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ABRAXAS MODS ([personal profile] abraxasmods) wrote in [community profile] abraxaslogs2024-04-17 10:07 am
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EVENT #18: EMERGENCE - IC EVENT LOG

Event #18 - Emergence
Whether voluntary or by force, you find yourself transported to the Singularity's crater. There probably aren't many resistors - officials have taken great pains to convince you to come voluntarily, reserving force as a last resort - but it's clear that everyone is required for this to work. It takes multiple mages to stabilize the portal, but you make it there in one piece. If you cooperate, you'll be asked to walk towards the ancient relic. If you resisted, you might be forced to do so while restrained. Regardless, a heavy fog soon descends around the area, obscuring you and your vision.

If you have thoughts of turning back, it's too late: for some of you, the second you step across the threshold, a force pulls at your chest and absorbs your psyche at once. For others, a mystical call beckons you to walk a little further before the same effect takes hold. And for a rare few, the call brings you to the Singularity itself, where you're compelled to touch it - and are subsequently swallowed up like the others.

The Horizon doesn't greet you like you might expect. Instead, something far stranger awaits.

Please communicate with your fellow players as needed! We also recommend discussing with us if you plan on a major environmental upheaval. As a rule of thumb, you should avoid changes to the landscape that will significantly alter the established map.

We've also posted comment sections for WORLDBUILDING and HANDWAVED submissions. Instructions can be found at the respective links.

Year 20,879
When you open your eyes, it feels like you've only blinked. If your body has transformed or you're someplace that shouldn't exist, it doesn't strike you as odd. You were always here. Everything around you was always here, and your physical alterations and new abilities - while perhaps not originally there - have been a part of you for a long, long time.

The world of Abraxas isn't completely foreign. Familiar territories remain, as well as the familiar faces of those with long lifespans. But a lot has changed in 800 years, too, especially where the Gods are concerned. Alongside the Old Gods of the Ancient Pantheon and the Cardinal Gods of the New Order, a third class of deities formed from you and your fellow Summoned: the Ecesis Gods of the Iterum Pantheon.
Politics, People, & Gods
Abraxas's political landscape remains complex, with continued tensions over land, worship, resources, and power. Nonetheless, since the Free Cities is no longer intent on destroying the Singularity, conflict over the ancient relic has lessened. All territories agree that the Godlands - and the Singularity - belong to the Gods themselves.
Beliefs and Gods
The active presence of the Summoned confirms the existence of the Gods. As a result, most Abraxans turn to the Summoned and other Gods for aid or protection. Extreme reverence exists in certain areas, especially on the Isle of the Lost and in parts of Solvunn. In other places, though, the Gods are merely acknowledged as a facet of life - a force that helps or hinders depending on temperament and should be respected, much like the sea. The Gods play a crucial role, sure, but so do the rain and stars. This is particularly true in the Feywilds, the Nether, and the Free Cities.

Small pockets of non-believers actively denounce the Gods. They claim the Summoned should be wiped from the world and the Singularity destroyed to prevent future invasions. Labeled dangerous heretics by Thorne and Solvunn, and "regressives" by the Free Cities - whose scientists and philosophers liken such thinking to be as foolish as declaring the sun unworthy or the earth to be flat - these people are shunned from society. In Solvunn, the consequences are more severe: heretics are exiled to the Barren, where they are subsumed by the desert, the Maw, or whichever Gods may punish them.

At the other end, some sects revere the Godlands so much that they believe feeding themselves to the relic will enhance Abraxas' good fortune for generations to come. Such cults are quite rare, but there are reports of mortals throwing themselves into the Singularity's crater and disintegrating as a gesture of their devotion to the divine.
International Relations
Due to the combined change in their priorities, Thorne and the Free Cities are less at odds. The Free Cities believes in protecting the Singularity; Thorne no longer seeks to control it. Nonetheless, mistrust flares on occasion.

While things are peaceful during these three months and have been for a few decades, Abraxas hasn't found a cure for war in the Gods. Conflict has broken out in the past and will again. Eyes are on the Nether as it grows in power, and who knows how long Thorne will be content with its losses? Will they convince the Velan Republic to reunite and turn against the Free Cities? For now, though, the territories have found their stride and appear more interested in progress than fighting.
Magic & The Singularity
Magic is relatively unchanged and is a vital part of Abraxan life. The small kingdom of Thorne continues to practice Academic Magic. Meanwhile, Wild Magic plays the same important role in the Velan Republic (formally Nott). Meanwhile, the Free Cities has developed New Magic further. The goal of decoupling magic from technology is less of a focus. Instead, researchers are eager to find new ways to fuse magic and innovation, including aspects of the Gods. Portable shrines, for example, are popular with traveling merchants.

High Magic no longer exists as a specific school of magic now that offerings, pacts, and requests to the Gods are a part of everyday life across Abraxas. Solvunn has returned to its roots, using the ancient Academic Magic practiced by the Lunae for standard tasks while turning to the Gods for greater blessings.

The Singularity has been relatively stable for the past two or three centuries. While occasional disturbances rumble, for the most part, the presence of the Summoned has strengthened it, alleviating its displeasure and ensuring that Abraxas - and possibly the universe itself - continues to exist. Indeed, academic writings from Thorne and the Free Cities across time suggest that the Singularity's devouring of the world has considerably slowed. It is now as much of a threat as the eventual collapse of the sun, something that is bound to occur but not for eons.

