Litheris feels slightly unreal as if it is a description in a poorly written story.  There are few buildings but those that do exist seem to be inside large towns of which only a very few buildings seem real.  The roads of the land are long and winding and seem to have a peculiar fascination for travellers who cannot wait to see what is round the next corner.

The vakarn are a people of changes and perception.  They appear how people expect to see them and do not normally appear the same to different people.  A hostel keeper may appear to one traveller as a crude country rogue intent on stealing from him and to another as a laughing genial host.  As a result of this the culture has split into two distinct parts.  The travellers are those who walk out to seek stories and the cast are those who stay at home and try to remain within their groups to gain some semblance of control over their own appearence.  Linking these two are the keepers, a mix of tavern and shop keepers who grow rich off catering to both groups.

The shadows in one corner of the realm shudder slightly before seeming to begin to coalesce.  Voices scream, dogs howl and the world dissolve for one insane moment into a cacophony of noise.  As quickly as it starts it disappears to leave only a single area of concentrated shadow.

The shadow seems hesistant and unsure, small tendrils flicker out to lick at the world in a spasmodic unfocused fashion.  Then a single clear voice speaks in a tongue that burns the ears.  As it speaks the shadow takes shape, it's body seeming to solidify and morph into the form of a long sweeping hooded robe.  As the voice fades away its last word echoes around the clearing.

"Raelis".

The shadow looks up at the word, a focus coming into its movements at hearing it.

"So begins the flow once more, so remakes the shattered path."

The words bounce, and are tamed.

Creation stands before Raelis. Winds howl at his back, speaking in their blackest tongue. The ground beneath communicates it's loyalty to his existence.

"He.. he has returned!" screams the man prostrating himself before Raelis. He stumbles back, giving Raelis a look of unabashed horror.

The man's words echo strangely through Raelis's conciousness.  The world seems to swim slightly in concept as he tries to focus on it and he finds more concepts materialising behind his eyes as he looks at the man.

"Returned?  Come back from some location he has gone to?  I do not understand.  I have not been anywhere have I?"

He turns on the spot, his hood sweeping the surroundings before turning back to the man.

"The emotion you display is hardly positive so I would assume I am antipathetic to you and yours.  BLIND.  You have words, use them now and tell me of yourself and of me.

"I .. I, it has been so long! So long! My father told me.. his father.. told me of Raelis, Lord of the Word, and of his mighty reign - but that he wouldn't return.. Forgive, forgive me.. forgive me, master.. it had been so long.."

The man is shaking as he speaks, as filled with fear as he is.

"I am Raelis.  I do not know this word.  I know all words.  That is the meaning of Raelis but I do not know my own word?  The words shimmer, I see them hovering at the edges of vision.  You live, breathe and think and all of those words I understand.  You locomote, anticipate and demarkate and I understand all those words but this word I do not understand.  I do not know myself and the story is hidden from me.  My memory is weak, words are no longer enough unless I know them all.  Take me to the guardians of the words among you, historians, tale tellers and let them repair my knowledge of the word Raelis."

"We.. we only have a single historian, Lord," he replied softly. "No tale tellers.."

He shifts, becomes a sniveling wreck upon the floor. His face is brim with tears.

Raelis lifts one empty robe sleeve to his head and seems perplexed for a second.

"That is wrong.  The words are bad.  The concepts should not be.  Take me to this historian and let me hear his words."

He swings his robe to face the man.

CURE  HEAL

"Be as you were and be well.  Now take me lest I lose my forbearance."

The man nods, shifts, leads Raelis to a small hut.

Within the hut is an ancient man. His face is weathered, his beard stringy, his teeth are mostly rot but he speaks clearly enough:

"Sacred Master? You have returned?"

"I am here certainly.  Returned?  How did I leave and where did I go?  I have no memory of leaving this place and only a little memory of being here.  The word Raelis lacks meaning, lacks the clarity a word should have as if it were a word from another realm, another place.  What is the word Raelis?  What happened here and why did I leave?"

"Lord.." the Historian looks worried.

"Raelis - you are Raelis. Raelis is the Word of our God. It is a sacred name, your sacred name, to be spoken only by those capable of doing so. Raelis is you."

There was a pause.

"You.. you do not know about the Day of Abandonment? But you are obviously our Lord! How could you forget?"

"I am not sure.  The word that I am was spoken and I was summoned but I do not remember being elsewhere.  I am not sure where I was or that I was.  I have few memories, fewer than there should be.  I remember laughing at rocks, walking the paths of story, seeing monsters but the memories are disjointed, unfocused as if it was not I that did these things.  Where did I go when I abandoned you?"

"I.. we do not know. There was only silence.. only silence ruled supreme. For a very long time, the only words we heard were the ones we spoke."

Both the historian and the worshiper looked depressed at this thought. It was a dark time in their history.

"Then let this be a new start, the beginning of a new story and a new song.  Let the word Naebil rule over this age as Dreaca ruled over the last one.  I have felt a summons to a new council of gods and I answer even now.  Maybe they can explain what occured in this realm and to your people."

Raelis stands for a second indecisive.

"Open a new book of stories and start writing.  Tell of my return and the beginning of a new age."

The historian nodded, filled with vigor. "I will, my Lord, I will."

But then the both of them looked uneasy.

"Words are to be used, not hidden behind teeth.  If you wish to say something let the words flow and be free of them."

"It's just.. I am the only historian left, my lord," said the historian. "The others.. many years ago.. we decided.. they decided.. I am the only one left."

Raelis's hood shudders slightly.

"A story is not judged by the numbers of its tellers but by their power and depth of telling.  Where did the others go and why did they leave?"

"It was decided.. that with more than one tale-teller, more than one historian, the nature of the story would become convoluted as more and more interpretations were made, until it stopped being useful and rigid and became malleable and weak. Conflicts over ideas killed truth faster than anything else. So.. so, people just stopped. There is one historian now, and that is me. There might be more. I'm not sure. Lord. But I think - I think it's just me.."

"So the people no longer tell stories to each other?  Mothers no longer speak of tales of wonder to their children?  Drunken fools no longer tell tall tales as they stagger home?  The words cannot be silenced.  You may be the only one called historian or tale teller but the tales will be told by others.  You must find new tale tellers.  Why should stories remain the same with each telling?  Stories live as you do, they grow and change with the telling and they should do.  There will always be stories as long as there are words.  You two should accompany me now to the nearest group of dwellings and there I will find you a new breed of stories."

"But.. but, what of the facts, Lord? What of truth? With so many changing stories.. the facts will be lost!"

They both seemed horrified at the thought of others spreading stories.

"Facts?  What facts can you tell me?  Words and stories are not facts.  They are tools and like any tool can be used to hurt or to heal.  Come, we need to leave.  But remember this truth.  A fact is only important if someone wishes to prove something to someone.  When you stop thinking of stories and start thinking of facts the world is a darker place because facts leave little cracks in the world through which monsters can crawl.  No come or I feed you to a Squallaug and before you explain that no such creature exists let me ask you if that is a fact or merely common sense."

Raelis turns and leaves heading for the nearest dwelling.

The two men froze for a few seconds, completely horrified. Being warned by their God was the scariest moment of their lives.

But they followed him. Soon, Raelis came upon a group of huts surrounding a well - a tiny village.

"Enter this village and listen to the people talking, find those who delight in the telling of tales and listen to their voice.  Listen to how they tell the stories and what they tell.  It is a mistake to assume that words define reality, reality defines words."

A nagging thought mkes him shake his head but it soon goes.

"I will remain here, go and listen to stories and then return and tell one story to me."

They left, to speak and to laugh and to listen. An hour passed, and they both returned.

The historian began.

"I heard a story regarding the creation of Litheris," said the historian. "They say it began in darkness and silence until a single word illuminated and crafted the world. That word was LIGHT. They say that's only how we can perceive the word - they say that it cannot be truly heard by any but the divine. They say that LIGHT gave birth to you, and you gave birth to us, the people. This is their tale. They speak of the power of words, of stories, of travellers that keep the realm together.."

His voice trailed off. There was nothing else to report.

The prayer-man started, now.

"I met with the woman named Cale," he said. "She was washing. She told me how she liked to wash in the deepest creeks, but sometimes there was danger down by the flowing rivers. She told me how her brother had gone down there, once, to fish, but never returned. She told me how he was caught by the very beast he was trying to catch - by the Lipterhal, a strange thing that desires our flesh. She told me how she wept for him every day."

"So you have heard words and what do those words say to you?  Do they give facts or not?  Are the facts they do give useful but can they be proven?  The travellers were the sinew of this realm, they kept the stories alive and they roamed telling them.  A story is a powerful tool - it fires imagination and drives the world to believe in great things.  Can you do that?  Tell the stories regardless of truth?  Talk to these people and tell them of your history but seek to make it interesting for that will be remembered.  I will give you a new story by finding the Lipterhal and seeing what it is."

Raelis bows to both men and then starts hunting for the location that had been described.

The Historian and the Servant try to speak after their Lord, but he is already gone. They rush to follow him.

Soon they found 'the deepest creeks'; powerful currents of water ripping through the land. They were more compact, vicious rivers than creeks, though they were only two meters wide.

Raelis walks to the edge of the nearest river and seats himself on the brink and starts to talk.  His words flow over the water, meaningless but forming a slow rhythmic sound.  He lets the volume and tempo  of his words begin to build starting as he does so to describe the meaning of words.  He describes the meanings of the concepts of river, water and sound.

Nothing happens.

Nothing at all.

There seems to be nothing in the water.

The words flow.

Still -

There is something, Raelis suspects. Something there.

Something.

Raelis finishes his description and then nods abruptly.

"If you do not wish to face me you will learn you have no choice.  FIND the object last touched by the Lipterhal.  HEAT this stream so that it comes forth.  These are my words and this is by my name."

Raelis waits for his powers to locate the last object and hopefully drive it forth from the river.

The stream begins to heat, and steam begins to billow forth. Soon, all there is is boiling mud, and nothing -

No. Something.

Slithering in the mud.

Scales in the mud..

Raelis cocks his head at the beast.

"Not precisely aggressive are you."  He mutters.  "Either that or you've got a good sense of self preservation."

He raises both arms and motions to the mud.

"MOVE"  He intones carefully indicating to the mud it should fly upwards and to the side to display whatever is trying to hide

And the thing moves.

It is like a large, red snake - it's glittering scales smeared with mud - but as it leaps at Raelis, he realizes that it has three separate necks, and three separate heads, and three separate sets of fangs. It's eyes are like rubies, and for a moment Raelis has the idea that this thing might not be organic.

--

Elsewhere:

A thousand flashes - a feeling like lightning, but more - ten spheres - a dying tree - a history reversed - blackness -

and Max was there.

(From Xi)
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:57, Mon 31 Aug 2009.

Raelis laughs with the laughter of a thousand tears, his voice booms as he intones the first word he ever learnt in the far bygone era.

"WOUND"

His arms aim the word at the junction of the necks of the beast trying to cut off one head with the flying word.  He ignores Max for the present, his attention filled by the words of combat.

The word sweeps and a head is lopped off. Black blood and yellow puss spray across Raelis, and the snake is upon him, screeching. There is a struggle, and the snake, despite Raelis's best efforts, bit the God once. A sharp pain - as if he were stabbed - on the forearm, and the drawing of blood. The snake, Raelis feels, is venemous..
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:48, Mon 31 Aug 2009.

( you just said the snake bit itself.)

Max glanced around the strange, dream-like landscape. It seemed almost like the mist that followed Ruse around. Take the less trodden path, Max began to explore the area.

Raelis smiles grimly at the snake.

"I can CURE any WOUND you can put on me faster than you can strike.  Talk now or die - I care not which you choose but my words will rip you asunder if I speak them."

Raelis's wounds heal, but the snake only hisses, biting him several more times. He feels the venom flow through his veins, and staggers a little.


--

Max finds the place to be mostly tranquil, a little strange - though in ways he cannot define - and soon comes upon a fast-moving, thin body of water.

Raelis Snarls at the snake and attempts to hurl it from him.

He raises his voice and once more intones WOUND attempting to sever another head from the snake.

The snake is flung, and the word of power strikes: the serpent falls, lifeless, to the ground. The rubies turn black.

Raelis staggers slightly then murmors the words of healing and curing before turning to find the new presence in his realm.  He reaches out to the realm itself and walks amongst its paths towards the being that has entered his home.

He soon stumbles upon Max. No introduction is necessary; they've met.

Raelis looks at Max with considerable surprise.

"Hail, why come you into this realm and place?  What do you seek here and for what purpose do you come?"

Max was busy washing his blade in the stream. "I am Max of Xi, son of Maccus of Tau. I am here to seek allies and adventure, so that I may prove myself worthy of knighthood."

"This is a realm of stories.  Adventure is to be had here in no small measure if you know where to look.  Allies however are harder to come by.  Trust in a realm where perception rules is difficult to gain and hard to keep as no being can believe the outwards seeming of another.  That is why I have no outwards seeming - I am a pure word, Raelis."

