Anik

The body started to rise, and Anik with it. The body was cold and damp and pale and eyeless. As he rose, something lashed out towards him - a school of vicious, red-eyed, insect-like fish. They missed Anik, however, and he was disturbed to hear their screeches as they were struck by the pockets of pressure. The thing was imminently familiar.. Anik was sure that it was what his memories suggested: perhaps an evolved form of the ancient Swarm, forced to feed on bodies dumped in the under-river..

Crailek

He was in a small glade, surrounded by torches. There were the Bosmer about him - some sleeping, some meditating. He was in a field of relaxation, it seemed, and felt immediately calmed by the very presence of the acts about him.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:40, Wed 03 Feb 2010.

Anik reached out and severed the rope from the body with just a touch, simple separating it into two different pieces. He let the body drop. He strengthened the water around his body by condensing it into ice with his power (combining with the already magically made "liquid armor"). He let go of the pressure he wanted to be able to touch or brush against any of the fish in the swarm as they came by, but still be defended enough against their attack.

Crailek sits downs and crosses his legs, deciding it would probably be better to wait then to go charging off in a random direction. Anik would be able to sense him, and tell him what was needed.

Anik


Anik felt another presence in Bounty.

As he crashed back into the depths, the body with him, he was attacked again by the Swarm of fishes. He got a closer look; they seemed to have the shells of beetles, but with small flippers and the tails of fish.. as they brushed against him, his mind gathered information regarding the things.. it was confirmed that they were, in actuality, the original Swarm.. forced to live underground after the disappearance of Anik.. worshiped by a certain cult within Bounty as a life-bringer, offered sacrifices - usually once a year, but more and more with the rebirth of Anik..

Crailek

At least it was pleasant in Bounty. Seriously. It was a nice place.

Anik felt the new presence in Bounty during this time. Answering two things at once, he let his divinity shine. Not quite a inter-realm flare, but as much theomagnetic flux as he could muster without flaring (Crailek should sense this too). The swarm could communicate telepathically last time he knew it.

Crailek frowns, and pushes himself back up onto his feet. He begins to walk towards Anik's divinity. Obviously he had wanted himself to be found.

Anik & Crailek

Crailek soon came upon Anik; he was not far away at all, though sopping wet, dressed in strange gear, and standing next to a series of wells.

Crailek raises an eyebrow at Anik. "Seems like you've been busy. Fishing?"

Anik looked around. "How... How did I get out of the well?" He was thoroughly confused but he guessed it was for the best. And of course he was wet, but he had scuba gear on after all. He shook his head. "No time to worry about this now." he told him. "I have a very powerful and prestigious being coming here. To meet with me. Priest, the water supply is poisoned by sacrificial bodies to the swarm, a being that was once a Guardian of the realm. So in other words, don't mess with it. Instead all drinking water is to be distilled. Just in case." Anik touched the priest and suddenly he would know how to distill water. "A gift of knowledge."

Anik took off the scuba suit and with a brush of magic he was dry all the water in a circle around him. He put on his normal cloths and allowed the funeral dress on him to appear from his Valley self to this one. "Crailek. Simply put. I will be working closely with the conclave in many technical fields, but know that my allegiance will always be to old friends before new responsibility. Eventually I plan to lead a legal reclamation of my tower, and when that happens I would like to know if you and Foun would join me. Once this happens, I can see to it that all of our inheritance is repossessed."

Crailek winces slightly as Anik mentions him helping. "Well, as it happens, I'm attempting a... reclamation of my tower as we speak. I'm afraid my way is a bit, how do I put it... Extralegal? Yeah. I'm afraid that my work can not wait for such lengthy legal processes. I will help with just about anything you ask, but know that in terms of relations to the Conclave, you may find that I would simply hinder progress."

Anik laughed a hardy laugh. "That's fine. I doubt you can cause too much ruckus. You'll most likely be labeled a Outlaw or Mad god, I'll see what I can ask of Roid when he gets there. Best cause, you'll be swept under the rug so to speak. A heavy fine but no man hunts. Worst case is that your labeled a Mad god and sentence to death on sight. Either way, just lock yourself up in the Tower. They seem pretty sealed else they'd be raided by now." ((OOC: *wink* *wink* :P )) "But before Roid come here, what have your figured out about our missing history, your tower, excreta."

Crailek shrugs slightly. "Oh, I can cause a scene when I'm up to it... And I'm not so sure how secure my tower is anymore, now that the wards have been broken. I'm sure there is something I can set up, though. It would probably be in both of our best interests if you do not defend me to Roid. I should be fine, as they obviously have more pressing matters then a single god holed up in a tower."
He thinks for a moment, then glances up at the sky, and back to Anik. "I hold most of my memories, up to a point. What that point is, I am unsure, but it probably has something to do with the towers. I am under the current belief that we are not as we say we are, of sorts. I believe that we, or at least some of us, are still out there, just as we are here. I fear that I am someone of importance, good or bad I am unsure, to the conclave, or at least this other me is. More then this I can not say, as it is most likely completely wrong, anyway. I'll be trying to learn more soon."

"So you believe we still exist... interesting. I shall try and meditate on something when I am alone once more. But alright, you better leave if your not going to want to explain yourself to a councilman and vigilante justice seeker when he gets they"

Crailek nods to Anik. "Alright. If you wish to hear more, I will most likely be in my tower. You may wish to be more careful when entering, next time, however."

With that, he leaves, and returns to Foun's realm.

Anik feels a presence manifest in his Realm - Councilman Roid. It would not do to keep him waiting.

Anik headed directly towards the supposed councilor.

He was there, speaking pleasantly to some of the Bosmer. When Anik came, he rose and smiled.

