[center][img]https://s31.postimg.org/forki384b/second_try.png[/img]
[color=Chocolate][b]The Meek
Level 1 Demigod of Crafting (Machinery)[/b]
??? Might[/color]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/xh8a8v7.png[/img]

[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/7f28c785-bb7c-4826-8dbd-4f45a4e28f0c.png[/img]
[color=Peru][b]The Great Artisan, Divine Mason, Builder of Civilisations
Level 4 God of Crafting (Masonry, Carpentry)[/b]
18 Might & 1 Free Points[/color]

[h2]Birth of the Craftmaidens, Part 1[/h2]
[i]Written by BBeast, Double Capybara, Hygswitch, and Muttonhawk
Oppressively draconian editing by Muttonhawk[/i]
[/center]

[hider=In which there are now two more women in STEM fields]
Teknall thinks the Celestial Citedel is a little too drab and slam dunks supertrees everywhere.

Teknall then gave Illunabar some flowers. Aww.

After smoothly ignoring the fact that it was Illunabar's avatar that made the flowers in the first place, Teknall explains his dealings with the rovaick. He asks Illunabar to help him make a helper to help out the rovaick and Lifpraville. He wants one with a personality, like the Divas. Illunabar agrees to help and get's Meimu to tag along.

The two gods make designs and argue over how to fill all the requirements until Meimu suggests making two separate entities each for Lifpraville and Sularn's followers. Everyone seems satisfied with doing that.

The gang travel to Teknall's sci-fi man cave to get started.

The first daughter is made, part by part. However, her heart is imbued with Teknall's essence early and, after resonating with Illunabar, gains life before the designs were completely fulfilled. The four-armed metallic woman begins to grow flesh. After a messy 'birth', Illunabar names the new girl Kinesis. A few introductions pass around, and then Illunabar takes Kinesis back to the Citadel for a bath.

Teknall cleans up the afterbirth in his workshop and resolves to make the second daughter in a more controlled manner. He mixes up an alloy of every metal in existence and drops in some of his essence. Then he pours the alloy into a mould to set. There's a bit of errant metal thrown about the workshop, but nothing disasterous. The mould is broken to reveal a little bronze girl who wakes up after a short time. Teknall names her Conata and leads her by the hand to the Citadel as well.

To be continued.

Might Summary: Teknall spent 1 Free-Point on his new trees and 2 Might total making his two daughters. 16 MP and 0 FP remaining.
[/hider]

It was a bright and clear day up at the Celestial Citadel, although it was always a bright and clear day there. Floating about a hundred meters in front of it was the architect contemplating his work once more. The masonry was beyond compare, but as he had noticed in his past visit, the halls were mostly barren and lifeless. The only exceptions were the quarters of the Lifprasillians and Illunabar's room. On this visit, he wanted to fix that.

Into the Citadel, Teknall, in his goblinoid form, carried a large amount of dirt and many saplings. He placed this dirt in boxes and recesses across the Citadel, planting the saplings as he went. Many balconies received trees, as did the bridges and the larger halls. Other hallways and corridors also received potted plants, although they would be bushes and shrubs rather than full-sized trees. To complement the trees, he brought in flowers, including some of the earthsoul flowers which had been made for him. Wherever he planted an earthsoul flower, he sprinkled some fine metal dust around it, such that blooms across the citadel displayed a variety of metallic colours.

Teknall walked through the halls once more, inspecting the new touch of colour and life against the sheer marble. As he passed, a certain change permeated to each sapling. They would grow and mature at a much faster rate. They would be fully grown in a year or two, rather than decades, and they would last much longer. While these plants had air and sunlight in abundance, there was no rain or groundwater this high up. Perhaps Zephyrion could arrange for lesser water elementals to care for the plants, but until then, Teknall found some Marionettes and instructed them to water the plants. They could use whatever water source had been used to supply the Lifprasillians.

With the beautification of the Celestial Citadel complete for now, Teknall proceeded to Illunabar's quarters. The reason behind his visit was much more than simply planting some trees. He was here on business.

Teknall knocked on the doorway before stepping over the threshold and into Illunabar's room. Ilunabar was quietly working on some maps and a little model of a palace when she noticed her sibling walking into her atelier.

[color=Peru]"Illunabar! How are you?"[/color] Teknall greeted.

[color=ec008c]"All is going quite well."[/color] Especially now that the halls were quiet again with the Lifprasilian ruckus gone. [color=ec008c]"And how are you doing, Teknall? I see you got a new haircut,"[/color] she jested.

Teknall chuckled. [color=Peru]"Indeed. I'll tell you about that soon."[/color] Teknall reached into the pocket of his apron and rummaged around for something. [color=Peru]"While I was here and adding some plants to the Citadel, I thought to get you something too."[/color] He pulled a flower pot out of his pocket, which held a copper-green earthsoul flower. [color=Peru]"This flower should be familiar to you. Most hain call it an earthsoul flower."[/color] He put the flower pot down, and next to it he placed a stack of roughened metal discs. The metals and metal compounds they were made from varied in colour and texture. [color=Peru]"I thought that, if you want to change the colour of the flower, you can exchange the base of the pot with another one of the metal discs."[/color]

To demonstrate, Teknall removed the copper sulphate disc from the base and replaced it with an iron oxide disc. [color=Peru]"Naturally, it would take a week or two for the new colour to take hold, but with a little encouragement..."[/color] He waved his hand over the flower, [color=Peru]"It can happen a bit faster."[/color] Before their eyes, the green in the petals was displaced by an earthy red colour.

Teknall picked up the flower pot and held it out to Illunabar. [color=Peru]"A gift for you."[/color]

Ilunabar was quite impressed. First, because a sibling of hers was actually being sensitive, but also because she hadn't heard about her Diva's flowers for so long.

