EVENT #18: EMERGENCE - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #18 - Emergence

OOC Plotting Post ⦁ Pre-Event Info ⦁ Setting Descriptions

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.

---

Comments

[durge]

( Raising her glass in return, Haelva is content to simply drink with friends. There isn't much of interest in her godly affairs -- she does what she can, preferring to keep to herself rather than connect so deeply with the mortals like Azem and Valentine; though she would be lying to say that she never has her favorites.

Which reminds her-- )

If Azem has none, there was something a follower of mine left at a shrine a decade or two back. A guide, he said, to calling forth a... controllable demigod.

( And who else to help her in testing to see if such a thing was even possible than these two? Haelva takes another sip, before waving over one of her own undead retainers, taking both an old scroll of parchment and a rather large bone from the ghoul. )

I had meant to try it earlier, but time has gotten away from me enough that I hadn't yet had the chance.

[funbreaker]

Aegis' head tips up to the clouds when he realizes that Lucifer is continuing to be dramatic and dragging the weather into the entire affair. He lets out a scoff, finding this behavior all too childish for one who is (as far as he knows) much, much older than him.

Still, if Lucifer was called and he's being this petulant about it, then it must have been an echo. It's no secret that Lucifer is not fond of catering to mortals and their pleas. Nonetheless, Aegis takes a look around, trying to determine who the request might have come from.

"Then why did you come at all?" he asks with a frown. "If you made the trip here..."

Well, he must have been considering actually fulfilling the echo then, surely.

[funbreaker]

[ While neither one of them may remember a time when they were mortal and did this very thing, wagering on who could catch the most fish from the magma pools in the Nether, the fact remains that they have repeated such activities even since then.

Should they be snatching away fish from those who need to eat it to live? Perhaps not. But they generally take care with how much they take and where they fish from in order to not disrupt ecosystems or fishing schedules too much. Suffice to say, the dragons are doing just fine.

At Azem's little taunt, Aegis rolls his eyes. ]

Have we not already covered this, dear sister? No cheating.

[ He circles around the waves for now, understanding that they cannot dive right in until they sort out the terms of their contest. ]

If I win, I'm let off of dish-washing duty for the next year.

[ Which truly isn't all that much time for them, not when they've proved to be endless in their lifespans, but he doesn't need to press too hard when this is all for fun.

He stares Azem down, his mouth still hinting at a smile. ] And you?

[itookashot]

"Few things are as pretty as me and mine," Jesper jokes. He does know his monster is different from the rest but it also doesn't seem to be hunted by the eithers, so it must be relatively strong enough to survive, but not a fighter. It was created by overindulgence in powers, as Jesper has a very easy way of sinking into worship and attention.

He used to give out every blessing without thinking about it, swanning around basking in the power, and leaning too deeply into it also caused problems. It created an over-excess of power and magic. He is far better at finding that balance now, although he still wants to indulge in absolute freedom, swallowing up anything he desires. It's just within reason now. Jesper is in loose, colorful clothes at the moment, settling on his perfect form with that flare he's known for.

"You have your own power and appeal, my love." Jesper reaches out to drape an arm around Mara's waist, leaning over to kiss his cheek. He is one of the gods who just instantly seemed to gel with their positions, and he knows he is unique that way. Most things don't come as naturally to others as they do to him.

"And your blessings are more necessary, as everyone knows how to love." Jesper really does have it easy!

[ancunin]

[ He ignores the signature (and his bust, lest he be tempted to rip the sheepskin right off), setting them both upright again. This place is a dustbin of a village, and Valentine stands out even more than he looks like he does, with how she appears like she's just stepped off the stage of a grand ballet. ]

Well then - if it wasn't you - [ which he sincerely DOUBTS is true ] - then perhaps you'd extend a... helping hand to a beloved friend? In making this more... let's say presentable.

[ He is at a point in his life where he will NOT destroy some child's artwork that they worked so hard on in his name, even if it makes him look like a drowning poodle. But seriously. This is awful. ]

[itookashot]

[ Unsurprisingly to the two of them, the grip on his neck just gets him hot. Jesper likes being manhandled and he no longer worries about Crane knowing that. It's what works for them. Jesper may be the aggressor when it comes to seduction, but it's different once they get into it. He leans into Crane's touch instead of away from it. ]

You know how good I am at following orders.

