Ze’kelia is the Goddess of light, a full spectrum of energy, from the most intense and powerful to the least, Ze’kelia holds power and knowledge over it all. From the caring and helpful light and warmth that comes from the Sun to the most destructive beams of light. Within her domain is the supreme control of the fundamental force, element and power. It’s manipulation to abnormal and magic means to the most simple physical properties, she knows and embraces light most above all. Ze’kelia loves the light and abhors true darkness, those who spread light are fond in her heart, those who snuff it out are abhorrent to her.
From the means and measures of the various properties and uses of the light physic, to the very pointed nature of light and magic, Ze’kelia is most keen and present. From a shield of headlight to an ever emitting stone, a star or sun’s light above.
Myth
Sing through me my ancestors dear! Share with me your memories, so all may hear!
New children should know their past So that true faith can ever last
Tell through me the last story of true fear The story of the Scorned Man, of ancient year!
Oh so troubled and and so harmed He led from dark and end alarmed
He spoke of the end, the old pacts abandoned Powerful men for him did so shunned
His people ignored his warning last He spoke to those who would undertake a journey vast
A man scorned by the people he held dear Took flight with all those who shared his fear
Searching for a land anew Where things still grew
Searching for safety and life Amid a time of great strife
So did the Scorned Man search Even as walk became lurch
Hunger and thirst so terrible A mountain, their hope shareable
Fighting monstrous beast A world crumbling to its least
The Scorned Man did lead Though death and fear did feed
Upon that group so dire Withering in the light of their fire
Dim light faded A group jaded
The world around continued to crumble On their journey ever forward did they stumble
They had come so close and so far Weary trouble did so to their bodies mar
In those troubled times the world cracked Old gods abandoned ancient pact
Magic came forth in terrible power The sky burned in faded azure
Light did hide as darkness came In mortal minds fear brought blame
Brother beset upon brother Every man became a butcher
War became feud became fight Resources dwindled along with the dying light
So the Scorned Man and his fellows Fled in hope, rather than come to blows
As their hope did flicker with the flame A small child did exclaim
To the sky their gazes did look Their hopes rising as they were not forsook
A new light streaming across the sky From upon the mountain ever so high
In beams and power so bright Life grew anew, land melded by light
So did renew the Scorned Man And did start the Star Shooting Clan
Light. Unabated, undiluted, in all and every form. Ze’kelia in her true form is light. The essence of that all things one may find of it radiating so greatly across the world. The power and sheer unyielding brilliance of this form is harmful to much by accident alone.
Any and all questions can be PM’d to the GMs either on Discord or here on the forum (preferably Discord as we are mainly active there). You can also comment here in the OOC thread. @Dark Cloud
It took us a while to realise you double-posted your sheet, so we assumed it was unfinished. However, after reading through your sheet, we think it possesses all the qualities we could ask for! Saucer only remarks that it would be nice if you elaborated on what the effects of the True Form are on that which or whomsoever is unfortunate enough to experience it first-hand.
With the exception of the domain, the sheet is accepted - wonderful myth, by the way, sets the tone well. The domain should be defined and described as to show what aspect of death your goddess specialises in. While the myth serves to hint at the aspect of death Ekun occupies, we would prefer it if you could elaborate on it in the domain section. Should you have trouble, we encourage you to check out the other sheets or reach out to us GMs for direct feedback.
Okay, we had originally written that the myth was too light, but then you changed it. Upon reading it a second time, however, there are some points here that need to be changed: No god is omniscient, even if Mowyn has nine personalities. We will allow the personality split, of course, as long as they all are gods of the same domain and function as one unit.
As for the domain, we felt that references to established series should be kept to a minimum. It would be best if things were described in full rather than relying on concepts and phenomena from other franchises.
With the exception of the domain, the sheet looks good! The myth is very fitting for a civilisation goddess, and both forms are well-described and acceptable.
Regarding the domain, we feel like it was a bit all over the place and didn’t quite narrow down what aspect of civilisation you wish to embody. There was a strong focus on tools and the improvement of tools, but that alone is only a facet of civilisation. If you wish to focus more on this, we wish for you to specify it down some more to exactly what sort of powers the domain gives Armok. We are also curious as to what is meant by the self-perpetuation of civilisation - we can discuss this in PMs.
Both sheets are very, very good, but if you would like any help to decide between Xem and Memteus, us GMs find ourselves favouring Xem. His sheet is exemplary with a very good domain description and fascinating myth, and corruption is a much more flexible domain to play around than contracts, we feel.
However, you stand free to choose. Memteus’ sheet is also accepted if you can fill out the myth a bit more.
Fantastic myth! Looking forward to playing alongside her, Valor. Our only comment is really just that the domain description terms Celvanya as a goddess of war in all its aspects, but that, we deemed to be too broad. If you remove that line, the sheet is accepted with gold stars!
We would like a description of what the Souls domain entails before we can accept your sheet. If you wonder what this entails, don’t hesitate to look at others’ sheets or ask us GMs for aid.
A very tasty sheet, fam, but we have one very crucial requirement for it to be accepted: Exo unfortunately cannot have knowledge of other worlds, at least not of worlds beyond Galbar before the Apocalypse. They must come into existence at the same time as the rest of the gods and be as unknowledgable as the rest about the world. What Exo does after their inception, though, is free game.
Dope concept, fam, but we did react somewhat to the myth: A race is an awesome idea for an illusion race, but mentions of doping, 110 meter Hurdles and seconds with decimals seem a little too modern for the 16th century - the measuring units in particular seemed somewhat out of place in a fantasy setting. Would it be possible to turn the time dial a little further back and remove references to such?
Super dope! Immediately thought of Mufasa explaining the circle of life to Simba. Approb! One small thing is that we wondered if you could define some borders for your domain, just so we know what isn’t counted among Cycles? You are already accepted, but we think this could make the domain appear clearer and cleaner.
Divinus will be a story about a pantheon of deities, their creations, and the world of Galbar as it is shaped by our collective actions.
It is unclear to all how the world came to end, but it is ending. The blooming flower of the cosmos, constructed through the toil and labour of the Old Divinity, fell into chaotic disrepair, and now, there is no saving it. Most of the Old Divinity have vanished (all, according to some), and guardianship of the breaking mortal world falls to the New Gods, brought into reality by the tumultuous forces of cosmic disarray. How did they manifest? Did something or someone create them to continue the legacy of the Old Divinity? Can the world ever return to the way it was? Nothing is known; nothing is certain. The only truth that remains now is that the world is collapsing, and the New Gods must save it.
Though (most of) the gods may share the mission of protecting the world, like the mortals they rule, no mind is like the next: Right and wrong, good and evil, civil or uncivil - these are but a few of the concepts which definitions may differ across the pantheon. Alliances may form and break; intrigue between the divines may undo centuries of good or bad blood; and holy wars may break out at any time and plunge the world into chaos once more.
The New Gods have been granted the gift of divine ichor - the very substance which flows in their veins allows for the manipulation of the fabric of space itself. It remains unclear why they were chosen and who made that choice, but it is certain that this power will in the future shape Galbar into something unrecognisable.
Mechanics
The roleplay is divided in turns. They may denote the passage of IC time, but this is left up to player-specific plots and RP-wide timeskips will be agreed upon in advance.
Each turn gives the player 3 Major Action (see tab) points to spend. These will be refilled upon reaching the next turn and will not exceed the max amount upon refill even if nothing was spent during the last turn.
Turn 0 takes place during the Apocalypse. This gives gods a chance to unite mortalkind and save them from doom, all while shaping the dying world into a liveable habitat for the coming age.
Upon the end of the turn, the world enters a multicentury timeskip where the gods rest and recoup after saving the world. During this time, the world’s technology level advances at the maximum to a 16th century level, with all the architecture, science and black powder that implies. During this time, the populations of the world have formed many societies, some player-created, some not. The narratives created from the interactions between these societies are sure to draw the attention of the gods once more.
Domains are 'elements' of the universe over which a god rules. These 'elements' are broad and can range from the obvious (Love, War, Death, Crafting, classical elements such as Water and Fire) to the abstract (Journeys, Secrets, Purity, Loss). They often align with aspects of a deity beyond merely what powers they command, especially in their worldview or personality.
Domains can be shared by multiple gods, and while it’s not strictly required, it is highly encouraged for gods that share domains to occupy different themes within that domain. For example, between two gods who both occupy the water domain, one can be a god of the seas while the other can be a god of the rain.
New domains are acquired through narratives, usually a Quest, wherein the player should convincingly show their god’s journey to understand the aspects of the domain they wish to acquire. While there is no hard cap on how many domains a single god can acquire, one should be wary that, like in any other facet of life, growing too big too quickly may draw many jealous ires.
A major action is any action that affects the world in a large, meaningful way that would inherently affect others. Examples here would be causing a volcanic eruption, carving out a gulf on the continent or annihilating or otherwise altering a large biome, creating an artifact or monument with a regional or world-wide effect, creating a world-wide or regional phenomenon such as aurora borealis for all to see, etc.
A minor action is any action that does not affect the world in a large, meaningful way and does not inherently warrant a reaction from other players. Examples here could be creating localised species or biomes, creating artifacts or monuments with a localised effect, or blessing or cursing individuals or small groups of characters (players do not need to use a major action to bless or curse individuals or small groups of other players’ characters in collabs).
Examples of Major Actions:
Creating a massive mountain chain.
Creating a singular, small mountain would not require MA expenditure.
Creating singular, small mountains REPEATEDLY to get around creating a singular chain will result in MA expenditure.
Altering the color of the sky.
Altering the color of the sky over a specific village would not require MA expenditure.
As above, altering the color of the sky REPEATEDLY would result in MA expenditure.
Creating a Sapient Race
The creation of a single member of an extant sapient race, with no notable features beyond being singularly created, would not constitute MA requirements.
As above…
Examples of Free Actions:
Creating a field of strange colored plants.
As this would require a very specific, intentional post by a player to visit, this would not require MA.
Creating a MASSIVE field of strange colored plants, large enough to constitute an unmistakably large biome, would require MA.
Spawning a species of unremarkable animals, like cows, in a given area.
As this would be a very specific introduction of animals to an area and would not necessarily affect others, this would not require MA. Spawning cows in every biome on the continent would, by nature of now requiring other civilizations to interact with cows, require MA.
Creating a sword that glows
As this sword has no serious effect on the narratives put forward by others, this would not constitute a need for MA expenditure.
Creating a sword that glows so bright it can blind gods and heroes would make it able to seriously affect others in RP if ever they were to interact with it, and thus requires MA expenditure.
The List of Things Not Done and Further Addendums:
Destroying the World
One may never spend MA to destroy the World. One may never spend MA to make something that destroys the world.
Creating New Land Mass
Additional land cannot be made regardless of MA spent.
Islands, as example, can be raised or broken off from the continent.
Killing Gods
A God may not be killed solely through MA expenditure.
The narrative death of a deity can only occur with approval from both parties.
Altering Global Physics
The laws of physics cannot be altered on a global scale.
In example, gravity can be altered in a building for free or in a biome for MA.
Exterminating a Species
Creating a race costs MA; destroying an entire race is impossible.
Overtime, with approval of all players associated with said creation, an eventual extinction can be discussed.
Destroying Player Content
Destroying player-made content, such as a civilization, can never be completed by just expending MA.
Damage can be done to other people’s creations without consent and with MA expenditure, but complete destruction can only be done with consent from the creator.
Advancing Technology Recklessly
Technology is restricted to a reasonable rate around the time period; humans require many lifetimes to figure out major advancements, even with assistance.
Some groups can be more advanced than others, but must remain within the reasonable limits of the period.
Creating New Worlds
Creating entirely new worlds in an attempt to get around the rule against creating new land masses is impossible.
Creating some sort of lunar body, however, could be done and cost MA; it should be nowhere near the size of the planet and be more in line with a small asteroid whipping around the world.
Creating Gods
It is impossible to create another god through MA expenditure.
A new god may only be created if a new or returning player narratively creates one, and may be created spontaneously or through potential acts of other gods.
Unforeseen Nonsense
The list above is not-exhaustive.
Additional addendums may be added if and when such precedences need to be set.
Heroes are mortals who have completed some extraordinary feat, enough to be written into the Cosmic Chronicles. The Cosmic Chronicles is a metaphysical registry of names and the great deeds tied to them. To have one’s name written into the Chronicles grants the named powers related to their deed.
Here is an example:
Anatzasia is your average village girl, living the day-to-day life at the farm. One day, she is out picking mushrooms in the woods when she hears a scream. She runs over to see what’s the matter and finds Vanya on the ground with her hands in a desperate guard, shadows in the shape of three goblins looming over her. Thinking quickly and feeling brave, Anatzasia reaches for a nearby stick and runs over, knocking out one goblin cold. This draws the attention of the others, and through a feat of perseverance and unyielding courage, Anatzasia manages to defeat all of them, even as they managed to hurt her badly. This lets her and Vanya escape before the assailant regains consciousness and earns Anatzasia the respect of her village and a spot in the Chronicle as a “Saviour”. This grants her powers related to her act, such as maybe better hearing when someone nearby is shouting for help, faster legs when running towards that person, or stronger strikes when fending off an enemy trying to attack a friend.
It should be noted that the act should be heroic for the Chronicles to accept the name. If Anatzasia only had had to knock out a single goblin, then the feat would not have been heroic enough. The deeds should be of extraordinary quality for the Chronicles to care. Other examples including valiantly leading a charge or defense in a battle, saving hundreds from death with medicine or healing magic, uncovering ancient knowledge and so on.
Like with domains, there is no limit on how many titles can be acquired, but all mortals should beware the danger of hubris, and know that anyone who flies too close to the sun is bound to burn and fall to the earth once more.
It must be noted that heroes are not immortal by default, but literal and metaphorical immortality are both possible feats. Literal immortality (or longevity) can be achieved either by being blessed with it by a god or by drinking water from the Wellspring (which must be done as a quest); metaphorical immortality can be achieved by being so heroic that the hero’s lineage will be remembered for the progenitor’s greatness, granting all their children the title “Descendant of [HERO NAME]”, which allows for the inheritance of one of the progenitor’s physical titles, mental or magical titles per child.
Holy orders, unlike in previous iterations, no longer function as what are essentially collective heroes. Instead, since heroism now is decided by deeds rather by blessings, holy orders will function a lot more like they did in history (see monastic orders, knight templar, warrior monks and so on), i.e. be groups where characters can train to become heroic. Holy orders will rely a lot more on their individual members to appear heroic, such as order grandmasters, elite veterans, magisters, high priests and the like.
