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

[falcony]

[ that doesn't mean they don't try.

and they do - try that is. even when sam knows, or at least has been forced to recognize, how futile it turns out to be. they try and stay at mag's for as long as they can, which turns out to be longer than they should. sam watches mag age, and then pass, and then tries to carry the inn on in her name. but as the medals pile up and the battles continue, and with both of them (not including the other summoned making a name for themselves) drawing more eyes than either of them really want, it becomes... well. dangerous, in a lot of ways. a nuisance in many others.

eventually, they move out. eventually, steve is steve for long enough that all of cadens starts to idolize him. eventually, sam starts to recognize the sheer way their abilities and powers are changing them, and begins to pull back. it's subtle enough that he thinks (maybe, perhaps, stupidly) no one can tell. pulling back on his calming is the hardest, but thankfully he's in a good enough position most people listen to him all the same. his flight, his control of wind, his healing - it's a decision he makes every day, and then every day after.

he hits a stride, even as he and steve start to bicker a little more often. even when sam starts to recognize his own...he doesn't want to say it's off, he doesn't want to say he's off, but their stride is not as in sync. still, they love each other, sam loves steve, and he can make it work. he can make all of this work. maybe the difficulties are just that he's not built to be turning a hundred, and then a hundred ten. and maybe that's what's wrong, he's just not meant to be this old, and that's why he seems to be...forgetting. or, rather, not forgetting, but losing things. losing time. losing trains of thought. he supposes being upwards of a hundred and fifty means that hours in a day don't really mean as much, and he should be happy with the simple fact he's not in a wheelchair or old folks home or something, but... it's hard. it is. and he knows he hasn't been his best.

they will work this out, though. he knows they will. even today, when sam is just going about chores - having been out himself on errands, on helping out with a few more local issues and some families of soldiers who'd recently got sent off to investigate things out in the badlands - and just made it home an hour, maybe an hour and a half earlier, feeling...

off isn't the right word, but it's also all he can say. because he's fairly certain he only got home about an hour ago, but maybe it was more than that? maybe less? he doesn't remember how he got upstairs or what he's been doing since, but his gut, his stomach, it's upended. it's off-kilter.

he hears steve downstairs, hears him call for him, but he can't...he can't speak just yet. he can't form the words. it's another one, two, three, maybe five or six minutes before he is able to - his eyes wide as he stairs at his hands in the bedroom they share together. as he must be seeing things, but he's suddenly not sure, and...okay, actually. he needs steve up there. he needs steve's opinion. ]

Steve? Babe- up. Up here. Can you...? [ sam watches as the edges of his hands go a little fuzzy, fade in and out, and he swallows. shit, shit, shit, if something is going on with the singularity again- ] Come up here?

[cryptsleeper]

You did so regardless. Then what happened?

[Alucard doesn't like summoning things out of the air, but for now, he gestures. A wide mouthed bowl appears, and he appraises it for a moment. He can't let too much blood go for now, but he needs to keep his friend talking.

It feels like the height of some shitty vampire comedy to dig into his arm again with too-sharp nails and bleed into the bowl. But that's what he is doing while trying to keep Himeka grounded.]

And do you know how many days you have been like this?

[aquaveiled]

[ Too many centuries have passed that would put Azem between herself and their fate at any cost. She's long forgotten her reputation as a mortal on other stars. No small part of her has accepted, to some extent, this is the way of things. There should be some repercussions for harming others.

She does watch as the body is drained and then unceremoniously offered to the Maw. She does not say a prayer for their passing.

To his comment, she does start to smile and nods as she steps to the edge of the canyon. ]

I like to think so, though I cannot say it has ever spoken back to me.

[ She waits until it has finished swallowing the husk of a sinner before tossing in a god-sized pie. ]

But eating the same things over and over is never good. Variety is important for all creatures.

[ Azen says it as if she's stating irrefutable facts. ]

I hope you also get to have more than...well, that?

[aquaveiled]

[ Since he decided to feed her from his own dish, she takes a spoonful off of hers and holds it out to Sylvain.

Yes, he did just take a bite, but he can take another. She made this for him, after all. He should really be eating the bulk of it! And she'll have enough for leftovers. ]

Why not both? [ Seafood AND something else. ] Some fried shrimp, mayhaps? Or fried yams?

