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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.



krakened: (ml: 011)

[personal profile] krakened 2024-04-22 08:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ed, meanwhile, is as happy as a clam. Definitely no depressing thoughts or anything going on. He spent the last month enjoying the fruits of his (and Hilda's, and dozens of mortals') labours. That is to say, the play was a grand fucking success, and Ed's intention is to ride the high as long as possible until he drops off a sheer cliff. That's sort of how he goes about things.

Arthur, on the other hand—mopey sort. Ed's used to it. It doesn't bother him personally, but he sort of feels bad for the guy, you know? They're here on this planet forever and they can do whatever they want. Seems like if you're not gonna enjoy this, what else have you got?

Ed ascends the stairs to the lighthouse, leaving a slick moist trail behind him. He's carrying his latest find, covered in kelp and algae. ]


Heyyy, Artie. [ He peers around the corner to the pile of books he's let Arthur haul into the lighthouse. ] You're heaving those big sighs again. Do we, uh, do we wanna talk about our feelings?
Edited 2024-04-22 20:37 (UTC)
krakened: (076)

[personal profile] krakened 2024-04-22 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He loves splash zones. Splash away. Ed shields his jam-filled doughnut from the wet, but otherwise, he's happy to be re-moistened.

At some point, he moves towards Yinyue, carrying a mini pewter bucket of popcorn chicken. Personally, he's a fish and lobster guy, but the chicken's not bad. Plus, he doesn't get chicken a lot. Not a lot of 'em in the sea. ]


Want some?
nomnoms: (pic#16297322)

[personal profile] nomnoms 2024-04-22 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Nanaue, as is his way, ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAARS back at the screaming goats - but in a friendly way (in his mind). He is generally cautious of the skeleton-goats ever since the bite incident. Luckily, all the cartilage on his fin grew back!

Zagreus himself gets an excited wave. There's a familiar golden crown hovering above Nanaue's head, and he's accumulated quite a few more scars since they first met eight centuries ago.

"KILL DEER!" he booms excitedly. Around him on the beach where he'd been sitting and playing in the sand haphazardly stumble a dozen 'feetie' fish. They must be relatively new to their leggies.
krakened: (Default)

[personal profile] krakened 2024-04-22 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ed loves gifts. He doesn't actually remember ever meeting Alucard, although this has fuck all to do with Alucard being memorable or not and everything to do with Ed's attention span and general. Memory. Of life.

But it's not that hard to figure out this is one of Hilda's friends from context.

So of course, Ed sends a gift back. (He's pretty much always looking for an excuse to foist one of his treasures onto someone.) ]


Fuck yeah they were.
Love the flowers, mate. Got something for you, too, for stopping by.
Pretty sure it's some kind of mystical good luck charm
Those usually come in threes.


[ Here ya go. ]
restingstitchface: (Enlighten [AU])

[personal profile] restingstitchface 2024-04-22 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[Few people visit his realm. Fewer still indulge themselves in his company. Most who do occupy his bed, convincing themselves that casual flings are how he loves wasting time. That is why he enjoys spending time with those few who visit with honest reasons; his family and friends.

He observes the latter from the shore; a gentle set of stairs that ascend to the timeworn sanctuary that inhabits the middle of his domain.]


Are you enjoying yourself out there?
krakened: (012)

[personal profile] krakened 2024-04-22 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ed's assured Hilda she's busy and he doesn't need to see her before the whole thing kicks off, but secretly, he's pleased she made the time. She's been, y'know, probably one of his best friends? Since what feels like the dawn of time, and he likes having her around. She's never judged any of his momentary lapses in choice, not even when they result in a dozen fishing boats lost a sea.

It's fine. He gave a bunch of treasure to all the...surviving relatives. And stuff.

Anyway, today's not the time for moping. Ed's laid out some stuff for her to use in the lighthouse, and he's shooed Arthur out to give them a bit of space. Inside one of the rooms is a big tub (for himself, to lounge in) and plenty of fresh shrimp that he fished out of the sea, some of 'em still wriggling. ]


Oooh, I sure fucking am, Miss Valentine. [ Ed greets her with an 8-tentacled and 2-armed hug, squeezing her tightly with each limb. ] Hey—I got ya something.

[ With a flourish, Ed presents Hilda her gift, a large gem and pearl-encrusted flamingo. Ta-da. ]
godshattering: (pic#15529797)

option 1!

