[centre][h3]Uwné, God of Crafting[/h3]
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[h2]Ahtziri’s Bizai’i Adventure: To Uwné![/h2]
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“Move it! You can die when I let you!” Aelitia yelled at the huddled column of people. They looked haggard and beaten, but soon they would be safe. They just had to get through this night... and just this night it had to start storming. “You, move it!” Aelitia yelled again at someone who started straggling, and then the whole column of people froze in place as howls echoed through the night air.

Aelitia and her hunters didn’t freeze. They had heard those howls before. “What, do you all want to be monster food? Move it!” She yelled again. The people continued on as she drew an arrow from her quiver and held it in her other hand. Ready to have it drawn. Quite forcefully she pushed people along. There were only seven hunters. Not nearly enough to protect the fifty-something people.

A howl. A scream. Panic rippled across the group. From behind her people started to run through the mud. “Wolf!” Someone yelled. Aelitia started running towards the back of the group. Pushing people aside. She saw its eyes glowing in the dark.

[indent]“Uwné hear my plea
Maker of my bow and arrow
May their edge never falter
May my hand never fail”[/indent]

She released the arrow at the end of her prayer. It’s silver head and shaft glowed a fiery red as it streaked through the dark night. It struck true. The beast’s fur ignited in a blaze. It yelped and shrieked as it started running away into the dark. One man passed her from behind her. She stopped him with one arm.

“We have to burn our dead!” He said. “Or they’ll never reach the after-“

[i]Smack![/i]

“Do you want all of your people to burn!?” Aelitia yelled at him. Her hand imprint was bright red on the man’s cheek. With a small cut where her silver ring hit the skin. “Because if you really want to die then at least do everyone a favor and hurl yourself at the wolf monsters! If you want them to live you listen to me. And I say you will fucking move!” She shoved him away again to walk.

It was already too late. More glowing eyes peered through the darkness. Aelitia raised her bow, a beautiful silvery weapon. Its limbs forged to look like overlapping, silvery lotus petals. She loosed her nocked arrow, silvery filaments of its light spilling out like cracks into the darkness, and as they unfurled like vines reaching for the morning sun they seared away the mangy scraps of gristle and fur that passed them by. As they spilled forth a temporary celestial luminance was created by their refulgence--casting light down upon the area like one of the stars they were modeled after and hanging like a beacon of safety for the haggard throng of humans moving as quickly as their feet would take them before the storm descended on them all.

From the distance, however, was a different kind of light: a searing, ominous amaranthine streaked its way across the night sky, stopping just in front of the hunters, back turned, and leaning down to the Abiktu that were suddenly no longer the ravening and snarling pack of mindless beasts of before, but lost pups reunited with their mother.

[color=#644194]”You’ve eaten already? Then go, my children, feast elsewhere.”[/color] the voice was equal parts shrill and sensuous, grating to the ears of those not used to the whining and braying of monsters. She rubbed her clawed hands into the side of one of the Abiktu’s muzzles, gently cooing and making faces at it, as her serpentine tail snapped at the huntress and those behind her.

[color=#644194]”My children have eaten tonight. I spare you as an act of atonement.”[/color] Ahtziri did not even turn to look at the humans behind her, instead continuing to play with the pack of wolf-things before her.

The Huntress – especially in recent times – had bitten her fair share of fear back. No matter the creature, the amount of its eyes or the length of its claws she would fight it without issue. That’s what hope did for her. Now her feet were nailed to the ground. Her body shook involuntarily. The overwhelming dread she felt now was as strong as the warmth she felt in her heart when she first saw those silver lotuses floating in that small pond. “Uwné hear my plea.” She muttered again, begging the mantra to still her heart.

Slowly one hand moved behind her back. Her faith was not yet broken. “Maker of my bow and arrow.” Carefully she grasped the feathers on an arrow and slowly pulled it. Hoping it would be quiet enough so this- by Uwné what could she call this thing in front of her? “May their edge-“ The words of faith felt stuck in her mouth as she took a careful step back. But she swallowed what blocked it. “May their edge never falter.” Her heart stilled. Steeled by a newfound faith. Her arm stopped shaking as she carefully placed the arrow upon the bow, with its notch against the strung. But she didn’t pull it.

