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

[cointosser]

[It is only a testament to how much he enjoys their competitions that Jaskier not only does not curl up and die in place at the sound of the word "Jasky," but that his only complaint about it has dissolved into a slow closing of his eyes and a wrinkling of his nose, letting the moment pass.

He cannot say why, or what prompted it, but there still may be a small part of him that fears her.]

Who's to say we shan't disappear if they do?

[He's not sure if it works that way. To be honest, he hasn't asked a lot of questions, to anyone, about much, for quite a while. He simply does things.

He hmms. Oh, he's catching on. Why limit their festival to just them? It's boring being worshipped, to be honest. What he likes is performances. Performing. Being appreciated is what matters.]

An homage... oh, I think we can do that. [He gives her a wink, pausing by a particularly bright colored stall, covered in flowers.] If they're going to come, then I'm sure they'd like to see our appreciation for their company. Perhaps in the costumes themselves.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Fair is fair. Really, he should know how it works by now. So much so that he should realize that half of the fun in calling him that has to do with the fact that she loves his reactions to it no matter how subtle or wildly ridiculous they are.

Before she can try and dissuade him of that idea (the arts will always persist, of that she's certain. People wanted, needed to create in some way that wasn't just populating the land), he's picked up the thread that she's put down. Her eyes light up in tandem with his as she floats lazily alongside him. A twist of her fingers brings about gently bobbing motes of light into existence that bathe the area in a warm glow. ]

Right but not just any old costume. I think...maybe something that's more along the lines of their visage? But in a fun way.

[ Preferably in a way that won't get either of them cursed (too) badly. ]

[cointosser]

[They basically communicate without needing words.]

Precisely. [He's already envisioning it. Perhaps he shall go even beyond masks... or is that interfering a bit too much? Well, what's the worst that could happen? A few mortals being afraid of him? They've been afraid of him for far less.]

Not quite parody, but something more... meaningful. You know. Complimentary. Caricature.

[He squares his fingers around a passing mortal's face, who has just nearly the right color of red for Azem's hair.] Complimentary caricature, of course.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Which is a scary prospect when you think about. Especially when they've decided to join forces and aren't squabbling like school yard children. Thankfully most of the time that chaotic energy is for some good ol' fun. ] 

Oh yes! Like those silly little drawings that street artists sometimes make. 

[ She's been known to grace them with her blessing every now and then - so long as there wasn't anything malicious towards a god. Or maybe, depending on her relationship with said god, sometimes she'd be especially attentive to their echoes. As it stands now however there's no malicious intent in sight. ]

I think we can come up with something. Masks are so ordinary - everyone has done them. 
[ She hums, mulling it over as they float amongst mortals that laugh and smile, none the wiser that gods walk amongst them. Several children run by with balloons and for some reason that trips something off in her brain. ] 

I know! I remember this sort of...inflatable turkey from a dinner I attended once. It was huge! Definitely not something you'd want to keep in your house but maybe as a decoration of some kind. Or a show? 

[cointosser]

That is the issue. Humans have been making masks for thousands of years. I want something more.

Jaskier pauses to help one of the children up who's tangled in the strings of a balloon and fallen, though they see nothing but feel the grasp of a warm, suntouched leaf around their wrists. And soon they're off running again as if the moment never happened.]

An inflatable turkey? [Should he ask, even, what for? Luckily, unlike at some point in the past, Jaskier has kept up with technology; even as he brings a hand to his face, the metal augmentations Viktor once installed whizz and clink together. He cannot imagine the sort of decor he would require to make a giant turkey look proper. But that isn't the point ]

Well, these mortals did make this festival to celebrate me. You. Us. So one should think they'd be quite willing to be touched by our innumerable creativities. What if... we changed them? A little? Not masks, but entirely new faces! Big ones! I mean the bigger, the more one is blessed, right?

[theidlemaiden]

It worked for the celebration from Sam's world. That was my first Summoned gathering - did you think that I was going to insult him and his decoration choice?

[ Jaskier's endless creativity and his belief that creativity had no limits was something that Hilda had always admired about him. She appreciated his can-do attitude when the time came for it or the brilliance struck him. And of course, as a fellow patron of the arts, she's fully going to support that.

...Even if his childish ways sometimes shine through.

She rolls her eyes at his hasty amendment as her wings flare out and drape gracefully around the child to shield them from the rush of people around them. The mortals think nothing of it, barely stopping to think about why they're giving the child to stand and be on their way again.

Only once she's certain that they're merrily on their way does she turn towards him with literal sparkles in her eyes. ]

Big ones of the gods? I love it. They did have a performance ready but thats easily re-written with some creative blessings, right? And I can easily put together some costumes for the occasion that would be more fitting of our guests of honour.

[cointosser]

[Jaskier raises his hands in defeat. Sam is, to both of them, a very close friend, and far be it from him to question his very, very strange customs, even after all this time.

What surprises him sometimes is that she recalls so far back. It's... it's always nice, not to be the only one. The only one clinging to such memories.