[itookashot]

"They know who I am, sweetheart. And you know they never mind." Jesper could only be in an eternal partnership with people who understand him. They love him for exactly who he is, and that includes him loving many others. He's settled into his life as a god who brings that to everyone else too. It's always suited him. Jesper will be passed around at his festival and that's what he wants.

"I missed you too, sweetheart." He keeps him in his arms and runs fingers through his hair soothingly. Jesper can tell there is something weighing on him. He can always tell. Mara struggles more than most, it is simply his way, and his dominion feeds into that. He knows what Mara needs the most from him, but he thinks that includes getting some of what is bothering him off his chest.

They are in private at the moment since no one else is in the Witchwoods, and any humans would be unable to see them. They would sense any god coming, and there is none anywhere nearby. Jesper pulls back to look at him, caressing his face.

"Your place is with me. Any time you need it." He radiates a type of calm and love, comforting simply by existing in Mara's space. But he can feel something troubling Mara. It weighs him down. "What troubles your heart, my love? I can feel it heavy."

[assembles]

[ At one point, long ago, Steve had felt odd about how voyeuristic this sort of existence tends to be. They're meant to observe, to listen, to cast judgment from afar. Maybe that's why sometimes he does still like to come down to the mortals' level rather than just always watching from above.

He sees and hears many interesting things, but it's nice to listen to casual conversation sometimes instead of only the near-countless echoes entreating his aid.

Claire gets right into her purpose for seeking him out, which he appreciates. He considers her words for a few moments, longer than maybe would feel natural among humans — but time is different for gods. ]

What's the change that she needs to make? What is she struggling to do?

[ If going through with it meant this woman would be letting down her son, it could still be so many different situations. Steve's sure that he'll accept Claire's request for his help, they're on the same page when it comes to what echoes deserves their attention, but he is interested in hearing the whole story. ]

[funbreaker]

[ Despite the fact that Aegis and Azem have traveled just about everywhere on this plane together, the Isle of the Lost is an odd exception. Aegis is quite certain they have been here together before, though he admittedly cannot remember the exact details.

He never noticed this or thought much of it until Azem's invitation came, triggering his curiosity over why it's been so overlooked in their shared wanderlust.

Well, they're solving that little oversight now.

The presence of turtles here doesn't surprise him at all, and they passed quite a few even on their walk up to the top of this cliffside. The waves crash against the rocks below, and off in the distance he can see Chuck's statue, which is well cared for by the people who choose to live here. ]

Which stories?

[ Azem seems to be staring off at some image in the distance he can't make out — that's the sort of expression she wears, at least. It's uncommon for him to not know what his sister is thinking, and it leaves him feeling a tad uneasy. ]

[satanicpanics]

Eddie doesn’t deny that despite his critiques, he does enjoy days like this. In fact, his only response is to stick his tongue out like a child, because he may be over 800 yeas old, but he has somehow still managed to avoid growing up over the centuries.

“Chromatically creative?,” he echoes with a snort. “Yeah, sure, that’s one way to put it. And you should really sprinkle the hot shit throughout so that people like me—“ he pauses to press a dramatic hand to his chest. “You know, ones with eardrums? Don’t spend three straight hours feeling like they’re listening to post-Terry Kath Chicago.”

He may have lost a lot of memories of home, including songs and music long lost to time, but the face he makes implies that he remembers enough to still have a strong opinion on Chicago’s 80s sound change. But that face melts into a grin as he props himself up, leaning back against his elbows.

“If you have to ask, it’s probably been too long,” he replies dryly.

It seems like they all struggle with the concept of time these days, and why wouldn’t they? What does time really mean when you’re an immortal being who has to worry about the passage of it at all? Eddie isn’t any different in that regard; he doesn’t pay it much mind, but he is almost comedically desperate to keep his ties to the people he’s grown to love and care about. He rarely lets himself go too long without popping in on someone, but he plays by god rules. It could be a couple years, a couple months, or even a couple of days, but he always graces others with his presence eventually.

“But I’ll do you a solid and try to forgive you.”

[ushiri]

[ His kneejerk reaction is to take Viktor's realization put to words as admonishment, that it was wrong of him to want what rightfully belongs to another. A small part of him has never been able to fully shake the sense that it wasn't wrong. It's true that the whole of him belongs to his god, belongs to John, belongs to Jath'ibaye, and Kahlil will always serve his will, but he cannot say they had a promised life together. He stole the memory of that from Ravishan.

