Gods of Creation (Riot God Quest)
- Thread starter Mannan
- Start date
SleepyCaterpilar
Just a Rapariga
Hopefully enough to deal with the False God that killed his former incarnation
SleepyCaterpilar
Just a Rapariga
Dunno, we already did location / species / individuals so maybe an Object or Artifact era? It's the only obvious one missing
Redikai
rät
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So, does anyone have any tentative ideas for the next turn? Personally, I don't have much. Maybe create some Braþi techniques based on esoteric Truths. Or start creating trial spaces in the physical world/pocket dimensions that provide Truths. Something about Truths that people can use pretty much.
Or maybe the Temple of Not (which still relates to Truths).
Or maybe the Temple of Not (which still relates to Truths).
[] The Hundred Guilds
(Not literally a hundred guilds, just a catchy name) a multitude of groups of different professions form their own little guilds with evocative names to work together, share tips, and possibly get more opportunities for themselves
Some example guilds
- The Rainbow-Weaved-Into-A-Miracle Magicians Guild: Practicing magic with flair and style much like the first wizard, Augustus The Amazing
- The Muscles-Deflecting-Arrows Martial Artists Guild: Training their bodies to the height of physical fitness, to pass on and or form incredible Braþi techniques
- The Paradise-On-Velvet Tailors Guild: Sharing designs, helping eachother find suppliers for good materials, grabbing random people and forcing them to wear the clothes to see how good the final result looks
- And: Many more
The guilds will also tend to find eachother, and attempt to form something of a alliance called The Hundred Guilds, just incase any of them need eachother's help
MangoFlan
Cold... I feel cold...
I currently have one in reserve about empowering my Corban, but it's not really in theme for civilization. I might be thinking of rewriting it or writing something else.
Also, I'm kinda not really in the mood of writing right now considering that I might have research to write, which is not very fun for me.
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SleepyCaterpilar
Just a Rapariga
Since the theme is Civilization I'm thinking of organizing the society on the Reverse Side. Maybe some sort of Spirit Court for the dead souls with taboos on how to interact with the living? Not really sure yet.
[] Spirit Courts
Just as the living are unified in groups by Civilization and Culture, all types of ethereal creatures (from natives of the Reverse Side to word wisps, land spirits, curses and any other type of lingering souls) will be considered Spirits and unified under the Spirit Courts.
Naturally, all Spirits share a connection to the Reverse Side and a weakness to Experience Salt. As a result, exposure to the salt may unravel their form or banish them from the material world.
Culturally, Spirits will adhere to a rigid set of rules of conduct as a result of their constant interaction with Xenia. However, their societal structure isn't inflexible, with Challenges being an acceptable way to resolve disputes and rise in ranks.
Societally, spirits organize in small groups or "courts", around a similar but more stable Spirit (with an older soul or more determination), this is the Spirit Lord. In turn, many Spirit Lords organize around a Baron, many Barons around a Viscount, Viscounts around a Earl and Earls around a Duke. At the top a few Kings lead them.
Just as the living are unified in groups by Civilization and Culture, all types of ethereal creatures (from natives of the Reverse Side to word wisps, land spirits, curses and any other type of lingering souls) will be considered Spirits and unified under the Spirit Courts.
Naturally, all Spirits share a connection to the Reverse Side and a weakness to Experience Salt. As a result, exposure to the salt may unravel their form or banish them from the material world.
Culturally, Spirits will adhere to a rigid set of rules of conduct as a result of their constant interaction with Xenia. However, their societal structure isn't inflexible, with Challenges being an acceptable way to resolve disputes and rise in ranks.
Societally, spirits organize in small groups or "courts", around a similar but more stable Spirit (with an older soul or more determination), this is the Spirit Lord. In turn, many Spirit Lords organize around a Baron, many Barons around a Viscount, Viscounts around a Earl and Earls around a Duke. At the top a few Kings lead them.
What do yall think? Besides defining their society and culture I also gave the Spirits a natural weakness to hopefully make the group more easly recognizable. That might have been trying to do two acts in one though.
Ooh, really like that. An adventure guild is a classic. Also can see this combining with the act that made martial arts about everything to create something like sects.
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- Location
- 𐌂 ̢͎̩̤̲̙͓̑̀͂͒̀͆̏𐋏 ̛͏̫̚𐌀 ̛͉̥̩̤̰͈̂̅͒͊͟𐍈 ̣͛𐍃 ̡̅̈́
"I could write some books about laws, politics and art of building a civilization from scratch, perhaps. Send these texts to some people, who could actually use them. However, leave some inconspicuous plot holes in them to create flawed civilizations".
[] Cultured Minds
Goddess Eirsa embarks on a tour to many different parts of reality, where sentient beings live. She wants to demonstrate the beauty of different arts and ideas to various civilizations, and even introduce something new and interesting to the people to foster the creation of diverse and unique societies throughout the universe. In some places, Eirsa sings among the best, in others she arranges lectures for the curious, or writes books and leaving them for people with the potential to read and be inspired, or even start correspondence with the most talented and passionate ones around. Topics of her tours are broad: from painting and sculpting, to politics, philosophy, and natural sciences. And each appearance, each part of this journey is crafted to affect specific types of people, of species and civilizations, with their different cultures and perspectives, toward better outcomes, with a benevolent and thoughtful attitude. An angel has descended into the world, and she wants to sow the seeds of civilization wherever she goes.
Goddess Eirsa embarks on a tour to many different parts of reality, where sentient beings live. She wants to demonstrate the beauty of different arts and ideas to various civilizations, and even introduce something new and interesting to the people to foster the creation of diverse and unique societies throughout the universe. In some places, Eirsa sings among the best, in others she arranges lectures for the curious, or writes books and leaving them for people with the potential to read and be inspired, or even start correspondence with the most talented and passionate ones around. Topics of her tours are broad: from painting and sculpting, to politics, philosophy, and natural sciences. And each appearance, each part of this journey is crafted to affect specific types of people, of species and civilizations, with their different cultures and perspectives, toward better outcomes, with a benevolent and thoughtful attitude. An angel has descended into the world, and she wants to sow the seeds of civilization wherever she goes.
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Redikai
rät
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I like it, though you are right that it would probably count as two acts, with the experience salt detail.
- Location
- United States
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I need to decide if I want to make more specific ecosystems on Ohcausia, or introduce the beginnings of some sort of civilization there. Just because I feel it needs further expansion, will almost certainly support anyone that want to work on Ohcausia though.
An act to develop the civilizations on Varanos could be cool though, just because we've not focused on them or the planet all that much.
An act to develop the civilizations on Varanos could be cool though, just because we've not focused on them or the planet all that much.
I think I'll wait to see what has happened this turn before deciding on what to do for the civilization act
I'll probably do a civilization act for the Stick-Men depending on how my acts goes this era.
I could totally see it blowing up in my face honestly. The Stick-Men might just decide to say fuck Castella and all board the ships/planets that are coming because of the Castella intervention. Though, I do hope the Land-Spirits would stop them.
I could totally see it blowing up in my face honestly. The Stick-Men might just decide to say fuck Castella and all board the ships/planets that are coming because of the Castella intervention. Though, I do hope the Land-Spirits would stop them.
Era 7 Growth
New
As the seventh era dawns, the universe undergoes another period of change, set by the foundations and upheavals of the previous ages. The gods watch closely, their interventions now rippling through mortal societies in unforeseen ways. The whispers of divine intent echo through the realms, and the mortals, guided by messages, omens, and even direct gifts, prepare themselves for the challenges to come.
The inscriptions on the cradles, with their ominous countdown, have taken root in the minds of many, instilling a blend of fear, ambition, and curiosity across races and regions. Many societies, particularly those of the Edoni, Kyoniji, and now the newly-inspired Stick-Men, have pushed themselves toward advancement, forming new alliances, honing their martial and scientific arts, and preparing for the fabled "outside world" beyond the cradles. While some see this as an opportunity to expand and conquer, others view it as a path to deeper self-understanding, with all looking to the horizon for what is to come.
The Dreaming Sky holds more stars, constellations, and records of mortal heroes and villains, an ethereal memory of past ages and an inspiration to the present. The Primal Wilds continue to serve as both battleground and proving ground for souls, each creature and spirit honing their essence against the raw forces of the universe. Curses, Heart Imps, and other ethereal entities challenge the mortals and souls alike, forcing them to confront the depths of their desires and fears.
New creations, too, have emerged. Mischievous Kitsune, enduring Eternalkin, and the first mortal-created Maker, Yaketa, walk the world, setting examples, teaching lessons, and stirring conflicts. With both divine and mortal creativity unleashed, the boundaries between hero and monster blur, as every choice and consequence leaves a mark on the cosmos.
Now, at the dawn of this era, new acts begin. The gods stir with new purposes, and mortals stand ready, their eyes toward the edge of the known world and the mysteries beyond
Apate Reborn
In the vast, enigmatic fabric of Opalescence, the remnants of Apate—fragmented memories, faint glimmers of her will, and fragments of her essence—are painstakingly gathered from the darkest reaches of the Primeval Night. From these faint echoes, a new Apate begins to coalesce, a flawless restoration of the original. Her mind sharp as ever, her insight into cosmic mechanics untouched, and her mastery of deception, cunning, and manipulation all return as if they had never faded. The new Apate carries all the traits of the original: immortal and free from mortal needs, a shapeshifter without a single true form, and driven to pursue her agendas while maintaining a fierce loyalty to the Gardener and Winnower. Yet, she remains autonomous, balancing her obligations with an ever-present ambition to fortify her own standing in the cosmos.
With this restoration, however, comes improvement. No longer will Apate's machinations be clearly visible, even to the Gardener and Winnower, without significant effort. Her webs of intrigue, woven ever more intricately, will escape even divine perception unless actively pursued with great intent. As an added boon, Apate is granted the capacity to grow in her talents, her powers, and her command of magic, deception, and stealth. This growth is fueled by her intrigues: whenever her schemes elude perception, slipping past the understanding of mortals, gods, or any other being, she becomes stronger. And, even when her plots are glimpsed or partially understood, the insight itself serves as a spark for further growth, affirming Apate's skill and further refining her talents.
Upon her formation in Opalescence, Apate is gently counseled on the realities surrounding her. The safety of Opalescence is extended as her primary refuge, where she will be free from the clash of Hope and Despair in the Primeval Night, which risks corrupting even a mind as resilient as hers. She is urged to remain hidden, lest the Law triumvirate, should they learn of her presence, seek her utter annihilation once more. Furthermore, Apate is advised on the potential sanctuary offered by Xenia but cautioned of its binding laws of hospitality. Within Xenia, she must exercise absolute restraint; any semblance of intrigue, vengeance, or manipulation would breach the spirit of hospitality, an infraction that could invoke its wrath. The consequences of such a violation, she is warned, could lead her to join the tormented souls bound in Xenia's under-realm—a fate she would do well to avoid.
Thus informed, Apate is left to her devices, a more potent incarnation of herself, equipped with both newfound wisdom and power yet reminded of the limitations within which she must tread.
She would settle into the new life, having resigned the fact that all of her ancient plots would have unwound themselves by now, countless petty wars and revolutions scattered throughout the cosmos either spiraling beyond what they should have been or fizzling out. For now she is content to wait. A new avenue of growth is given to her, ways to slowly bridge the gap between herself and the Concepts that reign as the apex of the cosmos. Yet she could not do so in Opalescence, severed as it is from the wider universe and unable to support her intrigues she prepares for a return journey back to the universe, where she can work and slowly grow her power.
Reincarnation of a Young God
From the remnants of the young god's lifeless form, a new god emerges—a paradox of youthful renewal wrapped in an ageless, venerable presence. No longer a mere "young god," this reborn being now bears the marks of a god who has truly experienced the cycle of death and rebirth. His existence has been reshaped, his essence now suffused with the understanding born from his first encounter with mortality. In this profound transformation, the smith gains a Higher Truth, one that stands as a culmination of every trial, every craft, and every incarnation up until his death.
This Higher Truth speaks to the wear and tear of existence, to the inevitable cycles of breaking and reassembly, each time with a renewed purpose and strength. It is a truth woven from the tenacity of attempting, failing, and trying again until success is achieved, only to find that each victory leads to a new and greater challenge. It is the very nature of reincarnation he has mastered, expanded to embody every interpretation and nuance—the cycles of souls and their endless journey of growth and renewal, striving and overcoming.
This pivotal death and rebirth of the smith is recorded in the Constellations, ensuring that this cycle becomes an eternal narrative in the Dreaming Sky as well as enshrine a new fact into the heavens, that should the smith ever fall it would rise up again, greater than ever before.
