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

[Churl]

April Fool’s Day Special -NON-CANON

In the Dreamlands, Ickol felt something stirring. No! This power-

It was too late, she felt everyone, gods and enemies alike, warp into her abode. Well, what was once her domain, at any rate. No longer.

“Thank you, ‘Zemrasil’. Meryl. Your services are no longer required.”

In an instant, Dark Narus dissolved with a screech. Meryl fell to her knees and began to plead with the group of shadowy figures, only for a blonde woman to march out of the silhouettes and flick her in the forehead, sending her flying far far away.

“I would apologize for the trouble we have caused your world, but frankly I don’t feel sorry. My daughter was abducted to be an accessory to Inqui, who was pulled here to play your little charade. This world is more a plaything of the gods than even ours, and deserves no sympathy. We have been watching your actions, and are disappointed in all of you.”

The real Narus ruffled his feathers in distaste as he stepped forward, revealing himself to be the speaker.

“Now, for your crimes of existing and being an unnecessary sequel/reboot, we shall yeet Yharin” he gestured at the blonde woman. “At a sufficient velocity towards your world that she may destroy it. Do any of you have anything to say?”

“H-How...were....you...even...able...to...watch...us?”

An odd gnollish creature in desperate need of a hair brush stepped forward and cackled.

“YoU fOoLs! I wAs WaTcHiNg tHe tHrEaD! pLuS, wE pUt SoMeOnE oN tHe iNSidE! iSn’T tHaT RiGht, ‘ChUrL’?”

That’s right people. It’s me, Felix. See, after my death in the first game and resurrection as a Servant, I achieved CHIM completely by accident. Faking my death in the Grail War, I allowed Joe to win and achieve divinity. I used the distraction to escape and build a time machine using origami parts made from Echidna’s journal. Traveling back to the earliest point in time in hopes of killing Azathoth, imagine my surprise when I discovered the birthplace of the ROBs! Using my chaos powers, I tricked one into giving me it’s body and became the being known as-

“oH mY gOd nO-oNe cArEs. sToP TrYiNg tO TiE EvErYtHiNg ToGeThEr! iT’s sTuPiD, aNd nO oNe wiLL tHiNk iT’s cOoL. tHiS wAs tHe SamE sHiT yOu puLLeD aT tHe KrAsSmAs SpECiaL. iT wAs StuPiD pAnDeRiNg GaRbAgE tHeN, iT’s eVeN dUmBeR nOw.”

Krankle looked down at the L&R gods.

“bUt hEy, i’M A fAiR gUy. weLL, ActuALLy i’M mOrE oF A cArNiVaL gUy, bUt PoTaToE ToMaTo. hErE’s tHe dEaL, rEjEcTs: wE LeT yOu cOnTiNuE tO mOoCh oFf oUr RoYaLTiEs iF yOu cAn dEfEaT uS iN A dUeL tO tHe dEaTh oF oUr ChOiCe. aCcEpT?”

Ickol looked at her fellow gods in apprehension. “What’s...the...-“

“GiRLie, wE rEaD tHe tHrEaD. StOp TaLkiNG LiKe ThAt. aNyWaYs, tHe aNsWeR tO yOuR eVeNtUaL QuEsTiOn iS: BaTtLe oF tHe bAnDs! DiAnE, MoRa, dRoP a FaT bEaT!”

And so, the single greatest musical duel in the entire multiverse commenced, before, with the power of teamwork, friendship, and a deus ex machina Inqui was able to lead the Ocaeril pantheon to win the duel through an inspired cover of the Quad City DJ’s Space Jam, where Original gave the greatest accordion solo the universe has ever seen, finally winning Ickol’s affections and redeeming Zyr, Helsa and Baldur completely. Unfortunately, so beautiful was the duet between Inqui and Yimor’s ghost, the timeline completely reset, erasing this post from existence. On the plus side, this brought Ocaeril back to life after he had selflessly sacrificed himself by chewing through the cords to the Elaryan gods’ electric guitars while they were still plugged in.

 

[Space Buddha]

April Fool’s Day Special -NON-CANON

In the Dreamlands, Ickol felt something stirring. No! This power-

It was too late, she felt everyone, gods and enemies alike, warp into her abode. Well, what was once her domain, at any rate. No longer.

“Thank you, ‘Zemrasil’. Meryl. Your services are no longer required.”

In an instant, Dark Narus dissolved with a screech. Meryl fell to her knees and began to plead with the group of shadowy figures, only for a blonde woman to march out of the silhouettes and flick her in the forehead, sending her flying far far away.

“I would apologize for the trouble we have caused your world, but frankly I don’t feel sorry. My daughter was abducted to be an accessory to Inqui, who was pulled here to play your little charade. This world is more a plaything of the gods than even ours, and deserves no sympathy. We have been watching your actions, and are disappointed in all of you.”

The real Narus ruffled his feathers in distaste as he stepped forward, revealing himself to be the speaker.

“Now, for your crimes of existing and being an unnecessary sequel/reboot, we shall yeet Yharin” he gestured at the blonde woman. “At a sufficient velocity towards your world that she may destroy it. Do any of you have anything to say?”

“H-How...were....you...even...able...to...watch...us?”

An odd gnollish creature in desperate need of a hair brush stepped forward and cackled.

“YoU fOoLs! I wAs WaTcHiNg tHe tHrEaD! pLuS, wE pUt SoMeOnE oN tHe iNSidE! iSn’T tHaT RiGht, ‘ChUrL’?”

That’s right people. It’s me, Felix. See, after my death in the first game and resurrection as a Servant, I achieved CHIM completely by accident. Faking my death in the Grail War, I allowed Joe to win and achieve divinity. I used the distraction to escape and build a time machine using origami parts made from Echidna’s journal. Traveling back to the earliest point in time in hopes of killing Azathoth, imagine my surprise when I discovered the birthplace of the ROBs! Using my chaos powers, I tricked one into giving me it’s body and became the being known as-

“oH mY gOd nO-oNe cArEs. sToP TrYiNg tO TiE EvErYtHiNg ToGeThEr! iT’s sTuPiD, aNd nO oNe wiLL tHiNk iT’s cOoL. tHiS wAs tHe SamE sHiT yOu puLLeD aT tHe KrAsSmAs SpECiaL. iT wAs StuPiD pAnDeRiNg GaRbAgE tHeN, iT’s eVeN dUmBeR nOw.”

Krankle looked down at the L&R gods.

“bUt hEy, i’M A fAiR gUy. weLL, ActuALLy i’M mOrE oF A cArNiVaL gUy, bUt PoTaToE ToMaTo. hErE’s tHe dEaL, rEjEcTs: wE LeT yOu cOnTiNuE tO mOoCh oFf oUr RoYaLTiEs iF yOu cAn dEfEaT uS iN A dUeL tO tHe dEaTh oF oUr ChOiCe. aCcEpT?”

Ickol looked at her fellow gods in apprehension. “What’s...the...-“

“GiRLie, wE rEaD tHe tHrEaD. StOp TaLkiNG LiKe ThAt. aNyWaYs, tHe aNsWeR tO yOuR eVeNtUaL QuEsTiOn iS: BaTtLe oF tHe bAnDs! DiAnE, MoRa, dRoP a FaT bEaT!”

And so, the single greatest musical duel in the entire multiverse commenced, before, with the power of teamwork, friendship, and a deus ex machina Inqui was able to lead the Ocaeril pantheon to win the duel through an inspired cover of the Quad City DJ’s Space Jam, where Original gave the greatest accordion solo the universe has ever seen, finally winning Ickol’s affections and redeeming Zyr, Helsa and Baldur completely. Unfortunately, so beautiful was the duet between Inqui and Yimor’s ghost, the timeline completely reset, erasing this post from existence. On the plus side, this brought Ocaeril back to life after he had selflessly sacrificed himself by chewing through the cords to the Elaryan gods’ electric guitars while they were still plugged in.

Archive

 

[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 | Just_a_loneley_pilgrim

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GM UPDATE
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Dawn of the New Year: 1400


Somewhere on the streets of Zhailving, a man dressed somewhat cliche attire for one attempting to go unnoticed stood at the base of a lamp post, powered by that novel form of magic those heathen rebels invented known as "electricity". The detective looked down to his timepiece, seeing that his contact should have arrived minutes ago. He tapped his foot, awaiting for his arrival before a strange sound echoed from a nearby alleyway. The detective turned his head, shining a lantern into the alley and creeping forward. Strange groans uttered from within as a thin ribbon suddenly lashed out. The detective lurched out of the way and drew his revolver, shining a light on the source of the tendril. Sure enough, the old hobo was there, a Zeruellim one could easily ascertain, but a drunk one who had forgotten their arranged meeting and attempted to decapitate him. He continued to hold out his weapon, though unsure it would even phase the Zeruellim, but it gave him a sense of security and so he kept it up anyway. Fortunately his kind were not of the more maddening variety that unscrupulous sorcerers would often summon, and as such the creature's response was not immediate evisceration of the detective, but rather to hurl a beer bottle in his general direction, shattering against the wall of a nearby building and sending some alley-cats scurrying off. The detective ducks, and spoke without fear to the abomination before him.

"You're late. And we were meant to meet outside, not in this..."

The detective kicked away a rat that chewed at his shoe.

"Slum..."

/I REQUIRED ALCOHOLIC SUSTENENCE. ZERUELLIM ARE NOT WITHOUT PRIORITIES./

"I... see..."

/NOW... YOU WISHED TO KNOW OF MY RACE'SH QUESHT?/

"Yes, chasing your tails in Kohona last I heard?"

/INDEED, THE 'BIG THREE'SH SHEARCH FOR EVERLASHTING LIEF ISH A MATTER DIFFICLUT TAH KEHP TRACH AHF, AHND IT APPEARSH TO BE A FUTILE ENDAVOAR ON THEAIR PART./

"I'm sorry, what?"

/THE SHEARCH HASH FAILED. WE ARE DOOMED TO DAMNASHION./

"Whatever. I need to know as much about your little 'search' as you can, I'm investigating a murder. Tell me, where have your authorities been active recently in this search for immortality?"

/OUR KIND VENTURED TO THE FOGLANDSH AH TIEM AGO TAH FIND THE SHECRETSH THAT ALLOW THEH FOGMEN TAH LIVE FOREVAH, AN YEHT THAT LAND NOW IS EMBROILED IN'AH GREAT HERESHY, THE FOGMEHN TURN AWAY FROM THEIR GAWD, OPENING THE FAWG TO ALLOW OUTSIDERS WITHIN, AND YET THE GREAT TOWER OF THUNDER NOW LIESH EHN RUINS, DESHTROYED BY TEH NEW KING OF THOSE LANDSH, A MAN OF SHERPENT'S BLOOD. THE IMMORTALITY THEY MAY GRANT ISH LEMETED THOUGH, AHND DON'T SUIT OUR INORGANIK NEEDS./

Spoiler: ooc

The "Big Three" have continued to turn up no results in their search for immortality, much like the Zeruellim. The foglands have turned their backs on their god, corven, due to the actions of Solid Snake, and have opened their lands to outsiders, becoming a friendly power to their neighbors rather than an enemy. They were, at one point, building a large electicity-generating tower, however for some reason, Solid Snake ordered it demolished.

"And, when was this failed expedition?"

/FORTEY SHEVEN OF YER YARS AGAH./

"Damnit man, I said recent! What of all that hulabaloo in the east?"

/AH YESH. THEIR GARDEN OF LIFE NOW LIES IN ASHESH. A FINAL AKT AH DEFIANSHE ASH TEH GAWD'A THEIR ENEMY CERRUPTED THER STOCK'N LEFT THE EMPEROR ALL DISHFIGURRD. NOW HE TOO EMBRACESH THE VOID. HISH HEIR TAKESH THEH THRONE EHN DIS TRYIN' TEIM 'N HOLDSH THEIR NATION TOGETHER. MANY CALL 'IM A VOOKIN IDIOT THOUGH, MAKIN' ALLIANCESH WIF STRANGE ISLAND TRIBES LIEK KOHONA'N EVEN PERSHUIN' PEACE'N LOVE'N ALL THAT SHEIT WIF THEM CATS TO THE EASHT. I CAN UNDERSHTAND TEH FORMAR SHINCE THEY HALF FOUND UPWARSH OF SHIXTY-SHIX POINT NINE PERSHENT'A THE DARK ONE'SH WEAKNESSH, FAR AHEAD'A THE HELSANS WIF THEIR TWENTEH SEVEN PERCENT, BUT THE NEKOSH OOFER 'EM NOTHING. THERE'SH TALKA' REVOLUTION IN THEM PARTSH, FOLKS IN THEH JADE SAYIN' TEH MANDATE'A THEH GODSH'SH BEEN LOSHT, CALLIN' FOR A TURN TO A NEW FAITH, THE FAITH'A JOE. THEY'VE GAINED THE AID'A THE KAHNSH ASHWELL, THOUGH I AM ALSHO AWARE THAT THE NEW RULER HASH PROVEN FAR LESH OF A TYRANT TO THE PEASANTSH OF HIS LAND, BUT HERESHY ISH HERESHY I GUESSH. THOUGH, HIS PLANSH MAKE SHENCE, SINCE THE FORCESH A YHARIM NOW THREATEN TEH WHOLE'A THE EAST, TITANIA ISH BESHIEGED AT DIS MOMENT BY THEH JUNGLE KING./

Spoiler: ooc

Due to the Jade Emperor's paranoia and outright disdain for gods attempting to manipulate him/her, the chi-fruit garden was set ablaze and the emperor hacked off his/her own horns before going into seclusion and eventually dying. His/her heir has taken the throne, doing many of the things ocaeril intended such as attempting to forge trade agreements with places like Kohona and Nekomatus, but this has caused outrage among the general population, who are now beginning to ally themselves with the Centaurs under the faith of joe, likely plotting to overthrow the new emperor, as he/she has, as they would say, "Lost the Mandate of Heaven". Tactically though, the descisions of the new emperor do have some merit, given that Lord Yharim's forces have conquered numerous islands throughout the east, and are currently besieging the kingdom of Titania in an attempt to conquer it, given that even Yharim cannot yet defeat the titan army. Ocaeril now has 66.5% of zyr's weakness, and helsa has 20% of it.

"So, what you are saying is that plan went out the window? Alright. When was this?"

/A HALF-CENTURY PASSHED./

"By Kura, I don't live for five hundred years like you, I'm investigating a murder that happened this week!"

/RITE./

The zeruellim takes a swig from a flagon, seemingly produced out of thin air.

/PERHAPSH YOUR INVESHTIGATION MAY BE AIDED BY KNOWING THE OLD ONESH TO HAVE AWOKENETH. GREAT CFOOLOO WALKSH THEH EARF AND HASH DRIVEN OUT THE FALSE DAGONITESH TO THE DEEPESHT DEAPTHS./

"Cthulhu... where have I heard that name..?"

/HE'SH THE BIG ONE WITH THE SHQUID FASHE./

The zeruellim reached to take another swig from the bottle, but at this point realized it to be empty and the detective spoke once more.

"So, you think this could be related to a cult of cthulhu?"

/NAH MAHN, THEY ALL BROKE UHP SCHINCE THEIR GOD WOKE UP ON'ISH OWN, ALL WENT'N GOT NORMAL JOBSH NOW. NO MORE SHACRIFICHE./

"I see, and this was how many years ago?"

/THIRTY SHOMETHIN./

Spoiler: ooc

Cthulhu has awoken, and the False Dagonites have had their holdings in the ocean severely reduced, no longer being a major world power in any respect. Otherwise, this has not changed much, and many cults of cthulhu have disbanded, now that their very purpose for existence has been fulfilled.

"Are you just using this questioning as an excuse to ramble about the good 'ole days?"

/INDEED, AND THEY WERE GOOD 'OLE DAYSH AS YOU SAY. OUR KIND HAVE BEEN SHCATTERED ACROSSH THE WORLD SHINCE THE GREAT BLACK BEASHT AND THE ARMY OF THE DEAD LAYED WASHTE TO OUR HOMELAND. FITTING. THE LAND OF THE DEAD GOD NOW SHERVES ONLY TO PLAY HOSHT TO THE DEAD./

Spoiler: ooc

Sunfall Reef was decimated by the attack of a void-dragon, which scattered the Zeruellim across the world. Nothing but undead and parasites lives there now.

The zeruellim seemed to notice that it was sobering up, reaching again for its bottle before the bottle was shattered by a shot from the detective's revolver.

/THAT WASH HIGHLY UNCALLED FOR./

"I just needed you to speak normally for once, now, I am investigating a murder of a renowned doctor who allegedly pursued the secrets of alchemy in his spare time, something about an elixir of life? Given the constant pursuits of such secrets by your kind I would guess you might have known them?"

/I NEVER MET OF THE MAN YOU SHPEAK OF./

"Now, when did I ever say it was a man?"

/SHINCE WHEN HAS NICK EVER BEEN A FEMALE./

"Hah, still a little tipsy I see? So you did know him, care to tell me more?"

