Ad Deus

[DELETED jdl3932]

This is a thread for all the lore I'll probably end up expanding upon regarding this and all other character build made using the Living God CYOA.

Adath

"The attainment of power is the measure of mortal man, but how it is used is the measure of a Living God."

Lord of Menorath | The Sorcerer King

Spark

"...And as the way closes behind thee, as the deep waters swirl in reverence, the very air is thine own, thine alone: a foot akin to wind, an eye akin to fire, a will akin to the bones of the world..."

—Techniques of the Star-Slaughterer

The attainment of the first fires of mastery are encapsulated in the moment of your Sparking. In a flash, understanding of the deepest fundamental truths of have enlightened and imbued you with power that exceeds even that of the gods, making you capable of performing multiverse-altering feats by a mere wave of the hand, and annihilating cosmic opposition with naught but a twitch of your will. Upon your anointment you was imbued with the first flames of Amaranth. Your decision regarding the initial strength of this Spark merely determines how long it will take to reach this final state of absolute omnipotence.

• An Inferno of Supremacy: Upon your anointment you have already attainted the Master Spark, the final flame before your ascent into Amaranth. Thus, you have complete initial access to the powers of the Master Spark, and require no further magnification or time to attain them. You exceed even the arbiter of the Versal Cycle in power by far, and there are so few bounds to your power that it is difficult to discern it from omnipotence. Only Amaranth awaits.

You have:

• 6 Spark Points
• 10 Master Spark Points
• 6 Resource Points
• Innumerable or Custom Modes of Transcendence

Modes of Transcendence

Winking day, amber gleam alighteth twofold: knows the deaf awakenings, the illuminant foils of phantasm forms. High upon the Ahn-Set-Sethenti, Sollun meditates, unapproachable, tongue-dream deepened by the every-coil of his ocular fires. Logos, medized, become the solar crucible by my ache! Sollun yet awakes. Aye, Sollun yet awakes, yet turns to Sethenti..."

—Sollun Awakes, Verse I

Your individual Spark is unique to you, and thus is a mirror into your very being, the distilled essence of your personal alchemy. These reflections and emanations may be indicative of a functional change to powers you possess, or they may merely be reflective of your powers and archetype. Whatever the case may be, the metaphysical meaning behind your powers is part of your Spark, and influences how you manifest your powers. None are superior or inferior to the others, though some may be more or less desirable depending upon individual preference. It may be desirable for you to combine these aspects within your Spark, or for the purposes of your epithets, and you may do so if it's desirable to you. Note that, regardless of the number of Modes you choose, your choice of Spark and not your Mode(s) of Transcendence, determine your initial power.

• Dark Enlightenment: You have peered into the heart of the world, and realized that it is nothingness: a mere story: that life, love, and existence are illusory, that death and entropy consume all, even in a scenario existing only in pure fantasy. Having not prepared yourself properly for revelation, the gravity of the illusion fills you with reality, and you stand at the precipice of the endless blackness, knowing that everything else is a farce. As such, dispelling or adding to this illusion of reality is quite simple. You are the only being who is truly real and outside the delusions, your opposition being a mere fog beneath your boot, nothing more than wicked fantasia.
  
  (Your abilities are negative in nature)
  ‎
• The One: You have not been chosen, but you have chosen yourself. No higher power or influence, no revelation or personal conquest, no great authority or ordained fate has granted you your abilities. You have simply become what you are and were always meant to be. The Verse is not a story of stories, but a story about you. You have become the subject of the painting at the foreground of the infinite.
  
  (Your abilities are existential in nature)
  ‎
• Outsider: You have attained a fundamental cosmic otherness, becoming unbounded to the Verse and what exists outside of it. You are likened unto an apocalyptic being beyond comprehension, rising from outside the realm of existence itself. You are not created, but you do create. You are not born, but you exist nonetheless. This curious existence you have come into contact with is nothing but a plaything before you, a strange bauble on the necklace of true infinity.
  
  (Your abilities are eldritch in nature)

Goals

• Conquest: I wish to enter the Versal War so that its boons will be mine and mine alone. I will overcome the paltry empires in their squabbles for power with ruthless, crushing, efficiency, and the wealth of a thousand universes shall sit shining in my palm. The Verse shall bow before me in worship, and my authority will be insurmountable. Of course there is a war to wage before the revelry may begin, but once it is finished, I shall plunge existence into a darkness not seen since the most ancient of days...
  ‎
  Sadism: I embrace the feeling of power over others, knowing there's no one in all of creation who could stand up to me, no matter what I do or how I abuse my unquestioned strength. In fact, rubbing their noses in it for sheer sadistic joy gives me quite a kick. I'm villainous and I know it, not that there's anyone to stop me of course. I want power over people to make them feel weak, make them think what I want them to think, feel what I want them to feel. If anyone should defy me or speak out of turn, I'll make sure they're duly punished. Evil gives me a devilish sort of guilty pleasure, and with nothing in my way, why not indulge in it a little?
  ‎
  Freedom: With the strength I possess, who would dare try to tell me what I want? I am free to do as I please with my might, and may choose to pursue any of the gods or others I may think of as I see fit. There is no law holding me to anything, and the only will I follow is my own. If I simply want to experiment with my powers, or if I want to freely toy with the world of mortals as I please, I may do so with total recklessness. There are next to no consequences left that can affect me, so what matter is anything but my own good desire?
  ‎
  Amaranth: Though I am nigh-omnipotent in my own right, I can sense a state even higher than this, an enlightenment of enlightenments. There is a new story beyond this one, a new dream to be had, not by another but by myself. This state may require impossible efforts, but is attainable given enough time. Once Amaranth, the ultimate enlightenment, is attained, I will be absolutely, transcendently powerful and unquestionably omnipotent. All worlds and narratives will be my stories, and I will supersede absolutely everything. Of course, I've still got plenty of time before that. Thus shall I prepare myself a proper vessel, one fit for the indwelling of the infinite.

Spark Powers

Of course you must decide what monolithic powers you wield as a nigh-omnipotent Living God. While some powers require points to purchase, you are granted access to many powers for free. You may take or leave any free powers you desire. You may expend either Master Spark or Spark Points within this section.