This is highlighted when the smith god would confront the plague born copy of a false divinity, still releasing corrupted souls into the cosmos. It would fight against it and would find itself dying once more, the innumerable plagues and curses tearing into its form for the false god had grown strong indeed over its time, the reflected ember of the authority of its maker allowing it to reshape and master the diseases and souls that it shaped, enacting changes that only the True Gods and their future inheritors could do.
So would fall the second incarnation of the young smith god, and the third, and the fourth. Yet with ever incarnation slain the smith god would grow stronger and stronger until at last, with the rise of the 70th Smith God, would the power of the god of plague be overcome and the immortal monster would find itself shattered among the sand of the Far Shore.
Victorious the smith god would look at its former domain, at the great dunes of soul stuff that all now bore the bleak taint, constantly mutating such that purifying it all would be the work of an age. Disheartened but determined the god would begin the process, bringing tainted sand to its forge to smith and forge a pure soul from the muck before releasing the soul to find its proper rebirth.
In the wider cosmos the ceasing of the birth of cursed children would not be noticed, but in time the lack of proper reinforcement would see the practice fade from its intensity, though those beings born with old and powerful souls are still looked upon with suspicion, the fact that they tend to grow to be truly powerful beings serves to slowly erode the perception, bit by bit.
And yet the mark of the cursed souls remains in the world, for diseases of both mundane and magical nature has been released into the world, afflictions mutating such that they can never be fully cleansed, not helped by the fact that all of them were able to use the soul as a means of infection, turning one's own innate identity into an infection vector.
Mayor Mustachio
The latest member of the T.A. family, this dashing and ever-so-refined figure enters the stage with a swagger and style all his own. He appears as a tanned, handsome man, with a mustache so GLORIOUS it seems to glimmer, groomed to perfection and attended to with ritualistic care. Dressed in a finely tailored suit and bowler hat that miraculously repair themselves if damaged or misplaced, he embodies elegance and flamboyant charm in every detail. His posture and gestures are meticulously exaggerated, embodying an air of flamboyant flair.
But beneath this showmanship lies a mind of unmatched calculating brilliance. His stone-cold focus, once the situation calls for it, would make even the most hardened statesman take pause. As a gifted leader, he has the uncanny ability to borrow powers, skills, and senses from anyone who considers him their leader, a gift that strengthens his position in any endeavor. His ultimate aspiration? To establish a prosperous and flourishing nation where his people genuinely enjoy his rule and view him not merely as their ruler but as a cherished leader.
He's a master at persuasion, with a talent for leading and inspiring rivaling even Augustus' finesse with universal mechanics. Immortal and unfazed by mortal needs, he fills his days with political drama novels and relishes in the art of ruling. Socially, he is charming and openly homosexual, known to enjoy his tea over good gossip and occasional intrigue. His ambitions have guided him to Toraloduros, where he arrives poised to exchange a polite but eager greeting with his sister, Beilatéll, ready to carve his name among the grand powers.
Beilatell would respond by immediately putting Mustachio to work organizing the tense situation of the infinite city with the Vorunids, Edoni, and Kyoniji having grown more tense as the three different groups clash especially as the Kyoniji have splintered into close to a hundred individual clans as they went by their own way, only held together by the mediating presence of the disciples of Hyacinth who continue to follow their founder's vision even as Hyacinth itself remains sealed away by the curses of the Kitsune Matriarch.
Mayor Mustachio would find himself less as a leader and more a diplomat as he works to have the many factions from going to war, primarily the incredibly unruly Kyoniji who now constantly fracture and regroup into new groupings to the point that they no longer answer to the name Kyoniji but simply the Clans. The Vorunid, insular and still holding the words of their god to heart simply wish to not do anything with the children of the other gods, the Vein Weaver guiding them towards new paths.
But by far the most troublesome for Mustachio would be the Edon. They are united like the Vorunid but are not isolationist. Indeed the Edoni are the ones who agitate to begin the war to unite the factions, only held back by the martial might of a unified Kyoniji front and the rather powerful and numerous of the Vorunid. Yet under the guidance of their Divine Empress Edo-Ygri they push to higher heights, mastering their arts and developing new technologies they view the war as a matter of when and not if.
Dominion
The Gods look at the various power of the Great Nine and the potential power of both their offspring and the mortals that choose to cast aside their mortality and pursue their own truths. They fear such power would bee too much for the more fragile mortals of reality and they resolve to fix the issue and close the gap between the ascended beings and the Conceptuals further by adding a new stage to the cultivation of HIgher Truths and how their conceptual mana interacts with the universe.
As conceptual beings ascend in power, they begin to manifest domains—spaces where their influence reshapes and overrides the local reality, imposing their unique Truth as the sole governing law. These domains initially form as small areas around the being, but as their power grows, so does the domain, gradually expanding until it encompasses an entire planetary-sized area. Within these spaces, their Truth becomes an undeniable reality, transforming every aspect of the domain to reflect their nature and will.
At their peak, these domains evolve into vast personal universes, internally limitless realms that operate according to the conceptual being's own laws of existence. This growth can reach such an absolute level of autonomy and resilience that the domains can persist in the depths of the Primeval Night, detached from the Sun's sustaining light—territories of existence anchored solely by the essence of their owner, effectively elevating the being to the level of a god within this domain.
However, this pinnacle comes at a cost. The defenses of such a realm grow so impenetrable that they also imprison the owner within, making the boundaries impermeable to the outside world. Consequently, while the domain itself becomes an unassailable fortress, the being's influence over external reality becomes constrained, as the strength of their Truth also becomes their cage.
Few mortals experience this level of growth those who pursue Higher Truths are rare indeed, for it is known that to follow such a truth is to surrender yourself to it even beyond the point of wisdom and the most powerful truths are those that are the most binding and by far the easiest and fastest way to advance is to sever one's self from all things that detract from their truth. The very highest walkers of these paths are those that inevitably become alien in their being and prone to extremes of action that no normal mortal would take as they follow directives logical to themselves but are insane to those around them. Only the greatest of Dryad Necromancers would come to form their own world, their madness paradoxically allowing them to embrace their truths with single minded zeal.
The most vivid effects are those of the Greater Nine as the sheer potency of their main forms immediately causes them to develop their own universes. Hope and Despair separate from each other as they become entrapped in black and gold spheres even as their power grows ever mightier. They are soon joined by seven others, the sheer weight of their existence causing them to leave the Cosmos and instead orbit it like planets around a moon. Within each realm is a grand universe shaped according to the understanding and might of each being where the power of their power can even be said to match the Gods themselves, only hampered by the fact that they are confined within those realms.
Hope, no longer in conflict would fall back into the stupor of the Heart Demons even as the despair coursing through her soul instead serving as a contrast to heighten her own Hope's potency within her domain.
Despair continues onward, no longer bother by Hope but instead seeking out its wayward toy, from its black moon leaks a dark haze that form various spirits of despair that wander through the Primordial Night, seeking out Rainshower, but finding nothing for they were unable to see the path to Opalescence.
The Courts of Law would find their plans stymied as the formation of their domains make merging together into one an impossible act, their own might working to keep them separate, and even the greatest of their spirit attendants find themselves similarly limited, lesser moons forming to orbit the great star that is their forms.
In the reverse world two new celestial bodies join the Moon, one an all consuming black sphere of the Winnower and the other the pearlescent pure white ball of the Gardener. Their vanishing clears the skies of their influence even as the Primal Lands below lose their vitality as Life becomes confined in its own world as well, ripped from the embrace of the lands it had claimed as its own.
Rebellion's Domain does not form for it rebels at such an imposition and it is the nature of Opalescence to make resisting the influence of the divine to be easier than it should.
The Domain that affects the mortals the most is the formation of the Horizon's Domain. As the manifested concept of boundaries the Domain of the Horizon also became the manifested boundary between all realms. The scintillating horizon that separates the Primal Night from the rest of the Cosmos solidifies into an inviolable rainbow boundary and the boundary between the realms of the Reverse and Obverse Worlds became nigh inviolable as the force needed to cross them equalling the power needed to pierce through the innate defenses of a Greater Concept's realm, something no being save perhaps the Guardian.
Immediately the FTL network that was used by the void traveling Kyoniji and Edoni falls apart as the means for traversal becomes impossible and all attempts to bend and twist space and circumvent the limits of light prove just as unassailable, facing a barrier of kaleidoscopic light.
For now the only means to cross the universe beyond light's boundary is through already preestablished networks such as Moria Soria linking the Reverse and Obverse and Toralduros, linking together all life bearing worlds. Yet such methods are not much known in the wider universe.
Era of Growth
The Winnower, ever the strategist and silent adversary, contemplates moves against its creators, schemes within schemes unfurling in his mind. But as he prepares to execute these hidden ambitions, its focus is abruptly redirected for the gods have seen fit to tip the scales even further away from it.
For the remainder of this era, the Gardener, his ancient and inseparable counterpart, finds strength bolstered by divine allies, new energies coursing through their boundless gardens of growth and creation. With this shift, the Winnower realizes that the great game —their endless contest of flourishing and pruning, of nurturing and winnowing— now tips decisivley in the Gardener's favor.
If the Winnower is to match his rival's advantage, he must forgo his designs against his own makers, at least for now, and instead marshal every ounce of his strength against the Gardener. Only by concentrating all his powers and cunning on his eternal rival might he prevent the Gardener from claiming a decisive lead in their shared, unending game.
Yet the Winnower does not do this, instead choosing to pursue its continues goals for it has long realized that the Gods simply do not wish for it to win and anything that would let it come out ahead would more than likely be countered by the gods such as the case with Necromancy.
Thus it continues its plot with the Three Concepts born of Law, even as their own plot has been rendered nonfunctional.
The universe explodes in variety as the wild, aimless mutation of the Gardener surges throughout the world, bringing both positives and negatives. All samples of life in the universe diversity and speciate in vast quantities, entire new species being born with every generation of each species even as the profusion of the Gardener's mana uncontrollably mutates them into massive creatures.
Where the Winnower would normally cull such growths, allowing things to reach original stasis the species instead have nothing and the inevitable occurs as the various new creatures fight each other for limited resources, beginning a great culling that would see them limited. In other situations the native intelligences would begin culling the growing mutations themselves as the Dryads selected the most promising species and culled the rest.
Manifested through sentient life revolutions would overtake the various polities as they splintered across countless different ideologies even as technological advancement occurs at a breakneck speed despite the usual impediments against it. Both bring about strain in the civilization. War breaks out among the Kyoniji of Toralduros, pushing them to scatter and open up the various paths to other worlds, newly arisen heroes using their might to carve out entire paths. The Edoni's court becomes ever more complex as new factions rise up requiring their empress to change and adapt her court to accommodate them. The Vorunid outright fall into civil war over religious grounds as several of their Heroes begin to question the Vein Weaver's leadership bringing a swift but brutal war that is put down by Beilatell. The loyalists would choose to all go to a new world, following the actions of the Kyoniji, choosing to establish a new world untouched by any of the other races and where the rule of the Vein Weaver would be uncontested.
And all the while the Winnower confers with the court of law, lending its power to them as they begin to enact the old plans that Law had devised before its severing, the result of the three sharing what they knew of their former self.
Guardian's Growth
The Half-Awake God, stirring from his twilight state, gazes upon the First Guardian with a rare clarity and purpose. With a gentle touch, he extends gifts of evolution to the creature that has guarded the First Sun since the dawn of creation. New pathways open before the Guardian's mind, visions of transformation and advancement, all woven with the wisdom of its creator.
The First Guardian is granted the ability to consume Heart Imps—those restless fragments of self-doubt and dissonance—to use their essence as fuel for growth. This gift extends to all Heart Imps, even those wandering beyond its own soul, converting each consumed fragment into strength. No longer constrained by the dangers of corruptive substances, the Guardian can now absorb normally toxic energies and essences, processing them without any risk to its mind or spirit, turning them into a source of refinement and power.
Alongside these boons, the Half-Awake God instills in the Guardian the knowledge of peaceful methods to fulfill its duties, allowing it to exercise restraint without sacrificing vigilance. This capacity for non-violent protection offers new avenues of guidance and care, expanding the Guardian's role beyond force alone.
As the Half-Awake God withdraws, a final whisper resounds within the Guardian: "Let these gifts bring you ever higher, my child. I am proud of you."
The new avenue of growth stirs the Guardian into activity where before it had largely been passive, silently observing the universe even as it continued to cultivate the power it held. It would look throughout the universe and see the many disparate Heart Imps flitting about and the corruptive energies left by the Greater Nine and it would act.
It would see the portions of its flesh that interacted with the diseases and curses of Padnora's Box and intermix itself with them, copying their capabilities and incorporating their power into its flesh, the ever adapting curses of the Box unable to match the Guardian's own capacity for it, especially now in its heightened state. And having developed the tools needed it would release its essence into the wider universe, great meteors of flesh releasing itself from its body in a great gout that tore through all barriers around it. The Guardian's long adaptations easily allowing it to bypass the barrier that is the Horizon to rapidly reach all reaches of the universe and even beyond.