"Come let us walk a while and you shall find adventure and I will be able to observe your behaviour and bravery."

"Huzzah!" He said, chuckling and walking along with Raelis."Mind if I name this waterway Maccus's Stream?"

Raelis looks very puzzled.

"Why would you wish to add another word to this stream?  It has many already and I would suspect more words that I do not know.  A name is merely a word that others see as being attached to a particular location and is only useful if many use the same name.  What value would naming it give to you?  I have no objection you understand I am merely inquiring to understand."

The stream itself did not object. It flowed quickly and clearly, as if pleased with the choice. The nature of streams and rivers are strange, however, so who can say?

"a name's a name- what matters is from whence it came. By naming this stream after my predecessor, I honor his memory."

He looked at Maccus's Stream as he walked along it. "A shame I didn't bring my hydromancer along, she can speak with water."

"Interesting.  I myself can only wield words.  Flexible possibly but without the flash and bang of magic.  What do you wish to do now?  Search for adventure?  It comes to those who search for it here."

"I plan to follow this stream to it's source. Unless you know of a large township or city nearby? The walled kind?" Big cities had big trouble, after all. Fighting in a proper defensive war would be the best way to learn.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:26, Wed 02 Sept 2009.

"I may be wrong but my people have problems with large cities and towns.  Big groups have a slight tendency to go insane and start killing each other.  A problem of perception you might call it.  The stream may or may not hold something interesting - let us find out."

"Really? How do manage the army then?"

It starts to rain lightly.

"Army?  I don't think this realm ever had one.  It's not a good idea to try to attack a realm where the people take on your impressions of them.  One panicked soldier and you can have an entire army slaughtered by one being.  Of cause that being is likely to go on and slaughter thousands of his own people as well.  Moreover what is there to gain here?  Towns were never viable.  However the people seem to have changed significantly.  If they were how I remember them they would be extinct by now so maybe they now have towns and armies.  I really don't know very much."

Raelis notices the presence of a stranger within his Realm..

Raelis turns to Max.

"I think I've got a visitor, care to join me in greeting him.  I suspect he's from the conclave with instructions and the like so you might be interested in metting him."

He sets off to find the visitor.

The stranger was sitting by a stream, meditating. He was of the same variety as the combat-master in the Hall of the Sun; wild hair, savage eyes, wicked teeth. He wore a black cloak with a red stripe, and on the stripe the Seal of Odin was pinned: ten silver towers within a golden sun of ten flames.

"Hail stranger and welcome to Litheris.  I see by your garb that you serve the conclave I am sworn to.  They said they would send an emissary, are you he?"

"Yes, that is I," said the Shage. "My name is Gabreld; I am Chief Low Lord of Recruitement to the Lower Lordship 01 (Red Band). Greetings and sincere welcome to the Conclave, friend. I am here to take your oath, give you your Seal, and check your wishes and talents in regards to the position you might fill. I, myself, will not be in charge of you, unless you enter the field of Recruitment; it is, however, terribly unlikely."

The Shage smiled.

"Might I trouble you for some metal? A piece of iron would be fine.. I haven't eaten all day."

His tone was apologetic, but sincere.

Raelis waves a hand and utters a few words.

FIND  MOVE and brings the closest bit of iron to this location.

"I hope that will be of use to you.  My powers seem somewhat limited currently."

"More than enough. Thank you for your hospitality, my friend," said the Shage. He placed his hands palm-down on the iron, and then nodded. "Purer than what I'm used to eating." He smiled, flexed his hands, and Raelis noticed that his nails were sharp and seemingly made of a black metal.

The Shage proceeded to cut the iron with his metal fingernails and eat the slices, chewing quickly. There was no sound made by the scratching of his nails, a thing that seemed odd. Finally, the iron was gone, and Shage was sated.

"Let me apologise for my rudeness. See, we need to eat enough metal each day or the body starts to wither uncontrollably. Now, down to business.. do you know what this is?"

He drew a silver sphere, about the size of an apple, marvelously silver in colour. It quivered a little, and Raelis believed he could hear it humming ever so slightly.

"Just a guess but I would guess it is the sphere in the concept of sphereoath.  A binding oath not to betray the conclave.  That would make it a magical focus for the energies of order and law."

"Close, but not entirely correct. In reality, this sphere.. this Callisti, as they're known.. comes from an entirely other world, the Realm of Certitude, and their species is an official and active participant in the Ten; they are Type One creatures, capable of speech and exceptional intelligence. They are different in the respect that their world fell first, and fell silently; we're not sure why, the Callisti won't give even a hint, but they have been here for thousands of years, living in secret. They mate - and draw sustenance - from Living Metal, which Divine Scholars now believe to be extraterrestrial in origin.."

He smiled.

"Sorry, I'm getting off the main point - I'm a bit of a scholar myself, you see. Anyway, the defining power of the Callisti is their ability to make unbreakable 'tides' in reality, stronger than fate or order magic or anything else that can be created. Their abilities are highly mysterious - they are the only ones capable of killing a Dhelvanian, for instance, who exist outside the usual streams of reality and typically cannot die. But again, I have drifted. Essentially what I'm going to do is give you an oath of fealty to the Conclave, an unbreakable oath of honest service. If you consent, the Callisti will do the rest."

"I consent.  It is strange.  The concept of the Callisti seems familiar to me.  The idea of a wbeing capable of fixing reality based on concepts and words is one I have met before.  I wonder if I met your race in my last life?  It seems unlikely but many stranger things could well be true.  I would welcome the chance to talk to a Callisti when they can find time.  There is much I could learn from them."

"Very possible, friend, that you were with them in a past life. Ha! Speak to one! If you pass this oath, and your wishes lie that way, then you may work with them, either as inquisitor, recruiter, or relationist."

He placed the sphere on the table, then smiled, picked it up again, and threw it at Raelis.

Instead of hitting the God, it stopped suddenly about five centimeters from his face and started to hover. The humming got louder, and Raelis could see it vibrating.

Blue Hallowed Leord Raelis the First of the Lesser Realm of Lithern, Returned God and Slight Dabbler of Words, Low Lord Pending?

Its voice was like a thousand bells, all crying out at once in agony.

"I am Raelis, God of Litheris."

He pauses for a second.

"By the word that I am, by the concept I embody, by the sound that made me I swear alligence to the conclave.  To serve it, support it and obey its rules."

Will you betray it's principles in thought or deed?

"Not if I can avoid it.  Thoughts can be influenced but I will never actively betray it's principles in any way."

Do you intend to work your hardest to make the Conclave great?

"I will do my best to make the conclave the best it can be.  Greatness is a concept I feel unclear about.  I will strive to empower and improve the conclave always."

Would you die for the Conclave, and willingly?

"If it served the conclave to die for it I would do so.  I have no fear of death and the concept of the conclave is worth the cessation of my own existance."

Are you a worshiper, follower, or agent of Isuban the Black?

"I have never heard or known of Isuban and therefore the answer is no."

Do you harbour, or pretend to harbour, gifts from the Mad Gods?

Raelis makes a disgusted sound in the back of his throat.

"I have no truck with mad gods, now or in the past.  I harbour no gifts from them."

Do you fully accept this Oath?

"I do.  Let my service to the conclave be acceptable in their sight."

IT IS DONE.

Raelis felt a tight binding across his chest, arms, forehead and legs, as if he were roped, and then a feeling of intense suffocation.. and then, miraculously, they ceased, giving him a feeling of freedom that he had never experienced.

"Excellent!" said Gabreld the Shage. "Welcome to the Conclave!"

Shage's grin was magnificent.

"Have you thought as to what area you wish to work in?"

"I believe the area which covers the task of inquisition would be most suited to my talents.  I have something of a way with words and am able to use them to my advantage.  I would also relish the chance to work with the Callisti."

"Sure. Would you like to enter the branch of the Inquisitorial Department that deals with Callisti black market slave traders? It's a dangerous position, let me assure you.."

"I will serve as the conclave wills.  You have already seen my abilities to find things and I believe black market traders may be a bit surprised at my other abilities as well.  Let it be so.  I fear no danger."

"Then let it be done."

Suddenly, the Shage stands up, bows towards Raelis, gives him a hug, and begins to leave.

"You will receive a letter, soon, regarding your first assignment and what must be done. You will know when you have the letter."

He briskly leaves.

--

(In addition, becoming Oathbound gave you enough 'experience' to gain a Degree. Congratulations.)

Raelis turns back to Max.

"So that is that.  Are you intending to join the conclave as well or prehaps you have already done so?  If not consider that I am as dire a foe as I am an enemy but I am sure the warning is unneeded.  You have however put me in mind of something that I should do for my people.  If you have time, come and watch this."

Raelis notices something: the strange man had left the Seal of Odin for him in the grass. It showed silver towers within a golden sun. It would be a seal of his authority. He also noted a blue sash near it.

Raelis picked up both items.  He looped the sash over his head and slipped the seal into the arm of his robe carefully.

(OOC: You've also gained a Degree, which you can spend freely)

Raelis strode to the top of a small rise and looked down at the plain below.  His voice boomed out across the empty space as if to crack the heavens.  "Here shall be a new start for my people".  the arms of his robes fell and complete silence fell across the scene.  For a split second the world seemed clear and defined, its structure clear and understandable to all and then Raelis spoke.  The word he spoke shuddered and vibrated with force and the world howled as it heard it.

"NAELIFIR"

Down on the plain below a fog gathered almost instantly.  Tendrils of grey smoke seemingly drawn from the air.  Even as the fog appeared it was underlit by flashes of deep red as magma boiled up onto the plain.  Hideous cracks and tears ripped at the structure of the realm itself.

Soon silence fell once more and as the mist cleared the new city, Naelifir heaved itself up from the mist like a sea monster from the deeps.  At its centre a giant obelisk topped with the sign of the conclave surmounting the word Raelis.

Raelis himself sank to one knee, his powers drained by the effort.  "A great word still has a nasty price" he muttered to himself.

Naelifir: the great city of Litheris, had been crafted afresh from the power-words of Raelis. This was an event that happened extremely rarely, and the people were in awe. Morale and fear has increased by a large amount.

Max blinked. "I am going to have difficulty with that oath. I am not prepared to die for anyone I don't know personally."

And the god he was talking too made a city rise from the bare earth.

Max blinked again. "That's damn impressive. I'll have to remember to never give you an eldritch dictionary."

"Draining though.  I am afraid I have a job to be getting on with.  Certain things have arisen and I must meet the challenge.  Feel free to wander as you like here and spread the word of Naefilir amongst my people.  I have work to do for the conclave.  If you are free to help that would always be welcomed.  First I need to prepare a type of rock body for me to use - pilot is the correct word."

Raelis starts using words on a small patch of rock shaping it roughly into a series of bits that approximate in size and form the component limbs of a 8ft tall man.

(Which words, sorry?)

Max nodded. "Feel free to visit Xi any time you like, as long as I'm home. No touching the Foxgirls, though."

He waved farewell, as he returned to the Gate and his realm. He had a strange stranger in his home.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:24, Thu 03 Sept 2009.

(Break, heat and move basically - break the rock into the shapes I want and then heat it to create a shiny finished surface and then move it into position.)

(No worries. )

The rocks turn red, then white, then brown again: they are reformed.

Raelis sits down and starts concentrating.  His mind wanders before fixing on a certain concept and then hones in on that concept.

A slow whistling sound emerges, the sound of creation..

A minute passes, and..

An uncut Lazuli Jewel appears within the hands of Raelis.

Raelis smiles gently and examines the stone intently before placing it carefully on the ground in front of him.

He moves a robe arm over it and begins to whisper very softly.

He whispers take form..

PM

Raelis grimaces slowly as he realises he can't put enough information into this stone and tries to improve it one step to Jagged.

It took ten minutes.. but was done. The stone was refined, just a little bit.

Raelis carries on with his efforts trying to refine the stone yet further to cut.

An hour passed.. and still the refining continued.

Raelis continues grimly with his refining.  This has to be completed before he can continue his plan.

Another hour went.

(Would you like to continue until it becomes Cut?)

(Yup, I'm going to buy the remaining gems I need - this takes too long.  I can't do too much until I get the poison but I'll buy the gems right after that).

The gem was soon Cut.

Raelis stood, commanded the gem and the body to FOLLOW him and strode off back to the village he had encountered before.

He walked into the middle of the village and found the historian.  He took him aside and talked with him.

"I must leave for a short while now.  Matters are more serious in other places than I had realised.  I have created a city for my people.  You are now ordered and empowered to summon all the people to that city.  They are to be assembled and awaiting my inspection when I return.  I need their loyalty and help if things are as bad as I fear they may be.  There is no longer the option of disobeying my orders.  Tell the people anyone outside the city on my return will die.  Do this and your words shall be truth."

"My Lord," said the historian. "Thank you for this great honour. It will be done."

Raelis turned and walked into the city, the stone and body following him.

