[center][h1][b][color=0054a6]K̸͔̃a̶̛̪a̵̻͌ŗ̶̈n̸̛̲ȩ̸̂s̷̖̐x̶͕̊a̷̫͂t̸̖̂u̵̧͝r̶͈̍l̷̬̑ ̶͖̊[/color][/b][/h1][/center]

Six blazing eyes left a glowing scar on the inky depths, seeming scorching their ambition into the very fabric of reality. Their fiery gaze stared daggers into the blackness, peering deep into that endless void with belying the obscuration the sea inflicted on those with lesser senses.

The gentle tug of the tide pulled water filled with froth and life across the upper valley of coral that formed the abyssal mount that the eyes now perched above. Huge lumps, soft in shape rather than the sharp, jagged edged coral, could just barely be made out on the angular edges of the reef. Their corpulent shapes seemed to hang like growths all over the reef, afflicted by almost a supernatural stillness. To schooling fish they seemed no different than the reef itself, twisting and turning about them with not a care; it was as if those lumps had been there for years, rather than the few hours in which they had sat and waited.

A flash of light from above, created by clouds moving out of the way from the One-Good-Orb, reflected across the reef to reveal their true nature. 

Uncountable dozens of Vrool hung lifelessly on the reefs, eyes shut so that the light could not reflect from their numerous eyes. Each had their hides rubbed with ground coral and muck, hiding their natural colors and disguising their scent and masking their silhouette even further. In their tentacles were grasped all manner of killing implements, from shattered pieces of long coral to simple knapped volcanic stone. About their personages were a number of fetishes and totems, hung on line of sinew or twisted kelp. Their eclectic collection of trophies and splattered warpaint made for a fearsome visage, made all the more clear by their immense size.

Before them all hung the colossal form of Kaarnesxaturl, baleful and terrifying in all his tremendous splendor. The Tyrant-of-Tyrants was the sole Vrool to reveal himself fully on that jagged ridge, the hacksaw edges of the reef seeming to only add to his frightening aura. The very ocean seemed to still around him, Ku silent in respect for his passing. On one of his foretentacles sat, snuggly fastened, the oily, black, curled shape of the Obsidian Torc. That twisted crown-of-different-form seemed to thrum out a dreadful pulse in the waves, a reminder to those Vrool beside the mighty Kaarn that his power was nearly without equal. Hanging from his neck was a rope of twisted kelp, thrusting through a dozen large, disembodied beaks. His infernal gaze was sign enough that he feared nothing beyond the Gods themselves, and even they might be given pause. 

Below, in the valleys between the great coral mountains that carved the seafloor into a rough patchwork of grazing grounds, was the assembled horde of Kaarn’s hated rival. They numbered nearly a hundred, only a third of the forces that Kaarn had brought to bare, but their hostility emanated from the depths like the heat of a boiling vent. They had rested in their makeshift camp for the last few hours, taking watch in shifts while using the thick red-kelp forest as adequate cover. A talkative traitor from their ranks had given away their position, hoping that through treason he could somehow escape the fate of the rest of his brethren’s ill-conceived attempt to defeat the Tyrant-of-Tyrants. He had realized his foolishness when he was eaten alive by Kaarn’s most honored retainers. A generous thank you was offered over the corpse by Kaarnesxaturl himself out of gratitude, however. 

Down below the predatory eyes of Kaarn great forms trudged along the seafloor. A pair of titan crabs, seemingly injured by the look of their movements, slowly plodded their way through the gentle, knee high fields of sea grasses towards the kelp forests where the Tyrant’s enemies resided. The guards could be seen responding mildly to the arrival of the creatures, either watching them from what amounted to the undersea camp’s picket or moving between the beasts and the camp. Titan crabs were known to be generally docile so there was little threat from them besides one rampant crab trampling through the kelp and waking up the entire camp. The best option was likely simply to put the injured crabs out of their misery and enjoy some good, proper meals before the rest of the host could demand their share of the rich meat. 

Just as several of the vrool on picket duty closed with the titan crabs, the armored exoskeletons exploded with movement. Half a dozen vrool poured forth from the emptied husks of the crabs, descending on the guards in a flurry of tearing limbs, stabbing spikes, and gnashing beaks. The fight was brief and brutal, blood spewing out into thick clouds that disguised the results of the violence from outside viewers. 

