Kevin's Watch

The AllFather wrote: A mortal named Chastus approaches Zandarar and, standing in front of your assembled worshipers, publicly challenges you to a duel, claiming that if the Goddess of Dragons is afraid to meet him in combat, he will slay all her followers instead. To make his point, he extracts a dragon's head, freshly severed, from his sack - a blue dragon's head, of impressive size, neatly hacked at the neck.

O-gon-cho wrote: Holding fast to my essence so it remains inviolate, while drawing upon the power of the blessings of multiple deities of the Pantheon, yet approaching Chastus totally devoid of DRP, I tentatively reach out a tendril of power towards him. Assuming Chastus attempts to pull me through, as he has done with the other deities he has faced, I will not fight it nor resist the force. I will allow myself to be pulled through - indeed, I will help the process - and see where I end up. It may appear Chastus has defeated me. This will be far from the case. I will have infiltrated him, and will see what can be learned and done from the other side of his "hole."

Chastus, empty puppet that he is, will be severed from his manipulator. If he remains animated in anyway, I charge the Pantheon to question him and learn what they can of his origins and purpose. If he again appears to "die," as he did after battle with Norn, I ask the weyr to protect and ward his remains, so if I must return through those means the portal is still accessible.

Should I be lost forever to the Pantheon, my hope is I leave it better than I found it upon my Hatching, and that I am remembered with fondness and Love.

The AllFather wrote: You free yourself of the trappings of power, and finally confront Chastus. The man looks at you with empty eyes, but you believe you see a shiver of fear in their back, and you take heart: perhaps this is exactly what he did not count on, to face a goddess who has no power in her. He takes a step back and you send out your tendril of power, snaking into the air until it finally touches him... and a terrible force grasps at you, pulling you strongly towards Chastus and inside him, even as he looks at you and - just before you are drawn into the unknown depths he leads to - suddenly grins with an evil darkness in him that causes you to feel more fear than you ever have in all your young life: you suddenly realize that he did not want your power - he wanted THIS! He wanted to draw a god inside himself - and as this realization dawns horribly upon you, you are swallowed by his essence and tumble through pain and terror, feeling your essence torn apart and seared with white-hot fire. An eternity of suffering passes by, and even your willpower cannot long withstand it, but your screams are lost in the white-hot void and you do not even receive the release of hearing them. Frantically, you attempt to claw away from the torment and the pain - your mind is confused, but you feel deep down that to stay there will not offer any insight in how to defeat Chastus - it will only mean your death and dissolution, and however strong you may be, you are still young, and the will to live is great within your breast. You vainly claw at the white-hot emptiness with scarred and torn hands, frantically sending out your cries, hoping to find your way in the void - until you suddenly feel it, faint beyond belief but still there - your link with Raucous hasn't been destroyed! New suffering blooms into your essence, as if the white-hot emptiness wished to blot out that feeling, to keep you here forever; you feel it draining you slowly, feeding off you, off your power; but despite the overwhelming, unendurable pain, you hold fast onto that link and slowly begin crawling towards it, as if it were a lifeline. Waves of white-hot pain wash over you, as if the emptiness were raging, but you hold on; your once-fair skin is burned and cracked, but you care not, for all your thoughts are focused on fleeing, past the haze of pain. Inch after inch, you feel you draw closer and closer, even as the emptiness rages more and more, attempting to break you; yet you realize that if it wants to stop you, then you have to continue.

Finally, you feel the world of Eiran close enough for you to extend your charred hand - and despite the terrible force trying to drag you back into torment, you grab a hold and slowly, excruciatingly, draw yourself out of the nothingness and into Eiran again. The soft breeze and cool air hurt your blistered skin, but they are as nothing if compared to the pain of the emptiness; your once-fair skin is black and charred, cracked by the pain and bleeding badly. You are almost completely out... when suddenly something grabs your leg and tries to pull you back in! You dig your broken nails into the ground, and pull with all your strength... Chastus has turned into little more than a door, and the emptiness is trying to drag you back through that door and into torment! You pull, and pull, and frantically try to withdraw your leg - and then, just when you are pulling with all your strength, the force stops trying to drag you into the void, and when you pull your leg towards you, you drag the FORCE into Eiran! It emerges from the portal, white-hot rage and emptiness, bright darkness and burning cold, flowing endlessly onto the land, its roar of triumph - TRIUMPH! - overwhelming Chastus's cries of unendurable pain. It towers over you, and slowly it resolves into a humanoid form, so bright and dark that your martyred eyes hurt just to look upon it, and your heart is clutched with fear; red slits open in the freezing fire, and a voice so chilling and full of rage as to make you tremble booms across the land and into your mind, threatening to burst it.
"AT LAST, I AM BACK!" A terrible laughter echoes, and the red slits look upon you, and you feel your flesh withering beneath their gaze. "LITTLE GODLING, YOU HAVE RELEASED ME... MY EXILE IS ENDED!" The thing extends its arms towards the sky and laughs terribly again. "LET THE WORLD BEWARE!" the creature shouts, "FOR THE WORLD BREAKER HAS RETURNED!"
Around the creature's impossibly immense form swarm lesser humanoids made of the same radiant darkness, of the same hunger and power; the red slits turn on your frightened, scorched form, a monstrous mirth shining through them. "I WAS EXILED, BUT I FOUND LIFE IN THE VOID!" It laughs, "I WAS EXILED, BUT I OBSERVED THEALL-FATHER TOILING OVER THIS WORLD, AND I LEARNED!" Suddenly, the air itself fills with menace and rage, to the point that you cringe in new pain at its violation. "I HAVE GROWN STRONG... BUT I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RETURN. YOU HAVE BROUGHT BACK TERROR IN THIS WORLD, GODLING... DESPAIR, WHILE YOU STILL LIVE!" Laughter echoes again across the valley, until a flash of dark light stuns you; when you reopen your eyes, you are alone, and nothing is left of Chastus, but the land around you is barren and scorched, even as you are. It is only eternities later that Raucous, flying as fast as possible, reaches you with all his strength, sensing your torment, your fear and your need. When he arrives, you already learn what has transpired - access to the Winds of Chaos is now denied to ALL your dragons!

[The next turn, you will only have half your divine rank points available for use, rounded down, due to the draining of your power which occurred in the white-hot emptiness.]

