Lords of Creation in the Playground (IC2)

[Hatter]

The Reean Isles - Ulvin vs. Kyrokoli

Though well disciplined and thoroughly calculated, Ulvin's returned onslaught was merciless and aimed to kill, if such a thing was even possible among deities.

His initial sideways swipe knocked Kyrokoli's defense out of the way and with the done he beought Hero around again and slashed it across her pretty face, his blade cutting deeply through her perfect skin from her upper right forehead and dragged diagonally over her left eye and cheek. Her blood spilled upon the isle and the earth froze an unnatural ice, hissing and sizzling, raping the land of any chance to ever hold life upon it ever again.

Not willing to give Kyrokoli another chance at an attack, Ulvin immediately launched forward again, this time bringing Hero down in a downward arc at Kyrokoli's head.

Spoiler: free combat actions

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0AP - Pestillence: The northernmost island of the reean isles is now covered in unnatural and poisonous ice that makes it almost impossible for plantlife to grow.

[Shmee]

The Reean Isles - Ulvin vs. Kyrokoli

Though well disciplined and thoroughly calculated, Ulvin's returned onslaught was merciless and aimed to kill, if such a thing was even possible among deities.

His initial sideways swipe knocked Kyrokoli's defense out of the way and with the done he beought Hero around again and slashed it across her pretty face, his blade cutting deeply through her perfect skin from her upper right forehead and dragged diagonally over her left eye and cheek. Her blood spilled upon the isle and the earth froze an unnatural ice, hissing and sizzling, raping the land of any chance to ever hold life upon it ever again.

Not willing to give Kyrokoli another chance at an attack, Ulvin immediately launched forward again, this time bringing Hero down in a downward arc at Kyrokoli's head.

Spoiler: free combat actions

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0AP - Pestillence: The northernmost island of the reean isles is now covered in unnatural and poisonous ice that makes it almost impossible for plantlife to grow.

The goddess of Winter licks the cold blood running down her face. Of course, this is how it should be. If Ulvin was to be so easily defeated she would not have bothered with him in the first place. Even as Ulvin attacks, Kryokoli summons her powers as the goddess of Winter as she summons the most powerful blizzard the Playground has ever experienced. The blizzard with gale force winds causes very low visibility as Ulvin can no longer see his opponent. However to his horror he begins to sense Kryokoli everywhere, as if she is all around him yet nowhere at the same time. It is then that he realizes that the goddess of Winter had become one with the blizzard.

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Round 2 Free Pestilence: Mother of all Blizzards: The island is wracked with unending blizzards the likes which would put blizzards from the Iceshelf Tundra and the Frozen North to shame.

Final Round Roll: (2d6)[5] +11.5

[thethird]

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred smiles and looks at the rampaging fireworks cast away from Rosian's dreams. They are so joyfully pretty. Ah, how happy she was she had taken the job. Of course she would never admit that to her mother's son, he could take it out of proportion. The younger demon could sound a little too smug with his own divine condition.

Once Rosian's dream started to settle and cool down Simdred carefully advanced towards the waking god. As he moved she started to clap slowly.

Bravo! Magnifico! You are a virtuoso beyond paragon. May I have your name?

Her voice didn't carry echo, in fact it didn't carry sound, she communicated directly into Rosian's mind and each word was much more a collection of exquisite images and sensations.

Erebus -- Marut IV, Eucle, Maraut

Eucle turned from the newly born god to deal with the interrupting construct.

"Short answer, my earliest convenience might take a long while. Considering she is lying I wouldn't want to lose time, nor waste your patron's. As for her words. She made a deal with me, I didn't take anything not freely given."

Eucle shacked his head and then tried a tired smile at the Marut. Dealing with creatures that lacked any kind of emotion was complicated. The things didn't dream, or if they did they did so little that the prosperity god couldn't find much substenance from them.

"Long answer..."

The god reached for his temple and caressed it with two fingers then pulled a wisp. The mote grew bigger the more Eucle pulled. It didn't take long till he had an orb in his hand. A red orb with golden sparks on it. He caresses it with tender care, lovingly, as if it was the rarest jewel.

"This is a dream."

He tossed it to the Marut and as the construct touched it he was for a moment transported within the dream.

He felt pity, he pitied the goddess that would hold hostage her own happiness show it to others as a shield. Well at least she wasn't one to be trapped in dreams. But he wasn't either. He had devoured more dreams than anyone else. He was not the oldest demon, but the distinction was academic now.

He stood taking once again his staff. And looked at Yhrzallus and the soldiers. He knew what paths could this take. There were two options. Two options in front of him. But which was to be taken.

"I can make it all go away. I can devour your dreams and memories. Make you forget. You won't fight anymore because you won't have a reason to. I will painlessly take your pain. I won't like that. It might lessen you. I'm not such a good surgeon as to remove only the bad, and I'll need to take it all out."

He puts all his weight in his staff as if this is tiring.

"Alternatively I can defang you. Your sword doesn't belong to you, it was not yours to claim. Your hammer no longer belongs to you, it was a tool of creation and you smeared it with blood making it a weapon of war. Give them to me, I'll keep them as a memento of this meeting. I won't use them as long as you don't brawl. And if you can prove to me that hate is past you I'll return them."

He stands there as tall as he is and hits the ground with his stone alitting the dream with golden light casting all shadows away.

"I'll give you a moment to decide. What is it going to be your fangs or your reason to bare them?"

"Just go away. Leave me be."

Ignus reappears in front of him. "I've no intention of doing anything to anyone anymore. I've no reason to." She turns, and an image appears on the mountain side. Of her, right now, sitting in her room in her tower on the Plane of Fire. "I've found my daughter. Dead as she may be." She looks somehow diminished already. "I'm not returning to that world again. There's nothing for me there. Aside from more things to be taken from me, or more things to be destroyed." She turns and looks at him. "Take everything, if you want it." Her expression becomes a defeated one. "All I wanted when this began, was to be left in peace, to find my daughter." She fades from sight again.

"Then I am attacked by the one that killed my daughter. Then I am attacked by the one that murdered my people. Then I am attacked again, by my daughters murderer, and now I am attacked by you." The memory that was playing in her mind when he arrived reappears, but this time she is crying quietly as they play. "I know what you do with memories." She looks up at him. "Please. Just go away... Leave me alone. Why will no one just leave me alone...?"

"My hammer? It was never a tool of Creation. It was a tool made of my flesh. The sword belong to the High Man of High Men. It has already been returned to him. On my returning to the Plane of Fire."

Leaving a moment so the Marut could diggest the dream and what it contained Eucle waited. Perhaps the machine couldn't tell realm from reality, never having fully experienced one. He didn't care. When he was certain that the Marut was master of his own senses he simply said.

"Her bargain with the god of deals was clear, "take everything, if you want it". I couldn't take her memories, for it would have meant taking what little happines she could have. I'm not a monster. I wouldn't take anything I hadn't asked for, like her followers, herself or her wealth. I'm not a trickster. Bring the dream to your patron, so he can experience it for himself. I will let it slide that she tried to trick your patron in excising punishment against me, I will let it slide that she called me a thief. But your master can punish her as he sees fit for lying. Now begone, I have things to do."

Erebus - Eucle, Maruat

Once the marut is dealt with Eucle turns towards Maruat.

