[centre][img]http://i.imgur.com/vbnnTUq.png[/img] [colour=ec008c][i]The Muse. Weaver of Dreams. Beauty (Stories, Colors, Aesthetic, Flowers, Glass, Jewelry)[/i] Might: 20 Free Point: 3 Level 6[/colour] [hider=Summary + Might Usage] A post focusing on the forest west of the Pictaraika, the one which was supposed to be done 7 months ago. Its name is Phantalei. Three Divas (Chronicle, Piena, Meimu) explore it for a while. They meet all sorts of critters that have been mutated by dream energy. (1 might) spent to justify the local wildlife, the forest is part of the holy site. Chronicle meets a Great Nawab butterfly. They decide to call dream "energy" GLAMOUR, because it sounds better. Here the use is the archaic one, meaning spell/magic, but it obviously also applies to the modern use. They decide to make coral islands west of Phantalei. (1 might) Finally, Notte returns, and they can start to build the first garden in Meimu's layer of the Pictaraika. (1 might) spent to give the place some natural light. That was a lot of work so they decide to make better dolls. But that in itself is a lot of work. So they invent Fordism. Ilunabar finds Maeus, brings him back with the promise of beer. Finally, better Marionettes are made. (1 might) 16 might remaining. 3 FP. Level 6. [/hider][/centre] West of the Pictaraika was a nameless land. Back in the times of the Darkened Spires, it was a dark jungle where only a few brave wandering tribes could survive, then came the catastrophe of the metatic ocean, which not only created a coastline where previously was an endless land but also rose said coast's height, that turned the land into a basin, and the jungle became a swampland. That all, however, was past, the land was no longer dark, for Julkofyr's shadows had been appropriated by the muse. The change was gradual, the most sudden one being the end of the eternal clouded skies in the region, now it was only regularly overcast. This gave the local clans a time of sudden growth and prosperity, but they, living in such odd lands already, knew nothing was that easy, and quickly became suspicious something else would come. Indeed, now what was oozing down from the mountain chain to the east was no longer the simple darkness of Julkofyr, but the dream energies that flowed straight from the realm of dreams, Raka. Surely, they were heavily diluted by the time they left the mountains, but that still was bound to do a more profound change to the region than the ones caused by the eons of umbra. It could be already seen in the eastmost lakes of the region, where the divas had been sent to observe and analyze the changes that would soon spread to the whole region. The flora had the quickest, most striking change. Not enough time had passed for a new generation of trees to take over the old unfit ones, but even then, they already showed leaves of different colors, prolonged flowering time, twigs growing in odd directions and canopies forming oddly aesthetic areas. The influence observed on flowers was much more clear, which went all the way from opaque to transparent. Small critters such as spiders also were changing swiftly, bejeweled spiders that looked closer to pearls with legs could be seen building something a mortal from another region would say is similar to a wet spider web, except all droplets are jewels, making it look like an unending necklace. They competed fairly with their cousins, which had slender bodies whose exoskeleton looked like metal, they had smaller jewels in their body, looking like scarab brooches that had turned into jewel by their own will, those spiders had meticulously made disk-shaped, mirror-silver colored webs that refracted light creating a rainbow-like color in them. Not so friendly was the competition with the semi-transparent lucid spiders, who secreted a substance into their web that formed icicle-like crystal shapes that chimed whenever the wind blew, for the optic-focused spiders, such focus on sound was sincerely silly and a tad annoying. To a non-arachnid outsider though, each web is far more awesome than what is typically in their scale of awe. It would be wise, however, to remember that webs are formed for an [i]reason[/i] and that the difference between dreams and nightmares can at times be just a matter of awareness. Of course, there are more critters than spiders, and the possible forest is full of them. From bees that make all sorts of addictive honey to ones whose wax when made into a candle eats light instead of giving it; to cicadas who sing songs of melancholia for ages that happened long before their short life; to ants which decided to revolt against the unfairness of monarchy and embrace the republic; to butterflies, which oddly moved on unchanged, the only oddity being that somehow species from the faraway Venonweald, Deepwoods, and Shalanoir had also spontaneously appeared there. Other animals changed too, some fishes suddenly had a