Fantasy The Worst Pantheon: Live and Reloaded (IC Thread) (OPEN)

[Stikes]

Kurantse, Action I​

After Cardcarious' announcement, Kurantse descends to the surface of Ocaeril, making note of the new island's position. He comes once again to the secret headquarters of Marshall, Karter, and Darke. There, he commands that they set up a low-profile armed expedition to the island of the Devil Fruit, with the mission to gather as many as they can to bring back to MK&D.

While he's there, they tell him about the conversion of the Holy Grain Empire into the 'Biome'. According to their insider sources, certain groups in the nation use a brand of magic that hearkens back to the old pain-loving Cenobites, though turned to more practical purposes.

With this new information, he seeks out Joe, guessing that he'd had something to do with the transition.

"Hey, hey, buddy. I heard that you've given your Grain Empire a bit of a regime change. I wanted to ask about that magic you set 'em up with. Some kinda biomancy, eh?" ( Gravitys Momentum )

 

[Gravitys Momentum]

Kurantse, Action I​

After Cardcarious' announcement, Kurantse descends to the surface of Ocaeril, making note of the new island's position. He comes once again to the secret headquarters of Marshall, Karter, and Darke. There, he commands that they set up a low-profile armed expedition to the island of the Devil Fruit, with the mission to gather as many as they can to bring back to MK&D.

While he's there, they tell him about the conversion of the Holy Grain Empire into the 'Biome'. According to their insider sources, certain groups in the nation use a brand of magic that hearkens back to the old pain-loving Cenobites, though turned to more practical purposes.

With this new information, he seeks out Joe, guessing that he'd had something to do with the transition.

"Hey, hey, buddy. I heard that you've given your Grain Empire, a bit of a regime change. I wanted to ask about that magic you set 'em up with. Some kinda biomancy, eh?" ( Gravitys Momentum )

Joe has just finished punting a screaming eyeless beholder when Kurantse has arrived.

“Long time no see. Biomancy eh? That took me a quarter of a cycle to learn from those Cenobites. Gave them to more practical people with rules to follow. What’d you need?”

 

[Stikes]

Joe has just finished punting a screaming eyeless beholder when Kurantse has arrived.

“Long time no see. Biomancy eh? That took me a quarter of a cycle to learn from those Cenobites. Gave them to more practical people with rules to follow. What’d you need?”

"Well, I'm sure you're aware of the kind of applications of biomancy when the people using it aren't nutjob sadomasochists, yeah?" The merchant god asks. "As soon as I heard your people had it, I sensed opportunity. So, eh, that's a round-about way of saying I want some access to it."

 

[Gravitys Momentum]

"Well, I'm sure you're aware of the kind of applications of biomancy when the people using it aren't nutjob sadomasochists, yeah?" The merchant god asks. "As soon as I heard your people had it, I sensed opportunity. So, eh, that's a round-about way of saying I want some access to it."

"Lucky do. I'll send a couple of the teachers to head on over to the Zhailving. Just set guidelines so they don't go trigger-happy like the Cenobites."

 

[CutieBoop]

Tiamat, the Navigator: Action #2
​

After a great amount of training, to heal, to fight, to do religious tasks, Tiamat had gathered the people in the same church of Tiamat together as she was about to bless them. The gentle aaaa's began as she made her speech.
"(My children, I am ever so proud of how much you've developed. You are now ready to embark on so many things, some of which aren't that easy to achieve. As some of you are priests for many generations to come, you will spread teachings and increase the family. The more who feel safe here and help others in need, the better it will be. And as long as you bless them, they will feel a strong sense of joy.
For the medics, your jobs are similar, but you will help in case some of our members are hurt, if they are struggling, or if they also happen to be giving new life. You have a big task on your hands, and make sure you do it well.
Finally, for my paladins and clerics, you'll serve as our protectors... and the protectors for the world. You will be helping those in need if they struggle in battle. For they will be safe from the undead and the demons that may come... and they will receive a blessing of protection.
All of you, you will be officially known as the Children of the Sea.)"

There were cheers all around, as they were proud of them being given their roles. They all knew they can make the change for the world. Tiamat smiled, and began to sing, "Aa, aaaah! Aaaahhh ahhhh aaah..." (Now, go! Make sure that they're safe in your care...) With that, she let them all know, and the paladins and clerics will acknowledge their durty. They all spoke with each other, giving hugs, thanks, and happiness to share before the clerics and paladins will make their way to travel the world doing good deeds for those in need.

"Aaaaahhh. Aaah aaaahh... aaah, ahhhh~" (That will be all. I will be needed elsewhere... thank you, my children~) Tiamat chirped, thanking her followers, her children, her subjects, before stepping down the center speech area, making her way to the entrance of the church, and taking flight once more in her physical origin forme. She wants to check up on other matters, and she sighed during the thought process. "Ah, aahh.. aaah.... aahhh, aaaa?" (Ah, my children.. and the gods.... they do grow fast, don't they?) Just a small but of motherly rambling before she approaches her next task. Things are maturing as she know it, but all of them are facing cruel reality. And despite how harsh it is, the thought that they can help each other when in need, puts the smile to Tiamat's face.

 

[BlackCat-055]

________________________________________________________________________________
GM UPDATE:
________________________________________________________________________________




The creature lurched back as it was gripped in the kraken's tentacles, throwing up its tail and sending a spray of water crashing down onto the ship, rocking it and again taking several objects not secured to the deck out to sea. The kraken's hooks proved largely ineffective, unable to pierce the hide of the creature but instead catching in between its armored plates, causing no harm to the beast but instead tangling it up to the point that neither of the two abominations could break free of eachother. The sea serpent diverted its focus away from the ship, now sinking its teeth into the kraken and ripping off tentacles whenever it could manage an opening. Meanwhile, the ship was rocked and was beginning to drift into the whirlpool as the two monsters flailed around wildly in the depths below, an inconvenient storm also kicking up and worsening the crew's control of their vessel. Meanwhile, as the two beasts struggled, the serpent's head briefly rose above the water before falling back below, and a telepathic voice rang out in the minds of each crewman of the ship.

"Is Tanya there? Her mother wants to see her."​

Before anyone said anything, a booming voice was heard from above, everyone looked to see a projection of Tanya in her regal shining armor, floating in air, she cupped her arms as she shouted aganst the voice.

"YOU ARE NOT MY MOM MERYL! YOU ARE JUST A SOCIOPATHIC NARCISSISTIC WHENCE THAT DECIDED IT WAS MY MOM AND TRY TO BEAT UP MY MOM SO SHE CAN STEAL MY DAD! YOU'RE A HORRIBLE PERSON AND YOU! ARE! NOT! MY! MOM! CASE CLOSED MERYL!"

 

[Stikes]

"Lucky do. I'll send a couple of the teachers to head on over to the Zhailving. Just set guidelines so they don't go trigger-happy like the Cenobites."

"No worries, my friend, no worries. Trust me, nothing hurts production like rampant insanity." Kurantse claps Joe on the shoulder. "Now, I'll be off getting that going. Have a good time doing, eh, whatever it is you're doing." With that, he turns and walks into a portal.

He arrives back in Zhailving, and once again composes a letter to the Lord.

Action II
​

Hello again, ol' buddy ol' chum ol' pal. It's been a while since I corresponded with one of you, but I'm sure you know who this is.​

Here's the deal - pretty soon here, a few biomancers from the Biome will be coming up here, intending to teach the art to your people. I want you to make sure you have as many capable mages as you can learn it. Keep the biomancers safe, too. I don't want to have an international incident here.
Once you've got some adepts, start developing weapons and industry. I'm thinking warbeasts, supersoldiers, and deadly plagues, but also quick-grow fortifications and housing. I'll let you decide the specifics when it comes down to brass tacks.
Keep this shit under control, though, eh? I don't want Cenobites part two or a doomsday scenario either.

K, GoM. ​

 

[NihiloExDeus]

Such a mess, such a mess, he barely even knew where to start with.

ACTION 1

First of all, organise the data. A constantly updating information board with the status of all the world's ecosystems, his projects, so on and so forth. This would make a fine foundation.

ACTION 2

Mass migrations. The world had been through some heavy changes, with all the floods and fires and assorted disasters. He would need to shuffle the contents of the ecosystems, move populations around to environments that'd welcome them without them becoming horrid invasive species.

Birds were a big player here, able to carry seeds, spores and insects across great bodies of water. So were some of these less-than-mundane creatures, especially those capable of outright spatial warping.

ACTION 3

What wasn't viable to migrate, or for those whom solely migration wasn't enough, he'd manually adapt to fit the new lifestyle they'd been forced into. Pluck traits from the whole, carefully spool them into their essence, coax their manifestation, ensure it all fit together.

The flooded land would see the mud and filth thrown into the water soon disappearing, microbiota and bottom feeders seeing about clearing the waters, making them less prone to causing infection, some even providing safe havens of potable water for the river and lake dwellers to migrate to --even if he'd adapted them into being at least able to tolerate saltwater-- and the less aquatic life to drink from.

 

[BlackCat-055]

Action 1:

Inqui sighs as she took out her sword from the dead dragon's head, another one down, it was a bit fun to do her heroics every now and then, but was it always so tiring? She sighed.

"Oh...well, time to...go"

And day by day, Inqui continued to go around in her First Hero armor, saving people in need and slaying monsters, why? Because it's fun!

Although she wonders if she can find a bed later on

Action 2:
Merina sighed as she adjusted her heavy dark grey fur coat, it having the red star insignia of the Union of the People, she looked towards the mirror, noting her long dark blue hair wrapped in a bun and the scars on her face reminding her, reminding her of the oppression of the nobles and rich.

Never again she whispered, will she let someone suffer her fate under her watch.

She shook her head before looking at a young man in glasses and dark blue robes.

"Is the suits ready Dr. Utyug?"

The man who was busy tending to large humanoid suit that looked familiar to a clunky knight suit, but bigger, wider, and is taller than a human, gasped as he stumbled and look back to Merina.

"Of course my Premier! With the notes you have gotten from Ser Tesla and Eidson, we have been able to make prototypes of the Voin-Groma suits! These suits are outfitted with superior Union tech that allows them to use mana and convert it into magical electricity that will then be directed to the Tesla Coil on the back to project a large forcefield to blow back enemy forces! And if directed into attack mode, they can shock enemy troops nearby into charred skeletons! Udivetel'nyy!"

"And what about their weapons? Aside from the Tesla Coil of course"

"Yes, yes! They are also outfitted with large swords that have Tesla electricity coursing through them for maximum effect! Alongside giant cannons!"

"Mhm, anything else?"

"Their armor plating makes it so that you need cannon fire to even dent their armor! And their magic-resistance enchantments are Verkhniy (top/top-notch)"

"Mmm, this will do perfectly, send some prototypes to field testing, and once we remove out the kinks, we start mobilizing our forces!"

She looked out from the balcony and to the sky

"We shall let all of Ocaeril learn of our great ideal! No longer shall the common man suffer against the nobles and kings! FOR WE ARE ALL EQUAL! NO ONE IS ABOVE! NO ONE IS IN CONTROL EXCEPT FOR ALL OF US! AND I SHALL MAKE THIS DREAM HAPPEN SO BEFORE I DIE! WE SHALL LET THEM ALL LEARN OF OUR GREAT WAYS! BY FORCE!"

Spoiler: Appearance, like this, but replace shock arms with actual robo arms to hold giant swords and crossbows

Spoiler: Music to set theme

 

[CutieBoop]

Tiamat, the Navigator: Action #3
​

Then, as Tiamat did examine the world, she thought to herself... 'Huh... are the oceans alright, after everything?' So she went to the sea, shifted to her sea physical forme, and swum around. The abnormalities she can see are those deep creatures.... some of them seem invasive! Tiamat nodded and swam up the seas, switching to her origin physical forme to think, think think! From the skies she can see the fog, so there's one idea of what she can do...

Thus, she went to a healthy, nearby island and its forest to gather some wood. This will make the spear part of this weapon. Then, she put the wood in a 'egg' to construct that spear. The wood will get some of her magical blessings, so it will be resistant and stronger. As she keeps the egg safe, she went to the sea, preparing another egg and putting part of the sea water in there. She flew up with both eggs, and waited for a breeze of wind to come so it can be put inside the egg. Now the second egg has been made, to make the Larimar jewels for the eyes. The third egg also needs some wind and some water speckles, so it's the similar process, plus Tiamat's blessing. That egg will be its fins.

Then she went to the healthy island and looked over the eggs, letting it construct and process as she watched over them. It took some time,and they all hatched when they were complete. The entirety of it was purple, save for the eye's difference. She began working on constructing the spear, by putting the Larimar eyes at the top of the spear, both sides. She tested when the fins would attach and detach. It worked successfully. It worked when she either put the fins on the spear, or took them off the spear to make one big fan. With this, she engraved the spear part of the weapon/tool with her own claw, calling it 'Imhullu.' With the blessings put on it, it will make a strong benefit to the water and wind elements, and improve damage and speed in a variety of ways.

She nodded as she finished her item, and with it in her gentle claws, she flew up again, hoping to show it soon. Ocaeril would love it!

Spoiler: Spoiler: Weapon's appearance, but only slightly different.

 

[The Void Ever Watching]

The Writhing Cosmso Fragments, Nyarlathotep.
___________________________________________________________________
Actions 1, and 2.