Before Aelitia could so much as blink, Ahtziri was upon her with all of the grace and finesse a predator of her standing could be expected to possess. She caressed the huntress softly, tenderly, in a strangely sentimental (yet clearly devoid of maternal love) way, before moving her muzzle down to meet Aelitia's ear and gently flick the insides of her earlobe with her tongue as she spoke.

[color=#644194]”Mortals have suddenly become quite interesting to me, you see..."[/color] Ahtziri spoke, her wings vibrating in a low, gentle thrum. She paused for a second to look up at the cloud-ridden sky, picking out its individual tones of greys and blacks and blues, before returning to her quarry with a strange nostalgia in her voice.

[color=#644194]”You faced certain death just now and were offered clemency, but chose to remain... Why? Why not just run?"[/color]

The question was asked without prejudice, and as Ahtziri sidled her way back to where she was standing before she looked down at the little mortal hunter with genuine curiosity, almost as if for the first time. The baleful light within Ahtziri's eyes called out to Aelitia, pressing against her mind with the damp heat of clammy tongues and the relentless rhythm of panting--it demanded that she speak truly, without fear of consequence. If the command was followed, if she was compliant, no cruelty would befall her and no harm to her people: the promise of it was right there, like a burning jewel boring into her mind.

“I-I protect.” Aelitia stammered. She tried to see movement in the corner of her eye. Maybe just a shadow. Any indication that the others were gone. Away. Safe. She saw nothing, so she closed her eyes. “Keep things… away.” She continued as she tried to hear them move. Perhaps she could hear a charcoal twig break far away in the distance or the crack of an ashed shrub breaking apart. She heard nothing. A sob broke from her. The huntress spoke the truth but who could trust the word of a monster? The presence upon her mind felt vile and invasive. Her body was taken over by base, animalistic fear that told her to not move an inch. She felt a desperate need to cry. To give in, fully and completely.

“Uwné…” She whispered through the sobs that grew more violent. “…hear my plea.”

Her body shifted. Her leg moved. One arm pulled on the string. The arrow tip glowed frozen blue. The cold tingled upon her fingers. For a moment the length of a blink courage, bravery and acceptance blazed in her heart. Then it had failed again, and she failed to release the arrow.

[color=#644194]”Hmm. Then a mother's mercy you shall be given. You call out for an Uwné--are they another divine? I should like to meet my kin, if so."[/color] Ahtziri brought a claw to pick at something between her teeth as she spoke, though it in no way impeded the clarity of her words. Her focus drifted until it settled on a reality apart from ours, suddenly lost in the fields of her memory, but the moment only lasted briefly before her full attention was snapped back to this protector of her kin. She looked expectantly, as if awaiting an answer, but made a strange growling sound in the back of her throat regardless, and a cascading chain of howls made their way across the land into the far distance.

[color=#644194]"God of Archery, perhaps? Metallurgy? Stability?"[/color] Ahtziri asked, not actually giving time for any answers to be returned: she simply used the words as a sort of punctuation to fill the air while she waited for something to happen in the distant background. The clouds seemed to be beaten back by something flying through them, far off in the distance, though it'd need a God's vision like Ahtziri's to be able to see it. 

[color=#644194]"I am Ahtziri [i]vur[/i] Chakravarti, the Mother of Monsters."[/color]

“He is…my God.” Aelitia said. Though she kept to herself how she believed this creature, this ‘Ahtziri’ could not be akin to him. She was darkness personified. Mother of Monsters, what horrid being calls herself that? Who admitted to birth such horrific things that killed and slaughtered people with such abandon? If only she had been stronger. Better. Braver. Then she would’ve released this arrow and slaughtered this pretender. It might have been the last thing she did but it would be worth it.

As it stood, she could only answer: “Uwné, God of Crafting.” And even though she stood so thoroughly frozen by fear, she felt a flicker of flame light up in her heart again as she uttered his name.

