Lords of Creation in the Playground IC

[Faithless]

I warmly welcome you brother. However this is not the time for greetings. If war comes we have larger scale things to discuss.

Evadize shifted in place. He had tried to tame his unsettling feelings about this war. Even this fiery offspring of Enigma had started to trouble his mind.

Trees don't live forever, even trees in the glade. But what of that of a god. Surely if this strange turn of events comes we may very well find out. I would rather not be unprepared. We must prepare.

[Moose Fisher]

There was much happening up in the meeting, but Coberal's focus screened the voices out. The mask snapped to attention when the metals brought to it ran low. The majority of the fortress looked well equipped, meaning Coberal's task was finished for now.


Coberal rose to the other gods, examining the new faces. Xiua'Hi had said something earlier, calling for Coberal and others. The mask drifted to its creator.

I finished making armor and weapons for the Bastion, Father. It is in my will to respond to your call.

The mask spun to face Dla.

You're similar to one of the races in the Bastion. I will introduce myself: I am Coberal. You are?

[Maerok]

Once back in the Sun's embrace, Elimanishon sets about his task. *pop* *pop* *pop* He whistles a little tune that bubbles up to the surface of the fiery sphere. *pop* "Balance... It is a conspiracy."

The first four fingers had snapped off easily enough; he only had to pull them back far enough to finish the work of the heat. The last one, his thumb, however, was rather stubborn. *Ker-snap!* He casts a sending down to Imak; "Imak... Have your finest artisans craft mirrors... the largest that can be imagined. And await my instructions. They will be of use much later."

The priest responds after a moment or two. "We will do as we can. It may take some time to gather materials. But what are 'mirrors'?"

"Then I must teach our people of the manipulation of the elements..."

[0 = 1 -1 Teach Populous - Tech+ ]

[Copacetic]

Dla performed the elven ritual for showing respect to one's elder, and bows To Xam with his arms out-stretched. Elder. I am sure we will get along. His mind, on the other hand, was reeling. So many uncles and cousins and family... Dla turns to each of the other gods attending the meeting, Enigma and Evadize and Kaern and all the others. To Eul, though, he holds up his two fore-fingers and touches his forehead. Deep One.



EDIT: Dla then turns to Coberal. I am Dla. I am the lord of the elves. I am Pleased to meet you.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi turns to the mask, nodding once.

"We must await Enigma, he has called us togather, and it would be polite to hear his words. If you have helped this bastion then rest and wait. Speak more with your brothers, and learn from them."

[Draken]

The Dark Lord in the dark turned his eyes to the elf, pondering the meaning of the gesture, but caring not for it.

Hmm... Where are the young sun and athik?

[Faithless]

You refer to Cliktith and Elimanishon, great uncle? I know not where the lord of swarms is, but our master of the searing globe above the sky...

He has left.

Eul's eyes had seemed to evade the nature god at every opportunity. Evadize would answer regardless, to understand Eul, such a measure is a feat he would not even begin to contemplate.

[ArlEammon]

Once back in the Sun's embrace, Elimanishon sets about his task. *pop* *pop* *pop* He whistles a little tune that bubbles up to the surface of the fiery sphere. *pop* "Balance... It is a conspiracy."

The first four fingers had snapped off easily enough; he only had to pull them back far enough to finish the work of the heat. The last one, his thumb, however, was rather stubborn. *Ker-snap!* He casts a sending down to Imak; "Imak... Have your finest artisans craft mirrors... the largest that can be imagined. And await my instructions. They will be of use much later."

The priest responds after a moment or two. "We will do as we can. It may take some time to gather materials. But what are 'mirrors'?"

"Then I must teach our people of the manipulation of the elements..."

[0 = 1 -1 Teach Populous - Tech+ ]

Ramus, excited to have some company, visited Elimanishon. "Hello, I am Ramus, the Sky King. You are the sun god, but what is your name?"

[alchemyprime]

Tanner futtered off. "I need to speak to someone Xam. I shal return." And Xam nodded and waved goodbye to his advisor.

And th white butterfly landed on Mort Wintrow's shoulder.

"A new world formed between Playground and Wasteland. It is the Four. Four planets so close that the rain from oneis the rivers of another. And their Death god was recently... indisposed by a group of adventures. They need a new one."

And before Mort could respond, he was gon through a blue door.

And Tanner flew back to Xam. "Sorry. I must make sure multiverses keep evolving... and another needed my help."

{Okay... we need a new Death God...)

