Lords of Creation: Omnigenesis [IC]

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Urodlivv, Death

Ensirex did not bother responding to the other god. It was possible he accepted the other gods permission and did saw no point in answering it. It was also possible he had not seen the need for the other gods permission, and so largely ignored it. Anything was possible.

Being done with his experimentation on the first Mortal death, Ensirex cataloged the knowledge he had gained in his mind and retreated into the dark, to emerge into the city of the Vanhatai. Now he felt something odd. It was like the divine spark of the gods, alongside the buzz of conscious minds attending their various tasks.

Perhaps his wish would come true sooner than he had perceived. And indeed, an opportunity presented itself nicely. Another Vanhatai by the name of Vahess had stumbled dangerously over an unseen precipice on the far edge of the city. His body lay broken at the bottom, his life bleeding from him, and so Death came.

Ensirex leaned over the creature. He was not interested in its death yet. Currently, he was interested in investigating the strange spark it now bore within it. Laying the creature down on a conjured slab of stone, perfectly even, Ensirex used his divine abilities, as well as his sickle arms, to begin cutting neatly into the creature, his hands darting into his body and organs, sealing and cutting away at tissue, masterfully stemming the tide of blood and setting broken bones internally.

As he saw to the beings wounds which surely would have been fatal, he also searched within the creature for anything he could glean about its newfound spirit. He found it maddeningly elusive, though he learned a great deal about the internal workings of the Vanhatai. Eventually, he concluded that such a cursory analysis was unlikely to yield results.

He would need a more robust specimen. This concluded, he sealed and cauterized the incisions he had made, until almost impossibly thin scars were all that remained of his work. All that he had done was perhaps only possible with his divine abilities, but many Vanhatai had gathered, and in time they might replicate the techniques he had used, if they understood them.

As for the subject of this study, Vahess began to slowly rise from the slab. The agony had been maddening, and the sight of the strange insect-deity working on his inner organs, dainty carapaced hands plunged wrist deep in his blood and guts had been surreal even for a denizen of these caverns. But his eyes had been the widest as Ensirex rooted about his torso and body. His attention most rapt. Ensirex had left a mark upon him in more than one way. The Reaper would surely return someday to continue his research. For is part, Vahess had his own research to conduct. The first true disciple of this craft had been born.

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10AP=15AP-5AP Gain Ability: Mad Scientist -0AP Create Advanced Concept: Surgery. Surgery, the medicinal and scientific art of cutting into a living or dead creature to learn more about it (so dissection is covered under this), or to heal its internal injuries or damage has been created. Although Ensirex's example is quite advanced, what mortal surgeries begin to exist now will be far cruder in nature. (so this isn't like instant modern surgery for them)

[Elricaltovilla]

Inside Starseeker

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Starting AP: 4+4(rollover)
Gain Ability: Source of the Arcane 5 AP
Final AP: 3

Around Acantheis floated many smaller crystal swells. Each one orbited their creator as if fascinated by every facet of his crystalline form. Alright guys. That's enough orbiting practice I think. Its time for you to head out and find a land of your own. Come back and visit anytime.

"We still fear to leave, Father Acantheis. The void is dark and wild, we will not survive without your protection." One of the crystal clouds said.

I mean yeah, It could be dangerous out there, but I'm kind of all over the place right now, see that gassy stuff outside the window? Acantheis gestured to the Aether that now permeated the void. That's me. I guess I'll give you all a little knowledge on how to use that stuff for your own protection. It could be interesting. There was a pulse of light and knowledge of Aether was passed to the Quartzians.

OK, now get out of here and see what's going on in that big, wonderful world outside!

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Starting AP: 3
Create Magical Concept: 1 AP Arcanists- Arcanists are sentient beings with the knowledge of how to manipulate Aether. They are essentially wizards, but only have access to Force based Evocations, Illusions and some long range communication spells. Pretty simple stuff on the surface.
Create Land: 2 AP Geodesia- Geodesia is the "lost homeland" of the Quartzians, Acantheis made it for them but forgot to tell them about it. Its a roughly Texas sized geode/asteroid and a hollow world. The inside is filled with various crystal structures and some mundane silicate lifeforms. it follows an extremely complicated and probably impossible orbital pattern that takes it all over the cosmology of the material plane. The Quartzians will find it soon enough.
Final AP: 0

[Gotham]

Somewhere near the Continent

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5AP+4AP(rollover)=9ap

Bharus noted with mixed feelings the creation of a city in the lands of the Frostgiants. On the one hand, it was a fine example of order and law. On the other, his children had not had to build it themselves. For the moment, Bharus let it pass.

He felt it as his creations were given a spark of divine power in their souls. He was curious, and resolved to find it's source soon.

The Frostking looked out over this continent, lit at times by the three suns, at others drenched in night. He saw wild beasts run through the wood, through the snow, and saw the Dire animals wreaking havoc. He saw a greater challenge to his people, and let it pass. At first.

Frost giant Kingdom

Bjorn clenched his wooden spear tight. The stone tip glinted in the light of the three suns as he leveled it at the enormous, bone-spine-covered creatures in front of him. If it hadn't been so hideous, he would have called it a pack of wolves. But he had seen creatures mutated like this before.

Normally, a dire wolf would be no match for a mighty Giant like Bjorn. But he was weakened by hunger, and injured in a fall. A pack like this could hurt him. The first creature lunged, and Bjorn thrust his spear forward. It was a good strike, piercing the beast in the throat and throwing it to the side. But the spear in his hand snapped under the weight of the beast.

Bjorn cast the broken weapon aside and turned to the rest of the snarling pack.

Bharus

Bharus saw his creation die at the hands of the pack of dire wolves. He was displeased. It was not Bjorn's spirit or drive that had ended him, merely his weapon. The Frost king saw an opportunity. He reached into the mountains. He grabbed hold of a sturdy lump of iron. And from it he forged a dozen creatures, each with the knowledge the giants would need.

Kop'yem Goroda

The gates of Kop'yem Goroda opened for the hooded figures that trudged through the snow. When asked later, the guardsmen on duty would deny having opened the gates themselves, claiming a frosty wind blew the heavy doors open for the clan of figures.

