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Leodin (Liodor, Pride's Bastion) The lion god found that he could not project himself, but he could change the Gate to open to where each of the candidates were. Regardless of whether he invited them into his Demesne, or if he stepped out and presented himself to them, the response was fairly universal. Each of them made deep and respectful gestures of deference and prayer in his presence. In total he found twelve people, nine Litorians, two humans and an Orc. Each of them accepted his offer in turn, leaving you with the group of twelve awaiting your next guidance on how to begin their lives of men of the cloth. Algard remained with Leodin, quite and watching for the time being. You have identified 12 people that would make good priests for the Way of the Lion. Each of them followers each of the pillars, but they specialise in different views and insights. This will help each of them deal with the various problems of people. The majority of them will remain in Pride's Bastion for now, although over time as the priesthood grows they will spread out a bit more. As mentioned, two of them are humans and another one is an Orc. Dracolich (Dragonfort, Harvan Dam) You get a sense of acknowledgement from Daniker, and you assume Mr. Bones will have heard your call as well. Neither immediately respond to you though, but you would expect that they would be making their way to you now. As for where they are, you're not quite sure at the moment. When you speak to the Drakenkin around you, they are not personally well informed of the concepts you speak of but know a couple of carpenters and woodcutters. They used water to turn a wheel to help them cut wood, as well as constructing a windmill and watermill to help grind wheat into flour. Within a few minutes you have a dozen Drakenkin around you that would be able to with a bit of time work on creating watermills and using the dam to power other crude mechanical devices. Your knowledge gives you insight to more complicated options, but you are unsure if there is a strong enough metal in the world yet, or if people understand the concept of steam and pressure to begin to do anything more with it. Daniker and Mr. Bones are definitely on their way back. Edo (Eosia, Eisos) Word from the western continent speaks of catastrophe and ruin, and of monsters roaming the land. But reports from sailors and traders in the lands surrounding Eosia are still reasonably good. While the lands to the north still have men that are blue and walk about in the snow and ice as if it was a spring day, they are otherwise apparently human. Arandia has split into two nations, the south east of Coltain becoming the new nation of Coltia, and the south west becoming Tiachan. You are aware of the Drakenkin that have migrated mostly from the mountains separating west Arandia (now Tiachan) and Eosia, and the western Eosians seem to be doing fine. Beyond this, there are some strange insect people that have moved into the islands that have the majority of the Mindarr jungle which broke off from the coast in the Moonstrike. Finally you are aware of the Verdant Isle which so far remains mostly removed from the divine interplays of the world. Traders have reported some small islands in the ocean with small communities of humans on them, but they have never been marked on maps and there are few ships capable of sailing to them and none capable of navigating to them. Adam (Adavan, Greatholm) (Previously Under-Sellos) The Dwarves are naturally relieved that you have returned. It takes a little time for Thadroin to free himself to come see you so Adam gets to spend some time with the average Dwarf and hear their concerns. Firstly, they are worried about the Litorians. Things have been tense since the incident between Adam and Leodin, something Adam can see in the faces of his people in fact. There is a slight apprehension at first before approaching you, but that quickly fades when you seem to be normal again. Ten years it seems is a long time and you get the impression Thadroin did a great deal to help reassure the Dwarves that you were okay now. The Litorians on the other hand don't trust the Dwarves still, and the leader of the city, Burd, has strict tariffs and policies. It is hard to see him and the gates between the two cities are well guarded. There hasn't been any sign of conflict but things are tense and difficult. You do learn that the Dwarves have tunnelled to the north and made a new city, Goldshaft. It is richer with gold than Greatholm is and it is also close to the Arrani whom they have begun to trade with. In comparison to the Litorians, the Arrani are friendlier and more profitable to trade with even if they are a little...odd. There are rumours that they eat humans, but no one has actually seen this and so most Dwarves dismiss it as rumourmongering, possible by the Litorians. There is a new town even further north still near the lands of Val Aman that remain in the control of Red. The Dwarves and people up there are pretty odd, what with the walking illusions and stuff that happen but they are at least reasonably friendly as long as you respect the odd customs they have. After this Thadroin manages to make his way to you, gently shifting a few eager young and elderly Dwarves to the side. "Adam, it is good to see that you have returned. I was concerned after you disappeared and it has been a long ten years. Please, tell me where you have been and what you have been doing."
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Jan 7, 2014 00:20
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Beltheus The conversation with Unnaya was disappointing and unsettling for Beltheus in several ways. It wasn't that he strongly objected to her suggestions. Indeed, he saw the sense in them, and establishing an afterlife was a project he had considered himself some time ago. But he didn't trust deals with indefinite conditions, and less did he like dancing to another's tune. Indeed, her proposal would require much thought. Beltheus is almost tempted to have his demons dig a canal from the nearest body of water and sustain the city that way. But it would be long and difficult, and insecure in the event of invasion. As he sees it now, if he wants the water, he must abide by her conditions. Frustrated, he goes to Eosia. The place was his home once, after all, and was still a bastion of his support. So he travels to the capital, to discover what the situation was there, and if that damnable Edo was still infesting the place. Travelling to Eisos, checking out the situation, my supporters, and any problems the place is having. I meant to post this last night. I had written it up, and was ready to post it, and then I got distracted and didn't, so it's just been sitting on my browser for a day and a half. I just noticed it when I was closing tabs. Sorry, HiKaizer
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Jan 7, 2014 05:59
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Leodin - Leodin’s Demense It was with a broad smile that Leodin looked over the priests-to-be. Each came from a somewhat different background and had somewhat different views, but each faithfully lived the three pillars. For the moment, all were gathered eagerly awaiting the teaching of their god. So, not wishing to keep them waiting a moment longer than necessary Leodin lead right into it. “I have called you here so that at long last my children might have a priesthood to guide and nurture them. Out of all of the faithful, it is you who are best suited for the task. As one who takes the title of my priest you will have many roles and duties. First and foremost, you must be living examples of the values you teach. By doing so, you provide a model to be emulated, and make it clear that you practice what you preach. It will show the people the heights that can be achieved, and challenge any who claim no mortal can live up to the three pillars.” “Second, you must be unifiers. You are not all copies of one another, and I do not ask that the faithful be so. The Lion’s Path is broad, and so long as one does not fall into the trap of ignoring the need to balance the pillars there are many roads to strength. Some with find certain roads more conducive than others, which is why you are all here. However, because of the many paths there will be temptation to see only ones own path as right, or to fail to see that all such paths are connected. Together you are far more than you are seperately, and the same is true for my children. For all the faithful are brothers and sisters, and it will be your duty to ensure that they remain one people, one church, one faith. Uniting these many views and roads to strength into a great whole. I fear that dark and sinister forces such as the demons will attempt to tear apart the faithful, turn them from one another in order to divide and conquer. You will have to work closely with one another and the faithful to ensure that never occurs. There is nothing that would pain me more than to see my children turned to schism and hatred of one another. Key to this role is the duty to tend to the hearts and souls of the faithful. I love all of the faithful as if they were my own children, in times of difficulty and strife you must stand ready to give them aid and comfort. Help their faith in me become their rock, their shield and sword. Do not coddle them, but at the same time never forget that a strong spirit is not just pious as important as that virtue is, but compassionate as well.” “Third, and most importantly, you must be teachers of the righteous path. Sadly, there are some for whom the threefold path to strength is unclear, or who willfully ignore its stricture. It will be your role to guide them to a righteous and pious life. Those who are willing need only be shown the way, and you will have to learn how to show it to them in the most effective way to help them reach their holy goal. Others will be less interested, and other measures will be needed, if they can be convinced of the worthiness of such a life through straightforward word and deed all all the better, but sometimes cleverness and guile will be required. For if they are led to a pious and strong life through a twisted path, then they are still better than living in weakness and sin.” “Make no mistake, it is the duty of all those who are strong to guide and aid the weak in becoming strong, not to exploit or harm them. There will be some who neglect the pillar of spirit who will try to impose their will on those they think as weak for their own selfish benefit. This is anathema, for such things are not only sinful violations of my law in their own right, but they keep the weak shackled to their weakness. This world will not truly know its full greatness until all its people are truly strong. However, hear my warning and do not sacrifice your own righteousness to and descend into brutishness to realize the holy goal.” Leodin smile again at the priests to be, “I know this is much to take in, but you will have time to spend in this holy place, I will be here to help answer what questions you may have and provide you with guidance. Your duties are of the utmost importance, so take full advantage of this opportunity you are being granted.” Laying out the basic roles/duties of Leodin’s priests, and answering any questions they might have and offering guidance to help them prepare for their new role. I’m not really sure there are any domains in play here, but if there are I’d imagine Strength[+2] and Strategy[+2] would cover any teaching/guidance.
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Jan 11, 2014 10:02
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DracoLich - Harvan Fields The Lich shook his head. “Enough musing, there is still work to do. Without the fields and pastures full of crops and herds we will have little enough to go on.” He sought out the leadership of the Dragon-peoples. “Send Emissaries to the surrounding territories, let them know the Lich asking for a loan of seed and starter herds. They can name their method of repayment, within reason. I will attempt to...accelerate this year’s harvest.” The Lich ran off to the wilds to gather reagents, combining and distilling a quantity sufficient to imbue the soils with a shorter treatment for quick growth and a longer one for increased fertility. After many chats with the farmers regarding where to put the farmlands, and the pooling of their agricultural knowledge, the Lich began to tear through the earth itself, spreading his concoctions and using his dragon skeleton as a plow, tearing up stone and boulders as if they were mere pebbles. He then furrowed canals through the fields, to provide irrigation from the lake and river itself. Making farmland for Harvan. +2 Dragon and +2 Undead for the strength, size, unique physiology, and endurance to plow up a great many acres of farm and pasture. +2 Alchemy to whip up some fertilizer to provide a lasting bonus to crop growth and to make this years plantings grow in the time we have left before harvest. +2 Knowledge to gain what the farmers know and spread it throughout the community. Total of +8 toward the prime economic base of medieval commerce: Agriculture.
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Jan 20, 2014 01:47
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Edo, Eisos -> Mudhal The news of other surviving human outposts gives Edo some comfort that the world hasn't entirely gone to dragon gods or unnatural demons. But it still seems precarious in places. While Edo's confident that, given a description, he could use magic to travel anywhere on the continent, the western - apparently beset by horrors - is a different story. He needed a way to get there, or a way to make ships faster. So he flies by pegasus to the docks in Mudhal and talks to the sailmakers. He knows a bit about their trade - what sailor doesn't? - but tradeships and warships are very different to fishing boats, and it takes a while before he's comfortable with their techniques. Taking the most talented in hand, he then teaches them something new in exchange for their lessons - a way to weave the sun's light into the sail itself, making it sparkle in the sun but - more importantly - allowing the sail to catch sunlight and use it as wind. Working with sailmakers to teach the skill of making Solar Sails - special Sun-blessed sails that can use sunlight like wind, and travel faster and more consistently over long distances as a result. Sun +2 is the relevant quality. Up to you/the roll whether it can catch ordinary winds too, but I was seeing most ships having both kinds of sail.
