Lords of Creation

[AlexanderML]

Blooming Ice

(♪)The estheric isles are a marvel, the shores jagged ice, the land holding trees that sprout from cold ice and flowers bloom in shadowy caves; yet all these are well traveled by the people known as pale ones. Frequently one could see their tiny crafts move between the icy islands under gray misty skies.

The pale ones lived relatively simple lives amid the subarctic isle that grew and shrank with the tides and seasons. Semi nomadic the pale ones built great log houses for the long winter and tended flower gardens under the guidance of the wise flower maiden Arrienal, traveling under the night sky to hunt and gather during the short summers.

One of the things that set pale ones apart from regular humans were their muted emotions, dulled and hidden away in the inner palaces of their souls. Few pale ones saw this as a detriment, with most finding themselves thankful for the more clear headedness this provided. Yet due to their collectively distant hearts, when something did reach them, they deeply treasured it; many stories of a warrior or moon-touched being driven by romance flourished in every log house.

The pale ones believed in a single goddess who had shaped the isle out of love into ice, gifting it to those who saw her call on the shores. Once a man named Tabitha had been smitten by her daughter and shed his blood upon the shores, giving them life even as the interiors remained solid ice. Moved, the maiden gave the first ice flower to him, with others later on being gifted to other pale ones for brave deeds or passionate action.

Flower circles are common sites upon the estheric isles, most hosting powerful flowers to help with daily life. For hunters know to gift the blood of their kills to the crimson blooms so that they might fight off winter’s chill, fishermen knew to grow zephyrs blooms to propel them across the waters more easily, gardeners to let the mist blooms cover their gardens to keep winter’s bite or summer’s drought away, and others that had been introduced to them.

It was simple with slow changes that arrived with the coming of great events in the world. Yet this small cut-away part of the world had a startling new development.

Under the starlit night sky, upon large winged insects who carried majestic lamps, the shadows of their ancestors appeared with words of wisdom and held wonder in their hands. They told of the world beyond death, of the terrible and magnificent realms, and how much they missed their people.

Shock, rejoicing, rejection; extremely mixed and powerful emotions swept across the people of the isle who saw and heard of their ancestors return. Loved ones embraced, rivals counted scores, and many celebrations were held for the star-gliders honor.
Yet that could not compare to when She appeared.

As if walking straight out from the stars She graced one celebration after another, Her veil hiding the tears that strewn down across her face until they fell upon the ground. For many nights She appeared at feasts and celebrations, amid barely tended to flower gardens, and the peaks of each and every island in the isle. While it was hard for them to remember clearly, it was common belief that She smiled at them like a mother feeling relief as She bid for the ancestors and living to learn to know one another.

(♪) Yet as the people of the Realms and the pale ones grew closer together, the shadow that was Lilia stood in the Echo staring at it all. With an unsteady hand she reaches out to a child… and retreats her hand back into the Echo as the girl turns around confused. Lilia stared at this girl with her glowing white hollow eyes amid a black shadow.

“Why not join them?” A voice came, lacking malice but also curious.

Lilia turned around towards them, her skull barely visible due to the light coming from her eye sockets inside the deep shadow. She twisted and turned, but ultimately gave a sad sigh “I-I can’t they’ll think I-I’m so ugly.” she said unable to calm herself.

The man whom she faced wore a white and gold styled cloak from the magi realms, his face marred by the flowers that grew from inside him. He nodded in the negative “I can see why you're worried, but shouldn’t they be unable to see such… sacrifices you’ve made?” he asked. He himself was only too aware of how oblivious one’s heart became to the faults of Lilia, it taking a great deal of logical thinking to even properly tell what would upset others about Lilia’s appearance as it did not bother him in the slightest.

Lilia was silent at his words. Her embraced were fully unable to see faults in her, her flower maidens much the same; yet mortals, even ones who frequently used her gifts… they would be unable to not spot the… blemishes. Thus was the reason given to the flower maiden who went in Lilia’s stead.

The man who stood next to Lilia felt a pang of guilt as the goddess looked at him and said “Do you love me?”

