Lords of Creation: Omnigenesis [IC]

[Darklady2831]

Gjol Maduur, Quite Mad Indeed

Gjol Maduur laughed again, his form pulsating. "All involved would learn... what they learn is a question of who they ask, and what they ask." He moved aside, allowing the Lords of Light to leave if they wished. "But if you never ask, how can you ever know what could have been known?"

[mystic1110]

Urban Legend: The Denizens

The great city remained silent... yet his brother Ing'dras spoke incorrectly. He wasn't emptier. He was just as empty. You see. No one can ever leave the Metropolis of Lost Souls... not entirely. A part you remains to roam the streets, forever at the edge of any visitors eye. For each mortal who entered the city; when Vylcent tore them away, their shadows remained. They were and would be called the Denizens. Shadowless the mortals would only know that they are abnormal, that something is missing. They would forever try to hide the disgusting fact that they cast no shade in the sun. Those who escape the city either yearn to return and reclaim their shadow or they remain at the edges of society.

The symptoms of a person who's shadow became a Denizen vary. OCD ticks, delays in social interaction, gaze avoidance, fragmented sentence structures, fear of the dark, twitching, and self-mutilation are common. Those who left the City Limits are often in a constant state of fear and paranoia, and tend to try to leave messages in the things they write and say. Morse code, odd "proxy-like" capitalization in random letters of their words, and diaries hidden in plain sight have been passed on in the attempt to escape their torment. Of course they also scrawl the graffiti they've come to memorize in their journals and in the streets: "Food at the Fountain", "Beware the Mayor", and "Home."

The Denizens themselves are yet unknown; they aren't a race or species, just fractions of the mortals who left them behind. Consider it a toll of entry or a tax on escape. Not that escape happens often, yet with gods and heroes you never know, perhaps a mortal jumps through the right door at the right time... but it is doubtful life outside the city is any better. The life of a shadowless man is a forlorn one... yet the city waits; doors are more common to them, inviting them back in.

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9 AP

Curse war following my theory on curse wars! combating the teleport exalt.

4 AP Scourge: All mortals who leave the streets of Arlom leave behind their shadow which becomes a Denizen. Little is known about Denizens other that they live in the city and like everything else in it always remain at the corner of your vision. People who lost their shadows follow the symptoms and behaviors listed in this post.

[Elricaltovilla]

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Vylcent

Vylcent looked at the black tentacle mass and glared at it."Brother, see to the Gjul-thing. I will see to those who have been devoured by this city." He then turned to the avatar of the Dream Gate. "I remember you, but I don't have time to chat. Maybe later... He started to glow brightly, almost as brightly as his sun.

In a green flash he and all the captives still alive inside the god-city Arlom were teleported to the Starseeker.

Vylcent looked around the colossal interior and sized himself up so he could properly walk along the halls. "Hello? Acantheis? Mind if I dump some mortals in your thing for a while? It's the first place I thought of."

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9 AP
3 AP Exalt: Teleport all living captives of the devourer-city to the Starseeker
6 AP

@Elricaltovilla: I do have a plan for getting at least the humans home, fyi.

Acantheis was hard at work on something in the middle of the glass dome at the top of the Starseeker. What? Ummm, huh. Yeah, go ahead put them in dock port V-1. What are mortals again? No matter, busy busy!

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Iiross'Bok, the Starseeker

Iiross'Bok, one moment wandering aimlessly, sensing the vague presence of at least seven other Vahnatai, and many other strange lifeforms. He stumbled around, blinded by the light within the Starseeker. Several other Vahnatai had appeared with him, and all of them were on the floor, cringing in pain as the starlight from the windows burnt their retinas. "TURN IT OFF! TURN IT OFF!" screamed Iiross'Bok telepathically, shielding his eyes.

The lights above the Vahnatai and the windows of the Dock port dimmed, leaving the interior in a quiet, pale blue glow. But that was soon replaced by a harsh Indigo light.

Who keeps yelling to turn off the Lights! How am I supposed to recreate photogenesis in silicate viral DNA structures without Light? A towering Amethyst figure, the light refracting brilliantly through his structure, stepped into the docking port. Oh, its you all... Can you please not mess with my experiments? If you don't like light, that's fine and all. There's some boxes over there that you can hide in or something I think.

Acantheis took a closer look at the beings inside Starseeker. You all seem a little off. Kind of like you're... Acantheis reached down and picked up one of the Quartzians. Slowly the crystalline being was absorbed into his body, it may have been screaming, but none besides the other Quartzians would know and they did not react. Ah, yes I see... Ok, well you should all be safe here for now. Starseeker, Mark any door that becomes possessed by Arlom, and don't let them enter it. I'll go talk to him and ask nicely if he'll consider giving those back. There was a sudden shattering of glass and trillions of amethyst crystals fell to the floor.

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For the record, Acantheis ate one of his Quartzians to gain what knowledge it had gathered. Whichever Quartzian that was is now dead.