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Jan 20, 2014 09:17
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Adam - With Thadroinquote:Adam He stood, dazed as the other dwarves came to him, feeding him information and praises as he walked through his city. A soft smile came from him after hearing they were working with the Arrani - at least something had gone right while he had been... occupied. He turned to Thadroin as he approached, his face solemn. "To be honest... Thadroin... I don't know what happened. One moment I was with... Action: A hell of a lot of celebration, along with quite a bit of shenanegans. We will however be trying to forumlate some form of plan. I would like to let burd know that the God of the dwarves would like to speak to him. Druggeddwarf fucked around with this message at 00:25 on Jan 22, 2014 |
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Jan 22, 2014 00:16
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Khali - The Void Khali observed the disturbing ritual sacrifice with mild bemusement. He had not though that the noble would manage to survive, and thrive, as he had! How marvelous. Such tenacity, and loyalty, should be rewarded. And so he shall be. Using Distortion [+2], Entropy [+2], Mirror [+2], Madness [+2], and the Void [+2] to alter one of the dude's rings (surely he has at least one!) into a Divine Weapon. Distortion and Mirrors to keep the wearer safe and hidden from attack and scrutiny, while Entropy and Void are obviously for fuckin' poo poo up. I would specify specific powers but I like the idea of it being a bit more nebulous rather than "it shoots energy bolts and casts Mirror Image". Edit: Let's throw in Madness for Extra Fun. Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 02:54 on Jan 22, 2014 |
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Jan 22, 2014 02:18
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Beltheus Eosia, Eisos You meet with Oschbright in Eisos by travelling through your gate to one of your cults secret meeting places. He assumed his true form and bowed to you respectfully, or at least outwardly so. "It has been some time since you graced me with your presence my lord, it is good to see you again. We were most troubled by your disappearance the last ten years." Which seemed unlikely once you were given a tour of what had been happening. You found out that for a number of years the cult had been troubled by birds that singled out those in need of 'help', which all of them were deemed to be. This had lead to a number of them being discovered, however one of the cult members found a way to alter the slivers of moon they had recovered and dupe them into thinking they were good. In turn the slivers resonated positive energy outwards and the birds did not think that they needed help. Aside from finding a way to mitigate against the moon's influence somewhat, not enough to allow your followers to walk freely under its light, and avoiding the notice of the Birds of Paradise your followers had experimented a bit in creating 'half-demons'. Infusing demonic blood and power into loyal human followers, but not enough to transform them into full demons. While this created more useful servants for your Dukes, you noted that doing so tied the half-demon to its progenitor and not to you. It was a sneaky way to try to circumvent the demonic hierarchy. It even worked, a little, with the progenitor retaining more of the more than they passed on to you. That said it was risky to do so because the newly born half-demon was not inherently brainwashed like the demons you created were. They had to ensure any half-demons they made were well and truly indoctrinated before they were converted, lest they reveal the cults existence to the Magisters. They had a number of those in their influence as well, but while more valuable their position was also more delicate. Overall Ochsbright had been moving slowly but steadily. Eosia was a dangerous place and they lacked the strength to openly compete with Edo. So for the time being they consolidated and built a powerbase until they could afford to operate more openly. "Besides a lot of our interests align with Edo as well. We want most people to have safe and prosperous lives, sin is hard to find in those who struggle to live. We also want to protect the world against invaders, and our strongholds against other nations." He added as you finished up your initial briefing and inspection of what had been going on in Eosia while you were gone. Overhead you notice a winged horse flying, carrying the imperial colours and heading towards the palace. Ochsbright frowned and murmurs to you; "I should head back, there will be matters I need to attend to and if I am gone to long it will raise alarm and draw attention." The Duke returned to his disguise and waited to see if you had any further instructions before he returned. Leodin Leodin’s Demense I really hate to do this, but can you please give me a summarised version? You have already written out the precepts for your religion on the wiki, if your priests have really complicated rituals and duties I am just going to handwave it and probably do things differently to what you want because tracking that is misspent effort I could be putting elsewhere. The eight gathered nodded as this listened intently to what Leodin said, all of them in awe of their god and also of the place they had been brought to. There were a few questions asked, but largely they had at least understand the basics of what you had imparted to them. Algard watched on curiously and when you had finished came over to you and made a comment. "In time each of them will put their own take on it, if what I saw while you were gone and I was busy is any indication. I would not become too attached to the details of it, otherwise you might find all your time is spent correcting their mistakes!" He finished with a wry chuckle. Your impression was that Algard did not think this would be problematic however, or at least not in the foreseeable future. Additionally you didn't really need to roll for this so auto-success. Dracolich Harvan Fields It took time to prepare everything, mostly because producing enough fertiliser for all the fields the Dracolich wished to plow was a large undertaking without directly creating it. While he was doing so his emissaries departed and then in time returned, almost all of them empty handed. A few farmers here and there had been convinced to part with some of their herds for a price, but the majority of them remembered the moonfall and the stories of the Drakenkin marching on Harvan and the moonfall made them apprehensive and fearful of them. You considered this while you ploughed the fields around Harvan. But once you were done and you returned to the farmers to discuss the next step, one of them had something for you that was much more positive. He mentioned that they had heard stories of bug people in the area, who had seemed to want to help give food to people and had done so in the dark of night. They were strange, but spoke the tongue of men and seemed to be peaceful. Another one had heard they had mostly ended up living in the jungle to the north east, which had broken up into islands and had begun to die off the last decade. They still lived there he knew, but he had heard that they had been sighted less frequently recently. As you were finishing setting up the farmers and organising workers, Daniker arrived from the south. He seemed moderately surprised that you had begun to rebuild Harvan. "In all truth, I had expected you might head down to Coltia once you had awoken my lord." He commented gravely and observed the great structure in the lake. "Your edifice is certainly most impressive." Success, you have some basic farmland set up and in time with a bit of luck it'll become more productive. Or without luck if you've got good fertiliser and a few other tricks. Your herd is very slim at the moment and will take a great deal of time to build up. Local farmers are hesitant to sell to you, but there are other options or you could look further away. Also you have been informed of the bugpeople's existence and penchant for farming. Edo Eosia, Mudahl For Edo it was a relatively simple task to imbue the sails with the ability to catch the rays of the sun like wind. In fact he barely had to think about it. But as with all things he seemed to do these days the issue was with making it accessible to the magically inclined and even non magically inclined people. The solution was in the end to weave sigils of pegasus tail hairs into the sails and to channel magical or prayer energies into them. For a small amount of effort, the sail would catch the sun for a day as though it was wind. Of course, this did not work at night, nor did it work when there was too much cloud cover. It was not even as fast as the wind, but it was more consistent and reliable. Had you not been performing miracles for years the sailors would have been far more sceptical you feel, with a perhaps slightly immodest amount of satisfaction. Success, the pegasus which are already tied to the sun are the key to people making these sails when you are not around to just bless them. Blessing any amount of sails is effortless for Edo, but they are naturally an expendable resource. Adam Once the merriment is over Adam receives a note from Burd. It is very formal and polite, but the contents amount to "I am currently very busy, I shall see if I can fit you in within the next few tendays. My apologies for the inconvenience." Thadroin grunts something that sounds suspiciously like 'I told you so'. Khali Khali burned the ring in darkness, and when the servant did so he would see the message you engraved on it. Of course burning something in darkness was something difficult for people to do, so he might not ever find that message you left behind. He did notice the moment the rings turned pure black and warped light around it like a singularity. Then it returned to normal for all appearances. The man got down on his knee. "You have ascended at last my lord. I have waited some time, listening to the whispers of prophecy that foretold your coming." You make a ring that is totally not the One Ring. Definitely not. Because the one ring couldn't shoot out horrible doom lasers. And madness. You didn't know you could shoot out madness. HiKaizer fucked around with this message at 01:08 on Jan 23, 2014 |
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Jan 22, 2014 12:27
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Leodin - Leodin’s Demense Leodin had laid out what he expected of his priests, now, he knew, it was time to grant them their first gift. Algard had told him that what his people had lacked was a good to trade in, and the dwarves had asked how the litorians had given back. He would provide a tool for his people, and a greater basis for trade with the dwarves. Once before he had thought on creating a material empowered by the divine, now he would do just that. He invited his priests to gather around. Then he walked them through the rituals to stoke a holy flame. What he did not tell them, at least not directly, is that it was their faith that would spark the flame, and his blessing that would sustain them. Only his priests, those he selected now, and those who faithfully and truly swore those vows in future would be able to kindle this bright fire, which glowed like the eyes of the Exalted once had, and Algard and his own eyes still did. Once he had shown them how to light the flame, he conjured a quantity of gold from out of thin air, an advantage to holding this demonstration sequestered in the realm completely governed by his own will. Then he showed them how to ritually purify and transform the gold into something greater. In the right hands, this metal would be sturdier, stronger, than any earthly metal, even the dwarves’ steel. In the hands of a skilled artisan it could be sharpened to a nearly mythical edge. Of course, it’s true greatness would be that this holy metal would resonate with its wielder's own strength. Those who walked the lion’s path and lived by its teachings would find the metal to be incomparable armor and weapons to make any other soldier on the face of the world sick with envy. Someone who wallowed in corruption, who lacked a strong body, mind, or spirit, would find it to provided no protection at all, and dull as clay. Those in between those two poles would find the metals effect in between them as well. Similarly, the metal would become easier to craft with the stronger the artisan who smithed them. Lastly, Leodin’s own deep and burning hatred of demonkind would forever color the metal, and for a demon or one of their minions to touch it would be for them to burn as though the metal were fresh from the furnace. His instructions finished, Leodin created yet more gold, so that the priests might practice its creation, so that when the time came they would be able to do so without hesitation or error. Leodin’s teaching his priests to refine a divine metal from gold via a set of prayers and rituals, and blessing them and any who honestly and faithfully take priestly vows to him to make the rituals effective. The metal resonates with the strength of its user, so the stronger they are(in all three pillars) the better the metals performance. So a faithful follower of Leodin who lives according to his teaching, and who thus in theory possesses a strong body, mind, and spirit, will find it lighter, stronger, and sharper than any merely earthly metal or alloy. While, a cruel, stupid, weakling would find it to be a heavy burden that provides no real protection. Also, its anathema to demons, demons and their minions will basically be unable to handle it and will be severely injured if they even try. Strength[+2] - This is a holy metal that responds to its user’s strength, and can become far stronger than any earthly metal. Fire[+2] - For the metal to be made it must be refined from gold using a holy fire, sparked from faith in Leodin and sustained by a blessing from his priests.
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Jan 28, 2014 03:09
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Next update will be in a week, again on a Wednesday my time, Tuesday US time. Leodin Leodin's Demesne The only way to do with the metal, to have it so dynamic and responsive as he wished, was to give it a kind of life. In its own way it was alive, sustained by the virtue of the one who held or wore it. By now you had heard of the strange demon arms and armour that had begun to circulate, this metal that you had now taught your priests how to make was a mirror of that foul creation. It was the Orc who succeeded first, although he was shortly followed by three of the Litorians that you had gathered. Part of you was saddened that it was not your own children who had first succeeded, while another part of you was glad that they others had embraced your philosophy as well. It was a shame that the greatest of smiths belonged to the dwarves currently, but that did not stop the metal from being effective when worked by a less skilled but more virtuous smith. Success, you create a ritual to transmute your metal. While it is possible it could be corrupted, doing so would require a great deal of effort and would be immediately noticeable. When demons have their own special arms and armours, this seems unlikely for the foreseeable future. In its pure form and when forged, it remains anathema to those who follow or belong to Beltheus and his ilk.
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Jan 29, 2014 00:11
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Adam and Leodin - Outside Sellosquote:***Adam had made thadroin work a little. No response from Burd was going to cause a few issues, but that was him going to the middleman and not the source. He sent an invitation out to Leodin to meet him at Sellos river source - a small spring just outside of the town, and neutral ground to both their territories, with the promise of it not being a trap at all and that he was bringing a keg of Mead. Of course, knowing leodin, he probably wouldn't want to meet anywhere that he didn't feel absolutely secure, so he promised not to bring any of his guards, and that Leodin could bring as many as he wished. Sitting by the side of the river on a small stone, he checked the keg, made sure its contents were fresh, and patiently waited. Then impatiently waited.
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Feb 2, 2014 07:02
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DracoLich - Harvan The Dracolich eyed Daniker, "I likely flew overhead at some point. I expect a report of all that I missed." He called to the drakenkin emissaries to seek out and parley with these bug-creatures.
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Feb 2, 2014 07:15
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quick Acton post: I'm going to get to work forming a committee on the dwarves side of things to better relate with the other races. Hoping I can pick good leadership [+2] personnel who will do the right thing and be respected amongst the lions and the dwarves.. Although I love Thadroin I want him to concentrate more on finding better food sources and weaponry During this time I am also going to try and find somewhere in greatholm where I can build a new forge - this one is going to be special and I don't want to ruin the Fel Forge if I fail.
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Feb 4, 2014 01:33
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Leodin - Leodin’s Demensequote:***Leodin enters the office. It was the first time he'd returned to Pride's Bastion since he'd awakened in his true form. News of his return hadn't spread yet, as he'd remained in his demesne with his new priests. Even now, he came quietly, in a cloak so as to not reveal his identity. The time he would announce his return to his children would be soon, but not yet. Upon returning to his Demense, Leodin sought out Algard. Finding his closest ally, he spoke with him. “Algard, you have watched the training of the priests, seen them learn the ritual to purify the holy metal. However, there is one aspect I have not mentioned. I would like you to take the role of my high priest, the leader of all my priests and my mortal representative in the world. For there is none more suited to the post than you.” The lion-god smiles warmly. “Certainly, you have already taken the role in fact if not in name, but I wish no man or woman to be able to dispute that you are my chosen one. I know you will watch over my children well if I should be torn once more into time.” Then he shared with Algard mind to mind everything he hoped and desired for one of his priests to be. Next he reached out to Rathin, “Brother, I have returned at last, and I have a favor I must ask. The land of Liodor still bears the memories of famine, and stands too close to its brink. I would be grateful if you would come and bless the land and help teach the people how to make the best use of it. If you require aid in making the transit, I can arrange for you to journey via my own Realm. I will not forget the service you do me, and I will return it when you require my aid.” Lastly, just as Burd was to arrive he gathered his priests. “You have worked and trained hard and well. Soon we return to the world and announce to the people my return and your selection as my priests. It will be a joyous occasion, but it will mark the true beginning of your work. So, take this moment to rest and meditate on your duty and on your faith. Nourish your spirit, so that you can take to ministering to the people with zeal and joy.” Leodin soon went to meet Burd, and acquaint him with the wonders of the holy realm. Then, he focused his thoughts infusing the reality of the place itself to aid in spiritual healing and rejuvenation both for his priests, and especially for Burd. Doing a couple things: Naming Algard my high priest, and sharing via the bond all Leodin hopes and expects from a priest. Asking Rathin to come and teach the people of Liodor best farming practices and to bless the land. Showing Burd around the demesne, which is still pretty much meant to be Litorian heaven(ultimate catnap dimension). Lastly, for the actual divine action, Leodin’s going to temporarily imbue his Realm with an aura that encourages spiritual healing and rejuvenation. Strength[+2] - To help restore and enhance the strength of spirit of those who spend time in the Realm. Lion[+2] - As god of lions Leodin’s efforts will show the greatest effect upon Litorians, as he innately understands their hearts.
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Feb 4, 2014 06:07
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Khali - Some Crummy Basement "The Time of Prophecy is at hand," whatever that is, "and so I have returned. Your work is most pleasing, and as such I have granted you a boon, a ring, to use as you see fit. Use it well." Inexplicably, and unexpectedly, the stone of the basement's floor deforms, consuming the corpse of the sacrificed Litoran. In its places rises a pillar of pure Obsidian, glinting even in the darkness. The Nobleman and his son can no-doubt feel the power radiating from it, and gazing into its facets is akin to gazing into the void itself; an endless blackness. Those images reflected upon its surface are distorted and unnatural, but difficult to make out! Perhaps if one peered more closely... "Gather those around you to your cause. Lay waste. Prepare for the End. You know what needs be done." And in their heads, beneath whatever madness has overtaken their Void-wracked souls, a voice can be heard; quiet, yet quite insistent: "You must construct additional Pylons." Using Distortion [+2], Entropy [+2], Mirror [+2], Madness [+2], and the Void [+2]. Without going into tedious detail, Pylons are pillars of obsidian that can be constructed from any stone material. To those tained by the Void in their soul or in their head, they resemble just that. To the Uninitiated, they Mirror their surroundings and appear to be pillars made out of native stone. Only those driven Mad by the Void or otherwise Void-affiliated can construct a Pylon. How is this done?  I'd like Pylons to act as a conduit for Nasty Void Stuff. Laser Beams, Voidspawn, Deliveries, I dunno. Pylons should radiate a field of Entropy. Things fall apart quickly when a Pylon is nearby. Close proximity or physical contact with a Pylon should probably obliterate you, taint you, drive you Mad, transform you into some horrible Distorted Void-self, or some combination of any of those things! I'd say that all Void-related Madness compells people to construct and gather around Pylons to do... Void stuff. ...And I've just realized what I am describing sounds very much like the Markers. WHATEVER, TOO BAD. 
Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 07:49 on Feb 26, 2014 |
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Feb 4, 2014 21:18
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Edo, Eisos Eosia Pleased with the sails, Edo gets to work on his next project before heading west to rescue the survivors of the horrors he'd heard about. He headed back to Eisos and the carpenters down by the docks. There he spent day and night working with some of their masters to build an enormous flat-bottomed ship, capable of holding thousands of people in tolerable if not great comfort. But rather than sailing on water, the vessel was to do something remarkable - fly. A big balloon of woven silk from the sailmakers was then hung in a rubber-tree frame over the top of the ship, anchored to 10 sturdy masts along its hull. Great sigils of warding and protection were then carved into its timbers, to allow any passengers to protect themselves and their ship through prayer and runic magic. Once the construction was finished, he focused his power on it and poured into the vessel a vast working of magic - a spell of weightlessness, a spell of strength, one of resilience, one of speed, and one of healing and life. If all went to plan, the ship would live, a great wooden golem that could carry the oppressed peoples of the world to freedom in Eisos by flying them above the treacherous seas and out of reach of any landborne monsters. Building a flying zeppelin golem. It should fly through being basically a giant magic artefact but also one with a big balloon, and heal itself because it's living and made of natural materials. It should be about the same size as a modern cruise liner, only without the creature comforts because it's more about rescue than pleasure cruises. Relevant qualities are Life +2, Magic +2 and maybe Healing +2 if you're feeling really generous.