/FINE. I KNOW HIM TO HAVE WORKED SOME TIME UNDERCOVER, IN THE CULT OF THE DEMON QUEEN. SINCE THE CRYSTALLINE BEASTS IN THE EMPIRE HIS FASCINATION WITH THEM ONLY GREW, AND HE WAS INITIATED AND SERVED AS AN INFORMANT TO THE LORD. INWARDLY HIS MOTIVES DIFFERED HOWEVER, HE SOUGHT A MEANS OF CONVERTING ONESELF INTO AN IMMORTAL DEMON, YET ONE OF PURITY. HE WAS SURE THEIR MAGICS COULD BE TWISTED FOR MEANS OF SALVATION, EVEN SO FAR AS TO HOLD DIALOGUE WITH THE BETRAYER OF THE EMPIRE HIMSELF WHOM SO FEW HAVE SEEN SINCE HE LEFT FOR THAT WICKED ISLAND. HE OBTAINED FOR HIMSELF ONE OF THE DEMONIC GEMS THEY SO FREQUENTLY OFFER TO THE UNWARY, THOUGH AS FAR AS HE EVER TOLD ME, HOWEVER, HIS EFFORTS TO PURIFY SUCH AN ITEM NEVER BORE FRUIT./

Spoiler: ooc

Crystal monsters occasionally pop up in the empire to wreck shit now, and given the experience of the person in this story, they cannot be purified to serve another purpose. Sang is now known as a man guilty of high treason and one of the empire's most wanted.

The detective scratched his chin.

"So, you went from not knowing this man to being a confidante for his most private secrets? Tell me, what was your relation to the victim? Your actual relation. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you in to those void-crazed madmen or charge you as the victim to save the department's budget. I'm a private detective, I get paid by the hour."

/I SEE. VERY WELL. I KNEW THIS MAN AS THOUGH WE WERE OF THE SAME BROOD. OUR QUESTS ALIGNED AND WE CAME TO PURSUE OUR GOALS TOGETHER, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS. OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS, HOWEVER, ONE PURELY OF NECESSITY./

"The others?"

/THE MANY BEINGS WE KNEW TO HAVE PURSUED THE SAME SECRETS THAT WE REQUIRED. SUCH BEING THOSE STRANGE WANDERERS OF THE WEST WHO SO RECENTLY CLAIMED A LAND OF THEIR OWN. THE SCORPION TRIBES' WITCHCRAFT IS, HOWEVER, MERE PARLOR TRICKS. USELESS TO OUR CAUSE. AS WERE THOSE STRANGE ILLUSIONISTS NOW FOUND IN HIGH PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITIES. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE THE SECRETS WE DESIRED. THIS WAS, HOWEVER, A LIE./

"Alright... Tell me, did you two make any enemies along the way? Dismembering someone and throwing their remains into a river is certainly the M.O of the Helsan cult, could it have been that they had found him out?"

/UNLIKELY. LIKE MY KIND THE ALCHEMIST WAS A TRAVELLER. ANY CULTISTS OF THAT BRAND WOULD HAVE TO HAVE FOLLOWED HIM FROM THE NORTH. WE DID, HOWEVER, MAKE MANY ENEMIES TO THE SOUTH. IN OUR VENTURE TO THE SCORPION TRIBE AND INVESTIGATIONS OF LARION AND KERETAS, DISCOVERY OF STRANGE BEINGS OF NO TRUE FORM AND ARMIES OF LIKEWISE PSEUDO-HUMAN THINGS, APPEARING OF YOUR RACE YET WITH A TRUE FORM MOST ALIEN, THOUGH NOT COMPARABLE TO THE GLORY OF MY OWN. MOREOVER, MY FRIEND, A GENIUS AS HE WAS, WAS INDEED OF NOBLE BLOOD. HIS DECISION TO CALL THE QUEEN IN RAGS A 'FARMGIRL' TO HER FACE, NOT A WISE ONE IN MY OPINION./

The detective holsters his revolver, beginning to get a feel for what this Zeruellim and the Victim had been doing for these years of their lives.

Spoiler: ooc

The Scorpi have claimed a homeland under the influence of Ickol, though it is quite small and not really significant enough to be called a country. Illusionists of Ickol's courts have also been able to rise to the ranks of court mages in numerous of the remaining city states, along with larger countries save for isolationists such as the cenobites or the biome. Larion is firmly in the grip of the dopplegangers, who now have an army of specially bred changelings who can switch between human and monster form at will, though they only have one distinct humanoid appearance and can't look like anyone. Another decently-sized city state worth noting is the one under the control of the "Queen in Rags", Ickol's champion, so named for rising from the status of a peasant to the big time in almost no time at all.

"So, the two of you were adventurers? Guildsmen? Murder-hoboes?"

/THE FIRST IS A FITTING DESCRIPTION FOR OUR EXPLOITS, THOUGH WE WERE NOT OF THE GUILD OF HEROES, NOR WERE WE KILLERS. THOUGH ON OCCASION I WAS FORCED TO BRING MY LIMBS TO BARE IN THE FACE OF MONSTERS AND HIGHWAYMEN./

"I see, well, aside from assassinations ordered by offended royalty or a conspiracy of shapeshifters, were there any more, say, personal enemies that the two of you might have made in your adventures? People who his deeds may have affected more drastically?"

/INDEED. HE SOUGHT MAGICAL ASSISTANCE FROM A NUMBER OF STRANGE NATURE SPIRITS. ONE-LEGGED MEN AND OTHER BIZARRE CREATURES, THEY SOUGHT OUR AID AND MY COMPANION FELT INDEBTED TO THE BEINGS BY VIRTUE OF ONE HELPING HIM THROUGH A TRYING TIME, A PINK DOLPHIN AS HE DESCRIBED IT./

"And how does this relate to you making enemies?"

/THE AID WE GRANTED RAN AFOUL OF THE VOID-WORSHIPPING FANATICS, AS DOES ANY ACT TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THEIR CORRUPTION. THEIR TRUE HATRED LIES WITH THE FAIR FOLK WHO BRING LOST BEINGS BACK FROM THE VOID OF EXTINCTION, AND OUR DEEDS WERE INNOCUOUS, HOWEVER, AND OFFERINGS WE MADE TO THESE SPIRITS IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR MAGICAL KNOWLEDGE LIKELY WERE NOT ENOUGH TO PERMIT SUCH A WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER. I SUSPECT ANOTHER BEING IS AT WORK IN THAT./

"Damn, and I almost had you on accessory to mass murder."

/WAS THAT A JOKE. I STILL HAVE ISSUES COMPREHENDING YOUR CONCEPT OF SUCH THINGS./

"Yes, it was. Now, tell me, was the victim acting strangely recently? Seeming worried or anxious about anything?"

/INDEED. HIS JOURNEY TO THE EMPIRE LEFT HIM SHAKEN. THOUGH THE LAND MAY NOW BE A PRISTINE ONE SINCE ITS SHIFT TO THE MOUNTAINS, ITS ALLIANCE WITH THE REVELRY SINCE THEIR DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF THE FOUR PIRATE LORDS AND THEIR RECENT TIMES OF WAR HAVE LEFT THE PLACE A DEN OF CRIME AND VILLAINY. I SUSPECT HE CAME INTO THE DEBT OF ONE OF THE IMPERIAL CRIME LORDS, THOUGH HE WOULD NOT TELL ME MORE. HE WENT TO THE LAND TO SEEK AN ARTIFACT OF ELVEN MAKE, ONE THAT COULD RESHAPE THE BODY AND EXTEND LIFE, PLUNDERED IN THE WAR AGAINST THE FLESH THAT HATES, AND HE OBTAINED IT AS HE SAID, YET HE WOULD NOT TELL ME HOW, ONCE AGAIN./

"I see... anyone in particular who you think he is indebted to, who may have come to collect before things went south?"

Spoiler: ooc

The brazillian fae creatures now exist, although to be honest I did not research the entirety of brazillian and greater latin american mythology just for this one GM post, so the implications of that escape me. The followers of Zyr have been in decline due to a string of mysterious deaths, the cause being Avatars of Debt. Due to an alliance with the Revelry and a theocratic takeover, the Empire has become even more of a den of scum and villainy than it already was. Offscreen, they waged "The War Of The Flesh", a war against the Cenobites which saw them lose significant amounts of territory and now hold onto only a few comorragh-like cities in the deep forests. The Pirate Lords were also victorious in the pirate wars, driving the remaining huskarr at sea back to their homeland and forcing the revelry to ally with the empire in the first place. The empire has additionally moved its capital into more mountainous regions, closer to the borders with the gnomes.

/NOTHING HUMAN./

The detective cocked an eyebrow.

"Elaborate."

"IN THAT LAND HE SOUGHT OUT A LEGENDARY LAKE IN THE MOUNTAINS, GUARDED BY A WINGLESS DRAGON WITH AN IRON SKULL. THE LAKE HELD AN ARTIFACT OFFERING MASTERY OF TIME ITSELF. WE HAD HOPED TO SUSPEND OURSELVES IN FROZEN TIME TO AWAIT WHEN THE THREAT OF DAMNATION HAD SUBSIDED. ALAS, THE DRAGON'S ARMOR PROVED INVULNERABLE TO ANY WEAPON WE COULD OBTAIN LEGALLY, AND SOME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OBTAINED LESS THAN LEGALLY."

"Since when do dragons travel to Zhailving to slit a man's throat?"

/SINCE WHEN DO VEINS OF ORE SPEAK WITH THE INTELLIGENCE OF A HUNDRED MEN THINKING AS ONE, OR YELLOW FOXES APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR TO EVADE THE HUNTER? THIS WORLD IS A STRANGE ONE MY FRIEND./

"'Eh, fair point, but I highly doubt a dragon would have done this. The wounds found on the victim were clearly inflicted with some kind of blade, an extremely sharp one by the look of it, no burns were found."

/COULD THOSE BLADES HAVE BEEN CLAWS? I KNOW HIM TO HAVE SOUGHT OUT A DEMON WHO WAS ONCE A MAN, NOW LEAVING DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE IN VILLAGES ACROSS THE WEST./

"No I'm pretty sure they were blades..."

The detective eyes the Zeruellim's filaments, which it seems to quickly retract.

/I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, BUT I KNOW OF A MORE LOGICAL SUSPECT./

"You do?"

/INDEED. NICHOLAS WAS AN AVID GAMBLER AS YOU LIKELY KNOW, AND ATTEMPTED TO, AS ONE WOULD SAY, CHEAT BOOMTOWN./

"Oh?"

/HE FOUND THAT THROUGH A FEW LUCKY ROLLS, ALONG WITH SELLING HIS ENTIRE LIFESPAN SAVE FOR A YEAR, HE COULD PURCHASE AGELESSNESS WITHOUT FAULT, AND WE HAD THOUGHT OUR SALVATION AT HAND./

"That's brilliant! What happened then?"

/ADMINISTRATION SEEMED TO CATCH ON TO THE FLAW IN THEIR PRICING OF THESE MAGICAL PRIZES, AND BUMPED IT UP. THEY RETROACTIVELY REVOKED HIS IMMORTALITY AND HE RECOVERED HIS LIFESPAN. PROTESTS WERE GREAT, AND THE BOOMTOWN ASSOCIATION'S PATRONAGE FELL DRASTICALLY. THEY STILL RECIEVE ANGERED LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS TO THIS DAY, AND NICHOLAS WAS AT SOLE FAULT FOR THIS OUTRAGE. NO DOUBT, MANY IN THE ADMINISTRATION WISHED ILL FATE ON HIM, THE DRACONIC CHIEF OF THE ORGANIZATION MAY HAVE ORDERED THE HIT HIMSELF. I HAVE SEEN MANY OF THEIR THUGS ROAMING THIS CITY AS OF LATE, APPARENTLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF 'DAMAGE CONTROL'./

Spoiler: ooc

Psychic and steel pokemon exist, though thanks to Phil only in places where it would actually make sense, IE: They are not common. The zeruellim gives an example of metagrosses living in clusters in deep caves, and wild abras. The Time Gears likewise exist, though are guarded by pokemon such as Heatran, which is described here as a wingless dragon. So far, no one has managed to successfully steal one. Morlock has trashed a number of villages likely in triple digits over the years, and the Boomtown casinos now exist. They were at the center of controversy recently as someone managed to discover a loophole that, by selling one's entire lifespan save for one year, they could gain enough chips to buy immortality. Casino administration revoked his immortality immediately and bumped up that reward's price, which has resulted in massive boycotts, given that he wasn't technically cheating. Still, they remain fairly popular destinations.

"Interesting... anything else of note? Any other people he may have angered?"

/YES. HE MADE A TRIP TO THE TRITONIC ARCHIPELAGO, SEEKING KNOWLEDGE OF A STRANGE ARTIFACT HELD THERE SAID TO GRANT A FORM OF CYCLICAL IMMORTALITY, ALONG WITH A BLESSING UPON THE LAND. THIS BLESSING IS, HOWEVER, A CURSE, AS SINCE THE DEMONIC INVASION OF THOSE ISLANDS AND THE DEATH OF CYOGNAX, THE ROYAL LINE IS SAID TO BE IN A NEVER-ENDING CONFLICT WITH THAT DEMON AND HIS ACCURSED REINCARNATIONS, FACILITATED BY THAT ARTIFACT. SADLY, IT CAME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT IT CAN ONLY SUSTAIN THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME IN THIS STATE, BINDING THEM FOREVER AS ONE YET KEEPING THEIR SOULS ALIVE. IT COULD, IN ITS CURRENT STATE, ONLY HOLD ONE MORE SOUL./

Spoiler: ooc

The triforce exists, although it couldn't sustain itself with only the 'wisdom' aspect bonded to a person. It managed to attract the demon-pirate lord Cyognax, who was killed by an as of yet unnamed hero (speck has dibs on making his reincarnation) and cursed their reincarnations forever, essentially becoming a pseudo-ganon. Note that the triforce allows them to reincarnate in the first place despite the existence of Zyr's hell. Stealing the courage egg/triangle was the motivation for this zeruellim to murder his friend in a fit of passion.

"And so THAT was why you murdered him, wasn't it?"

/WAIT WHAT./

"You both wanted to live forever, the artifact could only sustain one soul, so as you plotted to steal it, you killed him! Didn't you?"

/I... YOU HAVE NO PROOF./

"You sure? The knot on the bag I found his remains in would never have been tied in such a way by human hands, indicating one of your kind killed him. I know of no other Zeruellim with close relation to the victim, and it seems to me that you had motive, means, and opportunity. Of course I'm sure we could clear your name, were we to run some tests on that blood on your monofilaments."

The detective smirked and pointed to them, which the Zeruellim had been trying and failing to cover up.

/YOU... MUST UNDERSTAND... IT WAS A CRIME OF PASSION./

"I get that a lot, let's get you down to the station."









Meanwhile...

(Just add 19 more thrones.)

The pantheon materialized in the hall of gods, as they tended to do, and noticed something amiss. The throne of the judge no longer stood empty, and indeed a new one filled its seat. Looking around the place, this new god would see a great golden feasting table, lined with plates of "Ambrosia" and "Nectar", that he would find in reality tasted a bit like doomsday rations and five dollar beer, respectively. The others sat on thrones like his, all inlayed with gold and precious jewels. A strange being resembling the moon, which this hall seemed to be on given the the immense glass ceiling showing a breathtaking view of the world below, or above, given the angle they were looking at. At the very end of the hall, opposite the thrones, was a levitating globe seeming to act as a portal to the world at large, and on one wall was a map seeming to display ecological data about said world, seeming decidedly more technological than anything else in the room. At the opposite side, a being seeming to not be of the other gods, but similarly divine provided ambient music on a piano. It resembled a human with a crescent moon for a head. Of course, this was all routine for the others, and the Judge had, of course, been here many times before.

Just_a_loneley_pilgrim ​

 

[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 | Just_a_loneley_pilgrim

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GM UPDATE
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Dawn of the New Year: 1400


Somewhere on the streets of Zhailving, a man dressed somewhat cliche attire for one attempting to go unnoticed stood at the base of a lamp post, powered by that novel form of magic those heathen rebels invented known as "electricity". The detective looked down to his timepiece, seeing that his contact should have arrived minutes ago. He tapped his foot, awaiting for his arrival before a strange sound echoed from a nearby alleyway. The detective turned his head, shining a lantern into the alley and creeping forward. Strange groans uttered from within as a thin ribbon suddenly lashed out. The detective lurched out of the way and drew his revolver, shining a light on the source of the tendril. Sure enough, the old hobo was there, a Zeruellim one could easily ascertain, but a drunk one who had forgotten their arranged meeting and attempted to decapitate him. He continued to hold out his weapon, though unsure it would even phase the Zeruellim, but it gave him a sense of security and so he kept it up anyway. Fortunately his kind were not of the more maddening variety that unscrupulous sorcerers would often summon, and as such the creature's response was not immediate evisceration of the detective, but rather to hurl a beer bottle in his general direction, shattering against the wall of a nearby building and sending some alley-cats scurrying off. The detective ducks, and spoke without fear to the abomination before him.

"You're late. And we were meant to meet outside, not in this..."

The detective kicked away a rat that chewed at his shoe.

"Slum..."

/I REQUIRED ALCOHOLIC SUSTENENCE. ZERUELLIM ARE NOT WITHOUT PRIORITIES./

"I... see..."

/NOW... YOU WISHED TO KNOW OF MY RACE'SH QUESHT?/

"Yes, chasing your tails in Kohona last I heard?"

/INDEED, THE 'BIG THREE'SH SHEARCH FOR EVERLASHTING LIEF ISH A MATTER DIFFICLUT TAH KEHP TRACH AHF, AHND IT APPEARSH TO BE A FUTILE ENDAVOAR ON THEAIR PART./

"I'm sorry, what?"

/THE SHEARCH HASH FAILED. WE ARE DOOMED TO DAMNASHION./

"Whatever. I need to know as much about your little 'search' as you can, I'm investigating a murder. Tell me, where have your authorities been active recently in this search for immortality?"

