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

closed / jesper + sylvain

[godshattering]

"I think this year we should attend as mortals again. That's the best way to get involved as we've learned, isn't it?"

It is if the years prior where they've done the same at this very festival are anything to go by, and it's what Sidus has in mind as one of the many possibilities for tonight. Attending something meant for the god of love who is himself one of the targets of this very question is never a dull moment or allowed to come anywhere close to it as it is; between the three of them, they simply wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.

But it's also a special occasion, or so Sidus has been thinking to himself again and again while lounging on the bed he's claimed and proclaimed as the best place to watch the other two gods ready their own outfits for the evening. Having been ready himself for some time now - for once somehow not the last one lingering over details - means he gets to appreciate the views as he rolls to his side and props his head in one hand, bracelets jingling sightly as he idly smooths a crease out of the silks he's dressed in. A second later an idea occurs to him which has him sitting up slightly.

"No, wait, I have an even better idea. Not that I'm not enjoying both of you dressing and undressing in front of me - something you can keep doing a few more times before we leave, if you don't mind - but," with one bejeweled finger held up to preface what's surely a good idea, "what if we disguise ourselves but don't let each other see the disguises and have to find each other in the celebrations? You both know I love a little anticipation."

[itookashot]

Jesper as usual loves to dress up so he has a whole collection of options to decide between. Sometimes he's lazy and goes with a skirt or shorts, just to show off his perfectly crafted form, and he favors loose and comfortable garments these days. No longer the multiple layers and long coats that he once preferred. Still, this is his party, and it means he's going to have to be colorful.

He is completely bare at the moment, like he is going to paint his clothes in as an artist might after the form is done. He is the guest of honor at the festival and the constant worship makes his skin literally seem to glow, because he is on the inside, radiating power at the moment. That power translates into beauty and warmth, and he doesn't plan on fading it down when it's the three of them.

He picks a rainbow tuxedo and puts it on, looking at the mirror, and frowns, snapping his fingers to be naked once more. Not quite right. Something more laid back, for certain. Jesper glances over at Sidus.

"You? Liking anticipation? Hm, that sounds familiar to someone who had to wait 212 years for a kiss." Jesper doesn't remember when they first met or even most of those first years, but he does remember that, and always will. "I think it'll have to be the two of you though, darling. I'm a little conspicuous at the moment."

Glowing and all.

[philancer]

Sylvain, on the contrary, is currently leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, having showered last. There’s still a towel wrapped around his waist as he attempts to dry his hair with another. Yes, he could just magic it that ay, but there was something about the habit of it, the preparation for the night ahead, that he found just as appealing as the night itself.

He’s grinning as he watches Jesper flick through possible outfits, all of them as colorful as a peacock. Which is pretty perfect, in his opinion.

Claude’s suggestion, however, gets a playful groan of dismay. “Does this mean I have to stop being lazy and actually come up with an outfit rather than just letting Jesper wiggle his fingers at me? But that’s so much work.”

[godshattering]

"Two hundred and twelve years which worked out in your favor, mind you," is what Jesper gets fired right back at him even if Sidus pairs it with a pout they all know he doesn't mean in the least. But when called out: what better to sulk about it for a second? A second being an accurate measurement of time as he pushes himself into a sitting up position to look Sylvain's direction next.

"You could also just not get dressed and I don't think either one of us would protest. Why not just go with the towel itself?" Ever so slightly facetious, but the pointed gaze at the towel in question is more of an indicator it'd be an acceptable outfit in his eyes even as Jesper threatens to outdazzle them all with each choice which appears. Beyond that, he's certainly got a point about the conspicuous part as now it's Jesper's turn to get an admiring gaze from the god perched on the bed.

"Well, we could always make the prize for the first one being caught instead of the last one. It's probably only fair to guarantee you win at your own festival, right?" This is a plan ("plan") materializing out of nowhere as Sidus flicks a gaze to Sylvain next. "I'd say give Jesper your other towel since I think my prize for right now should be seeing you in the least amount of layers and seams possible, but he's doing a better job at that than you are." For good measure and like that wasn't clear enough of a suggestion, there's a wave of a manicured hand suggesting both of those towels should go.

