Lords of Creation: Redux - IC

[Silverhawk]

Mikha, The Void

Mikha looked at the artifact hovering over the planet.......it was ugly and cold. Something was wrong, he knew it. He had been thinking for days for a way to get ride of it. He tried hurling fire at it, but it sucked up the heat of the flames before they touched it. He did not wish to use stronger flames, as he feared for the creations of his brothers and sisters....

Mikha smiled..as he knew that the solution would be simple. Mikha focused his mind and pictured the intense flame that he knew was inside him. He took a small part of it and let it grow. The flame intensified in the hand of Mikha and Mikha started to shape it. More and more the flame started to take the shape of a sphere, small, but with intense heat. Mikha spoke to the flame and said, bless them and protect them. Then he hurled the flame towards the artifact.

Mikha smiled, as he sensed that the artifact was pushed away by his flame. The two spheres started to circle around the planet, as if they where chasing each other. Mikha smiled and sad at the same time. He still did not know who had tried to freeze the planet. He would have to find out.... and then....

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AP 0 = 7 - 7 (Create Artifact: The Sphere of Flame + 3 Blessing)
GP 0 = 12 - 12  DR2

[JPierreD]

An Old Urdimkal, Atlantis

It was one of these days, that seemed to come out of nowhere, at completely random times. One of this days in which the sky would shine, with the cold white glow of the frozen star. It was an irritating light that blinded more than illuminated, and it was always a bad sign. Why? Nobody knew, but it was the general consensus. He'd find out why anyway.

His path had taken him to the site where a particularly savage battle had been waged some seasons ago. Had he decided to spend some time foraging the field, he'd certainly have found remains of the battling armies, like broken shields, rusty swords and such kind of items. Suddenly, the temperature fell harshly, and the white glow turned little by little more... bluish. Yes, he'd never heard of something like that, so he turned back to watch the cursed star, yet what he saw chilled his spine. A group of ethereal-looking Urdimkal soldiers, with seemingly rotten bodies and faces, and damaged clothes, armors and weapons, were advancing towards him. He tried to run, but suddenly saw himself surrounded. When he tried to scream, nothing came out of his throat. He was paralyzed in fear.

"Kiiiiill..." was all he could thought of. He'd been shred to pieces, slowly and painfully. It was incredible the amount of pain one could feel before dying, if he had been able to tell his family about it, none of them would have believed it. Of course he had lost that ability, and was now consumed by an unexplainable anger and desire for vengeance. But it was a blind vengeance, for it was only against the living.

From that day on, whenever The White Curse lit the sky, the ghosts of those who'd have a particularly cruel and painful death would come out of their resting places to strike fear among the mortals.

---

(Curse MR3 - Free from The White Curse)

[Bedwyr]

Ahkram, Hall of Creation

With the defenses of his Hall proceeding nicely, Ahkram decided he could spare more attention for the planet...And he considered all the life, turning away in disgust from the Eyonoi for their crudity, but the rest...Had potential.  The Dragons and Alfar particularly intrigued him, for the first could alter their form, and were thus more supple than the rest, and the Alfar made this music that Ahkram enjoyed so.

The two artifacts that chased each other also intrigued him, and so he created the Twilight University (Create Mortal Artifact) to help the various races learn more of the world around them.  The University perched at one of the poles where the opposing forces of the Fiery and Cold artifacts were balanced, floating on the water that covered the world.  He sent his Ahkrons to guide one of the Dragons to the University and install him as the Revealer of Mysteries.

And then Ahkram decided it was time for another great gift.  The Philosopher-King of the Ahkrons and the Revealer of Mysteries discovered the full mysteries of Magic, and taught them to the Ahkrons and Dragons.  The Ahkrons were then dispatched by their father to spread the knowledge to the rest of the races, save only the Eyonoi whom their father thought little of.

And Ahkram thought...What if the best and brightest of all the races could join into one, to work to discover more of their world?  And so he had his Ahkrons begin testing those they taught, and those that shone brightest, with the potential to be great discoverers, were taken by the Ahkrons to the Twilight University to form the Students of the Teacher, dedicated to the pursuit of understanding (Create Society: Students of the Teacher).

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AP 2 = 5-3: Create Mortal Artifact (Twilight University)

AP 0 = 2-2: Lead Populace x5 (Magic, 3 free from Leader of Men, Ahkram's Compass, and Twilight University), Ahkrons, Alfar, Dragons, Urdimkal, Scraads.

