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.

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Comments

𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 ♚ 𝑜𝑡𝑎

[beautifullies]

𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 1

There is nothing but peace in Claire's large, forest domain. The stone home remains, but the fields of wildflowers eventually melt into forest. A winding dirt path leads from her front door all the way to the edge of the woods and beyond.

The end of the path opens into an area with a small pool of water, fed by a waterfall. It's tranquil, lush, and full of wildlife. It's where Claire enjoys bathing, relaxing and spending her leisure time, especially if she's spent a great length of time outside of her domain. Friends are always welcome to enjoy a swim with her if they're up for it.

When she suspects she isn't alone, she calls out.

"Not to sound like a cliché, but you should join me, the water's nice for bathing or swimming. For the former I have oils if you'd like to borrow them."

𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 2

When Claire is inside the house, the front door will remain open; a gray cat sits in her window, jumping away and disappearing before anyone can attempt to get close. She may be writing inside a diary of her days and blessings (or lack thereof), or she may be reading, absorbed in tales of fiction or poetry. The cat is always her signal that someone is coming, but she tsks when her guest doesn't make their way through the door.

"Unless this isn't a social call, come inside. Lingering in the doorway blocks the natural light."

Already, she's stopped whatever she was doing to begin working on tea.

option 2!

[vecna]

A lot has changed in 800 years, of course. But, by way of some miracle, and perhaps so subtly changed by those around him, the unusual friendships Henry has cultivated during his time in Abraxas has made him…

Well. Not sentimental, quite. Not a man that seeks out company for the sake of it, not a man that’s become social by any means. But perhaps someone who is more keen to visit long-formed connections in a way he would not have ages ago — seeking fulfillment in a concept that had been impossible during his time in a life long passed, but now possible as a residence of this world. As a god, at that.

Though he’s not precisely the kind of divine entity that fits the rather lovely aesthetic of Claire’s home. His own domain has twisted the fauna and flora both into a single consciousness, reflected in eerie movements and alien awareness, beginning to mottle with ichorous darkness. A far cry what he sees around him as he makes his way to the little house, and yes, decides to hover in the doorway.

He’s in his human-appearance, as seems fitting for this quaint sort of meeting. A faint smile, nothing new there.

“It’s polite to wait for an invitation.”

God or mortal, one shouldn’t just barge in without expecting consequences.

[beautifullies]

There's a tug of a smile from Claire as she finally looks up to greet her guest. In her human appearance, her hair is still fully silver, but it's braided instead of wildly loose curls, and the glow of it is less in the daylight, more natural looking.

"Alright, that's fair I suppose. Your etiquette is impeccable, so please come inside and make yourself comfortable. I was in the mood for tea with a little kick, so I'm having something with an irresponsible amount of cinnamon." She doesn't need it; she doesn't need any of these things, but they're comfortable and she's simply never stopped enjoying a good cuppa. Gesturing to a shelf with different blends of both tea and coffee, she pours boiling water into a cup.

"Whatever you'd like, and I have stronger as well." Alcohol, she means, and plenty of it in the form of wine. "You'll have to forgive me if I can't remember whether you've told me what your preference is. Have you told me?"

[vecna]

With the invite, Henry doesn't linger for much longer. He steps in, smiling gently, though splaying a hand towards her in a gesture.

"I don't remember, but time is a slippery thing these days," he offers, mildly. "I'll try the tea with an inordinate amount of cinnamon. Why don't we be irresponsible together?"

He chuckles. Why not tea? Even in his human days, he was never keen on drinking. It reminded him too much like...

Well. Someone. A face hazy around the edges. It probably means nothing now.

"I brought you a gift, by the way. For dropping by without any warning," he explains, though he doesn't seem to be carrying anything in his hands at the moment.

[beautifullies]

"I do like living on the edge," she says glibly about the cinnamon, then begins the process of steeping.

It's enough for Claire to have a surprise visit, that there's a gift causes her expression to open up into an even brighter smile. It doesn't mean anything to her that there's nothing to be seen, it only makes her that much more curious.

"A gift? I happen to like the random drop-ins, but luckily, I enjoy gifts even more."

[vecna]

Already, he can scent the cinnamon. It's pleasant, but everything about Claire's domain has and continues to be. Even in those faraway, mortal days, he can recall feeling a strange comfort here that Henry so very rarely experienced in his lifetime.

He holds out his hand, and his palm is ichorous and splotched with writhing black. Not exactly pleasant-looking, but the little thing that crawls out of that pool of darkness... possibly is?

It's a tiny little jumping spider, big-eyed and curious. But as though to match her aesthetic, it has a tiny little red blooming flower sprouting vibrantly from its abdomen. It hops off and lands daintily on the nearest piece of furniture, gazing around with keen intelligence for a spider.