Of course, this could quickly change if the Summoned or any other Gods provoke the Singularity by rejecting its connection or denying its magic...so all should take care not to upset the nature of things.
Old World, New World
The map of Abraxas has undergone some notable shifts, although many names and places are the same.

Setting descriptions are HERE for your reference.

Mechapolis, the Witchwood, and the Barren/the Maw contain prompts related to the event itself. Information about those areas can be found under "Exploring the Land" in the section The World as the Divine (Month 1-2).


Month 1-2: Submersion
What do you last remember? Well, that depends. You might recall most things perfectly clearly. You might have new memories that don't feel new at all. Or, you might only remember the most recent year or two. Regardless, there is something missing: an important face, a handful of key events...maybe you don't remember having ever lived anywhere except Abraxas. You might find this unsettling, or you might accept it as just the way things are.

You've transcended those old memories, anyhow. You feel a little distant from the person you were centuries ago, and you most likely look different, too. Perhaps you've sprouted giant wings, become a formless void, or you're now a shapeshifter with no permanent appearance. You've gained a substantial amount of power and influence, the type that people of this world attribute to the Gods.

The first half is a more sandbox-like environment designed for scenarios that emphasize CR and personal character moments. Active conflict between the emergent reality and the world will not arise until the second half.

The World as the Divine
The mortals have bestowed you with a title and possibly a new alias. Do you know your mortal name anymore? Some of you might've taken on a new identity, or you might have held very tightly onto who you were. Regardless, your abilities have grown. Your new powers and appearance are as unique as your dominion, influenced by your interests, subconscious desires, or personal relationships.

While in your full God form, you'll move through the world unperceived. Only when you're sought by a mortal - followers, believers, cultists - can you consciously make your complete divine presence known. To be seen freely by all, you'll have to take on a less overwhelming shape to the mortal gaze. Those who have met the Old Gods or Cardinal Gods in the past finally understand why they seldom reveal their true selves, often arriving in hazy visions or speaking through animals.
Exploring the Land
The Witchwood
As the Summoned continued to ascend, their power began to coalesce, creating a new ecosystem never seen before. The dense woods, originally a temperate climate, warmed and grew into a thriving jungle. The air is humid and heavy with magic, the sky locked into an eternal sunset. Reds and oranges filter through the thick canopy. Birdcall and animal cries echo throughout the jungle. Trees and rocks seemingly move at night, meaning the Witchwood is impossible to map. Foolhardy souls who venture too deep are rarely seen again - unless divine intervention prevents a tragic fate from befalling them. Perhaps one of those intervening Gods is you?

The most dangerous beasts in the Witchwood are the demigod spawns. Creatures born from the Summoned, demigods are powerful enough to affect the world around them should they ever leave the magic-encased forest. See Impact & Consequences for more details on the demigods and how, as the Summoned, you can help maintain Abraxas' ecosystem.
Mechapolis
Heartwood Syndrome persisted in Fomalhaut long after the quarantined population died out. The port city stood as a monument to loss for nearly a century until about 200 years in when the Summoned gained notable influence as Gods. This resulted in a slow but steady acceptance of the Singularity's power as a positive force for potential advancement. New Magic boomed, leading to increased sophistication in technology and the refinement of automatons.

Originally designed to clear and guard Fomalhaut, they were eventually used to rebuild it. Fomalhaut became known as the City of Machines and was renamed Mechapolis. Although humans are barred from entering for safety, the automatons gather soil and air samples for study and perform fishing duties. The clockworks require routine maintenance and must return to a hub city or outpost for recalibration. Clockwork birds are used to communicate with Mechapolis. They can broadcast through the Free Cities's primitive "radio" towers.

You can enhance clockwork performance, boosting the towers or providing additional energy to the automatons. Scientists often have "rituals" when performing maintenance or experiments to earn the Gods' favor, hoping this will prevent their inventions from breaking down.
The Barren/The Badlands
Once contested territory between Thorne and the Free Cities, the Badlands was split into two by a large ravine shortly after Thorne retreated to Hayle. With neither side able to breach the gap, Solvunn naturally laid claim to the western half while the Free Cities retained its eastern half. On the eastern side, the chasm swallowed several well-known bandit camps and the presence of a new entity further drove them away. Bandits now occupy the mountains northeast of Aquila. Due to the entity's threat, the Free Cities increased its military presence in the Badlands to keep careless or foolish travelers from straying too far.

Meanwhile, Solvunn has named its portion of the wasteland the Barren and sought the Gods' assistance to form an enchanted forest. Those who enter are lost forever. Meant for more than just protection, the forest and the Barren serve as a place of exile. Heretics are taken into the woods and left to wander towards the Barren's harsh desert. There, they will face the elements, be devoured by the waiting Maw...or encounter a God.

As a God, you can lead the exiles to their salvation or doom, but choose carefully: the Maw is hungry and must be fed. These exiles want you dead. They don't care for you, and should their lack of faith spread, they might revive attempts to destroy the Singularity - and with it, your home. Is it so wrong to leave them to their fate? On the other hand, saving them might convert them by demonstrating your kindness.
The Maw
The Maw lurks beneath the chasm dividing the Badlands. Named for its gaping jaws, the Maw waits at the widest part of a jagged canyon, mouth open and salivating in the desert heat. Rows and rows of teeth as tall as a man spiral downward into a bloodshot throat. When sated, it retreats deep into the gully, barely visible aside from the shine of a tooth. When hungry, it draws closer to the surface. Hot and heavy winds often carry the putrid scent of its half-digested meals.

