Lords of Creation in the Playground IC

[alchemyprime]

The Creator, that being of total chaos, did what it did. It swan through the Void and Created. And it created Playground. It used the body of a god from another realm to form the planet. And it created Xam and Eul.

Eul was all of the failed attempts rolled up into one. And Xam was a being of pure creativity. And the two just wandered and avoided each other for a long time.

And Xam walked upon the Playground and looked up. And he wondered "I wonder who that is?" And behold, he created Ramus. And then he looked at the ground and wondered "And who is that?" And Xiua'Hi came to be. And then he started wondering why he wondered, and Enigma was created. And the four Played on the Playground, and looked at all of the wonderful things they could do.

However, like most worlds, the Playground was not meant for gods. And so they were shunted into the Astral Void, a smaller version of the Great Void the Creator lived in. And they looked upon the planet and Xam had an idea.

"How about we play a game with our Playground?"

And so the first month began.

[vegetalss4]

Nesius let out her arm and sends down a current of divine energy into the ocean where it transform into all the fish and all other animals that live in the water, and when it hit the ground it created the plant life that exist below the waves.
(create populus, nurish lands)
she then swims through the void over to the other gods that she then greets by wawing her hand and saying "my name is Nessius what are yours?"

[Lady Tialait]

Mountains arise from the Nesius' oceans, atop these great mounts opens dark smoke and heat. Do you dare ask what is in the dark smoke? Dare you see what is forbidden?

The dark smoke wafts into the surrounding waters dark waters that boil and roar are created no creature yet created could possibly live in them.

(Mold Land, Pestilence)

[Innis Cabal]

Flinches at the burning that courses through the earth, Xiua’Hi stretches, causing the land to buck and shake, creating the valleys and mountains before settling back into his lounging. Upon seeing the empty expanses of the shifted earth, he broke his leg, and allowed the marrow to coat the low lands and plains, creating the grains and trees.
(Mold Land, Nourish land)
Gazing out on to the extended hand of the water god, he raises a hand of his own in greeting

“I am Xiua’Hi, Shall our boundaries be forever set, and we exist in comfortable peace

[ArlEammon]

Ramus looked upon the solid earth and decided that he would make sure it would be habitable. Somewhere in the world, in the East, he blasted, with a gale of sharp winds, the ground, so that it would be shaped into mountains.(Mold Land)

He then caused clouds to gather over the mountains so that it would rain.(mold land again? nourish land?)

[Draken]

Eul lurked on the shadow of the world, the dark mirror of creation that changed around him as the material world did.

And he hungered. Hungered for life and for all that which he was not.

Eul stretched his hand from the shadows, and it became a slavering maw of darkness, and it consumed an infinite place in the void, pouring upon it his dark essense, and The Consuming Shadow was sated, for now.

And so, where once there was nothing but void, now there was a world of death.

(Create Negative Energy Plane)

[Lady Tialait]

Before Nesius manifests a large burning question mark. It flickers at her question of names and identity, then the flames hiss out "I am Enigma. I am ever burning."

[Innis Cabal]

Watchs more mountains rise above the ground, and the skies bleed water, reaching out sluggishly he touchs the new earth, the remaining marrow on his fingers spreading up its sides, the tree's and planets arching up to meet new water from the skies.
(Nourish Land)

Xiua'Hi extends his other arm out to the sputtering and flickering symbol in simple greeting

[alchemyprime]

Xam walks between Nessius, Ramus, Enimga and Xiua'Hi.

"As you all know, I am Xam. I am he that... found you. And I... am wondering where the word he came from... hm...

"But never mind that! Listen, my playmates! This is our Playground! Look upon it! And what have we done? Quarrled! I say, no more fighting! What if Nessius dowses Enigma, and Enigma burns Ramos, who erodes Xiua'Hi, who in vengence tries to fight Nessius?" As if to prove his point, Xam creates a ball of water in one hand and a ball of earth in the other and lets them collide. The resulting goo interests him.

"Hm... what is this I've found?" He looked upon the goo and touched it. "ooze..."

(0 AP = 3 AP (starting) - 3 AP (Create Concept: Ooze))

Almost as if with that word, a large tubular create began to grow from the ooze, but was obviously not of the same make-up as the four elemental deities or Xam.

(Ooulzoth, you're able to come in now.)

Xam shrugged. "It is alright. Now we have another friend incase that bully Eul comes around. Yep!"

[Lady Tialait]

The large burning question mark flairs with each question from Xam's lips, rhetorical or not. "I burn. I am Enigma."

[Innis Cabal]

All things in balance must push and pull against the others Finder Xam. Even Eul is needed for this playground. You have my word, i shall not fight my fellows.

Xiua'Hi turns into himself, staring at the darkness, and extends a hand out, searching into the depths.

[vegetalss4]

i agree i came not to fight, and i have no intendtion to do so. have we even fought i know i haven't. she then lets out a small peaceful wave towards each of the other gods present: nice to meet you Enigma, what do you mean by boundaries? also who is Eul?

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma flickers at each question. The symbol hisses out "I am Enigma, the burning. I claim all that burns. I claim all that others wish to be known."

[vegetalss4]

Nesius gives Enigma a look that signals that see feel sad for him. she then ask him with a soft voice: does it hurt to burn?

[Innis Cabal]

As Creator Xam has pointed out, we four all balance one another, these boundries keep us as we are, and to by-pass them would be most ill-advised. As for Eul, he is all we are not...he is the other side of what we are, and thus is a needed entity in our playground

[Lady Tialait]

The burning mark flickers at the question to him and hisses out "I am Enigma. I burn. I always have. I always will."

[alchemyprime]

"Yes... I suppose... still. I do wish that I understood him more. Why is it the Creator made both of us together? Were we accidents? Or the same accident?"

Xam looks to Enigma. "Sorry. I ask many questions. Does it hurt when one of us asks something? Or is it... fun?"

(OOC: Xam hasn't figured out the difference between happy and fun yet. He is still essentially a young child. Just a godly one.)

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi turns from the others, giving a simple and tired nod

"I do not know the will of the creator....surely we all have a reason to be, to round and complete the others"

And with that, Xiua'hi descended onto the world, turning the deep parts of the earth into the metals and gems. And from these things, he crafted the elves, their skin as dark as obsidian, their eyes like the varied hues of sunstone, their hair the shades of the precious metals and set them into the vallies and mountains of the playground.

And with his first great deed done, he layed down to rest in the void.

(Nourish land-1, Create Populus((Elves))-2)

[alchemyprime]

Xam clapped when he saw the little elves.

"Ooh! I like them! Oh...hm... now I want to make something... but what?"

Xam sat and thought. And thought. And thought. And he gave up.

"I have a few ideas. But I wish to see how these "elves" do first..." and Xam looked at the elves longingly.

[Draken]

New forms wandered beyond the dark mirror, slender and with a glow that attracted the Consuming Shadow.

And in it's endless hunger, Eul took one of these new beings, and fed upon his glowing essence.

But still, it hungered.

It hungered, and it hated this being for being unable to sate it's hunger.

So Eul roared and the bile of his being poured on the land, as the unliving god named his own existance.

"Undeath..." - Echoed a word that would blight generations to come. (Create Concept, Undeath/Undead)

And Eul turned upon the corpse of the first dead humanoid, and broke the obsidian of his skin and placed it upon his eyes.

"Hunger! Hunger like I do!"

And the dark deity poured unlife on the elf, and cast it back on the Playground. (Cast Create Greater Undead, kind of creature undefined.)

And with it's grim job done, Eul retreated again.

[ArlEammon]

Meanwhile, Ramus continued to nourish the land with mystic waters.(nourish land -1)

With an excersize of foresight, he decided to forge a weapon from the clouds. Mystic binding from his energy was transformed into a magical tool he could use to do battle with.(-3 Artifact)

Meanwhile, he looked kindly upon the elves. Wordlessly.

[alchemyprime]

(I'm going to assume he just made a ghast.)

Xam looked at the odd little elf thing. It looked... not elvish. Xam shook his head.

"This is not right. A elf that is not an elf. This confuses Xam..."

And Xam sat confused. ANd then he had an idea.

"Fast elves! New elves. Elves unlike elves! No... not yet... hm... but what to make then?"

And Xam looked at the elves and smiled.

"I know what you need. You need help."

And so Xam created the Domesticated animals.

(1AP = 3AP - 2AP (Create populous: domesticated animals))

(Okay, until Month 6, I'll say we can make creatures in groups. So this is pigs, cows, horses, chickens and dogs. And I'm saying small rats and lizards and some insects are already around.

I'm sayig this to make this easier until we want to do monsters...)

[Don Pedro]

Teerp had been watching the other gods with interest. In particular, he watched Xiua'Hi create the elves.

"How utterly strange... did you just?" and he draws his claw across a long swath of land. Sand dunes sprout from them, and all moisture flees from the area. "Fascinating." Next he stomps on certain areas, and oases develop under his feet, large pools of water scattered throughout the desert. The area around the oasis is prepared for verdant life, should any move in.



{AP 4 = AP6-1(Mold Land) -1 (Nourish land)}

OOC: Can I just jump in... or are only the elemental gods in so far?

[Lady Tialait]

With the questions proposed to Enigma, his flames burst catching the very Void on fire. The flames rush and melt destroying the nothingness. Finally the flames settled, and the area they had caught aflame became a great burning in the Void, a place that would burn eternally. (1 AP = 4 AP - 3 Create Plane: Elemental Plane of Fire)

The Burning Void expanded from Enigma, now both Enigma's home, and prison. No longer can Enigma leave his home. With this he rests, to consider himself. Heard throughout the burning void is "I am Enigma. I burn. I question. I destroy. I am."

[vegetalss4]

Nesius looks apon the elves and think: i like them i. really feel for them , hmm their shape looks practical, i think i will look like that, nay i will make a few changes.
Nesius then start to change shape, and out of the wave that was her a new body rises. partly a beutiful woman with blue skin part wave, is the shape that Nesius choses for herself
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/storm_gallery/90757.jpg
(0= 3 - 3(Evolve physically))
she then looks apon the elf that is not an elf, and feel sad for him. he should not be like this, he should live. poor soul i will help him. she then lets out her arm and touch him. in that instandt he falls over only to rise agein living and breating like before. (cast heal followed by a True Resurrection) go back to your life with you people, and be happy, where after she withdraw into the void agein

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi stirred in his slumber, and looked upon the land before him, and at the new feet that stomped the earth, extending a tired hand.

And to the new life, he nodded simply frowning when the fallen walked again and looking to Nesius. "Why do you make that which is needed undone?"


*The Elves gaze upon the newly created dead, and scatter before it, cursing it and its oddness, before it is revived as a living being*

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma flickers in his burning prison. He sends his hot influence to the world. Causing Fire Storms throughout the Burning Expanse. Then, when he sees this power he has, he sends the Fire Storms to the World. Burning lush forests. "I BURN!"

[alchemyprime]

(OOC)

Slight problem. Unless we spend AP, we can't affect the physical world unless we're either there or it's in out portfolios.

And even then, it's not a big thing.

I guess I should have made that more clear.
So... Vegetall, Tilat, those last two bits you did would need some changing.

The "elf that is not an elf" is at this point our only undead. I understand that later there will be quite a few (oh man. When I started in the old LoC, the old god of undeath, Morintu, had started this zmbie plague. It affeted livestock, people, everything...) but for now, there is but one ghoul. Maybe he made one or two little ghouls, but beyond that, we're undead less.

And again, portfolio elements are for flavor and for what we can do slightly without AP. Same with domains.

So Tialat, Enigma could have started a small forest fire, yes. But it wouldn't be of pestilence proportions.

And Vegetall, I'd say... okay, you cure the original ghast, but now there are two or three ghouls that got away. Kay?



Xam walked to Teerp and smiled. "So you are why I can do this!" And at that a ball of marble appeared in Xam's hand. HE hands it to Teerp. "Tell me, do you see the elves? Those odd, obsidian creatures made by your brother, the Element of Earth Xiau'Hi? You are the element of magic. Perhaps you could teach them something. Yes? I have an idea as well... but I wait for mine to work."

(OOC pt2: Teerp, this is saying use "Create Concept: Wizard". The elves will get whatever classes are made until there are more races. If an race is allied with another, they can share classes. If not, we have to use Teach Populous to give them that class._)

[Lady Tialait]

OOC:
Yeah, I figured as much. I won't be changing it, but i'll continue the little chain of events. But I wanted the barbarian class created out of it....oh well....


Enigma watches the fires he created. They somehow ease the burning in his soul. He watches them. The ones in the Burning Void, and the ones on the World. He feels good. Till, one of the fires in the world end. This, for the first in his creation upsets him. Before he simply was. He burned. Now, he feels poorly. In his new found anger he sends across the world. Let the being of the other gods feel this anger. Let the gods feel his anger. His anger takes form, the form of a ever burning ball of fire in the sky. It's rays beat down on the world. But, soon as Enigma sees, even that fire burns out. This cannot be, and Enigma sends more Rage apon it for each mortal day. (18 = 19 -1 Mold Land: Create Sun)

With the sun created Enigma stared apon it, and concentrated. Something was not worth that much time. Valued as it is. He put all his rage into the sun all at once. Hoping it would keep itself together. (14 = 18 - 4 Create God =Elimanishon )

Seeing the new creation, a being to watch out for the beacon of rage, he ripped a hole in the fabric of the universe opening a gateway, a portal between The Burning Void, and the World. Forever connection them when the sun was right. The heat from the portal felt once every year plighted the world, but allowed it to grow even richer. (6 = 14 - 3 Created Portal - 1 yearly plight - 1 yearly nurishment - 3 create concept: Seasons )

[Maerok]

Blink. Blink. "Eaaaghhh..." Elimanishon awoke for the first time with a groan and looked down on the world below from his perch atop the sun. So angry... Why? As he saw the lands below with all their developing beauty, Eli fell in love with the sight. "Perhaps, I could steal just the slightest kiss?"

He looked around, did not notice anyone watching, and dropped down to the world below, to a pond amid a large forest. Eli kneeled down to take a sip with both hands and it helped to ease his mind for now; until he realized that he had forgotten to release his heavenly perch. No sooner did he see the reflection in the water than it had boiled over and the trees died away. Wood and rock became sand, and with a howl he recoiled away from the world.

[2 = 3 - 1 AP - Mold Land -> Killing the landscape to create a desert - the Sunfire Hearth.]

In his outrage he kicked the brilliant sphere back into the sky. Now I know...

OOC:

If anyone wants to take advantage of it, let us create Night as the sun is projected into the sky in a wide arc.

[alchemyprime]

Xam saw the new sun god get kicked. He frowned.

"Oh. So sad..." And Xam saw the darkness following the sun's path. "Balance. As friend Xiau'Hi said. Eul and me. Light and Dark. Hmm... Night and Day?"

And then Xam sat and smiled. And he looked at the animals. And he played with them to make friends for the elves. He took a dog and made the lupins from his form.And he took and ant and made the spider. And he took an elf and a dog and made the lycans. And he smiled.

Then he saw the elves and lupins and decided they needed a way for him to help even a little. And he gave a lupin the idea to pray and listen. And made the first priest.

And Xam looked sad as the lycans ran off into the woods, not wanting to come back. Except when the Moon was big. Then they came back. Or maybe those were wolves...

(7 AP = 19 - 2(Create Lupins) - 2(Create Spiders) - 3(Create Concept: Night and Day) - 2(Create Lycanthropes) -3(Create Class: Cleric and Adept))

(OOC: There ya go. I have 7 left. I hope that moved things along. Oh wait...)

(1 AP = 7ap- 3AP (Gain Portfolio Element: Sheparding (because he sees himself as the shepard of the world, creting it how he sees it must... or he'd like)) - 3 AP (Gain Domain: Animal)

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi awakens fully, for the first time since the creation of the playground, feeling a suddern surge of divine power. And his eyes are met with the glowing heavens, and as time passed, he viewed the empty sky, and thought aloud

"What shall fill the darkness, so that light shines for our creations?"

And with his utterence, a silver disk hung in the air, shining soft light down to the sleeping world

(Create Concept[Moon]-3, Create Land[Moon]-2{18-5=13})

But he was still awake, the powers somehow not drained from his body, and he wondered, if there is such a thing in the sky, how are our creations going to reach it? And with that he bent the soft silver light into a doorway, and placed it deep in the most primal forest, and dubbed it the Pathway of the Heavens. But with this pathway, a great payment must be given to this world, only when the day after the moon and sun merge shall this gate be open.
(Create portal-2, {13-2=11})



He then reached unto the new land, and rested upon it, gazing down at the playground and his fellow gods work,and smiled slightly.

