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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.



kobes: ([star] hopeful)

[personal profile] kobes 2024-04-23 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
[If Koby was better at having a straight face, he could probably drag this on a little bit longer -- but he isn't. Besides, he's not a vengeful, vindictive type. So he softens, sitting upright in his seat and offering a reassuring half-smile.]

They will, yeah. Don't worry about it. [Really, he could probably summon them back without too much trouble, but maybe it's good for them to wander? Either way, Koby's slipping easily into host mode, standing and shaking more stardust out of his hair, then pouring it out of the book he's holding.]

It's nice to see you. It's been a little while. [He thinks. Time is weird, these days.]
theidlemaiden: (pic#16106072)

[personal profile] theidlemaiden 2024-04-23 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ They both know that there's a certain level of rude that they'll both tolerate from one another (because there's 'rude' and then there's rude) and this barely crosses that threshold.

Which is why she begins to absently float off the floor, daintily crossing her legs one over the other as she watches him figuring out what exactly her cryptic instructions mean. ...And promptly has to hide her pleased little smile when he nearly fumbles the sword.

Alucard's praise is quickly waved away. As much as she's flattered, Viktor's habits have rubbed off on her in some ways - she's eager to see what exactly the sword can do. ]


It can turn into multiple blades. Up to four of them to be exact. You can either command them separately with gestures or you can wield it exactly like you are now.
hairington: (055)

[personal profile] hairington 2024-04-23 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ at first it almost felt borne out of necessity - or, perhaps, that was just how he and clarisse came into each other's orbit. called upon the same echoes, present on the same battle fields, usually the ones who remained - swords in hand. his friendship with clarisse was one that even steve couldn't explain, not really, but as the decades piled onto each other and centuries started to pass, it became less of something he needed to explain and more something that just is.

which, of course, means that he's well aware of her demigod family - or, rather, were demigods before and are now just as godly as the rest of them. once upon a time, steve had been uncertain of it all - godly parents, impressive powers, and the fact they all still seemed just like kids anyway. it was refreshing, something that helped keep him anchored even as things continues to change. to build. as their powers and responsibilities became more and more necessary, as they start to take their own shapes within their own domains.

steve does not find himself drawn to the abstract, his powers and skills growing with the years, but his appearance shifting only ever so slightly. his sword is larger, more impressive, more powerful - and his power, his ability in battle, that has grown too. but he does find himself taking to his mortal form more often than not, wandering abraxas like he was still limited to solvunn, to his one side of the continent. his feet might take him further, for longer, than any of the locals - but he still takes the walk.

and his walk, today, has him along the beach. he's headed to a small village along the coast, still quite a ways from here - but he knows the moment he senses the shift in the water that it may be longer still. the waves build, form, and somewhere amid the spray steve can make out just enough of a figure of a boy, of sea green eyes. he smiles. ]


Something like that. [ his hands go to his belt, hook through the leather out of habit. a pause in his travels. ] What about you? Out for a swim?
diametrically: (pic#16867160)

[personal profile] diametrically 2024-04-23 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
[ When her eyes sparkle and she states her boldness and her bravery, it brings a smile to his face as something in the back of his head is plucked like a string. The flash of violet in her gaze is enough to disarm him for just another moment, allowing her to step closer when he might not be otherwise so open to it. Much like her, people don't get close to him because he prefers it that way. Not only that but his faint, foggy memories tell him that it's safer. Better.

But the flash of emotions he feels in that moment makes him feel like all he wants to do is be close to this god and bask under the gaze of those violet eyes. Some of him is acutely aware that there's magic at play here. It floats and weaves around them in the air, parts of her soul being willingly parted from her. The only reason he hasn't been so inexplicably drawn in is because of his godhood. The same can't be said for the mortals who have turned to look, slowly enchanted by the gravitational pull of the two forces before them.

Quietly he uses his own powers, reaching out to their unintended audience to block their ears and turn them away from them. The sand, dust and dirt gently dances up into the air, swirling around them to encase them gently in a bubble that is all their own. It's only when that is complete and the world outside quiets does he speak again. ]


Whole.