[Maerok]

"Hello Ramus, I am Elimanishon. So you are the god of the skies? I am surprised we have not met sooner."

[pyrefiend]

Cliktith stepped into the fiery citadel and stood before the rest of the gods. Greetings to all. I appologize for my lateness, there were certain matters which needed attending to. How goes our meeting so far?

[Lady Tialait]

Enigma seeing the arrival of the last ally holds out his hands two a fiery flameborn who's flames glow red and blue steps forward bowing the council of Deities "I am Fiona Ingite, of the Lesser Tribe Flamestead. I am honored to be called before you to speak the Great Fire Lord's case." She holds out her hand with flame in it and it forms into a question mark.

"Our Great Creator Enigma has decided the war that you of Divinity have prepared for, needs a centering being. The flame lord will not lead, he has confided into me. Instead, he will offer upon all of you, including his own father Xam the wondrous, and his Uncle the Great Eul, twice walking, a list of things that MUST be done. If not, defeat is certain.

Each flameborn has been informed of the war coming. If we fail, this playground will no longer burn with the flames of curiosity, or life. It will burn with the flames of death, and destruction. So, I have been asked, along with my tribe, to ask as massager of the great Enigma. Please, assist his plan, flawed as it might be, it is better then each deity working on their own." and with that the flaming question mark burst forward and etches a list onto the wall of the tallest building of the great fortress city.

Spoiler

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1. Create a Neigh Indestructible Fortress, a place to take a last stand.
2. Create Transport to every part of the world, no matter where you are.
3. Find various ways to walk the world itself.
4. Create weapons to destroy the Invaders.
5. Get more information about the Invaders.

( Mold Homeplane = Make Monument.)

[Maerok]

The sun god rises to the surface of his domain as if he leaning out of a pool. His left side is still submerged, but his right side rises out as a blackened, skeletal terror. Elimanishon spins a large blackened ring, a circlet, on one finger lackadaisically - what it could be made from is anyone's guess. It's adorned with five spikes that burn in the open air like tiny pillars of sunfire.

"So... what shall we lords of above do while they are away? I was sent home early, and you look as though you never got the message." Two white spheres burn in otherwise empty eye sockets. Their structure collapses and they behind to spout white and blue flames that rise past his 'eyebrows'.

"You seem rather upbeat... don't you realize Varr is coming? They retreat to their little fort, and leave us," he jerks his head toward the lands of several divine figures around the Playground, "to our own devices. It will be a slaughterhouse. Every cut: divine! Ahahaha. Ah, but listen to me talk! My words pollute your grand domain. My apologies."

[Copacetic]

Dla looks and waits as the flameborn speaks his peace, patiently waiting until the list is burned onto the tallest tower. I thank you for including me in these council of war, but I must leave you now, and ponder the things that have been spoken. Dla floats away, back towards his previous position of watching his people.

[tsuuga]

Kaern considers for a moment.

"I will disperse my dwarves throughout the world; and they will build fortresses modeled on this one. I will make an artifact, to connect this place to many others, and the fortresses of the dwarves will guard those places."

[Draken]

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*Growls at spelling*

Eul's eyes vanished in the dark, and his form shifted within it.

Simple... Direct... Useless. You place this Varr in a too high pedestal, he is just another deity, from somewhere else, yes, older, maybe, but does he truly have the might to stand against us all? His two allies are but dogs crawling at his feet, one would surely cower before the mere sight of one of my nightshades. - Prepotent.

Plot as you will, but I will take no part in such... Frivolity. I will do what I deem necessary, but I deem your plan unwhorty of my expense, nephew.

The dark shape then vanished, like dying embers fanned back to their full strength, their light filling the emptyness left by the great Eul.

Poof, gone.

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'Hi places his hands togather, bowing deeply to the flameborn, nodding to the others in turn.

"It seems others have opted to leave this venture, so be it Brother. All present have command over the Qi, and i will direct their numbers to this bastion, to patrol the streets and walls. I can do little more untill others have vouched for their abilities."

Xiua'Hi then leans back, staying silent.

[alchemyprime]

Xam thought. Andhe thought.

"I think. I invent. I create. I wonder..."

And Xam made two black rods. And one side touched and the others repelled.

"Yes..."

And he made a small piece of steel. And many small black rods. And they sat on the steel. And then he made a blackdisk. And it floated. And he blw on it. And it moved frward.

"I have an idea. I need the help of Coberal, Kaern and Enigma for this. Kaern, tell the dwarves to find black rocks like this, and then fashion many large discs, the size of half a dwarf each."

