Lords of Creation: Redux - IC

[Bluelake]

Sophia, the Void

The young goddess shivered as the older god approached, his coldness preceding him. When he stared at her and started changing, she could see how great his power was, but instead of fear, she felt awe. He took her own form, and she could see herself old and devoid of life and meaning.

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?"

Sophia looked into the eyes that stared blankly at her. He had done a good job, but the old woman's lack of expression bothered her much more because it was his. How could he be so emotionless? And yet, he seemed quite willing to give her some pain due to her actions, which made him somewhat frightening: an unrealized anger?

"Great Arkh" she said, "Creator of the White Curse. You built a thing of beauty to go around this planet." She took a breath, hoping she wouldn't be out of line. He could probably crush her, and the goddess wasn't all that sure she was eternal. "This image of mine you are wearing... would be very truthful if I were to ever age and decay. But it would also look different..." with this, Sophia gently took his old woman's hand. The goddess skin was fresh, but his was cold as ice. She compared them both. "It really is the same as mine... but so... withdrawn." She let it go. "I don't seek pain, Great Arkh, but your creatures were built on endless pain. Not because they lacked the spark, but because they were controlled, and by others with the spark. I made them stronger, in a way. When opposites are together, great things can happen."

[Adriddae]

Among the ever changing Hall of Creation an oddity arose with shape and form. It differed from the local Ahkrons in that its strength seemed to be greater and its focus entirely different. It was brought into existence through the Hall of Creation, the collective emotions and magic, cumulative to form a being.  The swell of creation flooded its mind as it first observed his surrounded. Then, it grinned. Or at least, what could be known as a grin.  It let out a hearty laugh. A laugh that could be heard throughout the plane and made many Ahkrons chuckle.
With a loud, hearty voice it said to no one in particular, “Aha! I have come forth into being. Myself, being Oofrums!”

Seeing the creatures around him he immediately felt moved to give them something. Something that would prove to help them in times of sadness and waste. With that he gave them the gift of music so that all will share in forming eloquent melodies and songs. Whenever the occasion was festive the creatures would gather and create wondrous music.  Of course, none would learn if there was no one to teach them. Searching among the Ahkrons he singled out one with potential and took him aside and taught him the knowledge of Music. In the Ahrkon's training Oofrums crafted for him a lute, an instrument to inspire and soothe the mind. With this his final steps were completed and he sent him forth to his fellow Ahkrons to play for them and give them entertainment all their lives.



AP 11 = 12-1 Lead population: Teach Ahkrons Music(passive/widespread)
AP 10 = 11-1 Raise Hero:  The Ahkhon Musician
AP   7 = 11-3 Create Mortal Artifact: The Charm Lute

GP 4

[JPierreD]

Arkh, The Void

Communicating with the young goddess, Arkh felt uneasy. It was not like talking to... well, himself, he hadn't had any communication with anyone but with himself since he had woken up. In any case it was different to with other older gods he could see. They were more... pacific? That was not the word, maybe tranquil... There was a disturbing inquisitiveness in this young one he didn't like, an inner burning propelling her forward that others did not have. It was such the curse she had bestowed to his creations, the way he saw it.

"Great Arkh. Creator of the White Curse. You built a thing of beauty to go around this planet."

"Beauty?", he though. Yes, he could see why it could be seen as beautiful, but that did not match with the image the young one should have been picturing. For him, the Frozen Star was a place of peace, of tranquility, a haven in the midst of the chaos that struggled with the frenetic burning star to tame its wild spirit of destruction, and to bring the final rest the planet deserved.

"This image of mine you are wearing... would be very truthful if I were to ever age and decay. But it would also look different..." That said, to Arkh's surprise, the goddess took hold of his hand, and continued: "It really is the same as mine... but so... withdrawn." While she was letting the hand go, both it and the other one of the pair started fading away, until they came back into semi-existence. Arkh patiently awaited for the young one to throw away what she had on her inquisitive mind: "I don't seek pain, Great Arkh, but your creatures were built on endless pain. Not because they lacked the spark, but because they were controlled, and by others with the spark. I made them stronger, in a way. When opposites are together, great things can happen."

He felt a little pity for her, she seemed to be suffering like those creatures of the planet, suffering life. He realized she knew no better, and was used to be constantly burnt by the curiosity, always in debt, never allowed to just rest...