Solvunn is not the only territory that uses the Maw. The Free Cities will occasionally march criminals and bandits in that direction, as well, tossing them into the gaping mouth, although this method of execution is much rarer. Desperate exiles from Solvunn will try to cross the chasm despite the danger. None ever make it - at least, not without divine intervention.
Horizon, "Death," and Dormancy
Your domain in the Horizon is no longer constrained by size. How it's changed depends on you. The more detached from your mortality, the more likely it'll have surrealist elements: bizarre statues, physics-defying architecture, odd visual or psychological effects. The Horizon feels like home to all Gods, although you ought to take care not to heed its call beyond reason. Shutting yourself off from the physical world can result in unintended consequences...but completely refusing to enter the Horizon will do the same.

Additionally, Gods are beyond true death, but that doesn't mean you can act with impunity. Engaging in an exhaustive battle with other Gods can weaken you into dormancy. In this state, you will enter an ethereal void inside the Singularity. As you heal, you'll slowly be able to return to your Horizon domain and then the physical world once more. Depending on the extent of the damage, this process could take anywhere from months to decades. For instance, losing your head could take a few months, total dismemberment might take a year, and being vaporized into atoms can take a few decades.

Mortals cannot achieve this level of damage, even if they seemingly "succeed" in striking true. Only a God can weaken another God into dormancy. If a mortal removes your head, you can merely pick it up and put it back on.

Impact & Consequences
In the early years of your ascension, you might've wondered why the existing Gods seemingly intervened so little. Why did they not demonstrate their powers more blatantly over the thousands of years? Is it apathy? A desire to watch rather than act? As you come into your abilities, you realize that the Singularity and the universe are significantly more delicate than you thought. You begin to understand why the Gods have behaved the way they do.

Of course, whether you care to keep the world (and yourself) in balance is another story, but to be sure, some of the other Gods and the Summoned do - and you may have to defend your choices.

The equilibrium mechanic is described in OOC terms HERE. The Singularity and a character's ascension will not inherently sway them one way or the other. Any temptations will result from individual personality and development.

Instability Effects
To maintain the universe's equilibrium, you need to be cautious of when and how you interfere when using your status to alter the state of the world. Conversely, you'll also need to take care not to withdraw entirely. Several Gods have undergone periods of instability, though others haven't. Which category you fall under is up to you. It depends on who you are, your experiences, and your desires.
◎ Should you refuse to ACKNOWLEDGE your Godhood or enter the Horizon, you'll find yourself losing time. You may forget how you got from one place to another, or names you knew yesterday slip your mind. Lapses in memory or time can be temporary or permanent, but one thing they are is certainly confusing. With magic building inside you and nowhere for it to go, your power will begin to spill over, causing the Singularity to exhibit bursts of power that spawn demigods in the Witchwood.

◎ Should you give into the temptation to OVERINDULGE your Godhood or retreat to the Horizon for excessive periods, you'll lose more of yourself and your history. You may make decisions that feel unlike you, forget larger chunks of old memories, or struggle to distinguish what's real. Unrestrained use of magic will cause you to absorb yet more power, causing the Singularity to lose power in brief spurts, which can spawn demigods in the Witchwood.
These effects can be halted or even reversed in some cases. You might need someone's help to bring you back or convince you there's another way, or maybe you're the one seeking others out to assist. What you do soon understand is that your ability to manage your powers and stabilize your connection to the Horizon directly affects the Singularity and Abraxas...something that may have been true the moment you were summoned.
Demigod Spawns
Under the red haze of the Witchwood, monstrous creatures known as demigods or spawns emerge from crimson waterfalls and claw their out through the mossy soil. Born out of instabilities caused by careless actions from all Gods, they're usually contained to the Witchwood. For the most part, the older Gods - and the Summoned, if they choose - keep the demigods from leaving. However, now and again, one or two might escape, damaging towns, destroying villages, or causing ecological destruction in ways that are similar to natural disasters.

Demigods are not sentient. How they look can vary, but their appearances are often corrupted and disturbing: twisted animals, amorphous blobs, or alien-like parasites. They may resemble a monster you recognize from home.

Defeating one is possible but a challenge even for the Gods. Most crucially, you cannot kill your own spawn. Another God must deliver the killing blow, so working together is imperative. Should too many demigod spawns be allowed to invade the Witchwood, they will overwhelm and disrupt the Singularity further. Culling them is the only way to maintain stability.

You can submit demigod spawns you create to the WORLDBUILDING section if you want. Similar to using character powers, just keep the scale of destruction at a reasonable level.

Hearing Echoes
Echoes are a form of prayer that resonates through your connection with the Singularity. Solvunn has dedicated a monument to where the "First Echo" was heard, though the accuracy of this is debatable. Like the Network, you can hear an Echo regardless of where you are and can shut them out with concentration. However, your ties to Godhood may compel you to listen every so often. Mortals can entreat you through more formal methods (rituals, offerings, seasonal ceremonies) or in a moment of duress or desperation. They may seek you specifically or call to any God who will listen.