[ It's not a direct answer to her question. But he knows little about how to be fully himself without his sister by his side. Without the gnawing hole inside of him that can never be filled unless it means taking from someone else in the process. ]

I feel like I can be like that with you. [ The wind has dislodged some of her hair and he reaches out, brushing it back behind her ear. ] But only if you'll let me.
sophos: (pic#5250014)

[personal profile] sophos 2024-04-23 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ she is dimly aware of another god entering her space, and she dares to let herself hope it might be jinora, to hope that she didn't get the wrong date or even month. she could make it easier, stand up and meet her halfway, but in some ways it reminds her of when they used to sit together pouring over information, when she actually spent time among the learners here. she got lost in her reading, and jinora would have to find her. ]

[ annabeth finishes her sentence and looks up at the voice, her expression softening in her own recognition. ]


Someone wrote an entire history of this temple and left it here. [ she closes it carefully, not worried about losing her place. ] It isn't wholly accurate, but I appreciate the effort.

[ and why wouldn't she? it's about her temple. it's about her. she hasn't even fully processed the exact echo the tome goes with, but she's already decided to grant it. ]
Edited 2024-04-23 03:41 (UTC)
gynvael: (195)

[personal profile] gynvael 2024-04-23 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ Geralt does not necessarily avoid the Godlands, but he sees little reason to visit except to look in on it everything is stable. It's been several centuries, but a part of him remains concerned. If there's one thing he's never forgotten, it's how quickly the world changes.

But lately, even he's started to accept that the days are simply steady and will be for some time.

Moss and old roots unfurl as he rides down the slope towards the crater. He always knows where to find her, and though he could ask her to meet him someplace, he likes the act of just. Arriving. Time is inconsequential, anyhow. A week, two. What does it matter? When he arrives in spring, she's there. His form hasn't shifted, either; he doesn't bother wearing the wolf around her—or any of the gods, really. But his hair is a touch longer, a phoenix feather tucked into the cord.

His gaze flicks briefly to the Singularity—he hears it, but seldom speaks to it like some of the others—before landing on Julie. ]


One of these centuries, [ he dismounts and walks towards her, ] I might be jealous of your ancient friend.

[ With a small smile, he holds out his palm. In it sits a small serpent with two pearls for eyes. It's carved not from wood but from the tusk of a beast he slew. His efforts have grown smoother since the days he first begun, though there's a roughness to his work that's never gone away. He's probably given her countless of these things by now. Frankly doesn't care if she tosses them eventually. He likes giving them to her, that's all. Besides, the winters are slow when one has no mortal needs to look after. It's just him, the mountains, and an endless array of materials to whittle. ]
Edited 2024-04-23 04:08 (UTC)
oversight: ([±] lurky mclurkerton)

John Blake | The Dark Knight Rises | Patron of the Mantle

[personal profile] oversight 2024-04-23 04:04 am (UTC)(link)
[[ Closed starters below. PM for plotting. ]]
diametrically: (pic#17141011)

[personal profile] diametrically 2024-04-23 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ In the past Cassian (Andor, El Povo, Brother Dirt or whatever awful name that is in fashion that century) spent waking moments of consciousness wondering if there was more to his existence than wandering this mortal plane until he returns to dust. How does one live from waking moment until the inevitable end? Hobbies felt like a silly thing to have when he doesn't know if tomorrow is the day the he'll end up giving himself all away for a cause. Still, some gods partook in hobbies, in life with reckless abandon in order to fill their days.

There were some years where he was envious of that freedom; envious of those that were able to build lives in spite of the horror of the years that stretched beyond them both god and mortal alike. They were not without their hardships however and he knows that, but sometimes, he wonders what it would be like to have other things to live for that are not just his powers. But it's only dawned on him recently that he does and it had been stupid of him to think otherwise, to dedicate all of his life to a relentless cause made up all on his own. He has plenty to live for, like a family (in his sister made of stars, in Percy, Annabeth, Istredd and Jack), like friends, all of who wanted him to stay. Now all he had to do was learn how not to give all of himself away. Which somehow translated into learning how to enjoy hobbies. Like fishing.