Maeror wrote:(The previous turn, Simjen had sacrificed 3000 of his followers to become patron of the month of Simjenus.)

The spirits of Simjen's sacrificed followers are judged; those who are worthy are returned to their god. Those which Maeror would normally consume, he holds for a different task.

*

Maeror has learned of a great threat burgeoning in lands near to his own, and lends what aid he can. The souls of Simjen's sacrifice are not consumed--instead, the power he takes from them is pushed into the fabric of reality itself. Other souls follow, a large portion of what the Lord has received this season. Into the fabric of reality their power is channeled; into the land near Agathi, where something strains to open. With their strength, the Lord aids the efforts of Lord Adomorn in strengthening reality against this strain.

*

Lord Adomorn, god of Justice, has discovered the tomb of Vann, ancient warrior, servant of the Weeping One, Maeror. In friendship, he has offered the contents of this tomb to the Lord and Lady.
Lord-General Admar Tellem Meckros awaits in Fort Hope. Glianneth has spoken to him, and he knows what is to come. The follower of Adomorn and his soldiers will come for him, and he must go with them. Must, the other man has said: Maeror will keep you safe. What they lead you to, you will have need for.

So the prophet follows Danir, servant of Adomorn, out of Fort Hope and into the lands of Justice. They cross the mountains into Adomorn's land, and out across the hills, to the tomb. Within lies the sarcophogus, and Admar reads the words written thereon:
"Here lies Vann, great among the children of Maeror, he who rejected Malice and embraced Healing. Let those who see his grave know that he was the master of Fort Hope, friend of Farpath, defier of Nephirthos and general of Maeror's armies; let those who look upon his countenance know that Hope awaits, for a wielder worthy of Vann's legacy."
The great general reaches out his hand, and grasps Hope.

The AllFather wrote:Adomorn's envoy meets the Lord-General at Fort Hope, and leads him to the Tomb of Vann. There, The Lord-General approaches the ancient sarcophagus, reverently reading the words etched in the stone and learning of an earlier Age. The Lord-General murmurs a prayer to you, that the man Vann may rest in peace, and then extends his hand to grasp the hilt of the blade Hope, trying to pull it free of the stone knight's hands.
For a moment, all is utterly silent within the ancient tomb; then a flash of light explodes, and the Lord-General staggers back, holding his hand in pain, while Hope remains on the sarcophagus. A spectral voice echoes hollowly from the stone knight's lips: "Ah, my Weeping God, how have you changed! The one I served in life is master no longer, and Hope is not for the servants of he who devours the spirits of the dead! My Lord", the voice continues, almost pleadingly, "you walk down the same dark path ancient Argothoth walked before you, and it will lead you to the same end... I served what you once were, but I serve not what you are now. Take this servant of yours, Lord of Death, and depart this place; Hope remains on my breast until one who is truly worthy will come to claim it."
The Lord-General stares at the tomb, surprised and angered by the shade's words; afterwards, scowling darkly, he abruptly turns and storms out of the mausoleum, leaving Adomorn's men dumbfounded and horrified at the thought that Maeror's own Prophet may have been judged unworthy.

A warlord named Grathgor, in Olaern, marches towards your lands under Adomorn's banner. On the way, they slaughter and destroy any of your worshipers they find, and eventually draw the attention of your army. Word spreads quickly that Adomorn's army has come to shatter against the power of the Lord of Death, and your armies quickly gather to repel the attack of Grathgor's soldiers. Grathgor's army is well-trained and zealous, and Grathgor's own mind is brilliant in matters of war; though his army is much smaller than yours, he manages not only to hold his own, but actually to make some progress towards the breaking of your defenses and great forts. With each of your soldiers slain by Grathgor's army, the hearts of your followers turn against Adomorn, as word spreads that he blessed the army of their foes to destroy your people utterly.


The power of many thousands of souls is channeled to help Adomorn ease the strain on reality; slowly, but surely, the strange disturbance disappears.

The AllFather wrote:Your demonologist followers are summoned to Solimn. However, they not only refuse to comply, but also slaughter the messenger, and formally sacrifice his still-beating heart on their dark altar. Something seems to be answering their prayers.

Maeror wrote:Maeror watches on, as the Lord-General reaches out to grasp the sword Hope... And recoils as the prophet's claim is met with pain. While Vann's words still flow out from the tomb, the Lord is consumed with indignation. As Admar storms out of the tomb and marches away from Adomorn's lands, the Lord's eye follows him not... but he lives, and bears their blessing--the Healer watches still.

While he fumes, his eye is lifted from the world, and so, it is not until the first screaming souls pour into his realm that he learns of the war Grathgor brings to his lands. He sees his people swept before their religious fervour, and the banner of Adomorn flies at their head.
Betrayal! Adomorn has marched against him, even as he offered friendship! Never should he have trusted another god! Never again!
The demon summoners of Ayre are unfortunate in choosing the time of their sacrifice. As they present their prayers and offer up the heart of the messenger on their altar, Maeror feels their act. In his fury, he lashes out, and strikes the souls from their bodies, pulling them into his realm and destroying them.

He turns then to the forces of Grathgor, and his hand moves among them. The men who follow the warlord begin to fall dead in their dozens, souls plucked from their bodies. He continues until the army in his lands is sorely hurt by these losses, but as he turns toward the rest of Adomorn's soldiers, who even then march toward his lands under the order of Adomorn's prophet, a voice rings out from the mortal realm.
Lord! Hear me! Why do you do this? You make of yourself a monster!
This last bring the attention of the Lord upon him. He reaches out-- and finds his Prophet, kneeling before the altar of the Grand Temple. Tears mark his face, and his passion rings out for even the gods to hear.
This is not your way, the prophet cries. How can you ask us to follow one who treats their souls this way? Your justice brings only suffering! Do you wish to become what the old gods thought you?
As the prophet speaks, the Lord's anger begins to shift.
A mortal soul, your own devoted follower, has judged you! And now I judge you. You claim grief and compassion as your nature. Then show it. I have heard what you once were; I do not wish to follow what you have become.
Maeror's anger is lost, and doubt pervades him. He has been found unworthy--unworthy to take what was his own... The screams of the souls that die in the world are all around him. He feels their deaths, and they come before him, for his judgement.