AP 0 = 0-0: Create Society (Students of the Teacher, free from Organized)

GP 5

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Arglwydd, the Dreaming

In the Dreaming, as creatures entered his realm in their sleep, Arglwydd saw the birth of the viscious Umdikal, the Scraads so opposed to his own Alfar, the majestic Dragons, and the nightmares of the savage Eyonoi. No longer were his Alfar alone on this world: no longer could they dream only among themselves. And so, reaching into the musical dreams of the Alfar, the Dream Lord gave to them the power to shield themselves with their dreams, and to impose their dreams upon the world. (Create Class: Psion)

[small]Starting this rollover with 0 AP gives me 1 bonus AP from Impulsive[/small]
AP 6 = 5 (rollover) + 1 (Bonus)
AP 5 = 5 (rollover) - 1 (Create Class: Psion)

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Arglwydd, the Dreaming

As more life was brought to the planet, so too did more and more dreamers make their way to Arglwydd's domain. With them came all manner of wild imaginings. The surreal and chaotic, majestic and malicious.

Gazing upon one of these wild dreamscapes a thought came to the Dream Lord, and he reached forth and told hold of the dreamscape before him. Turning his gaze to the planet, he found a small flower, just bursting from its seed. Into this seed he placed this wild dreamscape, and then spirited the plant away to the Dreamheart.

[Sypher]

Laune - The Dreamheart - The Dreaming

The flower grows in size, energized by the dreams placed within it. Inside the small flower, a form begins to develop from the chaotic dreams. After some time, the flower begins to open, revealing a child-like form within. Laune awakens and looks around curious about her surroundings. As she does so, the flower she came from wilts, the green of the plant turning to multicolored dust and drifting away. The petals however, remain white and Laune puts them on as a dress to wear since she finds them pretty.

All that remains of the plant is the seed which it sprouted from, picking it up Laune can sense the wild dreamscapes within it still. As she holds it, she also becomes aware of other realms, and sets out to visit them.

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Arglwydd, the Dreaming

As the newborn goddess begins to set off, the Dream Lord speaks in a kindly voice. "Setting off to leave without so much as a greeting, child?"

[Sypher]

Laune - The Dreaming

 "Setting off to leave without so much as a greeting, child?"

Turning around, Laune looks for the source of the voice. In all the new senses and experiences she hadn't noticed someone else like her. Like her but older. There was a connection between them, from the mix of memories of the wild dreams of her birth a name blurts from her lips:

"Arglwydd"

Blushing slightly, Laune mimics the appearance of someone from the dream memories of her birth. Her hair grows longer and she takes on the size and appearance of a young woman. "Are you my father Dream Lord? So much is new, I wish to see everything."

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Arglwydd, the Dreaming

"Father?" Arglwydd stretches the word out, as though tasting fine food. "Yes, I am at that. But to see everything?"

Arglwydd gestures and the Dreamheart is remade into pure beauty and innocence, such as no mortal could hope to perceive.

"The thing about everything, child, is that not everything is beauty."

At this last word the Dreamheart changes once more. A place of horror, helplessness, terror and death, devoid entirely of what it just was.

"Remember this, child, if nothing else in all your travels," he says as the Dreamheart reverts to its original shape.

[JPierreD]

Arkh, The Void

It was a terrible sight, to see that... blinding... sphere of fire doing some sort of dance with his creation. It did completely alter the geography of the planet, but that might have been for good, since many animals that used to dwell in the cold regions died by the temperature change. "An evil for a greater good" was Arkh's thought.

In the Planet Arkh could see the dark necromantic arts spreading, though chaotically, and their damage was rather limited with only injury spells and ghosts invocation. For that he decided to enlarge the necromancer's arsenal: the more weapons, the more deaths and the less life.

First, he decided to expand the summoning repertoire. As ghosts were a rather rare sight, he focused on what could be found in abundance: normal corpses. These would be much weaker, but they would work as cheap cannon fodder. (Create Unlife: Walking Corpse [Template]). Suddenly a link was created, and the dark energies would be able to find a place in the resting corpses.

After creating such lovely abominations, he realized that versatility would require to be able to work with even less material. For such, he made so that only bones would work as construction material, making durable, expendable and reliable soldiers. (Create Unlife: Walking Skeleton [Template]).

With the minions made to make a mortal get enough power to let his ambition corrupt him, it was time to set the temptation: an offer of eternal life, or should we say better, unlife, and unlimited power at their hand's grasp. (Create Unlife: Lich [Template]). That would be the epitome of necromancy, a creature hardly a mortal could compare with.

Finally, he decided he'd put a little organization on these dark arts adepts, joining them in a cult that would pay reverence to the lord of the undead, and study such arts in profundity. Like a gentle polar breeze, a wave of individuals across the realms in the planet gathered to study necromancy together. (Create Organization: The Dark Circle). The small hidden groups that formed communicated between themselves over time, and the small cells grew into an organized network. Each cell would be independent of each other in administration, but hidden symbols in the cities and towns would allow members of other branches to identify the presence of local necromancers and get in touch with them.