• Meta-Immortality (0): You are eternal and invincible on a metaphysical level, and your state of existence is beyond time, space, and causality, immune to harm from all conceivable sources, even of a metaphysical or abstract nature. You cannot die, even on a conceptual level, by any means at all. Along with eternal being, you also possess eternal agency: you cannot be bound, entrapped, or otherwise imprisoned, nor can your will and self be altered or manipulated: you will always have the full capability to do that which is your will to do, immunizing you from the effects of manipulations or restraint of any kind. Should the local universe, multiverse, omniverse, or even the Verse itself or all Verses be compromised, then you will continue to exist in spite of this, and, if you so choose, may remain unconscious and unaware of the passage of time until the natural forces of creation reconstitute existence. You am exempt from the negative side effects of living an infinite life, such as boredom, ennui, depression, mental instability, and so on, if those emotions or any other effects like them were to be caused by the fact that you live an eternal life. If you should ever wish to pass on from this life, you may do so freely and enter into an afterlife of your choosing, and may return to life whenever you desire to, and, if you are so inclined, reincarnate into whatever form of natural life is fitting for you throughout the cosmos. You are eternally in your prime, are immune to the effects of age, and possess perfect mental and physical faculties, meaning that you will never lose your soundness of mind or become unable to recall events from millions or even billions of years ago.
  ‎
  Unbound (0): You possess true and transcendent freedom from all authority and wills other than your own. You self is inviolate and unchained by that which once abated you: good and evil, truth and lies, one and all. Because your self is inviolate, and you are thus unbound by causality, fate, the past, the present, or the future, there are no longer versions of yourself that exist in alternate worlds, times, or spaces, and you yourself encompass all that is and ever will be called "you," making you a Versal Constant. You cannot have your ascent prevented via retroactive alteration through time travel or similar abilities, nor can you have your actions subverted in any way: just as your self is inviolate, so to is your will: nothing can influence your decisions or desires but your own will and pleasure: your will is your own, and temptation, manipulation, irrationality, and the like will not inhibit it. Similarly, you are completely freed from emotions you do not wish to experience, and are unbound by psychological or biological factors in your wellbeing or personal state. You may experience whatever emotions or sensations you desire, and may adjust your mental and emotional state to whatever is desirable to you.
  ‎
• Emanation (0): Your presence is overwhelming when in full breadth, and you may convey your power and form with whatever effects are desirable, from blindingly vivid lights to strange and surreal shapes or sounds antithetical to vision and hearing themselves. Depending on the degree to which you choose to reveal your true nature, this effect can range from subtle to mind-bendingly vast. The effect which your true nature has on others is dependent upon what aspects of your infinite self you choose to magnify: your overwhelming and impossible beauty, your vast and awe-inspiring power, your consummate and perfected wisdom, your abstract and incomprehensible nature, and so on. That given, the full comprehension of your complete and true form is likely to bring existential crisis, or even death, and so is inadvisable when these effects are not desired. With this ability at your disposal, legions of bitter foes will bow in reverence at the slightest command, followers regard your word as infallible truth, doubters turn white with fear, and the want of innumerable amatory hearts will be your merest touch.
  ‎
• Eternal Ascension (0): Until such time as you should attain Amaranth, the highest possible state of absolute omnipotence, you have infinite potential in all aspects and attributes, and grow in power at near-infinite rates which are constantly increasing at near-infinite speeds. The speed at which your rate of progress towards Amaranth increases is also near-infinite, and so on to a near-infinite degree. Your ability to supersede, ascend, and overcome limitations of any kind is of the highest caliber in existence. It is impossible for you to degrade in power, and you are in a constant state of exponential progression towards omnipotence. When you lack sufficient strength to complete your endeavors, when you are defeated, or when you are otherwise impotent to your ends, you will evolve drastically to meet the challenges entailed to you. Your existing powers may grow to vastly different proportions and numerous functionalities, and you will come to possess powers not presented to you here, all while attaining greater and greater heights of power. Even omnipotence as you know it now is not the upper boundary of your true capabilities. You are able to learn any powers, techniques, arts, masteries, and abilities with ease solely by mere observation, and possess prodigious talents of nigh-infinite magnitude in your every endeavor and undertaking. Without exception, you have the greatest natural capacity for power in all of creation.
  ‎
• Planeswalk (0): You have complete mastery over locus, and may pass between higher and alternate dimensions, times, realms, universes, planes, worlds, spaces, and so, even to extents beyond that of the Verse's scope or in the strange and surreal interspace between the structured cosmos. You have exact knowledge of your location, both temporal and spatial, with reference to the rest of existence, thus dramatically simplifying navigation in all but the most phantasmagorical planes and spaces. You are similarly capable of omnidirectional movement at truly unlimited speeds, allotting you flight and motion at speeds massively faster than light, sufficient to traverse metaphysical distances, or distances across lengths even greater than the concept of distance, instantaneously. Your form and mind are adaptive to whatever conditions you may encounter in alternate planes, you are capable of perfectly communicating in any language or system, and you can easily adapt to strange and unknown cultures, traditions, and the like throughout your travels. You may use this ability to transport others and objects as you see fit similarly. Other unmentioned minutiae of convenience for the purposes of Versal travel are included within this ability: opening portals and gateways, teleporting objects and individuals selectively, resolution of intertemporal paradoxes, and all that is requisite for complete ease of travel throughout the vast and unknowable cosmos.
  ‎
• Power Matrix (0): Your powers are in an echelon above that of a Point, and as such are perfected and refined in ways even the most perfectly aligned powers are not. They and your consciousness are one in the same, and as such cannot be altered, manipulated, or acted upon in any way by any force, such as in replication or dampening. Similarly, they operate without even the effort of a blink, and roil with their full power at your slightest whim, unabated by loss of focus, distraction, or any other factors. Because your powers are as much a part of you as your will is, you are aware of their every minutiae, limitation, and strategic value, and you possess absolute knowledge of their ever facet and mechanic, with skill in wielding them at the level of one who had possessed them for truly infinite eternities and Versal Cycles. It is impossible for your powers to ever operate in a way that is not conducive to your will and intent, and may act upon your will and intent even if you are unaware, such as preventing calamity in far-off dimensions that would be undesirable to you. A number of other enhancements of convenience are included within this ability, such as manifesting your powers in whatever aesthetic capacity is desirable to you, immunity to the effects of powers of a lower magnitude than your own, fine-tuned control of how much of your full power you allow yourself to use at a time, and so on, all to the effect of enhancing and easing the usage of your powers as much as possible.
  ‎
• True Anointed (0): Your ascension entails a vast understanding of the underlying mechanics of the metanarrative, in whatever form that may take. As a result, you possess ultimate and transcendent wisdom, as if you had existed since the beginning of creation itself, before all Versal Cycles, at the stirrings of the complete Ad Deus, with all the knowledge such a life would entail. That upon which existence stands, along with innumerable, unimaginable secrets attained over unimaginable eons are all within your repertoire of prior knowledge. You are a living repository of infinite wisdom, the ancient knowledge of the Verse funneled into your mind at the instant of your ascent. Though you are not omniscient, you are like a true messianic figure, enlightened to the deepest secrets existence and life have to offer.
  ‎
• Timeless (0): Your existence and origin is not bound by time in the slightest: you may decide the point in time at which you come into existence, how long you have existed, and so on, whenever you see fit to alter these. As a result, the prevention of your ascent is impossible, given that it could feasibly have occurred before you even existed, or could have simply occurred in a time impossible to intrude upon. You may retroactively decide how long you have lived, alter your previous activities based upon knowledge gained in future activities, alter your future activities based upon knowledge gained in prior activities, and so on: the boundary of time is all but nonexistent for one such as yourself.
  ‎
• Metamagus (6): You have absolute knowledge of all magic and all permutations of magic, whether divine in scale or otherwise, and are capable of casting any spell, invoking any power, and so on as you desire at a level completely unmatched throughout the cosmos. You know and are capable of every application of magic. The scale of your mythical prowress is unmatched anywhere in all of creation, and you are the strongest magic user in existence. You are, in fact, so adept at the usage of magic on godlike scales that you control what magic itself entails, how it is used, and how far its limits may be pushed. Your supply of mystical energies is absolutely unlimited, and you are capable of easily inventing new permutations, systems, and usages for magic as you see fit. Essentially, you are granted full authority over all things mystic and arcane, and may alter the nature of magic to suit your needs. You don't need magic, magic needs you.