"Pardon the interruption son. I guess I'm a busy god."

He smiles with close familiarity.

"As for your questions. Don't worry about bleading shadow, it's what you are and what you are made of. For the record I've seen others bleed fire. And I myself bleed golden dreams. I wonder if Grenzo bleeds goblins, but I digress."

He walks towards the newborn god and puts a hand on his shoulder, drawing close.

"You are who you choose to be. Choosing is important son. Being able to choose. To decide whom you want to be. At this moment you've got a clean slate in front of you. Now I gather you do really want to know about before this point, don't you?"

The prosperity god shrugs.

"I took it. I took your memories. They weren't exactly yours mind you, you are ultimately your own. They pertained to a life before this one. You started being with our conversation before we were interrupted. As for what was before you. Trust me, I would have left any happy memories, if it had any. The creature whose memories I took killed my father among many others and didn't have anything that could be considered a friend. Now you of course, can choose to believe me, or choose not to. Or you can I guess believe me for now, if you want to. If you decide to give me the benefit of the doubt, go along with what I say I would gladly show you what I know. If you decide that I'm untrustworthy or wish to strike against me I won't hold it against you, and will open a path to wherever you might want to go wishing you all luck there is."

Krenko-Ka - Kith, Landro

Landro tiptoes, jumping from one foot to the other. He looks nervous and he rubbed his hands continuosly. With his golden mask, his expression was unreadable, but one couldn't think but to remember a fly with a nefarious plane.

"This is present-gift, yes-yes."

He looks sidelong, and then some more. Checking the alley for eavesdroppers.

"If you make gift in kind. More, much more. Yes, of course."

He slowly walks towards Kith and barely whispers to his ear.

"Gift trees-seeds, lush green for shiny gold. See? Easy. Seed for coin. Easy-Easy. Take seed from the moon trees. Yes-yes. Moon has many trees. One more, one less. Many to gift. Gift it to my... Can't say. Names aren't good. Names are heard. Shh Shh"

He stands there, unmoving, unflinching, completely silently. He is clearly not breathing for holding his breath for so long would be unnatural.

"Gift it to where coins come from. You know? Always dusk. Water and grass but no trees. Gift it."

[Durmatagno]

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Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred smiles and looks at the rampaging fireworks cast away from Rosian's dreams. They are so joyfully pretty. Ah, how happy she was she had taken the job. Of course she would never admit that to her mother's son, he could take it out of proportion. The younger demon could sound a little too smug with his own divine condition.

Once Rosian's dream started to settle and cool down Simdred carefully advanced towards the waking god. As he moved she started to clap slowly.

Bravo! Magnifico! You are a virtuoso beyond paragon. May I have your name?

Her voice didn't carry echo, in fact it didn't carry sound, she communicated directly into Rosian's mind and each word was much more a collection of exquisite images and sensations.

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Rosian turns to Simdred, and commits everything he can about her to memory. Her appearance, the way she communicated with him, the curiosity that was her already having found this new realm. After a moment, he spoke. His voice was on the lighter side, but clear, and easy to understand. As he spoke, he let his cloak of stars unravel itself, and underneath he wore simple, but obvious clothes of a travelling bard. Dark greens, deep reds, and even a little purple, but still simple, and tough looking.

"My name you say? My name is Rosian, and who might you be?"

His face was calm, silver eyes watching her from behind his glasses, long heir flowing over, and blending in with his cloak.

[Hatter]

Godsfought, Reean Isles: Ulvin, Kyrokoli

Ulvin remained unafraid, despite the great blizzard. He brought his sword up to bear before gathering the divinity within him and lashed out at the storm, not with physical force but with raw divine power and for a moment, it seemed to work, the storm faltered but then it again flared back to life, stronger than ever and the King Knight was forced to kneel once again.

Flesh and blood was violently ripped away from his skin and where they landed, jagged spires rose up from the ground, giving teeth to the island but still, the God of Courage was unafraid. He was defeated, that much was without a doubt.

Spoiler: Free combat actions

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0AP-Mold Land: Jagged spires, some only a few feet tall, some as tall as building rise up from Godsfought to point at the sky in defiance.

[thethird]

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred tilts her head to the left the white feathers on her mask moving to a diagonal edge messing with her hair. She carefully reaches for the headdress and stroked the feathers and hair. She took her time. Observing Rosian with interest as she did. Once she was satisfied with her hair she communicated again, pouring the honeyed words directly to Rosian.

Thank you. You gave me a precious present, Rosian The name vibrates perfectly just as if he had said it himself. I am she who smiles, fiting don't you think? Or if you prefer you can call me Simdred. That's what most that know me choose. Even if it wasn't what my mother chose for me.

She then blinks for an instant a smirk going from her lips to her eyes and then back to the lips where it evaporates in a meliflous laughter.

I talk too much, don't I? Well, what I meant to say I might be your aidee, too, if you would like to. Wouldn't you?

[Durmatagno]

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Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred tilts her head to the left the white feathers on her mask moving to a diagonal edge messing with her hair. She carefully reaches for the headdress and stroked the feathers and hair. She took her time. Observing Rosian with interest as she did. Once she was satisfied with her hair she communicated again, pouring the honeyed words directly to Rosian.

Thank you. You gave me a precious present, Rosian The name vibrates perfectly just as if he had said it himself. I am she who smiles, fiting don't you think? Or if you prefer you can call me Simdred. That's what most that know me choose. Even if it wasn't what my mother chose for me.

She then blinks for an instant a smirk going from her lips to her eyes and then back to the lips where it evaporates in a meliflous laughter.

I talk too much, don't I? Well, what I meant to say I might be your aidee, too, if you would like to. Wouldn't you?

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Rosian narrows his eyes for a moment before speaking again, his cloak, and hair rippling to become white.

"Aidee?"

He turns away from her to watch some of the dream bubbles around him, watching the color's move through them, altering the dreams without changing them at the most basic level. Exposing the sleeping minds to new ideas, a new scenario, a new way of thinking. Turning back to Simdred, he tried to stay on task, but the dream bubbles kept drawing his eye, making him want to enter them, to see what mortals dreamed of. Learn a little bit about how, and why, they worked the way the did. Mostly though, he wanted to see the strange things a mortals mind could create.

[Hatter]

Krenko-Ka City - Kith, Landro

"Right then." said Kith, staring at Landro with a bit of curiosity. He picked up a coin and flipped it around his fingers, taking a long hard look at the Shepherd which was emblazoned upon the golden coin. "Shouldn't be too difficult. Very well, you have a deal."

Neutral Grounds, the Moon - Kith

After depositing the bag of gold and treasure in a safehouse, Kith purchased the services of a rocket and traveled to the Moon. Now the Aram stood in the middle of the Neutral Grounds, flipping the coin into the air before deftly catching it and moving along, vaguely mumbling something about being home.

It didn't even take him long to get what he came for. The seeds in which the breathless goblin wanted were in abundance and really all he had to do was casually and skillfully snatch one off the neck of a clueless and unsuspecting moongrel. The work was easy, far below the master thief's skill level but hey, the money was good and Kith wasn't the type to turn down good money. The hard part was finding the source of these coins and so, he would have to call in a favor from an old friend.