Arlom, The Living City

The tinkling of glass could be heard, almost as if a shattered mirror had been played backwards. Standing in the streets of the city-god stood Acantheis looking around curiously.

Hello? Arlom, can I talk to you? I know we haven't met yet but your actions have caused me no small amount of grief. I'd appreciate a little consideration on your part. Maybe someone who can speak on your behalf?

[Lady Serpentine]

The Weeping Girl took her sister's hand, a smile on her face as she did, though the action drove the thorns twined between her fingers deep into her flesh, for that would make it easier to do what she must next...

With her free hand, she plucked a long, hollow, thorn from one of the many vines encircling her, and drove it deep into her heart, and her spark, letting blood and power flow freely, and then, when there was finally enough, pulled it free, casting it into the center of the pool before them.

"From our shared blood, spilt that they might be free, and wreak vengeance on those who would seek to chain them, let the Steelthorns share a common heart as well, though their forms are as different as our own!"

With that proclamation, the first, those made by Xia, grew thin, needle-pointed spines, protecting them from the attacks of beasts, and strong enough to pierce the armor of any of the more civilized races who might try to harm them.

But that, of course, was not all; to make such a minor change, she would have barely needed the blood shed from her hand when her sister took it, nor was there yet the second form she had spoken of, which began to coalesce from the formless pool even as the original Steelthorns shifted, growing into humanoid beings of thornwood, sapient and powered by the sparks that Alynaia and Xia had planted in their hearts.

And, finally, the last change took effect; as the last of them were completed, Alynaia reached within both kinds, granting them the power to sense emotional pain in others, and spark or remove it.

That done, she turned her attention to the Halycon, forming strange things upon the hull, melded into the Divine Energy Reactors at its heart, and the hull itself, for the ship as it was was, save for what was needed to maintain it by the crew, and parts that must be separate for it to function, all one piece, and she would not mar its structure if she could avoid it.

Next came a pair of intricately entwined spirals, with two more weaving through them from the sides, all covered in thorns, so that they seemed to be great vines, like those The Evertormented wore, but on a massive scale, and made of bright metal, deep in the heart of the ship; this too was melded with the Halcyon, for it would need power at least as great as that used by the Starlances.

Then, she moved to another section of the Halcyon, filling a complex of rooms far within it with a maddeningly complex tangle of metal, much like the Briarheart in some ways, though not necessarily symmetrical, or simply formed from spirals, though those were certainly present.

Finally, or so she thought, she created intricate clockwork craft, armed with railguns and lasers, large enough to hold a single Steelthorn, and made to ride on the solar wind.

But, as it turned out, that was not quite all. The fabric of reality was still weak, and Ideas formed readily; near Xia and The Maiden of Suffering, the latent spark of one had been brought to life, by both their goals and the massive expenditure of power on both their parts, and now struggled to come into the world, so she reached out and slit the barrier, letting their daughter through to balance the world.

"Greetings to you, our daughter... And does all I have done please you, deirfiúr ionúin?"

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15 + 4 = 19

Starting AP: 19

Create Legendary Life - Steelthorns (-2): My side of Xia and Alynaia's joint race.

Create Artifact - The Starlances (-3): Various laser weaponry, hooked into the Divine Energy Reactors. Right now they only provide bonuses to combat with mortal/demigod foes, but should the Halcyon enter combat with a deity after they've been infused, they'll be capable of providing an extra D6 to Attack.

Create Artifact - The Briarheart (-3): Shields for the ship, also hooked into the DERs. At the moment, again, they only provide bonuses to combat with mortals, but once infused, they'll provide an extra D6 to defense.

The exact nature of the shields is not currently known to the Steelthorns, or anyone but Alynaia and Xia, for that matter, but they absorb or deflect most things that attempt to damage the Halcyon, and may cause pain and/or harm to the person/creature/machine responsible for the attack.

Create Artifact - The Planar Jump Drive (-3): Exactly what it sounds like, the PJD lets the Halcyon hop between planes without divine intervention. It adds only to mortal combat at the moment, in the form of letting them get away from pretty much anything, but once it's infused, it adds an extra D6 to defense, to reflect their increased mobility.

Create Advanced Concept - Clockcraft (-2): Clockwork vehicles for traversing the Void, capable of riding the solar wind.

Create Advanced Concept - Railguns (-2): While not really practical on a personal or vehicular scale with current power sources, electromagnetic mass accelerators are most definitely modern tech except for that, making them advanced.

Create Advanced Concept - Lasers (-2): More powerful than anything it would be feasible for modern humans to make, due to the way they're powered, but, as above, still modern tech with the exception of using Divine Energy Reactors, and thus advanced.

19 - 17 = 2

2 AP

[Elemental]

The Perhaps Velharan Shall Devote His Existence to the Study of the Mind?

The potential for wisdom and knowledge is within all. It is not important what questions are asked or who they are asked of.
It is important only that they asked. The Light shall guide them toward understanding.
He turned from the Insanity Devourer and returned to the Land That is to be Named.