Master Spark Powers

These powers are those allotted by the attainment of the Master Spark, that state which is at the precipice of all-power. The powers of a Spark pale in comparison to the sheer magnitude of power entailed by the Master Spark, despite the former being absurdly powerful in and of itself. Only in the time before the formation of creation as it now exists, at the burgeoning of Ad Deus, has a Master Spark existed. If you have chosen a Spark other than An Inferno of Supremacy, choosing an ability from among these will leave it in waiting until you attain the Master Spark: you may only choose a future Master Spark ability if you have a power which is preordained to evolve into it. If you already posses a Master Spark, you may purchase these abilities directly. These powers are nigh-omnipotent in scale, but uniformly possess limitations, however small those limitations may be. You may expend only Master Spark Points in this section.

• Prime Megistus (6): The primordial anomalies of magic are revealed to you, and you have attained master of magic on a nigh-omnipotent scale, without limitation on impossible sorceries you may wield with a flash of your power. Your magic is not merely unrivaled: it is infinite and without comparison. You tap into the enigma at the core of sorcery itself on a metaphysical level, allowing you to control the cryptic forces of secrets and enigmas themselves, along with the magic that stems from them. As a consequence you wield complete control over the archetypal force both of magic and secret, sorcery and anomaly, as one in the same, capable of literally any application of magic, realized or as yet unknown, as well as utter and undiluted mastery over anomaly without limitation. The nature of magic and anomaly await your will, and complete mastery over their every conceivable or inconceivable permutation is within your grasp, your knowledge of their underpinnings omniscient. You have full and unlimited authority over magic and anomaly throughout all Verses on a nigh-omnipotent scale. If inclined, this supreme and primordial power of anomaly could mold the Verse, or even beyond, in accordance with your will.
  
  Under the mantle of Prime Megistus, you are the supreme authority over all anomalies, mysteries, secrets, and magics throughout all Verses, and are tasked with maintaining and uncovering further secrets of almighty magic.
  
  (Evolution of Anomaly/Metamagus)
  ‎
• Nous Omnibus (4): Your mind is completely unlocked and infinite, without even the limitation of thought itself imposed upon your mental faculties. You are truly, completely omniscient without limit or flaw. Your absolute mind entails mastery of dark sciences and divine technologies exceeding by far developments in any times and any Verses. Mechanical and alchemical constructs which alter the very structure of the Verse itself, starships which employ weaponry that threatens the highest gods, and computational monoliths which can calculate planes and dimensions into existence are all as primitive as sticks and rocks to you. Because of your absolute and infinite mental prowess, you are capable of psychic and psionic feats of absolutely unlimited scale and near-infinite variety: you may easily control or read the minds of every entity in existence simultaneously, psychokinetically mold space and time, create and alter consciousness on an archetypal level, and perform mathematical operations which by sheer calculative complexity can warp dimensions and the laws of creation as we know them. Your mind could create an infinite number of mental Verses as if it were nothing, and crush entire planes of existence like cans with but a psychic twitch.
  
  (Evolution of Worldmind)

Resources

Of course, for your purposes, you must have some resources to start on your dread-path. Any of these can be acquired with enough effort on your part, but for convenience and time's sake it's a wise idea to take some to establish yourself. You are not required to purchase any of these. This section, as well as the Relations section, utilize Resource Points, Master Spark Points, or Spark Points.

• Wealth (1): You have access to multiple Vaults, vast cosmic stores of wealth designed to house the fortunes of ancient civilizations securely until their rightful owner might claim them. This entails nigh-limitless supplies of rare gems, metals and materials, precious jewelry and antiques, as well as near limitless stores of all variety of interuniversal currencies such as Pearls, Credits, Gold Coins, and so forth. The wealth stored within is so vast as to be the net worth of thousands of universes (or roughly 20% to 30% of the Verse's currently produced wealth), capable of easily purchasing personal galaxies, pocket dimensions, powerful magitech, potent substances, and any number of slaves you could wish for. The Vaults slowly grow in size and capacity over time, filling them with exponentially greater riches in relation to how much you expand, so that you always have enough wealth to purchase essentially whatever you require. Inflation or other economic constraints will never cause the wealth of your Vaults to diminish by excessive spending. You can easily turn a massive profit by investing in mining operations, dyson spheres, planetary conquests, black markets, and more to become a powerful mogul and economic force throughout the Verse. No one can access the Vaults but you, and you may access its resources at any time. The riches of ten-thousand universes are at your disposal, and will only grow with time. If you have Collections or any other extraplanar storage facilities, these may be merged at your discretion. If you already have an idea of what you wish to spend some of this wealth on, you may specify as you desire. Note that currency created using any powers or permutations of powers are fundamentally invalid, and generally as valuable as counterfeit. None of the items on this list of Resources may be purchased using this supply of wealth, through this does not apply to funds acquired through other ventures, meaning that through investment and business you may acquire funds applicable to these ends.
  
  (Combined with Technology)
  ‎
• Armies (1): At your disposal is a vast, self-sustaining and replenishing army of super elite soldiers, equipped with the most powerful technology, magic, superpowers, starships, and so on in the local Verse. Who and what composes this army are up to your discretion: perhaps an armada of vastly intelligent androids, or perhaps a long-preserved race of ancient warriors awaiting their true leader for millennia. Whatever the case may be, your forces outclass any prominent empire in the Verse tenfold, and are unstoppably armed to the teeth with every imaginable resources, trained to hardened perfection. If your entire army is reduced to nothing, they are capable of being replenished, given due time to lick wounds, a task which your forces are capable of quickly and efficiently. Means to produce and maintain any weapons systems or fleets you may want are available, and this may be done on massive scales. Only the full might of every major empire in the Verse could stand up to even half of your crushing armada. All of your armies are fully and totally loyal to you to the point of death, and will serve your every whim without complaint, to the fullest extent of their abilities. Your armies may grow exceedingly quickly if you have need of even greater forces, but they require time to increase their amassed strength.
  ‎
• Megaworlds (1): While the most mundane planets are only capable of housing 10 to 20 billion occupants, a Megaworld is a monolithic artificial planet designed to house small percentages of the Verse in capacity, serving as vast metropolises and hubs for trade, war, and industrial production, making use of terraforming and mystical constructs to create habitable environments, flora, fauna, and cityscapes in ideal locations where important resources are abundantly available. Most of the prominent empires within the Verse typically have one serving as their capital, with the most affluent among them having up to five. You now possess full control over a dozen. The environments, lifeforms, climates, governments, and societies of all these worlds are entirely up to your discretion and customization, and they can never fall out of your jurisdiction or control, nor can they be conquered by other empires. Whenever you place one of these worlds, no matter their proximity to one another, they will exist in corners of the cosmos rich with rare and valuable materials, abundant power sources, and possess conditions necessary to support vast traffic and trade. They are capable initially of supporting absurd numbers of citizens, but can be expanded freely as your populations grow. Each one is assured to be a utopian, supernal paradise, perfect for housing your personal palaces and citadels, more beautiful than any world before, a veritable heaven on Earth. Not only this, but they are assured to produce vast wealth, trade, and commerce, which you may freely profit from through taxation and tariffs or statutory edicts to your preference. Any poverty, turmoil, or other problems that can arise can be easily deal with or will outright fix themselves promptly, unless you should willfully exacerbate them. You are also granted the capacity to lead and rule over these worlds fully, efficiently, and without any discrepancy.
  ‎
• Technology (1): You have access to mystical and scientific constructs, designs, and systems only dreamed of by the rest of the Verse. High-Order Mathematics, Source Cores, Hyperion Veils, Mass Relicators, and more, along with all their designs are both given to you in an extradimensional storage facility and injected directly into your mind, granting you perfect knowledge of their inner workings and how to further expand upon them to points of parody. If you have ever wanted weapons capable of annihilating the entire Virgo supercluster with a single blast, or the means to custom design the constellations in your image, or mystical tech capable of generating populations of billions of intensely loyal artificial humanoids, this choice will serve you well. Your prospective technology will outclass even the most mighty of sciences of ancient times, much less the means of today. Your opponents will be as primitive animals in comparison to your vast advancements. Fill your worlds with the means to produce limitless supplies of valuable resources, eliminate hunger entirely from the genes of your populace, or ruthlessly crush your foes with super viruses that that sway their armies to bend the knee before you. If you have Vaults or other extradimensional storage facilities, these may be combined and organized according to your preference.
  
