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

I subscribe to this belief, yes

[bealufull]

Kaz has been guilty too of not paying much attention to the cat, though he also wasn't unkind towards it. He has a soft spot for those that roam, whether on two legs or four. Though as Mara appears behind the man, Kaz's dark, glittering gaze shifts as if the human had lost all interest to him.

Not that he isn't acutely aware of anything they say or do.

"A petitioner of mine, actually. I just feel the need to see for myself how he holds his words. In this case, I can see my petitioner was right. His words are twisted like knots and he blames others of playing the games he does. The deal is the deal after all, and if a man can't be held to his word then what does he have left?"

A brow arches though. "Is he one of yours then? Do you protect him?"

If another has plans for this mortal, so be it, but if not he's fair game.

[bealufull]

While Kaz hopes for the best on this night, he can't help but smile at the memory. "Oh I do remember, and I will not stand for anyone making a mockery of this night. You show them how true love can be, and they should honor that."

That smile grows though, shifting in his seat as the music seems to grow, the notes sharper and the already delightful music seemingly filled with emotions. Or perhaps that's just how it makes him feel watching the two of them together. They're beautiful, and it makes his chest tight just watching them in that moment.

"After you ensured our enjoyment of the music, how could I resist?" His tones are light, teasing, even if his gaze is sharp, almost hungry as he watches them together. "I look forward to dancing with you both, and apparently showing off for Jesper."

Not just dancing but dancing for him. It was almost a challenge and Kaz was prepared to ensure Jesper's night was a good one.

[magicalarchaeologist]

They get to go to Hayle and by then it's a sort of victory on a few fronts. Thorne fleeing can only be satisfactory, and a part of him hopes desperately that it'll only be more so. It's worth it to watch. There is a secret though that has grown. Time has made him stronger. He's embraced what is changing, the powers the Singularity giving them more insane by the day.

Escape is possible. He thinks that they can. Who could stop them now? The Singularity's favoritism and constant amplification of power is so much more than what the common mages can accomplish. He's been plotting privately. Testing boundaries, testing their strengths and weaknesses. With Thorne weak, he barely cares about being in Hayle finally. Once upon a time, he told Lucifer they weren't ready to run. That's no longer the case. They haven't talked about where exactly, but it's made Istredd stronger, more confident.

Istredd knew about Jack, obviously, this entire time. Since when he first returned to them, he confessed everything, and as he promised, he didn't say a word to Lucifer about it. He couldn't pretend his lover was anyone but what he was. He may hesitate to drain the people he cares for, but he doesn't care about Jack. He'd only see opportunity. Lucifer hid what his plans were and made certain Istredd wasn't there for this.

He came too late to stop the attack, but not so late that this has already been ended. He swoops in with the same kind of frantic energy that made him shield Lucifer from Nero all that time ago. Istredd doesn't have the time to make much more than bare observations. Sabine, his friend, the victim of Lucifer's ambition, and there is nothing he can do in that moment to fix that. There will be a reckoning between them. But he looks at Jack, and Kyle, and Lucifer's sinking realization that he can feel. It's gone too far.

So Istredd makes the decision he needs to. This is not a situation where he can allow Lucifer to get the consequences he deserves. (Later on, he'll let Yennefer handle that, when he cannot.) His only reaction is to protect who he needs to, who he prioritizes over everyone else, and that is a choice. In the end, there was no other one. Lucifer first.

(Although if Yennefer was still injured and needed him to keep living, Lucifer would have been out of luck.)

He sweeps in front of Lucifer, as Kyle is attempting to do the same with Jack, and he grips him by the shoulders. "It's time. We can run." No one can stop them. They have to go. There is nothing left for them here. "We have the power." The Singularity, glowing within them. Istredd makes a portal away and for the first time since this all began, it will work for them both. Not a god yet, but they're on the cusp, they're ready to escape.

"Now, we need to go now." He pulls him toward it, a strong grip on his arm, and Istredd has a suspicion they both know where their choice is.

[divinityfrompain]

[ Julia looks at him and she doesn't feel the same bitterness and anger. She feels some of it, she has not slipped entirely away from that part of her, but what supersedes that is this new knowledge. Unlike others, she isn't questioning it. She's awake. Now she has to do that to the person who she loves. She can't leave him here, or anywhere. At least she sees the console. That means he's not too far gone.

Where she stayed away from him before, she runs to him now. She always knew if she just gave into their connection again, they'd both be helpless to their true desires. She needs to use that now against him. She doesn't know how much time they have left. Julia reaches out to cup his face in her hands, pushing their bodies close to each other, forcing herself into his space intimately. Her eyes look up at him with an intensity different from what he's grown used to. ]

Doctor. Listen to me.

