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

⚮ months 1 & 2 ( submersion )

[thoughts]

horizon

[ordinar]

The centuries keep bringing him back to this starry sky that seems to perch on the very edge of the world. She lives here, somewhere among the cutting cliffs and contemplative pools that reflect the endless night. She hides here, and he can't help but feel like it's his fault.

Never knowing if he's welcome, Wilhelm does not announce himself as he wanders through the starry darkness. His wings fold into solemn shadows behind him, trailing black tendrils in his wake. At the edge of a rocky pool, he crouches down and wills into existence a cluster of frog eggs, which immediately split open to release tadpoles. They darken the water like spots of ink, growing bigger and sprouting limbs until they hop fully formed onto the stone lip. An offering, though he's not sure what exactly he's praying for.

That she's okay. That he might be forgiven, and they might be friends again.

[thoughts]

Serenity can't see the other gods the way she can watch the lifespan of a mortal in a single moment - but her third eye is always open for that which falls into her domain. She sees Wilhelm the moment he arrives and watches from a distance, a sadness in her heart for the way things have become between them.

She doesn't blame him. She never has. His penance isn't needed or wanted - but the frogs are very cute.

So she appears on the stone ledge where they've taken form, reaching down to scoop one up into her hands. Starlight glitters across her body and Serenity smiles at the little critter as it croaks in her palm.

"Hello to you too," her voice chimes sweetly without her smile shifting. Then she finally looks up to her guest with same gentle fondness and says, "And to you too, Wilhelm. Thank you for the new friends."

[ordinar]

When she appears, a bright constellation brought down to earth, Wilhelm holds himself like a breath. The frogs hop toward her in his stead, speckling the ledge at her feet. Their slick bodies, the size of throwing stones, are black spotted with violet and lavender, their sticky toes midnight blue. They match her as best as he can make them.

Drawn by his disquiet, one of his creations returns to him, and Wilhelm stoops to let it leap onto his open palm. This is not a battle — he doesn't need a weapon or a shield. But he does need something to occupy his hands, and maybe that's another kind of shield.

"Hi Serenity," he returns her smile, tentative but genuine. Then he tries the name he used to call her. "River. I just thought...maybe some company would be nice."

[thoughts]

As the frogs hop closer, Serenity stands still, watching Wilhelm's creativity and sentiment take physical form. Her powers are nothing so sweet or tangible; she manipulates the mind and heart, or shatters that which already exists. They are so different and yet still very similar at their cores.

Heralds of transformation and change, transcendence and evolution, and even after all this time, they are still quietly fearful of what this means for them or for the world around them.

There is no familiarity on her face when he says the word "river," but her expression stays kind and she continues to hold her little frog companion. "Yes. It's nice to see you. I like your wings."

They're always different when she sees him, although she doesn't really have a way to know how often he may change his appearance.

OTA ⚝ across abraxas

[thoughts]

[ it takes a long time - several centuries spent trying and failing and trying again - before serenity feels like the ground is solid again. she still floats somewhere just beyond it all, bare feet taking gentle steps that don't shift a single blade of grass beneath them. but more often than not these days, she can feel her place in the universe without it pushing her to the brink of insanity.

it's easier, then, to spend more time walking the physical plane. she is never seen without her blindfold but her gaze is still intense for those that feel it pass over them as she observes them curiously. if she pays you a visit, you may feel her attention like the warmth of the sun, even as whispers of the world still reach her.

and she does start to visit more often. centuries spent isolating herself as an act of protection, and only now does it feel like she may be able to witness the lives of those around her firsthand rather than watching from afar. she may show up randomly as you go about your travels, or you may return to your regular haunts to find her already there waiting for you. ]

Nǐ hǎo. Long time no see.

[ a dry joke, perhaps, but despite her otherwise passive expression, she is happy to see people. the process of reconnecting with everyone is a slow one but surely by this point, all they have is time.

perhaps sentiment has crept in with her desire to see others, and she can occasionally can be found hidden from the mortal eye as she watches her followers during times of worship. the cult of serenity, as they're known, tend to celebrate their own mortality in rituals that involve singing and dancing and fucking through the dead of night, using mind-altering substances to transcend their ordinary lives in search of higher planes of understanding.

it makes her smile. amused, endeared, call it what you will; a human's life is so short, that they might spend it reveling in delirium and praising her name is a gift. she may choose to appear before them through the plumes of smoke from candles and bonfire, but for now, she simply watches from afar. ]

Oh. They're going to fall.

