[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/0EjtAmP.png[/img] [img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLmJhYmFiYS5TWFpoSjB0eWFHOW8uMAAAAAAA/lovecrafts-diary.regular.png[/img] [color=silver]~~The Illuminator~~[/color][/center] [i]Location: Library of Eternity[/i] [hr] Iva walked, swift steps carrying him through the library. Walked a circle once, twice, thrice. Stop. The white being held his hands together, the library rumbling as its layout shifted before him, a wall rising to the ceiling and revealing the grand spiral staircase that led upwards. Quickly he climbed, the wall slamming down behind him to prevent any potential intruders. Up, past the second, third, and fourth to the cold roof above. Iva stopped but only a moment, faceless gaze lingering on the horizon, towards the Expanse that his Library sat upon. Soon. Very soon. The Third Bridge to the Third tower soon built itself, the divine mechanisms which allowed him access quickly sliding into place, before vanishing once more as he opened the inconspicuous metal doors to the experiment halls. Down, he descended this time, a final rumble of the library ensuring that none could follow. This place was both warded against interference from other gods, by all means. Even if Dirka wanted to just teleport in, she'd find it more than a little difficult too. Such was the labs - no one was allowed entry, except Iva and those who already inhabited it, such as the Warden and the soon to be guards. Soon, he reached the fifth floor. Or would calling it the ground floor be more appropriate? The large ornate doors creaked open, and Iva stepped inside the dimly lit corridors as the doors once more closed behind them. After that, it was a short walk to the prison block, where he had kept all of his current subjects. The large dimly lit hallways were silent, utterly silent. Soon, he reached his destination, paying no mind to the muted cries of the various prisoners. A man, was strung up to a table. Pinned. Arms bound, ankles tied to the metal slab. [color=silver]"Hello again! How's your day been!"[/color] Iva jovially greeted the human, swiftly and silently moving about the room. "Oh you know...I love being tied up, Lord Iva." [color=silver]"Ah, Sarcasm! The lowest form of wit! Hahaha, enough to almost make me pluck out your eyes and eat them."[/color] Iva laughed manically, gathering a few metal implements from a nearby table. [color=silver]"Perhaps I'll even do it anyways!"[/color] Moving back over to the table, Iva pressed his face against the human males, seemingly studying him intently. [color=silver]"Tell me little human! Do you remember why you're here?"[/color] Iva began cleaning the tools, pirouetting away from him in a comical manner. "...You saved me instead of my Latriza." [color=silver]"Tee-hee! By her request, you know! Ah, I still remember it like it was yesterday. Seeing you both splash around, that rickety tub of yours sinking, hee!"[/color] The Illuminator moved to a nearby table. [color=silver]"Oh...where did I put those bat wings?"[/color] Upon receiving no reply from the human, Iva paused, slowly walking over to him, tilting his head curiously to the side. [color=silver]"Oh, ignoring me are we! How rude! I am almost beginning to think you don't like me."[/color] "Was it that obvious?" He replied dryly. [color=silver]"...oh! Oooh! that's no good! What about all those tea-parties we shared? What about your little favor you asked of me?"[/color] Iva pressed one of the metal cutting implements to the humans neck. [color=silver]"Perhaps It'll slip my mind to do something, hee! I am a busy god after all. Disciplining disobedient little mortals like you, takes quite a lot of time."[/color] Once again, the human didn't reply. Merely stared at the god in a defiant manner. [color=silver]"...Ah. How droll. Has little Zhianka grown up? No more time to play with little Iva? Too bad, too bad."[/color] Having finished his preparations, Iva turned back to the human. [color=silver]"I'll just have to make you fun to play with again."[/color] Without warning, Iva reached for the humans face. The human screamed as the blunt object made contact with his eye, digging and pulling out the sensory organ. Iva, didn't seem to care, laughing the entire time as the human males screams filled the room until they were silenced by Iva sewing his mouth shut. Last - was his nose. Couldn't have that, could he! [color=silver]"Now now, see, was that so bad?"