[PDQ] The Grand Mythos Game Thread

[Dogmatic99]

Zareth 24 , 2

Carnivox was true to his word and whisked the fallen goddess through the forests of Eld, darting over the rooftops of the planet capital. He found one of the ghost doors to Evermoor before they had even reached the city limits. Vanishing into the underworld, unseen by mortal eyes. Once in the kingdom of the dead he raced on full pelt towards the gate to the Mourning Garden, there was only one. The dead were far less bothered by his presence, they had become used to seeing him around and knew that there was nothing he could do to hurt them, although a few still stopped and starred or shouted as he passed. If Ailish had anything to say on this place he did not hear her. When he was set to a task The Hunter became single minded in his pursuit.

Eventually he brought her to the veil. His heart raced at the prospect of finding his father again... yet at the same time it filled with dread at the thought of going back to the dark world. It was when they stood on the precipice of that world that Carnivox smelt something in the air. The smell of death... REAL death.... Zareth! He followed the scent, leading him right to the doors of the hall of Joy. He kicked the doors open and was met by the warmth of the blazing flame at its core. Sitting by its side, cloaked in a tunic of scorched grey, his horns raised proudly, sat Zareth.

The death god raised his head at the sight of the noise. "Carnivox?" He cried. "You've no idea how good it is to see you!"

Zareth rose to meet his bewildered son and in that same moment Carnivox dropped Ailish sanctimoniously to the ground, charged at the death god and proceeded to punch him savagely.

"Ow! alright, alright I get that you're angry with me!" Zareth protested.

"Don't you ever do that to me again! You hear? Don't you ever scare me like that again!" The wolf's voice was loud and high with emotion. An outsider looking in the scene might have said that they saw tears brimming in his eyes.... Carnivox would have killed such an outsider for saying something like that though so it is good that there was not.

After a while the two eventually settled down as Carivox ran out of breath, though he still gave the odd hit to Zareth's torso. "I promise you Car it will never happen again." Zareth smiled, he was just so happy to see his son again. To think he had once lived in that place. "Now tell me everything, how long have I been away? Time was? strange there."
Carnivox shrugged. "Maybe a day, or close to one anyway. Eldarwen tied me up and dragged me around her town while you were away." He said matter of factly.

"Well she wouldn?t be the first person to try that, just the first to succeed." Zareth laughed.

"But I was being good! I wasn?t trying to eat anyone or anything like I usually do!"

"What?" That changed everything. Zareth and Carnivox had an interesting parent/child relationship by mortal standards. Car was enough of an animal that he couldn?t help half the things he did. Death and destruction were just parts of his nature, parts Zareth had given him. He couldn?t blame his son for doing what he was made for. But this was different, Zareth may occasionally need to do some damage control with Car but Eldarwen always encouraged that behaviour in their hunter.

"She said that one over there could have me if she helped her out." Car said pointing to the Prone, Ailish.
Now things were just getting weird. Zareth Picked up the fallen goddess and placed her on one of the chairs "Sorry about that." He apologised bashfully. He would have tried to say more but a sudden wave hit him and Zareth felt Aen?s presence, he was asking for help. By the way Carnivox suddenly shivered, he had felt it too.

"Aen needs us." Zareth said. He poured a piece of his will into Carnivox?s bow. There were no words to Aen?s call, only pure intension. It seemed the young knight god wanted a companion of his own. "We?ll pick this up later." He promised his son.

Carnivox nodded and ran from the hall and into the nexus of portals his father called home, eventually coming out at Evalon. He tracked Aen to his location, surrounded by flying scaled beasts, larger than the ones on Eld. They would make great Prey. "You just made this place very interesting!" He beamed at Aen. This one might be his new favourite.

Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Joy, Zareth sat in silence for a time, starring into the roaring flame. Finally he turned to Ailish. "Is there anything you would like to say about what I found beyond your portal?"

Spoiler: actions

Assist Aen: Zareth - (+4) Age
Carnivox - (+2) The Hunt

 

[JoJo]

The Storyteller

"The cogs in the engines of the universe continued to turn as they always did. Yet more demigods were to come into the world; with the help of Ailish, Eldarwen created Auctor, a word-loving demigod. Similarly Aen made Grix, Lord of the Skies, with the assistance of Zareth. This dragon demigod would serve his creator faithfully for many eons.


Meanwhile, Roe and Petal's adventure continued upon the planet Coelus and after impersonating Seith, a small group of Grigori spread across the planet in a panic spreading "his message". While many dismissed the news as a hoax or exaggeration, a number of others were deeply affected by the event, especially those who were present themselves or had a close family member there. Several hundred Grigori would retain a new streak of chaos for the rest of their lives and many others would question Seith's authority.

Upon Evalon, a disguised Olek attempted to create a golden chain which controlled fire but the luck of the universe was against him and it burst into flame in his hands, providing quite the spectacle for onlookers."

The storyteller saw that a child was sleeping and paused for a moment, then decided it would be best to continue without waking her.

"Even where the gods did not directly act however, this era was not slow by any means. Vantric influenced those in charge of the Lainir's empire and together him, Melanthios and M'endar plotted the downfall of their enemies and their races. Nivix's synthetic beings spread out across the universe and ended up in conflict with several other races. The portal continued to fascinate the gods and was visited by a number, the question of it's eventual fate still hanging unspoken in the air. "

 

[Pappytech]

Nivix - 26, 2

Spoiler: Conversation between Nivix and Melanthios

Melanthios send a small piece of himself to speak to Nivix. He landed on Evalon and looked around for Nivix, he spotted him standing a few feet away. He walked over to him, and said "Greetings Nivix. How are you doing?"

"Mmmm?" It took a few seconds for Nivix to locate the source of the noise, but he managed to lock eyes with Melanthios' fragment after a few seconds. "Oh, you know. Doing okay," he replied, his attention already beginning to be drawn away.

Then, after a second of silence: "Wait, do I know you?"

Melanthios smiled. "No but I know you Nivix. I heard your name when we were all created. My name is Melanthios. And you have my compliments you made a beautiful race."

"Hmmm..."

Without answering, Nivix began to slink towards Melanthios, suspcion glimmering in his eyes. Soon, he stood uncomfortably close to his fellow; clearly the concept of personal space had managed to elude the chemister. "Melanthios, eh? Bit of a mouthful; think I'll call you Mel."

Melanthios smiled. "Mel is fine Nivix. I came to talk you since we are a bit alike. You see we are both intellectual, but while your powers lie in science, mine lay in magic." Melanthios lifted his right hand, creating a very complicated orb in it. "See?" He asked still smiling.

"Magic, huh?" Nivix took a moment to stare into the sphere of swirling light. "Nah, that's your run of the mill chemical deconstruction and subsequent reconstruction. Look, you can see the gas molecules being broken down into atoms and then being reformed into different patterns, hence the... pretty... shiny... hence the nice looking lights," he finished with a shake of his head. He really had to work on his focus at some point.

"So, why are you trying to flatter me and what do you want?"

Melanthios smiled, Nivix was exactly like he had envisioned him. "Well I wondered if you were interested in doing some common research. And I thought you might want to see my books too. I have more then 1 book about you, you know." Melanthios smile had something dangerous in it.

"...Do you now?" Nivix replied after a second of contemplation.

"Yes, I do think I'd like to see that."

Melanthios bowed his head. "Just follow me." Melanthios teleported into his library, he gave Nivix access making him able to travel to the library. Melanthios took a seat around one of the fires. There were only 2 chairs around it, he waited for Nivix.

Teleporting to an unfamiliar area always gave Nivix a slight sense of vertigo, and it took a few moments of painful throbbing for the god to regain full control of his mental capabilties. Once he had, however, he stood stock still as his eyes wandered around the countless number of bookshelves.

He let out a low whistle.

"Damn. I really need to start paying better attention."

Eschewing the offered chair and his host, Nivix marched over to the nearest shelf and began pulling out tomes at random, flipping through them at a tremendous rate. As an afterthought, he shouted back over his shoulder, "I'm still listening, by the way. Go ahead and keep talking."

Melanthios smiled, Nivix looked a lot like his son Akladai. "Read as much as you want, these shelves are all dedicated to you. Every experiment you ever did, every result you ever concluded. They are all written down here, well almost all of them."

As Mel spoke, Nivix stopped thumbing through the books, only just now registering what he had been reading. "...And how did they all get written down in here?"

Melanthios smiled. "A magician never reveal his secrets." Melanthios stood up and walked over to Nivix. "So have you given my proposal some more thought? Are you interested in doing some research with me?"

Nivix was silent for a moment. "Heh. A fair answer." Chuckling, the god raised his right palm, pressing it against the bookshelf. "Here's mine."

There was a flash of light and heat, and a small conflageration, growing ever larger, began to eat away at the countless books. Paper was reduced to ash and smoke as the chemister slowly turned about, glaring at Mel with barely restrained rage. "Tell me how you were spying on me. Now."

Melanthios simple smiled. "I have copies, and for how I got this information." Melanthios stepped forward "I gathered it, but out of respect for you, I never read it. You see these findings are yours, not mine. And I would never steal another intellectuals work."

"Hmmph." Nivix could not detect any deceit in the other god's words. As the flames spread further and further, the two gods stared at each other, a smile spread across Mel's face, a grimace across Nivix's.

Then, just when it looked like the fire would become uncontrollable... "One," Nivix growled. With a snap of his fingers, the air around the flames was suddenly deprived of its oxygen. With a stifled hiss, the conflageration dissapated in an instant, while Nivix stalked over to his host. "You said you wanted to do research on something," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Tell me what."

Melanthios nodded. "Of course, walk with me please." Melanthios began walking through the library heading towards the middle. "I always wondered how we were created, I am guessing you are curious about that too?" Melanthios opened a large door, inside was a giant empty room with a small table in the middle.

"I am planning to recreate that event that made us, only then on a minuscule level. Think of the things we could learn from that, I mean everything came into existent at that moment. If we know why and how, we could use it to study everything that happened after that event." Melanthios looked at Nivix, he hoped he was interested in helping him.

It took a few nanoseconds for Nivix to fully process Mel's words. Almost instantly, his grimice was replaced by an estatic smile. "Now why the hell didn't I think of that?!" he cried as he leaped forward, rushing over towards the table. "Heh, now you're talking!"

Melanthios smiled brightly, he had found his study buddy. The table contained everything that happen precisely after the event. Melanthios walked towards it. "I have more knowledge I think, I might even have a little of the 'before time'. Before the creation of everything, you know Ailish right? Well she made my apprentice Akladai 'remember', it was against my will and dangerous. And it didn't do anything useful for her, but I think that it was just what we needed."

Melanthios grabbed a book from the pile. "You see she made him able to access the knowledge of his previous live as hunger. I think that there is the mix of insanity and endless hunger there are some hints to what, or who created us." Melanthios pointed at a few other books lying on the table.

"So..." Nivix responded, idlely picking up one of the volumes, "you're just able to transcribe knowledge into books like these? Pretty interesting power..."

"But anyway, assuming that you're right about hunger and insanity, what would you need me to do about it? If it was just as simple as reading through a bunch of books, I get the feeling you'd just do it yourself."

