(An RP Social is a one-time RP that captures an event - once the event is over, the thread will be closed. The Funeral of Balverstus is, in addition, an RP Public - but one tied to the Valley of Ten Towers, which means you cannot be in any other Ten Tower thread while still in this one as per the usual rules.)

The Funeral of Balverstus

Balverstus, Spider of Hammers, ex-High Lord, Royal Systemarch and Lord of Anvildramadum was killed, six days ago (subjective Valley time) by the Dread Lord Osiris-Ra. He was killed by heart failure upon the destruction of Anvildramadum, his prized war-hammer, though his Dhaal still remain. Upon the sacred consultation, undertaken by Councilman Roid, the Dhaal decided that - for this moment - they would prefer to rest.

Despite the agony this caused Roid, a close friend of Balverstus, their wishes were respected, and the traditional and sacred funeral of the Systemarchs is to occur, until death once again rises. The funeral is held within the Spiderly Gardens, slightly north of the center of the City proper, and it is there that Ramdradunh will also occur. A fully catered luncheon is also prepared.

Player Guest List

1. Max of Xi, close friend, according to the Dhaal's wishes to visit them upon the Consultation
2. Crailek of the Shadowlands, old friend and drinking buddy, according to the Dhaal's wishes to visit them upon the Consultation
3. Foun of Penta, Husband of Crailek and old friend, according to the Dhaal's wishes to visit them upon the Consultation
4. Raelis of Litheris, official Conclave service,
5. Anik of Bounty, old friend and fellow smith, according to the Dhaal's wishes to visit them upon the Consultation
6. Msonus of Som, old friend and teacher, according to the Dhaal's wishes to visit them upon the Consultation
7. Ruse of the Valley of Mist, official Conclave service

Schedule

1. Visitation and Consultation with the Dhaal
2. Funeral Service
3. Speeches from Friends
4. Burial and Reading of the Will
5. The Ramdradunh
6. Luncheon

1. Visitation and Consultation with the Dhaal

The garden is filled with people. Many, many Systemarchs - more Spiders in one place then most will ever see outside of the great Forge Cities - but plenty of others, too. Many human. Some Divine. A few belonging to other species. The field, filled with lush green grass, is surrounded by beautiful plants - many deadly or sentient (or both), native to the Realm of Anvils.

In the center of the field is the Alter, from which Bodhavius, Spider of the Words, will hold the rites - and from which Balverstus's close friends will give speeches. There is a line nearby, leading to a lower - but just as magnificent - steel alter, on which the curled body of Balverstus lays. His stomach is split, and the Dhaal chitter wildly, speaking in their own manner to those close enough to Balverstus to be invited to hold discourse.

Seven out of the Ten Councilman are present. The event is highly guarded, with checkpoints at each exit and soldiers in every possible position. There are hundreds of seats circling the two alters, and some are sitting, waiting for the service to start.

Before Anik came here he made sure to tidy himself up. His normal travel wear he quickly changed (a simple feat for one who can transmute given time) to roughly the same, but more formal. His shirt became ruffled and purer white than the usual off white. The vest around him was black, seamed with have golden lacing, this was all coloring though, a simple change in the chemicals dye on the threads inside the jacket. He also pulled his shoulder length hair into a ponytail, cause his pointed 2 inch long elfish ears to actually show. He also makes sure to wash himself.

Coming to the entrance he goes up to the attendant at the gate. "I am Anik god of Craft." Once checked (possibly having to give up his weapon even) he enters the gardens and goes up to alters, first checking around to see if there was anyone he knew from before... at least anyone he remembered knowing. He had a feeling this would be the first step in regaining his memories. He also made a note of which councilmen were there before going into the line so that he may speak with the dead Systemarch's Dhaal.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:37, Fri 20 Nov 2009.

Many of the Councilmen were there - eight - but Anik did not recognise them. Anik was maddened by this place.. so many half-memories, things on the edge, but the trigger hadn't occurrence, he couldn't claim these memories - they didn't stick.

He was in line for a short while, experiencing the full gamut of divine emotions, when it was his turn to speak to the Dhaal. Stepping up to the curled corpse of Balverstus, Anik saw that his stomach had been cut open and a buzzing blur existed within.. getting closer he saw it was a collection of very small, almost mechanical - carapaces made of steel.. ? - scarabs within.

The Dhaal.

"You arezzzz Anik, Lord of Crraftzz?"

"I am now, though my past has escaped my memory, including your master. But should it be his or your wishes to me to be here, I cannot ignore a respects owed." He wasn't sure how much of this he had to vocalize and how much he just had to thought, the way they spoke/thought was interesting.

Yeszz.. it is the wish of the Hostusz to pronounce you aszzz .. aszzz a friend, an ally, and a deeply honourable being.. the Hostusz thankssss you z for everything, and in the final teztamentzs wishes you to have tge remainzss of Anvildramdum to remakesz and reuse.. is there - an objection?"

A strange combination and telepathy and vocalization came from the creature, informing Anik of Valverstus's will.

"No objections what so ever, and I thank Balverstus for what memories he shared with me though I shall appreciate them more when I find them I'm sure. I get the strong feeling, like nostalgia when I see him. I feel he was a good person even without the memories. As his Dhaal I shall let you know that you are always welcome to visit upon me." He leave the alter of the dead spider and goes over to the gardens where he might find other spiders, he had not talked with a Systemarch to much length (not within his memory of course). He deeply curious as to what Anvildramdum was as much as the memories were. More and more he knew he needed to find those memories... the more he lived now, the more important they were. He even began to suspect fowl play in their removal or blocking. As for the hammer... remaking a systemarch weapon would prove a challenge, but Anik loved to accept and complete challenges. He was competitive with himself always it seemed. He also knew the rumor of their teeth... and wondered if that might help him. He just mused around to see if anyone seemed to recognize him, if not then he would move over to a Systemarch who seemed board, greeting them politely to see if they might make small talk.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:02, Sun 22 Nov 2009.

Walk withzz tradition and die as you create, Crafterzss..

So far, Anik noticed no-one..

No one, that is, except for the ninth Councilman to arrive. Dark hair, shadowed eyes, a long grey and black cloak.. a familiar face, familiar smile.. flanked by two Earthborn soldiers.. silver blades hanging at his belt, an air of sophistication, determination..

A name, nothing else: Wyrn.

Would he approach the Councilman.. ?

Approaching him wouldn't be the best idea now. He would look at him to see if he recognized Anik (looking for anyone who gave him looks of recognition). He would nod should Wyrn look in his direction (as one being stared at by another often does). Then should Wyrn try to contact him, or wave him over he would go over, if not, he follows his "find a board looking (or if all else fails alone) spider" plan.

Anik was a man of plans and peace currently. No need to upset the peace, and he already had a previous plan.

Msonus slowly makes his way here. He has not tidied up to the same degree as Anik had: there was no lacing, and his clothing lacked much in way of color. Though he did not know Balverstus personally in this memory, he recalls the emotions of spider that was to have tested him, and he is saddened.

He introduces himself at the gate, and, trying to make sense of the foreign proceedings, joins those in line to consult.

  Hallowed Leord Maxillita the Second, High Goddess of Fantasy, Hero Redeemed, entered the gardens quietly, her face and form shrouded by the intricate dark Xian armor she wore. A heavy black sabre hung at her waist, possessing a dark, eldritch luster. She took little notice of the guard, simply stating her name quietly as she passed.

   She kept her head inclined in a gesture of mourning and sadness. Of all those who were here, only she had seen Balverstus die. Only she had looked into the eyes of his killer. Using a slight amount of air magic, she silenced her footfalls as she walked to the silver altar. She knew not what the Dhall would bequeath to her. She owed Balverstus her life. Would they demand payment?

Ruse appears here, and shifts back into physical form.

He leaves Cashmathar alone. He would ask Roid if he had the chance about its apparent lack of Stamina. ruse approaches the gateway to the area and flashes his low lord badge and oathblade to the guards, and breifly fills the area with mist before dismissing it all with a wave of the hand. It was undeniable that this was Ruse, the god of Mist.

And this mist god was on the official guest list.

Walking into the funeral gardens, Ruse assessed the area, taking note of who was all currently in attendance. He wanted to speak with the Dhaal though as soon as possible, although he'd not cut in line or anything. While not as close to Balverstus as Max and Roid, Ruse did - after all - have a positive understanding with the fallen systemarch. At the very least, Ruse considered the spider to be in his good graces, as he respected Ruse's secrets while freely offering his own goodwill in return.

Anik

Anik soon moved over to a short, female Systemarch who sat solemnly under one of the many trees in the garden, drinking rum and smoking orange-scented cigarettes. In her hands was a long, metallic red staff, the likes of which Anik had never seen before - a Systemarch Attainment, no doubt.

"Hello, there," said the woman, nodding towards Anik. "How're you, uh, yes, doing?"

The Line - Msonus & Max

Behind Msonus was a petite - yet dangerous-looking - young woman dressed in full ceremonial armour. This was Max; Max noted that in front of him was a shabby wanderer with eyes attached to the stars. The line was long, but moving reasonably quickly.

Ruse

Ruse noted that nine out of ten Councilmen were present - Lictros was missing. He saw Roid talking to another Councilman, with dark, hollowed eyes and a cape made of silver, and the Spider smiled thinly and gestured the God of Mist to join them.

Ruse saw Max...or Maxilita in this case. He wasn't sure how the god became a goddess, although he did recognize his divine aura and life signature. He surmised that it had something to do with Osiria-Ra, the mysterious psychic entity that was manifesting as a static, and all that drama, but he'd have to ask the goddess later. He, no she, would probably tell him. And if not, well...Ruse would just take the knowledge himself.

He want to head in line, but saw that it was still quite long right now. He waved at one of the Dhaal, motioning that he intended to speak with them soon. Just so they knew he was there. With the line as long as it was though, Ruse figured that he needed to attend to Roid first...who just happened to be waving him over. What an interesting opportunity. Dangerous with all those councilors there in one place, but also a great opportunity for positive exposure.

Ruse glided gracefully across the grass to Roid's side. He gave an elegant curtsey, and said,

"Greetings my Lord Councilors."

Msonus, standing in line, does not initially notice the woman behind him. Yet when he turns around for a moment, he catches sight of the strange goddess, and blinks, with all three eyes.

"Nightmare? " he says quietly to himself. He shakes his head, turning back to look at the line. "A dream, but a dark one. Trestles hold the bridge, but do we fill them in when they have carried their purpose?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:58, Tue 24 Nov 2009.

"Msonus. Do you like riddles?" She whispered to the wanderer. "I know one no mortal has been able to answer."

Msonus turns back around to look at the woman one more time. There was something strange in his eyes. Was it curiosity?

Whatever it was, it was swiftly gone.  "A stranger speaking names unspoken? Go on, speak your riddle, but I do not trifle with games. "

((Nice metagame Max...))

Anik looked at the staff briefly then slowly enough for someone not sure with the god's languages says. "Amazing, but then most systemarch attainments, if its not one... then the compliment remains." He bows. "I am doing well, my name is Anik, God of Craft. Did you know "Balverstus personally?"

((I already know his name from the funeral list and from the conclave herald, so suck it. He knows my name, too.))

"There was a man who lived alone at peak of Mount Ruon. He had his ability to answer any question correctly, his knowledge was so vast and his blessings so great. People from all the Realms would journey to the peak for answers to their questions. If they wished to trick him and make him answer incorrectly through manipulation of grammar of somesuch, they would lose their way in a blizzard and never find the man. One day, a young man from the realm of Tau journeyed to peak of Mt. Ruon and asked the man a question he did not know the answer to. What was that question?" Max said, reciting the riddle.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:36, Tue 24 Nov 2009.

Anik

"Yes.. oh, yes, I am his forge-sister," said the woman. "My name is Lillsterus, uh, um, sorry, and yes, this is my Penduramnt. What about, yourself, yes?"

The Line - Msonus & Max

The line shifted forward, ever so slowly.

The riddle remained unanswered.

Ruse

"Ah, Secretary Ruse," said Roid, nodding. "This is Councilman Wyrn. Friend Wyrn, this is the fellow I was telling you about.. 'the one not bound by chains'. I hope that his particular talents will be able to overcome Lictros.."

"Ah, well, let's hope," smiled Wyrn. "How do you do, Ruse?"

((But you didn't know HE was HIM! Can you do to a party of people you don't know, look at the guest list and say pick out everyone in the room and match a name?))

"I'm sorry for you loss then, Lillsterus, close indeed I guess. I do not know the intricacies of Systemarch relations, gods may or may not have parents, so having siblings is rare." He wondered for a moment. "I think I was supposed to know him more professionally than personally, but I have the feeling we learned from eachother often, unfortunately, my most recent incarnation did not include the memories of our time spent together." He was a bit curious.

Msonus doesn't seem to have an answer, but nods at the story. "How intriguing."

He watches the girl for a while longer as they wait in line, but keeps glancing away.

Maxine smiled. "What's it like to have three eyes? I imagine you have great depth perception."

Ruse grinned a bit, but then composed himself and responded.

"A pleasure to meet you in person, Councilor Wyrn. I hope to have a most peaceful relationship with Lord Lictros, ideally. Were you close to the deceased?"

Ruse mentally tried to gain some info while he waited for a response.

COMMAND: Pull up any pertinent information on Councilor Wyrn.

COMMAND: Use my low lord priviledges and access what you can about operation EMBALMER'S REACH. Cross reference the query through the office of Roid, as a secretary.

Msonus blinks.

"Depth perception?" Msonus asks, sounding tired. "Yes, I suppose you could say that. But three eyes or two, there are those who will not perceive regardless. "

"What matters most for that kind of perception, I think, is the mind's eye. Is that what your third eye symbolizes?"

Anik

"Yes, Balverstus loved to teach," sighed the sister. "Now, if you excuse me, I suppose I must consult his Dhaal.."

With that, the woman stood up and left.

The Line - Msonus & Max

It was soon Msonus's turn to speak to the Dhaal.

As he steps forward, he sees the curled corpse of Balverstus in front of him, the Dhaal buzzing about in the gash within his gut.

Mszzonus, come closzer..

Ruse

"Not as close as I would have liked," said Wyrn, sighing. "Unfortunately.. we didn't exactly see eye to eye on many things, and that will be one of the regrets I will hold until my own eternal death. What about yourself? Here on Conclave business, yes?"

Roid smiled.

"Wyrn has been assisting me with the counter-ops involved in Operation EMBALMER'S REACH, which you may have heard of," said Roid. "You are, of course, a vital part of it."

With a mixture of reverence and curiosity, Msonus pauses for a moment. He shuts his left eye, and, nodding once to himself, steps forward. "A friend gone and returned, speaking to those of a friend dead," he mutters to himself.

((Don't forget my SUIT queries. ^_^))

Ruse nodded to Roid, and replied,

"Yes Councilor, I am currently in the process of investigating some hopefully fringe issues with Osiris Ra and two of our own Conclave gods - you are probably aware of the channel issues by now, but I am taking care of it. After that, I am tying up some loose ends with Tyche, as well as gathering information for my next move against the cult of Osiris. I'm considering some assassinations in Tushmuthut, or if we uncover other things that need investigating, I can do that too."

He looked to Wyrn, and replied,

"I was on good terms with Balverstus, although Maxine was even more close to him than I. I wished to get to know him even more, and I do need to consult the Dhaal as well, although the line is long right now still. So to answer your question, I am here partially for the Conclave and partially for myself."

Anik bowed as she left, he took out a small quartz crystal alone and began to mindlessly play with it, of course this meant it twisted and shifted its form into various things he happen to think about, one of which was a waspwolf, the only solid memory of Wyrn he had. Beyond that he took careful observance of of the funeral, as if trying to find someone in a crowd, but really just board out of his mind.

He arrived he had changed his outfit for this moment as well. A white robe instead of the usual dark grey one. His hood is off out of respect. White hair down over his eyes and head bowed he moves toward the line in silence. He will not speak till he has speaken to the Dhaal.

Crailek appears from a portal, and looks around silently. He had no recollection of this Balverstus, but he must have met him at some point, to have garnered such an invitation.

Anik

"Yes, Balverstus loved to teach," sighed the sister. "Now, if you excuse me, I suppose I must consult his Dhaal.."

With that, the woman stood up and left.

The Line - Msonus & Max & Foun

The Hostszz.. wants you to knowz.. that he always admired yoursz strangeness and your friendzship.. and in the readingz of the will wantsz you to have szomething, a strange metalzs that he could never forge..

Max was next in line.

Foun is far behind them, waiting upon the Dhaal. In front of him is a strange, dark-skinned man dressed in the manner of a traditional Wandering Shaman.

