[center]
[img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/2b4925ee-b215-4b89-a794-5058a6c53e13.png[/img]
[colour=lightseagreen][h1][b][i]Ashalla[/i][/b][/h1]
[b]Goddess of Oceans and Storms[/b][/colour]
[/center]

Iridescent bodies swarmed about the island with the Gateway to Sanvadam in an unprecedented feeding frenzy. The Zhengwu had been atomised in the explosion, and the divine remains of Vakk had been dispersed across the sea for many kilometers. Iron Carrionfish converged on the island from as far as the scent had carried, ravenously feasting upon the shreds of godflesh and droplets of ichor. Never before had the entire body of a god been presented to these beasts to consume, and there was a good chance it would never happen again. The Carrionfish grew with every morsel consumed, and already their numbers were multiplying. This was in spite of occasional predation by Incorporeal Echoes.

There was one with smell even more keen than the Iron Carrionfish. Squalls rippled across the surface of the ocean, dragging clouds with them which cast shadows over the island and heralding her approach. Then near the island rose a mass of water, the manifestation of Ashalla. Her dreadful gaze scanned the ocean and the island. She could taste Vakk's remains throughout the water surrounding this island, and it would have made her gag had she possessed such a reflex. [colour=lightseagreen][b]"So that was K'nell's 'holy cargo',"[/b][/colour] Ashalla muttered to herself with a voice like the churning sea. Her gaze inspected the crater which had once been the Zhengwu and another squall manifested to fly around the island. [colour=lightseagreen][b]"How careless."[/b][/colour]

At least the Iron Carrionfish were able to clean up the mess, otherwise such a major spill of divine waste could have been catastrophic. But their progress was hindered slightly by the Incorporeal Echoes which still lurked about the island. Even now, a swarm of shadowy forms had sensed Ashalla's vast soul and was coming towards her. Ashalla was not in the mood to tolerate their presence.

[colour=lightseagreen][b]"Insolent spirits!"[/b][/colour] Ashalla cried in a voice of thunder, and her eyes burned white. The clouds above broiled, and with a flash lightning arced down and pierced through the shadows. The first bolt had hardly faded when a second struck, and a third. Lightning fell like rain upon the Incorporeal Echoes, until all that was left was the smell of ozone.

Ashalla rolled up the beach and inspected the crater more closely. One taste was enough to identify orvium oxide, indicating that this explosion had been caused by orvium. She wasn't sure where the Zhengwu had obtained that metallic orvium, although Para was one possibility as that had some native orvium. That didn't really matter.

Inspecting the land around the island was more enlightening. The sandy remains and empty clothes of sixteen servants littered the island, clearly having been slain by the Echoes in a one-sided battle. She also saw marks on the stone which appeared to have been wrought by some destructive form of magic she was unfamiliar with, but which caused similar damage to the centre of the orvium explosion. Likely caused by that Orvus-kin, Arya, who had been on the ship with them, and would have attempted to defend herself and possibly the others in this battle. The absence of her body or even the slightest drop of anything which tasted of her suggested that Arya had survived.

There was still the question as to why someone had detonated the orvium on board the Zhengwu. She could only guess why. Maybe they did not want the cargo falling into the hands of the Echoes, not knowing the nature of the cargo and the environmental damage blowing it up would have caused. Maybe it was a desperate attempt to kill some of the Echoes. Regardless, the folly and futility of such a move demonstrated to Ashalla the unreliability of mortals. She would have to be cautious about trusting them to undertake important tasks for her.

Ashalla flowed inland towards the gateway to check that the Box of Orchestration was still where she had left it. Finding it undisturbed, Ashalla propped it open with a little pseudopod and listened to its melancholy melodies for a little time. The tune seemed fitting for such a sombre occasion.

[colour=lightseagreen][b]"It's a shame. Qiang Yi was a good poet,"[/b][/colour] Ashalla said in a voice like a distant wave. Indeed, all of the crew of the Zhengwu had been worshippers of her. It would not do to grow attached to individual mortals, though, as their life was as brief as a raindrop. She would need to make larger groups of worshippers who would not be so easily destroyed by a misplaced tragedy.

Eventually, she closed the lid of the Box and flowed back out to sea. The Iron Carrionfish were continuing the task of consuming every last piece of Vakk's body and cleansing the sea of this mistake. Before she departed, though, she turned her head northwards towards Tendlepog. [colour=lightseagreen][b]"K'nell, if you plan to ship hazardous waste across my oceans, let me know beforehand."[/b][/colour] Then she slipped beneath the waves and was gone.


[hider=EPA Inspection]
Iron Carrionfish have swarmed the island with the Gateway to Sanvadam, feasting on the body of Vakk which had been dumped into the ocean when Zhengwu exploded. They are growing big and numerous, and have also prevented such a hazardous waste spill from causing dire environmental consequences.

Ashalla arrives, wondering what all the commotion is about. She gets harassed by Incorporeal Echoes, so she casts [i]Lightning Bolt[/i] on the lot of them (1 MP (Discounted from 3 MP by Storms) for the ability to create Lightning Bolts in great abundance and furious power).

Ashalla does some CSI on the battle scene. She deduces that Arya survived while all the servants perished, Arya has destruction magic, and for some ill-thought-through reason someone had decided to detonate a bunch of orvium to destroy the ship and scatter its cargo. She is mildly disappointed by the loss of the servants, as she kind of liked them. She also takes this as evidence that mortals are incompetent, and a reminder not to get attached to such frail and short-lived beings.

The Box of Orchestration is still where she had left it.

Ashalla also sends K'nell [@Goldeagle1221] a memo, requesting notification if he tries to ship hazardous materials across her ocean again.

[b]Might Summary[/b]
[i]Start:[/i] 5 MP, 0 FP
[i]Spent:[/i] 1 MP (Lightning Bolt ability, Storms Discount from 3)
[i]End:[/i] 4 MP, 0 FP
[i]Portfolios:[/i] 7/10 Colour
10/10 Ice
[/hider]