"The Frozen Star is my gift upon the world," he started, "a gift of peace and tranquility. Any living creature who goes to my frozen domains will find an eternal undisturbed calm. Tell me, what is it that you like in it?".

"My image is a reflection of yours, I can change it if such is your desire..." With those words he changed into a humanoid cloud shape, like a phantom but with even less details, almost a mannequin. "The essence of our difference is that you seem to hold onto something tormenting you, your heart seems restless and your mind goes along with it, seemingly never resting. Has the chiseled diamond got old and decayed? It can be, in the sense that is has lost something, but don't forget it has gained a new form, and new kind of beauty."

"The creatures I created were, in a way, a mockery of the pain they endured in life, and a escape for it. Pain is a flame that consumes your interior that never lets you rest. So mortals travel the world burned by desires and ambitions they cannot fully comprehend, and when they fulfill them they discover the thirst has not been satisfied one tiny bit. They are doomed to repeat these vicious cycles that never end, nor ever permanently satisfies them, until they finally find peace in their graves. Yet, they carry an essence that is immortal, and may find a new mortal repository to keep suffering. My creations are a way to free those souls into the beautiful peace we are all children of, that so much we are denying."

[Sypher]

Laune - The Void

Leaving the Dreaming, Laune finds herself in the Void. Taking notice of the mortal world, she observes it for a time. It was an interesting place, but it contained far too much ugliness and too little beauty. This mortal world seemed a dreary place with creatures that took themselves far too seriously. Still, the world had some charms, and it gave her an idea. She would create a world of beauty of her own.

Drawing forth some of her power, Laune crafts the Feyrealm. Modeling it after the mortal realm, she shapes it into a ball. Then she fills it with verdant mountains, forests, meadows and clear streams of water. Oceans form, with clear blue waters. The sky, she fills with colorful orbs to shine light on the land. Wondrous and wild animals roam the land and fill the skies and seas.

Pleased with herself, Laune admires her work. Still, the realm seems incomplete. It needs more mischief and laughter. Thinking, Laune takes some insect wings, some plants and some of the dirt of the Feyrealm. Mixing them together a small winged humanoid figure emerges. Naming them pixies, the small creatures prove to be adept at all sorts of games and tricks.

As Laune follows some of the pixies, joining in their games at times and other times standing back and observing, she comes across a spot in the Feyrealm that is different from the rest. The magic of the Feyrealm has concentrated in this spot and made the barriers between worlds weaker. Some of the pixies vanish and then reappear as they cross a spot where the mortal realm and Feyrealm overlap. These Fairy Gates bridge the gap from the Feyrealm to wild and untamed places of the mortal realm.

Calling the Pixies to her, Laune instructs them on how to use magic to travel to the mortal world and other planes as well as how to recognize where the Fairy Gates are. Before letting them go to play in the mortal world, Laune also teaches them how to use Fey-magic. The Pixies would now be able to make themselves unseen and perform other magic tricks.

Create Plane - The Feyrealm 3ap (12-3 = 9 )
Create Life - Pixie 1ap (9-1 = 8 )
Lead Populace - Magic: Planar Travel 1ap (8-1 = 7 )
Lead Populace - Magic:Fey-magic 1ap (7-1 = 6 )
AP: 6
GP: 6

[^ban^]

Shimilko, Shrengar (Imperial Capital)

"In the night they creep,
when from the trees we leap,"

Outside, the newest recruits tended the fields of Sa'Alfar. They took pride in their work, and the tune of their song evidenced they enjoyed it as well.

"dragging them into the day,
fighting back the gray."

The first hunt had gone well, and had demonstrated the necessity of the thralls all too well. It almost seemed as though every time she turned around there was another... necromancer. Even as a thought, Shimilko found the word vile, spitting it as an insult. The Emperor had decided on only one sentence for such vile creatures.

"Hunt them down! Wipe their mind!
For the crown, we do blind!
Hunt them, read them,
wipe them," AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH comes the sound of pain mid-chorus.

"Wipe them, and then plant them!"

[Silverhawk]

Mikha - The Void

Mikha looked down on the planet and he noticed the sudden absence of the curse......the planet felt cleansed. He was unsure about what step to take. As he looked down on the creatures that the other gods had created he felt a need to go down and see what they where capable of. Maybe he would find out what those creatures had done with the "maintain" order. He could also see the Magma Giants up close and see what steps they had taken.