Melanthios nodded. "You see my knowledge lies in reading books, studying data and processing it. But everything from the before time is blurry at best. Imagine if you couldn't speak Common, and at age 20 you could speak it since you learned it. But that doesn't mean you can remember what was said when you were 8 and Common was being spoken. " Melanthios placed the book down and grabbed another one.

"You see most of it is guessing at best, and even then the amount of data is very limited. So I needed someone who can connect the dots, and make sense out of all this data. And you seemed like the perfect person for that job, that is if you are still interested? Also I am not promising we will be able to recreate it, it might be impossible. But we can try, and even if we fail we will learn new things. And is that not all a intellectual wants? "

"No." Nivix's face was entirely devoid of emotion as he spoke.

"We also want explosions."

Melanthios laughed. "Well I can promise you, that if we manage to recreate this event. We will make the biggest and most impressive explosion this universe will ever know."

There was something infectious and unnerving about Nivix's grin. "Well then Mel, you've got yourself a partner."

Melanthios stretched out his hand. "That is great news Nivix. I have many other projects too if you are interested. And I will allow you to visit my library whenever you want. That is if you don't burn anymore books, or at least not too many" Melanthios was grinning.

Nivix raised an eyebrow at Mel's offer, but took his hand nonetheless. "Heh, don't think I'll be needing much of your books," he said as he wrung Mel's arm up and down, "but I sure as hell want to know more about these projects of yours!"

Melanthios smiled widened, as he shook Nivix hand. "Well I got a ton of different kinds of projects. Most of them combine magic and science to create very powerful things. For instance do you have any knowledge on a thing called a gun?"

Melanthios did a few steps back and moved his hand, a lot of diffrent image of an gun appeared. "These 'guns' are highly effective when used in war. And considering that both our races are very advanced intellectually I was thinking about giving these guns to them. And yes Nivix, some of these guns will be able to make big explosions." Melanthios hoped his new lab buddy was interested in that project as well.

"Guns? Is that what you call those things? Pssh, they're no fun," Nivix muttered in disapproval, banishing the image with a wave of his hand. "What's the point in ranged weaponry, huh? I never got that. Why the hell would you want something to do damage from a distance; there's no satisfaction, no excitement!"

"Now these," he continued, lifting up one of his gauntlets, a frenzied grin dancing across his features, "these things can make something blow up. Heh, you wanna know how they work? Hits the target at a molecular level, reducing their base components to a loose collection of atoms. Thanks to a bit of brilliant programming on my part, those atoms'll reform into all kinds of gases, all of them incredibly volitile! And then all you need to do is add a spark, and..."

"Boom."

Melanthios looked interested at Nivix gauntlet. "Well that is one hell of a weapon Nivix. But I just want to say that, ranged weaponry is not that useful to us. But it is very useful for the mortals. I mean especially mine since they can feel pain and such, so shooting someone before they reach them is a valid tactic. None the less those gauntlets greatly interest me, care showing me how you made them?" Melanthios looked very curious, almost hungry to know.

"Awwww, come on now Mel," Nivix said cheerfully, giving his fellow deity a less than dignified noogie. "What would be the fun in that? I can't just tell you how to do something, and deprive you of finding out for yourself! What kind of bastard would do that, huh?"

Melanthios' smile widened even further. "I completely agree, finding out for myself would be at least 100 times as satisfying. " Melanthios looked at his piles of books all filled with ideas and theories, he then looked at Nivix. "I have the feeling that this is the beginning of a great research team."

"Heh, I might just have to agree with you on that one."

Spoiler: OOC

I'll have some stuff about the Ekiaru-Mizzen war up later, but I wanted to get this posted.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

Ailish - 2, 28

Lights and colors blurred as Carnivox traversed the planes to the Mourning garden. Staring at the gateway, she suddenly feel her body jerk away, and the gardens becoming further away.

?Why are we leaving? Isn't he through the gate?? Her question would be answered as she saw the god in question obviously out of the heavens. Awe spread to her face, unbelieving how her fellow god did not find himself lost to the realm. Words and emotions were spoken between him and Carnivox, and though she could feel them, their last words raised a question.

"Carnivox' sister fought him." Her voice rasped out, trying to find sense in her own confusion. She wasn't sure if they heard, but in time she saw the god approach her.

"Is there anything you would like to say about what I found beyond your portal?"

What is this feeling? Distrust? Uncertainty? Bittersweet hope? And where is this silence in her throat coming from. Words and sentences would appear in her head, then get quickly erased.

"Much to say, but I can barely find the words.? She responded. "I'm sorry that you suffered in the heavens... and I wished you came to me so I could guide you... I had hoped that we all would go together to restore our true home, and bring back everyone who changed..." Her gaze shifted downward, and an amethyst tear fell.

 

[Belmarc]

Aen, 23,1

As flesh touched flesh, the blood boiled and cauterized the wounds, leaving scars even more clearly than even the ones made by marking Zareth's blade. He wasn't sure he could heal this, but he sure didn't want to. It was a part of him now. Just as the dragon was. Their souls were linked, he could feel it. He probed into the dragon's mind through their physical connection. It was easier than he'd thought it'd be. The dragon probed back. He could feel its feral instincts touch against his own, rubbing off on one another. Soon it would be able to feel on a deeper level, to think and rationalize. It would gain sentience. But not yet. For now, it was enough.

Aen considered the creature's mind for a moment. He couldn't keep calling his new ally and friend an it, nor could he continue calling it "beast" or "creature." It... he would need a name. The dragon's mind seemed to enjoy the prospect, and though he had a name amongst dragons, and a true name known only between the two of them, he would need another for those he was now peers of. Thinking together, they came up with something simple. Grix. He could sense the dragon's happiness at the name, a new feeling which Grix studied curiously. He was growing faster than Aen would have imagined.

Aen pulled his hand away, slowly, and slid off of his back. The emptiness hit him first, followed by a loneliness he hadn?t felt before, even in the darkness before all of this. He did not want to be separated from Grix for very long, and from the way the dragon nuzzled against him, he could tell even without the connection that he felt the same way. He patted Grix one more time, the connection barely a whisper of what it was earlier from this contact, and told him he'd be back for him. He had something else to do. Willing a glove onto his left hand to protect the rune burned into the palm, he left the cave.

"Carnivox!" Aen yelled down to the demi-god. He could tell what the beast-man was thinking. "You better not hunt them to extinction, you hear me?! And the one I've touched... until he reaches full maturity from our bond, you best leave him alone too. Then you two can fight and I'm sure he'll be glad of it, but not until then." Grinning, and with a gesture of goodbye, Aen set off. Picking out Zareth was easy, especially in the warm setting he seemed to be holed up in. He had to thank him for his help. And someone else... who just happened to be there as well. That was... convenient. And also unfortunate. No matter. He would have to swallow his pride and accept it. It wasn't long before he was at the Hall's entrance. Taking a deep breath, he opened the doors and stepped inside.

<spoiler=Actions>
Create a small of amount of something (1 glove), Effortless

 

[TheBlueShotgun0]

Pentar 29AP 2MP

Spoiler: The Legend of Erik the Strong

After his encounter with Pentar, Erik was forever changed. He had long had the urge to unite the Dwarves, but had never in his wildest dream thought that he would be able to. He still didn't think he could, but with a God by his side, he didn't see how he could possibly fail. A new conviction in his heart, he walked back to Loth Ringard with his head held high.

He started his quest early the following morning. For breakfast, he invited several of his friends and told them about his ambition to take the crown. But his friends were not convinced. After all, how could only a handful of Dwarves stand against the clans and their armies? Erik persisted, telling them that soon it would be more than just a handful, but his friends remained certain that he was mad. When one friend asked Erik where he got the idea, Erik knew that if he didn't make them aware of his meeting the day before, he would never gain their support. And so he told them about Pentar's appearance atop the mountain, but still the friends though Erik was insane. "I'll prove it to you." Erik said, and bowed his head in prayer. "Lord Pentar, hear my humble prayer." he said aloud. "Let a loaf or bread appear before me as a gift to these friends of mine." A moment after the prayer, a loaf of bread did materialize in the center of the table, much to the friend's astonishment. They apologized to the God of Order, and over bread and beer they swore themselves to Erik and began planning their next move. Thus were born the first Disciples of Erik.

The Disciples quickly swelled their numbers. Deliberately keeping the name of his clan a secret, Erik spoke before many Dwarves of all clans. During these meetings and rallies, which were kept secret from the clan leadership, he preached the need for unity among the Dwarves and denounced the Heads of the Houses for denying their people prosperity. Most were skeptical at first, but as the movement gained popularity, more and more Dwarves flocked to the call of the Disciples. Soon, Erik was the leader and hero of several thousand Dwarves across the mountain. Now Erik felt comfortable spreading their ideas into the upper class and leadership. Erik personally met with many nobles and business managers to try to bring them into the Disciples. He only targeted Dwarves he knew would support him, and most of who he spoke to did. The Disciples now not only had numbers, but influence as well.

When Erik was sure that he had gained all the support he could, he knelled in front of his modest bed and prayed to Pentar. "My Lord, I have gathered support for my cause. What shall be my next step?"

As the last words left his lips, Pentar's form appeared in the flame of the candle that lit the little room. After a brief exchange, the God instructed Erik to organize a meeting with the Heads of the Houses and have them relinquish control of Loth Ringard. The Dwarf protested, but Pentar silenced him with an up raised hand. "They will listen." Pentar assured him. "I'll be sure of it."

Pentar stood behind Erik's chair, invisible. As he had expected, the other Dwarves in the chamber, each the Head of their respective clan, were being difficult. The chamber in which they stood was the conference room of the old Royal Palace. Pentar remembered when this building had been rich and lavish, but now it only stood as a bare and broken monument of an age long past. In the court yard outside, several hundred of Erik's Disciples milled around, eagerly awaiting the outcome of the meeting.

In the room, Erik's only concern was whether or not he would live another day. The Head of the Gante, Furan, was in support of him, but all the other Heads detested the idea of unity. Neither Erik nor Pentar would put it past them to kill Erik here and now. "This is non-sense." said Devden of the Minakr for the hundredth time. "The current system has worked for millennium. I see no reason to change it now." The others nodded their agreement.

"But that's just it." Erik said, the motion of his hands expressing his enthusiasm. "It work's, but unity would work better. Think about our ancestors, how they carved out this city and raised Dwarfkind out of primitiveness. And all of it was under a single ruler."

"You've made this argument a thousand times." said Relvar, Head of the Intende. "Unless you have anything else to say, this counsel is done with."

"Fine then." Erik fumed. "If you won't listen to me, maybe you'll listen to your people." He got up and stormed to the balcony that overlooked the court yard. After a worrying glance at each other, the Heads of the Houses followed him. The crowd outside hushed as they saw their leaders approach. Erik faced the crowd. "Tell me Loth Ringard, do you want unity, or separatism!?"

"UNITY!!!" the crowd bellowed, nearly loud enough to shake the masonry beneath Erik's feet.