And he put out a black rod for Kaern.

"Coberal... we need a long peice of steel. Many running from a steel disk that spins. Like a star. Or the legs on a spider. Enough steel to make a large spider web, to cover the continent. And iron tubes, large enough to fill with dwarves."

And he looked at the flameborn. "I have a method of transport. The Steel Web and Iron Spiders. Not across planes, but for our beings. What we need... is people to carry the steel across the planes. Avatars."

And Xam smiled. "I have a plan. I have an idea."

And Tanner sighed from Xam's shoulder. "I have a word: Anachronism."

Xam looked to his insectile companion. "Never mind Xam. Just never mind..."

[Moose Fisher]

"I am willing to create your transports Xam. They will be useful in the future."

Coberal tilted itself in thought.

"I do not think the world has enough of the metal needed to create the tracks at this time. I will require iron and steel from the planes."

[Maerok]

As he waited to hear Ramus's reply, Elimanishon sent down a sending to his priest. The demon in waiting had recently found himself with the slightest trace of wings growing from his back. The voice of his god was the third surprise of the day, also preceded by the unveiling of strange bird-like demons and red, slimy ones with grinning faces.

"Imak, the vrock will take the mirrors to the caves of the other lands. I wish to see what has been hidden from my sight..."

He rolled his eyes and cast it again, describing the location for the priest to relay to his followers. Imak acknowledged the instructions and set off to guide the vrock, who served under a former halfling-now-vrock know as Narnit Wesup. With another sending to get the vrock strike team leader on the same page, they were gone in a flash through the power of demon magics.

Some of the mirrors would be left behind. The sun god had future plans for the defense of his pre-city gathering.

[Xuincherguixe]

A wandering man saw something in the distance that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. As he approached more closely he saw that a woman was standing there, looking at a building made out of glass. It was a magnificent site, looking far more advanced than anything he had ever seen.
"What is this thing?! It's incredible. It's like a hut, but... it's something so much more! And it's so beautiful!"
"Then I would say you have no taste."
"What do you mean? How could anyone not be stunned by this? It must be the work of a god!"
"Perhaps, I was divinely inspired but this is not a work of any god."
"I don't understand. You mean to say you made this, and you are not a god? You are at least some manner of great and powerful spirit though correct?"
"No. Unless you are some form of higher power in disguise I am just as mortal as you are."
"Then, how..."
"Things can be learned by observation. I saw something long ago of great beauty, and upon seeing it I felt a need to make an object that captured an esscence of it. Earlier, when I said you had no taste. That is because what you are marveling at in wonder is unfinished."
"Unfinished? How could anything else be done to this? This feels like something revolutionary! I can tell just by looking at it this hut will change everything!"
"Maybe you do have some taste if you can say these things. It does hold within it's walls revolution doesn't it? The power to change. Something that can change destiny."
"Thank you, but you didn't explain how it is unfinished?"
"Perhaps you will understand if you stepped inside with me, so that I may show you first hand."
The woman led the man inside, to the center of the thing. And pointed to something.
"You see that there?" She pointed to an object in the sky. It was the red thing, the one from which the many circles come.
"I see it."
"When I first saw it, I knew that I had to share it's beauty with the world. But, I knew not how. So I wandered the world. Studied with those who would teach. I watched the trees and the sky and stars. I learned so many useless things, and so few useful ones. This place is a result of the useful things to know. I turn your question around to you, how is this unfinished?"
And the man said, "Hand me your rock please."

[Drager]

In the bastion of the Gods on the fiery plane something has been happening as the Gods have talked. At the point when the most Gods were present and had a will to try to work as one the power of such concentrated divine will caused a small fragment of the essence of each God to float from its being and come together. So small was each fragment that it was unnoticeable, as was the melded mixture of fragments that formed in the corner of the room and began to expand. Just after Eul's departure, while Xam and Coberal talk of transports the expansion quickened and with a rush a new being stood in the corner of the room.

Shaped in the likeness of an elf from the play ground, tall and slender, the being looked around the room, noting those present and inclined its head in a half bow. "Greetings fellow Deities of the Playground" he says "I thank you all for my existence, and ask your permission to join this council, as it is the desire for its success in each of you that formed me." He smiles then adds "I think this form a little inappropriate given the war footing on which we stand, please give me a moment." With that he shakes his head, his short hair growing to shoulder length.

In the time it takes for his hair to lengthen his body has changed, he has broadened across the shoulders and gained muscle, his height has increased slightly and his ears have rounded, the muscles on his torso now stand out in much greater definition and neat beard forms on his jaw (He now looks like a human). "There, thats better." he says and waits for the other Gods to speak, hopefully to greet him well.