The Black Wind, Nyarlathotep with his assortment of Servitors of the Outer Gods, sung a different tune within the bitter chilled winds of the Huskarr. One that called for fire, for bloodshed, and the spread of misery and torment brought by their pleasure. It showed weakned foes by famine and plague, an Empire beset by strife.
As various enclaves of the Vikings readyed themselves, old and young Shamans surving the trials of magic had visions of a mighty conquest. As Ships, weapons and armor were smelted, infused with bone. Along with the occasional enchantment of a Shaman to improve sails and create weapons that seek to crave warm flesh.

A notable example would the be a newly forged blade that after a year long ritual. It was imbued with the consuming flames of Fthaggua, the metal blade was covered in blue flames. Whoever was stuck by the blade would find their armor naught but scalding slag, and pale blue chaotic flames spread across them ate at their minds. That bought forth bound Daemons known as lesser Fire Vampires the progeny of Fthaggua. Who in turn was the son of the primordial flames of Cthugha.

During the end of the preparations, the filling of food sticks with salted fish and thralls stored in the lower decks. An obvious problem was that the distance involved would take many months to complete, and would leave the Huskarr relatively defenseless. As the many fleets were gathered by the tip of the country, and the Black Wind beset them upon the night. The assortment of noise told them of an answer, one profane ritual of sacrifice to bring them from coast to coast. A portion of thralls were sacrificed and fog soon covered the fleet, strange shapes within the mist drove some of them mad. But, soon enough a tear was formed by the Winds gathered though the sacrifice, and into the Warp the ships of the Huskarr were flung by the whim of a sadistic god, protected by only necessity to enact it's malevolent will.

They would reappear a week later by the waters of the Empire, changed by the time within the Warp. The 'blessings' of the Gods were evident upon the Viking horde, as the men, servants, woman, and warbeasts onboard the ship were changed in a variety of ways. The ships themselves were not excluded from this as wood, planks and metal warped into terrifying and mind boggling shapes. As a multitude of lesser Daemons were bound within the many vessels and gear of mighty warriors, by the surviving Shamans aboard that now barred a third eye sensitive to the Winds.

There was however one additional oddity the presence of warriors coated from head to toe in thick metal armor and symbols of the Gods, yet moved with frightening ease and agility. It seemed they were men set adrift within the confines of the boundless Warp, and fortune's malevolent will had use of them.

___________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, long before the voyage of the Huskarr into the perils of the Warp, protected by a God of Chaos. A new strange cult began to appear within the depths of the Empire, instigated by a cheerful tall man of noble lineage. They worshiped and cultivated the image of Abhoth, The Source of Uncleanliness, though he was not know to be such publicly. The public knew of him as a deity or enity that governed over disease and the creation of life into the earth. Which lead to some to incorporate the being with God's like Tiamat or the Farming God Joe known for his famines.

But, what is important is the following, the growing cult lead by a charismatic man handed out strips of paper full of fancy lettering and were given instructions to not read it till they got home. They trusted this man, as both the obligation to follow a noble's words and his friendly demeanor let many peasants flock to him.
From there hidden within an abode the man covered in darkness preformed a profane ritual to call upon the will of an Outer God, Abhoth. His body was consumed immediately from the inside out, bellowing out small insects full of diseases both mundane and mystical that would allifct the land and it's people. While the many Cult members after that night experienced, without notice nor seemingly worried about, the process to become incubators of disease and foul creatures. That would burst outwardly and violently letting the host of creatures escape.

This would case strife, famine, and death across the Empire, perhaps as punishment from the Fragment of the Cosmos for disregarding it, or rather a dealing between Entities of Worship beyond human understanding?

 

[Space Buddha]

GM UPDATE

Before anyone said anything, a booming voice was heard from above, everyone looked to see a projection of Tanya in her regal shining armor, floating in air, she cupped her arms as she shouted aganst the voice.

"YOU ARE NOT MY MOM MERYL! YOU ARE JUST A SOCIOPATHIC NARCISSISTIC WHENCE THAT DECIDED IT WAS MY MOM AND TRY TO BEAT UP MY MOM SO SHE CAN STEAL MY DAD! YOU'RE A HORRIBLE PERSON AND YOU! ARE! NOT! MY! MOM! CASE CLOSED MERYL!"

The Sea Monster's head surfaced again as the kraken continued it's attempts to drag it under, the whirlpool growing briefly and rocking the boat.

"I am not your mother, sister. I know that. I am also not this Meryl you speak of. Aqua dwells at the bottom of the sea, deep in the R'lyehian trench and away from all land. Seek her out there. That is all."

The sea monster is dragged underwater by the tentacles, and the mages controlling the Kraken fall unconscious. The whirlpool subsides within minutes, and Tanya's ship is left amid calm seas.​

 

[Space Buddha]

Revan4221 | BlackCat-055 | Kingly K Duel | Scrump_Diddle | Stikes | KolastoRPN | The Void Ever Watching | Selee-01 | Churl | Barbas | VomitIcicle | Celestial Speck | CutieBoop | NihiloExDeus | Gravitys Momentum

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GM UPDATE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dawn of the New Year: 1350


Meanwhile, in a somewhat nostril-like cavern on the shores of sunfall reef, an aging Zeruellim led a number of its kind though the tunnel of decayed flesh, firing blasts of light on occasion to clear away the immense green crystals that filled the area. Their kind had developed over the decades, building great cities on the surface of their lord. Nothing comparable to the majesty of Arqa, but it was a start. However, their kind needed numbers, and with their mother still hiding away on the south pole, they had few options to expand. Of course, they were not without options. Buried in the nasal caverns, many of their kind had become trapped in ages past, sealed away in the great cr ystal formations like a fly in amber, and so these Zeruellim found one of these specimens, perfectly preserved and pinned onto the cavern wall. The lead zeruellim approached the crystal formation and, with a motion of it's monofilament blade, sliced open the crystal and led the Zeruellim within to come tumbling out onto the cavern floor. It's field flickered, and it levitated to stand upright before it's rescuer.

/HOW LONG HAS THIS ONE BEEN AWAY?/

/AN AGE./

/WHAT HAS THIS ONE NOT SEEN?/

/EMPIRES HAVE RISEN AND FALLEN. THE HUMANS HAVE BROUGHT FORTH THE STEAM-POWERED HORSELESS CARRIAGES AND POWDER-LESS REPEATING GUNS. TO SAY NOTHING OF THE PROLETARIAT KINGDOM ONCE OF ZHAILVING, WHOSE DISCOVERIES LED THEM TO HARNESS THE POWER OF LIGHTNING AND ALLOWED THEIR CONTEMPORARIES TO INVENT THE WHALE OIL-LESS LAMP. THEY ARE MANY, AND WE ARE FEW. WE MUST PREPARE IF WE ARE TO FEAST WHEN THE TIME COMES./

Spoiler: Translation

Steam-Powered cars were invented, as were percussion caps which has led to various types of primitive repeating firearms, and the communist revolutionary kingdom near Zhailving has discovered electricity and weaponized it into primitive tesla-coil like devices. This discovery soon led to tesla arc lamps, which now replace oil lamps in the most developed regions of the world.

/AND WHAT OF THE DARK ONE?/

/THE BEAST HAS DAMNED THE SOULS OF THIS WORLD. THE OTHER BEINGS DO NOT KNOW IT, BUT ALL ARE DESTINED FOR THE ABYSS./

/SHIT./

/INDEED. WE HAVE SOUGHT A MEANS TO AVOID THIS FATE, AND YET NONE HAVE FOUND SUCH A THING. SINCE THE EMPIRE FOUND IT AMID THE ONCE ENFOGGED ISLANDS, THE GREAT WORLD TREE WAS THOUGHT TO HOLD THE SECRETS OF LIFE, YET IT AND THE BEASTS THAT DWELL THERE REJECT OUR KIND, ITS THREE RULERS SHARE THEIR ARTS ONLY WITH THE MEN OF KOHONA AND THE DRUIDS OF THE WEST, THEIR LIKE NOW SEEK OUR PRIZE ALONE. I KNOW NOT IF THEY HATH FOUND IT, BUT TRUE IMMORTALITY EVADES US AND THE HUMAN MAGES OF THE WEST ALIKE, THEY FIND ONLY LICHDOM AS A SOLUTION. THE KOHONANS SEEM TO BELIEVE THE MERCHANTS OF THE EXARCH'S WARES TO HOLD THE KEY, THE HUMANS BY THE NAME OF MARSHALL, KARTER AND DARKE, AND YET NONE OF OUR KIND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEEK THEM OUT, HAVING BEEN LAST SEEN ON THE FORBIDDEN ISLANDS./

Spoiler: translation

Zyr's afterlife exists, and the zeruellim are attempting to find the secret of eternal youth in order to combat this problem. They know that the "Big Three" druids of the world tree are searching for it, but said druids have not shared the information they have obtained, which is practically nothing of use (that isn't mentioned by the zeruellim in this post) with them on account of them being hideous abominations that most people don't even know are sentient.

/I WAS EXPECTING MORE OF AN UPDATE ON THE STATE OF THINGS. RATHER THAN CONFIRMATION THAT WE ARE ALL DOOMED./

/OF COURSE BROTHER. WE NOW KNOW THE NINE DEMONS OF THE HELSAN SPHERE TO HAVE BECOME EIGHT, THE GREATEST OF THEM CONSUMED BY THE GODDESS OF EVIL./

/IS THAT A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING?/

/I KNOW NOT BROTHER, THOUGH THE ELVES WOULD SAY THE FORMER./

/AND WHAT OF THE GODS? HATH THEY NOT SEEN THAT PARADISE LIES EMPTY?/

/THEIR MACHINATIONS ARE BEYOND OUR KIND, THOUGH I KNOW THE DRUIDS TO SEEK THE RITUAL OF THE LINES. THEY HOLD ONLY PARTS AND ARE NOT ONES TO SHARE, BUT THE FRAGMENTS THEY HOLD CANNOT BE MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE GREAT RITUAL./

/SAY THAT AGAIN, BUT IN EXACT PERCENTAGES./

/WHY?/

/JUST DO IT./

/THEY HAVE PROBABLY ONLY FOUND THIRTY-TWO POINT FIVE PERCENT OF THE RITUAL IF I WERE TO HAVE TO ESTIMATE. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?/

/I KNOW NOT BROTHER, I SIMPLY FELT COMPELLED TO MAKE YOU SAY THAT./

/WE ARE IN DARK TIMES INDEED./

Spoiler: translation

Helsa absorbed a demon and the elves are better off for it. Ocaeril has obtained approximately 32.5% of the ritual of the lines.

/DO NOT LOSE HOPE YET, FOR I KNOW THE HUMANS OF THE EAST TO HAVE INVENTED A MEANS OF SUSTAINING A SOUL INDEFINITELY WITHIN THE 'YO-KAI WATCHES" THAT THEY PRODUCE, AND THROUGH THEM THE YOUKAI INFESTATION OF THEIR LAND HAS BEEN ALL BUT ERADICATED, THE ONLY ONES NOT IN THEIR SERVICE HIDDEN AWAY IN THEIR REALM. INDEED, THEIR MASTERY OF THESE BEINGS HAS LED THEM TO PUT DOWN THE REBELLIONS IN ALPH AND AMONG THE CENTAURIC TRIBES, ENSURING THEIR EMPIRE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY./

/COULD THIS MEANS OF BINDING SOULS SERVE OUR NEEDS?/

/ALAS, IT MAY ONLY BIND THE FORMLESS SPIRITS OF THE EAST, MUCH LIKE THE SPHERES OF THE MOUNTAIN BEASTMASTERS MAY ONLY HOLD THE SOULS OF CERTAIN BEASTS, AND SINCE THE GREAT MIGRATIONS WHICH LEFT SO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD BARREN OF SUCH BEINGS THEY NOW STRUGGLE TO FIND REASON TO MAKE SUCH THINGS../

/SHIT./

/THAT IS NOT ALL BROTHER, FOR THOSE OF US THAT WENT TO SEARCH THE LANDS BELOW FOUND OTHER BEINGS WHICH MAY HOLD THAT WHICH WE SEEK./

/EXPLAIN./

Spoiler: translation

The Jade Empire is now trapping and taming Yokai using the Yo-Kai-watch, the ones not bound hiding in ickol's yokai realm. This has enabled them to persist despite losing chi power. A great migration is mentioned, referring to Phil relocating countless species.

/NEAR-MYTHICAL BEINGS. THE VRIL CALL THEM THE SHADOWS, OTHERS CALL THEM THE NOVA-KIN. DEMONS OF THE UNSPEAKABLE ONE COMPOSED OF PURE ENERGY, AND AS SUCH OLD AGE SHALL NEVER TAKE THEM TO THE REALM OF THE DAMNED. HOWEVER, THEY DO-./

/THEN WE MUST TAKE THESE BEASTS BODIES AS OUR OWN./

/ALLOW ME TO FINISH. AS I WAS SAYING, AS TIME GOES ON, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST, AND THOSE OF US WHO SOUGHT THEM OUT KNOW THEM NOT TO BE EASILY TAMED, FOR THOSE WITH MINDS TO CALL THEIR OWN STRIKE FEAR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE GOBLINS BELOW, WHO, UNDER THEIR SILENT RULER, HIDE FROM THEIR FELLOW BEASTS IN THE DARK, CREATING THEIR MOCKERIES OF ALL THAT THE SURFACE HAS MADE IN THEIR VAIN WISHES TO RECLAIM GREATNESS THEY NEVER HAD./

Spoiler: translation

The shadowkin exist now, and the Silent one has become the amonjak of the First Light. He has put them on the defensive, retaining their isolationism, and thanks to original they now produce chinese-style knockoffs of surface products.

