[centre][img]https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/divinus-iii/images/d/df/Shengshi-logo.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/310?cb=20190112093445[/img][/centre] The snake hummed as he slithered across the deck. The stroll with K’nell had been heart-warming. The two had exchanged ideas about the future, a few quips here and there, and finally ended on a mutual exchange of gratitude. The snake found himself drawn to K’nell as a close friend - he was well-mannered, interesting and had produced the finest mortal specimen in the world. Yes, he would always have a seat at his table. The snake hummed ponderously as he contemplated whether he should have given him a bottle of wine as he had left. He would send one to him at his earliest convenience! “Now that everything is back to normal, though…” He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “It is time to bring more life to this jungle!” With that, the snake hopped off the side on the ship and into the river below. [hr] Ah, how wonderful it was to be whole again! No gruesome thoughts clawing at his mind; no threats from the west; no more depressing loneliness. He could finally focus his mind on his true purpose again. The snake slithered ashore and delved into the woods. The vines hung low from the trees above, frequently hitching a ride on the river god’s horns. He gave a sour mutter, but paid them little mind otherwise. He had been planning for this; his mind may have been in a state of despair, but he had been planning. He looked around. So far, these woods were only home to a few species of reptile, with the occasional amphibian skipping out of the many ponds. A brown clump of fur and grunting trundled through the undergrowth in the distance. Oh! And boars, of course. There were a good number of boars. Well, the boars did not bother him nor the river, it would seem, so there was little reason to mind them for now. He secretly hoped that Narzhak had not implemented some sort of bloodlust in the docile porcines - that could potentially be a danger to his creations. His creations would have to be prepared for predation, in that case. As it happened, the snake had an idea for what creature to create first: One that would establish great nests with even greater territories; one that would not eat meat, but rely on the surrounding plants to sustain-... The snake pondered for a little longer. No, they would not just rely on the surrounding plants; they would cultivate the plants! The snake looked around. He began to sample the surrounding plants for the most nutrient rich, yet easily growable plant. In the end, the snake came upon a long, thin tree which he identified as the Nanhese bamboo plant. It looked very much like one long, green stick that stuck out of the ground much like a spine would stick out of a porcupine’s rump. However, while it was not as rich in nutrients as the snake had hoped, it grew incredibly fast - the snake could nearly see it grow by the minute. This would be the creature’s main source of food. They would grow it and farm it, and supplement the rest of their needs from nature’s bounty. They would be large and hulking as to defend their territory, and this rapidly ripening food source would see to it that they could maintain such a size. Yes, the plan was lain. The outline of the creature formed in the snake’s head. For the last few details, they would be bound to the river through an amphibian lifestyle - their eggs would be safe from predators, but only as long as they were lain in one of Shengshi’s rivers. The eggs would hatch into great tadpoles that would feast on plant detritus in the river before growing up to work the farms of their packs. The idea was complete and Shengshi got to work. The snake found a nearby boulder. It was overgrown with moss and vines and surrounded by many more lesser boulders and rocks. It was perfect. He summoned forth some water from the rivers some distance away. The streams snaked their way over to the stones and began to sand and scrape at them, first with coarse, sharp cuts, then with gentle, soft strokes. After some time, the rocks became great statues with thick, muscular forelimbs that ended with three log-like fingers. Their hindlimbs were not as thick or muscular, but powerful nonetheless; they also ended in a three-fingered hand. The statues’ heads were colossal and toad-like, with flat, broad features. From their backs sprouted something that looked like a mixture between tails and thick strands of hair. The snake took a moment to admire his work. The statues were magnificent, if he could say so, himself. Now all that remained was… The snake leaned in and took a deep breath. As he blew his divine essence into the statues, the rock began to crack and split, like hatching eggs. The boulders soon burst apart to reveal a pack of fifty individuals of all ages, lead by the largest which let out a whooping series of deafening croaks. The snake regarded the creatures as they began to collect bamboo pods and snack on the surrounding bamboo trees. “I think I shall call you Nongxing.” The snake drew the creation characters into the soil, forming the word nongxing, or