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abraxaslogs2024-04-17 10:07 am
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxaslogs2024-04-17 10:07 am
Entry tags:
- !event,
- !npc,
- achilles; the hierophant,
- adrienne peters; the empress,
- aloy; the hermit,
- altaïr ibn-la'ahad; the magician,
- alucard; the hierophant,
- annabeth chase; the high priestess,
- apollo; the star,
- arthur hastings; the hanged man,
- astarion ancunín; the wheel of fortune,
- cassian andor; the tower,
- castiel; the hanged man,
- cidolfus telamon; the hanged man,
- cirilla of cintra; the devil,
- claire fraser; the empress,
- clarisse la rue; the chariot,
- claude von riegan; the wheel of fortune,
- clive rosfield; the tower,
- dan heng; the high priestess,
- dean winchester; the lovers,
- diana prince; the empress,
- dion lesage; the emperor,
- eddie munson; the devil,
- edward teach; the devil,
- gale dekarios; the lovers,
- garrus vakarian; justice,
- geralt of rivia; the hanged man,
- haelva lueltar; the magician,
- heather montgomery; the magician,
- henry creel; the hierophant,
- hilda goneril; the lovers,
- himeka sui; the fool,
- istredd; the high priestess,
- jack townsend; the moon,
- jacob frye; the sun,
- jaskier; the sun,
- jerry pascal; the sun,
- jesper fahey; the wheel of fortune,
- jill warrick; death,
- jinora; the world,
- jo harvelle; strength,
- john blake; the tower,
- jon snow; the emperor,
- jonathan crane; the magician,
- julia wicker; the tower,
- julie lawry; the wheel of fortune,
- kaz brekker; the chariot,
- kell maresh; the magician,
- koby; death,
- kyle; the hanged man,
- lord john grey; justice,
- lucifer; the devil,
- mat cauthon; the wheel of fortune,
- matt murdock; the tower,
- merrin; strength,
- michael; the emperor,
- nadine cross; the world,
- nanaue; the fool,
- nathan drake; the fool,
- nebula; death,
- percy jackson; the lovers,
- prince wilhelm; the tower,
- river tam; the fool,
- rocket; the chariot,
- sabine; the empress,
- sam wilson; justice,
- stephen strange; death,
- steve harrington; the lovers,
- steve rogers; the hierophant,
- sylvain gautier; the sun,
- teddy roberts; death,
- thancred waters; strength,
- the doctor; the fool,
- travis guidry; the chariot,
- viktor; death,
- will solace; the empress,
- wrench; the hanged man,
- yennefer of vengerberg; the chariot,
- zagreus; the chariot
EVENT #18: EMERGENCE - IC EVENT LOG
Event #18 - Emergence
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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?◎ Mechapolis
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.
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.◎ The Barren/The Badlands
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.
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.◎ The Maw
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 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.
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.
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.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.
◎ 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Resistors will not face any consequences, as long as they don't cause excessive trouble upon their return. Officials will issue an apology for the heavy-handed action, stating that they saw no other way to keep the world safe. With the portals and weather returning to normal, it does seem to have worked...even if characters may not find the method agreeable.
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The Isle is not an ill-chosen destination. The great dragon growls his approval, stretching out his limbs and his length. He no longer recalls when he came to these waters to rest; his heartbreak is a near-constant pain he carries with him, after all, and time has little meaning anymore.
His spines rattle as he shakes off what might be years of stillness.
It will be the opposite of the dark sea. Bright, and lush, and with life not covered in scale and gill. There once was some faded memory that told him to be wary of the place, but even then his power was so great it was mere paltry concern.
The dragon tilts his head at his fellow god, looking himself, for a moment, catlike too. He knows Ramuh often speaks in tones of deprecating sarcasm, but after so much time, Bahamut finds he wants to match it, sometimes -- a tone more scathing, but playful as a flame.] Perhaps after eight hundred years, it is time you learned to carry a bit of weight.