He moved through the streets until he reached the central square where the obelisk reared itself into the air.  At its base were carved three thrones, one above the other and Raelis stopped and looked at them with interest.  Behind the top throne was carved the symbol of the conclave, the seal of odin in all it's glory.  Behind the second was carved Raelis's own symbol, the twin styluses afire.  Behind the third was the blurred face that symbolised his people.

Raelis ascended to the second throne and seated himself to await the final piece of the puzzle.  While he waited he concentrated on creating a uncut opal ready for the completion.

The throne felt right. It felt good to sit on.

Soon, the opal was crafted.

Raelis creates a single uncut gem (topaz) and then whispers gently to the body imparting something to it before sitting back and smiling slightly.  Then Raelis MOVEd the stones to the correct place on the body and then began concentrating.

(Could you PM me a list of what jewels you have and what you're using them for specifically? Cheers and sorry.)

And it was done. The creature of stone had been created, infused with life.. it had been crafted in a crucible of myth.

"My name.. is Gramblar," it spoke.

Raelis nods.

"You are welcome to life and to the cares and worries that accompany it."

He raised an arm and walked down to meet Grumblar,  He opened a hatch in Grumblar's chest and climbed inside before closing it after him.

Then he turned and left for Niborkerese.

As son as Grumblar and Raelis had left the realm Raelis appeared once more upon his throne, his robe seemed somewhat deflated though as though the majority of his thought and being was elsewhere.

The sun was shining as Gramblar moved out. It was a magnificent plan.

(Continue Posting in Niborkerese)

(I did?)

(that's for reference ; ) Shh)

Max appeared here, looking around to get his bearings.

There seemed to be no sign of Raelis. The Ream itself was strange - the geography was normal enough, but it's inhabitants were nondescript, strangely blurred..

Max appeared in a small village filled with the vague people. They looked at him, but showed no curiousity.

He sighed, and left the realm without a word. I guess it'd be too much to ask for everyone to stay in places I can find them..

It started to hail in Litheris.

Raelis surged upright on the throne and looked around for the nearest large rock.  A few skillfully applied WOUNDs on the rock later he opened a portal to the realm of Aesin and ordered to rock to MOVE to and FOLLOW Aesin at a distance of ten centimetres until he touches it.

The message reads.  "I have recieved your request and request that you visit me in Litheris to explain your requirements before I grant such permission.  I sit currently upon the throne of Naelifir and await your coming there."

The stone was carved, awaiting Aesin's visit.

Raelis stands from the throne and turns.

"Enough time has elapsed that my servants should now be assembled in this city."

He raises his voice.

"Come forth people of Litheris and stand before me.  Let the city be filled with sound and the words ring for today a new world starts.  Approach all ye of this land and hear my words."

Most of the people had migrated to the city anyway; it was a fount of civilisation and safety in a dangerous land, however sacred. They began to assemble before Raelis.

Raelis took his stance before the people and spoke.

"People of Litheris.  I have returned unto you from ages past by the hand of the great tree.  The tree itself is in dire need.  It seeks rest, it seeks death or rebirth.  We stand here as memories from the past.  This city however marks a new step in our path.  Never before have you gathered in such a place, never again will such a city exist.  This city is a word and through that word it exists.  It's very existance is proof of the power of words but it is born of the tree and it will fall with the tree.  Go now and talk amongst yourselves for this city is to be the site for a project to rebirth the tree itself.  You and I together will seek a source of power sufficient to return the tree to its former glory."

"I ask all those who know anything that might help to speak with me now.  Otherwise return to your homes and await my instructions."

It was as if their Lord spoke in a babble. They did not understand precisely what he had said, but were excited about him saying it. Morale had boosted quite an amount.

No one came to give information.

Raelis turned and summoned the historian to him.

"In the books and tomes of which you are guardian is there any recollection of a source of power outside of the norm, something that seems strange or unusual.  If you cannot recall one I wish you to choose five apprentices and search the tomes with them.  This project will be a long endevour and we must leave no stone unturned."

"Apprentices?" said the historian. "What, Lord.. I do not have any apprentices. I am the last historian."

"I meant choose five from amongst the people and train them on the job.  It is time for these people to remember their history and lore and that means telling it.  Find me whatever you can, I will not blame you for failure as long as your effort is sufficient.  If there is nothing it is not a crime to tell me that.  However search well and diligently.  I have affairs to see to."

Raelis turns and heads to the north of his realm to inspect it and search for anyone who has not fled to the city.

How far north was Raelis going? To the edge of Litheris?

"Yes, my Lord," said the historian solemnly. He didn't like the idea of training apprentices.

Raelis is going to the edge or until he sees any of his people.

He didn't have to trouble far; he didn't get very far into the northern province at all. Soon he came upon a small cluster of his people, living in a sort of tavern together. They hadn't migrated.

Raelis marches straight up to the group and raises his voice.

"Why are you here - have you not heard that I am returned and have summoned my people to Naelfir to live together?  Why do you stay here?  What ties you to this place in defiance of my instructions?  My words are as the law that binds the world together and you defy me and them at your peril."

The innkeeper looked solemnly towards Raelis. His expression was pained, bleak, but respectful.

"Lord," he began. "We cannot leave this place. We have taken oaths to tender it, Lord."

"Words used in oaths are important, please explain the nature and import of your oath.  I will not cause harm unto you if you answer truthfully and your oath is important to you but will seek a resolution that assists both me and you."

"This place.. is a shrine to those lost. To the stories doomed. To the war.. and we have been given the sacred task of keeping it. Keeping it in the condition in which it was originally built."

Raelis's hood sweeps the area.

"My memory is not what it could be.  Doomed stories?  a war?  What happened and why is it important to keep it as it was built.  Words evolve, change and improve.  What possible word needs to be remembered for so long that it needs an eternal monument?"

"I do not know," said the man. "We only keep the place, tender to the Last Word. There is nothing else for us. Leave us be, word-king. We will survive as we have always survived."

Raelis raises his hands to his head as if in sudden pain.

"That name seems to resonate in my memories, memories I don't even seem to have."

He lifts his head and stares straight at the man.

"Is the location you are sworn to tend to or is it elsewhere?  I feel a burning desire to see this location."

The man's eyes shifted suddenly. "This is the place, Lord," he said. "This is the Tavern of the Last Word. The Shrine of the Final Sign. I am it's caretaker."

He shrugged suddenly.

"Look where you will, Lord. Please. This place is free and open to you."

Raelis enters the tavern, his eyes roaming over the place looking for whatever it is that makes this whole concept so hauntingly familiar.  Here is something he has no comphrehension of but feels he ought to understand.  He whispers words gently to himself not for power but to reassure himself that this final word has not robbed him of others.

There is nothing unusual. The Keepers of the Last Word smile thinly as he searches the place, but it is, to most eyes, just that: a tavern. There is nothing strange about the place..

Unless you count the locked door, behind the main bar, leading to the cellars.

"Lord," said the man, "Beneath is the sacrifice. You do not.. you do not wish to gaze there. It is locked for a purpose, and the purpose is your own."

"Then I would have left instructions worded in such a way as to avoid the entrance of doubt regarding this place.  Tell me what were my instructions and what was my purpose?"

"Lord," said the man. "This is different. You.. do not want to enter that cellar. I am sorry, but I was instructed by yourself - and gifted with the Greatest Gift - so that I may warn you, on your rebirth, that you should not enter."

"What precise words did I use?  Even I would not have believed I would stand here before a closed door and accept the unproven word of a person I do not recall ever speaking to before.  Even if I somehow knew I would be reborn what could possibly be dangerous enough that I could not wield it if I did so in my previous existance?  There is a story here that I must know, I have met with the man who claims to be this realms sole historian.  Is this linked to the lack of history amongst my people?  Did I deliberately set out to destroy their past for some reason?"

"I.." the man went silent. There was nothing he could say. "The exact words.."

Another silence. The man's eyes became unfocused, and his mouth opened a little bit.

Suddenly, the words spewed forth..

I AM NOT TO SEE WHAT IS INSIDE. THAT PATH LEADS TO RUIN. I AM DOING THIS FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE.. AND I DON'T WANT THAT PURPOSE UNRAVELLED. NO. TELL ANY VISITORS - EVEN IF IT APPEARS TO BE MYSELF, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT I  WILL COME - IT HAPPENED TO MERHATH, I CAN BE SAFE IN THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WILL HAPPEN TO ME. IT'S CRAILEK'S FAULT, OF COURSE, BUT I WON'T BE ABLE TO TELL HIM. STILL. DO NOT ALLOW ME TO ENTER. THAT WAY LIES STRANGENESS AND DOOM.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:32, Mon 05 Oct 2009.

Raelis stand bolt upright, his robe ceasing to move.

"Doom?  Not a word I would normally use in any context, too extreme so I must assume."

His voice trails off as if he is totally unnerved by his thoughts.

"What did I do?  What could I possibly have done to have said those words?  Strangeness and Doom?  A breakdown of physical characteristics?  Was I threatening to destroy this realm?  The tree?  I knew I would return and I have so I must assume I knew something that I didn't then.  I need more information.  Do you know anything of Merhath or did I leave any instructions for myself anywhere?  What was I hiding from me?"

SCAN Merath, the rebirth or return of

SCAN Destruction of the Tree - possible methods to achieve

SCAN Raelis, death or disappearance of

"I'm sorry, Lord," said the man. "I have not been given any more information. If it assists you, know that I have stood here for a hundred generations in your absence. The Word had gifted me with a peculiar immortality."

MERATH: There were two Merath's in history. Both were Divines. Merath the First, God of the Letter, was an active member of the Government of Odin and a strong supporter of extraplanar exploration. Merath the Second - also God of the Letter - was considered by some to be the reincarnation of the first, possibly a proto-Returned God, who fought against the Ten Leagues and Metatron during the Age of Leagues but, do to some unseen event, lost his sanity and will to fight almost overnight.

YGGDRASIL, DESTROYING: Nothing found.

RAELIS: There are two Raelis's in history. Both were Divines. Raelis the First became a God of some renown, knowing vast power and having the alleged ability to rename objects and thus change them completely. He disappeared and was never seen again. Raelis the Second, a Returned God - supporting the death of Raelis the First - is considered the reincarnation of Raelis the First and is currently a Low Lord in the Conclave, working for the Inquisition.

Raelis shakes his head.

"So that was the answer.  I could impose words on other words and rename them sucessfully.  A logical ability I suppose but one that offers more questions than answers.  I presume you are no longer a true native of this realm?  That I renamed you to make you immortal?  No matter, this whole situation stinks to high heavenm.  I must have had a reason for leaving myself even this many clues as to my own abilities.  What went wrong?  Why was history regarding this erased and how did I die?  What need did I foresee for this place?"

He turns and stares out into space.

"I need answers and I can think of no easy way to get them.  I will not face this now but I will think on this and return.  My options are limited and the threat of this power is substantial."

He turns and travels further to the north.

The man gave no reply.

To the north.. was not much else. Abandoned settlements. Rocky caves. Not much of note.

Raelis heads to the west of his lands once more looking for people who have failed to leave and now with more interest looking for anything that might date back to the era when he first walked these lands.

Ruse appears here, and senses for divinity. He then dissolves his physical form and flies with great haste toward Raelis.

There were no people who failed to leave in the near west, but further out.. there was something strange. Almost like an identical city, made of white sandstone.. but it was in the distance, now.

Raelis felt the presence of an intruder in his Realm: Ruse.

Soon - before he knew it - Raelis was assaulted by a wave of mist.

--

Ruse appears in the main city. He knows that Raelis is within the Realm.. somewhere. Soon he was upon Raelis.

Raelis sits down with a bang as the mist comes upon him.

"Please identify yourself.  If you happen to be me could I point out that this is an extremely bad idea.  If you aren't I would point out this is a potentially fatal idea.  I have serious trust issues just now having just been mistrusted by myself so I would advise openness and clarity rather rapidly."

Ruse materialized, stepping out of the banks of mist as a regal and aloof figure, elven in stature in looks, but silky like the clouds and air.

"I am Ruse, Associate of the Conclave and god of Mist. I come here as an ally - I assure you that I am myself, not yourself." He said, with a slight chuckle. We each had our own baggage after all.

"I am here to inform you of the Dual mission against Chalybis channel, and to let you know that you have access to it. Max of Xi as well as myself are spearheading an invasion of the genocidal god chalybis' realm, and we may even wing up killing the god himself too. You are invited to participate in this attack, but you don't have to. As a low lord, the conclave requests that you watch ur progress and provide any assistance should you so choose. We have already selected the soldiers to participate in the invasion though, and it is only a matter of time before we begin."

It starts to rain.

Nothing else happens.

Raelis nods.  He seems slightly dis-orientated.

"I'm aware of the information.  What do you know of Chalybis?  I am afraid I know only a little of him and am consumed with another mission for the conclave.  I will need as much information as you can tell me to determine what involvement is needed.  Could you also clarify what forces you are proposing to take with you?"

