Blank Slate IC2

[Kaiser Omnik]

Moghor Rezamir

Moghor was taken by surprise.

"You approve of my plan? Well, that's a first. It's appreciated nonetheless.

As for the Council of Gods idea, it's already been tried. Remember the "court" that judged Parda and Xiren, so long ago? See how that worked out? I,m not saying it's hopeless. I welcome you to try. What the other gods must understand is that we can't continue like this. Our goals are too different. We must accept some compromises and let the mortals live their lives. Once I have completed by...project on Earth, our worshippers will have all the tools at their disposal to take control of their destiny. Trust me."

[Mike_the_Mystic]

As long as da forests stay in da Trollgroves and elsewhere mah trolls live, den ah don't see any problem wit jur plan, mon. If ju crush da forests, den ju will face mah blades, and den ju'll die. But ah don't tink ju wanna do dat, do ju?

Zuli sends to Moghor.

[Smiley_]

Nokumo

Ignorant of what Moghor was up to, not even hearing his claim to the earth because Moghor had simply thought it to himself, the colossal spirit had been siting in the shallow waters of the marsh for almost fifty years now. It was erie and unsettling, should anybody look at him. He didn't seem to be plotting, resting, moping, watching, listening or doing anything active, he was just giving himself a fifty-year soak, staring ahead at the remanants of the putrid swamp.

---------------------
Meanwhile

The great heavens were eventually swallowed by the ever expanding spirit weave. Still, the gods could see it if they really tried searching, but since no one had bothered to look at it since its creation, this growth had gone more or less unnoticed.

-----------------
Kuto

Was still nowhere to be found, not in this world at least. Finally without his flesh and mind, he was finally free of all prisons, including those of time and space, but he is still, in fact, quite quite dead.

[Kaiser Omnik]

Moghor Rezamir

Moghor presented a set of black keys to Mia, each bearing a unique symbol. The goddess recognized the symbols from the doors created by the Porter at the dawn of time.

"Mia, would you be so kind as to visit each of our fellow gods to present our plan? We don't have to set up a permanent Council, but it would be nice if everyone accepted to meet in the Plane of a Thousand Doors for an emergency meeting. Give them each a key and tell them to go through the door associated with the key's symbol."

-----------------------------

In the last decades, the Word of Moghor Rezamir spread everywhere in the world. First, the four titans appeared to the people who didn't know of Moghor already. They spoke of a paradise on Earth and performed miracles to show the greatness of the Giant King. As soon as the titans were gone, clerics stepped in to organize the faith of Moghor in those regions. Of course, they weren't always welcome, but their teachings appealed to a large number of aristocrats. The clerics, being themselves of noble birth, quickly rose in power in some communities. If that didn't suffice to bring the leaders into Moghor's service, the god sent his favorite spies, the Krokutas, to whipser dark thoughts in their ear at night.

Meanwhile, the erdas, colossi and mountain jakarus fared fairly well. Their population constantly grew, as scientific discoveries and new inventions made their society rich and their lives much easier. They built their first steam engine and began producing more complex machines and golems. The use of arcane crystals in their craft added some interesting qualities to their creations.

----------------------------

A day later

Moghor waited until Mia was gone to act. The next day, in the mortal realm, the people of Earth woke up to find something new in the heavens. They were surprised to see a pale disc hanging in the sky. Had this moon always been there?

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1 minor act to increase significantly the greed of a few individuals (mainly kings, mayors, etc.), which is done through the intervention of the Krokutas
3 minor acts to increase the population of the three species
1 minor act to give another boost to the erda's engineering skill
1 minor act to increase the potency of arcane crystals
1 major act to...create a moon?! There may be more than meets the eye...

[Smiley_]

Visited races

The Gari welcomed the divine messengers. They could certainly appreciate a physical representation of a divine power and surely the lord of strength and stone could help make the trees they lived in healthy and mighty. More shrines popped up and several Gari decided to return to the city with the messengers. The priests were mostly successful, but these little fuzzballs seemed just a little too eager to convert, yet they did not seem to take their new devotion very seriously. If the priests did attempt to disuade them from spirit worship, the gari would absolutely refuse.

The sea-wolves had found the east-bound titan, pointed it towards the human archipelago, and thanked it for its trouble. It was uncertain whether or not the giant sea-folk were interested in Moghor, or in any god for that matter.

Word of the titan seemed to have reached the humans before it had made its arival. To the suprise of any messengers, it turned out that they already had a few temples to the Giant King as well as many more to Akteron. Many humans were eager to leave the islands and traveled along with the titan to the city.

The sky-spirits were virtually unreachable, so there was no response from them.

And of course, the Kutoan Colossi were more than eager to join their brothers.

[Johel]

Sanctuary (Xiren's Ward)

The city was nice, orderly, with thriving trades despite the high number of refugees. Wealth was always there but happiness and hopes were everywhere. A true heaven for any mortals.


"-We can't stay here any longer !! The next child who smiles at me and offer me a lollipop, I'm gonna pock his eyes with it !! And eat it !!"
"-What the child ?"
"-Nan, you monster !! The lollipop !!"
"-...you're weird, dude."
"-IT'S THIS WHOLE PLACE !!!"
"-Yep. But we can't leave until the big greens are gone."
The group of grigs was warming around a fire, the flames lighting the shambling huts the Fey Folk had built everywhere on Xiren's Ward. Even if the place was still a wet and stinky marsh, full of twisted trees and vines magically grown by the ever-increasing population, its inhabitants were feeling kind of encaged.

Already 1.700 Grigs and a hundred dryads had settled there, putting aside their difference for the sake of survival. But none were truly happy. The only way they had to "express their culture" was to fight among themselves...but somehow, they knew they had to avoid this. After, it was their lack of unity which brought them there in the first place...