Over time, a new class of Necromancers rose, usually the formerly Dread Necromancers who'd gotten so much knowledge and power over the rest, and ruled in their local cells of The Dark Circle (Create Prestige Class: Horned Harbinger). Some of those would become beings of such power as to erase kingdoms, and be remembered in legends.

But there had yet to teach the people about the possibilities his dark corrupting arts gave. For such he channeled the energy imbued in his precious Artifact and made creatures rise everywhere. (Curse MR3 - Free from The White Curse). Creatures with the sole desire to eat flesh walked among the living, mostly from graveyards, and with each man that fell to them, a new Walking Corpse rose. They were a plague that spread through the land to terrorize children and grown-ups alike. But not all of them, for some new their Lord had given them a new present to play with...

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AP: 4 (5-1) - Create Unlife: Walking Corpse [Template]
AP: 3 (4-1) - Create Unlife: Walking Skeleton [Template]
AP: 2 (3-1) - Create Unlife: Lich [Template]
AP: 0 (2-2) - Create Organization: The Dark Circle

(Free from Create Organization) - Create Prestige Class: Horned Harbinger
(Free from The White Curse) - Curse MR3

DR: 2
GP: 5 (15 needed to advance)

[Sypher]

Laune - The Dreaming

Laune watches intently as the Dream Lord molds the Dreamheart one way and then the other. She takes in what is shown to her, but at the same time she picks up some of how it is done as well.

Knowing that she can change her own appearance, Laune attempts to change the area around her as well. Small plants sprout around her feet and then a few flowers which transform into flying creatures, with their flower as a head and the leaves as wings. Satisfied, she lets the area return to the way it was though some of the flower-birds continue to fly around her.

"Thank you for the lesson Father. I think I shall now go to see what lies beyond this place."

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Arglwydd, the Dream Heart

As Laune left the Dreaming, the Lords of Dreams turned to the work that had been interrupted. It was a delicate thing, picked from one of his own dreams and shaped by his hands, as a way to consolidate his own powers. A gem, perhaps an inch across, of scintillating colors, containing some of the raw essence of dream. (Create Mortal Artifact: The Dream Stone) A grin on his face, he began his search.

Stepping to a balcony of his palace in the Dream Heart, Arglwydd looked upon the infinite dreams of the Material. Millions upon millions of dreams fluttered before him, each unique and precious in its own way. But the Dream Lord held little love for any but his own children, and soon the dreams of Alfar were all he gazed upon. Seeking further, he found those to whom he had gifted the power of the mind, and at last found what it was he searched for. Someone to deal with the abominations of Arkh.

Her dream was one of creation. A merging of the mind and technology. A dream of greatness she would likely forget as soon as he awoke. Arglwydd had other plans for her.

Shimilko Ion Kurgin, Yuthrew, Atlantis

Shimilko Ion Kurgin woke in the black of the night with a start. She could remember her dream as clear as if it had been the whole of her life, and the ideas which grew from it began to consume her. Confused, excited, and restless, Shimilko moved to look outside when she found a strange amulet hanging from her neck, small and constantly changing color. Looking at it, she recalled what had woken her.

She shuddered in awe. At the significance of what passed. He said: "Awaken, my child. Awaken, and make it. Awaken, and take it." (Raise Mortal Hero) (Lead Populace: Psitech) (Create Organization: Children of Dream)

AP 5 = 5 (rollover)
AP 2 = 5 - 3 (Create Mortal Artifact: The Dream Stone)
AP 2 = 2 - 0 (Raise Hero, free from artifact)
AP 2 = 2 - 0 (Lead Populace, Psitech, immediate, Alfar-only, free from artifact)
AP 0 = 2 - 2 (Create Organization: Children of Dream + Prestige Class: Thrallherd)

GP 5 = 5 (15 needed)

[DoctorHarte]

Dreaming, Nicolai

Nicolai giggled while his mother tickles him. Her finger-like sunshine make him squeal and squirm every which way. After shouting for freedom from the torment of laughter, she stopped.

"Nicolai, your time has come."

Nicolai grinned, "Bring it on, I'm not a laughingstock!"

"That is not what I meant, Nicolai. Your dreams with me are over, you must enter the Void as the other Gods have and do what you must."

Nicolai's grin faded. He stood up, his heart beating. Mother had never said anything like this before.

"What do you mean? This is real! I'm not dreaming!"

"Nicolai, looks can be deceiving. I have helped you grow your mind to it's full potential, there is no more I can do to prepare you for your destiny."

His heart beat faster, though he didn't know if it was him or not.

"What do you mean? I don't wanna leave! You're my mom, I love you!"

"Yes dear, and I shall always be with you. My rays of light shall always protect you. But I warn you, never leave the daylight whether cloudy or not. Entering your father's realm, the moon, will have a very bad effect on you. Perhaps fatal."