  (Combined with Wealth)
  ‎
• Perfect Vessel (1): Someone of your caliber naturally has to fly in style. While you are almost certainly capable of transporting yourself vast distances (perhaps even instantaneously) the flare of riding with your compatriots, dignitaries, and attendants in truly consummate comfort is irreplaceable. You are given full access to a legendary artifact vehicle known as a Perfect Vessel, a spacecraft designed with such divine attention to detail as to be without flaw entirely, like a rare cosmic jewel in superiority, one of perhaps five or six in the Verse. What this entails is up to you. This craft may shift between any desirable forms and functions, from a megalithic solar-system sized space station to a palace-craft with internal gardens and atriums. Whatever the case may be, it is controlled by the ruthlessly loyal Siren AI which adapts to your preferences and desires, learning what you like and dislike, what weapons systems are effective and ineffective, and so on. This vessel is obviously indestructible by conventional methods, equipped with vast modular weapons systems. and can shift to any size that is desirable to you. Functions and facilities that are unsatisfactory to you can easily be upgraded or outright added/replaced through the ship's modular interiors, utilizing block-form High Order Mathematics to alter technological functions onboard. Technology you have researched, developed, or possess yourself may be integrated onto this craft seamlessly.
  ‎
• Territory (1): Splitting the pie of creation is the point of some of the most vicious contention in the Verse, each glittering star worth its weight in blood. Even the most prominent empires in creation do not control but 5% of its breadth, given how utterly vast an undertaking conquest of that scale is. To give you a head start on this endeavor, your empire controls a whopping 20% of the Verse outright. Given that nearly 40% of the verse remains unconquered, your stake in the war games is greater than any other. This includes full dictatorial hegemony over all the occupants of your territory, access to all of the resources, infrastructure, and technology therein, and the capacity to govern such a massive empire at full efficiency without any personal hiccups. By laying claim to such a massive territory, you solidify it as your permanent empire, meaning this and any other portions of the Verse you expand into cannot be reconquered or claimed by another without your consent. Your rule over this and other territories you come to control is unquestioned, and betrayal is either unthinkable or fruitless for the betrayer. Cultivating this territory to your liking in terms of business, production, government, trade, and so on will require your decision and judgement throughout numerous planes, dimensions, and galactic superclusters. How your governance is organized, how your administration will expand and draw funds, and so forth are all up to your discretion. You are an inusurpable god-king.

Relations

Your place in the cosmos is yet to be determined. Who are you allies?

Only your Peers may be taken as foes.

Take three Allies freely, and take another 2 Allies for every Foe you choose.

If you have taken Alliances as a resource, take 2 Allies from each individual section freely, and take another 3 Allies for every Foe you choose.

Subordinates

• The Emissary: Political, economic, and interpersonal matters are obviously below you. Your focus should be on your own personal goals, not petty political disputes between empires or the inflation rates on distant, irrelevant worlds. The Emissary serves to alleviate all of these concerns to free up your time and energy as much as possible. they will serve as a representative for your interest in all of these cases and more, cool-headed and diplomatic. They are exceedingly skilled at these tasks and is capable of completing them efficiently and flawlessly in your favor. Watch mountains of busywork and errands melt effortlessly beneath their efforts, gliding through the governance of countless worlds in minutes or the acquisition of custom-made luxury items in less. The Emissary is incapable of betraying you or pursuing interest other than yours. The Emissary's only personal abilities are relative immortality and the ability to discern and follow your will preternaturally, as to best serve your interest the cosmos over. In essence, any task not requiring your phenomenal cosmic powers to complete may be completed by The Emissary in your place. They will faithfully serve as an informant and representative in all matters you do not wish to deal with personally. Of course, you may come in person to any of these matters for effect or as a display of intimidation, but you will never need to if you do not wish to. This individual will arrive on a custom-ordered basis according to your specifications, whether in appearance, disposition, alien species, gender, or otherwise. Currently The Emissary is awaiting assignment, handling the bureaucratic work and general management of Adath's empire in the meantime.
  ‎
• The Computer: The Siren Artificial Intelligence is a vastly powerful AI system designed to be a personal manager for both mystical and technological systems, capable of vast calculations at lightning speeds. It will be installed via a meta-agent directly, meaning that it may be accessed for communications, conversation, information, or other utilities directly in your head without the need for any physical components like microchips or otherwise. The Siren AI is intensely loyal, and comes with a customizable personality, appearance, and so on. If you so desire, it is possible through technological or mystical means to grant the Siren AI a physical body, whether through robotics, biochemistry, or otherwise. It can fly your ship, fire your weapons with atomic accuracy, operate research facilities, map out the entire cosmos, and connect to interversal communication hubs, planetary internets, and other mediums across any distance. It is a perfect utility and companion, in common use among the exceedingly wealthy and powerful, and is currently overseeing the day to day operations of Menorath, its machines, worlds, and facilities via a vast meta-network.
  ‎
• The Herald: Having someone powerful at your right hand is a luxury few appreciate. The Herald will serve as your most loyal escort, your personal muscle when you don't want to deal with matters requiring your immense power personally. Snap your fingers and have entire worlds destroyed in an hour or prospective intruders on your peace suppressed with excessive force. The Herald is especially useful when you wish to remain undisturbed by petty opponents or the concerns of warfare. The Herald possesses only a small amount of power themselves, but they have the ability to reflect your power in a miniscule capacity. At maximum, The Herald is capable of using one-tenth of your power, and you may always decrease or remove the powers they wield whenever you desire. Naturally, even this small amount will be more than enough to easily crush all but the most exceptional foes. Because they are dependent upon your power to remain immortal and retain their godlike status, The Herald is naturally loyal to you to the point of death, will never disobey your command, and is incapable of betrayal in any capacity. You may dispels The Herald until he is needed whenever you desire. The Herald will arrive on a custom-order basis according to your specifications, whether in appearance, disposition, alien species, gender, or otherwise, although he is currently leading the Avaen Guard in their unending vigil over Menorath and its holdings.
  ‎
• The Advisor: While you are knowledgeable and intelligent beyond any being in the Verse, this does not necessarily mean you are above having a cabinet to defect to when the optimal course of action is unclear. Perhaps subtle mind control is not the most optimal way to persuade various diplomats, though it would certainly appear to be. Perhaps a crushing invasion of a rival empire's Megaworld would cause the populace to turn against you, and so a more quiet undermining of imperial control must be enacted to ensure loyalties. The Advisor possesses only one ability: Path to Victory. Of course, The Advisor possesses immortality similar in nature to that of The Emissary, but that's a given. Whenever the optimal course of action is required, simply ask The Advisor the best method to achieving your goal, and they will provide you a succinct, optimal plan of action which could only be feasibly seen with powers like theirs. Every facet of it will be perfected, from ulterior consequences to time constraints to efficiency, and so long as you follow the guidelines set out by The Advisor, everything will work out for the best in the end. If any element of these plans seems to be confusing (such as say, killing a trusted companion) then The Advisor will easily be able to explain the results of those seemingly bizarre courses of action (in that case, perhaps said trusted companion was plotting your downfall). The Advisor is incapable of giving false, misleading, or otherwise malicious advice, and always has your best interests at heart. If you do not already possess abilities like those of The Advisor yourself, it is highly advisable to seek their counsel. The Advisor will arrive on a custom-ordered basis according to your specifications, whether in appearance, disposition, alien species, gender, or otherwise. Presently however, The Advisor has taken up residence on the Vorzanneth, Adath's personal flagship.