[Promise]

Deep in The Endless Forest

Silence.. It is all there is. Yet it was the loudest, greatest thing there. The sound of nothing is so liberating, yet crushing. The lord of bloodlust looked up and breathed out.

"No". With the utterance of that single word, the silence died. The beasts around him continued their savage, no doubt short lives. He felt the anger, the adrenaline they felt as they tore their prey or rivals apart. It was.. Delicious. Yet.. It was frustrating. Why should they, these mortal beasts, be allowed such fun, while he, Moglin, sat back and watched? No.. Moglin would have to participate.

Looking down to his limbs, he saw his design was flawed. He had no great claws to slice away at his prey, no massive teeth to tear chunks from their flesh. He cast his misty gaze to his armored, empty hand, flexing it. He needed.. A weapon.

Moglin reached down and lifted a great rock from the floor, squeezing it tightly with his right hand, he punched it with his left, allowing his divine essence to flow into it as it shattered, leaving behind a charcoal-black axe.

"It begins.." And so it did. Within almost no time at all (in god terms, anyways) hundreds of the areas beasts were either dead or injured. A part of his fathers mentality had seeped into Moglin.. He may not be the Alpha. But he was damned close.

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15 Ap start.
-4 Ap for Create Relic-Axe of the Bonelord. A single handed axe which appears to be made of black metal. It's wielder may add 1d6 to his or her attack role.

[Maugan Ra]

Arathor had to admit, he'd enjoyed his first encounter with a fellow deity. Never before had anything dared to oppose him, let alone on a level of comparable power. It was fascinating. And he could feel the presence of others out there, now that he knew what scent a deity left. He wondered what they'd be like...

Well, why not go and find out? The Hunter God looked up the sky overhead, and saw the other world floating in the void. Wrought by gods, and as yet untouched by either himself or the Frost King. A clear sign of deific involvement. With a single bound, he crossed the distances between them...

The Land that has yet to be Named

...and arrived, falling from the sky like a blood-streaked meteorite that touched down as gently as a shadow. With a smile, he lifted his snout into the air and sniffed, seeking out the god-scent that he'd detected previously. Ah, there it was.

He approached the source carefully, unsure of what exactly it was and wary in the way of all predators confronted with the unknown. It was... bright, and that surprised him. And there was something of the mortal in it, or perhaps some of it in the mortal. Strange.

"Are you the ruler here?" he said, voice a low snarl.

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And yes, it's Velharan. Let's see how the Chaotic Evil god of savagery deals with first impressions...

[Draken]

Arlom, The Vast Gate

Ing'dras watched silently as the suns left the city, what a pity.

But he felt new lands appear, and thus turned to himself and spurned his mount onwards.

Halcyon

But let it not be said that Ing'dras does not learn. The reaction of the solar gods teached him much, indeed. So when the silver sand blew in the Halcyon, it did so besides its sister creators, announcing to the goddesses the aproach of the Traveler King, moments before the distinctive galop of his mount announced his arrival.

"You have made this place as distant as my brother is terrible, divines. Such a long trip as to be impossible to all but the gods. Is such isolation wise?"

There is an air to his volume that might indicate Ing'dras is musing out loud, but not very loud. Perhaps in all his wanderings he just forgot how fast it is to travel through himself.

"Greetings, I am Ing'dras. I tread the worlds to connect the disparate, and bring all things closer. Such is my purpose. It has come to my attention that the gods are jealous and capricious about their works, making it best to meet with them before pursuing my pass."

Well, that is horribly blunt. His tone is quite mild, however.

"To whom might I honor this sojourn?"

Ing'dras' mount whines, feeling the air with its serpentine tongues.

[bryn0528]

Within the roots of the first continent.
Deep dark within the shadows where no mortal child even dared to see, the god appeared. Black flesh against black shadows, outlines of bone catching every remaining drop of light--which was scant. This god, the Marquis, spread his hand to the people who lived beneath the earth, the Vahnatai.
TAB Fungus and mold did grow, staining the pallor of the psions with grisly yellows and ochers. Another had given them surgery, he saw as much the scars left behind from previously fatal wounds, and eager to test their new abilities, he had given them disease.
TAB And so it came in the form of spores released by the very plants Vahnatai cultivated. Unknowable at first, but when fibrous tissues began to cultivate on the bodies, they realised. A cough and a fever, it started simple enough. Soon, psionic powers began to falter in the delusions of heat. Violent shakes took the bodies in the end, releasing clouds of new spores. Plague was upon those who dwelt beneath the earth.

On the edge of the second continent.
A well known fact; where the light shines brightest, the darkness lingers deepest. The Marquis laughed a merry tune to himself. When the masters were out on business, the dogs did play. Herbs of all variety began to grow across the landscape. And with presence came knowledge, mainly in the form of curious humans.
TAB After the first few bodies were found laying in open fields, followed by those witnessed as being struck with sickness, a connection was made between the plants and horrible, excruciating death. Being the kind and loving soul he embodied, the Marquis made sure the knowledge spread... and that for all the sunlight trapped inside a mortal body, there was darkness too.
TAB Plague was upon the humans now, but not in the form of disease or sickness. This time it came in the form of desire; raw, ruthless conquest for power. And to obtain this power, any measure of ability would be called upon. Even the cruelest of warfare.
TAB And the Marquis came to each with such desire in his heart, and he called him to his own cause. And so they gathered, and waited in the darkness.