Relvar's face was contorted in anger. "Enough of this!" he shouted. He drew his sword and placed the tip against Erik's throat. "Let this child serve as an example for all of you." he said, addressing the crowd which now starred in horror. "Any last words, boy?" he spat in Erik's face.

"Put the sword down, mortal." said a calm but forceful voice from behind the Heads.

The seven Dwarves on the balcony turned to see the form of Pentar, in full armor, striding towards them. Although he wore an expression of calm indifference, anger radiated off of him. He approached Relvar, who still held the sword to Erik. "I said, put it down."

Relvar's face seemed to switch between several different emotions before finally settling on angry exasperation. "And just who in Evermoor are you?"

Pentar smiled. "I'm glad you asked." He marched past Relvar and Erik to look out at the crowd. "Relvar has asked me who I am!" he announced. "Your people know me by many names. To some I am the Mountain Father, to others, the Great Judge. Some believe I am real, but many more think I am but a myth. Let this, then, be a message to all Dwarves." He turned back to Relvar. "I am Pentar, God of Order, Justice, and the Creator of the Dwarves, and the 'boy' you now hold a sword to is my chosen prophet! So I beseech thy once more, lower the damn sword!"

Even as Relvar complied with his jaw agape, another Head spoke up. "Just how do you intend to prove this, 'Pentar'?"

Pentar raised an eyebrow at the Head in question. He was certainly a brave one. Pentar lifted his head to the ceiling of the great cavern. In one swift movement, he shot out his hand and send a lightning bolt towards the ceiling. It lit up the court yard brilliantly before dissipating harmlessly into the stone. He turned again to the Heads. "Can any Dwarf do that?"

The Heads only stared at the spot on the ceiling where the lightning hit. Pentar turned back to the crowd. "As I was saying." he began again. "Erik is not only my prophet, but the rightful king as well. He will lead your people to unity and prosperity!" The court yard erupted in applause. "And to cement his legitimacy, I give to him my hammer." With that, Pentar, with all his might and almighty power, knelled before King Erik with his outstretched palms holding a steel warhammer. Erik, in his awe, could only stare at Pentar for a moment before regaining his wits. He took the hammer with both hands and lifted it above his head. It was surprisingly light for it's size. Pentar raised himself again and stuck a fist into the air. "All hail King Erik the Strong!" he shouted, and the crowd burst into cheering and applause.

"Did you enchant them somehow?" Erik asked as he looked out on his followers.

Pentar placed a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't need to."

Spoiler: Actions

Create a small amount of something= Effortless

Create a +1 Item= DC 13
+4 Order
+4 Justice
+2 Government
+2 Lightning

Spoiler: The Hammer of Erik

+1 Lightning

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Eldarwen 20

She entered the dining hall, after making sure that most of the Battle born had flown of to do battle. She found Sonitus sitting with her feet on the table, eating out of a jar, though she couldn't remember them serving any such food. Eldarwen wondered where she had left Auctor, when she saw her seated in a chair with her head on the table. Auctor had not regained consciouness yet.

Eldarwen took a seat herself, on the far side of the table. Sonitus urges and affection for her mother made her slightly uncomfortable. The singer was licking her fingers clean of the black treacle that looked familiar, as Ailish had been eating the same stuff hours ago.

"Did you steal it?"

Sonitus shook her head, and put the jar down. "I did no such act and am shamed you would think so low of me. It was merely here when I showed up with my sister." She gestured to Auctor next to her.

Eldarwen picked up a green round fruit and ate it. She didn't know what Ailish's jar was supposed to do anyway, but it could be used to get the godess to aid them again. Was that blackmailing? Perhaps, but if she really wanted it back she would probably be willing to do whatever she asked of her. Was it wrong of her to do that to a friend? Were they allies then?

Sonitus moaned loudly, and stopped her from continuing her line of thought. "It just tastes so good, mother. You should try some." She climbed onto the table, and walked towards Eldarwen. The food fell onto the floor to make room for her. The servants would be pissed, but they were mortals, unable to do harm to the demigod. The singer tripped and fell, sending the jar of honey flying through the room. It didn't break, but some honey was spilled on the floor. A clear laugh resounded through the room, then Sonitus crawled the distance between them on her knees and hands.

"Mother, what are we going to do next? Your plans excite me. Can I fight the hunter again?" She stopped right in front of her and she could feel her breath against her face. Sonitus had honey on her lips and some on her fingers.

"I have ideas..." Her next action would require more power than she could bring forth on her own though. She did have the two demigods to help her, but Ailish and Zareth would probably be willing to aid her if she asked for it. "I may need to leave you in charge for a short while." It was hard to think that Sonitus would make a competent leader, but she shouldn't be gone for long. She wanted to see what had happened on the other planets and what the other gods had been doing, before chosing a course of action.

"I was hoping we had time for some love before that..." Sonitus put her fingers on her lips, leaving some of the honey before pulling away. She had no time for that, maybe the queen had been able to relax and engage in her beauty, but the godess did not.

"I am afraid not."

The singer pouted, but it soon turned into another smile. "Just a kiss before you leave?"

"To show our simple skill, that is the true beginning of our end."

They both turned to look at Auctor, who spoke and then raised her head from the table. She blinked in the darkness and yawned. The last time she had been awake the sun had been shining on her. Now, she had been awakened to a new existence, in the faint light of wisps. Her powers made themselves heard as she spoke.

Eldarwen wiped the honey from her own lips and got up on her feet. "If that is the price you ask of me, Auctor might be more suited for ruling in my absence."

She was younger, but appeared wiser.

"It is the price I'll ask of you until you pay it." Sonitus was faster than her, and before she could respond their lips met, like they had done so many times before. Eldarwen hadn't expected her to steal a kiss, but she teleported as soon as she noticed that she had.

Sonitus sighed, and got down from the table to sit in her mother's chair.

"You'll live a barren sister all your life, chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon." Auctor said.

A large purple fruit was thrown at Auctor in response.

---

Eldarwen spent the following days examining the planets, especially the one they called Evalon. The old Roe, which now had forests, even if they were weak in comparison with those on Eld. She would not bestow them with her blessing. There were too many mortals around here, and it was a threat to nature. The trees were already doomed, it was just a question of time.

She was pleased to see that someone had created flying beasts, which reminded her of the dinosaurs on Eld. No doubt they were a great asset to keeping the mortal population down. The whales that flew through space bothered her, and with this many mortals around it seemed apparent what she must do.

After she had returned to her palace to collect the jar of honey, she headed to the hallowed court to walk the first great forest again. She stayed away from the portal, as it was in the mourning garden. Both of her great gardens were tainted, one was filled with dead mortals and the other had been corrupted.

Eld had been a peaceful place for her to live for so long, then the machines had shown up. It was a nuisance. She found the ones she was looking for together. Eldarwen entered the Hall of Joy, with the jar of honey in her hands. She could give it back, but she could also use it to her advantage. There was a third god there, one she had not met before. He might be of use or he might be a problem, it was hard to decide by simply looking at him.

"So you have returned, Zareth. What madness drove you to go alone, I can not fathom." She turned to Ailish and made sure that she could see the jar she held. "And you left with haste, even though I offered you to rest in my home. What we forget can be of more importance to us than what we remember."

Eldarwen smiled slyly, it felt like a great day suddenly. "We've not met, thus I must ask who you are?" She said to the new god. If he was an enemy, she did not wish to speak of her business in his presence.

 

[Terratina.]

M'endaxius - 20/30 AP, 1/2 MP

The moon was a place of dark beauty, yes, but there was boredom to the found in the isolated rock. The same stream of starwhales and maturing Verr, the same patch of rock... M'endar groaned. There was naught to do. The Verr was its Patron Race, what more was left to done? The grand project was completed. A cloud of uncertainty hovered about M'endar. There was the matter of Vantric. He had left that question unanswered. Why go after the dwarves? There was no hostility between the races at present. Maybe it was just to spite Pentar. While M'endar understood, as Pentar, together with Seith, was the antithesis of itself, bringing order were it was not welcome and shackling those with the burden of government and laws.

M'endar scoffed at such foolishness and quickly banished any thoughts of the two, then preceded to teleport elsewhere. A change of scene was needed. It had been too long before it had visited the Hallowed Court. It had been at least an age since it had walked the garden and scooped up that lump of mud. Since it had took part in the battle against the Seven and imprisoned Darkness in its web of lies. With a thought, the same feet were on the same ground. M'endar walked around the building of the gods, Melanthios's library, Vantric's fortress, and even Seith's observatory. Then it stumbled upon another building. Its eye was drawn to the glow from inside the building. There were also voices. Now M'endar was interested.

It opened the door, ever so slightly and tried to get a glimpse inside or even a snippet of conversation...

 

[Doc Gnosis]

<spoiler=Dialogue between Aen, Ailish, Eldwaren, & Zareth>Zareth didn't bother to get up from his seat. This was turning into a real social gathering, he leaned back and spread his arms over the back of his bench, trying to get comfortable. "I had business to attend to. rights of the dead to see done." He said nodding at the fire. "You know, the usual."

Fantastic. Just fantastic. It was bad enough with Zareth there, but now there was another god, and this one was a stranger. How long was he going to have to stay in this awkward situation? Resisting the urge to sigh, as he didn't want to appear rude, Aen took it as punishment. He supposed this was nothing compared to what he'd put Ailish through. If she even cared. That didn't really matter though. What he'd done was wrong, and if this is what it took to make it right, so be it.

He studied the new god carefully for a moment. She was pretty, with a certain regal majesty about her, like she was used to being in control and listened to. It was different from the way Ailish felt. Or had felt. But she seemed trustworthy enough. "I am Aen. And you are...?"

Instinctively she clutched her hands for the familiar jar, only to find empty air. "You did not... you did not..." She mouthed out in disbelief to what she was seeing and more importantly what she was not feeling in her grasp. The first fear was great, but new concerns grew from the absence, and she focused on the green goddess.

"Did you partake of any of it? Did anyone?" Concern was obvious in her voice. It was important that she knew, or... strange things would happen. Others had appeared by then, and this took priority.

Eldarwen nodded in response to Zareth. "Oh, I know. We all have things to see to." The new god introduced himself as Aen, after staring at her for a short while. It was not unusual. "I am Eldarwen, queen of Eld and Nature." She answered him, Eld came before nature these days as all the planets were also part of it, but she had no time to look after all of nature.

Ailish seemed concerned about the jar, that was good and a weakness. If she had acted nonchalant about it, Eldarwen could have lost the advantage she thought she had. "I did not eat any of it." Sonitus had ate plenty though and then kissed her, hopefully it hadn't entered the goddess herself. "One of my daugthers did though."

If there was any color in the goddess' face, it had left her at those words. She silently cursed at this declaration. "I earnestly hope what she learns from it does not destroy her. It's supposed to bring knowledge, but at the expense of your mind."

Zareth just rolled his eyes. Every time Ailish was involved in something it ended badly for someone and yet still she clung desperately to the assumption that she was right about... everything apparently. "Because that's just a brilliant invention isn't it?"