[color=ec008c]"Oh! Meimu's gift, it has been such a long time since I last saw those."[/color] The muse picked up the red flower and smelled it. She quickly noticed it was more of a visual concept; the smell was earthy, metallic, and not really pleasant. [color=ec008c]"Thank you. This one was originally a gift to you, meant to help miners. One flower was made for each of our siblings."[/color] And now, there were more flowers than siblings.

[color=Peru]"I know. I thought it would make a fitting gift, anyway,"[/color] Teknall replied. [color=Peru]"I also haven't had the chance to thank you for the Phantasmagoria. It was a splendid gift to the mortal races, one which has done wonders for progressing their societies, and a blessing which I am sure will be spoken about for many generations to come."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"That was the overall objective. I have persistently worked to grow uniqueness in the cultures of Galbar, thus drifting them apart. However, I also value a sense of common root, of belonging, and I believe a global event like the Phantasmagoria could help with that."[/color]

With a smirk, she continued, [color=ec008c]"Furthermore, mortals are getting more and more nifty with their history. In villages, the recounting of past heroes, chiefs, and great doings is becoming commonplace. I just felt it was fair to keep the earliest records of said history to be more about sparkling skies and a wave of creation than tales of gargantuan monsters, hordes, and destruction."[/color]

[color=Peru]"You are indeed the mistress of stories, to be writing history itself. Although I doubt the memories of destruction could be dislodged so easily, perhaps you need both for a balanced culture."[/color] Teknall seemed contemplative for a moment, but then waved a hand dismissively. [color=Peru]"But that is in the past. I am here to talk about the future. I bet you're wondering why I have adopted the form of a goblin?"[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Uhm."[/color] In truth, after spending so much time with Jvan, she kinda expected it to be just some new [i]urge[/i] of dubious nature. [color=ec008c]"No reason, in particular, crossed my mind, but I'm curious"[/color]

[color=Peru]"It is because I have recently visited the rovaick,"[/color] Teknall continued, [color=Peru]"Life has been rough for them down in the Ironhearts, yet there is intelligence and there is determination among them. They pleaded for help, and I answered their calls. I promised to send them a helper to teach them the ways of metalworking.

"However, while I'm good at making things, I don't have any experience in making [i]people[/i]. You above everyone else should understand the distinction. Individuals have personalities, quirks, desires, strengths, faults, creativity, emotions, countless intricate attributes- many of which would not be a product of design but of experiences and nature. If I were to build a person, they would be either so pragmatic and engineered to seem artificial and unnatural, or so basic and rudimentary to seem like an infant. But you! Creating personalities is your speciality. You've studied what has made people people, and you've applied it too. The Divas you spoke of- who I still haven't met, actually- they are aspects of yourself yet somehow they are different people with unique personalities. When I made an Avatar, what I got was a soulless automaton- brutally efficient at the task it was made for, but that design ethic won't work for an emissary to an entire people."[/color]

Teknall took a moment to catch his breath and gather his thoughts. [color=Peru]"So, what I'm asking, is, can you help me make a person?"[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Not in the traditional way for sure, a few of my sisters had offsprings and I have never seen them again."[/color] She giggled before waving her hands as if summoning someone. [color=ec008c]"I jest, I understood what you said. And I believe it might be possible."[/color]

Ilunabar stood up and brought up a few of her designs. [color=ec008c]"The question is, the Divas are a shard of me, a division. It's hard to exactly explain what they are, it's a very metaphysical issue. Right now, I can't replicate the event, but there might be ways to create a similar effect."[/color]

Before she finished the explanation, someone else arrived into the room. It was Meimu, the first of the Divas. Illunabar spoke up upon her arrival, [color=ec008c]"Meimu, dearheart, introduce yourself and make sure the visitor feels welcomed."[/color]

"Sir Teknall." The white rose bowed in respect, but then quickly walked closer to show a bit more of interest than usual. The Great Artisan gave a small bow in return. "I'm Meimu, Diva of Petals," she said. "Some of my work includes teaching mortals about herbalism, poison, medicine, and fruits. I'm also skilful with gardening and string-work, as you can see from the Marionettes. If you ever need an employee--"

[color=ec008c]"Meimu, please don't tell Teknall your entire curriculum in the middle of a conversation. Where are you manners?"[/color] Ilunabar sighed and Meimu realised she had stepped a bit over the line. She bowed in respect again and left to the nearby room. [color=ec008c]"I'm sorry if she was a bother, she is usually very polite, but she can get overexcited."[/color]

Teknall smiled and shook his head. [color=Peru]"It is no bother at all. It pleases me to see someone enthusiastic about their work. Now, you were saying something about ways to make the person?"[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Yes, see, I can create the character to the point where it no longer needs a script to follow, but can actually create unique responses to new situations. But, that is just imagination."[/color] As she spoke, Ilunabar walked from one side of the room to the other. [color=ec008c]"What we need is some sort of vessel capable of holding that sort of information."[/color]

"Well, Marionettes are able to hold commands" Meimu informed, as she walked back into the room carrying a tray of pastries, tea, and wine. "However, it's very limited. Not just because it holds only a few commands, but because strings are far too, how can I put it, static? Since they are knit together, it doesn't provide the flexibility it needs to adapt to new situations."