The beings were short, almost comically so to the giants. They looked strange as well. Pink skin, beards of hair instead of ice. The strangeness of them kept the giants away until the proceeding reached the longhouse of the Overjarl, Heimer.

The meeting was short. The short creatures, barely even able to mount the threshold of the door, spoke three sentences, showed the Overjarl three things.

"We are the Dwarves, created by the Frostking Bharus."

First, a weapon. A clear, glittering blue greataxe, forged from a material the Dwarves called "Icestone". The dwarves would go on to show the giants how to extract ice from the land, and to treat it and forge it into weapons and armor.

"We bring you great knowledge, all from his holiness the Order."
Second, a holy symbol. A black stone inside a square of iron.

"As we are all children of him, we wish peace and alliance."
Third, a brand. Each dwarf pulled up their sleeve to show an angular symbol emblazoned on their forearm in the shape of the holy symbol.

Heimer thought, and agreed. The dwarves would stay in Kop'yem Goroda until they had taught the Giants, then would depart to create their own cities.

High above, Bharus grinned and turned his attention to the suns.

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9AP-5=4AP
Create Sentient Life: Dwarves: The Dwarves are a wise, hardy people with a full knowledge of the divinity of Bharus. 2AP
Create Society: Dwarven Clans: The 12 Dwarves form the basis of the clan, which will form cities in the lowlands of the mountains, near the Endless Forest's edge. Their culture embraces the sharing of knowledge, with every dwarf undergoing an apprenticeship at somepoint. History and religion will be heavily valued. They have a standing army/guard corp. 0AP (Mortal Shepard)
Create Advanced Concept: Ice-Smithing: This material is strong as steel, but is forgable out of ice, with the proper training. It may have special properties when magic is introduced.
Create Order: Order of the Black Stone: This order is a religious-military organization that will give rise to Clerics and Paladins (once they get created), all in the Service of Bharus. 1AP (Mortal Shepard)

[Darklady2831]

The Council of Twelve and One

Deep within the Vahnatai City of Urodlivv, the Council of Twelve and One convened. They each sat, cross legged, on a small dais. The One, Rentar'Ihrno, sat directly across from the door into the Council Chamber. She closed her eyes, and began the Telepathic conference.

"The Kor, Vahess has begun practicing an art unknown." Rentar'Irhno thought.
"Shall he be stopped?" thought Kahaev'Ihrno, the sixth member of the Council.
"Sanctioned?"
"Or perhaps encouraged..." chimed in the fifth and fourth members of the Council.
"They have not disrupted the castes with this art."
"But they do not share this art?"
"We have not asked." stated the twelfth council member.
"Then it is decided?"
"Agreed." all the council members thought at once.

Thus, Rentar'Ihrno ended the telepathic conference, and the Irhno stood, leaving the Council Chamber.

Urodlivv, Kor Tier

Rentar'Ihrno, flanked by two Bok, floated to the door of Vahess's dwelling. A psionic knock was made, alerting the Vahnatai surgeon to their presence. "Vahess'Kor, come and converse." Thought Rentar'Ihrno. She was dressed in the typical attire for a Vahnatai, a long, flowing garment, draped over the shoulders to cover both the front and back of the Vahnatai. It was an orange and red striped cloak, as was typical for the Ihrno caste. She also wore a talisman, carved in the likeness of a simple black spiral, her symbol of office and the sigil of Gjol Maduur. In her left hand was a staff of cavewood, topped with a simple crystal, one of the common tools among Vahnatai society, used to store their telepathic information, and replay it when needed.

The Pillar of Madness

Gjol Maduur stirred within his pillar, stretching his tendrils of inky blackness out, into the waters of the Dark Sea. It searched them, probing for a mind to explore. He found nothing, none with the capacity to think dwelled within the caves near him. So he stretched his influence, and at the edge of his reach, he found them. The Frost Giants of Kop'Yem Goroda, they dwelled in the sun and did not feel the fear of Gjol Maduur. Thus, he found the weakest of them, and broke it. He poured his consciousness into the Frost Giant's mind, shattering it's sanity and driving it into a howling rage. The giant grabbed its nearby spear, charging at one of it's kin, screaming of the darkness below.

"Dark, the dark, the deep! Deeper than deep, the nightmare! The walker in madness! He who drives the weak to fear! He is here! He seeks our minds! FLEE!" The giant screamed, stabbing one of the giants near him and dropping his spear. He ran, screaming, and flailing about. Gjol Maduur snickered, retreating from his mind as he felt the sheer terror the giant felt. "Madness will consume you..." His voice echoed through Kop'Yem Goroda, striking fear into the hearts of those who saw the spectacle.

As Gjol Maduur retreated to his Pillar, he realized that he was stronger, he had claimed madness as his own domain.

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1 AP + 5 AP - 3 AP = 3 AP
Gain domain: Madness (Insanity)
-5 AP Gain Ability: Inconceivable
-2 AP Gather Pantheon: The Aberrant Council

[mystic1110]

The City Cometh

The more races, the more minds, and the more they yearn for the city. And the city yearns for them. Within the Quartzian's lost home, Geodesia, huge spires of crystal loomed, illuminated red, white and green. The suns dancing in the sky. The City would be come to known as Zobeide, or the Lost City. She sat, proud within the giant hollow world, exposed to the suns, with streets that wound about themselves as in a skein. The city was built as if it were a fractal, crystals and gems folding into themselves... and it was as empty as Arlom. Inviting and Vast. Alone.

Elsewhere in the darkness of the ground... the roads from Arlom, Kop'yem Goroda, and even the far reaches of Urodlivyy... they interconnect for roads are just the tendrils of the city... asking, pleading for people to explore and visit. And these roads reach to the Dwarves. And slowly so very slowly yet another city began to build itself. Sheets of metal and obsidian. Black as night. Torches lit the facades an eerie red as if it were a gigantic hearth. It was an industrial beauty. Full of alleys and walkways, efficient and made for a society of smiths. Mine tracks ran through the center of each road, down tunnels and into portcullis. The city would become known as the greatest of Dwarven cities, Karlik, The Mine, The Forge.

