[center][h2][b]A Helping Hand[/b][/h2][/center]
[center]Feat. [@Darkspleen], [@Crispy Octopus][/center]


Phystene wandered along Kalmar’s continent, following the eastern coastline north. She took her time, walking slowly to watch the calm ocean, trees, grasses, shrubs, and even a few animals sprouting from the ground she stepped on. It was a large continent, perhaps the largest currently on Galbar, and Phystene knew that it would take a long time to cover its entirety in wilderness. In the end it would certainly be worth doing so.

After a few hours Phystene turned to look behind her, seeing a sliver of forest stretching out behind her. It was certainly a start, but it was too narrow for her tastes. A few woodland creatures, such as the squirrels that even now peered at her from the freshly grown trees, would find the thin forest comfortable enough, but most would struggle in its confines.

Phystene doubled back, only this time walking further inland to spread the growth of plants further. The new forest would by no means be large, but it would form a decent enough ecosystem in the area. For the moment.

Several more hours and Phystene was once more near the southern coast of the continent. The new forest behind her was still quite thin, but it was good enough for the moment. For a while she simply stood in place, enjoying the sound of wind rustling through the leaves, of small animals moving through the brush, and the waves of the nearby ocean.

This was a place of beauty. A place of safety. A place that she would always enjoy visiting. And it would be the place from which she would travel Home when she so wished. She called out to the World Tree, funneling some of her power to it. The World Tree answered, the ground shaking as its roots burst from the soil before her, coming together in a large arch.

To most mortals that arch would look like nothing more than an interesting formation of plants, but it was so much more. To those the World Tree allowed, it was a literal gate to Phystene’s sphere. Phystene could see that the World Tree would be… particular about who was allowed in, and she agreed wholeheartedly with its criteria. Only those who possessed no products of advanced civilization, that being of a bronze age civilization, would be allowed through. Yes, only those in touch with nature, who had yet to succumb to the greed inherent in civilization would be let in.


As Phystene admired her work she heard the voice of Asceal speak kindly in her mind, [color=C5FAFF]“Hello Phystene.  Would you have a moment to talk?  I know it’s been some time since we last spoke, but I was hoping you could help me with something.”[/color]


[color=forestgreen]“Asceal? What do you need help with?”[/color]

[color=C5FAFF]”I’ve raised an island in the south,”[/color]  Asceal elaborated, [color=C5FAFF]“I mean it to be a sanctuary and a gift to whatever souls come to find it.  I would ask your help with sowing the land with life and preparing it for whatever inhabitants may one day reside there.  If you’re willing, of course.”[/color]

[color=forestgreen]“I’ll be there soon.”[/color] Phystene said after a moment. [color=forestgreen]“There’s something I need to talk to you about anyways.”[/color] She directed her next words to Kalmar. [color=forestgreen]“I’m going to help Asceal with her new island in the south. I’ll return shortly.”[/color]

And with that she headed off to Asceal’s island. With a little guidance from Asceal she was able to make good time and the trip itself was rather unremarkable, but the sound of the ocean made it enjoyable. As she approached the island she told Asceal [color=forestgreen]“I’m here. Where can I find you?”[/color]

[color=C5FAFF]“At the peak of the northernmost mountain on the mainland,”[/color]  As Asceal spoke a bright light blossomed on the distant mountaintop and she asked, [color=C5FAFF]“Can you see me Phystene?”[/color]

[color=forestgreen]“I can.”[/color] Phystene said and mere moments later she had made her way to the mountaintop as well. She gazed out on Asceal’s island as she said[color=forestgreen]“I hope your day has been better than mine.”[/color]

[color=C5FAFF]“What do you mean?”[/color] Asceal asked as her form dimmed, revealing a concerned expression, [color=C5FAFF]“Has something happened Phystene?”[/color]