[color=Peru]"I am more than capable of constructing a body,"[/color] Teknall said. He reached for a cup of tea. [color=Peru]"Thank you, Meimu,"[/color] he said before taking a sip. [color=Peru]"The Marionettes make good servants, but we don't want to make a mere servant. What I need are a blacksmith and a teacher."[/color] Teknall took another sip of his tea, longer and more thoughtfully this time. [color=Peru]"How about we make it from metal? Metal is malleable and adaptable, yet strong at the same time. Plus, if they're going to teach metal-working, it seems appropriate for them to be made of metal. What do you think?"[/color]

[color=ec008c]"That, I can do. Meimu and I will come up with a proper way to transcribe the information into the metallic vessel,"[/color] Illunabar said. [color=ec008c]"Now, if you don't mind, the design. I have to say, you are the first rovaick I'm seeing closely. With so many races flourishing, I have lacked the time to properly interact with them. I even confess that, due to their nature and birth, I did not consider that much would come from them outside of Vestecian barbarity."[/color] She looked Teknall up and down. [color=ec008c]"But I trust your decisions, most of them at least."[/color]

Once again the Muse sat down. This time, she was close to Teknall. Promptly, a marionette brought a table and a sheet of paper. [color=ec008c]"So, what is your idea? Do you want to make her a rovaick? Do you want to make it some other race? Perhaps a new idea? I myself am a fan of human-like designs"[/color]

Teknall's right hand smoothed out the paper onto the table and his left hand itched at his scalp. [color=Peru]"I am not entirely certain. On one hand, her-"[/color] [i]Her? Had the gender been decided already? Already Illunabar was designing a person, without even trying.[/i] [color=Peru]"-immediate objective is to the rovaick, which would make a similar form beneficial. But on the other hand, it is likely that she'll be in contact with other races in time, for which a different form might be better."[/color]

Teknall took out a pencil and started jotting down notes and words as they came to him as if having concepts written in front of him might help them make more sense. [color=Peru]"She will need to be hard-working. Creative. Kind. Friendly. Practical. Having pride in her work. Willing to learn. Able to gain the trust and respect of the mortals she works with. Additionally, she will need to be properly equipped to craft what is needed. Also, if she is to be making metal, she had better also be able to make all sorts of things, from simple tools to complex machinery."[/color]

Ilunabar paid close attention to Teknall's ideas, as rough as they were, the overall concept was easy to see.

Teknall was then distracted by a thought for a moment. [color=Peru]"Speaking of making things, Lifprasil's gone off to make a city, hasn't he? Which would be where all his people have gone, I suppose. And he hasn't even consulted me about it. Would you know anything about it, Illunabar?"[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Lifprasil's city?"[/color] She repeated. [color=ec008c]"Well, he asked me to help, but as I was busy I sent the Divas instead. Why he didn't ask for your assistance is not known to me."[/color] She looked across the room to the model of the palace she had recently constructed. [color=ec008c]"It is already a worryingly complex town. I went as far as taking the care to hide it under a constant fog just so it does not bring undesirable attention."[/color]

Teknall's brow furrowed. [color=Peru]"Cities are much more complicated than mere villages. And the buildings which fill them would take more skill than making huts. Do your Divas or anyone else with Lifprasil have skills for engineering and building a functioning city?"[/color]

Ilunabar slightly tilted her chin up and her face away, narrowing her eyes. [color=ec008c]"The city is already standing up, and it took long years for it to be completed. Currently, it offers far more than what its small population could need. That should answer your last question."[/color]

Illunabar eased back to a more relaxed expression as she continued. [color=ec008c]"Of course, you might have your own features to add to it and you might see shortcomings that my aesthetic I was not able to pick. But, the city is not mine. It's not my place to make decisions about it anymore."[/color] She placed a finger over her lips and narrowed her eyes again. [color=ec008c]"Yet, we should always question our decisions no? I designed a pretty framework of a town and made sure Lifprasil's palace and domain entice culture and beauty, and I did that because I know he will inescapably spread his influence and conquer large territories. Therefore, it is better to make aesthetic a core value of his people. However, if you are to help to make Lifprasil's city even more advanced..."[/color] Illunabar's eyes shifted once with her tone of voice. [color=ec008c]"What exactly is your reason to provide the conquest bent child of Vestec, who has just taken in the remains of Grot's army as his personal subjects? With a myriad tools, no less?"[/color]

Illunabar's question caught Teknall off guard. He had to consider his answer for a few moments before giving it. [color=Peru]"It is my nature and mission to guide the advancement of technology and civilisation. An entire city is a big step for civilisation, so I guess I'm feeling a little left out. Although I will have to agree with you that I should probably be more cautious with Lifprasil. His ambitions are perhaps a bit too lofty. But, at the same time, it would probably be a good idea for me to have a hand in his 'Empire', so I can keep an eye on him and perhaps be a balancing influence. And maybe, if it comes to it, I could foster a competing empire if his gets out of hand. Although, hopefully, I won't have to do that."[/color]

Teknall looked back to the plan he had partially written out, if it could be called a plan at all. [color=Peru]"But I am getting distracted. Lifprasil's city is a matter for another time. At the moment, we're trying to design a person. What ideas do you have?"[/color]

[color=ec008c]"I think the main inspiration for her is your own style, Teknall. Passion, ambition, kindness, and a love of crafting."[/color] And of course, over excitement over said crafting, a bit of pride... [color=ec008c]"A good girl and a model pupil."[/color] At least at first.

"I'm actually already writing up the overall script," Meimu said. "You just need to find a way to imbue that into its body."