[/color] Iva laughed, wiping the blood off of his hands. [color=silver]"You wanted to discover things, did you not? Enjoy it! You'll be getting what you wanted. Knowledge beyond human understanding."[/color] Laughing maniacally, Iva untied the man from his bonds, letting him fall to the ground, dragging him into another room. [color=silver]"Do you hear it?"[/color] Iva knelt next to him, prodding him on the cheek. [color=silver]"The voice? The quiet whispers? The vast intelligence?"[/color] No response, for the man was effectively mute now. [color=silver]"Ah, ah, how droll! I suppose I'll need to do one more thing. A little gift from me! Lets see what happens...when I do this!"[/color] Iva placed his hand on the mans forehead, and [i]reached[/i] inside of it for his mind. The effects were almost instantaneous. The man screamed, but not with his mouth - with his mind, it seemed. Iva poured more and more divine essence into this human, his skin becoming blackened and rubbery, hunching over as pain erupted along his back. His body began growing, larger to match a similar build and size of Iva's. Horns erupted form his forehead as what remained of his face sunk into his own flesh. Iva pulled back, watching the transformation curiously. Studying its effects. Cataloging, and within seconds, it was done. [hider=Aho'Nohg][img]https://koboldpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/nightgaunt.jpg[/img][/hider] [color=silver]"Ah, wonderful, wonderful!"[/color] The former human looked at its hands, seemingly studying his new body before focusing back on Iva. Whatever the old human had been feeling, was completely gone. Nothing but obedience remained. [color=silver]"Go grab the others - we have more to do make!"[/color] For the remainder of the evening and some time after, Iva would remain in the experiment halls, making more of these with the human prisoners he had gathered over the years. He'd be dipping into his supply quite a bit, but that was fine. These creatures...the Aho'Nohg, shall become the guards of the Library. His messengers. His envoys. The ones he employed to do most of the grunt work in the mortal world so he didn't have to be bothered. Soon, over a dozen had been made, standing silently in room. [color=silver]"Oh how wonderful indeed! Now now, I have a task for you all."[/color] Iva handed some of them a scroll. Upon it was a written letter from him, to each of the gods he had previously mentioned. [color=silver]"You, take this to Sister Anu. You will take this one to Hayim, but do try not to startle him, even if he makes the most delightful screams! You will carry this one to Oao, and you will take this one to Naswaru. The rest of you...go find me more test subjects! But be quiet and subtle about it!"[/color] Their tasks given, the creatures left the experiment halls, the Library opening short and easy paths for them to exit. [color=silver]"Hmm...now what to do next..."[/color] Over the course of the next few days, some human villages would report large, winged humanoids appearing near villages before someone went missing. [hr] Lahzria sat quietly, leaning against a tree as the fire crackled in front of her. Next to her was a satchel full of things she had thought she'd needed for the journey. An extra change of furs, flint and some dry wood, paper and a pen, water skins, thick length of ropes and other survival supplies. A quick rest to eat something and a small nap. She had to reach the Library by the next day, but she had been up awhile and it wouldn't do to completely tire herself out. "...thanks for coming with me, Bryyre." She sighed. "Think nothing of it, iw'an." He replied, passing the young human a well cooked rabbit haunch. "I couldn't sit idly by and wait for them to do something like they're planned. Cowards, afraid that they're falling out of favor with Iva. It will be humorous to see their faces when they realize how right they are." "Heh," Lahzria laughed lightly. "Yeah, it will be." "...are you alright, Lahzria? You're usually more talkative than this." "Tired, I guess. And a little nervous." She replied, quickly devouring the meat he had given her. "I've never actually been inside the wall before, so it's uncharted territory for me. Of course i'd be nervous. I just can't let it get to me. As Lord Iva said, 'fear is the mind killer'." She pointed the leg at Bryyre. "Just need a bit of a rest before we go on is all-" Suddenly a shrill, high pitched screech echoed through the night air. Large, black, winged