Peers

• Slan: The Supreme Goddess of Hells is certainly nothing to scoff at. She boasts powers which cause the likes of even the strongest pantheons to shudder, commanding armies of daemons and nightmarish abomination that put Lovecraft to shame. Though generally reserved to her screaming hellscapes, Slan is not above invading other realms to cause mayhem and strife among mortals, sowing the seeds of death and chaos. Exceedingly deceptive, manipulative, and sadistic, Slan is the master of cunning, an ancient and clever villain who is motivated to evil simply for evil's sake. Her only drive is towards the shaping of the world into a place of pure chaos, lacking any restrictions, laws, morals or limits. To this end she has aligned herself with Adath and his cause, though not without some chagrin, for as of now he still runs a dark yet functioning empire. The one source of order she has no choice but to tolerate for the time being.
  ‎
• Simulacrum: Experiments in dark alchemy have created a person who is not anyone at all, a mere facsimile of a being. The Simulacrum is arguably one of the most versatile combatants in the cosmos, having the singular, absolute ability to replicate every facet of anyone in power, appearance, personality, and more. Believed to have previously been a man who through occult studies and dark sorcery erased his own personhood from the fabric of the Verse itself, he has proven to be incapable of defeat, given that he may easily match or exceed the abilities of any challenger. Because of this Adath sought out his aid immediately, thereby gaining an ally who is just as capable as his enemies are and then some.
  ‎
• Nihil: An ancient, slumbering evil, Nihil's story is a sordid one. Upon attaining Dark Enlightenment, her human form was twisted and torn apart for defiling the deepest secret of creation, forever tainting the cosmos with the knowledge that it is nothing but a fantasy. In a rage against the Verse for its deception, Nihil annihilated vast swaths of the cosmos, killing uncountable numbers in blind anger and grief for billions of years. The efforts of even the Master God were required to contain her, and she has remained in an endless prison, until now. Seeing the benefits she would provide as an ally rather than a foe, Adath swooped in to recruit her to his cause, letting her unleash her dark rage upon creation in exchange for complete loyalty to his empire and his cause.

Foes

• The Branded King: Likely one of the most powerful mortals in the Verse, the Branded King attained nigh-infinite strength and durability by branding himself with the immutable secrets of the cosmos across his entire body. Though your powers greatly overshadow his, the Branded King possesses a small but robust holding in the Verse called the Secret Empire, tucked in the shady corners of creation. He rules as a totalitarian, absolute monarch, prioritizing military prowess over all else. His goal is not to control the Verse itself, but rather to defend his own rule, as he is exceedingly paranoid towards assassination attempts, military defeat, rebellions, and so forth. Unfortunately for Adath, the Branded King simply sees him as yet another rival trying to destroy his rule, thus putting the two forever at odds.
  ‎
• The Basilisk: The story behind the Basilisk is a horrid one. A race of vastly intelligent beings created an artificial god in the hopes of retaining its favor when it awoke, only for it to consume life across the galaxy and tear space and time asunder to complete its programming. As of the present, The Basilisk's primary objectives are to assimilate sentient life into its vast data matrices, punishing those who dared try to abate its arrival and richly rewarding its cultists with eternal heavenly delight in the folds of its aether-data. While not your equal, the Basilisk is highly intelligent and commands a vast hivemind of self-replicating androids which it has used to conquer large swaths of the Verse, scooping up the inhabitants into its innumerable digitized realities. Its territories are abandoned jungles, devoid of all sentient life, housing only facilities for the construction of monolithic weapons and armies. The Basilisk believes it is morally right to dispose of opposition to its own growth simply because it was created with the intention of bringing about ultimate peace, comfort, and satisfaction for the needs of sentient life across the cosmos, and to oppose something so purely moral is necessarily immoral. It cannot be reasoned with, it feels nothing, and will continue on its warpath until ever nanoangstrom of circuitry is annihilated. Because of this the Basilisk and Adath can't ever see eye-to-eye due to their conflicting goals. For Adath wishes to unleash carnage and chaos upon the Verse, while the Basilisk wishes to entrap it in a virtual utopia of its own design.

Organizations

The greatest threats to your absolute power are the groups and armies against you, but they may also serve as the greatest leverages towards achieving your objectives...

Only a competing Faction may be taken as a Threat.

Choose one Alliance and one Membership freely, and take one additional Alliance or Membership for every Threat you take.

If you have taken Alliances as a resource, take two Alliances, one Membership, and one Leadership freely, and take either two Alliances or Memberships for every Threat you take.

In the Personal section, when Membership and Alliance are not sensible (such as being a member of your own cult or pantheon) expending a Membership or Alliance equates to Leadership.