smaller frame and delicate contrasting colors, birds sang more complex songs, lizard eggs became oddly polished and even the prideful wolf changed, with some of them suddenly having a very small frame, comparatively bigger heads with larger eyes and ears and unusual coats. Piena called them Pixiehound. Pixie, being one of the words she invented as she tried to divide and catalog the life in there, despite its chaotic nature. A creature that had become smaller and had clear changes in their structure was a Pixie, a creature that had just small changes was a Sprite. Of course, such things raise up the question about the local humans. So far, they had yet to have enough interaction with the affected area to show what is to come, but some already suffered the effects, they listened to echoes and sometimes spoke in them, they would suddenly wake up to find their hair now had odd tones including some of the softer beyond colors like starlit black or that it now would grow almost instantly to hip height, no matter how much they tried to cut it. Though barely any [i]interesting[/i] changes could be seen beyond the aesthetic of pastel tinted skins or twinkling eyes. Piena theorized most humans would escape to the north or south, the ones that stayed behind, willing or unwilling, would quickly provide a good case study. [hr] Flax, honey, reed, wax, fur, sap, silk, dyes, along with all the possible fruit byproducts. This new land was one of opportunity, it would be capable of speeding up the construction of the facilities necessary to harness the true potential of the Pictaraika while also proving a whole new horizon of possibilities for artists around the world. It all was within a hand's reach, but it was not Piena's own hand. Smoothly, she approached Meimu yet again. The two of them and Chronicle were the ones tasked with exploring the region, Notte was tasked with reading the gardens. [color=d7dcf6]"So... Sister, how are the notes going?"[/color] asked Piena, trying to be as casual as a cold bureaucrat could be. [color=6ecff6]"I'm making some, but I fear taxonomy isn't at the top of my priorities."[/color] Meimu shrugged. Piena stopped, a bit startled at Meimu's apathy. [color=d7dcf6]"Collaboration is a must if we are to succeed in this world. Your very project, those gardens, is reliant on the materials we can harvest."[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Yeah... I'm aware, but I'm just not a heavy note taker."[/color] and if she did it too well today, tomorrow they would ask more, then she would be sent across the world, perhaps even forced to spend more time in the foul swamps of the venonweald. [color=6ecff6]"Just let me follow my pace."[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"Just don't let it work against us."[/color] was one last warning Piena gave before continuing their path down the basin. They stopped again a day or so later, by the margins of a heavily changed lake, even the fog seemed to carry a hint of magenta and dreams. In such regions, a mortal's senses would be easily warped just by staying in it. From a tree, a drop of dew fell from the canopy above into a brush. The small watery orb carried in its surface minuscule glittery particles in a golden color. Probably some sort of secretion of irisation. In said bush, a group of caterpillars was feeding, they had a crest of 4 horns that could be loosely described as dragon-like. [color=f66529]| Are these new? Not too familiar with this kind of thing. |[/color] wrote Chronicle. [color=6ecff6]"Hum?"[/color] Meimu possibly to stare at them. [color=6ecff6]"Ah, those? They are familiar, but I do not recall from where. Sincerely, all these things do is to eat plants, so we are not in an exactly good term."[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"They are found southwest of Shalanoir's Pass, north of The Hilt."[/color] There was some sort of eye to eye tension between Meimu and Piena for a second before Chronicle intervened. [color=f66529]| Ah, so you have an interest in butterflies? |[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"Not at all, but it is just a basic fact one would expect us all to know."[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Hey, what is the implication?"[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"There is no implication, you admitted you did not know about them because they did not appeal to your whims"[/color] Chronicle ignored the discussion, instead, paying attention to the bush again. A single butterfly had landed on it and was now calmly sipping on the droplet of water. Great Nawab, it was called, though it was definitely closer to the cute and small spectrum than to the great spectrum. The Diva of Brass extended a single finger, and the butterfly landed on it. There was something peculiar about them, as it had something close to a gallant pose, perhaps a reminded of the dragon-like appearance of its caterpillar days. [color=d7dcf6]"So, what do you think, Chronicle?"