He offers the younger god a slight huff and a good natured side-eye of his own as he deftly attaches the live bait to the tackle before casting it off into the brilliant blue yonder that is the ocean. ]


You try spending several decades sleeping. Not all of us can be god of the sea and spend most of our time out here.
Edited 2024-04-23 04:05 (UTC)
oversight: ([±] huh)

The Lowlight Ball

[personal profile] oversight 2024-04-23 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
Every hundred years or so, there's a secret affair — a hush-hush event for only a select number of lucky guests. Invitations are difficult to come by, although no one who stumbles in uninvited is turned away... as long as they're willing to behave themselves, that is. And the incentive to do so is certainly there: with little left to be desired that isn't within reach, few fortunate enough to attend would want to risk their future invites.

The Lowlight Ball is an exceptional party, although not for the faint of heart nor those with weak constitutions. It moves around — a secret up until the days proceeding — and this year, after more than a half-century, it finally returns to bring its celebrations to the Free Cities. Lasting several nights, it's a nocturnal foray into a luminous world. Filled with glowing decore and centered around the image of the lantern, it's a release into enlightenment in all its forms. From sundown to sunrise — the hours where a lantern is needed most — nary a reasonable request is denied.

With all this pomp comes the host, of course. Little has changed in hundreds of years. Blake — The Patron of the Mantle — still appears young. He shines with an ethereal quality, like the very air shimmers around him, and while laden with lavish attire of blues and trimmed in accents of glowing gold, he oversees the revelry, bestowing generous blessings as he does, and has done, at every one of these events.

For those who look closely, though, they will notice that Blake's attentions are wavering. His enthusiasm is wilting. There's something on his mind. For all others, participating in the party or attending in a particularly interesting costume will make room for a blessing. And anyone who might choose to make trouble or crash the party could also very well find themselves cursed for ruining the fun.



[[OOC Notes: The Lowlight Ball is meant to be a celebration of all "godly" things — a very loose concept that is to be easily utilized for all our tropey needs. It is known to be hedonistic, but not offensive, with the majority of the themes centering around luminescence. Feel free to check out the Lowlight Inspiration Post if you need ideas. Feel free to PM for plotting.]]
aquaveiled: (himeka-598)

[personal profile] aquaveiled 2024-04-23 04:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's far from a pleasant end, isn't it? Sometimes she wonders if death is not the kinder choice, though she prefers that mortals make that choice rather than her. None of them are perfect, of course, but she understands that some are sent out this way as a form of punishment, of justice. There ought to be some consequences for crimes, right?

That depends on the nature of the offense. She would hold more sway were they a devotee of hers, but she doesn't recognize the mortal any more than she recognizes her colleague. Azem shakes her head. ]


Not one of mine, no. But it matters to them.

[ She keeps her distance respectable, shifting the weight of the basket. As far as she knows, the main reason to venture out to the Maw is to feed it--so he must have come to do the same. Right? ]

So you're not here to pass judgment?
gynvael: (433)

[personal profile] gynvael 2024-04-23 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
[ How, he might've asked, would Jaskier know how endowed John is? He does not, because it's Jaskier and because, though his memories are in bits and pieces of time long passed, there is a high (assured) chance that Jaskier interrupted he and John at least once. If not more.

It's part of being the Piper's friend.

He continues carving, giving no indication as to who the piece is for. The smell of spruce fills the air. ]


Fun, [ Geralt repeats flatly. He does not particularly find the Maw...fun. He is also quite sure it doesn't talk, but Jaskier often insists things speak that no one else seems to hear. Perhaps the bard understands the creature's gurgling stomach. ] Fine. But if we see any wailing heretics, we're leaving.

[ He isn't fond of that bullshit. The extremism of the locals bother him—on either side. He prefers the Free Cities' more callous executions, shoving offenders into the teeth-filled chasm. At least that's straightforward. ]
Edited 2024-04-23 04:40 (UTC)
restingstitchface: (Objective [AU])

[personal profile] restingstitchface 2024-04-23 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
[Nights are times when mankind tends to hope and dream. They pray before sleep for a better tomorrow; for a better state of mind to endure the days. They socialise and celebrate at gatherings like these - his eyes scrutinise the crowd - to avoid facing their fears. He watches people chatter about nothing interesting, nothing important, nothing that reveals anything about their lives.