That being said, orders that do collective efforts can acquire feats that affect the whole order. Example: A monastic order that frequently sets up soup kitchens for the poor could be titled "Generous" and find that the more they give away, the more they seem to get back in terms of ecological and social goods.
Additionally, gods can bless monastic orders or cults with abilities and powers, but this does not inherently make them holy orders like in previous iterations. Like with heroes, though, divine blessings can contribute to an order more easily achieving heroic feats.
Artifacts and monuments are respectively extraordinary items and structures created by gods. These may be created using a Major Action or Minor Action, following the respective rules for point usage. In general, very few artifacts and monuments warrant the use of a Major Action, as their effects are often localised in both space and time. That being said, some may have effects which follow a character, changing the world around them, or change a locality so much that it starts affecting the surrounding region. This tab offers some examples of what counts as major and minor artifacts and monuments.
Major artifact examples: A box filled with disease that could cause widespread devastation across the realm; a crown that forces others to kneel before its wearer; a staff that regrows the forest rapidly wherever it's brought.
Major monument examples: A tree that sucks the life out of the soil of the surrounding land; a temple that spawns roaming spirits that suck the dreams out of the skulls of bypassers.
Anything which effects are highly restricted to the locality, like simple flaming swords or everlasting hearths, can be made for free.
The gods that players will be playing are known as the New Gods, spawned from the chaos of the apocalypse that ended the Age of Legends and sparked the Age of Mystics. While being nowhere as powerful as the Old Divinity, they are still immensely mighty beings in both strength, skill and vitality, and they have the power to manipulate the fabric of the world, performing miracles unachievable even with the most powerful magic. However, they are not all-powerful and certainly not all-knowing, and in many ways, the gods are like mortals - the only difference is that a temper tantrum in the Divine World may level cities.
There are some who believe that the gods are not alone - that one of the Old One (or ones) are still watching over them. They go by many names and have been prescribed many forms. Many who seek order in the chaos hold the belief that this master created the New Gods before all was lost; others reject this idea, believing the Old Divinity to all have perished without a trace. Others still find themselves in between, and some wish to undo the world altogether. Whether this Old One exists, is unclear, but to some, having a Master in times of uncertainty brings order and stability.
The planet “Galbar” is gone. All that remains of her now is an island the size of a continent, floating on its own in the darkness. In its centre, the greatest mountain range in the world pierces the heavens. These mountains are the home of the gods, and they live atop them, within them and below them, centered around the Divine City. In the centre of the mountain range lies the Wellspring, which in cooperating with the rain provides all the water on Galbar in a perpetual flow.
On Galbar, everything has a soul and everything has a mind - from the smallest grain of sand to the seas themselves. With the right competency, one can potentially communicate with anything and hear their insights and learn their lessons.
The world is much more than just Galbar, however; the collapse of reality has opened doors to other facets of the multiverse, manifesting in the form of Layers. Layers are parallel realities with completely different worlds and life than those of Galbar. These can be accessed by gods and mortals alike, but one important factor should be noted: The worlds are fundamentally different, and so the gods have no power there. Their rules are not ours, and even the all-powerful become meak and petty when the rules of reality shift.
With the chaos of magic, layers come and go as the laws of nature see fit. However, with divine power, some layers can be kept open permanently, allowing trade with the other side and adventures on unknown worlds. Layers whose doors have been closed cannot be recalled, as the multiverse is much too chaotic for such (unless one has the relevant domain related to space and/or time). This, of course, counts for the other side, so don’t expect to venture in and out of new worlds without drawing some attention.
The only mortal race to have survived the Apocalypse was humankind. What other races that may have existed before disappeared with the rest of the world. As such, humankind stands as the primordial mortal species.
It is no wonder, then, that many look to humans as a template for other mortal races, and many races may form from humankind. The nature of magic and divine ichor enables mutations to occur in humans, changing them into various other species. This can be willed or just natural phenomena. Thus, elves, dwarves, orcs and other known races may come to be.
Perhaps others still seek to draw inspiration from other parts of nature. That is possible, too. In the post-Apocalypse, the gods can create any sort of race they’d like, humanoid or otherwise. The humans may predate the New Gods, but they are still at their mercy, and can be toyed with as the gods may wish.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANIPULATION Control over weather, landscape, and other physical phenomena in their direct vicinity. Gods whose domains are specifically geared towards a particular field, of course, have increased control over these. All gods have the ability to control elements within their vicinity using only their minds. They may raise rocks and water from the ground, purify or mix materials, extract a particular element out the ground, or compress, melt, ignite or freeze something.
FORM Gods have innate shapeshifting capabilities and can appear in whatever shape or form they wish. Most do tend to have preferred forms, while those more geared towards deception and espionage do not.
All gods also have a True Form: This is their domain(s) incarnate, the god becoming what they represent to all the awe and horror of unfortunate onlookers. What this shape manifests as, is entirely up to the player: A war god can become a bloody battlefield; a merchant god can turn into a mountain of gold and goods; a dream god can take on the shape of everyone’s nightmares simultaneously. Activating one’s True Form is a Major Action, as the widespread implications of a god taking on the form of their domain are most likely literally ground-shaking.
IMMORTALITY Gods are ageless and almost unkillable. They cannot be harmed by mundane weapons or magic. A god's weakness is usually particular to that individual god and a secret hidden with the utmost care and vigilance. If they are to die, it must be either by suicide or by the direct efforts of a very powerful god or a group of gods. Mortal efforts could at best cause superficial harm to a god, and more often have no effect.
PERCEPTION Gods can see in great detail, able to see even in the true darkness of deep space, and can observe aspects such as heat, magnetic fields or souls. They can hear as far as they can see, are able to pinpoint the direction of sounds and are able to simultaneously understand all speakers of a large crowd.
DIVINE HOMES Any deity can create their own, non-euclidean home room in the Divine Realm, tied to the Galbarian layer. This can act as a private retreat or a manner to escape from other gods. These generally cannot be located by other gods unless the god in question allows others to find it, and those gods whose domain involve dimensions or space/time warps may be able to find said planes. (Or: These planes can be visited by anyone, so if one seeks privacy, one must find some way to lock or hide away the opening, either by using powers or artifacts.) These planes are very small, but can be customised as the god wishes it to be. This can be your Tartaros, your Hell, your Elysium, but lite.
Divine homes are separate from layers in that layers aren’t constructed by the gods, whereas divine homes are.
MOVEMENT A god can fly, run at high speeds, swim and breathe under or walk on water. Some gods may have preferences for particular modes of travel, creating vehicles and such, and those with relevant Domains may be better at utilising certain modes than other gods. The form a god takes may also hinder or facilitate travel - light, agile form with wings will be able to fly much faster than a large heavy form without wings. A god cannot teleport, may not gain such an ability, and cannot teleport anything or anyone (exception being for a god with a relevant domain: a god of Gateways should be able to make cool gateways that can lead to anywhere, or a god of Speed should be able to move so fast that it effectively functions like teleportation, or a god of Space should be able to tear through the fabric of Space/move themselves instantaneously through space).
TRAIL AND PRESENCE Each god has a unique essence that leaves a trail wherever they go and a mark on all they create. This trail can only be detected by gods with relevant domains, and may only be concealed by gods with relevant domains. A god with a Domain related to Deception may be better at covering their trail, for instance, while one with a Domain relating to Espionage may be better at detecting such trails.
CREATION A god can create anything following the rules for Major and Minor actions. The nature of these creations will be left up to the narrative, but it should be noted that any proliferating, powerful and space-needing species of life are very likely to be major actions. Below are some examples of what a god can create in terms of life:
A god can create tiny creatures without magical properties, like ants, beetles, mice etc. These can reproduce, survive, and thrive.
They can create unintelligent species of animals or other beings who can reproduce and thrive. These can continue to grow and survive even if the god should be destroyed. This includes magical and non-magical creatures.
They can create intelligent species of animals or other beings who can reproduce and thrive, even if the god should be destroyed (humans, elves, dwarves and whatever else you can think of.).
Can create life. This includes all kinds of flora, fauna, and lesser spirits. Intelligent life may not be produced en masse - it must be done one at a time or allowed to multiply on its own.
Gods are able to create things from nothing and shift them with ease. On a very small scale this does not drain their energy at all, for example, they can create a clump of metal and heat the metal to melt it, they can shape clay and carve stone with their touch, they can cause seeds to grow rapidly by merely focusing on it.
A god may modify existing life-forms using their essence in a manner befitting their Domains. Such modifications typically affect a small proportion of the species’ population.
STRENGTH Wield great martial power and resilience, depending on the god. Most deities make terrifying opponents for all but other deities. Normal weapons are generally ineffective against them, as are low-level magics. They are immensely powerful, capable of lifting objects larger than them, and are unaffected by fatigue. They are able to shrug off mundane threats and perform impressive feats such as smashing large boulders with ease.
COMMUNICATION Can understand all sapient mortal languages and can even communicate with non-sapient creatures or inanimate objects. In terms of long-distance communication, mortals may only communicate with Gods through a specific action or process (usually called ‘Prayer’).
Examples for how to pray to a specific god may include: whispering into a flower in the case of a God of Spring; sacrificing a lamb in the case of a God of Domestication; writing their prayer into a sheet of papyrus doused in jade powder in the case of a God of Archives, etc. Gods may only respond in non-verbal ways such as a gust of wind pointing people in the right direction, a bird that had been flying overhead a starving man dying all of a sudden and falling in front of him, etc. Methods of communication on both sides will vary according to domains.
Gods may not telepathically communicate with other Gods, requiring the creation of a specialised Divine Communication System (i.e. messenger system, such as flying magical talking crows, a God who tapes wings to his shoes, etc.). Telepathy is restricted to gods with relevant domains.
AURA May exude a supernatural aura that inspires, frightens, calms or generally affects nearby life. An aura may have additional effects depending on a god’s Domains and can also be further enhanced by using a Major Action if it affects the world at large.
ACCLIMATISATION There is no place where a deity cannot survive. A god is unharmed by mundane environmental hazards such as extreme temperatures, extreme pressure, poisons, or falling. A god does not require food, air, drink, or sleep to survive. However, extreme environments may still prove difficult to navigate.
DEMIGODS Gods can breed with mortalkind to create demigods. Demigods are hybrids of god and mortal and are automatically granted the Chronicle feat of “Demigod”, which allows them to perform minor miracles relevant to their parent god’s domain. Examples: A demigod of the war god is unmatched on the battlefield; a demigod of the family god is immensely fertile; a demigod of the lightning god can control, well, lightning.
It should be noted that demigods, like heroes, are not immortal by default. Immortality can be achieved in two ways: either a god can grant it or the demigod may achieve it on their own. Demigods often have an easier time reaching out to the gods on account of their lineage, too. While the power to perform miracles cannot be inherited by the demigod’s offspring, anyone who can claim to be descended from a demigod and thereby a god will surely almost naturally be quite popular (or unpopular) with the mundane.
A demigod can ascend and become a true god. The only way to do this, however, is to challenge their parent and absorb their divine ichor for themself. This will mortalise or, at worst, kill the parent god.
The world being as chaotic as it is, new gods can pop into reality at any time, anywhere. The gods may need some time to adjust to life, but they are just as powerful as the others once they come to their senses.
While the copulation between two gods would also result in a new god, this is a very, very rare occurrence (read: only to be used for when new players explicitly want to play as the child of another god/other gods). Normally, divine relations result in divine beasts and monsters of myth. This could manifest as your Fenrir, your Minotaur, what have you.
Quests are a way for gods and mortals to acquire powerful artifacts, titles and even domains by following a narrative. While gods can create artifacts if they like, artifacts acquired through a quest are stronger and better on account of the materials gathered/time invested. Additionally, gods can only acquire new domains by studying that new domain of their intently, which can in many ways be seen as a quest. Heroes seeking to achieve immortality without the explicit aid of gods must do this through a quest as outlined in the “Heroes” section.
There are no fixed requirements for length or plot structure in a given quest, but the player is highly encouraged to create convincing narratives that paint epic journeys and thought-provoking dilemmas.
Magic is a force that operates under the seemingly simple law of change - inevitably, something will change into something else, either with agency or just by chance. While mortals and gods can study this, none of them can truly grasp what exactly makes magic possible and how to predict it. They can only manipulate it and observe the outcome. It is a primal energy of change and in its raw, untouched form it is prone to violently alter whatever it comes into contact with.
Following the apocalypse, these energies can bleed into the world in pockets and rifts, creating fantastical landscapes, weird magic-beasts and chaotic non-euclidean ruins. Now, it's just a normal part of life, like rain or any other phenomenon - the infertile cow can turn up pregnant one day, the silkworms we've been growing can sprout wings for no obvious reasons and fly off, someone sleeping in bed can suddenly become permeable and sink through the ground forever etc.
This energy, otherwise layered neatly in its own dimension or reality (like oxygen, just chilling inertly for all intents and purposes) can after the apocalypse be harnessed and used by mortals to affect the world directly in different ways. This would mean magic is to all intents and purposes, new to Galbar with the apocalypse and birth of our deities, and the following age is the "Rise of Mysticism".
Creatures born after the apocalypse can manipulate magical energy, magical energy can be studied and influenced in different ways, and there are many ways to draw upon it, opening avenues for mortality previously unknown.
Even to the gods, magic is like unknown. While they don't need it for anything specific unless they want to, it is a puzzling force that none of them can truly grasp. They may be able to manipulate it better than any mortal, but they are as baffled by its nature as everyone else.
Mortals can approach it with mysticism, they can apply provable methods, the end result is the same; they enact change on the world. Some applications of magic can be predicted or manipulated according to rules that seem work, producing spells and rituals one can perform for tasks. However these still fail to account for what magic is, many approaches succeed in seemingly contradictory applications of similar components. Provable and testable with outcomes that are reproducible, but understood not more for it. That is not to say magical energy is not dangerous. Beyond being able to create nearly anything (within the arbitrary laws of the universe we decide), magic much like most elements is dangerous to an individual if exposed to it.
General Rules and Regulations
The Golden Rule--Do not godmod/metagame/powerplay. It’s ironic because this is an RP with actual gods as characters; however, there are definitely limits as to the power level of our gods. We’re trying to make a collaborative story rather than host a game meant to be ‘won,’ so please keep that in mind as you write.
The Rule of Fair Warning--Before significantly influencing someone else’s creations, especially if it is going to be in a destructive way, give them some fair warning OOC so that potential objections can be made ahead of time and plans can be shifted. Ideally conflicts between two gods that lead to destruction or harm of one god or its possessions will be written with the consent of both players, but if you think that somebody is being unreasonable, us GMs can intervene.