/OUR KIND VENTURED TO THE FOGLANDSH AH TIEM AGO TAH FIND THE SHECRETSH THAT ALLOW THEH FOGMEN TAH LIVE FOREVAH, AN YEHT THAT LAND NOW IS EMBROILED IN'AH GREAT HERESHY, THE FOGMEHN TURN AWAY FROM THEIR GAWD, OPENING THE FAWG TO ALLOW OUTSIDERS WITHIN, AND YET THE GREAT TOWER OF THUNDER NOW LIESH EHN RUINS, DESHTROYED BY TEH NEW KING OF THOSE LANDSH, A MAN OF SHERPENT'S BLOOD. THE IMMORTALITY THEY MAY GRANT ISH LEMETED THOUGH, AHND DON'T SUIT OUR INORGANIK NEEDS./

Spoiler: ooc

The "Big Three" have continued to turn up no results in their search for immortality, much like the Zeruellim. The foglands have turned their backs on their god, corven, due to the actions of Solid Snake, and have opened their lands to outsiders, becoming a friendly power to their neighbors rather than an enemy. They were, at one point, building a large electicity-generating tower, however for some reason, Solid Snake ordered it demolished.

"And, when was this failed expedition?"

/FORTEY SHEVEN OF YER YARS AGAH./

"Damnit man, I said recent! What of all that hulabaloo in the east?"

/AH YESH. THEIR GARDEN OF LIFE NOW LIES IN ASHESH. A FINAL AKT AH DEFIANSHE ASH TEH GAWD'A THEIR ENEMY CERRUPTED THER STOCK'N LEFT THE EMPEROR ALL DISHFIGURRD. NOW HE TOO EMBRACESH THE VOID. HISH HEIR TAKESH THEH THRONE EHN DIS TRYIN' TEIM 'N HOLDSH THEIR NATION TOGETHER. MANY CALL 'IM A VOOKIN IDIOT THOUGH, MAKIN' ALLIANCESH WIF STRANGE ISLAND TRIBES LIEK KOHONA'N EVEN PERSHUIN' PEACE'N LOVE'N ALL THAT SHEIT WIF THEM CATS TO THE EASHT. I CAN UNDERSHTAND TEH FORMAR SHINCE THEY HALF FOUND UPWARSH OF SHIXTY-SHIX POINT NINE PERSHENT'A THE DARK ONE'SH WEAKNESSH, FAR AHEAD'A THE HELSANS WIF THEIR TWENTEH SEVEN PERCENT, BUT THE NEKOSH OOFER 'EM NOTHING. THERE'SH TALKA' REVOLUTION IN THEM PARTSH, FOLKS IN THEH JADE SAYIN' TEH MANDATE'A THEH GODSH'SH BEEN LOSHT, CALLIN' FOR A TURN TO A NEW FAITH, THE FAITH'A JOE. THEY'VE GAINED THE AID'A THE KAHNSH ASHWELL, THOUGH I AM ALSHO AWARE THAT THE NEW RULER HASH PROVEN FAR LESH OF A TYRANT TO THE PEASANTSH OF HIS LAND, BUT HERESHY ISH HERESHY I GUESSH. THOUGH, HIS PLANSH MAKE SHENCE, SINCE THE FORCESH A YHARIM NOW THREATEN TEH WHOLE'A THE EAST, TITANIA ISH BESHIEGED AT DIS MOMENT BY THEH JUNGLE KING./

Spoiler: ooc

Due to the Jade Emperor's paranoia and outright disdain for gods attempting to manipulate him/her, the chi-fruit garden was set ablaze and the emperor hacked off his/her own horns before going into seclusion and eventually dying. His/her heir has taken the throne, doing many of the things ocaeril intended such as attempting to forge trade agreements with places like Kohona and Nekomatus, but this has caused outrage among the general population, who are now beginning to ally themselves with the Centaurs under the faith of joe, likely plotting to overthrow the new emperor, as he/she has, as they would say, "Lost the Mandate of Heaven". Tactically though, the descisions of the new emperor do have some merit, given that Lord Yharim's forces have conquered numerous islands throughout the east, and are currently besieging the kingdom of Titania in an attempt to conquer it, given that even Yharim cannot yet defeat the titan army. Ocaeril now has 66.5% of zyr's weakness, and helsa has 20% of it.

"So, what you are saying is that plan went out the window? Alright. When was this?"

/A HALF-CENTURY PASSHED./

"By Kura, I don't live for five hundred years like you, I'm investigating a murder that happened this week!"

/RITE./

The zeruellim takes a swig from a flagon, seemingly produced out of thin air.

/PERHAPSH YOUR INVESHTIGATION MAY BE AIDED BY KNOWING THE OLD ONESH TO HAVE AWOKENETH. GREAT CFOOLOO WALKSH THEH EARF AND HASH DRIVEN OUT THE FALSE DAGONITESH TO THE DEEPESHT DEAPTHS./

"Cthulhu... where have I heard that name..?"

/HE'SH THE BIG ONE WITH THE SHQUID FASHE./

The zeruellim reached to take another swig from the bottle, but at this point realized it to be empty and the detective spoke once more.

"So, you think this could be related to a cult of cthulhu?"

/NAH MAHN, THEY ALL BROKE UHP SCHINCE THEIR GOD WOKE UP ON'ISH OWN, ALL WENT'N GOT NORMAL JOBSH NOW. NO MORE SHACRIFICHE./

"I see, and this was how many years ago?"

/THIRTY SHOMETHIN./

Spoiler: ooc

Cthulhu has awoken, and the False Dagonites have had their holdings in the ocean severely reduced, no longer being a major world power in any respect. Otherwise, this has not changed much, and many cults of cthulhu have disbanded, now that their very purpose for existence has been fulfilled.

"Are you just using this questioning as an excuse to ramble about the good 'ole days?"

/INDEED, AND THEY WERE GOOD 'OLE DAYSH AS YOU SAY. OUR KIND HAVE BEEN SHCATTERED ACROSSH THE WORLD SHINCE THE GREAT BLACK BEASHT AND THE ARMY OF THE DEAD LAYED WASHTE TO OUR HOMELAND. FITTING. THE LAND OF THE DEAD GOD NOW SHERVES ONLY TO PLAY HOSHT TO THE DEAD./

Spoiler: ooc

Sunfall Reef was decimated by the attack of a void-dragon, which scattered the Zeruellim across the world. Nothing but undead and parasites lives there now.

The zeruellim seemed to notice that it was sobering up, reaching again for its bottle before the bottle was shattered by a shot from the detective's revolver.

/THAT WASH HIGHLY UNCALLED FOR./

"I just needed you to speak normally for once, now, I am investigating a murder of a renowned doctor who allegedly pursued the secrets of alchemy in his spare time, something about an elixir of life? Given the constant pursuits of such secrets by your kind I would guess you might have known them?"

/I NEVER MET OF THE MAN YOU SHPEAK OF./

"Now, when did I ever say it was a man?"

/SHINCE WHEN HAS NICK EVER BEEN A FEMALE./

"Hah, still a little tipsy I see? So you did know him, care to tell me more?"

/FINE. I KNOW HIM TO HAVE WORKED SOME TIME UNDERCOVER, IN THE CULT OF THE DEMON QUEEN. SINCE THE CRYSTALLINE BEASTS IN THE EMPIRE HIS FASCINATION WITH THEM ONLY GREW, AND HE WAS INITIATED AND SERVED AS AN INFORMANT TO THE LORD. INWARDLY HIS MOTIVES DIFFERED HOWEVER, HE SOUGHT A MEANS OF CONVERTING ONESELF INTO AN IMMORTAL DEMON, YET ONE OF PURITY. HE WAS SURE THEIR MAGICS COULD BE TWISTED FOR MEANS OF SALVATION, EVEN SO FAR AS TO HOLD DIALOGUE WITH THE BETRAYER OF THE EMPIRE HIMSELF WHOM SO FEW HAVE SEEN SINCE HE LEFT FOR THAT WICKED ISLAND. HE OBTAINED FOR HIMSELF ONE OF THE DEMONIC GEMS THEY SO FREQUENTLY OFFER TO THE UNWARY, THOUGH AS FAR AS HE EVER TOLD ME, HOWEVER, HIS EFFORTS TO PURIFY SUCH AN ITEM NEVER BORE FRUIT./

Spoiler: ooc

Crystal monsters occasionally pop up in the empire to wreck shit now, and given the experience of the person in this story, they cannot be purified to serve another purpose. Sang is now known as a man guilty of high treason and one of the empire's most wanted.

The detective scratched his chin.

"So, you went from not knowing this man to being a confidante for his most private secrets? Tell me, what was your relation to the victim? Your actual relation. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you in to those void-crazed madmen or charge you as the victim to save the department's budget. I'm a private detective, I get paid by the hour."

/I SEE. VERY WELL. I KNEW THIS MAN AS THOUGH WE WERE OF THE SAME BROOD. OUR QUESTS ALIGNED AND WE CAME TO PURSUE OUR GOALS TOGETHER, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS. OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS, HOWEVER, ONE PURELY OF NECESSITY./

"The others?"

/THE MANY BEINGS WE KNEW TO HAVE PURSUED THE SAME SECRETS THAT WE REQUIRED. SUCH BEING THOSE STRANGE WANDERERS OF THE WEST WHO SO RECENTLY CLAIMED A LAND OF THEIR OWN. THE SCORPION TRIBES' WITCHCRAFT IS, HOWEVER, MERE PARLOR TRICKS. USELESS TO OUR CAUSE. AS WERE THOSE STRANGE ILLUSIONISTS NOW FOUND IN HIGH PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITIES. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE THE SECRETS WE DESIRED. THIS WAS, HOWEVER, A LIE./

"Alright... Tell me, did you two make any enemies along the way? Dismembering someone and throwing their remains into a river is certainly the M.O of the Helsan cult, could it have been that they had found him out?"

/UNLIKELY. LIKE MY KIND THE ALCHEMIST WAS A TRAVELLER. ANY CULTISTS OF THAT BRAND WOULD HAVE TO HAVE FOLLOWED HIM FROM THE NORTH. WE DID, HOWEVER, MAKE MANY ENEMIES TO THE SOUTH. IN OUR VENTURE TO THE SCORPION TRIBE AND INVESTIGATIONS OF LARION AND KERETAS, DISCOVERY OF STRANGE BEINGS OF NO TRUE FORM AND ARMIES OF LIKEWISE PSEUDO-HUMAN THINGS, APPEARING OF YOUR RACE YET WITH A TRUE FORM MOST ALIEN, THOUGH NOT COMPARABLE TO THE GLORY OF MY OWN. MOREOVER, MY FRIEND, A GENIUS AS HE WAS, WAS INDEED OF NOBLE BLOOD. HIS DECISION TO CALL THE QUEEN IN RAGS A 'FARMGIRL' TO HER FACE, NOT A WISE ONE IN MY OPINION./

The detective holsters his revolver, beginning to get a feel for what this Zeruellim and the Victim had been doing for these years of their lives.

Spoiler: ooc

The Scorpi have claimed a homeland under the influence of Ickol, though it is quite small and not really significant enough to be called a country. Illusionists of Ickol's courts have also been able to rise to the ranks of court mages in numerous of the remaining city states, along with larger countries save for isolationists such as the cenobites or the biome. Larion is firmly in the grip of the dopplegangers, who now have an army of specially bred changelings who can switch between human and monster form at will, though they only have one distinct humanoid appearance and can't look like anyone. Another decently-sized city state worth noting is the one under the control of the "Queen in Rags", Ickol's champion, so named for rising from the status of a peasant to the big time in almost no time at all.

"So, the two of you were adventurers? Guildsmen? Murder-hoboes?"

/THE FIRST IS A FITTING DESCRIPTION FOR OUR EXPLOITS, THOUGH WE WERE NOT OF THE GUILD OF HEROES, NOR WERE WE KILLERS. THOUGH ON OCCASION I WAS FORCED TO BRING MY LIMBS TO BARE IN THE FACE OF MONSTERS AND HIGHWAYMEN./

"I see, well, aside from assassinations ordered by offended royalty or a conspiracy of shapeshifters, were there any more, say, personal enemies that the two of you might have made in your adventures? People who his deeds may have affected more drastically?"

/INDEED. HE SOUGHT MAGICAL ASSISTANCE FROM A NUMBER OF STRANGE NATURE SPIRITS. ONE-LEGGED MEN AND OTHER BIZARRE CREATURES, THEY SOUGHT OUR AID AND MY COMPANION FELT INDEBTED TO THE BEINGS BY VIRTUE OF ONE HELPING HIM THROUGH A TRYING TIME, A PINK DOLPHIN AS HE DESCRIBED IT./

"And how does this relate to you making enemies?"

/THE AID WE GRANTED RAN AFOUL OF THE VOID-WORSHIPPING FANATICS, AS DOES ANY ACT TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THEIR CORRUPTION. THEIR TRUE HATRED LIES WITH THE FAIR FOLK WHO BRING LOST BEINGS BACK FROM THE VOID OF EXTINCTION, AND OUR DEEDS WERE INNOCUOUS, HOWEVER, AND OFFERINGS WE MADE TO THESE SPIRITS IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR MAGICAL KNOWLEDGE LIKELY WERE NOT ENOUGH TO PERMIT SUCH A WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER. I SUSPECT ANOTHER BEING IS AT WORK IN THAT./

"Damn, and I almost had you on accessory to mass murder."

/WAS THAT A JOKE. I STILL HAVE ISSUES COMPREHENDING YOUR CONCEPT OF SUCH THINGS./

"Yes, it was. Now, tell me, was the victim acting strangely recently? Seeming worried or anxious about anything?"

/INDEED. HIS JOURNEY TO THE EMPIRE LEFT HIM SHAKEN. THOUGH THE LAND MAY NOW BE A PRISTINE ONE SINCE ITS SHIFT TO THE MOUNTAINS, ITS ALLIANCE WITH THE REVELRY SINCE THEIR DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF THE FOUR PIRATE LORDS AND THEIR RECENT TIMES OF WAR HAVE LEFT THE PLACE A DEN OF CRIME AND VILLAINY. I SUSPECT HE CAME INTO THE DEBT OF ONE OF THE IMPERIAL CRIME LORDS, THOUGH HE WOULD NOT TELL ME MORE. HE WENT TO THE LAND TO SEEK AN ARTIFACT OF ELVEN MAKE, ONE THAT COULD RESHAPE THE BODY AND EXTEND LIFE, PLUNDERED IN THE WAR AGAINST THE FLESH THAT HATES, AND HE OBTAINED IT AS HE SAID, YET HE WOULD NOT TELL ME HOW, ONCE AGAIN./

"I see... anyone in particular who you think he is indebted to, who may have come to collect before things went south?"

Spoiler: ooc

The brazillian fae creatures now exist, although to be honest I did not research the entirety of brazillian and greater latin american mythology just for this one GM post, so the implications of that escape me. The followers of Zyr have been in decline due to a string of mysterious deaths, the cause being Avatars of Debt. Due to an alliance with the Revelry and a theocratic takeover, the Empire has become even more of a den of scum and villainy than it already was. Offscreen, they waged "The War Of The Flesh", a war against the Cenobites which saw them lose significant amounts of territory and now hold onto only a few comorragh-like cities in the deep forests. The Pirate Lords were also victorious in the pirate wars, driving the remaining huskarr at sea back to their homeland and forcing the revelry to ally with the empire in the first place. The empire has additionally moved its capital into more mountainous regions, closer to the borders with the gnomes.

/NOTHING HUMAN./

The detective cocked an eyebrow.

"Elaborate."

"IN THAT LAND HE SOUGHT OUT A LEGENDARY LAKE IN THE MOUNTAINS, GUARDED BY A WINGLESS DRAGON WITH AN IRON SKULL. THE LAKE HELD AN ARTIFACT OFFERING MASTERY OF TIME ITSELF. WE HAD HOPED TO SUSPEND OURSELVES IN FROZEN TIME TO AWAIT WHEN THE THREAT OF DAMNATION HAD SUBSIDED. ALAS, THE DRAGON'S ARMOR PROVED INVULNERABLE TO ANY WEAPON WE COULD OBTAIN LEGALLY, AND SOME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OBTAINED LESS THAN LEGALLY."

"Since when do dragons travel to Zhailving to slit a man's throat?"

/SINCE WHEN DO VEINS OF ORE SPEAK WITH THE INTELLIGENCE OF A HUNDRED MEN THINKING AS ONE, OR YELLOW FOXES APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR TO EVADE THE HUNTER? THIS WORLD IS A STRANGE ONE MY FRIEND./

"'Eh, fair point, but I highly doubt a dragon would have done this. The wounds found on the victim were clearly inflicted with some kind of blade, an extremely sharp one by the look of it, no burns were found."

/COULD THOSE BLADES HAVE BEEN CLAWS? I KNOW HIM TO HAVE SOUGHT OUT A DEMON WHO WAS ONCE A MAN, NOW LEAVING DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE IN VILLAGES ACROSS THE WEST./

"No I'm pretty sure they were blades..."

The detective eyes the Zeruellim's filaments, which it seems to quickly retract.

/I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, BUT I KNOW OF A MORE LOGICAL SUSPECT./

"You do?"

/INDEED. NICHOLAS WAS AN AVID GAMBLER AS YOU LIKELY KNOW, AND ATTEMPTED TO, AS ONE WOULD SAY, CHEAT BOOMTOWN./

"Oh?"