Here i shall stake my first claim in the new world
(Assume Portfolio-Moon{11-2=9})

And with his work done, he returned to the void, and bowed to his fellow's.

"I ask your premission oh great lords of this playground, with humility and humbleness, for the right to govern this heavenly body"
(Gain Domain-Moon{9-2=7})

[Draken]

The first ghast ate, it murdered and made it's sons, ghouls to plague the land, these too ate, devoured, fed, immortal, perfect in the black eyes of their maker, and each life they claimed sated his hunger a bit more.

But then, his first was killed and raised back as he was, preposterous! Untolerable! His children were attacked and undone, his hunger grew with the unlife undone, and even more with the life reborn.

Eul stirred in his dark home, and his fury corrupted the adjacent land of the material world, a great plain it was, but the grass grew ashen and the bark grew gray, and the land itself died under the sweeping touch of death.

(16= 18-1-1, Mold Land, Pestilence: Create Unholy Wasteland)

And thus, the Dead Wastes were born, and this place was a heaven for all that is undead (entire area is desecrated and unhallowed).

The dead of this place rose as undead, wildlife and sentients alike, and so would be for the rest of times.

But Eul knew he could not watch upon this heaven for long, lest his continued presence angered the greater maker, or attracted the others to the Playground, so he devised a plan.

From his dark home, Eul took the black rocks that coalesced from the cold dark, and molded six beings from these, two bats, two humanoids, and two worms, all of proportions far larger than anything similar that roamed the land, or would roam it.

Then he threw these upon his new land, and the statues took unlife in their trip, the bats lifted and screeched, the worms dug deep in the dead land, and the titanic dark humanoids stood tall, lords of all that was dead.

"You are the nightshades, the mightiest champions of shadow! The champions of unlife! The dark lords of all that walks in the dark corners of the world!"

(14= 16-2, Create population: Nightshades)

The six monsters roared and roamed the dead land.

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma feeling good with his new creations, settles into his great burning void, both prison and home.

Allowing his power to simmer and grow. His power expelled around him and consumed him. He was no longer just a burning question mark. Nothing about him was the same. He had long arms around that hung from his sides, and apon his head burned an inferno, an never ending flame came out of his head. Now he had legs, so he did not float forward. His body now nothing like it had been. He was now a burning twisted form like the elves below. His flames flickered and hissed, he knew he was a Flameborn creature.
[3 =6 - 3 Evolve Physically]

His new form brought him new found joy. He wished to share his joy with others, he brought three elves to his home, the burning Void. As the first one arrived it disenigrated at the heat around him. The second, Enigma protected with a shield against flames. But, as he showed him the great power of his new form. He broke the barrier and distroyed his new freind. The third elf as he arrived was impowered, and was born just as Enigma himself. Replicated in the flames of the burning void the creature made a multitude. A whole race.
http://forum.tcgplayer.com/image.php?u=101651&dateline=1194339334
[0 = 3 - 3 Create Life]

Seeing how they are live himself, he sent them unto the world itself. To spread their flame with others.

Enigma bellowed out "Yes, Go forth my brothers, go forth my creators of flame! The flame born!"

OOC:
I am still working on the homebrew of this race

Edit: Changed for Grammer and such.

[alchemyprime]

OOC

Tia, I need a name to put in the Races block...

[Maerok]

Eli sees this new race, how it could withstand the heat of his fiery gift. As the one who fashioned him went off, he found them and taught them of the world's rejection to his advances. "I do not yet know what it is called, but I was struck by the beauty of this land. And it would not return my passion for it."

If they would like, he leads them to the place of the scar he left on the world; to live within its truth.

[1 = 2 - 1 Teach populous; working towards Unrequited Love]

[alchemyprime]

(OOC: I can appreciate a god of unrequitted love. I'm like Charlie Brown. The same little red headed girl has sent me to the Relationship thread with tears for the past few years.

[Draken]

Eul, back in his home, felt the worship of his new sons, and he felt his hunger lessening.

"Hmm..."

And so, the worship fed the dark god.

(10 = 14-2-2, Gain Portfolio element and Domain, Undeath)

And with this, his form shifted, and the consuming shadow expanded, it took on a slender shape, both humanoid and serpentine, all of it dark and cold, with black wings sprouting from his back, and titanic tail in place of legs, and a featureless humanoid torso, arms and head. And he grew mightier in his solitude, while the others deities squabbled over life, he was supreme in undeath.

(4=10-3-3, Evolve Physically, Raise Divine Rank)

------------- Disclaimer ---------

Add two cleric levels please.

------------- Disclaimer ---------

Meanwhile, in the world, the nightwalkers took separate ways, their minds guided by divine inspiration. The creatures wandered and raised the corpses around them in new, abominable shapes.

Eul watched that, and retreated again, to let his children do his grim job in the world.

[alchemyprime]

Xam looked upon himself, and upon the land, and scratched his chin in wonder.

He looked at the Void and noticed a dog. The dog growled. And one of his new lupins was there as well.

"What is this?" Xam asked.

The lupin looked to Xam. "Lord, I am the spirit of a stillborn lupin. I died. And I awoke here."

Xam nodded. "And are there others?"

The lupin notioned behind him and Xam saw a few elves, lupins and lycanthropes looking at Xam expectantly.

"Ah. It would seem that my followers come to me in death. But this never happened before."

The lupin nodded. "But we never had priests before. My mother basked in thoughts for you. When I was not born, she prayed you would protect me."

Xam opened his mouth in awe.

He instantly sent a few of the small birds to run messages written on created paper and written in created ink to the other gods, even Eul.

The MEssage

My friends, my allies, and Eul-

I have created something that I did not expect. I tried to find a way for our followers to gain help. They seemed to innately know of what we are, even if they do not know our divine names.

And so their... thoughts find us when they die if they are not the non-dead of Eul. I think we are to shepard them, like the elves and lupins do for sheep. They are our flock joining us. But more inportantly:

We have those teaching our most basic teachings. We have methods of sending our will to the people. We have priests. And because of these priests, we have the Petitioners: those that find us after death. I say, those of us still in the void, we should attempt to make new homes. And with these homes, we should care for our worshippers.

This is my opinion. My opinion that, for some, found you.

Best wishes
-Xam.

[Xuincherguixe]

ooc

Kind of funny that there was Undeath before death

[alchemyprime]

Just as far as the gods are concerned. I just posted something to make Death seem a bit of a tougher domain to want. But I don't want it...

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi began to grow more tired, but felt his work yet undone, this perplexed him but for a moment, but he knew then what he had to do. With the last of his divine essence, he raised a new form from the ocean, a second land, not far from the first, but not close, and not nearly as large as the other. It rose higher then its fellow, but not as high as its largest peak((A rather mountainous island to start), and took the gems and metals found within, and shifted them into a common form, one with wings, and a long body that walked on all fours. The first was made of the most clear crystal, and it would guard the mountain tops of this new island, the second was made of the most beautiful and stunning emerald, and it would guard the lands, and the third was crafted of topaz so brilliant, that it made the night seem almost like day, and these would guard the water's around this new land.

He then spread his arm over the land and allowed himself to bleed, more tree's and plants springing forth from his blood and growing over the entirity of the land. And from the leaves and bark he formed another body, and from the earth he made the nerves, and each moment that he took, he took with painstaking effort. And once he was done, another creature walked the earth, its body shorter then the elves, buth lithe, with several legs, and wings upon their backs, but their upper body resembling the elves. And with that, he felt the energies finaly drain from his form, uttering only a single sentence before leaving to the void again.

"I shall return, my chosen Hachi, the Ryu'Lung shall watch over you in my stead" ((Homebrew to come))

(Create land-2, Create Populous-Dragon((Gem)) -2, Nourish Land-1, {7-2-2-1-2=0})

All this time, the elves adapted to the world around them, forming crude homes from the earth and tree's, speaking and learning to communicate with one another, and form bonds with one another to keep their legacy alive in these dark times. And once the sun shone, they saw the world they were truely dwelled in, and fled deeper into the earth, only to return when twilight and night were high.


And the Hachi looked unto the large beasts, and bowed low. And the beasts in return bowed back

[alchemyprime]

The lupins ran the earth, and at the twilight they enjoyed the company of the dark skinned elves.

And the lupins and the elves became allies.

***The Void***

Xam looked at the dragons and smiled. "I like them. I want to make my own."

And as he thought, a butterfly appeared from nowhere and whispered in his ear.

"In my expereince, molding in clay works better to shape your thoughts." the butterfly said. And Xam smiled.

And he made clay and crafted an assortment of dragons. And he smiled and made thier larval form. But Xam had not the energy to give them life yet, and so waited.

"They start in the water, and when they age, they come to embody an element. I like it. Thank you, small butterfly. And who are you?"

"I come from the same world as the oozing worm Ooulzoth. I was mortal, like an elf, but had blood like a dragon. I used magic, like Teerp, to change my form. They called me Tanner." And Xam nodded that he understood.

"You rule the animals Xam. But know this: there are five strongest types. The humanoids, the dragons, the undead, and two that don't exist here yet. Do not try to gain them for power. Do so to keep power from those like Eul or Ooulzoth. And if you do not try hard enough, then gods like your sun god or your fire god will become tainted. I have seen this a few times. It happens. One of my own flock did so. He was the Butcher."

And Xam listened to the tales of the butterfly Tanner, and nodded. And once the butterfly told Xam everything, Xam sat up and nodded again.

And Xam's voice shook all of the Void, and the Burning Void, and the Sun.

"My fellows, I wish to speak with you!" And only Eul could not hear this.

[tsuuga]

Kaern Began, and he was afraid.
He was alone. He was weak. He was naked.

He must remedy this.

Kaern searched the land for inspiration, and he came upon a vein of basalt, revealed by the upthrust of a mountain. This will do.

Kaern sat with his back to the basalt, and drew it into himself, hardening, strengthening. When a crack in the mountain was all that remained, He was a towering, smooth statue of basalt. And He was pleased.
(0=3-3, Evolve Physically)

Kaern walked the world, and He met the races. It saddened him that all the mortals had an end to their days, but He considered: if I can not save the individual, perhaps I can preserve the race. Kaern walked the world again, and for the Elves, the Lycanthropes, and the (unnamed flame guys) He chose three defensible sites. All nine sites, he made anathema to undead, and strengthened the hearts of those who would defend it. (casts Hallow x9, with Remove Fear as optional spell).

He then chose a settlement of each race, and Forbade entry, and told those who dwelt there the way in. (Forbiddance x3)

Kaern went then to the Dead wastes, and saw that much of what he could do had already been done. Nevertheless, He Forbade entry to a cave, and taught a Nightwalker the way in. (Forbiddance)

Kaern retired to the Void, to watch and wait.

oocBugger, I took too long to type that up. Can we place this before the call to assembly, chronologically? Also, I thought that you meant "coyotes and wolves" by Lupins, but apparently they're an intelligent race. So, yeah, I include them in the hallow/forbidding

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi was rattled awake from the void, and turned to the sound, frowning, bowing and extending a hand to the new entry to the formless ocean.

"Why have you awoken me Creator Xam? I have done much in the playground and desire to rest so i can return."

[tsuuga]

Kaern heard the voice of his father, and was gratified that he no longer feared it. He went, to see his father with the eyes of an equal.

"Father. I am here, and I am strong. What news have you?"

[ArlEammon]

Ramus began blessing the land again. He began shaping mountains again, with his wings, and caused the clouds to rain blessing waters on the land. (nourish land, mold land. He continuously did this, (nourish land twice again -2).

He decided that he must express himself. Because of this, he took out dirt of his finger nails, and flung it to the ground. After cultivitating the dirt with his wish spells and water, he eventually created alot of statues, which he gave sentience.(-3 Create populace, Halflings)

He immediately took a liking to the halfling race, and he began muttering a great incantation. The chanting lasted for hours, and it was filled with child voiced, but immensely important and dramatic things that no one heard. (-4 Create Domain, Halfling -4)

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma trapped in his own burning sent his flames, his fire, but now himself before Xam. He stayed in his burning prison, for now, forever.

[Maerok]

Eli dove into the shadows from his place on the sun in search of the one called Eul. He had seen things in his recent travels and his soul called to advance his interests. Beasts of the shade were developing and he saw an opportunity. Elimanishon drew his radiant aura tightly around him, more in a sign of respect to keep from disturbing the shadows too much than self-defense.

"Eul... Is this where you lurk?"

OOC:

If ya'll wanted a Pelor, I'd have named him Pelor. :smallwink: He's only got 1 point left; with the next week's points he'll create the concept of bards/poetry... :smallbiggrin:

[Draken]

The great form stirred in the dark, it's own bleakness impossible to distinguish from everything else in the plane. The Consuming Shadow was no shadow, for it needed no light to exist.

"Speak. Small one."

[Maerok]

"I have been watching the creatures of this new world. The elves of stone, the flameborn, and the other works rising up all around. They live, but it is not enough. They need something to drive them or they will stagnate. I have seen your creations briefly and it gave me an idea. I seek to create storytellers, those who will spread the words of our deeds and stir up passion within those who listen."

He scuffs his foot on the ground.

"But they will need something to inspire them first and give them these stories to tell - fear, and hate in turn."

[Draken]

"You wish something for the mortals to fear?"

The great serpentine body writhes and curls around a titanic throne of voidstone.

"Fear more than the deadlands? More than the walkers in the night?"

A gigantic hand wildeing a titanic halberd moves in the dark, it's cruel blade leaving a trail of severed reality behind itself, the Astral Void briefly visible behind it.

"What. Dare you say. Could instill more fear on the living, than the walking dead? The spirits of the fallen? The cold darkness given hunger?"

[Maerok]

"Yes, death by those intended to spread such a thing is fearsome. But it's expected. It's cold, distant and yet so blatant. Frost in a cold soul is to be expected! Yet when one's own kin grow cold and still walk the flesh, commit the atrocities that were only thought to exist in beasts of the night, that terror is far more real. That they too could fall..."

"Why do I muse over this? I have a fear that they will exist without having lived. There must be sacrifices within the populace... umm, villains... to be hated and thereby rally the others. My wanderers-to-be will walk the world to tell of the cold and the warmth. It is a humble request by a humble fool."

[Draken]

Eul growls in the dark, or maybe his non-existing stomach does, he hungers, you know?

"What you ask could benefit me, maybe my mortal followers could feed my hunger with their kin."

Dread words echoed in the dark plane, traveling to the world bellow, to every creature who cared nothing for his peers, only for himself, for every elf, lupin or whatever else that, in hislone moments, cursed those who wronged them, and to all those wicked souls, Eul spoke of his faith, of excess, of eternal unlife, of the dark dogma of the Comsuming Shadow.

And most of all, he spoke of murdering enemies of the faith for the glory of the dark god.

(2=4-2, Guide Populace, createunify the Cult of Eul)

"I can already feel my hunger waning a bit more..."

[Maerok]

"It will suffice. Fiends without food that lacks the passion to live may as well eat dirt. And a populace without passion, no matter what the cost, might as well be less than that. But I must rest before I fulfill my plan."

Elimanishon casts a quick bow and retreats back to the sun; he has a schedule to keep, after all. As he set foot there, he heard the call of one far greater than himself and so he set out once more.

OOC:

When does AP regenerate? He's only got 1 left. Planning to create the concept of bards and poets (3 AP), which should be the third of three acts towards Unrequited Love. 1 - His creation of the desert in his attempt at love, 2 - teaching the flameborn of such emotion.

[Draken]

OOCYou are awarded more points each thursday.

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma feeling generous sends flames upon his volcanoes in the material plane. Burning them ever brighter. Roaring in his Prison and waiting for the message for Xam the Elder. Sending echoes of his voice throughout the world.

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

Infern the Flameborn Priest sees the fires, and sees them as a sign from up above. Starting a temple on top of the blighted mountains of the Ocean. Waiting for blessings or destruction of his newfound worship spot. No other flameborn will follow without proof.

[Ooulzoth]

The wormlike creature that emerged from the ball of clay, made it's escape from the other deities, searching for a deserted area within this new world, this 'playground' as he had heard the others call it.

[alchemyprime]

Xam looked at his children and friends.

"I have been warned of an odd... event that shall happen. Apparently, the Creator did not only make this world. He created many other worlds, in which time runs differently. This small god from another world, Tanner," Xam mentioned while motioning to the butterfly, which attempted to bow, "has wandered the planes with a blue door. He followed another god to find us after he saw what the other gods are capable of."