[itookashot]

"You were worth waiting for, my pretty pouter." Jesper blows a kiss at him and he keeps cycling through different clothes options, them all appearing and disappearing from his body in a rush. Some tight, some loose, some formal, some informal. He can be very picky when it comes to these things.

He does, however, wisely stop obsessing over his clothes when Sylvain and his still outrageously beautiful body comes out in a towel. Both he and Claude appear to have the same idea, eyeing their lover with open appreciation. "I'm the person being celebrated, and I say you can go with a towel. It'll start a good fashion movement for orgies." Who needs clothes, when you can swipe one off and get going?

"I'd ask what I win, but we all know what we're going to win." They are at a soon-to-be orgy, literally everyone ends up winning. He snaps up two outfits, one very tight and one very formal, both vivid colors, and puts them in front of him so they can see. "Alright which one of these would you want to rip off me later?"

[philancer]

“I’m pretty sure you used to be more subtle.”

He can’t help but tease Claude as he laughs and shakes his head, making his way over to the large mirror across the room that Jesper was currently primping and posing in front of.

And he casually just. Drops his towel on the floor as he goes. Oops?

What were you saying about layers, Claude?

Still, he leans in to brush his lips against the back of Jesper’s shoulder as he passes behind him, heading for the closet beyond. Only to pause and glance back when his lover holds up a pair of outfits.

“Oh, both. But I feel like the tight one is more of a tease for the rest of the evening. What do you think, Claude?”

[godshattering]

Sylvain will just get an allegedly innocent look right back in response as if he hasn't the faintest idea of what that means. It's momentary, though, since the towel dropping is a distraction in and of itself. "Why be subtle when this awaits?"

Something he's positive Jesper will agree with so it's said with all the confidence such a statement deserves as his attention turns next to the outfits. Or he means to, but a certain level of appreciation mixed with admiration also has to go to the sight of Sylvain. And if everyone's going to have fun over by the closet, well.

Claude pushes himself off the bed with a hum as he considers both outfits, then decides they'd be better appreciated up close. Of course. There's a faint jingle of the charms in his hair and those bracelets as he walks up slowly while tapping a finger against his chin in supposed thought.

"I think it's rather rude of you to ask us to pick between two where we couldn't possibly lose with either." With one bejeweled hand he picks the very formal one first to hold up to Jesper for a proper appraisal. "I don't disagree with Sylvain, but there's something to be said for this one." Off it goes back to the side for the tighter one next, and it's certainly no contest that this one really should win. "If you really want to tease us more than I already know you are, you could always add some more accessories for more for us to take off later."

[itookashot]

Sylvain is oogled by both of them once he follows their request and Jesper lets his gaze comfortable move over his long-term lover's beautiful body. "Maybe we should just forget the party and look at him all day." As if he would miss a party, but it's flattery he intends, and there have been times where he pulls Sylvain into bed to spend a day instead of doing anything else.

"I knew you'd pick this one." It still was nice to offer options! And he blinks and he's in it, the fabric looking like it is basically painted on his body, leaving enough to the imagination to be teased but suggesting everything else. Since Claude is there though he only has to take a step forward to grip him by the hips and pull him a little closer.

"You look gorgeous, my dear. I wish I was as decisive as you are." Completely ready before either of them with quite some time left! He takes Claude's hand and then starts them into a playful slow dance, like they're only a few centuries old again (or before).

"Perhaps we should dress Sylvain ourselves. Since he's now the last one."

[philancer]

Sylvain can feel both their eyes on him, but he doesn’t mind - soaks it up, in fact, shooting an amused grin over his shoulder at him as he absently flicks through a couple options in his closet. Not really interested in any of them, but he’s never had the same interest in fashion that Jesper or Hilda have, or even Claude for that matter. He’s more than happy to leave choices like that up to the experts, he just knows what he likes to see on them.