Admar kneels at the altar, and awaits the word of his god. If he will continue on his path, then the prophet will turn his back on him forevermore. If he relents...

The god's tears fall on the souls that stand before him. Maeror gives them their choice.
He offers them paradise, or rebirth.

In the tomb of the fallen warrior, a presence forms. Words pass from the air, but they are not for the ears of mortal listeners. A shadow in the air, forming in the air above the tomb, seems to take the figure of a man. The presence and the shadow seem to converse; and, after a long time, the presence vanishes.

In the Grand Temple of Maeror, Admar Tellem Meckros continues his ritual. Hours have passed since he made his plea, and no response has come. He weeps anew each time he looks upon the figure of the Lord of Tragedy. He has not slept since he left the tomb, and now sleep pulls at him. His eyes drift closed...
And snap open, as something changes. He looks around, and sees the dark tomb of Vann around him. Before him, the sword lays on the sarcophagus. He feels an urge to reach out, to try the test again, but he resists, fearing this to be a dream. Finally, after a long moment standing over the crypt, he whispers a prayer and grasps the hilt.
When his skin touches the sword, the pain in his hand vanishes; he raises the sword before him. Tears of joy leak down his face.
"The Lord Maeror is worthy."

The general snaps awake, and finds himself in the temple once more. He gives a shout of frustration and despair. Rising to face the statue of Maeror, he sees that it is not as it once was. He stands, head upraised, tears on his face. Dark robes flow across his form. And his hands rest on the hilt of the sword Hope. Admar steps forward, and takes his blade.

[To summarise: Maeror kills the demon summoners, then a large number of Grathgor's soldiers. When Admar questions him, he realises that he has done wrong, and changes his ways, allowing all of the dead the choice between peace and reincarnation (including the soldiers, and the undead from previous turn (since I said a while back that I'd hold souls a turn for judgement)). He expresses his remorse to the soul of Vann, who knows enough to realise Maeror is sincere, and asks for the sword again. He carries Admar to the sword, then back to Ai-Lamentum.
2 Divine Rank Points to convince Vann and bring Admar to the sword.]

Lord-General Admar Tellem Meckros takes command of the forces of Maeror, hope at his side. He faces the invading forces of Lord Adomorn, and with him in command, bolstered by his words of the god's change of heart, they sweep the enemy before them, until Adomorn's army is driven back from their lands. [1 point to support Admar and his men in battle.]
The common people, and the priests and healers, take refuge from the war by sheltering in Fort Hope or the Grand Temple.

The AllFather wrote:Meanwhile, the Lord of Death's anger was sorely felt among Adomorn's followers: hundreds fell death as the icy will of Maeror swept through them like a scythe through the grass, and Adomorn's army was sorely reduced even as Adomorn's own power imbued it with fervor and strength, and directed it towards Fort Hope. Weakened by the Lord of Death, Adomorn's army was no longer large enough to conquer Fort Hope quickly; what would have been a triumphant conquest turned into a siege, with many deaths on both sides. And even as all these things happened, theLord-General and Maeror's Prophet, Admar, did what no mortal had ever been able to do - led a god to change his mind, and grasped the hilt of the sacred blade, Hope, the ancient sword of Maeror, kept by Vann for millennia, and now, finally, reclaimed by a true champion of the Lord of Tragedy.

Maeror wrote:Adomorn has asked for my prophet to meet with his men Grathgor and Danir. If they present themselves as promised before the gates of Fort Hope, then Admar will join them. He will exit through the gates, which will be closed behind him until the discussion is concluded. Archers will be stationed on the walls near the gate, just in case there is any trouble. Adomorn has asked that my General be unarmed, so the sword Hope will be left somewhere safe within the Fort.
The Lord-General Admar will attempt to negotiate the withdrawal of Adomorn's forces, considering the change in Maeror's treatment of the dead. To this end, Maeror pledges 1DRP.

To defend against any possible betrayal, or independant hostile action on the part of Adomorn's fanatical followers, Maeror places a barrier of divine power about Fort Hope, and about the person of Admar Tellem Meckros. The general will be allowed access into and out of the Fort, and, should it come to fighting, any forces under his command will be able to leave the Fort if necessary. But no enemy soldier can enter Fort Hope, and no weapon can reach Admar. To this barrier, I pledge 2DRP.

The AllFather wrote:Adomorn's warlord, alongside with one of his most important worshipers, meet the Lord-General outside the gates of Fort Hope. There, Adomorn's warlord presents the terms of the peace:

Hostilities are to be stopped from both sides.
All soul-stealing due to DRP usage is to halted immediately.
Trade agreements are to be re-laid for both territories.
Most importantly, some sort of sign that Maeror is returned to the light needs to be seen. If this cannot be proven, then the war continues.

The Lord-General requests that time be given for him to confer with you about these terms; as soon as he is back within Fort Hope and enters your temple there, he asks for your counsel, pointing out that Adomorn's people seemed rather arrogant, as if they thought they had won the war and were simply being gracious to the losers; he also mentions that some of his spies have discovered that Adomorn's army is suffering from many desertions due to the fact that Adomorn's Prophet performed several inflammatory speeches against you before the war, and now this sudden halt and peace treaty causes many of Adomorn's people to believe he is a cowardly god, and not worthy of the title of god of conquest and justice, since he didn't obtain justice for the comrades who died and were used by you. Admar believes that Adomorn should be approached directly by you, and made to realize that he isn't the winner of this war, and that he started the war on a "perceived threat", so technically he is the party in the wrong here.

Maeror wrote:The peace talks have fallen through, and Adomorn's self-righteousness will surely break into fighting once more; Maeror despairs to see these mortals, worshippers of Justice, pulled into an unjust cause--he no longer wishes to see people harmed because of Adomorn's stubbornness. Taking the barrier he had crafted around Fort Hope, Maeror causes it to shift and change, until it surrounds all the men of Adomorn that lay siege to Hope. He adds strength to it to keep them within, and then, slowly, he causes it to move.
The soldiers, trapped, can do nothing but move with it as it slips across the earth, leaving terrain and objects untouched but refusing to let Adomorn's followers pass its boundaries. It moves carefully, steadily, and they must march beneath it. At night it halts to give them rest; with dawn the barrier moves once more. Across the unoccupied parts of Maeror's land, through the mountain passes, and deep into the territory of Adomorn's people the barrier herds them.
Finally, when they are far outside of Maeror's lands and within their own, the barrier fades, and a voice floats on the air for all to hear: "I give you your lives, for I am not the monster your god has named me. You are not to blame for his mistake. Return to your homes, and live in peace."

