Crispy Octopus

The Last Laugh

Awesome @Sigma.

The Last Laugh

@Taeryn

So it's cool that Humans didn't have natural Psychics/Psionics until the Society did their whole shindig and more or less seeded the species with them?

This also applies to @Sigma.

Legion has his whole rock thing, which more or less works its own way.

The Last Laugh

Mama mia

The Last Laugh

The Utopia Project

The Utopia Project

Warm Space, Utopia, The Concordance

Minor Belligerent

Overview

History

The history of the human species is a history of blood and strife. Or at least, that is what a Utopian would tell you. The Utopia Project may trace its founding to the Solar War, but the movement that spawned it started long before that fateful conflict. The Society for Human Advancement, as it was known, was a social and scientific movement that emerged shortly after the discovery of psi-integrae. These so called ‘Proto-Utopians’ saw the psychic potential of newly discovered organisms as more than a scientific curiosity. Rather, they and their leader Farid Nikbin, saw the potential for both the evolution of the Human species and a chance to achieve a true peace for the first time in Human history.

Farid Nikbin would author several seminal works during his time as a professor on Earth, outlining an ideology that would eventually lead to the foundation of The Utopia Project. He believed that the baser instincts of Humanity, those that drove people to violence, could be eliminated by modifying the Human species so that everyone had some level of psychic ability and connection. At first his ideas were nothing but the chatter of a delusional old academic, but he soon made global headlines by ignoring law and protocol in going ahead with human experiments. Had his work been a total failure he’d have likely been forgotten, doomed to die in prison a disgraced man. It goes without saying that was not the case.

Working in secret Professor Nikbin created the first artificial human psychic. His results were not immediate, after all he had opted to work on embryos implanted into volunteers, but within a few years it was evident to everyone involved that his experiment had been a success. The first child, a boy named Arthur Ueland, exhibited ‘unnatural’ abilities shortly after his sixth birthday.

Professor Nikbin verified the boys abilities beyond a shadow of a doubt, and then published the complete results of his work. The global response was mixed, but eventually it became clear that few in positions of authority cared how successful the Professor had been. His experiment was, undeniably, illegal. Farid Nikbin was tried and convicted to life imprisonment, even as Arthur grew up alongside a number of other psychic children.

The powers that had put away the founder of the Society for Human Advancement could never have predicted the effect of their actions. The Professor’s trial had been in global headlines for weeks, and what was once a group of fringe scientists and idealistic students became a massive international organization. The children that the Professor had created grew up, and all but one went on to join the Society.

It would be three decades after the Professor’s experiment that the Society finally secured the legal standing to continue its work. In that time what was once a primarily scientific organization had grown into an international movement with its own political wing and nearly fifty million members. These early adherents of Farid Nikbin’s philosophy, often called ‘Proto-Utopians’ today, would spearhead the creation and study of Human psychics for over a century.

By the time the Solar War started the Society had grown to a membership of over three hundred million across more than sixty planets. As many as one in three of those members were so called ‘Empaths’ or Psychics whose powers related more to understanding and feeling the emotions of others rather than any explicit abilities. After all, the creation of empaths was the societies ultimate goal. While the United Nations and the Intersystems alliance sported elite units of powerful Psi-Integrae, the Society had no part in their creation or training.

It was this position of complete neutrality that would ultimately destroy the Society. As the war went on members of the Society became increasingly persecuted as the states of the day saw them both as a threat and as an increasingly inhuman presence on their worlds. This persecution culminated in the Eurasian Riots, an event which saw as many as four million Society Empath’s killed in what was a targetted genocide by any other name. The United Nations hadn’t been complicit, at least not officially, but the elimination of a powerful third party that refused to aid in Earth’s war effort was hardly something to focus resources on stopping.

The Eurasian riot started a wave of anti-psychic and anti-society violence across human space. The pacifist ideology of Farid Nikbin failed and millions died, many of whom were all but paralyzed by their attackers rage and hatred. In less than a month the Society announced its official dissolution, but not before funding the evacuation of more than ninety million empaths and former members to an undisclosed location.

That place was the planet Halcyon. A distant Society outpost far beyond Human space Halcyon was the bastion on which the Society had chosen to shield its remaining members. After the survivors of the Psychic Genocide, as they called it, arrived on Halcyon they swore to never permit that level of violence again. From that day forward there would never be a child born who wasn’t an empath. Thus began The Utopia Project.

Isolated from Humanity the Utopians began to experiment and innovate. In their quest to create a society that would never know internal conflict the Utopians began to develop technologies unknown,and perhaps abhorrent, to Humanity. What was once a society of empaths became a society of proper Utopians. Individuals who, fundamentally, were no longer entirely human. What was once a sensitivity to the emotions of others became a subconscious connection to the entirety of the species.

That is not to say the Utopians surrendered their free will, they did not become a Human hive mind, but they did craft something many might have seen as far too close to that. The Utopians had created a collective subconscious. Every member of the species came to understand that there was a sort of unspoken ‘compromise’, a general set of principles that all knew, even if they didn’t know how. One could defy the compromise, of course, but doing so would be more than uncomfortable. Emotions of guilt and shame would come unbidden to those who violated what was, in essence, the middle ground of every Utopians beliefs. A legislative branch became unnecessary, as all knew the law.

There were still leaders among the Utopians, of course, but they acted more as agents of the people than as commanding wills. Their opinions mattered no more than anyone else's. The compromise, alongside the empathic nature of the Utopian people, led to what Farid Nikbin had dreamed of. A society at peace.

The Utopians colonized a few other worlds, but by and large they chose to live in as small an area as possible. Deep space habitats became far more common than colony worlds. This was, ultimately, a strategy born out of a desire to minimize conflict with any other species. Especially Humanity. Regardless, the Utopians thrived for generations.

At least, until the Ashtar came. The Utopians, for all they had worked to create their perfect society, had never anticipated an existence like the Ashtar was possible. Almost at once countless minds of an unfathomable scale pressed against the collective subconscious of the Utopian people, and in the span of a day the compromise shifted. The beliefs and opinions of the Utopians were irrelevant, the Ashtar’s psychic presence was too much to be resisted.

Not that some didn’t try. The laws might have changed, but every Utopian knew that they hadn’t changed them. There was resistance, many tried to ignore the guilt and even the pain as they went against what the Ashtar wanted, but in the end it was futile. None can live a life always feeling like they were wrong, and so in a day the Ashtar had all but brainwashed the Utopians.

What came after that was the same thing that happened everywhere, nothing. The Utopian people lived on, the Project continued, and it seemed like the Utopians peace had merely spread to the galaxy at large. Many, most, felt as if that was a good thing, a great thing. It was what Farid had wanted.