[color=ec008c]"But let's not place the wagon in front of the horses. First, we need to design the metallic body, and while I know this is also Teknall's territory, surely we can agree that we need to make sure this teacher a bit more imposing to look at. Like a shining gear halo, for example."[/color]

[color=Peru]"That's a bit frivolous, isn't it? And I see no reason to make her seem more superior than necessary. We don't want her to consider herself above all others try and supplant herself as the ruler or something. One Empire is more than enough for now."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"But dearheart, she is naturally superior. Nothing wrong in making that clear. In fact, mortals will surely pay more attention to something imposing than to something too similar to them. Awe is just more useful than sympathy for us deities."[/color]

[color=Peru]"I must disagree with you there, at least for our purposes. I've spent the last few decades walking Galbar with the appearance of an ordinary hain in order to teach them many things, and it has worked. Despite my humble appearances, I still managed to attract a large following, and the Chippers have continued to spread knowledge just as I have. Splendour and awe may grab the attention of mortals, but, for lasting results, you need to get down to their level and interact with them personally."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"I differ. While your wisdom was crucial, the reason the Chippers started to form was because the Hain were amazed by what they perceived as 'wonders', like controlled fire. In fact, in the few villages, where they were other sources of awe, the Chippers didn't spread their knowledge as easily as they did on the uneventful ones. Mortals seek what is interesting! The unusual, the eccentric, the exalted. You can't convince them by just being nice and explaining raw, pure truths."[/color]

[color=Peru]"Yet surely the works produced will be enough. As you just said, what the hain perceived as 'wonders' were the works I gave them, not simply myself. And it should be likewise for our current project. The knowledge she imparts, the skills she shares, the wares she crafts, those are the things the focus should be on. If the mortals can not appreciate that, then they are not ready to receive such things."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"They will never be ready if we don't change their culture to..."[/color] Ilunabar stopped as she noticed Meimu was a bit uneasy. [color=ec008c]"You look like you want to say something. Share it with us,"[/color] said the Muse, expecting her own creating to side with her.

"Well, you see, I believe, and that is just me, that we could, not that I think I know more than you two or anything, just make two," she expected someone to yell at her interference at any second.

[color=ec008c]"Go on..."[/color] sighed Ilunabar.

"See, one, to teach villages metalwork in a friendly way, and one, to make machines of wonder and inspire awe for the craft among mortals." 

Miemu's suggestion gave Teknall pause for thought. His fingers drummed on the table as he contemplated this idea. [color=Peru]"Two? Two...Yes, I actually quite like that idea. It means there is no need to compromise on their qualities, for they will individually complement each other. Plus, it means they can do twice as much work and impact twice as many people than just one could."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Well, it's an agreement then. We can move on with the plan."[/color] Illunabar then leant closer to her sibling. [color=ec008c]"I just warn you Teknall, while they will get a lot of work done, the pupils will also get thrice the trouble. Believe me, I got three of those."[/color]

[color=Peru]"Progress always brings about trouble of some sort,"[/color] Teknall replied. [color=Peru]"But let us get designing. I can't build anything until we know what we want it to look like."[/color]

[hr]

An inky black rift opened in the concrete confines of Teknall's workshop. The Artisan himself stepped through, carrying a bundle of papers. Illunabar and Miemu were lead in behind him.

The first thing Ilunabar noticed upon entering her sibling's plane was the gravity. It was lower than Galbar's. She had already visited other planets, so she knew it could change, but this one felt perfectly tuned.

However, the gravity was not the main oddity of the building. The truly bizarre aspect was the fact that they were inside some sort of disc, with the floor curving upwards such that the ceiling 60 meters above their heads was actually the floor as well. And, although there were no windows, Ilunabar's divine sense could perceive that the workshop was actually rotating in the vacuum of space. With the intense light of a star incident upon it, it was easy to notice Ull'Yang's aura.

The entire workshop around them was an alien and overly practical design that took the Muse and her diva a few moments to understand. Upon closer inspection, they noticed the details of the area; tools of all shapes and sizes sat on metal and stone workbenches, upon racks, or on the floor in the workspace they had arrived in. A furnace stood in one corner, stretching along the wall for a distance was the Elemental Siphon, and high above their heads, in the centre of the workshop, was the large cylindrical metal structure of the Stellar Engine Core. Within, a fire raged with the ferocity of a sun.

[color=Peru]"This."[/color] Teknall swept his little goblin hand ahead of them, over their heads, and then looping back to where they stood, [color=Peru]"Is my workshop. It's not finished yet, but it is quite functional. I specially installed the atmosphere a few days ago just for this occasion."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"It's quite different from anything I would have made, but it's also very interesting."[/color] said the Muse. [color=ec008c]"I wonder what things are crafted here, considering the overall complexity of these devices and tools."[/color]

Meimu, in contrast to the gods, did not feel as welcomed. This place without plants or life was alien and uncomfortable. However, Meimu's politeness stopped her from commenting on anything.

[color=Peru]"So far, I've mostly used this workshop to make more of the workshop,"[/color] Teknall replied. [color=Peru]"Although I've also made my avatar Goliath here."[/color] Teknall brought his attention from the workshop to Illunabar again. [color=Peru]"Today, we are going to add to the list."[/color]

Teknall then walked up to a workbench and laid the two plans down onto it. He studied them for a few moments before pointing to the one depicting the mechanic. [color=Peru]"I'll make this one first."[/color]

At Teknall's beckon, several doors of the Elemental Siphon flew open and powdered titanium and mithral streamed out towards him. He effortlessly directed this metal into the furnace to begin. The metal melted into an alloy, which Teknall poured into moulds to form ingots. He took those bars to the anvil while they were still red hot and hammered them out into rods. At the end of the rods were smithed couplings and drilled holes for joints. More and more rods joined in a pattern as they left Teknall's anvil.

As Teknall laid out the rods, it became apparent that they formed a metal skeleton. An articulated metal shell replaced the rib cage. The skeleton had four arms rather than just two, although they could apparently clip together to become just two. Four hands, although notably long and slender, appeared much in a normal shape. A metal skull was made, with glass eyes inserted into the sockets and a semiconductor matrix placed inside the cranium. Bit by bit, part by part, the skeleton was created.

