Lords of Creation - What Shall Be (IC)

[planswalker]

The sandbar marking the spot where Conviction used to be is struck by meteors and completely wiped off the face of Planet.

Now no recollection of the Shining Lands is left, except to those who seek to follow after the Sun Twins. Those devout and pure in their conviction can still find it, ever as it was, if for now a twilight paradise.

Spoiler

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Solkiran ap: 1=2-1(shape land: the sandbar marking where Conviction is was wiped out by the meteor shower.)

[Exachix]

Solkiran - the Great Garden

The Dark Lantern enters the garden, giving off a mild aura of dissonance but otherwise indistinguishable from Solaron.. He gathers in his surroundings, then calls out, " Greetings, Serat! Now that I see this domain, your handiwork is all over it. I am Solkiran, the stronger half of Solaron's mind. I have a question of Fate I'd like to discuss with you. "

With a swirl of ever-purple power, the Diety of Destinies and Fates appears before Solkiran.

"Greetings. My matters concern myself with the fates and destinies of mortals, but ask, and I shall awnser with my whole power."

[Shmee]

The Freiherr slams Mumbles to the ground, with a look of disbeleif written all over the Freiherr's face.

"Consumed... you mean to say... that I... am now the remaining Elder left?"

The Freiherr's trademark smile has now turned into a scowl

"No... this cannot be..."

[planswalker]

With a swirl of ever-purple power, the Diety of Destinies and Fates appears before Solkiran.

"Greetings. My matters concern myself with the fates and destinies of mortals, but ask, and I shall awnser with my whole power."

Solkiran - the Great Garden

" My questions of Fate are like any mortal's, except that mine will impact the world far longer.

However, I am curious about something else i'd like answered first. What's up with this garden? Why do you play around with flowers and other plants? "

[Lady Tialait]

Mumbles starts bellowing out laughter. His body fading with his laughing mouth staying behind to speak.

"There is another...but he's also dead. So, yeah..your the only one! It's so the lols."

Mumbles' mouth spits out a rasberry then vanishes with a POP.


The Dining Carnival

Mumbles laughs and does a little dance.

"Let's celebrate!"

Some clownborn demons walks up with some halflings and start to sing.

"We will never die alone, clown will carry one, wave our weapons if we must. Each and every one of us!"

Laughter and chanting echoed through the plane. Mumbles was winning. Soon his plans would be perfect.

[Exachix]

Serat - The Great Garden.

"Because I like metaphors."

He grins. "This garden I use to track and alter fates. The plane itself assists me to observe the fates. Each flower is a soul, and the patterns these plants make dictates the pathways of Planet. It dictates how things would go, and how things won't."

"Of course, I can change it on a whim, but I won't. To do so saps some of my own power, and I cannot perform massive changes. Yet."

He smiles. "And it looks nice. There is certain beauty within the solar Ring, and beauty within conviction. Planet is full of wonder and nice sights - why should my home be any different? Does that awnser that question?"

--
OC note; it's not actually linked up yet, I am still kinda in the process of dicussing the artefact component of the plane.

[Shmee]

The Freiherr, the Moon

The Freiherr is left alone silent yet seething

"Darrmoon... that blasted fool... I did not spend aeons plotting and preparing just to be denied as I am about to cross the threshold..."

Without saying anythin, the Lords of the Elements appear, kneeling in front of the Freiherr.

"You four have been my most loyal servants... perhaps not by choice... but loyal none the less. For that I shall reward you. Each one of you shall receive one favour from me. Ask of me and you shall receive. Now then... leave me be, I have to set my house in order before I go pay a visit to our chuckling friend... one that he shall never forget."

[planswalker]

Serat - The Great Garden.

"Because I like metaphors."

He grins. "This garden I use to track and alter fates. The plane itself assists me to observe the fates. Each flower is a soul, and the patterns these plants make dictates the pathways of Planet. It dictates how things would go, and how things won't."

"Of course, I can change it on a whim, but I won't. To do so saps some of my own power, and I cannot perform massive changes. Yet."

He smiles. "And it looks nice. There is certain beauty within the solar Ring, and beauty within conviction. Planet is full of wonder and nice sights - why should my home be any different? Does that awnser that question?"

--
OC note; it's not actually linked up yet, I am still kinda in the process of dicussing the artefact component of the plane.

Solkiran - the Great Garden

"I see. I prefer a more muted color scheme myself.

As to the metaphorical properties of this plane, that truly intrigues me. Tell me, are gods' destinies also represented here? I would imagine that they would have to be. Their fates are major influences in the lives of their followers.

... can I see what my fate currently looks like? "

[Exachix]

Serat - The Great Garden

"Metaphysically, in a manner. My portfolio does not entirely cover the fates and destinies of mortals. The deities are heavily divine, as that should be obvious. They have fates and destinies, but they are in flux. By their very nature they alter and make their own fates."

"Yet, left to their own, a God's fate is not indeterminate - much like a mortals. However they have in their own hands the very tools to destroy a 'bad' fate - and rebuild it into a new, better fate that they choose. To re-craft destiny takes more effort - for it is an overarching entity that defines someone's life and end."

"What I think I'm saying is that, no matter what I see, or you see, you can change it. Let us walk - this may take some time and to discern fate or destiny I must do some work."

They begin a stroll and Serat leads him around the garden. First, he stops in front of a field of sunflowers. Mixed in with these sunflowers are white petalled roses.

"A god's followers say alot about their current and future state. If many followers are suddenly snuffed, then their god is likely to be weakened. For you, your aasimar show a large shift in the past, and indeed, some signs of this are in the future."