Xam looked down. "In those worlds, a thing exists called 'war'. and war is a bad thing. And these other gods wish to bring war to us. And, the only thing that can stop war is war."

Xam sighed. "I have existed longer than all but Eul and the Creator. Apparently, Tanner and Ooulzoth are older than us, but still younger than the Creator. But, and this is what scares me, these gods that wish to bring us war were made after us but are older than us. And I only know the name of thier leader. His name is Varr."

Xam looked to Xiua'Hi and Kaern and Enigma. "Only you three answered me. I expected my son Ramus to come as well. Perhaps Eli, or Nessius, or even Ooulzoth. But I am fine with just you three. Will you help me stop Varr? Or am I to fight this old upstart myself?"

And Xam looked at them all, with the eyes that reflected the skies of the Playground, and the flesh that copied the life. His feet were now furry, and his ears as well, and his skin a dark gray.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi yawns loudly, turning his back to the gathered gods.

"I seek nothing but balance in this playground. Should this "war" grace us, then i will maintain a balance, with what...i know not, but it shall be maintained. My answer is simply that."

[tsuuga]

"If the new-old gods have ruined their own playground, that they wished to leave it... I will not let them do the same to ours. Yes, I will fight them."

Kaern pauses a moment, then speaks again:

"On the matter of war, I will decide for myself whether it is a bad thing. Tell me of it."

[Maerok]

"And when we stop them, destroy them, then we follow them into their world and fix it."

[tsuuga]

Kaern stares at Elimanishon in shock.

"We... we could do that, couldn't we? A Second Playground, and we can fix it... But not yet, and not soon. The Playground was given to our care, and I will not leave it unfinished or unbalanced"

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi turns his head to look back at Kaern

"A voice of reason in the midist of the Playground. We must focus on our world, in its fledgling and fresh birth, not try to repair a world that others have ruined in hubris

[Lady Tialait]

The burning Void bursts outward. "This thing. War. It has questions. I burn. No more." with the Enigma's fires go back into his burning prison forever still.

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

The flameborn priest not given a praise nor a condemnation builds more to his temple. A thing never seen in the world. Never before had a place been built past to keep the sky water from putting a flameborn out. This was to be there to honor his deity.

[Maerok]

"Hrmm. Then let us not fall into 'war' among ourselves... May those who try to raise it be thrown into the sun and purged!"

[Innis Cabal]

"Conflict is needed, let us show restraint when it comes to such. Such things can spawn yet unforseen, should we deny such things to our Playground?"

[Maerok]

"Well you're right... Let us stumble upon war for ourselves. And when the time comes... we'll just move on to the next world?" His words crackle in the void.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi simply shakes his head and turns out to stare at the void

"We should not allow such hubris to infect ourselves as well, but each to their own desires."

[Maerok]

"Indeed, earthen one. At least," he grins with fiery teeth, "I will have good seats."

[tsuuga]

"One day, I hope to visit the Second Playground, and fix it should it be truly broken. But the Playground is my home, and it shall always be. I will leave stewards in my stead, and they shall care for the Second.

Ultimately, such speculation is rash. We do not know the Second Playground is a broken thing. Perhaps the war gods were driven off, instead."

[alchemyprime]

Xam closes his eyes and listens to Tanner.

"War... it is a thing that can kill even gods. It is a thing that could destroy entire worlds, entire Playgrounds. It can be stopped by another war or by a single mortal. It is an odd thing. It is powerful."

Xam sighed harder.

"We have a few months before Varr comes. His Playground is now a land dominated in an odd substance called steel, keeping his people in things called chains, which are like vines and creepers made by mortals from steel. And the priests rule with iron fists. And it is odd. And strong. And we must use war to fight the war."

Xam looks at the others. "This makes little sense. I know. But what scares me most are the followers of these gods. One looks like the eels of Nessius' realm meeting my spiders. They are called Neogi. Another look like halflings made of mountains. They are called... dwarves. And the last are like big halflings, as large as a lupin. These are called humans. These are fearsome creatures. And we must either stop Varr and his brethren from bringing them or convert those that cross over to us."

[Draken]

Meanwhile.

A small caravan formed of few members of the mortal races of the continent finishes a long march through the harsh environment, all o fit to reach the blighted Deadlands.

There, a lithe elven figure kneels in the gray grass, and lets loose a prayer, an epiphany of malevolent words, other cultists behind her bow and make the same prayer quietly, while weeping and screaming voices escape wagons behind the cultists.

Their prayers are answered shortly, as a featureless giant walks from nowhere, heading to the group, one of the dreaded Nightwalkers.

And thus, under the command of Saaire No'iel, begins the first march of the cult of Eul, their wagons full of food for their lord, full of agonizing sacrifices to be made before his (un)holy envoy.

And in a horrid celebration spawning days, the gray, dead grass feeds and turns red on the blood of innocent victims.

And Eul, in his home, lashes his tail, covered by thousands of slavering maws, against the trapped souls of the sacrifices.

Who knows what horrid gifts might have been bestowed on this coven? Let's find out, at another time.

[Ooulzoth]

Ooulzoth found an area that would have to do. He started to form a swamp in this abandonned area from playground.

He transformed a enormous area into swamps, bogs, marches and primordial pools. It was gigantic. One would have to travel for weeks to walk around it. But it didn't end here. For Ooulzoth had twisted the land, so it could drive a mortals mind insane.

Though one could travel around it, it was impossible to travel through it, with any hope of reaching the other side. The reason for this was that Ooulzoth had created a plane of infinite size, that was in fase with a small area on the actual playground.

This means that if you would travel to far into the swamp on playground, one would unknowingly travel into the infinite plane that Ooulzoth had created.
The plane itself consisted of endless swamps, marches and primordial pools and seas. The further you would enter it, the more toxic the athmosphere also would become. At the centre of the plane there is a large primordial ocean, where Ooulzoth usually resides.


(22AP = 25AP - 3AP: create plane: Endless swamp)
(Edited)

[tsuuga]

"War, steel, humans, dwarves, and neogi... It is all coming, and you say we cannot prevent it. Then we should be ready. If war stops war... then we may make steel to stop steel, and mortals to stop mortals. For surely, chains are not all that may be made from steel, in the same way that vines are not the only plant. The mountains halflings interest me... I had been considering a harder race of mortals. I will turn my efforts to making my own 'dwarves'."

OOC
You're 13 hours early, Ooulzoth. 6 PST is when we get new AP

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi watchs the gathering, nodding only slightly before speaking

"If this war is sure to come, then i will craft those which will fight in our realms. I ask only for a token of power from each of you here, and our guardians will be crafted from the best of our powers."

With that Xiua'Hi walked away from his fellows, to the Dark Home of Eul, a large shining gem in hand

"Eul, Lord of That Which Walks Twice, i seek a meeting with you, I come with no hostile intent"

[Draken]

"Then speak already, Sleeper."

Nice title, took me a moment to get it, however, that's what I get for reading while half-asleep.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi nods, extending the crystal out

"The other gods speak of invaders to our Playground, Second Walker. This impacts you, the same as all of us. If we no longer have a world, your shadow shall fade away, and there shall be nothing to consume. This egg is not a bribe, it is a show that i am neutral in the petty arguments of our Playground. But i come before you, in your realm, to ask a small expenditure of your divine essence, to create a force to maintain the integrity of our playground, so that you can continue to devour, and others can contiune to create"

[Maerok]

"Hmm, well I must be off. Can't stay tied down for too long here. Preparations are required, defenses to be wrought. If you have need of me, you'll know where to find me." He departs to the sun.

When he gets there, he travels to a point half a mile* from the sun's angry surface*. Upon his arrival he sets out to create a place for his petitioners to reside; he casts the walls of a massive cubic structure from permanent walls of force. The overall presentation of the temple in the sky is to be a metaphorical lens upon which the passion of the sun's radiance is cast down on the world below; every petitioner, victim or purveyor of untamed radiance, adds to the kaleidoscopic canvas.

He has specifically laid out a spot to place exemplary passions. This is by the wall closest to the world below, opposite the only entrance to the cubic temple which points towards the sun.

OOC:

* = Umm, Enigma, how far up is the sun?

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f286/pwned101/sunscape.jpg
Well the world might not be round, but it's a conceptual map. And I assume the prison for Enigma isn't in the sun per se, but what I seem to be getting is that it's essentially an incarnate of his anger and the Burning Void (to which it can act as a portal once a year? mortal time or god time?)?

[Draken]

Innis, might I suggest some extra punctuation?

A patch of solid Darkness which can only be the end of Eul's tail takes the gem, raising it to the elvel of the only sources of (faint) light in the entire plane, the dark lord's eyes.

"You wish my help in the creation of another of our kind."

A massive hand raises in the dark, coalescing the void around it, and turning it into the silvery energy of Eul's manifest will.

"Make it worth of my expenditure, Xiua'Hi. Least I consume my power back."

The orb of energy floats towards Xiua'Hi, cold to the touch and glowing in a weak and eerie way, as fitting of anything that came from Eul.

[Innis Cabal]

Would help, its what i get when typing right when i wake up

"Do as you wish with the egg. As for the expenditure, to save our world from the deprediations of others, i shall forge a guardian force from the energies of those willing. A buffer of sorts. And once we have driven off these invaders, i shall hand them over to all of you who seek to squabble, so you do not harm the Playground in your battles."

[Draken]

So... Egg of what?

"I wish no squabble with our kin, only to subdue my hunger."

Eul carefully manipulates the egg, wondering.

[Innis Cabal]

"Then it is decided. Then do we have ourselves an agreement?"

A crystal dragon

[Draken]

"Yes."

The energy orb floats before Xiua'Hi, ready to grant the required divine energy.

How much do you need? One?

[Innis Cabal]

Ok nvm, wont take points to get Frigs in, 1 will do fine

Xiua'Hi takes the the single mot, bowing low

"Thank you, Second Walker. I will update you on my work when it is done."

With that Xiua'Hi returns to the Astral Void, calling out as loud as he can

"Fellow's, a moment of your time if i may?"

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma in his Burning Prison sends vibrant waves of flames throughout the Void, strings of fire send messages to the other Gods. "I am Enigma. I Burn. I say No War. War is forbidden. War is not the answer. I will not be involved. I stay in my Burning Prison." The flames flicker and fall back to the originator. The Burning Void itself flashes with the massager. Only the Gods in the Void would get Enigma's message. (Cast Sending x 8)

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi tilts his head and descends into the Flaming void, making a simple bow and offering forth a single perfect crystal

"He Who Burns, i seek council with you, in your prison."

[Lady Tialait]

The Void around Xiua'Hi flickers and molds itself. A humanoid with a burning mane around his head and ebony skin approaches Xiua'Hi, his booming voice seems to cause his mane burst and flicker "I am Enigma. You come. Speak." not even one word seems to be a question, perhaps an Order. The Burning Void itself flickers and bursts anytime a creature even thinks of a question.

[Innis Cabal]

"As i have met with the Second Walker, i meet with you. You speak of the desire to subvert war, and i come with a plan. This egg((Same as Euls) is merely a token between us. I beleive, to truely side step the comming invasion, a buffer must be put in place. I ask for little, a simple expenditure of your divine essence to aid in the creation of this plan."

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma's mane flickers and hisses. "No. Do not do this. Avoid war with no war. I will not be involved." The Burning Void flickers threatening Xiua'Hi two chains made of fire wrap around Enigma and pulls him into the middle of the fire. He vanishes and in his place is a single box. The box has a single burning question mark. It becons forth questions. A booming voice echoes through the Burning Expanse "This is all I offer. Do not waste it."

(1 = 4 - 3 Create Artifact: Forbidden Puzzle Box.)

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

The Flameborn Priest on the world had waited years, praying to Enigma. Years and Years passed and the temple had been build to the best the priest could come up with. Enigma saw this work, feeling pleasure, and arrgovation he sent some of his essence down the Volcano Temple. The Volcano Erupts Destroying the Temple. In it's place a new temple forms. The Priest fused into the wall of the Main chamber, the huge temple as large as the Volcano itself. The whole of the chain explode at the same time destroying large amounts of Ocean.

(0 = 1- 1 Mold land: Ever-Erupting Volcano Temple.)

[alchemyprime]

Xam swims to Xiua'Hi. He is covered in spiders.

"Yes, Xiua'Hi. What is it that you request?"

And Xam waited to listen.

And at the same time he stretch out his arms and grabbed a giant spider and devoured it.

And he felt stronger.

(4AP - 3AP (Raise DR) = 1AP. DR7 now.)

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi bows once more, letting the egg to drop into the Burning void and taking the box back to the Astral Void, setting it aside untill further use. With that he takes the single dark mote of Eul, and began to shape the Void into three shapes. The first was tall and thin, its face a mask of a grinning man with no eyes. The second was a womanly form, its face a mask with three eyes, each shedding a single tear. And the third was tall, and built with muscles, and its face was a mask with one eye, and half a mouth, its head toped with a crown. The assembled's skin was gray like the raining sky, and the eyes that gleamed behind the masks burned a dark green.

"And you shall be the Kings and Queens of those that shall protect our Playground"
(3+1-2, Create Populos-The Qi{Roi,Vizar, and Caiseal}

And with the start of the guardians created, he turned to the world, plucking a single perfect vien of steel, the oldest tree, and the strongest Elf from the Playground.
"And you three shall be the first of many to come, in the name of balance, you have all ascended"

((Moose Fisher, Frigs and Faithless you can come in now))

Xiua'Hi then turns to Xam, showing him what he had just made

"Creator Xam, as you see, i have created guardians of our realms, in time, i desire to make more, and request when that time comes, a small expenditure of your divine essence."

*The Hachi slowly begin to build great hives, hunting through the forests for food for their young, and forming deeper bonds with the dragons of their islands*

[Copacetic]

The newly ascended elf, looked opun his people with his large, glowing, yellow eyes. And he saw them working together, clinging to each other for survival. And he Saw the potential for so much more. So Dla reached down, far into the earth, and pulled some of the hardest earth, then he reached into the heart of the strongest and oldest tree, and he combined the two essences together, with a little of his own divine essence. And he took this glowing orb, and he implanted it deep into the soul of all elves. And Dla spook to them. "I have seen you, those who were born before the Sun, those who have persevered. And I have seen the potential for so much more. And so I have combined the essence of Life, and the hardest of elements inside you. You may tap into this power, to learn to control the world around."

((0 Ap=3 AP-3(create concept= Druids/Rangers) ))

[tsuuga]

Kaern sits in the Void, and he considers what he has been told. He hears Xiau'hi's message, and Enigma's. He sighs and stands - this will bear more thought later. He travels to Xiau'hi, and asks:

"What do you wish to say, Xiau'hi?"

[Innis Cabal]

"Steadfast Kaern, you have spoken sense and wisdom in light of these dark tidings. To avoid this war, i have made these simple creations. The Qi, to protect us. But they are yet few in number, and ability. When the time comes, i ask you simply give a small portion of your divine essence to the creation of more, so that we need not fear the touch of war"

[tsuuga]

For the first time, Kaern grins. "Xiau'hi, you know just the words to say. Of course I shall do this thing. But, in return, may I ask a favor?"

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi cracks the faintest of smiles and extends a hand

"Steadfast Kaern, you may ask anything of me that you wish"

[tsuuga]

"It is my intention to make a new race - those who live under the earth, and not upon it. In your domain, the vagaries of Elimanshon's seasons hold no sway. The caverns under the earth are safe places, and easily defended. I think they will be wonderful places to raise defenders of our playground. I ask only your blessing to do this thing."

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi nods once

"You have my blessing to use all that lies under the lands, so long as you balance your takings."

[tsuuga]

"Thank you, friend Xiua'hi. They shall take in balance, and not more than is needed."

Kaern clasps Xiua'hi's extended hand, and passes a mote of his divine power through the touch.

(AP 3 = 4 - 1(Transfer AP))

[Maerok]

Elimanishon slouches in his invisible temple, looking down with divine eyes upon the world.

"Change? I do not like the prospect of war." In his hand is a bit of solar essence, which he folds in on itself over and over again absentmindedly. "What say you, keeper of scorched mysteries? We have always been rather distant from this playground. What if I were to lessen the distance a bit?" He smirks, pulling the piece of sunstuff apart with both hands into a much larger sphere.

[pyrefiend]

In the Playground, life was given shape and purpose, volcanoes rose from the ground, deserts sprung into being and waves of dark power infused the land. The new gods poured their divine energy into the world, shaping it to fit their needs. Some of this energy was wasted, however. The new gods left a sort of divine residue when they performed miracles. This godly power drew together, it condensed, and suddenly, it gained consciousness.