[ That is all she can ask from him. That their trust, broken before, is still under the surface enough for him to hear her. Her feelings for him haven't changed, her love for him always there. The reality is this: when this is gone, what they were is gone too. They will be sacrificing so much. But she knows it is right. They will die here. ]

This isn't real. We've been tricked.

[judgmentbolts]

[ Cid narrows his eyes. What does that mean? Just because his hair's gone white—

Anyway, the problem at hand. ]

If something here's been calling to him, I doubt it's just inviting him 'round for tea.

[ There isn't a call here that can be trusted, not even the birdsong. Too many dangerous things hunt these woods and, while they might not be intelligent, many of them posses a cunning and predatory nature. There was never any other answer he could give, even if Sylvain wasn't a good friend.

Cid takes a step back and taps his staff against the earth. A bolt of levin arcs down from the sky, cutting through the canopy above them. In a flash, he's transformed into his larger god form. He tilts his head left, then right, stretching his wings as if they've been cramped from so long in his mortal shell. He grins at Sylvain in turn. ] That depends — d'you think you can keep up?

[judgmentbolts]

[ The visitor has picked a good time to wander in; his cloak is relatively unremarkable to most of Sanctuary's inhabitants. They, too, are unaccustomed to cloudless skies and long, hot days. The storm that usually hangs over the village is distant for now, only the echo of thunder to be heard. Try as he might to reassure them that aught is amiss — the new batteries for the levin barriers are at capacity, is all — people have begun to fuss. Is their patron unwell? Will the great fire from tales of old sweep through and lay waste to this place? And on and on.

The truth is, they've got the right of it, in some ways. Cid is no longer the thing that he was, and they can see it. The council that governs the village has already been advised to plan for his long absence, or perhaps for worse than that. He's not here nearly as often as he was before; he has work to do, after all, now that he remembers.

The moment the wanderer enters the village, Cid knows him, like any sailor knows the stars. He follows at first, cautious and uncertain of how much Mythos might know. He has more than one reason to come to this place. In his wake, Cid calms the villagers, reassuring them with a wave or a nod. Sanctuary is accustomed to its share of unusual visitors.

When he settles in the tavern, Cid weighs his options. He'd rather not bring about a rude awakening in a place like this, but an awakening of some kind isn't optional.

A good thing, then, that Clive is the one who opens the discussion.

Cid settles across from him with a sigh, blocking his line of sight to the rowdy bunch at the bar. The staff he's carried for the last few centuries is entirely absent today; only a cigar hangs between his lips, the smoke filled with the warm scents of cinnamon and clove. ]

Well, far be it for me to interrupt your brooding. [ He takes the cigar out of his mouth so he can gesture at Clive with it while he speaks, though he pitches his voice low enough for just the two of them. ] People are nervous enough already without you looking at them like they're ghosts among the gravestones. If you're going to come for a visit without bringing my nephew along, the least you can do is let me show you around for once.

[ushiri]

That's funny to you?

[ Kyle sounds less genuinely incredulous than he does mildly amused himself.

He's not blind. He expects Viktor's upgrades have more to them, otherwise he wouldn't be wandering around here alone. But his own instinct to act in defense is strong.

A wide arc with his bone sword cleanly slices off two of the arms that surge toward them. It's fast, though and resistant to pain it seems. Before it's amputated claws even hit the ground those tendrils wrap around his throat. ]

[falcony]

[ it's become a place where sam has felt more himself than he has in centuries. it's not an easy thing, living this long - and it's something that at one point in time, sam never thought he would have to deal with. now he watches as the years go by, feels the loss of all the people he'd once called family, people who weren't summoned, weren't whatever they are now. he pours himself into a place because at least then it's something he has done, that he has worked on with his hands, and it shows.

a home should never be cold, should always be inviting, and should never expect. in the same way, when geralt has first come to his door, different and yet not at all, sam had been much of the same.

now he says more than one and sam snorts, steps out of the way to allow the other man inside. his eyes linger on the forest, on the trees that part just enough to let the sun shine in, and feels himself briefly smile before his attention is back again. ]

That kinda day? [ it's casual, despite the fact sam means much more with it. friendly, despite the way he knows there is a story, a weight, a problem woven somewhere in the words. sam walks them both down the open hall, across the courtyard. he knows that if geralt has come here for that reason, it will show itself with time. and if it doesn't, sam does know how to nudge - gently, patiently.

they have the time, now. more than they really ever need. ]

Aren't I always? [ they step into one of the side rooms, his kitchen. it is still undone, but the essentials are together, are working. he heads to his fridge, built by magic and technology and used entirely for the mundane. ] The beams in the courtyard aren't thick enough. Trying to work something out that doesn't take away from the railing. [ he pulls out two bottles, without labels, another project of his and offers one to geralt. geralt can accept, or shake his head - the bar with the stronger stuff is only a couple of steps away and even now geralt knows he can help himself to it. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

Ever the scholar, Istredd being able to fight doesn't mean he wants to. If he had to step in he would, but there are many warriors within their god sect who would love the challenge in his place. Lucifer himself would probably jump at the chance of killing one for a good reason.