Ruse

QUESTION: 'Who is Councilman Wyrn'?
ANSWER: Councilman Wyrn, also known as the Keeper of Nothing, is a God from the Age of Odin who, using the fabled Technique of Seth, returned to this age. He immediately fell into the regime of the League of Divine Right and was one of the few survivors of the Day of Sand, rising just as quickly to become one of the earliest Councilmen and - it is rumoured - being the Emissary of the Golden Hand. He deals mostly with intelligence, history-ops, and subtle works within the Conclave arena.

Cross-referencing EMBALMER'S REACH..
/Operation
//OPERATION EMBALMER'S REACH is a joint Operation initiated by the Conclave to prepare for a war against Osiris-Ra and the Sphere of Force and Fire. It involves the manufacturing of weapons, the training of soldiers, intelligence works, and - declared only recently - the war attempt itself. It is a fully joint Operation, headed by Councilman Roid and backed by Councilmen Lictros and Wyrn.

"I see," said Wyrn. "Well, don't let us keep you. It has been a pleasure speaking."

"Oh, yes," said Roid. "Listen, once the Funeral's all finished, make sure you swing by the Hall of the Sun. I need your imprint for something rather important."

Crailek

There were many guests, many soldiers, and most of the Councilmen presence. Crailek, in truth, felt a little intimidated.

She waited quietly. When the three-eyed god was done, she would step forward (two steps, really, she's a bit on the small side) and speak with them.

Ruse nodded to Wyrn, and replied,

"I may be able to speak with you later, during or after the funeral. I do need to see the Dhaal though, both for my own purposes but also for the Conclave's. I do want to thank you though, in the name of the office of Roid, for assisting our councilman as much as you have so far. As the ambassador for divines as well as an ally of Roid, I hope that we can work together in a positive fashion in the future."

Ruse looked at Roid, and said,

"Yes, of course. I will head for your office right after the funeral. I do want to let you know that Raelis may become problematic for us - he's being somewhat uncooperative right now but we'll see if he comes over to my realm soon or not. I also need to speak with you about Cashmathar when we get the chance. I'm deeply concerned something may be wrong with it."

He continues his own personal vow of silence and quietly awaits his turn. Thoughts run through his head, why was he invited? He did not know this balverstus... and how could the invite know of his and crailek's relationship? Although it had said crailek's husband... Although in love they were and had been for so many ages the romance seemed eternal he never remembered them succeeding in marriage. They had come close so many times, but events had never allowed it to pass. Such was the case that perhaps they had succeeded at one point and he had no memory of it? How could this be? But yet the tower that has his name upon it seemed to be a similar situation. This took some investigating he would discover what it was he lost.

((I never got a reply... only just a repost.))

"Of course," Msonus says, nodding. "And so that which could not be forged is given to he who cannot forge. It is appropriate. But then, would I expect less?"

If the Dhaal are finished with him, Msonus will bow and step aside. Only when he has turned away will he open his closed eye.

Crailek looks around to see if he could find these 'Dhaal' and where he was supposed to go meet them as the invitation had said.

Anik

(Sorry, man, completely missed it..)

Most of the Councilmen seemed present now, Anik noted. He noted an especially regal-looking, whiite-haired man speaking to the familiar Councilman and another Systemarch Councilman.. just as he saw the line moving steadily towards the Dhaal. Things, hopefully, would progress soon.

The Line - Msonus & Max & Foun

The metalzs.. will be .. familiarzs..

With that, they were done. Msonus continued on.

It was Max's turn to speak with the Dhaal.

The line suddenly moves, and Foun steps forward to follow it.

Ruse

"Wrong?" asked Roid, suddenly alarmed. "Forgive us, Wyrn.."

Wyrn smiled and nodded.

Wrong? What do you mean, wrong? This cannot wait. What is it?

Crailek

The Dhaal, Crailek found, could be consulted at the end of a particular line in the center of the garden - within the shriveled corpse of Balverstus.

Crailek walks to the back of the line and waits calmly, then.

Anik decided to take initiative. He looked for any Systemarch that happened to talk about crafting something... he would have thought it would have been easier than this, I mean they were sytemarchs.

Ruse responded mentally to Roid's thoughts.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:32, Wed 16 Dec 2009.

Msonus steps aside now, and looks around the garden.  He looks for Bludt, trying to see if the one spider he knew from this time around was present.

Foun continued his steady march forward in silence head bowed in mourning stance.

Anik

He soon joined a conversation between three young Systemarchs.

"I think I shall call.. call it the Engine of Palthustra," said the first.

"You've - named it after the Forge, mm, then?" said the second.

"Well.." said the first.

"Perhaps you're, uh, yes, feeling a little too sentimental.." said the third.

"You haven't asked exactly why it is.. is an engine, f-fellows," said the first, "Only, only a year or so left.."

"I - I didn't, mm, realize, apologies, congratulations, yes," said the second.

Suddenly, they each turned towards Anik.

"Yes?"

The Line - Max & Foun

Crailek enters the back of the long line.

Foun, still trapped in silence, moves slowly towards the end.. not far, now.

Come closzzer, little heroz.. said the corpse of Balverstus, presumably to Max. There is somethingszs to give..

Ruse


Roid showed obvious signs of release - he breathed out, and his many eyes started to blink once again.

Ahhhhh.. that is to be expected. It is attuning to a new, alien user. It must lose some of the attachment to me - difficult, yes - and so the fact that it is easily drowsed does not bother me. It will pick up in time. The shock of.. of Balverstus's death, too, would have shocked it to the core. He is it's Logorgos, after all, and there are special sympathies..

Msonus

Strangely enough, Bludt wasn't present. For some reason, this deeply disturbed Msonus.. it seemed every other Systemarch in the land was around.

Ruse sighed with relief as well. He feared something was wrong with the systemarch (which would have put a wrench in both their plans), but it was just the ring transitioning.

Crailek stays in the line, but looks around the area, to see what else was going on. He hoped perhaps there would be some clue as to all of the unexplained that had recently been thrust upon his life.

Msonus is indeed disturbed by the absence. He blinks, turning around as if lost, though no other distress seems to show on his face.

He looks for another spider instead, then. Perhaps one would know of the other. If he finds one that is not talking to someone else, Msonus will approach. Though he sounds tired, his words are fairly straightforward, relatively speaking:

"Pardon this interruption, but have you an idea of the one known as... Bludt? I have dreamed little in days recently, and there is something...." he trails off.

"I didn't mean to intrude, I heard talk of an engines, and it intrigued me. I am Anik god of Craft, and engineering buff." He bowed slightly as he introduced himself.

Anik

"Hello, Anik, God of Craft," sneered one of the Systemarchs. "Tell me, what could a God possibly know of craftsmanship and engineering? Why bother?"

The Line - Max & Foun & Crailek

(Max, if you don't post soon, I'm going to drop you out of the line)

Foun, still trapped in silence, moves slowly towards the end.. not far, now.

Come closzzer, little heroz.. said the corpse of Balverstus, presumably to Max. There is somethingszs to give..

Crailek saw many people weeping - many powerful individuals weeping - a huge assortment of different beings.

Ruse

Logorgos.. when a Systemarch finally finishes his enslavement to the creation of an Attainment, he promptly forgets how the thing was made. We are still not sure why, and every attempt to stop this phenomena has ended badly. A Logorgos, however, is a close friend of the Creator who is blessed with the intimate knowledge behind such creations.. a keeper of the secret, perhaps.

Msonus

The Systemarch looked at Msonus in horror.

"You - you have not heard? Bludt is dead."

Msonus' eyes all widen, then blink. "I..." he says, sounding shaken. He seems to recover slightly, but speaks more quietly now.

"had not. Then, he did not call the eye. Many holes are explained now, I am sorry to think. And yet it only digs more holes. "

He bows his head.

Ruse sighs with exasperation. With every passing moment he agrees with Roid more and more that Lictros is a dog. Aggrippa is annoying as well, but Lictros is a potential wrench in Ruse's long term plans...for the moment, that is.

With a roll of his eyes, rules silently looks at Roid.

She approached the corpse- so recently made, so recently left behind- with a bowed head. "What is left to me? I owe him my life twice over. I did not expect a gift."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:50, Wed 23 Dec 2009.

Anik, instead of responding hostily replied as if it was a valid question. "To a systemarch perhaps not much, though I am versed in several advanced earthborn sciences and mechanics, and am known to be intigrate supernatural and technological sciences. I also think its a mistake to call one seperate from the other in the grand scheme of thing, just two different perspectives and growth. As for bothering, its who I am and what I do. The most extraordinary craft often incorperate the most interesting mechanics."

Anik

"Hah! Earthborn technology," sneered one of the Systemarchs. "Let us be, little boy, and go play with your trinkets."

The Line - Max & Foun & Crailek

Foun edged closer towards the end of the line, Crailek a few individuals behind him.

Max was speaking with the Dhaal.

No giftszs.. a burdszen.. said the Dhaal. The Hostszz.. has entrusted you withz avengingsz him.. not from Osiris-Ra, who he bearszzz no immediate ill wills, but from, from the dogsz Lictroszzzz..

Ruse

Roid frowned, nodded, and communicated his request to Ruse.


Msonus

"I am sorry," said the Systemarch. "You have missed the service, and the Dhaal are asleep. My condolences. He was a - a great individual.." The Systemarch got a little teary herself.

"It was my intention to avenge him and my people, though I do not understand. Who is this Lictros?" She said, caught off guard. Was Osiris-Ra not his killer?

Ruse furrows his brow.

"Sir I would find that insulting if I didn't know you were bluffing." He challenged. If all went right he would find himself in much of a situation.

Anik

"Bluffing?" sneered the Systemarch. "And what, pray tell, were we bluffing about? Surely you';ve heard of the genius of the Systemarch race?"

The Line - Max & Foun & Crailek

Kill Lictroszzz..

That was all. Max's chance was over. He was gently brushed aside, and the line continued.

It was soon Foun's turn to speak to the Dhaal.

Magicoscientist.. Founzs.. thiszss is youu?

Crailek was closer to the end of the line.

Ruse


Msonus

"I am sorry," said the Systemarch. "You have missed the service, and the Dhaal are asleep. My condolences. He was a - a great individual.." The Systemarch got a little teary herself.

"Oh no doubt, give them hundreds of years, and their creations might be of use, but I highly doubt that any average systemarch could create something as wonderful as I could in the same given amount of time." He said quite pompously, and on the word average made sure to give a look over the speaking systemarch. He had to be careful in his approach, he really didn't want to insult the entire race... just declare himself better than this one in particular.

Ruse blinked thoughtfully.

He came forward and bowed to his knees. I humbly bring myself before the Dhaal of Balverstus. It is I foun the magiscientist. If it is not too rude before we speak yet, I humbly request some detail on how I was known to Balverstus? He bows his head to the ground showing the up most respect to the corpse before him.

Maxine stepped aside, confused. Lictros.

Perhaps the Conclave Free Channel could aid him.

Anik

The Systemarch's many eyes were open with rage. His teeth were fully exposed, caught in a predatory growl.

"You - you dare!" he spat, staring poisonously towards Anik.

"Such pathetic arrogance," said another, almost sadly.

"Get out of this garden, wormling, before I destroy you."

The Line - Foun & Crailek

Youzzss.. not informationzss we know.. but the Hostszz would carezs to give you back what wasz once yours.. the ring, in the Will, the ringssz..

The Dhaal spoke to Foun kindly, but with force.

Crailek was still close to the end of the line.
Ruse

"Yes, I think so," said Roid, blinking. "You should come see me after. Our rebuilding of the Hall is almost complete. Now, I'm afraid I must mingle.." He shook Ruse's hand, moved over a little, yelling - in what Ruse knew to be feigned delight - "Councilor Agrippa!"

Msonus

(repeat)

"I am sorry," said the Systemarch. "You have missed the service, and the Dhaal are asleep. My condolences. He was a - a great individual.." The Systemarch got a little teary herself.

Max

The Funeral was busy, though the line to the Dhaal was steadily growing shorter. The main service would begin, soon.

He nods solemnly and with the upmost respect. Of course I apologize if I was too forward. The rings? what rings do you speak of? He looks up now to observe the Dhaal. This form of speak was completely new to him faint memories of telepathy shadowed his mind.

Ruse nodded, and left Roid and Wyrn to their own devices. He needed to speak with the dhaal before the funeral began anyway.

Ruse headed over to the line.

If he noticed any violence between Anik and the systemarchs, he would glare at both and chasetise then most fiercely in the name of the Conclave (he was there as a Conclave official after all), reminding them where they were and that this was as much a Conclave matter as a personal one, and that acting out of line would not be tolerated and punished most severely.

If Ruse did NOT notice any shenanigans going on, he then walked directly to the dhaal line.

"So you would slip to barbarity at this event! In the presence of truly great systemarch's Daal!" Anik hissed, obviously and truthfully angered at the thought of the disrespect. He regained composure, and starred directly into the many eyes of the speaking systemarch. He spoke strongly, yet quietly. "If you think your words and ability so mighty, and me so lowly, then why not prove such. Make me into a fool by way of competition. And what more I would be willing to agree to any stakes, such that they are equal in severity. Or shall you continue to hold yourself up on empty words and uncivilized threats."

Maxilita quietly appeared at Anik's side, touching his shoulder to calm him- a stream of divine energy flowed from Maxilita into Anik from that point of contact, bolstering the God's soul.

She spoke it a quiet, but very easily heard voice; an elven whisper.
"Anik. I have personally seen evidence of an Attainment's power, when Balverstus wielded his against Osiris-Ra. My own blade- a unique, powerful weapon- did nothing to Dread Lord despite even Mighty combat skill behind it, yet Anvildramadum damaged the Dread Lord significantly with each blow. Now, if you wish to prove your own genius, I'd like to commission an item that must be absolutely stupendous in quality- and if you are truly as a great a craftsman as you say, you will be very well paid. Come along with me- I'd like to discuss the details in private."

Maxilita nodded respectfully to the systemarch, as she gently but firmly took Anik by the arm and led him to more a secluded area of the garden, where they might speak.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Thu 31 Dec 2009.

Anik

"Hrrmmpph," said the Systemarch, obviously rebuked at the mention of the Dhaal (smooth move). "I accept your challenge. What terms did you have in mind?"

Anik is not harassed by a teenage female Goddess who has no idea who he is or who he looks like.

The Line - Foun & Crailek & Ruse

Waitsz.. until the Tessztament..

With that, Foun was done.

A short period passed, and Crailek was next.

You.. we havesz your ring, Crayyyylekzz..

Ruse was pleased to see the line moving rather briskly.

Msonus

(repeat)

"I am sorry," said the Systemarch. "You have missed the service, and the Dhaal are asleep. My condolences. He was a - a great individual.." The Systemarch got a little teary herself.

Max

Max wanders around for a small while looking for a God who she doesn't know the existence of.

(Max, this is a warning. I will not tolerate meta-gaming.

a) You and Anik haven't yet met, and you have no idea what he looks like.
b) That should be, 'TRIES to drag Anik away', not 'Drag him away'.
c) In Theogenesis canon, you didn't even know Anik in a past life, so you can't even force the whole 'Oh! Flashback!' excuse.

Please, come on, man. You did a similar thing with Msonus. Be cleverer than that!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:41, Fri 01 Jan 2010.

Foun nods leaving the line he sighs there was so much to figure out he needed to think and he just couldn't. New thoughts and plans were going through his head. He needed to figure this out. Realm of light.... echo of existence. He needed to learn something about this alternate dimensions, thought the power of faith reviving the tree. His brain was chattering so much that if someone tried to read it right now it would probably give them a migraine in truth he found a place to sit down and turned this into a sort of meditation. Allowing his mind to think as chaotically as sanely possible going through a million alchemical and mathmatical equations as quickly as he possibly could.

Ruse walked to the line, glancing firmly toward Anik and the systemarchs silently before disdainfully turning his head back toward his destination - the line. The tension did not become violence, so Ruse could really care a less about the littler details. He did notice Maxine with Anik, and this did spark just the slightest curiosity in him due to his ever-growing connection with the erstwhile heroine, but he was too far away to get the details, nor did he deem it important enough to actually waste magical or psychic energy over.

With a shrug, Ruse continued forward in the line. If anyone in the line got too close to him (within his personal space) he'd give an emotionless Mistellan glare and firmly tell them to stand back, but otherwise Ruse was silent, almost solemnly so. He would wait for his turn patiently, observing his surroundings like a pale ghost.

Not being harassed by unknown transvestite gods aside, he continued. "Three months. Three months to create the greatest, non-destructive, one time use item you can. Of course it must be made alone, without the help with anyone other than your Daal or my people. Incomplete items means forfeit. You know the terms, now what stakes do you wish?"

OOC: (... I felt clever... sorry.)

Crailek raises his eyebrows and looks at the Dhaal. "Indeed? Just to clarify, which one? I have seen many rings..."

Maxilita wandered through the crowds, looking for an eye-catching indivdual- perhaps the three-eyed god.