Ruse nodded, and replied,

"Of course. Chalybis is a machanical-based god of industry from the realm of Telleratus. He has declared a genocidal war on all systemarchs, and has also launched an attack on Max of xi by a powerful mythcrafted creature. Max survived and is currently recovering while I am typing up loose ends in terms of mission preparation. We decided to go with quality over quantity, and are taking five Crucifix-class soldiers with us - highly equipped earthborn with top-level technology made for fighting rogue gods."

Ruse then stopped, and a misty impression of a methodes gate formed to the side of him. He continued.

"We are going to scout the realm first using Max's methodes gate. I will also enter the realm and do more pin-point surveillance. Chalybis and his machines will not be able to catch me if I am focusing on pure scouting activities. Once we get an idea for the layout of the realm, we will go in and take over a small city or outpost, and make that our main invasion encampment, from which we will then spread and raze and destroy the realm. However I am willing to offer chalybis the chance to turn himself in harmlessly, but otherwise we are to kill his people and raze his settlements, although I'm willing to spare non-hostiles if they cooperate with us and submit to quarantine until the operation is done. After things are ready, we will use the conclave mission channel (which you now have access to) to alaert the conclave to send in reinforcements, as well as systemarch strip miners."

The rain stopped.

"So could you give me a quick briefing on your abilities, Max's abilities and the human's abilities.  With that I should be able to assess the situation fully."

Raelis regarded Ruse calmly.

Raelis turns to ruse sharply.

"Allegations have been made, you will remain precisely where you are until the arrival of Aesin and Max.  You will not answer any questions unless specifically asked by me and/or Aesin and I would suggest you limit yourself to Yes/No answers.  Any attempt to leave will be met with deadly force."

Raelis keeps a careful watch ready to ENFLAME Ruse if he attempts to leave.

A small wind picks up, refreshing Raelis somewhat.

Raelis knows, of course, being an Inquisitor that Max and Ruse should have oathswords on them. According to Conclave policy, they should be considered doubly suspicious if they do not. These oathswords can be commanded to - via a request through his private channel - spontaneously combust, killing the target.

He also knows the truth-saying properties of the Callisti, and the fact that they are the only truly admissible, impartial witnesses in court. They cannot, by definition, tell a lie, and it is standard practice to have them force suspects to swear that they haven't committed a crime in order to clear them of suspicion.

A figure appears, wandering through the mist that has suddenly gathered. He has wild hair, sharp eyes, and vicious teeth. At his side is a steel blade.

"Greetings," he said towards Raelis. "I am Low Lord Naad of the Arbitrator Department (specialising in Inquisitorial matters) and impartial witness to the proceedings. I have credentials and a Callisti verification code that you may feed your channel in order to assess my claims. Here is my Seal," he showed Raelis his Seal of Odin, "And the code is na8762143ad. Good to meet you."

Raelis pulls out his own seal wordlessly and shows it to the god.

"I apologise for doing this but serious allegations have been made against this god and another.  I intend to reques the following from the god making the allegation.  A direct statement of the law he believes the god to have broken followed by a direct question to determine if the law has been broken of the form - have you broken this law.  The answer will be in the form of yes or no.  That should determine the situation permanently."

He leans close and whispers slightly into the ear of the god.

"Ah, yes, of course. Not to worry. This is my job. It might also be worth checking Aesin's methods.. to make sure he didn't slip into illegality within his search. As they say, it often takes a psychic to find a psychic. But I like your methods.."

PM

PM

Ruse sighed, and rolled his eyes as a great mass of mist began to form. After snaking outward for a moment due to its sheer mass, Ruse pointed down at the ground near his feet, and the mist stopped spreading and instead compressed together tightly, into the form of a man-sized chair or throne. The misty piece of furniture appeared beside Ruse, who promptly proceeded to sit onto it. Amazingly enough, he did not fall through - it had the soft, comfy consistency of a cloud, yet was apparently solid to the mist god.

With a cross of the legs, Ruse looked at Raelis and replied,

"Oh pa-lease! We REALLY don't have time for this idiocy. That fool Aesin is trotting around like a slavish dog that hunts down loyal associates, while the genocidal Chalybis is out there, roaming about unchecked. We REALLY need to get this mission underway, Raelis."

Ruse probably could have escaped if he really wanted to, but he sincerely wanted to get to the damn mission, not fight people who were supposed to be his allies. This ordeal tried his patience though. He would wait...hopefully it would go fast.

"The accusations are silly, and I have broken no law. If anything, I should have you all tried for class M offenses for suggesting that psychic powers are real. Why would you guys be looking for something that does not exist? Especially when I'm trying to get a mission underway to hunt down a collective enemy."

With a wave of his hand, a cloudy chalice appeared in Ruse's left hand. He then conjured some extremely watery vapor that quickly congealed into clean water in the chalaice. Ruse sipped at it, biding his time.

"Hopefully this goes fast. This has been extremely annoying." Ruse says coldly as he waits.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Wed 07 Oct 2009.

Raelis looks at Ruse calmly.

"I have made no accusations.  I have not claimed in any way to believe in the existence of psionic powers but this accusation must be met.  I have already stated the process.  If you do not claim to have such powers you have little to fear.  If you have broken conclave law I will support Aesin, if not I will support you.  I take no sides in this, I seek only the truth."

Naad smiled grimly, his sharpened teeth gleaming in the mist.

"Psychic abilities most certainly exist.. and the Conclave cannot deny this; after all, their greatest tools are the sensitive Systemarchs and their extracognitive abilities. The full laws, as written in the Tables of Odin state that the unregistered use of them is illegal, and that Gods are not permitted to use such abilities as they draw on the power of," Naad looked a little fearful at this point, "the Mad Gods. Or at least that is the theory.."

He shrugged.

"The Herald is managed in an unsatisfactory manner, I'll admit that, but the fact of the matter is that these are serious allegations. Ruse, you would do best to keep sombre. Don't make light of the situation. We each have the authority to destroy you.. and Aesin gets the right of word over you or your companion. It's just the way it is."

Aesin arrives, Max upon his shoulder.

Raelis takes one look at Max and shakes his head in disgust.

"Do none of you have any healing powers?  Max seems to be slightly short of limbs.  HEAL, HEAL, HEAL."

He hurls the powerwords at Max attempting to regrow his limbs.

Max began to feel much better.. lighter almost -

Light filled Max's wounds.

- while Raelis felt the energy being drained from him. He could continue.. but it would cost him. Regrowing another's limbs wasn't simple, and it wasn't cheap. He would be exhausted afterwards.

Naad the Shage negotiator remained silent, keeping an eye on Ruse.

Raelis kept pouring the energy into the process.  His own energy could be replenished later but for right now he needed to mend this god.

"Now, as you are all aware i have suspicion that Ruse, God of Mist. At first it was a just a gut feeling. Now, with the support of the Callisti i believe i have caught him in a lie."

Aesin looks at Ruse. "Of course these suspicions can be put to rest if you swear the Callisti Oath."

Ruse looks up at Aesin, and replies,

"I told you before that I will never swear on the Callisti. It goes against my own personal principles, and the Conclave knows this from my registration and has been okay with it. I believe that my actions, and even more importantly my intentions will speak for themselves in due time. The Conclave will recognize my loyalty based purely on merit - something that a Callisti oath simply cannot produce...ever. It's hard to do so after a person is locked into some oath for eternity, don't you think?"

Ruse sipped some more water, before tossing his goblet to the ground. It hit the ground with an odd thump before dispersing apart into faint wisps of clouds, harmlessly.

"And I told you already that I do not have psionic powers."

Raelis sagged, his robe almost touching the ground.

"Look, Aesin has made his accusation. Ruse, state now that you have no psionic powers and let the Calisiti judge the accusation.  If it says you speak truth Aesin drops this until after Chalybis is defeated, if not you go with the arbitrator to be judged by the conclave."

Ruse eyes Raelis intently.

"I do not have psionic powers."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:55, Thu 08 Oct 2009.

"And I can tell you right now," said Naad, "That it is the official Conclave policy to test via Callisti. In this world of psychic powers, supernatural abilities, extracognitive implants, things from beyond our ken.. it is the only way we can be sure. Witnesses ceased to be effective once you factor in, say, telepathy. Ruse, you will take the oath.. or you will die."

There is a flash of green light, and Max's left arm and leg have returned, feeling stiff and battered.. but otherwise there. Raelis, meanwhile, felt extremely exhausted.. it was a costly ability to use in that manner.

"Now, Max," said Naad, "You're under less immediate suspicion. Even if you are aware of Ruse's powers, I will strive to have you incarcerated instead of lined up and shot. Regardless, you'll need to take a similar test. Remember, gentlemen, this isn't an oath of fealty to the Conclave.. that sort of commitment is heavy, and not needed. Rather, it is proof that you aren't a psychic. Knowing just how big a crime that is, it's fairly understandable."

He shifts a little.

"Ruse, if you are found guilty, you'll come with me. I have very explicit instructions from the Conclave if you are found guilty, but I am oathbound - I cannot tell you what those are."

Ruse sighed, and replied,

"I said no. I know what my rights are as a Conclave associate. Unless you have pressing evidence that I have psychic powers, then you have no case against me. I chose to join the Conclave under the condition that I can demonstrate my loyalty and ability through merit alone, and the conclave accepted these terms. I would never expect the Conclave to go back on it's word - such a thing is unethical, but given that this is the Conclave we are talking about, it then becomes unthinkable. You are individuals and are subject to whatever flaws afflict you at the time, but I will always fully trust the Conclave to keep its promise to me, so much is the faith I put into it."

Rsue looked at the Callisti, and then rolled his eyes, and then back to the gods.

"This is not some sort of immature half-baked witch-hunt institution. You have no evidence and no witness testimony. I have done nothing to demonstrate even the slightest psionic capability, and a gut feeling or suspicion is NOT the same thing as hard evidence. I am innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. You are free to have whatever suspicion you'd like, but I am protected by Conclave law as an associate until proven without a doubt to be guilty, not the other way around."

Ruse prayed silently to the primordials - especially the Master Divine - that this situation would somehow work out in his favor.

Raelis struggles upright and reaches over to the callisiti.

"Syncronise with my voice and Ruse's."

He turns and places the calisiti next to Ruse.  Then speaks with his coice infused with the calisiti oathpattern.

You are Brown Purjopiarre Ruse the First of the Balanced Valley of Mist, Zealous God and Fragile Dabbler of Mist, Lord of the Invisible Tendril, Aggressive Associate to the Conclave, Master of the Far-reaching Monologue?

Max slid down from Aesin's shoulder. He turned to Aesin. "Thank you for carrying me."

He then turned to Raelis. "Thank you for healing me. I thought that an oath is an oath and that if I swore any Oath I would then become fanatically loyal to the conclave.. sure, an oath I'm not psionic."

Stop the proceedings.

A mental wave - no, tsunami - assaults the five, staggering them (even Ruse) a little. The command was abrupt, forceful, and utterly terrifying. A hidden, powerful vein of charisma was hidden within.

Through the mist the four saw a many-legged figure - a Systemarch - walk slowly, yet confidently, towards them. To Aesin, the being appeared to show the confidence and pose of a man deeply, deeply in tune with Order; to Raelis, a being who, beneath the power and bravado, expressed a deep state of relaxation and calm; to Ruse, a being who is at once deeply cunning and terrifyingly intelligent; to Max, the kind of world-shaker he knew he would once become.

The Callisti, however, saw something else.

LORD COUNCILMAN ROID. It hummed. AT YOUR FEET, A THOUSAND ROSES.

Raelis's attunement to the Callisti had collapsed; his concentration had been completely shot.

The figure stepped towards the five, showing itself at a last. A large, heavily built Systemarch, with flowing silver hair and a great silver beard; one eye missing, replaced with something lit in red, obviously mechanical; steam puffing silently from the two dozen metal chimneys on his back, bursting through his robe; his body cloaked in the grey of the Inner Circle of Odin, several Seals of office at it's front; a firearm, somehow awake, alive, and inexplicably alien in his hand..

"I am," he said, his words heavier than stone, "the Lord Councilman Roid. I am here on official Conclave business, and my word is law. I am told that two Gods - Max of Xi and Ruse of the Valley of Mist - are here. Is my information correct?"

Raelis bows low, his robe still deflated from the energies expended in his healing.

"That would be correct my lord.  I am Raelis, Low Lord of the Conclave and god of this domain and I bid you welcome in the name of all its people."

Ruse gave a polite curtsey to the councilman, his face remaining stoic despite the many thoughts racing through his mind.

He wondered how this would all play out. Roid seemed like a snake (due to the conspiracy), yet also had such a great amount of majesty all his own that even Ruse was forced to acknowledge it. And of course he was linked to Belverstus (something only he and Max knew), so that was a mark in his favor. Ruse - quite frankly - was unsure to think of this councilman as friend or foe.

"Greetings, my lord Councilman." Ruse said respectfully. He deeply respected the systemarch's intelligence, cunning, and of course psychic power.

