[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6Sfmz3l.png[/img][/center] [hr] Life and death carried on. More souls flowed into the forge. More fuel for the machine of Hell. The streets of the Infernal City were bustling with activity. Demons drilled and patrolled in the streets. Hellhounds stalked the alleyways. The Devils were beginning to form their own societies and hierarchies around certain individuals. It was the beginnings of a Kingdom. One that he would need to defend. He turned his attention to the larger island surrounding his own. It would not do to simply have all his defences in one location. Layers of defence were needed. The large surrounding island, which he decided to call Infernus, had already been populated with some basic wildlife when he arrived, but it was not enough. So, he altered it. Infernal essence from the Hellforge rippled forth, blanketing the land and seeping into it. Corrupting it, altering it, giving it new life. Tree bark became black while leaves and grass became sinister shades of red and purple. Animals were twisted into demonic versions of themselves, larger and more dangerous, their eyes glowing with baleful malevolence. They would be hostile to all outsiders save Aldion, his servants, and those he had granted passage. That was just the start. It would be easier to develop this land in future now that it was properly attuned to Aldion and his servants. For now, he shifted his focus elsewhere. The sea and the sky were the areas from which his city was most likely to be attacked. He pondered this problem for a moment, and then a new idea came to him. Aldion looked back to the Hellforge. A new creation was needed. [hr] The doors to the Hellforge opened, and out came spectral wailing skeletons that looked as though they were constantly blazing with Hellfire. They flew through the air and phased through walls. Aldion commanded one to halt, and it did. Then, he called forth a demon. He motioned for the demon to attack the creature, and it did. The creature’s wail intensified as the demon’s Infernium blade cleaved through it, and it dissipated into a puff of smoke. Then, Aldion took the blade from the demon’s hands, and called forth another spectre. Aldion motioned for the demon to attack this one as well, and it did - lashing out with naught but claws, which passed straight through the spectre. Suddenly, the spectre solidified, as if it had suddenly become ‘real.’ It seized the demon by the throat, and began shaking it violently. The demon began to howl in pain and rage as it was set ablaze with hellfire. Aldion struck the spectre down. [color=orange]”It functions as intended,”[/color] Aldion remarked, as the singed demon fell to its knees. [color=orange]”Hellwraiths!”[/color] Aldion shouted. [color=orange]”Submerge yourself in the sea. It shall bring you relief. Remain there, and only emerge to do battle against intruders. Keep the sea and skies free of intruders, and your agony will subside for as long as you do so.”[/color] The Hellwraiths complied, shrieking into the night as they dove for the water. [hr] There was one final thing he needed: personal protection. And so he crafted a weapon. An ornate black warhammer, edged with gold, decorated with skulls, and tipped with a slight spike. Into it, he poured thousands upon thousands of shrieking souls, imbuing it with power. The Hammer of Ruin, he decided to call it. If he was fortunate, he would never need use it. He did not consider himself a fortunate deity. [hr] [hider=MP Summary] [b]MP:[/b] 5 [b]AP:[/b] 5 -4AP (discounted to 2 via the Hell Aspect) to create an ecosystem. The forest of the island of Infernus now has a Hellish aesthetic to it, with demonic wildlife that is naturally subservient to the denizens of Hell and extremely hostile to unwelcome outsiders. -3AP (discounted to 2 via the Hell Aspect) to create Hellwraiths. Hellwraiths are skeletal ghosts which constantly burn with the fires of the Hellforge. They are especially wretched souls of the damned who for whatever reason were ‘spared’ from complete destruction but not granted devilhood. They experience all the pain of the Hellforge but come no closer to their end. The only way to alleviate this suffering is to hide in the sea where they enter a sleeplike state, only awakened when Aldion calls them, or when a living creature who is not of Hell passes directly above or directly below them. Once awakened, the Hellwraiths are set ablaze with Hellfire, and begin to shriek, beelining toward the intruder and stopping at nothing until it is dead. The shriek awakens other Hellwraiths who are nearby, who respond in kind. They are incorporeal, capable of passing through solid objects, and are only vulnerable for a brief second when they turn solid enough to touch their foes. Their touch sets their foe ablaze with Hellfire, which will eventually kill them unless they are cleansed by special magic or divine intervention. While incorporeal, Hellwraiths can only be killed by Infernium. While corporeal, they can only die if you shatter their skull. There are blind spots in the Hellwraith’s patterns, and a fortunate sailor may be able to sail to Hell without alerting them. If they have excellent vision, they may even be able to see faint embers beneath the water. But… dare they risk it? -5MP to create the Hammer of Ruin: a one-handed warhammer blazing with Hellfire that strikes with immense force. A single blow can cause Earthquakes and unleash a shriek capable of bursting eardrums. Those who somehow survive contact with it are set ablaze with agonizing Hellfire. Perhaps it can even fell gods… [b]MP:[/b] 0 [b]AP:[/b] 1 Taking advantage of that grace period again. [/hider]