farmer ape. The largest among them, which back hairs Shengshi noticed were grayer than those of the rest, let out a few loud croaks at hearing its name. The others followed suit. “Yes, that is very good,” said the snake. “Now, mark your territory - be fruitful and multiply. Plant your groves and rule these lands.” The elder croaked again and soon all the apes had left the vicinity with all the bamboo pods they would find, seemingly heading towards one of Nanhe’s closer tributaries. The snake let out a sigh. “Well, that would be enough work for one day. I wonder what the cooks have prepared for dinner…” The snake slithered back towards Nanhe. [hr] However, as the snake slithered back, he found himself craving something sweet - something from the forest. However, it would seem that this part of the jungle was rather lacking in fruits. Besides, the snake felt like tasting something new! He plucked a flower by the riverbank and sat admiring the bluish, brownish waters of Nanhe. The river which was comparable to a sea was overflowing with life: fish and frogs, reeds and flowers - all congregated at the edges and within the river. A simple addition to that group would not be all that intrusive - besides, he needed something sweet post-haste! The snake began to pluck the petals off the flower. He gathered them in his hands and picked a nearby reed. Then he rubbed the leaves together until his red-scaled hands grew even redder from the flower pigment. He then rubbed the pigment along the length of the reed until it radiated a crimson colour. Finally, he placed the flower core on top of the reed and stuck the reed in the sand. “Now to give you a bit of life…” The snake blew gently on the plant and let some water seep into it from below. The stalk suddenly grew thick and began to sprout crimson leaves. Then, at the very top of the stalk, the flower core became a crimson flower bud. The sand around the tall flower began to crack and part as more specimens of the plant began to grow. The snake distanced himself and watched on in amusement. “Now to wait a little.” Some time passed, followed by a little more. After a while, the snake began to feel impatient. He could just… Tweak the flower a little? Infuse it with divinity and make it blossom instant-. No! No, he would wait. He would wait for it to bloom and reveal to him the beautiful fruits within. It was close now - he could feel it. As his thought came to a conclusion, the flower bud at the top of the stalk began to peel open. The snake broke out of his daydream and stood up, slithering a little closer. As the flower opened up, a sickly sweet smell drifted up from whatever rested within, but this was exactly what the snake had hoped for. He used his claws to peel the flower some more and grabbed the little sticky pod within. He sniffed it at first, raising a curious brow at the funny, tangy smell, then popped it into his mouth. The flavour was fruity and sweet, almost similar to a ripe pineapple, followed promptly by a flaming hot aftertaste that had the snake nearly in tears. That was exciting! He plucked another one and popped it into his mouth. Such deliciousness, complemented by such an explosive finale! “I know exactly what to call you!” He wrote down the characters for ‘dragon’ and ‘flower or grass’ in the sand. “You shall be known as Longtsao!” The flowers danced in the wind as if they thanked the snake for their name. The snake continued: “I was lucky this time - my divine presence must have caused you to bloom early. However, you shall bloom once a year in the spring with the intention of spreading your pollen through insects and birds. Your fruits shall be enjoyed by all beasts, and when summer comes, your fruits will ferment and rot and fall to the ground so you can feast on their nutrients again.” The snake scratched his chin pensively. “You will grow in these rivers, as your existence will require much water to sustain such a juicy fruit. In return, my waters shall let you grow abundant and rich in time. This will be our pact.” The flowers danced again. The snake nodded and turned around, slithering away. [hr] He had had his fill of sweets now, but now new thoughts had popped into his head. He should not be the only one to enjoy those tasty fruits; naturally, there were always the nongxing and the boars, but the nongxing would likely only eat the fruit if their harvests failed, and the boars - well… No, he could not very well let the boars of the north have a monopoly on those tasty buds of spicy juice. That would not be fair! He had to make them a competitor-! He corrected his thoughts - someone to share the fruits with! The question was what he would make. The snake first found another rock, not like the boulders from which he had made the nongxing, but still quite a sizeable rock, roughly a metre tall and three fours as wide. He inspected the rock, gave it a gloss-over with his reptilian eyes, and finally knocked gently on it to test its composition. Nothing particularly interesting. So the snake would have to make it interesting! The snake went up and down the river, gathering rocks of similar sizes and lining them up along a straight axis from the first