[ He smirks at him. ]

Here, follow me.

[ Jesper puts his hand on Crane's wrist where he's holding his neck, and the world changes around them. The two of them can easily travel anywhere they want to go, but Jesper does have somewhere in mind. Out in the Badlands, where some bandits aren't the worst so he leaves them alone, and some are there to cause havoc. This is where he intends to set Crane off.

While Jesper is not a paragon of virtue, he does generally avoid harming mostly good people. Although sometimes his temperament takes a dive and he at the least makes them all feel bad enough things they start taking it out on each other. Those are his rare moods. ]

I do like to watch you work.

[itookashot]

[ Jesper was always full of love before time passed into the future they belong to now, and continuing to care about everyone he knew only helped empower him. Hilda is, of course, one of his closest loves, a dear friend who he has stayed next to as long as he possibly can. He knows he can count on her in a special way and it takes a certain kind of perfect balance for two people to spend as much time as they do without conflict. They've built a life from the same needs, and she is who he spends the most time with outside of his husbands.

And so much of it is this. Them, designing and dreaming up their fashions, chatting behind the scenes about the mundane aspects of a human life. It's very peaceful, despite human life not always being so. If the worst this version of them has is a jealous rival, it could be a lot worse. Still, it's annoying, and Jesper has his petty moments. ]

That's a good idea, I look forward to not hearing his reedy voice for a time. Especially as he'll probably go to the production just to be sulk.

[ Although Jesper does find it very funny to watch him sulk as the two of them keep succeeding, it's just more fun when there's distance between them. ]

He's lucky I don't have more of a temper or he would find himself very unpopular all of a sudden.

[ That is the other side of Jesper's natural positivity as a god. The humans around him always seem happier. Their staff is cheerful, they feel a natural emotional high from being around him, he walks around leaving laughter in his wake. But he can do the opposite. He can make people angry and miserable and lose the fondness of others. ]

I'd be too tempted to make sure he knows it's me though.

[divinityfrompain]

[ Julia doesn't need him. She wants him. She loves him. But she has had to live without him for two hundred years and found that she can, that she can survive each day with a hole in her heart. She never does thrive without him, but she continues on, and she does her job. She doesn't know what she is going on for, not truly, in many ways she wants to be like he is here. It would be nice, to give herself a break, to let go of this sense of duty above all else, but she doesn't know what else there is.

Giving up is not something she has been able to do in her entire life; before here, during here, after here. That is where they are entirely opposites. ]

Yes. [ She says quietly, mollified. ] Answer your echoes. If you can't stand to walk among them, don't. If you want a break from humanity, go spend time with the robots. Viktor is still there as far as I know.

[ Julia herself never goes because it reminds her of them and it feels empty to her, being around no life at all. She can't find what she's searching for there, even if it is quiet in comparison. She continues to look at him and there is a hunger in that gaze, since it's been so long. It doesn't please her that he looks so shattered; she may have been angry at him, but that doesn't mean she wants him to hurt. It's the opposite. She wants only the best. With the smallest amount of spite. ]

You aren't allowed to disappear.

[sscuriosity]

[Protagonists with spirit are among his favorites, but then so are the immeasurably flawed, the societal underdogs with nothing else to lose. As far as tropes went, the more interesting, the better. This book, yet to be published, wasn't terrible. It had its share of lessons within the bindings and no shortage of suspense.

Dustin's gotten used to her spiritual body by now, when at first he was blown away and enamored - asking question after question, in quick succession until they both were flustered. These days it's more easygoing, just sharing stories and time. There's simplicity in it that brings him solace.]

I don't know. I think I'll see what else they can come up with. No story is perfect the first time around. There's a reason it's called a first draft. How would you write it?

[funbreaker]

[ Aegis takes Azem's words to heart. Forcing the demigod out of its protective shell should not be all that difficult, he suspects. While their creations are not to be underestimated, surely three gods will be more than enough to handle their current quarry.

