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

[cryptsleeper]

[A short, sharp breath comes out of Alucard's nose.]

I'm not going to be giving other people Alucard-soup. People aren't fans of something that toes the line of cannibalism.

[They can argue about this while working.]

Go to the cellar and get two onions and a potato, along with one of the herb bouquets in there.

[gynvael]

[ Geralt shrugs. Then he can drink all of it himself. That's Alucard's decision, what happens to the rest of the concoction, but Geralt's is that he will not be consuming any additional soup. His mind feels right. It feels like his. He has no intention of upsetting the balance he's currently achieved.

He's had enough things fucking with his head as it is.

By now, he knows Alucard's habits and already has a potato in hand. It's unclear where it came from, but it's a perfectly good potato. He tosses it at Alucard before disappearing to retrieve the rest.

A minute later, it all lands on the table. ]

[bealufull]

"I can't deny that. What's the point of powers and godly status if you can't use them for your own delight sometimes," he points out, though he knows many don't look at it that way at all.

It's so easy to give in to these moments. Shifting to press in closer to Jesper, so soft when it's just the two of them. His eyes close, sighing softly at that kiss. Just enjoying these simple comforts so much, even as he chuckles softly at Jesper's words.

"I know your time is mine, and I feel the same. That doesn't mean I'm not going to be greedy and steal every moment with you I can get. Besides, you're right. We should make it an adventure and see what we might discover."

Because it's them, and it always feels right when they're out together getting into whatever trouble they might.

[respiting]

Flattened and dismembered. Pretty impressive.

[ ... which is probably not the reaction Hilda was going for, but it's the one she gets. She knows what she signed up for, going to Rocket for a pep-talk. He's never going to blame the tech, only the weakest party maimed by said tech.

Tech's just the tool.

He opens a palm, silently asking her permission to inspect the bangle. ]

Ever thought about turning this into a trick-shield? Maybe makin' the flattening the point of it?

[techmaturgy]

[They make a good team, though he won't say as much. Astarion, with his abilities, can handle the pathological components while Viktor looks at the biomechanics. He has some amount of sympathy for the hand injury--there was a time where the thought of losing his hands horrified him, simply because os much of his work depended on it. Now, he can replace and enhance whole body parts with a ritual that has become second nature, and this is a prime recipient for such a procedure.

He will not reveal himself until necessary. It seems Astarion still has some compunctions.]

I can heal them.

[Though, it's not healing, not really, even if the overall effect is the same.]

She would not have asked us here if she didn't want our help.

[respiting]

What, a godly appearance from two of our weird-ass pantheon ain't enough dazzle?

[ He's ... k-kinda joking, because Rocket is anything but dazzling. Intimidating, maybe. A looming presence of potential hilarious destruction and chaos, certainly. But dazzling?

Sidus, on the other hand — definitely a lot more dazzle potential with the chiseled features, the fancy clothes, and the smooth-talking, if you're into that sort of thing.

Either way, he notes the direction and starts off towards this Free Cities oasis that he may or may not have heard of in the past and gently put out of his mind for no real reason at all. It's still a little too far for him to quite make out the celebratory decorations just yet, but he suspects he'll notice it right away when he sees it. People here know how to throw festivals. ]

But what are you thinkin'? Fireworks? A parade? A shower of gold trinkets?

[respiting]

[ At least Steve isn't saying anything especially mushy — that helps. Compliments for the maker, sure, he'll take 'em. He appreciates it. Who doesn't want to hear how they've specifically done something that garners awe? But he's hearing nothing about how much he cares about his followers, because he doesn't, okay. He doesn't care.

(He does. He does care a lot.) ]

Oh, yeah. Giving my blessing to some of these goons hasn't actually been a mistake. [ Indeed, is that a spark of pride in his voice?

Rocket starts to move towards an array of alcoves which seem to house all manner of gadgets with origins to normal household objects; now they've been upgraded in ingenious ways. ] It's mostly simple stuff, but whatever they've made, it helps the local village. They'll always make two so they can display one of 'em here.

