abraxaslogs | It's in the way that you use it

Istredd has been observing the shrines in Solvunn and getting some insight on how they are created since arriving, and it takes him a little time to get together the supplies he thinks are necessary to make his own. The shrine is, regrettably, not as impressive as the long-beloved ones but he does put together to the best of his abilities stones, dirt, plants, and other suggestions from the commune.

He sets up in the forest since he doesn't want to bother the other shrines, and also for some privacy if he gets a response. The shrine looks at least acceptable, in his eyes, and then he clears out the ground by the base of it. Then he draws very clearly '👋 🗣️ ?' in the dirt in front of it. He knows that the god likes to communicate in messages like that so he thought it might speak his language before he uses a different one. Istredd sits in front of it in a meditation pose.

"Umbvagher, I call to you, please if you hear me, give me some spare moments of your time if you can." Istredd says out loud. He will repeat the message a few times if he needs to and waits, spending as long as he needs to. If he never gets a reply, he would still be here in between trying to shepherd animals to their rightful places.

Edited 2025-01-06 20:58 (UTC)

It won't take long for Istredd to feel something in the air around him. It isn't the breeze, the rustling of branches and grass, or the dampness of winter in Solvunn. It is the feeling of being watched by someone just out of vision. If he turns, he won't see anything yet.

On the ground next to his drawings two new symbols take form: '👍📞'.

A stone on Istredd's shrine vibrates and makes the sound of wooden chimes in the wind. It will continue to shake and ring if left alone.

Istredd feels the prickles of a presence somewhere around him. At first he is not certain what it is, there are animals out here, but since he just summoned a god intentionally, the obvious guess is there. He does look around though in case there is a creature, but once the symbols appear in front of his eyes, his heart beats a little faster.

He's succeeded in getting Umbvagher's attention, those drawings can only be him. Istredd instantly ignores every warning that he's heard from Lucifer, Kyle, and Castiel at this point. All he can focus on is the closer he is getting to talking to a god who may answer. He blinks at the stone vibrating. He has heard about 'telephones' but never saw one, so one of the symbols makes sense now.

He picks up the rock and hesitantly puts it to his ear. He thinks that's what people are supposed to do with them. "Hello?"

"Is Istredd home?" asks a voice containing many tones. A mix of sing-song cheerfulness, a deep monotone, and a discordant hum. They are both human and inhuman, yet clear in dictation. When the voices quiet down, the 'line' carries a static followed by a series of beeps and screeches.

"Haha," the voices laugh at their own joke and continue quickly. "I'll give you a choice: pick your favorite cardinal direction and look."

If Istredd picks East, he will see a large eagle with curious turquoise feathers land on a nearby tree.

If Istredd picks West, he will see a round brown bear wearing a charming hat settle onto the ground.

If Istredd picks North, he will see a proud buffalo step forward sporting a pair of tiny fluttering wings on its back.

If Istredd picks South, he will see a wolf wearing a red cloak around its neck come stalking out of the wood.

Whichever direction he chooses, the beast will slowly open its mouth. No words escape, but Istredd will hear the voice come more clearly from the stone, the strange static in the background quieting.

"What can I do for you?"

Istredd jumps a little at the strange voice but feels exhilaration more than fear, something no doubt his loved ones were concerned about. In the search for answers and truth, he loves reckless behavior a little too much. He remembers to be smart about this though. It's a tempestuous creature ... who reminds him a little bit too much of a certain someone.

He ends up picking West and feels slightly more anxious about the appearance of a bear at this point in time, but he knows magic so it probably isn't a threat. Until he sees the funny hat and hears the discordant voice speak up in the rock. Blue eyes fix on the bear and he respectfully bows his head to it.

"I appreciate you answering me, Umbvagher." He would introduce himself but the god already said his name. "I was wondering if I could ask you questions about the long ago past. I appreciate the vision you gave us, but there are some of my people who are hesitant to follow that path. Were any of your group able to remain their original selves rather than ascend?"