It looked to one side and saw a great pillar of flame and lava spring from the earth. It looked to the other side and saw a great waste where darkness ruled and the unliving thrived. It looked up and saw a council of gods who planned for a coming invasion. And then it looked down. On the ground, tiny ants scurried in and out of the earth. Nothing got in their way, and in their tunnels in the dirt nothing could harm them. It did not want to see the living suffer upon the chaotic Playground. It reached down into the earth, deep down, and filled a cavern with many hundreds of ants. It filled them with purpose, made them intelligent, and made them serve a new master. The ants swelled in size, standing on two legs and gaining hands and fingers. It spoke to their minds. "My creations, I do not want you to live in danger and in fear. Do as I say and you will not. Forget yourself, live as one and you will not." Then it reached out and dug thin wiry tunnels through the earth. The new creations would live there. There were so many. It reached up and created a single spiraling tunnel to the surface world, so that one day the creations could venture there and face the chaos above. The displaced earth formed a huge anthill, a sign of the life below. And It named itself Cliktith.

((0AP=3AP-2(Create Populous, Athiks)-1(Mold Land))

Well that is.. that is quite a lot more than I expected to write. :smalleek:

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma sends another message to Elimanishon this time as fire stoked into words before his face.

The message reads:

Do not ask questions. I am Enigma. I burn. I do not interfere with other's plans. They do not ask questions of me. Do not ask questions.

You will assist me in creating. I will create a weapon to defend the playground. It too will burn as I. Understand.

Enigma, the Burning Question

[Xuincherguixe]

And there, off in the distance of the night sky was a point. There seemed nothing special about it. And maybe there was nothing special about it. It would be quite fitting if it was simply selected arbitrarily.

The point split open, and began to bleed. Cracks grew, and grew. It was slowly at first. Perhaps somehow, the sky instinctively knew what lay behind it, for to an observer it might look as if in those moments it was struggling.

If that was the case, then the sky failed in it's task. Because the cracks suddenly expanded, into a small bright sphere.

And from that sphere came a circle, followed by another and another. Eventually, they would all vanish after a certain distance.

But, if one listened very carefully, they might hear something.

Laughter.


I was told I could post, under the assumption Destruction exists. It's been a bit confusing, and it's probably going to get more confusing now.

If someone has to spend some AP to make a Destruction Domain, assume this all happens later.

[Faithless]

Ascending from the earth, tiny roots spiraling out of the ground, the earthy tendrils intertwined each other. Soon the object molded itself into the shape of a man. The tree like man with only deep voids where his eyes should be gazed out at the forest around him. He saw the broken forests of the wasteland, undead ravaging it.

I have awakened. Finally. My name is…hmmm…what is my name? My name is... Evadize and I have watched this place warp and perish.

The treelike man head outstretched seeing the horrors around. His old form, the tree that had spent its years rotting in the wastelands just barely hanging on was now rejuvenated into a lithe mobile form. Divine energy flowed through his veins.

This will not do. This place has been forsaken. I shall not forsake the land, as this place has. I shall create a haven…and a guard. A keeper of the glade who shall forever see its fortitude. A demigod to speak on my behalf to these…mortals.


The god touched a tree and quickly faded into its dying trunk. The deity soon appeared in an untouched piece of land. No mortals had ever been to this place. Here the trees were healthy. The thick bushel a golden autumn.

Here with the thriving life of everything I represent. I shall build my vision.


The golden autumn leaves in their divine beauty spun itself into a radiant female form. The leaves began to fall like trees do as unaware of time, Evadize watched the leaves fall off the forest. To him it was only minutes. However not only did the leaves fall off the trees but his creation began to fall apart.

No…

Soon all the leaves had fallen. All except for those around the figure in the shape of a golden dress hugging the creatures body. Where the leaves had fallen off light purple skin shone through. The creature’s hair was green like the grasses of the meadows.

A soft female voice spoke.

Hello.

A tear rolled down Evadize’s face and a small pool formed.

Hello. I am your creator. I am Evadize. I have watched and learned. I am the gifted student.

And who am I?

You? The gift of life is incomparable, child. You are Calypso. The visionary.


Will have stats for my demigod soon
3ap-3(Begat Demigod)

[Maerok]

"Fine then. No more questions. Times like these call for action, or a stoic lack thereof!" He blows across the mini sun and it hardens before shattering into many small flares. Eli dusts his hands off and stands up. He carefully picks up the little pieces and crushes them into an even finer dust in his hand.

A moment later he is outside the temple and looks up to the sun, still clutching the sun dust.

He channels a sending down to one of his high priests in the desert: "Look out, look up. Your god calls."

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma watches the world, and sees the birth of the new Gods, Destruction, something he understands. And Plant, something he enjoys. A message must be sent, he sends a single Flameborn to attract the attention of these two. Inspiring his mind to go forth.

Enigma sends a message, question after question to a newborn Flameborn to make him strike with his fire.
(Cast Sending)

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

A young Flameborn came out of the Solar Rift and walked the world. Hearing a Message from his God, he looked throughout the world and found a forest, and started burning it. Starting a forest fire here and there. Trying to attract a powerful entity to stop him. His mind ravaged by voices he can not understand. Questions racing in his mind.

[Faithless]

What is this?

Evadize whipped his head east. He could feel something not right his very bones pained him. They...burned. His face sweltered with fury. Mossy limbs wrenching themselves into a fist. He gazed out towards the horizon. Smoke. Flame. Mortals.

This is UNACCEPTABLE. I shall seek council in the heavens. I have heard a name in the cosmos while I was unborn Calypso. A name that only brings one image to mind and it is this. It is flame. It is Enigma. I leave at once. Please protect the forest in my stead.

As you wish.

Ascending into the burning void Evadize rampaged full hurtle. Oh yes. Someone would pay for this tragedy.

---

Meanwhile in the other direction, the demigodess Calypso place her hand on a tree, and soon appeared just before the burning chaos.

Hello

She raised her finger tips gracefully, feeling the pungent stench of smoke and heat blistering her skin. She drew symbols in the air and clouds appeared overtop the forest, breaking out into showers dousing the flames. Through the woods however she could still see more flames dancing about in the distance. She didn't understand at first...

That's strange. A people made of fire.

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma grins at the quick response, this will do. From deep within his Burning Prison he erupts forward. Flames dancing around his deep ebony form he grins at Evadize "You do not see. You are like me. I burn. You burn. We are Enigma. We are Evadize. We are one." He holds out a gem. "We destroy. We create. We destroy. We create. Never ending." he then handed the gem to Evadize "Understand." with that the chains of the burning void pull Enigma back deep into the heart of his burning prison.


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

The insane arsonist flicks and intensify flames burning all he can see, summoning the creatures his God wishes to see. His flames burning bursting he shouts "Why is the sky blue? Why is the Grass green? When did time start? When is dinner?" again and again shouting less and less answerable questions.

[Xuincherguixe]

Meanwhile, the object in the sky continues to pulse. That laughter had ceased for a time, but it seems to have begun again after the forests started burning.

[Draken]

Grammar Nazi attack!

"A person" or "People". Not "A People".

Eul stirred in his home, his hunger grew yet again, something was created, much was created, and not enough was tainted.

"I must... Feed."

These words reached the servants of Eul in the Playground, and under Saaira's command, they sacrificed another victim in ritual worship.

"Yes... Perhaps... I should grant them a boon."

Eul looked at the crystal egg, and gave it a bit of his taint, and engraved the tomb upon the newborn dragon's soul.

"This will do. Thank you. Xiua'Hi."

Eul's halberd moved and slashed the darkness, opening a black rift in the skies of the playground, and he threw the egg through this rift.

The egg traveled, and it's foul essence, mixed with the leaking entropy sent the taint all over the world.

The egg vanished from the airs, and appeared before the followers of Eul, ready to hatch into a new creature.

"The master sent us a gift! Praise the Shadow!" - Says Saaira, as the small dragon cracks it's egg open. A crystal dragon? Maybe, but wicked, it's flesh ashen and it's eyes black, and the stink of rot escapes the egg, a sweet fragrance for the twisted cultists.

"And what is this little thing. How can I name you? How about Orthos?" - The wyrmling faces her, and howls to the elf woman, approving the name.

"So it begins."

And elsewhere in the world, more of these beings were born, their skin ashen or pale white, and their eyes umbral dark, or milky white. Opposing the skin tone, but all of then sharing the stench of undeath, but alive in their own way.

(5 - 2= 3 Create Population, The Deadborn [Template])

[Maerok]

Crick!
Crick!
Crack!!!
CRACK!!!
BOOOM!


Looking back towards the sun after a brief glance over his shoulder, Elimanishon tosses the handful of dust into the sun with a wide sweeping arc. As each speck contacts the surface it erupts into an explosion. A chain of these blasts cuts across the diameter of the solar orb and there is a blinding light from the surface of the sun as it seems to detonate outwards.

Eli is caught in the wave of expanding fire and rage that blots him from the sky and rushes past him to swallow up the temple he had built in front of it. He does not brace for the impact but stares at its radiance with a smile. The sun surges out in all directions, the rage intensified as it seemingly swallows up the god.

In all, the size of the sun has noticeably increased and burns brighter than ever; tendrils of anger snake out from its edges and curl down back into it. The god is still submerged below the surface, but the temple sticks out from the closest curve of the sun; a beam escapes the doorway and is directed straight into the desert.

His priest far below watches for only a moment from his place atop an empty dune; in the next he has gone blind and his mortal form is seared. Yet in time he will be hailed as the highest priest to the sun god and revered for his destiny.

[3 = 4 - 1 AP, Nourish Land - The Sun -> Brighter]

[pyrefiend]

Cliktith watched in detatched joy as it's Chosen People dug deeper and farther into the dirt. Every tunnel took them farther from the dangerous chaos above. Suddenly, however, Cliktith's peace was shattered. A wave of madness and insanity ripped through his being. Going to investigate, Clicktith rose to the overworld just in time to see a great rift in the sky rip open and let loose... something. A monstrosity.

Clicktith had noticed that some of his followers moved with greater purpose than others. They moved the other Athiks to do clever things, and it valued them for it. Clicktith went to visit these select few. " Chosen Athiks," it wispered, You are more intelligent then your kin. You are worthy of my favor. But I will not always be here to guide you and live in your minds. When I am not, you must guide the Athiks in my stead. If you should fail, then your species will fall. I am not unkind, but I cannot guide you constantly." Cliktith left their minds at that instant and left the hive to see what was happening abroad.

[Faithless]

No Enigma.

The deity spoke not knowing if the flame god would hear.

We are two. And that. I shall ensure.

He turned his back leaving the burning void and heading for just the void. Home to the majority of the deities. On his way he rolled his bark like fingers across the gem. It was so strange an object. He had never seen a thing like this before. A gift from one who would promise him external agony?

Peculiar. However there are bigger things at hand than this...whatever this is.

His voice raising from the quiet murmur to a loud plea.

Xiua'Hi. My creator. Daimyo of Solid Testements. I seek your council.

[tsuuga]

The Grammar Allies counterattack!

People can also refer to an ethnic group or a group united by national identity, for instance "The American People", in which case it is a singular noun.

Kaern considered the race he would build. They would need to be small, to better fit inside a cave; but he would not make them weak. They would need to see without light. And they would need the fortitude to stand up to whatever may come. Kaern began to work.

He began with stone. He fashioned bones, and fixed them together into a skeleton. He placed a pair of emeralds in the eye-sockets, and he sculpted flesh out of clay. It was not a beautiful thing, but it was sturdy. Kaern made a dozen more, and then he gave them life. And immediately, Kaern knew he had made a mistake.

Kaern was no artist, and he could not make them graceful or beautiful, even had he desired to - but he had not known to smooth his fingerprints out of their clay. Their skin showed his fingerprints in fine lines of his own basalt, covering them from head to toe. He sighed. He would not unmake them; it was not his way, and it did not seem to harm them.

And so Kaern made many more dwarves, and he told them of their place in the world, and their responsibility to protect it. When he judged he had made enough, he sent them down to the playground, to caves he had found. He scraped off flakes of his basalt skin, and flung them into the caves - and each piece sprouted into a mushroom or a lichen that would grow without need of sun or soil.

Kaern retired to watch his creations.

(AP 0 = 3 - 2(Create Populace: Dwarf) - 1(Nourish Land))

[Xuincherguixe]

I decided the best way to do this post was from the perspective of some nameless mortal.


This will not do.

The sound is faint. But there is definitely words there. However, there seems to be something foreboding in the voice. Something utterly wrong. It does not belong.

But it's here.

This will not do!

It's louder this time. It wasn't so clear last time, but there seemed to be more than just those words. There is something in between the words. Which, perhaps, holds more meaning. Who, or what is this thing? What meaning is there in the words between words? Why is it saying this?

THIS WILL NOT DO!

It's screaming now. There is something horrible between the words! A violence against the mind lies there. They are things like words, but they are not words. It commits atrocity against words. They are atrocity! They must not be understood! It's power comes from being understood


Everything seems to be going red, and an image of something appears, as an intense pressure builds up. If this continues I know I will be sliced by it!

And just then... the words stop. As the red fades, everything returns to normal. The world is blues and greens and yellows and browns.

And suddenly a burst unlike those before came from the object. No words came with it, and it was if it's colour had changed slightly, and if looked at for a sufficient time, a slight headache would form.


This will not do.
Is heard faintly as a new pulse of the new colour comes from the sphere.


Evolve "Physically"(Colour Change) (3-3 = 0)

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi heard the plea, and appered before the man of bark, stretching and bowing low

"Why have you called me Moving Forerst? What has you so distraught to ask for my council?"

[pyrefiend]

Cliktith watches the meeting between Evadize and Xiua'hi with interest. Perhaps not all forces in the world are as destructive as it had imagined.

[Faithless]

Bowing back, the man's eyes were cold. His face was of coldness and solitude for such that of a newborn god. He was still and did not even raise his head when he spoke.

Great lord of the earth. I beseech you. I am lost. My young forests burn. Men of fire spread like a plague, these...creatures of Enigma. My demigoddess douses the flames but she alone is not enough. I fear when I build my material haven that it will only fall to cinders like the others.

I am one of the youngest gods. I seek your guidance Xiua'hi. Every tree set a flame causes me such pain.

The god barred a hand over his chest in agony as the rampant of fire seared within his soul. He could feel it like expanding as the flameborn got ever so more bold.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi simply nods, placing a hand on the pained god

"You must seek to make that which harms you, know that such an action will be paid in kind. When a fire burns, put it out and regrow. When a man of flames harms one of your creations, harm him back. Will these things cease? No, but they must not. If your creations do not burn, or die, then they will over run the world. But if you do not show strength in such times, you will cease to be."

[pyrefiend]

Hearing Evidize's request and Xiua'Hi's response, Cliktith drifts forward to commune with the other gods. Cliktith has no physical form and so for the first time makes his presence known telepathically.

There is wisdom in what Evadize says. The two of you do not know me but it does not matter. I have creations. Creations like Evadize has trees, and they are not safe. Not safe while the fire people burn needlessly. Xuia'Hi says we must fight, but I say why? Will they hear no reason? Do we know? No, I say no fight shall start until it must. Evadize, let us discourage the fire people. And if we cannot make them hear reason and stop burning the world, then we can fight together. Fight together and soon the fire people will stop. They will have no choice.

[Faithless]

Evadize raised his head and bowed again to Xiua'hi before getting up.

And who is this voice without a form? This whisperer who in like speaks within the confines of my mind. You speak of solving conflict with words. I like this idea.

Send your mortals to negotiate with the peoples of flames. If they are as violent and senseless as their master than let the fist of the woods rain down among their people. For every tree razed the life of a Flameborn shall be doused.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi shakes his head

"I have yet to say you must fight, merely that it is an option. I simply said you needed to take action against that which causes you harm. Violence is one method but many more exist."

[pyrefiend]

I will have some of my people speak to the beings of flame. They will come to see that there are forces who would oppose them.

Cliktith returns to the familiar tunnels of the Anthill and enters the minds of ten Athiks without warning.

My followers. It is safe in these tunnels, but it may not be safe forever. Forces abroad may try to destroy us. You chosen few will play a part in stopping them. You may die. You may die, but either way, life or death, you will add to the glory of the hive. Go, speak to the surface world and to the men of fire. Tell them to stop their tree-burning and their world-burning. If they do not, further glory awaits.

Ummm... we may have a problem. None of the races speak the same language.