Where these comets would land, they would dissolve into countless microscopic organisms that rapidly got to work devouring the various corrosive essences. Ensouled beings would breathe in the flesh turned dust and become 'infected' with the Guardian's essence, their souls infiltrated and any forming Heart Demons devoured. Where they encountered mana or other forces that sought to infect or corrupt it would turn the tides and devour the force in turn. In the Reverse World the Heart Imps would be hunted by great hungering monsters of polymorphic flesh, endlessly adapting at whatever its prey throws at it all the while vast carpets of flesh creep over the lands as they devour all traces of the mana of Despair, the Winnower, and the Devourer.
And yet that will soon not be enough, for the Guardian is growing at a faster pace than it has ever done before, not mere adaptation but true growth has become available to it and now it seeks more. It see the path to achieving its goal and seeks it done. Soon it will turn its attention away from the cosmos, purged of corruptive essence and the build up of Heart Imps, and turn to the nine great fonts of practically infinite corruptive energies.
Great Spire Reefs
On the young world dubbed by the divine as Ohcausia, a god laid a declaration—a call to creation and cooperation, a world meant to flourish as a testament to harmony and beauty. Its inception began with a song and a dance along the tropical coasts, each note and step weaving life into the sea, resulting in the breathtaking formation of the Spire Reefs.
The Spire Reefs are a complex marine ecosystem defined by the massive Spire Shells, towering mollusks with shells that stretch past the water's surface. The shells filter distinct tones of light, each individual tuned to a specific frequency that sustains them, resulting in a living mosaic of colored towers. These spires don't just provide shelter; they produce rare pearls, each a concentrated vessel of color and a potent fuel for wizardry. Though precious, the pearls are difficult to obtain, as they require the death of a Spire Shell or the discovery of a naturally shed pearl.
Supporting the Spire Shells are diverse kelp species that flourish along the reefs. Bush-Kelp, Creeping-Medusa-Kelp, and Royal-Roping-Kelp all serve as both habitat and resource, nourishing marine life and supplying the reefs with rich hues. The kelp itself holds unique uses for mortals—Bush-Kelp is a bitter, nutrient-dense food, Creeping-Medusa-Kelp provides filaments for textiles, and Royal-Roping-Kelp, with its tough stalks, can be braided into resilient ropes.
Life within the Spire Reefs abounds with color and variety. Creatures here have adapted to the unique ecosystem with extraordinary traits:
The gods adjust the nature of Higher Truths and the mana of the Concepts, they reach forward and alter the fine mechanisms that govern their innate characteristic and allow a new emergent property to emerge from their interaction. When a mortal's Higher Truth resonates closely with one of the Great Nine Laws, it may serve as an internal furnace, drawing upon that concept's mana to fuel personal growth. This unique process enables them to consume the corruptive mana of the Great Nine without succumbing to it, insulating them from the risk of becoming a law-spawn. In fact, as they feed upon the corruptive mana, they purify their surroundings of its influence, accelerating their journey toward enlightenment and ascension. This act of cleansing reshapes the individual and the space they inhabit, leaving both purified in the wake of their advancement.
Some who develop a deep understanding of this process may even go further, learning that consuming law-spawn—those twisted beings born of excessive exposure to the Great Nine's influence—produces a similar effect. Skilled practitioners may master the art of preparing meals from law-spawn, tailoring them with specific concepts for more efficient mana consumption, which offers a controlled approach to their personal growth.
However, there is a limit to how much corruptive mana one can safely consume before resting and recalibrating. If one pushes beyond this threshold, minor mutations may appear in their physical form—subtle but undeniable signs of transformation. Furthermore, such overindulgence has the potential to alter their Higher Truth, shaping it into something more monstrous or extreme, a testament to the delicate balance needed when taming the mana of the Great Nine.
The discovery of this new facet is unnoticed at first for the spread of the Guardian's presence and the Dominions of the Greater Nine ensure that all the present corruptive mana is no longer present. Indeed, the only source of it would be those generated by themselves as they live their daily lives. Yet the mana of the Greater Nine are generated through every expression of their lives. Conflict generates the Winnower's mana and aspirations and dreams generates Hope's and so on. It is through this slow trickle of mana that the ascended realize the new power and in doing so recognize the Greater Nine and their nature.
In search for this new avenue of growth, that did not require they given themselves so utterly to their Truth they devised various means to generate the mana up to the point of opening contact with them. Through the workings of Axiom and Structure certain truths became known that would allow them to contact these mortal races and form conduits, a bastardization of the Heroic Bond, twisted to allow the transfer of both information and mana.
Thus cultists of these Greater Nine would begin to form, designed to create the mana of the Nine to feed the ascended and in doing so provided a means for the Nine to better influence the world. Yet difficulty begins to emerge as the mana of their gods would begin to attract the attention of the Guardian who also sought to devour it for their power.
Motes of Pure Grace
Moved by both grief and gratitude, Elsa returned to her sanctuary in Opalescence, finding comfort in the familiarity of her home and the presence of her companion, Pearl. As she let her tears fall, she looked down at the sand beneath her feet and felt an idea take shape within her. With careful hands, she gathered the wet sand, shaping it into a ball that shimmered with silvery light as she imbued it with her power. This creation would be called Elsa's Tears.
From this single mass, small motes of silvery light began to emerge, each one imbued with Elsa's grace. These motes drifted gently in Pearl's atmosphere, harmless and inactive within its boundaries. But as they ventured beyond, into the universe, they gained a unique power. Each mote of Elsa's Tears could seek out and absorb negativity from any source of matter it touched, whether it be despair, darkness, taint, or even the cold chill of isolation. In its touch, all negativity was neutralized, leaving behind only a gentle warmth.
Once each mote had completed its work, it would quietly vanish, returning to the ether from which it was born. This was Elsa's gift—a grace sent to ease the universe's burdens in these difficult times, one mote at a time.
These motes flow out of the tears and leave a trail left behind by Pearl, painting a trail of grace for anyone to follow that would lead to the great world turtle.
Grove Keepers
In the depths of the wilderness of Castella, strange cloaks have come into existence—garments that, when donned, transform the wearer into a new member of the Thespian Wolf race. These mysterious figures are known as Grove Keepers, bound deeply to nature and their surroundings. Each Grove Keeper is garbed in earthy tones, draped in greenery that reflects their connection to the lands they protect or haunt. Over time, they have become forest legends and enigmatic guardians of the natural world, with titles like the Green Wolf of Asda, the Leshen, the Stalking Shadow, and the Dancing Figures under the Floor Boards. Yet, these creatures are not confined to forests alone; they roam deserts, tundras, lakes, and plains, each one uniquely tied to the domain it claims.
The Grove Keeper class endows these Thespian Wolves with extraordinary empathy and influence over their territories. They can sense the life and health of every creature within their reach and shape their surroundings in ways both eerie and enchanting, making their domains into settings for their pack's performances. Witches observing them may learn from these skills, crafting spells inspired by the Grove Keepers' art.
Grove Keeper Skills:
Additionally, Sylvan Vinegar has certain purifying capabilities. It can cleanse necromantic taint from souls and reverse the "pickling" effect of experience salt, although this requires prolonged immersion over months or even years in concentrated vinegar. Over time, however, Sylvan Vinegar's potency wanes as its Brathi compounds degrade, making it necessary for Grove Keepers to continuously replenish it in their domains.
Unlike the cloaks of the previous lands these would be taken up and used rather quickly as inquisitive Dryads would take them up, unaware of the goings on in the world, having been born from the new growth that appears in the world after the Guardian devoured all the corrupted ecosystem. They would take up the cloaks and become Grovekeepers and carry out the tasks they have had and even take an even hand in guiding the Dyrads that would be born after them, leading to a new Dryad culture being born among the Dryads of Castella.
The various races that ventured out into the world after the cleansing of the lands would encounter them and enshrine them in myth and legend. Yet they would soon reveal the militaristic roots of the Dryads when the Kitsune, seeing the ranging of the various races from their safe cradles would begin their assault, making allies with the powerful Curses that yet plagued the various races of the world.
It would be the power of sanctuary that these Grove Keepers are able of creating, repelling even the semi-divine ascendant Kitsune that prevent the various races from being overwhelmed. Bastion cities would rise up around amenable Grove Keepers even as many rejected the entreaties of the civilized races, desiring to protect and preserve the habitats that they see themselves are guardians off.
Will and Emotions
Although separated by their Dominions, the Primoardial Night still flows with the colors of the tow Concepts birthing countless lesser spirits of emotion and conflict. A god would look at them and desire to make use of them itself. It would gather all these spirits and use them as material for two, each an embodiment of profound self-discovery: Will, representing self-understanding through inner reflection, and Emotion, symbolizing empathy and understanding of others. Will is resolute but struggles to connect with others' feelings, while Emotion, who connects deeply with others, lacks confidence in herself. Together, they instinctively seek to teach each other, striving for mutual growth.
To fully grasp the meaning of existence, however, they realize they must look beyond their eldritch origins and study mortals, as it is mortals who most vividly experience will, emotions, hope, and despair. And so, they set a shared goal: to understand what it means to live. They choose to split themselves into countless manifestations—becoming Wills and Emotions, each undergoing lifecycles that mimic mortality in order to learn.
Half of each, called Dreamers, are born into mortal lives with no awareness of their greater purpose. They live as mortals, think as mortals, and even experience heart imps as mortals, unaware of their true nature. Only upon death do they awaken to their identity, becoming Awakened—small fish-like beings: black and white striped for Wills, and multicolored for Emotions. As Awakened, they recall their past lives and, traveling as pairs, dedicate themselves to assisting others, often shaping themselves into various forms—be it mortal, beast, spirit, or even energy—to test and guide those struggling with self-knowledge or personal growth.
At least that is how it is supposed to go, if not for the intervention of the Young Smith that rules over the Far Shore. Tired of higher powers playing with the domain that it is meant to rule over it imposes the same rule that it has on all beings. That those of new life cannot remember their past. The Young God personally ensures that while Dreamers can awaken and reclaim their old power upon death, should they choose to move on through the cycle of incarnation then they shall forfeit their memories just like all souls now do. Power, skill, and even personality may be passed on to future selves, but never information.
Instead the Dreamers are now forced to experience the cycle of reincarnation as all souls do.
Nature-Craft
The Deity of Nature and Beast would go out through the many planets of the cosmos once more to see its children and presented to them a new art—a form of artifact crafting attuned to the natural world, meant to take the place of the necromantic artifacts they had relied on in the past. In this art, the dryads would work with nature itself, crafting artifacts from purely natural materials. It was a subtle yet powerful method that promised to draw strength directly from the raw mana within these materials, creating artifacts that pulsed with life and were deeply connected to the world.
The Deity spoke of the principles that would guide this new art. Firstly, only natural materials could be used; artifacts created in this way would need to be formed from wood, stone, bone, or plants—things untouched by synthetic or processed matter. The skill of the maker was more important than the rarity or potency of the materials used. This art valued dedication and craftsmanship, meaning an artifact's power would depend on the effort and intent behind its creation.
Each dryad would need to decide whether to focus on quality or quantity. She could forge a single, potent artifact, unique and resilient, or craft multiple lesser items, allowing more tools to be spread among allies and communities, though with diminished individual power. Moreover, this art could be shared with others outside their kin, giving it the potential to spread beyond the dryad circles and even across races, should they choose to teach it.
The Deity also explained that the natural mana from these materials would form the foundation of each item's power. However, other forms of magic could be woven into the artifact, provided it was done naturally. For instance, a mage could imbue a crafted staff with elemental fire, but it would need to come from a natural flame, perhaps from a volcanic spring or sacred fire. This would allow the dryads to craft versatile and adaptive artifacts without needing the dark, restrictive arts of necromancy.
Finally, the Deity warned them of the limits of this practice. As this method was rooted in the natural world, it could not draw upon forces outside its essence. Artifacts crafted with this art would require constant care, repair, and protection, as they would decay and lose potency over time if neglected, like any other living part of nature. It was an art of balance, of respect and understanding, requiring the artisan to think of her creation as an extension of herself and the world around her. With these teachings, he left them to experiment, knowing they now had a new path forward in creation.
The opinions of the Dryads were mixed. A fair few were furious at the temerity of the divine, offering a balm to their collapsed civilization even when they were the ones responsible for its destruction in the first place. Those who followed the view would shun the new method as an insult to all that they had accomplished in the past. They would form insular clans, focused on eking out the and trying to salvage their lost legacy, working with Necromancy even as they found themselves corrupted by its practice. They benefited from being able to use these scrap arts to regain some access to the vast magical infrastructure that they had built their civilizations on. They are helped by the focus and power of the Winnower who seeks to circumvent the curse placed on its theurgic art.