Max smiled. "Good afternoon, Roid!" Max said cheerfully, waving. He bowed respectfully. "I'm Max of Xi, and the guy with all the mist and white hair is my best friend Ruse. Aesin thinks Ruse has psionics, and when I said I didn't know if he did the Callisti said I was lying. Me and Ruse want to go vanquish Chalybis so we can be heroes and help out the conclave and get paid. Raelis is being really nice and helping us out, and so is the Callisti. Are you the conclave representative that we were sent?"

Aesin gets on one knee before Roid. "Welcome Councilman Roid. Finally, we can get some results."

"Lord Councilman Roid," said Naad. "It is my pleasure, as negotiator, to welcome you to this tribunal."

Roid grimaced. "Yes, yes," he said. "Greetings to you all. Now.. yes, you, boy," he said, nodding briskly towards Max, "Max of Xi. I am not an idiot. I do not appreciate being treated as such, especially not from the likes of you. Negotiator Naad is obviously the Conclave representative.. if it wasn't for, ergh," he grimaced again, "If it wasn't for your exceptional choice of friends I'd have to consider you a complete failure with no hope for the future. You truly are pathetic. Nevertheless.."

He waved an arm.

"Nevertheless, you are cleared of all charges. Free to go. Be a little more careful of who you associate with from now on.. though, I must say, befriending Anvildramadum is, perhaps, your only redeeming feature. Get out of my sight. My friendship with the Machine Hunter will not save you again."

He glared towards Max, and Max quailed in fear. The glare was deeply, frighteningly intense. Suddenly, Roid directed his stare towards Ruse. He smiled viciously.. showing a full set of teeth. Suddenly, Ruse knew, and his heart filled with immaculate fear: he knew. An unrestrained Systemarch.. he knew.

"Ruse," spat Roid. "Ruse, God of Mists. Hello. Greetings. Now, I think you have something of mine? A small box, perhaps.. and a silver dagger? I seem to have misplaced them."

The message behind his seemingly friendly words was clear: give up the items, Ruse, or the entire Conclave will see you fall.

Aesin looked at Max. He wondered why he got off so easy. He started to put things together... This councilman Roid is now in his sights...

But so he was focused, he payed attention to more pressing issues - Ruse and these items? He would stay silent for now... Although, in Aesin's eyes, Roids credibility has been almost abolished.

Raelis turns and draws Aesin and Max off to one side to let Roid, Haad and Ruse sort out their remaining issues.

"Aesin, we are about to launch an assault on a god called Chalybis.  I would request your aid if you would give it.  I have been considering a plan andI'm uploading it to the task channel as we speak but it requires your aid to increase the chances.  Maxl, can you fetch the earthborn to here right NOW.  I would suggest saying as little as possible until this is over."

Aesin closed his eyes slowly. "I was planning to take care of him anyway. Your plan is dangerous. If you are caught you will be in a large spot of trouble. Chalybis could be expecting an attack and may treat you as hostile no matter what you declare" he said firmly. He then added "I'd much rather sever the head."

Raelis gives a snort of laughter.

"If you can please do - that would be most convienient.  I know my plan is dangerous but it does have the advantage of being possible and simple.  Chalybis attacking me would be an asset as well in my opinion.  I have no intention of talking to him at any stage - that is what your element of the plan is for.  As long as I am far enough away from you he will have to choose between your attack or mine.  The danger of the plan is all mine though - unless you have something better will you proceed with it?"

"If you believe you can pull this off then by all means. I will command the infantry personally."

Well the cat was out of the bag, at least as far as Roid was concerned. Thankfully, the others were nicely kept in the dark. Ruse had passed tha Callisti successfully, so at the very least Aesin and company could get off of his ass for a while. Roid probably suspected Ruse at the very least, but the slithering councilman did not seem to necessarily view Ruse as an enemy - or as completely expendable. Not like Max at least.

Ruse made a decision. He could take the safest way and hide the items at much risk to himself (mostly from the conclave), or he could display his innocence in the Osiris case as well as increase his credibility to Roid. At the very least, he could make a good impression on the systemarch, who seemed to be "on the fence" in terms of his view on Ruse. Really, at this point Ruse felt Roid could go either way in terms of living or hating him.

Ruse stood up and approached Roid confidently, although not threateningly. He nodded his head in a most refined manner, and replied,

"My lord councilman, I do indeed possess the two items that you seek. I have been keeping them safe, although recent events..." he said as he shot a nasty glance at Aesin, before softening his features and looking upon Roid once more.

"...until recent events have forced my attention elsewhere. I was - quite frankly - concerned by the fact that they were possessede by you know who, and took them away to protect the tree. However, you did stop these annoying proceedings to speak to me about this, yes, so I do feel your sincerety in this matter is genuine, and I respect that. I will get the items immediately and paradox them over to the halls of the Sun immediately and give them to you there, for your convenience and the sake of safety."

Ruse protected the integrity of the information by not mentioning specific names. He wondered if Roid would notice or not. Ruse snapped his fingers and opened a portal, and responsed.

"I swear on the Master Divine that I will immediately go and do as you ask, but like you said I really must go now before the items are compromised, and the items are in my realm so I must leave here. I am still a member of the Conclave, after all, as the Callisti has not declared my guilt."

Ruse was being completely truthful this time - he really was retreiving the items for Roid. At worst, if Roid wanted to unleash Osiris, he could try and figure out a way to stop him. On the other hand, if Roid really did want to contain Osiris and just went about this dubiously...well then Ruse will have accomplished his objective by finding someone else to help watch out for things.

"I'm sorry gentlemen but I must leave your gracious presences now to assist our glorious councilman. Your Callisti also didn't pin anything on me, so hopefully we can move past this and I can focus on my missions."

Ruse didn't make a sudden bolt for his portal - he didn't want anyone to think he was hostile. However, he did walk toward it and enter it at a walking pace. He had a sinking suspicion that if anyone interfered with his departure, that Roid would have their heads.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:50, Fri 09 Oct 2009.

(OMIGOD, I didn't even notice Naad. I wish I could retcon that, it's metagaming.. in a bad way.. cause I didn't know something my character obviously would..)

Max looked at Raelis and Aesin. "Raelis- Aesin- I fear that you assume our foe knows nothing of us. He has already taken aggressive action against me. Chalybis won't just sit and wait. Every second we spend here planning is a second- or, knowing the way time flows, a day- he spends becoming stronger. Yes, I will get the troops- but I am staying in my realm. He's attacked before, he'll attack again."

Max then turned to councilman Roid. "A thousand apologies, Councilman."

Max then opened a portal to his own realm, and stepped through.

Naad stood there in silence.

"Ruse just.. wandered off.. without taking the oath," he said, finally, shaking his head. "Is he an idiot, or deliberately acting difficult?"

Roid snarled.

"Aesin," he said, "You are to go to the Valley of Mist and force Ruse to take the Oath of the Callisti in regards to his psychic abilities. If he does not comply, do not try and kill him; relay a message via your channel and we'll cut him off completely and destroy him from afar. You can return here after to plan for war."

He nodded briskly towards Naad. "Negotiator, your work is done. Go."

Roid disappeared.

Raelis buries his head in his robe sleeves.  He was done trying to help Ruse.  Now he had to plan the attack on Chalybis.  He turned and considered very carefully what would be best to do.  Eventually he made his decision and turned back to Aesin.

"Go now and follow your orders.  I would request to speak to you once this is all over.  I have some ... concerns about myself that I would wish to discuss with you.  That is myself in a previous life rather than me here and now.  I need some unbiased advice and yours seems to be the best around.  Right now I intend to travel to Telluratus and speak with this chalybis - I have a concept about how I might convince him of my dislike for the conclave."

Raelis leaves for Telluratus.

Ruse appeared back here.

"I apologize, but the wishes of the lord Councilor take precedence over what we were doing. I am back now, like I said I would be."

Ruse approached the Callisti, and said,

"I swear that I do not have psionic powers."

Naad had wandered off - back towards home - with a curt thankyou and a gracious goodbye.

RUSE OF THE VALLEY OF MIST. DO YOU SWEAR NOT TO HAVE PSYCHIC ABILITIES?

"I Ruse of the Valley of Mist swear an oath on the Callisti that I do not have psychic abilities." Ruse replied confidently, although fairly monotonely and stoic all the same, in good Mistella fashion.

There was a silence.

A long pause.

And..

Ruse did not die.

He was not killed.

He still, in fact, lived.

He'd passed the Oath.

RUSE DOES NOT HAVE PSYCHIC ABILITIES. HE IS INNOCENT.

Aesin double checked. "Clarify, Ruse was not lying about not having psionics?"

Aesin feels a large burst of strength flow through him. The natural order of things had been corrupted; a lie, of some variety, was afoot. But from whom? He wasn't entirely sure that Ruse had psionics, now.. it could have been anything. Roid showing up could have done it. So could Max have being healed..

RUSE IS TELLING THE TRUTH. HE DOES NOT POSSESS PSYCHIC ABILITIES.

Amazing, too, how the Callisti could go from calling him a one hundred percent liar to completely innocent..

Ruse looked at Aesin confidently, and said,

"Well as you can see I have taken the Callisti oath and have been found to be innocent. By Conclave law, that frees me of any implication of guilt int his matter. The Callisti is - after all - the only thing that always holds up in a court of law as pure evidence. I'm just glad now that we can finally move past all of this, since these allegations were most annoying, and the process most insulting."

It amused Ruse a bit to see Aesin squirm like that - this entire affair really left a sour taste in his mouth toward the god of order. But with the Callisti vouching for Ruse's innocense, the hounds of war would have to leave him alone now.

"My low lord..." Ruse coo-ed courteously, almost sensuously like silk. "...if there is not anything else that these proceedings require, I really must be off to prepare for the mission against Telleratus."

He waited for Aesin's response.

Aesin wasn't phased in the slightest - this was afterall, just a trivial matter. He did, however, not like the idea of Ruse getting away with this. This wasn't ordered at all...
"It seems the Conclaves unbeatable system has been deceived. You do not fool me Ruse."
Aesin draws his sword, shining bright silver, he holds it to Ruse's throat. "I know your guilty. When the system fails, one must make decisions to fix the system."

The Callisti hummed.

HE IS INNOCENT, AESIN.

Ruse stood there, unfazed, and replied with a twinkle in his deep eyes,

"My lord Aesin, I really don't know what ever you are talking about. I've taken the oath of the Callisti and done everything that you and the Conclave have asked of me, so my loyalty should be obvious, yes? You would defy the ruling of the Conclave and the Callisti then? Or did I do something to you outside of the court of law that makes you want to hate me so much?"

He made a slightly disappointed and sad face, but otherwise stood there. Ruse knew that if Aesin killed him right now, in view of the Callisti, that he himself would most likely implode from his own Callistic oath, while ruse himself would most likely survive the attack.

"So you would presume to over-rule the decisions of the most ethical conclave then, in front of the most glorious Callisti? This is rediculous Aesin - let's just drop this and move on to the true threats...like Chalybis."

"Callisti, you are excused."

"You are as much as a threat as Chalybis is, if not, more." Aesin glared fiercely into the eyes of Ruse. "The conclave and the Callisti are mistaken in calling you innocent, i must rectify this."

The Callisti disappeared suddenly. It was there, a shining orb of silver and light, and then - nothing. Gone, excused.

Ruse asks Aesin to stand down one more time, for the good of the Conclave.

Mandatory Sentence on Ruse.

Aesin thrusts his sword through Ruse's throat.

COMMAND: Booting shields..
13%..
Cut.
Shields fai-

Ruse feels himself freeze. His mind, his emotions, his body.. frozen in time and space. It is an unnerving feeling. What happened next happened with the utmost amount of clarity and lucidity, but still felt too real - hyper-real - as if it were a dream..

Ruse felt himself flow, start to melt, start to turn into mist..

And the dagger came down, with all the experience and fury of Aesin behind it. Plunged into Ruse's neck. Plunged with such force that his neck broke.

Ruse fell to the ground. He might have been innocent, but he was dead.

Raelis reappears and heads straight for the city.  Once there he gives the metal over to the historian with orders to try and work out how much is missing and lay it out so it is clear how much of the machine needs to be found and how it fits together.

Then he waits for the promised Callisti.

The two Callisti arrive soon after.

WE ARE AT YOUR COMMAND, RAELIS.

ROSES AT YOUR FEET, GOD OF WORDS.

Raelis bows.

"Welcome and greetings both of you.  I am honored by your presence and your aid.  Tell me if there is anything I can do for you."

Turning to the first Callisti.

"Could I have a replay of all recorded statements during the time you were assisting Aesin, god of order recently.  Could I also have a description of events between my departure and your leaving this realm."

Aesin sheathed his sword and left for Xi.

Images slowly fade into Raelis's mind..

After.. after Low Lord Raelis left..

Ruse appeared. Swore on myself, the Callisti..

"I apologize, but the wishes of the lord Councilor take precedence over what we were doing. I am back now, like I said I would be."

