Ruse appears here in a sensuous swirl of mist. Clouds of mist bellow forth from the top of his central tower, as if heralding his incarnation into the realm supernatural. He looks around, blinking a few times, and assesses his surroundings.

Ruse sees the beautiful architecture about him, and the fine colours of the tower. He sees a thousand rainbows, all dancing about the strange mists, and the rushing of waters are all about him.

After admiring the view, Ruse begins to descend the tower, and explores his surroundings. He looks both for other sentients, as well as for interesting landmarks and scenery.

He soon comes across the Mistella, a beautiful people who bow whenever their gaze comes across their lord. The place is filled with mist, and Ruse notices much strange flora growing within the blew stone of the fabulous courtyards he explored.

Ruse approaches some Mistella, and asks them to tell him about this place, as well as about themselves?

They speak to him in soft, sensuous voices. They tell him of their love- and mist-making abilities, recite poetry into his ear, whisper secrets. They tell him of the Valley of Mist, of his divine right to rule, how they believe him to be their sacred master. They tell him many things.

Ruse can intuitively feel that these people, as well as this large godrealm, all belong to him, although he doesn't quite know why. He knows that his manifestation has made the realm more advanced though too, that his presence is bolstering the people. He decides that he needs to fully explore this place, as well as help his people.

Approaching the nearest priest, Ruse asks,

"Is there anything that afflicts the people, or anything otherwise of concern or danger that you need help with?"

Ruse was only a young divinity and wasn't the best fighter or mage. however, he contained a rare power within himself that rivaled even the mightiest sorcery...or perhaps exceeded it. He would use this power in defense of the realm if necessary.

"There is nothing wrong at the moment, Lord," said the priest. "Nothing at all. We are the at the height of peace."

Something about the way he said that suggested to Ruse that he might be lying.

Ruse looked at the man firmly, his glowing blue eyes piercing the man's mind and soul.

The man looks down a little, trying to hide his shame.

Without skipping a beat, and as if the priest had told him everything already, Ruse said,

"So tell me, where can I find this man of enlightenment? I'd like to have a little...chat with him. He could make a good follower, if I don't crush his psyche first."

"I, uh, Lord.." The priest was shocked. He couldn't fully comprehend that his God could read minds. It shouldn't have been such a surprise, but under the circumstances..

"Towards the Glen of Victory, Lord.."

((Yes, the glowing blue eyes of Ruse are not shared by the Mistella...they are a result of the great psionic power Ruse possesses. Of course, no one else knows that but you and me lol, but serves the priest right for lying.))

Ruse nodded stoically, the mist around him dancing whimsically as if in response to the silly priest before him.

"Very well. I shall head there immediately, although I'll have you know that lying to your god is a sin, so never do it again."

Then, Ruse melded into the mist and streamed off at a high speed toward the glen of victory.

The Glen of Victory is a sandy area surrounded by smooth, black stones. A fresh, vibrantly gnarled tree exists in the center of the glen. Here, a human sits, looking very unlike the Mistella. He is rougher, somehow, dirtier - baser. He is speaking, and a dozen Mistella - most of them teenagers, Ruse noted - were listening raptly. They hadn't noticed his arrival.

".. neither self-mortification nor self-indulgence will help you on the road to enlightenment.. hell, you should think of enlightenment as more of a metaphor, not as a solid thing.. anyone can achieve it, yes.. but it's different, it's not what you'd expect.. sometimes, sometimes, I catch a glimpse of it.. and they call me awakened, enlightened.. but I am not, I have not yet lived without living, died without dying.."

The mists of the clearing became twice...sometimes evene thrice in places...as thick as it was before, moving in like a low-rolling storm, all at Ruse's will. He used his power over his realm (if that ability still exists in this theo) to make the black stones shudder on the ground, and little rocky outcrops begin forming while others crumble to pieces.

The mists swirled together in a coccoon-like spiral of white foggy vapor. This cluster moved toward the center of the glade, although stopped before reaching the students and the human. The spinning ball of vapor erupted into a smooth calm. Where there was once a heavy mist, now stood something that was similar to a Mistella, but not quite the same. It looked like the most graceful and beautiful expression of the mistella race to ever walk the realm, and had hair as white as fog and blue glowing eyes.

Ruse, the god of this realm, had appeared!

"What is this I hear of enlightenment and awakening that you speak of? I have only manifested recently, and already some among you doubt the potency of the divine?! I am Ruse, the god of mist and the Sovereign of this realm. There is only one true enlightenment in this universe, and it is a state of being in a realm that I can provide that even most other gods cannot - a perfect people and realm. My very existence already makes this realm and its people more than simple barbarians!"