“...No” he said looking down at a small ring on his hand. He could not look at Lilia’s expression as he said that but still felt an enormous storm of emotions flood his inner palace. Overwhelmed tears were in his eyes as he looked away towards the little girl, who was slumping against the door to a log house looking dejected. “I love another. I think I’ll see what that child is doing there. It would be good for you to join.” he said before stepping back into the world of the living.

His inner palace could not contain all the emotions Lilia was giving him, with it almost bursting when she gave the whimper “D-don’t go…” yet her feelings could no longer touch him in the mortal realm… even if her sad eyes could be vaguely seen.

The girl for her part gasped at the sudden appearance of the man. After a moment assessing him, the girl’s gaze became more relaxed. “Mr, are you a star-glider?”

With a smile the man gave a nod “I travel on foot, but I am of the same house as them now.” he took a step forward and knelt down to look the girl in the eye “I am Alaion.”

“Are you Maiden Arrienal’s brother?” the girl asked with a mildly curious look, by human standards.

Nodding in the negative Alaion, rubbing the flowers growing on the side of his face “I am a Maiden myself, but no brother of the great one. Why are you out here, besides this cold house… who is inside?”

Grief, loneliness, fear Alaion felt entering his inner palace, it hit him surprisingly hard and he looked down as the girl gave the choked out response of “No one, I’m waiting for them to come back.”

‘Come back’, Alaion knew that the odds of that happening, especially anytime soon, were not favorable even here. He did not look back up, but the girl noticed a few tears landing on the ground.

“Mr Alaion…?” she asked, reaching out a hand towards the man who was showing a startling amount of emotion.

“I’m fine.” he said with a smile, tears still there as he held the girl’s hand. The bitter cold on her was brushed aside, scrapes healed, and she felt energy return to her; yet he did not let go and continued to pour more of his emotions into this.

“Are you ok, Mr?!” the girl asked at the show of emotional outpour.

With a sigh Alaion nodded “I am. I believe it's healthy to pour out feelings that overwhelm you. Worry not, you did not overwhelm me yourself.” noticing that he was still holding the hand of the girl he gave a small smile “Would you be willing to forgive me for showing you this side of me if I help find those you're waiting for?”

“But… what if they come back before then?” the girl asked, shocked at the offer coming out of nowhere.

“I’ll take responsibility then. As things stand… I would not have you follow behind them if I leave regardless. A man should not leave a grieving girl alone.” His smile looked forced as he had poured everything he had in his inner palace out, but the girl blushed and had a hopeful look in her eyes as she stared at the swaying flowers on his face.

After a drawn out moment like this she nodded “I’ll trust you, Maiden Alaion.”

Nodding Alaion stood up, helping the girl up as well. “We go to the realms beyond, first the mists between then Stygia. Do you have anything you would like to take with you?”

Taking a look at the log house and the place around her, the girl shook her head in the negative.

“Then let us begin. Stay close to me, and you will be safe.” He said as the pair disappeared from the mortal realm.

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Developments of the Magi Realms

-The issue with having a lack of arcane energy inside of Desire Heart is something that the silver scribes work hard to find a solution to, for many arcane practitioners despair at how little mana the Realms natively have. While alternative methods are considered, the extraction of arcane energy from orichalcum is utilized.

Through painful trial and error it is discovered that without a medium between a practitioner and the orichalcum arcane explosions will automatically occur after a successful extraction. Yet through carefully integrating the orichalcum into a medium made to extract the energy, it can be done safely with numerous benefits; at the cost of the physical feedback that tells an arcane practitioner when they are close to an arcane explosion.

-Physically weak without the chance to grow in that direction, many embraced in the Realms have taken to learning how to move and manipulate objects or people with just arcane magic. While spells of this sort have existed before, the science of it is perfected in the Magi Realms as true telekinetic magic is crafted.

-Through unknown sources the silver scribes have produced a number of specialized arcane techniques that focus around the manipulation of life forms. Different from the cultivary that witches are familiar with, less subtle and considered brutish by some, the power of lifeshaping is readily integrated into the magi realms. Be it for adapting plants in a garden for different environments, to giving faces to the shadowy embraced, or morphing chimeras into less dangerous shapes.