Except, that wasn’t the case. When the Ashtar vanished the Utopians woke from a deep and dreamless sleep, and they felt disgusted. The new compromise was reached almost instantly. The Ashtar hadn’t just enforced peace on the Utopians, they already had peace, the Ashtar had forced themselves on the Utopians. Alien minds, Alien ideals, they had violated every living member of an entire species.

The Utopian species had been raped. Perhaps, given that understanding, it isn’t surprising what happened next. While the rest of the galaxy scrounged whatever Ashtar technology they could find, the Utopians burned it all. The new compromise was simple, the Utopian species wanted revenge and everyone would work to get it. Even if the Ashtar were dead.

Because death wasn’t enough. The Ashtar had to be forgotten, wiped from history. When war overtook the galaxy the Utopians, for the first time in their history, lashed out. They destroyed Ashtar infrastructure across the galaxy, played sides in the great war to do as much damage as possible to their oppressors legacy, and they only stopped when they had no choice.

Detente. The states and species of the Galaxy had, it seemed, had enough of war. That was unfortunate, given how convenient it’d been. So once more the Utopians retreated to Halcyon, but this time they made plans. After all, without the Ashtar the rest of the galaxy was incapable of peace, and it was only a matter of time.

When the last Ashtar revealed their homeworld to the Galaxy the Utopians were delighted. Their revenge could, at last, continue.

Major Holdings

Your capital world, your favourite starbase, the key places in your Nation etc.

Demographics

Population

Not an actual number, but this is the section to talk about your people. Folks with multiple species, a percentage breakdown of those species might be nice. Descriptions of all those lovely species would also be nice.

Society

Daily life and such. Not the most important section but useful for giving us a sense of how your citizens actually feel about their nation. Can include religion, fashion, etc.

Economy

This could go under society if you like. Mostly just make it clear up front if you’re an industrial powerhouse, a nation of refined master artisans, etc. Also things people might want to know for trading purposes.

Government

My favourite part <3. Probably the most important of the demographics sections. Who runs the place, how do they run it. Since you will presumably be RPing people in your government, this is pretty critical.

Technological Information

Major Techs

Mostly interested in military techs, here: FTL, weapons, shields, armor, power, engines, etc. Civilian techs are also here, and sometimes just as important.

Military Information

Military Overview

Describe general doctrine, history, whatever floats your space boats.

Fleet/Navy

Your space boats. Include pics or don’t, I’m not your supervisor. You’ll probably want to have one or two of most of the classes, but it doesn’t really matter too much. I’m also including some flavour options here that you might want to consider. In short, the history of the galaxy has divied up ship designs into three waves: Great War (ships built before and during the Great War), Detente (ships built during the Detente, some wonky designs in the larger classes due to treaty limitations), and Modern (ships built in the year since the message)

DO NOT put your hyperdread here, it gets its own section.

Dreadnoughts: Only a few were built before the end of the Great War, the destructive potential of these vessels was a major contributor to ending the conflict. Those old ones are pretty obsolete, and any new ones are only just coming into service (mostly in secret) due to the Treaty of Detente banning their construction.

Battleships: The grand old ladies that did all the fighting of the Great War. The Treaty of Detente imposed limitations on their sizes and destructive potential, so if you want to get intricate there’s 3 waves of battleships: Great War, Detente, and Modern. Great War is self explanatory, old sluggers and antiques. Detente battleships were awkward creations involving all kinds of elaborate ways to get around the Treaty without actually violating it. Lots of glass cannon designs here, or iron fortresses that couldn’t scratch eachother’s paint, or half baked experimental weapon systems, or novel propulsion methods that only work if nobody on board sneezes. Modern battleships are just coming into service, and are quite deadly.

Battlecruisers: The treaty of Detent also limited battlecruisers, in an effort to avoid just slightly reducing the size of ship involved in any potential arms race. Similar design iterations to Battleships; Great War, Detente, and Modern. Detente battlecruisers were often cripplingly overspecialized: dedicated point defence ships, artillery vessels, mass shielding vessels, etc. Battlecruiser designs from the Detente period were often put together as a way to shore up the weaknesses of their contemporaneous Battleship partners.

Cruisers: Nothing special here.

Destroyers: Still nothing special.

Frigates: Nope.

Corvettes: Corvettes can be thought of in several iterations just kidding I don’t care what you do with these things. Unless you try to just upscale what I’m trying to avoid with strike craft.

Strike craft: K I’m actually gonna sort of limit these things, or rather, the things that carry them around. Strike craft have long been an important part of space combat, so most nations have them and defences against them. Historically, they’ve been used as close in support; no one’s yet figured out how to strap useful FTL drives on the things. All this means that long range strikes aren’t practical. What I’m trying to get at is Carrier’s aren’t really a thing, or at least dedicated carriers aren’t. Plenty of room for Battlestar type things (fighty-boats with a solid complement of strike craft), but no dropping off a carrier squadron on one side of the system then expecting your strikecraft to win the fight on the other side.

A notable exception is your Hyperdread. Do whatever you want with your super special awesome boat.

Army/Planetary forces

Outline some doctrine, highlight some major units. I’m not great at doing ground forces so not much guidance here.

ANNNDDD

Hyperdread

Go frikin nuts. Pics are nice.

Only have history done, but it needs to be approved by @Taeryn. Some links to Earth and the Solar War in there.

It's kinda eh, I wrote it at 4am after all, but w/e. I'll make it less crap and add the rest of the sheet later.

---

I should also note, Utopians are more than just Humans with some nonsense in their brainparts. I've talked to Ozzy and others about this, but basically you can describe a Utopian as having 'Synthetic Biology'. That is, there is no clear line between biology and technology in a Utopians physiology. Their babies are grown from heavily modified genetic code and a mix of nanotech/wackyspacescience. They still, usually, look Human but their insides bear little resemblance. Veins made from composite fibers, as grown as they are 'manufactured' in the body. Hyper efficient organs. Optimized skeletons made from organometallic compounds. Utopians started with transhumanism in one way, but they never really stopped.

While some might be hard to distinguish from a human, most almost look like they have metal muscles and no skin (at least on their bodies, most like having pretty faces), or they wear weird suits that are also kinda technobiological nonsense that share their not!blood and other stuff. They're peculiar folk.

The Last Laugh

Lot of pseudo hiveminds lol.

Well, at least the Utopians are closer to the individual side then the one will side. I'll have an NS out soon Ozzy.

The Last Laugh (Sci-Fi NRP)

Still think ya should have posted this in ADV

Divinus: The God RP, Mk. III. Finished in Record Time™!

Another one of those?