"Kaie, do you think you can find me someone a Callisti who is attending of his own volition? I'd like to speak with one."

I hope you can understand binary.

She stopped midstep. You!? I thought I-

-got yourself killed and turned into a girl in a foolish attempt to remove me? Yes, yes you did. All I've done is help, and THIS is the thanks I get? Some hero YOU are.

All you've done is slaughter innocents! You're the reason all these people are gathered here!

Correction, that is strictly Balverstus' fault. He valued your honor too highly. What I did was save your quadriplegic ass while valiantly defending your people. I then went to go loot a Dead Realm to get some much needed equipment. Those silly monks were ignorant enough to attack me, the Fierce God!

You're a butcher.

Oh yes, and you are a saint. How convenient that you can blame your less that savory urges on an alter ego, oh hallowed one!

Okay, okay, I get that I'm not perfect, but at least I try to be moral. You do evil for evil's sake.

No... not at all. I do what is necessary for my survival. And once you are strong enough to stand alone, I'll be free. Oh, I haven't been free in centuries... I'll be significantly depowered. Did you know I was God of Heroes before my imprisonment? If you'd stop fighting and just work with me, you'd have less problems and miscommunications. For example, if you would have told me that killing those who oppose me would make you try to pull an exorcism, I would have just gotten you to safety.

In general, if it sounds selfish, don't do it. Okay?

Aye aye, captain!

The voice faded. The exchange had only taken seconds.

Anik

"Three months," mimicked the Systemarch, mockingly. "Which time? There are many, as you know.. as for the stakes, how about people? Your entire civilization if I win. If I lose - yes, if that actually happens - I will give up my precious Dhaal."

The Line - Crailek & Ruse

Thezzs Ring of Unionszz.. the Hostszz kept it safes.. at the Willzss..

Unfortunately, after that, Crailek was finished. The Dhaal would speak no more, telling him to wait for the reading of the Will.

Finally, after a long while of waiting, Ruse was up. The Dhaal did not immediately speak.

Wesz do not recognizsse you..

Msonus

(repeat)

"I am sorry," said the Systemarch. "You have missed the service, and the Dhaal are asleep. My condolences. He was a - a great individual.." The Systemarch got a little teary herself.

Max

"I  will try to look," said the faerie, doubtfully.

Max stood alone, speaking to no one save the crazed voices in his head, within the Garden of Spiders.

Foun

The meditations were soothing, but - unfortunately - gave no solid answers. Some questions, perhaps, were not meant to be understood.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:03, Sun 03 Jan 2010.

( asked Kaie if he could find a Callisti who had come to the funeral of their own volition.)

(OOC: Edited, Max.)

Ruse's eyes glistened a bit in the light, as if exhibiting his interest in this matter.

"You may not know me, although Balverstus did. He and I were on good terms before he died. - he knew how to respect my secrets and keep them to himself. I also am the new bearer of Cashmathar and a secretary of Councilor Roid - of whom I am fully aware had a connection with the deceased. I am an acquaintance of Max/Maxilita's as well, although she surely must consider me a true friend by now as much as I've saved her from the Conclave's disfavor, as well as oathblade destruction by a potentially turncoat god of words. Truth be told, I came here both for my Conclave duties as well as my own agenda, although my intentions are benign as far as you are concerned."

Ruse flicked back his soft, lustrous white hair. It hung down his head and past his ears like locks of living silk.

"I wanted to make an offer to you that may help your fallen lord, as well as ask you for some information. I am about to be capable of resurrection magic - not necromantic mockeries but true revival, and I wanted to offer this service to you dhaal - I don't want anything in particular in exchange for this, so would settle with a favor or something to be called in later. I won't be too picky about this as I'd also be doing it as a favor to Roid. I'm fully aware that the dhaal have decided Balverstus should rest for the time being, but I wanted to let you know of this opportunity in person, for your own future reference."

"Also, can you tell me any interesting information surrounding the death of Balverstus? Also, do you know anything about the fierce god, Max, and Osiris-Ra? How about the plague of sand, or anything along those lines that is associated with the cult of Osiris? This would involve a man named Charles, the husband of Riddel Summers and an earthborn (and a damn tech-savvy one at that). Feel free to tell me any sensitive information completely telepathically if you'd like. I'm aware you spiders communicate like that and I am not uncomfortable with that mode of communication."

Curious he pauses his meditation done, he is now listening observing watching every single thing unfolding in the funeral. He waves for crailek to approach him at one point, but other then that stays stern watching over the others. Some strange thoughts began going through his head. One of which is his desire to go to the hall of the sun and to discuss his ideas for science, alchemy, and magiscience.

Crailek waits calmly, deciding to watch rather then join in anything, so he would be ready for whatever the next part was.

Msonus nods slowly. He does not cry, but sounds particularly saddened as he says, "I... see. Somewhat. Oh, holes of holes.

Barely met... and gone. I am sorry as well, friend in sorrow."

He shakes his head now, as if responding to someone.

Anik winced slightly as he heard the stakes, he wasn't expecting such a large deal. He quickly remembered that he didn't have much to loose in this way (lost potential doesn't count) and that it was only if he lost (which would be stupid to invoke a bet without a plan to win). "Tree time ((RL)), and as I said, I shall agree to any fair stakes, so I accept." He didn't hold out a hand to shake, this was not a place to gain intelligence. He looks at the line dwindling down. He bows to the other systemarchs. "Dearly sorry for taking up your time with an argument of pride. I shall let you continue without our distraction." He gave one nod to his challenger, not willing to give a bow, and left them, internally smiling, already knowing what wonder he would make.

Anik begins leaving the Garden of Spiders, but before he does, he spots a girl with a fairy moveing away form her. She has a strange look to often associated with telepathy on her, that "I'm talking to someone not here" face he himself often had seen in previous lives. He doesn't stop, but does give her a questioning look while leaving.

Anik went over to Crailek casually and whispered to him.

Crailek nods to Anik, then responds in kind.
He then continues to stand quietly.

She nodded her thanks. There was another ally to consult.

Divine Master Sword. I am not the sort of deity who relishes combat, who devotes his divinity to nothing but strength. You are my sole ally when I am alone, my greatest defense, my greatest weapon. I fear I have mistreated you, thinking of you as simply a tool. I do not fight simply fight with you, I fight ALONGSIDE you. There.. there are beings who use their strength to harm others, beings I am too weak to defeat on my own. In the coming battles, I ask you lend me your strength and your guidance.

She happened to glance to her left while speaking to her blade, and caught a god looking at her. Knowing that in her life things rarely happened without reason, she waved and and made her way over to him. She bowed slightly in greeting- as she would to an equal- and smiled. "I am Maxilita of Xi, close friend of Balverstus. It is nice to meet you."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:01, Fri 08 Jan 2010.

Foun watches all this unfold, observing the area as he was. He notes crailek and anik's whispering. He notes maxilita. He watches all this and wonders at it all, he remembers. Suddenly a memory hits him that worries him, but he couldn't think of this now. He needed anik's help he realizes. Something would be coming soon if he was right and he could feel it in the bones that he was. Approaching anik and crailek although of course he stands by and waits for them to finish first not wanting to intrude.

Anik was watching Foun coming when a voice behind him turned his attention. "You as well, I am Anik, God of Craft. You say you knew him well? I am told I did once as well." He turned to Crailek and motioned him towards Found. "Go ahead and speak with..." he wasn't sure he wanted to say the name "him, I will get back to you two in a moment." He moved past the goddess so they may speak without interrupting his other friends... or hear their private talks.

"So then Ms. Maxilitia, how may I help you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:50, Sat 09 Jan 2010.

She followed the stranger god- Anik, God of Craft? -quietly. One hand still touching the pommel of her sabre to allow contact, she spoke. "A God of Craft? Interesting. Most gods I meet are either fighters or mysteries. It's refreshing to meet a god that can be helpful in other ways. I am something of a bounty hunter, and as you can imagine the more lucrative bounties are on unique, powerful individuals. For example, Chalybis, God of Metal. Do you think you could fashion a shield of durable glass that would be able to deflect a metal lance? It must be light- I am small- but also strong. The bounty is 2,000 conclave stones. Provide me with a shield such as this, and I will pay you the entire bounty as compensation if the item protects me well. That is my oath."

Anik listened patiently, considering the offer. "Well for one thing I have no need for conclave stones I rarely need to buy anything since I can make almost anything I need, but there are... other ways of payment, particularly to a god such as my talents, but that can be discussed later." He thought for a moment. "Something does irk me though, the Conclave Herald says there is a Chalybis, God of Industry for that exact sum, is that a different bounty or are they the same?" He stops for the answer to that question, then continues.

"There are some other things I'm questioning. For example, you would make no profit on an venture that could end your life, so logically it seems either you are very pro-justice or you have a vendetta against this god. Of course while normally I would say this means if he also came to me I would also service him, except he is an outlaw which means I don't have a mind to do so. The second is that 2000 for a small diamond-nanorod shield (that would be much better than glass)... that is a hefty sum for it not being enchanted."

Crailek takes a step towards Foun, and whispers something to him as well.

He whispers back

The Reunion - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Max

"I accept your terms," said the Systemarch, and the others nodded, clearly shocked. They wandered off.

The tall man with grim eyes came to speak with Anik, as did the young heroine. Max's blade shivered in her hands, as if pleased, as she did so. Anik saw the blade - it looked familiar, somehow..

Had he forged that himself?

Before he could ponder further, Foun approached the group.

The time passed pleasantly, with many secrets passed and certain bargains offered.

The Line - Ruse

Iszzz.. cannot answer your questionsz. Apolzogies.. we shall.. ressszt for a while.. perhaps we will szee if you can help when we wishz to rise.. perhaps.. Charlszes - perhapzs ask him about the Operationszz of the Moons.. apolzogies..

The Dhaal would speak no more. Ruse knew he was finished.

Msonus

"Yes.. his Dhaal lay in rest. Condolence- condolences. Perhaps you could see them.. but they sleep."

"I hold a vendetta and am very pro-justice, and have little need for money. If it's a hefty sum, I wouldn't mind and enchantment of some sort. My primary goal is destroy Chalybyis- ASAP. I don't know how long it would take you to make a suitable shield, but the deal is done if you wish it to be so."<

She stroked her blade a little, to calm it.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:44, Fri 15 Jan 2010.

Ruse nodded, and gave a polite curtsey before departing.

"Very well, we will be in touch as needed. You may rest now." Ruse replied, using the "royal we" to refer to himself as he did so, probably unintentionally. He understood how the Dhaal were feeling, for the most part. And they did give him something to ask Roid about later.

Ruse walked past some other sytemarchs who were glaring at Anik, and gave them a "I won't forgive even you if you act out of line here" look. But he noticed that the god of craft and the systemarch clique had concluded whatever business they had, so Ruse really didn't care about the rest. He only cared that the event proceeded smoothly and in an orderly fashion.

He proceeded back toward Roid to check how he and Wyrn were doing, and to wait for the next phase of the funeral to begin.

"Sleep." Msonus slowly echoes.

"They sleep... But do Dhaal dream?"

"Alright then, it shouldn't take me too long as soon as I am back from Conclave business in my realm. May I see your blade?" He asked. "I just wish to examine it, it's exquisite." He looked at, sensing something about it.

Crailek nods to Foun, then answers silenty.

Maxillita hesitated, the drew her blade and handed it to Anik pommel first. "Okay.. treat him nice, though. He likes you."

The Reunion - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Max

The conversation passed nicely. Crailek saw the line to the Dhaal dwindle, and knew that the next stage in the ceremony would be soon.

The Line - Ruse

Roid was nowhere to be seen. Ruse did see Wyrn, however, and Wyrn smiled at him and nodded - the shadowy Councilman had two glasses of wine in his hands and motioned for Ruse to join him.

Msonus

"Perhaps," said the Systemarch. "Some say they do."

Anik held the blade firmly, and moved it around getting a feel for the make. After a non-supernatural evaluation he used both his Legend and Make ability to examine it fully.

Ruse drifted over to Wyrn, keeping an eye on the funeral and making sure people were behaving as he did so. No wonder the Conclave had guards at places, as well as official conclave service people like himself there.

When he drifted to Wyrn, seeing all was at peace thankfully, he noted Roid had scuttled off somewhere. He could have tracked him with telepathy or SUIT, but decided not to since he'd see him soon anyways. But it would be rude not to accept Wyrn's wave-over, and the next part of the funeral still hadn't begun yet. So it was fine.

"Ah hello Wyrn. I see Roid left you all by yourself. I am done with the Dhaal, and I believe the next phase of this event should begin shortly. Are you enjoying yourself?"

The Reunion - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Max

As Anik held the blade, an officious Systemarch in grey came to the small party. "I'm afraid it is time for you all to be seated," said the Systemarch. "The ceremony is to begin shortly." The Systemarch gestured towards the huge circle of seats about the main, steel alter.

Anik's eyes fluttered as he read the Divine Master Sword.. felt the static, the rushing of white noise, as he realized it was now a part of Max's theoelectromagnetic field - but not always, no, because some information belonged to Anik by right.. it was he who originally crafted the sword, after all, taming the wild metal and giving it form, a pattern which it could not escape.. he saw that the thing could speak to all other metals, all other ores, converse with them in their own secret language - and even command them.. he saw it abandoned, and felt sadness and regret, as it was lost within the jungles of time for hundreds of years, learning the languages of beasts and birds.. finally, however, he saw it attach itself to a new master, and bind itself to that warrior: Maxilita. He saw the sword developing abilities over the disembodiment of air and water, and over the physical element of the winds..

Ruse

"I am enjoying myself as much as I can, considering the circumstances," said Wyrn. He motioned towards a handful of Systemarch officials who were ushering the mourners to their seats. "We should sit. Come. Today, I think, you can be my official date."

Wyrn wandered over to an empty space of chairs, and sat.

Msonus

"Perhaps," said the Systemarch. "Some say they do."

A polite Systemarch tapped Msonus on the back.

"Forgive me, friend," he said, "but it is time to be seated. The ceremony begins shortly."

Anik gave the sword back and suddenly a glowing shield appeared in his hands. With hundreds of diamonds in the center and clear like glass around the edges, except it is lighter, harder, and not as cold. "Just a bit of your blood will bind you to the shield." With her consent he cut her hand and dripped it over the shield. Turning a couple of the diamonds red suddenly in the shape of the letter M. With one final touch, a strange symbol that was the mark of Anik. An upside down A with a verticle line. He whispers a bit to the girl. After this quick finish, he took a seat with the others.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:38, Tue 19 Jan 2010.

Maxilita sealed the wound with a flicker of flame as she received her sword, then took a silk sash from thin air and secured the shield to her back, the sash going crosswise over her Seal of Odin.

She hoped the Dhaal would like the ceremony.

He would take seat, but not before he gave maxilita a glance. He would speak to her after the ceremony and he would have to figure out the location of desafon. He needed more time, but time was not something he had. It would seem anik would at this time be his greatest ally if he could convince anik to aid him in his cause. Sitting down he would try to be seated next to crailek.

Ruse grinned at the god of shadows. His face did not display either embarrassment or rejection. Either ruse was truly apathetic to this, or he had a poker face of steel. Either way, he kept his true feelings from being "propositioned" by Wyrn to himself.

"Ah, I see you are lonely after all. I am appreciative of sensuality in both male and female senses - something hardly surprising for beings like ourselves. You meet my aesthetic and personal ability requirements, and as I can determine no other reason to reject your advances, I accept your proposal. I will be your date for the funeral, as darkly humorous as that may sound."

Ruse extended out his hand (the one without Cashmathar on it), waiting for Wyrn to either take it or refuse it. Even though the other man was a councilor, Ruse's Mistellan sensibilities demanded that Wyrn - as the one propositioning him - treat him like a noble gentleman. If Wyrn did not follow through with the romantic gesture, then Ruse would reject the other man's advances. If he did, then he would allow Wyrn to take his hand, and possibly even hook their arms together as Ruse switched into "Date mode."

Msonus nods. As he moves to sit, he turns to the group that had informed him. "Thank you."

He turns back, and sits down, wondering exactly what came next in a Systemarch funeral. Though he might have known some before, Msonus in the present was rather unaccustomed to the rites of any culture.

Crailek walks over and sits down silently, next to Foun. He sits back and watches the proceedings intently.

2. The Funeral Service / Speeches From Friends

[As most of the guests were seated, a tall, regal Systemarch dressed in fine red silks walked stoically over to the body of Balverstus.]

"Yest yarkanum yastevus Balverstus yeath," said the Spider of Words, in the sacred, secret, mostly-forgotten ceremonial tongue of the Systemarchs. He placed a deep red blanket over the body, and walked back to the alter. A steady silence had suddenly descended upon the entire garden.