Mikha created a creature that looked like him in every aspect although much much smaller. He looked at it and he took a small piece of his own fire to give it life. He called the creature The Blacksmith, his Avatar.  To give his avatar a place to stay Mikha created in the mountain of Therbazent a large cave. In this cave he placed a forge....A holy place of fire. (Create Avatar - The Blacksmith) (Create Mortal Artifact - The Forge)

Mikha smiled as he saw his avatar travel on the world. He felt he needed to think, maybe consult some of the others he noticed around him. Yet he did not trust any of them......the maker of that undead curse was among them and Mikha still didn't know who it was...

----------
1 - 1 = 0 BAP (Create Avatar - The Blackmith)
5 - 1 = 4 AP (Create Avatar - The Blacksmith)
4 - 3 = 1 AP (Create mortal Artifact - The Forge)

0 + 1 + 3 = 4 GP

[Sypher]

Laune - The Void

Returning to the void from the Feyrealm, Laune observes the mortal realm again. Seeing the pixies playing tricks on some of the Alfar and other races entertains her for a time. Still, the world needs something, maybe a touch of the Feyrealm. Going to work, Laune raises up some of the land not too far from the Continent of Atlantis. Forested hills, Mountains and valleys cover the new land, which Laune names Avalon, The Green Island.

To tend to the island, Laune creates people to live there and protect it. She makes them slender, graceful, pleasing to the eye, living long lives and unaging in appearance. Laune decides to name them the Elves of Avalon.

Seeing that the Elves would need leaders to guide them, she raises up some leaders for each village who will gather together to make decisions for them, The Emerald Court. To guard and protect the lands from those who would harm its beauty, Laune creates Rangers, to roam the wilderness with skill in both blade and bow.

Create Terrain: Land of Avalon (The Green Island) ~250,000 sq mi. 3ap (6-3 = 3ap)
Create Life - Elves 1ap (3-1 = 2)
Create Society - Emerald Court 1ap (2-1 = 1)
Create Class - Ranger (1-1 = 0)

AP 0
GP 12 -> DR 2

[Bluelake]

Sophia, the Void

Sophia watched Arkh while he talked. The humanoid cloud talked inflexibly, as if it had no attachments, perhaps in what could be considered truly godlike. She smiled, expecting nothing less from the god who had created the White Curse. He was powerful, and his creation was what had given means to her existence, and Nicolai's.

"The White Curse... I like the stillness of it, her contemplating iceness, and the way she rolls around inexorably. I like the way she ended the dark, ending the insanity that crept among some of the creatures in the world. I like how she curses, because she gives meaning to some of the people's lives. We gods don't have the sparkle of life, ourselves, we're made of something else, and I think that's what makes our creatures so interesting. As much as we have something they'll never have, they have something we'll never taste, something we gave them. Which could bring suffering, but also happiness. And if they do it over and over again, isn't there method and constancy to the chaos?"

Sophia made a pause. She wasn't trying to convince him to like life, but to give it the benefit of doubt. Yet, she had to watch more for herself, the work of the other gods, before continuing to argue. She decided to end it there, if possible.

"Great Arkh, you talk ill of desires and ambitions and the fact that they never end, and I'm glad to see you yourself has things you like and dislike. It is almost safe to say you'll have things you love and hate, though us gods can't love or hate as intensely as our creatures, because our powers would bring catastrophic consequences in the name of our feelings. And, who knows? I might just find a living mortal with a view of things that is keen to your own. They tend to settle down when they get older..."

With that, Sophia left to observe the world. She, too, wanted to play. Instantly attracted to the huge mass that was Atlantis, she approached to see the endless forest and the large spine of mountains. It lacked variety, though. With some effort, Sophia started creating meadows and hills on the northern side of the continent, gently pushing the Ka'Alfar and Sa'Alfar to the sides. Sometimes, she would stop and create rivers and lakes, born in the forests and crossing the lowlands. The final piece of work was to make a large river born in the mountains, going north, crossing the meadows, going through a large plain of grassland and ending in the sea. Sophia named it the Ganos River. (Alter Terrain: the Lands of Ganos) It was then populated with all sorts of small life, from cattle to mice to fish. It looked very peaceful, so she hid some dangers, like river canyons, caves, and predators. Most of all, she dedicated to making a creature of the dark: the wolf. They would thrive in the night with her, survive the cold winters, and some of them would help her chosen ones in their tasks, being able to do limited kinds of magic. (Create life: Wolves)