But before his presence it is impossible to deny who you are. His attire is not the kind to make him stand out of the crowd. He wears the same attire: a black suit and tie matched with a white shirt. He does not care whether he blends into the crowd or stands out with a target on his back.

For he is here for one person; one who knows how rare it is for him to travel anywhere. He appears from the rabble, from nowhere and everywhere, and announces his presence with a question. One asked in a gentle tone.]


Having trouble?
aquaveiled: (himeka-504)

[personal profile] aquaveiled 2024-04-23 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ The entire part of having a tavern is to have guests--honored ones who choose to grace her with their presence! The shades do a good job of making sure the halls are never empty, but it is the other gods that she always hopes to see. Whether taking a short respite from a long journey, the desire for some comforting food and wine in the afternoon, or purely a lack of anything better to do, Azem is pleased any time they choose the Traveler's Rest. Especially if she's there to play host.

To play host means that food needs to be available. And though she could easily just conjure up any meal or drink as needed, Azem prefers the entire process of actually cooking. Sure, a little magic is involved, but she's still grating her cheeses and simmering her sauces. The process is pivotal.

Sidus is ever a welcome addition to her halls and her kitchen. She could call him a guest, though he's more often than not a co-conspirator. As such when she hears him, Azem looks up from a larger wok-line pan with a smile. ]


I'd say that you never interrupt, but if you did, it's only with good tidings!

[ Which he should take as a high compliment. If there is one thing Azem is very protective of, it's her kitchen.

She gives the pan a flip, turning over the vegetables inside before willing the flame it hovers above to settle down a few notches. Then, Azem turns to face him fully, gaze zooming in immediately on his basket. ]


What is it? Something fun and tasty, I assume?
spiritread: (0133)

[personal profile] spiritread 2024-04-23 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
[ Jinora feels the emotions of the exiles long before she sees them. The wind carries with it all sorts of sensations, dangers, and thoughts. It's the ones that scream the loudest, the ones that tell her there is trouble that will always get her to answer. She does not care what her status is, all life is sacred. ]

[ And yes, that's gotten her in trouble before. ]

[ She appears as lightly as the wind itself; A young girl in her current Earthly form reminiscent of a time long ago. The newest appearance of an Avatar and with a blast of warning wind, knocks the exiles back further away from their destination. ]

Go. Now.

[ The please goes unsaid. For a god, she pleads with them - wishing for their well-being, for something more. The fans held at point, like the way one would wield a sword. The people scramble and she hears the low hiss of comment about how they don't need her from one of them. She ignores it, impassive... except for the fact she feels another nearby and shoots the skies a hard look. The feeling of: You would let this happen? Accompanying the expression. ]
krakened: (004)

[personal profile] krakened 2024-04-23 05:07 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, that stuff. Look, mate, you can't let that fuck up your head. You'll end up like me.

[ Nobody wants that. One Ed is enough. (One kraken is enough.) But, Ed's just Ed right now, no kraken, and he's fairly fucking satisfied with his outing. Not, mind you, because of the treasure. The treasure is. Whatever. He's got shitloads. Something just kind of compels him to keep bringing it back. Like maybe he'll find what he's looking for one of these decades.

But he did rescue a dog that fell off a fishing boat and, you know. He feels. Good. That was a nice, positive thing he did. ]


This old thing? [ Ed squirts a diluted inky fluid at the sculpture to clean it off. Then he tosses it onto one of the many piles. ] Found it by the unicorn shrine cave. You know the one.

[ It's the cave he and Nanaue (Jerry? Sometimes it blurs together) carved a bunch of flying unicorns onto and now people keep coming by to drop off offerings. ]
abraxasnpcs: (Default)

[personal profile] abraxasnpcs 2024-04-23 05:12 am (UTC)(link)
[ Nikodaemus steps forward to stand at Anthropos's side, looking out at the expanse of water rather than at the other god. The incense wafting from the censer waves not unlike the fading ripples on the surface. The scent might be familiar to any Summoned who were unfortunate enough to find themselves in a deep cavern prison all those centuries ago. ]

Do you believe humanity is truly unwilling or simply incapable?