The "bear" comically adjusts its hat with one large paw. Its expressions are unreadable unless Istredd happens to speak bear; despite the misplaced hat it looks very common in the woods around Solvunn.

"You have friends who want to stay the same?" The voices break through the static in the rock. The bear's face is as quizzical as a bear can be. "That's what you're really asking, right? 'Do I have to'?"

The bear leans forward, placing both paws on the ground.

"That's not you, is it?"

Istredd assumes the hat is just whimsy, it seems like the obvious answer with a trickster god. Probably when he talks to Lucifer later he'll get a better sense of what reference he just dealt with, one that isn't solely an 'emoji.' Istredd can be a hard read but he has no real reason to hide his thoughts from a god, nor does he assume that Umbvagher needs to worry about reading his expression.

"No. It's not me. The vision you showed us was a happy one for me." And if that ends up being his future, or a version of it is, Istredd will accept that more readily than many other people. He doesn't wish for it to happen because that will be selfish, but if it does, he'll be content. Then again, he was a god of knowledge. Who wouldn't like that compared to some of the rest?

"They do want to stay the same. They don't want to become gods. Is there a way for them to choose that?"

The bear pulls back and settles, licking its lips like its just had a nice taste of honey. The hat stays lopsided on its head, haphazard but fashionable.

"Just want to stay the same... Look at me, I'm a bear!" The bear waves both its paws like jazz-hands, eyes wide and unhinged. It holds the pose for a few seconds only to huff dramatically and shakes its head.

"Well, that's their loss." It finally adjusts its hat. "You can bring them the 'good news' that not everyone ascends. But..."

A dramatic pause leaves only static coming from the rock.

"...I don't know how or why it happens."

Istredd's eyes widen at the silly expression on the bear's face, the jazz hands reminds him of Lucifer, but the unhinged look does remind him that this is a god he's talking to. One that can turn into anything and is talking to him through a rock. So he has to be smart. The answer causes relief followed but some dismay, but he shakes his head.

"I think ... just knowing it's possible might soothe some concerns. They can imagine themselves as the exception." Istredd wouldn't want to come back with some kind lies anyway, if it's unknown then this is better than nothing. He switches the rock to the other ear. "If I may ask, did anyone manage to return to their world by their choice? Or was it always up to chance? "

He typically uses sphere instead of world but he's trying to use a more common vernacular.

"There are also people who want to return." He shrugs. "Also not me."

If the bear could sigh, it would. It drops its hands in some form of dismay, abandoning its amusing pose. The hat begins to slip again, then magically fixes itself in a flash of pixels.

"I don't have a roadmap for you," the bear says initially and rubs its nose. "For leaving or not ascending. I can't see people when they disappear, that's not my thing."

It points one long claw at Istredd. "But you should tell your friends that if you ever want to do something here? There's always a cost. That's for gods and mortals both. And there's no turning back once you make up your mind, so you better be sure you know what you want."

It wiggles the claws.

"No take backs."

"That's good advice in general." About there being a cost to all actions. In Istredd's experience, that's the truth about most decisions. He's experienced it himself in this sphere, and he doubtless will again. He notes down everything the god is saying mentally as he's sure there will be questions from his friends later, although this is general enough not to give anyone concrete answers.

He didn't come into this conversation expecting Umbvagher to write out a 'how-to' on everything they could do. But Istredd has his own questions. Those were not even for him, not really. As he already told Umbvagher, he has no interest in leaving or not ascending. It was for others.

"I'm curious why you started to reach out to us. From what I can tell, the other gods need to be asked for help, but you started communicating directly in a way no other has. You showed us that vision, you said we don't belong to them. Why do you care?"

Unless one of Istredd's degrees is in zoology, the bear's expression is difficult to read. But the twinkle in its eye at the question Istredd has of his own is very human. The shadows that the bear's hulking form cast begin to contain a shimmer of stars, like the night sky has opened up on the ground behind them.