[ArlEammon]

Ramus stood in the Void wondering how he might aid the halfling races further. He decided that perhaps if he was a mightier creature, he would be able to defend them. Ramus practiced combat in the clouds for many days.(AP raise -4) Then, he caused the rain to pour into the land once again, making it more plentiful.(-1 nourish land)

[Maerok]

"Xam, I have decided that I will help you after all... Might I offer the sun as a beacon with which to rally the hopes of the Playground? I have made improvements on its power, feeding it with divine flesh."

[Faithless]

I must leave now friends. Thank you for your wisdom and council. I will withdraw Calypso from her tiring work. Hopefully we can resolve this issue before it gets out of hand.

Opening a small hole in the void temporarily, Evadize whispered through towards the mortal plane...

---

Take rest now Calypso. Take rest. We will resolve this issue with new allies.

I shall. Thank you.

Her voice trembled. Burn marks lay all over her body. She had been dousing flames for many mortal years now. Her work seemed endless.

Flames no more...I yearn to see a place of health.

Touching a nearby tree she found herself back at the place where she was formed. The tear of Evadize. She waved her hand and the ground began to shift, the land scape was changing. Massive waterfalls, exotic vegetation began to explode. Trees of amazing height reigned over the area. Flowers and life were amplified even more so than before.

This glade will be known as the Sacred Glade from this day. No fire shall ever be allowed within these grounds.

Making a bed of leaves. Calypso rests.


1ap-1(Mold land)
Also usage of plant growth spell.

[alchemyprime]

"Ah. Yes. Thank you, my grandchild..." And Xam smiled at the sun god. "We need something to rally under. They have their vile flames that ruined thier Playground, and we shall have the divine light of your sun to protect ours!"

And Xam smiled wide.

And Xam touched his little statues he made with the help of his new advisor, Tanner, and made the Lung Dragons.

"Dragons of nature... of spirit..." And Xam cocked his head to the side. The larva, the Yu Lung carp dragons, swam in the oceans. And the beings wer so strong, their very maturity was instantaneous. Their cocoon was a bolt of lightning, and they became many forms, dependant on how they were as carp dragons.


http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/oa_gallery/Lung_dragons1.jpg
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/oa_gallery/Lung_dragons2.jpg


The Chiang Lungs, or river dragons
The Li Lungs, or Earth Dragons
The Lung Wangs, the large turtle-like Sea Dragons
The Pan Lungs, those long red Guardian Dragons
The short rainbow-hued Shen Lungs, or Spirit Dragons
The golden T'ien Lungs, or Celestial Dragons
And the Tun Mi Lungs, dragons that flew over the oceans and created storms, giving them the name Typhoon Dragon.

And then Xam molded the land on the other side of the globe, creating another continent, almost as large, but more wide from East to West, and less from North to South. And he built large mountains in the north of the continent, and a large desert to the south, and a swampy area of the east.

"The first continent will be named Ramua, and the new one Xiua. And the island shall be Nessia. And eventually... I shall make another land mass for Enigma and another for Kaern. No offense to you, Elimanishon, but you have the sun."

And Xam sat and waited.

(0 AP = 3AP - 2 (Lung Dragons) - 1 (Mold land))

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi turns from the other gods, back to Xam

"Forgive my inability to respond to you earlier, do you have a moment, Creator Xam?"

[Moose Fisher]

The glowing steel plummeted toward the Playground. It was of the earth, and wished to be part of it once again. It was falling and dimming.

Falling and dimming...
Falling and dimming...
Falling and dimming...

BOOOM!!!

A crater was formed amid the Burning Mountains of Enigma, and in the center was a shield-shaped, sharp-angled, metal mask. Its glowing eyes of blue looked about the torn and burning landscape. There was nothing there; it would have to wait.

The surrounding metal shards were pulled inward. Once they reached the mask, their surfaces were changed. They bent, twisted, straightened, chipped, shaved, and lined up around the mask. Until something came or happened, this was all it could do.
(Making craft checks)

1ap=2-1(mold land (The Godfall Crater))

[alchemyprime]

"What is it, my rocky friend?"

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi moves his arm to show his masked creations.

"You see before you the first made to protect and balance. Several have given forth energies to help design these, and i ask you Creator Xam, if you would lend a small spark of your divine energies in the creation of more like thse?"

[alchemyprime]

Xam closes his eyes and thinks.

"Very well. I suppose they could help stop Varr." And Xam handed a small spark to Xiua'Hi.

[Lady Tialait]

The Gem that Enigma gave Evadize glows in the new grove. It glows green. Enigma's voice expelled from the gem "Give this thing power. It will grow a guardian." the gem crystallizes and forms into an egg of heated stone. A careful examination finds this gem to be in fact a Flameborn egg.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi turns to his newest creation, and with the divine sparks from Xam and Kaern he began to mold the Void into three new shapes. The first was smaller then the others, thin but with large hands, its mask mimicing a stoic man. The second was tall, with a single hand, the other arm a long needle like appendage, its mask was blank. And the third was of middle size, its head topped with a tall hat, its mask that of an elderly man. And the three other forms joined their fellows, and began to patrol the Astral Void.

(Create-2 Populous{The Qi-Junren, Keima, Bisyop)[4+1=5=2=3]

[pyrefiend]

The ten chosen Athiks traveled accross the land for a long, long time. They faced countless dangers and had even to pass through Eul's dreaded wastes. Four of them did not survive the journey. The six that did eventually found their way to a great forest fire on the other side of the continent. Knowing that this was a sign of their journey finally coming to an end, they redoubled their efforts and eventually found a few of the reclusive Flameborn.

[Lady Tialait]

The flameborn found by the insects are not feeling the burn of a thousand questions. They looks at the creatures "Hello, what are you? Who are you? You seem interesting. We are the Flameborn, I do not mean to insult you, please do not feel so. I want to know something. How are you to understand someone without questions?" he then grabs a stick and it catches on fire and burns away. "That is pretty huh? I like this fire stuff. It's calming. Do you like fire? Do you want me to give you some? Can you make fire too?" his friendly demeaner seems to be acquisitive but harmless.

[pyrefiend]

The athiks' -2 Charisma means they don't make the best communicators... oh well

One member of the group of athiks steps foward.

"We come on behalf of Evadize and Cliktith. They say no more burning forests. Evadize is angry when his forests burn. Cliktith is worried for his athkis. They want to know what the flameborn say when I tell them this."

[Lady Tialait]

The flameborn quirks his head his flames flickering in a quizzical faction. "Fire...hurts them? That isn't right, it feels wonderful and calms. Do you want some fire? Maybe you where thinking Ice, are there Ice born? Ice hurts...Fire calms you." The two hand the flaming stick to the Insect person.

[pyrefiend]

The speaking athik looks around uncomfortably. Conversations never lasted this long in the anthill.
"You do not understand. Fire hurts us. Fire hurts trees, and when it hurts trees, it also hurts Evidize. He wants you to stop burning trees. Cliktith wants you to stop burning so much."

[Lady Tialait]

The flameborn's flames flicker "No, you must be mistaken. Fire doesn't hurt! It's calming and innocent! It's wonderful and gental. Here, let me show you." he points in a burned down forest. It looks like the ground is covered in rot and burned soot. But growing out of it is thousands of seedlings. "Wherever fire goes, and burns life thrives. The Burning Prisoner, our lord, knows this. We hoped Evadize and Cliktith knew this. Flame does not harm. It cures. It purifies. It protects our peaple."

[alchemyprime]

A lone lupin, the adventuring priest Relk, wandered through the forest, the scent of smoke filling his nostrils. He wore the symbol of Xam around his neck, and carreid on his wrists the symbol of Elimanishon, the sun god, for when he needed to fight the Deadland creatures.

And he came to a burnt clearing, and saw people made of flame and giant... not spiders, but ants that walked like elves. And he stayed crouched low. He had left his riding spider tied up outside the forest.

He rustled in the bushes, and looked at the ash, seeing the new plants. Weak now, but stronger soon.

And Relk watched the peace treaty. He would wait to see how this turned out, but he would interfere if need be.

[Death]

OOC: Wouldn't let me delete this friggin' post.

Arggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:smallfurious:

[pyrefiend]

The speaking athik stared into the fire on the end of the stick he was holding. What was the right thing to do here? Clearly the flameborn didn't mean any harm, and it was true that new trees were growing from the ashes...

The other athiks standing around him were whispering frantically into his mind, telling him what to do. But they whispered over each other, he couldn't make out what they were saying. He had to make a decision, fast.
"I... I don't think Cliktith would be angry if you only burn to start life. Er. Maybe Evadize would not either. I don't think they understand why you burn. The hive will tell Cliktith. Cliktith will not be angry... I think. I do not know about Evadize. Be careful that plants grow and not just burn. Please. We cannot have failed our mission. It would be bad."

[Maerok]

OOC:

I had originally wanted Passion as the starting portfolio element. Didn't know we started with one.


In his burning cocoon the sun god contemplated.

"However, Xam, I desire that nothing be allowed to shine with the brilliance of the sun. I take it as an insult, and I fear my service to the Playground will be sidetracked in the purging of such offenses. There may be one right now - I am not familiar with these new arrivals but in time they will know me in full."

"In all ways am I occupied now, but from the recesses of my soul I shall let loose the agents of my interests down to the Playground. First must vice be cast off, and then virtue. May the world hold on until the latter..."

A growing spot on the sun grows black for a moment, what may have been years in mortal times, but an effect not lost on the divinely sighted. As black as a scream in the night, it tears free of the glowing sphere - a surging ball of black passion: madness, tragedy, and violence. It stretches out into a wavering band of glowing contempt that the sun god may have once developed in time, and creates a sevenfold cloth between the sun and the world below. Each fold holds a different unkept passion within its embrace, and at the borders between one and the next there was often a blending of two horrible ideas.

Moments later, the growing tapestry bursts into uncountable shards of vice-bound passion. Each wavers for a moment, orienting itself to a mortal whose heart reveled in the proper malady. Then it fell from the sun's grasp into the soul of the intended target. On a mortal level, it was imperceptible to all but those struck.

Elimanishon's seared prophet received the first blow; in his heart grew the seeds of pride and wrath, and he did not die that day on his death-bed as was foretold by his attendants. He lived, he felt; no longer did he feel carved from rock. And it pleased his veiled god. This one's name was Halloren Imak, an elf forsaken by his people long ago. In him burned the song of fire and battle, a secret he knew on some level to keep until the moment was right.

Some of the shards received would not flower on these days, but travel through the lineages until the right moment was realized. In this way, the dark side of the sun's passions were offered up in the Playground's defense. For those who had been struck at the proper time, the destined time, their forms gave into their passions and they turned into the worst sorts of beasts.

[1 = 3 - 2 Create Populace - Demons (Tanar'ri); going off of Alch's lung dragons, I guess I get many flavors o' demon with this.]

OOC:

Dun dun dunnnnnn...

We have a very elemental populace, between ___borns and what not. I like it.

And I think we should all invest in a Born... and create some kind of born supremacy... [/vorpal pun]

Be prepared for sunborn template, in the future (I'm going to base it off of Half-Celestial). Well, that and bards... :smalltongue:

[alchemyprime]

Xam looked at the demons.

"I hope that his works in the long run as well as the short..."


Are we talking Tannar'ri, Obyrith or Loumara here?

[Lady Tialait]

The flameborn quirks his head at the Ant-person, and speaks calmer and more sage, "Our Guide, The great Enigma, teaches that if you burn the young they will not burn hot, or long. It will not please him, nor ourselves. But if you simply wait, everything will grow. It will grow and burn well. He also teaches that if you destroy something with your fire, you must replace it for later joy of burning. Do you understand?"

[Maerok]

OOC:

Tanar'ri - I've always seen them as the epitome of vice. (SRD - balor, succubus, etc.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanar%27ri#Tanar.27ri

The others do not fit in the whole thematic of it all.

Lesser tanar'ri for now until more dominant ones hatch (keep in line with the moratorium on monster strength for each year).

[tsuuga]

Kaern considered what a bit of cooperation with Xiua'hi has earned; and he decided that he would seek more allies. After all, in his short time in the playground, he not even met all his brethren. Kaern cast out his senses to the world, and he found the presence of the new gods... and one that alarmed him. It had stayed on the playground for too long already, though it was dormant, he feared the damage it might do. Kaern made a Sending to the metal god in the crater:

Awake, and come to me, new god. There are things you need to know.

[alchemyprime]

OOC

Just to warn you, I will be hijacking some monsters for some major events.


A little Shen Lung played freely among the waves near Xiua. He was having a wonderful time.

And then he saw the stars.

"A star... with ten points... a bad omen. I will keep watching this."

And the Shen Lung known as the Astrologist kept playing and yet watching thw whole time.

(Lung dragons have names that are actually titles meaning what they are. So the Astrologist is "He Who Watches For Messages From The Heavens". "He Who Makes Creatures Better" would be the Doctor. "He Who Loves To Cook" would be the Chef. It's all titles for them.)

[Moose Fisher]

The mask heard the call, but where was it to go?
It responded.

I am awake, but can not move. I will stay here and wait.

((Artificers can use sending, correct?))
((The sending is legal for now.))

[Draken]

((No. Not really. Unless it's from a wand)

Eul looked upon the vast emptyness of his domain, thousands of spirits sacrificed to him, his hunger low, what to do with so many souls?

The Dark good took a handful of those damned souls, and crushed them to their primordial matter between his hands, and there stood a half-solid/half-energy mass with a blue glow.

Hmm... Interesting.

Eul's hands and divine will started to labor on this substance, this soul-stuff, and in a few mortal moments, which were less than the time needed for deity's a thought, he had devised an object out of the stuff.

How usefull...

Then Eul decided another try, and took another handful of souls, and mixed them with the dark essence of undeath, before repeating the process.

The substance, now, was of a dark-blue colour, glowing with an eerie black aura. And he made another object out of that stuff.

Hmm... What shall this be? The stuff of living and undead souls...

Incarnum? Sounds good. That's how I shall call this.

(3-3=0, Create concept, Incarnum)

I will make the classes next week, unless I can use the create concept to make the classes together with Incarnum itself. Then I will do it on my next post, after having this question answered.

And I will do it anyway, I have a cool idea for it! And it involves a halfling.

[alchemyprime]

OOC

I'll say you can make two Incarnum classes with it. I have the rules for an undead based meldshaping base class. The Voidshaper.

[tsuuga]

You don't need to be able to cast a sending to respond in kind. The spell lets you send a 25-word message and receive a 25-word response

Kaern fashions another sending: "You interest me, new god. It would be unwise for me to come to you. Please tell me your nature. Would you like to move?"

[Moose Fisher]

The mask responded,
"I was once steel, but now I am something more. I craft to bring 'balance'. As for moving...

The mask concentrated on its body, shifting a little in the soil.
I am able. Where are you?

[pyrefiend]

The flameborn quirks his head at the Ant-person, and speaks calmer and more sage, "Our Guide, The great Enigma, teaches that if you burn the young they will not burn hot, or long. It will not please him, nor ourselves. But if you simply wait, everything will grow. It will grow and burn well. He also teaches that if you destroy something with your fire, you must replace it for later joy of burning. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Cliktith will be pleased. I am sure now of that now. We do not wish you harm if you do not wish us harm. We leave, to return to the hive. Farewell."
And with that, the six athiks turned around began to treck accross the desert in the direction they had come from.

[Draken]

Well, I had this idea about Eul teaching some of his followers the way of the Incarnate and Soulborn, and then a spying halfling, follower of no one in particular, learning by herself how to become a Totemist.

Sounds good? Or would you prefer to, yourself (or someone else), teach others how to use this new form as the magic of totemists?

[tsuuga]

Kaern composed a third sending: "I respect those that seek balance. I am beside you, but in the Void. If you do not know the way, I can show you."

[Lady Tialait]

"Yes. Cliktith will be pleased. I am sure now of that now. We do not wish you harm if you do not wish us harm. We leave, to return to the hive. Farewell."
And with that, the six athiks turned around began to treck accross the desert in the direction they had come from.

The flameborn smiles and takes a small gem out of his pocket "Take this in good faith. Enigma will not tell us what it is for, but we know these 'power crystals' are important. Take this one as a sign of peace between the flameborn and the peaple of cliktith." with that they start to burn away old growth.

[Moose Fisher]

The mask responded for a third time,
"Please do so. I enjoy it here, but it's annoying to talk to thin air."

[tsuuga]

Kaern formulates a final sending: This will not be precise. It will take me a few moments to find you on this side. Be ready.