[The King of Dragons shakes himself once more, and his form grows smaller -- rapidly, enough so that the ocean sucks and swells around the loss of mass within it. The long, scaled creature is now much more appropriately human-sized, a bit smaller, and he falls onto Ramuh's shoulder with some sense of feline arrogance, wings folded in against his body, whiskers twitching.] I should hate you to lose your opportunity to honour me.
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[ Cid watches as Dion's form shifts. Though he understands exactly what's happening, the reality of it takes a moment to process. He's well accustomed to his sarcastic barbs being returned with the sort of sharp, courtly wit that could put a knife between his ribs without spilling blood on the nice linens. He's doesn't expect Dion to agree or accept, let alone call his bluff.
It isn't until Dion's whiskers are ticking his neck that he really believes that the dragon is serious about this.
This is his own fault, really. He had to go and open his big mouth. ] Sure, right... First Azem and Aegis, now you, why not? Should have been the god of being ridden around like a chocobo. [ He spreads his arms so Dion has somewhere to find purchase if he wants to wrap himself around. ] Go on, get a good grip unless you want me to leave your back half in the ocean. And if you feel like you're going to be sick — don't.
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His body wraps quite naturally around Ramuh's shoulders and an arm, draping akin to a scarf. One would think by now he'd learned to watch his words, when jests could so easily be taken literally.]
Have you made a habit of offering yourself as mount? [Now there's definitely humour in his tone, his third eye blinking, then scrunching up the smallest amount.] As a... chocobo?
[What may have been an honest question gives Bahamut pause. Now all three eyes close, tight, as an image jolts through his mind; not inspiration, nor an Echo. It's as ephemeral as a ghost, thin as silk: the image of a great, majestic bird, the sound of its cry.
He shakes it off as quickly as it came. Where would one even find such beasts? Additionally, he knows Ramuh has appeared not as man, but as horse. Not a... what that was.
Bahamut gives him a snort, wings folding again his back, his spines lowered so as not to stab Ramuh a hundred times in an instant. (Tempting as it may be.)] You speak as if I have not flown longer than some pieces of this world have been alive. Has no one told you that arrogance will be your undoing?
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The teasing is better than the doldrums, and it's certainly more distracting. ]
They asked, actually. No need to be jealous, love. What we have is special too. [ He raises his hand enough to give the dragon a little rub under the chin with his knuckle. He's clearly learned nothing about the sarcasm.
Yet, Dion's confusion over the word calls his attention to it as well. Cid's brow furrows briefly. This happens to him sometimes; he'll speak without thinking, and some distant memory will slip past, there and gone in the same moment. He's usually the only one who might notice enough to be troubled by it. Like Dion, he's learned to let these things go.
He raises his staff again, making a quick sweeping gesture. Dark clouds begin to gather in the previously clear sky. ]
I've heard that, aye. [ Cid grins. Without any further warning, there's a bright flash of light, and the two of them lurch into the clouds, subsumed by levin as it arcs and dances. Rather than flying, they teleport from one end of the bolt to the next, and then the next, in rapid succession.
Some say the rumble of thunder is the sound of Ramuh's hooves as he runs across the sky, but this isn't true. Thunder is thunder. Ramuh prefers to ride the levin.
Out of consideration for his passenger, he does pause at the halfway mark, allowing them to be still for a moment just below the thunderheads. He's aware that not everyone finds this method of travel as exhilarating as he does. ] What do you think? Do you still have a mind to undo me?
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(He is not certain who he has become, or who he was, or who he will be.)
Perhaps that is the abstract enjoyment of Ramuh's presence; a kind of absurdity that forces one's mind to focus on nothing but the present.
Not the faces of dead, decaying men. Men he should never see again. Never hold. Never curl around, as he is now. Mortals will forever be ephemeral for their short, blinking lives. There is nothing permanent in this world but... them.
A hand brushes his head and breaks his thoughts. Bahamut's lips curl back in a silent snarl.