Kaarn watched through the darkness with grim satisfaction as the guards were swiftly and silently slain. Clicks went up and down the lines as Kaarn indicated it was time to advance, a wave of reflective eyes suddenly flashing brightly in the deep. With moonlight to herald their advance the lumpen forms began to descend down into the undersea valley, moving with dreadful speed and certainty. Nearly three hundred dark shades swept across the swaying sea grasses towards the kelp forest, murder on their mind. 
[hr]
The night had been a short one and the killings had been swift and barely damaging to Kaarn’s host. By the time the Tyrant-of-Tyrants’ forces had been detected well over two dozen vrool had been murdered where they rested and the rest were now surrounded. The majority of those vrool that had risen up in resistance against Kaarn’s rule of the reef around the Ku had gathered here and it was in this low valley, among the giant red kelp forest, that they died. A small handful had been spared, not from surrendering but from the considerable effort it would’ve taken to slay them; demands of fealty were given and the wise took it while the foolish were eventually slain, even if taking a few of Kaarn’s numbers with them. 

As oaths of fealty were given and the hearts of their comrades offered up to them as mortar to seal their vows, Kaarn floated through the kelp forest with a prideful glimmer flickering across his eyes; though vrool were not particularly known for emotive faces, it would be difficult indeed to see anything but Kaarn’s emotions carved into his ugly visage. The scarred vrool tyrant, easily the largest of his kind in the known ocean, drifted above the seafloor with a few tentacles tugging him along. The loot, though not numerous by any means, had been piled up; a collection of stone and coral tentacle-blades alongside a few gullet-fulls worth of quality giblets and shiny things any self respecting vrool couldn’t help but want in their bed. It was an acceptable haul and Kaarn was pleased to give it all to his warriors; they had, of course, served admirably and deserved a reward. The smallest vrool slain would be eaten whole while the largest and most powerful would have their hearts eaten out of respect, corpses left to the ocean as gifts to Klaarungraxus. 

“Tyrant-of-Tyrants, o’ Kaarnesxaturl Xaanesxaal,” came a call, recognizable as his most trusted retainer, Lurz. The once small vrool had grown considerably in Kaarn’s service and had become a force to be reckoned with among the All-Tyrant’s retinue, “By Klaarungraxus’ good graces, the tides bring more good fortunes; there are more prizes than flesh and stones in this trove.”

Kaarnesxaturl turned towards the voice of his nearly-trusted confidante to see for himself what exactly Klaarungraxus had gifted him for his brilliant military maneuvers. A vrool of frankly middling girth lay low to the sands before him, bedecked in baubles and fetishes. The strange looking vrool was riddled with scars, seemingly self inflicted, forming a skein of patterns all across its body. Though Kaarn’s initial thought was to simply beat the little thing to death and feed it to spawn, something in its eyes sent shivers through the Tyrant’s bell. Their six pairs of eyes met, staring deep into one another, and Kaarn felt a sense of revulsion wash through him; though it was small of body, something within the murky depths of this little vrool howled with power. 

“Speak your name, fleshling, for I am Kaarnesxaturl Xaanesxaal, Tyrant-of-Tyrants, slayer of vrool, and lord and master of all things beneath the waves of our vast and powerful creator, God of Oceans, Klaarungraxus, he who sired my flesh as his.”

The ominous proclamation rang out as the threat that it was, immediately presenting Kaarn as the dominant figure in the interaction. Nevertheless, his need to clarify his position against such a small vrool was clearly a strange circumstance. A flash of interest from Lurz made it clear that the show of strength was noticed, though Lurz clearly had no intent to act on that one moment of apparent weakness. Instead, Lurz turned his gaze to the small vrool beneath him; what sort of vrool, perhaps even smaller than he had been when he first swore to serve Kaarn, could draw such a response from the tyrant of all oceans?

“Mighty All-Tyrant,” responded the small vrool, its voice distinctly warbled and metallic as it echoed through the kelp, “I am Xes.”

The pair of large vrool stared down at the so-called Xes, patiently waiting for further affectations; although plenty of vrool shortened their names, particularly among those familiar to them, the idea that one would introduce themselves as a single syllable name was preposterous. How else would others know their full name and be awed by its meaning, by the threat posed by their presence? Presentation was everything among the average vrool and Xes’ willingness to use such a simple variation of their name revealed a great deal about the small creature. There was a dread aura about this Xes that spoke many more volumes than his name, and although Kaarnesxaturl knew no fear, he certainly knew caution.

“Xes,” uttered Kaarn, playing with the name in his gullet, “A strange name. Explain yourself, Xes; why should I not have your innards pulled out your eye sockets and fed back through you?”