And within the fires of Karlik, within the homes, the long tunnels that served as it's entrances... an Urban legend developed. Dwarves told their children... be careful which door you walk through, because you might not emerge.

And thus a couple lone dwarves found themselves in a shinning white metropolis. Lost... with the constant feeling they were being watched. And with no way back to Karlik.. or anywhere else. The roads didn't lead out from Arlom... they only led in.

The city had cometh and taken them away.

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6 AP + 5 Rollover (+1 from pantheon)

1 Alter Land: Create City for the Drawrves: Karlik. It is also a shell city of Arlom, as such he can at any time become Karlik. Remember Arlom is not A city, nor is he every city, cut he could be ANY city.

1 Alter Land: Create City for the Quartzian: Zobeide. It is also a shell city of Arlom, as such he can at any time become Zobeide. Remember Arlom is not A city, nor is he every city, cut he could be ANY city. No one lives in this city yet and no Quartizian is in Arlom yet... their city is Lost after all..

AP 8

[Elricaltovilla]

In The Void, Just Barely Far Enough Away From The Suns

The Quartzians where rather unceremoniously ejected from Starseeker, sent to search the void in their god given quest for knowledge. Outside Starseeker's hull, an image appeared. It was an Illusory Map of the known cosmos, showing the strange orbit of the trinary stars and the few floating continents that made up the landmass of the solar system. A bright red arrow pointed to a spot near the Silver Star. You Are Here was written over that arrow. The Quartzians divided themselves into small groups and set off to locate the foreign lands.

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If you guys want, I can break out the old MS paint skills and try to keep track of a Map for this place.

The "Lost" Home of the Quartzians

Hemat floated through the vast chasm of emptiness that was the void, riding the flowing currents of Aether, his dark gray crystals bobbing up and down in the Aether's gentle embrace. Ahead of Hemat was the Quartzian's goal, a fairly large asteroid, perfectly spherical and dotted with holes that went deep into its crust.

Hemat flew into one of these holes and found a vast cavern filled with glowing crystal spires and strange crystalline animals. As the Quartzian walked deeper into the cave it began to feel more like home. This was what they had been searching for.

It has been found. the message rode out to all the Quartzians on ripples of Aether.

[Draken]

Gates to the Unknown

Ing'dras still rode across the world leaving roads in his wake, where he could tread no longer he did so anyway, vanishing through a shimmering door into some other place.

In this fashion did Ing'dras ride forth from the first continent and let the galop of his mount echo through the caverns of the underdark, and so too did the beast's silver hooves smash a dusty path across Geodesia, reaching into Zobeide and spreading from there into every direction.

Where he trode too did Ing'dras carve his runes where they could speak of the tales he had to recant, great murals telling the creation of the world as he, oldest of all, knew and as he gleaned from dreamers of all kinds. These murals also bore the wisdom of the Traveler, a boon to all who wished to walk the world in his footsteps.

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6 AP + 4 Ap + 1 PAP
3 AP: Create Artifact: Gateways of Ing'dras. These ornate structures often exist in roads that would otherwise be dead ends, each one leads to a specific other gateway somewhere in the world. These gateways link the disparate corners of the world, such as the First Continent, the Underdark, Geodesia, and any lands that might appear in the future. They form in the wake of Ing'dras and are too massive to move out of their places.

1 AP: Create Concept: Writting. Ing'dras leaves behind the written history of the world in a divine script. This concept is open to all races.

1 AP: Create Concept: Transportation. Ing'dras leaves behind the images of chariots, wagons, rails, boats and barges. Sometimes pulled by men and often by beasts. This concept is also open to all races.

5 Ap + 1 PAP left. Which will go to domains, obviously. But later.

[Maugan Ra]

The Endless Forest

Arathor prowled along the edges of the forest, staying just shy of the foothills. He could feel the touch of another deity on the cold air that blew down from the mountain, could smell it on the forms of the strange life that settled along the border between their domain. Everything that was in him was reacting to the spark of divinity - rival, peer, enemy, packmate... He did not yet know, and his instincts demanded an accounting. But not yet.

He turned his attention to the small creatures that made settlements near the edge of the forest, unseen save for the faintest impression of burning eyes in the gloom that sent young dwarves crying for their parents. They were brave, to dwell willingly so close to the domains of predators, and after some time he saw why. They used... weapons, claws and fangs torn from the earth itself to gain an advantage over the beasts. Interesting.

And yet, Arathor saw that it would not be enough. They had not been born with these weapons, and their usage of them could only ever form a pale shadow of the instinctive grace of tooth and claw. And as he comprehended this, so too did the beasts that owed him their bloodline.

Almost overnight, the Dwarves and their Giant neighbors saw an upswing in the number of deaths attributed to the beasts of the wild. Where previously the monsters of the forest would lunge for the first available prey, now they waited patiently for guards to drop and foes to become vulnerable. Where they had once been loose and unorganized, now they displayed teamwork and coordination, isolating individual targets and bringing them down while others kept distraught kin from offering assistance. And with each successive encounter, the witnesses became only more certain - the beasts were enjoying their work.

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9ap left, plus 5 from rollover makes 14.
1AP creates concept - tactics. The idea of groups of individuals fighting together and cooperating to overcome individually superior foes. This concept is freely available, with one restriction - societies that use it must have a reasonable chance of gaining experience with the fighting styles of beast packs.

1AP - Bless. The beasts of the Endless Forest seem to act with a malevolent intelligence, or at least a sort of primal cunning, and that makes them exceptionally dangerous. Fortunately, the effect does not seem to extend to populations that move away from the forest.

3AP - Gain Domain of War (Hunters).

9 left over.

[Darklady2831]

Arlom

Iiloss'Bok stumbled through the door, looking around and realizing that this was not his home. He spun around, but too late, the door behind him had closed, trapping him here forever. He was frantic, he opened the door, and saw nothing beyond it. He slumped down, knowing he was lost.

For many minutes he sat there, taking in what had happened to him. Then he stood, turning around and walking down the alley he found himself in. He called out telepathically, as the Vahnatai had no spoken language. "Hello?" He called out, waiting a few moments for a response. "Hello?!" He called again, this time louder.