He glared at the human a bit silently, as well as his other mistella, and awaited a response. Based on their reactions, he'd either be mildly angry or pissed off.

The human's mind feels.. different. Cleaner, more organised, almost sharper than the minds of most other humans. Efficient. Ruse suspected that the human had somehow modified his own mind, and this was the reason for the clarity.


Instead of the stream of information Ruse expected - or, perhaps, along with - a strange, almost alien question raises itself in Ruse's mind: Would he like to know more about enlightenment, suffering, and the teachings of Buddha the Cosmic-Christ?

The mistella panicked, as was to be expected. Some were frozen in fear, some tried to flee. The barbarian held his ground, and stared at Ruse coolly, an amused expression on his face.

"Ah," he said, smiling, "You are the Lord Ruse? A pleasure to meet you. I am Charles of Earth."

((Lol my rl self is going "yay charles," but Ruse is going "hiss!"))

Rude made slits with his glowing blue eyes, although did not yet take hostile action. He would not allow his people to be swayed by some other faith than his own - that was intolerable, especially for a realm god. Although he would give charles a chance at peace. He was thankful that he possessed a great hidden power, for otherwise Ruse was not yet too effective in combat otherwise. But with his hidden power, he had the potential to be terrifying. Was that apparent contradiction a facet of him embodying the mists?

Ruse took slow, regal steps toward Charles and the center of the grove as he approached, the mist parting for him as he did so. He heard the strange alien question appear in his mind unbidden, and he guarded his mind and mentally said no. Charles could tell him about it himself, but Ruse did not trust some alien auto-response.

"I guess that you came here before my incarnation. Fine, I can accept that small and innocent mistake. However, now you know that both this realm and its people are spoken for. Know now that I will not tolerate missionaries of other religions or belief systems trying to "poach" my people, especially when it's impossible for even most other gods to grant true enlightenment to mortals."

He walked a little closer, and continued,

"You have been warned. If ever I find other Earth people in this realm unbidden, or poaching my people, they will be punished most severely. I will give you one chance right now to explain your belief system to me, simply for my own reference, but you will not poach my mistella."

While he waited for Bho to respond, Ruse glared at the remaining mistella and sent a breif telepathic message.

Leave my sight and never uphold any other being or philosophy above me. Go back to your homes and family, and never again insult me like this, for my very existence already brings the Mistella closer to perfection. NOW GO!
This message was last edited by the player at 05:57, Thu 03 Sept 2009.

The Mistella scattered, scared and ashamed. They knew what they had been doing was wrong, and would be considered as blasphemy in the eyes of their Lord - nevertheless, they were a curious sort, and any alien visitor would have attracted attention, let alone an alien visitor with a revolutionary ideological, philosophical and religious belief system.

Charles preached the worship of no God. He preached the understanding of one's self, an by extension, one's universe. He taught to respect not some aloof deity but the power of freedom and intelligence. The ideology very much appealed to the Mistella, whose arrogance decreed that they, too, had special feelings towards intellectualism.

Charles did not drop the smile. He was frozen still, however, sitting cross-legged underneath the gnarled tree. His lower body was covered by a blue blanket - the dampness of the Valley was too chilly for the Earthborn - and so his hands and feet were hidden. He did not rise.

"I'm very sorry to have caused you such concern," said the human. "I am a foreigner to this place, and I am horrified to think that I may have outstayed my own welcome. I would be obliged, however, if you would take into account the fact that I am neither priest nor preacher, simply a vocal philosopher with a completely valid, Conclave-approved ideology. I have no desire to 'poach' your people, as you have so crudely put it, only to enlighten them. Would you like to know more about how I can do that, my Lord Ruse?"

A sharp stab of pain - a split second - and it was gone, blocked. Whatever was being sent to Ruse's mind was blocked. Charles's thoughts seemed innocent enough - he meant everything he was saying, and spoke with the utmost truth - but as honest as his words might be, they were twisted a little. Technicalities.. and Ruse still sensed the 'antique' weapon that was being wielded by Charles, whatever that might be.

"I assure you, I mean no harm. I'm an ambassador of the Earthborn Territories with a permit of travel. Would you like to see my papers?"

