[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, Storms and Ice[/b][/colour] [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/db5fbe56-1a70-4ebd-bb9c-42cc72afd124/ddc5bm0-52f6cbe8-4926-4a26-acda-073372af3464.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2RiNWZiZTU2LTFhNzAtNGViZC1iYjljLTQyY2M3MmFmZDEyNFwvZGRjNWJtMC01MmY2Y2JlOC00OTI2LTRhMjYtYWNkYS0wNzMzNzJhZjM0NjQucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.jr2B-FknPRW6aEiUD_3RBHLbPK9S9lY7Kki1c5t530A[/img] [h2]Li’Kalla[/h2] Goddess of Rain MP 9 FP 16 [img]https://i.imgur.com/uPTBuPR.png?1[/img][/center] [i]Shortly after the Rot was halted…[/i] On the island there was the Rot. Although the plants had stopped dying and decaying, the refuse remained. The incessant rains of the land washed the rot across the land and into the sea, fouling the waters. Fish were dying. Sea plants withered. Algae thrived on the decayed biomass and suffocated the ocean around the island. Sickly browns and greens marred the once-pristine azure. Frustrated squalls flitted across the ocean, churning up the scum. The waste parted and a vast figure of water rose and declared with a voice of thunder, [colour=lightseagreen][b]"Who has polluted my ocean?"[/b][/colour] A pseudopod rose beside Ashalla, holding a globule of the rot at its tip. She regarded it with disgust for a few moments, then flicked the globule away. She looked towards the coast - the answer to her question lay on the island. As she neared, she saw something else on the island. A small tribe of emaciated vallamir wandered the beach. One found the bloated corpse of a fish which had washed up on the shore. He ran forward to snatch it up and held it close. The other members of his pack closed in, and there was a squabble as the one with a fish refused to share. So desperate and pitiful these mortals were. Yet Ashalla sensed an opportunity. Subtly Ashalla merged with the rain clouds above, the rain intensifying as she did so, and she tasted the island around the vallamir. Many plants had died in the Rot, and animals were also scarce, save for swarms of bugs which had reached plague proportions. On the island itself now, Ashalla was able to identify the divinity behind the curse, and with the realisation a dozen more squalls flitted into existence and thunder pealed in the stormclouds. [colour=lightseagreen][i]Shengshi.[/i][/colour] Yet there was another trace of divine essence from an act which had countered the curse and ceased the blight. This trace was unfamiliar to Ashalla. She would have to find who was responsible. Back by the beach, the vallamir were still squabbling when a woman made from water rose out of the sea and announced with a voice like crashing waves, [colour=lightseagreen][b]"Vallamir."[/b][/colour] Immediately the vallamir ceased their arguing and looked at Ashalla. They crossed their fists across their chests and bowed their heads. "Greetings, Divine." [colour=lightseagreen][b]"You are suffering through a famine which has befallen your land. Yet I can provide you with food aplenty. You will not have to fight among yourselves for mere carrion."[/b][/colour] The vallamir looked at each other, and there was a hushed discussion between them. "We're saved." "But what if this is a Divine like the Accursed Worm?" "Li'Kalla has abandoned us, why should we listen to what she said?" "Can we trust her?" "Do we have any choice?" The rain drizzled on them as they debated. Finally, one of the vallamir turned to Ashalla and asked, "What do you want for such a blessing?" [colour=lightseagreen][b]"Only your gratitude and acknowledgement of myself, Ashalla. Although, receiving the gift will require a small amount of work on your part,"[/b][/colour] answered a voice like a shower of rain. The vallamir looked to each other, to the single bloated fish that one of them still held, then they looked to Ashalla, crossed their fists across their chests and bowed their heads. "We would be most grateful, Ashalla." [colour=lightseagreen][b]"Gather from the forest grasses and other plant fibres, several fist-fulls of strands at least as long as your arm. Then return here, and I will show you what to do next."[/b][/colour] The vallamir bowed their heads again, then set off into the forest to achieve their task. They returned after nightfall with bundles of fibrous strands (which had survived the Rot, for they were not edible). It was dark, for the clouds overhead blocked out the Lustrous Garden, but when they arrived on the beach lightning illuminated the vallamir. An arm of water reached up from the ocean and took a few of the strands in fingers which had turned to ice. [colour=lightseagreen][b]"Twist the strands together like so, then twist them again like this."[/b][/colour] The vallamir did as instructed, joining the strands together into twine. [colour=lightseagreen][b]"Now tie them together as so, and tie rocks onto the end."[/b][/colour] The twine was tied together into a fine grid, the edges of the mesh weighed down with stones. The lightning above shifted to illuminate the ocean before the vallamir. A voice like thunder announced, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Now behold the bounty of the ocean.”[/b][/colour] Before the vallamir’s very eyes the waste and algae floating in the ocean clumped together. The rot shifted forms and turned into fish, innumerable schools of fish which made the sea churn with new life. Their scales glimmered silver in the lightning. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Now cast your net into the sea, and you will have food aplenty.”[/b][/colour] The vallamir did as directed. One of them ran forwards with the net, got knee deep into the water and threw the net out towards the sea. It spun in the air then landed above a shoal of fish, where it was dragged down by the stones along its rim, ensnaring numerous fish. Several vallamir waded and swam to where the net had fallen. They dove down and picked up the net by its edges, making sure to lift the net in such a way which kept the fish trapped. They then dragged the net and its thrashing catch of fish up the shore and dropped it on the sand. The vallamir did not even wait for the fish to asphyxiate before rushing forwards and snatching up fish from the silver pile which spilled out from the net. Ravenously they bit into the fresh meat, savouring every scrap of flesh and drop of blood. As they finished their initial surge of hunger, the vallamir turned to the sky and the ocean and gave their customary salute. “Thank you, great Ashalla!” Thunder peeled in acknowledgement. Then Ashalla moved on, heading inland. She had a goddess to find, and she could sense a strong divine influence in the southern part of the island. While she flew as clouds, she passed over more packs of vallamir, all as desperate and emaciated as the first she had seen. Soon the forest gave way to rolling hills and grass, and it might have not been raining if not for Ashalla’s presence. Further along there appeared one hill which stood above the others, a grand manor standing atop it. A pillar of steam rose up from the base of the hill, where there sat a boiling lake which bore the powerful mark of Li’Kalla’s divinity and the Sphere of Rain. Dotted around the base of the hill were crude huts, with sleeping vallamir within and a few vigilant white-haired guards. The storm which was Ashalla was soon upon the settlement. Used to rain, the people who were outside simply pulled up their hides to cover their heads. The storm settled above the manor, where Ashalla could taste fresh traces of Li’Kalla’s essence. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Li’Kalla,”[/b][/colour] called a voice like pouring rain. A few of the Valthumir looked up at the divine storm, and yet many, including some of the lesser Vallamir, seemed to acknowledge it and move on with their daily lives. It took a few moments for the beautiful winged Goddess Li'Kalla to step out onto a large balcony and look up at the sky, her tightly furled wings and her pleasantly surprised smile contrasting wildly. "Ashalla," The Goddess of Rain said, then walked to a nearby sunbathing chair and sat on the edge, prim and proper with a straight back. She gestured to the chair beside her, "Would you like to adopt a more portable form and take a seat beside me?" There was a pause, then mist lowered from the cloud towards the indicated chair and crystallised into a woman of ice mirroring Li’Kalla’s posture, sitting slightly taller than the Goddess of Rain. The storm overhead continued unabated. Beside Li’Kalla, a watery pseudopod rose from a puddle and licked against Li’Kalla’s arm and wing, causing Li'Kalla to visibly shudder. A voice like the rain spoke and the mouth of the ice woman moved, although the sound was not quite localised on the mortal-sized ice woman. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“You appear to have recovered from your injuries.”[/b][/colour] "It is remarkably easy to heal from injuries that have been forgotten," Li'Kalla said and looked at the pseudopod with a slanted smile, "Would you care to describe my taste?" If Ashalla was caught off guard by the question she had never been asked before, she did not show it. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Your divine essence is the dominant flavour. The water you are coated in is quite pure, with a faint petrichor. I taste a faint trace of orange citrus and lavender. And this,”[/b][/colour] the pseudopod traced out one of the almost-invisible fissures in Li’Kalla’s skin, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“is not quite stone. Its taste reminds me of the Architect’s place. A binding or sealant of some kind.”[/b][/colour] Li’Kalla winced and looked away, cursing Ashalla’s perceptiveness. She was the first Divine to actually bring up the fissures going along her body. For a moment, Li’Kalla was unsure if her surprise and stress showed on her face, but she quickly regained her composure and shrugged, “The Architect’s touch. A lasting gift he left me after rebuilding me. It reminds me not to seek out the past.” Li’Kalla continued, “I am surprised I taste of lavender, however, I believe that might be my favorite flower. And thank you, I do try to keep my water and body as pure as possible.” Ashalla rumbled for a few moments. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“If you do not wish to speak of the past, then we can speak of the present. What brought the blight upon this land?”[/b][/colour] The Winged Goddess froze and, after a moment, sighed. "Shengshi." She said as if the mere mention of the name put a heavy weight on her shoulders. "He disapproved of my opinion on certain mortal affairs and my choice of words on certain matters and saw it fit to attempt to destroy the ecosystem here and in the seas around. Really, marring the beauty of the clear waters you have blessed us with… It's a low blow." Ashalla huffed. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I had thought Shengshi cared more about the purity of water.”[/b][/colour] There was a rumble, then she asked, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“What did you say to him?”[/b][/colour] “Huh, I merely expressed my opinion on homosexuality in species that reproduce heterosexually, and I may have implied he was uncouth for supporting deviancy that has no biological purpose... It was all weeks ago, and therefore I don’t quite remember the exact words exchanged. It was a hurtful development.” Li’Kalla said casually, bringing a wing to the front of her body and absentmindedly beginning to straighten and groom her feathers. Ashalla was quiet for a moment, then said, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I see why Shengshi was so angry. Not only did you insult him, but his favourite mortal and avatar too.”[/b][/colour] The icy woman leaned closer to Li’Kalla and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper as light as a snowflake, below the hearing of any prying mortals. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Them being two women who Shengshi favoured so highly he slew Vakk to protect them.”[/b][/colour] She leaned back as Li'Kalla perked up with a glint in her eyes, and Ashalla’s voice returned to its normal volume. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Regardless of his reasons, his actions here were unacceptable.”[/b][/colour] Li'Kalla chuckled, and then she laughed out loud, hugging her wing close to her body. After a moment, she calmed down and wiped a few tears of mirth dry. "Oh, that's golden. His avatar was a homosexual. That, by extension makes a part of himself a deviant. I was right! And now that I think about it, someone so obsessed with alcohol could have never been a prim and proper God! And here I was thinking that if he had a pair of legs I'd organize a dinner for us… Guess that's not happening, he prefers practicing with the spear rather than going spelunking." Li'Kalla giggled but quickly gasped and covered her mouth, "My apologies, that was rather uncouth of me." The clouds which were Ashalla wavered and her icy form remained motionless, uncertain what to make of the outburst. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Irrelevant,”[/b][/colour] was her eventual comment. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Who was it that countered Shengshi’s curse?”[/b][/colour] Ashalla asked. "My son, Ya'Shuur. Apparently someone named Vakk and I made him. He's lived on this island the whole time." [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I would like to meet him.”[/b][/colour] "Would you? What are your intentions?" [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I wish to thank him for cleansing the blight.”[/b][/colour] “I see, would you like me to call him here? That way you can save yourself the trip further inland,” Li’Kalla said with a slight tilt of her head, a shiver going through her spine as she touched a particularly sensitive feather. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Yes, that would be convenient,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla answered. Li’Kalla looked at the Water Goddess for a few long seconds, her gaze slowly losing interest and growing icier. Eventually, she looked away and stretched and flapped her wings before furling them up again. “I’ve told him to come, he should be here soon, relatively speaking.” It did not take too long. Ya-Shuur immediately stopped what he was doing and summoned Zer-Du to him to reach his mother and her guest in good time. His horns had begun to grow back now and he made no attempt to hide them as he approached the table and kissed the back of his mother’s hand in respect. Zer-Du hovered within sight and watched with relative disinterest, though the valls in the settlement reacted with a mixture of shock and awe and fear to his presence. The icy woman which was part of Ashalla rose to her feet with a crackle of ice, and she appeared to stretch to one and a half times Ya-Shuur’s height. Ya-Shuur looked at the icy woman and greeted her before turning back to his mother. “You summoned me, mother.” “I did. This,” Li’Kalla motioned toward Ashalla with her hand, “is Ashalla, Goddess of [i]Water[/i]. She wanted to meet you.” Ya-Shuur had never seen or heard of Ashalla before so it was strange that she wished to meet him, but he turned back to her with a small smile. “Hello Ashalla. You are the fourth divine being I have seen and the third I have met. I am happy to meet you.” He paused, thinking back to how the god with chopstick eyes had given him a gift when he first met her, and he thought that maybe it would be good for him to follow this practice. But he did not know what to give. If he had some sudi-shrib on him he might have offered her some, but he did not. All he had was gim-sa and he was not sure if that was a good thing to offer someone as a gift. His hand came to the hud-sa (knife) medallion that he wore. It was made of metal and he had replaced the handle from wood to ivory and he had been carving it and making it more beautiful in his travels. The carvings contained things like vines and leaves and various animals like goats and molves. The metal of the blade had also taken on a strange pattern that was extremely similar to flowing water. Ya-Shuur thought that maybe the constant rain and the closeness of the blade to him had made it take on some of the patterns of the water, but he was not sure. He took the hud-sa medallion off and presented it to Ashalla. “Please accept this small gift from me. I was taught to give gifts by my good friend the god with chopstick eyes and you are the first god I have had the pleasure to implement her lesson on. This is a hud-sa, or a knife as the valls call it. The god with chopstick eyes had an exceptional collection, and I was inspired by her to make one of my own. I hope you find it pleasing, even though it is a simple token.” Ashalla’s gaze went down to the knife. Her right arm melted and reach out, swallowing the gift. Tiny currents flowed across each of the carvings. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The craftsmanship is marvellous, and the design is elegant,”[/b][/colour] burbled a voice which seemed to come from all around Ya-Shuur, with the lips of the icy woman moving in sync. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“It is a good gift, and I do find it pleasing, although I have no place to keep it.”[/b][/colour] The water receded from the hud-sa, which sat on top of the palm of Ashalla’s hand. Ya-Shuur reached out, took the medallion, and put it over Ashalla’s icy neck. “You don’t need to hold it, it can just hang around your neck. Your form allows that just like mine.” [colour=lightseagreen][b]“You misunderstand, godling, or perhaps your senses fail you,”[/b][/colour] said Ashalla’s voice like crashing waves. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This form of ice you see before you is but a transient fragment of my full majesty.”[/b][/colour] Without warning the icy woman melted, the hud-sa lowering to the ground as the blob of water collapsed then evaporated. There was then a crack of lightning and a harsh light was cast down on Ya-Shuur and Li’Kalla. Above in the storm clouds there had formed the same face Ya-Shuur had been looking at moments ago, yet a thousand times larger and with eyes made from orbs of brilliant lightning. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I am the ocean. I am the storm. I am far too great to wear such a trinket,”[/b][/colour] declared a voice like thunder, echoing from one horizon to the other. It took all of Ya-Shuur’s discipline to keep from showing his fear and awe at what Ashalla had become in mere seconds. If the valls below had been afraid or awed by Zer-Du’s presence then Ashalla’s thundering voice and great visage in the sky was a great terror and majestic thing. At last Ya-Shuur breathed deeply and expelled the passions from him, and then he bowed his head to Ashalla. “I am sorry great Ashalla. I meant no disrespect. Perhaps in time I will be able to offer you a more fitting gift. But as you say, I am nothing but a godling and am ultimately nothing of great importance. It will be an auspicious day indeed when I am able to offer something that truly complements your majesty. Until then, you will undoubtedly be plagued with the amateur attempts of those less majestic than you.” Ya-Shuur looked back up. The face faded from the clouds. From the rain-soaked floor in front of Ya-Shuur rose a mound of water which adopted the form of a woman similar to the icy one before. A kind smile was on her lips as she spoke like a trickling brook, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Self-deprecation is not befitting one of divine status. And it is untrue that you are nothing of great importance. You cleansed this island of its blight. Do you know who inflicted the curse?”[/b][/colour] “I agree, though humility in good measure lends dignity to those who seem debased, and pride makes ugly many great and glorious things. As for who inflicted the Rot on Be’r-Jaz,” he looked to Li’Kalla, and then returned his gaze to Ashalla, “I have been told about the god by my mother. But I have never met him, and I do not condemn him for his actions before I have heard from him (terrible as the Rot’s effects on the land and people was). I was merely doing my duty.” [colour=lightseagreen][b]“And a good duty it is. To stand up against a stronger god takes courage, and while on many occasions it would be fatal folly in this instance I deem it a worthy cause. The Rot had fouled my oceans around this land as well as the land itself. To express my gratitude, I am willing to offer you a boon. If your request is reasonable, I will grant it,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla said. Ya-Shuur had never really considered what he had done as taking a stand against a god, but simply as removing harm. When he thought of it as Ashalla described it, it seemed a bit concerning and it made him wonder if he had inadvertently made an enemy out of the god who inflicted the curse. It hung on his mind for a few moments, and then he freed himself of the anxiety because he ultimately had no control over that. It did not matter. And so there was no need for anxiety. “Thank you for your offer of reward, Ashalla. Doing as justice demands, and living by those principles which I have come to hold, is all the reward I seek. But I do not want to seem ungrateful, and so if there is any reward you give, let it be that you sate my curiosity about the world and gods. I know very little. This island is my home and I have knowledge only about it. Could you tell me about the rest of the world, its mortals and its gods?” A perplexed little bubble rose through Ashalla’s features. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“If that is your desire, then so be it.”[/b][/colour] The clouds above then descended upon the manor, and Li’Kalla and Ya-Shuur found themselves momentarily blinded by the thick clouds and buffeted by the winds before a patch of calm spread around the balcony. In that moment the water woman had disappeared, and the two deities looked out onto an empty stage of cloud. Before them condensed a large globe of water, impossibly floating and slowly spinning. On its surface froze large shapes with jagged outlines and intricate details. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Galbar.”[/b][/colour] An electrical spark illuminated a point on the lower part of a large island, which itself was just right of a larger continent in the upper hemisphere of the globe. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“We are here.”[/b][/colour] Ya-Shuur looked at the globe and the various land masses on it, and he committed it to his memory so he could replicate it in his cave and inspect it more closely. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The land and seas of this planet form only a part of the greater cosmos.”[/b][/colour] The globe contracted. It was sheathed by a thin layer of mist. One orb of ice appeared, shattered in half and trailing a ring of fragments, orbited the globe which was Galbar. Another smaller orb, crystal clear and glowing faintly, appeared slightly further out. A spark of lightning sat on the opposite side of the globe to that orb. A smear of mist which refracted the light in such a way as to appear slightly red floated between the orbits of the shattered orb and the light-givers. Tiny flecks of snow glinted like stars, one layer just above the mist sheathing Galbar, another layer beyond the light-givers. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Each god brought here by the Architect was given charge over a Sphere. The things you see in the heavens above are some of the Spheres - there are many more you cannot see from Galbar’s surface, either hidden beyond mortal comprehension of space or buried far beneath the ground. The Spheres control aspects of reality and mediate various factors of existence.”[/b][/colour] Ya-Shuur looked at all this without any expression and it seemed that he was not going to interject. But just before Ashalla continued a question came from him. “Who is the Architect?” he asked. The visage of the celestial spheres moved aside, and behind the clouds towered the silhouette of a vast figure seated on a throne. A singular orb of lightning illuminated the centre of the figure’s head like a vast eye. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The Architect is the god who created Galbar in its original state, formless and empty. He filled this universe with souls from the Void beyond and bestowed a few of them with godhood, creating the gods who act on Galbar. He is powerful, and distant.”[/b][/colour] A tiny orb appeared in orbit around the globe beyond the outermost stars, highlighted by a brief spark of lightning. Then a shell of ice encased the whole diorama. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The Architect resides by and rules over the Barrier which separates Galbar from the Void beyond.”[/b][/colour] The visage of the Architect and the imitation of Galbar and the Spheres dissipated. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Galbar has been shaped and is commanded by the gods. The Architect brought twenty-six gods into this world. There is myself. I wield dominion over the ocean, storms, ice and all things water. My Sphere lies at the very depths of the ocean and makes the water move. I am goddess over the beasts of the sea. Li’Kalla requires no introduction. She is the goddess of rain, and her Sphere can be reached through the boiling lake at the foot of this hill.”[/b][/colour] Before Ya-Shuur and Li’Kalla manifested an ice sculpture of an oddly proportioned woman, shorter than Ya-Shuur, with more than two arms, and a bristling bundle of narrow icicles emerging from where eye sockets. Ya-Shuur smiled when he saw the figure. “Ah, Butterwort in Midsummer,” he said. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the goddess with chopstick eyes, who Ya-Shuur has already met. She has dominion over things regarding the exchange of goods and services by mortals. She has reasonably good creative taste.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture turned to face Li’Kalla. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“When I last met Chopstick Eyes, she was looking for you, Li’Kalla. Now that you are whole, you can contact her if you desire a meeting.”[/b][/colour] “Yes, when she came here, she was looking for mother,” Ya-Shuur said. “I will contact her in that case, thank you for the information, Ashalla.” Li’Kalla smiled and nodded. The sculpture melted, then froze again, depicting the torso of a man and the lower body of a snake. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Shengshi, god of rivers and harvests. While the Rot is a foul mark against his reputation, he has done much good for Galbar, creating luscious river ecosystems. He appreciates beauty and art, and travels upon his opulent vessel.”[/b][/colour] An ice sculpture of a grand and intricately decorated ship flowed into view atop spiralling currents of water. On board stood humanoids of liquid water. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Shengshi is god of the Servants, a cultured people made of water.”[/b][/colour] Beside Shengshi appeared a similar female of water. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Xiaoli is an independent fragment of Shengshi, who is a similarly good artist.”[/b][/colour] Ya-Shuur considered Ashalla’s words inexpressively though he was curious, and then asked, “You say that he appreciates art. What is that? And what is cultured?” [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Art is beauty which is created. A culture is a set of ideas and customs which drive the behaviour of a group of people. In the case of the Servants, they have a strict hierarchy and elaborate means of displaying respect to their superiors.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture of the ship disappeared into the clouds, and the sculpture of Shengshi melted and reformed into a well-dressed gentleman with a cheshire smile. The melodious song of a violin wafted around them. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is K’nell, god of sleep and dreams. He is lord over the Palace of Dreams, where mortal minds visit while sleeping. He is the most wonderful musician.”[/b][/colour] Ya-Shuur had never slept, though he had imitated the action and so was under the impression that he had indeed slept. But he did not know what dreams were, and he did not know what this musician was. “What are dreams? And I have never seen mortal minds leave them during their sleep, and mine certainly hasn’t. And what is musician?” [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Dreams are scenes which the mind imagines while sleeping. The mind does not physically leave the body, but comes in contact with the Palace of Dreams all the same. You can ask mortals more about dreaming,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla answered. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“A musician is someone who plays music. Are you saying you do not know what music is?”[/b][/colour] There was a huff. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I will have to rectify that.”[/b][/colour] A few more humanoid ice sculptures, both women and men, appeared nearby, these with similarly broad smiles and spirals on their foreheads. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“He is the god of the Dreamers, a sapient species, and ruler over the land of Tendlepog.”[/b][/colour] A smaller globe of Galbar condensed, sparks crackling around the right-most of a pair of circular continents. Li’Kalla raised an eyebrow upon recognizing one of the Dreamers depicted as Hermes but… Different. Less Hermes and more woman. She kept quiet. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“However, K’nell, Tendlepog and many of the Dreamers have since been sequestered away by K’nell.”[/b][/colour] The continent marked as Tendlepog on the globe melted. Ya-Shuur looked at the empty spot on the globe. “Where did he take them? Are they somewhere else in the… you called it cosmos?” There was a moment’s hesitation before Ashalla answered, [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Yes.”[/b][/colour] Before Ya-Shuur could ask more questions, the sculptures all melted again, save for the globe, and reformed into many little pieces which locked together to form a tall skinny humanoid with seven arms, wide hips and a blank face. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Eurysthenes, master of puzzles. They created Swahitteh, twin continent of Tendlepog.”[/b][/colour] Sparks outlined the other circular landmass. “They? Are there more than one Eurysthenes?” Ya-Shuur asked. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Eurysthenes is singular, but neither masculine nor feminine,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla explained. The sculpture melted, and a hundred metre long worm of water took its place, one end branching out into many grasping tendrils, and the other end splitting open into three flaps to reveal rows of sharp ice teeth. Ya-Shuur recognized his father immediately, though now he had a clearer understanding of his form. A dark, melancholic melody sounded nearby. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Vakk, god of speech.”[/b][/colour] Li'Kalla choked and gasped at the same time. Her eyes opened wide and her pupils were pinpricks. She clenched her jaw and turned her whole body away from the sight, guarding her body with a barrier made up of her right arm, leg and wing. Her left wing shook uncontrollably and, although she need not breathe, her breaths came short and quick, and the decorative veins under her skin suddenly swelled up and seemed ready to burst. Ya-Shuur looked at her, concerned even though his face did not show it. She was silent, whimpering, until she looked at the recreation of her abuser through the gaps between her fingers and managed to relax, taking in a deep breath and going back to her previous posture, sitting forward with a straight back, but this time with tightly crossed legs, twitching wings and a nervous vibe. The cracks in her skin grew more noticeable. Ya-Shuur’s eyes remained on her for some time. He sensed that she was perturbed, but she appeared to have gained some control over her passions. Discipline and self-control were difficult to obtain, but his mother was already making significant progress. There was a faint rumble. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is distressing for you,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla observed. The music stopped and the sculpture dissolved. [color=steelblue]“I-It seems to be. Somehow. I don’t even recognize that form… And the name is barely familiar...”[/color] Li’Kalla’s voice had a barely perceptible trembling to it, [color=steelblue]“I might break apart…”[/color] The storm watched Li’Kalla for a few moments longer. When it became apparent that Li’Kalla was not falling apart, Ashalla continued. Although the presentation was being given to Li’Kalla and Ya-Shuur, Ashalla dropped her voice to be sure not to be overheard by any eavesdroppers. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“It was Vakk’s actions which led to the fragmentation of Li’Kalla. However, he was a weak god. He was compelled to act by Eurysthenes. He was defeated in combat by Li’Kalla. And when he attempted to invade Tendlepog to inflict harm upon several favoured individuals, he was slain by Eurysthenes, Shengshi and K’nell.”