BHODHAVIUS: "I am Bodhavius, Spider of Words, speaking for Balverstus, Spider of Hammers, for Roid, further Spider of Hammers and Lord Councilmen," said the Systemarch priest, his voice heavy with solemnity. "A Systemarch was struck by the Hammer of Fate, riddled by the sands, and his mortal body has passed on. The Dhaal still dwell, however, still seek. The greatest tragedy has not befallen."

[At this, most of the Councilmen and all of the Systemarchs cheered. Loud and without abandon. It was so sudden, so out of tune with the rest of the proceedings that most of the other guests flinched. ]

BODHAVIUS: "Herosomath! Balverstus was a great friend to many and a soldier of the finest principles. He served, for a long while, in the founding days of the Conclave as a High Lord - a revivalist, in fact, of the enigmatic and half-mythical Drachenorden. He achieved four attainments, the most important being the famous Hammer of Anvildramadum, since - regrettably - destroyed. The others have been locked within his Anvil, and, according to his own wishes and the wishes of the Dhaal, bear no mentioning here. Some secrets should be lost, some technologies locked.

BODHAVIUS: "Hashnathar! Balverstus helped much in the forming of the original Conclave, earning the Free Psychism Rights currently held by all Systemarchs - with the assistance of Councilman Roid - and is thus a true hero amongst our people. We might not have all our teeth, but we do have our freedom, and our lives, and that was a gift from the Spider of Hammers himself. For this he will be remembered; for his compassion and empathy he will be loved.

BODHAVIUS: "Hasnethothakaur! The lowest moment of Balverstus's career was his ultimate dismissal from the Conclave by a nameless Councilman. He was exiled from our fair organization on accusations of treason and Madness. Might I invite Councilman Wyrn to the alter, now, so that he might do what is right in this situation?"

WYRN: Certainly.

["Forgive me, Ruse. It is my turn to give the speech.."

Wyrn rose to give his speech.]

WYRN: "Yggdrasil Eternal! It has been no closely kept secret that Balverstus has been innocent all this time, and that certain, uh, tensions within the Council involved his unfortunate dismissal. I will not name any parties involved, except that mention that it takes a sort of ethically wild individual to even contemplate that sort of terrible crime, to Lict - I mean, leech Balverstus of his status and.."

[Wyrn is noticeably angry.]

WYRN: "Forgive me. I am here as Emissary of the Golden Hand, tonight, and the Emperor has a message for the entire universe to hear. It is as thus: Balverstus is truly innocent. There is nothing more to it than that. His name should be entirely cleared, and he is being reinstated as an Honorary Deceased Councilman, as per the Emperor's decree - the highest award the Conclave has."

??????: "What in Odin's filthy name is this?"

[There is a man suddenly standing, yelling at the alter. It is the man with a naked torso, shifting tattoos, wild eyes and vicious teeth. By his grey and silver sash, and the markings on it, he is a Councilman.]

WYRN: "Lickity Split, please. Private funeral. Show some respect."

LICTROS: "I will not - will not stand for this. You pathetic, treasonous worm. You - you -"

[Lictros spits at the alter. He is given a wide berth as he stalks, angrily, out of the Funeral. No guards move to stop him. None of the Councilmen react in any discernible way.. they don't even looked shocked. There are gasps, however, and whispers..]

BODHAVIUS: "Please, people, quiet, quiet.. Councilman Wyrn is speaking."

WYRN: "I'm done. Balverstus is no traitor. Thank you."

[Wyrn resumes his seat next to Ruse, fuming.]

BODHAVIUS: "Yes. Yes.. Wyrn, thank you. If we could now have Councilman Roid to speak as the Logorgos.."

[Councilman Roid walks through the center of the circle, stopping and turning at the alter. He is obviously mourning.]

ROID: "Apologies for the misbehavior of my spoilt associate, here. Not really a funeral man, hah."

[There was no laughter.]

ROID: "I'm here to, uh, speak as the Logorgos, the secret knowledge-keeper of Roid. He taught me a word, once.. it was: Hectosulpharn! As the trusted Logorgos, I died with my brother as Anvildramadum was struck by jackal Osiris-Ra. He was killed in the most horrific possible way, save the torture and death of one's Dhaal.. his prime Attainment was shattered, and with it, his heart. There is no wonder, no mystery, to the reason why his sacred Dhaal do not wish to return.. they have been broken.

"But.. but I have the psych-schematics for the Anvildramadum, if not the original parts. They were not given to me. Still - I will rebuild the thing, even if it takes half a decade, a hundred years! I will rebuild it. Balverstus will live again. That is my oath, the oath that I swear on the Anvil, the Dhaal, the Attaining.. I swear it on the Thrice-Hammer that I will have Anvildramadum, and thus the soul of Balverstus, in my hands. Such a beautiful thing.."

[Roid shook his head to the cheering of the crowd. The oath was, it seemed, incredibly serious - yet joyous - business.]

ROID: "That is all, I think. Um. All of you, join us for drinks and a meal after the burial, will-reading.. after Ramdradunh."

[Roid sat back down.]

BODHAVIUS: "I'd now like to call the last speaker, the thorgosos Associate Maxilita, Goddess of Fantasy and Adventure. If you'd say a few words.."


The Reunion - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Max

With the transfer complete (you tasteless bastards!), the four sat, watching the ceremony.

Ruse

Wyrn took his hand in the manner required of him, a grin on his face, as the two sat down - at the front. Ruse saw the other Councilmen about him, and he couldn't help but be impressed.. the ancient sorcerer with eyes of steel.. the intense, if a little eccentric, researcher.. the half-naked God with vicious fangs and fists that could kill all manner of beasts..

"Forgive me, Ruse," he said, at a certain stage in the proceedings. "It is my turn to give the speech.."

Msonus

Msonus is ushered, a little forcefully, to his seat.

Anik got up as max did out of manners, since they had seated together. He gave her a smile, a polite yet empty one, as if his mind was far from here considering much more important things. He sat back down when she went to go up to speak.

Hooded, she rose and quietly walked up to the altar, one hand on the hilt of her sword. She turned and looked out over those assembled, making eye contact with Wyrn, then settling on Roid.

She spoke, in voice that though quiet in tone could be heard by all assembled, pulling back her hood to let her long hair fall. "Listen! There two sorts of Heroes, those who shield and those who slay. Balverstus was the former, and I am the latter. He saved my life, and he died protecting the lives of my people, and my honour, from Osiris-Ra. I am a slayer, and since his death have become an avenger. Before attending this funeral, I thought I only need destroy Osiris-Ra utterly. The Dhaal did not grant me a gift, you see; they have bequeathed upon me a burden. It is now my sacred duty, As Avenger, to slay Councilman Lictros, God of Wildlife.. He is the thorgha.. Lictros is the Betrayer."

Maxilita paused there, then continued.

"I swear an oath today; I swear that both the Dread Lord Osiris-Ra and Councilman Lictros will be SLAY'N by my hand.. Councilman Wyrn, Councilman Roid- you have both spoken here today. Though I hold little rank in the Conclave, I entreat you; aid me in this matter. For the Conclave, and for Balverstus' honor."

Ruse let Wyrn take him on as a date, and together they went over to their seats. Ruse was a bit awed by the councilors there - he was quickly in a meteoric fashion becoming a power player himself it seemed. It was only natural the Councilors would start to take an interest in him, for good or ill.

When Wyrn had to go speak, Ruse let him go without a fuss. He knew that sometimes a man had to do what a man had to do. When he "indirectly" called Lictros out, Ruse grinned widely but silently. He wasn't a huge fan of Lictros either, although he was more irritated with the councilor than anything. It seemed others flat out hated the man.

When Wyrn came back, Ruse squeezed his hand lightly, a look of discernment on his face as he did so. A "are you okay?" look of concern.

Then he saw Maxilita go up to the podium, and his chest tightened up. He knew Max had a big mouth and didn't understand the concept of discretion. He had saved his/her ass multiple times now.

Then Max made his oath against Lictros, and Ruse's heart skipped a beat while he facepalmed himself.

He leaned over to Wyrn, and said, "By Yggdrasil, please don't have Maxilita killed. I'm sure there's some reason behind this...intense proclamation."

Msonus had rather enjoyed this part of the funeral. There were many words spoken, which the God always liked to hear, but more than that there was cheering. The shouts seemed to bring some sort of pleasure. But by far the most exciting part was listening to the strange girl speak, the one that had so suddenly accosted him earlier. She had given a riddle then, but her words now were far more fun to ponder over.

Msonus smiles broadly as he sits in his seat.

Crailek watches everything in mild amusement, especially Max's little speech. He looks around to watch everybody's reactions, still with amusement. He obviously did not feel that the death threat was such a big deal. He watches Wyrn especially, as he seemed to be the one at a position to respond, either in agreement or not.
He did not smile, and it would not be seen if he was, but it was still pretty obvious that he was not very affected by any of it. There was still a little thing in the back of his mind, wondering why he was invited, as it seemed they had known each other at some point.

Anik shot a look of horror then utter sadness, the woman was Mad! Saying something out in the open! He was still a councleman! This disregard for Order would not go unpunished by the conclave... She would be killed instantly at the very worst! He couldn't do anything now, but perhaps there was still something salvageable.

He felt bad for her... he really did.

He at this moment sitting next to crailek took on a strange persona. His eyes were wild and keen, but his body showed no sign of the energetic observation he had taken upon himself. As he watched at this moment the entire room taking in every trifle every tiny pathetic detail. He would not allow one thing to escape his attention so focused on this observation of the events that followed was he that any word spoken directly to him would go unheeded if not completely unheard. He focused not on the speakers, but what the reactions to what the speakers said.

2a. The Speech

[There were shocks of alarm and much hushed muttering once Max announced the thorgha, but no official action was taken against Max.]

BODHAVIUS: "Uh, well, thank you, um.."

[Wyrn stood up from the audience, striding over to Max.]

WYRN: "Max, under penalties of treason, acting against a Councilman, intent of murder in the highest degree, anarchistic activities, Madness, and so forth, I hereby place you under arrest. I invoke Table CC of the Eyes of Odin, claiming you under my sole guardianship until a date of execution can be decided upon. In addition, you are fined six hundred thousand Conclave Stones in accordance with Table X of the Tongue of Odin, allowing you to retain your Associateship with the Conclave. You are to come with me, Max, to the Hall of the Sun where we shall assuredly throw you in prison and have you killed."

[The muttering got louder. Wyrn took out his blade, and pointed it towards Max.]

WYRN: "Come with me."

[With that, Wyrn guided Max to the Hall of the Sun, leaving the Funeral.]


BODHAVIUS: "Um. We'll, uh, we'll.. we'll have ten minutes or so before the Reading of the Will and the Burial."

The Reunion - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Max

The four could only watch as Max was taken away by Councilman Wyrn. Any action and they'd be destroyed.


Ruse

Wyrn nodded at Ruse's objections to the death of Max, and smiled reassuringly.

All part of the plan, you filthy psychic.

Despite being called, mentally, filthy and psychic, Ruse felt calmed at the smile - Wyrn was a deeply charming man, and the suave with which he said those lines and grinned that smile was to be applauded. Ruse knew there would be a plan.

Suddenly, Wyrn got up - to arrest Max.

Msonus

Msonus finds the events thoroughly entertaining.

Anik began thinking furiously. Damn Wyrn. He had screwed up his entire mission by taking him... but perhaps all wasn't lost. He sat and waited for the events to pass.

Max blinked, counting the charges on her fingers. "All that and my Oathblade didn't trigger? Hmph. Kaie, come back! We're leaving!" She called out.

Max hopped down from her soapbox-height podium and walked over to Wyrn. "As you say, Lord Councilman."

She walked with Wyrn to the Hall of the Sun.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:42, Mon 25 Jan 2010.

Ruse gave Wyrn a full-on puppy eyes look. He grinned at him though afterwards, finding it funny to be called filthy when Wyrn was the one who invited Ruse on a date in the first place. Perhaps Wyrn enjoyed associating with powerful men just as Ruse did (with men and women). Perhaps he enjoyed the thrill of knowing ruse was no push-over, or perhaps he enjoyed the novelty of Ruse, the enigma, or perhaps had mixed feelings. Ruse, honestly, enjoyed the man's veiled smile all the same.

Ruse stood up, curtseyed politely (not belying any of his thoughts as he did so), and said,

"By your leave, Councilor. It has been a pleasure."

Ruse then looked away from Wyrn and to Maxilita and put a finger up to his mouth, motioning for Maxilita to shut her mouth and obediently follow Wyrn. To do anything else would would be stupid, even for Max.

Ruse decided to leave the funeral very breifly, heading over to the halls of the sun. He wasn't doing this because of Max, and he actually headed over there with all due haste separate from Wyrn and Max. He'd be back though.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:45, Mon 25 Jan 2010.

Msonus contemplates the possibility of continuing his amusement, and an eye appears in his hand. But judging the amusement not worth the effort, he squeezes his hand shut, and the eye pops into nothingness. The hand is, of course, still perfectly clean.

"Truly, the articles and clauses of laws have more magic in them than any spell I have ever seen," he says quietly.

He chuckles to himself, perhaps appearing even less sane than before. He closes two of his eyes, to rest until the next stage.

Crailek continues to watch silently, not really compelled to act in defense of Max. She had it coming, really, and the punishment seemed fair enough, somewhat. He continues to watch everyone to see how they felt about it.

The Funeral - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Msonus

Chatter resumed about the three as the break was held. Several people stood up to talk excitedly to friends or associates. There were waiters handing out glasses of fine Systemarch wine.

Anik moved over towards Crailek and Foun. "I'm not too busy in my realm if you wish to visit. I believe there is much we have to talk about." He would sit with them now when the funeral would proceed.

Crailek frowns slightly and looks at Anik. "I do believe something just happened in Foun's realm that requires more attention. I probably should not leave at this time."

The Funeral - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Msonus

A well-dressed waiter approached Anik, Crailek and Foun. "Wine, sirs?"

Anik nodded and took a glass "thank you sir". Before he would drink he stuck a finger in the wine and used his Legend power to see what the thing was made out of and also checked for any poisons. "Alright, as soon as I fix the poisoned water wells in my realm I'll head over. Damn mortals can't figure out how to live after thousands of years of practice." He said quite ironically given the scene here...

The Funeral - Anik & Crailek & Foun & Msonus

The waiter pottered off, perhaps to serve another.

Anik waited... this was a long 10 minutes.

Suddenly smiled, something enigmatic and definitly eccentric seemed to have taken him completely. Sitting back he pulls out a pipe and seems to began smoking a sharp cackle had appeared in his now dangerously observing eyes. You need not worry about me crailek although your company would prove to be more then valuble I am perfectly alright where I am and finding it more then interesting. I'm certain I could find a way out if I tried hard enough although perhaps I couldn't. I believe that somehow through mixing with one of my people I have found an entirely new layer of reality that I'm not certain existed before... or perhaps it did and was never discovered. Also there is much we need to speak of anik, I have plans you see, but first we have the small problem of our associate which seems to have caught herself in a small problem. Of course I won't speak any further on the matter here, but something must be done I assure you. He smiles of course it was amusing that no one noticed as maxilita said the unactivated oathblade, the fact that wyrn was smiling and the fact that another council man was agitated which means more then likely that in one way or another the conclave hadn't planned for maxilita's arrest or in some way didn't expect for this to happen.

3. The Reading of the Will

BODHAVIUS: "You all understand what the Dhaal have left you, if they've left you anything at all. I will now read out the will. You may come and collect the items requested from myself once your name is called. Orderly line, please."

[Bodhavius reads the will. ]

BODHAVIUS: "Anik, God of Craft, to receive the remains of the great hammer Anvildramadum - what little remains.. Msonus, God of Mysticism, to receive the unforgable metal.. Crailek, God of Shadows, to receive the Ring of Marriage.. Foun, God of Magiscience, to receive the Ring of Magiscience.."

[Each God lines up and receives their gift.]

BODHAVIUS: "I now declare the service over. The Dhaal have been spat upon - food is not suitable. Forgive us. Be merry, and leave. I am here for protestations and questions."

Anik

Anik receives a large black sack. Within it, hundreds of tiny pieces of scrap metal, springs, electronics, crystals, shattered glass.. the remains of Anvildramadum. Even with it destroyed, however, Anik can still sense its power..


Crailek & Foun


Crailek and Foun are given their inheritances together. Two simple, Living Metal bands, shifting and squeaking.. rings of union. Wedding rings. It is obvious what these are.. but why?

Msonus

Msonus is given the bizarre piece of metal - which feels alien and slippery but physically looks like steel - and his mind is swarmed in vision.

A delightful young God with wild eyes and a penchant for talking to rocks. Recognizable.. who? He wore green and brown, spoke fairly, if erratically, and was always kind to ... who?

The name comes suddenly: Ayar.

Poor, poor Ayar, slain by Crailek..

What? A shift.