The Good Summaritan Rule--Somewhere in every post, please attach a hider box containing a short summary of the post’s actions and then add an entry onto the Wiki here . As Divinus RPs have traditionally had some massive posts, this helps greatly when trying to keep track of all that’s been going on and when trying to make sure you didn’t miss any important plot point within some massive post. That being said, please do still try to read all IC posts and not just the summaries.
Example: Your summary should convey the bare minimum of which characters were involved, what major plot points were covered, and which (if any) other peoples' characters you're initiating some sort of action with, and whether, if relevant, a Major Action was spent.
The Bookkeeping Rule--We will be using a wiki to store character and creation sheets, as past experience has demonstrated that RPGuild character tab on this thread won’t be enough space and will get too cluttered. For all creations of significance, please make at least a 1-2 sentence page for them on our wiki. The 0th post on the characters section will contain a link to our wiki; if you need any help figuring out how to use the wiki, by all means feel free to ask.
Clarification: Though the wiki is considered canon, you should still describe your creations IC. Don't simply reference that you've made a creation IC and then make us all go to the wiki article to find out basic details on what the creation does; it's unhealthy to make reading the wiki articles obligatory for one's understanding of what's happening IC.
Leave of Absence--Please give us forewarning on the OOC if circumstances dictate that you will become inactive in the RP for a time. I’m sure we’ve all seen the phenomena of people simply vanishing; it’s frustrating and leaves work where the others have to pick up the narrative pieces. Failure to do so will result in the termination of your god as a result of the chaotic forces of the cosmos.
Sexual Content--Please keep it PG-13. Fade to black, and always remember, the Guild Rules come first and foremost.
The above commandments are most important. Almost every other conduct is to fall under the domain of common sense and the RPGuild rules, with the understanding that our goal is to collaboratively create cool narratives. Be considerate to one another and facilitate storytelling. If there are any concerns or clarifications required, the GMs are always happy to help.
Character Creation
We would like to reiterate that we will be using a wikia (link can be found on the 0th post of the character section) to store and organize all character sheets, rather than the character tab on this RPGuild thread. This is obligatory; however, if you need help figuring out how to work with the wiki, just let us know. If you like, you may still use the character tab to compile links to the various wiki articles for your creations.
With that out of the way, feel free to format your sheet however you like, so long as it clearly contains answers to at least the questions posed by this example sheet below.
As you consider ideas for your character and grapple with what you want to do, We would encourage you to first focus upon what sort of Domain you want to have, and then use that as a foundation to construct a god that makes sense given that dimension.
Beyond the concept for your character, you should also have an idea of what you want your god to do, how your god might change or progress, how they will contribute to the story and how they will interact with other players.
Name: ((To know your god, name your god.))
Domain: ((Here goes the domain of your god, i.e. their theme. We’re talking lightning, fire, music, child birth - whatever you’d like.))
Myth: ((Share a scene from what you imagine the myth of your god to be. Maybe it’s a story of one time the god performed a miracle, maybe it’s an old hermit sharing some scripture on the god’s wisdom, or maybe it’s a scene of the god themself doing something godly.))
Base Form: ((Pictures, descriptions or both are fine. Any specific capability of this form over the others should be described.))
True Form: ((The god’s unshackled form, one where they embody the full and unrefined sum of everything their domain represents. Assuming this form is usually enough to cause widespread damage and break mortal minds. Think fire god becoming a volcano or a dream god taking on the form of every dream everywhere at the same time.))
Musical Theme: ((What’s their jam? Optional.)) ((Lastly, remember to read the OP thoroughly!))
“I still don’t see the point of giving mortals these kinds of things.” Jaav was his usual charitable self.
“First the outer walls and duct lines…” Guul was, as always, more focused on the task than the other two of three.
“This isn’t some major philosophical quandary, although you have trouble with those so I suppose it makes sense you would struggle even here.” A replying harumph was all Kiim needed to continue over any objection, “It is quite simple, we display a matter of Divine will and power, a promised land to which a selected group can be carefully guided towards more right minded thinking while keeping them safe, ensuring the prosperity of Thaa’s ideals!”
”It would still be much simpler to burn a city or two and dictate to the survivors…”
“...the notable towers and gates facing the four cardinal directions, inner walls and ducts back to the central point…”
Explosively speaking, ”And would completely not serve the point! Even if short term the souls would be saved in the long term a philosophy enforced by force would again antipathy beyond normative reason!”
”Why do we bother convincing so many? A few diseases, some droughts and curses, we could bring down half a continent if tried on our own, all these little plans never seem to work out very much.”
”That’s because a little subtlety is beyond you as it becomes ever more apparent. Quiet down and maybe we can go unleash a blight somewhere I suppose.”
”...central chamber of blessed water to fill ducts when sluices are opened at appropriate levels, infrastructure for the city…”
”You’re just trying to play me off, you’re not that subtle yourself you overgrown puppet.”
Truly getting work done was actually somewhat easier with one head instead of three as it sometimes did occur to Guul. Shaping the city below, near a river with good access to trade routes, tribal populations and of course the alluvial plain. Now the defenses and ensuring everything was to specification that was a bit more…
...magical.
”Puppet am I? You’re a child, lashing out at his parent because he can’t stand to be the same, I can at least see good sense and agree when a good point is made.”
The mists bellowed out around the tower, death energies setting into the land itself and spread out from the newly arisen city, it was a careful guided energy. Guided with purpose beyond the avatar’s direction even as control ultimate came to them. The mists would target whoever was chosen, by Thaa, by The Three, or by the soon to arrive Dragon. A very strong protection against any attempt at siege, one that most mortals were by far ill-equipped to even conceive to defend themselves. A clever enough plan to protect a burgeoning haven as it was to be, a good place for good people was the thought as Thaa said.
”Agree-agree,” Sing-song mockery was well know by Jaav to be the height of argument, ”you don’t have an independent thought in the entire stretch of you, whenever you do something its radiates unoriginality.”
”You’re addled, its probably all those bits of life you insist on eating so much, I’d said you’re as dumb as a rock but even life knows not to eat them, most of the time at least.”
”THAT WAS ONE TIME AND YOU KNOW IT!” A flight of birds from some nearby trees gave Jaav pause and lowered his voice as he replied, ”Its not my fault it looked like an egg.”
”It was by a river, why would you think it was an egg?”
”Some creatures lay eggs by water…”Jaav trailed off as he noticed they were leaving the area. ”Hey Guul, we done?”
“I want to go to Mydia. I think I will try painting.”
”Huh, okay then.
And they were finally quiet.
For at least an hour.
Guul makes a cool city with cool stuff for Cool Sigerans and Friends while Jaav and Kiim bicker over things. They then decide, by Guul deciding, to go to Mydia. Guul wants to paint.
Thaa Start: 5 MP 5 DP -3 DP, Baleful Mists III: This locale is surrounded by unnatural mists that being in the mere presence of will cause unwanted intruders to gradually sicken and die. The mists attack the life of anything deemed unwanted, those who flee in good time may still find themselves ill or living out a shorter life due to the damage inflicted. These mists are essentially manifestations of a local suffusion of death energies, however ones that are guided to target only the unwanted lives present. These mists are targeted and controlled by Thaa or his representatives on Galbar, Avatars, Heroes and Artifact Holders granted power over the mists by the Lord of Death. -2 MP, Wellspring II: The Well-spring of Sweet Water generates an amount of freshwater within itself sufficient to supply the needs of some hundreds of persons each day. The Well-spring will continue to generate the water till filling the pool that it rests in, of a size that the same population would use in a week. Most notably is this water remains fresh water and free of any mundane growth or infection as long as it remains in the pool. Once the pool is filled, the Well-spring stops generating fresh water, until some amount of water is taken from the pool. -3 MP, Make City and Surround Infrastructure of some complexity Thaa End: 0 MP, 2 DP
The events of this post take place prior to ‘A Failed Gamble’ and subsequent posts.
Going to another’s realm was always a useful option, especially when one had need to talk directly. Besides the information one could divine from the nature and status of things in their realm itself. Of course such things were not entirely without risk. One put themselves at risk to encounter another deity in their own field of complete control and power.
Thaa however did not worry much, a short and curt message. ”I will be visiting shortly.” He did not worry about such things for this one, or rather he did and had his own set of assurances that his work would not be impeded regardless of the happenings here. Celestine was not an object of great worry for Thaa, although he did have his matters to discuss. He entered through her portal even now to enter her realm. Keeping a broad mix of only a few thousand corpses and his Golden Disk and Eye.
Shortly after she received the message from Thaa Celestine would rise from the throne overlooking The Longhall and send a divine message out to the Virtus Elves and Death Dragons that inhabited her realm. The contents of this message were simple: ”There will be another god visiting. I trust them well, so you will all most likely be safe from harm. Best behaviour please.
With this message sent Celestine would walk briskly to the approaching path of her castle where visiting gods would be placed upon their arrival. It was here that she waited for Thaa to arrive, and when he did she would curtsey in greeting, as was typical of Celestine. When Thaa first arrived the first thing he would probably notice would be the sky being filled with a few dozen Death Dragons conducting their business as they saw fit. The next thing would likely be the massive castle that The Bulwark had been transformed into and the large city surrounding it. It was roughly around noon within Celestine’s realm, so the castle and surrounding city were almost radiant in appearance.
The two Death Dragons closest to where Thaa would manifest would be a pair of juveniles that were playing together. They pushed at one another and wrestled a bit before taking off into the sky to see who could beat the other in a race. Then they both dived down towards a few idling cows and took a moment to eat and chat. A few minutes later they would race into the sky again, resuming their play.
Rising from her curtsey Celestine would speak with a soft smile upon her face. ”Greetings, friend. What brings you to my realm? Did you have a desire to check in with the dragons that you sent over? Or was there something you wished to speak about?”
Stepping to the side and raising a hand towards The Bulwark and surrounding city, Celestine would speak again as a thought came to mind. ”Or perhaps you wished to see how our first arrangement goes? I’ll be happy to give you a tour of anything you wish to see, all you must do is ask.”
With that said Celestine would drop her arm to a neutral position and wait for Thaa to speak.
As the Goddess had spoken the great eye of Thaa drifted around his form gazing in the multitude of directions that presented themselves to him. He spoke finally a few seconds after she had stopped, his eye settling directly upon her once more as the mound of corpses that was his body took a more bipedal form. "We have much to discuss. Beginning with a tour of all things sounds like a wise proposition."
"I see there is a great deal of mimicry of the lands and places one might find on Galbar, although built to a grander scale than the mortals have accomplished on their own in most places to be sure." His form began to slow walk forward as he spoke, clearly intending to speak while walking with the Goddess.
Celestine gave a few nods as she turned to walk slightly ahead of the now bipedal form that Thaa took on. The immense size of it made traversing beside such a form less practical due to the possible margin of error of Thaa’s movement. As they walked, Celestine would pose a question so that she could better arrange the tour that she was giving. ”So, what exactly did you wish to speak on? And beyond that, did you have anywhere in particular that you wanted to see first? I could show you the city around The Bulwark, or The Bulwark itself? Or perhaps you would like to check in with the dragons and see how they’re doing? Of course, if you’ve another idea feel free to share and I’ll see what can be done.”
As they walked, Thaa would see the massive protective wall surrounding the town coming into view well before Celestine did due to his immense height, though it would be notable that Thaa could not quite see over the top of the wall, as it was roughly sixty meters tall to better shield the town behind it from the flying difficulties of developing dragons.
”The City, the dragons, Bulwark, all of these things I would examine. We have much to discuss and principally of Galbar, you have taken keen interest in affairs. You worry about the well being of mortals, it is commendable for one so young. You outstrip many of your peers in that regard, but there are some manners of wisdom and control that come with the perspective of time. It is my desire that your empathy develops along with your wisdom and perspective, to make full use of your potential.”
Thaa paused briefly in his speech, he kept walking as his eye glided along the surface of his corpse-body, gazing upon Celestine directly. ”What manner of things live here? What creations take care of any in your city?”
Celestine gave a few more nods at Thaa’s observations before she began to answer some of the more immediate questions that Thaa posed while walking with him towards the front gate of the city. ”My Virtus Elves live here, as do the dragons which pledged themselves to my cause. They form a fair sort of harmony and I’ve been taking steps to try and enable them to further coexist, like giving the Virtus the ability to leap great heights and survive great falls. That way a dragon does not have to land every time a Virtus that they’re interacting with wishes to descend to the ground or ascend to their back. Something else I’ve been thinking of trying to do would be to grant them the ability to communicate with one another mentally, but I worry about erasing their individuality if I tie all of their minds together. It’s a complicated issue that I don’t readily have figured out yet. As for what takes care of the people in my city, that is my job. The Virtus are largely self-sufficient, but any need that they come to me with I do my best to see answered. Though I am doing my best to prepare them for the hardships that Galbar will provide.”
As they now approached the front gate Celestine lifted a hand towards the Virtus Elves that were manning the gate and signaled for them to open it. Mere moments later the gate was pulled wide and the two were allowed to pass. A fair number of the Virtus that were manning the gate or otherwise stationed along the wall raised a hand in greeting towards Celestine and Thaa in an effort to be polite. Unfortunately for Thaa, the gate was a fair amount smaller than his current form and only stood at roughly fifteen meters tall. The gate had never really been considered as anything bigger than the gate also had a pair of convenient wings to access the entire realm with. Pausing before the gate, Celestine would look back and forth between the gate and Thaa before apologizing. “My apologies, the front gate of the city was never designed to allow for such a large being like your current manifestation through. I could take a moment to modify the gate to accommodate, or if you prefer I could walk with you to the rear of the castle wall? I left a large gap in the wall there to allow the dragons to have easy access in and out. Whatever would be your preference.”
Thaa gave a simple enough reply by collapsing the corpse-biped to the ground of its composite corpses in a mound which proceeded to creep along towards the gate, much lower in height. ”No need for such, we shall proceed.”
”What plans are you so certain to proceed with that you invest in your Elves to send to Galbar?”
Celestine raised an eyebrow at the sudden collapse of Thaa’s chosen form. Having a form so malleable was unfamiliar to her as her own form was overwhelmingly static and didn’t change shape much. But it did seem to solve the problem of the gate not being large enough. As Thaa asked what plans she had in motion there was a notable but slight delay before she began to speak. ”I will be deploying a portion of them soon, but I’ll be recalling them when the situation they’re being deployed for is resolved. Once that’s done I plan on interviewing them and learning what issues they encounter with being upon Galbar, and from that knowledge I’ll either grant more boons or more knowledge to them. Beyond that, I have a few more things that need to be arranged before they’re given a more permanent presence upon Galbar.”