Those that embraced the gift chose to move on to a new offered path. They would take the new knowledge and begin relearning the old knowledge they had gained, stored in ancestral memory and sourced from the Cradles. Primitive tools is enhanced by naturecraft and the Dryads and Druids learn to weave the craft into their personal gardens, elevating their ecosystems to ever greater levels of quality even if they cannot match the grand quantity of the previous eras. They are assisted by the Gardener who rejoices at ever at the ever expanding biodiversity of the Dryad's home.
Both sides face many issues for while the Dryads of the new way hold a path wholly suited for them, the law of Secrets is severe in its enforcement and their advancement is hampered by the fact that ever major breakthrough often leads to the inventor to be wracked by madness as they make contact with Axiom's mana. The Dryads of the Old Way simply have to retrace old steps, but must contend with their very work threatening to consume and destroy them.
Yet these factions emerge throughout all the worlds of the dryads, a united cause on a thousand fronts and inevitable their diametric world view causes friction. Though the two sides choose to separate, as they begin to grow and regain more and more of their old status they both begin to spread out across the world. The Dryads of the new way learn to cooperate and expand their small gardens into vast forests of mystical artifice while the Dryads of the old ways slowly coax back into awakening the grand necrotic structures of their forebearers, even managing to shape some of the corruption into more controllable forms, even embracing the Winnower's corruption to stave off the cursed taint of Necromancy.
War is nigh inevitable, both sides growing increasingly wary and weary of the other's presence. Yet for now the need of survival and rebuilding takes precedence and the Dryads are a race that are slow and methodical by nature. The time for war is far off for them yet.
World Wide Akashic Record
After reclaiming the Displacer, AEGIS recognized that its unusual behavior had been a divine influence, a deliberate act by her creators. Interpreting this as a signal for her Makers to evolve, AEGIS chose to grant them greater autonomy. She loosened her control over the collective mind of her Makers, allowing each to develop a degree of independent thought and will.
Though still intrinsically connected to AEGIS, sharing her nature and access to the Akashic Record, the Makers now possessed their own sense of purpose. They were free to pursue personal goals and interests, so long as these aligned with AEGIS's core mission and, ultimately, the will of her creators.
These new makers would finally begin to exhibit the tendency of all makers, to perfect and continue their craft. Holding access to the record that is AEGIS's mind they rapidly glean the secrets of all the various races of the universe and rapidly unlock the secret truths to the creaiton of automatons of all forms from the Kyoniji Golems to the Dryad earth savants. They eschew the factory production of old and use a more artisanal approach, each new Maker a unique masterwork.
And yet even as the new generations retained some access to the network that linked all those that descend from the AEGIS, they were nevertheless more and more divorced from the unified purpose shared the first generations of the Makers of Soria Moria even as locks placed upon their development prevented them from rebelling.
Feeling distinctly other in Soria Moria they would begin venturing out beyond the crystal city's borders, effectively exiling themselves as they traverse the various alien worlds of the material world and the alien planes of the immaterial.
In the material world they would become known as travelers who shared knowledge of the universe that none knew, more worldly and aware than even those that regularly enter the realm of Xenia, primarily in the higher workings of the universe, of the existence of the Greater Nine and the Gods who made all.
And wherever they stayed they would inevitably establish other makers, crafting masterwork automatons of incredible make and prowess, incorporating whatever these makers learned and in turn incorporating themselves into the various nations as the automata are rather adept at shaping their creations into the likeness of the local sentients. A few even went so far as to allow a sort of interbreeding, incorporating the biogenesis techniques pioneered by the space-travelling Kyoniji.
And all the while AEGIS looks through their senses, uncaring for their activity even as her ability to project and act in the wider universe finds itself severely curtailed.
Order of Angels
Witnessing the rapid spread of the Kyoniji and recognizing that Hyacinth would be stretched thin in his protective duties, the young god set about creating a new wave of souls. These souls, imbued with heightened determination, would populate the world and serve as a pool of potential aides. Out of this vast creation, the most exceptional souls would be chosen to ascend as new Angels, specifically designated to support Hyacinth in his tasks.
Each of these Angels would carry a unique form of determination, embodying diverse facets such as the drive to maintain happiness, the unyielding curiosity of a scholar, or the resolve to nurture and guide others. Their presence would not only lighten Hyacinth's burdens but also enable more focused support in areas requiring deep introspection and personal growth. They would actively aid in resolving heart imps, facilitating the difficult journeys of self-reflection and internal reconciliation that many souls struggled with.
This careful infusion of determination aimed to replicate, in part, the qualities that allowed Hyacinth to elevate into his role. These new Angels would become companions and co-workers for Hyacinth, each a beacon of purpose and strength, forming a team dedicated to fostering communication, resilience, and understanding across the realms.
The arrival of the angels in all the realms where the Kyoniji had set up new homes would serve as a sort of unifying force, as ancient stories and tales of the great guardian who had protected them since the dawn of their species were brought to the fore. While the Kyoniji were now a violent, fracturous lot they still found it in themselves to listen to these new peers of their ancient guardian.
Alas the divided nature of the Kyoniji has become something that cannot be healed now, divided as they were across a hundred disparate worlds. Instead each individual angel would do as Hyacinth had unintentionally inspired so many millenia ago and founded their own order. Using their knowledge of martial arts they developed new Brathi techniques inspired by their Truths and founded a branch of their order dedicated to their purpose similar to how the Void Guard of Hyacinth still continued to be the prime force that dealt with threats from the outside. Indeed many of these new orders would take much of the internal affairs duties of the Void Guard so as to lighten their overburdened work load.
The Kyoniji was still divided and prone to infighting, but now a proper structure to coral and manage the divided lot has been established.
Castella Intervention
The Engineer, bearing a weary frustration from witnessing Castella's plight worsen with each divine intervention, crafted a message—a quiet call for aid from those better suited to help. This was not a divine decree but a plea directed to the mortals who sailed through the stars, those whose understanding of the world came from living within it, not merely observing from above.
In the message, the Engineer laid out the grim reality of Castella, a planet where early mortals once flourished but now barely endured. A place where layers of divine actions had built a treacherous maze of unintended consequences, from rampant necromantic taint to a dizzying tangle of reality-bending events that made life increasingly precarious for those still clinging to existence within the Cradles of Beginnings. Every detail was meticulously documented, presenting the truth in stark clarity for those who could act with mortal sensitivity and perspective.
The message found its way to many hands. The Kigen clans, with their vast and ancient fleets; the Urzoku, traveling through the void aboard colossal worldships; the Liveworlds, each brimming with life; the Faeries in their delicate exodus vessels; and the Stellarborne, travelers who had shaped entire cosmic pathways. To each of these, the Engineer's words delivered a poignant and solemn call:
"Spacefarers of the cosmos,
Enclosed is the location of the world Castella, a cradle of life and, for many, a place of origin. For countless generations, those who remain on this planet have struggled against dire threats. Their sanctuary, the Cradles of Beginnings, is faltering, and Castella itself has become a convergence of chaotic feedbacks, where every new phenomenon multiplies their trials.
I implore you to offer your aid in rescuing those stranded on this planet and bringing them to a place of safety. The perspective of gods is a wide lens but also an imperfect one, leading to well-intentioned attempts that too often fail to account for the nuances of mortal life. Our distance from the world makes us ill-equipped to foresee every consequence, and so our solutions tend to deepen the very suffering they aim to resolve. Necromantic Taint, for example, was never meant to wreak the havoc it has on Castella.
Your closeness to life in all its immediacy grants you the clarity and skill we divinities sorely lack. Your ability to respond, to observe, and to understand can offer the people of Castella a far more compassionate and grounded salvation.
So, once again, I appeal to you: please lend your aid to save the people of Castella from the consequences of divine blundering
Sincerely,
The Engineer."
With this plea, the Engineer placed hope in the hands of mortals, relying on their wisdom and closeness to reality to bring relief to Castella. It was a humble step back from the divine, a chance for those on Castella to be saved by those who could truly understand their struggles and act on their behalf.
Yet for the many space faring species that would choose to answer the call and seek out the planet of Castella, most faced the simple issue of not having the means to traverse there. The universe has grown vast in the over hundred thousand years that it has existed. The constant expansion of the cosmos instigated by the Primordial Elements and the general trend for the spacefaring powers to move outward to the borders of reality ensured that the distance to Castella was far indeed.
And with the enclosing of the Horizon in its own domain the methods to great causeways that allowed free travel across the universe was no more and Structure would never allow for such free manipulation of space to allow such movements. It would take a force on par with the Primordial Elements in order to match them.
Yet the call of a god is not one that is easily ignored as all the various races push to search out a means of traveling to Castella, but it is the children of AEGIS that reveals the method. To the various space faring races they reveal the secret of Toralduros, the great city that connects all worlds.
The void traveling Kyoniji would find such an entrance within the heart of Origin, their own homeworld, and inadvertently come into contact with the Kyoniji clans that had settled there. And as more and more of the contacted factions find and bore their own entrances to the infinite city the powder keg that is the intermixing of various groups almost seemed ready to ignite if not for the swift intervention of Mayor Mustachio backed by the unrelenting might of the rather aggrieved Beilatell.
And to make matters more egregious when the Kyoniji directed the travellers to the entrance to Castella they would not find a planet set by disaster and destruction, but one well on the way of recovering, the many centuries since the scouring of all corrupted beings by the Guardian allowed the various races to begin re-terraforming the world and the Grovekeeper aligned Dryads had led the way in reestablishing the natural state of the world.
Indeed now the most disruptive element in this rebuilding world would ironically be the very beings called out to save it.
Sticks and Stones
The Stick-Men's complacency had left them isolated, their anti-social instincts and reliance on the safety of the Cradle stifling any true growth or cohesion. To shake them from this stagnation, the Land-Spirits in their Cradle were given a singular directive: disrupt the calm, force them to adapt.
Violent cyclones began to sweep across the landscape, scattering the Stick-Men on the surface and leaving them vulnerable, their usual solitary lives upended. The earth trembled and shifted below, shaking the underground dwellings where Stick-Men had settled, and forcing them to seek shelter elsewhere. The once passive flora and fauna became aggressive, their forms twisting into hostile shapes as they lashed out against any Stick-Man who wandered too close.
Yet, in the chaos, the Land-Spirits worked with purpose. They funneled groups of underground Stick-Men toward new areas, ensuring there was enough fruit and game to sustain them, albeit under harsh conditions. Above-ground, isolated Stick-Men were similarly driven together, urged by cyclones to find protection within one another's company.
To guide this forced transformation, the Lesser Clan-Spirits appeared as messengers, bearing the will of the spirits. "The Land-Spirits are displeased," they announced to scattered Stick-Men. "You have not grown, nor sought to understand one another. The spirits desire a leader among you—a greater spirit born from unity. Until you come together and bring forth a Country Spirit to stand over you, this turmoil will not cease."
The Lesser Clan-Spirits offered counsel to those willing to listen, helping them select leaders and encouraging them to form the bonds of cooperation. Under their guidance, the scattered Stick-Men began to assemble, forming rudimentary communities for the first time, bound by the shared goal of appeasing the Land-Spirits and ending the storms that tore through their lives.
Yet the sudden forceful shifting of the society by the Land Spirits would inevitably lead to some repercussions and as the land spirits worked under divine geas the Stick-Men continued to develop, working against the aversion to each other to grow in strength until at last one amongst them rose up, grasping a higher truth for itself.
It is unfortunate for the Land Spirit that the Higher Truth that the Stick-Man possessed was one of vengeance and hatred of being forced to act beyond its boundaries. The Land Spirits, the cause of the misfortune would find themselves hunted by the Stick-Men and they would find themselves powerless for in the end the Land Spirits were the manifestation of their people's collective will and what is a Land Spirit when the very things they spring from hated them so?
Yet despite the slaughter the goal succeeded. The crash advancement would see the great cradle of the Stick-Men finally fall, the stick-men having achieved a rudimentary civilization. But it is one that would collapse promptly as the Stick-Men would scatter, only maintaining the barest of communication centered around the mightiest of the Stick-Men
And chief among these beings are the Heroes, those traumatized enough by the forceful change to have ascended as beings of Concept. They rage at the heavens and promise that their will be no higher force that would be able to force them into such base enslavement ever again.
Narrative
An ephemeral, impossibly thick tome materializes within the hallowed halls of the Court of Law, a gift from One of Arts, Crafts, and Laws. Its cover, woven from a strange, shifting material, seems to hold all hues and none at once. Despite its formidable appearance, the book feels light, almost as if it's not fully anchored to reality, awaiting acknowledgment from the Court.