Ayar has snuck into the sacred place of the Odinic Government. He's been watching it. A sword: shimmers, protected by wards - easily disarmed by Ayar - and immensely heavy. The Sword of End World. A queer alien presence seems to be held within it. Ayar is not evil, but he cannot help himself.. he picks up the sword and swings.

No dice.

Ayar is killed for the second time. He is not enough to destroy an entire universe.

The sword shatters..

Anik wraps the item carefully he will examine it later. He places it inside his pack and leaves, making sure to pick up his weapons on the way out. He legends all of them to make sure they weren't tampered with. Anik may seem paranoid... but he's lived through a lot of people trying to spy him for some reason or another.

Msonus stares at the piece of metal for a few seconds, blinking rapidly. Finally he begins to move again, and stores the shard carefully, though he still seems stunned as he leaves.

Crailek looks quietly at the ring, then leaves just as quietly. He wondered at why Balverstus would have it, and not in fact himself.

So this was the true ring not that flimsy piece of metal he carried about, but that was just the engagement ring the one he remembered. The engagement he remembered, but never the wedding.... He would study the ring and learn it's meaning he had business to do though and he would also leave.

The funeral was over, and the guests dispersed.

(This thread will now be reborn as "The Exotic Gardens of the Valley")

Hirsu enters the gardens, and sits down on a bench. He opens up An Eye to the Heavens and begins to read.

Hirsu saw that the book was composed of three parts, entitled, in order with which they appear, A GLANCE AT HELL, THE SIGHT OF EARTH, and AN EYE TO THE HEAVENS. He begins to read.

[Part One - A GLANCE AT HELL]

A GLANCE AT HELL was written plainly, but seemed to have been encrypted somehow, with metaphores obscuring and enhancing meaning at every turn. There was a story, telling of two villages that sold and traded rather innocently with each other, and which burnt witches and stoned criminals, and freely grew hash and opiates, and believed in food and shelter for every man and woman.. but there was more to it than that. The story itself was interesting, but seemingly pointless.

Would Hirsu like to keep reading?

Hirsu pondered the tale, but quickly decided to keep reading. The meaning might become clear the more he read.

[Book Two]

THE SIGHT OF EARTH was completely blank. Another aspect of Msonus's work, however infuriating..

Hirsu rolled his eyes, and flipped forward until he reached a part of the book with text he could read.

The third section was written, it seemed, in code that Msonus could not understand. It was Script, yes, the written tongue of the Divines, but it was written in such an extremely technical metalanguage - possibly the language of the Architects - that no matter how hard Hirsu tried to concentrate he couldn't make head or tail for it.

Hirsu closed the book, his head hurting after that last chapter. His questions to Msonus were going to be rather lengthy and in depth, it seemed. He breathed deeply, and took out a root from his bag. He took a few bites of the nutrient rich plant, though he didn't particularly care for the sour taste. He would have to cook some of his gatherings at some point.

He idly looked around for a garbage to dispose of the root. Afterwards, he decided to take a break from that volume, and took out the new volume he'd purchased. With a deep breath, he opened What We Learn Without Magic to the first page, and began to read.

[Chapter One]

This book was much easier to read. Msonus, it seemed, had spent quite a lot of time in a place he termed '19th Century Yearth," which was found in the Realm Mundane, with the aim of studying the mystical traditions practiced by the human population therein. The book itself was a collection of essays on these topics - the first chapter being an introduction - which goes into detailing regarding the cosmological detail of the Realm Mundane as understood by Mosnus, a cutting Yggdrasildic scholar, and how mysticism can be found even without magic.

Hirsu read on, intrigued with the latest relevation. Why should there be mysticism without magic? What would be the point? What would its practitioners get out of such a practice? He eagerly flipped to the next chapter.

[Chapter Two]

Msonus arrived in a place that he called Afreeka. It was a great, dry continent, he described, filled with warring tribes and noble shamans. The shamans had no immediate magic of their own, but it was one of the places on Yearth where the residue affects of the banished sorcery of the Realm Mundane (which Msonus promised to detail below) still lingered. Many of the world's spirits resided in that dark and brooding place, taking advantage of the shamans who worshiped and appeased them, borrowing their magic. The spirits were hungry things, only barely sustained by the traces of magic, and believed that by killing the shaman of another spirit it starved them further, removing a rival; thus was war a harrowing theme in Afreeka.

Msonus spent a small while learning the mystical, pseudo-magical arts of the shamans, to no success, though he could speak and command the spirits in his own fashion. He was not of the land, though, and while he could garner similar results the art was lost to him: a mysticism lost.

This was further complicated by the presence of a people, the British, who worshiped only one God and ruled over much of Afreeka, causing much dismay to the peoples and spirits there. It disrupted the cycle of things, Msonus lamented, though instead of acting against he simply lost interest and took the next outboard sailing vessel to the Islands of Britannia.

Hirsu blinked, and re-read the passage about the banished sorcery. Perhaps the Realm Mundane had not always been so. The idea that mysticism might be tied to a world was also a new one. He knew that there would be different mysticisms from realm to realm, and thus highly likely from world to world. But for the mysticism to be tied to the natural inhabitants of that world... He shook his head. He still had much to learn of magical theory.

He continued reading the next chapter.

[Chapter Three]

Britain - or Great Britannia, as Msonus often called it - was a series of islands near a place called Europe. It was devoid of most magic, though there were a few currents still existing in the place, mostly sunk deep into the earth and rising only in the case of certain lines of power. Regardless of this, Britain had many powerful traditions of mysticism, especially a more rigid 'ceremonial' practice which Msonus was deeply intrigued by. They used ritual and mysticism to understand the mind and soul - an art that requires no magic, only dedication, to accomplish - and to manipulate reality around them in profoundly non-magical ways. Many of the affects of sorcery were accomplished through this - Msonus intrigued by this aspect.

He saw that they also had the methods to contact those very few spirits who still remained, feeding on bad emotions or the lingering power of a gone age, and was initiated within several prominent groups: the Golden Dawn, Rose Crucius.. finally staying for many years until he'd reached the higher degrees of Masonism (which he said would further Msonism and was the basis for the Grand Architecture).. he left upon meeting a certain Mr. Crholy, initiating through his mystical system - known only as the A.:A.:, for Msonus claimed that he could not give the name to the profane - and then, his fill taken, left the Realm Mundane to return to the Realm Supernatural.

Intrigued, Hirsu continued reading.

[Chapter Four]

On the Road of Roads, Msonus found a well. This was not unusual, for the Road often shifts and turns as the paths between worlds twist and turn, but it was Msonus's great wisdom that anything experienced on the Road is a gift; a challenge to be overcome. And so Msonus, who was very thirsty, drank from the well. The water was green, much like Varnal, City of the Mists, but it did not have the curative properties of that strange place; it was heavy in his mouth, and he then dreamt of all manner of places - the City of Alkan, the Realm ex Abyssus, the Realm Silver, among many others..

He awoke to the crying of a thousand soldiers.

Hirsu made a mental note regarding the wells and their locations, before continuing on to the next chapter.

Hirsu felt his very presence waver, drop from this place, as he was whisked to the Underworld.

Anik came to this place for the quite and solitude. He went deep into the gardens to find somewhere he won't disturb others, and somewhere next to a water-hose of some sort. He had been without crafting for too long.

With limited materials he couldn't do much, but he could make a reactor here none the less. Taking his bag off he gathered his small supply of stone balls, iron rods, quartz, and the lead box of Thorium.

He got to work.

The quartz was bent and pulled away from itself, expanding to unnatural shapes of crystal which would redirect sunlight into his work. After which he began slowly transmuting the iron into necessary minerals using it's own radiation from the process to further it, as he could now bend and shape that as well as the material itself. He even used the lead box from the thorium in the mix, as a base actually. Twisting and turning them metal at a molecular level until it was pure and smooth. He used the water hose to bring fourth the needed water.

The first part of the design would be tricky, though intellectually simple (well actually it was incredibly complex but simple enough idea for Anik). He was creating a miniature nuclear reactor. With his ability to transfer properties (even shadows of his own powers). He separated the 3 kg of thorium into strands which would twist around each other inside a pure water barrier. So tight was the ball that he had to keep a hand on the water to keep it from springing out. 9 stands of would protrude outward from the material. He was careful in the way he wove the material so that the isotopes would continuously be changing from non-fissile thorium to the fissile Uranium which would release a chain reaction around it's thread. But unlike a normal reactor which uses the heated water to produce mechanical energy, the microscopic nuclear reactions would be directed instead. The wires were woven in such a way that it was a highly impressive fractal of magnetism which kept the nuclear power moving along wire of the thorium and then out of the 8 protruding wires of thorium.

Of course any radiation (there was no "extra" radiation, Anik very much intended that some radiation escape the threads of the wire-ball) that could not be sent through the wires would be absorbed by the water which flowed through the molecular-sized "gaps" in the ball. The water was a key component of controlling the ball, which is explained later.

Just a note but by this point any "names" for elements basically meant what is WAS at "rest state" before the reaction, truth be told once the reactor got going the ball of "thorium" would constantly be moving between the nuclear metals.

The wire-ball having directed the raw nuclear energy through it would then be connected to some quartz. This is where superior "raw" science, divinity, and super-naturalism would connect. Crystals are good because of their structure. With structure comes order, and with order comes the ability to manipulate that order. And if anything will manipulate the order of atoms, it's nuclear radiation being pumped out of a small reactor.

Anik would use layers and compartments once again to allow the reactor to be "modular" the first bit would need a bit of Anik's own skill in it. Taking his own divine energy from his blood (no need to include the blood now). He made 8 quartz crystals which he completely fused into the wires in such a way that they WERE part of the wire... with millions of atomic "strings" being twisted inside the small crystal connectors. The crystal would his his divine power of transmutation except not with material, but energy. 6 of the crystals would allow the output and input of raw-harmonic energy in which other "transmute" crystals could be activated when connected.

The last two crystals would instead be kept "inside" the reactor on it's magnetic poles. Instead of outputting or inputting energy they would be used to "contain" the energy of the reactor by keeping working the magnetic fields through the wire-ball reactor. But they were not powered by the reactor's "line-feed" instead they were only "input" the energy. These crystals would take heat and radiation from the water and transform it into the needed magnetic energy. Inside the crystals Anik imprinted an atomic order into them, so that the crystals would act like a "scale" of input, output, and control by comparing the poles, their own heat and radiations inputs, and the potential energy of their own wires.

Now if you recall there were 9 strands that nuclear energy could be transmitted (well 6 that transmitted and 2 that could have potential nuclear energy). The last one was a external "control line" which was connected to the heart of the reactor, where in fact all 9 wires were one. While the Internal Control lines would act like super-transistors to the rector to keep it stable, the Outer Control would be something like a users control. Right now Anik could be the only user since only he could control the reactor by touch. The outer control would allow him to edit all crystals, the reactor, and water as needed. This would allow him to upgrade the internal materials as well as eventually put a control crystal which anyone could use.

Right now without a shell... the thing only weighed 9 kg. 3 kg of thorium, 4 kg of water, and 2 kg of quartz.

After everything was complete he took the iron rods and lead box to form the outer shell which would keep the high-pressure reactor from bursting out, or the radioactive water inside from coming out. With the shell now it weighed a nice 25 kg.

In the end it looked like a bowling ball sized orb of black iron (the lead being mostly on the inside of the shell) with 1 wire sticking out on top, and 6 control crystals an equal around the middle.

While as a "reactor" it was really really good because it was compact, but that wasn't the point. Anik could have easily made a much less complex and smaller reactor. But the key was... it allowed for input as well as output, meaning it was a RECHARGEABLE reactor. Basically a prototype of a nuclear battery that allowed output in any form of energy (as soon as a energy-transformation crystals were made to change the harmonic energy into the needed type).

Anik was pretty much spent by the end of making this... and he hadn't even charged the damn thing.

When it was complete, Anik was exhausted, but satisfied.

(Forgive the lack of GMing, but I find after you go through every process - which is really good roleplaying and you boggle the mind with all your science know-how - there isn't much to say.)

While the object was made, no one can expect any prototype to work at 100% off the go. He would need to test different inputs and out-puts, and then alter the reactor or outputs as needed.

Now came the much less intense part, he took his time now since he didn't have to hold the thing in place. He got the last of his Quartz and together, now only 2 stone balls and scraps of iron remain of his "portable" raw materials. He used the rest of the quartz to create 6 connectors that would slide into the different slots. He would need to check the inputs and outputs of each, as well as the efficiency of conversion of the crystals. He would first test the mundane basics: electricity, electromagnetic spectrum, heat(kinetic), harmonic crystal vibrations, different forms of radiation. After the mundane transmutations he would move on to magical energy (which he had come to learn that in this reality was a "real" and "normal" and exactly the same as the mundane energy like radiation).

He Went over the circle of force first since they would match well to the scheme of energy. Next he went over the elemental magics which was a lot like the force energy, just a bit more "solid". He took note that as the crystal converted the different magic the magic itself seemed to take effect on it... changing the colors of the crystals to reflect the circle and sub-circle types. Before he went on to Subtlety he would try and "fix" the problem.

He had to go to the underlying cause of the inefficiency and that was he was covering "flavors" of the same stuff, like the elements of materials the magical energies were all just patters of energy woven in a way that "makes something. Further study with an output of magic revealed that it was a lot harder than the input. In effect he was trying to make something that "spit out" magical energy the way it did mundane energy, but unfortunately raw magical energy was not easy to work with as it was constantly changing, like a super-heavy atom doesn't like to exist for very long as itself instead it will break into the more stable elements, but only after passing through dozens of not so stable ones.

This would need more study (and he might have to go to Alkan to figure it out) but right now he would have to settle for "residual magic" on the secondary conversion crystals (the primary ones never touched the magic and thus were safe.

He didn't even want to go into the divine and other supernatural energies yet, not without more study.

He dispelled sucked any magic out of the crystals before returning them the basic mundane ones of electricity, harmonious tuning, and the electromagnetic spectrum.

This whole time he had been touching the protruding outer control wire on top to alter the innards as needed for the greatest efficiency. Now was time to charge the thing.

He grabbed the last remaining stone balls... E=mc^2 it was a simple and powerful equation, and without the harmonious crystal he wouldn't have to worry about the efficiency of energy transference since he would do it himself (of course Anik uses about 99.999% of the energy to control the reaction so he doesn't douse the area with radiation but is still able to go fast enough). Like in his transmutations the balls would disintegrate from the inside outwards until there was nothing but a small bubble of stone which would collapse in on itself, but instead of focusing the extremely raw subatomic energy into an iron rod he would directly funnel it into the reactor, raising the potential nuclear energy which would be constantly swirling inside the ball.

((I did the math... even not using 99.999 of 4kg of matter(stone ball), that means my battery has enough to power 1140 normal 100 watt lightbulbs for 1 year... or 1 lightbulb for 1140 years.

Or because I'm not powering lightbulbs... a Ford F150 Truck for 124 days straight... all from 4 kg of stone.))

"Impressive, impressive," said the woman behind Anik. She was beautiful in a hideously ugly way, filled with scars and smiles, her brunette hair reaching down to the tattoos upon her shoulders. She wore the grey cloak of the Inner Circle of Odin, with certain silver gilding which proclaimed her as a Councilman of the Conclave. She wore three blades at her belt, and two pistols, and every move she made was relaxed professionally - signs of a born killer.

"I'd heard stories about the legendary Anik. Roid has suspected that you and he are one and the same, and I am beginning to believe him. How're you doing, friend?" she asked, giving out her hand, no introduction necessary.

"I never declined the title, but I decided it wise not to go around telling everyone. I'm already getting people coming out of the woodwork to collect on thousand year old contracts."

He picked up the device. "It's heavy now what with the lead and iron, but of course I made it with very limited materials. I am incredibly busy in my own realm. I would guess a replica of this as a final product to weigh about 10 kg. But then that's the genius of the battery. I've made it as modular as possible. It's actually two inventions in one.

First the Energy Transformation Crystals which make this possible. By using two crystals of these size you can exchange up to 300 kilowatts of two different energy sources. Right now I have a a 10% compromise for the energy to do so. I suspect their useable lifetime will be several thousand years if un-smashed. Right now the only problem is only I can make them, and only at about 20 a day ((RL or however GP energy is made)) spending all my power doing so. My next project of course would be to make the tools so factory that does that for me.

The Nuclear Battery: It's a Thorium Reactor which doesn't use any concussive devices, which means when it's uncharged it won't blow up at all. When fully charged it won't blow up like a nuclear bomb... just a regular one. But it will still leak radiation if cracked open which is why the case is important. Instead of producing massive amounts of heat like normal nuclear reactors, I am keeping the energy in a raw Nuclear radiation. The power production is 250 kilowatts in one second, that's the safely limit, and it could run that straight for about 80 days without recharge or degrading the reactor. By using the Thorium up it will never recharges as much, but over-straining the generator would get another 30 to 40 days before it's unusable.