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The Marquis' AP = 11. (12) + (4, Refresh; 29.09.2012) - (3, Scourge, Vahnatai; Deathmold) - (2, Form Order; The Skulls).

The Skulls are the Marquis' new, secret society. They make use of herbal poisons.

[mystic1110]

Halcyon

Ing'dras felt a slight tug on his perceptions, as if gravity bleed into the nearest door signifying to him and him alone that Arlom was also interested in these goddesses reactions. It's hard to say what Arlom felt towards his brother. He certainly liked his architecture, and the fact that possibly only Ing'dras understood him. He liked the roads, the tendrils and arteries of the city. Perhaps Arlom simply liked the fact that Ing'dras choose to keep him company.

Lost in the City, Acantheis

While Acantheis wandered the city, hoping to find someone to talk to him, the Walls subtly rearranged themselves to lead the God to a magnificent building, columns and black marble, great wooden doors. As Acantheis approached pleading for communication, a thought might occur to him, perhaps this is how the City communicates. Of course this would be wrong... well not quite. This is only one way for the city to communicate. Anyway the building beckoned to Acantheis. Inside he would find yet another maze of passages where thousands and thousands of books are kept. It was a library. The god might have picked up a book of the shelf, any book. The books were brand new, no creases on their spine, no cracked covered. These were no tomes or scrolls of eldritch horror... they were library books. And they were all blank, except for the rare occasional scribble of "Food at the Fountain", "Beware the Mayor", and "Home." A rarer one was "Play with No Shadows." In the gloom of the library the god might notice that some shadows formed without anything to cast them.

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Sorry for the godmodding.... I simply changed your surroundings - your feelings, sanity and actions are your own

The Denizens of the City

The Doors of Arlom were still in every city. One or two people from each of the major cities disappeared a year. The disappearances weren't note worthy, the local authorities simply assumed the person had fled or that they were investigating an unresolvable murder. Usually it was people from the outskirts of society, people hardly missed. Homeless, drunks, orphans. People who wandered in the unexplored alleyways of the city. Those to whom the city was "Home." And Arlom welcomed them in.

Once inside the people wandered around the city, getting more and more frantic as they saw the graffiti and sensed each other throughout the corner of their eyes. A new graffiti appeared on the walls "Play with No Shadows." Newcomers to the city could only be confused. Strangely after hours of running around the city in panic, most people would just give up, sit on some marbled porch and watch the empty street and the trees slowly blowing in the wind. That's when the shadow plays begin.

It would start as a shadow on a wall. A newcomer would simply sit and watch and wonder what was casting the shadow... eventually the shadow would begin to move. A shadow play. The shadow would dance, and juggle, change into birds and fly away always staying on the second dimension. It was a show, and eventually the tension of the city would melt away for a brief moment. The newcomer would lower her guard. Then the shadows would touch.

The Denizens manifest in a number of different ways. Sometimes only the voices that whisper at the back of your mind, but other manifestations include shadows that move separately from your own, possessing and manipulating your shadow to move independently, or even as moving pictures within a bloodstained book of fairy tales.

Either way once they touch you you are part of the shadow play. They are meticulous, they are dangerous, and they are demanding. Their games are paramount, and god forbid you deny them or disobey an order. They take body parts, organs, sanity, blood and pain as their "punishments," all they have to do is take the associated shadow. You can't have a person with two arms cast a shadow with only one arm, obviously one arm must cease to exist. Their games can last entire lifetimes or mere moments, and many good men have gone mad from the psychological torture they dole out.

Either way the inhabitants of the city, those who are not Denizens usually survive the first Shadow Play. Usually it's no more than a forced waltz. They learn to "Play with No Shadows."

The worst part is the Denizens are under no command of Arlom's. None. They are the shadows, the darkness of each mortal. Thus when a person becomes involved in a shadow play, they must understand - this is not a god's doing, they suffer through mortal hands.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Urodlivv, Kor Tier

"Of course, of course. Recently I was on the edges of the city and I fell from a precipice and... I was unable to keep myself from striking the bottom. When I was lying there, a being came to me. It was hugely tall with the features of an insect. It cut me open with a power unknown to me, and long blades it had attached to its back, but it did not kill me. I do know exactly what it did, half because of the pain I felt, and half because I could not fully fathom what it was attempting, but after some time I felt the pain in some of my insides and my bones recede, and eventually he sealed me up with a burning energy, and I was made near whole again, and after that I healed almost as if it had never happened. I have tried to do similar things on animals I have encountered in my travels outside the city that I and other Kor have killed. I am slowly learning about their internal systems, and how to elicit certain results, and what kills them better."