"It brings knowledge of yourself!" Her focus now directed to Zareth and his arrogance. "For those who seem so far gone in this purgatory, it's that what we need the most!

Eldarwen smiled faintly. "Not to worry. The mind she had to begin with was nothing to brag about. A lovely voice, but..." She didn't voice her thoughts about her weakness for mortals, which was a great and exploitable weakness in any god. Zareth cut in, with a sarcastic tone she hadn't heard from him before. "I see nothing wrong with losing sanity at the expense of knowledge. If you knew everything there was to know, you'd go insane anyway."

Zareth had had enough Ailish's arrogance long ago, and was happy to snap. "There is no purgatory here but that which you have made for yourself!" He rose to his feet motioning all around him. "Look around you! We have made, worlds, people and homes to call our own! You say we came from somewhere else, that some of us have been here too long. But we all came into this world at the same time, we were there, we saw each other! Look at Eldarwen, she claims to remember a life before this one but remember her death and that of the world she was in! I put it to you that that is what you remember! That when you were made the memories of this goddess rose to the surface and you have clung on to them!"

Everyone seemed on edge, yet the fire continued to burn cheerily. It was so strange. Fighting might be something he loved, but fighting between friends was just frustrating, and sometimes tragic. This wasn't getting them anywhere. He had to thank Zareth and apologize to Ailish, yet doing either could offend the other if they were acting like this. And what were they talking about? Was that the thing he'd risked his life for? Was it so dangerous? Had he done something wrong by helping Ailish obtain it? Everything was so damn confusing.

Zareth had flown into a rage, something he hadn't expected from the death god. If only he knew what anyone was talking about, he could have an opinion. "Come on guys, can't we all just calm down and work together?"

He was picking up steam now. "The world you knew died and in denial you made it anew in the way you remembered it in its final days. You had the chance at a fresh start, something so few get. But instead you stay fixated on a memory, a picture of a time gone. A place which never existed to the rest of us and you call us fool! But the worst thing... you could have let those poor souls rest, but no. For your pride you brought them back and forced them to live in that hell! I saw what it did to the fire god I saw what it did to the mortals there! Every time you use your power some one else suffers because of it!" Suddenly he went cold. "I may be the god of death but you are the destroyer here."

Eldarwen had been able to hold back her laughter many times, among both mortals and gods, but not this time. She burst out laughing at Zareth's anger, but put her hand against her mouth and eventually calmed down. "The world beyond the portal can't be much worse than the universe the rest of you have created. There's vermin everywhere, schemes and wars will be the destruction of everything again. I'm happy that no one has made any real technological advancements yet, as that is the surest sign of the end. You dare to talk about my life? You claim to know anything about me? I'll tell you then, that there's no difference between this universe, the broken one and the one I was born into. They are all versions of purgatory. New start? No, I'll die and get born into a new version of this hellish existence. Who knows how many lives I've lead? I do not."

Eldarwen's outburst was the last straw. Even Aen's temper flared. "Are all of you such fools?! Who cares where we came from, or if this is where we belong, or if there is even any fucking purpose in this life?! It doesn't matter! You!" He turned on Eldarwen first, pointing an accusing finger. "You might be queen of whatever you've created or wherever you came from, but you are not queen here. You're a peer to the rest of us, and like it or not we're you're equals, so you better start treating us like it. You seem to think everything everyone else does is worthless, and that you're the only one who can do right. Get over yourself. You're no more perfect than the rest of us, regardless of whatever mortals think otherwise. And you!" It was Zareth's turn next. He didn't like yelling at his new friend but he needed a scolding as well. "Ailish is trying her best to do what she thinks is right. Maybe it's not working out but at least she's trying. She's no different than you, and you know it. She's willing to risk her life to do whatever it takes to save us, as she sees it. I would have thought you could understand that."

Aen turned last to Ailish. He really didn't want to yell at her, since he owed her an apology, but he could do that after. "Ailish... damn it Ailish you have to start thinking before you act. You can't just push what you believe on others, and you have to understand that you're actions have dire consequences. We're gods Ailish... gods! All this power in the palm of our hands. You have to be careful with it, or you could hurt the very things you're trying to help." Aen was running out of steam. He didn't want to fight these people. He wanted friends, companions. There were so few equals in this universe, beings that could understand him and the power he held.

The heavens did not die! A bony hand clutched into a fist. How could she explain these things to him? How could she tell him that the concept was impossible? That realms could not end? That they did remember and refused to draw from them. Her focus went back to Carnivox, and a cavalcade of thoughts ran though her head. Did the god look upon Carnivox' old form with revulsion? Did he think that she wanted to cause harm to him? Was love a distorted pain to others?

The words from Eldarwen and Aen sent made her mind drain out. All the fury she felt at the god's hurtful words rendered her numb, and thoughts could not make themselves as clear. Coiling tangents and exhausted feelings circled inside foolishly trying to grasp at things that were concrete. More tears fell.

"I have no words... We do the best we can... You've been the only one..." She finally rasped out.

Zareth motioned to the fire. Aen's words had calmed him down and knocked a bit of sense into him, the young god may be the wisest of them all. Still Ailish needed to hear these things or her delusions would lead to more people getting hurt. "No, not any more." He stated bluntly. "But death would have been a kinder fate. As Aen said, your way is not the only way. You may be trying to help one of our number died for your vision and another two nearly followed him. This flame is all that remains of Tsuronote... what I found of him in your realm does not bare repeating."

Eldarwen glared at Aen, and stepped closer to him. They were face to face. She thought about killing him for raising his voice at her, but he hadn't really insulted or shamed her with his words. She put her hand on his shoulder, with a grin. "It is as some say; A true friend will tell you the truth to your face - Not behind your back." It didn't ease her anger with him and the Ekiruru also had another adage which they used often. "You know what else they say? Better be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to hide it." With those words spoken, she headbutted him with force. Eldarwen noticed the presence outside the door after attacking Aen. "But I will not speak more here. Ailish, my offer still stands. Aen it was nice to meet you and you are welcome to my palace later." She kept the jar in her arms, she could give it back when they met again. "However, cowardice is not something I'll ever respect." Eldarwen was about to teleport, but stayed to listen if they had more to say.

Aen didn't flinch, nor did he reach for his sword. That was a challenge, maybe, but it wasn't one to be settled here. He nodded at Eldarwen. Maybe he'd have a sparring match after all. He did however, see when her eyes flicked to the door. Whatever was beyond it had made her wish to leave, and she had offered a place to speak in safety. He couldn't help but smile. A worthy rival.

But for now he had two things to do. Thank Zareth for his help (and probably smooth things over now that he thought about), and talk to Ailish. He'd made her cry, and all he'd wanted to do was make things up to her. This was a mess. Aen returned his attention to the forest goddess. "That sounds like a fine idea, Eldarwen." He gave her a knowing look before turning his attention back to his friends. "Zareth... I'll speak to you in a moment. I have someone I owe an apology to."

"Ailish..." There was nothing he could say to make it up to her. He sighed and hugged her, the way she'd done before beyond the veil. "I'm sorry, Ailish. I'm so sorry."

Eldarwen couldn't stand this meek show of emotion, and decided to leave as soon as possible, but first she turned away from the door to look at Zareth. "I'd appreciate if you display some kind of discretion if you come to my city in the future." It was the last words she said, before teleporting to the throne room, where she found Auctor on the throne.

There were no words she could say, but, "Thank you." looking right at Aen as she said it. She gave a gentle squeeze.

"Could you help me get back to Eld?"

Aen nodded, but released her. "Just a moment Ailish." Aen turned back to Zareth and clapped him on the shoulder. "Sorry about that friend, but I know you'd do the same to me if I'd been in your situation." He offered a smile, hoping Zareth would understand. He still had to thank the god for his help making Grix, but to say that while Zareth was upset might only be a sore spot. He'd have to be sure he was calm first. And he'd have to warn him about whatever was outside the door, without letting Ailish know, if possible. She seemed frail, emotionally and physically, and it would be best not to put her through anything right now.

Zareth smiled back, today was turning out to be more stressful than he was comfortable with. The fight was drained out of him after his excursion into the void and conflict was the last thing he wanted after it. This new political landscape was something he was unsure of, at least in Aen he had found an honest soul, one he could let down his guard around. He hoped.

"Think nothing of it friend. You said exactly what needed to be said."

Aen's smile brightened. His friend had understood. "And thank you for your help earlier. I am thankful, and I'm sure Grix is too." That solved one problem. Now for the other. Aen turned towards the fire, away from the door, and appeared to be watching the flames. He spoke quietly, his voice hidden from even Ailish under the crackling of the flames. Hopefully the outsider wouldn't hear it too. "There is someone or something at the door. That's why Eld left. There's more, but we need to find out who it is and what they want before we go any further." The smile never left his lips as he spoke, to avoid raising suspicion. "What do you suggest we do?"

Zareth's mood soured, who would have the nerve to try and spy on a group with their kind of power, were the knives literally coming out this soon? He moved to Aen's side, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Get Ailish out of here, she's in no state for violence." Her safety was paramount, whatever differences they had Zareth was sure they could be settled with words and he had no attention of letting anyone come to harm under his watch. "I'll deal with them." He whispered through the fire. "We'll continue this later!" He said loudly for the outsider's benefit.

Aen nodded and laughed for effect. "That we shall." Before separating, he whispered one more thing. "Though it didn't sound like it, Eldarwen invited you too. Make sure you show up." Clapping Zareth on the back, Aen moved back to Ailish, quickly so the outsider wouldn't have a chance to leave. He picked her up in his arms, careful with her fragile frame. "Hold on tight," was all he said and then he flit away. He followed the traces of Eldarwen through the cosmos back to her palace. He hoped there weren't any mortals there, because he certainly didn't know what kind of people lived there. In moments, they were there.

With the others gone Zareth didn't have anyone to worry about. He stood by the flame for a moment, warming his hands and gathering his thoughts. His hand moved slowly under his tunic, finding it's way to Midnight's hilt. Then with the speed only a god can display he slammed the great doors of the hall open, almost breaking them off their hinges.With his sword drawn he bore down on the interloper.

<spoiler=Notes>Terratina, methinks M'endar may be in some hot water.

 

[Arrogancy]

Vantric: 21, 1

Halfway across the world from the Lainir Empire, a pleasant day was underway. Overhead the sun cast a bright light, brilliantly illuminating the forests with a deep green. Birds began twittering from branches as a mild breeze picked up. It was difficult to imagine a better day.

A lainir pulled himself through the woods. Dosin collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. After a moment, he marshaled himself and pushed himself back onto his knees. From there, he struggled back to his feet and began walking. After thirty feet he collapsed again. Walking while suffering from dehydration, Dosin reflected, Was not a good idea. It certainly didn't help that he was wearing a full suit of heavy armor and had an open wound at his side. Dosin gave a wry smile. The armor that had saved him in battle after battle before would soon be the thing to kill him. He doubted he could even take it off if he tried, not as he was now.