Then, she went to find an Urdimkal. His name was Chtal, and he had a vivid spirit, being the last son of a noble family. (Raise Hero: Chtal) Her voice reached him in the night, and he felt the urge to start searching... he didn't know what, yet. Sophia imbued him with the love for adventure and the unknown, the eagerness to know more and find more, and sent a female wolf to guide him. He gathered others and looked for a way out of his mountain, finding the river. They became the first Urdimkal Explorers, the first of many to return with all kinds of new materials and techniques. But that was not everything Sophia had in store for him. (Create Class: Explorer)

---
Rollover AP 9 (5+4)
AP 6: 5 - 3 Alter Terrain: ~250,000 sq mi. -> the Lands of Ganos
AP 5: 2 - 1 Create life: Wolves
Raise Hero (bonus from Mythic)
AP 4: 1 - 1 Create Class: Explorer

GP 7 + 5 = 12

DR = 2

[DoctorHarte]

Nicolai, The Void

The void... what was this place? A sanctuary, destination, location for the Gods to reveal their true forms and chatter with one another? He had no need for them, though what if they knew how to play top-n-bottom tag? Nicolai shook his head. What had mother wanted him to do? Something to do with his destiny, which he didn't understand as no one could predict what he was about to do.

Rusko, Earth

Upon his decent to Earth, he found he couldn't walk the mortal planes in his true form. Why? Too much power, another all-mighty rule? A crazy powerful sorcery spell? Or perhaps it was just nature playing her part. She was his aunt, after all. In this case, he would need to make a recarnation of himself. While other Gods had created avatars of masterminds and warriors, leaders and kings, Nicolai went along with his favored form; a small boy of 5 feet 3 inches. He was only 14 or 15 of mortal age yet his eyes told oh-so-much-more. With a set of dark brown robes, his figure was athletic for a boy of his size, dark brown hair covered his forhead and down to the nape of his neck. He had a strong tan but no accent of some specific tribe or society. (Create Avatar - Rusko)

Upon the creation of Rusko, Nicolai knew he would need some partners for the deeds he would fulfill. For that he created two heroes, (Raise Hero - Alonzo and Gwenyth). Gwenyth, the battle-maiden and Alonzo the inventor. They were the brother-sister type, Gwenyth would charge into battle full of courage and inspiration while Alonzo used his contraptions and trickery. They were the perfect pair.. but they needed a people who would rally behind her battle cry and help Alonzo with his inventions - creations that would improve life rather than death. (Create Life - Sons of the Sun and Daughters of the Sun).

Both lifeforms were similar in character and looks yet different within. Both worshiped the sun and had tan skin as that of Alonzo, Gwenyth, and Rusko. the Sons were created with a fine-tuned mind and intelligent personality while the Daughters were trained to be battle-ready for the day they were born. Granted they looked more like tan-nymphs than anything else, none recommended you say that anywhere near them. Upon these creations, Nicolai felt a strain of his power, yet he was no where near finished. His creations still needed much more, all which he planned to assist them with. First they needed to be joined together. A society which used the minds and intelligence of the men combined with the protection of the women. These people would be known as Zendikon. (Create Society - Zendikon)

Upon creating a new landmass, Nicolai wondered where the people of the sun would want to live. Perhaps... in the sun? Yes, Dune would be their home.  A desert of sand and rock. The People of the Sun lived within the rock formations that tower above the desert. Within the rock formation, great caverns are discovered thriving with life, water, and people. With towers high into the sky, the people could lookout for any incoming danger and ensure themselves to be defended within a natural fortress. (Create Terrain - Dune) ~1,000,000 sq mi.