[personal profile] godshattering 2024-04-22 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"Is that your way of telling me I need to bathe? I'll have you know I never turn down the chance to indulge in a luxurious one, thank you very much."

There's an appropriate level of petulance to those words like any sort of insult's been meted out here (it hasn't) rather than exactly the variety of kind invitation he's come to expect (which has) as Sidus stands by the pool in question. He'd approached it to appreciate the waterfall again as one of his favorite places to visit all but demands, and had meant to say hello to Claire in a moment. Instead his adopted mother gets this complete with a pout in a likely familiar routine.

One that lasts for all of a handful of moments since any longer might make it seem like a real complaint. Any further suspicion of that might be warded off by the fact that he leans down to brace a hand against the side of the pool to take a seat there and go about rolling up his robes and trousers to dip his feet and legs in. For a start, anyway.

"Swimming does sound rather nice since I haven't done that in a bit. Oh! But that reminds me." Since he'd come here with more in mind than complaining: after a second of concentrating with his hands cupped, he parts them to let some brightly iridescent butterflies flutter free as they move in lazy swoops and arcs over the water. "Made some new friends on my last trip through Aquila, and I thought they might also enjoy hanging out around here.
krakened: (017)

[personal profile] krakened 2024-04-22 09:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Sandy shores and giant bodies of water are Ed's dominion, which means that's where he drifts along in the Horizon, too. He hasn't made any place of his own in particular; the sea is vast and so, his space is, too, carrying him wherever the current wants to. These days, he isn't much one for steering. Not like there's any shore he's gotta reach.

'Course, that also means sometimes, he ends up where he didn't actually plan to be.

Like. The North Star.

Ed's probably not super visible through the distant waves, but as he draws closer, Koby might recognize him as the anti-navigator (and possibly, in others' views, huge dick) who keeps fucking with people's compasses and rudders. Ed, on the other hand, absolutely recognizes Koby, though, listen, he doesn't, you know, actually hate the guy or anything; at the end of the decade, they're all kind of stuck here together and it's hard to...make mortal enemies out of people when you can barely remember what the fuck happened between you three centuries ago.

But you gotta admit: huge spoilsport. Just saying. ]


Oh, look, it's you. [ He slithers onto the sand. ] Having a little rest from being a killjoy?
godshattering: (pic#15439510)

[personal profile] godshattering 2024-04-22 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
To waste our time, I think, because I'm not sure I even know at this point. It was supposed to be some business plan, then it changed to something with gardens, and then I think it was to curse his brother-in-law. Maybe it's all related.

[ Needless to say: he hasn't been listening closely since whenever the last denial they'd given was. Perhaps the misleading is in that Sidus still took some of the offerings left on a shrine for good measure since they were rather nice and ignored that might seem like some level of godly acceptance. But he couldn't really be expected to leave such an interesting collection of poisonous vials alone, could he? Neither one of his partners would've expected so even as he's willing himself to forget about one of them. (It isn't successful.)

Irritation's a fine feeling to dwell on when it weaves so nicely in with the other negative ones roiling around in him somewhere. They're what keep the blanket firmly over his head as he stares at the pattern on it from inside his makeshift cocoon even as he hears Valentine moving around the room. A flutter of something - feathers, he recognizes - and then the clunk of a teapot. Tea - right. That's enough to make him finally remember she'd kindly made him a cup of it that's already around here somewhere even if it's surely cold by now.

Which does, actually, make him feel fractionally guilty. It's a reminder to retrieve it from wherever it is has him peeling back the blanket with some reluctance and only sort of, given that he moves it enough to peer out from beneath it with one green eye to appraise the other god in the room. ]


Maybe we - [ "we" - ] should just curse him instead and get it over with.
restingstitchface: (Austere [AU])

[personal profile] restingstitchface 2024-04-22 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[Decades have passed since he last visited this village. This statue, scratched by signs of wear and tear, has stood as long as the village has been dedicated to his service. Three hundred years of history. Three hundred years of prayer and dedication. Three hundred years that will be interrogated by a god who never visited before. The Nomad who never settles down, who remains ignorant of the times, will never believe this village follows out of free will.

Not that he believes in free will. Their beliefs are diametrically opposed. Their understading of consent differs by definition. He turns and tilts his head in disdain; this disturbance nothing more than a variable that will soon disappear.

His cold expression is matched with an austere tone.]