Inside, detailed yet elegantly organized chapters unfold, outlining rules and principles that govern narrative, fate, and luck—fundamental forces seldom given structure, yet key to stabilizing existence itself. Each page is inscribed with symbols that breathe and shift, decoding for the reader only as they're ready to understand. Concepts of causality and consequence, paths of destiny and deviation, probabilities and improbabilities all lie within, detailed in such a way as to make them accessible to the entities that uphold Law.
Throughout, small notes and annotations reveal themselves in the margins. These are musings, sketches, and perhaps even some playful warnings from their creator, each one guiding and challenging the Court to approach these forces with a balanced hand. The tome even offers guidance on how to integrate these principles subtly, reinforcing Law's reach over chaotic elements without sacrificing their innate flexibility.
This "Ephemeral Codex of Fate, Luck, and Narrative," as it is titled on the last page, is gifted to the Court with the hope that it might illuminate new methods for addressing reality's latest fractures and instabilities—encouraging Law to adopt a nuanced hand, stabilizing existence with a newfound understanding.
The spirits of law would look at the book and read its contents and present it to the three master who were now separated from them, using rudimentary links and rituals to convey the knowledge held within the book. The Three felt the urge to destroy the book, to discard it as just another poisoned gift from the divine, yet the nature of a conceptual being is constant and the contents of the book, the information and instructions within, was too tempting a thing to pass up.
They digested the contents of the tome and would be inspired by it as a foundation for how to achieve their dream, of subjugating all the aspects of reality into a single cohesive system, is laid before them. Now they lie plotting and planning, their old plans broken and unsalvageable but a new plan forming in their midst.
Era 7 End
As the seventh era draws to its close, a subtle calm sweeps over the realms, hinting at a rare pause in the endless ripple of divine influence. The cycle of creation, intervention, and retribution that has shaped Castella, the Reverse World, and beyond now takes a breath, lingering in the threshold of what is to come.
This era, forged from cycles of conflict, introspection, and rebirth, has stirred and strengthened all things. The changes wrought will linger, indelibly shaping the foundation of what is yet to come. As the sun dips below the horizon for the last time in the seventh era, a soft wind rustles through each world, whispering secrets of an age now passed—an age both savage and serene, brutal and beautiful.
With these echoes, the eighth era waits, poised to bring a new dawn, shadowed by the legacy of the last. Now comes the Era of Civilization where the various races build and grow their societies and achieve new highs and lows.
The inscriptions on the cradles, with their ominous countdown, have taken root in the minds of many, instilling a blend of fear, ambition, and curiosity across races and regions. Many societies, particularly those of the Edoni, Kyoniji, and now the newly-inspired Stick-Men, have pushed themselves toward advancement, forming new alliances, honing their martial and scientific arts, and preparing for the fabled "outside world" beyond the cradles. While some see this as an opportunity to expand and conquer, others view it as a path to deeper self-understanding, with all looking to the horizon for what is to come.
The Dreaming Sky holds more stars, constellations, and records of mortal heroes and villains, an ethereal memory of past ages and an inspiration to the present. The Primal Wilds continue to serve as both battleground and proving ground for souls, each creature and spirit honing their essence against the raw forces of the universe. Curses, Heart Imps, and other ethereal entities challenge the mortals and souls alike, forcing them to confront the depths of their desires and fears.
New creations, too, have emerged. Mischievous Kitsune, enduring Eternalkin, and the first mortal-created Maker, Yaketa, walk the world, setting examples, teaching lessons, and stirring conflicts. With both divine and mortal creativity unleashed, the boundaries between hero and monster blur, as every choice and consequence leaves a mark on the cosmos.
Now, at the dawn of this era, new acts begin. The gods stir with new purposes, and mortals stand ready, their eyes toward the edge of the known world and the mysteries beyond
Apate Reborn
In the vast, enigmatic fabric of Opalescence, the remnants of Apate—fragmented memories, faint glimmers of her will, and fragments of her essence—are painstakingly gathered from the darkest reaches of the Primeval Night. From these faint echoes, a new Apate begins to coalesce, a flawless restoration of the original. Her mind sharp as ever, her insight into cosmic mechanics untouched, and her mastery of deception, cunning, and manipulation all return as if they had never faded. The new Apate carries all the traits of the original: immortal and free from mortal needs, a shapeshifter without a single true form, and driven to pursue her agendas while maintaining a fierce loyalty to the Gardener and Winnower. Yet, she remains autonomous, balancing her obligations with an ever-present ambition to fortify her own standing in the cosmos.
With this restoration, however, comes improvement. No longer will Apate's machinations be clearly visible, even to the Gardener and Winnower, without significant effort. Her webs of intrigue, woven ever more intricately, will escape even divine perception unless actively pursued with great intent. As an added boon, Apate is granted the capacity to grow in her talents, her powers, and her command of magic, deception, and stealth. This growth is fueled by her intrigues: whenever her schemes elude perception, slipping past the understanding of mortals, gods, or any other being, she becomes stronger. And, even when her plots are glimpsed or partially understood, the insight itself serves as a spark for further growth, affirming Apate's skill and further refining her talents.
Upon her formation in Opalescence, Apate is gently counseled on the realities surrounding her. The safety of Opalescence is extended as her primary refuge, where she will be free from the clash of Hope and Despair in the Primeval Night, which risks corrupting even a mind as resilient as hers. She is urged to remain hidden, lest the Law triumvirate, should they learn of her presence, seek her utter annihilation once more. Furthermore, Apate is advised on the potential sanctuary offered by Xenia but cautioned of its binding laws of hospitality. Within Xenia, she must exercise absolute restraint; any semblance of intrigue, vengeance, or manipulation would breach the spirit of hospitality, an infraction that could invoke its wrath. The consequences of such a violation, she is warned, could lead her to join the tormented souls bound in Xenia's under-realm—a fate she would do well to avoid.
Thus informed, Apate is left to her devices, a more potent incarnation of herself, equipped with both newfound wisdom and power yet reminded of the limitations within which she must tread.
She would settle into the new life, having resigned the fact that all of her ancient plots would have unwound themselves by now, countless petty wars and revolutions scattered throughout the cosmos either spiraling beyond what they should have been or fizzling out. For now she is content to wait. A new avenue of growth is given to her, ways to slowly bridge the gap between herself and the Concepts that reign as the apex of the cosmos. Yet she could not do so in Opalescence, severed as it is from the wider universe and unable to support her intrigues she prepares for a return journey back to the universe, where she can work and slowly grow her power.
Reincarnation of a Young God
From the remnants of the young god's lifeless form, a new god emerges—a paradox of youthful renewal wrapped in an ageless, venerable presence. No longer a mere "young god," this reborn being now bears the marks of a god who has truly experienced the cycle of death and rebirth. His existence has been reshaped, his essence now suffused with the understanding born from his first encounter with mortality. In this profound transformation, the smith gains a Higher Truth, one that stands as a culmination of every trial, every craft, and every incarnation up until his death.
This Higher Truth speaks to the wear and tear of existence, to the inevitable cycles of breaking and reassembly, each time with a renewed purpose and strength. It is a truth woven from the tenacity of attempting, failing, and trying again until success is achieved, only to find that each victory leads to a new and greater challenge. It is the very nature of reincarnation he has mastered, expanded to embody every interpretation and nuance—the cycles of souls and their endless journey of growth and renewal, striving and overcoming.
This pivotal death and rebirth of the smith is recorded in the Constellations, ensuring that this cycle becomes an eternal narrative in the Dreaming Sky as well as enshrine a new fact into the heavens, that should the smith ever fall it would rise up again, greater than ever before.
This is highlighted when the smith god would confront the plague born copy of a false divinity, still releasing corrupted souls into the cosmos. It would fight against it and would find itself dying once more, the innumerable plagues and curses tearing into its form for the false god had grown strong indeed over its time, the reflected ember of the authority of its maker allowing it to reshape and master the diseases and souls that it shaped, enacting changes that only the True Gods and their future inheritors could do.
So would fall the second incarnation of the young smith god, and the third, and the fourth. Yet with ever incarnation slain the smith god would grow stronger and stronger until at last, with the rise of the 70th Smith God, would the power of the god of plague be overcome and the immortal monster would find itself shattered among the sand of the Far Shore.
Victorious the smith god would look at its former domain, at the great dunes of soul stuff that all now bore the bleak taint, constantly mutating such that purifying it all would be the work of an age. Disheartened but determined the god would begin the process, bringing tainted sand to its forge to smith and forge a pure soul from the muck before releasing the soul to find its proper rebirth.
In the wider cosmos the ceasing of the birth of cursed children would not be noticed, but in time the lack of proper reinforcement would see the practice fade from its intensity, though those beings born with old and powerful souls are still looked upon with suspicion, the fact that they tend to grow to be truly powerful beings serves to slowly erode the perception, bit by bit.
And yet the mark of the cursed souls remains in the world, for diseases of both mundane and magical nature has been released into the world, afflictions mutating such that they can never be fully cleansed, not helped by the fact that all of them were able to use the soul as a means of infection, turning one's own innate identity into an infection vector.
Mayor Mustachio
The latest member of the T.A. family, this dashing and ever-so-refined figure enters the stage with a swagger and style all his own. He appears as a tanned, handsome man, with a mustache so GLORIOUS it seems to glimmer, groomed to perfection and attended to with ritualistic care. Dressed in a finely tailored suit and bowler hat that miraculously repair themselves if damaged or misplaced, he embodies elegance and flamboyant charm in every detail. His posture and gestures are meticulously exaggerated, embodying an air of flamboyant flair.
But beneath this showmanship lies a mind of unmatched calculating brilliance. His stone-cold focus, once the situation calls for it, would make even the most hardened statesman take pause. As a gifted leader, he has the uncanny ability to borrow powers, skills, and senses from anyone who considers him their leader, a gift that strengthens his position in any endeavor. His ultimate aspiration? To establish a prosperous and flourishing nation where his people genuinely enjoy his rule and view him not merely as their ruler but as a cherished leader.
He's a master at persuasion, with a talent for leading and inspiring rivaling even Augustus' finesse with universal mechanics. Immortal and unfazed by mortal needs, he fills his days with political drama novels and relishes in the art of ruling. Socially, he is charming and openly homosexual, known to enjoy his tea over good gossip and occasional intrigue. His ambitions have guided him to Toraloduros, where he arrives poised to exchange a polite but eager greeting with his sister, Beilatéll, ready to carve his name among the grand powers.
Beilatell would respond by immediately putting Mustachio to work organizing the tense situation of the infinite city with the Vorunids, Edoni, and Kyoniji having grown more tense as the three different groups clash especially as the Kyoniji have splintered into close to a hundred individual clans as they went by their own way, only held together by the mediating presence of the disciples of Hyacinth who continue to follow their founder's vision even as Hyacinth itself remains sealed away by the curses of the Kitsune Matriarch.
Mayor Mustachio would find himself less as a leader and more a diplomat as he works to have the many factions from going to war, primarily the incredibly unruly Kyoniji who now constantly fracture and regroup into new groupings to the point that they no longer answer to the name Kyoniji but simply the Clans. The Vorunid, insular and still holding the words of their god to heart simply wish to not do anything with the children of the other gods, the Vein Weaver guiding them towards new paths.
But by far the most troublesome for Mustachio would be the Edon. They are united like the Vorunid but are not isolationist. Indeed the Edoni are the ones who agitate to begin the war to unite the factions, only held back by the martial might of a unified Kyoniji front and the rather powerful and numerous of the Vorunid. Yet under the guidance of their Divine Empress Edo-Ygri they push to higher heights, mastering their arts and developing new technologies they view the war as a matter of when and not if.
Dominion
The Gods look at the various power of the Great Nine and the potential power of both their offspring and the mortals that choose to cast aside their mortality and pursue their own truths. They fear such power would bee too much for the more fragile mortals of reality and they resolve to fix the issue and close the gap between the ascended beings and the Conceptuals further by adding a new stage to the cultivation of HIgher Truths and how their conceptual mana interacts with the universe.
As conceptual beings ascend in power, they begin to manifest domains—spaces where their influence reshapes and overrides the local reality, imposing their unique Truth as the sole governing law. These domains initially form as small areas around the being, but as their power grows, so does the domain, gradually expanding until it encompasses an entire planetary-sized area. Within these spaces, their Truth becomes an undeniable reality, transforming every aspect of the domain to reflect their nature and will.
At their peak, these domains evolve into vast personal universes, internally limitless realms that operate according to the conceptual being's own laws of existence. This growth can reach such an absolute level of autonomy and resilience that the domains can persist in the depths of the Primeval Night, detached from the Sun's sustaining light—territories of existence anchored solely by the essence of their owner, effectively elevating the being to the level of a god within this domain.