The AllFather wrote:Even as Adomorn's men die of exposure due to the cold and snow of wintertime, you craft the barrier around Fort Hope into what you envision it to be. Adomorn's power lies heavy on his men, protecting them from the frigid touch of death, but it does not protect the area around them. Still, even as you wrap your barrier around them, you realize there is an item of power among Adomorn's men - a Battle Standard, crafted by a divine hand and infused with the power to deny your will. Those near the Standard are protected by the direct touch of Death, so that if you wished to smite them with your power you would need great strength to break through the defense of the Standard. Nevertheless, you weave the barrier and set it in motion; it draws Adomorn's men with it and leads them back, deep into the God of Conquest's lands. There, it disappears, and your disembodied voice speaks to all of them. Many feel betrayed, though, deprived of their "just fight", herded like cattle and robbed of dignity; among Adomorn's own men, one of his important worshipers, and leader of the army together with Grathgor the warlord, inflames the spirits of the army against you all anew, and the army marches towards Fort Hope again, carrying the Standard and Adomorn's protection, not caring how many men die in the crossing of the mountains at wintertime. However, many soldiers also desert Adomorn's army and spread the tale of how his might was nothing compared to yours. In the meantime, Admar speaks to the soldiers of Fort Hope and the people of the neighbouring lands, praising your protection and sending messengers so that more soldiers may be called, and defenses be increased. He believes Adomorn will not give up so easily.

Some of your scouts near Ai-Lamentum have discovered clues that an army is marching towards the city; frozen corpses, once recovered, reveal themselves to be wearing Adomorn's symbol. Your scouts believe a sizeable army from Adomorn might be marching towardsAi-Lamentum . Focusing on the area, you feel the presence of Adomorn's Prophet. Meanwhile, a small village nearby the city has been slaughtered to the last child; clues left in the area suggest that Adomorn's soldiers are to blame.

Mist rises from the sea around the City of Regret and Grief, and through that mist your divine sight cannot discern what is happening. But the cries of death and battle, the sounding of horns and the sudden stream of souls reaching your realm from the City of Regret scream for your attention; it is from these unfortunate souls - almost the entire population of the City of Regret - that you learn of Undine's treachery: he has sent an army to attack your City, hidden it within the fog, inspired fear into the hearts of your people, and attacked from the sea with drakes and his navy, performing atrocities like those Porsulis suffered during the Night of Blood, dismembering your greatest followers there, or hanging them from gibbets, until the city was his and no worshiper of yours - man, woman or child - was left alive.

In Thellarr, your followers are being captured and drowned in sewer water by Undine's followers, who claim your people are to blame for the plague.

Maeror wrote:Adomorn and Undine have offered their peace with me, and I have taken it. But the followers of Adomorn still may walk astray. To prevent the harm that might come from their actions, Maeror casts his power over his lands: any who approach with the intent to harm in their minds will be turned aside, unable to find the places--villages, cities, or outposts--they seek to attack.
[1 DRP to make this so.]

*

As sign of the peace between us, Undine has agreed to withdraw his men from Regret and Grief; now Grief is harmed, and Regret lies empty, so the remaining members of the Order, aided by some of my people and a small contingent of men sent from Admar's army, will return to the City of Regret to help rebuild and return it to its former state.

The AllFather wrote:A large army of Adomorn's followers, now claiming that their god has taken on the mantle of "god of battle and conquest" march towards Fort Hope, led by one of Adomorn's most important worshipers.

Camouflaging himself as a worshiper of yours, a follower of Undine manages to sneak deep into the lands of the Lord of Death, and gets close to Glianneth. Shouting Undine's name, he produces a dagger and hurls himself at Glianneth with such ferocity and swiftness that none of Glianneth's guards could stop him. Even though they pierce him with spears, and slaughter him, he plunges his dagger deep into Glianneth's breast, spitting blood upon the man's face and claiming "Undine sends his regards, in retaliation for the Night of Blood!" before crumpling to the ground, dead.

Maeror wrote:The rogue follower of Adomorn called Danir leads an army toward Fort Hope. His mind is broken, lost in the confusing mess of war and faith and loyalties that came of the conflict between two gods.
Lord Adomorn, however, believes that he may yet be reached.
The Lady, Maeror, comes to Danir, and lays her touch upon him. She eases the turmoil in his mind, and coaxes him back toward reason. she touches him with the power lent to her by Adomorn, and she turns him away from madness, so that he may, one last time, listen to his god.

My dogma:
“The waters will provide all that the true heart desires. The waters will destroy all that the faithful heart despises. The waters will conceal all the loyal heart's secrets. The waters will wash away all trace of the perfidious heart's achievements. Be true, be loyal, be faithful, lest ye be engulfed.”

From an earlier turn:
“A follower of Maeror, Illumar, appears in Porsulis and is visited by Maeror's power, speaking to the population of the city and proclaiming that the slaying of the Houka which allowed you to conquer Porsulis was a cold-blooded murder and a trick you set up to win over the gullible people of the town. Maeror's power backs the priest's words, bending the wills of many - including several of your people - to his words.As a consequence, the common people rise against your clergy in Porsulis, bringing their wrath to bear against those whom they think tricked them into believing they ever needed your protection. The night after Illumar's revelation, a night of fire and blood, sees many rising against the city's rulers and your temple. The enraged population of Porsulis, including many soldiers, assaults the city halls and your temple, looting both, capturing your staunchest followers. Disgusted by your supposed "treachery", the people of Porsulis shatter your altar, desecrate your holy symbol, take down the basreliefs showing your glory; they tear the tapestries, destroy the vases, and violate the inner sanctums of your temple.
When all is done, dawn rises over the ruins of what was once a majestic temple, now reduced to little more than a pile of smoking rubble; and not too far from it, the bodies of your most faithful followers and priests, as well as the city rulers, hang from a series of crudely constructed gibbets where they sway in the wind, easy prey for the crows.
Thus it was that Porsulis's Night of Blood cleansed the ancient town of your presence, and bestowed it upon Maeror instead.”


