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

The Library

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd's Forbidden Library now extends a huge amount of space within the Godlands and it never fully appears the same on the inside. Rooms shift, shelves upon unending shelves shimmering and changing colors or places, and the moment someone inside of it thinks about what they want, what they might be looking for, a book will appear. Maybe it is in your hands, maybe it is on a table nearby, maybe it jolts out of the side of a nearby shelf and glows brightly for your attention, but it is there, ready to be read.

The rooms are all unique and beautiful, some have the sky as ceilings, or are designed out of large trees, some are completely one color or a rainbow. Some smell like flowers or favorite foods, or the crisp smell of open pages and an impossible scent of 'understanding' that nevertheless can be tasted. There is music occasionally playing, and for those familiar with Jaskier or some of the musical Summoned in the community, they would recognize the tunes. There are rooms that have the sound of rain on the outside, or a sunny day brightening everything inside, or snow dotting the windows. Whatever the visitor's preference is modifies the library, personalized in every way.

People can design their own rooms and the space shifts to alter to their liking. There is an entire room made up entirely of blackboards where the walls themselves can be drawn on. It can be reading nooks but for those who do not use their own domains or are in flux, they can create entire bedrooms for themselves and stay there like a port in a storm.

Istredd can be found regularly within this space of his. Perhaps people come across him by accident as he's sorting through shelves, writing notes on the walls or in journals, or re-designing a hallway. If they think about him when they come in, and he's willing to see them, the walls will part and the hallway will take them directly to wherever the god is. If he is distracted, they may have to actively go looking for him, calling out in the endless rows.

Istredd now usually sports starlight skin, a dark color with sparkles of stars and moons swirling inside of it. It is a slightly darker and more muted version of a costume illusion he designed long ago, but now it's left a mark on him. He is rarely seen with his wings inside of the library, considering it too cumbersome to go to some of the back shelves in a more crowded space. His face and body are still physically the same, although he sometimes stretches up to 10 feet depending on where he needs to physically be for the library, but those who knew him as a human would see the same features. They're just made of starlight now.

There are still several creatures that live within this vast library. The two leosylphs are now grown into the size of lions, flying or running around the hallways playing. The crows are five times larger and swoop at the tallest of the shelves. A FENRIS robot greets people often at whatever door they walk in, about the size of a horse now, to bring them a glass of their favorite drink on its back or any food they might enjoy. There may be a giant anaconda stretching its way through back rooms, but people only ever see a slither of a tail as it leaves.

This library stores 800 years of information about the planet and the planets of all the Summoned who have added to it. Enjoy.

[diametrically]

[ Cassian doesn't know what exactly draws him to this place. But what he does know is that he's meant to have come here. Learning to distinguish that feeling from other places in this world named Abraxas is something he's quickly adapted to.

Faintly he wonders if it's because there are imprints of River's footprints left faintly in the dirt, worn away with time but never really gone, that he can see. Or maybe it's a trick of his powers, convincing him that it is here that he'll find something to satiate his hunger. And maybe there is an answer here amongst the stacks before him.

Whatever the reason, when he steps across the threshold of this library he can feel that pull as strong as ever. Staring up at the spiraling bookshelves, packed to the rim with books and scrolls, he can't help but get the distinct feeling that he's been here before. But that can't be. Because he woke up on a beach miles from here with salt water lapping at his form.

So instead he wanders through the aisles from room to room, dust gently falling off of him as he runs his fingers along the spines of books. He watches with quiet curiosity as the shelves move and shift around him as if laying out a path forward for him. To where, he doesn't know - but he's content to walk for now until he's certain that River isn't here. ]

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ While Istredd gets very absorbed in whatever project he is working on in the library, and he is always working on some kind of project, this vast place is still all connected to him. He does not interrupt other people in how they use his domain, but he feels them. It is somewhat of a 'ping' on his senses.

He is fully broken out of his note-taking and his head shoots up, a familiar presence clocked and Istredd doesn't have to move out of his chair, he closes his eyes and opens them and he's in front of Cassian. The path Cassian was taking would have eventually led him straight to his private study, but Istredd wouldn't want to wait that long.