(0 AP = 3-3 Evolve Physically)

[alchemyprime]

Xam considered it for a time.

"Perhaps tthe iron spiders were a bit of a jump. Maybe... Coberal, could you instead teach the people how to make bronze into a second skin? And... of course... make bronze..." Xam then looked at Kaern.

"And the dwarves... they should wear such skins. Metal clad dwarves! Imagine it!"

And Xam smiled large. "And I have a big idea for the races. I'll teach them how to fire without sticks."

And Xam made a sphere of flame to show an example. "Magic... 'll need to draw up some notes. Tanner, to the Void."

And the little butterfly sighed. And he looked down. "Yeah, I'm done with this form."

And the butterfly exploded into a man in a long white robe, wearing small disks of glass in fron of his blue eyes, with bushy brown hair. He seemed to cycle through which race he appeared to be.

And he followed Xam right away.


*** THE VoiD***

The waters had reached a consensus. They were not being honored properly. And so they reached through the planes into the Void found Nessius. And she became part of the waters again.

And the fabric of Magic, yet to be given true form, overloaded Teerp as he had not used up any of it yet. And he exploded in a shower of violet sparks, which the mortals watched in awe.

[Vadin]

And with the gods of the Playground pleased to have a plan, and with Elimanishon of the Sun pleased to consider his plan better, and Enigma of the Burning Question having created the seasons, so Gliss was born. The mortals observed that with time, the temperatures changed, and that the warmest of these times was the easiest, and so they rejoiced. And they rejoiced unto the sun, but it was the summer which returned their joy. And Gliss, Being of Exultations, awoke from the satisfaction which was Elimanishon's. And Gliss looked around himself on Xiua, and was happy. And he thought himself not alone, for life was nearby. The life could not respond to him, however, and he was saddened. To remedy this, he sang intelligence into the life around him, and it spoke, and Gliss was pleased, and he named them the Capsin.

Hello, my children. I warn you now: outsiders may threaten our world soon, but I shall remain here, in the Grin, these mountains we call home, and keep you safe, and all will be well.

(0= 2AP - 2 (Create Populace: Capsin))

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It's alright that I'm doing things in Xiua, right? And in the mountains? I noticed a little while ago were right along the equator of the Playground, ensuring that they'll be warm, and that seemed a rather appropriate place for my God and his rabbit-mountain goat-kangaroo people to be.

[Rizban]

In the throes of the Burning Questions, a Flameborn of Enigma stopped mid step, stumbled to his knees, and subdued his own flames. Looking around, he realized that every question he had ever asked had but one single answer: Sand.

Drawn inexorably by the ultimate answer to all his questions, this lone Flameborn strode tirelessly into the wastes of Teerp's Desert. For many days and nights, the only thing in his mind was a reverberating pulse that promised that all things might be answered... sand... sand... sand... sand... sand... The further he trekked into the wastes, the more the sensation grew. Through it all, a voice could almost be heard. Nay, not a voice, a sound on the verge of hearing, too quiet to exist. An emotion, a sensation, a promise. A promise that each and every burning question that ever has or ever will exist can be forever quenched in to coolness and peace of the endless dunes of sand. A promise that every hope, every dream, every desire of the heart could be found, if one would but devote their life to the sands. Devote their heart to the sands. Devote their soul to the sands. All that matters is sand. Your dreams are but wisps of fog before the burning sun. Your hopes are but ice that must crack, melt, and be lost. You are naught but a servant of the sands, and through you, the sands will be made mighty. You are that which makes the sands great, and that is your purpose, your goal, your sole reason for being. Without the sand, you are nothing... nothing... nothing... nothing...

Ever forward did it draw him. Ever more did it twist him. His mind broke under the weight of it, twisting into chaos and confusion. Never before had he felt so lost, so alone, so desperate. Desperate for something, anything... no, not something, someone. Someone who could show the direction. Someone who could find the answer. Someone who already knew the answer. Someone who is the answer. Someone who could bring order, nay not just bring order but impose order, impose law, and show him the ultimate truth to which his life would be ever more dedicated. That is who he was seeking. He knew this now, and never would he rest until that order was imposed upon him. It became his created desire, became who he is. Nothing else mattered... nothing... nothing... nothing...