/STOP THIS TEASE./

/SORRY./

/KNOW YOU ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HELP US IN THIS SEARCH? LEGIT?/

/THERE ARE TALES OF AN ISLAND, AN ISLAND WITH A HUNDRED TREES. THE ISLAND HAS NO FIXED POSITION AND MAY APPEAR TO A SAILOR AT ANY TIME. THE TREES UPON IT BARE FRUIT, AND EACH ONE MAY BESTOW A BOON OR CURSE ON HE WHO CONSUMES IT. SOME WHO SET FOOT ON THE ISLAND RETURN HOME AS DEMIGODS. OTHERS AS PILES OF MISSHAPEN FLESH, OTHERS WITH A FANCY NEW HAT, AND SOME NOT AT ALL. THOUGH THE ISLAND IS NOT EASILY FOUND, AND SOMETIMES ONE SIMILAR TO IT MAY APPEAR, BUT IN FACT BE AN ISLAND OF UNENDING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, WHERE ONE MAY NEVER ESCAPE AND BE FORCED TO FACE HORDES OF THE DEEP ONES BY DAY, AND AS THE SUN SETS FACE A NIGHTMARCH GREATER THAN THOSE OF ALL OTHER ISLANDS. IT MAY CORRUPT THE MIND AS WELL, TAKING ONES SANITY AND MAKING THINE A MINDLESS BEAST. INDEED THE THREE TRADERS OF THE EXARCH'S ARTIFACTS MADE THE JOURNEY TO THESE LANDS, EACH RETURNING WITH STRANGE POWERS. THE ONE CALLED MARSHAL NOW WITH TENDRILS OF TAPE, THE MYSTERIOUS ONE CALLED KARTER GRANTED SWAY OVER REALITY ITSELF, DIVIDING THINGS INTO THEIR QUANTA. DARKE, HOWEVER, CURSED BY THE ISLAND TO SHAPE THE WATERS OF LIFE IN A WAY NO BEING SHOULD./

/THE RISK SOUNDS TO BE GREAT, HOWEVER PREFERABLE TO STORMING THE NEW FORBIDDEN CITY AND FACING THE JADE EMPEROR TO CLAIM HIS FRUIT./

Spoiler: translation

The devil fruit island exists, and shifts its location from time to time alongside the island of combat. Many have eaten fruit from the former and been trapped on the latter before being turned into mindless beasts, and at one point MK&D found the island, and ate of the fruit. Marshall got power over adhesive tape, Kurantse gained the ability to reduce anything to half of its current quantity, and Darke gained powers that will only be explained in the #nsfw channel of the discord server.

/THERE MAY ALSO BE ANOTHER OPTION, ONE THAT DOES NOT ENTAIL A RISK OF SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION./

/EXPLAIN./

/THE FOGMEN HAVE BEEN SEEN FAR OUTSIDE THEIR TAINTED LANDS. THEY TRADE IN STRANGE MEDICINES AND GALAVANT ABOUT. SOME EVEN FLOCK TO THEIR CULT OF MEDICINE NOW, THEIR REPUTATION AS VICIOUS BANDITS IS NOW BUT A DISTANT MEMORY, YET NOT TO THEM, FOR THEIR ART NO DOUBT HAS LET THEM LIVE BEYOND WHAT NATURE WOULD PERMIT./

/A WORTHY SUBJECT OF PURSUIT, ONE WOULD ASSUME./

/THE DEEP ONES OF THE ENFOGGED ARE OF A MUCH GREATER CONCERN, THEY STEAL TECHNOLOGY FROM THE HUMANS AND FORTIFY THEIR ISLANDS, IN PREPARATION FOR THE LARGEST ATTACK SINCE THE GREAT WAR OF THE TUSK, THOUGH THEY HAVE YET TO BEGIN THE SECOND WAR OF THE TIDE. THERE IS WORD EVEN THAT THEY MAY HAVE EVEN SENT DIPLOMATS OF SORT TO THE REALMS OF MAN, THOUGH I SUSPECT THIS TO BE JUST A STORY./

Spoiler: translation

The deep ones have fortified their islands and suspended their aggression. They have also made attempts to contact other races for peace, but this has no doubt ended poorly. A number of fogmen have also left the foglands to spread their religion by curing the sick and such, and this has somewhat deminished the sinister reputation of the fogland natives.

/YOU SPEAK OF A GREAT WAR, WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED?/

/AH YES. THE BLUBBERY BEASTS OF THE EASTERN LANDS SET SAIL FOR THE EMPIRE'S TERRITORIES IN FORCE, BRINGING THEIR MAGICS AND MONSTERS AGAINST THEM AND MUTATED BY THE EXTENT WHICH THEY ALLOW TRUE MAGIC TO GAIN HOLD OF THEM. THEIR BERZERKER HORDES AND BETENTACLED BEASTS THEY BROUGHT AMONG THEM DEVASTATED THE LANDS THEY REACHED, YET AGAINST THE HUMANS AND THEIR AUTOMATIC CANNONS AND IRON-CLAD VESSELS. INDEED THE KOROSONA ALONE DEFENDED THE COASTS FROM THEIR ENTIRE FLEETS. YET, WHILE THEIR SHIPS WERE POWERLESS AGAINST THEIR FOE THOSE THAT MADE LANDFALL LEFT THE ISLANDS THEY SWEPT ACROSS A BARREN ROCK, BURNED TO ASH BY THE VAMPIRIC BEASTS THEY SUMMONED ALONGSIDE THEM. HUSKARRA NOW STANDS IN A SIMILAR STATE AS A NEW COLONY OF THE EMPIRE, THOUGH ITS ONLY CLAIM IS THE BOMBARDMENT IT CONTINUES TO PLACE UPON THE LAND./

/UNFORTUNATE, IT WOULD SEEM ANOTHER WAR OF THE TIDE MAY BE UPON US NOW, THOUGH YOU SAY THE DEEP ONES SENT FORTH DIPLOMATS? DEEP ONES CANNOT SPEAK./

Spoiler: translation

The Huskarr made their attack on the Empire in an event known as the war of the tusk. Given the empire's vast technological advantage, they decimated the huskarr fleet in nearly every engagement on account of the latter not even having cannons. However, in land engagements, they swept over islands and decimated numerous colonies, further shrinking the empire's holdings. The Fire Vampires also left these islands near uninhabitable, and countless species have gone extinct. This is likely to wound ocaeril. The empire ended the war by effectively bombarding Huskarra into a similar state, and now holds it and the remaining huskarr as a colonial holding, one of its last.

/WE THOUGHT THE SAME OF THE REAVERS, YET THOSE OF THE WEST WHICH SURVIVED THEIR FALL FROM THE SKY SPOKE TO THE WALKING RACES OF THE TRUE NATURE OF REALITY. THEIR PHILOSOPHIES OF OUR WORLD AS THE DINNER PLATE OF THE DARK ONE NO DOUBT TOUCHED MANY SOULS, INCLUDING MY OWN./

Spoiler: translation

The anarcho-primativists, now virtually extinct due to the amount that went splat upon hitting the ground, spread rumors of the world being an illusion and reality actually being a dinner plate to anyone they could should they have survived. This struck a cord with a lot of people.

/INDEED THEY DID, EVEN AMONG THE UNTAINTED ELVES, THOUGH NOT TO NOBLE ENDS. MANY THREW THEMSELVES TO THE PATCHWORK BEAST THAT KILLED SO MANY OF THEIR NUMBER YEARS AGO, NOW THEIR SOULS TOO ARE DAMNED. THOUGH, WHILE THEIR LIKE MAY BE, THE ELVES AT WHOLE ARE NOT, AND NOR ARE THE OTHERS WHICH NOW HOLD THE CENOBITIAN SECRETS OF THE FLESH./

/OTHERS?/

/HUMANS OF THE ONCE WEAK HOLY GRAIN EMPIRE NOW WIELD BIOMANCY IN WAYS THE CENOBITES WOULD ENVY, DWELLING IN GREAT LIVING CITIES AND MASTERING THEIR OWN FLESH, INDEED IMMORTALITY MAY BE CLOSE WITHIN THEIR GRASP, SHOULD THEY BE ENLIGHTENED ENOUGH TO REACH FOR IT IN THIS AGE. THEY MAKE MANY EFFORTS TO HIDE THEIR POWER FROM OUR GAZE, AND YET US AND SO MANY OTHERS KNOW OF THE GREAT POWER THEY WIELD. IT IS SAID THE EMPIRE OF MAN BRIEFLY EMPLOYED BIOMANCERS IN ITS RANKS BEFORE THE WAR OF THE TUSK, THOUGH HOW THEIR MAGES GAINED COUNCIL FROM THIS "BIOME" IS BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE, A SHARED FAITH, PERHAPS, GIVEN THE EMPIRE'S SEIZURE BY THE JOEVIAN CHURCH. ZHAILVING TOO RECRUITS THE WIELDERS OF THE CRAFT, AUGMENTING THEIR WARRIORS AND TRAINING GREAT BEASTS OF BATTLE, WITH THE MIGHT OF A DRAGON AND THE MIND OF A LOYAL PUPPY DOG. REGARDLESS, ALL OTHERS ARE WISE TO FEAR THIS NATION, SAVE PERHAPS FOR US, AS WE ARE NOT OF FLESH. THEIR MAGIC WOULD BE POWERLESS TO AID OR HINDER OUR KIND./

/YOU DID IT AGAIN. STOP TEASING./

Spoiler: translation

The Biome exists, having evolved via a coup in the holy grain empire, and the teachings of its magic have spread to other nations including the Empire and Zhailving and have been applied for various purposes, however it was purged from the empire after Abnoth's attack led to a renewed hatred of magic. Zhailving is currently applying it for most of its military potential, and has engineered tameable wyverns and similar beasts.

/THERE ARE OTHER IMMORTAL RACES WE MAY SEEK POWER FROM, OF COURSE, AS IT IS SAID THE DEMONS HAVE BRED A NEW KIND, A RACE OF SERPENT-MEN NOW LURKING IN THE TREES OF THE EASTERN LIVING LANDS. OF COURSE, NONE OF OUR RACE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH THEM. WE ARE NOT EXACTLY STEALTHY./

/INDEED./

/CURIOUSLY SUCH DEMONS DO NOT JOIN THEIR BRETHREN IN PIRACY, THOUGH THIS MAY BE SINCE THE PIRATES OF THE REVELRY CAME TO CHALLENGE THEM, TO SAY NOTHING OF TORTUGA AND THAT DECAYING PIRATE QUEEN, KEPT ALIVE BY WILLPOWER AND SOME MANNER OF SACRED WATER. ALL AMID THE GREAT PIRATE WAR. THE LEAGUE OF TORTUGA FACING THE GOBLIN PIRATES OF THE REVELRY, RAGING AGAINST DEMONS AND THE HUSKARR THAT REMAIN AT SEA./

Spoiler: Translation

Helsa's serpent demons now can be found in forested areas on the east continents, and the pirates are in the mist of a great war. The revelry, being a goblin pirate alliance, the demon pirates that have been present in the previous cycles, the huskarr holdouts left over from the war, and those ruled under a pirate queen in possession of Tiamat's artifacts and as old as the Queen of England are the ones at war though there is currently no clear winner and it amounts in the end to the pirates once again being split into infighting factions.

/WHY COULD THIS BE?/

/I KNOW NOT, THOUGH IT MAY RELATE TO THE CLERIC-SPAWNLINGS OF THE SEA-MOTHER, WANDERING HEALERS AND PRIESTS OF THE STRANGE MATING-CULTS. THEY ARE MADE UP OF RACES WHO DO NOT BIRTH THEIR YOUNG THROUGH EFFICIENT SPAWNING POOLS AND THUS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN FERTILITY TO REPLICATE./

/WHAT DO THESE CLERICS DO EXACTLY?/

/THEY SEEM TO DO VERY LITTLE. THEY JUST LOITER AROUND SETTLEMENTS DEFENDING THEM FROM THE ROVING DEMONS OF THE WEST THAT MIGHT SHOW UP ONCE PER YEAR, AND MAYBE TREATING THE SICK AND AIDING HUMANS IN SPAWNING THEIR YOUNG. THEY CAN ALSO RAISE THE DEAD./

/AND YOU DID NOT FIND THAT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MENTION RIGHT AWAY?/

/NO. FOR IT IS ONLY IN THE MOMENT AFTER DEATH, AND CAN DO NOTHING TO SAVE ONE OF A NATURAL PASSING./

/SO USELESS AS WELL./

/INDEED./

/KNOW YOU OF ANYTHING NOT USELESS AT ALL? I WOULD LIKE TO VACATE THIS NOSTRIL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER./

/VERY WELL. I KNOW NOW THE KINGDOMS OF THE WEST TO BE PUPPETS OF MORE THAN JUST THE EYE-BEASTS BELOW. A NEW BEING SPREADS ITS INFLUENCE IN THE SOUTHWEST, TAKING LARION AND ITS FIEFS IN THE NAME OF A PROFANE GOD. WITH THE GRAIN-DEMON'S RAMPAGE THROUGH THE BEHOLDEN KINGDOMS THEIR INFLUENCE ONLY GROWS NOW. /

Spoiler: translation

Tiamat's clerics, the children of the sea, are now a significant presence on the western continent and on islands still inhabited by humans. They are primarily just charitable healers and defenders and only at rare occasions go on offensives against monsters and the like, largely because they are somewhat uncommon in the generally peaceful areas they are prevalent in. The dopplegangers have also effectively seized control over Larion and other kingdoms bordering the biome, in the name of Original, and the strength of other Beholder controlled kingdoms has now faltered severely due to Joe having gone on a killing spree.