"But why now? What am I supposed to do? When am I leaving?"

He had so many pent-up questions to ask...

"Now!"

With a flash, Nicolai was blinded he cried out, reaching for those hands of light, only for his own to slip through them. His world began spin and crumble. Random flashes of light popped in and out of his vision. It was blurry, he didn't know what was happening, it was too much - he blacked out.

The Void, Nicolai

He opened his eyes. He was at the Void.

[Bluelake]

Sophia, the Void

She woke up in the dark. She knew three things at first: she was a she, encompassing many things she couldn't yet define, the thing around her was the dark, because she knew there was something like light, and she woke up, because she knew she had been dreaming. She had been dreaming of a seed and her father, because there was love there, and she had been dreaming of light, both hot and cold, and of the one who would tame that light.

She stretched. She stretched herself to feel what else was in the dark with her, but nothing reached her. In her extreme loneliness, she stretched again, striving for the light of her dream, and suddenly she could see. There were others like her, but much older and more powerful. She could feel the existence of their houses in planes invisible to sight, and she could see that most of their interest was turned to a small and bright spot in the Void. The lights were there. She ran, and stopped by one of the older gods who was working on it. He felt cold, but also familiar. Instinctively, she knew he had made the cold light, and his name was Arkh. She watched for a while as he created his creatures, and suddenly she realized he was creating them from lifeforms that were once dead. In an instant she was able to grasp the entirety of that small world, and the grandness that it was for some of those creatures to be able to control death. At the same time, she understood the terror it spread on most of the living. She looked at the the cloud form he had taken, as he worked, and felt he wasn't necessarily enjoying the suffering of life, but rather rejecting with all his might that sparkle that made things live.

"But who am I to understand the motivations of the greater gods?" - she whispered, realizing she could talk.

Yet, she felt sorry for those creatures he was making. They were to be controlled, hated and feared for all of their existence, even though they were never given a choice. She took the form of a young woman when she started to cry, wrapped in white fabric, and her power started to gather and expand, until she realized what she was going to do. She inspired deeply and blew, her breath filled with power to search each and every one of those creatures, changing their making forever. (Bless MR5 - All Undead) In each of them, a small seed was planted, a trap for their best feelings from life, their love for life and others, and compassion. A trap which would keep the tiniest part of their previous memories alive, and which most of them would never feel. But for those who, by magic, fate (as in a god's bidding), or happenstance, found their way to this piece of themselves, there was the hope of freewill, self-control, or freedom. For Ghosts, this would mean a chance at definite death. For Walkers, this would mean a chance at choosing their own path. For Lichs, this would mean a chance at redemption.

For every conscious living thing in the world, this would mean a small piece of their soul remains trapped in the material world until their body is completely decomposed or their souls purified (not that they all know how). When she noticed the last part of her blessing, the goddess was terrified. She suddenly realized she had been too young and careless, but she wasn't powerful enough to bless them again. Now it was in their hands. She saw that those who freed themselves would be enough at least to create legends, and make them a little less feared and hated by the living.

Oblivious to any reaction from Arkh, her eyes then turned to the light sources. The White Curse and the Sphere of Flame, they were called. Chasing each other in random orbit around the planet, causing the climate to be cold or hot as they passed, causing some chaos and death, but also life, much better than when it was only darkness. She knew it wasn't in her power to organize them, yet she hoped the young god in her dream would do it soon. "Nicolai" she said "and Sophia."

Now she had a name.

---

AP 5 (12-7) - Bless MR5 (1 MR free from Lifegiver) - All Undead

GP 7

[JPierreD]

Arkh, the Void

While observing pleased the interactions of his newly created undead with the living, most of them ending with casualties for the later, Arkh felt a metaphorical chill in the spine. Metaphorical for he had the form of a cloud, so no spine, and for the chill would be better described as a burning. Something was happening, someone was... blessing! And blessing his creatures!

Arkh felt a deep displease and an urge to... growl? It was strange, that was new... He repressed it and searched for the source of his pain. There he found it, a small bright piece of divinity, so much... youth and potential. Scarily dangerous, it was not her force what annoyed or worried him, but its youth's spark. How would the universe become a peaceful place once again with such troublemakers around?

He approached her assuming a form based on hers. His cloud appearance started to take the form of an old, decrepit and phantom woman, with clear signs of decay. It was a ghost of the kid, having lost all desire for life and that annoying spark. A truly beautiful sight!

Upon getting near her, he coldly stated:

"So you dare interfere with my creations? What is it that you seek, young one? Is it chaos and pain?"

The ghost's tone had no inflections, like a person bored to death talking. The facial expression was equal. The truth was that Arkh was not attuned at all to his emotions. He didn't fully notice or understood them.