[Gotham]

Bharus

Just as Bharus was girding himself to see what beings had wrought the three spheres that blazed overhead, his attention was turned elsewhere by the plaintive cries and prayers of his Dwarven people.

Help us, they cried, The wilds batter at our walls and our people. We cannot harvest trees for fire or wander outside our cities for fear of the beasts of the endless forest.

The Frostking heard the cries.

Garwon, second-largest Dwarven city

In the stone church of Garwon, built into the mountainside, the offering firepits and sweetwood censures burned, their greasy smoke rising through chimneys carved into the stone of the mountain, giving the impression from the distance that the mountain was burning.

Beside the pits, the High Priest intoned supplications to the Frostking, throwing into the flames a piece of ore carved from the mountain, a branch from a tree felled by his acolytes, and last, a handful of dirt from below the frozen snow. The gathered mothers and children who lived closest to the walls prayed with him, fearful of the night growing outside.

His eyes fluttered, and he felt himself taken briefly away, and then returned.

There was a collective gasp, and when the High priest opened his eyes, he found a new being in the church.

A being unclothed, his skin pale like a dwarves, his beard icy like a giant's. His eyes were as black as obsidian, his hair white as snow. Below the waist his legs gave way to a whirling drift of wind, and as the dwarves watched, the drift coalesced into a pair of legs, thick and strong.

There, in the church of Garwon, stood the Frostking himself, naked as a babe and in the guise of a dwarf.

"You have done well. The hardships you face are not your failing. There is...another force at work." His voice was strong as a blizzard's roar, gentle as a campfire's smoke. He strode past the assembled dwarves, as they all fell to try and touch their god. A young smith's apprentice, his leg bitten off by a dire beast in the woods, hobbled forward with the others, leaning on a crude prosthetic fashioned from steel bolted together. Bharus stopped.

"You forged that yourself?"

The dwarf, Taren by name, stared at the floor.

"Yes, Lord of the Drifts. The brothers of the Black Stone Order helped me attach it."

"Taren, son of Markhis, apprentice to the Stoneheart Forgers, from this moment on, I name you Taren the Reforged, and your efforts shall not go unrewarded. Let all know that those who face adversity and hardship with courage, community, and ingenuity are favored in my eye. Spread this word to your people, and the giants in the mountains, and to all who you would have me bless, Taren the reforged."

Bharus placed his hand on Taren's shoulder, and a streak of frost ran down his chest until it reached the gnarled leg. In a moment, it had been covered in ice.

CRK. The ice shattered, and in it's place was a gleaming stone and steel contraption of a leg. Taren fell to his knees and praised Bharus.

Bharus nodded and walked off.

He walked through the city, out the doors, and into the woods.

Still in the guise of a dwarf, he went until he could not see the edge.

The animals of the woods came about him. The dire ones, surrounding him. A bear, normally a solitary animal, growled at him, flanked by other beasts of the wood.

"WALKER IN THE WOODS," he roared into the forest, sending the beasts scattering. "MONSTER WHO HAS PLAGUED MY CHILDREN. SHOW YOURSELF. T

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4AP
Raise Hero: Taren the Reforged, Dwarven Prophet. Taren will be the first holy warrior as soon as Divine magic is created (next rollover at latest). As now, he is a proselytizer. 2AP.
4-2= 2AP

[Elricaltovilla]

Zobeide

The city of Zobeide was beautiful, fused crystal spires and gardens of fractal quartz ferns. It was glowing glass spheres and tamed silicate beasts. It was also the city of loss.

Since Hemat had led the other Quartzians to Geodia and subsequently Zobeide, no small percentage of their number had disappeared through the smoky quartz doors, never to be seen again. The Quartzians were few, and the loss of any of them was noticed quickly. The inquisitive and scientifically minded had begun mapping the disappearances, and a formula had been constructed. A pattern to the doors was determined.

Hemat stood in front of the next door. "I will go through this door, to see what lies on the other side. Continue to use the formula to protect our people in case I do not return." Hemat stepped through the doorway, and out into the empty city that was a god.

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@mystic: I hope you don't mind me using a mathematical formula to keep the rest of the Quartzians from getting sucked into your god for now. Obviously you can just change the pattern up again and they'll be screwed

[Elemental]

Velharan watched as Acantheis left in his rainbow vessel.
What a strange individual...
He returned to watching his Unnamed Brother's spark. Suddenly he was surrounded by a solar fireball, shifting in colours until it finally settled upon green. It was blinding, but he did not mind because it meant that both his Brothers lived as he did.
He followed his Unnamed Brother to the surface of the Green Sun and watched as he made his decree. He had an inkling as to what his younger Brother's name would be, but he would wait for him to choose it for himself.
Truly wonderful in every way Brother. Our light shall guide the mortals.

[Lady Serpentine]

Alynaia nodded, her sister's presence causing the bite of the thorns to ease, the vines pulling themselves from her flesh entirely, in fact, for it soothed her mind; and, with that, she learned what it was to be free of pain, and that she could attain that state, though it was hard for her.

"You are welcome, dearest kin," Lady Pain replied, smiling gently, and somewhat exultantly at her sister. "And thank you as well, Xia...

As for making some things of our own, that sounds delightful. Since you suggested it, would you care to have the honor of being the one to choose what our first creation is?"

[TheDarkDM]

Valmyr

The universe hummed in answer to his brother's decree, and Valmyr felt more than saw a thousand thousand sparks spring up upon the dark continent that floated in the black. They were all faint reflections of himself, wrapped in a pattern with his brothers' light, and he knew that what he saw was truly remarkable. Turning to Vylcent, the golden warrior smiled broadly.

"Well spoken, Velharan, and well spoken my youngest brother. We shall guide these mortals, and protect them from the terrors that dwell in the dark. But that place..."

Valmyr looked down upon the floating continent of the Abberant Council, whose names were not yet known, his blazing eyes sweeping across the shadowed valleys, the piercing caverns, the frigid peaks that stabbed like daggers into the empty sky.

"That place is alien, mean and cold. It is no place to raise our people - for those mortals who bear our blessings deserve more."