[color=forestgreen]“Orvus attacked me.”[/color] Phystene answered. [color=forestgreen]“He didn’t hurt me badly, but he very well might have killed me had my bluff not worked. Even so we… accidently created some kind of abomination during our fight.”[/color] She let out a long sigh. [color=forestgreen]“And Orvus made it clear before retreating that he intends to kill all of the nature deities. Kalmar and I, mostly Kalmar if we are being honest, have been working to create a pact to combat Orvus and prevent him from going through with whatever mad plans he has concocted.”[/color]

A complex series of emotions played out on Asceal’s face.  The Goddess seemed to be frozen in shock for a moment before, without warning, she hugged Phystene and spoke softly, [color=C5FAFF]“I’m so sorry Phystene.  Melantha, Katharsos, and now Orvus?  Are all the other gods mad?”[/color]  Asceal held on for a moment before letting go and before speaking again, this time determinedly, [color=C5FAFF]“I’m here if you need anything Phystene, and you can count me in on this pact of yours.  We can’t let Orvus, or any of the others, get away with this insanity any longer.”[/color]

[color=forestgreen]“Perhaps they are.”[/color] Phystene said quietly. [color=forestgreen]“Truth be told I might have been one of them if I had remained in my original world for too much longer.”[/color] She made a wiping motion with her hand. [color=forestgreen]“But that is in the past and, as pitiable as they may be, our less than fully sane peers must be at the very least isolated so that they won’t harm Galbar and those who shall call this world their home. We are already preparing to make Kalmar’s continent our bastion. A base from which we can pull back to and know we and our creations are safe should things get… out of hand. But I feel that we can prevent things from reaching that point.”[/color]

She turned to Asceal and gave her a smile. [color=forestgreen]“But let us get past all this talk of doom and gloom. You asked for help spreading life here. What did you have in mind?”[/color]

[color=C5FAFF]“I..”[/color]  Asceal hesitated before shaking her head and matching Phystene’s smile with her own, [color=C5FAFF]“You’re right.  We can’t forget what we’re here to do.  I invited you here because I wanted your help crafting a sort of life here that will exist nowhere else.  I want to create a place where every creature carries its own light.  Where nothing fears the dark.”[/color]  The glowing Goddess paused for a second and then quickly added, [color=C5FAFF]“And mangos.  I would like mangos.”[/color]

[color=forestgreen]“Mangos?”[/color] She raised an eyebrow, giving Asceal a bemused smile. [color=forestgreen]“I suppose I could make some for you.”[/color] She crossed her arms, her smile turning to a thoughtful frown. [color=forestgreen]“Carrying light… So you want all the life here to be bioluminescent. Only… I’m guessing you want their light to be a bit brighter than would normally be the case. It’s doable, though I do have to say that normal plants and animals don’t glow for no reason.”[/color]

[color=C5FAFF]“There is a reason,”[/color]  Asceal ran a hand through her glowing hair and shuddered, [color=C5FAFF]“Plants, animals, I don’t want any of them to be defenseless against Melantha and her darkness.  At least here, in this refuge, I want them to be safe.”[/color]

[color=forestgreen]“That kind of ecosystem is going to take a lot more energy to sustain than normal. We are going to have to get a bit creative because the light from there”[/color] She pointed towards the sky, [color=forestgreen]“simply won’t provide enough. We might be able to syphon some energy off of the wind, but I also doubt that’ll make up the difference.”[/color] She thought for a moment. [color=forestgreen]“Perhaps we could use a volcano or hotsprings to help?”[/color]

[color=C5FAFF]“Not a volcano,”[/color]  Asceal shook her head emphatically, [color=C5FAFF]“I don’t think going out of our way to invite Sartravius is wise.  I hesitate to judge, but in light of all that has happened his actions in the Architects palace worry me. Hot springs though…  I think I can do that.”[/color]

The Goddess knelt down and pressed her hand against the dark ground.  Without a word the ground below the deities began to rumble.  Great jets of steam erupted from a multitude fissures that opened in the ground all across the island, many of which were visible from the mountaintop.  When it was done Asceal stood up and beamed, [color=C5FAFF]“There we are.  What comes next?”[/color]