The entire thing cost me about 50 Conclave stones of raw materials. And that's with the market mark-up on Thorium being a nuclear material. ((I suspect that the "ratio of minerals" is near the same as earths which makes it more common than lead)). Since I have no idea how much things cost for the conclave to get in bulk I'll list the proposed materials for one finished one.

3 kg of Thorium
3 kg of Distilled Water
1 kg of Mithril
1 kg of Adamantine
2 kg of Quartz

That is the Raw Material Cost of the reactor of this size.

I could make smaller ones, larger ones (up to about 5 times this size for efficiency sake, then your moving on to a different design). I could make ones which output more power/second at the expense of storage, or ones that contain more energy and output slowly.

I would suspect that the cost per unit after all the automation is done would still be less than 300 CS per Battery. Oh and if you want something building sized I have a couple ideas stirring around for that as well.

What do you think?"

He appears here and he is looking for someone specific. If he can find him he seeks out anik and he does hurriedly if he can.

Hirsu reappeared here, books in hand. He breathed deeply of the air here, and opened his eyes to all of the life resplendent in this place. Then, the screaming in his mind told him of the message that had been left for him. He scowled as the knowledge of what had been occuring filtered into his mind. With an impatient movement, he snapped the book shut.

He stood, and dusted himself off. He walked out of the garden, and started on his way to the third barracks, wondering how best he might serve.

Anik & Foun

"I am certainly impressed," said the Councilman, smiling to herself. "You may very well have just solved my energy problem. If you can make these things in bulk, as you claim, then the Valley itself might be renovated. We've been trying to get the Territories to build us certain technologies, but the paperwork involved.." She stretched, yawning. "I will need about.. maybe five hundred of these? Could you build me around five hundred, if I personally supply you with as many minerals as you need and pay you, say, thirty Conclave Stones a generator? This would be in addition to you being paid for signing a contract which would claim that you would only make these generators for the Conclave.."

She smiled.

"All up, Anik, you're looking to make quite the fortune. I could use a man like you, let me say. The Operations have been moving so slowly of late."

Before Anik can answer, Vajk suddenly turns, and there he sees a familiar face: the white-haired Foun.

"Ah Foun, just one moment." he said before he wrapped things up. "30 CS for these exact materials yes... but it would be around 50 each if I used higher quality mundane materials, I mean lead and iron is so... heavy. I could make some Silicon Carbide with shell of Aluminum to make it around 15 to 18 kgs thats a whole 8 to 10 kg off the weight. And that doesn't include the current and extreme effort it takes just to make one by hand!" He was being honest about the price, and wasn't going to let his own labor (and very important time) going to be ripped off. But just incase, he decided to level before any rebuttle. Besides doing counclemen favors was always a good idea. "But tell you what, because of the obvious importance and need of the battery I will get working on the order at the presumed cost of 50 CS per battery, but I need atleast 15 to 20 days before I am able to get this into mass production, and making any more than 10 of these is worth investing into mass production on my part. We can negotiate the Contract of Exclusivity and Labor at a later point. Oh here," he said giving her the prototype. "This is to to cover the initial reasearch contract in my Low Lord Tasks."

Once that was settled and he went over to foun. "Greeting Old Friend. The look on your face makes it seem important."

He smiled, I have remembered myself and wish to give you something of immense value. I wish for nothing in return except the promise that you will share what you learn from what I give you to any that ask and that you will only guard it jealously against those who would use it to bring harm to my home. He gestured toward the immense amount of alchemical resources behind him.

((This convo of course waited until he was done with the Councilwoman, k.))

"You sound like your leaving..." He shrugs. "Thanks for the info though, and I will don't worry, I do share the important stuff and usually not with those who are destroy your realm or really anyone's without sufficient enough reason." he says as he takes a look at all book, not exactly sure of what he had gotten yet.

He pulls out one book in particular. Within this is plans, plans I won't be able to finish. I trust you with them, do what you will with them. I am leaving I'm afraid...  I don't have any choice... This is farewell anik. He leans forward and quickly gives anik a kiss on the cheek. Remember me old friend, now I have farewells to give crailek oh and would you give this to maxilita... he or she must also choose what to do with what I have given them. He turns and leaves now the alchemical books are left behind, a kiss on anik's cheek and of course two notebooks carrying the plans of how to create a new heart for yggdrasil.

Anik was a bit stunned by the kiss, but didn't move away. He accepted the farewell, the kiss, and the books, to be locked away in the memory of Foun forever.

He went straight to work absorbing the information from the alchemical books first... the plans would come later. He put them in his previously emptied backpack after absorbing all the knowledge from them.

"So that was the legendary Foun," said Vajk, softly, behind Anik. There was a large pile of texts at his feet. "It is often wondrous how the old ties of friendship and family can interconnect and return, aeons later. Now tell me, Anik, how do you feel about my offer?"

She smiled pleasantly.

There were too many books for Anik to go through entirely - about two hundred stacked about him - but he knew that they were core texts of alchemy, many of which he remembered, many which he did not. He was very quickly well-versed again in the art.

One book, however, intrigued him: a slim red book called The Alchemist and His Work. It purported to be the initiatory key to an esoteric order of alchemists active in the present day. Anik understands that if he were to fully assimilate the small library that the cryptic phrases would become clearer.

---

The Alchemist and His Work

CHAPTER ONE

A brief introduction to the text and vague claims made by the Athanor, the organization in question.

CHAPTER TWO

The Conjuration of Flames
The Building of an Athanor
The First Step in Refining the Soul
The Sol Nigros

1. The Alchemist is to construct his Athanor out of the steel that have not seen the flames of the sun;
2. He is to be given the heart of a sacred virgin in this endeavour;
3. He is to light the fire with the words of the wise, the symbol of his attunement to the path of self knowledge;
4. The fire that is raised is to be as hot as the fires of the soul, and the Alchemist is the dragon, with scales in hand;
5. When a perfect balance between the heart and gold is found, both are to be cast into the Fires of the Athanor;
6. Divination is the first mystical art, and is to be consulted in this act;
7. Om.

CHAPTER THREE

The Distillation of Waters
The Conjuration of Lis
The Second Step in Refining the Soul
The Sol Albedos

1. The Alchemist is to find his Egg the most Mundane;
2. For this attempt he must take the fangs of the clucking snake; On earth this would be the duck billed platypus or a toad.
3. If a simple fowl is allowed to roost upon such fangs, and the woman is her highest, then a birth might take place;
4. The birth that takes place is an egg, neither mundane nhor especial, and should then be dedicated to Lis in the highest limericks;
5. The egg becomes an Egg with the intention of the Alchemist, and must be held within the womb of the sacred six-legged spider;
6. Invocation is the second mystical art, and is to be consulted in this act;
7. Abrahadabra.

CHAPTER FOUR

The Burning of the Spirit
The Attainment of the Alchemist
The Third Step in Refining the Soul
The Sol Solar Citrinitas

1. The Alchemist has not yet burned the impurities from his body;
2. He is a simple man playing at a greater game, but to win he must take his own sympathy;
3. He must conjure wildly and blindly, menaced by rage and the fallacies of man, cursing himself for forever more;
4. For thirteen days he must work to destroy himself using the pettiest methods that are needed to be eliminated;
5. Coming finally to the Athanor, where he will Evoke the Alchemist eternal, and if he does fail he will burn and die and never try again, though if he is to succeed it will be like the lightest shower and the flames will purify him with the blessing of the primordial;
6. Evocation is the third mystical art, and the eternal Alchemist is to be consulted in this act;
7. All shall burn, and returned, the infallible.

CHAPTER FIVE

The Attainment of Brother
The Destruction of Inferiority
The Fourth Step in Refining the Soul
The Sol Rubedo

1. The Alchemist, thus purified, is to devote himself to the Greatest Work;
2. He must take the proof of his experiences by writing the secrets to the formula down in an Alpha Magnus;
3. He must then, this done, reach the City of Purple, where he shall endeavour to find the athanor of mens souls, reaching the place where alchemists work;
4. He will be given a final test, charged in taking a substance that will assuredly kill him;
5. But no; he will metabolize before death can occur, and be reborn, sprung from death, a brother of the athanor of mens souls, an alumni of the sacred initiation, to partake in the second trials;
6. Illumination is the fourth magical act, and is to be consulted in this test;
7. Immortality of the Dao.

CHAPTER SIX

Vague conclusion, invitation to any who successfully complete this course of work.

"Oh right. Well, like I said... for 50 CS I could make them 30 to 40 percent lighter than this one. And really... you only offered me the material cost, nothing in the way of labor or intellectual royalties. But as a favor to the conclave out of their need for them I will do 500 for 50 CS each (unless you want substandard batteries for 30), but it will take me 15 days to 20 until I am able to even begin automation of their creation, and making 500 by hand would just be a ridiculous time waster, not to mention take years to do. But right now I am extremely busy (just check my conclave message)." With that he got an idea. "Actually if we could discuss the contract there, it would free up both our selves here to do our current duties. I'm sure there is a way to set up a private channel."

"Of course. The intellectual properties would be owned by the Conclave, under the loyalty contract we'd have you sign - and they'd be bought for quite a massive sum. I'm thinking twenty-thousand, maybe twenty-five.."

She stopped.

"Of course, yes, I have done what I came to do and we should be able to communicate further through the channel," said Vajk. "I do have a rather important meeting.. good day, Low Lord."

He bowed. Once done... he got back work. This one would take longer, and be much more complex than before.

He didn't need much material for this one. He just needed time, effort, and a shitload of thought power.

He used the area around him for materials, a handful of dirt, dead leaves, the water, and a single brick from the path. He thanked the primordials he was born with the ingenuity and ability to work wonders with only that.

Getting down to business he began separating all the atomic elements from their natural setting. He specifically needed the carbon from the dead leaves. The soil provided more carbon with trace amounts of metals other elements like surfer, nitrogen, oxygen, sodium, potassium, and silicon. The garden hose water provided a lot of hydrogen, oxygen later, but it also contained trace amounts of Nitrogen, Sodium, Fluorine, Calcium, and Chlorine, all which began to form a fine sand in his hand as the water ran through it. Combining the solid materials together to form a nice ball of elements mostly in small grains and crystals like sand, but held in a ball with his power.

He then began to work his magic... well so to speak, it was actually divine power, but it was still pretty magical in the sense of it's pretty awesome, not the literal magic sense. IN any case, we now take a trip into the super small.

He sat down in a meditative position and closes his eyes. In his hand was the small sand-like ball from before. Breathing steadily, and ignoring all outside effects he concentrated and moved deep deep into the elemental molecular plethora that was in his hand.

Like some sort of god-hand (still again in the figurative sense) small grains of elements were whisked away to the top of the heap where they would suddenly become bonded in a single massive heap. Once the collection of nearly the exact amount of necessary elements and proportions of them were done. He send the put of the elemental "sand" on a pile on the ground next to him. All that was left was the 1 millimeter diameter crystal, which because of it's size might really be called a single grain of sand, except it was composed of all sort of elements, but mostly carbon, silicon, and various gasses bonded to them.

He moved down further focusing all his power into that one cubic millimeter of space. The crystal began to float .2 millimeters off his hand, not from any unnatural force pushing it, but because the air around it had suddenly become "part" of the construction processes and was frozen in place by Anik's power while he worked in the molecules. The small sand gain sized crystal suddenly began to pop outward like popcorn, but not because it was breaking, but instead building. More and more a shell of carbon arraigned in graphite.

((AND I would like to point out here that I love Firefox, as I was surfing through Wikipedia and various websites on chemistry, crystal structure, and nanotechnology. (this is why Anik is good... I actually research this shit) my browser crashed! Everything above would have been GONE if I hadn't been on Firefox. I heart Firefox. I hate IE. Chrome is cool, but it's spellchecker sucks!))

Once the shell of graphite was finished (now a 1.5 millimeter diameter), it fell to his hand, the air outside no longer part of the equation. Inside the shell in a small cushion of air, which came from the bonded carbon as it went from crystal to graphite shell. In the middle of the .5 millimeter thick carbon shell, and a .2 millimeter thick ring of gas, floated a grain only .1 a millimeters in diameter. But even that wasn't enough. The thing suddenly shattered, but the pieces didn't go far. Like some magnet had stopped them from moving more than a 10 micrometers away from each other. Suddenly the shattered crystal pieces began to collect to create thin sectioned off walls made of a hard plastic. These walls created 6 tiny dodecahedron(aka D12s) each with sides of only 100 micrometers. Inside each was enough broken crystal to create a small 1 micrometer side cube. Anik focuses intently on each one as one... all 6 created exact duplicate cubes, both in appearance and elemental proportions.

It was on those 1000nmx1000 cube surface that Anik's true work began. The surface of that the cubes began to pop-up small silicon-carbide patters which create 3 dimensional shapes often only 1 nm in length. These shapes come together at the center where small bits of iron and trace amounts of calcium fluoride, and even a miniature battery of Hydrochloric acid and Calcium carbonate (though with amazingly tiny amounts of energy available. In the end a minute nanobot less than 100 cubic nanometers was made.

((Actually I had to split my post cause of length issues... this is the "making of" the nanobots. The description will come later along with how they function and stuff. Actually it it mostlikly good that this is a 2 to 3 day project... I mean it's pretty meticulous work. fucking nanotech.))

Continuation of previous post.

The thing looked a lot like ladybug (spots and all) in the end, but on the underside were 8 legs (3 on the sides, 1 forward, and 1 back) were long thing sharp blades like legs which it could use to grab on to something (cutting only 10s nanometers in wouldn’t really affect anything, but the 1nm thick (at most) blades could penetrate almost anything.
In the center of the stomach was a small quartz crystal cut in diamond shape, only 10 nm in diameter. But that was just the surface. The quartz was actually on the bottom of an perfectly made diamond which was right side up. What connected the two were 3 3/4-rings and a sliver crystal to fill in the missing part (creating a cylinder). One was Opal, which was at the top. The next ring was of Sapphire which also touched the diamond. The next ring was Lazuli. Touching all the rings, the diamond, and the quartz was a small sliver of Emerald. In all this make it a cylinder shape of 30 nm high 10 cm in diameter inside it's belly.
The rest of the insides were the miniature mechanics which allowed the thing to move around on the surface of something... or fly. The shell on top house a chemo-mechanical component with the acids and calcium based molecules and fine iron connectors which would allow for light particles(photon) to react... this gives it the ability to see (poorly). The shell could be pulled back to allow for thin 1nm thin insect like wings to unfold. The thing was already a dust-particle in size and didn't need them to "fly" but this allowed it to direct itself, and since it's legs were mostly for the purpose of slow movement or grabbing on this allowed them to use the "nano-phsyics" of gasses and surface tension to hover over surfaces.
The "head" was another quartz crystal cased mostly in the silicon-carbide exterior. The layer in the back side beneath the wings (and a 3nm casing of silicon-carbide) was the "brains" of the thing.

The next part was the toughest to create since he was dealing with almost individual atoms at some points. Through a combination of iron, gold(transmuted), and quartz Anik was able to create a small, yet effective quantum computer, though only through means of the same divine-technological combination as his battery would this work. The crystal would monitor and change the quantum states of the specific iron atoms. This would allow something that is smaller than the size of bacteria to have the same processing power of what normally would be in a hand-held electronic device.

While all of the technological stuff was good, the Lapis Lazuli, Diamond, and quarts were... off. They were instead going to be empowered through divinity and Mythcrafting.

Anik was able to draw on his own divinity to imbue a likeness of his own powers onto the quartz.
The nano-quantum computer crystal used his internal sensing and changing ability to monitor and alter the quantum states of the individual iron atoms.
The head would be something of an energy-absorber when it came to matter. It would "eat" (destroy, contain, and absorb) matter with its head (only taking nanometers at a time actually improved the efficiency of the power, as it wasn't a big "destruction" as it was raw conversion). The energy would down the quarts which connected to the "core cylinder". Most of the energy would go into the Diamond refueling it, then when fueled it would restore power to the batteries. Once recharged the thing would switch gears(figuratively) and the power would directly power the bug (which wasn't much power) and then the rest went into the bottom belly quartz.
The last quartz item was a "creator". This would use the energy to transmute the matter underneath it. What it was transmuted into depended on whatever design was imprinted on the crystal, but the default was to create a replica of itself.