You can answer or ignore these cries for help as you like, but your choices carry consequences. Answer too many too eagerly, and your increased interference in mortal lives can upset the world's equilibrium - and the Singularity. Ignore your impact on the world, and your refusal to accept your ascension will equally destabilize the land as prayers go unheard.

Interacting with Other Gods
The Old Gods and the Cardinal Gods are an equal part of this world. For the most part, you coexist peacefully, though personal pacts and tensions can play a role. Each of you is aware of the impact of your actions on the Singularity: extreme displays of power are reserved for substantial transgressions, considering the price it carries.

Further, the older Gods have also walked the earth for centuries before you came. To them, you're still young, and rising against one of them won't end well for you. Nonetheless, many older Gods are more interested in giving advice or guiding you, ensuring the health of the Singularity and the universe so as not to doom all of you - Gods and mortals alike - to the void.

You can REQUEST AN INTERACTION with a God. Interactions will be brief but informative.

You will not be able to request a specific God. For logistical reasons, we have curated the list of Gods available ahead of time. However, we'll do our best to pick one from the pool that suits the purpose of your request.


Month 3: Awakening
Over the past 2 months, you've existed in the emergent reality without question. As you enter the third month, however, everything you've known over the past many centuries begins to shift. You might decide to investigate further, wondering if there's more out there that you aren't seeing. Alternatively, you might choose to ignore it, believing that your awakening is damaging the world and your life.
Catalysts
A catalyst can occur at any time through any circumstance. Do you see a familiar face you've forgotten in the eyes of a stranger? Do you recall a moment in your past while watching the mortals? Has a friend approached you specifically to try and remind you of the things you've forgotten?

With each memory returned you'll gain another piece of yourself. Depending on how much you've lost and how hard you'll cling to this reality, the effect may be clarifying or it might cause you distress and confusion. You might begin to encounter temporal cracks: buildings or areas that normally don't exist will flicker in and out of existence, or your reflection will briefly show an image of you from before your transformations took hold.

If you allow yourself to doubt your abilities or divinity, you might have trouble controlling your powers. If you've made alterations to your Horizon domain, it might start to revert to its original design.

These cracks are difficult to ignore, but if you bury your head, you can make them disappear - briefly, at least.
Shattered Skies
The effects go beyond the individual. As more of you and your fellow Gods reawaken, the sky also begins to form cracks that spread like broken glass. Through the fractures, you glimpse flashes of lightning and a swirling fog. The fissures only grow larger.

Soon, you realize you can see the Singularity itself, reflected upside-down in the crater. Disconcerting though it is, it may serve as proof that something is very wrong. Of course, you can also refuse to acknowledge this disturbance, closing your eyes to the crumbling sky. Doing so will let you remain unaware to the very end, but your friends who are seeking the truth might find your denial distressing.

The sky won't hold, though. Eventually, it does shatter completely - and you awaken abruptly, your body and others scattered several feet away from the Singularity's crater as if you were physically thrown out. The fog begins to dissipate. The lightning has stopped, the unrelenting storms fading across Abraxas. Whatever you went through, it seems to have done exactly what the territories hoped: stabilize the Singularity.

Characters will be returned home afterward. They will be thanked for their assistance regardless of if they cooperated.

Resistors will not face any consequences, as long as they don't cause excessive trouble upon their return. Officials will issue an apology for the heavy-handed action, stating that they saw no other way to keep the world safe. With the portals and weather returning to normal, it does seem to have worked...even if characters may not find the method agreeable.



rookvision: (wanna take what i got)

[personal profile] rookvision 2024-04-19 02:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[Jacob doesn't tend to come into Eddie's domain very often, preferring to roam around outside the Singularity and have a little fun out there, but he does like to drop by other people's domains. Sometimes his friends' domains, sometimes those of people he really only knows in passing, just to say hello. After 800 years, the sound of feathers rustling, the sight of a shadow detaching from a tree and forming into a human shape, is probably not too unfamiliar.

He tips his top hat to Eddie with a little insouciant grin.]


No emergencies. I was just passing by when I heard your music. [As for if he recognizes it—he shakes his head.] Not a clue where it's come from, though. You're sure you didn't make it up?
philancer: (007)

[personal profile] philancer 2024-04-19 02:50 pm (UTC)(link)
I can when I definitely don’t turn into a butterfly and stay a grumpy bear instead.

[ His tone is teasing as he leans over her shoulder to take a whiff of the delicious scents emanating from that basket. Although he laughs at her reasoning as he comes around to take it from her and carries it to the counter in the kitchen, already reaching to pull them down some plates and silverware. ]

Gods. That means I’m going to breathing fire for a week, doesn’t it.
philancer: (010)

[personal profile] philancer 2024-04-19 02:56 pm (UTC)(link)
He’d felt her the moment she appeared at the bottom of his mountain. The fact that she’d chosen to trudge up the slopes instead of just coming to his door is curious, but he lets her take her time. It just means there’s a warm fire roaring in the hearth behind him when he finally tugs his door open to greet her.

And the sight of the expression on her face has understanding flaring in his own golden eyes.

He steps out into the snow, wrapping his arms around her and dragging her into a warm hug, tucking her close against his chest. He’d know they were close, but…

“Come on. We can raid my wine cellar. Surely there must be a vintage down there potent enough to drown out feeling too much for a little while.”