As they moved through the gate Thaa would see that there was a small buffer of empty space between the wall and the city that it was protecting, and beyond that was a beautiful city constructed mainly of white brick houses with blue tiled rooftops. Webbed throughout the city were smooth cobblestone roads that linked every structure together and ensured that none who were traveling had to walk through fields of mud should the weather turn to rain. Within the town square lay the shrine to The Akashic Gate, which was currently closed and displayed the overlapping symbols of Celestine and Àicheil in full.
From six places in the city rose notable pillars of smoke, and due to Celestine’s lack of alarm it was obvious that she was unconcerned about them. Looking to Thaa and raising a hand to the city that lay beyond the protective wall, Celestine asked a simple question to better structure the tour. ”What would you like to see first?”
Thaa gave no easy reply to the answer to his question, instead waiting and responding at last when she had finished, his eye roamed both his form and in gaze all around, occasionally switching back to the Goddess. It lingered on the Akashic Gate for a moment. Thaa spoke, "I wish to see more of this city and the elves that do inhabit it."
Celestine gave a few nods, though found herself a bit puzzled with what exactly to show Thaa first, figuring that it might be best to slay two birds with one stone she opted to show him the nearest smithy and hoped that she would reveal both one aspect of her plans and allow Thaa to observe her elves at work. Raising a hand towards the nearest plume of smoke Celestine spoke once more to vocalize her decision. ”Very well. If you would kindly follow me this way I will show you what some of my elves are working on in preparation for their upcoming deployment to Galbar. I’ve been meaning to check in with how things have been coming along as well.”
With that said, Celestine would guide Thaa along through the city to the closest smithy. They passed a handful of Virtus who were carrying out their daily tasks, each dressed in plain outfits of green, brown, and white cotton and wool. Celestine took a moment to pause in her guidance as Thaa observed the elves for a time, but was able to resume leading him before too long passed. When they arrived at the smithy it had a notable amount of space between itself and the surrounding buildings, and beyond that the elves that worked inside wore thick leather aprons and gloves alongside their regular outfits of wool and cotton. Raising a hand and nodding her head in greeting, Celestine looked to Thaa once more before raising a hand towards the smithy and speaking. ”This is one of the six smithies I have placed around my realm. Teams of elves come and go to produce arms and armor for their upcoming deployment. Do you have anything in particular you would like to witness while we are here?”
Thaa spoke with out much delay, What metals are they working in here? This deployment is certainly going to be interesting as a solution and more than likely cause a few problems in its own right, but we shall see which is greater in the end, the current path or the diverged one. You may get more attention from other divines as well..."
Thaa seemed focused on the Elves themselves as he drifted off in some manner of thought after his little burst of speech.
Celestine gave a few nods before taking a moment to whistle sharply and approach the smithy. She exchanged a few words with one of the elves inside before they stepped away to retrieve something. It was a few moments before they returned with one of the swords they had made and offered it to Celestine. Taking it with a thanks, Celestine stepped back outside to Thaa before holding it aloft with both hands and speaking. ”They work with what I’ve come to know as steel. My own armor and sword are made out of roughly the same material, and so I felt it only right to give such a metal to my children. I do have aims to try and grant them more exotic metals in the future, but this one came to mind earnestly and is more than enough for the current deployment awaiting them. Do you think the other divines will take much issue with it?”
Thaa examined first the Elf stepping forward then the sword carried, his eye large in its own right barely shifted. "Iron and other base materials..."
"No, I don't think there will be much alarm among the divines of this metal in particular. I could see some having issue, or a desire to force their own pet projects into copying if they can recognize some logistical natures. I would worry more about the deployment itself for the deities therein. Many grow attached to certain locals and their peoples, they like the way of doing things each giving their own little boost to make sure their group dominates others. Most dislike more direct intervention, especially should it disrupt their plans."
Celestine gave a few more nods, though these held a distinct weight of understanding an intricate problem rather than just acknowledging that he had spoken. Before replying, she took a moment to return to the smithy and return the sword to the elves working there. Returning once more to Thaa she would hold a hand up towards The Bulwark before speaking. ”I’ve considered that heavily. Perhaps it would be best if we moved to The Bulwark? I can better illustrate the full details of my plan from there, and it will allow me to summon some Dragons should you wish to check up on them afterward.”
"This is acceptable, lead the way."
Celestine nodded once again before setting off through the streets of the city. This time it was approximately thirty or thirty five minutes before the two would arrive at The Bulwark. Once they were within the courtyard Celestine paused and made a mental note that it would likely be a good idea to arrange a sort of meeting room at a later point in time, especially given that her castle would likely be too cramped for Thaa’s form to easily move around in, even when not condensed into a bipedal form. The courtyard would have to do for now.
Raising a hand and tracing a circle in the air, Celestine willed into existence a small recreation of Galbar. Most of it was undetailed, but Toraan was replicated quite well. It grew to dominate the sphere as Celestine focused upon it, and now she raised a finger to point to The Anchor mountain before speaking. ”This mountain here is the foundation of my plan. I believe it is known as ‘The Anchor’. The key that I am noticing there is that it is relatively central to Toraan. This is where I have plans to place a mighty tower-fortress known as The Crystal Spire. It will be both a home and a base of operations for my Virtus elves and the dragons you have entrusted to me.”
It was here The Anchor would shift into possessing a massive tower-fortress, and lines pointing to the major corners of Toraan would project from the tip of this tower. Once that was done, Celestine would resume speaking. ”With their placement I will do my best to contact all of the mortals in the region with a message: Aggression shall be punished and stamped out. That is what I have aligned myself to do in an effort to break the cycle of war and violence in the area: Stop all aggression before it starts, and hopefully all that will be left is peace. Of course, I also aim to include an area for tournaments within The Crystal Spire, which will hopefully be enough for those who cannot contain their bloodlust to exercise themselves. Though now that I think about it again I will have to see about some sort of curse protection charms considering what happened at the one other tournament has taken place.”
Turning to Thaa, Celestine would pose a question. ”Well. There you have it. That is the general summary of what I plan on doing. What are your thoughts? And please, do not be afraid of offending me with truth. It is my preference that flaws and imperfections be revealed sooner rather than later.”
Thaa watched the changes in silence before finally speaking a number of long seconds after she had finished, his eye not moving from the projection. "What is 'aggression'? What is 'violence'? The Westfold as you know is predominantly controlled by humans, there are some trolls in hiding and a few settlements of the Merelli, but humans dominate. If they all disobey your edict will you wage war to bring them into submission? If trolls pledge to be at peace with humans and others alike, would you protect them? Or would you allow the unspoken war between man and trolls continue in a realm of 'peace'?"
He began to move and shift his form around the courtyard, his many corpses marching and crawling as a great crowd, slowly encircling the sphere and Celestine. Humans, Trolls, Reshut, Goblins, Nelves, and others seen and unseen on Galbar made up these corpses, their dull eyes staring in space or sometimes seeming to glance across the sphere of the world or the Goddess, "Is it violent to kill your own people? Kill those who think differently than you do, those who won't obey a tyrant? If their neighbors do nothing and watch and none can stop the depredations from within, will you watch? Will you act? Where is the line drawn? If there is a drought, or a flood, a people are starving and another eeks by, do you punish the hungry? Do you watch them starve?"
His eye moved with the great mass of his body, until he had made a circle in entirety. The great disk began to slide back along his great mound of corpses back to a position near the Goddess, "If you seek to control your Elves through ideals and knowledge, those will change as they must and want on Galbar, through force you make yourself Queen although distant. Will your Elves and their Dragon companions stay strong in their will? Should they have power to control the Westfold, they would have power to rule it. Even if you forbid them, what if in a hundred or three hundred years they decide it is better to do away with the pretense that all would not bend to their wills?"
Thaa turned his eye onto Celestine finally as his eye came to a rest, "I need not answers to all such questions, there are many more I can ask. You need those answers from yourself, from what your Elves are willing and able to do. Know the limits of what you can, and what you will do, long before you need to make a choice and action. Ensuring peace of a land has been the domain of rulers, you may become one, or create one, if this does be the path you intend to tread."
Celestine remained silent for a few moments after Thaa finished speaking. Then a few moments more as she took a few moments to study the corpses that surrounded them. When she finally spoke, the tone of her voice had changed slightly to one of contemplation and doubt. ”Your points are fair and just. To give my thoughts in the same order as you gave your questions: When I speak of stopping violence I speak of stopping the widespread warring that has been taking place. I cannot hope to stop every act of murder or assassination as I would have to be essentially everywhere at once, but if I can stop hundreds or thousands of innocent people from dying because of warfare and its aftereffects then I would think my mission successful. If all in the land sought to disobey such an edict I would likely see to it that a group of death dragons landed around their forward military camps at night and offer them one final chance to turn to home. If they declined… Well, balefire would be the response. If the trolls agreed to a peace with the humans and are later attacked, I would come to their defense. Likewise, if the trolls agree to a peace and then attack, I would come to the defense of whomever was on the receiving end of their assault. When I say peace for all I do truly mean peace for all.”
Pausing for a moment, Celestine gathered her thoughts and then continued to speak. ”If a nation turns to civil war I might try to send an envoy to cause a cessation of hostilities and a negotiation to separate. The issue of tyrants is a peculiar one, as I do not have a clear answer for it. Perhaps if my people are asked to intervene I might see about it, but I would hesitate to respond with dragons, as I feel like such an issue would require a more delicate touch. If there happens to be starvation and famine then I might see about bringing food to those affected and help them to become self-sufficient once more.”
Celestine paused once again as she was left with questions that were incredibly difficult to answer. In a surprising move, Celestine took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Much like mortals did when they faced such difficult considerations. Then Celestine spoke carefully so that she didn’t say something she would come to regret. ”If I leave my avatar to reside at The Crystal Spire and assist with governing, I can likely slow the divergence of elves and dragons from the original ideals that I sent them with, but you are right in that such a divergence is likely inevitable. I cannot and will not try and shackle their ability to think freely to my will. As before, as now: I would have to use my words and promises alone to maintain the integrity of such a grand design. It is inevitable that some will leave to found their own towns or cities, or some will leave to wander. I cannot prevent them from expressing alternate desires, lest I myself slip into the trappings of being a tyrant. It is my greatest hope that I will never need to see Virtus Elf turn against Virtus Elf… But should that day come I will weep. If they desire a land of their own to rule over, I will use my divine ability to forge one for them in the hopes that they don’t seek to take the land of others. And, truly, that might have to be the stance I take for all people upon Toraan. Perhaps the land as it is has simply grown too small and too famished for people to coexist? I would hope not, but if peace requires that I expand upon the landmasses that exist upon Galbar then I will if I must. Though I will likely need to seek the assistance of other deities should I find my reserves of divine power lacking.”
Finishing her train of thought, Celestine looked to the map once more. Then to the corpses surrounding her. Then to the eye of Thaa. It was now that she delivered one final thought. ”Does this satisfy, Thaa? If you take issue with anything then please voice it. I will be happy to improve my ideals should they be lacking.”
"Having good answers is difficult, but nonetheless important. We both have our differences and I will not deny you your thoughts, however I will say a few things that my experience and knowledge may assist with. Firstly, there is plenty of land to use, even more so no doubt as technology and experience improves. I remember when the grandest populations of mortals sustained were in the hundreds in a small local, hunting and foraging long before they discovered the tilling of fields or domain over animals. With stone, then metal, the amount of food they could grow, the lands they could use improved. No doubt they shall find some new such way when means and times allow, bronze really has spiked their numbers greatly I must admit across much of Galbar."
Thaa took a moment to turn towards the display, "In truth, I believe your plans would likely transform the Westfold from soldiering to assassins as their hatreds grew from the unresolved feuds. From the evils of Ha-Dûna to the brutality and mercy of the Celeviaks, down to the people of Kirin's Rest. Perhaps that would be easier on the people themselves, but all the more likely to boil over should your intervention ever cease or be delayed. Ultimately, it is worthy to try in any case to reduce the suffering that abounds, I have sponsored other experiments as well so I will watch most eagerly. You may succeed in reducing suffering, even if I do not think you will be well liked, although I have never been greatly popular myself..."
His eye turned back onto the Goddess, "They may turn to plagues and poisons, divine aid and retribution from other gods they might corral to their whims, such is common enough. Wars have always been common, you might find a way to cease them perhaps, I have no doubt mortals will find means and measures to test your patience, your resolve and your will to continue your peace. I hope your will is strong and not brittle to the stresses of the task you set before yourself."
Celestine gave a few nods as Thaa spoke. His revelation that there was more than enough land to go around for the mortals was helpful in the sense that she could figure out the limits of what she should do better, but it was also disheartening to learn that there was plenty of land and yet wars were being waged to take the land from others. Such a lack of harmony was concerning, and perhaps that would be something else to strive towards once the current project was done.
When he mentioned the catastrophe that would likely result from a delay or cessation of interventions, Celestine couldn’t help but nod again and respond once he had finished speaking. ”That is something that concerns me. One possible solution that I’ve been considering is setting up multiple smaller towers to serve as outposts for a swift response force while the main tower serves to hold the bulk of their forces, but I think that such an idea will have to remain on hold until I have the main tower completed first. I suspect that there will be many hidden challenges that make themselves known when I put the main events of this plan into motion, and I hesitate to fatten my designs with additional ideas before those possible challenges are answered.”
Returning her thoughts to how Thaa had mentioned his lack of popularity and the trials that her plans would undertake Celestine raised a finger to her chin. If her plans were to make her equally unpopular then perhaps that would simply be the price to pay? It disheartened her that trying to do what felt right would cause her to become unpopular, but it would take far more than just unpopularity with the other deities to cause her to give pause. Such unpopularity might also prove useful in revealing the hidden agendas that Thaa had previously warned her of in their first meeting.
The idea of such truths being brought to light served to affirm the idea that what she was doing was a fair idea. Looking to Thaa, she figured to ask after something that might prove troublesome. ”Please excuse my curiosity, but I must wonder: You said that your designs have made you somewhat unpopular. Would you kindly elaborate with who, or how? Of course, if you would rather not elaborate I entirely understand and will rescind the question immediately.”
Now all Celestine could do was wait for Thaa to reply. And reply he did, ”I am the Lord of Death, few appreciate my work or know truly the results of it on the mortal plane of Galbar. I have no doubt that my actions have displeased other deities as well given their broad designs to disrupt plans set in motion as asked by the mortals that did request my aid and so want it. “
”Life does not take kindly to death, it has been built and made to find a kind of repulsion in it. Even as I seek only to reduce suffering, I fear most that the creation of life was never in the interest in a moral order or a lack of suffering but much the opposite.”