Istredd has no wings in here but his skin is a patchwork of black with stars although his features themselves are clear on his face, his expression that of longing. Longing for his brother's safe return, which he is witnessing himself, and yet, he knows how this works. He knows this is likely to be a blank canvas to imprint on again. ]

Cassian.

[ He closes the space between them but does not get directly into his physical space. He pauses a respectful distance. ]

You're home.

[diametrically]

[ The arrival of a figure made of stars in front of him halts him in his tracks but it isn't the appearance of the god before him that tugs at something at the back of his brain. Stars are not such an uncommon thing amongst gods. Even from a distance he's seen others with stardust in his veins much like how some of it clings to him in his veins from years of travel amongst the stars with Serenity.

Nor is it hearing his name uttered. It isn't uncommon in his travels for him to come across someone who knows him. Not Andor, not El Povo, but Cassian. It's not the first time he's heard someone utter his name before with the tone of familiarity, nor does he suspect it would be the last.

Rather, it's the utterance of home. Echoes of warmth resonate through it, seeping into his bones, cutting through the aching hunger inside of him. Still, it is a mystery as to why. ] 

Home? 

[ It's a word laced with confusion. He knows that there is a connection here, but what exactly he doesn't know. ] 

I'm sorry. I don't remember being here before.

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ The stars and the universe are often connected to the gods, but it also was something that he, Cassian, and River all shared, and he used to see it as one more way they were connected as family. The disappointment can be seen on his face even lost in the constellations and Istredd shimmers, looking more like his original human self with brown skin, although there are patches of starlight in it. His glowing blue eyes are just a vivid shade again, and therefore the sadness in them is noticeable.

It won't necessarily remind Cassian of who he's talking to, since Istredd knows he forgets and there's nothing he can do about it, but it is closer to who he was once. And it might seem less overwhelming than trying to look at his bright form. ]

I know.

[ He says it gravely and with meaning behind it. This is not the first time they've had this conversation. ]

Here.

[ The room around them shimmers and fades out, the two of them moving into a room instead that used to be Cassian's when he was of mind enough to create one for himself. It will be reminiscent of who that was and have a variety of books and clothes clearly made for him. At one point, he lived there, even if when in and out of other places, which is why Istredd used the word 'home.' ]

Are you looking for River?

[thedevilwhorose]

The walls don't so much as part for Lucifer as they allow him to pass unhindered. He could just appear in Istredd's space but there's something gratifying in making the slower approach to him. Because even as distracted as Istredd often is, he'll know Lucifer is nearby. He might quickly lose that train of thought, but he knew at one point. The mixing colors of their thoughts is enough for that.

"You know, I should've made a score card," he's saying, with a claw snatching up whatever secondary book Istredd has nearby and isn't at that very moment where his focus is, but likely was about to be. Lucifer's skimming the contents, clearly looking for something specific to what he was dealing with a few hours earlier and making a quiet, slightly disturbed chortle that it isn't related, but might just be his next problem.

Meanwhile another claw is skimming the closest bookshelf, ever-so careful to not damage the bindings in the slightest despite how easily fixable it would be. He may have become quite cold since his returned power, but his warmth comes through in striking ways to those who know how to read it.

He pulls a book with a third claw and makes an attempt to slide that one, open, to put in place of the book he snatched. He kindly does not mis-shelf the stolen book, still held safely secured to the right page and all.

"For how many times I've had to play 'Divine Intervention.'" He hasn't specified that he means for Istredd, or Istredd's free distribution of knowledge, or Istredd's cult. His thoughts, much easier to slip in and out and meld with Istredd's but expertly remaining separate in different ways, offer zero clarity.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd does sense the moment Lucifer enters the library, but he does go back to being distracted because that could mean anything. Usually he does find Istredd but sometimes he does his own thing as well, but there is an awareness that tingles up his spine and makes him smile privately. They spend so much time together now in the Nether and yet he mentally vibes warmth at him, no need to make a formal hello when they bleed (safely) into one another. When Lucifer is with him, his white wings automatically form themselves, which rarely happens in the library but his presence instinctively sets it off.