Because he knows how that feels. Had lost a decade or so to it himself, when he’d first made this place and escaped to it.

He’ll pry more once she’s managed to numb it a little.
vecna: (pic#15832384)

option 2!

[personal profile] vecna 2024-04-19 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
A lot has changed in 800 years, of course. But, by way of some miracle, and perhaps so subtly changed by those around him, the unusual friendships Henry has cultivated during his time in Abraxas has made him…

Well. Not sentimental, quite. Not a man that seeks out company for the sake of it, not a man that’s become social by any means. But perhaps someone who is more keen to visit long-formed connections in a way he would not have ages ago — seeking fulfillment in a concept that had been impossible during his time in a life long passed, but now possible as a residence of this world. As a god, at that.

Though he’s not precisely the kind of divine entity that fits the rather lovely aesthetic of Claire’s home. His own domain has twisted the fauna and flora both into a single consciousness, reflected in eerie movements and alien awareness, beginning to mottle with ichorous darkness. A far cry what he sees around him as he makes his way to the little house, and yes, decides to hover in the doorway.

He’s in his human-appearance, as seems fitting for this quaint sort of meeting. A faint smile, nothing new there.

“It’s polite to wait for an invitation.”

God or mortal, one shouldn’t just barge in without expecting consequences.
philancer: (123)

[personal profile] philancer 2024-04-19 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He'd actually just finished the finishing touches, all the edges and surfaces perfectly smooth, leaving it solid and sturdy enough to fit the purpose he had for it.

He looks up with an easy grin when the winged figure lands next to him. ]


I was, actually. I’ve been trying to perfect the shape of it to get the best speed and handling. It’s been a lot of trial and error [ and more than a few ungainly tumbles down the mountainside ] But I think I’ve finally nailed it.

Wanna be my guinea pig?

[ Aegis should definitely not trust the impish mischief in the wink the redhead shoots him. ]
iustise: (63)

Awakening Acceptance | OTA!

[personal profile] iustise 2024-04-19 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[John sits on a stone wall by the side of the road, gazing up at the fractured sky. It is unnatural and frankly terrible to look at, with deep cracks tearing through the stars and lightning to be seen flashing in the depths beyond.

John cannot help but feel some sympathy with the universe, however. Perhaps that is why he remains, watching the distance storm, despite the way it feels him with dread. A deep cavern has been opened up within him as well, and roiling from it memories have come pouring forth. Slowly at first, but now there is tangible evidence of it. Cracks in the reality around them, worsening the more he and others with him come to terms with what has happened, and with the knowledge of… The truth.

Being the Patron of Verity — or perhaps not, all things considered, but still. John has always valued the truth above all things. Even if some times, as in this instance, it is a hard weight to carry.

A figure approaches and he turns his head toward his new companion, raising his hand in greeting. These past few days, meeting his fellow ‘gods’, it is difficult to know at first what stage in this adjustment they are in. John is finding it best to approach things gently. Not everyone shares quite so readily in own acceptance of what has happened.]

((ooc: this thread is intended either to chat between two re-awakened or if anyone would like a chat with someone who will help talk them into accepting the truth of what has happened!!))
Edited 2024-04-19 16:17 (UTC)
diametrically: (pic#16867142)

— thancred

[personal profile] diametrically 2024-04-19 03:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Even though he dons the skin of a mortal man, Andor can feel the itch of something beneath it - the god, the hunger - clawing it's way out of him, threatening to burn him from the inside out. It's plagued him ever since that fateful day he had tried to help Metia destroy the Singularity. Ever since Yasi'halaun had nearly killed him. Ever since he'd had his first taste of emotion fueled by Mythos' god-like despair of a brother no longer here.

Even before that moment the hunger had haunted him, so a taste of a powerful emotion should have left him satisfied. Instead it left him wanting more.

It starts innocently and valiantly enough. Andor limited himself to those that were deserving of it - those that tried to oppress and crush and chain. But that hadn't been enough. Times of peace did not bode well for a herald that was designed to break systems and carry the weak on his back. So naturally, sadly, his carnal desires had left a trail of innocent mortals in his wake.

A village once bustling now stands quiet. Desolate. Dust, sand and dirt lays thick on every surface and every body as a lone figure simmering with the heat of a supernova callously tosses another body to his feet, burnt and hollow. How much he's had he can't say for certain. His hunger tells him not enough. And there's still more. The dust that lies in the corners of this place whisper, telling him there's still others to be had. The villagers quake at the feet of El Povo, cry to other gods to save them from this relentless being.

But those gods don't concern him right now. All he knows is that he's ravenous and he will not leave until he's had his fill. ]
Edited 2024-04-21 00:00 (UTC)
theidlemaiden: (pic#16095208)

— rocket

[personal profile] theidlemaiden 2024-04-19 03:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She hadn't intended for it to end this way.

This newfound godhood and all the powers that came with it was terrifying in many ways, but, Hilda had found the endless possibilities and wonder that came with it too. When the echo had floated into her ears about needing a weapon that could help the mortal slay a beast that had killed their family, of course she had wanted to help. It was a bold ask - but wasn't that what her domain was? Boldness leading to success?

She had made weapons for gods before. That part was easy.