"Low Lord Anik," he said. "You have a wonderful, delightful Realm. I am glad to see the artificial flare worked. I've come here firstly to thank you for your contributions to Conclave security - the Pillars of Anik have been a great success - and also to screen you for Technologist approval, which I'm sure you'll pass. Usually I'd have Ruse handle this, but I saw that you also wished to speak to me.."

He smiled.

"So tell me, Low Lord, what is the nature of the problem?"

Anik bowed deeply, suddenly there was a tightly and neatly rolled cloth in his hands transferred from his other self. "Yes, as you might have heard I am the inheritor of the remains of Anvildramadum. You said in your speech that you were Balverstus' secret knowledge-keeper. And of course there was that little bit at the end about rebuilding the mighty Hammer. When they spoke to me, his Dhaal tasked me with doing exactly that. Rebuilding the hammer. While I don't remember anything of our time together, I have the deepest respect for the man just from what I know now. And Indeed rebuilding a Systemarch Attainment, especially one so powerful to contain the soul of it's user, would be a challenge worthy of my skill. Now since this is not an Original project I have no qualms about getting all the help I can, and of course, you would be the first I would ever go to in this matter because of your relation and prior involvement. In short, would you help me?" He hated asking for help, which is why it seemed to be round-about until he just sort of sputtered it out at the end.

Councilman Roid smiled.

"I must confess, I am extremely busy in my position of Councilman," he begun, "But if there is something I can do to assist you - without detracting with my current Operations, obligations or similar responsibilities - I will happily help you. Balverstus was right, in the end, I see - Yggdrasil does only have a limited, if highly numerous, stock of individual-templates, and certain important beings continue to return time and time again. You would be the next incarnation of Anik, the Master Craftsmen, author of  Theoelectromachinery, then: I cannot tell you how much that text helped me when I was crafting my last Attainment.."

He trailed off.

"Forgive me. I am prone to prattling. Do you have a specific request, Anik, or is that all?"

Anik considered for a moment. "Anik paused. We're more than the next incarnations councilman. Anyone who are part of the Returned God's are more than just 'retruned' I feel it's different this time. Never was before was I born with memory of former lives... I feel... I feel this is our last time unless we assure it now (much like the bastard god who broke the hammer). This is the return's god last stand I fear..." He paused for a moment. "I prattle as well." He said with a smile. "But, specific? Not right now, I'm still in the gathering resources phase of the repair, which in your case is skill and knowledge category. If you could provide any information on Anvildramadum or suggest any plans of repair I would be glad to hear it."

"Hrmmm," frowned Roid. "Perhaps you are right about the Returned Gods - it is an aspect of the World-Tree that the Yggdrasildic Scholars have left relatively untouched, perhaps much to our detriment. I would like yo open a file of support for these Returned Gods, though - do you have any information on other Returned Gods that you know? Any you could prove, or at least guide me towards? Crowl of Babilu is, aheh, babling about the return of Msonus the Mystic, but that seems a little far-fetched.. though there was a 'Sonus', or 'Sjona' or something similar at the funeral.."

He trailed off.

"Balverstus crafted Anvildramadum back before the Days of the Fall - when the Realm Anvil was still a safe and prosperous world. Our world. We didn't know each other then - so I am not his Logorgos. As for who the Logorgos is, I think I have an idea.. when Lictros, curse his name, purged the Conclave of some of its finest members, Balverstus the most prominent among them, I set him up with my brother - a weapons merchant named Xakuu. Xakuu was - still is - our pin on the Earthborn blackmarket, specifically on contraband weaponry, and it was easy enough for him to smuggle Balverstus out.."

He smiled, shook his head.

"I prattle again. I was to be the Logorgos of Anvildramadum, for Balverstus hadn't yet had a Systemarch he could trust enough with the knowledge besides me, but a time never came up.. and I couldn't when he was cast out. Xakuu became friends with Balverstus, naturally, and they followed each other around as business partners for the longest time, until.."

He sighed.

"My greatest regret is that I would not allow Xakuu, even with his Wand of a Thousand Changes, to attend the funeral. Too risky, you understand.. Lictros would have seen it immediately and been enraged. It has driven a wedge between us and brothers, and we haven't spoken since. I believe that he is the Logorgos, though, and he is the one you must seek."

Anik saw that there were tears in Roid's eyes.

"Master Roid..." He wasn't sure if he should comfort the man, Anik wasn't good with other emotions unless he was manipulating them, but when it came to honest tears, Anik seemed a bit sensitive to them. "I understand but know that I will do more than try my hardest. I will rebuild the Mighty Hammer. Thank you for the information. Oh and about the Returned Gods, I'll see what I can do."</DarkGreen>

Anik mentally went through the list of stuff he had to do:
Max's experiments (ironically something he had intended to do before assigned)
The Old Man's Bomb
A Realm Healing Device
Mythcraft his Battle Guard
Gift for Crailek
and many other things.

"Thank you, Anik," said Roid. "I regret, also, that I cannot grant you access to the Tower of Anik - that's in the hands of Lharazed, and while I'll talk to him, we've never gotten along very well before. I can tell you, though, that I when I last spoke to Xakuu he wanted to meet Balverstus's champion and avenger - the boy you're studying, Max. Perhaps you can find more information from the so-called 'hero'. I personally think he is a deeply foolish individual with no real merit towards the Conclave proceedings, but there are those who beg to differ.. perhaps he can be your lead."

A flock of doves descended from the sky, and from the flurry of white feathers Maxilita stepped forth.

She began walking briskly to where Anik was.

Anik smiled. "So then the Systemark mind reading is true?" He wanted to ask about that but didn't dare suggest a legal way in before he was ready, lest this throw obstacles in his way, also of course friends were something to build up. He detected the entrance into his realm. "Yes, it seems he's on his way here."

((Do I detect one godly presence or two? Also would I recognize them both as a god?))