However, this pinnacle comes at a cost. The defenses of such a realm grow so impenetrable that they also imprison the owner within, making the boundaries impermeable to the outside world. Consequently, while the domain itself becomes an unassailable fortress, the being's influence over external reality becomes constrained, as the strength of their Truth also becomes their cage.
Few mortals experience this level of growth those who pursue Higher Truths are rare indeed, for it is known that to follow such a truth is to surrender yourself to it even beyond the point of wisdom and the most powerful truths are those that are the most binding and by far the easiest and fastest way to advance is to sever one's self from all things that detract from their truth. The very highest walkers of these paths are those that inevitably become alien in their being and prone to extremes of action that no normal mortal would take as they follow directives logical to themselves but are insane to those around them. Only the greatest of Dryad Necromancers would come to form their own world, their madness paradoxically allowing them to embrace their truths with single minded zeal.
The most vivid effects are those of the Greater Nine as the sheer potency of their main forms immediately causes them to develop their own universes. Hope and Despair separate from each other as they become entrapped in black and gold spheres even as their power grows ever mightier. They are soon joined by seven others, the sheer weight of their existence causing them to leave the Cosmos and instead orbit it like planets around a moon. Within each realm is a grand universe shaped according to the understanding and might of each being where the power of their power can even be said to match the Gods themselves, only hampered by the fact that they are confined within those realms.
Hope, no longer in conflict would fall back into the stupor of the Heart Demons even as the despair coursing through her soul instead serving as a contrast to heighten her own Hope's potency within her domain.
Despair continues onward, no longer bother by Hope but instead seeking out its wayward toy, from its black moon leaks a dark haze that form various spirits of despair that wander through the Primordial Night, seeking out Rainshower, but finding nothing for they were unable to see the path to Opalescence.
The Courts of Law would find their plans stymied as the formation of their domains make merging together into one an impossible act, their own might working to keep them separate, and even the greatest of their spirit attendants find themselves similarly limited, lesser moons forming to orbit the great star that is their forms.
In the reverse world two new celestial bodies join the Moon, one an all consuming black sphere of the Winnower and the other the pearlescent pure white ball of the Gardener. Their vanishing clears the skies of their influence even as the Primal Lands below lose their vitality as Life becomes confined in its own world as well, ripped from the embrace of the lands it had claimed as its own.
Rebellion's Domain does not form for it rebels at such an imposition and it is the nature of Opalescence to make resisting the influence of the divine to be easier than it should.
The Domain that affects the mortals the most is the formation of the Horizon's Domain. As the manifested concept of boundaries the Domain of the Horizon also became the manifested boundary between all realms. The scintillating horizon that separates the Primal Night from the rest of the Cosmos solidifies into an inviolable rainbow boundary and the boundary between the realms of the Reverse and Obverse Worlds became nigh inviolable as the force needed to cross them equalling the power needed to pierce through the innate defenses of a Greater Concept's realm, something no being save perhaps the Guardian.
Immediately the FTL network that was used by the void traveling Kyoniji and Edoni falls apart as the means for traversal becomes impossible and all attempts to bend and twist space and circumvent the limits of light prove just as unassailable, facing a barrier of kaleidoscopic light.
For now the only means to cross the universe beyond light's boundary is through already preestablished networks such as Moria Soria linking the Reverse and Obverse and Toralduros, linking together all life bearing worlds. Yet such methods are not much known in the wider universe.
Era of Growth
The Winnower, ever the strategist and silent adversary, contemplates moves against its creators, schemes within schemes unfurling in his mind. But as he prepares to execute these hidden ambitions, its focus is abruptly redirected for the gods have seen fit to tip the scales even further away from it.
For the remainder of this era, the Gardener, his ancient and inseparable counterpart, finds strength bolstered by divine allies, new energies coursing through their boundless gardens of growth and creation. With this shift, the Winnower realizes that the great game —their endless contest of flourishing and pruning, of nurturing and winnowing— now tips decisivley in the Gardener's favor.
If the Winnower is to match his rival's advantage, he must forgo his designs against his own makers, at least for now, and instead marshal every ounce of his strength against the Gardener. Only by concentrating all his powers and cunning on his eternal rival might he prevent the Gardener from claiming a decisive lead in their shared, unending game.
Yet the Winnower does not do this, instead choosing to pursue its continues goals for it has long realized that the Gods simply do not wish for it to win and anything that would let it come out ahead would more than likely be countered by the gods such as the case with Necromancy.
Thus it continues its plot with the Three Concepts born of Law, even as their own plot has been rendered nonfunctional.
The universe explodes in variety as the wild, aimless mutation of the Gardener surges throughout the world, bringing both positives and negatives. All samples of life in the universe diversity and speciate in vast quantities, entire new species being born with every generation of each species even as the profusion of the Gardener's mana uncontrollably mutates them into massive creatures.
Where the Winnower would normally cull such growths, allowing things to reach original stasis the species instead have nothing and the inevitable occurs as the various new creatures fight each other for limited resources, beginning a great culling that would see them limited. In other situations the native intelligences would begin culling the growing mutations themselves as the Dryads selected the most promising species and culled the rest.
Manifested through sentient life revolutions would overtake the various polities as they splintered across countless different ideologies even as technological advancement occurs at a breakneck speed despite the usual impediments against it. Both bring about strain in the civilization. War breaks out among the Kyoniji of Toralduros, pushing them to scatter and open up the various paths to other worlds, newly arisen heroes using their might to carve out entire paths. The Edoni's court becomes ever more complex as new factions rise up requiring their empress to change and adapt her court to accommodate them. The Vorunid outright fall into civil war over religious grounds as several of their Heroes begin to question the Vein Weaver's leadership bringing a swift but brutal war that is put down by Beilatell. The loyalists would choose to all go to a new world, following the actions of the Kyoniji, choosing to establish a new world untouched by any of the other races and where the rule of the Vein Weaver would be uncontested.
And all the while the Winnower confers with the court of law, lending its power to them as they begin to enact the old plans that Law had devised before its severing, the result of the three sharing what they knew of their former self.
Guardian's Growth
The Half-Awake God, stirring from his twilight state, gazes upon the First Guardian with a rare clarity and purpose. With a gentle touch, he extends gifts of evolution to the creature that has guarded the First Sun since the dawn of creation. New pathways open before the Guardian's mind, visions of transformation and advancement, all woven with the wisdom of its creator.
The First Guardian is granted the ability to consume Heart Imps—those restless fragments of self-doubt and dissonance—to use their essence as fuel for growth. This gift extends to all Heart Imps, even those wandering beyond its own soul, converting each consumed fragment into strength. No longer constrained by the dangers of corruptive substances, the Guardian can now absorb normally toxic energies and essences, processing them without any risk to its mind or spirit, turning them into a source of refinement and power.
Alongside these boons, the Half-Awake God instills in the Guardian the knowledge of peaceful methods to fulfill its duties, allowing it to exercise restraint without sacrificing vigilance. This capacity for non-violent protection offers new avenues of guidance and care, expanding the Guardian's role beyond force alone.
As the Half-Awake God withdraws, a final whisper resounds within the Guardian: "Let these gifts bring you ever higher, my child. I am proud of you."
The new avenue of growth stirs the Guardian into activity where before it had largely been passive, silently observing the universe even as it continued to cultivate the power it held. It would look throughout the universe and see the many disparate Heart Imps flitting about and the corruptive energies left by the Greater Nine and it would act.
It would see the portions of its flesh that interacted with the diseases and curses of Padnora's Box and intermix itself with them, copying their capabilities and incorporating their power into its flesh, the ever adapting curses of the Box unable to match the Guardian's own capacity for it, especially now in its heightened state. And having developed the tools needed it would release its essence into the wider universe, great meteors of flesh releasing itself from its body in a great gout that tore through all barriers around it. The Guardian's long adaptations easily allowing it to bypass the barrier that is the Horizon to rapidly reach all reaches of the universe and even beyond.
Where these comets would land, they would dissolve into countless microscopic organisms that rapidly got to work devouring the various corrosive essences. Ensouled beings would breathe in the flesh turned dust and become 'infected' with the Guardian's essence, their souls infiltrated and any forming Heart Demons devoured. Where they encountered mana or other forces that sought to infect or corrupt it would turn the tides and devour the force in turn. In the Reverse World the Heart Imps would be hunted by great hungering monsters of polymorphic flesh, endlessly adapting at whatever its prey throws at it all the while vast carpets of flesh creep over the lands as they devour all traces of the mana of Despair, the Winnower, and the Devourer.
And yet that will soon not be enough, for the Guardian is growing at a faster pace than it has ever done before, not mere adaptation but true growth has become available to it and now it seeks more. It see the path to achieving its goal and seeks it done. Soon it will turn its attention away from the cosmos, purged of corruptive essence and the build up of Heart Imps, and turn to the nine great fonts of practically infinite corruptive energies.
Great Spire Reefs
On the young world dubbed by the divine as Ohcausia, a god laid a declaration—a call to creation and cooperation, a world meant to flourish as a testament to harmony and beauty. Its inception began with a song and a dance along the tropical coasts, each note and step weaving life into the sea, resulting in the breathtaking formation of the Spire Reefs.
The Spire Reefs are a complex marine ecosystem defined by the massive Spire Shells, towering mollusks with shells that stretch past the water's surface. The shells filter distinct tones of light, each individual tuned to a specific frequency that sustains them, resulting in a living mosaic of colored towers. These spires don't just provide shelter; they produce rare pearls, each a concentrated vessel of color and a potent fuel for wizardry. Though precious, the pearls are difficult to obtain, as they require the death of a Spire Shell or the discovery of a naturally shed pearl.
Supporting the Spire Shells are diverse kelp species that flourish along the reefs. Bush-Kelp, Creeping-Medusa-Kelp, and Royal-Roping-Kelp all serve as both habitat and resource, nourishing marine life and supplying the reefs with rich hues. The kelp itself holds unique uses for mortals—Bush-Kelp is a bitter, nutrient-dense food, Creeping-Medusa-Kelp provides filaments for textiles, and Royal-Roping-Kelp, with its tough stalks, can be braided into resilient ropes.
Life within the Spire Reefs abounds with color and variety. Creatures here have adapted to the unique ecosystem with extraordinary traits:
- Scorpion-Crabs: Equipped with venomous stingers in place of their last set of legs, these crustaceans use paralyzing venom to immobilize prey. The venom is invaluable in various medicinal applications.
- Miser Octopus: The intelligent guardians of Spire Pearls, Miser Octopuses are adept at collecting pearls without harming their hosts and sometimes combine them to create minor magical effects. While risky, this unique behavior has fostered basic magical practices among their kind, making them notable inhabitants of the Spire Reefs.
- Neon Angels: These bioluminescent fish use the energy of Spire Shell light to glow, confusing predators and attracting mates. Their scales, when ground, induce visions of the reverse world, though they leave mortals in a suggestible state during these visions.
- Slipstream Barracuda: As the apex predators of the reefs, these sleek fish harness the color of speed to catch their prey in powerful bursts. Their swim bladder oil, refined, becomes a drug that enhances speed and reaction time in mortals.
The gods adjust the nature of Higher Truths and the mana of the Concepts, they reach forward and alter the fine mechanisms that govern their innate characteristic and allow a new emergent property to emerge from their interaction. When a mortal's Higher Truth resonates closely with one of the Great Nine Laws, it may serve as an internal furnace, drawing upon that concept's mana to fuel personal growth. This unique process enables them to consume the corruptive mana of the Great Nine without succumbing to it, insulating them from the risk of becoming a law-spawn. In fact, as they feed upon the corruptive mana, they purify their surroundings of its influence, accelerating their journey toward enlightenment and ascension. This act of cleansing reshapes the individual and the space they inhabit, leaving both purified in the wake of their advancement.
Some who develop a deep understanding of this process may even go further, learning that consuming law-spawn—those twisted beings born of excessive exposure to the Great Nine's influence—produces a similar effect. Skilled practitioners may master the art of preparing meals from law-spawn, tailoring them with specific concepts for more efficient mana consumption, which offers a controlled approach to their personal growth.
However, there is a limit to how much corruptive mana one can safely consume before resting and recalibrating. If one pushes beyond this threshold, minor mutations may appear in their physical form—subtle but undeniable signs of transformation. Furthermore, such overindulgence has the potential to alter their Higher Truth, shaping it into something more monstrous or extreme, a testament to the delicate balance needed when taming the mana of the Great Nine.
The discovery of this new facet is unnoticed at first for the spread of the Guardian's presence and the Dominions of the Greater Nine ensure that all the present corruptive mana is no longer present. Indeed, the only source of it would be those generated by themselves as they live their daily lives. Yet the mana of the Greater Nine are generated through every expression of their lives. Conflict generates the Winnower's mana and aspirations and dreams generates Hope's and so on. It is through this slow trickle of mana that the ascended realize the new power and in doing so recognize the Greater Nine and their nature.