one. In the end, Shengshi had found roughly fifty rocks, stones and small boulders - a fine haul. Now to shape them properly. As before, the snake dragged some snakes of water out of the nearby river and had them curl around the rocks and behind to sand and slice ridges and shapes into the stone. As the work processed, the snake slithered up and down the ranks to inspect the work. The statues looked similar to the nongxing, yet were considerably smaller, with round, ball-like bodies and long arms - almost twice the length of their actual bodies. Their legs looked like a frogs’, with small claws on the tips of their padded feet. The snake nodded - this one would be a climber! An additional while passed, characterised by the monotonous sounds of water scraping against rock. The snake leaned in towards the statue made from the original rock and poked at its closed stone mouth. With teeth like these, they could likely eat fish and meat in addition to plants and fruits. The snake sneered. He would make them territorial, of course - they would have to defend their homes like the nongxing would - but he would not make them bloodthirsty. Other creatures would get that task. No, this one would be a surly, tricksy creature that would mainly live in the trees around the river. The snake scratched his chin. Their eggs would have refuge in his rivers, as usual. Would there be anything else? He shook his head and took a deep breath. He pulled back and clenched both fists. Suddenly, the snakes of water that had been resting next to their works sprung back to life and began to dig their way into the stone statues. Another moment passed. Finally, the stones all began to rumble and crack. They sprung open like eggs to reveal medium-sized, frog-like simians of all ages, all of which let out confused whoops and screams at their creation. The snake snapped his fingers and they all quieted down, turning to him. “Welcome to life, my beautiful children. I am your lord, Shengshi of the Thousand Streams.” One of the frogs waved and ooked in greeting. “You have been brought into this world to live and enjoy the jungle’s bounty. I have no tasks for you beyond the mission to spread your kin across the continent and to be mindful of your neighbours - you shall be allowed territories of your own, but you shall not kill unless threatened or starving, is that clear?” There were a few ooks. “Is that clear?” the snake repeated. There was a collective ook. “Good,” the snake said and gestured to the jungle. “Go now - Nanhe and its woods welcome you.” The apes looked at each others. Then they let out triumphant whoops and roars as they hopped into the forest with their frog legs and ape knuckles. The snake chuckled as the rampaging wave of blue dwarves stampeded into the woods. “I think I will call them wahous.” He wrote the characters for ‘frog’ and ‘monkey’ in the sand on the riverbank before continuing his little excursion. [hr] The snake had been diligent today - perhaps more so that he had been in a long time. Still, there was one more task he had to accomplish before he could retire for the evening. The snake wandered through the woods on the eastern bank of Nanhe. He slithered and snaked his way through the undergrowth and overgrowth until he arrived at the forest border to the dry lands south of the Cauldron. There, with the snake’s divine eyes, he saw the shivering air over the Plains of Sandravii. The snake had not been here when the desert was created - something he, in truth, was rather upset about. He could have tried to prevent it, perhaps. Although, the battle scars left on the continent spoke of a conflict that was perhaps beyond even himself. He gazed southwards to the desert to the vulcano Eldahverr. He scorned the sight - a black chimney taunting his beautiful bastion of life from afar. One day, he would make another river through the desert and create oases for all those unfortunate enough to pass through. The snake let out a shameful sigh. “Had I not already spent all my power, I would have done so at once. Forgive me, dear thirsty sand - I must ask you to wait a little longer.” With that, the snake turned back into the jungle. Yes… There would undoubtedly be conflict between the two halves of the south, one that could last thousands of years. Therefore, the snake had to make certain the riverlands would have a defender. [hr] The snake arrived back at the banks of Nanhe. He had once again collected heaps of stone, boulders large and gravel small. With a straining push, the snake toppled all the stones into the river, along with a few whole trees and a few animal carcasses in various stages of rotting that he had found lying around. The snake rubbed his hands together before slowly lifting them into the air. The waters before him began to darken, but not due to the many pollutants - a shadow formed underneath the sea-like river. “Beast of a thousand tonnes! Ancient of the depths! Guardian of the forest! See and feel these parts of yours - congregate and join as whole.” The shadow in the water grew darker and the water began to heave and steam. The aquatic life surrounding the event skipped away in every direction and the plants began