[ Then he turns slowly to face Anthropos, making a sweeping gesture with his right hand. ]

Or is it your very pantheon you find wanting?
abraxasnpcs: (Default)

[personal profile] abraxasnpcs 2024-04-23 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ Innominate listens unmoving except for the gentle flicker of the candle flames at his back. He gives Alucard's explanation and question due thought, though his response is delivered in the same matter-of-fact manner as it always is. ]

You might not like it, but there is no black and white standard to live by. How we choose to interact with one another or with mortals is our decision alone. Should others choose to interfere, then that is also their choice. It would be onerous to enforce change on your elders. Some might suggest it unwise. I only suggest it would be difficult.

[ He raises his hands again, bringing the tips of his fingers close to his jaw. ]

Do your ethics mean you are more beholden to propriety than morality?
thoughts: (10)

[personal profile] thoughts 2024-04-23 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ ah. her expression shutters a little, although it may be hard to tell from how faint her smile was in the first place. this is a dance that she remembers well enough, even though the key has changed.

serenity offers a small curtsy in response but pointedly does not accept his arm. while the stream of information from mortal lives is constant, her cognition only really works on other gods through physical touch, so she rarely ever permits it. in the last six hundred years, she could probably count the number of people that she's touched on one hand - if she could remember it all, that is, if it weren't a blur in the continuous stream of time.

it hurts too much. to see their lives, to feel their emotions. his sadness is there right in front of her but she doesn't want his betrayal and loneliness to linger in her heart. maybe it's cold, but it's the only way she can move through this world without losing her mind completely. ( again. ) ]


I only eat when Azem wants to feed me so I don't really have any shit. [ get it, ha. ] I'd like to hear about your adventures, though.

[ even if she may already know about some of it, having seen the mortal lives he's touched with his music and his games. still, she likes to listen to their stories. ]

And I can show you something as we walk.

[ then she turns and starts walking, expecting him to follow. ]
aquaveiled: (himeka-614)

[personal profile] aquaveiled 2024-04-23 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ The little jests do help, so their efforts are not in vain. Azem rarely finds herself entirely serious, mayhaps to her own detriment when the proverbial shit hits the large fan in the sky. Give a few hiccups, life has overall been very good. She can count herself lucky save these little inconveniences.

Deadly ones. Inconveniences for gods such as themselves, but for the people they look after? This could mark the end.

As her brother says, she's eager to get going. Cid's comfort gets a short smile in return. They're here with her. They will find this thing before it causes real harm. And everything will be just fine.

Just fine. ]


The shell protects it quite well, so we should be able to do more damage if we force it out.

[ How easy that will be is another issue entirely, but there's only one way to find out. Azem is ready to head back onto its trail when Aegis' suggestion gives her pause. She blinks at her brother, then eyes up Cid. ]

Well, it wouldn't be the first time.

[ Surely she's just recalling some very faint memory trying to hide out in the back of her mind of hunting down some six-legged creature in a stormy forest? Yeah that's it.

Azem rests her cane onto her back, letting it hold by some unseen force as she pulls up her skirts and climbs on Cid's back. Coming, brother? ]
furibund: (whatif20)

[personal profile] furibund 2024-04-23 05:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ Nebula isn't completely unaware of Julia after all of this time. Not with being as close to the Doctor as she had become. Known, but it wasn't as if they spent that much time together — ]

[ Which is why when she comes to her village — yes hers — she keeps an eye on her. It's not entirely uncommon other gods get prayed to her. Nebula doesn't mind that part so much, but given she'd promised to protect this area any visitors get a heightened response. ]

[ The searcher in question was still but a teenager, recently orphaned after an accident that took home, life, and limb. There's a million things they could want, she has no doubts of that, but Julia's scornful approach has her on edge. ]

[ She approaches, hissing low: ]

If this is how you respond your help is not wanted here. By order of me. [ Lilac eyes alight as she pulls in the anger that floods. It was a stupid mistake the kid made, sure, but it's not like the other really knew everything that was going on. Even so, she thinks she should know better which is why she adds: ]

What the hell has gotten into you?


furibund: (whatif15)