Continental Forest (Northern region)

The city was calm. Well, at least as calm as a primitive hunter society can be. And still, it was not to last. As, from the depths of the forest, crawling from the moist soil of the woods, her sheer smell attracting thousands of worms, bugs and vermin, something was moving. Something with spiked roots, vegetal claws, clouds of pollen and a thick skin sweeting poisoned sap. Something which, atop the monstrous body, looked to the canopy with a grim smile. The ivory face of Xiren was, as usual, perfect, the most powerful fey magic making her look gorgeous for any living being...until said being would look down the hips, where the vegetal monster stretched its roots.

"-Soooo... enough foreplay, opossums. Let's see what taste is your marrow..."

Like if she was just swimming in a pool of water, Xiren's avatar took off, her roots creeping on the trees like hyperactive snakes, a cloud of insects and pollen following her. It took her less than a minute to reach the city, where a thousand Garis stared blankly at the 30m high monster. Already, sick blisters appeared on the skin of the mortals, announcing the Kind Mother's arrival.

Continental Forest (Trollgroves)

Continual guerrilla warfare with biological weapons.

A lonely villager would just visit a city and suddenly drop dead a few hours latter, blood flowing from all his or her cavities. A few more hours latter, victims would amount in the hundreds.

Hordes of monsters, namely Othyughs, Shamblers and Amanites appeared to hinder the Empire in its search. They haunted the forests, forcing the patrols to travel in force, which reduced both their capacity of research and their stealth. Many lesser animal lords and sprite darters have died in the fight but the number of grigs, however, had shapely decreased because, let's face it, even the dryads can't oppose a true Animal Lord, let alone four of them, without a huge number of meat shields...and this kind of gathering is exactly what the trolls are waiting to crush the Fey Folk so it won't happen.

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1 Major Act to create one, single Avatar of Xiren. Power wise, it would be like 100 divine servants together, ready to crush the Garis. 1 Minor is for 12, I guess a Major is a lot more
1 Minor Act to justify the appearance of thousands of monsters in the Continental Forest over the years. They've all been summoned by priests but it took time to reach the actual effective.

[Smiley_]

Continental Forests, Northern

The Gari did not need any further motivation. In hoots and shrieks, those who were healthy enough scattered and dissolved into the forest, grabbing any visiting Moghoran priests they could reach so that they would not be left in the slaughter. Only one remained. An old Gari shaman wearing his painted mask calmly walked forward and stared boldly at the monstrosity before him. His staff knocked on the wooden platform he stood on three times. It was absurd, this little fellow trying to stand up to a god.

He sprinkled some powder in the air and spoke some unintelligible incantations. Just as his life was about to be taken, the air roared, though no wind could be felt. Everything went dark for a moment, a rattle was heard, and when the light returned, every diseased Gari and swarming vermin in the area lay dead. As for the shaman, he had simply disappeared.

Then Xiren (or her avatar, if you prefer) could sense it behind her. Standing among the trees, was a gargantuan dark purple and black behemoth with bright red, souless eyes examining her.

The being slowly reached a hand through the branches, the arm slipping effortlessly among the branches. Xiren could see the long fingered hand drawing closer to grab her.

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1 major act used for an Avatar

[Johel]

Xiren vs Nokumo

By reflex, roots lashed at the air, bringing down a large portion of the city as they shielded their owner from the purple giant's grasp. Each of them was like a oak-thick thorned vine, 20 to 40m long and they were dozens of them. But despite their size and weight, they moved swiftly, like whips.

Xiren's avatar took a good look at her opponent as her roots scratched his arm. Which god was that ? She had never seen him before and even if she knew that "newcomers" had landed recently, this big one was not among them. She should at least greet him.

"-Hello, pinky !! Do you like the smell of rotting opossums in the morning ? I do !! It's smell like... revenge. I'm getting soft as the years pass so I'm making you a favor, here : Get the hell away from these forests and I'll spare your life, whatever you are. The souls of the Garis are enough to calm my thirst...for the moment."

This said, with a slimy explosion from his bulb, she grew four pair of dragonfly wings and took off, her roots rushing for her opponent's eyes.

[Smiley_]

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Pinky? I dunno about that? Black and an incredibly dark purple does not even begin to resemble pink

The behemoth didn't even flinch as the vines bore down on its eyes. The tips of the roots had grown numb and cold, and halted before touching the giant. As for the arm, it felt very strange, as if it should yield any moment, but the roots still didn't seem to be making any progress.

As Xiren flew off, the behemoth's gaze followed her. Surely, such a large thing could not pursue her up there, especially with all those trees in the way. Then, two large bat-like wings erupted from the giant's back and, with a powerful stroke, it launched itself into the air. The gargantuan body just passed ghostlike through the trees, its eyes fixed on its target.

It made no response, but Xiren could feel a sense of rejection and slight bemusement emenating from the being. Was the thing mocking her?

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No, he was not, but Xiren doesn't know that.

[Johel]

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She would have assume so anyway.
Just to know, is it more a "ice" cold or a "death" cold ?

Xiren vs Nokumo

As she felt her extremities going numb, the she-plant's face went angry. That's it, angrier than usual. With a swarm of green and blue lights, salves of hollowed darts flew from the bulb.
"-You know, it's fine if you don't want to talk. I don't talk to food, usually so... Let's spill the sauce !!"

The hollowed projectiles exploded when making contact, spilling acid venom in all direction while more magical lights shined around Xiren's avatar. With a ghostly shriek, the gigantic fey-flower hybrid called upon her children. Thousands of flies, locusts and other vermin took off from the surrounding forests. On the grounds, a living blanket of centipedes and roaches of all size creped along the trees to answer the call.

As the toxic cloud was still around her prey, the Fey Flower laughed madly.

"-You piece of crap !! What do you think ?!! That your pitiful wings will save you from my wrath ?!! Xiren's the Maker's most perfect creation, the only divinity worth of his attention !! And still, the old fossil thought necessary to create additional failures like her brothers ?!! Fear not for I'm correcting his mistake right now !! A mere shard of the Kind Mother's might is enough to dispatch a baby god like you !! KILL HIM !!"

The charming lights grew brighter and the thousands of insects and vermin rushed at the cloud which was now slowly dissipating.