From events:
“And the gods themselves felt the cries of suffering of the souls of their worshipers, devoured by Maeror when deemed unworthy of afterlife.”

From an earlier turn:
“You learn that a group of your radical followers sent a "delegation" to talk with Maeror's prophet about the fate of the souls in the underworld. Once there, though, they tried to force the prophet to admit Maeror is a fiendish deity, and when this didn't work, they tried to dispatch him, but were all slain.”


From two earlier turns:
“A ship sails from the City of Regret, heading north, towards the mists that encircle the world. After months of navigation, upon first seeing the dreaded mists, the sailors begin to pray Maeror for deliverance, fearing that only death may await them beyond the mists. Yet they have a duty to perform, and none wishes to disappoint their god. So onward they sail, until the writhing, cold tendrils of the world-encircling mists stroke the ship's wooden hull like the fingers of a long-dead lover, and shapes unlike any the sailors have ever seen seem to form and dissipate in the grayness beyond. Faintly, it seems to them as if screams could be heard, blood-curdling and horrified beyond comprehension; the sailors' fright grows, but still they continue, knowing without a doubt, now, that they cannot turn back anymore. The sailors whisper a last prayer to Maeror... and then disappear from your sight, swallowed by the mists.”
and
“You suddenly realize a strange disturbance at the edges of the world - the endless mists are boiling and rolling furiously, as if wrathful or in pain. The very water of the oceans, when coming into contact with them, sizzles and writhes, and strange shapes appear from time to time as shadows behind the mists.”

From Lord Adomorn:
“
Allfather wrote:
The strange disturbance near Agathi settles down when your power pours into it. Something else also acts to hold it shut - a dark power born out of screaming souls

He sent thousands of souls to their destruction into that rift.”
And
“
Allfather wrote:
The people of Linver beg for your deliverance when ghosts and restless spirits start stalking the streets of the city.

He was also sending the souls of the dead for his own use. He was using them to haunt Linver when I first made claim of it when Jastrau dropped out. He was using them for personal gains.”

From last turn and the game thread:
“A plague breaks out in Mai-e; it doesn't seem to be the plague that devastated Nor Yekith's kingdom, but it is very violent nonetheless, and many die of it even as attempts are made to stem its advance, going so far as locking the infected people in their houses and burning the buildings down.”
And
“I have men on Thellarr.”

My dogma:
“The waters will provide all that the true heart desires. The waters will destroy all that the faithful heart despises. The waters will conceal all the loyal heart's secrets. The waters will wash away all trace of the perfidious heart's achievements. Be true, be loyal, be faithful, lest ye be engulfed.”



These thoughts have been weighing on Undine’s mind, and the minds of his priests and followers. It is now time to deal with Maeror, who calls himself God of Death and Goddess of Healing.

Undine exerts his divine power on the sea currents of Eiran. Cold currents from the north are diverted south and warm currents from the equatorial areas are diverted north, to meet in the area around The City of Regret and Grief. This results is a thick fog over this whole region, continually renewed and so not dependent on the weather.

Undine exerts his divine power on the fog to shield events from other gods’ eyes, specifically the eyes of the imposter Maeror.

Undine’s Navy and the Knights of the Cresting Wave (including the ‘outriders’ and scouts from Mer Solus who have been training with them) gather in the fog, led by Reth – ensuring that no word of events reaches Maeror’s people in Thellarr, and that none affected by the plague are in the fleet. The destruction of Maeror is the final task that I have for Reth as mentioned in the previous turn.

The Knights blow their horns. Undine exerts his divine power and causes the music from the horns to spread within the fog and the combination of the fog and the sound to inspire his worshippers and terrify and dismay the poor deluded fools who worship Maeror.

Undine exerts his divine power on the waters on Regret and Grief, making them unfit for consumption by the defenders.

The Navy, Knights, and Mer Solusians implement all the training they have undertaken to take over the pensinsula where the City of Regret stands. Undine exerts his divine power again to assist them. The Mer Solusians will destroy Regret’s shipping in its harbours and ports from underwater. The Knights will mop up any at sea and will swim along the rivers of the peninsula, terrifying the population even more and fighting wherever the chance arises. The Navy will land troops at all points of the peninsula surrounding the city. If the city is walled, this power is to find watery entrance to the city for the troops, and if this is not possible, to cause the water in underground wells, rivers and streams to undermine the walls’ foundations and cause them to collapse. The troops, inspired by the events caused by Maeror during Porsulis’ Night of Blood, take over the area in my name, taking care to use their powers to purify any water that they themselves require to drink!

Undine wrote: ^ methinks Undine lost out on alot of the enjoyment of P2 (although I enjoyed it immensely) by simplifying far too much, by assuming that assumptions made on my part would turn Xar against me, by never asking Xar if anything was possible, and by reacting too much rather than acting. I'll post my turn later, when I get home, which fits in with Maeror's above, the turn when I attacked Regret and Grief in response to the 'Night of Blood' in Porsulis, and various other perceived slights. (Though in comparison to the above, it'll be embarrassingly simple!)

Avatar wrote:I tend to treat it like a political strategy game. I enjoy the interaction, but I enjoy the freedom of it the most. Anything you can think of could be done.

There's no set moves where you only have a certain number to choose from. You can do anything.