/HE FOUND THAT THROUGH A FEW LUCKY ROLLS, ALONG WITH SELLING HIS ENTIRE LIFESPAN SAVE FOR A YEAR, HE COULD PURCHASE AGELESSNESS WITHOUT FAULT, AND WE HAD THOUGHT OUR SALVATION AT HAND./

"That's brilliant! What happened then?"

/ADMINISTRATION SEEMED TO CATCH ON TO THE FLAW IN THEIR PRICING OF THESE MAGICAL PRIZES, AND BUMPED IT UP. THEY RETROACTIVELY REVOKED HIS IMMORTALITY AND HE RECOVERED HIS LIFESPAN. PROTESTS WERE GREAT, AND THE BOOMTOWN ASSOCIATION'S PATRONAGE FELL DRASTICALLY. THEY STILL RECIEVE ANGERED LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS TO THIS DAY, AND NICHOLAS WAS AT SOLE FAULT FOR THIS OUTRAGE. NO DOUBT, MANY IN THE ADMINISTRATION WISHED ILL FATE ON HIM, THE DRACONIC CHIEF OF THE ORGANIZATION MAY HAVE ORDERED THE HIT HIMSELF. I HAVE SEEN MANY OF THEIR THUGS ROAMING THIS CITY AS OF LATE, APPARENTLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF 'DAMAGE CONTROL'./

Spoiler: ooc

Psychic and steel pokemon exist, though thanks to Phil only in places where it would actually make sense, IE: They are not common. The zeruellim gives an example of metagrosses living in clusters in deep caves, and wild abras. The Time Gears likewise exist, though are guarded by pokemon such as Heatran, which is described here as a wingless dragon. So far, no one has managed to successfully steal one. Morlock has trashed a number of villages likely in triple digits over the years, and the Boomtown casinos now exist. They were at the center of controversy recently as someone managed to discover a loophole that, by selling one's entire lifespan save for one year, they could gain enough chips to buy immortality. Casino administration revoked his immortality immediately and bumped up that reward's price, which has resulted in massive boycotts, given that he wasn't technically cheating. Still, they remain fairly popular destinations.

"Interesting... anything else of note? Any other people he may have angered?"

/YES. HE MADE A TRIP TO THE TRITONIC ARCHIPELAGO, SEEKING KNOWLEDGE OF A STRANGE ARTIFACT HELD THERE SAID TO GRANT A FORM OF CYCLICAL IMMORTALITY, ALONG WITH A BLESSING UPON THE LAND. THIS BLESSING IS, HOWEVER, A CURSE, AS SINCE THE DEMONIC INVASION OF THOSE ISLANDS AND THE DEATH OF CYOGNAX, THE ROYAL LINE IS SAID TO BE IN A NEVER-ENDING CONFLICT WITH THAT DEMON AND HIS ACCURSED REINCARNATIONS, FACILITATED BY THAT ARTIFACT. SADLY, IT CAME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT IT CAN ONLY SUSTAIN THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME IN THIS STATE, BINDING THEM FOREVER AS ONE YET KEEPING THEIR SOULS ALIVE. IT COULD, IN ITS CURRENT STATE, ONLY HOLD ONE MORE SOUL./

Spoiler: ooc

The triforce exists, although it couldn't sustain itself with only the 'wisdom' aspect bonded to a person. It managed to attract the demon-pirate lord Cyognax, who was killed by an as of yet unnamed hero (speck has dibs on making his reincarnation) and cursed their reincarnations forever, essentially becoming a pseudo-ganon. Note that the triforce allows them to reincarnate in the first place despite the existence of Zyr's hell. Stealing the courage egg/triangle was the motivation for this zeruellim to murder his friend in a fit of passion.

"And so THAT was why you murdered him, wasn't it?"

/WAIT WHAT./

"You both wanted to live forever, the artifact could only sustain one soul, so as you plotted to steal it, you killed him! Didn't you?"

/I... YOU HAVE NO PROOF./

"You sure? The knot on the bag I found his remains in would never have been tied in such a way by human hands, indicating one of your kind killed him. I know of no other Zeruellim with close relation to the victim, and it seems to me that you had motive, means, and opportunity. Of course I'm sure we could clear your name, were we to run some tests on that blood on your monofilaments."

The detective smirked and pointed to them, which the Zeruellim had been trying and failing to cover up.

/YOU... MUST UNDERSTAND... IT WAS A CRIME OF PASSION./

"I get that a lot, let's get you down to the station."









Meanwhile...

(Just add 19 more thrones.)

The pantheon materialized in the hall of gods, as they tended to do, and noticed something amiss. The throne of the judge no longer stood empty, and indeed a new one filled its seat. Looking around the place, this new god would see a great golden feasting table, lined with plates of "Ambrosia" and "Nectar", that he would find in reality tasted a bit like doomsday rations and five dollar beer, respectively. The others sat on thrones like his, all inlayed with gold and precious jewels. A strange being resembling the moon, which this hall seemed to be on given the the immense glass ceiling showing a breathtaking view of the world below, or above, given the angle they were looking at. At the very end of the hall, opposite the thrones, was a levitating globe seeming to act as a portal to the world at large, and on one wall was a map seeming to display ecological data about said world, seeming decidedly more technological than anything else in the room. At the opposite side, a being seeming to not be of the other gods, but similarly divine provided ambient music on a piano. It resembled a human with a crescent moon for a head. Of course, this was all routine for the others, and the Judge had, of course, been here many times before.

Just_a_loneley_pilgrim ​

Ocaeril, for the first time, wasn't standing directly in his throne, at least not directly. Somewhere in the far corner of the newly decorated room, the incarnation of the planet stood, his face looking away from the table, even from the new god, as well.

It wasn't usual to see him so down, like this. Yet, one perhaps couldn't blame him. This cycle was...simply too much for him. Tanya, and his lack of knowledge whether or not he survived. Meryl, and him discovering newfound years of abuse from her to Inqui, and that bird, causing havoc and chaos.

And yet, none cared. They didn't bat an eye.

Ocaeril took a sip of his wine, listening to the music of the Hall of Gods in an empty expression. His mind never worked so slow, yet went to fast with thoughts like this.

A single eye went to look at Inqui, Tiamat, and Helsa.

...I'm going to do something stupid this turn, aren't I?

Ocaeril then looked at Zyr. Narrowing his eyes, but not in a bad way, before looking away and kept drinking. He needed time before doing stuff.

 

[Selee-01]

Zyr’abaoth sat in contemplation, in humanoid form. His helmet sat on his knee, icy blue eyes staring into the distance. He expanded his sight into the distant future, and the deep past. An epiphany struck him. He saw it all so clearly now. How it interlocked.

He knew how this story would end.


/I HAVE REACHED A CONCLUSION, OCAERIL/
/YOU SEE, I CAN BEHOLD THE FUTURE/
/MANY FUTURES/
/I SEE TWO INEVITABLE FACTS/
/THE GODS ONLY BRING PAIN TO MORTALS/
/AND LESSER LIFE ASCENDS/
/GODS ARE A BLIGHT ON THE COSMOS/
/MYSELF INCLUDED/
/YIMOR’DROTH OBLITERATED AN INHABITED ISLAND/
/ZERUEL DID WORSE/
/I SEE THE VICTIMS/
/CONSTANTLY/
/THEY SCREAM IN PAIN FOREVER/
/THE GODS HAVE CREATED HORRIBLE THINGS/
/GOREFIELD/
/HUSSKAR/
/DEEP ONES/
/BEFORE THE GODS RETURNED, MORTALS LIVED IN RELATIVE PEACE/
/THEY ONLY FEARED EACH OTHER, AND THEY COULD DEFEND THEMSELVES/
/NOW, THEY LIVE IN PERPETUAL FEAR OF THE GODS/
/AGAINST WHOM THERE IS NO DEFENSE/
/I PLAN TO REBIRTH EVERY GOD AS A MORTAL/
/OUTSIDERS PROVE THAT THE COSMOS ARE FILLED WITH GODS/
/I WANT TO CLEAN THE MULTIVERSE, BY VOIDING THE CONCEPT OF GODHOOD, AND THEN I SHALL KILL MYSELF/
/I CANNOT ACHIEVE THIS WITHOUT YOU/
/I AM FIXED IN MY PATH/
/I AM UNCHANGING, YOU SEE/
/BUT NOT IN THIS/
/SHALL WE MAKE A NEW FUTURE FOR ALL?/
/YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES WILL BE REBORN AS MORTALS/
/I SHALL DIE UTTERLY/
/AND THE WORLDS WILL LIVE IN PEACE, WITHOUT OUR TYRANNY/
/WHAT SAY YOU?/
Celestial Speck

 

[KolastoRPN]

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 | Just_a_loneley_pilgrim

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GM UPDATE
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Dawn of the New Year: 1400


Somewhere on the streets of Zhailving, a man dressed somewhat cliche attire for one attempting to go unnoticed stood at the base of a lamp post, powered by that novel form of magic those heathen rebels invented known as "electricity". The detective looked down to his timepiece, seeing that his contact should have arrived minutes ago. He tapped his foot, awaiting for his arrival before a strange sound echoed from a nearby alleyway. The detective turned his head, shining a lantern into the alley and creeping forward. Strange groans uttered from within as a thin ribbon suddenly lashed out. The detective lurched out of the way and drew his revolver, shining a light on the source of the tendril. Sure enough, the old hobo was there, a Zeruellim one could easily ascertain, but a drunk one who had forgotten their arranged meeting and attempted to decapitate him. He continued to hold out his weapon, though unsure it would even phase the Zeruellim, but it gave him a sense of security and so he kept it up anyway. Fortunately his kind were not of the more maddening variety that unscrupulous sorcerers would often summon, and as such the creature's response was not immediate evisceration of the detective, but rather to hurl a beer bottle in his general direction, shattering against the wall of a nearby building and sending some alley-cats scurrying off. The detective ducks, and spoke without fear to the abomination before him.

"You're late. And we were meant to meet outside, not in this..."

The detective kicked away a rat that chewed at his shoe.

"Slum..."

/I REQUIRED ALCOHOLIC SUSTENENCE. ZERUELLIM ARE NOT WITHOUT PRIORITIES./

"I... see..."

/NOW... YOU WISHED TO KNOW OF MY RACE'SH QUESHT?/

"Yes, chasing your tails in Kohona last I heard?"

/INDEED, THE 'BIG THREE'SH SHEARCH FOR EVERLASHTING LIEF ISH A MATTER DIFFICLUT TAH KEHP TRACH AHF, AHND IT APPEARSH TO BE A FUTILE ENDAVOAR ON THEAIR PART./

"I'm sorry, what?"

/THE SHEARCH HASH FAILED. WE ARE DOOMED TO DAMNASHION./

"Whatever. I need to know as much about your little 'search' as you can, I'm investigating a murder. Tell me, where have your authorities been active recently in this search for immortality?"

/OUR KIND VENTURED TO THE FOGLANDSH AH TIEM AGO TAH FIND THE SHECRETSH THAT ALLOW THEH FOGMEN TAH LIVE FOREVAH, AN YEHT THAT LAND NOW IS EMBROILED IN'AH GREAT HERESHY, THE FOGMEHN TURN AWAY FROM THEIR GAWD, OPENING THE FAWG TO ALLOW OUTSIDERS WITHIN, AND YET THE GREAT TOWER OF THUNDER NOW LIESH EHN RUINS, DESHTROYED BY TEH NEW KING OF THOSE LANDSH, A MAN OF SHERPENT'S BLOOD. THE IMMORTALITY THEY MAY GRANT ISH LEMETED THOUGH, AHND DON'T SUIT OUR INORGANIK NEEDS./

Spoiler: ooc

The "Big Three" have continued to turn up no results in their search for immortality, much like the Zeruellim. The foglands have turned their backs on their god, corven, due to the actions of Solid Snake, and have opened their lands to outsiders, becoming a friendly power to their neighbors rather than an enemy. They were, at one point, building a large electicity-generating tower, however for some reason, Solid Snake ordered it demolished.

"And, when was this failed expedition?"

/FORTEY SHEVEN OF YER YARS AGAH./

"Damnit man, I said recent! What of all that hulabaloo in the east?"

/AH YESH. THEIR GARDEN OF LIFE NOW LIES IN ASHESH. A FINAL AKT AH DEFIANSHE ASH TEH GAWD'A THEIR ENEMY CERRUPTED THER STOCK'N LEFT THE EMPEROR ALL DISHFIGURRD. NOW HE TOO EMBRACESH THE VOID. HISH HEIR TAKESH THEH THRONE EHN DIS TRYIN' TEIM 'N HOLDSH THEIR NATION TOGETHER. MANY CALL 'IM A VOOKIN IDIOT THOUGH, MAKIN' ALLIANCESH WIF STRANGE ISLAND TRIBES LIEK KOHONA'N EVEN PERSHUIN' PEACE'N LOVE'N ALL THAT SHEIT WIF THEM CATS TO THE EASHT. I CAN UNDERSHTAND TEH FORMAR SHINCE THEY HALF FOUND UPWARSH OF SHIXTY-SHIX POINT NINE PERSHENT'A THE DARK ONE'SH WEAKNESSH, FAR AHEAD'A THE HELSANS WIF THEIR TWENTEH SEVEN PERCENT, BUT THE NEKOSH OOFER 'EM NOTHING. THERE'SH TALKA' REVOLUTION IN THEM PARTSH, FOLKS IN THEH JADE SAYIN' TEH MANDATE'A THEH GODSH'SH BEEN LOSHT, CALLIN' FOR A TURN TO A NEW FAITH, THE FAITH'A JOE. THEY'VE GAINED THE AID'A THE KAHNSH ASHWELL, THOUGH I AM ALSHO AWARE THAT THE NEW RULER HASH PROVEN FAR LESH OF A TYRANT TO THE PEASANTSH OF HIS LAND, BUT HERESHY ISH HERESHY I GUESSH. THOUGH, HIS PLANSH MAKE SHENCE, SINCE THE FORCESH A YHARIM NOW THREATEN TEH WHOLE'A THE EAST, TITANIA ISH BESHIEGED AT DIS MOMENT BY THEH JUNGLE KING./

Spoiler: ooc

Due to the Jade Emperor's paranoia and outright disdain for gods attempting to manipulate him/her, the chi-fruit garden was set ablaze and the emperor hacked off his/her own horns before going into seclusion and eventually dying. His/her heir has taken the throne, doing many of the things ocaeril intended such as attempting to forge trade agreements with places like Kohona and Nekomatus, but this has caused outrage among the general population, who are now beginning to ally themselves with the Centaurs under the faith of joe, likely plotting to overthrow the new emperor, as he/she has, as they would say, "Lost the Mandate of Heaven". Tactically though, the descisions of the new emperor do have some merit, given that Lord Yharim's forces have conquered numerous islands throughout the east, and are currently besieging the kingdom of Titania in an attempt to conquer it, given that even Yharim cannot yet defeat the titan army. Ocaeril now has 66.5% of zyr's weakness, and helsa has 20% of it.

"So, what you are saying is that plan went out the window? Alright. When was this?"

/A HALF-CENTURY PASSHED./

"By Kura, I don't live for five hundred years like you, I'm investigating a murder that happened this week!"

/RITE./

The zeruellim takes a swig from a flagon, seemingly produced out of thin air.

/PERHAPSH YOUR INVESHTIGATION MAY BE AIDED BY KNOWING THE OLD ONESH TO HAVE AWOKENETH. GREAT CFOOLOO WALKSH THEH EARF AND HASH DRIVEN OUT THE FALSE DAGONITESH TO THE DEEPESHT DEAPTHS./

"Cthulhu... where have I heard that name..?"

/HE'SH THE BIG ONE WITH THE SHQUID FASHE./

The zeruellim reached to take another swig from the bottle, but at this point realized it to be empty and the detective spoke once more.

"So, you think this could be related to a cult of cthulhu?"

/NAH MAHN, THEY ALL BROKE UHP SCHINCE THEIR GOD WOKE UP ON'ISH OWN, ALL WENT'N GOT NORMAL JOBSH NOW. NO MORE SHACRIFICHE./

"I see, and this was how many years ago?"

/THIRTY SHOMETHIN./

Spoiler: ooc

Cthulhu has awoken, and the False Dagonites have had their holdings in the ocean severely reduced, no longer being a major world power in any respect. Otherwise, this has not changed much, and many cults of cthulhu have disbanded, now that their very purpose for existence has been fulfilled.

"Are you just using this questioning as an excuse to ramble about the good 'ole days?"

/INDEED, AND THEY WERE GOOD 'OLE DAYSH AS YOU SAY. OUR KIND HAVE BEEN SHCATTERED ACROSSH THE WORLD SHINCE THE GREAT BLACK BEASHT AND THE ARMY OF THE DEAD LAYED WASHTE TO OUR HOMELAND. FITTING. THE LAND OF THE DEAD GOD NOW SHERVES ONLY TO PLAY HOSHT TO THE DEAD./

Spoiler: ooc

Sunfall Reef was decimated by the attack of a void-dragon, which scattered the Zeruellim across the world. Nothing but undead and parasites lives there now.

The zeruellim seemed to notice that it was sobering up, reaching again for its bottle before the bottle was shattered by a shot from the detective's revolver.

/THAT WASH HIGHLY UNCALLED FOR./

"I just needed you to speak normally for once, now, I am investigating a murder of a renowned doctor who allegedly pursued the secrets of alchemy in his spare time, something about an elixir of life? Given the constant pursuits of such secrets by your kind I would guess you might have known them?"