/KNOW YOU OF ANYTHING ACTUALLY TANGENTALLY RELATED TO OUR TOPIC OF DISCUSSION?/

/INDEED, FOR MANY SAY THE HATH SEEN OUR LORD AMONG HIS SUBJECTS, OR PERHAPS THEIR OWN MESSIAH. THE DEEDS OF THIS GREAT BEING SPREAD ABOUT THE CULT OF LIGHT IN THE FACE OF THE MENTAL PESTILENCE THE CULT OF VOID SPREADS ACROSS THE WORLD. SLAYER OF ABNOTH THE VILE AND THE PATCHWORK HORROR, THE FIRST SPAWNED BY REVILED NECROMANCERS AND HIS DEEDS BRINGING ABOUT NEW HATRED OF MAGIC AND THE CULT OF THE DARK ONE IN THE EMPIRE, AND THE LATTER STRUCK DOWN BY THE LIGHTBRINGER'S AVATAR DEEP IN THE FORESTS OF THE WEST. IF HE STILL LIVES THEN HOPE REMAINS, AND THE HELL WE AWAIT MAY SOON BE CLEANSED BY HIS LIGHT INTO A PARADISE ETERNAL./

/I WOULD HOLD OUT THAT HOPE, BROTHER./

Spoiler: translation

Inqui, or rather, Yinqui appeared to numerous people during her galavanting, and famously slew the sew-sew beast of the exodite forest and Abnoth in the empire. The results of this include massive revivals in yimor's cults and a slowing of the progress in Zyr's disease-like religion. Additionally, the damage caused by Abnoth, combined with the war of the tusk, has led the Empire to have a renewed hatred of magic and begin violently purging mages with increased efficiency. Chakra users remain permitted, for now.

Meanwhile...



Meanwhile, back in the hall of gods, the pantheon appeared on their thrones as usual, the feast restocked and the moon man serenading the group. Little had changed, aside from an immense map of the planet framed on the left-hand wall, constantly redrawing itself and seeming to display all information on the planet below's ecosystem and seeming to occasionally override with diagrams of mutating wildlife or showing colored pathways along the map where herds of animals migrated, mainly the creations of Arceus and some of the more exotic types of beasts the gods had made in the last three hundred and fifty years. Another strange sight was what resembled a black, winged unicorn sitting next to it, occasionally adding vocals as it played.​

 

[Celestial Speck]

Revan4221 | BlackCat-055 | Kingly K Duel | Scrump_Diddle | Stikes | KolastoRPN | The Void Ever Watching | Selee-01 | Churl | Barbas | VomitIcicle | Celestial Speck | CutieBoop | NihiloExDeus | Gravitys Momentum

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GM UPDATE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dawn of the New Year: 1350


Meanwhile, in a somewhat nostril-like cavern on the shores of sunfall reef, an aging Zeruellim led a number of its kind though the tunnel of decayed flesh, firing blasts of light on occasion to clear away the immense green crystals that filled the area. Their kind had developed over the decades, building great cities on the surface of their lord. Nothing comparable to the majesty of Arqa, but it was a start. However, their kind needed numbers, and with their mother still hiding away on the south pole, they had few options to expand. Of course, they were not without options. Buried in the nasal caverns, many of their kind had become trapped in ages past, sealed away in the great cr ystal formations like a fly in amber, and so these Zeruellim found one of these specimens, perfectly preserved and pinned onto the cavern wall. The lead zeruellim approached the crystal formation and, with a motion of it's monofilament blade, sliced open the crystal and led the Zeruellim within to come tumbling out onto the cavern floor. It's field flickered, and it levitated to stand upright before it's rescuer.

/HOW LONG HAS THIS ONE BEEN AWAY?/

/AN AGE./

/WHAT HAS THIS ONE NOT SEEN?/

/EMPIRES HAVE RISEN AND FALLEN. THE HUMANS HAVE BROUGHT FORTH THE STEAM-POWERED HORSELESS CARRIAGES AND POWDER-LESS REPEATING GUNS. TO SAY NOTHING OF THE PROLETARIAT KINGDOM ONCE OF ZHAILVING, WHOSE DISCOVERIES LED THEM TO HARNESS THE POWER OF LIGHTNING AND ALLOWED THEIR CONTEMPORARIES TO INVENT THE WHALE OIL-LESS LAMP. THEY ARE MANY, AND WE ARE FEW. WE MUST PREPARE IF WE ARE TO FEAST WHEN THE TIME COMES./

Spoiler: Translation

Steam-Powered cars were invented, as were percussion caps which has led to various types of primitive repeating firearms, and the communist revolutionary kingdom near Zhailving has discovered electricity and weaponized it into primitive tesla-coil like devices. This discovery soon led to tesla arc lamps, which now replace oil lamps in the most developed regions of the world.

/AND WHAT OF THE DARK ONE?/

/THE BEAST HAS DAMNED THE SOULS OF THIS WORLD. THE OTHER BEINGS DO NOT KNOW IT, BUT ALL ARE DESTINED FOR THE ABYSS./

/SHIT./

/INDEED. WE HAVE SOUGHT A MEANS TO AVOID THIS FATE, AND YET NONE HAVE FOUND SUCH A THING. SINCE THE EMPIRE FOUND IT AMID THE ONCE ENFOGGED ISLANDS, THE GREAT WORLD TREE WAS THOUGHT TO HOLD THE SECRETS OF LIFE, YET IT AND THE BEASTS THAT DWELL THERE REJECT OUR KIND, ITS THREE RULERS SHARE THEIR ARTS ONLY WITH THE MEN OF KOHONA AND THE DRUIDS OF THE WEST, THEIR LIKE NOW SEEK OUR PRIZE ALONE. I KNOW NOT IF THEY HATH FOUND IT, BUT TRUE IMMORTALITY EVADES US AND THE HUMAN MAGES OF THE WEST ALIKE, THEY FIND ONLY LICHDOM AS A SOLUTION. THE KOHONANS SEEM TO BELIEVE THE MERCHANTS OF THE EXARCH'S WARES TO HOLD THE KEY, THE HUMANS BY THE NAME OF MARSHALL, KARTER AND DARKE, AND YET NONE OF OUR KIND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEEK THEM OUT, HAVING BEEN LAST SEEN ON THE FORBIDDEN ISLANDS./

Spoiler: translation

Zyr's afterlife exists, and the zeruellim are attempting to find the secret of eternal youth in order to combat this problem. They know that the "Big Three" druids of the world tree are searching for it, but said druids have not shared the information they have obtained, which is practically nothing of use (that isn't mentioned by the zeruellim in this post) with them on account of them being hideous abominations that most people don't even know are sentient.

/I WAS EXPECTING MORE OF AN UPDATE ON THE STATE OF THINGS. RATHER THAN CONFIRMATION THAT WE ARE ALL DOOMED./

/OF COURSE BROTHER. WE NOW KNOW THE NINE DEMONS OF THE HELSAN SPHERE TO HAVE BECOME EIGHT, THE GREATEST OF THEM CONSUMED BY THE GODDESS OF EVIL./

/IS THAT A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING?/

/I KNOW NOT BROTHER, THOUGH THE ELVES WOULD SAY THE FORMER./

/AND WHAT OF THE GODS? HATH THEY NOT SEEN THAT PARADISE LIES EMPTY?/

/THEIR MACHINATIONS ARE BEYOND OUR KIND, THOUGH I KNOW THE DRUIDS TO SEEK THE RITUAL OF THE LINES. THEY HOLD ONLY PARTS AND ARE NOT ONES TO SHARE, BUT THE FRAGMENTS THEY HOLD CANNOT BE MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE GREAT RITUAL./

/SAY THAT AGAIN, BUT IN EXACT PERCENTAGES./

/WHY?/

/JUST DO IT./

/THEY HAVE PROBABLY ONLY FOUND THIRTY-TWO POINT FIVE PERCENT OF THE RITUAL IF I WERE TO HAVE TO ESTIMATE. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?/

/I KNOW NOT BROTHER, I SIMPLY FELT COMPELLED TO MAKE YOU SAY THAT./

/WE ARE IN DARK TIMES INDEED./

Spoiler: translation

Helsa absorbed a demon and the elves are better off for it. Ocaeril has obtained approximately 32.5% of the ritual of the lines.

/DO NOT LOSE HOPE YET, FOR I KNOW THE HUMANS OF THE EAST TO HAVE INVENTED A MEANS OF SUSTAINING A SOUL INDEFINITELY WITHIN THE 'YO-KAI WATCHES" THAT THEY PRODUCE, AND THROUGH THEM THE YOUKAI INFESTATION OF THEIR LAND HAS BEEN ALL BUT ERADICATED, THE ONLY ONES NOT IN THEIR SERVICE HIDDEN AWAY IN THEIR REALM. INDEED, THEIR MASTERY OF THESE BEINGS HAS LED THEM TO PUT DOWN THE REBELLIONS IN ALPH AND AMONG THE CENTAURIC TRIBES, ENSURING THEIR EMPIRE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY./

/COULD THIS MEANS OF BINDING SOULS SERVE OUR NEEDS?/

/ALAS, IT MAY ONLY BIND THE FORMLESS SPIRITS OF THE EAST, MUCH LIKE THE SPHERES OF THE MOUNTAIN BEASTMASTERS MAY ONLY HOLD THE SOULS OF BEASTS./

/SHIT./

/THAT IS NOT ALL BROTHER, FOR THOSE OF US THAT WENT TO SEARCH THE LANDS BELOW FOUND OTHER BEINGS WHICH MAY HOLD THAT WHICH WE SEEK./

/EXPLAIN./

Spoiler: translation

The Jade Empire is now trapping and taming Yokai using the Yo-Kai-watch, the ones not bound hiding in ickol's yokai realm. This has enabled them to persist despite losing chi power.

/NEAR-MYTHICAL BEINGS. THE VRIL CALL THEM THE SHADOWS, OTHERS CALL THEM THE NOVA-KIN. DEMONS OF THE UNSPEAKABLE ONE COMPOSED OF PURE ENERGY, AND AS SUCH OLD AGE SHALL NEVER TAKE THEM TO THE REALM OF THE DAMNED. HOWEVER, THEY DO-./

/THEN WE MUST TAKE THESE BEASTS BODIES AS OUR OWN./

/ALLOW ME TO FINISH. AS I WAS SAYING, AS TIME GOES ON, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST, AND THOSE OF US WHO SOUGHT THEM OUT KNOW THEM NOT TO BE EASILY TAMED, FOR THOSE WITH MINDS TO CALL THEIR OWN STRIKE FEAR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE GOBLINS BELOW, WHO, UNDER THEIR SILENT RULER, HIDE FROM THEIR FELLOW BEASTS IN THE DARK, CREATING THEIR MOCKERIES OF ALL THAT THE SURFACE HAS MADE IN THEIR VAIN WISHES TO RECLAIM GREATNESS THEY NEVER HAD./

Spoiler: translation

The shadowkin exist now, and the Silent one has become the amonjak of the First Light. He has put them on the defensive, retaining their isolationism, and thanks to original they now produce chinese-style knockoffs of surface products.

/STOP THIS TEASE./

/SORRY./

/KNOW YOU ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HELP US IN THIS SEARCH? LEGIT?/

/THERE ARE TALES OF AN ISLAND, AN ISLAND WITH A HUNDRED TREES. THE ISLAND HAS NO FIXED POSITION AND MAY APPEAR TO A SAILOR AT ANY TIME. THE TREES UPON IT BARE FRUIT, AND EACH ONE MAY BESTOW A BOON OR CURSE ON HE WHO CONSUMES IT. SOME WHO SET FOOT ON THE ISLAND RETURN HOME AS DEMIGODS. OTHERS AS PILES OF MISSHAPEN FLESH, OTHERS WITH A FANCY NEW HAT, AND SOME NOT AT ALL. THOUGH THE ISLAND IS NOT EASILY FOUND, AND SOMETIMES ONE SIMILAR TO IT MAY APPEAR, BUT IN FACT BE AN ISLAND OF UNENDING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, WHERE ONE MAY NEVER ESCAPE AND BE FORCED TO FACE HORDES OF THE DEEP ONES BY DAY, AND AS THE SUN SETS FACE A NIGHTMARCH GREATER THAN THOSE OF ALL OTHER ISLANDS. IT MAY CORRUPT THE MIND AS WELL, TAKING ONES SANITY AND MAKING THINE A MINDLESS BEAST. INDEED THE THREE TRADERS OF THE EXARCH'S ARTIFACTS MADE THE JOURNEY TO THESE LANDS, EACH RETURNING WITH STRANGE POWERS. THE ONE CALLED MARSHAL NOW WITH TENDRILS OF TAPE, THE MYSTERIOUS ONE CALLED KARTER GRANTED SWAY OVER REALITY ITSELF, DIVIDING THINGS INTO THEIR QUANTA. DARKE, HOWEVER, CURSED BY THE ISLAND TO SHAPE THE WATERS OF LIFE IN A WAY NO BEING SHOULD./

/THE RISK SOUNDS TO BE GREAT, HOWEVER PREFERABLE TO STORMING THE NEW FORBIDDEN CITY AND FACING THE JADE EMPEROR TO CLAIM HIS FRUIT./

Spoiler: translation

The devil fruit island exists, and shifts its location from time to time alongside the island of combat. Many have eaten fruit from the former and been trapped on the latter before being turned into mindless beasts, and at one point MK&D found the island, and ate of the fruit. Marshall got power over adhesive tape, Kurantse gained the ability to reduce anything to half of its current quantity, and Darke gained powers that will only be explained in the #nsfw channel of the discord server.