"The great pattern here shows that the angels also have a shism, much like their aasimar brethren. Their current fates display a path of darkness, decay and ruin. Truly a dark event has befallen them, and shadows have befallen them."

They continue, the Deity of destinies and fates, naturally outward and friendly, has become more pensive from his visions and divinations.

"Here." He widens his arms to show a field of many colours, within the bounds are a rainbow of flowers. Chrysanthemum, . "A bit random, but so be it. In any case, this shows the residents of a variety of places, but mostly the prismatic creatures. These wondrous beasts also show a great shift in nature in the future, how near I cannot say, but it is close to the change which will befall the angels."

He moves on, walking between fields, and examining them.

"Here will be a great tragedy, for even the most wondrous of these flowers is going to be blood stained. These are the pyrodents of the solar ring, epitomised within this poppy field. They are ready for one task, even if they don't know it. They will die"

"Or so it may be, let me see by which hand, for this realm has lead me here for one reason. It knows I am searching for your fate Solkiran, and it is leading me where I need. I am not at his field for no good reason. Nothing happens with no good reason."

He continues, obviously troubled, but continuing none the less.

"The pyrodents of the Ring, they have a great shism within, even if they are not your followers. A malfunction of the ring could cause that, but I don't know personally what will happen there. My herald is on the ring. I wonder how she is. No matter." With that brief lapse Serat continues.

"This.. gets complicated. Here, this field of juniper, has the fates of the Faeli on Conviction. These creatures will also be in trouble, but of what sort I cannot see. I cannot fathom their destinies. That is weird. It is possible the Faeli on Conviction will have a part to play, but... oh." Serat sighs. "One had hope, but no longer. The Faeli will be... endangered. That truely is weird, for their destruction is of no major concern."

They then walk for a short while, before stopping in front of a birch tree. The tree reaches high, and it's evident it's roots dig low. The bark of the tree is a pale black.

"This was Solaron's tree. Gods are above the mortals, and even Demigods have trees for their fates. Your tree was a great silver! But no more, now it is as black as the darkness under the world. Almost as black as the darkness the Freiherr bestowed over the angels when he made them fall. That curse now lives on."

He turns. "To you. In this time searching I have seen many more things than I told you. I have told you a great many creatures die. On the Solar Ring, On Conviction, and even mortals - of which I didn't tell you. In this time here, I have learnt about your dark heart Solkiran. And the candle in your heart."

He touches the tree. "If you wish to see, touch the tree." And when the deity of shadows and hatred touches, he will see. He will see his fate stretching out in front of him, and will see it turn. It falls to a light - for he is shadow, and his anathema is light. He sees a cage, and he sees eternal punishment.

"Your destiny is set. Fate has played it's pieces. The boulder has begun rolling, but will the village escape in time. You will cause the deaths of many, but the source of this boundless rage is undetermined. You imprisoned Solaron, and you are most certainly not him. His power usurped, what now?"

"Your cage will be forged from the metal of the stars, forged in a fire known only in the core of the greatest life-giving machine. The shadows shall retreat, and flee until the sun has burnt all remnant of their existence. What shall remain? A shadow of your former self no doubt. But no matter."

"You, Solkiran, will fall. Solaron will rise again and retake his place in how things should be."

--
OOC: or, Even I can't predict the future - so the predictions here may be false.
But hopefully, they'll be made of awesome.
Also, as I may have forgot - but this is partially it's forging.

The Great Garden itself is an artefact of power. It's only act is to display the fates of the world for Serat to view, and allow him to alter the fates. It doesn't actually give him large pieces of information, in fact it doesn't give him information at all most of the time. and as I've stated the fates are altered by gods a lot! This can make predictions highly wrong, or even false.

AP: 3
-3 Create Artefact - the Great Garden.
AP: 0

[planswalker]

"You, Solkiran, will fall. Solaron will rise again and retake his place in how things should be."[/color]

" NO! "

"How can it be my fate to lose? You say that fate can be changed? Change it I shall. As for destiny I care not what your pathetic little plants whisper in your ear. I will not be stopped. I will rule this world in fear! All shall bow in awe at my power! You will see that tree in your garden overtake all others. Its blackness shall spread to every corner of this garden."

"THAT is a prophecy I shall make for you."

At the end of his rant, Solkiran's light had taken on a dusky orange glow. He seethed with rage at what he had been shown.

In a black cloud of smoke, the Dark Sun disappears.

Solkiran - Conviction

Solkiran was angry, but he was also afraid. Despite what he had said to Serat, he did indeed believe those portents that he saw. However, like the Gardener said, he was a god. Gods, by their very nature change things.

He calls forth his six heralds together and gives them a command. Bring forth Minhret and his two underlings and have them report to the Celestial Camp at once. It was time to lay waste to this world in such a fashion that his name would be added to the list of gods whose dark powers were still feared today.

Next, he went underneath Conviction to where his angels slept, recovering and preparing to be Reborn.

Underneath Conviction

Michrael's ghostly form rested amongst his brethren. His divine body had slowly become more solid, more real. Even so, an observer would still notice that he could see through him.

Solkiran happened to be just that non-hypothetical observer.

such frailty is unacceptable.

"Arise, Michrael, your master has called you."

His ghostly form, even in death, was bound to the Oath he had sworn. It arose and knelt before the lantern, in his genuflection.

"You have called me, Lord?"

"Indeed. Your current state of death is unacceptable. Neither will I tolerate it in your subordinates. I shall hereby command you to be fininshed."