[ and so they do, literally in the case of those that trip over their own feet in their ecstasy and more spiritually for those that slip into visions and dreams granted by serenity's blessing. ]

[sketchycharacter]

But you never see.

[Bad joke? Yes. Even now, Nathan can't resist the opening — the day he can, it means he's lost a part of himself that even he would never try to wipe away.

(She can see, of course — can see just about everything — but it's still worth saying. At least he thinks so.)]

Oh, don't worry. At least one of the ones who faceplant will find something cool in the dirt.

[His little trick. A small piece of fortune, to go with whatever value they find worshiping Serenity. Nathan could take a guess at that but it would only be a guess. His motivation is different; he comes because he likes being around her. And for other reasons too, he thinks. He doesn't quite remember, but he thinks he knows.]

[thoughts]

[ he thinks he knows but he doesn't; serenity makes sure of it. it was his idea after all: to forget the good and the bad and the act of forgetting at all. it's never a fully clean slate because nathan was human once, and the human brain is so terribly stubborn. her magic isn't strong enough to wash away all that he used to be, or everything he may wish to become in the future.

so she welcomes his company, knowing full well there may come another day that he asks to bring something back or take something else away. he does seem to have poor luck with holding onto good fortune for very long. the irony of it all. ]

A gift from the patron of fortune? I'm sure they'll appreciate it.

[ she watches as the human lays on the ground laughing, then seems shocked to discover something beneath their hand when they push themself back upright. ]

Is it one of yours, or did we appropriate it from somewhere?

[ did he steal it from someone else, she means. ]

[sketchycharacter]

That's my job.

[As if any of what they are can be reduced to simple jobs. Callings, perhaps, except they're the ones who do the calling; they're not the called anymore. It's enough to know that what is, is. It's something he's learned to accept, or at least pretend.

He doesn't really remember what it was like to see the world through anything but divine eyes, anyway.]

Everything is appropriated from somewhere, if you go back far enough.

[It's a piece of precious metal, with something ancient carved into it, half worn away. Shiny enough to be valuable, old enough to be interesting.]

It's all about perspective.

[spiritread]

[ Jinora, who's approach to their immortality, had been vastly different tries to live among people. To live a new life after life, with gender and race indiscriminatory, and work for peace as an Avatar. It's why today she arrives "home" without much consideration. ]

[ The skirts flow in the breeze, as much her power as her presence, and as she shuts the door she's alert to another. Her fingers opening the fan on instinct - pacifist doesn't mean she lacks in defense - and stopping on sight of the other. She doesn't refold the fan, but it does lower to her side. ]

[ Catches the other's joke with a quirk of a smile and a shake of her head - does not say there are other ways to see than with the eyes. Instead: ]

It has been a while.

[ She offers, crossing the room. A living-kitchen combo that's just the necessities beyond a handful of books. Moves to look in a cupboard as she asks: ]

I made some pastries this morning, do you want some?

[thoughts]

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

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

I'll try one.

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

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

[spiritread]

Hopefully you'll like them, then.

[ She answers, not quite cheerfully, as she opens the pantry with the container of them and puts them on the table before grabbing a plate. Pausing only slightly at the question before she adds: ]

These days, I'm called Tseng. They think I'm an orphan.

visits

[techmaturgy]

[Viktor leaves the workshop only rarely, though he does venture out on occasion. It's what provides Serenity the opportunity to slip in unimpeded--he'd be notified, otherwise. And there's plenty to entertain her while he's out, from the various half-finished clockwork designs to the automaton, which isn't exactly sentient but can take orders and complete tasks well enough.

Soon enough, however, the Machinist returns, and Serenity doesn't even need to announce herself for him to know that she's there. He might mind the intrusion if it was someone else--but she's proven herself to be a good sounding board, over the many years, and he seems pleased when he hears the greeting.

As pleased as he can be, nowadays.]

You're welcome to visit any time you like.

[A statement of fact, and he doesn't press the matter further because he would be a hypocrite, otherwise, considering how little he leaves his workshop. Viktor has been taking samples in the Witchwood, and busies himself pulling all the little jars and vials out of his cloak.]