It’s only when he catches the sight of movement in the mirror’s reflection that he turns back around, leaning against the doorframe of the closet to watch the pair of them dance with an indulgent, affectionate smile. He loves watching them. Something he doubts he’ll ever tire of, even in another thousand years.

Jesper’s suggestion gets a grin and a laugh from him, however, as he crosses his arms over a broad chest, shamelessly standing there naked still. “What a good idea. Because I confess, I didn’t prepare anything, so at this rate, I might just have to go in a towel.”

[godshattering]

"I still say you could've worn nothing and that would've been festive enough. Maybe it's for the best we save that until later so we don't all get distracted," he teases Jesper as they make their slow rounds in place to an unknown tune but in sync all the same. On the next step Claude takes an additional step out to extend his arm with the suggestion of Jesper being the one to spin him. Fitting for how at the end of it, there's a quick step executed on his part to use the momentum of the spin to bring himself back with the man's arm wrapped around him as Claude winds up leaning with his back against Jesper's chest.

All the better for surveying Sylvain together, after all.

"If we're going to suggest anything, it's going to be without any towels involved." He's confident enough to speak for them both on that with this view before them since the absolutely shameless appreciation of it has never once wavered when it's his full focus. "But really, you should know both of us enough by now to know we're not going to miss a chance to dress you. I think that means we should each choose something for you to model. Just to be sure."

Claude redirects his attention to the closet, absently drumming fingertips against Jesper's forearm where his hand's resting on it as he considers the choices in scanning over each and every possibility hanging there. After a moment he leans his head back against Jesper's shoulder and points with his free hand to a rather fetching outfit in blue. "That one's my choice."

[itookashot]

"Well yes, the idea is that everyone gets naked eventually, but we do need a little tease first. You of all people understand that." As they all know, Claude is the top of the line teaser. An edger. Tormenting his lovers with a promise. Jesper likes wearing tight things to these because it means sometimes tearing it off is required just to get to him. He likes anticipation.

Jesper turns their little dance so they can see the closet better, kissing his cheek sweetly. He is not surprised at all to see Claude pick something blue, it goes with Sylvain so very well. The two of them have very good taste in clothes which is why Sylvain can be lazy about this. He has three people who have a marvelous time dressing him.

He moves out of Claude's arms but only to slide up behind him instead, comfortably wrapping arms around his waist and setting his chin on his shoulder. All the comfort of them being intimate for centuries now. "It's a good one, I'm thinking though ...." Jesper points at it and the clothes modify, the blue being changed into gold trim to add an extra flare. "It's so difficult because I love him in turquoise too." The clothes shimmer between the blue and turquoise so they can see both options.

"We're artists with our favorite muse."

[philancer]

“He understands that all too well, please don’t fucking encourage him.” Sylvain gives a groan of mock dismay as he rubs a hand over his face. The last thing Claude needs is another excuse to be a tease tonight. Or more of one.

But he lets them play with the outfit, and the shifting colors, although since it seems the outfit part of it is decided, he plucks it from the closet and holds it up in front of it as Jesper makes the hues shimmer back and forth. The both look good with the gold, he thinks, but he just glances up to watch their reactions to see which they end up preferring.

“I don’t think I fit the criteria for muses. Although I suppose I could be extra scandalous and show up in nothing but a conveniently placed fig leaf. That counts as not-a-towel, right?”

He’s only teasing, but he does shoot a smirk in Claude’s direction, since he’d been the one most protesting those in the first place.

[godshattering]

"I'm ignoring your complaining since it's not like it doesn't benefit both of you in the end and you know it." A bit of huffiness makes it in there purely for the sake of playfulness since truthfully he doesn't believe any complaining now or in those moments where teasing absolutely is ongoing and not in the verbal variety now. "And look, I wouldn't protest the leaf either! You say that like showing off more would ever be a bad thing to either one of us."