"My lord, even though you command me, I cannot do that which is not possible."

"You are the second person today to tell me what is not possible. I shall prove to you right now how very wrong you both are."

With those words, Solkiran sent forth his will. The foundations of Conviction did indeed not contain enough ambient energy to heal his followers faster, but there was something that did. The Tooth. It was soaked in the blood of a god and gave off an aura of power so strong that it had caused angels to Fall. He brought it forth and placed it half-submerged in the center of the Camp, with the base of the mountain now replacing the roof of the Caverns of Rebirth.

As the dark energy flooded the room and mixed with the ambient Light within, it created a dim twilight atmosphere. The angels' bodies quickly began to heal even faster. Within minutes, all of them had been reborn, even Michrael.

However, something about them seemed wrong. Although they showed none of the physical signs of the Fall, each of them spoke not a word. When Michrael tried to speak to ask his lord if that was wise, "Wh- a- uggh..." was all that came out before he succumbed to the Madness. Being reborn under the Tooth had caused the madness to come at a fevered pitch. Try as they might, none of the newly risen angels could resist the Curse. As each of them so much as moved, they lost the internal battle and Fell. All save three.

The Alchemical Seraphim had learned from their sister how to render themselves invulnerable to the curse.

"How intriguing. The three of you have rejected my Gift, have you? I am feeling gracious right now. Tell my why?"

"We love you, Shining Lord, and we serve you with all our hearts. We have forgiven you for the wrongs you have done us and the ones you are about to do. When deep and abiding love completely fills one's soul, no power of hatred can destroy that."

"So, then, Love truly does conquer all? I shall have to keep that in mind and ensure that this flaw in my plans does not escape this room."

With an instant of thought, he summoned before himself the Solkinatra.

"You four can serve me best by dying!" he says as dark beams of energy shoot forth from his mantle and strike each of them in the heart. As one, the four alchemical seraphim fall over dead. When their bodies begin to re-appear in the Chambers, Solkiran commands the newly re-fallen Michrael to disband his pact with them.

Although his twisted form pauses for a moment as if in pain at what he does, the deed is done. Just as their bodies are about to be reborn, they suddenly fade away, their energies returning to Conviction and the Tooth. The alchemicals are no more, their essences scattered all across Conviction.


With that business taken care of, Solkiran sends forth his Fallen Legion to the Celestial Camp, lead by Michrael, who quickly uses the Bond to cause the rest to fall.

Solkiran then materializes amongst them and waits for Minrhet to answer the summons.

Spoiler

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no ap spent, since my artifact revives them for free and Conviction is divinely morphic for me. They should now be back the numbers they were before the Freihrr visited Conviction, only now they are all Fallen Ones.

This leaves Solkiran with 1 ap, Solaron with 0, and Michrael with 0. for another 8 hours, at least.

[Selinia]

The Solar Ring, Council Chamber

As the sun brothers took their leave, Klashanna fumed silently... but there was nothing she could do to stop Solkiran from taking his leave. But infuriating as it was, it was probably for the best... she could not afford to act rashly in this. As much as he was a perversion of Solaron's essence, the Dark Sun shared his body. Ordinary attacks would harm both of them, and she was not about to harm a friend and ally out of anger at this... interloper. This would require preparation...

Turing to Ichmod, the goddess nods apologetically.

"I am sorry, but... I must go for the moment. If Solaron is truly buried somewhere within that monster... if there is any hope at all he can be saved... I must try. I will not abandon my friend. I will visit you later, and hopefully we may have a chance to speak in less strained conditions. And I would appreciate it greatly if you would proof my shield design before you took your leave - it would not do to forget our other problems to focus on this one."

Keying in a sequence to gate her to another section of the Ring, she smiles ruefully back at the Ironmaster as she steps through.

"Ach... take care, my friend."

And with that, she was gone - vanished to the very heart of the Solar Ring. If anything could restore the strength of Solaron... the secret would lie in his greatest work...

If she could only unravel it...

[Rizban]

Hope, the now desert Faeli lands

In preparation of the work to be done by The Murdered Man, the sands shift and stone to rises from the depths. A mountain takes shape in the center of the deserts of Hope, reaching thousands of feet into the air. The topmost part of the mountain is completely flat with a cool, clear lake just over 2,000 acres in surface area. The land surrounding the lake becomes broken and jagged, forming spires and pinnacles, caverns and ravines, and all the perfect habitats for the various forms of dragonkind.

The lakes flows into a river, which plummets over the edge of the mountaintop, falling some 1,000 feet into another deep lake. This second body of water rests on a plateau about a quarter the size of the high plane. Here, a fortress grows. A stairway carved into the mountain climbs up into the clouds to the Towers Above while another stairway meanders down the mountain to the stony base. Here, the City Below takes shape.

The City Below is just that, a large and beautiful city of marble and sandstone, built to withstand the harsh conditions of the desert. A second waterfall from the second body of water is harnessed by a complex aqueduct system, provided the entirety of the City Below with clean, running water. As the water flows through the city, it empties into a deep crevasse where it carries all waste materials borne by the waste water deep into the earth. A large, nearly impregnable wall of steel reinforced stone encircles the City Below, a single, massive gatehouse allow entry from the desert surrounding it.

Beyond this wall, an unending sandstorm grows. The ever shifting sands cause paths to become impassible and travelers to become lost, confused, and eventually perish. None may safely cross the swirling vortex to the safe eye of the storm and the Mountain of Minrhet in the center, lest they travel by dragon wing high above the storm. Dark figures flit through the sands of the storm, hungering, searching for those whom they may devour.

