[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/uHE0vcq.png[/img][/center]
She could sense it. 

Even before the beasts and creatures of the Steppe did, Myrtu could feel the change within the world. Without wasting a moment longer to consider or contemplate, she took to the sky in a mighty leap. With her horn aglow, an aura of light and sparkles engulfed the protohumans, still in their statue forms. A single swish of her head and an exertion of divine effort later, and they all gathered alongside her, as she sprinted across the sky. 

	North… far north. 

To where the Tundra ended then beyond. 

	Past the icy mausoleum.
	
To where the glaciers began, then still more north.


Myrtu needed time and moments undisturbed with these beings to be shaped and knew that none would likely bother her here. Now past the top of the world, among the ice which stretched endlessly and mercilessly so as to be a desert of sorts, where it was far too cold to snow.

And it was here, at these great latitudes, that the protohumans were placed gently upon the ice in groups, their numbers divided evenly. They each longed for waking, for guidance, and she could see within them all the numerous, infinite, possibilities- their potential- and her eyes swirled brilliantly as the ideas poured in.

	This time, her eyes- which swirled with infinite colors known and unknown- did not cease their kaleidoscopic display of light and color. All that was potential and possible- all the beautiful variables- to behold them, was simply Divine. No more, were her eyes stable as they had been, for the stream of potential and possibility now forever danced within them, as she beheld all in her gaze.

As the night stretched in deep and howling blackness, Myrtu stood in the howling icy winds. Still as the ice and for long moments uncounted. Much time was spent, contemplating all that could be of these proto-humans, all that she could unlock in the creation of these new mortals, and just how far they could go… all that they could be…

[hr]

	[i]“… and we saw him, just as he departed, as a shooting star in the night sky, leaving us in this place so cold, yet welcoming…”[/i]

So as to give them a fighting chance- a chance to be- Myrtu, after crafting from the protohumans, hundreds of variations, gave them potential- both within and without. In large groups, so as to give them a world of variation and challenge, along with the possibility of teamwork, he spread them across the continent, in numbers of three hundred plus twelve: 

	One hundred members of the groups were the speedy and sturdy [b]Centaurs[/b]. Their lower bodies were that of full four-legged horses, with a variety of spots, splotches, and stripes possible in their coats of fur. The length, texture, growth pattern, and color of their hair was wildly varying with potential to adaptation for a variety of environments, should they choose to stay within them and procreate. Where would be the neck of the horse, began the body of a human, strong and sturdy- with skin colors variable and able to adapt as the generations went on. There were climates which would require darker skin, after all, to help minimize the damage of the sun naturally, before those poultices and protective paints could be produced. There was also the potential within them for the same splotches, stripes, and colors as their fur coats, to be upon the skin as lighter or darker markings. Each had too, the possibility for growing horns, antlers, and hardened bony crests, for their heads should be defended and Myrtu admitted a preference for horns, of course.

	One hundred members of the groups were called the [b]Kinnaras[/b]. Their lower bodies maintained the two-legged nature of the proto-humans, but where the waist began, so too did the equine legs, fur, tail, and large hooves. They were going to be swift and strong with such legs, but Myrtu had no further clue as to what the change would do for the. As with the other creations of Myrtu, the Kinnaras' potential for variation was unlocked, in their skin-tone variety, fur color patterning and marking variation, and potential for horns. Their upper bodies maintained the same human appearance as was the basis for their creation, with the variation of hair growth patterns, beards, chest head hair being uniform- across whatever “differences” there were between the ones with the weird “lower snouts” and the ones with the “flabby chest sacs” – 

	(-for Myrtu does not understand the difference between them, has never heard of gender, doesn’t understand human birth, and will not ask, because they absolutely do not know this is a question that requires asking–) 

	One hundred of the group members are simply [b]Human[/b]. Their possibility for growth, variation, and adaptation to climates, latitudes, and different environments has also been unlocked by Myrtu. Even now, as the groups are settled into their new environments, the wide variety in their appearances has already been thrust upon them. Some have red hair and deep brown skin, others have green eyes and skin of gold undertones, while there among them are pale skinned and silver haired individuals. Also randomized were their builds, with some starting heavy-set, others being considerably muscular, and still others presenting underweight- heights were wildly varied as well, with maximum being nearly as tall as Centaurs and others being scarcely taller than younglings.