Valmyr reached out his hand, and from each of the three suns streamed a flow of twining fire, red, green, and silver intermingling in a writhing sphere. His brow furrowed in consternation, and as he clenched his hand the chaotic spinning slowed. Gradually, the wild flames became pools and spheres, constrained by a vision that had leapt fully formed into Valmyr's mind. He raised up his free hand, and in a flash it was filled with a hammer of flame, the raw power of the red sun focused into a single mighty implement. The hammer flashed down, and as it struck the sphere of commingled flames they froze, time seemingly driven from them by the force of the blast. But the universe is not so easily overcome, and with a roar the flames exploded back into life, flickering and dying in the wake of the hammer's blow. In their place rose a new land, red fire solidifying into stone and sand and rich black soil, silver fire flowing into azure seas, green fire evaporating into a protective atmosphere. As the fire settled to its new form, the sparks that remained blossomed into new life. The seas flowed with all manner of fish, the air erupted with the sound of birds, and the land was swathed with fertile plains, interrupted only by glistening palm forests and massive granite peaks.

Valmyr knew not how it had been done, what divine flow had inspired such a bounteous paradise, but he knew that it was of their light, and he was pleased. Turning to his brothers, he gestured broadly at the new planet.

"I hope you are pleased, brothers? Come, let us explore this new world."

Valmyr descended to the largest land mass, landing at the mouth of a great delta that flowed from a line of imposing peaks. Even newborn, they seemed ancient, and yet despite the grandeur of the scene before him Valmyr could not help but feel there was something missing. Alone, this world was naught but a static monument to him and his brothers, but with life...

With life it could be something glorious indeed.

Reaching down into the loamy silt of the delta, the heat of his body purifying it even as he raised it from the water. The moisture within hissed out in a roil of steam, and in moments all he was holding was a lump of clay. Slowly, carefully, Valmyr began to shape the raw earth, sculpting legs, arms, a head, but when he tried to carve a face upon the figure it shattered. Valmyr's flame had been too much for the earthly materials, and so he started again, this time keeping the clay submerged. The water about him boiled and hissed with every motion, but it was enough to keep the clay from breaking in his hands. Soon, this second figure had eyes, fingers, toes, a nose - even delicately shaped hair. Finally satisfied, Valmyr rose from the river and placed the hardened figure upon the ground. Reaching up towards the three suns, he summoned strands of light into his palm, the makings of what his brother had called a soul, and willed them into the sculpture. At first, it was as if nothing had happened, but them a subtle crack appeared on the figure's surface. This was followed by another, and another, and soon the clay had fallen away to reveal a naked figure inside, the first human. The man rose, eyes blinking furiously against the experience of sight, only to fall to his knees when he beheld Valmyr standing before him. Unsurprised by the show of shocked deference, Valmyr stepped closer.

"Rise, Ur, first of men, and know that I am Valmyr, your creator. You stand in the lands of the Lords of Light, for all that you see has been created by the will of myself and my brothers. Do us honor, and we shall protect and guide you all your days."

For Valmyr, it was enough, but even in its first hour the race of humanity was irascible, and possessed of a marvelous curiosity. So, even as his god turned, Ur raised up his head and spoke his first words.

"Am...am I to live alone, great one?"

Valmyr froze, stunned by the audacity of this mortal thing he had shaped, but inwardly pleased as well. An inquisitive mind would swiftly master what he hoped to teach.

"No, not alone."

Thus it came to pass that in the first days Valmyr shaped the race of humanity, birthing each with a blessing of the Lords of Light. And as they grew to a multitude, some set out to explore their home, lashing together crude rafts to cross the sea, or grouping into caravans towards parts unknown. But most stayed, tutored by Valmyr in the ways of fire and hammer, artistry and discipline. He guided them deep into the mountains, where his flame had calcified into inky veins of black, silver, and gold. He taught them how to make safe the food they caught, searing the flesh of their kills to purge them of poisons and imperfections. And he taught them the secrets of flame, of turning useless rock into molten promise, of shaping fire into iron and steel. These humans came to call themselves the Tol-Valmyr, the chosen of the Red Sun, and gave him their love and their worship.

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AP: 15 (10 + 4 rollover + 1 Pantheon)

Gain Ability: Formidable Artisan (-5)
Forge Land: Name to be decided (-3)
Gather Pantheon: The Lords of Light (-2)
Create Sentient Life: Humanity (-2)
Create Mundane Concept: Mining (-1)
Create Mundane Concept: Blacksmithing (-1)
Form Society: The Tol-Valmyr (-1)

AP: 0

[Elemental]

Velharan

Velharan joined Valmyr upon to surface of their new world.
Truly, this world is wondrous Brother. The sights, the colours, the LIFE! You have very nearly outdone yourself.
Once, at the beginning I said that nothing would match the majesty of a previous moment. How wrong I was! And I continue to be wrong!
Humming, he went among the first mortals he encountered. And the bowed before him as they recognised him as Valmyr's brother.
My people, that is no way to act. If there is to be worship. I would rather you worshipped me with how you live than by how you act when you see me.
Velharan smiled and bade the people stand. He lead them down by the sea and helped them build a great home for themselves, a city of white stone with towering spires. With his guidance, they built ships that easily outstripped the crude rafts of those who had gone before, and he taught them music and literature and he showed them how to count the days.
They raised their voices in praise and Velharan smiled at their accomplishments. Their city became known as Ciarathra and the people came to know themselves as the Tel-Velharan, the followers of the Silver Sun.

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Starting AP: 10 + 4 (rollover) + 1 Pantheon AP
Gain Ability: Holy Benefactor - 5 AP
Join Pantheon: Lords of Light - 1 AP
Create Society: Tel-Velharan - 1 AP
Create Mundane Concepts: Marble Architecture (think columns and Greek temples because I'm too lazy to think of something more original) 1 AP
Sailing ships - 1 AP
Music - 1 AP
Literature - 1 AP
Solar Calendar - 1 AP
Remaining AP: 2 + 1

[Maugan Ra]

The Endless Forest

For a long moment, all was silent. Then, from out of the darkness in front of Bharus, the Hunter God emerged. He took the form of a great canine beast, black of fur and red of eye, a constant drizzle of old gore dripping from his serrated fangs.