"I brought you a friend."

[beautifullies]

Far, far back, if Claire thinks hard enough, she remembers a feeling of never being settled or having a place she wanted to call her own, of wanting to have a home so lived in and warm, it drew in others. Now, and especially with the sadness shaken off after Sam, she hopes her home is exactly that, a place those see as peaceful and safe.

When Henry holds out his hand, Claire's eyes brighten gold with delight at the spider reveal, her entire aura a bit brighter for a brief, flaring moment. As it jumps, she voices her approval.

"What a beautiful new friend, I've never seen a spider with quite that marking before." She moves to her windowsill and selects a still small and in-the-pot tomato plant, setting it carefully next to the spider and assuming it will make its way.

"You keep bringing me spiders and I'll have quite the perfect eco-system. Where did you find this one?"

1

[sophos]

Annabeth has gotten very bad at time.

She's not sure how long it's been since she actively swung by to see Claire - probably longer than it should have been. Each decade feels shorter than the last, and there are days Annabeth has no idea of the actual day. Percy keeps up with his mother much better; occasionally he drags her along for a visit, but she would like to still be a good daughter-in-law on her own terms. She often thinks, I should go see her, then finds herself mulling over Echoes and the pull of power that comes from answering them instead. Humble, she is not.

But today is different, and she follows the impulse to visit Claire's domain before it disappears into another idea. She doesn't often look very human anymore, but here she becomes her old self, even if her clothes are probably a smidgen too fanciful for the quietness of Claire's space here. The water is a comfort, and she hears it before she sees it, turning down the path into sight of the waterfall.

"I could go for a swim," she says, in temporary lieu of a real hello.

[beautifullies]

Claire's simply relaxing in the shallows as she reads, but the book quickly disappears and she smiles with warmth. Her daughter-in-law (might as well be, truly) is a welcome sight, and it means more to her that she's come to visit alone. She doesn't mind whatever form either of them take when they visit, she enjoys seeing both of them; the clothes don't matter to Claire at all.

"The water is always just right, you won't be disappointed." It's slightly restorative, and she'll feel better for having even a short swim.

And because she can't help but slightly shift into mothering mode, there's a gentleness to her voice when she follows up with a question.

"Is everything alright?"

[sophos]

She closes the gap, moving to stand at the edge of the water. She squats over in a fluid motion to run her hand through it, unsurprised it's once again at the perfect temperature.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just realized it's been maybe a little too long," she offers, and there's the smallest hint of an apology in her tone, and only because it's Claire. It's not like Annabeth feels compelled to apologize for much of anything anymore.

She hikes up her dress and kicks off her shoes, sitting in the grass to drop her feet into the water first. Still perfect. "This is still one of my favorite domains."

[beautifullies]

Claire tries not to stay in her domain too exclusively lest she upset the balance of things, but it's very clear where her preference is, happy to have her own space to do as she pleases, where she and others can simply be who they are.

To try and alleviate even a hint of guilt, she waves off the apology. "You're living, Annabeth. I'll never say no to seeing you as often as you'd like, you're always welcome. On your time, not mine." Even in her human life, Claire Fraser was never one to guilt anyone into spending time with her, used to being alone.

"I am glad you like it here. I can't remember if it's always been this or if it slowly turned into a forest haven. But I've always preferred the outdoors to being cooped up inside." She settles beside Annabeth while still giving her space.

"Since it's been a bit, tell me what you've been doing." In a blink, there's a tea set between them, and she'll find her favorite tea (or beverage of choice) available to her, remembered by Claire all this time.

[sophos]

She's used to the way Claire looks after her at this point - the easy care, the genuine nature of it all. Annabeth doesn't doubt any of it, not anymore, not like she used to in the very early years, born out of... something she can't remember. Something that doesn't seem to need to be remembered, not when Claire offers her all the motherly sort of affection anyone would need instead.

"I like the forest." She likes her libraries and her temples, of course, but Annabeth finds just as much comfort in the outdoors, especially near water.

She takes the tea, barely batting an eye at the way it appears. "Probably too much at once." But she supposes she's always been that way. "I feel like I should be asking how you are, unless you want to hear me ramble about the latest structural marvels I'm only idly pushing people to build."

[beautifullies]

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't truly want to hear," Claire promises, but she does decide to divulge a little at least, since there's no point in keeping it (him) a secret.

"I've...met someone I think I'm more than a little fond of," she confesses, unable to stop an automatic upturn of her lips, then the tentative smile fades a little. "I can't be sure he's actually aware of my existence outside of the work we do together, since he hasn't responded to any offers of company. Yet he keeps returning."