Within these groups, Myrtu saw fit to shuffle the age range too, for how interesting would it be to see how they’d adapt to caring for young. Among the groups, the youngest are equivalent to toddlers and the oldest are equivalent to prime forties. This was shifted to Centaur, Human, and Kinnaras species evenly, so that there weren’t too many children of one species, with too many teenagers in the next. The children were few, the teenagers more, and the adults were abundant among the shuffled ages.

Then, within the groups, Myrtu divided the received Umbra equally as groups of twelve, after having unlocked their potential too- granting them the possibility to shape, color, and mass variation, with one very important addition, to which he blessed all his new creatures...

[hr]

	[i]“… and from us, as he left us to roam freely in the tall grass, where the warm sea wind did blow, we saw him depart across the night sky, as magnificent as the wondrous moon…”
[/i]
		[b]Freedom![/b]

As the group was dispersed within the Taiga, three-hundred twelve, they awakened groggily with knowledge. How to survive, to hunt, cook, clean, to craft clothing and shelter, to seek others out for help, a common tongue with which to converse aloud with their weird mouths- but most importantly, the deeply seated knowledge that they could do as they saw fit. That they were as wild and free as they should be.

No matter where they went, all of Myrtu's blessed knew that freedom meant searching and seeking, doing and being, however their hearts chose to guide them. Freedom went hand in hand with potential and possibility. Theirs was the world and to the world they belonged. It would be the canvas upon which they made their legacy, as was the right of mortals.

Far to the east of the Darkwood, the Centaur and Kinnaras along the sandy shore, spoke philosophically to each other of what this Freedom and Possibility meant, as some Humans immediately separated themselves from the others, some few Kinnaras following them. Those few Umbra, as was their nature, sought exchanges between them all that could be harmonious: To use their efforts together to build, for mutual benefit, and to use their individual talents for fair coexistence.

And at the edge of the south western desert, those Centaur among the Kinnaras proclaimed dominance, for theirs was the image closest to that of the God-Which-Strode-The-Sky. The Umbra among them took side with the Humans that disagreed, while seeing the potential they represented as both allies and labor. Within the hearts of the Kinnaras, there brewed confusion and fury at the Centaur’s declarations, but there was merit in their argument… there was truth. But they would have to decide for themselves.

	All of Myrtu's Blessed Creations would have to decide for [b]themselves[/b].

[hr]

	[i]“… truly we were the forsaken ones, yet were we chosen. Hard and hearty. Strong and sturdy. We were the closest to the God… the closest to that point high in the ice where we could be reborn…”[/i]

Together, those in the Tundra huddled, as the snow and ash came down heavily. They trembled of the cold, from fear of the unknown world, and their hearts were full of doubt. Even at this distance, they could see the horizon burning violet, and smelled the air slowly growing thick with nothing but smoke and death. 

	Why had they been placed here?
		 Was this world truly so horrible? 
			Were they to die before using any of the ideas they’d been given?
	Without freedom? Without realizing their potential?
	
	[b]“Look- my friends, behold-”[/b] a white maned Centaur proclaimed, pointing to the jagged edge to the East [b]“- those mountains are not ablaze and there opens, in the side thusly, a cavern into which we may seek shelter.”[/b] To the proclaimer, the others looked, then followed. Deep they went, into the depths of the world, where they were not truly meant to dwell. Descent into the safety of the dark- beneath the rumbling and burning surface- and perhaps into a place they could survive. Anything was better than up there. 

Within them, they knew, was the freedom to do as they wished. This gave them confidence and determination both, to survive by any means, even if it meant diving into the cavernous unknown. Through their willpower, through their pull toward freedom and possibility, they knew they could carve out a life no matter where they went. That was the lesson of this land, some did say, that freedom and hope could be found even within the cage of despair. 

Yet, despite this welcoming possibility of safety, there were still those that sought the freedom of the surface, and those few did remain behind in the Ashen Tundra. Their eyes turned north, where they saw that Galloping God travel away from them, across the sky. 

	How could they get there? How could they find their God?
		And then what?
To ask her why?
	To slay her out of spite?

What was beyond the Tundra would be what they sought, for even to such a harsh land, could they adapt, even if it was through tool and cloth- through way of life and myth- they were to become nomads of the mountains and glaciers both, with their hearts ever in agreement, that trekking far to the north across the wastelands, would lead them to the answers they sought.