The five dopplegangers claimed by Minrhet are given a bit of divine spark so that they will never age and are nearly invulnerable to mortal weaponry. These then take up posts around the city to serve as free guides through the storm for those who seek the City at the Mountain. They give free passage to all who come in peace and leave those who come with Dark intent to flounder in the storm.

At last, the city of Testament was completed. Dragon kind flocked to Testament to lay claim to a lair upon the mountain, with the older, more powerful wyrms gaining the best perches.

Spoiler

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Minrhet (DR11, Evo2)
AP 1 = 9 - 1(Mold Land: Mountain of Minrhet) - 1(Mold Land: City of Testament) - 1(Mold Land:Endless Sandstorm) - 2(Create Populace:Ashlings, dustform creatures, and Sand Dragons (all are composed of sand/ash/grit/etc) - 0(Create Herald: The five dopplegangers) - 3(Raise DR)

DR+ Actions: See above.
"To advance to Intermediate deity status, you must have at least 3 domains."
Domains: Sand, Dragon, Mind, Evil (That's four)

Martu (DR4, Evo2)
AP 3

Namtar (DR4, Evo2)
AP 4

[Rizban]

Solkiran - Conviction

He calls forth his six heralds together and gives them a command. Bring forth Minrhet and his two underlings and have them report to the Celestial Camp at once. It was time to lay waste to this world in such a fashion that his name would be added to the list of gods whose dark powers were still feared today.

"You called for me, brother? My children are busy in Hope, bringing it under my dominion and cannot come at this time. You will forgive their absence."

Spoiler

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Doing Rollover

Minrhet (DR11, Evo2)
AP 7 = 1 + 6(rollover)

Martu (DR4, Evo2)
AP 7 = 3 + 4(rollover)

Namtar (DR4, Evo2)
AP 8 = 4 + 4(rollover)

[planswalker]

Solkiran - Conviction

Minrhet finds that his brother is different than last he saw him. His golden form has tarnished to a deep orange-brown. The light coming from the mantle is bright orange, and the aura of agitation is to the point of outright panic.

"That is acceptable. I was about to ask you to send your kids to Planet with dragons to make a mark upon the world that can never be forgotten. As for you, I ask that you aid me in taking the Ring away from the Hen. She is using a fraction of its power and has allowed the seat of our alliance's power to be attacked. By godless mortals of all things. She has failed in her management and needs to be taught how to properly operate the Sun. Too long have the Sun Gods allowed another to maintain their mantle."

Spoiler

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ap:
Solaron 0=0+5(rollover)-5(siphoned to Solkiran)
Michrael 0=0+3(rollover)-3(stolen by Solkiran)
Solkiran 12=1+3(rollover)+5(Solaron)+3(Michrael)

[Exachix]

Serat - The Great Garden.

Serat sighed at the God's outburst, and whence he left, smirked. "So be it. Let us see."

---

Nareen - The Solar Ring.

Within time, the littlest herald found the council chambers of the ring, and attempted to find someone to carry out her task.

[Rizban]

Solkiran - Conviction

Minrhet finds that his brother is different than last he saw him. His golden form has tarnished to a deep orange-brown. The light coming from the mantle is bright orange, and the aura of agitation is to the point of outright panic.

"That is acceptable. I was about to ask you to send your kids to Planet with dragons to make a mark upon the world that can never be forgotten. As for you, I ask that you aid me in taking the Ring away from the Hen. She is using a fraction of its power and has allowed the seat of our alliance's power to be attacked. By godless mortals of all things. She has failed in her management and needs to be taught how to properly operate the Sun. Too long have the Sun Gods allowed another to maintain their mantle."

Spoiler

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ap:
Solaron 0=0+5(rollover)-5(siphoned to Solkiran)
Michrael 0=0+3(rollover)-3(stolen by Solkiran)
Solkiran 12=1+3(rollover)+5(Solaron)+3(Michrael)

Minrhet, Conviction

"Were you not the very one who just moments ago encouraged me to leave my Heart in her care so that we need not trifle with them? This sudden change seems ill advised and poorly calculated. I must caution you to patience in this. Such spontaneous a change in such a significant matter... Tell me the reasons for this change of decision. I insist that you do so before I will comply with your demands, for I do not believe you to be so irrational, dearest brother."

[hr]Martu, Elysium

Martu returns Elysium the Artifact to the temple of its namesake. Once there, he takes the place of the bronze in overseeing the rebuilding of the temple. Many who have fled the advance of the dragon armies have fled here to take refuge, only to find that it too is ruled by the dragon gods. Some continue north into the Genasi lands, but many more stay at Elysium after discovering that the dragons, while frightful conquerors, care for the well being of those who serve them, preserving their wrath only for those who dare to defy the Coming of the Light.

[hr]Namtar, Testament

Namtar leads his army into Testament, where he begins to arrange for the construction of a temple to the Light Most High, the Twin Suns, Solaron and Minrhet. This temple, designed by Namtar, is built on the labor of the dragons. By the hands of mortals, the temple Ain-Shams begins to rise.

[Draken]

[Hope, Testament]

The southern half of the continent had been quickly turned into a sunscorched wasteland, and apparently a draconic civilization was at work in that even, and settling on the deserts.

Thus, Steelamach decided to send a herald to the dragons, one that had already met them, and had the best idea of what the creatures acted like.

Thus, into the foot of the city of Testament teleported an iron gnome, clad fully in jade-green frehenite armor with a rather decrepit skeletal motiff, the size of an ogre.