[/color] Piena suddenly asked, in hopes to finally finish the impasse of the bickering. Chronicle hadn't truly paid much attention so that was an issue. She looked to the butterfly, stared it for a bit, then nodded in agreement. [color=f66529]| I think you both are silly in your own unique away, but that is what makes you special so it is fine. |[/color] she wrote, following the diplomatic advice she just received. The stares of reprehension from both sides signaled the end of the discussion. It was really hard for the fourth diva to deal with situations like this, she knew how to help, but was it wise to help? The Divas were specialized but not harmonious, that worked, but not too nicely, as a lot of time was lost with miscommunication or worse. Losing time sounds bad, doing things faster sounds nice, but a clock that skips seconds is broken and a swift carousel is just going to get people harmed. Finally, they arrived at the cliffy shores of the region. Immediately, Piena had to think about the most pressing issue the current situation would present. [color=d7dcf6]"I wonder if the change will stop once it reaches the sea. It seems to flow easily trough water, so I wonder if it could be carried to distant villages by the currents."[/color] [color=6ecff6]"We can fix it now. Even if we are unsure if it will be an issue or not."[/color] Meimu had had a sudden sparkle of creativity, [color=6ecff6]"Let's just use coral, the shores around here are not deep even after a long walk into the ocean. It would also create the possibility of new biomes for beauty to bloom."[/color] Piena nodded in agreement, and Chronicle took the opportunity to outright go and do the deed. Typically such changes to the state of the universe are made with the wave of a hand, Chronicle, however, clutched the air and pulled it, noisily tensing invisible strings. All across the extents of the region's beaches, coral rose to the surface, sand and rocks tagging along. The reefs didn't seem to mind being dry and in contact with the air, neither were its colors bleached. [color=6ecff6]"Ah, I wanted to do that myself. But it seems to be adequate work."[/color] Meimu sighed. [color=6ecff6]"By the way, do you have any idea of how we should call the, uh, dream energy, flowing through the basin?"[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"Hmm, do you find it necessary to give it a name?"[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Well, I mean, it is affecting a quite large area. It also seems to work similar to Chaos but we can't just go and call it Dream."[/color] [color=f66529]| You think this is similar to Chaos? |[/color] interrupted Chronicle. [color=6ecff6]"Yeah? Doesn't it change beings?"[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"I also agree with her. Though you make it seems like there is a significant difference..."[/color] [color=f66529]| There are actually some clear cut differences. Meimu even pointed a conceptual one by accident. |[/color] Silence followed. The other two divas looked at the youngest with expectant eyes. [color=d7dcf6]"The difference being...?"[/color] asked Piena, even if by now her hope was gone. [color=f66529]| Ah, I was supposed to tell? I don't feel like it though, not one to share half-baked theories. |[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"Well..."[/color] Piena took a deep breath [color=d7dcf6]"I guess at least you pointed something out."[/color] she forced herself to say. There was another moment of silence. Suddenly Chronicle wrote. [color=f66529]| How about Glamour? |[/color] Both the divas replied in unison, showing each their own variety of inquisitive facial expression. "Glamour?" [color=f66529]| ☆ Glamour ☆ |[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Do...Do I have to pronounce the star?"[/color] Meimu asked. [color=d7dcf6]"What does that word mean?"[/color] [color=f66529]| A dialect for Magic, Enchantment, Allure. A truly basic fact one would expect us all to know, papillon lady |[/color] Piena only answered with a tsk, sidetracking her from questioning further and giving Chronicle the cause. With all that set, they started to walk back. Of course, they could just float like usual, but given the nature of the mission walking back would be interesting. And it was proven to be a good decision, new things were found, like a transparent web which was only visible by green dots in each intersection and all other oddities. [color=d7dcf6]"Do you think we missed it on the first time?"[/color] Piena idly asked. [color=6ecff6]"I think not. This whole wildland in on a delicate combination of sensations which is flickering at best. In its core, it is ever changing, you cannot step twice into the same grove, yet, I do not see it as the other changing, chaotic areas, in a sense, it merely knows when it is time to gracefully step down."