Divinus: The God RP, Mk. III. Finished in Record Time™!

The Question Of Souls

High above the world the flock hung in the Blue. Innumerable Alma hovered and circled around the titanic Luis. Upon his armored back where hundreds of vaults ready to be filled with the souls of the dead. Hovering just above him was the Titan of Winds, a sentinel and guardian of weightless stone that played faint melodies even as it rested. At the head of the flock was Azura who would soon lead them all to the stars. Below them, past frolicing sky slugs and slowly drifiting temples Galbar was splayed out before them, flattened and maplike, its terrain looping infinitely into the distance. Down there where uncountable mortals, living out their lives in ignorance of what fate awaited them. She allowed herself but a moment to dwell on this as she looked for the destination Asceal had described to her.

Then she dropped like a stone.

---

The flock dropped out of the blue a short way’s away from Shengshi’s ship, finding themselves above a continent Azura had yet to visit. The sound of wing beats was deafening as the birds slowed their fall, only to go quiet as they settled down on every available perch on the continent blow, painting it with a rainbow of colors visible for miles around. Of the flock’s three titans only one landed, the titan of wind settling down to guard the Alma while Luis and Azura made their way towards the ship.

As the Luis drew closer it became clear just how massive the eclipse whale was, for he dwarfed the Jiangzhou by orders of magnitude. It was as if an entire prot-city had hoisted itself out of the ground to go meet the dragon vessel. As they drew near Azura briefly landed on the tip of the massive horn like crystal protruding from Luis’s armor and waved a wing towards the ship while shouting “Hello there” in greeting. The servants aboard the ship all stood on the side of the deck, as if they had been waiting for her. In unison, they all fell to their knees and yelled as one:

“Ten thousand years and more to the holy Azura, Divine of Winds, and her companions!”

“Good grief. Not this again” Azura groaned quietly before shaking her head. “Priorities Azura, priorities. Souls first, hearts and minds later” she told herself before taking flight again for the last leg of the journey. Luis parked himself up and to the side of the vessel, and then sent an Alma down with Azura as she flew down to land on a clear region of its deck.

“Greetings, ten thousand years to you all also.” Luis said though the Alma. He had set one up to take a portrait view of himself that the Alma he was speaking though displayed with a small holographic image to indicate who was talking. Another sat on his nose and recorded/transmitted what he said to his Alma emissary while a final one sat next to ne of his eyes to display what the emissary saw. This setup stopped him shouting at the boat, let him go inside it and solved the language barrier, the Alma granting comprehension similar to that of the gods to those listening to them.

“It’s good to meet you all.” Azura said to the gathered water people “I’d love to get to know some of you some time, but I was told Asceal was to be found here, so could one of you direct me to her, if you’d be so kind?” she asked.

One of the present servants crawled a little forward. “Naturally, O sacred All-Able Avian! These servants have already relayed to Her Holiness Asceal the message of Your blessed arrival - His Lordship, too, has been notified.”

If parrots were capable of cringing Azura would have done so. As it was she took a few moments to get control of her emotions to avoid them bleeding into her voice before responding stiffly “Thank you...that will be all? Please go about your day?” Azura was unsure as to how to dismiss the servants so they'll be able to stop groveling on the deck. The servants all stood up in unison, bowed and walked backwards, torso inclined all the same, back to their duties.

Azura let out a sigh of relief at once they had left. “Safe to say you don’t like this one bit.” Luis noted via Alma. “No. Not one bit.” Azura muttered back in response. “But like I said. Priorities. From Asceals mention of a dragon attack I fear that our trip to the Pyres is timely indeed.”

“Looks like it. I’ve been skimming through the Alma’s sight as they get the recording/sending power and there seems to be a number of mortal races.” the projection of Luis’s face quickly switched to show a brief shot of some Selka playing on a distant beach, followed be the much closer sight of fire giants burning their way through forests. “and that’s just this continent and the one we just left.”

“Wait. I didnt think about using them for that when I made them.” Azura said as the fire giants disappeared to be replaced with the whale’s face once more.

“An added bonus then. Same with this translation setup I’ve got going.” Luis commented. “It’s not exactly optimized for keeping an eye on things but it can be useful if you take the time to troll through all the ones eating or starting at nothing.” the screen flashed a couple examples of picturesque landscapes, close ups of fruit, a quickly skipped over courtship dance and the vision of a bird deftly maneuvering to escape a dragon.

“Not entirely sure we should use that ability for, well spying.” Azura said, her tone concerned

“It’s not very good for that anyway.” Luis insisted “But it has let us know that there are mortals who are working with the dragons and other fiery creatures, which may cause issues when it comes to retrieving their souls in future. Particularly if we end up opposed to whichever destructive god who created them.”

Azura took a moment to think before responding. “The Alma need to be neutral, so that no one interferes with their task, but I can't be. That is going to be tricky to set up, if it is even possible.”

“And gods who oppose us might well comand their mortals to not give themselves over to us when the time comes. They might fear we would use them against us or deny their salvation out of spite.” Luis added.

Their contemplation was interrupted when they spotted Asceal making her way through the ship’s palace door and waves of bowing and kowtowing servants onto the colossal deck. Walking alongside the luminous goddess were her three winged children. Asceal made her way to Azura and and gestured to the flock around them before she spoke, “I see you’ve been preparing, Azura.”

“Asceal! Good to see you.” Azura responded, her mood swinging to chipper at the sight of the light goddess “And yes, I have. I’m excited to tell you all about it but I should give Introductions first.” She said, before pointing up with a wing at the great whale who floated above them. “This is my good friend Luis”

Luis himself spoke through the Alma’s projection, the translated speech of the bird talking over the soft distance sounds of his actual words. “It’s lovely to finally meet you Asceal. Azura has spoken quite highly of you.”

“Has she?” Asceal smiled, “Well, I hope I live up to any expectation. It’s good to meet you, Luis.”

The radiant goddess glanced to her children and went on, “And these three are my children. Eline, Akam, and Makab.” Makab waved at Azura, but none of the three spoke. Their attentions, forgivably, seemed more occupied by the flock that had surrounded Jiangzhou and darkened the very light of Heliopolis.

“Children?” Azura cocked her head momentarily and made the kind of huh sound that someone makes in response to hearing an interesting idea that they had not thought about before. The misgivings she had developed about that kind of creation were put aside for the sake of expediency and to avoid being rude to the children themselves. “It’s a pleasure to meet you three as well.” she said to them simply.

Eline wrenched her gaze from the Alma, who were perched on every available surface in site, and nodded to Azura, “Likewise. Mother told us we could always count you as a friend.”

“Then I too have expectations to live up to.” she replied cheerfully, accompanied by the soft swishing sound of her tail feathers being happily flapped up and down behind her.