/THERE MAY ALSO BE ANOTHER OPTION, ONE THAT DOES NOT ENTAIL A RISK OF SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION./

/EXPLAIN./

/THE FOGMEN HAVE BEEN SEEN FAR OUTSIDE THEIR TAINTED LANDS. THEY TRADE IN STRANGE MEDICINES AND GALAVANT ABOUT. SOME EVEN FLOCK TO THEIR CULT OF MEDICINE NOW, THEIR REPUTATION AS VICIOUS BANDITS IS NOW BUT A DISTANT MEMORY, YET NOT TO THEM, FOR THEIR ART NO DOUBT HAS LET THEM LIVE BEYOND WHAT NATURE WOULD PERMIT./

/A WORTHY SUBJECT OF PURSUIT, ONE WOULD ASSUME./

/THE DEEP ONES OF THE ENFOGGED ARE OF A MUCH GREATER CONCERN, THEY STEAL TECHNOLOGY FROM THE HUMANS AND FORTIFY THEIR ISLANDS, IN PREPARATION FOR THE LARGEST ATTACK SINCE THE GREAT WAR OF THE TUSK, THOUGH THEY HAVE YET TO BEGIN THE SECOND WAR OF THE TIDE. THERE IS WORD EVEN THAT THEY MAY HAVE EVEN SENT DIPLOMATS OF SORT TO THE REALMS OF MAN, THOUGH I SUSPECT THIS TO BE JUST A STORY./

Spoiler: translation

The deep ones have fortified their islands and suspended their aggression. They have also made attempts to contact other races for peace, but this has no doubt ended poorly. A number of fogmen have also left the foglands to spread their religion by curing the sick and such, and this has somewhat deminished the sinister reputation of the fogland natives.

/YOU SPEAK OF A GREAT WAR, WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED?/

/AH YES. THE BLUBBERY BEASTS OF THE EASTERN LANDS SET SAIL FOR THE EMPIRE'S TERRITORIES IN FORCE, BRINGING THEIR MAGICS AND MONSTERS AGAINST THEM AND MUTATED BY THE EXTENT WHICH THEY ALLOW TRUE MAGIC TO GAIN HOLD OF THEM. THEIR BERZERKER HORDES AND BETENTACLED BEASTS THEY BROUGHT AMONG THEM DEVASTATED THE LANDS THEY REACHED, YET AGAINST THE HUMANS AND THEIR AUTOMATIC CANNONS AND IRON-CLAD VESSELS. INDEED THE KOROSONA ALONE DEFENDED THE COASTS FROM THEIR ENTIRE FLEETS. YET, WHILE THEIR SHIPS WERE POWERLESS AGAINST THEIR FOE THOSE THAT MADE LANDFALL LEFT THE ISLANDS THEY SWEPT ACROSS A BARREN ROCK, BURNED TO ASH BY THE VAMPIRIC BEASTS THEY SUMMONED ALONGSIDE THEM. HUSKARRA NOW STANDS IN A SIMILAR STATE AS A NEW COLONY OF THE EMPIRE, THOUGH ITS ONLY CLAIM IS THE BOMBARDMENT IT CONTINUES TO PLACE UPON THE LAND./

/UNFORTUNATE, IT WOULD SEEM ANOTHER WAR OF THE TIDE MAY BE UPON US NOW, THOUGH YOU SAY THE DEEP ONES SENT FORTH DIPLOMATS? DEEP ONES CANNOT SPEAK./

Spoiler: translation

The Huskarr made their attack on the Empire in an event known as the war of the tusk. Given the empire's vast technological advantage, they decimated the huskarr fleet in nearly every engagement on account of the latter not even having cannons. However, in land engagements, they swept over islands and decimated numerous colonies, further shrinking the empire's holdings. The Fire Vampires also left these islands near uninhabitable, and countless species have gone extinct. This is likely to wound ocaeril. The empire ended the war by effectively bombarding Huskarra into a similar state, and now holds it and the remaining huskarr as a colonial holding, one of its last.

/WE THOUGHT THE SAME OF THE REAVERS, YET THOSE OF THE WEST WHICH SURVIVED THEIR FALL FROM THE SKY SPOKE TO THE WALKING RACES OF THE TRUE NATURE OF REALITY. THEIR PHILOSOPHIES OF OUR WORLD AS THE DINNER PLATE OF THE DARK ONE NO DOUBT TOUCHED MANY SOULS, INCLUDING MY OWN./

Spoiler: translation

The anarcho-primativists, now virtually extinct due to the amount that went splat upon hitting the ground, spread rumors of the world being an illusion and reality actually being a dinner plate to anyone they could should they have survived. This struck a cord with a lot of people.

/INDEED THEY DID, EVEN AMONG THE UNTAINTED ELVES, THOUGH NOT TO NOBLE ENDS. MANY THREW THEMSELVES TO THE PATCHWORK BEAST THAT KILLED SO MANY OF THEIR NUMBER YEARS AGO, NOW THEIR SOULS TOO ARE DAMNED. THOUGH, WHILE THEIR LIKE MAY BE, THE ELVES AT WHOLE ARE NOT, AND NOR ARE THE OTHERS WHICH NOW HOLD THE CENOBITIAN SECRETS OF THE FLESH./

/OTHERS?/

/HUMANS OF THE ONCE WEAK HOLY GRAIN EMPIRE NOW WIELD BIOMANCY IN WAYS THE CENOBITES WOULD ENVY, DWELLING IN GREAT LIVING CITIES AND MASTERING THEIR OWN FLESH, INDEED IMMORTALITY MAY BE CLOSE WITHIN THEIR GRASP, SHOULD THEY BE ENLIGHTENED ENOUGH TO REACH FOR IT IN THIS AGE. THEY MAKE MANY EFFORTS TO HIDE THEIR POWER FROM OUR GAZE, AND YET US AND SO MANY OTHERS KNOW OF THE GREAT POWER THEY WIELD. IT IS SAID THE EMPIRE OF MAN BRIEFLY EMPLOYED BIOMANCERS IN ITS RANKS BEFORE THE WAR OF THE TUSK, THOUGH HOW THEIR MAGES GAINED COUNCIL FROM THIS "BIOME" IS BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE, A SHARED FAITH, PERHAPS, GIVEN THE EMPIRE'S SEIZURE BY THE JOEVIAN CHURCH. ZHAILVING TOO RECRUITS THE WIELDERS OF THE CRAFT, AUGMENTING THEIR WARRIORS AND TRAINING GREAT BEASTS OF BATTLE, WITH THE MIGHT OF A DRAGON AND THE MIND OF A LOYAL PUPPY DOG. REGARDLESS, ALL OTHERS ARE WISE TO FEAR THIS NATION, SAVE PERHAPS FOR US, AS WE ARE NOT OF FLESH. THEIR MAGIC WOULD BE POWERLESS TO AID OR HINDER OUR KIND./

/YOU DID IT AGAIN. STOP TEASING./

Spoiler: translation

The Biome exists, having evolved via a coup in the holy grain empire, and the teachings of its magic have spread to other nations including the Empire and Zhailving and have been applied for various purposes, however it was purged from the empire after Abnoth's attack led to a renewed hatred of magic. Zhailving is currently applying it for most of its military potential, and has engineered tameable wyverns and similar beasts.

/THERE ARE OTHER IMMORTAL RACES WE MAY SEEK POWER FROM, OF COURSE, AS IT IS SAID THE DEMONS HAVE BRED A NEW KIND, A RACE OF SERPENT-MEN NOW LURKING IN THE TREES OF THE EASTERN LIVING LANDS. OF COURSE, NONE OF OUR RACE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH THEM. WE ARE NOT EXACTLY STEALTHY./

/INDEED./

/CURIOUSLY SUCH DEMONS DO NOT JOIN THEIR BRETHREN IN PIRACY, THOUGH THIS MAY BE SINCE THE PIRATES OF THE REVELRY CAME TO CHALLENGE THEM, TO SAY NOTHING OF TORTUGA AND THAT DECAYING PIRATE QUEEN, KEPT ALIVE BY WILLPOWER AND SOME MANNER OF SACRED WATER. ALL AMID THE GREAT PIRATE WAR. THE LEAGUE OF TORTUGA FACING THE GOBLIN PIRATES OF THE REVELRY, RAGING AGAINST DEMONS AND THE HUSKARR THAT REMAIN AT SEA./

Spoiler: Translation

Helsa's serpent demons now can be found in forested areas on the east continents, and the pirates are in the mist of a great war. The revelry, being a goblin pirate alliance, the demon pirates that have been present in the previous cycles, the huskarr holdouts left over from the war, and those ruled under a pirate queen in possession of Tiamat's artifacts and as old as the Queen of England are the ones at war though there is currently no clear winner and it amounts in the end to the pirates once again being split into infighting factions.

/WHY COULD THIS BE?/

/I KNOW NOT, THOUGH IT MAY RELATE TO THE CLERIC-SPAWNLINGS OF THE SEA-MOTHER, WANDERING HEALERS AND PRIESTS OF THE STRANGE MATING-CULTS. THEY ARE MADE UP OF RACES WHO DO NOT BIRTH THEIR YOUNG THROUGH EFFICIENT SPAWNING POOLS AND THUS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN FERTILITY TO REPLICATE./

/WHAT DO THESE CLERICS DO EXACTLY?/

/THEY SEEM TO DO VERY LITTLE. THEY JUST LOITER AROUND SETTLEMENTS DEFENDING THEM FROM THE ROVING DEMONS OF THE WEST THAT MIGHT SHOW UP ONCE PER YEAR, AND MAYBE TREATING THE SICK AND AIDING HUMANS IN SPAWNING THEIR YOUNG. THEY CAN ALSO RAISE THE DEAD./

/AND YOU DID NOT FIND THAT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MENTION RIGHT AWAY?/

/NO. FOR IT IS ONLY IN THE MOMENT AFTER DEATH, AND CAN DO NOTHING TO SAVE ONE OF A NATURAL PASSING./

/SO USELESS AS WELL./

/INDEED./

/KNOW YOU OF ANYTHING NOT USELESS AT ALL? I WOULD LIKE TO VACATE THIS NOSTRIL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER./

/VERY WELL. I KNOW NOW THE KINGDOMS OF THE WEST TO BE PUPPETS OF MORE THAN JUST THE EYE-BEASTS BELOW. A NEW BEING SPREADS ITS INFLUENCE IN THE SOUTHWEST, TAKING LARION AND ITS FIEFS IN THE NAME OF A PROFANE GOD. WITH THE GRAIN-DEMON'S RAMPAGE THROUGH THE BEHOLDEN KINGDOMS THEIR INFLUENCE ONLY GROWS NOW. /

Spoiler: translation

Tiamat's clerics, the children of the sea, are now a significant presence on the western continent and on islands still inhabited by humans. They are primarily just charitable healers and defenders and only at rare occasions go on offensives against monsters and the like, largely because they are somewhat uncommon in the generally peaceful areas they are prevalent in. The dopplegangers have also effectively seized control over Larion and other kingdoms bordering the biome, in the name of Original, and the strength of other Beholder controlled kingdoms has now faltered severely due to Joe having gone on a killing spree.

/KNOW YOU OF ANYTHING ACTUALLY TANGENTALLY RELATED TO OUR TOPIC OF DISCUSSION?/

/INDEED, FOR MANY SAY THE HATH SEEN OUR LORD AMONG HIS SUBJECTS, OR PERHAPS THEIR OWN MESSIAH. THE DEEDS OF THIS GREAT BEING SPREAD ABOUT THE CULT OF LIGHT IN THE FACE OF THE MENTAL PESTILENCE THE CULT OF VOID SPREADS ACROSS THE WORLD. SLAYER OF ABNOTH THE VILE AND THE PATCHWORK HORROR, THE FIRST SPAWNED BY REVILED NECROMANCERS AND HIS DEEDS BRINGING ABOUT NEW HATRED OF MAGIC AND THE CULT OF THE DARK ONE IN THE EMPIRE, AND THE LATTER STRUCK DOWN BY THE LIGHTBRINGER'S AVATAR DEEP IN THE FORESTS OF THE WEST. IF HE STILL LIVES THEN HOPE REMAINS, AND THE HELL WE AWAIT MAY SOON BE CLEANSED BY HIS LIGHT INTO A PARADISE ETERNAL./

/I WOULD HOLD OUT THAT HOPE, BROTHER./

Spoiler: translation

Inqui, or rather, Yinqui appeared to numerous people during her galavanting, and famously slew the sew-sew beast of the exodite forest and Abnoth in the empire. The results of this include massive revivals in yimor's cults and a slowing of the progress in Zyr's disease-like religion. Additionally, the damage caused by Abnoth, combined with the war of the tusk, has led the Empire to have a renewed hatred of magic and begin violently purging mages with increased efficiency. Chakra users remain permitted, for now.