The shop was meticulously well kept, shelves upon shelves of prescious tomes of arcane knowledge and quite a few locked displays with a large variety of intricate and well made magical items.

"Kith! Is that you?" Came the call, such a familiar voice, Kith had almost forgotten it. The master thief turned with a grin and his heart sunk at what he saw.

"Why.. you havent aged a day!" Laughed the elderly looking elf, his skin wrinkled and folded in layers over his gaunt and spotted skin, his hair barely existant save for a few frail white wisps and Kith was quite certain that without the giant spectacles that adorned his face, the elf would be completely blind....had it truly been that long? Has so much time past?

"My current employer. He has need for me to remain young. It is noce to see you again Illen... but I need your help with something" he smiled at the elderly elf, placing the coin into his withered hands. "I need to know where to find the Gralach Cabal."

The elderly elf immediately went to work, eyes wide at the sight of the coin and went to find a book from the shelves, he looked hard for a good long moment before writing something on a piece of paper and handed it off to Kith.

Kith took the paper and he smiled. "You can keep the coin, old friend. We probably won't meet again."

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond, Stoixia - Kith

This lake had existed on the continent of Demiourgia long before the birth of Eldarond, long before the birth of Ulvin Silverblade, before the land was rudely ripped away and reattached to Stoixia. Such as it was, very few people cared for it's existence save for the greedy Aram who now stood at the island in the middle of the lake. Nothing seemed unusual. Nothing seemed supernatural or out of place. Kith knew otherwise as he held out a hand and intoned "Amath Gralach Cabal"

A portal appeared, twisted vines adorned with flowers that cropped the beautiful multishades of the portal's mirror like surface. Kith grinned and he stepped into the portal without hesitation.

[thethird]

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

When Rosian turns Simdred smiles, again. She walks towards him slowly when he starts altering the dreams. Hurry doesn't seem to form part of her vocabulary for she takes her time in anything she tasks herself with. When she is at his back, standing slightly to his left side, she extends her left hand to her mouth and exhales upon her palm. Her hand clutches onto a fist and a crushing sound escapes from it. Then she releases tiny golden dust embers that somehow touch the dream that Rosian was manipulating. They don't change anything, they just make the colors fuller and the edges more defined, balancing the contrasts. The dream becomes just a little more beautiful.

Aidee, one who is helpful. Or a gift. Depends on the language.

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond, Stoixia - Landro

The ashen goblin arrives to the lake after Kith has crossed the portal with him he carries a fuller sack this time, it's content chattering with metallic noise at each stape the dead goblin takes. He leaves it on the shore and sits on it. He stands iddle for the better of an hour, when suddenly he claps his mask with his hand. Then conspicuously he looks around as if he had just remembered to check if he was observed. Shaking his head to both sides in quick succession he calms down. Then mechanically he introduces his hand on the bag and starts playing with the small obsidian pieces inside. The goblin piles obsidian tile over obsidian tile, not minding his fingers being sliced by the crystal. He can't feel pain, even if the small appendages become smoky.

[Durmatagno]

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Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

When Rosian turns Simdred smiles, again. She walks towards him slowly when he starts altering the dreams. Hurry doesn't seem to form part of her vocabulary for she takes her time in anything she tasks herself with. When she is at his back, standing slightly to his left side, she extends her left hand to her mouth and exhales upon her palm. Her hand clutches onto a fist and a crushing sound escapes from it. Then she releases tiny golden dust embers that somehow touch the dream that Rosian was manipulating. They don't change anything, they just make the colors fuller and the edges more defined, balancing the contrasts. The dream becomes just a little more beautiful.

Aidee, one who is helpful. Or a gift. Depends on the language.

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

"An aide, hmmmm."

Rosian, lost in thought wanders from dream to dream, watching the slumbering thoughts of mortals, contemplating.

Do I need an aid? Especially when I know so little about them, even less than I do the rest of this world? She found this place before anyone else, and was ready to start talking the moment I arrived, and yet, she's done nothing to provoke me, she hasn't even damaged any of the dreams that I can see. So why then do I have such an uneasy feeling about this whole thing.

Rubbing his chin with his right hand, and absentmindedly he draws his rapier. The long thin blade slides from it's plain sheathe with ease, and planted upon the blade are images, both foul, and beautiful that draw his eye. After a moment of thought, he touches the blade to a particularly bloody war dream, and sends a small pulse of energy down the blade, and suddenly, spiders fighting their way out of the bodies of the dream-beings within. Touching another dream boundary with the blade, he watches as day is changed to night, and the night sky in all it's glory twinkles above the dreamer. Both of these new twists intrigued him, all he had done was brought forth something buried deep in the subconscious off both these people, and yet, they had varied so wildly.

"I'm not so sure."

He said after a moment of debate, still watching the twinkling stars.

[Hatter]

The Gralach Cabal - Kith

Kith almost fell into the water, grabbing hold of the portal's twisted vines as soon as he realized there was no ground beneath him. He looked around and saw nothing but a large lake, wild creatures of all sorts drinking from the waters as if it was their last drink. Kith cursed and whispered a quick prayer to Ahn, grabbing a tighter hold on the vines. He blinked and held out the seed in his hand and with a sigh he pocketed it away before slipping back out through the portal where Landro awaited.

Mysterious Lake - Kith, Landro

"Well, that was certainly unexpected." said Kith as he stepped out of the portal with a sigh.

He looked over and saw Landro. "There you are." He said and held out the seed.

[thethird]

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred lets Rosian ponder, again she is patient. She has been waiting him, someone like him, for a long long time. Waiting a little more. She could do that.

Certainty is the enemy of change. And without change there can be no creation. No betterment. If you were certain you wouldn't be worth aiding.

She looks at the stars and spiders, alternatively.

Pretty aren't they? At first I wanted to be like one.

It's hard to tell which one she is referring. She suddenly disappears from where she is, like dust on the wind. Her smile reappears upside down closer to where Rosian is. Then her eyes, floating like two golden orbs under her smile. Then follows her face and the rest of the body sprouts into being from it. She is upside down.

Still true aid can only come from trust. So I won't lie. I do care. I have a vested interest in helping you. Helping you helps me. Does that satisfy or pike your curiosity?

She starts to walk around, orbit, the god.

Wether you have my aid, or not, you'll have my interest. I hope it's mutual Rosian.

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond, Stoixia - Landro, Kith

Landro looks startled at seeing Kith. He stands and starts clapping. Then he realizes that the goblin is holding a seed.

"Why-how didn't you plant the seed? Easy-easy. Dig ground leave seed. Then gift."

The ashen goblin pats at the bag drawing some smoke and dust from his fingers.

"Good good gift. Not shiny. But good. Stone from the stones. Ha ha ha haha. He. Tower black stone. Taken from below ground. Traveled through the world's back and belly this. A god fighter carried it on its back yes-yes. Don't you want gift?"

[Hatter]

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond - Kith, Landro

"Fine, fine. I'll plant the seed." said Kith with a sigh before stepping back into the portal.

Gralach Cabal - Kith

This time Kith was ready. He actively plunged himself into the water and swam to the shore, scaring off a few deer in the process.

He dug the dirt with his scaled hands and placed the seed in a hole before closing it up again.

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond - Kith, Landro

Kith stepped back through the portal, soaked from head to toe. "Just a heads up. The portal opens straight into a lake."