Ensirex, The Three Suns

Ensirex wandered far from his original place of learning, in his search for knowledge of the mortal spirits. Before long, he sensed something very similar to their power in the three large burning stars that lay at the center of the various land masses. Curious, Ensirex moved closer and made a silent call to the gods who had made them, his power reaching out to the divine sparks which hummed in tune with the plains.

[Elricaltovilla]

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Lost in the City, Acantheis

While Acantheis wandered the city, hoping to find someone to talk to him, the Walls subtly rearranged themselves to lead the God to a magnificent building, columns and black marble, great wooden doors. As Acantheis approached pleading for communication, a thought might occur to him, perhaps this is how the City communicates. Of course this would be wrong... well not quite. This is only one way for the city to communicate. Anyway the building beckoned to Acantheis. Inside he would find yet another maze of passages where thousands and thousands of books are kept. It was a library. The god might have picked up a book of the shelf, any book. The books were brand new, no creases on their spine, no cracked covered. These were no tomes or scrolls of eldritch horror... they were library books. And they were all blank, except for the rare occasional scribble of "Food at the Fountain", "Beware the Mayor", and "Home." A rarer one was "Play with No Shadows." In the gloom of the library the god might notice that some shadows formed without anything to cast them.

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Sorry for the godmodding.... I simply changed your surroundings - your feelings, sanity and actions are your own

The Denizens of the City

The Doors of Arlom were still in every city. One or two people from each of the major cities disappeared a year. The disappearances weren't note worthy, the local authorities simply assumed the person had fled or that they were investigating an unresolvable murder. Usually it was people from the outskirts of society, people hardly missed. Homeless, drunks, orphans. People who wandered in the unexplored alleyways of the city. Those to whom the city was "Home." And Arlom welcomed them in.

Once inside the people wandered around the city, getting more and more frantic as they saw the graffiti and sensed each other throughout the corner of their eyes. A new graffiti appeared on the walls "Play with No Shadows." Newcomers to the city could only be confused. Strangely after hours of running around the city in panic, most people would just give up, sit on some marbled porch and watch the empty street and the trees slowly blowing in the wind. That's when the shadow plays begin.

It would start as a shadow on a wall. A newcomer would simply sit and watch and wonder what was casting the shadow... eventually the shadow would begin to move. A shadow play. The shadow would dance, and juggle, change into birds and fly away always staying on the second dimension. It was a show, and eventually the tension of the city would melt away for a brief moment. The newcomer would lower her guard. Then the shadows would touch.

The Denizens manifest in a number of different ways. Sometimes only the voices that whisper at the back of your mind, but other manifestations include shadows that move separately from your own, possessing and manipulating your shadow to move independently, or even as moving pictures within a bloodstained book of fairy tales.

Either way once they touch you you are part of the shadow play. They are meticulous, they are dangerous, and they are demanding. Their games are paramount, and god forbid you deny them or disobey an order. They take body parts, organs, sanity, blood and pain as their "punishments," all they have to do is take the associated shadow. You can't have a person with two arms cast a shadow with only one arm, obviously one arm must cease to exist. Their games can last entire lifetimes or mere moments, and many good men have gone mad from the psychological torture they dole out.

Either way the inhabitants of the city, those who are not Denizens usually survive the first Shadow Play. Usually it's no more than a forced waltz. They learn to "Play with No Shadows."

The worst part is the Denizens are under no command of Arlom's. None. They are the shadows, the darkness of each mortal. Thus when a person becomes involved in a shadow play, they must understand - this is not a god's doing, they suffer through mortal hands.

While searching the library of sadly blank books, Acantheis caught vision of a shadow on the wall. It danced a little, on strings made of nothing, putting on a puppet show. It showed a story of a Quartzian arriving to the city, lost and alone. There were no others present, until one shining light arrived, putting the shadow into stark black contrast and suddenly the shadow split. But only for a moment, then the second being was gone. And the shadow was alone.

Acantheis applauded lightly at the end of the show, and the shadow reached out towards him with long, seeking fingers. They grasped hold of Acantheis's shadow and pulled with all their might.

Just stop it. You'll only hurt yourself. Acantheis said to the struggling shadow. And the Denizen was sucked inside his crystal form. Alright, Arlom. I get that you can't speak to me directly and stuff. That's fine. But I'd still appreciate at least an apology of some sort for taking my creations without asking, keeping them trapped and distressed within you, causing my research to be halted because they were left on my doorstep after being rescued, and stealing their shadows when they try to leave. That's very rude of you, you know.

Unless you don't know that, in which case I'm telling you now so you should still apologize. I'd appreciate the return of the shadows to the mortals on my ship. They weren't yours to take in the first place, and as such I thought I'd ask nicely before resorting to less pleasant means. I don't see much purpose in fighting with another god. Especially with one who's architecture is as fascinating as yours.