Istredd folds his wings and then they shimmer and disappear, sitting down with John. The wings are more about usefulness when he wants to go flying with the dragons or to get around, but he knows they aren't a natural part of his body. He originally made them to match his partner, who has been in his original archangel form for many centuries now.

"Not yet. But I worry. There was one about fifty years ago who terrorized the area before it was handled." He isn't concerned for the gods' safety as they can take one on, but he cares for mortals, whether they are dedicated to him or not. He wants to keep the peace. "Most of them seem content to their territory though. I would like them to stop being made."

He knows it is not always intentional, but it's irritating.

[sorser]

[Never a transport vehicle, no, but definitely a friend. After all this time, Stephen thinks traveling via giant Rocket is both novel and efficient, and if given the invite? Of course he'll take it.

He rises from the ground with ease; though a dark-colored cloak made of billowing fabric whorls behind him, he no longer needs such an item to fly. Now, divinity has made such a thing intrinsic, not even needing a spell uttered from his lips to make it reality.

He alights on Rocket's shoulder, high, high, high up.]

Back to the godlands. [A beat.] ...If you'd be so kind. I'll give you something nice for your efforts.

[thoughts]

[ serenity can appreciate jinora's way of life, even if it's not a path she would ever take for herself. they've stayed rooted in the world, seeking balance and harmony in a world full of chaos and madness. peace without passivity is a hard line to walk, and although the centuries have become a blur in serenity's mind, she knows they haven't always been successful.

it's why she visits now, to see how she's doing after all this time. she follows jinora into the kitchen of this modest home, observing every inch and trailing her fingers along the spines of various books along the way. ]

I'll try one.

[ she doesn't eat much anymore but if it's for the sake of a friend - ]

How long have you been staying in this village? Did you give them a new name or is it still 'Jinora?'

[ancunin]

Tell? [ His wings vanish in a red mist, his scowl abnormally tinged with concern - and genuine fear. ]

Hells - put the damn book down and take a look out the window yourself!

[ There's a strong wave of inexplicable guilt that passes over him very suddenly. Perhaps he should have visited his erstwhile companion a bit more often over the centuries.

Although, truth be told, he probably would have tried sleeping with him. Which. Hm.

In any case, should Gale abandon his cat and book to look through the window, he'll see that Astarion is not playing an elaborate prank. There are ominous cracks forming in the sky even in this realm. ]

[furibund]

Uh-huh. Lucky me.

[ She doesn't roll her eyes, but the "you're the only one that thinks that" is definitely a vibe. Not that she leaves or tells him to go away. This is just that of a long-sibling older sibling. ]

[ Her shoulder remains shoved against the back of the tree even as she shifts to look upwards at the younger out of the corner of her eye. ]

[ Quietly mulling over the Barren comment - before breathing out: ] Let's go to the Witchwood, then. You'll have to try not to get eaten.

im so sorry he is the worst enabler

[respiting]

[ It's true, there have been a few botched machineworks here and there, a few weapons that may have blown off the tops of a temple, or possibly set some carts on fire. And if a guy died once in a while, it was an occupational hazard — simply the price of being a little too close to godhood when you weren't quite ready for a blessing just yet.

Rocket can sympathize with Hilda, of course; he isn't unfeeling by any means. But he also understands that a lot of the time life and death are just two sides of a coin being flipped, and the gamble was in not knowing which side the coin would eventually land. His whole existence used to hang on that notion. He'd like to think he knows this better than anyone else.

He takes a moment to gather his thoughts, eyebrows (as much as a raccoonoid can have them) raising as though he's expecting ... more.

To his credit, no, he doesn't laugh. But he does sound a little surprised. ]

What, that's it? So a guy gets flattened — big deal, it's just one guy. One guy who obviously didn't know what to ask for, so how were you supposed to know what to make for him?