[personal profile] furibund 2024-04-23 06:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ Nebula's seen death all of her life. She knew it as a companion, as a mother figure that treated her father like a lover. Of course, she doesn't remember those days, but you never forget the intimacy that is seeing death again and again in the most gruesome little bits. She may be stalwartly a protector these days but — ]

[ — But well, that wasn't always the case. It's ironic, really, that so much of her own abilities are about breaking and mending. She knows why. It's just funny, because once she lived and died by the idea that her job was to kill and the mess was someone else's. She couldn't look back or she'd stumble, now all she was forced to do was look at a mess she didn't make and had to fix. ]

[ Nebula knows why she's there even before he asks, her gaze steady on the carnage. ]

What? You want them to write you a thesis while they mourn the loss of their family?

[ It could almost be teasing, if not for the pointed jab. It's obvious, isn't it? ]

They want to turn back time. Fix things before this happened.

[ And sadly for her, when it came to this kind of thing, she was often called. ]
karsiteweave: (19)

[personal profile] karsiteweave 2024-04-23 08:29 am (UTC)(link)
Gale has been sat reading, thinking. The years have changed him, the shadows under his eyes deeper and the trails of purple from the Netherese magic darker over his face and chest. Still, his dark demeanour brightens as Istredd appears -- further still at the light touch. He rises to follow him, carefully setting aside the book he'd been reading and moving through with the other man to his theory room. Gale's warm, brown eyes rove over the chalkboard notes and follow the gesture.

Watch Istredd's fingers tap the board.

"The Feywild's forbidden books!" He echoes, eyes widening and expression blossoming into a grin. The burst of happiness almost seems to chase the shadows and worry lines from his expression. "Oh, temptation my old friend."

Gale is always hungry for knowledge, any knowledge at all -- not just magical but of every kind. Forbidden books are incredibly appealing.
karsiteweave: (9)

[personal profile] karsiteweave 2024-04-23 09:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ The soft hum Gale gives in answer is distracted, the response of a man giving only a fraction of his attention.

His physical tower has a pull to it, a slow sensation of being drained of energy. The darkness clings to it. Out there, Gale Dekarios is a thinner version of himself. His eyes are shadowed, and the purple veins of Netherese magic over his face and chest seem brighter. He hides this, often enough, the tower is rife with illusions -- most trying to paint a sense of comfort. Of some place he might be at home.

Here, in Horizon, he looks more like himself. He still feels tired, weak, but at least he doesn't look it. His tower is grand, books float around to and from shelves, magical lanterns give an ethereal light and quills take notes seemingly on their own. Power simmers under his skin, but yet still he is not strong enough. Not yet. Soon.

His eyes lift from a book he's been reading, the white feline that had been sitting on his lap springing down and stretching out. ]


Astarion. The sky is falling, is it now? Do tell.

[ Said with the tone of someone who suspects this is all an irritating joke at his expense. The sky falling? Honestly, what nonsense. ]
inthenameofhades: (Smile 2)

[personal profile] inthenameofhades 2024-04-23 09:31 am (UTC)(link)
Asterius the goat simply stands there, unbothered by Nanaue's divine roar. Other Goat, however, screams back, tossing his head from side to side in apparent ungulate rage. How dare Nanaue not stand close enough for Other Goat to bite!

"That's the idea, mate," Zagreus says, laughing freely. "Want a ride? I drive, you chomp."

Because what was more awesome than a flaming chariot drawn by skeleton goats? A flaming chariot drawn by skeleton goats and carrying a man-shark, of course.
inthenameofhades: (Serious face)

[personal profile] inthenameofhades 2024-04-23 10:06 am (UTC)(link)
For the most part, Zagreus will let Claire take the lead on this. He doesn't need to be the one to ask the questions, to be the one who is known as the saviour of these two mortals.

But there will still be a moment where the mother and will sense that there in fact a second god here. A flicker of flame and the sharp tang of blood. Sudden scorch-marks in the shape of footsteps appear on the floor, as Zagreus moves.

There's a splatter of blood, on the side of the dining table. Looks just like the rest of the blood in here. And yet, Zagreus hones in on it.

"She fought back. This blood is his," he says, reaching out to drag one finger through it. He might be the Patron of Dissidence now, but he was still the God of Blood. "I can find him."