[/color] It was about that time in which Notte finally returned to Galbar, bringing the good news that the foundations of the garden area were ready. [color=938c1f]"So this is The Forest huh? What is its name?"[/color] she innocently asked. [color=d7dcf6]"Good question actually, I do think we have set it already..."[/color] Meimu interrupted. [color=6ecff6]"Oh, I did it already."[/color] she smiled. [color=6ecff6]"Phantalei is the name of the region, but the core swampland we visit today is Pantarea, not to be confused with the name of the basin, which is Phantaneira Basin."[/color] Even Chronicle was perplexed. [hr] Anything bellow the second layer of the Pictaraika did not receive a single glimmer of true solar light, any color perceived was in truth an illusion. That did not matter for most but the plants, which is why the gardens had yet to be turned into nothing but deserted frameworks. That all changed now, however. Notte, using a special kind of mirror, had brought filtered stellar light down to the third layer. It was meant to be made by mirror-linking the crystals in the rings of Galbar, but a close look at the reflections of the mirrors would make it clear that was not the case. [color=d7dcf6]"So, what happened here? Why the unannounced change in plans?" [/color] [color=938c1f]"Oh... That. Uhm, long story. So, I flew up to the Galbar rings, but the scene there, it was ripugnante. Full of filth. Despite the vacuum, I swear I could almost smell the stench and hear the crawling. So I went to the neighboring planet, the one that was tinted in magenta, and formed a glass ring in it."[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Wait, what? Any change in the light could be fatal to my plants."[/color] [color=938c1f]"Calm down, I adjusted the tint of the mirrors so it would filter the light. If it does not work, I can change it again."[/color] [color=6ecff6]"I see. Then I suppose it will work fine."[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"So that is the state of the near outworld. Did you inspect the moons?"[/color] Piena had a contemplative but not too serious expression on her face. [color=938c1f]"Ah, no. I did not. It was just too messy for my taste and I had the stuff to do on another planet."[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"I see."[/color] she responded in a distracted tone. Soon after, the divas started their work and as always, gathered a group of marionettes which they used to do a massive amount of the hard work. However, as it had always been clear, there was a manpower issue in the current phase of the project, despite their hard work, only a single garden of the uncountable total amount of ones to be made was ready. [color=938c1f]"Sisters, there is a beauty to all tempos, but there are times in which larghissimo becomes synonymous with molto tedioso."[/color] complained Notte. [color=938c1f]"What is the plan? Will Piena's reptiles come to help? Will more marionettes be made? Will our lady master make a diva of diligence?"[/color] Meimu too disliked all the hard work, and while a full solution was out of her sight, she did start some counter measures of her own. [color=6ecff6]"Well, I plan on planting fiber-focused plants at first. That could lead us to get better strings to work with the fiberling core of the Marionettes."[/color] she explained. [color=f66529]| There is more to do with those than just that. Think of all that advanced since the originals were made. |[/color] wrote Chronicle, hands behind her head, lazily leaning against a wall. Piena sighed knowing there would be no further answer, but she had some thoughts in mind. [color=d7dcf6]"There are more reactive materials we have. Flexible wood or bejeweled webs for example." [/color] [color=938c1f]"Or obsidian and glass. We have more control of those too."[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Oh, and jewelry."[/color] The Diva of Steel stared at them, lips pressed together and a hand constantly tapping a fence. [color=d7dcf6]"I have a project in mind."[/color] she suddenly said. [color=d7dcf6]"We could fine-tune each marionette for certain works. Even though our collection of materials is nowhere near lavish yet, we have enough to create advanced, specialized dolls."[/color] Her expression soured. [color=d7dcf6]"The issue is that again, we will need to fabricate a lot of those. Far more than our manpower can provide."[/color] [color=938c1f]"Ah, could we not just use your reptiles?"[/color] Meimu's eyes widened. [color=6ecff6]"No more mortal use of my marionettes. Lifprasil was already a lot, and we did not tell them how to make the thing. I am aware the lizards are close to us, but even then, no."[/color] [color=f66529]| Then what? Slavery? |[/color] The other three divas stared at the youngest. [color=d7dcf6]"Slavery is unaceptable."