[/b][/colour] Ya-Shuur had sensed Vakk’s death all those years ago. Now he knew who had killed him and why it had happened, according to Ashalla at least. “What favored individuals were these? Why did he seek to harm them? Were these three gods together not powerful enough to restrain rather than kill him?” Ya-Shuur asked. An ice sculpture of a dreamer woman appeared, one from before, and also the watery form of Xiaoli. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Hermes, the first Dreamer and creation of K’nell, and her lover Xiaoli, who is part of Shengshi.”[/b][/colour] A box of ice appeared nearby, the lid bearing an abstract impression of Vakk. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Vakk had given the Box of Orchestration to Li’Kalla, but the box was taken by Hermes. Vakk sought revenge for this theft. Shengshi described Vakk as ‘mad, insane beyond redemption’, which is why they decided to kill him.”[/b][/colour] The sculptures of Hermes, Xiaoli and the box disappeared, and an ice sculpture of a male humanoid with wings formed. Ashalla’s voice returned to its normal volume. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Ekon, god of fear and creator of some monsters, including the creatures beneath this island.”[/b][/colour] Ya-Shuur had seen some of these creatures and had thought them an oddity, but he had not thought they were a direct creation by a divine being. A god of fear who created fearful things. Fear was a terrible thing, but with discipline it could be overcome like any other emotion. It arose from time to time, like when Ashalla revealed her great form, but even then he had not shown it and had been able to expel it. Perhaps if there was anything he truly feared it was the being afraid itself, and so failing to live according to his principles of mastering emotions like fear. The sculpture shifted again, and became a towering giant humanoid man, unclothed. Steam rose from all parts of the sculpture. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Sartravius, god of heat. He and his Sphere are responsible for volcanoes.”[/b][/colour] A sculpture of two muscular humanoids appeared, male and female, towering about three times as tall as Li’Kalla and Ya-Shuur, although still dwarfed by Sartravius. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Sartravius is the creator of the jotundar.”[/b][/colour] A massive winged lizard formed from the clouds and exhaled a cone of steam. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“And the fire dragons. He is prone to senseless destruction.”[/b][/colour] The dragon and jotundar dissipated, and a gigantic flying raptor-like beast made of cloud and steam appeared. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the Phoenix, who is an independent fragment of Sartravius.”[/b][/colour] The figures dissipated, then the clouds stretched upwards. The theatre opened up to reveal a towering cumulonimbus in a bulky humanoid shape, with four points of lightning perched like eyes on the head which was kilometres above the ground. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Narzhak, god of war. He’s somewhat unhygienic, but strong and a good fighter.”[/b][/colour] The clouds closed back in around the balcony. Before Ya-Shuur and Li’Kalla swirled steam which took the shape of a tiger’s head larger than they were. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Katharsos, god of death. He reigns over the Sky of Pyres, which are the incandescent stars far above Galbar. It is where the souls of the dead go to be burned into soul ash and recycled for new life.”[/b][/colour] The steam dissipated, and was replaced by a flash of lightning, which shaped and bent itself to take the form of a woman. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Asceal, goddess of light. She owns the Lustrous Garden, which provides light at night and casts healing energy upon sources of pure still water. As you likely know, she was involved in taking souls of dead mortals from the Pyres and crystallising them.”[/b][/colour] The lightning ceased and an ice sculpture of a large bird appeared, its feathers refracting the light into a rainbow of colours. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Azura, goddess of wind. Or, at least, one of her forms.”[/b][/colour] A sculpture of a feminine humanoid with wings, fins and gills floated up beside the bird. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Her Sphere is the Blue, which is the daytime sky of Galbar, and contains many flying creatures which resemble sea life. Azura is a very good musician. She is also responsible for the plans to preserve the souls of mortals, initially by crystallisation, rather than let them burn in the Pyres. That is the function of the Alma.”[/b][/colour] A few icy sculptures of the strangely accessorised birds fluttered into view. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“She is hard-working, and has compassion for mortals.”[/b][/colour] The sculptures melted and reformed into a three metre long snake-like dragon with wings, four legs and a jagged crest. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Arae, goddess of family. As you likely know, she was involved in the creation of the vallamir.”[/b][/colour] The dragon sculpture was then replaced by a six foot tall humanoid, with a thick cloak made from snow, a bow by his side, a moustache and short beard on his face, and pointy ears. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Kalmar, god of the hunt and lord of winter. He was involved in the creation of the vallamir.”[/b][/colour] Two icy humanoids about nine feet tall appeared nearby. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“He also created the Jotnar, frost giants.”[/b][/colour] The globe of Galbar reappeared, and sparks outlined the continent just to the left of Be’r-Jaz. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“He rules over and protects the continent of Kalgrun. Kalmar stands against senseless destruction.”[/b][/colour] A falcon of ice appeared beside Kalmar’s statue. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Arryn, who is part of Kalmar, and has taught mortals in other parts of the world about the ways of hunting.”[/b][/colour] Arryn, Kalmar and the globe vanished, leaving the Jotnar, and in their place appeared a sculpture of a ten foot tall, broad, hulking muscular man with sharp jagged teeth. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Kirron, god of blood and strength. He helped create the Jotnar.”[/b][/colour] A few more sculptures appeared of chubby humanoid creatures with the heads of seals and broad, flattened limbs. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“He is the god of the selka.”[/b][/colour] The sculptures melted and reformed into an unclothed humanoid woman with a pair of branching icicles emerging from her head like antlers and covered in motifs similar to leaves and roots. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Phystene, goddess of plants and animals. She is responsible for many of the forests and jungles upon Galbar.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture melted again, and changed to be a humanoid figure without well-defined features. A thick mist curled around the figure. Light sparkled from within like stars, and two brighter lights were where the figures’ eyes would be. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Orvus. His domain is that of destruction. While in the past he had engaged in senseless destruction and created things which would destroy, he has since changed and no longer desires such violence. His Sphere is Veradax, the shattered moon.”[/b][/colour] Several more ice sculptures appeared of tall humanoids with lights twinkling like stars just below their surface. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“He is the creator and god of the Nebulites.”[/b][/colour] The sculptures melted, and in their place rose one of a large crab, one metre in diameter. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Ohannakeloi, god of stone. He raised the largest continent of Galbar out of the sea. He was partially responsible for the creation of the Nebulites.”[/b][/colour] Numerous chunks of ice came together to create a six metre tall biped with two arms made from the crudely assembled chunks. A light glowed from an indent on a chunk which could be called its head. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“He is also the god of the Ihokhetlani, creatures of stone.”