. After a quick clean up of communications, the Wild Daughters took off. "They will be back this evening, they are sorry." The phoenix spread its wings to take off but paused to speak directly to the Solars. "Should we meet under different circumstances Solar, I will not be so civilized, it is not my preferred state. Though I look forward to reigniting after falling to you."

Hours later the Harpys returned, most of them not in Wild Daughters dress, and they were even joined by some Harpies from outside the militant organization. They brought a bounty with them from across the Aerie. Mountain Goats, smaller birds and the rare horses from the plains below the Aaerie. Assembling the offering of food took a while, but eventually, there was a feast being prepared for the Elves and the Solari under the light of the portal to Solace.

---

The Orcs Meet Reach the Aerie

It was perhaps serendipity, that the first Harpy to run into the Orcs was Derdia an Elder matriarch covered in scars from her years as a huntress and multiple battles aginst other clutches before the Harpys had joined and organized. Her clutch, all daughters of her past sisters waited on perches above while she landed in front of the Orcs.

First, she chirped at them, but when they didn't respond in birdsong she shrugged. She took out a small writing stick and etched a short message of welcome and 'sorry we can't talk' onto it with her talons. After she was done carving she took one of the javelins from her side, a deadly weapon made with a lethal tip carved from one of her shed talons and flipped it around so the back end faced the Orcish leader. A possibly unreadable message, and a gift.

This is essentially offering to teach the Orcs the Spear Craft/ Javelins mundane concept.

Predator, Not Prey 3: Not in the Aerie anymore.

After waking up and suddenly having an arm three times the size of her neck tuck around her back Floria tried to shoot up, but that was something she'd typically do with her wings, but the only response she got from them was pain and staining against tightly wrapped bandages. The food that Floria had sometimes seen the Kobolds eat scattered down the bed and she couldn't process the gibberish that the centaur was spouting.

After half a moment and a very panicked centaur, Floria pushed herself up with her arms of all things. After the second to process, she got a decent look at the centaur. The kobolds had been right that they looked shockingly similar to the Harpys on the top half. In fact, she could tell that she was looking at a young centaur. Either that or the centaurs were all super young.

Floria took several deep breaths and then held up a feathered arm toward the centaur, trying to represent 'sorry' as she said it in birdsong. She'd never had a talent for speaking the Koblold language out loud, and it didn't seem like this creature could anyway.

The centaur Quli, offered another small piece of bread, and Floria tentatively tasted it. And honestly-

She didn't see what the Kobolds made all the fuss about. It was clearly edible but it didn't have the blood or sinew of proper food. She didn't spit it out because it would have been rude and she was hungry but she imagined it was fairly obvious that she wasn't a fan of the food.

After several more bites Floria looked around for her writing stick or something to write on, as soon as she found it she wrote to the centaurs in Kobold to see if she could talk to them that way, otherwise, well-

She'd heard from her clutch mothers how hard it had been during the original meeting between Annathena and Neela.

dancrilis

2021-06-01, 04:50 AM

Kerima - Planer Crafting (continued)

Her initial design done and the method by which land could be populated complete she began her second task - warding from the serpent, she had studied the blood of the creature and now had sand from Abu Dhahab which she took apart and analysed it it was formed from the serpent also she noted but purified as a counteracting agent - she had long considered using the creatures own blood as a poison against it and the other deity had similiar thought seemingly.
But she didn't use if for anything other then analysis - no instead she wove her own varient without the potential of taint and spead the nature of it across her eternity - if creatures tainted by mana entered if they were loyal to her they would have it burn away harshly but be cleansed, others would also have it burned away but much more forcefully likely destroying anything below a deity in scope, and leaving those who survived free of the taint.
It wasn't safe yet to do this with Corrla but as she had mentioned to the other deity she had plans for that also.

Then she called on the true names of all her fallen worshippers since they had first drawn breath and provided them with there paradise - empty planes populated with nothing suddenly sprang to life as the Khet of her fallen reformed and filled with the Ba and then the Ka to finally form the Akh, as her plane was enfused with the essence of health she allowed the body to reform in its most pristine condition, providing her people remained loyal in this second life they would have eternity.

And as she did lands began to form from the minds of her people - they would not be able to change them on a whim but the creation was magestic.

She gazed as her creation for a time - truely the dead gods of the world might have been the greatest of them she realised, they had never sought to her knowledge conflict with others and the tools they had left were truely the works of greatness - and were now making her plans possible.

Current 7 AP.

Weave Plane: Her plane is a mana free zone the very essence of it rejects what she regards as a tainted form of power, some of the interconnected planes are now populated with her faithful who have died previously in whole health, mind and soul.
Magic (Divine) 8/10

I will spent the rest of the points over the week, if anybody wants to notice and interfere feel free.

Remaining AP 6.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-01, 09:45 AM

The aftermath of the Great Underbeer Plague and the arrival of the Weshesh shattered the gnoll peoples in a number of ways.

In the east, the aggressive colonization of the Orcs had disbanded the burgeoning tundra pack-tribes. Most had simply returned to the desert, taking up their ways of nomadic scavenging once again. Some, however, had joined the Weshesh, their disdain for Kassa matching well with the Weshesh's rejection of the gods. The remainder filtered south, into the lands of the centaurs; the pack-tribes themselves were disbanded, with some integrating into the sedentary agricultural villages of the centaurs, some joining the Eastern Feet of Clay, and some forming into traveling caravans of herbalists, entertainers and news-bringers; a sort of adapted version of the Sandsong, making great use of the growing networks of inns and way-stations. However, despite their general good relations, the tension as the centaurs' attitudes towards outsiders began to harden could be keenly felt. No gnoll was welcomed to their councils, was made privy to the workings of their great wind-devices or the magic of their clay servants. And as occasional deserters from the cause of the Weshesh began to filter southwards as well, the suspicion and tension only grew.

Meanwhile in the west, the lands of the Ufrot-Assag, this division could be even more keenly felt. The effects of the plague had been catastrophic; dozens of pack-tribes had been torn apart by newly-minted mutants and direwolves, culture and stories lost forever as the desert rapidly became more hostile. The reaction was severe. Some cut off all trade with the lizardfolk republics and merchants completely, cursing the ones that had brought them the drink of ruin. Others, especially in the south, outright joined the Kalarian League, or turned fully to banditry. Old inter-pack tensions, soothed by generations of (relative) peace fostered by trade and the Feet of Clay, inflamed once again; the years following the Plague saw some of the worst tribal wars in living memory.

The Feet of Clay, meanwhile, were forced through many changes to deal with these breakdowns. They had to expand, and expand massively; recruiting hundreds, building many new headquarters, and becoming much more organized than their free-wandering forbears. Their training as well as their heavy presence and de-facto headquarters in the relatively untouched (by the underbeer plague, at least) city of Wahat Aralha left them uniquely able to try and restore order in the many other devastated oasis and coastal towns. Whereas before they had been primarily confined to the desert and its oases, the plague left them much more integrated into the societies of the Red Coast as well, ending up as the de-facto enforcers of law in many places. This left many of the tribes of the Wadi Alsahali feeling abandoned, alienated; many complained that the organization had become disconnected from the desert people - the gnolls - that they had traditionally come from and served.

So when the Ufrot-Assag - frayed by internal tensions; mistrusting of the mercantile outsiders who had visited the plague upon them; partly disillusioned with the organization from the east that had, in the eyes of many, abandoned them for the trade-cities; with relations and trade already partly cut off by the physical intercession of the orcs - saw the plainsdwellers' attitudes toward them begin take a cold turn, many took it as little less than hostility. The Ufrot-Assag was a culture that valued ongoing relations of usefulness and exchange of knowledge and skills more than exchanges of possessions; when the knowledge and skills of pottery-making and golem-crafting were withheld, this signaled to some of the northern tribes that the relationship was no longer of great use; at least, not as great as it once had been. And in the way of the Ufrot-Assag, there was no need to keep what was not of use - it must be salvaged for what parts it can, especially in desperate times such as these. Despite the efforts of the Feet of Clay, raiding of centaur caravans began to rise once again; and the Western and Eastern Feet of Clay, once known for their frequent cooperation in the northern borderlands, began to drift apart, as old lines of communication began to decay and fail.

However, desperation also bred innovation, scrambles for power and survival amid the smoldering conflict and strife. Though some returned to old ways, others searched for new ones. A few tribes turned to the strange, quiet art of Rune-Carving, developing a cult-like fascination with the libraries of ragged glyphs. These gnolls carved them into their tools and weapons, and through them gained power not dissimilar to the ones granted to users of Underbeer. A few, however, went further, fascination degenerating into fanatic obsession as they covered their weapons, then domiciles, then bodies (patterns upon patterns of beads woven into their fur) in dozens of them. These tribes were not often heard from again.

Others - primarily the ones who had maintained good relations with the Lizardfolk, and had access to their more precise tools of measurement - looked for inspiration within the plague itself. Their greatest apothecaries attained carefully-collected samples of the tainted liquid and began to experiment, dissect, looking within its essence for the source of this death and misery, subjecting it to the rigors of herbalism and the old arts of Synthesis. And within its depths they found something new. Something powerful.

Total AP: 2

Create Mythical Sub-Concept (Synthesis): Alchemy [2AP]
Discovered through careful study and experimentation with Underbeer and the Wolfsbane fruit, Alchemy is, in essence, the arts of apothecology and Synthesis, refined and applied to Mana or Mana-infused ingredients. Alchemy can be used to refine and control mana, breaking down and distilling it into forms that can be harnessed into physical liquids, gases, and some solids.

Mana, harnessed in this way, is not very stable; it is a writhing and twisting fragment of divine life, forced into a dead physical form. As a result, the products of alchemy are not often meant for consumption. They deal more in the principles of energy - things to be *weaponized*, or applied to industry. It can create explosive powder bombs, powerful acids, inextinguishable fire - and possibly, many stranger things yet, if new materials and more advanced tools can be created to use it with. It is also capable of producing some powerful magical curatives or magic-altering potions, but the few consumable things it creates often come with permanent side effects. Alchemy is also quite expensive to engage in, requiring precise tools of measurement and exotic ingredients; only the richest and most advanced societies can hope to engage in it safely, though there are many who engage in it...less safely.

Craft(Apothecary) 10/10 - Portfolio Gained

2-2 = 0 Remaining AP

ezekielraiden

2021-06-02, 02:07 AM

Seasons of Departure, Moments of Arrival

As Arkhos swam through the void on a moonbeam to return to the First World, he felt ripples in the fabric that was Creation. Several things happening--at least, at a god's perspective--very nearly at once. Great powers flexing, straining against the confines of what the First World could be, before pulling away. Clear signs, even without directly casting forth his sight, that other deities had grown. Somehow, he knew that that was simply the way of things. Just as mortals could strive and grow, so too could gods, in their own ways.

But there was a second sensation, related but distinct. A reverberation, an echo of power--something outside, and yet also inside. Something enclosed, and yet open to all other places. Within that outside-inside place, Arkhos felt multiple powers gathered. A golden opportunity, then, to meet his forebears. To meet so many at once might prove a challenge, but he held out hope of a pleasant one. He could tell, at the very least, that Renarr's radiance shone there; her divine aura was quite distinctive, and many of his memories included it even before she had struck Wan'Shi.

It would not suit to sally forth without thought of how to approach these deities, forebears or at least elder siblings. But with at least three divinities present...giving a gift to each of them would tax him significantly. He would need to understand them better at the very least, and that would take time. Lor had been an easy choice, seeing the wound that the blade of light had left on its surface. Wisdom bade Arkhos look first, and then decide.

This left the question of how to reach the place where these gods gathered. Arkhos puzzled for a time--the layered skein of reality hung unperturbed by his motions. Lacking success, he turned his attention to Renarr's works, perhaps the first such gates to exist in Creation. Though it was not at first obvious, he soon realized his error. There was no "front door," so to speak, no obverse passage or thoroughfare to this hidden boulevard. For the time being, at least, only a god's postern could grant access. Like as not, no mortal creature could make the journey at all, or if one could, only with a god's helping hand. His curiosity piqued; what could bring a gathering of deities there, particularly given their newfound power? He opened the way for himself, and left the First World entire.

Entering the outside-inside place, he looked about. Empty. That was the most literal and precise descriptive it could have. Not void, as in a total absence of anything whatever, but open, awaiting, anticipating. A city without citizens, a temple without believers, an orchard without trees, yet ready to receive them. Such fantastic potential--the chance to tell the story right, from the ground up, without want or injustice or misery. Arkhos felt he should not commit too much to it, for it would still be worth telling his own story, but this place was too hopeful, too great an opportunity to avoid.

Those were thoughts for a future time, however. In the present, there were shining sparks of divinity here--presumably those who had given this dream shape and solidity. Renarr, he recognized. The others...unknown. He could sense some resonance with works he had seen from the Serpent-Moon, standing beside Lor, but he did not know--he held no memories--of whose name or spirit had wrought them. This warranted caution, but not an overabundance thereof. Wan'Shi's curse was not so dire that deity should fall upon deity merely on sight.

Of course, there was no real way for one called the Shining Wyrm to approach without the flash and fire of his form revealing his whereabouts long before he could speak or identify himself. Doubly so, with the queen of light and night present. He did as best he could. (Was it truly so strange a thing, for a god to walk with shy step, unsure? No mortal eye would see it, so the question could not be answered, not yet.)

"Greetings to you," he said. "I could not but sate my curiosity at the making of this place, and the meeting of so many. Though some of you are new to me, thou art not, Lady Renarr. I am Arkhos, come to meet and to honor both those who quickened my spark, and all those who work to build up our Home." He felt he should say more, but knew not what to say. Among them, he could see likeness in each; the sheltering wings of one, the scale-clad form of the second, the radiance of Renarr, even the gleaming eyes of the fourth, dark-haired one. Again, he felt hope that the fate laid out by Wan'Shi could be defied, just as the Serpent who spoke it had been.

dancrilis

2021-06-02, 10:39 AM

Kerima - Planer Crafting (continued)

With the realms in place and with life teeming within them, she moved to her next task - mortal life was not eternal and offered eternity most would eventually grow weary. This led her to create a process where her faithful could relinquish there lives for the greater good - the souls then be reformed to suit her needs but she intended to create those creatures later once the plane was settled and after some had a chance to fade away.

In the meantime she choose one of the demi-planes for the final resting place of Sen and possibly other deities who had passed that she might encounter - delving into the thoughts of The Shelled who had honoured the deity she allowed some undeceased shelled to heavily influence the plane creating an ocean of water with much life for turtles including the Titan Turtles which she now saw were another creation of the dead god, with no predators but infinite amounts of renewing food and scattered islands.

On one island she created a shrine to the turtle and set her divine powers to ensure that no force below a deity could access it, then she warded the body in a statis field where it would not rot or decay and would provide healing energies to the corpse - she suspected that the deity was dead but could it live again - she was unsure if it did she would not seek to hold it.

Next she shifted over to another blank plane and placed a single unremarkable rock in it, which she then thematically linked to the concept of writing to note all of written records save for those that made use of mana in the writting as such was anathematic to the overall plane, she surrounded this rock with the same level of protection as the shrine to Sen - she didn't know the goddess of the south's name or methods but felt that an appropriate marker of there passing should be had.

Weave Plane (3/4) - Magic (Divine) 9/10
- She has a method where souls can forgo life if they wish to become something greater and has setup the basis for the tomb planes.

Likely should have done this all at once but mulling over different ideas for it, likely finish tomorrow and ascend the day after.

KragBrightscale

2021-06-02, 09:56 PM

Instability in the desert, and the Union of Northern Market Republics

The escalating instability of the region caused many Lizardfolk in the central and southern regions to leave their home and move elsewhere. The beginning of the age of piracy had hit the Market Republics where it hurt. Their wallets and their Merchants. Some Lizardfolk moved to the new colony in the Oasis of the sea in hopes of starting over, while others were determined not to surrender their sandy homeland so easily and regrouped in the North where pirates had less of a presence.

Occasionally an entire community that had been centered around a river archon’s oasis packed up and traveled in caravans under the continued protection of the river archon who left with them. Some oases dried up as a result, but most of the archons were careful to ensure that the vital source of life would remain.

The Lizardfolk who remained in the south were but a shadow of their former populations. Those who dared not make the long journey west of north tried to seek refuge amongst their trading partners. Kobolds had been some of the first to trade knowledge with the Lizardfolk and shared some similar features, so fleeing merchants went there first. Those who were accepted would set up small shops or settle amongst their new people while working to better themselves and make a modest living. If their knowledge, skills, or even just their labor could be put to use in exchange for food or other necessities that would be a worthwhile trade.

A few of the Mutajahil, having no home market or bazaar to return to, tried to establish new routes completely outside of the Desert. These caravans eventually stumbled upon the diverse collection of races that seemed to have congregated at the very south of the continent. Feathered people, and fragile looking people without scales or feathers to protect themselves, brand new markets to explore.

The only regions in the red coast and Wadi Alsahali apart from Wahat Alraha where Lizardfolk society still stood strong were in the northwest. These parts were far enough from the threat of the newly formed pirate coalition to prepare themselves for defense. Although the underbeer disaster had caused widespread chaos for a while, the influx of new warriors and merchants along with the eventual arrival of the Ascetics helped restore order.

The series of crises and the displacement and relocation of large populations had the leadership of the northern markets concerned. The loose connections between independent cities needed to be strengthened, and by something more than the promise of wealth through cooperation and competition. So they gathered One year during the annual grand bazaar, all the most influential and respected leaders of cities, towns, markets, and tribes in the North.

For weeks they debated how to face the growing threats nearby and the roles and steps each of their communities would take moving forward. Unlike before, where simple verbal agreements and handshakes would suffice, it was necessary to bind themselves together. As if echoing Abu Dhahab’s own proclamation on a distant plane, this gathering of leaders also solemnly declared their promises and loyalty to each other and their dedication to the greater good of the union’s people and markets. Each of them flipped a gold coin and asked for the Lord of the Desert to hold them accountable. Thus, the U.N.M.R was formed.

Martial prowess had never been valued as high before, and in many communities in the united city states, now formally established as the United Northern Market Republic, it became normal for all citizens to participate in at least basic breathing exercises and combat training.

With the salt flats cutting across the center of Wadi Alsahali being an uninhabited zone due to its inhospitable environment, and the rocky edge of the Wadi bordering the frozen plains to the northeast, the U.N.M.R on circle continent had a strong defensible border.

Outposts and towers were built along the coast and across the top of the rock formations that formed the northeastern border. Orcs and the Xen had been decent business psrtners so far, if you looked past the one’s silence and the other’s odd obsession with deities, but things had been getting out of hand in the desert and there was no need to put oneself at risk by not having basic defenses.

The Sand Skimmers overhauled their fleets that roamed the salt flats to give them combat capability, and Crocodilian sailers also built new lightweight ships on the coast. These new sea-sailing vessels were long and narrow twin hulled ships with large sails built for speed. Long range combat was not so developed amongst Lizardfolk, and strong bodies reinforced with Ki were deadly in close quarters, so closing the gap quickly was the priority in ship design at the time.

Divine Accountability

Having just uttered his own promise, Abu Dhahab was surprised to hear the chorus of other voices asking him to hold them accountable for their own promises.

With a smile, he flicked a finger and the gold coins that had been spinning in the air on the first world vanished in front of the shocked faces of the gathered leadership, before appearing in Abu Dhahab’s coin pouch. A payment in exchange for a service rendered. With another thought, he sent out a whisp of divine power back to the first world, he hoped they wouldn’t regret their decision.

Curse of the Desert

Yazan was a Crocodilian merchant who had hit a wall in his career while still young. The regional instability and tension made markets hard to predict. An unlucky run in with some a pirate ship manned by Geckokin and gnolls had lost him the wares he had painstakingly collected and was hoping to sell at the yearly bazaar. The incident got him in major debt to a black market dealer who agreed to cancel portions in exchange for being an inside man reporting to the pirates which caravans had most wares and least protection, and what route they had planned to take.

This lasted a while, and Yazan found he had a knack for socializing and getting information out of his future victims. The veiled shadow recognized his talent and promoted him higher up and canceled his debt in exchange for his service. On the outside, Yazan maintained the illusion of being an upright and successful merchant who always had a good selection of wares to sell. Things were going well for him until his last assignment.

It was a gathering of market leaders, and somehow he was invited. He had never expected his career to land him amongst the most wealthy and influential merchants in society. The meeting went well, he had found out a number of key secrets that would come in handy for the bandits. Like the others he flipped a coin and enthusiastically declared his loyalty. The coin disappeared but he’s seen party tricks before.

Leaving the meeting he slipped away and went to report to his black market contact. This information would be extremely valuable, he knew it. At a small store selling dried fruit, Yazan used his predetermined phrases and his as invited to the back room to meet the owner. His heart nervously thumping, it always did whenever he came to report, a mixture of excitement and anticipation of payment, guilt and shame for betraying others like him, and the thrill of doing something in secret.

Standing in front of his contact, an elderly Lizardfolk merchant with a scar across his jaw, he opened his mouth to start, but no words out. Instead, sand poured out between his teeth. Surprised, he spat it out and spent a whole clearing his mouth. After a drink of water, he cleared his throat to try again.

This time he got a few sentences in before he stopped. His contact was looking at him weirdly and it was a little unnerving.

An itch on his arm made him glance down, and he was horrified by what he saw. Large patches of scales had crumbled into sand as he scratched himself, resulting in open wounds that were strangely not bleeding. Yazan started panicking when his finger suddenly cracked and fell off, and he yelled for help. Running for the door, he was tripped by the guards who quickly pinned him to the ground. It wouldn’t do to have the contact exposed.

Yazan’s struggle ended as suddenly as it began as the violent tackle knocked his head against the ground. The guards soon noticed the lack of movement and jumped back terrified when they noticed their informant’s entire body was petrified and slowly turning to sand. They looked to their boss for instruction when all that was left was a pile of sand and some empty clothing. The agent sighed and stood up, grabbing a nearby broom he swept the sand out onto the street. It was best not to think about it.

Despite the suppression of the story of Yazan’s fate, there were others who broke their promise and turned to sand. Some witnessed the curse happening as the traitor ran into the streets yelling for help and repenting for their misdeeds. And so a new understanding spread amongst the Lizardfolk, sacred promises made with Abu Dhahab as the witness were strictly enforced as the threat of the curse was very real.

AP: 1

Curse (Oath-breakers will either have mouthfuls of sand, their skin dry out and crumble, or their whole body start to stiffen before turning to sand) -1 AP
A promise/agreement/oath/pact if undertaken with Abu Dhahab or “The Lord of the Desert” being called on to be a witness the will now have divine punishment as a consequence for breaking it. The power of the curse and its intensity depends on the number of individuals involved in the agreement either as witnesses or participants and the number of individuals who would be affected or harmed directly or indirectly by the breaking of it. Abu Dhahab is being capable of understanding the situation and judging the seriousness of the promise, so while a child’s promise can still be valid the punishment for breaking it would be light such as finding sand in their bed, their cup, or their food, so more like a warning in those cases.
Compulsion (Contracts) 2/10

1 -1 =0 AP remaining

Razade

2021-06-03, 01:54 AM

The Orcish Islands/Corrla/Circle Continet/ETC

Along the many routes the Orcish Islands took, small cities began to spring to life both on Corrla and the Circle Continent. They however were not Weshesh cities, but open to any and all the cultures their lands held. Certainly the Weshesh took part in the governance of these places, and many within the Archipelago with their Shelled and Sahaugin brethren, but the Weshesh seemed most interested in exchanging ideas. What was more, fledgling Mage Academies began to take shape alongside the many temples to many Gods, teaching all the use of Mana in a more refined and careful way. They were small yet, but in time they would grow.

This expansion of course meant that the Orcs, and their floating island fortresses, were growing into flotilla, the fleet of the Weshesh slowly expanding as they turned forests to barren land, mountains to pits and put the many in their ranks to work. They were, mostly, a hearty people, the Shelled given over to design while the Orcs broke their backs in dark tunnels and quarries. Soon even Sentar began to look less like a tropical island from its shores. Several ports were open on the Weshesh's main base but inland vast walls and castle fortifications began to rise.

The Birds and the Orcs

Strange bird creatures were not what the Orcs expected. They were used to the other races here, lizard and horse and so many others but those that took to the sky? It was not a realm they had ever thought to conquer, never thought there might be need to worry of others conquering it. It was Todagog Todash that strode forward, one of the Under Orcs, bred and raised in the depths of Xen learning. A mage. It saw the use of these spears, but there was more here. The Lizards had taught them trade, but it would be the Orcs that would teach this continent the meaning of commradere.

For the spears, Todagog promised they would offer the Harpies the knowledge of mana and its uses. But more, for in exchange with a trade line to their mountains, to bring them the exotic things of the islands and the far shores, they sought more than a mere exchange of ideas. They offered the arm of friendship, of mutual protection. If the Harpies would only align with the Weshesh over the many factions of this land, the Weshesh would be as brothers and sisters to them.

Rong Tou: The Meeting Plane

The raven haired Fiend was moments from reaching out and shaking the hand of this new God but retracted it discreetly in the wake of all these new faces. There was Renarr of course, the Hateful. Hetta, the Lazy and...something new. Something born from the war...something...dangerous yet perhaps not to her or the other Fiends if handled. Each God placed their own power in the realm, hurdles to work through to be sure but while they were distracted with one another, she slipped away back to where she was reborn. Back to Garganta. Back to prepare.

dancrilis

2021-06-03, 12:13 PM

Kerima - Planer Crafting (Finish)

With the planescape created she and those who she deemed worthy honoured she began to establish her palace, the entire plane was a fortress teeming with life utterly bound to her will, it acted as the center of the multiverse she had created and a hubway for all the various demi-planes - hosts of her people were simply created to populate it seperate from those who had formerly lived on Corrla, the souls of these were designed from the instance of creation to be loyal to her to manage all her wants and needs, and keeo the planes functioning.

With this action her planer territory was complete, ideally all she had to do now was shut the door and she could have eternity in peace and contentment without needing to consider any of the other deities - but she had one task left to do on the first world before that.

Weave Plane (4/4) - Magic (Divine) 10/10
- Build and populated herself a palace that acts as the hub for all her demi-planes.

Claimed: Magic (Divine)

KragBrightscale

2021-06-03, 09:56 PM

Meetings on the Concourse

The arrival of more deities in the empty city did not go unnoticed. The first two to show up were familiar to Abu Dhahab. Hetta, the silent hard worker, a stable and diligent individual who had reminded him of the satisfaction found in hard work, and the bright one, Renarr’s name he had learned through the stories of Nafura. He hadn’t personally spoken to her before, just seen when she crashed into the snake before leading it out into the void where it eventually was defeated.

Abu Dhahab watched as they too infused the young plane with their powers, adding some of their own touches to the place. It seemed he would be sharing this new venture with them.

The third deity who burst into the city with gleaming scales and fancy feathers was one the breath lizard had never seen before. It looked and felt familiar somehow. Another lizard, but younger. A promising youth.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Rong Tou silently disappear. Clicking his tongue in mild disappointment, he retracted his hand. To leave him hanging and not accept his promise, was there something wrong with what he had said? He didn’t think so, but why would someone not agree to such a simple promise? It would have put him more at ease knowing they agreed to some basic terms, she was even the one who had put them forth. And why did she just leave without greeting the others?

It wasn’t really his business where or what she was doing, so he moved to meet the others. He’d just have to ask her if there was something wrong with making a promise later.

We meet again, Hetta. Our previous collaboration was a magnificent creation, I look forward to working with you once more.

Renarr, though we have not spoken before, you may recognize me from the great battle. My contribution to that fight, however, pales in comparison to your own. I do not know much else about you, but I hope our cooperation will be peaceful and productive.

And you, fellow scaled deity. I am pleased to see another being similar in appearance to myself.

With a quick martial gesture of greeting, Abu Dhahab’s scales shifted in color like a chameleon. Starting from its dull sandy color it flickered through a series of colors, sapphire blue, emerald green, clear white like diamonds, various shades of green, yellow and purple all similar to precious gems or metals that Lizardfolk had come to value, until stopping at pure gleaming gold.

I am Abu Dhahab, creator of the Lizardfolk, patron of trade, and founder of martial arts. Rarely have I had a need to use that ability, but your magnificent scales inspired me to use it once more.

It is a pity you missed the chance to meet with the one who was here before myself. She had a way with words, a talent for the theatrical, and would likely have presented the place better. Perhaps she will return, but until then...

Allow me therefore to wish the three of you welcome to this newly formed... space, or whatever this is. I do not know yet what it will be called, but it appears to already be a gathering place.

This place will hopefully become a safe place of refuge, a place of meetings, a place where conflict is set aside. Already woven into its fabric is the restriction against harming others like ourselves. Have a look around, choose for yourself a place to call your own, for there are many temples and buildings, but no mortals to fill them yet.

Fellow scaled being, tell me your name so I may address you properly. Although you did not provide divine energy to stabilize this place, it was no longer needed. I see no reason why you shouldn’t be allowed to claim an empty space for yourself here too, so feel free to make yourself a home. Provided you agree to the terms of non-violence.

SpeedWitch

2021-06-03, 11:54 PM

Shadow of the Daystar
Silph and Dia

Letting Dia talk, Silph considers her plans and desires and he rubs at his chin, considering just what could be done to act on them. How could his goddess help her enact those plans? Most of it seemed like a personal quest or the actions of a full coalition of gods acting in tandem... but then it hit him. "Dia. To make good on your plans, you would need a true neutral ground. A place where mortals of all stripes could come and coexist, without any kind of interference or national pride to get in the w-" But before he could truly propose anything, Dia began to zip around at the speed of space, and the twice-blessed archon, not expecting the sudden shift, pitches forward and slams face-first into the bottom of her boat.An interesting proposition. But how to realize? Ideally it would be accessible by all. Regardless of distance. And protected. By a neutral. Party...

Silph feels the boat slow to a halt, nearly launching him out of it.

Strange. I did not notice it earlier. But I sense... Renarr. And Abu Dhahab. And others. But. How to get there?

A grinding noise came from beneath the boat, and Silph watched as the floorboards began to twist in on themselves, followed by his legs, followed by everything. In a moment, Dia imploded in on herself and vanished in a twinkle of light.
Meetings on the Concourse
Abu, Renarr, Hetta, Arkhos, Dia and Silph

As Abu Dhabab spoke, a fishing boat untwisted itself from space and nearly crashed onto the ground, but found itself cushioned at the last moment by the hand of a deity - a faceless humanoid figure with enough sprites flowing over their skin that their energy forms were actually visible, flashing all the colors of the visible spectrum of light. They were draped in a cloak covered with stars, not moving or bending with the cloak but rather appearing as if the cloak itself were a window to the night sky. They gently set the boat down and watched the others, catching the tail-end of Abu Dhabab's speech and learning the purpose of this plane.

"Silph. I have an idea."

(If their sudden appearance were to distract any of the deities from Abu's explanation, the figure would gesture as if to say "No, go on!" patiently waiting until Abu was finished and contemplating their potential role in all this.)

Writtensanity

2021-06-04, 05:20 AM

Orcs in the Aerie

Initially, reactions to the Orcs spending time in the Aerie were cool to lukewarm. Most Harpies paid them no mind, after all there was a brood of Harpies in the Great Marshes and some of the Harpies of the Aerie had even seen a Kobold or two. Other races weren't common, but they were also expected.

The Orcs hand in friendship was also met the same way at first. Much of the discussion resulted in the idea that the Harpies had the Aerie, and other races could barely live there, let alone thrive, there wasn't much of a reason to get out there and work with the Orcs directly. Those ideas lead the conversations at first.

Then the other side of the argument started to come up, though there weren't that many CLEAR benefits to the Harpies right now from a relationship with the Orcs, there also weren't any clear downsides, and the relationship with the Kobolds had been nothing but positive for the Harpies. In the end, the answer was clear, the Harpies and Orcs would be friends, working with one another to provide things that the others could not.

That said, some Harpies also approached the Orcs with more than just an extended hand.

The Wild Daughters cut off from their purpose of freeing the enslaved monsters by an ocean they didn't know heard of the Orcs sailing across the oceans on moving islands and powerful ships. It didn't take long for them to approach the orcs and propose a... joint effort.

After all, the same strikes that would tear down established monster tamers would leave destabilized land, prime for settling.

In preparation for their offer, and to help show the power of the Wild Daughters, a devoted child, Ghalta, gave herself to the Wild Manifesto and birthed something new to arrive, primarily on the Turtle Islands.

Create Monster: Cost Lowered with the Wilds Manifesto - New Cost 0

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Jade Kings are massive owl-like creatures that are native to the Turtle Islands, the Spine Aerie, and sometimes end up nesting on top of mana pools on coastlines the Islands have recently visited.

Unlike most creatures, Jade Kings don't eat traditional food, instead of hungering for magical energy, such as mana or that provided by Worship magic, except for Druidic Worship. This means that the birds, passively, emit an aura that dampens and consumes some of the energy made by casting spells, reducing their effectiveness.

The Jade Kings store the magic in large spines the grow for their entire lifetime. If one trusts a creature enough they are willing to pass on a piece of their stones, which can be carved into idols that carry the magic dampening effect.

Attempting to remove a spine from a Jade King without it being willingly offered will cause the pent-up magical energy to suddenly unleash all at once, resulting in devastating, varied and uncontrollable effects.

Sailors know that, if you feed a Jade King underbeer, it will fly in the direction of a leyline, and thus safe land.

dancrilis

2021-06-04, 09:04 AM

Kerima - Revenants

As she intended to leave this reality behind she and setup a shrine to the dead goddess she felt that she would forgive the intial transgression, having listened to prayers for so long she had a much better understanding on the limitations of mortals now and she was somewhat impressed with how the southern continents new deity had not bothered her with some system of vengence for targeting her people.

Traveling back to the site where she had created the first revenant she forged a connection ot the revenants native to that continent and pardoned them - from now on they would be free of the change unless they interfered with her people, they could return to their mortal lives, moreso she let them know that attacking her servents or any god would cause them or any who took on their flesh to revert but other then that they would be free, moreso she let them know the cause of the curse - they have killed a deity and so had been punished, but leniency was possible as they had avoided seeking to repeat the transgression.

Kerima - Sheperding her People

With the revenants taken care of she secured the souls of her people, weaving a net to capture them and bring them to her afterlife, much like how she recreated the works of the dead goddess to revive all her deceased faithful she used the same principle to secure her people and sort them into her plane where the design of that would allow them to create a suitable environment for them, it would also allow the unfaithful a chance to have an afterlife should they wish.

Kerima - Ascension
Her work done she was ready to leave - but the first world was not ready for her to vacate on her own timeframe, the world began to reject her almost as soon as her peoples eternities had been secured, it was an odd and somewhat violent conflict between her desire to not bend to the whims of another and to figure out what was occuring even as the ground beneath her began to fracture - no not merely the ground she noted the reality, and not merely this one but she could feel the connection to her own plane was experiencing it also.

Realisation dawned on her, her plans were wasted - this world was a lynch pin in reality, all reality, and she had grown too powerful for it to support - if she remained it would break and take her and everything else with it. She was reminded of her conversation with Abu Dhahab where she had offered by way of speculation the question of a being infinitely more then they were and how even given the choice to rebel or serve the only reason that rebel was a potential choice was if the other being allowed it. She didn't know if this world had an intelligence beyond her or if she was dealing with a basic structure of reality that she could not oppose - but either way her choice was clear stay and die or leave and forever know that this world needed to be protected to protect any others and herself. It grated on her - but she was rational about the lack of control of her destiny.

Rather then immediately depart to her own plane she instead moved to the void around the planet until the fracturing stopped and witnessed as the cracks repaired themselves - she wondered if any other had even noticed them forming without having a reason to be aware of them, and examined if there was lasting damage - scar tissue as it were - and found some but proving that it had not always been there would be difficult, but she also noticed an area on the first world where the cracks had less impact some city of the far continent from her own, one populated by elves she noted although that was largely meaningless to her current interests.

If it warded against the cracks she was interested in how it did so and if it could be made permenant - and then spotted the reason, there was a portal created to another plane which bled some of the energies from that plane into the first world safely, she decided to be reckless for a moment and appeared in this portal area to examine it from the inside and see if it would also move to reject her, she stayed for a minute ignoring any that might see her or attempt interaction and then having seen what she wanted left to her own palace - it wouldn't reject her yet but if her power increased even this would be unsuitable.

Then she mulled her next move - it was no longer possible to merely ignore that world.

Curse: Supressing the Taint
Revenants now revert to their base creature and remain so unless they take an active part in opposing people dedicated to Kerima or attacked any deities - the curse would however pass to any who took of their flesh.
Life (Evolution) 9/10

Blessing: Uplift the faithful
When people dedicated to Kerima die they pass to her plane as if being called by their true names, when people who are not faithful to Kerima did they can request her shelter and so get brought along also but they experience heavy indoctrination as part of the process.
Life (Evolution) 10/10

Life (Evolution), claimed.
Ascended.

AP Remaining: 2,

Zelphas

2021-06-04, 12:10 PM

Hetta, noting the steady convergence of deities upon this new plane (as well as the disappearance of one...), turns to face the group and considers for a long moment before opening her mouth to speak.

Then Abu Dhahab says her name, so that takes care of itself. She nods to the lizard god in recognition and faint thanks, closing her mouth and settling back to listen to the group speak instead. Her attention is split between the godly conversation and the movement of powers outside and around them; she focuses in on that for a moment, and is able to glean just enough to realize that some other deity has done something with the... buts of mortals that weren't quite as mortal as the rest of them. There was already a Law in place that guarded against waste, so Hetta was approving of the action (whatever it actually was), but something still bothered her, ever so slightly. Alternatives--more than one option--seemed to be another implicit Law from her observations, but as of yet there was no one else who was doing anything with the souls of mortals except this one other god. Perhaps...

Hetta realizes slowly that she has lost the thread of the conversation, if indeed much conversation has gone on as of yet. Her divine energies were still rebuilding after her ascension, so any plans for working and building would have to remain for a little longer, at least. There was no god of Proper Manners that Hetta had discovered, making her less concerned about her lapse of focus, but it still would not do to simply ignore the gods before her, so she focuses back on the Plane she currently stands within.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-04, 02:45 PM

The expansion of the Kalarian League was rapid; fleets of skilled bandits, led by sorcerers and mutants, swept across the southwest corner of the continent, claiming dozens of villages, while pirate fleets of light, fast ships claimed island after island of the Jisr. Though it had been discovered in the north, the networks of the Veiled Shadow soon brought the art of Alchemy south; and, with their newfound riches and steady supply of Underbeer to extract Mana from, they were in the perfect position to make use of it. Their experimentations came primarily in the form of new and dangerous elixirs: brews that enhanced and altered magical power to an explosive degree, turning their magic-wielders into berserkers that descended on towns like living maelstroms. Meanwhile, they accepted the Weshesh-built towns and mage academies within their territory quite happily - aiding in their construction and defense and even offering some of the secrets of Alchemy to the academies in exchange for further refinement of their sorcerers' abilities - so long as they respected the authority of the League and its councils.

This was no mere ragtag alliance of bandits, now; within a few short years they had become a mercantile power in their own right, one that controlled the primary mouth of trade to the Jisr Archipelago, as well as the main trade routes between the Red Coast and the Great Marshes. Little commerce happened there now without the approval - and tax - of the League. But their growth could not last forever; the northern merchants had power of their own to bring to bear. Caravans protected by powerful illusions began to cut across their territory, and northern scouts began to bring reports of organized opposition: bands of armed skimmers in the wastes, powerful combined units of Zahd Ascetics and Feet of Clay in the towns, outposts and new fleets protecting previously vulnerable shores. The work of a new organization, it was said. The Veiled Shadow could not even obtain much information on them; large parts of their web of informants had gone dark, as word of some new and powerful curse that turned sacred oath-breakers to sand filtered south. Still, as surely as the Lord of Sand protected their enemies' secrets, he could protect theirs as well; and the Veiled Shadow's operations were soon themselves guarded by many layers of sanctified oaths. (Though they had to be careful, as the consequences of swearing contradictory promises were...unpleasant.)

With the northern merchants mostly recovered and beginning to steel themselves, the League's raids into the central territories began to meet with less and less success. So they began to cast their gaze elsewhere, to softer targets, stretching the power of their still-limited fleets to its maximum. In the west, attacks on the eastern shores of the colony of Jazira Alsahali began to escalate in frequency and severity; and in the east, the kobolds of the Great Marsh began to notice brazen logging camps cropping up on their borders, hauling away timber with which to build the League's expanding fleets. It was clear that the Kalarian pirate-barons were not satisfied with a mere sliver of the Circle Continent, or a paltry handful of western Jisr islands; they desired more.

---

Kassa and the Concordance of Divinity

The one who knew herself as Kassa had wandered the Circle Continent for many, many years now, content to ignore the other divinities in favor of the many tales and spectacles of the mortal life that crawled upon the world. But she had begun to feel it, thrumming within the ground and air itself, becoming more powerful with each whisper and tale she passed on. A pulsing, a pressure, rejecting and rebelling against Kassa's every movement, like a body trying in vain to eject a leech that had grown too fat, an infection that had grown too dangerous. A body that would, soon enough, begin to die if she did not leave it. Her time as a wandering beggar-god upon this world was growing short.

And as the pressure grew, Kassa could begin to sense something else as well; a hollowness beneath the skin of reality, places that were there and not-there. Much of it, she could tell, was empty and dead, save for a few growing but weak mortal twitches here or there. But in one hollow, in particular, she could smell life - divine life like hers. And in such great concentration, too! Kassa had never heard of such a concordance of deities; not since the times of the Serpent War itself. And though she had known them only through stories, she would be forced by this world to go and reckon with them personally soon enough. So, burning with curiosity, the Goddess of Worms burrowed beneath the skin of reality, following the surge of divine vitality until she found herself in a skeletal carcass of a city - clad in fancy stone but bereft of life - and, positioning herself nearby as the figure who could only be the Great Lizard himself finished speaking, Kassa silently began to observe.

And so, any one of the assembled who happened to cast a wandering eye across the empty buildings might catch a most peculiar sight half-shadowed in one of the doorways; an old and withered gnoll woman, clad in filthy tattered rags, fur tangled and knotted and braided with countless chipped bone-white beads. Watching.

Gnomes2169

2021-06-05, 01:32 AM

Birds and the Sun
The promise of the phoenix of eventual conflict between itself and the solar it spoke to, in particular, would get a somewhat-uncertain chuckle from Cassius, who wasn't certain if the great flaming bird had enough of a sense of humor to be joking. He wasn't like Zariel, who would relish the sudden challenge and go to face the beast immediately, Cassius was an emperor. While he was not afraid to fight, a battle between two immortals was not something that appealed to him. "I'll... pass that invitation along." He mutters, shaking his head as the translator takes flight.

But future violence put aside, there was still something to do. Varral had cracked the code on the language of the birds, and he attempted to teach it to the elves and solari that had gathered around him. It wasn't particularly helpful that evening, since mortal minds just didn't learn that quickly, and Varral wasn't able to practice any of the vocal components of the language, but it did allow him and the other Solars to make glowing runes in the air in order to converse with the bird people.

And knowing that the temperamental bird people would be returning was enough to get the rest of the Shaline society to react. While the harpies might be more diplomatic when they arrived, it was decided that preparing for their arrival would be for the best. So when the harpies came, they would find tables already set up, filled with exotic fruits and grains grown from seeds from Corrla, maps and charts of the lands that their exploring ancestors had created, and entertainment provided by apprentice mages and wind knight apprentices that had been assigned to monitor this place.

That second group wasn't particularly common, but the colonists of this land had not entirely abandoned their naval brethren. Their ties to Marreill had been strong enough over the last few centuries had remained friendly... and that would become relevant soon enough. For now, and for the purposes of this party, it was enough for them to demonstrate that there were sapient mortals that could take to the skies as well, a demonstration that would hopefully help the empire and its nomadic allies relate to the harpies a little bit better.

Kerima at the Mouth of the Sun
When Kerima arrived at the mouth of Solace's portal, she would be met with some initial shock, but then apathy as a surprising amount of people moved back and forth through that divine gate. While there were still stories told about the oppression of Corrla and it's mad goddess and priests, not many people here had actually experienced that oppression or the journey it spawned. And Kerima just... wasn't recognized.

At Solace's doorstep, the tyrant goddess' growing divine presence would have a muted effect, the realm of Light that she stood upon easily able to withstand her power... almost like it had been designed to hold a rising divine power. She would also see that what had once been a splinter of a splinter population had grown massively. On the First World, the mountain valley city must have had tens of thousands of people living within it, and within Solace almost half again as many people constructed buildings from the stones of light that they found within the Sun to work with.

After only four mortal centuries, these people were clearly more advanced than they should have been. Divine teaching granted to the Marreill society had been passed on to this splinter colony, so their technology, while still rudimentary compared to the rest of the Circle Continent, was still over-all more advanced than that of Corrla, and their population... well. Solace's nature, one that promoted the health of those within and around it, reduced the need for sustenance and removed the need to sleep or even rest beyond a small amount, clearly had something to do with that, but this was still a relatively small area. The peninsula that had been settled now had multiple smaller towns and dock settlements, sure, but this society was still tiny compared to the over-all size of Corrla.

The only being that really gave Kerima a long look was Amerith, who had taken up residence at the entrance to Solace as she waited for Renarr's return. The Archon of War was using a finger to scorch sections of wood like a scribe would scribble on a piece of parchment, and she was writing... awful poetry. Beside her were other slices of wood with poems, philosophy, carvings and attempted painting. Only the painting showed any signs of promise. After determining that the goddess wasn't a threat, Amerith returned to her attempts at making art.*

Zariel's Great Hunt
The Slayer made multiple initial expeditions north, to map out the inland routs through the mountains and to determine just how fertile the lands there would be for hunters and his true foray into the unknown in search of "clues" as to what had happened to Renarr. In truth, the Solar really didn't expect to find much, and he didn't particularly care. Instead his motivation came from the signs of great beasts that lay out in those wild planes, upon which he could test himself, and he would gladly use the excuse in order to hunt these monsters.

Leaving with a force of 1,200 of his disciples, elves and solari both who were dedicated to finding and defeating the great evils of the world (even if at that time they were more of a loose coalition of mages and huntsmen than they were an actual religious military order,) Zariel made his way north. Once passing through the mountains, he had his expedition split into groups of 60, companies that were small enough to forage and care for themselves without needing to settle down or colonize, but large enough to be dangerous and close enough to be within half a day's travel of the groups to their left and right. And flying above them, the Slayer watched and waited for any foes that would actually challenge their progress.

Spreading West
While Zariel went north and had his fun, Ennis and Varral progressed to the West with their own expeditionary force, one of less than 200, and reconnected fully with the permanent Marreill colonies that had been left behind there. The original city of boats served as a rudimentary capitol for this nomadic society, though given colony ships made up the bulk of their population and strength it was hardly of strategic importance beyond resupply and general fleet meetings. Still, many of their ships maintained a representative within this place, and when the eldest elves of the Shaline Empire, the last of the first generation to establish that realm in fact, finally returned to their once home, they found old friends and family that they had stayed in touch with using the Wind Knights and their messengers, but had not seen in centuries.

There would also be enough representatives here to tell the Solar that Moiraithe had seemingly vanished. While the Wind Knights and Windweaving both still functioned as before, the Saorsa and the voice behind the two had at first grown distant, and then vanished entirely.

It was... disturbing to the Solar. First Renarr and now Moiraithe? Magrius's presence had faded as well after the battle with Wan'shi, and that made it a trend that did not sit well with the archons of light. These fading and disappearing gods spelled something potentially disastrous for the longevity of the divine in general, and made their quest to find Renarr all the more pressing.

Promising their nomadic cousins aid in the quest to find the god of Winds and Freedom, the Shaline empire set up an embassy within the (slightly) major ports of the Marreill society and began to integrate themselves within the crews of colony ships and exploratory fleets. Using this connection, they would encounter the Ghuls for the first time, and also finally make "landfall" within the Great Marsh...

Hello Kobolds, Renarr's people have finally arrived. And, like glowing banners at the front of a great Marreill ship, the two archons would announce their presence with a complete lack of subtlety. After all, they were hardly trying to sneak around here, and they had plenty of questions for the Great Teacher's flock.

The Suzerain - Looking for Fertile Isles
The Blight Lands, while they had become more habitable and an actual force on the isle of Corrla with the introduction of veneration, were still an awful, awful exile state. While the ones that were more land-locked didn't have much they could do about this (outside of the few that had the Suzerain's blessing who could leave and enter Nocturne), those near the southern coast would have a sudden, golden opportunity the moment that the presence of the Jisr Archipelago became common knowledge among them, and the largest of these Blight Land chapters would begin to take advantage.

Using the gifts that had been given to them long ago by Moiraithe when they first refused to leave the lands of their birth, technology that was only half-remembered and that the Suzerain had to seek out and learn so he could re-teach the mortals, these Blight Lands people would forge boats and begin to sail south. While this meant they left main-land Corrla, the islands that the mortals eventually settled upon were the ones closest to the southern peninsula, and they were able to convince themselves that this meant it was, in fact, still a part of Corrla. They had not abandoned their home, they had simply expanded it, even if it still likely hated them and they grew more and more cold to it by the month.

The blight land chapters that began to establish themselves upon these isles would not abandon their old holdings entirely. After all, the unfaithful were still driven into that blasted landscape, and many of the more arrogant and prideful still refused to leave, so they could not justify pulling their roots entirely. But the number of people who had enough of hardship still steadily grew, and as they grew so did their ability to establish proper trade with the scaled folk who passed through their lands on the way to Corrla, and also their ability to trade with orcs... and the Xen.

Warned about it by the Suzerain, Underbeer was not a particularly traded for commodity within the blight lands, as their peoples had enough of the flesh-modifying things. But the paths to power and magic were eagerly delved into, especially by those who worshiped Renarr** and who were warded by their faith against the effects of mana's negative side effects. The metal tools that trade with the Orcs brought also helped to properly establish these colonies faster than they might have otherwise, though it would still take them time to properly grow.

As for the pirates that plied the waters, well, these people were used to the hardship of paying tribute and being deprived of their resources, and they suffered that loss. For now, they were too weak and the struggle too potentially dangerous to risk any violent confrontations. But the Suzerain watched. And if a pirate vessel burned down a village as an "example" or for the pirates to make sport of the settlers within, sometimes it would simply... disappear. Unexpected and unexplained. Clearly that coastline was just cursed, as some of the Gnoll sailors would eventually begin to claim.

A Meeting of Gods - Concourse
The arrival of a further two gods, one that Renarr had only felt impressions of and one that she had never encountered in a meaningful way before, would make the goddess momentarily warry, before she remembered that the point of this realm was to be a meeting place. So Renarr would nod in welcome to Arkhos as he introduced himself, stifling her instinctive reaction to mistrust him because of his serpentine form, and she would look at the trickster goddess as well, knowing her nature despite the disguise, and tell them both, "Greetings. And welcome to the Concourse, or the Convergence, or whatever it is you would wish to call it. If you have outgrown the mortal world and do not wish to make a realm of your own, then I invite you to stay here for a time." It was, after all, one of the reasons why she'd helped make this realm.

"Hetta, from Solace I witnessed your creations, and I walked the continent that you formed around your great pit. The people who now swear their allegiance to my cause have a home because of you, and I must thank you for that." Despite the words, it almost seemed like Renarr regretted that fealty somehow.

"Abu Dhahab, yes. I remember you now. You were the one who stopped the serpent from sucking the Circle Continent up, and you served as a wonderful distraction for me while I... rested after my own failures." Shaking her head slightly to clear it, the Daystar aspect took control again and she states, "We should have worked together more closely. Had I been able to rely on your physical might and had we coordinated, perhaps we could have kept the serpent away from Solace more effectively, and the serpent's blood would not have so blighted my home and the Void. Let us not make that same mistake twice. Here we will be able to create a new realm, and that realm will not have the same petty squabbles and failings of the mortal world we left behind. That said... I feel the first step to properly making this place and populating it is to make it so actual mortals can come here without assistance. Perhaps we might host a portal within the lands of your worshipers?"

Of the metallic serpent, Renarr actually did not know what to do. She looked him over and then said, "Arkhos... I did not mean to create a new divine when I struck the serpent down. But if that is where and when you were born, then at least one good thing came of it. Tell me, what is it that you desire to do in this world?"

Rong Tou's disappearance would be noted, and would trouble Renarr slightly. Why had a fledgling like that made this plane and then just... abandoned it when others had chosen to finish her work for her? And why did Renarr feel like she knew that goddess? Amerith's twin died because of the serpent's curse, the spark completely snuffed out, and the strange young goddess hadn't even had the slightest tremor of romance in her divine aura, so that couldn't be it.

When he was brought to the realm, Silph would prove his mettle by hitting the ground in a perfect three-point landing, the cobbles shifting lightly under his feet but otherwise letting him catch himself on his hands and feet rather than his face, as one might have expected. If you life was nothing but misfortune, you kind of became a badass just to survive in it. When Dia spoke to him, the solar mutters back, "Huh. You have a plan too? Well, I know that Renarr also had an idea brewing too, which was a second idea that I didn't tell you about because I thought I would have a little more time to propose it before we met up with her..."

Despite the suddenness of it, Dia's appearance would bring a genuine grin to Renarr's face, especially seeing Silph beside her, and she gave the river goddess a little wave. But instead of moving on immediately, the goddess of Night and Day gestures for her ally to join her and she proposes, "Come here, my friend, I see you are well and that Silph managed to actually find you without losing any more of his bits. Now, there is something I would ask you. Abu Dhahab, Hetta, Dia, working together we managed to wave this world from the serpent, and we curtailed the effects of its rampage. That unity is what won us the day within that struggle," Well, that and an incredible amount of violence, "and a continued alliance should prove useful to us for matters of this nature in the future. While an archon I know was more knowledgeable in these things than me, I believe that if we bring our divine power together to form a Court of Gods, we will be stronger than we are alone."

*Renarr had, after all, told Amerith to get a hobby. Or something like that. Telling someone to find a reason to live is just fancy talk for "Find a hobby," right?

**As either the Twilight Goddess or the Eternal Night, as the Daystar aspect is a very, very fringe cult in the lands of Corrla, since she's cast in a semi anti-hero role as a Kerima-like figure. But more positive than the Goddess of Tyranny, since the Daystar wanted only dominion of the heavens, and cared little for the world itself (at least, in the most uncharitable versions of the fables)

ezekielraiden

2021-06-05, 03:14 AM

Abu Dhahab and Hetta. Names to remember; fellow-singers to find common tune with. A fellow-traveller, and the warm fire to return to after a day's journey. And of course, Lady Renarr, in her phases. Arkhos was pleased to see Abu Dhahab's resplendent colors; perhaps more of this likewise-scaled god had shaped his own birth than he had realized. A serendipity not to be ignored.