“Dearest sister Azura!” came a booming voice from the tower above. “We finally meet. Welcome to my most humble home. I hope the journey has been kind to you.” Standing with his arms spread apart in a welcoming manner, the snake smiled warmly at Azura and her flock from atop his palace.

Azura blinked a few times in surprise, their host’s booming voice having caught her off guard, before she turned her head to gaze up and beheld him. She was quite sure the looking up part was intentional. “Shengshi, I presume? It was a pleasant flight with an interesting destination. One that seems to have been attacked.”

“A lot of the continent also seems to be, or have been, on fire” Luis noted in a rather detached manner.

”What happened here?“ She asked.

“A gruesome, unwarranted strike from the Flame Demon, it is. Even now, his forces sear my precious woods like cinders in a haystack, bringing wanton destruction upon this cradle of life upon Galbar.” He paused and shook his head. “In my hour of arrival after my skirmish on Tendlepog, my ship was assaulted by vile dragons - the wretched, unwashed spawn of the Demon. Had it not been for the presence of our precious sister Asceal and her so valiant children, I fear the worst may have befallen my home and its people. Truly, some of our siblings have no wish but to end prosperity and harmony for all eternity.” He clenched his fist and sighed, snapping his fingers. A trail of servants came out the slider doors behind him with trays of cups.

“Can I offer some refreshments while you are here?”

”Thank you but no. I don't drink.“ she told him, before bombarding him with questions and information ”By ‘demon’ I assume you mean Sartravius and not Anzillu? I should warn you that latter’s sphere was leaking rapidly multiplying flesh devouring bacteria according to Ohannakeloi, so I dread to think what else they have been cooking up in there. Was anyone hurt in this attack and what is this skirmish at Tendlepog you mentioned?“

The snake nodded somberly. “Several thousand servants lost their lives during the attack - turned to steam and glass by the cursèd flames of the demonspawn - and I do mean Sartravius…” He smacked his lips together as if saying the name left a bitter taste in his mouth. “The servants will recover in time, but the tragic loss is nonetheless gruesome in the gravest meaning of the word.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “As for the skirmish to Tendlepog, I aided our brothers K’nell and Eurysthenes in defeating the maddened Vakk - he planned to murder the mortal known as Hermes, and that was simply something we could not allow him to do. Unfortunately, he did not repent in his final moments, and we were forced to end his existence.” He shook his head. “Such a shame. Death is a gruesome destiny, most of all for gods.” At those words Asceal’s eyes widened and she shot Shengshi an incredulous look, but held her tongue.

”Several thousand...“ Azura replied, aghast at the devastation divine conflict had already wrought. She was silent for a few moments as the words sunk in, before she spoke to everyone, god and mortal alike ”Death is a destiny that Kartharsos has made far more gruesome, but there is still time to save them from his flames. The birds that flock with me are Alma. They are made to seek out intelligent life, turn soul into crystal to save them from the pyre’s pull and can transport these crystals to places of safe keeping. With the Titan of winds I can carry a great number of them up to the pyres to save those who have been taken to that infernal place. He will resist this invasion, but to free his victims death must be overcome“

She turned to the goddess of light and asked her ”Are you still ready and willing to accompany me, Asceal?“ before asking more generally ”I ask you all the same, because I could really use the help.“

“Of course,” Asceal nodded even as she ran a hand through her hair, “The task is even more urgent now that new mortals have begun to... Perish. If you’ll permit it though, I’d prefer to leave my children with Shengshi. I’d feel better knowing they’re here to keep Sartravius in check.”

“They are welcome to stay for as long as you wish!” the snake called from above.

”I see.“ she responded, a touch of disappointment staining her tone, before she asked Shengshi ”Will you join us, or will you be staying for the same reason?“

“Oh, I will remain, I am afraid. This land is my realm, and as its lord it is my duty to defend it. You are welcome to drop by again for a drink or two after your little…” He paused to look for words, flicking his tongue pensively. “... Quest.”

“I’m with you” Luis butted in before Azura’s mood could be sour any further. “Obviously” he added, acknowledging the statements redundancy

”Yes. Good. Well then.“ Azura said while pointlessly glancing at the servants. ”Let’s get going?“

“Forgive me, sisters, but are you leaving so soon? To pay Katharsos a visit? To procure souls from his sphere? Ought you not at least ask him for permission first? You are aware that this act will upset the balance of the world, correct?” The snake put his hands on his hips and flattened out his mouth.

“Katharsos already did that when he murdered every soul that followed us to this world, Shengshi,” Asceal shut her eyes for a moment and took a breath, “But you didn’t know that, did you? Katharsos found all the souls that followed us into this universe and set about destroying them all as soon as we arrived, Shengshi. Decayed, intact, he didn’t discriminate when he tossed them into his fires and burned them down to soul ash. All that saved us from that fate was the Architect’s favor.”

The Goddess gestured to Azura, “Aelius, Azura, and I have resolved to keep whatever souls come into being, souls like your servants, from Katharsos’s cruelty. Azura devised a means to crystalize a soul, to preserve it until a more permanent solution may be found, and this is what we mean to do to whatever thinking souls we find in Katharsos pyres. Your perished servants among them.”

The snake furrowed his brow and sneered. “With all due respect, dearest sister, I am well aware of how soul ash is created. I am also quite well aware that it is an absolutely necessary ingredient to all life. Are you telling me that you will lock up all souls that you can get your hands on, thus limiting the amount of soul matter we can use to create life, until you can find a potential future alternative to an already functional system?”

“Functional?” Asceal’s expression fell, “What Katharsos is doing is murder. The soul of a mortal is no less alive than that mortal was Shengshi, it thinks, it feels, and to destroy it simply because it is expedient is an atrocity.”

The snake sucked in a deep breath through the nose. “Your tone is unbecoming of you, sister. I am merely stating that freezing souls until a better solution can be found, is not a solution. Katharsos’ work is a necessary part of the harmony between life and death - life is born, it lives, it dies, and is then born anew. It is a delicate cycle which destruction could cast the world into chaos. You understand this, yes?”

The Goddess scowled, “That ‘cycle’ exists only because Katharsos and others have decided it should. It, like everything else in this world, is a construction, Shengshi.” She paused for a moment and ran both her hands through her long hair, “You are right about soul crystals not being a solution, but they are infinitely preferable to inaction. How many thinking souls would you have suffer in Kathasos pyres while we dawdle? If Katharsos weren’t the monster he is we might have had the time to find a proper solution, but the existence of the Pyres leaves Azura and I no choice.”