Struggling to his knees, Dosin wondered whether it was worth it to get back up and try walking back. He stayed on his knees, weighing his options. If he got back up he'd probably die from exhaustion. If he stayed where he was, he'd bleed to death with certainty. Dosin thought back to his blade, he had abandoned it an hour ago, it was unnecessary weight. He should have abandoned it hours before, and he wished he had it now. At least that would open up some options. He could kill himself right then and cut the waiting, for instance.

Dosin was so wrapped up with his own thoughts he didn't notice the approaching figure, not until he opened his mouth to speak. "Now that's quite unfortunate." Dosin's eyes focused on the person before him. It was a lainir in a rich, dark cloak, probably an imperial official, he decided. It had been a while since he had seen one of his own people, they didn't leave the Empire often. Why was this one here? He wondered.

"It's quite sad to see someone like you in this position, Dosin." The figure continued, "To think, you had such a career ahead of you back home." If he had been in a better state, Dosin would have hit the man and marched off. He had spent too many years dealing with politicized underhanded nonsense back in the Empire to have it come back and harass him here. Especially not when he was busy dying.

"You could have been someone great you know? But I can empathize. You're not someone to sit still when you could be out in the field."

"What the hell do you think you know about me?" Dosin growled. It was difficult to sound threatening while suffering severe blood loss, but he thought he managed passably.

"Quite a bit actually." The lainir said, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Listen." Dosin said glaring at, "If you're here to tell me to come back to my old job in the military, you can forget it. If you want to kill me, then do it and get it over with. If you're here to help me then damn it, HELP! But do NOT just stand there and be condescending or I swear I'll kill you." He regretted losing his blade even more. It would have given that threat some teeth.

The other just simply smiled, knowing the threat was hollow. "Wrong on all accounts." He said, "Well, the helping you part was close to right. I'm here to offer you a deal, actually."

Dosin cocked his head to the side. "A deal?" The lainir nodded. "Listen you?What's your name?"

"Vantric."

There was a pause as Dosin considered what had just been said. "This is a joke right? You're mocking me because I can't get up and kill you, aren't you?"

"No, not at all." Vantric said, "I am your god, descended to speak. Specifically, speak to you." Dosin opened his mouth but Vantric cut him off, "I'm not proving who I am. I detest it when mortals think they can demand that we prove ourselves just to assuage your skepticism. We created you, you listen to us, not the other way around."

"So, I'm just supposed to believe that a god came down from on high to speak with me?"

"Yes, that's the general idea."

"I don't believe you."

"You don't have to." Vantric said, kneeling down to see eye to eye with Dosin. "You just have to listen to my deal."

Dosin eyed the god warily, "And if you aren't Vantric?"

"Well then I just helped you pass the last few moments of your short mortal life. In either case you should thank me really, most mortals aren't worth my time at all." Dosin said nothing. "Good. Moving on then." Vantric said with signature aplomb, "I find myself in need of skilled help. Someone effective, someone smart, someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty when need be. Also, it would be helpful if 'someone' in this case happened to be amenable due to circumstances of impending mortality."

"So you want me to help you?" Dosin asked, "If you want anything, I'll need healing. Fast. If not, I'll probably die before I can be of much use."

"Don't be so hasty Dosin." Vantric countered, "Don't try to play me like that either. I'm your god, remember? I taught your ancestors those tricks. Besides, you're no good to me as you are now. You're too frail and mortal to be of much use."

"Then what are you planning?" Dosin began to wobble a bit. How long was this going to take? How long could it afford to take? Vantric reached out and supported Dosin, keeping him from toppling over.

"The deal is simple. You pledge yourself to me for all time, and in exchange I give you eternity. You will transcend mortality and take your place at my side. You, Dosin, will become my new apprentice. It's quite an honor really. You should be happy."

Dosin took a moment to go over what was said. Vantric was supposed to be notoriously tricky and deceptive. He needed to buy a little time before he made up his mind. "Why come to me now?" He asked.

"You would have said no before now." Vantric answered, "Too stubborn to relent an inch. I needed to wait until you were?ready to accept a bargain like this."

Dosin?s eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by 'waiting'?"

"Waiting, Dosin," Vantric said, as if explaining to a small child, "It's the action of biding one?s time. I wait fairly often for things I want. And act when the opportunity presents itself. Sometimes I have to makes those opportunities appear."

"And did you do that with me?"

Vantric looked shocked, "Are you suggesting that I planned this? That I manipulated you away from your home? That I sent you across the world where you could find a war to fight? That I moved you so carefully that I sent you to a battle that would press you to your limits, not so that you would die, but just enough to almost kill you? And that I enacted this elaborate plot just advance my own plans?"

"Are you trying to say you didn't?" Dosin asked.

"I'm saying its irrelevant. Whether I did or did not move you into this position doesn't matter at the moment. What matters is that you are dying, and I can solve that problem. Now, you've had time to think about my offer. What's your answer?"

Dosin leaned forward a bit. His vision was starting to blur. He didn't know how much time he had left. "I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No, you do." Vantric corrected, "You can be smart and accept my deal, or you can be stupid and die at my feet."

"I?accept your offer." Dosin said grudgingly. "I swear myself to you. Now and for all time."

Vantric smiled, "Good, now, what that so hard?"

"More than you know."

Spoiler: History of Dison

Dison was far from the ordinary lainir. He grew up as the third son of a minor noble in the heartland of the Lainir Empire. His early years were fairly standard for any child. He grew up revering the Empire and the philosophy of achievement and ambition. Young Dison played with other children, focused intently on his studies, and constantly tried to show-up his siblings. It wasn?t until he began entering his teenage years that he began to drift apart from his peers.

At age thirteen, Dison began reading up on the Empire?s military history. His thoughts turned to warfare, and he began spending more time honing his skills in combat. The subtle, sophisticated life of politics didn?t excite him, and as soon as he was able, he joined the imperial military, hoping to make a name for himself. He shamelessly abused his father?s political connections to rise quickly through the ranks until he had secured a small command of his own.

Dison proved to be a ruthless and efficient commander, pushing his men as far as they would go, and further still. He employed his men in practicing new strategies he would come up with, constantly testing and refining them, preparing for every eventuality he could conceive of. During the imperial war games Dison showed his aptitude as a tactician, outmaneuvering and outfighting the competition. Strategic ability amplified his political power and he soon rapidly vaulted through the ranks.

At twenty nine Dison was a general in the imperial military, and a driving innovator in military tactics. However, he was also rapidly becoming frustrated with the imperial bureaucracy and the highly politicized nature of the Empire. The constant game of move-countermove that marked every high ranking part of imperial life was draining to him; it was a game he had no ability to play, nor any desire to. On top of that, the Empire itself was starting to bore him. Peace had reigned in the Empire for hundreds of years, the last serious rebellion had ended more than 700 years before and no outside force had the power to challenge the Empire, not in any serious manner. It gnawed at Dison, whose heart yearned for war, for a command that would fulfill his desires for combat.

Ultimately, Dison resigned his position in the military and decided to travel elsewhere, somewhere where he might find the battle he was looking for. The lainir had some limited and sporadic contact with the human tribes far east, and he decided to begin anew there. After arriving on the continent, Dison almost immediately found what he was looking for. He heard that war was brewing, and a human tribe, the Xin, was recruiting mercenaries to fight for them. Dison applied, giving his credentials as a former commander in the lainir military and skilled warrior besides. The Xin leapt at the chance to have someone like Dison on their side and he was hired on as a military advisor to the Xin campaign. He left with a detachment of Xin warriors a few days later, eager for the upcoming war.

With Dison?s aid, the Xin battalion made quick, steady progress against the enemy, repeatedly bypassing enemy columns and striking rapidly at unexpected times. Within a few weeks, Dison and his battalion were far ahead of the main body of the Xin army. The commanders felt uneasy being so far afield, but Dison urged them to stay and fight. They had defeated the enemy repeatedly on their own ground, and had proven their superiority on the battlefield. Dison proposed a radical strategy. Swing back east and break the enemy from the rear. It would cleave the enemy apart and, he assured them, clear the way for the Xin to strike as far into Wan territory as they wished. After a fierce debate, the commanders relented, Dison?s advice hadn?t led them astray yet. It was a colossal mistake.

As the battalion attempted to march against the Wan tribe?s rear flank, they quickly ran into a Wan battalion moving to reinforce the main military, that battalion was soon joined by two more, dispatched to hunt down Dison and the Xin. With few options left to them, Dison ordered the battalion to fight and cut its way past enemy. They failed. The Xin were overwhelmed and the battle quickly became a rout as the soldiers attempted to flee every way they could. Dison attempted to hold his ground and force the men back into line, but to no use. He too soon fled with the rest of the men into a nearby forest, but not before being struck by one of the Wan.

Dison ran as far into the woods as he could, separated from his allies with nowhere to go. He was doomed, until the god Vantric came. Vantric offered Dison a choice, to ascend to immortality and serve him for all time as a demigod, or to die slowly as a mortal. With few options, Dison took the former.

Spoiler: Actions

Action: Create demigod- (+6 Ambition) (+2 Murder/Assassination) Also, using a Mythic Point.

Domains: (+2 War)/(-2 Reckless)

 

[Pappytech]

Nivix - 26, 2

"So, this is Eld?" the chemister mused to himself as he alighted upon a tree branch. The scents of a thousand different flowers, blending into one harmonic aroma, surrounded him, and the far-away cries of unknown animals filled his ears. The tree he stood on, its wooden limbs long and mighty, was a veritable tower, stretching thousands of yards into the air, like a great finger pointing towards the sky far above. Below him lay a grand, sprawling landscape, crawling with wildlife and all sorts of plants. It was a natural paradise, a place bursting with life and song.

"Eh. I could have done it better," he remarked as he leaped forward, his icy-blue eyes scanning the ground far below him.

Had time allowed, he probably would have stopped to make a few changes to the landscape, anything to give the place a less boring atmosphere. As it was, he was here on strict business; there was no time to stop and play around with things, no regardless of how much fun it would have afforded him.

No, right now he had to check up on a very important experiment.

"Now where the hell did I leave those bastards?"

Assuming he could find it, anyway.

Cursing, Nivix soared here and there, scouring the landscape below for any sign of, well, anything. The tree canopy made it hard to see anything on the ground; there was only the odd clearing here and there, and those were barren of any signs of life or movement. How the hell anyone was supposed to find anything on this forsaken planet, Nivix had no idea. "This is what happens when you let the crazy ones have their way," he muttered with complete and utter sincerity. "You get entire worlds that do nothing but just sit there and look nice."

Floating in mid-air, the god sighed. Well, if he couldn't remember where he had planted the Mizzen colony, maybe he could detect them by scrying at random or something? It certainly couldn't hurt, and who knew? Maybe he'd get lucky and-

*CRUNCH*

...Or maybe he'd suddenly hear the sound of crunching metal and the shout of a few hundred warrior Ekiruru coming from somewhere to his right. That could always happen.

Wondering how he had missed such an obvious sign, Nivix descended towards the sounds of fighting. Parting any branches or vines that got in his way, the god didn't stop until he made it through the canopy and hovered a good distance above the ground, a smile spreading across his face.