Unfortunately her excitement had gotten the best of her. She had forgotten that mortals were just mortals, made of flesh and bone and blood. She had forgotten that their delicate hands were not made to hold god-like powers. And that things made of flesh and bone burst in a very gory way.

By the time she finds Rocket proverbial doorstep she's a sobbing mess, puffy red eyes, feathers askew that she can't even bring herself to say what's wrong. Sorry, Rocket. Hopefully you don't mind some (a lot) of snot and tears on your fur. ]
Edited 2024-04-20 18:02 (UTC)
theidlemaiden: (pic#16095029)

— diana

[personal profile] theidlemaiden 2024-04-19 03:39 pm (UTC)(link)
iustise: (47)

[personal profile] iustise 2024-04-19 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
“Oh?” John asks, tilting his head toward the other god with a hint of wry amusement. “And how would you see them prepare for it then?”

Since apparently these humans are lacking in their orgy-planning capabilities. John cannot say that he’s one to talk, although he has been to a few of them by now. More than several being Jesper’s own, he’d wager. A smile tugs his lips at the thought of it. There being a right and a wrong way to go about such things. Although he supposes that there is. He’d hate to have a boring time at such an event, after all, and given that he has not yet, clearly someone has been doing something right.
itookashot: (KY_31)

[personal profile] itookashot 2024-04-19 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
And what is your gratification, my dear?

[ Jesper would never argue that he is more than most. It's the truth. It's what he was made of before he became a god, and now that he is one, it simply lit up that which was already him. He indulges endlessly, he wallows in the sweet relief of want and adoration. And he doesn't have an ounce of guilt or regret about it. ]

What can I give you, like I give everyone else?

[ It is a tease more than anything else, but he does always fulfill what Crane wants, when he rarely does imply what he wants. To be his science experiment, easy. To give him other subjects to study, easier. There are many ways of gratification. ]
iustise: (37)

[personal profile] iustise 2024-04-19 04:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Being a wanderer of the wilds himself, John is quite familiar with the sight of Istredd flying overhead by now. He is sat just now with a little picnic of his own on the peak of a grassy hill, just outside one of the many forests of the Velan Republic. Raising a hand to shield his eyes against the sun and watch the flap of his wings against the blue of the sky, John waits for him to draw close enough so that he might hear his voice before he calls out:

“What news does the wind bring?” Gesturing to Istredd’s book of notes.

(He thinks he is being funny.)

itookashot: (KY_31)

[personal profile] itookashot 2024-04-19 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"If I didn't, I would have a tragic accident happen ... and then see who shows up to my funeral." Jesper and Hilda do put at least some effort into the backstories they made and Jesper's current character is a bit snobby and classy, something he finds hilarious. He is still egotistical enough to probably love the idea of seeing who showed up. They better all look fantastic, or he'd blight the entire lot.

He lets Kaz perch on the arm and takes the drink, letting his other hand reach out to dance fingers playfully over Kaz's shirt. He feels a jolt in his veins when Kaz purrs at him, like always, and smiles, sipping his drink. That's his favorite tone, and he likes how mischievous Kaz looks when his interest is drawn in.

"A fellow called Braxton, more successful but only because we intentionally chose to be less suspicious." If he and Hilda wanted to be famously successful, they could in an instant. They are literal gods, and Jesper's persuasion abilities alone would shoot them up. They chose just enough fame to enjoy their creative pursuits without too much attention.

"I literally laughed in his face which he didn't like, but it is funny how important he thinks himself." Jesper grins. "My guess is he isn't as successful as he's pretending to be if he wants us, his books are probably off."
thedreamer: (0710)

— ☼ cassian

[personal profile] thedreamer 2024-04-19 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[ As the Doctor wanders, the Godlands stretch out before him, a vast expanse of ethereal beauty that seem to shimmer with the promise of untold secrets. The air hums with a strange energy, tinged with what feels like (for him, anyway) old dreams and lost memories. There are times this place is a retreat from the tumult of mortal existence and he finds solace here as he gazes up at the stars, trying not to hide away to the Horizon.

But today, even this place offers him little respite from the weight of his own conscience. The memory of his recent misstep sits heavy on his mind, a sobering reminder of the delicate balance between hope and despair, joy and sorrow. He had meant well, of course — his intentions always pure — but in his fervor to bring light to the darkness, he had inadvertently cast a shadow over the life of one of his followers.

As he wanders through the endless expanse of the Godlands, lost in thought, a sudden disturbance in the fabric of reality catches his attention. A flicker of movement, a ripple in the air — something or someone is near. And there he is — a figure emerging from the air itself, made of the remnants of starlight and dust. Cassian, or what remains of him — a ghostly echo of all he'd once known — adrift in the currents of time and memory.

The Doctor's hearts ache a little at the indiscernible shape of him, a pang of recognition stirring deep within his soul. Cassian — his lost one, the forgotten echo of the stars — he's here. For just the stretch of a breath, or for a day, he can never really know. Whether he remembers him or not is always uncertain, but the Doctor will remember enough for the both of them, as long as he needs. A soft smile, then — ]


There you are.
Edited 2024-05-05 16:30 (UTC)
vecna: (pic#15871571)

[personal profile] vecna 2024-04-19 04:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[Eddie’s presence always dredges up complicated feelings — a strange bitterness that encompasses the resentment of apparently conflict between them back home, twined with the unusual friendship they had cultivated during their time in Abraxas, before they really knew how they were connected in a future that didn’t take place for Henry. It leaves him… uncomfortable, in a way that even now, 800 years later, he doesn’t like to dwell too thoroughly on.