/I NEVER MET OF THE MAN YOU SHPEAK OF./

"Now, when did I ever say it was a man?"

/SHINCE WHEN HAS NICK EVER BEEN A FEMALE./

"Hah, still a little tipsy I see? So you did know him, care to tell me more?"

/FINE. I KNOW HIM TO HAVE WORKED SOME TIME UNDERCOVER, IN THE CULT OF THE DEMON QUEEN. SINCE THE CRYSTALLINE BEASTS IN THE EMPIRE HIS FASCINATION WITH THEM ONLY GREW, AND HE WAS INITIATED AND SERVED AS AN INFORMANT TO THE LORD. INWARDLY HIS MOTIVES DIFFERED HOWEVER, HE SOUGHT A MEANS OF CONVERTING ONESELF INTO AN IMMORTAL DEMON, YET ONE OF PURITY. HE WAS SURE THEIR MAGICS COULD BE TWISTED FOR MEANS OF SALVATION, EVEN SO FAR AS TO HOLD DIALOGUE WITH THE BETRAYER OF THE EMPIRE HIMSELF WHOM SO FEW HAVE SEEN SINCE HE LEFT FOR THAT WICKED ISLAND. HE OBTAINED FOR HIMSELF ONE OF THE DEMONIC GEMS THEY SO FREQUENTLY OFFER TO THE UNWARY, THOUGH AS FAR AS HE EVER TOLD ME, HOWEVER, HIS EFFORTS TO PURIFY SUCH AN ITEM NEVER BORE FRUIT./

Spoiler: ooc

Crystal monsters occasionally pop up in the empire to wreck shit now, and given the experience of the person in this story, they cannot be purified to serve another purpose. Sang is now known as a man guilty of high treason and one of the empire's most wanted.

The detective scratched his chin.

"So, you went from not knowing this man to being a confidante for his most private secrets? Tell me, what was your relation to the victim? Your actual relation. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you in to those void-crazed madmen or charge you as the victim to save the department's budget. I'm a private detective, I get paid by the hour."

/I SEE. VERY WELL. I KNEW THIS MAN AS THOUGH WE WERE OF THE SAME BROOD. OUR QUESTS ALIGNED AND WE CAME TO PURSUE OUR GOALS TOGETHER, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS. OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS, HOWEVER, ONE PURELY OF NECESSITY./

"The others?"

/THE MANY BEINGS WE KNEW TO HAVE PURSUED THE SAME SECRETS THAT WE REQUIRED. SUCH BEING THOSE STRANGE WANDERERS OF THE WEST WHO SO RECENTLY CLAIMED A LAND OF THEIR OWN. THE SCORPION TRIBES' WITCHCRAFT IS, HOWEVER, MERE PARLOR TRICKS. USELESS TO OUR CAUSE. AS WERE THOSE STRANGE ILLUSIONISTS NOW FOUND IN HIGH PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITIES. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE THE SECRETS WE DESIRED. THIS WAS, HOWEVER, A LIE./

"Alright... Tell me, did you two make any enemies along the way? Dismembering someone and throwing their remains into a river is certainly the M.O of the Helsan cult, could it have been that they had found him out?"

/UNLIKELY. LIKE MY KIND THE ALCHEMIST WAS A TRAVELLER. ANY CULTISTS OF THAT BRAND WOULD HAVE TO HAVE FOLLOWED HIM FROM THE NORTH. WE DID, HOWEVER, MAKE MANY ENEMIES TO THE SOUTH. IN OUR VENTURE TO THE SCORPION TRIBE AND INVESTIGATIONS OF LARION AND KERETAS, DISCOVERY OF STRANGE BEINGS OF NO TRUE FORM AND ARMIES OF LIKEWISE PSEUDO-HUMAN THINGS, APPEARING OF YOUR RACE YET WITH A TRUE FORM MOST ALIEN, THOUGH NOT COMPARABLE TO THE GLORY OF MY OWN. MOREOVER, MY FRIEND, A GENIUS AS HE WAS, WAS INDEED OF NOBLE BLOOD. HIS DECISION TO CALL THE QUEEN IN RAGS A 'FARMGIRL' TO HER FACE, NOT A WISE ONE IN MY OPINION./

The detective holsters his revolver, beginning to get a feel for what this Zeruellim and the Victim had been doing for these years of their lives.

Spoiler: ooc

The Scorpi have claimed a homeland under the influence of Ickol, though it is quite small and not really significant enough to be called a country. Illusionists of Ickol's courts have also been able to rise to the ranks of court mages in numerous of the remaining city states, along with larger countries save for isolationists such as the cenobites or the biome. Larion is firmly in the grip of the dopplegangers, who now have an army of specially bred changelings who can switch between human and monster form at will, though they only have one distinct humanoid appearance and can't look like anyone. Another decently-sized city state worth noting is the one under the control of the "Queen in Rags", Ickol's champion, so named for rising from the status of a peasant to the big time in almost no time at all.

"So, the two of you were adventurers? Guildsmen? Murder-hoboes?"

/THE FIRST IS A FITTING DESCRIPTION FOR OUR EXPLOITS, THOUGH WE WERE NOT OF THE GUILD OF HEROES, NOR WERE WE KILLERS. THOUGH ON OCCASION I WAS FORCED TO BRING MY LIMBS TO BARE IN THE FACE OF MONSTERS AND HIGHWAYMEN./

"I see, well, aside from assassinations ordered by offended royalty or a conspiracy of shapeshifters, were there any more, say, personal enemies that the two of you might have made in your adventures? People who his deeds may have affected more drastically?"

/INDEED. HE SOUGHT MAGICAL ASSISTANCE FROM A NUMBER OF STRANGE NATURE SPIRITS. ONE-LEGGED MEN AND OTHER BIZARRE CREATURES, THEY SOUGHT OUR AID AND MY COMPANION FELT INDEBTED TO THE BEINGS BY VIRTUE OF ONE HELPING HIM THROUGH A TRYING TIME, A PINK DOLPHIN AS HE DESCRIBED IT./

"And how does this relate to you making enemies?"

/THE AID WE GRANTED RAN AFOUL OF THE VOID-WORSHIPPING FANATICS, AS DOES ANY ACT TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THEIR CORRUPTION. THEIR TRUE HATRED LIES WITH THE FAIR FOLK WHO BRING LOST BEINGS BACK FROM THE VOID OF EXTINCTION, AND OUR DEEDS WERE INNOCUOUS, HOWEVER, AND OFFERINGS WE MADE TO THESE SPIRITS IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR MAGICAL KNOWLEDGE LIKELY WERE NOT ENOUGH TO PERMIT SUCH A WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER. I SUSPECT ANOTHER BEING IS AT WORK IN THAT./

"Damn, and I almost had you on accessory to mass murder."

/WAS THAT A JOKE. I STILL HAVE ISSUES COMPREHENDING YOUR CONCEPT OF SUCH THINGS./

"Yes, it was. Now, tell me, was the victim acting strangely recently? Seeming worried or anxious about anything?"

/INDEED. HIS JOURNEY TO THE EMPIRE LEFT HIM SHAKEN. THOUGH THE LAND MAY NOW BE A PRISTINE ONE SINCE ITS SHIFT TO THE MOUNTAINS, ITS ALLIANCE WITH THE REVELRY SINCE THEIR DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF THE FOUR PIRATE LORDS AND THEIR RECENT TIMES OF WAR HAVE LEFT THE PLACE A DEN OF CRIME AND VILLAINY. I SUSPECT HE CAME INTO THE DEBT OF ONE OF THE IMPERIAL CRIME LORDS, THOUGH HE WOULD NOT TELL ME MORE. HE WENT TO THE LAND TO SEEK AN ARTIFACT OF ELVEN MAKE, ONE THAT COULD RESHAPE THE BODY AND EXTEND LIFE, PLUNDERED IN THE WAR AGAINST THE FLESH THAT HATES, AND HE OBTAINED IT AS HE SAID, YET HE WOULD NOT TELL ME HOW, ONCE AGAIN./

"I see... anyone in particular who you think he is indebted to, who may have come to collect before things went south?"

Spoiler: ooc

The brazillian fae creatures now exist, although to be honest I did not research the entirety of brazillian and greater latin american mythology just for this one GM post, so the implications of that escape me. The followers of Zyr have been in decline due to a string of mysterious deaths, the cause being Avatars of Debt. Due to an alliance with the Revelry and a theocratic takeover, the Empire has become even more of a den of scum and villainy than it already was. Offscreen, they waged "The War Of The Flesh", a war against the Cenobites which saw them lose significant amounts of territory and now hold onto only a few comorragh-like cities in the deep forests. The Pirate Lords were also victorious in the pirate wars, driving the remaining huskarr at sea back to their homeland and forcing the revelry to ally with the empire in the first place. The empire has additionally moved its capital into more mountainous regions, closer to the borders with the gnomes.

/NOTHING HUMAN./

The detective cocked an eyebrow.

"Elaborate."

"IN THAT LAND HE SOUGHT OUT A LEGENDARY LAKE IN THE MOUNTAINS, GUARDED BY A WINGLESS DRAGON WITH AN IRON SKULL. THE LAKE HELD AN ARTIFACT OFFERING MASTERY OF TIME ITSELF. WE HAD HOPED TO SUSPEND OURSELVES IN FROZEN TIME TO AWAIT WHEN THE THREAT OF DAMNATION HAD SUBSIDED. ALAS, THE DRAGON'S ARMOR PROVED INVULNERABLE TO ANY WEAPON WE COULD OBTAIN LEGALLY, AND SOME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OBTAINED LESS THAN LEGALLY."

"Since when do dragons travel to Zhailving to slit a man's throat?"

/SINCE WHEN DO VEINS OF ORE SPEAK WITH THE INTELLIGENCE OF A HUNDRED MEN THINKING AS ONE, OR YELLOW FOXES APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR TO EVADE THE HUNTER? THIS WORLD IS A STRANGE ONE MY FRIEND./

"'Eh, fair point, but I highly doubt a dragon would have done this. The wounds found on the victim were clearly inflicted with some kind of blade, an extremely sharp one by the look of it, no burns were found."

/COULD THOSE BLADES HAVE BEEN CLAWS? I KNOW HIM TO HAVE SOUGHT OUT A DEMON WHO WAS ONCE A MAN, NOW LEAVING DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE IN VILLAGES ACROSS THE WEST./

"No I'm pretty sure they were blades..."

The detective eyes the Zeruellim's filaments, which it seems to quickly retract.

/I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, BUT I KNOW OF A MORE LOGICAL SUSPECT./

"You do?"

/INDEED. NICHOLAS WAS AN AVID GAMBLER AS YOU LIKELY KNOW, AND ATTEMPTED TO, AS ONE WOULD SAY, CHEAT BOOMTOWN./

"Oh?"

/HE FOUND THAT THROUGH A FEW LUCKY ROLLS, ALONG WITH SELLING HIS ENTIRE LIFESPAN SAVE FOR A YEAR, HE COULD PURCHASE AGELESSNESS WITHOUT FAULT, AND WE HAD THOUGHT OUR SALVATION AT HAND./

"That's brilliant! What happened then?"

/ADMINISTRATION SEEMED TO CATCH ON TO THE FLAW IN THEIR PRICING OF THESE MAGICAL PRIZES, AND BUMPED IT UP. THEY RETROACTIVELY REVOKED HIS IMMORTALITY AND HE RECOVERED HIS LIFESPAN. PROTESTS WERE GREAT, AND THE BOOMTOWN ASSOCIATION'S PATRONAGE FELL DRASTICALLY. THEY STILL RECIEVE ANGERED LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS TO THIS DAY, AND NICHOLAS WAS AT SOLE FAULT FOR THIS OUTRAGE. NO DOUBT, MANY IN THE ADMINISTRATION WISHED ILL FATE ON HIM, THE DRACONIC CHIEF OF THE ORGANIZATION MAY HAVE ORDERED THE HIT HIMSELF. I HAVE SEEN MANY OF THEIR THUGS ROAMING THIS CITY AS OF LATE, APPARENTLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF 'DAMAGE CONTROL'./

Spoiler: ooc

Psychic and steel pokemon exist, though thanks to Phil only in places where it would actually make sense, IE: They are not common. The zeruellim gives an example of metagrosses living in clusters in deep caves, and wild abras. The Time Gears likewise exist, though are guarded by pokemon such as Heatran, which is described here as a wingless dragon. So far, no one has managed to successfully steal one. Morlock has trashed a number of villages likely in triple digits over the years, and the Boomtown casinos now exist. They were at the center of controversy recently as someone managed to discover a loophole that, by selling one's entire lifespan save for one year, they could gain enough chips to buy immortality. Casino administration revoked his immortality immediately and bumped up that reward's price, which has resulted in massive boycotts, given that he wasn't technically cheating. Still, they remain fairly popular destinations.

"Interesting... anything else of note? Any other people he may have angered?"

/YES. HE MADE A TRIP TO THE TRITONIC ARCHIPELAGO, SEEKING KNOWLEDGE OF A STRANGE ARTIFACT HELD THERE SAID TO GRANT A FORM OF CYCLICAL IMMORTALITY, ALONG WITH A BLESSING UPON THE LAND. THIS BLESSING IS, HOWEVER, A CURSE, AS SINCE THE DEMONIC INVASION OF THOSE ISLANDS AND THE DEATH OF CYOGNAX, THE ROYAL LINE IS SAID TO BE IN A NEVER-ENDING CONFLICT WITH THAT DEMON AND HIS ACCURSED REINCARNATIONS, FACILITATED BY THAT ARTIFACT. SADLY, IT CAME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT IT CAN ONLY SUSTAIN THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME IN THIS STATE, BINDING THEM FOREVER AS ONE YET KEEPING THEIR SOULS ALIVE. IT COULD, IN ITS CURRENT STATE, ONLY HOLD ONE MORE SOUL./

Spoiler: ooc

The triforce exists, although it couldn't sustain itself with only the 'wisdom' aspect bonded to a person. It managed to attract the demon-pirate lord Cyognax, who was killed by an as of yet unnamed hero (speck has dibs on making his reincarnation) and cursed their reincarnations forever, essentially becoming a pseudo-ganon. Note that the triforce allows them to reincarnate in the first place despite the existence of Zyr's hell. Stealing the courage egg/triangle was the motivation for this zeruellim to murder his friend in a fit of passion.

"And so THAT was why you murdered him, wasn't it?"

/WAIT WHAT./

"You both wanted to live forever, the artifact could only sustain one soul, so as you plotted to steal it, you killed him! Didn't you?"

/I... YOU HAVE NO PROOF./

"You sure? The knot on the bag I found his remains in would never have been tied in such a way by human hands, indicating one of your kind killed him. I know of no other Zeruellim with close relation to the victim, and it seems to me that you had motive, means, and opportunity. Of course I'm sure we could clear your name, were we to run some tests on that blood on your monofilaments."

The detective smirked and pointed to them, which the Zeruellim had been trying and failing to cover up.

/YOU... MUST UNDERSTAND... IT WAS A CRIME OF PASSION./

"I get that a lot, let's get you down to the station."









Meanwhile...

(Just add 19 more thrones.)

The pantheon materialized in the hall of gods, as they tended to do, and noticed something amiss. The throne of the judge no longer stood empty, and indeed a new one filled its seat. Looking around the place, this new god would see a great golden feasting table, lined with plates of "Ambrosia" and "Nectar", that he would find in reality tasted a bit like doomsday rations and five dollar beer, respectively. The others sat on thrones like his, all inlayed with gold and precious jewels. A strange being resembling the moon, which this hall seemed to be on given the the immense glass ceiling showing a breathtaking view of the world below, or above, given the angle they were looking at. At the very end of the hall, opposite the thrones, was a levitating globe seeming to act as a portal to the world at large, and on one wall was a map seeming to display ecological data about said world, seeming decidedly more technological than anything else in the room. At the opposite side, a being seeming to not be of the other gods, but similarly divine provided ambient music on a piano. It resembled a human with a crescent moon for a head. Of course, this was all routine for the others, and the Judge had, of course, been here many times before.

Just_a_loneley_pilgrim ​

Helsa looked around the Hall, one of her tentacles grabbing the Ambrosia and holding it up to her mouth to gnaw on (it was an...acquired taste, that she had acquired.) She glanced at each of the gods, before returning to her food. That...was different. It seemed she was thinking heavily on something. Something that couldn't be good...could it?

A single eye went to look at Inqui, Tiamat, and Helsa.

That eye managed to notice something that was different about Helsa, something that only someone that knew her beyond her corruption and violent pride could notice. Her confidence was clearly still there, but something was off...like it wasn't complete. Like something that made Helsa's arrogance perfect and full was absent.

Something was very wrong.

 

[VomitIcicle]

KolastoRPN


"This is unacceptable!" Corven shouted, slamming his crystalline fists on the table. "My followers forsake me for another! There has been another Outsider, brothers and sisters, one of great power. He alludes my sight, this... this usurper. My scrying has no effect t! He is a danger, a danger to us all!"

 

[Celestial Speck]

Zyr’abaoth sat in contemplation, in humanoid form. His helmet sat on his knee, icy blue eyes staring into the distance. He expanded his sight into the distant future, and the deep past. An epiphany struck him. He saw it all so clearly now. How it interlocked.

He knew how this story would end.