Teknall then took orichalcum, silver, and diamond and fashioned an intricate chamber the size of a fist, with numerous prongs and contacts all arranged into a beautiful pattern. This was the heart, and would both contain the divine essence powering this being and be a conduit for it. Teknall inserted the heart into the chest compartment and suspended it in place with suspension rods. A long, thin, grey cable of incredible strength connected the heart to the semiconductor brain. The material emitted from the siphon for this feature came from the box in the sixth position purely, even if it was the same material as the diamond.

Ilunabar witnessed Teknall giving life to the heart design she made. What a beautiful thing it was. The best had yet to come, however. Soon it would start to beat in a rhythm as graceful as any of the Muse's works. For now, the heart was still open, for it was yet to be filled.

[color=Peru]"I had better get this part ready before I cover it over with everything else,"[/color] Teknall commented.

From his apron pocket, Teknall withdrew a sharp steel knife. He looked to Illunabar and said, [color=Peru]"As we decided, she is to be an independent being, so to maintain the status of divinity she must be granted divine essence of her own."[/color] Teknall looked at the knife in his right hand hesitantly. [color=Peru]"Thus she shall be blood of my blood."[/color]

Teknall then rested the blade of the knife in the palm of his left hand and gripped the metal. There was a sharp intake of breath and a grimace of pain, and when he opened his hand there was a line cut across his palm from which golden ichor oozed.

[color=Peru]"Blood of my blood..."[/color] Teknall muttered as he tilted his bleeding hand over the open machine heart and let the ichor drip in. Every drop hummed with electricity as it fell, almost bursting with raw divine power. As soon as enough of the ichor had entered the heart Teknall sealed the heart shut. [color=Peru]"Now you just stay put until I finish the rest of you, okay?"[/color] Teknall spoke to the machine heart with its payload of raw divine potential.

As Teknall turned, his still glowing ichor contracted on itself, making the quiet sound of a single heart beat. Only one. Afterwards, it swirled within the artful machine casing again. A tiny, meek drop of potential. It softly began to thrum again, very quietly, very surely. It seemed like it had just been listening, waiting for a beat to pick up. Somehow it already knew what it had to be. It knew who, apart from her maker and her father, had a hand in her creation. The divine pulse of Ilunabar was far gentler and more dreamy than her Fathers. Now that it had located it, it happily imitated it, resonating and beating as one with Illunabar's pulse, the ebb and flow of her divine essence, the sparking of her energy.

A click. Contacts and relays came to life with a low mechanic whirring, barely audible. Divine dynamos starting to claim the unfinished body. A soft twitch of the fingers, the head turning a fraction. With a shaking going through its limbs, the figure, without a sound, turned onto its side, curling up like an embryo.

What for any other being in the universe was nought but a muffled noise was for Ilunabar a loud roar. That strong echo, a pulsating tick. She had left Teknall to his own devices, expecting the god of the craft to do the work flawlessly, but perhaps that very lack of communication was a mistake. What exactly could it be?

[color=ec008c]"Is it normal for the vessel to be this loud?"[/color] she asked, not aware that she was the only one presently hearing it.

Teknall's head perked up, his hands stopping what they were doing. He only heard the rumbling of the furnace and the whirring of fans. [color=Peru][i]Loud? It's meant to be inactive, isn't it?[/i][/color]

In an instant, his perception showed him that something had indeed gone awry. He spun around to see the Machine with his own eyes. Panic filled his voice. [color=Peru]"It's not meant to be moving."[/color]

A slight green glow flickered into the formerly dark eyes of the vessel, exuding sentience. The body of the vessel went on to squirm about. It became agitated and violent. It arched its back and kicked and flailed. A low retching sound began to be heard, growing into an inhuman scream. From the Machine Heart, a violent arc sparked across the to Siphon, pulling an uncontrolled torrent of different elements forth. They flowed into the screaming body in an instant.

The Divine Machine sunk down with a clunk, laying still for a moment. The sound of its new heartbeat grew louder and louder, thrumming through the entirety of Teknall's workshop. With a moist slithering, glistening tendons, veins, arteries, muscles, and other flesh snaked outward. The machine thrashed again, clawing at itself, ripping some free, throwing it, splattering floor and walls with gore. A single drop was hurled widdershins of the station's rotation and thus lost the effect of centrifugal gravitation, now hovering in the air. 

There was barely a time to react before the mess started. Ilunabar was caught by surprise by the sudden disaster. The way the flesh started to grow out of the machine and become thrown about was almost Jvanic.

Despite the ripping and clawing, the growth was quicker. It swiftly encased the machine skeleton in flesh and organs. Lungs filled visibly and the cries and howls became more human in nature. It could no longer be described as a machine. [i]She[/i] was going through a very painful process. She finally fell from the table and crawled and clawed into a corner on five limbs. On her left, both arms were together and apparently moving as one limb. On her right, both arms moved independently, throwing aside a pile of tools.

She hid behind a number of crates. She curled into a ball in the lower light there. Sobbing could be heard, pitiful and quiet. As the gods and Meimu neared, they found a now vaguely humanoid figure shuddering violently. Her gleaming, pinkish skin was smeared with blood and a silvery residue. She looked at them, her face shadowed by a curtain of long, vibrant red and black hair. The shine of the hair was like the carapace of a colourful beetle or fly, changing colour in a metallic sheen depending on how the light was caught by it. It was a girl of, in this curled up form, undeterminable and undetermined biological age.