-The Great Library and its many scribes and visitors demand a great deal of paper and ink for it to properly function. Chymes and the professors come together with some help from the Onna embrace to fill these demands.

Spoiler: AP Action

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10/20

Spoiler: -1 AP (Split with Kona Öldunnar) Create Mythic Sub-Concept (Arcane ->Arcane Mediums):

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One shape does not cover all, for these arcane mediums can be more than staffs!

Through the incorporation of orichalcum into an object arcane practitioners can create devices that can independently channel arcane forces outside of the flow or leylines of the sun. An unexpected side effect of this is that arcane intoxication is far less prevalent as the arcane energy touches the caster when an arcane medium is used, yet the limits to an arcane explosion can be harder to estimate for the untrained due to the lack of physical feedback. Besides creating a means to use arcane magic in sunlight deprived regions arcane mediums can be crafted in such a manner as to overcome certain limitations in magic. Some are crafted to channel arcane magic silently without extra energy input, delay the release of a spell, widen the area the magic affects, or automatically maintain magic a arcane practitioner would normally maintain through concentration. Inside the Magi Realms most arcane mediums are created by having a lotus tree sapling grow in soil enriched by orichalcum dust, cultivating the saplings to grow quicker than normal through lifeshaping magic. The wood from these trees is then carved into staffs and wands. Purer orichalcum rich soil, embedded orichalcum and jewels into the staff, and delusion application on an arcane medium are said to make better arcane mediums by the people of the magi realms. While uncommon other variants of arcane mediums are present in the magi realms; rings with orichalcum to channel magic silently, hair pieces made to look harmless, or outfits whose sparkling designs hold spells to be unleashed. This concept spreads to the Magi Realms and the witches blooms that visit it. Kona’s seafolk also learn it upon the concepts creation. 7/10 Community (Magi Realms)

Spoiler: -2 Bridge Plane (Desire Heart - First World) - The Estheric Sky:

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The night sky holds the secrets to new connections.

Those that travel the starry night sky above the Estheric Isles will find that the sky gives way to Desire Heart with but a blink of an eye and a simple will to go there, similarly those in the night sky on Desire Heart may enter the sky of the Estheric Isles through the same method. Animals, vehicles, and other things they are either riding on or carrying cross over with them so long as all sapient creatures in the transfer cannot see clearly and desire to transfer to the other plane. Visually this bridge appears as something similar to an aurora in the sky, though a muted one with patches of darkness with no stars in them. Most of the sky is still visible through them and effects that require moonlight (such as solstice arts) still function. Creatures entering Desire Heart from the Estheric Isle can choose which Realm they are entering, or into the wilderness of Desire Heart. Those from Desire Heart can give a specific island they wish to fly over. Through this the people of the magi realms begin to think of the estheric isles as ‘the mortal Realm’, just another Realm that they can travel to; if a particularly annoying one due to the sun’s rays banishing embrace who linger too long in the open into the Echo. The bleeding effect between Desire Heart and the First World extends to all of the Estheric Isle for effects that care about the distinction. 9/10 Community (Magi Realms)

Spoiler: -(Artifact Charge) Alter Land (Blooming Isles):

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Beautiful though it might be, it is unwise to away from the path if your not ready to see what shape delusions can take.

With the coming of one wearing the Flesh and Blood of Lilia the estheric isles have the tainted mana flowing through it fully bloom. Where once the inner reaches of most islands were ice, flower fields and forests of white flowers grow. As the estheric isles come closer to the Magi Realms chimeras more frequently appear in the wilderness and tuatha begin to set themselves down where they believe they will entrap the most mortals.

Spoiler: -(Artifact Charge) Create Organization - The Estheric Realm:

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Orichalcum lamps light every home and street among the first true villages to spread among the Estheric Isles.