[Smiley_]

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The death one, as if all the blood (or sap, in this case) in the nearby appendage had drained away, leaving the limb a numb husk open to the elements.

As the cloud disappated, Xiren could see her opponent had disappeared.

Hmm... You make it sound so easy. With all due respect to, *ahem*, "The Maker's Perfect Creation," I do not believe I will give you my cooperation.

The voice came from behind her. In a fuzzy whoosh, the other god's avatar materialized cross-leged in the sky behind her.

And you must forgive me if I am skeptical, for I wouldn't expect any "Perfect Creation" to have to rely on the least of vermin to do her fighting for her when confronted with one of her bretheren.

[Johel]

Xiren vs Kotumo

"-Oh, this ought to be fun..."

swallowing back her anger, the Fey Flower had barely glanced at her opponent when the buzzing swarm rushed at him again.

"-You appear to be the kind who doesn't give up easily against faith, don't you ? The ANNOYING kind !! Fine, if insects can't kill you, at least they can track you down. After all, billions of eyes are worth more than two, as gorgeous as mine are..."

Without warning, she shot a blast of sheer negative energy at her opponent. Tiny pink sparkles were among the wave but no one would be fooled by the colour : it was fey magic, charming and loving outside, cruel and deadly inside. The god, or whatever it was, dodge it at the last second but the Fey Flower was ready.

"-So, how shall I call you ? You seemed to be the main course, today. So I'll rather know what I'm eating, you see ? Answer if you feel so... I can always from your remains, if needed."

City of the Depths

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Savant : I guess you've connection problems or something. That's fine, we can still get back to the "Spy arc" latter. I'll take that the Nagas and the Naïades know each other from now. The issue of their first meeting is let open to you.

Behind their curtain of algae, The underwater palaces of the city had grown beyond imagination over the last decades. And so had the Kappa population and the number of their mistress...and the array of their power.

The city was busy with slaves, mainly Kalis but also Nagas, all working the seabed to build stone structures out of it but also to take care of the miles of cultivate fields the aquatic fairies had set up : sea cucumbers and oysters were being grown, whole herds of crabs and schools of fish were watched by the strongest of the Kalis mounted on sharks. Dominated by the Naïades, these proud warriors were the elite of the bubbling empire.

And while all the slaves were working under the supervision of the dominated Kalis and a handful of Kappas, the bulk of the frog-fairies trained. Their small but muscular bodies was made to fight but, dumb as they were, they needed guidance. And that's exactly what the Naïades were good at. Slowly, a strong and organized army was rising, with the Naïades learning from the mistakes of their drylander ancestors. If internal strives were still burning, everything was done to keep it as low as possible. Already, the City of the Depths had set small outposts. Most were near the North-Eastern coast of the main continent but some were also near the human colonies and the Serpent Island.

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2 Minor Acts to boost the Kappa population. They now outnumber several time the Kalis, the Humans and the Nagas.

Continental Forest

This blow was a crippling one for the Trolls. But unlike the latter, it had no attack connected to it. No grig had to set a single foot inside a city. Instead, a massive gathering had taken place in the mountains where the Cave Nation had existed. Nearly 200 grigs and dryads, all priests and priestress of Xiren, had slit their throat open to beg their goddess...and she had answered.

The fact that every single troll had been affected was horrible enough but the fact that not even one of them died from it was even worst. Would they have died, none of them would have to endure the next step of the disease : sterility. Not a true sterility, as babies were still born... or rather unborn.

Xiren, as the goddess of Pestilence, knew exactly how to hit hard with curses and diseases. So far, she had been an angry goddess, acting boldly and without subtility. But this time, she had shown how cruel she could be.

The Troll race would survive another 50 years, maybe more. But in less than 10 years, the happy sound of laughing children would be but a distant memories for them while the cries of grieving women would be a daily burden. And in the end, every single death would be mourn as a terrible loss, as it would mean that the Troll people as a whole was nearing extinction.

Even Swamp trolls had been affected. The only Trolls who hadn't were those living in Sanctuary, as even Kind Mother wouldn't dare to alienate Moghor.

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2 Major Acts to infect the whole Troll race with a magical disease which prevent them give birth to living children.

[Kaiser Omnik]

Private meeting: Moghor Rezamir and Totolkan

Totolkan found Moghor overlooking the Pit of Souls.

"My Lord. It appears that the newcomer, Nokumo, is fighting Xiren on the material plane."

"He is. It doesn't concern me, even if it is entertaining.

We have other things to talk about... I have changed my plans."

"You have, my Lord?"

"I talked to Mia...and she made me realize a few things. I have tasked her to deliver a message to my fellow gods, but, in all honesty, I don't think it will work."

Moghor stared into the pit.

"What is it?"

"I recall a conversation with the Stormlord, long ago. According to him, the gods are dangerous. If we continue to live the way we do, we may cause the destruction of the world. If we die, though, the mortals may have a chance. What do you think of that?

I, for one, doesn't believe it is true. At least, it's not entirely true. Don't worry, you will come to understand. Very soon, you will understand...

Now, I'll tell you what must be done."

-----------------------------

Meanwhile, in the mortal realm, strange things were happening. In some regions, zombies and skeletons spontaneously rose from the ground. Those occurrences were few and far between, but it was still disturbing. New undead sightings were reported every day.

And at night, the new moon appeared somewhat...larger.

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Already spent a major act

[Smiley_]

Nokumo and Xiren

The bolt of negative energy sailed by as Nokumo slid to the side.

I know who you are, Xiren. I am called Nokumo. An admirable display, to say the least. An annoying god, perhaps persistent is a better term. I suspect that you are a god that can only appreciate violence. Very well. I will show you how it is done.

The behemoth Drew it's hands together, the long fingers wrapped in an intricate cage. Then, he released it. A dark purple, almost black, lance of negative energy crackling with purple lightning, sliced through the air, severing several thick roots. This blast made Xiren's attack look rather sickly in comparison. The wounds they caused hardened and festered, black clumps falling from the cauterized stumps.

Perhaps you would prefer to stay within your own area of expertise?