--A

The journey is long and arduous; the ship sails over the mountains of Magoddar, and then braves the northern ocean, until no land is in sight any longer, and there is nothing but sea, all the way to the horizon. The dwarrows feel uncomfortable at the thought of nothing but air and water below them, but they know that their entire people is with them in this journey. They do not wish to disappoint any of them, nor you, and so they harden their hearts agains their longing, and continue forth. Day by day, the Northern Mists grow closer; but the dwarrows feel no dread, trusting in the protection you bestowed upon them, and knowing that, whatever happens, you will be with them. What are human tales and fears to the dwarrows? The Northern Mists might be dangerous, but the dwarrows are a brave people, forged in the likeness of their god, and they have not forgotten this. Even when all the races had long forgotten their creator gods, the dwarrows had not.
Finally, they reach the Mists. Facing this strange wall of fog, bubbling and writhing as if it were alive, the ocean itself sizzling whenever it touches the Mists, they discover there is no fear in their hearts; they know they are not alone, and that their god - their Father - watches over them. Even as they watch and discover this, it seems that the disturbance stops, and the Mists settle back into a wall of fog. Through the Mist Lens little can be seen, but one of the dwarrows notices something on the horizon, emerging from the Mists - a small vessel with tattered sails, bearing the once-proud, and now shredded banner of Maeror. The Andur approaches the vessel cautiously, and Cullep sends two dwarrows to investigate; they return with grim tales and a log book. The nameless vessel was once a ship of Maeror's, sent to the Northern Mists to sail through them and see what lies beyond; the last entry of the captain in the log book speaks of the fear of his men as they entered the Mists, a fear he felt creeping in his heart as well, and the feeling that their god had been cut off from them. Nothing else is written on the log book, but the dwarrows report that the skeletons of many humans are onboard, still lying where they fell dead.
The dwarrows gather on The Andur to discuss what to do; Cullep speaks to his people and reminds them who they are. For they are dwarrows, the people of Simjen, and have been blessed by the god himself. Many of them have already seen death, and have remained undaunted; he points at the S'en Golems when saying these words. He tells them, "I know none of you are cowards; Simjen's heart beats too strongly in all of us. What we do today, we do for our people, for all the people in the world; and if our destiny is to die, like Maeror's people, then at least we shall die with honor, and we shall gather in Simjen's hands to partake of his love."
And thus, The Andur enters the Mists.

Cullep dies heroically, while trying to save the dwarrows of a remote village from the meteor shower; he mans the Andur masterfully, gathering the dwarrows on board and trying to make it out of Magoddar to wait for the end of the shower, but a meteor streaks by and slams into the Andur, which is sent spiraling towards the ground. Cullep, realizing this will mean death for everyone on board, including many innocent women and children, appeals to the power you invested him with, and summons a fire that might sustain the Andur and hold it safe; realizing the pillar of fire will not be enough to stop the Andur's fall, he remembers his brother and the sacrifice you made to craft the Eye. He knows, then, that a sacrifice must be made if the people on the Andur - his crew, and those he tried to rescue - are to survive; he looks at Magoddar one last time, trusting in his brother to set things right, and leaps from the Andur into the pillar of fire, strengthening it with the power you blessed him with, which he releases as he dies.

Simjen wrote:As for the use of DRP and the influence of Simjenus... due in part to my disagreement with Maeror, but stemming originally from my own ideas of necessity (the mother of invention, they say), I am giving my people a great gift. The Golem, the first score of which will be built by my own hand, the rest to be built by the smiths and blessed (activated) by the priests. They will range in size from twice the height and bulk of the tallest dwarrow to the size of a dwarrow child, all looking like a fully armored dwarrow, the edges and adornments of the armor insribed with runes. The most arduous and perilous tasks will no longer break the backs or shatter the lives of my people. Nor will the Golem be mindless grunts. When not being used for the hard labor, they will work tirelessly to expand and improve the cities. Assuredly, the Golem will require repair from time to time. My smiths and priests can do this, and with proper maintenance, a Golem can last for millenia.

You might think that is little use for three DRP plus the influence of my holy month. Well, here's the hard part. When a dwarrow nears the end of his life or suffers a debilitating injury or illness, he or his family may call for a priest. If he is found to be a good dwarrow, one who did not murder, rape, or otherwise cause great distress to his family, his fellows, or the dwarrow people for his own benefit, then he will be granted the honor of becoming a S'en Golem, his body placed in the Great Flame of Simjen, immolating his flesh and transferring his spirit to a Golem, with the noted difference that one eye of the Golem's helmet bears a red jewel set in its left socket.

Simjen wrote:I will take my three phoenixes, Andur, Martovan, and Dengar, the two divine Rav Golem I created for Hedra and I, and Simjen's Puzzle and extend my godly forge over them. Drawing them into my holy fire, I will create from them a towering three-headed hound, whose name will be Antovar. His countenance will be fearsome. Each eye will look like a giant ruby, the size of a dwarrow. Each head will be all hard planes, the surface of which will look like beaten copper. Mouths full of sharp blades, tongues of dancing fire. He will have a mane of enormous spikes, at times overlapping eachother and flowing together like scales, or standing straight out when his hackles are raised. The rest of his body will be a mix of armor and chainmail with flames trailing above it like fur, and a jet of flame for a tail. Each of his four legs will be like massive flaming columns, the paws tipped with gleaming hooks, each one unimaginably sharp. The beast as a whole will appear to flow from iron, to fire, to molten metal in between.

Drawing on the attributes of that from which he was formed, and strengthening and honing them with DRP, Antovar will have the ability to travel between realms and make himself corporeal or incorporeal at will, in part or in whole. By no means are the spirits of Andur, Martovan, and Dengar extinguished, only melded together, each one controlling a head but all sharing unity of purpose. Their love for the dwarrow is not diminished, for they are their protectors, as well as the guardian of my own realm and household. When not answering my explicit command, they are to sniff out threats to Magoddar, bringing down with impunity those with malice or evil towards my followers, rending it to pieces and consuming it in its fiery maws, purifying it in the furnace of its stomach and adding its strength to its own.

The Allfather wrote:As the Planar Beast does not appear this turn, you unleash Antovar on Kalpa, Astavyastataa Kadna's Prophet. The Hound of Simjen finds her proselytizing, and wastes no time in attacking her savagely; she somehow seems to be aware of the attack, and is not unprepared, though, so she mounts up an impressive defense, worthy of the Prophet of the Lord of War. She attempts to flee into Battle Time, but the Hound reaches her even in that frozen-time state; the two battle for a long time, with no quarter asked nor given, but eventually even a Prophet must succumb to Antovar's triple strength, and so, with a powerful bite, the Hound of Simjen beheads the Prophet of Astavyastataa Kadna...

Xar wrote:You cast your rings into Eiran, and the dactyls rise from them - Acmon, Damnameneus, Celmis. They are creation's hands, that they may create out of destruction and go where they are needed; that they may be teachers to mortals, blessed by both you and Hedra Iren.