The only living majority Realm, and the only one on the First World, the Estheric Realm borders all of the other Realms inside Desire Heart by virtue of the sky. While first found by and introduced to their own ancestors; other Realms begin to have individuals visit and trade with the people of the Estheric Isles. Arrienal acts as the Estheric Realm’s leader, though she has no authority over the shape of the realm or where it borders; she simply acts as a figurehead. Her presence does let the pale ones rapidly adapt and adopt changes to their lifestyle they would otherwise never accept, such as letting their children go to the Great Library to learn reading, history, magic, and other skills that were/are seen as secondary by traditional wisdom. Towers with few windows appear on the Estheric Isle, housing the embrace during the daylight hours so that they are not forced into the Echo. Around these towers villages begin to form with folk either seeking the aid of the occupying magi or are being paid by them to support them.

Spoiler: -2 Create Mythic Sub-Concept (Arcane Magic -> Telekinetic Magic):

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The power to lift a heavy rock seems so simple when your arms are not literally ghost matter.

The magic of lifting and moving objects. If one wants to find out some of the inspiration for specifics look here. http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/telekinesis The Magi Realms and the witches of blooms that visit it learn this concept. 2/10 Emotion (Vanity)

Spoiler: -2 Teach Mythic Sub-Concept (Lifeshaping):

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You wish to be beautiful? Very well get in line.

“An offshoot of Arcane Magic, Lifeshaping focuses on altering the physical body of living creatures to serve specific purposes. Lifeshapers can enhance or remove muscle, add gills or lungs, or even alter brain chemistry and develop entirely new limbs--if they have the power and the skill to do so. Lifeshapers are unable to alter their own body, but can alter the bodies of others given enough time and Arcane power.” Those that specialize in lifeshaping in the magi realms can find employment in a number of fields. Face-sculptors who give shape to the delusion that make up embraced bodies, giving some visible facial features and others complete body reworks so that they appear as mortals. Gold Shapers who specialize in creating orichalcum infused wood, sometimes creating the mediums all by themselves. Garden Shapers who rival themselves against witches who prefer cultivary techniques, seeing them as slow and too narrowly focused on just plantlife. 10/10 Espionage (Plagiarism)

Spoiler: -1 AP (Shared with Naseki) Create Mythic Sub-Concept (Orders):

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Adored is so cute. If it wasn’t for the blooms vows I’d…

The organizations of the maiden cult are considered active Orders by this concept, with members receiving divine power in addition to the pact magic they would normally receive while rising through the ranks of devotion. (Specifics on each one to be detailed later) Emotion (Vanity) 3/10

Spoiler: -(Artifact Charge) Create Mundane Concept - Ink:

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It's impossible to make a book without something to make letters with.

Chyme’s shares from his notes a variety of different ink recipes, with some better for mass production while others are better for preservation. While of secondary importance this concept includes colored inks. Due to the inkwells of their home the witches of the old bloom and kish-eru as a whole learn this concept as well.

Spoiler: -1 Teach Advance Concept - Paper:

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Books also need something to write on.

The Magi Realms begins to set up a great many paper making workshops to meet the demands of not just the Great Library, but the many scholarly inclined patrons of the Realms. 10/10 Community (Magi Realms)

Spoiler: -(Artifact Charge) Bless (Flora Arcane Balance):

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Goddess protects!

Due to the presence of Lilia’s Love inside of flower trees, arcane mediums created with them have the special property of turning arcane explosions into a miniature blooming effects similar to what the Flesh and Blood of Lilia induces on a wide scale. This wears away at the arcane medium, but most members of the magi realms and witches see it as a price worth avoiding the dangers of arcane explosions.

Spoiler: -(Artifact Charge) Create Monster - Bloodhost Swarm:

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A drone looking for a meal.

While the first native bloodhost queen was slain by the Maiden of Glamor, by throwing the bones of the beast into the Delusion Cauldron new (if smaller) queens emerged that she controls. Such beasts live in large hives similar to wasps, their large mouths containing acid that melts metal; with the queens being able to spray it on those that attack their nests. These creatures are able to be controlled by the Crimson Champions, but only vaguely with them being deployed when stealth is not required in the least.

0/20 AP

Gain Community (Magi Realms) and Espionage (Plagiarism) domains!