It is a pity you missed the chance to meet with the one who was here before myself. She had a way with words, a talent for the theatrical, and would likely have presented the place better. Perhaps she will return, but until then...
Something left Arkhos uneasy at such sudden exit. He could not judge, not without knowledge, but to depart in this way...it was not good. Who flees when none pursue? Such thoughts troubled him, as he wanted to think well of his comrades in divinity. He forced himself to set those thoughts aside, however, and listen to Abu Dhahab's introduction.

Allow me therefore to wish the three of you welcome to this newly formed... space, or whatever this is. I do not know yet what it will be called, but it appears to already be a gathering place.

This place will hopefully become a safe place of refuge, a place of meetings, a place where conflict is set aside. Already woven into its fabric is the restriction against harming others like ourselves. Have a look around, choose for yourself a place to call your own, for there are many temples and buildings, but no mortals to fill them yet.

Fellow scaled being, tell me your name so I may address you properly. Although you did not provide divine energy to stabilize this place, it was no longer needed. I see no reason why you shouldn’t be allowed to claim an empty space for yourself here too, so feel free to make yourself a home. Provided you agree to the terms of non-violence.

"Fear not, O progenitor mine. I am Arkhos, and I wish no violence on any, even those whom I would thwart, those who maim or steal or bleed their charges dry. I have learned well the lesson of Lor and its Blade of Light: even in necessary defense, violence marks the soul. We can but learn to live with those scars; we must choose to live beyond them." Looking again at Abu Dhahab, and reflecting on what he had seen from Lor's lofty perch, he considered. "I shall have a gift for thee, and for Hetta of the Hearth; indeed for all who gather here, with a moment's work to prepare. But let us enjoy the coming-together for a while longer. There is but one season of first meeting."

Of the metallic serpent, Renarr actually did not know what to do. She looked him over and then said, "Arkhos... I did not mean to create a new divine when I struck the serpent down. But if that is where and when you were born, then at least one good thing came of it. Tell me, what is it that you desire to do in this world?"
"I desire..." Arkhos paused. This was not an idle question; indeed, given the nature of divinity as he lived it and saw it in others, Renarr's piercing light reached for the heart of the matter: What are you? He was aspiration and memory given form; the hope made flesh that life would go on, and the living cenotaph of those who had gone. "I long to see not just the world that is, but the world that may be, and the growth of what is best and noblest in our mortal children. I yearn to bolster and remember those who lay their final measure on the pyre, that others might live. I seek to ennoble those who give their word and keep it, because the law written upon their hearts is stronger than any steel."

As he spoke, he turned his thoughts to a nearby courtyard. Not, as it might have been, the most ostentatious of the choices--for there were many, far more than needful with even this gathering of gods. Instead, it was that which, when one walked its circuit, the center yard could be seen from nearly anywhere. A place for remembrance, and as a reminder. The Cynosural Cenotaph: the empty tomb for all who die alone, in the dark, where no one would ever know or see. A focus for their light, that it might guide the souls of the living.

"I give to you assembled gods, my forebears and my elders, a blessing in this plane, for the children who will follow after. Those who speak true, here in the meeting-place, shall be heard true. No fear of false witness, nor half-measures that lead astray, for any who speak plain will shine to the eye and resound to the ear."

He looked about, and realized there was at least one more deity whom he had not met. He did not know the god's name; he knew only of the works thereof, beings wild and free, so unlike his nature and yet loved and cared-for as only a parent can. "If I may beg your leave, with this and my oath to stand by you in building up our Home, I would fain seek out one last god, who has not joined us, perhaps in seeking to care for their charges. Perhaps one of you knows them? Their offspring ride the flowing winds."

Create Artifact: The Cynosural Cenotaph (utility, discounts Bless) 4 AP (reduced by the Tangible Wish) [Domain: Good (Self-Sacrifice) 5/10]
The Cynosural Cenotaph is an eternal monument to all those who die to save others, especially those who do so alone and unmourned. None are interred within, but many are welcome to leave their written memorials or apply to have memorials engraved on it. Arkhos personally reviews these memorials, and when possible, tries to retain sprites of them so others can remember in the future. In particular, at the most visible part of the monument, as many names as Arkhos can gather of those who died fighting Wan'shi are recorded.

Bless: The Honest Voice 0 AP (reduced by the Cynosural Cenotaph).
Anyone who communicates the whole and unvarnished truth while located in the Concourse is given a subtle but real sign that they speak truth (or write, etc.) Written words may have some distinctive shimmer or color; spoken words have a richer timbre; even sign language and other nonverbal communication is so noted. Speculation and imagination do not have this effect, even if the speculation is in fact true--only what the speaker (etc.) has witnessed qualifies. Many conversations never trigger the effect, so it is NOT a reliable lie detector: it only highlights the intentional effort to speak the whole truth accurately.

In-progress domains:
Liberation (Aspiration) 9/10
Nobility (Leadership) 2/10
Good (Self-Sacrifice) 5/10

AP before spending: 4 + 4 (rollover 5/29) = 8 AP
AP spent: 4
Total AP remaining: 4

Writtensanity

2021-06-05, 06:09 AM

The Egg of Flocks Hatches once more. The shell cracks and shatters into a thousand pieces, which then reform leaving the intact egg intact on top of the Aerie.

The first sighting of Seliodons is less than a day later.

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/bc/ba/e5/bcbae5e2ab8889014d888495601e424e.jpg

Create monster: Seliodons

Seliodons are large, almost horse-sized, creatures that inhabit most of the circle continent, only avoiding the cold areas, and the higher parts the Spine Aerie.

Seliodons are friendly on a scale of monsters, often following or running alongside Caravans and other travellers. If offered salt, or insects Seliodons will keep close with individuals for a time, allowing them to occasionally be used as emergency beasts or burden, or guides.

The main thing preventing their consistent use in polite society is that their extendable tongues (Up to 7 feet!) are covered in highly corrosive saliva that is especially effective against metal. A moment of affection can suddenly turn into thousands of gold in damages, and there would be absolutely no way to keep them in a metal cage.

Because of their wild and varied plumage, Seliodon clothing accessories are sometimes used as a Harpy status symbol, showing how far a Harpy has flown away for the Aeire to find a Seliodon with a different coat.

AP COST reduced by Egg of Flocks

AP COST = 0

SpeedWitch

2021-06-05, 07:01 AM

Shadow of the Daystar
Herrend and Alkyone

Sitting on the surface of Nocturne (after having been displaced from his boat), Alkyone reached around for more sprites from the River Dia, and came up empty-handed. That threw him off for a moment, then he looked back down at the bone running through the fishing rod and knew what constellation to make next. Reaching out and around his own head, he plucked sprites out of the air and began tossing them out as Herrend blabbed on beside him. Hetta's Spear
Alter Land (0 AP)
A constallation of a spear, representing the original spear that drove into Wan'shi and birthed the golems. The depiction of this constellation varies from chart to chart, sometimes as a blank obelisk sometimes with dozens of golems poking their heads out of it, sometimes with Hetta herself tossing it, and very rarely with the Serpent on the receiving end.
When looking up at this constellation for a long period of time, one is drawn into the memories of Alkyone's own birth and fight against the Serpent: feeling the rush of battle, the sensation of encountering different godly auras, the pain of being slammed by the serpent against the sun, the horror of seeing your kin caught in its maw, and the feeling of emptiness that comes from reaching the battle's conclusion. Some even hear the echo of the Serpent's prophecy while reliving this memory.
Ironically, similar to a golem's Divine Thoughts, one forgets all of these experiences the moment they look away from Hetta's Spear.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-05, 09:40 AM

Kassa and the Concordance of Divinity (Verse Two)

Kassa tilted her head as the Twilight Goddess turned and acknowledged her. She had come merely to observe; she had not planned on interacting. Especially not with the bright-scaled one's "gift" making things more...interesting. But she hadn't planned on not doing so either. And what was life, without a bit of interest?

Grinning widely, Kassa stepped out from the doorway, the unnaturally deep shadows sliding away to reveal the other half of her face: a skull, wreathed with mushrooms and dripping with red viscera.

"Thank you, kindly, for the invitation," Kassa said, turning to the assembled gods. "Mortals know me as many things, but I know myself as Kassa. Please, forgive my appearance; and my lack of a gift. I'm afraid I cannot offer anything like your blessing, o generous shining one," she continued, turning to Arkhos, "for alas, I am merely a beggar and teller of tales, a patron of squirming and desperate things. And I am wearied from my long journey. Perhaps I shall stay here for a while. But not yet; there is still a bit more for me to see and hear in the world of mortals, I think."

"I would never presume to stand among you legends, those who slew the Great Sepent itself," Kassa wheedled, "but, if you think that the services of a wrinkled old liar such as myself may be of use, I would be more than happy to provide them. And if your wish is for mortals to know of this place and settle it, for tales of it to spread - well, that much, at least, I can do. They are always looking for more territory, mortals. Always bickering and grabbing and stabbing for it. I am sure whoever seizes the door of this place will be glad to hear of more of it! Ah, but ignore me, I am a terrible rambler."

Not a singular word of what Kassa spoke carried the shine of the Honest Voice.

Feathersnow

2021-06-05, 10:58 AM

IDIX
The Ascension

Who are these Ghuls, and what is their relationship with the so-called "Sisterhood" Navigators' guild?
Shortly after the Sisterhood is firmly established in an area, a small community, or Lodge, of Ghuls appears nearby in some unwanted piece of Wasteland. This pattern has suggested to investigators before, but this researcher has taken the unprecedented step of actually asking them about it.
Though the Sisterhood seems primarily made of local recruits, I was allowed to interview one of their leaders, a Ghul named Acis'sej who claimed to be uncountably ancient. She(?) also confirmed that the Sisterhood is run by Ghuls.
But this, she is quick to clarify, is not because of any prejudice or racism or any suspect reason. Rather, she claims, that the Sisterhood's members transcend lifetimes, and only a "female-bodied" sister can "reincarnate" a dead sister, and since most new recruits are both young and male, it stands to reason that the most senior members are Ghuls, while most bon-Ghuls are only in their first lifetime of service.

They were open about the fact thaf their group is a cult of a goddess called "Idix" not a name, but a phrase in their language "The Gift of the Unseen Hand" and they invited me to meet her during one of the holy rituals!

This took the form of a holy meal with three plates.

The first was, apparently, the flesh of a dead Ghul! (I was later informed the unfortunate was not a Sister, as imbibing thwir flesh allegedly grants secret powers only the initiated may be given) Afraid, although, I would later learn, without much reason, I, in fact, partook.

The name of the deceased was "Rifuth" who now "slept in the Womb of Nabbar" but part of his(?) Body had been preserved for the ritual. (I would later learn that Ghuls eat rotten flesh, but they are willing to use preservatives to safe gusrd guests)

The second was a flower, said to live in the lands of the far south, and symbolize the ''Aurora " a natural feature like our own magnetic pole, but, for some reason, glowing and in the sky.

The third was a strange broth, of which I know nothing.

After this, we all went into a sudden stange sleep, where I dreamed I was in a atrange place, in the company of a strange Skeleton of an animal.

This bears further investigation, but there
seems to be no immediate threat.

Memory Stick submitted to the University of Al-Abad

Starting AP 8
Weave plane 4 AP The dreamlanda
9/10 War(psychic Warfare)

create portal 2AP The Aurora
11/10 Land (Tundra)

Blessing use magic to travel the portsl
War (Psychic warfare)
10/10

Kinro

2021-06-05, 02:32 PM

Neela eyed with wariness the new cities of the orcs, apparently open to all. Many kobolds joined them, of course, as they integrated easily into most cultures that welcomed them. Especially ones who were so open to the trade of ideas. Neela didn't stop them. It was not the way of Lor to control people, except in the most dire of circumstances. But these, she knew, were still the people of the Great Serpent. So she spoke of care and vigilance and helped to build the library-forts, before letting her fleet feet carry her away once more, back to her beloved marshes, which were also in peril, in the regions nearest the sea, where bandits were tearing away the ancient tress that preserved Lor's paradise. Lor wouldn't have interefered with someting so minor, of course, but she wasn't Lor. And so, she came and, there, too, the library-forts grew and spears, javelins and bows, weapons from the centaurs, remade to fit kobolds, bristled on them.

And so, when announcement came that solars were coming to kobold shores, Neela was near enough that she could greet them herself, only fitting for those that were so close to a deity that an avatar of one would be the one to great them. She appeared in the harbour as they approached, as silently and easily at moonlight, to wait for them. Of course, seeing such powerful divinities so near, many kobolds were struck with awe, though many more were furiously carving their observations on carving sticks.

Rollover
1 + 5 = 6

Teach Mundane Concept (Archery)
0 (Jewel)

SpeedWitch

2021-06-05, 11:40 PM

Meetings on the Concourse
Abu, Renarr, Hetta, Arkhos, Kassa, Dia and Silph

"Arkhos... I did not mean to create a new divine when I struck the serpent down. But if that is where and when you were born, then at least one good thing came of it. Tell me, what is it that you desire to do in this world?"

A new divine? Dia looks upon this deity with curiosity, surprised that Renarr was able to create a god - something The River thought only The Creator could do. They had never seen this deity before, and yet there was something oddly familiar about him...

Glancing over at the gnoll woman, she wonders if this goddess was also born after The Creator's time.

"I long to see not just the world that is, but the world that may be, and the growth of what is best and noblest in our mortal children. I yearn to bolster and remember those who lay their final measure on the pyre, that others might live. I seek to ennoble those who give their word and keep it, because the law written upon their hearts is stronger than any steel."

As he spoke, he turned his thoughts to a nearby courtyard. Not, as it might have been, the most ostentatious of the choices--for there were many, far more than needful with even this gathering of gods. Instead, it was that which, when one walked its circuit, the center yard could be seen from nearly anywhere. A place for remembrance, and as a reminder. The Cynosural Cenotaph: the empty tomb for all who die alone, in the dark, where no one would ever know or see. A focus for their light, that it might guide the souls of the living.

Dia silently approves of this, already feeling a kinship between herself and this newborn deity.

When Dia spoke to him, the solar mutters back, "Huh. You have a plan too? Well, I know that Renarr also had an idea brewing too, which was a second idea that I didn't tell you about because I thought I would have a little more time to propose it before we met up with her..."

"We'll have to compare notes, then -"

Despite the suddenness of it, Dia's appearance would bring a genuine grin to Renarr's face, especially seeing Silph beside her, and she gave the river goddess a little wave. But instead of moving on immediately, the goddess of Night and Day gestures for her ally to join her and she proposes, "Come here, my friend, I see you are well and that Silph managed to actually find you without losing any more of his bits.

Dia found themself feeling... apprehensive? The last time The River Dia had spoken to Renarr, they had reprimanded the dual goddess for accidentally incinerating archons. Dia still felts a bit of anger towards the goddess for this, but... Look at how tired she is. To Dia, Renarr seems to be in even worse shape than when the two had first met, despite Renarr's obvious increase in power.

Glancing back at Silph (but unable to emote their wariness), Dia approaches the congregation, mimicking the gait of a robust caravan guard - Deities are supposed to look proud and powerful, their sprites told them.

Hetta realizes slowly that she has lost the thread of the conversation, if indeed much conversation has gone on as of yet. Her divine energies were still rebuilding after her ascension, so any plans for working and building would have to remain for a little longer, at least. There was no god of Proper Manners that Hetta had discovered, making her less concerned about her lapse of focus, but it still would not do to simply ignore the gods before her, so she focuses back on the Plane she currently stands within.

Having grown accustomed to the strange little flecks of memory (that now took up the majority of her physical form), Dia can't help but spy one of Hetta's thoughts floating out on a sprite chain - it didn't seem as if many other deities picked up on it, which Dia takes note of. Walking up beside the goddess, Dia is able to read the desire for a way of safeguarding souls, and their interest peaks. They would keep that little thought tucked away under their cloak. For now, small-talk.

"Silph is certainly the most persistent archon I've ever met. Apparently he's nearly been eaten five thousand three hundred sixty times." For a moment, Dia's voice was replaced by Silph's as they quoted him. "I don't know whether that means he deserves a reward or a chaperone." A sprite blossoms on Dia's face to reveal a grin Silph would recognize as belonging to the Solar who was left behind to interview Alkyone.

"It's good to see you all again. And some new faces as well. I have a similar query to Arkhos'. Tell me: where is The Mirror God? Or the god with the eyes of fire? Or the great bird that crafted creatures from the fires of the daystar to fight the Serpent?"

Now, there is something I would ask you. Abu Dhahab, Hetta, Dia, working together we managed to wave this world from the serpent, and we curtailed the effects of its rampage. That unity is what won us the day within that struggle," Well, that and an incredible amount of violence, "and a continued alliance should prove useful to us for matters of this nature in the future. While an archon I know was more knowledgeable in these things than me, I believe that if we bring our divine power together to form a Court of Gods, we will be stronger than we are alone."

Dia's smile only widened recalling the Surzerain; something about that archon appealed to her. "I agree. Unity between the gods will safeguard the lives of both divines and mortals. To that end: I propose we invite our archon siblings into this court. Many archons helped defend the Circle from the Serpent. It will benefit us all to have their aid in building this place."

Grinning widely, Kassa stepped out from the doorway, the unnaturally deep shadows sliding away to reveal the other half of her face: a skull, wreathed with mushrooms and dripping with red viscera.

"Thank you, kindly, for the invitation," Kassa said, turning to the assembled gods. "Mortals know me as many things, but I know myself as Kassa. Please, forgive my appearance; and my lack of a gift. I'm afraid I cannot offer anything like your blessing, o generous shining one," she continued, turning to Arkhos, "for alas, I am merely a beggar and teller of tales, a patron of squirming and desperate things. And I am wearied from my long journey. Perhaps I shall stay here for a while. But not yet; there is still a bit more for me to see and hear in the world of mortals, I think."

"I would never presume to stand among you legends, those who slew the Great Sepent itself," Kassa wheedled, "but, if you think that the services of a wrinkled old liar such as myself may be of use, I would be more than happy to provide them. And if your wish is for mortals to know of this place and settle it, for tales of it to spread - well, that much, at least, I can do. They are always looking for more territory, mortals. Always bickering and grabbing and stabbing for it. I am sure whoever seizes the door of this place will be glad to hear of more of it! Ah, but ignore me, I am a terrible rambler."

Not a singular word of what Kassa spoke carried the shine of the Honest Voice.

Dia's smile vanished. Having watched Arkhos spread the Honest Voice throughout the plane - something that failed to be triggered by Kassa - and filled with the sprites of merchants who know a bad deal when they heard one, they immediately grew suspicious of the gnoll, but said nothing. They would let the other gods respond to Kassa first, gauging their reactions.

KragBrightscale

2021-06-06, 12:00 PM

The blight land chapters that began to establish themselves upon these isles would not abandon their old holdings entirely. After all, the unfaithful were still driven into that blasted landscape, and many of the more arrogant and prideful still refused to leave, so they could not justify pulling their roots entirely. But the number of people who had enough of hardship still steadily grew, and as they grew so did their ability to establish proper trade with the scaled folk who passed through their lands on the way to Corrla, and also their ability to trade with orcs... and the Xen.

With the northern merchants mostly recovered and beginning to steel themselves, the League's raids into the central territories began to meet with less and less success. So they began to cast their gaze elsewhere, to softer targets, stretching the power of their still-limited fleets to its maximum. In the west, attacks on the eastern shores of the colony of Jazira Alsahali began to escalate in frequency and severity; and in the east, the kobolds of the Great Marsh began to notice brazen logging camps cropping up on their borders, hauling away timber with which to build the League's expanding fleets. It was clear that the Kalarian pirate-barons were not satisfied with a mere sliver of the Circle Continent, or a paltry handful of western Jisr islands; they desired more.

Jazira Alsahali - Development, Trade, Pirates

The early years of the Lizardfolk colony were exciting times of discovery and rapid growth. Unhindered by lack of resources and space, or the presence of competition, coastal cities quickly sprung up and thriving markets were established. Quartz, Copper and Turquoise were found to be abundant on the island and new crafts were developed.

Quartz’s hardness and sharpness when split made it suitable for use in small tools that the jewelers soon adopted. Turquoise was immediately popular, and used in the now much more detailed jewelry that was being exported. Some tried to carve quartz and succeeded in making clear crystalline drinking vessels and carafes.

Copper was soft enough to make into tableware and ornaments and started seeing use too, but with gold and silver being already in use it was slower to catch on.

Merchants traveling west traded with both the worship obsessed Corlans as well as the outcasts that had settled on an island off the coast. Seeing the outcasts constructing simple ships and ships experimenting with sailing, the Lizardfolk gladly passed on their own knowledge and experience on those subjects.

The quartz vessels were particularly popular amongst the priests on Corla, their beauty and clarity making them suitable for ritual use. The outcasts, having less valuables to trade at the time, seemed more interested in exchange of knowledge and food.

The easy days didn’t last, however, as the pirate barons that cut them off from circle continent soon followed them in expanding westwards.

A lightning raid by a pirate fleet was the first indication to the merchants that their troubles had followed them. Catching several merchant ships in the port, the pirates plundered and pillaged them and the harbor before escaping with their spoils.

The mirages of the caravan blessing didn’t work at home, a fatal loophole in their protection that the merchants had overlooked. The blessing had allowed for their fleets to slip past blockades and skirt around pirate fleets safely, but they were no longer safe at home.

Turning to to their wisest society members, market leaders and merchants sent representatives to the ascetics of Zahd’s Jazira Alsahali branch to ask for advice.

The Tome of Enlightenment

Manar was the the youngest among the seven elders of the ascetics of the colony. Keeper of the order’s library, she was considered knowledgeable about most subjects Lizardfolk had encountered.

Meeting with the representatives she put forward some ideas which she was surprised they hadn’t done yet. Watch towers and fortifications seemed obvious to her, though her frequent interactions with the kobold librarians at headquarters had been where she heard of building forts.

Recruiting the abundant martial artists in their communities to form militias that could be assembled in a rush should an enemy be spotted. Another simple idea, but this might not be enough to be truly safe.

Looking at the representatives who seemed both relieved to know what to do next and disappointed that the solutions weren’t anything exciting, Manar added that she would check the library for anything else that could help. A few nods and salutes later, the guests had gone back to implement her ideas, leaving her in silence at last.

Walking slowly over to the tower that was the library, she passed a field where one of the other elders, an old crocodilian, was instructing the latest batch of initiates in basic Ki exercises. Entering the library, she nodded to the kobold caretaker who was dusting the shelves and carefully handling the precious carved tubes and rolls of hide that contained the wisdom passed down for generations.

She did not know how, but the few Kobolds who joined the order always seemed to find a way to work in the library, and they did a great job of it too. The library back at the headquarters on circle continent was much larger, and was still managed by the first kobold to ever join the order.

Tracing her fingers gently over the various writings she searched for something relevant. Shipbuilding, metalworking, sailing, all she found was already widespread. Then she saw something that caught her attention.

A large rectangular object wrapped in a protective hide cover. It was buried underneath a few other texts that had just been acquired and needed sorting. Picking it up, she brought it over to a nearby table.

The object was as thick as her tail and about one foot-length in one direction and a foot-and-a-half in the other. Untying the cord that bound it, she dusted off the front cover and found that there were words written there.

“The Tome of Enlightenment”

Excited, Manar quickly opened it, this was another text, though in a form she had never seen before. The first page was just the title again followed by a short note to the reader declaring that knowledge was to be shared rather than hoarded. Nodding in agreement, she tried turning to the next page, only for the whole book to start glowing.

Jumping back in surprise, Manar watched as the pages flipped on their own until they stopped at a page. Curious, she leaned forward to see the written content only to notice that what was there were beautiful golden symbols. Before she could read them, the symbols flew off the page and started spinning around her, multiplying and splitting into numerous other symbols.

Manar entered her state of meditation almost reflexively and immersed herself in the feeling of enlightenment. New knowledge poured into her mind and she began to smile, what a wonderful experience. Eventually the symbols faded away leaving a blank page. When Manar reached out to turn to the next page, the book snapped shut and refused to open again.

Understanding something, Manar nodded in acceptance. No new knowledge would be given to her until until what she had received was passed on to others. Going over what she had just learned, she began recording it on a blank tube to preserve in the library, then she would make a few copies and send them to the representatives that had visited her earlier.

Knowledge of common metals, copper and tin, and how to combine them to create a metal that was strong filled her mind. Various tools and applications of the new alloy flowed through her as she carved out her knowledge in excitement. This would change many things.

Lizardfolk and the Dawn of the Bronze Age

Tools made of bone and rocks only get you so far, and Lizardfolk craftsmen had been longing for something better to work with. The problem with bones was that their quality and strength were heavily dependent on the source. Most of the easily acquired bones belonged to small animals whose bones were that strong, and if heigh quality bones were wanted, someone would need to hunt or find the corpse of some legendary creature or terrifying monster.

That’s why, as soon as the knowledge of how to make and work bronze was first discovered, it spread rapidly throughout Jazira Alsahali. Soon Lizardfolk warriors started carrying bronze tipped spears and bronze blades s d throwing knives, sailors would add bronze rams to the front of their ships, and merchants would start using coins made of other copper alloys.

Timsah - Admiral of the Jazira Navy

Her first voyage was cut short when news of pirates attacking the fleet’s home port reached them while they were docking at a kobold coastal town. The message had been sent through the kobold message delivery service, and as soon as it had arrived the fleet commander decided on returning to defend their homes.

The navel battles that followed were brutal, with many ships and crew lost on both sides. During that time Timsah steadily proved her capabilities and rose to captain her own ship the Leviathan. The ship was a bireme, a long warship with two sets of rowers on each side and a smaller group of warriors who could engage in boarding.

Manned entirely with hand picked, veteran, Crocodilian Ki practitioners her crew could propel the ship at an incredible speed. Timsah won several victories against the pirates, but in the end she too retreated and migrated west to join the new colony.

Timsah stopped her reminiscing to do the final checks on the recently built Leviathan ll. Her previous ship had reached the end of its service as the damage from successive battles took its toll. The new ship was built in the same general style as its predecessor, but this one had a large bronze ram at the front set just below the waterline. The ram had been ornately made to look like the head of a crocodile lurking just at the surface, a design that appealed to Timsah’s taste. This ship would provide a nasty surprise for the pirates.

As gnolls were known to have adverse reactions to metal, the ship’s deck, railing, and other details had decorative ornamentation of gold. Some of the warriors even coated their claws with powdered gold.

Her warriors equipped with and trained to use their new bronze spears Timsah set sail. With twelve other ships under her command, all newly built and armed with rams and bronze weapons, the newly formed Jazira navy sailed east to confront the pirates.

The first battle with the pirates after the new advancement saw Timsah turn the tables on the would be aggressors. The pirates in this encounter were one of the smaller groups who were used to softer targets, they were surprised when the ships they usually had to chase sailing in their direction. Where the merchants blind? Or were they hoping a peaceful surrender would let them keep some of their wares? Fools.

The excitement of finding easy prey turned to anger and fear as it soon became clear that the merchants were trying to crash into them. The leading bireme accelerated suddenly and cut through the water at high speed as Timsah’s rowers used their Ki to power their stroke.

Merchants rarely showed such ruthlessness so the pirates were too slow to avoid the impact. The new bronze ram punched a crippling hole into the pirate ship’s hull causing water to to pour in.

Their ship sinking the pirates scrambled to board the other ship, only to be welcomed by the gleaming tips of long sharp spears wielded by Ki-enhanced warriors. Timsah herself was at the frontline roaring with bloodlust as her muscular scarred figure wielded her new bronze glaive and sliced through the smaller Geckokin and Gnoll pirates that had climbed on board.

Leaping from her ship, she swatted a winged lizard mutant out of the sky before it could unleash its corrosive breath. Following her lead the veteran ki warriors also counter-boarded the pirate vessel.

Only one pirate ship escaped the massacre, but the Jazira navy had taken losses too. Several of the new ships had been lost to strange exploding concoctions and mutants unleashing their untamed magic. For the most part though, the Ki-user could fight equally against the magic user by using their own energy attacks, and several of the pirate ships had had sunk before they could initiate a boarding after getting pierced by the rams. In the water, none of the pirates could hope to beat the prowess of the Crocodilians.

Abu Dhahab, yes. I remember you now. You were the one who stopped the serpent from sucking the Circle Continent up, and you served as a wonderful distraction for me while I... We should have worked together more closely. Had I been able to rely on your physical might and had we coordinated, perhaps we could have kept the serpent away from Solace more effectively, and the serpent's blood would not have so blighted my home and the Void. Let us not make that same mistake twice. Here we will be able to create a new realm, and that realm will not have the same petty squabbles and failings of the mortal world we left behind. That said... I feel the first step to properly making this place and populating it is to make it so actual mortals can come here without assistance. Perhaps we might host a portal within the lands of your worshipers?
…
Now, there is something I would ask you. Abu Dhahab, Hetta, Dia, working together we managed to save this world from the serpent, and we curtailed the effects of its rampage. That unity is what won us the day within that struggle… and a continued alliance should prove useful to us for matters of this nature in the future. While an archon I know was more knowledgeable in these things than me, I believe that if we bring our divine power together to form a Court of Gods, we will be stronger than we are alone."

Intrigued by the idea, Abu Dhahab moves closer to discuss the topic.

A tragic battle that saw the loss of so many lives, and yet the essence of the snake remains and saturated the world. I hope no such need to fight will ever arise again, but it is as you say, should that time come it would be of benefit to all if we stand united.

Glancing at Dia and Hetta who seemed to be momentarily distracted, he continues.

The four of us do share that common history, and there were others too who stood with us against the snake, yet that is an ominous foundation to build on. What basis is there for continued unity if the external threat that it was based on is gone?

I propose we define a new goal or purpose that the new alliance or court could work towards, if that is what we wish to do. So what thoughts do the three of you have for our future cooperation?

Turning to Arkhos and Kassa, he then explains.

Arkhos, though we share many similarities and your words and blessing align with my own values, I still wish to wait and see more of what you stand for through your future actions. Should we form this alliance, and you find yourself wanting to join, it would not be too late to decide then.

Kassa, your people and mine have shared the deserts of circle continent for quite some time, and while few other races have connected and bonded as closely with the Lizardfolk, your people have also been the race that has caused the most harm to my people. Nevertheless, it is thanks to your people that my own have needed to grow again and overcome the stagnation that threatened to halt their development.

The gnolls’ tales of your perceived betrayal, which I cannot confirm, and the traces of your presence that I have noticed in connection to several catastrophic events make me concerned, however, and give me the impression that our values do not align.

While this place is indeed open to all, and you may rest here or even reside here long term, I do not see our alliance as something that would suit your values, or even appeal to you. I am however, someone who values self improvement, and if you show yourself to change and align yourself with our alliance’s ways, I am happy to reconsider my stance. Until then, please understand when I do not extend you a warm welcome.

Ap: 0 +5 (Rollover)

Create minor artifact (the Tome of Enlightenment) -3 AP
A divine favor, the time of Enlightenment mysteriously appeared in the library of the order of Zahd on Jazira Alsahali. The time large thick book wrapped in a protective hide cover and bound with a cord. When a fated mind, who’s thirst for knowledge is recognized by the tome tries to open the book, it will flip to a page with knowledge it deems suitable. The new knowledge will be directly transferred to the reader’s mind, and that knowledge will need to be spread before they are granted a chance at opening the book again. After imparting it’s knowledge the time will shut itself and remained impossible to open until the next fated mind touches it.
Mind (Enlightenment) 3/10

Create Mundane concept (Bronze Working) -0 AP (Free due to artifact)
Welcome to the Bronze Age, Lizardfolk now have access to bronze weapons, tools, and bronze rams for their ships.
No portfolio progress due to being free

AP: 5 -3 = 2 remaining
[/b]

dancrilis

2021-06-06, 01:22 PM

Kerima

She sat on her throne for a long time - or what felt like a long time at least, she would have been happier to sit on it seething for eternity at the hold the first world had on her but she also knew because of that hold she had to take action, she just wasn't sure what action to take. The logical one was to deal with the other deities and explain the concern about the first world security and establish a council to ideally revert it to how it had started and then enforce rules to leave it alone - but she doubted they would accept that, they had no reason to trust her and more importantly she had no reason to trust them multiple of them had decided that interfering in other matters was a good idea and so she couldn't be sure they wouldn't try to actively take about the base structure of reality in order to seek to improve it.

She choose to focus on the mortals for a time they had solved many problems on their own or with limited assistance and so perhaps they could relate - while the scope of the problems might be different they might have some limited insight she decided. They had mastered their problems via trial and error, careful research and a willingness to make mistake, caverns were dug out, buildings erected, the animals brought to heel - so that was it see a problem carefully analysis apply what you have learned and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Yes she could use this she had a better understanding of the first world now and so could likely create an agent to hold her power and carry out her will and providing that it didn't fail utterly well she could try again until she got it right.

The soulstuff of the faithful who had chosen to embrace oblivion had initially been set aside for a different task but now Kerima took them and molded them into a a single entity one that was linked much more closely then herself to the first world where there souls have been birthed and so could likely walk it without concern for how powerful it could become and one who would be utterly unfailingly loyal to her by its very nature, the basic structure of the creature done Kerima infused it with an incredible amount of divine energy to ensure that it could do its job correctly.

Birth of Dranera

She didn't remember which moments were her first moments, being created from the souls of those who had passed she remembered all their lives she knew their families as her own, their acts of compassion or cruelty, she was effectively the embodiment of the people of Kerima. She saw them as family and friends but she was also imparted a lot of Kerima's own knowledge and for the first time she saw the goddess properly - she loved the deity who she couldn't help think of as a mother but she knew now that Kerima likely wasn't capable of returning the feeling largely wrapped up in her own issues as she was and didn't have much time or interest in the issues of others, help she had given was either a passing fancy or to counteract some other deities interference.

Still she loved her mother and would assist her as best she could - but if she could combine tasks of protecting the structure of the universe with helping her own people she would.

Dranera Assumes Power

Assuming control of the priesthood was a simple matter as the goddess communicated the change to her faithful that they would be guided by Dranera directly going forward and with her own knowledge of the cultures of her people she was able to quickly assume a position as the earthly embodiment of Kerima's will and speaking with her mothers authority - that done she began to issue reforms, few were stubborn enough to remain revenants after they had turned so they became almost a thing of the past on Corrla virtually overnight, and with the majority of those in the blightlands being more willing to embrace the ideas of worship to a higher power she decided that an olive branch should be extended, food and healing was made available to those who were not wanted criminals and the most aggressive priests were moves to the problem areas where the criminals congregated and along the border with where the orcs had established themselves.

She also created a far more structured legal framework with criminal laws and civil laws and a host of trade laws to ensure ease of understanding - she considered driving the orcs from the lands but choose instead to have a wall constructed to contain them but she would let them make the first move if they sought further expansion - she did send a delegation to approach the orcs to lay out clear boundaries masking herself in the body of a humble servant as she did so, and sent another delegation to the lizardmen who has appeared on her shores to trade - her people were instructed to treat the lizardmen well if they obeyed the laws of the land, particularly the trade laws - and learn what they could from them by way of commerse, ship building and any other talents that the newcomers were willing to share.

She setup a system of taxation on the sale of goods to allow for the laws to be unheld also and used this revenue to improve roads, and develop shipbuilding more formally rather then the primitive boats they had used upto now for river travel - if the world was coming to Corrla then they would be ready for them.

The elven beastmasters were granted offical recognition for the contribution to the society of Corrla particularly given the massive increase of avian wildlife which had emerged in recent years, and below ground the goblin hordes were offially granted recognition as the defenders of Corrla - these two groups working together would be focused on the defence of the people were the dwarves would be more focused on matters of faith and resources and the humans would be focused on acting as support for all groups as needed.

Beastmasters and Seliodons
Where the beastmasters had started to master their talants against aggressive creatures they were surprised to find a helpful animal that didn't need much training, one that agreed to be useful by itself for a time at least, as such odd though it might be the beastmasters didn't seek to tame the Seliodons and formed a more beneficial relationship with them children quite liked the animals and they didn't seem dangerous so while they were trained in how to behave it was more the training one would give a child then a beast of burden. Whether this attitude occured naturally or because the new ruler of the land seemed to quick like the creatures is a mystery for the ages.

Starting 7AP

Create Avatar (Dranera) 3AP
- Dranera appears however she wants she is closely linked to the evolution of life and has an inherent understanding and control of it, she could appear as a earthworm or a dragon or some combination of the two as easily as she could an elf or a dwarf, lizardman or orc.
In the most part however she appears as a simple goblin woman.
She also maintains a very fine control of her power, normally appears as a powerful priestess to those who can determine such things but no more then that her more advanced divine nature does not shine through unless she wishes it to.
War (Tactics) 3/10.

Create Mundane Concept: Infrastructure - 1AP
- Roads, bridges and walls are fairly simple if you have the materials to construct such and the will to do so.
War (Tactics) 4/10.

Create Mundane Concept: Trapping - 1AP
- The elves and goblins working together perfected the talent of capturing things and this knowledge spread quickly to the rest of society.
War (Tactics) 5/10.

Organisation: Elven Beastmasters - 1 AP
- While the elves had been advanced in there use of animals both natural and not, now they have an actual mandate to continue it from secular authority and some funding to do so they got a lot more serious about ensuring that any and all creatures or threats could be put to use.
War (Tactics) 6/10.

Organisation: Goblin Hordes - 1 AP
- With recognition and a role to play in wider society the goblin hoards quickly focused themselves to deal with any and all threats that might emerge.
War (Tactics) 7/10

Remaining AP 0.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-08, 01:15 AM

Kassa and the Concordance of Divinity (Verse Three)

Kassa, your people and mine have shared the deserts of circle continent for quite some time, and while few other races have connected and bonded as closely with the Lizardfolk, your people have also been the race that has caused the most harm to my people. Nevertheless, it is thanks to your people that my own have needed to grow again and overcome the stagnation that threatened to halt their development.

The gnolls’ tales of your perceived betrayal, which I cannot confirm, and the traces of your presence that I have noticed in connection to several catastrophic events make me concerned, however, and give me the impression that our values do not align.

While this place is indeed open to all, and you may rest here or even reside here long term, I do not see our alliance as something that would suit your values, or even appeal to you. I am however, someone who values self improvement, and if you show yourself to change and align yourself with our alliance’s ways, I am happy to reconsider my stance. Until then, please understand when I do not extend you a warm welcome.

"Ah, you honor me far too much, Father of Coin," Kassa said with a dismissive wave of her claw. "Truly, I am little more than a teller of tales and spreader of secrets. The bandits that ravage the Circle Continent do not do so at my command - ha!" She chuckled dryly, almost more of a cough than a laugh. "No, I do not think any would follow a commandment from one such as I, even if I cared to give one; alas, gnoll and lizardkin alike curse my name. Life is rather prone to making catastrophes on its own, I'm afraid. I merely give my knowledge and assistance to those desperate enough to ask; help them achieve the bloodshed they already so richly desire-" Kassa grinned, and suddenly began to change, dissolving into a pile of worms that reformed into a new figure - a young, ragged, yellow-scaled geckokin girl with the same half-skeletal face. "-whoever they may be. I prefer not to take sides among them - it's so very easy to become complacent and rotten with the power of a god behind you. Can lead to all sorts of bad blood in the end. Surely you, Father of Coin, he who keeps the oaths of merchant and bandit alike so long as payment is made, should appreciate that most of all? Gnoll or Lizardfolk or Centaur or Kobold - all are equal in the eyes of the gold-counters. Or unequal, as the case may be." Kassa giggled and did a childlike twirl, arms spread wide. "So as you can see, I'm afraid I have no 'people' to call my own, or bring to heel and control. None of us do, in the end. Not truly. Life is far too willful for that. Though I do hear tales of some who think otherwise." Kassa changed form again - this time a human woman in rotten leather armor, hair silvered with age and with one arm a bloody stump.

"Where is the Great Tyrant, by the way - surely the master of one-third of the world cannot be uninvolved in its protection?" she rasped. "I have heard tales of many gods, in fact; The Burning One, The Eaten God, The Mother of Monsters, The Shelled One, The Guiding Wind - and yet, before me I see only five. Why, even the Great Teacher has yet to appear; an ill omen for an alliance of protectors, I think. Still, I suppose one cannot blame them; the lives of mortals are so very interesting to watch, after all. And it is as you said - what harm is a dead snake?"

--

Captain Amani Uftariq twirled the carving-stick between her claws and sighed once again, sending another puff of smoke up towards the ceiling of the lavishly-decorated study.

She had been wrong.

The decorated crocodilian councilwoman was quite thoroughly unused to being wrong. Used to making the occasional mistake, sure. Used to taking gambles that didn't pay off. Used to decisions that had unintended consequences. All part and parcel of being a Kalarian leader, in both war and politics; though her successes greatly outnumbered her failures, one couldn't win them all. But never, in the course of her long career, had Amani had all of the information clear and in front of her, knew as much as could be known about the opponent, and been simply, thoroughly, and incontrovertibly wrong.

She held up the carving-stick again, squinting at the pale wood with her three good eyes as if hoping for it to suddenly and miraculously shift. It wasn't a large stick; the colony's response, it seemed, hadn't required one. But what the message lacked in length it certainly made up for in...color. She hadn't even heard of some of these insults. The Jazira Alsahali colony's feelings on the League's offer had certainly been made very, very clear.

Amani reached for the tube containing her own copy of the League's message to the Colony and scanned over it once more, looking for some sort of mistake, some sort of error, some hint as to what could have gone wrong. As with the previous ten times, none revealed itself. It was, simply, a good deal: preservation of their own self-governance and autonomy. Full representation on the Yellow Council. Access to the Circle Continent once more as well as the extensive networks of the Veiled Shadow. And all at a downright generous tax rate compared to some of the mainland territories. It was more than enough, Kareem and the others of the Red Council had insisted, they would surely take it; and she had agreed. They should have taken it. She certainly would have taken it.

And yet, the little white stick held the simple truth: the deal had, it seemed, not been good enough. Amani tossed the question of why over and over in her head, still unable to extract an answer from it. Perhaps their relationship with Corrla and the Weshesh had left the colony feeling more comfortable than she'd assumed. Perhaps she'd underestimated their confidence in their growing fleets and the abilities of their Ki warriors. Perhaps she'd simply misjudged their pride. But whatever the reason, they had given their answer. And so here they were.

Amani leaned back in her chair, scratching the underside of her snout. The councils would not be happy. Well, maybe Odkar would, but the rest knew their fleets were already stretched rather thin as-is. But she also knew they would not seriously consider backing down. Odkar, Samija and the rest of their allies on the Red Council had been howling for blood for months, and most of the Yellow Council and Gray Councils agreed; the trade corridors to Corrla were simply too valuable. And furthermore, backing down now would look like nothing less than surrender, weakness. A reputation of not backing their threats could lose them more than just the Jazira Alsahali.

Amani had little doubt in the outcome, though it would no doubt be paid with unnecessary amounts of blood. The League's soldiers and ships were better, and they had far more of them. The Ascetics' Ki techniques were unlikely to be much of a match for their sorcerers, alchemy and Chosen. And the gold and rams, while neat tricks, were already being adapted to by their captains. She had no idea what the colony expected to get out of this. They reminded her like nothing else of an isolated stirge she had seen one time, cut off from its swarm but still trying valiantly to take out a Crocodilian warrior on its lonesome. It had been killed immediately, of course, but you had to admire the thing's moxie. She'd almost felt sorry for it.

Captain Amani twirled the white wooden carving stick again and, with a click of her claws, it was consumed in bright azure flames, the blue light reflecting off her toothy grin.

You know. Almost.

No AP spending for right now. KragBrightscale, first RCR roll is all yours.

Razade

2021-06-08, 04:20 AM

The Orcs and the Birds: An Agreement

The Orcs were, to put it mildly, not particularly concerned on the details of why these bird people wanted to war. They were an aggressive people, prone to violence among their peers merely as a social convention and an excuse to fight was really all they were looking for. The Orcs would provide ships and supplies to these Harpies in their war, their cities open for any of the Sisters to land within and protract a war. It was perhaps not known by many of the other continents how the Weshesh viewed Corrla and its peoples though it was unlikely a surprise that their view was not positive. Unlike the Circle Continent, Corrla had resisted and attempted to repel them and any method of cutting or disrupting their power over the continent was a win for the orcs.

The Orcish Machine: A Treatise on Orcish Technology

Orcish Ships: It is said when the Orcish Islands first drifted from parts unknown they merely traveled in hollowed out shells of giant turtles that are indegenious to their island homes and of which they make armor and many other supplies from. To our surprise in short order, with the trade from both continents, the Weshesh as they call themselves set to the task of their own shipbuilding that rivaled any of the established powers. In a decade the Orcs were riding upon vast, flat ships that rose high out of the water and to which any number of smaller vessels could dock. Much in the way these broadships as we refer to them can dock with their island fortresses. The combination of these large vessels with vast stores for trade goods and smaller ships have proven effective as they sweep through narrow passages and through the under-currents the Orcs seem to know so well.

Orcish Fire Powder: I have not seen the creation of this strange substance with my own eyes but I have witnessed its powers. The Orcs with their strange magic will open portals above enemy ships or even cities and drop large crates of their Fire Powder at height. The result is explosions of a mundane variety that rip to pieces stone and flesh with equal ease. I have known many Orcish Admirals to place spent iron slag, rocks and even dead animals within the crates as well for various effects. The results are horrifying though the Admirals have assured me there are other purposes for this powder that they are not at liberty to share. I have witnessed many an Orc use the powder to cover a wound and with the application of fire, it seals even grievous injury closed though I dare say many would not have the stomach for such remedies.

An Orc Before the Trade Lords

It came that one of the many Orcish Fortess Islands came to dock among the free cities of the Red Coast. In its time the Weshesh had grown more regimented, more structured. Gone were the days of simple landing parties. Now they were great trade caravans headed by diplomats and scholars, those that knew the people around them. Signs of trouble had been brewing in the Islands for some time but it seemed now war of another people had taken over. War was bad for business even if they were not involved and it was thus at the Admiral Sharkfang Ogblorg came to speak to the Lizards of this plight and blight upon their own trade.

A Sahaugin before the Pirate Lords

The saying goes that one could not pee into the ocean without risk of angering a Sahaugin underneath and it seemed this evening as the Sahaugin delegation slipped from the waves into the Colony. They were unlikely a strange sight, the Weshesh used their Sahaugin members for such intimate island level dealings often though generally within sight of one of the ominous broadships not far from the coast. Under the moon tonight, no ships were present. Only the big gaping mouths of Sahaugin looking to trade and their strange fish eyes that gleamed in firelight.

AP: 5AP

Create Sub-Concept (Planar Magics) - 1AP: Through Xen arcanology and Orcish know-how, the Weshesh have learned to pry the very power of the Planes to their will through mana. The Weshesh use this mostly in the formation of portals, allowing for swift transport across their battle islands and flotillas though they are not unaccustomed to other uses. [The Planes (Portals) 3/10]

Create Advanced Concept (Gunpowder) - 2AP: Through Xen science and the bounties of the deep, the Weshesh have created blackpowder. It's applications are, at the moment, minor but it is a ladder, not a race. They guard the creation of black powder to the death, blowing it and themselves up if there is any certainty that enemies might get their hands on it. [War (Invention) 2/10]

Create Advanced Concept (Orcish Ship Building) - 2AP: Being a primarily disparate people and long travel times through the underdark, the Weshesh have adapted to their new island homes. Orcish ship building is highly advanced, creating large broad ships and fast clippers both capable of reaching out into deep ocean waters as well as docking at their mobile island forts. Orcish shipbuilding is a carefully guarded secret much like black powder. While they will not sink their own ships if capture is a concern, any Orcish ship not in Orcish hand is an immediate target for sinking or retrieval.[War (Invention) 4/10]

Zelphas

2021-06-08, 08:31 AM

Zariel's Great Hunt
The Slayer made multiple initial expeditions north, to map out the inland routs through the mountains and to determine just how fertile the lands there would be for hunters and his true foray into the unknown in search of "clues" as to what had happened to Renarr. In truth, the Solar really didn't expect to find much, and he didn't particularly care. Instead his motivation came from the signs of great beasts that lay out in those wild planes, upon which he could test himself, and he would gladly use the excuse in order to hunt these monsters.

Leaving with a force of 1,200 of his disciples, elves and solari both who were dedicated to finding and defeating the great evils of the world (even if at that time they were more of a loose coalition of mages and huntsmen than they were an actual religious military order,) Zariel made his way north. Once passing through the mountains, he had his expedition split into groups of 60, companies that were small enough to forage and care for themselves without needing to settle down or colonize, but large enough to be dangerous and close enough to be within half a day's travel of the groups to their left and right. And flying above them, the Slayer watched and waited for any foes that would actually challenge their progress.

Zariel's 60-person companies encountered the Centaur villages of the south fairly quickly. The village inns, unused to such a large group of new arrivals so quickly, were stretched to their limits to accommodate them, but they did so as best they could. The village chiefs met with each company shortly after their arrival, welcomed the obviously trained and armed people to centaur lands.., and told them politely to leave. There were different levels of politeness and civility, different levels of warmth and coldness, but the message was essentially the same in each town: the centaurs welcomed visitors upon their lands, but a band of non-centaur warriors had no place there. They were free to return to visit the centaur lands if they wished, but not as an army.

If the groups pushed on farther north, the next village they encountered was far less friendly. They were still allowed to the inns, inns which now were able to handle them much better, but centaur hooves are faster than most other feet, and the centaurs no their ancient lands better than any interloper. This time, the message from the town chiefs was exactly the same in every village: "We do not want or need your army. Go back, and if you return, return as visitors, nothing more."

At the third village, a representative of the Feet of Clay met any band still pressing North. The inns would only house them for one night, this representative told them, and the northern, eastern, and western gates to the town would be barred until they left through the southern gate. Go back. The centaurs do not want you.

The nearest villages farther north of this were ringed by centaurs from the Feet of Clay and by their Golems, centaur-shapes of hard clay with implacable stares and stiff, powerful movements. The head of the Feet of Clay contingent in these places had a writing-stick prepared to read to the "new arrivals": "Three times now, we have told you to leave our lands, that we did not want or need an encroaching army. Three times now, you have ignored our words. Our town gates are now closed to you, our hospitality withdrawn. If you continue to press northwards, we will see you not as an exploring force, but as an invading army, and we will treat you as such. Go home. We do not want you here."

The Clay Dragon of the Deep

Unfettered by the careful shepherding of the centaurs, almost ignored due to the many problems plaguing the western edge of the Circle Continent, the "lost" Clay Dragon was free to rampage as it wished--and rampage it did, tearing a swath of destruction and hunger through the Wadi Alsahali almost due west until it reached the sea. Once there, a small trading vessel saw this enormous earthen beast plunge unheeding into the foam, simply rushing into the waves without making any attempt to swim. The trading vessel never shared this news, however; the Clay Dragon had been coming for them, and even underwater it could leap very high.

Soon enough, the various races and peoples of the Jisr Archipelago began to hear stories of ships capsized and dragged into the sea by a clay creature festooned with bits and scraps of seaweed, by a titanic beast rushing up from the shoreline to devastate a small island before sinking back under the waves. The Clay Dragon raged east and west, north and south along the entire Archipelago, moving randomly, going wherever it could find food--and with food so plentiful, its movements were nearly impossible to predict.

The "Lost" Clay Dragon Curse has been migrated to the Jisr Archipelago. If I need to spend another AP to make this a curse, I will do so; just let me know.

Kinro

2021-06-08, 06:50 PM

The library-forts grew, in the plains near the places of the orcs, in the Great Marshes, near where the bandits would make their raids, and everywhere else where kobolds felt in danger inside, all who were considered friends were welcome, kobold and not. And, especially, in special rooms that were built in each of them, for kobolds needed frequent bathing, this was much more than a luxury, in drier climates, for those who were made for the swamp. And especially thanks to the kobolds' skill at finding water, a blessing from their distant desert ancestors, each library had a special room made for them to satisfy their need. But it wasn't only kobolds who appreciated a bath, so, as it went, other librarians occasionally were invited, then were expected to come as a matter of course, joining kobold librarians, visiting kobolds, soon, simply people who lived nearby and, soon enough, simply any who wished to join. Sometimes, a token fee was taken, often, not, though donations were always appreciated, of coin or labour. And it wasn't long before all libraries had these public baths, often fed by great troughs, which carried the water from afar when none was available nearby, built by the increasingly skilled kobold builders, who had gained experience while building their strong forts.

Create mundane concept (Public bath)
6 - 1 = 5
Engineering(Public Works): 0 + 1 = 1

Create advanced concept(Engineering)
5 - 1 = 4
Engineering(Public Works): 1 + 1 = 2

Create advanced concept(Aqueducts)
4 - 1 = 3
Engineering(Public Works): 2 + 1 = 3

Gnomes2169

2021-06-09, 12:57 PM

The Shaline Empire - First Expansion, Crowning a Fleet
The integration of Marreill into the Empire was likely faster than most had anticipated, but it was hardly unexpected. While the naval, nomadic wanderers had little need for their land-based colonies, the fact that they were useful resupply points was always going to be an important factor, and the more land-based peoples of Shaline made those ports ever more valuable and prosperous. The connection the two societies shared also made it easier for them to integrate with one another, and their shared cause of finding their lost gods united the once-refugees even more tightly.

It wasn’t a hostile takeover. In fact, had things gone differently, it may have been the Empire being integrated into the older society. However, one major factor in Shaline’s favor was just how much faster the empire’s population grew, and its access to important resources like lumber gave the land-locked society an edge. Also, the continued shepherding of the Archons and their children, especially the influence of Cassius, would preserve Shaline values more fully once all was said and done.

Ultimately it was a peaceful takeover, and the cities that were absorbed by the Empire would retain a level of freedom reserved for trusted vassals, but beyond a few colony ships that stubbornly refused to join a central power, Merrail was effectively no more. In its place was a newer, stronger empire, one that used the Wind Knights and the Magi both to crew their vessels, and who formed the backbone of a new fleet. The Shaleill Armada took to the seas, defending the empire’s colonies from pirates and attempting to chart the shores of the Circle Continent and the new Jisr archipelago alike in search of Moiraithe and Renarr.

The largest duty of the fleet, however, was to note and curtail the expansion of the Orcs and Xen into territory that the Shaline Empire had already claimed. This may not have happened yet, but the Empire was wary of any major power that was expanding like they were, and after learning how widespread the orcs have become by word of mouth from their navy, the empire of Light refuses to let their homes become host to an unknown society’s influences. Better to join forces with the Lizards and Kobolds, in their eyes.

Lands of the Kobolds - Archons Arrive
The arrival of Ennis and Varral, and their wide-spread welcome, would leave the more bookish Solar somewhat withdrawn. Varral had been meant to be a god of research and privacy, and while he may not have truly ascended to those lofty heights, that abandoned destiny still had a large influence over his personality, and the researcher preferred to be a background character in the narrative of nations.