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Feb 5, 2014 01:29
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Dracolich Harvan, Dragonshome "I have been in the south east, so perhaps you missed the area my lord. Had I been alerted to your presence sooner I would have made haste to come and see you." The skeleton intoned in its hollow voice and seemed to think for a moment. "I shall prepare a full report for you. But a succinct version of events would be, that after you defeated Daveron and Civar and transformed into your current form a shard of the moon fell. It caused a great disaster which blotted out the sun for a number of years. In the wake of the loss of the capital and certain disagreements on philosophy and lines of succession Arandia has split into two nations. The west has been influenced by Civar prior to his corruption and has taken the name Tiachan after his people. We understand their weather workers spent a great deal of time correcting the disaster, preventing the sun from being blotted out by ash and cloud for longer. The east rallied around the city of Coltain and has renamed itself Coltia. A previous starborn, as beings like yourself are sometimes called, influenced the people of the town before she disappeared. This seems to have resulted in them making great progress in many fields, as well as being virtuous enough to seemingly receive positive effects from the moon you and Daveron created. There was a great deal of famine in the first two years, but we have worked through this and Coltia is doing very well. I think it would not be entirely prideful to say that it is probably the most prosperous nation in the world currently." He finished. It would be a few days until the emissaries returned, but what they reported was that the bug people simply wanted a home and people to help out. They felt lost and confused as their creator had left and they did not know how to reproduce now. If they were going to die out, then they could at least help other people and make sure they were remembered for being helpful. Adam You have organised those people you both think are wisest and most trustworthy to lead and judge other people, but also those that have some interests in different areas. While you still await Leodin's part of the group, you are confident there shouldn't be a situation your group doesn't have someone with the knowledge or experience to solve. Leodin The mandate that Algard was to be your high priest was made in front of an assembly in Pride's Bastion, a public display so that there would be no question as to your will. After this task was finished you began discussion with Rathin. His part of the matter was relatively simple, as long as he had surplus food he was more than happy to share it. There were some matters of bandits on the roads, while no orc would want to feel that they needed the aid of a Litorian to protect their own the fact was that for the last few years there had been strange happenings to merchants on the roads. Travellers were found hung on wooden crosses, ritualistically cut open with scavengers feeding on their corpses. At other times the bodies were missing eyes, tongues, or sometimes organs from their chests. All of the bodies had died with expressions of intense pain on their faces and their numbers also included orcs, litorians and humans. Despite the obvious involvement of the Taelessian remnant in these affairs there remained no proof of their actions. It was like everything incriminating them had been vanished, erased away. For now you put such thoughts aside, agreeing to more protections and concluding your deals. You had to look after Burd and changes to your realm to make before you could take him there. While the changes were simple to make, the realm responding to your will effortlessly it seemed that Burd would need some time. It was not just a physical exhaustion and depletion of power as Algard's had been, Burd suffered wounds and trauma that he first needed to allow to become raw again before he could begin to properly heal. For any Litorian becoming in essence weak and vulnerable again was difficult to do, even if the overall result would be healing and greater strength. His companion was a Litorian name Reyin, who was by Litorian standards seemingly very average. Leodin noted his mind and wit were quicker than they immediately seemed, but the man was so awed to actually be in his gods presence that he had little to say beyond being appropriately reverential. But the matter of Burd was for the time being at least in hand, leaving you to deal with other issues. You didn't really need to roll for this action as you have full control over your Demesne. Khali The child looked at the new object dispassionately, in a manner no human child should ever do. It was clear that the youngster was fundamentally broken and warped, but to Khali that did not really matter now. The creature should not even exist after all. As you watched the pillar and the area around it though, things began to go wrong. Physics stopped working correctly for starters, with some objects beginning to float as gravity no longer affected them while others began to move backwards. The floor around the pillar also is flayed from reality, leaving only a void between it and the rest of the room. But unlike the child who was broken, and who you could see breaking further staring into a mind shattering abyss of nothingness, the father looked at the obsidian pillar and there was a hunger in his eyes. You considered this for a moment, attributing it to the combination of power that you and Nomad had poured into him. Demonic essence, the ability strip away and consume souls for power, a transformative nature, increased intelligence and even your own speck of nothingness in him...all of that had made him something else, some kind of third being, neither mortal or demon. It was something to consider. His response was simple though, after he peered at it for a moment. "I understand...a simple process. Your will shall be done my lord. But, if I could be so impudent and selfish as to ask a small boon of you? I have heard of others that can travel across the world as if they were walking through the door. Teach me how to do so, so that I might enact you will elsewhere." Success, the Obsidian Pillars generally warp reality around them and taint the minds and bodies of those around them. There will be side effects for those exposed for too long. Additionally they may have other powers usable by those more aligned with the void. Edo The spells wove together into one greater spell, and the prow of the boat warped as a great face appeared on it. It yawned loudly and then seemed to look around, taking the world in as if it had just awoken. "As your fates shall be tied to mine, so shall mine be to yours." It said as it began to lift off of the ground slightly, as if testing its metaphysical muscles for the first time. Your spell has worked, giving the boat a distinct and unique life.
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Feb 11, 2014 00:39
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Leodin - Leodin’s Demesne Now that Burd had been set up in the Demesne and had begun the healing process, Leodin felt confident enough to split his time between providing aid and counsel to his former harbinger and his other duties, of which there were many. After his discussions with Rathin, it was clear that steps would have to be taken to help secure the roads from these monstrous bandits. There was also the matter of the committee he had agreed to with Adam. On this second matter, Leodin delegated the task to Algard. For his high priest had not spent the past decade slumbering away, so it stood to reason he would be better equipped to know the various persons who would best fit the committee. It helped, of course, that thanks to their bond, Algard knew exactly the sort of candidates Leodin would select. That taken care of, Leodin sets aside some time to organize the patrols to deal with the danger on the roads. It was something he had done literally more times than he could remember as a mortal, and in many ways it was a sort of pleasant distraction, a reminder of when times were simpler. Now, as the god of strategy it was almost second nature, he drafted routes and orders, and took the time to ensure that all of the patrol groups would be equipped with weapons and armor made from the new holy metal which some had taken to calling lion-steel. Whether it would take a more directly divine intervention to help keep the roads safe and end the sadistic attacks on his people was impossible to predict. He would simply have to wait and see. With the two other matters taken care of, Leodin turned attention to the prime focus of the next few days. It was long past time for him to announce his return to the faithful and to introduce them to the priesthood. It made a splendid opportunity for a celebration to mark the first of what would no doubt become a high holy day. Leodin relied on Algard heavily to help setup and coordinate the festivities themselves, and he himself focused on the central role he was to play. First, he would address the faithful of Pride’s Bastion in both the morning and evening of the day, the morning to introduce the priests and lay out their mission. He would speak of the need for unity, to recall that despite the different paths they might walk they were all fellow worshippers who strove for strength. Then, for a majority of the day he would sit on the throne reserved for him in the great temple at the city’s center. While he was there any of the faithful who wished to could come before him seeking his aid or advice. They would respectfully lay out their situation and then reverently supplicate themselves before him. Leodin was all too happy to offer whatever he thought might help his children, be it advice or some divine miracle. He was careful to only grant miracles in cases he felt deserved such an outcome, where it would not harm the individuals long-term growth. However, there had always been cases like Burd before he had first been changed back when Leodin was still Kovar, who were limited by their bodies despite all their work. He was also alert for those who might ask if was possible that they might be remade as Litorians. To those that asked he would look into their spirit to see if that form was one to which they were truly fit, and would remember their names. It was in cases like that and other matters where divine intervention would truly help the recipients that Leodin would exercise his divine power. However, he was willing and ready to provide advice and counsel to any of the faithful that requested it. Once the day was done he would again speak to the gathered people. He would lay out his hopes for the coming age, of rebuilding bridges with the Dwarves, of making Liodor into a shining beacon of what a strong people could achieve, and he would charge them with doing their part to make that vision into a reality. He would also confirm what had long been rumored, that the souls of the faithful found eternal rest in the holy land he had created. All in all it would be an excellent chance for his faithful to celebrate and unwind. For they had faced many years of hardship, and chance to rejoice and be merry would be good for them. It would also provide an excellent opportunity for Leodin to reconnect with his people after a decade of slumber. He found that he was quite looking forward to this. Leodin’s splitting his time before providing healing and counsel to Burd and other stuff. Namely, instructing Algard to make picks for Adam’s committee, since he’s actually been around for the past decade, and thanks to their bond he knows the type of people Leodin would pick. Then setting up patrols armed with lion-steel weapons and armor to help secure the roads and fight back against the strange bandit attacks. Lastly setting up for a major celebration/high holy day for Leodin’s return and the introduction of the priesthood. Leodin sees it as a chance to let his people celebrate and unwind after all the hardship they endured. He’ll give two speeches, one at the beginning and one at the end. The beginning speech with introduce the priests and emphasize the importance of the faithful’s unity and cohesion. The closing speech will be more aspirational, setting out the goal of having Liodor serve as a shining example of what a land filled with strong people can be, and charging the faithful to do their part to make Liodor all it can be, including rebuilding bridges with the dwarves. In between the two speeches, Leodin will be staying in the temple to hear supplication from the any of the faithful who wish to seek their god’s advice or intercession. He’ll perform miracles where he thinks its appropriate(if the cause is just, or if there’s no mortal means, like how Burd wanted to become strong but was limited by his naturally frail body, that sort of thing.) He’ll also be keeping track of people who ask to become Litorians, if there are any. Strategy[+2] - To breakdown the core issues of each supplicants situations and come up with the advice that will help in their goals. Strength[+2] - To help those who wish it to overcome their natural limitation in order to become strong, and to provide advice on how those who do not face such unsurmountable limitions might become stronger. Lion[+2] - To best understand the hearts and concerns of those litorians who come before him, and to see if the spirits of those who are not litorians are fit to take on the lion’s form if that is their desire.
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Feb 12, 2014 07:44
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DracoLich - Harvan City, Library District “You… cannot reproduce?” the Lich was rightfully confused, back in a more humanoid form. “Why would you be altered but not imbued with the ability to sustain yourself? Are you yourselves hybrids?” Doors were opened, stacks were examined. “In any case, I will lay down an offer. I can mix your insectoid traits with dragonoid ones, allowing you to reproduce and be something like your current form. In return you’ll pool your resources with the drakenkin and share in the restored glory of Harvan and all that.” The Lich found a good spot for an altar. “Yes, yes this will do nicely.” He imbued it with knowledge, tying it to himself. Offering the bug people a chance to become Dragonflies and thus procreate and stuff, also imbuing my library-temple and particularly the front desk with “Knowledge”. Allowing me to know anything written inside, or inside the minds of those within. An offering of knowledge at the altar will also be recorded and entered into my knowledge pool, as well as granting some knowledge-related boon to the offer-er. Knowledge +2
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Feb 16, 2014 23:51
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Khali - Some Crummy Basement "Of course. However, one caveat. Do not meddle in the affairs of the spiders. Leave that to me." Using Mirror [+2] and the Void [+2] to teach this guy how to not only hop from place to place with the Void as a go-between, but also how to travel through mirrors as well. Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 07:49 on Feb 26, 2014 |
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Feb 19, 2014 05:28
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Edo, Eisos The great ship-monster is remarkable, and Edo spends several days with the creature as it slowly comes to terms with what it means to be alive. But its creation reminds Edo of Val the statue golem. And how lonely it must be, to know that eternity awaits and that without intervention Val will likely be forever alone. So Edo decides to change that. He begins work on a means to create a special kind of spell - one which can only be used by artificial life such as the golems - that allows them to create companions by imbuing a statue with life. As the golems will not be magisters, they will need a little assistance, and here Edo draws on the wellspring of life that led to the creation of the Valamnite order. There must surely be a way... Creating a spell that golems can use to create new life out of a statue or otherwise inanimate object. Using +2 Magic and +2 Life to do so. It wouldn't work for humans or other spell-capable life-forms. Potential side-effects to make it easier could be minimum recharge time counted in decades; need for a perfect vessel; or something else. The idea is that it's possible, not that it's easy.
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Feb 19, 2014 11:06
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Leodin - Liodor, Pride's Bastion The problem Leodin found was that his habit of losing a track of time, in multiple literal senses, made tending to small details very difficult. He spent a day with Burd, returned to make preparations at Pride's Bastion with Algard and Jusep for the day the priests were unveiled and then upon his return to his Demesne found that almost a full two tenday had passed. Luckily he found that mostly what Burd needed was time to rest and recover on his own. Emotional wounds could be wiped away perhaps, but if Burd was to overcome them naturally then he had to process and come to terms with what had happened on his own. Perhaps more frustrating than this was the fact that he missed the ceremony he had planned to be the centrepiece of by several days. Algard had by all accounts taken on responsibility and done a fine job with it. In fact this in itself was a blessing, for it helped to cement Algard's place as your head priest in people's minds. Blessings in disguise you supposed. In the end you still had your day of audiences with the Litorians, for many had stayed in the Bastion for several days afterwards for the festival. Algard told you privately he had a hunch you'd be a bit late and organised it to extend a bit further. For the most part, many Litorians were just in need of advice and insight, or a stern word or two to deal with personal limitations. Of the Orcs and Humans that attended you found 6 you felt might be 'worthy' of ascending to the Litorian form, but none of them seemed to be aware it was a possibility or thought to ask. They also seemed very comfortable in their current identities as they were. This was not to say they would not adapt and welcome the change perhaps, but none had any crisis of self-identity currently. The reports on the patrols were a mixed bag. One had been lost in the last two tendays, vanished with a trace of anything left. Four places were common places for wagons and patrols to be waylaid, and all were strategically chosen you could see immediately. Terrain around the area meant that any groups with many people or livestock and carts could not take any other route, lest they go so far afield as to take an extra tenday or more. You've helped improve general Litorian morale, as well as people in the area who follow the Lion's Path. However no-one seems aware Litorian transformation is a potential end result and thus haven't considered it. Also, the humans and orcs you see are reasonably happy with their own limitations, seeing their lesser potential for sheer physical strength to allow for growth in other areas as well. Besides this you have some information about the attacks. Algard has also made some choices for the council, but you won't see much from this for some time still. Dracolich - Harvan City, Library District "Are you familiar with how a hive works? The workers and nurses are sterile and lack the ability to reproduce. Only the queen can give birth to new members of the hive. It is different for us, but similar enough. Hybrids...I suppose so. We are part insect and part human but neither one or the other." One of them, something sort of akin to a centauric ant explained. Perhaps that was why he used a hive/nest metaphor. When he responded next he looked somewhat conflicted. "While we would be loathe to throw away the forms we were given...the truth is that we have not seen Wilhelm in many years. We do not wish to die out...so if you could help us, perhaps at least until he returns we would be very grateful. Helping your people would be a trivial price in comparison." You got the idea that he did not believe this 'Wilhelm' would be coming back, but that it was difficult for them to just throw him away. People began to shuffle into the library and deposit knowledge. As they did, the library seemed to shift and grow. Strange tendrils of luminescent material that did not truly exist there began to form in the higher reaches of the ceiling and the librarians spent the first tenday discovering that the library had managed to add new wings to itself somehow, yet took up no greater space than it did before. Books began to fill the shelves, despite no one actually writing anything down. And the Lich had access to it all. In return for their service, people received blessings of knowledge, small facts that would pop up into their minds when it would be useful or the ability to deduce and solve puzzles with relative ease. The duration and usefulness of these blessings always seemed to be relative to the knowledge they donated. Your library roll was pretty good, so I gave you something extra. As for the insectfolk, they seem willing to accept your offer and do not particularly wish to die out. Khali - The Void "Of course, as you wish." He said respectfully and listened to your lessons. Then when you were done, he took himself and his son somewhere else. In time he would pass this knowledge on to other trusted servants, but none would ever be as adept as him. Edo - Eosia, Eisos The main stumbling block Edo found, was that Golems did not accumulate life force. Humans and other creatures through the process of eating accumulated life force over their lives and then pooled it together with another to create a new life. Golems did not eat, magic sustained their form and their life force remained static. Changing this was not impossible, the ultimate sources of life force were the sun and water, both of which a Golem could be reconfigured to be able to process. However if a golem on its own tried to create a new life, it would be like a clone. The true spark of life was in the combination of two different lives to create one new one. But you already had two, the ship and Val, so all that needed to be done was to change both to take in life force. From then on, other golems that were made would be able to be enchanted to do so as well. It would be many years before Val and the ship would gain enough though, so just this once you lent a helping hand and 'charged' them with life force. But they would need to craft a form for their offspring themselves...which meant that they either needed help to do so, or that Val would need to do so himself. Val turned to you for advice, unsure of what form to make. He had never needed to be creative before, and the sheer infinite amount of choice confused and intimidated him. Success. Basically golems and other artificial life can with the right knowledge and sufficient life force, create offspring on their own. Gathering life force involves being in life sustaining water, or in sunlight. It will take decades for them to gain enough to make more though. This is also means that in time, more of the living ships will be made. The long period it takes to make offspring will mean that they are incredibly valuable and they will likely bond with captains for the captains natural lives.