"Why have you called me, Ruler of the Cold Mountain?" he said in a voice that was barely above a snarl.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Ensirex, Above and Below

Ensirex continued his research into this question of the mortal spirit. First he continued to do his research upon wounded and even whole Vahnatai, but he felt it was not enough to form the conclusions he desired. There was much death on the surface of the great continent as well, and so he broadened his pool of research subjects.

Ice Giants and Dwarves which fell to the Dire beasts raids and to accident were his first targets, taking them apart as they died or healing them, one could never guess how he would examine those he found, for to him every situation was different, the stimuli and context of the experiment determined his methodology.

He began experimenting on the animals as well, to further determine if there were some unknown physical factor involved with the spirits he sensed. While he did his research he found it helped him to record his findings in a more permanent way than even his flawless memory, so they might be better accessed and compared, and so he began to scrawl unique symbols onto an infinite scroll, the symbols pertaining some particular meaning alone or in conjunction with others.

Eventually, after much digging around the corpses and living bodies of the mortals on this particular land-mass, Ensirex came to the conclusion the spirit was not tied in a purely physical sense to the being, but likely in an arcane or metaphysical sense. Of course this had seemed likely early on, but Ensirex took no half measures.

This conclusion firmly in mind, he stretched his wings and flew off of the land-mass to search out answers for the burning question of this new mortal spirit, though he would of course return for more research at a later time.

Urodlivv, Kor Tier

Vahess'Kor came swiftly to the summons of one of the Council, his robes and the symbol upon them betraying his own class. He bowed to his superior. "Of course, of course. What does Rentar'Ihrno wish to talk about?"

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13AP=14AP -1AP Create Concept: Written Language -0AP Create Concept: Scientific Method (a generalized term, not necessarily what we do today, but any sort of methodological approach to scientific advancement or research.)

[mystic1110]

The City Cometh

On the continent of the Lords of Light, Humanity flourished. And where people flourish so do buildings. The streets are slowly made, dirt at first then cobblestone. The ships need bays, and thus docks begin to be built. Then places of rest. Then places of fancy. Small specks of Urbanization began to appear throughout the continent. Doors being opened and closed and through these doors Arlom looked out and saw more. And from these doors he traveled down the roads that the Tol-Valmyr had built themselves, and where they converged on a great bay, the buildings slowly began to build themselves. Granted there was a small town there before, but the city grew around them. The people never talked about who was building, they assumed they either should know the answer or didn't want to know. Perhaps it was their gods? Either way the great coastal city of Veta was born, the greatest human city in history - named after their gods of light - it was the city of light. The city was a marvel of white marble. Columns on every front, and silver, green and red flags furled everywhere, red seen more than the others which gave the city a curious bleeding appearance when seen from afar.

It was a bustling city. She sat like a great witch at the gate of the country and sea, showing her alluring white marble face, and hiding her crooked hands and feet under the folds of her wide garments,--constantly enticing thousands from far within, and tempting those who come from across the seas to go no farther. And all these become the victims of her caprice. Some she at once crushes beneath her cruel feet; others she condemns to a fate like that of galley slaves; a few she favors and fondles, riding them high on the bubbles of fortune; then with a sudden breath she blows the bubbles out and laughs mockingly as she watches them fall. Veta was the center of human industry and drama.

And in this writhing mass of humanity, the forgotten, the unimportant, those crushed beneath the heels of life, a legend started to spread. An Urban legend. There was a door... it could be any door... and they could escape to a new world.

The city had cometh and taken them away.

City-Wide Diversity Initiatives

The doors of Arlom worked strangely... travel through space meant travel through time. Iiloss'Bok and Hemat would find themselves in the empty streets of Arlom at roughly the same time. Not that they were in the same place, no no no - the city was too large for that and chance was not that forgiving.

Also the streets of Arlom were not that empty anymore; close to a hundred people lived within him now - and alone in the universe did the races intermingle. Drawf, Quartzian, Human, Giant and Vahnatai all existed in one area. Except with only a hundred people in the constantly changing streets of Arlom: almost no one saw each other - all Arlom allowed was the constant feeling that someone else was there - watching. Although the people living in Arlom had gotten clever. They would graffiti his immaculate walls with messages, the most common were; "Food at the Fountain", "Beware the Mayor", and "Home." This street art came in forms of scrawled blood or impressive carvings and even occasionally a beautiful mural. They never lasted that long, even if you looked at a wall for days, one second you would blink and either it would be another wall or the message would simply be gone. You would never know.

Thus these streets did Iiloss'Bok and Hemat walk.

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10 AP

1 Alter Land: Create City for the Humans: Veta. It is also a shell city of Arlom, as such he can at any time become Veta. Remember Arlom is not A city, nor is he every city, cut he could be ANY city.

9 AP

[Draken]

Pathways to Outside

A new land appeared, its wilds uncharted and unwalked. The city got there first, it always did, it was a beacon to the roads.

At the foot of a mountain in the nameless continent of the solar gods did a gate appear, it was not so vast, but silver sand blew through it nonetheless, followed by the sound of hooves and the whine of some great beast. And through it came Ing'dras on his mount, riding this world for places where men would settle, and finding them in their sleep, an apparition in the night - was there night in the land of the suns? Perhaps as a mere construct of tired minds.

The roads eventually reached Veta, murals with the useful teachings of the Traveling God in the ways left by him. Some in that place heard the sounds of his beast and caugh a glimpse of the silver knight, until he vanishes in a path that was not there before, leading to unknown places.

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No actions. HAH!

[Darklady2831]

Urodlivv, Kor Tier

Rentar'Ihrno looked at Vahess'Kor, his light grey garment typical for one of the Kor; though, pale blue cloaks were also common. "The Council has heard tell that you have an exciting new knowledge. We would like to know of it, so we can gauge if it is dangerous to the Olgai or not."

Arlom, Iiross'Bok

Iiross'Bok was fed up, he'd been wandering for nearly a day, unable to find anything. He screamed in his telepathic voice, "I demand to speak with whoever is in charge of this hellish place!!!"