"Isn't it obvious?" it says even though it doesn't give Istredd time to guess. "Because I remember."

The bear pats its chest with its right paw.

"Most of us don't. Time stops having meaning and Abraxas is all you know. But some of us," it taps its forehead with one long claw, "we keep all our noodles. And that makes us more powerful in ways they can't ever be."

Istredd's startled by the stars surrounding them but he's skilled at illusions so he can adjust quickly to what is visible around him changing. It's interesting that Umbvagher chooses now to do that. Maybe as ambiance for what he's trying to impart. That he remembers, that he knows what they will be eventually.

"I would say so, you had the power to give us all a massive connected vision, that's impressive to say the least." He isn't being flattering for the sake of it, it's less of a compliment and more of an observation. He wonders if his god self could have done that. Maybe. He wouldn't have thought of to try, but that seems within the realm of possibility.

"I appreciate you speaking with me, it's been difficult getting no answers. Do you know what is going on with the Singularity right now? I worry with it malfunctioning. The territories might force us into it again, but that can't be a long-term solution. Any ideas?"

The bear puffs its chest out at the compliment. The stars shine a bit brighter in response, a few shooting across the darkness mimicking the night sky. Umbvagher does know how to put on a show but rarely gets the recognition he deserves.

"Be sure to leave a five-star review."

The display in his shadow settles as the bear shifts onto all fours, the hat now adjusting itself to sit more easily on the back of its head. It shakes its head.

"Sometimes the Singularity can get a little cranky, but I've never seen it act like this before. Nap time's been a staple of its existence. Maybe some of the older Gods have? But they don't tend to worry about much outside of their control. Zorne...he probably sees it as some sort of validation."

The bear wrinkles its nose.

"Whatever is going on, you and your friends might have to act sooner than you think."

The stars changing around them is impressive too, but that's to be expected of a god of this level. Still, he glances up at them appreciatively before returning his attention to the bear. The five-star review must be a modern reference, he truly does think the god was once someone from a sphere like Lucifer's. Only people from there seem to understand his references.

The response about the Singularity having shown nothing like this is deeply concerning. The New Gods have been around a long time, if they don't know, it might predate this. Or perhaps the Singularity has never done this before. What can they possibly do to stop it, in that case?

"I'm not sure what we could do, as we are." It's not as if they are from that vision. His eyes fix on Umbvagher. "Do you think the gods would help us? If it gets worse. Surely they don't want this world to fall apart."

The bear tilts its head to the side in thought. It raises a claw to its chin. Unfortunately, Istredd will not appreciate the philosoraptor-like pose its assumed.

"Some might," it finally admits and lowers its paw. "Others will just accept that it's how things go. And a few will enjoy the show."

It points off to the distance in the direction of far off the Badlands.

"Gods like Zorne wait for moments like this."

Istredd understands, truthfully. Even in the creation of the illusion that the bear gave them, there were gods among the Summoned who probably would have shrugged and accepted what was coming. They had a realistic experience of what it was like to live too long with too much power.

"I don't know what we can do to protect this sphere from the Singularity, but we'll try." This is their sphere now. Istredd's chosen home. He may not have any connection to the Singularity, it's never done that for him, but he will find a way if he can. He's not about to fail another family.

"I plan on going back to Thorne when they allow us to return, and I don't know if you're able to communicate with us in other places. But if you have any more information or want to help us, will you find a way to talk with one of the Summoned? We could use your help."

The bear grins, showing off its large pointy teeth. It would be cute otherwise.

"I found you in Ikorr. Do you think Thorne can really stop me?"

It picks up its hat and lifts it up, mimicking a true 'tip of the hat'.

"If I don't see you first, you know my number."

He places the hat back on his head and stands up like a person more than a bear. The shimmering of stars in its shadow expands behind it, wrapping around the bear like a cape.

"8-6-7-5-3-0-9."

The cape swirls around the bear and Umbvagher disappears in a flourish of the fabric of space.

It's in the way that you use it

Umbvagher

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