humanoids rose into the air, before flying off in random directions. Lahzria stood, watching them leave with rapt attention, somewhat mesmerized by their appearance. "...The Illuminator is busy, it seems." Bryyre quietly said. "We should get moving." Lahzria put out the fire, grabbing her satchel. [@Lord Zee] Anu'Varr [hr] The one tasked with giving Anu a message was the swiftest, and the first. The black winged creature soared through the air, ignoring all else in favor of the task he had been given. Across the sea, over the mountains to the domain of the Curse Giver it tirelessly flew. For it knew that's where Anu's castle was, the majestic dark spire Osarion, the Ebony Castle. Swift as the night itself, the Aho'Nohg reached its destination within hours, landing in front of Anu's castle with a heavy thud, its wings kicking up dust as it landed. A shrill, high pitched mind-rending cry echoed from its faceless visage as it announced its presence. And so it would wait. A scroll clutched in one hand, silently watching and waiting for its presence to be acknowledged. However, it would only wait so long. It had been given a directive - give the letter to Anu, and it would not let itself be hindered in its task. [@Duoya] Hayim [hr] Another Aho'Nohg didn't go so far. It found itself in a forest, surrounded by all sorts of greenery, but it paid no mind to such things. It's objective was to find Hayim for lord Iva. It released a similar high pitched cry, announcing its presence, a scroll held firmly in its claws as it walked slowly through the forest, doing its best to appear as non threatening as possible. Hayim was easily startled, and it wouldn't do to scare the other god if it was to deliver its message. So it attempted to appear friendly. It saw a little squirrel, its faceless visage curiously studying it. Hopefully it could find the god of healing and health soon, for it had other tasks at hand that it needed to complete for its master, but for now, it was content to simply watch the forest and wait. It had made its presence known. If it needed too, it could get the gods attention in some other way. [hr] Naswaru [@ReusableSword] Two more flew, towards the spire. They had been given a task to find Lady Oao and Naswaru. Normally they'd have split some time ago, but both felt a certain need to head to this location. They saw the spire some distance away, and both deemed it necessary to put a hold on their tasks and investigate, but they did not get too close, circling just outside the fear Spire's edge as to not be affected, at least until they both found the ones they were to give the message too. One landed not far from where Naswaru was resting, the silent flight carrying it to its destination. Once it landed with a heavy thud, it produced a scroll, holding it out for Naswaru to read, should he so desire. The letter read simply as thus. [hider=Naswaru's letter] [i][color=silver]"Hello brother! How goes your hunts! Care for a tea-party? Or a grand rousing hunt? I am busy as ever, as you might imagine! Just look at the beast in front of you! I have a small deal with lord Gammaton. He seeks to call an assembly of gods or some such in return for helping me with a small personal matter. He has tasked me with contacting the other gods for this. I shall not try to hard to convince you to come, as little Gammy is a spoilsport and would ruin my fun - but if you should join such a thing, do reply! If you would like, this scroll can also act as a key for the Library if you'd rather come in person." PS. Feel free to hunt this creature regardless of your answer. I am curious of its capabilities.[/color][/i] [/hider] If the god of hunts read the letter, the creature hunched low, spreading its wings as if it knew what was written at the end. [hr] Oao - At the spire [@A Lowly Wretch] Oao was more difficult to find, no thanks to those who were interfering. The spire made it difficult, but eventually it found what it thought to be Lady Oao. Landing not far from the edge of the crater where the shadows seemed to deepen, the creature silently looked over the spire, curious as its purpose and cataloging the entire sight into its mind. It silently watched, attempting to appear as non threatening as possible for the timid Goddess of Darkness. For the most part, it ignored Hyperion. It wasn't part of its objective, and if need be, it would fight the god of light to complete its objective. It just had to find Oao and deliver the letter.