It wouldn't be the first time, his sister says, and that's enough to give him a moment of pause, even though he was the one to make the suggestion about riding Cid in the first place. ]

Is that — you know what, no. I'd rather not know.

[ Nor can they waste any time. Azem has already taken it upon herself to climb up onto Cid's back, and so Aegis follows suit, settling behind her with his own gunblade sheathed at his back. He folds his wings in as best he can as well, wanting to lessen any possible drag as they ride. ]

We're all settled back here. [ And as tempting as it is to say something like onward, loyal steed, he decides not to push his luck in this instance. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd is an open door for her regardless of her touch, he shares his feelings with her willingly, allows her to step into his mind as she sees fit. She knows what she'll find there, because he is as steady as the earth, solid and changing only in the smallest of ways. His skin is now that full mix of black night and starlight, constellations shimmering, having grown in power as the library expands and more knowledge is put out into the world. But he still looks like himself underneath, and his mind and heart is the same, that never alters.

He holds her tight while she allows it, kissing the top of her head in benediction, his joy at seeing her overflowing. Istredd doesn't stop her when she needs to pull away though, glad that he got a brief embrace to express to her his feelings. He drops his hands too so she doesn't have to worry about the extra touch, but he stays close, smiling down at her.

"Yes, very busy, I think I'm almost done filling in the Feywilds." That was his biggest task as not only are they long-lived, they were secretive about their knowledge, but he dug and he opened doors to get to it. He doesn't have access to every one of their documents or texts, but he got enough to fill a giant room with their material. That took time to design, they were the last holdouts.

"And what has my clever girl been up to?"

[gynvael]

[ Spring brings him down from the mountains. He often ignores Echoes during the first few weeks. He prefers to visit old friends, spend time with the people he's not seen in months, and leave the mortals to their own devices. On occasion, though, trouble finds him.

Like now.

Geralt looks up. This is what he gets for wandering near the Witchwood. Perhaps next time he will take the long way around to avoid whatever chaos seems to inevitably rear its snarling head in the area. For now, it's Rocket. They're what Geralt would call friends, which means he won't say no.

His eyebrow lifts, and he slips off his hood to dispel the shroud. His gaze flicks between Rocket and the creature. The trees shake. Thin spiderweb cracks spread over the earth. In the split second pause, it takes the opportunity to flee. ]

Yours? [ He's not accusing, just. Curious. His sword appears in his hand, the blade humming gently. He's carried it for the past six, seven hundred years, ever since Ciri gifted it to him. The runes shimmer ever-so-faintly under the light. He nods towards where the beast slipped away. ]

Cut it off. I'll circle around.

[gynvael]

[ Yen's abrupt departure left his head spinning for a long while. He can't put his finger on it, how that fraught, explosive interaction felt at once familiar and foreign. When was the last time they fought like that? He can barely fucking remember. A long time. Before he lost and gained (and lost again) his memories. And yet, there is another part of him that realizes it wasn't that long ago at all. That her anger is...

Real. Makes everything between them feel so much more real.

But he hates that they've parted with only sharp words. He hates more that he wonders if she can trust him. (Of course she can. She has all these centuries.)

He's lost in his own thoughts, unprepared for another visitor when Istredd arrives—though the second he hears the mage coming, he understand it was only a matter of time. Yennefer would turn Istredd. The five of them have always made a tangled web. And, until now, a sturdy one.

Geralt is not exactly tense when he emerges from the thicket of trees and twisted roots; they've known each other for countless years (or have they?), and he doubts Istredd has come looking for a fight. Just answers. And Geralt has got answers. It is only a question of whether Istredd will believe him. ]

I'm here.

[aquaveiled]

[ It stops her almost immediately.

There are screams in the distance and the sound of her lumbering form slamming against the ground, the blight she emanates staining more of that would be a comely road and vegetation that lines it.

Her head slowly drags back along the ground, swiveling at her diminutive shoulders. She opens her mouth slowly at first. No sound comes out. But suddenly her lips stretch beyond their means, mouth widening painfully as she lunges forward towards the visceral scent of blood.