[ It's a little bit like a gallery. Rocket stands back, arms folded over his chest and lets Steve have a look for himself. There are souped up carts, picks, hoses, hoes on one side, and then more complicated household-tech to the other side. ]

matching icons c:

[falcony]

[ but it also isn't wrong, is it? sam got the explanation for how it happened, the accident that led to power expansion where geralt was the unlucky target, and the consequences of it all. sam knew how difficult it would be for others, for him, not to feel like they all lost something important, something precious. sam was also just quicker to get over it, knowing, recognizing, that it's not his loss to feel. he's done this before, felt this before, and perhaps that's why when geralt first arrived at his doorstep, he could be something of a place of refuge.

all this to say, this isn't 'new' ground for them, and there is a familiarity whether or not geralt remembers the centuries of this exact exchange. geralt pops open both of their bottles and sam feels a faint smile touch his lips as he takes a drink. he comes to stand next to geralt, surveying the construction, the work he's been so focused on these last few months. he feels an unsaid weight linger somewhere in the space, and sam leaves it there for now. ]

Hmm. I've been meaning to have him come by. [ thoughts sam entertains, ideas and intentions he has but no longer feels are urgent. he has more time than he knows what to do with, these days, and over the more recent years as it's become evident that even death can't take them. sam does his best, finding places and ways he can remain grounded, and now that they look out on one of his more recent projects there is a feeling of it all being a bit... well, futile.

they sit in comfortable quiet for a few more moments, the reality of geralt's presence and sam's understanding that whatever has brought him here is important. heavy. it is a few more moments before geralt speaks, and sam lets the words come - however long they take. he only turns to look at geralt when he believes the statement to be over, expression calm, but curious. ]

Is it the memories? [ sam asks, turning his eyes back to the room, the construction tools scattered about. ] Or how they're making you feel?

[ushiri]

[ Kyle's own reawakening has gone smoother in comparison, likely because this isn't the first time he's had to accept that reality and his memory aren't completely in line, or has held two versions of history within him. There's guilt, though, over what he forgot and what he didn't, a question of how much was his choice to leave behind after struggling to hold onto one identity over the other for years. Now Rousma is with him again - the two of them just recently returned to his domain from where he finally found her in Geralt's, and the world is still crumbling around them. No one can say for certain what happens next - and so what he knows for certain is that he can't spend this time dwelling on his guilt.

He's suspected but never actually seen the waverider's presence here before, every so often some of those purple flowers would be missing and he would watch them grow again. He hasn't seen Rio in centuries though, and the monastery is open to anyone - it's just as likely someone else had been picking the flowers, just like some do with the fruit from the trees and bushes.

Rousma has shed her dog-skin, scrabbling up the iron tree branches to watch as Kahlil approaches Rio, kneeling in front of her with a hand extended. His chest feels heavy, and he still thinks about how quick the laser had turned to fix on him not so long ago, but these he brushes aside as well. ]

Should we go?

[ He would've either way, so he'll follow if she leads. ]

[assembles]

Why?

[ It's unclear if the Nomad is asking why Anthropos finds it charming, or why these people would worship him, and the disdain in his tone doesn't help at all with clarify there. His face may not move, but somehow the furrowing of his ridged brow can be imagined even so. Like a disorienting sort of magic trick.

And while they've had this argument before, he doesn't care. He's still going to ask, especially given that there's no friendship left to salvage here. ]

Did you do something to them?

[ As far as the Nomad is aware, all Anthropos ever cares about is treating his followers like his guinea pigs, to be tested and poked and prodded with no care for the fact that they're sentient beings. He can't abide it. ]

[assembles]

[ As far as Steve's concerned, it's implied that Rocket cares. He wouldn't go to all this trouble if he didn't. But he isn't going to explicitly comment on it because he knows how Rocket can be, wanting to shy away from "mushy" stuff even now that he has nothing left to prove.

There's something endearing about that, too. Rocket's held onto a lot of himself, despite everything, and Steve finds comfort in that.

Sure, he calls them "goons," but he's definitely proud. And for good reason. Steve follows him to the alcoves where the offerings have been left, simple yet well-constructed and efficient gadgets for assistance in everyday life. ]

That all suits Solvunn. They've always been about community, so of course they would make things that would be of practical help like this.