Kaern then snaps off the smallest finger of his left hand, and tosses it into the Playground. As the last sparks of his life fade from it, the finger bounces off of Coberal's Mask. He uses the fleeting contact to cast Plane Shift, brining Coberal to the Void. It is the work of a few moments to find her again, and he orients himself so that the mask is at his eye level.

"Greetings. I am Steadfast Kaern, and it is my desire that none of the races of the Playground come to an end. And who are you?"

[Moose Fisher]

The mask spun about, taking in the void with its eyes. It stopped to face Kaern.

"I am", the mask paused and continued,"Coberal. I was told to create 'balance'. These races... are they ending as we speak?"

[tsuuga]

Kaern pauses a moment, then shakes his head. "No, Coberal. Soon, but there is time to prepare. Perhaps I have misspoken; the desire that no race ends is my purpose. Not only in the conflict to come, but always."

A white light has been dripping from the wound on Kaern's left hand, and finally he notices. He pinches the wound shut, and his skin closes.

"You were told to seek balance? Is Xiau'hi your father, then?"

[Draken]

Thinking again... there isn't a single magical beast yet. So Totemists can wait.

Eul took the soulstuff and poured it around the world, allowing it to suffuse all creatures that walked, so that they could, given proper teaching, harness the power, with a twist, never from themselves, only from others and from the dead.

Eul's will gathered a small number of his people, the deadborn of all races, along with one of their guardians, the primeval nightwing known as Skyblight, whose voice was that of the dark lord, teaching his servants to harness incarnum, fuel their power with it, and shape the soulmelds. There stood the first Incarnates and Soulborns of the world, of evil bent, yes, but the first nonetheless.

(Continuating the last expenditure of divine points)

[Faithless]

Evadize watched in great fascination as the once simple piece of steel ascended into the Void. This sibling of his, cast into godhood in the same moments as himself was finally coming into consciousness of itself. It seems another god has taken the liberty of bringing it here.

Drifitng over beside Kaern, Evadize spoke

Hello. Welcome Coberal.

I am Evadize, the Gifted Student. We spawn from the same divine spark. Anything you require I would be glad to aid in.

[Moose Fisher]

"Thank you Kaern. Hopefully I will find a way back to where I awoke, or some form of it."

Coberal turned itself toward Evadize,

You are my brother then. Where is Father? If he knows what balance is, then he (or you) can tell me why I was created."

[Faithless]

I know not. I was formed to defend nature, to counteract the unholy will of the wastelands. Your will is unbeknownst to me. If you do not know yourself then seek out the Daiymo of Solid Testaments. Xiua'Hi He has graced us with the divine spark. He will have your answers.

The nature god sighed.

I bid you leave Kaern. Coberal. I have buisness with the swarming monarch. If you seek allies on the Material plane, ask for the name Calypso. Goodbye friends.

Evadize, began heading for another corner of the void. Looking for the one named Cliktih. Eager to hear the results of the flameborn expedition. The news was important. This was a matter that would decide if the thing they call war would shake the bowels of the playground itself.

[Moose Fisher]

Coberal let out what sounded like a sigh of frustration. It shifted to the side and began to drift through the void. Every so often, Coberal would shout for Xiau'hi, straining to hear a reply.

Xiau'hi was in this void, but the mask would have to wait once again.

... Unfortunately, there wasn't any metal to craft with.

[tsuuga]

Kaern sighs. "Very well, I shall go. Coberal, you will find Xiua'hi in that direction" *Kaern gestures*. "As Xiua'hi's daughter, I owe you hospitality at the least. I will instruct the dwarves to honor you should you visit them."

Kaern stands, and walks slowly away.

Bugger. I took too long to post this... accursed shiny things.

[pyrefiend]

From his position in the void, Cliktith saw Evadize coming and drifted forward to meet him.

My people have met with the flameborn, and the results are been promising. I am convinced now that they do not mean us harm. They only burn to allow new life to grow. I have been unsure as to how you would feel about this but I, at least, rest assured that the athiks remain safe.

Cliktith started to leave, but then stopped.

If you feel that further action is necessary, I will aid you. But I suspect it is not.

[Maerok]

In the center of the Sunfire Hearth, Elimanishon's priest Imak stood atop a stone that had taken months to dig up from the wastelands; so fine were the sands that even fist-sized rocks was scarce. This was the very spot where a small pond had existed a long time ago before Elimanishon descended upon it. On Imak's right arm had been carved the image of something like a fierce lightning bolt. His left arm carried the image of something like a snake - it winded down his arm as if to ensnare it. He wore a white cloak to hide obsidian flesh long ago touched by the light of his god.

"My people! I have seen the power of our god, I have been grasped in that divine light and in time we all shall be a part of the sphere that burns brightest."

He addressed a mix of all the races so far created on the Playground. Dragons and undead had not really taken to the sun god's faith (and constructs are rather incompatible altogether), but the newly formed tanar'ri did - babau, dretches, quasits, and a very sparing number of early succubi. Many others bore dark shards, while others seemed to possess the ghost of shards antithetical to the dark ones . All these groups had traveled to the Hearth to witness the desert and tales of this seer.

"Some of you were content with existing - I could have done that for a time beyond my normal years. Yet we have found the light beyond that. The sun burns with conviction, it's light is unwavering. And yet it defies law, it is a selfish thing in the sky. It is a thing of pride and glory, not reason. While these lands move towards some unknown destiny, the sun dances to its own accord! Elimanishon offers such conviction - to feel is to live! The others, his peers, do not take so kindly to this. They would have a world bereft of intensity! One without light or emotion... That will not suffice. Detachment is atrocity. Balance is stagnation. Neutrality is ignorance! May all that the sun shines upon live beautifully! May its rays guide you to your destinies, and the true way to be."

He lays a blessing upon the crowd.

"We are but a small piece of our lord's forces. We, like those beyond this desert, shall wait until there is a sign. Those wishing to leave may consider your journey complete. The shining god smiles upon you, that you may shine as well. Never as the sun does, mind you, for that is blasphemy that beckons his wrath."

---

Elimanishon sends a message to the undeathly god: "Eul, your work is impressive."

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi hears the calls of his name, stirring from his rest, and appearing before the mask.

"You have been calling for me? What is it that you require of me?

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma roars in his fiery prison. He calls out for another to join him. "ALLIES. COME." the chains of his home squirm around, clenching around him. "I shall make a home for locals, a meeting place of the Gods. A place to fortify. A good place for the upcoming war."

(Cast = Sending to all the other Gods [the first thing] Then Shape the Burning Void to my will. Changing a part of it into a city, a fortress.)

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi blinks, and raises a single hand to the mask

"I shall return shortly, forgive me"

Xiua'Hi then turns to the Flaming Void, appearing in the newly made city

"You have called Enigma?"

[alchemyprime]

Xam came and found Coberal.

"I am Xam. I am your father's father. Come with me, my child out of his element. Uncle Enigma calls to you and I both..."

And Xam picked up Coberal and carried him to Enigma's new fortress.

And Xam came, Coberal in arm.

"Yes, Enigma, why have you called us?"

[tsuuga]

Kaern considered what he would ask his dwarves to do. He heard Enigma's call, and put his thoughts aside. He went to Enigma's fortress and waited to hear why he had been called.

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma stirs and points to the new Fortress "Time of need. Here. Be careful. Allies all. I burn."

[Faithless]

Evadize gave a quick bow to Cliktith and took off. The roaring voice of Enigma had beckoned him in the final moments of their conversation. Perhaps this god was more than he seemed. I suppose I shall see what Enigma has saw fit to create this gathering.

Forgive me relatives. I had business with the swarming god. What news has required my presence here.

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma pointed to the Fortress "Fortify. Bastion of the Powers. Godly Unite. Defend." With that an orb of fire rises in the middle of the Fortress. The ground becomes cool to the touch, the Fortress seemingly endless builds it's own homes. Flameborn and some elves walk the streets. "Behold. Protection."

[Ooulzoth]

Deep within the endless swamp, Ooulzoth observed what happened within the rest of the world.
Races from the other gods where thriving. Inside the primordial pools of his realm, he began shaping new minions of his own, to serve him in this new world.
Only time would reveal what horrors he would unleash....

[Moose Fisher]

Coberal freed itself from Xam's grip and drifted toward Xiua'Hi.

"Xiua'Hi, Father, I wanted to ask you why I was created. Do you want me to craft, like how Enigma created this bastion?

[Xuincherguixe]

It was a strange thing. An elf appeared with a long slash mark on the front of his body. Nothing else seemed to be affected. He also reported seeing the world vanish before him, and that everything was red, save for a fuzzy black shape which gradually became more and more focused until it took on a strange shape he was unable to describe. As the shape became more and more focused, he had felt increasing pain and pressure.

He then reports that the world seemed to return to normal. And discovering the wound, and that he was bleeding.

The wound itself turned out to be minor, and healed. Though it did take a bit longer than perhaps it should have.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi stares blankly at the mask for a moment

"You have your own will, i created you with the others, to act out your own will upon the Playground. If you wish to create, then arm those that live below with weapons, and those in this bastion as well. If you wish to other things, then follow your own will. But keep in mind your brothers, for they are to balance you. If they speak out against your actions, then ask for forgiveness and pay them back in kind."

[Moose Fisher]

Coberal drifted away contently. The metal around the fortress began to bent and twist into swords, hammers, sheilds, and other weapons.

The elves and flameborn noticed the strange mask's work, and brought more metal to it. The mask kindly accepted their requests, and created what they wanted. The fortress was slowly preparing to defend itself.


Making craft checks once again.

Demi-gods be seen on planes, correct?

[Maerok]

"Balance, Xiua'Hi?" Elimanishon stumbles out from a staircase in the burning fortress. His flesh is seared to a blackened coal - more like a skeleton caked in eons of ash than a radiant keeper of the sun. He stares down the slashed elf with a nod before dragging himself up the remaining steps. Heat still rolling off him marks the floor with every step and sears the walls as his hand drags across it.

"I pull myself out of metamorphosis to see what has all of you riled up for once and I find you here speaking of balance? I had thought to myself, peace-keeper, that something had finally thrown you off your post."

[Faithless]

Heh. We have gathered here to unite the gods and we see this craven conflict... so called, sun god. Surely if there were as many as competent as you we would all be damned.

Evadize stepped forward. The voids of his eyes thickened spewing crude coldness. His teeth were barred like a mortar and pestle grinding the remanents of his ability to sit back. The tension hanging in the air could be heard in the bones of Evadize as his ligaments creaked forward. Strain filled his limbs.

You.

He extended his arm like an ancient tree at the sun god. His finger unfurled slowly but surely.

Dare insult the Daiymo of Solid testaments? You shall learn to still your tongue. We do not want your petty discriminations at this council.

[alchemyprime]

"Wait!" Xam said in his voice of command.

"Listen to me, my children. If we fight amongst ourselves, then Varr and his kin may have already destroyed the Playground and enslaved the elves and lupins and halflings and dwarves and all of the dragons. And we may as well be dead."

And Xam stared at his grandchildren, Evidaze and Elimanishon. "Listen. You are cousins. Born of the thoughts and emotions of my thoughts. I do not ask you agree or even like each other. I just ask that when I or Xiua'Hi or Enigma or Kaern call you to battle when we need you, you help us out of reverence for your elders."

The small white butterfly called Tanner fluttered in and landed near Xam's ear. Xam nodded. And he nodded.

"Really? Well then... bring him here..." And Xam nodded and smiled.

"My children. I have good news! Varr has an enemy and, as my friend Tanner says... what was it, again?" And Tanner whispered again. "Ah yes. The enemy of my enemy is definately not my enemy at all."

And Xam smiled wide. "And soon he shall be here to help us. Moko will aid us!"

"Now then! Coberal does well. Eli, perhaps you could brighten your sun and continue evolving. Evidaze, I think we can use more help from the druids in the forests. Now, let us get ready, yes?"

[Maerok]

Elimanishon's eyes shine with a light to fill Evadize's voids. They narrow to tiny pinpoints of absolute light. He smiles, twisting his head on his neck at an odd angle; his body fails to turn with it. *snap* A cloud of ash bursts from his shoulder.

"You... are... Evadize. I see you... All the time. Trees... tears... her... HER... Calypso? Hmmmmmm."

His body turns as it should have moments ago and he stumbles off in some direction towards Evadize and Xiua; his head still keeps the same orientation as before, looking at Xam, winking.

"The trees... The tears... Wings... Glory... Interest -" He stumbles into the elf, almost accidentally, but carves the words "Find me, 2-Colored Light" into his arm with all ten claws working in the blink of an eye.

With that, he planeshifts before walking into a wall. His last words are carved into the wall: "there was darkness before the dawn."

[Draken]

Heat, fire, oh holy warmness of the Fire Plane, all things that the Shadow lacks, all things that he craves.

And look, they meet, without him, of course, this cannot be, no.

The burning flame dies nowhere, but just like the arkborn, they grow purplish, sick, cold, but burning still. And from this patch of black fire the light dies, making way for a great shadow in which nothing but two blue stars glow like the eyes of a monster in the dark.

"I hungered, brother, and nephews, I hungered for your... Company. Are you going to welcome me?" - The Dark Lord in the dark chuckled.

"No, but still, grim winds whispered to me, they told of battle, and of invasion and from..." - Eul looks at Tanner - "Who is this?"

[tsuuga]

I will welcome you, uncle. Your stake is as great as any of ours.

[alchemyprime]

"Oh, Brother, this is my new advisor, Tanner. He is a god-that-is-not-a-god. He warned us of the invasion from those that followed Ooulzoth. And of the friend coming, Moko."

And Xam looked inquisitively at Eul. "I suppose... if the Playground needs defending, I can stand your presence..."

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi watchs the debate silently, watching the sun god and the new arrivals, nodding to each in kind.

"Second Walker Eul, Steadfast Kaern, Creator Xam, i great you all. And of course Shining Elimanishon, your words igniting the passions of us all, and Ever Growing Evadize, your concerns of my honor are touching."

Xiua'Hi then turns to Elimanishon, a soft look crossing his face.

If you wish to speak thus to me, allow the passage of your home in the sky, and mine speak for our intentions. Nothing shall keep me from my post, i cherish all of you present, but i hold the balance of our powers even more dear. Think before you speak, least you anger those younger then myself."

Xiua'Hi then turns to look at the gods asembled, motioning to Kaern, Coberal, and Evadize

"You three, i wish to speak to once our meeting has come to a close, if it would so please you."

[Draken]

"Stand me. I am the... 'Evil' one and you are the intransigent part of the equation.

Eul's eyes flicker towards Kaern.

"And it is good to see you as well my boy. I saw when you made that safeguard in the deadlands, it was unnecessary really, the might of the undying is greater than anything that could try to pose a risk to them.

And then to Evadize. No words are spoken, Eul averts his gaze quickly as he sees something... Unseen.

[Rizban]

As the creative powers that brought the continent of Xiua into being began to fade, an unexpected thing began to happen. Unbeknownst to Xam, there existed certain crystal lattices within the sands drawn to form the vast Xiuan desert which resonated with his creative forces. As the days passed, the windblown sands began to gather together into an ever growing dune in the center of the barrens, bringing together these crystal fragments. One by one, the crystals met and merged, the divine spark housed within them ever growing. Without warning, the great dune convulsed and shook itself. Like the deities that shaped Playground, it Thought.

Its thoughts had neither shape nor form, nay, not even words. It was not quite yet even aware that it was aware. Looking around at the endless sands, it recognized them as part of itself but while of the sands, he was still something more. As time marched ever forward, the crystals of the desert were inexorably drawn to this growing divine presence, seeking out that which was of themselves. The more that gathered, the more the urge to find more that which of the same grew. Eventually, enough of the divine spark was gathered together that the material world could no longer support its weight, and the entirety of the now living dune was squeezed out of Playground and into the Void.

Alone and lacking any frame of reference by which to even understand his own existence, the dune felt a moment of rage at being cut off so abruptly from all that it had ever known. It felt rage at being cut off from the remnants of crystal left in the desert, the only things it knew to be like what it was becoming. But as quickly as the rage formed, it fled before curiosity. In the distance of this new place, a presence was felt. Though not exactly that which was the dune, it resonated with a power similar and yet different and drew the dune towards it.

As it drew nearer, it noticed that this being was not of sand, which quite confused the dune. It had never experienced anything but sand and the near nothingness of this new place.



((OOC:Important information to other gods)((OOC: At this point, all the other gods are either MIA or at the war meeting on another plane of existence, so they have probably totally missed the emergence of this new deity. The only god not at the meeting is Cliktith, who is the god that this new god just approached. It's be silly for the other gods to leave the meeting prematurely to go look at sand, not that they should even notice, being that it's just sand and shouldn't really draw their attention away from more important matters.))