---------------------------------
Kapas and humans

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I wonder if Savant is still around. I may wish to establish an alliance with him.

There was something that would hinder the Kappas. Actually, three somethings. The Kali had found that Kappas, if skinned and prepared correctly, were good eating. Also, the sea-wolves showed a never before seen ferocity as they emerged from the depths and tore apart any unfortunate Kappa that came too close to the archipelago, if on a scouting mission or so. The human ships were almost impossible to board, many of centuries of seafaring establishing the humans' dominance over the eastern seas.

Even if the Kappas were (incredibly) numerous, they knew that the eastern archipelago would not be an easy target. One sea-wolf was like an angry undersea mountain, and the Kali were almost as bad as the Gari in savagery, and their blood-lust was unmatched when in battle.

[Mike_the_Mystic]

The forest god was a bit peeved at Xiren's first attempts at the Troll's destruction. True they had killed most of the Xirenists in the swamp, but the place was going to spread to his lush green forests. Then the germ warfare, but that would grow weaker with each generation. But the last straw came with this new infertility plague. This was an act that made the peaceful and peacable god very, very angry. He outstretched his three fingered hand and pointed directly at sanctuary.

Ju know what xiren, how bout this?

Zuli sends a bolt of green energy down to where the Grigs and Dryads were living. Instantly the entire populus of Grigs and Dryads in the city died, and a massive oak was left in the district in which they lived.

Ah try to not interfere wit da mortal races, but dat was too far. Ju wanna make da trolls be wiped out? Well den ju will haff ta fight, and ah won't back down dis time womon!

Ah'm reversin dis!

With more power he gave the trolls new life. All women were fertile again, same as males.

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You want spoilers, I'll give you spoilers! 3 ap to return fertility to all trolls, even swampies. 2 ap to kill off all grigs and dryads in sanctuary, you've incurred my wrath dude, and that's just not a thing you should do.

[Johel]

Xiren

As soon as Zuli acted, Xiren had been ready.
"-Always too hasty, aren't you, my big green friend..."

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1 Minor Act to “clean” the evidences of Zuli's direct involment.
Xiren's Ward is washed up by divine magic. As they shouldn't be many non-Fey in Xiren's Ward, I guess 1 Minor is enough to vaporize their bodies. Zuli's oak disappears, also.

Xiren vs Nokumo

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Just to make things clear, Xiren's avatar doesn't know she's fighting another avatar. She think it's a true god but a young and weak one and clearly overestimate her own power.

"-Just a flesh wound...but I'll follow this advise."

It wasn't. The Avatar's very nature allowed him to ignore many things but not a direct necromantic attack. Still, she stood firm, a fake smile on her lips.

Suddenly, from the forest down there, thousands of vines hurled themselves at the flying avatar, blue lights running along them as the Fey Flower made them grow at supernatural speed. Even if most of said vines died long before reaching Nokumo, some grabbed the purple avatar long enough for more and more of their kind to come.

The Fey Flower snapped her delicate fingers and a bow appeared, along with a single arrow. As her prey was ensnarled, she took her time to aim.

"-This weapon has a history, you see. It killed a god, once. And it will probably do it again."

Continental Forest (troll village)

"-One more victory for us, brothers !!"
The grig had said this with a mad smile. Yraku threw a dark glance at him. His band and him, like many grigs, had settled among troll villagers and now spent their time brewing the Über Ebola virus. That was why two grigs were there, in this house, ordering around a charmed villager to manipulate carefully the little rabbit.

"-Sshhh !! We need concentration, here."
As the troll stabbed the rabbit with a silver needle, a fool smell filled the air. Ignoring it, the charmed troll stabbed several other rabbits with the same needle, transfering a small amount of virus to them. By the end of his work, the troll was already coughting blood. But it was not until he closed the rabbit cage that he allowed himself to drop unconscious. The grigs looked emontionessly.

"-One more cycle and we can deliver the package. So, what's the big victory ?"
"-Four new outbreaks in a nearby town. Around 300 hundred deads so far !! Only one of the host was caught before he could break the vials. For what I heard, it was a troll from Ratif's village"
"-That's not a bad shot. Ratif and his band will have to move, however.""-After something like that, they've probably already settled somewhere else."

Despite the constant hunt they were subject to, the grigs kept attacking the Karthadi Empire. Over the years, the death toll means most cities were now deserted and so the grigs had to strike at towns, villages and military camps.

Sanctuary

"-This, my lords, is why I'm asking you to give your absolute support to the Fey Resistance and to ask your allies to do so as well."

The image had been conjured by a hired wizard : Xiren's Ward, empty, its buildings unaffected but corpses lying everywhere. Grigs, Dryads, Jakarus, Trolls, Lycians,...but no oak.

The Dryad doing the lecture was one of the refugees who had arrived the day after Zuli's wrath.

"-The Trolls are still developing weapons of mass destruction. And I'm not just saying that to make you attack them. I'm stating a fact. They've been doing so since the Putrid Swamp's annihilation and now, because nobody was in their way, they've created new ones. Smaller and less powerful magical bombs for precise strikes. We can all see now how good they are at it !! nearly 2.000 deads in a blink of eye !!

They want you to know that they got you. They don't even need air attack anymore, you see. They've blasted all life from Xiren's Ward and this from the distance. The question is why didn't they blasted the whole city. Two possibilities :

First, they wanted to aim at Xiren's Ward's inhabitants alone because unlike the rest of the Fey Folk, we've chosen to talk rather than to fight. They fear that our words will reveal the true nature of their Empire : a dictatorship which use magically enhanced war beasts, genocide and fear to rule over its own people.

Me and most of the refugees have seen it.
We had to travel from one village to another to avoid the soldiers and the monsters they call "animal lords". Gentle troll villagers, simple people who live from the nature, offered to hide us and were killed for this reason when the army found us. The Empire is but a ruthless band of thugs. If they were able to keep order and peace, they would at least got some legitimacy. But they aren't : each year, dozens of attacks and acts of rebellion occur. Thousands of people die because of it.