Howling Honeycomb, the Pillar of Nightmares

Gjol Maduur sat within his den, letting his influence seep out slowly.He felt the crawl of little cave creatures around him, on the walls, the floors, even the ceiling. He knew that they were weak, too weak for his mighty mind to be wasted on. But he also knew that they could be used, empowered. Thus, he began to plot. He imagined, something he was very good at. He imagined a shape, and a will for that shape to call it's own. He imagined a spark of true worthiness, of divinity. Gjol Maduur imagined all of this, and a nearly unlimited potential for growth. Thus, from a god's imagination, the first god-child was born. It formed as an idea, born from the labors of a nightmare, and given form by the power of itself.

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Birthing Argul Lugra

[Maugan Ra]

Arathor's lair

The beast-lord was a creature of instinct and primal desires. And one of the most basic of all instincts is the need to procreate. So it was that in the deepest, darkest corner of the forest, a new deity was born, formed of bloodlust and divine will.

He was born alone, abandoned, with only his instincts to guide him. Arathor would have it no other way.

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Birthing Moglin

[ChrisClark13]

Vylcent
The youngest brother watched what his brothers created in interest, wondering how he might improve and add to their designs... but then the city Veta sprung out of the ground and he became worried. He, nor any of his brothers have created this... and oh no...

It was devouring his brothers' creations.
Vylcent couldn't let this side, he took off for the god-city of Arlom, it's location having been revealed to him in his godling dreams.

He entered the devourer-city searching for his brothers' peoples. His sun-body left scorch marks on the pavement as he walked.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY BROTHERS' PEOPLES!? RETURN THEM!!"

His voice echoed around the empty streets as he searched for days, tracking those devoured via their souls. The tricks of the devourer-city couldn't keep him separated forever. Eventually he found someone... but not of his own kind. It was a man made of crystal. Vylcent approached him saying, "Peace, I am Vylcent, the creator of the Green Sun, and I am here to save all I can find from this devourer-city." He reached out an open palm to the being. "Take my hand and I will lead you from this place.

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5 + 4 Rollover + 1 Pantheon = 10 AP
1 AP Join Pantheon: Lords of Light
9 AP

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Calling out Hemat

[TheDarkDM]

Valmyr

So it was that the Tol-Valmyr flourished, trade with the Tel-Velharan strengthening both peoples. All was proceeding according to Valmyr's plan, before the arrival of the ghost city, before the disappearance of his people. He knew not from whence the metropolis had come, and he did not care, for it was a brazen intrusion, a festering dot of otherness upon the lands of the Lords of Light. It would not stand.

There was a door, spoken of in mortal legends for the short time they remained in Veta, before divine decree drove them to flee the unknown landscape. No mortal could have found it on their own, but Valmyr was no mortal, and within the marble expanse he quickly located the simple wooden portal. Far away, in distant Arlom, the door linking to Veta exploded open in a gout of flame, and Valmyr strode through, his eyes ablaze. Turning, he saw a green glow on the horizon, and so he leapt from the streets in a burst of crimson flames to land beside his brother.

"Vylcent, thank you for coming. We must make haste - there is no telling what torments await humanity in this place."

Reaching through the void, Valmyr called out to their third brother as he sat in the seaside palaces of the Tel-Velharan.

"Velharan, we require your aid."

[Drowlord]

The Howling Honeycomb, the Pillar of Nightmare

The divine fragment raised itself up, moulting through odd leathery wings into dirty, blackened appendages that flexed powerfully. It was huge; cruel talons and a sharp beak shone in red light from the glowing eyes of the god-thing. It stared slowly at its father, then slowly pointed a talon at the nightmare king.

"You arre my fatherr, corrrrect? I am Arrgul Lugrra. It is pleasant to meet you. Where am I? I see many things, small things."

[Darklady2831]

Arlom, the Nemesis of Reason

Gjol Maduur stirred. For many mortal months, he had been watching the Vahnatai, driving some of them mad, simply brushing again others. All in all, he was inspiring fear. Now, there was another presence, far above. He felt the presence of the light, the nemesis of his darkness, his fear. Thus, he drifted up, through the roof of the caves, up until he emerged into the light of the two sun gods. He floated before them, his body slick with oily blackness. The Nemesis of Reason gazed upon Valmyr and Vylcent with his absent eyes, maddening whispers flitting at the back of their minds. "Get... out..." his voice hissed, its sound like that of gravel rubbing against wood.

He Who Walks in Madness swelled, his power growing as he absorbed the fruits of his labors. The shadows near him became sharper, more terrifying. "GET... OUT..."

Spoiler

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3 AP - 3 AP = 0 AP
Gain Domain: Caverns (The Underdark)
-Alter Land: The Maw and Pit of Madness
-Alter Land: The Howling Honeycomb
-Alter Land: The Fungal Jungles
-Create Greater Life: Vahnatai
-Create Society: The Caste-Clans
Gjol Maduur is now a Lesser Deity

The Pillar of Nightmares

A second body of Gjol Maduur entered creation, floating before Argul Lugra. Gjol Maduur probed the newborn god, gauging his potential. He was satisfied, his son had the potential to be every bit as powerful as he. The Nemesis of Reason extended an inky tendril, caressing his son for a moment. "Gjol Maduur... I am He Who Walks in Madness, the Nemesis of Reason... I am your father, and you are my son..."

The Lord of Nightmares retracted his tentacle, lashing out at the stone wall nearby. It melted away, becoming a porthole to show the vast cavern the Pillar was located in. "This is the Underdark, the place of fear, of darkness, of crawling vermin and slithering slimes. This, is my home... and yours, if you wish."

[Drowlord]

The Pillar of Nightmares

Argul Lugra cawed sharply, raising his talon. "Yes... It fits my purposes. Kkkkk."

He lowered it, then flapped his wings, leaving trails of sooty air behind him. He went to a wide, cavernous area of the Underdark. He raked a talon through the earth, and bits crumbled off it. Around the area, a lightless fen grew, dark and grim and filled with deep sinkholes that bubbled with slime. In the fen, the bits of crumbled earth turned into rats, scampering off into the fens to find fish in dank pools. The bits of soot that fell off of Argul melted into ravens with shining black eyes that saw the rats. They wheeled over the low hills of the fen, settling in rocky crags in its hills.