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma looks upon Eul. "Passion burns. Hunger Burns. We are one. Enigma is one. Eul is one. We are as one." Enigma hands Eul an egg, it flickers in the fire. "Be as one."

[Xuincherguixe]

ooc

Hey, I'm not at the meeting. I'm busy hovering in the sky, being ominous!

[pyrefiend]

Sensing the an unrecognizable divine presense, Cliktith stoped and focused his attention on it. Cliktith drifted forward, curious as to who the being might be?

Who, or what, are you? A god? Yes, A god you must be, for no other being may exist in this void. Yet I do not recognize you, and you do not have a particularly... godly appearance. Speak, if you can. I am rather late for a meeting which may be of some import.

[Rizban]

With the sounds of gravel and sand twisting and rolling over each other, the dune responded.

Who... What... God? You... not sand. I... sand... You... sand... same?

As the sands of the dune twisted about, they formed over closer to a humanoid insect form like that of the being with which they conversed, but lacking the power to maintain such a form, they quickly dispersed into formlessness once more.

[tsuuga]

"True, it was not necessary... but it was fair, and it sent a message. I have seen your creations among my dwarves, by the way. They are an interesting gift, and I will treasure it."

Kaern turns to Xiua'hi: "Of course, Daimyo of Solid Testaments. We will speak later."

[Faithless]

I as always will answer your call Xiua'hi. I will aid in any matters you may require of me.

Looking to the other gods, he gave a questioning look.

Is it safe to assume that this meeting is now adjourned? If so I will surely send Enigma a proposal for additional defenses.

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma looks at Evaize "We are one. Meeting unfinished. One more arrival. War council." With that Enigma sends a ripple of divine energy through the city of fire and calmed the flames in a courtyard. "Growth. There." pointing to the calm moist soil.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi bows to both Kaern and Evaize in turn, before turning to face Enigma, pulling a large puzzlebox from his robes.

"I beleive this should be kept here, Ever Burning Enigma, that way it can benifit all in times of need"

[Draken]

Eul took the egg and manipulated it, wondering what could be done of the flameborn within.

It's probbaly going to become yet another darkborn, however.

You seen to appreciate everything Kaern, still, your people, like all lothers, are prone to fear those who are born still.

Not a great matter, really. Skyblight and his kin will find them, they always do.

Dark wings flutter in the darkness. And Eul's player has nothing else to say.

[Copacetic]

Dla finally took notice of the great meeting in the burning place. Tearing his eyes away from his precious elves, he drifted up to the fortress. He looked slowly at all the new faces. Hello. Who are you all?

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi bows deeply to the new commer

"Elf Brother, i am Xiua'Hi Daiymo of Solid Testaments, creator of your brethren, and of the Forge Goddess, and the Ever Growing. It pleases me greatly that you could make appear before your peers."

[pyrefiend]

Yes, god. You must be new to this world. Cliktith moved into a position where it could view the Playground below and beckoned for the dune-god to join him.This is the world that the gods control. You, as a god, hold control over some part of it. But you must not go there. You are- we all are- beings of great power. It is too dangerous to the mortals below. Cliktith gestures to the elves, athiks, lupins and all other manner of mortal beings scurrying about below. He then turns and regards the dune for a long time.
I really must be leaving now. Do what you will, as I have already said, I am late.

And with that, Cliktith opened a portal to the burning void, stepped through and joined the war council of the gods.

[Copacetic]

You.. Created my brothers and sisters? Then you must have created me. Dla bows back. Now Daiymo, what is it you and these other gods are discussing?

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi nods, and spreads an arm wide, as if to encompass the whole of the city.

"Enigma has called us, and created this city for our meeting, i beleive we await another, and then the issue's will come to hand, if you shall rest yourself, i am sure it shall not be much longer Elf Brother. Perhaps in the mean time you can come to know your kindred?"

[Rizban]

With the departure of Cliktith, the dune began to watch Playground and learned. It sent forth only a few small grains of divine sand into the world to explore and observe, to understand that which is not sand.

Sand... not sand.... not sand.... sand that is not sand? ... wet sand... Green things, plant things.... Life things... not life thing? dead thing? so much not sand....

And with this last observation, the dune began to contemplate that which was not of itself.

[alchemyprime]

"Dla. I am Xam. I waste first being... Well, one of the first. Perhaps yu should know your lineage. I found Xiua'Hi, who made you and your kin."

Xam thought about that for a minute.

"Well... it's a short lineage now..."

Xam thought. "So I suppose Eul is your great-uncle, and Enigma and Ramus and Kaern your Uncles and Elimanishon your cousin, and Evadize and Coberal your siblings and Calypso your neice."

Xam nodded. He smiled at Dla. "I think you and I will get along fine, Dla!"

[Faithless]

I warmly welcome you brother. However this is not the time for greetings. If war comes we have larger scale things to discuss.

Evadize shifted in place. He had tried to tame his unsettling feelings about this war. Even this fiery offspring of Enigma had started to trouble his mind.

Trees don't live forever, even trees in the glade. But what of that of a god. Surely if this strange turn of events comes we may very well find out. I would rather not be unprepared. We must prepare.

[Moose Fisher]

There was much happening up in the meeting, but Coberal's focus screened the voices out. The mask snapped to attention when the metals brought to it ran low. The majority of the fortress looked well equipped, meaning Coberal's task was finished for now.


Coberal rose to the other gods, examining the new faces. Xiua'Hi had said something earlier, calling for Coberal and others. The mask drifted to its creator.

I finished making armor and weapons for the Bastion, Father. It is in my will to respond to your call.

The mask spun to face Dla.

You're similar to one of the races in the Bastion. I will introduce myself: I am Coberal. You are?

[Maerok]

Once back in the Sun's embrace, Elimanishon sets about his task. *pop* *pop* *pop* He whistles a little tune that bubbles up to the surface of the fiery sphere. *pop* "Balance... It is a conspiracy."

The first four fingers had snapped off easily enough; he only had to pull them back far enough to finish the work of the heat. The last one, his thumb, however, was rather stubborn. *Ker-snap!* He casts a sending down to Imak; "Imak... Have your finest artisans craft mirrors... the largest that can be imagined. And await my instructions. They will be of use much later."

The priest responds after a moment or two. "We will do as we can. It may take some time to gather materials. But what are 'mirrors'?"

"Then I must teach our people of the manipulation of the elements..."

[0 = 1 -1 Teach Populous - Tech+ ]

[Copacetic]

Dla performed the elven ritual for showing respect to one's elder, and bows To Xam with his arms out-stretched. Elder. I am sure we will get along. His mind, on the other hand, was reeling. So many uncles and cousins and family... Dla turns to each of the other gods attending the meeting, Enigma and Evadize and Kaern and all the others. To Eul, though, he holds up his two fore-fingers and touches his forehead. Deep One.



EDIT: Dla then turns to Coberal. I am Dla. I am the lord of the elves. I am Pleased to meet you.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi turns to the mask, nodding once.

"We must await Enigma, he has called us togather, and it would be polite to hear his words. If you have helped this bastion then rest and wait. Speak more with your brothers, and learn from them."

[Draken]

The Dark Lord in the dark turned his eyes to the elf, pondering the meaning of the gesture, but caring not for it.

Hmm... Where are the young sun and athik?

[Faithless]

You refer to Cliktith and Elimanishon, great uncle? I know not where the lord of swarms is, but our master of the searing globe above the sky...

He has left.

Eul's eyes had seemed to evade the nature god at every opportunity. Evadize would answer regardless, to understand Eul, such a measure is a feat he would not even begin to contemplate.

[ArlEammon]

Once back in the Sun's embrace, Elimanishon sets about his task. *pop* *pop* *pop* He whistles a little tune that bubbles up to the surface of the fiery sphere. *pop* "Balance... It is a conspiracy."

The first four fingers had snapped off easily enough; he only had to pull them back far enough to finish the work of the heat. The last one, his thumb, however, was rather stubborn. *Ker-snap!* He casts a sending down to Imak; "Imak... Have your finest artisans craft mirrors... the largest that can be imagined. And await my instructions. They will be of use much later."

The priest responds after a moment or two. "We will do as we can. It may take some time to gather materials. But what are 'mirrors'?"

"Then I must teach our people of the manipulation of the elements..."

[0 = 1 -1 Teach Populous - Tech+ ]


Ramus, excited to have some company, visited Elimanishon. "Hello, I am Ramus, the Sky King. You are the sun god, but what is your name?"

[alchemyprime]

Tanner futtered off. "I need to speak to someone Xam. I shal return." And Xam nodded and waved goodbye to his advisor.

And th white butterfly landed on Mort Wintrow's shoulder.

"A new world formed between Playground and Wasteland. It is the Four. Four planets so close that the rain from oneis the rivers of another. And their Death god was recently... indisposed by a group of adventures. They need a new one."

And before Mort could respond, he was gon through a blue door.

And Tanner flew back to Xam. "Sorry. I must make sure multiverses keep evolving... and another needed my help."

{Okay... we need a new Death God...)

[Maerok]

"Hello Ramus, I am Elimanishon. So you are the god of the skies? I am surprised we have not met sooner."

[pyrefiend]

Cliktith stepped into the fiery citadel and stood before the rest of the gods. Greetings to all. I appologize for my lateness, there were certain matters which needed attending to. How goes our meeting so far?

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma seeing the arrival of the last ally holds out his hands two a fiery flameborn who's flames glow red and blue steps forward bowing the council of Deities "I am Fiona Ingite, of the Lesser Tribe Flamestead. I am honored to be called before you to speak the Great Fire Lord's case." She holds out her hand with flame in it and it forms into a question mark.

"Our Great Creator Enigma has decided the war that you of Divinity have prepared for, needs a centering being. The flame lord will not lead, he has confided into me. Instead, he will offer upon all of you, including his own father Xam the wondrous, and his Uncle the Great Eul, twice walking, a list of things that MUST be done. If not, defeat is certain.

Each flameborn has been informed of the war coming. If we fail, this playground will no longer burn with the flames of curiosity, or life. It will burn with the flames of death, and destruction. So, I have been asked, along with my tribe, to ask as massager of the great Enigma. Please, assist his plan, flawed as it might be, it is better then each deity working on their own." and with that the flaming question mark burst forward and etches a list onto the wall of the tallest building of the great fortress city.


1. Create a Neigh Indestructible Fortress, a place to take a last stand.
2. Create Transport to every part of the world, no matter where you are.
3. Find various ways to walk the world itself.
4. Create weapons to destroy the Invaders.
5. Get more information about the Invaders.


( Mold Homeplane = Make Monument.)

[Maerok]

The sun god rises to the surface of his domain as if he leaning out of a pool. His left side is still submerged, but his right side rises out as a blackened, skeletal terror. Elimanishon spins a large blackened ring, a circlet, on one finger lackadaisically - what it could be made from is anyone's guess. It's adorned with five spikes that burn in the open air like tiny pillars of sunfire.

"So... what shall we lords of above do while they are away? I was sent home early, and you look as though you never got the message." Two white spheres burn in otherwise empty eye sockets. Their structure collapses and they behind to spout white and blue flames that rise past his 'eyebrows'.

"You seem rather upbeat... don't you realize Varr is coming? They retreat to their little fort, and leave us," he jerks his head toward the lands of several divine figures around the Playground, "to our own devices. It will be a slaughterhouse. Every cut: divine! Ahahaha. Ah, but listen to me talk! My words pollute your grand domain. My apologies."

[Copacetic]

Dla looks and waits as the flameborn speaks his peace, patiently waiting until the list is burned onto the tallest tower. I thank you for including me in these council of war, but I must leave you now, and ponder the things that have been spoken. Dla floats away, back towards his previous position of watching his people.

[tsuuga]

Kaern considers for a moment.

"I will disperse my dwarves throughout the world; and they will build fortresses modeled on this one. I will make an artifact, to connect this place to many others, and the fortresses of the dwarves will guard those places."

[Draken]

*Growls at spelling*

Eul's eyes vanished in the dark, and his form shifted within it.

Simple... Direct... Useless. You place this Varr in a too high pedestal, he is just another deity, from somewhere else, yes, older, maybe, but does he truly have the might to stand against us all? His two allies are but dogs crawling at his feet, one would surely cower before the mere sight of one of my nightshades. - Prepotent.

Plot as you will, but I will take no part in such... Frivolity. I will do what I deem necessary, but I deem your plan unwhorty of my expense, nephew.

The dark shape then vanished, like dying embers fanned back to their full strength, their light filling the emptyness left by the great Eul.

Poof, gone.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi places his hands togather, bowing deeply to the flameborn, nodding to the others in turn.

"It seems others have opted to leave this venture, so be it Brother. All present have command over the Qi, and i will direct their numbers to this bastion, to patrol the streets and walls. I can do little more untill others have vouched for their abilities."

Xiua'Hi then leans back, staying silent.

[alchemyprime]

Xam thought. Andhe thought.

"I think. I invent. I create. I wonder..."

And Xam made two black rods. And one side touched and the others repelled.

"Yes..."

And he made a small piece of steel. And many small black rods. And they sat on the steel. And then he made a blackdisk. And it floated. And he blw on it. And it moved frward.

"I have an idea. I need the help of Coberal, Kaern and Enigma for this. Kaern, tell the dwarves to find black rocks like this, and then fashion many large discs, the size of half a dwarf each."

And he put out a black rod for Kaern.

"Coberal... we need a long peice of steel. Many running from a steel disk that spins. Like a star. Or the legs on a spider. Enough steel to make a large spider web, to cover the continent. And iron tubes, large enough to fill with dwarves."

And he looked at the flameborn. "I have a method of transport. The Steel Web and Iron Spiders. Not across planes, but for our beings. What we need... is people to carry the steel across the planes. Avatars."

And Xam smiled. "I have a plan. I have an idea."

And Tanner sighed from Xam's shoulder. "I have a word: Anachronism."

Xam looked to his insectile companion. "Never mind Xam. Just never mind..."

[Moose Fisher]

"I am willing to create your transports Xam. They will be useful in the future."

Coberal tilted itself in thought.

"I do not think the world has enough of the metal needed to create the tracks at this time. I will require iron and steel from the planes."

[Maerok]

As he waited to hear Ramus's reply, Elimanishon sent down a sending to his priest. The demon in waiting had recently found himself with the slightest trace of wings growing from his back. The voice of his god was the third surprise of the day, also preceded by the unveiling of strange bird-like demons and red, slimy ones with grinning faces.

"Imak, the vrock will take the mirrors to the caves of the other lands. I wish to see what has been hidden from my sight..."

He rolled his eyes and cast it again, describing the location for the priest to relay to his followers. Imak acknowledged the instructions and set off to guide the vrock, who served under a former halfling-now-vrock know as Narnit Wesup. With another sending to get the vrock strike team leader on the same page, they were gone in a flash through the power of demon magics.

Some of the mirrors would be left behind. The sun god had future plans for the defense of his pre-city gathering.

[Xuincherguixe]

A wandering man saw something in the distance that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. As he approached more closely he saw that a woman was standing there, looking at a building made out of glass. It was a magnificent site, looking far more advanced than anything he had ever seen.
"What is this thing?! It's incredible. It's like a hut, but... it's something so much more! And it's so beautiful!"
"Then I would say you have no taste."
"What do you mean? How could anyone not be stunned by this? It must be the work of a god!"
"Perhaps, I was divinely inspired but this is not a work of any god."
"I don't understand. You mean to say you made this, and you are not a god? You are at least some manner of great and powerful spirit though correct?"
"No. Unless you are some form of higher power in disguise I am just as mortal as you are."
"Then, how..."
"Things can be learned by observation. I saw something long ago of great beauty, and upon seeing it I felt a need to make an object that captured an esscence of it. Earlier, when I said you had no taste. That is because what you are marveling at in wonder is unfinished."
"Unfinished? How could anything else be done to this? This feels like something revolutionary! I can tell just by looking at it this hut will change everything!"
"Maybe you do have some taste if you can say these things. It does hold within it's walls revolution doesn't it? The power to change. Something that can change destiny."
"Thank you, but you didn't explain how it is unfinished?"
"Perhaps you will understand if you stepped inside with me, so that I may show you first hand."
The woman led the man inside, to the center of the thing. And pointed to something.
"You see that there?" She pointed to an object in the sky. It was the red thing, the one from which the many circles come.
"I see it."
"When I first saw it, I knew that I had to share it's beauty with the world. But, I knew not how. So I wandered the world. Studied with those who would teach. I watched the trees and the sky and stars. I learned so many useless things, and so few useful ones. This place is a result of the useful things to know. I turn your question around to you, how is this unfinished?"
And the man said, "Hand me your rock please."

