Kiptar looked on the network of gear gates that it had so recently extended. Despite the divine power that had supported it, the fabric of the gates was stretching and could very well tear without warning. It sighed. It was inevitable, it supposed, that it would need to tear a creation down. Ah-well.
The Iron State continued to access the aether. Dispite the recent collapse of most of the gear gates, they still reached out of the aether and into Mechanus to Far Home. Utilizing the technology and magic at their command, they created an Aether-Ship large enough, and with enough self-sufficiency to serve as a city, floating around in the aether. This, called Aether Home, would grow, and become strong.
2 pp: Decreate artifact(Gear of Creation): The recent addition to the Gear gate network collapses, along with most of the gates. Now only a few remain, reaching into Mechanus and the Aether. 2 pp: Guide populace(Greater): The Iron state creates a Aether City called Aether Home. 1 pp: Nourish populace(Gears): Aether Home grows larger.
Shadow, I just remembered that the gear gates also led into Mechanus, which is how Far Home was founded.
Chroma frowned to himself. "This code of yours doesn't sound like a lot of fun. I don't like to hurt mortals either, but I certainly wouldn't let them chase me without my permission. That wouldn't be very fun..."
Eon smiled sadly and said, "Bit more complicated then that."
---
Meanwhile, deep beneath Flamewing Peak, a massive cavern system opens up, spanning the entire island of Azora. At the moment, the caves are mostly empty, but some Azorans discover entrances to the caverns and use them to move across Azora. The Cavern system also has connections to the Underdark.
(Wyld, going to jump our MS story ahead a little ways so we have something more interesting to RP about. check your PMs)
On the streets of Alexandria, angels began to dissapear, not at a high enough level to be alarming, but noticable to anyone who spent the time. At first, many thought they had just left the city, hired out individually to some party or another somewhere across the world. But then,Angel's Draught, a new drug that proved fatal to those with weak minds and absolutely exhillarating (and horridly addictive) to those of stronger stock, appeared on the market.
The Circle was confused, as this was certainly not one of their drugs, and their spies within the Alexandrian government would have informed them if the Alexandrians were creating some new drug. They sent out people to determine what was creating the drug, and the rumors they got back were horrifying enough to make many of the Sneaks on the council debate whether or not to even continue their inquest.
The rumors were that Angel's Draught was the distilled blood of gNoth'd Angels, the same angels that had been disappearing for the past few months. Rumors spoke of a gnome... noone knew his name, who drugged angels, then led them to his hideaway... no one knew where, although there were many ideas. There, rumor spoke of a horrible machine that literally pressed the lifeforce out of the angels and turned it, through dark and nefarious means, into Angel's Draught, a golden, faintly glowing liquid.
Alarmed, the Circle decided to send representatives to the Alexandrian leadership, assuring them that they had nothing to do with this travesty and offering their help in tracking down this rogue gnome. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
High above, Chukwa didn't know that his fellow Zaratans had begun to devour some of the Amoebas, and was busy continuing to help prepare the Yogloid before him for habitation, as per Nixis' orders. The planetoid had a thick layer of air. Now, it was time for vegetation. Chukwa breathed, and dotting the surface of the Yogloid, groves of trees and other plants appeared. Like the Yogloid itself, these plants fed off of the Aether/Air and turned it into their own mass, providing food and wood from the very air. Since the plants and the creature itself ate in similar fashions, it would be important for the Children to tend their groves carefully. If the trees covered too much of the Yogloid, it would starve.
Finally, it was time, and the Children used the Archway to arrive on the back of the Amoeba, where they began to set up shop. Chukwa watched the Children as they set up along a particular line atop the Yogloid. When the Amoeba split in a hundred years or so, half the village would go with one Yogloid, the rest with the other. Every month, the new colonies of the Children of the Aether would communicate back to Diaspora, and new colonists would be brought to one of the new, every expanding colonies.
And elsewhere, the Zaratans continued eating. It was only a matter of time before an inhabited Amoeba would come into contact with the ravenous horde.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Below, the Gnomes returned to Terena, settling primarially in New Terena.
2 PP: Guide Populace: Gnomes learn how to create Angel's Draught, an epic-level drug that can easily overwhelm the defenses of all but the most powerful minded. Provides a feeling of intense power, and increases natural strength. 1 PP: From Chukwa: Nourish Land: Special Trees and Flora grow on the Yogloid 1 PP: Guide Populace(lesser): Children colonize the Yogloid, ensuring more than ample space for their future expansion.
Chroma frowned to himelf. He didn't really like complicated things... Ardune was nice and simple. Everyone lived how they wanted to and thought was right, the dangers were blatant, and in general everything was easy to take in without straining your head thinking of little rules beyond 'don't eat people'.
"You squishies make things way more complicated than they have to be," the god pointed out. "If someone in charge can't be trusted, then no-one should be in charge or they should be replaced... or everyone could live without any of this order stuff, it's icky and head hurty."