[Durmatagno]

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Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred lets Rosian ponder, again she is patient. She has been waiting him, someone like him, for a long long time. Waiting a little more. She could do that.

Certainty is the enemy of change. And without change there can be no creation. No betterment. If you were certain you wouldn't be worth aiding.

She looks at the stars and spiders, alternatively.

Pretty aren't they? At first I wanted to be like one.

It's hard to tell which one she is referring. She suddenly disappears from where she is, like dust on the wind. Her smile reappears upside down closer to where Rosian is. Then her eyes, floating like two golden orbs under her smile. Then follows her face and the rest of the body sprouts into being from it. She is upside down.

Still true aid can only come from trust. So I won't lie. I do care. I have a vested interest in helping you. Helping you helps me. Does that satisfy or pike your curiosity?

She starts to walk around, orbit, the god.

Wether you have my aid, or not, you'll have my interest. I hope it's mutual Rosian.

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

"But certainty doesn't have to be the enemy of change, of creativity. When you're certain of something in the world, you will do whatever you can to make it so that it is the truth that everyone else sees, even if it means tearing apart what already exists to do it. Similarly, to much change can be an enemy of creativity, things change to much, to quickly, or without reason, and a mind wonders, loses focus. How can you carve the statue, or mold the iron when less than an hour after you begin, something has changed, and it no longer interests you. Projects started, and abandoned. No, Certainty and Change both have a place in this world, the problem is trying to find the right balance between the two. A small amount of change for one person could be a major change for another, the scales are always shifting, changing, warping in a blink of the eye. Same as dreams."

Rosian points at a particularly erratic bubble, shifting from scene to scene, from a land of nightmares, to a brilliant, colorful forest, and everything between.

"Changes constant and drastic, each inspiring, but none lingering long enough to leave an impact upon the mind it's inside of."

This time he points at a rather static bubble, a single long duel between two people, the setting changes, the crowd changes, but the battle moves fluidly within it, never caring, or noticing for anything but their opponent.

"Certainty, certainty in success, in being the better fighter. Yet, the dance is holds a beauty that no forest could touch, no starry sky, but with such a heavy focus on the fight, there is little change. What happens when one is victorious over the other, what will they do then? It will take time for the fight to be worth starting again because without that time, nothing will change between them, but they'll be lost in that time, the change to slow, and their fight to certain to spark anything new. A dream doesn't just reflect the inner desires one has, they also show their fears, their hate, and everything between hate and passion. Just because one dreams of a battle does not mean they wish for battle, and yet, at the same time, it also doesn't mean that they do wish for it. Just that a battles are, to some part of them, important."

Rosian turns, and follows the orbiting Simdred, waiting for a moment before speaking again.

"My curiosity is as endless as the number of possible dreams in this world, every new drip of information makes me desire more, so yes, I will say that you, Simdred, are extremely interesting to me. Yet, I do not trust you, I do not yet even trust my own mother, as I know little of her, nor do I trust the other gods, goddesses, and other powerful beings that exist in this world. At the same time, I want to learn of them all, to meet them, to know them, to find their dreams in this ever changing landscape, and see what not even they know they desire."

[thethird]

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond - Kith, Landro

Landro once again starts clapping happily, he even dances a merry jig around Kith.

"Well done. Well done. Master Kith is masterfully masterous indeed-true. Yes-yes-YES!"

Landro starts laughing, or trying, his lungs are empty and the sound that comes out is more like a flematic drunkard trying to play some bagpipes. Still the small golden masked goblin is happy.

He suddenly halts and nods vehemently.

"Landro wonders would master Kith want another errand-job? Easy-easy."

He searches his pockets and suddenly stops. Shuddering. If an undead can ever shudder.

"No, no, no."

He whines to himself.

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred looks with wonder at Rosian. For a moment she appeared to be just a young student attending her favorite lecture. The god's passion was clearly rubbing on her and she nodded from time to time following his discourse.

When he is finished she looks at him, almost staring, then blinks, twice, thrice. Like waking up from a daydream. Getting herself back into focus.

Whose dream do you wish to see? I can take you there.

Ashamed she blushes, and draws a hand to her checks trying to cover it while playing with her hair, trying to hide the reaction from the young god.

Her next words come out as a whisper, varely audible, either to herself or too confidential to think aloud.

I know which dreams I would like to see. But I checked. He doesn't dream here either. A pity.

[Durmatagno]

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Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred looks with wonder at Rosian. For a moment she appeared to be just a young student attending her favorite lecture. The god's passion was clearly rubbing on her and she nodded from time to time following his discourse.

When he is finished she looks at him, almost staring, then blinks, twice, thrice. Like waking up from a daydream. Getting herself back into focus.

Whose dream do you wish to see? I can take you there.

Ashamed she blushes, and draws a hand to her checks trying to cover it while playing with her hair, trying to hide the reaction from the young god.

Her next words come out as a whisper, varely audible, either to herself or too confidential to think aloud.

I know which dreams I would like to see. But I checked. He doesn't dream here either. A pity.

"The better question is whose dream don't I want to see, and as best a I can tell from my team here so far, that'd be no ones. There is to much for me to see, thousands, millions, billions, or more very single day, and they will linger in this world for eons, never fading. I don't think I need an aid, not yet, but maybe in the future. I'm young in this world, inexperienced, I need time to adjust, to think, before I think of things like that. I'll tell you what though, you know where this plane is, how to get here, visit me whenever you like, I might just ask for your help someday."

Rosian said as he touched a hand to a dream boundary, and then pulled away, tendrils of energy following his hand, forming into a small sphere. After a moment, he hides the swirling energy between his hands, and once he removes it, a black sphere you could hold in one hand remains, a silver chain dangling from it. If you look carefully, you can see a recreation of it's source dream, trapped in smaller, transportable form. He offers this to Simdred.

[Shmee]

Godsfought, Reean Isles: Ulvin, Kyrokoli

Ulvin remained unafraid, despite the great blizzard. He brought his sword up to bear before gathering the divinity within him and lashed out at the storm, not with physical force but with raw divine power and for a moment, it seemed to work, the storm faltered but then it again flared back to life, stronger than ever and the King Knight was forced to kneel once again.

Flesh and blood was violently ripped away from his skin and where they landed, jagged spires rose up from the ground, giving teeth to the island but still, the God of Courage was unafraid. He was defeated, that much was without a doubt.

The blizzard relentlessly assaulted Ulvin, as its chill dug deep within his body. With every cut, the cold would seep in and begin freezing his blood. Even his armor proved to be a hindrance as the cold began to seep through the armor and onto the god of Courage. Just when Ulvin thought that he could withstand the blizzard, the goddess of Winter materializes in front of him, using his limited visibility to her advantage with a savage blow of her scourge.

The moment Ulvin kneels, the blizzard fades just as sudden as it had begun. There is complete silence, the only noise is the distant tempest. In front of him stood Kryokoli, wounded and grasping for air, but triumphant. Evil had triumphed over Good this day, and as a result the island of Godsfought would forever have a twisted sense of wrongness to it. Any living thing that stays on Godsfought for too long ends up soaking this malicious energy which ends up permanently twisting then into parodies of what they once were. Even those who do not stay on Godsfought for too long begin to feel sick. This was truly a cursed land.