Whether she hits Alucard or the mess he's made, it doesn't matter--she needs it. ]

[thoughts]

[ it's a good thing that serenity doesn't blink.

she can't, not really; her third eye is always open. even now, while they're far off in the horizon enjoying the good company of people she's come to consider like family, visions of the mortal plane come to her. she stares back at aegis for perhaps a moment too long, watching a group of travelers as they embark on a journey out of cadens and hunters on the edge of the witchwood pushing demigods away from the lunae settlement.

it's not unusual for her to zone out in the middle of a conversation like this, as futures endlessly unfold along the tapestry of fate - so she simply comes back to it as the moment passes, their mortal lives continuing with or without the attention of distant gods that have sat down for a nice meal. ]

There are over thirty common recipes that include figs, used for both nutritional and medicinal properties.

[ not that gods really get stomach aches, at any rate. she does blink then, intentionally so, to bring herself back to aegis' fondness and kassa's amused exasperation and azem's lively kitchen. all of the beautiful things happening right there in front of her. ]

Maybe Azem has come up with something entirely new. I'm sure it'll be good, as long as Kassa follows her instructions.

[aquaveiled]

[ Would she miss this play for all the croissants in the world? No, of course not. And not just because she's certain she could make them better, anyway--to see the creation of an entire group of friends is truly the greatest sight to behold. The effort on all sides was more than prevalent and, mayhaps her own standards for theater are a little low, but Azem could not have imagined a single thing done better.

She claps for the water show and the little fish mermaid thing, of course, but she's equally swept up in the wild romance of the two protagonists. Azem had thought she would help serve snacks to some of the other guests but often got too distracted watching the play itself before simply settling down and drinking no less than five glasses of her tea concoction. She's carrying all of them when she finds Ed after the finale and encore. ]

You!!

[ Azem can't point with her arms full, so her own fin-like tail has to do the job. ]

You, sir, have been holding out on us for centuries!

awakening — ◈ dean.

[gynvael]

[ Once he leaves John, he can't shake what happened. It feels like he's seen something he shouldn't—a door unlocked. He still isn't certain what the fuck happened. He only knows it unsettled John, and in turn, that has unsettled Geralt.

He promises John he will return. It's not his intention to abandon the man, but he needs time to clear his head. And what's a few hours, days, to their eternal years? At first, he tries the Horizon. Settles into the thick snow, the crackling hearth. But something there isn't right, either. The cabin flickers in and out, crumbling stone walls shimmering through. A name he hasn't thought of in centuries rings clear in his mind: Kaer Morhen.

(Why would he remember that now?)

He leaves. Takes Roach and rides eastward. His path is not difficult to spot, moss and trees sprouting where he goes, but even his forest is...wrong. The roots are thicker, impossibly tangled; blood smears the grass and rocks. In the midst of his darkening woods, he glimpses a familiar figure ahead—one he realizes is coming towards him.

Geralt slows Roach to a stop. ] Dean.

awakening — ◈ ciri.

[gynvael]

[ The first person he searches for is Ciri. He needn't look hard; it's been a while since he's been unable to sense where she might be. He forgets when it began, this thread that links the four of them together in an almost tangible way. Not long after they began to change. (Except, did the change ever happened? Was there ever a moment in time he could point to if so?)

He catches up to her somewhere by the shoreline. The limits of the continent haven't mattered since they broke free of arbitrary borders. She can hear Roach's approaching hooves over the sandy beach, if she hasn't felt his arrival long before that.

A part of him isn't sure where he might begin. They were together only weeks ago, one of countless quiet winters that he believed he could rely on. When was the last time they were troubled by something beyond their comprehension? He already misses the steady calm that's shrouded them for the past too many decades. But a part of him realizes, things have been almost too quiet for too long.

Something isn't right. He knows that. It shows in the once-sturdy woods around him that now show signs of wilting: winter-bare branches, dried shrubs, dirt and grass turned to ash. ]

Ciri. [ He hops off his horse. ] We need to talk.

[unresponsives]

( it takes him a moment to get her attention again, heather letting herself get a little lost in the comfort that being with him gives her: safety, happiness, home. and whilst she understands his absences it's these moments, his returns most of all that makes her wish he didn't leave. under it all, under the joy his return brings, there's always a fear: that he won't return.

but he guides her back into the moment, heather recognising the gesture from him, tipping her head slightly against his chest so she can watch his hands as she leans against him )

You blended in.