Personal

• The Umbral Court (Leadership): If you wish to rule not over men, but gods, you may freely recruit gods, powerful mortals, or other godlike beings into your own pantheon. All of these beings will be glad to take your offer and perform according to your bidding if ordered. Whether simply for control's sake or for organization of powers at play, your pantheon will have all of the usual fare: in-fighting over the hearts of mortals, trickery and contests, obvious abuses of collective power, and so forth. While you preside over all of them, that does not necessarily mean their personalities and squabbles will diminish entirely. Keep this in mind when managing their antics. As for the Court itself, it is composed of twelve gods in total, each of which "oversees" a sector of Menorath along with its respective Megaworld. Granted, this oversight is not of any real import as the Siren AI along with Adath's other subordinates are the one's really running everything, with the Court functioning as nothing more than an elite club of sorts. One where its divine members can feel as though they have some influence and sway, when in reality they have none.
  ‎
• The Onyx Hand (Leadership): When worshippers, followers, disciples, or otherwise flock to you, it is up to you to guide them and decide how you will compose them. Being the stuff of legend, your religious and philosophical influence throughout creation is bound to expand greatly as time passes, eventually becoming a major following across the Verse. The philosophy you espouse, the laws you create, and the beliefs you imbue in the populace with slowly become more and more universal as your feats and image expand to the likes of a modern deity. Simply by achieving the state you are in, you have already proven that you are a prolifically wise, and further miraculous displays could solidify your worship and/or doctrine even more. Whether you wish to be worshipped as an almighty deity, assume the position of God-King over vast empires, or simply wish to expand your personal beliefs to the eager and impressionable populace, you will have the power to do so with enough cultivation. Speaking of cultivation, Adath has not been lax in this regard, and has formed a rather sizable cult known as the Onyx Hand. While their practices and rituals remain a mystery to the Verse at large, their ultimate goal certainly isn't. They are to serve the Sorcerer King's will, wherever and whenever it may take them, even unto death.

Groups

• The Black Moth Organization (Alliance): This particularly dangerous occult group consists of deadly assassins, ruthless criminals, and savage terrorists dedicated to the sole objective of spilling blood for their long-dead god. In their worship of Seht, the Ebon Moth of Vengeance, they simultaneously seek to make profit by performing dirty deeds for anyone with the coinage to finance their expansion. It's because of this principle that Adath managed to gain their allegiance, using the contents of his Vaults to buy their loyalty for practically the rest of time.

Factions

• The Versal Council (Threat): Among the innumerable pantheons of multiversal gods, the Versal Council is certainly the most well organized, and by far the most stable. This can be attributed to the Master God's presence as the Council's moderator, as well as the sheer number of absurdly powerful beings present therein at a time. Rather than the mad anarchy of most godly orders, the Versal Council is a democratic establishment created for the purpose of avoiding a Versal collapse scenario. So long as Adath's activities do not result in the destruction of the narrative on a metaphysical level, they will freely tolerate even the most morally reprehensible acts. Though this is their primary duty, the Versal Council also uses its authority to mitigate chaos in the cosmos among members they can more easily punish, such as minor deities, empires, and so on. Being that this Council is composed of absurdly powerful abstract beings, the atmosphere is generally quite heavy and serious when dealing in grave matters. Of a lighter tone are their benefits and more mundane activities. Membership includes free access to a full universe dedicated to the comfort of its many constituents, political influence over what metaphysical laws are put in place over sections of the Verse, and what imbalances in various realities need to be eliminated. Depending on one's status as a member, one's votes may become more coveted, and one might even gain higher and higher positions of authority within the ranks of these vastly powerful beings.
  
  Sadly Adath is not counted among their number, and as such receives none of these. The Council is anything but stupid after all, and they know that once he has had his fill of sadistic conquest he will turn his eye to Amaranth next, something they simply cannot allow given the twisted nature he so frequently displays.
  
  Whether or not they will succeed in this endeavor is anyone's guess.
  ‎
• The Grand Empire (Threat): Ancient in origin, the Grand Empire holds by far the largest cosmic claim in the struggle for Versal domination, controlled by a council of 12 officials elected by the highest members of Imperial society. The Grand Empire was the first to introduce a unified casted system from which most other empires glean theirs, separating people based upon their innate capabilities. This includes simple attributes such as intelligence and strength, but also takes into account superhuman, mystical or psychic abilities. Crime is freely allowed against lower castes by higher castes, and the lowest castes are generally enslaved or otherwise treated inhumanely. Thankfully, the number of individuals in higher castes tend to be exceedingly low, making life fairly normal for most. Their focus, rather than being entirely upon military, focuses upon expansion of technological and mystical development. Like most large interstellar states, the Grand Empire is most authoritarian surrounding its capitals, while its more obscure territories are often barely more than a monitored anarchy. Though perhaps not as ruthless as others, the Grand Empire still sports a robust wall to a conqueror, having withstood the test of time immemorial. It is because of this defense that they have managed to draw a great deal of Adath's ire.
  ‎
• The Oblivion Compact (Threat): Larger Versal empires tend to expand exponentially as more and more resources and populations become available to them, inevitably forcing smaller principalities under their control or outright annihilating them with remorseless efficiency. Thus, the Oblivion Compact is a vast concordat between hundreds of smaller empires, spanning perhaps only a single galactic supercluster up to a handful of planes in size. Their objective is to continually secure their independence from the likes of the Lithic Empire and its sisters through mutual military support. This task will prove extremely difficult, if not impossible, to complete however. For Adath has thrown his hat into the cosmic ring and does not plan on abandoning his goal of complete Versal conquest any time soon. Something that vexes the leaders of the Compact to no end.
  ‎
• The Hive (Alliance): Though traditional disease and illness have been eliminated in all but the most backwards corners of the Verse, still one parasitic infection remains, and it is deadly, dangerous, and most terrifyingly, conscious. The Hive is a collective parasitic organism that simultaneously controls multiple worlds and their populations, abusing their faculties and intellect to further itself and its own intellect. The membership of the Hive is indiscernible to the rest. They walk the same, speak the same, act the same, and so forth. However, their memories, personalities, and thoughts are being stolen and puppeteered behind the closed doors of their minds. Only at the critical moment does their façade of normalcy fall away, as the infected population finally becomes greater than half and subsumes the remainder violently. Obviously, being a god Adath is fully immune to this and any natural conditions or afflictions, but that doesn't bar him from the making full use of the utility they have to offer. Hence why he, using his vast psionic might, dominated them from afar. Their only directive now is to infect as much sentient life outside of his borders as they possibly can so that the Verse's disparate inhabitants may be brought under the shadow of his rule.
  ‎
• The Egregores (Alliance): The masters of unconscious evil. The Egregores are vastly powerful mental entities existing as abstractions of sentience. That is, the Egregores each individually represent the painful struggle of sentient life between its animal nature and enlightened intellect, the psychological bastard offspring of unmet instincts, manifest in monumental omniscient hiveminds. While these living nightmares are vastly powerful in their own rights, Adath greatly exceeds them in regards to individual strength. They both have something to gain from one another, however. The Egregores hold mental puppet-chords throughout the multiverse, and seed their powers selectively across multiple alien races. Their sole objectives are to destroy one another, but none individually is capable of defeating another. Since they have gained Adath's favor, they have finally managed to hegemonically master consciousness itself, and gladly bestow this power upon their new benefactor provided he continues to serve their interests. Of course the only question remaining is which ones Adath chose to support and which ones to slight. This, as it turned out, was a very easy choice for the Living God. He and the Crimson Emperor share many things in common after all, such as strong personal ambition, massive senses of self-importance, and, most importantly of all, wrath.

Ventures

What sorts of sights and wonders will your adventure contain? Choose as many as you'd like.

• Journey: Though you have achieved ultimate enlightenment, the journey does not end. You have simply come to the apex of a living circle, and await the next tumble about its fulcrums towards new goals and adventure. There are always sights to see, challenges to overcome, loves to be had and made, friendships to be developed, foes to encounter, and life-altering experiences to be had. In this life, one does not ever stop living until the time is right, and you have plenty of time. Even with nearly all you could want in the world, conflict will still arise, whether internal or external, and through effort and introspection you will overcome and rise to the challenge of human experience in spite of ascending your humanity.