“A construction,” the snake muttered and let out a hot sigh. He hopped off the side of his tower and landed in front of the goddesses with a surprisingly low smack. “Harmony is founded on the principles of equal parts good and evil, Asceal - too much of either will be a detriment. Our brother’s work is a fundamental necessity to the continuation of the world. The nature of souls is not a construct, dear - souls need to be purged to attain a new identity. Otherwise, we will be recycling unfit souls for eternity. It is no solution to keep the dead alive.”

As the Titan of winds slowly drew closer to the ship, and the Alma gathered around Luis, Azura interjected herself into their debate ”Then when the time comes you too will gladly let Katharsos destroy your soul? To have everything you ever were washed away by his flames? I expect it would be a rather lengthy process for those who would live as long as we will. And as for this ‘balance between good and evil’ where you not just ranting and raving about the fiery demon who burned your home? Those destructive flames you cannot stand yet the distant ones in the sky you can? Even if we accept your vision of harmony, what gives you the right to decide which evil is permissible and which is tolerable?“

“Yes, when my time comes, I will gladly step into the flames of the Pyres so that my soul can be used to nourish countless new lives - to further life’s mission towards prosperity.” He pointed a clawed finger at Azura. “The forest was already in balance - the Flame Demon’s wanton destruction upsets that same balance with unnecessary death. Finally, my right to decide what is right and wrong is legitimised by the structure of the universe - the rebirth of souls in fire is the only way to bring about the renewal of life. You two can deny that all you want, but one can ask oneself who truly is--” He stopped himself. “... I do not wish to sow the seeds of conflict between us, sisters, but surely, you must see that you cannot halt the cycle of life just because a certain step of that cycle is painful!”

”The burning of souls is not ‘part of the universe’. It was a decision, made by a single person, that ended the lives of billions. As far as we know he didn’t even consult anyone else when making this decision, and yet now we are stuck with his system and everyone will have to suffer the consequences. Unlike you I will not sit idle while a monster who was given supreme power seemingly at random dictates the final fate of every person in this universe.“ Azura retorted

“... ‘Unlike you’, she says…” the snake hissed. “Sister, I have attempted to remain as civil as I can in this discussion, but your disrespectful, nigh-aggressive tone - in my own house, no less - is most unbecoming. Now, I believe you two have a quest to get on with. If you would like any provisions, I will of course have the servants prepare some for you - though, please, do not let me keep you.” He put on a poisonous smile and his eyes flashed reptilian.

Before Azura could issue another retort Asceal deftly stepped between her and Shengshi. The Goddess of Light frowned slightly, but when she spoke it was without rancor, “Very well Shengshi. I’m sorry we can’t come to an agreement regarding this matter, but I do hope you’ll take the time to consider our position while we’re away. You say Katharsos flames are the only way life can be renewed, but how do you know that? Have you tried another, kinder, method? Has anyone? Katharsos instituted his system before any of us had even created life, so I feel confident asserting that he, at least, did not exhaust his options before burning the primordial souls.”

Asceal pursed her lips, “Perhaps our crystallizing mortal souls will be a problem one day Shengshi, but for now it is only a kindness. There is an abundance of souls in this world and we seek to save only the barest fraction. We have all the time we need to discuss this.”

The snake’s scowl turned to Asceal and became a saddened smile. “Oh, dearest Asceal, you do have a gentle way with words. However, I must again apologise profusely and recommend a different course of action. I will not stop you, of course, but please just consider once more the gravity of your actions.” He reached out to grab Asceal’s hands. “Please.”

The Goddess sighed and held Shengshi’s hand for a moment, “I have, Shengshi. I understand that there is a cost, but there is always a cost. No cruelty and no kindness is without consequence. And I accepted the consequences of what I must do a long time ago. I only wish you could understand.”

“I am sorry, dear. I cannot support you in this endeavour. Truly, I am deeply, thoroughly sorry. I wish you all the best; however, I cannot pray for your success.” The snake bowed deeply.

Asceal met Shengshi’s gaze for a moment, frowned, and held her tongue. She nodded sadly and turned away from the Lord of Rivers and towards Azura and her flock. The Goddess of Wind’s army had gathered around the ship and she was more than ready to leave.

Azura gave no farewell to the contemptible serpent and instead silently launched herself up and away towards Luis’s vast form. Meanwhile the great whale’s messenger bid farewell to the angels, with whom he had been quietly conversing while their parents argued with their host, and then released the Alma from its duty so that it could rejoin the flock.

Asceal waved to her children and beat her wings. In a flash she, like the rest of the flock, was far overhead. As one the congregation turned away from Jiangzhou and began to ascend. Their target was far above, after all.

summary

Azura pops in and is like ‘hey hey its time to go save some souls’
Asceal is like ‘fo sho my gal’
Sheng is like ‘wait what’
Asceal is like ‘this what’
Sheng is like ‘wow um kathy might be shit but evil needs to exist and harmony you feel’
Azura is like ‘fuck you how about you burn’
Sheng is like ‘yeah fine thats the cost of harmony’
Azura is like ‘get bent’
Asceal is like ‘chill, the system sucks and we want to change it. How do you know it cant be better?’
Sheng is like ‘just go pls’
They do that

No might spent

Divinus: The God RP, Mk. III. Finished in Record Time™!

Reflections

---

It played out in his head again and again. Every time he drew the arrow, every time he lined up his shot, and every time he froze. The pain he’d experienced after that was long gone, and he didn't even bear a scratch to tell of it, but each time he relived the experience in his mind he felt it. The searing heat, the force of the blast, the crash into the water. His body tensed and his breath grew laboured as he remembered.

It was a horrid experience. In some ways it reminded him of the memories Mother had imparted to him, but in others it was new. New, and harrowing. To remember an injury was one thing, but to know that injury was something that happened to him and not another? To know it was his fault. The winged man grit his teeth and held his face in his hands.

Each time he revisited the memory he tried to discern what had stayed his hand, and each time he realized he already knew. The endless repetition was little more than desperate masochism. He didn’t shoot because he, even after seeing all the destruction it had wrought, simply didn’t want to shoot. He didn’t want to kill.

It was a sentiment at odds with his very purpose, his reason for being. He relieved the memories not in a quest to understand his action, but in the hope he’d recall some detail that would absolve him. He failed to act, and people died. He nearly died. Surely there was some other reason, some mitigating factor.

Of course, on some level, Akam knew there wasn’t. He had made a choice, and both he and others had paid for it. He had been unable to do the one thing he existed to do. He was a failure. Perhaps that was the real reason why he had stayed in the little room, remembering. The mere physical pain he’d ensured was insufficient punishment for what he’d done, what he’d failed to do.