[hr]
	[i]"... we knew not that ours would become the way of culture, to trade in song and tale, but we witnessed still, that which would spark the idea for the dramatic reenactment..." [/i]

Two of Myrtu's Umbra, who were the odd count out of the fifty, and could not be evenly dispersed into other lands, hovered anxiously within Myrtu's shadow. Fearful of death, yet fascinated with that which they were witnessing, the Umbra knew what happened now was of some importance. They alone, were the sole witnesses to what was to come, and the only company for a lonely task to which Myrtu had invested herself.

Myrtu's horn was thrust deeply into that past-northern glacial ice, infusing it with their divine will and might- freeing it to shift, to change, to become a symbol and representation of the boundless and endless freedom of the soul. Yes, Myrtu understood what the soul was, now that they'd had the ambiguous encounter with the Ferryman, and knew that the soul would spend time in a Ghostel. A waste! 

A waste of the very heart of willpower and freedom and potential contained within all mortal beings!

This would not be so for those who lived and died as freely as they could- for those that sought return to one more free life- for those that could be, were, and would never be.

Deep within the ice, there opened a spiraling tunnel downward, which mimicked the spiral horn atop Myrtu's glorious head. It traveled steadily and far down, unimpeded, until it met soil which should never have been found bare, for the Ice here went so deep so as touch the bottom of- what would be were it thawed- a deep-sea floor. Diving to the bottom of this tunnel, Myrtu then opened a tunnel forward, for some few paces, before beginning to sculpt. 

Ice was removed the hard way: by breaking it, then transporting it to the surface through the spiraling tunnel. From Myrtu's steps up and down, the staircase was formed, as their hooves wore it into the ice. Sweat and saliva dripped from them, unheeded as the ice was moved, and it illuminated the staircase with subtle glow. Those mighty fractured glacial boulders, were tossed about the landscape, which would break up the howling wind as it came to this point, as mounds became formed, from the sheer amount of ice Myrtu moved. 

When Myrtu needed to fly, to see to that ice high in the ceiling, as their wings did brush the cave walls and the soon to be fractured icy boulders, there was left behind some shimmering color within the ice, which would remain so long as the ice went unmelted. These were added to the mounds, which served as accent and indication both, that the work of a Divine had been performed here.

This task took Myrtu quite a long time, for they were surprisingly single minded in its execution, and therefore went missing from the world for a time, as a result...

[sup]Edit: cute new nametag[/sup]
[Hider=Summary]Myrtu flees the Steppe for the Northern Glaciers. Their eyes become permanent kaleidoscopes. They make the Centaur, Kinnaras, and ordinary Humans from proto-humans. Groups of three-hundred and twelve (said groups composed of one hundred Centaur, one hundred Kinnaras, one hundred Humans, and twelve Umbra) are SET [b]FREE[/b] IN: The Taiga, Eastern Sea Coast near Darkwoods, South Western Green Plains, and Tundra (with half of this population fleeing to the underground in mixed numbers, while the other half became nomadic between the Northern Glaciers, Taiga, and Mountains.) Myrtu keeps the two leftover Umbra. Myrtu makes a giant sparkly cave under the Northern Glaciers, past the North Pole Point.[/hider] 
[Hider=Points]
-3MP Purchase "Potential" Aspect!
-1AP/DC2 (Freedom!) To Create Centaurs from protohumans.
-1AP/DC2 (Freedom!) To Create Kinnaras from protohumans.
-1AP (Potential!) To gift knowledge of basic survival, crafting of clothing and shelter, common language, and gathering of sustenance to Centaur, Kinnaras, Myrtu's Humans, and Myrtu's Umbra.
-2AP/DC3 (Potential!) Blessed Centaurs, Kinnaras, Myrtu's Umbra, and Myrtu's Humans with boosted adaptability to their environments/climates including fur growth, horn growth, and climate/light specific adjustments. They can adapt within three generations.
-2MP Clear a tunnel and large cave beneath the Glacial Ice.

0MP/0AP Remains.[/hider]

[sup]Species Created Detailed Info Dump[/sup]
[hider=Centaur]
TL;DR Centaur. Half Horse, Half Human. High stamina. Can grow horns, antlers, and bony crests. Can have beard/diffuse body hair regardless of gender.