/I HAVE REACHED A CONCLUSION, OCAERIL/
/YOU SEE, I CAN BEHOLD THE FUTURE/
/MANY FUTURES/
/I SEE TWO INEVITABLE FACTS/
/THE GODS ONLY BRING PAIN TO MORTALS/
/AND LESSER LIFE ASCENDS/
/GODS ARE A BLIGHT ON THE COSMOS/
/MYSELF INCLUDED/
/YIMOR’DROTH OBLITERATED AN INHABITED ISLAND/
/ZERUEL DID WORSE/
/I SEE THE VICTIMS/
/CONSTANTLY/
/THEY SCREAM IN PAIN FOREVER/
/THE GODS HAVE CREATED HORRIBLE THINGS/
/GOREFIELD/
/HUSSKAR/
/DEEP ONES/
/BEFORE THE GODS RETURNED, MORTALS LIVED IN RELATIVE PEACE/
/THEY ONLY FEARED EACH OTHER, AND THEY COULD DEFEND THEMSELVES/
/NOW, THEY LIVE IN PERPETUAL FEAR OF THE GODS/
/AGAINST WHOM THERE IS NO DEFENSE/
/I PLAN TO REBIRTH EVERY GOD AS A MORTAL/
/OUTSIDERS PROVE THAT THE COSMOS ARE FILLED WITH GODS/
/I WANT TO CLEAN THE MULTIVERSE, BY VOIDING THE CONCEPT OF GODHOOD, AND THEN I SHALL KILL MYSELF/
/I CANNOT ACHIEVE THIS WITHOUT YOU/
/I AM FIXED IN MY PATH/
/I AM UNCHANGING, YOU SEE/
/BUT NOT IN THIS/
/SHALL WE MAKE A NEW FUTURE FOR ALL?/
/YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES WILL BE REBORN AS MORTALS/
/I SHALL DIE UTTERLY/
/AND THE WORLDS WILL LIVE IN PEACE, WITHOUT OUR TYRANNY/
/WHAT SAY YOU?/
Celestial Speck

Ocaeril blinked. Zyr's voice rang next to him. He was about to ask what the dragon god wished, before he began to speak. Ocaeril made no attempt to stop Zyr from talking. His eyes slowly widened as Zyr began to speak more and more. His words, his philosophy way of describing the gods, it was...

It was true.

Ocaeril heard his words carefully. His description of life in the planet before the gods awakened. One might see it as the worst, most cruel event that occured in history. Gods were manipulative. He was too, even if he had good intentions.

Ickol, Tiamat, Helsa, and everyone. They all stole a future that mortals could have for themselves. They didn't have their own path. The gods, beings beyond those concepts, had such an easy time doing this to them.

Zyr was completely right, and that's what made Oca for a moment consider his offer.

Mortality...A world where humans can have a future? It...It isn't the best outcome...And yet...

"N...Not here. Not in front of them." Oca spoke, shaking his head. "I...Know fully well what these outcomes are...So...Take us to your land, Zyr. We...Need to talk there. I'll give you my answer there."

...Ocaeril looked at the gods one last time, as he spoke quietly with Zyr.

...There it is. The dumb thing he was going to do. He didn't have his answer, and yet...

Seeing Helsa's gaze, Inqui's happy smile, Tiamat's proud essence, Original's antics, and everyone else, made something inside of him to want to say something. This could be the last time he saw them.

...Yet he couldn't give a goodbye to those who he cared. Or any other for the matter.

"...Lets go, Zyr. No more tricks. To our...Event Horizon. We'll speak there."

 

[KolastoRPN]

Helsa Conversational

KolastoRPN


"This is unacceptable!" Corven shouted, slamming his crystalline fists on the table. "My followers forsake me for another! There has been another Outsider, brothers and sisters, one of great power. He alludes my sight, this... this usurper. My scrying has no effect t! He is a danger, a danger to us all!"

Helsa's mind was still a storm of deep thought, but she knew an opportunity when she sensed one. Her voice whispered into Corven's ear, despite her still appearing to still be eating the Ambrosia. I have an idea on how you can...ensure your followers loyalty. How about some...additions to them. Ones that involve pure, raw, corruptive energy?

Ocaeril blinked. Zyr's voice rang next to him. He was about to ask what the dragon god wished, before he began to speak. Ocaeril made no attempt to stop Zyr from talking. His eyes slowly widened as Zyr began to speak more and more. His words, his philosophy way of describing the gods, it was...

It was true.

Ocaeril heard his words carefully. His description of life in the planet before the gods awakened. One might see it as the worst, most cruel event that occured in history. Gods were manipulative. He was too, even if he had good intentions.

Ickol, Tiamat, Helsa, and everyone. They all stole a future that mortals could have for themselves. They didn't have their own path. The gods, beings beyond those concepts, had such an easy time doing this to them.

Zyr was completely right, and that's what made Oca for a moment consider his offer.

Mortality...A world where humans can have a future? It...It isn't the best outcome...And yet...

"N...Not here. Not in front of them." Oca spoke, shaking his head. "I...Know fully well what these outcomes are...So...Take us to your land, Zyr. We...Need to talk there. I'll give you my answer there."

...Ocaeril looked at the gods one last time, as he spoke quietly with Zyr.

...There it is. The dumb thing he was going to do. He didn't have his answer, and yet...

Seeing Helsa's gaze, Inqui's happy smile, Tiamat's proud essence, Original's antics, and everyone else, made something inside of him to want to say something. This could be the last time he saw them.

...Yet he couldn't give a goodbye to those who he cared. Or any other for the matter.

"...Lets go, Zyr. No more tricks. To our...Event Horizon. We'll speak there."

And then that train of thought was partially lost from noticing that Ocaeril was conversing with Zyr. And that the two seemed to be preparing to leave. "You self-sacrificing fool, what are you DOING?!" She hissed, her eyes glowing. What was that big-hearted imbecile planning?!

 

[Selee-01]

Ocaeril blinked. Zyr's voice rang next to him. He was about to ask what the dragon god wished, before he began to speak. Ocaeril made no attempt to stop Zyr from talking. His eyes slowly widened as Zyr began to speak more and more. His words, his philosophy way of describing the gods, it was...

It was true.

Ocaeril heard his words carefully. His description of life in the planet before the gods awakened. One might see it as the worst, most cruel event that occured in history. Gods were manipulative. He was too, even if he had good intentions.

Ickol, Tiamat, Helsa, and everyone. They all stole a future that mortals could have for themselves. They didn't have their own path. The gods, beings beyond those concepts, had such an easy time doing this to them.

Zyr was completely right, and that's what made Oca for a moment consider his offer.

Mortality...A world where humans can have a future? It...It isn't the best outcome...And yet...

"N...Not here. Not in front of them." Oca spoke, shaking his head. "I...Know fully well what these outcomes are...So...Take us to your land, Zyr. We...Need to talk there. I'll give you my answer there."

...Ocaeril looked at the gods one last time, as he spoke quietly with Zyr.

...There it is. The dumb thing he was going to do. He didn't have his answer, and yet...

Seeing Helsa's gaze, Inqui's happy smile, Tiamat's proud essence, Original's antics, and everyone else, made something inside of him to want to say something. This could be the last time he saw them.

...Yet he couldn't give a goodbye to those who he cared. Or any other for the matter.

"...Lets go, Zyr. No more tricks. To our...Event Horizon. We'll speak there."

Zyr donned his helm, and grinned. With a snap of his fingers, he opened a portal to the Afterlife’s throne room and took a seat.
/GO ON/

 

[Scrump_Diddle]

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 | Just_a_loneley_pilgrim

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GM UPDATE
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Dawn of the New Year: 1400


Somewhere on the streets of Zhailving, a man dressed somewhat cliche attire for one attempting to go unnoticed stood at the base of a lamp post, powered by that novel form of magic those heathen rebels invented known as "electricity". The detective looked down to his timepiece, seeing that his contact should have arrived minutes ago. He tapped his foot, awaiting for his arrival before a strange sound echoed from a nearby alleyway. The detective turned his head, shining a lantern into the alley and creeping forward. Strange groans uttered from within as a thin ribbon suddenly lashed out. The detective lurched out of the way and drew his revolver, shining a light on the source of the tendril. Sure enough, the old hobo was there, a Zeruellim one could easily ascertain, but a drunk one who had forgotten their arranged meeting and attempted to decapitate him. He continued to hold out his weapon, though unsure it would even phase the Zeruellim, but it gave him a sense of security and so he kept it up anyway. Fortunately his kind were not of the more maddening variety that unscrupulous sorcerers would often summon, and as such the creature's response was not immediate evisceration of the detective, but rather to hurl a beer bottle in his general direction, shattering against the wall of a nearby building and sending some alley-cats scurrying off. The detective ducks, and spoke without fear to the abomination before him.

"You're late. And we were meant to meet outside, not in this..."

The detective kicked away a rat that chewed at his shoe.

"Slum..."

/I REQUIRED ALCOHOLIC SUSTENENCE. ZERUELLIM ARE NOT WITHOUT PRIORITIES./

"I... see..."

/NOW... YOU WISHED TO KNOW OF MY RACE'SH QUESHT?/

"Yes, chasing your tails in Kohona last I heard?"

/INDEED, THE 'BIG THREE'SH SHEARCH FOR EVERLASHTING LIEF ISH A MATTER DIFFICLUT TAH KEHP TRACH AHF, AHND IT APPEARSH TO BE A FUTILE ENDAVOAR ON THEAIR PART./

"I'm sorry, what?"

/THE SHEARCH HASH FAILED. WE ARE DOOMED TO DAMNASHION./

"Whatever. I need to know as much about your little 'search' as you can, I'm investigating a murder. Tell me, where have your authorities been active recently in this search for immortality?"

/OUR KIND VENTURED TO THE FOGLANDSH AH TIEM AGO TAH FIND THE SHECRETSH THAT ALLOW THEH FOGMEN TAH LIVE FOREVAH, AN YEHT THAT LAND NOW IS EMBROILED IN'AH GREAT HERESHY, THE FOGMEHN TURN AWAY FROM THEIR GAWD, OPENING THE FAWG TO ALLOW OUTSIDERS WITHIN, AND YET THE GREAT TOWER OF THUNDER NOW LIESH EHN RUINS, DESHTROYED BY TEH NEW KING OF THOSE LANDSH, A MAN OF SHERPENT'S BLOOD. THE IMMORTALITY THEY MAY GRANT ISH LEMETED THOUGH, AHND DON'T SUIT OUR INORGANIK NEEDS./

Spoiler: ooc

The "Big Three" have continued to turn up no results in their search for immortality, much like the Zeruellim. The foglands have turned their backs on their god, corven, due to the actions of Solid Snake, and have opened their lands to outsiders, becoming a friendly power to their neighbors rather than an enemy. They were, at one point, building a large electicity-generating tower, however for some reason, Solid Snake ordered it demolished.

"And, when was this failed expedition?"

/FORTEY SHEVEN OF YER YARS AGAH./

"Damnit man, I said recent! What of all that hulabaloo in the east?"

/AH YESH. THEIR GARDEN OF LIFE NOW LIES IN ASHESH. A FINAL AKT AH DEFIANSHE ASH TEH GAWD'A THEIR ENEMY CERRUPTED THER STOCK'N LEFT THE EMPEROR ALL DISHFIGURRD. NOW HE TOO EMBRACESH THE VOID. HISH HEIR TAKESH THEH THRONE EHN DIS TRYIN' TEIM 'N HOLDSH THEIR NATION TOGETHER. MANY CALL 'IM A VOOKIN IDIOT THOUGH, MAKIN' ALLIANCESH WIF STRANGE ISLAND TRIBES LIEK KOHONA'N EVEN PERSHUIN' PEACE'N LOVE'N ALL THAT SHEIT WIF THEM CATS TO THE EASHT. I CAN UNDERSHTAND TEH FORMAR SHINCE THEY HALF FOUND UPWARSH OF SHIXTY-SHIX POINT NINE PERSHENT'A THE DARK ONE'SH WEAKNESSH, FAR AHEAD'A THE HELSANS WIF THEIR TWENTEH SEVEN PERCENT, BUT THE NEKOSH OOFER 'EM NOTHING. THERE'SH TALKA' REVOLUTION IN THEM PARTSH, FOLKS IN THEH JADE SAYIN' TEH MANDATE'A THEH GODSH'SH BEEN LOSHT, CALLIN' FOR A TURN TO A NEW FAITH, THE FAITH'A JOE. THEY'VE GAINED THE AID'A THE KAHNSH ASHWELL, THOUGH I AM ALSHO AWARE THAT THE NEW RULER HASH PROVEN FAR LESH OF A TYRANT TO THE PEASANTSH OF HIS LAND, BUT HERESHY ISH HERESHY I GUESSH. THOUGH, HIS PLANSH MAKE SHENCE, SINCE THE FORCESH A YHARIM NOW THREATEN TEH WHOLE'A THE EAST, TITANIA ISH BESHIEGED AT DIS MOMENT BY THEH JUNGLE KING./

Spoiler: ooc

Due to the Jade Emperor's paranoia and outright disdain for gods attempting to manipulate him/her, the chi-fruit garden was set ablaze and the emperor hacked off his/her own horns before going into seclusion and eventually dying. His/her heir has taken the throne, doing many of the things ocaeril intended such as attempting to forge trade agreements with places like Kohona and Nekomatus, but this has caused outrage among the general population, who are now beginning to ally themselves with the Centaurs under the faith of joe, likely plotting to overthrow the new emperor, as he/she has, as they would say, "Lost the Mandate of Heaven". Tactically though, the descisions of the new emperor do have some merit, given that Lord Yharim's forces have conquered numerous islands throughout the east, and are currently besieging the kingdom of Titania in an attempt to conquer it, given that even Yharim cannot yet defeat the titan army. Ocaeril now has 66.5% of zyr's weakness, and helsa has 20% of it.

"So, what you are saying is that plan went out the window? Alright. When was this?"

/A HALF-CENTURY PASSHED./

"By Kura, I don't live for five hundred years like you, I'm investigating a murder that happened this week!"

/RITE./

The zeruellim takes a swig from a flagon, seemingly produced out of thin air.

/PERHAPSH YOUR INVESHTIGATION MAY BE AIDED BY KNOWING THE OLD ONESH TO HAVE AWOKENETH. GREAT CFOOLOO WALKSH THEH EARF AND HASH DRIVEN OUT THE FALSE DAGONITESH TO THE DEEPESHT DEAPTHS./

"Cthulhu... where have I heard that name..?"

/HE'SH THE BIG ONE WITH THE SHQUID FASHE./

The zeruellim reached to take another swig from the bottle, but at this point realized it to be empty and the detective spoke once more.

"So, you think this could be related to a cult of cthulhu?"

/NAH MAHN, THEY ALL BROKE UHP SCHINCE THEIR GOD WOKE UP ON'ISH OWN, ALL WENT'N GOT NORMAL JOBSH NOW. NO MORE SHACRIFICHE./

"I see, and this was how many years ago?"

/THIRTY SHOMETHIN./

Spoiler: ooc

Cthulhu has awoken, and the False Dagonites have had their holdings in the ocean severely reduced, no longer being a major world power in any respect. Otherwise, this has not changed much, and many cults of cthulhu have disbanded, now that their very purpose for existence has been fulfilled.

"Are you just using this questioning as an excuse to ramble about the good 'ole days?"

/INDEED, AND THEY WERE GOOD 'OLE DAYSH AS YOU SAY. OUR KIND HAVE BEEN SHCATTERED ACROSSH THE WORLD SHINCE THE GREAT BLACK BEASHT AND THE ARMY OF THE DEAD LAYED WASHTE TO OUR HOMELAND. FITTING. THE LAND OF THE DEAD GOD NOW SHERVES ONLY TO PLAY HOSHT TO THE DEAD./

Spoiler: ooc

Sunfall Reef was decimated by the attack of a void-dragon, which scattered the Zeruellim across the world. Nothing but undead and parasites lives there now.

The zeruellim seemed to notice that it was sobering up, reaching again for its bottle before the bottle was shattered by a shot from the detective's revolver.

/THAT WASH HIGHLY UNCALLED FOR./

"I just needed you to speak normally for once, now, I am investigating a murder of a renowned doctor who allegedly pursued the secrets of alchemy in his spare time, something about an elixir of life? Given the constant pursuits of such secrets by your kind I would guess you might have known them?"

/I NEVER MET OF THE MAN YOU SHPEAK OF./

"Now, when did I ever say it was a man?"

/SHINCE WHEN HAS NICK EVER BEEN A FEMALE./

"Hah, still a little tipsy I see? So you did know him, care to tell me more?"

/FINE. I KNOW HIM TO HAVE WORKED SOME TIME UNDERCOVER, IN THE CULT OF THE DEMON QUEEN. SINCE THE CRYSTALLINE BEASTS IN THE EMPIRE HIS FASCINATION WITH THEM ONLY GREW, AND HE WAS INITIATED AND SERVED AS AN INFORMANT TO THE LORD. INWARDLY HIS MOTIVES DIFFERED HOWEVER, HE SOUGHT A MEANS OF CONVERTING ONESELF INTO AN IMMORTAL DEMON, YET ONE OF PURITY. HE WAS SURE THEIR MAGICS COULD BE TWISTED FOR MEANS OF SALVATION, EVEN SO FAR AS TO HOLD DIALOGUE WITH THE BETRAYER OF THE EMPIRE HIMSELF WHOM SO FEW HAVE SEEN SINCE HE LEFT FOR THAT WICKED ISLAND. HE OBTAINED FOR HIMSELF ONE OF THE DEMONIC GEMS THEY SO FREQUENTLY OFFER TO THE UNWARY, THOUGH AS FAR AS HE EVER TOLD ME, HOWEVER, HIS EFFORTS TO PURIFY SUCH AN ITEM NEVER BORE FRUIT./

Spoiler: ooc

Crystal monsters occasionally pop up in the empire to wreck shit now, and given the experience of the person in this story, they cannot be purified to serve another purpose. Sang is now known as a man guilty of high treason and one of the empire's most wanted.