( picked up a little more dust along the way. she smiles slightly, tapping her finger against his arm for a few seconds )

I went off the grid. You have me for the day. For many days.

( she'd get pulled back at some point but there's a little promise in itself -- she wasn't going anywhere )

[iustise]

Ah yes, the demigods. John has been known to fight them himself at times, but these days he does prefer to live a more peaceful life. He likes to joke about how old age has made him soft, but he thinks that there might be more to it than that. A part of his history he has forgotten, but he thinks perhaps it is for the best.

"They do like to cause trouble," he observes, which he realizes is putting it mildly. "I haven't seen any out this far yet though, if you are worried they're too far out of bounds."

[iustise]

John offers the other god a quiet smile in return. He has been known to partake in these sorts of engagements, every now and again, when the mood is right. When a certain regular companion of his is otherwise preoccupied...

"I do know. You are most generous," he replies, unable to help but notice the way that Jesper takes him in. Sizing him up for the offering or for his own benefit, John is never certain.

"I make no demands tonight. Like a moth to the flame, I am here for the company." Male company, specifically. He isn't particularly choosy, otherwise. Though if Jesper knows of his close relationship with The Wolf, then he will understand in which particular direction his tastes lie...

[iustise]

[John understands her frustrations. Sometimes the Echoes seem endless, and his own Blessing is far less of an ask than Cadaevos' herself, though he supposes that they are more similar than he had at first realized. Delivering comfort to the mortals who seek it from them. Cleansing their pain and their suffering.

He frowns slightly. A goal with no true end in sight.]

Does it bring you peace?

[Perhaps it is a foolish, childish question. But he feels compelled to ask nevertheless.]

[ushiri]

Kyle isn't the name he was born with, he's long forgotten the name his lover-turned-god used to whisper to him in the night. Kyle is what he called himself in this world when he arrived, and it's stuck in the memory of those he holds closest. A thread to the past that he clings to as best he can manage.

For Wilhelm his skull-mask vanishes, revealing his actual face. There are more scars than there once were, but they've lightened, like gold in color. A similar gold ring like an iris forms against the black of his eyes. His strange facial tattoos have lasted these centuries as well, though he's lost the name of the people he burned the ink into his skin.

"Then you don't have to be here, Wilhelm," he replies, his expression as neutral as his tone. In the lands his friends call home - their domains, the Nether, the Godlands - he's more expressive. More human, less the shroud of a man who's spent too long walking this land. Out here, so close to mortal lives, he detaches out of self-preservation.

"They know what they're risking."

And the beast in the chasm has to be fed.

[iustise]

[John feels his companion relax further underneath his touch and he smiles to himself at that. More than a little pleased with himself, if he's being honest. He wonders distantly if Geralt might fall asleep like this, lulled by his touch and the comfort of his presence there with him in the bed. The thought of it fills him with a dizzying warmth, understanding how many walls The Wolf has lowered to let him this far in. How it makes him treasure these moments even more. Treasure the man himself. The trust he has been given...

John lets his fingers trace up and down the line of Geralt's back, not following in any particular pattern save the dip and curve of his spine and shoulders, when he finds his touch being drawn back again and again toward the lines of scarring marring the skin. He cannot say for certain why, for he has always known that Geralt has scars -- they both do. But tonight these scars in particular almost trouble him. Perhaps it is that they were quite obviously given purposely by another's hand? A man does not earn such marks in defense, John knows that for certain.

Somehow.]

[iustise]

[John offers the other man a twist of a smile. Somewhat amused. Somewhat sad. He's spoken to enough of his fellow 'gods' to understand by now that if this man can see the storms, then he has at least partially come to terms with what has happened to them. And that is a comfort, John supposes. To share in this understanding. To not have to break the news, and in turn, reality itself as it were.]

It is quite dramatic, is it not?

[He turns his gaze back up to the sky, his expression sobering slightly.]

I cannot help but find myself watching, to see what might happen next.

[He supposes if the sky might break apart entirely and fall down upon them, he does not wish to be surprised.]