The second reason is even darker but carries some hope with it.
The Troll Empire couldn't wipe a target such as Sanctuary because it was too big and they don't have the firepower to do it...for now. I have no idea how their weapons work but I know this : Xiren's Ward was not even a tenth of Sanctuary's size.

If it is the reason, then we must act quickly for any minute we waste means the Karthadi Empire can produce more nukes. Sanctuary and its allies must gather and fight along side the Fey Folk. To free the troll from this dictatorship and to save the world from annihilation."

[Mike_the_Mystic]

Er, no. No ju contemptible little weed-wench. Ju'll not put the blame on the poor people of mah cities.

He waves his hand and the oak returns, along with the bodies.

Now if ju want me to kick jur flowers ass all over da world, den try dat again, otherwise Ah'd not do dat again. It's gonna be good watchin' ju bleed fo' all da pain ju gave da world, little sadist.

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2 minors to return the oak and the dead. Now let it go Xiren.

All major Troll Cities

As Fertility returned, the problem of uber ebola resurfaced. But the problem was easily cured by Voodoomancers, who seemed immune to such things, until it was revealed that it was because their anti-divine potion left residue on them. Clearly it was a divine act from Xiren, so the potion was made into a vaccine and a cure for this ebola from hell.

Zuli, again
Zuli came down from the sky as a mighty dragonhawk and said to the xirenists these harsh words.

Ju are all monstas and bastards, and da trolls weren't responsible fo da destruction. AH WAS! Jo' god of pain and suffering, da little wench, attempted to kill off all da trolls, so I absolutely killed yo people in vengence. If ju don't want dat fate to happen to ju, den ah suggest dat ju pray fo yo god to stop. Uthawise, ju'll not survive da end of da week. Dat is all from Zuli.

He preceded to turn into a bear and devour the Dryad who was spreading these lies, then dissapear back into the planes above.

[Kaiser Omnik]

And so it begins...

Somewhere in the continental forest

"- What do you mean, gone?!"

The shade who was once known as Alchaeus, the Black Knight, glared at the troll villager.

"- It be te truth, mon! Haff da village!"
"- What happened? What was the mayor doing, again?"
"- I told ya. Da mayor went to search fo a treasure! He took all da men off da village wit him. He said dey weren't going far, but dey didn't return. So da womon sent someone else on their tracks. Da scout found only a deserted camp! Da was still food in da tents. No sign of violence or anything, mon! Dey wer just gone like that!"
"- That is bizzare, indeed. I will go see for myself. Thank you for your informations."

The shade departed and looked for the camp. Just like the old troll had said, it was completely empty. The trail clearly ended there. As the Black Knight searched around, he noticed something sticking out of the ground, just outside the campsite. There he discovered three half-buried corpses. Relatively fresh corpses. He also found a bloody ceremonial knife in a nearby bush, but no more bodies.

"-Now I know how they were killed, but not why... Trolls couldn't have done this. Voodoo was never about ritual sacrifice... not the sacrifice of sentient beings, at the very least."

Then he sensed something strange in the air, something like a magical emanation or, to be more precise, magical residue. He looked up. The "moon" was still clearly visible in the middle of the day.

"-Have they been acting crazy because of this? Hmm..."

--------------------------------

Sanctuary

Moghor erased the vision of Zuli from the mortals' minds. They saw the dryad's corpse and immediately thought that voodoo was responsible.

"- I hate to say this, but the dryad is right. This is an act of war. It goes against everything Sanctuary stands for. The Empire must be stopped!"

And so, the war began. Sanctuary may be a relatively new power, with an average-sized army, but the free city had several powerful allies. The jakarus of Thrinax and Stillmoon, the imps of Redunkeep and the erdas marched right alongside them. Even Aquila had decided to contribute to the war effort. Thanks to a railway built inside the underwater tunnel, the erdas of the Golden City were able to send some troops on magic carts and wagons that travelled at high speed between the two continents.

At the same time, the moghoran colossi left their mountain homes in the West to engage the trolls, with not one, but two Juggernauts. While the dark sarlathians weren't formal allies of Sanctuary, they greatly enjoyed violence, and so decided to infiltrate the undeground caves of the Trollgroves. Instead of fighting in a traditionnal war, they prefered to take part in skirmishes to weaken the Empire from inside.

Rumors said that the Titans Moloch the Destroyer and Lilith (who had been since freed from Xiren's artifact) were also going to join the fight: Moloch, with his personal army of undead, came from the plains, while Lilith attacked the coast with her legions of fanatics, including some kali, nagas and kappas.

Spoiler

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Minor act to make the "magic" railway and wagons possible

The oak could have been created by priests of Zuli, as far as the people know.

Consider that the whole might of the Earthbound alliance (the alliance of races who primarily worship Moghor) is against the trolls. Their ressources include:
- Earth magic (useful for digging trenches, for example);
- Firearms powered by arcane crystals and fire magic and explosives;
- Various golems, some specifically designed for deforestation;
- Earth and metal Elementals;
- Undead monstrosities, including Chilled Bones;
- Some erda clerics carry a sample of earth from the Valley of the Flesheaters. This will be use to turn some small regions of the Trollgroves into hell (you can read about the supernatural virus contained within in my status post);
- The two Juggernauts, obviously;
- Plated Landwyrms acting as tanks, some very old and powerful, with the ability to shatter or rust about any non-magical material.

Do not forget that those races got at least one population boost and/or power boost since the beginning of the game: Erdas, Mountain Jakarus, Colossi, Dark Sarlathians.
The Titans are there to even the fight with the animal lords.

[Mike_the_Mystic]

The trolls were surrounded, The city of sanctuary to the east, titans to the south, collosi and their great beast to the east. It was going to be a war for survival. The army was still at almost full strength, as they were out of the cities and didn't leave the wall on command of the general-at-arms. The animal lords were pulled off of their crusade, the newly cured Trolls began pumping out weapons and armor for Militias, the Witch Doctors began making battle potions, and the Voodoomancers called down almost all of the Jotun. From every corner of the empire trolls amassed once again, to fight for survival. They knew that the earth-people would possibly be kind to women and children, but the chaotic xirenist would most certainly not. They hid them in the catacombs under Jin'Karthiad, where none knew their existance.