[Drager]

In the bastion of the Gods on the fiery plane something has been happening as the Gods have talked. At the point when the most Gods were present and had a will to try to work as one the power of such concentrated divine will caused a small fragment of the essence of each God to float from its being and come together. So small was each fragment that it was unnoticeable, as was the melded mixture of fragments that formed in the corner of the room and began to expand. Just after Eul's departure, while Xam and Coberal talk of transports the expansion quickened and with a rush a new being stood in the corner of the room.

Shaped in the likeness of an elf from the play ground, tall and slender, the being looked around the room, noting those present and inclined its head in a half bow. "Greetings fellow Deities of the Playground" he says "I thank you all for my existence, and ask your permission to join this council, as it is the desire for its success in each of you that formed me." He smiles then adds "I think this form a little inappropriate given the war footing on which we stand, please give me a moment." With that he shakes his head, his short hair growing to shoulder length.

In the time it takes for his hair to lengthen his body has changed, he has broadened across the shoulders and gained muscle, his height has increased slightly and his ears have rounded, the muscles on his torso now stand out in much greater definition and neat beard forms on his jaw (He now looks like a human). "There, thats better." he says and waits for the other Gods to speak, hopefully to greet him well.

(0 AP = 3-3 Evolve Physically)

[alchemyprime]

Xam considered it for a time.

"Perhaps tthe iron spiders were a bit of a jump. Maybe... Coberal, could you instead teach the people how to make bronze into a second skin? And... of course... make bronze..." Xam then looked at Kaern.

"And the dwarves... they should wear such skins. Metal clad dwarves! Imagine it!"

And Xam smiled large. "And I have a big idea for the races. I'll teach them how to fire without sticks."

And Xam made a sphere of flame to show an example. "Magic... 'll need to draw up some notes. Tanner, to the Void."

And the little butterfly sighed. And he looked down. "Yeah, I'm done with this form."

And the butterfly exploded into a man in a long white robe, wearing small disks of glass in fron of his blue eyes, with bushy brown hair. He seemed to cycle through which race he appeared to be.

And he followed Xam right away.


*** THE VoiD***

The waters had reached a consensus. They were not being honored properly. And so they reached through the planes into the Void found Nessius. And she became part of the waters again.

And the fabric of Magic, yet to be given true form, overloaded Teerp as he had not used up any of it yet. And he exploded in a shower of violet sparks, which the mortals watched in awe.

[Vadin]

And with the gods of the Playground pleased to have a plan, and with Elimanishon of the Sun pleased to consider his plan better, and Enigma of the Burning Question having created the seasons, so Gliss was born. The mortals observed that with time, the temperatures changed, and that the warmest of these times was the easiest, and so they rejoiced. And they rejoiced unto the sun, but it was the summer which returned their joy. And Gliss, Being of Exultations, awoke from the satisfaction which was Elimanishon's. And Gliss looked around himself on Xiua, and was happy. And he thought himself not alone, for life was nearby. The life could not respond to him, however, and he was saddened. To remedy this, he sang intelligence into the life around him, and it spoke, and Gliss was pleased, and he named them the Capsin.

Hello, my children. I warn you now: outsiders may threaten our world soon, but I shall remain here, in the Grin, these mountains we call home, and keep you safe, and all will be well.

(0= 2AP - 2 (Create Populace: Capsin))

It's alright that I'm doing things in Xiua, right? And in the mountains? I noticed a little while ago were right along the equator of the Playground, ensuring that they'll be warm, and that seemed a rather appropriate place for my God and his rabbit-mountain goat-kangaroo people to be.

[Rizban]

In the throes of the Burning Questions, a Flameborn of Enigma stopped mid step, stumbled to his knees, and subdued his own flames. Looking around, he realized that every question he had ever asked had but one single answer: Sand.

Drawn inexorably by the ultimate answer to all his questions, this lone Flameborn strode tirelessly into the wastes of Teerp's Desert. For many days and nights, the only thing in his mind was a reverberating pulse that promised that all things might be answered... sand... sand... sand... sand... sand... The further he trekked into the wastes, the more the sensation grew. Through it all, a voice could almost be heard. Nay, not a voice, a sound on the verge of hearing, too quiet to exist. An emotion, a sensation, a promise. A promise that each and every burning question that ever has or ever will exist can be forever quenched in to coolness and peace of the endless dunes of sand. A promise that every hope, every dream, every desire of the heart could be found, if one would but devote their life to the sands. Devote their heart to the sands. Devote their soul to the sands. All that matters is sand. Your dreams are but wisps of fog before the burning sun. Your hopes are but ice that must crack, melt, and be lost. You are naught but a servant of the sands, and through you, the sands will be made mighty. You are that which makes the sands great, and that is your purpose, your goal, your sole reason for being. Without the sand, you are nothing... nothing... nothing... nothing...

Ever forward did it draw him. Ever more did it twist him. His mind broke under the weight of it, twisting into chaos and confusion. Never before had he felt so lost, so alone, so desperate. Desperate for something, anything... no, not something, someone. Someone who could show the direction. Someone who could find the answer. Someone who already knew the answer. Someone who is the answer. Someone who could bring order, nay not just bring order but impose order, impose law, and show him the ultimate truth to which his life would be ever more dedicated. That is who he was seeking. He knew this now, and never would he rest until that order was imposed upon him. It became his created desire, became who he is. Nothing else mattered... nothing... nothing... nothing...

It was then that he saw it, that location from whence the pulse came. For it is here that all questions are answered, all wrongs are made right, all chaos is brought to order. As he crested the final dune, he saw before him a small cliff with a deep gorge cut deep into the ground, and he was not the only one who had been drawn here. For others had heard the call and had answered. Others were sure to follow. Those that had arrived before him were composed of many races, though most were of dwarven and elvish lineage, though there appeared to be quite a few halflings and one or two others of which the Flameborn had personally never seen nor could identify.

Though twisted by the burning sensation of sand was this Flameborn, he was not yet lost. He had answered the call but could still turn back. It was then that the almost sound became clear in his mind. His purpose was revealed, and he made a choice. Who he was before his journey began had now been completely and irrevocably lost, lost to the sands that he now chose to serve. All that mattered were the sands. He knew each believer had been promised something different, and that it would never be delivered without their hard work and total dedication to the power behind the call.

Rising to top of the dune, the Flameborn let forth a mighty burst of flame. All who toiled in the growing settlement below ceased their work and looked to this new arrival.

Hear me servants of the sand! We, the Chosen of the Desert have heard the call and answered it! Let all who now reside here know this, I alone have been chosen and called to lead you. I, the Emissary of Sand, am given the task of high priest to He that rules over all desolation, all desert, all sand. I am become His mouthpiece, the gate through which His desert winds may blow.

An ever building cheer rose from the crowd as they recognized the divine power of sand flowing through this Flameborn, this disciple of the dunes. He would lead them to the glory of all that is Sand, and they would follow him unquestioningly just as they, and he, would follow He who is Sand.


(AP 3 = 3 - 0(Class abilities, Thrallherd))

[tsuuga]

Kaern chose the six wisest of his dwarves, clerics all, and spoke with them. He told each of them to take a tribe of their people out into the world, and found a new colony. He sent Briac to the great rolling plains, and Fionn to the northwestern snows. Weylin would go to the edge of the Endless Swamp, and Lann to the southeastern desert. Tully would settle in the western forest, and Newlyn on the eastern shore, near to the dead wastes. And they did as Kaern asked.

Kaern then turned to his peers, and said: "This meeting is reaching it's close. Xiua'hi, Coberal, Evadize: Shall we talk?"

[Drager]

Lienad coughed softly to alert Kaern to his presence then diplomatically asks "Shall I leave, Father?"

[Faithless]

Evadize scanned the faces of the other gods. Perhaps this restlessness if a sign that the meeting should be adjourned.

Yes. I believe it is time to discuss specific quintessential matters. Enigma has given us much insightful knowledge to think about but the time has come for us to delve into a separate conversation. Ever-reliable Kaern...perhaps we should move our discussion elsewhere. How is Second Chance doing these days?

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi bows again to the gathered gods, turning to Kaern and the others.

"Yes of course, i beleive it is time to get down to some personal business. When the others have come we shall begin our talks."

[Vadin]

In a period of relative calm (relative to the usual level of excitement, of course) a Capsin found himself disturbed. He felt himself pulled, pulled by some outside force, some desire to run as fast as he could to the source of this pull. Curious and unhappy, he asked Gliss, "Gliss, why do I feel this way? What's going on?" Gliss responded with a knowing sigh, "Seek the answer around you, my child. You have studied at my feet and walked in my ways. Surely you'll be able to uncover the answer without leaving us."

And so the Capsin did. He went into the woods and observed the plants and fought the urge to run. He went to the high hills and observed the stars and fought the urge to run. He went to the sea shore and observed the fish and fought the urge to run. Just as he was about to give up, he looked down at the ground he stood on.

"Sand..." he said. "Sand."

And he came to know that another god had called him, one like, yet unlike, Gliss. And he returned to Gliss and asked, "Gliss, you walk among us and we honor you, but are you the only god we should recognize?" With a soft smile, Gliss told him, "No, young one. All gods of these lands should be honored."

Gliss told the Capsin of his lineage, and of the gods, and of their natures as he knew them from the impression he gathered in his creation.

But the Capsin were confused. Their god, their creator, walked among them. What sorts of gods sat above the world and set not a foot upon its lands? 'Gods', as the Capsin reasoned, had to be in the world to be a part of it.

And so they named the others 'Ancients', and built an altar to Gliss at which they sang, and an altar to other gods at which they offered promises of faith should a god call them, and an altar to the Ancients at which they asked their bodies without flesh be cared for, especially that the Ancients known as Enigma and Elimanishon, the creators of their creator, might whatch over them after their passing.

(0 = 0AP - (Class ability, Bardic Knowledge))

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma stirs and looks down at the world. "I see." he extends his hand to the world. His power rolling over the world causing a few random forest fires. Reaching for the Flameborn who chant 'sand sand sand' He peers down at the creature sending the Psionic power. Sending his message down to the source with his magical Divine might "Stop this madness. I am Enigma. I burn. You stop. End it." With the command issued he sends Fiona to the Dessert, with his divine protection.

( In order of use, Fire Storm, Detect Psionics, Sending, Mind Wipe [Fiona], Gate )

[tsuuga]

"I have no objection to you joining us, Lienad; but it was Xiua'hi who proposed this meeting. If the Daimyo has no objections, then please, join us."

And then, Kaern turned his attention back to his dwarven expeditions. Fionn's expedition had a hard beginning, but they had found a complex of caves warmed by the earth, and had settled in. The expeditions in temperate climes had all been successful, though Newlyn's town near the Dead Wastes had a disproportionate number of Deadborn children. Lann's expedition to the desert, though... it was doing poorly. Only four dozen dwarves remained from three hundred; they had fallen victim to hunger and thirst. Kaern worried for them... and he found this train of thought had a life of his own. He removed it from his mind, and cupped it in his hands, and watched it take life. He fashioned the body of a dwarf around it.

While he was in this creative state, he plucked a second idea from his mind: "the smaller fortress that protects the society", and he cradled it in his hands - but this thought was stillborn and gray. Kaern blew upon the idea, and life caught like tinder - and Kaern smiled. This one was not stillborn after all. He fashioned this one a body as well, and then Kaern spoke to the brothers.

"Elder son; go to the dwarves in the desert. They need your help. Younger son; organize the people of the world. They will need protection soon."

I went ahead and begot you two, since two others of your generation are already in-game. Have fun, kids :smallbiggrin:

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi bows to the new comer

"I am afraid what i would like to propose is meant for those I have named. It is not my intention to insult you young one, but there are some things only those gathered can do."

[AgentPaper]

He looked upon himself, and he looked upon the beings the Greater One had indicated. He felt a sameness, and he felt the need to protect. He moved, and he was before them. They gasped at Him, and He felt a difference between Himself and They. This saddened him, but He felt the powers of His form, and knew it was for the best. He could protect Them.

All of this happened in the merest instant, as He came to realize Himself. Watching Them, He wondered what He could do to protect Them. As He thought this, They began to fall on Their knees and lowered Their gaze before His radiance. They chanted sounds, and He realized they were speaking His name. Haras. Haras now knew his name, and he realized the power of names. So he asked Their name.

The beings recoiled at his divine voice, wondering at him. One stood, and he cried out, "Haradar! Unam iHaradari! Tora iHarasi!" And he knew Their names, the Haradar. They needed him, and he needed them, for he did not know what else to do. He asked them what they needed, and they told him. He fulfilled their wishes. He created water to slake their thirst. He created homes for them to take shelter from the sun.

However, it was not enough. The Haradar hungered, and he could do nothing to help them. For the first time, he felt powerless. What use were his powers and his form if he could not protect the only ones he knew? He cried, and a tear fell into the great pool of water he had created. The water shone with radiance, and around the pool green life began to grow. Haras, wondering at this, felt happy. He felt content. The Haradar were safe, now. He also felt tired, so he slept.

1 AP = 2 AP - 1 AP (Nourish Lands)

OOC:Translation: "Haradar! We are named Haradar! Praise the one named Harasi!" I'll put up a section in the homebrew for the language. Spells used: Create Water, Fabricate, Holy Water.

[Nefarion Xid]

Somewhere, nearly a mile off the northern coast, Lossethir lay perfectly still atop the only rock of suitable size and shape amid a cluster of dozens of jagged, perilous looking ones. His left arm was hung limply from his perch and the frigid waters passed over his naked hand over and over again. He had much to preoccupy his thoughts, but the most recent event was the only thing on his mind. Nesius, spirit of the endless ocean, had returned to the elements, her divine essence had diffused to the waters that had born her.

He wasn't sad, no, only greatly sobered by the passing of the goddess. There was no maternal link to be acknowledge and he would steadfastly deny the use of "Mother" to describe the goddess. She had expended no effort in making him and she had never even known Lossethir to exist. Still, made from the very same waters; he felt a pang of loss, now that they were silent and still. Who would claim dominion over this element now?

The other gods...that's right, he still hadn't revealed himself to them. Now, though, out in the open for the first time in hundreds of years, he was sure that the others would soon be alerted of his presence. Perhaps he needed intrude on them after all, perhaps they would be the ones to find him.

((Enter Play = 2 AP))

[Maerok]

Elimanishon speaks to something unseen below the surface of the sun. "Look how they return... I make progress for my people and they come back? Lovely." His questions were answered by seven different tones from below the fire. They ring out in a haunting melody.

"You think so? Well you would, wouldn't you? You'll get your time, but you need to become more unpredictable before I can appreciate your advice." The same seven tones sound again, in a different order but with the same strange harmony.

"Alright. I will humor you this time."

Elimanishon begins to wrap strands of the connection to his people around one finger. With it focused into a divine spark, he snaps his finger and it burns into a miniature star. His fingers fly into a frenzy as the searing form is shaped. Before long he juggles three lesser stars.

[tsuuga]

Wow, I totally missed that you addressed me, Faithless... Go me :smallyuk:
Kaern responds to Evadize: "Second Chance is still just a dream... There has been so much to do."

[Hutter]

Urthadar looked at his father. He gathered his thoughts and nodded his head.

"I shall do as you said."

His spirit took flight to material world. He looked upon it. He saw the Athiks, the Elves. The Hachis, the Halflings and the Flameborn. His father had told him to organize and protect the mortals. And he intended to whatever he could to do that.

No.

He would not only protect them, he would do more. He would comfort them, aid them, he would help them make their lives easier and nicer. He will teach them to control nature, teach them to create proper houses to rest in, to build cliffs surrounding their settlements, to build mountains from where they could pray and bring offerings to their gods.

Urthadar sat down and started to think. How would he do it, and where would he start?

[Faithless]

Is a dream a well enough place to hold a discussion? I fear prying ears in this place. Perhaps from our kin...perhaps from Varr. This plane bears semblance to the void...why I am uneasy. I am unsure but if the conversation is for our ears let it be made so.

With that Evadize motioned towards the exit of the burning fortress.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi nods, and walks out the door, returning to the Void. Once the others have joined them he speaks soflty.

"Enigma has porposed we defend his city, for this I agree, but there are others who beleive such co-operation is folly, and i beleive they should be...watched, guarded against, so that once this war has resolved itself, balance can once again restore itself, what say you brethren?"