"Mmm?" Is his response though when Lucifer does appear to scatter what he's working on. He rolls his eyes although it is difficult to tell that is what he is doing when his eyes are glowing blue and without pupils these days. Lucifer knows that is what he is doing. His exasperation can be felt and he turns from what he's doing to watch him. Luckily Lucifer knows better than to disorganize anything. Yes, he can fix it easily, that isn't the point!

"Mmmmm." He says after considering what Lucifer is probably saying. He does make a list in his head of what he's blessed lately. Nothing that stands out. Istredd doesn't know if mortals have figured out that he is easy to sneak things past, or that they simply believe he supports their endeavors, shady or not. Probably the latter. Oops.

"That's why I have a list of suspicious humans. Although ... I may not have looked at it." Double oops.

[thedevilwhorose]

He continues to pace around the space, familiar with it just as much as the space is familiar with him. He leafs through the stolen book with a wisp of magic rather than risking tearing the pages with his claws, but he's not really processing the words.

"Or updated it recently? I'm curious, really, who you keep putting on that list, because as you well know--we have very different definitions of suspicious."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"It may have been a year. Or two." Since he last updated it. Istredd relies on other people being better at keeping him in check than he is. And it does work, several of them do step in or scold him like Lucifer is doing now, but it's something he forgets to do on his own. Then again, the main problem makers are the ones that come back again and again, so they'd still be on the list.

"There's a group of inventors Viktor has mentioned. Scientists. They can't all be the Brotherhood." He grumbles about that, but he doesn't mean the Brotherhood as in from his world. He has long forgotten about his organization. He means his cult, although that's not the word he would use for them. The Brotherhood of the Forbidden Stars is the example to him of humans using his gifts in all the right ways.

"Are you going to tell me which one? Or are you just here to rifle through my books and not say hello first?" As if he needs to. They never say goodbye, they don't need to say hello.

[funbreaker]

There are times when Aegis wonders if Istredd might enter his endless library and simple never come out. He'll lose his way, too caught up in his reading and researching, and no longer be able to tell where the exit is located. Or he'll end up buried under a pile of books and decide that it isn't such a bad way to spend the rest of his days. The forgetful professor role is hardly an act with him.

And... well, they're friends, are they not? So if Aegis decides that he wants to take a break from his godly duties and spend some time in the massive library while checking in on a companion, that is his prerogative.

Today Istredd is not easily found, and Aegis worries that he might end up wandering the walls packed with shelves and shelves of books for ages. He can't help but feel clumsy in here, especially when one of his wings knocks yet another book off of a table.

Aegis heaves out a sigh and bends down to pick it up. It's a brown, leather-bound book with gold detailing entitled The Unending Journey.

It might be difficult to keep this massive place neat and tidy, but sometimes Aegis does wish it was a little less cramped.

[magicalarchaeologist]

"That's why I remove the wings in here." Istredd just seems to appear in the same room as him, which could be startling, but he can move around the library as he deems fit.

He sensed Aegis once he arrived, the domain all connected to his mind, but he usually leaves people alone or doesn't dive too deeply into their presence unless they go looking for him. There are many who come in to enjoy themselves or fill up their books, even a few who live here when they need a place to stay, and he gives them their privacy. But he could tell that Aegis was searching.

It's true that Istredd typically has large white wings which contrast nicely with his skin made of dark skies and swirling starlight. But his body is in flux, at his whim, and he knocked too many books off their shelves himself until he figured out the fix. He isn't suggesting Aegis does the same, only an observation.

"Aegis, how have you been?"

[funbreaker]

Aegis doesn't flinch at Istredd's sudden appearance. By now he's quite used to other gods flitting in and out of spaces, and it's never been easy to sneak up on him. He wouldn't be a particularly good protector if that were the case.

Somehow the idea of adjusting his appearance on a whim doesn't appeal to him, and so he chooses not to follow Istredd's suggestion. The other solution is to (as he stands) fold his wings in and tuck them close against his back, which should work well enough.

"Well," he replies with a shrug of one shoulder, continuing to hold onto the book that he retrieved from the floor. He can't help but study the moving starlight that now makes up Istredd's entire form, finding something familiar in it even if he can't ever quite put his finger on it. "I thought it was about time to check in on you. Any messes lately?"

