[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/681136503774380292/751179306201383123/CelestineToken1.png[/img][/center]

[center][h1]Preparation.[/h1][/center]
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Celestine paced about her personal chambers as she contemplated what preparations she would need to make for the upcoming conflict. She knew that deploying one of her Death Dragons, or perhaps two, would be a viable solution. But they were massive forces of destruction and capable of causing an extensive amount of collateral damage. Perhaps then sending forth her Virtus Elves first would be a wiser idea? A fine needle to address the problem in a more surgical manner rather than simply smashing away at it with the hammer that the Death Dragons were. She would need to make sure that the Virtus Elves were prepared to leave the paradise that they lived in.

Moving to the balcony that lay outside her personal chambers, Celestine moved to begin granting gifts of knowledge and equipment to her Virtus Elves but was stopped shortly thereafter by the sudden occurrence of an idea. If she was to deposit the Virtus upon Galbar to serve as a peacekeeping force then it would likely be useful to shore up their ability to function independently of their patron goddess. Indeed, if they could not produce or maintain their own equipment then she would have to tend to their needs constantly. Nodding to herself, Celestine began to enact a different plan. She had no intention of abandoning them once they were upon Galbar, but it would be crippling to their effectiveness to be so dependent upon constant gifts and guidance.

First, the city surrounding her castle was expanded once again. In the new space that was created several training fields were added to practice swordplay and archery. Then she added six smithies for the Virtus to begin forging and maintaining their own weapons and armor. When this was done, she decided that it was time to make full use of the gift that she had been given by Àicheil. Hefting The Akashic Gate from its resting place, Celestine carried it to the town square and sent out a divine ping to the Virtus Elves that lived within her realm. Taking a moment to craft a shrine to The Akashic Gate in the town square, Celestine began the tedious process of distributing the pages from it to the gathered elves. Hours were spent distributing pages to them, but each and every Virtus Elf was eventually given a page from The Akashic Gate and thus attuned to it as The Dreaming God had specified. This would prevent the knowledge that she was about to give them from being lost. The Akashic Gate would remain within the shrine that had been made for it for now, able to be accessed by any elf that needed it. It would have to go unto Galbar when the Virtus were permanently placed there, but for now it could remain where it was.

When she was finished with the tome Celestine expanded her divine senses and tapped into her reservoir of divine power. Bringing forth a small pool of it Celestine placed two drops within the mind of every Virtus Elf. Within the first drop was the knowledge of metalworking and blacksmithing, with special attention paid towards the crafting and maintaining of weapons and armor. Within the second drop was the knowledge of how best to utilize the weapons and armor that they were going to make. Strategies and tactics for waging the war that they would soon be embroiled in.

Once this was done, Celestine paid a visit to each of the six smithies that she had placed within the city surrounding her castle. Within each smithy she used a portion of her divine power to stock it with a large quantity of steel. Then she gave instructions for the Virtus to begin forging arms and armor for the coming conflict. Some time thereafter she was made aware of an issue that the Virtus were having with some of the bows that they were making: The immense draw-weights of some of these bows exhausted them after a few shots, and while they were plenty powerful their weight made them cumbersome to aim and move about the battlefield with.

This left Celestine with a dilemma. She could instruct them to make bows from wood as was more traditional and better understood, or…

Dipping into her divine strength and expanding her divine senses once again, Celestine bestowed a new blessing upon the Virtus Elves: A blessing of Strength. A brief period of clumsiness ensued as the Virtus adjusted to their new strength, but once it passed they found themselves more than capable of wielding the bows that they made. In fact, their enhanced strength made their new task of blacksmithing that much simpler, as they could work the metal much faster and more accurately than before.

With that finished, Celestine instructed her Virtus Elves to train themselves in the combat tactics that they had been taught, and to construct as many sets of equipment as they could. She told them of their upcoming deployment, and asked that as many of them be ready for combat as they could. The response was simply overwhelming. Drills were held constantly, and teams of blacksmiths cycled in and out of the smithies constantly to produce elegant yet deadly equipment at an astonishing pace. They were so eager to please their goddess... 

Returning to her personal chambers, Celestine sat down at her desk and buried her face in her hands. She mourned the losses that would inevitably come because of this event. She knew that it was nearly inevitable that not all of them would return to the realm alive, or return at all given that she could not knight all of them to ensure their return to her realm. Celestine knew that they would give anything she asked of them, but hated the fact that she had to ask in the first place.

She hated the fact that war seemed to be the only way to solve things, and hoped that her plan of installing the Virtus as peacekeepers would break the cycle of violence in the area. If it didn’t… She didn’t know what she would do.





[hider=summary]

Celestine begins to prepare the Virtus Elves for deployment onto Galbar. She initially goes to grant them all armor and weapons, but then decides it would be better for them to know how to do this themselves. Given that she was going to teach them some valuable information she attunes the Virtus Elves to The Akashic Gate given to her by Àicheil. Celestine then teaches them combat tactics and how to smith metal before stocking the smithies she had made with steel.

Some time later, the Virtus tell her that the bows they’re making are kinda unwieldy. Celestine decides that instead of going with something that would be simpler she would simply increase the strength of the Virtus, and promptly blesses them with enhanced strength to better use the equipment they’re making.

Celestine then takes some time to mourn the inevitable deaths that will come from the upcoming conflict, and dwells upon the fact that war seems to be the constant answer to problems on Galbar.
[/hider]

[hider=MP costs]

Celestine begins with 5 MP/5 DP.

Teach Virtus Elves blacksmithing: 1 MP (1 MP towards smithing portfolio.)
Stock smithies with steel: 1 MP. (1 MP towards metal portfolio.)
Bestow enhanced strength ability on Virtus: 2 MP.
Teach Virtus Elves combat tactics: 1 MP.

Celestine ends with 0 MP/5 DP.
[/hider]