"I swear that I do not have psionic powers."

"I Ruse of the Valley of Mist swear an oath on the Callisti that I do not have psychic abilities."

He passed. He was innocent. He did not die.

Aesin was unpleased.

"Clarify, Ruse was not lying about not having psionics?"

Ruse took deep pleasure in the discomfort of Aesin. Aesin was furious.

"Well as you can see I have taken the Callisti oath and have been found to be innocent. By Conclave law, that frees me of any implication of guilt int his matter. The Callisti is - after all - the only thing that always holds up in a court of law as pure evidence. I'm just glad now that we can finally move past all of this, since these allegations were most annoying, and the process most insulting."

"My low lord... if there is not anything else that these proceedings require, I really must be off to prepare for the mission against Telleratus."

"It seems the Conclaves unbeatable system has been deceived. You do not fool me Ruse."

Aesin drew his knife, held it to Ruse's throat.

"I know your guilty. When the system fails, one must make decisions to fix the system."

We reminded Low Lord Aesin that Associate Ruse was innocent. Ruse seemed a little sad.

"My lord Aesin, I really don't know what ever you are talking about. I've taken the oath of the Callisti and done everything that you and the Conclave have asked of me, so my loyalty should be obvious, yes? You would defy the ruling of the Conclave and the Callisti then? Or did I do something to you outside of the court of law that makes you want to hate me so much?"

"So you would presume to over-rule the decisions of the most ethical conclave then, in front of the most glorious Callisti? This is rediculous Aesin - let's just drop this and move on to the true threats...like Chalybis."

"Callisti, you are excused."

I was excused.. and left Litheris.

The Callisti hummed, it's tale over.

--

Castles - a metal overlord - industry against tradition - flying in the clouds -

Aesin was in Xi.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:50, Mon 12 Oct 2009.

OOC : I'm going to assume I know about all events that occured since Aesin got the Callisti - it's too long for you to reproduce.

"That seems conclusive.  It is however inconsistant with Aesin's story that Ruse attacked him.  At the very least drawing his knife has to be viewed as a hostile act.  I can only assume that since that was not included in his statement that there is the potential for other further inaccuracies.  These other issues of his attempt to misuse your abilities seem to be serious in their own right.  Please accept my apologies for requesting your aid and my thanks for your prompt attendance.  You are free to go if you wish."

Turning to the other Callisti he shakes his head.

"I'm sorry this could be going to take some time.  Could I request that you make a formal recording of all talking and activities around me for the duration of this investigation."

The original Callisti nodded invisibly, and disappeared. The second one also seemed a little jovial, as if happy to be working Raelis..

I HAVE BEGUN THE RECORDING PROCESS, LORD RAELIS.

Right, I'm going to start by heading to the town that is in sight of the location that these events took place in.  If someone saw something I will have evidence.

-> To the prison of lost stories (white copy of city).

The city stood in front of Ruse, like a twisted reflection of the main city..

It shifted as Raelis looked into it. It was a strange thing, part of a great pattern..

The Callisti hummed nearby.

Raelis headed into the city trying to see if he could find anyone to talk to - especially anyone that might have been on the walls during the events occuring outside.

Ruse appears here, and senses for divinity. He shifts into mist form and flies away, finding Raelis. The god of words would not have been far yet.

The only things Raelis could see were pale reflections, blasted distortions of his people.. blurs on the fabric of reality.. no one was speaking. Raelis was unsure they could even talk.

--

Raelis descends upon the city of white before a sudden telepathic shock hits him.. something horrible has occurred in the Valley of Mist!

Raelis feels Ruse and goes in search of him.  He needs to get his investigation finished.

Ruse cringes and is filled with rage. There was a great disturbance in the force, so to speak, and ruse felt thousands of his people die. There was only one being who was there that could have done that - Tyche.

Ruse whispers some words to call the spirits. He makes Raelis the focus of the spell though, not Ruse - passing full control...well more like civility since he was just a dabbler - onto Raelis. He called upont he spirits of the realm itself, since they would look and react most agreeably and favorably upon Raelis, to whom Litheris belonged.

"Please spirits, go and tell lord Raelis a truthful account of what happened...of how I was brutally murdered by Aesin. Do so uncoerced and with free will and intention. Thank you spirits for assisting Raelis, the god of your realm."

And with that, Ruse disappeared back to his realm. Tyche would either offer up much compensation, or Ruse would call the conclave down upon him.

There were no spirits in this place. No spirits would tread near the City of White Stone.

Raelis felt Ruse move on.. to, in all likelihood, his own Realm.

No.. a  lie. A single spirit, noticed by Raelis, hung in the sky, far above the City, in the image of an invisible hawk..

Lord.. it called.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:07, Mon 12 Oct 2009.

Raelis walked from the city and waved to the spirit to land and talk to him.  Whatever such a spirit had to say to him was likey to be of some import.

The spirit did not move.

Lord, I cannot descend.. the city, it is fearful to me.. but I have been asked to serve you, to answer your questions..

"Tell me what occured here recently between two gods, Aesin of Order and Ruse of Mists?  The encountered ended in one god being killed and I seek the truth regarding these events."

I saw ... I saw the conflict. They spoke. Words. The Ordered One drew his blade.. the Invisible responded with more words.. and the Ordered one shattered his neck with the sword. I saw it. Blood.

"Can you determine what powers if any were used and what they did?  Anything at all would be useful."

The Ordered God used.. cold, froze the Invisible.. bigger, bigger, the more lies, bigger.. the Invisible, I don't like, no, liar, liar.. so many lies.. like mist..

Raelis nods and then bows to the spirit.  "Fly high and live long.  May the winds be kind to you."

He turns away and is suddenly assailed by a vision.

He is standing in the clearing where his word was first spoken but his body is gone.  In front of him is standing Raelis but his robe is red.  He turns as Raelis's conciousness appears.

"Ah you made it - I was wondering when you would.  I see you still haven't got the guts to face up to it yet.  Well I'll have to work on that won't I?"

He pulls out a small ball of light, lifts it and says "RAELIS".  The Inflections are subtly different and as Raelis comes once more into being but with his robe being flecked with red.

"Good luck and all that - I suspect you need it."

The vision ends and Raelis's robe is now flecked with red.  He shudders, turns and portals out to Ruse's realm.

It was hot, yes, and Raelis was thirsty .. but the vision still held much significance. He felt wiser, no, cleverer..

The spirit, allowing Raelis the privacy of his vision, had gone.

A terrible tragedy - thousands of lives - a city, broken -

And he was in the Valley of the Mist.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:44, Wed 14 Oct 2009.

Raelis reappears his robe hanging limp and loose.

He travels to the city of his realm and demands to see what progress his people have made with piecing together the pieces he brought from Telluratus.

The historian looks towards Raelis sadly, fear in his eyes.

"Apologies, Lord, but.. this is completely alien to me. I have never seen anything like it. I cannot begin to piece the thing back together.  I mean, some progress has been made," he pointed to a barely reconstructed torso, "But the legwork remains. I apologize. I am simply not adept enough.. the clockwork here is more advanced than any of us have ever seen. Perhaps with more time.."

Raelis nods.

"You have done well.  I am impressed with your progress.  Let me see if I can assist your progress and then I will leave you to continue."

Raelis reaches out and attempts to magically infuse the area with order seeking to make it more easy to see how the parts fit together and how the structure should be assembled.  Having done this he leaves once more for the south this time.

Raelis, before he leaves, realises that he could see the patterns behind the thing (and thus learn instinctively how to build it) with a little magic. He would need several smooth, flat stones, for reading - string for tying the pieces together - and a sword, to represent the reason of order. Nevertheless, if these things were gathered, he knew he could see the order behind it.

Raelis also realises that his chances of finding a single sword in Litheris are slightly less than finding an glacier in Ruse's realm.  The sheer danger level of a sword in Litheris is hideous and he would be only to scared of bringing one into the realm for any reason not least just to assist in rebuilding a robot.

He turns and heads south.

South..

Raelis comes across a great lake, filled with sparkling red waters. The sand itself was of a fine gold colour, and the fish within were almost perfect, shimmering blues and purples..

In the center there was commotion. Raelis noted that there was a strong current within the lake - as if it were, perhaps, a sea - and he wondered what could be in the center. A whirlpool of some sort..?

Raelis walks to the edge of the lake and sits down on the edge looking deep into the lake's waters.  After a while he points at a specific area of the lake and commands it to COOL until a small sheet of ice has been formed.

Max appeared in the realm, followed by 120 extremely sexy foxgirls and a rather ferocious-looking Systemarch.

"Well, what now? I think we should stay here- I don't want to lose anyone."

Raelis feels Max arrive and turns from the water with a sigh.  He  wondered precisely what was happening now.  Every time a god appeared in his realm it seemed to be a new problem for him to cope with.  He headed for Max's location with all haste.

As soon as the sheet of ice is formed, it instantly melts, caught along the powerful currents..

He soon finds Max, and the foxgirls - and a hammer-wielding Systemarch - nearby.

--

Balverstus soon dashes out of the Gate.

"All set," he said. "Now, let's hope it's enough.."

Max sees Raelis approach.

Raelis walks across to Max.

"What's enough?  Max I hate to be a pain about such things but if you could let me know if you have problems I'd be grateful.  I'm happy to see you here but I have sincere doubts that the whole entourage means things are going swimmingly with you.  What's the mess and how can I help?"

Max smiled. "Enough explosives. Chalybis managed to infect my realm with some sort of infernal corruption; luckily I live in a sky-castle so we're amputating the lower catacombs to rid ourselves of the corruption. All I require at this moment is your hospitality while we wait for the dust to settle." He said.

"And that is precisely why you ask me FIRST.  How long have me got before you needlessly destroy your catacombs?  There is a reasonable chance I can cure the problem and save you the trouble of blowing your realm up.  Your choice and the hospitality is of course yours for the asking."

"Roughly two hours," said Balverstus. "Give or take a few minutes. Time might flow differently here."

"Well, two hours until the explosives go off. If you think you can do it, then follow me. Belv, I'm trusting you to protect the foxgirls. Don't let ANY wander off."
Max opened a portal to his realm, and stood aside to allow Raelis first entrance.

Raelis nods.  "I'll take a look and see what I can do."  He steps through the portal.

Max followed.

The foxgirls shivered in the cold. Balverstus kept them entertained with his witty jokes.

Soon, a figure descended down upon the spot where Balverstus spot. He was robed in heavy darkness - a cloak made by murderers - and a scowling iron mask obscured his face. Where he walked, the land withered and died, turning to sand. His hands were bone-white, almost skeletal.

"Raelis," he boomed, speaking towards Balverstus. "Where is Raelis?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:37, Tue 20 Oct 2009.

"Friend," said Balverstus, placing his hands up in a sign of peace. "I apologize, but Raelis has wandered off for a second .. important Conclave business, you see, healing a realm and all of that. I'm afraid you'll have to wait. He'll be here to answer any inquiries you may have soon enough."

The foxgirls were nervous. The man terrified them.

Max stepped back through the portal, leaving it open. Seeing the robed gentleman, he approached. "Can I help you, sir? I imagine someone with your kind of power is here for a very important reason.. if you're looking for Raelis, he's in my realm helping me with a problem." Max said politely.

Max motioned towards the portal.

"I see," said Osiris-Ra, malice dripping from his words. "And who are you? His student, perhaps? Yes?" He laughed at this. The laugh was a horrifying, mocking thing.

Balverstus stepped up to Osiris-Ra.

"Show the Lord some respect," he said, matching Osiris-Ra's animosity. "Or I'll break you and throw your remains to the Void." Anvildramadum hummed in his hands. "Step down, friend. Max is perhaps one of the finest Gods I have ever met, and I will not hesitate to kill for his honour."

"Step down? .. Step down?" cackled OSiris-Ra. "Oh, you do not know of whom you speak. Tell me, you disgusting little retch.. have you heard of the gong that sings the song that will end the Earth?"

Balverstus paled at this.

"Belv... I thank you for the compliments, but you really must control your temper. He's not threatening me."

Max turned back to the Great Mad God.

"He is my superior, yes. I've never heard of a gong, but maybe that's because today is my first day alive."

"Ah. Perhaps it shall be your last," said Osiris-Ra. It was not a threat.. it was simply a statement.

"Spider-thing," he boomed, "I am loathe to believe that such a creature as yourself can even speak, let alone think. You are a beast, and beasts should know their place. That place is either within the stomach of greater things or, perhaps, at the side of a master."

He was silent for a moment.

"I see. You are the latter. A servant at best. I am amused."

Balverstus was silent. His expression was one of agony. His face had gone a nasty pallid colour. He looked as if he'd died. He was breathing heavily. Anvildramadum vibrated violently in his hands, like a savage dog on a strong leash.

The scowling figure turned towards Max.

"You should teach your pets better manners, boy."