A knock at the door distracted him from his dour musings. He didn’t reply, but it made no difference. The knock was merely a warning, and a moment later Mother stepped into the room. She wore an expression of worry, but she didn’t waste time asking him how he was. She knew.

Akam sighed, and greeted her, “Mother.”

“Akam,” She sat on the bed beside him and half heartedly embraced him with one arm. He didn’t shy away, but he didn’t lean in either. After all, who was he to deserve affection? He’d failed Mother, and more besides.

The two sat there for a time, and Akam began to wonder why Mother, a Goddess, was so content to waste time in her effort to comfort him. She had responsibilities, and yet she was here. With him. He almost felt worse for it. His failure was so absolute it was occupying her time, and between the two of them she was undoubtedly the one whose time mattered.

Eventually that train of thought reached a head and he blurted, “Why?”

Asceal eyed him, and for a moment he wondered if she’d bothered to read his mind. If she did, it didn't show when she asked, “Why what Akam?”

The wing man shrugged off her arm and stood. He looked down at his mother and very nearly yelled, “Why are you here!? I failed. You made us to serve a purpose and I couldn’t, I can’t. Why are you wasting your time on me?”

For a moment the glowing Goddess was silent, the only indication of her understanding presenting as a slight widening of her eyes. She opened her mouth and hesitated before speaking, “Because you’re my son, Akam. No time I spend with you is wasted, ever.”

Akam wanted to scream at her for that, but his words turned to ash in his mouth when he looked at her. There was no pity in her eyes, only concern. Even now, even when he was shouting at her because of the things he’d done, she didn’t think he was worthless. When he managed to speak again it was barely a whisper, “I failed you, I failed them. They’re burning in the pyres because of me Mother, how can I be your son?”

She held out a hand and gently pulled him back to sit on the bed when he took it. She looked into his eyes and spoke with a somber conviction, “We all fail Akam. You’ve seen my failures, but you don’t wonder how I can be your mother do you? You’re my son because I made you, I love you, and nothing can change that. As for purpose…” The Goddess pursed her lips, “I once told someone that we’re more than what we’re meant to do Akam. Failure to fulfill your purpose doesn’t imply that you are a failure.”

The winged man took his time, letting the words sink in. Eventually he slumped and leaned into his mother, who pulled him in with both arms. Tears began to fall from his eyes, “But what if it happens again Mother? I couldn’t do it this time and people died. What if I can’t shoot next time? Will Eline die? What about Makab? I didn’t want to kill, and people died because of it.”

Asceal held him and spoke softly, “Nobody should want to kill, Akam. That you were there, that you had the choice and didn’t, that isn’t failure. It’s proof you’re good.” She sighed, “But you’re not wrong. Your siblings will need to rely on you Akam. I won’t force you to fight, nobody will make you to do that, but if you want my opinion? If you choose to rejoin your brother and sister you won't hesitate again. I didn’t.”

Akam wiped the tears from his face and straightened his back before returning the embrace. He eventually let go and nodded, “I.. I’ll trust you, then.”

The Goddess smiled weakly, “You value life Akam, perhaps more than most gods. That will always be a good thing, I think. Your siblings will need you for that as much as for your bow. You’ve learned all you need to about the consequences of killing, and choosing not to.”

“Thank you,” Akam spoke with a mote of new confidence. His insides still felt tangled, his throat swollen, but in his mother's words he found some stability. Solid ground, an island in a stormy sea. It wasn’t much.

But it was enough.

---

Summary

Akam struggles with feelings of guilt and failure.
Asceal helps him out.
He feels better by the end.

Divinus: The God RP, Mk. III. Finished in Record Time™!

Calm Before The Storm

Feat. @Crispy Octopus, @AdorableSaucer

---

The gate to Fengshui Fuyou opened as a miniature rift just above the surface of the Giant’s Bath pool, and out of it came the snake swimming in a crawl. He reached the hull of his ship and climbed upwards in a rapid burst of speed, eventually swinging himself over the railing upon reaching the top. The snake wiped the water off his face with his right hand, holding out his open left palm as if awaiting something. Sure enough, promptly after his arrival back onboard, a group of servants made their trek over, kowtowed and proceeded to hand the snake towels and tea. Shengshi gulped down a cup of the greenish liquid and inspected the ship absent-mindedly.

“Say, did anything happen in my absence?” he eventually said as he slithered towards the palace with the servants in tow.

“A-actually,” said the closest one, an older-looking woman of the Wise named Wang Po’an, if the snake’s memory served him right. “We have visitors?” Wang Po’an finished.

The snake raised an eyebrow quizzically. “The good kind, I hope.”

“Naturally,” answered Wang Po’an. “Master Yun Ran assures Your Lordship that they are most benevolent and kind - these sacred spirits say they are the children of Her Holiness Asceal. There are three of them, named Akam, Makab and Eline, and two were gravely injured upon arrival. We brought them to the guest rooms - specifically the one with three beds, as per protocol.”

The snake nodded slowly. “The children of Asceal, you say?” He held his cup downwards and a servant hastily shuffled over to refill it. The snake gave her a curt bow and the cup a sip. “Take me to them, if you would.”

“Of course, Your Lordship - right this way.” Wang Po’an and the other servants guided the snake to the second floor of the hull, the floor with the bathhouse. There, along the many guest room doors lining the mahogany walls, the servants eventually stopped before one labeled twenty-eight. They stepped out of the door’s swing radius, and the closest one to the handle turned it and pulled the door open. The snake nodded to the doorman and slithered inside.

There, amidst a sea of servants laid three beds, upon each laid one angel. Some of the younger female servants were chuckling and giggling at Akam; a group of servants were tending to Eline and spoon-feeding her food and giving her water to drink; and the last group, lead by Yun Ran himself, were tending to Makab’s wounds, seeming having stopped the worst of the bleeding. However, upon seeing their master entering, all of them figuratively dropped what they were doing and fell to their knees.

“Ten thousand years and more to His Lordship, Shengshi of the Thousand Streams!” they cried in unison. The snake nodded frantically and waved a little dismissively.

“Yes, yes, that will do. Now please resume maintaining our guests’ comfort.” He turned to the three angels and bowed deeply. “My apologies for not being present earlier, dear guests. I was delayed.” He deepened the bow a little more before standing up. “Now, if my information is correct, you three are Makab, Akam and Eline - children of Asceal, yes?”

“That’s correct,” Akam turned to face Shengshi and nodded in a manner reminiscent of a little bow, “I regret our meeting being under these circumstances, but we had little choice in the matter. Still, you and your people have my, have all our, thanks.”