He’s simply accepted it. Accepted that Eddie will appear when he just wants to shield himself from a world that marches onwards, day by day, when he wants little to do with even the rote routine that the gods themselves can fall into. But he’s always found, one way or another — and today is one more of those days, it would seem.

The vine writhes a little under the other god’s step, burrowing into the dirt just enough to slip out and under, then rise again to curl around where Eddie stands. A quiet threat that isn't wholly seen through to its end, because it does little more than that.]


Then if you're so lost-

[For a moment, everything writhes in the copse of trees, vines lifting to create a glut of them, rising like a thing alive. But then they pull back, wet and undulating, to reveal Henry, who steps out as though pushed through a portal alive.

His form is the closest to human that Henry appears these days, the only thing differentiating himself from a mortal being eyes that seem a bit too blue, and the dark, spiderwebbing veins that seem to pulse just beneath his skin.]


-then let me help you find the exit.
iustise: (37)

[personal profile] iustise 2024-04-19 04:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[John hums into the kiss, nudging his head into the touch of Geralt’s fingers running through his hair. He has always enjoyed the quiet moments between them like this. Geralt’s touch, his kisses, softer and gentler than his gruff voice and large, imposing form would suggest. Even his words of protest have no bite to them.

John reaches to place flat on Geralt’s chest. Reassured by the heat of his skin and the slow but steady pulse of his heartbeat beneath his touch.]


I am not certain that would award you the desired effect…

[There is a smile in his voice, and on his lips as he murmurs further teasing into his companion’s kisses.]
krakened: (032)

edward teach | herald of lost treasures

[personal profile] krakened 2024-04-19 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
— starters below —
plot commentau info
[plurk.com profile] discontinuedquantifies @ discord
theidlemaiden: (pic#16006940)

prayer site

[personal profile] theidlemaiden 2024-04-19 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It isn't often that Valentine is summoned or called to the mining site. Not because she doesn't care about the mining camp and for the safety of the mortals there but because most of the echoes that float up, up, and up, typically pray for safety over success.

Which is exactly why this particular echo had caught her attention. Please guide my hand, Patron Valentine! I want this to be the best it can be for Astarion! Layer an adorable voice on top of that and Valentine was caught hook, line and sinker.

Curious to see what came from it she makes a little trip to the camp at the same time Astarion does. Valentine peers around him, the wings that frame her face fluttering a little as if in greeting. Her eyes dart from him to the visage of him. Befitting of a patron of the performers her expression stays perfectly poised - a mask of curiosity and genuineness. If she's amused or holding back laughter it's not obvious in the least. ]


Is this new? I think they really captured your hair.
beautifullies: (yoυ нave тo adмιт нe ιѕ raтнer)

[personal profile] beautifullies 2024-04-19 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
There's a tug of a smile from Claire as she finally looks up to greet her guest. In her human appearance, her hair is still fully silver, but it's braided instead of wildly loose curls, and the glow of it is less in the daylight, more natural looking.

"Alright, that's fair I suppose. Your etiquette is impeccable, so please come inside and make yourself comfortable. I was in the mood for tea with a little kick, so I'm having something with an irresponsible amount of cinnamon." She doesn't need it; she doesn't need any of these things, but they're comfortable and she's simply never stopped enjoying a good cuppa. Gesturing to a shelf with different blends of both tea and coffee, she pours boiling water into a cup.

"Whatever you'd like, and I have stronger as well." Alcohol, she means, and plenty of it in the form of wine. "You'll have to forgive me if I can't remember whether you've told me what your preference is. Have you told me?"
magicalarchaeologist: (close simple)

[personal profile] magicalarchaeologist 2024-04-19 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's why I remove the wings in here." Istredd just seems to appear in the same room as him, which could be startling, but he can move around the library as he deems fit.

He sensed Aegis once he arrived, the domain all connected to his mind, but he usually leaves people alone or doesn't dive too deeply into their presence unless they go looking for him. There are many who come in to enjoy themselves or fill up their books, even a few who live here when they need a place to stay, and he gives them their privacy. But he could tell that Aegis was searching.

It's true that Istredd typically has large white wings which contrast nicely with his skin made of dark skies and swirling starlight. But his body is in flux, at his whim, and he knocked too many books off their shelves himself until he figured out the fix. He isn't suggesting Aegis does the same, only an observation.

"Aegis, how have you been?"
beautifullies: (424)

[personal profile] beautifullies 2024-04-19 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
It felt right to force the climb, to try and let the cold numb her thoughts, or at least put something in perspective. All it's done is make her cold, the hug almost as good as being tucked into a warm blanket. She lingers against him for a while, until the idea of an entire wine bottle is too tempting to let linger any longer.

Claire lets him lead her inside, removing her cloak and laying it by the fire before they continue on to his wine cache.