Suddenly, a blur - and Balverstus, no, Anvildramadum had lunged towards Osiris-Ra. The hammer seethed with fury. Balverstus was nothing - he was less than nothing, a robot. The hammer did the fighting. Struck the hooded figure once, twice.. Osiris-Ra bled sand as the robe gushed about.

After the strike, Balverstus faced Osiris-Ra, breathing heavily. His teeth were flinching rapidly, and his many eyes didn't blink. Their pupils were dilated, red with rage. Anvildramadum sang with bloodlust.

"Erghm," spat Osiris-Ra. "Perhaps, spider-thing, if I take your pathetic concubines away from you, you will learn the truth. Humility towards greater beings is all you can give."

He spat.

"Pathetic."

Max drew his blade, though he did not hold it threateningly. "They are not his concubines. They are my people, my daughters and wives, my followers and my friends. I love them dearly. If you wish to harm them, then I suppose you are correct- today will be my first and my last. I will protect my loved ones with my life."

His blade hummed with divine power. This was it's true purpose- to destroy evil, or seal it away.

You know, he was much bigger when I knew him.

"No, you won't," corrected Osiris-Ra. "Your life is insufficient to protect them."

His hand waved, and Max felt a wave of true fear flow over him. But it wasn't pain that coursed through his body, rather elation, as Osiris-Ra turned both of his legs and arms into sand -

- and, before Max could fully be turned to the fine white sand, Anvildramadum struck again, and again and again. The mask was knocked from Osiris-Ra's face. Max saw the image for the first time, and it was burned forever into his skull.. black eyes leading to nowhere, pallid flesh, no sand, no flesh.. the eyes the eyes the eyes the eyes

the eyes

Max went insane. His head was filled with a thousand horrible emotions. He saw himself chopping Sophilita into tiny pieces, and putting the finest slices of her into a sandwich and devouring it. He saw himself beat the foxgirls, hold knives to their throats, throw them off the side of Xi.. he saw himself shoot a tiny child in the gut.. he saw himself betraying Balverstus to the Conclave.. too many emotions.. Max was paralyzed.. he saw many more horrible things besides..

the eyes

the eyes they lead to nowhere

He saw nothing. His mind would always repress what happened next.. or would it? Was this madness.. or letting go?

Let me free.. cried the Fierce God, but Max did not hear him.

Anvildramadum struck again, bursting steam, smashing the face of Osiris-Ra.

the eyes

Sometimes heroes did horrible things.

Black sand spilled everywhere. Osiris-Ra was bleeding. Anvildramadum screamed in berserk fury. Balverstus was emotionless.

No...n-no.. Max thought weakly. The horrible images, his own thoughts, the eyes, everything being taken away, he had no arms, no legs, he was helpless, he was nothing.. the evil was infinite and unending.

I tried playing nice with you, kid. When they take everything away, when your back is against the wall..

A massive pulse of psionic energy- Max's mind was utterly dominated and pushed aside with a thought- his body reformed, augumented, transformed- his blade awakening, a shining, powerful ōdachi of the finest make inscribed with holy runes- his clothes repaired and altered, becoming silvery mirrored dragonscale-

His eyes were opened.

They were yellow as a wolf's.

On his feet in a second, the great blade held in two hands, he struck five times in the pattern of a star, holy energy pulsing in waves over the Divine Master Sword, obliterating evil and sin with each blow.

The Fierce God grinned. "Heh. Good to be back."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:00, Wed 21 Oct 2009.

Raelis renters litheris in haste.

"I have no idea what is going on here but this stops right now."

Osiris-Ra was struck several times by Anvildramadum and the Divine Master Sword. Each time he was slashed, he bled black sand, but he showed no sign of being permanently damaged. He didn't bother fighting back, perhaps enjoying the fray, until he was struck square in the face by a screaming Anvildramadum. He seemed to stop, then, and allow himself to be struck several more times. Was that.. pain in his eyes?

A sudden roar, and he grabbed Anvildramadum by its weighted face, and turned the thing to sand.

Balverstus's hearts stopped.

He collapsed, dead.

When Raelis appeared, Osiris-Ra turned towards him.

"I agree," boomed Osiris-Ra. A wave of his hand, a gesture..

Even the Fierce God flinched as he watched each of the fox-girls curl over and vomit sand, eventually melting down and becoming the white soil themselves. They didn't scream, but instead groaned, the orgasmic rapture of the hideous transmutation the greatest joy any being could feel..

All of the fox-girls were dead.

"Now we have nothing to fight about," said Osiris-Ra. He wandered over to Raelis.

"Teacher? Is it.. you?"

Fear?

The Fierce God simply stood motionless, in shock, unable to think or comprehend what had happened. He started walking, and then disappeared into a portal.

(Pha-hu's realm.)

Raelis laughed bitterly.

"Not in any real sense.  After IT was completed the master divine decreed I would be imprisioned for the threat it posed to the tree.  He trapped me in a custom made gravitime plane, a specifically tailor mix of gravity and time that was impossible to escape.  Just to make it fun he also set the plane to delete my memories.  I forced myself to remember the same few things over and over for millenia."

Raelis turns and hurls an ENFLAME at a nearby tree.

"Before I was trapped I sealed IT away behind bars that only I could penetrate.  Now the tree itself freed me as it dies, that's right it frees the one being who has ever threatened it.  I leave the role it has for me to your imagination."

"Hrrmmngh," spat Osiris-Ra. "So that is where you went. You will be restored to your proper glory. I need to know the secret of the Last Word if I am to.."

He trailed off. Picked up the mask, replaced it.

"Forgive my intrusion. Roses at your feet, Raelis of the First."

And he was gone.

Raelis stood very slowly, the death hurling memories of his long forgotten past through him.  Words of power and history ripped through his structure and remade him as the faces of long forgotten allies and enemies presented themselves to him once more.  He stood face to face with Marduk and hurled once more his defiance of the gentle anarchy of his rule into his teeth, fell once more before the god of blades and was chained for his defiance.

He walked the streets of Eridu the golden, saw the pillar still rising and felt once more the anger at the symbol that had remained since his freedom.  He smote the council and understood for the first time that he had crossed the barrier to become a danger and still used the Last Word to finish Eridu for all time.

He walked for the last time in Litheris, land of barbarism and swore upon the Master Divine that he would not use the Last Word again if it could be avoided before deliberately breaking that oath.

His eyes opened and he felt the power that he had once wielded hover tantilisingly beyond his reach, felt Miska and Balast watching him waiting for that moment of weakness that would free them, felt Gzzar mourning the world long gone and felt himself, waiting for the decision.  The concept that he had been hovered in front of him, incarnate through him as through no other god and to one side hung the learning he had had in his short time, the understanding that friendship and loyalty transcended law, that there were many paths to true justice and that the council had been right.  He lifted one robe and saw for the first time within it the ghostly outline of a hand and made the symbol of the seven pointed star.

"I am Raelis of the Black Council.  I renounce Raelis of Law and claim the heritage of the council for all time.  Let it be so."

And it was done.

Raelis was Raelis once more.

The change was complete - but what did this mean for Yggdrasil? What did this mean for the master of the Last Word?

The world imploded, light seeming to run back on itself.

Once more Raelis stood in the first clearing facing himself across the open ground.

The red Raelis looked at him and smiled.

"There you have it, you now know your destiny and power.  The Dark Throne is waiting for you and once you have destroyed Osiris-Ra and taken his cult you can finish this tree and rise in glory as a supreme being.  Law shall be all and none shall gainsay your law."

Raelis looked calmly at himself, his gaze fixed and still

"Not ever again.  I forged the Last Word to repay what I saw as wrongs not to rule or seek power.  Those wrongs are revenged.  The council is embodied in me and me alone now.  Who else can claim the seven and a half pointed star?  I erased the council and Eridu from time itself, never to be recalled.  By doing so I have endangered the tree and caused this havoc and death.  I was an agent of chaos not of law.  I choose the council over you, benign anarchy over true law.  Your day has ended and I am no longer an aspect.  I realise this stops me from accessing the Last Word again until I can forge new connections but you know as well as I that you can no longer stop me.  The council will rule all and Eridu will be reborn."

Raelis echoes through the grove once more but much softer and almost slurred.  Behind it a faint scream seems to echo away as Raelis steps forward, a broad red stripe running down the front of his robe with a black seven and a hlaf pointed star at its center.

Raelis looked around himself and then smiles crookedly.

"Today let all remember the truth, today let the council be remembered."

He turns and heads back to the city looking for Grumblar and his people.

Grumblar was wandering about the city, enjoying the sites. When he saw Raelis, he tried to bow, but it was difficult..

"My.. friend," he said. "How.. are you..?"

"Good in truth, restored in memory if not in power.  The time has come to tell the truth about me and mine.  I would like you to consider becoming one of the guardians of this place.  In times long past in the original they were called the blades and walked proudly amongst the populace, symbols of peace and order.  Right now however I need to summon the people."

Inviting Grumblar to follow him he heads for the obelisk and moves to stand before it.  Then he breaks into song, a weaving of magics and knowledge to bring balance to this city and begin the recreation of what was lost.

He sings of the first age, of Marduk and the twelve, the first betrayal and the three imprisioned.  Of peace and the blade Ultima and of the end of that age and the Last Word.

His song melds life and order magic setting the realm itself back on the path it should have travelled then, imparting to each inhabitant a small sense of what they should be doing with their life and enhancing their life energies.  Offering choices and guidance but not forcing them.  He seeks amongst the people those with an affinity to magic and requests them to come before him to hear his words.

Soon Raelis had thousands in front of him. Sasocles soon appears, looking a little flushed, nearby. He finishes the Song, itself a powerful sorcerous ritual.

Soon, he has thirty individuals, each intrigued by the possibilities of what magic has to offer, in front of him.

Raelis motioned to them to sit in a circle and then turned to Sasocles.

"Welcome to Litheris and Naelfgir.  A small city now but I hope with a destiny before it.  These brave citizens of this realm wish to learn about magic.  I thought I would start with a small demonstration."

He picked up two small bits of grass and threw them into the air before creating a small globe of limited chaos around them.  The blades of grass flicked in the air as they watched and fell strangely to the ground.

"Four fundamental forces of magic - order, chaos, life and death.  Opposites and each in their way dangerous.  This is a demonstration of one - chaos.  Chaos is a perversion of the natural order.  It is change, destruction and confusion but without it nothing would exist.  A new thought is a manifestation of chaos, a change in the way someone thinks about the world.  Learning is a manifestation of chaos.  So is chaos evil?  It is certainly foreign to certain ways of thinking.  Change is neither good nor evil.  Each change should be considered carefully on its own merits and so should each use of chaos magic.  I was a god of law.  I did not change and that weakened me and in my weakness I neglected my people.  However the order is what drives me to guard you and teach you.  Chaos and Order are linked pairs, neither is more important than the other."

He turned back to Sasocles.

"Now I would ask you to tell a story, you gave me another name before you came here - tell that story.  I am sure it will interest those who have heard the song I have just sung."

PM

PM

(Right. I figured it was either that or his Alkanite title.. actually, now that I read your exact post, I was an idiot. Sorry again.)

"I will tell the story," spoke Sasocles.

He told them of the Time of Storms, when the entire universe was built of magic, and of the World Seed, when the First were born to impose law over such chaos. He spoke of the city of Urdu, the Eternal City, and of the greatest of the First - Lis of the Final Word - who, in a blind rage, destroyed everything. He spoke of how this was necessary to bring true order to the chaos, true life in death..

An hour, then two, passed, and the story was told.

(Not a problem - time to start teaching my people magic then!)

Raelis listens to the story with rapt attention.

"As you can all see - that is not quite the version I told but the version I told would not be quite what Marduk would say.  Truth is maleable and what is truth is entirely relevant only through the window of a person's perceptions.  The change here is a form of chaos in itself, some of the chaos in the changes to the story has been deliberately imposed I suspect while other bits have crept in during retellings of the story."

He stands and indicates to the 30 new mages to form a circle around himself and Sasocles.

"Now I hope to give you all a demonstration in chaos magic, I want each of you to think of your favourite song and then place your fingers in your ears and sing it as loudly as possible ignoring what everyone else is singing.  If you do this the intersecting songs should give off a small amount of chaos magic.  I and Sasocles will attempt to capture that chaos magic and make it visible to you."

As the thirty initiates sing, growl, call, yell and hum, the gesturing of Raelis and Sasocles shifting in speed as the cacophony continued wildly. Soon, the air felt greasy - then light - and energy seemed to crackle and pop in the center. Suddenly, as if suddenly revealed to the initiates - in fact, that was exactly what had occurred - a matching storm of colours and lights were conjured, matching the intensity and crashes of the great song.

Many initiates stopped singing, their eyes bulging; they were in awe..

Raelis smiles and concentrates his magical abilities into holding the ball of chaos in the centre of the circle.

"A minor exercise this - we are controlling chaos and that implies order.  However chaos and order are opposites and are very dangerous together.  I want all of you to close your eyes and spin twice on the spot.  Then point to where you think the chaos is and open your eyes.  Practice this until you are sure you can sense the chaos accurately."