Well, as you can see for yourself, I'm on vacation.

[Their split really had not been amicable.]
assembles: beard (never enough never)

free cities

[personal profile] assembles 2024-04-22 10:12 pm (UTC)(link)
It's not like it's uncommon for other gods to get their boots on the ground in the Free Cities. They might be able to hear people call for their aid no matter where they put themselves, but there's something different about observing up close.

When Steve spots the scorched handprint left on an exterior wall in a busier part of Cadens, he knows who must have just been here. A statue shouldn't be able to move, let alone move quickly, and to be fair, he doesn't run. He just follows the hint of smoke left in the air, a trail by which to track Shepard.

These cities have seen their fair share of revolutions, and the Sentinel has some idea of how the Commander feels about all that. It's no surprise that she's here to keep a closer eye on things.

They're somewhere near where the Sarstina used to be when he catches up to her, though he doesn't quite remember that himself; only that this is a part of the city he knows well. As she looks ready to turn the corner, he clears his throat to catch her attention.

(If a statue even has a real throat to clear, but some habits don't fade so easily.)

"Been a while."

Not for any particular reason, either. The two of them have worked together and shared advice countless times over the years. But when you're a god, the time seems to pass while you hardly notice.
aquaveiled: (himeka-677)

[personal profile] aquaveiled 2024-04-22 10:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Weeping from joy, you mean?

[ It wouldn't be the first time that Azem's memory has failed her beyond her notice, but Sylvain is often too accommodating. While he takes the stool, she pulls herself up to hop on the edge of the counter instead and rests her plate in her lap. ]

As such, I think you should get the first bite. This is for you, after all.

[ And she looks so expectant too. No pressure! ]
funbreaker: (thancred-court-058)

[personal profile] funbreaker 2024-04-22 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The echo comes as a wracked sob, scraping through Aegis' thoughts like nails on a chalkboard. This is the sort of echo that he can never turn away from: a desperate plea for protection from some terrible, unknowable force. While he doesn't know the details of what this danger is or where it came from, not when the one praying to him can barely string the urgent words together, it doesn't matter. He knows down to his marrow that this is someone who needs him, and for good reason.

So he flies to the source of the echo in an instant, with little more than a purposeful flap of his wings, and then himself in a place that's been hollowed out and turned to dust.

Most of it, anyway. There are a few homes still standing, if barely, and he can only assume that the person who called to him is somewhere inside one of those structures.

Don't worry. I'll keep you safe.

They may not be able to hear the words, but with any luck they can feel his presence and his will.

It's not hard to find who's responsible, though Aegis can barely make out the god's other form, lit up as it is like a star that's burning itself out. He can even feel the oppressive heat, though it's not enough to stop him from striding forward, his gunblade drawn and his tone clear and clarion. ]


I don't know what drove you to this, but that's enough.

[ And then, among the blinding light, he can almost make out a silhouette. He frowns as he realizes who this is: the Herald of the Fettered.

Cassian.

The shock of that alone stays his hand, if only for a moment. ]
beautifullies: ("wнy d’ye тalĸ тo yoυrѕelғ?")

[personal profile] beautifullies 2024-04-22 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Claire's laugh is rich and she rolls her eyes as any good mother would. Wearing blue and white robes and holding a book in one hand, she makes her way closer. "I'm only saying that if you're here, why pass up the opportunity?"

Not that she has any objections to a nice foot soak instead, and she adjusts her own clothing to sit near him. When the butterflies are revealed, Claire lets out a soft gasp of delight.

"Oh, they're the most gorgeous butterflies I've ever seen." She watches them flutter over the water, then turns her gaze back to Sidus. "Thank you for bringing them here, they'll be happy." It warms her heart, that he saw them and thought to bring something so wonderful back to her.
aquaveiled: (himeka-652)

[personal profile] aquaveiled 2024-04-22 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He comes into it well, easily even, though he and some of his compatriots had something of a head start. Yet the fondness she feels for Percy is not unlike--

--...hm. It's strange, sometimes she feels a nagging in her breast that there's someone she's forgetting. Like a younger sibling? But surely not, for Aegis is her only brother.

Still, she happily takes him on as her would-be nephew no matter the forms they ultimately take. He could be man, boy, or fish and it would be all the same. Although, she admits that she has always had a soft spot for fish even if she doesn't remember why. Must be something about the scales.