Which was perfectly fine, because Ennis was more than happy to take the spotlight. Floating from the deck of his vessel before it could reach shore, a cloak billowing behind him dramatically and a suitably theatric glow to his skin to herald the importance of this moment. Behind him, Varral approached with the grace of a goose, and despite all of the coaching the other archon had given, he simply wasn't up to the regal standard that Ennis displayed.

Landing first, the more sociable archon walked over to Neela to begin talking, and his voice would be soft and inviting. "Hail, champion of the Teacher. It is good to finally meet the people of Lor. From what I hear, and see now, our cultures have a lot of things to catch up on."

Behind him, Varral had stepped over to a group of the kobolds that were recording this meeting, reviewing their notes and theoretical numbers calculating the limits of a Solar's potential capabilities. A method of measurement of mortal (or immortal, in this case) might and potential he hadn't thought about before. But these numbers... the range was far too large, and he couldn't possibly lift that much weight, right? Instead of joining Ennis like the two had been planning, the scholarly solar would get completely sidetracked by collaborating with his fellow intellectuals, attempting to quantify and give better estimates that he and these small, scaled individuals could test...

Cassius watched his fellow Solar for a time, and then shook his head and turned back to Neela. And just like that, Varral was gone again. It was... fine. Varral was a terrible diplomat anyway, even if he could learn written languages faster than any being he'd ever met, and that would have been useful in this matter. "Time waits for no one." Cassius says, putting that matter out of his mind. "Renarr and the Goddess of Winds have both disappeared. Across the seas, powers begin to shift, and a roving band of violent idiots has overthrown the peaceful peoples of a dead god. Monsters flood the world, avians and hounds alike, and opportunists pick at the outskirts and weakest parts of society like scavengers at a corpse. Problems were minor in the time of the serpent have been allowed to fester and grow, and we have lost our guidance in matters of how to deal with them." That had been more than the archon had been meaning to say, but... exhaustion filled his voice. When the portal to the first world had appeared, he'd expected more time to rest and to enjoy the fruits of his struggle, of the sacrifice he and the others had made. Nothing was ever that simple, was it?

"It would be best to face these growing concerns united, to form treaties to make this so, as our gods once did. So." The Archon of empathy flashed Neela a smile, and said, "Let's figure out how we can do that, yes?"

Zariel’s Hunt - The Lands of the Centaurs
The army hadn't been expecting a warm welcome from anything that was on this side of the mountains, to be honest, so that first meeting with the centaur, peaceful as it was, took them by surprise. They did not linger long in those first villages, the novelty fading rather quickly as it became clear that what they were looking for was not here, after all, while Zariel might not care much one way or the other if they actually found signs of Renarr's passage here, his disciples did and would not stay long in a foreign place that did not help them in their quest, but simply knowing there were peoples here willing to be peaceful was... intriguing.

The second meeting the expeditionary force had with the locals would more accurately fit the expectations of the elves and solari that had joined here. While they had been prepared for hostility, simple wariness was also something the force had a plan for, and so, once that second message was given, Zariel's hunters turned... and headed west. Towards the lands of the gnolls and lizards, rather than pressing farther north. Many of the members who venerated both Zariel and Amerith scoffed at the notion that this paltry force constituted a full army, but they still turned none the less.

Except for one company. That one group, who Zariel flew over every third day to mark the progress of, instead put their weapons and equipment on a sled, not abandoning them entirely but trying to show the centaurs that an attempt was being made to be less of an army and more of a diplomatic force. They went to the next village north with intentions to talk peacefully, and to see what the centaur would respond to better... thus their intentions no longer held Zariel's interests.

Flying over the centaur's lands, the archon began to grow a bit bitter. Where was the challenge that he so craved? Ever since fighting the serpent, everything else seemed so small, so mundane. He needed something to push his limits, something to truly get his blood pumping. Perhaps if he could find that phoenix... wait. Now what was that?

A massive entity of clay moved below, harried by centaur who likely did little more than tickle it. A beast that simply ate... and ate... and ate... Oh yes, that was something worth his attention. Descending like the wrath of a solar deity upon the Clay Dragon, Zariel revealed himself to the centaur for the first time as he flew to challenge the the clay dragon. He might, in face almost certainly would, lose horribly in this first round... and that was fine. No matter how many times or lives he had to try, this was one beast he would manage to best. He just needed to figure out how to hurt it, or stop it in general. He had to battle it, learn how it functioned.

And then he could make it stop.

Corrla and Jisr Archipelago - The Noldan Republic's Rise
The change wasn't loud or proclaimed by an endless stream of heralds, nor was the day marked by some momentous sign or holiday, though for the people living there it would become a momentous occasion regardless. Slowly, steadily, the people of the blight lands escaped to the Jisr archipelago, settling those close islands in an ever growing rate, and they reveled in the freedom they were afforded. The freedom to worship whoever they wanted, or no one at all. The freedom to stay in one place and to move somewhere else simply because they wanted to.

Why had their ancestors stayed in Corrla? Sure, a new being had united the continent now and things had become better, but there were still revenants, still persecution of the godless, still discrimination against those of other faiths even if it was no longer as violent or overt. And people were still pushed into the hell of the blight lands.

Well, at least along the south that was no longer going to be accepted. Though they lacked the wanderlust of the people who had split away to form Marreil, the sea still offered these goblins, humans and elves a freedom that they had longed for, and with that freedom they fully split from the non-blighted Corrla mainland. Within the Jisr archipelago, a republic was born. Each of the islands that was home to a colony had its own system of rule, but while they were separate they were also united in their sense of community and their desire to remain independent from the mainland that had shunned them for so long.

The Suzerain continued in his role as an advisor to this newborn republic, though he pointedly stayed out of any position that directly asserted his will over the government, and his blessing became much wider spread as they began to use Nocturne as a home away from home. In fact, the realm of elemental night was so used that it became considered one of the "islands" of the republic, continuing to function as a refuge should tings turn too dire, and this then was where the new nation received its name.

The Noldan Republic was born. And they were done paying tribute to the pirates and lip service to Corrla.

Planar Magic - Extraplanar Augmentation
As the republic rose and the Shaline Empire made its first expansion, the mages and priests within both places experimented with and tapped into mana in new and interesting ways, and in their experimentation they found a connection between the distilled divinity of mana and the wide-spread divinity of the planes that had been crafted by divine hands.

While that connection would eventually lead to these nations learning how to make stable portals, like the Weshesh and Orcs showed they could, the Nolduri and Shaline peoples first discovered how to infuse their own bodies with planar magic in order to take on the traits of those divine places and to enhance their own magical might. Someone who could draw upon Nocturne was able to travel the shadows and make of themselves an insubstantial, dream-like wraith. Someone who could hold the fires of Solace blazed as a nigh-immortal beacon who's wounds sealed with starfire as soon as they appeared. A channeler of Kerima's plane of law, which held divine essence even if it, like Nocturne, wasn't filled with mana, could for a time subvert the natural laws by imposing new commands atop them.

The Shaline Empire shared this new magic with the kobolds freely, while the Noldan republic held it to themselves to give them an edge over any that might seek to take their freedom once more.

The Suzerain took this new magic, practiced with it as he had practiced veneration, considered its power and potential, dissected its every secret... and found traces of Renarr's influence. And, as he was want to do, the Archon of Night left the mortal world to pursue that mystery, leaving the new republic behind for a time. He went to the Concourse instead.

Concourse - The Gathering of Gods
The meeting of the gods was progressing far, far better than Renarr had at first hoped. It seemed that most of her fellow deities, even the younger ones, were willing to work together if a proper cause was given to them. But first, there was the matter of the trickster...

To Kassa, Renarr would remain exactly as warm and inviting as before. The lack of a fully truthful statement did not seem to bother the twilight goddess, and in response to her offer, Renarr said, "If you spread stories of me among my followers, then tell them what you wish. Let them know that I am out here, waiting, but embellish and take what liberties you desire with the telling. But whatever lies you tell them, know that this is the truth." Crimson eyes locking with the liar's unflinching gaze, Renarr proclaimed, "They must learn to stand on their own. I will not always be there, and I cannot return to the First World to help them any longer. So let them learn to deal with deception from your tales while they are at it."

Turning her gaze back to Arkhos, she nods to the dragon god's desire, and he says, "Your gift is welcome, and the world will be better for it. If you should ever find need for allies or wish to join our cause, the conclave we are crafting here will be more than happy to welcome you."

And, finally, she looked back to her fellow elder deities. To them she said, "As for that council and our alliance, Abu Dhahab, you are right that we have vanquished the serpent, and thus bested the most direct threat to the First World. However, that does not mean that everything has magically become safe or better." Using light and shadow, she conjures illusions of mana's influence on mortals, on the underbeer. direwlves, pirates and clay dragons, of runes that drive their practitioners to madness, and wasted blightlands that still refused to heal even so many centuries after the serpent's death. "Wan'shi's influence still remains. It shapes the flesh that was left behind in the darkest places of the world, and beings who would kill or break the spirits of all who willingly give worship to us now rove the First World upon the shattered isle of a dead divinity. Other gods create chaos and monsters, some maliciously and some unknowingly or without any care. And we all but one of us has made something that had unintended consequences." The images resolved into Solace, the Clay Dragons, and Abu Dhahab's curse of sands perhaps being more prolific than he'd intended.

Dia, having been careful, had nothing for Renarr to display. Had Lor been there, the goddess of twilight wouldn't have anything for him either.

"This council would focus on the preservation of mortal lives and freedoms. We would not turn a blind eye towards the predations of the opportunists, and we would remain vigilant to the influence of the serpent and how, even in death, it appears to continue to grow. We would look at the consequences of our own actions, and try to mitigate some of the fallout there as well."

It was at this moment that the Suzerain appeared, between her and Dia, and Renarr would grin softly at seeing her companion in this place. Letting out a long sigh, the Daystar faded over to her Eternal Night aspect, who said, "We would preserve mortal will and the mortal ideals of our followers. Preserve their choices and their individuality. And thus, I think I know exactly who should lead this council."

The Suzerain's expression was confused, and he stood to the side, a respectfully silent witness to this council that he'd apparently walked right into the middle of. He did shoot Silph a concerned glare, signaling the other archon to catch him up on what was happening, but the twice-blessed just grinned and shrugged at his old companion, staying respectfully silent for once in his immortal life as well.

Herend and the Starmaker
While the Archiver was interested in the works of the golem that floated above reality, and he frankly stayed longer than he should, Herend had other duties that he needed to attend to and he could not stay up in the skies forever... but he did return whenever he could. Each time, after he'd catalogued the new creations of the gods that he'd been able to find, Herend made sure to capture a collection of sprites, or a wraith or two, so that he could bring them to Alcyone for the formation of a new constellation.

It seemed to make the golem happy, after all, so what was the harm in letting that continue?

Starting AP: 0

Rollover: +5

-2 Form Racial Society - the Noldan Republic: From the blight lands of Corrla a colony has separated itself and drifted away, settling new lands without the infestation of the serpent's blood, where no power-mad priests can command them, and where they can negotiate from a place of strength.

The Noldan Republic is a proud naval confederation founded by the Suzerain from the unwanted outcasts of Corrla. While things may have become less hostile for these previously faithless people in their original homeland, there are too many bad memories and too much bad blood for them to forgive Kerima's flock, and now that the colonies in the Jisr archipelago are stable enough, a true exodus of the southern blight land chapters has begun.

While the Suzerain is their champion, and veneration of him and worship of Renarr's Eternal Night aspect are the most prevalent faiths within the society, the Noldan Republic is not ruled by a singular divine authority. Instead, the coalition of islands has elected leaders, one secular ambassador and one religious ambassador of the primary faith of the island, that form a central Senate that is located upon the largest island south of Corrla. Each representative has a vote in matters of government and state, and a simple majority is all that a policy needs to pass, with one representative on the council chosen by the Suzerain (note: this is not the Suzerain himself in disguise) to break any ties, but who does not vote otherwise.

Beyond that central elected power, each island is given freedom in its own government and administration, including how each island elects its representative. For example; some are religious monarchies that have their central power select their representatives from the three most popular choices given to them by the people for each category, others are true democracies with their own small council, others are republics who's majority party leader acts as the Secular representative while the minority leader represents their religion in the central council. Etc.

Travel between the islands and the southern coastal blight land chapters is never restricted, and many of the people of this republic can enter Nocturne. In fact, Nocturne is starting to be settled in earnest thanks to the Suzerain's blessing and how it has spread, and is considered its own "island" for the purposes of Noldan's government.

NOTE! While this society has inherited the Blight Lands Chapters organization, that does not mean it was removed from Corrla. That organization is now officially a part of both societies.
Domain acquisition: Life (Twilight) 4/10

-1 Create Organization - The Shaleill Armada: The pride of the Shaline Empire's fleets, and the keymark of the alliance, and vassalisation, between that empire and the Marreill peoples. While there are still independent colony ships that refused unification, and the former city-states of Marreill are effectively freeports with light-handed Shaline administrative oversight and control, the land-based colonies are now a proper part of the empire and have become towns and cities in their own rights.

The Shaleill armada is an enterprising entity, protecting trade and the island colonies that are starting to be created as these mortal followers look far and wide for both Moiraithe and Renarr. At the moment this means that they serve to protect the Empire's lands from pirates and potential Orc and Xen invasions. They also act as forerunners, scouting out potential colony locations in order to ensure they are safe for settlers that are sure to follow afterwards.

Any being that serves in the Shaleill armada for at least 10 years is automatically made into a member of the 4th caste, and ship admirals, captains and their first mates are often treated as if they were members of the 3rd caste, though only admirals have true influence over the government, while captains and first mates are more honorary members of that level of society.
Domain acquisition: Life (Twilight) 5/10

-1 Split Mythical Subconcept - Mana Subconcept; Planar Magic (Augmentation/ Transposition): A shared concept with Razade, this form of Planar Magic involves a mage connecting the mana that has infused their body to the divine energy inherent in each of the extra-planar realms. That connection makes their body into a channel for the traits and elemental alignment of the plane they touch, greatly increasing the potency of aligned spells that the mages perform, and making them into a temporary source of mana of that element for other near-by spellcasters. This sphere of planar influence can also dampen diametrically opposed magic, though few planes have such strong opposition at the moment. (Solace and Nocturne weaken cold/darkness and heat/light respectively, Kerima's law plane reduces the effects of mana in general but chaotic magic the most, Concourse weakens war magic and violent emotions, etc)

Augmentation and Transposition do not require the channeled plane to be filled with mana. It simply uses mana to bridge the gap between mortals and the divine in a person's soul, connecting them to the pure, un-distilled spark of divinity that is in the plane of the gods. For this reason, Worship could also be used to access Augmentation and Transposition, since worship also connects mortals to gods and that functions as its own catalyst, but it gives a far more limited access to which planes that can be channeled, since Worship can only connect mortals to a single god.

This version of planar magic has 3 schools of expression. Each of them describes activating this magic as "opening a gate" to the plane, and how that "gate" is used determines which school is being channeled:
Turned Outward: A gate turned outward expresses itself in the most overt form of augmentation, since the spellcaster effectively uses this magic to throw chunks of their channeled plane at their problems. This also sheds a large amount of the plane's influence and is the most useful school for mages in general, given the gate is left wide open and power pours forth from the spellcaster in a tide, coloring and enhancing any mana-based magic that they weave. This school of augmentation can be maintained for the longest of the three, with almost no physical side effects after the gate closes.
Turned Inward: When a gate is turned inward, its influence instead suffuses the mage's body, greatly enhancing the channeler's physical abilities. While this still leaks a bit of influence to those around the spellcaster, making associated spells cast by others slightly more potent, the majority of the magic goes directly into the creature themselves before returning to the plane it was drawn from. While hard on the practitioner's body, this school of augmentation is less rough on the spellcaster's soul than a gate turned outward, and in a fit person can be maintained for almost as long as an outward turned gate. This form of augmentation ends up enhancing the mage's personal magical capabilities the most, and is the school that can be used in places that are naturally low or lacking in mana (since the practitioner is calling and storing divine energy in their own body, instead of immediately releasing it to saturate areas already filled with mana.) Once an inward-turned gate is closed, practitioners are reported to feel weak and find the world muted, as if they had gone into sudden withdrawal.
Fully Embraced: This form of Augmentation is often called Transposition and combines both of the other schools. Once this school is activated the spellcaster surrounds themselves in the gate and saturates their body with the plane's influence, allowing them to exist within both their channeled plane and the world in which they stand at the same time. This places them physically into a pocket plane where both realities exist simultaneously, allowing the practitioner to become ethereal and then to either step into their channeled plane from the First World/ wherever they happened to be, or to “skim” that plane and teleport over short distances at a rapid pace. This form of augmentation can only be held safely for mere moments, and radiates a massive amount of power to near-by mana practitioners whose magic aligns with the channeled plane. Only the most skilled of mortals can use this school of augmentation, and even they often feel sick if they use it more than once without resting.

Note: Since this style of magic opens a portal in the soul of a mortal to a realm crafted by the divine, it is inherently risky. Drawing too much at once and opening a gate too wide or for too long, while useful and capable of making a truly awesome display, leaves creatures at risk of burning themselves out, literally cutting out their ability to use and channel mana for extended periods of time as their bodies and soul need time to heal the metaphysical damage.

The most experienced practitioners of this variant of mana have "calluses" on their spirits that grant them massive resilience to this drawback, but they also become numb to all but one plane's influence. This means that the most experienced practitioners of augmentation and transposition are actually the least versatile in the planes they can tap into, while the younger and less experienced practitioners are the ones able to draw upon any plane, though their displays are paltry in comparison.
Domain acquisition: War (Preservation) 1/10

-1 AP; Create Pantheon - The Vigilant: A domain made from the gods who faced down Wan’shi at the start of the world, and any like-minded younger deities who might want to join in. The tenants of this pantheon are simple: Strive to preserve more than you harm, take responsibility for the messes you make, and protect mortals and the world they live in from divine destruction.
Renarr will vote for the Suzerain to be the pantheon’s leader (mechanically it will be her, but fluff-wise, which is what matters here, it will be him,) she’ll vote for the first Sphere to be Protection, and she’ll use her PAP to make a church for the pantheon in the Shaline empire/ Noldan republic, the later of which worships all of the pantheon gods anyway.
Domain acquisition: War (Preservation) 2/10

Total AP expended: 5

Remaining AP: 0

Domain progression:
Life (Twilight): 5 (Sub-race: Solari, Blessing: Suzerain's chosen, Noldan Republic, Shaleill Armada)
War (Preservation): 2 (Create Pantheon, Split Planar Magic: Infusion/ Transposition)

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-09, 01:22 PM

"This way, sir, he went this way! Hurry, please!" the dappled gray foal yelled, pointing to an alley between two large adobe storehouses. Taren Ravenbow nodded, raising his torch slightly as he proceeded into the alleyway. No common thief with an ounce of sense would attempt to fight one of the Feet of Clay; but desperation often led men to do insensible things, and the night provided many shadows from which to launch an ambush. He reached for the spear on his back as he rounded the corner of the building, expecting the thief to be lying in wait there if at all, tensing his muscles as the torchlight revealed-

Nothing. An empty dead-end. A prank.

Taren sighed, and turned around, not surprised in the slightest to see the foal standing there at the corner of the alley with a smug grin on his face. "Child, I hope you know that there are consequences for this kind of-" Taren blinked, and stopped. Something was wrong. The foal was not retreating. In fact, the foal wasn't acting much like a foal trying to get away after a prank at all; they were advancing closer, actually, with the easy dominance of someone far more powerful. The moonlight shifted, and the expression he had taken for smug, youthful glee was actually...something else. Something he did not really recognize, but that sent a chill down his spine. For some reason, Taren suddenly felt very aware of the high, windowless walls all around him, and the lack of a view from the main street. His hand strayed, unbidden, to the bow at his side, as simmering fear forced its way through his mouth as an angered snarl.

"I don't know what the meaning of this is, foal, but you had best-"

"I am quite sorry about this, centaur." the foal interrupted, in a cold tone that did not belong in a child's mouth. With a cold smile that did not belong on a child's face. But then, the child did not actually look much like a child anymore; his eyes were turning coal-black, the smile was widening, too wide, splitting the face as skin stretched and folded away to reveal something pale and slimy beneath, translucent wings starting to emerge from his back, hooves splintering into claws as he reared up on his hind legs-

"What in the name of Hetta-" Taren mumbled, fumbling for the warhorn at his side. The thing moved fast, impossibly fast, and before the warrior could even process what was happening, he (IT?) was tearing open his arm with long, bony claws. Years of battle instincts kicked in, and Taren planted a firm kick in the creature's chest with enough force to kill a weaker being, sending it sprawling down the alley with a wet, chitinous crack. He tried to draw his bow - no good, arm was badly damaged, seemed to be going numb, drew the spear instead, torch falling near-forgotten to the muddy ground. He whipped the point forward but the thing was already nearly on top of him again, seemingly unphased by the kick, six limbs skittering across the wall, mouth open impossibly wide and full of rows upon rows of teeth, he scrambled backwards, flank hitting wall as he turned the shaft to intercept the creature as it leapt towards his face, PAIN, the thing's clawed lower limbs digging into his stomach as the four upper ones grappled with the spear or swiped at his face, he tried to throw it off but it was too strong, pushing the spear back, breaking it, panic flooded Taren's system and he reacted purely on instinct, slamming his helmeted head forwards to headbutt the creature, claws releasing in surprise as he knocked it to the ground.

Taren attempted to gallop forwards, trampling it and hopefully getting closer to the open street, but it was too fast, darting between his legs, scraping its claws against his foreleg as he passed, pain and then numbness erupting before he toppled to the ground. Taren turned his torso and saw the thing mid jump, and in split-second desperation he swung one of the splintered halves of his spear upwards, directly into the path of the creature. With a sickening SPLRTCH, the sickly monstrosity was impaled, suspended mere inches from his body. The makeshift wooden stake had gone right through it, a direct strike through the heart.

It did not affect the creature in any way whatsoever.

Numbness pierced several points of his face, neck, and chest, and Taren Ravenbow knew no more.

--

With everything else that was going on, nobody really noticed the missing foal, or the unusual amount of ravens that seemed to be hanging around.

AP Total: 0/16

Rollover: 0+4 = 4AP

Create Legendary Subrace (Stirges): Vampires [3AP]
Vampires are very rare beings sometimes created by Stirges under certain conditions. If a swarm of stirges finds itself without a good supply of food from large terrestrial mammals, and happens to be near a densely populated/developed area, the swarm will sometimes choose a secure spot rich in mana and secrete a sort of cocoon, sealing themselves within. After a period of mana absorption lasting weeks to months, a single humanoid gestalt creature composed of the former stirges - a vampire - will emerge.

In their natural form, vampires are pale, bipedal, vaguely insectoid intelligent beings with six clawed limbs, large pupilless pitch-black eyes, a pair of membranous wings suitable for short bursts of flight, and large, lamprey-like mouths lined with several rows of teeth. However, this form is rarely revealed, as vampires are natural shapeshifters, capable of mimicking any humanoid form that they have personally seen. In addition, vampires also possess great strength and speed, claws with numbing venom similar to that of a stirge's talons, and the ability to suddenly turn into a swarm of creatures called "thralls".

Thralls mimic the forms of small monsters or animals, and function as a hivemind. This can be useful for making escapes, but afterwards the thralls must come back together and make a cocoon to re-build the humanoid body of the vampire, a process that can take hours to days. Additionally, if many individual thralls are killed, the vampire may come back permanently weakened or disfigured; or they may be unable to rebuild their body at all, and will thus quickly starve to death. By "default", a vampire's thralls take the form of stirges, but a vampire can also learn to become birds, flies, rats, bats, etc. A thrall is only a pale imitation of an animal, and cannot do much besides run or fly; the exception is stirge thralls, which can mate with real stirges. Becoming thralls is typically an all-or-nothing affair; very few vampires are skilled or powerful enough to create thralls while maintaining their humanoid form.

Vampires are biologically immortal, but they can be killed through traditional methods, though their great strength, speed and durability, as well as their nonstandard biology, makes this quite difficult. However, though they do not feed on mana or require a supply of it to live, the bonds that hold their form together are mana-based; thus, anything that dampens mana or magic (such as Holy Sand, Jade Kings and totems made from their crystals, or certain techniques employed by acolytes of the Eternal Night) can cause them severe discomfort and weakness, and can even force them into thrall form in order to escape. Extended, forced exposure will cause them to disintegrate.

Like the stirges that created them, vampires feed exclusively on blood, though their preying methods differ. Some vampires simply move from location to location, picking off individuals until enough suspicion is raised to force them to move on. Others carefully infiltrate and take up positions as powerful or respected community figures, and use their influence to feed on people nobody will miss. Certain (though rare) tribes and villages respect and allow vampires openly for various reasons, donating small amounts of blood from everyone. A few sell their services in exchange for blood; many have use for their shapeshifting and infiltration capabilities, and others have uses for their abilities as powerful warriors. And fewer still are able to rule, assembling enough gold and power to openly take blood by force. Whatever methods they use, however, vampires are solitary beings, and quite territorial; they are created in response to a shortage of blood, and do not suffer competitors. Some of the early revelations about and crusades against vampires would actually emerge from vampires attemping to eliminate other vampires.

Though they are intelligent and sometimes even compassionate sapient beings capable of restraining their instincts, they, like the stirges that created them, have no internal regulator of appetite.

A vampire is always hungry.

Death (Plague) 10/10 - Portfolio Gained

4-3 = 1 Remaining AP

Kinro

2021-06-09, 09:25 PM

To the many scholarly kobolds, someone like Varral was more than welcome, even more so, perhaps, than Ennis, who was so ostentatiously friendly. His lack of grace was both ignored and something that all were used to. None were as graceful as the kobolds on their own lands. But all who were eager to teach and learn were embraced, with these people like with no others.

And so, it was Ennis that Neela spoke to, so much more intimidating to those who weren't possessed of a god like she was. Easily, she lept to a stack of crates, sitting on them to place herself at his eye level. "You are well met, Varral," she said. "As are all who would learn from us or teach us in turn. I am Neela. I speak for Lor, for it has chosen me to share of itself with, and I speak for myself, for it has chosen to keep much of what I once once, but I don't speak for the kobolds. That would be... improper. Not for us, of course. Lor took us in our greatest need, made for us this paradise and made us fit for it," she said, gesturing to city, ensconced into the surrounding swamp as it was. "All of our generations would not have been enough to repay the debt we still owe it. But it does not wish to rule and it does not intercede in mortal affairs that mortals can well handle themselves. And so, I do not rule. Intercede, however..." She gave a mischevious smile. "Let's say that it wasn't by accident that Lor gave me this javelin. Though it's still my flute that I prefer."

"In any case, talking and advice are things that I certainly can do, and possibly something you could well use. But here hardly seems like an appropriate place. I could arrange a great hall for our discussion, if you wish. A private chambers, perhaps? Or, if you wish to wash the dirt of your travel, I can take you to the baths and we could talk there." The last was said almost dismissively, but it was, to her, the correct choice. For the public baths had spread down from the plains, all the way back and across the Great Marshes. Not as necessary there, but certainly appreciated still. And in the baths, the custom was, all were equal. It wasn't always exactly the case, people being what they were, but it was more true there than any place else and many an otherwise untenable conflict was resolved by a few honest words in one of these peculiar places. And so, an invitation to the baths came to mean an invitation to speak openly, freely and as equals. And it was this that, Neela secretly hoped, Ennis would accept now.

KragBrightscale

2021-06-09, 11:11 PM

To War!

The leaders of the Jazira Colony were surprised when they received the carved message detailing the League’s “generous offer” for them to surrender and be under their influence.

Most of the port towns on the eastern coast and those on the nearby islands all received their own copy. So a meeting was called to discuss a things.

Leaders of the towns who had received the offer were sitting to one side and watching the facial expressions of those who were reading it for the first time at the meeting. Confusion, surprise, incredulity, and anger. They nodded to each other, relieved that their feelings were mutual.

Manar looked up after reading the copy she had been provided. She was a little surprised that the league would extend such an invitation, from experience she felt their usual procedures would be to just take what they wanted.

A market leader stood up at that point. It was his turn to facilitate discussion. Clearing his throat, he started.

”As you have all read in the message we received from the pirates, they offer us the honor of paying them taxes and bowing to their authority. In return, they stop plundering our ships and allow us to travel as we wish through their territory. What are your thoughts?”

Immediately a number of the seated merchants rose to their feet in indignation. Speaking over each other of the untrustworthiness of the pirates, the blatant attempt at blackmail, their current losses, and how deluded the pirates must be if they thought being under their influence would help the merchants.

”I think the recent blow we struck using our new ships and bronze weapons surprised them. I think they are worried we might grow too strong for them if we are left to develop in peace.” Someone suggested.

That comment got a murmur of approval. The leaders of the port towns where the ships were built getting a few nods of recognition.

”That makes sense! Why else would they seek a peaceful method of acquiring what they want? They probably thought we’d jump at any opportunity to avoid a war if they dangled some personal benefits as bait. That way they could get a hold of our new technologies.”

“Who’s to say they won’t try to find a loophole in their agreement with us after extracting what they want? Even with the threat of the Curse, I’m sure their crooked minds would find a way around things. I vote we fight!”

The heated discussion that followed ended on the conclusion that war was the only option available. It was clear the pirates could not be stopped otherwise. Give them an inch and they take a mile. They had already abandoned the south of circle continent to the plunderers but that was not enough to satisfy their greed.

The council wrote up their response, added a long list of grievances caused by the pirates, along with a collection flowery insults. A clear rejection. The message was then sent back with all their seals.

Timsah had been present at the meeting, in recognition of her recent achievement of beating back a pirate fleet, she was officially promoted to admiral. New ships would be built for her to command using the wood imported from Corla and the nearby islands. Returning to where the sailers were waiting for her report she leaped onto a nearby rock.

“WE FIGHT!!! The Merchant Colony has had enough of being seen as wealthy easy prey! Now is the time to rouse the sleeping instincts of a predator! To pay the pillaging pirates back their own coin! TO WAR!!!!!”

The deafening cheer of warriors, sailors and merchants could be heard throughout the city. Morale was high. The grudges built up over the recent years were deep. The pirates would pay for their crimes, with interest.

The battle of the bay of blood

Timsah and the other high ranking captains of the Colony’s budding naval force were meeting at a southern port town to discuss their first move. The pirates hadn’t raided this far around the island yet, and others were patrolling the waters nearby so they could focus without worry.

They talked about the recent series of successes using rams, but that pirates had gotten better at maneuvering out of the way now that they knew about it.

A messenger interrupted the meeting with the urgent message that a large number of pirate ships had been gathering near the islands to the east. A lone Crocodilian escapee from a pillaged village was the one who had reported it.

With a leap the captains got up and hurried to their ships. Their half finished tactics would have to do. Soon their ornately decorated ships were cutting across the shallow waters surrounding Jazira Alsahali.

Observation of the two primary types of combatants were also reported and analyzed. While mana users could unleash all kinds of chaos from a distance, Ki’s potential for ranged attacks were currently limited and draining to use. Mana and Ki were not suitable to use with the same body, so Ki users generally had more powerful bodies and favored close combat.

Therefore, the key to victory would be how to force a physical close quarters fight.

The pirates had taken over a few islands right to the east of Jazira, likely to use as a staging ground for an invasion Timsah thought. Their fleet was anchored in the sheltered bays, safe from any storm.

Somehow the pirates had noticed their approach and the ships in the distance could be seen readying their sails and preparing for battle. This would be bloody.

Timsah relayed her orders to the rest of the fleet through prearranged signals and the ships got into formation. The foremost ship were built sturdier than the rest and had one of the elders of the ascetics on board. Behind it in in chevron formation were the other ships.

Drums on board the ships began to beat out at an intensified rhythm and the oarsmen started working harder causing the ships to pick up speed.

Being sheltered from storms meant the area was also sheltered from most winds, so both side’s sails were functioning at reduced capacity. It was up to the rowers to determine which side’s ships would be faster and nimbler.

As the first ship came into range of the pirates sorcerers, elemental projectiles and other magic attacks were hurled at it. Just as it looked like the ship would be doomed, an old Shelled warrior stood up at the prow of the ship. Moving his hands slowly and fluidly, Yun Liuquan sent Ki out in well timed bursts. Each time the Ki hit a projectile it would alter its trajectory causing it to fall harmlessly into the sea. To others it would look like a fantastic light show of flashing magic followed by splashes of water.

As the ship got closer the firepower targeting it increased and the shelled had to work harder. Putting both hands together, and turning his back to the enemy the old shelled forced Ki to resonate with his shell. Out of nowhere, a large translucent shell appeared in front of the ship blocking the attacks. With each hit however, Liuquan was forced a step back with a shudder. This wouldn’t hold for long.

And it wouldn’t need to. As though it were a signal, rowers started infusing Ki into their every stroke. Some oars snapped under the sudden strain as the ships shot forward into the enemy.

Without the wind to give their ships the speed to maneuver, the pirates’s ships were slower than the Colony’s and couldn’t respond in time. Rams pierced through the pirates’ ships and the force of the collisions even knocked some of the unfortunate pirates off their ships into the water.

Not all the colony ships had rams yet, so the others used different strategies. Geckokin Ki practitioners were light enough that they could run short distances on the water. When they got close enough they charged from their ships to board the surprised pirates.

Several ships had a troop of large Crocodilian Ki users, instead of engaging up close, they used their Ki to throw heavy rocks coated in bronze. These destructive projectiles could punch through the enemy’s ships and cause massive damage. Learning to throw such heavy projectiles with enough distance and accuracy was hard, and although few became skilled enough, many Crocodilians would later learn to enjoy watching others compete.

The pirates were no pushovers, however, and once the initial momentum of the charge had worn off the fights devolved into chaotic combat.

Elemental blasts sent several ships sinking into the shallow water as fearsome individuals the pirates called the Chosen unleashed their mutant prowess. Wherever these forces of destruction appeared only the most part experienced ascetics could stand up to them.

Deflecting attack after attack, Liuquan, the shelled ascetic who had guarded the initial charge, walked towards the mutant in front of him at a relaxed pace. This particular pirate captain had already set multiple ships ablaze with their magic and was cackling wildly as they flung out flaming orbs at any who approached. As the ascetic drew closer, the mutant started focusing on the elder, but it was useless. The old monk gently received the concentrated elemental energy and cover it with Ki, suppressing it just long enough to push it off course into the water. Sometimes, if the attack was weaker, the old monk would manage to maneuver the mana attack around his body before sending it back in the direction of other pirates.

It was as if the captain was fighting against an inevitable destiny. One step at a time the old monk approached, each slow methodical step bringing him several steps closer in a logic defying manner. Turning to flee before the old turtle got close, the pirate captain shuddered when a heavy calloused hand gently came down on his shoulder from behind. The benevolent smile of the ascetic was the last thing he saw before drifting off to an endless slumber.

Timsah was as usual aggressively fighting surrounded by enemies, each mighty swing of her glaive harvesting lives like a reaper’s scythe harvests grain. The Ki infused into her hard scales and muscles providing an almost impenetrable defense while boosting her already potent strength. Shrugging off claw, fang, and blade the Crocodilian let the Ki guide her movements, sometimes fast sometimes slow, each movement deadly.

Unlike the gentle and pliable Ki of her shelled ally, she knew her Ki was hard and sharp, suited for meeting force with force. Although she wouldn’t admit it to her merchant friends, this was what she was made for. The markets of her childhood were definitely find memories, but the endless bargaining and searching for good deals hadn’t excited her as much as the other kids. No, the battlefield was were she first touched upon the secrets of Ki, where her body and mind were one, where every heartbeat could be felt and she could be true to herself.

When the pirates sounded the horn to retreat, Timsah looked up and surveyed the destruction around her. Burning ships littered with corpses both allied and enemy. Bits of broken wood drifting on the surface of the water that was dyed red with blood. Never had the Lizardfolk had a battle of this magnitude before, and history would remember one of the first naval battle, it’s victors, and the horrible cost it claimed in both lives and resources.

Watching the ragged remains of the pirate fleet exhaust their last magic to push their few crippled ships out from the bay, she saw their sails suddenly bellow as they finally caught the shifting wind. Turning to her fleet, she gave a victory roar that echoed over the waters.

A few drops started falling from the sky, gradually turning into a gentle shower that washed some of the blood off the warriors and ships. Yum LiuQuan raised his head to look at the sky, it was as if the heavens were crying. With a sigh, he thought back to the peaceful days of simple meditation and tending the plants at headquarters.

Although both sides had heavy losses, it would take longer for the pirates to bring reinforcements to the area around Jazira.

Making the most of the time that had been bought with many lives, the colony built up a series of lookout towers with beacons and other forts along the coast and the small islands surrounding Jazira Alsahali. They also traded a lot of wealth, handcrafted items and desert resources to buy timber from their long-standing trade-partners, the weshesh.

They needed a lot to build ships to expand their navy, so merchants were happy to discuss this trade and the potential for future trade with the Sahuagin. This was the third race of the weshesh that the Lizardfolk merchants had encountered, and they made a pretty good first impression. They had scales, an immediate plus, soft skinned people just couldn’t understand the wonder of having scales which could make small talk a challenge.

With their new ships launched later that year, the Colony finally had the ability to control the waters around their desert island.

Pantheon of Protectors

Abu Dhahab nodded politely to Kassa as she spoke something that resonated with his own thoughts.

I agree with you that mortals do not and should not “belong” to a Deity as their possession. My meaning behind referring to Lizardfolk as mine and Gnolls as yours was purely a reference to their origin. Lizardfolk were my creation, but they are free to follow their own path, as many seem to have done.

Turning back to Renarr and the others talking about forming an alliance for the purpose of protecting the world and mortals in it Abu Dhahab agrees to join.

A noble cause is worth investing in. With the increase in our power comes an increase in responsibility, our actions and our very existence can harm the fabric of reality and the world that holds all of it together.

I brought up this point to Kerima, and I will mention here again it even though think we are all aware of it. We deities are imperfect beings. Flawed in some way by design or by accident. The scars of the first world are a permanent reminder of that.

I would be honored to be associated with a group that acknowledges its mistakes and strives to preserve and help more than harm, though I do not wish for burden of leadership. I do not wish for one of us to rule over the other, for I fear our own shortcomings might be given opportunity to grow unchecked.

A facilitator of conversations is needed though, an initiator of projects, a mediator, a neutral party, and weak enough that should they go astray our work will not be undone and we can bring them back.

AP: 2

Create Pantheon (The Vigilant) -1 AP
Having seen the harm the unchecked rampage of a deity can cause, and even the accidental harm an average deity can cause, this council has formed with the intent of protecting mortals from divine destruction, preserving rather than harming, and taking responsibility for your mistakes. Abu Dhahab would like the council to be lead or facilitated by a neutral party who can represent mortals.
Mind (Enlightenment) 4/10

2 -1 = 1 AP remaining

Zelphas

2021-06-11, 10:18 PM

At the Concourse

Hetta listens to the long speeches and the strange conversations steadily, generally understanding that the group there seemed to be suggesting a formalized sort of connection or get-together. Something akin to relief washes over the goddess; finally, someone among the gods is suggesting godly rules and putting them in place. She nods in agreement with the statements as said before, signifying her agreement with that nod and with a flare of her own power, joined with the two who have already spoken and open for any others that join as well.

Cleaning up for unintended consequences... it is a topic Hetta had only rarely considered, if she is honest. Perhaps dealing with the various untended mortal souls would be part of that work?

Later, in an unfinished Plane

She has done something wrong, she can tell.

The Plane had come together simply enough; conjuring the clay she used so often to build on the First World had been a matter of moments, and she had the template of the Concourse to build from to actually make it a separate plane of existence rather than a lump of clay in the void around the First World. Drawing the souls to her in this plane had taken a few moments more, but the clay had served her again on that front.

Now, however, Hetta realizes that she isn't actually sure what to do with the souls now that she has them.

The centaur souls are the most peaceful; certainly, their rest is a bit blank and bland, in this darkened space on a white clay ball, but it is still rest, and they are in the presence of their creator. The other races might be confusedly asking what is going on, or panicking at their new-ish forms, or trying to escape the ball that they found themselves on after their deaths, but the centaurs wait quietly, watching Hetta to see what she has made. In a weird sort of recursive mimicry, Hetta does the same, waiting in a long, long moment of indecision as she is unsure of what exactly to do next.

In the Pit of Making

The Lump wanders through the halls of the Pit, watching the endless, pointless work. Golem Archons continue to mine and sort clay, creating fantastic rooms in single colors to store the material their goddess once used extensively. They mined deeper, and farther, than any expected. A small family of Earth Dragons, having spread from their mountain home, incidentally found their way into one corner of the Pit's new breadth, unknowing that this is the birthplace of their whole race. A few deep tunnels break into much older and deeper caves; the Orcs who discover this new construction will find little to plunder and less to eat within the Pit's multicolored walls. Living statues and gargoyles, beginning to starve as Hetta's inherent magic slowly fades from her once-home, start to spread out from the Pit in all directions.

The Lump, determined to protect its Master's home and treasures, warns all away from the Pit itself. Most of the time, this has the opposite effect, for what adventurer can resist the possibility of finding the treasure of the Great Maker herself?

0 AP + 5 AP = 5 AP

Create Pantheon (The Vigilant) -1 AP: Having seen the harm the unchecked rampage of a deity can cause, and even the accidental harm an average deity can cause, this council has formed with the intent of protecting mortals from divine destruction, preserving rather than harming, and taking responsibility for your mistakes. (Domain Progression: Luck (Unintended Consequences) 1/10)

Weave Plane (Refraction) -2 AP: Hetta has created a white clay ball suspended in a seemingly-endless darkness, which draws the souls of mortals not already connected to another place to go after their death. The souls sink into the white clay and form out of it, taking on the appearance that they had in life; the stronger the 'personality' and memories of the soul, the more detail and color they have in their appearance. (Domain Progression: Luck (Unintended Consequences) 3/10)

Alter Land (The Pit Labyrinth) -1 AP: Due to Hetta's digging, excavating, and magic, the Pit of Making is now an enormous, twisted labyrinth that is currently unmapped and incredibly difficult to navigate. Earth Dragons inhabit one corner of the Labyrinth, and a few of its tunnels lead into the Underdark. The labyrinth, and much of the lands around the Pit, is utterly infested with Living Statues and Gargoyles, many of them in fantastical and impossible shapes and some, gorged by close proximity to Hetta's magic, of fearsome power. (Domain Progression: Luck (Unintended Consequences) 4/10)

5 AP -4 AP = 1 AP Remaining

ezekielraiden

2021-06-12, 02:00 AM

Arkhos, though we share many similarities and your words and blessing align with my own values, I still wish to wait and see more of what you stand for through your future actions. Should we form this alliance, and you find yourself wanting to join, it would not be too late to decide then.

Arkhos nodded. "Thy patience is admirable. I echo this, that there is yet more to do before I stand among you, fast in alliance. So I shall let my word alone be bond enough, 'til time in ripeness come, and we both shall prove its strength."

Turning her gaze back to Arkhos, she nods to the dragon god's desire, and he says, "Your gift is welcome, and the world will be better for it. If you should ever find need for allies or wish to join our cause, the conclave we are crafting here will be more than happy to welcome you."

"Doubt not, O Daystar, that when the hour strike, I shall. As the Father of Gold hath said, my tale yet wanteth more telling ere we speak in earnest of such ties to bind. So I shall let deeds speak, and return. For much and more have I still yet to see, of worlds that are and may yet be." With these words, perhaps overly flowery but carrying the weight of departure, he made a small bow (or, at least, what is a bow for a dragon!), and turned to leave. He did spare one glance, however, for Dia; her wordless approval met with his wordless appreciation. He felt she, Lady of Time and Tide, would understand.

Feathery God-Mother

The passage back to the First World seemed easier than entering this outside-inside place had, and not merely because he knew what he was doing. Perhaps that was the eternal temptation, to walk back into the circles of a world that one had to leave behind eventually. Even the gods had to turn from the cradle and travel new paths. Without the Creator to ask, that left the final destination open, which Arkhos took as a sign of hope, that the final end had not yet been written.

Floating in the cold Void above the First World, specifically the Circle Continent, he refocused on the task before him, rather than such distant things. Sadly, none of the gods had shared the name of the deity whose children rode the winds, but that simply meant Arkhos would have to learn it himself. Yet surely, if their creations had spread as far as they seemed to when he had stood beside Lor, the name would be on the lips of someone among them!

Their works had grown out from the wickedly peaked mountains of the southeast. These he did not remember, which made the journey that much sweeter. It was after a fashion his first adventure, diving into what he did not know. He did, however, keep in mind Wan'shi's prophecy. Arkhos did not wish to stir up conflict where it was not called for, least of all with a deity perhaps unknown to the others. Swimming down into the world below, he took subtle form, like the shadow of the wind.

First, he came to know what they called themselves. Harpies. Their ways were strange to him, but not wayward. They followed a different tune, and their lives were quite different from those of other races, including Arkhos' first children. Yet, despite their differences, he could not help feeling kinship to the harpies. Like them, he would never know those who had "sired" him, other than by their memories engraved on his own. Like them, he would have to learn from other-parents, gods who had quickened his spark and others who had not.

Their hearts were wild, but not savage. They had learned from others, and there was peace between them and those unlike them. Arkhos briefly studied their kobold friends, for one's friends can tell much about a person. Perhaps later, he would delve deeper into the ways of the kobolds, for they did not merely love knowledge to hoard it, but to protect and share it, sentiments that stirred his own heart. But the harpies, and their creator, were his first focus. He went among them, clothing himself in a body like theirs, not resplendent as his essence was, but quiet, to listen for a time.

The harpies protected their lands, but were not insular, especially to one willing to do the work that keeps a flock fed and safe. Thus did he fly among them, peak to peak, and hear their stories. Some, he knew, were wild exaggerations of the fall of Wan'shi--such events do not shake the foundations of the world without leaving a mark--but others were far more enlightening. Tales of the Mother, who gave their phoenix-forebears life, nurturing them and setting them out. Briettia, they called her, tender of the Egg of Flocks.

His curiosity was, at times, commented upon. But that he was a pilgrim on a journey seemed natural to them. Whenever he asked how to get closer to the Mother, the harpies pointed him toward the high peaks. "Don't hope for answers," one sang to him in the words that were also music. "The Mother doesn't answer prayers with words. She does help and guide us, but it's rare for her to swoop down on a single life."

"I understand, wind-sister," he sang back. "But I must hope anyway."

"Wind guide you," she said, watching the curious harpy leave.

He sang into the wind, and to her surprise she heard the reply. "Nest greet you."

---

To a god, the journey was not long. Arkhos had few mortal memories from before his birth, so it was difficult to tell whether a mortal would agree. In either event, it had nearly reached its end. As he drew closer, however, he wondered if he should shed his guise now, or wait until he was apart from Briettia's mortal children first. Reaching the final, lofty nest before the Egg of Flocks, he chose the latter, though perhaps not at his greatest physical extent. Courtesy bade him retain a size near theirs.

Their response was, of course, mixed. It was not, however, too difficult to win over some of those who felt fear to see a being of power appear among them, as he offered a feather from his glistening wings to any who desired it. As before, a gift freely given made fresh meeting a friendly thing, a lesson to remember for his own mortal children, when time came to give them life.

"I come to speak with your Mother, Briettia, and share in the joy of Creation," he said; and they directed him up the mountain, to the Egg. Whether he would find her there or not, they could not say, for the Mother's movements were like the wind, subtle and oft unforeseen.

SpeedWitch

2021-06-12, 08:39 AM

Meetings on the Concourse
Abu, Renarr, Hetta, Arkhos, Kassa, Dia and Silph
The four of us do share that common history, and there were others too who stood with us against the snake, yet that is an ominous foundation to build on. What basis is there for continued unity if the external threat that it was based on is gone?

I propose we define a new goal or purpose that the new alliance or court could work towards, if that is what we wish to do. So what thoughts do the three of you have for our future cooperation?"For my part, I plan on collecting as many of our archon siblings willing to stand with us as I can find. We can't be everywhere. Having allies both here and across the First World will make things easier for both us and mortals." Dia paused, their sprites freezing in place. "... Admittedly, I've yet to iron out the details of what exactly that would look like. But I'm sure I can figure it out."

"Where is the Great Tyrant, by the way - surely the master of one-third of the world cannot be uninvolved in its protection?" she rasped. "I have heard tales of many gods, in fact; The Burning One, The Eaten God, The Mother of Monsters, The Shelled One, The Guiding Wind - and yet, before me I see only five. Why, even the Great Teacher has yet to appear; an ill omen for an alliance of protectors, I think. Still, I suppose one cannot blame them; the lives of mortals are so very interesting to watch, after all. And it is as you said - what harm is a dead snake?"

Though Kassa had quickly revealed herself to be untrustworthy in Dia's eyes, the fungus-filled goddess shared Dia's and Arkhos' question: the six of them were the only gods in the plane. Was there something unique about the deities assembled here that allowed them to find this place? Were the others too weak to feel the same pull? Too cautious? Dead? Dia did nothing to address Kassa's point - and neither did her three allies in this supposed pantheon.

Come to think of it, who even made this place? Dia could easily detect the influence of almost every god on this plane - Hetta's tiny golems, poking their heads out of the shadows; shards of ore sticking out of the dirt that merchants prayed to Abu Dhahab for in the procurement and selling of; Arkhos' tomb and The Voice he gave to the plane; even the plane itself seemed alive, and looking at the sprites flowing through the ground, Dia could tell this life was given to it by Renarr. Yet, the buildings, the streets - the plane itself didn't seem to display any obvious hints as to what god crafted the buildings and streets - though if they had to guess among those present, Dia would saddle Renarr with having crafted the lackluster architecture, though there was no sign of this in the sprites of the plane itself.

Only a few logical leaps from concluding that this plane was some sort of trap, Dia was distracted from her own thoughts by seeing Renarr grow a spine for the first time in her memory:
"If you spread stories of me among my followers, then tell them what you wish. Let them know that I am out here, waiting, but embellish and take what liberties you desire with the telling. But whatever lies you tell them, know that this is the truth." Crimson eyes locking with the liar's unflinching gaze, Renarr proclaimed, "They must learn to stand on their own. I will not always be there, and I cannot return to the First World to help them any longer. So let them learn to deal with deception from your tales while they are at it."Somewhere in Dia's mind, Herrend was clapping. Dia was so impressed, they were almost proud of Renarr.
[...] he made a small bow (or, at least, what is a bow for a dragon!), and turned to leave. He did spare one glance, however, for Dia; her wordless approval met with his wordless appreciation. He felt she, Lady of Time and Tide, would understand.Dia's feelings on Renarr's tenacity were blown out of the water by the glance they shared with Arkhos - somehow, Arkhos was able to read Dia's mood, despite her lack of expression and her personal sprites tucked inside of her robe. Dia watched on as Arkhos flew back to the First World, then looked back at Renarr. "You sure you made that one? Because he seems awfully familiar to me."
"As for that council and our alliance, Abu Dhahab, you are right that we have vanquished the serpent, and thus bested the most direct threat to the First World. However, that does not mean that everything has magically become safe or better." Using light and shadow, she conjures illusions of mana's influence on mortals, on the underbeer. direwlves, pirates and clay dragons, of runes that drive their practitioners to madness, and wasted blightlands that still refused to heal even so many centuries after the serpent's death. "Wan'shi's influence still remains. It shapes the flesh that was left behind in the darkest places of the world, and beings who would kill or break the spirits of all who willingly give worship to us now rove the First World upon the shattered isle of a dead divinity. Other gods create chaos and monsters, some maliciously and some unknowingly or without any care. And we all but one of us has made something that had unintended consequences." The images resolved into Solace, the Clay Dragons, and Abu Dhahab's curse of sands perhaps being more prolific than he'd intended.Dia's skin seemed to dim in color, similar scenes of pain and destruction flashing across her form from when the Serpent made landfall on Circle Continent.

"Wan'shi." Dia knew not where Renarr got the name from, but would take it for the memories of those she failed to save who could not put a name to the entity that took their lives. "We gave so much to slay it. We can't let its legacy ruin the world we fought so hard to save."
It was at this moment that the Suzerain appeared, between her and Dia, and Renarr would grin softly at seeing her companion in this place. Letting out a long sigh, the Daystar faded over to her Eternal Night aspect, who said, "We would preserve mortal will and the mortal ideals of our followers. Preserve their choices and their individuality. And thus, I think I know exactly who should lead this council."Though they had no face, Dia's jaw dropped when they saw the Surzerain. This was, in their opinion, the best idea Renarr ever had. She mimicked Arkhos' curtsy toward the archon. "Surzerain of Night. Its good to see you again - sorryfornotsayinghilasttime, AHEM." They turned to the other gods. "Everyone, the Surzerain here was the arbiter of the plan to take down Wan'shi, and the reason any of us ever met each other in the first place. I could think of no one better fit to manage this council."
Later, in an unfinished Plane
Hetta, Dia, and countless souls

A cloak of stars seemed to slip out of the nothingness of this space, a short distance away from Hetta.

"Well, this is interesting."

Dia looked down at the masses of souls on the clay ball, thinking. Those are... people. No. ... Yes. No? Several sprites flew across their face as they tried to process what they was seeing. S o u l s . These are souls. And... you wanted to do something for them. Give them something. Purpose? Security? Safety?

Dia looked over at Hetta. "Oh, I um, may have accidentally gleamed your thoughts earlier at the Concourse. Sorry. I can show you how to hide them, if you like.

As well as help out with this little project here... Gripping empty space, Dia pulled back several layers of reality until the veil became thin enough that they could see a star shining brightly before them. I wonder. I helped a golem put memories into stars, which others could read at a distance. Perhaps starlight can transfer more than just knowledge.

Dia extended a hand to Hetta. If you're willing, I think we can combine our power. Pull this plane in closer to the First World. And maybe give these souls - ALL SOULS - another shot at life. Perpetually, even. Probably easier than my idea of stopping death for everyone everywhere - be glad to get that project off my back. What say you?

If Hetta accepts Dia's offer, the walls of the plane would fall away to reveal the night sky, Hetta's clay ball almost seeming to reflect the qualities of a rather notable blue sphere under a similar set of stars.
Starfishing on Nocturne
Alkyone and Herrend

Having learned how to manipulate sprites from watching Alkyone, Herrend frequently brought sprites to the golem to cast into the stars. Alkyone refused the majority of the sprites, only occasionally accepting and making minor constellations that were less likely to show up on a star chart, or to "update" Herrend's Grin with even worse jokes.