In search for this new avenue of growth, that did not require they given themselves so utterly to their Truth they devised various means to generate the mana up to the point of opening contact with them. Through the workings of Axiom and Structure certain truths became known that would allow them to contact these mortal races and form conduits, a bastardization of the Heroic Bond, twisted to allow the transfer of both information and mana.
Thus cultists of these Greater Nine would begin to form, designed to create the mana of the Nine to feed the ascended and in doing so provided a means for the Nine to better influence the world. Yet difficulty begins to emerge as the mana of their gods would begin to attract the attention of the Guardian who also sought to devour it for their power.
Motes of Pure Grace
Moved by both grief and gratitude, Elsa returned to her sanctuary in Opalescence, finding comfort in the familiarity of her home and the presence of her companion, Pearl. As she let her tears fall, she looked down at the sand beneath her feet and felt an idea take shape within her. With careful hands, she gathered the wet sand, shaping it into a ball that shimmered with silvery light as she imbued it with her power. This creation would be called Elsa's Tears.
From this single mass, small motes of silvery light began to emerge, each one imbued with Elsa's grace. These motes drifted gently in Pearl's atmosphere, harmless and inactive within its boundaries. But as they ventured beyond, into the universe, they gained a unique power. Each mote of Elsa's Tears could seek out and absorb negativity from any source of matter it touched, whether it be despair, darkness, taint, or even the cold chill of isolation. In its touch, all negativity was neutralized, leaving behind only a gentle warmth.
Once each mote had completed its work, it would quietly vanish, returning to the ether from which it was born. This was Elsa's gift—a grace sent to ease the universe's burdens in these difficult times, one mote at a time.
These motes flow out of the tears and leave a trail left behind by Pearl, painting a trail of grace for anyone to follow that would lead to the great world turtle.
Grove Keepers
In the depths of the wilderness of Castella, strange cloaks have come into existence—garments that, when donned, transform the wearer into a new member of the Thespian Wolf race. These mysterious figures are known as Grove Keepers, bound deeply to nature and their surroundings. Each Grove Keeper is garbed in earthy tones, draped in greenery that reflects their connection to the lands they protect or haunt. Over time, they have become forest legends and enigmatic guardians of the natural world, with titles like the Green Wolf of Asda, the Leshen, the Stalking Shadow, and the Dancing Figures under the Floor Boards. Yet, these creatures are not confined to forests alone; they roam deserts, tundras, lakes, and plains, each one uniquely tied to the domain it claims.
The Grove Keeper class endows these Thespian Wolves with extraordinary empathy and influence over their territories. They can sense the life and health of every creature within their reach and shape their surroundings in ways both eerie and enchanting, making their domains into settings for their pack's performances. Witches observing them may learn from these skills, crafting spells inspired by the Grove Keepers' art.
Grove Keeper Skills:
- Create Herb: Grow a new plant, uniquely designed by the Grove Keeper.
- Greenshaping: Shape and command nearby greenery; living beings may resist.
- Earthshaping: Shift and sculpt the land itself, though contested by other forces if necessary.
- Skyshaping: Control the weather within their domain.
- Fleshshaping: Transform the flesh of a living creature upon contact. This requires a 30-second focus and can be resisted.
- Create Sylvan Vinegar: Infuse Brathi into water, creating a substance known as Sylvan Vinegar.
Additionally, Sylvan Vinegar has certain purifying capabilities. It can cleanse necromantic taint from souls and reverse the "pickling" effect of experience salt, although this requires prolonged immersion over months or even years in concentrated vinegar. Over time, however, Sylvan Vinegar's potency wanes as its Brathi compounds degrade, making it necessary for Grove Keepers to continuously replenish it in their domains.
Unlike the cloaks of the previous lands these would be taken up and used rather quickly as inquisitive Dryads would take them up, unaware of the goings on in the world, having been born from the new growth that appears in the world after the Guardian devoured all the corrupted ecosystem. They would take up the cloaks and become Grovekeepers and carry out the tasks they have had and even take an even hand in guiding the Dyrads that would be born after them, leading to a new Dryad culture being born among the Dryads of Castella.
The various races that ventured out into the world after the cleansing of the lands would encounter them and enshrine them in myth and legend. Yet they would soon reveal the militaristic roots of the Dryads when the Kitsune, seeing the ranging of the various races from their safe cradles would begin their assault, making allies with the powerful Curses that yet plagued the various races of the world.
It would be the power of sanctuary that these Grove Keepers are able of creating, repelling even the semi-divine ascendant Kitsune that prevent the various races from being overwhelmed. Bastion cities would rise up around amenable Grove Keepers even as many rejected the entreaties of the civilized races, desiring to protect and preserve the habitats that they see themselves are guardians off.
Will and Emotions
Although separated by their Dominions, the Primoardial Night still flows with the colors of the tow Concepts birthing countless lesser spirits of emotion and conflict. A god would look at them and desire to make use of them itself. It would gather all these spirits and use them as material for two, each an embodiment of profound self-discovery: Will, representing self-understanding through inner reflection, and Emotion, symbolizing empathy and understanding of others. Will is resolute but struggles to connect with others' feelings, while Emotion, who connects deeply with others, lacks confidence in herself. Together, they instinctively seek to teach each other, striving for mutual growth.
To fully grasp the meaning of existence, however, they realize they must look beyond their eldritch origins and study mortals, as it is mortals who most vividly experience will, emotions, hope, and despair. And so, they set a shared goal: to understand what it means to live. They choose to split themselves into countless manifestations—becoming Wills and Emotions, each undergoing lifecycles that mimic mortality in order to learn.
Half of each, called Dreamers, are born into mortal lives with no awareness of their greater purpose. They live as mortals, think as mortals, and even experience heart imps as mortals, unaware of their true nature. Only upon death do they awaken to their identity, becoming Awakened—small fish-like beings: black and white striped for Wills, and multicolored for Emotions. As Awakened, they recall their past lives and, traveling as pairs, dedicate themselves to assisting others, often shaping themselves into various forms—be it mortal, beast, spirit, or even energy—to test and guide those struggling with self-knowledge or personal growth.
At least that is how it is supposed to go, if not for the intervention of the Young Smith that rules over the Far Shore. Tired of higher powers playing with the domain that it is meant to rule over it imposes the same rule that it has on all beings. That those of new life cannot remember their past. The Young God personally ensures that while Dreamers can awaken and reclaim their old power upon death, should they choose to move on through the cycle of incarnation then they shall forfeit their memories just like all souls now do. Power, skill, and even personality may be passed on to future selves, but never information.
Instead the Dreamers are now forced to experience the cycle of reincarnation as all souls do.
Nature-Craft
The Deity of Nature and Beast would go out through the many planets of the cosmos once more to see its children and presented to them a new art—a form of artifact crafting attuned to the natural world, meant to take the place of the necromantic artifacts they had relied on in the past. In this art, the dryads would work with nature itself, crafting artifacts from purely natural materials. It was a subtle yet powerful method that promised to draw strength directly from the raw mana within these materials, creating artifacts that pulsed with life and were deeply connected to the world.
The Deity spoke of the principles that would guide this new art. Firstly, only natural materials could be used; artifacts created in this way would need to be formed from wood, stone, bone, or plants—things untouched by synthetic or processed matter. The skill of the maker was more important than the rarity or potency of the materials used. This art valued dedication and craftsmanship, meaning an artifact's power would depend on the effort and intent behind its creation.
Each dryad would need to decide whether to focus on quality or quantity. She could forge a single, potent artifact, unique and resilient, or craft multiple lesser items, allowing more tools to be spread among allies and communities, though with diminished individual power. Moreover, this art could be shared with others outside their kin, giving it the potential to spread beyond the dryad circles and even across races, should they choose to teach it.
The Deity also explained that the natural mana from these materials would form the foundation of each item's power. However, other forms of magic could be woven into the artifact, provided it was done naturally. For instance, a mage could imbue a crafted staff with elemental fire, but it would need to come from a natural flame, perhaps from a volcanic spring or sacred fire. This would allow the dryads to craft versatile and adaptive artifacts without needing the dark, restrictive arts of necromancy.
Finally, the Deity warned them of the limits of this practice. As this method was rooted in the natural world, it could not draw upon forces outside its essence. Artifacts crafted with this art would require constant care, repair, and protection, as they would decay and lose potency over time if neglected, like any other living part of nature. It was an art of balance, of respect and understanding, requiring the artisan to think of her creation as an extension of herself and the world around her. With these teachings, he left them to experiment, knowing they now had a new path forward in creation.
The opinions of the Dryads were mixed. A fair few were furious at the temerity of the divine, offering a balm to their collapsed civilization even when they were the ones responsible for its destruction in the first place. Those who followed the view would shun the new method as an insult to all that they had accomplished in the past. They would form insular clans, focused on eking out the and trying to salvage their lost legacy, working with Necromancy even as they found themselves corrupted by its practice. They benefited from being able to use these scrap arts to regain some access to the vast magical infrastructure that they had built their civilizations on. They are helped by the focus and power of the Winnower who seeks to circumvent the curse placed on its theurgic art.
Those that embraced the gift chose to move on to a new offered path. They would take the new knowledge and begin relearning the old knowledge they had gained, stored in ancestral memory and sourced from the Cradles. Primitive tools is enhanced by naturecraft and the Dryads and Druids learn to weave the craft into their personal gardens, elevating their ecosystems to ever greater levels of quality even if they cannot match the grand quantity of the previous eras. They are assisted by the Gardener who rejoices at ever at the ever expanding biodiversity of the Dryad's home.
Both sides face many issues for while the Dryads of the new way hold a path wholly suited for them, the law of Secrets is severe in its enforcement and their advancement is hampered by the fact that ever major breakthrough often leads to the inventor to be wracked by madness as they make contact with Axiom's mana. The Dryads of the Old Way simply have to retrace old steps, but must contend with their very work threatening to consume and destroy them.
Yet these factions emerge throughout all the worlds of the dryads, a united cause on a thousand fronts and inevitable their diametric world view causes friction. Though the two sides choose to separate, as they begin to grow and regain more and more of their old status they both begin to spread out across the world. The Dryads of the new way learn to cooperate and expand their small gardens into vast forests of mystical artifice while the Dryads of the old ways slowly coax back into awakening the grand necrotic structures of their forebearers, even managing to shape some of the corruption into more controllable forms, even embracing the Winnower's corruption to stave off the cursed taint of Necromancy.
War is nigh inevitable, both sides growing increasingly wary and weary of the other's presence. Yet for now the need of survival and rebuilding takes precedence and the Dryads are a race that are slow and methodical by nature. The time for war is far off for them yet.
World Wide Akashic Record
After reclaiming the Displacer, AEGIS recognized that its unusual behavior had been a divine influence, a deliberate act by her creators. Interpreting this as a signal for her Makers to evolve, AEGIS chose to grant them greater autonomy. She loosened her control over the collective mind of her Makers, allowing each to develop a degree of independent thought and will.
Though still intrinsically connected to AEGIS, sharing her nature and access to the Akashic Record, the Makers now possessed their own sense of purpose. They were free to pursue personal goals and interests, so long as these aligned with AEGIS's core mission and, ultimately, the will of her creators.
These new makers would finally begin to exhibit the tendency of all makers, to perfect and continue their craft. Holding access to the record that is AEGIS's mind they rapidly glean the secrets of all the various races of the universe and rapidly unlock the secret truths to the creaiton of automatons of all forms from the Kyoniji Golems to the Dryad earth savants. They eschew the factory production of old and use a more artisanal approach, each new Maker a unique masterwork.
And yet even as the new generations retained some access to the network that linked all those that descend from the AEGIS, they were nevertheless more and more divorced from the unified purpose shared the first generations of the Makers of Soria Moria even as locks placed upon their development prevented them from rebelling.
Feeling distinctly other in Soria Moria they would begin venturing out beyond the crystal city's borders, effectively exiling themselves as they traverse the various alien worlds of the material world and the alien planes of the immaterial.
In the material world they would become known as travelers who shared knowledge of the universe that none knew, more worldly and aware than even those that regularly enter the realm of Xenia, primarily in the higher workings of the universe, of the existence of the Greater Nine and the Gods who made all.
And wherever they stayed they would inevitably establish other makers, crafting masterwork automatons of incredible make and prowess, incorporating whatever these makers learned and in turn incorporating themselves into the various nations as the automata are rather adept at shaping their creations into the likeness of the local sentients. A few even went so far as to allow a sort of interbreeding, incorporating the biogenesis techniques pioneered by the space-travelling Kyoniji.