The snake squinted a little at the angel’s tone, but let out a sigh. “I suppose that would not be on the top of their mother’s priority list,” he mumbled quietly to a nearby servant who did a mix between a frantic nod and a disapproving headshake. The snake then turned back to the angels and stirred his finger around in his teacup. “That does beg the question - what is the reason for this meeting? Please, do not misunderstand - guests are always welcome aboard my ship! However, I cannot help but feel like you three are a little far away from home. The Dragon’s Foot is not as harmonious as Istais, after all.”

This time it was Eline who spoke up, “The Dragon’s Foot? Well, I suppose that explains some things.”

Akam shot her a little glare before answering Shengshi’s question, “We have learned as much, unfortunately. Mother gave us enough of her memories to be able to navigate the world and permitted us time to explore and acquaint ourselves with it. We came to this land from the East, a route Mother had never taken.” The winged man frowned, “We were attacked shortly after we arrived here, when we were resting on the slopes of a large mountain east of here. Your people have informed me that the beast we fought was what you call a dragon.”

“Yes, quite unfortunate, that. Dragons are not only vicious beasts, but they are also vicious beasts with wings, making them rather dangerous.” He took a small sip from his teacup. “Furthermore, they possess an inherent quality that can be used to break into my sphere.” The snake pointed to his face. “A dragon’s head can open the gates to Fengshui Fuyou - as a group of them obviously had. They had flown in and sabotaged two glorious flows, one of which was my absolute favorite.” The snake pursed his lips and grunted. “Unfortunately, that one was Lihe, the river on Istais.” He handed his teacup to a nearby servant. “I dearly hope that no one you treasure were resting by the riverside today.”

The two conscious angels shared a look before Eline shrugged, “I don’t think Istais has had any visitors since Mother created us.”

“No, it hasn’t,” Akam agreed, “But I can’t imagine she’ll be pleased with this… With any of this.” He sighed and turned back to Shengshi, “I’m not sure if she’s informed you yet, but Mother told me she would be heading here as quickly as she could. I imagine she’ll arrive soon.”

“Ever the responsible parent…” Shengshi mused. He turned to the servants. “Lady Asceal will be arriving shortly. I want the ship cleaned and polished for her arrival and I want fruits and appetisers sliced and arranged neatly on silver and gold platters, is that clear? Oh, and make some tea, as well.” The bulk of the servants voiced a loud ‘at once, Your Lordship!’ and stormed out the door. Outside soon followed a ruckus as more and more servants were gathered up and sent into a cleaning frenzy. The snake closed the door behind him and slithered over to Makab’s bed.

“I do not actually recall if your mother has informed me of her arrival yet - meaning she probably has not.” The snake gently prodded Makab’s chest with a claw-tipped finger. “How wounded was he on arrival?” He put his hand on the angel’s chest and glanced upwards pensively with a partially stuck-out tongue.

“A lot worse than I was,” Eline answered, “He took the brunt of the attack. If he hadn’t killed it when he did…”

The snake waved his free hand calmly. “His fear of mortality was bested by his bravery - that is the foundation of heroism, dear Eline.” He let out a quiet hum and snapped his free hand, a small cup materialising in it with some clear liquid. He placed the cup to Makab’s lips and poured it through the angel’s lips, bending the neck back to trigger a swallowing reflex. “There… That should dull the pain when he wakes up.”

Akam looked down and took a breath before thanking the God, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. I still don’t know how he managed to fly all the way here with his arm like that.”

“A quality - one every mortal possesses that many gods forget. You have a perseverance that drives the soul to carry the body forward. It is how you survive - forever water grinds against the rock; in time, even the rocks give way to becks.” The snake took a quick look at the splintwork the servants had done on the arm and smiled with pride. “Have you been satisfied with your care so far?” the snake said to the three.

Eline and Akam both nodded, but it was the winged woman who spoke, “Everyone here has been more than helpful, even if they are a bit pushy.” She sighed and eyed the spoon they’d been feeding her with sitting in a nearby bowl of abandoned food, “If you’d thank them for me, I would be grateful.”

The snake pursed his lips once more at the tone, but merely rolled his eyes discreetly and forced a smile. “Naturally. They will most assuredly be grateful for your thanks and good company.”

There came a knock on the door. “Enter,” the snake said loudly. In came a servant and promptly dropped into a kowtow. “Your Lordship, Her Holiness Asceal has arrived on deck. She wishes to see her children.”

The snake nodded, though in a slightly frustrated manner. “Well, then bring her here to see them, then - and do not forget the refreshments!” The servant nodded, rose to her feet and walked backwards out the door before setting off into a sprint. The snake looked back at the three angels. “There. Your mother is quite literally right around the corner.” He got to his feet and slithered over to the door. He waited a moment; then, in a swift move, he twisted the door handle and gestured for Asceal’s radiant form to enter.

The Goddess strode into the room, her eyes searching for her children and locking onto Makab’s sleeping form. She scrambled to the side of the winged man's bed and put a hand on his forehead before muttering, “Oh Makab…”

Before anyone could interrupt her a peculiar light began emanate from her hand. The odd glow seemed to flow like water, gradually making its way from the wounded angels head to the rest of his body. Covered in bandages as he was Asceal’s magic was less obvious than it might have otherwise been, but all the assembled could see the little cuts and scratches on Makab’s exposed skin healing in the span of seconds.

The Goddess breathed a sigh of relief and the light vanished. She stood up, made her way to Eline, and repeated the act. Asceal’s daughter stared at her mother with wide eyes and carefully peeled back one of her bandages just in time to see a jagged cut stitch itself back together, not even leaving a scar. The winged woman reached out to embrace Asceal, and for a moment there was silence.

It was only when they parted that the Goddess spoke, “I think we should leave Makab to his rest.” She looked to Shengshi and stepped up to the God of Rivers before hugging him too, “And thank you Shengshi. If you hadn’t been here I don’t know what would have happened.”

The snake froze up, his arms pointing outwards like sticks on a snowman. His face slowly turned a faint shade of pink and he eventually cleared his throat. “Y-yes, of course! A n-natural response to seeing the children of a friend in peril.” As the hug neared its end, he managed to harness enough willpower to move his arms over and pat Asceal’s back a few times. “N-neat magic you have created, by the way,” he added.

The Goddess let go and smiled genuinely, “Thank you. It’s something I think everyone will need in the days to come. Now, I’d prefer not to wake Makab.” She glanced at the door, “We have other matters to discuss, I think. Do you have somewhere we could sit?”

The snake nodded. “We will head below into the great hall. Please, follow me.” The snake slithered out the door and blinked as he saw Liana standing there. “U-uhm… Pardon, are you also here with my sister?” He leaned down and squinted at the vine woman.

“Oh, yeah,” Liana hesitated, “I’m sorry, I thought I would let Asceal see the kids first. Is everyone ok?”