She waits patiently for his insight, happy to just enjoy the smell of the air and soft hug of the sandy shore. His response, though, makes her face light up. ]


Ah, excellent! I was thinking it might be fun to do a little clam digging. They're best when they're fresh, no?
satanicpanics: made by <user name="inkonic"> (pic#16613124)

[personal profile] satanicpanics 2024-04-22 10:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It’s not often that Eddie actually brings something along with him—nothing but himself and his motormouth, that is. The visit isn’t special, but it had been hard not to think about Henry when he’d found that amulet in the offering tray. It’s genuinely hard for him to not are, even if he wishes he didn’t. ]

Oh, ouch. Henry, that stings. Maybe I like spiders too.

[ He’s not sure what it is that keeps calling him by his real name. To Eddie, Vecna was always some faceless force. He never actually saw him; just his work, but he’s known Henry for centuries, and even if they are the same person.

As Henry observes the specimen, Eddie immediately begins to climb one of the nearby trees, arms outstretched as he balances carefully along a branch. He’s always been full of nervous energy, and despite the fact that he’s no longer terrified, he still lacks the ability to keep still. Always tapping, always fidgeting, using Henry’s domain as a playground is literally the only option here.
]

Anyway, I told them to stop leaving me dead animals, but some people really can’t get that one though their heads. So, uh, I guess someone thought this one didn’t count.
itookashot: (knG1TgI)

[personal profile] itookashot 2024-04-22 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"You were worth waiting for, my pretty pouter." Jesper blows a kiss at him and he keeps cycling through different clothes options, them all appearing and disappearing from his body in a rush. Some tight, some loose, some formal, some informal. He can be very picky when it comes to these things.

He does, however, wisely stop obsessing over his clothes when Sylvain and his still outrageously beautiful body comes out in a towel. Both he and Claude appear to have the same idea, eyeing their lover with open appreciation. "I'm the person being celebrated, and I say you can go with a towel. It'll start a good fashion movement for orgies." Who needs clothes, when you can swipe one off and get going?

"I'd ask what I win, but we all know what we're going to win." They are at a soon-to-be orgy, literally everyone ends up winning. He snaps up two outfits, one very tight and one very formal, both vivid colors, and puts them in front of him so they can see. "Alright which one of these would you want to rip off me later?"
itookashot: (KY_51)

[personal profile] itookashot 2024-04-22 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Jesper likes when Crane grips his chin like that, allowing him to keep that hold as long as he wants. Silver eyes meet his, a molten warmth in comparison to Crane's ice. Opposites they are in so many ways, and that could be why they are drawn to one another. There is a push and pull that only exists in this man's grip. ]

Not in my experience.

[ He is not all sunshine and happiness, despite what it may seem, because love is also jealous and possessive and consuming. Jesper may not be, but he can cause those intense emotions in others, he can drive them to a type of madness himself too. His maliciousness exists, it's just guided in specific directions. ]

Do I get a kiss if you're happy with what you get?
itookashot: (FBEdmlH)

[personal profile] itookashot 2024-04-22 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Jesper thinks of them that way too, especially in certain villages, the ones who have mirrored his love back at him. He coddles them like his children and they've lived very happy and satisfying lives because of it. He knows there are others of their kind who are less attached to their followers, some who even shun them, and it's beyond him to think that way. When their cute little whispers enter his ears, all he can do is blow some kiss-blessings at them. He does look like something of a proud papa at the moment.

This one he is happy about. The bride and groom were so resistant to admitting their love for one another, childhood rivalry gone wrong, but they found their way back to each other soon enough.

Jesper is in rainbow shades, his usual, with no shirt since why would he hide the marbled brown perfection that is him? His pants and jaunty hat are colorful though and he smiles when Wilhelm's hand slides into his own. Outside of the constant vibration of his positive energy and height of attractiveness, Jesper looks much the same as he always had, since he sees no reason to mess with perfection.

"Thank you. They needed only a small push from fighting to kissing, you know how it goes." Passion can turn on a dime, with a gentle little swish from a cupid. Jesper kisses his hand and then releases it to run his fingers with the smallest of light touches along his wings affectionately. "You look as lovely as always, my love."
itookashot: (UpkJ4k5)

[personal profile] itookashot 2024-04-22 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"Very thoughtless, I demand at least a dozen more kisses before I'll forgive you." Jesper does vaguely remember the sweet-faced boy Koby used to be long ago. A lot of details in his long life get mixed up, years here and there, but he likes bringing out that person again. He can see it in his laugh, in his smitten smile, and he holds him close, rubbing a hand up and down his back as they practically cuddle.

