The search for the axe hadn't taken long, but it and the walk to the nearest settlement had provided Vatarr with some time to think. The unnamed deity in question that had originally owned the axe had proven to be rather... unstable, but they were still a deity; By the time a mortal managed to catch with the bugger, not only would they had liked replaced their weapon with a new one, but odds were good that the unstable god would lash out and murder them to reclaim the axe without actually hearing them out first and thus missing the fact that they were offering it back to him freely. 

Vatarr could of course make the run himself, but between the whole having to pin the bastard down to actually get him to stop shitting himself and trying to flee and the fact that Vatarr had other things to do, he didn't really want too. He also didn't want to keep the axe because... well, Life and Death were better companions by far. 

So instead, once he arrived at the nearest settlement, he had bartered for the services of a messenger. In exchange for one of the members of the settlement running both a tablet and the axe northwest into the realm of the deity Brey in order to deliver both items to him, he would teach the settlement how to better construct their buildings to be more comfortable, warm and sturdy. The bargain was struck and after a clay tablet was brought forth and written upon, a young man was selected on the grounds that he was physically up to the task, but not so strong as to the vital to their survival for the few weeks he would be gone. 

As per his own end of the bargain, Vatarr spent the rest of the week in the settlement, educating the mortals present on a number of different subjects. While construction was the primary topic most of the time, those who were able to take the time to attend in-between the daily chores of survival and life found that there were other lessons sprinkled within the deities' words. Ideas that by themselves meant little... but when combined with another idea or something that Vatarr had been talking about before, started to take brand new, interesting forms.

So it was that when Vatarr finally departed the settlement, they were already in the process of a few new projects as they worked to refine the knowledge that they had gleamed. As was the nature of humanity, these ideas would soon spread to other settlements and tribes within the Fungal Marshes and the future would seem just that little bit brighter for the humans that had traveled south so as not to bow to the whims of a deity. 

Vatarr turned south east. To Node 27.

[hr]

The nature of the chaotic wastes outside of the stabilized nodes hadn't fundamentally changed from the original journey to Node 26. The raw, chaotic pathways of possibility striving to exist all at once at the same time. Devoid of life because while potential is an almost limitless source of energy, few things can survive the onslaught for long. Those that could were entities worthy of legend, awe and dread.

The battle for Node 27 started the moment Vatarr crossed the border between it and the Fungal Marshes. A chimeric mass of horrific mishmash fangs, stingers, claws, spikes, clubs and tendrils burst from ground, sky and everywhere in-between in a flurry of near mindless hate and fury as they lashed out towards the deity in their midst. Vatarr in turn was a blur of motion as Life and Death swung in an unending counter barrage, melting away the unnatural flesh and bone while healing what blows their master actually sustained as they shattered whatever they made contact with without cruelty or mercy.

The battle raged for days with neither side backing down. Even as limbs and tendrils of the creature were broken or dissolved new ones would spring up to take their place to continue the onslaught, but Vatarr returned in kind as they kept moving forwards regardless of any injury he may have taken along the way. It was a battle of attrition in every sense of the word with both sides prepared for it. 

What should have been a three day trip was dragged into a week and a half of unending, vicious bloodshed and battle... but in the end, Vatarr pushed his way to the node at the center of the region and pressed his hand against it for merely a second. The stabilization of reality proved a more decisive, mortal blow then all the destroyed limbs of the battle prior; As all but one reality ceased to exist, those limbs that had been extended and exposed in the combat were shivered from the source, dissolving into a sickly goo before disappearing altogether while an unspeakable roar of pain and fury and anguish faded into an echo. 

In its place was a land lightly coated in ash as the molten blood of the world found places close to the surface to bubble and burst. Several minor volcanoes were scattered around the region, providing both mountains rich with ores and fertile ash covered planes in which plants could grow. Water was plentiful, through some of it was acidic to the point of being deadly to anything that tried to swim in it, let alone drink it... the scent of sulfur and the ring of barren ground or dead plant life serving as a warning. Life native to the region would be well equipped to read and respond to its dangers... and while the rewards for settling here were many, those seeking to come in from outside would have to learn quickly or perish trying.


[hider=To Brey]
[@ActRaiserTheReturned]

Dear Brey,

Having given out meeting some thought, I have come to the conclusion that we will be well able to work together in order to create a more permanent world. We will have to get together in order to discuss the finer details of what form our future world will take, but as a show of good faith in both my opinion of you and our new alliance, I offer you two gifts freely.

The first is the region belonging to Node 23. The deity who stabilized it, who's name I do not know since it was never brought up, invaded my realm and caused much hardship and destruction. After a brief one on one duel between us, I bested him... and instead of slaying the fool then and there I claimed Node 23 in exchange for his life and banished him northwards. I am afraid you will have to take the time to travel to Node 23 in order to claim it personally, but you are unlikely to meet any form of resistance.

In the event I am wrong, the second gift will serve you well. The axe the messenger is offering you originally belonged to the deity whom I claimed Node 23 from. I rather generously offered to let them reclaim their weapon for their journey to the North, but they elected to abandon it instead. I considered sending a messenger after the fleeing deity to return their weapon to them, but between the speed difference and the fact that the deity in question is rather... unstable, I have deemed that you would be better served making use of this thing. If you decide to keep it, I hope it serves you well... but the decision of its fate is now up to you. 

I will be seeking to tame Node 27 for the foreseeable future, but I look forward to hearing from you all the same.

Vatarr.  
[/hider]
            

[hider=Summary]
Vatarr sends a messenger to Brey carrying an abandoned Might 3 axe and a tablet containing a message for the nerd. In exchange for this service, Vatarr spent a week teaching the mortals of the Fungal Marshes a number of tips and tricks to turn them into a Bronze Age level Civ. 

Once his work was done, Vatarr went to Node 27... upon which a massive week and a half battle of attrition between himself and the chaos monster living there ensures, ending only once Vatarr reaches the node and stabilizes the region, banishing the entity from the realm. 

The realm Vatarr creates of Node 27 is called the Ashen Planes, which is a region with several minor volcanoes and semi-regular volcanic activity, resulting in the region having a somewhat regular 'shower' of ash that enriches the plains, promoting plant growth. The mountains of the region are rich with ore, while water is plentiful... through due to the volcanic activity some of it is so acidic that it's deadly to both drink and touch, through its sulfur smell and lack of living things near it should serve as a warning.  
[/hider]


[hider=Might]
Starting Might: 3 (Due to the Quiz!)

2 Might spent making the Fungal Marshes a Bronze Age level Civ.

Finishing Might: 1
[/hider]