[color=#644194]”Then we shall go to him, and I shall make myself known. The Abiktu will be here shortly; shh, fret not. They are my loyal children, and they shall do naught but hie you to your destination safely and sound."[/color] Ahtziri's voice raised in pitch to a gnashing, trilling coo as her children shot through the clouds, spearheaded by the ever-jovial Pazuzu.

[color=#B5D295]"Mother! What are we doing? Are we helping the humans go somewhere?!"[/color]

[color=#644194]"Yes, my love. Ride with the huntress here, let her direct you. Make sure no harm comes to her or her kin."[/color]

The two shared the exchange with a brief rub behind the great Abiktu's ears and a kiss upon its nose, and then Pazuzu flew down to Aelitia and stared at her with his tail wagging and his head tilted quizzically to the side. His form began to shrink and ripple, a gentle lilac glow briefly enveloping him, as he became something more similar in size to a horse that the huntress would be used to, and he beckoned her atop his back with a gentle ruff and a shake of his tail.

Slowly Aelitia placed the arrow back in her quiver and mounted the baffling creature.
[hr]
“Land.” Aelitia bid the creature she was riding. It was a weird feeling. The fearing had vanished but her heart raced for other reasons as well. Flying had been exhilarating. From high above she could see everything. Her eyes weren’t used to the speed but still she saw her prey down there. Moving between the blackened trees. One time she felt her hand move towards her quiver again. But then she saw Ahtziri forgot about it.

Now they had arrived and Aelitia wondered for the first time if she hadn’t betrayed everyone instead. She led the self-proclaimed mother of Monsters to New Tellur. What would keep her from feasting upon the refugees that Aelitia herself had led there before? As they lowered Aelitia grabbed her bow tightly. It was death then. If she saw even a single wrong move, she would kill the thing she was riding now and then the mother of monsters. Or at least try.

Once they touched the ground Aelitia hopped off quickly. She had bid them to land beyond the camp. And a camp it was. She called it New Tellur but it was nothing more than a makeshift camp of metal tents. Made by golems from the shell of what Uwné had called a gift from a friend. She had yet to learn the full story.

A mass of people had gathered already. They kept their distance though. One man pushed through. He was tall and wore mostly grey armor. Though his arm seemed to be forged from red scales. He planted his blade-spear’s but in the ground and took off his unadorned helmet to reveal a scarred face. “Starborn.” He greeted Aelitia, before his eyes fell upon the two strange creatures. More grey-armored warriors moved through the people. All wielding spears, swords and shields. They looked ready for whatever could come next. Though as they laid eyes upon Ahtziri all of them took a few, involuntary steps back. “You brought visitors?” The man said, seemingly unaffected by the fearful aura.

Ahtziri glanced down at the man and his scale helmet, and for a second her eyes narrowed as if in the recognition of some great misdeed. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. Ahtziri did not deign to extend the mortal before her a handshake, cooly appraising him from afar with a gaze that was equal parts precocious and indignant. She remained generally playful and affable in her mood when he began speaking, but was clearly not paying him too much attention deliberately, looking through him while curiously eyeing his reactions as he did.

 [color=#644194]”My kin and I have come to make ourselves known to this new divine."[/color]

She regarded the wreckage that the humans had cobbled together with one of her eyes, noting the little bits of artifice that let them stretch their limited resources as far as possible. She caught a few fearful and steely glances from the members in the distance, and others nearby almost delirious with the fear of her presence. She smirked a little smirk, just for herself, while she awaited the counsel of her kin.

“She is Ahtziri, mother of monsters.” Aelitia said as she slowly backed away from Pazuzu. With every step she felt the grip of fear fade. Fire burned in her chest again. Not just of bravery. It was hate. She clenched her teeth as her hand moved towards her quiver hanging off her hip. Caine and his kin would help her. She could take the thing she rode upon. He could take the pretender.

Caine’s eyes narrowed as he heard her title. For a second he locked his with those of Aelitia. One shared glance was enough as he put his helmet back on. With a smooth move he grabbed his spear and turned it upside down. Pointing the tip of the blade at the ground. The people began to pull back. Some of the grey-armored warriors took a step forward. More appeared. One moved closer than most, wielding two swords also pointed at the ground.