Teknall was still in shock from witnessing the excruciating birth of this girl, his own daughter, yet he knew he could not simply do nothing. He knelt down so his face was level with the girl's and gingerly laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. [color=Peru]"My daughter, my daughter. I'm, I'm..."[/color] Teknall's voice wavered. [color=Peru]"I'm so sorry. How...how does it feel now?"[/color]

The muse had little clue of what happened, but Teknall's words were the first clue: "My daughter". Some Lifprasilians back in the capital would tell stories about a man who made a Marionette and then wished it to be a real child, not made of wood but of flesh and bone. Perhaps this is exactly what happened here, except a bit more metallic and with a worse end.

"Oh no..." Meimu was as covered in the reddish mess as the Muse herself. "You didn't set up the heart beat to resonate with us, did you?" she asked. "I think your energies intertwined and spiraled out of control."

[color=ec008c]"I'm aware,"[/color] sighed Ilunabar. Of course, her prodigious diva had to bring up the fact it was not only Teknall's fatherly feelings that caused this. Of course, the lovely creature had to remind her that this was her design. Now Ilunabar felt somewhat responsible again, and it was all Meimu's fault.

[color=ec008c]"Is she fine, Teknall?"[/color] Illunabar asked, making an effort. She was not the motherly type, especially with unplanned failure. [color=ec008c]"Can you speak?"[/color] she said, now to the girl.

The newborn looked up at them, running one of her underarms under her nose, smearing it. She gave this some thought. As her breathing slowly calmed, she opened her mouth, closed it, and then made another try. "I did not mean to..." She broke off. This was all so confusing. A short while ago she had still been a part of Teknall. Now she very apparently wasn't. "You did not intend this." It wasn't a question, merely a fact stated with a small, girlish voice. She raised her two left hands, turning them, looking intently. She experimented, merging the arms into one and parting them again. "This form is...different," she said with some degree of deliberation. "This is....me. You have become incarnate? No, I have. I am not...Teknall. I am me."

As the girl spoke, she uncurled a bit. As with many of Teknall's creations, she had apparently inherited the capability of changing her size at will. She grew from a curled up child into an adolescent in a few heartbeats.

The girl screwed up her face and then looked into her fathers' eyes for the first time. Her gaze was intense, her eyes seeming nearly human despite the glasslike shimmer and unnatural green gleam within them. She smiled bitterly, tears still running with mercury down her flushed cheek. She spoke in the sweetest of voices. "Don't...be sorry. Births do always hurt, father." With a great deal of awkwardness, she then cast her gaze down, shrinking again and becoming younger and more childlike. "I am not what you had hoped me to be," she stated bitterly.

Teknall was silent for a moment. He felt relief that her daughter was physically healthy, but he could tell that she was still internally conflicted. [color=Peru]"No, that is not right,"[/color] Teknall replied, shaking his head. [color=Peru]"You are not quite what I had [i]expected[/i], but you are still what I had hoped you to be."[/color] Then Teknall stepped up and embraced the girl warmly, not caring about the fluids she smeared onto him. He murmured, [color=Peru]"Even though your form might not be exactly as planned, know that I still accept you and you are still useful, okay?"[/color]

The girl just nodded and hugged Teknall's wizened goblin form for a moment. As she pulled back and stood up, uncomfortably rubbing one of her arms, she remained silent and looked around. She then looked up at her father again; she was just a bit smaller as him in this youthful form. "I will do my very best to live up to your expectations." she said solemnly. 

The girl started to look around, taking in the sight of the round workshop and the assembled gods and avatar in front of her. "It is important to have a name, will I be granted one?" she asked in a neutral tone.

[color=ec008c]"Kinesis,"[/color] Ilunabar said casually. [color=ec008c]"That is your name."[/color] She didn't want to lose the chance; it felt somewhat empowering to name someone as if she was some sort of mini-Fate. [color=ec008c]"I'm pleased to meet you."[/color] She stepped closer and analysed the girl. [color=ec008c]"Do not mind your f...Teknall's brute words. You don't have to worry about being useful, especially not right after such traumatic birth."[/color] She snapped her finger and in the same instant, Meimu left the room. [color=ec008c]"Just be Kinesis."[/color] The unexpected Kinesis, yes, but still, crying over the spilt milk wouldn't change anything. [color=ec008c]"And maybe take a bath."[/color]

Kinesis lowered her head respectfully for the goddess. "Thank you, Mistress," she said softly. "Kinesis." She nodded. "Yes, this shall be my name." She bit her lower lip, opening and closing both her left hands alternatingly. "Where will I find a bath? I...Mistress is right, I shall clean myself and the mess I made."

[color=ec008c]"Excellent!"[/color] Ilunabar clapped her hands together. [color=ec008c]"I have already sent one of my Divas to prepare the room for you."[/color]

The Muse then turned to Teknall, with a more serious look. [color=ec008c]"I believe two gods in the same workshop is bound to be disastrous. I have already finished all my design sheets, so it should not be a problem to continue. If you don't mind, I will be leaving for my quarters."[/color]

Teknall nodded. [color=Peru]"If you wish. Take Kinesis with you as well, for I don't think she has the power to leave this place herself. I will join you when I finish here."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Just make sure to knock on the door first,"[/color] Illunabar jested. 

[color=Peru]"Of course."[/color]

[color=ec008c]"Now that all is fine, let's go."[/color] She reached for Kinesis's hand, [color=ec008c]"I will take you to our home dimension. If you feel ill while travelling, please tell me."[/color]

Kinesis took the Muse's hand while looking up at the goddess. She was still a bit hesitant but followed her through the portal none the less. "I will." She said in a still detached sounding voice.

Once more Teknall was alone in his workshop, slowly spinning through space. Now that the excitement had died down, he realised a warm wetness in his left hand. He looked down to realise that it was still bleeding golden ichor. It was just as well it hadn't dripped anywhere, for that could have had undesirable consequences. Ever a god fond of material, he took a bandage from his apron pocket, tore off a length of it using his teeth, and wrapped it tightly around the wound.