Zuli was a bit shocked.

It seems dat nobody but da gods and mahself know the truth. Dat Ah and Ah alone did dis. But Ah did what Ah did, and as long as Xiren doesn't do her deed again, den ah won't interfere.

[Kaiser Omnik]

The Clash of the Empires

The Trollgroves

Battles erupted everywhere. The Troll Empire and the Earthbound Alliance were both full of ressources. While earth mages were able to destroy their opponents' armors and weapons, their regeneration powers were quickly nullified by the witch doctors' potions. Destruction rained on the battlefield as fire mages, voodoomancers and wyrms fought fiercely. The blood flowed, much to the joy of the sadistic dark sarlathians.

Only, nobody could predict what would happen next. On the southern side of the Trollgroves, an entire battelfield, as well as a nearby village, simply vanished. There was nothing but dirt and dead trees where the warriors stood only moments before. The officers from both armies arrived on the scene a few hours later, totally confused.

[Smiley_]

Nokumo and Xiren

Of course it does, Xiren.

With a sickening crunch, two immense, disembodied black hands slammed together from either side of the Plant Godess' avatar. Taking advantage of the situation, Nokumo tore free of the vines grasping him, the woody appendages disintegrating in an expanding halo of pale blue light.

But that history will not be repeated today, I am afraid.

The great behemoth flew silently in front of the vegetal monstrosity before him. He rased his hand, and a clear crystal-like substance began to encase the roots.

Why do you turn your wrath to these mortals who are content to live in their forests and enjoy their existence? Surely, this act of petty revenge does not speak well of the Maker's "Perfect Creation". Tell me, Xiren, do you see more in this world than the potential for suffering and decay? I am most curious as to how one such as yourself sees the world.

[Johel]

Xiren vs Nokumo

Stuck between two giant hands like a mere fly. The irony of the situation would have made her laugh if it wasn't HER who was the victim. She needed to win time.

"-The world ? How I see it ?!!
That's just a vessel for living things to have fun because the void would be pretty boring. I'll be bored if there wasn't any toys to play, toys would die if there wasn't any oxygen for them to breath, so I'm willing to keep the world around as long as it's fun.

And as the toys, these pitiful mortals, are going to die anyway, they better seize the day and take as much from their short existence as they can before being nothing but screaming souls and rotting biological matters !! This way, everybody is happy...except for those idiots who thing there is something to build down there !! Idiots like the Yangze citizens, the Ruskies, the Trolls and most of the mortals who follow the other gods. They waste their life to build a better world for their children, spend decades trying when a small group of my followers can ruin it in a matter of days and enjoy the spoils. Oh yes, there is nothing here but decay and destruction, Nokumo !!

Nearly there...must got him to talk a little more...

"-What's the matter with you ? And with the others, hey ? Always trying to save the mortals, to protect them, to create great things while we all know that, over the centuries, nothing remain. Why wasting your energy in that pursuit while you could just enjoy your own greatness...of course, for this, you must have greatness in the first place. Sorry, sometime I forgot that nobody's as awesome as I am."

The Trollgroves

When the war started, the Fey Folk had been hiding, barely surviving against the military of the Karthadi Empire and the Animal Lords. But now, the hunter was the hunted. And the prey was the predator.

"-Not a sound..."
the troll sentry walked by, not noticing the dozen of tiny insectoids forms hidden in the shadows, their bows aiming at him. Yraku breathed with relief while gesturing his band to hurry.

Four grigs brought vials and opened the water reserves. Even if the trolls could probably purify the water, it would still cost them more resources to do so every day that it would cost the coalition to poison it once in a while.

Paranoïa was such a marvelous weapon. Thanks to it, Trolls wasted resources to produce their potions, to detect charm and domination and to purify poisoned food and water. Even inside the imperial army, the thought that a single dominated spy could infiltrate them and wreack havoc without regard for his life was dreadful and forced them to set daily searches and cumbersome security checks. As efficient as it was, it was a serious drain of time, manpower and resource. A drain that a nation at war couldn't afford.

"-Be careful when you poor it. We don't want to make more noise than necessary. And watch the hall !!"

Yraku smiled as he thought about the events of these last weeks. As the viral warfare had started to weaken, reinforcements had arrived from nearly everywhere and in the wake of the Earth-Bound Armies, hordes of vegetal monsters had been gathered by grig bands. Captured voodoomancers and officers were dominated and sent back to the coalition HQ as advisors, exposing their knowledge of Karthadi tactics and magics to the Erdas and their allies...which helped to set these sabotage operations.

"-Done. Waiting for the spell."
"-Here it comes..."

Yraku casted his spell. A swarm of rats appeared and rushed across the hall, giving the fairies the distraction they needed to sneak out the building.

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No Act
Just to say the Fey Folk assists the Earth-bound Coalition.

• Sabotage (Mainly infiltration to spread disease, poison, vermin and monsters)
• Intelligence gathering (you capture a prisonner, we torture him, charm him, torture him, charm him, torture him again then dominate him to become the Coalition's perfectly loyal pawn.)
• Ambushes (Mainly on supply convoys and the like)
• Air cover (Grigs + summoned swarm of insects)

For the RP above, it can be anywhere in the Trollgroves but it's not a major place. Probably an outpost or some fort the trolls try to hold. You decide.

[Smiley_]

Nokumo pondered Xiren's words for a moment. The hands were slowly losing their grip, but the crystals continued to creep up the roots.

And if the world ceases to be "fun", as you put it, you would see no use for it? Let me enlighten you, Xiren. Suppose everyone did try to pursue their own selfish interests with no regard for others. When they die, yes, it is over for them. They would be simply dismissed or ignored by all the other selfish individuals and waste away in that infernal sulfiric bog you call an afterlife for eternity.