"I am Admiral-Magistrate Castor, envoy of Steelamach, and I require the ears of an authority."

----

Meeting chambers

Ichmod commanded the anaxim, Voice, to follow Klashanna and aid her in her endeavour, while retreating to Innovation.

----

With Klashanna

Voice stepped out of an iron wall, near the goddess, bowing graciously.

"This unit will relay any pertinent information to us, Klashanna, adress it as if adressing Ichmod or myself."

----

Innovation

Ichmod, meanwhile, returned to his domain to meet an assembled Iron Council, with the many leaders of the gnome people congregated in a tiered chamber.

"About time. I believe Forge has our project nearly complete, my friends."

And thus spoke the prime representative of Steelamach.

"Good, because I believe we might have need of it soon. Genasi activity in Hope is rising, and dragons might have laid waste to the southern portion of the continent."

The debate commences.

----

Spoiler

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Ichmod: 15 AP.
Forge: 24 AP.

[Rizban]

[Hope, Testament]

The southern half of the continent had been quickly turned into a sunscorched wasteland, and apparently a draconic civilization was at work in that even, and settling on the deserts.

Thus, Steelamach decided to send a herald to the dragons, one that had already met them, and had the best idea of what the creatures acted like.

Thus, into the foot of the city of Testament teleported an iron gnome, clad fully in jade-green frehenite armor with a rather decrepit skeletal motiff, the size of an ogre.

"I am Admiral-Magistrate Castor, envoy of Steelamach, and I require the ears of an authority."

Castor finds only empty streets and vacant buildings. It seems as if no one yet lives in the City Below. Several hundred feet above the city, however, Castor sees movement as people of some sort do something in the Fortress Between, which sits perched halfway up the Mountain. Far away into the sky, he spots the glint of metal as a dragon takes flight from the Towers Above.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

The Murdered Man, Conviction

After some time flying above Conviction, The Murdered Man returned to the proposed site of the city, only to find his gathered Dopplegangers and the killers they had brought, and no city. The Murdered Man was confused, and he did not know if he could yet leave. And so, instead, he lead the killers to a nearby settlement, and sent one of his Dopplegangers in search of Minrhet

[Rizban]

Murdered Man, Conviction

One of the dopplegangers claimed by Minrhet approaches The Murdered Man.

"I do apologize for the confusion. Minrhet has decided that it would be more expedient to build the city upon Hope where it can have better access to the rest of the world. He has instructed me to lead you and those you have gathered to the city."

[planswalker]

Minrhet, Conviction

"Were you not the very one who just moments ago encouraged me to leave my Heart in her care so that we need not trifle with them? This sudden change seems ill advised and poorly calculated. I must caution you to patience in this. Such spontaneous a change in such a significant matter... Tell me the reasons for this change of decision. I insist that you do so before I will comply with your demands, for I do not believe you to be so irrational, dearest brother."

Solkiran - Conviction

"This does seem to be a drastic change, does it not? There is a reason for it. I have seen my Fate, and I am now setting forth to counteract that Fate in the way I see fit. In the prophecy, I am defeated, sealed away. The one who does so is stronger than I, yet not one who would kill me. The Mother Hen is one of only a handful of gods who match both descriptions. Should we over match her now and take the Ring as our seat of Power, my fate could be changed. Join with me, brother, and together let us ascend to the throne over this world."

[Rizban]

Minrhet, Conviction

"I have no more desire to rule this world than I have ever possessed. What I do is done for the greater benefit of all. You know that well, brother. I exist to aid you in finally purging all Darkness from the land, not to rule it with a fiery fist. Your glimpse Fate has driven you mad. Come, I will help you to regain your sense."

[Lord_Asmodeus]

The Murdered Man, Testament

The god of killers lead his flock of wolves from the deserts of Conviction, to the deserts of Southern Hope. Soon, the City Below began to fill with murderers, thieves, assassins, and criminals of the highest order, and from every corner of the world. Faeli, Kobold, Gnomes, Goblins, Genasi, even Thri-Kreen and more, and amongst them were the Dopplegangers, undetectable arbiters of the Murdered Man's will, the silent death of the rogue wolves. And finally, The Murdered Man, the patriarch of all murderers, sitting atop his throne. However, the Murdered Man did not want to depend solely on the dragons of Minrhet, and he knew what protectors he wanted for his city of killers. He was the King of Gargoyles as well as Murderers, and he would call them into being. Summoning great blocks of stone, he carved from them lesser likenesses of his true form, a menagerie of flying beasts and monsters, horrors in a million different forms, from that of dark spirits of the Moon, to the once high angels of the Sun. And now, these stone fiends would guard the City Below, where the Dopplegangers were his enforcers, the Gargoyles were his soldiers.

10AP=12AP-2AP Create Populous, Gargoyles.

[planswalker]

Solkiran - Conviction

"You did not see what I saw. I cannot allow myself to become that. I was trapped, alone, forgotten and not missed. The world as it will be would be unable to resist the Dark. We must work together or one more powerful than I could..."

The light from Solkiran flashes from orange to pink.

Of course! the one who traps me is not Klashanna, but Minrhet! he loves my weaker half better and would destroy me if he could!

How could the Dark Sun have been so blind! How could a woman of glass ever truly understand something as spiritual as his and Solaron's connection? Her head was in science and numbers, not heart and soul.

"Please do excuse me, but I need to go elsewhere."

Solkiran says to his brother hastily as he vanishes.

Solkiran - the Void

they think to trap me forever, do they? I'll show them. I'll show them all!

Thus were the raving thoughts of the One who had stood for Light.