"I would have had to send in a search party if you thought any longer." Jesper is known for popping in on people who maybe stopped coming out as much. He cheerfully tugs the more morose among them too, mostly because he never forgets people. Time, maybe, first meetings, most likely, but the people he once wrote lovingly (and lustfully) into a book, never.

"Don't be sorry, we have the time." As far as they know, eternal time. The older gods have been around for thousands and thousands of years, and they're simply the new class of them. Jesper isn't even entirely certain how many years he's been in this world, but all he knows is the path ahead of him is wide.

"Is everything well, though? Not thinking in the bad sense?"
smilefornow: (cover up the reason)

[personal profile] smilefornow 2024-04-22 11:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[A dismissive, but dramatic, wave of Arthur's hand.]

It's only the cyclic apathy that routinely assaults me.

[But he drifts in Ed's direction. It's not his fault, and quite frankly he's usually rather good at lifting Arthur's mood. Something about his rather chaotic energy, it's difficult to stay bored and listless around that.

God Dog, what is that thing he's found now? It looks like something out of a campfire story, the sort to scare little children into staying out of the woods.]


I see you've been out...er...treasure hunting. Where did you dig that up?
godshattering: (pic#16265555)

[personal profile] godshattering 2024-04-22 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He knows that voice. Is it part of the reason he feigns interest in the state of a cuticle for a second longer? Possibly, though Sidus does look up a few seconds later with an expression somehow even more bored than before as he shifts his bow idly in one hand.

Definitely not to be ready if they have to move suddenly. Totally not the case. ]


What a shame since I was looking forward to idling around, but - [ with a sigh - ] if you insist. I--

[ Won't get to finish that sentence since there's the echo again, complete with a rather alarming scream from... something. ]

Well. That was definitely from the right.
respiting: (o49)

[personal profile] respiting 2024-04-22 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well.

Her comment just earns her a deeply amused snicker that half-disappears into the rim of Rocket's mug, because that's absolutely and totally ... not untrue. He really would pick the absolute worst, embarrassing, funniest name he could think of and call it a gift from the gods 'cause it freakin' is.

And a name like Dik Swett would be hilarious. Or maybe something like — ]


All right, fine, but I'm gonna keep laughing at him. [ Nebula may as well have given him permission with her statement, so. ] He leaves a real fine legacy of unfortunate family members with that one.

[ Another sip from his drink before he sighs contentedly. ]

Otherwise, it's been pretty okay. What about you? Any stories?
northerndragon: i don't have time for frivolity. i have to hurry up and die. (drained the blood from my heart)

[personal profile] northerndragon 2024-04-22 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Some days, he plays the lord; some days, he lets her have her way with him. This is more of the latter, though some days there is a little of both. She pushes him back, still straddling him, moving up and down his body. When she kisses his throat, one of the logs in the fire shifts and crackles, and the flames briefly rise.

It makes him laugh. He reaches out, catches one of her hands, and holds it in his.

"Careful, lady."

His other hand slides up the back of her calf, pulling her skirt with it.
earthborn: (Hold out baits to entice the enemy)

[personal profile] earthborn 2024-04-22 11:40 pm (UTC)(link)
It would surprise many who know her to be told that Shepard is capable of sneaking. And it's true: she had been, once, something slipped in under the radar, a hidden weapon deployed under the veil of plausible deniability. Now she's got a damned smoke-trail; maybe it's the obliviousness of the populace that lulls her into a false sense of anonymity, but somehow she's never quite forgotten the annoyance she feels at being so easily found.

When someone knows how to look, of course.

"Steve?" The snarl is gone almost before it's formed— almost. Her reputation for a quick temper is honestly won, "It's good to see you."

She offers a handshake, a habit formed when the current form of democratic government was not even a dream in someone's imagination. It's the same as ever, heat aside; three shakes, firm without being aggressive. Just right.

"What brings you into Cadens— somebody trying to bother you, specific? I think I'd know if someone was just pining for a less shitty boss."

And, depending on the boss, potentially everyone would know, everyone who lives here, anyways. But then, what mercy can a garden hope for, but the judicious application of pruning shears?