She could be reading the entire situation incorrectly, but it seems like he's interested, and she looks at Annabeth for help. "What am I missing?"

[sophos]

She pauses, briefly. "I know."

It's one thing she's always appreciated about Claire - there are no double meanings, no empty offers. Anything she asks, she genuinely wants to know. For some reason, it's always comforted Annabeth, though she can't remember why.

Her face lights up, a little teasingly, as Claire begins on her confession. "You could try being direct," her tone is teasing. Something tugs at her, like she should know more about this struggle personally, but there is nothing there. "Not necessarily with your feelings. What kind of plans are you suggesting? Do you talk about things other than the work you do?"

totally went off the rails as my inbox imploded, sorry for the wait!

[beautifullies]

"Ah, driectness. The one thing I hadn't tried." She's teasing, but it's true, she hasn't been very direct at all. "We talk about the mortals, but also about the things we've seen and done in our lives. I know that he enjoys these woods," Claire says as she looks around, then adds what may truly be holding her back.

"It was so long ago that I should most certainly not let any of what happened between Sam and I influence this, but I remember what it feels like to be gently put aside for something else. It wasn't a good feeling, no matter how kind and mutual it wound up. If Jon is focused elsewhere, I would rather know it before I do anything...direct."

Claire isn't good at this, any relationship she's had, even those long, long ago forgotten, the men have seemed to fall into her lap with hardly any effort. Gone are those days, and she might need a little help.

no worries, it's all good! c:

[sophos]

"So it's not entirely work chatter," she says with a faint smile.

Annabeth has been married to Percy for so long she often forgets there must have been a time she wasn't. No one is born married. Her own experience is limited (albeit in a different way), but she sympathizes with Claire and all she's gone through regardless. As far as she's concerned, her mother-in-law deserves the world.

"It's hard not to be worried based on what happened in the past, but anyone would be beyond lucky to have you. Maybe you can be more upfront about wanting to spend time with him, in general, rather than anything about your feelings yet."

option 1!

[godshattering]

"Is that your way of telling me I need to bathe? I'll have you know I never turn down the chance to indulge in a luxurious one, thank you very much."

There's an appropriate level of petulance to those words like any sort of insult's been meted out here (it hasn't) rather than exactly the variety of kind invitation he's come to expect (which has) as Sidus stands by the pool in question. He'd approached it to appreciate the waterfall again as one of his favorite places to visit all but demands, and had meant to say hello to Claire in a moment. Instead his adopted mother gets this complete with a pout in a likely familiar routine.

One that lasts for all of a handful of moments since any longer might make it seem like a real complaint. Any further suspicion of that might be warded off by the fact that he leans down to brace a hand against the side of the pool to take a seat there and go about rolling up his robes and trousers to dip his feet and legs in. For a start, anyway.

"Swimming does sound rather nice since I haven't done that in a bit. Oh! But that reminds me." Since he'd come here with more in mind than complaining: after a second of concentrating with his hands cupped, he parts them to let some brightly iridescent butterflies flutter free as they move in lazy swoops and arcs over the water. "Made some new friends on my last trip through Aquila, and I thought they might also enjoy hanging out around here.

[beautifullies]

Claire's laugh is rich and she rolls her eyes as any good mother would. Wearing blue and white robes and holding a book in one hand, she makes her way closer. "I'm only saying that if you're here, why pass up the opportunity?"

Not that she has any objections to a nice foot soak instead, and she adjusts her own clothing to sit near him. When the butterflies are revealed, Claire lets out a soft gasp of delight.

"Oh, they're the most gorgeous butterflies I've ever seen." She watches them flutter over the water, then turns her gaze back to Sidus. "Thank you for bringing them here, they'll be happy." It warms her heart, that he saw them and thought to bring something so wonderful back to her.

[godshattering]

Despite immediately seizing the opportunity for playfulness and to supposedly object otherwise, the water is calling to him. It might not be a bath but it'll certainly be more of a dip than he has currently going on. Waiting a bit is in order to not disturb the butterflies as they make their way at varying speeds through the air above them, and he watches with a smile which only grows more pleased at her delight.

"They are, aren't they? I was hoping you might like them." A genuine sentiment not wrapped up in any other pretense; upon seeing them flutter around some of the tide pools he'd immediately known where else they might need to be found. "They seemed to enjoy being around water more than anything else," given that he might spent quite a while watching them in a rare moment of stillness these days, "but I can bring some flowers from around there too on my next trip, just in case."

Or conjure them now, but he leaves his hands in his lap as he looks Claire's way with a smile. "It's been a little while since I've stopped by. What have you been up to lately?"

[beautifullies]

"Please do, regardless. I could always use something different to grow, and it can't hurt."