He searches the universe for something so vile that it could leave a mark upon the world like none seen before.

Deep in the heart of the lightless Abyss, he found it.

In the heart of an ancient wooded plane he found it.

In the decrepit halls of Aevum's courts, he found it.

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gain portfolio element: Spite

ap: 10=12-2

Blackwater. The vile essence of three gods melded into water, tainted by darkness and hatred. Something so strong in its malignancy that even a god could be harmed by it. It had remained idle for aeons, the gods who could safely handle it having been defeated, captured, or simply grown weary of the world.

It was ripe for the taking, and Solkiran would harvest it.

He looked upon the abyss and created a portal connecting the blackwater ocean within directly to the center of the islands of tranquility. Unfathomable volumes of the deadly liquid quickly poured out into Tranquility, polluting the seas and desecrating the islands within. The humans of Tranquility found that the waters were unsafe to enter and that their ships were beginning to disintigrate.

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create portal connecting the Abyss to Tranquility via a dark surface current. At the moment, Blackwater is rushing out of this portal and polluting the sea.
thus, a blight upon Tranquility: the Blackwater Curse

ap: 7=10-2(portal)-1(blight)

This rush of action filled Solkiran with vigor.

With his new flush of energy, he went to the ancient forests to the horrendous god Ulthogrog who was imprisoned within. He crept up to the ancient evil and siphoned a small portion of its power. Not enough to rouse the god from its dark and fitful slumber, but just enough to forward his plans.

He then took it and infused it within his own self, melding it with the Curse of the Freihrr and the energy of Conviction. The end result was pain. Searing, seemingly unending pain. However, the pain lasted only a moment to the hypothetical yet once again nonexistent observer. When it subsided, the lantern was changed. It now absorbed all light nearby and cast the surroundings into shadow. Where there should be light, there was now only darkness.

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evolving Solkiran

also, adding in the Blackwater domain as a secondary

ap: 2=7-3(evolve)-2(domain)

He then turned his depraved will upon Hope, specifically his brother's new conquests. Where before there were deserts, now there were pools of blackwater dispersed throughout. Though they appeared inviting to the casual observer, anyone who drank of them died in horrible agony within seconds.

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shape land: Blackwater springs in the desert.

ap: 1=2-1(mold land)

He then turned his dark gaze towards Progress, the crown jewel of the Hen's mortal empire.

I shall do something especially nasty to them. he thought.

He sent Michrael and his army of Fallen Angels to Progress, to kill and destroy all they encountered, leaving none alive.

Then, with a twist of his will, he re-animated the corpses of every Saerite who died. The bodies were immersed in Blackwater, then filled with the Light of Life. These horrible abominations then arose and began killing their own kind, ignoring all others. They did not appear different at first, and even acted close to how they had in life. Until the Killing Frenzy struck them. Then their forms oozed Blackwater and their faces contorted into horrid masks of hatred. They then quickly slaughtered their kith and kin. Once they had killed three others, their husk of a body was dissolved by the Blackwater oozing within, and they become a foul puddle of ooze, quickly fading.

And three more Blackwater Saerites would arise and begin their mission.

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ap: 0=1-1(create sub-race: Blackwater Saerite Zombies)

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this empties out my ap. All three characters are now at 0 ap.

as to the severity of each curse, they are actually small actions. If you wish to undo them, it will not be expensive to do so. However, I ask that some sort of effect remains behind, just so that Solkiran isn't impotent.

Exachix, feel free to have your people learn to build Blackwater-resistant boats or just clean up the spill. You can even have most if not all your followers avoid going into the water until its fixed. Just let it impact their culture or soemthing. There is now a 2-way portal to the Abyss they can use to explore a strange new world of darkness. I could see this becoming quite the oportunity for those of great destiny to test themselves.

Rizban, I figure you know how to undo a Shape Land action.

Selenia, I know that yours is the hardest to oppose directly, since you have to worry about a purely rp army of Fallen Ones and also the nasty Blackwater Saerite zombies, a 1 ap subrace. I have deliberately left the number of casualties vague so that you can fill in the blanks as you see fit. If you want to, spend 1 ap to destroy the newly-created sub-race. Fluff it however you wish.

As to the Fallen Ones, they will have to be killed down to the last one. Michrael can probably be easily lured off-plane and disposed of simply. The rest, well, they are all fluff-generated. Maybe they can be opposed by an alliance between the Saerites and a militant group that has similar power levels.

I know these actions probably put a kink in all y'all's plans, but Solkiran won't go down without a fight. He did spend 7 out of the possible 12 ap on self-improvement, though. It could have been worse.

[Rizban]

Minrhet, Martu, Namtar - The Void

"Come now, brother, let us put this Darkness within you to rest. You must not be allowed to continue like this. Your have been polluted and must be cleansed. You need to..."

At that moment, the two dragon demigods pounce upon Solkiran from behind, pinning the glowing lantern to the ground.

"Just relax, this will all be over in a moment...."

Minrhet stands over his brother and begins to focus his energy to lock Solkiran away for good.

[Exachix]

Tranquility

The humans living on the Islands of Tranquility had never encountered a disaster as such as this one. For years upon years the residents of these bountyful and wonderous island had relied on the sea. Many people lived on the sea. Within some of the great cities they had even built upon the sea. Within the great capital they had a great harbour and a great market upon the ocean. It was a great sight to bear.

Within many of the outlying islands, naval fotresses had great harbours and fleets. People lived and worked on the sea, and a lot of the population would be on the sea most of the time. Still many people stayed ashore, to build that which would not be safe or feasable upon the seas. For many years this had worked wonders. The sea brought them supplies and provided a vast transport way to live on and to work on.