[color=c4df9b]“Forgive me, forgive me.”[/color] A voice came from the sea of people. But as soon as they heard it, they all knelt down and bowed their head. Aelitia, Caine and the other warriors remained standing. An old man passed through the parted sea of people to finally reach the standoff. [color=c4df9b] “I wasn’t expecting such important company.”[/color] He said as he finally looked up towards Ahtziri. [color=c4df9b]“Please, friends, please. Let us lower our weapons and welcome the goddess with dignity.”[/color]

For a second none of the fighters moved. Until Aelitia lowered her bow and knelt deeply. Soon all of the grey-armored knights were kneeling in towards the old man as well. [color=c4df9b] “I am Uwné. God of Crafting and I bid you welcome, Mother of Monsters.”[/color] The god said with a beaming smile.

Ahtiri returned the Artisan God’s smile with one of her own, decidedly less pleasing to look at than his but in no way less genuine. She bid the others rise with a motion of her hand and then stretched it out gently to offer her divine kin a more personalised greeting.

 [color=#644194]”Ah, I see… Yes, this would explain the skill of the weaponry’s make. I am come to claim new lands for the family of Chakravarti, but it appears that you and your people have already laid claim to these warrens. You are a master provisioner, then..?”[/color]

And suddenly her tone was more friendly, cordial even--gone was the dismissive air and the sanity-wrenching aura, eclipsed by simple divinity: the kind of energy that is only produced when two deities occupied a similar space. Ahtziri took a wisp of it in her hand and it squirmed around for a moment, desperately trying to escape, before a flood of amaranthine washed over it and it became a monster’s tooth suspending from a necklace. She handed it over to Aelitia, the huntress, and offered her a smile of daggers:

 [color=#644194]”So long as you do not lose what is precious to you--your faith and your compassion--you could gain quite the boost of power by cavorting with that which is monstrous within you. Wear this charm, embrace the darker instincts that lay dormant within; temper its darkness with Uwné’s light and you shall find yourself capable of protecting your people.”[/color]

It was a trifle, really, to Ahtziri--barely even a fragment of effort went into its creation, but her last interaction with a god had gone… unpleasantly. She had decided to try and play this one with what perverse charisma she possessed, to make allies of these castaways and see if they could not be persuaded to join her or (at least be useful to her family). She turned her gaze back to her peer after a moment, smile gently resting upon her presently wolf-like snout.

Uwné had watched the act of gifting with great curiosity. Aelitia, for her part, did not deny the gift but she only held it in her hand for now. There was still some lingering, frightful tension in the air but the god decided to cut through that swiftly: [color=c4df9b]“Come, come! You must be weary. Let us retire to…well I suppose you could call it my workshop.”[/color]

He led Ahtziri and her child through the mass of people that once again parted like a sea. Though they kept quite a bit of distance from the mother of monsters especially. The ground went up a little until they reached the so-called workshop. The Anvil-Altar of the World stood proud but cold watching from the cliff over the ever growing ocean. Around it were simple, clay pots of various sizes. Some held small saplings. Others bushes or flowers. They all seemingly circled around the solid, black marble table with several chairs around it. The whole itself was surrounded by a pool with a small bridge, within which the star lotuses floated peacefully.

Upon the table rested four, gold-veined cups and a silver-veined teapot. [color=c4df9b]“I gleaned from the mortals that this was once a common way of meeting. I only saw it proper to replicate it. Please, sit.”[/color] He said as he motioned towards the chairs. He himself darted towards one of the plants. With a deft hand he picked one of the flowers that had a tall stem and carried it back towards the table where he placed it in the pot, which already contained some softly steaming water. [color=c4df9b]“I must say this is the first time I’ve heard about a family of what I assume are other gods. You have to tell me about them!”[/color] Uwné said as he finally sat down in his own chair.

Ahtziri sat as she was bidden, her tail swishing about behind her while Pazuzu sat panting to her right side. He would occasionally reach for a scratch behind the ear or under his muzzle, Ahtziri's talons naturally smoothing themselves out into the motions while she spoke.