And yet, nothing further.
If he is phased at all by Ramuh's mode of transportation, nothing shows in Bahamut's face, nor his posture. He only remains curled around Ramuh's arm, claws digging into his (human-feeling) flesh, but careful to not break it. He does take a breath, a sharp inhale through scaled nostrils, when they pause.] I do not think even death has a chance of undoing you.
[But there's a growl. A small tempting promise in the words.
Even a man who drowns in nothing in darkness cannot help but grasp for flashes of light -- even if it should shock him.]
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This close, he can feel the gentle swell of Dion's body when he inhales. ] Suppose you'll have to try something else, in that case.
[ Despite the teasing, there's some underlying bitterness in the words, though not directed at his current companion. Mortal lives are like drops of rain in the vast ocean — there and gone in hardly a few breaths. Yet, every so often he finds himself cradling one in his hands, hoping that this time they'll not run through his fingers. Has he not been undone by death? Haven't they both?
He's barely aware of the way his hand settles on Dion's back before he raises his staff again. The rest of the trip to the island is quick, only a few blinks of levin before they're cast down onto the beach.
The storm lingers overhead, but the rain holds off. The barrels of wine sit within an otherwise empty gazebo nearby, stacked and tapped, with a few old cups laying nearby.
He heads toward it with Dion still wrapped around his shoulders. ] Going to stay like that, are you? Am I to feed you as well, your lordship?
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[Curiousity lines his tone. He cannot help but think, then what of life?, for life after this long does feel as if it undoes him. Every moment he wakes, and he is still here, and he is still what he has become. Every man he loves, and every man he watches die.
Death is a reward in comparison to how vexing life can be.
Bahamut does not drive the hand from his body. It rests there, a heavy, warm weight, shifting his bones, warming his scales.
When they land, he is slow moving off of Ramuh's shoulders. In some way, he's surprised to see Ramuh did not lie; there are in fact barrels of wine waiting for indulgence, and an otherwise empty beach. Not lifeless -- for the waters teem with life -- but quiet. Perhaps the storm is plenty deterrence for interference.]
As tempting an offering as it is... [He shakes himself, becoming a form less familiar, but still thoroughly his: human in shape, with his horns rising above his head like a crown, but without wings for now. It is, in fact, some reflection of what he feels with Ramuh here: something that wishes to tap more into what he, as a human, must have been... some time in the past.
Chocobos. He thinks again of them now, a random word that sticks to his mind like spider silk.] I do think I enjoy when you call me that. It tickles some memory, I think.
[A not unpleasant one is the unspoken piece.]
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[ An invitation with no expectation of an agreement or even answer, in the moment. The wine needs to be drunk either way.
He almost regrets the feel of Dion's weight leaving his shoulders, even if he does so to take a more agreeable form for the task at hand. Watching Dion shed his scales isn't unlike watching another man remove his armor; something both mundane and oddly intimate at once. Something about this form teases at the back of his mind, like a flash of steel in a long forgotten battle. ]
A memory? Is that what it tickles? [ He bumps Dion's shoulder with his own as he moves ahead of him, more playful than combative.
Cid crouches down to get the cups and blow any sand out of them. (Has he washed these in the last year? Debatable.) When he stands again, he fills Dion's first, holding it out to him. ]
Wouldn't be surprised if you were a little lordling once, the way you carry on. [ Cid waits for him to reach before pulling back, making him move closer if he wants to take the cup. He's forever testing boundaries; it's in his nature. ] Not my lord, mind.
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If not death, if not life... then some third thing, yet to be discovered, and yet on the tip of his tongue, unbidden.
As unbidden as the sharp laugh that falls. Touch is a rare gift, he should think, and Ramuh has been generous in its application.]
Among other things. [He crosses several steps, body against Ramuh's, to grab his arm with one hand and take the cup with the other. His claws press delicately into the god's flesh, and he tilts his head back as he drinks. The wine hits sour, with a sweet edge. It is the first he has tasted for some time, without the lingering memory of ash or blood altering its taste.]