However, one fine night on Nocturne, Herrend presented something absolutely covered in sprites, yet despite having done so over a hundred times before by this point, he couldn't pull any out of it. Herrend looked at the object: a flower; with sixteen petals of white, pink and sky-blue. Taking it in hand, he stared at it for a long, long time, uncharacteristically raising a hand to shush Herrend as he begins to make another sarcastic remark. After a while, he begins whispering to the flower, as if he's having a conversation, Herrend leaning in to write down every word... then, after nearly thirty minutes, he gently plucks the petals off - sometimes tearing them in half - and puts them into stars that he casts out into a new constellation.
Athnuachan Atoll
The Sisterhood

While sailing to and from the Jisr Archipelago, one Sisterhood ship spotted large bolts of color in the distance that seemed to linger for a time before vanishing. Investigating this area would reveal an expansive beach, with both its sands and bay smothered with flower petals that seemed to show no signs of decay. While the petals were cute souvenirs, and incorporated into clothes, jewelry and the like by the more crafty sisters, the beach otherwise showed no sign of land or marine life, and the sands themselves were insubstantial for construction. Thus, it would take quite a few trips between the Archipelago and the Land of Cliffs and Spires before The Sisterhood was able to properly identify the tornadoes that formed within the bay, nearly capsizing a ship in the process.Rollover: +5 AP
Starting AP: 6/20

The Vigilant
Create Pantheon (1 AP)
A domain made from the gods who faced down Wan’shi at the start of the world, and any like-minded younger deities who might want to join in. The tenants of this pantheon are simple: Strive to preserve more than you harm, take responsibility for the messes you make, and protect mortals and the world they live in from divine destruction
Having seen the harm the unchecked rampage of a deity can cause, and even the accidental harm an average deity can cause, this council has formed with the intent of protecting mortals from divine destruction, preserving rather than harming, and taking responsibility for your mistakes.Dia votes for the Surzerain to run the council.

The Refraction
Weave Plane (Joint Action 4/4, 2 AP)
Hetta has created a white clay ball suspended in a seemingly-endless darkness, which draws the souls of mortals not already connected to another place to go after their death. The souls sink into the white clay and form out of it, taking on the appearance that they had in life; the stronger the 'personality' and memories of the soul, the more detail and color they have in their appearance.Unclaimed souls from the first world are drawn to the plane, souls pooling into the nearest body of water that reflects the night sky. The darkness of the plane is dotted with stars that reflect the stars surrounding the First World, and a soul can build a path to a star by sacrificing their own memories to the clay, where it will then form a path to the stars. The memories the soul has left will be absorbed into the star they pass through, the soul being returned to the First World through starlight and reborn directly underneath that star. The star will also be permanently marked by the soul's Ren.

Windroses
Bless (1 AP)
A flower native to the skysea, that grow between eight and thirty-two lengthy pointed petals that can be many colors, but are most commonly pink, blue or white. These petals grow longer depending on how often wind blows directly across them from the petal's edge to the center of the flower, meaning windroses often look like a mess of a flower with no symmetry on their petals. Windroses drifts through the clouds like lilies on water, their roots spread-out to keep them from capsizing, absorbing water vapor through the clouds much like most skysea plants. They reproduce by having their pollen spread via wind and with help from pollinators native to the Skysea in calmer areas. At the end of its life cycle, while most of a windrose dissolves into the skysea as nutrients, the flower petals never wither, instead drifting down to a few feet below the surface of the skysea, creating massive waves of color on especially windy days.
Windrose petals blowing above the skysea or even among the lower continents are said to be a sign that the Saorsa is nearby, ready to guide mortals who need its aid.

The Windrose Constellation
Alter Land (0 AP)
A complex collection of twenty-five stars form this constellation. When looking up at this constellation, one feels themself drawn up into the sky, as if flying, and may even see the constellation begin to flush with color and appear more like its living counterpart. Frequent stargazers of this constellation often find themselves feeling empowered with a desire to take hold of their own life, make their own choices and leave places that feel limiting, restricting, or downright oppressive. This, combined with the plant's natural association with the Saorsa, has lead to The Windrose being used as a symbol of freedom and rebellion.
Beyond the feelings it invokes, The Windrose is useful to sailors navigating the seas, both as a reference to location and as an indicator of wind speed. When observing the constellation, if the wind blows a certain direction in the observer's area, the "petals" of The Windrose will appear to glow brightly, the brightest stars pointing at the cardinal direction the wind is coming from as well as displaying the wind's strength relative to its brightness. Staring at The Windrose for a long time can also reveal how the wind's direction and strength will change in their area over the next few hours, up to a twenty-four hour period, though this can make the inexperienced especially nauseous at sea.
When no wind is present in a given area, the Windrose appears to light-up in the direction of the Athnuachan Atoll.

Athnuachan Atoll
Counter-AP Action (The Wind of Athnuachan, 2AP)
A large atoll located in the mid-south of the Jiar Archipelago, whose shores are home to no life save for windrose petals. The Athnuachan Wind regularly passes through this area to recharge on divine energy from the skysea before continuing its trek around the world. This takes the form of several massive tornadoes chock full of windrose petals that stretch up into the clouds and connect to the skysea before dispersing upon the Athnuachan Wind's departure. The amount of time it takes for the wind to recharge varies between a few minutes to half a week, and at this point in time there is no documented pattern to explain when and why the wind behaves the way it does.

Current Level: Lesser Deity

★ Mind (Forgotten Memories)

★ Night (Stars)

★ Life (Celestial)

★ Life (Protection)

★ Thought (Preservation)

❖ ??? (???) TBA
➤ 1 AP - The Vigilant
➤ 2 AP - The Refraction
3/10 AP

❖ ??? (???) TBA
➤ 1 AP- Windroses
➤ 2 AP - Athnuachan Atoll
0/10 AP

Remaining AP: 2/20

Zelphas

2021-06-12, 02:33 PM

In the Refraction, newly completed

Hetta responds to Dia's offer of hiding her thoughts with a blank look, unsure of what to do with the information. Are thoughts supposed to be hidden, or exposed? Is there a protocol of some sort for this?

The introduction of stars and paths for the souls is a welcome one; Hetta turns back to the now-quiet mortals and watches as they slowly realize what they can do now. One of them, a human who had been born and raised in the Blighted Lands and so did not have a strong connection to any god, speaks first. "I'll take that one," he says, pointing to the second star to the right of the topmost point of the sky where he stood. "With luck, if I go straight on, I'll get there by morning."

One by one, the mortals chose their stars and built their pathways out of memory, emptying themselves to be reborn. Some few, most of them centaurs, remained upon the clay ball in the center for a time before choosing, helping new souls as they arrive, going over their memories carefully before surrendering them, or simply enjoying a moment of peace and rest, away from the demands of life.

The Centaur Lands, Solidified

The vampires were the catalyst, though several other factors contributed to the consolidation of the centaur cities. These new, intelligent monsters destroyed a significant number of centaur lives in the very heart of their ancestral lands before they were discovered, and still more fell before the Feet of Clay were mobilized and informed enough to successfully combat them.

One spectacular battle in the middle of the ancient centaur town of Claywatch, nestled near the lands of the Pit of Making and undisturbed by Wan'shi, orc, or anything else until now, woke up the entire society of the centaurs to the dangers living in their borders. Two vampires had chosen the same prey and struck at once, becoming aware of each other moments after each struck a killing blow to the elderly Centaur gardener who had been employed by the chief of Claywatch. The resultant explosion of territorial violence between the two monsters was too big, to catastrophic, to remain hidden, and almost the entire town saw firsthand what these shapeshifters really looked like and what they could do; the chief and his family had front-row seats, as it were, since the bulk of the battle took place roughly twenty feet from the large front window of his house.

The centaurs were too decentralized, they realized, too separated from each other to deal with what seem to be continually-escalating threats to their homelands and ways of life. Messages galloped from town to town, and steadily decisions were reached. There was resistance, of course, this or that chief unwilling to subordinate his power to another or this or that town wanting to be in one district instead of another, but eventually the Everrun Council was called together; three centaurs, put in place by their fellow centaurs and empowered to make decisions for the race and their lands as a whole. The centaurs, having spent so long in informal unity, were now formally united.

1 AP + 5 AP = 6 AP

Create Racial Society (The Everrun Council) -2 AP: The centaurs are now joined officially into the Everrun Council, which oversees all town and cities that are made up of a majority of centaurs on the Everrun Plains. The Plains are divided into three districts (North, East, and South), which each elect a chief in that district every ten years to represent them at the Council itself. The three districts are further subdivided into smaller sections which elect chiefs within their section to manage the day-to-day operation of that section, with the advice of the other chieftains. The section chief can override the orders of any chief in their section, the district Council member can override the orders of any section chief in their district, and a majority vote of the Everrun Council takes precedence over all other rulings and laws. (Domain Progression: Races (Centaurs) 4/10)

6 AP - 2 AP = 4 AP Remaining

KragBrightscale

2021-06-12, 03:34 PM

Tome of Enlightenment - Ink

Things had come a long way since the early carved symbols of the Kobolds first found its way into Lizardfolk hands. Not having a writing system or their own, the Lizardfolk in the past had opted to adopt the one introduced to them, it would make for easier communication and trade too.

As the plant used to carve on was native to the swamps, the Lizardfolk had only minor success growing it in their oases, so alternatives were looked for. A great step forward had been made amongst the ascetics on Jazira Alsahali, one of the kobold library caretakers had stumbled across the Tome of Enlightenment that Manar had left on the table in her rush to inform people about bronze working.

Curiously flipping open the book, an invention that really suited them was displayed in golden symbols. Digesting the knowledge of Ink, the kobold rushed to test it out. From the idea of using the burnt end of a stick to write with, they took soot and mixed it with a kind of glue to create ink sticks. Grinding the ink sticks and dissolving the resulting powder in water meant it was now possible to write on parchment with a brush. Parchment was made of stretched animal hides and the brushes were made using a bundle of animal hairs attached to the end of a stick, two practical uses of corpse crafting that only now could show their potential.

This new form of writing spread quickly, and the knowledge of how to make and use ink was spread freely, some of the few Mutajahil who still traveled between the continents managed to sneak past the pirates who’s blockade was thinner after their recent loss and arrive back in circle continent where the knowledge was passed to Lizardfolk and Kobolds alike.

Contract Magic - The first Contracts

Researching the divine punishment for oathbreakers inspired the merchants of circle content’s Unified republics to start looking for ways to define their commitments as precisely as possible.

The fear of accidentally promising more than what they could deliver weighed down on them as they tried various methods of working around the curse. The curse had been helpful though, as oaths could now be reliable, allowing for cooperation despite the current widespread distrust.

Spoken word was quickly discovered to be too vague, as the other party may have a very different understanding of what was being agreed upon. So they turned to the only other method of communication that had grown significantly in use over the past generations, writing.

With their brushes and ink ready, the merchants looking for ways to harness the oathbreakers’ curse started writing out potential agreements on parchment. Working in groups to determine the meaning of the hypothetical agreements they later presented it to other groups to check for what could be misunderstood. Notes were eventually appended to the bottom of each example until the first contracts were created.

They were relatively simple contracts, and documented the agreement for one merchant to purchase another merchant’s house. The document could be used as proof if anyone contested the ownership of the property. Soon these spread throughout the society and became documents recognized by the community leaders, and could be used to resolve many disputes. Merchants started carrying around an item with their personalized stamp which would be used to sign these new contracts.

Excited by their recent success in creating mundane contracts a number of different variation applicable to various scenarios were also made. Work contracts, contracts promising payment, contracts to borrow things, contracts for relationships, and contracts for any business related exchange.

Things didn’t stop there though, as merchants found their contracts were not a guarantee for compliance. Sure they would make settling disputes increasingly fair, and authorities would more often know who is in the wrong, but nothing came close to the dreaded cursed oaths.

So researchers once again dived back into contracts, this time looking at magical means and the conditions to activate the oath’s curse. Gold sacrifice was noted down, as well as the need for a source of power to enforce things.

Grinding gold down into powder and mixing it into the ink wasn’t too hard, and it gave the ink a nice look that shimmered in the right light. Various power sources were attempted and used to variable success. Mixing Ki or mana into the ink used was possible, but the contracts and ink would usually disintegrate or spontaneously combust due to being unable to effectively contain or hold the energy.

It wasn’t until a Ki practitioner tried mixing their own blood into the ink that things changed. Now mana, Ki, or any other potent energy that could be contained or used by one’s body could be used to write with. Further researched proved that blood from any creature capable of using mana or other forms of magic could be used in writing the contracts. Signatures and seals, however, required the blood of the signee.

Finally, a contract written in magic ink was successfully created. An older merchant volunteered to be the test subject. Should anything happen to him causing him to die as a result, his family would receive a hefty sum in compensation, that had been guaranteed by a cursed oath.

The simple clause was that the old merchant would sell one of his spears to one of the guards. After receiving the payment, the merchant would have a day to deliver the spear. If he failed to do so, then the he would lose the ability to use his left arm until either the money was repaid with extra, or the spear was delivered along with a refund.

With nervous anticipation, the group waited until the stipulated day came to an end. The old merchant held the spear and the payment in preparation to quickly pass it over if he started feeling dehydrated.

Instead of turning to sand or any of the warning signs that preceded the curse, the old merchant felt a portion of his Ki escape his control and move to his left arm. Almost immediately, he lost all sensation in the arm as the Ki blocked his nerves. The coin purse fell to the ground with a clatter as his arm went limp.

Success!! The terms of the contract and its punishment for failing to meet them had been confirmed to work.

The old Crocodilian merchant mobilized the rest of his Ki and tried to dislodge the disobedient Ki paralyzing his arm. To his frustration, whenever it weakened, it would absorb another portion of his Ki to keep itself active, even if he had no more Ki left, it seemed it would absorb mana from the air to strengthen itself.

Passing the spear over to the guard along with the coins, the final test was done. As if responding to his own thoughts the Ki controlled by the contract dissipated out through his skin returning his arm that had been held hostage.

Raising his left hand, the surrounding merchants cheered and congratulated each other. They had done it! Now it was just a matter of tweaking things. There was widespread relief that the curse would not activate if another contract was in control of the terms conditions and punishments.

The exact recipe for the magic ink would be a closely guarded secret for a while until the Lizardfolk could learn the full potential of their discovery.

AP: 1 +5, Rollover!

Create mundane concept: Ink (free use of artifact: Tome of Enlightenment)
By mixing finely ground soot with animal glue made by boiling animal bones, hides and sinew. Different colors could be achieved by mixing in other dyes, and soot from burning different kinds of wood made for a variety textures. By shaping and drying the ink mixture into solid sticks, writers could personally adjust the texture and color of their ink by the ratio of ground ink to water.
No portfolio progress due to being free

Create mundane concept: Contracts -1 AP
Written agreements, with enough weight to be used to solve disputes and determine liability, responsibility, and ownership. With the ideas of a systematic set of laws coming to the Lizardfolk through trade with Corrla and other societies, contracts have a basis of power to back them up. Any large transaction with Lizardfolk merchants will now come with a set of contracts that each party can use as proof of the agreed upon terms.
Compulsion (Contracts) 3/10

Create mythic subconcept (mana): Contract Magic -2 AP
Through the use of magic inks made by mixing powdered gold with blood of creatures that have magical abilities (best if it’s from one capable of using the same type of energy as will be used to power the contract) magically binding contracts can be made.

Requiring a signature/seal/handprint using the signee’s blood and a form of energy (ki/divine energy/mana/planar energy/elemental energy/mental energy/etc), the energy poured into the contract will independently enter the bodies of the parties who signed it until the conditions are met or punishment is needed. Because the energy is a mix of each individuals’ provided energy it can’t be controlled or changed by either party or anything short of divine intervention.

After signing, the contract will burn up and turn into a glowing intangible light that enters the signee’s bodies. As this happens, sprites containing the memory of all the written content will form and fuse with the energy that enters their bodies.

When the signee truly believes they have completed the conditions, their own thoughts that break off and become sprites will be a source of confirmation the contract sprite resonates with to determine if that is the case. A contract may however contain parts the signee missed or forgot, so this evidence is matched up with the contract sprite’s memories.

Signees must be sentient, personally sign with their own blood, and willingly input their energy into the contract and for it to work properly, limiting its use for the most part to those who can actually think and understand the terms or what they are agreeing to. Magical contracts with monstrous creatures would require first giving them a higher level of intelligence.
Compulsion (Contracts) 5/10

AP remaining: 6 -1 -2 = 3

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-12, 08:54 PM

Kassa and the Concordance of Divinity (Verse Four)

Kassa watched intently as the other gods debated and formalized the finer points of their alliance, not caring to participate. Most, it seemed, had brushed off or merely ignored her remarks. To be expected, she supposed. She smiled at the Twilight Goddess' implicit challenge.

"Oh, fret not, Twilight Goddess; my intent is merely to spread word of this new plane itself, and of its entrance, wherever it may end up being. I do so hate to see a good resource such as this one wasted. I plan to tell no lies of you - at least, none more fantastic than the ones the Shaline Empire already tell of their glorious and radiant Empress." Kassa's form changed again: taking the shape of a tall, pale elven woman in spotless white, eyes blazing, crowned with iron and gold, with both arms slicked to the elbow in fresh blood. "Truth is a curious thing. Oh, it starts so pure and glorious; so glorious, in fact, that no words could hope to capture it! So when it is passed on, it is inevitably dimmed. Things are forgotten, misremembered, misheard, left out. And so much is added, as well; so many little bits of detritus and grime from the societies it passes through, little things necessary for the telling to be understood at all. Events become stories, people become monsters and heroes, even gods themselves are made into whatever mortals require them to be. Truths become lies; but a lie, spread far enough and believed fiercely enough, becomes its own sort of truth, does it not? So know this, Goddess of the Daystar, Empress of the Shaline Empire: no Renarr may come to guide them, but I assure you, your faithful are more than capable of making one in their own image." The figure in white smiled, dazzling and false. "From what you have said, I am not so certain you would like her, if you met."

Kassa changed form one last time, adopting the gnoll guise she had first slipped in with. "Well, a beggar must know when their welcome has been worn thin. I wish you all the best of luck. And as recompense for hosting an old crone's ramblings, allow me to offer this token. The serpent prophesied our deaths. Was he right? Who can say! I have little reason to doubt it, and I know of few things indeed that continue to grow and influence after true death. But if we are fated to be eaten or to fade, I certainly intend to delay it as much as can be managed. So know this truth:" All mirth and levity dropped from her expression; and when she spoke next, the air itself rang and resonated with the power of Arkhos's blessing. ""If the serpent, or something like it, returns, I will not fight it directly. But ask of me any favor, any boon, any or every scrap of my power, and it is yours."

And with that, Kassa melted into worms, the worms melted into the ground, and she was gone.

---

Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault.

Jala repeated it like a mantra in her head, over and over as the geckokin sped down the old moonlit path, cart bouncing and rocking behind her. Maybe, if she repeated it enough, it would become true. She would not have to think about, or deal with, what had happened. What was happening right now. Jala looked over her shoulder once again, straining to detect if there were any signs of torches following her, voices calling after her. If she was caught, if anyone found out about this...no. Can't think about that. Have to focus. Have to make this go away.

The sight of shimmering moonlight through the trees caught her eye, and she slowed, pulling the cart right up to the lake's edge. She scanned the far shores of the lake, looking for any signs of fishers or cookfires, but saw none. Good. This place was not as remote as she would have liked, but it would do. It had to do. Dropping the cart's handles, Jala quickly walked around and pulled the rough-hewn blanket off her cargo: a lizardfolk boy, no older than twelve, staring sightlessly into the night sky above.

It was an experimental new variety of mana-enhancing potion created with an unusual artifact Jala had dug up; a request from her Veiled Shadow contact. That was all it was supposed to be. And, well, of course she had needed to find someone to test it on. The side-effects should have been minimal; maybe a bit of nausea and fever, a new eye at worst. Not this. Jala Bilal was a skilled and respected alchemist. This should not have happened. This didn't happen. She was going to make it not have happened.

She hauled the boy's corpse out of the cart, staring directly into his unblinking eyes, and the weight of what she was doing hit her all at once.

what am i doing, what in the name of the Great Lizard am i doing, i need to go back, i need to tell someone, he deserves a funeral at lea- no no no no no no no no no NO NO NO.

Nobody could know about this. Nobody. Not the village, not the family, not her colleagues and certainly not her employers. She would lose everything; the punishment would likely be exile at least. And at worst...she knew what the Veiled Shadow did to those of their fold who began to attract too much public attention, she'd helped them do it before for gods' sake.

No. There had been no experiment, there had been no potion, the boy had probably just run away. Yes, that would work. The parents didn't even know she'd hired the boy. This would all just go away, no trace left. Jala needed it to go away.

With a grunt, Jala grabbed the cart's other occupant - a large, misshapen earthen cauldron, still stained with the remnants of her brew - and fastened it to the boy's body before hauling the both of them into the dark waters. Bloody work done, she grabbed the cart and sped back off towards town.

Beneath the lake's surface, a small fish, attracted by the noise, swam up to the strange mass sinking in the water and took a small, experimental nibble.

Something changed within the fish. It took another. And another. And another.

---

It had come down, in the end, to a lack of preparation.

The fleet captains of the Red Council had expected the main threats to the League to come from elsewhere; perhaps a coordinated push from the merchants' union in the north, or a surprise strike from the new armada they had heard rumors of to the east. Much of their resources and fleets were tied up in these areas, securing their positions in the central borderlands or the southern seas, locking their problems down before they could become problems. Reinforcing the harbors or building additional watchtowers in the Jisr seemed to many like a waste of limited resources far better spent elsewhere. Nobody had seriously considered the idea that the Jazira Alshali could even resist their initial attack, much less mount a serious naval offense.

And yet, they did exactly that. Unlike the bickering and overconfident League barons, the colonists were of singular mind and purpose; and when they saw that their initial victory had taken the League by surprise, morale soared, and they did not hesitate to press the advantage while they had it. They would not settle for merely sending the pirates back only for them to return another day; they would forge their way back to the Circle Continent themselves, taking back what the League had so presumptuously attempted to sell back to them.

Island after island fell to the new colony fleet. Though their blockades were incredibly powerful, the petty politicking of the Red Council had made for poor lines of communication, leaving fleets out of position, with incomplete information on the strength and location of enemies and allies both. The lack of watchtowers made their islands easy to surprise; the lack of fortifications made them easy to take; and the powers of sorcerers and mutants, while well-suited indeed for the ranged ambushes of overwhelming force and chaos they were infamous for, were not so well-suited to defense. The fact that a few enterprising colony captains had discovered that Jade King totems could almost single-handedly shut down a whole unit of League magic-users was almost adding insult to injury.

But as the Colony raised their colors over Jazira Alnuwras, one of the League's main resupply points for the archipelago - a capture that put them within striking distance of several of their main headquarters - nobody was bickering anymore. The colony now had the Kalarian League's full and undivided attention. And it was quickly becoming clear that besting this enemy would require some more...unscrupulous tactics.

AP Total: 1/16

Rollover: 1+4 = 5AP

Curse (Lake of Lost Blood)[0AP, done through Artifact (Traitor's Cookpot)]

A small, little-known lake located in the northern Red Coast, not far from the outskirts of the city of Bajra. The lake is remarkable for its stagnant crimson water, which has highly corrosive properties. Objects placed in the water will quickly begin to rust or fall apart, and living beings will experience rashes,burns and bleeding in mere moments. The exceptions are the lake's fish, which are all highly aggressive, exclusively carnivorous, and attracted to the scent of blood.

The lake is avoided by locals for obvious reasons, though a few who know of it do use it for various things. A few daring (and usually wealthy) visitors try to fish in it using specially-protected lines and hooks; on the rare occasions that they are successful, however, what they catch is invariably both grotesquely monstrous and totally inedible. Some local alchemists and apothecaries collect the water for its strange properties.

And of course, every lower-class citizen of Bajra knows what it means when the Veiled Shadow or a local criminal gang sends someone on a "boat ride".

5-0 = 5AP Remaining

Gnomes2169

2021-06-13, 01:38 AM

The Empire of Light and Kobolds - A Meeting
While Varral was accepted into the general group of kobolds, and found himself suddenly getting a lot of patient and very understanding attention, the vessel that the archons had chartered finally made landfall and the mortal representatives of the Empire disembarked. The gale knight captain and his magi first mate were the first to set foot in the swamp, and... well, the mage was shedding a good bit of light as he infused himself with Solace's power (effectively working like a bug zapper) while the knight swirled the air around himself to keep away all the biting bugs that had suddenly found new, softer, unscaled/ furless things to chew upon. Most of the crew was not as lucky or talented and thus would be sporting red welts shortly after landfall.

Well, nothing sacrificed, nothing gained. And really, what was a few liters of blood donated to the swamp anyway, right?

This crew and Varral would work as the actual diplomats, mortal to mortal, to the kobolds, since Neela had made that distinction clear. Their foods and spices were trade goods being offered, but the mage and her apprentices had something more. New ways of working mana, properly documented and researched notes detailing Augmentation and Transposition, with the early notes theorizing further portal magics, were the primary offering on display here, and they figured it would be a good treaty point. After all, as far as they knew, the Shaline empire was the only place that knew of this method of magic... no one here, after all, knew about the republic that guarded the knowledge just as jealousy far to the west.

Meanwhile, Ennis, sensing that he was perhaps not as necessary to this venture as he at first assumed he might be, would consider the kobold champion's offer. "Well then. I did not come to speak in Renarr's name, but since it seems my companions have taken over the task of treating with the mortals we both defend..." Gesturing for the smaller mortal to lead on, Ennis tells her, "A bath would be lovely. I fear what I must smell like after being trapped on a ship for weeks. And a place where we can relax and speak freely would be... most welcome."

Once lead to the baths, and after a bit of small talk about the works here in the swamps and at the mouth to Solace back in the empire, Ennis got to the point. "Renarr is no longer on the First World. But she talks to us... specifically, to me and Amerith. The other solar don't know that, nor do any of the mortals that we are doing our best to shepherd. I did come here at her behest, to gently push the members of her flock and Lor's together in a mutually beneficial relationship. That's happening without me, now. So I can turn to a different matter." Reaching into his core, the diplomatic archon pulled out a small fragment of essence from the Concourse that he'd been gifted by Renarr, holding that spark in his hand out to Neela. With a sigh, looking perhaps a bit more comfortable without a foreign energy coursing in his body any longer, he says, "Renarr has worked with others of the divine pantheon to form a new plane. While there is currently no gateway that mortals can take to reach this place, one should come soon... but that is not all these gods have crafted. The gods, Renarr, Abu Dhahab, Hetta and Dia, have pooled their power together to make a council of deities that seek to protect mortals like they all did back when Wan'shi threatened all life. Only one living god who joined in that struggle is absent, and Renarr would be happy to have Lor join her once more, though in a much more peaceful capacity than last time."

The Shaleill Armada - The Jisr Conflict
The pirates had been right to be warry of the empire's probing vessels, for when the fleet began to pull all of its resources in to crush the merchant republic's rebellion, the admirals and their captains smelled blood in the water and they pounced. While they would not be overtly hostile or attack on sight to start with, the ships of the Shaline empire roved in proper, regimented fleets, bristling with troops that were reinforced by magi and windweavers, both of which finally demonstrated a shadow of what these foreign vessels could do to the gnolls and lizards that had watched them so wearily for so long.

While only a fragment of the full armada, though not a mere expeditionary force like the one headed by Azreal, this fleet had still struck at the perfect opportunity. When it became obvious that the League's vessels were bent to resisting Shaline interests, the ships of the empire would strike hard and they would strike without mercy. After all the minor disasters that had struck them and the unveiling of windweaving and transposition that had effectively eliminated the unprepared scouting vessels that had been left to watch the armada's movement before they could send word, that strike would prove to be surprisingly devastating, even given the clear imbalance in raw numbers between the pirates and the fragment of the armada.

But sheer audacity, shock and awe could only work so well, and there were two major factions in this conflict that had to be contended with. Numbers were still important, and the Shaleill fleets knew they could not fight both factions on their own. So with the league remaining hostile, the empire sent emissaries to the merchants instead, offering to help drive out the privateer empire in exchange for the chance to establish embassies and trade routs to the empire of light. As an added incentive, since it was quite obvious that the merchants had pushed far beyond their means in this conflict, the armada offered to provide peacekeepers once the conflict had finally settled, so that the merchants could focus on trade instead of being forced to deal with constant rebellions on their own.

Noldan Republic - Church of the Vigilant
The formation of a pantheon between old allies had likely been inevitable, and so too was it only natural that the nation that already worshiped all of the gods who now formed that pantheon would be the first site of the church dedicated to this alliance. Each of the gods, who were known both by the tales told by the Suzerain and Abu Dhahab himself, would have a shrine in this place, though one of the serpent slayers, Magrius, would remain absent in this place. Since his death and the waning of his power his cult faded further and further into obscurity, and the formation of this church would effectively spell the death knell to that faith's relevancy within the republic, and through that the world at large.

They would remain, though. Fragmented cells that looked into and obsessed over the dead and dying in potentially... unnatural ways.

The Church of the Vigilant, name born of the assurance that the gods of this pantheon still watched over the world and the mortals that worshiped them, would be born. Its members worked to strengthen the Noldan republic, and unified the islands yet further.

Concourse - The Meeting of Gods
The departure of the two younger gods would garner different reactions from Renarr, who seemed to grow more exhausted by the minute.

Of Kassa's display and taunting, the goddess of twilight had nothing to say. It was a tense silence, one that the Suzerain almost broke by beginning to reach for the blade at his side, with a cold and furious black flame blazing in his eyes, but Renarr extended one hand and pressed her presence against the archon of night's shoulder to stay his response. No. The liar god was right. And Renarr would not respond to the jibes that prodded at the truth of why she'd left, even if they were purposefully dug into painful points.

Instead, she focused on what Arkhos said to her, and she would give the dragon a bit of a squint before he departed, as if trying to determine just how serious he'd been. "If I did truly have a hand in him, then clearly he learned his manners from me." The Eternal Night teased Dia back, trying to mask her discomfort. No, Renarr clearly had a hand in the formation of that younger serpentine being, that was without a doubt. Her essence was suffused within him. But the part of her that must have contributed, the raw divinity that had fueled his own ascent... that had come from her joint strike with Lor upon Wan'shi. It had come from the darker part of her, the one that relished in the unleashed power, that had taken vicious satisfaction from Solace's creation and the demonstration of just how much greater she had been than the lesser divinities of that time. She could not bring herself to fully trust the dragon because she didn't know how much of that, frankly, monstrous nature he'd inherited.

For now, she would keep it out of her mind. After all, the Suzerain was reacting to Dia's suggestion that he be the head of this new pantheon. And his response was the following:

"No."

The archon would slice his hand across the air as he made that refusal, as if to punctuate it, and he adds, "I am no god. I will not take the reigns of command here, even if I fit your oddly specific criteria far too well. My answer is no."

To which Renarr said, "Suzerain. Enough."

Turning on her instead, holding out one finger to wag at the goddess who had served as his oldest and most constant companion, the archon hisses, "You promised me I would not need to confront this side of me. You told me that I would not be forced to rule. I am no god."

"My friend..." Locking eyes with the archon, unflinching, because despite Dia's assumptions the Suzerain had not been the instigator to Renarr's bravery against the serpent, simply the shock to her system that she'd needed to return to the battle, the goddess takes in a deep breath and she points out, "You literally call yourself the Suzerain. While you have been careful to avoid it, you have shaped that republic with your indirect rule for generations. Had the creator not left you unfinished, you would have been born to rule the Night and a mortal empire of your own in my stead. And you are perfect for the role you are being offered. Powerful, but not a threat to the gods of the alliance. Intimately familiar with the affairs and interests of mortals, but without their needs and short-sightedness. And you are respected by the majority of the gods here."

Stepping up to the archon, who's jaw was dropped in shock at the more submissive Eternal Night aspect talking to him in this way, she taps her finger on his chest twice and commands, "So stop. Moping. And accept the aspect of yourself that you have been denying for so long. After all..." A shy grin on her face, she gestures to the members of the pantheon still there, and she points out, "Each of us has an aspect we are not proud of, here. But we embrace it anyway... because if we don't, we'll never be able to move on."

And, from little more than shock at realizing she was right, the Suzerain gave in. The hints of divinity that he'd always possessed became emphasized as his second aspect, one of order and rule, finally was unveiled, and the once hero now had the same presence as a proper lesser divinity. Exalted by his connection to Renarr, and now far more than he had been just moments ago. "You realize, of course, that I will delay telling you my name because of this." He still manages to growl, despite the sudden euphoric surge of his apotheosis.

In response she just grinned at him, and that smile told him that she doubted it had delayed it by very much. After all, a few millennia had already passed and she still called him Suzerain. If he had a real name, he wasn't telling anyone.

Starting AP: 0
Starting Pantheon AP: 1

Rollover: +5 AP, +1 PAP

-3 Exalt Hero; The Suzerain: The Suzerain now functions as more than just a hero, he is Renarr's divine avatar within the world. She does not control him directly, content to let him act as his own being even now that they are further connected, but his actions are often guided by her and are assumed to have her direct approval.

Additionally, he now pings as properly divine to the senses of the other gods. A demigod of Order and Darkness, with little hints of the essence of war snuck in there.
Domain acquisition: Life (Twilight) 8/10

-1 PAP; Raise Church - The Church of the Vigilant: This is the church of the newly formed Vigilant pantheon, founded and present within the Noldan Republic exclusively at this moment. Once a Concordat is established, this church may spread to other societies within the pantheon's influence.
Sphere acquisition: Civilization 1/10

Total AP expended: 5
Total PAP expended: 1

Remaining AP: 2
Remaining PAP: 1

Domain progression:
Life (Twilight): 8 (Sub-race: Solari, Blessing: Suzerain's chosen, Noldan Republic, Shaleill Armada, Exalt Suzerain)
War (Preservation): 2 (Create Pantheon, Split Planar Magic: Augmentation/ Transposition)

Razade

2021-06-13, 09:58 AM

The Un-Mooring of Firespine Island

The Weshesh had long been at work once word arose of their floating islands to add more to their mobile archipelago. The Circle Continent was unlikely ever to be in such a state but the few permanent and steady towns and cities would do well to supply the rest of the Weshesh's nomadic network. Somewhere needed to supply the vast amount of lumber and raw materials that the islands would be ill-equipped to support for long. But the many volcanic islands the Orcs had first arose from...those perhaps could work. The first test was Firespine, the place on which the Serpent had landed and birthed from its mighty shaking of the earth. Explosives and mana were put to the task, many a Xen losing their life in the pursuit but when the time was ready and with great pride Firespine Island floated off from The Circle Continent.

This would be one of three flagships for the Weshesh, floating weapons that were made to drive fear into any who might challenge them on the waves be they pirate or other nation. With such a wonder on the seas, the Weshesh swelled with pride, the newly minted Firespire acting as the seat of the Orcish Admiralty, a place for all to train before sent off on the fleet kept in its mobile harbor. Unlike the many islands of the former Turtle Islands, where Orcish children laughed and learned and played, The Firespine was an academy for war. There would be no laughing save for its mead halls, no learning that did not facilitate the Orcish drive for excellence in their craftsmanship and maintaining of their navy.

AP: 5AP

Create Minor Combat Artifact (The Firespine) - 3AP: Made from the former volcanic island of Firespine, the newly minted battleship of the Weshesh is both a horror and wonder to behold. Much like the island fortresses that once were known as Turtle Island, Firespine is an imposing figure on the waves that retains its magma core. With careful magical portals, the magma can be deposited on ships on top of the other weapons it bristles with. The Firespine is, much like other island fortresses, a place that houses a large population though unlike those former Turtle Island pieces, The Firespine is first and foremost a weapon of war. [War (Invention) 7/10]

Create Organization (The Armada) - 1AP: Controlled by the Admiralty, the Weshesh Armada is comprised of all ships, islands and any other thing that can float that the Weshesh control. The training of The Armada is brutal like anything the Weshesh do, merit and skill the only thing that really counts. Those that cannot live up to the exacting standard are put to the mainland where they can be used elsewhere. [War (Invention) 8/10]

Bless (Orcish Naval Tradition) -1AP: The Weshesh, through the brutal training regimens of their Orcish masters, are a force to be reckoned with on the high seas. Between their portal magic and early gunpowder weaponry, the Armada has a great many weapons to field along with their network of floating bases and the center of its fleet, The Firespine. [War (Invention) 9/10]

KragBrightscale

2021-06-13, 11:49 AM

War of the Jisr - Foreign Armadas

Timsah frowned as she read over the latest report from the frontline. There had been a strong push by several members of the Colonial Navy to push back the pirates while the wind was still in their favor, so they did.

None of the battles following the one at the bay of blood had been as significant, with the lack of unity amongst pirate fleets causing many battles to be over due to some captains just fleeing before any side could fully commit to full on combat.

The merchants back at Jazira Alsahali were celebrating the successive victories from the safety of their markets but Timsah knew that their current progress would not continue. She could feel it. Although she didn’t know it, there were practically no one as experienced in naval warfare in the world, and her intuition for these things were seldom wrong.

The report she was reading only confirmed her suspicions. The pirates had willingly withdrawn from many of the islands her fleet now patrolled, and although they seemed weaker, they were now like a coiled viper ready to strike.

The second report she read from her makeshift office, the captains cabin of the Leviathan ll, detailed a sighting of another fleet.

Unlike the pirates who flew the flags showing their allegiance to the League, these ships had unfamiliar symbols and flags that were assumed to be referring to Solace, the heavenly fire that burned the minor divinities and now provides light in the day.

This new fleet had ships of similar design to what they had seen before, no doubt another group that had been blessed with the knowledge of shipbuilding by the wind goddess. The report, written by some Mutajahil who had been sneaking past the pirates under the cover of the mirage blessing, also stated that the new fleet had almost immediately launched an attack on one of the many pirate ports, bombarding it with magic and sending the few pirate ships moored there up in flames.

The large fleet outnumbered the few pirates who had yet to complete their planned withdrawal from the island outpost so although the merchants had quickly moved on to avoid being drawn into the mess, the ending could be assumed to be a victory for the foreign fleet.

Things were already complicated enough in the archipelago with just the pirates to deal with, and Timsah didn’t like the idea of a third party suddenly moving into the region, it felt threatening.

The Weshesh fleets had always been powerful in the eyes o Timsah, but she felt less threatened by their presence. Perhaps due to the longstanding trade agreements, or perhaps because while the colony stuck to the shallows between the islands, the Weshesh roamed the open seas on either side with their enormous floating fortresses. There was less competition between the two due to each having their distinct areas. Reports of seeing a new massive moving island in the distance had impressed her, but it was unlikely that something so big could squeeze between the gaps between islands in the Jisr.

She had heard a few merchants grumble about how the Weshesh seemed to now be able to transport goods between continents faster and safer than the Mutajahil and were becoming a strong force in the world of trade, but that wasn’t her problem.

Writing up a quick message addressed to the leadership of the League, Timsah let the ink dry before passing it to a subordinate to deliver using one of their faster messenger ships. So far it had mostly been insults, threats, and various offers for the other side to surrender that had been sent.

This message was notifying the League of the presence of a third party with unknown intentions in case none had escaped the battle to pass on the message. Timsah called for a temporary truce and suggested a meeting to discuss how to respond to the potential threat that had arrived unannounced in their territory. She also mentioned that the colony would attempt to talk with this new player and find out what they wanted and why they had come.

Hopefully this foreign threat would give the pirates a reasonable excuse to end the fighting.

Giving the command, A large portion of the colony’s recently constructed navy set off in the direction of the closest colony outpost to where the foreign fleet had been spotted. Timsah went below deck to join the rowers, the simple hard work had a calming effect that she needed right now. Gripping an oar tightly, she exerted the correct amount strength to move the ship forward along with the other rowers. Hopefully she would still find the ships and guards at the outpost still alive when she arrived. Otherwise the foreign fleet would have to learn the brutality of the archipelago’s warfare first hand.

Nothing here to see. Just RP today.

Kinro

2021-06-13, 12:04 PM

Ennis certainly got some points from Neela for making the right choice. And he would be able to see the effects almost instantly. Once he had plunged himself in the warm waters, he would find that the kobolds around him were a lot less wary and a lot less awed, both towards him and Neela, the atmosphere of the bath working even against the divine, apparently. He even got some offers to wash his back from a small team of kobolds already ready with step stools, while Neela graciously accepted the offer from just the one as she casually spoke with Ennis, where anyone could hear, of affairs of the gods.

"Never has Lor spoken to us," Neela replied to Ennis. "Not until me, at least. But we can see it any time we like, shining its light to us from up there, on the Serpent Moon, where it guards against the Great Serpent's revival, along with those most worthy of the task." She nodded at Ennis's explanations. "The Great Mirror does not move easily. It was forced onto the Serpent Moon due to the Great Serpent's curse, but there it will remain. In the ways that it would feel gladness, it would be glad to meet these gods that it once joined against the greatest of threats, but it will not go to their plane." She took a breath and closed her eyes, silent for some time. And when she opened them again, she was smiling at Ennis again. One hand, she placed under his extended one, one hand over, taking hold of the shining shard and bringing it to her breast, where it was absorbed. "We accept your god's offer, Ennis," she said. "As it has done before, as it is doing now, Lor will continue to watch and protect. And when it is needed again, the gods will know where to find it."

The ship's crew was, of course, as welcome with the kobolds as any who came with good intentions and, especially, an interest in sharing knowledge. And this knowledge that was brought to them sparked great thought indeed. Not in itself, but in its implications, for while most kobolds seemed to care little for magic itself, except in the general way that they cared about all knowledge, there was something more to this. Something that was of special interest to the Kobold Post especially, as the implications became more obvious. For, if a gate could be formed to reach between two planes, couldn't one be formed to link two places inside the same plane? This plane, perhaps? Of course, it turned out not to be so easy. Not to create the gate itself, of course, but to place it where it was needed. Linking to outside planes was essentially random on one side, but this needed precise work, extensive calculations and a great quantity of energy. Even a master of teleportation magics, it turned out, could achieve no more than a few paces' worth and no more than a few times per day. But once the basics were there, they could be improved upon. Kobolds had been all over then plains and had certainly seen the great windmill that the centaur used. The secret was well guarded, but kobolds had managed to figure them out well enough. They simply had no use for them, until now.

Soon, work was under way once more. No longer cast from single individuals, but using massive gates, linked in pairs, able to store vast amounts of energy, steadily gained over a long time from an attached windmill, the mechanics being that mass transport over a long distance was much more efficient than the opposite. Only library-forts were seemed secure enough to hold such delicate and valuable items, of course, and not many of them at first. And the gates were generally not considered safe enough to be used by people. And given the energy requirements, the activations were still infrequent, but they were valued enough that gates were steadily popping up.

And, separately, in the areas of the marshes nearest the sea, other developments were under way. Between frequent bandit attack, and rumours of pirates and more, kobolds were finding their weapons insufficient. They weren't as suited to javelins as the harpies were, with their flight, nor strong enough to use bows as well as the centaurs did. But kobold ingenuity was on the way to solving this problem as it did so many others. With new thoughts based on engineering and using the tools and techniques refined from work on their armor, as well as the idea of a steady gain resulting in a powerful effect, came a new type of bow, one where strength of pull could be increased at the cost of time and one which could be aimed as a separate action from the pulling. The ide of these new kobold bows, or k-bows quickly spread and soon became a mainstay of library-fort defenses.

Rollover
3 + 5 = 8

Teach Mundane Concept (Windmills)
0 (Jewel)

Create Mythical Sub-Concept (Teleportation Magic)
8 -2 = 6

A type of magic developed by kobolds, based on the teaching of Planar Magic from the Shaline Empire. It allows a caster to move themselves or objects between two places within the same plane, though targeting a precise spot and avoiding unfortunate scrambling requires such a large amount of calculations and energies and holds such risks that it's not generally considered to be very useful by itself.

Engineering(Public Works): 3 + 2 = 5

Create Mythical Sub-Concept (Teleportation Gates)
6 -2 = 4

A refined versions of teleportation magics. Linking gates between two static, specially constructed frame significantly reduces the complexity of calculations, as well as the marginal energy requirements. The actual energy requirements per activation are still enormous, however, so the gates are linked to windmills, allowing them to steadily amass the needed energy and their activations are infrequent. They're also generally considered to be too unsafe for the transport of individuals or really precious items.

Engineering(Public Works): 5 + 2 = 7

Create Advanced Concept (K-bows)
4 - 1 = 3

Starting with a bow, constructed of special materials to allow it to be smaller, it's tied to a frame with a catch, a release lever and, usually, a mechanism to allow pulling the user to pull back the string slower, but also easier. The bow is only fired when the lever is pulled, releasing the catch, so a k-bow is much more easy to aim than a regular bow. The entire thing can be relatively expensive, however, as it requires rarer materials and precision engineering.

Engineering(Public Works): 7 + 1 = 8

Join Pantheon
3 - 1 = 2

Peace (Alliances): 0 + 1 = 1

KragBrightscale

2021-06-13, 09:47 PM

The Concourse - Empty streets and empty Markets

Abu Dhahab wandered around the new world he had helped create. This was a different experience from working in the first world. That was just adding to someone else’s creation, while this… this was in part his.

Looking around, he considered carefully what he wanted to see in this place. The streets were surprisingly well organized, but without any people to walk them what was their purpose? Likewise, what good is a market space without the merchant, the customer, and the goods to be sold?

This plane was disconnected from life in a way, a dead place that none had access to except for deities. This would have to change. Having spotted the gate to solace while ascending he knew others had created entrances to other planes before, but that aesthetic was a bit too dominant, for such a gate would in a way determine that mortals settle around it.

No, instead, he had another idea. Illusory entrances, or entrances that moved. Alternative ways of access that did not involve a physical door. The options were endless, and exciting to consider. Hesitant to flood this new plane with the Lizardfolk he created, he decided for a more subtle approach that would limit the the potential influx of travelers. There would always be time to open up direct doors later.

Joining the alliance had unexpectedly provided him with another small source of energy. Studying it he was intrigued to find that it wasn’t truly his in the way that the rest of his power was. This was something with strings attached. Power given, but limited in its potential use to actions that aligned with the intent of the alliance, which to his understanding was a vague statement about protection and preservation. Using it to harm others directly was not its purpose and therefore not possible, that was fine for Abu Dhahab.

Gathering the foreign power in his arms he imagined what he wanted to do with it. Considering this plane’s identity as a safe haven, providing a way to come here would line up with the alliance’s directive. As his thoughts flowed into the energy, it began to take shape and fused with the mirages surrounding the city.

Shifting images of desert landscapes could now occasionally be glimpsed in the illusory barrier, and Abu Dhahab smiled when he recognized the view. A tall plateau rising from the desert in the distance was all that was needed to confirm the connection to the first world.

Travelers in the deserts of the first world would now occasionally encounter mirages of a strange city in the distance.

Others swore they had seen the shining figures of Abu Dhahab and what must be other deities in the mirage too. Soon the witnesses description was matched to what had been told by Nafura.

Dia, Renarr, and Hetta. Including Abu Dhahab four deities had been supposedly glimpsed in the mirage of a strange city. Descriptions of other smaller figures beside them also spread, of a being of shadow, and another with friendly look and a strange arm. Travelers spread the news of the sighting, and talk of the gods became a common topic at markets both domestic and abroad.

Although none who searched for the illusory city had managed to find it yet, there were a few who were lost that chanced upon it, and found themselves walking through a disorienting series of illusions until they stumbled out onto a strange land. Gone were the recognizable features of the first world, around them were unclaimed lands, fertile soil, fruit trees and berry bushes and all manner of good things. Turning around, they could see tall city walls behind them and in the distance the city gate. The light in this place was dim, the first world’s sources of light not present or visible, only a faint glow in the air and faint glittering sand, remnants of divine energy that had yet to settle after the creation of the plane.

Diplomatic meeting between the Colonial Navy and the Soliel Armada

Timsah fidgeted as she stared at the representatives that had come to talk from the other fleet. Talks were a part of her rank’s responsibility that she did not enjoy.

She was glad to find that they hadn’t indiscriminately attacked any life in their way, and had personally met with the guard captain responsible or the outpost to make sure everything was ok. Which it was, apart from the poor lad being overwhelmed with fear for a few days, the armada had thankfully just sent a small ship with a small crew to arrange talks.

The meeting was being held on a small uninhabited island, barely large enough for the slab of rock that the low tables and woven mats had been placed on. With both fleets within signal range, only a small group would be present for the talks.

Timsah, herself a Crocodilian, had called on LiuQuan the Shelled ascetic to be present along with a Geckokin, the navy’s most decorated Scouting Captain, and a Lizardfolk Mutajahil. The four all sat on the ground in the lotus position. A sign of trust and of peaceful intent, though should things go south, the three Ki practitioners should have no trouble defending themselves and the merchant while escaping.

Gesturing for the other side’s representatives to feel free to sit, she signaled to LiuQuan to start preparing the tea. It would take some time, so while the elderly shelled worked Timsah addressed the foreigners.

”Greetings, strangers from beyond the sea, fellow recipients of the wind goddess’s blessing. Forgive the lack in hospitality we are able to provide the far from our home island, should any of you make the journey there I hope you will find the welcome warmer.

Although you are not scaled, nor share the experience of breaking out of an egg, we have had friendly relations with other soft bodied people such as yourself for generations.

Our merchants are generally experienced and have seen much of this world, but we had not heard of Kerima’s devoted being anywhere other than on Corrla so we were a little surprised when news of your arrival was delivered.”

Timsah intuitively felt that she’d just said something wrong, as several of the representatives stiffened at the mention of the western Tyrant. Reminding herself to be like the ascetics who had trained her she hurried to explain before objections were given.

”Your order and discipline is much like what we’ve seen over on that continent, and the faint aura of divinity I sense from some of you reminds me of the priests we have encountered. So the forgive my ignorance if I am mistaken.

Please permit me to ask though, if you do not follow Kerima, who are you? And what is your purpose in coming to the Jisr Archipelago?”

At this point LiuQuan had finished grinding the tea into powder. Heating the water with Ki, the drinks were soon served. Nodding to Timsah to indicate she had done well, he introduced the beverage.

”Please enjoy, this tea is one of our merchants best selling products. We find it calms the body and sharpens the mind. It’s perfectly safe to consume, and even helps with digestion. Rumor has it that this is the very same way the Great Lizard himself prepares the drink.”

The old shelled passed out the drinks to each individual as he spoke, using Ki to send the cups drifting gently though the air until they landed on the table. Taking a sip, he nodded to himself and breathed out in satisfaction.

AP: 3
PAP: 1 +1 (rollover)

Create Portal (The Illusory City of the Lost ) -2 PAP
Connecting the the first world to the concourse, these portals are wrapped in illusions and have no fixed location. Showing glimpses of the other side through mirages in the distance, the only reliable way to pass through them is to be lost yourself and stumble through accidentally. The portals are currently only 1-way, providing an entrance to the concourse but not an exit. Those who enter are deposited right outside the city walls within sight of the city gates.
Sphere: Survival 2/10

Remaining:
3 AP
2 -2 = 0 PAP

Gnomes2169

2021-06-13, 11:45 PM

Amerith and Bruss - Finding a hobby
The archon of war was not much skilled at many of the finer arts. Poetry bored and eluded her, painting was probably a waste of time, and she was tone deaf. But when Augmentation was discovered, and Bruss brought her to a potter's wheel so she could practice her craft... Oh, there the devoted archon found a worthy cause. Slowly experimenting with the new magic and invention, the archon began with vases and pots. The act of sculpting something, of shaping something with firm, if somehow gentle, touches, resonated with the archon.

It was inevitable that she began to craft sculptures. And it was inevitable that this craft would culminate in the single most beautiful work by her hands... a statue of Rong Tou, but as she was before the serpent, and before the world had shattered around them. Though it was still early in her career, the archon of war poured every waking moment into perfecting the statue of her lost beloved, every hidden flaw and beauty pressed and sculpted into the statue's rose quartz surface, an expression at once both made of utmost bliss and hidden hints of pain.

It was... a serviceable memorial, at the end of it. And served as a lovely statue overlooking the market square that rested in the platform jut outside of Solace's portal.

While Amerith made her masterpiece, Bruss and the mages who studied Hetta's magics would begin to improve the city itself. With Augmentation and the engineering tricks they had learned from trade with the kobolds, as well as inspiration from the artists both native to the city and colonists from the Marreill vassal states, the city of Light would slowly begin to be changed into a work of art itself. Even the most rundown districts became home to multi-story structures of spiraled and arched stones, aqueducts were developed to create bathhouses, bridges were built over those aqueducts, and soon grand temples began to rise up within the capital of the Shaline Empire. The temples served as repositories for painted and carved history, much like the libraries of the kobolds, but where those were places of scholarly learning, these were places of art and freely celebrated faith.

The beauty of this new city gave rise to a proper name, which had been long due since what had once been a one-territory nation had expanded into so much more. Now the city was named Dawnhold, and like a shining beacon its marble buildings shone in the light of Solace in day, and glowed much more gently from the portal to that eternal realm at night. And with new structures made of stone, structures that were much more stable and much less vulnerable, Dawnhold also became likened unto a fortress city by its detractors. But it was a beautiful fortress none the less.

Of course, the kobolds were given free access to this architecture and to the engineers who had mastered it, as yet another sign of friendship between the empire and the scholars.

The Captain - Before the Meeting
Captain Ethrial Thorn, a firstborn Solari of Amerith's line -in fact, the firstborn of her line as well and thus one of the oldest non-archon mortals in the First World,- was long due for a promotion. Standing on the shore of this small, relatively unimportant island, eyes closed, he took a deep breath and let it out again as he listened to the ocean. There was the smell of smoke from a bonfire coming behind him, and the heat of the sun on his face as he reminisced... He'd chosen to take a smaller group of vessels for this mission, rather than his flag ship that had remained with the heart of his fleet, and he imagined that he could hear the creaking of the decks and fluttering of his ship's sails even from here. Then the voice of his sailors reached his ear.

"Look, I'm impressed, really I am. But... Why did you put a fire in the middle of it?" One voice, belonging to his first mate, a gale knight, was the most recognizable. A moment later, a haughty elven voice retorted.

"It makes a good signal. Makes us easier to find, and after we get everyone together, works as a natural meeting place." The captain turned his lidded gaze to look at his sweat-covered mage while he took a long drink of water, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, the fire hardens the clay a bit more. Makes the clay a more solid place to discuss this treaty, and if it's a bit warm then it will hopefully appeal to the representative that the lizards send to us."

The captain grunted at that, and pointed out, "You just wanted to make it look like a solar disk and tried to think of an excuse, so you made a circular table with a firepit in it."

The mage huffed, seeming almost hurt at the accusation. "Well, I mean, of course. But you don't have to make it sound so childish, sir."

Stepping over to the furniture in question, looking up and down at the wide, circular structure made of now-hardened clay inlaid with veins of marble and jade, of all things, the solari nodded to himself and said, "Uninspired or not, it is impressive. Not a single molde line, no joints, it's almost as if you had carved it from one contiguous piece of rock. Your study of Hetta's conflux and its ability to manipulate connection and form is coming along well... And if it is any indication as to the works of your order of magic, well, home is going to be mighty impressive when we return there." The mage beamed at the praise, wiping the sweat from his brow and giving the gale knight beside him a smug grin. Looking up at the few brave guards on this island outpost who had finally come to see just what was making all the smoke on their shore, the captain clasps his hands behind his back and he points out, "You missed something, though. It's a table, lovingly crafted for five hours and a flawless demonstration of your magical prowess. How are we supposed to sit down at it without any chairs?"