****
The ghoul king Russet looked out on the scene as his skeletons dug, his muzzle peeling back in a smile. Centuries ago, an event had occured here... a seeming insignificant one, but if his theory held true, one that could prepare to cement his victory in the future war against his slave drivers. After he had attained the power to stand up to that cursed pact maker... but time enough for that. A wise warrior stocked up on weapons before starting battle, after all, and if death had made Russet one thing, it was wise. Wise and twisted and filled with malicious cunning. And the hunger, but he forced himself to ignore it for now. This was too important to call off for the sake of some gazelle.
Some time passed, until eventually there came a cry of triumph from the ghouls overseeing the skeletons. A runner ran towards their glorious ruler, kneeling before Russet before speaking with long dead lungs. "My king, we have found it, jussst as you ssssaid we would," the ghoul intoned, it's long dead tongue giving it an odd lisp.
"Of course we did, I remember this day... I did not see it personally, but while in life some of the Sons of Slaughter... now devil worshipping fools," he added venomously. "Saw it and reported... is it in good condition?"
The ghoul winced. "I am sssorry my king, but the imprint is misssssing the wingsss, and the rear legssss. I am unsssssure whether we can procsssseed." "Is the spark still in the earth?" the ghoul king asked testily. "Well, yesssss, but-" "Then we shall proceed as planned," the ghoul king continued, turning his back. "So our little creation won't be able to fly, it's power should more than make up for that. Bring out the rot." "Yessss my king," the ghoul replied, running down to the group to relay the order. The ghoul kings muzzled lifted into another smile. Who knew one little accident on behalf of a youngling god could very well cement his part in the war? If that dragon god with the chakram hadn't left his imprint and a spark of his power in the earth he'd crashed into to be covered and solidified as the centuries went by... well, this day wouldn't be possible.
The ghouls brought forth a bubbling container of rotted flesh, so far gone that even to the ghouls it seemed unfit to eat, containing so much disease and plague that any living creature would have passed out from it's stench nearly a mile from it's source. "Careful with pouring that in!" Russet shouted. "We need that mould in tact if we're to create more than a single strain of our new allies!" Nodding in response, the ghouls carefulyl poured the bubbling liquid into a small hole in the somewhat damaged mould of the dragon god, pouring and pouring until there was no space left to pour. And then... silence. Nothing happened for some time, and Russet began to wonder whether he'd miscalculated the power left by the injured god. But then...
A flash. A green, sickeneing flash that would have sent every ghoul in the area to their death bed with plague had they not been above it's touch. And when the flash cleared... the mould was no longer filled with putrid flesh, but a living being. Russet cursed to himself, running down to the mould and peeling apart the top enough that the creature could crawl out rather than have to burst the entire thing to make it's escape. They needed that mould, and that power to remain for some time... seeing an oppurtunity, the creature crawled out of the mould, it's two powerful arms effortless taking it out of the dug crater and onto ground level.
The creature was a dragon. Sort of... it looked like what you'd get if you cut off a dragons wings and hind legs, bit gave it extra large and strong front legs to make up for it. And what would happen if a dragon had twenty terminal illness' at the same time: the creature was a sickly white purple, and had so many boils and scars that it seemed as though touching it alone would kill you from contracting fifty different afflictions.
The ghoul king merely smiled at the scourge dragon of plague, seeing in it a new ally for his ghouls... and a new weapon to bring against his enemy.
***
In the swamps, a new kind of predator was emerging, a long lizard that could restrict it's prey and swallow it whole. The poisonous boggarts were relatively safe from them, but the same couldn't be said of the giant insects and giant toads that called the swamp home.
The boggarts grew and thrived in their home however, growing in number and influence, spreading throughout the mangroves.
4PP - Guide Epic Populace - Create the Plague Dragons, scourge dragons that embody phisical infliction and spread it wherever they go. These creatures often act independtly, but hold their allegiance to the ghoul king. 0PP - 1 Spawn PP from Veil - Spawn Heroic Teir Monster Population - Spawn Crushgrip resitrictor snake 0PP - 1 Nourish PP from Fountain - Nourish Populace - The boggarts grow in number.
Veros turned to her. "Such a cold tone, Mara. How have you been? I was concerned for you when you did not answer my message."
"That's odd, from your message it seemed all you care about is some bauble."
----
The Ae-Sylvani were even more horrified to find an amoeba that had been colonized by land based aliens. Shocking! Revolting! And incredibly dangerous. The "trees" even sucked in more aether for food, reducing the aethesphere even more.
The leadership of the Ae-Sylvani Fortress city* who had discovered this colony met to discuss theirs options. In the end, it was determined the only option was to defend themselves with a pre-emptive strike. The Ae-Sylvani must take action before the invaders come after them.
Thus the Valin ships sailed out in search of this [Yogloid] finding it. The ships screamed down and the Ae-Sylvani attacked. The surprised aliens were overwhelmed and quickly killed. The artifact that appeared to be some sort of transit "gate" was destroyed by magic. The Ae-Sylvani then did something they never did in their own lands--used magical fire to set alight the forests covering the Yogloid and to burn the creature itself. They then set into the creature poison that would kill it. The Yogloid collapsed into itself until it was nothing but a shriveled husk. Their mission complete, the valin ships and troops returned home, and held victory celebrations for the warriors.