The chaos that spread out before him was truly something magnificent to behold. An entire company of Ekiruru, some of them mounted on wyverns and other dinosaurs, was trying to wipe out the colony he had placed here a while back. Trying and succeeding, he noted; already most of the Mizzen had fallen to their exterminators.

It wasn't really like they'd stood much of a chance in the first place. This had been one of the smaller Mizzen groups, only numbering about 300, planted here to see if they could manage to eke out a living in an environment teeming with life and vegetation. The had only been alive for a matter of days, barely enough time to master the basics of life. Sure, they'd managed to build a few structures, master fire, and already had a rudimentary water-mill set up, but Nivix had hoped they would've gotten a bit further.

Their opponents, on the other hand, were full-blooded Ekiruru warriors. Trained to fight, burning with bloodlust, and armed with weaponry and massive mounts, they were truly a force to be reckoned with.

"Hmph. Not really much of a battle," Nivix commented dryly. It was more of a massacre then anything else, a wholesale slaughter of the Mizzen. Of the few hundred synthetics that had once lived here, barely thirty remained, all of them clustered together into one large clump of bodies and limbs. The Ekiruru, on the other hand, had barely taken any casualties; the god counted maybe five lifeless bodies, and only a handful of wounded ones. Eldarwen clearly hadn't been messing around when she made this race.

Still, this last group of Mizzen was refusing to go down easily. Though their hive-mind had been intended to mainly serve as a method to transfer information, they'd managed to find another use for it: battle strategy. With all of their eyes and limbs linked into a single network, every last one of them could see and feel the hundreds of foes that surrounded them, and react accordingly. Working as one entity, they managed to turn themselves into a wall of shields that could lash back with incredible precision and timing. Nivix couldn't help but cracke a grin as he watched his creations hold their own for a few rounds.

It didn't last long. Even alone, the Ekiruru would have undoubtedly been able to overrun the synthetics thanks to their skill and fury. With their mounts, it was even easier. There wasn't much a Mizzen could do against a wyvern five times their size, or a dinosaur large enough to swallow two of them at once. Just one of the titanic beasts would have been enough to break the formation; together, and under the Ekiruru's guidance, they crushed it.

Sighing, Nivix shook his head slowly back and forth. He'd have been a fool to expect anything different, but he was still a little saddened to see his creations destroyed so thoroughly by someone that wasn't him. Still, it wasn't like this little venture had been fruitless; he'd gotten some very valuable results about the Mizzens' structure and body composition. A few modifications here and there, and he ought to be able to improve output by-

"Hello," he said, peering down at the mass of destroyed machinery. "What have we here?"

A single Mizzen, still functioning by some miracle, was staggering from its shattered brethren. With sparks flying off of its exposed wiring and one of its limbs dragging along behind it, the synthetic stumbled forward like a drunkard, unwittingly headed straight towards a squad of Ekiruru, who, like Nivix, had only just noticed it. It didn't take an expert to see that the Mizzen was on its last legs; simply blowing on it would be enough to knock it over. The Ekiruru, however, were planning to do far more than that. One of them readied her spear, ready to lay the invader low once and for all. Shouting out some warcry, she lunged forward, her weapon aimed directly at her foe's chest... Only to have her attack suddenly deflected by the flamboyant man who had just appeared before her.

"Excuse me, ladies," Nivix said, a wolfish grin stretching across his face, "but I think I'll be stopping you there."

There was a flash of light and heat, not unlike a bolt of lightning. When their vision returned, the Ekiruru were startled to see that the interloper, and their mechanical enemy, had vanished.

[hr]

"Oi, Eldar!" Nivix roared as he teleported into the goddess' throne room, a smile etched into his face and a nearly catatonic passenger in tow. "Gotta say, your plant people are really something to see! That much ferocity and skill, incredible! And those beasts! Love the design choices you've made; talk about fantastic!"

Laughing out loud, the chemister barely noticed as the sole surviving Mizzen, barely able to process this most recent of events, toppled over. "Thanks for your help with testing this guys," he said, nudging the twitching pile of scrap with one of his feet. "It really helped me find some flaws with their design. Can't believe I didn't notice that joint thing until now..."

Spoiler: Actions

Teleporting to Eld: Effortless.
Teleporting to Eldarwen's throne room, with one Mizzen in tow: Effortless.

So, just to summarize, the Mizzen on Eld have been all but exterminated (Nivix has the only survivor with him), and Nivix is currently busting in on... Whatever the hell is going on in the throne room.

 

[Floris2123]

Melanthios 18AP, 1MP

Melanthios reappeared on Salustutis. He could feel that the part of himself, that he had send to Nivix, was still busy talking to him. Melanthios looked around and felt that Akladai was gone, he was no longer on the planet. "How strange." Melanthios said as he walked towards the palace. It was one of the most impressive palaces he had made, but because there were so few Dues Filli it seemed a bit silly to use it. Still Akladai had chosen that to be the place where he would reign from, together with an yet to be found king. Melanthios walked inside to find an Dues Filli giving orders, and instructing people on their tasks. Melanthios watched from a distance, he was intrigued by this young Dues Filli. He seemed to be around 18 years old, but somehow he got everyone to listen to him. even the much older and wiser Dues Filli seemed to respect and listen to him.

Eventually all the other Dues Filli left the room, they went to their assigned tasks. The young Dues Filli sat back in his chair, he seemed a bit tired but also happy. Melanthios walked towards the young man, and he gave him an applause. The man looked up, as soon as he spotted Melanthios he looked shocked. "Greeting young one." Melanthios said looking at the man. He stood up and bowed before Melanthios. "I uhh.. This isn't what it looks like." Melanthios laughed, "Raise your head young one, you are not in trouble."

The man looked up, he still seemed a bit scared. "Now tell me what is your name?" he answered "My name is Maeglin, Melanthios." Melanthios thought about what to do with Maeglin, he suddenly had an idea and asked. "Maeglin I could see that you are a born leader, would you be interested in leading the Dues Filli?" Maeglin looked surprised, as he answered "I would want that more then anything else in the world." He spoke with passion. Melanthios replied "In that case, I offer you a change. A change to become my second son and to stand besides me, to lead the Dues Filli for ages to come." Melanthios stretched his hand out "I offer you the throne of the Dues Filli, and a change to become an demigod. What do you say Maeglin? Will you stand beside me for the rest of your life as my son?"

Maeglin grabbed Melanthios hand and shook it. "I promise to serve you, for the rest of my life! I will lead the Dues Filli to greatness! And I will always be loyal to you, no matter what happens I will always serve you. The only true god Melanthios!" Melanthios laughed surprised by the young man. "Calm down Maeglin, even if you had only said I will be loyal I would have accepted you. Now kneel before me, I will perform the ritual." Maeglin kneeled before Melanthios.

Melanthios quickly send a message to his allies before continuing. "Greeting brothers, I humbly request your help with creating my second apprentice. I would be very grateful to you if you aided me." Melanthios began to gather the magic, required to turn Maeglin into a demigod in his hand. He felt all of his knowledge being sucked into the magic, it felt as he if was being drained. He placed his hand on Maeglin head and used all the power he could gather to try and turn Maeglin into a demigod.

Spoiler: Actions

Sent a message to Vantric, M'endar, Zareth.
Difficulty: effortless

Turn Maeglin into a demigod
Difficulty: 15
Usage: 6 AP
Domain: Arcane magic +6 Wisdom +4 War +2

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Eldarwen 20

The battle born had been told to leave the room for a few minutes, as she expected her guests to arrive any moment. Auctor seemed at home in the throne. She had no idea where Sonitus was, but knew that she would be helpful right about now. Eldarwen summoned her daughter to her side, when Aen and Ailish appeared in the room. She smiled and was glad that they had taken her up on her offer so soon.

Nivix teleported into the throne room shortly after, and complimented her on the Ekiruru, but the reason he knew anything about them made her furious. A fist made out of roots rose from the floor and picked up the vermin he had brought with him.

"They truly are magnificient. Which is why no more vermin is needed on this planet." The hand squeezed the Mizzen, which made loud crunching noises as it was crushed, an example of what would happen if any more were found anywhere. "Ever." The hand dropped the pieces of the last one. "If any were to be found... Well, I don't think you want to share their misery."

Sonitus walked through the tree portal with a sad face. "Mother, I was having fun with the..." She knew how her mother felt about mortals, so she didn't finish the sentence.

Eldarwen turned to Auctor. "Make sure Nivix finds his way off the planet."

She headed off into one of the corridors between the throne room, and gestured for her guests and Sonitus to come with her. Eventually they found themselves outside one of the palace's many rooms on the top floor, it didn't look much different from the rest. She had brought Sonitus with her to keep an eye out for those who were brave, or dumb enough to spy on them. Sonitus began to sing, and sat down with her back against one of the doors in the corridors.

Eldarwen opened the door and went in after the others. It was a dark room, which looked a lot like a forest and running water could be heard. There were no chairs, but the ground was covered by a very soft and thick moss.

"I think this is room is safe enough, and Sonitus is mapping the corridors on this floor with her voice. She should know if someone came up here. Her singing should prevent anyone from listening in, if we don't yell."

The queen sat down in the moss.

 

[Pappytech]

Nivix - 23, 2

Nivix stood still for a moment, not noticing the coil of roots that began to ensnare his passenger. "They truly are magnificient. Which is why no more vermin is needed on this planet."

Vermin? Nivix thought, raising an eyebrow.

"Ever."

It was only then that the chemister spotted the peril that was about to befall the unconscious Mizzen. "Haha, yeah no," he spat as he raised a palm, pointing directly at the fist that rose up from the floor. "Not gonna happen."

There was a burst of flame and pressure, and the fist was reduced to so much ash, its target untouched.

"Ya see, Eldar," Nivix muttered though gritted teeth as he slung the Mizzen over his shoulder, "I don't give a damn if you wipe out the mass-produced models. That's fine, go right ahead and knock yourself out. But," he hissed, his eyes starting to spark with rage, "if you ever, EVER try to destroy one of the ones that I've taken notice of, like this one here, your entire world is going to burn. Just thought you ought to know."

Growling at the goddess' retreating back, the madman turned to shoot a wide grin at Auctor. "Don't bother with little old me," he said, his tone rapidly shifting from enraged to cheerful. "I think I can find my own way off this hunk of dirt."

Turning about, Nivix walked out of the throne room and wandered through the twisting corridors until he managed to find an exit. Preparing a teleportation spell, the god suddenly paused, a wicked smile slowly stretching across his face. He had a wonderful idea, you see. An awful idea. Nivix had a wonderful, awful idea.

Warping back to the site of the battle, the god was happy to see that the Ekiruru warriors were still there. "Let's stir up a little conflict," he muttered, preparing a spell.

So his Mizzen were vermin, huh? Just pests and annoyances, things to despise and destroy? Hmph. Fine then.

"So what happens if I reduce your precious followers to vermin, huh Eldar?"

There was a flash of light.

Nivix, not bothering to stick around, teleported back to his lab. He had a lot of work to do, if he was going to keep this one from dying on him.