[ He steps forward to inspect some of the inventions more closely. One is a vertical vessel with a fan-like metal blade at the bottom — is it a blender? ]

In the Free Cities, they're far more interested in pushing advancements to their limit to make a name for themselves.

[ While it's a different philosophy and perhaps not as practical, Steve still sounds fond when he speaks of the mortals from his home territory. Even if he's forgotten why he feels so dedicated to them in general. It's just... everything started there, didn't it? ]

[sorser]

[Life's not bad at all. A camaraderie with the divine is nothing to scoff at, and friendship remains important to Stephen, despite the irony of not remembering much about his life before Abraxas. Or even his life as a mortal.

But what does any of that matter now? All that matters is the present (and the future, the many futures, some that will come to fruition and some that will not) and getting to where he needs to go.

And a bit of idle chatter with a friend.

The sorcerer-god settles into a sit.]

Plenty of little magical artefacts that I have no need for. Offerings that you can fiddle with. Take apart, but back together. If that interests you.

[ushiri]

[ Kyle makes another soft sound like a laugh. It can be easy losing time listening to the Doctor muse about this or that, drawn to his frenetic energy rather than put off by it. Kyle thinks he's always been drawn to those who are passionate. Sometimes it makes him want to love what they love.

He takes the offered star in his open hand, tentatively touching it with the tip of his index finger. Energy crackles up along his knuckle before dissipating. He smiles again, though that too vanishes as the Doctor gives his thoughts. His gaze slips toward the sky, toward the direction of the Singularity - beyond sight at the moment, and back to the star floating in his palm ]

It needs us. [ That part he agrees. It needs their - his protection, for him to stand guard. He would like to see the stars, he would like to know this watch has an end, but this he keeps to himself. ]

What do you believe, Starman?

[ Out of all of these questions the Doctor posed just now, which did he believe? ]

[sorser]

[Ah, these two. For as much as Stephen plays at being inconvenienced, he can always make time for them — they needn’t go to this amount of effort to pry him from his books, he thinks. From this tavern. From this town.

(How long has he been in this town?)]]

I don’t keep track of time that closely anymore.

[Ah, the irony. Stephen runs his hand through his hair—now mussed, no saving it now—then sighs, and takes Aegis’ hand. His own touch radiates with arcane power, enough to debilitate any mortal who might take his hand unbidden, but his fellow gods would only feel the warm thrum of the All-Seer’s very essence. Familiarity, comfort, friendship.]

Fine. I suppose it’s unbecoming to ignore one’s responsibilities completely.

[An irony there, too, that he has long forgotten. But he offers them both a wry smile.]

It’s been a while, anyway, since we’ve had an echo to tend to.

[Or has it…? ...He can’t remember.]

[princessvegas]

[ Julie does not care for Crane's domain. She never has, and has never refrained from telling him so repeatedly throughout the centuries. It's disconcerting and unnatural, too stark to feel at ease in. Which seems contradictory for someone supposedly so interested in what he claims to be understanding the mind — but can he truly do so, if he doesn't offer a neutral environment? Isn't he impacting his own studies?

But she's there anyway, a reverie of shimmering pink gliding through Crane's eerie world of black and white. Pearly opalescent butterflies follow in her wake, cleverly evading the disciples who try to catch them, until she is far enough out of view to let them disintegrate into glitter. The sheer layers of her dress drag along the floor behind her, leaving a little trail of colorful flowers that will have to be picked one-by-one; a large snake, similarly hued to the butterflies, slithers at her side, head raised like an obedient pet, tongue flicking in the direction of anyone who steps too close.

Remarkably, she is holding herself together. Her gaze remains resolutely forward, unwilling to acknowledge the cracking sky above. If she only keeps her mantra in her head, then the snarled memories cannot seep in. Everything is fine, she says to herself, in a place she cannot recognize, fleeing from lightning that is not her own, that leaves ether across her skin even now. Everything is fine, she tells the man with the slicked back hair and a gold tooth, grinning up at her as if she was a vision he could not believe his luck in seeing. Everything is fine, she insists to the tall handsome man, the one who seems to ooze a poison that she can feel spreading into herself.