Then came the Mythcrafting part. Anik focuses on the 6 bugs and each of their cores. While they were "physically" there and each one perfect in molecular structure, Anik needed to turn the psychical into the metaphysical. Each of them would feature Aniks signature upgrade (Mythcrafting power) increasing their abilities and power, which was crucial for their small size. Their “physicalness” would mean that they would tougher and energy lasted slightly longer.
The Diamond would act as something like a big battery, the life-force of the thing would be used to power itself with only small help from the batteries (which were more for "local power" until they got re-powered by the Diamond or when it "ate"). Now of course the problem was... the thing wouldn't last more than a day with that small Diamond. This is where the eating came in, just by eating a very tiny amount (like 1 cubic nm) ANY matter it can refuel and keep alive for another day.
The Opal would give it instinct enough to "keep it alive without computing everything". Again though it's small size limited the information (even though it was super-quality and REAL opal) so it had about as much instinct as an ant, which for something the size of a dust spec is pretty good.
The Emerald gave would have given it intelligence... but again the size issue comes into play. Instead the intelligence here turns into something of a "translator". It would be ABLE to change it's programming (both on the creation-crystal imprint and it's processor), but though... that implied input.
The Sapphire of course imbues it with a sense of loyalty, but the jewel is so fine that it's loyalty to Anik is unwavering and absolute, but so small that cannot interpret that loyalty into complex action. Instead just knows to "follow his will only" It also allows a “check” to be made for incoming and outgoing transmissions which the energy could be tagged as coming from Anik. Again this implied input.
The Lapis Lazuli is where the input (and output) comes in. Because of the quality the special ability can be fine, but the size doesn't allow it to be incredibly powerful. The supernatural ability is the ability to transmit and receive information from Anik and its own kind.

This is how it all works:
Surviving: It must feed to survive more than a day, though 1 cubic nanometer of matter is all it needs per day. (Meaning you wouldn't even it notice they ate if there weren't more than 1,000,000. And even then that’s if they all ate out of the same "cube". While numbering in the quadrillions they would be able to survive mostly on dust and microbes, hell many microscopic bugs do, and these are smaller... oh ya and they can eat the microscopic bugs too.)
Command and Communication: All of them are connected. Only Aniks commands work due to their loyalty due to Sapphire. Once one receives the commands from Anik it will retransmit the command across the swarm with the tag of loyalty energy from the sapphire (which only the only thing that can activate energy from the sapphire) from to prove the command. Since they cannot transmit or receive from very far (no more than 10 feet from either another bug or Anik) they will rely on this “chain-reaction commands” quite a bit. Now while the "imprint" commands and "objective" commands must be Sapphire-proved, they can still transmit things like position and information. This means the more there are... the smarter than can act. (Though this is severely limited because “many” individual processors actually lead to massive inefficiency and redundancy, this means only when Anik himself acts as the controller and organizer can they act with a hive-mind. And again this only applies to the ones that are within 10 feet of Anik, past that and they must rely on the chain-commands and so redundancy and inefficiency take place once more.
Transmuting and Reproduction: By "eating" extra it can gather energy to store in the belly-crystal, which can transmute matter underneath them into whatever the "imprint" on the crystal is. This imprint can only be changed by the Emerald who must receive either a direct command from Anik or one with the "loyalty" energy form the Sapphire signifying it is a rebroadcast of Anik's command. Now this allows them to go on doing commands without the need for Anik’s constant command. So if he left 500,000 of them somewhere with a command and he took the rest of them with him, they would continue doing this command and only able to transmute the 1 thing imprinted in the crystals before he left. This does not though lead to a case where there is a run-away reproduction. Because each Nanite contains minuscule amounts of Anik’s divinity and need his directed intervention for giving them life with myth crafting, they cannot reproduce without Anik directly. (Though technically one could get around this by having another god with Anik’s Mythcrafting power (must be 6th tier jewels else considered a defect and self dissimilates) masking their theomagnetic field to match Anik’s, and then having Anik somewhere where they constantly drain his divine energy. But this of course would actually still create Nanites loyal to Anik. But then with a theomagnetic field mask and a reconstruction of Anik’s brain they could command them and that’s only if they could control a reconstruction of Anik’s brain, so basically… it would take way to much freaking effort, I mean why don’t they just make their OWN if they can do all that stuff).

It was done. The tiniest creatures had been imbued with the power of Anik's divinity, smaller than all save the unseen eye of the Callisti could spot, little ladybugs capable of destroying, changing and creating entire worlds. By the end of it Anik was exhausted, the process of thinking that through having spent much of his energy. Creation could be rough, sometimes. But it was done.

Hirsu walked through the gardens, and found his slightly isolated spot he had been reading and training in previously. He sat down, and opened the package.

Anik rested a bit, lucky the the initial 6 would be the hardest... since he had Nano-creators now, all he had to do was think-up the detailed plans and they could create nano-creations for him. He instantly loved them... they would save him so much time and effort. They would eat and provide the energy. For replication he needed a minimal amount of energy.

As he rested he thought about creating a divine battery to help him with this at some point, something that used his unused divine energy he produced constantly. But for now, he let them replicated inside the small grain of sand in his hand. In a moment there were 12, in a moment there were 24, in a moment there were 48, in a moment there were 96, in a moment there were 192, in a moment there were 384... this continued.

Still sitting on the ground he gathered the pile of extra stuff he has made the perfect grain of carbon from and put it in his hand. He used his power and it quickly became a baseball sized ball of mixed matter which resembled a black ball of dull metal (but was actually mostly silicon carbide).

He allowed them to continue multiplying geometrically (most people would mistakenly call this exponentially but exponentially would be 6^X not 6*2^x) until they reached about 2 million every minute. He waited until he got about 10 million stopped. (should take him about 6 minutes) Unfortunately 10 million was nothing for nanobots, and would barely be larger than a white blood cell should they be stuck together. But they were not. They were scattered inside a baseball sized ball comprised mostly of silicon carbide.

He thought for a moment, he would instead save some time. He used his will to show them what he wanted and allowed them to being their work. Oh they wouldn't replicate without his input, but they could instead prepare for when he does tell them to. Instead they would slowly work their way around the orb evenly spacing themselves all around the thing.

Anik

It was a soothing thing, the working of the nanocreatures, not at all complex compared to Anik's earlier work. With the sun out and his replication complete he soon felt a yawn rise from within him; perhaps it was time for a nap, perhaps, or caffeine?

Hirsu

Hirsu soon came upon his private clearing - one of hundreds within the stunning gardens of the Valley - and unwrapped the brown package. Within he found the shimmering, shiny SUIT, a strange, floppy thing seemingly made of a slightly sticky plastic; relatively light ceramic-carbon armour, for the entire body save the head, presumably to go over the SUIT; three opaque, menacing grenades, of a shrapnel-glass variety; the collapsible, diamond, nanotechnological automatic rifle so common among Conclave troops and yet no less deadly; two vibration blades, designed, when a small switch was flicked, to hum at the perfect frequency to cut through steel; rations, enough for thirteen days; and pills of a variety of colours and purposes - anti-magic, anti-fatigue hydration, sanity, etc.

Anik picked up the rock and put it in a pocket in his pack. He left and headed for marketplace.

Hirsu frowned, uncertain of what to make of most of the material. He picked up a blade, and nearly dropped it when he flicked the switch. He carefully flicked the switch back to off, and placed them on the package. He lifted the Suit in his arms, and idly wondered how they knew his size, before placing it back on the ground.

He unpacked the armour, and frowned. He was not used to such full body coverage. He would have to experiment before he decided which parts might be better left in the package, so as not to overheat in the jungles of his home.

He stood up, and took off his simple white robe before trying on the Suit.

Hirsu felt the sticky SUIT attach itself to his body, felt the electric prickling of contact - like thousands of needles running up and down his bakc - and then a sudden pinching on his spine and he couldn't feel the SUIT at all. It was as if it weren't even there.

Welcome to the CONCLAVE Googletechia SUIT, 3rd Generation, firm v3.4.5..
Activating SUIT..
Launching wetware..
Analysing..
/Divine/
Reconfiguration process..
8%

Hirsu frowned. "Uh, right. I guess that works."

Hirsu began putting on the armour, leaving the glove sections off. He would see if the rest was comfortable enough in the heat before taking anything else off, but he wanted his hands bare.

He replaced his white robe overtop the armour, and flexes a bit, trying to get a feel for how restricted his movement was.

Reconfiguration process..
12%

To Hirsu's pleasant surprise, the ceramic armour wasn't as heavy as it seemed - with his own dense muscle, obtained through battle-training, he found himself more than easily carrying it. As for heat, it seemed that the SUIT could monitor and neutralize, to a point, the levels of warmth and cold he felt. His movement was a little restricted, but this was because of the robe and not the armour; the armour had been designed, it seemed, for ease of movement.

Reconfiguration process..
15%

Pitcarn strolls into he garden from the Valley of 10 Towers, and begins to look around at his surroundings.

Hirsu was impressed. The technology in the Suit was much more useful than he had suspected it might be. Really, he would have been happy about it simply knowing where he was, or providing directions. But a built in cooler, now that was useful.

Hirsu decided to get back to reading while his suit did its thing. He found the next chapter in the book he had been reading, and sat on a rock to read.

Pitcarn

Pitcarn has wandered into the Gardens of Below, a dark and gloomy place - the ivy-filled great, blackened trees above blocking out nearly all of the sun - that contained all manner of strange glowing fungi, in white and green and blue and red. Much of the ground was littered with obsidian stone - imported, said a plaque, from the mysterious 'Realm Beneath' - and rotting wood. The placed smelled overwhelmingly of a far underground cavern, and strange mosses and water-weed lay about where they were welcome. The entire garden was dripping with liquid.

Hirsu

[Chapter Five of What We Learn Without Magic]

Msonus, at this point, was met by the Legion of Legions, that mysterious Force which was said to patrol the winding path of Yggdrasil, along with Ratatosk and, perhaps, one or two other forces, for those who are not worthy to walk the path. Msonus finds himself then at the center of a strange battle - a battle of mysticism more than magic, of signs and symbols more than words of power, of cutting wit rather than razor-swords. Msonus is mysterious on this last point, but does claim that he was saved at the last moment by Odin and a small detachment of Divine warriors and sorcerers.

Reconfiguration process..
28%

Pitcarn decided to have a slow look around, but wasn't highly interested in anything in particular, simply killing time.

He paradoxed the diamond rifle to Perigo, and made sure that he had the Oathblade with him there too. The vibration blades stayed on his hips, as did the grenades.

He wondered how Max was faring in her duel.

Anik returned here, and went to the spot where his bet was to be carried out. If the systemarch was not there yet, then he used some gravel to expand his small companions.

Hirsu attempts to picture such a battle, but experiences difficulties in envisioning such a thing. He would definitely have to ask the god about that, at some point. In the meantime, he would hope that his own understanding of mysticism could be improved upon before he engaged in any such battles.

He continues reading the next chapter.

Pitcarn

Pitcarn quietly moved towards the eastern gardens, displaying more common flora, though he did pass one glass house entitled the Palace of Butterflies. Towards the east.. was towards Max's duel. He was close to the arena, now.

Hirsu

[Chapter Six of What We Learn Without Magic]

The sixth and last chapter was mostly blank, but scrawled at the bottom of the third page of the chapter were the words: Eastern Mountains = Arch = Jokul of Rare Books!!!

Reconfiguration process..
34%

Anik

Anik is soon approached by a thin, regal looking Systemarch with law-filled eyes. It was most definitely not the Systemarch Anik had placed the bet with.

"Anik of Bounty?" asked the Systemarch. "You match his description."
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:46, Fri 28 May 2010.

Hirsu frowned at the scrawled words, no doubt some trickster's attempt to set an ambush for some greedy and unwise fool. Perhaps he would give the fools something to think about at a later time, but he would not foolishly walk into an ambush.

He turned the page, and read the next chapter.

Pitcarn leaves the Gardens for the duel. He worries about childe Maxilita sometimes, but all must learn in their own time and way.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:46, Fri 28 May 2010.

"Yes? I take it you are here on behalf of the Systemarch I have place a bet with? May I ask why he has not come to present his invention?"

Hirsu

There was no next chapter. The book, perhaps rather pointless, was finished.

Reconfiguration process..
38%

Anik

"I'm afraid I have bad news," said the Systemarch, his lips thin. "Systemarch Carvastus of the Word served valiantly in the Battle of Alkan. I am.. assured that there were no survivors. I am his benefactor and lawyer in these matters and I understand that if he were to lose the duel he owed you his Dhaal, am I correct? Obviously you can't have that.. and so I am here to organize other compensation."

Anik frowned. This wasn't a good thing overall. A crafter was lost and his invention never proven. "Did he have something set up?"

Hirsu put the book away.

He thought about what he had learned from Msonus's writings so far, and decided he was likely far out of his league. Still, it was approaching time that they meet. Unfortunately, he had much to do beforehand.

Hirsu gathered up his belongings, and travelled to the library. He had some research to conduct.

"Nothing at all," said the lawyer, sadly. "He held sixteen thousand in Conclave Stones but that has been distributed according to his will. Nevertheless, Carvastus of the Word knew he might be killed and was an honorable Systemarch and a good man. He did not leave you empty handed. Here.."

The Systemarch lawyer passed Anik a delicate scroll, faded brown-blue. It was not made of any paper or parchment Anik had seen before, and felt oddly heavy - much heavier than it should have been - in his hands.

"It is a map," added the Systemarch. "To what I cannot tell you - I have been forbidden from studying it at any detail. Carvastus had spent thirty years drawing it, however - it was his last Attainment. It is known as the Map of First Words, and keys in to his rather deviant fascination with Divinity in general. I beseech you to take it. I apologise that he could not have given you more.."

He nodded. "It is fine then. I am sorry for the loss of a great craftsman. I would have liked the challenge. Roses at your feet lawyer Systemarch and may his Dhaal rest well." Anik did find it ironic how the proud Systemarch had a fascination with divinity, especially after the writhing comments. But then he never bashed on the power of the divine, just their intelligence and innovation.

Anik wondered abit... How could a map be an Attainment? He wondered as used legend to explore the scroll before opening it, though he bet it was protected against scrying (if so, he didn't push).

"I thank you, Low Lord," said the laywer. "Roses at your feet. Good day." And with that done he was gone.

Anik was right. An unfamiliar field, much like that of the theoelectromagnetic field that all Divines owned, protected the map from scrying. It felt alive and heavy in his hands, like a serpent.

Anik sensed his own self enter the Valley away off, but now alone the garden he decided to go ahead and open the scroll. Carefully of course.

The blue parchment felt wet, heavy and warm under his touch, and it seemed to writhe as he held it. At contact it turned from blue to sudden, inky black, and then a lighter shade of the former hue. Slowly - very slowly - it opened, and Anik saw that it was mostly blank except for a series of dots, semicircles, squares, crosses, stars and names attributed to those things.

Associated to the single Dot:

The Golden Emperor of the Furthermost Order / Realm Supernatural

Associated to the Semicircles:

The Crimson Prince in association with the premature Lictros of the Furthermost Anarchy / Realm Supernatural
The Emerald Mother in association with the newborn Cassandra of Furthermost Creation / Realm Silver
The White Father in association with the newborn Kohandr of Furthermost Destruction / Realm ex Abyssus

Associated to the Squares:

The Current Herald of Gold Wyrn / Realm Supernatural
The Failed Herald of Crimson Maxilita / Realm Supernatural

Associated to the Crosses:

The Complete Golden Moon of Order / Realm Supernatural
The Blossoming Reddening Tower of Anarchy / Realm Supernatural
The Blossoming of Emerald Mountains of Creation / Realm Supernatural
The Blossoming of White Temple of Destruction / Realm Supernatural

Associated to the Stars:

There was one star and no name was associated.

Anik placed his hand on it, and let it's knowledge be given to him trying not to break past but slip through any defenses like water through a gate. ((Trying it with the upgraded Legendary Vision.))

Anik felt the thing, searched for a weakness - any weakness at all - but could fine none. It didn't trust the God of Craft, he knew, and the azure Map held its deepest secrets  close to its chest.

Anik understood now that this was more than just a piece of paper with magical protections now, it was almost sentient. Anik would have to show the map more about him. He used his teach ability to allow the map to know him better. He then held the scroll close to his chest. Can you hear me? he though in an attempt to communicate with it.

As Anik was trying to communicate with the scroll he used a hose to gather water, using his powers to keep it together compacting it. When it was of sufficient mass he froze it. He touched it and infused his paradox into the ice, and thus a new Anik grew out of it. This new Anik went over the hall of the sun to get his long delayed appointment on with Wyrn.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:17, Wed 07 July 2010.

The map, very slowly, warmed up to Anik, analyzed him, figured out just what he was.

Anik.. you are old, Anik..

Tell me about it. Your creator was a proud man, and I assume an equally capable crater. Will you tell me where you lead? Or what your purpose is?

I .. cannot. Anik.. so thirsty. Thirsty.. for power.. I need.. divinity.. so tired..

The map seemed desperate, exhausted. Thirsty for power. But, somehow.. sincere. It had a function to fulfill and all it needed was to fulfill that function.