[mystic1110]

City-Wide Educational Initiatives

The library's book shelves were made of rich mahogany, deep tones of brown pervaded the area. As light shone in clear lines from the stained glass windows, the libraries inside was colored blue, green, red and a pleasing mustard. The particles of dust were clearly visible from the light of the triple suns. The books Acantheis had picked up and placed down on the long sturdy tables were all open to blank pages... the familiar graffiti vanished, ever since he blinked. Suddenly the shadows creep up the table legs and underneath the shadows the books cast, and the books picked themselves up and flew back into their proper locations on the book shelves.

Denizens detest change. They often engage in poltergeist-esque activities, such as moving furniture around to minimize the changes in an environment, their primarily function within the city is to clean up the graffiti copied over and over by those trapped in the city, the space between the tick and the tock.

Suddenly the door of the library opened and a Human man stumbled in... the light of the city outside shone through as he entered and it was immediately apparent that he had no shadow. The man looked disheveled as many shadowless mortals are wont to look, his arms obviously scratched beyond mere impulse, his left eye twitchy. He looked around the library and spied Acantheis. On seeing the god, and not knowing who the god was he exclaimed in a high pitched and nervous twitter: "My lord! Get away from the shadows!" He ran up to the god and literally pulled him by the arm into one of the long corridors of the library. Without pause he asked "Where's the librarian, I want it back!"

[Darklady2831]

Gjol Maduur

He Who Walks in Madness drifted down from the skies above Arlom, sinking into the ground. He sunk down below the earth, deep into the underdark, back into the Pillar of Nightmares. There, he began to slumber, regaining his strength. His mind seeped outwards, dreaming of things that could have been.

Urodlivv, Kor Tier

Rentar listened to Vahess, then nodded. "I see..." she thought, then she motioned to one of the Bok behind her, who reached into his cloak and retrieved a bright green Vahnatai garment, the typical dress for the Bok Caste. "Then we of the Council hereby grant you the title of Vahess'Bok. We trust that you will continue to improve your art, and teach it to those who show interest in learning it.

[Gotham]

The Second Continent

Bharus, in his godlike guise, altered only by forcing his lower body into a set of legs, strode across the new continent. He was weary, and longed to rest for a while, but after a time of feasting and reveling with the Dwarves and the Giants, he wanted to see this new continent.

He was satisfied taht the Chaos was at bay, for now. Now was the time to seek out the Law and the Righteous.

The Coast Formerly Known as Veta

Bharus stood, his icy beard sweating in the coastal wind, and stared up at the suns. There had been a radiance of power, it had been unmissable. It had radiated from the sun and struck...here?

Bharus looked around. There was nothing here. Just open sea.

Sea. What in creation was a sea, and why did that name seem right?

He looked down at the platform of ice that had sprung around his feet, allowing him to stand at sea.

He turned, and strode back to land.

The First Human he Saw

The next creature that looked intelligent was...taller than the Dwarves. Shorter than the giants. Slimmer than the mountainfolk, Weaker than the Frostchildren. Odd.

"You! Mortal! What are you? How do you come to be? What was that blinding light? Where are your cities? Answer me!"

[Promise]

Deep in The Endless Forest

The fighting was glorious, the pure savagery and adrenaline made the young god of blood lust feel infinitely powerful. The beasts came at him, one by one or in small groups. It did not matter either way. He was a god, they were mortal. They could bite him, yes, but only because he allowed it. Feel their sting? He did.

Moglin swung his axe left, right, hither wither. Yet he was bored. These creatures, though they provided sport, were not enough. They did not get truly "angry" at losing their comrades. They did not.. Think hard enough, he supposed would be a way of putting. Nay, the god of bloodlust required more.. Sustenance.

It was with this thought that he floated up, above the great forest and, after casting his gaze around for what seemed a long time, drifted towards the first sign of more interesting life he found.. The Maw of Madness.

Giant men of frost and strength. These would be more of a challenge. He hovered above one of their gatherings for a long while, watching silently.

[ChrisClark13]

Vylcent

Vylcent looked around unsure what to do with all the mortals he had just rescued. He assumed Acantheis was off trying to fix the missing shadow situation... maybe he could do something about it on his own? He changed his form to that of a supersized human with fair skin, brilliant green eyes, and emerald colored hair. He wore some simple, but nice looking human clothing as he walked around the ship, looking for something he could use. "Be right back."

After a while he found a hunk of raw crystal lying in a storage box and tested it's weight in his hand. His handed burned with green light as his crushed the crystal into many smaller fragments as he warped outside of the ship. He stood in the air above Arlom and flung the 169 green crystals, now each the size of half a human, into the city. Each formed into randomly artful shapes as to appeal to the god-city. "A gift for you Arlom."

Vylcent then blinked.

He was still floating above the city in much the same spot, but the crystals he had made had all been rearranged by the god-city's innate, subconscious magic. Some sat in shop windows, others on the top of fountains. The Denziens that encountered the crystals reacted to this new change by rushing at the crystals and trying to attack them. Vylcent smirked. Each Denzien that touched a crystal would be sucked inside... then the shadow would be returned to it's rightful owner who wherever they are and the owner would be cured of their "Arlom-maddness."