Everything is FINE, she screams inside, weeping, turning away from thousands and thousands of rotting, bloated bodies that seem to pile in the corners of her mind.

Externally, she is as graceful and luminescent as ever. Her face is serenely blank, her gait steady. When she finds Crane and sits across from him, it is with poise. As if she has simply dropped by for a friendly chat. A catch-up. Everything is fine.

But there is a stiffness to her spine. A tremble in her hands before she folds them in her lap. A shallowness to her breath. She can feel the sky split again, somewhere, hear it — her flinch is almost invisible. Everything is fine. ]

Presumptuous. Who said anything about a problem? Doesn't anyone ever tell you about good things?

[funbreaker]

[ Aegis does find flying to be a useful skill to rely on at times, hence his own wings, though his sister has ingrained in him that habit of traveling the old-fashioned way a good deal of the time. There is something about keeping one's boots on the ground, of rooting to the earth in that way and making the most of a journey. As gods they're usually not in any particular hurry, but this instance is an exception.

As they rocket through the air, past dead trees and desiccated land, Aegis can't help but reach out to grab for Azem's shoulder and give it a squeeze. He knows that this is not pleasant for her to witness, but she would also never turn away from her responsibility. He'll help her as much as he can in the aftermath, even if it's merely by giving her some company as she returns life to the earth.

The sudden halt might have been enough to throw someone else off of Cid's back, but Aegis has decent reflexes, allowing him to tighten his legs around either flank and keep himself balanced as they all take in the scene below.

The pond is where the demigod has chosen to settle in and establish some manner of hunting grounds for itself, it seems. Aegis also dismounts and takes a quick look around the area as Azem focuses on the body of water, always making certain that they cover all their bases. He doesn't see any recent tracks from the snail creature, which means it is likely submerged in the water, as Azem also posits. ]

Shall we rustle up some manner of bait for it, then?

[ It goes unsaid that they won't actually let said bait come to harm, he imagines, so he circles around to face Cid. ]

You know the area best. What would you suggest?

[funbreaker]

[ The fact that Yennefer (and it's easier to think of her as such, when she takes this form; the subtle shifts and changes hardly register with him these days, or bother him) calls Stephen out on how long he may have been here, and he has no good answer for them — Aegis also scoffs and shakes his head.

None of them keep that close track these days, of course. Why should they, when they are long-lived, potentially even immortal, and beyond time? But Stephen certainly takes it to another level.

That thrum of power when Stephen takes his hand is familiar, causing his wings to shift up slightly in acknowledgment but not surprise. There are multitudes contained inside the All-Seer, after all, and it's perhaps Aegis and Stráedelaith who come the closest to comprehending all of it. He can feel it all lurking beneath the surface, both beneath Stephen's skin and on some other unperceivable plane, but it is a comfort to him rather than something to fear. ]

It has been a while, hasn't it. [ That does feel right to Aegis, and he glances back to Stráedelaith, as if to double-check with her. ] To the ice wall, then? Which of you would like to take us?

[ He glances from one to the other. He's the one who likes to travel places on foot, whereas they're both far more likely to simply teleport or portal around to suit their whims. When he travels with them, he's content to let them do as they wish. ]

[aquaveiled]

Yes, Percy does have an unfair advantage over them both in regards to the sea's bounty, even if Azem believes her own gift of bounty to be a boon in its own right. You simply cannot compete with with the Prince of Pesce.

"Zombie fishing!" she exclaims a little too loudly. "That is something we haven't tried, which means that we absolutely should."

The trio definitely blends in totally well. That's why there are straying glances and whispers from the crowds as they walk through.

"...After this, of course. Though mayhaps we should adjust our own rules this year and say that we are beholden entirely to our mortal restraints? When it comes time for the contest."

[satanicpanics]

[ No, Eddie is having plenty of fun on his own. Boredom is inescapable even as an immortal being, but he’s found ways around it by turning every echo into his own personal form of entertainment.

It makes people nervous, but he hasn’t had many true runners over the years. After all, usually if they’re approaching him, they want help badly enough. There’s only been a few he’s deemed undeserving of his help, and he’s made sure they never forget that fact. That’s the only time he’s become truly scary. Otherwise, he’s still just a mop of hair and noodle limbs. ]

I dunno. Does that mean I am your favorite?