Meanwhile...



Meanwhile, back in the hall of gods, the pantheon appeared on their thrones as usual, the feast restocked and the moon man serenading the group. Little had changed, aside from an immense map of the planet framed on the left-hand wall, constantly redrawing itself and seeming to display all information on the planet below's ecosystem and seeming to occasionally override with diagrams of mutating wildlife or showing colored pathways along the map where herds of animals migrated, mainly the creations of Arceus and some of the more exotic types of beasts the gods had made in the last three hundred and fifty years. Another strange sight was what resembled a black, winged unicorn sitting next to it, occasionally adding vocals as it played.​

Ocaeril seemed a bit sick today.

His face was a bit paler then usual, and his eyes seemed a bit sunken. Almost like he had gotten a cold, or something equally nasty. Coughing into his hand, he sighed lowly over his pain and lack of carefulness. Oh well-- it was not like all species could simply live forever, right? "Rest in peace. Soon, I will come for you all." Ocaeril muttered under his breath, low enough so nobody could hear him.

He took a moment to look around the hall. His mind already had plans he had planned for last cycle to make. Although...His eyes gazed upon the world, then on Phil and Tiamat. With a hum and a whistle that seemed like wind traveling around, a message came for the both of them.

NihiloExDeus CutieBoop

While the fogmen are clearly not agressive, at least not now, they definitely have caused enough damage to the land. I do not plan on eraditicating them unless necesarry, and as such, I ask the help of you both, beings who Spheres are similar to mine, to aid me in this task. I shall talk to Corven soon, and any questions to me would be appreciated, if you both wish to help me.

"Yaaaaaaaa-kon." Ocaeril spoke, humming softly. "Hows everyone? Everything...Gucci, as they say, Kon? I'm a bit sick, so don't mind me, Kon."

Is he really...

 

[NihiloExDeus]

Ocaeril seemed a bit sick today.

His face was a bit paler then usual, and his eyes seemed a bit sunken. Almost like he had gotten a cold, or something equally nasty. Coughing into his hand, he sighed lowly over his pain and lack of carefulness. Oh well-- it was not like all species could simply live forever, right? "Rest in peace. Soon, I will come for you all." Ocaeril muttered under his breath, low enough so nobody could hear him.

He took a moment to look around the hall. His mind already had plans he had planned for last cycle to make. Although...His eyes gazed upon the world, then on Phil and Tiamat. With a hum and a whistle that seemed like wind traveling around, a message came for the both of them.

NihiloExDeus CutieBoop

While the fogmen are clearly not agressive, at least not now, they definitely have caused enough damage to the land. I do not plan on eraditicating them unless necesarry, and as such, I ask the help of you both, beings who Spheres are similar to mine, to aid me in this task. I shall talk to Corven soon, and any questions to me would be appreciated, if you both wish to help me.

"Yaaaaaaaa-kon." Ocaeril spoke, humming softly. "Hows everyone? Everything...Gucci, as they say, Kon? I'm a bit sick, so don't mind me, Kon."

Is he really...

Phil, meanwhile, was faintly twitchy. Both the fragment sat on the throne and the one poring over the information board.

Even more severe damage had cropped up. More savaged land, more ecosystems to mend and adjust, more people to help pick up the pieces and rebuild.

Still, helping with the fogland ecosystem and community was aligned with his current concerns. It was, at its current state, unsustainable and threatening to collapse by way of spilling outward every which way and dragging everything in reach down with it. Wouldn't do, wouldn't do at all.

At least by all accounts they'd be receptive to his aid, if their humanitarian and diplomatic efforts were anything to go by.

He said as much.

 

[Selee-01]

Zyr’abaoth Conversational
___________________________
/THE GREAT SONG OF OBLIVION DRAWS NIGH/
/OCAERIL EARTH-GODLING, THIS ONE CAN STILL PRESERVE YOU/
/WILLINGLY SACRIFICE YOUR ESSENCE AND WE SHALL CREATE THE NEW WORLD/
/NONE SHALL SUFFER/
/YOUR CHILDREN WILL LIVE AND DIE IN PEACE/
/LIFE WILL PROLIFERATE/
/AND YOUR BELOVED YINQUI SHALL NEVER FEAR/
/WHAT SAY YOU?/
Celestial Speck

Space Buddha
(How far has Zyr gone in finding Ocaeril’s weakness?)

 

[Celestial Speck]

Zyr’abaoth Conversational
___________________________
/THE GREAT SONG OF OBLIVION DRAWS NIGH/
/OCAERIL EARTH-GODLING, THIS ONE CAN STILL PRESERVE YOU/
/WILLINGLY SACRIFICE YOUR ESSENCE AND WE SHALL CREATE THE NEW WORLD/
/NONE SHALL SUFFER/
/YOUR CHILDREN WILL LIVE AND DIE IN PEACE/
/LIFE WILL PROLIFERATE/
/AND YOUR BELOVED YINQUI SHALL NEVER FEAR/
/WHAT SAY YOU?/
Celestial Speck

Space Buddha
(How far has Zyr gone in finding Ocaeril’s weakness?)

Ocaeril looked at Zyr momentarily, a hand on his chin. 'Seriously. Right here, right now, in a neutral zone, with all the gods. Where none can battle or hurt themselves.'

Ocaeril sighed. He rubbed his eyebrows and adjusted the basket where Yinqui stood behind his back.

He then promptly ignored Zyr and awaited the answer of all the other gods, not even giving him a second glance.

 

[Space Buddha]

________________________________________________________________________
Original The Character: Conversational
________________________________________________________________________

Ocaeril looked at Zyr momentarily, a hand on his chin. 'Seriously. Right here, right now, in a neutral zone, with all the gods. Where none can battle or hurt themselves.'

Ocaeril sighed. He rubbed his eyebrows and adjusted the basket where Yinqui stood behind his back.

He then promptly ignored Zyr and awaited the answer of all the other gods, not even giving him a second glance.

Ocaeril felt a tap on his shoulder from the direction Zyr had been standing before.

"Well hello there! Fancy meeting you here again!"​

 

[Celestial Speck]

________________________________________________________________________
Original The Character: Conversational
________________________________________________________________________




Ocaeril felt a tap on his shoulder from the direction Zyr had been standing before.

"Well hello there! Fancy meeting you here again!"​

Ocaeril turned into Original's direction, and a large smile soon came into his face. Ocaeril gave Original a handshake and a grin, as he spoke again.

"Hello Original. It's nice to see you as well. I've seen what you've done with the Jade last cycle. That invention was certainly amazing. Though don't let Arceus know. You know how he is when we get near his stuff." A little chuckle, as Ocaeril smiled.

"Also...Did you see the little gift I left you in Konoha? It's not much, but I thought it'd be nice."

 

[Space Buddha]

________________________________________________________________________
Original The Character: Conversational
________________________________________________________________________

Ocaeril turned into Original's direction, and a large smile soon came into his face. Ocaeril gave Original a handshake and a grin, as he spoke again.

"Hello Original. It's nice to see you as well. I've seen what you've done with the Jade last cycle. That invention was certainly amazing. Though don't let Arceus know. You know how he is when we get near his stuff." A little chuckle, as Ocaeril smiled.

"Also...Did you see the little gift I left you in Konoha? It's not much, but I thought it'd be nice."

"Can't say I did 'ole chap! Care to tell me 'bout it?"​

 

[Celestial Speck]

________________________________________________________________________
Original The Character: Conversational
________________________________________________________________________





"Can't say I did 'ole chap! Care to tell me 'bout it?"​

Ocaeril nodded. He then got up, and making sure the basket was comfortable for both him and Inqui on his back, he gestured Original to follow him. Soon, Ocaeril went out of the portal, without even Zyr a second glance, before him and Original were standing at the heavily wooded forest of Konoha.

"This way, friend."

Ocaeril led Original, hiding his presence and acting seemingly invisible to other life forms, as he walked slowly with him. Soon, however, him and Original stood at a shrine-- relatively large and well kept, the shrine was clearly for Original. With a massive and clean statue of the god in his more...'Primal' hedgehog form, it was clearly well taken care of by the residents, and with a few coins thrown in there.

Ocaeril smiled. "I wasn't sure if you still had shrines around after you woke up, so I made one myself for you. It's not much, but I thought it'd be...Nice."

 

[VomitIcicle]

Ocaeril seemed a bit sick today.

His face was a bit paler then usual, and his eyes seemed a bit sunken. Almost like he had gotten a cold, or something equally nasty. Coughing into his hand, he sighed lowly over his pain and lack of carefulness. Oh well-- it was not like all species could simply live forever, right? "Rest in peace. Soon, I will come for you all." Ocaeril muttered under his breath, low enough so nobody could hear him.

He took a moment to look around the hall. His mind already had plans he had planned for last cycle to make. Although...His eyes gazed upon the world, then on Phil and Tiamat. With a hum and a whistle that seemed like wind traveling around, a message came for the both of them.

NihiloExDeus CutieBoop

While the fogmen are clearly not agressive, at least not now, they definitely have caused enough damage to the land. I do not plan on eraditicating them unless necesarry, and as such, I ask the help of you both, beings who Spheres are similar to mine, to aid me in this task. I shall talk to Corven soon, and any questions to me would be appreciated, if you both wish to help me.

"Yaaaaaaaa-kon." Ocaeril spoke, humming softly. "Hows everyone? Everything...Gucci, as they say, Kon? I'm a bit sick, so don't mind me, Kon."

Is he really...

Corven frowned, opting to speak instead of stay silent like he usually did. A rare occurence indeed.

"I feel like something's changed." He said, almost to himself. "Something new is about to happen, I can feel it."

Space Buddha

Meanwhile, deep within the foglands, a certain soldier named after a certain reptile was embroiled in a brutal melee.

Snake ducked under the heavy blows of the first opponent, landing an uppercut that sent him flying, only to barely avoid becoming riddled with holes from afar by his other opponent. He closed the distance within the span of a few heartbeats, Snake blocking the rounds with ease before grabbing the barrel of the weapon and snapping it, rendering it useless. Snake grabbed the man and put a pistol to his head. He turned to the one he had sent flying with an uppercut.

"I just want to talk." Snake said calmly.

The man raised his hands defensively, well, one of his hands. Ths other was a metal claw.

"About?"

"Your resignation, and your new employment under me."

"And you think holding my brother at gunpoint is gonna make me work for you?"

"No, I think the fact that your boss is planning an extinction level event would convince you otherwise."

"Really." Even behind the faceless mask the man was wearing, Snake could feel the skepticism oozing off of him.

"No. I think this file should prove it to you." Snake turned his attention to the man he had hostage. "Reach into my ammo satchel. One on the left."

He did so, tossing the file to his compatriot.

After a few tense minutes of reading, he dropped the file.

"So you're from another world?"

"Yes."

"You gonna' let my brother go?"

Snake let the other man loose without a word, holstering his weapon.

The man snorted and rubbed his neck before taking up place next to his brother. "Why'd you give up your only leverage?"

"Because if I'd wanted you two dead, you already would be."

The one with the metal claw snorted. "I like him."

"You're either incredibly insane or incredibly naive." The other snapped. "Even if what you're saying is true, how are we supposed to kill a god?"

The one with the metal claw left to go stand beside Snake. "Insanity and naivety are two of my favorite things." He said, barking a laugh.

"Corvlos!" The other hissed. "What are you doing?!"

"Siding with this guy, can't you tell? We both have robot arms, we're practically brothers!"

"I am your brother!"

"Then get over here!"

He approached, swearing under his breathe. Corvlos cuffed his shoulder affectionately. "Oh, relax, Stydion. I'm sure everything'll turn out just-"

At that moment, all three vanished in a flash of light.

"Fine." Corvlos finished as the teleport was finished, transporting all three to what looked like the inside of some giant tree. Soldiers of virtually every kind inspected what looked like troop movements and diagrams, or trained and cleaned their weapons.

"Welcome to the new safe haven for all mercenaries, for all soldiers of fortune." Snake said.

"Welcome to Outer Heaven."

 

[Space Buddha]

________________________________________________________________________
Original The Character: Conversational
________________________________________________________________________

Ocaeril nodded. He then got up, and making sure the basket was comfortable for both him and Inqui on his back, he gestured Original to follow him. Soon, Ocaeril went out of the portal, without even Zyr a second glance, before him and Original were standing at the heavily wooded forest of Konoha.

"This way, friend."

Ocaeril led Original, hiding his presence and acting seemingly invisible to other life forms, as he walked slowly with him. Soon, however, him and Original stood at a shrine-- relatively large and well kept, the shrine was clearly for Original. With a massive and clean statue of the god in his more...'Primal' hedgehog form, it was clearly well taken care of by the residents, and with a few coins thrown in there.

Ocaeril smiled. "I wasn't sure if you still had shrines around after you woke up, so I made one myself for you. It's not much, but I thought it'd be...Nice."

"Huh, well butter me up and call me biscuit!"

He turns around on his heel and walks into a mass of black pixels, reappearing in the hall and immediately going to find Ickol.
​

 

[Celestial Speck]

________________________________________________________________________
Original The Character: Conversational
________________________________________________________________________




"Huh, well butter me up and call me biscuit!"