"You fought well, and had we been of equal powers you would have vanquished me. Yet this is the limits of your power Ulvin Silverblade, and just like the Plant Lord, so too has the god of Courage been brought low by the fury of Winter. And now, I shall claim my prize..." she says between ragged breaths as she walks towards Ulvin and clasping his face with her frigid hands, Kryokoli places her lips upon his as she gives him the slightest of kisses.

As soon as Kryokoli releases him, Ulvin realizes that the goddess of Winter had something far more sinister in mind as he feels the cold from her lips begin to spread onto his own lips and then down his throat and into his body as he becomes frozen, yet he is still conscious and he can slightly move. If Ulvin focuses all of his willpower he may even be able to speak a few words.

The goddess of Winter grabs the frozen Ulvin "Come. I shall be making an example of you as I have thought of a fitting punishment." both gods dive into the frozen lake in the middle of Godsfought which was created as a result of their battle. When she reaches the bottom of the lake, she focuses her divine powers as she constructs a complicated labyrinth which goes deep into the earth. The entrance to the labyrinth is sealed, and can only be opened if one answers a riddle. Of course that is assuming that one is able to break through the ice and reach the bottom of the lake.

Finally at the end of the labyrinth filled with traps and hideous monsters, Kryokoli puts the frozen god of Courage on a magnificent throne. Ulvin realizes that while he is able to slightly move a finger, or his foot he is unable to get up from the throne.

"A king deserves all honors, and thus though you may be a prisoner, a kingly chamber has been prepared for you." she says as she bows to Ulvin as she had seen his Humans do in his presence. "While the thought to completely freeze you for eternity did cross my mind, I came to the conclusion that it would be a far crueler fate if I allowed you to retain your consciousness as you watch and feel my progress across the Playground and lament your weakness and inability to act. Yet for you, I shall go one step further and torture you with something far worse." As she speaks a candelabra with three unlit candles appear in front of Ulvin.

"This... is your key to freedom. For you see, the ice I encased you in, and the throne which you are sitting upon will be your prison. Not even the gods can set you free. Well... I suppose that is a lie, for you see should you manage to get these candles lit with the divine flames of the one who stole my heart, of the one who ushers Summer upon the Playground, and the one whom I despise the most, then you will have the fire required to thaw you from your prison. No other flames will be able to light these candles." As she speaks she runs her finger on each of the candles.

"Yet, there is a catch. For the candelabra must be in a mortal's possession when it is lit. Just like it must be in a mortal's possession as it is carried through the labyrinth, so too must it remain in a mortal's hand as you thaw yourself with it. Why am I telling you this? Because as I will continue my rampage across the Playground you will call upon mortals to aid you. Many will come... and many will die. Their blood, and their souls will be on your hands and conscience."

Once again, Kryokoli bows to Ulvin "Farewell Ulvin Silverblade. I look forward to the day that you will be freed. Perhaps then you will have gained the power needed to defeat me. Or perhaps I shall strike you down again. Either way, the Playground will experience a Winter the likes it has never seen before." and with that, the goddess of Winter seals the Labyrinth and decides to throw one last cruel obstacle. She gives the Labyrinth sentience, and just like her grandfather, the Labyrinth hates everyone and everything and will actively work against any intruder, for anything that dies within the Labyrinth has their soul consumed by it.

Reaching the surface of Godsfought the goddess of Winter watches as the cursed land begins to twist and deform everything. Even the elements are not immune to the taint of Godsfought as the corruption seeps in and deforms them into what would be known as Elemental Grues.

Only a fool, a courageous soul or a madman would step food upon Godsfought. Perhaps there is little difference between the three.

Spoiler

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Round 3 Free Pestilence: Everything on Godsfought is corrupted and twisted. The taint seeps into everything and those who stay too long will become sick, and then succumd to the taint if they remain on the island for too long.

Use Mantle of Winter: Mold land: Labyrinth of the Vanquished King: A sentient Labyrinth who hates you all and wants nothing more than to make your life difficult, then kill you, then consume your soul.

AP2=5-3: Create Nourishment Artifact: The Searing Candelabra. Can only be wielded by a mortal, and the candles will not light to any fire besides that of Grenzo, the Cosmic Mother and Ignus. Once lit, the candles will continue burning perpetually. The flames from the Candelabra are anathema to anything cold or ice based. Ice based creatures will flee in terror, while Ice and Snow (and Winter in general) will avoid the area where the lit Candelabra is located. The flames can be used to melt ice and snow at an extra ordinary rate. Naturally the wielder also gains immunity against the cold, and cold based spells. When the mortal who lighted the candles dies, all flames are extinguished and the next mortal must repeat the process.

AP0=2-2: Create Populace: Elemental Grue.

[Zelphas]

Erebus -- Marut IV, Eucle, Maraut

Eucle turned from the newly born god to deal with the interrupting construct.

"Short answer, my earliest convenience might take a long while. Considering she is lying I wouldn't want to lose time, nor waste your patron's. As for her words. She made a deal with me, I didn't take anything not freely given."

Eucle shacked his head and then tried a tired smile at the Marut. Dealing with creatures that lacked any kind of emotion was complicated. The things didn't dream, or if they did they did so little that the prosperity god couldn't find much substenance from them.

"Long answer..."

The god reached for his temple and caressed it with two fingers then pulled a wisp. The mote grew bigger the more Eucle pulled. It didn't take long till he had an orb in his hand. A red orb with golden sparks on it. He caresses it with tender care, lovingly, as if it was the rarest jewel.

"This is a dream."

He tossed it to the Marut and as the construct touched it he was for a moment transported within the dream.

He felt pity, he pitied the goddess that would hold hostage her own happiness show it to others as a shield. Well at least she wasn't one to be trapped in dreams. But he wasn't either. He had devoured more dreams than anyone else. He was not the oldest demon, but the distinction was academic now.

He stood taking once again his staff. And looked at Yhrzallus and the soldiers. He knew what paths could this take. There were two options. Two options in front of him. But which was to be taken.

"I can make it all go away. I can devour your dreams and memories. Make you forget. You won't fight anymore because you won't have a reason to. I will painlessly take your pain. I won't like that. It might lessen you. I'm not such a good surgeon as to remove only the bad, and I'll need to take it all out."

He puts all his weight in his staff as if this is tiring.

"Alternatively I can defang you. Your sword doesn't belong to you, it was not yours to claim. Your hammer no longer belongs to you, it was a tool of creation and you smeared it with blood making it a weapon of war. Give them to me, I'll keep them as a memento of this meeting. I won't use them as long as you don't brawl. And if you can prove to me that hate is past you I'll return them."

He stands there as tall as he is and hits the ground with his stone alitting the dream with golden light casting all shadows away.

"I'll give you a moment to decide. What is it going to be your fangs or your reason to bare them?"

"Just go away. Leave me be."

Ignus reappears in front of him. "I've no intention of doing anything to anyone anymore. I've no reason to." She turns, and an image appears on the mountain side. Of her, right now, sitting in her room in her tower on the Plane of Fire. "I've found my daughter. Dead as she may be." She looks somehow diminished already. "I'm not returning to that world again. There's nothing for me there. Aside from more things to be taken from me, or more things to be destroyed." She turns and looks at him. "Take everything, if you want it." Her expression becomes a defeated one. "All I wanted when this began, was to be left in peace, to find my daughter." She fades from sight again.