[/b][/colour] The sculptures dissipated, and there appeared a sculpture of a young unclothed man with an athletic physique and a laurel wreath around his head. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Aelius, god of virtue.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture melted and reformed into a somewhat tall human woman with braided hair and wearing hunter’s garb. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Urhu, whose domain is travel. She is responsible for a number of distinctive landmarks scattered across Galbar.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture melted, and was overtaken by a twisting, writing mass of watery tentacles which towered high above the manor. On the end of one pseudopod was an orb of lightning which looked down on Ya-Shuur and Li’Kalla like an eye. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Anzillu, whose domain is that of a breed of monsters related to its own foul form.”[/b][/colour] The watery mass collapsed and dissipated, and a statue of a human woman froze into shape. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Melantha, goddess of darkness.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture melted and reformed into a tall, thin man with leaves instead of hair. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Parvus, god of insects. One of the places he created was the swamplands on the western shore of this island.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture shifted, and became one of a tall man with long, unkempt hair and elaborate robes. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Abanoc, god of recording.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture melted and reformed into an athletic unclothed woman with short hair and patterns engraved on her back and hands. The hair refracted the light in such a way as to almost appear red. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Seihdhara, whose domain is combat. She is responsible for many of the forests on Galbar which had not been created by Phystene.”[/b][/colour] The globe of Galbar reappeared, and a line of sparks traced itself along the smaller continent on the lower half of the globe. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Her blood runs thick in a river here, a limitless supply conjured miraculously. An ecosystem designed by Shengshi and myself prevents the ichor from polluting the ocean beyond.”[/b][/colour] The sculpture of Seihdhara melted away. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Those are the gods of Galbar, who have dominion over reality.”[/b][/colour] The globe of Galbar swelled to a far greater size than before. A shell of ice grew beneath the oceans of water, mapping out the sea floor in exquisite detail. The coastlines were also intricately detailed. The vast globe spun in place until the island of Be’r-Jaz was right before the balcony. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the island we are currently on. You already know about it.”[/b][/colour] The globe rotated slightly to the left. A gossamer-thin thread of ice stretched across the ocean between Be’r-Jaz and the continent to the left. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“A bridge of Li’Kalla’s creation spans the strait between here and Kalgrun. At walking pace, it would take approximately five days to cross if you do not rest.”[/b][/colour] The rest of the continent of Kalgrun rolled into view. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the continent of Kalgrun, created and ruled by Kalmar. It is home to many vallamir, and the jotnar in the frozen north. I have taught the vallamir there about carving and sculpting. The jotnar are a race of large and strong people who thrive on cold rather than heat.”[/b][/colour] Ice sculptures of vallamir and jotnar appeared as she described them. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Kalgrun is mostly forested wilderness filled with all sorts of animals. Notable are the apex predators of the continent.”[/b][/colour] Ice sculptures of a direwolf, griffon and troll appeared nearby. In the background, cloudy forms of far larger versions of these beasts appeared, as well as a great bipedal lizard. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The continent is also guarded by these four powerful beasts, although they are only of danger to those Kalmar does not wish in his lands.”[/b][/colour] Sparks then outlined a lake near the middle of the continent with a thin straight line etched towards the strait to the right with a tiny trickle of water running through it. The lake had a tiny island in the middle. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the Hunter’s Eye. It is a holy place to Kalmar, and a chosen number of Vallamir tend to the site.”[/b][/colour] A puff of steam rose from a tiny island below and to the left of Kalgrun. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“That is the volcano of Muspel. It is connected directly to Sartravius’ Sphere.”[/b][/colour] The globe rotated upwards, revealing a circular archipelago below Kalgrun. However, with the sea floor clearly mapped out, it was evident that this archipelago was the rim of a large crater. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the Eye of Desolation, formed from an asteroid impact in the earliest days of Galbar’s history. It is covered in a lush jungle. It is home to the Nebulites. They are a people created in Orvus’ image, who are notable for possessing the power of flight without wings.”[/b][/colour] A sculpture of a Nebulite appeared as she said this. The globe rotated some more to reveal a small island a substantial distance to the right, and an island of comparable size to Be’r-Jaz below and between the small island and the Eye of Desolation, nestled between the two arms of the largest continent. Sparks outlined both the islands. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“These two islands were created by Ekon. Besides wild beasts and plants, nothing much is on them.”[/b][/colour] The globe continued to turn until the focus was on the top-right branch of the largest continent. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Atokhekwoi, the continent created by Ohannakeloi.”[/b][/colour] Along this branch of the continent, running vertically, was a great mountain range, and at the top end of the mountain range, if one looked very carefully, was a mountain with a flat top. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This region is filled with great beasts created by Kirron.”[/b][/colour] The clouds around them formed into the shapes of dinosaurs, megafauna, pyrgerakia and the other inhabitants of the Great Hooflands. But those figures were all blown away when a massive bird made of cloud appeared and flapped its wings with a beat of thunder, lightning arcing across its surface. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Of course, my Thunderbird is the greatest of them all.”[/b][/colour] The Thunderbird dissipated as the globe turned further, looking at the southern end of the continent and the south pole of the globe. Sparks outlined the coast on the northern side of this southern branch as well as a large island sitting just off the end of the branch. Sculptures of selka appeared, and music of the lyre, flute, percussion and voice combined around them to create a lyrical atmosphere. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The selka live here. They are semi-aquatic, designed for swimming and diving as well as walking. Kirron is the foremost of their gods. I am another of the gods they worship, with the ocean such a core part of their existence. Some of the selka know me as Delphina or Lugo. I have taught the selka about music and painting.”[/b][/colour] The globe turned back up, showing the left branch of Atokhekwoi. A sculpture of an Ihokhetlani formed. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“In this region lives the Ihokhetlani, creatures of stone created by Ohannakeloi.”[/b][/colour] The globe turned to bring the top-left tip of the continent into focus. Sparks highlighted an arrangement of small islands off the coast which seemed vaguely reminiscent of an insect. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“These islands were created by Parvus. They are home to several species of highly venomous animals, and also the Gateway to Parvus’ Sphere.”