Finally, the Zendikon were granted a token of their trust and dedication to the sun. The Orb of Life gave them light and life at all hours of the day, which was 17/24 in the desert. They clearly hated the dark and used the Orb of Life as a beacon from their tower to ensure safety from any being with the intention of harm or trickery. This mortal artifact healed the sick, mended scars, and gave blessing to the new-born. (Create Mortal Artifact - Orb of Life)
________________________________________________________________________________

(Create Avatar - Rusko) 12-2 = 10
(Raise Hero - Alonzo and Gwenyth) 10-1-0 = 9 (Free from Mythic)
(Create Life - Sons of the Sun and Daughters of the Sun) 9-0 = 9 (Free from Progenitor)
(Create Society - Zendikon) 8-1 = 7
(Create Terrain - Dune ~1,000,000 sq mi. )  7-5 = 2
(Create Mortal Artifact - Orb of Life) 3-3 = 0

GP 12
DR2

[Sypher]

Laune - The Void

Having rested for a time after creating the elves, Laune returns from the Feyrealm to the Void to examine the world. Seeing as there is no where to sit, she creates a patch of grass to recline on while looking upon the world.

Glancing at Avalon, her elves seem to be thriving so far. A new continent catches her eye and Laune studies it. It is another desert if slightly different than the other one. But, finding this development of little interest, Laune changes her focus.

Looking closer at the continent next to Avalon, it seems to be different, a new area on one side. Also, there seemed to be a conflict occurring on Atlantis. The Alfar are fighting each other? To Laune one side seems lifeless, the Alfar seeming dead but somehow crudely mimicking life. Having never noticed this phenomenon, it is troubling to her. Speaking to no one in particular she says "Why are the Alfar fighting and what is wrong with some of them?"

[Sypher]

Laune - The Void

Sighing to herself, Laune ponders what to do. Things were too quiet, at least here among the Gods. On the material plane, her Elves were perhaps lacking in some areas. As their creator, she deserved to be praised. Looking among the elves, Laune finds one worthy, and selects her to be a leader among the elves.

Drawing on some of her power, Laune imparts a series of visions on the girl giving her the knowledge desired. (Raise Hero)

Priestess Holly - Avalon

Holly had been just a normal girl of her village, but over a series of weeks she started having visions of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen speaking to her. Unsure of what to do, the village had sent her to the Emerald Court. The Emerald Court was a large meadow, with a series of tents, the largest of which was used for their meetings. There the Elven leaders, in the finest hides and woven plants found in Avalon met.

Called before them, Holly recounts the visions she has had. After she is done, she is questioned on various points and then the leaders discuss what to do. By the end of the week a decision is made, Holly would be tasked with teaching the elven people of the Goddess Laune and how to worship her. (Lead Populace: Religion)

Laune - The Void

Pleased with the girl, but seeing her to be overwhelmed, Laune stirs the hearts of others and imparts another vision on the girl, that of each village having a priest or priestess. (Create class: Cleric/Priest)

Finally, seeing that the Elves might one day need more room, Laune raises up a series of smaller islands that would surround Avalon and fill some of the gap between Avalon and Atlantis. On each island, she plants flowering trees and names them the Sylvan Isles. (Create Terrain)

AP 5 + 1 bonus from implusive
Raise Hero - Priestess Holly 1 ap (free w/ 1 ap from implusive)
Lead Populace - Religion (5 -1 = 4)
Create Class - Cleric/Priest 1 ap (4 - 1 = 3)
Create Terrain: Sylvan Isles 3 ap (3-3 = 0)

GP 5
DR 2

[^ban^]

Arglwydd, the Dream Heart

Plucking a hair from his head and placing it on the ground, Arglwydd begins to speak to himself.

"It is coming, a great war. The first true trial for my children." By this point, the hair had begun to change, taking on form and shape. "I will not leave them to walk this path blindly." Form and shape finally certain, an Alfar now stood before the Dream Lord. His features those of perfection, almost too beautiful to behold without weeping. "You are Oberon." (Create Avatar: Oberon)

"But I am so much more than merely Oberon. Emperor and Guide of the dream children, I am the Hand of Dream, and I am terror."

The ritual completed, Oberon turned away from the Dream Lord and was in Shrengar.