 [color=#644194]"Ah, well, truthfully my own interactions have been scant but... fierce. The first of our kin I met and we tried to kill one another, and the second of our kin I met married and found out was married to the god that had tried to kill me. It has been eventful."[/color] In spite of the tone of the topics Ahtziri's voice was relaxed, even nonchalant. She was strangely at ease, even affable and pleasant, and she made a number of casual observations as she looked around, things to the tone of [i][color=#644194]"The place looks lovely,"[/color][/i] or [i][color=#644194]"The calibre of your craftsmanship is evident, even here."[/color][/i] while she awaited further lines of inquiry. A second or two into her search for something her eyes settled upon the anvil and her curiosity was piqued--something about it drew her eye in a way she couldn't quite explain.

 [color=#644194]"What's that, if I may?"[/color] she asked, her tail pointing towards the anvil with a gentle hiss of its tongue.

[color=c4df9b]“That is Gallath, the World-Anvil, Quake-Tamer and Ocean-Binder.”[/color] Uwné said, beaming with pride. He knew what the goddess was talking about without even looking to where her tail had pointed. [color=c4df9b]“My first tool and the most useful one. I’ve quieted the immediate area with it and bound the water to the edge of this Shard. So it may grow into a life-giving ocean.”[/color] He continued on as he lifted the teapot and filled three cups with the yasmin and honey smelling tea. Two cups he placed before Ahtziri and one he took for himself.

He leaned forward now as he said: [color=c4df9b]“I’m assuming then that you married this Chakravarti. Tell me, what kind of a god is he?”[/color]

 [color=#644194]"Ahh, my love is both male and female; they are the god of families, and I their prime concubine. Lonn, my first, is the God of Mortals--and also Prime Consort of Chakravarti. My love mentioned another, briefly, a Celvanya--though I know little of her, truthfully. I am yet to meet the others… You must be quite the crafter, then, if that is the kind of tool that you can make for the purpose of making [i]other[/i] tools.”[/color] A smile crept its way across the monstrous Goddess’ features as she recounted Chakravarti, as if a tiny ray of sunshine had suddenly come to illuminate her and no others. Then she was inquisitive again, and a coy deviousness crept over her affable gleam.

[color=#644194]"So what plans have you? Create a sanctuary for these mortals, perhaps… build a civilisation? Do you have a family to start, a legacy to create? I am curious as to what those in our position do with the prospect of eternity looming ‘fore us.”[/color] Ahtziri took sips of the steaming liquid in between her words, weighing the flavours in her mouth before she spoke them into the world. Pazuzu sniffed at the liquid but did not otherwise react, content to bask in the affection of his mother and ignore (for the most part) his surroundings.

Uwné’s eyes turned towards the people working down the elevation. [color=c4df9b]“A civilization… Yes I suppose that is part of my duty now.”[/color] He spoke with pride swelling in his chest. Then his attention shifted back to Ahtziri. [color=c4df9b]“As for a family… perhaps. Not right now though. No, not right now. There’s too much to do.”[/color]

[color=c4df9b]“And as for legacies-”[/color] Uwné turned around the cup he was holding to show the mother-goddess the depiction upon it. It looked like something that might have been a god. Or a saint, a demi-god, or something else entirely. [color=c4df9b]“This is a legacy of those who came before us. It also means they’re gone. I don’t intend to leave.”[/color]

And then he saw little Pazuzu not drinking. [color=c4df9b]“Oh dear. Is it too sweet, little one?”[/color] Uwné immediately asked, quite worried that his creation fell short.

[color=#B5D295]"Oh, I don’t know! I haven’t tried it yet…”[/color] Pazuzu remarked back, totally oblivious to the fact that he had just been prompted to drink what had been offered to him. He smiled at Uwné (again, insofar as his kind [i]could[/i] smile) for a solid ten seconds before Ahtziri picked the steaming mug up and poured it into the Abiktu’s awaiting muzzle. He swallowed the whole thing in a single gulp, letting out a happy howl as he did, and wagged his tails as he returned to being scritched by his mother.

[color=#644194]”Leaving is not always a choice, not if deicide is a possibility--and I assure you, it is.”[/color] Ahtziri mused, a knowing glint in her eyes. 