[/color] Piena sternly informed. [color=f66529]| I am not talking about the whip and shackle slavery, but you two did add addictive as a quality of many products from the forest so, you know. |[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Hey, calm down there. Yes, we may give away substances that make people a bitsy bit dependent, but that is not slavery because... they could decide to stop?"[/color] Chronicle raised an eyebrow [color=f66529]| Then couldn't you just trade the products for their work on building marionettes. It is the same moral issue. |[/color] [color=6ecff6]"Ugh, it isn't. It is different. I think..."[/color] Piena wanted to stay away from that discussion, but Meimu was being too slow to realize simple point, so she intervened almost on a reflex. [color=d7dcf6]"It is not the same. One thing is giving it away, the other is asking for work in exchange. To get a bunch of addicted people stuck in a workshop is not a thing we strive for."[/color] [color=6ecff6]"And anyway, it is still mortal hands building marionettes. Though I guess in this case they would barely remember what they made"[/color] Meimu added. Piena and Chronicle were far too busy staring at each other to continue. The diva of steel seemed to be far tenser than she was a moment ago. [color=938c1f]"Ah."[/color] Notte suddenly said, avoiding eye contact, clearly shy to be getting in the middle of a serious discussion. [color=938c1f]"I had one idea. What if we divided the work?"[/color] She willed a phantom marionette over her hand and then broke it down to its basic components. Individually, it was hard to guess what each one was supposed to do. [color=938c1f]"This would stop any slim chance of mortals reverse engineering them."[/color] Not that anyone but Meimu found that to be possible, not with the complex fiberling wiring it needed, but the extra guarantee could finally end the impasse. [color=6ecff6]"I guess that will do. So... let us get to work. Again."[/color] she sighed. [color=d7dcf6]"I will..."[/color] Piena suddenly interrupt, unnaturally non-commanding. [color=d7dcf6]"Get the sheets we will use for this. Give me a moment, and I will return so we may initiate the planning of our next step."[/color] [hr] Piena opened a single box from her increasingly more refined and organized collection of plans. Bells tactically placed inside chimed as she did so. With focused eyes, she stared at each section of the box to see if anyone else had opened it, yet not a single thing seemed to be out of order in her intricated system to detect any intruder. [color=d7dcf6]"I guess it was just a coincidence."[/color] she sighed and grabbed a thick stack of papers. [color=d7dcf6]"There is just no more window for me to possibly put this plans into action if I explained why it is not of the best interest of our group myself."[/color] she bit her lips. Finally, she threw the papers in a fire. It was a neat plan, would probably have granted more influence to her among mortal realms and would put another sightless creation of Meimu to good use. There were other ideas in her mind anyway, Chronicle ruining one was just a minor nuisance. She was ready to step out of the index and go back to her sisters when Ilunabar suddenly entered it. [color=ec008c]"Hey, it seems the garden is ready right?"[/color] she said in a rush. [color=d7dcf6]"One is ready, we still have a lot to..."[/color] [color=ec008c]"Right, nice. Prepare a beer garden for me as soon as possible okay? I will need it for a bargain."[/color] [color=d7dcf6]"Well I can try but..."[/color] [color=ec008c]"Great. Thanks."[/color] Ilunabar patted the Diva's head and disappeared. Piena sighed. It seems that her lady master had good reasons to leave so much work for them as even she seemed to be lost in chores. Even a diligent schemer like her couldn't way until these times were over. [hr] Life in Galbar was a mixed bag for Maeus, on one side he had so much to enjoy, on the other, it was such a backwater place that barely knew how to make beer yet. Still, he did his best. [color=d89018]"You know,"[/color] he said after downing a bottle of wine, [color=d89018]"I like you, I like that you are see-through, I can hug you... and still see the landscape, that is great you know."[/color] he muttered to the feminine water elemental leaning against him as he enjoyed a natural hot spring of the Ironhearts. The suddenly Ilunabar landed right next to the pair. [color=ec008c]"Oh?"[/color] she said as she noticed the scene. [color=ec008c]"Oh! It is one of those."[/color] The muse tried to approach the female elemental, but the thing had been startled so hard she decided to disappear down the spring. [color=d89018]"No wait... Oh well."[/color] Maeus shrugged, it was just too much effort to try to bring her back, even though he quite liked the hot volcanic waters from which she was made, the mental numbness their heat caused being quite similar to that of a beer, but only to a modest degree. [color=ec008c]"Shame, I am truly interested in those."