Next was the leftover gore of Kinesis' birth. He could have scrubbed it off with water and soap, but he had no soap and only a small amount of water available, and there was no drainage in the workshop. So instead he removed the blood and flesh from all the surfaces telekinetically, including the fluids on himself. He bundled them all up into a ball and incinerated them in the furnace. The ashes were placed in a metal tray to be dealt with later.

Now that the workshop had been cleaned, Teknall could begin working on his next project. He studied the plan depicting his next daughter. The mistakes in creating Kinesis were not catastrophic, but they were given careful consideration for this time. Divine blood was a lot more reactive than he had expected, and this miscalculation had led to unexpected results. For his next daughter, Teknall would need to ensure that the blood was as close to the last ingredient as possible. As well, the ichor's creative process would need to be constrained somehow. Assembling from parts was too exposed and free. Methods were deliberated over until Teknall settled on something singular and contained.

Teknall called upon a large quantity of carbon and coalesced it into a large rectangular block of grey, flakey graphite. It was large enough to contain a fully grown human. With a single, well-placed strike of a chisel, a crack was split perfectly through the middle of the block. They were pushed to be separated into two equal halves. Carefully and precisely as always, Teknall began carving a hollow into the blocks. Sculpting a negative to make the shape would leave too much room for error. This would have to be exactly right.

After some time, the bases of the blocks were carpeted in a mound of black carbon flakes. The form had started to become clear in the hollows. The shape was that of a human girl, no older than six years of age. With a flexible sheet encrusted with coarse diamond dust, Teknall rubbed away any rough edges until the negative space was ready to be filled.

Teknall stepped out from between the two halves and heaved them close together. He brushed the faces of the blocks with his hands, very thin flakes and sheets of graphite shedding from the faces. One last pass. He then pushed the two blocks flush against one another, allowing them to fuse when their atomically smooth surfaces met.

Once more, a single large block of graphite sat on the concrete floor. Teknall took a keyhole saw, climbed on top of the block, and cut out a cylindrical hole in the centre of the top face, leading to the top of the head of the mould.

Without a word, Teknall left the mould and headed over to the furnace. He took a vat that was about as big as he was and pushed it over to sit under the furnace's outlet. Then, at his command, every single door of the Elemental Siphon except the non-metals on the far right threw themselves open. Every single metal in existence surged out and spiralled into the furnace's hungry maw. There, they melted and combined in an otherwise impossible fashion. Red-hot molten metal poured into the vat on the other end in a sticky, burning stream, flecked with different flecks of red, black, white. As the vat filled, Teknall stirred the great alloy with a thick rod, ensuring an even consistency. Once the stream finally stopped, Teknall effortlessly lifted the vat up to sit atop the furnace. It would stay a hot liquid above the fire. The stirring continued.

After about a minute, Teknall pulled his stirring rod out of the vat, wiping off the excess with one hand. A flick of Teknall's wrist pulled the mould up to the furnace with a stony scrape, beneath where the vat stood. There was one last ingredient to add before the alloy would be complete.

Teknall removed the bandage from his left hand, rubbed his palm and flexed his arm until divine ichor began seeping from his wound once more.

[color=Peru]"Blood of my blood,"[/color] Teknall muttered to himself.

Teknall's bleeding hand plunged deep into the vat of metal and swirled all through it, infusing the alloy with his godly ichor. In moments it began to glow, not just with the molten incandescence, but with divine radiance. Teknall lost no time in removing his hand and tipping the vat forward. The blessed metal poured into the hole at the top of the monolithic grey mould. There was just enough to fill it fully. Teknall proceeded to replace the cylindrical plug he had removed earlier. It hissed for just a second, sucking in the last air it could before it sealed. Teknall stood back to watch and wait.

Apart from the furnace and the fans, the workshop became quiet. This ominous moment was perhaps a success on Teknall's part; his new creation had no room in which to thrash around and no confounding heartbeat to resonate with. None that had not already been taken into account, at least. However, something distant was amiss.

It started with a rhythmic squeak in one of the fans. Each time it made a revolution in its slow spin, there was a scrape of metal on metal where a bearing misaligned by the tiniest length. It [i]squicked[/i]...and [i]squicked[/i]...and [i]squicked[/i]...and [i]squicked[/i]...

The rhythm was interrupted by the sound of a loud metal gong. On the furnace, a rivet had warped to cause the perfect sheen of its metal surface to reflect a kink along one part. By the time a sheet of metal on the nearby tool bench began to groan in resistance, the source of the phenomenon struck Teknall like a flying gold ingot. Whatever had taken shape in the mould was moving the nearby metal.

More metal creaked and screamed until there was a thud from the concrete below. A broken section of the reinforcing bar was jutting out of the floor. There was another loud crack. And another. The concrete was beginning to fracture. Tools slid off their benches and clattered to the floor with a harsh chorus of metallic ringing. Teknall needed to contain the effect if he did not want his workshop to be breached and the atmosphere to decompress.

Quickly, Teknall called forth iron from the Elemental Siphon. Lots of iron. While some of it was grabbed by the pull around the mold, he could easily maintain control over the bulk of it. At the snap of his fingers, the iron powder melted into a floating stream of molten metal. He then directed this stream over the mould until it was given a thick, glowing, red coat. At another snap of Teknall's fingers, the metal crackled and went dull, completely solid. The mould was sealed inside an iron box, impenetrable to magnetic fields and enough to distract any other metal-attracting forces.