The little vrool, in all his nerve, chortled! A bubbling, coughing, clacking noise that was, without a shadow of a doubt, a chortle! Kaarn seemed to swell in size, the limits of his curiosity and caution pressed to the breaking point by sheer contempt. Just as he reached out to strangle the cackling little parasite, Xes let out an utterance that brought his tentacles pause.

“Because, I am here to serve you.”

Kaarn snarled, his beak clacking and clicking with barely contained rage as all eyes pointed down at the little vrool. By now a number of retainers had gathered to observe the goings-on, many of whom were in the process of devouring their meals for the day. The currents stilled at Xes utterance, stopping perfectly in a large bubble around the collected vrool. The scars that caressed the small vrool’s hide seemed to warble and glow with an inner light and a number of the retainers began to pull back away from the meeting. Kaarn, for his part, stood his ground.

“I knew you would not disappoint, great Tyrant, and so I waited for you among this rabble,” intoned Xes, now speaking with more volume than his little form should, as if the water itself carried his words further for him, “So I served the needs of one weak master so to see for myself one greater; I am impressed. Cunning as you are vast, mighty Kaarn, just so that Klaarungraxus might be proud of his spawn.”

The titanic vrool stared down at Xes, almost shocked. He had prepared for a battle, quite sure that the witchling vrool would provide for a unique experience to say the least. Now it was offering to serve. [i]This was no ordinary vrool.[/i]

“Explain.”

Xes seemed to wriggle with glee at that, seemingly aware that he had hooked Kaarn’s attention. The predatory gaze had lessened, for Vrool were curious creatures by their very nature and such odd behavior could not be left unstudied.

“I am speaker of tides and singer of stones, mighty Xaanesxaal, Tyrant-of-Tyrants. You, greatest spawn of Klaarungraxus, All-Tyrant, Sanuxaan, drag the skein of history behind you as your net; we are all trawled into your saga. I am Warlock, servant of the Eternal Blue Sea, and I have come to serve you. Wisdom I am granted by the God of Gods and in His wisdom, I come to you, and bow low my bell before thee.” With that, the Warlock Xes bowed his head low.

Kaarn was left to ponder as his retinue returned, realizing the threat of the witchling creature had lessened; in fact, it had simply bowed. Eyes turned from the prostrate warlock to the colossal Tyrant floating in their midst and a sense of awe struck many of them. Though no vrool would ever admit to themselves they were destined for servitude beneath another forever, many of that throng felt hushed thoughts run through their mind that they had chosen wisely their lord. If even such a powerful entity bowed before him, surely they would become fat and prosperous in his servitude and die painfully outside of it. 

“Rise Xes,” muttered Kaarn as his many-minds deigned to offer succor for his thoughts. He knew well what Xes was doing, the reactions from the warriors around them more than enough to put the pieces together with. Nevertheless, he knew he had to play the game.

“I accept your fealty,” came his next retort, simple and to the point, “You will… advise me.”

A gentle murmur floated through the collected host; up until now, retainers accepted under Kaarnesxaturl had all been warriors or servants. The weak died to the strong or consumed and replaced them; what need had there been for someone to tell Kaarn just about anything? But, all the vrool within earshot knew that this was wise; the witchling Warlock Xes knew much, of that they were certain, and what would be nigh impossible to drag from him against his will would only empower Kaarn’s realm and, subsequently, themselves if he gave it all willingly. 

“You do me a great honor, Tyrant-of-Tyrants, and for this my loyalty is sold. My mind to your mind, vast Kaarnesxaturl, for I am your humble servant under the Godly God of all life beneath the waves AND above.”

A curious thought passed through Kaarn’s mind; [i]above, did he say.[/i]
[hr]
Far beyond those distant waters the very god the vrool sang their hideous praises to was fast at work. A panic had overtaken the brobdingnagian mass of Klaarungraxus, God of Oceans. 

The twelve-armed-god had not begun to slow for months, his thoughts lost to himself as the growing awareness of something awful coming kept him churning through his works. Mostly this came off as repeated attempts to rearrange, recreate, or reposition the many biomes of the seafloor all across the vast realm that was Vo. The destruction wrought by the benthic deity was immense, areas between reefs left completely destroyed in some cases or thoroughly overgrown in others. Even entire deep sea mounts were raised or lower, occasionally even smashed, and the ruin left in his wake was unmistakable. 