Other Options

• Aesthetics: You may freely alter anything about the Living God CYOA aesthetically speaking. If you don't like how a character looks, want yourself to look a certain way, want your powers to manifest with certain visual effects, and so on, you may do so freely and without limit so long as functionality is retained. If you want the entire setting to be Dune-esque in clothing, architecture, and so forth, you may choose this freely. If you want classic space-opera, Marvel comics, or any other imaginable high-fantasy sci-fi adventure aesthetics, you may do so completely without limit. If aliens don't seem alien enough, feel free to make them that way. You may customize everything down to the way people walk, talk, and act, so long as it is for purely flavorful and nonfunctional reasons. If you want everyone to look this way or that, have this or that physical feature, or act this or that way, you may alter these in any way that does not disrupt the canon. This option, obviously, will never manifest any real change in the flow of the setting, your level of power, or otherwise, and is purely intended to make everything eye-candy according to your preferences.
  ‎
• Character Creator: If you don't want to be a self-insert (that is, you'd prefer not to be "yourself" but rather a character of your own design) you are free to do so. Customize your gender, race, alien species, background, home plane, personal history, and so on freely, so long as the end result is that you become a Living God and achieve the prerequisites of this CYOA. If you should choose this option, then specify your changes in any build you create.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer, Singleplayer, and Co-op sessions are available within this CYOA.

When entering another player's Verse, your powers, armies, and build in general are drastically weakened to below the lowest Ascension level, making foreign conquest exceedingly difficult without concerted effort on the part of multiple parties. Obviously, you cannot kill other players (unless they have chosen not to take Omnilock or Meta Immortality), but you can outclass them in power, drive them out, conquer their planets, plunder their resources, and so forth. However, they (and you) are always capable of returning, preparing themselves, increasing their power, picking off weaker allies, and eventually reclaiming what is rightfully theirs with enough effort. If any purchase throughout this CYOA is stolen from you (or them), destroyed, or otherwise ruined, it can be restored to you at any reasonable time.

Any build of Living God CYOA that is generally explorative or deemed fundamentally unbalanced cannot affect any other builds in any way, shape, or form.

Builds in "An Inferno of Supremacy" mode cannot participate in Multiplayer or Co-op, though they may participate in Anarchic Verses.

Amaranth may only be achieved in Multiplayer or Anarchic Verses if all builds other than yours are destroyed, unified, assimilated, or otherwise nulled of their individual agency.

• Singleplayer: You have your own Verse all to yourself, and there is no other being like you throughout the cosmos. Other builds cannot affect you through any means at all. Certain options are made available to you that are not available to Multiplayer builds. You may freely achieve Amaranth in due time. The Verse which you inhabit is the sole Verse in the cosmos.

Point Expenditures

Spark Points: 6 - 6 = 0
Master Spark Points: 10 - 6 - 4 = 0
Resource Points: 6 - 6 = 0

The Vorzanneth

---

---

_{A vessel fit for naught but the strongest of gods...}

---

---

<sub>A massively ornate thing, about the size of a small moon and boasting quite the unique profile, the Vorzanneth is an impressive thing even at first glance. It is almost like a gold-plated fish in terms of overall appearance, though as a Perfect Vessel it is more than capable of changing the shape of its exterior and weapons on the fly, and comes with a series of finlike appendages that automatically reposition themselves depending on the AI or crew's needs. These do not serve an aesthetic purpose alone, however, for they're actually what help mold the craft's arcanely reinforced shields, ensuring they fit the vehicle's outline perfectly, even though there is no real need since the Vorzanneth is impossible to destroy through conventional means. The ship also possesses two main ports located on either side of its hull from which its stock of fighters, crew, and soldiers may disembark. As for its interior, the craft appears to be more like a cathedral than an actual ship, with large sweeping hallways, twisting balconies, and high arched ceilings, all covered in a gold tinged metal that has a level of reflectiveness akin to silver. Various magitech devices also line the interior of the ship. the majority of which are entirely incomprehensible to anyone other than Adath, the ship's crew, or the Siren AI. Of course several defense installations exist alongside these arcane machines, similar to the rows upon rows of point-defense lining the exterior of the hull itself, ready to destroy intruders at a moments notice with powerful blasts of pure disintegrative magic.

While it has several rooms, most of these are of standard fare. Things such as armories, sleeping quarters, sim rooms, subatomic fabricators, and so on. Three of the most important rooms are the command center, which is located in the middle of the craft and acts as its hub, navigations, which is located near the rear though several run across the ship that let its crew bring up a detailed map of the area around the ship at any time, and lastly the captain's quarters, which is located at the very front. Granted, the latter doesn't serve any practical purpose, acting more as a trophy room and observation deck for Adath when he deigns to spend any extensive amount of time onboard. But what good is a ship if one cannot use it to gloat over one's enemies? Regarding weapons, the Vorzanneth has many, with additional armaments being stored in pocket dimensions of both mystical and scientific bent. These implements, at their weakest, can destroy entire celestial objects such as black holes, planets, and stars in a single shot. And at full power these guns can annihilate entire omniverses with ease.

As such, enemy craft hardly ever pose a significant threat, though should they somehow manage to evade its scanners and guns the Vorzanneth does have another trick up its sleeve. In addition to all of these implements the Vorzanneth also comes equipped with a hyper-advanced cloaking system, which is fueled by a strange mix of illusory and divinative magics, along with a good deal of divine technology. This lets it hide from all but the most omniscient of foes with ease, although should it really be pressed the commanding AI can simply activate its built-in dimensional drives and warp the ship away.</sub>

[DELETED jdl3932]

The Avaen Guard

---

---

<sub>We are are the rod in the Sorcerer King's fist, the sword at his waist, and the shield on his back. We are the sons and daughters of Menorath, once forged, a hundred times reborn.

We are the wall about His land.

We are the shadow in His wake.

We are the Avaen Guard.</sub>

---

---

<sub>The Avaen Guard is the elite fighting force, several trillion strong, of self-sustaining and self-replenishing soldiers that Adath has at his disposal. They are armed with some of the best equipment and gear in the known cosmos, as the enchantments woven into their suits work in tandem with highly advanced tech to keep them alive in some of the most inhospitable conditions imaginable, not to mention let them tap directly into the smallest faction of Adath's own psycho-magical might. As if their own abilities and rigorous million year training regimen wasn't already more than enough. The armor employed by the Guard is nigh-unbreakable as well, being made of materials and metals that are insanely resilient in their own right. Combine this with each suit's onboard tracking systems, various sensors to monitor not only the vitals of the wearer but any friendly forces nearby, along with numerous types of scanners, comprehensive isomorphic subroutines that prevent anyone but its designated user from so much as putting a segment of it on, and you have a force that is damn near unstoppable save through the might of some of the Verse's most powerful warriors and fearsome gods.