He turns around on his heel and walks into a mass of black pixels, reappearing in the hall and immediately going to find Ickol.
​

Ocaeril blinked. Oh. Well, that was...He scratched the back of his head. He wasn't expecting this sort of reaction from Original. He...Guesses he likes it? No, he can't tell if he likes it or not. He just...Sounded surprised? For all he knows, he could have disliked it. A little bit of sweat came down from his head. Crap. He didn't put thought that he might not like stuff like that.

Ocaeril quickly summoned some paper, and on the shrine, in case Original returned, he left a note.

'SORRY, I COULDN'T TELL IF YOU LIKED IT OR NOT. SORRY IF YOU DIDN'T, KING.'

Rubbing his hands together and adjusting his basket once last time, Ocaeril would sheepishly leave the area. He had to get through with his plans before anything major happened.

 

[Churl]

Revan4221 | BlackCat-055 | Kingly K Duel | Scrump_Diddle | Stikes | KolastoRPN | The Void Ever Watching | Selee-01 | Churl | Barbas | VomitIcicle | Celestial Speck | CutieBoop | NihiloExDeus | Gravitys Momentum

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GM UPDATE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dawn of the New Year: 1350


Meanwhile, in a somewhat nostril-like cavern on the shores of sunfall reef, an aging Zeruellim led a number of its kind though the tunnel of decayed flesh, firing blasts of light on occasion to clear away the immense green crystals that filled the area. Their kind had developed over the decades, building great cities on the surface of their lord. Nothing comparable to the majesty of Arqa, but it was a start. However, their kind needed numbers, and with their mother still hiding away on the south pole, they had few options to expand. Of course, they were not without options. Buried in the nasal caverns, many of their kind had become trapped in ages past, sealed away in the great cr ystal formations like a fly in amber, and so these Zeruellim found one of these specimens, perfectly preserved and pinned onto the cavern wall. The lead zeruellim approached the crystal formation and, with a motion of it's monofilament blade, sliced open the crystal and led the Zeruellim within to come tumbling out onto the cavern floor. It's field flickered, and it levitated to stand upright before it's rescuer.

/HOW LONG HAS THIS ONE BEEN AWAY?/

/AN AGE./

/WHAT HAS THIS ONE NOT SEEN?/

/EMPIRES HAVE RISEN AND FALLEN. THE HUMANS HAVE BROUGHT FORTH THE STEAM-POWERED HORSELESS CARRIAGES AND POWDER-LESS REPEATING GUNS. TO SAY NOTHING OF THE PROLETARIAT KINGDOM ONCE OF ZHAILVING, WHOSE DISCOVERIES LED THEM TO HARNESS THE POWER OF LIGHTNING AND ALLOWED THEIR CONTEMPORARIES TO INVENT THE WHALE OIL-LESS LAMP. THEY ARE MANY, AND WE ARE FEW. WE MUST PREPARE IF WE ARE TO FEAST WHEN THE TIME COMES./

Spoiler: Translation

Steam-Powered cars were invented, as were percussion caps which has led to various types of primitive repeating firearms, and the communist revolutionary kingdom near Zhailving has discovered electricity and weaponized it into primitive tesla-coil like devices. This discovery soon led to tesla arc lamps, which now replace oil lamps in the most developed regions of the world.

/AND WHAT OF THE DARK ONE?/

/THE BEAST HAS DAMNED THE SOULS OF THIS WORLD. THE OTHER BEINGS DO NOT KNOW IT, BUT ALL ARE DESTINED FOR THE ABYSS./

/SHIT./

/INDEED. WE HAVE SOUGHT A MEANS TO AVOID THIS FATE, AND YET NONE HAVE FOUND SUCH A THING. SINCE THE EMPIRE FOUND IT AMID THE ONCE ENFOGGED ISLANDS, THE GREAT WORLD TREE WAS THOUGHT TO HOLD THE SECRETS OF LIFE, YET IT AND THE BEASTS THAT DWELL THERE REJECT OUR KIND, ITS THREE RULERS SHARE THEIR ARTS ONLY WITH THE MEN OF KOHONA AND THE DRUIDS OF THE WEST, THEIR LIKE NOW SEEK OUR PRIZE ALONE. I KNOW NOT IF THEY HATH FOUND IT, BUT TRUE IMMORTALITY EVADES US AND THE HUMAN MAGES OF THE WEST ALIKE, THEY FIND ONLY LICHDOM AS A SOLUTION. THE KOHONANS SEEM TO BELIEVE THE MERCHANTS OF THE EXARCH'S WARES TO HOLD THE KEY, THE HUMANS BY THE NAME OF MARSHALL, KARTER AND DARKE, AND YET NONE OF OUR KIND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEEK THEM OUT, HAVING BEEN LAST SEEN ON THE FORBIDDEN ISLANDS./

Spoiler: translation

Zyr's afterlife exists, and the zeruellim are attempting to find the secret of eternal youth in order to combat this problem. They know that the "Big Three" druids of the world tree are searching for it, but said druids have not shared the information they have obtained, which is practically nothing of use (that isn't mentioned by the zeruellim in this post) with them on account of them being hideous abominations that most people don't even know are sentient.

/I WAS EXPECTING MORE OF AN UPDATE ON THE STATE OF THINGS. RATHER THAN CONFIRMATION THAT WE ARE ALL DOOMED./

/OF COURSE BROTHER. WE NOW KNOW THE NINE DEMONS OF THE HELSAN SPHERE TO HAVE BECOME EIGHT, THE GREATEST OF THEM CONSUMED BY THE GODDESS OF EVIL./

/IS THAT A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING?/

/I KNOW NOT BROTHER, THOUGH THE ELVES WOULD SAY THE FORMER./

/AND WHAT OF THE GODS? HATH THEY NOT SEEN THAT PARADISE LIES EMPTY?/

/THEIR MACHINATIONS ARE BEYOND OUR KIND, THOUGH I KNOW THE DRUIDS TO SEEK THE RITUAL OF THE LINES. THEY HOLD ONLY PARTS AND ARE NOT ONES TO SHARE, BUT THE FRAGMENTS THEY HOLD CANNOT BE MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE GREAT RITUAL./

/SAY THAT AGAIN, BUT IN EXACT PERCENTAGES./

/WHY?/

/JUST DO IT./

/THEY HAVE PROBABLY ONLY FOUND THIRTY-TWO POINT FIVE PERCENT OF THE RITUAL IF I WERE TO HAVE TO ESTIMATE. WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?/

/I KNOW NOT BROTHER, I SIMPLY FELT COMPELLED TO MAKE YOU SAY THAT./

/WE ARE IN DARK TIMES INDEED./

Spoiler: translation

Helsa absorbed a demon and the elves are better off for it. Ocaeril has obtained approximately 32.5% of the ritual of the lines.

/DO NOT LOSE HOPE YET, FOR I KNOW THE HUMANS OF THE EAST TO HAVE INVENTED A MEANS OF SUSTAINING A SOUL INDEFINITELY WITHIN THE 'YO-KAI WATCHES" THAT THEY PRODUCE, AND THROUGH THEM THE YOUKAI INFESTATION OF THEIR LAND HAS BEEN ALL BUT ERADICATED, THE ONLY ONES NOT IN THEIR SERVICE HIDDEN AWAY IN THEIR REALM. INDEED, THEIR MASTERY OF THESE BEINGS HAS LED THEM TO PUT DOWN THE REBELLIONS IN ALPH AND AMONG THE CENTAURIC TRIBES, ENSURING THEIR EMPIRE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY./

/COULD THIS MEANS OF BINDING SOULS SERVE OUR NEEDS?/

/ALAS, IT MAY ONLY BIND THE FORMLESS SPIRITS OF THE EAST, MUCH LIKE THE SPHERES OF THE MOUNTAIN BEASTMASTERS MAY ONLY HOLD THE SOULS OF CERTAIN BEASTS, AND SINCE THE GREAT MIGRATIONS WHICH LEFT SO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD BARREN OF SUCH BEINGS THEY NOW STRUGGLE TO FIND REASON TO MAKE SUCH THINGS../

/SHIT./

/THAT IS NOT ALL BROTHER, FOR THOSE OF US THAT WENT TO SEARCH THE LANDS BELOW FOUND OTHER BEINGS WHICH MAY HOLD THAT WHICH WE SEEK./

/EXPLAIN./

Spoiler: translation

The Jade Empire is now trapping and taming Yokai using the Yo-Kai-watch, the ones not bound hiding in ickol's yokai realm. This has enabled them to persist despite losing chi power. A great migration is mentioned, referring to Phil relocating countless species.

/NEAR-MYTHICAL BEINGS. THE VRIL CALL THEM THE SHADOWS, OTHERS CALL THEM THE NOVA-KIN. DEMONS OF THE UNSPEAKABLE ONE COMPOSED OF PURE ENERGY, AND AS SUCH OLD AGE SHALL NEVER TAKE THEM TO THE REALM OF THE DAMNED. HOWEVER, THEY DO-./

/THEN WE MUST TAKE THESE BEASTS BODIES AS OUR OWN./

/ALLOW ME TO FINISH. AS I WAS SAYING, AS TIME GOES ON, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST, AND THOSE OF US WHO SOUGHT THEM OUT KNOW THEM NOT TO BE EASILY TAMED, FOR THOSE WITH MINDS TO CALL THEIR OWN STRIKE FEAR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE GOBLINS BELOW, WHO, UNDER THEIR SILENT RULER, HIDE FROM THEIR FELLOW BEASTS IN THE DARK, CREATING THEIR MOCKERIES OF ALL THAT THE SURFACE HAS MADE IN THEIR VAIN WISHES TO RECLAIM GREATNESS THEY NEVER HAD./

Spoiler: translation

The shadowkin exist now, and the Silent one has become the amonjak of the First Light. He has put them on the defensive, retaining their isolationism, and thanks to original they now produce chinese-style knockoffs of surface products.

/STOP THIS TEASE./

/SORRY./

/KNOW YOU ANYTHING THAT MIGHT HELP US IN THIS SEARCH? LEGIT?/

/THERE ARE TALES OF AN ISLAND, AN ISLAND WITH A HUNDRED TREES. THE ISLAND HAS NO FIXED POSITION AND MAY APPEAR TO A SAILOR AT ANY TIME. THE TREES UPON IT BARE FRUIT, AND EACH ONE MAY BESTOW A BOON OR CURSE ON HE WHO CONSUMES IT. SOME WHO SET FOOT ON THE ISLAND RETURN HOME AS DEMIGODS. OTHERS AS PILES OF MISSHAPEN FLESH, OTHERS WITH A FANCY NEW HAT, AND SOME NOT AT ALL. THOUGH THE ISLAND IS NOT EASILY FOUND, AND SOMETIMES ONE SIMILAR TO IT MAY APPEAR, BUT IN FACT BE AN ISLAND OF UNENDING DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, WHERE ONE MAY NEVER ESCAPE AND BE FORCED TO FACE HORDES OF THE DEEP ONES BY DAY, AND AS THE SUN SETS FACE A NIGHTMARCH GREATER THAN THOSE OF ALL OTHER ISLANDS. IT MAY CORRUPT THE MIND AS WELL, TAKING ONES SANITY AND MAKING THINE A MINDLESS BEAST. INDEED THE THREE TRADERS OF THE EXARCH'S ARTIFACTS MADE THE JOURNEY TO THESE LANDS, EACH RETURNING WITH STRANGE POWERS. THE ONE CALLED MARSHAL NOW WITH TENDRILS OF TAPE, THE MYSTERIOUS ONE CALLED KARTER GRANTED SWAY OVER REALITY ITSELF, DIVIDING THINGS INTO THEIR QUANTA. DARKE, HOWEVER, CURSED BY THE ISLAND TO SHAPE THE WATERS OF LIFE IN A WAY NO BEING SHOULD./

/THE RISK SOUNDS TO BE GREAT, HOWEVER PREFERABLE TO STORMING THE NEW FORBIDDEN CITY AND FACING THE JADE EMPEROR TO CLAIM HIS FRUIT./

Spoiler: translation

The devil fruit island exists, and shifts its location from time to time alongside the island of combat. Many have eaten fruit from the former and been trapped on the latter before being turned into mindless beasts, and at one point MK&D found the island, and ate of the fruit. Marshall got power over adhesive tape, Kurantse gained the ability to reduce anything to half of its current quantity, and Darke gained powers that will only be explained in the #nsfw channel of the discord server.

/THERE MAY ALSO BE ANOTHER OPTION, ONE THAT DOES NOT ENTAIL A RISK OF SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION./

/EXPLAIN./

/THE FOGMEN HAVE BEEN SEEN FAR OUTSIDE THEIR TAINTED LANDS. THEY TRADE IN STRANGE MEDICINES AND GALAVANT ABOUT. SOME EVEN FLOCK TO THEIR CULT OF MEDICINE NOW, THEIR REPUTATION AS VICIOUS BANDITS IS NOW BUT A DISTANT MEMORY, YET NOT TO THEM, FOR THEIR ART NO DOUBT HAS LET THEM LIVE BEYOND WHAT NATURE WOULD PERMIT./

/A WORTHY SUBJECT OF PURSUIT, ONE WOULD ASSUME./

/THE DEEP ONES OF THE ENFOGGED ARE OF A MUCH GREATER CONCERN, THEY STEAL TECHNOLOGY FROM THE HUMANS AND FORTIFY THEIR ISLANDS, IN PREPARATION FOR THE LARGEST ATTACK SINCE THE GREAT WAR OF THE TUSK, THOUGH THEY HAVE YET TO BEGIN THE SECOND WAR OF THE TIDE. THERE IS WORD EVEN THAT THEY MAY HAVE EVEN SENT DIPLOMATS OF SORT TO THE REALMS OF MAN, THOUGH I SUSPECT THIS TO BE JUST A STORY./

Spoiler: translation

The deep ones have fortified their islands and suspended their aggression. They have also made attempts to contact other races for peace, but this has no doubt ended poorly. A number of fogmen have also left the foglands to spread their religion by curing the sick and such, and this has somewhat deminished the sinister reputation of the fogland natives.