They practice, and practice, and practice.. and by the end of it, more than half can 'sense' the chaos. They were exhausted, but more magically attune, more AWAKE. They were happy, exultant.

Raelis nods happily.

"That's good for a first try.  We'll look at manipulating the energies of order next but first you all need to get some rest and we'll resume shortly."

Turning to Sasocles he led him into a vacant house in the city.

"Roid is coming here at my request.  It's to do with Osiris-Ra not you you'll be glad to hear but you deserve to know.  Additionally I want to try and locate something via divination.  Do you think you'd be able to find it given it would be based on my own powers and I can give a good description of it?"

"I am a master of the divinatory arts, my friend," said Sasocles. "I could happily find it.. and I think you would understand if I disappeared for a small while when Roid appears."

The apprentices had gone to get a little bit of rest - sleep, even, if Raelis gave enough time.

"When he arrives I'll meet him outside.  If you feel you trust me enough I would like to know why the conclave dislikes you.  Let me assure you that it really cannot compare to acts i hae undertaken.  The item I want you to find is a necklace made of eight shapes like this seven pointed star on my chest.  I made it and it has some very limited powers that I imbued into it.  I hope that is enough to locate it."

(Sorry, man, I've know I've done this a few times; could you name the exact necklace? I don't have the time to re-read the PM again now, but just a mention'll refresh my memory)

A being had appeared within Litheris: almost certainly Roid.

"I feel the disturbance," said Sasocles. "Believe me, friend, when all is complete I will explain my reasoning to you. If, after the meeting, you still wish for me to find the necklace, I can do that. Now - where can I hide?"

"The necklace represents the greatest threat I am currently aware of to the safety of the tree.  I'm pretty sure I want it found and quickly.  Stay here and create an illusion.  If it comes to the worst I will simply explain that you helped me get this information.  If this goes to plan Roid should be uninterested in finding you anywhere."

Turning Raelis leaves and walks out to find Roid.

"You play an interesting game," said Roid, his eyes peering towards Raelis. The rest of the response was, for security reasons, silent and psychic.


Roid sighed. He looked tired.

Raelis snorts loudly.

"

Roid looked at Raelis aghast, as if he were mad. Perhaps he was.


(OOC: Yeah, sorry to pull this on you again, man, but in the next reply could you give me a basic recap of what we decided the Blades did/were etc? Cheers!)

Raelis smirks at Roid.

Roid blinked, all at once - an expression of surprise.

"While he exists - but there is less than an - less than an hour.."

He regained his composure.

Raelis nods slowly.

"I see.." said Roid, finally won over. "Okay. Yes.."

He pulled three teeth out of his mouth. There was a moment of concentration, and the fangs glowed a little and then were handed to Raelis.

"You are to crush these with your fingers. It will not be difficult. Then, swallow the powder - all of it - and you'll feel a slight change.. you might experience a little dizziness. The effects are subtle, however.."

Raelis crushes the teeth and swallows the powder.

"Marduk's grace go with you Roid.  Remember what I said about this realm acquiring defenses?  That starts now."

He points one hand at the floor and speaks aloud.  "NAELIFIR ERIDU"

Outside the realm began to shake as the many tiered walls of Eridu and the three great towers that had once guarded the city heaved themselves through the bedrock.  Then the sound of splintered rock rose to a crescendo as the council chambers levered themselves up to appear as they had so many eons before.

"This city will be Eridu of old reborn, Naelifir the heartstone.  The dark gate alone will allow those not sworn to the black council to enter.  As it was let it be."

He paused, his mind remembering times long past.

"And now Roid I am afraid you are about to escape from mortal danger.  I'm not trying to kill you but no-one is going to believe you ran away because you were scared.  You're going to need some wounds to justify your retreat."

He points at the stone beneath Roid's feet and intones ENFLAME.

Before the flames had fully been conjured, Roid was gone.

AS the city was torn and rebuilt around him, Raelis felt some satisfaction. He had a blinding headache, however - the teeth were like hammers being slammed into his face. There was something bad in there..

Raelis snarled and intoned CURE at himself carefully.  He needed the headache gone and he would do whatever it took to finish what he had started.

Leaving he collected Sasocles and Grumblar and headed for the Council Chambers.  Reaching the large outer chamber he sat down and tried using order magic to meditate on what Roid had done to him.

"Sasocles, Grumblar has the pieces I collected, time to give him what you promised him - true life.  I can help if you need me to."

Raelis felt the familiar word warm him, but the headache was not cured. It was deep within, something that couldn't easily be cast aside, the symptom of something that couldn't easily be removed.

"Ah, yes," said Sasocles. "I imagine your talk with Roid was satisfactory?"

Grumblar was silent. Raelis knew that he was scared - scared of the freedom a true life would grant him.

"As talks go it went.  I got what I needed from it.  I may need your help in revitalising the defences of this realm before long.  I have returned to face Osiris now and to start the long walk."

He turns, and looks at Grumblar.

"Your choice, this is and always will be your choice.  If you do not hand over the shards from Chalybis's realm there is no deal and you remain as you are, if you do then he has said he will give you sentience.  Always your choice."

Grumblar looked towards Raelis with respect in his eyes.

"Thank you.. friend. I would - I would like.. life. Please.."

Grumblar wandered off, and a moment later returned with the hulk of shrapnel - the dead Servitors from Telluratus.

"Thank you," said Sasocles. Raised on his toes, he touched Grumblar's head, smiling stoically as he did. There was a reverence within him, now - a respect for the magical act.

"Grumblar is not your name," said Sasocles. "Tell me, O Nameless creature, what is your name?"

"I don't -"

"What is your name?"

"Please, I can't - I don't -"

"What is your name?"

Grumblar fell to his knees, crumbled underneath the questions. For a long moment it seemed that he was weeping, and then a small voice came from the hulk..

"My name is Gradur."

Raelis felt a power be torn from him - the power he had over this creature, its destiny, everything was taken from him.. Raelis stumbled as he was almost devoured by the gaping void within himself. Soon, however, the feeling resided, to be replaced by an expanding sense of joy.

"That is all. It is done - welcome to life, Gradur. Abrahadabra."

Raelis smiled upon Gradur.

"Welcome to life indeed.  You are free of me and mine but will always have a home here.  If you wish to stay or go your actions are not mine to guide.  I would welcome your remaining as friend and ally but if you feel that you do not so wish then go with my blessing."

Turning he nodded to Sasocles.  "Impressive, you must teach me of such magics.  The backlash has left me with a headache and I wish to meditate for a period.  Let me know if you wish assistance with the shards."

He sits himself down and stares straight ahead.

"I might.. go for a bit. Explore. I will try to return, but.. there is an entire universe out there, for me. Thank you, sorcerer, lord.. thank you both."

Sasocles nodded. "Would you like a portal, Grumblar? To wherever you wish?"

"Yes."

It was done; Grumblar was gone.

Sasocles nodded to Raelis. "I will, but I doubt that I'll encounter a problem. Thank you. Enjoy your meditations."

Raelis remained where he was for some considerable time, thinking deeply of various things.

Eventually he stood and smiled slowly to himself.  The time had come for him to rebuild the defences of this realm.  He turned and moved out to find the trainee mages that he had left some time before.

Once he had assembled them he led them up onto the walls and began to talk.

"The walls of this place are pierced by a thousand doors.  They are not defences, any can enter if they wish.  However by magic they can become a true barrier.  All of you are sworn to me and through me to the black council.  I have shown you the concept of chaos now I will demonstrate the concept of order.  I will place a barrier on the door below us that will sound an alarm if any attempt to enter without being sworn to the black council.  That barrier will be one of order, those of the council are allowed to enter, those not of the council should not enter.  All of you watch as I work and feel for the order that I infuse.  This order will be linked to the walls and stones of the gate."

Raelis began to chant.

They followed his lead, chanted in unison with him, and slowly - it was difficult, for Order was a force entirely different to Chaos - the energies started to be raised, the barrier erected. The magic enforced, reinforced..

Soon, it was done, the initiates panting and sweating, exhausted after their task..

"Right, one down.  Only 998 to go then.  Why are we not alarming the last gate I hear you ask?  Simple.  by tradition the black gate can be entered by any who wish it and it alone of the gates is guarded for that very reason.  Go now amongst the people.  Seek out those who are mageborn and teach them of chaos and order as I have taught you.  Raise the alarms on the other gates of this realm except the black gate."

He turned and pointed to one of the three great towers.

"That is the tower of Domvoi, a god of magic in an age long gone.  Over that tower I have given unto Sasocles dominion and it is there you should make your headquarters.  He has promised to serve the black council.  If you need help and assistance ask him.  It will be his choice to give it or not.  For now I must leave you for a time but before I go let me tell you this to pass on to the people.  The Black Council fell and started an age of chaos.  With its return that age will end and here we together will reunite the world."

He turned and left for the realm of Pha-Hu.

The magicians of Litheris worked their craft as Raelis went -

A hundred dead - a warrior king - the iron pole -

And he was in the Temple.

Raelis reappeared and walked up to the council chambers.  On the way he was unsurprised to note that the obelisk that had stood before had been replaced by a pillar of stone with chains hanging from the top.

"Either my memory is having a fine old time creating this place or something else is at work here."  He muttered to himself as he moves into the central square and goes to find Sasocles.

Sasocles was meditating, alone, in the highest floor of his tower. In the lower floors, handfuls of apprentices were studying, practicing their theory, or debating the craft quietly.

Raelis found the Sorcerer of Alkan, and saw that the pile of scrap metal from Telluratus lay within a chalk circle in front of him. Sasocles did not rise at the presence of the God of Words.

Raelis sat outside the door and waited for Sasocles to finish his meditation and acknowledge his existence.  This was Sasocles's realm not his and here he was the master.

edit: while he waited he ran a few SCANs through his chip.

SCAN Lis, the cold voice

SCAN Legendary vowels

SCAN Osiris-Ra

SCAN Black Council

SCAN Ultima

SCAN Hermes

SCAN Alchemist, the

SCAN Council of Odin, Current members and responsibilities
This message was last edited by the player at 14:28, Wed 02 Dec 2009.

Maxine appeared here.

Before you stands Naelifir, the great city of Litheris.  Since you last came here massive walls have appeared that stretch around the city.  The walls are pierced by many gates, one every couple of metres making them an impressive statement but of little use in defense.  From the tops of the walls banners fly bearing the symbol of a black seven and a half pointed star.  Deep within the city you can see a pillar that rears high above the city with chains attached to the top.

((Max, Raelis - please read max's conclave channel thread before continuing. I'm just pointing this out to you in case you guys miss it. Basically, you guys need to portal over to my realm.))
This message was last edited by the player at 16:26, Wed 02 Dec 2009.

Raelis

Scanning 'Lis, the cold voice'..
Scan failed.
No data found.
Would you like to consult the Conclave or Earthborn information vaults?

Scannin 'Legendary vowels'..
Scan failed.
No data found.
Would you like to consult the Conclave or Earthborn information vaults?

Scanning 'Osiris-Ra'..
Osiris-Ra - two individual entities who fused their souls using forbidden black divine arts - is an ancient creature who has threatened the Realm Supernatural since before the Age of Odin. He was smote several times, by Odin the Hand of Justice, Metatron the Highest, and others, but always returned - some Divine Scholars hazard their opinion that he might have reached the hypothesized state of viral existence, and can never be killed as long as another God exists in the Realm Supernatural. Most recently, he turned the corrupt League of Divine Right into sand. The Cult of Osiris-Ra may still be active, but this is an unconfirmed rumour.

Scanning 'Black Council'..
Scan failed.
No data found.
Would you like to consult the Conclave or Earthborn information vaults?

Scanning 'Ultima'..
Ultima - the state of refining the soul as practised by the ancient Alchemists of the Divine, an art now completely dead according to most Divine Scholars. The exact specifics of the art are mostly lost, as it was a deeply esoteric practice, kept hidden from non-initiates.. the origins of the word, in addition, are unclear.

Scanning 'Hermes'..
Hermes the Messenger - a God and ally of law during the Age of Odin, Hermes is most famed for his series of works on hermetic alchemy and divine alchemy, synthesising the two into a workable system usable by both Divines and mortals; unfortunately, such works have been lost, the only remains being the Parchment of Emeralds, an encoded text that has confounded Divine Scholars for thousands of years.  Some sources hint towards the works being hidden, kept either by the Conclave or some shadowy cult, but these are not in any way confirmed.

Scanning 'Alchemist, the'..
Scan failed.
No data found.
Would you like to consult the Conclave or Earthborn information vaults?
(Did you mean 'Alchemist'?)

Scanning 'Council of Odin, Current members and responsibilities'..
Council of Odin - there were several members of the original ruling Council, including Thor, Anubis, Anosotto, Kali, amongst others.


Soon, Sasocles finished, standing up abruptly.

"Sorry, friend," he smiled. "I did not expect to see you back so soon."

Max

(Yep, the description is pretty much as Raelis put it)