Celestine would raise a finger to her chin as Thaa spoke. Comparing what he said to her own plans she found that he made quite a good point for why he might not be popular. Her plans had lacked vision of what their ends might look like, and that might’ve cost her immensely. She would need to think about such details when she had the free time. Celestine took a moment to stop thinking of death as being something exclusive to just mortal beings. Could an idea die? Could a culture die? Did less physical things like ideas and cultures ever truly die in the same way as mortals or were they immortal in the sense that some part of them could possibly be adopted and carried forward by someone else?
It was a difficult thing to think about, but as she thought about it she gained a newfound respect for Thaa, and came to understand his importance in the pantheon of deities that had emerged: He was a reminder that things with beginnings typically had endings, and even beyond that Celestine could reasonably see Thaa as being a sort of divine clean-up crew for errant projects that had overstayed their welcome.
And with that understanding, she understood why he wasn’t popular.
Lowering her finger from her chin, Celestine nodded a few times before speaking. ”I think I understand, having contemplated a few things. Though in this contemplation I have been reminded that there is something that I would wish to ask after. Do you know of Boudicca of Ha-Dûna? She is one of my knights, and I have made a request of her to stay with me in my realm as an advisor after the end of her life upon Galbar. As I made this request she lamented that she would miss her family while accepting it. I would thus like to discuss the possibility of securing their souls to journey to my realm after their own deaths so that she can be with her family. Would that be something that you could arrange? Of course, if there is a cost you wish to request for this service I will gladly hear it.”
With her question posed, Celestine could only wait and see what Thaa would propose.
”I am very much aware of the one named Boudicca. I could easily arrange such an occurrence, I have two conditions one of the souls and one on your own being. The souls must be allowed to choose whether they go to leave Paradise and their ancestors and friends there to go with your Knights.”
“As for the condition on you, I would request you use your extant influence on Boudicca and Ha-Dûna to end the immoralities so prevalent there under her command.”
Thaa’s great eye lazily shifted along the ring of bodies he had made.
Celestine nodded a few times as Thaa spoke. The condition he placed upon her was easy enough to agree to, Celestine would not want to enforce her will upon someone so thoroughly. But the second request was more complicated. Especially since it did involve trying to actively influence someone in ways that might complicate the friendship between the two.
However, it would have to be done. Celestine knew that Thaa had already gifted her with many things without much of a cost, and she did not want to test this generosity too thoroughly. Speaking up, Celestine sought details about what exactly he would want curtailed. ”Immoralities? If you would be so kind to elaborate in detail about what you mean then I can certainly attempt to see such things done. I would also request that if these details come in the form of memories from a soul within your care, could you possibly make some form of copy of them so that I could show Boudicca herself? I can pass whatever medium you place them into onto my Avatar and then show Boudicca when I next see her.”
An orb appeared in the hands of a corpse of an unknown humanoid being nearby Celestine as Thaa’s eye drifted.
”Cold blooded torture of an innocent on conjecture is one. I worry you rely too much on Boudicca herself but perhaps my methods are at fault for my own lack of influence. Another is the increases in control and policing to the Dûnan will. Finally is the matter of denial of crimes, adventurism and the own growing tyranny of Ha-Dûna.”
“You may wish to prepare yourself before you view those memories…”
Celestine’s eyes narrowed slightly. Were secrets being kept from her? If they were, this was immensely displeasing and she would need to chide Boudicca on such practices. If they were not, Boudicca had another problem to manage, which would likely not bode well. Neither option was pleasant in the slightest, but now Celestine was too involved to merely back away. Looking to the orb that appeared in the hands of the unknown humanoid corpse. Celestine nodded grimly before speaking. ”I am ready, and will endure. Show me what has happened in Ha-Dûna.”
The orb was tossed gently to Celestine’s grasp. As soon as it was touched, the memory flooded, a rapid pace from that orb. Memories of a girl named Ciara, brief snippets of a life, arriving in Ha-Dûna, optimism and hope, distrust, betrayal. Accused of crime not commit and tortured beyond even the captors assurance of innocence.
Thaa’s words echoed out softly as the last faded memories to death, a hundred voices, ”The Dûnan’s manage to find more of the worst quite quickly. One would think a people so tortured by the past of Ketrefan atrocity would not be so quick to create a new legacy of atrocity all their own. Perhaps that is precisely why...”
Celestine caught the orb gracefully and closed her eyes as the flood of memories hit her. As the memories were played out, Celestine’s expression hardened. When it was done, there was little more than a thin mask of calmness to hide the anger that boiled in her mind. Opening her eyes slowly, Celestine lowered her hand. Nodding grimly, Celestine spoke softly. Her voice was barely above a whisper at this point, for any louder and she would find herself caught between screaming and crying. ”I see now why you desire this. Very well. Thy will be done. Justice shall come in one form or another.”
Celestine hefted the orb once more, looking at it with pained eyes. Then she lifted her hand towards the back of her head and pulled at her hood. Setting the orb into it, Celestine tucked the hood into the back of her breastplate for security. It would have to remain there for now until she found a better place to put it, or was otherwise finished with it. At that time she might just return it to Thaa in order to be rid of the weight that it placed upon her mind. These memories held a double pain for Celestine, for within them she also saw that fateful day once again. The day where a tournament had been defiled. The day where her good intentions had met their first true insult.
Celestine despised that day. What made matters worse was that the events of it were not yet fully corrected, and she had failed in her attempts to find the culprit. It was a humiliating time for her. To be reminded of it was something that she abhorred, but it was something necessary: Until the culprits were punished and the cursed given peace those events would be a splinter in her mind.
Emulating mortals once again Celestine took a deep breath into lungs that did not technically exist. Exhaling slowly she looked back towards Thaa to ask a simple but somewhat blunt question. ”Is that all you wished to see and discuss, Thaa? Or was there more that you wished to see or discuss?”
Thaa began to uncoil around the chamber, saying simply, ”The quarters for the Dragons.”
Celestine nodded before speaking as simply as Thaa did. ”Of course. This way, please.” She would then lead Thaa out of the castle courtyard before taking a side path that eventually led to a staircase that would bring them atop the wall surrounding the city. From here Celestine would walk to where the exterior curtain of the wall began to bend protectively around the town before lifting a hand towards the hundreds of individually customized homes for the Death Dragons. It was now that she would speak once more. ”Each dragon has their own home, made to their own tastes. When they want changes they call out to me, and I adjust things until they are satisfied. Do you wish to see any of them up close, or would you rather ask the dragons themselves?”
”No, I am quite satisfied as it does happen to see this. These seem to be adequate enough, divine prayers would likely have warned should there be any issue from you outright given they are evidently still extant and capable.”
Thaa’s form had snaked down to follow. ”I would also offer, should you require a locale or some assistance on Galbar, a number of assets that I still have as current under my control on Galbar. Certain things under my control that could be useful to your designs in the westfold region, lending a little more weight to your concerns in any matter.”
“You are young yet Celestine, while I may ask my price, the accumulated power of me or my fellow elder divines may be useful to your own acts I have no doubt.”
At the mention of having assets under his control in the area, Celestine couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. That was something quite surprising to her, as she had believed that Thaa wouldn’t have too many things physically located upon Galbar in order to not interfere too much. But then again she wasn’t aware of all the prior activities of the gods and so this could just be something new to learn.
Turning to face Thaa Celestine inquired after what exactly Thaa had under his control so that she could better shape her own plans. ”A number of assets under your control? Would you kindly be able to elaborate as to what exactly you have active? Even if I do not request the usage of such assets I wouldn’t want to have a plan of mine knowingly interfere with a plan that you’ve got going already.”
”Its quite simple of course, most remain left over from when I walked on Galbar, a flying temple and some artifacts to ensure tranquility in a small area. Most under the command of my Avatar.”
“I don’t have much plans of the region myself anymore, however there is a Dragon in the region, she is leading a group of people to safety further out of harms way. We don’t agree on everything but she was moral enough and wished to attempt to make a change after gaining some perspective.”
Thaa’s great eye matched Celestine’s gaze moving along his form to face her. ”There are a number of servants and beings I could induce action upon that could be brought to the region, although they are few enough as you would imagine...”
Celestine raised another eyebrow at Thaa’s mention of being able to walk upon Galbar before speaking. ”You were able to walk upon Galbar? I’m rather impressed. I had thought that the gods were always disbarred from bringing our full might onto the surface of the planet, hence the need for avatars? Was this not always the case?”
Turning her mind to the other things that Thaa mentioned, Celestine decided that it would be best to press him for details so that she could better shape her plans. Out of all of them, the dragon he mentioned was the most interesting. If she could recruit her to assist in educating the dragons she would send to The Crystal Spire on the ways of Galbar then there would possibly be a lot less headache and complication from a dragon not understanding some of the unspoken rules that the mortals had. ”The dragon that you mentioned, where is she? Do you think she would be amicable to the idea of aiding the dragons that I will send to Galbar to reside at The Crystal Spire? I would imagine that she would have valuable experiences to share that the others could learn from.”
”There was a time when the world was new and the first gods were born of the primordial elements, land and sea, heat and cold, sun and moon, life and death. In these times before the first mortal peoples the lands and seas were made physics and laws of order, magic, and chaos were added to the world. Realms were no such consideration as each god acted directly in their full power on Galbar. The lifeblood was active then too, a much greater creative force than it seems to enact currently.”
“However, soon enough as the gods enacted ever greater powers on the world, the lifeblood cast us out, the realms our bubbles of power so far away from the centrality of Galbar and all the work we had done, all the good and evils set in motion. The lifeblood wanted, as much as such a thing could want, to keep us out, to force our way back in full power only threatened to destroy the surface of Galbar with the contest of will with the lifeblood. Not to mention the grave danger of defying something so powerful.”
“Two thousand years passed on Galbar, and then antiquity formed, connecting our realms and with the discovery of avatars we were capable to directly interact once more. I had busier myself with caring for the dead. Few or none talked as I know in time, a number of deities seemed to abandon their duties, Oraelia was not heard by any of the souls I had collected in that time I recall as example.”
“With antiquity and avatars came a new period of interaction, things once set in motion could begin again and new efforts undertaken. For example this is how Ha-Dûna first grew strong, it was empowered beyond any other Druidic locale by the might of deities I would not agree to their overall benevolence. In any case, when the full might of a god was in the primordial days we were so much more capable than the mere fragments we send down now. I personally built the Hreelcii isles in a matter of side project hoping to create a better land, moral and righteous and safe. Such things have been abandoned in part with the long absence I have to say, so much less power we have now. Even if we still can shape the course of mortal civilization.”
Thaa turned his great eye away from the goddess as he continued, ”It is possible that she might be of some help, that is her decision. She is a powerful champion of my will yes but I agreed to empower her so that she may attempt to follow her ideas and ideals. She has much more hope and feels it is possible to reform and improve much with good wisdom and a strong hand such as hers. A ruler, something I do not necessarily see yet but I agreed to let her try. Perhaps she might help you in exchange for her own plans to be assisted.”
”You will find her in the westfold, search on the East along the mountains, she leads her followers south to a promised land.”
Celestine gave a few nods to the history lesson, but didn’t have too much that she could really say about it. It was a curious time, and there was no doubt that she would’ve enjoyed being present upon the surface of Galbar with the others, but that time had passed and contemplating about something which could never be was a dangerous pastime. Making some mental notes on where to look as Thaa described the whereabouts of the dragon that was active Celestine reminded herself of the need to convince the dragon with words and promises only. Though this did pose an interesting question about the dragon that she had forgotten to ask before. Seeing as it would be quite helpful to the effort of convincing the dragon to offer assistance, Celestine asked after a small but critical detail. ”I see. What is this dragon’s name? I would wish to call her by a name that only you might know, to show that I am a friend of yours and not just someone attempting to exert my will over her mind or put threats towards the people under her care.”
”Her name is Aen’drannan, but you would get well along with the epithet ‘the curious one’.”
“Although, I do have to make one request to satisfy my curiosity in the matter of the Dûnans”.
As Thaa had turned away to gaze towards whatever he wished to gaze toward, Celestine had turned to look over her realm as a whole. She watched as a pair of more mature dragons engaged in a bout of play in midair. Pushing against one another briefly before racing off towards the more mountainous biomes of her realm to engage in a race of sharp twists and turns. Nodding at the mention of the name Aen’drannan Celestine made a few mental notes on how to approach that possible conversation and set them aside for later. She raised an eyebrow at the question that Thaa wished to pose. Pulling her eyes from her realm and turning to face Thaa once more, Celestine would give an eager nod before speaking. ”Of course Thaa. I will answer to the best of my ability. Please, ask away.”
Thaa’s great eye shifted again to look at another far corner as he spoke again. ”When you react in your investigation of the Dûnans, I would like to know if you can ascertain why Ciara was the one so chosen for their depredations. Whether it was her unusual openness to them or just happenstance that she was captured to be so tortured and blamed by them.”
“She cared for them greatly as a people I know, and Boudicca herself was much beloved, I’m sure you got a sense of that from the brief amount seen in the memories I shared. The sneaking away to visit Ha-Dûna in her teen years, her eventual apprenticeship to Darragh, her hopes of peace and growth for the Dûnans and the Cenél.”
“It made her not suspect that they would or could turn upon her, something that no doubt left her vulnerable in a way Darragh was not in his apparent fleeing the town. Dûnans began their first conquests under false pretenses of murder of a Dûnan by foreign raiders. Staged by Dûnan leadership they went and slaughtered the people and took their land. The point of such a tale is that to Dûnan leaders the killing of their own has not been an issue, so the torture of Ciara in a mostly unreformed society is no great mystery. What I would ask then is the chance for a scapegoat for war was merely stumbled upon or if this was another planned event. I’m sure you’ll find such answers in the course of your own search so if you would share your findings I would be most grateful. They dead arrive the same and paradise awaits, but to satisfy my curiosity ahead of time would be appreciated.”
Celestine gave a few nods, and began to ponder such a thing herself. Unfortunately, she was able to piece a few things together from the experiences that she’d had already, and was able to answer such a question promptly. Emulating mortals once more, Celestine took a breath before beginning to recount what she knew. ”This traces back to a day I despise. Do you recall the fate of Hilda the Leoness? The day where she was cursed and turned into a demon? On that day Ciara was in the stands of the arena with Darragh, and Darragh’s method of fleeing brought him into suspicion even if he was not the one to commit the original crime. According to The First Knight he slew a guard and wounded another as he fled the city, which made him appear the culprit as there is a lack of understanding of the Cenél arts. Ciara, being Darragh’s apprentice, was captured and placed within the Temple of Truth, and we are both aware of her fate thereafter. I do not think it was intentional malice on the part of the people of Ha-Dûna, at the very least not all of them. I think it was closer to a mistake made in panic and grief, but such a mistake is something that I do not approve of, especially not when it ends in a needless death.”