Oberon, Shrengar

Assuming power of the Imperium was a simple enough task for an avatar of the Father. The Alfar Emperor took upon himself the title of Living Emperor, placing the Immortal Emperor Oberon above himself. His position secured, Oberon set to work on his reason for being. He taught to the Alfar new methods of thinking about the world, giving them the tools to shape the world to their dreams. (Lead Populace: Writing, Engineering) Then he showed to them how the mighty Ka'Alfar could be shaped and carved and combined and bent to create beautiful art, buildings, and horrific tools. (Lead Populace: Crafting Ka'Alfar, Architecture, Psi Weaponry, Psi Barriers)

Taking then to the skies, Oberon showed to the Alfar how these new tools might describe not only the world around them, but their own selves, and how to put those lessons to form. (Lead Populace: Aeronautics)

Finally, Oberon gave a command to his royal court: "Go out to the world in peace now, and discover all that you may."

It was the beginning of a Golden Age for the Imperium.

Arglwydd, the Dream Heart

Arglwydd was undeniably pleased with himself. He knew what was coming, and had done everything he could to prepare, and in doing so had learned more about even himself. (Gain Domain: Mind)


AP 10
AP 8 = 10 - 2 Create Avatar: Oberon
AP 8 = 8 - 0 Lead Populace: Writing (free from artifact)
AP 2 = 8 - 1 Lead Populace: Engineering - 1 Lead Populace: Crafting Ka'Alfar - 1 Lead Populace: Architecture - 1 Lead Populace: Psionic Weaponry - 1 Lead Populace: Psionic Barriers - 1 Lead Populace: Aeronautics
AP 0 = 2 - 2 Gain Domain: Mind (Created Psion + Thrallherd + Psi Weaponry)

GP 15 = Growth! Divine Rank 3!

[JPierreD]

Arkh, The Void

Hearing the goddess speak, Arkh's image started taking a pondering semblance, with the seemingly mannequin figure turning more alike that of an skeleton. After a brief meditating silence, he replied in a very slow and paused tone:

"That gift you speak of is what I call the seed of chaos. It drives things away from order, and throws them in the blinding uncertainty to be devoured by the flames of the unknown. And sure, there is order in what some call chaos, but that is just the apparent chaos, the not yet known. It is just a wild being waiting to be tamed. The problem lays in true chaos. That is the unspeakable horror embodied, and shall consume us all if we refuse to act against it, for it is a beast that cannot be tamed, cannot be reasoned with, and it certainly cannot be coexisted with."

With that said, Arkh took back his meditating posture and awaited for the goddess reply. Of her words he couldn't extract directly-opposing ideas, and to his surprise, at a given point she ended a sentence and left to create even more life. Arkh was confused: communication with gods was certainly very different than with himself. They seemed to be in such a hurry, so... chaotic? "Poor creatures", he thought.

His mind drifted back to a pair of concepts she had addressed: love and hate. It seemed like she gave a positive value of these things, as if passion would be a good thing. "Ah, a lesson must be taught", he thought. He patiently waited until the young goddess was less active to intervene.

After Sophia's manipulations of the mortal realm, she felt something like a cold wind in the back of her neck, followed by Arkh's words:

"You truly are an anxious one, child, like the mortals drowning in water, furiously fighting against their destinies, instead of calmly accepting the unavoidable.

It is clear to me that, though misguided, your intentions are good ones. The problem is that your passion might carry you to cause more harm than good. It is for you think passion is a good force, one you seem to incentive in the mortals, that I need to teach you a small lesson."

With that said, he gestured towards the mortal realm and after sending a chilling wind blow in its direction he continued:

"I will give your mortal children and they relatives that what you seem to appreciate so much: passion. A never-ending desire for more, the continual search for illusionary happiness, the burning thirst that can only be calmed for a while, but never truly satisfies. These children will not only love life, they'll lust it. And this will not be different from what has been done by giving life to these beings, just on a less veiled form, so those who made it can understand their mistakes." (Create Unlife: Vampire) (Curse: Plague spread trough the world through Vampire Bats)

With that said, Arkh turned his back on Sophia and started meditating again about the orgy of life he was sensing in the world. "So much chaos, so little space..."


AP 10
AP 9 = 10 - 1 Create Unlife: Vampire

Free from The White Curse = MR 3 Curse

GP 6
DR 2

[JPierreD]

Arkh, The Void

On his meditations, Arkh realized that part of the problem with the life beings was that they knew no better. Their simple minds were born and raised in a cramped space with others, never to have peace and isolation until the moment the blissful peace came to take them away. That was their only bless, clearly.