"Then I am attacked by the one that killed my daughter. Then I am attacked by the one that murdered my people. Then I am attacked again, by my daughters murderer, and now I am attacked by you." The memory that was playing in her mind when he arrived reappears, but this time she is crying quietly as they play. "I know what you do with memories." She looks up at him. "Please. Just go away... Leave me alone. Why will no one just leave me alone...?"

"My hammer? It was never a tool of Creation. It was a tool made of my flesh. The sword belong to the High Man of High Men. It has already been returned to him. On my returning to the Plane of Fire."

Leaving a moment so the Marut could digest the dream and what it contained Eucle waited. Perhaps the machine couldn't tell realm from reality, never having fully experienced one. He didn't care. When he was certain that the Marut was master of his own senses he simply said.

"Her bargain with the god of deals was clear, "take everything, if you want it". I couldn't take her memories, for it would have meant taking what little happines she could have. I'm not a monster. I wouldn't take anything I hadn't asked for, like her followers, herself or her wealth. I'm not a trickster. Bring the dream to your patron, so he can experience it for himself. I will let it slide that she tried to trick your patron in excising punishment against me, I will let it slide that she called me a thief. But your master can punish her as he sees fit for lying. Now begone, I have things to do."

The Marut catches the orb easily--then stares into it, transfixed. A long moment afterwards, it remains locked in place, a low buzzing noise coming from deep within its mechanism. It focuses on Eucle as the Wealth god speaks, waiting another long moment before nodding. "This shall...shall suffice. My master will...contact thee... if more is needed," The Marut stutters. "I thank thee." With that, it vanishes.

Kethneciel, Marut IV, Ignus--Judgment Seat, Oussia

Marut IV appears beside Kethneciel's seat. Still holding the dream. Silently, it passes it to its master. Kethneciel gazes into the orb for a long moment, then nods. "Dismissed." The Marut remains. A low buzzing emanates from its core. As the Implacable Judge turns to look at it, it suddenly vanishes.

Kethneciel dismisses the odd behavior of the Marut from his mind, and tosses the dream orb to Ignus. "Eucle sends this in his defense. Hast thou anything to say against it?"

Rix Maadi Scout Division #734 - Axia
Axiomatic Aram were either an oddity or simply put to the wayside. Despite this division #734 and #737 were composed of a majority of such beings, gathered from the various warrens and sent to the lawful communities that hadn't been reached yet. The chosen diplomat for Axia was an elder who had helped form the division in the first place. He approached Lawsblood with a smile and called out "Friends! We wish to open up trade with your community! We trust that we can come to a similar compromise as the nation of Eldarond. Does this meet your satisfaction?"

The elder of Scout Division #734 is admitted to the city of Lawsblood for a single reason--his Lawful nature. Were he not an Axiomatic, the gates would have remained always shut to him. He is kept waiting for several weeks, an insult of the highest order in Axian society; the longer the bureaucracy takes, the lower your standing in the country. When he finally meets with an Axian representative, it is not a Lawforged, but an Axiomatic human named Thyst; the scout had not seen one of the mechanical men during his entire stay in Lawsblood, an insult of a subtler sort.

Thyst bows shallowly and precisely to the scout, the proper greeting for a foreign non-noble of unknown status in their society but low status in Axia, and gets directly to the matter at hand. "Here are the terms for trade in Axia. We shall only do business with Axiomatics such as yourself. After this agreement is signed, I shall tell you what Axia has in trade, and you shall tell me what you..." he consults a small scroll at his waist. "...Rix Maadi has in trade. You and I shall each make precisely four offers for each of the others' trade goods. Once a price is decided on, that price shall be set indefinitely unless a marked shift in demand or supply necessitates another round of negotiation.

"Besides your scout division, division...#734, no other Rix Maadi shall be allowed to enter Axia. Besides yourself and three other Axiomatic Rix Maadi for the purpose of loading and unloading goods, the Rix Maadi shall not be permitted to enter Lawsblood. While within Axia, all members of the Rix Maadi are expected to follow the laws of our sovereign state." Thyst pulls out a massive manuscript, handing it to the unfortunate Rix Maadi scout. "Every forgeign figure is allowed one minor transgression due to ignorance; any other transgressions shall be prosecuted with the full force of our laws.

"Failure to abide by these stipulations, or repeated and blatant transgressions by the Rix Maadi of our laws, shall be treated as an act of war by the Rix Maadi, and responded to in kind. This deal will be up for review and change in... twenty years' time." The middle-aged Axiomatic looks over his spectacles at the scout. "Do we have an agreement?"

[Rainshine]

The Mind of A Living Ship - Moollilwc, Sarra

With slow strokes of his tail, Moollilwc emerged from the forest, coming into the open. Long, lean, with a purple-gray skin that had seen generations pass. His flippers were ringed with bands of white, muscular and firm. There was an old scar where part of his side was just gone, and many other marks of his time in the oceans. He moved with a confidence from his years of survival, and a sense of serenity that comes from knowing exactly who he was. With a quiet ‘voice’, he replied, a smile changing the lines on that massive head. ”Thank you. I am Moollilwc. The storm does not trouble those who dwell beneath.”

[Ralasha]

Kethneciel, Marut IV, Ignus--Judgment Seat, Oussia

Marut IV appears beside Kethneciel's seat. Still holding the dream. Silently, it passes it to its master. Kethneciel gazes into the orb for a long moment, then nods. "Dismissed." The Marut remains. A low buzzing emanates from its core. As the Implacable Judge turns to look at it, it suddenly vanishes.

Kethneciel dismisses the odd behavior of the Marut from his mind, and tosses the dream orb to Ignus. "Eucle sends this in his defense. Hast thou anything to say against it?"

"To lose a part of myself, or my entirety is not a choice. I stood no chance against him, I had attempted to keep him out of my mind, I could not. Would you choose to lose a limb, or everything you are? Can that be considered a choice?"

She waves a hand, a heat haze forms, in it a section of the memory replays, she pointedly avoids watching the images play out.

"I can make it all go away. I can devour your dreams and memories. Make you forget. You won't fight anymore because you won't have a reason to. I will painlessly take your pain. I won't like that. It might lessen you. I'm not such a good surgeon as to remove only the bad, and I'll need to take it all out."

He puts all his weight in his staff as if this is tiring.

"Alternatively I can defang you. Your sword doesn't belong to you, it was not yours to claim. Your hammer no longer belongs to you, it was a tool of creation and you smeared it with blood making it a weapon of war. Give them to me, I'll keep them as a memento of this meeting. I won't use them as long as you don't brawl. And if you can prove to me that hate is past you I'll return them."

He stands there as tall as he is and hits the ground with his stone alitting the dream with golden light casting all shadows away.

"I'll give you a moment to decide. What is it going to be your fangs or your reason to bare them?"

The heat-haze rendered memory fades. "Instead of attacking him now that I am strong enough to defeat him, I have attempted a peaceful resolution. I merely desire the return of that part of me, without it I am less, as you would be without the ability to communicate. I contend that my current behavior is proof that I have met his requirement. I was... quite mad at the time. I am mostly back in my right mind now. I came into existance with that hammer, it is as much a part of my being as my eyes, hands, feet, head, legs, body, it is a part of my essence. I need it returned." She takes a calming breath as she begins to shake subtly.