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Feb 20, 2014 00:17
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DracoLich - Harvan City “Ah, finally, a proper library for Harvan.” The Lich was pleased, then began listing reagents. “Chicken eggs - unfertilized - laid the day we are to complete the ritual. A large quantity of dried beetle, finely ground into powder. Pure water, several buckets worth…” It would take several weeks to prepare and as many of the insect-people as possible for the plan the DracoLich envisioned to bear fruit. He bid every adult insectiod to walk up to the cauldron and leave at least a drop of blood. No grievous injury was necessary, just a finger-prick to deliver the blood of their kind. When all the participants were finished, the dracolich added his reagents and stirred the brew and worked in the essence of dragonkind. When he was finished there was a single egg in the cauldron. An image of its adult form flashed through the mind of all present.  “The eggs laid by this one will grow into your kind if you smear some of your blood on the shells. To create others, this ritual must be performed with some of its own unblooded eggs.” Going to create an Insect/Dragon Queen for them to care for and in time by cared for by in turn. Using: Dragon +2 This creature and its offspring will be part dragon, but also largely whatever insect creatures donate their blood for the cloning/genetic process. It is also the most direct way I have of creating life. Alchemy +2 This egg has been created by means of a specific ritual to create a magical being. This is largely a blood ritual, by which the “blood” of a particular line(or community) is allowed to continue. I can’t say DNA but DNA.
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Feb 20, 2014 01:10
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Edo, Eisos Edo refuses to tell Val what to make, instead telling him that when he knows what he wants to make, that is when he should make another golem. He then suggests that Val and the flying ship recruit a crew of sailors, marines and magisters and head out to explore the world, as that would be a good way to get inspiration. In the meantime, Edo decides to increase the gene pool a little by making some more golems. These new ones he makes from clay and river mud, firing it in the heat of the sun by the banks of the city's great river. The new golems would be imbued with the desire to create practical things of great beauty; a motive that would help them greatly in the eternity a golem could expect to live. Creating as many golems as he can practically do in an action. These are humanoid and made of clay. They love to make things, and they love to make them beautiful as well as useful. Buckets, chariots, belts, armour - whatever the people around them need. They would also teach humans to do the same, and train with the masters if the masters will have them. Relevant quality is Life +2.
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Feb 24, 2014 09:58
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Leodin - Pride’s Bastion Leodin was disappointed that he had begun to lose time again. He supposed it was inevitable, it had been a relief to not have to worry about such a thing for a time after his apparently decade long sleep. Now, it had returned, and at least Algard had seen it coming to an extent, Leodin wasn’t happy to have missed the celebration in his honor. Beyond his own vanity, it would be one of the rare occasions to see all of his children gathered and taking a break from their everyday troubles. At least he’d still had the chance to hear their requests, and provide them with what aid he could. It didn’t hurt that it had very nicely solidified Algard’s position as his chosen either. It would be a good long time before anyone would attempt to challenge his high priest, Leodin would like that day never to come, but he was not so foolish as to believe that Still, that day would be a long way away now. Despite the success of the celebration, and Leodin enjoying his chance to partake in his people’s happiness in what way he could there were still ominous clouds on the horizon. The fact that a full patrol of lion-steel armed soldiers had fallen victim to whatever bandit sadists were upon the roads. That suggested they were powerful indeed, and the return of his time-loss meant he would not be able to personally lead the campaign, or participate in the battle. The obvious counter-stroke would be to simply sidestep the banditry altogether. They were clearly pawns of either the spiders or South Taeless, far more likely the second since he doubted the spiders would be able to resist the temptation to feast in order to leave the tortured corpses. Regardless of whether he had proof of that, Leodin was firmly of the opinion that war with the remnants of the Taelessian nobility was unavoidable. If nobles could be counted on anything it was too long for privileges and power lost, so they would strike when they thought they could get away with it. Moreover, he saw no reason to continue to let them continue the disgusting trade in slaves or the exploitation of their common subjects. A war had much to recommend it. It would strike at the Taelossians on his timetable, and if they had access to whatever was being used to kill his people on the roads then they would be forced to concentrate and defend their fixed targets. Meaning he could ensure that assaults would occur when he was present and in-sync with the normal flow of time. There would be no need to rely on something so unreliable as an ambushing party, for the nobles would not be courageous enough to not use whatever power they might possess to save their own skins. It also would rather nicely end the problem of a Taelossian counter-stroke if it ever came to war with the spiders. Best of all, it was highly unlikely that the spiders would intervene, since they didn’t seem to possess any strong ties to Taeloss, and it would provide grounds to invoke a full scale Crusade against them, especially when proof of Taelossian involvement in the sadistic murders was revealed. However, he did not think this was the right moment yet. The issue of the dwarves was still yet too unsettled, and he did not want to risk exacerbating tensions between the former Sellosians with a renewed conflict with Taeloss. However, there was something that might serve multiple of his goals, and serve as a counter to whatever powers the bandits possessed. He needed to share divine gifts with those who were worthy. They could serve as a force for good in the world, and examples to aspire too. Returning to his throne in the Temple in the heart of Pride’s Bastion, he closes his eyes and clears his mind. Just as he had been taught to do ages ago he gently falls into the diamond sharp clarity of the trace. He felt within himself four cores of power, and so he would offer four Gifts. Though the first he had to determine who to give the gifts too. The answer came naturally as such things did in this state of clarity. Those of exceptional piety could earn them through prayer and meditation to prepare their soul for his divine power. So long as they kept their soul strong and pure they would know his gifts and become his holy warriors. From each core of power he granted a Gift, from the first he gave a lesser version of his own sight, from the second strength of body and mind beyond mortal limits, from the third a white hot flame that would burn away evil, and from the last a leonine form second only to Algard’s own. Those whose hearts were pure and whose faith in him was strong and true would know subconsciously what would be required of them to take up the holy orders and life of service to their god. Creating an order of divinely empowered paladins. Those of exceptional piety can through prayer and meditation gain the four gifts of Leodin for so long as their faith remains strong, and their hearts pure. Strategist’s Eye: Their iris take on a golden hue similar to Lion’s Steel and they can see optimal strategies unfold before their eyes in a lesser version of Kovar’s original gift. Paragon’s Strength: They gain physical strength, quickness, and endurance beyond what any other mortal might obtain. Holy Flame: Drawing upon their faith, they can materialize a bright white fire which burns away evil and corruption. Form of the Blessed Lion: Those who take up the paladin’s calling regardless of their race gain lesser versions of Algard’s perfect form. Be they human, litorian, orc, dwarf or any other race, they become more than litorian, though they are still manifestly less than Algard himself. Strategy[+2] - To grant the gift of the Strategist’s Eye. Strength[+2] - To grant gift of Paragon’s Strength Fire[+2] - To grant gift of Holy Flame Lion[+2] - To grant gift of the Form of the Blessed Lion.
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Feb 25, 2014 06:58
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Khali - Tavaresh, Eventually Khali left shortly after his protege, stepping into the reflective surface of the First Pylon and disappearing to parts unknown. There he waited and watched, gazing out from the Other Side, the twisted, distorted version of reality that is reflected back at you from within a mirror. There he flitted from "window" to "window", no doubt terrifying innocent mortals with the image of his dark form standing behind them. Eventually, he crossed the over the ocean and emerged somewhere in Taravesh, though he knew not where. Emerging from some poor sod's reflecting pool, Khali stretched out his power to draw those to him whom would be most susceptible to his... molding. Lurking in what I guess I'll call the Mirror World before popping out over in Taravesh. Your call as to where! Distortion [+2] and Madness [+2] to draw twisted and crazy souls to me so that I might teach them the secrets of the Void. Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 07:49 on Feb 26, 2014 |
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Feb 26, 2014 07:47
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Dracolich Harvan City The queen broke out of the shell and then climbed out of the cauldron that you had performed the ritual with. There was an immediate and clear sort of kinship or deeper connection between the queen and the rest of the insect people. They thanked you and went to make part of the city their own and to properly look after the queen. She was not yet mature and as the last hope for their kind, they were understandably protective of her. Several days later the queen had begun to grow quite noticeably, and you suspected by the end of the moon she would be fully mature. However your musing was interrupted by another Dragonkin who had run into the room. He was babbling incoherently and it took a few minutes to calm him down. What you learned was that the priest was missing, and that the egg he was tending to was beginning to rock. Confused, but interested in seeing the first egg hatch you went to investigate. The egg was a pearly marble white and sure enough it was rocking. However the pile of clothes the priest to you and Daveron had been wearing lay in a pile next to the egg. As if your connecting facts together was the final cue, the egg broke and out burst an alabaster white dragon. "I am reborn!" It cried in a voice similar to that of the priest and everyone else caught up. It seemed that the final step was that the dragonkin bonded to the dragon egg became one with the egg and was reborn as a full dragon, untainted by their default nightmarish forms. Edo Eosia, Eisos The golems were slightly different to what you had intended, being fuelled directly by the force of life instead of by magic. Whereas Val and the ship had been magical constructs powered by life, you shaped forms and directly gave them life in this case. Each of these new golems had a heart, a beating jewel of unparalleled beauty that sent life flowing through their clay forged veins. They were confused and you wondered at what sudden rush of power had allowed you to create so much new life. You had only made pairs or a small number of creatures in the past, but here you made dozens of the new golems and it did not weary you so. The golems however were eager to learn and as intended, had an innate desire to create useful and beautiful things. Leodin Liodor, Pride's Bastion The first of your paladins stood before you, transformed and valiant. Those that followed would need to pass tests, proving their piety and their dedication to the precepts of the Way of the Lion and their virtue. Each pillar granted a unique aspect, but only all three would grant the final transformation to become more than a Litorian. On reflection though you were troubled, for that final transformation was permanent and if somehow one of your paladins was turned to the path of dark and evil, they would be a terrifying foe for your followers and all good people. Your only comfort lay in that the transformation was not easy, and those that attained it would be the best equipped to deal with whatever forces would tempt or try to forcibly turn them to a vile path. The first group set off, to patrol and organise escorts for trade caravans past the Taeless remnant. By this time the join council of Greatholm and Pride's Bastion had begun their task, leaving you with only the matter of Burd's recovery. When you found him he seemed much more at ease, being able to understand a little bit of what had happened and what he had done. Khali Eosia, Mhudal Your siren call attracted a few people, but the nature of your promise meant that few people truly were drawn to your nature. Most of them followed you from the south, one from the north and they came to you. It was a strange understanding they had, knowing that they had been called their but yet not quite understanding why. They had been damaged by their lives in ways that made them seek destruction and oblivion, yet some were scared to follow through while others wished to take others with themselves first. Then on the third day something interesting happened. You had travelled away from the prying eyes of the town to begin your tutelage when a great winged best dropped out of the sky to meet you. It was a reptile with wings, strangely oily and iridescent scales and a head with four eyes that tended to move independently of one another. It had an aura of nightmares and fear around it. The same sort of aura you had once had when you were Octagon. It was also the last of its kind and it regarded you with a wary curiosity. "You and I are alike, and yet different. Why did you call out to me?" Everyone A day or two later from your own events there is a tremendous cracking noise from the heavens. All of you look up to see vivid and fiery blue streaks running across the sky. All those touched by the stars also begin to feel...lighter, and heavier. Then there is a voice, echoing in the minds of all save for Khali. "And so I entrust it all to you. There are enough left, with strong enough bonds. Use your power to protect it all as you see fit." Then something deep, important and meaningful is gone from the world. Yet you know that you will all rise to take its place, and soon.
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Mar 2, 2014 03:56
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Adam - Under Sellos He had picked a quiet place, somewhere below most of the area that they owned. He had taken care to make sure it was as far from the normal residents as possible in case... something went wrong. Thadroin had explicit instuctions to keep the place sealed until his return - he had no idea what was going to happen after he started, nor did he know how things would end. The commitee and Thadroin would keep things safe if he needed to - he just had to make it out alive. The chamber itself was bare, save for a giant stone anvil he had had the dwarves craft for him. He wasn't sure if the shape of it was significant, but he had no idea how anything worked in the first place. Best to not take chances. He climbed up to the top, choosing to lie down upon it, his eyes closed. He felt within the stone, its density, it's weight. He hoped he was doing the right thing. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and when he opened them again, tears of blood started to trickle down his face, and into the stone below. Using my Blood domain to possibly fufil an old prophecy - make the Blood anvil from Thadroin's time. the blood of a god can forge weapons strong enough to defeat demons - and I'm a walking god of Blood. so let's make this happen.
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Mar 3, 2014 01:03
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Edo, Eisos, Eosia Now that he's created them, Edo realises that abandoning the new golems to their own devices would be cruel. Val had stayed with him for months before Edo's disappearance. So instead he takes them on a grand tour of the empire by magic, along with friends and followers from the university and the Valamnite Order, showing them all the sights, and then asks them if there's anywhere they want to stay to learn more about. If they found somewhere they liked, there he would create for them guardians to protect them and their hearts from the greed of mortals, and to aid them in travel, study and creation. Along the way, he notices the new calamity to strike the heavens, and hears again his father - this time announcing his abdication. For the time being Edo maintains his calm, but internally he's extremely worried about what this might mean. Most of the others Edo has encountered or seen the works of have been violent or mad. Perhaps his father was mad too, towards the end, to give up his divinity for creatures like them. In the middle of a tour of the bomb fields, Edo sighs. More work to do, and no day of rest in sight. Touring around Eosia with the craft golems and to see if there's anywhere they want to live and to teach them something of Eosia and the world in general. I guess maybe the ports to build ships, the crystal plant fields if they're unexpectedly violent or a sunfish/magic pipes-irrigated coastal farming village if they're peaceful? If a roll is required, the relevant quality is probably Magic +2 and maybe Life +2 to represent him understanding how living things work. EDIT: added in bit about all gods text. Missed it first time around! Cacto fucked around with this message at 08:34 on Mar 23, 2014 |
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Mar 6, 2014 11:22
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Leodin - Pride’s Bastionquote:***Leodin arrived from his Demesne just outside the village where the onetime Vizier of Taeless had moved to in the wake of formation of Liodor and searched him out. Leodin escorts the Vizier back to the town, and then returns to Pride’s Bastion. He informs Algard of the Vizier’s suggestion, and leaves arranging for an appropriate agent in his high priest’s hands. As he returns to his temple, Leodin contemplates what has happened. The completion of the revolution for Taelos was inevitable in Leodin’s mind, but unfortunately he still hadn’t had a chance to discuss it with Adam, who had vanished without a trace sometime after their last meeting. So, he could begin to set the gears in motion, but he would have to do so quietly. In the meantime, he was struck with a revelation. He had a religion with a coherent philosophy, priests, and an afterlife, but what his worshippers lack was a single codification of all that, something that would last after he fell into the deep time the water goddess had warned about. If left up to chance there was little doubt that time would distort his message as it was passed by word of mouth. Algard would do his best, but Leodin doubted he would be enough to stop it, at least without help. More than that, Leodin wanted to leave a guide to his beloved children, so that even if he fell through not just decades, but centuries or millennia his followers would all have his own words to draw strength and comfort from. So, he set to work. Setting up in the tallest spire of his temple where he could overlook the entire city, he began to put pen to parchment. Writing the central book of Leodin’s religion, laying out the Path of the Lion and its god’s own advice on how to become strong. Leodin’s love for his followers and his desire that they remain unified and strong is both obvious in the text and outright stated on multiple occasions. Strength[+2] - This is Leodin’s own thesis on how to be strong, strength emanates from the very words themselves. Lion[+2] - Leodin is god of lions, and this book is meant to serve as guidepost and comfort to his people. It also provide hints that it’s possible to obtain the Litorian form for those sufficiently lion-spirited and subtly encourages that mindset. Strategy[+2] - When the god of strategy lays out strategies by which one might accomplish the goal of becoming truly strong, his strategies are always on point.