[/color] she then turned to the god of hedonism. [color=ec008c]"Nevertheless, are you busy right now?"[/color] The god heard the question, but still calmly walked to his purple toga and dressed up properly. [color=d89018]"If you expect me to work, I am, if you have something nice to prose, I am not."[/color] The goddess smiled. [color=ec008c]"Oh, it is nice alright, the nicest around. I think it would be of your best interest to return to the Pictaraika."[/color] [color=d89018]"And why is that? Last I recalled it was a deserted, dark place, with nothing to enjoy."[/color] just saying those things made him look tired. [color=ec008c]"Well, that was in the past. We had just started to work there, but now it is a bit better, we are on the brink of starting to produce beer, for example."[/color] In the blink of an eye, the young demi-god had gone from distant to being in an arm's length of the goddess. His eyes squinted to her phrase. [color=d89018]"True beer? Not that peasant dirty water you find around?"[/color] [color=ec008c]"Well, that is why I am calling you, how else will we make sure it is a great place with great drinks?"[/color] [color=d89018]"Eh... That sounds like work."[/color] the very word made him shudder. [color=ec008c]"Oh come on, you just have to say what you want and we will do it. It will be a nice life and you will have servants."[/color] [color=d89018]"Still sounds like a lot of work. Those few days before the servants start to understand my needs and do my biddings without me saying a word will be the worst."[/color] The goddess stopped, took a deep breath, reminded herself of how Maeus was useful and continued. [color=ec008c]"Again, there will be alcohol."[/color] [color=d89018]"Good point."[/color] he nodded. And with that, the god of hedonism returned to Ilunabar's land. While the goddess of beauty had been distant from him when he was first born, recent thoughts about the nature of hedonism got her curious about how things worked. It was, in a sense, similar to sin, but where Sin was like a fire that burned you, Hedonism felt more like slowly going drowsy from the smoke. Observing how he worked would be nice. As they talked about Maeus past travels across Galbar, it became clear to the goddess that elementals, male or female, for some odd reason, found the presence of the god to be highly addictive, though any sort of light noise from outside was enough to make them snap out of the hypnosis. It was a curious situation which the goddess would need to investigate later. That thought, in turn, reminded her of Zephyrion. She wondered about how the Celestial Citadel could be doing even since all non-elemental life had left it. In a sense, she felt like that was unfinished business, and as soon as things quieted down in the Pictaraika she would try to visit her old home of so many eons. [hr] The very planning behind the manufacture of each piece was a work of art in itself. The web of the divas had been put to its limit for this work. Hain, human, rovaick, quara korala, and divine hands were needed to quickly assemble the dolls all across Galbar. Most of the work was arranged by manipulating third parties to set up the workshop, some were done by unaware pawns, finally, some was done by the direct action of the Divas, with direct payment in gem and jewelry. Now, all that was left between them and the new workforce was the "weaving" of the Marionettes. A normal Marionette was a simple thing to be wired, it has simple movements that could be easily done with just a few levers to use all that interdimensional force. A Fine-Tuned Marionette used a variety of devices so that the doll could do advanced tasks or have a herculean strength or whatever else the situation needed. The quality of the wood and strings increased drastically, though the main new change was the use of flowers. By interfacing the fiberling and the plants, new horizons could be opened, such as reaction to visual stimuli (with the aid of mirrors and glass) or creating a chemical distress call similar to that of the blades of grass. Beyond that, things such as crystal pendulums, obsidian blades and jewelry provided new room for new functions, the later in special, could react to the natural magic of the world. The Marionettes, however, were still quite slow and unadaptable things. Their whole function was based on a series of complex braids, knots, and weavings, with no possibility of creating new ones naturally. Even with the advance in reactive behavior, any possible use in battle would still need a master, like when Lifprasil rode fake wooden horses to fight Grot. In action, the Fine-Tuned work perfectly, with just the first batch, they were able to do massive amounts of work in both constructing the gardens and the subsequent manutention. Immediately new plans for Marionettes to work on the index and in the construction of the temple were set, the first step into truly getting the Pictaraika to work.