Do you need something?

[Or is this a social visit?]

[thoughts]

[ it's been fascinating to watch the machinist's work over the ages. as one that has gone to extreme lengths to isolate herself from the messiness of mortal lives, serenity can hardly begrudge him for his efforts to remove himself in his own ways. if anything, it suits her interests as the herald of transcendence and departure from the rational mind. reality is only what you make of it, and he has certainly taken control of his own.

so she likes to drop in randomly to see how he's doing and what new things have come of his mad genius. she appreciates the open invitation, and to answer his question, she simply says: ]

No.

[ no further elaboration or reasoning offered. she so rarely "needs" anything at all - so yes, a social visit. she steps closer and curiously observes his new materials from behind her blindfold. ]

What are you working on?

[techmaturgy]

[What isn't he working on is usually the better question. Between his tending to Mechapolis, his own automations, and his desire to constantly improve his own body, Viktor tends to have a multitude of projects all going at once. Having just returned from somewhere not-his-lab with various samples, he assumes she's asking about the things he was doing outside his workshop.

And if she isn't, well. He has plenty of other things to show her.]

Right now? I've been monitoring the Witchwood.

[He starts to line up the samples, if she'd like to have a look--scrapings of bark, particularly interesting plants, soil.]

My work is not exclusive to the mechanical, you know.

[glaciare]

( Metia keeps an eye on her fellow gods, a habit she doesn't quite remember as to how or why.

( An aching loss for the fires of rebirth, a revulsion at her on reflection that she cannot name the source of; a distrust lurking in her heat for that which she is. )

Serenity has been missed. And now that she has returned, Metia can only greet her with a small smile now that she's caught the other woman, happy to simply just watch. There are no cults of Metia -- but she does not attempt to dissuade others, especially when they are simple celebrations of life. )

They are lucky indeed to have you take such an interest in their wellbeing.

[thoughts]

[ mythos and metia are always welcome company; there's a certain sense of security that comes with their presence that serenity couldn't hope to name. they watch her followers in their revelry and she can't help but smile. ]

The others deal in luck and good fortune. These ones are lost, and this is how they find each other. They take comfort in the chaos.

[ their rituals are nothing serenity would have ever done for herself, but humans are strange that way. it's not really about what she wants or does as their god - it's about faith, something serenity still doesn't quite understand, and maybe it shows as she turns to metia feeling thoroughly humbled. ]

They believe in me. I'm the one that's lucky.

[glaciare]

( It is a feeling that Metia understands, though perhaps not meeting it with the same amount of grace as Serenity. There is a part of her that would eschew their faith if she could -- she is not deserving of it, she is not meant for divinity. But she accepts it because there is no other choice, and has long forgotten both her reservations and her conviction. )

There are times I marvel at the bonds we have with them. The trust they place in us to watch over them.

( A small nod to Serenity, and another soft smile. )

Do not sell yourself so short. There is a reason for their faith.

[thedevilwhorose]

Səˈrenədē. [He calls her this, sometimes. Her chosen name, but in the language he remembers her by. The name changes throughout the years from the others is a strange concept to him--he was always been himself, would always be himself, even in Abraxas would continue to be Lucifer, knowing he might flourish more greatly under an alias, respected without his history colored by the connotations of his name alone.

But he will always be Lucifer.

Still, sometimes, he's called her Héshuǐ liúguò, with an unusual fondness from him, so rare to hear come through, but she can sense it, his thoughts more open to her than they would have been in the past. There's a lot more open about Lucifer, when he has other barriers drawn up around him. A freedom, a surety.

He doesn't see the appeal that she does in watching this festival, but he can appreciate that it makes her find a sense of peace, and that's why he finds her here.] If they get back up, that's the important part. [Both literally and metaphorically, this coming from the being wearing the form that he Fell with.]

[thoughts]

[ perhaps it's the nature of symbols, one that stands beyond the test of time or the perception of mortals, that lucifer remains lucifer across the ages in abraxas - he defined himself long before all this.

still, she has seen the subtle shifts in him. her father's most beloved, through all trial and triumph, and serenity still holds him in high regard with all that has transpired. after all, haven't they all spent eternity trying to escape from their own cages? ]

Guāngmíng Shǐzhě.