Argul cawed harshly once more, and showered his people in an odd light. Suddenly, the vermin looked at each other with a brutal cunning.

"See? These are yours, father, as well as mine. They are agents of filth and taint. Do with them as you wish."

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Actions:

Alter Land: Raven Fens (create mundane life: ravens, rats, fish, and other vermin and low-lying fen growth)

Create Magical Concept: Hive Mind

When groups of unintelligent animals gather together, they gain intelligence, The larger the group, the more intelligent it is. Additionally, these hive minds transmit messages to each other, as if they were granted primitive telepathy, and can subtly alter the environment around them (these powers depend upon numbers as well).

AP: 15-1-3= 11 AP.

[Draken]

Veta

On his third pass through his brother's gift to man, Ing'dras found none, he sough the city's door, and found it blasted wide open by emerald flame. The rider followed.

Arlom, The Vast Gate

Silver sand blew through the streets behind Vylcent, and past him towards the tallest monument within Arlom. Then came the sound of the hooves of an animal in the streets behind him, and just as suddenly the silver knight stood by the green sun, astride his mount.

"Do you remember me, Green Sun?"

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6 AP

3 AP - Gain Domain: Sand (Travelers)
- 3 AP: Forge Land. First Continent.
- 3 AP: Create Artifact: Gateways of Ing'dras.
- 1 AP: Create Concept: Transportation.

3 AP - Gain Domain: Dream (Sleep)
- 5: Cosmic Decree. Dreams.
- 1: Concept. Writing.
- 1: Join Pantheon.

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Why Sand? Thematic reasons, mainly. It fits better than the Earth domain, which is the other option.

Writing is kind of a silly concept to attribute to Dreams, but I bet nobody would read the ruminant excrement explanation anyway!

Lesser God.

[Elricaltovilla]

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Vylcent
The youngest brother watched what his brothers created in interest, wondering how he might improve and add to their designs... but then the city Veta sprung out of the ground and he became worried. He, nor any of his brothers have created this... and oh no...

It was devouring his brothers' creations.
Vylcent couldn't let this side, he took off for the god-city of Arlom, it's location having been revealed to him in his godling dreams.

He entered the devourer-city searching for his brothers' peoples. His sun-body left scorch marks on the pavement as he walked.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY BROTHERS' PEOPLES!? RETURN THEM!!"

His voice echoed around the empty streets as he searched for days, tracking those devoured via their souls. The tricks of the devourer-city couldn't keep him separated forever. Eventually he found someone... but not of his own kind. It was a man made of crystal. Vylcent approached him saying, "Peace, I am Vylcent, the creator of the Green Sun, and I am here to save all I can find from this devourer-city." He reached out an open palm to the being. "Take my hand and I will lead you from this place.

Spoiler

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5 + 4 Rollover + 1 Pantheon = 10 AP
1 AP Join Pantheon: Lords of Light
9 AP

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Calling out Hemat

Hemat looked at the strange green sun. "I cannot leave this place. My comrades are still within its walls. I must find them so that we may return to Geodia. Will you help me?"

[mystic1110]

The City Cometh

It's important to note that Arlom's doors exist in every city, not just the ones he built and raised. They appear rarely in forgotten corners - they are urban legends and almost no one takes them seriously. The stuff of stories - what teenagers tell each other while they roam the streets, adults ignoring them till they turn the knob and lose themselves in the metropolis of lost souls

Veta

Arlom's doors aren't stationary - they are almost ideas more than physical objects. When the Red Sun burned down the door, the door simply would open elsewhere. Thus else where in Veta, in an alleyway the smell of burning cinder filled the air and a door appeared on a wall. It was blackened and charred. This was its current illustration. Eventually one day another door would appear and it would be pristine and ordinary once again.

Arlom, Iiross'Bok

Iiross'Bok heard nothing to his telepathic appeal for company. He continued to sense the other inhabitants... or victims, of the great metropolis. No matter where he wandered he only saw shadows at the corner of his eyes. The strange graffiti kept on appearing. In doors, on windows: "Food at the Fountain", "Beware the Mayor", and "Home." The graffiti was almost pleading with Iiross'Bok - hoping beyond hope he would understand and maybe reciprocate.

Arlom

Arlom watched his brothers and relatives meet in his streets, but did not respond... he merely provided the local. If they wanted to come striding into his streets he was more than happy to oblige, if they wanted to help the mortals wandering through him. . . . The City never slept.

[Maugan Ra]

Depths of the Endless Forest

When a god dwells for a long time in an area, that territory often comes to take on a certain energy of it's own. In the case of a god like Arathor, who was almost the essence of primal life incarnate, even the most mundane thing might come to take on new qualities. So it was that throughout the reaches of the world-covering forest, the trees began to think. To move.

At first, the living trees did not know what to do with themselves. That they lived and thought could not be denied, but not could the fact that those with minds were but the merest fraction of all the trees. Why, then, had they been chosen, among the teeming multitudes? For what purpose did they have minds?

For a year or more, they contemplated this, and came upon a discovery. If they concentrated, they could strengthen their ties to the world around them, influence it in certain ways. They could make plants grow healthy and strong, or else wither and die. They could redirect streams, call rain clouds overhead, cause the packs of wild animals to relocate their hunting grounds. They could, n short, manage the forests. And pleased to discover their purpose, that is what they set about doing.

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9AP at start
3 to create Greater Life: Ents. Only the merest fraction of all trees become Ents, and only when they reach maturity. Though they can move, and speak, it is in the ponderous manner to be expected of sentient trees.

3 AP to create Magical concept - Druidic magic. The ability to tap into the fundamental forces of nature and bend them to your will. At the moment, it is restricted to large scale and gradual changes - brilliant for the health of a kingdom, very limited direct military applications. There are no actual Druids at the moment, and only the Ents can presently use this ability. That said, if Arathor can be persuaded to release it, any race could theoretically master and improve upon it.

3 AP to gain domain - Wild (Forests). Arathor has now become a Lesser God.