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Mar 7, 2014 06:52
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Khali - Tavaresh, Nightmare Town? Khali's form was a silhouette, a tear in the fabric of reality, an opening to Nothing. To look too long was to court Madness. "Long have you waited, and long have I sought, for those whom could be trusted with the secrets I have brought! I have come, winged beast, to grant you a boon. Come, I shall share with you the secret of the Void..." Edit: nevermind, let's teach about Pylons first, then we can give the dragon powers. Void [+2] and Madness [+2] to teach everyone, including the dragon, about PYLONS PYLONS PYLONS. Rhjamiz fucked around with this message at 00:48 on Mar 13, 2014 |
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Mar 13, 2014 00:43
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5 Turns remain Adam The tears of blood became like hot magma, running along the surface of the anvil and carving into it strange runes. However there was one rune that Adam recognised. It was the dwarven rune for F, and you felt a small part of you leave you forever as it carved itself into the stone. For the operation of the anvil, you could tell that it required divine power to fuel it. However when you or Thadroin were not around, the faith that prayers and other religious observances generated for you could also be channelled in its place. Although any smith would be able to use this, you suspected few outside of your followers would have the skill to do so. Additionally the anvil ran specifically off of your faith. Another god could channel their power in its place, but if none were left to follow you it would lie fallow until another god and their followers could usurp your place. However there was one other source of power you found, that you had not immediately thought of. Tiny blue slivers of the crystal shell had begun to fall at infrequent intervals. It seemed like the shell was going to fail soon. But even more concerning about its collapse was the fact that it was those same slivers that had granted you power in the first place. What would happen to those who might pick them up? Edo The Golems had a lot of questions, and had you not been so seemingly inexhaustible and immortal you probably would have been long worn down by them. First they asked you questions about the nature of life and what its purpose was, which was challenging to answer. Although you could not provide a definite satisfactory answer for all of them, they seemed to appreciate that it might be different for everyone and something they needed to decide for themselves. Secondly, they asked about why people worked and how they picked the jobs that they did. They asked questions about why people acted in certain ways at some times, and differently at other times, as well as a number of other questions. The general theme behind it was always about finding ones place in the world and about why and how things change over time. The Golems decided that they should all go to different places and learn different things, so that they could become distinct and different. That way when they came together to create their offspring, they would not be all homogeneous. Of curiosity was that Golems seemed particularly inclined to bond with the ships, for despite being kindred spirits they were also very different. You receive a request to speak with the Emperor at some point, who was indulging his child with his wife. He mentions to you that blue crystal shards have begun to fall from the sky. So far he has organised for several Magisters use magic to collect the shards and prevent them from being misused by other people or from civilians being accidentally changed. The Magister overseeing it was in the room with you, one of the ones who had been been siding against you when you had protected the Emperor from the Arandian assassins and freed him from the demonic influence afflicting him. He was a decade older now, and possibly a decade wiser as well. So far they have collected 5 shards, about the size of a child's pinky and stored them away in a secure magically locked vault for the time being. He asked you if you wanted something else to be done with them, or if he should continue to keep them under guard and watch for the time being. Leodin The god of the Litorians created the One Pure Manuscript, the codex of teachings and thoughts from which all Liodorian (and by extension, the majority of Litorian) philosophy and thought would come from. However, despite the near indestructible nature of the tome the fact was that it was just one book. It could be stolen, lost and even with great effort, destroyed. It would be the jobs of the priesthood, and also Algard when he was around, to ensure that its message was kept true when it was copied and distributed. Burd sends you a report that over the last two tendays, three slivers of crystal shards have been sighted. Algard personally dealt with all three and people have been instructed not to touch them, but he is concerned about the effects of it and requests advice on what long term solutions should be organised for it. Khali The dragon, vaguely surprisingly, already knows about the Void. While it is not really in a rush to accelerate the end of the universe, it also doesn't really care if you work to that end. In the end you agree on a simple arrangement, that he won't deliberately interfere with you and will assist you if your interests align with his. Whether you will grant him extra powers or not is ultimately your choice though. He has a strong enough being, having been invested with divine power that the Void and its power won't corrode away at him like it would with mortals. As such you cannot count on him degrading into madness and embracing destruction, but he cannot easily turn the powers against you and he is substantially weaker than you. Considering that you could take away any power you were to give, with his remaining strength you could confidently destroy him. Regardless of that decision, you taught the dragon how to make the Pylons along with the others. The problem with such self-destructive knowledge however, was that those who possessed it would likely burn themselves out before they could pass it on. Only the man who had been gifted by you and Nomad, showed any signs of decent longevity. And the dragon you supposed, if you could convince it to teach others about the pylons. You sensed the crystal shell protecting the world begin to deteriorate. For now it would simply rain slivers and shards, but in time it would eventually fracture and fade away. The others touched by its power, those...gods, would not realise that it was essentially a barrier of raw power. Even you could make use of it, and they would gain a substantial temporary boost should they become wise to its true nature.
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May 1, 2014 07:17
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Edo, Eisos Leaving the golems to their exploration , Edo focuses his attention on investigating the crystals. Where could they have come from? What did it mean? Consulting with the magisters, he devised a series of tests that would trace back the crystals to their point of origin; determine any unusual qualities they may have; and determine whether there was anything in them that needed dealing with or if they were just odd curios for mortals to hurt each other with. He also sent word to the dracolich and asked for his help, but didn't really expect a reply. Investigating the crystal shards to see where they come from and what they do; the only relevant quality is probably Magic +2 - Healing +2 if you want to take the metaphorical perspective that the shards are blood from a wounded sky.
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May 3, 2014 03:58
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Leodin and Adam - Outside of Pride's Bastion Leodin: Hearing the preliminary reports from the scouts and spies sent into South Taeless, Leodin decides to seek out Adam. Before he could carry out a campaign against the whatever power was destroying that place he needed to resolve whatever lingering issues still existed between Adam and himself. He made sure to grab some bottles of the Firewire liquor and some glasses and then went down into Greatholm in search of his friend. ***Adam had his own plans. The forge was already being taken to work, and Adam sat a while away outside the entrance to the dwarven hold, half naked, with the his eyes pointed to the sky, his mind drifting. It wasn't hard to find him - It was his usual sun spot since he had come back. Even the lions had taken to leaving him alone when he went there. ***Leodin pads up to where Adam is sitting, and takes a seat next to him. He luxuriated in the sun for a moment, glad that he was wearing simple if probably expensive robes and not heavy armor. After just taking in the sun and the silence for a moment, he turns and asks, "Adam, how are you?" He holds up the bottle of liquor and the cups in order to show them off. "As I promised, I brought you some Litorian liquor to try." Adam: He cracked open and eyelid, scanning the lithorian up and down. "Aye.. I can see tha, but what the devil's the bloody cups feh? I didn't say I was sharing." ***Leodin reveals a second bottle, "Which is why I made sure to come prepared. Also, you might want the cup once you get a feel for the bottle." Leodin hands over the bottle, it's hot to the touch, not so hot as to be undrinkable, but enough to make holding the bottle itself for any extended period unpleasant. Adam: He rises from his resting place, snarling. "What in the world is that? It's bloody boiling! What is this crazy stuff!" Leodin: "It's distilled from fireberries. In terms of unique fruits that's about all the litorians have." His features are colored with concern, "Are you alright?" Adam: "N...no.. that's just... that just started me. I wasn't expecting such insanity from ya people, that's all. Is it.. is it safe to drink?" ***Leodin shrugs. "You work with what you have, and fireberries are one of Pride's Bastion's few native crops. Also, it's safe. It's also quite good, but you might want to sip at the start until you get used to the heat." He takes a short drink from the bottle he had brought for himself, and puts the cups next to Adam. Adam: He gingerly poked it with the back of his finger, then picked it up, staring at it like it would kill him on touch. He moved his mouth to it, carefully taking a sip. A head cock later, and a deeper sip, he pondered. "well.. It's alright.. if ya into that sort of thing..." Leodin: "It may be a bit of an acquired taste. Anyhow, how are you doing? I don't see you up here on the surface taking in the sun and sky often." Adam: "Aye.. not usually. But, well, it's the thing. you know," he points up at the sky, waving erratically, "That thing, with the call and the feeling and the shattering and the surprise deities. It's... I feel it. I can feel it calling ta me. Like a monster. Every day, I don't know why, but I feel like I may never get ta see the sky again. ***Leodin nods gravely, "Already Algard has found a number of shards similar to the ones that caused us to change. At least they are small enough to manage, for now." Adam: "Aye.. the other holms are telling me they car expecting a fall once every single day. It scares me a little. The idea of what's out there. But not as much as what would happen ta us afterwards." Leodin: "I imagine we'll adapt to the change, as we always have. Though it certainly makes it easier when you're not doing it alone." Leodin smiles. Adam: He rolled his eyes again. "Oh I know where this is going. You still on about that? Even after all this time?" Leodin: "I am." Leodin's voice turns deadly serious, "War with South Taeless is imminent. I've had reports from spies and they are chilling. The nobles there have somehow cause people to quite literally disappear, entire villages are sinking into some sort of blank space. The people there live in constant terror, and it jives too closely to what has happened to the caravans. There's some sort of power there, and it's destroying that land bit by bit, and it must be stopped.I wanted to give you a warning, I know how sensitive you are to combat, and I wanted you to be prepared." ***Leodin sighs heavily, "But, I also want to talk to you because I'm tired, Adam. We used to be virtually inseparable, closer than brothers, and then when I wasn't looking we drifted apart. I take responsibility for the part I played in that. I was so caught up in my newfound godhood that I was blind to the struggles you faced.” Leodin: “Then there was the entire demon episode, and it tore a gash in my soul to see you twisted like that, and on top of it, I had to steel myself to strike you down for the sake of the people who had put their lives in my hands." The lion-god's face twists up in pain at the memory of that terrible time. Leodin: "Then you were back, but I was still hurt, and you wanted to leave to see the world, and I took it to mean that you wanted nothing more to do with me, it was a twist of the knife I could barely stand. I'm sure you had valid reasons to go and meet the other gods, but I was so hurt by what had happened that I selfishly couldn't see it any other way." Leodin frowns, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Leodin: "I guess the point I am driving at is that I want to repair whatever rift still stands between us. I want us to be close again, and I don't see any better way to do that than to share everything that I am with you." He hangs his head, "Perhaps I'm just being selfish again, but I really do value these things, and I truly and deeply want to share them with you. I think we'll both end up better for it." He turns to look plaintively at Adam. Adam: He folded his arms, looking away. "Well, I still think you're being selfish. ..." he struggled to keep his smile off his face. "You know what, Leodin. I will. On one condition." He turns over to him, taking another sip. "When this is over, when we sort it all out. We drink. Every year. This very spot between our people. you bring your lion wine, I'll bring actual ale. Every year til the end of time. Deal?" Leodin: "Happily." Leodin extends his hand to shake. Adam: He takes his hand... and shakes, cocking his head. "I don't clean my nethers with my tongue do I?" Leodin: "I don't. How do you want to do this?" He asks a broad smile on his face. Adam: “Right now. If I ain't mistaken like what happened with Thad... you can do it right here, right now, and we can carry on drinking." Leodin: "Alright then." Leodin reached out his hands, and places them on Adam's shoulders. He closes his eyes, "Just relax and accept the power I am about to share with you." He reaches for that part of himself that was born from training with Burd, the part that had come to define the core of all he represented before his people, the part that had formed his first full step into godhood, and he begins to pour it into Adam. Adam: His eyes opened, and for a moment, he frowned. He didn't feel any different from before. This was strange. Had everything worked? He looked down, and his frown changed into that of surprise. Adam looked down, seeing his shirt in tatters, and his trousers just barely keeping him decent. He looked up, frowning. "Uh... Well... Well that worked?" He marveled at his voice, its gruff feel now laced with something different - Power. He reached for his beard, it's red now laced with streaks of blonde. He stroked his beard, and popped a smile. "You look... different, Leodin." Leodin: "Do I?" Adam: "Aye... I want to say... Taller.. but I'm not sure if that's the correct turn. You just... feel, right. That's all." ***Leodin smiles, "I'm glad to hear it." He draws Adam into a quick embrace and then hands him another glass of Fireberry Wine. They spent the rest of the afternoon and well into the night sitting upon those rocks drinking and talking with one another. The bond they had thought lost restored stronger than before. Soon enough there would be time for war and the duties of gods, for the moment each enjoyed being merely two friends drinking under the beautiful sky.
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May 19, 2014 03:36
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Okay I lied, I'm ending this now. Most parties still playing have been made aware anyway. Update will follow as soon as it is written, but it's long so it might take me a while still.
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May 19, 2014 05:20
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Sorry to disappoint you all, but bump to save from archives. The last post is still coming, but it's a huge amount of writing and low priority against my other games. Basically life is tough and I haven't gotten to finishing this yet.