"I didn't mean to go so long without visiting," she says, a small sniffle at the end of it. "I'm sorry for showing up unannounced like this." Although she assumes he knew when she was close, but still.
pathologise: (pic#16986991)

[personal profile] pathologise 2024-04-19 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
( she doesn't know whether she'd sought him out or if it had been a coincidence when he'd found her, turmoil in her mind, cracks leaking memories out that couldn't be hers, that connected to her but not in a way that adrienne could feel. they didn't feel true.

though she'd become increasingly calm over the centuries, losing her grounding and just being there was an obvious disquiet in her when they met, a rising panic that she didn't like.

except he was always a measure of calm, she knew that, and that's why she was glad to find him )


Starman-- ( except she frowns, something about that not feeling quite right )
assembles: beard, up, back (storm's coming)

steve rogers | marvel cinematic universe | patron of the venerated

[personal profile] assembles 2024-04-19 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
au infoplotting commenthandwavingpatron of the venerated
discord: demonology ★ [plurk.com profile] demonology ★ or PM this journal!

feel free to reach out if you want to plot something specific, but you can also just respond to an ota prompt and we'll make it up as we go along!
assembles: beard (what a look)

months 1-2

[personal profile] assembles 2024-04-19 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
assembles: beard (strut your stuff)

OPEN TO ALL

[personal profile] assembles 2024-04-19 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
i. the nomad
[ As much as it might make sense for a living statue to simply stay in one place, that is not always the case. Yes, a sentinel is expected to stand guard, to keep watch over their charges, and this is something that the Patron of the Venerated will do, particularly in the Free Cities.

As far as he is concerned, he can serve his duty while also functioning as a nomad, traveling from place to place, his marble skin shrouded under a hooded cloak. It's not as if the mortals can see him anyhow, but what if he doesn't want his fellow gods to bother him either?

Well, the answer is "too bad," it turns out, because the Nomad has learned by now that he cannot escape the interest and concerns of the other memebers of his Pantheon.

His travels most often are contained to the Free Cities, traveling between all four of the main cities (yes, including Mechapolis, which is a rather fitting place for a now inorganic being like him to go). He cannot mingle among the mortals anymore, but he can watch over them, his face impassive as he observes them go about their normal, mundane lives.

He might settle in a graveyard, or the halls of a museum, or even a city center. Any spot where a statue might be found. And then he will go still, and the people moving about might comment on the statue's presence as if it's always been there in their memory, not able to process that there is a god in their midst.

Another haunt of his is Dovetail Springs, where he will stand near the water, watching the scorching sun reflect off of it as people search for shade from the heat either under trees or indoors. He, of course, is not bothered by the heat at all. The sun makes the gold cracks inlaid with the marble of his form shine with particular brightness.

He also, for reasons he can only vaguely remember, will venture out from the Cities to the Isle of the Lost. There is something calming about observing the people here as they tend to the island, and he can while away many hours simply watching them at work.

He will, of course, also venture to either the Godlands or the Horizon itself if he needs time away from the minutiae of mortal life. He doesn't seem to spend much time in his domain, if he even has one, instead settling in other domains that are open to him — such as Sam's, Istredd's, and so on. Or perhaps he'll appear in that of another's to make a house call.

No matter where he is, if he receives an echo he will take care with deciding whether or not to respond. He's seen firsthand what a lack of balance or a refusal to comply will lead to, and has to determine both if the request is trivial or not, and if the person making it is worthy of his assistance. He is, however, more than open to collaborations and teamwork in responding to them alongside other gods. ]

ii. mechapolis
[ Even to the Nomad, who has over the centuries become accustomed to making little noise unless he is actively moving or talking, the atmosphere in Mechapolis is eerie. It's nearly silent save for the sound of the automatons clinking or creaking as they go about their work, with no need for such beings to engage in casual conversation.

And yet there are times when he feels he can relate to them. So much time has passed that there are moments when he struggles to carry out that sort of conversation, even with his fellow gods. It's different with those he considers close friends, his fellow Avengers and those who have made a point of keeping up with him like Diana, and yet...

Sometimes it's nice, to be surrounded by activity and movement, but to not have to think too hard on the specifics of social interaction.

He walks throughout the quiet city, his movements slow and deliberate, and periodically stops to either grant the radio towers or one of the automatons a siphon of his divine energy.

Eventually he pauses to watch the automatons fish off the coast, tugging his cloak around his face as the sea breeze makes it flap around — though his own hair long ago became hard as diamond, incapable of feeling such a sensation. ]

iii. the barren
[ Is it any surprise that not everyone is going to throw themselves at the feet of the gods?

The Sentinel cannot help but wonder, even if the memories are distant and hazy now, if he would have been much the same once upon a time. If he would have rejected the gods as the arbiters of Abraxas.

Still, most are willing to simply reject these heretics and cast them out into exile so that they can die of heat exhaustion or be consumed by the Maw. And, well, supposedly the Maw must be fed, and if it is not, there will be further consequences, potentially leading to even greater loss of life.

We don't trade lives. A sentiment that has existed in his mind for longer than he can remember, that echoes through his thoughts whenever he finds himself conflicted.

As he watches from on high, one of the exiles staggers through the desert, then lifts their waterskin to shake the last few drops onto their parched tongue. The Sentinel looks to whoever is here with him, a fellow member of the pantheon. While he cannot make much in the way of an expression these days, one could almost imagine the ridge of his brow creasing. ]


There's no harm in offering them a way out.

[ It doesn't feel right, to just sit and watch. ]