But when a mortal takes the time to stretch out beyond his base needs, aspires for something more, tries to make the world a better place for those that they love, then something quite beautiful happens. Not only is it in the product, but also the act. Of course, their legacy will be lost to the ages, some sooner than others, but they always continue to follow what they believe should be done, always follow what they believe to be right.

What you say is true, Xiren, but as long as some Jakaru, Erdas, Trolls, or any other race finds the capacity to strive for a better future, no matter what the difficulties, you have lost this battle.


Nokumo gazed towards the skies and sighed, the fragrance of moist, decaying leaves, a rather pleasant smell, filling Xiren's nostrills.

It is such a pity you cannot enjoy much simpler things in this world. The ice-ring that Kuto placed around the planet, the beautiful gems that shine like stars that Moghor placed in the earth's depths, even the simple persistence of the earth-worm as it tills the ground. Now, will you look at that?

Nokumo pointed at the sky, and xiren could barely see the almost invisible tendrils of the Spirit Weave, snaking into space, the stars from the other side shining brightly in every color as their light was captured, enriched and refined through the living tapestry.

Why do you think Kuto, a very violent and destructive god, would create such a thing, hmm?

[Mike_the_Mystic]

The trolls decided that it was the time to call in debts, and with voodoomancer magics, they send a message to all trolls. Five hundred Trade Princes from the Yanze send at least a hundred of their finest men each. The jungle trolls, once shaded in obscurity, send head hunters and their own breed of Witch Doctors. Library Trolls send their archmage. Volcanic trolls send what they can. Plains trolls send their canoes to the trollish homeland, ready for defense.

The frozen continent

The message was heard by a sentry. It quickly sent it to the Headmaster. The headmaster put in the codes, and a loud buzzing filled the crystalline caverns.

It is time to waken, it is time to waken.


*Attempted Dominated Trollish Voodoomancers*

Unfortunately for grigs and dryads, Voodoomancers weren't stupid. Their minds were too honed by years of training to be weak to such silly things as domination. Instead, they killed themselves by insulting the god of their captors. "Xiren is but a whore who will be raped by Zuli!" or "Moghor is but a bastard and a lord of lies!" were equally favorites. Trollish commanders had such trainings as well, but most did not spit such things. Instead they believed the torture was the price they paid for incompetence. They did not talk, though. They would persevere.

[Kaiser Omnik]

The Trollgroves

Alchaeus helped some of the spirits travel safely to Akteron's realm. They were confused, as most spirits are after such a violent death. Most wouldn't talk to the Shade, but some would constantly utter two words: "big" and "snake". It didn't make any sense. What was that about?

After he was finished, the Black Knight returned to the Trollgroves where he found another deserted village and a few ritually sacrificed bodies. There could be many more like this, he thought. Then, as he walked to the back of the village, he noticed some unusual tracks. They seemed to belong to a jakaru. A jakaru, here? But the armies of Sanctuary were days away... That's when Alchaeus realized who was responsible for these atrocities. Some of the bodies he found still bore his marks.

Totolkan.

-----------------------------------

Thrinax of Five Blessings

Totolkan stood before a large gathering of jakarus in the centre of the city, next to an altar dedicated to Moghor.

"Today is a great day, citizens of Thrinax. As foretold, I have come to free you from your shackles and lead you to a better world! We are the Chosen people, born of the great god Ikibe. We have endured much, but today, I bring you a gift. All you hard work will be rewarded by Moghor, I can assure you. He will reforge your beings, according to Ikibe's original plan. You, just like me, will know what it means to be perfect. Behold Moghor's gift!"

At Totolkan's orders, a group of mountain jakarus changed by Moghor's magic joined him in front of the altar.

"Now, let us all pray Moghor! Let us glorify him as he accepts us into his realm!"

At that moment, most jakarus closed their eyes. A great shadow then engulfed the region. Some made the error of looking upwards...


A few hours later

Alchaeus tracked Totolkan to the Thrinax region. As he went deeper into the desert, he felt something strange. The mystical disturbance was strong here. Something to do with the activity of the ley lines, probably. He looked around and could see neither the mountain home of the jakarus or the Aegis of the Immortals. How could it be?

Suddenly, the earth shook and an immense shape emerged from the ground. It was a great Wyrm, a ferocious serpentine creature. Alchaeus had never seen something quite like it. It was an unnerving experience, even to a Shade who didn't know the meaning of fear.

"You don't understand what is happening, do you? How could you!

I am your god! Your TRUE god! You will tremble before me, like all the other vermins!"

The avatar stood poised for attack. Alchaeus barely dodged the Wyrm's tail sweep, but he strongly felt the accompanying shockwave. He quickly teleporting to the realm of the dead. When he appeared before Akteron, the shade's physical form was badly damaged.


"- Akteron, the World Serpent...Moghor's new form...he will devour all..."


Back on the material plane, the pale moon looked even larger than before, and it's light shone on the scales of the monstrous snake. It then disappeared under the sand.

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3 major acts to increase DvR to 15
The World Serpent is an avatar worth two major acts (Rezamir, the former avatar, was scrapped in the process)
I already spent 3 major acts to transport Thrinax and its surroundings. The reason why I needed 3 and not 4, Ipphli, is because a) Thrinax had already ties to the Waste of the Iron Kings and b) it's a smaller area.
Next time I do something like this I will spend the 4 acts, don't worry.

[Smiley_]

Nokumo

Nokumo's avatar appeared to shudder for a moment, it's back protrusions dancing and quivering wildly. The avatar then stood up and stared towards the skies once more, examining the ever-swelling moon.

The pieces are moving, Xiren. Likewise, I must make my own move. That spirit plane, Xiren, is my flesh and blood, the void my mind, and...

He motioned to himself

This vessel is my heart.

What he was saying was about as clear as mud, but then, Xiren could percieve a pulsing network of etherial tendrils snaking through Nokumo's body. From their origin in the behemoth's chest was a tiny black blot with two glowing red pinpricks of light.