The first mate's laughter popped the bubble of the navigator's smug superiority as their captain marched over to the guard to give them his assurances that they had come in peace... in perfectly fluid kobold.

The Captain and the Admiral - Conflict in the Jisr archipelago

A few days later, in a raft launched from the side of his galley, Ethrial Thorn once again considered just how long he was overdue for a promotion. It wasn't that he wasn't qualified, hardly, the man was decorated and proven in his initiative, he'd been present at every major meeting of the empire, and had even been part of Zariel's initial expedition to the other side of the Spine Aerie. Before the founding of the Armada.

Before he'd discovered the sea.

Rocking with the ship as they closed in on the outpost's shorline, Ethrial heard his first mate ask, "Captain, why did you insist that we go back to the ship when we could have set up a camp on the island? And why couldn't I just fly us over here? This rowboat isn't... particularly fast."

Cracking open his eye, looking over his shoulder at the bored human, the captain rubbed at his beard and finally explained, "We didn't conqueror this island from pirates. This isn't our home, and we don't have a right to be here until we are given permission by a proper authority." The island's guards might have been arguably able to extend those permissions, but Ethrial's clearly superior manpower and firepower would have made it look like extortion, regardless of how willing the lizard might have genuinely been. "As for why we aren't flying... we're a navy. We should play into the image of a navy. Ships sail, they don't fly."

With a cocky grin, the gale knight corrects, "They don't fly yet, captain." He'd been saying that he and his colleagues were at the edge of a breakthrough for years, now, especially with the trade between the Empire and swamp-dwellers ramping up and more advanced mathematics becoming better and better developed.

"I'll believe it when I see it, first mate." The captain states as they drew close to shore. "Also, speak in kobold unless you need to tell me something fast. We don't want them to feel like we're hiding something here." That reminder brought a scowl to his first mate's face, the human was atrocious with the clicks and whistles that were part of the language, but he nodded anyway.

Making landfall with a small group of his own, the Solari at the head, with his first mate and his navigator to either side, the captain gave Timsah a salute with his right fist crossing his chest, and then a slight bow. It wasn't as formal as it could have been, but Ethrial was of the third caste, and this was a foreign and unknown power, so the lizards likely wouldn't even notice how much respect that gesture had given them within shaline society. Respect that he continued to show as he did not interrupt Timsah's opening statements... and then immediately was given cause to regret this decision.

The implication that they served Kerima drew various levels of objection from the assembled crew, most of them muttering and scowling even if the tales of the tyrant's cruelty were little more than bedtime stories and the ravings of priests to them, but his first mate, a soldier of freedom itself, actually spat at the ground and began to turn at that seemingly pointed insult before Ethrial silently lifted his hand from the hilt of his sword and clenched his fist. The signal to stand at attention. Order restored itself among his ranks as his sailors fell back into line, even the gale knight, though that one only did so out of the loyalty he felt to his captain and not because of his respect for the command chain.

It had always been and interesting relationship because of that.

Once his crew had finally settled and the crocodilian had said her part, Ethrial finally took in a breath and, in well-practiced kobold, told her, "You are mistaken as to our origins. As you said, Corrla is a long ways away from here, and what you see here is a different society entirely. We represent the Shaline and Marreill peoples, societies formed long ago from refugees who fled Corrla before the Serpent had even attempted to consume the world. Many of our people are elves or, as I am known as, Solari, and our lives are so, so very long. And that longevity leads many of us to desire order and stability... but not tyranny. Individuals and freedoms are valued among us, which is why the Marreill peoples were willingly integrated, and Moiraithe's knights still grace us with their patronage.

"In the spirit of that peaceful integration, I would return your offer. While the sail might take three weeks," Far, far longer without a gale knight or at least an apprentice windshaper to speed the way, "Dawnhold is a place of beauty, and is home to a portal that leads to Solace itself... which is, I hasten to add, perfectly safe to walk on, thanks to the blessings that Dia gave long ago."

Gesturing for his officers to join him at the table they had constructed a few days before, now complete with a set of movable, sturdy granite stools, the captain accepted the offer of tea and explained, "As for why we are here, it is simple. Our people, while we have the bounty of the sun at our disposal, have been insular for far too long. We need to see this world, experience its wonders and peoples, and find how it has changed since our hasty exodus last led us here and the gods have been left to play in the interim. As you may have guessed, we've already met the kobolds." Some time ago, if the ancient mortal's mastery of their language was any metric to go by, "But we've also sent expeditions to the north. Though not as successful, we met the centaur and harpies in this way, and learned the dangers of the gnoll and direwolf packs. So we turned back to the see, only to find our progress blocked by... well. You know what those privateers are. And, if our gale knight scouts are anything to go by, there is no love lost between your people and theirs. So as to that effect..."

Pulling out a scroll, a full on formal contract, in fact, the captain presses the document to the table and says, "We have learned of your people from the scholars, and thus, I hope this makes our intentions clear. We know how much you respect contracts, and we know just what the price of crossing a formalized an accepted contract is for your peoples." Folding his arms, he leans forward on the table and gives Timsah a chance to read the terms*. "So, understand that I am genuine when I make this offer, and I know full well the risks and guarantees that I tie myself to in making it."

Ethrial Thorn had been denying his promotion to the admiral's seat for a long, long time. Admirals couldn't sail, after all. They weren't allowed to feel the spray of the sea on their skin, or to hear the crash of a ship's prow through the waves, or to watch the booms left in their wake. Well, if this contract was signed, then he would change that silly policy. After all, he'd have full permission to do so in his contract.

*The terms are, to simplify them as much as possible, as follows:

The Shaline empire shall be given a presence, in the form of garrisons on small islands and embassies in larger centers of commerce, in the south-eastern third of the colony's islands. These embassies and garrisons will function as peace keeping forces for the islands they are established upon. The colony will have full access to these islands as well, and it will be treated as free and neutral ground between both parties. No other part of the archipelago will see the presence of any part of the Shaline military or its naval forces unless explicitly invited, except for the Admiral's ship which may sail where he pleases as long as he does not wage war upon any member of the colony.
One of these islands already claimed by the Shaleill armada will be fully under the control of the fleet and serve as a home to the admiral that resides there. This island, and only this island, will be considered a sovereign part of the Shaline empire, subject only to the laws and customs of the empire itself.
In return, the Shaline empire will lend the portion of its fleets that are left in this territory to guaranteeing the independence and security of the entire colony from all invaders.
Additionally, the traders from the colony will be guaranteed trade without any tariffs on imports for a period of sixty years within any trade port owned by the Empire. Travel to and from the empire territories will also be made available at reasonable cost to any of the lizardfolk who desire it, as long as their intentions and desires remain peaceful.
This last point will come with a reciprocal reduction in tariffs for any goods from the Empire in return, but only if traded in a port that has a Shaline embassy or outpost upon it.
The colony may, at any time, choose to dissolve this contract. In the case that this occurs, the empire's fleets and all of the peacekeeping forces they have deployed throughout the archipelago must return to their sovereign island and the Empire's other territories over the course of five years, and then all trade between the colony and empire will cease until a new contract is written.
The terms of this contract would be renegotiated at the end of the 60 year period of tariff free trade.
Finally, the Admiral who lives on the sovereign island, one Ethrial Thorn, will be given free access to peacefully sail in his flagship to his heart's content throughout the archipelago, without fear of being challenged or harmed by any of the colonists. This will be respected even upon termination of the contract unless the empire and colonies are at a state of war.

Starting AP: 2
Starting PAP: 1

-2 AP; Advanced Concept - Stone Architecture: The culmination of a Shaline love for art and beauty and the more concrete kobold love of numbers and engineering, this architecture is as flowery and beautiful as it is functional and stable. While most of the excessively flowery architecture formed in this way requires the use of magic simply to create stable structures, forming the stone from one unbroken and stable piece, the principle for non-magically crafted stone buildings are also part of this concept, and most of the standard stone buildings in Dawnhold are made using this mundane method.

As a note, with sufficiently advanced mastery of Augmentation and mana, a mage in the shaline empire who channels Hetta's afterlife plane can change clay and other earthen materials into a different form of stone. It is time consuming, incredibly draining and even more incredibly frivolous, but it allows structures that would be incredibly difficult to shape without the use of cranes and other advanced construction material to be formed first from clay, and then into marble or the desired stone in the proper shape. Many times this leads to walls being perhaps a bit thinner than expected, at least if someone were expecting bricks or other stone blocks to have been used in the shaping of a structure, though care is taken to ensure that the structures are still sound and will not collapse because of too much weight on flimsy millimeter thick walls. This also makes clay and other rocks into easy sources of marble for non-magically constructed buildings, though outside of the capital with its dearth of mages and mage apprentices such transmutation is seen as frivolous and more mundane rocks are used in 99% of the buildings.
Domain acquisition: Life (Twilight) 10/10

Total AP expended: -2

Ending AP: 0
Ending PAP: 1

Domain Progression:
Life (Twilight): 10 (Sub-race: Solari, Blessing: Suzerain's chosen, Noldan Republic, Shaleill Armada, Exalt Suzerain, Stone Architecture) Domain gained!
War (Preservation): 2 (Create Pantheon, Split Planar Magic: Augmentation/ Transposition)

Pantheon sphere progression
Civilization: 1 (Church of the Vigilant)

dancrilis

2021-06-14, 06:44 AM

Reform Measures
The trade with the lizardmen went well and laws were established which were fair and reasonable - but a contentious element was punishment, killing people seemed wasteful, exiling them had not worked out in the past, imprisoning them gave raise to simply placing the burden of maintaining them on another or it acted as a death sentence - the best punishment was then to be a fine, but if someone couldn't pay that or felt the risk of being caught was low they might bypass that.

The lizardmen were in favour of binding people with magic but Dranera didn't like the idea, firstly magic could be countered with equal or greater magic, and secondly allowing magical control over peoples actions seemed suspect to her. No instead she in private began work on a new tool to maintain order which she would pass down to the priests, soul manipulation.

By simply modifing the soul of a being one could change the Ba so that they would no longer engage in the unwanted behaviour while maintaining the individual as not bound by magical means.

In practice this didn't work out as well as she had envisioned - sure she could reformat a creature to be whatever she wanted but no priests had her ability even ignoring her divine status, even the longest lived elves had only a tiny fraction of her years of experience once her component souls were considered, so instead the priests fell into three different categories of skill. Basic level modified the Ba to be utterly servile and wasted much of the potential of the individual, more advanced users created servents who could think and act on there own but were dedicated to their masters needs first and foremost, and then the best priests could turn someone into an actual devoted ally who would stand with you because they wanted to rather then because they saw you as a superior.

The actually binding was incredibly simple in that an ornament was crafted and if the subject wore it or was forced to wear it the priest could then discharge the magic into them to transform their soul into a more suitable format.

Dranera was not overly happy with the outcome but figured it would be enough and did appreciate that it opened up a host of new options for subtle control should such be needed.

Locathah and the Avariel
The goblins and elves took to there roles as protectors diligently but soon figured out that they could not truely hold the water or the air as well as they would like, choosing a delegation to petition the priests for aid in dealing with this rituals were created to modify both races to allow them to master thier chosen environments, goblins who were interested were converted to be capable of surviving on land and in the sea, albeit on land became much more uncomfortable for them as they were more designed for swimming now then they were before. The elves meanwhile who underwent the rituals gained the power of flight via large impressive wings allowing them to truely master the air.

The Beasts of the Sea
As the water goblins moved out to secure the oceans around Corrla they mostly left the sahuagin they encountered alone, noting where the settlements were and determining how to deal with them of needed - but the ocean was a big place and so they didn't need to actually start any fights, but they did encounter a number of animals they set about taming, octopuses for simple tasks, dolphins for message delivery etc but of all the creatures they encountered none stood out to them as much as the krakens colossal animals from the deepest levels of the ocean, almost too large to really train the goblins instead focused on forming a more symbotic relationship with them - providing them with food and cleaning off parasites that the kraken might not even notice and using little to no magic to direct the krakens to shatter ships - provided for testing purposes fair from any inhabited lands - or to carry goblins were they wanted to be.
Of particular interest relating to the krakens however was the fact that while the goblins were uncertain it seemed that the ones they encountered were not fully mature - the implications were alternatively amazing or troubling depending on who you asked.

Xill and the Wave Archons
With the goblins moving out to the waves Xill and some of her sisters choose to contact some cousins on the ocean to discuss matters about ensuring that anything the goblins might do would be acceptable and to allow for grievances to be dealt with peacefully, ultimately intending to bring the wave archons into the fold.

Create Sub Race Locathah 1 AP -
Known more generally as the Locathah these creatures are much like normal goblin stock except they are excellent swimmers and have functioning gills underwater.
War (Tactics) 8/10

Create Sub Race Avariel 1 AP -
These elves have an additional set of limbs in the form of wings growing out of their backs, they maintain the grace of elves in the flying without sacrificing tool use.
War (Tactics) 9/10

Create Monster Kraken 1 AP -
These creatures are massive tentacled horrors from the deep which are also able to operate close to the surface, other then there size which grants them enough strenght to crack most ships with ease and toughness to shrug off most attacks from anything that would think to attack them they are also surprisingly fast underwater and dexterous with there tentacles. Locathahs often hitch a ride with them using various techniques to guide the creature were they want it to go to do what they want it to do.
War (Tactics) 10/10

Bless - Reform Bracelets/Slave Collars 1 AP -
The Priests of Kerima can tap into her nature as a goddess of tyranny to craft circular ornaments which act to bind the wearer to the priest - once the magic has been discharged the ornament becomes meaningless as the subjects Ba is reformated to serve the priest, common items such as bands, collars, rings etc are common for this.
Soul (Manipulation) 1/10

Remaining 1AP

KragBrightscale

2021-06-15, 10:38 PM

The Captain and the Admiral - in the Jisr archipelago

"You are mistaken as to our origins. As you said, Corrla is a long ways away from here, and what you see here is a different society entirely. We represent the Shaline and Marreill peoples, societies formed long ago from refugees who fled Corrla before the Serpent had even attempted to consume the world. Many of our people are elves or, as I am known as, Solari, and our lives are so, so very long. And that longevity leads many of us to desire order and stability... but not tyranny. Individuals and freedoms are valued among us, which is why the Marreill peoples were willingly integrated, and Moiraithe's knights still grace us with their patronage.

Standing up briefly, Timsah and the other representatives gave a respectful salute and a slight dip of their heads. As they returned to their seat, the Crocodilian attempted to mend the unintended slight.

”My apologies, it was not intended to be offensive, though I can see now how that would be so. The wind blessed are legends amongst our sailors, you are fortunate to have earned their trust.

In truth, I am actually somewhat relieved to hear that you are not the followers of that Tyrant.”

A short cough by the merchant interrupted her, a reminder to not insult valuable trade partners. Glaring briefly at the Lizard, she turned back to the Solari, this was her responsibility. She had to ensure the safety and future of her people now, if some fanatic in priestly robes got offended she’d deal with that later.

”Negotiations are more pleasant when the other side isn’t constantly looking for opportunities to convince you of their doctrine.

Your story has reminded me of another group we have begun trading with recently. Natives of Corrla, yet separate from their society. They are a resilient people, having survived generations of mistreatment from the religious. Now they have spread their wings a little and occupy a few islands to the west. Rumor has it they have a shadowy patron who protects them, a powerful being, possibly divine.”

"In the spirit of that peaceful integration, I would return your offer. While the sail might take three weeks, Dawnhold is a place of beauty, and is home to a portal that leads to Solace itself... which is, I hasten to add, perfectly safe to walk on, thanks to the blessings that Dia gave long ago."

Eyes going wide with surprise, Timsah recalls memories from when she was but a young inexperienced sailer with dreams of navigating around the continent. Pounding the table with her fist in excitement, she ignored the puzzled stares of her fellow representatives.

”The Shimmering Gate!!!! You live in the shadow of the great eastern mountains? Within sight of the Kobold Marshes?”

Realizing her undignified behavior, she collected herself and continued to explain.

”Although my age might not be obvious to non-scaled folk our warriors also experience lengthened lifespans and much has changed since the days I was considered young.

In my youth, when I was but an inexperienced sailor, I joined the fleet of explorers who wanted to follow the coast of our homeland until its end. If what the rumors said was true, the land was but a larger island, so sailing around it should be possible. It was on this trip I caught a glimpse of what I now am convinced is the portal you speak of.

Alas, the fleet had to turn around before we could get far, for trouble was brewing and our homes were in danger. Had it not been so, it might well have been me sailing into your port to meet you, instead of the current situation, though I would have been spared all of that responsibility.”

"As for why we are here, it is simple. Our people, while we have the bounty of the sun at our disposal, have been insular for far too long. We need to see this world, experience its wonders and peoples, and find how it has changed since our hasty exodus last led us here and the gods have been left to play in the interim. As you may have guessed, we've already met the kobolds. But we've also sent expeditions to the north. Though not as successful, we met the centaur and harpies in this way, and learned the dangers of the gnoll and direwolf packs. So we turned back to the see, only to find our progress blocked by... well. You know what those privateers are. And, if our gale knight scouts are anything to go by, there is no love lost between your people and theirs. "

”I see, so you are in a way, explorers and travelers then. But to pursue such a goal with suddenness and in full force, is there something of importance you hope to find?

Your fluency in the Kobolds’ language was a clear indication of your societies contact, and a good choice for communication. The Kobolds are our oldest and closest partners, their peaceful pursuit of knowledge, an inspiration to us all.

Do not blame the Centaurs for their inhospitality, they suffered the most harm when the Devourer attacked. Much of their ancestral home was ruined and other races’ encroachment now threatens their well-being too.

It seems you have heard only one sided tales of the gnolls. To judge them as a whole would be doing them wrong, for they are a divided people. Some resort to banditry or piracy, others serve as protectors of order and are known to be fierce guardians of those they protect. As fellow desert dwellers, the gnolls are in a way like a rebellious younger brother who associated with the wrong people, in this case their deity.”

Pulling out a scroll, a full on formal contract, in fact, the captain presses the document to the table and says, "We have learned of your people from the scholars, and thus, I hope this makes our intentions clear. We know how much you respect contracts, and we know just what the price of crossing a formalized an accepted contract is for your peoples. So, understand that I am genuine when I make this offer, and I know full well the risks and guarantees that I tie myself to in making it."

Slightly surprised by how fast others seem to have learned how to use contracts and how much this foreigner seems to know about her people, Timsah sighs.

”You’ve really done your research before coming here… I guess I can only blame the merchants and their chatting for why you know more about us than I know about you. I’ll let another representative take a look at this as that is their area of expertise, though I will say you seem to be picking up kobold writing quite well too. You’ll find our written language easy to learn then as they are mostly alike.

Zayad, come and have a look at this with me. This is what we’re paying you for.”

The Lizardfolk merchant eagerly gets up to examine the contract. His tongue flickering in and out with excitement as his eyes scan the document. Timsah pointently avoids looking at the lizard until he is finished. There was something odd about those who pursued a mastery of contract magic, and not just their obsessions with inks and parchment.

She caught the lizard trying to taste the ink, and quickly stepped on his tail. Placing a form hand on his shoulder, she released the tail and motioned the lizard to start talking.

“Ehem. I have read the contract, and while most of it seems reasonable, there may still be a need for a few revisions. This is standard procedure for contracts among us by the way, rarely is the first draft accepted.”

The Shaline empire shall be given a presence, in the form of garrisons on small islands and embassies in larger centers of commerce, in the south-eastern third of the colony's islands. These embassies and garrisons will function as peace keeping forces for the islands they are established upon. The colony will have full access to these islands as well, and it will be treated as free and neutral ground between both parties. No other part of the archipelago will see the presence of any part of the Shaline military or its naval forces unless explicitly invited, except for the Admiral's ship which may sail where he pleases as long as he does not wage war upon any member of the colony.
One of these islands already claimed by the Shaleill armada will be fully under the control of the fleet and serve as a home to the admiral that resides there. This island, and only this island, will be considered a sovereign part of the Shaline empire, subject only to the laws and customs of the empire itself.
In return, the Shaline empire will lend the portion of its fleets that are left in this territory to guaranteeing the independence and security of the entire colony from all invaders.
Additionally, the traders from the colony will be guaranteed trade without any tariffs on imports for a period of sixty years within any trade port owned by the Empire. Travel to and from the empire territories will also be made available at reasonable cost to any of the lizardfolk who desire it, as long as their intentions and desires remain peaceful.
This last point will come with a reciprocal reduction in tariffs for any goods from the Empire in return, but only if traded in a port that has a Shaline embassy or outpost upon it.
The colony may, at any time, choose to dissolve this contract. In the case that this occurs, the empire's fleets and all of the peacekeeping forces they have deployed throughout the archipelago must return to their sovereign island and the Empire's other territories over the course of five years, and then all trade between the colony and empire will cease until a new contract is written.
The terms of this contract would be renegotiated at the end of the 60 year period of tariff free trade.
Finally, the Admiral who lives on the sovereign island, one Ethrial Thorn, will be given free access to peacefully sail in his flagship to his heart's content throughout the archipelago, without fear of being challenged or harmed by any of the colonists. This will be respected even upon termination of the contract unless the empire and colonies are at a state of war.

“Let’s start with the pleasant stuff.”

Pointing to several points on the contract the Merchant elaborates.

“Peaceful travel, this point seems fine. We have nothing against peaceful travelers passing through or even exploring our lands. The number of ships and combat ready personnel brought as guards should be limited though to ensure peaceful intentions and to appease local forces who might feel threatened otherwise.

It is unlikely that any Lizardfolk in our colony would take initiative to attack your admirals ship while they are sailing freely. Most ships in our society are owned or sponsored by merchants who would know how much of a loss it would cost them if they were to create an inter-societal incident. So that point is fine with us too.

Regular renegotiation is of course necessary. We would not dare guarantee the terms for multiple generations, for who knows if someone may sire a warmongering fool.”

That comment earned him a heavy pat from Timsah, a gentle reminder to stay focused and watch his manners.

Pointing to the third and fourth conditions the merchant continued.

“These points are unclear to me, the Kobolds must have developed some new words since last we contacted them as I do not recognize it. From context, am I right in thinking that you are referring to fees or some other limit being placed on goods imported or exported?

An interesting idea, to be sure, though so far we have not resorted to such measures, nor have any of our trade partners as far as I know of. We only have basic sales taxes, which we enforce with contracts, and it applies to anyone selling within our markets with no distinction between foreign or local. Other than that, some goods that have proven to be dangerous to the public are banned.

For now, if I understand your intent correctly, we can accept the condition of 60 years without adding fees to import and export.

We would be glad to have the specialties of the mountains and solace being sold in our markets. The more the merrier is the general consensus on that topic.

Now to the more complicated conditions. Timsah, you should really handle the matters of territory and military.”

”Alright then, to preface we are not opposed to having new friends settle nearby, and having a permanent diplomatic presence sounds reasonable if we can reciprocate. Should your people want to, they would be welcome to settle on a number of mostly uninhabited islands in the area around here. I feel you are making this needlessly complicated.

Stationing military troops on a whole third of our islands, on the other hand, is not acceptable at all. Your point about having them act as peacekeeping forces along with your navy, insulting. But I too unintentionally offended you earlier so I will attempt to explain why.

Wanting to keep a strong military presence in our lands seems no different from an attempt to conquer. The garrisons and navy would become the perfect staging points for a future invasion. And while we want to believe the best about you, only a fool would willingly accept for a sword to be held against their throat.

We also have experience with foreign peacekeeping forces. The feet of clay, a respectable force. Your friends will have undoubtedly run into them when moving north. While they were given the task of protecting the peace and enforcing the law, they were unfortunately unable to stop the chaos that ravaged so much of our land on the continent.

While you could claim to do a better job, know that it was not a lack of might or devotion to the task that limited them. A local, who is intimately familiar with both formal and unspoken codes of conduct and who knows the people personally, is simply much more suited to such a role. And so we will never let our fates be dependent on outside help.

The idea of neutral territories is appealing however, and reminds me of the origin of our society. Rather than the sweeping implementation of your suggestion, I believe we should start with just a few as an experiment.

Please give us some time to come up with a counter offer to the contract you presented.

For now though, we will informally recognize the island you took from the pirates in addition to this outpost and the surrounding uninhabited islands as your sovereign domain. Your fleet can anchor and dock here, and we will withdraw our navy immediately to give you space.

Merchant vessels or small convoys may pass unobstructed and unharmed through our waters, but we ask that you keep most of your warships to yourselves. Any attempt to bring your armada through our waters will be interpreted as an invasion, which would be most disappointing.”

At this point some sailors brought over some fish to roast over the fire pit. It was time to put the unique table to proper use.

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-16, 02:45 AM

Among the opportunistic, often cannibalistic carnivores of the Wadi Alsahali, the difference between predator and prey was often one of sheer numbers. The lone, hunted jackal could easily become the hunter if they returned with a larger pack.

The Red Council, looking at the reports from the eastern outpost of Jirad, the correspondence from Jazira Alsahali, and the records of the many islands they had lost to the colony's unexpected counterattacks, could only conclude they they had now become the former. Even the most war-hungry among them were forced to conclude that the invasion had backfired; and now, one of their rivals had decided to take advantage, striking from the flank while they had been occupied at the front.

Fighting two enemies at once was out of the question; they had little choice but to accept the colony's offer of parley, agreeing to, at the very least, a cease-fire. Perhaps a deal could be negotiated, not at all what the Yellow Council had wanted, but enough to, considering the circumstances, at least keep their hold on the archipelago. To save their strength for another day.

But it didn't take a military genius to know that the Shaleill had no desire to fight two enemies at once, either. And it didn't take a diplomatic one to guess what their first attempt at rectifying that situation would be. So they did indeed draft a reply to the Colony, agreeing to suspend the conflict and send a delegation to meet with them at the suggested place within the offered timeframe.

And then, they drafted two more, and quietly sent them off; one sent south, to the frozen lands of the Ghul Lodges, and one sent to the great floating fortress of the Weshesh. Their attitudes towards these two nations had remained, so far, fairly pleasant, even friendly: the academies and merchants of the Weshesh, their knowledge of the arcane and provision of Underbeer, were held in high regard; and many in the League paid tribute to Idix and even joined the Sisterhood. And their neutrality in the ongoing conflict had not gone unnoted.

Though wrapped in the typical flowery language of diplomacy, the intention of the messages was clear enough. There was blood in the water now. Did they intend to stay clear of it? Or did they intend to feast; and if so, on who?

The League intended to find out, and, (if diplomacy with the Colony fell through) offer whatever price was necessary to ensure that *they* were not the hunted jackal.

Feathersnow

2021-06-16, 07:54 AM

IDIX

-Transformations-

Mother Primum Inatch led the Gift That Keeps Giving to the North East, far beyond the shores his Sisters reported being occupied by The Enemy. He had, in his most recent trip to The Dreamlands, been given instructions by Idix. The Enemy was growing, and the Ka of Skidi might be wise not to trust too heavily in allies with alien ways and strange priorities. They should seek a refuge beyond the reach of any of them.

But that was not enough! They would need to build a ship. The Weshesh or any of the Circle nations might sell one... but Idix demanded something new. A ship built by Sisters alone, out the flesh of dryads. The Id*di, the Wyrdship, Gift That Keeps Giving

So, for the first time, the first, true, children of Skidi left the Land of Cliffs and Spires as the planks of a stone ship kept hovering over the waves by the will of a dozen Sisters a shift, a great colony vessel bearing hundreds of Ghuls abd nearly every Shelled-body still in the Land of Cliffs and Spires.

Inatch's current body was Shelled, and many of the Ghuls were Ren-descendants of Shelled refugees. They all remembered the warm and all hated the cold and dark nights that lasted thousands of hours. They were eager to volunteer to be colonists. The few elders who were Ghuls from their first birth were among the least mired in the bickering politics of the immortals.

They floated for interminable hours, zooming ever North, until the days became relevant shorthand for time-keeping, and nearly to the burning belly of the world, where they were truly regular. The Ghuls' fur thinned almost audibly and they shed fat and gained height almodt visibly.
The Shelled felt the warmth and comfort of a home more than a few had never known.
Inatch, whose first birth was as a Ghul, felt a disconect of a Khet that could not adjust itself but that nevertheless felt... right.

Then, from the tower, beneath the White Kite of the The Sisterhood and the Circle Flag of Idix, a young Ghul, a rare first-lifer, sighted the Changing Lands!

-part two-

TXG:YQ remembered the cold, then... nothing
Then, a kiss as The Mother performed a funeral for her stillborn race....
A pang as the Mother, in despair, lay down to freeze among the ruins of the home she made her dead children.
A shock as she died not of exposure, but at the fangs of the least, cast-off afterthoughts of her broken world. A god laid low by simple beasts!
A strange song as a lullaby...
A sleep of centuries...
Then, a dream. The Bones of the Mother stepped off the earth, leaving her behind!
She screamed! Voiceless, her Khet dead, her Ba sleeping, her Ren repurosed as a mundane word,
Her Ka burnt out at the very beginning of the world, she nevertheless screamed all the louder for its impossiblity!

And, then, for the first time, she dreamed. The Mother's Bones stared with empty eyes, as though daring her to keep a secret. And then, another sleep...

Then the Gift That Keeps Giving caught on an animated sandbar that grew tentacles and swallowed it onto the beach...

And... what was once wood became wood once more. And, on the Changing Lands, the second breath taken by the Trueborn Children of Skidi was taken after a pause of over a millenium.

-part 3-

Inatch reacted with commendable speed to save his ship, but, obviously, his first priority was the crew. The land absorbed the ship, and the petrified wood of the Id*di seemed to warp and crawl, but there was remarkably little disruption. In a matter of hours, a White Kite was flying over a heap of barely injured supplies and completely uninjured colonists, and around it was a pit, surrounded by...
Dryads.
They were an easy thing to ignore. Their petrified bodies were everywhere in The Land of Cliffs and Spires.
But... not with leaves! And not moving!

It was about this time the locals appeared.

TXG:YQ looked to the strange fleshy creatures in the pit, and the strange, shiny creatures in the party approaching them. "Brothers?"

Starting AP 10
AP 5 Create Mythic Race: Dryads
These creatures have innate abilities to understand language and mathematics and are physically immortal, able to be reconstituted from any remains while in the Changing Lands.
They also predate and supercede all language and language dependent magic.

Good (situational ethics) 5/10

AP 5 Create Mythic Society: The Brotherhood

This society is a utopian attempt to recreate the anarcho-primitivist society of the Ghuls on a msrher scale, in a land currently not greatly influenced by others. It also serves as a secret secondary base of operations for Idixism.
Good (situational ethics) 10/10

dancrilis

2021-06-16, 12:22 PM

The Locathah and The Changing Lands

Where the locathah explored and raised krakens they noted a land that they had not heard of either from their own people or in the stories of the lizardmen that they had been made aware of - they had expected nothing but ocean and the beasts of the deep but instead found a land that was much like there home at first glance, and so choose to explore it and found some oddities, the trees were not old wood but instead young, the the ground shifted consistently and a hardy people inhabited it - a primitive people beset by the same avian monsters that existed on Corrla using primative tools to fend off the aggressive avians.

Primitive tools but also impressive magic and power not tainted with the mana of the serpent and who already had figured out how to tame creatures of fire - the priests amongst the Locathah remembered the stories of how Kerima herself had intervened with The Shelled and so decided to work on forming a relationship with these people, or at least those in the western part of the continent, aiding them in there conflicts with the avians and teaching them some basic techniques to tame the birds with ample warning that the birds could be tempermental and that for them own people it was the elves who excelled at taming the creatures of the world.

They thought the Ferrins to construct buildings - which the Ferrin took to gladly and swiftly better then the locathah themselves who explained that for them it was the dwarves who were the masters of the craft but that it had a secondary benefit, teaching the, raising temples to Kerima and populating them with statues which could them be animated via rituals to come to life as living statues and then transformed into gargoyles and through a combination of techniques tamed to protect the area around the temple.

Thus did a large number of Ferrin's join the People of Kerima and People of Kerima stood on land other then that of Corrla but where belonged to them.

Avariel were called in to better train the monsters of the land and to learn the ways of elementalism and return it to the rest of the people - and some river archons were dispatched for a time to ally with the rivers of the new land.

Xill and the Wave Archons

The wave archons around Corrla had an appreciation for the River Archons of Corrla and the priestly powers that allowed for the waves to be cleaned of spots of taint the same way that the initial priests had protected rivers of Corrla from the blight lands, now they planned a more aggessive expansion to the seas where the Locathah traveled - as wave archons were in many ways quicker and freer then River Archons, Xill sought out some of the older wave archons who she knew as friends and made a case for the priesthood and to embrace godborn children with the Locathah to ensure that the oceans would be free of taint. It proved an easier offer then she expected frankly - she had considered using the new reform measures to aid in negotiation if people were stubborn but when she raised it to Dranera the idea was shut down hard - but for those who normally stayed around Corrla some were actually eager and so soon some wave archons were ordined as priests after they managed to form the connection needed and thought the basics. Where when the River Archons had joined the worship of Kerima the goddess had given little indication, Dranera speaking on her mothers behalf welcomed the new archons - few in number though they were for now - with a celebration of shared lesser divinity in service to a higher one.
From the basis Xill envisoned a new society as a possibility for her brethern - as while she liked the mortals of Corrla she knew that her kind were always going to be somewhat seperate from them.

The Researchers
Dranera looked out at her people and realised that something was missing, there was much waste of talent where isolated people who could contribute more were not given the chance due to that isolation and were not reaching there best selves, as such she choose some of the best people in their fields to find others who might excel and train them up but also to find those who might merely do well and train them to a suitable level. It was her hope that such would allow her society to flourish faster and safer.

Form Organisation: The Researchers.
While Worship was still the foremost power of the people and none debated the priests as the head of the society, it soon became clear that other powers both mundane and mystical were worth exploring - a as such a series of schools were formed to raise up the people of Corrla to ensure that people could find the role in society where they could best serve Kerima. These people were taken from all walks of life and organisations to train up people on matters of importance, whether they were suited for the life of a priest, a mason, a beast tamer, a merchant or even other concepts that the lizardmen spoke of from there own continent.
Of particular focus however were those who could develop the powers granted to the faithful or the manifestations of The Shelled or the new wonders of the Ferrin - but having a second trade was always encouraged.

Learning (Research) 1/10

Gnomes2169

2021-06-16, 12:43 PM

Ennis and Neela - Taking a bath
A good bit larger than most creatures the kobolds would have encountered up to this point, being roughly the size of a crocodilian even if he didn't have all the scales, the archon wouldn't be able fit his bronze-skinned body entirely under the water while he was in a comfortable sitting position. However, that just meant that there was more of his back to wash, and he hardly stopped the eager little bathhouse workers.

While his body was firm, and a bit difficult to work on because of those supernaturally reinforced muscles, it would also be warm to the touch. Like a heated rock freshly pulled from a hot spring. A fact that some scholars might take note of, which in turn lead to debates on how to measure the exact internal temperature that this being must have, which then devolved into a debate about how to measure the temperatures of anything, and what the benefits of doing so might be in any number of heat-based processes.

Ennis... tactfully ignored that discussion, like he hoped that the other bath patrons ignored his. The openness of this environment was as refreshing as it was potentially problematic, as the secret of his connection with Renarr was something that he really didn't want getting back to the Empire. He and Amerith had been doing their best to hide that fact for a reason, after all. But it was out in the world now. Hopefully that knowledge would be safe here. "I don't think Renarr truly knew about the full extent of Lor's sacrifice... and she will not leave her old ally to drift through the void alone. The Great Teacher can expect a visitor soon. In fact, she'll be bringing any other member that she can with her, so that Lor can meet all of the other members of the pantheon, and so he can talk to the-"

Suddenly sitting up straight, sending a flailing kobold bath worker into the pool because of the movement, he exclaimed, "Wait, they made the Suzerain the leader of the- were they insane? The man hates authority, especially authority shoved onto him!" From his tone, a hint of concern and fear behind each word, Ennis was more shocked than he was outraged. "I can... see the logic behind it. But there will be pain because of this choice, even if it's only the Suzerain's soul weeping because of these chains."

The Captain and the Admiral - Negotiations
”Negotiations are more pleasant when the other side isn’t constantly looking for opportunities to convince you of their doctrine.

Your story has reminded me of another group we have begun trading with recently. Natives of Corrla, yet separate from their society. They are a resilient people, having survived generations of mistreatment from the religious. Now they have spread their wings a little and occupy a few islands to the west. Rumor has it they have a shadowy patron who protects them, a powerful being, possibly divine.”

The captain grunted at the observation of Corrla's 'negotiation' tactics, and he tells her, "Hah! Conversions and indoctrination. What pointless exercises... The empire understands that we hardly know everything, and are constantly humbled by just how far behind we were when we met the kobolds. Diversity is what makes this world as beautiful as it is." Which is why he'd argued for integration in favor of dominion so often and so strongly in grand meetings of the empire's council. Ethrial's arguments so far had proven persuasive in that setting.

When the republic was mentioned the captain's eyes would narrow almost imperceptible, but he didn't comment on it. A shadowy figure that had approached the peoples of the blight lands, semi-divine and associated with darkness? Three deities had domains he knew of could qualify those requirements, one was his missing goddess, one the river goddess, -who he'd heard no rumors of forging nations or other peoples, so he was relatively certain it wasn't her,- and one was supposed to be dead. But the serpent had created an archon-like entity to speak for itself when it cursed creation... could that fragment have survived the serpent's ruination, and now be functioning as its own entity?

Ethrial would have to investigate this story when he got the opportunity.

”The Shimmering Gate!!!! You live in the shadow of the great eastern mountains? Within sight of the Kobold Marshes?”

"Aye, that we do. Which makes it only all the more embarrassing that it took us so long to actually talk to them." He'd been almost 1,300 years old when the ships finally reached the kobold's marshes, so long spent in ignorance. "Reconnecting with the Marreill was one of the best moves we made. Our peninsula is lush and large enough to sustain a good number of people, true, but it's also surrounded by mountains and water. The freedom of being able to properly sail in safety was incredibly liberating." But of course, Timsah was a sailor herself, so he didn't need to wax poetically to her about that freedom.

"That said, our home is still beautiful, and the idea of sailing the entirety of the Circle Continent instead of just staying on its southern peninsula is..." Oh, there was a hunger in his face at that prospect, excitement at the idea of exploring the entire coast line of the land that he'd so long called his home. "Should you wish to finish that journey, I will happily volunteer my vessel in that service. I'll bring you personally to Dawnhold, and show you the wonders of Solace itself." It had been fifteen years since he'd been home. In fact, until this meeting and the few days they'd had to set up for it, it had been fifteen years since he'd set foot on land. He should probably return to the heart of the empire to see how it had changed.

”I see, so you are in a way, explorers and travelers then. But to pursue such a goal with suddenness and in full force, is there something of importance you hope to find?"

He would be quiet at the question for a moment, his officers looking at him to see how he would respond, and then he explained, "We call ourselves an Empire... and Renarr, our Empress, has disappeared. We do not know where, or even why. Similarly Moirathe has vanished along with her herald, the Saorsa." That explained the suddenness, as for the force...

"We do not know why the gods cannot return to us, as Renarr made Solace a place that could handle her presence regardless of how powerful she became, so we have devoted a large portion of our resources and manpower to prepare for the evils that we might need to counter in order to free them. This world also has many dangers. There are rising powers and monsters that would be happy to prey upon small groups of unprepared explorers. If we can drive them back and secure the land for future generations of travelers, then..." He gave a little shrug at that, as if that form of expansion was only natural.

"Your fluency in the Kobolds’ language was a clear indication of your societies contact, and a good choice for communication. The Kobolds are our oldest and closest partners, their peaceful pursuit of knowledge, an inspiration to us all."

That had been his intention when selecting the language. Let them associate him and his people with the peace-loving lizards to set the stage for a peaceful interaction and garner some perhaps unearned good will...

"It seems you have heard only one sided tales of the gnolls. To judge them as a whole would be doing them wrong, for they are a divided people. Some resort to banditry or piracy, others serve as protectors of order and are known to be fierce guardians of those they protect. As fellow desert dwellers, the gnolls are in a way like a rebellious younger brother who associated with the wrong people, in this case their deity.”

"Misunderstand stories? No, no, perhaps I should have made myself more clear... those were the packs that I, personally, encountered fifty years ago. If there are gnolls beyond the bandits that hunted me and my company all the way back to the southern shore, then they were farther to the north and west than we managed to reach." The Empire hadn't been trading with the kobolds at that time, and their technology for weaponry had been rather primitive compared to what even the bandits had been able to scrounge up, after all. Zariel's expeditionary force had been repulsed relatively easily despite the numbers. Ethrial was one of only twelve members of his group that had made it home. It was still a sting in the empire's pride. "The direwolves, though, I will not accept any redemptive stories about. Those were always mindless monsters, the two my party managed to take down took their price in blood, and I have no desire to ever meet such beasts again."

She caught the lizard trying to taste the ink, and quickly stepped on his tail. Placing a form hand on his shoulder, she released the tail and motioned the lizard to start talking.

“Ehem. I have read the contract, and while most of it seems reasonable, there may still be a need for a few revisions. This is standard procedure for contracts among us by the way, rarely is the first draft accepted.”

The extended tongue got a raised eyebrow, but Ethrial did not comment on it. He did, after all, just say that diversity of culture was a thing to be embraced in the Empire... even if licking paper and squid ink was on the strange side of that diversity. "Well of course, negotiation shouldn't come to an agreement immediately. If everything was agreeable from the start, then clearly both sides should have asked for more, since it is the pushing of boundaries where profits, like discoveries, are made.

"It is also good to know just how you view these islands and the territories themselves. There was some debate among the captains who joined me in this venture on if you were purely a mercantile coalition attempting to break free from the strangle hold of the pirate league, or if you were a true nation attempting to do the same thing. I figured a good way to test that would be to see how you would react to an offer of a large garrisons of troops that you would not have to pay to upkeep or train, with the guarantee of my life, and thus the command structure of this part of our armada, to maintain your autonomy. If you were the former, then, well, you wouldn't care about the land as long as trade was not impacted and that offer would appeal. I'm glad to have been proven right, and to find that you are the later. It makes our relationship much more equal going on in the future."

Nodding as the food came, the captain unclips his sword belt and sets the curved, one-sided blade against his stool as a signal that negotiations were done for the evening. "Thus, I look forward to your counter-proposal. But for now, let's enjoy a meal, and leave all the negotiating and nitpicking for another time."

Amerith and Cassius - Founding a New Order
The Empire had begun to expand. Truly expand. And while this was good for the sake of its influence and the potential growth of its populations and resources, it also meant that the strain on its military to protect the lands it now controlled was going to grow. Especially with monsters such as the Direwolves, that sentient fungus and Vampires lurking in the outer territories, and banditry appealing to some regardless of how prosperous legitimate trade in the Empire might be.

And there was always the looming threat that the Weshesh represented... even if it hadn't been acted upon yet.

The solution that Amerith and Cassius came up with was to found a defensive order. One that would protect the colonies and mainland of the Shaline empire from monsters and invaders alike, sworn to their service at the gate to Solace and empowered by veneration of these two archons in particular. This would be the birth of the first paladin order to the world, and the Order of Roses swiftly found its ranks swelling with would-be heroes and avengers.

Starting AP: 0
Starting PAP: 1

-1 PAP; Create Organization - Order of Roses: The Order of Roses is a purely defensive force within the Shaline Empire that is meant to hold the territories that were claimed by the empire's expansion, and to hunt down the threats to the nation's borders, specifically to the colonies that have been established there. The members of the Order of Roses are paladins in the traditional sense (mechanically closer to 5e D&D, though, to put it in game terms), and can draw upon strength, authority and healing magics from their veneration of both Amerith and Cassius.

Since this is a purely defensive organization, they only add to RCR when the Shaline Empire's territories and borders are being invaded, not when the Empire is the aggressor.
Sphere progress: Civilization (2/10)

Total AP expended: -1 PAP

Ending AP: 0
Ending PAP: 0

Domain Progression:
War (Preservation): 2 (Create Pantheon, Split Planar Magic: Augmentation/ Transposition)

Kinro

2021-06-16, 07:28 PM

Neela looked at the solar with a bit of irritation. "Peace, Ennis," she said. "You're disturbing your fellow guests." She looked over at the kobold who had been thrown to the water, showing clear relief that he seemed alright, before indicating to the kobold behind her to move to the front, so that it was his back that she now washed, putting doubt to his impression that it had been employees that had been washing his back.

"Lor is not alone," Neela said. "It is accompanied by the Moon Guardians, which include the archons who brought to the moon. But I have no doubt that it would appreciate the visit of the Suzerain and Renarr, in more peaceful circumstances this time, one would hope. And of others as well, of course. It has not met very many gods, really. Not even the others the kobolds worship, the maker of our ancestors and the maker of the harpies." And at the though of harpies, Neela felt a pang as the thought of her deer friend came to her mind. Would she see her again? Would the harpy even want to see her after she had changed so much? And when would there even be time? There was so, so much to do, always.

Zelphas

2021-06-16, 09:25 PM

A Declaration to a Changing World

The new arrivals, of various stripes, were all met on the pathways and byways into centaur lands. For the Lizardfolk and the Kobald roads to the west and south, the centaurs' oldest and truest friendships, the message was passed to them kindly by an actual centaur, though the clay forms of golems armed with clay clubs and spears were still obviously in evidence. The harpies and mixed people once from Corrla to the full south were still met by real centaurs, though armed ones, and the message was more perfunctorily given. People within the Everrun Plains were given the news individually by the innkeepers where they were staying, though they saw the golems begin to move through the streets in more numbers. The one contingent of the Shaline Empire's forces that had continued moving north was met by a contingent of the Feet of Clay mixed with golems, and thanked for their willingness to forgo arms and continue peacefully before the message was given.

In the north, the orcs of the tundra were met with the unliving glare of golems alone, the message read in a blank voice devoid of mortal emotion. In all places, the message was essentially the same.

"The centaurs beholden to the Everrun Council--all centaurs--have heard disturbing tales about the world of late. Stories of war, and conquest. Strange powers, and stranger wielders. mortals attacking mortals under the sanction of their rulers, seeking land, or wealth, or simply power. We have heard darker rumors, of magic that can warp minds, though we do not know if we can believe this. The centaurs want no part in these upheavals. We have lost enough of our ancestral homelands to godly strife and developing races, and all we ask is to be left alone in these conflicts. The lands that we hold now we claim officially by our right; no other race may settle in or move freely through them, with the exception of one.

If you wish to trade, you may go to the border town nearest to where you enter and trade there. We will continue to offer fair prices and goods as we have. If you wish to visit, or to travel through our lands elsewhere, then you may request to do so at that border town. If your request is granted, you will be given a visa and a guide to bring you to your proper route. If you wish to conquer, we will defend ourselves. This is the only warning we will give on this front.

The only exception to the travel restrictions are the gnolls. In memory of the meeting of our peoples and the Feet of Clay, and in recognition of the difficulties of refugees, single gnolls or gnoll families numbering ten individuals or less may enter centaur lands freely, and larger groups or tribes of gnolls may request places to settle, to be reviewed by the Everrun Council personally.

The centaurs do not want your wars. We only want our lands. Allow us to keep them, and we will do no harm to you. Try to take them from us, and we will be forced to retaliate.

So signed, Everrun Council Chair Rilo of the North, Everrun Council Chair Tila of the East, Everrun Council Chair Qulu of the South.

To be enforced in perpetuity until and unless a unanimous vote of the Everrun Council should alter or abolish this decree."

The decree was placed in writing upon large clay pillars, tended by golems, near every major road entering into centaur lands. The golems remained watching these roads and patrolling nearby, seeming to act without any instruction from any living creature nearby.

4 AP

Create Mythic Sub-Concept (Golem Farspeaking) -2 AP: By studying and combining the fleshcrafting skills taught by the vanished Magirus, the Runic Magic cast on this world by a god now gone, and the innate pseudo-telepathic powers of the (very few) Shelled that have managed to reach centaur lands, the centaurs struck upon a way to engrave runes of control and speech onto the body of a centaur Golemcrafter, which allow them to give mental orders to golems from afar. Farspeakers are set apart from other centaurs by their tendency to wear obscuring cloaks and gloves... and their tendency towards insanity; more runes give a Farspeaker more range and control and allow them to command more golems, but every new rune invites more instability into their minds. (Domain Progression: Race (Centaurs) 6/10)

Bless (Golem Chess) -1 AP: As a side-effect of inventing Farspeaking and used at first as a way to hone their skills, the centaurs inadvertently created a strategy board game which uses tiny, voice-activated golems as the pieces. The rules of the game are intricate and varied, allowing for a number of strategic options, and the tiny golems take relatively little magic power to operate. (Supposedly, one person powered their board by pouring underbeer on it before every match.) This game has allowed centaurs to become much more adept at planning larger-scale golem battles, though for now their aptitude is purely theoretical. (Domain Progression: Race (Centaurs) 7/10)

4 AP -3 AP = 1 AP Remaining

Kinro

2021-06-16, 09:53 PM

The kobolds were, of course, heartbroken at the declaration from the centaurs, some of their oldest and, they had thought, greatest allies. And yet, though it pained them, they did as requested. Those of them who had come to live amongst their one friends departed back, slowly making their way to their swamps in what would be a long, long travel. Libraries and library-forts and the great aqueducts were abandoned, left as gifts to those centaurs who had joined as librarians, or else to centaurs in generals. The great teleportation gates were broken, destroyed, never to be used again. Even the defenses made the Guardian Glacier, a intended ward against the orcs, were left bare, their defenders given special permission to traverse the plains back to the Great Marshes. Only a single request was made, that one or a few kobolds would be allowed to be in the plains, to take residence near where the Council met, so that they may talk and discuss and so that the lines of communication would not be forever broken. And the same was asked of all races that kobolds new of as well, so that such a tragedy would not again repeat.

Create Mundane Concept(Embassies)
3 - 1 = 2

A small group of delegates, sent to each nation, to maintain talk and contact with their leadership, in hopes of forging and maintaining bonds and of achieving greater peace.

Peace (Alliances): 1 + 1 = 2

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-17, 02:36 PM

Kassa and the Winged Gods

After she had left the company of the divinities gathered in Concourse, Kassa decided to pull at a thread of curiosity that had been dangling enticingly ever since she had entered the place. Most of the gods that had gathered in the plane - The Father of Coin, the Twilight Goddess, the Clay Mother, the Lost River - were familiar to her. She had heard - and related - tales of their deeds and exploits many times over, and knew them well; or at least, knew the images that many people had of them. But the last one, Arkhos, the Shining Wyrm, was new to her. No stories of him were told among the people of the Circle Continent, nor elsewhere, so far as she knew.

His words, though, were not unfamiliar to her. Kassa had watched many warlords, priests and would-be-heroes echo them, speaking highly of the great value of truth and righteousness, and especially their own truth and righteousness. Almost all had been fools, hypocrites or liars; choked to death by their own principles, or else gutted by one unburdened by them. They were always quite amusing to watch fall and break; but Kassa wondered if this Arkhos would be the same. A god did not fall nor break quite so easily, after all.

So Kassa followed the dragon-god as he approached the jagged land of the Spine Aerie, a place that she herself had not visited, and, taking the form of a small songbird, alighted next to the high nest where he had begun to converse with and offer his gift to the harpies, watching and listening. Of course, though her disguise could easily fool a harpy, it was no match for the scrutiny of a god.

Feathersnow

2021-06-17, 02:56 PM

IDIX

A Diplomat at the Lodges!

The gnoll emissary, Grrhala, wasn't really sure about this. The sun had been up for a week, but it was still unpleasantly cool. The Sister guide seemed to ignore the constant icebergs, but they seemed to ignore him. Did that make him a Brother?
Apparently not, apparently Ghul language had only one pronoun used for sentients, and it always translates as "she." That she, the emmisary, bothered to ask gave her the "plum assignment " of actually going to the Ghul homeland from among the other middle rank diplomats.
And then the broken cliffs and baren spires of the Antarctic continent peaked over the horizon. There were no trees. Very little green. But, the White Kite and Circle Flag of The Sisterhood and Idix flew over a giant, decrepit-looking hovel.
The ship, though massive, docked cleanly against a cliff that had been made into a dock. It made a clean 90-degree pivot to do so!
And, with that, the reasoning for this mission became again clear. The Ghuls were the peers of the Weshesh and above all others in the use of magic, and their powers were neither the divine strictures of Kerima nor the Arcane corruption of mana. They were something otherworldly and ancient, much like the Ghuls themselves.

When Grrhala left the boat, she was met by a single, shockingly young Ghul. Nude except for paint in her fur showing the White Circke of Idix around each of her eyes.
"I am Elder Nabbar, of the Lodge of Red Checks. Our siblings in the Sisterhood sent word that a stranger wished to speak regarding a conflict. We do not know they names of most of the people involved. We understand our friends the Weshesh wish to have lands claimed also by our Friend Abu Dhahab, and that they cannot share. This is a sad thing, but it is not the concern of the Ka of Skidi.
We have never met your kind, before, and would offer you hospitality while you plead your case."

The young "Elder" took Grrhala to a deserted, but set, banquet table, laden with fresh fish, large bugs, and many kinds of slime
Grrhala pled for the cause of alliance. But the "Elder seemed not only not to understand the particulars of the war .. she seemed to fsil to know what a 'war" was. Or an "alliance." Or "payment " it was like talking to a tiny, adorable, brick wall.

After she gave up in exasperation, the Elder spoke. "We do not wish for you to go home empty handed. It has been long since anyone but the Weshesh made this trip. Lwt us gift you with potions bred and brewed for use to travelers and fighters."

The elder catalogued her "wares" A brew to grant the strength of ten. A brew of invisibility, a ticture of windstep. A tea that could restore to perfect health and body anyone still whole enough to swallow...

"You would give this freely? How many" Grrhala asked, dumbstruck.
"We will fill your hold, of course!"
"But, were I greedy, and sent another?"
"Sharing the bounty of Idix goes both ways. If you wish soup, you must give lumber or metal or some other treasure. I hate to be greedy, but our soup and fish is all we can give in exchange "
Grrhala swallowed and stuttered... "is a one-to-one exchange acceptable?" Surely not! Sure a fleet of unproccessed lumber couldn't buy weapons like this!?
"Of course"

KragBrightscale

2021-06-17, 11:40 PM

Negotiations on Multiple Fronts

As Timsah had expected, the League had also felt the pressure of the third party’s sudden intrusion. Their written response and agreement to meet had just arrived, and she passed on the role of negotiator to the Geckokin Captain Saif Albahaar. The pirates she knew didn’t respond well to large and dominating beings like herself, this would need to be handled discreetly, to preserve the League’s dignity and to avoid others misunderstanding.

Thankfully the Empire seemed capable of reason and negotiation, so talks had proceeded informally interspersed with personal tales and anecdotes during the meal. Each side prodding and getting a feel for how far they could push when the final draft was being written.