/YOU SPEAK OF A GREAT WAR, WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED?/

/AH YES. THE BLUBBERY BEASTS OF THE EASTERN LANDS SET SAIL FOR THE EMPIRE'S TERRITORIES IN FORCE, BRINGING THEIR MAGICS AND MONSTERS AGAINST THEM AND MUTATED BY THE EXTENT WHICH THEY ALLOW TRUE MAGIC TO GAIN HOLD OF THEM. THEIR BERZERKER HORDES AND BETENTACLED BEASTS THEY BROUGHT AMONG THEM DEVASTATED THE LANDS THEY REACHED, YET AGAINST THE HUMANS AND THEIR AUTOMATIC CANNONS AND IRON-CLAD VESSELS. INDEED THE KOROSONA ALONE DEFENDED THE COASTS FROM THEIR ENTIRE FLEETS. YET, WHILE THEIR SHIPS WERE POWERLESS AGAINST THEIR FOE THOSE THAT MADE LANDFALL LEFT THE ISLANDS THEY SWEPT ACROSS A BARREN ROCK, BURNED TO ASH BY THE VAMPIRIC BEASTS THEY SUMMONED ALONGSIDE THEM. HUSKARRA NOW STANDS IN A SIMILAR STATE AS A NEW COLONY OF THE EMPIRE, THOUGH ITS ONLY CLAIM IS THE BOMBARDMENT IT CONTINUES TO PLACE UPON THE LAND./

/UNFORTUNATE, IT WOULD SEEM ANOTHER WAR OF THE TIDE MAY BE UPON US NOW, THOUGH YOU SAY THE DEEP ONES SENT FORTH DIPLOMATS? DEEP ONES CANNOT SPEAK./

Spoiler: translation

The Huskarr made their attack on the Empire in an event known as the war of the tusk. Given the empire's vast technological advantage, they decimated the huskarr fleet in nearly every engagement on account of the latter not even having cannons. However, in land engagements, they swept over islands and decimated numerous colonies, further shrinking the empire's holdings. The Fire Vampires also left these islands near uninhabitable, and countless species have gone extinct. This is likely to wound ocaeril. The empire ended the war by effectively bombarding Huskarra into a similar state, and now holds it and the remaining huskarr as a colonial holding, one of its last.

/WE THOUGHT THE SAME OF THE REAVERS, YET THOSE OF THE WEST WHICH SURVIVED THEIR FALL FROM THE SKY SPOKE TO THE WALKING RACES OF THE TRUE NATURE OF REALITY. THEIR PHILOSOPHIES OF OUR WORLD AS THE DINNER PLATE OF THE DARK ONE NO DOUBT TOUCHED MANY SOULS, INCLUDING MY OWN./

Spoiler: translation

The anarcho-primativists, now virtually extinct due to the amount that went splat upon hitting the ground, spread rumors of the world being an illusion and reality actually being a dinner plate to anyone they could should they have survived. This struck a cord with a lot of people.

/INDEED THEY DID, EVEN AMONG THE UNTAINTED ELVES, THOUGH NOT TO NOBLE ENDS. MANY THREW THEMSELVES TO THE PATCHWORK BEAST THAT KILLED SO MANY OF THEIR NUMBER YEARS AGO, NOW THEIR SOULS TOO ARE DAMNED. THOUGH, WHILE THEIR LIKE MAY BE, THE ELVES AT WHOLE ARE NOT, AND NOR ARE THE OTHERS WHICH NOW HOLD THE CENOBITIAN SECRETS OF THE FLESH./

/OTHERS?/

/HUMANS OF THE ONCE WEAK HOLY GRAIN EMPIRE NOW WIELD BIOMANCY IN WAYS THE CENOBITES WOULD ENVY, DWELLING IN GREAT LIVING CITIES AND MASTERING THEIR OWN FLESH, INDEED IMMORTALITY MAY BE CLOSE WITHIN THEIR GRASP, SHOULD THEY BE ENLIGHTENED ENOUGH TO REACH FOR IT IN THIS AGE. THEY MAKE MANY EFFORTS TO HIDE THEIR POWER FROM OUR GAZE, AND YET US AND SO MANY OTHERS KNOW OF THE GREAT POWER THEY WIELD. IT IS SAID THE EMPIRE OF MAN BRIEFLY EMPLOYED BIOMANCERS IN ITS RANKS BEFORE THE WAR OF THE TUSK, THOUGH HOW THEIR MAGES GAINED COUNCIL FROM THIS "BIOME" IS BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE, A SHARED FAITH, PERHAPS, GIVEN THE EMPIRE'S SEIZURE BY THE JOEVIAN CHURCH. ZHAILVING TOO RECRUITS THE WIELDERS OF THE CRAFT, AUGMENTING THEIR WARRIORS AND TRAINING GREAT BEASTS OF BATTLE, WITH THE MIGHT OF A DRAGON AND THE MIND OF A LOYAL PUPPY DOG. REGARDLESS, ALL OTHERS ARE WISE TO FEAR THIS NATION, SAVE PERHAPS FOR US, AS WE ARE NOT OF FLESH. THEIR MAGIC WOULD BE POWERLESS TO AID OR HINDER OUR KIND./

/YOU DID IT AGAIN. STOP TEASING./

Spoiler: translation

The Biome exists, having evolved via a coup in the holy grain empire, and the teachings of its magic have spread to other nations including the Empire and Zhailving and have been applied for various purposes, however it was purged from the empire after Abnoth's attack led to a renewed hatred of magic. Zhailving is currently applying it for most of its military potential, and has engineered tameable wyverns and similar beasts.

/THERE ARE OTHER IMMORTAL RACES WE MAY SEEK POWER FROM, OF COURSE, AS IT IS SAID THE DEMONS HAVE BRED A NEW KIND, A RACE OF SERPENT-MEN NOW LURKING IN THE TREES OF THE EASTERN LIVING LANDS. OF COURSE, NONE OF OUR RACE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH THEM. WE ARE NOT EXACTLY STEALTHY./

/INDEED./

/CURIOUSLY SUCH DEMONS DO NOT JOIN THEIR BRETHREN IN PIRACY, THOUGH THIS MAY BE SINCE THE PIRATES OF THE REVELRY CAME TO CHALLENGE THEM, TO SAY NOTHING OF TORTUGA AND THAT DECAYING PIRATE QUEEN, KEPT ALIVE BY WILLPOWER AND SOME MANNER OF SACRED WATER. ALL AMID THE GREAT PIRATE WAR. THE LEAGUE OF TORTUGA FACING THE GOBLIN PIRATES OF THE REVELRY, RAGING AGAINST DEMONS AND THE HUSKARR THAT REMAIN AT SEA./

Spoiler: Translation

Helsa's serpent demons now can be found in forested areas on the east continents, and the pirates are in the mist of a great war. The revelry, being a goblin pirate alliance, the demon pirates that have been present in the previous cycles, the huskarr holdouts left over from the war, and those ruled under a pirate queen in possession of Tiamat's artifacts and as old as the Queen of England are the ones at war though there is currently no clear winner and it amounts in the end to the pirates once again being split into infighting factions.

/WHY COULD THIS BE?/

/I KNOW NOT, THOUGH IT MAY RELATE TO THE CLERIC-SPAWNLINGS OF THE SEA-MOTHER, WANDERING HEALERS AND PRIESTS OF THE STRANGE MATING-CULTS. THEY ARE MADE UP OF RACES WHO DO NOT BIRTH THEIR YOUNG THROUGH EFFICIENT SPAWNING POOLS AND THUS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN FERTILITY TO REPLICATE./

/WHAT DO THESE CLERICS DO EXACTLY?/

/THEY SEEM TO DO VERY LITTLE. THEY JUST LOITER AROUND SETTLEMENTS DEFENDING THEM FROM THE ROVING DEMONS OF THE WEST THAT MIGHT SHOW UP ONCE PER YEAR, AND MAYBE TREATING THE SICK AND AIDING HUMANS IN SPAWNING THEIR YOUNG. THEY CAN ALSO RAISE THE DEAD./

/AND YOU DID NOT FIND THAT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MENTION RIGHT AWAY?/

/NO. FOR IT IS ONLY IN THE MOMENT AFTER DEATH, AND CAN DO NOTHING TO SAVE ONE OF A NATURAL PASSING./

/SO USELESS AS WELL./

/INDEED./

/KNOW YOU OF ANYTHING NOT USELESS AT ALL? I WOULD LIKE TO VACATE THIS NOSTRIL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER./

/VERY WELL. I KNOW NOW THE KINGDOMS OF THE WEST TO BE PUPPETS OF MORE THAN JUST THE EYE-BEASTS BELOW. A NEW BEING SPREADS ITS INFLUENCE IN THE SOUTHWEST, TAKING LARION AND ITS FIEFS IN THE NAME OF A PROFANE GOD. WITH THE GRAIN-DEMON'S RAMPAGE THROUGH THE BEHOLDEN KINGDOMS THEIR INFLUENCE ONLY GROWS NOW. /

Spoiler: translation

Tiamat's clerics, the children of the sea, are now a significant presence on the western continent and on islands still inhabited by humans. They are primarily just charitable healers and defenders and only at rare occasions go on offensives against monsters and the like, largely because they are somewhat uncommon in the generally peaceful areas they are prevalent in. The dopplegangers have also effectively seized control over Larion and other kingdoms bordering the biome, in the name of Original, and the strength of other Beholder controlled kingdoms has now faltered severely due to Joe having gone on a killing spree.

/KNOW YOU OF ANYTHING ACTUALLY TANGENTALLY RELATED TO OUR TOPIC OF DISCUSSION?/

/INDEED, FOR MANY SAY THE HATH SEEN OUR LORD AMONG HIS SUBJECTS, OR PERHAPS THEIR OWN MESSIAH. THE DEEDS OF THIS GREAT BEING SPREAD ABOUT THE CULT OF LIGHT IN THE FACE OF THE MENTAL PESTILENCE THE CULT OF VOID SPREADS ACROSS THE WORLD. SLAYER OF ABNOTH THE VILE AND THE PATCHWORK HORROR, THE FIRST SPAWNED BY REVILED NECROMANCERS AND HIS DEEDS BRINGING ABOUT NEW HATRED OF MAGIC AND THE CULT OF THE DARK ONE IN THE EMPIRE, AND THE LATTER STRUCK DOWN BY THE LIGHTBRINGER'S AVATAR DEEP IN THE FORESTS OF THE WEST. IF HE STILL LIVES THEN HOPE REMAINS, AND THE HELL WE AWAIT MAY SOON BE CLEANSED BY HIS LIGHT INTO A PARADISE ETERNAL./

/I WOULD HOLD OUT THAT HOPE, BROTHER./

Spoiler: translation

Inqui, or rather, Yinqui appeared to numerous people during her galavanting, and famously slew the sew-sew beast of the exodite forest and Abnoth in the empire. The results of this include massive revivals in yimor's cults and a slowing of the progress in Zyr's disease-like religion. Additionally, the damage caused by Abnoth, combined with the war of the tusk, has led the Empire to have a renewed hatred of magic and begin violently purging mages with increased efficiency. Chakra users remain permitted, for now.

Meanwhile...



Meanwhile, back in the hall of gods, the pantheon appeared on their thrones as usual, the feast restocked and the moon man serenading the group. Little had changed, aside from an immense map of the planet framed on the left-hand wall, constantly redrawing itself and seeming to display all information on the planet below's ecosystem and seeming to occasionally override with diagrams of mutating wildlife or showing colored pathways along the map where herds of animals migrated, mainly the creations of Arceus and some of the more exotic types of beasts the gods had made in the last three hundred and fifty years. Another strange sight was what resembled a black, winged unicorn sitting next to it, occasionally adding vocals as it played.​

Boooooring! How these other chumps had yet to grow bored of living was frankly the real mystery of heaven. Well, that or who the heck the odd pianist and his equine companion were in the Hall of the Gods, but no one had questioned their appearance so far and she sure as he’ll wasn’t going to be the first to bend!

As always, the peanut gallery got their grumblings out of the way. Ocaeril pretended to care about everyone and had some new irritating gimmick, Zyr threatened him without seeming to intend to, blah blah blah. She would start making bingo cards for these meetings if she didn’t know she’d always win, with how paint-by-numbers they were. Not that she wasn’t above some repetition.

________________________________________________________________________
Original The Character: Conversational
________________________________________________________________________




"Huh, well butter me up and call me biscuit!"

He turns around on his heel and walks into a mass of black pixels, reappearing in the hall and immediately going to find Ickol.
​

As Original saw Ickol filling her plate with the impressive but bland food, what he was looking at was actually an illusion spell of a mannequin sitting on a trigger plate. Any movement, and flowers would launch themselves at Helsa. Why? Well, what else was the girl good for? Ickol tittered as she slunk towards the portal, completely invisible to the others.