As her eyes sparkle, his light with a sunny glow. See, this is why he trusts no one else with this particular celebration. It's why the two of them have become so entwined in this festival.]

Exactly! You understand the vision! [This is why he only teases when he says this is about him. It isn't. Sometimes a genius needs someone just as insane to fully grasp the ideas.]

They're sure to think us. After all, they couldn't celebrate the gods like this without us. [Is he convincing himself? Hardly. Jaskier assumes he's always in the right, except the times he isn't.] Here, wait. Listen. We find the right Echo, and we start from there. Surely they will love our direct intervention.

[It's consent, isn't it? And isn't that all a god needs? A request they can easily give into -- perhaps vastly beyond what the mortal intended to receive?]

That one. [Jaskier finds a taller man with dark hair and -- dare he say -- large teeth.] What do you think? Arthur? Arthur's easy to start with. The man's a walking caricature as it is. He makes me feel like my accent is understated.

[Once he understood he had a particular way of speaking, obviously. His wings flutter as he practically dances over, draping himself over the mortal who feels nothing more than, perhaps, a smell of apple blossoms on the wind. His wings flutter over his face, feathers dragging over him. Perhaps his nose begins to grow a little larger.] Next! You pick one. Should be easy! There's so many awful freaks among us.

[It's definitely said affectionately. In truth, he enjoys most Summoned.]

[theidlemaiden]

[ A part of her wonders why that is the case. That some of them remember so much more when everyone else around them seem to remember nothing at all. For someone so flighty and so easily distracted, she would have thought she'd be amongst those that forgot. And yet here they were.

It is a comfort, knowing that she isn't the only one who can recall the blurry memories of when they were still human. It gave her more comfort than she'd like to admit sometimes.

That's rather dreary to think about though isn't it? And they're at a celebration! A festival! Now is the time to be thinking about fun things. And the way she and Jaskier feed off of each other's energy in the best way possible is certainly that.

Her gaze follows to where he points and there's no hiding her glee. Jaskier's transformation gives her a bar of what he's thinking - but what if they made that bar a little higher? Pink eyes scan the crowd before settling on a mortal man who looks very much like how Steve used to look - blonde, broad, with deliciously defined arms. ]

That one! He looks like Steve, don't you think? Or well, before he became a living statute.

[ She twirls towards him, letting invisible sparkles that will feel like a gentle breeze dance around him. By the time it settles, his arms and chest - specifically his pecs - have grown noticeably larger. Larger than how a normal human's arms and pecs should be. ]

What do you think? Something like that?

[cointosser]

Which is a tragedy, if you ask me. How does one fuck a statue?

[It is a known opinion of Jaskier's that he thinks not spending one's eternity fucking their way through everyone they meet is a bit of a waste. But still, he only considers it one of his pastimes. Of which he has many. Between all the influencing and inspiration and still crafting his own music.

It's a shame. He still gets the impression he's liked Steve for a long time. Before the statue thing. He remembers big, strong, fleshy arms. Squeezing them.] Anyway, he's a perfect match.

[Enough so that he might start believing the mortals are framed after them after enough time -- or it's a fun enough rumour among the mortals that he could start for a little fun.

Unfortunately, Hilda's choice looks like he's noticing his new embellishments, er, more abruptly. He might even look a little panicked.] I mean, personally, to me, you haven't overdone it, but perhaps we should let them know that we're, ah... listening?

[With what? A song, a miracle? Isn't this miracle enough? Look how big Arthur's bloody teeth have gotten! OH. Oh. Maybe -- that might be too much. He might not be able to eat now.

Wait. Wait. Make the head bigger. So he works on that, magic weaving, as the mortals begin to look... well, different. Some are awed (most, clearly) but some are definitely freaking out.] I think we just needed a little warm up. We can do better than this.

[theidlemaiden]

Is that a serious question that you want me to answer?

[ Because she'd entertain it. She enjoyed her own carnal pleasures now and then. But while she had certainly admired Steve's physique, she had always thrown him into the category of friend and teacher.

Her question is purely hypothetical of course because she sees the panic beginning to manifest in Steve's lookalike. Panicking actors were practically her bread and butter so soothing them came with the territory. Even the most seasoned would sometimes find themselves seconds away from a panic attack before going on stage and she had just the thing for it.

A few quick words whispered in not!Steve's ear, a couple of smoothing pats on the head and he's right as rain. As she drifts over to the next human - someone with startling red hair that could rival Azem's were Azem a human to cradle their (slowly growing) head in a soothing, invisible embrace she gives Jaskier a look. ]

What do you mean do better than this? I think we're doing pretty well!

[cointosser]

[Not that he isn't interested, but --] No, no, believe me, my imagination does all the work.

[They're slaves to their carnal desires, after all. Or at least Jaskier is. Quite happily, even. And that isn't to say he would not attempted his wiles on Steve, either.

Jaskier pats his beloved compatriot the same way she pat the human's head.] Oh, worry not, I think we're doing a spectacular job.

[As if they could do anything less. Speaking of spectacular --]

You must be thinking of the same person as me. Our favorite culinarian?