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Jul 23, 2014 02:56
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Update will be here by next Friday (26th)
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Oct 13, 2014 05:28
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The Ascension of the Gods: It came upon the gods, as their mortal selves finally faded. In time it came to be called the Ascension, when the gods ceased to walk upon the world any longer. As Unnaya had foretold, they slipped into the Deep Time which is the reckoning of the world as the gods. Their lesser imbued servants remained upon the face of the world, for although the Deep Time would tug upon them causing them to skip the passage of time occasionally, they remained grounded more stably upon the world than the gods did. All save for Thadroin who remained upon the world, despite having near power equal to the others. He said that it was not his place to ascend to the divine realms, and that he must remain in the world to preserve a greater balance. In the moments of their ascension they passed through the great Crystal Shell around the world and debated for a time what to do with it. Adam put forth that they should invest their powers into repairing the sphere, and Leodin stood by him in this idea immediately. Rathin also put his support for it and Beltheus considered this to be wise as well, considering his dealings with outsiders and also the existence of Khali. However the Dracolich pointed out that it was the crystal sphere that had caused this to begin, that even now it could still empower other beings into gods and to cause greater chaos. The Spider Queen also contended that if they took the shell into themselves, that they would gain greater power and be better able to place safeguards into place. Khali remained silent when asked what it thought. In the end, those that stood with Adam in preserving the barrier and strengthening it were Beltheus, Edo, Farro, Leodin, Rathin and Thanjan. Those that stood with the Dracolich in dismantling the shell were Davos, Nomad, Red, the Spider Queen and Unnaya. Just when it seemed like those that wished the shell to remain would triumph, Khali voiced its support for preserving the shell. This caused disquiet, for Unnaya had voted against that and Adam, Beltheus and Leodin held great distrust for Khali. So it was that Farro and Thanjan changed their votes, for they were wary of Khali's true intent. Against the greater consensus of the gods, Adam and those that had sided with him were forced to concede defeat. They in turn added their power to the work, for if they opposed it no greater purpose would be served and they would be deprived of strength while the others would profit. Leodin and Edo pressed Unnaya, asking her why she had voted to dismantle the sphere when it would surely invite more danger. Her response was cryptic as it had always been, which was to trust in the strength, cunning and the will to live of mortals. The gods found that the nature of worship is that it is not exclusive. Although dogma and tradition can in part cause people not to worship certain gods, or favour others, there was no way to enforce it. A last law set into the nature of the world itself by the proceeding overgod, the creator who would forever remain nameless. In the Fourth Age, most nations remained devout to those gods that had arisen there but when the Time of Darkness began in the Fifth Age people found need of the blessings of other gods. By the time of the Sixth Age it was common for people to offer prayers to the other gods, although certain gods did not always find open acceptance in some places... What came to follow: The Fourth Age of Man, the Time of the Gods After their ascension and departure from the mortal plane, the Gods made their influence known to the people of Daesin through great miracles. In this time the great floating city of Javadar was created, a haven for humans, powered and kept aloft entirely by magic. Around this time Edo cast his influence wide and limited to the art of magic to be the sole domain of humans. Other races had their own powers, or greater physical forms, but humans would have magic. Even if the gods gave the power of change, or fire, or illusions, true magic with all of its versatility would only arise in those mostly of human blood. In this he was aided by Thanjan, who held the secrets to the art of Shamanic magic and ensured that it as well would remain in the hands of humans. Leodin led his ill fated assault against Beltheus' hidden fortress in this time, for each time he led his men to it Beltheus had nomad move it in the sands. Eventually Nomad simply made it so that there was no fixed location, the fortress itself moved around unpredictably and yet refugees could always find their way there if needed. Unnaya lent her aid to giving it a water well for a mysterious cost later. Leodin seethed further at Beltheus forever remaining out of his grasp for vengeance, and began to work with Edo and Farro in trying to stamp out the faith, the three gods servants always being on the lookout for the work of demons. The dragons spread, and in time found the progeny of Ulkurush, once the mayor of the fallen town of Hope's Fall. There was immediately strife between them and there would be no hope of reconciliation. Only the eradication of the other would result in lasting peace. However, Davos and the Dracolich were mighty while Ulkurush was not, and yet the two gods could not walk on the world in the same way Ulkurush could. Mortals learned to fear the touch of nightmares when many were affected, for it meant the presence of the nightmare dragon, or of a new progeny. It was impossible to tell the difference between Drakenkin aligned with Ulkurush, and those aligned with the dragon gods. In the north of Barant, in the kingdom of Val Aman the groom of the Red Queen, the Eternal King remained. He grew weary of this throne and after giving birth to the Bastard Prince, abandoned his throne and took to travelling the world. In time he found Aideen and they both found a certain peace with each other. Whether or not they continued to travel, or settled down and had a family is a subject of great debate among bards and poets for ages to come. The Sword of Judgement remained in the hands of the First Seneschal and he began to slowly build the order of the Sacred Sword. It would not be until the Fifth Age until they were allowed into the lands of Eosia however. The children of Rathin spread wide across the world, and they found that they seemed to quite like the hardy life of sailors both on sea and in the skies. Quite a few of the orcish merchant princes bought into skyships, although never to a monopoly much to their disappointment. Konwey and the Orcish Plains ended up becoming a lose confederacy of various merchant states, still under the banner of Konwey and nominally all cities were represented in Haikan. It would take most of the age for Konwey to believe that Mimic Arrani no longer needed to eat human flesh and simply enjoyed its flavour. It would take much longer than that for them to not be met with distrust. All through the age Adam, Thadroin and Algard prepared for war... The Fifth Age of Man, the Time of Darkness It is agreed that the Fifth Age begins with the act of Khali setting the moon on fire. For three nights it blazed with a terrifying blue light and then it returned to normal. However the act of burning the moon had done much more, for it had been a beacon which had echoed throughout the Void and into the nearby realities where the entities, some gods, others more terrifying, finally noticed what Beltheus and Farro's progenitor had many centuries ago. Angels, Demons, Devils, Archons, Monsters, Beasts, Abberations and more flooded into the world. Each fought to try and claim, convert or seize parts of Daesin and its peoples for themselves. At first the incidents were isolated and local governments and the faithful were able to drive back the intruders. However in time the incidents grew more and more common and the foreign beings began to fight amongst themselves as well. Eventually the first Horror entered the world, a great entity of more dimensions than anything in Daesin could itself possess. By the time forces from Pride's Bastion arrived with Bloodblessed weapons, it had destroyed four villages and enthralled five hundred innocent victims. All had to be put to death. In the coming decades numerous gods and their followers tried to make footholds in Daesin and were driven out. Over time they grew less interested as the cost of breaching the universes was great and they had nothing to make it worthwhile. The Horrors were unfortunately not prone to such reason and did not operate within the same temporal nature as everyone else. Many times when warriors with Bloodblessed weaponry arrived, it was with Thadroin in hand who had subtly manipulated time for them to arrive, but then had to ensure that the Horror they came to fight was forced into the same flow of time as they were. After the first century the invading Powers had mostly stopped, but they had left monstrous progeny behind. For another two and a half centuries though Horrors kept encroaching on Daesin and had to be slain at great cost. In the second century one Horror made entirely of heat and darkness set almost all of Liodor ablaze, reducing the population of Litorians in the world to a tenth of what it once was and only a great battle that left the very ground itself molten slag outside of Pride's Bastion resulted in the defeat of it. A sentient plague fell upon Eosia and only those living in the capital Eisos, and the flying city of Javandar survived. Three decades later Javandar fell when a great flying amoeba-like Horror fed upon magic itself and caused it to sink into the sea. The tidal wave devastated eastern Taravesh. There were other incidents, great beasts that took the combined efforts of nations and the followers of multiple gods to defeat them and always at great cost. But there were smaller and less powerful horrors, and it was only through the effort of the Order of the Sacred Sword and others that they too were slain. Bloodblessed weaponry passed around the world until Thadroin was forced to withdraw and recuperate from spreading his divine power too much. In this moment of weakness the greatest and most terrible of beasts, the Bane Serpent entered the world. He turned the seas red with poison, and began to eat the sky itself. It seemed like the world itself was coming to an end and all the nations of the world sent their remaining forces to fight it. No one knows what happened the day it died. Time was chaotic, reason seemed to have left the world and most of the brave souls that went perished. It is known, however, that the First Seneschal of the Sacred Sword was never seen again and that the blade itself would not be found for another seven centuries. It is written however, that Khali appeared in the world as if ready to finish off the remaining men and women at the Eye of Ruin. Before he could lay the first strike however, 8 pillars of light surrounded him and created a great barrier. The lesser divinities lay their very power on the line to prevent the world from burning as Thadroin regained what little strength he had. When he arrived, he spoke only to Khali. No mortal has ever heard what was said, but Khali bowed and defeated he left that place. There were other ages to come, but those are another tale for another time.
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The Gods of Daesin Adam the Avatar of War Blood, Dwarves, Strength and War  A member of the Lords of Power, Adam is revered by all warriors who wish for martial prowess and strength. Although many see him merely as an engine of destruction, his followers understand and his priests are quick to remind people that in life he was gentle and only prone to violence when needed. He was not exactly content by his transformation into an avatar of war by the world, and it took time for Adam to come to accept that what people saw him as did shape him in ways. Adam is also the first born and lord of Dwarves, and while there is substantial debate about the issue he is also recognised as the oldest non-human deity in the world. His kindness and compassion for friends and family did not change, those that follow him value the bonds of blood ties. Swearing a blood oath in Adam's name is a serious and binding matter, those that break it may find avengers coming to enforce a repayment of their debt... In Adavan and the nations of Barant the worship of demons is outlawed by the priests of Leodin, but in Taravesh it is not uncommon for people to offer prayers for luck to Beltheus or to ward of darkness with an offering to appease Nomad. Because of his brush with Beltheus his church is more lenient and forgiving of demon worship, instead trying to educate those caught as to the dangers of consorting with demons. His greatest and most valuable blessing, the Blood Forge also came about because of the time spent with demons. In the Fifth Age its power to create divine imbued weapons prevented the world from descending into chaos, and from the disaster of the gods needing to step in directly. Beltheus the Lord of Demons Demons, Luck, Sin and Summoning  Beltheus is a paradox, for he does not see himself as evil or vile but at the same time gains power and influences those traits in people that best fit those profiles. As such the Lord of Demons is known to sometimes do acts of charity, which while inevitably resulting in furthering his own interests can benefit those touched by them. Such occurrences are usually a cause for great concern and questioning. He wrested control of the sphere of summoning back from Belsataroth after some time, and the end of the Time of Darkness was marked by Beltheus making a great contract that forced all summoning into the world of Daesin to run through his power and thus require his own approval. The loss of Ochsbright and his powerbase caused a great deal of consternation for Beltheus, for while he valued ingenuity and ambition in his servants he did not appreciate insurrection. After a small conflict Beltheus managed to reclaim many of the souls and followers that Ochsbright had taken with him and after making his erstwhile servant's position very clear to him turned his attention to the matter of the approaching invasion by other realms. Those that follow Beltheus come in two forms. Firstly there are those innocent yet corruptible souls that are tricked by cults into partaking of the Demon Dust and other illicit substances. Such indulgences eat away at the edges of their morality and this leads into a slippery slope which ends with their souls being black and twisted. Then there are those genuinely evil and corrupt souls that resonate with Beltheus and think they can outwit and outrun his servants when they come to collect on debts owed. No matter the origin, all of those that devoutly worship Beltheus can look forward to being incorporated into his demonic pyramid scheme. If unlucky or pathetic they will eventually be consumed by other demons, but those with strong wills or clever and ruthless minds survive to find their way into the scheme as well. Beltheus offers luck to those that offer him prayer or offerings, and may for the right price grant summons or the magic to do so. As with anything related to demons such gifts always come with a cost, and usually that cost is accepting at least some small amount of Sin. Davos the Doom Bringer Disaster, Dragons, Hate and Truth  One of the two Dragonlords, Davos is in name subservient to the Dracolich but at often acts at odds. Davos brings ruin and disaster, but also was the original progenitor of True Dragons and gave the first Drakenkin their Eggs of Salvation. This dichotomy is the essence of who his is, for the dooms he bring are always true but not always disaster. Feuds and wars are sworn in Davos's name, sanctifying the hate between the two sides. For his part Davos generally holds a great deal of contempt for all of his mortal followers who are not dragons and he delights in granting power to divinations. The most important lesson that Davos teaches, is that the truth is rarely what you wanted to hear. Whether it is a court, or a torture room, those that seek the truth for good or ill will offer hushed prayer to the great dragon. While almost all dragons, both True and Nightmare follow Davos to a degree he possess mortal followings in many nations. Almost everyone give offerings of valuable things to Davos to ward off disaster, and he is well known for his preference for gold and jewels. Non-dragon priests of Davos are also strange people, understanding that they are held in contempt by their gods and yet still pursuing his teachings devoutly. Any gathering where a court is held is done in his name and in the great cities courts will often have a dedicated priest to Davos, sometimes even a dragon if they can afford the tithes. And despite his contempt for those flightless fleshy people of the world, Davos has granted Eggs of Salvation to non-Drakenkin before to those that have truly impressed him. The Dracolich Alchemy, Dragons, Knowledge and the Undead  The Godkiller, the dead prophet who brings the knowledge of death to the gods. The Dracolich is given many epithets and even among the likes of Khali, Nomad and Davos he is feared because he is the one recorded to have slain two godlings. The Dracolich for his part is not displeased by his reputation, but does not strive to make it greater. Among the gods of Daesin he is one of the more pragmatic, although he detests wastefulness and chaos. His realm features prominently a great endless library, greater even than the one maintained by Beltheus. The servants of the Dracolich are exclusively skeletons and they prefer to remain visible and in the peoples minds so they do not forget that there is life beyond death; and if one is wasteful in life it is not always a pleasant life thereafter. Death pervades much of the teachings of the Dracolich. The knowledge that death is just a passing of one life and a transition to something else. Change is also another foundation, founded primarily in alchemy as a physical science but also extending into the philosophical and metaphysical. Some particularly devout followers have been known to transmute ideas or intangible things. Knowledge can never be destroyed, but it can be lost and need to be refound, so preserving it is another tenet of the Dracolich. While Davos finds worship outside of dragons through fear, the Dracolich does so because his tenets resonate strongly with people of various races more easily. He is feared for what he has done and not for what he is. Sunlord Edo the Eternal Arcane Magic, Life and the Sun  Edo is the patron deity of Humanity. Other gods, such as Thanjan, Farro or Unnaya take a great interest in humans as well but of all the gods of Daesin, Edo is the one who is the most focused and concerned with human affairs. As well as his role as the patron of humans, he is also the progenitor of the Golems who revere him as their kind and wise creator. He is the master of arcane magic, which while not always as potent as the special gifts of other gods is versatile and can be ritualistically combined to increase its power and scope. He is also the bringer of life and good health, which ties into his role as the lord of the sun. Originally he came from a village to eschewed magic but the sands of history have worn away this memory of his origin. Although he is exclusive in his gift of magic, and only humans and golems are ever blessed with it, he is much freer in his gifts when it comes to the sun and healing. Much of his priesthood is made of humans, and they have almost as great an abiding hatred of demons as the followers of Leodin. From other races he draws into his followers those who are kind and wish to care and heal others. They tend to work with the followers of Farro and Unnaya, although there is not always full trust in the others motives. On his good days Edo and his followers among humans can be very focused on the welfare of humanity, while on their bad they can be xenophobic and hostile to outsiders. Shadowmaster Farro Contracts, Love and Shadows  There are fewer more demanding, and more compassionate beings than Farro. He asks a lot of those that follow him, and often that they do so without others recognising their deeds. In return though, he offers a deep and absolute love for those that faithfully follow him. Farro is one of the more militant gods, and he is the natural patron of spies and those that work in the shadows. However he does not favour those that do so for self gain, or petty thieves and criminals. But even while he scorns those that misuse such talents, he always remembers his own past and is willing to accept and forgive those that seek penance for misspent years and regrettable deeds. As the god of contracts, Farro is often invoked in commerce when people make a deal they wish to be kept. Along with Adam, he ensures that agreements are kept by both sides under pain or divine retribution. Farro has a strange sort of understanding with Beltheus and Nomad (especially the latter, due to their closely related domains of Shadows and Darkness), that is both an unspoken war and an unspoken truth. His servants are the most fervent inquisitors and monitors of demonic cults and activity, yet as long as the demon lords and their servants do not cross certain bounds then he and his followers will only engage in small conflicts that do little to tip the scales at large. His role as spymaster also makes him the most well informed god on current events, although getting him to part with that information is often difficult even for his closest