A Centaur possesses a human upper body which, at the lower abdomen, becomes that of a four legged horse. Their height and stature rivals that of horses, which means they are likely to tower over other mortals, including Elves, but this depends on the lineage and adapted environment. 

A variety of colors, patterns, and markings- including stripes, spots, and splotches- are possible in booth their fur as well as upon their skin as light or dark markings depending on their dominant skin tone. They are possessed of every possible shade of brown, bronze, gold, or pale skin tone, with some having adapted to have jet black, snow white, or green skin depending on their lineage. Their hair, mane, and fur texture can be anything from tightly coiled, z-curled, wavy, very straight, and everything in-between, depending on their lineage. Horns, antlers, racks, and even unique bony protrusions and crests are capable of coming from their heads, depending on how their environments have adapted them.

Due to their horse-like lower bodies, Centaur are adept runners, capable of the same speed as horses depending on personal training and stature. Even despite the size of the Centaur, all as possessed of a naturally higher stamina than most mortals.
[/hider]

[hider=Kinnaras]
TL;DR Human with Horse Lower Body. Very strong legs and backs. Can grow horns, antlers, and bony crests. Can have beard/diffuse body hair regardless of gender.

Kinnaras have the upper body of a human which, at the lower abdomen, turns into that of a two legged horse,  with or without a tail, depending on environmental adaptation. Average heights place them slightly taller than the average human but a head shorter than the average Elf. 

A variety of colors, patterns, and markings- including stripes, spots, and splotches- are possible in booth their furred legs as well as upon their skin, as light or dark markings, depending on their dominant skin tone. Every skin tone possible for a human is possible for a Kinnaras, including some fantastic coloration depending on the environment. Every hair texture possible for both a Human and a Horse is possible for a Kinnaras, including an unfortunate early and sudden bareness, which occasionally occurs for humans. Horns, antlers, racks, and unique bony crests can grow from their heads, although they tend to be miniature, due to neck muscle strength.

Because of their lower bodies being muscularly denser and proportionately heavier than their upper bodies, Kinnaras tend to have very strong legs and backs. Their kicks are powerful and their jumps are far but they're just as average as humans otherwise.
[/hider]

[hider=Myrtu's Humans]
TL;DR Humans with blessed hyper-genetic-adaptation in their bloodlines. Otherwise basic.

Myrtu's Humans are humans blessed with unlocked potential for genetic adaptation, a trait which will follow their bloodlines, for as long as they exist. To begin, their appearance has been randomized among all possible skin tones, hair colors, eye colors, hair textures, heights, and builds that humans are capable of. They are also capable of naturally occurring fantastic skin tones, eye colors, and hair colors, depending on the environment in which they adapt to.

There is no visible indication, to other mortals, that they are Myrtu's Humans, unless there is a specific fantastic adaptation which sets them apart in a crowd- yet, in time, this may not be as easy to spot either.
[/hider]

[hider=Myrtu's Umbra]
TL;DR Naughty Umbra blessed with enhanced-adaptation to environments. Unique coloration. Blessed with Filthy Proto-Capitalist freedom.

There are fifty Umbra in the world blessed by Myrtu. These are capable of "physical" adaptation to their different environments, mostly in the form of changing colors to blend in as camouflage, but their shapes may also be altered, based on the Regional Response to their forms. For example, if one culture despises a smooth red and fluffy shadow, these Umbra can become more "appealing" to the eye. Intricate patterns and coloration will emerge, based on regional trends and likes, and their changes can occur much more swiftly than other creatures. They can adapt within a month, due to their unique physiology. 

This adaptation is all for the sake of becoming better Merchants! Indeed, they retain their inherent nature, as was the intent of their creation, but these are also blessed with [b]FREEDOM![/b] They can and will absolutely cheat and swindle and drive a hard bargain, as soon as they would follow the rules to the letter, and some may develop their own codes of conduct, some may even develop a twisted sense of what it means to "trade". Is labor a fair trade for food? Is killing a man a fair trade for status? 

Due to their blessings, they're easier to tell apart from the Umbra of the dark forest currently, especially since their "development" was jump-started with the rest of Myrtu's creations. Over time, this may become less apparent.
[/hider]