He doesn't mean knocked over books. Sometimes Istredd becomes so wrapped up in his own research that he doesn't give much care to the consequences of the echoes he fulfills. Perhaps Aegis oversteps by trying to clean up said messes, but it's become routine between them by now, for better or worse.

[magicalarchaeologist]

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

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

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

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

[thoughts]

Today is a good day - a quiet day, something that has become more common over the last decade. Serenity has grown accustomed to the madness coming and going as it pleases and she pays no mind to the time, knowing that this is just the way of things, the past and future overlapping in a single second.

It's easier to exist in the moment, and as she finds herself in a quiet moment where the storm in her mind isn't so frenzied, she allows herself to wander home. This library was her favorite place to roam as a child. Entire worlds of knowledge at her fingertips and her father beside her, showing her the way.

Serenity doesn't hide her presence from him - can't, even; he could probably tell when a single page is out of place in one of his books - but she doesn't make her way to him either, content to simply walk through the fantastic space and observe Istredd's monumental work in silence. Her sparkling eyes roam over every inch of the new building, her fingers trailing lightly along shelves and spines and spiraling staircases.

Eventually, she makes her way to her room, something that remains unchanged even as the library shifts and reforms over the ages. Overflowing with colorful flowers and branching vines as books line every inch of the walls, save for where there is always sunlight filtering in through the enormous windows, and a pile of blankets and pillows where she once slept and studied when she was younger. Things were simpler then, she thinks. It's all become a blur, the details lost to time and delirium, but the feeling of belonging remains.

It's only then that she finally acknowledges that Istredd has probably been watching her this whole time. She lifts her head, fully expecting to see him there the way he so often appears on his own accord, and smiles. Her lips don't move even as her voice gently chimes, "Bàba."

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd does know the moment she exists within the library. He is connected to every aspect of his domain and the presence of another lights up the space, but he leaves people be unless they come looking for him. Those who know him well are aware he sees them so they can speak his name if they wish. He gets visitors frequently, some who are adding knowledge, some looking for something specific or random, and there are a few who occasionally live in here, the wanderers of the rest of the sphere.

He stops everything he's doing the moment he senses her, it may as well be an alarm blaring in his ear. Istredd's chest fills with a familiar sense of overpowering love and concern, for he knows existence is not always easy for his child. The library reacts to his feelings, seeming to glow a little brighter, everything to appear more full and intriguing. He never touches her room or allows a single aspect to alter. Only Serenity herself can change this place.

Istredd manages to hold himself back only long enough for her to get to her room, because if she went to start reading or was there to look for a text, he would leave her without an invitation. He cannot contain himself longer than this. He appears to her a moment before she smiles, his own smile wide.

"Luned," he says back. It's a word from a language in his past, for daughters. Istredd opens up his arms in an unspoken request for the embrace he craves every time he sees her. As if holding her will give him the ability to ground her here. "I have missed you so much."

[thoughts]

Her face softens at the sight of him, not quite a widening smile but an undeniable warmth just from seeing him there, as unwavering as ever. It only takes a moment of consideration before she steps forward to hug him, resting her head against his chest and closing her eyes. Serenity doesn't often permit physical contact but Istredd is one of few in all of creation whose mind isn't open to her unwelcome intrusion. The Guardian of Forbidden Knowledge, as he's known, and his mind is still a solid steel trap. It's a comfort to her that they can still be close without it hurting.

But even with his immense power, it's not perfect. Serenity generally can't use her cognition on other gods without their permission, but physical touch bends and breaks the rules of reality around her. It starts to bleed through - his concern, his excitement, the enduring love of someone that has never lost faith in her despite how far she's strayed - and maybe she can feel it because it doesn't take magic to see what's there in his features and the way he holds her.

Even with Istredd, who she loves more than most anyone else with the exception of her brother, there's only so much she can take. A few beats pass before Serenity pulls back again, staying close but dropping her arms away from him.

"I miss you too." She doesn't remember how long it's been since they last saw each other when time is such a blur but she always misses him. "Have you been busy? Your collection has grown."