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6 AP
5 AP: Counter-Scourge
Crystals of Vylcent
Any Denzien that touches or tries to interact with a Crystal of Vylcent is sucked inside and the shadow is instantly returned to its rightful owner. Any mortal who has their shadow restored stops suffering from "Arlom-madness."
The crystals are formed into artful shapes as to appeal to the god-city's subconscious aesthetic mind.
1 AP

[Elricaltovilla]

A Shadow Filled Library

The strange, carbon based life form pushed Acantheis into a corner full of old bookshelves.

There's really nothing the shadows can do to me. I am a god after all. Or something like that anyway. I suppose I could help you reattach your own shadow, but I'm not sure you'd survive the process... carbon based structures are so fragile.

I am Acantheis, mortal. Lord of Inquisitiveness, invention, magic and experimentation. You would be?

[Maugan Ra]

The Endless Forest

Naturally, the Lord of Beasts could not leave his territory entirely abandoned. To do so would be to render it vulnerable to other predators taking over, and the fact that there were none here mighty enough to try mattered little to a creature of instinct. So even as he trod on the ground of the second continent, a shard of his being remained behind, prowling through the woods.

After a time, he found in his woods a cave, dark and ominous. And in the back of that cave there was a passage, leading down into the depths of the underworld. It was menacing and fearful, but the Hunter could show no terror at even the mightiest foe, and so he entered cautiously, sniffing the air. And on the stagnant breeze, he detected the trace of another god. Interesting.

Curious, he advanced into the depths, the sounds of his breathing and muted snarls echoing weirdly in the dark caves.

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Yes, he's seeking out Gjol Maduur. Might as well meet the neighbors. And you can almost certainly tell he's coming.

[mystic1110]

Souvenirs in the City

The Crystals of Vylcent arrived in Arlom as kicker knacks, trinkets, figureheads and other small objects. They were tacky and touristy, almost as if Arlom wanted people to pick them up. One of them appeared as a Garden Gnome on a lawn of a house in Arlom's suburban section. Another was a doll of a cat found in a Arlom's downtown. Other crystals took the form of small antennas unseen among the skyscrapers, others were more accessible - green statues of shy peeing cherubs placed over the empty fountains of the empty city.

The Denizens detested change. Something about being trapped in an ever shifting maze of boulevards and alleys tended to make the shadows wish for regularity and normalcy - of any type. The Denizens at first tried to entice the trinkets, others reach out greedily and were sucked in a silent bone chilling shriek. Silent yet the vibration of the shadow upon the cement would make a wanderer in Arlom vomit in sudden nausea. Eventually after most of the shadows had vanished, the few that remained... the hardiest Denizens. The shadows of those most closely driven to insanity, the shadows of those that truly did not mind being in the city - the homeless and forgotten, the shadows of those who did not want to go home or who believed the graffiti of "Home" referred to the city itself. The people who thought of Arlom when they wrote those words on the wall with blood and nail - "Home." Those shadows.... they began to patrol the known green crystals. Mortals knew not what the green statues and trinkets meant - they only knew that wherever the souvenirs where there were Denizens. The Graffiti of the streets frantically began to repeat to the mortals "Play with No Shadows," never suspecting that those despised souvenirs where their tickets home.

City-Wide Educational Initiatives

The slightly crazed man looked at the God with his twitchy incredulous eyes, and slapped him. "Stop it. This is no time to go crazy. You know what happened to the last one who started saying he was a god here? Huh? Do you!" after a brief moment in which the man picked up one of those blank books and threw it out into the light he looked back at the god. He spoke in a nervous quick talk that made it sound like he couldn't stop if he wanted to "Wait... no you're new right? Great isn't it? Really fantastic? This is my second time back. Your in the library, you didn't meet the librarian yet did you? No you wouldn't be acting like this if you did... anyway we have to go! NOW! Follow me!" With that the man took off down the stacks of books, expecting the god to follow....

[Snowfire]

Xia looked over to her sister, nodded once at the Halcyon, and squeezed her hand - releasing a spark of divine energy across their link. Then she turned back to the newcomers.

"Ing'dras, welcome. My name is Xia. And this is my sister, Alynaia." She gestures at the Halcyon. "And this is no isolation, my dear. That home can move itself through the planes as easily as we ourselves can. This is simply it's current resting place." She smiled.

"So you see, your offer of connection is - whilst appreciated - not required. By us, at least. But we are not the ones that you need ask." A single Steelthorn had remained outside the ship, secure in the area around the Sister's who had created them all, and Xia gestured at the mortal.

"Ask him. Ask those of this ship if they wish to be a part of your roads. It is their choice. Not mine."

[Draken]

Halcyon, Ing'dras

Peculiar, but more than anyone, Ing'dras knows that gods are eccentric sorts, he sees no issue in adressing Xia through a creation. The helmeted god turned to face the Steelthorn.

"Your lady put it slightly wrong. I do not wish to make you part of my roads. That would be violent and needless. And I do not think you would make good cobblestones."

Some roadside humour.