Then the blackwater came. It wrecked havok with this symbiosis that they shared. No more could vessels be seaworthy without much work, work they had yet to undertake. No more could supports hold up the piers and walkways that made up the great floating market, no more could the navy sustain its vessels. Not every place was effected, only the core, but that place was in tatters. The outer isles could still defend themselves, and would be looked upon to defend the core.

Many people proclaimed they they should forgo the sea and stay to the land. Others demanded they find some way to push back the darktide, and neutralize the blackwater. Most simple prayed, prayed for salvation as their ocean was gone. They prayed to the gods, and prayed for an awnser.

The Nation was in tatters, and it would take something radical to change this.

Serat - The Great Garden

The diety of Destinies cried out in pain and sunk low to the ground. He wept as his children died, and watched as a large number of Tranquility residents were envoloped within a mire of water.

The Garden now had a pond, and over the pond reached a Weaping Willow, sad and alone. Serat's tree would weap evermore for the lost Humans.

With strength, Serat arose and began to look through the garden, to search and see if there was salvation. His people had prayed, and an awnser was to come.

--
AP: 0
+2 Rollover
AP: 2

Note: Not all the humans are dead, in fact not many of them died, but it was enough to panic Serat.

[planswalker]

Minrhet, Martu, Namtar - The Void

"Come now, brother, let us put this Darkness within you to rest. You must not be allowed to continue like this. Your have been polluted and must be cleansed. You need to..."

At that moment, the two dragon demigods pounce upon Solkiran from behind, pinning the glowing lantern to the ground.

"Just relax, this will all be over in a moment...."

Minrhet stands over his brother and begins to focus his energy to lock Solkiran away for good.

Solkiran - the Void

"I knew it! You do hate me! You would rather see the weakling be defeated than have someone strong rule!"

The Dark sun begins to ooze Blackwater from his mantle. Martu and Namtar begin to feel the corrupt waters burn the flesh of their claws as they hold the Dark Lantern.

[Selinia]

The Void

"You have crossed a line."

She had appeared, as was her customary way, through a faint portal in the air, which she closed behind her. For the moments it was open, an almost blinding light fell through into the darkness of the void. The Maiden's face was ironcast... but this time, not with rage. Simply a icy determination to do what must be done.

"Through your actions, you have brought only despair, and suffering. You have laid waste to those you had sworn to protect. In you madness, you have sought to undo everything this Conclave works for. Only the fact that you share your body with Solaron is preventing me from purging you from your sorry existence."

She was unarmed, and unarmored. Klashanna was clad in the simple, pocket-covered garment she used in her workshops. Reaching into one of the many pockets, she produced what bore a resemblance to nothing so much as one of the remotes for the consoles on-board the Ring.

"This day you have brought misery to hundreds... perhaps thousands. Your victims deserve retribution... and they will have it. But it is your first casualty who shall wield the blade to lock you away..."

She raised the remote skywards, pointing it at the Solar Ring hanging above them.

"Solaron... as you are so fond of saying... Shine the Light."

With her words, the sky exploded with radiance. A thousand-thousand bands of light and color danced across the Solar Ring as the Shining Heart was strained to the limit of its power. For a moment, it was if the Southern Lights, absent since the events of the Second Advent, had returned, greater than ever before...

Then they moved. As one, they raced through the sky, all seeking the same target. As one, a thousand-thousand ribbons of radiance, like lances from on high, impaled Solkiran, flooding him with their Light. As one, a thousand-thousand surges of energy flooded through his being, shattering the dark walls he had constructed within him. And, their prisoner - deep within the black metal fortress of his own mind found arrayed before him... a thousand-thousand weapons and tools to heal his battered essence... and a single message.

"Fight."

***************

But even as they imparted their energy to the Lantern, the ribbons of light raced onwards and downwards, focused and refracted by their Lord's form.

In Progress they came, like a storm of sunlight off the coast. The Blackwater Zombies, scarcely formed, were burned away like a bad dream beneath their radiance. For years after, the few photos and first-hand encounters of that day would be circulated and laughed over by those who had no idea how close they had come to a bloody war against the dead.

For the Fallen, they came next, arcing across the ground like an army of serpents. They fell upon their twisted forms in the midst of a city aflame with conflict, cutting through the angels. As each Fallen was touched by the light of their Lord - their true Lord, and not the twisted impostor who had broken them so - they saw his battle. They saw the struggle within his mind, and received the same message as he.

"Remember the Pact. Fight."

But The Angel - the greatest of them all - was canny, even in his feral form. Through his sheer rage, he warded off the Lights... for a time. But help oft comes from unexpected sources - in this case, a volley of high-explosive, high-caliber rounds from a Vallan artillery battery on a nearby hill. As if they were living things, the lazily circling ribbons of light fell upon Michrael - strengthening him, speaking to him.

"Remember the Pact. Fight!"

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OOC: Actions! Lots of them!
Klashanna AP: 0 ; 11 + 6 (Rollover) - 3 (Raise DR from 14 to 15) - 2 (Gain Portfolio Element - Guardians) - 2 (Gain Domain - Protection) - 2 (Gain Portfolio Element - Freedom) - 2 (Gain Domain - Liberation) - 1 (Bless - True Angels) - 3 (Raise DR from 15 to 16) - 1 (Undo Subrace - Saerite Zombies) - 1 (Bless - True Angels... again) +3 (Moved from Artis' Spark to make the math work) - 3 (Evolve)
Artis' Spark AP: 11 ; 11 + 3 (Rollover) - 3 (Transferred to Klashanna)
Sequence AP: 13 ; 11 + 2 (Rollover)

Now... explanations for all that are in order I guess. Domains first!