It was then that he saw it, that location from whence the pulse came. For it is here that all questions are answered, all wrongs are made right, all chaos is brought to order. As he crested the final dune, he saw before him a small cliff with a deep gorge cut deep into the ground, and he was not the only one who had been drawn here. For others had heard the call and had answered. Others were sure to follow. Those that had arrived before him were composed of many races, though most were of dwarven and elvish lineage, though there appeared to be quite a few halflings and one or two others of which the Flameborn had personally never seen nor could identify.

Though twisted by the burning sensation of sand was this Flameborn, he was not yet lost. He had answered the call but could still turn back. It was then that the almost sound became clear in his mind. His purpose was revealed, and he made a choice. Who he was before his journey began had now been completely and irrevocably lost, lost to the sands that he now chose to serve. All that mattered were the sands. He knew each believer had been promised something different, and that it would never be delivered without their hard work and total dedication to the power behind the call.

Rising to top of the dune, the Flameborn let forth a mighty burst of flame. All who toiled in the growing settlement below ceased their work and looked to this new arrival.

Hear me servants of the sand! We, the Chosen of the Desert have heard the call and answered it! Let all who now reside here know this, I alone have been chosen and called to lead you. I, the Emissary of Sand, am given the task of high priest to He that rules over all desolation, all desert, all sand. I am become His mouthpiece, the gate through which His desert winds may blow.

An ever building cheer rose from the crowd as they recognized the divine power of sand flowing through this Flameborn, this disciple of the dunes. He would lead them to the glory of all that is Sand, and they would follow him unquestioningly just as they, and he, would follow He who is Sand.


(AP 3 = 3 - 0(Class abilities, Thrallherd))

[tsuuga]

Kaern chose the six wisest of his dwarves, clerics all, and spoke with them. He told each of them to take a tribe of their people out into the world, and found a new colony. He sent Briac to the great rolling plains, and Fionn to the northwestern snows. Weylin would go to the edge of the Endless Swamp, and Lann to the southeastern desert. Tully would settle in the western forest, and Newlyn on the eastern shore, near to the dead wastes. And they did as Kaern asked.

Kaern then turned to his peers, and said: "This meeting is reaching it's close. Xiua'hi, Coberal, Evadize: Shall we talk?"

[Drager]

Lienad coughed softly to alert Kaern to his presence then diplomatically asks "Shall I leave, Father?"

[Faithless]

Evadize scanned the faces of the other gods. Perhaps this restlessness if a sign that the meeting should be adjourned.

Yes. I believe it is time to discuss specific quintessential matters. Enigma has given us much insightful knowledge to think about but the time has come for us to delve into a separate conversation. Ever-reliable Kaern...perhaps we should move our discussion elsewhere. How is Second Chance doing these days?

[Innis Cabal]

Xiua'hi bows again to the gathered gods, turning to Kaern and the others.

"Yes of course, i beleive it is time to get down to some personal business. When the others have come we shall begin our talks."

[Vadin]

In a period of relative calm (relative to the usual level of excitement, of course) a Capsin found himself disturbed. He felt himself pulled, pulled by some outside force, some desire to run as fast as he could to the source of this pull. Curious and unhappy, he asked Gliss, "Gliss, why do I feel this way? What's going on?" Gliss responded with a knowing sigh, "Seek the answer around you, my child. You have studied at my feet and walked in my ways. Surely you'll be able to uncover the answer without leaving us."

And so the Capsin did. He went into the woods and observed the plants and fought the urge to run. He went to the high hills and observed the stars and fought the urge to run. He went to the sea shore and observed the fish and fought the urge to run. Just as he was about to give up, he looked down at the ground he stood on.

"Sand..." he said. "Sand."

And he came to know that another god had called him, one like, yet unlike, Gliss. And he returned to Gliss and asked, "Gliss, you walk among us and we honor you, but are you the only god we should recognize?" With a soft smile, Gliss told him, "No, young one. All gods of these lands should be honored."

Gliss told the Capsin of his lineage, and of the gods, and of their natures as he knew them from the impression he gathered in his creation.

But the Capsin were confused. Their god, their creator, walked among them. What sorts of gods sat above the world and set not a foot upon its lands? 'Gods', as the Capsin reasoned, had to be in the world to be a part of it.

And so they named the others 'Ancients', and built an altar to Gliss at which they sang, and an altar to other gods at which they offered promises of faith should a god call them, and an altar to the Ancients at which they asked their bodies without flesh be cared for, especially that the Ancients known as Enigma and Elimanishon, the creators of their creator, might whatch over them after their passing.

(0 = 0AP - (Class ability, Bardic Knowledge))