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd wouldn't ask him to change his form, and the books can all right themselves if they get knocked off. They end back on the shelves in place no matter what. It's insanely organized in there, entire rooms dedicated to specific topics, or locations. The Feywilds have their own room that includes a giant tree and Fey lights in honor of them. The Nether has dripping lava from the ceiling and specific plants, surrounded by infinite books about them.

The change in his skin came over time as the power swept through his veins and it painted him from the inside with the overwhelming magic, until the outside started to shift too. He never bothered to fight it, it felt natural enough. There also is a connection between that and his chosen family Cassian and River, who both have stardust versions of their own.

The question makes him sigh. "Maybe," he grudgingly admits. "Lucifer informed me my Brotherhood may be over their heads." Technically they are his cult but Istredd doesn't see them that way. They're a group of scholars interested in the history of this world and perhaps others. He's trusted them to this point only seeking knowledge, not anything actionable. But he hasn't checked in on leadership in probably a few decades.

"Viktor also noted someone." So yeah. Messes.

[furibund]

[ The woman arches a brow with the hint of a smirk as if to say 'aren't you responding?' But decides it's not worth an actual comment in itself - because it isn't. There's more important matters at stake. ]

Rockslide.

[ She starts, first with the cause and then: ]

They need to restore the defensive walls with limited materials.

[furibund]

[ It's fine!! They're like 75% less feral these days. ]

[ Her statement is an over-simplification of a longer, much more difficult situation but it gets to the heart of the matter. Cutting out the bad and making anew. ]

There's some notable mentions.

[ She agrees, but doesn't believe all of them are. Not anymore. Perhaps it's knowing more, seeing too much. Perhaps it's letting herself feel for them in ways she didn't before. A lingering thought and she snorts, adding: ]

Not that you won't find a few up here, either.

[godshattering]

As if I'd ever deliver anything less to you!

[ That's paired with pressing a hand to his chest like he's Absolutely Scandalized with the expression on his face in perfect tandem over the very suggestion it could be otherwise. He's no such thing, of course, but it wouldn't be one of his usual entrances if he didn't immediately jump to some sort of dramatics. Even mild ones like now as he lets his hand fall away with a grin, too focused on his mission to let it go too far off track.

Sort of; distraction's still very present but now in the form of whatever she's cooking as he leans over to peer into the pan next. He's always intrigued by what she's making and now is no exception - and it's also perhaps to check to see if there's something he can steal a taste of. Or any cheese if it's nearby, as that's always his number one item he'll search out first from whatever might be prepped. ]

I might have a fine collection here of spices I've gathered from my various shrines thanks to some very generous followers deciding to give them, among other things. I'll trade them for knowing what you're up to first.

[ Though as Sidus says this, he's already withdrawing a couple of the spice pouches from the basket. Withholding them for longer than a couple seconds was the emptiest of threats. ]

[furibund]

Why? Then someone might understand you.

[ There is no dryness to the way she says this, no inclination she say she truly cares about that in the objective sense. Cutting, but no doubt teasing. Matching tone for tone, but never forgetting how she speaks. ]

[ Her gaze flutters over the shrine, detailing the objects and writing left behind with wordless categorization. It's funny, how little people truly change in the years, she thinks and wonders what that means about her. ]

Not every ending is or needs to be happy. Telling someone their lives have to end in a fairy tale ending is demeaning the life they've lived; They might be happy with the life they lived, without the flourish and all of the pains.

[ Did she believe that? About herself? This certainly isn't happily ever after, afterall, but then there was no end for them. They weren't allowed that grace. ]

I'm not dodging it. [ This sounds like her old self, like the idea that she would lie or avoid something in such a manner is a personal insult. She always confronts things head on: ] But my stories rarely have happy endings.

[ Not untrue. The stories she has to tell are ones of hatred and danger. Loss of self, of limb, of pain. Sure, she helps to protect them. Sure, they're all stories of perseverence and overcoming - of becoming something more. But that does not mean they're the kind of stories the Doctor wants — ]

[ — needs, in te life she knows he's led. In their shared history knowing how he's fallen. ]

[furibund]

[ Letting Azem decide means she can pass off the answer - which she finds she's glad for. That she can ignore the steady thump-thump of her heart's betrayal. Because Azem's right: She has people like her for any change in character she may have had.]

[ The hazy dusk of another time never truly lets her forget the person she once was - never forgives. ]

[ She finishes her stretch before settling arms across her chest as she watches the other woman from beneath her hair. Her nod short and met with the delivery of: ] You can't have one without the other.

[ A truth; Endless life and merciless death one way or another was damaging to all things. ]

I wouldn't call it boring.

[ Even after all this time, boring isn't a word she uses easily. Finds herself constantly at task, but in this case there's more to it. ] I can see why someone would want to see endless fields of this.