The Colony’s representatives wrote up a document that they hoped would be acceptable.

acknowledgment of the small collection of islands being officially belonging to the empire.
Basic commitment to non aggression, and limits on moving military forces into each other’s territory.
Civilians would be allowed almost unrestricted travel with each other’s territory, though local laws must be adhered while doing so.
Diplomatic envoys would have greater freedom of travel, permission to dock, permission to bring along guards for self defense, and permission to reside temporarily in the other’s cities.
Admirals will be recognized as having diplomatic identities except in times of war.
Foreigners accused of breaking the law will have the right to notify their state’s diplomatic entities to ensure the judgement is fair. Should the party be found guilty, a diplomat may request a meeting with other representatives to decide on alternative methods of achieving justice.
Free cities. Located on the islands between the colony and the empire, these cities will belong to no one. Self governing, having their own militia, trade zones where taxes and other expenses are reduced, each society can have a diplomatic presence. Military forces are not to be brought within an agreed upon distance of free cities.

Elemental Affinity

As the masters of Ki continued to practice their cultivation and meditation, some started to sense something in the world around them. A subtle energy, gentle and hard to notice, masked by the ever present, wild and commanding presence of mana.

In stark contrast to mana, this energy seemed more natural, as if being present since the world’s first moment. There were ancient records describing the arrival of mana alongside the natural disasters that rocked their world, so there was no doubt that it was unnatural. Yet mana was also not as harmful as many had first thought either, with it now being an important source of energy to fuel their Ki cultivation.

As the Ki masters attempted to connect to the subtle natural energies they discovered a variety of types. Earth water fire metal wood and wind. Six different types, six elements, different in character and in nature. Sensing one was common, but the more talented could often sense two types or sometimes three, almost none could sense more than that, but those that did were destined to be remembered.

The elders of the ascetics were the first among Ki users to tap into this energy and combine it with their martial skills. Suddenly a new door had been open to Ki cultivators, as their bodies grew more powerful and in tune with nature, their movements could resonate with and guide the elemental energies around them.

The elemental energy was different from mana, as the ascetics soon found out. Mana seemed to naturally want to be expressed and directed, as if looking for an outlet for its potential to be released out into the world. The elemental energy seemed more reserved and resisted forceful changes in its motion, therefore the way to use it was to sense the natural way the elements tended to move, and lead the way with Ki, adjusting the course in advance and allowing the energy to flow through the path you’d made.

This new form of elementalism started spreading amongst the Lizardfolk. Bending the elements to their will without opposing their nature had some benefits to society other than a boost in combat capabilities. Metal workers who awakened metal or fire affinity found their materials easier to work with and started producing higher quality products. Wind and water affinities were helpful to sailors, allowing the Lizardfolk to take their navy to the next level. Wood and earth affinities were perfect for the agriculture and construction industries.

The golem elders of Jabal Alsalaam, being some of the longest practicing Ki users naturally grasped the skill elemental bending. Each golem chose an element to specialize in, with the last remaining one specializing in pure body cultivation instead.

Kobolds in the ascetics library were naturally taught the skill, for as long as knowledge was learned by these smaller relatives of the Lizardfolk, it would be preserved for future generations.

AP= 3

Create mythic subconcept (elementalism): Elemental Bending -2 AP
Ki practitioners eventually gain the potential for enhanced elemental affinity through Ki cultivation. Based on the 6 elements, the energy found in nature can be guided through martial arts and Ki to a variety of different effects. The technique is in no way forcing or dominating elemental energy. It is by knowing the character and natural flow of the elements and guiding those energies. Greater understanding of the truth of an element allows for better use of it. Meditation is key.
Mind (Enlightenment) 6/10

AP remaining: 3 -2 = 1

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-18, 05:48 PM

Despite the hot afternoon sun, and the best efforts of the diplomatic envoy, the atmosphere within the large pavilion tent could not be described as anything but "cold".

The meeting was not a large or obvious affair: nothing more than a handful of tents pitched on the far side of a small, mostly-uninhabited island in the middle of disputed waters; not home to much but gulls, boars, and a small, squat fishing village. But many years of war and animosity were not easily broken, and so the envoy had made an attempt to make it a warm affair, at least. A table-setting of traditional lizardfolk meals, a singer with a few old Red Coast and Wadi Alsahali tales. Little reminders of what they shared. Of what the Empire did not.

But the time of pleasantries had ended, and a cold quiet had descended over the attendees. Clearing his throat awkwardly, the spindly lizardfolk at the head of the simple rectangular table stood and smiled warmly at the geckokin captain across from him, as well as the mixture of various lizardfolk (and a few gnolls, from the League's own envoy) sitting at it.

"Well. Let us proceed to business then. To those I did not have the pleasure of personally greeting, my name is Jalim Ufmurala. I and my compatriots have been sent on behalf of the Red Council of the Kalarian League, in order to represent their interests in this matter. The League shares your concerns regarding the intrusion of the Shaleill Armada into these lands. The sudden loss of the Dhalir Islands to unknown and powerful magic is of particular concern to us."

Jalim bent forward, placing both hands on the table. "What's more, our scouts suggest that this force is merely a small part of their full might. It is true that our people have been locked in bitter conflict for many years; but the presence of such a force here is a grave danger to us all. And that they have chosen to assert their influence here where there is already strife and war, exploiting the distraction of us both, is no coincidence. We would both, I believe, very much like to limit the influence of this Empire in the Jisr; and the League is willing to negotiate a suspension of this conflict in order to achieve that. As it is said: 'Where two wolves fight, it is the vulture that eats.' So, let us discuss terms to halt this war. I am certain that, with the hand of Abu Dhahab guiding us, we will find an arrangement that will create prosperity and peace for both our peoples."

---

In a few months' time, a load of the promised lumber and metal arrived at the shores of the Land of Cliffs and Spires. A large load. The Yellow Council had seized upon the deal offered by the ghuls like a shark upon a wounded seal; especially once the alchemists had begun to truly investigate the wondrous potions that Grrhala's envoy had provided. They knew, in vague terms, of the potion-making arts of the ghuls, but this was beyond anything that they would have expected. The potion-makers of the League were among the best in the world, legendary artisans and fully masters of the art of alchemy; and yet, even they could neither explain nor replicate the effects of the Pharmakeistic mixtures. Their expertise was in weapons, of explosives, poisons and acids; the life-giving and ability-granting (magics at least as powerful as those of a trained Chosen, though temporary and not so directly aggressive) properties of the ghuls' potions were strange and fascinating to them, especially when they discovered that said potions seemed to contain almost no mana whatsoever. It was a puzzle that could not go unsolved.

So when the piles of lumber and iron were unloaded onto the docks of the ghul settlement, something else was unloaded as well: strange and shiny instruments unfamiliar to most ghuls, tools of measurement, extraction and mathematics. And along with the workers and sailors came another set of figures in much nicer clothing, asking to speak to one of the Pharmakeists.

The group was quickly escorted to one of them, and the apparent leader of the group - an elderly gnoll with what appeared to be a fake eye made of crystal - pulled back her thick fur hood and smiled widely.

"Hello! I am known as Gurafta Ufargan, and my colleagues and I-" she gestures theatrically to the twelve individuals standing behind her, some of whom shift awkwardly, "-represent the Green Council of the Kalarian League. We are scholars and artisans, practitioners of an art that we believe may be similar to yours - a discipline of potion-making we call "Alchemy". We've studied the mixtures that you generously provided to our envoy, and I think we may have quite a bit to learn from each other! The devices that our crews are unloading are some of the tools of our trade, devices for measuring and weighing. Consider them a gift: it is our hope that they may assist with your brewing. But I think we can offer you something more, as well."

The gnoll began to pace back and forth, hands clasped behind her back. "You know precious little of our methods of brewing; and you, likewise, know little of ours. We are both capable of things the other would consider great wonders. So, on behalf of the Green Council, we would like to suggest a joint venture between our peoples: an effort to deepen our understanding of each others' magical arts, and the differences between them. Of course, such an exchange of knowledge would be great enough on its own. But if we were to combine our knowledge and disciplines-" Gurafta grinned, and a very dangerous sort of excitement glinted in her eye, "-I think we may be able to create something even greater."

---

While war raged in the Jisr, the gnolls spread across the lands of the Circle Continent had not been idle. In the west, the age of instability and tribal wars among the Ufrot-Assag, created by the Underbeer Plague and the separation of the Kalorian League, was beginning to draw to a close. In its aftermath, the pack-tribe leaders and elders determined that, especially with the League snapping at the southern end of their lands, they needed to ensure cooperation and unity among their people, as the lands all around them had. No more would the informal agreements and the law of the Oasis Taboo suffice. So, with the help of peacemakers from the Feet of Clay and the Ascetic Order of Zahd, representatives of 37 major recognized Ufrot-Assag tribes came together in the city of Wahat Aralha and drafted a more formal agreement of non-aggression and cooperation: the Compact of the Ufrot-Assag. No longer would they be consumed by old rivalries while bandits and monsters encircled them; they were separate tribes still, but also one people. Their meeting place was maintained by a permanent group of Ufrot-Assag, and Feet of Clay, kept as a place for future meetings and as a point of contact to the Ufrot-Assag; and soon, other such meeting-places were created in other oasis-towns and in certain cities of the Red Coast. Meanwhile, of the few tribes that had not joined the Compact, many simply maintained independence, though a few, especially in the south, simply joined the League.

Bolstered by the new-made peace, the League's sudden focus on the war in the Jisr, and the constant advance of their medicinal practices, the numbers of the Ufrot-Assag grew - and the desert could only support so many. A few, primarily in the north, migrated into the lands of the Merchant Union; the gnolls had long resisted assimilation into the cities of the west; the ubiquitous gold and silver made life in the heart of the denser cities near impossible. But for a few, the offers of the burgeoning practices of alchemy and the ever-present need for herbalists and healers was enough of a temptation to convince some to settle in small permanent villages and gatherings on the outskirts of lizardfolk lands. Many more, however, opted to go east; the proclamation of the Centaurs, and the open declaration of their trust and friendship, did much to soothe the rifts that had opened during the age of instability, and soon a second wave of gnoll migrants began to trickle in from the northwest of the Everrun.

Meanwhile, in the east, the gnolls had integrated almost fully with centaur society; and the combination of Ufrot-Assag, Everrun, and in many places Great Marshes culture had begun to produce interesting results.

Storytelling was one particular area of change. The nomadic gnoll caravans were already quite well known for their storytellers, putting on riveting performances with increasing panache and flair, sometimes even incorporating multiple storytellers at once. It was the primarily-kobold librarians, with their love of writing, recording and sharing knowledge, that began to create written records of these stories, making scrolls and carving-sticks of the tales so that they could be stored in the great libraries, preserved and accessible to others.

The gnoll storytellers were, at first, quite confused by this. They understood the concept of relating simple facts and figures through writing well enough, but a story was not a dead, static thing that could be recorded through writing. In the Ufrot-Assag tradition that they followed, a story was a living thing, something that changed with each telling and existed in the tone, the expressions, the pauses and gestures as much as in the words themselves. A story stripped to mere words and put down in writing was dead; merely the corpse of a story. And yet, to the kobolds, the idea of knowledge that could not ever be stored or put down except in memory - knowledge so easily lost and forgotten! - was a disturbing, almost incomprehensible prospect. Many gnoll and kobold scholars and poets argued and debated endlessly on this; and the end result of their many arguments, the desire to reconcile their ideas as well as many older ones, was two-fold.

The first, was plays: writings that contained, not merely the words of a story to be spoken, but how to say them, how to move and gesture; dead knowledge that would, in the hands of a storyteller, become a living performance. The second was literature; stories that existed only in writing, that were made only to be read, and that could take advantage of the written kobold language to do certain things that even a skilled poet could not; breathing into it the life that many storytellers insisted it could not hold.

These new artforms gained tremendous popularity through all of centaur lands, and soon all throughout the circle continent. Performers and playwrights refined the art and spectacle of their stories, incorporating multiple tellers, as well as elaborate masks worn on the upper face to distinguish which character was speaking, with certain masks and colors indicating certain "archetypes". In the lands of the Centaurs, these masks were simple hardened clay or sometimes bone, painted in various patterns; the most popular performance, by far, was The Slaying of Khorodugun, a heavily fictionalized telling of the first battle between the Feet of Clay and a Direwolf. In the lands of the Ufrot-Assag, these masks were often full animal skulls, and the most popular and recorded plays were old Ufrot-Assag fables of the various trickeries of Kassa.

Meanwhile, an entirely new class of storytellers - writers of literature - began to emerge, especially among the most skilled writers, the Kobolds. A story told on paper could not contain the expressions and tone of a living storyteller, true, but they could contain other things, rhetorical tricks of language and perspective that a performer could not imitate. This new class of storytellers began to create many such literary devices, and so began to give rise to an entirely new type of story; one that could persist in the libraries of the plains and swamps long after its creator had perished.

Another advancement was in the refinement of alcohol. It had been known for quite some time among the centaurs and the gnolls that certain foods - if left to rot under specific conditions - would ferment into a beverage that was pleasant to drink and often less dangerous than unboiled water. But the gnolls of the Everrun, with access to the centaurs' many grains and hops, and equipped with their own knowledge of potion-crafting, began to perfect the process, producing bright, amber-brown liquids rather than the thick, gruel-like beverages that had been more common. The brewers were able to produce many varieties and flavors of this drink, from lighter, paler varieties favored more by smaller species such as gnolls and kobolds, to far darker, stronger ones favored by the larger centaurs. This beverage's effects were described as similar to Underbeer, so it was first termed "Overbeer", and thereafter shortened to merely "Beer", and developed many other names for many other strains and types besides. The drink soon became an incredibly popular staple of the taverns across the Everrun, to the point that many villages began to construct large buildings for its production, with multiple brewers mixing and fermenting great kegs of the stuff to be shipped across the plains; and, soon enough, to other places.

So, the consolidation of the Everrun Council, and the closing-off of Centaur lands, was not met with quite the same reaction from the Everrun Gnolls as it had been from the Ufrot-Assag. They were of course grateful that they had earned the trust of the centaurs, and would not be driven from the place they only knew as home; but they had formed a rich relationship with the kobolds, and many of the other non-centaurs within their lands, and were not pleased to see them go. The Everrun seemed to be hardening, solidifying like baked clay, cracking into borders that cut across their wandering nomadic routes. Many gnolls looked at the increasing ranks of golems - created by knowledge and magic they did not understand and could not have - and could not help but feel trepidation.

AP Total: 5/16
Create Organization: Ichoria Apothecary Institute [1AP]

Named after the alchemical term for liquid mana, the Ichoria Apothecary Institute is a collaborative effort between the Alchemists of the Kalorian League and the Pharmakeists of the Cliffs-and-Spires Lodges, dedicated to studying and experimenting with the properties of alchemy and pharmakeism, and in particular the ways in which they may be combined. The Institute itself is based in the Jisr Archipelago, on a small, unremarkable island close to the Red Coast. On the island is the main base of research, a specially-created dwelling where a number of ghul, gnoll and lizardkin scholars and potion-makers permanently live and work, along with a support staff of transplanted ghuls, local League citizens, and several Sisters. However, the group also makes use of the work and correspondence of several alchemists and pharmakeists outside of the island itself. The organization is nominally independent of any power and dedicated solely to learning and experimentation; however, they are in the middle of League territory and dependent on the League for many materials and tools, and the League in turn "suggests" avenues of research. So, much of their work is done with weaponization, trade value, and enhancement of seafaring/ship construction in mind.

Craft (Alchemy) 1/10

Create Mundane Concept: Plays

Create Mundane Concept: Literature

Entertainment (Storytelling) 2/10

Create Mundane Concept: Fermentation

Create Mundane Concept: Simple Breweries

Change (Transformation) 2/10

5-5 = 0AP Remaining

Council Structure of the Kalorian League

The League is run by a number of different councils, each dedicated to a specific aspect of the League's operation and power. Though they have some formal rules governing their meetings and operation, they are, mostly, very loose affairs. It is not so much that the members derive their power from the Council, but rather that the Council derives its power from its members; they are, in essence, vessels for the patchwork of powerful individuals and organizations comprising the League to discuss, plan and coordinate their actions, forming a sort of loose oligarchy. The only real requirement to be a Council member is simply to be of enough notice and importance to be invited by the others. The councils are as follows:

The Red Council: The Council governing affairs of military might, war, defense and diplomacy. It is composed of fleet captains and admirals, bandit clan leaders, pirate barons, and a few guildmasters of arms, shipbuilding and weaponry. Its leadership heavily overlaps with that of the Makhalib Maksur; indeed, though they are nominally separate, the two organizations are largely one and the same.

The Yellow Council: The council governing affairs of economics, trade (internal and external), distribution and production. It is the largest of the councils, comprised of merchant lords, guildmasters, landowners, master artisans, representatives of various trade groups, and representatives of the Veiled Shadow (it does not send its actual operatives in person). It contains the most members, but they also do not have as much reason to meet as the other councils; most meetings contain only a fraction of its full number, called in order to settle a specific dispute or issue over specific goods and trade routes.

The Grey Councils: Councils governing local, internal affairs of logistics, property, crime, citizens' issues, and other things that do not affect the League as a whole. There are eight of them - each for a different region within the League (the Aldhabir Grey Council, the Ufgan-Kragt Grey Council, etc) - and they are comprised of town mayors and officials, regional governors, pack-tribe elders, free city representatives, tribal religious leaders, elected chieftains, etc. The Grey Councils are numerous, but wield very little power outside of their own small forces of local guards; they mostly exist to manage smaller, petty conflicts between the patchwork of groups comprising the League. Any major problems are usually discussed and dealt with in a larger, inter-council meeting with the Red or Yellow councils.

The Green Council Council governing affairs concerning scholarly research, development, and knowledge, particularly concerning Alchemy, Sorcery, and their related fields. It is composed of master alchemists and apothecaries, scholars of magic and alchemy, Mage Academy representatives, and a few guildmasters and artisans of alchemical supplies and tools. The Green Council is the newest and least powerful of the non-Grey councils; though they do meet to discuss and share news and development of alchemy and magic, many of their meetings are inter-council meetings; either with the Red Council, to discuss development of weapons and training of sorcerers, or with the Yellow Council, to discuss trade and sale of alchemical supplies and products. They are also the council with the most shared seats; many of their most influential members (the guildmasters and artisans) also hold seats on the Yellow Council.

The Basic Process of Alchemy

The first step in any alchemy is the distillation of "raw" mana, the essence of Wan'shi. This is the most difficult part of the craft, and the main quality that makes it "alchemy" as opposed to mundane medicine-making. Mana is ordinarily an intangible, invisible substance; but, it can be induced to bind with certain substances with careful preparation and techniques derived from Synthesis magic, creating a liquid (Referred to as "Ichor" that is about as close to "pure" mana as one can get. This requires very careful heating and mixing procedures, as well as precise instruments. Ichor is both very easy to mess up and very reactive; a single mistake may cause the mana to be lost or rendered unusable, or it may cause the entire apparatus to violently explode.

In the Kalorian League, Ichor is mostly distilled from Underbeer. It can technically be extracted from of almost anything, since mana is constantly raining down and being absorbed by the material world everywhere. However, underbeer is nearly guaranteed to have a large, usable supply of mana, and it has a (relatively) simple extraction process. Gargoyle Stone and Jade King Crystal are also acceptably mana-rich - even moreso than underbeer - but they are much more difficult and expensive to obtain, and have a much more difficult and time-consuming extraction process.

Once this process is completed, the extracted Ichor is mixed with various stabilizing elements and ingredients, as well as more Synthesis magic, in order to create the desired products, usually in the form of a liquid, but occasionally solids, which are ordinarily ground down to make powders. Ichor is, again, a very reactive substance, so these products usually take the form of explosives, acids, burnable fuels to create unique fire, smoke and toxic fume bombs, or poisons.

The Slaying of Khorodugun

Created over many generations of storytellers and first put to paper by the prolific Kobold playwright Olba, The Slaying of Khorodugun is a fictionalized epic account of the first meeting of gnolls and centaurs, and the subsequent fight of the Feet of Clay against a Direwolf. The basic flow of events is largely the same, but many details and events have been added or radically altered over time. The major ones include:

-A battle between the gnolls and centaurs upon their first meeting, instigated by Kassa before they realized their common enemy

-The replacement of the normal direwolf with Khorodugun, a terrifying thirty-foot-high, six-limbed direwolf-like being with poisonous breath and dozens of eyes and mouths.

-The inclusion of several dialogues between Kassa and Hetta

-The lengthening of the battle into a protracted, many-month war across the countryside, during which a request for aid (along with the famous Question of Raki) was sent to the headquarters of the Feet of Clay

-The slaying of Khorodugun using a Silver Arrow, created by Kassa and Hetta in the middle of the Meeting of The Feet of Clay, and carried back to the battlefield by Raki.

Different, more accurate accounts exist, but this particular fictionalized telling is one of the most popular, both in and outside of Centaur lands.

Kinro

2021-06-18, 05:51 PM

Create Advanced Concept underspending * 2, sharing K-bows
2 - 2 = 0

Engineering(Public Works): 8 + 2 = 10
Domain get!

ezekielraiden

2021-06-19, 01:05 AM

By Memory Sustained: Kinryu

Arkhos could not resist a little impatience, as he awaited an audience with the great nest-mother. The harpies were quite pleasant company, of course, with their shiny new feathers, and their tales of Briettia made the waiting easier. He still felt the urge to travel, the itch to see more.

Then he chided himself. He was already aware--through the older deities that had preceded him--that it was possible for a deity to give life to a proxy, a herald of their name and voice. Was that not the ideal solution now? He could remain here, in courtesy to Briettia, the genuine article as it were, while sending a part of himself elsewhere to see and do and teach. His first children, the gleaming dragons in their creches on the moon of Lor's vigil, had only barely heard his voice and begun their learning when he left them to seek further deities. Surely, they would welcome guidance just as he would welcome seeing their progress.

He gave no outward sign of the deed; no doubt these harpies, however pleasant they might be as hosts, would be somewhat ruffled to see their godly guest split in twain and separating. But so it was; Arkhos sent forth an Avatar that was both himself and separate, one with its own thoughts yet the same soul, the same memories, for he was by memory forged and by memory sustained. Thinking of both the Golden Mirror and the Father of Gold, Arkhos gave this Avatar a form malleable, inspired by his children but adaptive to its surroundings, but first and foremost, a dragon in gold scales clad. Thus would he be Kinryu, the Golden Dragon.

Tales Tall and True: Birdsong for Kassa

Kinryu passed from the meeting-place, unseen, like the shadow of the wind, like the footfalls of a cloud. But he does not pass too far. Soon enough, he sees that one of these feathered friends is not like the others, but a god guised as a bird of sweet voice. Thinking this a fitting form, he echoes it, flitting into the branches of the same tree as a golden thrush, though he knows as well as she does that neither of them is as they appear to be.

"I greet you, Kassa. Pray forgive my separate nature; I am here so that I--well, so that Arkhos proper--might personally await audience with Briettia. You may call me Kinryu, or Arkhos, if you prefer." He pauses a moment, preening his feathers. "Though we are separate, we are also one. He hears with my ears, I speak with his voice. Or, perhaps, here I sing?" There was a playful note in his voice-song. Further, it was quite clear that, while Arkhos himself had a very round and even baroque manner of speech, Kinryu was not quite so flowery. Still carrying some of that wordy weight, but more informal.

Create Avatar: Kinryu (金竜 "Gold[en] Dragon"), 3 AP [Domain: Nobility (Leadership) 5/10]

Additionally, pre-spending 1 AP for Airships, helping Renarr. We'll work out the details of the thing separately. This gives...
Create Mythic Concept, Airships (cost shared with Renarr), 1 AP [Domain: Travel (Adventure) 1/10]

Liberation (Aspiration) 9/10
Nobility (Leadership) 5/10
Good (Self-Sacrifice) 5/10
Travel (Adventure) 1/10

Total AP: 12 - 4 = 8

Gnomes2169

2021-06-19, 02:45 AM

Concourse - The Slow Departures
Renarr watched as the other gods either began to leave or explore the new plane, and as mortals began to randomly appear within the Concourse from the First World. The alliance was set. That was all that mattered for now. She could leave the mortals here to start making lives of their own, there was shelter and natural places for gardens to be planted and gods that could conjure food for them (or carts full of food from the first world) after all, so she didn't need to worry about that. Instead... she had a mirror that she needed to go and look at.

With a step, Renarr was on the moon of the First World, floating within the void while she sat beside Lor. For a time she did not face that surface, but eventually, because she new she must, she turned her head that way... and found the spot she had scarred covered up by a blessing of light. It didn't help, in her mind. It only highlighted what she'd done, what they had both sacrificed, in the war that had now faded to myth. But it was nice to see the sacrifice recognized, even lauded.

For the first time, Lor's mirror didn't reflect an image different from the one that sat in front of him. She was just a woman, the veins of her hands blackened and scarred, sitting with her legs tucked against her chest, and looking so... so incredibly tired. She knew what she was. And for now, even her subconscious recognized that it was the best that she could accomplish.

Meanwhile, left behind on the meeting plane, the newly ascended Suzerain and Silph were left to look at each other for a while. Whistling for a bit, the twice-blessed archon asked, "Sooooooo... Suz... how do we get out of here, exactly?"

The demigod reached out, patted Silph on his shoulder, and solemnly informed him, "You are not going to like it."

The Portal to Nocturne - The Archon of Night's Return
For a moment, things were peaceful. The stars twinkled in the night, sometimes obscured by the imposition of the Realm of Night's portal as the first world rotated, but otherwise there was little to worry about. Peace was starting to return to the Empire, and Herend had a new quartz jar filled with sprites to share with Alcyone.

Then, with a sound that was more felt than it was heart, two figures snapped into the atmosphere. Tearing through the Strands of Night both the Suzerain and Silph reappeared within the First World's boundaries. The Suzerain quickly slowed to a stop, "skidding" on the thin air that was present even this high up. The twice blessed archon, meanwhile, rapidly turned into a screaming comet flying straight at the ocean which passed Herend in the blink of a divine eye.

Lifting his eyebrow, the Archon of the Archive looked at the Suzerain and asked, "Now was that really necessary?"

In response, the Archon of Night shrugged and said, "I misjudged the speed the First World would be spinning upon re-entry, and may have overcompensated." Down below, the comet that was Silph impacted a Spire Phoenix, and both plummeted straight into the ocean like a shot from a cannon. The phoenix, when it reformed, immediately took offense to this, and let the extra-crispy archon know. "... It may have been on purpose. Though in my defense, I had forgotten just how much of a floating disaster that man is, and I'm getting used to the newfound strength."

Rubbing at his eyes, Herend mutters, "Welcome back then, Suzerain. Try not to burn the world down while you're here, yes?" And he went to Alcyone to finish his delivery.

Circle Continent - The Centaur Proclomation
When the proclamation came the delegation that had split off of Zariel's expedition force had already been an established diplomatic party for a handful of decades... and they would respond in an understandable way. At being told to leave and having their arguments and objections ignored by the people they had come to know and start to respect, the representatives of the Shaline Empire became silent, packed up, and then went back through the southern mountain range. And then they slammed their proverbial gates shut, forbidding travel and trade to even the outskirts of the centaur's lands that remained open to them while even their outposts were pulled back to their side of the Spine Aerie.

If the centaurs wanted isolation, then fine. So be it. They could cross the mountains with their own hooves to walk into the mountains, make their own trails and roads that the empire had been half-way done building for them, or sail their own boats if they changed their minds. But as far as the Empire was concerned, they had followed all the centaur's rules, had acquiesced the centaur's requests to respect their autonomy and lands, had just started building trade relations... and then had gotten nothing but a slap in the face for all that trouble.

The centaurs wanted isolation? Then let them be isolated.

... This would not stop Zariel from flying to the centaur's lands once every 12 years with some new technology or technique meant to help him fight one of the two Clay Dragons that roamed the lands, however. The challenge was simply too much for him to resist, and he treated it almost like a puzzle that was meant to be solved. He would figure out a way to put the beasts down. The centaurs would not be certain if this was the Empire flagrantly disregarding their demands at first, since the rest of the Shaline populace respected that isolationist policy, and they honestly had no idea if Zariel was just the champion elected to go face the dragon every 12 years, and thus the greatest warrior among the Shaline people, or if he was from some powerful family continually coming to avenge the death of their predecessor, or if it was somehow an immortal being like a Phoenix that took much longer to return to life.

What they did figure out was that Zariel was progressively surviving longer and longer, to the point where he could continuously fight a clay dragon to a standstill for almost a week without assistance or rest. That alone made the advent of his predictable (to the hour) challenges something to take note of, and after the third failed attempt by the Slayer Archon, the Centaur made an arena for him to come and challenge the monster, where they would lure the clay dragon at the appointed time and then take a holiday for however long his battle managed to last that year. Many centaur chose to spectate and some to bet on the results of each of these battles, while others simply enjoyed a feast and rest from their eternal battle with their oldest foe.

If only for this reason alone, the trespass of this outsider would eventually be tolerated... even if some members of the Everrun Council muttered about how making exceptions into spectacles like this completely undermined the authority and reason for their isolation in the first place.

The Empire and the peoples of the Great Swamp
When the centaurs closed their borders to everyone, the Empire would turn to their kobold allies and open their borders wide. The offer to make library forts was readily accepted, and the worshipers of Lor gladly brought in, with assurances that the Empire would always be open to those looking to learn and apply their knowledge to advance the common good.

The kobolds were, after all, brilliant scholars and open with the knowledge that they had, which had in turn already lead to incredible advancements in the Shaline society. To spurn the people that were turning into their greatest allies would not only be foolish, it would be down-right self destructive.

Varral in particular would take to the new libraries with pleasure, while Bruss instead studied the defensive architecture behind the learning fortresses, and began to make his own blueprints for things to come, and Thill, the Archon of Growth, studied the rudimentary observations the kobolds had compiled about populations and demographics, and she began to theorize just how to make use of those seemingly trivial graphs...

Additionally, given the kobold lands were connected to the mainland proper, this gave the Empire all the excuse they needed to begin establishing roads that went through the mountains and around the shoreline in order to connect them to the swamp nation, and then roads from there that would run along the outskirts of the swamp in order to attach to the lizardfolk's trade lines. The alliance finally connected the Empire to the rest of the Circle Continent and its various peoples.

Jisr Archipelago - Things settling down
The second draft was looked over, and Ethrial found the terms more than acceptable. There were more islands under his direct control than he'd been expecting, and the neutral zones and incredibly open and favorable trade routs were still in play, which was better than he'd expected as well. In short order, the newly-promoted admiral sent his agreement to the new treaty, and he also sent a copy back to the ruling council of Shaline in order to ensure the terms would be known and respected. And also to tell them that he was promoting himself to Admiral of his section of the armada, finally.

That second part may have caused some grumbling, after all it was hardly proper for an officer to give themselves a field promotion as part of a treaty with a foreign power, but the firstborn of Amerith was hardly going to be denied if he'd finally given the military minds among the council what they'd wanted.

For their part, the Empire was happy to prove the League wrong. While there was absolutely a power base consolidating in the territory that they had snatched from the pirates, the vessels would stop pushing farther and the fleet would consult with their new trade partners (and shaky allies) among the colony to let them know that the increased activities of the Weshesh and the smugglers moving through the open, only lightly controlled Empire waters carrying new magical concoctions had them warry of continuing aggression. Using the Empire's territories, the Colony now had a new, secure rout to reunite with the Kobold lands and, through them, to reconnect with the mainland lizardfolk society. It was roundabout, but the goal of the war had been accomplished.

Admiral Ethrial Thorn would also admit, in private, that after the string of victories here, the ruling council of Shaline was pleased with the holdings they now had, but he had basically acted on his own in taking advantage of the situation and they had turned their gaze to other shores to begin settling the unclaimed lands along the mountainous shorelines of the Circle Continent He had been told that further reinforcements would not be coming any time soon if he'd decided to push his luck, though if the League attempted to take their territory back there might be a different story. With the new armaments that the League was now sporting, and little chance for reinforcements from his nation, the Admiral pushes for a peace deal. If only because it would force the League to be the aggressors, and draw the rest of the armada into the fray to keep the Empire's new holdings from flopping back to pirate control.

SpeedWitch

2021-06-19, 05:46 AM

Nocturne: Shooting Silph
Alkyone and Herend

As Herend brought his new batch of sprites to Nocturne's surface, ready to catalogue the recent war (for lately, sprites relating to that conflict seemed to peak Alkyone's interest) he witnessed Alkyone practicing an unusual craft; instead of putting sprites in a star like he usually did, Alkyone had found some sort of rock - probably something that drifted out from the Ring of Gods - and sent it adrift around the sun, glowing a brilliant blue and circling by the First World once every year. It seemed that Silph had finally found a place beside Herend in the stars - even if he technically wasn't a star himself.
The Refraction: A Nearly Finished Plane
Dia, Hetta, and numerous souls

As souls reached the end of Hetta's paths, their consciousness drifted from the Refraction to the First World. Kobold scholars were reborn into priests of Kerima. Criminals were reborn into heroes. Archons into mortals. Vampires into centaurs. Nearly every sapient race had representation here at every hour, with the exception of ghuls, who practiced "True Reincarnation" in the form of Psychometry (something Dia probably would have tried to incorporate into the Refraction, if they had known it existed).

Dia danced between stars, examining their dimensions, making sure each portal into the First World was wide enough for the soul, but not its memories. Dia knew that carrying multiple lifetimes worth of memories would be disastrous on a mortal psyche, so they made sure that souls were returning to the First World as pure of memory as possible, though some tenancies might stick around from their ba from time to time.

Still, they didn't like the idea of separating someone from their own memories for all eternity. Recalling their extended fishing trip with Alkyone, they made sure those who were reincarnated would have their star marked by their ren, which seemed to carry its own weight in memories.

As they stretched-opened a star for a gnoll to traverse, they looked up and saw a clay path begin to crumble to dust, and they turned to Hetta. "I find it rather fitting that you draw their memories out for one last walk through their mortal life. But... what do you aim to do with the memories they've spent?"Rollover: +5 AP
Starting AP: 5/20

Silph's Comet
Shape Land (Discounted, 0 AP)
A comet that sails around the Daystar and passes by the First World on the anniversary of the Vigilant Pantheon's formation.
Some say if you stare long enough, you can hear the screams of a Solar cursing their luck...
Starlight
Create Portal (Shared Action w/ Hetta, 1/2 AP)
Stars and their mirror-images in the Refraction are now permanently connected. Souls that travel to them in the Refraction have their ren (true name) recorded in the star along with their remaining memories before they pass through and are sent to the closest point on the First World to that star to inhabit newborn life on it, their ba being reborn with a new khet and ka and changing their ren, retaining no memories of who they were before.
On the First World, these stars can spark emotions and memories based on the memories they've collected, similar to constellations, but usually at a much lower intensity, to the point where an observer likely wouldn't realize their mind is taking in new information.
In the Refraction, it is much easier to tell what souls have traveled through what stars at a distance, and gain snippets of the past lives of others. Constellations are also visible through the Refraction and generate the same effects as usual.

Remaining AP: 4/20

Current Level: Lesser Deity

★ Mind (Forgotten Memories)

★ Night (Stars)

★ Life (Celestial)

★ Life (Protection)

★ Thought (Preservation)

❖ Protection (Unity)
➤ 1 AP - The Vigilant
➤ 2 AP - The Refraction
3/10 AP

❖ Magic (Ren)
➤ 2 AP - The Refraction
➤ 1 AP - Windroses
➤ 2 AP - Athnuachan Atoll
➤ 1 AP - Starlight
6/10 AP

KragBrightscale

2021-06-19, 10:36 AM

Parley with the Pirates

"Well. Let us proceed to business then. To those I did not have the pleasure of personally greeting, my name is Jalim Ufmurala. I and my compatriots have been sent on behalf of the Red Council of the Kalarian League, in order to represent their interests in this matter. The League shares your concerns regarding the intrusion of the Shaleill Armada into these lands. The sudden loss of the Dhalir Islands to unknown and powerful magic is of particular concern to us."

Jalim bent forward, placing both hands on the table. "What's more, our scouts suggest that this force is merely a small part of their full might. It is true that our people have been locked in bitter conflict for many years; but the presence of such a force here is a grave danger to us all. And that they have chosen to assert their influence here where there is already strife and war, exploiting the distraction of us both, is no coincidence. We would both, I believe, very much like to limit the influence of this Empire in the Jisr; and the League is willing to negotiate a suspension of this conflict in order to achieve that. As it is said: 'Where two wolves fight, it is the vulture that eats.' So, let us discuss terms to halt this war. I am certain that, with the hand of Abu Dhahab guiding us, we will find an arrangement that will create prosperity and peace for both our peoples."

With a respectful nod and warriors’ salute the Geckokin negotiator stood up to address the group.

Well spoken, when we first heard of the foreign armada’s sudden invasion and attack on your land we feared that they would be powerful and arrogant enough to wage war on us both.

Though we were relieved to find our people at the outpost still alive during our first meeting with their envoy, we were not as prepared as we would have liked to face this new threat.

Although their leader spoke of peace and binding contracts, words are cheap, what choice did we have but to accept some of their demands with the empire’s military ships visible in the distance.

If what you say is true and this is but a portion of their navy, then that is truly worrying.

Taking out a folded piece of parchment, Saif spread it on the table.

See for yourself their first demands. Military garrisons on our islands, their navy roaming our water. A full third of our islands would basically be surrendered to their unofficial management. In return they will protect our independence and act as peace keepers.

Do they take us for fools? The largest threat to our independence is their presence. We both know that peacekeeper is just another word for ruler, as the one who decides disputes holds the power to suppress his opponents.

Our highest commander Admiral Timsah is negotiating with them now as we speak, and although we cannot stop them from claiming some islands, I hope she is successful in getting an agreement to limit their military actions.

Saif emptied a small purse full of precious polished gems on the table. There were three colors, light blue turquoise, pinkish rose quartz, and green emerald. These were prized amongst Lizardfolk jewelers and had become a very success luxury trade commodity.

Spreading the gems out on the table, he arranged them by color into the three groupings. Taking some ordinary pebbles he placed them between the three colors. Pointing at the turquoise first he explained.

These blue ones represent the islands east of Jazira Alsahali under control of the colony. These green stones are your islands including the ones we are offering to return, and the flesh colored ones are the Islands we will likely have to cede to the empire’s control.

These ordinary pebbles are islands that we propose be a buffer zone between us. Timsah will be proposing the idea of neutral cities to the empire, independent from any large nation, but with diplomatic representation of all of us. They will likely be located on these few islands.

My intent in telling you this is that the colony is not opposed to you also joining in the establishment of these free cities. In fact that would beneficial to us in keeping the empire in check. Having these buffer cities in place would give us a chance to respond in time should the empire decide to continue expanding.

Being free cities, there would be plenty of opportunity for your own businesses to make a profit.

Other than that, I mentioned we are willing to return some of the islands we claimed during our war, as long as you are willing to sign the peace treaty. With a new militant neighbor, we’d rather focus on guarding that border instead of patrolling those waters. Our people didn’t feel safe enough to settle there during our war, so the land is still for the most part how you left it.

Unlike before, the colony will accept more trade with the League, should that be desired including the exchange of knowledge. Members of your yellow council will be welcome to participate in our markets, though the sale of explosives, weapons or otherwise dangerous items should be limited to approved locations only to avoid accidental harm of civilians.

In respect for gnolls’ aversion to metals, we will be working towards establishing a new form of currency to make our markets more inclusive. Until then these gems or other precious stones can be considered legal methods of payment, though their value may fluctuate depending on size, color, shape and purity.

Unlike the empire, we will not be making many demands, the war has harmed us both and what we want is peace and for our merchants to be able to trade again without the constant fear of being robbed. If the mutual agreement to non aggression, the return of land and opening our markets is not enough please tell me what else your league desires.

After all, as fellow desert beings with a long shared history, we know what to expect from each other. So we prefer you over the unknown danger that is the empire.

K-bows and a New Use for Bronze

The Kobolds had always been amongst the quickest learners the Lizardfolk had ever met, and when Merchants brought back stories of Kobolds experimenting with the bows centaurs used it caught the attention of some metal workers. Bronze spears and swords had been quite successful so far, but they were intrigued by the idea of ranged weaponry.

Packing up their tools and a large supply of bronze ingots they traveled safely and secretly by caravan to the marshes. It took a bit of work to bring all their supplies through the wet and wooded landscape, but when they finally arrived they were warmly welcomed.

The Kobolds had not stagnated over the many years since the Lizardfolk had first traded with them, and their cities were impressive. Clean water brought long distances by aqueduct ensured the population could bathe as much as they wished.

The Crocodilians often swam and enjoyed the water so they immediately saw the appeal of bathing in a cleaner environment. Some even used their Ki and fire affinity to heat the water and create steam, when asked they were all too happy to demonstrate how to do so to any of the Kobold bathers who cared to learn.

To dusty Lizardfolk however, things didn’t go as smoothly. In the desert, sand could be used to clean oneself for the most part, and although they would molt and replace their old skin and scales every few years the amount of dirt and dust that built up disqualified them from just directly bathing. Instead, they had to pre-wash in a nearby river, causing it to temporarily turn brown, before they could finally join in the fun.

Discussing the issue of bows but the challenge of how to adapt them so anyone could use them was inspiring. Although the Kobolds had made good progress and several prototypes, there was a limit with what could be achieved with the materials they were using.

This was where the bronze workers got involved. Crafting durable and precise parts, the Lizardfolk produced the first triggers for the K-bows, teaching the Kobolds the skill in the process. Arrowheads, bolt tips, or entire quarrels could also be made with bronze.

One day the lizards would go home to the desert, and the Kobolds would have to fabricate those parts themselves, but the craftsmen had been thoroughly impressed yet again by the smaller scaled folk’s enthusiasm for new skills and knowledge so there was little doubt that it would be fine.

A number of different sizes of K-bows were designed as part of the collaboration. From smaller ones that were easy to carry, to large ones that even Crocodilians needed five warriors to move. These large ones were especially well suited to be mounted on defensive fortifications and ships.

AP: 1

Create advanced concept (K-bows) -1 AP (split cost with Lor)
Bows mounted horizontally on sturdy wooden frames, with a variety of loading methods and bronze triggers. Due to not having to personally maintain the drawn position, or even draw the string themselves, even weak untrained civilians could use these weapons to deadly effect. Large versions are suitable for fortifications and ships and shoot projectiles that are more like spears than arrows.
Mind (Enlightenment) 7/10

AP remaining: 1 -1 = 0

Zelphas

2021-06-19, 10:37 AM

Isolation... and its Consequences

The withdrawal of the Kobolds was the most obvious detriment, but the Shaline Empire's complete withdrawal and the concerns--mentioned tactfully, and never beyond decorum, due to their knowledge of centaur society--of their gnoll friends also made themselves heard. The Everrun Council, and the current ruling body of chiefs and section heads, held firm; many of them were older, many of them were tired of the constant shocks and changes in the world around them, which had prompted this abrupt action. The younger centaurs were more mixed. Some of them wholeheartedly supported their elders' decisions, as was taught as proper in centaur society. Others felt that the situation was too abrupt, the centaur leaders too rigid and stubborn, though they lacked the power to affect much for now. And still others were simply confused.

In the midst of this confusion, the Kobold Embassy was quickly and almost happily received. The Everrun Council was unbending in their decision, but they tried to work within it as much as possible to accommodate their old friends, and the realization that the Kobolds and the Lizardfolk were two entirely separate societies humbled no few centaur leaders by showing them their ignorance. For now, the golems multiplied, and the Council's decision held, though not every centaur was happy about this fact.

Refraction, a Plane Complete

Hetta, who has been concerned with simply observing the mortal souls come and go and making sure that everything was ordered on the little clay ball that was beginning to be known as the Endpoint, looks up, pondering Dia's question. She has left the organization of stars and pathways to the river goddess, and so this is the first time since the stars appeared that she's actually studied what is happening in the space around her.

She glances at a star first. In it, the ren of a Lizardfolk trader who had cherished a moment of the last sale deep in centaur lands--the tension, the rush of golems, the strange forbidding faces of people who had once been friends--interacted with the ren of a centaur who had been one of the first to learn the secrets of golemcraft, who had kept his dreams of the future of centaur kind until the end. As Hetta watches, the two ren spill out a story between them; the centaur bursts into the town square and demands to know what the centaurs are doing, that this is not the future he asked for. The Lizardfolk trader, knowing that the other centaurs will not listen but excited by this new centaur's appearance, offers to take the centaur with him back to his lands, to explain what is happening along the way. The centaur, confused and frightened by the cold faces of the centaurs seen from the Lizardfolk's point of view, agrees. A centaur, flush with all of the knowledge of golemcraft, leaves centaur lands to the west.

The story fades, as the ren move apart; it never happened in reality.

Next, she looks at pieces of paths and crossroads, moments of smaller importance. An idyllic memory of a day spent in a Kobold's swamp home crashes into a memory of a harpy rushing home through a downpour, and suddenly morphs; now, the kobold looks out of his home, secure in the pouring rain, and wonders where the harpy is going in such a great hurry in this weather. The harpy looks down and spots the light of the kobold's home, considers stopping for a moment of rest, but pushes on instead. This combined memory, composed of reality yet wholly unreal itself, seems to crumble more slowly than other patches of discarded pathway.

Hetta shrugs and returns to her work of ordering. The memories seem to be taking care of themselves.

1 AP

Create Portal (Starlight) Shared Action -1 AP: The ren, held in starlight in Refraction, are not idle things. They interact with each other and tell impossible stories, influenced by the character and memories of the person who left them behind. Within Refraction, bits of crumbling memory can also interact and form smaller, still-impossible moments, and these moments are slightly more durable than memories on their own. (Domain Progression: Luck (Unintended Consequences) 5/10)

1 AP - 1 AP = 0 AP

Kinro

2021-06-19, 12:54 PM

The wave of emigrants from the plains caused, of course, great waves in kobold society. One of them, which seemed subtle at first, was the repatriation of many kobolds who had been influenced by the plays and writings of the gnolls. Writing, especially, not merely to convey information, or even to tell stories, but to do so in a way that... sounded good. Kobold writing, of course, was entirely non-phonetic, the symbols carrying meaning and nothing else. It was common, and even expected, that two people would describe one set of writing in different ways. So instead of sound, the burgeoning kobold authors went in another direction, using symmetries and juxtapositions to make pieces of work that had a sense of aesthetics beyond the words themselves. There had always been a tendency in that direction, of course, as the kobold still carved their writings all over the walls of any of their buildings, but this took it to the next level.

This surge of literature was especially seen in the libraries of the Shaline empire. Many kobolds who had been sent away from the plains still craved the adventure of living with strange species, away from their homelands, or simply didn't wish to return. And so, a great portion of them immediately turned and went straight to the lands of their new allies with impressive enthusiasm, bringing with them their master builders and these new ideas of literature. library-forts started to pop up seemingly overnight, though the fort part was lessened in these already well-protected land, the jewel of which was the great one made in Dawnhold, to which a massive teleportation gate was brought, linked to a matching one placed in the largest city of the kobolds, in the center of the swamps. And the carvings of the Shaline libraries are still renowned to be some of the most beautiful in the world, though many still decry the liberties made in the information in service of their poetry.

And on the other side of the continent, other developments began to manifest. The flow of kobolds to the deserts, had cooled thanks to the restrictions placed by the Deadlands and Plaguelands, a major part of the access to the mountains now being cut from them. Travel by ship was possible, but would land kobolds in the middle of the harshest environment they knew. Worse still, the carving sticks, which were the cornerstone of their culture, fared poorly in the dry desert, too easily cracking and even crumbling. Some kobolds persevered, however, and eventually there were a few places where they were seen to thrive, thanks to frequents baths and water brought by aqueducts. Even better still, the scroll of the lizardfolk seemed perfectly suited to the dry weather. Enough so that a few libraries began to make use of them exclusively.

Rollover

0 + 5 = 5 AP
1 + 1 = 2 PAP

Feathersnow

2021-06-19, 02:02 PM

Sister Segunda Kaxim had a problem. The Ghul civilians in Eastwatch Lodge of the Fox wouldn't understand it, but it was huge.
There were ten Sisters in this Lodge, enough to fight off most monsters or man an emergency evacuation.
But... whether evacuation was necessary, it wasn't truely an emergency. The Lodge had been here for decades. He was reasonably sure no centaur had ever been within 8 miles.
But, when he was on Monitor duty, the Sisters also assigned to project to the Dreamlands spread word. The Centaurs, had claimed a giant chunk of land as their exclusive territory and were posturing to forceall other sentientto withdraw.
The Ghuls didn'tunderstand. The boundaries the Centuars wanted were nonsensical. They represented more territory than the Land of Cliffs and Spires had that could support life exceptin high summer. And infinitely richer. And... they were herbivores! Why would they care for the goings of scavengers!?
But Kaxim was a Crocodilian, third life. Few sisters married, and most were male, but the first incarnation of Kaxim had made a point of recruiting wives to Idixism, to bear eggs thst could be born into second-incarnation Crocodilian Sisters. Forcing converts to become Ghuls after first death and retire.from field work in the Circle Continent was a waste of resources and experience. So he was, after less than three lifetimes, already a Sister Segunda, the equivalent of a Major in a true military...
All this meant two things. First, He came ftom a culture that understood land and boundaries the way few Ghuls could. Second, he was the Sister on the spot for this, even if his assignment to Eastwatch of the Fox was just a rotation while his current body grew to adulthood.

But... what could be done? He was there in the Dreamlands, he could communicate with any other Idixist who was projecting. Or even any Dryad. Neither of those could help. He needed to send a message to a centaur. Who may well never even heard of Idix.

How could he do that!? And suddenly, like flicking a second tail, he twisted a chunk Dreamland. And it popped off.

A little eyeless caribou, two feet at the shoulder with warm brown fur and beset with golden livery, pointed its noise at him.
He knew what to do:

"Dear Everrun Council,
We of Ka of Skidi have manned several small observation and resupply posts in lands you have recently cut off. You have not seen fit to formally object to us remaining, but the ambiguity seems dangerous. Please clarify
Your friend,
Sister Segunda Kaxim @ Eastwatch Lodge Of the Fox"

He dream-spoke

The little Caribou wandered off. Each of the Councilors, upon waking, did so with a clear memory of reading the memo. They shared this experience with their peers, and decided a compromise of allowing the existing lodges a buffer zone of 10 miles would be reasonable. If this weren't just a dream, and they had some idea of how to communicate back.

The Caribou came again that night to the councilors, and beckoned for a response. Kaxim awoke content the matter had been resolved.

AP 1+5
Create monster: The Ixi
These little servitors can be crafted in the Dreamlands to serve as couriers to any deity or being that sleeps.
They take the form of eyeless reindeer in golden livery.
Good* Situational Ethics)10/10

dancrilis

2021-06-19, 04:38 PM

Human Merchants

Where humans had progressed with the rest of society they had not found a niche until the researchers began to travel the land to find suitable expert and leaders in various fields - humans were natural merchants, longer lived then goblins and slower breeding made them factor generational wealth more then their smaller kin and lacking the longer lifespans of elves and dwarves they often felt they needed to act in the now to achieve it.

Over a number of years they human tribes formed into a merchants guild touching on all corners of Corrlan society and seeking to answer the needs of the entire continent - or at least the Kerima loyal sections of it.

Technological Development

With the arrival of the Ferrin and the exploration of elementalism drove the dwarves to make better use of there mining, and with a firm infrastructure in place it soon became apparent that roads didn't merely offer an option for ease of travel by food, but the flat surfaces were ideal for round objects to travel down - such lead to the development of the wheel alongside smithing.

Elementalism Expanded

With the researchers focused on elementalism as a new source of power for the continent they quickly discovered the six elements and so began to push into the other five outside of fire which the Ferrins had mastery of, this gave raise to new ways of doing things in daily life, from crop management to mining to crafting.

Form Organisation (1 AP): Human Merchants
Human families are likely to become merchants and seek to meet the needs of the others on Corrla who are focused on more specific crafts.
Learning (Research) 2/10

Create Mundane Concept (1 AP): Smithing.
The Dwarves and the Ferrins work together to provide the basic tools that make all other jobs easier.
Learning (Research) 3/10

Create Mundane Concept (1 AP): The Wheel
With a great many uses the wheel and the crafting of such is a simple concept that requires a lot to master, where sand sail may work on Circle Continent roads were needed on Corrla and the wheel were much more useful for transport then any other methods.
Learning (Research) 4/10

Remaining 2AP

Feathersnow

2021-06-19, 05:42 PM

Idix
The Brotherhood's expansion

TXG:YQ met with another Ferrin chief...
The Dryad quickly outlined the many benefits of joining the Brotherhood... immortality, powerful magic, protection fron the imminent, ever-lurking threat of the Vile Discreator, Kerima, the author of all evil..

It was a good pitch. It was, as the Weshesh said, "all carrot and no stick" though why they would want a carrot or not value a piece of precious wood was unclear.

But it had an odd response this time. "We have heard of this Kerima. She doesn't seem so bad. Surely your offer is good, but we are considering hearing an Emmisary from her. I must say, your level of hyperbole in describing your dislike ofva rival is unseemly"

TXG:YQ just stared. The Ghuls in his party were physically agitated. They became physically pale. One elderly one had a heart attack from shock and had to be given a precious healing potion to sustain her.

TXG:YQ laughed nervously. He was not sure what the little chieftain was playing at, be he had been tolerably sure, up to this point, that Kerima was a Just-So story made up to justify the rigid and paranoid lives of the Ghuls, which were, coincidentally, the most practical way to survive an Antarctic winter. But the Ghuls insisted, and Idix taught to show a united front...

"That isn't funny. This Discreator is the greatest evil that could ever exist, and, if you want to bargain, mocking Her and the threat she poses is not a good starting point" He said, pointedly.

The Chief looked confused. "No, really. They have their own block of lands claimed near here. They are just people, even if there is some bad blood between the two of you"

The Ghuls screamed. They chattered rapidly, and one took another potion, to contact the Dreamlands...

Brotherhood government

The Ferrin had not heard from their creator in generations, and the Shelled refugees among the colonists were sympathetic, for some of them remembered the absence of Sen, and were ideal proselytizers of the faith of Idix. So many converts were joining that the Land of Cliffs and Spires had begun shipping their dead along with live colonists on the Wyrdships, because there were not enough to perform the Hour of Ascension rites on all the new converts!

The transfer of Ka and memories of the Ferrin was harder going the other way. Their metallic bodies simply could not be easily eaten except with special Pharmakeic preparation. But, within a few generations, the awesome new magics of the missing deity Lintri would join the Ka-legacy of those vanished powers who lived on through the Ghuls and Idix.

A bigger difference was that this society, though following the communalist economic legacy of the Ghuls, was simply too big and too open to stay devolved into tiny autonomous lodges with no laws but simplified tort mediation.