Spoiler: Actions

Conjuring up a fireball to counter Eldarwen's root fist: effortless
Teleporting back to the battleground: effortless

Cursing the Ekiruru warriors by fusing them with the fallen Mizzen: DC 9, 3 AP
+6 Knowledge, + 2 Magical Artifice

Nivix is collecting the ruined bodies and Sparks of the Mizzen and forcing them into the bodies of the Ekiruru, making some kind of cyborg-plant people hybrid I guess.

 

[Arrogancy]

Vantric: 21, 1

He reached out and touched the soul of Dosin with his power. That, fortunately, was still anchored to the lainir's frail mortal body. Good. Vantric cracked his knuckles, it was time to get to work. As he focused his powers onto the mortal, he felt a tingle in the back of his mind. Someone was trying to contact him. He frowned. Who was it? He was a busy god and there were too many plots to be undertaken.

Power began entering into Dosin, encircling his soul while helping shed and remake his mortal frame. Dosin howled in pain. Vantric drew his focus away from the dying mortal and onto the message he was receiving.

"Greeting brothers, I humbly request your help with creating my second apprentice. I would be very grateful to you if you aided me." Melanthios's voice echoed.

Vantric smiled. It seemed that everyone was crafting their own little followers. "I'm in the process of crafting a protege of my own. Vantric telepathically replied. "I will lend you my power, if you help me in the creation of my own apprentice." He conjured up some additional energy. Melanthios would have his aid on his quest for power.

Spoiler: Actions

Assist: Send power to Melanthios crafting demigod (+4 Secrets)

 

[Dogmatic99]

Zareth and M'endar

The doors shattered with the sheer force that the god gave it. M'endar just stood there, being battered like a leaf in a gale. Nevertheless, it was over quickly. M'endar just stood there, looking a little unamused as its eye fell on the blade pointed at it. M'endar looked down, smiling as Zareth came into sight. It brushed off the remaining splinters and said, "I never knew death gods were so jumpy."

Zareth lowered his blade, the look on his face a mixture of confusion and relief. "M'endar? What are you doing here brother?" He scanned the area, checking to see if it wasn't someone else the other gods had been talking about. "Were you listening in on us?"

It was glad to see that Zareth's anger had left him. But the cocktail of emotions was not welcome either. Why the confusion? M'endar was an ally and a brother. Best to blame that on others... Zareth had been a little.. absent in the past age that desired. The god's form dissolved and the rest of the splinters fell to the ground. Then M'endar replied, "I decided to take a little walk around the Court. I heard voices from this building and looked in to see who it was. Seeing as you were in a meeting of some sort, I chose to wait politely by this door until you were finished with your business with them."

Of course, it made perfect sense. M'endar had never been the most extroverted of the gods and it had been so long since Zareth had seen his brothers, perhaps M'endar thought he didn't want to see them.

?Well that was very polite of you brother.? Zareth said, putting Midnight back in its scabbard. ?But frankly I would have loved your presence in there. Things were getting? unpleasant.? He grimaced.

?It?s good to see you brother, it?s been too long.? Zareth placed an arm around M?endar?s ?shoulder?. Seeing his brother again has lightened his mood. ?Come, I?ll join you on your walk if I may. I could do with some relaxation.

M'endar chuckled. Partly from relief, partly from joy from seeing that Zareth still was a friend. As it was laughing, M'endar responded, "I don't envy you! You could hear the shouting from the stretches of the garden!" M'endar almost collapsed into a fit of laughter, but Zareth's support made sure that didn't happen. It calmed down and afterwards, it said, "Come then, I doubt you want to go back in there again after that."

"Never, never again." M'endar's laughter was proving to be contagious. The two of them strolled through the court at a casual pace, taking in the familiar sights. "Do you remember when we first arrived here? Things seemed so much simpler then. We had a whole universe in front of us." He was starting to get wistful now. "Do you ever wish you could go back and do things differently?"

The conversation had taken a different turn. With the mention of the past, memories flooded through M'endar's head. Awakening in a corner of the new born universe... Strolling among the other gods relatively unnoticed... M'endar cleared its throat, as the thought of that one regret caused tingles that its spine. "I wish... I wish that I could have acted sooner." Leaving that in the air, he turned to Zareth, ready to hear his.

Zareth nodded in silence. He thought he might understand what M'endar meant but recent events had taught him not to presume to know the workings of his peer's minds. M'endar had shared with him; it was only fair he did the same. "I think, perhaps I should have acted slower." His mind went back to the fight with Despair, to the world Ailish had made and all she said of the things from it. He knew now that freeing Car from his form would have concequenses, violent ones probably. But that was one thing he would never call a regret.

Bringing that line of conversation to a close, M'endar replied, "But those are acts that are in the past." It stopped walking for a bit to stretch, giving off a casual air. Much had happened, and that was that. What was much interesting was seeing what would happen in the future. Vantric was the god with the plans, in contrast, M'endar itself held the opinion that chaos would endeavour to interfere, and besides, planning around the other god's plan sounded like a headache anyway. M'endar then enquired, "But what of the future, I wonder?"

"Interesting. The future will be interesting I have no doubt." Zareth chuckled. Things were heating up among the gods and he had no doubt that someone was going to pay for it. The mortals had an expression. 'You've got to laugh or you'll cry.' Well Zareth was determined to laugh. What better way to honour Tsuronte's memory?

M'endar didn't exactly know what the chuckling was about, maybe a scheme or just simply laughing at the infinite possibilities that lay ahead. Then a familiar voice rang through its head. It was Melanthios, asking for assistance for another apprentice. A scowl appeared on M'endar's face, it would have to think of getting one for itself soon. But at almost every minute there was a rumble as more and more demigods were created. M'endar's mood had shifted with that thought. It was time to leave. It bid Zareth farewell, "Yesss... Now I go off into it. Thank you for your time. You have helped me think about things. Even though it is totally unknown, another meeting between us will be a certainty, no doubt."

"I should hope so." Zareth said, waving his brother goodbye. By the looks of things M'endar had heard the same message. Melanthios was always busy with some project. Zareth sent a wave of age defying energy through space to help his brother out. With everything done there Zareth made his way back to Evermoor, a place where people were always pleased to see him. He spent a while conversing with some of the livelier dead in by the seaside at Nos when he realised he'd forgotten something.

Aen, I trust you're well wherever you are. Don't worry about the situation at the hall, just a misunderstanding.

He had hit a rough patch but Zareth was sure things were on the up.

Spoiler: Actions

Assist Melanthios in making his demigod: +4 Age

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Eldarwen 13

As they walked, Aen kept thinking about that strange god they'd seen, and how Zareth might be doing. He was worried about the death god, though he knew he could handle himself. If he was needed, Zareth would call. The other one though, what was his name again? Nivix, right. He was... eccentric to say the least, and probably unstable, but interesting. He made a mental note of him. He had so many gods left to meet.

Of course. Meeting gods. He should focus on one at a time, meaning the one before him right now. The room was strange, but looked soft and safe, so Aen set down Ailish down gently on the moss before sitting down himself. He could still hear the demi-god singing outside. She was definitely beautiful, and from what he could tell her looks were only bested by her voice, which was prettier still. He wondered if she had any other talents.

Distracted, again. There was too much on his mind for this meeting, but he'd have to push through it. He turned his focus to Eldarwen. She'd hit him before leaving, yet invited him to treat with her. Whatever she'd have to say would be interesting enough to hold his attention, he hoped.

"Alright Eldarwen, you've called us here and we've come. You want something from Ailish, clearly, but you also must want something from me. I'd like to hear it, rather than play the game of words. I hope you are of the same mind, since you went through all of this trouble to make sure what you said would go unheard and unknown.

Visions blurred again, and the goddess found herself back on Eld. Aen had placed her down somewhere, but her gaze was intently focused on the direction of the green goddess, the jar of honey, and most importantly the 'daughter' who ingested of it. If anything could've been gleamed about the woman in question from Eldarwen, it was that she had a low opinion of her. Please don't turn this into a fight.

"Where is she? Where's the one who tasted the honey?" Her voice rasped at Eldarwen.

Eldarwen nodded at Aen. "Yes, let's not mince words but get straight to the heart of the matter instead." Ailish asked her about Sonitus, and she wondered why as they should all still be able to hear outside in the corridor. "She is just outside, doing what she was always the best at." She paused and hoped that they would not turn down her offer, especially after what Nivix had done she needed more allies.

"We had to leave because someone was spying on us, and there are several gods who has already forged allegiances which they swear to uphold. I think it would benefit us to do the same. Aen, you are new and might not be welcomed among the others like you would if you had been there at the beginning. Ailish, I can't imagine that the others are happy what with you've done. You saw and heard how Zareth reacted, who I'd still like to think of as good, but he associates himself with shady individuals. It was probably one of those listening outside the hall before. I would be willing to help each of you with your goals, if you do the same for me. What do you say?"

Eldarwen put the jar down between her and Ailish, to show that she was serious, but not too far away so she could still snatch it back before the godess.

Her hand made no move towards the jar that was before her. Eldarwen's words were replayed over and over in the goddess' head, trying to understand what she was being asked; sentences formed, and promptly erased inside as she tried to find something to say.

"I will help you regardless, but as I had said to Seith, we would be fighting over purgatory." She fought her hand trying to grasp the jar, wanting to hear more of what the green goddess' wanted to say to her. Her gaze went towards the exit where the daughter was.

"Could I speak with her? She needs to be safe from herself."

Aen looked away from Eldarwen, away from Ailish. He stared off into space and listened to the flowing water. He thought about what he knew of Eldarwen. She was... morally ambigioius, yet fierce, strong, and proud. He certainly respected her, and admittedly found himself enjoying her company, though much of it had been spent talking business or yelling. But did he want to swear himself to someone's aid so surely? It was dangerous. It wasn't betrayal he was worried about. At least, not from someone else. Aen took a deep breath before speaking.

"... an alliance sounds helpful. Compelling, even. However, as interesting as you are Eldarwen, a few things you've said worry me. You speak of Zareth as if he wouldn't be a part of it. If I've developed a fondness for anyone so far, it would be him. You're also violent and forceful, which while I don't necessarily look down on, I'm a little worried about. I can't promise you aid in everything you do, because frankly I'm not sure what your limits. That being said, I don't mind your friendship, and I will spring to your aid asked for or not, if I believe your cause is right. I'd really hate to see your soul ripped from this world, truth be told, and I'd like to see you kept alive. I just can't swear myself to your service in all things you do. To do so would be foolish." Aen frowned. He really didn't want to upset the goddess, but he felt his answer would not be something she would be happy to hear.

Eldarwen turned to Ailish first. "The fight for your broken heavens will surely come too, but you are right. We would be fighting over this hellish plane." Aen was worried about Zareth not being part of the alliance, and she shook her head, but smiled at the rest of his words. "Zareth has been able to get into many alliances I'm sure, his friendly nature makes him wanted by many. He is my friend as well, and the father of two of my children. He doesn't need to be part of any alliance, as no one wants to see him gone. Your words are wise, Aen and I can understand if you only want to help me in actions that you believe just. Though I will in turn do the same. Then I suggest, that at the very least we come to the protection of each other, should the others wish to harm us with words or action."