priests. The few mortals that deal with him directly find that his power of contract allows him to make strange, sometimes metaphoric or metaphysical sides of a bargain. His divine servants do have angelic wings and beauty, but are also completely detached and seem emotionless in recognition of the first Angel Elise's sacrifice. Due to events of the Dark Age though they do not frequently appear in this guise, as it is just as likely to bring fear and worry as it is comfort and love to those who see them. Leodin, Paragon of Lions Fire, Lions, Strategy and Strength  Where Adam is the lord of battle, Leodin is the lord of War. He sees the world as a great table, with pieces that move around by his or others hands. The leader of the Lords of Power, he brought together Rathin and redeemed Adam to join him in maintaining peace in Barant, and later the world at large. He boasts endless strength, the ferocity and valour of a lion and the burning passion of the fire that brings light and warmth to those around it. He is father of the Litorians, the towering race of lion-men. His gifts are great strength, mastery over fire and keen intellect and a predilection for strategy in all forms and not just that of the field of battle. The doctrine of Leodin is one of discipline and self improvement, focused on three pillars of the Mind, the Spirit and the Body. The exact interpretation of this varies immensely, and is often a journey of personal discovery for his followers. Leodin is perhaps the most accepting god of followers from other races, offering those that are most devout the chance to be transformed into the physically mighty form of a Litorian. He is also perhaps the one being in Daesin that holds the greatest hatred and distrust of demons. This has tempered over time, due to divine politics and a certain degree of pragmatism brought on by his sphere of strategy. Yet his followers will always rout a den of demon worshippers where they can find them... Nomad the Unholy One Darkness, Demons, Sand and Souls  Some question whether Nomad truly has the best interests of the world in mind. He is frequently menacing, has power over the darkness and sands that swallow and eat people whole. But most concerning for the people of the world, is his mastery over their souls. It is no secret that ultimately Nomad would like nothing more to control all the souls of the world. But even he understands that extinguishing all life would mean no new souls, and most importantly of all he must still bow to his master, Beltheus. Fortunately for those who worship other gods, the agreement at the beginning of the Fourth Age ensured the dominion of all the gods over the souls of their followers. However those that follow no god truly, or who live a life of sin will ultimately meet him when their mortal flames burn out. Nomad ranks just under Beltheus in the demon hierarchy and makes no great secret of his ambition to claim the throne atop of the pyramid of infernal power. His followers are likewise equally ambitious. The true priests of Nomad are all demons, but many mortals will worship him in offer for a chance to gain control over the souls of others. Adam rarely permits his power of blood to control others, whereas Nomad's servants encourage people to flaunt their power over others and stain their souls black with sin. Those that delve too deeply in his power and ambition can find themselves transformed into a different person, just as he was so very long ago by a long forgotten sorcerer. Rathin the Orc Father Courage, Farming, Orcs and Strength  Rathin was once one of the fiercer gods, and still is to this day. Compared to Adam and Leodin however, he has mellowed slightly in his divinity as his powers and followers have shaped him into a more fatherly and protective deity. Rathin is the Lord of Power that supports the others. When Leodin makes grand strategy, and Adam prepares and wades into battle, Rathin is there to keep them strong, fill their hearts with courage and to back them up once the fighting starts. Rathin is the father of the Orcs as well, and they have spread the farthest through the world of all the non-human races. This is in no small way attributed to his nurturing manner and his ability to inspire courage in even the weakest and most fearful people. Followers of Rathin are similarly protectors, both making sure that there is enough food for people to eat, challenging them in many ways to bring out their best and to protect and inspire them when worst comes to the worst. They hold many fairs and carnivals with a variety of challenges, from cooking, to sparring, to architecture, and to feats of bravery. Rathin encourages all that follow him to find challenge in their lives, and to overcome it. Of particular note are the Three Seers, people gifted by Unnaya with the gift of prophecy. They give knowledge of destiny and prophecy, but they come and go like the wind. Their presence at a birth is a sign of greatness for a child. But the parents cannot be sure of whether it is great triumph, or great tragedy until it is too late. The Red Queen Phantoms, Transformation, Travel and Wolves  Capricious and mysterious are words to describe the Red Queen, although such words are rarely said around her followers or where she can listen. With her name long discarded, she ruled the remains of Val Aman for a time with her husband the Undying King. She sees the world in a way no one else does, and while she is not truly mad at times she often seems so. Sometimes mortals struggle to understand that when you can see the world how you wish, and then change it truly match this vision, that some things no longer remain as important as they once were. No one understand this greater than wolves, who were all uplifted to sentience by her fears of them. She has conquered such fears since her initial ascent to divinity, but her strange ideas of what a wolf was changed them utterly forever. Fortunately for the world, her partner in divinity Arranya reigns in the more extreme and outlandish of her fantasies and shelter the world from the Followers of the Red Queen follow a strange philosophy that both challenges and redefines their perceptions of the world. Beyond this basic tenant, it is difficult to characterise them in any meaningful way because they vary as much as her whims. Warewolves, wolves who were once wolves and have bonded to men and women either through accident or purpose all follow the Red Queen as well. Largely this is out of fear and respect, rather than love however. Arranya, Mistress of Spiders Monsters, Spiders, Toxins and Transformation  Arranya is one of the least favoured gods, but her role is a necessary one. When Khali was known as Octagon, she was the practical and calm one that looked after home. Come the end of the Dark Age, she used her power over Monsters and Transformation to bind and govern those interlopers that made offspring in the world to her power. She keeps them around because they both worship her, and give cause for others to offer prayer to her. However at the same time she ensure that they never grow too great a threat to civilisation and quarantines those who have abilities to transform and enthral others away from those who are most vulnerable and ignorant to their predations. She has also done a great deal to change the Arrani to be able to coexist with the other races, but she is particularly cruel and vicious to those who would harm her children. Two ill fated invasions of Arran have left swathes of the invading army dead by unseen and terrible poisons, and the rest transformed into gibbering messes that little resemble thinking beings any more. Her servants are the Eight High Weavers, the precepts of her Church. They spin the Great Web and listen to its subtle vibrations, interpreting her divine will and transmitting it out to the rest of her followers through the Web. The truth is that Arranya actually communicates very little with her church, and her true messages to mortals are always more direct less open to misinterpretation. Those followers of other races that are particularly useful servants are given the chance to drink of the milk of the Grand Weaver, leader of the Eight. The milk will transform another race into some form of Arrani, just like Leodin offers the chance to join his children as well. Beast Master Thanjan Cold, Shamanic Magic and Sound  Thanjan is one of the most aloof of the Daesin deities. He rarely directly answers prayers, save the ritual of the Blessed Winter which gives mortals who need it protection to the cold and vicious north. This is because he does not care as much about the mortal races as the other gods. Thanjan understands that he needs their worship, and his spheres ensure at least some worship in the most inclement places and in winter, but beyond this he does little to attract followers. To those that genuinely and earnestly seek to understand and reach a harmony with the animal kingdom, he will give the gift of shamanic magic; the ability to understand, communicate to and sometimes to shapeshift into animals. Other times he will grant this gift at birth to members of other races, often in cosmopolitan places where animals are rarely interacted with beyond livestock or pets. It is his way of helping the world remember the wild and the importance of it. The one thing that stands out, is Thanjan's love of music, which grew out of his dominion over sound. The followers of Thanjan are diverse and the fewest in number of the gods, at least the truly devout. Those that flock to him are those that live in the colder climes, those that work with animals and also musicians. He does not ask particularly much of his people. As long as one respects the natural world, does not harm animals, and does not tear apart the family of others then he is content to let mortals do as mortals will do. This is part of what makes it difficult for his followers to attract converts, and so Thanjan is worshipped mostly in small daily prayers and rituals and his churches are small and humble when they are not simple shrines. Unnaya the Lady of Peace Peace, Prophecy and Water  Unnaya has managed to keep much of her past a secret, few know where she came from or why she so strongly believed in peace. She demands that water be given freely, and those that withhold it from others will soon find they have a terrible thirst that can never be sated until they have shared what they have with others. She is the deity that intervenes least of all in the world however, for her vision shows her many futures and the more she acts the more ripples she causes and the less clear the future becomes. There is an agreement between her and Thadroin, that protects the sanctity of the Veil of Time and prevents mortals from piercing its mystery. If they want knowledge of the future, they must appeal to Unnaya and she inevitably gives that knowledge in the form of riddles and metaphors that are difficult to understand. This is done to protect the mortals from the madness of the myriad futures. While Unnaya has many male followers, her highest servants are all Priestesses. They can create water at will and lead people to hidden water, and most receive helpful if unclear dreams guiding them to future conflict and danger. All that follow Unnaya faithfully however will forego their weapons and never pick one up again, for she will shield them against violence with her grace. There is a calm serenity to one who has truly embraced Unnaya, not because they have conquered fear, but because they act as a beacon of hope and peace to those around them in times of trouble. Her followers are always present where there is battle as well, trying to talk both sides into peaceful resolution where it is possible. Sometimes greater tragedy strikes, and Unnaya will grieve for her lost children and welcome them to her side for eternity. The Great Enemy Khali the Twisted Distortion, Mirrors and Void  Khali was once the man known as Octagon. He was an assassin and a procurer of rare and forbidden items. In time he changed to become the god of spiders, but in trying to reach beyond the tyranny of distance he found a greater tyranny instead. The Void. He tricked it and stole his powers for his own, assuming its role as the fated destroyed of the world and more. However in this there was a greater truth, one not known to mortals. As he had taken the role from the old Void, so too could another take his role. In fact when the cycle of destruction and recreation continued another inevitably would. His own role as entropy was not immune to it, although it was eternal beyond the mere cycle of the lives of countless universes. Just as one would expect, he is reviled without exception by the gods and the beings of the world. Yet even after the Dark Age and the near destruction of the world he is kept around by the other gods. Although they cannot destroy him directly, through Thadroin they have access to instruments that could. This knowledge keeps Khali in check, at least for now. He searches tirelessly for a way to snatch away this assurance of the gods, awaiting the day when he can undo everything with impunity. It is to this end that he offers his gifts to those mortals foolish enough to reach out to him. However it always ends the same, the eventual and utter annihilation of that person, mind, body and soul. A secret family blessed by demons and Khali lives on in the world, constantly hiding from the people. This family thanks to gifts given to an ancestor possess a remarkable resilience to the degenerative effects of Khali's gifts. Their nihilistic devotion to him begins at birth and three times in history they have thought to have been wiped out only to return. At the moment of the greatest peril of the Dark Age, when the Lesser Divinities of the world united to prevent its unmaking, Thadroin spoke to Khali. No one save for those two know what was said, but it has troubled Khali since that day. The Servants and Lesser Divinities Aideen The Weather Witch Aideen was the pupil of the lost god Civar, said to be slain along with the bearer of the Sword of Judgement before the Moon Fall that occured at the end of the 3rd Era. Her powers govern the domain of weather, and it was through her students and Aideen's efforts that the world did not suffer longer and harsher a winter. She helped to govern Tiachan for some time, but eventually turned it over the Council of Wisdom to rule in her stead. Aideen travelled for some time until she met the Eternal King. They travelled together and they found kind and tired hearts in each other. To this day they have continued to travel together, always in different disguises. Those who wish for pleasant weather offer prayers and small offerings to her, although those that hurt children and families will find no succor from Aideen. Algard Servant of Leodin, Scion of Order Algard is one of the two Litorians that are detailed in the texts of Leodin. He is the one who watches the world, checking to make sure that order and balance are preserved. Lessons in the past have taught Algard to have a light touch, and he often does only what is needed. A simple word of encouragement or wisdom at the right time to the right person, or someone just happening to find the right report they needed to bring a stop to smuggling. He has no power over luck, but he is sometimes known as the master of coincidence. Aside from being supremely strong and skilled in battle, Algard is also able to turn into a great lion. This gift he passes on to only a select few each age, and not necessarily to Litorians. Arbiter Daniker Skeletal arbiter of Justice The Arbiter Daniker is a somewhat tireless entity. He was not born, and was made with a purpose. Being a skeleton he is rather pragmatic when it comes to matters of 'life sentences' and the length of punishments. His role is to judge those who need to be raised as the Penitent Undead, and ensure that they work a full unlife of labour until their debt is paid off. His arrangement with the gods is mitigated through Nomad, who reluctantly allows Daniker to judge all souls (save those promised to the Hells) before they are sent to their god's, or Nomad's demesne. Not a single penitent soul has yet managed to successfully negotiate with the Arbiter, who is said to be totally dedicated to his role. The Eternal King Undying King to the Red Queen The Eternal King has no real divine powers of his own, so he is not worshipped except as an extension of Aideen. However he is bound to the Red Queen and has the unwanted gift of immortality as a result. While he cannot offer miracles, the King is incredibly smart and wise, having been transmuted by his wife's image of him into a being more perfect than any mortal man even before his uplifting to semi-divinity. He is a collector of games of all kinds, and there is no one better in the world than him at them. Lydia Mistress of Travel Lydia was once a helpless daughter, taken by circumstance from a mother who could not look after her but had worked to try and keep her safe. Rescued from the life of a slave by Farro, and freed from the nascent godling, Nomad, she decided to take up the role of uniting the disparate network of Arrows in Farro's absence. For many years she was underestimated by her enemies, where she picked up the basics of magic on her own, learned to lead men and women who had been used to working as lone criminals and cutt-throats, as well as becoming capable of lying without a thought. For all of her sacrifice and hard work she ended up with the power of travel, giving the Arrows an edge in moving throughout the world. When people wish for safe, comfortable and swift travel they give a prayer to Lydia. Even now though, she works behind the scenes to assist the Arrows in their work, although she no longer leads them as she once did. Kingmaker Ochsbright Rulers The demon, Ochsbright, is particularly cunning and long-sighted. Originally a mere noble in the service of Beltheus he collected enough of the fallen crystal shards and used them to fuel his own ascent to divinity. With this he broke free of the yoke of Beltheus and became a god in his own right, although only a minor one to his displeasure. By the time he become a god there was not enough belief left to grant him the same power as his progenitor. As such Ochsbright maintains a careful relationship with Edo, Beltheus and Nomad, all being displeased with him for various reasons. With influence over the sphere of Rulers, Ochsbright ensure that the Three Seers remain safe and well cared for. Their foresight is a great use for identify future potential rulers, who will find that he can offer them a great many things for a certain, small price. Even though he may no longer be a demon in form, he was always one at heart. The Sword of Judgement Sacred Blade of a dead Goddess Although the name of Ilvis is lost to all but the most obscure texts, and dismissed by others, this sword that she bore retained some of her power. It chooses its own wielder, all of whom are particularly noble or chivalrous in some manner. Each wielder is also seemingly destined to die in a heroic and yet terrible or tragic manner. Whether this is by circumstance or by fate is of great debate to the order of Paladins. The Sword of Judgement has a certain will and awareness, being able to imbue skill, power, vitality and even supernatural resistance into its wielder when needed. Its rediscovery would be the key to a great shift in the heavens in a later age. Ulkurush Once Mayor of Hopes Fall, Fallen Dragon of Nightmares Ulkurush is the True Father of Dragons, or so he would claim. Certainly he is the older surviving Nightmare Dragon and though his children are few and hated, he works to protect them where he can. He can take many forms and has learned to be very cunning and good at hiding among others. Sometimes he assumes a new guise, sometimes he will kill someone and assume their role. His presence almost always leads to one or more Drakenkin becoming Nightmare Dragons. He is one of the great foes of the Paladins, whose armoury of Bloodstone weapons are one of the few things in the world that can threaten him, and cause him to flee. Sometimes people will offer prayers to him to ward of nightmares and madness in their sleep, but only desperate people or depraved Drakenkin worship him. The Keystone Thadroin Dwarves, Smithing, Time  Thadroin is an anomaly, a being from a future whose hubris lead him to break the covenant of Time. As punishment he was flung back as a bodiless soul where he was found by Adam, who restored to him a body made of stone. Loyalty mixed with confused half-memories, until Thadroin remembered what had happened to him and the god who had owned the name he now took in his original time. In this world though, Thadroin did not lead a rebellion of the Dark Dwarves against Adam which lead to his death and the creation of the Bloodstone. Instead, together he and Adam used Adam's powers of blood to create a new one with the infusion of a great amount of crystal shards imbuing it with a low level yet permanent divine power. Through his sympathetic link Thadroin collected the power of Smithing, and his temporally displaced nature gave him control over time. He understands the importance of never using this power though, so his role is to keep the linear and consistent progression of time in the world. Because of this, he is the only prime God to remain grounded in the world, for he controls his own flow of time to remain above the flow of the Deep Time. He is worshipped by dwarves and by smiths, and his blessing is a valued sign of a master-craftsman. Thadroin stood fast against Khali, and something passed between them which saved the world in the Age of Darkness. Yet he has never spoken of this, and what he said, or did, remains a mystery still.