Rather than continuing to complain himself, he leans back even more into Jesper's embrace to survey both outfits as they change with all of the details. The real struggle here is that both would look equally good on Sylvain just as much as a lack of any clothing would which absolutely qualifies in the category of muses and much about them, and Claude purses his lips in thought.

"You've set us up with an impossible challenge here," he says as he reaches up to tap Jesper's cheek playfully with a fingertip in what could've sounded like scolding were it not for all the fondness wrapped up within it. He does have a plan to remedy their dilemma as from his pocket he withdraws a golden coin to spin between two more fingertips. "I say we flip for it with a coin that absolutely isn't weighted in my favor for once. You pick what each side calls, Jesper. Otherwise you and I are going to be here all night just admiring Sylvain instead of going anywhere."

[itookashot]

"It would've benefited me sooner," Jesper reminds him. He will forever remind him! He drops a kiss to Claude's shoulder though to show he's just doing his usual taunting about it. He stopped being pouty about it the first time Claude put his mouth on him. Instant forgiveness.

"Darling, there's no such thing as a coin weighted in someone else's favor." Jesper's abilities make all coins go in his favor. He can flick them every which way with no effort. He takes the coin mostly as a joke and knocks it up, but he doesn't tell them which is which, because he's going to decide on the fly. He puts the coin back in Claude's pocket himself.

"The blue you chose." He kisses Claude's cheek and finally (if reluctantly) releases him from his grasp, ending the garment back and forth colors to land on what Claude offered from the start. It's his turn to move back onto the bed and lounge there, stretching out comfortably.

"I fully expect to be able to watch the two of you today."

[philancer]

Claude totally deserved that reminder, anyway. Seriously, he took 'edging' to torturous levels.

Sylvain lets them debate what they wanted to dress him in, happy to be their guinea pig, as it were. he honestly didn't care, as long as it was comfortable, and he trusts them with everything else. But it's still amusing to watch them debate it. And Claude's attempt to wager fair, although he'd known as soon as he'd heard it that it wouldn't work. For one Jesper's ability would interfere and secondly... he's pretty sure Claude would have still cheated. Somehow. It was in his nature.

Jesper's words get a skeptical arch of one red brow as Sylvain watches him stretch out comfortably on the bed. he wags an accusing finger in his direction. "I hope you plan to do more than just watch. We're here to celebrate you, after all."

[godshattering]

He's going to let that go by without a verbal comment, but the fond (and exaggerated) eye roll he offers after those reminders he absolutely doesn't mind sums up his remaining thoughts on it. Even if he's already voiced them plenty here and other times already.

With the loss of Jesper being curled around him Claude simply stands with his hands on his waist again to survey Sylvain's outfit now that it's been finalized. He's about to offer his approval on it, and maybe take credit for picking it out in the first place rather playfully, but what Jesper says next also have him arching a brow before he turns almost in unison to eye the match in question at the same time as Sylvain.

"Are you going to be watching us from your place in the spotlight? That's the only way I'm going to accept that idea." It'd make sense; Sylvain's right that the point of this is to center everything around Jesper. A second later Claude tilts his head to one side as if in thought - and also to appreciate Jesper's outfit yet again from this new angle. "Or maybe you're taking my suggestion of anticipation and all its benefits into consideration while you're busy yourself. I'm sure Sylvain and I would be happy to oblige for something to watch."

[itookashot]

Jesper stretches out like a content cat and props his head up on his hands, glancing at the two of them. They seem scolding on their end, but he just smiles languidly at them.

"Oh you are so desperate for my time, are you?" he practically purrs. Maybe he said that to intentionally make them protest. Or that could be just a fun side effect. There is plenty of him to go around and he plans on taking every advantage that he can. Being with him at the height of his power is practically a drug, thrilling even more than usual. His orgies often give people the best pleasure of their life. That's why they keep coming back.

"Don't you fret your pretty heads, my loves, you know I give you everything you want." He has never held back with either of them. He reaches out and gives both of them a playful telekinetic tug toward him and the bed. There's no harm in lounging a little longer, they still have time.