[Hatter]

Labyrinth of the Vanquished King, Godsfought, Reean Isles- Ulvin Silverblade

For many months Ulvin Silverblade, the King Knight of Eldarond sat in complete silence, staring at the candlebra and contemplating is failure against the Winter Queen. He knew that he needed to be stronger. He knew that in his current state and his current level of power, he could not fight against Kyrokoli and win. So, he contemplated and worried at the thought of sending mortals to their death against the Labyrinth but he also knew that many would also die if he did not break free from his prison. He would swallow his pride and he would do the necessary.

A great rumble moved through the Labyrinth as Ulvin struggled his will against the ice, a process which took many long months but eventually words formed, sent out in hopes that somebody out there would hear his call. "H-help....M...me."

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond- Kith, Landro

"What? What is it?" ask the Aram thief as he stared at Landro in confusion.

The Cottage, The Madhouse - Ahn

With a popping sound, Ahn relocated himself to his cottage, his form actually solidifying into that of his original gnome-like self. He stroked the fireplace to life and sat back, Dog-Stick in hand. He stared at it for a moment before simply breaking it in half, the two parts, pestilence and nourishment taking on new forms. The part of nourishment shifted into a withered wooden cane with Ahn's symbol etched into it's bark. The part of pestilence however reshaped into a finely carved wooden flute.

Spoiler: Ahn Actions

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Initially, Ahn's 2 artifacts were created as 2 parts of the same item but I have found that it becomes complicated and a pain to keep up with and so, I am splitting them into 2 seperate artifacts to remedy that problem.

Dog-Stick: Nourishment Artifact
Flute of Misfortune: Pestilence artifact

[Gunhaven]

Rix Maadi Scout Division #734 - Axia
The Aram seemed unmoved by the delay. He had been alive for almost forty years and knew Grenzo would claim his soul soon, hopefully to become of the Orange or Yellow Khaadi. He listened to the rules with detached interest and replied "One Eldarond Station. We will need another copy of your missive so that we insure proper transactions." He signed the agreement then withdrew an equally large missive. With pen in hand he began to write down services in neat, precise script.
He handed the script over, easily twenty pages long, of services offered by their trade partners that met the laws of Axia. For his part he said "We Rix Maadi have no need for that which we trade. We exist for the connections made and to insure that every one of our trade partners possess the choices allowed by their laws and customs. If your search reveals gaps in our services then we will gladly accept them in exchange for those on our list." Even as they discussed the chosen three other members set up the station and added a new customs office near the Eldarond and Mytea offices. To help facilitate the lawful nature the three demand a consolidated list of universally banned products was created with further restrictions as needed.

Rix Maadi Scout Division #783 - Murkdeep
Division #783 was an oddity amidst the Rix Maadi for preferring the rocket to the train. It may not be as fast as the Lines but there was simply some places that couldn't be easily reached by tunnelers. Thus it was little surprise that they decided to visit that cesspool of decay and lawlessness by shooting one of their bigger rockets at a relatively empty portion of the outskirts. When the Aram poured out they noticed the symbols of Ahn scattered about in a mass yelled out "Our Brothers!" Amidst the laughter at the happenstance the Aram mingled as best as they could so close to the hated water while the more business minded looked for the closest thing to a leader to negotiate with.

Rix Maadi Scout Division #803 - Frozen North
The Rix Maadi had a mission to link together the Playground yet the Aram weren't suited for matters of the sea. #803 had the honor of being composed of the humans who could party with the Aram without blacking out after an hour. With the division formed and the tunnelers loaded with supplies the scouts left to the Frozen North. On the way there they reviewed what they knew of their chosen clients and prepared themselves for the festivities.
They burst forth from the ground in an unused hill and poured out. Torches were lit, carts loaded, and instruments retrieved before they began to slowly move toward the nearest hamlet. Their approach was well announced as loud music was issued forth from repurposed speakers bringing forth feelings of merriment before the group's fire bending was shown to bystanders and booze was handed out along with food to any who wished to partake. Amidst the carnival like atmosphere the ringleader, a human dressed in reds and oranges who had no problem controlling a whip seemingly made of fire, called out "Fellow revelers! We come with gifts of friendship! Please enjoy the drink, food, and merriment!"

Skreetch, Squeaky, Pegpatch - Under Mytea
With a bellowing laugh, Pegpatch said "Nar mateys! We goin' to MIC!" He finished the rocket with three seats and then tossed the supplies into the rocket.
He stumbled over to the bomb he made, slapped it, and began the countdown for said explosive. They'd have twenty seconds to either get out of the bunker to a better rocket or blow up with the rest of the complex. With that he hummed a cheery tune about burning down a house while drunk and hopped into the rocket, priming it to go.

[Ralasha]

Labyrinth of the Vanquished King, Godsfought, Reean Isles - Ulvin Silverblade

Down through the labyrinth come the shouts of men, the clash of metal, the sound of song and screams, shouts of violent rage, and laughter.

The songs seem to be about gods and events that never happened and don't exist. Strange musical sounds, mechanical or thunderous accompany the singing, along with the laughter. The Labyrinth shakes slightly, followed by a booming laugh. Something strikes something hard, perhaps a wall. More hearty laughter follows. Dust and dirt shake free from the walls and ceiling. The pounding stops. A man carrying a hammer made of loadstone walks in. His silver eyes seem to glow in the dark. "Ho!" He laughs, "Some poor sod is in here, think he's alive?" He shouts back out the door. He takes steady ground eating paces to stop right in front of the throne. Soon enough others follow him in, several of them injured, in ranging severity. "So, we'll not be going back out that way." He turns to look at the others, "I don't think we'd make it past whatever that thing was again. Do we call mother?" He seems to be directing at the very least his last words to the priest that came with them. His reply is an discouraging shrug.

Spoiler: Loadstone

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Cursed Material.

Loadstone: This stone appears to be a dark, smoothly polished stone. Loadstone weighs exactly as much as is required to cause whatever creature is afflicted with it's possession to be at their maximum load. A weapon made of Loadstone counts as two categories larger than normal for determining damage.
Once picked up, the stone cannot be disposed of by any nonmagical means—if it is thrown away or smashed, it reappears somewhere on his person.

Weak Necromancy; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, ray of enfeeblement; Price 1,000 gp.

[thethird]

"Landro wonders would master Kith want another errand-job? Easy-easy."

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred looks at the pendant with a wide smile, then she turns till she is once again standing in the same relative direction than the dream god. She moves towards Rosian, close, and just before reaching him turns around. His back towards the god she contours, almost intimately, and her hands reach to her hair. Slowly she collects any miscarried lock and raises them afar from her neck.

Be a dear, collar me.

Her mental voice has turned to quiet velvety whisper.

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond- Kith, Landro

Landro appears to recover when he heards Kith's concern, if the undead had any blood on himself he might actually be blushing. He squarrels to the goblin and starts whispering.

"Landro is fine. Landro is fine finely finery. Well, fine. Master Kith knows what Landro means. As for next errand. First. Gift. Gift is golden mask. Master Kith's own golden mask or Landro's. Landro's knows Landro's mask. And thinks Kith would make masterful mask. But Landro's is better. Much more better gooder. Yes-yes. Master Kith should not make own mask. Remember not own mask. Will Master Kith remember?"