Kuto was always one form plans and contingencies. He had several planned for the event of his passing on, but he could have never guessed that I would take up his place, his power, his legacy, and even his memories.

The great spirit-lord suddenly began to grow in size. He spread his hands and stood tall, the greatest of trees barely tickling his shins. He had made himself incorpreal and invisible to mortals once more, but Xiren could see him for what he was.

You may go now, Xiren, If you should chose. These mortals are no longer mine, but think before you draw my attention with your mindless acts of petty revenge, but for now, I must correct some of Kuto's mistakes. I think you should leave.

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3 major acts used for, aw hell, you already know what it's for. The big lug is squatting at the top of the divine ladder with a DvR of 16 (point 15 pmed directly to Ipphli, in case you are wondering). He won't interfere directly with Moghor's plot though if at all, because I'm interested in seeing where Omnik is going with this and divine intervntion is a terrible way to tell a story.

-------------------
Alchaeus

While in the realm of the dead, the shade Alchaeus heard a voice speaking in the recesses of his mind.

Know That if you seek help among those on the mortal world, you have an old friend in the northern forests who will be willing to help you in any endeavor.

[Krrth]

Akteron & Alchaeus


Say what? Moghor has gone crazy?





In an unrelated note, the increase in both the number of deaths and the number of reincarnations has caused an increase in power.

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DvR 15(3 major)

[Johel]

Xiren

Trollgroves

There had been many battles and countless skirmishes and even though the Imperial forces resisted well, the reinforcements they expected were not mean to reach the Empire. Not unharmed and without delay, at least.

Indeed, many grig bands saw the isolated marching columns from Yanze as as an easy prey, especially since the Karthaidi troops were already locked in battle with the Alliance and therefore couldn't assist the Yanze soldiers.

The plants seemed to grow thicker on the few existing roads, slowing down whole regiments so that rampaging monsters could attack their rear. Water and food supply were either stolen, wasted or poisoned by the grigs and many lone sentries and scouts disappeared. Most didn't come back but some did...only to be revealed later as having been charmed or even dominated. If the Voodoomancers were able to detect the moles most of the time, even a single successful one could mean the death of its whole group, as sabotage was much more easy with a man inside.

The evil fairies were also using hit-and-run tactics. At night, they flew over their sleeping targets, firing darts with sharp accuracy, throwing burning torches and casting diseases upon the camp before disappearing thanks to the confusion.

And of course, as the civilians were evacuated to a mysterious location, the grigs didn't miss one single occasion to attack the retreating columns of refugees. As thousands of civilians reached Jin'Karthiad without getting out, it wasn't difficult to guess where most of the trolls were now hidding.

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No act. It's mortal against mortal, after all.

Avatar duel

The Fey Flower was shivering.
This...thing who just left, what kind of creature was it ? No god could wield such power or so she thought. As avatar of Xiren, she had every single memory of the Kind Mother and she didn't recall any of her brothers having that level of divine energy.

She had been unable to even hurt him. And as she was about to unlease her true fury to free herself, this son of...
"-He just left me go... He just...left...me...go."
The concept of mercy was alien to Xiren. The only reason to let a ennemy she could think of was either to make him suffer or to use him later. Was this pompous jerk confident enough so that he would think he could USE HER ?!!

"-You'll regret this move, Nokumo. Oh, yes, you would. But right now, I too have a mission."

[Mike_the_Mystic]

Weapons Systems: Opperational, Targeting Systems: Opperational, Guidence Systems: Opperational, Navigation System: Opperational, Engine Systems: Unopperational.

Give me the ETA on the Engine Systems please.
.

Engine System will be opperational in five hours.

Alright, All we need to do is wait for the endgame. Run Scenario: Moghor's Gamble, Xiren's Assault, Zuli's Defense, Trollgrove assault, with no divine interference, then run it with divine interference.

It will be done Headmaster.


Aye, it will be done.

---

While grigs were attempting to take out a hundred expert fighters each, they failed to realize that Trolls aren't stupid, even bickering river trolls. The 50,000extra soldiers were divided into ten, five thousand troop regiments. And while many had held grudges with each other, it was not time for petty squabbling. If the trade princes lost the support of the empire, they too will be lost.

And while grigs were fighting hopeless battles with the river trolls, the plains and library trolls stealthily slipped in from the north, while jungle trolls werre nigh unopposed from the south. As the battle rages, the Greater animal lords assault the beheamoths, battling the passengers onboard.

[Kaiser Omnik]

Akteron and Alchaeus

Alchaeus quickly recovered in the realm of the dead.

"- I think I understand what is going on. The ley lines, the earthquakes...Moghor has been transforming the land to make it more like his domain. It doesn't end there. The walls between the worlds have fallen. Moghor has made it possible to transport whole cities, maybe even countries, from the mortal realm to his homeplane. He has taken the shape of the World Serpent to accomplish this task. He must...literally engulf the people he takes with him.

The moon that has appeared in the sky is actually a vision from the Waste of the Iron Kings...the belly of the beast, if you will. It grows closer to our world as the energy from the ley lines flows from one to another. If the Giant King is allowed to continue, who knows what may happen. He will probably leave the world in ruins. I don't know why he is doing that, either."

--------------------------------

The Trollgroves

While the trolls were successfully keeping most armies at bay, some of the allied forces posed a greater challenge. Moloch's undead legions advanced slowly, but their ranks were growing with each death on the trolls' side. Lilith made sure that the enemy received no reinforcements from the sea (if, for instance, the humans, nagas or kappas decided to join the fight or simply trade with the trolls).

Meanwhile, the colossi juggernauts were ripping through the enemy defenders, when the animal lords arrived on the scene. They seemed to be getting the upper hand when ferocious fire drakes, Moghor's ultimate weapons of war, descended on the forest, burning everything in their wake. After making sure that most of the trolls were fried, they turned their attention to Zuli's divine servants.

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3 minor acts to create 3 dozen fire drakes from the oldest landwyrms. They can now fly with ease and blast their foes with divine flames.

Greater animal lords, you say? If they join the fight, they will have a visit from Titans.