Rather, it was becoming a Republic, if an extremely democratized one. Each village or lodge appointed a Dryad as a chief spokesbeing, from the handful that lived among the mortals and could be bothered to do the work. He, for Dryads, in Ghulish, used an archaic pronoun used by no other beings, was given a two votes on the Brotherhood council, and was expected to cast at least one of them based on the perceived consensus of their constituents.

The Ferrins, making up half of the population of the Brotherhood enclave, also kept in place their existing social structure of hereditary chiefdoms for ruling their own villages, while the bew Shelled villages followed a more structured legal framework, but still one categorically more formal than the militant anarchism of the Ghuls.

The resulting Federalism would have been shockingly repressive and needlessly elaborate to more conservative Ghuls, do those intge Changing Lands chose not to acknowledge it in their minds, and lived willfully insular lives where this was basically practical.

dancrilis

2021-06-19, 06:38 PM

The Followers of Idix

When word reached the Corrlans from the Ferrins that there were another group on the changing lands spreading lies about them or worse spreading lies about Kerima they were incensed - but calm, this was the kindof thing that could be expected from the blight landers who fled particularly with all the time that had passed and people painting themselves as the heroes of their historical narrative ... until the Ferrins started talking about grey furry people and immortality and cannabilism, this left the Corrlan much more confused.

Word spread back to Dranera who choose firstly to observe these new people under the appeareances of various flora and fauna and who also recruited some of the wave archons priests to monitor them and give their impressions.

It took some time but eventually the story started being clear these were the creatures who near the dawn of history had killed their creator and so earned Kerima's wrath in the form of revenants.

Dranera herself traveled to the Changing lands to with a number of Shelled to explain the situation, given an accurate account - these people had betrayed and murdered there deity, which had angered Kerima whos anger was fearsome, an eternity later Kerima had choosen to forgive the past and largely rescinded her punishment - but it was possible that these creatures knew little of none of this.

Dranera then having explained the situation to the Ferrins who followed Kerima and attended meetings with the others who occupied the borders of the lands that the Corrlans had claime with the Ferrins offered to meet with these Ghuls if the Ferrins wished to discuss matters - having observed the Ghuls for a time she was not convinced they would meet let alone keep an open mind but the offer was made.

Feathersnow

2021-06-19, 07:37 PM

Idix
Parley

Mother Superior Acis'sej had wondered why she was chosen to take the trip to The Changing Lands. But the order had come from no one, which meant it was really from Idix. Then the messenger came, a Ferrin from a neutral village to the North East of the Brotherhood's area of influence. That a powerful monster crafted by Kerima herself had, of all things, demanded a parley with the people of Idix. What could she want to know, how best to cook their still screaming corpses!?

Acis'sej knew it was a trap, knew this might be first time she might face a true threat to herself since the few remaining Revenants mysteriously reverted back to their old selves... But Idix wanted her to go. And she owed the deity too much to refuse.

She wandered alone into the territory of the Great Discreator, flying the kite of the Sisterhood, her nearly furless hide painted with the circles of Idix.
Ahead of her was sent an Ixi:

To:
Demon Monster Dranera, spawn of the Discreator and horrific tyrant-regent of Kerima's holdings on the physical world

I will come to your proposed parley at the village called Copper Iris. Though it is an obvious trap, Idix demands I attend, so all will know we showed your vile ilk more courtesy than was ever offered us.

Your eternal enemy,
Acis'sej, Mother Superior of the Sisterhood of Navigators @ Brotherhood forward base Bird-Bug-Land

She walked up to the Avatar and gave a prepared speech:

"My name is Acis'sej, and I bear a distinction earned only by two Ren-less animals and the Great God Lor.

I killed a god.

I bear a distinction borne by hardly more.

I was present at the birth of a god.

I will tell you this story, and what came after, and you will know why there has always been war between us.

There was a mother whose only child was stillborn, and all her siblings were dead. Her father had left, never to return, and she had no mother of her own. She wailed, buried her child, and lay in the snow, waiting to die.

A beast, similar in aspect to me, but voiceless, soulless, snd completely without any power save the sharpness of her fangs.... that beast saw a dying woman and led her pack to attack. They were scavengers, not predators, but this creature was not long for the world, and did not resist the beast as it tore out her throat.

Far away, in a sunlit land, a stranger heard this story and decided everything that looked like the beast needed to be horrifically tortured and then killed.

The woman was the great god-beast Skidi
The stranger was your mother, the one called Kerima.

The living flesh of a god is the most powerful substance that could exist. If an animal ate of it, they would become more than an animal. They might be a person, after that.

An animal killed Skidi, because Skidi wished to die.

That animal was me.

And, from her bones, we built a god that wished to live, and we called her The Pursued, because she was always running.

Her name is Idix. And I was chosen to be her spokesperson.

Our race was born running from Kerima's Revenants, and we ran for a millenium, until Idix taught us to fight back.

We fought for a century, until we learned arts enough to make progress.
For this last century, we have spread, finding allies and resources, all for this day, when our ancient foe would come again.

Now you know. We have given you notice. We have told you 'why. '"

The Mother Superior's story done, she stares venomously at Dranera

5
-2 AP Raise Hero:
Acis'sej, Mother Superior

The oldest Ghul, the personal slayer of Skidi snd the very being that reconstructed Idix from her bones, she is the leader of the Sisterhood and the closest thing to an executive among Idixists. She is slso the only being that Idix routinely contacts or ever responds to questions from

War (Cold War) 2/10

dancrilis

2021-06-19, 08:12 PM

Dranera and Acis'sej

She noted the creature as it appoached, allowing it to say its piece "well met Acis'sej - I see you are familiar with the general history of my goddess and your races creation. More aware then I was until very recently - simply put your species and hardships were not known or relevant to us at all, Kerima determined that slaying a deity would be met with punishment and so punishment was delivered - was it overly harsh?" she shrugged "who knows the ways of the gods are mysterious and in this matter not for me to question and you found a new deity to shield you even before Kerima altered the nature of how revenants operate - which your education seems to not cover, any who are affected by the Revenant blood would now revert to revenants for attacking any deity or opposing Kerima's faithful - and I should further clarify I have no idea what counts as 'opposing' in this and I don't intend to invoke the scientific method".

"So this reaches us to our current day - your people feel they were mistreated long ago and my people don't know who you are and don't care about you other then as other people on this planet, so I propose a basic understanding - you stay out of our way and we will stay out of yours borders can be determined and respected - certain Ferrin towns such as this one can be left neutral in case disputes need to be dealt with etc, perhaps with time you will come to see us not as the monsters you imagine us to be and trade and good relations can occur as we have established with the lizardmen comparatively recently or perhaps not, but I see no reason for us to engage in an active conflict unless you want one?"

With that the small goblin waited for an response.

Feathersnow

2021-06-19, 10:56 PM

Idix
Lost at a game only they were playing

Acis'sej just stares. She sputters. She just stares.
After a minute of utter enraged confusion, she composes herself.

"Little girl, you misunderstand. I was not speaking in allegory. The so-called "punishment" was for an act I, for lack if a better term. personally performed before I, personally, existed as a full Akh.
I have personally, literally been fighting a war against your mother for over twelve hundred years. And, when each soldier falls, they pass on their memories, so the next fighter has more. Then they are reborn anew with all the memories of all their foremothers, and all the skills of all their past lives. And I, and all the Sisters under me, spent every one of those lifetimes fighting your mother, and passing on our memories and skills, sharing them, compounding them.

For every hour your mother has lived, i spent lifetimes fighting her.
It is not hyperbole, it the gift Idix gave us so we might have a chance to survive.
My conflict is not with you, it is with your mother. It is not ideological or economic or religious. We want payback for a personal attack. Every Ghul wants it.

But, at the request of Idix, I give her this chance.

She may meet me in the Great Concourse before all her peers who would come and in full view of any with eyes to see...
And apologize for her actions.

She, or one of her servants, may then pay wampum to the Sisterhood as a means of proving their apology was sincere.

If this happens, then I am under orders from Idix to forgive her. We will step down our military readiness. We will allow our navigators t,o guide your ships...

This is the best offer you will get...

Gnomes2169

2021-06-20, 01:51 AM

The Empire - Lessons learned from the Kobolds
The kobolds established their library-forts, and the empire made them into cathedrals of stone. The Fortress within Dawnhold was, of course, the most impressive. Situated and shaped directly from the mountain side beside Solace's portal, this place library was almost a palace, with spires capped in bronze, stained glass windows depicting the histories of the Empire and Kobolds as everyone remembered them, and a statue of Renarr beside Lor decorating its great hall, overlooking the portal room that dominated that chamber. So close to the portal that lead to the sun, in fact overlapping the place of divine power that Renarr had left them, an important discovery for that portal system would be made.

Power, an incredible amount of seemingly never-ending power, flowed in this place. From this end of the portal, any mage trained that had mastered Transposition and attuned to Solace could single-handedly power this library's portal, without the need for an aesthetically disruptive windmill. They could transport objects in greater number and much more rapidly this way as well, though the end destination portals still needed time to recharge before another shipment could be sent to the same place.

But most importantly, as long as there was a powered portal on the other end, and the mage went along with them, small bands of people could be teleported vast distances using this portal in particular. It could only bring people out of the library, and only a dozen at a time outside of the mage directing the mass teleportation (or two dozen in the daylight, as the archmagi seemed to be more able to safely direct the group if Solace connected them.) But still, the calculations required, the incredibly control that the kobolds had thought impossible, suddenly opened up... for this one portal, at least. A sign that the future could hold untold wonders, especially if the two societies continued to work together.

But that wasn't the only thing discovered by the mass integration of the centaur-land kobold settlers into Empire lands. The introduction of art and literature would begin a boom of poetry and Shaline philosophy, and a renaissance of sculpting and painting as they began to explore their own form of story telling through the (perceived) longer-lasting works of stone, stained glass and inks.

As well, in those days, Bruss would perfect his study of the kobold libraries and their defenses, and he would reveal exactly what the fruits of his labors were. Walls, moats, small and secure buildings to serve as vaults, buildings that could be made into wide-spread fortifications, and make roadside outposts into a much more feasible prospect. One interesting quirk of note was that in cities, the Builder would demonstrate that he was an artist even with these defensive structures. In walls, there were shallow basins to catch rain water for birds and wild animals to drink from, or to hold soil for vines and other plants, incorporating nature in a passive way into the places that were becoming regimented and more and more civilized.

And, simultaneously, Thill the Archon of Growth would release her own plans. While beautiful, Dawnhold was also cluttered and something of a mess, and that lack of organization was directly impacting just how many people could live there, and driving the Empire to expand far more aggressively than Cassius had been planning. So Thill, having looked at many of the casual studies that Kobold scholars had made into population demographics and needs, would unveil a new concept of her own. A plan to reorganize the Empire's cities, building up homes, setting aside districts for markets and living quarters, scattering temples and schools, smiths and theaters as they would be helpful. A plan to bring order to chaos, effectively.

This city planning not only allowed more people to live within the cities of the Empire, they also increased the quality of life in those cities, giving more people access to the things they needed. Even run-down buildings would be recycled, turned into new multi-level tenements or into new civil centers. It was the last step needed for the Empire to experience a proper golden age.

But of course, that was hardly all that happened...

Dawnhold - The Academies
As the civil side of the Empire experienced its golden age, the military of the Shaline Empire began to roll out further programs, technologies and reforms. Founded by Cassius, the first of these reforms were the Officers Academies that began to appear. These facilities served the dual purpose of being training grounds to make permanent, regimented military battalions and also as places that challenged the commanders of every branch of the Shaline army. Tactics were practiced, battles simulated, and soldiers drilled again and again to make one of the most professional militaries in the world. While they weren't as natural at ship combat as the Weshesh, there were few, if any, armies that could match the discipline of the Shaline empire in the field as long as they were commanded by academy trained captains.

Amerith and Ilmas - The Order of Thorns
Another military reform was the birth of a new Paladin order. Once more these knightly priests were founded by Amerith, but this time, instead of Cassius, Ilmas lent his hand in training and establishing the tenants of this warrior cult. Unlike the Order of Roses, the Order of Thorns was a military order, specifically attached to the Empire's armies and navy, and they served as both warriors and battlefield healers.

This sometimes opposing roles would culminate into a technique that allowed these paladins to channel the destructive magics they used to smite the enemies of the empire into a flash of healing for their companions. Turning death into life, in a rather one-sided manner, sure, but still healing as it destroyed.

The largest chapters of this paladin order formed a cadre of elite guards for both Ilmas and Amerith (even if the later hardly needed them) and went wherever they did.

From the Seas to the Skies
The final innovation that came from the start of the Shaline Golden Age was the final implementation of the sky ships that the Marreill peoples, and from them the Shaleill Armada, had spent so long trying to develop. In the end, it was the engineering ingenuity that the Empire had inherited from the Kobolds and a strange gift that they found within the Jisr Archipelago that finally made things... click.

While not as large as the Empire's colony and flagships, these vessels are far more complex, far more sleek, run entirely on sails and the gale knight captains that command them, and they were fast. Even in the water, they were almost time and again faster than a similarly sized ship with the same number of masts. Oh, and they could literally fly.

The metal found in the Jisr archipelago had gone unnoticed, being seen as a somewhat worthless false-silver that worked for jewelry and little else. It wasn't particularly hard (in fact, it folded if made into any kind of impact tool), too light and unable to maintain an edge to make an effective weapon, and its melting point was too low to serve as foci for most of the mana arts that channeled Solace or other heat. Thus, it was mostly ignored for a decade or two. That is, until a certain windweaver under the command of a certain admiral purchased a ring from the metal, and felt the wind moving around and through it, augmenting his already well-practiced windweaving talents substantially.

This metal, as long as it was inlaid into the core of each mast and used to edge the rudder and prow of the ship, greatly enhanced the effects of windweaving, allowing skilled practitioners of that magic to take their vessels to the skies for extended periods of time.

For stability and mobility, using designs from early sails that attempted to make them raise from the decks like a fin, two collapsible sails were added to the hulls of the skyships. These sails rested just above the waterline, able to be unfurled or collapsed through the use of a smaller winch that was reminiscent of the anchor's crank, and while they looked like they should be too fragile to support a flying ship, in truth they were likely overkill, with how much lighter the skysteel made the vessels once they were in flight.

In flight, without needing to break the waves, these ships turned out to be incredibly fast and maneuverable, moving a full three times the speed of similar vessels, and able to perform graceful, if still exaggerated, stunts, like a sharp turn that only had a small amount of drift in midair, and the ability to sit in place and make a controlled rotation.

Most members of the crew that could not windweave or fly with mana wore safety harnesses at all times while in the air.

The Admirals - A Formal Invitation
A while after the airships were developed and things had settled in the Jisr Archipelago, assuming that the Empire had not been double-crossed, a new, strange-looking vessel bearing Admiral Ethrial Thorn's personal standard drifted into colony controlled land, in order for the provincial governor to deliver a letter to one Admiral Timsah, requesting her to bring her own vessel to parley with him, and asking if she wished to join Ethrial on a journey meant to finally circumnavigate the coastline of the Circle Continent. If her aids could handle her day to day operations for her, that was. No pressure. Just the chance to finally finish what she'd started all those years ago.

To the Seas in the Skies
For generations, the promise of a land that had been crafted, set in the sky for them, had fueled the peoples of the Marreill vassal states. Now, with sky ships to aid them, the gale knights would finally be able to make good on those promises. And here they made another discovery. Skysteel that was brought to the skysea maintained altitude, even when a windweaver was too exhausted to continue channeling their magic, meaning that the vessels could float indefinitely between the flying islands... though in order to move forward or to the sides, a windweaver needed to provide a breeze to catch the sails.

Ultimately, this meant that the Empire had begun to explore the Skysea, and to colonize the open islands here and there that didn't have any harpies on them. But they also discovered another form of life... one that no one had been expecting. The children of Arkhos. Metallic dragons.

Needless to say, giant flying lizards were hardly something that the captains of these vessels had expected to find so far above the land and seas.

Ennis - Meeting the Ghuls
While some ships went up into the skies, others went south. The League had been getting resources from somewhere down here for some time now, and the Empire's charts were completely blank when it came to this place. Thus, a group of ships was sent to investigate just what was down there.

To say that Ennis was surprised by what he found would be an understatement. And, given his appearance and the appearance of the various ship's crews, the ghuls were likely in for quite the shock as well. Especially since all three of the ships that had been sent down would descend from the sky half a mile away from shore and sail towards the nearest Ghul settlement they had spotted.

Ilmas - The Republic's Purpose
News of a republic lead by a shadowy deity spread quickly though the Shaline Empire, especially once the Suzerain appeared among them and flay-out took credit for the creation of the nation, though he pointedly denied controlling the Noldan republic. Hearing about the relatively peaceful place from both the Suzerain and the merchants who had gone there (primarily lizardfolk merchants who had traded with the republic in the past,) the Archon of Healing decided he would finally leave Solace in order to sojourn within this nation and help them get their feet under them.

While Noldan had remained in contact with the lizard colonies and the Suzerain had done his best to keep them caught up on the Empire's magical advancements, it soon became painfully obvious that this republic was decades if not centuries behind the other major nations of the world technologically. And while he might not have been as good at it as Varral (whom Ilmas would invite in order to spread out the work a little bit,) the Healer would go out of his way to try and fix that gap in Noldan's technology to bring them in line with the Circle Continent.

But more importantly than that, the rumors of a people who just desired peace turned out to be true, and when he discovered that Ilmas would let out a solemn yelp for joy. Establishing a second chapter of the Order of the Thorn here, the archon would go out of his way to preach the importance of life, love and peace, and began to teach the republic new techniques to more properly heal the sick and injured.

Where the Empire expanded and waged their righteous (and expansion) wars, the Republic would instead consolidate and serve as healers who could remove magical curses, provide sanctuary for the war weary, and refuge for the homeless and unwanted. That was now the one of the purposes of these free peoples and a cornerstone of their foreign relations; to stand for those who needed them, and to bring healing to any lands where they could help. Thus did the Republic go from their near-isolationist stance to once that had them slowly connecting with the Empire, Colony and Weshesh as a potential auxiliary force, never there for combat, but there to help with all their mages, new paladins and their old venerating priests regardless.

Oh, yes, and they remained friendly towards the Weshesh, despite warnings from the Empire and even caution from the Suzerain at this point. Because the island-dwelling orcs and Xen had not wronged the Republic in the past, and had even been a small source for trade when the Republic was first establishing themselves, there was still good will among the republic for them. Though the Weshesh insistence on refusing to worship any member of the Vigilant pantheon remained a point of contention, since the Republic was also the center of the pantheon's church in those days, the Noldan peoples did their best to work past that in the name of peace.

Starting AP: 0

Rollover AP: +5
Rollover PAP: +1

-1 PAP; Create Mundane Concept - Fortifications: A formalization of the already-present but never fully codified fortifications that existed around kobold library-forts, and a note that the Empire specializes in these kinds of physical defenses. Walls, moats, vaults, etc. This is also a concept that is being used to justify the Empire making outposts along major roads and (once they eventually exist) highways, specifically because they know how to make them so well, and because they know how to make them quickly and effectively, meaning they don't have to spend months or even years making full fortresses just to protect a small stretch of road.

The Noldan Republic has also gotten a jump start on their fortification techniques, thanks to the Suzerain, Ilmas and the still-present unease they have towards Corrla and the Pirate League. Their island cities host naval forts that local towns can fall back to in the event of a raid from any hostile faction, abandoning their homes but preserving their lives with little risk of full-on bloodshed.

Empire engineers and architects are also happy to bring this technology to the kobolds and the lizardfolk Jisr Archipelago colony, should these societies be willing to accept them.
Sphere Progression: Civilization (3/10)

-1 AP; Create Mundane Concept - City Planning: The ability to make organized cities with roads that make sense, districts that are manageable, and the ability to distribute resources to more people more effectively. In other words, the ability to make cities that aren't a complete mess. This allows Empire cities and towns to be much larger than they were before, reducing the need to expand simply to hold more land. It also makes them more aesthetically pleasing, and generally increases quality of life within the cities themselves.

This concept is freely shared with the kobolds, colony and Noldan Republic.
Domain Progression: Change (Progress)

-1 AP; Shared Mythical Subconcept of Windweaving - Skyships: What it says on the tin, Skyships are vessels who's masts, rudder and prow are all infused with skysteel. Hidden within the masts of these ships by driving spikes into the core instead of making them obvious, the Empire has gone out of their way to similarly disguise these ship's prows and rudders to hide what, exactly, is the secret to making their vessels fly.

The Kobolds have the blueprints for these vessels, and the materials lists, though the Empire has gone out of their way to request that they keep the later a trade secret between the two of them, since if word got back to the League, they would be sitting on a goldmine's worth of sky pirate vessels... even if they wouldn't have many, if any, windweavers to man those vessels for them at this moment.

The Noldan Republic also knows about the secret to creating these vessels thanks to the Suzerain, and being people who struggled for freedom for so long and who have established a relatively democratic government, they have a decent supply of windweavers present within their society, and even a Gale Knight or ten that moved here after hearing about the Republic. It will take them some time to make the innovations of their own necessary to crafting the sky ships, but after two rollovers they will have full access to this subconcept as well.
Domain Progression: War (Preservation) 3/10

-1 AP; Create Organization - The Officer's Academies: Places for military commanders to learn the tools of the trade and to organize and train their troops into small, elite cores of permanent armed forces. The Officer's Academy trains some of the most brilliant military minds alive, and with the elite troops drilled by the officers they graduate under, this had lead to a solid core of the most disciplined troops in the Empire, and thus the world.

While they are still not as good as the Weshesh at naval combat, this academy has helped even the playing field a little bit... even if the Academies mostly give them an edge on solid land.
Domain Progression: War (Preservation) 4/10

-1 AP; Create Organization - The Order of Thorns: An order of paladins trained by both the archon of War and the archon of Healing. This organization channels destructive force into restorative magics and serves as both an elite cadre of warriors and as battlefield medics. Their unique thing, to put it into D&D terms, is that when they smite, they also heal nearby creatures.

Since Ilmas is now in the Republic and Amerith is in the Empire, the Noldan Republic and Shaline Empire both have this organization.
Domain Progression: War (Preservation) 5/10

Total AP expended: -4 AP, -1 PAP

Ending AP: 1
Ending PAP: 0

Domain Progression:
War (Preservation): 5 (Create Pantheon, Split Planar Magic: Augmentation/ Transposition, Order of Thorns, Officer's Academy, Split-subconcept: Skyships)

Feathersnow

2021-06-20, 02:16 AM

Idix
Miscalculations

The Sisterhood, had known, in principle, that flying ships were possible. The Wyrdships were basically hovering barges, and a flying ship was just a much nicer elaboration of that concept. But the flying ships of Shaline were the most impressive things they had seen in many lifetimes, nonetheless.

The Sisterhood tried, with no success, to point out that even the Lodgers must understand that sending things that exist nowhere else, and experts to make more, would, at least, be seen by touchier people as backing the gnolls over the other forces in their conflict. The Lodgers, who had, by trading nearly worthless slime, increased the continent's wood supply by huge amounts, seemed less than concerned.

But... it was done.

The Shaline embassy was met with, as had become custom with uninvited guests, a single Elder and a single Sisterhood guard.

"Hello, friend! Only once before has one of your kind come here, and she died in the voyage. She emigrated to our colony in the Changed Lands, so we are sorry to say we cannot bring her here to meet you.

You are the Children of Moirathe, yes? His Galeknight was where we learned Windweaving, but we confess you have advanced it far beyond us!

Let us share a meal and discuss your voyage!"

Meanwhile
A plea?
In the halls of the Great Concourse, a herd of five mysterious creatures, like tiny deer without eyes, but in livery, appeared.

They scattered, each seeking one of the divinities of The Vigilant.

In some uncanny way, each, upon finding their goal, expressed a message.

To: Suzerain of Night; Dia, The Celestial River; Hetta, the Stones of The Hearth; Abu Dhahab, Lord of the Desert; Lor, the Great Mirror

Flesh of My Flesh Rages,
Cold Battle Millennia
Pointless, the Tyrant

The Avalanche edge
Falling forever until
Snow strikes, Changing Land

The Prophecy calls
A cold storm that never ends
What did a snake see?

What a stranger saw
A vengeance for suicide
Retaliation

Sisters together
Will stand proudly forever
Meanwhile, the world burns

My aunts, a niece cries.
I never wanted all this
anger grows with age

Soldiers in fury
Lived More centuries than hours
Thought a gift to mine

The avalanche will
Never stop, no, never stop
Ice burns far too hot

Your neice would visit
And though mute, would speak long with
A busybody

on a neutral ground
Guarantee both our safety
Who fought, others fled

As the first flower
Bravely Pierces through the snow
And Begins again

The Gift of the Unseen Hand @ The Dreamlands

Writtensanity

2021-06-20, 02:29 AM

"The Continent Burned and the Mother Slept. When she awoke, she returned with a power that had escaped her since the days the motherless serpent had tried to eat the world." - The Tales of Mother and War

AP ROLLOVER x 3 (5th, 12th, 19th.)

New Total AP: 13

Domains and Process As a Reference:

Monsters (Avian): Innate
Society (Motherhood): Innate
Life (Birth): 10/10
Society (Wilds): 10/10
Sky (Flight): 7/10

Sleeping Gods

The Harpies had joined the Orcs in a partnership, saying that they would call for war soon, but suddenly the years had dragged on and no call came. Lythilla never made the call for the Wild Daughters the march to war, which was a mystery outside of the land of Harpies, but perhaps one that people welcomed as opposed to questioned.

Within the land of harpies, the answer was passed along by the Fang Phoenixes first. Briettia had fallen asleep over the egg of Wan'Shi, wrapped around it and then away from the prying eyes of mortals. The Fang Phoenixes could feel where she was, but at the moment her power was dormant.

There were tales of lost gods in the land. Names like Lintri and Sen written in old histories and never mentioned again. Many harpies became more devout with proper worship, hoping to avoid that fate for Briettia. They prayed that their prayers would be enough, not knowing if they would make a difference at all.

Then, creatures all across the world heard a cry slice through the all noise. War, trade and revelry had paled in comparison to the call.

The Call (https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/dota2_gamepedia/images/6/65/Vo_phoenix_phoenix_bird_victory.mp3/revision/latest?cb=20201018134738)

Across the first world, multiple effects suddenly crashed into existence, permanent and with clear signs of the Mother.

Briettia's call, heard around the First World blessed the lands that they will ever grow. Entropy replaced with nature. Life from Death. Blossoms from Blood.

The love of the mortal, like the love of a mother, cultivates the world. Allowing care to activate this effect as well.

Effect:

Where there is no nature, the divine steps in. A forest cleansed by wildfire covered in sprouts the next day and trees within a year. The cracks in a city street pour forth life. A field barren from disaster is suddenly bountiful.

The love of a mortal can cause a similar level of growth in nature that is present. A tree patiently watered will to many times the size of one that isn't.

The latter part of this applies to beasts. Beasts loved instead of captured and forced will be stronger, happier and more bountiful to those who care for them.

AP COST 1:
AP REMAINING: 12/16
AP ALLOCATION: Life: (Growth) 1/10

When a child is in danger, the divine replaces adrenaline.

Stories abound of a parent being able to wrest their child from a burning building. Or a lone Kobold standing up to a Terror Bird to defend her eggs. Despite the name, the blessing is unisex. A parent fighting or struggling directly for their child is blessed.

AP COST 1:
AP REMAINING: 11/16
AP ALLOCATION: Life: (Growth) 2/10

Briettia has awoken.

Featherly God-Mother

Briettia's Arrival is far from subtle, the call that echoed across the world is quickly followed by a sudden gale, and then, a multi-winged woman standing before Arkhos in front of the egg of flocks.

Before her slumber, Briettia was a small black thing that had fallen from the sky, but colour had dripped into her during her years asleep. The prayers of motherhood and blood of nature had seeped into her dreams and changed her. The wings of Midnight had transformed into a brilliant, vibrant green, flecked with shades of brown so radiant they resembled gold.

A Divinity like Arkhos would be able to tell that this was only a single side of the Goddess. The Goddess of Nature and Motherhood as opposed to the Goddess of Monsters, but it was clear that she had chosen a form for this conversation.

https://68.media.tumblr.com/03f91d8ddc7f6db8ef8c7384eb63a5aa/tumblr_p1mrxgQzYt1qh611po1_1280.png

"Child," she greets, "pardon my late arrival. Mother's need to sleep when they can." She looks over the Dragon God, needing to look quite a bit up to match their current form. "I don't believe I've seen you before, you must have arrived after the creation of the moon."

Briettia waves her hand over the ground and a Bird of Paradise spawns, briefly in its large planar form before returning to the small spark of colour it naturally would be on the first world.

After a moment of silence as the Bird of Paradise settles on her shoulder, Briettia looks up to the great Dragon once more. "As a creator of life, I imagine you have... your own ideas about the children I've brought to the first world over our time." She motions back to the Egg of Flocks behind the pair, "Though you may have also heard that I have somewhat of a tradition for newcomers to my home in the Aerie."

"Oh, and could you let our other guest know that she's free to join us? Or if you would prefer this meeting be private we can invite her up in a minute."

dancrilis

2021-06-20, 11:32 AM

Dranera and Acis'sej

There were many times that Dranera appreciated her own nature - while the ghul had lived a consistent life from her founding she herself had lived many more scattered across time and location, in pure years of experience she was likely older then any of the deities she mused - but more she was composed of people who had been hated enemies, friends, allies, rivals, lovers and killers to each other and the ancestors and decendants of such. She knew all about looking at things from the other persons point of view for she had been the other person.

She let none of this show "I am pleased that you see your conflict is not with the people of Kerima, you have an issue with the actions of a deity who we are loyal to yes but that is seperate from having a conflict with us - as such I will bow out of that conflict and you may approach her personally if you can locate her, but I would suggest you do not for your own sake your deity may be better suited to that task but such is a matter for your faith".

"However to demonstrate that I was not lying about the revenant curse remaining dorment allow me to assist you briefly" the goblin woman didn't change, in fact nothing changed in the room but inside Acis'sej it did.

The spiritual touch was not invasive but it was all encompassing, every element of her soul from the Ren to the Ba and Khet and the connection points between them was carefully and gently shifted to reveal corruption and then that corruption was removed before the soul was allowed to set back to how it should be - the revenant blood was gone from Acis'sej along with the taint on her soul she was as spiritually pure as she had been before the first revenant had walked the world, but perhaps more shocking had been the ease that it had happened the power that cleaned her soul had obviously been holding back a lot much like being held gently but firmly by someone much stronger then yourself it was clear that if this person wanted to do harm they easily could have done so.

Dranera delibrately did not alter the Ba or any other element of Acis'sej to avoid offending the goddess Idix but she knew that Acis'sej's anger needed to be put in prespective - had Dranera laughed at her or sought to offend her it would have only fed the ghuls feelings, no what was a gift but also a display of force was needed it would not remove the anger but would likely make acting on it a distant priority then avoiding a conflict.

The entire process took the barest fraction of a second even as it felt much longer to both involved.

"My offer stands - we will avoid your territories and you can avoid ours, we have no wish for conflict with you, and can use neutral Ferrin villages to discuss matters of importance to both of us should the need arise though perhaps I will need to rely on a less experienced priest as my time - much like I imagine your own to be - is called in many directions. But if it is a conflict that you seek I will regretfully have to respond in kind - prior to you making any firm steps in that direction I would suggest asking your own lizardman allies about what they see as the composation of our forces as it may dissuade you".

With that the goblin turned to leave but stopped "as a secondary item and to avoid potential unneeded conflict and misunderstandings - where Kerima created the elves, dwarves, humans and" gesturing to herself "goblins not all of those people have stayed true to there creator and others such as some Shelled and Ferrin have joined us and newer races have been created and even some of the lesser divinities have joined us - I tell you this as if you encounter any of those who strayed from Kerima it would be an easy mistake to make to confuse us for them and visa versa, I have heard from the lizardmen that they settled on that continent and are a military power, I would ask that you not blame us unfairly for what they may do" she suspected the Ghul wouldn't trust a word of this of course but she could confirm elsewhere if needed.

"On the revenants I understand your suffering and am sympathic - Kerima visited them on us also, but where they were a punishment for you they were a sociatal control for us in the early days. So while I stand by her decision out of symphaty I am willing to grant you one boon within reason if you ask for it - a harsh winter may require food or a conflict might require a safe port I suspect you won't take it but the offer is there. Conflict is less useful them friendship" with that said unless Acis'sej had more questions or comments she would leave the hut and make it back to her people and instruct them to avoid the territory of the ghuls and to allow for a border of neutral Ferrin villages and offered the Ferrin good trade and friendship to maintain those neutral villages.

Feathersnow

2021-06-20, 12:08 PM

Acis'sej thinks for a long moment...

"You are right. I said it myself, as well. Our conflict is not with you. We are of one flesh with our God, and she will always stand with us. It is not so with yours.
Our friends the Weshesh and our spies in other lands call her a tyrant, but your mother, to us, is dangerously impulsive and utterly unconcerned with her children or the consequences of her actions.
Our conflict is with your mother, and, if you say, here and now, you have no part in it, we will leave you in peace.
Please, just... never enter our lands. Your curse has neutralized our greatest fighters, so I can convince the others to respect your borders in turn."
Then, as an afterthought,
"Most Ghuls would sooner die than let you save them, but you offered a gift in good faith, so I offer one in return."
She claps her hands.
"This is an Ixi. It is a courier that can find anyone and will imprint on their mind a short written statement. You have encountered one before. On behalf of Idix, I am gifting it to you for your permanent use. Pleae use it instead of any other courier if you need to contact myself or Idix."

zzzzzzzz414

2021-06-20, 02:19 PM

With a respectful nod and warriors’ salute the Geckokin negotiator stood up to address the group.

Well spoken, when we first heard of the foreign armada’s sudden invasion and attack on your land we feared that they would be powerful and arrogant enough to wage war on us both.

Though we were relieved to find our people at the outpost still alive during our first meeting with their envoy, we were not as prepared as we would have liked to face this new threat.

Although their leader spoke of peace and binding contracts, words are cheap, what choice did we have but to accept some of their demands with the empire’s military ships visible in the distance.

If what you say is true and this is but a portion of their navy, then that is truly worrying.

Taking out a folded piece of parchment, Saif spread it on the table.

See for yourself their first demands. Military garrisons on our islands, their navy roaming our water. A full third of our islands would basically be surrendered to their unofficial management. In return they will protect our independence and act as peace keepers.

Do they take us for fools? The largest threat to our independence is their presence. We both know that peacekeeper is just another word for ruler, as the one who decides disputes holds the power to suppress his opponents.

Our highest commander Admiral Timsah is negotiating with them now as we speak, and although we cannot stop them from claiming some islands, I hope she is successful in getting an agreement to limit their military actions.

Saif emptied a small purse full of precious polished gems on the table. There were three colors, light blue turquoise, pinkish rose quartz, and green emerald. These were prized amongst Lizardfolk jewelers and had become a very success luxury trade commodity.

Spreading the gems out on the table, he arranged them by color into the three groupings. Taking some ordinary pebbles he placed them between the three colors. Pointing at the turquoise first he explained.

These blue ones represent the islands east of Jazira Alsahali under control of the colony. These green stones are your islands including the ones we are offering to return, and the flesh colored ones are the Islands we will likely have to cede to the empire’s control.

These ordinary pebbles are islands that we propose be a buffer zone between us. Timsah will be proposing the idea of neutral cities to the empire, independent from any large nation, but with diplomatic representation of all of us. They will likely be located on these few islands.

My intent in telling you this is that the colony is not opposed to you also joining in the establishment of these free cities. In fact that would beneficial to us in keeping the empire in check. Having these buffer cities in place would give us a chance to respond in time should the empire decide to continue expanding.

Being free cities, there would be plenty of opportunity for your own businesses to make a profit.

Other than that, I mentioned we are willing to return some of the islands we claimed during our war, as long as you are willing to sign the peace treaty. With a new militant neighbor, we’d rather focus on guarding that border instead of patrolling those waters. Our people didn’t feel safe enough to settle there during our war, so the land is still for the most part how you left it.

Unlike before, the colony will accept more trade with the League, should that be desired including the exchange of knowledge. Members of your yellow council will be welcome to participate in our markets, though the sale of explosives, weapons or otherwise dangerous items should be limited to approved locations only to avoid accidental harm of civilians.

In respect for gnolls’ aversion to metals, we will be working towards establishing a new form of currency to make our markets more inclusive. Until then these gems or other precious stones can be considered legal methods of payment, though their value may fluctuate depending on size, color, shape and purity.

Unlike the empire, we will not be making many demands, the war has harmed us both and what we want is peace and for our merchants to be able to trade again without the constant fear of being robbed. If the mutual agreement to non aggression, the return of land and opening our markets is not enough please tell me what else your league desires.

After all, as fellow desert beings with a long shared history, we know what to expect from each other. So we prefer you over the unknown danger that is the empire.

Jalim Ufmurala was a shrewd and skilled negotiator, tutored for many years in the subtle arts of diplomacy and communication, and handpicked personally by the League for this task. So not one iota of the staggering relief flooding his system showed on the lizardfolk's face as he politely smiled and nodded at Saif's offer. He had come here expecting to stare down a two-headed beast, fangs dripping with victory and hungry for more. He had expected to return with his tail tucked between his legs, forced to concede even more of their holdings just to forestall at two-front war. But it would seem that the Colony's hesitation, and this Empire's own over-ambitious eagerness, had forestalled such an alliance. He considered the map of colored stones, the - delicate, yet possibly stable for now - equilibrium they represented, and nodded. This...this he could work with.

"I am glad to hear that our concerns are shared by your people. Your offer seems quite reasonable to us; we will of course accept these islands, and would be more than willing to assist in the establishment of these free cities, for both our benefit. And the expansion of trade is always good for all involved - we will be happy to cultivate a relationship of learning and exchange, rather than war and theft. Reasonable restrictions on trade and taxation can of course be negotiatied by us, and submitted by myself to the Yellow Council for final approval.

Our primary remaining concern, then, is the territory that the Empire conquered from us, the Dhalir Islands. These newcomers know little, I fear, of our people or our customs; it is our concern that their leadership may be unsuited to govern our people, and that they will suffer as a result; an outcome that we would very much like to avoid. Rebellion could very well be the spark to reignite war, after all. So, as the Empire wishes to establish these Peacekeepers in your lands, I feel it is only fair to establish something similar in theirs? A small contigent, perhaps, empowered within whatever government this Empire sets up in order to specifically voice and protect the locals' interests. Ideally we would be able to contribute to this contigent as well, but we are unsure if the Empire will be willing to accept this. Our fears would be at least somewhat assuaged if their welfare were left at least in part to the Lizardfolk that know these lands, rather than wholly in the hands of these strange goblinoid peoples. So, if that can be addressed, then..." the envoy smiled. "I believe we may have the foundations for an agreement that will usher in a new age for both of us."

---

Tarin Strongwall was not a terribly prideful centaur. The greatest virtue of a civil servant and community leader, he held, was humbleness; the ability to listen to those around and beneath you, to make their concerns and goals yours, rather than projecting yours onto them. But the one pride he allowed himself, the one he held above all others, was the cleanliness of his little hamlet. Not merely in the literal sense of there being little filth around (though there certainly wasn't, the golems had helped quite a lot with that), but in its cohesiveness, its unity, the way everything ran just so, like the orderly mechanisms of a well-maintained windmill, no rust or gunk to create discord or disharmony. No gossip and power-brokering, no radical hysteria sowed by foreign ideas, no significant crime to speak of. Clean. And it had certainly been no small effort getting it that way.

So he was quite displeased indeed to find the heap of rust and gunk that the Everrun Council had left on his desk.

It was not that Tarin disliked gnolls. He had met a few, and despite the stories, they had seemed upstanding enough people. They were fine - in their proper place and setting, as valued allies and trade partners, in their own lands, with their own ways, far from here. In the middle of the idyllic clockwork of his village, a whole family of them given a previously-abandoned plot of land, was not such a place. The idea of reserving centaur lands for the centaurs was, in his opinion, an excellent one; he had no clue why the council had chosen to carve out an exception for this particular group of outsiders. But their mistakes were not his, and he would not carry the stain of them, would not allow these dog-faced interlopers to mix Hetta-knows-what kind of barbarism and discord into his well-maintained sphere of influence.

Which was why Tarin was here, in the middle of the night, sprinkling the carefully-crafted concoction across the gnolls' fields. If that old herbalist wasn't lying - and he had paid her very well not to - then the crop failure and blight created by this potion would be quite drastic and obvious. Crop failure was well-regarded in these parts as a sign from Hetta; the reading, especially from land that had never been bad before, would be obvious. There had already been grumbling from the more conservative members of the town; this "sign" would be more than enough to marshal the political support to have the gnolls expunged and moved elsewhere. And the perfectly fine harvest the next season would only confirm that it had been the correct option. No ugly political posturing, no unnecessary discord. Clean.

That the fields of a few centaur farmers in the village who had voiced support of the gnolls also had to be poisoned was unfortunate, but necessary to give the blight the mark of a "true" divine act, rather than a freak happenstance - or worse, create suspicion of foul play. They would not understand if they knew, and this saddened Tarin; but his own pride and feelings could not be allowed to interfere. Removal of gunk in the machinery often required force; replacing a damaged part was preferable to allowing the fault to remain.

The next day brought with it news of a commotion in the main square; and Tarin was struck pale by what he saw: the gnoll family, speaking of a miracle in the night, and showing off a cartload of the largest, finest turnips he had ever seen. That lying witch. He had been fooled; he could only watch helplessly as one of the elder daughters cut open one of the vegetables to demonstrate its freshness, as was tradition.

All in the crowd gasped and stumbled back as a stench like death overwhelmed the square. The gnoll dropped both halves of the turnip in shock - both of them filled with rotten black sludge. Tarin slipped away from the crowd and back to his home as the growing mob confirmed the contents of the rest of the vegetables, grinning all the way.

He was not grinning as he stared at the rows of perfect, shiny, monstrously huge vegetables in his own garden the next morning.

---

Kassa and the Winged Gods (Verse Two)

"I greet you, Kassa. Pray forgive my separate nature; I am here so that I--well, so that Arkhos proper--might personally await audience with Briettia. You may call me Kinryu, or Arkhos, if you prefer." He pauses a moment, preening his feathers. "Though we are separate, we are also one. He hears with my ears, I speak with his voice. Or, perhaps, here I sing?" There was a playful note in his voice-song. Further, it was quite clear that, while Arkhos himself had a very round and even baroque manner of speech, Kinryu was not quite so flowery. Still carrying some of that wordy weight, but more informal.

Kassa tilted her head. She hadn't expected to go unnoticed by the dragon-god for long, but this was...unexpected. Intriguing. A fragment of power, of the whole yet separate from it...that was something she herself might make use of. In truth, she was loath to leave this world behind, despite the ever-present thrum that seemed to be on the verge of rejecting her from this place entirely. But for now, her interest was trained on this unexpected being in front of her. She hopped slightly closer to him on the branch they shared, scrutinizing him closely.

"You are greeted in turn, Kinryu my friend." Kassa chirped. "I hope that you and Arkhos, in turn, will forgive my deceptive appearance; my wish was solely to learn more of the new god that has appeared in this world. We did not converse in the empty city-plane, and I have heard no stories of him in the mortal world, so you can understand my curiosity, though I did not wish to interrupt the conversation of two divinities far greater than this beggar-goddess. I am a storyteller at heart after all, and it is always best for a storyteller to not interfere overmuch with a tale as it is happening, no? But I must say..." Kassa narrowed her eyes, a serious - perhaps even more honest - tone creeping into her song. "I find myself quite intrigued by you, Kinryu. Forgive my assumption, as I do not know either of you well, but though you are unified with Arkhos in eye and ear, it seems as though you are somewhat separate in mind and being, no? You say you speak with the voice of Arkhos, but my ear hears a different one - the voice of Kinryu. Quite a curious situation for a thinking being to find itself in, I must say. I can scarcely imagine being anyone but Kassa."

0AP Total

Rollover: 0+4 = 4AP

The Blight Fields [0AP - Using The Traitor's Cookpot]

A small, isolated village and some of the surrounding farmland in the northeastern corner of centaur lands, whose soil has been entirely contaminated by a strange blight.

The soil causes vegetable plants and vines, in particular, to grow at incredible rates even without pollination or tending, running wild and yielding beautiful produce many times larger than normal, no matter the season. This has caused the endlessly growing plants to entirely consume the village and some of the surrounding countryside. However, the vegetables these plants bear are universally entirely rotted on the inside, filled with black sludge that smells like decaying corpses, and is toxic to eat. As a result, the fields smell horribly, the fallen produce creating a stench detectable for miles.

The vegetable plants in this place grow almost as though motivated by intelligence; one entirely hostile to all other life, plant and animal. All grasses, weeds or other plants are actively shaded and choked out, and the few animals who stumble in (most give the fields a wide berth) are consumed by vines. It is well known by nearby villages that even standing still in the blighted fields for too long is dangerous; you may find your feet or hooves hooked and tripped by vines, pulling you down into the mass of vegetation and paralyzingly horrible corpse-stink. Sleeping in them is, universally, a death sentence.

The blight, thankfully, does not spread beyond its already-set boundaries, affecting only the former village and the surrounding areas that were once its farmland. Nor does replanting one of the cursed crops elsewhere lead to anything but a normal - though especially stunted and withered - plant.

4-0 = 4AP Remaining

dancrilis

2021-06-20, 02:37 PM

Dranera and Acis'sej

She took the Ixi carefully and examined it, not merely as a goblin but taking in the potential evolution of the creature "I accept your gift and issue a warning - using the correct magic one could impart magical instructions to indiviudals or locations which could harm the receiver, I recommend warding any such area to the best of your ability to avoid this - please contact me if you require anything from my people" with that she offered a nod of respect to close the meeting and left.

Zelphas

2021-06-20, 04:42 PM

Change Comes to Centaur Society

Since their creation, the centaurs have been monolithic. Bound together by their shared duty, connected to their ancestral lands, united by their unique nature and eating habits as compared to every other race upon the Circle Continent, the centaurs have never needed to name themselves as anything else until very recently. A centaur was a centaur; always on the Everrun Plains, always part of their town and beholden to their chief, always bound to their duty to guard against the Clay Dragons' rampage or to support those engaged in this terrible fight.

Then the Great Serpent struck, destroying the ancestral lands of many and leaving them landless. They re-integrated into centaur society, but it was a makeshift thing, and the Feet of Clay was the first to spread beyond centaurs and their lands. One of the great Clay Dragons was killed in that cataclysm, and another was lost, never to return to centaur lands again. New people came to the centaurs, people who did not have scales or wings, but skin, skin like theirs. Another Clay Dragon drew the focus of a strange, powerful being which returned periodically for days or even weeks to combat it, lessening the ancient load still more. The centaurs were still the only strict plant-eaters among the sentient races that they had met, but this was a small thing compared to all the rest that had been washed away.

The Everrun Council's proclamation, the closing of their borders, had been done in the face of a changing world, an attempt to protect and guard their ancient homelands against the mounting threats of the world around them. Or at least, that is the official claim. More and more centaurs, mostly youths, began to wonder if the pronouncement was an attempt to hold on to something that was beginning to vanish away, to mark a distinction between "centaur" and "not centaur" in a solid way against a world which tore apart the ancient distinctions slowly but surely. The more the whispers spread, the more the distinction seemed... artificial. Perhaps too hasty. And unfortunate.

These new, young centaurs realized the loophole in the Council's proclamation far later than any other race would have, especially races used to travel and to meeting new societies. The law stated that no non-centaur race (barring gnolls) would be allowed free travel through the centaur lands, but it didn't say anything about centaurs leaving their homelands. It was so antithetical to the centaurs' millennia-old way of life that the Everrun Council hadn't even considered it, and it took almost a full generation before any other centaur came up with the concept themselves. The next problem was simple physical movement, but this turned out to be less of a trial than it first appeared; several hooved creatures could travel the deserts of the Wadi Alsahali and some of the marshes of the Kobolds without immediately breaking their limbs, as long as they were careful, and these creatures lacked sentience.

The eventual exodus, when it came, was done with the usual order and lawfulness of the centaurs. To the centaur elders, these impetuous youths are running off willy-nilly towards different (obviously much worse) places, and they'll be back once they've sown their wild oats. To other races, especially those nearby, the "Crumblers" from centaur society are always preceded by an official looking to buy a building or some land for them to stay, always travel in packs of at least three, and rarely venture farther than the nearby towns and countryside, at least at first. They are at least dimly aware that the Everrun Council made no friends by their pronouncement, so they always ask permission before arriving, and they do not stay where they are told to leave.

Strange Tales Around the World

In Corrla, a mostly-forgotten village is visited by a zealous new bishop making his rounds. What he finds shocks and disturbs him; the villagers seem to have perverted Kerima's teachings, claiming that the "Divine Beast of the Goddess" lived within a nearby mountain and demanded offerings of gold and jewels for protection. Even the local priest had fallen for this heresy, and the archbishop was forced to personally extend the proper punishment. Traveling to the mountain afterwards, he found massive tunnels ripped through the earth, obvious signs of a large creature, and he wrote to the nearest diocese of his findings. The next day, he and his retinue entered into the caverns once more... and did not return.

On the Jisr Archipelago, a bewildered gnoll ship's captain explained why he and his entire crew had been discovered, sans ship and cargo, upon a deserted island slightly off of their correct course. A creature had risen from the waters to attack them, but it was not the Beast of the Deeps; the thing had spoken in a deep, rough tongue similar to the Lizardfolk, and had forced him and his men to sail to the nearest spot of land before dragging the entire ship down into the ocean with it before their eyes. He was dismissed as having had too much to drink, or sun-madness, or simply a bad liar, and was punished severely for losing his cargo.

In the Land of Cliffs and Spires, a Ghul traded stories with his Cavern Friend while the Friend continued to dig deep beneath the earth. After a confusing meeting many, many years ago, the Ghul and the Cavern Friend had settled into an easy camaraderie, with the Friend occasionally asking the Ghul to bring a chunk of earth or ores to a nearby trading spot to be sold for different bits of jewelry or ornament. The Cavern Friend never left his cave, and seemed hesitant to speak with the other Ghuls, and this Ghul decided to leave him be... at least for now.

On the Circle Continent, a Geckokin merchant returned to the specified drop-off point, his bags loaded with finely-cut rubies. The mystery of this "trading partner" had once made her nervous, but that disappeared after the first load of uncut, rough sapphires, emeralds, and lapis lazuli that had been given to her with instructions to refine and sell them, keeping half the profit for herself and using the rest to buy the finest-cut rubies she could discover. The trade was immensely profitable, and if the other merchants were jealous, well, what was that to her? The switch went smoothly this time as well, and she returned home content, not noticing the gangly Crocodilian merchant's son that had been following her from the shadows.

Deep within the mountains of the Wadi Alsahali, still high above ground level but so deep within the rocks that no sunlight had ever entered, the Earth Dragons gathered. Each one set up its own cavern, decorating it with fabulous ornaments, or uncut gems roughly polished, or coins of gold, silver, and bronze. Each one waited, as they did every 100 years, to see which Dragon won the symbolic battle of wealth. Each Earth Dragon learned its place, and each one schemed of how to improve that spot in the next year, caught up in their own byzantine society and schemes that only very recently impacted the world above.

0 AP, 2 PAP + 5 AP, 1 PAP = 5 AP, 3 PAP

Form Racial Organization (The Crumbling Flakes of Centaur Society) -2 PAP: Calling themselves "Crumblers" for short, this society consists of centaurs who have left their ancestral homes to explore and learn about the world around them. While there is currently no law against a centaur leaving or returning to the Everrun Council, Crumblers are thought of with disdain and discriminated against in much of mainline centaur society. (Sphere Progression: Exploration 2/10)

Form Legendary Society (Eard Altharwa) -4 AP: Translated loosely as "wealth display", Earth Dragon society is structured upon the centennial show of wealth that each adult Earth Dragon can produce. Not only monetary value is important here, but also the beauty of individual pieces, the harmony of the cavern composition as a whole, the method the items were obtained, and even how those items work with or against the look of the Earth Dragon him- or her-self. Only Earth Dragons seem to know how these rules work, and each Earth Dragon abides by their placement in the last presentation while scheming to raise their rank in the next one. (Domain Progression: Luck (Unintended Consequences) 9/10)

5 AP, 3 PAP - 4 AP, 2 PAP = 1 AP, 1 PAP Remaining

Kinro

2021-06-20, 07:54 PM

Kobolds were both happy and impressed by the Saline empire's flying ships, as well as their free offer of knowledge to them. The condition that it be kept secret was much less welcome, however, going, as it did, against much that kobolds stood for. But, in regards to their new great ally, they reluctantly accepted. Much let reluctant was how they took to building ships of their own and, even more so, to join the Shaline on theirs. And they were much valued there, with each kobold taking so little space compared to what they could bring. Especially their ability to always point towards the Great Marshes, valued on these ships of the air just as much as it was on those of the sea.

But on the ground, more developments still were occuring. As the kobolds were undergoing their exodus, they found that they were followed by centaurs who wished to join them. Of course, the swamps were ill-suited to centaur hooves, but the kobolds were quick to innovate. Or, rather, to subconsciously receive knowledge from other regions. Roads were constructed for centaurs, of stone where they could be, of wood or carving stick reed where they couldn't, to facilitate their passage. Not everywhere still could they live easily, both thanks to the prominence of the marshes and their enormous size compared to that of the kobolds, but it made their passage easier, at least. And so, too, the same concepts applied allowed them to made travel to the Shaline through the treacherous mountain passes much easier and safer.

Teach Mundane Concept (Infrastructure)
0 (Jewel)

SpeedWitch

2021-06-20, 10:02 PM

The Refraction: Astral Poetry
Dia and Hetta

Dia considered Hetta's reaction, looking out across numerous memories, souls and stories. While many of the memories offered to the clay paths were ones Dia personally wouldn't throw out: Bored centaurs waiting-out weather; children winning a game of Hop'Shi; tossing a coin to a poor human woman, there were also plenty of harmful memories: tragedies, hated foes, weeks spent suffering in a hospital bed. Dia felt their sprites begin to rub against each other, thinking: Were they better off? Which memories deserved to be lost?

After about ten minutes of pacing around the stars and staring off into the infinite reflection of space, Dia realized a group of centaurs had already collected on the clay ball to philosophize over the same point, and were offering their own advice on the matter to every soul that came in. Thinking that perhaps this was a question best left in mortal hands, Dia quickly crafted sprites that explained the inner-workings of the plane and sent them out into the centaurs' minds. For the most part, this greatly expedited the process of souls gaining help from the centaurs and forging their own path, although a few centaurs began bickering about which memories to sacrifice, or if sacrificing memories even mattered at all.