Hedra Iren wrote:To Celmis and the dwarrow trapped in Jovian, I will spend one DRP in granting them the ability to see all libraries as reflections of the Great Library, my domain being the closest mirror of, the library beneath Magoddar the next, and all other libraries being lesser ones, all connected. Using this knowledge, they will move themselves to MV's newly constructed library. Once there, I will spend an additional DRP to play a bit of havoc. Relying on Celmis's knowledge as well as that of the dwarrows in building steel traps, vaults, and cages, they will make the library more potent than MV imagined. Not only will the knowledge of dreams be kept there, but dreams themselves will be sucked there and trapped, but only the dark ones. Dreams of madness, wanton destruction, and ghoulish darkness most of all. Celmis and the dwarrow will then quickly walk the halls of the Great Library back to my own deep beneath Magoddar, escaping before the gathered nightmares reach a kind of critical mass.

The Allfather wrote:Celmis and the other dwarrow receive your blessing and, traveling through the Library, reach Mithyaat Vam's library in Maayaa Nagoori. Here, they knock out any within the library and then construct silver traps and filigree nets of gossamer, capable of trapping the darkest dreams within the library itself. As construction proceeds, Celmis looks out of a window from the Library and sees that a vast army is moving against Maayaa Nagoori...

Celmis's eyes widen in disbelief: the walls of the city of Maayaa Nagoori have been breached within a day of siege! Eventually, however, the task is finished, and Celmis and the others escape from the library before the nightmares grow into a critical mass...

Maeror wrote:The people of Linver begin to see strange apparitions wandering the streets--restless spirits, allowed by Maeror to leak through to the world of the living in this one place rather than go to his realm.The people in Linver seek a way to calm these ghosts, and appeal to their gods for aid.
[1DRP] (Hopefully Adomorn will ask for my help )

Along with Bhakti, I made Graces - Splendor, mirth, and goodwill. They kept the morale of my followers high.

Stonemaybe wrote: Suf-j, however, may still have an impact in P3, I hope.......

4 DRP's are used to create Rakastaa. Rakastaa is a Love elemental. Whenever violence is committed against Shakari or any of my followers in Shakari, Rakastaa manifests, enveloping the person (or member of whatever species) who committed the violence. In truth, it has nothing that can be perceived by the senses. It has no shape, smell, makes no noise, cannot be touched. However, someone close enough to it can perceive it with the Heart. Most sentient beings' minds try to fit this perception into known experiences, but the best they can do is things like, "It looks like love." "It sounds like love." "It feels like Love."

When Rakastaa envelops someone, the person is infused with Love. Specifically, Love for my Trees and followers. They are filled to overflowing with this aspect of Love! The person becomes incapable of committing another violent act toward them. This change of Heart is permanent. If it cannot affect a permanent change at this stage, it will eventually, as I use DRP's to strengthen it over time. (Pumping it will also make it more difficult to destroy, and, as it gets more and more powerful, it will be able to change the Hearts of beings of greater and greater power.) In the meantime, if the effect wears off, and the person commits yet another violent act, Rakastaa will re-manifest, and do it again.

Obviously, Rakastaa will be able to manifest more than once. If multiple people are committing acts of violence, as in the current case of the 10 adventurers, or even unrelated acts at different points throughout Shakari, Rakastaa will wink in and out of existence, enveloping the offenders one by one. I will also be pumping this ability, so that, conceivably, one day in the very distant future, it would be able to wink at least a couple times per minute, and take care of thousands of invaders in a single day. But at this point, I imagine it will need more time to "rest" between manifestations. I can't even guess how long the periods of rest will need to be. One manifestation each hour? Each day? Each week?

However, the permanence of the change of Heart is the priority at the moment. After all, even if it could only change the Heart of one adventurer in the entire turn, that one might try to prevent the others from harming Shakari or my followers.

Allfather wrote:Rakastaa is created as an elemental of Love, capable of moving blindingly fast and of filling the hearts of people with Love for your trees and followers. Soon after his creation, Rakastaa winks out of existence and appears next to the adventurers, enveloping the first of them with Love; changed by Rakastaa's touch, he stands against his companions who, believing him to have been ensnared by evil magic, and realizing all their attempts to free him are futile, decide to slay him and continue. While they prepare to do this, Rakastaa uses the last of its strength for the moment to envelop another adventurer; the end result is that both are slain by their companions, thoroughly looted, and the remaining adventurers continue, their path becoming more and more treacherous as the Gotcha Vines become stronger and more active. A Forestal and three Dragons encounter them a few days afterwards; the adventurers pause, but when they see that the Forestal wishes to talk and the Dragons aren't aggressive, they start shooting at them, crying "Loot them!". One of the Dragons is fatally injured and dies, but the Forestal becomes enraged, and he causes the trees of Shakari to grab most of the adventurers , squeezing them just enough to hurt them, but not enough to kill them. A few adventurers scatter through Shakari, fleeing your Forestal's wrath.

4 DRP - All the power I have will be used to speak to my followers, though it will be in a dream.

"Around the world there abound criminals commiting their crimes in front of peoples to afraid to confront them. My children, you are not afraid.

Likewise, around the world people show love and devotion; and my people, you are also not afraid to immerse yourself in those acts of greatness either.

However, one needs always to be in complete controll of your own emotions. To exact Justice in such a degree, that you become no better than the criminal, and to immerse yourself in love and devotion, and blind yourself to criminals is an equally terrible crime to ones self.

To temper these qualities you have shown me, and to make myself worthy of you, I am no longer a god of Conquest. Conquest and Justice cannot work alongside each other, they do not balance properly, and only help to blind you to the greatness of love and devotion to family and friends.

One quality tempers both Justice your mortal love and devotions. Honor. Honor will keep your Justice pure and allows you to live a life that is pure and good. Give yourselves over to Honor, let it guide you on a path on light and goodness. That is my request as your god, and I will protect and guide you always. My duty and love for you is enternal."

This DRP will instill in my followers a sense of duty to their family and friends, to protect them always, but to also always follow the path of Honor and righteousness. I know that some of my past followers care nothing for Honor, and am expecting losses, but this power will be used to even further the bond between my followers that have not lost faith in me, and are willing to follow Honor.

You forsake the path of Conquest, taking up the mantle of Honor, and your words spread among the faithful. Persuaded by them and seeing in the god of Justice and Honor a greater god than ever, the vast majority of your followers accepts the change and starts worshiping you in this new guise, but a small core of intransigents, claiming your soft-heartedness will be your ruin, and that Justice is not necessarily a matter of Honor, but Conquest surely is, refuse to bow down to you, and start worshiping a twisted version of you, as the god of battle and conquest.