As an act of greater compassion, Arkh decided to create in the mortal plane a representation of his paradise, The Eternal Winter. It would be a magnificent land with rocky wastelands, large permafrosts and snow peaks, constantly visited by blizzards, storms and other environmental treats. It would be placed in the southern pole of the planet, encircling a permanently frozen ocean, leaving a canal connecting it to the other seas. (Create Terran: Great Southern Wasteland SR6)

Seeing that many lifeforms flocked to it, as birds and sea-dwelling mammals, Arkh added another bless upon his land: in caves, during snow-storms and in other events in where they could move in more subtle and concealed ways, undead would plague the lands, carrying the open invitation for visitors to join the joy of eternal rest of death... or the unlife.


AP 9
AP 0 = 9 - 9 Create Terrain: Great Southern Wasteland (Extra SR from Landshaper)

GP 15 (Divine Rank raised, GP zeroed)
DR 3

[Bluelake]

Sophia, The Void

Sophia had been watching the god of cold build his world, after a long speech which left her thinking. He seemed to somehow pity her, and he seemed to despise passion, but the passion with which he defended his ideas... Maybe he couldn't see it at all. Arkh had preached about passion, and created creatures of the night, creatures with a tragic destiny, but so close to the darkness she loved. Then he created a frozen land, which nurtured many of his unliving creatures, but so many other living ones.

After a while, still thinking, Sophia looked down to the small world again. Chtal had been exploring the north, and the urdimkal only now began to notice the forming empire to the South. They didn't like the idea of leaving their mountains, so it was the explorer's task to bring them news, materials and technology from far away. Sophia had whispered in Chtal's dreams and he had found many materials and knowledge, but nothing compared to what the Alfar had by now. (Lead Populace: Navigation, Mechanical Engineering) They learned to use the power of the water to move their machines, and they learned to travel further away by river and sea. The goddess saw her hero build an oceanic ship and start to contour the continent, heading south. How to...?

Among the Alfar, the Goddess looked. She looked and found a girl, young enough to have never been taken by a male, but old enough to be approaching her first rites. She was the daughter of a very influential Alfar, and she dreamed even while fully awake. Very gifted, they said. Sophia whispered in her dreams, and Larashi woke up feeling both blessed and disgraced. (Raise Hero: Larashi (Alfar)) A dagger, with the wooden handle encrusted with a circle and a chain in silver was beside her bed, and she instinctively knew it would be the instrument of her happiness and sorrow. She had to leave home, she had to go to the ocean, she had to see unknown lands, meet an unknown man, and either begin or put end to a war. Maybe both. (Create Mortal Artifact: The Sorrowful (small dagger))

That done, the goddess wanted to rest. Yet, she still felt bothered... bothered by the many isolated continents, islands and races. Something else had to be done. She didn't quite know what, but something... Arkh's words echoed through her mind:

"You truly are an anxious one, child, like the mortals drowning in water, furiously fighting against their destinies, instead of calmly accepting the unavoidable. It is clear to me that, though misguided, your intentions are good ones. The problem is that your passion might carry you to cause more harm than good. It is for you think passion is a good force, one you seem to incentive in the mortals, that I need to teach you a small lesson."

She looked for him, approached him humbly, and spoke. "Lord Arkh, you are right, I mustn't let passion carry me - but I am a goddess. We must everyday appreciate and conform to our existence, one which isn't life, because we cannot die. But them..." Sophia pointed to the world beneath them "... they have nothing. When they were undead as you made them, they weren't themselves anymore, they had no purpose. They were like broken toys. I only gave them a purpose. It was natural for them to live and die, but without purpose they would just die, not live. Now... Tell me... Why do you prefer them to be unliving instead of dead? When they die, they're gone. You could have chosen death instead of unlife. Or do you appreciate the motion and happenings on the world?"

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AP 4 + 5 + 5 (rollovers) = 14

AP 12 (14-2): Lead Populace - Urdimkal - Navigation, Mechanical Engineering
AP 12 (12-0 BAP): Raise Hero - Alfar - Larashi
AP 9 (12-3): Create Mortal Artifact - The Sorrowful (small dagger) - Also known as The Charmer.

GP 5
DR 2

PS: Joe, I was a little uncertain about the Lead Populace thing, but since it seemed you did it only to the alfar on your last post... I'm doing the same here with the urdimkals.