Pausing for a moment, Celestine clenched her fists tightly as she remembered her failings involving that particular situation. When she spoke again, her usual calmness had become a thin veil that barely hid an anger capable of sundering mountains. ”I have not been able to find out the whole truth of what happened on that day, but if someday I can find out the truth of what happened… It will never happen again.”
Following this, Celestine fell silent. After a few moments she released a slow breath and returned to her usual calm demeanor. Looking back to the horizon and her realm as a whole once more, Celestine used a question to cap off her train of thought. ”Does that satisfy, Thaa?”
”Truth is always difficult, I am perhaps not so content to accord that it was mass will that shaped such an event, their leaders have found deception and trickery of the masses easily enough but I know it not their direct action or not it of Darragh or Ciara.”
“A true tragedy in every case, ironic perhaps in some. The Dûnans turn on the one that would still trust them after all they have wrought before and after their civil war. The cursed one herself a great leader of the Dûnans and now one of their blights. I have a friend I should tell such a tragedy to, they might wish to know of such a tale...”
Thaa’s eye swiveled along his mass to stare at Celestine, he spoke again, ”It shall be enough for now of course, I’m sure if anything notable came up you might comment on it whenever we do come to discuss such a topic again. Tell me, have you meet much of our fellow divines since we last spoke on such a topic?”
Celestine did not inquire after who Thaa might wish to share the tale with, as her anger had already been roused enough that she truthfully wished to cease speaking about it, especially since she would need to speak with Boudicca about such an event in detail while retaining her calm demeanor. As Thaa shifted the conversation to be about the other deities that Celestine had met she nearly let out a sigh of relief. That was a much more palatable topic at the moment and one that she was happy to elaborate on. Looking back to Thaa as he had once again turned to look at her, Celestine would detail her encounters with the other gods quite frankly. ”Shortly before I came to talk with you about the issues that I was struggling with in terms of my desires for neutrality I had a communion with Àicheil and received a gift from them to ensure that my Virtus Elves will not lose knowledge or skills over time. It is a memory library of sorts, and they can use it to experience the memories of others and pick up the skills that they did from them. The large tome that you might’ve seen enshrined within the city is The Akashic Gate. It is the centerpiece of the gift and allows my Virtus to reach their memory library. When I send them out onto Galbar to live within The Crystal Spire I will be sending it with them. After our meeting to discuss neutrality I met with both Cadien and Neiya. In truth I had gone to visit Cadien to discuss tournaments for the souls that come to inhabit our realms, but Neiya arrived afterward and the discussion shifted a bit. It was however a pleasant experience overall.”
Soon after she finished, Celestine was reminded of something that she had thought of at the time and figured that it would be a wise decision to ask it now that she was face to face with the one who could provide the answer. ”Speaking of those tournaments, I had a proposal for an idea as to what to reward the victor of such a tournament, seeing as they would want for nothing in the paradises that Cadien and I offer: Would you be willing to allow a soul to reincarnate unto Galbar? Provided that they choose to do so, of course. I would not want to force reincarnation upon those who simply wish to compete for eternity.”
Thaa spoke in a low voice, almost a murmur, ”That would explain the oddity of those souls, Àicheil...”
He returned to a normal voice, ”I have allowed a race reincarnation before, at a nigh divine request, equal time in life and death. Paradise and... ...Galbar. In exchange for a service provided to me.”
“I will allow these champions of yours to reincarnate among their chosen race, for a price.”
Celestine nodded, but was quick to offer up a counter-proposal seeing as a critical party was missing. ”I understand your wish for a price and I have little qualms about paying it myself, but I think such a discussion would be best had with Cadien present. These tournaments are something that we have both equally contributed to in discussion thus far, and I would not want a decision like this to be made without Cadien being able to provide his own input. Perhaps in some time we may both go to visit him in his realm and resume such a discussion then and there?”
”I see.” a long pause.
He resumed in quick order and tone, ”I suppose we shall have to make a time to talk in some suitable locale.”
”If I may make a comment, you may when you have the time, wish to take a tour of some other notable places on Galbar besides the Westfold. The Kyslar Isles, dead east of the highlands, perhaps a little south. They have an interest warrior culture, as well interesting things happen all over that you might wish to take a look at. Keeping informed is valuable in more than just usefulness to a cause...”
Celestine gave a nod towards the suggestion put forward by Thaa before speaking. ”I have considered doing so once my involvement with the Westfold is finished. In truth I don’t know if I will send my first avatar around Galbar, as it will be needed to manage The Crystal Spire and serve as an extension of my guidance for the Virtus Elves and dragons that I send forth onto Galbar in order to serve as peacekeepers on Toraan. My fondness for the dragons that have rallied themselves to my cause has been an influence upon the next avatar that I have been considering: One made in their image, though most likely not possessing nearly as many abilities as they do, and possibly not quite so large in order to avoid provoking too much panic. But the wings that such a form would provide would be quite useful in traversing the land. Though I do feel as if I should ask: Would you be alright with me emulating the form of something that is so closely tied to you? I would not want to cause confusion and panic.”
Several arms from the mass waved dismissively, he spoke, ”Worry not of it, feel free to do as you will. They are not servants of mine and I make no slaves of my creations.”
Celestine gave a few nods as she made note of Thaa’s answer. Following this, she would pose another question to him in order to clarify what Thaa wished to do next. ”I see. You have my thanks. Beyond this, did you have anything else that you wished to speak about or see? Or do you perhaps feel that you will be departing soon?”
”We both have work to do, I am sure you will be interested in investigating many matters in mortal affairs. I shall depart, we will have further matters to discuss once we have taken our necessary actions and we confer with other such divines, your tournaments and such.”
Thaa’s form began to move from its position before pausing, speaking again, ”Please keep me informed as time permits on your concerns of course. And any developments like you moving forward with your plans for these Elves of yours...”
He began to move away to leave without waiting for a reply to begin such as his large form gradually and carefully shifted down the halls.
Celestine nodded silently as Thaa excused himself. As he began to move Celestine spoke simply, not expecting a reply. ”Farewell, Thaa.”
None spent.
Thaa comes to visit Celestine, who offers him a tour around her realm. He inspects the Virtus Elves a bit and checks out what Celestine is working on with the smithies that have been placed within the city. They talk about a great number of things, and Celestine illustrates her plans about The Crystal Spire. Celestine also asks after the souls of Boudicca’s family, as she promised. Thaa agrees, but sets two conditions: Such a thing cannot be compulsory, and Boudicca must change her ways to be less tyrannical. Celestine agrees to these and is shown the memories of Ciara. These memories displease her, and she’s quite grumpy for a few moments. Following this she shows Thaa the vast amount of homes that the Death Dragons enjoy under her care and assures Thaa that she is keeping her promises. Thaa also tells Celestine of Aen’drannan The Curious One, and Celestine ponders over the idea of asking her to aid her idea with The Crystal Spire. They also speak on tournaments and allowing the victor to reincarnate, which Thaa agrees to before beginning to state a price. Celestine stops him before informing him that the discussion is best carried out with Cadien present since the tournaments are equally his idea. Thaa agrees to hold the discussion later, and after some more conversations Thaa departs from the realm on good terms.
The Confederation is a union of various recognized entities which provide economic resources to the central government. This central government is essentially a deliberative body in which proposals are made and chosen by their respective sovereign entities, these entities are not equal, instead required to maintain a minimal amount of economic resources to the central government as part of membership, however greater representation is afforded to those that provide greater product to the central governing body. As a result, those willing and able to contribute the most resources to the central body receive the most representation and control over deliberations including legal settlements between recognized entities, treaties with human powers, and the exact distribution of Confederal resources. These resources are used for the purposes of common defense, expansion and reinvestment in underdeveloped regions of the confederation
Demographics
There are four main species that make up the bulk of the population and power of the Confederation. Those are the R’haestra, the Nimbaaran, the Elok(t)januk(t)nor, and the Aessana. It is important to note the R’haestra do not use that name for themselves except when speaking to other species, it was given to them by the Elok(t)januk(t)nor after first contact between the two races. It is also important to note that Humans are not permitted permanent residence or citizenship rights in any Confederal state.
Other Aborigine species are allowed citizenship in numerous entities within the Confederation. Some colonial governing bodies even offer citizenship to any Aborigine species that can make it and reside within their territory, regardless of previous residence. A smaller amount of entities offer associate or residence status to either autonomies or minorities of non-aboriginal non-human populations as well.
Named by the Elok(t)januk(t)nor, the R’haestra are a silicon based fluorosilicone life form. Although they stand roughly the same atmospheric pressure, their homeworld ranges typically in much higher amounts of radiation than most carbon based life can withstand, as well as much higher temperatures in the range of 400-500 degrees Celsius. Many comment that the R’haestra are actually quite beautiful to behold, variable in size, they appear to be made up of large interconnected crystals and glass-like fibers that are quite similar to other life on their homeworld of Ossoiaon, a name taken from the Aesanna as a matter of Confederal unity. The names the R’haestra use for themselves are basically incompatible with most other species’ speech capacities and so they have taken names from other Confederal species to aid in communication.
The Primary force in the Confederation even to this day, the R’haestra were first introduced to humanity through an attempt at colonization of a planet within their system by a Human sleeper ship. They managed to intercept it, as they were themselves a space faring society at that time even as they were bound to their home system. The Atmosphere and heat of the R’haestra and their own communication differences caused a manner of confusion and eventually violence, resulting in much of the crew of the sleeper vessel dying due to power failure in the ensuing conflict. The R’haestra were able to save some, and connected with the larger community with great hesitance, building their own version of a Jump gate built almost entirely to the Human design. They allowed the humans of the sleeper vessel to leave their system through the gate.
From that day the R’haestra have been utmost caution and care to carve out a safe environment for their people, especially as given their environmental needs and relatively abundance of silicon versus carbon, they have few naturally habitable environments available to them. This event has led the R’haestra to be the instigator and most interventionist member of the Confederation, although this has generally been found to be benevolent by all Aborigine Species of Eden that came in contact with the R’haestra.
The Newest of the major four, they joined the Confederation after a Confederal Jump Gate connected their system. At time of contact their species was massive feudal and monastic in composition of their societies. The Nimbaaran most notably breed in massive amounts, taking care to nurture their young only after a significant whittling down of the population of young. With the assistance of the confederation, the Nimbaaran were organized into three, now four, major governing entities which continued to develop their population into a sizable industrial and military base.
The Nimbaaran are of short stature and general size due to the higher gravity environment of their home planet of Baaras. Typically described by humans as looking somewhere between a cross of a hyena and a simmie, the Nimbaaran makeup sizeable portions of the Confederation ground forces and maintain large armies for deployment beyond that required by Confederation charter.
The First of the three of the major four to meet the R’haestra and to name them, they were however not the first species that the Elok(t)januk(t)nor met. First contact of the Elok(t)januk(t)nor was through a human Jump gate, which quickly followed exploitation and attempted invasion of their Homeworld of Haes’ztaa. In short, the Elok(t)januk(t)nor were on the verge of an industrial revolution and the major powers of their world were engaged in extensive warfare for dominance of the global trade routes and overseas Empires. It was at this time that the Human colonists landed and began operations to subdue the native states. Although initially this went very well for the technologically superior human forces, an intervention by the R’haestra, named so from texts of a divine warrior race in some Elok(t)januk(t)nor mythologies, to expel the human colonists and subsequently organized and developed the devastated Elok(t)januk(t)nor.
They would later go on to be one of the three founding races of the Confederation, along with the R’haestra and the Aessana. The Elok(t)januk(t)nor are often described by humans as being akin in appearance to somewhere between large spiders and praying mantises. Although they are not a solitary species like the two aforementioned examples. Instead being greatly social species taking great care and appreciation for mutual company and communal living, work, and play. Typically the Elok(t)januk(t)nor are nocturnal on their own homeworld.
In modern times the Elok(t)januk(t)nor are primarily still organized in their ancient Empires, however much updates into most constitutional monarchies built around communal collectives led by elected leaders and noble houses as the primary social and society units. They are extremely fond of living in coordination and among other races, typically granting citizenship to many other races from around the cluster in their Confederal recognized states. The Elok(t)januk(t)nor defy easy stereotyping, and have found a place among many of the Confederation’s worlds and holdings.
Carbon based semi aquatic life forms, they maintained an early industrial society before a R’haestra built Jump gate connected their system. Subsequently a previous average political state was chosen by the R’haestra at that time and given immense advantages and resources from the R’haestra for the purposes of developing the Aessana into an ally, and eventually a founding race of the Confederacy, as well as official leasing the asteroid field in system to the R’haestra as the recognized government of all Aessana of their homeworld of Oveon.
As one of the early members of the Confederation, the Aesanna are its third most numerous after the Nimbaaran and the Elok(t)januk(t)nor. They notably make fantastic natural pilots and engineers of starcraft due to their adept natural understanding of three dimensional space and movement. Rather than colonize their own worlds, the Aesanna prefer to make colonies on the world of other Confederal members in water bodies.
The Aesanna are unique in the Confederation, apart from the R’haestra, as being united as a species with a singular recognized body. However it is likely that the unification that allowed for this convinced the R’haestra of the necessity of different approaches in the future. Self government of the Aesanna is extensively similar to human republican systems, although generally rely much more on petitions and popular distributed voting than most Republican systems maintain.
The Aesanna are typically described by humans as looking like crocodiles with shorter snouts, collapsing fins and generally very long limbs.
Numerous lesser opulous species are present in the Confederation, due to their very accepting attitudes of all non-humans and some Confederal states almost completely open immigration and citizenship policies towards Aboriginal species.
The Daisan in the Je’Xee Confederacy are an important selection, having chosen to join the Je’Xee Confederacy centuries ago before human involvement and migration to Daisan space during the Great Eden War. Daisan can be found most anywhere dry in Je’Xee space, and are greatly valued practically and ideologically. As a non-aboriginal species in their histories the Confederation has given the the race ‘Honorary-Aboriginal’ Status so as to respect their heritage, even if few truly know enough to believe or not believe that the Daisan are Aboriginal or not. In the Je’Xee Confederacy the Daisan are uniquely honored as one of the few races in the Confederacy outside of the R’haestra to be of an initially high technology level.