[color=forestgreen]“My turn.”[/color] Phystene answered. She held her hand out as if reaching to touch one of the new hot springs and concentrated. Normally bacteria were the lifeforms that inhabited hot springs and were capable of drawing energy from the heat and chemicals in them. While it wasn’t quite as simple as enlarging the bacteria and making them more ‘plant-like’, Phystene certainly could adapt many of those same qualities to plants themselves. Slowly trees began to grow out of and around the hotsprings, their leaves letting off a soft glow reminiscent of the World Tree’s. After a few moments grasses and shrubs began to develop, they too glowed softly.  Phystene let out a soft sigh and lowered her hand. [color=forestgreen]“There are your plants. Anything specific you want in regards to your animals?”[/color]

Asceal spoke as she admired the glowing trees, “Just that they have some measure of their own light, even if it’s a lesser measure than can be afford to the trees.”  The Goddess paused and looked to the horizon.  There the tail of the Lustrous garden was beginning to rise, heralding the coming night.  She frowned, “And I’d ask they be able to defend themselves.  I don’t wish for them to be vicious, but they should never be helpless.  Never.”

[color=forestgreen]“I understand.”[/color] Phystene said and she truly did. The thought of the monstrous angler fish she and Orvus had accidently created and what beings Orvus might model after them sent a chill through Phystene. The creatures here would certainly not be defenseless. First she created mammals. Many of them were small herbivores that possessed quills that glowed slightly. Larger herbivores possessed the mass necessary to fend off most predators. Then she created wolves and other canines. These too glowed just as Asceal wished. Then Phystene began to spread birds throughout the island. These birds were large, flightless creatures that possessed strong beaks, their feathers giving off a radiant light. Some ate leaves and fruits, others feasted on smaller creatures. All told she hadn’t the energy necessary to spread as many animals as she had plants, but the island now possessed a small and dispersed population of animals.

[color=forestgreen]”What do you think?”[/color] She asked with a soft sigh. She felt drained, almost as much as when she had created the World Tree and created her first ecosystem.

“It’s beautiful,”  Asceal commented as she took in the colourful and varied plants and animals that stretched out in all directions.  Again she hugged Phystene, but this time just for a moment.  Asceal smiled and looked to Phystene, “It’s more than I had hoped for.  Thank you.”


[color=forestgreen]”I’m always happy to help a friend.”[/color] Phystene answered Asceal with a smile of her own. She gazed out at the island, a contented expression on her face. [color=forestgreen]“Shengshi has a habit of coming up with weird names for his creations.”[/color] She lightly commented after a moment. [color=forestgreen]“He sort of makes a big deal about it.”[/color] She shrugged. [color=forestgreen]“Do you have a name in mind for your island?”[/color]

“A name?”  Asceal pursed her lips in thought, “It’s name is…. Is…. Issst?  Ist. Istai… Istais!  It’s name is Istais!” She declared with a grin.  The island thus named the two deities shared a comfortable silence as the sky grew dark and the long day past.  Much had happened, and much would happen, but for the moment they were content to enjoy the fruits of their labour glimmering all around them.

[hider=Summary & Might Costs]
Phystene makes a small ecosystem (using her aura) and gateway on Kalmar’s continent
She then recieves a message from Asceal asking for help with her island, thus leaves a message with Kalmar before heading off
Phystene and Asceal populate the island of Istais.

[b]Might Costs:[/b]

[i]Phystene:
-7 FP Creation of a gateway
-3 FP Small ecosystem (enhanced by plant port and price decreased by animal port)

{0 FP & 1 MP Remaining}[/i]

[i]Asceal: 
-2 FP Creation of the hot springs of Istais

{0 FP & 1 MP Remaining}

[4/5 Towards Remedy Portfolio][/i]
[/hider]