[ He raises his eyebrows in mock surprise, grinning wide. ]

Because, you know, I can’t answer your question until you answer mine.

[godshattering]

'Functional' works for other things, but not a party like this!

[ That immediate response comes with being said as dryly as he feels the word functional deserves when talking about anything at a party in a mismatch to the amused expression on his face. Functional is a good starting point - one he's intending to take advantage of when it comes to this setup given that he's already walking towards it while rambling away. ]

Streamers might be a good start... hm. We need something to really draw people in if they're supposed to be buying drinks.

[ A quick peek around the tent's entrance reveals a rather bored looking young man as the attendant slouched over a table. Perfect. There's just enough time for him to flash a grin Nebula's way over one shoulder as if to say here we go with a casual wave of one hand he calls upon some godly magic. It conjures up a bag he loops over his arm as the last piece of his latest disguise and some sealed crates stacked in an alley just around the corner, and with that he sweeps into the tent with all the commanding air of someone meant to be there with Things To Do. ]

Well, that's the last time I take that road to get here. I thought we'd never make it on time. [ He sighs dramatically while rolling up his sleeves as he approaches a now very confused looking attendant sitting up and places his hands on his hips when they're (or Sidus is) asked who they are. ] Why, the decorators! Don't tell me nobody told you or worse yet, you don't recognize us.

[pathologise]

( run and hide was second nature to adrienne, though not so strong in this moment. not yet. but she trusted him, which was why she'd mentioned it at all, why she'd sought his advice. even if she didn't know what that meant when she had no memories )

If it is true... that won't bring me memories that I don't have.

( hilda held some of them in a globe but they were moments to look at, stories to hear, nothing that she could recall herself )

I can feel a love but know nothing else about it.

[durge]

( Haelva has long left her sacrificing days behind her, and shakes her head. No, no need for pointless bloodshed. )

Neither did I. But it is a fascinating idea, don't you think? ( You can make the Wizard into a god but you can't make them make good decisions. ) Only in the sense that it will need a physical form to use as an anchor, according to the text. Luckily there are a great many beasts and an even greater number of their corpses littered about. Using one of those should work.

( There is a confidence to Haevla's tone and posture that does not betray how both untested this method is and all the ways she has already imagined it could go wrong. Because it's not going to go wrong. Not when she's the one doing it, and certainly not with Azem and Valentine with her. )

[pathologise]

I don't--

( the english words slips out without her realising, another crack sliding through before she stops herself, speaking carefully again, the german coming to her easily )

I lived this life, I know it. ( but she doesn't remember most of it, just as she doesn't remember the before ) I don't know anything else.

( even if hilda had awoken a feeling in her, the love for a little girl she couldn't remember. but she remembered the feeling when hilda had shown the globe, the memory trapped within it. a memory adrienne didn't have but she had a feeling )

[cryptsleeper]

[In Geralt's absence, the dhampir has filled a pot with water and placed it in front of a large cutting board. The potato is already in the water, because it was there.

Without blinking, he takes the herb bouquet and dunks it into the water.]

You're removing the rib, by the way. Since this is your idea.

[It is exclusively to make Geralt feel weird about it if this whole thing is nonsense.]

[respiting]

[ You're a real one, Steve. ]

Yeah. You'd think I'd get as far away from Solvunn the moment that I could, but ... eh. Something keeps drawing me back. [ Like Steve, it's where Rocket got his start. Maybe even in their old, old age, nostalgia is still something they can tap into. ] It's simpler there. And I kept most of my stuff there too.

[ And it's true — unlike a lot of his fellow gods, Rocket had kept a lot of his memories on Abraxas intact throughout the centuries. He remembers a lot of the gains and the losses, and he keeps those with him, especially because so much of his past before it is completely lost to him, blurred over by time and likely a healthy dose of compartmentalization. Only the bits that Nebula remembers of their particular shared history remains somewhere in his brain.

And of course whatever the Avengers share with each other. ]

But I got a few temples around the Free Cities that I could show you one day. You're not wrong, the people there have definitely ... got their priorities.