"I do wish to walk your halls and leave trails for you to use, and to find places where it will be good for you to settle. I will warn that the dead ends I find shall cease to be so, for I will leave my gateways behind."

Ing'dras mount stamps its hooves a few times.

"And my brother Arlom wishes to build you cities. His architecture is exquisite and his municipal planning is without equal, you have no reason to decline."

[Snowfire]

The Steelthorn tilted its head to one side at Ing'dras' requests. Then there came laughter. Gentle, quiet laughter.

"Ing'Dras, we appreciate your offer. Truly, we do. But," the being shook its head, "we have no need of such trails. Nor Gates." It - for it had no clear gender - indicated the huge ship behind it. "The Halcyon is our home, and we know it as if we had built it ourselves. Your trails would be more like to add clutter than to aid." It continued bluntly.

"More than that, this ship has a purpose. And whilst we will accept the aid of our mother-sisters in its construction - and even accept them aboard - we do not know you. Nor your brother." It shrugged. "And until we do, until we know you, our home will remain pristine."

[Elricaltovilla]

City-Wide Educational Initiatives

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The slightly crazed man looked at the God with his twitchy incredulous eyes, and slapped him. "Stop it. This is no time to go crazy. You know what happened to the last one who started saying he was a god here? Huh? Do you!" after a brief moment in which the man picked up one of those blank books and threw it out into the light he looked back at the god. He spoke in a nervous quick talk that made it sound like he couldn't stop if he wanted to "Wait... no you're new right? Great isn't it? Really fantastic? This is my second time back. Your in the library, you didn't meet the librarian yet did you? No you wouldn't be acting like this if you did... anyway we have to go! NOW! Follow me!" With that the man took off down the stacks of books, expecting the god to follow....

An unseen force reached out and grasped hold of the fleeing human. There was a snap and a sudden pop and the human was flung backwards and into the hand of the Amethyst god. A second crystal hand reached out and smacked him heavily across the face.

I don't know if your race possesses a natural prediliction towards irrational behavior, but I assure you it is not something I tolerate easily. I AM indeed a god, of that I assure you. Now, you will calm down, and you will explain to me, slowly what the nature of the Librarian is and whether or not communicating with it will allow me to speak with the God-City Arlom. Are. We. CLEAR?

[Elemental]

The Land That is yet to be Named - Umm... Suggestions anyone?

Velharan was walking among a grove of trees when Arathor arrived. The sudden presence of the Bestial Lord of Nature surprised him a bit, but he did not show it.
No. I am not the ruler here. I am a guide and a teacher.
Truer words may have been spoken elsewhere, but what can be truer than the truth?


A Silent Call

It reached Velharan, but he considered it rude to answer a long distance communication when talking to someone else face to face.


The First Human to Meet Bharus

Naturally, the mortal was rather shocked by the new god that had appeared and made such demands. But it would be no use trying to resist as the deity looked angry and would likely destroy him.
"I am a human. We came to be when the Lords of Light created us. The light was the radiance of the Suns erasing the poisoned city of Veta from our world. The holy city of Ciarathra stands down near the sea to the West. You'll know it by its white stone."

[Draken]

Ing'dras' mount licks the air a few times, while its rider thinks silently.

"I have miscalculated this place then. It never occurred to me that a deity might make something standing free in the void and that it might not be a world. But a city and a vessel."

His business done with the steelthorn, Ing'dras turns once more to the sister goddesses.

"I invite you both to visit Arlom any time. It is but a step back and through me when you desire to do so."

[Snowfire]

Steelthorn

The Steelthorn chuckles.

"Our creation is different to most others. But that is a tale for another time." It shakes its head. "Regardless, we will remember your actions here today. They speak in your favour." The Steelthorn then turned and re-entered the ship-home.

Xia

Xia nods to Ing'dras, the simple gesture acknowledging both his actions and words.

"Mayhap we will, someday." She replies. "But for now there are other things to do. We will remember as our sibling-childer shall. And we will see you again, someday." She nodded at Alynaia. "If you will, sister of mine?"

[Maugan Ra]

Arathor looked somewhat confused by the reply (it's amazing how much expression a god can squeeze out of a canine face when he wants to).

"Guide? But there is no wilderness here. And what do you teach?"

[Draken]

Ing'dras, Halcyon

The Traveler King turns his mount around, riding off into the void.

For the briefest of moments, The Vast Gate opens before the Halcyon, and then disappears as Ing'dras rides off through himself.

[Elemental]

A Discussion of Metaphors

There are many kinds of wilderness to become lost in. Not all are so tangible and readily apparent. And I teach many things. Things to lighten the difficulties of life and to bring joy. But most of all, I teach understanding.
Velharan continued walking among the trees down toward the ocean. He stopped and picked a small orange flower.
This isn't from around here... At least, not that I remember.
He held it to his nose to catch its scent.
It's quite poisonous too. Hmm... If diluted with ethyl alcohol, it could function as a heart medicine...

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He's just noticing the herbs. He'll also discover spices and plant dyes eventually.