The Daisan are an alien race that is as foreign to Eden as humans. They are a unique species that arrived thousands of years before the Human arks, but by complete accident. Story has it that they arrived on a massive warship that had gotten splintered from a mighty armada during a jump and crashed into the planet “Hoke” in the “Exodus” system. Lucky for the Daisan, the ship was also equipped for terraforming and they managed to successfully salvage the ancient icon enough to change the atmopshere and crust of Hoke into one that was perfect for their unique physique -- unfortunately however, such technology is now lost to the Daisan, though their engineers are constantly studying the old structures from the warship.
The Daisan are a unique species. At first glance they seem rather simple: two legs, two arms, a torso and a head -- but looking further into it, you’ll notice each arm can split in half, giving them a total of four arms and hands, and their face is a shield or kite shaped bony exoskeleton without any noticeable facial features. Dense hairs under and around the shield serve as a filter system for their strange food (a dense bacteria that travels their home planet in choking clouds), and tactile tendrils grow from their backs. At a glance, these strange beasts also looked emaciated, but are in fact quite strong. On top of all this, they are natural engineers and quick learners. Rumor has it that they were a designer species for an ancient imperial race from a distant corner of the galaxy - but either way, all these boons work in their favor, and the humans favor too as they were quick to learn the human language, using vibrations in their necks to mimic human speech.
Their downside is that they don’t do well outside their preferred habitats, and so are often seen in habitation suits on cold, wet, or airy planets. They prefer smoggy, hot, or dry planets - especially ones that have their bacterium on it.
Economics
The Core facet one has to consider in dealing between the Confederation and outside powers is that of the Confederal charter. In the charter it gives sole power to all deals and conditions with Human entities, organizations, states and nations to the Confederation government. This means that any human, or human based corporation has difficulty operating any decent operation in the Confederation, however the Confederation freely forms trade relations with non-human aborigine states and entities. This combined with the extensive governmental investment in the Confederal economic system makes it difficult for many human space states and corporations to deal with the Confederation.
Economic Redistribution and Investment is the practice and office in the Confederal government of both colonial adventures but also the building and development of extant Confederal member states. This office is dependent on the willingness of sub entities to contribute to the Confederal government beyond the minimum as well as the potential for expansion. Greater resources go to those willing to contribute and those capable of greater industry, population, or other notable advantages such in culture or other fields. These resources are mixed among many grants, some given to specific entities within Confederal states for specific purposes, others are effectively checks written to the State governments of the Confederation to do as they wish.
Principally, the first redistributions and investments were to Uplift the Aesanna and the Elok(t)januk(t)nor to modern space faring civilizations that could be true equals of the R’haestra. Practices such as these continue to this day, however there also exists great pressure for expansion of colonial frontiers, new jump gates and of course, the ever lucrative defense spending for the base industrial construction of the Confederation.
The Confederation has a limited free trade policy dependent on a series of classifications of outside entities. Those being roughly in order from most to least restrictive: Human, Human Adjacent, Mixed, Aboriginal. A human classification means that everyone from a megacorp to a free roaming trader has to log in with Confederal Government tracking, notify local security forces of their presence, has to submit a planned route and trade pattern for approval before entry is granted. Aboriginal status means that one simple has to go through customs on any goods brought by the means of the local Confederal State Entity that trade is to be conducted with or in, otherwise there are little to no restrictions on the Confederal level.
Of note, there is extensive trade with the Exodian Confederacy owed to historical connections from before the Great Eden War, current mixed trade status and the distribution of Daisan populations between the two Confederacies.
As well, there exists other trade connections between the Je’Xee Confederacy and entities within the Federated Systems Alliance where the Confederacy seeks both extensive amounts of civilian vessels and ground equipment for the purposes of gifting or resell at a loss to improve and aid allied powers of the Confederacy.
Notably there is also a small cultural importation of media from the State of Plenty despite their human classification due to prior negotiations with the Confederal government to grant approval to various projects and products produced by the citizenry of the State of Plenty.
Military
The Military of the Confederation is primarily united by the Concordiate, a military council from member states that organizes and funds military designs and equipment. Although each member state produces their own equipment, the Concordiate produces designs from the technology and expertise of all member states and all acquired technology. This means that supply wise most vessels have some matter of cross capability that helps to unify the Confederal Navy. Even as atmosphere and temperatures change, the power converters are compatible.
Doctrine is varied by design, the overall plan relies on extensive training and cooperation between maintained forces in military exercises and planning so as to have a cohesive if diverse military force.
Being a stubborn and technolgoically innovative and sophisticated people, the Daisan in the Je’Xee Confederacy have a proud tradition of their own technological projects and productions. Although most at this point have switched some minor standards to match the rest of the Confederacy, a few holdout Clades remain completely separate in tradition.
Evolved from the general trend of Daisan drone engineering, the Knight Frigate is a combination of Daisan cultural and technolgocial knowledge applied to the direct challenges of combat from Daisan technical ingenuity. Drones are often using old control center technologies rather than internal programming with capacity for remote piloting. However Clade Yasool found that conservative deployment of Drone Carriers led to dangerous delays in reaction timing. The solution found was the Knight Frigate, up gunned, and given extensive drone control center technology to support a host of pilots, the Knight Frigate rather than act as a support or escort vessel to Drone Carriers closes with the strike force, providing as short as possible delay while carrying enough firepower to destroy enemy escort frigates and threaten larger vessels.
This design comes in on several armament patterns, but generally takes the Yasool Clade designed hull. Having four major oval quadrant cut suctions on top of a general frigate design to provide the extra power and space for weapons and command center technology, the Knight Frigate is quite a distinctive design, usually having dorsal and ventral towers for backup communication arrays.
History
In short, the history of the Confederation is that first of the R’haestra, their disastrous first contact with humanity, and subsequent interventions to secure allies and friends among various carbon based Aborigine species to the Eden cluster. The Confederation has always found itself friend to many aborigine liberation groups, but has found itself willing to cooperate with more moderate human governments from time to time.
A human sleeper ship entered the home system of the R’haestra in XXX. It was intercepted, and from there the first hostilities began. The basic differences in biology and composition created confusion and conflict, the semi-sentient AI of the sleeper vessel reacting in preparation for attack, being unable to realize that the specific nature of the R’haestra meant their atmospheric temperatures and composition were not a kind of weapon. This coincided with the ship waking up a number of its passengers in an attempt to repel the attack under its programming.
The confusion and bad intelligence resulted in the humans attacking the R’haestra vessels in haste, this did not end well. The battle damage to the sleep ship was severe, and resulted in a shipwide power loss. The R’haestra would go on to save the few humans that they could in time, being ill prepared to care for a mass of carbon based life. However with assistance they were able to restore power to the sleeper ship, and utilizing human technology build a Jump gate. They sent the humans on their way to other extant human populations, in adapted forms of their own vessels, as they scavenged the technology of the human vessel
Two events shaped the history of the R’haestra into the history of the Je’Xee Confederation. Discovery of the Aesanna, and the Elok(t)januk(t)nor intervention. Discovery of the Aesanna was a simple affair, one of the first R’haestra built jump gates entered their system and made contact with their early industrial societies. From there they intervened and uplifted them technologically to make a strong ally.
The Intervention of the Elok(t)januk(t)nor is far more important for the history of what would become the Confederation. The R’haestra effectively conducted a full invasion of a human colony world once they had mustered sufficient force to be confident in taking the world. The goal, was liberation of the Aboriginal and native population. This being a new, lightly defended colony, it was easy enough to acted upon. Far greater in importance is two facets. The Uplift of the native peoples, and the cold war between the Human Colonial State that had so conflicted with the R’haestra. Although no direct conflict would come of this, and the R’haestra created a bit of a scare among the inner worlds, the most direct impact was the destruction of the early trade relations between the R’haestra and Human worlds from any goodwill earned by returning the human population that came to colonize their home system.
The expulsion of Human colonists and the general hostility and interventionism of the R’haestra would cause this grave split, and from there would further embolden the R’haestra to turn away from humanity for the future of their people.
With the R’haestra turning away from humanity, and uplifting the Aesanna and Elok(t)januk(t)nor, they found a new purpose. Effectively continuing their dominance and control to uplift and promote the eventual development of the two other Aboriginal species, the R’haestra with their effectively completely control over the two dependencies during their uplift, folded the whole of all into a new Confederation, one that while initially they would control through their extensive investment, allowed for the other members to eventually become full members when they caught up to the R’haestra, something the R’haestra were fully willing to support.
The Confederacy is opposed to the ITC on practical means, not inherently ideological. Seeing the ITC as a fundamentally Imperialist Human organization, the Confederation boycotts the usage and divergence of the organization, often declining deals at far greater rates than even with other human powers.
Ciara had forgotten what day it was. Was it even day? Time had faded. She had no idea how long she had been here. Strapped through the chair. Her mind felt fogged up. Memories came up occasionally. Names, laughs, trees. But they vanished just as quickly. She could barely hold on to her own name. Sometimes it slipped. Other names were just as clearly fading. Seva, Ora, Malgog. Looking down at the ground she feared every sound she heard. Every creaking from the door. The pain had been all there is. The loneliness cut worse though.
Some time ago, she had no idea how long, she would’ve wished to go home. Right now she had no idea what home was. Where home was. There was just the pain and the fogged mind and the names. Life was slipping through her fingers. “Sovas…take me.” The words came out like whispers to the wind. Easily misunderstood as just a sigh but a prayer none the less. The last prayer that she could form with her broken mind.
There came an on rushing presence in her mind, words soon followed, a thousand soothing whispers from a thousand mothers and fathers came together in one voice, "Be calm child, I will take you away, away from the pain."
"You will have to let go, but I will help you, no need to make a sound, rest and let go..."
She still sobbed twice. After everything that happened, a final few tears dropped from her eyes. But she had no choice. Her eyes closed, her breathing slowed. Inside she felt as if she was gripping rope tight and it was cutting through her hand and now she finally let go. Her body grew cold but not uncomfortable. It was as if at first she was pulling inwards, and then finally out.
Ciara felt herself drawing away as the voice spoke, "You're coming to a better place. Do not fear..."
Everything seemed to drop away bit by bit, as if she was being held by threads and each was unraveling in turn as she drew away from all of it. she was away, and there seemed at first to be nothing but herself and the presence in her mind. Then she felt it. The tug, the pull, and she was off. There wasn't a sense of control, one of movement or motion, but the pull was irresistible it seemed. She went, away from Galbar, from Ha-Dûna and the Westfold. She was arriving at what seemed to be a gateway, entrance to someplace else. "You will be with those that you love, and that love you, fear not Ciara..."
The voice, the presence, it stayed with her along the way, until she was through the gates that had so loomed above. Her mind began to clear. Her memories pieced themselves together. With every step taken the fog in her head disappeared. There was no hesitation, no fear as she nearly passed through the gateway beyond which it felt like an entirely new world laid. Yet before she would cross the threshold she stopped. Enough of her mind had pieced itself together. Laughs, smiles, home. “Those who I love aren’t dead yet.” She said softly.
"Yet is the operative word, paradise awaits until they join you. You still have opportunity to meet your people that you know not, that they are blood of your blood and kith and kin to you. Ones who will adore you and tell you of so much. You are not of the world anymore Ciara, rest and take time, you have joys awaiting you that you cannot yet conceive."
A small smile crept across Ciara’s lips. She leaned forward, almost setting the last step. But before she did, she looked back over her shoulder. At the world that was. The world she left behind. “I’ll be waiting for you.” She whispered with a tender voice and then took a resolute step forward. Crossing the threshold and passing through the gateway.
A divine voice of a million mortal men and women called out to a mind he knew was there, "Qael'naath, I request you come to my realm to discuss a matter of some import. I call upon you for a favor and assistance in matters in the Westfold of the Highland of Toraan."
“A most odd location to take interest in, brother.” Qael said as he stepped into the familiar realm of the god of death. Fog lapped at his feet already. Wandering souls went about their business and the usual structures towered over the grey and misty landscape. As before he merely walked through it to nowhere in particular. Thaa would find him easy enough. He kept looking around. Mostly to occupy his remaining two eyes, while the others flickered and shimmered with a chromatic glow. Blind to the realm he now walked in, they instead saw Galbar. The Winds had found itself watching over the Westfold, though that was not entirely an accident. “So what can I help you with?”
A voice descended upon him as Qael was brought to a void far from the rest of the realm, or right next door depending on your view. Thaa spoke from a ball of corpses his Eye traverse to gaze at Qael. "A most odd place indeed. One that continues to infuriate me through divine interventions and immoral acts."
"I would show you the depredations committed to a soul. I would ask not that you pity her, nor that you find a similar moral stance to mine. I ask only that you understand why I call upon you in the specific case."
Qael was about to stop the god of death. Of course, he knew which soul’s pains he would show. He was there. Witness to most of it. In the piece of Kal the sight hurt him in his heart. It was vile and terrible for a young woman, so full of ideals and hope, to suffer such a fate. Yet as a god he couldn’t allow himself to care. Still, he wasn’t about to tell a god angry about divine intervention that her death was a favored outcome. “Very well, show me.” The god of magic said as he closed his eyes. Allowing his essence to open up only slightly.
And so it came, all of it, the efforts and works of those of Ha-Dûna upon the body and mind of Ciara. This came not as observation but as feeling of her own, of her desperate thought and memory of each that Thaa had seen and saved to bring to this very showing. Every depredation and every attack and torture. All based on a false assumption.
Thaa gave such to Qael, in his memory, in his thoughts and his feelings he had opportunity to see it all. Thaa spoke, "She had been saved, I seek not punishment, nor retribution against the mortals. They bare only the sickening influence of life about their minds, the twisted depredation of living shaping their wills and actions. A declaration of will must be made, I can do as much of my own will. I ask of you a favor regarding mana and those who lead and follow in Ha-Dûna, the supposed inheritors of the Dûnlands as they name the Westfold."
“Few of them use my gifts.” Qael’Naath said as his essences sealed itself off again. Seeing what happened to Ciara was harrowing enough to the small mortal side he now had. Feeling it as a part of him had been much worse. That very same part wished to engage Thaa on the subject of life again. But the divine part of him knew well enough that it would be wasted time. “Druidism cuts them off completely.” A sacrifice too many were willing to make if you asked the god of magic. Then again, he knew he was somewhat biased. “So what would you ask of me?”