It's always different, every time she comes to see him. He always was a workaholic.

[magicalarchaeologist]

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

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

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

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

[unwings]

[ it isn’t often that Castiel leaves his forest any longer, but Istredd is one of the few he makes exceptions for. When he visits, he brings his forest with him, morphing the rooms of the library to leave the isolated tranquility of his home in his wake. As Istredd arrives, he’s sat in a shallow pool, a step along the path of the trickling waterfall as the stream parts around him. He doesn’t look up from the tome he’s paging through when he speaks. ]

He visited last night.

[ There’s no need to question who he’s talking about. Istredd remains one of the still fewer Castiel ever mentions Dean Winchester to anymore. It’s hardly every conversation they have - sometimes they dig through obscure knowledge, while away hours with intellectual ponderings and debate, or squint at Lucifer and whatever shenanigans he’s getting up to. Cas always ebbs away from discussing most other gods, making no disguise of his distaste for the entire structure of their ascension. The control they wield freely over mortals.

But when there is another Summoned he’ll allow himself to mention - it’s Dean. ]

It’s the same as it ever was. We enjoyed each other, until we didn’t. [ the page turns with more of a snap, Castiel’s carefully guarded calm splintering under the veneer of unshakeable peace. ] It’s paradise, until one of us speaks.

[magicalarchaeologist]

[ Istredd is not surprised to see the change when he walks in, having sensed someone changing a section. He is mentally connected to everything in this vast space and Castiel rarely arrives without intending to see him. His wings are off since he doesn't wear them in the library (too many bumped shelves), but his skin is a patchwork of black and starlight.

He's embraced his identity as a god because it brings him this. Endless knowledge. Intimate information. He is gracious and indulgent of his followers but doesn't lord over anyone either. Scholars aren't really the type who need to be intimidated. He knows how Castiel feels about all of it though.

Istredd is also not surprised that it is one of those conversations. Dean and Castiels fraught romance is one he's well versed in now. ]

Speaking is integral to a relationship, Cas. I know you love him and want what you can have, but one of you has to be strong enough to step back and demand a conversation.

[ It's easier said than done, but this is from experience. He had to do the same thing with Lucifer. The two of them were terrible at communication in those early years, and it wasn't always easy to step back and insist on talking instead of swimming safely by that. ]

You may be afraid that it'll end if you do, but in my experience, getting it out in the open could lead you to being closer.

[unwings]

Geralt and I manage fine with nods and grunts.

[ it's a wry, petulant attempt at humor, maybe trying to skirt around istredd's accurate read of things. he's always been deftly perceptive when it came to them. when it came to castiel, who'd sooner walk off the edge of a cliff than notice a glaring emotional issue he's been unconsciously repressing with an iron fist. ]

We've tried, again and again and again for centuries, it's damn well open as a barn door now. [ there may even be some pockets of mortals who had the misfortune of overhearing their arguments. ] It's a wonder it hasn't ended already.

[ fear of that might've been petrifying to castiel in the past, but it appears their 'profound bond' hasn't just provided an empathetic link to channel a deep love between them, but also handcuffed them together like two bickering children stuffed into a single "get along" shirt.

the thing is, their arguments go round and round several old topics - his stance on godhood, his neutrality, his splitting away from them, his choice of shoes, how he cooks chicken, that one time 300 years ago when he left the fridge open and the milk spoiled, the list is endless. but they never seem to find whatever's at the center of it. deep down, cas suspects he knows. he suspects dean does too. and it was nothing that ever happened in this plane of existence, the details of it all hazy and warped by each of their aged perceptions.

the truth of it was: a confession weaponized in a hail mary attempt to spare dean's life, and an empty void cas let himself be swallowed by. it was the months after, when dean prayed to him, and though jack brought him back, he left dean on read. he thought he was doing the right thing ("yeah, you always do"). he couldn't tell dean he regrets sacrificing himself, and dean couldn't tell him he regrets letting himself bleed out on that rusty bar. it's was an impasse that just burrowed deeper and deeper, until they couldn't remember where or why it started.

but that's a whole world away, and this is their only home now. ]

I couldn't even say what the original dispute was. It's all muddled together now.

back from vacay, thank you for your patience!