He had been thoroughly busy, nevertheless. Several new biomes had been created, from highly bioluminescent kelp forests to entire ecosystems growing up along immense, volcanic, deep sea vents. Anything Klaar could create, he did, and his many-minds went wild with attempts to fill up the space and time that he was dreadfully aware of losing. He had even went about altering a number of sentients he had found living on coasts, admittedly an arbitrary act considering the first case but one that Right-Forward Two-Down took to gleefully. 

As he slumped across a large rise of basaltic rock the decentralized minds of the Old Growth Below shook with manic pressures. There was a boiling energy inside his huge form that even that corpulent body couldn’t possibly contain. Even through all the creation and destruction he had allowed himself to partake in, no amount of exertion had spilled the panic from his mind. The insanity had to be purged, that much was clear, or that doom-fueled-anxiety would threaten all that Klaar had been working so hard to preserve.

Downward-Left Three-Down, usually a quieter and more reserved submind, pinged in an exasperated idea through multiple sensory alerts. What if, the suggestion went, the body TOOK all this negative energy and simply put it into something else?

Brilliant!

Klaar lifted Downward-Left Three-Down and pressed the tip of the tentacle to the top of the stony mount that served as a temporary roost. Further, direct action was required. The huge beak of Klaarungraxus was lifted into position before biting deep into that distant tentacle. It wriggled violently as sensory responses demanded reaction to the attack even as its very own mind clearly urged the overmind forward with the action. Black liquid flowed from the wound, so black light was lost in it but with an aura-sheen at its edges that shone bright with pale light. The inky gore sank down as the wounded tentacle was pressed to the surface once more, that midnight oil pouring into the stone of the world only be drawn back out. 

An utterly humongous clam sat patiently where the tentacle raised from, revealing itself in the pale moonlight that shimmered down from above. The clam was an oily black with a sheen like the purest rainbow when looked at from the right angle. Utterly beautiful in all regards, the clam had the benefit of existing for all of five seconds before Klaar smashed the work of art into splinters. Sifting through the pulsing ruin and shattered shell, Downward-Left Three-Down fished for a black pearl, the size of a puffer fish when all blown up. With divine dexterity the tentacle drew forth from the pearl, draining the entirety of that oddling stone upwards and out of itself until pearl disappeared and in its place hung a trident of purest black and emanating an aura of radiance. Downward-Left Three-Down gently grasped the trident, lifting it before the eyes of the overmind to receive praise.

With one powerful motion Klaar hurled the trident with all the force he could muster, that deadly item disappearing into the murk.

A sense of calm finally came over Klaar, all the stress of his mind drawn forth from him like a cancer and excised most effectively. All the minds pinged back at Downward-Left Three-Down that it had done an excellent job and there was, of course, much rejoicing. However, even as it gleefully accepted the sensory responses of its kin, that normally quiet tentacle was suddenly faced with a number of realizations. Firstly, that had been one of its finest creations and now it was very much well and truly gone. A shame. Secondly, that the exact functionality of that most dire of artifices was completely unknown to it, as it had been cut short in its study of the creation process.

But, perhaps most importantly, there was one, final awareness it was faced with; it LIKED making such things, and it greatly desired to make more...
[hider=Post Summary]
Kaarnesxaturl has been busy; this time, he’s hunting down the last of the rival Vrool on his continent-sized reef of Aopoa. A clever plan, hatched by none other than Kaarn himself, goes well and the enemy are ambushed, leading to an overrun of their camp; the Vrool feed well.

A Warlock by the name of Xes is taken captive before subsequently offering his fealty to the mighty Tyrant-of-Tyrants. Although mystified by the odd Vrool, he accepts knowing full well it was his only good option. Xes swears fealty and is taken on as an adviser rather than a warrior-vassal or a servant, the first instance among Vrool-kind.

Far away, Klaar is having some trouble; it seems the impending doom he’s calculated to exist is driving him completely manic. After creating several things, including adding goblin and human clades to the Akuan race, Klaar looks desperately for a solution. A hitherto reserved tentacle, Downward-Left Three-Down, offers a solution; push the anxiety somewhere else.

He pushes it into the Hadean Trident and hurls the damn thing across the ocean, to land somewhere far afield to be found by creatures long from now...
[/hider]

[hider=MP Summary]
Start 0MP/0DP

>Free - Alteration of several Goblin and Human communities into Akuan Clades (Water breathing and enhanced swimming added) (0 MP - Reduced by Oceans)
>Free - Creation of several new undersea biomes including Bioluminescent Kelp Forests and Sea Vent mountain biomes. 
>Free - Creation of the artifact known as the Hadean Trident. (+2 Title Levels from Oceans)

End 0MP/0DP
[/hider]