There was no more groaning or cracking from then on. Teknall's fix had apparently worked. The humming of the workshop was now back to how it was, with the addition of the [i]squick...squick...squick[/i] of the fan still spinning in the background. Not a single thing was moving near the metal box, though the box itself did not completely abstract the signs of the divine life within. Upon the dark iron surface, an orange patch began to glow softly, and then it faded back as it cooled. Another patch did the same, joined by another, and another. Little spots of heated metal peeked in this fashion before fading moments later like the eyes of a tired infant. Teknall observed, after watching for long enough, that there was a larger concentration of the orange glows in his direction, reaching out with their warmth.

The hot orange lights continued for a time, slowing in frequency and becoming gentler than they were before. After a while, one last orange patch of heated iron grew a little larger than the others. It gazed at Teknall with curiosity. An eye wide open. And then, it faded shut.

She was asleep at last. Teknall could tell that the divine alloy had now set. He could finally breathe easy.

Teknall let her rest for a few moments more as he straightened out some of the damage. He knelt down by each patch of fractured concrete and ran his hand over it, the artificial stone mending at his touch. He picked up some of the tools which had fallen and put them back in their place.

Then he approached the mold and laid a hand on the iron. With his perception, he gazed inside to see what was within. The corner of his goblin lips lifted a fraction. He then took a saw, took the time to cut the iron coating in half, and then, with a few expertly placed strikes of a chisel, split the graphite block apart once more. Without haste, he pushed the two halves apart to reveal the result of his labours.

The grey graphite fell like dust from a reflective and uneven reddish metal surface in the centre of the mould. As more fell away, the shape, apparently wrought of copper, showed tiny patches of green patina as it was exposed to the relatively cold air of the workshop. It was almost mannequin-like, the shape of the copper cast: A small human girl. It was just as the design had shown.

There was barely the time to take in the unconscious girl's appearance before an audible crumbling of the graphite mould loosened the girl's head such that it fell forward. The metal, though it looked rigid, moved with the flexibility of flesh and bone. A mane of thin copper wire was exposed, making up the girl's hair. It was perfectly straight and brushed back, though it was laced with chunks of the surrounding graphite caught between the strands.

The weight of the head falling forward caused the torso to give way. The girl's entire top half fell forward, freeing her arms and bringing her knees forward as she collapsed onto Teknall. Teknall stepped to correct as he caught her over one shoulder. She was warm to the touch. Teknall then gently lowered her to the ground where she could lie until she awoke.

A silent half of a minute passed. There was no doubt as to the girl's health; she had a heartbeat that vibrated from her chest in a steady fashion. Her energy was building with time. A small grumble from the girl's throat sounded. She squirmed in place as she began to stir. Her arms carefully brushed along the graphite dust beneath her as she stretched them out either side of herself. Her mouth opened wide, straining her eyelids in a vast yawn. The inside of her mouth was entirely copper as well.

It was only when she completely settled again that the girl's eyes lifted open. They were one thing that didn't appear to be metal, funnily enough. They were pearl in the whites, onyx in the pupils, and rich red ruby in the irises. Where she had the non-metals to make them up in the sealed mould was not down to mortal logic.

[color=Orange]"Oh..."[/color] the girl chirped. [color=Orange]"I fell away from you."[/color] She listed her head to one side and looked at her hand. Her fingers flexed experimentally. [color=Orange]"I fell into a body. It's heavy."[/color]

Teknall smiled warmly. [color=Peru]"I am sure you shall get used to it soon,"[/color] he said. He was contemplative for a moment, then reached down to pull the girl up. [color=Peru]"Here, take my hand and stand up."[/color]

The girl lifted her hand as directed, but before she could grasp Teknall's goblin fingers, the sound of scraping metal began in the workshop again. Some tools fell off benches once more, drawn towards her hand. The girl's eyes widened in surprise and the tools halted. She tried again, slower this time. Her fingers curled carefully around Teknall's palm and she was lifted up. Using her legs to gain balance came naturally, though not without the girl curiously looking down at them as well.

The girl looked up at Teknall expectantly. She was a head shorter than him while standing like this. She didn't let his hand go.

[color=Peru][i]That was a bit of a struggle,[/i][/color] Teknall thought, [color=Peru][i]but we pulled through this time.[/i][/color] Teknall laid his other hand on the girl's shoulder and said, [color=Peru]"You are my daughter, Conata."[/color]

The girl blinked twice. And the patches of green patina shrunk into pure, gleaming copper again. The word did not feel like it had any particular significance at the time, but it was imprinted upon her before she even realised it. Conata was her name. It felt like it was always that way.

Conata's still curious eyes took in the workshop around her. Her skin began to fade into a slightly rougher finish. [color=Orange]"Daddy, does this place have a name as well?"[/color] she asked.

Teknall's eyes also looked around the workshop. [color=Peru]"It does not have a proper name yet. It is my workshop."[/color]

Questions and answers cascaded in Conata's mind. It was not just the nature of the place she was in, but also her own nature and her own memories. At least, as much as a young mind like hers could fathom. Everything in her mind from before she woke up was the muddled and unordered images that belonged to Teknall's memories, followed by a period of terrifying isolation. She could not make any sense of it. By the instinct of her naive form, Conata stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Teknall's body. It was out of a mix of fear and familiarity, more than anything.

Conata spoke into Teknall's torso, her tiny voice muffled by his leather apron. [color=Orange]"I'm cold, daddy."[/color]

Teknall hugged Conata in return. Her skin turned into a smooth copper polish with the sound of his voice. [color=Peru]"Then perhaps we shall find somewhere a little warmer. And something for you to wear."[/color] He pulled free of Conata's embrace, and with a wave of his hand, an inky black portal opened in front of them. [color=Peru]"Come. There are some people you should meet."[/color]

Teknall led Conata by the hand through the portal. Little Conata shuffled along without resistance, even though she held onto Teknall's apron with her free hand. If her father was not afraid, neither did she need to be afraid. Probably.