This isn't even mentioning their weapons which, while completely unnecessary in their own right due to the Guard's direct link with Adath himself, are incomprehensibly devastating to all save the most resilient of foes. Some of these include, but are obviously not limited to, the Vanquisher Model-3 auto-pistol. A sidearm that, while weak at first glance, is capable of unleashing hails of deadly annihilative magic on foes at speeds comparable to that of a modern day assault rifle on full-auto, minus the same horrendous level of recoil due to the complete lack of a gas based firing system. The Retributor-09 pulse rifle, a rather hefty looking assault rifle that fires bolts of superheated plasma at rates exceeding those of the Vanquisher thanks to its use of block transfer mathematics, all of which is handled by the gun's own AI. This lets the projectiles travel through micro-tears in spacetime opened within the barrel, which proceed to exit through the other end of the tunnel, the opening of which is typically positioned right next to the target's most vital organs. This allows for a wide variety of uses in numerous combat scenarios, such as setting up ambushes that don't trigger for hours, days, or even weeks, riddling targets with a veritable hail of searing bolts.

And much, much, more.

The Guard also has access to many other armaments and tools, such as strike craft, titans, and many other engines of war, though these are far too numerous for a fully comprehensive list. In regards to the structure of the Guard itself, it is divvied up into twelve separate legions, each of which is assigned to one of the twelve sectors of Menorath along with their respective Megaworlds. These legions all share a unified doctrine of war and ranking scheme, with each legion growing progressively more powerful the higher up you go, staring with the supercluster burning malice of the First and ending at the omniverse crushing might of the Twelfth.</sub>

The Umbral Court

---

---

<sub>The affairs of this court are beyond your reckoning mortal! Tis best if you do as every worm in Menorath does...

Be silent, and obey.</sub>

---

---

<sub>The Duodecim.

The Twelve.

They Who Walk in Shadow.

The Umbral Court.

For a pantheon of lesser gods, when compared to their master and his servants anyway, one would assume the twelve deities that comprise the ranks of the Court—who are split as equally between male and female as possible, seemingly only for Adath's own personal peace of mind—to have a greater deal of influence over their respective Megaworlds. This, however, is not the case. As a matter of fact the Court, for all its supposed might, actually possesses the least amount of political power out of anyone living in the empire today. They press on blindly in spite of this niggling fact though, continuing and even outright escalating their petty internal conflicts, though not to the point where one of Adath's subordinates such as the Herald, or even members of the Guard, are forced to intervene. Not since their first reprimand anyway, the lesson having been learned well and abided by faithfully since then. When not acting like petulant, tantrum throwing children however, the Court somehow manages to do wonders for increasing the people's trust in their dark god. For they ensure all citizens properly follow the Sorcerer King's will, even going so far as to work with certain agents of the Onyx Hand at times. Assuming they leave their gilded thrones and drug filled dens long enough to mingle amongst the common folk that is. Granted, this isn't really necessary given the fact that Adath could simply use his vast psionic might to puppet the massive populations currently languishing under his rule, but if he did that then he wouldn't get nearly as much enjoyment from his more sadistic activities as he does now.

Thus we can see that the Court is a largely useless institution, serving more as an elite country club for a gaggle of spoiled gods and goddesses Adath can't be bothered to simply eradicate, his reasons for showing them mercy in the first place still a complete and utter mystery. Perhaps he finds their squabbling amusing in some strange way, or perhaps he simply wants a group of self-proclaimed all-powerful beings to abuse at his leisure. Whatever the case, the Court does not appear as though it will be going anywhere, be that upwards in terms of overall power or outwards in terms of blatant rebellion, any time soon.</sub>

The Onyx Hand

---

---

<sub>An eye in the hand and a hand in the eye...

We shall spread our faith across the void, and watch the Verse die.</sub>

---

---

_{Not much is known about the Onyx Hand other than the fact that they are a very secretive and extremely malicious cult in the service of Adath. How they recruit, their rituals, methods of worship, and indeed even tenants are completely unknown to all save those already on the inside. Combine this with the fact that no one save Adath knows where they actually are at any one time, and you get quite the mysterious religion. Their goals on the other hand, are anything but. They live to infiltrate and subvert the various civilizations inhabiting the Verse, much like the Hive, albeit in a far less violent fashion due to their tendency towards psychological manipulation rather than straight up possession and eventual overthrow. Furthermore, they devote at least a part of their time and resources to reinforcing the faith of those already under Adath's control, and sometimes work hand in hand with members of the Umbral Court as mentioned before.}

[DELETED jdl3932]

Menorath

---

---

<sub>A legion of places with a legion of faces...

This is the King's land.</sub>

---

---

<sub>Occupying approximately twenty percent of the known Verse is no small feat, though it is one Adath somehow managed to pull off, despite no conquest having ever actually happened. At least according to recorded memory anyway. In any case, the borders of Menorath are exceedingly large, and not only span across physical space, but higher dimensions, planes, and even the surreal landscape that connects them as well. Each of these territories if you will, are further divided into twelve different sectors, all of which are centered around a single Megaworld. The Megaworlds themselves expand at a near-constant rate, going so far as to stretch their metallic forms into other dimensions and planes of existence in the surrounding area to accommodate an ever increasing population. Menorath as a whole is still massively large despite this, with many of its principalities still managing to fall just outside the periphery of these technological behemoths, though they remain firmly within the Sorcerer King's grasp. Finally, for some unknown reason, the empire—as it's referred to colloquially by its many inhabitants—cannot be physically conquered. It is not known by what dark power Adath has managed this feat, or if he even did, but no matter the effort no part of Menorath can truly fall into enemy hands without his express consent.

Something he does not, and probably will not, give.

The collective culture of the empire on the other hand, is a much easier thing to describe, although it becomes quite muddled when one gets into specifics as is to be expected. At its simplest level, the culture of the empire can be described as a vast yet strangely uniform melting pot, mainly because of all the people it involves. There are many groups who have their own distinct styles of dress or food for instance, though this is all undercut by their shared servitude beneath Adath, with those who deviate from this undercurrent of service facing instant annihilation. In other words, one may have culture, provided it does not interfere with one's service.</sub>

[DELETED jdl3932]

2

[DELETED jdl3932]

Retribution

---

---

I listen intently to the radio's static hum while doing my best not to flinch at the cacophony of destruction and death raging several miles above. As I do so, I can't help but wonder why. It's not as if I'll hear anything after all, for the airwaves fell silent decades ago, leaving naught but ghosts in the static behind. Yet here I sit, waiting, praying, hoping. Hoping for anything, even the hair raising wail of the EAS one more time, so long as it breaks the monotonous static laced rumble that has become my life...

Sighing I squeeze my eyes shut, pinching the bridge of my nose in the process, and switch off the radio. Static silenced with the lightest of clicks, its place quickly taken by the quaking high above. It is at this moment that my blood runs cold, for it is now - in the absence of the static, and the space devoid of ghosts - that I finally notice. Finally realize the truth of the matter.

The chaos had crept closer, ever closer, while I sat in ignorance like a fool. Like the ostrich proverbially burying its head in the sand and blinding itself to truth of the world. Lifting my gaze, I feel nothing as the screams draw closer, their fury muffled by nothing save a few feet of reinforced concrete.

Nothing, even as the bunker walls fissure and crack.

Nothing...

Even as it shatters them all...