[color=#644194]”But I doubt such things will come to pass without a strong consensus or stronger reason: we all want the success of this Shard, for without it we have nothing to be gods [i]of[/i]. In that vein, I have a query for you: my son, Ossurman the First, shall one day rule over a sprawling empire--I wonder if I could commission from you a set of imperial regalia, to be worn by the ruling house..?”[/color] Ahtziri’s tone was just as nonchalant as before, but her posture was opened up as she asked the favour of the god across from her. She was still not [i]appealing[/i], per se, but the relaxation and lack of implied threat was quite close to her grace as many would come.


[color=c4df9b]“But of course!”[/color] Uwné exclaimed. [color=c4df9b]“It would be my honor. Though I hope you wouldn’t be offended if I said that there are other things I must tend to first. This little piece of this world here must be given an abundance of life and I have yet to craft all the plants that will come to exist here. Once the Shard has stabilized and it is time to rebuild though, then I shall have forged the Regalia first thing!”[/color] He would, of course, have to meet Ossurman first. A Regalia forged by a god could not just be made on a whim. It would be important to see what the little Emperor would hold dear to himself and what values he intends to embody.”

[color=#644194]”Ah, wonderful!”[/color] Ahtziri exclaimed as Uwné agreed to her proposition: the thought of being able to provide a gift of deific quality for her son to enjoy was something truly ecstatic. With a beam of bright, genuine joy she listened to the rest of what her fellow had to say, listening carefully to his conditions and concerns.

[color=#644194]”But of course, yes--Ossurman is only a babe as of now, anyway. By the time he is to be fitted for his regalia, well, it is plenty of time away. Perhaps I can aid you in both of your endeavours… a child of mine, known as the Bizai’i, currently digests rocks far beneath the surface. I could have it coil ‘neath this nascent sanctuary of yours, and it shall create ores for you and yours to mine not too far below the surface! The twisting of monstrous flesh is one of my gifts, so if there are new ores that it cannot currently mine, pray inform me and I shall adapt it to be able to provide such sustenance for you and yours. That said, there is a condition: the Bizai’i must be kept sleeping when it is not feeding upon the earth, or it may cause seismic damage to your sanctuary. So long as you keep it pacified and keep it fed, it will be a great boon.”[/color] Ahtziri’s smile did not dampen as she spoke, and the offer was one borne of impulsive gratitude--something that, she would come to realise in the future, would not happen very often at all.

The two talked about the fate of the Shard, Chakravarti (the God of Family), and their far off lands. The newly-made sun was dipping low when eventually Ahtziri decided to take her leave with Pazuzu and send the rest home content with their full bellies and mother’s love. Uwné gave her the cup as she left, as a parting gift.

[hider=Summary]A bunch of humies are running from monsters in the dark. A woman by the Title “the Huntress'' pushes them along. Though things don’t go smoothly and one villager gets killed. Aelitia the Huntress fights back. Then Ahtziri appears. She bids the Abiktu to leave and tells the Huntress to leave as well. She doesn’t. Instead she fights against the fearful aura in an effort to hold whatever creature appeared in a bid to save time for the people she was escorting. This prompts the goddess to question the huntress.
 
Through faith the huntress almost manages to attack Ahtziri. Though the goddess doesn’t care at all. Instead she takes interest in the huntress’ god and bids her to lead them to this new god. They take to the air towards New Tellur, which is little more than an ever-growing mass of makeshift shacks. They land near it and immediately people gather around, including Caine’s armored warriors. The goddess cares little.
 
Uwné appears, apologizing for his tardiness. He bids everyone to stand down and they do. Ahtziri introduces herself and the house she is part of. The two divines retire to the workshop where Uwné pours both Pazuzu and Ahtziri a cup of tea. The two talk about each other’s goals, desires and the gods they’ve met. Eventually they part ways, with Uwné promising that when the time comes he will create a Regalia for the future emperor Ossurman and in a stroke of gratitude Ahtziri tells Uwné about the Bizai’i. The coiling worm burrows deep beneath the earth, with a shell of mineable metals close to the surface for ease of access. It moves to burrow under the sanctuary of Uwné’s people.[/hider]