The detective scratched his chin.

"So, you went from not knowing this man to being a confidante for his most private secrets? Tell me, what was your relation to the victim? Your actual relation. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you in to those void-crazed madmen or charge you as the victim to save the department's budget. I'm a private detective, I get paid by the hour."

/I SEE. VERY WELL. I KNEW THIS MAN AS THOUGH WE WERE OF THE SAME BROOD. OUR QUESTS ALIGNED AND WE CAME TO PURSUE OUR GOALS TOGETHER, ALONG WITH THE OTHERS. OUR FRIENDSHIP WAS, HOWEVER, ONE PURELY OF NECESSITY./

"The others?"

/THE MANY BEINGS WE KNEW TO HAVE PURSUED THE SAME SECRETS THAT WE REQUIRED. SUCH BEING THOSE STRANGE WANDERERS OF THE WEST WHO SO RECENTLY CLAIMED A LAND OF THEIR OWN. THE SCORPION TRIBES' WITCHCRAFT IS, HOWEVER, MERE PARLOR TRICKS. USELESS TO OUR CAUSE. AS WERE THOSE STRANGE ILLUSIONISTS NOW FOUND IN HIGH PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITIES. THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE THE SECRETS WE DESIRED. THIS WAS, HOWEVER, A LIE./

"Alright... Tell me, did you two make any enemies along the way? Dismembering someone and throwing their remains into a river is certainly the M.O of the Helsan cult, could it have been that they had found him out?"

/UNLIKELY. LIKE MY KIND THE ALCHEMIST WAS A TRAVELLER. ANY CULTISTS OF THAT BRAND WOULD HAVE TO HAVE FOLLOWED HIM FROM THE NORTH. WE DID, HOWEVER, MAKE MANY ENEMIES TO THE SOUTH. IN OUR VENTURE TO THE SCORPION TRIBE AND INVESTIGATIONS OF LARION AND KERETAS, DISCOVERY OF STRANGE BEINGS OF NO TRUE FORM AND ARMIES OF LIKEWISE PSEUDO-HUMAN THINGS, APPEARING OF YOUR RACE YET WITH A TRUE FORM MOST ALIEN, THOUGH NOT COMPARABLE TO THE GLORY OF MY OWN. MOREOVER, MY FRIEND, A GENIUS AS HE WAS, WAS INDEED OF NOBLE BLOOD. HIS DECISION TO CALL THE QUEEN IN RAGS A 'FARMGIRL' TO HER FACE, NOT A WISE ONE IN MY OPINION./

The detective holsters his revolver, beginning to get a feel for what this Zeruellim and the Victim had been doing for these years of their lives.

Spoiler: ooc

The Scorpi have claimed a homeland under the influence of Ickol, though it is quite small and not really significant enough to be called a country. Illusionists of Ickol's courts have also been able to rise to the ranks of court mages in numerous of the remaining city states, along with larger countries save for isolationists such as the cenobites or the biome. Larion is firmly in the grip of the dopplegangers, who now have an army of specially bred changelings who can switch between human and monster form at will, though they only have one distinct humanoid appearance and can't look like anyone. Another decently-sized city state worth noting is the one under the control of the "Queen in Rags", Ickol's champion, so named for rising from the status of a peasant to the big time in almost no time at all.

"So, the two of you were adventurers? Guildsmen? Murder-hoboes?"

/THE FIRST IS A FITTING DESCRIPTION FOR OUR EXPLOITS, THOUGH WE WERE NOT OF THE GUILD OF HEROES, NOR WERE WE KILLERS. THOUGH ON OCCASION I WAS FORCED TO BRING MY LIMBS TO BARE IN THE FACE OF MONSTERS AND HIGHWAYMEN./

"I see, well, aside from assassinations ordered by offended royalty or a conspiracy of shapeshifters, were there any more, say, personal enemies that the two of you might have made in your adventures? People who his deeds may have affected more drastically?"

/INDEED. HE SOUGHT MAGICAL ASSISTANCE FROM A NUMBER OF STRANGE NATURE SPIRITS. ONE-LEGGED MEN AND OTHER BIZARRE CREATURES, THEY SOUGHT OUR AID AND MY COMPANION FELT INDEBTED TO THE BEINGS BY VIRTUE OF ONE HELPING HIM THROUGH A TRYING TIME, A PINK DOLPHIN AS HE DESCRIBED IT./

"And how does this relate to you making enemies?"

/THE AID WE GRANTED RAN AFOUL OF THE VOID-WORSHIPPING FANATICS, AS DOES ANY ACT TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THEIR CORRUPTION. THEIR TRUE HATRED LIES WITH THE FAIR FOLK WHO BRING LOST BEINGS BACK FROM THE VOID OF EXTINCTION, AND OUR DEEDS WERE INNOCUOUS, HOWEVER, AND OFFERINGS WE MADE TO THESE SPIRITS IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR MAGICAL KNOWLEDGE LIKELY WERE NOT ENOUGH TO PERMIT SUCH A WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER. I SUSPECT ANOTHER BEING IS AT WORK IN THAT./

"Damn, and I almost had you on accessory to mass murder."

/WAS THAT A JOKE. I STILL HAVE ISSUES COMPREHENDING YOUR CONCEPT OF SUCH THINGS./

"Yes, it was. Now, tell me, was the victim acting strangely recently? Seeming worried or anxious about anything?"

/INDEED. HIS JOURNEY TO THE EMPIRE LEFT HIM SHAKEN. THOUGH THE LAND MAY NOW BE A PRISTINE ONE SINCE ITS SHIFT TO THE MOUNTAINS, ITS ALLIANCE WITH THE REVELRY SINCE THEIR DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF THE FOUR PIRATE LORDS AND THEIR RECENT TIMES OF WAR HAVE LEFT THE PLACE A DEN OF CRIME AND VILLAINY. I SUSPECT HE CAME INTO THE DEBT OF ONE OF THE IMPERIAL CRIME LORDS, THOUGH HE WOULD NOT TELL ME MORE. HE WENT TO THE LAND TO SEEK AN ARTIFACT OF ELVEN MAKE, ONE THAT COULD RESHAPE THE BODY AND EXTEND LIFE, PLUNDERED IN THE WAR AGAINST THE FLESH THAT HATES, AND HE OBTAINED IT AS HE SAID, YET HE WOULD NOT TELL ME HOW, ONCE AGAIN./

"I see... anyone in particular who you think he is indebted to, who may have come to collect before things went south?"

Spoiler: ooc

The brazillian fae creatures now exist, although to be honest I did not research the entirety of brazillian and greater latin american mythology just for this one GM post, so the implications of that escape me. The followers of Zyr have been in decline due to a string of mysterious deaths, the cause being Avatars of Debt. Due to an alliance with the Revelry and a theocratic takeover, the Empire has become even more of a den of scum and villainy than it already was. Offscreen, they waged "The War Of The Flesh", a war against the Cenobites which saw them lose significant amounts of territory and now hold onto only a few comorragh-like cities in the deep forests. The Pirate Lords were also victorious in the pirate wars, driving the remaining huskarr at sea back to their homeland and forcing the revelry to ally with the empire in the first place. The empire has additionally moved its capital into more mountainous regions, closer to the borders with the gnomes.

/NOTHING HUMAN./

The detective cocked an eyebrow.

"Elaborate."

"IN THAT LAND HE SOUGHT OUT A LEGENDARY LAKE IN THE MOUNTAINS, GUARDED BY A WINGLESS DRAGON WITH AN IRON SKULL. THE LAKE HELD AN ARTIFACT OFFERING MASTERY OF TIME ITSELF. WE HAD HOPED TO SUSPEND OURSELVES IN FROZEN TIME TO AWAIT WHEN THE THREAT OF DAMNATION HAD SUBSIDED. ALAS, THE DRAGON'S ARMOR PROVED INVULNERABLE TO ANY WEAPON WE COULD OBTAIN LEGALLY, AND SOME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OBTAINED LESS THAN LEGALLY."

"Since when do dragons travel to Zhailving to slit a man's throat?"

/SINCE WHEN DO VEINS OF ORE SPEAK WITH THE INTELLIGENCE OF A HUNDRED MEN THINKING AS ONE, OR YELLOW FOXES APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR TO EVADE THE HUNTER? THIS WORLD IS A STRANGE ONE MY FRIEND./

"'Eh, fair point, but I highly doubt a dragon would have done this. The wounds found on the victim were clearly inflicted with some kind of blade, an extremely sharp one by the look of it, no burns were found."

/COULD THOSE BLADES HAVE BEEN CLAWS? I KNOW HIM TO HAVE SOUGHT OUT A DEMON WHO WAS ONCE A MAN, NOW LEAVING DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE IN VILLAGES ACROSS THE WEST./

"No I'm pretty sure they were blades..."

The detective eyes the Zeruellim's filaments, which it seems to quickly retract.

/I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, BUT I KNOW OF A MORE LOGICAL SUSPECT./

"You do?"

/INDEED. NICHOLAS WAS AN AVID GAMBLER AS YOU LIKELY KNOW, AND ATTEMPTED TO, AS ONE WOULD SAY, CHEAT BOOMTOWN./

"Oh?"

/HE FOUND THAT THROUGH A FEW LUCKY ROLLS, ALONG WITH SELLING HIS ENTIRE LIFESPAN SAVE FOR A YEAR, HE COULD PURCHASE AGELESSNESS WITHOUT FAULT, AND WE HAD THOUGHT OUR SALVATION AT HAND./

"That's brilliant! What happened then?"

/ADMINISTRATION SEEMED TO CATCH ON TO THE FLAW IN THEIR PRICING OF THESE MAGICAL PRIZES, AND BUMPED IT UP. THEY RETROACTIVELY REVOKED HIS IMMORTALITY AND HE RECOVERED HIS LIFESPAN. PROTESTS WERE GREAT, AND THE BOOMTOWN ASSOCIATION'S PATRONAGE FELL DRASTICALLY. THEY STILL RECIEVE ANGERED LETTERS AND TELEGRAMS TO THIS DAY, AND NICHOLAS WAS AT SOLE FAULT FOR THIS OUTRAGE. NO DOUBT, MANY IN THE ADMINISTRATION WISHED ILL FATE ON HIM, THE DRACONIC CHIEF OF THE ORGANIZATION MAY HAVE ORDERED THE HIT HIMSELF. I HAVE SEEN MANY OF THEIR THUGS ROAMING THIS CITY AS OF LATE, APPARENTLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF 'DAMAGE CONTROL'./

Spoiler: ooc

Psychic and steel pokemon exist, though thanks to Phil only in places where it would actually make sense, IE: They are not common. The zeruellim gives an example of metagrosses living in clusters in deep caves, and wild abras. The Time Gears likewise exist, though are guarded by pokemon such as Heatran, which is described here as a wingless dragon. So far, no one has managed to successfully steal one. Morlock has trashed a number of villages likely in triple digits over the years, and the Boomtown casinos now exist. They were at the center of controversy recently as someone managed to discover a loophole that, by selling one's entire lifespan save for one year, they could gain enough chips to buy immortality. Casino administration revoked his immortality immediately and bumped up that reward's price, which has resulted in massive boycotts, given that he wasn't technically cheating. Still, they remain fairly popular destinations.

"Interesting... anything else of note? Any other people he may have angered?"

/YES. HE MADE A TRIP TO THE TRITONIC ARCHIPELAGO, SEEKING KNOWLEDGE OF A STRANGE ARTIFACT HELD THERE SAID TO GRANT A FORM OF CYCLICAL IMMORTALITY, ALONG WITH A BLESSING UPON THE LAND. THIS BLESSING IS, HOWEVER, A CURSE, AS SINCE THE DEMONIC INVASION OF THOSE ISLANDS AND THE DEATH OF CYOGNAX, THE ROYAL LINE IS SAID TO BE IN A NEVER-ENDING CONFLICT WITH THAT DEMON AND HIS ACCURSED REINCARNATIONS, FACILITATED BY THAT ARTIFACT. SADLY, IT CAME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE THAT IT CAN ONLY SUSTAIN THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME IN THIS STATE, BINDING THEM FOREVER AS ONE YET KEEPING THEIR SOULS ALIVE. IT COULD, IN ITS CURRENT STATE, ONLY HOLD ONE MORE SOUL./

Spoiler: ooc

The triforce exists, although it couldn't sustain itself with only the 'wisdom' aspect bonded to a person. It managed to attract the demon-pirate lord Cyognax, who was killed by an as of yet unnamed hero (speck has dibs on making his reincarnation) and cursed their reincarnations forever, essentially becoming a pseudo-ganon. Note that the triforce allows them to reincarnate in the first place despite the existence of Zyr's hell. Stealing the courage egg/triangle was the motivation for this zeruellim to murder his friend in a fit of passion.

"And so THAT was why you murdered him, wasn't it?"

/WAIT WHAT./

"You both wanted to live forever, the artifact could only sustain one soul, so as you plotted to steal it, you killed him! Didn't you?"

/I... YOU HAVE NO PROOF./

"You sure? The knot on the bag I found his remains in would never have been tied in such a way by human hands, indicating one of your kind killed him. I know of no other Zeruellim with close relation to the victim, and it seems to me that you had motive, means, and opportunity. Of course I'm sure we could clear your name, were we to run some tests on that blood on your monofilaments."

The detective smirked and pointed to them, which the Zeruellim had been trying and failing to cover up.

/YOU... MUST UNDERSTAND... IT WAS A CRIME OF PASSION./

"I get that a lot, let's get you down to the station."









Meanwhile...

(Just add 19 more thrones.)

The pantheon materialized in the hall of gods, as they tended to do, and noticed something amiss. The throne of the judge no longer stood empty, and indeed a new one filled its seat. Looking around the place, this new god would see a great golden feasting table, lined with plates of "Ambrosia" and "Nectar", that he would find in reality tasted a bit like doomsday rations and five dollar beer, respectively. The others sat on thrones like his, all inlayed with gold and precious jewels. A strange being resembling the moon, which this hall seemed to be on given the the immense glass ceiling showing a breathtaking view of the world below, or above, given the angle they were looking at. At the very end of the hall, opposite the thrones, was a levitating globe seeming to act as a portal to the world at large, and on one wall was a map seeming to display ecological data about said world, seeming decidedly more technological than anything else in the room. At the opposite side, a being seeming to not be of the other gods, but similarly divine provided ambient music on a piano. It resembled a human with a crescent moon for a head. Of course, this was all routine for the others, and the Judge had, of course, been here many times before.

Just_a_loneley_pilgrim ​

Following his chaotic tirade regarding the sudden death of his anarcho-primitivist disciples, Rhubarion had seemingly appeared within a large, marbled structure.. an area in which he was all too familiar with. He casually ambled along the extensive passageway, with his 3 extremist followers at his side. His acolytes seemed thoroughly entranced by the brilliant architecture prevalent within the Hall of Gods. In fact, they were in such unequivocal astonishment, they began to drool profusely. Their dribble hit the surface with volume, and glistening puddles of slobber began to flow through the untarnished gaps of tile. Considering they lived most of their lives in poverty-stricken squalor; dwelling in crude hovels which fell apart at the seams, witnessing the magnificent framework and detail of such a building fully entranced them. After a brief stroll down the lengthy hall, Rhubarion heard the faint playing of a piano. He quickly up'd his pace and began to sprint towards the sound of the piano. After a short-while of scurrying in an attempt to locate the sound, He witnesses a beautifully incandescent being behind a levitating, translucent grand piano. Eye contact is made, and Rhubarion obtains an overwhelming sense of familiarity. Its name resonates in the mind of Rhubarion and his disciples...

Ｍｕｈｎ░Ｍａｈｎ　（ヸデガ）

Rhubarion, in a moment of utter confusion, darts his view around the room. He makes yet another instance of eye contact, this time with an esteemed individual wielding a glass of wine.


𝕺𝖈𝖆𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖑.


.__________Follower_Reference_________.

Gnob = Yellow Text
-
Crud = Orange Text
-
Kadnagarburrovahtingtang = Magenta Text

.______________________________________________.

 

[Celestial Speck]

Zyr donned his helm, and grinned. With a snap of his fingers, he opened a portal to the Afterlife’s throne room and took a seat.
/GO ON/

Ocaeril went by the portal, taking one last glance at the hall behind him as he did so, before it closed before him, and he stood face to face with Zyr. For a moment, his legs felt weak. His breathing became erratic, and he seemed like he wanted to hyperventilate again. But, soon, holding his heart, Ocaeril took a deep breath, and faced the dragon.

"Zyr..." He began, looking down. The planet never seemed so defeated. And yet, there was still that flame to his voice. "Many cycles ago, I would have disagreed with you. I would be blind by my own power, blinded by my influence, my own ego, like the other gods are. But...Things changed. I now understand what you mean. The gods are...selfish. Perhaps not all of them, but they take attacks against their mortal and chosen more personally then anything else. They see those events as an attack, an rebellion to them, and even the kind ones see it as them failing to be gods. They never think of mortals and their death. They simply think it's easy to snap their fingers, and...Everything is fixed."