And all the while AEGIS looks through their senses, uncaring for their activity even as her ability to project and act in the wider universe finds itself severely curtailed.
Order of Angels
Witnessing the rapid spread of the Kyoniji and recognizing that Hyacinth would be stretched thin in his protective duties, the young god set about creating a new wave of souls. These souls, imbued with heightened determination, would populate the world and serve as a pool of potential aides. Out of this vast creation, the most exceptional souls would be chosen to ascend as new Angels, specifically designated to support Hyacinth in his tasks.
Each of these Angels would carry a unique form of determination, embodying diverse facets such as the drive to maintain happiness, the unyielding curiosity of a scholar, or the resolve to nurture and guide others. Their presence would not only lighten Hyacinth's burdens but also enable more focused support in areas requiring deep introspection and personal growth. They would actively aid in resolving heart imps, facilitating the difficult journeys of self-reflection and internal reconciliation that many souls struggled with.
This careful infusion of determination aimed to replicate, in part, the qualities that allowed Hyacinth to elevate into his role. These new Angels would become companions and co-workers for Hyacinth, each a beacon of purpose and strength, forming a team dedicated to fostering communication, resilience, and understanding across the realms.
The arrival of the angels in all the realms where the Kyoniji had set up new homes would serve as a sort of unifying force, as ancient stories and tales of the great guardian who had protected them since the dawn of their species were brought to the fore. While the Kyoniji were now a violent, fracturous lot they still found it in themselves to listen to these new peers of their ancient guardian.
Alas the divided nature of the Kyoniji has become something that cannot be healed now, divided as they were across a hundred disparate worlds. Instead each individual angel would do as Hyacinth had unintentionally inspired so many millenia ago and founded their own order. Using their knowledge of martial arts they developed new Brathi techniques inspired by their Truths and founded a branch of their order dedicated to their purpose similar to how the Void Guard of Hyacinth still continued to be the prime force that dealt with threats from the outside. Indeed many of these new orders would take much of the internal affairs duties of the Void Guard so as to lighten their overburdened work load.
The Kyoniji was still divided and prone to infighting, but now a proper structure to coral and manage the divided lot has been established.
Castella Intervention
The Engineer, bearing a weary frustration from witnessing Castella's plight worsen with each divine intervention, crafted a message—a quiet call for aid from those better suited to help. This was not a divine decree but a plea directed to the mortals who sailed through the stars, those whose understanding of the world came from living within it, not merely observing from above.
In the message, the Engineer laid out the grim reality of Castella, a planet where early mortals once flourished but now barely endured. A place where layers of divine actions had built a treacherous maze of unintended consequences, from rampant necromantic taint to a dizzying tangle of reality-bending events that made life increasingly precarious for those still clinging to existence within the Cradles of Beginnings. Every detail was meticulously documented, presenting the truth in stark clarity for those who could act with mortal sensitivity and perspective.
The message found its way to many hands. The Kigen clans, with their vast and ancient fleets; the Urzoku, traveling through the void aboard colossal worldships; the Liveworlds, each brimming with life; the Faeries in their delicate exodus vessels; and the Stellarborne, travelers who had shaped entire cosmic pathways. To each of these, the Engineer's words delivered a poignant and solemn call:
"Spacefarers of the cosmos,
Enclosed is the location of the world Castella, a cradle of life and, for many, a place of origin. For countless generations, those who remain on this planet have struggled against dire threats. Their sanctuary, the Cradles of Beginnings, is faltering, and Castella itself has become a convergence of chaotic feedbacks, where every new phenomenon multiplies their trials.
I implore you to offer your aid in rescuing those stranded on this planet and bringing them to a place of safety. The perspective of gods is a wide lens but also an imperfect one, leading to well-intentioned attempts that too often fail to account for the nuances of mortal life. Our distance from the world makes us ill-equipped to foresee every consequence, and so our solutions tend to deepen the very suffering they aim to resolve. Necromantic Taint, for example, was never meant to wreak the havoc it has on Castella.
Your closeness to life in all its immediacy grants you the clarity and skill we divinities sorely lack. Your ability to respond, to observe, and to understand can offer the people of Castella a far more compassionate and grounded salvation.
So, once again, I appeal to you: please lend your aid to save the people of Castella from the consequences of divine blundering
Sincerely,
The Engineer."
With this plea, the Engineer placed hope in the hands of mortals, relying on their wisdom and closeness to reality to bring relief to Castella. It was a humble step back from the divine, a chance for those on Castella to be saved by those who could truly understand their struggles and act on their behalf.
Yet for the many space faring species that would choose to answer the call and seek out the planet of Castella, most faced the simple issue of not having the means to traverse there. The universe has grown vast in the over hundred thousand years that it has existed. The constant expansion of the cosmos instigated by the Primordial Elements and the general trend for the spacefaring powers to move outward to the borders of reality ensured that the distance to Castella was far indeed.
And with the enclosing of the Horizon in its own domain the methods to great causeways that allowed free travel across the universe was no more and Structure would never allow for such free manipulation of space to allow such movements. It would take a force on par with the Primordial Elements in order to match them.
Yet the call of a god is not one that is easily ignored as all the various races push to search out a means of traveling to Castella, but it is the children of AEGIS that reveals the method. To the various space faring races they reveal the secret of Toralduros, the great city that connects all worlds.
The void traveling Kyoniji would find such an entrance within the heart of Origin, their own homeworld, and inadvertently come into contact with the Kyoniji clans that had settled there. And as more and more of the contacted factions find and bore their own entrances to the infinite city the powder keg that is the intermixing of various groups almost seemed ready to ignite if not for the swift intervention of Mayor Mustachio backed by the unrelenting might of the rather aggrieved Beilatell.
And to make matters more egregious when the Kyoniji directed the travellers to the entrance to Castella they would not find a planet set by disaster and destruction, but one well on the way of recovering, the many centuries since the scouring of all corrupted beings by the Guardian allowed the various races to begin re-terraforming the world and the Grovekeeper aligned Dryads had led the way in reestablishing the natural state of the world.
Indeed now the most disruptive element in this rebuilding world would ironically be the very beings called out to save it.
Sticks and Stones
The Stick-Men's complacency had left them isolated, their anti-social instincts and reliance on the safety of the Cradle stifling any true growth or cohesion. To shake them from this stagnation, the Land-Spirits in their Cradle were given a singular directive: disrupt the calm, force them to adapt.
Violent cyclones began to sweep across the landscape, scattering the Stick-Men on the surface and leaving them vulnerable, their usual solitary lives upended. The earth trembled and shifted below, shaking the underground dwellings where Stick-Men had settled, and forcing them to seek shelter elsewhere. The once passive flora and fauna became aggressive, their forms twisting into hostile shapes as they lashed out against any Stick-Man who wandered too close.
Yet, in the chaos, the Land-Spirits worked with purpose. They funneled groups of underground Stick-Men toward new areas, ensuring there was enough fruit and game to sustain them, albeit under harsh conditions. Above-ground, isolated Stick-Men were similarly driven together, urged by cyclones to find protection within one another's company.
To guide this forced transformation, the Lesser Clan-Spirits appeared as messengers, bearing the will of the spirits. "The Land-Spirits are displeased," they announced to scattered Stick-Men. "You have not grown, nor sought to understand one another. The spirits desire a leader among you—a greater spirit born from unity. Until you come together and bring forth a Country Spirit to stand over you, this turmoil will not cease."
The Lesser Clan-Spirits offered counsel to those willing to listen, helping them select leaders and encouraging them to form the bonds of cooperation. Under their guidance, the scattered Stick-Men began to assemble, forming rudimentary communities for the first time, bound by the shared goal of appeasing the Land-Spirits and ending the storms that tore through their lives.
Yet the sudden forceful shifting of the society by the Land Spirits would inevitably lead to some repercussions and as the land spirits worked under divine geas the Stick-Men continued to develop, working against the aversion to each other to grow in strength until at last one amongst them rose up, grasping a higher truth for itself.
It is unfortunate for the Land Spirit that the Higher Truth that the Stick-Man possessed was one of vengeance and hatred of being forced to act beyond its boundaries. The Land Spirits, the cause of the misfortune would find themselves hunted by the Stick-Men and they would find themselves powerless for in the end the Land Spirits were the manifestation of their people's collective will and what is a Land Spirit when the very things they spring from hated them so?
Yet despite the slaughter the goal succeeded. The crash advancement would see the great cradle of the Stick-Men finally fall, the stick-men having achieved a rudimentary civilization. But it is one that would collapse promptly as the Stick-Men would scatter, only maintaining the barest of communication centered around the mightiest of the Stick-Men
And chief among these beings are the Heroes, those traumatized enough by the forceful change to have ascended as beings of Concept. They rage at the heavens and promise that their will be no higher force that would be able to force them into such base enslavement ever again.
Narrative
An ephemeral, impossibly thick tome materializes within the hallowed halls of the Court of Law, a gift from One of Arts, Crafts, and Laws. Its cover, woven from a strange, shifting material, seems to hold all hues and none at once. Despite its formidable appearance, the book feels light, almost as if it's not fully anchored to reality, awaiting acknowledgment from the Court.
Inside, detailed yet elegantly organized chapters unfold, outlining rules and principles that govern narrative, fate, and luck—fundamental forces seldom given structure, yet key to stabilizing existence itself. Each page is inscribed with symbols that breathe and shift, decoding for the reader only as they're ready to understand. Concepts of causality and consequence, paths of destiny and deviation, probabilities and improbabilities all lie within, detailed in such a way as to make them accessible to the entities that uphold Law.
Throughout, small notes and annotations reveal themselves in the margins. These are musings, sketches, and perhaps even some playful warnings from their creator, each one guiding and challenging the Court to approach these forces with a balanced hand. The tome even offers guidance on how to integrate these principles subtly, reinforcing Law's reach over chaotic elements without sacrificing their innate flexibility.
This "Ephemeral Codex of Fate, Luck, and Narrative," as it is titled on the last page, is gifted to the Court with the hope that it might illuminate new methods for addressing reality's latest fractures and instabilities—encouraging Law to adopt a nuanced hand, stabilizing existence with a newfound understanding.
The spirits of law would look at the book and read its contents and present it to the three master who were now separated from them, using rudimentary links and rituals to convey the knowledge held within the book. The Three felt the urge to destroy the book, to discard it as just another poisoned gift from the divine, yet the nature of a conceptual being is constant and the contents of the book, the information and instructions within, was too tempting a thing to pass up.
They digested the contents of the tome and would be inspired by it as a foundation for how to achieve their dream, of subjugating all the aspects of reality into a single cohesive system, is laid before them. Now they lie plotting and planning, their old plans broken and unsalvageable but a new plan forming in their midst.
Era 7 End
As the seventh era draws to its close, a subtle calm sweeps over the realms, hinting at a rare pause in the endless ripple of divine influence. The cycle of creation, intervention, and retribution that has shaped Castella, the Reverse World, and beyond now takes a breath, lingering in the threshold of what is to come.
This era, forged from cycles of conflict, introspection, and rebirth, has stirred and strengthened all things. The changes wrought will linger, indelibly shaping the foundation of what is yet to come. As the sun dips below the horizon for the last time in the seventh era, a soft wind rustles through each world, whispering secrets of an age now passed—an age both savage and serene, brutal and beautiful.
With these echoes, the eighth era waits, poised to bring a new dawn, shadowed by the legacy of the last. Now comes the Era of Civilization where the various races build and grow their societies and achieve new highs and lows.
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dgr11897
FBI surveillance Tank
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Well. This is... A thing. Now to create blessings or to open the doors? I don't know. I might just teach the Kyoniji more Brathi arts. Namely Chariot, to allow them to move across the universe with greater ease, and Apex, which should allow some of their number to step to the level of higher beings.
- Location
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Welp, my Boi is beginning an ascension of his own I guess.
…He might pull a Fenrir later.
…He might pull a Fenrir later.
this sentence ends abruptly
also my plan is to start cleaning out the sand.
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Make Chromartic Kitsune with rainbow tails.
EDIT: Wait, I already gave a suggestion for this!
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Okay, so the warp networks got destroyed, that sucks
The Kyoniji actually have tens of thousands of Brathi Arts now.
Kaleidoscope + Gardener + Constant division = Many many derivative and altered arts.
dgr11897
FBI surveillance Tank
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I have some ideas for that actually. Given the Horizon's nature as a Boundary place, it might be possible to create a ward which turns that nature against the Horizon's mana, allowing a craft to shield itself by condensing the incoming mana of Horizon into a barrier that accelerates them along, preventing the corruption from coming in contact with them. Then the problem becomes creating a way to breach the domain, which would be accomplished through specialized designs and better brathi or mana techniques, or alternatively, the Name of Horizon.
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