[/b][/colour] The globe turned up to bring an island below Parvus’ islands to the centre. This island was about as tall as Be’r-Jaz, but half the width. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Istais. It was created by Asceal, and is home to a variety of glowing life-forms.”[/b][/colour] The view turned up and to the left, passing the equator and showing a fissure under the ocean surface in the sea floor. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the Abyssal Rift. It leads to my Sphere, the Abyss, deep below the surface of Galbar. The conditions there are deadly for most surface-dwellers, but it supports its own menagerie of life.”[/b][/colour] Among pillars of cloud skittered icy imitations of fish, crustaceans and other weird and alien small sea creatures native to the Abyss. These critters scattered when a vast eel of cloud swam through them. Static electricity crackled at the presence of the eel. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Though the deep-terrors are the largest species inhabiting the Abyss, there is a single creature there more powerful than they.”[/b][/colour] A titanic crocodilian with six legs, horns and a shield crest, covered in scales of ice and with steam rising all around it, thundered through the scene with a guttural growl. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The Abyssal Leviathan is a powerful beast created by the combined efforts of myself and Narzhak, able to exercise dominion on both land and sea.”[/b][/colour] The diorama of the Abyss faded, and the globe turned to a large spiral formation just below the surface of the ocean, down and left of the Abyssal Rift. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the Great Soul Reef. It was created by Katharsos and myself. It sits at the base of the Vortex of Souls, which draws the souls of the dead to the Sky of Pyres and carries soul ash back down to Galbar.”[/b][/colour] The forms of a whale, a giant squid and a giant shark drifted through the clouds. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The seas are populated by many beasts great and small of my creation, including whales, colossal squids and megalodons. There are some other creatures which I did not create, though.”[/b][/colour] A fish of ghastly proportions with tentacles growing from it, and an orb of lightning sitting at the end of a tendril on its head. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is a Leviathan Angler. A number of these beasts were created long ago by a clash between Orvus and Phystene, and have bloated to severe proportions. They are less common now, with numbers dwindling as they were made without the means of reproduction.”[/b][/colour] The figure of another fish swam into view, coated in ice, with tendrils instead of fins, four eyes, and moving with serpentine motions. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is an Iron Carrionfish, created by Narzhak. It is capable of digesting divine biomatter, so it can clean the oceans of refuse of a godly nature.”[/b][/colour] The figures dissipated as a gigantic cuttlefish took their place, dwarfing all the other creatures. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“But greater than them all is the Kraken, another creation of mine.”[/b][/colour] The sea life dissipated, and the globe turned to show the continent to the left. Looking at it from above and able to see beneath the ocean surface around it, it was evident that this continent had been placed with considerable force, with chunks of land splattered about the right end of the continent. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Dragon’s Foot. It was created by Kirron, and was one of the first continents to be formed on Galbar.”[/b][/colour] Sparks circled around a region in the top right corner of the continent, bounded below by a mountain range. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The life of this region was primarily created by Narzhak, and is hardy and aggressive. A river of Seihdhara’s ichor also flows through the region, with life created by myself and Shengshi to cleanse the river before it reaches the ocean.”[/b][/colour] The globe turned slightly so that the land below the mountain range was in focus. There was what looked like a lake in the middle with rivers stretching up, down and to the left. Two wisps of steam rose from the continent, one relatively near the lake, the other from a mountain near the mouth of the river going down. Sparks pointed towards each feature as Ashalla talked about them. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Here are three grand rivers made by Shengshi. The Nanhe is the largest, and is surrounded by lush forests created by Phystene. The Taipang flows through the desert and past another volcano created by Satravius. Shengshi and I made an ecosystem there which thrives despite the harsh environment. The Beihe is a river populated by beautiful plants and animals made by Shengshi. At the source of all the rivers is Giant’s Bath, which hides a passageway to Shengshi’s Sphere.”[/b][/colour] A few watery humanoids previously identified as Servants appeared. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The home of Shengshi and his Servants moves across Galbar, although it frequents this area. The Servants are made entirely of liquid water. Their society primarily revolves around serving Shengshi and his guests on his ship, and is characterised by a strictly defined set of manners. There are some rare occasions when Servants do leave the ship, but their primary location is on Shengshi’s vessel.”[/b][/colour] The imitation Servants collapsed, and the globe rotated further, past the lower left tip of Dragon’s Foot to show the ocean between Dragon’s Foot and Atokhekwoi. The ocean here was quite deep, and it did not take too much imagination to think that the continent of Dragon’s Foot had been lifted out of the sea floor here and dropped to the right. Little flakes of snow sat clustered together in a small point near the centre of the slowly rotating water current. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Here is a rather pretty oceanic forest of kelp and algae created by the goddess with Chopstick Eyes. It feeds a large Leviathan Angler trapped there.”[/b][/colour] The globe rotated back, this time settling just above Dragon’s Foot. A long, narrow and rugged landmass sat above Dragon’s Foot, and the strait between the two boiled. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This landmass was created by the combined efforts of Vakk and the goddess with Chopstick Eyes, using material which fell from Veradax. Between them is a boiling strait, created by Vakk. Inhospitable to most life, the goddess with Chopstick Eyes has created some peculiar lava-based flora within.”[/b][/colour] The globe continued to turn until it was centred on a cluster of islands just above the Kick. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“These islands were created by Arae. On the middle one is the Gateway to her Sphere.”[/b][/colour] The globe rotated up some more, until it was centred on the space where Tendlepog used to be. The impression of the missing continent was still visible in the sea floor. The ice sculptures of the Dreamers reappeared. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The Dreamers lived on Tendlepog while it was still present. They were born from Hermes, creation of K’nell, and Xiaoli, Avatar of Shengshi, with the aid of Arae. They lived in an idyllic environment under K’nell’s watchful protection. Some Dreamers remain on Galbar.”[/b][/colour] “Such a sad fate, being abandoned by your patron gods to the downward spiral of deviancy… And then having that deviancy compounded by Arae,” Li’Kalla said with a sigh and roll of her eyes. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“They were never abandoned by their gods,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla said. The globe turned to show the continent to the left. It was round, with regular protrusions around the edge. And, if one looked carefully, it slowly turned in place. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is Swahitteh, and was created by Eurysthenes. Illusions make it hard for mortal senses to find, and traps surround its border, although these traps can be circumvented by flight.”[/b][/colour] The globe rotated down to show a miniature storm spiralling in place in the sea below Swahitteh. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This is the Maelstrom. In it is the Gateway to Veradax. When it was first made by Orvus long ago, it was a storm which roamed free beneath the moon. Azura and I worked together to bind this dreadful storm to a single location. To aid in that task Azura created Luis.”[/b][/colour] The clouds shifted to show a vast, kilometer-long whale made from a cumulonimbus. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“The Maelstrom is still a dangerous place for those who do not have the durability of godhood. Not only is the storm extremely powerful, the way to Veradax is guarded by a powerful beast created by Orvus.”[/b][/colour] The image of Luis disappeared, and was replaced by a gargantuan beast with many tentacles with ice barbs. Its head had sharp teeth and six orbs of lightning for eyes. A terrific bolt of lightning arced from its maw and seared the sky above the manor. The apparition of the Gate Lord dissipated, and the globe spun around to show its very top. A rough circle of ice floated on top of the world, and at its very middle there was an island with a ring of mountains surrounding a mountain so tall it seemed to pierce the sky. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Here is the north pole. I created the ice sheet.”[/b][/colour] A winter-spirit fluttered out of the clouds and landed on the railing of the balcony. Unlike everything else, this winter-spirit was no imitation but a living creature. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I also made the winter-spirits. They fly south during the winter, then fly back to the ice sheet over the summer and create sculptures of all they have seen.”[/b][/colour] Finally, the globe melted away, and the clouds around Li’Kalla and Ya-Shuur withdrew. The previous cover of rain and storm cloud above the manor and surrounding countryside returned. In front of Ya-Shuur, on the ground, condensed a ball of ice, slightly larger than his head. It was a miniature globe of Galbar, not as detailed as the large one which had been present moments ago, but still adequate for indicating the lay of the land. Wisps of cold air drifted from it. Ya-Shuur picked it up. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“This ice sculpture will persist regardless of the weather,”[/b][/colour] said a voice like falling snow. The voice then shifted to Li’Kalla. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Your people do not know of music?”[/b][/colour] Li’Kalla flapped her wings and puffed out her chest proudly, “Of course! I’ve spoken to them about it before! Their instruments are crude, though, and sound rather awful. If you’re thinking of… [i]Blessing[/i] them with knowledge, I’d be grateful, Ashalla.” The Winged Goddess hummed in thought, and then perked up. “I would have a request, however, for you to merely introduce them to music and instrument making, and to let them figure out the rest on their own.” [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I will teach them about music. And also about fishing, for it will be some time before the land can provide for them again,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla said. The wind then tugged at Li’Kalla’s dress and the rain pattered against it. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“I could also teach them about processing fibers, a skill useful for tools and clothing.”[/b][/colour] Li’Kalla sighed and crossed her arms, “Huh, well, that would certainly be helpful. I suppose that way I won’t have to look at crude loincloths anymore. It was getting old.” [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Excellent. I shall get started,”[/b][/colour] Ashalla declared in a voice like a rolling wave. The cloud which was Ashalla then lowered itself towards the village at the base of the hill. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Mortals, heed my words, for I have skills to teach you which shall uplift your lives.”[/b][/colour] The vallamir and valthumir, who had mostly stopped paying attention to the divine gathering above them save for an awed few, were pulled back to attention. Ashalla delivered her lesson and instructions, showing the valls how to make musical instruments, exhorting them in producing beautiful music, and teaching them about ropes, weaving and basic fabric. Li’Kalla huffed to herself and stood from her seat, taking flight with a mighty flap of her wings. Gliding down through the cloud which was Ashalla, Li came to land in front of the crowd of her Faithful. Immediately, they all fell to their knees and looked down at the mud. “Q-Queen-Mother!” Shouted one in awe. It had been the first time in weeks that Li’Kalla had shown herself outside of her Manor. And what came next shocked even Sun’Ka, who was standing at the back of the crowd with a spear in hand. She smiled at them, and began teaching them, just like Ashalla had done before her. She taught them of the importance of roads and paths as well as how to construct them; taught them about the versatile, and indeed essential Wheel and even went so far as to personally show the settlement’s craftsman how to carve them out of logs; taught them about carpentry and woodworking; and finally, gave them the knowledge that the River Worm withheld from them: Agriculture. This would take her months to ingrain into her Faithful, perhaps years, but it had to be done if she didn’t want her herd to abandon her in favour of Ashalla. Ashalla watched Li’Kalla as she started her lessons. Ashalla had finished her lessons, so made to depart. [colour=lightseagreen][b]“Remember me, Ashalla, and what I have taught you. And remember also your goddess Li’Kalla and all she has done for you,”[/b][/colour] said a voice like the rain. Then the storm which was Ashalla blew away, seeking more groups of vallamir scattered across Be’r-Jaz to teach. [hider=Summary] Ashalla visits Be’r-Jaz after detecting the Rot tainting her oceans. She teaches a few random starved elves about fishing and rope, then goes to Li’Kalla’s central settlement, where she speaks to Li’Kalla about the Rot and Shengshi. Ya’Shuur is summoned and upon arrival, Ashalla praises him for having stopped the Rot, and offers him a reward, which Ya’Shuur asks to receive in the form of information about the world. Ashalla then goes to tell him about the Pantheon and basically the entire world, and at the end gives him a globe made of ice that represents Galbar. Then Ashalla teaches Li’s Valthumir (and the other vals of Be’r-Jaz) about Fishing, Textile working and Music, and not to be outplayed, Li forces herself to teach them about Roads, the Wheel, carpentry and agriculture. [/hider] [hider=Might Summary] [u]Ashalla[/u] [i]Start:[/i] 1 MP & 6 FP [i]Spent:[/i] 0 MP (discounted by Oceans) to turn the Rot in the ocean to live fish. 1 FP to teach the vallamir of Be’r-Jaz about string, textiles and weaving. 0 FP (discounted by Oceans) to teach the vallamir of Be’r-Jaz about fishing (with nets, mainly). 0 MP (discounted by Ice) to create an unmelting ice sculpture resembling Galbar. 1 MP to acquire masterful sculpting skills. 1 FP to teach the vallamir of Be’r-Jaz about musical instruments [i]End:[/i] 0 MP & 4 FP [i]Portfolios:[/i] 8/10 Colour 6/10 Music 3/10 Sculpture [u]Ya-Shuur[/u] [i]Start:[/i] 0 MP & 7 FP [i]Spent:[/i] 0 Might point (discounted by Animal Domestication portfolio) to bless the hud-sa with the ability to calm down and dull the pain of any domesticated animal that is brought to be slaughtered. [i]End:[/i] 0 MP & 7 FP [u]Li’Kalla[/u] [i]Start:[/i] 9 MP & 16 FP [i]Spent:[/i] 1 FP to teach about Roads, Paths and their construction 1 FP to teach the Wheel 1 FP to teach Carpentry 1 FP to teach Agriculture [i]End:[/i] 9 MP & 12 FP [i]Portfolios:[/i] ⅗ Plants ⅘ Love ⅖ Innovation [/hider] [hider=bloopers] maybe yash is arriving here and sees Li’Kalla and Ashalla sitting down at a huge table drinking tea in complete uncomfortable silence lmao Li: Would you like some tea? Ash: I do not require sustenance. Li: oh. *sips tea awkwardly* [hr] BB: Some of the things Ashalla says may bring back memories for Li. What effect this will have I don't know F: it would depend on the memory stirred Likalla actively tries to ignore her past self and whatever happened to her or whatever feelings she used to have BB: How about the sudden appearance of a full-scale model of Vakk complete with Box of Orchestration music? F: bruh [/hider]