"Their enemies do not scorn such gifts, they have made enemies of many of those living, so aid them. Other divines will support the evil that prepares in Ha-Dûna, do not make it easy for them to spread such affairs to the entire Westfold. If any part of you has the least amount of abhorrence for what I have showed you, act to ensure it doesn't repeat a thousand fold, a million as the generations march on!" Thaa's voice had slowly grown to a thundering ring as revealed his anger, before he quieted. Continuing on in a more normal tone for him, "Bless those against them, curse the Dûnan who acts so callously, set the nature of mana against them so that the world may hold that which you find abhorrent, abhorrent to the world as well. Do what you will to act Qael’Naath, I have seen your daughters. I have some idea of your plans. If you let such things as are promoted here take root without cause you only endanger them, embolden those who would act against such dreams of theirs."
"The daughter of the Sun with all her power and influence stands idle as this happened, the Goddesses of Sun and Moon, Life and Protection, stood by and did nothing. Their silence supports the vile actions committed there. But I know you may not agree with me, you may not think matters of morality are important. So think of this too, I have given gifts to your daughters, pledged their safe return, we have worked together on projects. If I have earned any amount of goodwill, if you have any care for moral matters, do not stand by and let them set the mortal world on a path for such wretchedness!"
For a moment – perhaps due to his mortal affliction – Qael’Naath felt compelled to bring down his full, divine power upon the Westfold. To erase the troublesome Dûnans and have his chosen finally start his plans for the region. He even felt Kal’s heart quicken so far away as the mortal man was teaching the Solarians more magic. Visions or a rampaging storm flashed through the god’s mind. He would summon a storm of mana and send it raging towards Ha-Dûna. Flattening the area. Erasing all that was. A storm that would serve as a declaration. An expression of will, as Thaa had said.
Yet he quickly detached himself from such mortal feelings. It was odd to hear Thaa so thunderous. Qael’Naath paused for a moment though as he gathered his thoughts. “You’d do well not to insult one of my few friends, brother.” He said, though he offered a genuine smile together with his words. A smile Lucia or Soleira would’ve given the baleful thing before him. The god of the death made a fair point though. Lucia was meant to create peace. Qael did not think she would succeed but for things to get out of hand this quickly. Perhaps it was because she was tired. Two-thousand years of faithfully serving her mother was a long time for any mortal. She had earned her life within the godly realm.
“What you did for my daughters is not forgotten. But Soleira and Lucia have shown me to take things slower. We are gods after all.” He levitated up slightly as he folded his legs and floated in a meditative pose. “Why this place?” The god of magic asked. “Across Galbar there must be hundreds of mortals tortured unjustly. Yet something seemed to have riled you up about the Westfold specifically. What is it?”
"You are right." Thaa paused, as if giving moment or break to his speech.
He continued soon however, "There are many who have suffered, some worse than her. While this may serve as impetus, it is not cause. I seek to make a stand against this Evil, here and now as it becomes clear the Dûnan's are guided by deific influence to most immoral cause. They torture, imprison and seize their own people, their lands, their livelihoods and blackmail them the same. This is new, directed. The seek to make things worse, increase suffering for their own power. This reeks of divinely meddling in mortal affairs once again in the Westfold, it is the target of immoral deities seeking to start a wretched curse upon the land."
"The Dûnans fled to the Westfold from persecution, and from that they have learned and been taught by dark deities to make a new suffering greater than before. They have been bred in great numbers by divine aid, their population of natives are young, easier to lead, easier to bring to bear in combat. They endorse some of the worse means and they seek to crush opposition, disregard the respects or concerns for other peoples, and no doubt spread this suffering further. I fear this is a Divine plan guided by a deity such as Oraelia or another of her like, perhaps a cabal to increase suffering first in the Westfold, perhaps to expand from there or to export and improve upon the model to so descretate all of Galbar."
Thaa's great eye had been moveing slightly small images of dust had appeared as he spoke and now he started directed at Qael. "Tell me Qael'Naath, are you so sure that it is best to wait? To see what comes? I have waited and watched two thousand years and more, from the first death! I have seen the rise of slavery, cold blooded torture, a thousand upon a thousand upon a thousand atrocities and more. I waited to give them paradise, but I will not stand for Galbar to be come a hell for all which to live. We do not agree on all points, that much is clear and has always been so. I am not asking you to agree with me, I am asking you to look and see that things are measurably getting worse! Divinely backed civilizations exporting suffering at increasing rates, mass slaughter as a norm, torture! Bronze and blood! They speak with honeyed words, and they get ever more present options for atrocity."
"You want a world Soleira can save, or do you want one that will eat her alive in all her attempts at Kindness? Make a stand Qael'Naath, on my ask if not another cause, you may blame me as asker of a favor should you need explanation, I ask you to change the course."
“Do not confuse my patience with inaction brother.” Qael’Naath said. Two eyes lost their glimmering status as he momentarily released the Winds from his hold. Four eyes total watched Thaa’s singular great one. “As it stands I have already given my support in more than one way to those who oppose the Dûnan oppression but I’m not blind to your champion. This Jjonveyo? He is not the answer either. Arrogant and as war-hungry as the Dûnans. He will not bring peace to the region should he win. Just more suffering.” The god of magic took a deep breath in an effort to calm and distance himself again from mortal emotions. Distaste and anger were ill advisors to a god. For now the Westfold conflicts were small compared to the whole of Galbar. Though it received a significant amount of divine support nonetheless. Thaa was right, it could easily spill out if not reigned in.
With a calmer voice Qael said: “Even if we find a fitting solution for Ha-Dûna, this cabal of gods you speak of might simply move to another civilization and chose to remain in the shadows longer.” It was hard to deny the idea that his fellow siblings were conspiring in the region any thought. Was this Oraelia’s plan? Does Lucia know? There were too many questions. “I will speak to Oraelia and Cadien.” The god of magic said as he lowered himself and stood on his feet again. “Hear their intentions for the region.” He was about to say his farewells, but he stopped.
Thaa deserved a promise though. The god of the death spoke of the goodwill between the two of them. Qael’Naath would honor it. “You might think me weak now, brother. For choosing to talk instead of bringing down my own power to bear upon the Dûnans.” His voice remained calm, but there was something behind it. A glimpse of a storm growing in his heart. “But I promise you this. If your fears are true, if this suffering and pain is the works of our siblings’ evil intentions I will bring down a wrath so fierce it will be carved upon the very land itself.”
"Speak as you like, listen as you wish, some have lied again and again to the mortals of Galbar, perhaps a divinity could get them to ferret out truth. And fear not, I have better options to bring eventual peace than the Mountain warlord, he does as he wills as long as he lasts. There is no such thing as a solution, answer for the region as the state of the world stands, we might make things better however."
Thaa stopped, there was a great deal to say, and a greater deal to work on. "I would not have brought this to your attention had I thought you weak, my opinion stands as it was. Know this, whatever your findings of a cabal or whether they remained enshrouded, I will not stand by and watch mockeries made of innocents. This world is no ideal, but I will not allow it to become the opposite of one. You have my respect."
Qael bowed his head in a respectful manner but then walked away. Sooner or later Thaa’s realm would offer up its portal to him whenever it decided. And soon enough, he was out to Antiquity once more.
Ciara is still bound to the chair in the Hall of Truth but she’s a husk of herself. Tired and mind-broken. Finally she prays for the sweet release of death. Thaa guides her soul out of her body and bids her to step through the gateway to the underworld. Ciara died.
Thaa requests Qael to come to his realm to talk about the Westfold. Qael answers the summons, but notes that it’s an unusual location for Thaa to take interest in. The god of the dead is infuriated with its state and the divine meddling. In an effort to show what has happened, Thaa wishes to show what he gleaned from Ciara. Qael is well aware of her suffering but still allows it to happen. The more mortal side of Kal feels heartache, but he resists it. Thaa says a declaration of will must be made and asks Qael’Naath to do so as well.
The god of magic says few in Ha-Dûna use his gifts and asks what Thaa would want from him. Thaa simply asks to resist Ha-Dûna. Curse them. Bless those who oppose them. He goes on that Lucia’s failure to act supports the vile actions of the Dûnans. Finally he tries to convince Qael by using the goodwill both gods have in relationship to Qael’s daughters.
But Qael is somewhat apprehensive and first desires to hear why Thaa is so hellbent on the Westfold. Thaa explains that the horrors happening in Ha-Dûna must be divinely influenced. Pushed on by one or several gods. The god of magic finds it hard ot resist the idea of it but explains he already has forces at work within the Westfold and doesn’t believe Thaa’s chosen champion would bring any peace to the realm. Instead the god of magic decides to investigate whether it is true that some of their siblings are conspiring and vows to talk to Oraelia and Cadien. Though he promises that if he find truth to Thaa’s theory, he will bring down a wrath most fierce upon the land. Both give their goodbies and Qael’Naath leaves the realm of the dead.
Indeed they had, their youth was to be considered an asset among the Gressinae populace, that combined with the fact that the Master wished for a Gressinae to pursue the task set forward.
“You have been told what you have been selected for.”
To be a mercenary in truth. To go to the peoples of Galbar and offer them a deal, payment in exchange for service, terms negotiable. It wasn’t odious to Var’s senses, afterall they would still be serving the Master even as they served others for whatever payment was expected. They had also been warned what such tasks may entail, Var accepted such risks.
“You have been outfitted for such work, in body and in tool.”
Var turned their singular glassy eye to look upon the gauntlet that now sat upon their right hand. It was golden in color and decorative in full view, there were inscriptions and designs that coated every plate and portion of the gauntlet, some were too small to see. Var flexed their hand forward and back, clenching their four fingers in a fist each way, it did not restrict such movements too badly. Besides, its more magical effects were far more important than the armor it provided, Var had their outer coating for such defense in any case.
“Are you prepared?”
Var turned back to the great gaze of the Master, their mouth parts’ chittered as they replied in the divine tongue of the Master’s will.
“I, Var, am prepared Master.”
Var turned their head around to take one last look at those they would be leaving behind, they waved their left antennae in silent good-bye to their progenitors. Greh, Cae, and Uoa waved their right antennae in reply. Var turned their head back forward.
A rift had erupted before them, green flame encircled it as they looked through to jagged rock and harsh forests. Var galloped forward, the three legs of each set that radiated out from their body propelling them forward into the rift and out into Galbar. Var landed on stone, but not of the kind they were used to, this barely registered from their hooves and paws as they turned their head around to witness the rift close behind them with a soft crackle.
It was quiet, and there was fading light. Var had been explained this by the Master, it was called sunlight. And the bright disk setting below the horizon was called the Sun. Additionally, seeing this told them many things. That the direction they were looking was called West. They turned their head back, facing forward once more. This was East. Var turned their head right. That was South. Var turned their body to face South, each leg taking a careful step on the uneven ground.
Var set forth down the mountain, they had to turn or divert course a few times, but they always turned back to head more properly South. Soon the ground began to smooth out, all had darkened significantly and it was much harder to see. Luckily, the Gauntlet’s flame did provide some light, and it came in use for its more destructive purposes when Var came up to the thicker forests. The flames did provide some warmth and comfort to Var as they used it to cut through a path that they could travel.
Var got the feeling they were being watched as the night went on, but they were not approached at all, nor did they hear much. Var had drawn their antennae close and was very grateful for the small amount of fuzz their outer layer had, it was not warm in these lands. The Master had said there were many names for the region they were in, mostly as few chose to live there fully and described it from their own regions of greater comfort. Var did not blame them, it was quiet, cold, and not very hospitable.
It grew warmer as the Sun rose in the east. Var had not been going perfectly South as it turned out. Rather with the Sun setting and little other way to tell direction from their own knowledge Var had been wandering south-west instead. It wasn’t a huge issue, one did not travel so far in a single night to throw off course the supreme direction of their journey.
The woods were still quiet, Var wondered where all the little living things were, there were supposed to be many wherever one went, although Var had not seen many. They wondered if they had been scared off by their arrival, or perhaps their steps were too ponderous. Maybe they were not looking in the right places, the Master had not specified much about the little living things that they were to ignore. Var was to focus on the intelligent ones, they would be small but larger. It worried them that they did not see or hear what the Master spoke of. Var did not know why they were not as apparent, perhaps it was something they would grow to recognize and the Master did not wish for them to grow concerned.
Var trekked onward, the feelings of being watched grew worse, Var had thought they had seen something moving between the trees as they progressed, but whenever they stopped or tried to investigate they found nothing. The Master had spoken of the greater hostility in the wildlife here rather than in other places on this land. It worried Var that they had not seen much of any of it at all.
The Sun was still high in the sky, Var had much more land to travel, even as their worries grew.
We open on Thaa and a Gressinae named Var, Var has been selected to go down and be a mercenary on Galbar, and has even been gifted an artifact for that purpose. However, once arriving in the Aberrant, Var finds it strangely empty as they continue South. Growing worried at the intense silence and lack of wildlife going into their first full day on Galbar. We end on Var continuing their journey southwards.
Thaa Start: 5 MP 3 DP -1 MP Portal -2 MP to make legendary beast of phenomenal power Var the Gressinae capable off leaving Thaa’s realm -2 MP and 3 DP to make artifact the Golden Gauntlet End: 0 MP 0 DP
MP
Durability I: The Golden Gauntlet is supernaturally durable and can survive environments and impacts that would destroy most gauntlets. Translator I - The Golden Gauntlet allows the wearer to ignore language barriers. They may speak and understand any other language.
DP
Bale Flame II: The wearer of the Gauntlet can summon Bale Fire from the Gauntlet in a spout or blast. The flames do not burn or spread like a normal fire and are not put out by water or sand like one might with a normal fire. Instead the fire causes rapid necrosis in cells of living material near the flame, and can typically spread across the living body of any creature hit by it. Larger creatures usually can survive initial impact if it hits a non-vital area although having any large portion of ones body be so subsumed is incredibly difficult and may require amputation or extensive healing or regeneration to survive. This effect does not protect the user from the effects of flame.
Undying Regeneration I: The wearer of the Gauntlet will slowly regenerate wounds inflicted upon them beyond their normal healing abilities, lost limbs might be regained in use if reattached, although this won't fully re-grow a limb on it sown.
Free Titles from Undead Port
Undying II: The wearer of the Gauntlet can continue to function even after they've sustained injury that ordinarily would put them out of the fight. This does not heal the injury, nor does it prevent further damage. It instead keeps the soul of the wearer tied to their body and their body fighting, they may already be dead in effect, but as long as they wear the gauntlet they may finish the fight. This is a longer term effect, and may sustain the wearer till they can gain assistance to more permanently survive, although it is likely to be unable to keep the wearer alive through more severe injuries.
Helios
Lord Zee
DX3214
Vec