Hirsu went into the gardens, and sat down amidst the greenery. He let the calming influence of the place relax him. Silently, he began contemplating the mysteries of life, and what life meant to existence. The garden surrounding him was full of a type of life, but was also representative of so much else. This place flourished in calm conditions, a little water, earth and light providing all that was needed. Yet the divine market, that hustling marketplace, was so full of life and frenetic activity, thousands upon thousands of desires and necessities serviced in every instant, in a whirlwind of small movements taken by hundreds of thousands of different lives.

The two situations were so different, yet fundamentally, both contained the aspect of life within them. It was this duality that he let his mind slowly absorb, disect, amalgamate and attempt to understand by the most minute fragment. It was this fragment that he slowly began shifting into a physical reality.

Anik gave him a drop of divine power from himself. "What is your function?"

Anik

More.. power.. let me.. drink from your well, Anik..

Hirsu

Time passed, and Hirsu went about his work. He felt a wave of exhaustion come over him - from another time and place - and yet, working at his own pace the craft wasn't too difficult. Time passed, and.. the diamond, uncut, was complete.

Hirsu focused on the uncut diamond, slowly focusing on refining it.

It was a risk, but Anik allows the map to absorb his power.

Anik

Anik felt the power be drawn from his body, absorbed and savoured. The map shook in delight. Anik felt himself become slightly devoid of power, but there was no immediate downsides..

I apologise for my demands, Creator. I was too greedy and fear I might have taken too much from your theoelectromagnetic well. Will you forgive me?

Hirsu

More time passed, and darkness fell. Soon Hirsu was holding a Jagged Stone.

Hirsu turned his thoughts onto a new aspect. He focused now on all the things that kept a being alive. Desire for sustenance, avoidance of hazards, detection of predators, thirst, cravings, fear. The various thoughts came together in a shifting pattern in Hirsu's mind, taking a different shape than the last gem he had made.

"It is no trouble. I shall survive." He thought back, But please, would you tell me your purpose? Why you were created? It was said you are a map, is this true?"

Anik

It is true. I am a map. But I am also a living chart. I am a map of every theoelectromagnetic being that has reached crisis point and ascended - or, as H. C. Wyrn terms it, reached Logos. Yggdrasildic ascension transformation rather than evolution and is thus not monitored.

Hirsu

The opal soon formed within Hirsu's hands, small and yet very beautiful. This was becoming easier with practice.

Anik was intrigued, it seems the Systemarch was very interested in divinity indeed... ascension. "Tell me map do you have a name I can call you by? And what exactly is this Logos you speak of?"

Hirsu smiled, and focused on yet another aspect of life, this one less fundamental. He considered loyalty, the ties that bind beings together, that shaky force that is based upon and can supersede the basic drive of survival. What is more beautiful than a parent's love for their child, their willingness to sacrifice to aid another? For some reason, the colour of this aspect was blue.

Anik


You may call me the Speaker. As for the nature of the Logos.. I cannot tell you. Not yet. I have been informed that I am to test you before I can reveal further secrets. I am testing you right now. This is the sacred science.

Hirsu

Slowly it formed, but form it did; time passed in the Gardens, and darkness fell further. Hirsu found himself with the sapphire, glittering even in the night.

Hirsu smiled, and rested for a little bit before starting on the next task. He had at least this one last gem to make, and perhaps one more afterwards.

He concentrated on the aspect of understanding, not instinctual understanding, but rather rational understanding. Symbols, sounds, letters, logic, all these things in a very basic form.

Well speaker is there anything I need to do?

Anik

Perhaps. I understand that you also possess another Attainment, belonging to Balverstus of the Hammer. Could you.. show it to me?

Anik knew that this was a purely curious motive on the part of the Map.

Hirsu

(I really love your brief descriptions, Hirsu)

It slowly formed - slowly but surely. Time passed, dawn approached. The jewel.. was born, held in Hirsu's fitting hands.

(OOC: Thanks.)

Hirsu relaxed for a bit, feeling that he was making good progress. He considered his desired goal, picturing the creature he wished to bring into the world. He had everything he needed, but something was missing. Realizing what it was, he refocused his mind on the task.

He first imagined a set of the rules that govern much of the universe. Once those particular rules were set in his mind, he began imagining how to bend those rules, how special qualities inherrent to a particular being made those rules seem silly, or obsolete. How some beings lived their lives completely unaware of certain rules that affected others, and how such abilities would shape the being, and alter the perspectives of everyone who witnessed it.

Anik nodded and put his backpack down and pulled out the carefully sealed pieces of the hammer. "I was hoping to get some information from your creator on the works of Systemarch attainments. Perhaps you could help me on this puzzle." He speaks out loud as well as in his head.

Anik

Interesting. The Hammer.. a brother. I have not met a sibling yet. And.. it does not speak. I fear it does not like me. Still, Anik.. what are your.. questions?

The pieces of the hammer shined wondrously in the sun.

Hirsu

Hirsu was taken by visions during the creation of this last jewel. He saw majestic butterflies, strange eagles, snakes that slithered in the air and dolphins in flight..

He awoke suddenly. He'd fallen asleep working. The sun was high in the sky.

Hirsu held the finished Lazuli close to his chest.

Hirsu took out the gems, and gazed upon them. Here were things of undefinable beauty. Divine power fused into raw potential. Their combination could bring life in nearly any shape into being. Or it could bring nothing, or failure, or death, or any number of other calamities.

Hirsu slowly allowed himself to enter a meditative state, his mind dwelling on the gems in his hands. Each gem had its own distinct potential, it's own gifts and limits. Each was individually of little value, but together, they could set in motion events to shape worlds. Hirsu wasn't interested in setting such events in motion at this point, but the potential was more than he could follow to its end.

In his mind's eye, he saw each gem as the cluster of ideas they embodied. To each cluster, he tied the ideas that linked them together. Survival tying instinct to life, emotion tying loyalty to thought, motion tying power to survival. More and more ideas linked them. Caring, stomach, understanding, hatred, muscle, hunger, submission, love, fat, speed, hunting, spine, strength, life, thirst, death, feathers, hear, happiness, tail, see, wait, sadness, compassion, play.

Link after link was established, each link bringing the gems a little closer, and defining the overall shape a little more. Hirsu lost himself in the process, in the ecstasy of creation, in the pain and fulfillment of birth.

1. "It does not speak because it is not awake. It has been fractured in a fight with one names Osiris-Ra, it creator had died as well in that fight, but we are determined to bring him back... and the attainment is key in that. This object, does the damage rest only physically? I hesitate to just bring it back together without knowing if there is more to the puzzle." In truth he had been so busy he had give the attainment little thought. But now that he had another, this was quite the interesting study case... he was excited, ecstatic even, there was even a slight... very slight... grin on his face.

2. Anik came by the gardens with his new items in tow and saw himself with the Systemarch artifacts, but he went a little further. He about laughed. It seems someone had beat him to a nice spot to Mythcraft. He didn't speak though, and moved to his own spot. Anik gathered the materials. His plan was something he had designed long ago, but there would be several upgrades, including that of alchemical enhancements.

Anik took a dead tree tree branch and caused a chemical reaction through, which turned it into ash. This ash didn't dissipate into the air thought, instead it condensed and became graphite. This graphite condensed and became diamond. Anik took out the five valved human heart. He touched the two and they became one sinking into each other. He concentrated on diamond heart and gave it code of life. The form of essence of the being laid within.

Anik


1. There was a long moment of silence from the Map. I... believe there is spiritual damage associated with the shards, my friend. They wish to be avenged upon the individual responsible for their shattering - Lictros of the Wild. He must be destroyed before the Attainment can become whole and its Forger reborn.

2. Wood to ash; ash to graphite; graphite to diamond; diamond to life. It was almost Chinese in execution. The diamond hummed with the invisible, silent code of life, ready and willing to be born into something new and alive.

Hirsu

(Very cool, Hirsu.)

The gems seemed to melt slowly, to fuse together, to become something entirely different. The size of a feline, the prismatic energy contained very slowly began to take form according to the will of Hirsu. The energy thinned out, became longer, mottled and blue. Eyes were slowly created, the spark of life not yet in them. A mouth and a forked tongue. Thousands of individual feathers, a perfect tail..

Soon, life came to the eyes - but they did not blink. There was a slight hiss from the thing as the feathered snake examined Hirsu curiously, keeping its distance. It would need a name.

Hirsu smiled without revealing his teeth. He spoke a single word to the creature. "Coatl."

He stood up, and stretched, working the kinks out of his muscles after sitting for so long.

1. "I shall inform those who need to be. Your help has indeed proved valuable." He though on what he had learned in the library. Speaker... the list you have. I am guessing it is perhaps a list of those Logos achieved... or those destined for one. Do you know which one is Wyrn? He dared not say the previous one aloud, but just thought to the Map.

2. Anik rested. He would not be able to preform much more with the power drain form his own realm.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:14, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

Anik

1. Wyrn.. is no Logos. He is.. the Herald. A champion, seer, confidante.. he merely borrows the power, but is not changed by it. No, it is his master. The Emperor of the Golden Hand. The Golden Hand is the Logos.. the Emperor its servant. Wyrn, the servant's servant..

2. Sleep, too, came over this Anik..

Hirsu

The snake slithered up to its Father, hissing curiously. There was understanding in those unblinking eyes. Loyalty, too.

Hirsu extended his arm to the serpent, granting it a perch if it wished. "We will wait here, until the moment is right."

1. I see, I guess it wasn't that easy for him then. Tell me though, the Logos. It is separate from the body and mind of the god, but seems so rather intimately connected. Can the Logos exist without a host? Does it only Exist with one host, customized to it? Does the Logos take over the host, the host the logos, or somewhere in between? Sorry about all the questions, but I am fascinated by the concept.

2. Anik wakes up after a brief nap (at least it had been brief here... but tree wise it had been quite refreshing). He left it inside of him, a well slowly filling with power, but not even at a 1% charge (since he had rested to recharge himself) he would need to allow that to grow as well... and would later, but for now he would continue his work as normal. He continued with the work.


Anik began combining the Alchemical ingredients with the mythcrafting ones:
1 eye of an eagle - Combined a stone of White Opal with a Lazuli, encoded with the ability to see beyond that which is. This first eye imbuing him with almost precognitive sight, his instinctual reactions incredible.
The bones of a 2 headed viper - He would combine these with Topaz, linked to the creation's speed and dexterity.
The 3 dragon-like scale - While not actual dragons scales, still gave the powerful impression of invulnerability, these scales would be fused with 3 different crystals: Emerald- The Dragons mind, Pearl- The Dragons strength, and Lazuli- The Dragons power.
4 minor elemental orbs - Each orb was originally surrounded by glass, but with just small amount of tampering Anik was able to turn it into Ruby, the natural elements sewn into the creatures magic power.
5 valve human heart - Already done, it was combined with diamond.
6 hooves of a 6 legged horse - Anik fused them with sapphire, so that the loyalty of the 6 legged steed would be in him.
7 lbs of diamond dust - Anik first changed the dust to make it true dust... diamonds at their smallest molecular form. He turned each one into a bit of life of the creature.

These important alchemical ingredients were the first step to creating what might be the most advanced mythcrafting creature every made. The finest combination of alchemy, technology, divinity, and mythcrafting would be combined to create Anik's combat vessel.

Anik

1. I.. cannot answer those questions, my friend. I know the answers, but are bound by the forces implicit in my creation not to reveal them. For what purpose I cannot say. I apologise.

2. The alchemy began. While the work wasn't particularly difficult, it consumed both time and energy, and Anik knew that he would have to take things relatively slowly.

An hour passed, and his first step was complete.

(Complete
-One eye of an eagle - Combined a stone of White Opal with a Lazuli, encoded with the ability to see beyond that which is. This first eye imbuing him with almost precognitive sight, his instinctual reactions incredible.)

Hirsu

The serpent, Coatl, slithered up to its creator, finding a perch on his upper arm and then the shoulder. It swayed joyfully.

Hirsu sighed, and began walking towards the markets.

1. I see. Then, if I may ask, what is your purpose? To just record?

2. And 5 days later where are we?

Anik

1. To record, my friend, and to guide.

2. In five days Anik knew he would complete his task; nevertheless, after only the second day of work he was exhausted and had completed more of his work.

(Complete:

-One eye of an eagle - Combined a stone of White Opal with a Lazuli, encoded with the ability to see beyond that which is. This first eye imbuing him with almost precognitive sight, his instinctual reactions incredible.)

-The bones of a 2 headed viper - He would combine these with Topaz, linked to the creation's speed and dexterity.

-The 3 dragon-like scale - While not actual dragons scales, still gave the powerful impression of invulnerability, these scales would be fused with 3 different crystals: Emerald- The Dragons mind, Pearl- The Dragons strength, and Lazuli- The Dragons power.

1. Anik handed the scroll to his other self in his realm as is passing something from one hand to another. He then leaves the peaceful gardens... atleast one of him.

2. Anik continued to work meticulously and carefully on the next ingredient.

Anik felt this self slipping. He needed to unwind, sleep, relax before continuing.

Anik took a short rest while in the middle of this.

(This is true.)

Anik wasn't at full energy, but he wasn't exhausted, either. What did he need to do next?

((Are the ingredients done?))

Anik had completed his task and procured the items needed.

Did did another switch, he sent the objects to his self in his realm, and pulled the Map here. "Is he the only who possesses Logos you know of? And if my questions step out of bounds just say so."

No.. there is another. Another possesses the Logos of Anarchy, but it has not.. fully matured. In all likelihood he will be killed before the transmutation is complete. Crailek is the fourth Bearer of Order..

The Map spoke so casually of concepts that would, used correctly, bring the entire Conclave crashing to its knees.

"Do you know who holds the Logos of Anarchy. And I know a Crailek now..." he let his memories of the Crailek he knew to exist now, pass to the scroll. "Now I am pretty sure there are two, because this Crailek suspects there are two as well, but is there a chance that it is this Crailek who possess the Logos of Order? Also how is it that two of the same god exist" He chuckles for a second about his own paradox, sub-paradox, and paradox cheating. "Well I mean one that isn't a part of the other." He also had another question. "Who is the master, the Logos of Order or Crailek?"

((They I figured out that's what all the Stuff was for the Conclave "super high ranks". At first I thought Emperor was literally body-snatching other gods, but it seems it is the Logos that is the one that is doing to jumping and that the Logos is the emperor perhaps.))
This message was last edited by the player at 05:28, Tue 21 Sept 2010.

There was a long silence. The Map thought.

I.. I apologise. I cannot understand your questions.

"Are there two different Craileks? The one I know and the one with the Logos of Order?" He again showed his the memories of the Crailek he knew.

I.. I think so, friend. Two Craileks. Yes.. same.. but different.. The Map was confused, but contemplated and saw the possibility within such an idea. It is - more than possible.

So then, Crailek must die. I doubt killing the second would cause the first any harm. He thought back to the Map. "Though the questions now are how, where, and when."

How, where, when.. my friend? I do not understand the context of the questions and cannot answer. Forgive me.

"I'm just thinking out loud... I will chat more with you in a bit when I have a better picture." He said perhaps to himself still. His essence was split, and even he could not determine where exactly his other self was... or could he. Perhaps this self could help his other (the one in bounty... or perhaps the one elsewhere that is using the bounty thread).

He made sure no one was in the direct vicinity of him (which he shouldn't have been since he was trying to seclude himself earlier). He turned his forsaken powers inward, not needing to touch himself because he was himself. He tried to feel and know fully his own essence, following by touch the line that connected him to his other self... he didn't tug or try to go there, he just wanted to know if, where, and when, (or perhaps in some other place in other dimensions) his other self existed, and if he could sense it.

Before Anik could attempt this action, he felt his other self plummet back into this reality and fell to the ground, retching loudly. He tasted copper and bile and something strange and slick. The puddle in front of him was black laced with yellow and red. His head throbbed -

Anik gathered the substance together and encased it in a carbon shell, easily stripping the carbon from any plant, brick, or dirt laying around.

It was done, and the vomit was contained.

Using his legend and crafting powers he peered into the vomit, not only to see it's construction. But it's essence. If this was the cause of visiting an outsider, then perhaps there might be some outside-presence in the vomit (and thus a strange and valuable resource). It was a long shot, but better he check and not have the trace energy than not check and miss out.

((Just taking this on here because my self in my realm is busy.))

The air around Anik condenses until it's almost like liquid, Anik seems to begin going through Mitosis, as another Anik collects out of his backside (cloths, equipment and all thanks to paradox). Another clone to replace the one in bounty that got destroyed by the near-death experience appears.

2. This Anik opens a portal and another clone (the one from the library earlier) hops out. The portal closes, and another to bounty opens.

3. This Anik appears out of the portal (this one was made in the garden earlier, then exited in the library) and heads out of the gardens to the other parts of the city.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:45, Sun 12 Dec 2010.

Anik examines the vomit, and while it is mostly composed of his own psychic discharge and theoelectromagnetic field failing, there is something more... something dark and invisible writhes within, something utterly alien to this world or any other...

Is it a unique resource... or another danger?