Between his unspeakable latent psychic abilities, as well as his own capabilities as the god of mist, Ruse was confident in his safety from whatever alien force was trying to wiggle into his mind. However, he was concerned by the very fact that something was trying to wiggle into it in the first place. That was problematic. The fact that it tried not once but twice now was, at least on a mental level, sufficient enough for one to declare that something has taken a hostile action against him. Learning information was one thing, but lacing it with stuff unbidden was a whole other thing.

Ruse had a feeling that very few beings - even gods - could approach his psychic resilience. If so, then how many other beings has this human with his alien cosmic christ philosophy mentally twisted...or at least wriggled in, so to speak. That was the best way to describe the feeling, after all.

"I don't care about your paperwork - my authority in this place trumps that of the Conclave, so if in the future I deny passage here to you or other beings, that decree will trump your papers, although again I will not punish you this time since it happened before I manifested. Although in the future such things as what you're doing must be approved by me first. And Yes, I am interested in your supposed philosophy of enlightenment, as well as how you'd want to do it. Although all I want is information though, and nothing else...be it physical or otherwise."

Ruse's eyes tightened a little bit more, as he looked onto Charles with harsh scrutiny. He didn't take hostile action yet though. Ruse also held no particular love or ill will for this Conclave - really he was cooly neutral to it since he knew so little about it. Really, he'd be willing to work with it, and even help it, as long as it respected him and his realm, and helped him in return.

While we awaited Charles' reply, Ruse gently but firmly probed the other man's mind, to learn more about the artifact that he carried, what its properties were, and if it was related to the alien force that was trying to wiggle into his mind. If the force did try to wiggle its way in again, Ruse pushed it back out vigilantly.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:24, Thu 03 Sept 2009.

A stranger enters the Valley of Mist..

--

Ruse learns that the weapon is known as a Hangun: Grand Puissance 35, allegedly six hundred years old and fully loaded, hidden under the blanket. It was pointed, naturally, at Ruse.

Charles jumps.

"Ah, my apologies," said Charles. "Wasn't aware you were 'waved. Apologies again for the mind-intrusion. If you honestly wish me to leave, I will do so, but I fear my damage has already been dealt: the Mistella are quite taken with the idea of Buddhism. If you kill me, naturally the Conclave will destroy you, if there's anything left after Earth.."

He coughs.

"But I digress. My wandering here was peaceful, I assure you. I apologize for however I have insulted you."

Ruse grinned a pearly and slightly insideous smile, and replied,

"Oh don't worry about the conclave - I am a member of it now, so in essence I am the Conclave. But don't worry Charles, since I don't intend to kill you, or even harm you for that matter...unless you take aggressive action against me again. Of course, you've attempted to enter my mind multiple times in the course of one conversation, which alone I can interpret as a hostile action. And since I'm with the conclave, and you are too...well, then killing you would be quite acceptable. But don't worry though, because I truly did decide not to harm you, but I firmly demand that you stop with the mind stuff though, okay. It's irritating to be frank."

Ruse glanced in the general direction of where he sensed the unknown being entering into his realm, although he remained with Charles.

"And I'm not sure what you mean about being 'waved.' I merely am resilient as a god and very perceptive, and I also know a little mind magic too. And as for the Mistella, well...don't worry about them. I'm a special type of god, and I'll never lose my connection with my people."

A whimsical looks appeared on the god of mist's face, which then turned into the "light" of an idea crossing his mind.

"I'll make you a deal then, Charles. I'll forget about everything, in exchange for the weapon you have aimed at me under the blanket. It interests me and I'd like to keep it for my people. I will even portal you back to your homeworld if you'd like."

While waiting for Charles' response, Ruse probes his mind to gain an understanding of how the gun worked, and how he could eventually make one - or at least have his people do it.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:27, Thu 03 Sept 2009.

"Ah," said Charles. "So, brother, we are both of the Conclave.."

He nodded, threw the blanket off, tossed Ruse the firearm.

"Take care of it. I would appreciate a teleport to the outskirts of this Realm, so that I might continue my travels. My further apologies for intruding. If it isn't too much to ask, and I know this might be presumptuous of me, but.. would you allow me to return, to visit again? Without preaching, of course. Without 'waving. Simply as a tourist. I'd enjoy that.. so rarely do I see such a beautiful realm, such a gracious species of people."

Aesin arrives and immediately set out for the Lord of this realm, to introduce himself to him.

Charles rose suddenly. "You know what, friend? I think I've overstayed my welcome. A thousand pardons. My apologies. I really must go now."

He looked panicked.

--

Aesin sees nothing through the mist except for beautiful architecture, beautiful rivers, and beautiful people.

He stops one of the people and asks "Where is the Lord of this realm? I must speak with him"