As for Protection... this is easy. Klashanna has blocked a lot of Blights in her time - pick any three of them. Now, as for why "Guardians" as the linked portfolio element... I dunno. I was a little stumped on thinking up something fitting her, and wound up torn between Guardians and Armor. I went with the former, because I think she's really more about people stepping up to Protect their fellows than having a really heavy suit of Plate. Although that helps.

Onto Liberation... I'm not sure how I missed this before. It's one of the strongest aspects of her personality (she requested that Darrmoon be freed, for crying out loud!) but as for actions... 1) Taught the Dwarves about compassion and community, freeing them from the chains of their ambition 2&3) Because I'm not feeling up to sifting through the last twenty pages, I'm going to go with the two Nourishes I just used to free angels from the chains of the Fall. More on that below. As for "Freedom"... it just seemed to fit. Liberty and Freedom and all that good stuff. Although in Klashanna's case, it's as much about being free to live one's life out without divine interference as it is about not being in actual physical slavery.

I was, if I remember correctly, given permission to Evolve using the fluff of Klashanna's lessons with Ichmod when she hit Greater God. Just taking advantage of that.

The Undo Subrace is by permission of Planswalker. Although the zombies are no more (and claimed precious few actual casualties) they will live on as an urban legend forevermore. Someone will probably make a movie about them at some point, and the (modern) zombie apocalypse genre will be born.

The Blesses on the Fallen are special little things - the cords of Light are a direct line back to Solaron, and through him, the Shining Heart. For as long as they are connected so, they recover their free will, despite the fact that their bodies are still Fallen... but they fully understand that it will last only a few minutes at most. Still, it will give them time to release themselves through death, and be reborn purified - that is, unless I am mistaken, the function of the Pact, no? Even so, before they got intercepted, they laid waste to a good chunk of a Vallan city's population - a solid couple thousand, at least. Definitely enough to merit status as a national tragedy.

[Lady Tialait]

The Dining Carnival

Mumbles takes halfling and lays on his stomach, waving his feet in the air.

"And I insulted him! He's silly, and made of poo...wait a second. Didn't I threaten him?"

The halfling nods.

"CRAP!"

Mumbles drops the Halfling and crushes the little man with his heel. He then sneered and exited to the Void, stupid walking death, he didn't die last encounter. Seriously, the price of comedy.

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AP of Mumbles = 85

[Draken]

Testament

Castor growled. Seriously, what is the point of having an empty city?

But he did not have time to ponder that, because warning reached him of further strange events being detected in the arid lands, and elsewhere in the globe. As blackwater surged forth in the desert and in the set of islands from which a group of human diplomats who were now being entreated to in Stelamach - caustiously of course - hailed from.

[Gnome Congress of Innovation]

Suddenly, the prime representative of Coillossus spoke.

"We have word of an assault on the shore. Blackwater is oozing all over the place, undead are being animated, and... The angel Michrael is assaulting the continent with his troops! "

Then it was the representative of Hope.

"Word reached me, the blasted southern end of the continent is experiencing surges of blackwater, and the nearby islands of tranquility as well. We need to contain these, we need the worldships."

"And they will be delivered! Forge, Get Muspelheim, Nifleheim and Jotunheim online and warp them down NOW!"

[World]

It is known that gnomes, in spite of their diminute size, like to make things big, oversized even.

So, what appeared in the skies could only be gnome work.

Because what appeared in the sky was distant, much, much distant, perhaps even in low orbit, but it was visible, and it was vast. Not like a ship or a city, but like a landmass, a long and lithe continent on the sky. And there were three of them, disconnected, but soon joining into one third of a ring, surrounding the planet.

What they did next, proved its nature as a gnome contraption, at the very least, but more than likely the work of a god.

Those things on the sky fired against the world bellow, but not the usual weapons of mass destruction to be expected of the races of iron, but magnetic blasts and surgical strikes, things that made the stone rise and sea to boil around the foul pollution of Solkiran, to bury it deep and contain it between cliffs and at the depth of precipices. It could not undo the disaster, but it could prevent it from becoming worse in the lands of Serat and his humans.

But in hope, it was more like one would expected, and still entirely unlike it. The worldship there tore the continent asunder at the edge of the wastelands, making high, jagged, mountains rise and magma to flow from the underdark beneath, scorching a frontier around this great natural (or kinda) barrier.

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Forge: 24 AP
Transfer 15 AP to Ichmod.
Forge: 9 AP.

Ichmod: 30 AP.

2 AP Create Land: Muspelheim.
2 AP Create Land: Niflheim.
2 AP Create Land: Jotunheim.
3 AP Create Artifact: Worldship Muspelheim (Land Shaper).
3 AP Create Artifact: Worldship Niflheim (Land Shaper).
3 AP Create Artifact: Worldship Jotunheim (Land Shaper).

2 AP: Gain Portfolio: Iron Gnomes (long overdue).
2 AP: Gain Domain: Gnome.

Ichmod: 11 AP.

Worldship Muspelheim: 1 Shape Land.
- Use to Isolate the blackwater current into an inland lake. Likely to turn the Islands of Tranquility into a larger landmass.

Worldship Jotunheim: 1 Shape Land.
- Not used.

Worldship Niflheim: 1 Shape Land.
- Niffleheim Split Hope with mountains at the edge of the desert.