to wilt as the waters boiled. Shengshi felt his head break as his river’s guests fled in panic, but it was a necessary sacrifice to bring forth their protector. The shadow emerged from the water surface in the form of a shell as big as a small island, then grew and grew as the creature inhabiting it answered the call of its lord. The island became a hill, then the hill a mountain, until a head the size of Shengshi’s ship fastened two glowing eyes on the snake. It placed its monstrously large feet on the river bank and let out an earthshaking roar that sent nearly every bird in the jungle into a panicking flap. The snake stuck a finger in his ear and let out a sharp whistle. “You certainly have a voice that demands respect, my child. Fitting for a creature with your task. Listen well, for your task is paramount.” The colossal turtle placed its chin into the sand as to show it was paying attention. The snake nodded. “You shall be the guardian of this river and its surrounding forests. Should be river and its neighbours face impending doom, it is up to you to annihilate the attackers with great fury. Otherwise, you shall rest here beneath the waters, waking up only once a year to feast during the flood season - and feast you shall, for the rivers will yield a bounty unmatched in respect for your glorious work. Is your mission clear?” The turtle raised its head and let out another roar. The snake nodded. “Very good. You shall have a name to fit your position - one that gives you the respect and reputation you deserve.” The snake noted down the character for ‘river’ and ‘king’ in the sand. “You are Chuanwang, the King of Nanhe!” The turtle let out a thunderous, rumbling roar before submerging back into the river until the only sign of it that remained was a small, brown patch that broke through the water surface, like an uncanny island. The snake chuckled quietly, then fell down into the sand. “Phew! Alright, that was-... Augh!” He attempted to stand back up, but found his strength drained. He rolled over on his back and looked up into the blue sky through the thin foliage by the riverbank. “I suppose nobody could fault me if I just… Took… A nap…” With that, the snake let out a loud, rumbling snore. [hider=Rumble in the Jungle] Snake has an offstage convo with K’nell about fun stuff. He contemplates sending the Dreamboi a flask of wine, and decides to do it at his earliest convenience. Afterwards, he decides to make some species in Nanhe jungle. In the jungle, Sheng notes that the woods are rather empty save for a few amphibians, reptiles and boars. Shengshi first decides to make some nongxing: They are farming toad gorillas that practice a crude, simple agriculture in a symbiotic relationship with the Nanhese bamboo plant. He binds them to his rivers by making them amphibian, meaning they have to lay their eggs in rivers. Afterwards, Sheng craves something sweet. He finds the part of the jungle he is in to be distinctly lacking in fruits, so he moves down to the river. On the way, he ponders about the possibilities of making a whole new fruit, one that would bloom early in the season and greet the new year with a delicious, sweet sensation. He comes up with the Longtsao, aka. dragonflower or dragonweed, which is a river flower that blooms in the spring. When it blooms, the flower bud on top opens to reveal a sweet, spicy fruit which attracts animals to eat it and spread the flower’s pollen which typically hitches a ride on the creature’s nose or hands. The fruits also function as fertiliser in the summer, when they fall out of the bud and into the ground to rot. The third species Sheng makes is the wahou, or the frog monkey. The snake is upset that only him and the boars will be able to enjoy this tasty fruit, as the nongxing are likely too busy farming bamboo to care much for it. Shengshi therefore invents a small, monkey-like frog that primarily lives in trees and eats fruits and legumes, with an omnivore approach to fish and meat for the protein’s sake. The monkeys also lay their eggs in the rivers and were specifically requested to, even though they are omnivores, never attack other creatures unless it was out of self-defence or unless they were desperate for food. The fourth and last creature Shengshi makes is the guardian of Nanhe, Chuanwang. Shengshi travels to the dry lands east of the jungles and sees the Cauldron and the Plains of Sandravii. He promises to one day make those lands fertile, but understands that he cannot do so just yet - he must first rest. Certain that conflict will arise between east and west, Shengshi creates Chuanwang, an enormous turtle that lives under Nanhe’s surface. The turtle is 1km wide and half as tall, with a head the size of Jiangzhou. It sleeps most of the time with the exception of during the flood season, when it is allowed to swim up and down Nanhe and eat its fill. After Chuanwang is created, Shengshi falls asleep, exhausted from the ordeal. [/hider] [hider=Might Use] Starter: 0MP/8FP Nongxing, farmer apes = 3FP Longtsao, dragonweed = 1FP Wahou, frog monkeys = 2FP Chuanwang, the King of Nanhe = 2FP End: 0MP/0FP 4/10FP towards Harvest port from nongxing and longtsao. [/hider]