"All I mean is I also like to watch." It's one of his favorite options, actually. He will always pick participating first for the obvious reasons, but there have been more than one examples of Jesper enjoying sitting and watching them have a good time. Sometimes directing too, if it works. "You doing it for me is extra devotion." The humans aren't the only people who can give him a jolt of power.

[philancer]

He feels that tug but he doesn't respond to it just yet. Even if it's a very difficult thing to resist. Jesper is always difficult to resist in any way, shape or form. But he's always found him especially potent in that on these feast days. It's part of why they're one of Sylvain's favorite holidays.

But if their lover wants a show, he's more than happy to play along for the time being. Sliding in behind Claude, he bends his head to nip sharply at the man's throat, even as his hands roam down over his front. And if fingers purposefully trail over places that he knows are both sensitive and will look evocative to their current audience-of-one? Even better.

Besides. Claude does make such a pretty picture tonight, in his silks and jewels.

"Mmmm. You're not going to get all pissy at me if I wrinkle you up a little before the feast starts, are you?"

[godshattering]

Years and then some of closeness means Claude's already picked up on the shift behind him even before another set of familiar arms mostly slide around him. In the same instant he reaches back to wind an arm around Sylvain's neck to lean into that embrace, those hands, and with a tilt of his head to one side for more space. Helpful for also not giving into that tug he feels just as much, though that's more of a yet than a never with a hum to acknowledge what he was asked.

"That depends. Are you planning on making it up to me now or later? Or both?"

The last option is the right one, clearly, if Claude has any say in it. If it wasn't for now being busy surveying Jesper reclining on the bed as he arches slightly into a touch before reaching for Sylvain's hand to guide it right back. "Unless you meant that for Jesper, and then I'm going to point out he's already wrinkling his own outfit but there's nothing that says we couldn't help him wrinkle it some more."

[itookashot]

"Ooo, look at you." Jesper purrs when Sylvain moves up behind Claude and he has his full attention now. Silver eyes glow a bit. He feeds on this, not always intentionally, but it's impossible to not absorb it when he's as open as he currently is for his night. Because of that there is a bit of a boost in the room of heat and suggestive energy, temptations easier to give in to.

"You know wrinkles never stay for me, so you may as well ruin it." Jesper can fix any torn or wrinkled clothes with a tiny touch of his fingers, something that has been fun to make use of whenever they get in their moods. They know that they can tear each other's clothes apart and that it will be fixable so there's no concern about wasted fabric.

He sits up more properly with his hands behind him, tilting his head curiously to the side, as if he's watching something fascinating. Which to him, it always is. They probably should wait until later but Jesper never lives in the 'should bes' because he is all about the 'nows.' "I'm getting a flashback to our first time together. I appreciate that we've never been shy, have we, my loves?" Jesper loves every person he places a hand on, that's why he ended up in his dominion.

[philancer]

Claude arches into him beautifully - as he suspected he would, always one for showing off. He smiles against the man's throat, a quiet chuckle ruffling the dark hair with warm breath. And that hand, dragged back to where he wants it, only teases around the area, before sliding back up to playfully tweak at one of his nipples instead.

His gaze meets Jesper's over Claude's shoulders, dark with anticipation and hunger. He sees that gleam of silver, feels a rush of heat that draws a husky moan from his lips, muffled against Claude's flesh as his eyes flutter closed for a moment before he's pressing against the man's back more firmly. The press of his growing arousal - impossible to resist when temptation is luring them so sweetly, a siren's call that will not be denied. His hands grasp a little more firmly, less a teasing caress now and more a hint of demand. A careless disregard with his outfit, as fine as it is.

He wants the warm flesh underneath, that pool of desire within him flaring from a simmer into something far hungrier.

"I'm never opposed to causing some wrinkles. Or more." A pause, before he gives a short, bemused snicker. "And no, 'shy' is not a problem any of us have ever had, I'd wager."

[godshattering]

( nsfw - continued here )