Mental illness. Trauma. PTSD. Other feelings. Gods don't go to war, but mortals do. Their Demigods roaming their earth have no choice to follow their orders, and even if it's for the best, gods simply see it as a game. If a war begins, if conflict begins, it's a matter of moving the right pieces at the right positions to most of them.

"Not all fall to that rule...But even those who don't aren't free from it. Gods...Begin conflict. Your brother, Yimor, wishing to restart the planet. With Krankle, wishing to transform the world into an eternal festivity. With Helsa, wishing for chaos...And yet...I still can't help but...not hate them."

Ocaeril sighed, his heart beating faster, tears falling from his eyes.

He never felt so human before.

"I...I have come to a conclusion, though that might be just my nature as well. Our Spheres make us. It causes us to act this way. The Void makes you incapable of feel, evolution makes me seek the best possible way and carve it, heroism makes Inqui rush in into danger, Birth makes Tiamat a mother...Do you see that? Do you understand? It's...Not us. I have certainty that without the Spheres, we would be...different. This doesn't excuse our actions, though. Yet...I feel like not even us, gods, are completely free of will."

How silly of him to say such depressing things. Yet, he couldn't help but laugh. Laugh in almost an odd sort of realization.

"We...We aren't different, Zyr. As generic and stupid as that sounds...I see myself in you. I just...You're me, if you never found comfort in humanity, or mortality. You're me, if you never had anyone by your side. You're me...Stripped away by happiness due to your Sphere. And yet..."

Ocaeril looked at Zyr, a genuine smile on his face.

"...I respect you, Zyr. You're...the most human god who holds control over the 'Void.' But...I can't accept your offer."

 

[Selee-01]

Ocaeril went by the portal, taking one last glance at the hall behind him as he did so, before it closed before him, and he stood face to face with Zyr. For a moment, his legs felt weak. His breathing became erratic, and he seemed like he wanted to hyperventilate again. But, soon, holding his heart, Ocaeril took a deep breath, and faced the dragon.

"Zyr..." He began, looking down. The planet never seemed so defeated. And yet, there was still that flame to his voice. "Many cycles ago, I would have disagreed with you. I would be blind by my own power, blinded by my influence, my own ego, like the other gods are. But...Things changed. I now understand what you mean. The gods are...selfish. Perhaps not all of them, but they take attacks against their mortal and chosen more personally then anything else. They see those events as an attack, an rebellion to them, and even the kind ones see it as them failing to be gods. They never think of mortals and their death. They simply think it's easy to snap their fingers, and...Everything is fixed."

Mental illness. Trauma. PTSD. Other feelings. Gods don't go to war, but mortals do. Their Demigods roaming their earth have no choice to follow their orders, and even if it's for the best, gods simply see it as a game. If a war begins, if conflict begins, it's a matter of moving the right pieces at the right positions to most of them.

"Not all fall to that rule...But even those who don't aren't free from it. Gods...Begin conflict. Your brother, Yimor, wishing to restart the planet. With Krankle, wishing to transform the world into an eternal festivity. With Helsa, wishing for chaos...And yet...I still can't help but...not hate them."

Ocaeril sighed, his heart beating faster, tears falling from his eyes.

He never felt so human before.

"I...I have come to a conclusion, though that might be just my nature as well. Our Spheres make us. It causes us to act this way. The Void makes you incapable of feel, evolution makes me seek the best possible way and carve it, heroism makes Inqui rush in into danger, Birth makes Tiamat a mother...Do you see that? Do you understand? It's...Not us. I have certainty that without the Spheres, we would be...different. This doesn't excuse our actions, though. Yet...I feel like not even us, gods, are completely free of will."

How silly of him to say such depressing things. Yet, he couldn't help but laugh. Laugh in almost an odd sort of realization.

"We...We aren't different, Zyr. As generic and stupid as that sounds...I see myself in you. I just...You're me, if you never found comfort in humanity, or mortality. You're me, if you never had anyone by your side. You're me...Stripped away by happiness due to your Sphere. And yet..."

Ocaeril looked at Zyr, a genuine smile on his face.

"...I respect you, Zyr. You're...the most human god who holds control over the 'Void.' But...I can't accept your offer."

Zyr listened with a faint smirk, as Ocaeril spoke.

He was... surprised when Ocaeril finished. He signed. Oh, well.

/HOW SAD/
/YOU HAD SUCH LIMITLESS POTENTIAL/
/YOU WERE SO MUCH LIKE AND UNLIKE MYSELF/
/YOU COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT/
/OH, WELL/
/I AM STRONG ENOUGH TO DO WHAT I MUST/
/I WILL NOT START YET/
/YOU SHALL HAVE A BRIEF REPRIVE/
/BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE/
/I AM ZYR’ABAOTH/
/AND I AM NOT DENIED/

Zyr’abaoth teleported back to the Hall of the Gods, and lounged in his throne.

 

[Celestial Speck]

Zyr listened with a faint smirk, as Ocaeril spoke.

He was... surprised when Ocaeril finished. He signed. Oh, well.

/HOW SAD/
/YOU HAD SUCH LIMITLESS POTENTIAL/
/YOU WERE SO MUCH LIKE AND UNLIKE MYSELF/
/YOU COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT/
/OH, WELL/
/I AM STRONG ENOUGH TO DO WHAT I MUST/
/I WILL NOT START YET/
/YOU SHALL HAVE A BRIEF REPRIVE/
/BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE/
/I AM ZYR’ABAOTH/
/AND I AM NOT DENIED/

Zyr’abaoth teleported back to the Hall of the Gods, and lounged in his throne.

As Zyr left, Ocaeril was genuinely surprised he didn't attack, and allowed a moment of reprise, even. From what he thought he was going to do, Zyr was going to fight with him in this exact moment. But the fact he wasn't going to attack him, at least not right now, made him extremely nervous.

He didn't say 'you all.' Just 'you.' Ocaeril knew the word you could refer to multiple people, but even so...He had a feeling it didn't.

He was now fully connected with Zyr's destiny.

Ocaeril fell on his knees, holding a hand over his heart again, as he breathed in...and out. He knows he can win. Yet he can't help but feel like he isn't. He could make those feelings null with his aspects, but...

"Until then...Zyr."

Raising himself up, Ocaeril walked alone for a while in the afterlife, before returning to the Hall once more. Sitting once again, further away from all the gods. With a forced smile on, he drank his wine, and looked out towards the planet.

Definitely a dumb idea. But...He knew himself to be a dumb, self-sacrificing idiot. So this wasn't a change.

 

[Gravitys Momentum]

Farmer Joe: Conversational

Zyr listened with a faint smirk, as Ocaeril spoke.

He was... surprised when Ocaeril finished. He signed. Oh, well.

/HOW SAD/
/YOU HAD SUCH LIMITLESS POTENTIAL/
/YOU WERE SO MUCH LIKE AND UNLIKE MYSELF/
/YOU COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT/
/OH, WELL/
/I AM STRONG ENOUGH TO DO WHAT I MUST/
/I WILL NOT START YET/
/YOU SHALL HAVE A BRIEF REPRIVE/
/BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE/
/I AM ZYR’ABAOTH/
/AND I AM NOT DENIED/

Zyr’abaoth teleported back to the Hall of the Gods, and lounged in his throne.

“The fuck. Where’d you go and come back from?”

 

[KolastoRPN]

Helsa Conversational

As Zyr left, Ocaeril was genuinely surprised he didn't attack, and allowed a moment of reprise, even. From what he thought he was going to do, Zyr was going to fight with him in this exact moment. But the fact he wasn't going to attack him, at least not right now, made him extremely nervous.

He didn't say 'you all.' Just 'you.' Ocaeril knew the word you could refer to multiple people, but even so...He had a feeling it didn't.

He was now fully connected with Zyr's destiny.

Ocaeril fell on his knees, holding a hand over his heart again, as he breathed in...and out. He knows he can win. Yet he can't help but feel like he isn't. He could make those feelings null with his aspects, but...

"Until then...Zyr."

Raising himself up, Ocaeril walked alone for a while in the afterlife, before returning to the Hall once more. Sitting once again, further away from all the gods. With a forced smile on, he drank his wine, and looked out towards the planet.

Definitely a dumb idea. But...He knew himself to be a dumb, self-sacrificing idiot. So this wasn't a change.

Helsa immediately got up from her throne and stomped over to Ocaeril, a very ticked off expression on her face. "Ocaeril...you...you...what did you do?!" She hissed at him, her eyes flashing green. "I arrive at the Hall, only to find that you vanish off somewhere with ZYR, and then you return! And I can tell you're sssstressed about sssssomething, don't you dare deny it! You don't become as ssssskilled at corruption without knowing how to read ssssomeone's feelingssss!" Helsa's tentacles began to wave as she continued to talk, her teeth becoming sharper as her voice became more snake-like, gaining hisses randomly.

"Sssssecret plansssss are MY thing! You have no experience with them, and you'll mosssst likely sssscrew yoursssself over!" Her eyes flashed. "If MY PLANSSSS are desssstroyed becausssse you decided to confront Zyr like thisssss, I will ALWAYSSSSS hold it againssssst you!"

 

[Celestial Speck]

Helsa Conversational



Helsa immediately got up from her throne and stomped over to Ocaeril, a very ticked off expression on her face. "Ocaeril...you...you...what did you do?!" She hissed at him, her eyes flashing green. "I arrive at the Hall, only to find that you vanish off somewhere with ZYR, and then you return! And I can tell you're sssstressed about sssssomething, don't you dare deny it! You don't become as ssssskilled at corruption without knowing how to read ssssomeone's feelingssss!" Helsa's tentacles began to wave as she continued to talk, her teeth becoming sharper as her voice became more snake-like, gaining hisses randomly.

"Sssssecret plansssss are MY thing! You have no experience with them, and you'll mosssst likely sssscrew yoursssself over!" Her eyes flashed. "If MY PLANSSSS are desssstroyed becausssse you decided to confront Zyr like thisssss, I will ALWAYSSSSS hold it againssssst you!"

As Helsa approached him, Ocaeril nearly stumbled when she arrived and started to speak with him. He felt a stab on his heart as she started to speak-- to tell at him. Haha, how odd this scene was. A few cycles ago, the goddess was going through the same thing. He helped her. Now on this case...It...He couldn't tell.

Was she worried about him? Was she worried about her plans?

Ocaeril bit his lip. For the first time in the meeting, he cowered down, his head looking down at his feet. He knew he couldn't lie to her about this. And yet...

"Your plans will be fine," Ocaeril said, looking away from her. In a complete opposite to Helsa on this moment, like she acted the last few turns, he perfectly and utterly decided to lie to her, using his own charisma to do so. "...I'll be fine. Everything will be fine. You won't need to worry about Zyr. Everything is under control. He calls me a lot, you see? I'm...Simply doing my best to hide my true intentions from him." Ocaeril didn't even smile, almost saying that like it was matter-of-fact.

You won't need to worry about me either, if this goes south. I'm...Sorry, Hells. This is hypocritical of me, but...This is between me and Zyr only.

"...Now please excuse me. I have a new god to greet."

With that, Ocaeril walked away from Helsa, not even looking back.

His bit almost bled as he bit it, facing away for Her-- before turning back to normal.

 

[Selee-01]

Farmer Joe: Conversational


“The fuck. Where’d you go and come back from?”

/NOWHERE/

 

[KolastoRPN]

Helsa Conversational

As Helsa approached him, Ocaeril nearly stumbled when she arrived and started to speak with him. He felt a stab on his heart as she started to speak-- to tell at him. Haha, how odd this scene was. A few cycles ago, the goddess was going through the same thing. He helped her. Now on this case...It...He couldn't tell.

Was she worried about him? Was she worried about her plans?

Ocaeril bit his lip. For the first time in the meeting, he cowered down, his head looking down at his feet. He knew he couldn't lie to her about this. And yet...

"Your plans will be fine," Ocaeril said, looking away from her. In a complete opposite to Helsa on this moment, like she acted the last few turns, he perfectly and utterly decided to lie to her, using his own charisma to do so. "...I'll be fine. Everything will be fine. You won't need to worry about Zyr. Everything is under control. He calls me a lot, you see? I'm...Simply doing my best to hide my true intentions from him." Ocaeril didn't even smile, almost saying that like it was matter-of-fact.

You won't need to worry about me either, if this goes south. I'm...Sorry, Hells. This is hypocritical of me, but...This is between me and Zyr only.

"...Now please excuse me. I have a new god to greet."

With that, Ocaeril walked away from Helsa, not even looking back.

His bit almost bled as he bit it, facing away for Her-- before turning back to normal.

….

"What?" Helsa whispered under her breath, unable to comprehend what just happened. Had...had Ocaeril just hidden something from her? She could tell. She was not so great at corruption just because it was her sphere, but because she knew how people thought. And she could tell Ocaeril was hiding something from her, something that had to do with Zyr.

Something that had to do with what Zyr was planning. And yet...he was hiding everything. From her. And from how he usually acts....he thought he was doing to this to protect her.

And that was something Helsa couldn't comprehend. She...she was Corruption. She had literally just snapped at him in the middle of the Hall of Gods in front of everyone. But he still wanted to protect her. Everything she thought, about the world, about the other gods, about herself was being turned on its head. And while Helsa's main mind denied her confusion and increasing insecurity, something deep within her mind, within the darkness that her core....

…a spark of something lit. Something that wasn't good.

Outside of this, Helsa quietly walked back to her throne, slumping in her chair, unnaturally quiet.

 

[VomitIcicle]

Helsa Conversational



Helsa's mind was still a storm of deep thought, but she knew an opportunity when she sensed one. Her voice whispered into Corven's ear, despite her still appearing to still be eating the Ambrosia. I have an idea on how you can...ensure your followers loyalty. How about some...additions to them. Ones that involve pure, raw, corruptive energy?



And then that train of thought was partially lost from noticing that Ocaeril was conversing with Zyr. And that the two seemed to be preparing to leave. "You self-sacrificing fool, what are you DOING?!" She hissed, her eyes glowing. What was that big-hearted imbecile planning?!

Corven conversational




"Ah, yes." Corven snapped back. "Because that sounds helpful!" He paused for a moment.

" What did you have in mind? "

 

[KolastoRPN]

Helsa Conversational

Corven conversational




"Ah, yes." Corven snapped back. "Because that sounds helpful!" He paused for a moment.

" What did you have in mind? "

Helsa's mental response was held off for a moment, before something came through. ...ah, yes. Increased strength and intelligence, the ability to ressurect on land, and with the infusion of your power to the corruptive essence, they'll only have their abilities as long as you want them to. There may be...some flaws in their ressurection and birth rate, but that's what happens when you experiment with raw corruption.

 

[VomitIcicle]

Helsa Conversational



Helsa's mental response was held off for a moment, before something came through. ...ah, yes. Increased strength and intelligence, the ability to ressurect on land, and with the infusion of your power to the corruptive essence, they'll only have their abilities as long as you want them to. There may be...some flaws in their ressurection and birth rate, but that's what happens when you experiment with raw corruption.

Corven considered it for a moment. "And what does this give you in return? A chance to act out some experiment? Field testing, perhaps?"

 

[KolastoRPN]

Helsa Conversational

Corven considered it for a moment. "And what does this give you in return? A chance to act out some experiment? Field testing, perhaps?"

A little of both. Most of the time, my corruption has been filtered through various mediums; crystals, artifacts, things like that. I've only exposed a mortal being to raw corruption once, and considering how it was one of Blackbellows test subjects, the 'mortal' part may be...somewhat incorrect. I wish to see what happens when an entire race is not only exposed to pure corruption, but it makes up the very base of their design.

 

[VomitIcicle]

Helsa Conversational



A little of both. Most of the time, my corruption has been filtered through various mediums; crystals, artifacts, things like that. I've only exposed a mortal being to raw corruption once, and considering how it was one of Blackbellows test subjects, the 'mortal' part may be...somewhat incorrect. I wish to see what happens when an entire race is not only exposed to pure corruption, but it makes up the very base of their design.

"I suppose this could help with the war effort." Forget murmured. " save at least one of my empires... Very well, you may grant them this... 'corruption' you speak so fondly of. So long as you give me control over them. "

 

[KolastoRPN]

Helsa Action #1

"I suppose this could help with the war effort." Corven murmured. " save at least one of my empires... Very well, you may grant them this... 'corruption' you speak so fondly of. So long as you give me control over them. "

Very well. This choice is yours.

Helsa mentally reached out with her powers, her vision extending across the world and finding every one of Corven's followers. Unable to check every single one of them efficiently and quickly, she latched onto a specific group of her followers.

The Shark Brutes.

From there, it was as simple as corrupting a single blood cell within the body of the Shark Brutes, transforming it into raw, liquid corruption. This pure corruption energy would rapidly spread through the Shark Brutes bodies, changing their very genetic structure, in ways that even Corven's alchemy would find hard to track completely.

This process was very quick. And also agonizingly painful for said Shark Brutes. Eventually, the mutation was complete, and all that was left was for Helsa to key the corruption's signature to Corven's energy. In the end, the Shark Brutes were "extinct."

Now, they were the Makoids. Intelligent, cruel, and powerful. They knew exactly where their powers came from, and that Corven could turn them off at any time. This would ensure their loyalty to the Alchemist.

It's done, Corven. Your new Makoids have been born.

Indeed it was. If Corven checked, he would find the mutated Shark Brutes, and he could feel the energy within them. A seething mass of negativity that he could shut down at any time if he desired.

Have fun.

And with that, Helsa's mental presence withdrew.