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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.
I had this in my brain so I had to edit.
Istredd is actually more horrified hearing the whole plan. Making Jack his new vessel? He bristles at that and drops Lucifer's hand, crossing arms against his chest. "You didn't think or you didn't care that I might not be fine with this? Were my feelings taken into consideration at all?" That would be an outright offense if not. Lucifer assuming Istredd would just grow to accept it is one thing, and not unfounded. As long as he talked to Jack and Sabine was on the same page. That's not the point.
"Yenna and I have been working with him from the start. Yes, we're close, he trusted me above all others to help him." Istredd sighs and squeezes the bridge of his nose. So that was a long-term deception, spanning decades of time. "I didn't want to keep it from you, but I was afraid of exactly this." His fears were entirely founded. And look where it brought them.
At least Lucifer is acting more like himself. It's soothing some of his utter terror from a few minutes ago, thinking he lost him already. And whatever Lucifer says, he did change for Istredd. He's made a lot of compromises.
"Lucifer, I've proven to you over and over that I choose you. And I did it again, right now, when you asked. Clearly whatever answers you have about your whys, it won't change that I love you, that I'm right here, on your side, again."
He left Yennefer behind too. He might not have, if her life and mind still counted on his constant presence, but she's healing, she doesn't need him to keep her alive. It doesn't make it easy to have abandoned her, she won't like that, she'll always hold it against him a little. And he still did it.
"You say you won't change for me, but you did just change. You went cold. And I fell in love with an archangel who was emotional. Tempestuous, difficult, brilliant, hilarious, beautiful, with a secret soft spot for the people who got under his skin. I'm allowed to be upset about you going cold and leaving me wondering if the man I love is dying within you."
<3 truly it changes the response so
(They've got some kinks to work out.)
"Of course I considered your opinion," he says, like it's obvious, but there's a hint of dismissiveness to it. He thought about it, sure, but he didn't linger. Couldn't. It was something to come back to, later, after the fact. He couldn't afford Istredd's mindset watering down what he needed.
He couldn't let his own mindset, watered down by Istredd.
Melded minds came with so many problems on top of how much they helped.
But Lucifer never considered himself his vessel and any allowance he gave to the soul still rolling about within was a different concern. A later problem, always, no matter the soul in question.
Who were they, compared to him?
A pity that Istredd had been working with Jack. A pity that Lucifer never paid attention to Istredd's students outside of Wilhelm. He'll have to correct this.
The thing is... Lucifer's coldness hasn't dissipated. It's there, stronger than ever, backing Lucifer's mind, existence, everything. And that's where his fear is linked to. That Istredd can't handle the coldness that has flooded in. Because it is not leaving. This is Lucifer's template, his beginning, his structure. Everything else just flows around that. Familiar, maybe, but distant.
Unless you know how to perceive him, truly.
"Who you fell in love with," he says, choosing his words very carefully, meticulous, "he's not here." Not easily. Not on the surface. Present, but Lucifer isn't about to give Istredd hope when he isn't willing to dredge up memory for him.
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Istredd moves forward, into his space, blue eyes sharp. Those few inches between them can become obvious when hovering close like this. He looks him straight in the eye.
"If that was true, you wouldn't still want me. You wouldn't explain yourself. You wouldn't care about me at all. But you do. You will still always also be the person you became here. There is nothing you can do. Force the coldness, try to force yourself to stop, but it won't work."
He reaches out and cups his head in his hands, the bond flaring to life when he does, and he holds tightly to him. Lucifer can pull away, if he's cowardly enough, but Istredd stands firm. He believes every word he says. It's faith in the face of madness, but faith doesn't waver when it's backed up by a love that knows no equal.
"You've loved me since we made this bond. I know that because I felt it. You didn't know what those feelings meant, but I did." Istredd is a telepath. Nothing gets by him, not with Lucifer at the time being an open wound. "I don't want to lose who I love but you're still there."
The fear is intense but the hope is also. Lucifer's actions go against his words. And his other actions. It's complex. Istredd lets go of the bond, the gate sweeping open, and then it closes from the other side. Not gone, but slammed so none of his feelings overpower Lucifer. He waits. "Go ahead and get it over with if you have to. I'll haunt you to the end of your fucking days, Lucifer."
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"I'm not telling you this to dissuade you, I'm telling you for your own awareness." The layer of solid frost over Lucifer has already begun to climb through his being--finally it no longer chills him to the bone, finally he's comfortable back in that ice--the same frost that will follow them for the next eight-hundred years, but with it comes a certainty, solid and methodical thinking to Lucifer's usual snappish-quick chaos. Careful, calm.
There's a balance that's he's been lacking their entire time in Abraxas. Dust settled, Lucifer easing back into himself.
He'll have to eventually deal with the very emotions Istredd is claiming are his problem, his emotions for various people once they creep back in as a reminder that they're still present, he hasn't lost them, they're just a step back. But accessible.
Just something other.