Feeling satisfied, but making a mental note to regularly check on the plane, (A thought that almost immediately turned into a sprite) Dia would thank Hetta for letting her help, and turned and lifted the veil of reality to return to the Concourse - only for two blind deer to prance through the gap and simultaneously announce their message:
To: Suzerain of Night; Dia, The Celestial River; Hetta, the Stones of The Hearth; Abu Dhahab, Lord of the Desert; Lor, the Great Mirror

Flesh of My Flesh Rages,
Cold Battle Millennia
Pointless, the Tyrant

The Avalanche edge
Falling forever until
Snow strikes, Changing Land

The Prophecy calls
A cold storm that never ends
What did a snake see?

What a stranger saw
A vengeance for suicide
Retaliation

Sisters together
Will stand proudly forever
Meanwhile, the world burns

My aunts, a niece cries.
I never wanted all this
anger grows with age

Soldiers in fury
Lived More centuries than hours
Thought a gift to mine

The avalanche will
Never stop, no, never stop
Ice burns far too hot

Your niece would visit
And though mute, would speak long with
A busybody

on a neutral ground
Guarantee both our safety
Who fought, others fled

As the first flower
Bravely Pierces through the snow
And Begins again
The Gift of the Unseen Hand @ The DreamlandsDia shared several confused glances with Hetta, then realized a little too late after hearing the message that a response was expected."Ah! ... hm. Your... you're from a deity... 'Your niece...' MY niece? Hetta? Ugh, I can't sort these thoughts out -"

"Alright. If you wish to speak on neutral ground, come to the Concourse. All are guaranteed safety there, so long as they take no harmful action there." Dia rubs their temples, scrunching up sprites in a spray of color. "With that many deities invited, it's practically the safest place in the universe. I'll confer with the Suzerain and the rest - he'll be more exact on the details of the meeting, no doubt - but you can expect The River Dia to be in attendance."

Dia briefly thought about complaining that the message was lacking in context (the name of the sender, for instance) but decided they'd shown enough ignorance for today, and somewhat awkwardly waved off the deer. They would briefly confer with Hetta (if she had anything to say) before going to find the Suzerain and the rest of the Vigilant.
Rollover: +5 AP, +1 PAP

Starting AP

AP

PAP

9/20

3

The Ankh Agora
Create Organization (1AP)
A collection of souls, mainly philosophers, that explain the Refraction to new souls and share theories on life, death, reincarnation and what memories are best to offer up to the clay bridges. Members are constantly flowing in and out of the Ankh Agora, but quite a few stubborn philosophers chose not to pass at all, preferring to argue their points for years and teach new souls the inner-workings of the plane.

Remaining AP

AP

PAP

8/20

3

Current Level: Lesser Deity

★ Mind (Forgotten Memories)

★ Night (Stars)

★ Life (Celestial)

★ Life (Protection)

★ Thought (Preservation)

❖ Protection (Unity)
➤ 1 AP - The Vigilant
➤ 2 AP - The Refraction
➤ 1 AP - The Ankh Agora
4/10 AP

❖ Magic (Ren)
➤ 2 AP - The Refraction
➤ 1 AP - Windroses
➤ 2 AP - Athnuachan Atoll
➤ 1 AP - Starlight
6/10 AP

KragBrightscale

2021-06-20, 10:23 PM

Rumors
The bazaar on Jazira Alsahali was held at one of the southern port cities this year, it was the place that had first built the bronze rammed ships and their economy had seen a massive growth after their ship building techniques became recognized.

The crowds had been lively and all manner of goods were sold, though beneath the celebratory hubbub, some rumors were circulating.

An empire of ex-Corrlans aggressively expanding and intruding into colony territory. Instead of the western Tyrant, they followed the flaming lady with equal zeal, the one who burned countless archons at the dawn of creation.

Others were less pessimistic and bragged of the recent profits they had made selling false silver to the empire’s envoys. Why someone would want a metal that easily dented and lost its shape was still a mystery, perhaps it’s beauty appealed to them, or their metalworkers lacked the skill to use harder metals.

Merchants returning from Corrla told interesting tales too, that backwards continent had produced a whole new level of weird. Several different accounts from merchants who had traveled there recently told of similar occurrences. People they knew or had sold goods to the year before seemed to have experienced a radical personality shift and turned from ordinary people into raving fundamentalists. Not only that, but their whole being seemed to have aged mentally too, the spark of youth missing from their eyes, as if they’d experienced an entire lifetime already. Asking around only got them vague explanations of them causing trouble but things were good now as they had been reformed.

Merchants who traded with the sisterhood learned that some Ghuls were migrating to a new land. This was good news to many, as the Ghuls were generous trade partners to those who braved the cold to reach their rocky shores. New colonies needed a lot of resources, but also might have interesting never before seen resources to trade in return.

Talks of the navy wanting to broker peace with the pirates had a few people concerned. Could they be trusted to uphold their side of an agreement? But if this was true and successful, trade would likely be entering a new golden age.

An old fisherman told of seeing an unfamiliar type of ship skim across the waves out in the open sea before it took off into the sky and flew towards the south.

Manar found it all very interesting. It was amazing what one could learn at a market if one only listened, for merchants had traveled most of the known world and saw strange things while abroad. She had noted down everything that appeared unusual, she’d have to assign some people to research what was special about false silver and send some messages to their trade partners about some of the other things.

Bloomeries and the first Iron workers

The time of enlightenment had long been placed on display at the library of the ascetics. Guarded strictly by some of the most powerful Ki warriors of the Order. Every day, there would be a short window of time where ascetics and other members of society could come and try their luck, to see if they were fated with any of the knowledge held within.

The bazaar this year was extra lively, and many crafts people had also made the trip. Amongst them was a young crocodilian bronze worker. The supplies for making bronze had gotten expensive due to the high demand and many newcomers to the field, so he had tried using the technique for bronze working on many other ores that had been found and accumulated over the years, but to little success.

The frustration of seeing the various minerals in front of him and not knowing how to use them brought him to the library of Zahd. Perhaps they had the answers hidden in some obscure text. Instead of an ordinary visit and search for knowledge, the Tome of Enlightenment started vibrating when he entered the library’s lobby.

Breaking free from its constraints, the large book flew through the air before hovering above the surprised Crocodilian. Opening to the right page, the book dumped golden symbols onto his head that spun around a bit before getting absorbed. Then the book gently fluttered back to its perch.

His mind still processing what had just happened was hit with raw information. He recognized one of the ores he had been experimenting with, and suddenly had ideas for how to extract the metal within.

Bronze needed a strong fire, if his metal needed something more, he could just make the fire hotter. A furnace of sorts would be needed, one that could reach the necessary heat.

The commotion was of course noticed by everyone there, and the ascetics quickly informed Manar who arrived before the chosen one had even recovered from the shock.

“Greetings, fellow chosen of the Tome. Knowledge received is not to be hoarded, for it is only through teaching that we can grasp it to a deeper level. The colony has funds set aside both as a reward to any who can receive knowledge from the Tome of Enlightenment as well as to be used to develop and implement the new knowledge. Won’t you stay here at our headquarters for a while? Room and board will be provided for as long as you need.”

Overwhelmed by the sudden opportunity, the youngster excitedly agreed. This was what he needed! An investment, and a space where he could devote 100% to this new technology. He was itching to get started.

Soon several circular furnaces made of clay were built, with openings at the bottom and top for the air to flow through. The new ore was roughly hammered and crushed to remove the larger impurities then the resulting pieces were placed into the preheated furnace with an equal amount of charcoal.

The resulting product was a lump of metal surrounded with a porous mix of impurities. The bloom, as it was called, was hammered to remove the spongy exterior, then it could be hammered some more under heat to create wrought iron. The new metal would spark yet another round of innovation in the colony, and soon many new furnaces, known as bloomeries, would be built.

Trancendent Immortals

While the discovery of elemental affinity was exciting for Ki cultivators, that was only one of the many steps in the journey. Those who had walked further than the others, the first disciples of Jabal Alsalaam, eventually found themselves less and less like the ordinary mortals they used to be.

Starting from a foundation of martial arts, initiates would forge their body and muscles to be strong enough to handle Ki.

This would continue until they managed to awaken a tiny amount of Ki, energy that came from their life-force. From then on, they could start Ki cultivation, which was breathing in the mana in the air, and refining it to increase their own Ki.

Slowly, their bodies would be purified and strengthened through this cultivation until they awakened their elemental affinity. Continued cultivation would result in a pure body, perfect in health, long in life, and resistant to diseases and sickness.

At this point the limits of mortal bodies would become apparent, shackles, born from their mundane heritage. But the masters of Ki did not stop or give up, for their master, the creator of Ki cultivation, had taught them to always pursue self improvement.

Through meditation some of these masters would seek to understand the truth of the world, in this pursuit they studied the runes of truth and gained enlightenment. Along with the truth, however, their minds would be attacked by illusions and insanity, a consequence of seeing too much as a mortal.

If they could withstand the trial of the mind, they would transcend their precious mortal limits, becoming immortals of great power, their elemental affinity strengthened multiple times. Many would fail though, and be driven insane, their Ki rampaging out of control until either they died or were crippled.

Others tried to break the physical limits of their bodies. Compressing their Ki, and continuously purifying their bodies, they would sit under waterfalls or at the bottom of lakes and the sea, using the natural pressure to refine the body like a metal worker hammered bronze.

Those that hit the limit, yet managed to take a single step more, would face a trial of the body, where their bodies and Ki fused. The Ki would break down the mortal muscles bones and organs, and a new body would be born. A perfected version of their old bodies, multiple times stronger, faster, and durable. Their immortal bodies were extremely hard to destroy, being able to be reborn from a single drop of blood.

Those that failed the trial of the body were many, as the pain would disrupt their focus causing their highly pressurized Ki to erupt from their body. If that didn’t kill them instantly, then they would likely have burnt out most of their life force and aging extremely, having at most a few years left to live.

Regardless of how it was achieved, those who had shed their mortal bodies and transcended to immortality became known as the Transcended Immortals, or occasionally just as Immortals.

So far, this had been achieved by only a handful of masters, through the cultivation of the mind with Ki and runes, or through the cultivation of the body and its refinement by Ki. It was still unknown if others could achieve the same qualitative changes.

It was clear that there was a connection to mana, however, so some of the immortals began to look for powerful mutants who had absorbed more mana than others. They might just find a third type. Walking through the air, or running across the ground, the League would be visited by some exceptional and curious beings.

Though similar in appearance to their original race, they would seem more impressive than before their transcendence. Clearer scales or skin, a noticeable air majesty, deep eyes full of wisdom or a powerful body radiating strength.

Messenger in the Concourse

Abu Dhahab had been busy interacting with the lost people who had appeared outside the city. Disguising himself as one of them, he helped keep up morale as they explored the silent city. Settling down near one of the gates, the people claimed homes for themselves, though many chose to stay together in fear of unknown dangers.

Slowly the people adapted to their new life, tending the orchards and farmland just outside the gate, though many still missed their home.

Abu Dhahab saw this and considered bringing this up to the other deities nearby, but at that moment a strange creature approached him. Moving away from the mortals, Abu Dhahab lead it to a place where it could appear without causing a scene.

Listening to the oddly chosen and arranged words, Abu Dhahab appreciated the potential art form and put together the pieces to decipher its meaning. He had visited the icy lands of the south before so the references made sense to him somewhat.

Return to where you came from, and bring my response.

A place of meeting
The divine brought near
Tea cools heated minds
Swords left at the gate

Abu Dhahab, @The Concourse

It seemed to the great lizard that the Ghuls might finally be facing the origin of their trauma. As promised, he would watch over the meeting as a neutral party. Maybe make some tea.

AP: 0 +5 (rollover)
PAP: 0 +1 (rollover)

Create mundane concept (iron working) -0 AP (free use of Tome of Enlightenment)
By heating equal amounts of iron ore and charcoal in bloomeries (furnace with air intakes at the bottom) sponge iron is made (called a bloom) hammering it to remove the porous impurities, then working the metal while heating and hammering it creates wrought iron. Tools and weapons will see an upgrade.
no portfolio progress due to being free

Create Legendary Race (Transcendent Immortals) -5 AP
Individuals from sapient races who achieve the peak of their self cultivation and break free from their mortal shackles. This can be done either through Ki cultivation and body reforging, runes and enlightenment, or potentially other forms of self improvement. Regardless of method, the power must be completely belonging to the individual, and surpassing mortal limits is always a dangerous experience in which the individual must face an almost insurmountable challenge.

Immortals look like their race of origin, except being more attractive, and having a noticeable air of majesty. Their abilities are effectively archon level, far surpassing anything their mortal selves could have achieved, with a specific emphasis or specialization based on how they ascended. Physically strong vs potent magic vs mental abilities etc.
Progress (Self Improvement) 5/10

Remaining AP: 5 -5 = 0
Remaining PAP: 1

Writtensanity

2021-06-21, 12:17 PM

A World Left Behind

The thrum of industry was pounding in Briettia's ears. Pounded iron, flying ships, mighty empires. It was clear which way the Circle Continent was going, but the Goddess of Mothers, Monsters and the Wilds couldn't punish mortals for doing what they were always going to do. She would have screamed herself hoarse trying to fight progress. The aerie was her home on the circle continent, too fearsome and steep to be built on, but the world needed more than just that.

Though she would return soon to teach the mortals ways to respect and live with nature instead of burning it out of the way, for the first time in nearly forever, Briettia left the Spine Aerie and took off toward the North, her shadow cast across the continent.

Off the North Coast of the Circle Continent, laid the Serpent's Spite isles, which were sparsely inhabited, but inhabited nonetheless. Briettia kept flying until she felt something to the West of the Serpent's Spite Isles. A crack in the earth made by Wan'Shi, and one of the serpent's fangs buried deep in the underwater lands of the first World.

Britettia folded her wings close to herself, and dove.

Dropping through the sky, Briettia pierced the surface of the ocean and continued downward, the pressure of water doing nothing to stop her divine body. She saw the fang, buried deep, but not deep enough to crack the surface and bring forth magma. Briettia slammed into the broken back of the fang and pushed it into the earth.

The first world shook as Wan'Shi pierced it for the first time since the beginning and Magma erupted out into the suddenly boiling ocean. Briettia retreated from the scar she'd made, rising from the war alongside steam as a continent's worth of Magma spewed from the crust of the first world.

Dripping and boiling, Briettia focused her power on sculpting the blessings she wanted to place upon the new land, but she'd need another divinity to help her shape it.

An Australia-sized continent to the North of the Circle Continent. Macra'Ahi was born with one of the last fangs of Wan'Shi on the first world. Briettia is creating and blessing the land to be a place impossible for industry to conquer, but as of right now all there is, is blessed infinitely spewing lava. Another Goddess needs to form it.

Contributing 1 AP to - Macra'Ahi
Waiting on Razade and Rong-Tou for the other.

AP Allocation: Growth (Now 3/10)
Remaining AP: 10

dancrilis

2021-06-21, 07:00 PM

KragBrightscale

2021-06-21, 07:34 PM

Dranera

She had finished laying down the foundation of the rules for interacting with the Idixites - namely don't, avoid them and they will avoid you - not for the first time she considered reformating the Ba off all the high priests.

Two issues had occured - one was the absence of a host of followers and the other was a consistent prayer for help people trapped somewhere.

She adopted a different image of a goblin and appeared at a doorway in the concourse not knowing where she was expect for that it was where the pleas came from and set off to locate her people and bring them home ... unless she got a call to return first.

Early arrival, Kerima shows good manners

The arrival of another divine entity did not go unnoticed, for Abu Dhahab’s power had filled even the dust and sand on the concourse’s many roads.

With a single small step that seemed to bend reality, Abu Dhahab appeared near the newest arrival. A familiar aura.

Kerima? Hmm not quite, she is more powerful. Yet you definitely must be connected to her.

How fascinating…

It is you, yet it isn’t. I sense a slightly different disposition too. How curious.

So this is how you resolved that problem.

I should have expected you’d not leave your domain to the rule of another.

Either way, it is good to see you have deigned to respond to the invitation the Ghuls sent. I myself was informed not long ago of the meeting, and asked to be a witness and to guarantee the safety of all parties. I believe they feared you would lash out again in anger as you did many ages past.

Though I suspect they have not considered the possibility of you having the potential for change and growth as an individual. Although we are flawed, we are not stagnant! Right?

Come this way, I’ve been preparing some of the tea I served last time. I still remember your preference so I’ll do things completely mundane and not use any of my Ki. We can chat and enjoy the scenery while we await the others to arrive.

Feathersnow

2021-06-21, 08:51 PM

Idix
Cloak and Dagger

Sister Prima Kaxim awoke with instructions for a variation on the potion used to project to the Dreamlands, and instructions, as clear as Idix ever provided, on the terms of a secret negotiation...
With Kerima.
This potion would allow him to project to a place called "The Great Concourse " where he was to summon a Dryad by invoking its true name...
Just another day in the life of the head of the Sisterhood's espionage division.

Dryads, as the true children of Skidi, were uniquely able to interpret the imagery projected by Idix into coherent thought. But YXTG:HSQ actually sent an Ixi in reply to confirm the orders given him. No one, god, nor especially Ghul, could see the document he was preparing in the ancients tongue of the Dryads.

The second piece of the instructions were easier. To accept an invocation to be moved to something called "The Great Concourse."

Kaxim drank the potion and went into a trance. Findibg himself in a strange city, he checked the place was safe, and whispered "YXTG:HSQ, whose true name is the concept of Crochet" three times, then again, three times backwards.

The Dryad sidled into existence.

Then, her agent and interpreter clearing the way, Idix trotted into view.

Zelphas

2021-06-21, 09:04 PM

Upon the Endpoint, in Refraction

Hetta tilts her head, looking down at the strange creature and its stranger message. She contemplates, for a long moment, considering the creature's origin and its way of moving. Then, with an effort of will, she sent it dreams, in response.

A land of sharp shadows and mostly empty streets, overlaid by a set of spectral scales. A reaffirmation of the neutral meeting ground.

An elk's skull surrounded by broken sticks, and a figure in blank armor with its feet heavy atop the heads of mortals, looking at each other in a white space. Acknowledgment that she knows the two sides, but only superficially; a mark of neutrality, perhaps.

A gavel, striking heavily upon a wooden disk. Only when the ringing clap fades does the shadowy figure move forward. A promise; she will not make the decision, but she will observe it, and enforce it.

After that, Hetta steps off of the Endpoint, cutting off a centaur philosopher mid-sentence without realizing it. This centaur went on to re-evaluate her entire philosophical career. Moments later, Hetta is in the Concourse, her humanoid half in sunlight, her draconic half draped in the deeper shadows. She does not join the collection of gods, remaining slightly outside. Watching. Listening.

Kinro

2021-06-21, 09:23 PM

Lor had received its Ixi, of course, and its message, though it could not reply back itself, so it was passed on to Neela for her to give reply in its stead. "Lor has received the message that you sent it, though not the intent behind it. Though perhaps that was the intent? The words were vague, seeming intent on masking the message rather than reveal it. A curious thing indeed, certainly, alike to carvings that adorn the libraries of Shalina, but even more so. But it has grasped that you intend foe a meeting, one on neutral grounds. Lor will not move. It must remain where it is, vigilant against the revival of the Great Serpent. It will, however, accept any visitor who comes in good will and return to them the same. Failing that, I can also propose that I join this meeting, for Lor is in me and I speak for it."

The message given, the Ixi was returned to wherever it had come from, with both Lor and Neela awaiting further response.

Razade

2021-06-22, 03:22 AM

Weshesh Fleet Advancements

As aggression grew within the Archilapgo the Weshesh saw it prudent to not simply sit upon their hands. While the conflict between the Lizardfolk and the pirates played well in their trade, The Empire and other interests had begun to show further signs that concerned the Admiralty that sat as one of the peaks of Weshesh society. Such concerns meant that the Arcanists, those that built the weapons of war, and the Legion would need to adapt. Powerful magics had been at their fingertips, strange powders and flame cast long, such weaponry was fit for conflict. Mock battles beetween the Nine Arrows, the fleet arrangements under the Admiralty, began in earnest. Weapons were recast, drills were hammered down and those that could not serve at the peak were used for further training. Each unit of the Corp were centered around two Orcish mages. One would remain on a ship, the other would move with the rest of the troop so that immediate connection was made. These troops would funnel in swiftly, strike and then portal back while fresh troops were funneled in. If a target repelled a number of waves, all remaining members of the troop minus their mages would teleport over and commence a powerful suicide strike before another troop would be sent in.

The Weshesh Envoy to The League

Weshesh vessels rarely went out of their way to interact with the various pirate vessels of the League both for contact or for war. The Weshesh had maintained a fairly clear policy in regards to the League from the outset. If they wished to trade, they would be more than happy to provide their services. If they wished to steal, the Weshesh would attempt to flee. If a pirate took a ship or two, one of the Nine Arrow Fleets would be sent en mass in response.

As the day dawned over League waters however, one of the Island Fortresses loomed over the horizon, waving flags of parley. Envoys would be primed, a charter in hand.

The Weshesh do offer the following to the League, it reads.
- The Weshesh request full cessation of piracy on Weshesh and Colony interests
- The Weshesh do offer bounty on all captured Empire and Republic technology, ships or supplies
- The Weshesh offer exchange of technologies between the League and the Weshesh
- The Weshesh hereby declare a standing Act of Protection against all Empire attacks against the League

The Weshesh Envoy to The Colonies and Lizardfolk

Trade and general contact with both the Colony islands and the wider Lizardfolk trade network on the Circle Continent was hardly something new. Sahuagin, Shelled and Orcish faces more than likely a common sight anywhere the Lizardfolk controlled. Envoys were also unlikely to be strange as both were trading powers in their own right and the Weshesh were ever eager to maintain their centuries long friendship with their oldest allies even at the cost of profit. However as the latest round of these Envoys offered their messages, one might think the Weshesh were being a bit presumptuous.

The Weshesh do offer the following to our ancient Friends, it reads.
- The Weshesh request a formal alliance between the Colony and the mainland Lizardfolk and the Weshesh
- The Weshesh request with utmost friendship the free exchange of technologies and the formalization of a university founded by both nations hosted on the island of Sentar
- The Weshesh do offer exclusive trading rights for all goods and services procured by the Weshesh outside The Old Lands hereto defined as Corrla, the Jisr Archipelago and The Circle Continent
- The Weshesh do offer passage through the Weshesh Portal network out of respect and familial bond to their ancient friends.

The Weshesh Envoy to The Ghuls

Owing to the traveling islands of The Weshesh, the Ghuls were unlikely to be concerned when one came earlier than promised. Especially when they bore gifts and technologies from the more civilized and warmer climates. Included however, for the first time, was something new. A written declaration offered by the Weshesh to the Ghuls.

The Weshesh do offer the following to the enemy of our enemy, it reads
- The Weshesh do offer travel rights for all Ghuls upon our vessels be they civilian or otherwise
- The Weshesh hereby cease profitable trade with the peoples of Idix, supplies offered in friendship when and where needed
- The Weshesh do offer a protective guarantee to the people of Idix against their enemies
- The Weshesh wave travel fees for two centuries to the people of Idix
- The Weshesh declare that the people of Idix must join as junior partners to the Weshesh in three centuries time
- The Weshesh do offer bounty on all Empire and Republic technology, ships and supplies

The Weshesh Treasure Fleet

With their interests declared upon the Old Lands there was little more to do than to search out in the wider seas. Two of the Nine Arrows were launched, where they would go and what they would find are further legends yet to be told.

The Weshesh arrive in The Changing Lands

The first of the Treasure Fleets sent forth was soon to find what many called The Changing Lands, its eastern shores attractive to the Weshesh scouts. Finding the Ferrin in simple tribes, the Weshesh were quick to construct the first of their cities upon the shore. Known as Tellum, it would be their central port as the Arrow continued on for new lands while scouts were returned to the Old Lands. The Ferrin were quickly integrated into The Weshesh, their hardy nature and knowledge of the land vital in extracting resources as well as their powerful Elemental Magics.

The Demon Lords: Garganta

Garganta had laid quiet, the Demon Lords exerting their will over the final vestiges of The Great Serpent and its endless void. Now, here, they began to see how to shape and form things in their own manner, a step to divinity to be sure, a mockery of their creators for certain. It was Huu, known now as Mother of Imps, that fell upon the knowledge first as she wove blood and bone into a body while Kyu-Hyun breathed life into their small form. Various minor demons were made in this way, many of the Demon Lords taking turns to imbue the strange flesh bags that Huu would make with life but while the Demon Lords could make, it was Rong Tou that directed. It was she who called a council of the Lords together, there in the depths of Garganta and pointed out the shared plane the Gods had made with her. It was thus that lesser Demons found their way to the Shared Plane, eager and ever willing to offer their services for a price and more than capable of reaching places others could not.

Rong Tou: Macra'Ahi

The birth of a new land was not something that would be missed by Rong Tou's eyes for it was she that monitored the First World while her demon kin ruled Garganta. It was such that Rong Tou came to be called The Amber Eyed, such was the beauty and scope of her sight. A land made from the vestiges of that great Serpent especially would not go without notice, and so it was that with her own spark, feeble as it was, she breathed mana into the lands of Macra'Ahi. But it could not be said that Rong Tou was not without humor as she hovered over these new lands, casting about for her sister-friend Briettia for the beautiful beaches and pristine forest and mountain glades whispered great promise to a land filled with danger. Was Rong Tou not one of the many that inherhited the will of Snake? Was the Void Serpent not a creature of deceptive beauty and illusive charm? So too, these lands made with that final element, ought exalt what made the loss of Wan'shi so poignant. Macra'Ahi would be a land of cruel beauty, of harsh truths hidden by sweet scents and she would at least for a time dwell upon those shores.

AP: 5AP

Create Organization (The Orcish Portal Corp) -1AP: Trained to teleport onto ships and into coastal cities, the Weshesh have a crack unit of troops that travel on each fleet trained for boarding and invasion. This troop is made up of Orcs entirely, their aggressive and fatalistic attitude making them primed for what might well be suicide attacks as each are armed with powerful explosives they use in case they cannot overtake enemy vessels and ports. [The Planes (Portals) 4/10]

Create Monstrous Race (Lesser Demons) -1AP: The most minor of demonic life, Lesser Demons still have the ability to use Garganta's natural energies to move about the Planes and onto The First World effortlessly. Lesser Demons come in a variety of forms though the primary demon is known as an Imp. Imps and Lesser Demons can be found deep in the continent of Macra'Ahi as they are drawn to Wan'shi's energy. [The Planes (Portals) 5/10]

Bless (Weshesh Weaponry) -1AP: Owing to the Weshesh's trade networks and access to basic and wide ranging supplies, the weapons produced on their Island Fortresses are of masterwork quality. [War (Invention) 10/10]

Create Land ( Macra'ahi) -1AP: An Australia-sized continent to the North of the Circle Continent. Macra'Ahi was born with one of the last fangs of Wan'Shi on the first world. Briettia is creating and blessing the land to be a place impossible for industry to conquer, but as of right now all there is, is blessed infinitely spewing lava. Another Goddess needs to form it. [Travel (Exploration) 1/10]

Alter Land: (A Gradient of Nightmares) -1AP: The shores and exterior forests and mountains of Macra'Ahi range from safe to progressively less safe until one reaches the interior of the continent where things stop being [Travel (Exploration) 2/10]

Feathersnow

2021-06-22, 04:09 AM

The Land of Cliffs and Spires

The Weshesh envoy to the Land of Cliffs and Spires was met by stony silence from the assembled Ghuls.

"We... are not sure we can accept those terms, friend.

But, even if we could....
We don't speak for all of the Ka of Skidi. The only one who could even come close is Idix herself... and she rarely answers communications. And, even then, her answers are often vague.
Out of respect for our long friendship, we will assemble a conclave of all the Lodges to discuss your terms. This could take some time, even with our new telecommunication magics. To whom should we send our response?"

The Brotherhood

TXG:YQ met the envoy coolly in the barely constructed Capitol of The Brotherhood. "We cannot accept any terms that would infringe on the direct sovereignty of Idix over the Brotherhood.
We are willing, however, to offer "Most Favored Nation ' status to the Weshesh and promise mutual aide and commit to non-aggression "

The Sisterhood

By the time the Weshesh envoy's offer had been passed up the Sisterhood's chain of command as far as the regional Sister Prima, things had already gone to hell...

SpeedWitch

2021-06-22, 05:24 AM

The Concourse: Dia Stumbles Blindly
Dia and Idix's company

Dia stepped into the Concourse, their mind set on locating the Suzerain. Unlike the careful Father of Gold, they happened to shock a group of merchants exploring the city.

Dia turned to face them, twelve feet tall; their translucent body flashing with multicolored lightning; the stars shining brightly through their cloak like a hole in reality.

"Oh hey, people."

Seeing the merchants cowering, Dia realized too late that faceless people in magic cloaks were not something normal people knew how to deal with. Embarrassed, they began changing forms to something more suitable - perhaps the fisherman's child - but then they became aware of another deity's presence, one that had arrived sooner than expected.

Apologies. I have business to attend to. Her sprites sliding into her cloak, Dia assumed her river form and rushed straight-through the group of merchants, leaping across several streets in a matter of seconds.

She touched down and condensed about thirty meters away from Idix before her avatar popped back out of The River - this time about the size of a young kobold.

"The - " Dia looked over the group, fixating on Idix. " - Unseen Hand, I presume? I am The River Dia, and I welcome you and your companions." They bowed. "... You arrived quicker than I expected."

Dia tossed a glance back down toward the plaza, sensing Abu Dhabab and... something not quite as powerful. But certainly divine, or at least, connected to the divine. They briefly wondered how they were able to just know Abu and the other newcomer were around, before shaking their head and dispersing the sprites that composed it, their hood wrapping around its absence. This is my nature as a deity. I know my own kin.

Come. The one you seek waits nearby. I will lead you to them. Perhaps you can speak more of your plight. As we walk. Dia gestures to the group assembled (even taking one of their hands, if any of them are brave enough to reach for hers) and begins leading the group to the Concourse's center.

I have. "... less experience with mortals than you, I'm sure." A few sprites spilled out from beneath the hood.

Feathersnow

2021-06-22, 05:55 AM

Idix and Dia

Idix emotes imagery that implies a Sardonic laugh.

A large tree-like humanoid covered in carved writing and a large, muscular Crocodilian look at the divinity.

"I am YXTG:HSQ, whose name is the concept of "Crochet " I am tasked to speak for my goddess, who has no true name but whose title translates as "The Gift of the Unseen Hand" Generally, this is left untranslated and pronounced "Idix."

"Please allow me to present her. She cannot speak, so allow me to interpret her communication into words"

"Please also be introduced to Sister Prima Kaxim of The Sisterhood of Navigators, who represents the mortal flock of Idix"

Kaxim bows, "It is an honor to meet one of the heroes who saved the world. Unfortunately, we fear there is another threat. The Ghuls of The Land of Cliffs and Spires fought a centuries long war against Kerima and now seek retaliation. Kerima seems not only not to care, but to, incredibly, not to have been aware of the incredible suffering her actions caused. As a convert to Idixism, I was chosen to represent the peoples of Idix, as no Ghul could be trusted, given the extremely sensitive nature of the proceedings."

YXTG:HSQ cuts in. "It is our hope that we can convince Kerima to apologize and give a token of contrition. We are not hopeful, even that she will appear, but Idix believed the attempt must be made before...."
Idix emotes a silence!
"...things escalate."

KragBrightscale

2021-06-22, 10:47 PM

Senior disciple pays a visit, Timsah’s freedom

Manar, Timsah and several others of the leadership of the colony where meeting with an important guest during the weekly market festivities.

One of the first generation disciples of Jabal Alsalaam, had arrived that morning with incredible news. Walking through the air, he had shocked many of the civilians before landing near the Order’s Jazira Branch headquarters.

He told of how the order had witnessed the ascension and enlightenment of several of their members. How he himself had broken free from his mortal shackles through the reforging of his flesh. Passing on his experiences and those of the other immortals, he guided the the ascetics and showed the path forward. Deciding to stay for a while, he took on an elder ship role, and the role of defender of the nation.

Timsah, having plateaued in her cultivation for a while, was ecstatic. Leaving immediately after the lesson, she went to the center of the desert and dug straight downwards. Reaching the desired depth, she collapsed the edge of her hole causing her to be buried under the sand and rock.

Having awoken a strong earth affinity along with a minor wind affinity during the war, she formed a tight fitting encasing of compressed rock around herself. Inside the sarcophagus, she started her cultivation.

With the arrival of her senior, and the colony’s newfound peace, she no longer had to bear the burden and responsibility of being in charge of the colony’s defense. Others would step up, and she would be free to explore again, but for now she would focus on breaking through her bottleneck.

The Imperial Admiral had sent an invitation, although she had wanted to accept she’d been held back by her responsibilities until now. Before cultivating she had sent a message back in response:

Admiral Thorn,

I am pleased to see that the empire has stuck to our agreement these past months,

Being relieved of the burden of national defense, I am now free to join the expedition if you are still interested. A number of my crew members and a couple Mutajahil merchants have expressed to me their desire to join as well. It will take some time to get ready, but my ship will leave the colony early next spring. I hope to meet you at one of the free Islands. If this message finds you too late or if you no longer have that desire, I will have a copy of our log made so you can read it after we return successfully.

Timsah, Captain of the Leviathan

Alliances and Embassies, Manar brings the response to the Weshesh offer

Though Timsah was absent, the rest of the leadership discussed the recent treaty proposed by the Weshesh.

Considering their long history of friendship and trade, there was a general goodwill towards these fellow scaled beings. It was their steady supply of goods and timber during the war that allowed the colony to gain an initial advantage.

Their proposal was also the most reasonable one the Lizardfolk had received. Unlike the others, the Weshesh seemed content with cooperation, collaboration and mutual aid. Going through each point they took turns presenting arguments for or against, and deciding on their stance.

- Exclusive trade of goods not found in the currently known world. What a tempting offer. There was no opposition to this offer amongst the two hundred or so representatives present at the meeting.

- Opportunity to make use of Weshesh travel methods? Sounded interesting, the Mutajahil were definitely on board, but the more conservative felt that receiving such a benefit for free would be taking advantage of their friends. After discussion, it was decided that payments would be made by merchants who made use of this arrangement. After all, if something is free, it would lose its value. The Weshesh would also be free to move through Colony and Union territories, though local authorities should be notified in advance before any large scale military groups do so, after all a good host prefers to be prepared before hosting a feast.

- The free exchange of knowledge was immediately applauded by the ascetics present in the meeting. They argued fiercely against merchants and craftsmen that wanted to preserve the state of monopoly to increase profits. What finally won the argument in favor of accepting the proposal was the description of several observed technologies witnessed in other societies proving that there was still a lot to be learned and gained and a comparison to the stagnation of isolationist Corrla.

- A formal alliance. Those present could not remember having heard of such a thing before. Sure there had been talks of helping each other out like how they would help the Kobolds if they ever needed it, but an official alliance was a big commitment for a people who values their promises so highly. Although the debate was heated and lasted a long time, the majority did eventually vote in favor.

- in addition to the accepted agreement and in response to the Weshesh’s desire for exchange of knowledge, the Order of Zahd is prepared to accept both short term students and long term disciples from the Weshesh, to be trained in both mind and body.

- the Weshesh are also officially invited to participate in the yearly Grand Bazaars and all their festivities. Feasts, feats of strength, auctions, music, and of course a lively market full of street vendors.

Manar, herself decided to meet with the envoy to present the colony and unions response. While doing so she planned to ask to visit Sentar. It would be good to chance to look around and see where the future university would be built. As she hoped to teach there for a bit in the future, it would also checking out her future workplace.

The next topic of discussion was the Kobolds’ request to set up an embassy. This was passed unanimously. History had proven that Kobolds were beneficial to society and generally nice to have around. Embassies were permitted to be built in both the mainland Union, and the island Colony. Kobolds would be welcome to move freely throughout both territories, and libraries would receive generous funding from local markets. The merchants would also ask to establish an embassy amongst the Kobolds, though considering their nature it is likely to be primarily used as an auction house or small market.

Writtensanity

2021-06-22, 10:51 PM

Macra'Ahi Born

https://i.imgur.com/euasrBg.jpg

As Rong Tou breathed Mana into the land and stabilized it, Briettia breathed a sigh of relief and then, with a single flap of her wings cooled the lava and finished giving it life.

The land, in the presence of two divinities, immediately flourished and sparks of life danced across it. Trees erupted from the ground, with vines dangling from the tallest branches. The beaches became thousands of miles of pristine island paradise, and, once the trees had grown. Beasts and creatures began to stalk the greater jungle.

But Briettia had a plan for this island, an untameable place. A place that could not be crushed by industry, so she weaved a new blessing to latch onto Rong Tou's energy.

The power of Mana flows all over the first world. Though some see it as a dreaded power of a dead God, what it really is, is food. Energy for life that sapient races carve into magic.

Briettia's love gives creatures the ability to passively feed on mana, making dense concentrations of mana into fonts of impressive life. Nowhere is this more obvious than Macra'Ahi where Rong Tou's shaping of mana ensured that the creatures near the centre of the island would have access to much more than those on the outside. Even creatures of the same size can be five times the size if they are born around and live near fonts of Mana.

AP COST: 1
AP ALLOCATION: Life (Growth) 4/10
AP REMAINING: 9

With her blessing in place Briettia settled on the shores of Macra'Ahi, and overlooked the serene coast she and Rong Tou had created. In the edges of the forest, the first birds to land on the island were chirping, and the creatures that were born alongside it opened their eyes for the first time. Briettia smiled. Deep in the forest, she could feel the wilds awakening, the sudden struggle for survival, predator and prey. She breathed it in.

That said, it needed one last touch before she could really call it her own. Briettia summoned the Egg of Flocks from its nest on the Spine Aerie, and waved a hand toward it and with the motion, a small hint of divinity pushed into the artifact and for the first time in mortal memory, it hatched.

Unlike many of the creatures on Macra'Ahi, the Seidetera are exclusive to the island continent. These birds are massive creatures that can grow to have a Wingspan of dozens of feet when exposed to Mana.

Saidetera are considered by the scant few who live on Macra'Ahi to be guardian spirits of the ideals of the islands. Without any seeming rhyme or reason they prefer carefully carved stones to anything else when it comes to building their nests, which results in them tearing apart any significant fortifications on Macra'Ahi that are built anywhere but one the bare edge of the beach.

https://i.imgur.com/coLIjCS.png

Saidetera are also some of the smarter creatures to come from the Egg of Flocks, and will often position themselves to warn or deter misguided characters away from Macra'Ahi, or those on Macra'Ahi away from the deeper parts of the forest.

Egg of Flocks USED

Once Briettia had called forth the Egg she turned to Rong Tou, who had come down to the beaches of Macra'Ahi alongside her.

"Sister, I must thank you for your part in making this paradise." Briettia plucked a brilliant feather from her wings. "Our Children here will know you as one of their mothers."

Briettia tossed her feather into the sands of the island, and it quickly burned away. In an act of divinity, she summoned the spirit she'd used all those years ago to make the first harpies, and shaped it into something Unique for this Paradise.

They say that the Harpies of Macra'Ahi can carry a centaur in their talons...

Larger, bolder and wilder than their cousins to the south. Wild Blood Harpies are built for the deadly land that they come from. Thick skin and powerful muscles ensure that they are less reliant on the comfort of industry than other races on the First World, and a unique bond to Briettia, the mother of Druidic Worship, and Rong Tou, the mana weaver, has left them powerfully inherently magical. Mostly that they are able to channel the inherent Gigantism that comes with mana into massive but temporary increases of strength and speed with no formal training.

They join the wilds Macra'Ahi as fearsome hunters in sister flocks. Though a society will surely form quickly with a pair of goddesses around.

https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/005/151/258/large/asep-ariyanto-asep-empret2.jpg?1488861989

Create Harpy Subrace Cost: 1
AP Allocation: Life (Growth) 5/10
AP Remaining: 8

dancrilis

2021-06-22, 10:58 PM

Dranera and Abu Dhahab

Dranera was legitimately confused but had things she wanted to speak with the deity about so followed along, and offered a bow of respect before sampling the tea.

"Great Abu Dhahab - I am impressed that you noted my divine energy or alternatively disappointed in myself as I thought I had a better control of it then that, but I believe you that you are mistaken about some matters - I am not Kerima nor am I privy to her thoughts or actions, she created me not to rule her people - most of whom reside with her - but to guard the first world against annihilation, she discovered that it was a lynch pin of reality and that as divinities grow in power they risk destabilising it which would end all the planes and all the gods - my core task is therefore to seek to remove any divinity that chooses to stay on the world despite this outcome. Everything else I do is personal choice - or if it isn't then my and control over me is subtle enough to escape my notice".

Her form shifted to that of a human as she spoke, if the Ghuls were involved she would prefer them to not merely deal with a goblin at all times.

"My coming here is fortunate as I wanted to discuss that matter with you and I have found your people to be reliable trading partners on the first world and hoped you might be reliable in kind - but the reason I am here now is that I heard prayers of some lost followers of the goddess I regard as a mother and wanted to find out what had happened and return them to their families and friends - as for a meeting with Ghuls of divine important, that is news to me, I recently spoke to one of their people and understood that any conflict would be avoided should both groups maintain their territories and I intend to unsure that the people of Kerima do exactly that, I am not sure what else can be done other then that".

"Apologies I have not introduced myself I am known as Dranera - in truth I use a lot of names as situations demand, but that would be the one used most", she took another sip "the tea is excellent thank you".

Gnomes2169

2021-06-23, 03:28 AM

All Roads Lead To...
The trade of knowledge between the Empire and Kobolds continued, and once again what was made by one side was taken and expanded by the other. The small lizard-kin had created improved housing, shops and inter-city roads, and the Empire took that last idea and made it larger. The roads they had already been creating between Dawnhold, across the mountains to Marreill (which was now its own growing metropolis on the peninsula across from the Great Marshes) and into kobold lands were expanded, reinforced with far more durable granite and slate rock, and molded into shape by the Empire's most talented earth shapers. For the paths that went through the Spine Aerie they were careful to stay in mountain valleys and lowlands, doing their best to avoid harpy nesting and hunting grounds, and explaining to the flying creatures that this would allow them to talk and visit with the kobolds and other things that were not birds easier.

These greater roads became known as Highways, as they were soon associated with reputable trade and free transit for immigrants alike, and the Empire both maintained and manned guard stations along these large roads to ensure the security of all those who used them. Every major city in the Great Marshes was connected along these branching roads, but they stopped at the farthest city to the west, not stretching into League territory, as the Empire's engineers were not suicidal, nor were they stupid enough to give a hostile power a rout that could be quickly traveled to invade an ally.

The Shaline people also showed just how ambitious their intellectual exercises could be, as they noticed just how rough and dangerous travel to and from the north seemed to be because of the League, and they decided to fix that by expanding their highways to the north. Three major highways were formed over the course of a decade, one running along the edge of the Great Marshes entirely, bordering centaur lands and the great Pit of Creation before rejoining the other two highways at the base of the mountains at the edge of the great deserts. The second and third highways came from the two halves of the Great Marshes, each running from the largest library-cities the kobolds possessed, with plans to build both of them through the burn zone for the sake of speed and transportation concerns. Though one required a major bridge as well, and both required large garrisons to maintain them, these highways as well would be secure as they met up with the one that was safer, if perhaps longer to travel along if one did not wish to reach the Everrun Plains or the Shaline Empire.

Thus was a safe trade rout re-established with Wadi Alsahali despite the League having made such travel risky in the recent past. While there was still some inherent risk in the journey, after all the Empire's outposts were not everywhere and they could be overrun by a determined force, proper salt and material trade began to flow once more between the Kobolds and their oldest allies with openness that approached older, safer times.

The roads and the Everrun Plains
As the great highway project began in earnest, the Empire soon discovered that the centaur lands were nowhere near as monolithic and unified as they had assumed. Younger generations crossed the paths of the engineers and the Empire's outposts, which honestly had no idea what to do with the hooved creatures. They weren't trying to rob anyone, and they seemed friendly enough, but... the everrun plains remained closed. Not knowing what else to do, the Empire sent them on their way, and with proper roads through the mountains that could accommodate the 4-legged beings they would be able to reach Dawnhold and the more eastern, newly-founded peninsula territory as well.

This would cause them to slowly begin sending messengers and envoys to the centaurs once more, though after being burned as suddenly and without warning as they had, especially since pretty much every aggrieved ruling party on the Shaline side of the matter was still alive, these talks would not have the same enthusiasm as they did before. Repairing those bridges would take time, if they could ever truly be mended.

Jisr Archipelago - The matter of the natives
When approached about the subject of colony aid in improving relations with the handful of conquered natives on the islands now owned by the Empire, most of which had been unpopulated before the war even began, the admiral's aids would point out that it would be stretching the terms of the treaty that they already had, which maintained that these islands would be considered the Empire's sovereign soil. The treaty maintained that separation between them, just like it guaranteed the sovereignty the Colony, League and neutral zones had. Thus, any and all troops offered would be flat-out rejected.

But, any offers for the Colony to send advisors to help with the conquered populations would be accepted. The idea of League advisors would not get the time of day, as they were probably the ones funding and encouraging the rebellious sections of the native population anyway, but the Colony was on at least somewhat friendly terms, and the Empire did not want to needlessly exacerbate that relationship already. While they weren't going to break contract, or allow their partners to be manipulated into accidentally breaking it and suffering the consequences, accepting advisors, especially in ambassador positions, was deemed to be safe. Besides, it would allow the colony to get used to working with the Empire, rather than merely tolerating them and accepting their money.

The Admirals - A short delay
Thorn stood at the prow of his personal airship, a four-masted juggernaut that was the pride of the Shaline fleet and unique in its size and speed. It was as large as the other flagships of the armada, and should, by all accounts, have been impossible to fly. Even with the skysteel etched into its railing like it was simple decoration, and carved into its hull to name it, The Windchaser, this vessel was just too large to fly. It didn't even have proper stabilization masts, it just had buoys of oak along its side that held somewhat loose coins of false silver as well.

Yet fly it did. Because they had an advantage.

Taking a deep breath, the captain of the vessel read the message from his fellow admiral again. "Well of course we kept the agreement, Timsah. Me and my people are not some two-faced traitors trying to steal into your house to take it from you..." The captain mutters, annoyance coloring his words even if he managed to keep a handle on it. Shaking his head twice, telling himself that's how she had meant it even if sometimes it felt like that's what everyone in the colony believed. She was willing to join him on this trip. That meant more than an unintended insult might have.

Penning his own letter within his cabin at the midday meal, the solari wrote,

My colleague Timsah
It is good to hear that you will be joining us soon. A few months of preparation will hardly hurt, and I'm certain the merchants among your crew will find plenty of opportunities to practice their craft on our journey. The shattered continent is teaming with life these days, after all, and at the very least we will be able to stop within an Empire territory or two along the way. I assume you wanted to continue your journey from where you left off? I recently visited the city in order to make our treaties and my promotion official, and there are places that I believe you will enjoy within the city.

We shall be ready to depart at your word,
Admiral Ethrial Thorn of the Windchaser.

Stamping the letter with his wax seal and addressing it to Timsah, the oldest Solari in the world stepped from his cabin, nodded to his first mate, and then hopped off of his ships starboard prow. He then walked along the wind, forming steps beneath him as he went along, until he reached shore of the island he'd docked at to send his initial invitation to the lizard admiral. Nodding to the dockmaster there, hovering just a few inches off of the ground, Thorn said, "Pleasant evening, isn't it? See that this reaches Timsah for me. You'll find that the messaging fees, addresses, etcetera and henceforths are all in order." With that he handed the letter to one of the dockmaster's aids, then he turned around and walked back to his ship, humming a bit of a half-remembered shanti he'd heard in a neutral zone inn. For all their duplicity, the gnoll and lizard pirates really did know how to make catchy tunes...

Once he'd returned to his ship, the vessel pulled anchor and, captain and first mate working together, the ship swung away from harbor and sailed away. Though the vessel clearly moved faster than it would have without windweaving assistance, they did not fly away. The fact that the Empire had a large number of vessels that could take to the sky was still something being kept secret for now in these ports. It had helped crack down on smuggling and privateers that continued to ply these waters despite all the treaties, and just brazenly showing that capability off would hardly help keep the black market off balance. As it was, because of the advantages of flight paired with always-favorable winds, the Empire was so good at cracking down on piracy that the League likely thought there was some manner of divine intervention or deep-seeded espionage going on to keep Shaline waters clear of their influence.

It would not be a secret forever, especially with talks of skysea colonization, something that would happen above the archipelago, being seriously pushed, but another two or three years, maybe a decade or so to really rub it in, would do well to properly cement the idea that perhaps the Empire was not going to be easy prey for the criminal underbelly of the naval world.

Ennis - A matter of some confusion
Ennis had, as was his usual MO, flown to shore ahead of the vessels that were part of this exploratory expedition... which likely added to the confusion for the ghuls, since despite flying up to them he did not need to use windweaving. He was a Solar, after all. Not that the Elder and Sister would know that.

Squinting for a few seconds at the old, incredibly old Marreill that was spoken to him, the archon tried to remember enough of the language to actually understand and talk back, and he explained. "No, no, not Knight of Winds. Only apprentice, many, in ships. Am..." He scratched at his auburn hair, the archon struggling even harder as he said, "Am... god... fragment? Shard? Lesser?" Cursing under his breath at just how little he understood this language, and how little it had been developed in general before it had changed due to all the other cultures it had met and incorporated, he moved on. "I bring hello from Shaline peoples of the sun. Renarr's blessings?"

Ennis was the one with the best grasp of this language. This first contact was going to go fantastically.

The Suzerain - Within Nocturne
When the Idix came to him, the Suzerain had been within one of the smithies of Nocturne. It was cold here, too cold to maintain any real fires, but he was a god now. He did not need to melt metal or smelt it in order to shape it, nor did he need metal to forge in the first place, though he did happen to have a piece of iron on the anvil this time. With each strike, the Strands of Night that clung to him and every part of the room shuddered and swirled.

In between hammer strikes he would would consider the Idix quandary and its request. Then he sent it back to the being who had sent it with the following message: "I am not one of the gods that you wished to contact. While I spread their philosophies and will work to enforce what they decide at this council, I will not dictate how they should rule in your conflict." Looking at the flattened piece of metal that he had been working, it almost seemed he would add something else... but then he returned to his work and dismissed the messenger.

Renarr - Beside Lor
Renarr had stayed beside Lor as the years passed. Below, the merchants waged their war, and she witnessed her people, the Empire that had claimed her as their leader, press out to take advantage of the situation. While they may have projected confidence and power at the time, she could see just how overcrowded their capitol settlements had become, how many of them were taking to ships to explore for places to settle, and how much of a mess their population centers had grown. So much... waste. And desperation.

Which had changed in rapid order as technology and understanding of how to organize populations had advanced, and as a pocket of unclaimed lands in the eastern end of the continent was discovered and opened to colonization. The lands claimed by Thorn in the archipelago were still utilized, but the reorganization of the cities, the improvements to the already existing infrastructure, and the effective doubling of available land to the Shaline peoples did far, far more to alleviate need than the short-lived conflict that her people had thought necessary when it began. And now, with ships capable of reaching the Skysea, and highways linking the peninsula of Dawnhold to mostly open lands on the Circle Continent proper...

Well, there would be no need for conquest for a good, long while.

And the Suzerain's republic... he should be proud of what he'd accomplished with those people. To take so many downtrodden and reforge them with such a strong spine was remarkable.

Renarr was also present when the Idix beast appeared to Lor, and she listened to the request and attempted to parse through it as best she could as well. The Tyrant was clearly Kerima, and as for Neutral ground... well, there was a place that struck her as perfect for that. After all, that's what Renarr and the other gods had made Concourse for. Whispering to the voice of Lor, the Eternal Night tells the once-kobold, "I do not believe they meant to be opaque or to conceal what they meant. I think they simply don't know that we have no idea what events they are talking about, and assumed they would be general knowledge. But if it is adjudication or advice they seek, and they wish to find it on neutral ground, then Concourse will be where they find it."

Rising from her seat, the golden robe shimmering in the light given off by Lor's reflective surface, Renarr then turned to speak to the mirror god. "Lor. My friend. This serpent is dead. Whatever sparks of its essence may have remained have long decayed and rotten away, or they have fled to a place beyond this world and its body. Your loyalty, your dedication..." Pressing a hand to the mirror's surface, she whispers, "They are staggering. But what you seek to ward against will not be found here. If there is some plot, if the serpent truly does remain, it will be somewhere unnoticed. An expanse so vast that even we could never explore it, or some hidden seed that passed under our noses. This place... it would be too obvious. And I do not want you to be trapped here for all time, guarding against something that will not happen."

Shaking her head and snapping open a portal with a flick of her wrist, the Twilight goddess adds, "Whatever you decide to do, though, know that I am still here to support you, like my followers would help yours. Just... do not waste away out here. There's so much more that we both can do."

And then Renarr stepped into Concourse to witness what was to come.

Renarr - Concourse
The Dawnstar entered the meeting plain just a few houses away from where Abu Dhahab and the fragment of the Tyrant conversed, and that divinity drew her like a lodestone. If there was to be a meeting of the gods, then this is where she assumed they would be. She remained quiet for a time as the others gathered and both the lizard god and Dranera spoke, muttering softly, "Of course Kerima would send a representative instead of coming herself..." It was entirely characteristic of the absent tyrant. Why do her own work when she had pawns she could march up a board who would accomplish whatever her vague directions were in an at least semi-satisfactory manner?

But she did not interrupt the conversation directly, instead stepping over to a wall in order to find a place to sit and wait for the full pantheon and for the aggrieved party to appear. If she was not mistaken, a presence approached with what appeared to be Dia, and that presence was unfamiliar enough to be the divinity who had called for council. Thus, Renarr would wait until things had been cleared up on both sides.

Starting AP: 1
Starting PAP: 0

-1 AP; Highways: Long stretches of well maintained, wide and defended road that are pretty much exclusively used for trade and travel between settlements. These currently run from Danwhold and its eastern colonies, to Marreill, to the Kobold cities and between every major population center in the great marshes, and there are plans to build north in three major branches. One runs north of Marreill along the border of the Great Marshes, along the mountain range and border of the Everrun Plains, along the south of the Pit of Making, and then comes to an end at a fortress established at the base of the mountains that border the great deserts at the pit's south-western edge. Both other major highways extend north from the eastern and western halves of the Great Marshes, cutting through the great burn zone in order to connect with the first highway at the Shaline fortress.

Should they ask for it, the Empire is willing to establish a road up to the lizardfolk cities in the desert proper.
Domain progress: Mortals (Discovery) 2/10

Ending AP: 0
Ending PAP: 0

Domain Progression:
War (Progress): 5 (Create Pantheon, Split Planar Magic: Augmentation/ Transposition, Order of Thorns, Officer's Academy, Split-subconcept: Skyships) (Changed the Portfolio so that it would make more sense)
Mortals (Discovery) 2 (City planning, Highways)