[ It's beautiful. More adeptly: ] But it loses it's meaning if all you have is moments like this.

[furibund]

It's functional.

[ She counters, for the sake of countering. Or perhaps because some no-nonsense "it does its job" part of her still exists. ]

If you're asking for someone into fashion and decor you've found the wrong person.

[ Once, this might sound like a dismissal, now it sounds more as if she's poking fun at herself. It's not untrue. She's more comfortable in her own skin, but she doesn't go out of her way for fanfare either. ] What do you want to do, put some tacky looking streamers up?

[itookashot]

"I know, I'm a genius."

Jesper kisses the top of his head affectionately and holds him close. It's not uncommon for people to struggle over time with everything that became them. None of them asked for it. Jesper does know that this isn't their world. He might not have exact memories of when they came there, but he does know they aren't native to this place. Which means as the centuries go by, they still are learning. And he's always been adaptable.

"It does, but it's not going to help you, love. We are what we are. You'll be in a better place if you accept yourself." Jesper learned a lesson about over-indulgence, namely he has a demigod in the Witchwoods that speaks to it, but it's not the worst one in there. He's let it live rather than sending Kaz in after it because so far, it's mostly kept to itself. And he thinks it's a good reminder to himself.

"It's good that you want to be careful, but denying yourself is also bad." He tilts Koby's chin up to look at him and kisses him gently. "You're powerful. Own it."

[ancunin]

[ Astarion doesn't share his companion's desire to slip in and out of mortal life like this. He does, however, understand it's important to Alucard to do these things though - and so when the invitation comes to play 'assistant' he obliges to keep him company. More than that, sometimes. The casual intimacy they've kept up for these centuries is an exception for Astarion these days, in stark contrast to his many past flings. There's a quiet comfort in Alucard's company that makes it uncomplicated, even if it hardly began that way. Some separate darkness in their pasts that overlapped, which he can no longer remember and no longer cares to try to recall.

He does not bother to disguise himself within the apartment. He hardly likes doing it outside, but for Alucard's sake he uses a glamour that makes the gaze of other vampires slide away from him, keeps them from retaining any identifying details about Alucard's 'assistant'. If there's a party in Ikorr that he feels like attending (also more rare these days), he simply goes as himself. The Ikorrans are similar to the Fey, hardly cowed by a god walking amidst them.

Astarion hears Alucard return, but he's too entranced with a new device he'd acquired for the apartment - a sun globe to bother greeting the dhampir just yet. The delicate glass object glows brightly like it's namesake, the enchantments on it filling the room with false sunlight. The neverending dark of Ikorr is still sometimes too much for him.

Eventually, maybe a minute or two after Alucard announces himself, Astarion saunters out of the other room, wearing only his underthings beneath an exquisite robe. ]

How goes the library work? [ he asks, arching an eyebrow and leaning against the doorframe. ] Anyone else maimed today?

[ He says this like he might find that exciting. Some things haven't changed too much. ]

[itookashot]

"They do know, but many are afraid of it. Martyrs come from a love of something." Maybe it's a cause or a city or a people. Or one specific person they'd give up everything for. So Mara would know that their dominions cross over. It's just different ways of approaching what is in the heart. Jesper connects to a lot of dominions, and he's sometimes prayed to over the same needs as others. Mara's own have spoken his name more than once.

He steps in front of Mara to block his view of the Witchwoods but that's solely to get his attention, one of the things Jesper loves most in the world. Everyone's eyes on him. He steals a kiss from him, caressing fingers through the vivid red hair. Hundreds of years and he still likes a taste from those lips when he gets a chance.

"How are you, my dearest? Do you plan on coming to my festival, it's only a few days away." Jesper invites everyone every year. Many gods do show up, either to say hello and enjoy the party, or to stay afterward for the lustful half of it. The village does the same, although most stay for the orgy. It's the point of the festival rites.

He knows not everyone feels comfortable with the type of joy that comes from such events though. It can be overwhelming.

[abraxasnpcs]

[ He takes another more thoughtful pause. ]

Yes.

[ Innominate brings his gaze back down to look at Alucard eye to non-existent eye. ]

My blood mixed that mortal woman's proved to be powerful and potent. Our eldest became a Priest to the Singularity of some renowned. His grandson became a member of the Cadens government. Several daughters were gifted with prophecy and passed it on to their daughters.

[ He parts his hands and shrugs, holding the pose for a few seconds before reassuming a pose of prayer. ]

As time went on, the line thinned and I lost interest in tracking every movement or detail. I trust they still possess qualities that set them apart from their peers.