A lordling. [He repeats the word, with some amusement. Whether it is true or not is unknown to him; it is only that he has maintained this same bearing since he can first recall a memory at all.] Oh? And do you recall your own lord, Ramuh? Who is to say it wasn't me? You have the manner of a subject about you, to be sure.
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[ He doesn't have to wonder for long with the way that Dion boldly steps into his space, leaving no room to doubt his interest in Cid's proposition. The press of claws against his skin is little more than enticement, now.
He watches the pale column of Dion's throat work as he tilts his head back. He ought to be forgiven for the way his free hand seems to gravitate toward it entirely unbidden, settling at the nape of his neck, fingers threaded into his hair.
Even the barb that so expertly gets under his skin is little more than foreplay, and he takes it as such. ]
You've forgotten my reputation, Dion. I'm not one to be ruled. [ His fingers tighten in Dion's hair, no more of a threat than the claws against his own racing pulse. The blue glow of his eyes darkens like the sky before an oncoming storm, and Cid leans in, voice rumbling low and even as his lips brush against the delicate shell of Dion's ear. ] But I've no problem bringing those who rule into line.
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[He's plenty of barbs to share. Whatever he has become, this inherent, caged anger still bubbles beneath the surface, like a creature ready to gnaw at the bars. Something that is not sure where to direct such energy.
Though it isn't anger he feels now -- it simply comes from the same place, where heat and light are always near to bursting through his skin. The place that raises the hackles of him with fingers so close to the most vital points of his body, knowing full well he can no longer die (yet he swears he recalls the memory.)
Some part of it chases it still, does it not?]
Such words could be said of any of us. [But he does recognize -- though does not quite remember why -- that they are a special breed. There is something, has always been something, that set them separate from the rest.
Perhaps it was always poetic that light should give such power to the storm. Their fates entwined long before the current years. Light bleeds through his skin, inviting a burn against the flesh where Ramuh's fingers touch him.] You've time yet to prove you earned this supposed reputation.
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[ He'll cede ground in this particular part of their duel, if only because he knows now that his partner will follow close.
Holding Dion like this is not unlike the feel of holding levin in his hands, bright and dangerous, eager to find a target where that power might ground itself. It's not simple dominion that Cid desires, but rather — he would see that need satisfied.
It's true what he says, too. The same could be said of any of them, but there is something particular about this connection, something that pulls at a memory long since severed from him.
He takes the invitation, none the less, pressing an almost tender kiss to the sharp line of Dion's jaw. The heat of Dion's skin seems to linger even when he pulls away, working its way into him as surely as the burn of the wine he hasn't touched. He meets Dion's gaze. ] As for my reputation... You've never hesitated to make your displeasure known. See that you don't start now. Displeasure is not what I'd have from you.
[ Perhaps it's a needless thing to say when their power is nearly equivalent, when Dion's light is already a beacon in overcast darkness of the day, but even so... Cid waits to be sure they've understood each other before he finds Dion's lips with his own. He sinks back into the role he's so boldly demanded. He hasn't eased his grip on Dion's hair, holding him in place even as he coaxes him to open. ]
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In this moment, he can admit there is a unique attraction in being condescended to rather than feared.
Perhaps a unique attraction in -- desire.
His swallow is heavy, a movement underneath the skin that Ramuh's mouth is wretchedly close to. An impossible intimacy. There have been so few men... and so much death between them.]
I hide nothing. [That is true in all things. And if pleasure is what Ramuh should want from him, he only hopes such a thing is still possible. What fleeting glimpses.
They are understood. Bahamut parts his lips with only some resistance, planting a hand on Ramuh's chest as if to anchor him in place. And he does, when his claws grow, sinking into skin, grazing Ramuh's explorations with his sharpened fangs. When they part for breath, his eyes glint like sharpened knives. His tongue burns from the taste of the levin.] Is the wine for now, or after?