1 PP - Guide Populace - Ae-Sylvani - Attack Yogloid colony(s). At least one instance of attacking a Yogloid colony, killing all the colonists, and destroying the gate and Yogloid. Again, probably not enough to justify a de-nourish--yet.
( That would be the one I named...too lazy to search back for it right now.)
Representatives from Meribia and Sivera came together in a small outpost built between Meribia and Terena during the war. Beginning discussions with each other, they arranged for messages to all the nations of the continent, the newly reborn nations of Terena and Alexandria alike, asking that their rulers, or at very least representatives, come to meet with them, to discuss the future.
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Veros shrugged. "The message was sent to request my bauble back. When you did not respond, I grew concerned that something may have happened to you in my absence. So here I am, come to make sure you are safe."
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Eon shrugged and said, "Well, we can't question the Code. It's hard for you to understand, after all, you are the living embodiment of Chaos, but Azora follows the Code almost to the letter."
----
After a few disturbances in the new cavern system underneath Azora, Azora expands outwards to be twice its original size. The Azorans currently live only in the inner portion of Azora now.
"And I see no need for being aggressive toward the continental nations, the war was fought for the wrong motives and already costed us too many resoucres" told Dargos, Vassen representative in the council, a short man, with dark eyes, sharp lineaments, dressed in ornate and precious gabrs "... and lives" he added, not too convinced, as money, after all, was his main concern.
"The Free Nations needed to honor its alliance with the Imperium, we have to show that we are loyal to our words or our promises will only be considered empty worlds and we can't allow that." Replied lady Karhis, Novost representative, a tall and athletic bloodborn woman, that looked like a giantess in confront of the Dargos, but most people know that her city state has invested much in the war and so her words did not sound that convincing.
"We have already offered more than enough to them as a compensation, now it is time to look again toward the continent with friendly eyes" told High Priest Yensen, an half humite and the official leader of Freedomguard government. "We have being reported that the war has incresed the unity in the continental powers, opening the potential for collaboration and for profit"
"And for danger, should they unite against us..." replied lady Kharis.
"Another reason to initiate a friendly relation, I guess..." told Yorik, he had listened to all Eldest Council meeting in the last few years, as trough his influence in the priesthood he has managed to gain a permanent seat there, he has sensed that something strange was happening in the archipelago and he wanted to be near to the halls of power to prevent another war "I propose to send new envoys to the Humite Nations, Meribia and Silvera, so that we can begin an healtly relation with them"
"Maybe you are forgetting that---"
The council kept discussing for a few hours, while most of the city states agreed with Yorik proposition the unexpected vote from the monastery city of Nitha in favor of Novost forced the council to a long debate and to reduce the majority necessary for the decision.
Finally the Eldest council decided to send tree separate missions to the Humite Nations, Meribia and Silvera.
Hensen finally left the Drahkorn land, for a while he watched over the world using the Eye of the Pantheon, some time granting small boons or causing positive or negative coincidence to affect the lives of the ones he was observing, watching their changes with interest and measuring the ripple effect caused by changing small events of a single mortal life. His choice did not follow a planned pattern as most of his actions have done for a long time, his boons or banes was granted randomly, when inspiration guided him. After a while the mortals begun to pray to him for this kind of blessing, but he was not interested in what they asked and he kept acting randomly, soon the people begun to tell a new proverb:
"Luck has many eyes, but is deaf to prayers"
The actions of mortals has an unexpected consequence on the lord of Change, as he himself was far from immutable they managed to alter a minor part of his being.
After a while he decided that it was time to go back to work, there were other gods that he wanted to talk to.
At first Mara, the twin goddes, worshiped by the dark eladrin in the south and by free nations pirates, a plague for its merchant but an interesting element in their society in Hensen opinion. She also created the Weapon that Shurka was planning to use in battle against Vymrl and Drevan an impressive work indeed.
Then Nixis, patron of the gnomes, of tales and mischief, a friend of the Kinigth God that might provide a good addition to the Pantheon, but would require a little diplomacy, considering the presence of Vymrl, as the gnomes and the Imperium was on opposite fronts in the war.
So he begun looking for Mara, sending to her a brief vision...
Hensen appeared to Mara in his Hydra form, its eyes locked for a second in the one of the goddess, "I salute you, Mara, I'm Hensens, the Changer of Ways and I'd be pleased to see you in person at a time and place determined by you, as I have a proposition"
The duke of Alve'rath, the northernmost duchy of Azora, was exploring the many forests surrounding his domain, intent on taming the mostly wild northern portion of Azora. Yet, he went to far, and he went missing in the heart of the forest.
Many months later, Alve'rath was completely consumed by forest. None of the inhabitants of the duchy ever left the forest, and their fate remained unknown. Many knights decided to tepmpt fate's rewards and explore the forests, but none ver return.