[Hatter]

Mysterious Lake, Eldarond- Kith, Landro

"Do not make my own mask. Seems easy enough to remember. Well then, what's the next job?"

Labyrinth of the Vanquished King, Godsfought, Reean Isles - Ulvin, Northmen

The entireity of the Labyrinth rumbles and groans as the frozen god attemps movement, with great and considerable willpower, he points a finger at the candlebra.

He forces his lips open and manages to speak a few words before simply waiting. "C-Candle....fi...re.....g...od....mortal....m..elt.. .ice."

[Durmatagno]

Spoiler

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Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Simdred looks at the pendant with a wide smile, then she turns till she is once again standing in the same relative direction than the dream god. She moves towards Rosian, close, and just before reaching him turns around. His back towards the god she contours, almost intimately, and her hands reach to her hair. Slowly she collects any miscarried lock and raises them afar from her neck.

Be a dear, collar me.

Her mental voice has turned to quiet velvety whisper.

Vevoran Rosian, Simdred

Rosian reaches over, and loops the pendant around Simdreds neck, securing it well so it won't fall off unless she wanted it to.

"If you ever need me, smash this pendent and I will find you. I can make you a new one should that happen, so don't worry."

Rosian says as he steps away, letting Simdred straighten again.

[Hatter]

Humanity

Throughout humanity across the playground, everything stops. Farmers stand still in their crops. Merchants pause in the middle of transactions. Guards stop chasing thieves and they stop running away. Everyone comes to a stop, the entireity of humanity pauses.

Each and every human is given a vision, a direct communication from the God of Humanity. Everyone is shown the island of Godsfought. They are shown the exact location of the Labyrinth and an image of Ulvin's frozen form and the candlebra. They are given Kyrokoli's message, the way to light that candlebra and they are shown all the dangers of the quest to save their patron god.

Prison, Eldarond - Yue, Bobby

Bobby suddenly freezes, her eyes lighting up with golden light and when she recovered, she gasped for air and grabbed hold of her cell bars. A little down the way, the guards and other prisoners could be heard doing the same. "This isn't good. This isnt good at all... what are we going to do without him?" she said, trembling with fear for humanity despite her general dislike for dogma and love of meat.

[Lady Tialait]

The Visionary

It had been nearly a millennium sense the great machines of the city had moved. The slithering of the nightmare engines and the gluttony of the first engines swarmed through it's streets. A great dark fog filled the air of the Visionary's form, but no sounds from the deity of destruction could be heard. Towers that were once the Visionary's own flesh now were massive first engines interlaced with each other till there was simply one great engine. Streets like rivers throughout the city made of pure nightmare gripping the deity in a vice of his own creation.

That was till the Visionary awoken. The great victory over Zalasram had been celebrated long enough, his vision was now clear on what had to be done. Screaming of nightmare engines heralded his awaking as they are crushed, the first engines are pushed away and sundered as a new city birthed from the cocoon of engines run amok, great shimmering towers free of grime and new factories erupting out of the debris. At the center of the newly reborn Visionary five thrones formed.

The first made of dark steel wrapping around itself in a twisted effigy of a regalia. Appearing on it is the Avatar of the Visionary known as Jin Xau'Hal, his twisted metal form and long teeth and claw accompanied by a chorus of discordant chittering. His eyes ever observant, flanking him two First Engines snapping clamps and flailing arms grasping for things to add to their own grotesque forms. The dark Avatar flicks at them hissing at the engines, the calm down their hunger for size.

The second made of flesh and bones rib-like bones fanned out behind it with pale nearly translucent flesh stretched paper thin over them, claws as arm rests on either side. Appearing in a portal made of blood is the Matron Mother Elev Nosh, her own pale flesh form blending in with the throne itself, blood flowing from the throne in rivers of crimson glory. Mother Nosh sits upon her throne with bizarre elegance. Bleeding rivers coming down from the middle of her eyeless face as she awaits her father and master's commands.

The third throne shrouded in smog with turrets of oil falling down in pillars on either side of it. The Dred Olg sits upon this, nightmare engines swimming in the dark oils that surround it. Her own spider like form seated in the darkness, the torso of a woman emerging from the smoke that hides the terror of her form. She looks to her sister and brother with dark intent, she has many plans, perhaps the return to glory for her lost peoples and the death of humanity who had stolen from her.

The fourth a thick heavy throne made of stone and iron the seat of it a heavy anvil and the arms of the throne two hammers. Seated upon the throne is a frozen dwarf holding a tome, his own robes the red of the Ur-Priesthood. Steel clamps on his beard and emblazon upon his robes the sigil of house Agni. He awaits the will of the Visionary to be allowed release from his prison, where he can spread the wisdom of Artifice once again to his people.

The third made of fine soft purple crystal with a light source under it giving off a mystical glow. This throne is empty, it's meaning bringing looks from those gathered, questioning what the Visionary has planned for his children. What horror will be birth soon?

The Visionary speaks, his voice echoing throughout the newly reformed city that makes up his body. "I have awakened. We have much work to do, my vision is clear. The elementals have become powerful indeed, and must be destroyed. You will assist me in hearing of these creatures, the legacies have been muddled and all must be brought before us to see if they are spawn of the world in spirit."

Orbs shoots out of the city to go to all the Gods of the Playground. Different messages to different legacies. Only the Cosmic Mother does not receive a message.

Spoiler: Elemental

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You are spawn of Zalasram, and are by birth my foe. If you do not wish war with my creations come before me to be assessed. You may be saved.

Spoiler: Creation

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You are a child of the Cosmic Mother, and the foe of the Elementals. If you have betrayed your mother, you will be punished. Come before me to prove your loyalty to the cause. Otherwise, you will be considered the spawn of Zalasram for all time.

Spoiler: Destruction

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My servant, have you forgotten your purpose? Are you a mistake that must be corrected? Come before me and show me your loyalty to my cause, or be considered Elemental scum.

[Hatter]

The Cottage, The Madhouse - Ahn, Kerx

Ahn was sitting by his fireplace, a book in hand, a cup of coffee sitting on a table to his side and Kerx sleeping under his feet like a loyal dog. One could even hear gentle harp music being played in the background by a pair of disease ridden rats in the garden.

Suddenly, the Visionary's message arrived in the air before him and Ahn snatched the orb out of the air. He gazed into it's contents for a moment before leaping up. "Come, Kerx! Wear your finery! We've a party to attend!" said the God of Luck as he gathered up his cane before disappearing with Kerx in tow.

The Void - Ahn, The Visionary

Ahn appeared not far from the Visionary's City Body with Kerx at his heels. Even though the form he currently took, that of a goblin the size of a hill giant with great ram horns on his head, the city still dwarfed him. He hooked his cane over his elbow and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Hellloo!"

[Lady Tialait]

The Void, Ahn and Visionary

The great city moves and a great beam of light encompasses Ahn pulling on him to come to the throne room in the great city. The Visionary's voice booming forth.

"Son of Creation, Lord of Luck and Disaster, you are a sympathizer with the legacy of the fiend known as Zalasram. Will you bring perfection to the First Creator's playground?"