Before Shengshi could reply Asceal, Akam, and Eline walked through the doorway. Liana’s face lit up when she saw the two angels, and Asceal answered her question, “They’re fine, Liana. We’re going to let Makab rest; his injuries were the worst. Shengshi is showing us to his great hall to talk.”

The Goddess glanced at the God of Rivers, “This is Liana, my friend and the steward of the Lustrous Garden. Also a friend of your Xiaoli, as it happens.”

“Is that so?” said the snake and gave the vine woman a wry smile. “Well, any friend of Xiaoli is a friend of mine - she has rather solid judgment, that one.” He winked at Asceal and continued down the walkway towards the main staircase. “This way, please,” he said as he arrived at the staircase. The group descended into the massive, golden hall, and the bottom of the staircase was flanked on each side by a line of servants, all who shouted in unison: “Ten thousand years and more to His Lordship Shengshi and Divine of Light, Her Holiness Asceal - welcome aboard Jiangzhou!” The central table was almost immediately stacked high with plates of fruit and small hors d’oeuvres. Each plate was flanked with two cups, one tall and one low, into which were poured fruit juice and wine respectively. The guests were should to the appropriate chairs, with Asceal getting her custom throne and the two angels being given comfy, yet rather standard chairs. The snake took his place at the end of the table and gestured for the guests to eat.

“So… What would you like to discuss?” he said as he popped a cube of melon into his mouth.

Asceal ran a hand through her hair and frowned, “I’m worried, Shengshi. Sartravius has already done terrible things, but this? Akam told me there were hundreds of these ‘dragons’ in the mountains.” She nibbled on a small sandwich and took a sip of the wine, “My children aren’t as harmless as they might seem, but if all it took to injure Makab and Eline was one dragon, then we have a serious problem. I know Kalmar has spoken to you about his pact. Regardless of your feelings towards him, Shengshi, I think we should ask for help.”

The snake’s mouth flattened. His tongue flicked once or twice before he took his juice glass and gave it a sip. “Summon him if you wish. If he wishes to come and fight the flame demon, I will not stop him.” He placed the glass down on the table. “I reckon he is on his way anyway, claiming that I have ‘broken our pact’ and ‘attacked his precious Kalgrun’...” He licked the air in disapproval and scowled sideways.

The Goddess pinched her nose and sighed, “I thought you and Kalmar put this to bed, Shengshi.”

The snake raised an eyebrow. “Funny expression, that. No, see, this time was not my fault. Fengshui Fuyou was sabotaged by the dragons, and one of the rivers on his continent was unfortunately a casualty of the sabotage. I hope I undid the damage in time for the ecosystem to recover, but he undoubtedly blames me for it. It would not be my fault if he jumps to conclusions.” He sipped his fruit juice again.

Asceal frowned, “Is that why the Lihe was so badly flooded?”

The snake hung his head. “Unfortunately so. The damage to it will also hopefully heal in time. However, the remaining issue is that a host of dragons are simply too close to my gateway - they must be destroyed!” He tapped his finger furiously on the tabletop. “... Or at the very least driven further east,” he eventually muttered.

“The fact they attacked my children without warning is enough for me to agree with you.” Asceal’s frown deepened and she drank more of the wine, “But it’s not just dragons is it? I saw what looked like a burning giant on my way here. Another of Sartravius’s, I suspect.”

“Indeed. Some among my crew refer to them as huojuren - fire giants. However, they quickly turned southwards upon seeing Jiangzhou’s descent.” The snake shrugged. “They had more sense than I gave them credit for, but if they attack the jungles to the south, they may be in for an unfortunate surprise.” The snake smirked vicious and leaned back. “However, let us not speak anymore of that horror transpiring such a distance away - we have war councils for that.” He grabbed his winecup and raised it. “I propose a toast to the safety of your children, dearest sister - and a toast to an alliance against the flame.”

Asceal raised her glass and motioned for Liana and the kids to do the same, “A toast to a swift victory.”

The snake grinned and emptied the glass into his mouth and swallowed with a gulp. “Say, Asceal, dear, that spell you cast on your son - is… Is there any way that such magic could be used on my own warriors? I know it may be impolite to ask such, but this conflict will undoubtedly claim many a servant’s life - is there… Any way we could work together to prevent that?” Shengshi gave her a sly smile.

The Goddess emptied her own glass and pursed her lips, “I could give others the ability. Not enough though, not if we want everyone to have access to it.” She put down the wine glass and stared into her fruit juice. Wordlessly she dipped a finger into the coloured drink and watched it turn clear. She withdrew her finger, rested a hand over the cups mouth, and in the span of a few moments the still water had begun to glow. Asceal grinned, “Or I could find a way to let anyone use the magic.”

She held up the glass of glowing liquid, “Have your servants leave basins of water out at night Shengshi, if they remain clean and undisturbed this will happen. A little bit of magic, suspended in water. They can use it on the injured, or…” The goddess paused and sipped the luminescent water, “Learn to use it for themselves. I can teach a few how to harness what they consume, but I imagine anyone could learn, given time.”

The snake nodded deeply. “You are most gracious, dear sister. Any help is appreciated - naturally, this water shall be treated as the holiest substance aboard - the basins will be heavily guarded by both hand and spear.”

“The magic will take time to accumulate in the basins. The light of my Garden carries it, but not enough to saturate a pool in a night.” Asceal paused and her smile weakened, “I just wish none of this was necessary.”

“The river knows both peace and disturbance along its length--”

“YOUR LORDSHIP! YOUR HOLINESS!” came a scream from the top of the staircase. Shengshi raised a slightly frustrated stare. “What?!” he exclaimed.

“Dragons on the horizon, Your Lordship!” the servant shouted. Immediately, the other servants grew jittery and looked anxiously at one another. The snake flicked his tongue. “Prepare for battle, then. We shall face them with the fury of a flood.” He looked at Asceal. “Are you with me?”

The Goddess’s expression hardened and she she gave a curt nod, “Of course.”

---

Summary & Might Costs

Shengshi returns from FSFY.
He says hi to the kids, they talk about dragons.
Asceal arrives, she heals the kids up and gets the remedy portfolio.
Shengshi and everyone head down to the great hall, there they talk about dragons and calling for help.
Asceal links her new magic to her sphere, making the light of the lustrous garden carry the essence of remedies. Healing magic is now available globally.
Dragons attack.

Might Costs:

Asceal:

-5MP (Acquisition of Remedies Portfolio)
-2FP (Creation of Healing Magic)

{6 FP & 0 MP Remaining}

Shengshi:

No Might Spent

{8 FP & 5 MP Remaining}