The hand on his arm has him pushing those thoughts away again. ]

No. You lost yourself for a while, but you haven't failed anyone yet. [ He shakes his head. ] The Oracles live in every future, every path. It drives them mad. This is only one path we've been shown.

[ He doesn't know why, only that it is ending soon, as the sky breaks and the past keeps reasserting itself wherever he goes. And there's some relief in finally knowing there's an end, even as his heart breaks for Viktor's regrets. He tentatively reaches out, brushing the side of his neck and touching the seam of his mask.

It only took a decade for him to forget the faces of his parents, his sister. It's been centuries and now Viktor's features are a blur in his memory. ]

[gynvael]

[ Aren't you tired of running?

They're not her words. He hears them—distant, exhausted, almost pleading. Is that what he's doing now? Running from something good? Part of him wonders, is it that he's always been afraid of losing what he has, even after centuries? Is there a secret relief in knowing that the end is finally here?

How good can it truly be when it isn't real. (Were they ever real?)

She won't come without a fight; he's well aware. He can't say where they're to go. A different life is out there, waiting for them, and it pulls at him as much as her presence in this world did. It's not that she's wrong now. It's only that they were something else. She was (is) so much more than this ephemeral spirit slipping through his hands. And it says much, doesn't it, that this—after his broken memories, after the world has shifted again and again under their feet—this is the first time she won't accept the inevitable change she's held dominion over for years.

This is the first time that he senses she might be afraid. ]

Am I? [ Another flame catches between them. He isn't the one turning away from what's in front of them. ] Who is running away, Yen? When did we choose any of this?

[ Can she tell him? Because he sure as fuck can't. He doesn't remember what led them to this idyllic, eternal spiral. What did they sacrifice to get here? What did they leave behind? The trees shiver with her Chaos, and his rises to match. Frost hardens the ground beneath his feet. ]

We had something real. [ He draws in a sharp breath. ] You and I—we bled for it. I know you still remember.

[ Somewhere in there, she does. ]

[krazed]

Tall, dark, and gorgeous as a lover of the female form it's difficult for Harley not to see Diana as the goddess that she was. It was far more fitting for her than it was for Harley who still struggled with the prayers, the alters, and the visitors to her domain. Harley didn't have a lot of experience with Wonder Woman but the Wonder definitely applied and boy, were the years kind to the things that made her wonderous.

"You know me, been better, been worse. It's a living."

A living that now included her newfound deity status as undeserving as it might be. She's dressed in dark clothes, with her hair hidden under a cowl, but the makeup stays the same. Black and red, blue, and dark tones with royal flair. She's got no sparkle, no dazzle, unlike her present company. She looks pretty typical. The things that changed for Harley weren't surface-level.

"What about you, DP? Anything new?"

[krazed]

[Life being an interesting journey was the divine comedy of Harley's base condition. She had always been a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants sort of gal and as a goddess, it's no different. She never expected to wield any power or be part of any divine paradigm, and yet, there she was being revered for her inconsistency. Life was full of laughs, and this was no exception.

Harley likes heights, life being a high wire act from day one and the risks involved in being high up meant that his balcony wasn't off limits. Not to her. Not even if he wanted it to be. There was no keeping her away from something she wanted or out of an area she preferred to be in. Regulations existed to be broken as far as she was concerned, and that included her brother's set of rules and requirements.]

Why wouldn't I be? That's a dumb question. Why are you here?

[techmaturgy]

[Despite his increasingly apathetic nature, over the many years, Viktor understands that Alucard hasn't exactly been happy with him. Promises were broken little by little, and then all at once. It's strained their relationship, but Viktor has made it clear that he has no regrets, when it comes to the things he's done to himself. Perhaps this confrontation, then, was inevitable.

Viktor is more machine than man, now, but Alucard's command cuts through him, regardless. He stills, temporarily prevented from going any further, but aware enough to know what's happening. That same resentment from so many years ago cuts through him--that Alucard cannot accept what Viktor is now, even if this is what he wants to be. Cannot understand why he's done these things, and worse, is afraid of it.

But he knows what he has to do to fix things (to fix himself), and he has never let his friends' concern hinder him before.]

Alucard--

[He straightens, slowly, but it seems to be allowed under the conditions of the command--it's moving him away from the Hexcore temporarily, at least.]