-- TWO DRP: This DRP will go towards proselytizing both new followers, and also to keep the faith strong in my current followers.

I am dropping the domain of Justice and taking up Combat instead. Jameak and Lirania is to explain to our people that the Law of Eiran has become stagnant, and is no longer fit to rule. We will instead enforce a new law. Our Combat is to be guided by Honor and Protection and is based on these basic principals:

One) He who cannot protect himself, and is need of assistance (both martial and other) will be aided as we can afford.
Two)Quarter is to be given when due, even if it is not returned to us.
Three) Do all that you can to avoid martial battle. Not all fights are fought with swords.
Four) When battle is unavoidable, fight to win. Leave no enemy behind to fight again later.
Five) Above all accept the resonsiility of your decisions. Be they negative or positive: what you do, you do.

Lirania is to immediately spread these new doctrines of Honor, and convince the people that their Lord Adomorn is still the Righteous being that he was, but now he is not tied down by a tyrannical Law.

You proselytize and have Jameak and Lirania present your new dogma to the people. Both of them seem to be troubled by your decision to forsake Justice, however.

--I drop Combat and take up Strength.
--TWO DRP Any old dogma of mine is to be changed, for the last time. In it's place will be this: "Do not hurt where holding is enough, do not wound where hurting is enough, do not main where hurting is enough, do not kill where maiming is enough. The greatest warrior is he who does not need to kill." The 2 DRP will go to proselytizing my people, and to bring new people into the faith.

You have proselytizers spreading around your new dogma and gathering people to your cause.

To Jameak,

"The Days of Conquest are over. Justice and Conquest cannot exist side by side, for Conquest nearly never serves the cause of Justice. But you have served me well, and I would have you with me for longer still. Eiran still needs our protection. There will forever be threats to the innocent and helpless, and there we will be, fighting for Justice and Honor. Follow the path of light and Honor, Jameak, and we will triumph.

Return to point in the mountains directally in the middle of our lands and establish the capital city of Sanctuary. There we will watch over our lands and protect Eiran from evil. The city will be open for any refugees that need Sanctuary, so build shelters deep into the mountainside. I will ask Simjen's people for aide in building this massive structure for the good of all.

Lastly, you will take a half of our army and train them for the duty and service, Guards of the Light. They will be dispatched to cities across Eiran to serve the peace, and stop criminals. They are not to speak of religion outside of their barracks, for they are not present to speak of me, but to serve Justice alongside Honor. I will not tolerate proselytizing. The first platoon will be sent to Jove's territory of Magran."

Some specs for Sacntuary:

--This city will serve not only as the center of my lands, but as a refuge for any peoples that need it. Open to any that need its walls.
--It will house the bulk of my army, and serve as general training center.
--The majority of the Army will take up station around the city in various barracks, but there will be enough space set aside to house the entire army should Sanctuary be besieged.
--It will also serve as the major business center for my lands.
--A special aspect will be spare chelter built deep into the mountainside. They will be empty ost of the time, but will serve as emergency shelter in case of massive influx of refugees during wartime.
--Walls will surround the city, but the mountain itself will be its main defense, but should be relativley easily accesable to wagon trains and businesses.
Simjen (I hope) will be enlisted to aid in the building of this city, and will serve as an everlasting Capital to my worship.

A second order will go to Jameak including new design material for Sanctuary. He is to include these idea's to Simjen's work force.
1) a temple for the Pantheon is to be set aside somewhere in the city, wherever structually sound I will let the experts make the decisions, to represent all the Gods. Behind each shrine will be set aside a small room for a representative priest from the God to live in the temple.
2) A large area will be set aside for a market and business district. It will serve as focal point for my lands, and the continent as a whole.
3) a building will need to be set asidce for use of the Judges and house my commanders of military and Gov't. My capital city needs a capital building. All astetics will be up to the builders. Use their sense of art and creation!
4) a fountain to be reminiscent of the beatifull sea. Blessed by Undine for unending purity and healness. It will serve as a neverending water source. Though they need not worry about it's properties, just it's contstruction.

The last part of my turn will concern my new sphere of influence. The Honor combined with the Justice. I will deliver a message to Jameak, my prohpet. "Jameak, my son, you are to personally inspect the army stationed at the Sanctuary construction site. Search through the ranks and look for soldiers of honor, a sense of justice, a sharp mind and wit, and above all a strong moral compass.

These soldiers, whether they be footman of general, are to be given the option of becoming a new soldier to bring protection to all our peoples, and other peoples that cannot protect themselves, with Justice honed by Honor. They will be become Judges by their own choice, all Judges are to be volunteers.

Judges will be the pinnicale of the protection of all our peoples and bringers of Justice to all breakers of Law. They are to act with Honor at all times, and will never be corrupted. If the worst should happen, and a Judges turns to the side of Darkness, he is to be brought down by all the other Judges, if nessecary.

These Judges will hold all acountable, whether it be King of Peasent. However, they will repect the laws and protocols of the lands of other Gods. There are to no acts of Justice, whether fines, lashes or execution, without my and the other Gods blessing. The Judges will roam our lands to serve Justice when called for. All peoples under our jurisdiction have the right to call for the services of the Judges. However, their skills are not to be bogged down by the trivial. They will only be called for and serve for crimes of life inprisonment, banishment or execution. Fines and lashes or smilar sentences, are still to be held by local magistrates. Their hearing and punishment will be put on hold untill a sentence is served by the Judges. For this reason all major cities and towns in our lands will have a local Judge to serve. All outgoing platoons serving in other lands will have a Judge accompany them. The outgoing Judges are to stay with the Platoon, and to leave the rest of the soldiers only when called to a trial. Proselyitizing is not to be tolerated in lands not of your god. We are there to serve and protect the people, not convert them to our ways.

The first two Judges will be sent out immediatley to Mai-e and Magran respectivley to serve with the platoons serving in Undine's and Jove's lands.

The Judges will be trained extensivley in Law and Order, Moral Philosohpy, History of the Peoples, and Justice. Above all is the service of Justice and Honor. Innocence and guilt can be a very grey area, and they will need to be trained on when to see whether a person crimes are crimes deserving of death. Some people can indeed be a criminal, but the sentences need to match the crime. At all times.

Act in my stead Jameak. You are my voice on Eiran, and I trust you. Make me proud of you and the Judges."