[ she may not remember the chinese language but certain words and phrases have stayed with her, mostly nicknames and honorifics. he is a star, something that holds deep meaning in her life; a symbol, perhaps, of the family she's found in the people she holds dear.

she takes in his form and looks to the humans before them, so small and fragile by comparison to the gods that watch over them. she would never have participated in something like this herself, but they find their own ways to interpret transcendence. ]

I wonder what version of themselves they'll be when they stand again. Sometimes they surprise me.

[ who will they choose to become, after falling? ]

[thedevilwhorose]

[There's a fondness for her that has nothing to do with Istredd. He had a fondness for her long before they ascended, much longer before he even knew she shared a thread with Istredd. That fondness offered her protection. It meant that when he regenerated his grace, he didn't find a use for her like he tried Jack.

(And if he had, both Istredd likely would've assisted Yennefer in making sure Lucifer never came back out of the Singularity.)

Watching on, he thinks of just how useless and frail humans are still to him. So easy to manipulate and change and make them something new.

And yet...] They surprise me, too. They shouldn't. Across worlds they share a predictability. But they shift the axis out from under you without ever noticing it happened. [He hmmmms softly. A quiet rumble.] Do they often like what version of themselves stand again?

[northerndragon]

["Ni hao." It doesn't mean anything to him, on his own, but it's the sort of thing she used to say before she'd scratch him behind the ears. He had asked once (all himself again) if it meant "well met." Close enough, but the words still feel strange on his lips, even after all these years.]

Ni hao. [His accent is all wrong.] Are you watching them?

[He says it dubiously: the blindfold, for one thing, and then -- well, he would not have stopped here if he had not seen her. He remembers well enough that you look away from intimacy, even if it's a thing done in the open. Especially when it is. Staring isn't right.]

They ought to catch each other.

[thoughts]

[ it's hard to say she misses his wolf form when she knows that his excursions into the wilderness are no longer as necessary as an escape from the chaos of the world. it's good to see him happy now - or at least happier. she smiles at his words and stares at her followers from behind the blindfold, propriety be damned. ]

Who says they aren't? What we see with our eyes is limited to what the neural pathways in your brain can conceptualize as they process the refraction of light and other sensory input. They're biased, and short-sighted.

[ pun intended? it's hard to say when serenity's humor tends to be rather dry. but it does speak to how she can watch them with her eyes covered; there are other ways of seeing, and she sees all. ]

They're in each other's minds right now. Sharing thoughts and memories. Dreaming together. Their bodies are limited too, but we don't need them to hold each other close. It's okay to let go and fall.

[northerndragon]

[As long as he's known her, she's always said strange things. In some ways, she's always had something of the air of a woods witch. Eight hundred years, and he still doesn't know what a neural pathway is. Something about his mind's eye, or theirs, the people off in the distance.

He is not so sure that he has that sort of body anymore, the kind that has her neural pathways.]

What happens to them once they aren't anymore? [A beat, and he adds,] I don't know if they're content with each other, but they need nothing from me. Not now, anyway.

CLOSED ⚝ henry

[thoughts]

[ the call comes to her randomly. it scared her at first, in the time after being newly released from henry's thrall, because she wasn't sure if it meant he was still inside of her head somehow. if he could still control her, if she still had access to his magic or if the grass would rot beneath her feet again.

but he released her. she didn't escape. at the time, she didn't want to, even as she questioned their every move. maybe it was just an aspect of the hivemind, but there was a familiarity in the way his mind worked, a level of understanding in the nature of their abilities that the others don't quite relate to in the same way.

she doesn't hate him. she doesn't fear him. she doesn't love him either, but she knows the connection between them is something special, important, even with its twisted roots.

( centuries ago, in a time she doesn't remember, a girl named river met henry and thought not all beginnings are great. maybe they were always meant to go down this path. )

so although she may have hesitated at first, when she feels called to his side again, serenity goes. oddly, it doesn't always seem like a conscious decision on his part. he let her leave for a reason, after all - but still, she finds her way to him, visiting hawkyn for the first time in years as she appears before him. ]

Henry.

[ her eyes are hidden behind her blindfold as ever when she's on the mortal plane, but serenity observes him curiously as though she could fathom out what brought her here just by looking. she never is quite sure how to greet her former master. ]

Hello.