You have to let me do this.

[cryptsleeper]

To what end, Viktor?

[Alucard had not expected that to work. Compulsion had never been something he focused on. Thought of. Over the centuries, it drifted from his mind entirely, parts of family history lost if they were ever discussed in the first place.

(It's only been two years and change, not eight hundred.)

Too-sharp gold eyes move from Viktor to the Hexcore. He assumes both will move at the same time and it will be a disaster. But then, this was always going to be a disaster, wasn't it? The minute Viktor started experimenting on himself without rigor, something began changing.

Alucard remains as still as a frozen lake in winter.]

[satanicpanics]

No, no way. I won’t settle for less than a ten minute solo.

[ Because it’s what Nanaue deserves! He’s really come a long way over the years on his drumming skills and Eddie is genuinely proud of him and wants him to be able to showcase his hard work as often as possible.

Besides, if he’s inviting his elder god crush, he should be allowed to show off a bit more than usual. ]

Well, who am I to stand between true love?

[ He clasps his hands together at his heart and grins. ]

Besides, if you don’t invite him, I will for you.

[wiedzminka]

[ Ciri could probably have gone back to her own domain, but there's something comforting about Nadine's forest; it's warmer here in a way Ciri can't get her own mountainous woods to be, somehow softer and gentler. She's never been able to untangle her domain from Geralt's. She's never been able to smooth the harsh edges of the cliffs there, their sheer drop to the gray, icy ocean. (Though in truth, she's never tried.)

So here she's stayed for months now, wandering the fantastical undergrowth teeming with flitting, glowing insects. She's made herself a space within the forest, somewhere comfortable to sulk rest and recover.

When she senses a presence both familiar and not, Ciri sits up. She tries not to look surprised, and fails. ]

...no. [ It's unclear which part she's answering until she adds: ] It's fine.

You can stay.

[restingstitchface]

[Making polite and pleasant conversation with people he cannot care about. What could be worse? His hands unfurl against his stomach. Pinched fingers and thumbs locate his neck and prize loose that hold, that restraint that makes him freeze.]

Do you care to remember that you and I value different meanings of the word?

[His calm voice hides a chill as he lowers their hands and lets them part. His retreat and hide behind his back. Oh, his presence would make some uncomfortable, and he almost agrees to attend for that alone, but he cannot bother himself to pointless chatter about the last twenty years. He might as well speak of the weather.]

You can swing by once the fun is over. Help yourself to a seat and a drink.

[What that seat is, well, the god of love can imagine.]

can wrap here!

[itookashot]

[ Jesper rolls his eyes but releases Crane when he makes it clear he wants him to. ]

When I can walk again, I'll consider it.

[ It's not just because of all the sex. Jesper gets a lot of gluttony from being fed with worship and he ends up basically being god-hungover. He spends a few days lounging in bed afterward. ]

See you next time, gorgeous.

[ He blows him a kiss and then disappears. ]

[satanicpanics]

Yeah, well, I'll bet I have a longer memory, so…in about a hundred years, we can revisit this argument and have it again.

[ He rolls his eyes theatrically but offers up his arm freely and happily. ]

I’m pretty much always free.

[ And it’s true, he’s purposefully always killing time these days to avoid being confronted by the weight of crushing loneliness. One way or another, he can aways make time for one of his oldest and best friends. ]

But the real question is why?

[restingstitchface]

Well, I would hardly be anywhere else, would I?

[Seconds are meaningless. Hours are unacknowledged. Days are forgotten. Immortality makes time a measurement; a tool of analysis and comparison for his work. He spends centuries in this black and white world. Contemplating life in the first second and working every second.]

You know I love talking.

[And that is why she is here, obviously. Because forcing that upon him is hilarious.]

[techmaturgy]

[Behind his mask, he sounds pleased that the Nomad is not rejecting his company. For as little as he cares about social visits, it is nice, to see the others take some interest in Mechapolis, especially given how many of their number avoid this place. Maybe he can't blame them, but Viktor has, of course, always held an affinity for the automatons here. He seems fond, when he speaks of them.]

Some years ago, I believe.

[But Viktor could not pinpoint it. He's sure that, at some point, the inventors in Cadens gave them new directives. Maybe he even guided them along.]

It's good. Perhaps it means that one day we will rid this city of its plague.