Claire means it, and as she contemplates Claude's question, she continues watching the butterflies. "It has been a while, but I chalk it up to you living a nice, busy life." And she hopes it means he's more or less happy, as happy as he can be. Centuries ago, three or four perhaps, she'd had to let go of a love she'd thought would last, then made quite the choice with Sylvain—not that she plans to mention it—but she thinks back to how she was then (lower than low) and how she is now.

"I've been disguising myself as a traveling midwife, going to different villages. It's a way to answer echoes without having to stay hidden, or be a divine presence. I merely arrive as the much prayed-for midwife, or what have you." She's careful about not visiting the same place too often, and it changes things up a bit.

"And I've been getting to know someone who I think I...well. I enjoy his company. Now you, what are you getting into?" She asks the question in such a way that she rolls right past that last bit.

[godshattering]

There's an appropriate flicker of minor guilt at the confirmation it's been a while, since even though he'd mentioned it... perhaps it's been even far longer than he'd realized. Time is a tricky concept these days more often than not while looking for ways to stay occupied. A butterfly floats by as it turns back towards them, and he considers it before turning his attention back to Claire.

The mention of her disguises and the travels around to offer assistance gets a smile from him. Though the edges of his memory have blurred more and more in all those years she's remained a constant in it with all those things he reminds himself he knows, and though the subject of their echoes might not overlap often he thinks he remembers hearing a wisp within the ones he's paid attention to. Claude nods, and then -

He's heard the question turned back his direction, absolutely. But it's immediately shoved aside when clear, genuine interest lights up his face over what Claire was hoping might be glossed over. But.

"Oh, you can't possibly expect me to just ignore what you casually slipped right in there!" A protest but a playful one paired with a grin as he leans forward with as much eagerness as those words offer. "You know me far too well for that by now, I think. Now c'mon, I want to hear who, how you met, how long you've known each other - all the details you're willing to share."

[beautifullies]

She doesn't seem hurt by whatever amount of time it happens to be, only mildly amused when he calls her out immediately. She should've known better, and she did, but she doesn't mind, not really.

"Well, for starters, do you know of the Wolf Lord? Jon Snow."

She isn't sure which name he's more commonly known by; when she'd casually asked around after their initial meeting, she was given the former title, but he'd personally introduced himself to her as Jon.

"Somehow, I'd gone all this time without ever knowing of him." So it isn't outside the realm of possibility that he'll have no idea who she's talking about.

[godshattering]

"I've heard of him, I think, but I can't say I know much about him either." That or possibly even more likely, he has heard of Jon but the information was filed away with all the rest he's come to learn over the years to wait its turn for being useful. Which it would be for now - if only he could get it to come to mind.

That's less important than beaming an actual, genuine smile to Claire delighted both by getting to know this information and that there's more to it just waiting to be uncovered.

"Well, go on then. How'd you meet if you didn't know him before? I'll make up my own tale for it if you're not careful." For mischief's sake, of course, and nothing too out there. Most likely.

[beautifullies]

"Well, now I'm curious what you'd come up with," she teases, bumping into his shoulder. But she does give in, providing more details.

"A wolf was in my woods, one I didn't recognize. When I got closer, Jon revealed himself and it was nothing but compliments, really." How much he enjoyed the space, the peace, the warm pulse of life through her forest. There's the faintest hint of pink to her cheeks as she continues. "And he's found his way here a few times for no particular reason." Her, she's the reason.

"I think I've forgotten how to..." she gesticulates to try and get her point across "...move things forward. And if he hasn't made the attempt, perhaps there's a reason."

[godshattering]

A dangerous invitation to offer, certainly; Sidus is about to break into one of many possible grand tales created in the same instant the words would have left his mouth as all those details. Claire's spared that since he decides to wait and that (miniscule display of) patience is rewarded by what she says.

"Sounds a little like the way those grand romances mortals come up with begin, you know," he teases while leaning to bump his shoulder back into hers in return. The smile on his face grows to a grin along with it since that's only meant fondly - even if he stands by that assessment just a little bit. "I look forward to it appearing in a novel very soon. But I think you're overlooking the reason he's coming here, if he's continued with that..."

That's a thought he'll let trail off in more affectionate banter, but: it also works well for that ending thought Claire's left off with when paired with the flushed cheeks from before. It deserves less joking and more consideration, and for a second or two Sidus turns his attention back to the butterflies looping around the water. "Sometimes you have to give someone a little shove into romance. Not that I'd know anything about that," added purely for her entertainment as he cuts his gaze to her briefly with a smirk that says even over the centuries he's not forgotten where he'd needed the same, "especially if things have been the same for a while, even if it's a good same."