"Do what you want," he tells Istredd. "If you freeze alongside me, so be it. Maybe it'll do you some good."
if you still want to jump to Lucifer coming out of Yennefer coma haha continue
"I know who you are." Both the person he used to be, could be again, because he's never hidden that from him, and the person he became in Abraxas. Istredd is not saying he can't love all versions of him, just that he is not the only person that matters in this relationship.
He's still angry, so angry. It vibrates out of him, sustaining him more than his pain and sadness. He rarely lasts long in it, but for now, it is what he's holding onto. "Let's go see if the Draconae will let us stay."
They did simply appear here without asking for refuge, so they will have to explain themselves and ask for it. He doesn't think Thorne will come after them now that they're past their boundaries. Two random Summoned aren't going to matter, especially with their power over the others waning. If he could portal them out, the others will find a way. Istredd hadn't been sure until he accomplished it if it was possible. Now everyone will find out.
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He thinks if he can find Aster they may be able to make their case to them. Just leave out the details as to why they fled Hayle. It's hardly important.
He'd think it could continue to be unimportant up until Yennefer finds them. Expected. He assumed she'd be around at some point because of Istredd.
What he doesn't expect her is to stomp his face in and expose all the bits of his vessel that are supposed to be on the inside. Why do so many people seem to care about the nothing that is Jack Townsend? It doesn't make any sense to him!!
Regardless, the exhaustion from their fight surprises him. He'd been too swept up in his renewed grace and whatever else was going on with them that he wasn't prepared for her explosive arrival.
It's been a long time since he's had to sleep, and this sleep was like no other.
Absent.
He doesn't remember the Singularity. Just... knows, to some extent, what happened.
At least he wasn't dead.
What uncoils in the Nether, draconic enough to match their surroundings but so very other--unique--is a form only familiar to family, and to Istredd. Though what Istredd had seen between their minds was just a blip, and even that radiance was nearly enough alone to fry Istredd's mind. The stretch of arms and legs and so many wings is a sight that Istredd can now safely behold, his form continuing to grow until it's taking up quite a long swathe of stone, Lucifer's intense pleasure overwhelming. It's as though he's a snake that's shed its skin, the scales fresh. The heat from the volcano is wonderful, and he lounges, unwilling to move, truly satiated for the first time since Istredd's known him.
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He knew that Yennefer was better because he wouldn't have left her otherwise, and she did know exactly where the two of them went. He told her his plan for leaving, where he'd go so she could find him, but when she arrived, he knew it wasn't for him. And frankly, he didn't get in her way. All he did was say please don't kill him and let the two of them fight it out.
He was able to keep the Draconae from getting worried or getting in the middle of it, promising this was between the Summoned, and it was almost over. After the fight, when Lucifer was thoroughly beaten down, Istredd gently took him to safety. And he waited. He sat by him, he talked to him as he was unconscious and healing, he read to him at times too. Istredd's devotion wasn't gone because they had one fight, or because he let someone beat him up. If anything, it was stronger than ever, because he was willing to wait.
Istredd's power has grown so that when Lucifer shucks off the vessel he no longer needs, he can look on this form without concern. And it is beautiful. He had a portrait of it in the library saying as much, but now in front of him, it was more so than he remembered. He watches and smiles, and his anger is forgotten, since now the vessel isn't a concern. Lucifer is himself, finally.
"You really are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Istredd reaches out to touch this form of his for the first time, a caress of fingers against one of his wings. "Welcome back. How do you feel, love?"
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Free.
Uncaged.
Truly himself in a way that he couldn't remember since his origins, since his home, since Heaven. He may sprawl out like this for days, soaking up the environment, confident in his power.
He didn't think he'd ever feel like this again, let alone in Abraxas, let alone be on his own without hindrance of his Earth for this long.
He may have to actually thank Yennefer for pummeling him into oblivion, funny that.
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He can feel Lucifer's contentment and freedom soaking in through their connection and smiles, taking one of Lucifer's claws into his hand. He lifts it to his mouth to kiss tenderly. It's in that moment that it's all forgiven, because what drove Lucifer to act desperately, what pulled him away from Istredd, it's no longer relevant. He's his full archangel self and settled in.
"Yennefer won't appreciate being thanked for beating someone up, but you should anyway." Istredd doesn't need to be a mind reader to pick up on that idea. "I have something to show you."
He hasn't been idle. Power continues to grow in all of them and Lucifer's form isn't the only one that can alter. He focuses and two wings sprout from his back, similar to Lucifer's own. Not any more than the two though, since his intentions are to go flying with the dragons and keep it simple. He's been practicing.
"Once a long time ago you showed me the feeling of flying. I wanted to feel it for myself."
maybe wrap here? time has escaped me
Maybe he'll ever have a day where he simply talks to Yennefer without them both playing several constantly ticking timebombs of games at once, but he sincerely doubts it.
He buzzes with appreciate at Istredd's wings and its a farcry to a distant past at the vehemence he felt at witnessing Dean Winchester's wing envy display.
"Well," he says loftily, chiming through their mind, his grin not so much witnessed through the skull as felt, "why don't we give them a test run?"
Wrap!