[gynvael]

[ John's quiet agreement smooths the furrow in his brows. He was ready to protect John before they became nigh untouchable; that's not changed, even if they have. The longer he has this—his family, his wolves—the harder it is to imagine it gone.

Funny. He used to be so prepared for loss. Now he can scarcely bear the idea of it. Doesn't want to give it room to breathe and grow and swallow up this life he's built. (Did he build it? Did any of them?) No—of course he had. Where else would it come from?

The stillness hangs like an iron curtain. After a moment, he reaches for his discarded shirt. Restlessness itches at his bones. He wants to ride, forget the thoughts gnawing between his ears. ]

Come on. [ He begins to dress. They could both use some fucking air. ] Before the storm moves in.

[ It's not much of an excuse; this is his forest, weather and all. But that isn't the point. ]

[itookashot]

[ Jesper has his own ways but the smirk on his face says that he was more than happy to let Hilda get out some of her mischief out. It's practically an art form and they're allowed malice when it's within reason. She can be so very fun when she's a little wicked, and they play off each other well when they're not feeling particularly gracious.

Sometimes the best days are petty ones when it's with a friend.

Jesper's god powers are almost exclusively surrounding his dominion but he's never lost his original abilities, and they've only grown in power. His transmutation has created materials that people had never seen before. He can tap the ground beneath them and turn the room into pure marble, he can tear down entire buildings by turning wood into water, his fabric is of a material that no one can replicate. Bulletproof, fireproof, waterproof, untearable, a rippling effect that makes every color in the room reflect off it, he's spent centuries learning everything he could do.

For glass shoes, it's simple, but no one else can do it the same way. There is an artistry that's all his. Jesper finishes polishing the inside so it will be comfortable to wear, and then he spreads the glass, pulling it up to turn the shoe into more of a boot. It's still a work in progress. ]

I do remember us exploding into the spotlight. It might've been a few years before we were seen as threats, but no one had our flair. They still don't. I'm glad we did this, if I saw one more of our pieces in a museum, I would lose my mind.

[ Listen, does he think it's great they were so popular they'd live forever that way, before they became gods? Sure. But it made it seem like their creativity was long dead and buried, when their lives had to change. And that just wouldn't do! ]

Are you coming to my festival? I have about a dozen outfits and I still have no idea what I'm wearing. [ It's hard when you're the guest of honor! ]

[itookashot]

[ Jesper loves his parents and with that comes understanding of them. What makes them tick, what they struggle with but don't talk about, he's always been very perceptive of the people around him. He knows there will always be a heavy burden around Steve's neck and that most of the time, he chooses that. But it is why he has a child who can show up every once and awhile and pull him away for a short time of life. ]

Yes, I am very wise, people should always listen to me.

[ He teases and smiles as Steve takes his hand, and he moves the two of them to Libertas. It's easy to transport as gods and he's particularly fluid since he travels constantly. It's not easy to be so popular, he always has somewhere to be, but Jesper takes the time to live his own life too. A balanced god is a happy one, he had to create at least one demigod before he figured that out.

Libertas is a place of beauty and artwork, of bustling streets and the festival has foods of all kinds, canvases right out there, paintings being done in front of excited onlookers, poetry spoken to hushed crowds, several areas taken over as the liveliness of the humans is wafting in the air. It's difficult not to feel the energy and vibrancy of the people there, the joy in the air, as music streams from different places, the types all blending together in some kind of harmony between.

No one can see them but people can feel Jesper. He doesn't intend to radiate warmth but he does naturally. There are more smiles on faces when he walks by, laughter getting louder when he turns a corner, and more than a few flirtatious comments tossed around. ]

This is what keeps me going on bad days. The human spirit really is something to behold. I remember this place was destroyed once, long ago, but they came back and they dreamed harder, they created anew.

[gynvael]

[ Behind the starlight, he sees the man he remembers. In truth, the changes don't bother him. What does it matter, the shape they take, the forms they hold? But he can't trace the path that led to where they are. Not exactly. Not as he should. Even when fate decided for them, they still forged the road they walked. This time, it's different. There is no path.

They were not given the chance to make themselves. ]

We left something behind. [ Memories, people, entire swaths of their lives. ] This—none of this is real.

[ Perhaps it can be. He doesn't know. He only knows it isn't now. He should've realized. The calm that's blanketed them for so long—a luxury they've never been afforded. ]