[magicalarchaeologist]

That's how Geralt is with everyone.

[ Istredd snorts. Their mutual friend is either incredibly easy to deal with or incredibly difficult. Istredd's felt both ways about him over the centuries, but he's very fond of the man. He just knows his limitations when it comes to serious conversations.

He shakes his head and steps over to Castiel, reaching out to squeeze his arm, leading down to taking his hand. There was a time long ago when Istredd found it hard to display physical affection, so distant from people and the way they interacted, but he's since eased into acting by instinct. Castiel is his dear friend and he's suffering. He knows that Castiel and Dean are far more complicated than whatever they are bickering about on the surface. This is an old wound that neither of them can heal. But their love hasn't wavered.]

And my guess is that the original dispute is the problem. Everything you two bicker about now is underlined by that pain. But I know we can't just force back memories that are lost.

[ Istredd's lost plenty himself. He remembers very vague things about his life centuries ago. He sometimes forgets about his worst fight with Lucifer, until they are occasionally reminded, though in that case it's to appreciate how far they came since then. But trying to hold onto the things lost doesn't actually work, he's never been able to grasp them tightly enough to bring it back. And his memory is far better than others. ]

You love one another. Deeply. Eternally. Do you two express that to each other? The positive things that keep you coming back?

[ Perhaps they get too bogged down into the darkness and the feelings they can't handle, when they could focus on the beautiful aspects that bring them together every once and awhile. Something does attach them and Istredd's been a romantic a long time. His relationships are all very open-hearted, with his difficult partners giving way to his need for reassurance. It all works rather well. ]

rolls in here late, with starbucks

[earthborn]

"Istredd!"

Shepard has always had an exemplary parade-ground bark. It behooves someone in her position to possess such a tool, of course; to threaten, and issue orders, and to call out from the doorway of the library itself. The floor steams underneath her feet, little embers left behind, flickering briefly as they die, scorchmark footprints that follow Shepard wherever she goes— or at least they do when she's riled up.

If today the library appears a mite more labyrinthine than usual, that's surely her imagination and not that anyone might be avoiding confrontation. Surely. It's easy to invent new annoyances when you're already upset.

"I know you're in here! Hiding won't help!"

Actually, at this rate, she might be inventing new reasons to get mad, wholesale.

[magicalarchaeologist]

It is incredibly easy to get lost in the library. Psychically, someone can lead themselves to the places they want to be, but they need to know how to do that. Otherwise it could be endless shelves and rooms, and they're all beautiful and interesting, so probably distracting.

Istredd is not hiding, he doesn't know why he would be hiding, although Shepard shouting his name from somewhere in the distance does seem to be a reason for him to. His eyebrows furrow and he shifts the library around them so that when she stomps her way from one room to the next, she finds herself immediately into the same room as him. This is his space, he could make her get lost too, if he wanted to.

His skin is pure black currently with consellations and stars playing across it, although his features are still very distinct, and his eyes glow blue. He's in the blackboard room, where the entire thing is made of blackboards with different things written on it, in multiple languages. He looks genuinely confused when she steps in.

"What did I do?" He must have done something!

[earthborn]

Stars and earth, that's them— Shepard's skin is no less black than Istredd's, a scabby field of obsidian and stone overlaying her molten core. She's on the warpath, burning extra hot today.

"What didn't you do?" She glances at the nearest blackboard, crowded with scribbles, and then discards it as irrelevant, moving on, "You know you don't have to tell your little toadies every damn thing that pops into their heads, right?"

back from vacation!

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd flinches, mostly because he knows that it means his followers have been stupid again. They usually are so clear-headed! Of course, he thinks that, but they really aren't. They're as ridiculous about knowledge as humans are about anything. "Usually they have very well-reasoned arguments for my blessings." He does hear them out! He just doesn't always think forward to what is next.

"I think they have a new leader I missed the election of." Istredd's cult mostly work on their own so he's not always keyed into leadership. Considering a few people have warned him about this lately, it looks like he might need to step in. He sighs. "I'll handle it."