[center][h1]Excelsis, the Lord-Eminence[/h1][/center]
[b]“Well that can’t be good.”[/b]

Excelsis watched as the whole crystal cavern shuddered. He sought out understanding in its most humble form: he asked for it. With a tendril and an honest request, he wished to discover what the bell was. That question was not answered. It did answer a question that Excelsis never asked: what do you want me to do.

The bell’s unambiguous request for intervention and stability was heard by the god of discovery and eminence.

For a second it left him stunned. Ever since he came to be the god had an undeniable belief that someday he would be the most eminent of all the gods. He would reign over them, not through force but because it was the obvious thing to come to pass. The journey from regular god into the greatest of them all would lead him towards challenges. Now here it was. Perhaps the greatest challenge ever. The very existence of the world hung in the balance.

The greater the challenge, the stronger its catalytic force. So would solving this growing crisis not make him the greatest of all his kin?

The god’s arrogance was not infinite. As one part of him was almost dreaming of the throne and the crown, another was reflecting back. There was knowledge to be found in past actions, especially upon learning new information. The world was destabilized. It wasn’t hard to figure out why. They were doing this. His own kin.

He himself. Excelsis, in that moment, doubted that the entry of the Patrons and Matrons into the world was a wise decision. Yet to fight and force one to utterly destroy itself could not have done the world’s balance any favors. For the first time since the incident he realized that he might have to repent for that.

With the inward journey complete, he took a bow before the bell. [b]“Thank you for your wisdom.”[/b] He said solemnly before leaving the cavern.

Outside he was met with pandemonium. The wretched, darkened ocean was pulling away and the very earth was quaking. Billowing smoke rose up into the sky and plumes of fire could be seen far away. Excelsis did not need his god-sense to know that fledgling mortalkind was dying.

The planned subtilty would not do. The god-orb rushed forward. Ur-humans were running from cataclysm and out of the forests. Some managed to get to the relative safety of some plains. Those would have to do. Excelsis approached them from the skies. Again, the humans started yelling. [b]“Fear not, mortals! I am Excelsis. Remember the name, for it is the name of your salvation!”[/b]

[center]~


[b]“B̴̨̜̻̺̤̗̫̰̪̺̯̻͕͌̾ͅę̶̠̥̪͈̹͈̣͈̗̳̟͍͊͛̓̋̈́͊͑̄̄̈́͌͋͝ n̵̼̬̥͇͉̦̥̥͓̝̍ǫ̸̙̺̥̣͇͎̰̮̤̬̐̀̓͋͐t̷̨̧̛̪͍̺͔͍̦͖͙̹̼̪̹͊̈̾̍̉̑͗̍͒͐̓̒͝ ̷͙̠̪̳̰̼̳̝͇̽̾͒̾̀ͅą̵̢̱̜̭̺̔̾̍̐̽̀̾͐ͅf̴̮̝͓̰̬̠̙̭̏̇͊͆̂̂̈́̒̕͜͝r̴̫͇̜͔̯͕̥̗̖̭̭̫̠̫̔͐̂̍͐̑̆̈́͒͐̆͌͗̚͝ͅǎ̵̛̛̹̺̪̖͍͇̫͗͌̍̈̐͒̉͋̏̍͘̚͜i̶̧̤͉̝͉̠͕͖̮͍̦̯̫̿̐̈́̑̒̂̈́͝d̴̰̝̫̪̯̙̳͙̱̝͍̄̈́̀͐͗̕.”[/b][/center]



The eldritch words still echoed through Zemia’s mind. It had knocked her and all of her tribe into a catatonic state. As if the very rational sensation of fear when seeing an eldritch orb of a thousand eyes and a hundred arms was wretched out of her. It had been for the better. For no sane mortal would be able to suffer the presence of such a god for very long. Excelsis had blessed them with placidity so he could offer them their salvation.

She walked through the growing village and still marvelled at the growing huts. Before they made their shelters from whatever they could find. Thanks to Excelsis, they were now making firmer constructions from the wood harvested from the nearby forest. The ground shuddered again for a moment. People stopped doing what they were doing and anxiously looked around. The buildings remained upright. Everyone smiled. A fair few closed their eyes, put their index finger on their forehead and raised it in praise of the god-orb.

Zemia continued on. She passed the new farmers. They bowed before her, unable to make the traditional salute as they were carrying baskets full of vegetables. The first harvest had been an incredible success. In the distance, the great stone mark of cataclysm still loomed. “People are still worried.” A mother said as she received some of the leafy vegetables from the passing farmers. “They say it can still spew its fires.”

“We must have faith.” Said Zemia. “The Lord-Eminence chose this place, chose us, to lead all people into a bright future. He wouldn’t let us burn.” She offered the woman a comforting smile. There was no doubt in Zemia’s that Excelsis would not forsake them. Her certainty anchored the others of the tribe. Which had swelled far beyond familial ties.

At the center of the village was no great building. Not yet. It was little more than pounded dirt. A crowd had gathered, which parted to let Zemia through. In the middle of the crowd were six people. A couple and one elderly man, joined by three children. They were kneeling. Before them stood an eight-foot creature in the likeness of an old yet strong man.

“Rise now, as  citizens of Excelsium.” The giant man said, and the family in the middle of the crowd did so. He signaled for Zemia. She approached them and offered each of them one of the simple breads she was carrying. For a second the whole plaza was silent as the newcomers at. Everyone whispered a quick prayer towards the Lord-Eminence, each touching their forehead and raising their finger to the sky. Then everyone cheered and embraced the new people.

[hider=Summary & Conviction]
Excelsis realizes the bell is some sort of marker for world stability when the Cataclysm hits. He has a moment of self-reflection before leaving to try and stabilize the world and convince his kin to do the same. But he starts with mortals.

Excelsium is born, in the form of a growing tribe, given the sacred knowledge of agriculture, wood construction for techniques for tectonically active regions and the sociological construct of religion. Additionally, they also get an Avatar to guide them.

[b]Conviction[/b]
-1 Conviction: Teach the people of Excelsium Agriculture
-1 Conviction: Teach the people of Excelsium Flexible wooden construction methods
-1 Conviction: Teach the people of Excelsium Religion
-1 Conviction: Make an Avatar (Meris, Warden of Mortalkind)
(2 Conviction remaining)

[b]Meris[/b]
Meris was given the shape of an older but muscular man, 8 feet tall to tower over the people. He has many titles: Second Prince, Architect of Excelsium, Warden of Mortalkind, Lightguide and more. His purpose is simple: to steer mortalkind into greatness, so they may become a useful aid for Excelsis to uncover all of the mysteries of the world.
[/hider]