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Races of the World of Daesin Arrani Mimic Arrani These Arrani were created to fit in with the other races, and are able to copy the form of most humans. Outside of Arranya these are the most common form of Arrani people encounter, for they are more adapted to the cities of other races. Contrary to old times and superstitions the Mimic Arrani do not need to eat the flesh of people, and can eat the average diet of any other human. Compared to the Unveiled, Mimic Arrani follow a number of different gods beyond giving minor prayers and offerings. Most Mimic Arrani live among the major cities and towns of other nations, and in Arranya. In Arranya they are a second class citizen, who perform many of the more distasteful jobs, as well as those the Unveiled Arrani simply are ill suited to themselves. Elsewhere they tend to live together in communities that openly advertise their nature but remain in their disguise forms much of the time. Sometimes this invites targeted violence or retribution for perceived injustices, but this is thought to be preferable to general paranoia. It also provides cover for those times the Mimics do need to pass unnoticed. Unveiled Arrani The older Arrani, and sometimes self-named 'True Arrani' they live almost exclusively in Arranya. They vary in size, but most posses torsos that are the same average size as that of a human and much large abdomens. Unveiled Arrani continue to subsist on a diet of human flesh, with the flesh of other sentient species substituting in times of need. To this end they grow the Herd to feed them, which has been kept a secret since the Fourth Age. Only the Unveiled Arrani can belong to the Eight Weavers, who head the church of the Spider Queen. It is rare for them to follow the other Gods, and even to offer them small prayers. They compete with the Arrows to gather knowledge from around the world, but although they are clever and quick to devise new means they ultimately remain on the rear foot. Their cities are very inhospitable to other races and their natural toxins and predilection to the fatal aspects of alchemy have made the few invasions of their lands rather ill fated. Demons Demons are created through two means. Most commonly, those who have lived such sinful or evil lives end up in the tender care of Nomad once they die. Their souls are then evaluated and given to demonic servants best suited to bringing out certain attributes in nascent demons. Eventually these tortured souls metamorphose into demons who are brought into the demonic pyramid scheme. Less commonly, mortals can come to the attention of higher ranked demon nobles, who then directly transmogrify the mortal into a lesser demon but skipping the bottom-most rungs of the demonic ladder. Neither sort of demon has a soul, and aside from their creation and possibly their potential there is no difference between both sorts. It is hard to classify demons because their forms are both diverse, unique, and in a majority of cases mutable. Demons cannot truly be destroyed, because they are tied to the fabric of Beltheus' demesne. However destroying a demon's physical manifested form substantially weakens it for some time and unprepared demons may find themselves at the mercy of another demon back home and have some or most of their power taken. All demons aspire to two basic desires though. Firstly they wish to gather more power for themselves, either from other demons or by through the collection of souls. Each soul they bring into the demonic pyramid scheme of power increases their power, and as demons below them under their influence become more powerful so do they. Through this mechanism Beltheus retains an unassailable seat of power over every demon. At least for now. The second desire of demons is to break free from their masters yoke. Only Ochsbright has ever managed this particular feat. Because of their tether to Beltheus' demesne, demons do not live in the mortal world and instead manifest in it. The blood of demons can be refined into a potent dust, and is also a reagent in powerful explosive alchemical agents. Demons do not need to eat, drink or sleep. However all demons need to become dormant for a period of time proportional to their length of activity. During their dormancy, demons cannot awake or even react to external stimuli. Powerful demons remain awake for centuries, carefully laying protections and schemes to keep them safe while they remain dormant for up many decades. Dragons Drakenkin In some ways Drakenkin are like a larval form. If they come into possession of much physical wealth, they start to become avaricious and seek to hoard more. Eventually they will begin to cause nightmares around them and then metamorphose into Nightmare Dragons. Otherwise Drakenkin live their lives and work to achieve something of note and to earn an Egg of Salvation from Davos or the Dracolich, so that they may become a Reborn Dragon. Drakenkin eat meat primarily, although they can palate tubers and seedless fruits. They cannot eat grains or rice, legumes, and most foods with seeds in them. They have a variable height range which is similar to an Orc both in height and in build. Drakenkin are deceptively lithe and nimble, a trait which they carry with them after their change. All Drakenkin are born from eggs, although they can come from Dragons or from Drakenkin alike. Drakenkin are diverse and tend to spread out so that they do not compete with other Drakenkin for attention. This leads them to tend to be independent and determined, sometimes to the extent of isolationism. They pick up any trade they feel they can shine in and are often diligent and driven, although sometimes difficult to work with. Most Drakenkin follow Davos and the Dracolich and give offerings to other gods. It is considered an ignoble death to die before you have a chance to transform into a dragon. Tragically many Drakenkin will never make the change, dying of injury, illness or old age before they have a chance. Being born from the clutch of a Reborn Dragon is considered a sign of noble birth and an advantage in being granted an egg. The reality of this is that neither god cares about the birth of a Drakenkin, and only their deeds and worth. Nightmare Dragons When a Drakenkin comes into possession of great wealth, he begins to change. The original form of the mature Drakenkin form is that of the Nightmare Dragon. The Drakenkin gains influence over the dreams of others, and uses this to stir up nightmares. The exact nature of the nightmares depends on the colouration of the Drakenkin, but the end result is always the same. The Drakenkin drinks deeply of the nightmares and overnight metamorphoses into its adult form. Nightmare Dragons are physically more powerful that Reborn Dragons, but possessed of less innate powers aside from their powers of fear and nightmares. They can also create temporary servants by manifesting the nightmares of people around them in physical forms, but these are temporary and the power of them depends on the intensity of the nightmares. Nightmare Dragons are universally feared and hated. When nightmares descend on a town or area for long enough, people begin to fear that one has taken roost nearby. They prefer caves and tunnels, which means they can compete with Dwarves for living space. Although people will liberate eggs from a Nightmare Dragon's lair, the Drakenkin that hatch from them are considered to have a flawed nature and are often treated harshly or persecuted. Whereas Drakenkin who are born to a Reborn Dragon are proud of this fact, Drakenkin born to a Nightmare Dragon are secretive and hide their parentage. Out of the Drakenkin they are the most likely to travel far to avoid other Drakenkin who might know who they are. Reborn Dragons Drakenkin who prove themselves to one or both of their twin gods are provided with an Egg of Salvation. After tending to it for a period of time, the Drakenkin give up their original form and become one with the egg. Hatching again as a dragon, they are 'reborn' into their true selves. Reborn Dragons are physically weaker in general than Nightmare Dragons but have a wider variety of arcane talents that emulate different forms of magic. many Reborn Dragons chose to return to live in Dragonhome, but some travel the world and live among other places. Unlike Nightmare Dragons they are comfortable in many environments and coexist with other races quite happily. As they have proven themselves worthy of note to a god, Reborn Dragons can easily be arrogant and elitist at worst, and demanding or overly critical at best. Many take duty quite seriously however, and when the Paladins of the Sacred Sword ride out to fight monsters, nightmare dragons or fearfully the occasional Aberration, there is often one or more Reborn Dragons there to aid them. Few ever deign to let mortals ride them however, especially when they have their own methods to tame the skies. Dragonflies After their god disappeared and the moonshard fell, the insect peoples of west Arandia were left with no way to reproduce and a shrinking area to live in. In the face of inevitable extinction, the Dracolich created a hybrid part-dragon, part-insect queen to allow them to reproduce. Although they were never of great number they were finally killed off during the Dark Age when they held off 4 great wyrms until the defenders of Dragonhome could regroup and defeat them. It is said that one last clutch of eggs had been hidden away in case of disaster, but neither Davos or the Dracolich know where they are if this is the case. Dwarves One of the most widespread races of the world, Dwarves have come to build cities in almost every great mountain range in the world. They are on average somewhat shorter than a human, and built much more thickly and sturdily. One Dwarf in five is born with dark skin, like shades of dark stones such as basalt or obsidian, which is considered to be a mark of Thadroin's influence. Dwarves are very tight knit in whatever community they live in, with blood bonds from birth and those sworn holding great importance to them. Some dwarves are born with blood magic, a strange art that can take many forms and acts both on literal blood and metaphorical blood bonds. As one would expect being the progeny of the god of war, Dwarves take to martial pursuits with equal gusto as they do more peaceful ones. While they lack the pure raw strength and size of a Litorian, Dwarves are more pragmatic and willing to use whatever tricks and tools they need to win. They take some of this same attitude to other areas of life, although many Dwarves are unlikely to act in such an extreme manner unless their life is on the line. When it comes to worship most Dwarves remain dedicated to Adam and then Leodin and Rathin, although some observe other gods and most will give offerings and prayers to the other gods as well when it is appropriate. Even to Beltheus and Nomad, although not to Ulkurush due to their long conflict with Nightmare Dragons. Golems Created first by Edo, Golems are the most distinct life on Daesin. They are crafted from some kind of material, then animated by magic. Two Golems will combine their essence and impart it to the newly created Golem to create a new and unique individual. In this way they have parents and families similar to other races. Although a Golem begins life physically complete, they are mentally a newborn child and when Golem parents have multiple children each one turns to be distinct based on their upbringing and their experiences. Golems cannot use magic in the same humans, but are able to manipulate ambient energy through mathematical inscriptions and magic-infused devices, or in a pinch through crude mental simulations of these. While other races can learn the same theory, few humans are able to do the same things that a Golem can. Golems rarely understand violence, beyond that of self-defence against monsters or beings they cannot see as people due to madness or other complications. It is rare to see a Golem attached to any kind of conflict willingly, as they almost universally favour peaceful pursuits and notably those that involved crafts. They are also the only ones to truly understand the complex and intensive magical operations involved in creating Skyships, as the Skyships are essentially Golems given a different form. Because of this every Skyship is accompanied by its family of at least two Golems. Technically Golems can be larger than Litorians making them arguably the largest race in the world, especially when Skyships are taken into account. However due to their great variety of form, they like demons are not often counted in this measurement. Humans The original inhabitants and still the most widespread and numerous people of Daesin, if not by as great a margin as they once were. They vary by region in appearance and in culture, making them difficult to classify broadly. Those that live in the eastern continent of Taravesh are generally more insular and wary of other races and the less human gods, whereas those in Barant are more open and accepting. Humans are clever and quick thinkers despite being weaker and frailer than any other race in the world. Despite this physical inferiority, they are the only race to be blessed with the innate gift of arcane magic. Although Golems can manipulate magic through arcane theory, humans have the greatest practical mastery and can do an incredible variety of things. Where one human fails, others can combine their gifts to multiply the power of the spell through carefully constructed rituals. Aside from arcane magic, humans can also learn and combine other forms of magic as well. This gift is what keeps them on a level playing field with other races. Herd An unfortunate and little known variant of humanity, the Herd are kept by Arrani deep underground in hidden vaults in Arranya. Stupid and fast growing they are fed a diet of Chuma weed to keep them docile and healthy until they reach physical maturity within a month. Then they are fed a heavy dose of Chuma, sedated and eaten by Unveiled Arrani. One in a thousand Herd are born immune to Chuma and with a mutation that makes them incredibly intelligent instead of incredibly stupid. One in a hundred of these Herd are able to escape the notice of their captors and slip away to live in freedom. Snow Blessed Snow Blessed are those humans that follow Thanjan and have taken on the Prayer of Blessed Winter permanently. Compared to other humans they have a blue-tinted skin and are thinner and more gaunt. They live almost exclusively in the Frozen Wilds, especially the northern reaches. Warewolves When the Red Queen changed the nature of wolves, many hid inside of human hosts to escape her notice. These wolf spirits in time merged with their human hosts, hiding too well and changing the original human into a Warewolf. They are able to change into a wolf form, as well as one that represents their blended aspects of wolf and human. For a time they were an oppressed minority by those who followed the Red Queen. As she grew to no longer fear them her attitude to them softened. For the most part Warewolves simply want to live peacefully, and do not favour any profession or region more than another. They find it harder to learn to use their magic, because their part-wolf nature makes them innately distant from their own magic. Litorians Lion aspected Litorians are the chosen children of Leodin, whom holds great love for them. They are the largest and most physically powerful race in Daesin, and they are generally the most spiritual as well. Litorians are omnivorous like humans, and they are the only race able to eat fireberries without them being distilled first. Like Dwarves they have acute night vision and senses, making them terrifying warriors. Litorians are not clumsy by any means, although they are by virtue of their size not the most nimble of other races. They live primarily in Liodor, Konwey and the Orcish plains where the worship of the Lords of Power is most prevalent. Litorians live in other places as well, but their great stature can inconvenience them in places built for smaller races. Sometimes Litorians are blessed with the gift of fire, the ability create and control flame. This is the only magic that manifests among them and it is rare enough to be unusual. Litorian cities and towns are built large to accommodate their great statures, and every single one can boast a church to the Lords of Power with Leodin at the centre. While no Litorian would be crass enough to build a grand theatre amongst a village of hovels filled with the poor, the church in each village is a source of pride for its inhabitants and is sure to at least stand out from the other buildings around it as well as being well maintained. Litorians are almost universally devoted to the Path of the Lion, although the interpretations of this differ among them. Compared to Dwarves and Orcs however, they place greater influence on the Spirit as being a pathway to improving the mind and the body as well. Their keen analytical minds made them suited to planning, both conflict, peace and also buildings and organising people. These are the fields Litorians most commonly take to aside from simple and honourable labour. While the Dracolich is the patron of alchemy and his followers are the greatest practitioners of the art, Litorians were the pioneers of it in Barant and it is still a popular profession. Litorians almost exclusively follow Leodin, then Adam and Rathin. Aside from this they will offer prayers to the other 'good gods' of the world when it is seen fit. Orcs Orcs are the second most widespread and numerous race of the world after humans. They are the second largest race after Litorians and are similarly only second in physical power. Orcs live off of whatever they produce or can purchase, hunt or scavenge making them hardier in times of famine or in areas with shortages of meat or vegetables compared to other races. They are usually dark haired and possessed of green skin, that is tougher than a human's. Orcs worship Rathin first and then Adam and Leodin, although like Dwarves they give prayer and thanks to almost every other god as well. Because of their friendly and competitive nature, Orcs are found in almost every community in some role. They take to any profession with an eye to challenge themselves and others can find their competitiveness baffling in times and places where there normally is no competition. They are fond of markets and other gatherings where people can come together, and in such places often start or run competitions and games of some sort. Frequently traders and farmers, Orcs are a valued backbone in any community they belong to. Sometimes their intense competitive nature will be followed immediately by a great friendliness making anyone welcome. This confuses others, but this same open nature is what makes Orcs welcome in almost any place.
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