Aen half smiled. She'd said she'd get right to the chase, and he trusted her, but a few words said here might mean a lot later on. "I would expect nothing more of your help than only aiding me where you felt it right. And I will do my best to make sure you do not die again."

"Could I speak to her?" she repeated again, her voice now insistent. "Things may be changing for her very soon, and it's important that she does not go mad from the rapture."

"I hope that this alliance will be the greatest then and wish you well my friends." She didn't mention how she thought she'd eventually die anyway. "Of course, Ailish, but first I ask both of you for help with creating a shield. I can't create it myself, due to its size."

Eldarwen proceeded to raise a blackened tree in the middle of the room, and in the same moment a purple aura began to spread around the planet. It was meant to warn her and stop intruders from entering the planet, for the rest of the future. The only way in and out undetected would be through the tree portal and it was on constant guard.

A hand reached for the tree, and she recalled the old one she met when she first came to the planet. There used to have been a deep fear of himself before she convinced him otherwise. Whe had wondered if that was what all trees like him felt - that for their growth they are choking their charges' life. She had saw a bit of the old tree, what it could be, an its anxieties.

If this was meant to be a shield, the tree's lot would be the loneliest one. With one touch, she imparted her words.

She has chosen you to protect Eld, but this burden is not yours alone. Feel out your kin, each have felt a void in their hearts, but you can now fill it. You and your people deserve to feel.

Eldarwen wanted protection for her planet and her people. That was to be expected, really, and it was her duty as a ruler. Aen saw no harm in it, and the cause certainly seemed just. Besides, it would be sour to promise help and not give it the first time it was asked of him. So conjured a knife into his hands and sliced into his right hand, over the mark from making Zareth's blade. It was a new mark this time, and would help shield her planet as she asked. It would also let him act as her shield, for if someone tried to breakthrough with significant force, it would alert him so he could help defend it. The magic of the rune filled him as he decided what he wanted to do with it. He concentrated the power into his right hand and pressed it into the bark. The wood smoked as the rune was burned into the tree.

The queen grinned as they helped her. This would benefit her and make sure no one entered her planet again. "Thank you friends. You are free to stay here. Ailish, you can have the jar back as a show of good faith. Sonitus waiting outside." Eldarwen wanted to see the shield from the ground.

Meanwhile

Auctor had done as her mother asked of her and made sure that Nivix left the planet, though he had sworn to affect her fellow Ekiruru in some way. She knew that she couldn't stop it, and that telling Eldarwen would only end in a war or worse.

She didn't want the destruction of her planet, but she didn't want the Ekiruru to be cursed to torment in a second form. Not after they already had the wildlings.

Auctor summoned a scroll, as she felt his powers begin to take form on them. She thought that she could prevent the worst from happening, but maybe that was just foolish. Only time could tell. She opened up her veins and began writing on the scroll.

Not what nature would want.
Not what technology needs.
What you deserve.
Emergence.
Synthetics.

The last word felt very foreign to her, though something told her she would hear it many times in the coming ages of mortals and gods.


<spoiler=Action>DC 17. Create a shield around Eld to warn Eldarwen of intruders and make sure no mortals can enter through the atmosphere.
+6 Forest, +4 Nature magic, +2 Magical Artifice.

Assists:

Ailish
+8 Lore, & +4 Love.
Drawing all the Ents together with the one black tree

Aen
+6 combat, +4 runic, +2 chivalry

Assist Nivix.
+2 Words. The gathered battle born will become synthetics, similar to the borg. They can take other Ekiruru into their ranks.

 

[Doc Gnosis]

<spoiler=Dialogue between Ailish and Sonitus>She gave thanks to the green goddess, clutching the jar of honey, and gaze returning to where the taster resided, according to Eldarwen. Of course movement was still really difficult in this body, and the faith had not been refined yet. The legs were these spindly weeds and the bony arms did nothing to balance her top heavy form. Lot of times she fell over as she walked, with getting back up becoming a common occurrence. "How did Alf do it?" She muttered to herself in trying to process the raw faith.

In time she made it outside, clutching the door. It wasn't too long before she found the daughter in question; the one who fought with Carnivox. She seemed far away, but she hoped the daughter could listen.

"Are you the one who partook of the honey?" She hissed tentatively, an arm obscuring the jar in her robes.

Sonitus had stopped using her voice to check the corridors for intruders, when Eldarwen had passed her by. She thought about getting back up and visiting Evalon again, but before she could finish the thought one of her mother's friends came staggering towards her, asking about the honey. "That I am." She had no reason to lie about it. "Do you have any more to share?"

Oh, dear... Her eyes closed, reeling in seeing a potential problem happening before her.

"Who are you? What did you hope to find in it? Do you know what it is?"

"It is I, the great Sontitunes." She sang and laughed. "I thought I introduced myself before fighting my brother." The question about what she hoped to find made little sense to her. She didn't need a reason to act and it seemed that even if she had one then, it didn't make itself known now. "The taste that pleased a goddess? Do I need to know what something is, to enjoy it? No."

Internally, she sighed. She was torn between telling her of the Honey of Sin - and trying to sculpt some modicum of restraint, or learn as much as she can of her - and curb the honey's effect. Whatever she learns of herself may change her.

"It was supposed to be for knowledge." She said, trying to meet both. "A special knowledge."

"Ah, I was never one for studying. A beauty in two ways, my body and my voice, but no..." It made her a bit sad that some thought less of her because she wasn't as smart as some. "not one that would appreciate knowledge, prone as I am to giving in to my urges."

"And what are those... urges?" Please let it be something positive.

"Food and alcohol and drugs? My favorite is still lechery." She would have tried flirting with the goddess in front of her, but she wasn't attractive by any means.

An ecstatic... Something with a lack of inhibitions may spell trouble with the honey... Then again she wondered if it will have any affect on her. Sometimes the honey's rapture worked in subtle ways; instead of the raving lunatic, one would have a perception cracking.

"Does any of it give you joy?"

Joy? Why shouldn't it give her joy? She felt uncomfortable thinking about it. "Of course it does. Why would I do it otherwise!?" Sonitus shouted, kind of surprising herself.

Oh crap... She found something that was sensitive to this Sonitunes. This is going to be painful...

"I apologize for asking. There were few of us who were given purpose and powers who felt fulfilled by them. My hopes were to bring your people back to your true home, yet they fall upon deaf ears... At times I wonder if I'm causing more harm than help."

"Why worry about it?" She asked her, as she certainly didn't care about causing harm to others. It could be considered playing, or she had been told by her pretty mother to do it. "Do what you want."

A tranquil fury came over the goddess.

"It is not just my consequences that plague me, but what others saw in my actions... For my attempts to recover our true home, my fellows see it as a hell not worth saving. I had released monsters according to them; horrors that they now call kin. I would be dragging you all back kicking and screaming according to the others!" She calmed down, trying to recollect her thoughts.

"Sometimes it feels like others refuse to understand the plights of others; seeing them like all the woes of this world are on your head. I don't want you to face that same ostracisement"

Somehow she was reminded of how her mother saw her now. When she had been alive she had loved her, even if she hadn't been loved back. She had shared everything about herself with her, but now she barely cared about Sonitus. "That may be too late, for me." Auctor had been the first one to point it out. "I don't care what you think or what they think, but I did have someone I cared about..." Maybe she would have been happier if she had remained dead. "As for what you did, if they don't want to listen, you're probably better off alone." She couldn't understand how a god must feel about it, as she had once been accepted and loved among her kin. There were many who still loved her, but they felt inadequate. "I can come with you, if you restore it."

If she had a mouth, it would be open at Sonitunes' words. Not since Roe or Aen did she hear such sadness. Or such kindness. The daughter needed a hug and who was she to deny that?

Her arms grasped around Sonitunes in a gentle embrace. "Thank you."

She wasn't sure what to think about the sudden hug, but hugged Ailish back. "No problem I guess..." It felt peculiar. Sonitus wanted to make another song about it, to sing to her mortal friends, but that was her reaction to almost everything.

She had been like this for a minute before letting go. She looked into her eyes - or where they would be behind that headdress.

"I wish you the best Sonitunes." She said before making her way back inside, stumbling and falling at each step.

 

[Floris2123]

Melanthios 18AP, 1MP

Melanthios could feel his allies aiding him, a smile appeared on his face. Suddenly a voice spoke in Melanthios head, it was Vantric's. "I'm in the process of crafting a protege of my own. I will lend you my power, if you help me in the creation of my own apprentice."

Melanthios smiled and replied with. "Of course I will help you my friend. I would have helped you even if you hadn't helped me. That is what friends are for." Melanthios focused his magic into an orb, he then teleported that orb to Vantric. It would serve as starting point, from which an demigod could be created.

Spoiler: Action

Sent a message to Vantric
Difficulty: effortless

Aid Vantric with creating a demigod
Domain: Arcane magic +6 Wisdom +4

 

[Terratina.]

M'endaxius - 14/30 AP, 1/2 MP

It stood on the moon again. It felt thunderclaps through the universe as more and more demigods were created. Melanthios's message was clear and so with a simple flick of the fingers, it send chaotic energy to assist. Two burst for two demigods. Both Vantric's and Melanthios's. Afterwards, M'endar sat down on the barren ground and thought for a while. What would it choose a champion for itself? Others had wasted no time, giving their power freely to their favoured mortals.

M'endar sighed, it could wait. This over saturation of champion and the recent increase in hostility between the other gods might led to all-out war. Let them have it, for M'endar will be but a shadow on the sidelines. Watching and waiting for the right moment to seize power while the others dished it on their rivals. M'endar smirked. Seith would have a fit if that happened. For once, it was glad that it knew so few of the gods. Even the new voice it heard in the Hall of Joy was filled with rage.

A thought occurred. It would need a safe place to be, but the surface of the moon was open to others. How about underneath? The train of though suddenly sped up and went on overdrive. A network of tunnels would led to a sanctuary inside the core of the moon. For all its beauty, it was just an oversized, barren rock that orbited around Evalon. This would change that. However, it would be a risky venture. But the other gods would be happy to help, as M'endar had aided them in the past, or so it hoped.

Regardless, M'endar started the process creating this new nexus, sending a message to Zareth, Melanthios and Vantric at the same time,

"Brothers, I beseech you now to assist with my endeavour, as this will be a proper venue for our meetings, and more..."​

The surface of Oculus Obscuritatis cracked as tunnels carved out the inside of the moon. It shook as a great cavity was formed in the core and a building took form.

As it would be a place of safety and peace, it was named as such: Umbraculum - the shady retreat.

Spoiler: Actions

Introduce a major change to the moon's structure - DC = 15

Spoiler

[small]Umbraculum, at the centre of the nexus of tunnels.[/small]​

Bonus(es) - Chaos, [+4], Deception [+4]

Send a message to Zareth, Melanthios and Vantric - DC = Effortless

Assist Melanthios with creating a new demigod

Bonus(es) - Chaos, [+4]

Assist Vantric with creating a new demigod

Bonus(es) - Chaos, [+4]